WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal website where Americans can request free COVID-19 tests will begin accepting orders on Wednesday as the White House looks to address nationwide shortages, but supplies will be limited to just four free tests per home.

Starting on Jan. 19, the website COVIDTests.gov will provide tests at no cost, including no shipping fee, the White House announced Friday.

As he faced criticism for low inventory and long lines for testing, President Joe Biden announced last month that the U.S. would purchase 500 million at-home tests to launch the program and on Thursday the president announced that he was doubling the order to 1 billion tests.

But Americans shouldn't expect a rapid turn-around on the orders and they will have to plan ahead and request the tests well before they meet federal guidelines for when to use a test.

The White House said “tests will typically ship within 7-12 days of ordering" through the U.S. Postal Service, which reports shipping times of 1-3 days for its first-class package service in the continental United States.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at-home testing when experiencing COVID-19 systems including fever, cough, sore throat, respiratory symptoms and muscle aches, five days after a potential COVID-19 exposure, or as part of test-to-stay protocols in schools and workplaces.

“Certainly if you’re going to gather with family, if you’re going to a gathering where people are immunocompromised or where they’re elderly or where you have people who might be unvaccinated or poorly protected from a vaccine that might be an opportunity you want to test,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, on Wednesday.

Officials emphasized that the federal website is just one way for people to procure COVID-19 tests. Starting on Saturday, private insurance companies will be required to cover the cost of at-home rapid tests, allowing Americans to be reimbursed for tests they purchase at pharmacies and online retailers. That covers up to eight tests per month.

The White House said the four-test limit on website orders will be applied to each residential address and will apply to the first tranche of 500 million tests. It estimates that the cost of purchasing and distributing the first block of tests at $4 billion.

Officials said they are cognizant that any launch of a website carries some risks — and memories of the disastrous roll-out during the Obama administration of Healthcare.gov are still fresh — but said they believe they are well-positioned to handle expected demand for tests.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642104330616.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal website where Americans can request free COVID-19 tests will begin accepting orders on Wednesday as the White House looks to address nationwide shortages, but supplies will be limited to just four free tests per home.Starting on Jan. 19, the website COVIDTests.gov will provide tests at no cost, including no shipping fee, the White House announced Friday.As he faced criticism for low inventory and long lines for testing, President Joe Biden announced last month that the U.S. would purchase 500 million at-home tests to launch the program and on Thursday the president announced that he was doubling the order to 1 billion tests.But Americans shouldn't expect a rapid turn-around on the orders and they will have to plan ahead and request the tests well before they meet federal guidelines for when to use a test.The White House said “tests will typically ship within 7-12 days of ordering" through the U.S. Postal Service, which reports shipping times of 1-3 days for its first-class package service in the continental United States.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at-home testing when experiencing COVID-19 systems including fever, cough, sore throat, respiratory symptoms and muscle aches, five days after a potential COVID-19 exposure, or as part of test-to-stay protocols in schools and workplaces.“Certainly if you’re going to gather with family, if you’re going to a gathering where people are immunocompromised or where they’re elderly or where you have people who might be unvaccinated or poorly protected from a vaccine that might be an opportunity you want to test,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, on Wednesday.Officials emphasized that the federal website is just one way for people to procure COVID-19 tests. Starting on Saturday, private insurance companies will be required to cover the cost of at-home rapid tests, allowing Americans to be reimbursed for tests they purchase at pharmacies and online retailers. That covers up to eight tests per month.The White House said the four-test limit on website orders will be applied to each residential address and will apply to the first tranche of 500 million tests. It estimates that the cost of purchasing and distributing the first block of tests at $4 billion.Officials said they are cognizant that any launch of a website carries some risks — and memories of the disastrous roll-out during the Obama administration of Healthcare.gov are still fresh — but said they believe they are well-positioned to handle expected demand for tests.

Order free COVID tests from federal website starting January 19

WASHINGTON (AP) — All but conceding defeat, President Joe Biden said Thursday he’s now unsure the Democrats’ major elections and voting rights legislation can pass Congress this year. He spoke at the Capitol after a key fellow Democrat, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, dramatically announced her refusal to go along with changing Senate rules to muscle the bill past a Republican filibuster.

Biden had come to the Capitol to prod Democratic senators in a closed-door meeting, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-joe-biden-elections-voting-congress-6f8d20e337743c53cc39f7d9372c4108">he was not optimistic</a>&nbsp;when he emerged. He vowed to keep fighting for the sweeping legislation that advocates say is vital to protecting elections.

“The honest to God answer is I don’t know whether we can get this done,” Biden said. He told reporters, his voice rising, “As long as I’m in the White House, as long as I’m engaged at all, I’m going to be fighting.”

Sinema all but dashed the bill’s chances minutes earlier, declaring just before Biden arrived on Capitol Hill that she could not support a “short sighted” rules change.

She said in a speech on the Senate floor that the answer to divisiveness in the Senate and in the country is not to change filibuster rules so one party, even hers, can pass controversial bills. “We must address the disease itself, the disease of division, to protect our democracy,” she said.

The moment once again leaves Biden empty-handed after a high-profile visit to Congress. Earlier forays did little to advance his other big priority, the “Build Back Better Act” of social and climate change initiatives. Instead, Biden returned to the White House with his agenda languishing in Congress.

Biden spoke for more than an hour in private with restive Democrats in the Senate, including Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who also opposes changing Senate rules.

Manchin said in a statement later: “Ending the filibuster would be the easy way out. I cannot support such a perilous course for this nation.”

Both senators went to the White House Thursday evening for an additional hour, which the White House later described as “a candid and respectful exchange of views.”

Since taking control of Congress and the White House last year, Democrats have vowed to counteract a wave of new state laws, inspired by former President Donald Trump’s false claims of a stolen election, that have made it harder to vote. But their efforts have stalled in the narrowly divided Senate, where they lack the 60 votes out of 100 needed to overcome a Republican filibuster.

For weeks, Sinema and Manchin have come under intense pressure to support rules changes that would allow the party to pass their legislation with a simple majority — a step both have long opposed.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called Sinema’s speech an important act of “political courage” that could “save the Senate as an institution.” Her own colleagues weren’t as charitable.

Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent who once opposed changing the Senate rules said, “She believes that the risk of changing the filibuster is greater than the risk of what’s going on in the states. I hope profoundly that she’s right. I fear that she’s wrong.”

The Democratic package of voting and ethics legislation would usher in the biggest overhaul of U.S. elections in a generation, striking down hurdles to voting enacted in the name of election security, reducing the influence of big money in politics and limiting partisan influence over the drawing of congressional districts. The package would create national election standards that would trump the state-level GOP laws. It would also restore the ability of the Justice Department to police election laws in states with a history of discrimination.

Biden’s trip to the Capitol, where he served for decades as a senator from Delaware, was part of weeklong effort to jolt the stalled legislation. On Tuesday he gave a fiery speech in Atlanta, likening opponents of the legislation to racist historical figures and telling lawmakers they will be “judged by history.”

Republicans are nearly unanimous in opposing the legislation, viewing it as federal overreach that would infringe on states’ abilities to conduct their own elections. And they’ve pointed out that Democrats opposed changes to the filibuster that Trump sought when he was president.

But for Democrats and Biden, the legislation is viewed as a political imperative. Failure to pass it would break a major campaign promise to Black voters, who helped hand Democrats control of the White House and Congress, and would come just before midterm elections when slim Democratic majorities will be on the line.

During the closed-door meeting, Biden and the senators engaged in a spirited conversation, the president drawing on his own years in the chamber, senators said. He fielded questions and comments, including from Manchin, who expressed reluctance to changing Senate rules. Biden’s message to the senators: It’s an “opportunity to do something that will do so much good for so many at a time where it’s so necessary,” according to Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.

Democrats have still pledged to force a public showdown over the bill on the Senate floor, which could stretch for days and carry echoes of civil rights battles a generation ago that led to some of the most famous filibusters in Senate history.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had initially set Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. holiday as a deadline to either pass the voting legislation or consider revising the filibuster rules. But after one Democratic senator tested positive for COVID-19 and went into isolation, denying the party a needed vote, Schumer canceled a planned Senate recess week and said debate would instead begin Tuesday.

Democrats shifted their legislative strategy, too, as they sought to pressure Manchin and Sinema. Under their new approach, which uses a procedural shortcut, they will be able to debate the bill without being blocked by a filibuster — a feat after Republicans used the filibuster four times in recent months to stop deliberation.

The mechanics work like this: The House amended and passed an unrelated bill that was already approved by both chambers of Congress, combining Democrats’ voting proposals into one bill. Because that bill already passed both chambers, it can be called for debate in the Senate with a simple majority, though Senate Republicans can still block a final vote to pass the measure.

“Members of this chamber were elected to debate and vote, particularly on an issue as vital to the beating heart of democracy as this one,” Schumer said late Thursday.

Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock questioned the wisdom of Manchin and Sinema’s reflexive pursuit of bipartisanship.

“It can’t be the only important thing,” said Warnock, who is Georgia’s first Black senator. “Slavery was bipartisan. Jim Crow segregation was bipartisan. The denial of women’s suffrage was bipartisan.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642158990209.png" alt="President Biden leaving a meeting with Democrats Thursday-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Biden leaving a meeting with Democrats Thursday-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — All but conceding defeat, President Joe Biden said Thursday he’s now unsure the Democrats’ major elections and voting rights legislation can pass Congress this year. He spoke at the Capitol after a key fellow Democrat, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, dramatically announced her refusal to go along with changing Senate rules to muscle the bill past a Republican filibuster.Biden had come to the Capitol to prod Democratic senators in a closed-door meeting, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-joe-biden-elections-voting-congress-6f8d20e337743c53cc39f7d9372c4108">he was not optimistic</a>&nbsp;when he emerged. He vowed to keep fighting for the sweeping legislation that advocates say is vital to protecting elections.“The honest to God answer is I don’t know whether we can get this done,” Biden said. He told reporters, his voice rising, “As long as I’m in the White House, as long as I’m engaged at all, I’m going to be fighting.”Sinema all but dashed the bill’s chances minutes earlier, declaring just before Biden arrived on Capitol Hill that she could not support a “short sighted” rules change.She said in a speech on the Senate floor that the answer to divisiveness in the Senate and in the country is not to change filibuster rules so one party, even hers, can pass controversial bills. “We must address the disease itself, the disease of division, to protect our democracy,” she said.The moment once again leaves Biden empty-handed after a high-profile visit to Congress. Earlier forays did little to advance his other big priority, the “Build Back Better Act” of social and climate change initiatives. Instead, Biden returned to the White House with his agenda languishing in Congress.Biden spoke for more than an hour in private with restive Democrats in the Senate, including Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who also opposes changing Senate rules.Manchin said in a statement later: “Ending the filibuster would be the easy way out. I cannot support such a perilous course for this nation.”Both senators went to the White House Thursday evening for an additional hour, which the White House later described as “a candid and respectful exchange of views.”Since taking control of Congress and the White House last year, Democrats have vowed to counteract a wave of new state laws, inspired by former President Donald Trump’s false claims of a stolen election, that have made it harder to vote. But their efforts have stalled in the narrowly divided Senate, where they lack the 60 votes out of 100 needed to overcome a Republican filibuster.For weeks, Sinema and Manchin have come under intense pressure to support rules changes that would allow the party to pass their legislation with a simple majority — a step both have long opposed.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called Sinema’s speech an important act of “political courage” that could “save the Senate as an institution.” Her own colleagues weren’t as charitable.Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent who once opposed changing the Senate rules said, “She believes that the risk of changing the filibuster is greater than the risk of what’s going on in the states. I hope profoundly that she’s right. I fear that she’s wrong.”The Democratic package of voting and ethics legislation would usher in the biggest overhaul of U.S. elections in a generation, striking down hurdles to voting enacted in the name of election security, reducing the influence of big money in politics and limiting partisan influence over the drawing of congressional districts. The package would create national election standards that would trump the state-level GOP laws. It would also restore the ability of the Justice Department to police election laws in states with a history of discrimination.Biden’s trip to the Capitol, where he served for decades as a senator from Delaware, was part of weeklong effort to jolt the stalled legislation. On Tuesday he gave a fiery speech in Atlanta, likening opponents of the legislation to racist historical figures and telling lawmakers they will be “judged by history.”Republicans are nearly unanimous in opposing the legislation, viewing it as federal overreach that would infringe on states’ abilities to conduct their own elections. And they’ve pointed out that Democrats opposed changes to the filibuster that Trump sought when he was president.But for Democrats and Biden, the legislation is viewed as a political imperative. Failure to pass it would break a major campaign promise to Black voters, who helped hand Democrats control of the White House and Congress, and would come just before midterm elections when slim Democratic majorities will be on the line.During the closed-door meeting, Biden and the senators engaged in a spirited conversation, the president drawing on his own years in the chamber, senators said. He fielded questions and comments, including from Manchin, who expressed reluctance to changing Senate rules. Biden’s message to the senators: It’s an “opportunity to do something that will do so much good for so many at a time where it’s so necessary,” according to Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.Democrats have still pledged to force a public showdown over the bill on the Senate floor, which could stretch for days and carry echoes of civil rights battles a generation ago that led to some of the most famous filibusters in Senate history.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had initially set Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. holiday as a deadline to either pass the voting legislation or consider revising the filibuster rules. But after one Democratic senator tested positive for COVID-19 and went into isolation, denying the party a needed vote, Schumer canceled a planned Senate recess week and said debate would instead begin Tuesday.Democrats shifted their legislative strategy, too, as they sought to pressure Manchin and Sinema. Under their new approach, which uses a procedural shortcut, they will be able to debate the bill without being blocked by a filibuster — a feat after Republicans used the filibuster four times in recent months to stop deliberation.The mechanics work like this: The House amended and passed an unrelated bill that was already approved by both chambers of Congress, combining Democrats’ voting proposals into one bill. Because that bill already passed both chambers, it can be called for debate in the Senate with a simple majority, though Senate Republicans can still block a final vote to pass the measure.“Members of this chamber were elected to debate and vote, particularly on an issue as vital to the beating heart of democracy as this one,” Schumer said late Thursday.Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock questioned the wisdom of Manchin and Sinema’s reflexive pursuit of bipartisanship.“It can’t be the only important thing,” said Warnock, who is Georgia’s first Black senator. “Slavery was bipartisan. Jim Crow segregation was bipartisan. The denial of women’s suffrage was bipartisan.”___

President Biden all but concedes defeat on voting, election bills

KANSAS CITY (AP)—Distrust, misinformation and delays because of the holidays and bad weather have combined to produce what authorities say are alarmingly low COVID-19 vaccination rates in U.S. children ages 5 to 11.

As of Tuesday, just over 17% were fully vaccinated, more than two months after shots became available to the age group. While Vermont is at 48%, California is just shy of 19% and Mississippi is at only 5%.

Vaccinations among the elementary school set surged after the shots were introduced in the fall, but the numbers have crept up slowly since then, and omicron’s explosive spread appears to have had little effect.

The low rates are “very disturbing,” said Dr. Robert Murphy, executive director for the Institute for Global Health at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “It’s just amazing.”

Parents who hesitate “are taking an enormous risk and continuing to fuel the pandemic,” Murphy said.

Hospitalizations of children under 18 with COVID-19 in the U.S. have climbed to their highest levels on record in the past few weeks. Many have other conditions made worse by COVID-19, though many aren’t sick enough to require intensive care.

The low vaccination rates and rising hospitalizations are “a gut punch, especially when we’ve been working so hard to keep these kids well,” said Dr. Natasha Burgert, a pediatrician in Overland Park, Kansas.

The vaccines have proved highly safe and effective at reducing the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death.

Overall, 63% of Americans are fully vaccinated. Among children 12 to 17, the rate is 54%.

COVID-19 shots for young children have been authorized in at least 12 countries. In Canada, where Pfizer shots were cleared for ages 5 to 11 in November, just 2% are fully vaccinated.

Snowstorms, tornadoes and other heavy weather in December are believed to have slowed the pace of vaccination in the U.S., along with the busy holiday season. Also, some parents are distrustful because the vaccine is so new, and many have other concerns.

Chicago mother Kendra Shaw has resisted shots for her two school-age children, saying she worries about possible risks and isn’t convinced the benefits are worth it.

But this week, her 10-year-old daughter pleaded to get vaccinated so she wouldn’t miss school, and her soon-to-be 7-year-old son asked for his shots so he could have a big birthday party.

Shaw scheduled their first doses for Wednesday but said: “I’m really on the fence.”

Daniel Kotzin, of Denver, said he is convinced he made the right decision not to vaccinate his 5-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son because most omicron cases seem to be mild.

“They are essentially at no risk of harm, so I really don’t understand the reason to vaccinate them,” he said.

Doctors say that kind of thinking is misguided and part of the problem.

“It’s true, kids in general do better than adults with COVID,” said Dr. Elizabeth Murray, a pediatric emergency medicine physician in Rochester, New York, and a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatrics, “but ‘not too sick’ still can mean miserable with fevers and muscle aches for a week. It can also mean MIS-C or long COVID.”

MIS-C, or multisystem inflammatory syndrome, is a rare but serious condition linked to COVID-19 that can affect many organs and typically requires hospitalization.

Authorities don’t think omicron is making children and adults more seriously ill than other variants, and say hospitalization rates are up partly because it is so much more contagious.

Some children have been admitted for conditions such as lung disease, diabetes and sickle cell disease that have worsened because of an omicron infection, doctors say.

Dr. Jesse Hackell, a pediatrician in Pomona, New York, said that at least 25% of his patients ages 5 to 11 are vaccinated, but that after an initial rush in the fall, the numbers have dwindled.

“It’s a tough sell,” he said. “We’re not ready” is a common comment, Hackell said. “When I ask, ‘What are you waiting for?’ I get kind of a shrug. I’ve had a few say, ’We’re not going to be the first million. We’ll wait to see what happens.”’

A frustrated Hackell said the government’s vaccination campaign is clearly struggling against misinformation and “pseudoscience,” the likes of which he has never seen before in his 40-plus years as a pediatrician.

He said the government needs to get tough and mandate the shots.

“If we could get every kid vaccinated across the board, it would go a long way. It wouldn’t end the pandemic, but it would end the severe disease,” Hackell said. “It could help turn the virus into nothing more serious than the common cold, and we can deal with that.’’

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642082002561.png" alt="COVID vaccination by county across the U.S. Some states may appear to have a lower percentage of vaccination coverage when viewed by county because &gt; 25% of their vaccination reports are missing or the state does not report. -CDC image" />
 <figcaption>COVID vaccination by county across the U.S. Some states may appear to have a lower percentage of vaccination coverage when viewed by county because &gt; 25% of their vaccination reports are missing or the state does not report. -CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP)—Distrust, misinformation and delays because of the holidays and bad weather have combined to produce what authorities say are alarmingly low COVID-19 vaccination rates in U.S. children ages 5 to 11.As of Tuesday, just over 17% were fully vaccinated, more than two months after shots became available to the age group. While Vermont is at 48%, California is just shy of 19% and Mississippi is at only 5%.Vaccinations among the elementary school set surged after the shots were introduced in the fall, but the numbers have crept up slowly since then, and omicron’s explosive spread appears to have had little effect.The low rates are “very disturbing,” said Dr. Robert Murphy, executive director for the Institute for Global Health at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “It’s just amazing.”Parents who hesitate “are taking an enormous risk and continuing to fuel the pandemic,” Murphy said.Hospitalizations of children under 18 with COVID-19 in the U.S. have climbed to their highest levels on record in the past few weeks. Many have other conditions made worse by COVID-19, though many aren’t sick enough to require intensive care.The low vaccination rates and rising hospitalizations are “a gut punch, especially when we’ve been working so hard to keep these kids well,” said Dr. Natasha Burgert, a pediatrician in Overland Park, Kansas.The vaccines have proved highly safe and effective at reducing the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death.Overall, 63% of Americans are fully vaccinated. Among children 12 to 17, the rate is 54%.COVID-19 shots for young children have been authorized in at least 12 countries. In Canada, where Pfizer shots were cleared for ages 5 to 11 in November, just 2% are fully vaccinated.Snowstorms, tornadoes and other heavy weather in December are believed to have slowed the pace of vaccination in the U.S., along with the busy holiday season. Also, some parents are distrustful because the vaccine is so new, and many have other concerns.Chicago mother Kendra Shaw has resisted shots for her two school-age children, saying she worries about possible risks and isn’t convinced the benefits are worth it.But this week, her 10-year-old daughter pleaded to get vaccinated so she wouldn’t miss school, and her soon-to-be 7-year-old son asked for his shots so he could have a big birthday party.Shaw scheduled their first doses for Wednesday but said: “I’m really on the fence.”Daniel Kotzin, of Denver, said he is convinced he made the right decision not to vaccinate his 5-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son because most omicron cases seem to be mild.“They are essentially at no risk of harm, so I really don’t understand the reason to vaccinate them,” he said.Doctors say that kind of thinking is misguided and part of the problem.“It’s true, kids in general do better than adults with COVID,” said Dr. Elizabeth Murray, a pediatric emergency medicine physician in Rochester, New York, and a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatrics, “but ‘not too sick’ still can mean miserable with fevers and muscle aches for a week. It can also mean MIS-C or long COVID.”MIS-C, or multisystem inflammatory syndrome, is a rare but serious condition linked to COVID-19 that can affect many organs and typically requires hospitalization.Authorities don’t think omicron is making children and adults more seriously ill than other variants, and say hospitalization rates are up partly because it is so much more contagious.Some children have been admitted for conditions such as lung disease, diabetes and sickle cell disease that have worsened because of an omicron infection, doctors say.Dr. Jesse Hackell, a pediatrician in Pomona, New York, said that at least 25% of his patients ages 5 to 11 are vaccinated, but that after an initial rush in the fall, the numbers have dwindled.“It’s a tough sell,” he said. “We’re not ready” is a common comment, Hackell said. “When I ask, ‘What are you waiting for?’ I get kind of a shrug. I’ve had a few say, ’We’re not going to be the first million. We’ll wait to see what happens.”’A frustrated Hackell said the government’s vaccination campaign is clearly struggling against misinformation and “pseudoscience,” the likes of which he has never seen before in his 40-plus years as a pediatrician.He said the government needs to get tough and mandate the shots.“If we could get every kid vaccinated across the board, it would go a long way. It wouldn’t end the pandemic, but it would end the severe disease,” Hackell said. “It could help turn the virus into nothing more serious than the common cold, and we can deal with that.’’

Kids' low COVID-19 vaccination rates are 'very disturbing'

WASHINGTON — The IRS today announced the availability of Free File, 
providing taxpayers online tax preparation products available at no 
charge. Today's launch of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>,
 available only through IRS.gov, provides people an early opportunity to
 file their taxes and claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit, the 
enhanced Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and other 
important credits. Taxpayers can use Free File to claim the remaining 
amount of their Child Tax Credit and claim any advance payments of the 
Child Tax Credit they did not receive in 2021.

Leading tax software providers make their online products available 
for free as part of a 20-year partnership with the Internal Revenue 
Service. This year, there are eight products in English and two in 
Spanish. IRS Free File is available to any person or family who earned 
$73,000 or less in 2021.

"Free File is part of a wide selection of services available on 
IRS.gov to help people file taxes during this challenging period," said 
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "IRS Free File offers taxpayers an easy, 
free way to do their taxes from the safety of their own home. Free File 
also provides electronic filing with direct deposit, which is the best 
way to avoid delays and receive refunds quickly and securely."

Because the filing season starts on January 24, 2022, IRS Free File 
providers will accept completed tax returns and hold them until they can
 be filed electronically on that date. The Free File Fillable Forms, the
 electronic version of IRS paper forms, will be available on January 24,
 2022. Free File Fillable Forms is available for use by everyone, 
regardless of income, but should be used only by people who are 
comfortable preparing their own taxes.

Other important information related to the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2022-tax-filing-season-begins-jan-24-irs-outlines-refund-timing-and-what-to-expect-in-advance-of-april-18-tax-deadline">January 24 start of tax season</a> is available on IRS.gov, including <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/get-ready-for-taxes-bookmark-irsgov-resources-and-online-tools-to-use-before-during-and-after-filing">important filing tips</a>.

Each IRS Free File provider sets its own eligibility rules for 
products based on age, income, and state residency. However, for those 
who make $73,000 or less, they will find at least one product that 
matches their needs, and usually more. Some providers also offer free 
state income tax return preparation. [Some state tax benefits, such as 
state Earned Income Tax Credits, are based on information contained on 
the taxpayer's federal income tax return. Taxpayers are encouraged to 
check with their <a href="https://www.taxadmin.org/state-tax-agencies">state tax agency</a>
 about state tax benefits and requirements to file a state income tax 
return.] Active-duty military can use any IRS Free File product if their
 income was $73,000 or less.

Here's a step-by-step overview of how to find the right Free File product:

No computer? No problem. Taxpayers can complete and file their 
tax return using IRS Free File products through smart phones or tablets.

Child Tax Credit, 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit and other tax benefits

IRS Free File is all taxpayers need to claim the Child Tax Credit 
(CTC), 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit, and other tax benefits such as the 
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

The IRS also continues to urge people who received one or more 
advance Child Tax Credit payments in 2021 to carefully review their 
taxes before filing. Families who received advance payments will need to
 compare the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-h-reconciling-your-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-on-your-2021-tax-return">advance Child Tax Credit payments</a>
 they received in 2021 with the amount of the Child Tax Credit they can 
properly claim on their 2021 tax return. To help taxpayers who received 
an advance Child Tax Credit payment, the IRS started sending Letter 
6419, 2021 Advance CTC, in late December 2021.

The letter contains important information on advance Child Tax Credit
 payments that can help ensure the tax return is accurate. People who 
received the advance CTC payments can also check the amount of their 
payments by using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal">CTC Update Portal</a> available on IRS.gov.

In late January, the IRS will begin sending Letter 6475, Your Third 
Economic Impact Payment, to individuals who received a third stimulus 
payment in 2021, including initial and "plus-up" payments. While most 
eligible people already received their Economic Impact Payments, or 
stimulus payments, this letter will help them determine if they are 
eligible to claim the 2021 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> for missing stimulus payments. If so, they must file a 2021 tax return to claim this credit. People can also use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">IRS online account</a> to view both payment amounts.

IRS Free File also can be used by workers to claim the EITC, which 
provides a refundable tax credit based on a filer's income and family 
size.

Please remember that unemployment benefits paid by states are taxable
 income. States should send Forms 1099-G to those who received jobless 
benefits.

For 2022, these providers are participating in IRS Free File:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The IRS today announced the availability of Free File, 
providing taxpayers online tax preparation products available at no 
charge. Today's launch of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>,
 available only through IRS.gov, provides people an early opportunity to
 file their taxes and claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit, the 
enhanced Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and other 
important credits. Taxpayers can use Free File to claim the remaining 
amount of their Child Tax Credit and claim any advance payments of the 
Child Tax Credit they did not receive in 2021.Leading tax software providers make their online products available 
for free as part of a 20-year partnership with the Internal Revenue 
Service. This year, there are eight products in English and two in 
Spanish. IRS Free File is available to any person or family who earned 
$73,000 or less in 2021."Free File is part of a wide selection of services available on 
IRS.gov to help people file taxes during this challenging period," said 
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "IRS Free File offers taxpayers an easy, 
free way to do their taxes from the safety of their own home. Free File 
also provides electronic filing with direct deposit, which is the best 
way to avoid delays and receive refunds quickly and securely."Because the filing season starts on January 24, 2022, IRS Free File 
providers will accept completed tax returns and hold them until they can
 be filed electronically on that date. The Free File Fillable Forms, the
 electronic version of IRS paper forms, will be available on January 24,
 2022. Free File Fillable Forms is available for use by everyone, 
regardless of income, but should be used only by people who are 
comfortable preparing their own taxes.Other important information related to the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2022-tax-filing-season-begins-jan-24-irs-outlines-refund-timing-and-what-to-expect-in-advance-of-april-18-tax-deadline">January 24 start of tax season</a> is available on IRS.gov, including <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/get-ready-for-taxes-bookmark-irsgov-resources-and-online-tools-to-use-before-during-and-after-filing">important filing tips</a>.<h2>How IRS Free File works</h2>Each IRS Free File provider sets its own eligibility rules for 
products based on age, income, and state residency. However, for those 
who make $73,000 or less, they will find at least one product that 
matches their needs, and usually more. Some providers also offer free 
state income tax return preparation. [Some state tax benefits, such as 
state Earned Income Tax Credits, are based on information contained on 
the taxpayer's federal income tax return. Taxpayers are encouraged to 
check with their <a href="https://www.taxadmin.org/state-tax-agencies">state tax agency</a>
 about state tax benefits and requirements to file a state income tax 
return.] Active-duty military can use any IRS Free File product if their
 income was $73,000 or less.Here's a step-by-step overview of how to find the right Free File product:<ol>
 <li>Go to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS.gov/freefile</a>.</li><li>Use the "Free File Online Look up" tool for help in finding the right product, or</li><li>Review each offer by a provider using the "Browse All Offers" tool.</li><li>Select a product.</li><li>Follow links to the provider's website to begin a tax return.</li>
 </ol>No computer? No problem. Taxpayers can complete and file their 
tax return using IRS Free File products through smart phones or tablets.<h2>Child Tax Credit, 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit and other tax benefits</h2>IRS Free File is all taxpayers need to claim the Child Tax Credit 
(CTC), 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit, and other tax benefits such as the 
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).The IRS also continues to urge people who received one or more 
advance Child Tax Credit payments in 2021 to carefully review their 
taxes before filing. Families who received advance payments will need to
 compare the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-h-reconciling-your-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-on-your-2021-tax-return">advance Child Tax Credit payments</a>
 they received in 2021 with the amount of the Child Tax Credit they can 
properly claim on their 2021 tax return. To help taxpayers who received 
an advance Child Tax Credit payment, the IRS started sending Letter 
6419, 2021 Advance CTC, in late December 2021.The letter contains important information on advance Child Tax Credit
 payments that can help ensure the tax return is accurate. People who 
received the advance CTC payments can also check the amount of their 
payments by using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal">CTC Update Portal</a> available on IRS.gov.In late January, the IRS will begin sending Letter 6475, Your Third 
Economic Impact Payment, to individuals who received a third stimulus 
payment in 2021, including initial and "plus-up" payments. While most 
eligible people already received their Economic Impact Payments, or 
stimulus payments, this letter will help them determine if they are 
eligible to claim the 2021 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> for missing stimulus payments. If so, they must file a 2021 tax return to claim this credit. People can also use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">IRS online account</a> to view both payment amounts.IRS Free File also can be used by workers to claim the EITC, which 
provides a refundable tax credit based on a filer's income and family 
size.Please remember that unemployment benefits paid by states are taxable
 income. States should send Forms 1099-G to those who received jobless 
benefits.<h2>IRS Free File participants</h2>For 2022, these providers are participating in IRS Free File:<ul>
 <li>1040Now.NET</li><li>ezTaxReturn.com (available in Spanish)</li><li>FreeTaxReturn.com INC</li><li>FileYourTaxes.com</li><li>On-Line Taxes at OLT.com</li><li>TaxAct</li><li>FreeTaxUSA ®</li><li>TaxSlayer (coming soon in Spanish)</li>
 </ul>

IRS Free File now available; filers can claim important tax benefits

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Lincoln Police Department is facing another sexual discrimination lawsuit filed by a female officer. 

Department spokeswoman Erin Spilker alleges in her lawsuit that she has faced years of discrimination. She also criticizes the department's handling of alleged sexual assaults by male officers and discipline against women who complain. 

Within the last year, two other female officers have sued the department for discrimination. 

The city settled one of the lawsuits for $65,000. 

Police Chief Teresa Ewins said in a statement that the department investigates all allegations of discrimination and has taken proper disciplinary action.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1561658843712.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Lincoln Police Department is facing another sexual discrimination lawsuit filed by a female officer. Department spokeswoman Erin Spilker alleges in her lawsuit that she has faced years of discrimination. She also criticizes the department's handling of alleged sexual assaults by male officers and discipline against women who complain. Within the last year, two other female officers have sued the department for discrimination. The city settled one of the lawsuits for $65,000. Police Chief Teresa Ewins said in a statement that the department investigates all allegations of discrimination and has taken proper disciplinary action.

Third woman sues Lincoln police for sex discrimination

WASHINGTON —President Joe Biden is disappointed with Thursday's Supreme Court decision on vaccine requirements.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The court stopped the Biden administration from enforcing a requirement that employees at large businesses be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing and wear a mask on the job.

At the same time, the court is allowing the administration to proceed with a vaccine mandate for most health care workers in the U.S.

In a statement from his office Biden said.

&nbsp;"My administration began to institute vaccination requirements last July, when after months of making vaccinations free and widely available, 90 million Americans were still unvaccinated."

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/21a244_hgci.pdf">here to read court’s orders&nbsp;</a>

"My administration began to institute vaccination requirements last July, when after months of making vaccinations free and widely available, 90 million Americans were still unvaccinated. Today, that number is down to under 35 million. These vaccine requirements applied to members of the Armed Forces, federal workers and contractors, health care workers, and employees in large firms. Had my administration not put vaccination requirements in place, we would be now experiencing a higher death toll from COVID-19 and even more hospitalizations.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2021/21A244">CLICK&nbsp; here to listen&nbsp;</a>to a replay of the oral argument vs the Dept. of Labor.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Today’s decision by the Supreme Court to uphold the requirement for health care workers will save lives: &nbsp;the lives of patients who seek care in medical facilities, as well as the lives of doctors, nurses, and others who work there. It will cover 10.4 million health care workers at 76,000 medical facilities. We will enforce it.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2021/21A240">Click here</a>&nbsp;to listen to a replay of the oral arguments over the mandate for health care workers.

At the same time, I am disappointed that the Supreme Court has chosen to block common-sense life-saving requirements for employees at large businesses that were grounded squarely in both science and the law. This emergency standard allowed employers to require vaccinations or to permit workers to refuse to be vaccinated, so long as they were tested once a week and wore a mask at work: a very modest burden. &nbsp; &nbsp; As a result of the Court’s decision, it is now up to States and individual employers to determine whether to make their workplaces as safe as possible for employees, and whether their businesses will be safe for consumers during this pandemic by requiring employees to take the simple and effective step of getting vaccinated. The Court has ruled that my administration cannot use the authority granted to it by Congress to require this measure, but that does not stop me from using my voice as President to advocate for employers to do the right thing to protect Americans’ health and economy. I call on business leaders to immediately join those who have already stepped up – including one third of Fortune 100 companies – and institute vaccination requirements to protect their workers, customers, and communities.&nbsp;

We have to keep working together if we want to save lives, keep people working, and put this pandemic behind us."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641479071719.png" alt="Biden said, "I am disappointed that the Supreme Court has chosen to block common-sense life-saving requirements for employees "" />
 <figcaption>Biden said, "I am disappointed that the Supreme Court has chosen to block common-sense life-saving requirements for employees "</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —President Joe Biden is disappointed with Thursday's Supreme Court decision on vaccine requirements.&nbsp;&nbsp;The court stopped the Biden administration from enforcing a requirement that employees at large businesses be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing and wear a mask on the job.At the same time, the court is allowing the administration to proceed with a vaccine mandate for most health care workers in the U.S.In a statement from his office Biden said.&nbsp;"My administration began to institute vaccination requirements last July, when after months of making vaccinations free and widely available, 90 million Americans were still unvaccinated."Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/21a244_hgci.pdf">here to read court’s orders&nbsp;</a>"My administration began to institute vaccination requirements last July, when after months of making vaccinations free and widely available, 90 million Americans were still unvaccinated. Today, that number is down to under 35 million. These vaccine requirements applied to members of the Armed Forces, federal workers and contractors, health care workers, and employees in large firms. Had my administration not put vaccination requirements in place, we would be now experiencing a higher death toll from COVID-19 and even more hospitalizations.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2021/21A244">CLICK&nbsp; here to listen&nbsp;</a>to a replay of the oral argument vs the Dept. of Labor.&nbsp;&nbsp;Today’s decision by the Supreme Court to uphold the requirement for health care workers will save lives: &nbsp;the lives of patients who seek care in medical facilities, as well as the lives of doctors, nurses, and others who work there. It will cover 10.4 million health care workers at 76,000 medical facilities. We will enforce it.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2021/21A240">Click here</a>&nbsp;to listen to a replay of the oral arguments over the mandate for health care workers.At the same time, I am disappointed that the Supreme Court has chosen to block common-sense life-saving requirements for employees at large businesses that were grounded squarely in both science and the law. This emergency standard allowed employers to require vaccinations or to permit workers to refuse to be vaccinated, so long as they were tested once a week and wore a mask at work: a very modest burden. &nbsp; &nbsp; As a result of the Court’s decision, it is now up to States and individual employers to determine whether to make their workplaces as safe as possible for employees, and whether their businesses will be safe for consumers during this pandemic by requiring employees to take the simple and effective step of getting vaccinated. The Court has ruled that my administration cannot use the authority granted to it by Congress to require this measure, but that does not stop me from using my voice as President to advocate for employers to do the right thing to protect Americans’ health and economy. I call on business leaders to immediately join those who have already stepped up – including one third of Fortune 100 companies – and institute vaccination requirements to protect their workers, customers, and communities.&nbsp;We have to keep working together if we want to save lives, keep people working, and put this pandemic behind us."

Biden disappointed Supreme Court blocked vaxx mandate for business

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has stopped the Biden administration from enforcing a requirement that employees at large businesses be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing and wear a mask on the job.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2021/21A244">CLICK&nbsp; here to listen </a>to a replay of the oral argument vs the Dept. of Labor.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2021/21A240">Click here</a> to listen to a replay of the oral arguments over the mandate for health care workers.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/21a244_hgci.pdf">The court’s orders </a>Thursday during a spike in coronavirus cases was a mixed bag for the administration’s efforts to boost the vaccination rate among Americans.

The court’s conservative majority concluded the administration overstepped its authority by seeking to impose the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s vaccine-or-test rule on U.S. businesses with at least 100 employees. More than 80 million people would have been affected.

“OSHA has never before imposed such a mandate. Nor has Congress. Indeed, although Congress has enacted significant legislation addressing the COVID–19 pandemic, it has declined to enact any measure similar to what OSHA has promulgated here,” the conservatives wrote in an unsigned opinion.

In dissent, the court’s three liberals argued that it was the court that was overreaching by substituting its judgment for that of health experts. “Acting outside of its competence and without legal basis, the Court displaces the judgments of the Government officials given the responsibility to respond to workplace health emergencies,” Justices Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a joint dissent.

When crafting the OSHA rule, White House officials always anticipated legal challenges — and privately some harbored doubts that it could withstand them. The administration nonetheless still views the rule as a success at already driving millions of people to get vaccinated and for private businesses to implement their own requirements that are unaffected by the legal challenge.

Both rules had been challenged by Republican-led states. In addition, business groups attacked the OSHA emergency regulation as too expensive and likely to cause workers to leave their jobs at a time when finding new employees already is difficult.

The vaccine mandate that the court will allow to be enforced nationwide covers virtually all health care workers in the country. It applies to health care providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding, potentially affecting 76,000 health care facilities as well as home health care providers. The rule has medical and religious exemptions.

Decisions by federal appeals courts in New Orleans and St. Louis had blocked the mandate in about half the states. The administration already was taking steps to enforce it elsewhere.

In the healthcare case, only justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito noted their dissents. “The challenges posed by a global pandemic do not allow a federal agency to exercise power that Congress has not conferred upon it. At the same time, such unprecedented circumstances provide no grounds for limiting the exercise of authorities the agency has long been recognized to have,” the justices wrote in an unsigned opinion, saying the “latter principle governs” in the healthcare cases.

More than 208 million Americans, 62.7% of the population, are fully vaccinated, and more than a third of those have received booster shots, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All nine justices have gotten booster shots.

The justices heard arguments on the challenges last week. Their questions then hinted at the split verdict that they issued Thursday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has stopped the Biden administration from enforcing a requirement that employees at large businesses be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing and wear a mask on the job.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2021/21A244">CLICK&nbsp; here to listen </a>to a replay of the oral argument vs the Dept. of Labor.At the same time, the court is allowing the administration to proceed with a vaccine mandate for most health care workers in the U.S.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2021/21A240">Click here</a> to listen to a replay of the oral arguments over the mandate for health care workers.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/21a244_hgci.pdf">The court’s orders </a>Thursday during a spike in coronavirus cases was a mixed bag for the administration’s efforts to boost the vaccination rate among Americans.The court’s conservative majority concluded the administration overstepped its authority by seeking to impose the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s vaccine-or-test rule on U.S. businesses with at least 100 employees. More than 80 million people would have been affected.“OSHA has never before imposed such a mandate. Nor has Congress. Indeed, although Congress has enacted significant legislation addressing the COVID–19 pandemic, it has declined to enact any measure similar to what OSHA has promulgated here,” the conservatives wrote in an unsigned opinion.In dissent, the court’s three liberals argued that it was the court that was overreaching by substituting its judgment for that of health experts. “Acting outside of its competence and without legal basis, the Court displaces the judgments of the Government officials given the responsibility to respond to workplace health emergencies,” Justices Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a joint dissent.When crafting the OSHA rule, White House officials always anticipated legal challenges — and privately some harbored doubts that it could withstand them. The administration nonetheless still views the rule as a success at already driving millions of people to get vaccinated and for private businesses to implement their own requirements that are unaffected by the legal challenge.Both rules had been challenged by Republican-led states. In addition, business groups attacked the OSHA emergency regulation as too expensive and likely to cause workers to leave their jobs at a time when finding new employees already is difficult.The vaccine mandate that the court will allow to be enforced nationwide covers virtually all health care workers in the country. It applies to health care providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding, potentially affecting 76,000 health care facilities as well as home health care providers. The rule has medical and religious exemptions.Decisions by federal appeals courts in New Orleans and St. Louis had blocked the mandate in about half the states. The administration already was taking steps to enforce it elsewhere.In the healthcare case, only justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito noted their dissents. “The challenges posed by a global pandemic do not allow a federal agency to exercise power that Congress has not conferred upon it. At the same time, such unprecedented circumstances provide no grounds for limiting the exercise of authorities the agency has long been recognized to have,” the justices wrote in an unsigned opinion, saying the “latter principle governs” in the healthcare cases.More than 208 million Americans, 62.7% of the population, are fully vaccinated, and more than a third of those have received booster shots, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All nine justices have gotten booster shots.The justices heard arguments on the challenges last week. Their questions then hinted at the split verdict that they issued Thursday.___

🎤Supreme Court halts vaccine rule for businesses, allows health care worker mandate

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s governor on Thursday rejected releasing Robert F. Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan from prison more than a half-century after the 1968 slaying left a deep wound during one of America’s darkest times.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has cited RFK as his “political hero” and embraced the historical significance of his decision, rejected a recommendation from a two-person panel of parole commissioners. Newsom said Sirhan, now 77, poses an unreasonable threat to public safety.

“Mr. Sirhan’s assassination of Senator Kennedy is among the most notorious crimes in American history,” Newsom wrote in his decision. “After decades in prison, he has failed to address the deficiencies that led him to assassinate Senator Kennedy. Mr. Sirhan lacks the insight that would prevent him from making the same types of dangerous decisions he made in the past.”

He said factors in his decision including Sirhan’s refusal to accept responsibility for his crime, his lack of insight and the accountability required to support his safe release, his failure to disclaim violence committed in his name, and his failure to mitigate his risk factors.

Kennedy, the U.S. senator from New York, was shot moments after he claimed victory in California’s pivotal Democratic presidential primary. Five others were wounded during the assassination at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.

The slaying took place five years after his brother, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated.

Sirhan will be scheduled for a new parole hearing no later than February 2023.

Sirhan will ask a judge to overturn Newsom’s denial, said his defense attorney, Angela Berry.

“We fully expect that judicial review of the governor’s decision will show that the governor got it wrong,” she said.

State law holds that inmates are supposed to be paroled unless they pose a current unreasonable public safety risk, she said, adding that “not an iota of evidence exists to suggest Mr. Sirhan is still a danger to society.”

She said the parole process has become politicized and Newsom “chose to overrule his own experts (on the parole board), ignoring the law.”

Parole commissioners found Sirhan suitable for release “because of his impressive extensive record of rehabilitation over the last half-century,” she said. “Since the mid-1980’s Mr. Sirhan has consistently been found by prison psychologists and psychiatrists to not pose an unreasonable risk of danger to the public.”

During his parole hearing, the white-haired Sirhan called Kennedy “the hope of the world.” But he stopped short of taking full responsibility for a shooting he said he doesn’t recall because he was drunk.

“It pains me ... the knowledge for such a horrible deed, if I did in fact do that,” Sirhan said.

The parole panel’s recommendation in August to release Sirhan divided the iconic Kennedy family, with two of RFK’s sons — Douglas Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — supporting his release. But six of Kennedy’s nine surviving children and Ethel Kennedy, RFK’s wife, urged Newsom to block his parole.

The panel’s decision was based in part on several new California laws since he was denied parole in 2016 — the 15th time he’d lost his bid for release.

Commissioners were required to consider that Sirhan committed his crime at a young age, when he was 24; that he now is elderly; and that the Christian Palestinian who immigrated from Jordan had suffered childhood trauma from the conflict in the Middle East.

In addition, Los Angeles County prosecutors didn’t object to his parole, following District Attorney George Gascón’s policy that prosecutors should not be involved in deciding whether prisoners are ready for release.

The decision had a personal element for Newsom, a fellow Democrat, who displays RFK photos in his official and home offices. One of them is of Kennedy with Newsom’s late father.

Newsom has previously reflected on the gravity of having Sirhan’s fate in his hands, saying it was an emotional issue that echoed back to the turbulent ’60s and reopened memories many want to forget.

Sirhan originally was sentenced to death, but that sentence was commuted to life when the California Supreme Court briefly outlawed capital punishment in 1972.

He now has a heart condition and has survived prostate cancer, Valley fever and having his throat slashed by another prisoner in 2019, said his attorney, Angela Berry.

Munir Sirhan has said his older brother can live with him, if he is freed and not deported to Jordan. Sirhan Sirhan waived his right to fight deportation.

SAN DIEGO (AP) —&nbsp;California’s parole board voted Friday to free Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin after two of RFK’s sons said they supported releasing him and prosecutors declined to argue he should be kept behind bars. But the governor ultimately will decide if Sirhan Sirhan leaves prison.

Douglas Kennedy was a toddler when his father was gunned down in 1968. He told a two-person board panel that he was moved to tears by Sirhan’s remorse and that the 77-year-old should be released if he’s not a threat to others.

“I’m overwhelmed just by being able to view Mr. Sirhan face to face,” he said. “I’ve lived my life both in fear of him and his name in one way or another. And I am grateful today to see him as a human being worthy of compassion and love.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has spoken in favor of Sirhan’s release in the past and met with him in prison, wrote in favor of paroling Sirhan.

“While nobody can speak definitively on behalf of my father, I firmly believe that based on his own consuming commitment to fairness and justice, that he would strongly encourage this board to release Mr. Sirhan because of Sirhan’s impressive record of rehabilitation,” he said in a letter submitted to the board.

Sirhan smiled, thanked the board and gave a thumbs-up after the decision to grant parole was announced. It was a major victory in his 16th attempt at parole. But it does not assure his release.

The ruling will be reviewed over the next 90 days by the board’s staff. Then it will be sent to the governor, who will have 30 days to decide whether to grant it, reverse it or modify it. If Sirhan is freed, he must live in a transitional home for six months, enroll in an alcohol abuse program and get therapy.

Robert F. Kennedy was a a U.S. senator from&nbsp;New York&nbsp;and the brother of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. RFK was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination when he was gunned down at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after delivering a victory speech in the pivotal California primary. Five others were wounded.

Sirhan, who insists he doesn't remember the shooting and had been drinking alcohol just beforehand, was convicted of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death after his conviction, but that sentence was commuted to life when the California Supreme Court briefly outlawed capital punishment in 1972.

At his last parole hearing in 2016, commissioners concluded after more than three hours of intense testimony that Sirhan did not show adequate remorse or understand the enormity of his crime.

This time, prosecutors declined to participate or oppose Sirhan’s release under a policy by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, a former police officer who took office last year after running on a reform platform. Gascón, who said he idolized the Kennedys and mourned RFK’s assassination, believes the prosecutors’ role ends at sentencing and they should not influence decisions to release prisoners.

The Los Angeles Police Department, relatives of some of the victims and members of the public submitted letters opposing Sirhan’s release, Parole Board Commissioner Robert Barton said at the start of Friday’s proceeding, held virtually with Sirhan appearing on camera from a San Diego County prison.

“We don’t have a DA here, but I have to consider all sides,” Barton said, noting it would consider arguments made in the past by prosecutors opposing his release, depending on their relevance.

Sirhan's lawyer, Angela Berry, said the board should base its decision on who Sirhan is today and not what he did more than 50 years ago. She said he is not a threat to the public.

Sirhan said he had learned to control his anger and was committed to living peacefully.

“I would never put myself in jeopardy again,” he told the panel. “You have my pledge. I will always look to safety and peace and non-violence.”

Sirhan, a Christian Palestinian from Jordan, has acknowledged he was angry at Kennedy for his support of Israel. When asked about how he feels about the Middle East conflict today, Sirhan broke down crying and temporarily couldn’t speak.

“Take a few deep breaths,” said Barton, who noted the conflict had not gone away and still touched a nerve.

Sirhan said he doesn't follow what's going on in the region but thinks about the suffering of refugees.

“The misery that those people are experiencing. It’s painful,” Sirhan said.

If released, Sirhan could be deported to Jordan, and Barton said he was concerned he might become a “symbol or lightning rod to foment more violence.”

Sirhan said he was too old to be involved in the Middle East conflict and would detach himself from it.

“The same argument can be said or made that I can be a peacemaker and a contributor to a friendly nonviolent way of resolving the issue,” said Sirhan, who told the panel the hoped to live with his blind brother in Pasadena, California.

Paul Schrade, a union leader and aide to RFK who was among five people wounded in the 1968 shooting, also spoke in favor of Sirhan's release.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630107734279.png" alt="Sirhan photo California Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Sirhan photo California Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s governor on Thursday rejected releasing Robert F. Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan from prison more than a half-century after the 1968 slaying left a deep wound during one of America’s darkest times.Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has cited RFK as his “political hero” and embraced the historical significance of his decision, rejected a recommendation from a two-person panel of parole commissioners. Newsom said Sirhan, now 77, poses an unreasonable threat to public safety.“Mr. Sirhan’s assassination of Senator Kennedy is among the most notorious crimes in American history,” Newsom wrote in his decision. “After decades in prison, he has failed to address the deficiencies that led him to assassinate Senator Kennedy. Mr. Sirhan lacks the insight that would prevent him from making the same types of dangerous decisions he made in the past.”He said factors in his decision including Sirhan’s refusal to accept responsibility for his crime, his lack of insight and the accountability required to support his safe release, his failure to disclaim violence committed in his name, and his failure to mitigate his risk factors.Kennedy, the U.S. senator from New York, was shot moments after he claimed victory in California’s pivotal Democratic presidential primary. Five others were wounded during the assassination at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.The slaying took place five years after his brother, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated.Sirhan will be scheduled for a new parole hearing no later than February 2023.Sirhan will ask a judge to overturn Newsom’s denial, said his defense attorney, Angela Berry.“We fully expect that judicial review of the governor’s decision will show that the governor got it wrong,” she said.State law holds that inmates are supposed to be paroled unless they pose a current unreasonable public safety risk, she said, adding that “not an iota of evidence exists to suggest Mr. Sirhan is still a danger to society.”She said the parole process has become politicized and Newsom “chose to overrule his own experts (on the parole board), ignoring the law.”Parole commissioners found Sirhan suitable for release “because of his impressive extensive record of rehabilitation over the last half-century,” she said. “Since the mid-1980’s Mr. Sirhan has consistently been found by prison psychologists and psychiatrists to not pose an unreasonable risk of danger to the public.”During his parole hearing, the white-haired Sirhan called Kennedy “the hope of the world.” But he stopped short of taking full responsibility for a shooting he said he doesn’t recall because he was drunk.“It pains me ... the knowledge for such a horrible deed, if I did in fact do that,” Sirhan said.The parole panel’s recommendation in August to release Sirhan divided the iconic Kennedy family, with two of RFK’s sons — Douglas Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — supporting his release. But six of Kennedy’s nine surviving children and Ethel Kennedy, RFK’s wife, urged Newsom to block his parole.The panel’s decision was based in part on several new California laws since he was denied parole in 2016 — the 15th time he’d lost his bid for release.Commissioners were required to consider that Sirhan committed his crime at a young age, when he was 24; that he now is elderly; and that the Christian Palestinian who immigrated from Jordan had suffered childhood trauma from the conflict in the Middle East.In addition, Los Angeles County prosecutors didn’t object to his parole, following District Attorney George Gascón’s policy that prosecutors should not be involved in deciding whether prisoners are ready for release.The decision had a personal element for Newsom, a fellow Democrat, who displays RFK photos in his official and home offices. One of them is of Kennedy with Newsom’s late father.Newsom has previously reflected on the gravity of having Sirhan’s fate in his hands, saying it was an emotional issue that echoed back to the turbulent ’60s and reopened memories many want to forget.Sirhan originally was sentenced to death, but that sentence was commuted to life when the California Supreme Court briefly outlawed capital punishment in 1972.He now has a heart condition and has survived prostate cancer, Valley fever and having his throat slashed by another prisoner in 2019, said his attorney, Angela Berry.Munir Sirhan has said his older brother can live with him, if he is freed and not deported to Jordan. Sirhan Sirhan waived his right to fight deportation.--------SAN DIEGO (AP) —&nbsp;California’s parole board voted Friday to free Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin after two of RFK’s sons said they supported releasing him and prosecutors declined to argue he should be kept behind bars. But the governor ultimately will decide if Sirhan Sirhan leaves prison.Douglas Kennedy was a toddler when his father was gunned down in 1968. He told a two-person board panel that he was moved to tears by Sirhan’s remorse and that the 77-year-old should be released if he’s not a threat to others.“I’m overwhelmed just by being able to view Mr. Sirhan face to face,” he said. “I’ve lived my life both in fear of him and his name in one way or another. And I am grateful today to see him as a human being worthy of compassion and love.”Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has spoken in favor of Sirhan’s release in the past and met with him in prison, wrote in favor of paroling Sirhan.“While nobody can speak definitively on behalf of my father, I firmly believe that based on his own consuming commitment to fairness and justice, that he would strongly encourage this board to release Mr. Sirhan because of Sirhan’s impressive record of rehabilitation,” he said in a letter submitted to the board.Sirhan smiled, thanked the board and gave a thumbs-up after the decision to grant parole was announced. It was a major victory in his 16th attempt at parole. But it does not assure his release.The ruling will be reviewed over the next 90 days by the board’s staff. Then it will be sent to the governor, who will have 30 days to decide whether to grant it, reverse it or modify it. If Sirhan is freed, he must live in a transitional home for six months, enroll in an alcohol abuse program and get therapy.Robert F. Kennedy was a a U.S. senator from&nbsp;New York&nbsp;and the brother of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. RFK was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination when he was gunned down at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after delivering a victory speech in the pivotal California primary. Five others were wounded.Sirhan, who insists he doesn't remember the shooting and had been drinking alcohol just beforehand, was convicted of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death after his conviction, but that sentence was commuted to life when the California Supreme Court briefly outlawed capital punishment in 1972.At his last parole hearing in 2016, commissioners concluded after more than three hours of intense testimony that Sirhan did not show adequate remorse or understand the enormity of his crime.This time, prosecutors declined to participate or oppose Sirhan’s release under a policy by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, a former police officer who took office last year after running on a reform platform. Gascón, who said he idolized the Kennedys and mourned RFK’s assassination, believes the prosecutors’ role ends at sentencing and they should not influence decisions to release prisoners.The Los Angeles Police Department, relatives of some of the victims and members of the public submitted letters opposing Sirhan’s release, Parole Board Commissioner Robert Barton said at the start of Friday’s proceeding, held virtually with Sirhan appearing on camera from a San Diego County prison.“We don’t have a DA here, but I have to consider all sides,” Barton said, noting it would consider arguments made in the past by prosecutors opposing his release, depending on their relevance.Sirhan's lawyer, Angela Berry, said the board should base its decision on who Sirhan is today and not what he did more than 50 years ago. She said he is not a threat to the public.Sirhan said he had learned to control his anger and was committed to living peacefully.“I would never put myself in jeopardy again,” he told the panel. “You have my pledge. I will always look to safety and peace and non-violence.”Sirhan, a Christian Palestinian from Jordan, has acknowledged he was angry at Kennedy for his support of Israel. When asked about how he feels about the Middle East conflict today, Sirhan broke down crying and temporarily couldn’t speak.“Take a few deep breaths,” said Barton, who noted the conflict had not gone away and still touched a nerve.Sirhan said he doesn't follow what's going on in the region but thinks about the suffering of refugees.“The misery that those people are experiencing. It’s painful,” Sirhan said.If released, Sirhan could be deported to Jordan, and Barton said he was concerned he might become a “symbol or lightning rod to foment more violence.”Sirhan said he was too old to be involved in the Middle East conflict and would detach himself from it.“The same argument can be said or made that I can be a peacemaker and a contributor to a friendly nonviolent way of resolving the issue,” said Sirhan, who told the panel the hoped to live with his blind brother in Pasadena, California.Paul Schrade, a union leader and aide to RFK who was among five people wounded in the 1968 shooting, also spoke in favor of Sirhan's release.___

California governor denies RFK assassin Sirhan Sirhan parole

TABOR, S.D. (AP) — Officials say a South Dakota man is facing a felony drug charge after his mother unknowingly served his marijuana-laced brownies to a group of seniors at a local community center. 

The 46-year-old man is charged with possession of a controlled drug or substance. 

An investigation began after Bon Homme County dispatchers received several calls about possible poisonings on Jan. 4. 

All the calls involved seniors who had earlier been at a Tabor Community Center card game. 

The investigation led to the woman who brought the brownies. 

She told sheriff's officials her son had baked the brownies and turned over the remainder of the batch she had at her house.

TABOR, S.D. (AP) — Officials say a South Dakota man is facing a felony drug charge after his mother unknowingly served his marijuana-laced brownies to a group of seniors at a local community center. The 46-year-old man is charged with possession of a controlled drug or substance. An investigation began after Bon Homme County dispatchers received several calls about possible poisonings on Jan. 4. All the calls involved seniors who had earlier been at a Tabor Community Center card game. The investigation led to the woman who brought the brownies. She told sheriff's officials her son had baked the brownies and turned over the remainder of the batch she had at her house.

SD drug charge filed after seniors consume marijuana brownies

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Thursday that the government will double to 1 billion the rapid, at-home COVID-19 tests to be distributed free to Americans, along with the most protective N95 masks, as he highlighted his efforts to “surge” resources to help the country weather the spike in coronavirus cases.

Biden also announced that starting next week 1,000 military medical personnel will begin deploying across the country to help overwhelmed medical facilities ease&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-b6d58e41b209dd67ed0954f28b542baf">staff shortages</a>&nbsp;due to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-europe-london-england-eddf1657a9462547826881562b71f3b7">the highly transmissible omicron variant</a>.

Many facilities are struggling because their workers are in at-home quarantines due to the virus at the same time as a nationwide spike in COVID-19 cases. The new deployments will be on top of other federal medical personnel who have already been sent to states to help with acute shortages.

Speaking at the White House Thursday, Biden acknowledged that, “I know we’re all frustrated as we enter this new year” as virus cases reach new heights. But he insisted that it remains “a pandemic of the unvaccinated.”

Both vaccinated and unvaccinated people test positive for the virus, but Biden noted medical figures showing that people are far less likely to suffer serious illness and death if they’ve received a shot: “What happens after that could not be more different.”

Biden’s comments come as his administration’s focus is shifting to easing disruptions from the spike in cases that is also contributing to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/grocery-store-supply-chain-issues-166cc40b0ff095af9d0bf4041fa1b5fc">grocery shortages</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-travel-flight-cancellations-bed3b491ef8dfd778ac612e35add75fb">flight cancellations,&nbsp;</a>rather than preventing the transmission of the virus.

On Tuesday, Janet Woodcock, the acting head of the Food and Drug Administration, told Congress that the highly transmissible strain will infect “most people” and that the focus should turn to ensuring critical services can continue uninterrupted.

“I think it’s hard to process what’s actually happening right now, which is: Most people are going to get COVID, all right?” she said. “What we need to do is make sure the hospitals can still function — transportation, other essential services are not disrupted while this happens.”

Biden said that he is directing his team to double its procurement of rapid COVID-19 tests to be delivered for free to Americans through a forthcoming federal website, as he seeks to respond to criticism over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-science-travel-health-196255dcfe3e928b6f9f5779cd47be4e">shortages and long lines for tests</a>. The initial order was for 500 million tests, and now the federal government will purchase 1 billion at-home testing kits. Biden said the website will launch next week.

Biden also announced that for the first time his administration was planning to make high-quality N95 masks, which are most effective at preventing transmission of the virus, available for free. He said his administration would announce details next week.

The federal government has a stockpile of more than 750 million N95 masks, the White House said this week. And though research has shown those masks to be better protection, they are often more uncomfortable, and health officials are not altering their guidance to recommend against less-protective cloth masks.

The best mask “is the one that you will wear and the one you can keep on all day long, that you can tolerate in public indoor settings,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Wednesday.

Biden encouraged Americans to wear masks when indoors to slow the spread of the virus, even as he acknowledged they’re a “pain in the neck”

During Thursday’s remarks Biden was joined by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-biden-cabinet-lloyd-austin-john-cornyn-army-4d8848273e4e1fe6e4ad2dc8cee7313c">Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin</a>, who recently recovered from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-lloyd-austin-alejandro-mayorkas-d06d9606206265e8fae110cf7a549fd4">his own case of COVID-19</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-new-york-coronavirus-pandemic-emergency-management-49cff31bd6d423da5379523f99835eef">FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell</a>. They were hearing about the work of the more than 800 military personnel who have been helping civilian hospitals since Thanksgiving and the more than 14,000&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-new-hampshire-dover-7352b829ecb9ca54d89df03fa6fd9191">National Guard members</a>&nbsp;whose work supporting vaccinations, testing and caring for patients is being covered by the federal government.

The White House said the they spoke with federal personnel who are already on the ground in Arizona, Michigan and New York to hear about their experiences.

Biden also announced that six additional military medical teams will be deployed to Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio and Rhode Island.

The White House said the teams will support Henry Ford Hospital just outside Detroit, University Hospital in Newark, the University of New Mexico hospital in Albuquerque, Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn, Cleveland Clinic and Rhode Island Hospital in Providence.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Thursday that the government will double to 1 billion the rapid, at-home COVID-19 tests to be distributed free to Americans, along with the most protective N95 masks, as he highlighted his efforts to “surge” resources to help the country weather the spike in coronavirus cases.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F627100008618297%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=17" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Biden also announced that starting next week 1,000 military medical personnel will begin deploying across the country to help overwhelmed medical facilities ease&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-b6d58e41b209dd67ed0954f28b542baf">staff shortages</a>&nbsp;due to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-europe-london-england-eddf1657a9462547826881562b71f3b7">the highly transmissible omicron variant</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden just announced that our administration will purchase an additional 500 million COVID-19 at home tests, bringing the total number of tests that will be distributed for free to 1 billion. <a href="https://t.co/Ze8NSyKaf9">pic.twitter.com/Ze8NSyKaf9</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1481654833199259649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Many facilities are struggling because their workers are in at-home quarantines due to the virus at the same time as a nationwide spike in COVID-19 cases. The new deployments will be on top of other federal medical personnel who have already been sent to states to help with acute shortages.Speaking at the White House Thursday, Biden acknowledged that, “I know we’re all frustrated as we enter this new year” as virus cases reach new heights. But he insisted that it remains “a pandemic of the unvaccinated.”Both vaccinated and unvaccinated people test positive for the virus, but Biden noted medical figures showing that people are far less likely to suffer serious illness and death if they’ve received a shot: “What happens after that could not be more different.”Biden’s comments come as his administration’s focus is shifting to easing disruptions from the spike in cases that is also contributing to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/grocery-store-supply-chain-issues-166cc40b0ff095af9d0bf4041fa1b5fc">grocery shortages</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-travel-flight-cancellations-bed3b491ef8dfd778ac612e35add75fb">flight cancellations,&nbsp;</a>rather than preventing the transmission of the virus.On Tuesday, Janet Woodcock, the acting head of the Food and Drug Administration, told Congress that the highly transmissible strain will infect “most people” and that the focus should turn to ensuring critical services can continue uninterrupted.“I think it’s hard to process what’s actually happening right now, which is: Most people are going to get COVID, all right?” she said. “What we need to do is make sure the hospitals can still function — transportation, other essential services are not disrupted while this happens.”Biden said that he is directing his team to double its procurement of rapid COVID-19 tests to be delivered for free to Americans through a forthcoming federal website, as he seeks to respond to criticism over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-science-travel-health-196255dcfe3e928b6f9f5779cd47be4e">shortages and long lines for tests</a>. The initial order was for 500 million tests, and now the federal government will purchase 1 billion at-home testing kits. Biden said the website will launch next week.Biden also announced that for the first time his administration was planning to make high-quality N95 masks, which are most effective at preventing transmission of the virus, available for free. He said his administration would announce details next week.The federal government has a stockpile of more than 750 million N95 masks, the White House said this week. And though research has shown those masks to be better protection, they are often more uncomfortable, and health officials are not altering their guidance to recommend against less-protective cloth masks.The best mask “is the one that you will wear and the one you can keep on all day long, that you can tolerate in public indoor settings,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Wednesday.Biden encouraged Americans to wear masks when indoors to slow the spread of the virus, even as he acknowledged they’re a “pain in the neck”During Thursday’s remarks Biden was joined by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-biden-cabinet-lloyd-austin-john-cornyn-army-4d8848273e4e1fe6e4ad2dc8cee7313c">Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin</a>, who recently recovered from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-lloyd-austin-alejandro-mayorkas-d06d9606206265e8fae110cf7a549fd4">his own case of COVID-19</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-new-york-coronavirus-pandemic-emergency-management-49cff31bd6d423da5379523f99835eef">FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell</a>. They were hearing about the work of the more than 800 military personnel who have been helping civilian hospitals since Thanksgiving and the more than 14,000&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-new-hampshire-dover-7352b829ecb9ca54d89df03fa6fd9191">National Guard members</a>&nbsp;whose work supporting vaccinations, testing and caring for patients is being covered by the federal government.The White House said the they spoke with federal personnel who are already on the ground in Arizona, Michigan and New York to hear about their experiences.Biden also announced that six additional military medical teams will be deployed to Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio and Rhode Island.The White House said the teams will support Henry Ford Hospital just outside Detroit, University Hospital in Newark, the University of New Mexico hospital in Albuquerque, Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn, Cleveland Clinic and Rhode Island Hospital in Providence.

🎥 Biden now offering 1 billion free COVID tests to fight omicron

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have rescued a kidnapping victim and arrested a suspect during an incident that occurred Wednesday night near Grand Island.

Wednesday evening, NSP was alerted by law enforcement authorities in Indiana that a suspect and kidnapping victim were believed to be traveling westbound in Nebraska. Troopers were able to locate the vehicle, a Chevrolet Silverado, as it was traveling westbound on Interstate 80. Troopers received information that a warrant had been issued for the driver’s arrest, and that Indiana officials believed the driver to be armed with several firearms.

At approximately 8:20 p.m. troopers with the NSP SWAT Team attempted to make contact with the vehicle at mile marker 314, near Grand Island. The suspect then drove through the median and began traveling eastbound. Troopers immediately performed a tactical vehicle intervention to bring the suspect vehicle to a stop. NSP SWAT then took the suspect into custody without further incident and the female passenger was rescued.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642170436216.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release Nebraska State PatrolTroopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have rescued a kidnapping victim and arrested a suspect during an incident that occurred Wednesday night near Grand Island.Wednesday evening, NSP was alerted by law enforcement authorities in Indiana that a suspect and kidnapping victim were believed to be traveling westbound in Nebraska. Troopers were able to locate the vehicle, a Chevrolet Silverado, as it was traveling westbound on Interstate 80. Troopers received information that a warrant had been issued for the driver’s arrest, and that Indiana officials believed the driver to be armed with several firearms.At approximately 8:20 p.m. troopers with the NSP SWAT Team attempted to make contact with the vehicle at mile marker 314, near Grand Island. The suspect then drove through the median and began traveling eastbound. Troopers immediately performed a tactical vehicle intervention to bring the suspect vehicle to a stop. NSP SWAT then took the suspect into custody without further incident and the female passenger was rescued.The female passenger reported that she had been handcuffed by the suspect during the drive from Indiana to Nebraska. Troopers also located numerous firearms inside the cab of the pickup.The suspect, William Brittingham, 52, of Demotte, Indiana, was arrested and lodged in Hall County Jail, awaiting extradition to Indiana.Homeland Security Investigators, the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force, and the Omaha Police Department assisted in this operation.