WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is temporarily blocking an order that would lift pandemic-era restrictions on asylum seekers. But it is leaving open the prospect of lifting the restrictions by Wednesday.

The order Monday by Chief Justice John Roberts comes as conservative states are pushing to keep limits on asylum seekers that were put in place during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. They are appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court in a last-ditch effort before the limits are set to expire.

In the one-page order, Roberts granted a stay pending further order and asked the government to respond by 5 p.m. Tuesday. That is just hours before the restrictions are slated to expire on Wednesday.

The order by Roberts means the high-profile case that has drawn intense scrutiny will go down to the wire.

The immigration restrictions, often referred to as Title 42, were put in place under then-President Donald Trump in March 2020 and have prevented hundreds of thousands of migrants from seeking asylum in the U.S. in recent years. But as they’re set to expire, thousands more migrants are packed in shelters on Mexico’s border with the U.S.

Immigration advocates sued to stop the use of Title 42 to limit who can apply for asylum, saying that the policy goes against American and international obligations to people fleeing to the U.S. to escape persecution. And they’ve argued that things like vaccines and treatments for the coronavirus have made the policy outdated.

Conservative-leaning states have argued that lifting of Title 42 will lead to a surge of migrants into their states and take a toll on government services like health care or law enforcement. They also charge that the federal government has no plan to deal with an increase in migrants.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632317742720.png" alt="In the one-page order, Chief Justice Roberts granted a stay pending further order and asked the government to respond by 5 p.m. Tuesday- photo Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>In the one-page order, Chief Justice Roberts granted a stay pending further order and asked the government to respond by 5 p.m. Tuesday- photo Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is temporarily blocking an order that would lift pandemic-era restrictions on asylum seekers. But it is leaving open the prospect of lifting the restrictions by Wednesday.The order Monday by Chief Justice John Roberts comes as conservative states are pushing to keep limits on asylum seekers that were put in place during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. They are appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court in a last-ditch effort before the limits are set to expire.In the one-page order, Roberts granted a stay pending further order and asked the government to respond by 5 p.m. Tuesday. That is just hours before the restrictions are slated to expire on Wednesday.The order by Roberts means the high-profile case that has drawn intense scrutiny will go down to the wire.The immigration restrictions, often referred to as Title 42, were put in place under then-President Donald Trump in March 2020 and have prevented hundreds of thousands of migrants from seeking asylum in the U.S. in recent years. But as they’re set to expire, thousands more migrants are packed in shelters on Mexico’s border with the U.S.Immigration advocates sued to stop the use of Title 42 to limit who can apply for asylum, saying that the policy goes against American and international obligations to people fleeing to the U.S. to escape persecution. And they’ve argued that things like vaccines and treatments for the coronavirus have made the policy outdated.Conservative-leaning states have argued that lifting of Title 42 will lead to a surge of migrants into their states and take a toll on government services like health care or law enforcement. They also charge that the federal government has no plan to deal with an increase in migrants.

Supreme Court temporarily blocks lifting of asylum restrictions

WASHINGTON (AP)— The Air Force has grounded its entire fleet of B-2 stealth 
bombers following an emergency landing and fire earlier this month, and 
none of the strategic aircraft will perform flyovers at this years' 
college bowl games.

A bomber experienced an in-flight malfunction 
on Dec. 10, forcing it to make an emergency landing at Whiteman Air 
Force Base in St. Louis, Mo., where it caught fire. The fire was 
extinguished and there were no injuries.

The standdown is 
significant in that there are fewer than 20 stealth bombers in the 
entire fleet and the aircraft provides, along with the B-52 
Stratofortress, the air leg of the nation's nuclear triad. The B-2 has 
been regularly deployed to the Indo-Pacific and more recently to Europe 
as a show of force. During the standdown the entire fleet will be 
inspected, 509th Bomb Wing spokeswoman Air Force Master Sgt. Beth Del 
Vecchio said.

The B-2 was scheduled to fly over the 2023 Rose 
Parade and Rose Bowl Game but it will be replaced by the B-1 Lancer, the
 509th Bomb Wing said in a statement.

The B-2 stealth bomber took 
its first flight in 1989 and its flying-wing design formed the base of 
its eventual replacement, the B-21 Raider, which was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-china-business-air-force-palmdale-761db1dae42616181a2cc63966f43554">introduced this month</a>. The B-21 is scheduled to make its first flight next year.

In Sept. 2021 another B-2 at Whiteman had to make an <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-air-force-933115dce727bbf8ed21ef0884c184b8">emergency landing</a>
 after the hydraulics system failed, resulting in the bomber's landing 
gear collapsing. The bomber's left wing dragged for about a mile before 
the aircraft came to a halt, resulting in at least $10 million in damage
 to the aircraft.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631196455746.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP)— The Air Force has grounded its entire fleet of B-2 stealth 
bombers following an emergency landing and fire earlier this month, and 
none of the strategic aircraft will perform flyovers at this years' 
college bowl games.A bomber experienced an in-flight malfunction 
on Dec. 10, forcing it to make an emergency landing at Whiteman Air 
Force Base in St. Louis, Mo., where it caught fire. The fire was 
extinguished and there were no injuries.The standdown is 
significant in that there are fewer than 20 stealth bombers in the 
entire fleet and the aircraft provides, along with the B-52 
Stratofortress, the air leg of the nation's nuclear triad. The B-2 has 
been regularly deployed to the Indo-Pacific and more recently to Europe 
as a show of force. During the standdown the entire fleet will be 
inspected, 509th Bomb Wing spokeswoman Air Force Master Sgt. Beth Del 
Vecchio said.The B-2 was scheduled to fly over the 2023 Rose 
Parade and Rose Bowl Game but it will be replaced by the B-1 Lancer, the
 509th Bomb Wing said in a statement.The B-2 stealth bomber took 
its first flight in 1989 and its flying-wing design formed the base of 
its eventual replacement, the B-21 Raider, which was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-china-business-air-force-palmdale-761db1dae42616181a2cc63966f43554">introduced this month</a>. The B-21 is scheduled to make its first flight next year.In Sept. 2021 another B-2 at Whiteman had to make an <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-air-force-933115dce727bbf8ed21ef0884c184b8">emergency landing</a>
 after the hydraulics system failed, resulting in the bomber's landing 
gear collapsing. The bomber's left wing dragged for about a mile before 
the aircraft came to a halt, resulting in at least $10 million in damage
 to the aircraft.

Air Force grounds entire B-2 fleet after emergency landing

By LINDSEY BAHR Associated Press

It is impossible to talk about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9MyW72ELq0">“Avatar: The Way of Water”</a>
 without sounding hyperbolic. But James Cameron’s sequel is a truly 
dazzling cinematic experience that will have you floating on a 
blockbuster high.

No matter if you’ve spent a second of your life 
in the past 13 years thinking about what’s happening on Pandora or how 
Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) are getting on, 
assuming you remember their characters’ names. “The Way of Water” will 
make awe-struck believers out of even “Avatar” agnostics like me, at 
least for three hours and 12 minutes. The film isn’t just visually 
compelling, either, it’s spiritually rich as well — a simple but 
penetrating story about family and the natural world that is galaxies 
better than the first.

About that run time: Three hours and 12 
minutes sounds excessive, but there is something decidedly decadent 
about really committing that much time to a movie in a theater. When the
 filmmaker is purposeful with that time, as Cameron is and many others 
have been before him, it’s a uniquely rewarding experience. In other 
words, it’s not a big ask. And you’ll forget all about checking the time
 from the first shot of Pandora and Jake’s earnest exposition about 
what’s been going on in the past decade.

He and Neytiri have three
 kids now, Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), Tuk 
(Trinity Jo-Li Bliss) and an adopted teenage daughter, Kiri (Sigourney 
Weaver), and they’re happy living in the forest. “Happiness is simple,” 
he says. “Who ever thought that a jughead like me could crack the code?”
 So, of course, it can’t last. The humans are on the hunt for Jake, with
 a familiar antagonist leading the charge. And soon his family is on the
 run, taking up home in another part of Pandora, on the water with a new
 tribe led by Ronal (Kate Winslet) and Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) who 
reluctantly grant them refuge and try to teach them how to live on the 
water.

It’s worth noting that Cameron has not stuffed the film 
with mind-numbing, wall-to-wall action and needlessly complicated plot. 
There are long stretches of movie where we’re simply exploring the 
environment with the characters, delighting in the intricacies of a reef
 or basking in the beauty of giant sea creatures. Sometimes we’re just 
sitting in the water with Kiri who is also sitting in the water. It is 
not advancing the action in any obvious way. It is not even really 
developing characters. It just is, and it’s serene. You imagine that 
anyone without his clout would have a hard time justifying something 
similar.

The action is there, too, of course, and it’s exciting 
because you’ve become invested in the family and worried about the kids 
who are never where they’re supposed to be and are often in danger 
because of it. And though we know there are more sequels coming, and one
 already wrapped, this is not the kind of franchise where anyone is 
guaranteed to get a fake superhero death. Sure there is some “Avatar” 
silliness, including the fact that the word “bro” is uttered about 8,000
 times, but there is something admirable about the straightforward 
dialogue and emotions at play, too. No one is snarking their way through
 this ordeal.

“Never doubt James Cameron” has become a bit of a 
rallying cry lately, at least among those left on Twitter. It’s all the 
more extraordinary as the once-mythical sequels had become a kind of 
joke in the years since the first movie. Even as “The Way of Water” 
release date actually approached the “who cares?” chorus intensified. 
Had anyone really thought twice about “Avatar”? But Cameron knows his 
way around a thrilling sequel, and the water for that matter (and 
references his own greatest hits in this film, too).

But then 
people saw it and the tune changed. There is something comforting about 
the fact that we are capable of intense, collective cultural whiplash. 
That “who cares?” can turn to uncynical amazement in an instant. Is that
 the magic of the movies? Of continuing to push the bounds of the big 
screen experience? Of betting big on weird-sounding stories about giant 
blue environmentalists instead of superheroes every so often? Maybe it’s
 just the magic of James Cameron.

“Avatar: The Way of Water,” a 
20th Century Studios release in theaters Thursday, is rated PG-13 by the
 Motion Picture Association for “partial nudity, intense action, 
sequences of strong violence, some strong language.” Running time: 192 
minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.

MPA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d9MyW72ELq0"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By LINDSEY BAHR Associated PressIt is impossible to talk about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9MyW72ELq0">“Avatar: The Way of Water”</a>
 without sounding hyperbolic. But James Cameron’s sequel is a truly 
dazzling cinematic experience that will have you floating on a 
blockbuster high.No matter if you’ve spent a second of your life 
in the past 13 years thinking about what’s happening on Pandora or how 
Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) are getting on, 
assuming you remember their characters’ names. “The Way of Water” will 
make awe-struck believers out of even “Avatar” agnostics like me, at 
least for three hours and 12 minutes. The film isn’t just visually 
compelling, either, it’s spiritually rich as well — a simple but 
penetrating story about family and the natural world that is galaxies 
better than the first.About that run time: Three hours and 12 
minutes sounds excessive, but there is something decidedly decadent 
about really committing that much time to a movie in a theater. When the
 filmmaker is purposeful with that time, as Cameron is and many others 
have been before him, it’s a uniquely rewarding experience. In other 
words, it’s not a big ask. And you’ll forget all about checking the time
 from the first shot of Pandora and Jake’s earnest exposition about 
what’s been going on in the past decade.He and Neytiri have three
 kids now, Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), Tuk 
(Trinity Jo-Li Bliss) and an adopted teenage daughter, Kiri (Sigourney 
Weaver), and they’re happy living in the forest. “Happiness is simple,” 
he says. “Who ever thought that a jughead like me could crack the code?”
 So, of course, it can’t last. The humans are on the hunt for Jake, with
 a familiar antagonist leading the charge. And soon his family is on the
 run, taking up home in another part of Pandora, on the water with a new
 tribe led by Ronal (Kate Winslet) and Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) who 
reluctantly grant them refuge and try to teach them how to live on the 
water.It’s worth noting that Cameron has not stuffed the film 
with mind-numbing, wall-to-wall action and needlessly complicated plot. 
There are long stretches of movie where we’re simply exploring the 
environment with the characters, delighting in the intricacies of a reef
 or basking in the beauty of giant sea creatures. Sometimes we’re just 
sitting in the water with Kiri who is also sitting in the water. It is 
not advancing the action in any obvious way. It is not even really 
developing characters. It just is, and it’s serene. You imagine that 
anyone without his clout would have a hard time justifying something 
similar.The action is there, too, of course, and it’s exciting 
because you’ve become invested in the family and worried about the kids 
who are never where they’re supposed to be and are often in danger 
because of it. And though we know there are more sequels coming, and one
 already wrapped, this is not the kind of franchise where anyone is 
guaranteed to get a fake superhero death. Sure there is some “Avatar” 
silliness, including the fact that the word “bro” is uttered about 8,000
 times, but there is something admirable about the straightforward 
dialogue and emotions at play, too. No one is snarking their way through
 this ordeal.“Never doubt James Cameron” has become a bit of a 
rallying cry lately, at least among those left on Twitter. It’s all the 
more extraordinary as the once-mythical sequels had become a kind of 
joke in the years since the first movie. Even as “The Way of Water” 
release date actually approached the “who cares?” chorus intensified. 
Had anyone really thought twice about “Avatar”? But Cameron knows his 
way around a thrilling sequel, and the water for that matter (and 
references his own greatest hits in this film, too).But then 
people saw it and the tune changed. There is something comforting about 
the fact that we are capable of intense, collective cultural whiplash. 
That “who cares?” can turn to uncynical amazement in an instant. Is that
 the magic of the movies? Of continuing to push the bounds of the big 
screen experience? Of betting big on weird-sounding stories about giant 
blue environmentalists instead of superheroes every so often? Maybe it’s
 just the magic of James Cameron.“Avatar: The Way of Water,” a 
20th Century Studios release in theaters Thursday, is rated PG-13 by the
 Motion Picture Association for “partial nudity, intense action, 
sequences of strong violence, some strong language.” Running time: 192 
minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.MPA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

🎥 Review: ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ is a big screen blast

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded employers 
and self-employed individuals that chose to defer paying part of their 
2020 Social Security tax liability that their second annual installment 
of the deferred amount is due on December 31, 2022.

As part of the COVID relief provided during 2020, employers could 
choose to put off paying the employer's share of their Social Security 
tax liability, which is 6.2% of wages. Self-employed individuals could 
also choose to defer a similar amount of their self-employment tax. 
Generally, half of that deferral was due on December 31, 2021. The other
 half is due on December 31, 2022.

Earlier this fall, the IRS sent reminder notices to affected 
employers and self-employed individuals. The agency noted, however, that
 those affected are still required to make the payment on time, even if 
they did not receive a notice.

Employers and individuals have several options for making this payment. Deferral payments can made through the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>, by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-your-taxes-by-debit-or-credit-card">debit card, credit card or digital wallet</a>, or with a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-by-check-or-money-order">check or money order</a>.
 No matter which payment option is chosen, it must be made separately 
from other tax payments and deposits. This will ensure that it is 
credited properly and will help avoid follow-up bills or notices.

Employers and individuals can make the deferral payments through enrollment in the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System</a>, a free service available from the Treasury Department. On the Tax Type Selection screen, choose Deferred Social Security Tax and then change the date to the applicable tax period (the calendar quarter in 2020 for which tax was deferred). Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">EFTPS.gov</a>&nbsp;or call <a href="tel:800-555-4477">800-555-4477</a> or <a href="tel:800-733-4829">800-733-4829</a> for details.

Alternatively, self-employed individual taxpayers can choose Direct 
Pay to pay directly from a checking or savings account. This service is 
available free only on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay With Bank Account</a>.
 Select the "Balance Due" reason for payment and apply the payment to 
the 2020 tax year where the payment was deferred. Direct Pay is not 
available to pay employment taxes.

Debit card, credit card or digital wallet

If paying with a credit card, debit card or digital wallet, select 
"installment agreement." Apply the payment to the 2020 tax year where 
the payment was deferred. Note that the IRS does not charge a fee for 
this service, but the authorized third-party payment processors do. 
Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">IRS.gov/payments</a> for details.

Make any check or money order payable to United States Treasury, not IRS. For more information on where to mail payments see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i941#en_US_202206_publink100065907">Instructions for Form 941</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded employers 
and self-employed individuals that chose to defer paying part of their 
2020 Social Security tax liability that their second annual installment 
of the deferred amount is due on December 31, 2022.As part of the COVID relief provided during 2020, employers could 
choose to put off paying the employer's share of their Social Security 
tax liability, which is 6.2% of wages. Self-employed individuals could 
also choose to defer a similar amount of their self-employment tax. 
Generally, half of that deferral was due on December 31, 2021. The other
 half is due on December 31, 2022.Earlier this fall, the IRS sent reminder notices to affected 
employers and self-employed individuals. The agency noted, however, that
 those affected are still required to make the payment on time, even if 
they did not receive a notice.<h2>How to repay the deferred taxes</h2>Employers and individuals have several options for making this payment. Deferral payments can made through the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>, by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-your-taxes-by-debit-or-credit-card">debit card, credit card or digital wallet</a>, or with a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-by-check-or-money-order">check or money order</a>.
 No matter which payment option is chosen, it must be made separately 
from other tax payments and deposits. This will ensure that it is 
credited properly and will help avoid follow-up bills or notices.<h2>EFTPS</h2>Employers and individuals can make the deferral payments through enrollment in the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System</a>, a free service available from the Treasury Department. On the Tax Type Selection screen, choose Deferred Social Security Tax and then change the date to the applicable tax period (the calendar quarter in 2020 for which tax was deferred). Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">EFTPS.gov</a>&nbsp;or call <a href="tel:800-555-4477">800-555-4477</a> or <a href="tel:800-733-4829">800-733-4829</a> for details.<h2>Direct Pay</h2>Alternatively, self-employed individual taxpayers can choose Direct 
Pay to pay directly from a checking or savings account. This service is 
available free only on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay With Bank Account</a>.
 Select the "Balance Due" reason for payment and apply the payment to 
the 2020 tax year where the payment was deferred. Direct Pay is not 
available to pay employment taxes.<h2>Debit card, credit card or digital wallet</h2>If paying with a credit card, debit card or digital wallet, select 
"installment agreement." Apply the payment to the 2020 tax year where 
the payment was deferred. Note that the IRS does not charge a fee for 
this service, but the authorized third-party payment processors do. 
Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">IRS.gov/payments</a> for details.<h2>Check or money order</h2>Make any check or money order payable to United States Treasury, not IRS. For more information on where to mail payments see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i941#en_US_202206_publink100065907">Instructions for Form 941</a>.

IRS deadline looms for many employers, self-employed people

The rise of <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/online-shopping">online marketplaces</a> and expedited delivery services is a convenient service for many consumers across the nation, allowing <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23348-shop-safe">holiday purchasers</a>
 to search for the perfect gift for friends and family. Unfortunately, 
purchasing and having the item delivered to the proper address does not 
guarantee you will receive it. According to market research firm <a href="https://www.crresearch.com/blog/2022-package-theft-statistics-report" target="_blank">C+R Research</a>,
 package theft continues to be an issue for many Americans, with 
approximately 14% of consumers experiencing package theft in 2022.

Package thieves, also known as “porch pirates,” often take advantage 
of an opportunity and may frequent a neighborhood or community multiple 
times before moving on to another. They will often target houses that 
provide a quick in-and-out route, especially if the porch or area where <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/14276-bbb-safe-delivery-tips-for-holiday-shipping">packages are delivered</a>
 is within 25 feet of the street and are easily visible. Over the past 
five years, internet searches using the keywords “package stolen” nearly
 doubled <a href="https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%205-y&amp;geo=US&amp;q=package%20stolen" target="_blank">during December</a>, demonstrating the impact of this crime on households across the nation.

As a crime of opportunity, preventing or discouraging package theft 
can be accomplished in several ways, depending on the location of your 
residence, type, and community. For instance, preventing package theft 
at an apartment complex in the middle of the city differs from a 
suburban residential community. However, consumers can use specific 
strategies to discourage the act no matter where they live.

BBB provides the following tips to prevent package thieves from affecting your holiday plans (and the rest of the year):

If you fear that your package has been stolen, file a report with 
your local police department and the delivery company. Depending on 
which delivery service you use, they may offer insurance or other 
policies to reimburse you for your losses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBThe rise of <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/online-shopping">online marketplaces</a> and expedited delivery services is a convenient service for many consumers across the nation, allowing <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23348-shop-safe">holiday purchasers</a>
 to search for the perfect gift for friends and family. Unfortunately, 
purchasing and having the item delivered to the proper address does not 
guarantee you will receive it. According to market research firm <a href="https://www.crresearch.com/blog/2022-package-theft-statistics-report" target="_blank">C+R Research</a>,
 package theft continues to be an issue for many Americans, with 
approximately 14% of consumers experiencing package theft in 2022.Package thieves, also known as “porch pirates,” often take advantage 
of an opportunity and may frequent a neighborhood or community multiple 
times before moving on to another. They will often target houses that 
provide a quick in-and-out route, especially if the porch or area where <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/14276-bbb-safe-delivery-tips-for-holiday-shipping">packages are delivered</a>
 is within 25 feet of the street and are easily visible. Over the past 
five years, internet searches using the keywords “package stolen” nearly
 doubled <a href="https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%205-y&amp;geo=US&amp;q=package%20stolen" target="_blank">during December</a>, demonstrating the impact of this crime on households across the nation.As a crime of opportunity, preventing or discouraging package theft 
can be accomplished in several ways, depending on the location of your 
residence, type, and community. For instance, preventing package theft 
at an apartment complex in the middle of the city differs from a 
suburban residential community. However, consumers can use specific 
strategies to discourage the act no matter where they live.BBB provides the following tips to prevent package thieves from affecting your holiday plans (and the rest of the year):<ul>
 <li>Check with neighbors.&nbsp;Sometimes, your package may 
not be stolen, just simply at the wrong address. Before filing a report 
or contacting the sender, check with your neighbors and see if the 
delivery service may have dropped off your package at the wrong address.
 Many delivery companies will take pictures of your package in the 
designated location – be sure to check for the photo and verify it is at
 the right spot.</li><li>Don’t leave unattended packages.&nbsp;When possible, do 
not leave delivered packages unattended for long periods. If you are 
expecting a package, attempt to schedule its delivery when you know you 
will be home. Ask your neighbors if they would mind holding on to 
packages delivered if you plan to be gone for an extended time during 
the holidays.</li><li>Ship to store.&nbsp;If purchasing an item from a 
retailer that has a physical location near your home, consider shipping 
it there instead. Retailers will require proof of purchase or 
identification before releasing packages they have received, and this is
 a sure way to avoid porch pirates.</li><li>Use a security camera.&nbsp;Installing a <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/2270-bbb-tip-buying-a-home-security-system">home security system</a> with cameras or simply a <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/26369-bbb-tip-your-guide-to-purchasing-a-smart-doorbell">camera-enabled doorbell</a>
 is a great way to deter package theft, especially when highly visible. 
Consider including a sign that specifically states that the residence is
 under surveillance. Even if a package is stolen from your porch, the 
video evidence will help law enforcement track down the thieves (but be 
wary of the risk of <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/20827-dont-let-these-scary-cyber-safety-risks-creep-up-on-you">internet-connected devices</a> and research before you purchase).</li><li>Require a signature.&nbsp;Many delivery companies 
include the option to require a signature before leaving a package, 
letting you take physical possession of the item as soon as it is 
delivered. While this option works well for those who are often at home,
 especially for expensive items, it may create difficulties in receiving
 packages if your schedule and the delivery service are different. Be 
sure to check with the delivery company on their policy for packages 
that are not signed for; they may return it to the sender after a 
certain number of attempts.</li><li>Consider a package receiving service.&nbsp;Some major 
retailers, such as Amazon, offer secure package receiving locations away
 from your home that you can access with a key or code. Some independent
 businesses also specialize in this service, allowing you to designate a
 different delivery location for your packages and the ability to pick 
them up on your way home.</li>
 </ul>If you fear that your package has been stolen, file a report with 
your local police department and the delivery company. Depending on 
which delivery service you use, they may offer insurance or other 
policies to reimburse you for your losses.

6 steps to stop porch pirates this holiday season

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission ahs announced it is committing nearly $54 million in a new funding round through the Emergency Connectivity Program, which provides digital services for students in communities across the country.  The funding commitments support applications from all three application windows, benefiting approximately 150,000 students across the country, including students in Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Washington, and West Virginia.

“We need to make sure all our kids have the digital tools they need to connect with teachers and online homework,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel.  “This latest round of funding brings us closer to our goal of closing the Homework Gap.”

To date, the Commission has committed over $6.4 billion to schools and libraries across the country as part of the Emergency Connectivity Program, which launched last year.  The program has provided schools and libraries three different “application windows” for schools and libraries to apply for support.  Today’s announcement will support approximately 100 schools, 10 libraries, and 2 consortia.

The funding can be used to support off-campus learning, such as nightly homework, to ensure

students across the country have the necessary support to keep up with their education.  To date, the program has provided support to approximately 10,000 schools, 900 libraries, and 100  consortia, and providing approximately 12 million connected devices and 8 million broadband connections.  Of the over $6.4 billion in funding commitments approved to date, approximately $4.14 billion is supporting applications from Window 1; $833 million from Window 2; and $1.43 billion from Window 3.  

More details about which schools and libraries have received funding commitments can be found <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/emergency-connectivity-fund">HERE</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584977952684.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission ahs announced it is committing nearly $54 million in a new funding round through the Emergency Connectivity Program, which provides digital services for students in communities across the country. The funding commitments support applications from all three application windows, benefiting approximately 150,000 students across the country, including students in Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Washington, and West Virginia.“We need to make sure all our kids have the digital tools they need to connect with teachers and online homework,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “This latest round of funding brings us closer to our goal of closing the Homework Gap.”To date, the Commission has committed over $6.4 billion to schools and libraries across the country as part of the Emergency Connectivity Program, which launched last year. The program has provided schools and libraries three different “application windows” for schools and libraries to apply for support. Today’s announcement will support approximately 100 schools, 10 libraries, and 2 consortia.The funding can be used to support off-campus learning, such as nightly homework, to ensurestudents across the country have the necessary support to keep up with their education. To date, the program has provided support to approximately 10,000 schools, 900 libraries, and 100 consortia, and providing approximately 12 million connected devices and 8 million broadband connections. Of the over $6.4 billion in funding commitments approved to date, approximately $4.14 billion is supporting applications from Window 1; $833 million from Window 2; and $1.43 billion from Window 3. More details about which schools and libraries have received funding commitments can be found <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/emergency-connectivity-fund">HERE</a>.

FCC: Another $54M for emergency broadband connectivity

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded those who 
were born in 1950 or earlier that funds in their retirement plans and 
individual retirement arrangements face important upcoming deadlines for
 required minimum distributions to avoid penalties.

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-required-minimum-distributions-rmds">Required minimum distributions</a>,
 or RMDs, are minimum amounts that many retirement plan and IRA account 
owners must generally withdraw annually after they reach age 72. Account
 owners can delay taking their first RMD until April 1 following the 
later of the calendar year they reach age 72 or, in a workplace 
retirement plan, retire. RMDs are taxable income and may be subject to 
penalities if not timely taken.

IRAs: The RMD rules require <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/individual-retirement-arrangements-iras">traditional IRA</a>,
 and SEP, SARSEP, and SIMPLE IRA account holders to begin taking 
distributions at age 72, even if they're still working. Account holders 
reaching age 72 in 2022 must take their first RMD by April 1, 2023, and 
the second RMD by December 31, 2023, and each year thereafter.

Retirement Plans: In 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) 
plans; profit-sharing and other defined contribution plans; and defined 
benefit plans, the first RMD is due by April 1 of the later of the year 
they reach age 72, or the participant is no longer employed (if allowed 
by the plan). A 5% owner of the employer must begin taking RMDs at age 
72.

RMDs may not be rolled over to another IRA or retirement plan. See the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/rmd-comparison-chart-iras-vs-defined-contribution-plans">RMD Comparison Chart</a> that highlights some of the basic RMD rules that apply to IRAs and defined contribution plans. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/roth-iras">Roth IRAs</a> do not require distributions while the original owner is alive.

RMD Calculations and 50% tax on missed distributions

An IRA trustee, or plan administrator, must either report the amount 
of the RMD to the IRA owner or offer to calculate it. An IRA owner, or 
trustee, must calculate the RMD separately for each IRA owned. They may 
be able to withdraw the total amount from one or more of the IRAs. 
However, RMDs from workplace retirement plans must be taken separately 
from each plan.

Not taking a required distribution, or not withdrawing enough, could 
mean a 50% excise tax on the amount not distributed. The IRS has <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/required-minimum-distribution-worksheets">worksheets</a> to calculate the RMD and payout periods.

An RMD may be required for an IRA, retirement plan account or Roth IRA inherited from the original owner. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-beneficiary">Retirement Topics - Beneficiary</a>
 has information on taking RMDs from an inherited IRA or retirement 
account and reporting taxable distributions as part of gross income. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/publications/p559">Publication 559, Survivors, Executors and Administrators</a>,
 can help those in charge of the estate complete and file federal income
 tax returns, and explains their responsibility to pay any taxes due on 
behalf of the decedent or person who has died.

Since 2020 RMDs were waived, an account owner or beneficiary who 
received an RMD in 2020 had the option of returning it to their IRA or 
other qualified plan to avoid paying taxes on that distribution. A 2020 
RMD that qualified as a coronavirus-related distribution may be repaid 
over a 3-year period or have the taxes due on the distribution spread 
over three years.

A 2020 withdrawal from an inherited IRA could not be repaid to the 
inherited IRA but may be spread over three years for income inclusion. 
For more information see the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/coronavirus-relief-for-retirement-plans-and-iras">Coronavirus Relief for Retirement Plans and IRAs</a> page.

Taxpayers can find forms, instructions, publications, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-required-minimum-distributions">Frequently Asked Questions regarding Required Minimum Distributions</a> and other easy-to-use tools at IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="IRS" />
 <figcaption>IRS</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded those who 
were born in 1950 or earlier that funds in their retirement plans and 
individual retirement arrangements face important upcoming deadlines for
 required minimum distributions to avoid penalties.<a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-required-minimum-distributions-rmds">Required minimum distributions</a>,
 or RMDs, are minimum amounts that many retirement plan and IRA account 
owners must generally withdraw annually after they reach age 72. Account
 owners can delay taking their first RMD until April 1 following the 
later of the calendar year they reach age 72 or, in a workplace 
retirement plan, retire. RMDs are taxable income and may be subject to 
penalities if not timely taken.IRAs: The RMD rules require <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/individual-retirement-arrangements-iras">traditional IRA</a>,
 and SEP, SARSEP, and SIMPLE IRA account holders to begin taking 
distributions at age 72, even if they're still working. Account holders 
reaching age 72 in 2022 must take their first RMD by April 1, 2023, and 
the second RMD by December 31, 2023, and each year thereafter.Retirement Plans: In 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) 
plans; profit-sharing and other defined contribution plans; and defined 
benefit plans, the first RMD is due by April 1 of the later of the year 
they reach age 72, or the participant is no longer employed (if allowed 
by the plan). A 5% owner of the employer must begin taking RMDs at age 
72.RMDs may not be rolled over to another IRA or retirement plan. See the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/rmd-comparison-chart-iras-vs-defined-contribution-plans">RMD Comparison Chart</a> that highlights some of the basic RMD rules that apply to IRAs and defined contribution plans. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/roth-iras">Roth IRAs</a> do not require distributions while the original owner is alive.<h2>RMD Calculations and 50% tax on missed distributions</h2>An IRA trustee, or plan administrator, must either report the amount 
of the RMD to the IRA owner or offer to calculate it. An IRA owner, or 
trustee, must calculate the RMD separately for each IRA owned. They may 
be able to withdraw the total amount from one or more of the IRAs. 
However, RMDs from workplace retirement plans must be taken separately 
from each plan.Not taking a required distribution, or not withdrawing enough, could 
mean a 50% excise tax on the amount not distributed. The IRS has <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/required-minimum-distribution-worksheets">worksheets</a> to calculate the RMD and payout periods.<h2>Inherited IRAs</h2>An RMD may be required for an IRA, retirement plan account or Roth IRA inherited from the original owner. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-beneficiary">Retirement Topics - Beneficiary</a>
 has information on taking RMDs from an inherited IRA or retirement 
account and reporting taxable distributions as part of gross income. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/publications/p559">Publication 559, Survivors, Executors and Administrators</a>,
 can help those in charge of the estate complete and file federal income
 tax returns, and explains their responsibility to pay any taxes due on 
behalf of the decedent or person who has died.<h2>2020 coronavirus-related distribution</h2>Since 2020 RMDs were waived, an account owner or beneficiary who 
received an RMD in 2020 had the option of returning it to their IRA or 
other qualified plan to avoid paying taxes on that distribution. A 2020 
RMD that qualified as a coronavirus-related distribution may be repaid 
over a 3-year period or have the taxes due on the distribution spread 
over three years.A 2020 withdrawal from an inherited IRA could not be repaid to the 
inherited IRA but may be spread over three years for income inclusion. 
For more information see the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/coronavirus-relief-for-retirement-plans-and-iras">Coronavirus Relief for Retirement Plans and IRAs</a> page.Taxpayers can find forms, instructions, publications, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-required-minimum-distributions">Frequently Asked Questions regarding Required Minimum Distributions</a> and other easy-to-use tools at IRS.gov.

Over age 72? Tips on avoiding IRA, retirement plan penalties

By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/09/when-the-world-cup-comes-to-kansas-city-tough-questions-will-follow/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>

Last weekend, the team representing the United States at the World Cup in Qatar crashed out of the tournament following a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.foxsports.com/watch/play-6110921be00004b?cmpid=google-one-box">3-1 loss against the Netherlands</a>.

As a fan, I have tracked this team 
from qualifying in CONCACAF to pre-tournament friendlies, from the group
 stage into the knockout round, monitoring the pre-match lineups and 
coaching decisions. Even my soccer-crazed son might have rolled his eyes
 at the arcane statistics I recited to him, likely from one of the 
dozens of <a target="_blank" href="https://meninblazers.com/page/podcasts">podcasts</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://theathletic.com/">articles</a> or videos I gobbled up.

Besides the results for the U.S. 
men’s national team, the other dominant storyline from the World Cup has
 little to do with assists, corner kicks or <a target="_blank" href="https://theanalyst.com/na/2021/07/what-are-expected-goals-xg/">xG</a>.
 Counterintuitively, this second storyline might determine the success 
of the 2026 World Cup in the United States even more than the wins, 
losses and ties of our national team.

The referee’s final whistle at 
Khalifa International Stadium signaled the start of a new storyline. The
 next World Cup match that the U.S. will play will likely be at home — 
in the United States.

This storyline is the stew of 
political hijinks and squabbles that flooded the World Cup this year. 
That storyline includes how journalists have covered (or failed to 
cover) the politics of this multibillion dollar global sports event.

With Kansas City hosting games for 
the 2026 event, our region will be dipped into that World Cup stew. As 
local journalists, many of us will decide how to cover it.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

One thing is certain: This year’s 
World Cup has provided lessons on what not to do as both a host nation 
and as journalists. Let’s study the lessons now for 2026, so we don’t 
make the same blunders.

We start with the profit-driven 
cowardice of Fox Sports. In the years preceding the Qatar World Cup, 
FIFA and the host nation generated so many newsworthy controversies: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/20/fifa-qatar-world-cup-corruption/">accusations of bribes to FIFA</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/the-world-cup-is-officially-underway-in-qatar-heres-why-its-so-controversial">anti-gay laws in Qatar</a> and the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/23/revealed-migrant-worker-deaths-qatar-fifa-world-cup-2022">deaths of foreign workers</a>.
 The question for Fox Sports, the broadcast rights holder in the United 
States, was how it would cover these juicy narratives during the match 
telecasts.

How would they cover the diplomatic 
tensions between the competing countries? Perhaps, they would cover 
international flaps — like the social media staff of the U.S. team 
foolishly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/11/27/usmnt-twitter-iran-flag-change/">removing a portion of the Iran flag</a>
 on some social media posts — during pregame segments. Or perhaps we 
would hear the in-match commentators interject the news into their 
play-by-play.

Fox Sports made short work of that decision by simply opting not to cover any of it.

Their possible motive? <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/11/18/fox-qatar-world-cup-coverage/">The Washington Post reported</a>
 that Fox Sports agreed to a sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways. That 
funding (and perhaps some complementary airfare for Fox Sports staff) 
may have enabled the broadcaster to set up a swank studio in Qatar 
rather than anchoring coverage from Los Angeles.&nbsp;

Who owns the airline? Qatar itself, suggesting an unsightly quid pro quo. A Fox Sports spokesman <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/11/18/fox-qatar-world-cup-coverage/">told the Post</a> that the network did not agree to censor its political coverage in exchange for the Qatar Airways sponsorship deal.

However, contrast Fox Sports’ 
editorial spinelessness with the words of Telemundo Deportes president 
Ray Warren about how his network would cover World Cup politics: “I do 
think we have to talk about the legacy we leave. By the time the 
tournament’s over, we (won’t have been) ignoring the geopolitical issues
 that might arise.”

I doubt that an American sponsor in 
2026 will make such a brazen attempt to neuter a media outlet, at least 
partially because of how embarrassing this incident has been for Fox 
Sports.

However, millions of sponsorship 
dollars will flood the Kansas City region. Might a sponsor ask a local 
publication or broadcaster to weaken its scrutiny with a wink? How might
 an advertiser discourage honest coverage through a financial nudge?

“World Corrupt,” <a target="_blank" href="https://crooked.com/podcast-series/world-corrupt/">a podcast series</a>
 that has chronicled the hypocrisy and corruption of this World Cup, 
summarized what it looks like to watch the coverage of a World Cup that 
has been artificially sweetened.

“It is basically the Splenda of international tournaments,” <a target="_blank" href="https://crooked.com/podcast/world-corrupt-episode-7-stoppage-time/">co-host Tommy Vietor half-joked</a>.

Fewer controversies should ignite in 
the run-up to the World Cup in North America. However, smoke-free skies 
can’t be guaranteed with a flammable international syndicate like FIFA.

Because Kansas City will host 
matches, we should also expect that the visiting foreign press will zoom
 in on the blemishes of Missouri, Kansas and the Midwest. As the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/16/world-cup-2026-venues-los-angeles-new-york-list">only host city in the central United States</a>,
 our local site will stand in for all of middle America in news 
coverage. You could travel west from Pennsylvania to California, and the
 only host city you would pass would be KC.

Of course, we want our region to be a
 great place to live for the sake of, well, being a great place to live.
 However, if we need any extra motivation, maybe we will clean up our 
room before the house guests come to visit.

Consider, for example, the local headlines that the foreign press might have seized on during the last month. A<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/4-teens-man-charged-in-shooting-death-of-kansas-city-man-in-shawnee"> recent Shawnee shooting</a> resulted in charges for four teens. Alleged <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcur.org/corruption-in-kansas-city-kansas">corruption in the Kansas City, Kansas, police department</a> allowed an officer to terrorize citizens. A small town <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/06/kansas-towns-library-lease-renewed-after-months-of-debate-about-lgbtq-content/">nearly shuttered its library</a> because it included books about LGBTQ lives.

If we need any proof that the 
visiting press will care about these stories, note how the American 
press is rightfully scrutinizing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/qatar-world-cup-migrant-deaths-28679897">the death of a foreign worker in Qatar</a> this week.

We should also prepare ourselves for absurd questions from hostile journalists with an agenda. Here’s how <a target="_blank" href="https://time.com/6237256/usmnt-press-conference-tyler-adams/">they grilled the U.S. team captain</a> Tyler Adams about racism in America, after chiding him for his pronunciation of Iran.

“Are you OK to be representing a 
country that has so much discrimination against Black people in its own 
borders?” a reporter for Iran’s state-controlled TV station asked during
 a pre-match press conference.

Or — even more bonkers — how the same press gaggle asked U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter for <a target="_blank" href="https://nypost.com/2022/11/28/us-coach-gregg-berhalter-grilled-at-world-cup-presser-before-iran-match/">his take on the position of U.S. warships</a>.

Everything will be inbounds. We, as Americans and Midwesterners, will need answers.

Adams’ response to the grilling by 
the Iranian press displayed the kind of eloquence and patience that our 
politicians and players will need in 2026.

“There’s discrimination everywhere 
you go,” he said. “In the U.S., we’re continuing to make progress every 
single day … through education. I think it’s super important. Like you 
just educated me now on the pronunciation of your country. It’s a 
process. As long as you see progress, that’s the most important thing.”

Or, perhaps we need to all practice the kind of deflection that Berhalter used.

“I don’t know enough about politics; I’m a soccer coach,” Berhalter said, dodging a foreign affairs kerfuffle.

As hosts, we will need to do a bit of each: toughen our skin, clean up our affairs and provide thoughtful and patient answers.

Like the team itself, we will need 
some practice to prepare for the World Cup in Kansas City. The 2026 
summer of soccer and all its controversial storylines are coming, along 
with the goals and celebrations.

Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association, a nonprofit that supports student journalism throughout the state. He also teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670597372971.png" alt="The U.S. men’s national soccer team warms up before a friendly match against the national team of Uruguay on June 5, 2022, at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. (Eric Thomas, courtesy Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The U.S. men’s national soccer team warms up before a friendly match against the national team of Uruguay on June 5, 2022, at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. (Eric Thomas, courtesy Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/09/when-the-world-cup-comes-to-kansas-city-tough-questions-will-follow/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>Last weekend, the team representing the United States at the World Cup in Qatar crashed out of the tournament following a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.foxsports.com/watch/play-6110921be00004b?cmpid=google-one-box">3-1 loss against the Netherlands</a>.As a fan, I have tracked this team 
from qualifying in CONCACAF to pre-tournament friendlies, from the group
 stage into the knockout round, monitoring the pre-match lineups and 
coaching decisions. Even my soccer-crazed son might have rolled his eyes
 at the arcane statistics I recited to him, likely from one of the 
dozens of <a target="_blank" href="https://meninblazers.com/page/podcasts">podcasts</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://theathletic.com/">articles</a> or videos I gobbled up.Besides the results for the U.S. 
men’s national team, the other dominant storyline from the World Cup has
 little to do with assists, corner kicks or <a target="_blank" href="https://theanalyst.com/na/2021/07/what-are-expected-goals-xg/">xG</a>.
 Counterintuitively, this second storyline might determine the success 
of the 2026 World Cup in the United States even more than the wins, 
losses and ties of our national team.The referee’s final whistle at 
Khalifa International Stadium signaled the start of a new storyline. The
 next World Cup match that the U.S. will play will likely be at home — 
in the United States.This storyline is the stew of 
political hijinks and squabbles that flooded the World Cup this year. 
That storyline includes how journalists have covered (or failed to 
cover) the politics of this multibillion dollar global sports event.With Kansas City hosting games for 
the 2026 event, our region will be dipped into that World Cup stew. As 
local journalists, many of us will decide how to cover it.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;One thing is certain: This year’s 
World Cup has provided lessons on what not to do as both a host nation 
and as journalists. Let’s study the lessons now for 2026, so we don’t 
make the same blunders.We start with the profit-driven 
cowardice of Fox Sports. In the years preceding the Qatar World Cup, 
FIFA and the host nation generated so many newsworthy controversies: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/20/fifa-qatar-world-cup-corruption/">accusations of bribes to FIFA</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/the-world-cup-is-officially-underway-in-qatar-heres-why-its-so-controversial">anti-gay laws in Qatar</a> and the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/23/revealed-migrant-worker-deaths-qatar-fifa-world-cup-2022">deaths of foreign workers</a>.
 The question for Fox Sports, the broadcast rights holder in the United 
States, was how it would cover these juicy narratives during the match 
telecasts.How would they cover the diplomatic 
tensions between the competing countries? Perhaps, they would cover 
international flaps — like the social media staff of the U.S. team 
foolishly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/11/27/usmnt-twitter-iran-flag-change/">removing a portion of the Iran flag</a>
 on some social media posts — during pregame segments. Or perhaps we 
would hear the in-match commentators interject the news into their 
play-by-play.Fox Sports made short work of that decision by simply opting not to cover any of it.Their possible motive? <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/11/18/fox-qatar-world-cup-coverage/">The Washington Post reported</a>
 that Fox Sports agreed to a sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways. That 
funding (and perhaps some complementary airfare for Fox Sports staff) 
may have enabled the broadcaster to set up a swank studio in Qatar 
rather than anchoring coverage from Los Angeles.&nbsp;Who owns the airline? Qatar itself, suggesting an unsightly quid pro quo. A Fox Sports spokesman <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/11/18/fox-qatar-world-cup-coverage/">told the Post</a> that the network did not agree to censor its political coverage in exchange for the Qatar Airways sponsorship deal.However, contrast Fox Sports’ 
editorial spinelessness with the words of Telemundo Deportes president 
Ray Warren about how his network would cover World Cup politics: “I do 
think we have to talk about the legacy we leave. By the time the 
tournament’s over, we (won’t have been) ignoring the geopolitical issues
 that might arise.”I doubt that an American sponsor in 
2026 will make such a brazen attempt to neuter a media outlet, at least 
partially because of how embarrassing this incident has been for Fox 
Sports.However, millions of sponsorship 
dollars will flood the Kansas City region. Might a sponsor ask a local 
publication or broadcaster to weaken its scrutiny with a wink? How might
 an advertiser discourage honest coverage through a financial nudge?“World Corrupt,” <a target="_blank" href="https://crooked.com/podcast-series/world-corrupt/">a podcast series</a>
 that has chronicled the hypocrisy and corruption of this World Cup, 
summarized what it looks like to watch the coverage of a World Cup that 
has been artificially sweetened.“It is basically the Splenda of international tournaments,” <a target="_blank" href="https://crooked.com/podcast/world-corrupt-episode-7-stoppage-time/">co-host Tommy Vietor half-joked</a>.Fewer controversies should ignite in 
the run-up to the World Cup in North America. However, smoke-free skies 
can’t be guaranteed with a flammable international syndicate like FIFA.Because Kansas City will host 
matches, we should also expect that the visiting foreign press will zoom
 in on the blemishes of Missouri, Kansas and the Midwest. As the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/16/world-cup-2026-venues-los-angeles-new-york-list">only host city in the central United States</a>,
 our local site will stand in for all of middle America in news 
coverage. You could travel west from Pennsylvania to California, and the
 only host city you would pass would be KC.Of course, we want our region to be a
 great place to live for the sake of, well, being a great place to live.
 However, if we need any extra motivation, maybe we will clean up our 
room before the house guests come to visit.Consider, for example, the local headlines that the foreign press might have seized on during the last month. A<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/4-teens-man-charged-in-shooting-death-of-kansas-city-man-in-shawnee"> recent Shawnee shooting</a> resulted in charges for four teens. Alleged <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcur.org/corruption-in-kansas-city-kansas">corruption in the Kansas City, Kansas, police department</a> allowed an officer to terrorize citizens. A small town <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/06/kansas-towns-library-lease-renewed-after-months-of-debate-about-lgbtq-content/">nearly shuttered its library</a> because it included books about LGBTQ lives.If we need any proof that the 
visiting press will care about these stories, note how the American 
press is rightfully scrutinizing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/qatar-world-cup-migrant-deaths-28679897">the death of a foreign worker in Qatar</a> this week.We should also prepare ourselves for absurd questions from hostile journalists with an agenda. Here’s how <a target="_blank" href="https://time.com/6237256/usmnt-press-conference-tyler-adams/">they grilled the U.S. team captain</a> Tyler Adams about racism in America, after chiding him for his pronunciation of Iran.“Are you OK to be representing a 
country that has so much discrimination against Black people in its own 
borders?” a reporter for Iran’s state-controlled TV station asked during
 a pre-match press conference.Or — even more bonkers — how the same press gaggle asked U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter for <a target="_blank" href="https://nypost.com/2022/11/28/us-coach-gregg-berhalter-grilled-at-world-cup-presser-before-iran-match/">his take on the position of U.S. warships</a>.Everything will be inbounds. We, as Americans and Midwesterners, will need answers.Adams’ response to the grilling by 
the Iranian press displayed the kind of eloquence and patience that our 
politicians and players will need in 2026.“There’s discrimination everywhere 
you go,” he said. “In the U.S., we’re continuing to make progress every 
single day … through education. I think it’s super important. Like you 
just educated me now on the pronunciation of your country. It’s a 
process. As long as you see progress, that’s the most important thing.”Or, perhaps we need to all practice the kind of deflection that Berhalter used.“I don’t know enough about politics; I’m a soccer coach,” Berhalter said, dodging a foreign affairs kerfuffle.As hosts, we will need to do a bit of each: toughen our skin, clean up our affairs and provide thoughtful and patient answers.Like the team itself, we will need 
some practice to prepare for the World Cup in Kansas City. The 2026 
summer of soccer and all its controversial storylines are coming, along 
with the goals and celebrations.Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association, a nonprofit that supports student journalism throughout the state. He also teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.&nbsp;

OPINION: World Cup kicks tough questions at Kansas City

Newswire, courtesy Associated Press

As the end of the year approaches, people start looking forward to 
their tax refunds. Many use these refunds to restock their emergency 
savings, invest, make big purchases, and travel. But the IRS can take a 
long time to get your refund to you, even if you sign up for direct 
deposit. If you need the money faster, you may have considered a tax 
refund loan. This article will explain how <a href="https://www.advanceamerica.net/money-saving-tips/money-management/pros-and-cons-of-a-tax-refund-loan">tax refund loans</a> work and their benefits and drawbacks. Then, we'll dive into a few tax refund loan alternatives for your consideration.

Tax
 refund loans let taxpayers who qualify for a tax refund borrow against 
that refund. After filing your taxes with a tax preparer, you can apply 
for one of these loans with no credit check. If approved, they're 
typically disbursed to you via prepaid card or check within 24 hours of 
filing your return.

You don't repay these — instead, the lender 
opens a temporary bank account and tells the IRS to deposit the refund 
into it. They then take the loan amount plus fees and tax prep costs out
 of the refund before paying you the remainder. These loans are often 
interest-free. However, you may owe a fee, depending on the lender or 
tax filing service you work with.

Tax
 refund loans can be hard to compare since you can often only get one 
from your tax preparer. They're also fairly costly in some cases. Plus, 
there's always the chance your tax return has an error that, when 
corrected, reduces your refund. You may owe money if you borrowed more 
than your correct refund. So, if you need your refund fast but don't 
want a tax refund loan, consider these alternatives:

Cash
 advances are fast, small-dollar loans that you can use to cover 
expenses until your next payday. Many lenders have less strict 
requirements and will consider factors like your income and current 
debts in addition to your credit score. This means you can still get 
this type of loan with poor or fair credit.

If approved for a cash
 advance, you can often get the funds as soon as the same day you apply.
 Then, you'll repay what you owe plus interest in two to four weeks. You
 can also roll over the loan for an additional fee if you can't repay.

Installment
 loans let you borrow large lump sums and repay them in fixed monthly 
principal and interest payments. These tend to offer better interest 
rates and are easy to budget for, thanks to their predictable payments.

Plus,
 installment loans have longer timelines. This lets you borrow more and 
spread it out over a longer amount of time in case you need more than 
your tax refund amount. There are installment loans available to 
borrowers with a wide variety of credit scores and histories.

If
 you own your car outright, a title loan lets you borrow against your 
vehicle's title for a quick loan. Lenders appraise your vehicle, verify 
your income, and then offer you a loan worth 25% to 50% of your car's 
value. You can then get your funds that same day and continue driving 
your vehicle during repayment.

Consider a loan while you wait for your tax refund

Tax
 refund loans make it easy to access your money ASAP if you need it 
quickly. However, they can come with fees, and it's hard to compare 
options. Luckily, if you don't want a tax refund loan, there are plenty 
of alternatives.

Cash advances are one of the fastest short-term 
options for anyone, whereas title loans could be more suited for people 
who own vehicles outright. Installment loans may work well for people 
with larger refunds or who need to borrow more and want fixed payments. 
Whichever option you choose, make sure you budget for the loan. This 
will help you minimize costs and financial stress while allowing you to 
take advantage of the extra funds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Newswire, courtesy Associated PressAs the end of the year approaches, people start looking forward to 
their tax refunds. Many use these refunds to restock their emergency 
savings, invest, make big purchases, and travel. But the IRS can take a 
long time to get your refund to you, even if you sign up for direct 
deposit. If you need the money faster, you may have considered a tax 
refund loan. This article will explain how <a href="https://www.advanceamerica.net/money-saving-tips/money-management/pros-and-cons-of-a-tax-refund-loan">tax refund loans</a> work and their benefits and drawbacks. Then, we'll dive into a few tax refund loan alternatives for your consideration.How does a tax refund loan work?Tax
 refund loans let taxpayers who qualify for a tax refund borrow against 
that refund. After filing your taxes with a tax preparer, you can apply 
for one of these loans with no credit check. If approved, they're 
typically disbursed to you via prepaid card or check within 24 hours of 
filing your return.You don't repay these — instead, the lender 
opens a temporary bank account and tells the IRS to deposit the refund 
into it. They then take the loan amount plus fees and tax prep costs out
 of the refund before paying you the remainder. These loans are often 
interest-free. However, you may owe a fee, depending on the lender or 
tax filing service you work with.Tax refund loan alternativesTax
 refund loans can be hard to compare since you can often only get one 
from your tax preparer. They're also fairly costly in some cases. Plus, 
there's always the chance your tax return has an error that, when 
corrected, reduces your refund. You may owe money if you borrowed more 
than your correct refund. So, if you need your refund fast but don't 
want a tax refund loan, consider these alternatives:1. Cash advancesCash
 advances are fast, small-dollar loans that you can use to cover 
expenses until your next payday. Many lenders have less strict 
requirements and will consider factors like your income and current 
debts in addition to your credit score. This means you can still get 
this type of loan with poor or fair credit.If approved for a cash
 advance, you can often get the funds as soon as the same day you apply.
 Then, you'll repay what you owe plus interest in two to four weeks. You
 can also roll over the loan for an additional fee if you can't repay.2. Installment loansInstallment
 loans let you borrow large lump sums and repay them in fixed monthly 
principal and interest payments. These tend to offer better interest 
rates and are easy to budget for, thanks to their predictable payments.Plus,
 installment loans have longer timelines. This lets you borrow more and 
spread it out over a longer amount of time in case you need more than 
your tax refund amount. There are installment loans available to 
borrowers with a wide variety of credit scores and histories.3. Title loansIf
 you own your car outright, a title loan lets you borrow against your 
vehicle's title for a quick loan. Lenders appraise your vehicle, verify 
your income, and then offer you a loan worth 25% to 50% of your car's 
value. You can then get your funds that same day and continue driving 
your vehicle during repayment.Consider a loan while you wait for your tax refundTax
 refund loans make it easy to access your money ASAP if you need it 
quickly. However, they can come with fees, and it's hard to compare 
options. Luckily, if you don't want a tax refund loan, there are plenty 
of alternatives.Cash advances are one of the fastest short-term 
options for anyone, whereas title loans could be more suited for people 
who own vehicles outright. Installment loans may work well for people 
with larger refunds or who need to borrow more and want fixed payments. 
Whichever option you choose, make sure you budget for the loan. This 
will help you minimize costs and financial stress while allowing you to 
take advantage of the extra funds.

Risk and reward: How fast can I get a tax refund loan?

A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts:

All votes counted in Maricopa County, despite online claims

CLAIM: Uncounted ballots that got mixed with counted ballots at voting sites in Arizona’s Maricopa County were not included in the final midterm election results.

THE FACTS: While such ballots were mixed at two separate voting centers on Election Day, they were properly vetted and accurately tabulated, officials said. During November’s midterm elections, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-arizona-4e15278b82452878d6f6aa45b2984579">printing malfunction</a>&nbsp;caused tabulation machines at dozens of voting sites in Maricopa County to reject ballots on Election Day. Poll workers advised voters whose ballots were rejected to put them in a secure drop box referred to as “door 3” or “box 3” to be counted later at the county’s central tabulation facility. And while poll workers were trained to keep such yet-to-be-counted votes separate from those tabulated on-site, the ballots were “returned together,” Megan Gilbertson, a spokesperson for the Maricopa County Elections Department, wrote in an email to The Associated Press. As the state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-biden-cabinet-phoenix-government-and-politics-29f0883bf2a47743d55d1b45ec43cbbf">certified its results</a>&nbsp;this week, posts continued to circulate on social media falsely claiming that those ballots were never counted in the final results, with users citing a video of a self-described poll observer speaking at a Nov. 28 Maricopa County Board of Supervisors meeting. The woman in the video said that such ballots were combined at her voting site located “off of Camelback and 7th street.” “They commingled the un-tabulated ballots of drawer 3 with the tabulated ballots,” the woman says in the clip, referring to box 3. “There is no way to ever sort that and track that. Those are lost votes. Those are lost voices.” But, as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-space-exploration-science-arizona-7037da2cf999f54587b59319a5a4a3ae">the county explained</a>&nbsp;in the days after the election, there is a way to sort and track such ballots, and the votes were counted in the final results. Additionally, such ballot mixing only occurred at two voting locations: Desert Hills Community Church in North Phoenix and the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS in Gilbert, according to Gilbertson. There is no record of such ballot mixing occurring at other voting centers, and the county never received a report of the issue occurring at the voting site described by the woman, Gilbertson told the AP by phone on Wednesday. An attempt to reach the woman who made the claim during the Nov. 28 meeting was unsuccessful. At the sites where mixing did occur, affected ballots were isolated and audited to make sure no votes were missed or double counted, Gilbertson wrote in an email this week. That process, called audit reconciliation, involves checking that the total number of ballots from a given vote center matches with the number of voters who checked-in at the site. Observers from both political parties were present. All Election Day ballots are required to undergo the process. “We have redundancies in place that help us ensure each legal ballot is only counted once,” Gilbertson wrote. “This process ensures that no ballot was double counted and that all ballots cast at the Vote Center were counted.” In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.maricopa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/80026/Maricopa-County-Response-11-27-2022">November report</a>&nbsp;responding to questions from the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, the Maricopa County Elections Department similarly asserted it “retabulated the entire batch of ballots” from the two affected voting centers to ensure the accuracy of the count. Gilbertson said in the days after the election that similar mistakes have been made before, and the process to address it has been in place for decades,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-space-exploration-science-arizona-7037da2cf999f54587b59319a5a4a3ae">the AP reported</a>. “Every single polling location in Maricopa County has a reconciliation audit that’s completed for every single election,” said Tammy Patrick, a former federal compliance officer for the county election department. “It’s been that way literally for 30 years or more.”

— Associated Press writer Josh Kelety in Phoenix contributed this report.

Patent application doesn’t show COVID test was developed in 2015

CLAIM: A COVID-19 test patent application is dated 2020 but was actually filed in 2015.

THE FACTS: The patent application, for a system to determine if someone has a viral infection such as COVID-19, notes that a related provisional patent application was filed in 2015. But while the earlier provisional application is related to the technology in the 2020 application, it made no mention of COVID-19. Social media users are sharing the inaccurate claim through a meme, which implies that COVID-19 was actually known years before it emerged in late 2019. The meme also suggests such information is being censored on social media. “The patent of the covid testkit is hold by Richard A. Rothchild,” a meme shared on Instagram reads, incorrectly spelling the last name of the inventor, Rothschild. “It’s dated in 2020 but was filled 10/13/2015 and it’s called US2020279585(A1).” But the&nbsp;<a href="https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/61/a3/0d/3d91325d909386/US20200279585A1.pdf">patent application</a>&nbsp;in question was filed in May 2020 and describes a method of using biometric data to “to determine whether the user is suffering from a viral infection, such as COVID-19.” Under a section titled “Related U.S. Application Data,” the application makes note of a provisional application filed on Oct. 13, 2015. What that means, though, is that the patent is related to the provisional application that was filed years ago. They are not one in the same. A provisional application is essentially a placeholder for an intention to file a formal patent application, said Jonathan D’Silva, an assistant professor of clinical law and director of the Intellectual Property Law Clinic at Penn State University. Inventors may file a provisional application for different reasons, such as raising money or publicly disclosing their idea as they work on it, he said. The&nbsp;<a href="https://patentcenter.uspto.gov/applications/62240783/ifw/docs">provisional application</a>&nbsp;in 2015 was for a “System and Method for Using, Processing, and Displaying Biometric Data.” The 2020 patent application, meanwhile, was a “continuation-in-part” of a previous patent application, which means that new material was added, D’Silva said. In this case, the new material included the references to COVID-19. “Generally, you don’t have to guess what was in these other patent applications,” he said, since they’re publicly available. And in the earlier parent applications, “there was no mention of COVID-19.”

— Associated Press writer Angelo Fichera in Philadelphia contributed this report.

Post distorts facts on registered voters in Arizona

CLAIM: Arizona has 9,871,525 registered voters but its population is 7,270,000.

THE FACTS: The state had about 4 million registered voters, which is millions less than its population of about 7 million people. A popular Instagram post is using the erroneous claim to suggest potential election fraud in the state, which has been home to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-biden-cabinet-phoenix-government-and-politics-29f0883bf2a47743d55d1b45ec43cbbf">midterm election controversy</a>. “9,871,525 is the number of registered voters in AZ according to FB,” the post reads, “AZ population is 7,270,000.” A caption with the post reads, “ballot harvesting?” — the pejorative term for ballot collection. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-government-and-politics-8eaf001732ac25976f0560a3e49ed500">laws around dropping off ballots</a>&nbsp;for other voters varies by state and in Arizona, only caregivers, family members or household members can drop off a ballot for someone else. But the post’s claim about registered voters in Arizona is false. Arizona actually logged 4,143,929 voters for the Nov. 8 midterm elections, according to data from the Arizona Secretary of State’s office. The total population in Arizona was 7,276,316, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/AZ">July 2021 estimate</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Fabricated tweets originated from account impersonating Hallie Biden

CLAIM: President Joe Biden’s daughter-in-law Hallie Biden tweeted that former President Donald Trump won the 2020 election. She also tweeted that on election night, first lady Jill Biden phoned election workers to stop counting ballots and “rush in fake ballots.”

THE FACTS: The account that made these tweets is “fraudulent,” said the Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children, whose board Hallie Biden chairs.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/top-officials-elections-most-secure-66f9361084ccbc461e3bbf42861057a5">President Joe Biden defeated Trump</a>&nbsp;in the 2020 presidential election,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-270-electoral-college-vote-d429ef97af2bf574d16463384dc7cc1e">earning 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232</a>, and there was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">no evidence of widespread fraud</a>. The fabricated tweets attributed to Hallie Biden — the widow of the president’s deceased son Beau Biden — resurfaced after circulating in past months. The fake tweets claim that on election night in 2020, Jill Biden was on the phone with “state legislators and the people who tabulate the vote” to stop the count and execute a deal to “rush in fake ballots.” "President Trump won that election and my entire family knows it,” one of the fabricated tweets reads. “Ms. Hallie Biden does not have a Twitter account,” the foundation said in an emailed statement. “Any account bearing her name is fraudulent.” An internet archive search for the Twitter account that posted the tweets, @HallieBiden, shows that it was suspended for violating the platform’s rules between&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220831070720/https://twitter.com/HallieBiden">late August</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220902113558/https://twitter.com/halliebiden">early September</a>&nbsp;2022. The platform had a policy against impersonation, which it has continued to prioritize under new ownership. Archived versions of the account show that it posted numerous false and unverified claims about the election being stolen and about Presidents Biden and Obama and their families.

— Associated Press writer Ali Swenson in New York contributed this report.

Traffic plan in Oxfordshire, England, isn’t a ‘climate lockdown’

CLAIM: The county of Oxfordshire, England, which includes the city of Oxford, is imposing a “climate lockdown” that will confine residents to their neighborhoods.

THE FACTS: Oxfordshire has approved a plan to put “traffic filters” on some main roads, restricting drivers’ access during daytime hours and freeing up space for buses, cyclists and pedestrians. But car owners can apply for daylong permits to bypass the new rules, and many other vehicles are exempt. All parts of the county will remain accessible by car, officials said. Last week, local leaders in Oxfordshire voted to try a&nbsp;<a href="https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/traffic-filters-2022">new traffic reduction system</a>&nbsp;in an effort to reduce congestion in the county’s namesake city. Some on social media have since likened the scheme to stringent government COVID-19 containment policies. “UK. - Oxfordshire Council, part of the 15 minute city club, has passed a plan to trial a Climate lockdown,” tweeted one user, alongside a screenshot of an article warning that “residents will be confined to their local neighbourhood.” The plan “would control movements in a gated city, allowing only 100 car journeys in &amp; out per car &amp; monitoring all movements,” the tweet continued. But Oxfordshire’s “traffic filters” will not block access to any part of the city of Oxford or the rest of the county, let alone lock people in their neighborhoods, the county government told The Associated Press. “Everywhere in the city will still be accessible by car,” Paul Smith, spokesperson for the Oxfordshire County Council, wrote in an email. “Nobody will need permission from the county council to drive or leave their home.” The “traffic filters” are license plate recognition cameras, not physical barriers. From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., drivers in private cars will be automatically fined if they cross through the filters without a permit. Motorists who live in Oxford will be able to apply for 100 daylong permits to drive through the filters per year. The “15 minute city club” referenced by one of the misleading tweets is an unrelated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.15minutecity.com/">urban planning framework</a>&nbsp;under which city residents would ideally be able to reach essential services within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from their home. Officials with the city of Oxford have&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/OxfordCity/status/1582295424768962560">separately proposed</a>&nbsp;pursuing these goals. But some on social media have incorrectly linked the two, suggesting the traffic rules will also bar residents from leaving their neighborhoods. The city and county emphasized in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oxford.gov.uk/news/article/2332/joint_statement_from_oxfordshire_county_council_and_oxford_city_council_on_oxford_s_traffic_filters">joint statement</a>&nbsp;that the traffic restrictions will not “be used to confine people” to a given area. “Everyone can go through all the filters at any time by bus, bike, taxi, scooter or walking,” the statement added. Many vehicles, like vans and motorcycles, are exempt from the new rules. Disabled drivers and first responders will likewise not be affected. Drivers who lack a permit will also still be able to access all of the city without being fined. They “might just need to use a different route or drive through the ring road to avoid the traffic filters,” Smith wrote.

— Associated Press writer Graph Massara in San Francisco contributed this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1572956883313.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Associated PressA roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts:All votes counted in Maricopa County, despite online claimsCLAIM: Uncounted ballots that got mixed with counted ballots at voting sites in Arizona’s Maricopa County were not included in the final midterm election results.THE FACTS: While such ballots were mixed at two separate voting centers on Election Day, they were properly vetted and accurately tabulated, officials said. During November’s midterm elections, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-arizona-4e15278b82452878d6f6aa45b2984579">printing malfunction</a>&nbsp;caused tabulation machines at dozens of voting sites in Maricopa County to reject ballots on Election Day. Poll workers advised voters whose ballots were rejected to put them in a secure drop box referred to as “door 3” or “box 3” to be counted later at the county’s central tabulation facility. And while poll workers were trained to keep such yet-to-be-counted votes separate from those tabulated on-site, the ballots were “returned together,” Megan Gilbertson, a spokesperson for the Maricopa County Elections Department, wrote in an email to The Associated Press. As the state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-biden-cabinet-phoenix-government-and-politics-29f0883bf2a47743d55d1b45ec43cbbf">certified its results</a>&nbsp;this week, posts continued to circulate on social media falsely claiming that those ballots were never counted in the final results, with users citing a video of a self-described poll observer speaking at a Nov. 28 Maricopa County Board of Supervisors meeting. The woman in the video said that such ballots were combined at her voting site located “off of Camelback and 7th street.” “They commingled the un-tabulated ballots of drawer 3 with the tabulated ballots,” the woman says in the clip, referring to box 3. “There is no way to ever sort that and track that. Those are lost votes. Those are lost voices.” But, as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-space-exploration-science-arizona-7037da2cf999f54587b59319a5a4a3ae">the county explained</a>&nbsp;in the days after the election, there is a way to sort and track such ballots, and the votes were counted in the final results. Additionally, such ballot mixing only occurred at two voting locations: Desert Hills Community Church in North Phoenix and the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS in Gilbert, according to Gilbertson. There is no record of such ballot mixing occurring at other voting centers, and the county never received a report of the issue occurring at the voting site described by the woman, Gilbertson told the AP by phone on Wednesday. An attempt to reach the woman who made the claim during the Nov. 28 meeting was unsuccessful. At the sites where mixing did occur, affected ballots were isolated and audited to make sure no votes were missed or double counted, Gilbertson wrote in an email this week. That process, called audit reconciliation, involves checking that the total number of ballots from a given vote center matches with the number of voters who checked-in at the site. Observers from both political parties were present. All Election Day ballots are required to undergo the process. “We have redundancies in place that help us ensure each legal ballot is only counted once,” Gilbertson wrote. “This process ensures that no ballot was double counted and that all ballots cast at the Vote Center were counted.” In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.maricopa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/80026/Maricopa-County-Response-11-27-2022">November report</a>&nbsp;responding to questions from the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, the Maricopa County Elections Department similarly asserted it “retabulated the entire batch of ballots” from the two affected voting centers to ensure the accuracy of the count. Gilbertson said in the days after the election that similar mistakes have been made before, and the process to address it has been in place for decades,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-space-exploration-science-arizona-7037da2cf999f54587b59319a5a4a3ae">the AP reported</a>. “Every single polling location in Maricopa County has a reconciliation audit that’s completed for every single election,” said Tammy Patrick, a former federal compliance officer for the county election department. “It’s been that way literally for 30 years or more.”— Associated Press writer Josh Kelety in Phoenix contributed this report.___Patent application doesn’t show COVID test was developed in 2015CLAIM: A COVID-19 test patent application is dated 2020 but was actually filed in 2015.THE FACTS: The patent application, for a system to determine if someone has a viral infection such as COVID-19, notes that a related provisional patent application was filed in 2015. But while the earlier provisional application is related to the technology in the 2020 application, it made no mention of COVID-19. Social media users are sharing the inaccurate claim through a meme, which implies that COVID-19 was actually known years before it emerged in late 2019. The meme also suggests such information is being censored on social media. “The patent of the covid testkit is hold by Richard A. Rothchild,” a meme shared on Instagram reads, incorrectly spelling the last name of the inventor, Rothschild. “It’s dated in 2020 but was filled 10/13/2015 and it’s called US2020279585(A1).” But the&nbsp;<a href="https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/61/a3/0d/3d91325d909386/US20200279585A1.pdf">patent application</a>&nbsp;in question was filed in May 2020 and describes a method of using biometric data to “to determine whether the user is suffering from a viral infection, such as COVID-19.” Under a section titled “Related U.S. Application Data,” the application makes note of a provisional application filed on Oct. 13, 2015. What that means, though, is that the patent is related to the provisional application that was filed years ago. They are not one in the same. A provisional application is essentially a placeholder for an intention to file a formal patent application, said Jonathan D’Silva, an assistant professor of clinical law and director of the Intellectual Property Law Clinic at Penn State University. Inventors may file a provisional application for different reasons, such as raising money or publicly disclosing their idea as they work on it, he said. The&nbsp;<a href="https://patentcenter.uspto.gov/applications/62240783/ifw/docs">provisional application</a>&nbsp;in 2015 was for a “System and Method for Using, Processing, and Displaying Biometric Data.” The 2020 patent application, meanwhile, was a “continuation-in-part” of a previous patent application, which means that new material was added, D’Silva said. In this case, the new material included the references to COVID-19. “Generally, you don’t have to guess what was in these other patent applications,” he said, since they’re publicly available. And in the earlier parent applications, “there was no mention of COVID-19.”— Associated Press writer Angelo Fichera in Philadelphia contributed this report.___Post distorts facts on registered voters in ArizonaCLAIM: Arizona has 9,871,525 registered voters but its population is 7,270,000.THE FACTS: The state had about 4 million registered voters, which is millions less than its population of about 7 million people. A popular Instagram post is using the erroneous claim to suggest potential election fraud in the state, which has been home to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-biden-cabinet-phoenix-government-and-politics-29f0883bf2a47743d55d1b45ec43cbbf">midterm election controversy</a>. “9,871,525 is the number of registered voters in AZ according to FB,” the post reads, “AZ population is 7,270,000.” A caption with the post reads, “ballot harvesting?” — the pejorative term for ballot collection. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-government-and-politics-8eaf001732ac25976f0560a3e49ed500">laws around dropping off ballots</a>&nbsp;for other voters varies by state and in Arizona, only caregivers, family members or household members can drop off a ballot for someone else. But the post’s claim about registered voters in Arizona is false. Arizona actually logged 4,143,929 voters for the Nov. 8 midterm elections, according to data from the Arizona Secretary of State’s office. The total population in Arizona was 7,276,316, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/AZ">July 2021 estimate</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Census Bureau.— Angelo Fichera___Fabricated tweets originated from account impersonating Hallie BidenCLAIM: President Joe Biden’s daughter-in-law Hallie Biden tweeted that former President Donald Trump won the 2020 election. She also tweeted that on election night, first lady Jill Biden phoned election workers to stop counting ballots and “rush in fake ballots.”THE FACTS: The account that made these tweets is “fraudulent,” said the Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children, whose board Hallie Biden chairs.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/top-officials-elections-most-secure-66f9361084ccbc461e3bbf42861057a5">President Joe Biden defeated Trump</a>&nbsp;in the 2020 presidential election,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-270-electoral-college-vote-d429ef97af2bf574d16463384dc7cc1e">earning 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232</a>, and there was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">no evidence of widespread fraud</a>. The fabricated tweets attributed to Hallie Biden — the widow of the president’s deceased son Beau Biden — resurfaced after circulating in past months. The fake tweets claim that on election night in 2020, Jill Biden was on the phone with “state legislators and the people who tabulate the vote” to stop the count and execute a deal to “rush in fake ballots.” "President Trump won that election and my entire family knows it,” one of the fabricated tweets reads. “Ms. Hallie Biden does not have a Twitter account,” the foundation said in an emailed statement. “Any account bearing her name is fraudulent.” An internet archive search for the Twitter account that posted the tweets, @HallieBiden, shows that it was suspended for violating the platform’s rules between&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220831070720/https://twitter.com/HallieBiden">late August</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220902113558/https://twitter.com/halliebiden">early September</a>&nbsp;2022. The platform had a policy against impersonation, which it has continued to prioritize under new ownership. Archived versions of the account show that it posted numerous false and unverified claims about the election being stolen and about Presidents Biden and Obama and their families.— Associated Press writer Ali Swenson in New York contributed this report.___Traffic plan in Oxfordshire, England, isn’t a ‘climate lockdown’CLAIM: The county of Oxfordshire, England, which includes the city of Oxford, is imposing a “climate lockdown” that will confine residents to their neighborhoods.THE FACTS: Oxfordshire has approved a plan to put “traffic filters” on some main roads, restricting drivers’ access during daytime hours and freeing up space for buses, cyclists and pedestrians. But car owners can apply for daylong permits to bypass the new rules, and many other vehicles are exempt. All parts of the county will remain accessible by car, officials said. Last week, local leaders in Oxfordshire voted to try a&nbsp;<a href="https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/traffic-filters-2022">new traffic reduction system</a>&nbsp;in an effort to reduce congestion in the county’s namesake city. Some on social media have since likened the scheme to stringent government COVID-19 containment policies. “UK. - Oxfordshire Council, part of the 15 minute city club, has passed a plan to trial a Climate lockdown,” tweeted one user, alongside a screenshot of an article warning that “residents will be confined to their local neighbourhood.” The plan “would control movements in a gated city, allowing only 100 car journeys in &amp; out per car &amp; monitoring all movements,” the tweet continued. But Oxfordshire’s “traffic filters” will not block access to any part of the city of Oxford or the rest of the county, let alone lock people in their neighborhoods, the county government told The Associated Press. “Everywhere in the city will still be accessible by car,” Paul Smith, spokesperson for the Oxfordshire County Council, wrote in an email. “Nobody will need permission from the county council to drive or leave their home.” The “traffic filters” are license plate recognition cameras, not physical barriers. From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., drivers in private cars will be automatically fined if they cross through the filters without a permit. Motorists who live in Oxford will be able to apply for 100 daylong permits to drive through the filters per year. The “15 minute city club” referenced by one of the misleading tweets is an unrelated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.15minutecity.com/">urban planning framework</a>&nbsp;under which city residents would ideally be able to reach essential services within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from their home. Officials with the city of Oxford have&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/OxfordCity/status/1582295424768962560">separately proposed</a>&nbsp;pursuing these goals. But some on social media have incorrectly linked the two, suggesting the traffic rules will also bar residents from leaving their neighborhoods. The city and county emphasized in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oxford.gov.uk/news/article/2332/joint_statement_from_oxfordshire_county_council_and_oxford_city_council_on_oxford_s_traffic_filters">joint statement</a>&nbsp;that the traffic restrictions will not “be used to confine people” to a given area. “Everyone can go through all the filters at any time by bus, bike, taxi, scooter or walking,” the statement added. Many vehicles, like vans and motorcycles, are exempt from the new rules. Disabled drivers and first responders will likewise not be affected. Drivers who lack a permit will also still be able to access all of the city without being fined. They “might just need to use a different route or drive through the ring road to avoid the traffic filters,” Smith wrote.— Associated Press writer Graph Massara in San Francisco contributed this report.

NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn't happen this week

The Internal Revenue Service today updated frequently asked questions
 (FAQs) for the 2020 unemployment compensation exclusion in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/taxpros/fs-2022-39.pdf">Fact Sheet 2022-39</a>PDF. The updates are:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSThe Internal Revenue Service today updated frequently asked questions
 (FAQs) for the 2020 unemployment compensation exclusion in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/taxpros/fs-2022-39.pdf">Fact Sheet 2022-39</a>PDF. The updates are:<ul>
 <li>Topic D: Amended Return (Form 1040-X): Combined question 1 and 2, removed question 3 and renumbered question 4</li><li>Topic E: Impact to Income, Credits, and Deductions: Question 2</li><li>Topic G: Receiving a Refund, Letter, or Notice: Questions 2, 3, 5, 8 and 9</li><li>Topic H: Finding the Unemployment Compensation Amount: Question 2</li>
 </ul>

IRS: Fresh FAQs about 2020 unemployment compensation exclusion

By LINDSEY TOOMER <a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/">Colorado Newsline</a>

Now that Colorado voters passed the <a target="_blank" href="https://coloradonewsline.com/2022/10/17/proposition-122-colorado-voters-mushrooms/">Natural Medicine Health Act</a>, the state has several steps to get through before Colorado will actually see a regulated industry for psychedelic mushrooms.

The measure allows for licensed “healing centers” to provide access 
to psilocybin and psilocyn, the psychoactive compounds found in many 
species of fungi, for therapeutic purposes. It also decriminalizes the 
“personal use” of the substances, allowing people to possess and grow 
psychedelic mushrooms in their own homes.

The first step on the itinerary is developing an advisory board, 
which will include appointees from Gov. Jared Polis tasked with helping 
the Department of Regulatory Agencies implement the new program.

According to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2021-2022/58Final.pdf">act’s text</a>,
 the board will include 15 members: At least seven are expected to have 
expertise and experience in topics including but not limited to natural 
medicine therapy and research, emergency medical services, health care 
insurance and policy, or harm reduction. At least eight members are 
expected to have experience with religious and traditional indigenous 
uses of natural medicines, issues impacting veterans, disparities in 
health care access, or criminal justice reform in Colorado.

“We will follow the will of the voters and will be appointing a 15 
member advisory board to oversee the regulatory process around this new 
voter-approved measure,” Melissa Dworkin, a spokesperson with the 
governor’s office, said in an email.

Josh Kappel, an attorney who chaired Natural Medicine Colorado’s 
campaign committee and helped draft Proposition 122, said he trusts that
 the governor will appoint a board that’s inclusive of all relevant 
stakeholders. He said the board’s initial purpose is to provide DORA 
with recommendations around implementing the program.

“We are excited to work with all relevant stakeholders and the state 
government to implement Prop 122 in a safe, responsible and equitable 
manner that provides access to this much needed tool to address our 
state’s mental health crisis,” Kappel said.

After working with DORA to develop the program, the board will make 
annual recommendations regarding public health approaches for natural 
medicine, educational campaigns, research on efficacy and regulation, 
training programs, equitable and culturally responsible access, and data
 collection and reporting. Kappel added that the board will likely 
create regular reports analyzing the effectiveness of the program.

Advocates of the ballot measure point to research showing that 
psychedelic substances can be effective in treating depression, anxiety,
 post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions. The 
federal Food and Drug Administration has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/921789#:~:text=The%20US%20Food%20and%20Drug,ingredient%20in%20%22magic%20mushrooms.%22">designated psilocybin</a> as a “breakthrough therapy” for the treatment of major depressive disorder.

Coloradans can start applying for center licenses in September 2024

Ben Unger, who works with New Approach, an organization involved in passing both <a target="_blank" href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2022/08/08/many-oregon-voters-will-have-to-decide-again-on-a-psilocybin-program/">Oregon’s Measure 109</a>
 and Colorado’s Proposition 122, said in an email his greatest hope for 
the advisory board is that “it’s filled with experts that can guide a 
regulatory process that maximizes safety and promotes equitable access 
for all that can benefit.”

For initial appointments that need to be made by Jan. 31, 2023, seven
 members will be appointed to a two-year term while eight will be 
appointed to a four-year term. After that initial board, all members 
will be appointed to four-year terms and can serve two consecutive 
terms.

After appointees are named, the board will kick off an 18-month 
rulemaking process to develop regulations around facilitator licensing, 
training and the operation of healing centers, Kappel said. He said 
Natural Medicine Colorado will continue to be a resource for the state 
as it looks to implement Proposition 122 in a “responsible, equitable 
and safe manner.”

“We hope to be able to work with everyone — the government 
stakeholders, even those who opposed us — to help create a program that 
is both safe, but also provides the mental health treatment and options 
that Coloradans are expecting after passing Prop 122,” Kappel said.

Unger noted that the proposition language says Coloradans can start 
applying for healing center licenses in September 2024, meaning licensed
 therapeutic services would likely start six or seven months after that.
 Over the next year or so, he said interested stakeholders should keep 
their eyes open for development of regulations for facilitators and 
safety rules for clients.

“It’s reasonable to expect that services could begin in the summer of
 2025,” Unger said in an email. “It’s important that the state work with
 experts to develop processes that promote safety while protecting 
access for people that can benefit.”

By LINDSEY TOOMER <a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/">Colorado Newsline</a>Now that Colorado voters passed the <a target="_blank" href="https://coloradonewsline.com/2022/10/17/proposition-122-colorado-voters-mushrooms/">Natural Medicine Health Act</a>, the state has several steps to get through before Colorado will actually see a regulated industry for psychedelic mushrooms.The measure allows for licensed “healing centers” to provide access 
to psilocybin and psilocyn, the psychoactive compounds found in many 
species of fungi, for therapeutic purposes. It also decriminalizes the 
“personal use” of the substances, allowing people to possess and grow 
psychedelic mushrooms in their own homes.The first step on the itinerary is developing an advisory board, 
which will include appointees from Gov. Jared Polis tasked with helping 
the Department of Regulatory Agencies implement the new program.According to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2021-2022/58Final.pdf">act’s text</a>,
 the board will include 15 members: At least seven are expected to have 
expertise and experience in topics including but not limited to natural 
medicine therapy and research, emergency medical services, health care 
insurance and policy, or harm reduction. At least eight members are 
expected to have experience with religious and traditional indigenous 
uses of natural medicines, issues impacting veterans, disparities in 
health care access, or criminal justice reform in Colorado.“We will follow the will of the voters and will be appointing a 15 
member advisory board to oversee the regulatory process around this new 
voter-approved measure,” Melissa Dworkin, a spokesperson with the 
governor’s office, said in an email.Josh Kappel, an attorney who chaired Natural Medicine Colorado’s 
campaign committee and helped draft Proposition 122, said he trusts that
 the governor will appoint a board that’s inclusive of all relevant 
stakeholders. He said the board’s initial purpose is to provide DORA 
with recommendations around implementing the program.“We are excited to work with all relevant stakeholders and the state 
government to implement Prop 122 in a safe, responsible and equitable 
manner that provides access to this much needed tool to address our 
state’s mental health crisis,” Kappel said.After working with DORA to develop the program, the board will make 
annual recommendations regarding public health approaches for natural 
medicine, educational campaigns, research on efficacy and regulation, 
training programs, equitable and culturally responsible access, and data
 collection and reporting. Kappel added that the board will likely 
create regular reports analyzing the effectiveness of the program.Advocates of the ballot measure point to research showing that 
psychedelic substances can be effective in treating depression, anxiety,
 post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions. The 
federal Food and Drug Administration has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/921789#:~:text=The%20US%20Food%20and%20Drug,ingredient%20in%20%22magic%20mushrooms.%22">designated psilocybin</a> as a “breakthrough therapy” for the treatment of major depressive disorder.<h2>Coloradans can start applying for center licenses in September 2024</h2>Ben Unger, who works with New Approach, an organization involved in passing both <a target="_blank" href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2022/08/08/many-oregon-voters-will-have-to-decide-again-on-a-psilocybin-program/">Oregon’s Measure 109</a>
 and Colorado’s Proposition 122, said in an email his greatest hope for 
the advisory board is that “it’s filled with experts that can guide a 
regulatory process that maximizes safety and promotes equitable access 
for all that can benefit.”For initial appointments that need to be made by Jan. 31, 2023, seven
 members will be appointed to a two-year term while eight will be 
appointed to a four-year term. After that initial board, all members 
will be appointed to four-year terms and can serve two consecutive 
terms.After appointees are named, the board will kick off an 18-month 
rulemaking process to develop regulations around facilitator licensing, 
training and the operation of healing centers, Kappel said. He said 
Natural Medicine Colorado will continue to be a resource for the state 
as it looks to implement Proposition 122 in a “responsible, equitable 
and safe manner.”“We hope to be able to work with everyone — the government 
stakeholders, even those who opposed us — to help create a program that 
is both safe, but also provides the mental health treatment and options 
that Coloradans are expecting after passing Prop 122,” Kappel said.Unger noted that the proposition language says Coloradans can start 
applying for healing center licenses in September 2024, meaning licensed
 therapeutic services would likely start six or seven months after that.
 Over the next year or so, he said interested stakeholders should keep 
their eyes open for development of regulations for facilitators and 
safety rules for clients.“It’s reasonable to expect that services could begin in the summer of
 2025,” Unger said in an email. “It’s important that the state work with
 experts to develop processes that promote safety while protecting 
access for people that can benefit.”

Colorado begins steps to regulate psychedelic mushrooms

By ZHONG-REN PENG <a href="https://theconversation.com/dreaming-of-beachfront-real-estate-much-of-floridas-coast-is-at-risk-of-storm-erosion-that-can-cause-homes-to-collapse-as-daytona-just-saw-194492">The Conversation</a>

Back-to-back hurricanes left an unnerving scene on the Florida coast 
in November 2022: Several houses, and even swimming pools, were left 
dangling over the ocean as waves eroded the land beneath them. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VolusiaCountyEmergencyManagement/posts/pfbid02EZ9SbTjdQhrkGtFm452UhzhzjprPu6h6WaQbPLuMLsRNpCLAuPoPKTZDUvjygUb7l">Dozens of homes and condo buildings</a> in the Daytona Beach area were deemed unsafe.

The destruction has raised a disturbing question: How much property 
along the rest of the Florida coast is at risk of collapse, and can it 
be saved?

As the director of <a href="https://dcp.ufl.edu/iadapt/">iAdapt</a>, the International Center for Adaptation Planning and Design at the University of Florida, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ngiXpvgAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">I have been</a> studying climate adaptation issues for the last two decades to help answer these questions.

Living by the sea has a strong appeal in Florida – beautiful beaches,
 ocean views, and often pleasant breezes. However, there are also risks,
 and they are exacerbated by climate change.

Sea level is forecast to rise on average <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/hazards/sealevelrise/sealevelrise-tech-report.html">10 to 14 inches</a> (25-35 cm) on the U.S. East Coast over the next 30 years, and 14 to 18 inches (35-45 cm) on the Gulf Coast, <a href="https://theconversation.com/ipcc-climate-report-profound-changes-are-underway-in-earths-oceans-and-ice-a-lead-author-explains-what-the-warnings-mean-165588">as the planet warms</a>. Rising temperatures are also <a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3184/a-force-of-nature-hurricanes-in-a-changing-climate/">increasing the intensity</a> of hurricanes.

With higher seas and larger storm surges, ocean waves more easily 
erode beaches, weaken sea walls, and submerge cement foundations in 
corrosive salt water. Together with <a href="https://geodata.dep.state.fl.us/datasets/194ac159bd1e4be294b14dd882d42dcf_0/about">subsidence</a>, or sinking land, they make coastal living riskier.

The risk of erosion varies depending on the soil, geology and natural
 shoreline changes. But it is widespread in U.S. coastal areas, <a href="https://geodata.dep.state.fl.us/datasets/FDEP::coastal-critical-erosion-areas/about">particularly Florida</a>. Maps produced by engineers at the <a href="https://geodata.dep.state.fl.us/datasets/FDEP::coastal-critical-erosion-areas/about">Florida Department of Environmental Protection</a> show most of Florida’s coast faces critical erosion risk.

Aging or poorly maintained buildings and sea walls, and older or poor construction methods and materials, can dramatically <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/sinking-land-rising-seas-dual-crises-facing-coastal-communities">aggravate the risk</a>.

So, what can be done to minimize the damage?

The first step is to build sturdier buildings and fortify existing ones according to advanced building codes.

Building codes change over time as risks rise and construction 
techniques and materials improve. For example, design criteria in the <a href="https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/FLBC2020P1">Florida Building Code</a>
 for South Florida changed from requiring some new buildings to be able 
to withstand 146 mph sustained winds in 2002 to 195 mph winds in 2021, 
meaning a powerful Category 5 hurricane.

The town of <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2022/10/01/punta-gorda-hurricane-ian-damage/">Punta Gorda</a>,
 near where Hurricane Ian made landfall in October 2022, showed how 
homes constructed to the latest building codes have a much better chance
 of survival.

Many of Punta Gorda’s buildings had been rebuilt after Hurricane 
Charley in 2004, shortly after the state updated the Florida Building 
Code. When Ian hit, they survived with less damage than those in 
neighboring towns. The updated code required new construction to be able
 to withstand hurricane-force winds, including having shutters or 
impact-resistant window glass.

However, even homes built to the latest codes can be vulnerable, 
because the codes don’t adequately address the environment that 
buildings sit on. A modern building in a low-lying coastal area could 
face damage in the future as sea level rises and the shoreline erodes, 
even if it meets the current flood zone elevation standards.

This is the problem coastal residents faced during Hurricanes Nicole <a href="https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2022-10-06/apocalypse-in-paradise-after-hurricane-ian-a-low-lying-florida-city-contends-with-rising-water">and Ian</a>. Flooding and erosion, exacerbated by sea-level rise, caused the most damage – not wind.

The dozens of beach houses and condo buildings that <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2022-11-14/florida-county-puts-damage-from-nicole-at-481-million">became unstable or collapsed</a>
 in Volusia County during Hurricane Nicole might have seemed fine 
originally. But as the climate changes, the coastal environment changes,
 too, and one hurricane could render the building vulnerable. Hurricane 
Ian damaged sea walls in Volusia County, and some <a href="https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/2022/11/10/tropical-storm-nicoles-fury-washes-away-homes-wilbur-sea/8323351001/">couldn’t be repaired before Nicole</a> struck.

The damage in the Daytona area in 2022 and the <a href="https://miamisao.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/GRAND-JURY_202112151434-1.pdf">deadly collapse</a> a year earlier of a condo tower in Surfside should be a wake-up call for all coastal communities.

<a href="https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/topics/vulnerability-assessments.html">Data and tools</a> can show where coastal areas are most vulnerable. What is lacking are policies and enforcement.

Florida recently began requiring that state-financed constructors conduct <a href="https://floridadep.gov/rcp/florida-resilient-coastlines-program/content/resilience-and-coastal-protection-rules-development">a sea-level impact study</a>
 before starting construction of a coastal structure. I believe it’s 
time to apply this new rule to any new construction, regardless of the 
funding source.

A comprehensive sea-level impact study requirement should also allow 
for risk-based enforcement, including barring construction in high-risk 
areas.

Similarly, vulnerability audits – particularly for multistory 
buildings built before 2002 – can check the integrity of an existing 
structure and help spot new environmental risks from sea-level rise and 
beach erosion. Before 2002, the building standard was low and 
enforcement was lacking, so many of the materials and the structures 
used in those buildings aren’t up to the standards of today. 

There is a range of <a href="https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_protect-your-home-from-flooding-brochure_2020.pdf">techniques</a> homeowners can use to fortify homes from flood risks.

In some places, that may mean <a href="https://cpo.noaa.gov/News/ArtMID/7875/ArticleID/2059/Elevating-Houses-Can-Protect-Against-Damaging-Floods-But-How-High-is-High-Enough">elevating the house</a>
 or improving the lot grading so surface water runs away from the 
building. Installing a sump pump and remodeling with storm-resistant 
building materials can help.

<a href="https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_protect-your-home-from-flooding-brochure_2020.pdf">FEMA</a>
 suggests other measures to protect against coastal erosion, such as 
replenishing beach sand, strengthening sea walls and anchoring the home.
 Engineering can help communities, temporarily at least, through sea 
walls, ponds and increased drainage. But in the long term, communities 
will have to assess the vulnerability of coastal areas. Sometimes the 
answer is <a href="https://theconversation.com/managed-retreat-done-right-can-reinvent-cities-so-theyre-better-for-everyone-and-avoid-harm-from-flooding-heat-and-fires-163052">to relocate</a>.

However, there’s a disturbing trend after hurricanes, and we’re 
seeing it with Ian: Many damaged areas see lots of money pouring in to 
rebuild in the same vulnerable locations. An important question 
communities should be asking is, if these are already in high-risk 
areas, why rebuild in the same place?

Zhong-Ren Peng is a Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the&nbsp; University of Florida.

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h6Fvx6Cw4tE"></iframe>
 <figcaption>Drone footage shows homes close to collapsing into the ocean. WPLG/YouTube</figcaption>
 </figure>By ZHONG-REN PENG <a href="https://theconversation.com/dreaming-of-beachfront-real-estate-much-of-floridas-coast-is-at-risk-of-storm-erosion-that-can-cause-homes-to-collapse-as-daytona-just-saw-194492">The Conversation</a>Back-to-back hurricanes left an unnerving scene on the Florida coast 
in November 2022: Several houses, and even swimming pools, were left 
dangling over the ocean as waves eroded the land beneath them. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VolusiaCountyEmergencyManagement/posts/pfbid02EZ9SbTjdQhrkGtFm452UhzhzjprPu6h6WaQbPLuMLsRNpCLAuPoPKTZDUvjygUb7l">Dozens of homes and condo buildings</a> in the Daytona Beach area were deemed unsafe. The destruction has raised a disturbing question: How much property 
along the rest of the Florida coast is at risk of collapse, and can it 
be saved?As the director of <a href="https://dcp.ufl.edu/iadapt/">iAdapt</a>, the International Center for Adaptation Planning and Design at the University of Florida, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ngiXpvgAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">I have been</a> studying climate adaptation issues for the last two decades to help answer these questions.<h2>Rising seas, aging buildings</h2>Living by the sea has a strong appeal in Florida – beautiful beaches,
 ocean views, and often pleasant breezes. However, there are also risks,
 and they are exacerbated by climate change.Sea level is forecast to rise on average <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/hazards/sealevelrise/sealevelrise-tech-report.html">10 to 14 inches</a> (25-35 cm) on the U.S. East Coast over the next 30 years, and 14 to 18 inches (35-45 cm) on the Gulf Coast, <a href="https://theconversation.com/ipcc-climate-report-profound-changes-are-underway-in-earths-oceans-and-ice-a-lead-author-explains-what-the-warnings-mean-165588">as the planet warms</a>. Rising temperatures are also <a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3184/a-force-of-nature-hurricanes-in-a-changing-climate/">increasing the intensity</a> of hurricanes.With higher seas and larger storm surges, ocean waves more easily 
erode beaches, weaken sea walls, and submerge cement foundations in 
corrosive salt water. Together with <a href="https://geodata.dep.state.fl.us/datasets/194ac159bd1e4be294b14dd882d42dcf_0/about">subsidence</a>, or sinking land, they make coastal living riskier.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669240214504.png" alt=" Florida’s erosion risk map shows most of the state’s coastline at critical risk. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, CC BY-SA " />
 <figcaption> Florida’s erosion risk map shows most of the state’s coastline at critical risk. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, CC BY-SA </figcaption>
 </figure>The risk of erosion varies depending on the soil, geology and natural
 shoreline changes. But it is widespread in U.S. coastal areas, <a href="https://geodata.dep.state.fl.us/datasets/FDEP::coastal-critical-erosion-areas/about">particularly Florida</a>. Maps produced by engineers at the <a href="https://geodata.dep.state.fl.us/datasets/FDEP::coastal-critical-erosion-areas/about">Florida Department of Environmental Protection</a> show most of Florida’s coast faces critical erosion risk.Aging or poorly maintained buildings and sea walls, and older or poor construction methods and materials, can dramatically <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/sinking-land-rising-seas-dual-crises-facing-coastal-communities">aggravate the risk</a>.<h2>Designing better building codes</h2>So, what can be done to minimize the damage?The first step is to build sturdier buildings and fortify existing ones according to advanced building codes.Building codes change over time as risks rise and construction 
techniques and materials improve. For example, design criteria in the <a href="https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/FLBC2020P1">Florida Building Code</a>
 for South Florida changed from requiring some new buildings to be able 
to withstand 146 mph sustained winds in 2002 to 195 mph winds in 2021, 
meaning a powerful Category 5 hurricane.The town of <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2022/10/01/punta-gorda-hurricane-ian-damage/">Punta Gorda</a>,
 near where Hurricane Ian made landfall in October 2022, showed how 
homes constructed to the latest building codes have a much better chance
 of survival.Many of Punta Gorda’s buildings had been rebuilt after Hurricane 
Charley in 2004, shortly after the state updated the Florida Building 
Code. When Ian hit, they survived with less damage than those in 
neighboring towns. The updated code required new construction to be able
 to withstand hurricane-force winds, including having shutters or 
impact-resistant window glass.However, even homes built to the latest codes can be vulnerable, 
because the codes don’t adequately address the environment that 
buildings sit on. A modern building in a low-lying coastal area could 
face damage in the future as sea level rises and the shoreline erodes, 
even if it meets the current flood zone elevation standards.This is the problem coastal residents faced during Hurricanes Nicole <a href="https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2022-10-06/apocalypse-in-paradise-after-hurricane-ian-a-low-lying-florida-city-contends-with-rising-water">and Ian</a>. Flooding and erosion, exacerbated by sea-level rise, caused the most damage – not wind. The dozens of beach houses and condo buildings that <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2022-11-14/florida-county-puts-damage-from-nicole-at-481-million">became unstable or collapsed</a>
 in Volusia County during Hurricane Nicole might have seemed fine 
originally. But as the climate changes, the coastal environment changes,
 too, and one hurricane could render the building vulnerable. Hurricane 
Ian damaged sea walls in Volusia County, and some <a href="https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/2022/11/10/tropical-storm-nicoles-fury-washes-away-homes-wilbur-sea/8323351001/">couldn’t be repaired before Nicole</a> struck. <h2>How to minimize the risk</h2>The damage in the Daytona area in 2022 and the <a href="https://miamisao.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/GRAND-JURY_202112151434-1.pdf">deadly collapse</a> a year earlier of a condo tower in Surfside should be a wake-up call for all coastal communities.<a href="https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/topics/vulnerability-assessments.html">Data and tools</a> can show where coastal areas are most vulnerable. What is lacking are policies and enforcement.Florida recently began requiring that state-financed constructors conduct <a href="https://floridadep.gov/rcp/florida-resilient-coastlines-program/content/resilience-and-coastal-protection-rules-development">a sea-level impact study</a>
 before starting construction of a coastal structure. I believe it’s 
time to apply this new rule to any new construction, regardless of the 
funding source.A comprehensive sea-level impact study requirement should also allow 
for risk-based enforcement, including barring construction in high-risk 
areas.Similarly, vulnerability audits – particularly for multistory 
buildings built before 2002 – can check the integrity of an existing 
structure and help spot new environmental risks from sea-level rise and 
beach erosion. Before 2002, the building standard was low and 
enforcement was lacking, so many of the materials and the structures 
used in those buildings aren’t up to the standards of today. <h2>What property owners can do</h2>There is a range of <a href="https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_protect-your-home-from-flooding-brochure_2020.pdf">techniques</a> homeowners can use to fortify homes from flood risks.In some places, that may mean <a href="https://cpo.noaa.gov/News/ArtMID/7875/ArticleID/2059/Elevating-Houses-Can-Protect-Against-Damaging-Floods-But-How-High-is-High-Enough">elevating the house</a>
 or improving the lot grading so surface water runs away from the 
building. Installing a sump pump and remodeling with storm-resistant 
building materials can help.<a href="https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_protect-your-home-from-flooding-brochure_2020.pdf">FEMA</a>
 suggests other measures to protect against coastal erosion, such as 
replenishing beach sand, strengthening sea walls and anchoring the home.
 Engineering can help communities, temporarily at least, through sea 
walls, ponds and increased drainage. But in the long term, communities 
will have to assess the vulnerability of coastal areas. Sometimes the 
answer is <a href="https://theconversation.com/managed-retreat-done-right-can-reinvent-cities-so-theyre-better-for-everyone-and-avoid-harm-from-flooding-heat-and-fires-163052">to relocate</a>.However, there’s a disturbing trend after hurricanes, and we’re 
seeing it with Ian: Many damaged areas see lots of money pouring in to 
rebuild in the same vulnerable locations. An important question 
communities should be asking is, if these are already in high-risk 
areas, why rebuild in the same place?Zhong-Ren Peng is a Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the&nbsp; University of Florida.<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194492/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></iframe></div>

🎥 Beachfront real estate? It just might crumble into the ocean

NEW YORK (AP) — Oscar, Golden Globe and two-time Grammy winning 
singer-actress Irene Cara, who starred and sang the title cut from the 
1980 hit movie “Fame” and then belted out the era-defining hit 
“Flashdance ... What a Feeling” from 1983's “Flashdance,” has died. She 
was 63.

Her publicist, Judith A. Moose, announced the news on 
social media, writing that a cause of death was “currently unknown.” 
Moose also confirmed the death to an Associated Press reporter on 
Saturday. Cara died at her home in Florida. The exact day of her death 
was not disclosed.

“Irene’s family has requested privacy as they 
process their grief,” Moose wrote. “She was a beautifully gifted soul 
whose legacy will live forever through her music and films.”

During
 her career, Cara had three Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, 
including “Breakdance,” “Out Here On My Own,” “Fame” and “Flashdance ...
 What A Feeling,” which spent six weeks at No. 1. She was behind some of
 the most joyful, high-energy pop anthems of the early ’80s.

Tributes
 poured in on Saturday on social media, including from Deborah Cox, who 
called Cara an inspiration, and Holly Robinson Peete, who recalled 
seeing Cara perform: "The insane combination of talent and beauty was 
overwhelming to me. This hurts my heart so much.”

She first came 
to prominence among the young actors playing performing arts high 
schoolers in Alan Parker's “Fame,” with co-stars Debbie Allen, Paul 
McCrane and Anne Mear. Cara played Coco Hernandez, a striving dancer who
 endures all manner of deprivations, including a creepy nude photo 
shoot.

“How bright our spirits go shooting out into space, depends
 on how much we contributed to the earthly brilliance of this world. And
 I mean to be a major contributor!” she says in the movie.

NEW YORK (AP) — Oscar, Golden Globe and two-time Grammy winning 
singer-actress Irene Cara, who starred and sang the title cut from the 
1980 hit movie “Fame” and then belted out the era-defining hit 
“Flashdance ... What a Feeling” from 1983's “Flashdance,” has died. She 
was 63.Her publicist, Judith A. Moose, announced the news on 
social media, writing that a cause of death was “currently unknown.” 
Moose also confirmed the death to an Associated Press reporter on 
Saturday. Cara died at her home in Florida. The exact day of her death 
was not disclosed.“Irene’s family has requested privacy as they 
process their grief,” Moose wrote. “She was a beautifully gifted soul 
whose legacy will live forever through her music and films.”During
 her career, Cara had three Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, 
including “Breakdance,” “Out Here On My Own,” “Fame” and “Flashdance ...
 What A Feeling,” which spent six weeks at No. 1. She was behind some of
 the most joyful, high-energy pop anthems of the early ’80s.Tributes
 poured in on Saturday on social media, including from Deborah Cox, who 
called Cara an inspiration, and Holly Robinson Peete, who recalled 
seeing Cara perform: "The insane combination of talent and beauty was 
overwhelming to me. This hurts my heart so much.”She first came 
to prominence among the young actors playing performing arts high 
schoolers in Alan Parker's “Fame,” with co-stars Debbie Allen, Paul 
McCrane and Anne Mear. Cara played Coco Hernandez, a striving dancer who
 endures all manner of deprivations, including a creepy nude photo 
shoot.“How bright our spirits go shooting out into space, depends
 on how much we contributed to the earthly brilliance of this world. And
 I mean to be a major contributor!” she says in the movie.Cara 
sang on the soaring title song with the chorus — “Remember my name/I’m 
gonna live forever/I’m gonna learn how to fly/I feel it coming 
together/People will see me and cry” — which would go on to be nominated
 for an Academy Award for best original song. She also sang on “Out Here
 on My Own,” "Hot Lunch Jam" and “I Sing the Body Electric.”Three
 years later, she and the songwriting team of “Flashdance” — music by 
Giorgio Moroder, lyrics by Keith Forsey and Cara — was accepting the 
Oscar for best original song for “Flashdance ... What a Feeling.”The
 movie starred Jennifer Beals as a steel-town girl who dances in a bar 
at night and hopes to attend a prestigious dance conservatory. It 
included the hit song “Maniac,” featuring Beals’ character leaping, 
spinning, stomping her feet and the slow-burning theme song.“There
 aren’t enough words to express my love and my gratitude,” Cara told the
 Oscar crowd in her thanks. “And last but not least, a very special 
gentlemen who I guess started it all for me many years ago. To Alan 
Parker, wherever you may be tonight, I thank him.”The New 
York-born Cara began her career on Broadway, with small parts in 
short-lived shows, although a musical called “The Me Nobody Knows” ran 
over 300 performances. She toured in the musical “Jesus Christ 
Superstar" as Mary Magdalene in the mid-1990s and a tour of the musical 
”Flashdance" toured 2012-14 with her songs.She also created the 
all-female band Irene Cara Presents Hot Caramel and put out a double CD 
with the single “How Can I Make You Luv Me.” Her movie credits include 
”Sparkle" and “D.C. Cab.”

Misc