6A The Mining Journal
Friday, December 10, 2021
Etcetera
Diocese from 1A
US expands Pfizer COVID boosters, opens extra dose to age 16
By LAURAN NEERGAARD
and MIKE STOBBE
Associated Press
gan’s Upper Peninsula, is the
first to seek to deny them ac-
cess to baptism and confirma-
tion.
young as 5 just began last month,
using special low-dose Pfizer shots.
By this week, about 5 million 5- to
11-year-olds had gotten a first dose.
The extra-contagious delta variant
is causing nearly all COVID-19 in-
fections in the U.S., and in much of
the world. It’s not yet clear how
vaccines will hold up against the
new and markedly different omi-
cron mutant. But there’s strong ev-
idence that boosters offer a jump in
protection against delta-caused in-
fections, currently the biggest threat.
“The booster vaccination increas-
es the level of immunity and dra-
matically improves protection
against COVID-19 in all age groups
studied so far,” BioNTech CEO
Ugur Sahin said in a statement.
Complicating the decision to ex-
tend boosters to 16- and 17-year-
olds is that the Pfizer shot — and a
similar vaccine made by Moderna
— have been linked to a rare side
effect. Called myocarditis, it’s a
type of heart inflammation seen
mostly in younger men and teen
boys.
U.S. health authorities again ex-
panded the nation’s booster cam-
paign Thursday, opening extra dos-
es of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to
several million 16- and 17-year-
olds.
The U.S. and many other nations
already were urging adults to get
booster shots to pump up immunity
that can wane months after vaccina-
tion, calls that intensified with the
discovery of the worrisome new
omicron variant.
A statement posted Thurs-
day on the diocese’s website
about the policy states in part
that the “Church teaches that
persons experiencing feelings
of same-sex attraction or gen-
der dysphoria is not sinful, but
freely acting upon them is.”
The diocese’s policy comes
in an absence of significant
guidance from the Vatican or
the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops, which have
said little about transgender in-
dividuals and the sacraments.
Patrick Hornbeck, a theolo-
gy professor at Fordham Uni-
versity, said many Catholic
leaders have recently taken to
setting lines beyond which
they believe it’s not possible
for a person to be in good
standing within the church.
He said the recent debate
among the U.S. bishops over
whether President Joe Biden
and other Catholic politicians
who support abortion rights
can receive Communion ex-
emplifies that trend.
On Thursday, the Food and Drug
Administration gave emergency au-
thorization for 16- and 17-year-olds
to get a third dose of the vaccine
made by Pfizer and its partner
BioNTech — once they’re six
months past their last dose. And
hours later, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention lifted the
last barrier as Dr. Rochelle Walen-
sky, the agency’s director, issued a
statement strongly encouraging
those teens to get their booster as
soon as it’s time.
Boosters are important consider-
ing that protection against infection
wanes over time and “we’re facing
a variant that has the potential to re-
quire more immunity to be protect-
ed,” Walensky told The Associated
Press.
Ariel Quero, 16, left, a student at Lehman High School, reacts after getting
the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from Katrina Taormina, right, on July 27 in New
York.The U.S. is expanding COVID-19 boosters, ruling that 16- and 17-year-
olds can get a third dose of Pfizer’s vaccine. The U.S. and many other na-
tions already were urging adults to get booster shots to pump up immunity
that can wane months after vaccination, calls that intensified with the dis-
covery of the worrisome new omicron variant. On Thursday, the FDA gave
emergency authorization for 16- and 17-year-olds to get a third dose of the
vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech — if it’s been six months
since their last shot. (AP photo)
many of whom got their first shots
in the spring and would be eligible tion in the U.S. for anyone younger
for a booster. than 18, either for initial vaccina-
The Pfizer vaccine is the only op-
The FDA said rising COVID-19
cases in the U.S. mean the benefits
of boosters greatly outweighed the
potential risk from the rare side ef-
fect, especially as the coronavirus it-
self can cause more serious heart in-
flammation.
“Vaccination and getting a boost- tion or for use as a booster. It’s not
er when eligible, along with other yet clear if or when teens younger
preventive measures like masking than 16 might need a third Pfizer
and avoiding large crowds and dose. But Walensky said the CDC
poorly ventilated spaces, remain our and FDA would closely watch data
most effective methods for fighting on 12- to 15-year-olds because if
COVID-19,” Dr. Janet Woodcock, they eventually need boosters, “we
acting FDA commissioner, said in a again will want to act swiftly.”
“The Diocese of Marquette
seems to be adding fuel to that
particular fire by saying that
beliefs about gender and gen-
der transition also fall into that
category,” Hornbeck said.
Health officials in Israel, which al-
ready gives boosters to teens, have
said the side effect continues to be
rare with third doses.
About 200 million Americans are
fully vaccinated, including about
4.7 million 16- and 17-year-olds,
statement.
Vaccinations for children as
“The district especially extends a sincere had made. Munising City Police began a arrested.
thank you to all TAS staff as they stepped in- separate investigation into the video, result- The parents of a 17-year-old girl who was
to roles that educators typically do not have ing in a student being removed from school shot in the neck at the school during the
to face,” Superintendent Stacy A. Price said and released into the custody of a parent. A mass shooting that left four students dead
in the release. “They kept students in class- report will be filed with the Alger County filed a pair of lawsuits, the AP reported. The
rooms moving forward in the day. When Prosecutor’s Office for possible charges, lawsuits seek $100 million each against the
Schools from 1A
staff at about 1:30 p.m. that day.
The district then went into “shelter in
place,” during which students and staff stay
in their classrooms with the doors locked.
Under this procedure, leaving classrooms is
permitted only with administrative escort,
and normal teaching activities still take place.
The Newberry-based district said it worked
with law enforcement to plan for an orderly
and safe dismissal, with law enforcement sta-
tioned outside and inside the school. Dis-
missal procedures were altered to involve
smaller groups to assist with supervision. The
building also was cleared and locked.
TAS said it canceled school on Thursday
and today to ensure the safety of everyone
and to gather information for the investiga-
tion. School was to resume on Monday.
The district thanked everyone for their pa-
tience during the Wednesday dismissal.
plans needed to change, they worked togeth- MPS said.
Oxford school district, Superintendent Tim
er and communicated well to get things
done.”
School officials and the Munising City Po- Throne, high school principal Steven Wolf,
lice deemed the handwritten threat to not be the dean of students, two counselors, two
Munising Public Schools reported on its credible, but the incident still is being inves- teachers and a staff member, saying on
website on Thursday that about 10:30 a.m. tigated. As a precautionary measure, police Thursday that the violence could have been
that day, a handwritten threat was found in a were to remain at the middle/high school for prevented.
bathroom at the Munising Middle/High the remainder of the school day, with school
School. The Munising City Police was con- safety protocols still in place.
Personal-injury lawyers have expressed
doubt that the school district could be suc-
tacted immediately and investigated the
written threat.
The Associated Press reported that stu- cessfully sued for letting Crumbley stay in
dents and a teacher were shot at Oxford High school, according to the AP story, because
Both the Munising Middle/High School School in downstate Oxford on Nov. 30, and Michigan law sets a high bar to wring liabil-
and Mather Elementary School went into that Ethan Crumbley, a 15-year-old sopho- ity out of public schools and other arms of
lockdown mode for the safety of the students more at the school, was arrested at the school government.
and staff, the district said.
and has been charged as an adult with mur-
In a separate incident, which took place at der, terrorism and other crimes. His parents,
Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-
approximately 11 a.m. Thursday, MPS was James and Jennifer Crumbley, later were 228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
side of the church. The sec-
ond piece of business was
Bureau of Professional Licensing
Council from 1A
an application which sought
the council’s approval of
the permit which would al-
low Kognisjon Bryggeri,
LLC, also known as Cogni-
tion Brewery, to sell their
product on the premises.
“It’s great that they (Cog-
nition) are one step closer to
returning to the Ishpeming
community,” said council
member Jason Chapman.
“We encourage the commu-
nity to support Cognition
and thank Jay Clancy for
partnering with Grace Epis-
copal Church and creating a
new partnership.”
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
would be implemented and
decided to take a general
wait-and-see approach to-
ward how the businesses
would settle in with other
communities.
“There was a lot of con-
cern about what that was
going to look like in cities,”
said Mayor Lindsay Bean
during the meeting. “It
(marijuana businesses) did
not bring, to my awareness,
the trouble that people
thought it might.”
The move to possibly al-
low marijuana dispensaries
comes after other communi-
ties, such as Marquette and
Negaunee, have seen local
businesses such as The Fire
Station and Lume have suc-
cess running their business-
es in the area.
“We do have people who
are literally champing at the
bit to move on this, which is
pretty exciting,” Bean said.
Cognition tasting room
The city council also
unanimously approved two
measures which would al-
low Cognition Brewing
Company to open a tasting
room at Grace Episcopal
Church on North Street in
Ishpeming.
January 5, 2022
9:00 a.m.
Location: G. Mennen Williams Building - Auditorium
525 W. Ottawa Street, Lansing, Michigan
The hearing is held to receive public comments on the following administrative rules:
Board of Nursing – General Rules (MOAHR #2020-70 LR)
Authority: MCL 333.16141, 333.16145, 333.16148, 333.16174, 333.16175, 333.16178, 333.16181,
333.16182, 333.16184, 333.16186, 333.16186a, 333.16201, 333.16204, 333.16205, 333.16206, 333.16215,
333.16287, and 333.17210, and Executive Reorganization Order Nos. 1991-9, 1996-2, 2003-1, and 2011-4,
MCL 338.3501, 445.2001, 445.2011, and 445.2030
Other business
The council unanimously
adopted a resolution “sup-
porting the cause of protect-
ing democracy, promoting
policies that protect access
to the ballot for voters and
building on the progress of
the 2020 election.”
President of the League of
Women Voters of Mar-
quette County Darlene
Allen and Secretary and Di-
rector of Advocacy Joanna
Mitchell spoke during pub-
lic comment about the mea-
sure and petitioned the
council to pass the resolu-
tion.
Overview: The proposed revisions to the rules will: establish that the National Council of State Boards of
Nursing determines the NCLEX passing score; ensure consistency in the requirements for examination; offer
alternative ways to sit for the NCLEX; provide additional entities that may provide certification of educational
program substantial equivalency; eliminate time requirements related to sitting for the NCLEX; require an
applicant to obtain a certification of skills competency before retaking the NCLEX if they have not passed it
within a certain period of time; provide paths for licensure by endorsement for individuals licensed in
another state, Canada, or having graduated from a program in Canada, or otherwise outside of the United
States; clarify the requirements for continued program approval, program changes, faculty requirements,
substitution of clinical hours, board evaluation of nursing education programs, and failure to comply with the
rules; approve continued education that is offered or approved by the American Medical Association; and allow
a student to receive a scholarship more than once from the Nursing Professional Fund Scholarship Program.
The rules will take effect immediately upon filing with the Secretary of State, unless specified otherwise in the
rules. Comments on the proposed rules may be presented in person at the public hearing. Written comments
will also be accepted from date of publication until 5:00 p.m. on January 5, 2022, at the following address or
e-mail address:
The council also voted to
renew the health care plan
for city employees that they
had for 2021 after being
briefed on different options
via Zoom from 44 North
agent Vince Babcock.
The first measure was the
first reading of a recom-
mendation from the plan-
ning commission regarding
the rezoning of the Episco-
pal church grounds to make
them acceptable for a work-
ing partnership with Cogni-
tion, which was represented
via Zoom by owner Jay
Clancy, that would allow
them to operate from the in-
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Bureau of Professional Licensing– Boards and Committees Section
P.O. Box 30670
Lansing, MI 48909-8170
Attention: Policy Analyst Email: BPL-BoardSupport@michigan.gov
Randy Crouch can be
reached at 906-228-2500,
ext. 242. His email address
is rcrouch@miningjour-
nal.net.
A copy of the proposed rules may be obtained by contacting Board Support at (517) 241-7500 or the email
address noted above. Electronic copies also may be obtained at the following link:
Nursing – General Rules
To allow for broad public attendance and participation, including for persons with disabilities, members of the
public may access this meeting by both web and phone and provide either oral or written comments.
Closed captioning will be provided, when available. Members of the public who are speech or hearing
impaired may also attend and participate in this meeting by dialing 7-1-1 and using the Michigan Relay service.
More information about this service may be found at
People with disabilities requiring additional accommodations (such as materials in alternative format) in order to
participate in the meeting, or those that have questions should contact the department at
