LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A political consulting firm is suing Nebraska Republican gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster over what it says are $37,500 in unpaid fees and wrongful contract termination.

 The Omaha World-Herald reports that EZ Politix says in its lawsuit that the Herbster campaign hired it in to perform campaign-related services from December 2020 until May 10, 2022, and was to be paid $12,500 a month. 

The lawsuit says the contract required notice of termination and 30 days to remedy any problems before the contract could be terminated. Instead, according to the lawsuit, the contract was canceled in April without notice. 

Herbster campaign manager Ellen Keast declined to comment to the World-Herald.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632512684412.png" alt="Herbster" />
 <figcaption>Herbster</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A political consulting firm is suing Nebraska Republican gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster over what it says are $37,500 in unpaid fees and wrongful contract termination. The Omaha World-Herald reports that EZ Politix says in its lawsuit that the Herbster campaign hired it in to perform campaign-related services from December 2020 until May 10, 2022, and was to be paid $12,500 a month. The lawsuit says the contract required notice of termination and 30 days to remedy any problems before the contract could be terminated. Instead, according to the lawsuit, the contract was canceled in April without notice. Herbster campaign manager Ellen Keast declined to comment to the World-Herald.

Consultant sues Nebraska Republican candidate for governor

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed legislation Friday that would guarantee a woman’s right to an abortion, an effort by Democrats to circumvent a new Texas law that has placed that access under threat.

The bill's 218-211 approval is mostly symbolic, as Republican opposition will doom it in the Senate.

Still, Democrats say they are doing all they can to codify the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision after the Supreme Court recently allowed the Texas law banning most abortions in the state to take effect. The court will hear arguments in December in a separate Mississippi bid to overturn the landmark decision.

Despite the long odds in his chamber, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement after the vote that “Congress must assert its role to protect the constitutional right to abortion” and that the Senate would hold a vote “in the very near future.”

Codifying the Roe ruling would mean creating a right to abortion in federal law, a monumental change that would make it harder for courts and states to impose restrictions.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that congressional action would make a “tremendous difference” in Democrats’ efforts to maintain access to abortion rights. She called the Supreme Court's decision “shameful” and counter to its own precedent.

Pelosi said just ahead of Friday's vote that it should “send a very positive message to the women of our country — but not just the women, to the women and their families, to everyone who values freedom, honors our Constitution and respects women.”

No Republicans voted for the legislation, which would supersede state laws on the subject, give health care providers the right to perform abortions and patients the right to receive them. Republicans argue it would prevent states from setting requirements like parental involvement and could weaken laws that allow doctors to refuse to perform an abortion.

The legislation “isn't about freedom for women, it's about death for babies,” said Republican Rep. Vicky Hartzler of Missouri. She said it would eliminate protections for women and girls who may be coerced into having abortions.

“It ends the life of a living human being with a plan and a purpose from God and who deserves to live,” Hartzler said.

Only one member crossed party lines — Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, who voted against the bill.

The vote came as Democrats have spoken boldly about fighting the Supreme Court — which has a more conservative tilt after Justice Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed last year — but struggled privately to find an effective strategy. They control Congress by the slimmest of margins, including the evenly split 50-50 Senate, making the prospects of a successful legislative response difficult.

The party has split, in some cases, over how far Washington must go to preserve access to abortions. Liberal lawmakers backed by advocates of reproductive rights who helped power President Joe Biden to office want to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court to rebalance power, changing the rules if needed to lower the 60-vote threshold typically required in the Senate to advance legislation.

“Democrats can either abolish the filibuster and expand the court, or do nothing as millions of peoples’ bodies, rights, and lives are sacrificed for far-right minority rule," tweeted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. “This shouldn’t be a difficult decision.”

But other Democrats — Biden among them — have been wary of such a move.

Biden supports the House bill and called the court’s ruling on Texas an “unprecedented assault on a woman’s constitutional rights." He has directed multiple agencies to conduct a government-wide effort to ensure women have abortion access and to protect health care providers. But he has not endorsed the idea of adding justices to the Supreme Court, instead forming a commission to study the idea.

The court's decisions on abortion could prompt political tensions among Republicans, as well.

Former President Donald Trump was able to secure three new conservative Supreme Court justices because Republican leadership in Congress led by GOP leader Mitch McConnell paved the way. Now, as the court upheld the strict new Texas aw outlawing most abortions in the state, the political fallout will test the limits of that strategy.

Women and advocates of abortion rights are quickly mobilizing to take on not just those Republicans, but also the big businesses that backed them, aiming squarely at those that contributed to many of the Texas Republicans behind the abortion law.

“They will be met with a fierce response from women and people across the country,” said Sonja Spoo, director of Reproductive Rights Campaigns at UltraViolet, an advocacy organization, in an interview.

Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican who supports abortion rights, says the Texas law is “harmful and extreme” and she supports codifying Roe.

But she says the House bill goes “way beyond” that and could threaten the rights of doctors who refuse to perform abortions on religious or moral grounds, for example.

“I support codifying Roe, and I am working with some of my colleagues in the Senate on legislation that would do so,” Collins said in a statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632509999612.png" alt="House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that congressional action would make a “tremendous difference” in Democrats’ efforts to maintain access to abortion rights. She called the Supreme Court's decision “shameful” and counter to its own precedent.-photo courtesy House Speaker" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that congressional action would make a “tremendous difference” in Democrats’ efforts to maintain access to abortion rights. She called the Supreme Court's decision “shameful” and counter to its own precedent.-photo courtesy House Speaker</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed legislation Friday that would guarantee a woman’s right to an abortion, an effort by Democrats to circumvent a new Texas law that has placed that access under threat.The bill's 218-211 approval is mostly symbolic, as Republican opposition will doom it in the Senate.Still, Democrats say they are doing all they can to codify the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision after the Supreme Court recently allowed the Texas law banning most abortions in the state to take effect. The court will hear arguments in December in a separate Mississippi bid to overturn the landmark decision.Despite the long odds in his chamber, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement after the vote that “Congress must assert its role to protect the constitutional right to abortion” and that the Senate would hold a vote “in the very near future.”Codifying the Roe ruling would mean creating a right to abortion in federal law, a monumental change that would make it harder for courts and states to impose restrictions.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that congressional action would make a “tremendous difference” in Democrats’ efforts to maintain access to abortion rights. She called the Supreme Court's decision “shameful” and counter to its own precedent.Pelosi said just ahead of Friday's vote that it should “send a very positive message to the women of our country — but not just the women, to the women and their families, to everyone who values freedom, honors our Constitution and respects women.”No Republicans voted for the legislation, which would supersede state laws on the subject, give health care providers the right to perform abortions and patients the right to receive them. Republicans argue it would prevent states from setting requirements like parental involvement and could weaken laws that allow doctors to refuse to perform an abortion.The legislation “isn't about freedom for women, it's about death for babies,” said Republican Rep. Vicky Hartzler of Missouri. She said it would eliminate protections for women and girls who may be coerced into having abortions.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Democrats&#39; radical abortion bill being considered today isn’t about freedom for women. It’s about death for babies. (1/3) <a href="https://t.co/UQU6IpldMe">pic.twitter.com/UQU6IpldMe</a>&mdash; Rep. Vicky Hartzler (@RepHartzler) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepHartzler/status/1441422196132380678?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It ends the life of a living human being with a plan and a purpose from God and who deserves to live,” Hartzler said.Only one member crossed party lines — Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, who voted against the bill.The vote came as Democrats have spoken boldly about fighting the Supreme Court — which has a more conservative tilt after Justice Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed last year — but struggled privately to find an effective strategy. They control Congress by the slimmest of margins, including the evenly split 50-50 Senate, making the prospects of a successful legislative response difficult.The party has split, in some cases, over how far Washington must go to preserve access to abortions. Liberal lawmakers backed by advocates of reproductive rights who helped power President Joe Biden to office want to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court to rebalance power, changing the rules if needed to lower the 60-vote threshold typically required in the Senate to advance legislation.“Democrats can either abolish the filibuster and expand the court, or do nothing as millions of peoples’ bodies, rights, and lives are sacrificed for far-right minority rule," tweeted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. “This shouldn’t be a difficult decision.”But other Democrats — Biden among them — have been wary of such a move.Biden supports the House bill and called the court’s ruling on Texas an “unprecedented assault on a woman’s constitutional rights." He has directed multiple agencies to conduct a government-wide effort to ensure women have abortion access and to protect health care providers. But he has not endorsed the idea of adding justices to the Supreme Court, instead forming a commission to study the idea.The court's decisions on abortion could prompt political tensions among Republicans, as well.Former President Donald Trump was able to secure three new conservative Supreme Court justices because Republican leadership in Congress led by GOP leader Mitch McConnell paved the way. Now, as the court upheld the strict new Texas aw outlawing most abortions in the state, the political fallout will test the limits of that strategy.Women and advocates of abortion rights are quickly mobilizing to take on not just those Republicans, but also the big businesses that backed them, aiming squarely at those that contributed to many of the Texas Republicans behind the abortion law.“They will be met with a fierce response from women and people across the country,” said Sonja Spoo, director of Reproductive Rights Campaigns at UltraViolet, an advocacy organization, in an interview.Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican who supports abortion rights, says the Texas law is “harmful and extreme” and she supports codifying Roe.But she says the House bill goes “way beyond” that and could threaten the rights of doctors who refuse to perform abortions on religious or moral grounds, for example.“I support codifying Roe, and I am working with some of my colleagues in the Senate on legislation that would do so,” Collins said in a statement.

House votes to protect abortion rights amid state challenges

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha landlord who stood trial on nearly 90 misdemeanor counts accusing him of keeping an apartment complex in such squalid conditions that tenants had to be evacuated has been found guilty of only four of the counts. 

A judge found Kay Anderson guilty this week of four counts of municipal code violations in connection with the state of Yale Park Apartments, six months after Anderson's trial on 89 counts. He now faces up to six months in jail and a $500 on each count. 

About 500 apartment tenants — mostly refugees from Myanmar — were evacuated in 2018 after housing inspectors responded to nearly 100 complaints of bedbugs, lice, rodents, gas leaks, mold and other violations at the complex.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha landlord who stood trial on nearly 90 misdemeanor counts accusing him of keeping an apartment complex in such squalid conditions that tenants had to be evacuated has been found guilty of only four of the counts. A judge found Kay Anderson guilty this week of four counts of municipal code violations in connection with the state of Yale Park Apartments, six months after Anderson's trial on 89 counts. He now faces up to six months in jail and a $500 on each count. About 500 apartment tenants — mostly refugees from Myanmar — were evacuated in 2018 after housing inspectors responded to nearly 100 complaints of bedbugs, lice, rodents, gas leaks, mold and other violations at the complex.

Omaha landlord found guilty of only 4 of nearly 90 counts

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities in eastern Nebraska say an early-morning crash involving a car full of teenagers left one of them dead and four others injured. 

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened shortly before 4 a.m. Friday at an intersection just southwest of Omaha. 

Investigators say two cars entered the intersection at the same time. Officials say one teen died at the scene. Four other teens in the same car suffered serious injuries, including one who was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. 

The driver of the other car was taken to a hospital as a precaution. The names of those involved in the crash were not immediately released.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities in eastern Nebraska say an early-morning crash involving a car full of teenagers left one of them dead and four others injured. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened shortly before 4 a.m. Friday at an intersection just southwest of Omaha. Investigators say two cars entered the intersection at the same time. Officials say one teen died at the scene. Four other teens in the same car suffered serious injuries, including one who was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the other car was taken to a hospital as a precaution. The names of those involved in the crash were not immediately released.

1 teen killed, 4 injured in early-morning crash near Omaha

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday endorsed booster shots for millions of older or otherwise vulnerable Americans, opening a major new phase in the U.S vaccination drive against COVID-19.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed off on a series of recommendations from a panel of advisers late Thursday.

The advisers said boosters should be offered to people 65 and older, nursing home residents and those ages 50 to 64 who have risky underlying health problems. The extra dose would be given once they are at least six months past their last Pfizer shot.

However, Walensky decided to make one recommendation that the panel had rejected.

The panel on Thursday voted against saying that people can get a booster if they are ages 18 to 64 years and are health-care workers, teachers or have another job that puts them at increased risk of being exposed to the virus.

But Walensky disagreed and put that recommendation back in, noting that such a move aligns with an FDA booster authorization decision earlier this week. The category she included covers people who live in institutional settings that increase their risk of exposure, such as prisons or homeless shelters, as well as health care workers.

The panel had offered the option of a booster for those ages 18 to 49 who have chronic health problems and want one. But the advisers refused to go further and open boosters to otherwise healthy front-line health care workers who aren’t at risk of severe illness but want to avoid even a mild infection.

The panel voted 9 to 6 to reject that proposal. But Walensky decided to disregard the advisory committee’s counsel on that issue. In a decision several hours after the panel adjourned, Walensky issued a statement saying she had restored the recommendation.

“As CDC Director, it is my job to recognize where our actions can have the greatest impact,” Walensky said in a statement late Thursday night. “At CDC, we are tasked with analyzing complex, often imperfect data to make concrete recommendations that optimize health. In a pandemic, even with uncertainty, we must take actions that we anticipate will do the greatest good.”

Experts say getting the unvaccinated their first shots remains the top priority, and the panel wrestled with whether the booster debate was distracting from that goal.

All three of the COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. are still highly protective against severe illness, hospitalization and death, even with the spread of the extra-contagious delta variant. But only about 182 million Americans are fully vaccinated, or just 55% of the population.

“We can give boosters to people, but that’s not really the answer to this pandemic,” said Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University. “Hospitals are full because people are not vaccinated. We are declining care to people who deserve care because we are full of unvaccinated COVID-positive patients.”

Thursday’s decision represented a dramatic scaling back of the Biden administration plan announced last month to dispense boosters to nearly everyone to shore up their protection. Late Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration, like the CDC panel, signed off on Pfizer boosters for a much narrower slice of the population than the White House envisioned.

The booster plan marks an important shift in the nation’s vaccination drive. Britain and Israel are already giving a third round of shots over strong objections from the World Health Organization that poor countries don’t have enough for their initial doses.

Walensky opened Thursday’s meeting by stressing that vaccinating the unvaccinated remains the top goal “here in America and around the world.”

Walensky acknowledged that the data on who really needs a booster right away “are not perfect.” “Yet collectively they form a picture for us,” she said, “and they are what we have in this moment to make a decision about the next stage in this pandemic.”

The CDC panel stressed that its recommendations will be changed if new evidence shows more people need a booster.

The CDC advisers expressed concern over the millions of Americans who received Moderna or Johnson &amp; Johnson shots early in the vaccine rollout. The government still hasn’t considered boosters for those brands and has no data on whether it is safe or effective to mix-and-match and give those people a Pfizer shot.

“I just don’t understand how later this afternoon we can say to people 65 and older, ‘You’re at risk for severe illness and death, but only half of you can protect yourselves right now,’” said Dr. Sarah Long of Drexel University.

About 26 million Americans got their last Pfizer dose at least six months ago, about half of whom are 65 or older. It’s not clear how many more would meet the CDC panel’s booster qualifications.

CDC data show the vaccines still offer strong protection against serious illness for all ages, but there is a slight drop among the oldest adults. And immunity against milder infection appears to be waning months after people’s initial immunization.

For most people, if you’re not in a group recommended for a booster, “it’s really because we think you’re well-protected,” said Dr. Matthew Daley of Kaiser Permanente Colorado.

Public health experts not involved in Thursday’s decision said it is unlikely people seeking third doses at a drugstore or other site will be required to prove they qualify.

Even with the introduction of boosters, someone who has gotten just the first two doses would still be considered fully vaccinated, according to the CDC’s Dr. Kathleen Dooling. That is an important question to people in parts of the country where you need to show proof of vaccination to eat in a restaurant or enter other places of business.

Among people who stand to benefit from a booster, there are few risks, the CDC concluded. Serious side effects from the first two Pfizer doses are exceedingly rare, including heart inflammation that sometimes occurs in younger men. Data from Israel, which has given nearly 3 million people — mostly 60 and older — a third Pfizer dose, has uncovered no red flags.

The U.S. has already authorized third doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for certain people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients and transplant recipients. Other Americans, healthy or not, have managed to get boosters, in some cases simply by asking.

By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MIKE STOBBE, Associated Press

The U.S. vaccination drive against COVID-19 stood on the verge of a major new phase as government advisers Thursday recommended booster doses of Pfizer’s vaccine for millions of older or otherwise vulnerable Americans — despite doubts the extra shots will do much to slow the pandemic.

Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said boosters should be offered to people 65 and older, nursing home residents and those ages 50 to 64 who have risky underlying health problems. The extra dose would be given once they are at least six months past their last Pfizer shot.

The advisers refused to go further and open boosters to otherwise healthy front-line health care workers and school teachers who aren’t at risk of severe illness but want to avoid even a mild infection

The panel offered the option of a booster for those ages 18 to 49 who have chronic health problems and want one.

“We might as well just say give it to everyone 18 and older. We have a very effective vaccine and it’s like saying, ‘It’s not working.’ It is working,” said Dr. Pablo Sanchez of Ohio State University, who helped block the broadest booster option.

Still, getting the unvaccinated their first shots remains the top priority, and the panel wrestled with whether the booster debate was distracting from that goal.

All three of the COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. are still highly protective against severe illness, hospitalization and death, even amid the spread of the extra-contagious delta variant. But only about 182 million Americans are fully vaccinated, or just 55% of the population.

It is up to the CDC to set final U.S. policy on who qualifies for the extra shot. A decision from the agency was expected later Thursday, but the CDC usually follows its advisers’ recommendations.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky opened Thursday’s meeting by stressing that vaccinating the unvaccinated remains the top goal “here in America and around the world.”

CDC data shows the vaccines still offer strong protection against serious illness for all ages, but there is a slight drop among the oldest adults. And immunity against milder infection appears to be waning months after people’s initial immunization.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632445496467.png" alt="The CDC panel rejected policy question #3. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky&nbsp;disagreed and put that recommendation back into the plan-&nbsp; &nbsp;CDC image" />
 <figcaption>The CDC panel rejected policy question #3. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky&nbsp;disagreed and put that recommendation back into the plan-&nbsp; &nbsp;CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday endorsed booster shots for millions of older or otherwise vulnerable Americans, opening a major new phase in the U.S vaccination drive against COVID-19.CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed off on a series of recommendations from a panel of advisers late Thursday.The advisers said boosters should be offered to people 65 and older, nursing home residents and those ages 50 to 64 who have risky underlying health problems. The extra dose would be given once they are at least six months past their last Pfizer shot.However, Walensky decided to make one recommendation that the panel had rejected.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632445472712.png" alt="Members of the CDC panel met online Thursday" />
 <figcaption>Members of the CDC panel met online Thursday</figcaption>
 </figure>The panel on Thursday voted against saying that people can get a booster if they are ages 18 to 64 years and are health-care workers, teachers or have another job that puts them at increased risk of being exposed to the virus.But Walensky disagreed and put that recommendation back in, noting that such a move aligns with an FDA booster authorization decision earlier this week. The category she included covers people who live in institutional settings that increase their risk of exposure, such as prisons or homeless shelters, as well as health care workers.The panel had offered the option of a booster for those ages 18 to 49 who have chronic health problems and want one. But the advisers refused to go further and open boosters to otherwise healthy front-line health care workers who aren’t at risk of severe illness but want to avoid even a mild infection.The panel voted 9 to 6 to reject that proposal. But Walensky decided to disregard the advisory committee’s counsel on that issue. In a decision several hours after the panel adjourned, Walensky issued a statement saying she had restored the recommendation.“As CDC Director, it is my job to recognize where our actions can have the greatest impact,” Walensky said in a statement late Thursday night. “At CDC, we are tasked with analyzing complex, often imperfect data to make concrete recommendations that optimize health. In a pandemic, even with uncertainty, we must take actions that we anticipate will do the greatest good.”Experts say getting the unvaccinated their first shots remains the top priority, and the panel wrestled with whether the booster debate was distracting from that goal.All three of the COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. are still highly protective against severe illness, hospitalization and death, even with the spread of the extra-contagious delta variant. But only about 182 million Americans are fully vaccinated, or just 55% of the population.“We can give boosters to people, but that’s not really the answer to this pandemic,” said Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University. “Hospitals are full because people are not vaccinated. We are declining care to people who deserve care because we are full of unvaccinated COVID-positive patients.”Thursday’s decision represented a dramatic scaling back of the Biden administration plan announced last month to dispense boosters to nearly everyone to shore up their protection. Late Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration, like the CDC panel, signed off on Pfizer boosters for a much narrower slice of the population than the White House envisioned.The booster plan marks an important shift in the nation’s vaccination drive. Britain and Israel are already giving a third round of shots over strong objections from the World Health Organization that poor countries don’t have enough for their initial doses.Walensky opened Thursday’s meeting by stressing that vaccinating the unvaccinated remains the top goal “here in America and around the world.”Walensky acknowledged that the data on who really needs a booster right away “are not perfect.” “Yet collectively they form a picture for us,” she said, “and they are what we have in this moment to make a decision about the next stage in this pandemic.”The CDC panel stressed that its recommendations will be changed if new evidence shows more people need a booster.The CDC advisers expressed concern over the millions of Americans who received Moderna or Johnson &amp; Johnson shots early in the vaccine rollout. The government still hasn’t considered boosters for those brands and has no data on whether it is safe or effective to mix-and-match and give those people a Pfizer shot.“I just don’t understand how later this afternoon we can say to people 65 and older, ‘You’re at risk for severe illness and death, but only half of you can protect yourselves right now,’” said Dr. Sarah Long of Drexel University.About 26 million Americans got their last Pfizer dose at least six months ago, about half of whom are 65 or older. It’s not clear how many more would meet the CDC panel’s booster qualifications.CDC data show the vaccines still offer strong protection against serious illness for all ages, but there is a slight drop among the oldest adults. And immunity against milder infection appears to be waning months after people’s initial immunization.For most people, if you’re not in a group recommended for a booster, “it’s really because we think you’re well-protected,” said Dr. Matthew Daley of Kaiser Permanente Colorado.Public health experts not involved in Thursday’s decision said it is unlikely people seeking third doses at a drugstore or other site will be required to prove they qualify.Even with the introduction of boosters, someone who has gotten just the first two doses would still be considered fully vaccinated, according to the CDC’s Dr. Kathleen Dooling. That is an important question to people in parts of the country where you need to show proof of vaccination to eat in a restaurant or enter other places of business.Among people who stand to benefit from a booster, there are few risks, the CDC concluded. Serious side effects from the first two Pfizer doses are exceedingly rare, including heart inflammation that sometimes occurs in younger men. Data from Israel, which has given nearly 3 million people — mostly 60 and older — a third Pfizer dose, has uncovered no red flags.The U.S. has already authorized third doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for certain people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients and transplant recipients. Other Americans, healthy or not, have managed to get boosters, in some cases simply by asking.----------By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MIKE STOBBE, Associated PressThe U.S. vaccination drive against COVID-19 stood on the verge of a major new phase as government advisers Thursday recommended booster doses of Pfizer’s vaccine for millions of older or otherwise vulnerable Americans — despite doubts the extra shots will do much to slow the pandemic.Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said boosters should be offered to people 65 and older, nursing home residents and those ages 50 to 64 who have risky underlying health problems. The extra dose would be given once they are at least six months past their last Pfizer shot.The advisers refused to go further and open boosters to otherwise healthy front-line health care workers and school teachers who aren’t at risk of severe illness but want to avoid even a mild infectionThe panel offered the option of a booster for those ages 18 to 49 who have chronic health problems and want one.“We might as well just say give it to everyone 18 and older. We have a very effective vaccine and it’s like saying, ‘It’s not working.’ It is working,” said Dr. Pablo Sanchez of Ohio State University, who helped block the broadest booster option.Still, getting the unvaccinated their first shots remains the top priority, and the panel wrestled with whether the booster debate was distracting from that goal.All three of the COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. are still highly protective against severe illness, hospitalization and death, even amid the spread of the extra-contagious delta variant. But only about 182 million Americans are fully vaccinated, or just 55% of the population.“We can give boosters to people, but that’s not really the answer to this pandemic,” said Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University. “Hospitals are full because people are not vaccinated. We are declining care to people who deserve care because we are full of unvaccinated COVID-positive patients.”Thursday’s decision represented a dramatic scaling back of the Biden administration plan announced last month to dispense boosters to nearly everyone to shore up their protection. Late Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration, like the CDC panel, signed off on Pfizer boosters for a much narrower slice of the population than the White House envisioned.It is up to the CDC to set final U.S. policy on who qualifies for the extra shot. A decision from the agency was expected later Thursday, but the CDC usually follows its advisers’ recommendations.The booster plan marks an important shift in the nation’s vaccination drive. Britain and Israel are already giving a third round of shots over strong objections from the World Health Organization that poor countries don’t have enough for their initial doses.CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky opened Thursday’s meeting by stressing that vaccinating the unvaccinated remains the top goal “here in America and around the world.”Walensky acknowledged that the data on who really needs a booster right away “are not perfect.” “Yet collectively they form a picture for us,” she said, “and they are what we have in this moment to make a decision about the next stage in this pandemic.”The CDC panel stressed that its recommendations will be changed if new evidence shows more people need a booster.The CDC advisers expressed concern over the millions of Americans who received Moderna or Johnson &amp; Johnson shots early in the vaccine rollout. The government still hasn’t considered boosters for those brands and has no data on whether it is safe or effective to mix-and-match and give those people a Pfizer shot.“I just don’t understand how later this afternoon we can say to people 65 and older, ‘You’re at risk for severe illness and death, but only half of you can protect yourselves right now,’” said Dr. Sarah Long of Drexel University.About 26 million Americans got their last Pfizer dose at least six months ago, about half of whom are 65 or older. It’s not clear how many more would meet the CDC panel’s booster qualifications.CDC data shows the vaccines still offer strong protection against serious illness for all ages, but there is a slight drop among the oldest adults. And immunity against milder infection appears to be waning months after people’s initial immunization.For most people, if you’re not in a group recommended for a booster, “it’s really because we think you’re well-protected,” said Dr. Matthew Daley of Kaiser Permanente Colorado.Public health experts not involved in Thursday’s decision said it is unlikely people seeking third doses at a drugstore or other site will be required to prove they qualify.Even with the introduction of boosters, someone who has gotten just the first two doses would still be considered fully vaccinated, according to the CDC’s Dr. Kathleen Dooling. That is an important question to people in parts of the country where you need to show proof of vaccination to eat in a restaurant or enter other places of business.Among people who stand to benefit from a booster, there are few risks, the CDC concluded. Serious side effects from the first two Pfizer doses are exceedingly rare, including heart inflammation that sometimes occurs in younger men. Data from Israel, which has given nearly 3 million people — mostly 60 and older — a third Pfizer dose, has uncovered no red flags.The U.S. has already authorized third doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for certain people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients and transplant recipients. Other Americans, healthy or not, have managed to get boosters, in some cases simply by asking.___

Health care workers, teachers added to CDC booster shot plan

DAKOTA CITY, Neb. (AP) — The owners of a defunct biogas plant in northeast Nebraska have agreed to pay a $1.1 million fine to the state and federal governments for repeated violations of environmental rules. 

Big Ox began operations in September 2016, separating solids from industry wastewater to create methane. 

The plant sold the methane and injected it into a nearby natural gas pipeline. Big Ox was subject to odor complaints soon after it began operations and was cited for numerous environmental violations until it shut down in 2019. 

The EPA says that at times the company allowed liquid wastewater to overflow from its plant and at times Big Ox discharged methane at levels that could be flammable.

DAKOTA CITY, Neb. (AP) — The owners of a defunct biogas plant in northeast Nebraska have agreed to pay a $1.1 million fine to the state and federal governments for repeated violations of environmental rules. Big Ox began operations in September 2016, separating solids from industry wastewater to create methane. The plant sold the methane and injected it into a nearby natural gas pipeline. Big Ox was subject to odor complaints soon after it began operations and was cited for numerous environmental violations until it shut down in 2019. The EPA says that at times the company allowed liquid wastewater to overflow from its plant and at times Big Ox discharged methane at levels that could be flammable.

Defunct biogas plant to pay $1.1M for environmental breaches

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln police are investigating after an organization that supports survivors of sexual assault was defrauded out of more than $10,000. 

The organizers of the “kNOw More” campaign reported the fraud to police on Wednesday. 

The group raised $10,960 selling T-shirts after an alleged sexual assault at the Nebraska-Lincoln campus in August. 

Officer Erin Spilker said someone claiming to be a member of the advocacy group Voices of Hope emailed the shop where the T-shirts were printed. 

The money was then wired to an account mentioned in the email. 

Spilker said the perpetrator used an email that was not affiliated with Voices of Hope when contacting the T-shirt company.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln police are investigating after an organization that supports survivors of sexual assault was defrauded out of more than $10,000. The organizers of the “kNOw More” campaign reported the fraud to police on Wednesday. The group raised $10,960 selling T-shirts after an alleged sexual assault at the Nebraska-Lincoln campus in August. Officer Erin Spilker said someone claiming to be a member of the advocacy group Voices of Hope emailed the shop where the T-shirts were printed. The money was then wired to an account mentioned in the email. Spilker said the perpetrator used an email that was not affiliated with Voices of Hope when contacting the T-shirt company.

Sexual assault survivors group defrauded of around $10,000

Are you looking for a place to store possessions that won’t fit in 
your house? Finding a storage facility is similar to finding a 
trustworthy landlord.

To make smart decisions when it comes to signing a contract for a 
storage unit, spend time deciding on the type of storage unit you need. 
Gather the items you want to put into storage in one place. This will 
put into perspective <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/what-you-should-know-before-renting-a-storage-unit/2016/05/23/e03c7cd8-1c57-11e6-b6e0-c53b7ef63b45_story.html" target="_blank">how much space you need</a>,
 recommends the Washington Post. Don’t forget, you’ll also need space to
 enter the unit and move around. If you ever need to get something out, 
you don’t want a unit that’s packed from floor to ceiling.&nbsp;

Visit <a href="https://www.bbb.org/">BBB.org</a> to check their customer reviews, <a href="https://www.bbb.org/bbb-accreditation-standards" target="_blank">BBB accreditation status</a>, and more business information. Customer reviews can give you insight into what to consider when visiting the facility.&nbsp;

What to Consider Before Renting a Storage Unit

Are any of your items temperature sensitive? If so, you’ll need to 
have a unit that’s indoors and climate-controlled. Are your items 
valuable? You’ll need a unit that has a <a href="https://www.move.org/storage-unit-things-to-know/" target="_blank">good security and monitoring system</a>.
 Also, purchasing insurance for the unit is a good idea; whether it’s 
through the storage company itself or your personal insurance company.&nbsp;

Don’t make an impulse decision based solely on location and price. 
Don't simply select the location closest to you. Keep your options open 
and make sure you have a few units that you can investigate before 
making a final decision. You may find that a location a little bit 
further away will give you more features that you want.

Storage Units: What to Watch Out For&nbsp;

Here are some of the things to look out for when shopping for a storage unit:

Now that you have an idea of what you are looking for from the 
facility, it’s time to visit a few locations. Ask what’s included in the
 rate. Some <a href="https://www.moving.com/tips/a-first-timers-guide-to-renting-a-storage-unit/">full-service storage</a> companies cost a little more but include <a href="https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/9-tips-for-using-rental-storag-124239">extra services</a>, such as free boxes, packing supplies and even transportation.

Don’t feel pressured to sign immediately on the dotted line, even if 
management tells you that the units are limited. Spend the visit looking
 around and asking questions. First impressions are everything and often
 you’ll get a sense from that first visit how the company treats 
customers.

As with any industry, there are bad actors who want to scam you. Storage scams can include:

Moving soon? See this <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22659-know-your-mover-bbb-study-reveals-scammers-price-gouge-take-belongings-hostage-and-destroy-goods" target="_blank">BBB study on moving scams.</a>&nbsp;Get advice on choosing the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/24307-bbb-tip-the-pros-and-cons-of-the-four-main-ways-to-move" target="_blank">best option for your move</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/near-me/moving-companies" target="_blank">finding movers near you</a>.

Report scams to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>. For more information you can trust, visit <a href="https://www.bbb.org" target="_blank">BBB.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632499587631.jpeg" alt="Pixabay photo" />
 <figcaption>Pixabay photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BBBAre you looking for a place to store possessions that won’t fit in 
your house? Finding a storage facility is similar to finding a 
trustworthy landlord.To make smart decisions when it comes to signing a contract for a 
storage unit, spend time deciding on the type of storage unit you need. 
Gather the items you want to put into storage in one place. This will 
put into perspective <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/what-you-should-know-before-renting-a-storage-unit/2016/05/23/e03c7cd8-1c57-11e6-b6e0-c53b7ef63b45_story.html" target="_blank">how much space you need</a>,
 recommends the Washington Post. Don’t forget, you’ll also need space to
 enter the unit and move around. If you ever need to get something out, 
you don’t want a unit that’s packed from floor to ceiling.&nbsp;Visit <a href="https://www.bbb.org/">BBB.org</a> to check their customer reviews, <a href="https://www.bbb.org/bbb-accreditation-standards" target="_blank">BBB accreditation status</a>, and more business information. Customer reviews can give you insight into what to consider when visiting the facility.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>What to Consider Before Renting a Storage Unit</h2>Are any of your items temperature sensitive? If so, you’ll need to 
have a unit that’s indoors and climate-controlled. Are your items 
valuable? You’ll need a unit that has a <a href="https://www.move.org/storage-unit-things-to-know/" target="_blank">good security and monitoring system</a>.
 Also, purchasing insurance for the unit is a good idea; whether it’s 
through the storage company itself or your personal insurance company.&nbsp;Don’t make an impulse decision based solely on location and price. 
Don't simply select the location closest to you. Keep your options open 
and make sure you have a few units that you can investigate before 
making a final decision. You may find that a location a little bit 
further away will give you more features that you want.<h2>Storage Units: What to Watch Out For&nbsp;</h2>Here are some of the things to look out for when shopping for a storage unit:<ul>
 <li>Cleanliness and Security: All businesses advertise 
that they’re secure and clean, but not all live up to their promises. 
Problems could include: bug/animals infestations, leaking roofs, broken 
surveillance systems, unmanned entrances and poor security of visitors. 
Look carefully when you visit. </li><li>Hidden or Additional Charges: There may be 
additional charges for lock rental, insurance, late fees, utilities and 
security. Make sure you get everything in writing and read your contract
 carefully so you aren’t surprised by add-ons later.&nbsp; </li><li>Hiding in the Small Print: Read the fine print to 
look for all sorts of conditions relating to responsibility of your 
possessions, amount of notice for raising rent, and terms under which 
you’re deemed to have defaulted. </li><li>Access to the unit: Be sure to look up the storage facility online and determine what the gate and office hours are.&nbsp; </li>
 </ul><h2>Visting Storage Facilities</h2>Now that you have an idea of what you are looking for from the 
facility, it’s time to visit a few locations. Ask what’s included in the
 rate. Some <a href="https://www.moving.com/tips/a-first-timers-guide-to-renting-a-storage-unit/">full-service storage</a> companies cost a little more but include <a href="https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/9-tips-for-using-rental-storag-124239">extra services</a>, such as free boxes, packing supplies and even transportation.Don’t feel pressured to sign immediately on the dotted line, even if 
management tells you that the units are limited. Spend the visit looking
 around and asking questions. First impressions are everything and often
 you’ll get a sense from that first visit how the company treats 
customers.As with any industry, there are bad actors who want to scam you. Storage scams can include:<ul>
 <li>Complicity in Theft: Through negligence or direct involvement, operators have been known to play a part in the theft of contents from locked units. </li><li>Selling Your Stuff: In the case of a default, the 
owner is probably entitled to enter and auction off the contents. Some 
owners have made themselves inaccessible to receive payment, to force 
renters into default.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><h2>For More Information&nbsp;</h2>Moving soon? See this <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22659-know-your-mover-bbb-study-reveals-scammers-price-gouge-take-belongings-hostage-and-destroy-goods" target="_blank">BBB study on moving scams.</a>&nbsp;Get advice on choosing the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/24307-bbb-tip-the-pros-and-cons-of-the-four-main-ways-to-move" target="_blank">best option for your move</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/near-me/moving-companies" target="_blank">finding movers near you</a>.Report scams to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>. For more information you can trust, visit <a href="https://www.bbb.org" target="_blank">BBB.org</a>.

Renting a storage unit? Here are some tips to consider

WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. vaccination drive against COVID-19 stood on the verge of a major new phase as government advisers Thursday recommended booster doses of Pfizer’s vaccine for millions of older or otherwise vulnerable Americans — despite doubts the extra shots will do much to slow the pandemic.

Deciding who else might get one was far tougher. While there is little evidence that younger people are in danger of waning immunity, the panel offered the option of a booster for those 18 to 49 who have chronic health problems and want one.

But the advisers refused to go further and open boosters to otherwise healthy front-line health care workers who aren’t at risk of severe illness but want to avoid even a mild infection.

All three of the COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. still are highly protective against severe illness, hospitalization and death, even amid the spread of the extra-contagious delta variant. But only about 182 million Americans are fully vaccinated, just 55% of the population.

Thursday’s decision represented a dramatic scaling back of the Biden administration plan, announced last month, to dispense boosters to nearly everyone to shore up their protection. Late Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration, like the CDC, signed off on Pfizer boosters for a much more targeted slice of the American population than the White House envisioned.

It falls to the CDC to set final U.S. policy on who qualifies for the extra shot. The CDC usually follows its advisers’ recommendations. A final decision from the agency was expected later Thursday.

The CDC panel stressed its recommendations will be changed if new evidence shows more people need a booster.

The CDC advisers expressed concern over the millions more Americans who received Moderna or Johnson &amp; Johnson shots early in the vaccine rollout. The government still hasn’t considered boosters for those brands and has no data on whether it’s safe or effective to mix-and-match and give those people a Pfizer shot.

“I just don’t understand how later this afternoon we can say to people 65 and older you’re at risk for severe illness and death but only half of you can protect yourselves right now,” said Dr. Sarah Long of Drexel University.

About 26 million Americans got their last Pfizer dose at least six months ago, about half of whom are 65 or older. It’s not clear how many more would meet the CDC panel’s initial booster qualifications.

CDC data shows the vaccines still offer strong protection for all ages, but there is a slight drop among the oldest adults. And immunity against milder infection appears to be waning months after people’s initial immunization.

For most people, if you’re not in a group recommended for a booster, “it’s really because we think you’re well-protected,” said Dr. Matthew Daley of Kaiser Permanente Colorado. “This isn’t about who deserves a booster, but who needs a booster.”

The panelists also wrestled with how to even tell when a booster is needed. While an extra dose revs up numbers of virus-fighting antibodies, those naturally wane over time and no one knows how long the antibody boost from a third Pfizer dose will last -- or how much protection it really adds, since the immune system also forms additional defenses after vaccination.

WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. vaccination drive against COVID-19 stood on the verge of a major new phase as government advisers Thursday recommended booster doses of Pfizer’s vaccine for millions of older or otherwise vulnerable Americans — despite doubts the extra shots will do much to slow the pandemic.Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said boosters should be offered to people 65 and older, nursing home residents and those ages 50 to 64 who have risky underlying health problems. The extra dose would be given once they are at least six months past their last Pfizer shot.Deciding who else might get one was far tougher. While there is little evidence that younger people are in danger of waning immunity, the panel offered the option of a booster for those 18 to 49 who have chronic health problems and want one.But the advisers refused to go further and open boosters to otherwise healthy front-line health care workers who aren’t at risk of severe illness but want to avoid even a mild infection.“We might as well just say give it to everyone 18 and older. We have a very effective vaccine and it’s like saying, ‘It’s not working.’ It is working,” said Dr. Pablo Sanchez of Ohio State University, who helped block the broadest booster option.Still, getting the unvaccinated their first shots remains the top priority, and the panel wrestled with whether the booster debate was distracting from that goal.All three of the COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. still are highly protective against severe illness, hospitalization and death, even amid the spread of the extra-contagious delta variant. But only about 182 million Americans are fully vaccinated, just 55% of the population.“We can give boosters to people, but that’s not really the answer to this pandemic,” said Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University. “Hospitals are full because people are not vaccinated. We are declining care to people who deserve care because we are full of unvaccinated COVID-positive patients.”Thursday’s decision represented a dramatic scaling back of the Biden administration plan, announced last month, to dispense boosters to nearly everyone to shore up their protection. Late Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration, like the CDC, signed off on Pfizer boosters for a much more targeted slice of the American population than the White House envisioned.It falls to the CDC to set final U.S. policy on who qualifies for the extra shot. The CDC usually follows its advisers’ recommendations. A final decision from the agency was expected later Thursday.The booster plan marks an important shift in the nation’s vaccination drive. Britain and Israel are already giving a third round of shots over strong objections from the World Health Organization that poor countries don’t have enough for their initial doses.CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky opened Thursday’s meeting by stressing that vaccinating the unvaccinated remains the top goal “here in America and around the world.”Walensky acknowledged that the data on who really needs a booster right away “are not perfect.” “Yet collectively they form a picture for us,” she said, “and they are what we have in this moment to make a decision about the next stage in this pandemic.”The CDC panel stressed its recommendations will be changed if new evidence shows more people need a booster.The CDC advisers expressed concern over the millions more Americans who received Moderna or Johnson &amp; Johnson shots early in the vaccine rollout. The government still hasn’t considered boosters for those brands and has no data on whether it’s safe or effective to mix-and-match and give those people a Pfizer shot.“I just don’t understand how later this afternoon we can say to people 65 and older you’re at risk for severe illness and death but only half of you can protect yourselves right now,” said Dr. Sarah Long of Drexel University.About 26 million Americans got their last Pfizer dose at least six months ago, about half of whom are 65 or older. It’s not clear how many more would meet the CDC panel’s initial booster qualifications.CDC data shows the vaccines still offer strong protection for all ages, but there is a slight drop among the oldest adults. And immunity against milder infection appears to be waning months after people’s initial immunization.For most people, if you’re not in a group recommended for a booster, “it’s really because we think you’re well-protected,” said Dr. Matthew Daley of Kaiser Permanente Colorado. “This isn’t about who deserves a booster, but who needs a booster.”Among people who stand to benefit from a booster, there are few risks, the CDC concluded. Serious side effects from the first two Pfizer doses are exceedingly rare, including heart inflammation that sometimes occurs in younger men. Data from Israel, which has given nearly 3 million people — mostly 60 and older — a third Pfizer dose, has uncovered no red flags.The panelists also wrestled with how to even tell when a booster is needed. While an extra dose revs up numbers of virus-fighting antibodies, those naturally wane over time and no one knows how long the antibody boost from a third Pfizer dose will last -- or how much protection it really adds, since the immune system also forms additional defenses after vaccination.The U.S. has already authorized third doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for certain people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients and transplant recipients. Other Americans, healthy or not, have managed to get boosters, in some cases simply by asking.___

Despite concern, US sets stage for COVID booster shots 

NEW YORK (AP) — As the Boy Scouts of America moves through its complex bankruptcy case, it’s encountering criticism from major religious groups that help it run thousands of scout units. 

The churches fear an eventual settlement could leave many of them unprotected. 

The Boy Scouts sought bankruptcy protection in February 2020 to halt individual lawsuits and create a compensation fund for thousands of men who claim they were molested as youngsters by scout leaders. 

In July, the BSA proposed a deal that would bar further lawsuits against the national organization and its local councils. But the deal did not cover the more than 40,000 organizations, including churches, that have charters to sponsor scout units.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582026338805.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — As the Boy Scouts of America moves through its complex bankruptcy case, it’s encountering criticism from major religious groups that help it run thousands of scout units. The churches fear an eventual settlement could leave many of them unprotected. The Boy Scouts sought bankruptcy protection in February 2020 to halt individual lawsuits and create a compensation fund for thousands of men who claim they were molested as youngsters by scout leaders. In July, the BSA proposed a deal that would bar further lawsuits against the national organization and its local councils. But the deal did not cover the more than 40,000 organizations, including churches, that have charters to sponsor scout units.

Boy Scouts' bankruptcy creates rift with religious partners

WASHINGTON (AP) — With a personal push, President Joe Biden pressed fellow Democrats to hasten work on his big “build back better” agenda, telling them to come up with a final framework and their best topline budget figure as the party labors to bridge its divisions in Congress ahead of crucial voting deadlines.

Biden and Democratic House and Senate lawmakers met for hours of back-to-back-to-back private White House sessions stretching into Wednesday evening, convened at a pivotal juncture for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-5ff8a8f7403e1e8cc27f192d87894d9e">Biden’s $3.5 trillion package</a>&nbsp;as lawmakers struggle to draft details of the ambitious effort. With Republicans solidly opposed, Democratic leaders are counting on the president to galvanize consensus between progressives and centrists in their party.

Biden first conferred with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, then held separate sessions with moderate and progressive senators and representatives. The president listened intently, lawmakers said, but also indicated strongly he wanted progress soon, by next week.

“We’re in good shape,” Pelosi told reporters after returning to the Capitol.

The White House called the meetings “productive and candid” and said follow-up work would be immediately underway. Earlier in the day, press secretary Jen Psaki said the White House realized that with time growing short “there needs to be deeper engagement by the president.”

The intense focus on Biden’s big-money domestic proposal showcases how much is at stake politically for the president and his party in Congress. The administration has suffered setbacks elsewhere, notably with the Afghanistan withdrawal and prolonged COVID-19 crisis, and Democrats are running short of time, anxious to make good on campaign promises.

Congress is racing toward Monday’s deadline for a House vote on the first part of Biden’s plan — a $1 trillion public works measure — which now also serves as a deadline for producing a compromise framework for the broader package.

At one point, Biden told the lawmakers there were plenty of conference rooms at the White House they could use to hunker down this weekend as some suggested they roll up their sleeves and stay to get final details done.

Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a key centrist who has balked at the $3.5 trillion price tag, said the president told him to come up with a number he could live with.

“He just basically said, ‘Find it,’” Manchin said. ”‘Just work on it, give me a number.’”

“The president is really fired up,” said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, after the evening’s final session.

Meanwhile, the House and Senate remained at a standstill over a separate package to keep the government funded past the Sept. 30 fiscal yearend and to suspend the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-explained-8c9cbcd3d0c4a8fe989a0110f5159f7c">federal debt limit</a>&nbsp;to avert a shutdown and a devastating U.S. default on payments. Senate Republicans are refusing the House-passed bill.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said at a news conference Tuesday that failing to extend the debt limit was “just not something we can contemplate or we should contemplate.”

As for Biden’s big plans, the president and the Democratic lawmakers appeared to have not fully resolved their differences ahead of Monday’s test vote on the smaller public works bill for roads, broadband and public water projects.

Centrist Democrats want swift passage of the slimmer public works bill and have raised concerns about the price tag of Biden’s broader vision, but progressive Democrats are withholding their votes for the $1 trillion measure they view as inadequate unless it’s linked to the bigger package.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, a leader of the centrist coalition who attended one of the White House meetings, said all agreed on doing both — passing the bill Monday and working on the bigger package.

But Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued a statement after another meeting with Biden reiterating that some 50 members plan to vote against the bipartisan measure unless it’s linked to the broader bill. She has said the two bills must move “in tandem” to win the progressive votes.

Beyond the public works measure, Biden’s “build back” agenda is a sweeping overhaul of federal taxes and spending to make what the president views as overdue investments in health care, family services and efforts to fight climate change.

The $3.5 trillion package would impose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-joe-biden-business-personal-taxes-137e00b41f113f85cc241438c780785b">tax hikes on corporations and wealthy Americans</a>&nbsp;earning beyond $400,000 a year and plow that money back into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-69c7bb592f8d73232bec1d8e15be82e3">federal programs for young and old,</a>&nbsp;along with investments to tackle climate change.

Tensions are high as the Biden agenda is a key campaign promise not only from the president but most of the the Democratic lawmakers, including those in the House who face re-election next year.

“It wasn’t a matter of when we get it done, it was how we get it done,” said Rep. Steven Horsford of Nevada, who was with the moderate group meeting with Biden.

All told, more than 20 lawmakers were invited to confer with Biden, moderates and progressives in separate meetings stretching into the evening, making their best pitches, Manchin and another key centrist Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, among them.

Despite disputes, many Democrats say they expect the final product to align with Biden’s broader vision and eventually have robust party support, even if that version is adjusted or scaled back.

But Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., a leader of the centrist Blue Dog caucus, said the big bill will take more time. “I’m not sure that we’re at a place of closing out just yet,” she said.

While all this is going on, the government faces a shutdown if funding stops on Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. Additionally, at some point in October the U.S. risks defaulting on its accumulated debt load if its borrowing limits are not waived or adjusted.

Rushing to prevent that dire outcome, the Democratic-led House passed the funding-and-debt measure Tuesday night, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-mitch-mcconnell-janet-yellen-eb14f403fb747f6ec0e05ad4f382bc91">Republicans are refusing to give their support</a>&nbsp;in the Senate, despite the risk of triggering a fiscal crisis.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has said since Democrats control the White House and Congress, it’s their problem to find the votes — though he had relied on bipartisan cooperation to approve debt limit measures when Republicans were in charge.

But in the 50-50 Senate, Democrats will be hard-pressed to find 10 Republicans to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster. Other options to try to pass the debt ceiling package could be procedurally difficult.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632405115581.png" alt="The intense focus on Biden’s big-money domestic proposal showcases how much is at stake politically for the president and his party in Congress.-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>The intense focus on Biden’s big-money domestic proposal showcases how much is at stake politically for the president and his party in Congress.-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — With a personal push, President Joe Biden pressed fellow Democrats to hasten work on his big “build back better” agenda, telling them to come up with a final framework and their best topline budget figure as the party labors to bridge its divisions in Congress ahead of crucial voting deadlines.Biden and Democratic House and Senate lawmakers met for hours of back-to-back-to-back private White House sessions stretching into Wednesday evening, convened at a pivotal juncture for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-5ff8a8f7403e1e8cc27f192d87894d9e">Biden’s $3.5 trillion package</a>&nbsp;as lawmakers struggle to draft details of the ambitious effort. With Republicans solidly opposed, Democratic leaders are counting on the president to galvanize consensus between progressives and centrists in their party.Biden first conferred with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, then held separate sessions with moderate and progressive senators and representatives. The president listened intently, lawmakers said, but also indicated strongly he wanted progress soon, by next week.“We’re in good shape,” Pelosi told reporters after returning to the Capitol.The White House called the meetings “productive and candid” and said follow-up work would be immediately underway. Earlier in the day, press secretary Jen Psaki said the White House realized that with time growing short “there needs to be deeper engagement by the president.”The intense focus on Biden’s big-money domestic proposal showcases how much is at stake politically for the president and his party in Congress. The administration has suffered setbacks elsewhere, notably with the Afghanistan withdrawal and prolonged COVID-19 crisis, and Democrats are running short of time, anxious to make good on campaign promises.Congress is racing toward Monday’s deadline for a House vote on the first part of Biden’s plan — a $1 trillion public works measure — which now also serves as a deadline for producing a compromise framework for the broader package.At one point, Biden told the lawmakers there were plenty of conference rooms at the White House they could use to hunker down this weekend as some suggested they roll up their sleeves and stay to get final details done.Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a key centrist who has balked at the $3.5 trillion price tag, said the president told him to come up with a number he could live with.“He just basically said, ‘Find it,’” Manchin said. ”‘Just work on it, give me a number.’”“The president is really fired up,” said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, after the evening’s final session.Meanwhile, the House and Senate remained at a standstill over a separate package to keep the government funded past the Sept. 30 fiscal yearend and to suspend the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-explained-8c9cbcd3d0c4a8fe989a0110f5159f7c">federal debt limit</a>&nbsp;to avert a shutdown and a devastating U.S. default on payments. Senate Republicans are refusing the House-passed bill.Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said at a news conference Tuesday that failing to extend the debt limit was “just not something we can contemplate or we should contemplate.”As for Biden’s big plans, the president and the Democratic lawmakers appeared to have not fully resolved their differences ahead of Monday’s test vote on the smaller public works bill for roads, broadband and public water projects.Centrist Democrats want swift passage of the slimmer public works bill and have raised concerns about the price tag of Biden’s broader vision, but progressive Democrats are withholding their votes for the $1 trillion measure they view as inadequate unless it’s linked to the bigger package.Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, a leader of the centrist coalition who attended one of the White House meetings, said all agreed on doing both — passing the bill Monday and working on the bigger package.But Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued a statement after another meeting with Biden reiterating that some 50 members plan to vote against the bipartisan measure unless it’s linked to the broader bill. She has said the two bills must move “in tandem” to win the progressive votes.Beyond the public works measure, Biden’s “build back” agenda is a sweeping overhaul of federal taxes and spending to make what the president views as overdue investments in health care, family services and efforts to fight climate change.The $3.5 trillion package would impose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-joe-biden-business-personal-taxes-137e00b41f113f85cc241438c780785b">tax hikes on corporations and wealthy Americans</a>&nbsp;earning beyond $400,000 a year and plow that money back into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-69c7bb592f8d73232bec1d8e15be82e3">federal programs for young and old,</a>&nbsp;along with investments to tackle climate change.Tensions are high as the Biden agenda is a key campaign promise not only from the president but most of the the Democratic lawmakers, including those in the House who face re-election next year.“It wasn’t a matter of when we get it done, it was how we get it done,” said Rep. Steven Horsford of Nevada, who was with the moderate group meeting with Biden.All told, more than 20 lawmakers were invited to confer with Biden, moderates and progressives in separate meetings stretching into the evening, making their best pitches, Manchin and another key centrist Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, among them.Despite disputes, many Democrats say they expect the final product to align with Biden’s broader vision and eventually have robust party support, even if that version is adjusted or scaled back.But Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., a leader of the centrist Blue Dog caucus, said the big bill will take more time. “I’m not sure that we’re at a place of closing out just yet,” she said.While all this is going on, the government faces a shutdown if funding stops on Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. Additionally, at some point in October the U.S. risks defaulting on its accumulated debt load if its borrowing limits are not waived or adjusted.Rushing to prevent that dire outcome, the Democratic-led House passed the funding-and-debt measure Tuesday night, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-mitch-mcconnell-janet-yellen-eb14f403fb747f6ec0e05ad4f382bc91">Republicans are refusing to give their support</a>&nbsp;in the Senate, despite the risk of triggering a fiscal crisis.Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has said since Democrats control the White House and Congress, it’s their problem to find the votes — though he had relied on bipartisan cooperation to approve debt limit measures when Republicans were in charge.But in the 50-50 Senate, Democrats will be hard-pressed to find 10 Republicans to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster. Other options to try to pass the debt ceiling package could be procedurally difficult.___

Biden presses fellow Dems: Resolve party split on $3.5T plan

WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. moved a step closer Wednesday to offering booster doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to senior citizens and others at high risk from the virus as the Food and Drug Administration signed off on the targeted use of extra shots.

The FDA authorized booster doses for Americans who are 65 and older, younger adults with underlying health conditions and those in jobs that put them at high risk for COVID-19. The ruling represents a drastically scaled back version of the Biden administration’s sweeping plan to give third doses to nearly all American adults to shore up their protection amid the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.

However, more regulatory hurdles lie ahead before the dispensing of boosters can begin.

Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention opened a two-day meeting Wednesday to make their own, more specific recommendations about who should get the extra shots and when. And in their first day of discussions, some experts were so perplexed by the questions surrounding the rationale for boosters that they suggested putting off a decision for a month in hopes of more evidence.

The uncertainties were yet another reminder that the science surrounding boosters is more complicated than the Biden administration suggested when the president and his top aides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-booster-shots-a10daad08f6d47aa5beca0b4da9da9d2">rolled out their plan at the White House&nbsp;</a>last month.

The FDA decision Wednesday was expected after the agency’s own panel of advisers last week overwhelmingly rejected the Biden plan. The panel instead recommended boosters only for those most vulnerable to severe cases of COVID-19.

FDA acting commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock said in a statement that the FDA authorization would allow for boosters in health care workers, teachers, grocery workers and those in homeless shelters or prisons.

“As we learn more about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, including the use of a booster dose, we will continue to evaluate the rapidly changing science and keep the public informed,” Woodcock said.

Under the FDA authorization, vaccinated Americans are eligible for a third dose six months after receiving their second Pfizer shot. That’s different than the Biden proposal announced in August, which called for boosters after eight months.

“Today’s FDA decision is a major step forward in our effort to provide Americans with additional protection from COVID-19,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted Wednesday night. “We have been preparing for weeks to administer booster shots to eligible Americans and are ready to do so following CDC’s final recommendation later this week.”

The timing of the FDA decision was highly unusual given that the agency typically takes action before the CDC convenes its own experts.

The CDC panelists heard a series of presentations Wednesday outlining the knotty state of science on boosters. On one hand, the COVID-19 vaccines continue to offer strong protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death. On the other hand, there are signs of more low-grade infections among the vaccinated as immunity wanes.

Ultimately the committee must decide who is considered at high enough risk for an extra dose. Data provided by Pfizer and the Israeli government suggests a strong case for boosters in people 65 and older, but there is less evidence that extra shots provide much benefit for younger people with underlying health conditions.

Several CDC advisers agreed boosters are also important for keeping health care workers on the job.

“We don’t have enough health care workers to take care of the unvaccinated,” said Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University. “They just keep coming.”

The CDC has already said it is considering boosters for older people, nursing home residents and front-line health care workers, rather than all adults.

The World Health Organization and other global health advocates are opposed to wealthy nations dispensing a third round of shots when poor countries don’t have enough vaccine for their first doses. And many independent scientists say that the vaccines continue to perform well against the worst effects of COVID-19 and that their ability to curb the overall trajectory of the epidemic is uncertain.

U.S. regulators will decide at a later date on boosters for people who have received the Moderna or Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccines. They indicated the Pfizer shots would not be recommended for people who got a different brand of vaccine initially.

The across-the-board rollout of boosters proposed by the White House was supposed to have begun this week. Some questioned whether President Joe Biden had gotten ahead of the science by announcing his plans before government regulators had reached any conclusions.

Despite the resistance in recent days, some top U.S. health officials said they expect boosters to eventually win broader approval in the coming weeks or months. Dr. Anthony Fauci said over the weekend that “this is not the end of the story.”

Other administration officials noted that the FDA decision covers tens of millions of Americans and that seniors and other high-risk groups would have been the first to get boosters even if extra shots had been authorized for the entire population. Seniors were in the first group of Americans eligible for vaccination last December.

The U.S. is dispensing around 760,000 vaccinations per day on average, down from a high of 3.4 million a day in mid-April. About 180 million Americans are fully vaccinated, or 64% of those who are eligible.

WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. moved a step closer Wednesday to offering booster doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to senior citizens and others at high risk from the virus as the Food and Drug Administration signed off on the targeted use of extra shots.The FDA authorized booster doses for Americans who are 65 and older, younger adults with underlying health conditions and those in jobs that put them at high risk for COVID-19. The ruling represents a drastically scaled back version of the Biden administration’s sweeping plan to give third doses to nearly all American adults to shore up their protection amid the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.However, more regulatory hurdles lie ahead before the dispensing of boosters can begin.Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention opened a two-day meeting Wednesday to make their own, more specific recommendations about who should get the extra shots and when. And in their first day of discussions, some experts were so perplexed by the questions surrounding the rationale for boosters that they suggested putting off a decision for a month in hopes of more evidence.The uncertainties were yet another reminder that the science surrounding boosters is more complicated than the Biden administration suggested when the president and his top aides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-booster-shots-a10daad08f6d47aa5beca0b4da9da9d2">rolled out their plan at the White House&nbsp;</a>last month.The FDA decision Wednesday was expected after the agency’s own panel of advisers last week overwhelmingly rejected the Biden plan. The panel instead recommended boosters only for those most vulnerable to severe cases of COVID-19.FDA acting commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock said in a statement that the FDA authorization would allow for boosters in health care workers, teachers, grocery workers and those in homeless shelters or prisons.“As we learn more about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, including the use of a booster dose, we will continue to evaluate the rapidly changing science and keep the public informed,” Woodcock said.Under the FDA authorization, vaccinated Americans are eligible for a third dose six months after receiving their second Pfizer shot. That’s different than the Biden proposal announced in August, which called for boosters after eight months.“Today’s FDA decision is a major step forward in our effort to provide Americans with additional protection from COVID-19,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted Wednesday night. “We have been preparing for weeks to administer booster shots to eligible Americans and are ready to do so following CDC’s final recommendation later this week.”The timing of the FDA decision was highly unusual given that the agency typically takes action before the CDC convenes its own experts.The CDC panelists heard a series of presentations Wednesday outlining the knotty state of science on boosters. On one hand, the COVID-19 vaccines continue to offer strong protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death. On the other hand, there are signs of more low-grade infections among the vaccinated as immunity wanes.Ultimately the committee must decide who is considered at high enough risk for an extra dose. Data provided by Pfizer and the Israeli government suggests a strong case for boosters in people 65 and older, but there is less evidence that extra shots provide much benefit for younger people with underlying health conditions.Several CDC advisers agreed boosters are also important for keeping health care workers on the job.“We don’t have enough health care workers to take care of the unvaccinated,” said Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University. “They just keep coming.”The CDC has already said it is considering boosters for older people, nursing home residents and front-line health care workers, rather than all adults.The World Health Organization and other global health advocates are opposed to wealthy nations dispensing a third round of shots when poor countries don’t have enough vaccine for their first doses. And many independent scientists say that the vaccines continue to perform well against the worst effects of COVID-19 and that their ability to curb the overall trajectory of the epidemic is uncertain.U.S. regulators will decide at a later date on boosters for people who have received the Moderna or Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccines. They indicated the Pfizer shots would not be recommended for people who got a different brand of vaccine initially.The across-the-board rollout of boosters proposed by the White House was supposed to have begun this week. Some questioned whether President Joe Biden had gotten ahead of the science by announcing his plans before government regulators had reached any conclusions.Despite the resistance in recent days, some top U.S. health officials said they expect boosters to eventually win broader approval in the coming weeks or months. Dr. Anthony Fauci said over the weekend that “this is not the end of the story.”Other administration officials noted that the FDA decision covers tens of millions of Americans and that seniors and other high-risk groups would have been the first to get boosters even if extra shots had been authorized for the entire population. Seniors were in the first group of Americans eligible for vaccination last December.The U.S. has already authorized third doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for certain people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients and transplant recipients. Other Americans, healthy or not, have managed to get boosters, in some cases simply by asking.The U.S. is dispensing around 760,000 vaccinations per day on average, down from a high of 3.4 million a day in mid-April. About 180 million Americans are fully vaccinated, or 64% of those who are eligible.___

FDA OKs extra shots of Pfizer COVID vaccine for seniors, others at high risk

HALL COUNTY, Neb.-A man has died after his vehicle struck a train in Central Nebraska.

On Sept. 22 at around 10:13 p.m., the Hall County Sheriff's Department responded to a report of an injury accident at Highway 30 and Schimmer Road. 

 Upon arrival, deputies discovered that a Red 2001 Dodge Van had struck a Union Pacific train.

  Preliminary investigation indicates that the van had been westbound on Highway 30.

The train had been moving several train cars from the main track on the south side of Highway 30, across highway 30 to the north.  This track is located just East of Highway 30 and Schimmer.

The driver and lone occupant in the vehicle was identified to be Paul Arndt. Arndt was pronounced deceased on the scene.  The operators of the train were not injured.

The HCSO Accident Reconstruction Team responded to the scene and conducted an investigation which is currently ongoing. &nbsp;

By Scott Carlson North Platte PostHALL COUNTY, Neb.-A man has died after his vehicle struck a train in Central Nebraska.On Sept. 22 at around 10:13 p.m., the Hall County Sheriff's Department responded to a report of an injury accident at Highway 30 and Schimmer Road. Upon arrival, deputies discovered that a Red 2001 Dodge Van had struck a Union Pacific train. Preliminary investigation indicates that the van had been westbound on Highway 30.The train had been moving several train cars from the main track on the south side of Highway 30, across highway 30 to the north. This track is located just East of Highway 30 and Schimmer.The driver and lone occupant in the vehicle was identified to be Paul Arndt. Arndt was pronounced deceased on the scene. The operators of the train were not injured.The HCSO Accident Reconstruction Team responded to the scene and conducted an investigation which is currently ongoing. &nbsp;Arndt's next of kin have been notified.

One dead after vehicle collides with train in Hall County

MEADE COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just after 8p.m. Wednesday in Meade County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 driven by Neil&nbsp;Peters-Krahn, 53, Montezuma, Kan. was northbound on Road 26 nine miles east of Kansas 23.

The driver failed to yield at U.S. 54. A&nbsp; westbound 2018 Freightliner semi driven by Victor Manuel Campos-Ramirez, Victor Manuel, 59, Los Angeles, CA., struck the Dodge Ram.

Peters-Krahn was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported Campos-Ramirez to the hospital in Meade. Peters-Krahn was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

MEADE COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just after 8p.m. Wednesday in Meade County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 driven by Neil&nbsp;Peters-Krahn, 53, Montezuma, Kan. was northbound on Road 26 nine miles east of Kansas 23.The driver failed to yield at U.S. 54. A&nbsp; westbound 2018 Freightliner semi driven by Victor Manuel Campos-Ramirez, Victor Manuel, 59, Los Angeles, CA., struck the Dodge Ram.Peters-Krahn was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported Campos-Ramirez to the hospital in Meade. Peters-Krahn was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after crash with a semi

The
 Federal Trade Commission is sending refund checks totaling nearly $5 
million to people who lost money to a cramming scheme that added charges
 to their home phone bills without their permission.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCThe
 Federal Trade Commission is sending refund checks totaling nearly $5 
million to people who lost money to a cramming scheme that added charges
 to their home phone bills without their permission.The refunds stem from money the <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2016/05/company-placed-crammed-charges-consumers-phone-bills-settles-ftc">FTC collected from a group of defendants</a>
 who admitted that they violated a 1999 FTC settlement order that 
prohibited them from unauthorized billing. For years, the defendants, 
Billing Services Group (BSG), operated as a phone billing aggregator, 
passing charges from third parties to telephone companies so that those 
charges could be placed on consumers’ landline telephone bills. The 
defendants admitted that they did not vet the charges before processing 
them and did not investigate consumer complaints about unauthorized 
charges.<a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/federal.trade.commission/viz/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase"></a>The
 FTC will be sending 86,752 checks averaging about $56 each. People who 
receive checks should deposit or cash them within 90 days, as indicated 
on the check. Recipients who have questions about their checks can call 
the refund administrator, Epiq, at 800-591-4238. The FTC never requires 
people to pay money or provide account information to cash a refund 
check.The FTC’s <a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/federal.trade.commission/viz/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase">interactive dashboards for refund data(link is external)</a>
 provide a state-by-state breakdown of FTC refunds. In 2020, FTC actions
 led to more than $483 million in refunds to consumers across the 
country, but recently the United States Supreme Court ruled the FTC 
lacks authority under Section 13(b) to seek monetary relief in federal 
court going forward. The <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/04/ftc-asks-congress-pass-legislation-reviving-agencys-authority">Commission has urged Congress</a> to restore the FTC’s ability to get money back for consumers.The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and file a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/complaint">consumer complaint online</a> or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357).&nbsp;For the latest news and resources, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/social-media">follow the FTC on social media</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> and read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>.