WASHINGTON (AP) –The Biden administration is seeking another $10 billion to help protect Ukraine against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-nations-general-assembly-volodymyr-zelenskyy-kyiv-moscow-a3092d8e476949ed7c55607a645a9154">the Russian invasion</a>&nbsp;and an additional $22.5 billion to cover coronavirus pandemic-related expenses, two major additions to budget talks already underway.

The acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Shalanda Young, laid out the need for the supplemental funding in a Thursday blog post. The requests would be additions to a planned budget agreement that Congress is trying to finish before a March 11 deadline.

Young said in the blog post that the money was urgently needed. The $10 billion to Ukraine would be a rapid escalation of the $1.4 billion provided by the United States since 2021, a reflection of the crisis caused by the Russian offensive that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">began last month</a>. Young said the money would cover “additional humanitarian, security, and economic assistance in Ukraine and the neighboring region in the coming days and weeks.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-humanitarian-assistance-congress-253f16e7102c7b70190d21197da20777">Last week</a>, Biden administration officials told congressional aides that their requests would include $3.5 billion for the Pentagon and $2.9 billion for humanitarian aid as Russia’s invasion has caused more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-volodymyr-zelenskyy-joe-biden-kyiv-1b396834ff3e753f8953d86c8db85383">a million Ukrainian refugees</a>&nbsp;to flee their country.

The $22.5 billion tied to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;would pay for testing, treatments and vaccines as well as investments in research and efforts to increase vaccinations worldwide. There had been expectations that the request was going to be for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-jen-psaki-xavier-becerra-baf4c25ee59c851551dcae75e08cae25">as much as $30 billion</a>, which comes after lawmakers and the Biden and Trump administrations committed a combined $5.8 trillion over multiple years on the pandemic, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

The requested Ukraine assistance seems sure to win broad bipartisan support in Congress, and the proposed additional COVID-19 spending has won strong support from Democrats.

“To keep schools open, to keep life as normal as it can be, we need additional COVID investments now, not after a possible new variant arrives,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Wednesday. He said COVID-19 money already provided by Congress “has been spent.”

But Republicans have balked at the request for added COVID-19 funds. In a letter to Biden, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and 35 other GOP senators complained Tuesday that there’s no detailed accounting of whether and how the earlier funds were spent, saying, “It is not yet clear why additional funding is needed.”

White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said on a call with reporters on Wednesday that the plan to address the pandemic is “robust and comprehensive,” which is why it requires additional funding for immediate and longer-term priorities.

The federal government spent $6.8 trillion last fiscal year, due in large part to the emergency measures tied to the coronavirus that included President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-coronavirus-relief-package-33f4902ca9a2aed4e76274af6bb2ea5c">$1.9 trillion relief package</a>. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal budget was about $4.4 trillion, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

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 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) –The Biden administration is seeking another $10 billion to help protect Ukraine against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-nations-general-assembly-volodymyr-zelenskyy-kyiv-moscow-a3092d8e476949ed7c55607a645a9154">the Russian invasion</a>&nbsp;and an additional $22.5 billion to cover coronavirus pandemic-related expenses, two major additions to budget talks already underway.The acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Shalanda Young, laid out the need for the supplemental funding in a Thursday blog post. The requests would be additions to a planned budget agreement that Congress is trying to finish before a March 11 deadline.Young said in the blog post that the money was urgently needed. The $10 billion to Ukraine would be a rapid escalation of the $1.4 billion provided by the United States since 2021, a reflection of the crisis caused by the Russian offensive that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">began last month</a>. Young said the money would cover “additional humanitarian, security, and economic assistance in Ukraine and the neighboring region in the coming days and weeks.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-humanitarian-assistance-congress-253f16e7102c7b70190d21197da20777">Last week</a>, Biden administration officials told congressional aides that their requests would include $3.5 billion for the Pentagon and $2.9 billion for humanitarian aid as Russia’s invasion has caused more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-volodymyr-zelenskyy-joe-biden-kyiv-1b396834ff3e753f8953d86c8db85383">a million Ukrainian refugees</a>&nbsp;to flee their country.The $22.5 billion tied to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;would pay for testing, treatments and vaccines as well as investments in research and efforts to increase vaccinations worldwide. There had been expectations that the request was going to be for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-jen-psaki-xavier-becerra-baf4c25ee59c851551dcae75e08cae25">as much as $30 billion</a>, which comes after lawmakers and the Biden and Trump administrations committed a combined $5.8 trillion over multiple years on the pandemic, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.The requested Ukraine assistance seems sure to win broad bipartisan support in Congress, and the proposed additional COVID-19 spending has won strong support from Democrats.“To keep schools open, to keep life as normal as it can be, we need additional COVID investments now, not after a possible new variant arrives,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Wednesday. He said COVID-19 money already provided by Congress “has been spent.”But Republicans have balked at the request for added COVID-19 funds. In a letter to Biden, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and 35 other GOP senators complained Tuesday that there’s no detailed accounting of whether and how the earlier funds were spent, saying, “It is not yet clear why additional funding is needed.”White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said on a call with reporters on Wednesday that the plan to address the pandemic is “robust and comprehensive,” which is why it requires additional funding for immediate and longer-term priorities.The federal government spent $6.8 trillion last fiscal year, due in large part to the emergency measures tied to the coronavirus that included President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-coronavirus-relief-package-33f4902ca9a2aed4e76274af6bb2ea5c">$1.9 trillion relief package</a>. 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Biden seeks another $22.5B for COVID expenses, $10B for aid to Ukraine

With all the uncertainties that come with a pandemic, more people are purchasing ticket insurance for concerts, festivals, and sports events than ever before. In fact,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/money/giggoers-should-check-terms-of-ticket-insurance-carefully-says-which-b1877461.html" target="_blank">one study</a>&nbsp;done in the United Kingdom reported that around three in 10 people would now be more likely to pay for ticket insurance, thanks to mass cancelations of big events that took place early on in the pandemic.

But is ticket insurance really worth the cost? BBB recommends the following tips if you’re considering making the purchase.

To stay safe while purchasing event tickets, be sure to read BBB's tips for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/13986-bbb-tip-buying-tickets-for-the-super-bowl-or-other-events" target="_blank">buying tickets</a>&nbsp;to an event and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/20661-big-festivals-and-seasonal-events-fabulous-fizzled-or-fake" target="_blank">BBB Scam Alert about fake events and phony tickets</a>. For general information on avoiding scams, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams" target="_blank">BBB.org/AvoidScams</a>.

Report scams and dishonest businesses to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="BBB Logo" />
 <figcaption>BBB Logo</figcaption>
 </figure>BBBWith all the uncertainties that come with a pandemic, more people are purchasing ticket insurance for concerts, festivals, and sports events than ever before. In fact,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/money/giggoers-should-check-terms-of-ticket-insurance-carefully-says-which-b1877461.html" target="_blank">one study</a>&nbsp;done in the United Kingdom reported that around three in 10 people would now be more likely to pay for ticket insurance, thanks to mass cancelations of big events that took place early on in the pandemic.But is ticket insurance really worth the cost? BBB recommends the following tips if you’re considering making the purchase.<h2>Is Ticket Insurance Worth It?</h2><ol>
 <li>Read the fine print before you buy. Always take the time to read the specifics about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/la-xpm-2013-may-27-la-fi-lazarus-20130528-story.html" target="_blank">what a ticket insurance covers</a>&nbsp;and what it doesn’t. Different insurances offer widely varied policies. For example, some ticket insurances cover illness, but not pandemic related illness. Others offer a refund if you test positive for COVID-19, but not if you were simply exposed to the virus and need to self-isolate. Others cover car breakdowns but not stolen tickets. Take into consideration the scenarios you may personally face to decide whether it’s worth buying the insurance. </li><li>Contact the ticket seller. If you are mainly concerned with an event being postponed or canceled, ask the ticket seller how they handle those situations. In most cases, the primary ticket vendor will offer you a refund if an event is canceled or postponed because of the pandemic. </li><li>Weigh the pros and cons of tickets to postponed events. Be sure you want to keep tickets to a postponed event if you are offered that option. Usually, once you agree to keep the tickets, you probably won’t get to change your mind later. </li><li>If you are traveling for the event, check your travel insurance. Your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/18108-is-travel-insurance-right-for-you" target="_blank">travel insurance</a>&nbsp;may allow you to make a claim for a refund if you test positive for COVID-19, which may mean you won’t need ticket insurance from a third party company. </li><li>Always research the insurance company. Before making a purchase from a third-party company, even if they are featured on a trusted ticket vendor’s website, do some research. Look up the company on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/search">BBB.org</a>&nbsp;and read the business rating and customer reviews, keeping a close eye out for customer complaints. </li><li>Watch out for ticket insurance scams. Don’t fall for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16758-bbb-tip-phishing-scams" target="_blank">phishing emails</a>&nbsp;that promise you too good to be true deals on cheap ticket insurance, even if they appear legitimate. In addition, make sure you aren’t on a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22144-proceed-with-caution-bbb-tips-to-spot-fake-websites-and-scam-emails" target="_blank">fake website</a>&nbsp;if you do choose to purchase ticket insurance for an upcoming event.</li>
 </ol><h2>For More Information</h2>To stay safe while purchasing event tickets, be sure to read BBB's tips for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/13986-bbb-tip-buying-tickets-for-the-super-bowl-or-other-events" target="_blank">buying tickets</a>&nbsp;to an event and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/20661-big-festivals-and-seasonal-events-fabulous-fizzled-or-fake" target="_blank">BBB Scam Alert about fake events and phony tickets</a>. For general information on avoiding scams, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams" target="_blank">BBB.org/AvoidScams</a>.Report scams and dishonest businesses to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Should you purchase ticket insurance for your next event?

WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;As
 part of a longer-term effort to improve taxpayer service, the IRS has 
officially established the first-ever Taxpayer Experience Office and 
will soon begin taking additional steps to expand the effort.

"As the IRS continues taking immediate steps this filing season 
including adding more employees to address the significant challenges 
facing a resource-constrained IRS, it's critical that we work going 
forward to equip the IRS to be a 21st century resource for Americans," 
said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "The formal establishment of this 
office will help unify and expand efforts across the IRS to improve 
service to taxpayers."

The Taxpayer Experience Office will focus on all aspects of taxpayer 
transactions with the IRS across the service, compliance and other 
program areas, working in conjunction with all IRS business units and 
coordinating closely with the Taxpayer Advocate Service. The office is 
part of the effort envisioned in the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5426.pdf">Taxpayer First Act Report to Congress</a>&nbsp;PDF last year. This included input and feedback from taxpayers, tax professionals and the tax community that helped develop the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/taxpayer-first-act-taxpayer-experience">Taxpayer Experience Strategy</a>.
 The Report to Congress identified over a hundred different programs and
 tools that would help taxpayers, including a 360-degree view of 
taxpayer accounts, expanded e-File and payment options, digital 
signatures, secure two-way messaging and online accounts for businesses 
and tax professionals.

To help drive the IRS strategic direction for improving the taxpayer 
experience, the Taxpayer Experience Office has identified key activities
 the IRS is focusing on over the next five years, including those 
commitments outlined in the President's&nbsp;Executive Order on Transforming 
Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in 
Government.

"The IRS is committed to customer experiences that meet taxpayers 
where they are, in the moments that matter most in people's lives and in
 a way that delivers the service that the public expects and deserves," 
said Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer Ken Corbin, who also serves as 
the commissioner of the Wage and Investment division, which oversees the
 current filing season and other activities.

The Taxpayer Experience Office will identify changing taxpayer 
expectations and industry trends, focus on customer service best 
practices, and promote a consistent voice and experience across all 
taxpayer segments by developing agency-wide taxpayer experience 
guidelines and expectations. The office will be adding staff in the 
coming months to help support the effort.

"Whether checking the status of a tax return, meeting with a revenue 
agent for an audit, or receiving a tax credit to their bank account, 
improving service delivery and customer experience are fundamental 
priorities for us," Corbin said. "We're committed to designing and 
delivering services that better connect with our diverse taxpayer base."

Some of the areas of improvement in the near-term include expanding 
customer callback, expanded payment options, secure two-way messaging 
and more services for multilingual customers. These activities build on 
recent improvements such as digital tools to support Economic Impact 
Payments and the Advance Child Tax Credit, online chat and online tax 
professional account.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;As
 part of a longer-term effort to improve taxpayer service, the IRS has 
officially established the first-ever Taxpayer Experience Office and 
will soon begin taking additional steps to expand the effort."As the IRS continues taking immediate steps this filing season 
including adding more employees to address the significant challenges 
facing a resource-constrained IRS, it's critical that we work going 
forward to equip the IRS to be a 21st century resource for Americans," 
said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "The formal establishment of this 
office will help unify and expand efforts across the IRS to improve 
service to taxpayers."The Taxpayer Experience Office will focus on all aspects of taxpayer 
transactions with the IRS across the service, compliance and other 
program areas, working in conjunction with all IRS business units and 
coordinating closely with the Taxpayer Advocate Service. The office is 
part of the effort envisioned in the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5426.pdf">Taxpayer First Act Report to Congress</a>&nbsp;PDF last year. This included input and feedback from taxpayers, tax professionals and the tax community that helped develop the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/taxpayer-first-act-taxpayer-experience">Taxpayer Experience Strategy</a>.
 The Report to Congress identified over a hundred different programs and
 tools that would help taxpayers, including a 360-degree view of 
taxpayer accounts, expanded e-File and payment options, digital 
signatures, secure two-way messaging and online accounts for businesses 
and tax professionals.To help drive the IRS strategic direction for improving the taxpayer 
experience, the Taxpayer Experience Office has identified key activities
 the IRS is focusing on over the next five years, including those 
commitments outlined in the President's&nbsp;Executive Order on Transforming 
Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in 
Government."The IRS is committed to customer experiences that meet taxpayers 
where they are, in the moments that matter most in people's lives and in
 a way that delivers the service that the public expects and deserves," 
said Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer Ken Corbin, who also serves as 
the commissioner of the Wage and Investment division, which oversees the
 current filing season and other activities.The Taxpayer Experience Office will identify changing taxpayer 
expectations and industry trends, focus on customer service best 
practices, and promote a consistent voice and experience across all 
taxpayer segments by developing agency-wide taxpayer experience 
guidelines and expectations. The office will be adding staff in the 
coming months to help support the effort."Whether checking the status of a tax return, meeting with a revenue 
agent for an audit, or receiving a tax credit to their bank account, 
improving service delivery and customer experience are fundamental 
priorities for us," Corbin said. "We're committed to designing and 
delivering services that better connect with our diverse taxpayer base."Some of the areas of improvement in the near-term include expanding 
customer callback, expanded payment options, secure two-way messaging 
and more services for multilingual customers. These activities build on 
recent improvements such as digital tools to support Economic Impact 
Payments and the Advance Child Tax Credit, online chat and online tax 
professional account.

IRS Taxpayer Experience Office established to improve service

BY ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/03/a-crisis-that-is-hiding-in-plain-sight-missing-and-murdered-women-of-color/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON
 — Parents at a Thursday congressional hearing about murdered and 
missing women of color detailed their frustrating attempts to get the 
attention of law enforcement and adequate media coverage.&nbsp;

“This
 is a crisis that is hiding in plain sight,” said Maryland Rep. Jamie 
Raskin, a Democrat and chair of the U.S. House Oversight Subcommittee on
 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.&nbsp;

Advocates
 told lawmakers about the struggle of not having complete and accurate 
data to fully understand the scope of missing women of color because the
 federal government does not collect that data. In 2020, 40% of women 
and girls reported missing were of color, despite making up 16% of the 
population, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://blackandmissinginc.com/statistics/">U.S. Census</a>.

“The
 epidemic of missing persons of color is not a new topic but one that 
has been dismissed because society does not care about us,” Shawn 
Wilkinson of Baltimore said.

Wilkinson’s daughter, Akia, was eight months pregnant when she <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/missing-in-america/arrest-made-case-2017-disappearance-akia-eggleston-n1288685">went missing in 2017. </a>He
 told lawmakers that law enforcement took the case seriously&nbsp;only when 
no baby was reported being born in a nearby hospital a month later.

Rep.
 Kweisi Mfume, a Maryland Democrat, expressed his frustration at how 
Akia’s case was handled as well as the lack of media coverage around her
 disappearance.

“We’ve got to keep reminding people again of the breadth and the scope of this problem in our country,” he said.&nbsp;

Natalie
 Wilson, co-founder of the Black and Missing Foundation, said that “race
 is clearly an underlying factor in the disparity in these missing 
person cases,” as well as the media coverage that follows when a person 
goes missing.&nbsp;

Black
 and Missing Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Maryland 
that brings awareness to missing persons of color around the country.

She
 pointed to examples of missing white women who dominated national and 
international headlines such as Natalee Holloway, Gabby Petito and 
Chandra Levy.&nbsp;

Wilson said it’s a struggle to highlight the depth of the issue without accurate or reliable data.

One
 problem she and advocates have run into is when Black girls are 
reported missing, law enforcement will typically classify them as 
runaways. She said nine out of 10 missing girls are reported as 
runaways, which was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2017/06/26/missing-kids-many-runaways-some-baited-through-technology/103211338/">reported by USA Today</a>.
 If a child is classified as a runaway, police don’t issue Amber Alerts 
or assemble the resources needed to search for a missing person.

“Black
 and brown girls are not seen as victims and oftentimes they are 
adultified,” Wilson said. “So the perception is that whatever happens to
 them, they deserve it.”

The
 top GOP lawmaker on the panel, South Carolina’s Nancy Mace, said she 
was concerned about the high levels of intimate partner violence that 
women of color face as well as sex trafficking of Black girls.

“I’m
 especially interested in what policies we should be advocating for to 
improve access to education, and economic opportunities for all women to
 decrease their vulnerability and risk for being targeted by criminals,”
 she said.&nbsp;

Mace
 was the only Republican on the panel to attend the hearing. GOP 
lawmakers on the panel include Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Clay Higgins of
 Louisiana, Pete Sessions of Texas, Andy Biggs of Arizona and C. 
Franklin and Byron Donalds of Florida.&nbsp;

Mace
 said she was concerned about this issue since women, partially Black 
women and girls, have gone missing in her own district. She asked the 
GOP witness how the pandemic has affected women and girls of color.

“Lockdowns
 early in the pandemic led to an 8% increase in domestic violence,” said
 Patrice Onwuka, the director of the Center for Economic Opportunity at 
the Independent Women’s Forum.&nbsp;

She
 advocated for more funding for law enforcement to direct resources for 
missing persons cases and for looking at home life to help “prevent 
people from disappearing in the first place.”

When
 it comes to law enforcement’s role in missing women who are Indigenous,
 tribal officials are in a bind. Tribal officials generally are not 
allowed to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tribal-institute.org/lists/jurisdiction.htm">bring charges</a> against those who are not Native American but commit crimes on tribal lands.

Angel
 Charley, the executive director of the Coalition to Stop Violence 
Against Native Women, based in New Mexico, said families in Indian 
Country often take on the burden of searching on their own for their 
missing family members.&nbsp;Charley is from the Pueblo of Laguna.

Rep.
 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, asked Charley about the 
correlation between “fossil fuel extraction sites and abductions and 
murders of Indigenous women across the United States.”

“Many
 tribes do not have jurisdiction over non-Native offenders, which a 
majority of these oil workers are,” Charley said. “We know that when 
these man camps or temporary establishments are created, that there is 
an increase in violence and particularly sexual violence against our 
Native women.”

Charley
 implored lawmakers to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, which
 has several tribal provisions that would “expand oversight and thereby 
protection for our women and children.” The U.S. House passed the 
reauthorization bill last year, but the Senate has not.

Pamela Foster, who is a member of the Navajo Nation, told lawmakers about how <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ojp.gov/files/archives/blogs/2019/legacy-ashlynne-mike">two of her children were kidnapped</a>
 on her reservation while at the bus stop. Her 9-year-old daughter, 
Ashlynne, and 11-year-old son, Ian, were taken miles off the 
reservation, and while her son was able to escape, her daughter was 
murdered.&nbsp;

Foster
 said law enforcement could not issue an Amber Alert, and she said it 
wasn’t until her son was found wandering by a passerby that local law 
enforcement started the search for her daughter.

“Since
 the (kidnapping) happened on the reservation, the resources that I 
needed weren’t available for her to start the search,” she said. “It 
took her death to start something.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646406196036.png" alt="Orlando Cruz plays his drum as families march to the signing ceremony for New Mexico legislation on missing and murdered Indigenous people Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022 at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. (Sharon Chischilly for Source NM, courtesy Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Orlando Cruz plays his drum as families march to the signing ceremony for New Mexico legislation on missing and murdered Indigenous people Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022 at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. (Sharon Chischilly for Source NM, courtesy Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/03/a-crisis-that-is-hiding-in-plain-sight-missing-and-murdered-women-of-color/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON
 — Parents at a Thursday congressional hearing about murdered and 
missing women of color detailed their frustrating attempts to get the 
attention of law enforcement and adequate media coverage.&nbsp;“This
 is a crisis that is hiding in plain sight,” said Maryland Rep. Jamie 
Raskin, a Democrat and chair of the U.S. House Oversight Subcommittee on
 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.&nbsp;Advocates
 told lawmakers about the struggle of not having complete and accurate 
data to fully understand the scope of missing women of color because the
 federal government does not collect that data. In 2020, 40% of women 
and girls reported missing were of color, despite making up 16% of the 
population, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://blackandmissinginc.com/statistics/">U.S. Census</a>.“The
 epidemic of missing persons of color is not a new topic but one that 
has been dismissed because society does not care about us,” Shawn 
Wilkinson of Baltimore said.Wilkinson’s daughter, Akia, was eight months pregnant when she <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/missing-in-america/arrest-made-case-2017-disappearance-akia-eggleston-n1288685">went missing in 2017. </a>He
 told lawmakers that law enforcement took the case seriously&nbsp;only when 
no baby was reported being born in a nearby hospital a month later.<h2>‘Keep reminding people’</h2>Rep.
 Kweisi Mfume, a Maryland Democrat, expressed his frustration at how 
Akia’s case was handled as well as the lack of media coverage around her
 disappearance.“We’ve got to keep reminding people again of the breadth and the scope of this problem in our country,” he said.&nbsp;Natalie
 Wilson, co-founder of the Black and Missing Foundation, said that “race
 is clearly an underlying factor in the disparity in these missing 
person cases,” as well as the media coverage that follows when a person 
goes missing.&nbsp;Black
 and Missing Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Maryland 
that brings awareness to missing persons of color around the country.She
 pointed to examples of missing white women who dominated national and 
international headlines such as Natalee Holloway, Gabby Petito and 
Chandra Levy.&nbsp;Wilson said it’s a struggle to highlight the depth of the issue without accurate or reliable data.<h2>Classified as runaways, not missing</h2>One
 problem she and advocates have run into is when Black girls are 
reported missing, law enforcement will typically classify them as 
runaways. She said nine out of 10 missing girls are reported as 
runaways, which was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2017/06/26/missing-kids-many-runaways-some-baited-through-technology/103211338/">reported by USA Today</a>.
 If a child is classified as a runaway, police don’t issue Amber Alerts 
or assemble the resources needed to search for a missing person.“Black
 and brown girls are not seen as victims and oftentimes they are 
adultified,” Wilson said. “So the perception is that whatever happens to
 them, they deserve it.”The
 top GOP lawmaker on the panel, South Carolina’s Nancy Mace, said she 
was concerned about the high levels of intimate partner violence that 
women of color face as well as sex trafficking of Black girls.“I’m
 especially interested in what policies we should be advocating for to 
improve access to education, and economic opportunities for all women to
 decrease their vulnerability and risk for being targeted by criminals,”
 she said.&nbsp;Mace
 was the only Republican on the panel to attend the hearing. GOP 
lawmakers on the panel include Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Clay Higgins of
 Louisiana, Pete Sessions of Texas, Andy Biggs of Arizona and C. 
Franklin and Byron Donalds of Florida.&nbsp;<h2>Pandemic exacerbated problem</h2>Mace
 said she was concerned about this issue since women, partially Black 
women and girls, have gone missing in her own district. She asked the 
GOP witness how the pandemic has affected women and girls of color.“Lockdowns
 early in the pandemic led to an 8% increase in domestic violence,” said
 Patrice Onwuka, the director of the Center for Economic Opportunity at 
the Independent Women’s Forum.&nbsp;She
 advocated for more funding for law enforcement to direct resources for 
missing persons cases and for looking at home life to help “prevent 
people from disappearing in the first place.”When
 it comes to law enforcement’s role in missing women who are Indigenous,
 tribal officials are in a bind. Tribal officials generally are not 
allowed to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tribal-institute.org/lists/jurisdiction.htm">bring charges</a> against those who are not Native American but commit crimes on tribal lands.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646406286478.png" alt="Screenshot of Angel Charley, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women." />
 <figcaption>Screenshot of Angel Charley, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women.</figcaption>
 </figure>Angel
 Charley, the executive director of the Coalition to Stop Violence 
Against Native Women, based in New Mexico, said families in Indian 
Country often take on the burden of searching on their own for their 
missing family members.&nbsp;Charley is from the Pueblo of Laguna.Rep.
 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, asked Charley about the 
correlation between “fossil fuel extraction sites and abductions and 
murders of Indigenous women across the United States.”“Many
 tribes do not have jurisdiction over non-Native offenders, which a 
majority of these oil workers are,” Charley said. “We know that when 
these man camps or temporary establishments are created, that there is 
an increase in violence and particularly sexual violence against our 
Native women.”<h2>Violence Against Women Act</h2>Charley
 implored lawmakers to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, which
 has several tribal provisions that would “expand oversight and thereby 
protection for our women and children.” The U.S. House passed the 
reauthorization bill last year, but the Senate has not.Pamela Foster, who is a member of the Navajo Nation, told lawmakers about how <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ojp.gov/files/archives/blogs/2019/legacy-ashlynne-mike">two of her children were kidnapped</a>
 on her reservation while at the bus stop. Her 9-year-old daughter, 
Ashlynne, and 11-year-old son, Ian, were taken miles off the 
reservation, and while her son was able to escape, her daughter was 
murdered.&nbsp;Foster
 said law enforcement could not issue an Amber Alert, and she said it 
wasn’t until her son was found wandering by a passerby that local law 
enforcement started the search for her daughter.“Since
 the (kidnapping) happened on the reservation, the resources that I 
needed weren’t available for her to start the search,” she said. “It 
took her death to start something.”

‘A crisis that is hiding in plain sight’: Missing and murdered women of color

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law Thursday a bill that prohibits transgender females from participating in girls high school sports and women’s college athletics, rejecting opponents’ argument that she would harm vulnerable children to solve a nonexistent problem.

Reynolds signed the bill at a ceremony in the Capitol just a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-discrimination-iowa-legislature-kim-reynolds-4c85ed6ce142bd82f2f099aa535b945d">lawmakers sent it</a>&nbsp;to her desk. It passed the House and Senate with only Republican support.

The Republican governor called the signing a celebration of victory for girls sports.

“No amount of talent, training or effort can make up for the natural physical advantages males have over females. It’s simply a reality of human biology,” Reynolds said. “Forcing females to compete against males is the opposite of inclusivity and it’s absolutely unfair.”

Carlisle High School Senior Ainsley Erzen, who set the state 800-meter track record and has appeared at committee meetings to support the bill, said the law will protect female athletes.

“Iowa girls today and every generation to come will be able to pursue the things they love to the best of their abilities,” Erzen said. “Whether that’s chasing titles, records, scholarships or earning a starting position on a team. No girl will be sidelined in their own sport.”

When a reporter asked Reynolds to give an example of a girl outperformed by a transgender athlete, the governor didn’t offer a specific case but maintained the restrictions were needed.

Republican leaders made the bill effective immediately, so any transgender students playing sports may be required to immediately stop. It wasn’t clear how many students it would affect, but it’s believed to be no more than a handful in Iowa.

“Because the legislation would go into effect as soon as the governor signs it, she is showing once again that she’s more interested in scoring political points than caring about the impact of legislation on some of the most marginalized kids in our society,” said Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls.

The bill requires students participating in interscholastic sports sponsored or sanctioned by an accredited nonpublic school or a public school district to play only with others that match the gender listed on their birth certificate. It also has provisions to allow civil lawsuits to uphold the intent of the law. The bill applies to sports from primary school grades into state universities and colleges.

Lobbyists for school boards, school administrators and teachers said the bill puts educators and administrators in an untenable position of choosing whether to follow the new state law or federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in sports activities.

Des Moines Public Schools spokesman Phil Roeder said it’s not immediately clear how schools are expected to implement the law. The district’s lobbyist opposed the bill because it believes the legislation discriminates against transgender girls and women and the district is concerned it conflicts with federal anti-discrimination laws.

“Our school district welcomes and supports LGBTQ students, and providing them with the opportunities they deserve,” he said.

Iowa Department of Education spokeswoman Heather Doe confirmed that the agency has not given schools guidance but acknowledged the bill went into effect immediately.

Mark Stringer, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, denounced the law, saying it “violates the civil rights of transgender girls and women” in Iowa.

“Today the state of Iowa bought into unsupported myths about transgender girls and women participating in sports — myths fueled by ignorance and fear,” Stringer said.

Iowa will join 10 other GOP-run states with such laws. Some have faced court challenges alleging violations of constitutional rights and federal nondiscrimination laws.

The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency told lawmakers the state could lose federal funds if authorities find it is violating federal civil rights laws. The agency also said the bill may conflict with participation rules of university, college and junior college athletic organizations, risking loss of eligibility and media rights or competition hosting revenues. The bill also may cost the state litigation expenses.

Becky Smith, executive director of Iowa Safe Schools, an LGBTQ advocacy group, held a transgender flag behind lawmakers and girls from several schools who were with Reynolds as she spoke and signed the bill. Smith said the law will “open up a giant landslide of lawsuits against different school districts across the state when transgender students remember they have a federal right to protection under the law.”

South Dakota Gov. Krisi Noem&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-kristi-noem-legislature-gender-identity-south-dakota-25ff0b7817bc819505114fb54e242961">signed a similar ban</a>&nbsp;into law in February.

Other states with similar laws include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Montana, Tennessee and Texas, all passed last year. Enforcement of a 2020 Idaho law is on hold after a federal judge ruled it is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-courts-sports-government-and-politics-b9a255e002ef1b7da5366f7dea6be091">likely to be found unconstitutional.</a>

A judge in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-sports-west-virginia-laws-sports-education-a3e8852ced2bf0c3bd8ce546bfe70d2b">West Virginia</a>&nbsp;last July issued an order allowing an 11-year-old transgender girl to participate in girls cross country, saying the state’s law passed last year would have violated her constitutional rights and a federal law that guarantees equal treatment of men and women in education and sports programs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646394314068.png" alt="Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signs a bill that prohibits transgender girls from participating in women's sports at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday, March 3-photo courtesy office of Iowa governor" />
 <figcaption>Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signs a bill that prohibits transgender girls from participating in women's sports at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday, March 3-photo courtesy office of Iowa governor</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law Thursday a bill that prohibits transgender females from participating in girls high school sports and women’s college athletics, rejecting opponents’ argument that she would harm vulnerable children to solve a nonexistent problem.Reynolds signed the bill at a ceremony in the Capitol just a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-discrimination-iowa-legislature-kim-reynolds-4c85ed6ce142bd82f2f099aa535b945d">lawmakers sent it</a>&nbsp;to her desk. It passed the House and Senate with only Republican support.The Republican governor called the signing a celebration of victory for girls sports.“No amount of talent, training or effort can make up for the natural physical advantages males have over females. It’s simply a reality of human biology,” Reynolds said. “Forcing females to compete against males is the opposite of inclusivity and it’s absolutely unfair.”Carlisle High School Senior Ainsley Erzen, who set the state 800-meter track record and has appeared at committee meetings to support the bill, said the law will protect female athletes.“Iowa girls today and every generation to come will be able to pursue the things they love to the best of their abilities,” Erzen said. “Whether that’s chasing titles, records, scholarships or earning a starting position on a team. No girl will be sidelined in their own sport.”When a reporter asked Reynolds to give an example of a girl outperformed by a transgender athlete, the governor didn’t offer a specific case but maintained the restrictions were needed.Republican leaders made the bill effective immediately, so any transgender students playing sports may be required to immediately stop. It wasn’t clear how many students it would affect, but it’s believed to be no more than a handful in Iowa.“Because the legislation would go into effect as soon as the governor signs it, she is showing once again that she’s more interested in scoring political points than caring about the impact of legislation on some of the most marginalized kids in our society,” said Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls.The bill requires students participating in interscholastic sports sponsored or sanctioned by an accredited nonpublic school or a public school district to play only with others that match the gender listed on their birth certificate. It also has provisions to allow civil lawsuits to uphold the intent of the law. The bill applies to sports from primary school grades into state universities and colleges.Lobbyists for school boards, school administrators and teachers said the bill puts educators and administrators in an untenable position of choosing whether to follow the new state law or federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in sports activities.Des Moines Public Schools spokesman Phil Roeder said it’s not immediately clear how schools are expected to implement the law. The district’s lobbyist opposed the bill because it believes the legislation discriminates against transgender girls and women and the district is concerned it conflicts with federal anti-discrimination laws.“Our school district welcomes and supports LGBTQ students, and providing them with the opportunities they deserve,” he said.Iowa Department of Education spokeswoman Heather Doe confirmed that the agency has not given schools guidance but acknowledged the bill went into effect immediately.Mark Stringer, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, denounced the law, saying it “violates the civil rights of transgender girls and women” in Iowa.“Today the state of Iowa bought into unsupported myths about transgender girls and women participating in sports — myths fueled by ignorance and fear,” Stringer said.Iowa will join 10 other GOP-run states with such laws. Some have faced court challenges alleging violations of constitutional rights and federal nondiscrimination laws.The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency told lawmakers the state could lose federal funds if authorities find it is violating federal civil rights laws. The agency also said the bill may conflict with participation rules of university, college and junior college athletic organizations, risking loss of eligibility and media rights or competition hosting revenues. The bill also may cost the state litigation expenses.Becky Smith, executive director of Iowa Safe Schools, an LGBTQ advocacy group, held a transgender flag behind lawmakers and girls from several schools who were with Reynolds as she spoke and signed the bill. Smith said the law will “open up a giant landslide of lawsuits against different school districts across the state when transgender students remember they have a federal right to protection under the law.”South Dakota Gov. Krisi Noem&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-kristi-noem-legislature-gender-identity-south-dakota-25ff0b7817bc819505114fb54e242961">signed a similar ban</a>&nbsp;into law in February.Other states with similar laws include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Montana, Tennessee and Texas, all passed last year. Enforcement of a 2020 Idaho law is on hold after a federal judge ruled it is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-courts-sports-government-and-politics-b9a255e002ef1b7da5366f7dea6be091">likely to be found unconstitutional.</a>A judge in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-sports-west-virginia-laws-sports-education-a3e8852ced2bf0c3bd8ce546bfe70d2b">West Virginia</a>&nbsp;last July issued an order allowing an 11-year-old transgender girl to participate in girls cross country, saying the state’s law passed last year would have violated her constitutional rights and a federal law that guarantees equal treatment of men and women in education and sports programs.

Iowa becomes 11th state with controversial transgender sports law

BEAUFORT, S.C. (AP) — Military officials say two Marines were able to eject and survive when their fighter jet crashed in South Carolina. 

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort said it happened Thursday afternoon as the F/A-18D Hornet was on a routine flight. 

Officials said the jet crash caused a brushfire in an unpopulated area near Beaufort. 

Sarah Sanford Rauch, the sister of former Gov. Mark Sanford, says she saw the jet's engine catch fire and turn nose-down toward the ground. She and her brother John went searching on the family's Coosaw Plantation property and found the two Marines who had ejected.

She says both were able to walk on their own.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1566211853566.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSBEAUFORT, S.C. (AP) — Military officials say two Marines were able to eject and survive when their fighter jet crashed in South Carolina. Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort said it happened Thursday afternoon as the F/A-18D Hornet was on a routine flight. Officials said the jet crash caused a brushfire in an unpopulated area near Beaufort. Sarah Sanford Rauch, the sister of former Gov. Mark Sanford, says she saw the jet's engine catch fire and turn nose-down toward the ground. She and her brother John went searching on the family's Coosaw Plantation property and found the two Marines who had ejected.She says both were able to walk on their own.

2 Marines eject and survive South Carolina fighter jet crash

WATERLOO, Neb. (AP) — The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says one person has died in the crash of a sport utility vehicle with a semitrailer hauling grain in eastern Nebraska. 

The crash happened Thursday morning at an intersection just west of Waterloo, between the Elkhorn and Platte rivers. Investigators say the SUV did not stop before entering the intersection and crashed into the grain truck. 

Officials say the driver of the SUV died in the crash. The driver of the semi suffered minor injuries. 

Authorities have not released the name of the person killed.

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSWATERLOO, Neb. (AP) — The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says one person has died in the crash of a sport utility vehicle with a semitrailer hauling grain in eastern Nebraska. The crash happened Thursday morning at an intersection just west of Waterloo, between the Elkhorn and Platte rivers. Investigators say the SUV did not stop before entering the intersection and crashed into the grain truck. Officials say the driver of the SUV died in the crash. The driver of the semi suffered minor injuries. Authorities have not released the name of the person killed.

Driver of SUV killed in crash with grain truck near Waterloo

Thanks to new legal changes, the popularity of <a href="https://morningconsult.com/2022/01/18/sports-betting-trends/" target="_blank">sports betting has exploded</a>. If you think scammers haven’t noticed, think again. <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a> is seeing reports from people who accidentally placed bets with scam sports betting websites or apps.

You want to place a bet on an upcoming game, so you search online for
 a sports betting service. You find a website or app that looks 
trustworthy. It may even offer an enticing introductory bonus, so you 
can make an initial bet “risk free.” &nbsp;

You place a bet, and, at first, everything seems normal. But as soon 
as you try to cash out your winnings, you find you can’t withdraw a 
cent. Scammers will make up various excuses. For example, they may claim
 technical issues or insist on additional identity verification. In 
other cases, they may require you to deposit even more money before you 
can withdraw your winnings! Whatever you do, you’ll never be able to get
 your money off the site. And any personal information you shared is now
 in the hands of scam artists.

One victim reported to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>:
 “I deposited money to put a wager for a sports game. I won the bet 
[and] attempted 3 times to cash out and 3 times it was declined. Spoke 
to their representative, and they needed a picture of my driver's 
license, a photo of myself holding my ID, and a blank check from my 
bank. With all the run around I've been given, it prompted me to read 
their reviews. All horrible reviews of a scam. Called my credit card 
company to file a fraud report.”

Check out BBB’s tips for <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam/how-to-identify-a-fake-website" target="_blank">spotting a lookalike website</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/26341-bbb-tip-how-to-avoid-app-store-scams" target="_blank">downloading apps</a>. Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bbb.org/ScamTips" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTips</a>&nbsp;to stay alert to new and commonly used scam tactics.

If you've come across a sports betting scam, report it at once to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>. Your report can help other consumers avoid falling prey to scammers’ tricks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBThanks to new legal changes, the popularity of <a href="https://morningconsult.com/2022/01/18/sports-betting-trends/" target="_blank">sports betting has exploded</a>. If you think scammers haven’t noticed, think again. <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a> is seeing reports from people who accidentally placed bets with scam sports betting websites or apps.<h2>How the scam works</h2>You want to place a bet on an upcoming game, so you search online for
 a sports betting service. You find a website or app that looks 
trustworthy. It may even offer an enticing introductory bonus, so you 
can make an initial bet “risk free.” &nbsp;You place a bet, and, at first, everything seems normal. But as soon 
as you try to cash out your winnings, you find you can’t withdraw a 
cent. Scammers will make up various excuses. For example, they may claim
 technical issues or insist on additional identity verification. In 
other cases, they may require you to deposit even more money before you 
can withdraw your winnings! Whatever you do, you’ll never be able to get
 your money off the site. And any personal information you shared is now
 in the hands of scam artists.One victim reported to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>:
 “I deposited money to put a wager for a sports game. I won the bet 
[and] attempted 3 times to cash out and 3 times it was declined. Spoke 
to their representative, and they needed a picture of my driver's 
license, a photo of myself holding my ID, and a blank check from my 
bank. With all the run around I've been given, it prompted me to read 
their reviews. All horrible reviews of a scam. Called my credit card 
company to file a fraud report.”<h2>How to avoid sports betting scams</h2><ul>
 <li>Look for an establish, approved service. Look for “white-listed” sports books that have been approved by your area’s gaming commission. In the United States, <a href="https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/19740480/the-united-states-sports-betting-where-all-50-states-stand-legalization" target="_blank">ESPN</a> has a list of where sports betting is legal. </li><li>Don’t fall for tempting ads. Ignore gambling-related pop-up ads, email spam, or text messages.&nbsp; </li><li>Read the fine print on incentives. Gambling sites 
and apps often offer incentives or bonuses to new users and around major
 games. But like any sales pitch, these can be deceptive. Be sure to 
read the fine print carefully. </li><li>Even legitimate sports betting sites have the right to freeze your winnings. Gambling companies can restrict user’s activity for “seeming to have an ‘unfair advantage’ or ‘irregular playing patterns,’” <a href="https://lifehacker.com/how-to-spot-a-shady-online-sports-betting-site-1848525467" target="_blank">reports Lifehacker</a>. Be sure to check the terms of service.</li>
 </ul><h2>For more information </h2>Check out BBB’s tips for <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam/how-to-identify-a-fake-website" target="_blank">spotting a lookalike website</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/26341-bbb-tip-how-to-avoid-app-store-scams" target="_blank">downloading apps</a>. Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bbb.org/ScamTips" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTips</a>&nbsp;to stay alert to new and commonly used scam tactics.If you've come across a sports betting scam, report it at once to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>. Your report can help other consumers avoid falling prey to scammers’ tricks.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Betting on a big game? Don't fall for a sports betting scam

Eagle Radio's Derek Beck visits twice a month with the Nebraska Cattleman's Brenda Masek about happenings within the Cattleman organization and upcoming meetings and events.

&nbsp; This Podcast is sponsored by Western Nebraska Bank, Member FDIC with locations in North Platte, Curtis, Paxton and in Thedford. Visit them online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.westernnebraskabank.com/">https://www.westernnebraskabank.com</a>

Eagle Radio's Derek Beck visits twice a month with the Nebraska Cattleman's Brenda Masek about happenings within the Cattleman organization and upcoming meetings and events.<div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Nebraska Cattleman Report (March 3, 2022)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=6bmet-11c0eb5-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=1&fonts=Times%20New%20Roman&skin=1b1b1b&font-color=auto&btn-skin=ff6d00"></iframe></div>&nbsp; This Podcast is sponsored by Western Nebraska Bank, Member FDIC with locations in North Platte, Curtis, Paxton and in Thedford. Visit them online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.westernnebraskabank.com/">https://www.westernnebraskabank.com</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634840161022.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Nebraska Cattlemen Report (March 3, 2022)

WASHINGTON
 — The IRS is aware of a third-party software issue affecting qualifying
 farmers and fishermen attempting to electronically file Forms 7203.

Qualifying farmers and fishermen are those who are not subject to an 
addition to tax for failing to pay the required estimated tax 
installment payment by January 15, 2022, if they file their returns and 
pay the full amount of tax reported on the return as payable by March 1,
 2022.

The IRS has been working closely with software providers to ease the 
impact on qualifying farmers and fishermen caused by electronic filing 
challenges in connection with Form 7203.

Due to these challenges, the Treasury Department and the IRS intend 
to issue a notice providing penalty relief for qualifying farmers and 
fishermen filing Forms 7203 if they electronically file their 2021 tax 
return and pay in full any tax due by April 18, 2022, or by April 19, 
2022, for those qualifying farmers and fishermen who live in Maine or 
Massachusetts.

Farmers and fishermen who filed their returns by the March 1 deadline are unaffected by this news release.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON
 — The IRS is aware of a third-party software issue affecting qualifying
 farmers and fishermen attempting to electronically file Forms 7203.Qualifying farmers and fishermen are those who are not subject to an 
addition to tax for failing to pay the required estimated tax 
installment payment by January 15, 2022, if they file their returns and 
pay the full amount of tax reported on the return as payable by March 1,
 2022.The IRS has been working closely with software providers to ease the 
impact on qualifying farmers and fishermen caused by electronic filing 
challenges in connection with Form 7203.Due to these challenges, the Treasury Department and the IRS intend 
to issue a notice providing penalty relief for qualifying farmers and 
fishermen filing Forms 7203 if they electronically file their 2021 tax 
return and pay in full any tax due by April 18, 2022, or by April 19, 
2022, for those qualifying farmers and fishermen who live in Maine or 
Massachusetts.Farmers and fishermen who filed their returns by the March 1 deadline are unaffected by this news release.

IRS extends one filing deadline for some farmers due to software error

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/on-to-the-ballot-say-foes-of-lincolns-fairness-ordinance/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

Opponents
 of the “fairness ordinance” approved recently by the Lincoln City 
Council announced Tuesday they gathered more than enough signatures to 
have the measure rescinded or placed on the ballot for a vote of the 
people.

The
 Nebraska Family Alliance held a news conference to say its volunteers 
had collected 18,501 names in 15 days. That’s more than four times the 
necessary 4,137 signatures that equates to 4% of Lincoln residents who 
voted in the last gubernatorial election.

“We want Lincoln to be a fair and welcoming place for all people,” the <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/lincoln-group-wants-to-force-ballot-vote-on-citys-gender-identity-ordinance/">“Let Us Vote”</a> Family Alliance campaign said in a statement.&nbsp;

The
 ordinance that passed a couple of weeks ago on a 5-0 City Council vote 
prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender 
identity. It also broadens the city’s municipal code to add military 
personnel and veterans as a protected class, and updates several other 
definitions.

The Family Alliance took aim at the sexual orientation and gender identity portion of the ordinance.

The
 Alliance contends that the ordinance “means that businesses, churches 
and private schools must allow men to use women’s restrooms, locker 
rooms and showers if they identify as women, and citizens could be 
liable for tens of thousands of dollars in fines simply for expressing 
their beliefs if it has the ‘effect’ of creating an ‘offensive’ 
environment.”

In
 2012, the Lincoln City Council and Omaha City Council approved 
ordinances prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and 
gender identity. But a petition drive launched in Lincoln afterward 
gathered enough signatures to put the matter on the ballot or see it 
rescinded by the council, and the ordinance stalled.

The Lincoln city attorney was unavailable Tuesday when contacted about a city response on what happens next.

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/on-to-the-ballot-say-foes-of-lincolns-fairness-ordinance/">Nebraska Examiner</a>Opponents
 of the “fairness ordinance” approved recently by the Lincoln City 
Council announced Tuesday they gathered more than enough signatures to 
have the measure rescinded or placed on the ballot for a vote of the 
people.The
 Nebraska Family Alliance held a news conference to say its volunteers 
had collected 18,501 names in 15 days. That’s more than four times the 
necessary 4,137 signatures that equates to 4% of Lincoln residents who 
voted in the last gubernatorial election.“We want Lincoln to be a fair and welcoming place for all people,” the <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/lincoln-group-wants-to-force-ballot-vote-on-citys-gender-identity-ordinance/">“Let Us Vote”</a> Family Alliance campaign said in a statement.&nbsp;The
 ordinance that passed a couple of weeks ago on a 5-0 City Council vote 
prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender 
identity. It also broadens the city’s municipal code to add military 
personnel and veterans as a protected class, and updates several other 
definitions.The Family Alliance took aim at the sexual orientation and gender identity portion of the ordinance.The
 Alliance contends that the ordinance “means that businesses, churches 
and private schools must allow men to use women’s restrooms, locker 
rooms and showers if they identify as women, and citizens could be 
liable for tens of thousands of dollars in fines simply for expressing 
their beliefs if it has the ‘effect’ of creating an ‘offensive’ 
environment.”In
 2012, the Lincoln City Council and Omaha City Council approved 
ordinances prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and 
gender identity. But a petition drive launched in Lincoln afterward 
gathered enough signatures to put the matter on the ballot or see it 
rescinded by the council, and the ordinance stalled.The Lincoln city attorney was unavailable Tuesday when contacted about a city response on what happens next.

On to the ballot, say foes of Lincoln’s ‘fairness ordinance’

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police in Omaha say a woman has been arrested in the death of a 5-year-old boy.

 The Omaha World-Herald reports that the 20-year-old woman was arrested early Thursday on suspicion of intentional child abuse resulting in death. 

The arrest was made after police were called Wednesday afternoon to a hospital emergency room where the unresponsive boy had been brought. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

 Police have not released the boy's name or said how he died. Police have also not said what the arrested woman's relationship is to the boy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/9/1569507946798.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police in Omaha say a woman has been arrested in the death of a 5-year-old boy. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the 20-year-old woman was arrested early Thursday on suspicion of intentional child abuse resulting in death. The arrest was made after police were called Wednesday afternoon to a hospital emergency room where the unresponsive boy had been brought. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. Police have not released the boy's name or said how he died. Police have also not said what the arrested woman's relationship is to the boy.

Omaha woman arrested in homicide death of 5-year-old boy

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/02/homeless-and-food-bank-programs-vie-for-piece-of-pandemic-recovery-pie/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

Earlier
 this year, a Sarpy County team fanned out to get a “point in time” 
count of homeless people in Nebraska’s fastest-growing county.

Tanya
 Gifford told the Nebraska Legislature’s Appropriations Committee on 
Wednesday that in just the slice she saw, 13 families had landed at a 
hotel because of problems including evictions.

Three
 more families, she said, were living out of their car in the Gretna 
Walmart parking lot; seven others were at a local truck stop.

“Sarpy
 County, where everyone takes care of their own and money is no object, 
does not seem to be true anymore,” the director of Lift Up Sarpy County 
said with sarcasm.

Gifford
 was among those testifying in support of a proposal that would earmark 
$40 million of Nebraska’s share of pandemic recovery funds to state 
homeless assistance programs.

Introduced by Omaha State Sen. John Cavanaugh, Legislative Bill 1052&nbsp;would provide grants to temporary housing and eviction diversion services as well as to programs that administer individual-level assistance.

The
 Appropriations Committee took no action on that or other bills aired 
Wednesday that are competing for roughly $1 billion in federal COVID-19 
recovery funds.&nbsp;

Legislative
 Bill 1201, introduced by Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, would appropriate 
$40 million for grants to nonprofits providing food assistance. Half the
 funding would go to the two Nebraska food banks and the other half 
would be awarded during a competitive process to innovative food 
supply-chain projects.

Legislative
 Bill 1141, introduced by Omaha Sen. Tony Vargas, would direct $3 
million to the Commission on Public Advocacy to help provide legal 
representation to indigent people hurt by the pandemic.

Cavanaugh,
 in his appeal, said the number of people living on the streets dipped 
due to “herculean efforts” of local agencies (buoyed with federal 
coronavirus financial aid) that connected homeless people with shelter 
and other assistance.

But, he said, much will be needed to stave off a rise in homelessness.

He
 said that as the “stitch in time saves nine” idiom attests, investing 
in support prior to someone becoming homeless benefits the labor market 
and reduces costs of health care and corrections.

Tina
 Rockenbach of Community Action of Nebraska, which covers all&nbsp; the 
state’s 93 counties, said her network hasn’t seen a drop in demand 
related to affordable housing.&nbsp;

She said the bulk of requests for help come from households with at least one working adult.

“Nebraskans want to work, yet are still reeling from the effects of the pandemic,” Rockenbach said.

Mike
 Hornacek of Together Omaha said that since COVID hit, his nonprofit has
 hired nearly 50 people, purchased three buildings and distributed 
record amounts of financial assistance “to prevent a housing crisis.”

He said he’s concerned about the ability to sustain the pace and meet the need.

Scott
 Mertz of Legal Aid Nebraska said the Cavanaugh bill also could help 
hire more lawyers to provide services for the increase in 
landlord-tenant dispute cases. He said attorney representation for 
low-income residents holds off eviction 90% of the time.&nbsp;

“It
 is imperative that there is funding available to ensure all Nebraskans 
all across the state have … the same access to justice as any landlord,”
 he said.

Lift
 Up Sarpy County’s Gifford said it is a misconception that homelessness 
is relegated to certain areas. She said her county lost residents after 
the 2019 floods because of a shortage of affordable relocation options.

She urged lawmakers to funnel assistance so that the “boots on the ground can help families still working but struggling.”

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/02/homeless-and-food-bank-programs-vie-for-piece-of-pandemic-recovery-pie/">Nebraska Examiner</a>Earlier
 this year, a Sarpy County team fanned out to get a “point in time” 
count of homeless people in Nebraska’s fastest-growing county.Tanya
 Gifford told the Nebraska Legislature’s Appropriations Committee on 
Wednesday that in just the slice she saw, 13 families had landed at a 
hotel because of problems including evictions.Three
 more families, she said, were living out of their car in the Gretna 
Walmart parking lot; seven others were at a local truck stop.“Sarpy
 County, where everyone takes care of their own and money is no object, 
does not seem to be true anymore,” the director of Lift Up Sarpy County 
said with sarcasm.<h2>$40 million </h2>Gifford
 was among those testifying in support of a proposal that would earmark 
$40 million of Nebraska’s share of pandemic recovery funds to state 
homeless assistance programs.Introduced by Omaha State Sen. John Cavanaugh, Legislative Bill 1052&nbsp;would provide grants to temporary housing and eviction diversion services as well as to programs that administer individual-level assistance.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645040514616.jpeg" alt="Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>The
 Appropriations Committee took no action on that or other bills aired 
Wednesday that are competing for roughly $1 billion in federal COVID-19 
recovery funds.&nbsp;Among the others:&nbsp;Legislative
 Bill 1201, introduced by Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, would appropriate 
$40 million for grants to nonprofits providing food assistance. Half the
 funding would go to the two Nebraska food banks and the other half 
would be awarded during a competitive process to innovative food 
supply-chain projects.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646320475427.jpeg" alt="Sen. Wendy DeBoer (Courtesy of the Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Wendy DeBoer (Courtesy of the Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Legislative
 Bill 1141, introduced by Omaha Sen. Tony Vargas, would direct $3 
million to the Commission on Public Advocacy to help provide legal 
representation to indigent people hurt by the pandemic.<h2>‘Stitch in time’</h2>Cavanaugh,
 in his appeal, said the number of people living on the streets dipped 
due to “herculean efforts” of local agencies (buoyed with federal 
coronavirus financial aid) that connected homeless people with shelter 
and other assistance.But, he said, much will be needed to stave off a rise in homelessness.He
 said that as the “stitch in time saves nine” idiom attests, investing 
in support prior to someone becoming homeless benefits the labor market 
and reduces costs of health care and corrections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646320507687.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Tony Vargas (Courtesy of the Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Tony Vargas (Courtesy of the Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Tina
 Rockenbach of Community Action of Nebraska, which covers all&nbsp; the 
state’s 93 counties, said her network hasn’t seen a drop in demand 
related to affordable housing.&nbsp;She said the bulk of requests for help come from households with at least one working adult.“Nebraskans want to work, yet are still reeling from the effects of the pandemic,” Rockenbach said.<h2>Access to justice for all</h2>Mike
 Hornacek of Together Omaha said that since COVID hit, his nonprofit has
 hired nearly 50 people, purchased three buildings and distributed 
record amounts of financial assistance “to prevent a housing crisis.”He said he’s concerned about the ability to sustain the pace and meet the need.Scott
 Mertz of Legal Aid Nebraska said the Cavanaugh bill also could help 
hire more lawyers to provide services for the increase in 
landlord-tenant dispute cases. He said attorney representation for 
low-income residents holds off eviction 90% of the time.&nbsp;“It
 is imperative that there is funding available to ensure all Nebraskans 
all across the state have … the same access to justice as any landlord,”
 he said.Lift
 Up Sarpy County’s Gifford said it is a misconception that homelessness 
is relegated to certain areas. She said her county lost residents after 
the 2019 floods because of a shortage of affordable relocation options.She urged lawmakers to funnel assistance so that the “boots on the ground can help families still working but struggling.”Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Homeless, food bank programs vie for piece of pandemic recovery pie

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/02/evnen-no-credible-evidence-that-vote-counting-machines-have-been-mistaken/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 — Nebraska Secretary of State Robert Evnen, in often emphatic terms, 
rejected allegations Wednesday that the state’s ballot-counting machines
 could be hacked by “foreign adversaries.”

Evnen,
 testifying toward the end of an afternoon-long public hearing, said 
Nebraska’s ballot-counting machines are never connected to the internet 
and are designed so they cannot be connected to the internet, so they 
cannot be “hacked.”

He said the machines were recently certified by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, an independent
 U.S. government agency created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002. 
Beyond that, Evnen said each machine is subject to three runs of “test 
decks” of ballots before each election, to ensure their accuracy.

“There
 is no credible evidence to show our ballot counting machines have 
rendered a false result,” said the secretary, whose office conducts the 
state elections.

Evnen
 testified before the Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans 
Affairs against a bill that would require extensive testing of each 
ballot-counting machine prior to an election to assure that it could not
 be somehow connected to the internet.&nbsp;

Evnen,
 a conservative Republican seeking re-election this year, said 
Legislative Bill 1121 was unnecessary and would be an “astronomical” 
waste of taxpayer money.

“I believe in the rule of law. I have dedicated my entire life and career to the rule of law,” Evnen said.

But
 those assurances were waved aside by a long line of testifiers who 
maintained that modern technology had advanced to the point that chip 
manufacturers in China or “malicious software updates” could implant 
ways to allow the machines to connect to the internet, leading to 
changing results of an election.

“That’s my concern. Where does the hardware come from?” said State Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings, a member of the committee.

Evnen
 said Nebraska’s ballot counting machines are designed in Omaha, by 
engineers with Election Systems and Software. He encouraged Halloran and
 others who had doubts to visit the company and decide for themselves.

The
 exchange was the latest attempt by the secretary of state to address 
allegations — which Evnen said he has investigated and refuted — that 
there was widespread voter fraud in the 2020 elections in Nebraska and 
nationally.

Evnen
 produced a PowerPoint to shoot down the claims, one by one, earlier 
this year, and the assistant secretary of state for elections, Wayne 
Bena, met with members of a voter accuracy group and some state 
legislators Tuesday night to again address their claims.

But
 while Evnen and Nebraska’s election system had several defenders during
 Wednesday’s legislative hearing, others testified that they did not 
believe him or the assurances of ES&amp;S or the “propaganda” given by 
national election and Homeland Security officials.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;“Of
 course he (Evnen) doesn’t think there’s any credible evidence,” said 
Jennivery Hicks, one of the critics. “Why does he trust the machines 
more than he trusts the people he represents?”

She
 was among those who suggested that the state return to hand counting 
ballots cast at elections, which numbered about 966,000 in 2020.

Kearney Sen. John Lowe said it could be done by two-person teams, counting at the precinct level.

While
 Evnen said it was up to the Legislature if it wanted to approve such a 
“massive” change, he opposed the hand counting idea. He doubted that 
enough poll workers would volunteer for such a task, meaning the state 
would have to pay them. And he questioned how much longer it would take.

Evnen
 also suggested that human-counted elections would be more susceptible 
to fraud because low-paid workers could be easily bribed to “transpose a
 couple of numbers.”

“I am opposed to putting someone in that situation,” he said.

Three bills were considered by the committee on Wednesday:

None of the three bills were prioritized, meaning that they are unlikely to see floor debate this year.

Gordon
 Sen. Tom Brewer, who chairs the Government Committee, said the 
committee will likely hold an interim study on the subject of election 
security.

Brewer,
 who brokered the meeting between election critics and Evnen’s office, 
said he’s concerned that the secretary is “pooh-poohing” the complaint, 
when he should be addressing critics face to face.

“He may not like what they say, but he needs to hear them out,” Brewer said, or else the complaints may grow.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644245366799.jpeg" alt="Secretary of State Robert Evnen (Courtesy of Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office)" />
 <figcaption>Secretary of State Robert Evnen (Courtesy of Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/02/evnen-no-credible-evidence-that-vote-counting-machines-have-been-mistaken/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — Nebraska Secretary of State Robert Evnen, in often emphatic terms, 
rejected allegations Wednesday that the state’s ballot-counting machines
 could be hacked by “foreign adversaries.”Evnen,
 testifying toward the end of an afternoon-long public hearing, said 
Nebraska’s ballot-counting machines are never connected to the internet 
and are designed so they cannot be connected to the internet, so they 
cannot be “hacked.”He said the machines were recently certified by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, an independent
 U.S. government agency created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002. 
Beyond that, Evnen said each machine is subject to three runs of “test 
decks” of ballots before each election, to ensure their accuracy.<h2>No evidence</h2>“There
 is no credible evidence to show our ballot counting machines have 
rendered a false result,” said the secretary, whose office conducts the 
state elections.Evnen
 testified before the Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans 
Affairs against a bill that would require extensive testing of each 
ballot-counting machine prior to an election to assure that it could not
 be somehow connected to the internet.&nbsp;Evnen,
 a conservative Republican seeking re-election this year, said 
Legislative Bill 1121 was unnecessary and would be an “astronomical” 
waste of taxpayer money.“I believe in the rule of law. I have dedicated my entire life and career to the rule of law,” Evnen said.But
 those assurances were waved aside by a long line of testifiers who 
maintained that modern technology had advanced to the point that chip 
manufacturers in China or “malicious software updates” could implant 
ways to allow the machines to connect to the internet, leading to 
changing results of an election.<h2>‘Where does the hardware come from?'</h2>“That’s my concern. Where does the hardware come from?” said State Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings, a member of the committee.Evnen
 said Nebraska’s ballot counting machines are designed in Omaha, by 
engineers with Election Systems and Software. He encouraged Halloran and
 others who had doubts to visit the company and decide for themselves.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646320125608.jpeg" alt=" State Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption> State Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>The
 exchange was the latest attempt by the secretary of state to address 
allegations — which Evnen said he has investigated and refuted — that 
there was widespread voter fraud in the 2020 elections in Nebraska and 
nationally.Evnen
 produced a PowerPoint to shoot down the claims, one by one, earlier 
this year, and the assistant secretary of state for elections, Wayne 
Bena, met with members of a voter accuracy group and some state 
legislators Tuesday night to again address their claims.<h2>‘Propaganda’</h2>But
 while Evnen and Nebraska’s election system had several defenders during
 Wednesday’s legislative hearing, others testified that they did not 
believe him or the assurances of ES&amp;S or the “propaganda” given by 
national election and Homeland Security officials.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Of
 course he (Evnen) doesn’t think there’s any credible evidence,” said 
Jennivery Hicks, one of the critics. “Why does he trust the machines 
more than he trusts the people he represents?”She
 was among those who suggested that the state return to hand counting 
ballots cast at elections, which numbered about 966,000 in 2020.<h2>‘Massive change’</h2>Kearney Sen. John Lowe said it could be done by two-person teams, counting at the precinct level.While
 Evnen said it was up to the Legislature if it wanted to approve such a 
“massive” change, he opposed the hand counting idea. He doubted that 
enough poll workers would volunteer for such a task, meaning the state 
would have to pay them. And he questioned how much longer it would take.Evnen
 also suggested that human-counted elections would be more susceptible 
to fraud because low-paid workers could be easily bribed to “transpose a
 couple of numbers.”“I am opposed to putting someone in that situation,” he said.<h2>Three bills, none prioritized</h2>Three bills were considered by the committee on Wednesday:<ul>
 <li>LB 1121, from 
Thurston Sen. Joni Albrecht, which would require inspections of machines
 to ensure they couldn’t be hacked via the internet.&nbsp;</li><li>LB 1181, a bill 
introduced by recently resigned Sen. Mike Groene but picked up by Lowe. 
It would require showing a photo ID or a bank statement or utility bill 
dated within 60 days to vote at an election. It would also require a 
copy of an ID to be sent along with a mail-in ballot in a special, 
separate compartment so the name and address can be compared.</li><li>LB 1123 from Bayard
 Sen. Steve Erdman, which would prohibit ballots from being counted 
until the polling places have closed on election night. That would 
prevent some early counting of ballots, which allows for posting of 
early returns when the polling places close.</li>
 </ul>None of the three bills were prioritized, meaning that they are unlikely to see floor debate this year.<h2>Interim study</h2>Gordon
 Sen. Tom Brewer, who chairs the Government Committee, said the 
committee will likely hold an interim study on the subject of election 
security.Brewer,
 who brokered the meeting between election critics and Evnen’s office, 
said he’s concerned that the secretary is “pooh-poohing” the complaint, 
when he should be addressing critics face to face.“He may not like what they say, but he needs to hear them out,” Brewer said, or else the complaints may grow.

Evnen: ‘No credible evidence’ that voting machines have been mistaken

TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen for alleged threat to her school.

Just after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, USD 501-Topeka school administration place Chase Middle School, 2250 NE State Street, into a lock down due to receiving a credible threat to the school, according to police Lt. Manuel Munoz.

School officials contacted the Topeka Police Department who worked with Campus Police and USD 501 Administrators to investigate further. 

Detectives took a 14-year-old student into custody from Chase Middle School and transported her to LEC for further questioning.

At the conclusion of the investigation, police transported the girl to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Criminal Threat, according to Munoz.

TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen for alleged threat to her school.Just after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, USD 501-Topeka school administration place Chase Middle School, 2250 NE State Street, into a lock down due to receiving a credible threat to the school, according to police Lt. Manuel Munoz.School officials contacted the Topeka Police Department who worked with Campus Police and USD 501 Administrators to investigate further. Detectives took a 14-year-old student into custody from Chase Middle School and transported her to LEC for further questioning.At the conclusion of the investigation, police transported the girl to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Criminal Threat, according to Munoz.

Kan. middle school placed on lockdown after 14-year-old girl's threat 

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has been charged with attempted murder and multiple gun assault charges after authorities said he fired at a pickup truck carrying a man accused of sexually abusing a 4-year-old family member. 

Velasquez was arrested Monday after he allegedly chased a pickup carrying the man through busy streets in three Silicon Valley cities, ramming the vehicle with his own pickup truck during the high-speed chase. 

Prosecutors say he fired a .40-caliber pistol at the vehicle several times, wounding the man's stepfather, who was driving. 

Celebrity attorney Mark Geragos is representing Velasquez. Geragos did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645976360677.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSSAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has been charged with attempted murder and multiple gun assault charges after authorities said he fired at a pickup truck carrying a man accused of sexually abusing a 4-year-old family member. Velasquez was arrested Monday after he allegedly chased a pickup carrying the man through busy streets in three Silicon Valley cities, ramming the vehicle with his own pickup truck during the high-speed chase. Prosecutors say he fired a .40-caliber pistol at the vehicle several times, wounding the man's stepfather, who was driving. Celebrity attorney Mark Geragos is representing Velasquez. Geragos did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

UFC champion charged with shooting at molestation suspect

WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s time for America to stop letting the coronavirus “dictate how we live,” President Joe Biden’s White House declared Wednesday, outlining a strategy to allow people to return to many normal activities safely after two years of pandemic disruptions.

One highlight is a new “test to treat” plan to provide free antiviral pills at pharmacies to people who test positive for the virus.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/National-COVID-19-Preparedness-Plan.pdf" target="_blank">The 90-page National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan</a>&nbsp;spells out initiatives and investments to continue to drive down serious illness and deaths from the virus, while preparing for potential new variants and providing employers and schools the resources to remain open.

“We know how to keep our businesses and our schools open with the tools that we have at our disposal,” said White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients.

Meanwhile, 140 million Americans, or 43% have now had COVID, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#national-lab" target="_blank">new assessment from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>. That estimate comes from a surveillance program that tested nearly 72,000 blood samples that were sent to commercial labs from late December to late January. The samples were checked for antibodies from infection, and were distinguishable from antibodies that came from vaccination.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646306920285.png" alt="President Biden in Wisconsin on Wednesday-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden in Wisconsin on Wednesday-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s time for America to stop letting the coronavirus “dictate how we live,” President Joe Biden’s White House declared Wednesday, outlining a strategy to allow people to return to many normal activities safely after two years of pandemic disruptions.One highlight is a new “test to treat” plan to provide free antiviral pills at pharmacies to people who test positive for the virus.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/National-COVID-19-Preparedness-Plan.pdf" target="_blank">The 90-page National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan</a>&nbsp;spells out initiatives and investments to continue to drive down serious illness and deaths from the virus, while preparing for potential new variants and providing employers and schools the resources to remain open.“We know how to keep our businesses and our schools open with the tools that we have at our disposal,” said White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients.Meanwhile, 140 million Americans, or 43% have now had COVID, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#national-lab" target="_blank">new assessment from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>. That estimate comes from a surveillance program that tested nearly 72,000 blood samples that were sent to commercial labs from late December to late January. The samples were checked for antibodies from infection, and were distinguishable from antibodies that came from vaccination.More than 947,000 people in the U.S. have died from the virus according to the CDC.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Even if you already ordered free tests, tonight, I am announcing that you can order more from <a href="https://t.co/12LzJrqFsC">https://t.co/12LzJrqFsC</a> starting next week. <a href="https://t.co/ZJkbdlwyFX">pic.twitter.com/ZJkbdlwyFX</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1498852745830440963?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Wednesday’s White House announcement follows Biden’s Tuesday night&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-state-of-the-union-4d6eb9fed9a46bb4efb63ea4e015725c">State of the Union speech</a>, in which he pointed to progress against the pandemic since last year, with a dramatic reduction in cases, along with readily available vaccines and the likelihood of new tests and therapeutics soon becoming more accessible.“This plan lays out the roadmap to help us fight COVID-19 in the future as we move America from crisis to a time when COVID-19 does not disrupt our daily lives and is something we prevent, protect against, and treat,” the White House said. “We are not going to just ‘live with COVID.’ Because of our work, we are no longer going to let COVID-19 dictate how we live.”That tracked Biden’s speech statement, “Tonight, I can say we are moving forward safely, back to more normal routines. It’s time for Americans to get back to work and fill our great downtowns again.”COVID-19 cases have fallen to their lowest level since last summer in recent weeks, after a winter spike from the highly transmissible omicron variant. Deaths, though, which lag cases by weeks, are still elevated, with an average of nearly 1,700 people dying in the U.S. each day. Officials emphasize that most instances of serious illnesses and death in the U.S. occur among those who are unvaccinated or who have not received a booster dose of vaccine.The White House’s strategy comes days after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-87d7bdc811ba6521e32017072d5ea180">the CDC loosened its guidance for when face masks should be worn&nbsp;</a>in public indoor settings, placing more emphasis on local capacity to treat serious disease than overall case counts. Now more than 70% of the country can safely remove masks indoors, the CDC says, and the percentage is expected to grow as cases continue to decline.While most states and localities moved to relax their mask requirements even before the CDC change, many have kept mandates in place for schools, and the federal government continues to require face masks on public transportation, including airplanes. The federal mandate is to expire on March 18, and health officials did not provide any indication whether it would be extended.Meanwhile, businesses across the country are struggling to navigate employees’ lingering concerns about COVID-19 and desire for the flexibility of working from home. Many companies’ would like to get workers back into offices.A key component of the administration’s plan to convince American that it is safe to resume normal activities is the increasing availability of an antiviral pill from Pfizer that has been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 by 90%. By the end of the month, the administration says, 1 million pills will be available, with double that ready for use in April.A White House official said the “test-to-treat” plan would initially roll out in hundreds of pharmacies across the country, including CVS, Walgreens, and Kroger locations, and would soon expand beyond that. Those who test positive at the sites would be able to obtain the antiviral pills for quick use, dramatically reducing the risk of bad outcomes.One possible problem: The test-to-treat plan drew early concern from some pharmacists. Anne Burns, a vice president with the American Pharmacists Association, said pharmacies across the country have struggled with staffing issues in recent months. Pharmacists already doling out vaccines, prescriptions and health advice are worried about the extra time needed if they add more COVID-19 testing and treating.“There’s just a lot of considerations that go into this,” she said. “It takes far longer than it takes to dispense most normal prescriptions.”The administration said it also stands ready to rapidly administer millions of vaccine doses for children under 5 once the vaccines are approved by federal regulators. While there had been hope for the first shots to be authorized last month, Pfizer is now waiting on the results of a study including a third dose of the vaccine for that age group, and that will likely delay approval until April.As part of the new strategy, the administration is calling on Congress to reinstitute tax credits for businesses that provide paid sick leave for employees who are sick with COVID-19. The White House is also asking Congress for additional funding to invest in new COVID-19 drugs, including research into the development of pan-coronavirus vaccines that would prevent against multiple strains and even several different types of viruses.Meanwhile, federal officials emphasized they have greatly improved the public health system’s capacity to identify and track any potential new variants, with new investments in surveillance testing and genomic sequencing. Zients said the administration believes that if needed, it can authorize, produce and deliver new vaccines and treatments “in just 100 days rather than in many months or years.”Biden, in his remarks Tuesday night, said that in addition to starting the new antiviral initiative, his administration would allow people in the U.S. to order another round of free tests from the government. He said that starting next week, the administration would make available four more free tests to U.S. households through COVIDTests.gov, which has sent more than 270 million to nearly 70 million households since it launched in mid-January.Juan Gallego, a 58-year-old resident of Chelsea, Massachusetts, a majority Latino city north of Boston that was one of the state’s hardest hit during the pandemic, says Biden’s comments were appropriate, given how far the nation has come over the plast two years.“Before, we didn’t know how to treat it. We were all paranoid, we didn’t know what to do,” he said of the virus. “Now we know, with all the experience, all we’ve done with the vaccines and new treatments.”Gallego, a real estate agent who during the worst of the pandemic helped make face masks and deliver groceries and other essentials to quarantined families throughout Chelsea, said safety habits won’t quickly fade, especially in cities like his that took the brunt of the pain.Many along Chelsea’s bustling main street and even children in local schools have continued to mask up, although a statewide mask mandate in classrooms was lifted this week, he said.“He sent a message of hope, not desperation,” Gallego said of Biden. “We are in a much better place. And he’s right.”___