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Risk level downgraded for Coos County PORTLAND (AP) — Five Oregon counties — including both Coos and Douglas counties — will be upgraded from Extreme Risk to High Risk levels, based on the area’s current COVID-19 data, Gov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday. High Risk is the first level in which some businesses, including restaurants, can resume offering indoor services. “After weeks of diligent work by local leaders and public health officials to implement health and

safety measures in their communities, this week’s county data is a welcome sign that we are making progress in stopping the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon,” Brown said. “The county risk level framework is meant to put us on track to reopen our schools, businesses, and communities.” Oregon’s COVID-19 framework uses four different risk levels for counties based on COVID-19 spread—Extreme, High, Moderate and Lower. From Jan. 1 through Jan. 14,

there will be 24 counties in the Extreme Risk level, five at High Risk and seven at Lower Risk. Clatsop, Coos, Douglas, Lincoln and Morrow counties were moved to High Risk from Extreme. County risk levels are assessed every two weeks. The next assessment is Jan. 15. “Every week, more Oregonians are being vaccinated against this deadly disease. But, until vaccines are widely available with high participation

rates, the surest way to open our communities is to continue practicing the measures we know are effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19,” Brown said. However health officials say they have received less doses of the COVID-19 vaccines than they expected at this point in time. KOIN reports that more than 20,000 coronavirus vaccine doses had been administered in Oregon by Tuesday, but health leaders in the state had expect-

Two earthquakes hit off South Coast Two earthquakes hit west of the South Coast late Monday and early Tuesday, but experts weren’t worried about possible tsunamis. The larger of the two quakes came just after 11 p.m., about 127 miles west of Bandon and 6 miles below the earth’s surface, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It had a magnitude of 5.7. A second, magnitude 3.2 quake hit nearby around 2:15 a.m. about 115 miles west of Langlois and 4 miles beneath the earth’s surface. No large-scale damage has been reported on land from the quakes, but one Coos Bay business owner suspects the events were the cause of a broken window discovered Tuesday morning. “I just think it was the right vibrations to shatter a window, but not to damage (inside),” said Steve Schneiderman, the owner of Marshfield Mercantile on U.S. Highway 101. Only one of the building’s windows broke — the others had been newly replaced, Schneiderman said. The building was built in the mid-1960s on pilings, and most neighboring buildings are newer construction. “I’m suspecting that it was

earthquake related,” Schneiderman said. “This is all old dredge fill down here.” There’s no evidence the break was a result of an attempted robbery, since the building’s motion sensors weren’t triggered, nothing else was moved or taken and no rock or other object was left behind. Schneiderman said video of the crash, though obstructed by a bookcase, shows the window shattering outward before a nearby hanging frame fell down. There were no tsunami warnings, advisories, watches or threats following the quakes, according to the U.S. Tsunami Warning System. The center can’t predict when the next tsunami will strike, but can forecast which earthquakes are likely to cause big waves. Some tsunamis can’t be forecasted in time for an official warning, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It recommends watching for other warning signs, like strong earthquakes, a loud roar from the ocean or sudden changes in sea level. The Oregon Office of Emergency Management says those in low-lying areas should move immediately to high ground in case of a tsunami, and that coastal residents should be prepared for two weeks of evacuation. More resources are available on OEM’s website.

LONDON (AP) — Britain authorized an easy-to-handle coronavirus vaccine Wednesday and decided to stretch out the time between doses to allow more people to get some level of protection faster as infections surge. The first greenlight for the shot dubbed the “vaccine for the world” brought a measure of hope that the pandemic could be brought under control. The vaccine developed by Oxford University and drugmaker AstraZeneca is expected to be relied on in many countries because of its low cost and the fact that it can be kept in refrigerators rather than at the ultra-cold or freezer temperatures some other vaccines require. “This wonderful news brings renewed hope at a time of rising infections and unprecedented pressure on health services in the U.K. and beyond. It is now critical that this hope can be shared by all nations,” said Anna Marriot, Health Policy Manager at Oxfam aid agency. Even as the authorization was welcomed as a significant development in efforts to contain the virus that has killed nearly 1.8 million, the change in British policy on administering the shots drove home concerns about a new, potentially more contagious variant that authorities blame for rising hospitalizations in Britain. The new variant has been found in several countries, including the U.S. Because infections are

spreading so rapidly in the U.K., officials are now recommending prioritizing delivering a first dose to as many people as possible for both of the vaccines authorized for use in the country: the AstraZeneca one and another from Pfizer-BioNTech. Officials say both protect people even after just one of the two recommended doses — and that increasing the time between doses might even have a benefit. “The immediate urgency is for rapid and high levels of vaccine uptake,” Wei Shen Lim, chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, told reporters Wednesday. “This will allow the greatest number of eligible people to receive vaccine in the shortest time possible, and that will protect the greatest number of lives.” Hundreds of thousands of people in the U.K. have already received at least one shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the rollout of the AstraZeneca one will start Jan. 4. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, which recommended the AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use, did not endorse one vaccine over the other. The regulator also updated its guidance on the Pfizer-BioNTech shot to say that pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding can get it after a consultation with a health professional about the benefits and risks. Previously,

ZACK DEMARS The World

ed more than 100,000 doses to arrive by the end of the year. Most of the doses have been given to healthcare workers who are in close contact with COVID patients, as well as staff and residents at some nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. The Oregon Health Authority reported 713 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 Tuesday and 16 deaths. The latest figures brought the state’s coronavirus totals to 111,227 cases and 1,449 deaths.

Police find missing car, still searching for person of interest in killing By David Rupkalvis The World

Contributed Photo by Steve Schneiderman

Owner Steve Schneiderman believes an earthquake off the South Coast late Monday caused damage to a window at Marshfield Mercantile in Coos Bay.

U.S. Geological Survey

Two earthquakes hit off the South Coast Monday night and Tuesday morning. The first was a magnitude 5.7 and the second a magnitude 3.2.

Britain approves new ‘vaccine for the world’ the agency had not recommended the shot for pregnant women. And instead of advising against its use in people with severe allergic reactions to food, other medicines or vaccines, the regulator now says only people with an allergy to ingredients of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine should not get the shot. Both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines were tested with two doses, given a few weeks apart. Now, the British government said that for both vaccines it would prioritize giving as many people as possible a single dose — and everyone would get a second shot within 12 weeks of the first. While soaring case numbers played a part in that decision, Munir Pirmohamed, of Britain’s Commission on Human Medicines, said that there appeared to be no drawback to waiting for the second dose and that a longer time between shots might even improve efficacy. Pfizer responded to the new British policy by saying that any “alternative” dosing regimens should be tracked by health authorities. It noted that two doses are needed for “maximum protection” against the disease, and that it has no data that show protection from just one dose lasts longer than 21 days. The new strategy comes as the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the U.K. has surpassed the first peak of the outbreak in the spring, with

authorities blaming the new variant, which was first identified in southeast England. Oxford University’s Dr. Andrew Pollard, one of the leaders of the vaccine development team, offered hope the newly authorized shot will help. “At the moment, there’s no evidence that the vaccines won’t work against the new variant,” Pollard told Radio 4. “But that is something which we have to look at. We can’t be complacent about this variant or perhaps future variants.” Pollard has called the AstraZeneca shot “a vaccine for the world.” The ultra-cold or freezer temperature storage required by other vaccines is “very impractical” in developing countries, said Dr. Gillies O’Bryan-Tear, chair of policy and communications for Britain’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine. It means the AstraZeneca one “may reach more parts of the world than the Pfizer one,” he said. The company has also said it will sell it for $2.50 a dose and plans to make up to 3 billion doses by the end of 2021. Partial results from studies in almost 24,000 people in Britain, Brazil and South Africa suggest the AstraZeneca shots are safe and about 70% effective for preventing illness from coronavirus infection. Questions also remain about Please see Vaccine, Page 2

North Bend police are still looking for a person of interest in a hit-and-run incident that killed a 28-year-old North Bend man Sunday. District Attorney R. Paul Frasier announced Tuesday that investigators were making progress but still had not located Joshua James Thompson, 40, who was last known to live in Coquille. Police believe Thompson was driving a Chevy Tahoe that ran over Michael David Moore in what authorities are calling a road-rage incident. According the information Frasier released, Moore was a passenger in a Ford Ranger pickup that had some altercation with the Tahoe and a red vehicle, now known to be a Toyota Camry. The incident started near the Liberty Theater in downtown North Bend. The vehicles traveled south on Sherman Avenue and turned west on either Oregon or Maryland avenues. During the chase, the Ford Ranger crashed into a curb and could no longer be driven. At that point, Moore exited the vehicle and confronted the driver of the Tahoe. The argument continued onto Union Avenue where police say the Tahoe ran over Moore before crashing into a home in the 2700 block of Union Avenue. Police allege Thompson then drove the Tahoe away, abandoning it a few blocks away and leaving in the red Toyota. Frasier said an autopsy was concluded on Moore on Tuesday, and the coroner determined Moore died for major crushing injuries to his body. Authorities from multiple law enforcement agencies began searching for Thompson and the red Toyota on Sunday. On Tuesday, they reported the vehicle had been found abandoned on a remote rural area of north Coos County on private forest land. Frasier said a concerned citizen called authorities after noticing a locked gate leading to the road had been crashed into. The citizen walked up the road and found the vehicle. Frasier said the person has seen press coverage about the incident and called authorities. Frasier said the vehicle was impounded and a search warrant was issued, giving police authority to search it. Frasier said authorities are continuing to search for Thompson. If anyone has seen Thompson or has information on the case, they are asked to call the North Bend Police Department.

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Oregon reports 16 more COVID-19 deaths Oregon had another relatively low number of new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, but the Oregon Health Authority also reported an additional 16 deaths from the ongoing pandemic. The state’s death toll now stands at 1,449 while the 713 new confirmed and presumptive cases raised the total since the start of the pandemic to 111,227 as of 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.

Coos County had 26 of the new cases, while Douglas County had six. No new cases were reported in Curry County, one of just four counties in the state without any new cases. A total of 527 patients were hospitalized across Oregon with COVID-19, including 119 in intensive care units. The new confirmed and presumptive cases were in the following counties: Baker (25), Benton (7),

Clackamas (90), Clatsop (9), Columbia (6), Coos (26), Crook (1), Deschutes (39), Douglas (6), Gilliam (1), Grant (1), Hood River (5), Jackson (36), Jefferson (4), Josephine (15), Klamath (12), Lake (4), Lane (60), Lincoln (12), Linn (22), Malheur (12), Marion (88), Morrow (2), Multnomah (105), Polk (11), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (26), Union (6), Wasco (6), Washington (60), Wheeler (1) and Yamhill (14).

MEDFORD (AP) — When the Almeda and Obenchain Fires hit, few Jackson County residents were notified about evacuation orders. Many were forced to flee with nothing but the clothes on their backs and no notification save for a knock on their door telling them it was time to leave. While emergency officials rushed to respond to the fast-moving flames and to make sure residents were safe, there was also little to no communication with media outlets on the scale of the fire. The lack of notification to evacuees as well as the lack of communication with media outlets throughout the disaster are just some of the items a private consulting firm will be paid $43,958.80 to review, KTVL News 10 reported. “Our job will be to work with the county and all of the jurisdictions within to do a review of the wildfires and help them determine what are the best practices that emerged, what are the things they can do better moving forward and help them determine how they can deal with wildfires better in the future,” explained Bryan Koon, vice president of Innovative Emergency Management (IEM), the North Carolina-based firm the county contracted. An 86-page contract and proposal between IEM and the county that News 10 obtained through records request notes that

the review will examine “data and audio records” from the Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon (ECSO). It will look into communications sent from the Everbridge Notification System ( that should have notified residents of evacuation orders) as well as social media posts’. “Analyzing the response communications, platforms used to disseminate information to the public and the message development process is essential for ensuring Jackson County continues to build readiness and resilience to respond to and recover from these disasters events,” IEM’s proposal notes. Koon said the firm will conduct an ‘After-Action Review’ which will include conditions prior to the fires and how local agencies responded to them. The review will look at the response from the Cities of Central Point, Medford, Phoenix, Talent, Shady Cove, and Butte Falls. Within those jurisdictions, it will look at the response of each city manager, police and fire department during and after the fire. The review will also look at the response from the Oregon State Police (OSP), Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), and ECSO. “First thing we’ll do is read and review as much of the documentation, any of the reports that came out, the communication, the situation reports, and

then you follow it up with doing lots of interviews,” Koon said. He explained every individual and agency viewed and reacted differently to the disaster, which is why the interviews will be needed to get a better overall understanding of their responses. Koon said the firm will also look into how residents and animals were cared for and housed after the fires broke out. “We will probably find some great things that emerged, some best practices, and there will probably be a few gaps that the county and jurisdictions within can work on in the future,” Koon said. He specified that the review will not be an investigation into the cause of the fire, but a detailed report of what the county can learn from and improve for future disasters. “We know there is going to be more wildfires in the future and certainly that is something you should take a look at, is how do you prevent future forest fires, but we are looking at it as a more organizational response effort and how you deal with them once they occur,” he explained. At the end of the review, the firm will put together a final report and will present its findings to the Jackson County Board of Commissioners. Koon said he estimates the review will take up to four months, though the contract allows for up to six months.

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Jackson County to pay consultant to study wildfire response

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New coronavirus variant found in Colorado man DENVER (AP) — A new variant of the coronavirus that may be more contagious has been found in a Colorado man who had not been traveling, triggering a host of questions about how the first reported U.S. case of the new version showed up in the Rocky Mountain state. The new variant was first identified in England, and infections are soaring now in Britain, where the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients has surpassed the first peak of the outbreak in the spring. The new variant has also been found in several other countries. Colorado officials were expected to provide more details at a news conference Wednesday about how the man in his 20s from a mostly rural area of rolling plains at the edge of the Denver metro area came down with the variant. Gov. Jared Polis announced the case Tuesday, adding urgency to efforts to vaccinate Americans. For the moment, the variant is likely still rare in the U.S., but the lack of travel history in the first case means it is spreading, probably seeded by travelers from Britain in November or December, said scientist Trevor Bedford, who studies the spread of COVID-19 at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. “Now I’m worried there will be another spring wave due to the variant,” Bedford said. “It’s a race with the vaccine, but now the virus has just gotten a little bit faster.” The man is in isolation southeast of Denver in Elbert County, state health officials said. Colorado Politics reported there is a second suspected case of the variant in the state according to Dwayne Smith, director of public health for Elbert County. Both of the people were working in the Elbert County community of

Simla. Neither is a resident of that county — expanding the possibility that the variant has spread in the state. Public health officials are investigating other potential cases of the variant, which was confirmed by the Colorado State Laboratory, and performing contact tracing to determine its spread. Scientists in the United Kingdom believe the variant is more contagious than previously identified ones — though they have found no evidence that it is more lethal or causes more severe illness. Experts also believe the vaccines being given now will be effective against the variant. Still, authorities in Britain have blamed the variant for a spike in hospitalizations since a higher rate of transmission increases the likelihood that more people will become very ill. Amid the strain on its hospitals, Britain announced Wednesday that it would prioritize giving a single dose of the newly authorized AstraZeneca vaccine to as many people as possible. The vaccine was tested with two doses a few weeks apart, but one dose is believed to give a large measure of protection against the virus. The British government now plans to give everyone a second shot about 12 weeks later. It’s not clear exactly why the new variant appears to spread faster. It has an unusually large number of genetic changes, or mutations, particularly in areas that affect the Spike protein, according to reports by Public Health England. “There is a lot we don’t know about this new COVID-19 variant, but scientists in the United Kingdom are warning the world that it is significantly more contagious. The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority, and we will closely monitor this case, as well as all COVID-19 indicators, very closely,” Polis, the Colorado gover-

nor, said. The discovery of the new variant led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue new rules on Christmas Day for travelers arriving to the U.S. from the U.K., requiring they show proof of a negative COVID-19 test. Worry has been growing about the variant, known as B.1.1.7, since the weekend before Christmas, when Britain’s prime minister said the new variant was moving rapidly through southeast England. Dozens of countries barred flights from the U.K., and southern England was placed under strict lockdown measures. Scientists say there is reason for concern but the new strains should not cause alarm. Japan announced Monday it would bar entry of all nonresident foreign nationals as a precaution against the new variant. New versions of the coronavirus have been seen almost since the virus was first detected in China nearly a year ago. It is common for viruses to undergo minor changes as they reproduce and move through a population. The slight modifications are how scientists track the spread of a virus from one place to another. But if the virus has significant mutations, one concern is that current vaccines might no longer offer the same protections. Although that’s a possibility to watch for over time with the coronavirus, experts say they don’t believe it will be the case with the latest variant. South Africa has also discovered a highly contagious COVID-19 variant that is driving the country’s latest spike of confirmed cases, hospitalizations and deaths. The variant, known as 501.V2, is dominant among the newly confirmed infections in South Africa, according to health officials and scientists leading the country’s virus strategy.

Vaccine

The U.N. health agency does not license or regulate vaccines itself, but typically evaluates vaccines once they have been approved by a regulator such as the U.K.’s. WHO experts decide whether or not the risks of a vaccine outweigh its benefits and then make a recommendation for the shots to be “pre-qualified” so they can be bought by donors for developing countries. Most coronavirus vaccines to be used in poorer countries likely will be made by the Serum Institute of India, which has been contracted by AstraZeneca to make 1 billion doses. In June, the pharmaceutical company announced that the Serum Institute would produce 400 million doses by the end of 2020 but as of early

December, only about 50 million doses had been manufactured after production was halted several times. In addition to the Serum Institute, AstraZeneca has deals with vaccine makers in Brazil, South Africa and China. Pirmohamed, of the Commission on Human Medicines, added a note of caution following Wednesday’s authorization of the vaccine. “I think with the authorization of vaccines, everybody said that we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. I completely agree with that,” he said. “However, we we’re not there yet. While we hurtle towards that light, it is really important that everybody continues to follow government guidelines.”

From Page 1

how well the vaccine protects older people. Only 12% of study participants were over 55 and they were enrolled later, so there hasn’t been enough time to see whether they develop infections at a lower rate than those not given the vaccine. Britain’s action likely means the World Health Organization could soon clear the AstraZeneca vaccine for use in a global effort to help poor countries, called COVAX. The initiative has secured access to at least 100 million doses of the vaccine, with options and other deals to buy more. But none can be distributed until greenlighted by WHO.

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Louisiana Congressman-elect Letlow dies from COVID-19 BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Luke Letlow, Louisiana’s incoming Republican member of the U.S. House, died Tuesday night from complications related to COVID-19 only days before he would have been sworn into office. He was 41. Letlow spokesman Andrew Bautsch confirmed the congressman-elect’s death at Ochsner-LSU Health Shreveport. “The family appreciates the numerous prayers and support over the past days but asks for privacy during this difficult and unexpected time,” Bautsch said in a statement. “A statement from the family along with funeral arrangements will be announced at a later time.”

Louisiana’s eight-member congressional delegation called Letlow’s death devastating. “Luke had such a positive spirit, and a tremendously bright future ahead of him. He was looking forward to serving the people of Louisiana in Congress, and we were excited to welcome him to our delegation where he was ready to make an even greater impact on our state and our nation,” they said in a statement. The state’s newest congressman, set to take office in January, was admitted to a Monroe hospital on Dec. 19 after testing positive for the coronavirus disease. He was later transferred to the Shreveport facility and placed in intensive care.

Dr. G.E. Ghali, of LSU Health Shreveport, told The Advocate that Letlow didn’t have any underlying health conditions that would have placed him at greater risk to COVID-19. Letlow, from the small town of Start in Richland Parish, was elected in a December runoff election for the sprawling 5th District U.S. House seat representing central and northeastern regions of the state, including the cities of Monroe and Alexandria. He was to fill the seat being vacated by his boss, Republican Ralph Abraham. Letlow had been Abraham’s chief of staff and ran with Abraham’s backing for the job. Gov. John Bel Edwards urged people to pray for

Letlow’s family. “COVID-19 has taken Congressman-elect Letlow from us far too soon,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. “I am heartbroken that he will not be able to serve our people as a U.S. representative, but I am even more devastated for his loving family.” Letlow is survived by his wife, Julia Barnhill Letlow, and two children. U.S. House leaders offered their condolences Tuesday night. “May it be a comfort to Luke’s wife Julia and their children Jeremiah and Jacqueline that so many mourn their loss and are praying for them at this sad time,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. House Minority Leader

Kevin McCarthy said: “Our hearts break tonight as we process the news of Congressman-elect Luke Letlow’s passing.” Before working for Abraham, Letlow had worked for former Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration. Jindal’s one-time chief of staff, Timmy Teepell, described Letlow on Twitter as “a good man with a kind heart and a passion to serve. He loved Louisiana and his family. He was a brother and I’m heart broken he’s gone.” Letlow is one of more than 7,000 people in Louisiana who have died from COVID-19 since March, according to data from the state health department. When he announced his positive test for

COVID-19, Letlow joined a list of Louisiana officials who have contracted the coronavirus since the pandemic began, including U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, Attorney General Jeff Landry, Treasurer John Schroder, U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson and U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond. Cassidy, a Republican and doctor who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this year and has since recovered, posted in a Twitter video: “It just, just, just, just brings home COVID can kill. For most folks it doesn’t, but it truly can. So, as you remember Luke, his widow, his children in your prayers, remember as well to be careful with COVID.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s push for bigger $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks stalled out in the Senate as Republicans blocked a swift vote proposed by Democrats and split within their own ranks over whether to boost spending or defy the White House. The roadblock mounted Tuesday by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may not be sustainable as pressure mounts. Trump wants the Republican-led chamber to follow the House and increase the checks from $600 for millions of Americans. A growing number of Republicans, including two senators in runoff elections on Jan. 5 in Georgia, have said they will support the larger amount. But most GOP senators oppose more spending, even if they are also wary of bucking Trump. Senators will be back at it Wednesday as McConnell is devising a way out of the political bind, but the outcome is highly uncertain. “There’s one question left today: Do Senate Republicans join with the rest

of America in supporting $2,000 checks?” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said as he made a motion to vote. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said some of the $600 payments might be sent by direct deposit to Americans’ bank accounts as early as Tuesday night. Mnuchin tweeted that paper checks will begin to go out Wednesday. The showdown over the $2,000 checks has thrown Congress into a chaotic year-end session just days before new lawmakers are set to be sworn into office for the new year. It’s preventing action on another priority — overturning Trump’s veto on a sweeping defense bill that has been approved every year for 60 years. Saying little, McConnell signaled an alternative approach to Trump’s checks that may not divide his party so badly, but may result in no action at all. The GOP leader filed new legislation late Tuesday linking the president’s demand for bigger checks with two other Trump priorities

— repealing protections for tech companies like Facebook or Twitter that the president complained are unfair to conservatives as well the establishment of a bipartisan commission to review the 2020 presidential election he lost to President-elect Joe Biden. The president’s last-minute push for bigger checks leaves Republicans deeply split between those who align with Trump’s populist instincts and those who adhere to what had been more traditional conservative views against government spending. Congress had settled on smaller $600 payments in a compromise over the big, year-end relief bill Trump reluctantly signed into law. Liberal senators led by Bernie Sanders of Vermont who support the relief aid are blocking action on the defense bill until a vote can be taken on Trump’s demand for $2,000 for most Americans. “The working class of this country today faces more economic desperation than at any time since the Great Depression of the 1930s,” Sanders said.

“Working families need help now.” He also tried to force a vote on the relief checks, but McConnell objected a second time. The GOP blockade is causing turmoil for some as the virus crisis worsens nationwide and Trump amplifies his unexpected demands. The two GOP senators from Georgia, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, announced Tuesday they support Trump’s plan for bigger checks as they face Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock in runoff elections that will determine which party controls the Senate. Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Marco Rubio of Florida, among the party’s potential 2024 presidential hopefuls, also are pushing the party in the president’s direction. Other Republicans panned the bigger checks, saying the nearly $400 billion price tag was too high, the relief is not targeted to those in need and Washington has already dispatched ample sums on COVID aid. In the House, dozens of Republicans calculated

it was better to link with Democrats to increase the pandemic payments rather than buck the outgoing president and constituents counting on the money. House Democrats led passage, 275-134, but 44 Republicans joined almost all Democrats on Monday for a robust two-thirds vote of approval. It’s highly possible that McConnell will set up votes ahead on both the Housepassed measure supporting Trump’s $2,000 checks as well as his own new version linking it with the repeal of tech company liability shield in “section 230” of communications law as well as the new presidential election review commission. That’s a process that almost ensures neither bill will pass. Trump’s push could fizzle out in the Senate but the debate over the size and scope of the year-end package — $900 billion in COVID-19 aid and $1.4 trillion to fund government agencies through September — is potentially one last confrontation before the new Congress is sworn in Sunday. The COVID-19 portion

of the bill revives a weekly pandemic jobless benefit boost — this time $300, through March 14 — as well as the popular Paycheck Protection Program of grants to businesses to keep workers on payrolls. It extends eviction protections, adding a new rental assistance fund. Americans earning up to $75,000 will qualify for the direct $600 payments, which are phased out at higher income levels, and there’s an additional $600 payment per dependent child. Biden supports the $2,000 checks and said Tuesday the aid package is merely a “down payment” on what he plans to deliver once in office. The president also objected to foreign aid funding that his own administration had requested and vowed to send Congress “a redlined version” with spending items he wants removed. But those are merely suggestions to Congress. Democrats said they would resist such cuts.

Trump’s $2,000 relief checks stall in Senate as GOP blocks vote

Boeing Max plan returns to U.S. skies Associated Press American Airlines flew a Boeing 737 Max with paying passengers from Miami to New York on Tuesday, the plane’s first commercial flight in U.S. skies since it was grounded after two deadly crashes. American flight 718 carried 87 passengers on the 172-seat plane, and the return flight from LaGuardia Airport to Miami International Airport held 151 passengers, according to an airline spokeswoman. Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration approved changes that Boeing made to an automated flight-control system implicated in crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people in all. In both crashes, the system pushed the nose down repeatedly based on faulty sensor readings, and pilots were unable to regain control. The FAA cleared the way for U.S. airlines to resume using the plane if certain changes are made and pilots are provided with additional training including time in a flight simulator. Brazil’s Gol airlines operated the first passenger flight with a revamped Max on Dec. 9. Since then, Gol and Aeromexico have operated about 600 flights between them with Max jets, according to tracking service Flightradar24 and aviation-data firm Cirium. American plans to make one round trip a day between Miami and

New York with Max jets through Jan. 4 before putting the plane on more routes. United Airlines plans to resume Max flights in February, and Southwest Airlines expects to follow in March. All three airlines say they will give customers the chance to change flights if they are uncomfortable flying on the Max. The Max was grounded worldwide in March 2019, days after the second crash. Reports by House and Senate committees faulted Boeing and the FAA for failures in the process of certifying the plane. Congressional investigators uncovered internal Boeing documents in which company employees raised safety concerns and bragged about deceiving regulators. FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson, a former military and airline pilot, operated a test flight in September and vouched for the reworked plane’s safety, saying he would put his family on it. American Airlines President Robert Isom was on Tuesday’s inaugural U.S. flight, according to the airline. Some relatives of people who died in the second crash, a Max operated by Ethiopian Airlines, contend that the plane is still unsafe. They and their lawyers say that Boeing is refusing to hand over documents about the plane’s design and development. “The truth is that 346 people are now dead because Boeing cut corners, lied to regulators, and sim-

ply considers this the cost of doing business,” Yalena Lopez-Lewis, whose husband died in the crash, said in a statement issued by her lawyers. “It is infuriating that American Airlines is in effect rewarding Boeing for the corrupt and catastrophic process that led to the Max.” Zipporah Kuria, a British citizen whose father also died in the Ethiopian crash, pointed to the recent disclosure in a Senate committee report that Boeing representatives coached FAA test pilots reviewing Boeing updates to the Max flight-control system. “Boeing leadership is still riddled with deceit. Their priorities are not on consumer safety,” she said in an interview. Boeing spokesman Bernard Choi said the company “learned many hard lessons” from the crashes and is committed to safety. “We continue to work closely with global regulators and our customers to support the safe return of the fleet to service around the world,” Choi said. The return of the plane to U.S. skies is a huge boost for Boeing, which has lost billions during the Max grounding because it has been unable to deliver new planes to airline customers. Orders for the plane have plunged. Boeing has removed more than 1,000 Max jets from its backlog because airlines canceled orders or the sales are not certain to go through because of the pandemic crisis gripping the travel industry.

DEAR ABBYBy Abigail Van Buren ATTENTION FROM MARRIED MAN PLAY WITH WOMAN’S EMOTIONS DEAR ABBY: I’m someone who doesn’t get noticed often by the opposite sex. So when I do receive attention, it’s a very nice feeling. The problem is, I am getting that attention from a man who is married. In the beginning, I didn’t know he was married. He doesn’t wear a ring, and he never mentioned a wife until one day while we were chatting, he let it slip. I don’t think he meant for it to happen. When someone is married, I back off. But for some reason, I’m not backing away from this. I’m starting to have feelings for him. I’m leaving it up to him, though. If he flirts, I’ll flirt back. When he comes on strong one day, the next day he feels guilty and backs off, but then we pick up right where we left off. I’m not trying to paint him as the bad guy he’s honestly a really good guy -- in my opinion, anyway. I know it’s wrong, and he hasn’t promised anything. We haven’t had any physical contact other than the daily interaction. But it’s messing with my emotions. I don’t want to feel anything for him, but I can’t help it. Help! -- DAZED & CONFUSED DEAR DAZED & CONFUSED: You may not want to feel anything for this married man, but you do. And because you “don’t get noticed much by the opposite sex,” the attention you’re receiving is like water on a parched flower. (Funny how they always seem to pick the vulnerable ones.) You may not have had physical contact with him (yet), but you are playing with fire. This is no longer an “innocent” flirtation. Someone will get hurt if it continues, and that person is likely to be you. Keep in mind that “good guys” don’t behave the way he does, and this wouldn’t have happened if he had been honest with you about his marital status.

DEAR ABBY: When I came out as gay, my parents rejected me. It made my early 20s the most challenging period of my life. I have tried to forgive them and move on, but they refuse to acknowledge the trauma they caused. I was upset all over again last year when they felt sorry for a young adult and let him move in with them. Mom never shuts up about how we should feel sorry for those less fortunate. They act like I have always been blessed and refuse to acknowledge any of the pain or bad things that have happened in my life. How should I react to this? I’m on a good path now, no thanks to them, and my life has never been better. But I don’t know if I can ever forgive them for being so helpful to a stranger and not their son. Am I wrong to ask where my sympathy was? -- SEEKING VALIDATION IN TEXAS DEAR SEEKING: If you plan to hold a mirror up to your knee-jerk homophobic parents and expect honest introspection from them, I think you’ll be wasting your time. It’s possible that they think their compassion for the stranger makes up for the way they treated you. Whether you can forgive them for it depends solely upon you. You are now on a constructive and rewarding path. The validation you are seeking can be found there. Your ability to forgive may come once you have distanced yourself enough that the pain they caused is less acute. I have often advised that when parents are toxic, it’s important to build “families of choice,” and I sincerely hope that is what you are doing and will continue to do. ------------------------------Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www. DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

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Ten-win team will miss expanded NFL playoffs JOSH DUBOW

Associated Press

A 10-win team will miss the playoffs this season, and a team with a losing record will make the postseason. When the NFL expanded the playoffs from six to seven teams per conference this season, the fear is it would allow an inferior team into the postseason. That’s far from the case in the top-heavy AFC, which already has eight teams with double-digit wins, leaving one quality team out of the playoff musical chairs. Miami, Baltimore, Cleveland, Tennessee and Indianapolis all enter Week 17 with 10-5 records and are fighting for the three wild-card spots, and the AFC South title between the Titans and Colts. Indianapolis is the only one of those teams that needs help, with the other four in with wins. The Colts need to beat the Jaguars and hope one of those other teams loses.

If they all win, Indianapolis will be only the fourth team in the Super Bowl era to miss the postseason after winning at least 11 games. New England (2008), Denver (1985) and the Baltimore Colts (1967) fell short after winning 11 games. The Colts had a particularly painful miss after starting the season 11-0-2. They then lost the finale in Week 14 to the Rams 34-10 and lost the division race on the tiebreaker. With no wild cards back then, the Colts missed the postseason despite being tied for the best record in the NFL. If any of those teams lose and miss the playoffs they would be the 13th team since the postseason expanded to 12 teams in 1990 to miss out despite winning 10 games, with the 2015 Jets the last to do it. It’s a different story in the NFC where the East winner is assured of having a losing record and the seventh seed could make it at 8-8 if Arizona and Chicago

both lose, giving the Bears the third wild-card spot. The only times there have been two playoff teams without winning records in the playoffs in the same season came in strike-shortened 1982 (Detroit and Cleveland at 4-5), 1999 (Detroit and Dallas at 8-8) and 2004 (Minnesota and the Rams at 8-8). The winner in the East will be the third team with a losing record to make the postseason in a non-strike season with either Washington or Dallas getting in at 7-9 or the Giants at 6-10. Seattle won the NFC West in 2010 with a 7-9 record and Carolina won the NFC South at 7-8-1 in 2014. Both won their first playoff games. The winner of the East will also be the first of 150 teams in the Super Bowl era to start a season 2-7 to make the playoffs. EARLY EXIT: Washington cut ties with 2019 first-round quarterback Dwayne Haskins before the end of his second season. Haskins is the sixth quarterback picked in

the first round since 2010 to fail to make it to year three with the team that drafted him. Josh Rosen was traded by Arizona one year after he was picked 10th overall in 2018, while Denver cut ties with Tim Tebow and Paxton Lynch after two seasons, and Cleveland did the same with Johnny Manziel and Brandon Weeden. CLOSE CALLS: The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs have won 10 straight games, but they haven’t come easily of late. Kansas City’s 17-14 win over Atlanta was its seventh straight by six points of fewer. That’s the longest streak of wins by six points or fewer in NFL history. The previous high was five games set by the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants in 1986 and the Colts in 1992 and 2008. SLOW STARTERS: Washington hasn’t scored all season on the opening drive of the game. If the streak continues in Week 17 against Philadelphia, Washington

will be the first team since at least 2000 to be blanked on the opening drive for an entire season. The previous low in that span was three points by the 2017 Chargers, 2012 Raiders, 2001 49ers and 2001 Lions. OLD RECORDS: The Saints’ Alvin Kamara matched Ernie Nevers’ NFL record set in 1929 with six TD runs in one game last week against Minnesota. There’s another old record that amazingly still stands despite this current pass-happy era. Norm Van Brocklin’s mark of 554 yards sent in 1951 still stands nearly 70 years later. Tom Brady set a yards passing mark of his own last week when he threw for 348 yards in one half against Detroit. Brady had thrown for 320 yards in the second half the previous week against Atlanta and became the first player in the past 40 years with at least 600 yards passing in a four-quarter span, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Texas routs Colorado 55-23 in Alamo Bowl SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Texas has been tested all year, but losing senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger to a shoulder injury was an obstacle the Longhorns never anticipated. The same spirit that pushed the team through this entire chaotic season helped the Longhorns thrive without him. Sophomore signal-caller Casey Thompson came off the bench and passed for 170 yards and four touchdowns, and No. 20 Texas overcame Ehlinger’s injury to beat Colorado 55-23 in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Tuesday night. Freshman running back Bijan Robinson had 183 yards on 10 carries with a TD for Texas (7-3). He was selected the bowl’s offensive MVP. “We had a lot of young guys that stepped up in this game,” Robinson said. The Longhorns are undefeated in four bowl games under Tom Herman, unbeaten as a head coach in five bowls overall. “This is the culmination of a lot of hard work by some really dedicated young men that 10 months ago made a decision that they were going to go to work every day and do whatever it took to get through this season together,” Herman said. “And they did. We had our ups and downs, but they never wavered. They never gave up hope. They never gave up confidence. They kept playing for each other. I couldn’t be prouder of my team.” More adversity developed against the Buffaloes (4-2). Ehlinger missed the second half after sustaining a shoulder injury in the second quarter. Herman said he was uncertain when the injury occurred, but Ehlinger returned to the field in the third quarter in warmups, with his right arm in a sling. There was no immediate word on the extent of his injury. “I hated that he couldn’t finish the game, but we wouldn’t be here without

Oklahoma State tips Miami in bowl ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Oklahoma State went to the air early and often to finish its season on a high note. Spencer Sanders threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns, and the Cowboys held off No. 18 Miami for a 37-34 victory in the Cheez-It Bowl on Tuesday. Oklahoma State (8-3) called 15 consecutive pass plays to open the game and stormed out to a 21-0 lead. Sanders threw TD passes of 30 and 32 yards to Brennan Presley, and LD Brown had a 2-yard touchdown run. “Our game plan going in was to try to offset some of the speed and strength they have in the front six,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. “They are a fast, athletic team. We wanted to throw the ball 25 times in the first half.” Sanders also led the Cowboys with 45 yards rushing and was named Most Valuable Player. “That MVP doesn’t just go to me,” Sanders said. “The defense stopped them when they needed to stop them. We scored when we needed to score. I told them that this MVP is for everyone.” Presley caught a third touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to put Oklahim,” Herman said. “He was the leader behind this senior class. I don’t know what the future holds for him, but I know that I’m thankful for him being on our team, being on my team each and every day. What he means to us is indescribable.” The NCAA is offering athletes an extra year of eligibility given the un-

NBA season off to strange start MIAMI (AP) — Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer offered a simple assessment of some of the scores that he’s seen in the early days of this NBA season. “It’s strange,” Budenholzer said. He’s not wrong. There have been only seven gamedays so far this season, yet the NBA has already seen 11 games where one team has led by at least 30 points. The Bucks have been incredibly topsy-turvy: their last three games have seen them lead Golden State by 43, trail New York by 28 and lead Miami by 51 on Tuesday before winning 144-97 in a game where they set an NBA record with 29 3-pointers. Through 54 games this season, 14 have been decided by at least 20 points — a 26% clip. Last season, including playoffs, 20-point wins happened in about 16.5% of games played. Why? Budenholzer points to a three-week training camp where some teams only played two preseason games, nobody played more than four, and all that comes after an offseason where some teams were off for eight months because they didn’t go to last season’s restart bubble and others were off for

less than eight weeks before having to get back to work. “It does seem like there’s been a handful more than normal,” Budenholzer said of the number of lopsided scores so far. “I think the shortened offseason, the shortened preseason, I keep saying this ... people don’t appreciate everything that goes into NBA preparation and what’s called the offseason before training camp even starts.” It’s not only the Bucks who are playing wildly different styles of games in the early days of this season. The Los Angeles Clippers trailed Dallas by 57 on Sunday in what became a 51-point loss, then led Minnesota by as many as 31 on Tuesday in a bounce-back win. Brooklyn’s two wins have come by 26 and 28 points; the Nets are 0-2 in games decided by five points or fewer. The Los Angeles Lakers’ two wins have come by 23 and 36 points; they’re 0-2 in games decided by single digits. Golden State’s two losses have been by 26 and 39 points; the Warriors’ two wins have come by a combined 11 points, including a win at Detroit on Tuesday. “A great feeling,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

homa State up 37-26. He finished with six receptions for 118 yards. Tay Martin had six catches for 73 yards, and Dillon Stoner also caught a touchdown pass. “We have a bunch of weapons,” Sanders said. “We have guys you haven’t even seen yet and guys that didn’t get many touches. Putting Brennan with that group makes it that much better.” Miami (8-3) got on the board in the second quarter when D’Eriq King threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Brevin Jordan. But King left with a right knee injury with 4:06 remaining in the first half. The Hurricanes rallied behind backup quarterback N’Kosi Perry, who threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns. Cam’Ron Harris’ 42-yard touchdown run made it 21-19 in the third quarter, but Jordan came up short on the 2-point conversion. Perry’s 5-yard TD pass to Michael Harley helped the Hurricanes close to 37-34 with 5:39 left. But he misfired on six of his final nine passes, and his 6-yard pass to Michael Redding III was not enough to convert a fourth-and-9 with under two minutes remaining. usual circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is unknown if Ehlinger will return. He played the entire first half Tuesday, completing 10 of 16 passes for 160 yards and a score. Colorado was playing its sixth game of the season due to the coronavirus. The Pac-12 initially canceled its season only

to reverse the decision and delay the start until Nov. 7. The Buffaloes had two games canceled due to virus issues, but competed in the Alamo Bowl despite failing to reach the traditional six-win threshold required for the postseason. The Longhorns appeared more polished throughout, striking quickly to open both halves. Fueled by a 39-yard pass from Ehlinger to Joshua Moore, Texas drove 74 yards on four plays in 50 seconds on its opening possession. Robinson dove in for an 8-yard TD run with 12:51 left in the opening quarter. Robinson scored again two possessions later, catching a 14-yard pass from Ehlinger with 5:28 remaining in the first. The Longhorns didn’t take a step back without Ehlinger. Thompson started the second half in place of Ehlinger and led Texas to a touchdown on its opening possession. Thompson completed a 13-yard scoring pass to Moore just 37 seconds into the third for a 24-10 advantage. Thompson added a 25-yard touchdown pass to Moore, a 23-yarder to Robinson and a 73-yarder to Kelvontay Dixon. The backup was 8 of 10 on the night. “I’m really proud of the young guys,” Herman said. “I’m really, really excited about the future. What these last two games playing so many young guys has shown is the trajectory of our program and what we’re capable of with these young guys.” Cameron Dicker set an Alamo Bowl record with a 53-yard field goal late in the first half that extended the Longhorns’ lead to 17-7. Jarek Broussard rushed for 82 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries for Colorado.

Padres bolster pitching rotation by trading for stars Darvish and Snell CHICAGO (AP) — San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller reunited with an old friend in another blockbuster move Tuesday night. The aggressive Padres got Yu Darvish in a trade with the Chicago Cubs, adding another ace to their rotation after announcing a deal for Blake Snell earlier in the day. During his time in Texas’ front office, Preller scouted Darvish before the Rangers acquired the Japanese right-hander in 2012. “His last season and a half has been as productive as anybody in the game. He’s a force,” Preller said Tuesday night. “So I think getting back on the phone with him, catching up for a few minutes, really looking forward to being around him every single day again.” The Padres got Darvish, catcher Victor Caratini and

cash from the Cubs for righthander Zach Davies and four young minor leaguers. The switch-hitting Caratini caught Darvish in Chicago and batted .241 with 16 RBIs last season. “We’ve had interest in Victor for a few years now,” Preller said. “I think he’s been a guy that, just on his own, we feel like is a quality catching option for us.” Davies went 7-4 with a 2.73 ERA in 12 starts for San Diego this year. The package of prospects headed to Chicago includes Owen Caissie, an 18-year-old outfielder who was selected by the Padres in the second round of this year’s amateur draft. The 34-year-old Darvish was 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA in 12 starts for Chicago during the pandemic-shortened season, finishing second in the NL Cy Young Award race. He has three years and

$59 million left on the $126 million, six-year deal he signed with the Cubs before the 2018 season. San Diego also completed a big trade with Tampa Bay for Snell. The 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner was sent from the Rays to the Padres for a package of four players: right-handers Luis Patiño and Cole Wilcox, and catchers Francisco Mejía and Blake Hunt — all well-regarded youngsters from a San Diego system that’s been stocking the farm for years. The Padres made the playoffs this year for the first time since 2006, but their injury-depleted rotation was in shambles when the postseason arrived. They beat St. Louis in the first round before getting swept in three Division Series games by their NL West rivals, the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.