NEMAHA COUNTY—Authorities investigating a fatal Labor Day accident have identified the teen who died as 16-year-old Lawson Schmelzle of Seneca.

Just before 10:30 a.m. Monday, deputies responded to report of a crash on Q Road south of 112th, according to the Nemaha County Sheriff.

Investigators determined a 2005 Chevrolet pickup driven by Schmelzle was northbound, traveled left of center and struck the rear axle of a southbound&nbsp; 1989 Freightliner semi driven by Craig Nolte, 32, Seneca. 

After impact, the pickup traveled off the east side of the road and flipped. Schmelzle was pronounced dead at the scene. The sheriff's department reported no additional information.

NEMAHA COUNTY—Authorities investigating a fatal Labor Day accident have identified the teen who died as 16-year-old Lawson Schmelzle of Seneca.Just before 10:30 a.m. Monday, deputies responded to report of a crash on Q Road south of 112th, according to the Nemaha County Sheriff.Investigators determined a 2005 Chevrolet pickup driven by Schmelzle was northbound, traveled left of center and struck the rear axle of a southbound&nbsp; 1989 Freightliner semi driven by Craig Nolte, 32, Seneca. After impact, the pickup traveled off the east side of the road and flipped. Schmelzle was pronounced dead at the scene. The sheriff's department reported no additional information.

Sheriff IDs Kansas teen who died after crash with a semi

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend shooting have identified the victim as 27-year-old Travis Eugene Bowman of Kansas City, Kansas, according to police. The suspect is 35-year-old Darnell D. Walker of Kansas City, Kansas.

Just after 10:30p.m. Saturday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2200 Block of Silver Court in Kansas City, Kansas.

They found Bowman with a gunshot wound. EMS transported the him to an area hospital where he died.&nbsp;

Police believe the shooting occurred as the result of an argument and physical altercation between the two men over a missing Amazon package that had been delivered to the apartment of the victim's sister.

Walker is being held on a $250,000 bond on requested charges of first degree murder.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have made an arrest.

Just after 10:30p.m. Saturday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2200 Block of Silver Court in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.

They found a man in his late 20s with a gunshot wound. EMS transported the victim to an area hospital where he died. Police took a suspect into custody. Police have not released the victim's name or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630976998538.png" alt="Walker-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Walker-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend shooting have identified the victim as 27-year-old Travis Eugene Bowman of Kansas City, Kansas, according to police. The suspect is 35-year-old Darnell D. Walker of Kansas City, Kansas.Just after 10:30p.m. Saturday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2200 Block of Silver Court in Kansas City, Kansas.They found Bowman with a gunshot wound. EMS transported the him to an area hospital where he died.&nbsp;Police believe the shooting occurred as the result of an argument and physical altercation between the two men over a missing Amazon package that had been delivered to the apartment of the victim's sister.Walker is being held on a $250,000 bond on requested charges of first degree murder.---------WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have made an arrest.Just after 10:30p.m. Saturday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2200 Block of Silver Court in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.They found a man in his late 20s with a gunshot wound. EMS transported the victim to an area hospital where he died. Police took a suspect into custody. Police have not released the victim's name or additional details.

Kansas man killed over missing Amazon package

ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) — Police have arrested a Missouri woman accused of cutting the throat of a 6-year-old boy late last month.

Natalia Jacquemin, 46, of St. Peters, has been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the Aug. 27 attack, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/st-peters-woman-charged-with-slitting-throat-of-6-year-old-boy/article_28570c0c-73f3-57e3-98e0-b34b3f881470.html" target="_blank">St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported</a>. Jacquemin called police late that night to report she had “slit the throat” of the boy, whom she thought was dead, police said.

Jacquemin said on the call that she cut the boy’s throat and had tried to get the boy “away from his dad,” according to authorities. The boy survived but suffered an 8-inch laceration across the front of his neck that damaged his muscles and required surgery, police said.

Police have not said what Jacquemin’s relationship is to the child. She is being held on $2 million cash bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631046246488.png" alt="Jacquemin-photo St. Charles Co." />
 <figcaption>Jacquemin-photo St. Charles Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) — Police have arrested a Missouri woman accused of cutting the throat of a 6-year-old boy late last month.Natalia Jacquemin, 46, of St. Peters, has been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the Aug. 27 attack, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/st-peters-woman-charged-with-slitting-throat-of-6-year-old-boy/article_28570c0c-73f3-57e3-98e0-b34b3f881470.html" target="_blank">St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported</a>. Jacquemin called police late that night to report she had “slit the throat” of the boy, whom she thought was dead, police said.Jacquemin said on the call that she cut the boy’s throat and had tried to get the boy “away from his dad,” according to authorities. The boy survived but suffered an 8-inch laceration across the front of his neck that damaged his muscles and required surgery, police said.Police have not said what Jacquemin’s relationship is to the child. She is being held on $2 million cash bond.

Police: Missouri woman cut throat of 6-year-old boy

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Two people including a Kansas sheriff's deputy were injured in an accident during a pursuit just before 12:30a.m. Monday in Sedgwick County.

A deputy had observed suspicious activity between individuals at a gas station at Seneca and McCormick in Wichita, according to Sedgwick County Undersheriff Brian White during a Tuesday press conference.&nbsp;

The deputy requested assistance and another deputy responded to the location. As the deputy neared the location, the individuals involved in the suspicious activity left the area eastbound on McCormick in a Chevy HHR without headlights on.

Both deputies pulled in behind the SUV and attempted a traffic stop near Lincoln and McLean. The driver refused to stop and the chase was underway. The pursuit continued for approximately 7 minutes and 30 seconds at speeds from 70-80 miles per hour, according to White.&nbsp;

At one point the fleeing driver turned north on Topeka, a one-way street for southbound traffic.&nbsp; The pursuit continued until the the 2014 Dodge Charger driven by Deputy Justin Mixon, 32, collided at the intersection with a westbound 2020 Honda CRV driven by Muktaben&nbsp;Bhakta, 52, Wichita, and then struck a building. Immediately after the crash, the second deputy involved ended the pursuit, requested EMS and rendered aid to Bhatka.&nbsp;

EMS transported Bhatka and Deputy Mixon to an area hospital in serious condition. Mixon has been released from the hospital, according to White. He had no update on the Bhatka's condition Tuesday afternoon.

Officers continue to search for the suspect wanted in the pursuit.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas deputy was injured in a crash during pursuit just before 12:30a.m. Monday in Sedgwick County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Dodge Charger driven by Deputy Justin Mixon, 32, Derby, was&nbsp;northbound on Topeka Street at Douglas in pursuit of another vehicle.

The Charger collided at the intersection with a westbound 2020 Honda CRV driven by Muktaben&nbsp;Bhakta, 52, Wichita, and then struck a building.

EMS transported both drivers to a Wichita hospital. Officers continue to search for the suspect wanted in the pursuit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630973561276.png" alt="The Sedgwick County deputies's Dodge Charger as it is removed from the crash scene. -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>The Sedgwick County deputies's Dodge Charger as it is removed from the crash scene. -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— Two people including a Kansas sheriff's deputy were injured in an accident during a pursuit just before 12:30a.m. Monday in Sedgwick County.A deputy had observed suspicious activity between individuals at a gas station at Seneca and McCormick in Wichita, according to Sedgwick County Undersheriff Brian White during a Tuesday press conference.&nbsp;The deputy requested assistance and another deputy responded to the location. As the deputy neared the location, the individuals involved in the suspicious activity left the area eastbound on McCormick in a Chevy HHR without headlights on.Both deputies pulled in behind the SUV and attempted a traffic stop near Lincoln and McLean. The driver refused to stop and the chase was underway. The pursuit continued for approximately 7 minutes and 30 seconds at speeds from 70-80 miles per hour, according to White.&nbsp;At one point the fleeing driver turned north on Topeka, a one-way street for southbound traffic.&nbsp; The pursuit continued until the the 2014 Dodge Charger driven by Deputy Justin Mixon, 32, collided at the intersection with a westbound 2020 Honda CRV driven by Muktaben&nbsp;Bhakta, 52, Wichita, and then struck a building. Immediately after the crash, the second deputy involved ended the pursuit, requested EMS and rendered aid to Bhatka.&nbsp;EMS transported Bhatka and Deputy Mixon to an area hospital in serious condition. Mixon has been released from the hospital, according to White. He had no update on the Bhatka's condition Tuesday afternoon.Officers continue to search for the suspect wanted in the pursuit.--------------SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas deputy was injured in a crash during pursuit just before 12:30a.m. Monday in Sedgwick County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Dodge Charger driven by Deputy Justin Mixon, 32, Derby, was&nbsp;northbound on Topeka Street at Douglas in pursuit of another vehicle.The Charger collided at the intersection with a westbound 2020 Honda CRV driven by Muktaben&nbsp;Bhakta, 52, Wichita, and then struck a building.EMS transported both drivers to a Wichita hospital. Officers continue to search for the suspect wanted in the pursuit.

Update: Kan. woman, deputy injured after crash during chase

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police in Lincoln have identified a man killed over the weekend in an apartment shooting and announced an arrest in the case. 

Police say 28-year-old Alonzo Jones died in the Sunday morning shooting at the Tanglewood apartment complex. 

Police say 23-year-old Lendell Harris immediately turned himself to the Lancaster County Jail and was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and use of a weapon to commit a felony. But an attorney for Harris, Dick Clark, says Jones was the aggressor and that Harris shot him in self-defense.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631045683809.png" alt="Harris" />
 <figcaption>Harris</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police in Lincoln have identified a man killed over the weekend in an apartment shooting and announced an arrest in the case. Police say 28-year-old Alonzo Jones died in the Sunday morning shooting at the Tanglewood apartment complex. Police say 23-year-old Lendell Harris immediately turned himself to the Lancaster County Jail and was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and use of a weapon to commit a felony. But an attorney for Harris, Dick Clark, says Jones was the aggressor and that Harris shot him in self-defense.

Police ID man killed in Lincoln apartment shooting; arrest made

OMAHA, Neb.-Officials with the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha said an escaped rhinoceros is safe and back in his enclosure.

According to zoo officials, staff was alerted to an Indian rhino out of its enclosure at around 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

The zoo enacted its emergency protocols to ensure the safety of guests, students, animals and employees.

Students and guests were immediately moved to a secure location and all entry points to the zoo were closed.

Officials said the rhino was found about 30 feet from his enclosure eating grass.

Staff used pickups and treats like apples to entice the rhino back into his enclosure.

After about 50 minutes, the rhino, Jontu, was safely returned to his enclose, and normal zoo operations continued.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631045356506.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By Scott Carlson North Platte PostOMAHA, Neb.-Officials with the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha said an escaped rhinoceros is safe and back in his enclosure.According to zoo officials, staff was alerted to an Indian rhino out of its enclosure at around 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday.The zoo enacted its emergency protocols to ensure the safety of guests, students, animals and employees.Students and guests were immediately moved to a secure location and all entry points to the zoo were closed.Officials said the rhino was found about 30 feet from his enclosure eating grass.Staff used pickups and treats like apples to entice the rhino back into his enclosure.After about 50 minutes, the rhino, Jontu, was safely returned to his enclose, and normal zoo operations continued.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FOmahaZoo%2Fvideos%2F804405516919647%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="429" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>

Rhino captured, safe after escaping at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo

News Release Nebraska State Patrol

The Nebraska State Patrol presented a citizen Public Service Award to Frank Axiotes for his heroic efforts to save two people from a burning vehicle, following a crash on Interstate 80 in Lincoln last year.

The crash occurred on September 25, 2020, near mile marker 403 in Lincoln. Axiotes was eastbound on I-80 when he witnessed the three-vehicle crash in the westbound lanes. Axiotes pulled over, ran across the eastbound lanes, and began attempts to assist those involved in the crash. The crash caused a fire that spread among the vehicles.

Axiotes ran to a Chevrolet Trailblazer that was pinned between a semi and the jersey barrier. He was able to safely help remove a 9-year-old boy from the back of the vehicle. He and another witness then worked together to break a window to get the boy’s sister, Maddie Daly, 21, out of the vehicle after she had been trapped inside.

“I just heard screaming and people telling me to get out and I didn’t know what was happening,” said Maddie Daly during today’s presentation. “I turned around and I saw my whole back end of my car in flames and that is when Frank stepped in and it was like a superhero movie. He jumped on top of the car and started punching in the windshield. I don’t want to think about what would happen if he wasn’t there to help.”

“I just stepped into action. I didn’t even think,” said Frank Axiotes. “I am so glad that they are okay and were able to walk away from that. You look back at the pictures and think back at the day and thank God he was looking out for us.”

In total, four people were transported to the hospital with minor injuries, thanks to the quick actions of Mr. Axiotes and other witnesses. Captain Martin Denton and Sergeant Jason Stahl presented the award today.

“This is just a small token of our appreciation as an agency for what you did for them,” Sgt. Stahl told Axiotes. “I personally want to thank you for saving their lives on that particular day.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631044831687.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release Nebraska State PatrolThe Nebraska State Patrol presented a citizen Public Service Award to Frank Axiotes for his heroic efforts to save two people from a burning vehicle, following a crash on Interstate 80 in Lincoln last year.The crash occurred on September 25, 2020, near mile marker 403 in Lincoln. Axiotes was eastbound on I-80 when he witnessed the three-vehicle crash in the westbound lanes. Axiotes pulled over, ran across the eastbound lanes, and began attempts to assist those involved in the crash. The crash caused a fire that spread among the vehicles.Axiotes ran to a Chevrolet Trailblazer that was pinned between a semi and the jersey barrier. He was able to safely help remove a 9-year-old boy from the back of the vehicle. He and another witness then worked together to break a window to get the boy’s sister, Maddie Daly, 21, out of the vehicle after she had been trapped inside.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631044858231.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“I just heard screaming and people telling me to get out and I didn’t know what was happening,” said Maddie Daly during today’s presentation. “I turned around and I saw my whole back end of my car in flames and that is when Frank stepped in and it was like a superhero movie. He jumped on top of the car and started punching in the windshield. I don’t want to think about what would happen if he wasn’t there to help.”“I just stepped into action. I didn’t even think,” said Frank Axiotes. “I am so glad that they are okay and were able to walk away from that. You look back at the pictures and think back at the day and thank God he was looking out for us.”In total, four people were transported to the hospital with minor injuries, thanks to the quick actions of Mr. Axiotes and other witnesses. Captain Martin Denton and Sergeant Jason Stahl presented the award today.“This is just a small token of our appreciation as an agency for what you did for them,” Sgt. Stahl told Axiotes. “I personally want to thank you for saving their lives on that particular day.”

Nebraska patrol honors man for saving 2 after crash in Lincoln

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department said Monday that it will not tolerate violence against anyone who is trying to obtain an abortion in Texas as federal officials explore options to challenge a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-technology-health-texas-us-supreme-court-85f0a113234774771bb6c2a7e51391cc">new state law that bans most abortions</a>.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department would “protect those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services” under a federal law known as the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.

Garland said in a statement that federal prosecutors are still urgently exploring options to challenge the Texas law. He said the Justice Department would enforce the federal law “in order to protect the constitutional rights of women and other persons, including access to an abortion.”

The federal law, commonly known as the FACE Act, prohibits physically obstructing or using the threat of force to intimidate or interfere with a person seeking reproductive health services. The law also prohibits damaging property at abortion clinics and other reproductive health centers.

The new Texas law prohibits abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, usually around six weeks — before some women know they’re pregnant. Courts have blocked other states from imposing similar restrictions, but Texas’ law differs significantly because it leaves enforcement up to private citizens through lawsuits instead of criminal prosecutors.

Justice Department officials have also been in contact with U.S. attorneys in Texas and the FBI field offices in the state to discuss enforcing the federal provisions.

“The department will provide support from federal law enforcement when an abortion clinic or reproductive health center is under attack,” Garland said. “We will not tolerate violence against those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services, physical obstruction or property damage in violation of the FACE Act.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617900442566.png" alt="Attorney General Garland said in a statement that federal prosecutors are still urgently exploring options to challenge the Texas law. -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Attorney General Garland said in a statement that federal prosecutors are still urgently exploring options to challenge the Texas law. -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department said Monday that it will not tolerate violence against anyone who is trying to obtain an abortion in Texas as federal officials explore options to challenge a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-technology-health-texas-us-supreme-court-85f0a113234774771bb6c2a7e51391cc">new state law that bans most abortions</a>.Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department would “protect those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services” under a federal law known as the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.Garland said in a statement that federal prosecutors are still urgently exploring options to challenge the Texas law. He said the Justice Department would enforce the federal law “in order to protect the constitutional rights of women and other persons, including access to an abortion.”The federal law, commonly known as the FACE Act, prohibits physically obstructing or using the threat of force to intimidate or interfere with a person seeking reproductive health services. The law also prohibits damaging property at abortion clinics and other reproductive health centers.The new Texas law prohibits abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, usually around six weeks — before some women know they’re pregnant. Courts have blocked other states from imposing similar restrictions, but Texas’ law differs significantly because it leaves enforcement up to private citizens through lawsuits instead of criminal prosecutors.Justice Department officials have also been in contact with U.S. attorneys in Texas and the FBI field offices in the state to discuss enforcing the federal provisions.“The department will provide support from federal law enforcement when an abortion clinic or reproductive health center is under attack,” Garland said. “We will not tolerate violence against those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services, physical obstruction or property damage in violation of the FACE Act.”

Justice Department takes action in latest abortion battle

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that fatally injured 34-year-old Preston Spencer of Wichita and injured five other woman who sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to Officer Charley Davidson.

Just after 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting call at the Enigma Club, 351 N. Mosley in Wichita.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located multiple victims.&nbsp; They were all transported to an area hospital for medical treatment.&nbsp;

The investigation revealed a male suspect got into a disturbance earlier inside the club and was made to leave.&nbsp; The suspect returned a short time later and fired multiple rounds with a handgun through windows into the club from the outside, striking the victims.

Police are expected to release additional details later Tuesday, according to Davidson.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police in the southeastern Kansas city of Wichita say one person was killed and seven others were injured in a shooting at a downtown nightclub. Wichita police Capt. Wendell Nicholson says the shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Enigma Club &amp; Lounge. 

Police believe a man who had been kicked out of the club returned with a gun. Television station KAKE reports that the man opened fire on club patrons from the sidewalk. 

Television station KSN reports that a 30-year-old man died from his injuries and seven others were injured. Police say they're searching for a suspect in his 20s.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631010543843.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting early Tuesday photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting early Tuesday photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that fatally injured 34-year-old Preston Spencer of Wichita and injured five other woman who sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to Officer Charley Davidson.Just after 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting call at the Enigma Club, 351 N. Mosley in Wichita.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located multiple victims.&nbsp; They were all transported to an area hospital for medical treatment.&nbsp;The investigation revealed a male suspect got into a disturbance earlier inside the club and was made to leave.&nbsp; The suspect returned a short time later and fired multiple rounds with a handgun through windows into the club from the outside, striking the victims.Police are expected to release additional details later Tuesday, according to Davidson.------WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police in the southeastern Kansas city of Wichita say one person was killed and seven others were injured in a shooting at a downtown nightclub. Wichita police Capt. Wendell Nicholson says the shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Enigma Club &amp; Lounge. Police believe a man who had been kicked out of the club returned with a gun. Television station KAKE reports that the man opened fire on club patrons from the sidewalk. Television station KSN reports that a 30-year-old man died from his injuries and seven others were injured. Police say they're searching for a suspect in his 20s.

Update: Police ID Kan. man killed in club shooting

NEW YORK (AP) — Millions of jobless Americans lost their unemployment benefits on Monday, leaving only a handful of economic support programs for those who are still being hit financially by the year-and-a-half-old coronavirus pandemic.

Two critical programs expired on Monday. One provided jobless aid to self-employed and gig workers and another provided benefits to those who have been unemployed more than six months. Further, the Biden administration’s $300 weekly supplemental unemployment benefit also ran out on Monday.

It’s estimated that roughly 8.9 million Americans will lose all or some of these benefits.

While the White House has encouraged states to keep paying the $300 weekly benefit by using money from the stimulus bills, no states have opted to do so. Many states even opted out of the federal program early after some businesses complained that they couldn’t find enough people to hire. The data have shown minimal economic benefits from cutting off aid early in those states.

Economists Peter McCrory and Daniel Silver of JPMorgan found “zero correlation″ between job growth and state decisions to drop the federal unemployment aid, at least so far. An economist at Columbia University, Kyle Coombs, found only minimal benefits.

The amount of money injected by the federal government into jobless benefits since the pandemic began is nothing short of astronomical. The roughly $650 billion, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, kept millions of Americans who lost their jobs through no fault of their own in their apartments, paying for food and gasoline, and keeping up with their bills. The banking industry has largely attributed the few defaults on loans this past 18 months to the government relief efforts.

“The end of the pandemic unemployment benefits will be an abrupt jolt to millions of Americans who won’t find a job in time for this arbitrary end to assistance,” Andrew Stettner with the Century Foundation said in a report.

The ending of these programs comes as the U.S. economy has recovered from the pandemic, but with substantial gaps in the recovery. The Labor Department says there are still 5.7 million fewer jobs than before the pandemic. Yet the department also estimated, last month, that there were roughly 10 million job openings.

These benefits are also ending sooner than during the previous crisis, the Great Recession. In that downturn, jobless benefits in various forms were extended from the start of the recession in 2008-2009 all the way until 2013. When those benefits finally ended, just 1.3 million people were still receiving aid.

Americans still financially struggling in the pandemic will find a smaller patchwork of social support programs, both at the state level and through the federal government.

The White House approved last month a 25% increase in food stamp assistance, also known as SNAP benefits. That increase will continue indefinitely for those 42.7 million Americans who receive those payments.

While the federal eviction moratorium has expired, roughly a dozen states — all controlled by Democrats — have extended their moratoriums, including California, New York, Washington, Illinois and Minnesota. New York’s eviction moratorium was extended until Jan. 15.

The Biden administration also pushed the restart of federal student loan repayments until January. Those were supposed to have restarted this month.

Those unemployed less than six months will still be able to collect their benefits, but the amount will fall back to the level that each state pays. The average weekly check is roughly $387, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, but varies greatly state by state.

But none of these programs will have the flexibility or direct impact as unemployment benefits being paid directly to jobless Americans, wrote JPMorgan economists McCrory and Silver. They say the loss of benefits could lead to job losses that potentially could offset any of the job gains made as the economy recovers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628346834944.png" alt="Pres. Biden has encouraged states to keep paying the $300 weekly benefit by using money from the stimulus bills, no states have opted to do so.-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Pres. Biden has encouraged states to keep paying the $300 weekly benefit by using money from the stimulus bills, no states have opted to do so.-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Millions of jobless Americans lost their unemployment benefits on Monday, leaving only a handful of economic support programs for those who are still being hit financially by the year-and-a-half-old coronavirus pandemic.Two critical programs expired on Monday. One provided jobless aid to self-employed and gig workers and another provided benefits to those who have been unemployed more than six months. Further, the Biden administration’s $300 weekly supplemental unemployment benefit also ran out on Monday.It’s estimated that roughly 8.9 million Americans will lose all or some of these benefits.While the White House has encouraged states to keep paying the $300 weekly benefit by using money from the stimulus bills, no states have opted to do so. Many states even opted out of the federal program early after some businesses complained that they couldn’t find enough people to hire. The data have shown minimal economic benefits from cutting off aid early in those states.Economists Peter McCrory and Daniel Silver of JPMorgan found “zero correlation″ between job growth and state decisions to drop the federal unemployment aid, at least so far. An economist at Columbia University, Kyle Coombs, found only minimal benefits.The amount of money injected by the federal government into jobless benefits since the pandemic began is nothing short of astronomical. The roughly $650 billion, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, kept millions of Americans who lost their jobs through no fault of their own in their apartments, paying for food and gasoline, and keeping up with their bills. The banking industry has largely attributed the few defaults on loans this past 18 months to the government relief efforts.“The end of the pandemic unemployment benefits will be an abrupt jolt to millions of Americans who won’t find a job in time for this arbitrary end to assistance,” Andrew Stettner with the Century Foundation said in a report.The ending of these programs comes as the U.S. economy has recovered from the pandemic, but with substantial gaps in the recovery. The Labor Department says there are still 5.7 million fewer jobs than before the pandemic. Yet the department also estimated, last month, that there were roughly 10 million job openings.These benefits are also ending sooner than during the previous crisis, the Great Recession. In that downturn, jobless benefits in various forms were extended from the start of the recession in 2008-2009 all the way until 2013. When those benefits finally ended, just 1.3 million people were still receiving aid.Americans still financially struggling in the pandemic will find a smaller patchwork of social support programs, both at the state level and through the federal government.The White House approved last month a 25% increase in food stamp assistance, also known as SNAP benefits. That increase will continue indefinitely for those 42.7 million Americans who receive those payments.While the federal eviction moratorium has expired, roughly a dozen states — all controlled by Democrats — have extended their moratoriums, including California, New York, Washington, Illinois and Minnesota. New York’s eviction moratorium was extended until Jan. 15.The Biden administration also pushed the restart of federal student loan repayments until January. Those were supposed to have restarted this month.Those unemployed less than six months will still be able to collect their benefits, but the amount will fall back to the level that each state pays. The average weekly check is roughly $387, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, but varies greatly state by state.But none of these programs will have the flexibility or direct impact as unemployment benefits being paid directly to jobless Americans, wrote JPMorgan economists McCrory and Silver. They say the loss of benefits could lead to job losses that potentially could offset any of the job gains made as the economy recovers.____

Jobless Americans have few options as benefits expire

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service reminds people that 
September&nbsp;15, 2021, is the deadline for third quarter estimated tax 
payments. This generally applies to people who are self-employed and 
some investors, retirees and those who may not normally have taxes 
withheld from their paycheck by their employers.

The U.S. tax system operates on a pay-as-you-go basis. This means 
taxpayers are to pay most of their tax during the year, as they earn or 
receive income. Therefore, individuals not subject to withholding may 
need to make quarterly estimated tax payments.

In most cases, taxpayers should make <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes">quarterly estimated tax payments</a> for 2021 if both of the following apply:

Taxpayers with income not subject to withholding, including interest, dividends, capital gains, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc452">alimony</a>, cryptocurrency and rental income, normally make estimated tax payments.

Special rules apply to some groups of taxpayers, such as farmers, fishermen, casualty and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/disaster-assistance-and-emergency-relief-for-individuals-and-businesses">disaster victims</a>, those who recently became disabled, recent retirees and those who receive income unevenly during the year. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/publications/p505">Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax</a>, provides more information on estimated tax rules. The worksheet in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040-es">Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals</a>, or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1120-w">Form 1120-W, Estimated Tax for Corporations</a>, has details on who must pay estimated tax.

If a taxpayer underpaid their taxes, they may have to pay a penalty. 
This applies whether they paid through withholding or through estimated 
tax payments. A penalty may also apply for late estimated tax payments 
even if someone is due a refund when they file their tax return.

To see if they owe a penalty, taxpayers should use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-2210">Form 2210</a>. The IRS may waive the penalty if someone underpaid because of unusual circumstances and not willful neglect. Examples include:

To figure estimated tax, an individual must figure their expected 
adjusted gross income (AGI), taxable income, taxes, deductions and 
credits for the year. When figuring 2021 estimated tax, it may be 
helpful to use income, deductions and credits for 2020 as a starting 
point. Use the 2020 federal tax return as a guide. Taxpayers can use 
Form 1040-ES to figure their estimated tax. Nonresident aliens use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040-es-nr">Form 1040-ES (NR)</a> to figure estimated tax.

Taxpayers must make adjustments both for changes in their own 
situation and for recent changes in the tax law. For instance, tax 
provisions in the American Rescue Plan of 2021 may impact an individual 
taxpayer's situation. For more information, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p505.pdf">Publication 505 under What's New for 2021</a>.

For information about these and other changes in the law, visit 
IRS.gov. The instructions for Form 1040-ES include a worksheet to help 
taxpayers figure their estimated tax. Keep the worksheet for records.

The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a>
 on IRS.gov offers taxpayers a clear, step-by-step method to have the 
right amount of tax withheld from wages and pensions. It also has 
instructions to file a new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">Form W-4</a> to give to their employer to adjust the amount withheld each payday.

The fourth and final 2021 estimated tax payment is due January&nbsp;17, 2022.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRS<h2>IRS YouTube Video:</h2><ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PWcQGMdvP8">Estimated Tax Payments</a></li>
 </ul>IR-2021-177, September 7, 2021WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service reminds people that 
September&nbsp;15, 2021, is the deadline for third quarter estimated tax 
payments. This generally applies to people who are self-employed and 
some investors, retirees and those who may not normally have taxes 
withheld from their paycheck by their employers.The U.S. tax system operates on a pay-as-you-go basis. This means 
taxpayers are to pay most of their tax during the year, as they earn or 
receive income. Therefore, individuals not subject to withholding may 
need to make quarterly estimated tax payments.<h2>Who should pay quarterly?</h2>In most cases, taxpayers should make <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes">quarterly estimated tax payments</a> for 2021 if both of the following apply:<ul>
 <li>Individuals expect to owe at least $1,000 in tax for 2021 after subtracting their withholding and tax credits.</li><li>They expect their withholding and tax credits to be less than the smaller of:
	90% of the tax to be shown on their 2021 tax return or100% of the tax shown on their 2020 tax return. Their 2020 tax return must cover all 12 months.</li><li>90% of the tax to be shown on their 2021 tax return or</li><li>100% of the tax shown on their 2020 tax return. Their 2020 tax return must cover all 12 months.</li>
 </ul>Taxpayers with income not subject to withholding, including interest, dividends, capital gains, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc452">alimony</a>, cryptocurrency and rental income, normally make estimated tax payments.Special rules apply to some groups of taxpayers, such as farmers, fishermen, casualty and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/disaster-assistance-and-emergency-relief-for-individuals-and-businesses">disaster victims</a>, those who recently became disabled, recent retirees and those who receive income unevenly during the year. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/publications/p505">Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax</a>, provides more information on estimated tax rules. The worksheet in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040-es">Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals</a>, or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1120-w">Form 1120-W, Estimated Tax for Corporations</a>, has details on who must pay estimated tax.<h2>Penalty for underpayment</h2>If a taxpayer underpaid their taxes, they may have to pay a penalty. 
This applies whether they paid through withholding or through estimated 
tax payments. A penalty may also apply for late estimated tax payments 
even if someone is due a refund when they file their tax return.To see if they owe a penalty, taxpayers should use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-2210">Form 2210</a>. The IRS may waive the penalty if someone underpaid because of unusual circumstances and not willful neglect. Examples include:<ul>
 <li>casualty, disaster or another unusual situation,</li><li>an individual retired after reaching age 62 during a tax year when estimated tax payments applied and</li><li>an individual became disabled during a tax year when estimated tax payments applied.</li>
 </ul><h2>How to figure estimated tax</h2>To figure estimated tax, an individual must figure their expected 
adjusted gross income (AGI), taxable income, taxes, deductions and 
credits for the year. When figuring 2021 estimated tax, it may be 
helpful to use income, deductions and credits for 2020 as a starting 
point. Use the 2020 federal tax return as a guide. Taxpayers can use 
Form 1040-ES to figure their estimated tax. Nonresident aliens use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040-es-nr">Form 1040-ES (NR)</a> to figure estimated tax.Taxpayers must make adjustments both for changes in their own 
situation and for recent changes in the tax law. For instance, tax 
provisions in the American Rescue Plan of 2021 may impact an individual 
taxpayer's situation. For more information, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p505.pdf">Publication 505 under What's New for 2021</a>.For information about these and other changes in the law, visit 
IRS.gov. The instructions for Form 1040-ES include a worksheet to help 
taxpayers figure their estimated tax. Keep the worksheet for records.The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a>
 on IRS.gov offers taxpayers a clear, step-by-step method to have the 
right amount of tax withheld from wages and pensions. It also has 
instructions to file a new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">Form W-4</a> to give to their employer to adjust the amount withheld each payday.<h2>Other IRS.gov resources</h2><ul>
 <li>The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">Pay</a> tab on the front page of IRS.gov provides complete tax payment information, how and when to pay, payment options and more.</li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-2210">Form 2210, Underpayment of Estimated Tax by Individuals, Estates, and Trusts</a></li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-2220">Form 2220, Underpayment of Estimated Tax by Corporations</a></li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-unemployment-compensation-is-taxable-have-tax-withheld-now-and-avoid-a-tax-time-surprise">IRS: Unemployment compensation is taxable; have tax withheld now and avoid a tax-time surprise</a></li>
 </ul>The fourth and final 2021 estimated tax payment is due January&nbsp;17, 2022.

IRS: Deadline for third quarter estimated tax payments looming

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — An investigation is underway after a 6-year-old girl on vacation with her family died at an amusement park in the western Colorado town of Glenwood Springs.

Few details have been released, but Suzanne Emery with the <a href="https://www.glenwoodcaverns.com/seasonal-attractions/">Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park s</a>ays “an incident” occurred Sunday evening on the Haunted Mine Drop ride that caused the death. The Post Independent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.postindependent.com/news/fatality-reported-at-glenwood-caverns-adventure-park/" target="_blank">reports</a>&nbsp;the park will be closed Monday and Tuesday.

“Out of respect and concern for all parties involved, we will not have further comment until all details have been confirmed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all involved,” Emery said in a news release.

Garfield County Coroner Robert Glassmire said park employees initiated first aid until paramedics arrived and determined the girl had died. The girl’s name has not been released.

The Haunted Mine Drop, which opened in July 2017, is billed as the first drop ride to go underground, plunging riders 110 feet (33 meters) inside of Iron Mountain. Park visitors are required to sign a release of liability waiver before going on any rides or attractions.

The sheriff’s and coroner’s offices are investigating the death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630969323925.png" alt="Photo courtesy Glenwood Cavern Adventure Park" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Glenwood Cavern Adventure Park</figcaption>
 </figure>GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — An investigation is underway after a 6-year-old girl on vacation with her family died at an amusement park in the western Colorado town of Glenwood Springs.Few details have been released, but Suzanne Emery with the <a href="https://www.glenwoodcaverns.com/seasonal-attractions/">Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park s</a>ays “an incident” occurred Sunday evening on the Haunted Mine Drop ride that caused the death. The Post Independent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.postindependent.com/news/fatality-reported-at-glenwood-caverns-adventure-park/" target="_blank">reports</a>&nbsp;the park will be closed Monday and Tuesday.“Out of respect and concern for all parties involved, we will not have further comment until all details have been confirmed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all involved,” Emery said in a news release.Garfield County Coroner Robert Glassmire said park employees initiated first aid until paramedics arrived and determined the girl had died. The girl’s name has not been released.The Haunted Mine Drop, which opened in July 2017, is billed as the first drop ride to go underground, plunging riders 110 feet (33 meters) inside of Iron Mountain. Park visitors are required to sign a release of liability waiver before going on any rides or attractions.The sheriff’s and coroner’s offices are investigating the death.

Girl, 6, dies on mine drop ride at Colorado amusement park

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Land that had served as the home of a Grand Island garden center will soon become the site of a FedEx Ground warehouse and distribution center. 

Television station KSNB reported the recent sale of the 33-acre campus for development of the FedEx Ground center, and work at the site has already begun. 

The land was annexed into city limits by the Grand Island City Council in 2019. FedEx said the distribution center is scheduled to open in the fall of 2022 and will be 215,000 square feet. 

FedEx spokeswoman Dana Hardek says the new facility will replace a smaller one in the Grand Island area and will employ a mix of full and part-time employees.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630956771822.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Land that had served as the home of a Grand Island garden center will soon become the site of a FedEx Ground warehouse and distribution center. Television station KSNB reported the recent sale of the 33-acre campus for development of the FedEx Ground center, and work at the site has already begun. The land was annexed into city limits by the Grand Island City Council in 2019. FedEx said the distribution center is scheduled to open in the fall of 2022 and will be 215,000 square feet. FedEx spokeswoman Dana Hardek says the new facility will replace a smaller one in the Grand Island area and will employ a mix of full and part-time employees.

FedEx Ground distribution center planned at Grand Island

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Fire officials are investigating an overnight warehouse fire near downtown Omaha. 

Crews were called to the fire around 2:20 a.m. Sunday by an anonymous caller reporting smoke coming from the building. 

Fire officials said in a news release that investigators found evidence of squatters in the building. 

Officials say the fire was contained to an officer area and was under control within minutes. 

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Fire officials are investigating an overnight warehouse fire near downtown Omaha. Crews were called to the fire around 2:20 a.m. Sunday by an anonymous caller reporting smoke coming from the building. Fire officials said in a news release that investigators found evidence of squatters in the building. Officials say the fire was contained to an officer area and was under control within minutes. No injuries were reported in the fire.

Fire officials investigating overnight Omaha warehouse fire

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a Lincoln man has died in a head-on crash involving a semitrailer near Lincoln. 

The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened Sunday afternoon on Highway 2. 

Investigators say a pickup truck driven by 43-year-old Eli Miller was eastbound on the highway when it crossed the center line and collided with the westbound semi. 

Miller was declared dead at the scene. The 47-year-old driver of the semi was taken to a Lincoln hospital for treatment of minor injuries. 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a Lincoln man has died in a head-on crash involving a semitrailer near Lincoln. The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened Sunday afternoon on Highway 2. Investigators say a pickup truck driven by 43-year-old Eli Miller was eastbound on the highway when it crossed the center line and collided with the westbound semi. Miller was declared dead at the scene. The 47-year-old driver of the semi was taken to a Lincoln hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The crash remains under investigation.

Lincoln man killed in head-on crash with semitrailer

NEW YORK (AP) — Joan MacDonald’s health was in shambles at age 71. She was overweight and on numerous medications with high cholesterol, rising blood pressure and kidney trouble.

Her daughter, a fitness coach, warned that she’d wind up an invalid if she didn’t turn things around. She did, hitting the gym for the first time and learning to balance her diet with the help of a brand new tool, an iPhone.

Now 75, MacDonald is a hype beast for health with a bodybuilder’s physique and 1.4 million loyal followers on Instagram.

She’s among a growing number of “grandfluencers,” folks 70 and up who have amassed substantial followings on social media with the help of decades-younger fans.

“It’s so rare to find someone her age being able to do all these things,” said one of her admirers, 18-year-old Marianne Zapata of Larchmont, New York. “It’s just such a positive thing to even think about.”

Both aspirational and inspirational, older influencers are turning their digital platforms into gold.

MacDonald has paid partnerships with the sportswear and supplement brand Women’s Best, and the stress-busting device Sensate. And she just launched her own health and fitness app not so many years after learning how to use digital technology herself.

On TikTok, four friends who go by @oldgays — the youngest is 65 — have 2.2 million followers, including Rihanna. They have an endorsement deal with Grindr as they delight fans with their clueless answers to pop culture questions.

Others focus on beauty and style, setting up Amazon closets with their go-to looks and putting on makeup tutorials live. Lagetta Wayne, at 78, has teens asking her to be their grandmother as she tends to her vegetables and cooks them up in Suisun City, California, as @msgrandmasgarden on TikTok.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578090484280.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Joan MacDonald’s health was in shambles at age 71. She was overweight and on numerous medications with high cholesterol, rising blood pressure and kidney trouble.Her daughter, a fitness coach, warned that she’d wind up an invalid if she didn’t turn things around. She did, hitting the gym for the first time and learning to balance her diet with the help of a brand new tool, an iPhone.Now 75, MacDonald is a hype beast for health with a bodybuilder’s physique and 1.4 million loyal followers on Instagram.She’s among a growing number of “grandfluencers,” folks 70 and up who have amassed substantial followings on social media with the help of decades-younger fans.“It’s so rare to find someone her age being able to do all these things,” said one of her admirers, 18-year-old Marianne Zapata of Larchmont, New York. “It’s just such a positive thing to even think about.”Both aspirational and inspirational, older influencers are turning their digital platforms into gold.MacDonald has paid partnerships with the sportswear and supplement brand Women’s Best, and the stress-busting device Sensate. And she just launched her own health and fitness app not so many years after learning how to use digital technology herself.On TikTok, four friends who go by @oldgays — the youngest is 65 — have 2.2 million followers, including Rihanna. They have an endorsement deal with Grindr as they delight fans with their clueless answers to pop culture questions.Others focus on beauty and style, setting up Amazon closets with their go-to looks and putting on makeup tutorials live. Lagetta Wayne, at 78, has teens asking her to be their grandmother as she tends to her vegetables and cooks them up in Suisun City, California, as @msgrandmasgarden on TikTok.

Social media’s 70-up ‘grandfluencers’ debunking aging myths

By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-09-02/some-kansas-kids-will-have-longer-school-days-after-covid-disruptions">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA — As more Kansas school districts report 
rising cases of COVID-19 and virus-related quarantines, educators are 
having to navigate a new state law that limits what they can offer 
online.

That’s already having an effect on school schedules in Wellington, where officials <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-08-27/wellington-school-district-cancels-all-classes-and-activities-due-to-covid-19-outbreaks" target="_blank">abruptly closed all schools through Labor Day</a> and sent students home without a remote-learning option because of COVID-19 outbreaks.

Beginning Sept. 7, the Wellington district will <a href="https://4.files.edl.io/850e/09/02/21/010536-42db9cb2-13c6-439c-aaa0-e1664b04f118.pdf" target="_blank">add 10 minutes to the end of each school day</a> to comply with state guidelines for the minimum number of instructional hours.

A measure Kansas lawmakers passed last spring — <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2134/" target="_blank">House Bill 2134</a> — was intended as a message to districts: Kids should be in school, in person.

The
 new law dictates that long-term online or hybrid learning models — 
anything over 40 hours per student per year — could mean losing up to 
two-thirds of state funding for that student.

The law allows districts to offer online options, such as Wichita’s <a href="https://www.usd259.org/domain/5079" target="_blank">Education Imagine Academy</a>. But students enrolled in traditional in-person schools cannot go fully remote.

Mark
 Tallman, a lobbyist with the Kansas Association of School Boards, said 
there are lots of questions about the new law, which allows some 
exemptions for health issues or emergencies.

“What I think 
legislators objected to was districts just saying, ‘We’re going to 
operate for all kids in a hybrid or remote environment because we don’t 
want the schools to be open,’ ” he said.

“If you’re in a situation
 where a student either has COVID and is missing or would be 
quarantined, that’s tied to an individual student with a specific health
 issue. . . . That’s a different situation than the law was designed to 
deal with.”

Ultimately, the Kansas Department of Education will decide what hours count when it audits attendance figures.

In Wichita, the state’s largest district, more than 1,600 students have <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-08-23/wichita-boe-votes-to-mandate-masks-for-students-employees" target="_blank">missed school due to COVID isolation</a>
 or quarantine protocols. Beginning Sept. 8, the district plans to offer
 “simultaneous learning” for students who are not able to attend class 
in person.

According to the new plan, teachers will lead their 
in-person class as normal, and the quarantined student will watch 
lessons through video conferencing. A paraeducator or buddy student will
 monitor the remote student, respond to questions by chat and share the 
student’s questions with the teacher.

Teachers instructing an in-person class and a remote student will be paid an additional $50 a day.

“I
 know the need for limited remote learning will still remain,” Deputy 
Superintendent Gil Alvarez said in an email to employees.

Allowing
 quarantined students the option to tap into classrooms via computer “is
 a reasonable compromise in order to assure the greatest possible 
opportunity for our students to receive instruction directly from our 
teachers,” he said.

Between Aug. 2 and Aug. 25, the Wichita district <a href="https://www.usd259.org/Page/20944" target="_blank">reported 466 positive COVID cases</a> among students and 84 cases among employees.

At least <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewerng/viewer?url=https://www.usd259.org//cms/lib/KS01906405/Centricity/Domain/5644/Reports/Weekly+COVID-19+Staff+Quarantine+Report+08.26.21.pdf" target="_blank">133 employees were under quarantine</a>.

District officials said they are tracking but not reporting or publishing the number of quarantined students.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment this week reported <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">21 active COVID-19 clusters at schools</a> — 14 more than the previous week — with at least 114 positive cases.

Only
 two school outbreaks were publicly identified by the state: Mount Olive
 Lutheran School in Overland Park and Central Elementary School in 
Lyons.

Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita 
and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT 
or email her at perez@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630687392939.png" alt="A kindergartner at Colvin Elementary School in Wichita. Suzanne Perez / KMUW" />
 <figcaption>A kindergartner at Colvin Elementary School in Wichita. Suzanne Perez / KMUW</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-09-02/some-kansas-kids-will-have-longer-school-days-after-covid-disruptions">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA — As more Kansas school districts report 
rising cases of COVID-19 and virus-related quarantines, educators are 
having to navigate a new state law that limits what they can offer 
online.That’s already having an effect on school schedules in Wellington, where officials <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-08-27/wellington-school-district-cancels-all-classes-and-activities-due-to-covid-19-outbreaks" target="_blank">abruptly closed all schools through Labor Day</a> and sent students home without a remote-learning option because of COVID-19 outbreaks.Beginning Sept. 7, the Wellington district will <a href="https://4.files.edl.io/850e/09/02/21/010536-42db9cb2-13c6-439c-aaa0-e1664b04f118.pdf" target="_blank">add 10 minutes to the end of each school day</a> to comply with state guidelines for the minimum number of instructional hours.A measure Kansas lawmakers passed last spring — <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2134/" target="_blank">House Bill 2134</a> — was intended as a message to districts: Kids should be in school, in person.The
 new law dictates that long-term online or hybrid learning models — 
anything over 40 hours per student per year — could mean losing up to 
two-thirds of state funding for that student.The law allows districts to offer online options, such as Wichita’s <a href="https://www.usd259.org/domain/5079" target="_blank">Education Imagine Academy</a>. But students enrolled in traditional in-person schools cannot go fully remote.Mark
 Tallman, a lobbyist with the Kansas Association of School Boards, said 
there are lots of questions about the new law, which allows some 
exemptions for health issues or emergencies.“What I think 
legislators objected to was districts just saying, ‘We’re going to 
operate for all kids in a hybrid or remote environment because we don’t 
want the schools to be open,’ ” he said.“If you’re in a situation
 where a student either has COVID and is missing or would be 
quarantined, that’s tied to an individual student with a specific health
 issue. . . . That’s a different situation than the law was designed to 
deal with.”Ultimately, the Kansas Department of Education will decide what hours count when it audits attendance figures.In Wichita, the state’s largest district, more than 1,600 students have <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-08-23/wichita-boe-votes-to-mandate-masks-for-students-employees" target="_blank">missed school due to COVID isolation</a>
 or quarantine protocols. Beginning Sept. 8, the district plans to offer
 “simultaneous learning” for students who are not able to attend class 
in person.According to the new plan, teachers will lead their 
in-person class as normal, and the quarantined student will watch 
lessons through video conferencing. A paraeducator or buddy student will
 monitor the remote student, respond to questions by chat and share the 
student’s questions with the teacher.Teachers instructing an in-person class and a remote student will be paid an additional $50 a day.“I
 know the need for limited remote learning will still remain,” Deputy 
Superintendent Gil Alvarez said in an email to employees.Allowing
 quarantined students the option to tap into classrooms via computer “is
 a reasonable compromise in order to assure the greatest possible 
opportunity for our students to receive instruction directly from our 
teachers,” he said.Between Aug. 2 and Aug. 25, the Wichita district <a href="https://www.usd259.org/Page/20944" target="_blank">reported 466 positive COVID cases</a> among students and 84 cases among employees.At least <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewerng/viewer?url=https://www.usd259.org//cms/lib/KS01906405/Centricity/Domain/5644/Reports/Weekly+COVID-19+Staff+Quarantine+Report+08.26.21.pdf" target="_blank">133 employees were under quarantine</a>.District officials said they are tracking but not reporting or publishing the number of quarantined students.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment this week reported <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">21 active COVID-19 clusters at schools</a> — 14 more than the previous week — with at least 114 positive cases.Only
 two school outbreaks were publicly identified by the state: Mount Olive
 Lutheran School in Overland Park and Central Elementary School in 
Lyons.Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita 
and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT 
or email her at perez@kmuw.org.

Some kids will have longer school days after COVID disruptions 

POLK COUNTY, Fla. (AP)-A man wearing full body armor fatally shot four people, including a mother and the 3-month-old baby she was cradling, and engaged in a massive gunfight with police and deputies before he was wounded and surrendered, a Florida sheriff said Sunday. An 11-year-old girl who was shot seven times survived.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said during a press conference that even after 33-year-old Bryan Riley was arrested Sunday morning, he was so aggressive that he tried to wrestle a gun from police as he lay on his hospital gurney.

Judd said Riley, a former Marine who served as a sharpshooter in both Iraq and Afghanistan, seemed to have targeted his victims at random and appeared to be suffering from mental health issues. Judd said Riley’s girlfriend told authorities Riley had been slowly unraveling for weeks and repeatedly told her that he could communicate directly with God.

“They begged for their lives and I killed them anyway,” Judd said Riley told them during an interrogation.

Investigators said preliminary evidence shows 40-year-old Justice Gleason just happened to be an unlucky stranger out mowing his lawn Saturday night when Riley drove by his home in Lakeland, about 30 miles (48.28 kilometers) east of Tampa, saying God told him to stop because Gleason’s daughter was going to commit suicide.

A second, unidentified person also confronted Riley, telling him that story wasn’t true and warned they’d call police if he didn’t leave, Judd said. He referred to the person as a victim but declined to clarify which one.

Authorities responded to the scene but never found Riley.

About nine hours later, around 4:30 a.m., Riley returned to the home, laying out glowsticks to create a path leading to the house to draw officers “into an ambush,” Judd said.

Randomly, a lieutenant far in the distance heard popping noises and immediately put the agency on active-shooter mode, bringing all state and local law enforcement in the area to the scene.

Following the sounds of gunfire, authorities arrived at the home and found Riley’s white truck ablaze and an unarmed Riley outside, dressed in camouflage.

Riley immediately ran inside, where authorities heard another round of gunfire, “a woman scream and a baby whimper,” Judd said.

Officers tried to enter the front of the house, but it was barricaded. When they circled to the back, they encountered Riley, who appeared to have put on full body armor including head and knee coverings and a bulletproof vest.

Authorities exchanged heavy gunfire, with dozens “if not hundreds of rounds” fired, before Riley retreated back into the home, according to the sheriff.

Everything fell silent, Judd said, until a helicopter unit alerted authorities on the ground that Riley was coming out. He had been shot once and was ready to surrender.

Meanwhile, officers heard cries for help inside the home, but were unsure whether there were additional shooters and feared the home was booby-trapped. A brave sergeant rushed in and grabbed the 11-year-old girl who had been shot at least seven times.

She told deputies there were three dead people inside, Judd said, adding that she was rushed into surgery and was expected to survive.

Deputies sent robots into the home to check for explosives and other traps. When it was clear, they found the bodies of Gleason; the 33-year-old mother; the baby; and the baby’s 62-year-old grandmother, who was in a separate home nearby. Authorities released only Gleason’s name, and did not say if or how he was related to the other victims.

Authorities declined to say how many times the victims had been shot or where they were in the home, but said they were all hiding and huddling in fear. The family dog also was shot to death.

Authorities said Riley’s girlfriend of four years, whom he lived with, had been cooperative and was shocked, saying he was never violent but suffered from PTSD and had become increasingly erratic.

She said he’d spent the previous week on what he called a mission from God, stockpiling supplies that he said were for Hurricane Ida victims, including $1,000 worth of cigars.

“Prior to this morning, this guy was a war hero. He fought for his country in Afghanistan and Iraq,” said Judd. “And this morning he’s a cold-blooded killer.”

Riley, who had no criminal history, also told authorities he was on methamphetamines. His vehicle had also been stocked with supplies for a gunfight, authorities said, including bleeding control kits.

While being treated at the hospital, Riley jumped up and tried to grab an officer’s gun.

“They had to fight with him again in the emergency room,” Judd said, adding that Riley was ultimately tied down and medicated.

He is expected to recover and will be transferred to jail to face charges.

“The big question that all of us has is, ‘Why?’” State Attorney Brian Haas said. “We will not know today or maybe ever.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630929700322.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KELLI KENNEDYPOLK COUNTY, Fla. (AP)-A man wearing full body armor fatally shot four people, including a mother and the 3-month-old baby she was cradling, and engaged in a massive gunfight with police and deputies before he was wounded and surrendered, a Florida sheriff said Sunday. An 11-year-old girl who was shot seven times survived.Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said during a press conference that even after 33-year-old Bryan Riley was arrested Sunday morning, he was so aggressive that he tried to wrestle a gun from police as he lay on his hospital gurney.Judd said Riley, a former Marine who served as a sharpshooter in both Iraq and Afghanistan, seemed to have targeted his victims at random and appeared to be suffering from mental health issues. Judd said Riley’s girlfriend told authorities Riley had been slowly unraveling for weeks and repeatedly told her that he could communicate directly with God.“They begged for their lives and I killed them anyway,” Judd said Riley told them during an interrogation.Investigators said preliminary evidence shows 40-year-old Justice Gleason just happened to be an unlucky stranger out mowing his lawn Saturday night when Riley drove by his home in Lakeland, about 30 miles (48.28 kilometers) east of Tampa, saying God told him to stop because Gleason’s daughter was going to commit suicide.A second, unidentified person also confronted Riley, telling him that story wasn’t true and warned they’d call police if he didn’t leave, Judd said. He referred to the person as a victim but declined to clarify which one.Authorities responded to the scene but never found Riley.About nine hours later, around 4:30 a.m., Riley returned to the home, laying out glowsticks to create a path leading to the house to draw officers “into an ambush,” Judd said.Randomly, a lieutenant far in the distance heard popping noises and immediately put the agency on active-shooter mode, bringing all state and local law enforcement in the area to the scene.Following the sounds of gunfire, authorities arrived at the home and found Riley’s white truck ablaze and an unarmed Riley outside, dressed in camouflage.Riley immediately ran inside, where authorities heard another round of gunfire, “a woman scream and a baby whimper,” Judd said.Officers tried to enter the front of the house, but it was barricaded. When they circled to the back, they encountered Riley, who appeared to have put on full body armor including head and knee coverings and a bulletproof vest.Authorities exchanged heavy gunfire, with dozens “if not hundreds of rounds” fired, before Riley retreated back into the home, according to the sheriff.Everything fell silent, Judd said, until a helicopter unit alerted authorities on the ground that Riley was coming out. He had been shot once and was ready to surrender.Meanwhile, officers heard cries for help inside the home, but were unsure whether there were additional shooters and feared the home was booby-trapped. A brave sergeant rushed in and grabbed the 11-year-old girl who had been shot at least seven times.She told deputies there were three dead people inside, Judd said, adding that she was rushed into surgery and was expected to survive.Deputies sent robots into the home to check for explosives and other traps. When it was clear, they found the bodies of Gleason; the 33-year-old mother; the baby; and the baby’s 62-year-old grandmother, who was in a separate home nearby. Authorities released only Gleason’s name, and did not say if or how he was related to the other victims.Authorities declined to say how many times the victims had been shot or where they were in the home, but said they were all hiding and huddling in fear. The family dog also was shot to death.Authorities said Riley’s girlfriend of four years, whom he lived with, had been cooperative and was shocked, saying he was never violent but suffered from PTSD and had become increasingly erratic.She said he’d spent the previous week on what he called a mission from God, stockpiling supplies that he said were for Hurricane Ida victims, including $1,000 worth of cigars.“Prior to this morning, this guy was a war hero. He fought for his country in Afghanistan and Iraq,” said Judd. “And this morning he’s a cold-blooded killer.”Riley, who had no criminal history, also told authorities he was on methamphetamines. His vehicle had also been stocked with supplies for a gunfight, authorities said, including bleeding control kits.While being treated at the hospital, Riley jumped up and tried to grab an officer’s gun.“They had to fight with him again in the emergency room,” Judd said, adding that Riley was ultimately tied down and medicated.He is expected to recover and will be transferred to jail to face charges.“The big question that all of us has is, ‘Why?’” State Attorney Brian Haas said. “We will not know today or maybe ever.”

Florida gunman killed 4, including mom still holding baby

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mary Taboniar went 15 months without a paycheck, thanks to the COVID pandemic. A housekeeper at the Hilton Hawaiian Village resort in Honolulu, the single mother of two saw her income completely vanish as the virus devastated the hospitality industry.

For more than a year, Taboniar depended entirely on boosted unemployment benefits and a network of local foodbanks to feed her family. Even this summer as the vaccine rollout took hold and tourists began to travel again, her work was slow to return, peaking at 11 days in August — about half her pre-pandemic workload.

Taboniar is one of millions of Americans for whom Labor Day 2021 represents a perilous crossroads. Two primary anchors of the government’s COVID protection package are ending or have recently ended. Starting Monday, an estimated 8.9 million people will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-jobless-claims-382a89695d83991a42f23e8da3fe7fa9">lose all unemployment&nbsp;</a>benefits. A federal eviction moratorium already has expired.

While other aspects of pandemic assistance including rental aid and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monthly-child-payments-poverty-bd4643ad09e6986ef4b526ebd5a3272b">expanded Child Tax Credit</a>&nbsp;are still widely available, untold millions of Americans will face Labor Day with a suddenly shrunken social safety net.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mary Taboniar went 15 months without a paycheck, thanks to the COVID pandemic. A housekeeper at the Hilton Hawaiian Village resort in Honolulu, the single mother of two saw her income completely vanish as the virus devastated the hospitality industry.For more than a year, Taboniar depended entirely on boosted unemployment benefits and a network of local foodbanks to feed her family. Even this summer as the vaccine rollout took hold and tourists began to travel again, her work was slow to return, peaking at 11 days in August — about half her pre-pandemic workload.Taboniar is one of millions of Americans for whom Labor Day 2021 represents a perilous crossroads. Two primary anchors of the government’s COVID protection package are ending or have recently ended. Starting Monday, an estimated 8.9 million people will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-jobless-claims-382a89695d83991a42f23e8da3fe7fa9">lose all unemployment&nbsp;</a>benefits. A federal eviction moratorium already has expired.While other aspects of pandemic assistance including rental aid and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monthly-child-payments-poverty-bd4643ad09e6986ef4b526ebd5a3272b">expanded Child Tax Credit</a>&nbsp;are still widely available, untold millions of Americans will face Labor Day with a suddenly shrunken social safety net.“This will be a double whammy of hardship,” said Jamie Contreras, secretary-treasurer of the SEIU, a union that represents custodians in office buildings and food service workers in airports. “We’re not anywhere near done. People still need help. ... For millions of people nothing has changed from a year and a half ago.”For Taboniar, 43, that means her unemployment benefits will completely disappear — even as her work hours vanish again. A fresh virus surge prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-honolulu-6753de40faf5e667bb070ac4a8ed64c1">Hawaii’s governor to recommend&nbsp;</a>that vacationers delay their plans.“It’s really scaring me,” she said. “How can I pay rent if I don’t have unemployment and my job isn’t back?”She’s planning to apply for the newly expanded SNAP assistance program, better known as food stamps, but doubts that will be enough to make up the difference. “I’m just grasping for anything,” she said.President Joe Biden’s administration believes the U.S. economy is strong enough not to be rattled by evictions or the drop in unemployment benefits. Officials maintain that other elements of the safety net, like the Child Tax Credit and the SNAP program (which Biden permanently boosted earlier this summer) are enough to smooth things over. On Friday, a White House spokesperson said there were no plans to reevaluate the end of the unemployment benefits.“Twenty-two-trillion-dollar economies work in no small part on momentum and we have strong momentum going in the right direction on behalf of the American workforce,” said Jared Bernstein, a member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said he believed the country’s labor force was ready for the shift.“Overall the economy is moving forward and recovering,” Walsh said in an interview. “I think the American economy and the American worker are in a better position going into Labor Day 2021 than they were on Labor Day 2020.”Walsh and others point to encouraging job numbers; as of Friday the unemployment rate was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-jobless-claims-382a89695d83991a42f23e8da3fe7fa9">down to a fairly healthy 5.2%</a>. But Andrew Stettler, a senior fellow with the Century Foundation, a left-leaning think tank, says the end of the expanded unemployment benefits is still coming too early.Rather than setting an arbitrary deadline, Stettler says the administration should have tied the end of the the protections to specific economic recovery metrics. He suggests three consecutive months with nationwide unemployment below 5% as a reasonable benchmark to trigger the end of the unemployment benefits.“This does seem to be the wrong policy decision based on where we are,” Stettler said.The end to these protections while the economic crisis persists could have a devastating impact on lower-middle class families that were barely holding on through the pandemic. Potentially millions of people “will have a more difficult time regaining the foothold in the middle class that they lost,” Stettler said.Biden and the Democrats who control Congress are at a crossroads, allowing the aid to expire as they focus instead on his more sweeping “build back better” package of infrastructure and other spending. The $3.5 trillion proposal would rebuild many of the safety net programs, but it faces hurdles in the closely divided Congress.In the meantime, families will have to make do.“These are two very important things that are expiring. There’s no doubt that there will be families impacted by their expiration and that they will have additional hardship,” Sharon Parrott, the president of the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, said in an interview.The COVID-19 response has been sweeping in its size and scope, some $5 trillion in federal expenditures since the virus outbreak in 2020, an unprecedented undertaking.Congressional Republicans had supported some of the initial COVID-19 outlays, but voted lockstep against Biden’s $1.9 trillion recovery package earlier this year as unnecessary. Many argued against extending another round of unemployment aid, and Republicans vow to oppose Biden’s $3.5 trillion package lawmakers are expected to consider later this month.There are still multiple avenues of support available, although in some cases the actual delivery of that support has been problematic.States with higher levels of unemployment can use the $350 billion worth of aid they received from the relief package to expand their own jobless payments, as noted by an Aug. 19 letter by Walsh and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.Federal rental assistance funds remain available, though the money has been slow to get out the door, leaving the White House and lawmakers pushing state and local officials to disperse funds more quickly to both landlords and tenants.The investment bank Morgan Stanley estimated Thursday that the economy will grow at an annual pace of 2.9% in the third quarter, down sharply from its prior forecast of 6.5%. That decline largely reflects a pullback in federal aid spending and supply chain bottlenecks.And the economy still faces hurdles. Union officials says sectors like hotel housekeepers and office janitorial staffs have been the slowest to recover.“Our industry is the tip of the spear when it comes to COVID,” said D. Taylor, president of UNITE HERE, a union that represents hotel housekeepers — a field that is “primarily staffed by women and people of color.”Many of those housekeepers never returned to full employment even as Americans resumed traveling and hotel occupancy rates swelled over the summer.Taylor said several major hotel chains have moved to permanently cut down on labor costs by reducing levels of service under the guise of COVID. Taboniar’s hotel in Hawaii for example has shifted to cleaning rooms every five days unless the guest specifically requests otherwise in advance. Even as the hotel was at more than 90% occupancy in August, she was only employed for half her usual pre-pandemic number of days.The delta variant of the coronavirus also poses a challenge, threatening future school closures and the delay of plans to return workers to their offices.Walsh called the delta variant “an asterisk on everything.”The sudden lapse of a crucial element of the pandemic safety net has fueled calls for a re-evaluation of the entire unemployment benefits system. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the chairman of the Finance Committee, said in an interview it’s crucial that Congress modernizes the unemployment insurance system as part of the package.“It’s heartbreaking to know it didn’t have to be this way,” Wyden said.One of the changes he proposes is to have jobless benefits more linked to economic conditions, so they won’t expire in times of need. “We got to take the unemployment system into the 21st century,” he said.