RENO COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on child sex crime allegations.

On June 16, members of the Special Operations and Investigation Bureau of the Hutchinson Police Department made two arrests through a series of undercover sting operations targeting child predators.

The suspects believed they were speaking with underage children and showed up to meet the children to engage in sexual activity, only to be met by officers of the Hutchinson Police Department.

At approximately 7:05 p.m. on June 16, police arrested 33-year-old Patrick E. Samms of Hutchinson on a requested charge of Electronic Solicitation and Indecent Solicitation of a child.

Two hours later, they arrested 41-year-old Adam D. Winsky of McPherson on a requested charge of Electronic Solicitation, Indecent Solicitation of a child, Interference with Law Enforcement, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Driving While Suspended.

Police: 2 Kan. men thought they were meeting children for sex

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A civil rights organization has filed a lawsuit on behalf of an Omaha woman who says a police officer wrongfully and violently arrested her on Thanksgiving Day nearly two years ago. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska filed the federal lawsuit Wednesday against Omaha Officer Ryan Keele. 

In the lawsuit, 37-year-old Makayla Townsell says Keele and a partner showed up at her home on Thanksgiving Day 2019 as she was hosting a large family gathering. 

The officers were there to investigate a report of neglect involving her teenage son. 

The lawsuit says Keele threw Townsell to the ground, handcuffed and arrested her without probable cause. 

Charges against her were later dismissed, and the neglect report was deemed unfounded.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625271671640.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A civil rights organization has filed a lawsuit on behalf of an Omaha woman who says a police officer wrongfully and violently arrested her on Thanksgiving Day nearly two years ago. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska filed the federal lawsuit Wednesday against Omaha Officer Ryan Keele. In the lawsuit, 37-year-old Makayla Townsell says Keele and a partner showed up at her home on Thanksgiving Day 2019 as she was hosting a large family gathering. The officers were there to investigate a report of neglect involving her teenage son. The lawsuit says Keele threw Townsell to the ground, handcuffed and arrested her without probable cause. Charges against her were later dismissed, and the neglect report was deemed unfounded.

Woman sues Omaha police officer accused of excessive force

SEDWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a series of alleged sexual assaults have made an arrest.

Just after 11:30a.m. on Thursday, police responded to a sexual assault report at the Towne East Mall. A female victim told police a male suspect later identified as 26-year-old Andrew Jones sexually assaulted her outside a store inside the mall, according to Officer Trevor Macy. The suspect then running away.

Shortly after this incident occurred, officers learned of another incident within the Towne East Mall. A female victim reported being sexually assaulted by a man with a similar description to the suspect in the first incident. 

The suspect later identified as Jones was seen leaving the mall and heading toward the southeast.

Officers were attempting to locate the suspect when a third 911 call was made regarding another sexual assault in the 8000 block of E Morris in Wichita. A woman reported a man, matching the suspect's description in the previous assaults, sexually assaulted her outside her home. Her husband heard the commotion and saw the suspect fleeing.&nbsp; The husband&nbsp; began to chase him but stopped chasing after the suspect produced a knife and threatened him with it.

Officers were in the area when they located Jones who attempted to flee. There was a brief foot pursuit, which ended when Jones claimed to have a firearm and entered a residence in the 8000 block of E Gilbert. The house was surrounded, and crisis negotiators were called in to de-escalate the situation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625242997638.png" alt="Jones-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Jones-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a series of alleged sexual assaults have made an arrest.Just after 11:30a.m. on Thursday, police responded to a sexual assault report at the Towne East Mall. A female victim told police a male suspect later identified as 26-year-old Andrew Jones sexually assaulted her outside a store inside the mall, according to Officer Trevor Macy. The suspect then running away.Shortly after this incident occurred, officers learned of another incident within the Towne East Mall. A female victim reported being sexually assaulted by a man with a similar description to the suspect in the first incident. The suspect later identified as Jones was seen leaving the mall and heading toward the southeast.Officers were attempting to locate the suspect when a third 911 call was made regarding another sexual assault in the 8000 block of E Morris in Wichita. A woman reported a man, matching the suspect's description in the previous assaults, sexually assaulted her outside her home. Her husband heard the commotion and saw the suspect fleeing.&nbsp; The husband&nbsp; began to chase him but stopped chasing after the suspect produced a knife and threatened him with it.Officers were in the area when they located Jones who attempted to flee. There was a brief foot pursuit, which ended when Jones claimed to have a firearm and entered a residence in the 8000 block of E Gilbert. The house was surrounded, and crisis negotiators were called in to de-escalate the situation.

Police: 2 women sexually assaulted at Kansas mall

WASHINGTON (AP) — The remaining fencing that has surrounded the U.S. Capitol since a mob of pro-Trump rioters stormed the building in January is likely to come down as soon as next week, three people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

Capitol Police&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-sports-fencing-government-and-politics-306c493c5c4bfcdd7cbfacea28068760">removed an outer fence&nbsp;</a>in March that had cut off a wide swath of the area to cars and pedestrians, blocking major traffic arteries that cross the city. An interior perimeter fence has remained around the Capitol, with signs warning that the area is closed to the public.

A plan being put in place by the U.S. Capitol Police Board calls for the fence to be removed by July 9, the people said. They could not discuss details of the plan publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. The Capitol Police Board, which has oversight of the police force, is made up of the sergeants at arms of the House and Senate and the Architect of the Capitol.

The fencing has been a stark symbol of the fear many in the Capitol felt after the mob pushed its way past overwhelmed police officers, broke through windows and doors and ransacked the Capitol as Congress was voting to certify Joe Biden’s electoral win.

“We cannot talk about security, which includes any potential physical security infrastructure plans,” a Capitol Police spokesman said.

The fence has also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-959046e70443c6137975be5ba78746e7">become a political symbol</a>, blocking off one of the country’s most visible public buildings as lawmakers and police work to come up with a plan to allow the public back inside but also keep the Capitol and members of Congress safe.

More than 500 people have been charged with federal crimes for their roles in the Jan. 6 riot and dozens of others are still being sought by federal agents. Thousands of National Guard troops who were sent to assist the Capitol Police with securing the complex left months ago.

Just a few weeks after the outer fence came down in March, a man rammed his car into a police checkpoint barrier, killing a Capitol Police officer. The driver was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-politics-451c5c5154045d404d0db76270f78aac">shot and killed</a>&nbsp;after he ran his car into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-nancy-pelosi-42e4c9eee490dfd6056c10ea7a1c3c1a">Police Officer Billy Evans</a>&nbsp;and another officer, got out and lunged at police with a knife.

The Capitol Police Board asked congressional leaders in February to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-fencing-d6f4db885059e6dd30f3c37f57cece8b">keep the fence in place</a>&nbsp;until September, in part because investigators are tracking continuing threats against lawmakers and the Capitol complex.

On Wednesday, the House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-to-investigate-capitol-insurrection-6d939eaf5e7bf39e463edaebb32277c5">launched a new investigation</a>&nbsp;of the Jan. 6 attack, approving a special committee to probe the insurrection.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615213886851.png" alt="Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The remaining fencing that has surrounded the U.S. Capitol since a mob of pro-Trump rioters stormed the building in January is likely to come down as soon as next week, three people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.Capitol Police&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-sports-fencing-government-and-politics-306c493c5c4bfcdd7cbfacea28068760">removed an outer fence&nbsp;</a>in March that had cut off a wide swath of the area to cars and pedestrians, blocking major traffic arteries that cross the city. An interior perimeter fence has remained around the Capitol, with signs warning that the area is closed to the public.A plan being put in place by the U.S. Capitol Police Board calls for the fence to be removed by July 9, the people said. They could not discuss details of the plan publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. The Capitol Police Board, which has oversight of the police force, is made up of the sergeants at arms of the House and Senate and the Architect of the Capitol.The fencing has been a stark symbol of the fear many in the Capitol felt after the mob pushed its way past overwhelmed police officers, broke through windows and doors and ransacked the Capitol as Congress was voting to certify Joe Biden’s electoral win.“We cannot talk about security, which includes any potential physical security infrastructure plans,” a Capitol Police spokesman said.The fence has also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-959046e70443c6137975be5ba78746e7">become a political symbol</a>, blocking off one of the country’s most visible public buildings as lawmakers and police work to come up with a plan to allow the public back inside but also keep the Capitol and members of Congress safe.More than 500 people have been charged with federal crimes for their roles in the Jan. 6 riot and dozens of others are still being sought by federal agents. Thousands of National Guard troops who were sent to assist the Capitol Police with securing the complex left months ago.Just a few weeks after the outer fence came down in March, a man rammed his car into a police checkpoint barrier, killing a Capitol Police officer. The driver was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-politics-451c5c5154045d404d0db76270f78aac">shot and killed</a>&nbsp;after he ran his car into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-nancy-pelosi-42e4c9eee490dfd6056c10ea7a1c3c1a">Police Officer Billy Evans</a>&nbsp;and another officer, got out and lunged at police with a knife.The Capitol Police Board asked congressional leaders in February to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-fencing-d6f4db885059e6dd30f3c37f57cece8b">keep the fence in place</a>&nbsp;until September, in part because investigators are tracking continuing threats against lawmakers and the Capitol complex.On Wednesday, the House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-to-investigate-capitol-insurrection-6d939eaf5e7bf39e463edaebb32277c5">launched a new investigation</a>&nbsp;of the Jan. 6 attack, approving a special committee to probe the insurrection.

Remaining fence around US Capitol to be removed

The&nbsp;Bureau of&nbsp;Alcohol,&nbsp;Tobacco,&nbsp;Firearms and&nbsp;Explosives (ATF) wants the&nbsp;public&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;safe&nbsp;during&nbsp;the&nbsp;Fourth&nbsp;of&nbsp;July.&nbsp;Understanding&nbsp;the&nbsp;dangers associated&nbsp;with&nbsp;illegal or improperly&nbsp;used/manufactured&nbsp;fireworks can&nbsp;prevent&nbsp;severe&nbsp;injuries,&nbsp;disfigurement,&nbsp;or&nbsp;even&nbsp;death.

Illegal&nbsp;devices&nbsp;are&nbsp;not&nbsp;fireworks,&nbsp;but&nbsp;are&nbsp;often&nbsp;manufactured&nbsp;and&nbsp;used&nbsp;during&nbsp;the&nbsp;fireworks season.&nbsp;These devices are&nbsp;made&nbsp;up&nbsp;of&nbsp;explosive&nbsp;compositions that&nbsp;are&nbsp;typically&nbsp;extremely&nbsp;sensitive&nbsp;to&nbsp;heat,&nbsp;shock, electrostatic discharge&nbsp;and&nbsp;friction that&nbsp;may&nbsp;initiate&nbsp;unexpectedly&nbsp;causing&nbsp;serious injury&nbsp;or death.&nbsp;The&nbsp;risks associated&nbsp;with&nbsp;these&nbsp;devices are&nbsp;further&nbsp;compounded,&nbsp;because&nbsp;the&nbsp;persons&nbsp;manufacturing,&nbsp;transporting&nbsp;and&nbsp;using&nbsp;these&nbsp;devices&nbsp;often&nbsp;do&nbsp;not&nbsp;have&nbsp;the&nbsp;knowledge,&nbsp;skills,&nbsp;and&nbsp;experience&nbsp;required&nbsp;for&nbsp;such&nbsp;activities.

ATF is&nbsp;the&nbsp;federal&nbsp;law&nbsp;enforcement&nbsp;agency&nbsp;charged&nbsp;with&nbsp;enforcing&nbsp;federal&nbsp;explosives laws&nbsp;and&nbsp;works with&nbsp;the&nbsp;Consumer Product&nbsp;Safety&nbsp;Commission&nbsp;(CPSC),&nbsp;along&nbsp;with&nbsp;state&nbsp;and&nbsp;local agencies,&nbsp;through their fireworks enforcement/safety&nbsp;programs to&nbsp;provide&nbsp;a&nbsp;safe&nbsp;environment&nbsp;for the&nbsp;public regarding&nbsp;the&nbsp;use&nbsp;of&nbsp;these&nbsp;products.

Suggested&nbsp;safety&nbsp;tips&nbsp;when&nbsp;using&nbsp;fireworks include:

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Never allow&nbsp;young&nbsp;children&nbsp;to&nbsp;play&nbsp;with&nbsp;or ignite&nbsp;fireworks.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Always have&nbsp;an&nbsp;adult&nbsp;supervise&nbsp;fireworks activities.&nbsp;Parents don't&nbsp;realize&nbsp;that&nbsp;young&nbsp;children&nbsp;suffer injuries from&nbsp;sparklers.&nbsp;Sparklers burn&nbsp;at&nbsp;temperatures of&nbsp;about&nbsp;2,000&nbsp;degrees —&nbsp;hot&nbsp;enough&nbsp;to&nbsp;melt&nbsp;some&nbsp;metals.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Never place&nbsp;any&nbsp;part&nbsp;of&nbsp;your body&nbsp;directly&nbsp;over&nbsp;a&nbsp;firework&nbsp;device&nbsp;when&nbsp;lighting&nbsp;the&nbsp;fuse.&nbsp;Back&nbsp;up&nbsp;to&nbsp;a&nbsp;safe&nbsp;distance&nbsp;immediately&nbsp;after lighting&nbsp;fireworks.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Never try&nbsp;to&nbsp;re-light&nbsp;or pick up&nbsp;fireworks that&nbsp;have&nbsp;not&nbsp;ignited&nbsp;fully.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Never point&nbsp;or throw&nbsp;fireworks at&nbsp;another person.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Keep&nbsp;a&nbsp;bucket&nbsp;of&nbsp;water or a&nbsp;garden&nbsp;hose&nbsp;handy&nbsp;in&nbsp;case&nbsp;of fire.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Never carry&nbsp;fireworks in&nbsp;a&nbsp;pocket&nbsp;or shoot&nbsp;them&nbsp;in&nbsp;metal/glass containers.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After fireworks complete&nbsp;their&nbsp;burning,&nbsp;douse&nbsp;the&nbsp;spent&nbsp;device&nbsp;with&nbsp;plenty&nbsp;of&nbsp;water from&nbsp;a&nbsp;bucket&nbsp;or hose&nbsp;before&nbsp;discarding&nbsp;it&nbsp;to&nbsp;prevent&nbsp;a&nbsp;trash&nbsp;fire.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Make&nbsp;sure&nbsp;fireworks are&nbsp;legal&nbsp;in&nbsp;your area.&nbsp;Check&nbsp;your state&nbsp;laws and&nbsp;with&nbsp;your local&nbsp;ordinances&nbsp;before&nbsp;buying&nbsp;or using&nbsp;them.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;M-80

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Average&nbsp;Size:&nbsp;5/8” diameter,&nbsp;1&nbsp;½”&nbsp;long.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Average&nbsp;Load:&nbsp;approximately&nbsp;3&nbsp;grams explosive&nbsp;mixture.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Risk&nbsp;Factor:&nbsp;Damage&nbsp;to&nbsp;fingers,&nbsp;hands,&nbsp;and&nbsp;eyes.

Average&nbsp;Size:&nbsp;1” diameter,&nbsp;2&nbsp;½”&nbsp;long.

Average&nbsp;Load:&nbsp;approximately&nbsp;9&nbsp;grams explosive&nbsp;mixture.

Risk&nbsp;Factor:&nbsp;Severe&nbsp;damage&nbsp;to&nbsp;face,&nbsp;arms and&nbsp;body.

Average&nbsp;Size:&nbsp;1” diameter,&nbsp;3” long.

Average&nbsp;Load:&nbsp;approximately&nbsp;13&nbsp;grams explosive&nbsp;mixture.

Risk&nbsp;Factor:&nbsp;Severe&nbsp;crippling,&nbsp;disfiguring&nbsp;injuries.

Average&nbsp;Size:&nbsp;1” diameter,&nbsp;6” long.

Average&nbsp;Load:&nbsp;approximately&nbsp;25-30&nbsp;grams explosive&nbsp;mixture.

Risk&nbsp;Factor:&nbsp;Extremely&nbsp;severe&nbsp;injuries to&nbsp;body,&nbsp;has caused death.

It&nbsp;should be&nbsp;noted&nbsp;that&nbsp;many&nbsp;legitimate&nbsp;commercial&nbsp;fireworks&nbsp;manufactures advertise&nbsp;and&nbsp;sell products “labeled” like&nbsp;those&nbsp;shown&nbsp;above;&nbsp;but&nbsp;all&nbsp;are&nbsp;limited&nbsp;to&nbsp;50&nbsp;milligrams of&nbsp;composition&nbsp;regardless of&nbsp;the&nbsp;cardboard&nbsp;tube&nbsp;size,&nbsp;and&nbsp;they&nbsp;meet&nbsp;the&nbsp;CPSC&nbsp;requirements&nbsp;for consumer fireworks.

Each&nbsp;year&nbsp;ATF&nbsp;investigates&nbsp;explosives accidents involving&nbsp;the&nbsp;manufacture&nbsp;of&nbsp;explosive&nbsp;devices such&nbsp;as these.&nbsp;These&nbsp;accidents&nbsp;often&nbsp;result&nbsp;in&nbsp;serious&nbsp;bodily&nbsp;injury&nbsp;or&nbsp;death,&nbsp;and&nbsp;extensive&nbsp;damage&nbsp;to&nbsp;property.

ATF cautions the&nbsp;public against&nbsp;handling&nbsp;suspected&nbsp;illegal&nbsp;explosive&nbsp;devices and&nbsp;urges everyone&nbsp;to report&nbsp;the&nbsp;manufacture&nbsp;or sale&nbsp;of&nbsp;such&nbsp;devices to&nbsp;their&nbsp;local ATF office&nbsp;or by&nbsp;calling&nbsp;ATF’s toll-free&nbsp;hotline&nbsp;at&nbsp;1-888-ATF-BOMB&nbsp;(1-888-283-2662).

The&nbsp;Bureau of&nbsp;Alcohol,&nbsp;Tobacco,&nbsp;Firearms and&nbsp;Explosives (ATF) wants the&nbsp;public&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;safe&nbsp;during&nbsp;the&nbsp;Fourth&nbsp;of&nbsp;July.&nbsp;Understanding&nbsp;the&nbsp;dangers associated&nbsp;with&nbsp;illegal or improperly&nbsp;used/manufactured&nbsp;fireworks can&nbsp;prevent&nbsp;severe&nbsp;injuries,&nbsp;disfigurement,&nbsp;or&nbsp;even&nbsp;death.Illegal&nbsp;devices&nbsp;are&nbsp;not&nbsp;fireworks,&nbsp;but&nbsp;are&nbsp;often&nbsp;manufactured&nbsp;and&nbsp;used&nbsp;during&nbsp;the&nbsp;fireworks season.&nbsp;These devices are&nbsp;made&nbsp;up&nbsp;of&nbsp;explosive&nbsp;compositions that&nbsp;are&nbsp;typically&nbsp;extremely&nbsp;sensitive&nbsp;to&nbsp;heat,&nbsp;shock, electrostatic discharge&nbsp;and&nbsp;friction that&nbsp;may&nbsp;initiate&nbsp;unexpectedly&nbsp;causing&nbsp;serious injury&nbsp;or death.&nbsp;The&nbsp;risks associated&nbsp;with&nbsp;these&nbsp;devices are&nbsp;further&nbsp;compounded,&nbsp;because&nbsp;the&nbsp;persons&nbsp;manufacturing,&nbsp;transporting&nbsp;and&nbsp;using&nbsp;these&nbsp;devices&nbsp;often&nbsp;do&nbsp;not&nbsp;have&nbsp;the&nbsp;knowledge,&nbsp;skills,&nbsp;and&nbsp;experience&nbsp;required&nbsp;for&nbsp;such&nbsp;activities.ATF is&nbsp;the&nbsp;federal&nbsp;law&nbsp;enforcement&nbsp;agency&nbsp;charged&nbsp;with&nbsp;enforcing&nbsp;federal&nbsp;explosives laws&nbsp;and&nbsp;works with&nbsp;the&nbsp;Consumer Product&nbsp;Safety&nbsp;Commission&nbsp;(CPSC),&nbsp;along&nbsp;with&nbsp;state&nbsp;and&nbsp;local agencies,&nbsp;through their fireworks enforcement/safety&nbsp;programs to&nbsp;provide&nbsp;a&nbsp;safe&nbsp;environment&nbsp;for the&nbsp;public regarding&nbsp;the&nbsp;use&nbsp;of&nbsp;these&nbsp;products.Suggested&nbsp;safety&nbsp;tips&nbsp;when&nbsp;using&nbsp;fireworks include:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Never allow&nbsp;young&nbsp;children&nbsp;to&nbsp;play&nbsp;with&nbsp;or ignite&nbsp;fireworks.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Always have&nbsp;an&nbsp;adult&nbsp;supervise&nbsp;fireworks activities.&nbsp;Parents don't&nbsp;realize&nbsp;that&nbsp;young&nbsp;children&nbsp;suffer injuries from&nbsp;sparklers.&nbsp;Sparklers burn&nbsp;at&nbsp;temperatures of&nbsp;about&nbsp;2,000&nbsp;degrees —&nbsp;hot&nbsp;enough&nbsp;to&nbsp;melt&nbsp;some&nbsp;metals.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Never place&nbsp;any&nbsp;part&nbsp;of&nbsp;your body&nbsp;directly&nbsp;over&nbsp;a&nbsp;firework&nbsp;device&nbsp;when&nbsp;lighting&nbsp;the&nbsp;fuse.&nbsp;Back&nbsp;up&nbsp;to&nbsp;a&nbsp;safe&nbsp;distance&nbsp;immediately&nbsp;after lighting&nbsp;fireworks.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Never try&nbsp;to&nbsp;re-light&nbsp;or pick up&nbsp;fireworks that&nbsp;have&nbsp;not&nbsp;ignited&nbsp;fully.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Never point&nbsp;or throw&nbsp;fireworks at&nbsp;another person.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Keep&nbsp;a&nbsp;bucket&nbsp;of&nbsp;water or a&nbsp;garden&nbsp;hose&nbsp;handy&nbsp;in&nbsp;case&nbsp;of fire.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Never carry&nbsp;fireworks in&nbsp;a&nbsp;pocket&nbsp;or shoot&nbsp;them&nbsp;in&nbsp;metal/glass containers.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After fireworks complete&nbsp;their&nbsp;burning,&nbsp;douse&nbsp;the&nbsp;spent&nbsp;device&nbsp;with&nbsp;plenty&nbsp;of&nbsp;water from&nbsp;a&nbsp;bucket&nbsp;or hose&nbsp;before&nbsp;discarding&nbsp;it&nbsp;to&nbsp;prevent&nbsp;a&nbsp;trash&nbsp;fire.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Make&nbsp;sure&nbsp;fireworks are&nbsp;legal&nbsp;in&nbsp;your area.&nbsp;Check&nbsp;your state&nbsp;laws and&nbsp;with&nbsp;your local&nbsp;ordinances&nbsp;before&nbsp;buying&nbsp;or using&nbsp;them.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;M-80<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625254374168.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Average&nbsp;Size:&nbsp;5/8” diameter,&nbsp;1&nbsp;½”&nbsp;long.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Average&nbsp;Load:&nbsp;approximately&nbsp;3&nbsp;grams explosive&nbsp;mixture.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Risk&nbsp;Factor:&nbsp;Damage&nbsp;to&nbsp;fingers,&nbsp;hands,&nbsp;and&nbsp;eyes.M-100,&nbsp;Silver&nbsp;Salute<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625254314326.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Average&nbsp;Size:&nbsp;1” diameter,&nbsp;2&nbsp;½”&nbsp;long.Average&nbsp;Load:&nbsp;approximately&nbsp;9&nbsp;grams explosive&nbsp;mixture.Risk&nbsp;Factor:&nbsp;Severe&nbsp;damage&nbsp;to&nbsp;face,&nbsp;arms and&nbsp;body.M-250<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625254426757.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Average&nbsp;Size:&nbsp;1” diameter,&nbsp;3” long.Average&nbsp;Load:&nbsp;approximately&nbsp;13&nbsp;grams explosive&nbsp;mixture.Risk&nbsp;Factor:&nbsp;Severe&nbsp;crippling,&nbsp;disfiguring&nbsp;injuries.M-1000,&nbsp;Quarter&nbsp;Stick<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625254475600.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Average&nbsp;Size:&nbsp;1” diameter,&nbsp;6” long.Average&nbsp;Load:&nbsp;approximately&nbsp;25-30&nbsp;grams explosive&nbsp;mixture.Risk&nbsp;Factor:&nbsp;Extremely&nbsp;severe&nbsp;injuries to&nbsp;body,&nbsp;has caused death.It&nbsp;should be&nbsp;noted&nbsp;that&nbsp;many&nbsp;legitimate&nbsp;commercial&nbsp;fireworks&nbsp;manufactures advertise&nbsp;and&nbsp;sell products “labeled” like&nbsp;those&nbsp;shown&nbsp;above;&nbsp;but&nbsp;all&nbsp;are&nbsp;limited&nbsp;to&nbsp;50&nbsp;milligrams of&nbsp;composition&nbsp;regardless of&nbsp;the&nbsp;cardboard&nbsp;tube&nbsp;size,&nbsp;and&nbsp;they&nbsp;meet&nbsp;the&nbsp;CPSC&nbsp;requirements&nbsp;for consumer fireworks.Each&nbsp;year&nbsp;ATF&nbsp;investigates&nbsp;explosives accidents involving&nbsp;the&nbsp;manufacture&nbsp;of&nbsp;explosive&nbsp;devices such&nbsp;as these.&nbsp;These&nbsp;accidents&nbsp;often&nbsp;result&nbsp;in&nbsp;serious&nbsp;bodily&nbsp;injury&nbsp;or&nbsp;death,&nbsp;and&nbsp;extensive&nbsp;damage&nbsp;to&nbsp;property.ATF cautions the&nbsp;public against&nbsp;handling&nbsp;suspected&nbsp;illegal&nbsp;explosive&nbsp;devices and&nbsp;urges everyone&nbsp;to report&nbsp;the&nbsp;manufacture&nbsp;or sale&nbsp;of&nbsp;such&nbsp;devices to&nbsp;their&nbsp;local ATF office&nbsp;or by&nbsp;calling&nbsp;ATF’s toll-free&nbsp;hotline&nbsp;at&nbsp;1-888-ATF-BOMB&nbsp;(1-888-283-2662).

ATF promotes fireworks safety

Columbus Exposition and Racing (CER) and Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) today announced CER’s selection of Caesars Entertainment to build and operate a Harrah’s casino and racetrack in Columbus, Nebraska.

“We are excited to welcome Harrah’s to Nebraska,” said Tom Jackson, Managing Partner of CER. “When looking for a Casino Operator Partner, Harrah’s brand recognition and established code of commitment to its employees, customers and the communities in which they operate proved an easy selection. In addition, their superior rewards program and marketing team, high-performing entertainment network and best-in-class gaming experience check all the right boxes for this partnership.”

Jackson continues, “As we work to create a new entertainment destination for the Midwest, this partnership will be an important economic driver and job creator for Columbus and the surrounding communities. It also further reinforces our commitment to the hardworking people involved in the Nebraska horse racing industry. We look forward to providing new gaming and entertainment experiences to our valued customers.”

The approximately $75 million casino development, conveniently located off of Highway 81 in Columbus, is expected to feature a new one-mile horse racing surface, a 40,000-square-foot-casino and sportsbook with more than 400 slot machines and 20 table games, as well as a restaurant and retail space. The property is expected to be complete in late 2022.

“When Nebraska voters opened up gaming at racetracks, we knew that our experience in the casino industry combined with our commitment to horse racing made Harrah’s a perfect fit,” said Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment. “We look forward to creating an all-new Harrah’s experience in Columbus and connecting it to our Caesars Rewards network across the country.”

“Beyond the onset of casino gaming in Nebraska, we are thrilled with the opportunity to transform horse racing in Columbus,” said Joe Morris, SVP of Racing at Caesars Entertainment. “The opportunity to build a new, first-class track at our property illustrates our commitment to the racing industry and our intent to carry on the area’s storied racing tradition.”

Live Horse Racing has been part of the Columbus community for more than 75 years. CER board members Tom Jackson, Dan Clarey, Russell Placzek, Chad Sucha and Dennis Hall have operated Live Racing and Simulcasting at Ag Park since 2013. Columbus and surrounding counties continue to support Live Racing with Blanket Races sponsored by local businesses, class reunions and memorials.

About Columbus Exposition and Racing, Inc. Created in 2013, Columbus Exposition and Racing, Inc. (CER) is a not for profit Columbus entity that is dedicated to the future of horse racing in Columbus and Nebraska.

From AP NewswireColumbus Exposition and Racing (CER) and Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) today announced CER’s selection of Caesars Entertainment to build and operate a Harrah’s casino and racetrack in Columbus, Nebraska.“We are excited to welcome Harrah’s to Nebraska,” said Tom Jackson, Managing Partner of CER. “When looking for a Casino Operator Partner, Harrah’s brand recognition and established code of commitment to its employees, customers and the communities in which they operate proved an easy selection. In addition, their superior rewards program and marketing team, high-performing entertainment network and best-in-class gaming experience check all the right boxes for this partnership.”Jackson continues, “As we work to create a new entertainment destination for the Midwest, this partnership will be an important economic driver and job creator for Columbus and the surrounding communities. It also further reinforces our commitment to the hardworking people involved in the Nebraska horse racing industry. We look forward to providing new gaming and entertainment experiences to our valued customers.”The approximately $75 million casino development, conveniently located off of Highway 81 in Columbus, is expected to feature a new one-mile horse racing surface, a 40,000-square-foot-casino and sportsbook with more than 400 slot machines and 20 table games, as well as a restaurant and retail space. The property is expected to be complete in late 2022.“When Nebraska voters opened up gaming at racetracks, we knew that our experience in the casino industry combined with our commitment to horse racing made Harrah’s a perfect fit,” said Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment. “We look forward to creating an all-new Harrah’s experience in Columbus and connecting it to our Caesars Rewards network across the country.”“Beyond the onset of casino gaming in Nebraska, we are thrilled with the opportunity to transform horse racing in Columbus,” said Joe Morris, SVP of Racing at Caesars Entertainment. “The opportunity to build a new, first-class track at our property illustrates our commitment to the racing industry and our intent to carry on the area’s storied racing tradition.”Live Horse Racing has been part of the Columbus community for more than 75 years. CER board members Tom Jackson, Dan Clarey, Russell Placzek, Chad Sucha and Dennis Hall have operated Live Racing and Simulcasting at Ag Park since 2013. Columbus and surrounding counties continue to support Live Racing with Blanket Races sponsored by local businesses, class reunions and memorials.About Columbus Exposition and Racing, Inc. Created in 2013, Columbus Exposition and Racing, Inc. (CER) is a not for profit Columbus entity that is dedicated to the future of horse racing in Columbus and Nebraska.

Casino planned at Columbus horse track

LAMONI, Iowa (AP) — A well-known Omaha businessman was one of two people killed in the crash of a small plane this week in south-central Iowa, according to the man's brother. 

Kevin Paladino tells the Omaha World-Herald that his brother, 54-year-old Dave Paladino, was flying the plane that crashed Thursday near the Lamoni Municipal Airport, killing him and a young relative. 

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed on Friday that two people had died in the crash, but said the agency does not identify people involved in crashes. 

The Decatur County Sheriff's Office on Friday declined to release the names of those killed.

 Kevin Paladino said his brother was flying from Omaha to an Iowa lake property when it crashed as it tried to land at the Lamoni airport.

LAMONI, Iowa (AP) — A well-known Omaha businessman was one of two people killed in the crash of a small plane this week in south-central Iowa, according to the man's brother. Kevin Paladino tells the Omaha World-Herald that his brother, 54-year-old Dave Paladino, was flying the plane that crashed Thursday near the Lamoni Municipal Airport, killing him and a young relative. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed on Friday that two people had died in the crash, but said the agency does not identify people involved in crashes. The Decatur County Sheriff's Office on Friday declined to release the names of those killed. Kevin Paladino said his brother was flying from Omaha to an Iowa lake property when it crashed as it tried to land at the Lamoni airport.

Omaha businessman 1 of 2 people killed in Iowa plane crash

BEL AIRE, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a pilot suffered only minor injuries when he was forced to make a crash landing near the Wichita suburb of Bel Aire. The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office says the single-engine plane was flying from Nebraska to Kansas when it suffered a mechanical failure. 

Officials say the pilot — described as a Wichita man in his 30s — was trying to reach Jabara Airport in Wichita, but was forced to put the plane down in a field just northeast of the city. 

Officials say the rough landing destroyed the plane, but left the pilot with only minor injuries that were treated at the scene. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625234522950.png" alt="Officials said the rough landing destroyed the plane -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Officials said the rough landing destroyed the plane -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>BEL AIRE, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a pilot suffered only minor injuries when he was forced to make a crash landing near the Wichita suburb of Bel Aire. The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office says the single-engine plane was flying from Nebraska to Kansas when it suffered a mechanical failure. Officials say the pilot — described as a Wichita man in his 30s — was trying to reach Jabara Airport in Wichita, but was forced to put the plane down in a field just northeast of the city. Officials say the rough landing destroyed the plane, but left the pilot with only minor injuries that were treated at the scene. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.

Plane coming from Nebraska destroyed after crash landing in Kansas

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Charles Schwab appears ready to keep significant operations in Omaha after it finishes its integration of TD Ameritrade because it is hiring more than 200 people in the city. 

The new jobs will add to the roughly 2,200 people that Schwab already employs in Omaha where TD Ameritrade was based before Schwab acquired last year in a $22 billion deal. 

The Omaha jobs are also part of a nationwide hiring push to fill 1,000 jobs in Texas where Schwab's new headquarters will be and another 200 jobs in California. 

Schwab said the hiring is in response to increased demand for its brokerage services.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625233154365.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Charles Schwab appears ready to keep significant operations in Omaha after it finishes its integration of TD Ameritrade because it is hiring more than 200 people in the city. The new jobs will add to the roughly 2,200 people that Schwab already employs in Omaha where TD Ameritrade was based before Schwab acquired last year in a $22 billion deal. The Omaha jobs are also part of a nationwide hiring push to fill 1,000 jobs in Texas where Schwab's new headquarters will be and another 200 jobs in California. Schwab said the hiring is in response to increased demand for its brokerage services.

Charles Schwab hiring over 200 in TD Ameritrade's hometown

DOVER, Del. (AP) — The Boy Scouts of America have reached an $850 million agreement with attorneys representing some 60,000 victims of child sex abuse in what could prove to be a pivotal moment in the organization’s bankruptcy case. 

The settlement would mark one of the largest sums in U.S. history involving cases of sexual abuse. 

Attorneys for the BSA filed court papers late Thursday outlining a restructuring support agreement with attorneys representing abuse victims. 

The BSA sought bankruptcy protection last year, moving to halt lawsuits and create a compensation fund for men who were molested as youngsters decades ago.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625227398791.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DOVER, Del. (AP) — The Boy Scouts of America have reached an $850 million agreement with attorneys representing some 60,000 victims of child sex abuse in what could prove to be a pivotal moment in the organization’s bankruptcy case. The settlement would mark one of the largest sums in U.S. history involving cases of sexual abuse. Attorneys for the BSA filed court papers late Thursday outlining a restructuring support agreement with attorneys representing abuse victims. The BSA sought bankruptcy protection last year, moving to halt lawsuits and create a compensation fund for men who were molested as youngsters decades ago.

Boy Scouts of America reaches $850M agreement with victims

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is halting federal executions after a historic use of capital punishment by the Trump administration, which carried out 13 executions in six months.

Attorney General Merrick Garland made the announcement Thursday night, saying he was imposing a moratorium on federal executions while the Justice Department conducts a review of its policies and procedures. He gave no timetable.

“The Department of Justice must ensure that everyone in the federal criminal justice system is not only afforded the rights guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States, but is also treated fairly and humanely,” Garland said. “That obligation has special force in capital cases.”

Garland said the department would review the protocols put in place by former Attorney General William Barr. A federal lawsuit has been filed over the protocols — including the risk of pain and suffering associated with the use of pentobarbital, the drug used for lethal injection.

The decision puts executions on hold for now, but it doesn’t end their use and keeps the door open for another administration to simply restart them. It also doesn’t stop federal prosecutors from seeking the death penalty; the Biden administration recently asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate the Boston Marathon bomber’s original death sentence.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-executions-health-coronavirus-pandemic-67ed5dd28d92f11629310ddb7590357a">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has said he opposes the death penalty and his team vowed that he would take action to stop its use while in office. But the issue is uncomfortable one for Biden. As a then-proponent of the death penalty, Biden helped craft 1994 laws that added 60 federal crimes for which someone could be put to death, including several that did not cause death. He later conceded the laws disproportionately impacted Black people. Black people are also overrepresented on death rows across the United States.

Anti-death penalty advocates had hoped for a more definitive answer from the Biden administration. Sup​port for the death penalty among Americans is at near-historic lows after peaking in the mid-1990s and steadily declining since, with most recent polls indicating support now hovers around 55%, according to the nonpartisan Death Penalty Information Center in Washington, D.C.

Ruth Friedman, Director of the Federal Capital Habeas Project, which represented some of the prisoners on death row, said Garland’s action was a step in the right direction, but it’s not enough. She called on Biden to commute the sentences.

“We know the federal death penalty system is marred by racial bias, arbitrariness, over-reaching, and grievous mistakes by defense lawyers and prosecutors that make it broken beyond repair,” she said. There are 46 people still on federal death row.

White House spokesman Andrew Bates said Biden was “pleased the Attorney General is taking these steps” and emphasized that the president has “significant concerns about the death penalty and how it is implemented.”

The review is strikingly similar to one to one imposed during the Obama administration. In 2014, following a botched state execution in Oklahoma, President Barack Obama directed the Justice Department to conduct a broad review of capital punishment and issues surrounding lethal injection drugs.

Barr announced the restarting of executions in 2019, saying the Obama-era review had been completed and clearing the way for executions to resume. He approved the new procedure for lethal injections that replaced the three-drug combination previously used in federal executions with one drug, pentobarbital. This is similar to the procedure used in several states, including Georgia, Missouri and Texas, but not all.

Donald Trump’s Justice Department resumed federal executions in July, following a 17-year hiatus. No president in more than 120 years had overseen as many federal executions. The last inmate to be executed, Dustin Higgs, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wildlife-coronavirus-pandemic-crime-terre-haute-28e44cc5c026dc16472751bbde0ead50">put to death</a>&nbsp;at the federal prison complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, less than a week before Trump left office.

They were carried out during a worsening coronavirus pandemic. Toward the end of the string of executions, 70% of death row inmates were sick with COVID-19, guards were ill and traveling prisons staff on the execution team had the virus. It’s impossible to know precisely who introduced the infections and how they started to spread, in part because prisons officials didn’t consistently do contact tracing and haven’t been fully transparent about the number of cases. But an Associated Press analysis found the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-prisons-health-coronavirus-pandemic-executions-956da680790108d8b7e2d8f1567f3803">executions were likely a superspreader event.</a>

There were major discrepancies in the way executioners who put the 13 inmates to death described the process of dying by lethal injection. They likened the process in official court papers to falling asleep and called gurneys “beds” and final breaths “snores.”

But those&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executioners-sanitized-accounts-of-death-25d133f59039150c2e308ba1a2a5caef">tranquil accounts are at odds</a>&nbsp;with reports by The Associated Press and other media witnesses of how prisoners’ stomachs rolled, shook and shuddered as the pentobarbital took effect inside the U.S. penitentiary death chamber in Terre Haute. The AP witnessed every execution.

Secrecy surrounded all aspects of the executions. Courts relied on those carrying them out to volunteer information about glitches. None of the executioners mentioned any.

Lawyers argued that one of the men put to death last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-courts-in-state-wire-united-states-virus-outbreak-2b06e7abdb84118a1977ba5c084c6516">Wesley Purkey</a>, suffered “extreme pain” as he received a dose of pentobarbital. The court papers were filed by another inmate, Keith Nelson, in an effort to halt or delay his execution. But it went forward.

The federal Bureau of Prisons has declined to explain how it obtained pentobarbital for the lethal injections under Trump. But states have resorted to other means as the drugs used in lethal injections have become increasingly hard to procure. Pharmaceutical companies in the 2000s began banning the use of their products for executions, saying they were meant to save lives, not take them.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574950995361.png" alt="In July of 2020, Wesley Ira Purkey from Kansas&nbsp; was put to death at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana. Lawyers argued that he suffered “extreme pain” as he received a dose of pentobarbital.&nbsp;Purkey was convicted of kidnapping and killing a 16-year-old girl before dismembering, burning and dumping her body in a septic pond. He also was convicted in a state court in Kansas after using a claw hammer to kill an 80-year-old woman who had polio. Purkey expressed remorse right before he was executed." />
 <figcaption>In July of 2020, Wesley Ira Purkey from Kansas&nbsp; was put to death at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana. Lawyers argued that he suffered “extreme pain” as he received a dose of pentobarbital.&nbsp;Purkey was convicted of kidnapping and killing a 16-year-old girl before dismembering, burning and dumping her body in a septic pond. He also was convicted in a state court in Kansas after using a claw hammer to kill an 80-year-old woman who had polio. Purkey expressed remorse right before he was executed.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is halting federal executions after a historic use of capital punishment by the Trump administration, which carried out 13 executions in six months.Attorney General Merrick Garland made the announcement Thursday night, saying he was imposing a moratorium on federal executions while the Justice Department conducts a review of its policies and procedures. He gave no timetable.“The Department of Justice must ensure that everyone in the federal criminal justice system is not only afforded the rights guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States, but is also treated fairly and humanely,” Garland said. “That obligation has special force in capital cases.”Garland said the department would review the protocols put in place by former Attorney General William Barr. A federal lawsuit has been filed over the protocols — including the risk of pain and suffering associated with the use of pentobarbital, the drug used for lethal injection.The decision puts executions on hold for now, but it doesn’t end their use and keeps the door open for another administration to simply restart them. It also doesn’t stop federal prosecutors from seeking the death penalty; the Biden administration recently asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate the Boston Marathon bomber’s original death sentence.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-executions-health-coronavirus-pandemic-67ed5dd28d92f11629310ddb7590357a">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has said he opposes the death penalty and his team vowed that he would take action to stop its use while in office. But the issue is uncomfortable one for Biden. As a then-proponent of the death penalty, Biden helped craft 1994 laws that added 60 federal crimes for which someone could be put to death, including several that did not cause death. He later conceded the laws disproportionately impacted Black people. Black people are also overrepresented on death rows across the United States.Anti-death penalty advocates had hoped for a more definitive answer from the Biden administration. Sup​port for the death penalty among Americans is at near-historic lows after peaking in the mid-1990s and steadily declining since, with most recent polls indicating support now hovers around 55%, according to the nonpartisan Death Penalty Information Center in Washington, D.C.Ruth Friedman, Director of the Federal Capital Habeas Project, which represented some of the prisoners on death row, said Garland’s action was a step in the right direction, but it’s not enough. She called on Biden to commute the sentences.“We know the federal death penalty system is marred by racial bias, arbitrariness, over-reaching, and grievous mistakes by defense lawyers and prosecutors that make it broken beyond repair,” she said. There are 46 people still on federal death row.White House spokesman Andrew Bates said Biden was “pleased the Attorney General is taking these steps” and emphasized that the president has “significant concerns about the death penalty and how it is implemented.”The review is strikingly similar to one to one imposed during the Obama administration. In 2014, following a botched state execution in Oklahoma, President Barack Obama directed the Justice Department to conduct a broad review of capital punishment and issues surrounding lethal injection drugs.Barr announced the restarting of executions in 2019, saying the Obama-era review had been completed and clearing the way for executions to resume. He approved the new procedure for lethal injections that replaced the three-drug combination previously used in federal executions with one drug, pentobarbital. This is similar to the procedure used in several states, including Georgia, Missouri and Texas, but not all.Donald Trump’s Justice Department resumed federal executions in July, following a 17-year hiatus. No president in more than 120 years had overseen as many federal executions. The last inmate to be executed, Dustin Higgs, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wildlife-coronavirus-pandemic-crime-terre-haute-28e44cc5c026dc16472751bbde0ead50">put to death</a>&nbsp;at the federal prison complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, less than a week before Trump left office.They were carried out during a worsening coronavirus pandemic. Toward the end of the string of executions, 70% of death row inmates were sick with COVID-19, guards were ill and traveling prisons staff on the execution team had the virus. It’s impossible to know precisely who introduced the infections and how they started to spread, in part because prisons officials didn’t consistently do contact tracing and haven’t been fully transparent about the number of cases. But an Associated Press analysis found the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-prisons-health-coronavirus-pandemic-executions-956da680790108d8b7e2d8f1567f3803">executions were likely a superspreader event.</a>There were major discrepancies in the way executioners who put the 13 inmates to death described the process of dying by lethal injection. They likened the process in official court papers to falling asleep and called gurneys “beds” and final breaths “snores.”But those&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executioners-sanitized-accounts-of-death-25d133f59039150c2e308ba1a2a5caef">tranquil accounts are at odds</a>&nbsp;with reports by The Associated Press and other media witnesses of how prisoners’ stomachs rolled, shook and shuddered as the pentobarbital took effect inside the U.S. penitentiary death chamber in Terre Haute. The AP witnessed every execution.Secrecy surrounded all aspects of the executions. Courts relied on those carrying them out to volunteer information about glitches. None of the executioners mentioned any.Lawyers argued that one of the men put to death last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-courts-in-state-wire-united-states-virus-outbreak-2b06e7abdb84118a1977ba5c084c6516">Wesley Purkey</a>, suffered “extreme pain” as he received a dose of pentobarbital. The court papers were filed by another inmate, Keith Nelson, in an effort to halt or delay his execution. But it went forward.The federal Bureau of Prisons has declined to explain how it obtained pentobarbital for the lethal injections under Trump. But states have resorted to other means as the drugs used in lethal injections have become increasingly hard to procure. Pharmaceutical companies in the 2000s began banning the use of their products for executions, saying they were meant to save lives, not take them.___

Justice Department orders halt to federal executions again

PAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue to search for 42-year-old John Freeman Colt according to the Pawnee County Sheriff's office.

Just after 7a.m. Wednesday, he walked out of the Sexual Predator Treatment Program at the Larned State Hospital, according to the Pawnee County Sheriff.&nbsp; The search for Colt continued Friday morning.

He was last seen at 11:10am walking north bound from Kwik Shop on Broadway.

Barton County Sheriff Bellendir explained how Colt made it&nbsp;that far.&nbsp; “He caught a ride into town and gave a story he had a broken-down vehicle,” Bellendir said. “He was dressed in dress clothes. He didn’t look like what you’d expect an inmate to be. He looked more like a social worker, and that’s probably how he managed to escape, which the state investigators for DOC (the Department of Corrections) are over there trying to figure all of that out&nbsp;right now.”&nbsp;

Bellendir said&nbsp;Colt had altered his appearance by cutting his hair and shaving off a beard.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Colt is described as a white male, medium skin tone, 5-foot-7 200 pounds, blue eyes, and&nbsp; short brown hair. 

 He also has a tattoo on his left arm of a heart with the letters BH. 

He was last seen wearing a gray long sleeve shirt, black pants ( possibly dress pants ) and a dark face mask.  Subject possibly has an ID badge "C JONES", and may have a cell phone. He should be considered dangerous.

If seen, or you know his whereabouts, please call 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625150026523.png" alt="Colt photo Kansas Public Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Colt photo Kansas Public Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue to search for 42-year-old John Freeman Colt according to the Pawnee County Sheriff's office.Just after 7a.m. Wednesday, he walked out of the Sexual Predator Treatment Program at the Larned State Hospital, according to the Pawnee County Sheriff.&nbsp; The search for Colt continued Friday morning.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1625086515798.png" alt="Colt has previous convictions for aggravated sexual battery, theft, forgery, aggravated burglary, interference with parental custody and criminal damage, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections photos Pawnee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Colt has previous convictions for aggravated sexual battery, theft, forgery, aggravated burglary, interference with parental custody and criminal damage, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections photos Pawnee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>He was last seen at 11:10am walking north bound from Kwik Shop on Broadway.Barton County Sheriff Bellendir explained how Colt made it&nbsp;that far.&nbsp; “He caught a ride into town and gave a story he had a broken-down vehicle,” Bellendir said. “He was dressed in dress clothes. He didn’t look like what you’d expect an inmate to be. He looked more like a social worker, and that’s probably how he managed to escape, which the state investigators for DOC (the Department of Corrections) are over there trying to figure all of that out&nbsp;right now.”&nbsp;Bellendir said&nbsp;Colt had altered his appearance by cutting his hair and shaving off a beard.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Colt is described as a white male, medium skin tone, 5-foot-7 200 pounds, blue eyes, and&nbsp; short brown hair. He also has a tattoo on his left arm of a heart with the letters BH. He was last seen wearing a gray long sleeve shirt, black pants ( possibly dress pants ) and a dark face mask. Subject possibly has an ID badge "C JONES", and may have a cell phone. He should be considered dangerous.If seen, or you know his whereabouts, please call 911.

Search continues for man from Kan. sexual predator program 

KANSAS CITY – A recent operation resulted in the rescue of 31 victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation. Of the total, 14 were missing children with the youngest child being four years old and 17 were adults, according to a media release from U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement.

The operation took place June 17 -26 in Wichita, Kansas, Independence and Kansas City, Missouri and the results of the operation were announced by Homeland Security Investigations this week.

The enforcement operation resulted in the arrest of 82 individuals who will be charged with crimes related to soliciting prostitution, commercial sex trafficking, sodomy, narcotics violations, felony assault on a police officer, sex offender registry violations and outstanding warrants.

HSI is the principal investigative arm of DHS and a vital U.S. asset in combatting transnational crime and threats. One of HSI’s top priorities is to protect the public from crimes of victimization, and HSI’s child exploitation investigations program is a central component of this mission set. HSI is recognized as a global leader in this investigative discipline, and is committed to utilizing its vast authorities, international footprint and strong government and non-government partnerships to identify and rescue child victims, identify and apprehend offenders, prevent transnational child sexual abuse, and help make the internet a safer place for children.

KANSAS CITY – A recent operation resulted in the rescue of 31 victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation. Of the total, 14 were missing children with the youngest child being four years old and 17 were adults, according to a media release from U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement.The operation took place June 17 -26 in Wichita, Kansas, Independence and Kansas City, Missouri and the results of the operation were announced by Homeland Security Investigations this week.The enforcement operation resulted in the arrest of 82 individuals who will be charged with crimes related to soliciting prostitution, commercial sex trafficking, sodomy, narcotics violations, felony assault on a police officer, sex offender registry violations and outstanding warrants.HSI is the principal investigative arm of DHS and a vital U.S. asset in combatting transnational crime and threats. One of HSI’s top priorities is to protect the public from crimes of victimization, and HSI’s child exploitation investigations program is a central component of this mission set. HSI is recognized as a global leader in this investigative discipline, and is committed to utilizing its vast authorities, international footprint and strong government and non-government partnerships to identify and rescue child victims, identify and apprehend offenders, prevent transnational child sexual abuse, and help make the internet a safer place for children.

31 rescued from Kan, Mo., human trafficking operation

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today upgraded a key online
 tool to enable families to quickly and easily update their bank account
 information so they can receive their monthly Child Tax Credit payment.

The bank account update feature was added to the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal">Child Tax Credit Update Portal</a>,
 available only on IRS.gov. Any updates made by August&nbsp;2 will apply to 
the August&nbsp;13 payment and all subsequent monthly payments for the rest 
of 2021.

Families will receive their July 15 payment by direct deposit in the 
bank account currently on file with the IRS. Those who are not enrolled 
for direct deposit will receive a check. The IRS encourages people 
without current bank account information to use the tool to update their
 information so they can get the payments sooner.

The IRS also urges people to be on the lookout for scams related to 
the Child Tax Credit. People who need to update their bank account 
information should go directly to the IRS.gov site and not click on 
links received by email, text or phone.

First, families should use the Child Tax Credit Update Portal to 
confirm their eligibility for the payments. If eligible, the tool will 
also indicate whether they are enrolled to receive their payments by 
direct deposit.

If so, it will list the full bank routing number and the last four 
digits of their account number. This is the account that will receive 
their July 15 payment, and if they don't change the account, all future 
payments will go there as well.

Next, if they choose, they can change the bank account receiving the 
payment starting with the August&nbsp;13 payment. They can do that by 
updating the routing number and account number and indicating whether it
 is a savings or checking account. Note that only one account number is 
permitted for each recipient—that is, the entire payment must be direct 
deposited in only one account.

How to switch from paper check to direct deposit

If the Update Portal shows that a family is eligible to receive 
payments but not enrolled to receive direct deposits, they will receive a
 check each month. If they want to switch to receiving their payments by
 direct deposit, they can use the tool to add their bank account 
information. They do that by entering their bank routing number and 
account number and indicating whether it is a savings or checking 
account.

The IRS urges any family receiving checks to consider switching to 
direct deposit. With direct deposit, families can access their money 
more quickly. Direct deposit removes the time, worry and expense of 
cashing a check. In addition, direct deposit eliminates the chance of a 
lost, stolen or undelivered check.

Even after payments begin, families can stop all future monthly 
payments if they choose. They do that by using the unenroll feature in 
the Child Tax Credit Update Portal. Eligible families who make this 
choice will still receive the rest of their Child Tax Credit as a lump 
sum when they file their 2021 federal income tax return next year.

To stop all payments starting in August and the rest of 2021, they must unenroll by August&nbsp;2, 2021.

For more information about the unenrollment process, including a schedule of deadlines for each monthly payment, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-j-unenrolling-from-advance-payments">Topic J</a> of the Child Tax Credit FAQs on IRS.gov.

Instead of receiving these advance payments, some families may prefer
 to wait until the end of the year and receive the entire credit as a 
refund when they file their 2021 return. The Child Tax Credit Update 
Portal enables these families to quickly and easily do that.

The unenroll feature can also be helpful to any family that no longer
 qualifies for the Child Tax Credit or believes they will not qualify 
when they file their 2021 return. This could happen if, for example:

What is the Child Tax Credit Update Portal?

The Child Tax Credit Update Portal is a secure, password-protected 
tool, available to any eligible family with internet access and a smart 
phone or computer. It is designed to enable them to manage their Child 
Tax Credit accounts. Right now, this includes updating their bank 
account information with the IRS or unenrolling from monthly payments. 
Soon, it will allow people to check on the status of their payments. 
Later this year, the tool will also enable them to make other status 
updates and be available in Spanish.

To access the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, a person must first 
verify their identity. If a person has an existing IRS username or an <a href="https://sa.www4.irs.gov/secureaccess/ui/?TYPE=33554433&amp;REALMOID=06-0005eaac-e22a-10b8-928e-7c2b0ad00000&amp;GUID=&amp;SMAUTHREASON=0&amp;METHOD=GET&amp;SMAGENTNAME=-SM-u0ktItgVFneUJDzkQ7tjvLYXyclDooCJJ7%2bjXGjg3YC5id2x9riHE98hoVgd1BBv&amp;TARGET=-SM-http%3a%2f%2fsa%2ewww4%2eirs%2egov%2fctc%2f">ID.me</a>
 account with a verified identity, they can use those accounts to easily
 sign in. People without an existing account will be asked to verify 
their identity with a form of photo identification using ID.me, a 
trusted third party for the IRS. Identity verification is an important 
safeguard and will protect the user's account from identity theft.

Anyone who lacks internet access or otherwise cannot use the online 
tool may unenroll by contacting the IRS at the phone number included in 
the outreach letter they received from the IRS.

In general, monthly payments will go to eligible families who:

An eligible family who took any of these steps does not need to do anything else to get their payments.

Normally, the IRS will calculate the advance payment based on the 
2020 income tax return. If that return is not available, either because 
it has not yet been filed or it has not yet been processed, the IRS is 
instead determining the payment using the 2019 tax return.

Eligible families will receive advance payments, either by direct 
deposit or check. Each payment will be up to $300 per month for each 
child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each child ages 6 through
 17. The IRS will issue advance Child Tax Credit payments on these 
dates: July 15, August&nbsp;13, September&nbsp;15, October&nbsp;15, November&nbsp;15 and 
December&nbsp;15.

Tax returns processed by June 28 will be reflected in the first batch of monthly payments scheduled for July 15.

Taxpayers will also receive several letters related to the Child Tax 
Credit. In the next few weeks, letters are going to eligible families 
who filed either a 2019 or 2020 federal income tax return or who used 
the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov to register for an Economic Impact 
Payment. The letters will confirm their eligibility, the amount of 
payments they'll receive and that the payments begin July 15. Families 
who receive these letters do not need to take any further action. The 
personalized letters follow up on the Advance Child Tax Credit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-sending-letters-to-more-than-36-million-families-who-may-qualify-for-monthly-child-tax-credits-payments-start-july-15">Outreach Letter</a>, sent in early- and mid-June, to every family who appeared to qualify for the advance payments.

The IRS has created a special <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">Advance Child Tax Credit 2021</a> page, designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the credit and the advance payments.

Among other things, it provides direct links to the Child Tax Credit 
Update Portal, as well as two other online tools −the Non-filer Sign-up 
Tool and the Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant, a set of frequently
 asked questions and other useful resources.

The American Rescue Plan raised the maximum Child Tax Credit in 2021 
to $3,600 for children under the age of 6 and to $3,000 per child for 
children ages 6 through 17. Before 2021, the credit was worth up to 
$2,000 per eligible child.

The new maximum credit is available to taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income (AGI) of:

For most people, modified AGI is the amount shown on Line 11 of 
their 2020 Form 1040 or 1040-SR. Above these income thresholds, the 
extra amount above the original $2,000 credit — either $1,000 or $1,600 
per child — is reduced by $50 for every $1,000 in modified AGI. In 
addition, the credit is fully refundable for 2021. This means that 
eligible families can get it, even if they owe no federal income tax. 
Before this year, the refundable portion was limited to $1,400 per 
child.

For the most up-to-date information on the Child Tax Credit and advance payments, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 2021</a>.

IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today upgraded a key online
 tool to enable families to quickly and easily update their bank account
 information so they can receive their monthly Child Tax Credit payment.The bank account update feature was added to the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal">Child Tax Credit Update Portal</a>,
 available only on IRS.gov. Any updates made by August&nbsp;2 will apply to 
the August&nbsp;13 payment and all subsequent monthly payments for the rest 
of 2021.Families will receive their July 15 payment by direct deposit in the 
bank account currently on file with the IRS. Those who are not enrolled 
for direct deposit will receive a check. The IRS encourages people 
without current bank account information to use the tool to update their
 information so they can get the payments sooner.The IRS also urges people to be on the lookout for scams related to 
the Child Tax Credit. People who need to update their bank account 
information should go directly to the IRS.gov site and not click on 
links received by email, text or phone.<h2>How to update direct deposit information</h2>First, families should use the Child Tax Credit Update Portal to 
confirm their eligibility for the payments. If eligible, the tool will 
also indicate whether they are enrolled to receive their payments by 
direct deposit.If so, it will list the full bank routing number and the last four 
digits of their account number. This is the account that will receive 
their July 15 payment, and if they don't change the account, all future 
payments will go there as well.Next, if they choose, they can change the bank account receiving the 
payment starting with the August&nbsp;13 payment. They can do that by 
updating the routing number and account number and indicating whether it
 is a savings or checking account. Note that only one account number is 
permitted for each recipient—that is, the entire payment must be direct 
deposited in only one account.<h2>How to switch from paper check to direct deposit</h2>If the Update Portal shows that a family is eligible to receive 
payments but not enrolled to receive direct deposits, they will receive a
 check each month. If they want to switch to receiving their payments by
 direct deposit, they can use the tool to add their bank account 
information. They do that by entering their bank routing number and 
account number and indicating whether it is a savings or checking 
account.The IRS urges any family receiving checks to consider switching to 
direct deposit. With direct deposit, families can access their money 
more quickly. Direct deposit removes the time, worry and expense of 
cashing a check. In addition, direct deposit eliminates the chance of a 
lost, stolen or undelivered check.<h2>Families can stop payments anytime</h2>Even after payments begin, families can stop all future monthly 
payments if they choose. They do that by using the unenroll feature in 
the Child Tax Credit Update Portal. Eligible families who make this 
choice will still receive the rest of their Child Tax Credit as a lump 
sum when they file their 2021 federal income tax return next year.To stop all payments starting in August and the rest of 2021, they must unenroll by August&nbsp;2, 2021.For more information about the unenrollment process, including a schedule of deadlines for each monthly payment, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-j-unenrolling-from-advance-payments">Topic J</a> of the Child Tax Credit FAQs on IRS.gov.<h2>Who should unenroll?</h2>Instead of receiving these advance payments, some families may prefer
 to wait until the end of the year and receive the entire credit as a 
refund when they file their 2021 return. The Child Tax Credit Update 
Portal enables these families to quickly and easily do that.The unenroll feature can also be helpful to any family that no longer
 qualifies for the Child Tax Credit or believes they will not qualify 
when they file their 2021 return. This could happen if, for example:<ul>
 <li>Their income in 2021 is too high to qualify them for the credit.</li><li>Someone else (an ex-spouse or another family member, for example) 
qualifies to claim their child or children as dependents in 2021.</li><li>Their main home was outside of the United States for more than half of 2021.</li>
 </ul><h2>What is the Child Tax Credit Update Portal?</h2>The Child Tax Credit Update Portal is a secure, password-protected 
tool, available to any eligible family with internet access and a smart 
phone or computer. It is designed to enable them to manage their Child 
Tax Credit accounts. Right now, this includes updating their bank 
account information with the IRS or unenrolling from monthly payments. 
Soon, it will allow people to check on the status of their payments. 
Later this year, the tool will also enable them to make other status 
updates and be available in Spanish.To access the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, a person must first 
verify their identity. If a person has an existing IRS username or an <a href="https://sa.www4.irs.gov/secureaccess/ui/?TYPE=33554433&amp;REALMOID=06-0005eaac-e22a-10b8-928e-7c2b0ad00000&amp;GUID=&amp;SMAUTHREASON=0&amp;METHOD=GET&amp;SMAGENTNAME=-SM-u0ktItgVFneUJDzkQ7tjvLYXyclDooCJJ7%2bjXGjg3YC5id2x9riHE98hoVgd1BBv&amp;TARGET=-SM-http%3a%2f%2fsa%2ewww4%2eirs%2egov%2fctc%2f">ID.me</a>
 account with a verified identity, they can use those accounts to easily
 sign in. People without an existing account will be asked to verify 
their identity with a form of photo identification using ID.me, a 
trusted third party for the IRS. Identity verification is an important 
safeguard and will protect the user's account from identity theft.Anyone who lacks internet access or otherwise cannot use the online 
tool may unenroll by contacting the IRS at the phone number included in 
the outreach letter they received from the IRS.<h2>Who is getting a monthly payment?</h2>In general, monthly payments will go to eligible families who:<ul>
 <li>Filed either a 2019 or 2020 federal income tax return.</li><li>Used the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov in 2020 to register for an Economic Impact Payment.</li><li>Registered for the advance Child Tax Credit this year using the new Non-Filer Sign-up Tool on IRS.gov.</li>
 </ul>An eligible family who took any of these steps does not need to do anything else to get their payments.Normally, the IRS will calculate the advance payment based on the 
2020 income tax return. If that return is not available, either because 
it has not yet been filed or it has not yet been processed, the IRS is 
instead determining the payment using the 2019 tax return.Eligible families will receive advance payments, either by direct 
deposit or check. Each payment will be up to $300 per month for each 
child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each child ages 6 through
 17. The IRS will issue advance Child Tax Credit payments on these 
dates: July 15, August&nbsp;13, September&nbsp;15, October&nbsp;15, November&nbsp;15 and 
December&nbsp;15.Tax returns processed by June 28 will be reflected in the first batch of monthly payments scheduled for July 15.<h2>Taxpayers will receive several letters</h2>Taxpayers will also receive several letters related to the Child Tax 
Credit. In the next few weeks, letters are going to eligible families 
who filed either a 2019 or 2020 federal income tax return or who used 
the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov to register for an Economic Impact 
Payment. The letters will confirm their eligibility, the amount of 
payments they'll receive and that the payments begin July 15. Families 
who receive these letters do not need to take any further action. The 
personalized letters follow up on the Advance Child Tax Credit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-sending-letters-to-more-than-36-million-families-who-may-qualify-for-monthly-child-tax-credits-payments-start-july-15">Outreach Letter</a>, sent in early- and mid-June, to every family who appeared to qualify for the advance payments.<h2>Child Tax Credit 2021</h2>The IRS has created a special <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">Advance Child Tax Credit 2021</a> page, designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the credit and the advance payments.Among other things, it provides direct links to the Child Tax Credit 
Update Portal, as well as two other online tools −the Non-filer Sign-up 
Tool and the Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant, a set of frequently
 asked questions and other useful resources.<h2>Child Tax Credit changes</h2>The American Rescue Plan raised the maximum Child Tax Credit in 2021 
to $3,600 for children under the age of 6 and to $3,000 per child for 
children ages 6 through 17. Before 2021, the credit was worth up to 
$2,000 per eligible child.The new maximum credit is available to taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income (AGI) of:<ul>
 <li>$75,000 or less for singles,</li><li>$112,500 or less for heads of household and</li><li>$150,000 or less for married couples filing a joint return and qualified widows and widowers.</li>
 </ul>For most people, modified AGI is the amount shown on Line 11 of 
their 2020 Form 1040 or 1040-SR. Above these income thresholds, the 
extra amount above the original $2,000 credit — either $1,000 or $1,600 
per child — is reduced by $50 for every $1,000 in modified AGI. In 
addition, the credit is fully refundable for 2021. This means that 
eligible families can get it, even if they owe no federal income tax. 
Before this year, the refundable portion was limited to $1,400 per 
child.For the most up-to-date information on the Child Tax Credit and advance payments, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 2021</a>.

Families receiving Child Tax Credit payments can now update direct deposit info

The
 operators of a scheme that falsely promised participants could earn 
large sums of money from memberships sold to other participants will be 
permanently prohibited from engaging in any future business and 
investment opportunity as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade 
Commission.

In a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2020/12/scammers-leverage-pandemic-fears-ftc-law-enforcement-partners">complaint first announced in November 2020</a>
 as part of the Operation Income Illusion crackdown on work-from-home 
and employment scams, the FTC alleged that Digital Income System, Inc., 
and five individual defendants falsely told consumers they could earn 
commissions from the sale of memberships in the defendants’ programs. 
For example, the website stated, “Consumers will earn between $500 and 
$12,500 per sale,” and “Every time one of our professionals closes a 
sale on your behalf, we will send you a huge commission check right to 
your doorstep.”

The defendants allegedly charged consumers between $1,000 and $25,000
 for Digital Income System’s memberships, which gave consumers access to
 their own website where they could earn commissions from the sale of 
memberships to other consumers. Despite these promises, the vast 
majority of consumers who paid the defendants never earned substantial 
income, and in fact many consumers earned nothing, the FTC alleged.

The settlement is part of the Commission’s ongoing efforts to target 
those who trick people into handing over their money with the false 
promise of big earnings.

Under the settlement with the FTC, Digital Income System, along with 
its owners Derek Jones Foley and William Foley and promoter Jennifer 
Hedrick are permanently prohibited from creating, advertising, 
marketing, promoting, offering for sale, or selling any business or 
investment opportunity or misrepresenting the amount of money someone 
can earn from any type of business; prohibited from assisting anyone 
else in such activity; and prohibited from owning any financial interest
 in a business engaging in such activity.

The settlement also imposes a nearly $3.6 million judgment against <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/202_3074_dis.final_order.disandfoleys.pdf">Digital Income System and Derek and William Foley</a>&nbsp;and a $217,426 judgment against <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/202_3074_dis.final_order.hedrick.pdf">Hedrick</a>.
 The judgments will be partially suspended, due to the defendants’ 
inability to pay the full amount, after all four defendants turn over 
various assets. If they are found to have misrepresented their finances,
 they will be required to pay the full amount.

A <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/x210004defaultjudgmentfryescott.pdf">default judgment</a>&nbsp;was
 entered on March 23, 2021, against two additional defendants who 
promoted the scheme, Christopher Brandon Frye and Kaitlyn Scott, that 
includes similar requirements. It also includes a $600,000 monetary 
judgment against Frye and $171,500 against Scott.

The Commission vote approving the stipulated final orders with 
Digital Income System, Derek and William Foley, and Jennifer Hedrick was
 4-0. The FTC filed the&nbsp;stipulated final orders in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.&nbsp;The Court approved the final orders on July 1, 2021.

NOTE: Stipulated final orders have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.

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 report scams, fraud, and bad business practices online at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Like the FTC on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/federaltradecommission">Facebook(link is external)</a>, follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/FTC">Twitter(link is external)</a>, get <a href="http://ftc.gov/subscribe">consumer alerts</a>, read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>, and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> for the latest FTC news and resources.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625243913629.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCThe
 operators of a scheme that falsely promised participants could earn 
large sums of money from memberships sold to other participants will be 
permanently prohibited from engaging in any future business and 
investment opportunity as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade 
Commission.<figure>
 <img src="https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/income_illusion_logo.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2020/12/scammers-leverage-pandemic-fears-ftc-law-enforcement-partners">complaint first announced in November 2020</a>
 as part of the Operation Income Illusion crackdown on work-from-home 
and employment scams, the FTC alleged that Digital Income System, Inc., 
and five individual defendants falsely told consumers they could earn 
commissions from the sale of memberships in the defendants’ programs. 
For example, the website stated, “Consumers will earn between $500 and 
$12,500 per sale,” and “Every time one of our professionals closes a 
sale on your behalf, we will send you a huge commission check right to 
your doorstep.”The defendants allegedly charged consumers between $1,000 and $25,000
 for Digital Income System’s memberships, which gave consumers access to
 their own website where they could earn commissions from the sale of 
memberships to other consumers. Despite these promises, the vast 
majority of consumers who paid the defendants never earned substantial 
income, and in fact many consumers earned nothing, the FTC alleged.The settlement is part of the Commission’s ongoing efforts to target 
those who trick people into handing over their money with the false 
promise of big earnings.Under the settlement with the FTC, Digital Income System, along with 
its owners Derek Jones Foley and William Foley and promoter Jennifer 
Hedrick are permanently prohibited from creating, advertising, 
marketing, promoting, offering for sale, or selling any business or 
investment opportunity or misrepresenting the amount of money someone 
can earn from any type of business; prohibited from assisting anyone 
else in such activity; and prohibited from owning any financial interest
 in a business engaging in such activity.The settlement also imposes a nearly $3.6 million judgment against <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/202_3074_dis.final_order.disandfoleys.pdf">Digital Income System and Derek and William Foley</a>&nbsp;and a $217,426 judgment against <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/202_3074_dis.final_order.hedrick.pdf">Hedrick</a>.
 The judgments will be partially suspended, due to the defendants’ 
inability to pay the full amount, after all four defendants turn over 
various assets. If they are found to have misrepresented their finances,
 they will be required to pay the full amount.A <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/x210004defaultjudgmentfryescott.pdf">default judgment</a>&nbsp;was
 entered on March 23, 2021, against two additional defendants who 
promoted the scheme, Christopher Brandon Frye and Kaitlyn Scott, that 
includes similar requirements. It also includes a $600,000 monetary 
judgment against Frye and $171,500 against Scott.The Commission vote approving the stipulated final orders with 
Digital Income System, Derek and William Foley, and Jennifer Hedrick was
 4-0. The FTC filed the&nbsp;stipulated final orders in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.&nbsp;The Court approved the final orders on July 1, 2021.NOTE: Stipulated final orders have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.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 report scams, fraud, and bad business practices online at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Like the FTC on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/federaltradecommission">Facebook(link is external)</a>, follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/FTC">Twitter(link is external)</a>, get <a href="http://ftc.gov/subscribe">consumer alerts</a>, read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>, and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> for the latest FTC news and resources.

FTC cracks down on scheme that falsely promised big earnings

GEARY COUNTY—The Kansas Board of Healing Arts on Thursday reported they had <a href="http://www.ksbha.org/boardactions/Documents/martino_21.pdf">indefinitely suspended</a> the license of 30-year-old athletic trainer Brandon M. Martino.&nbsp;

In February, officials in Geary County charged Martino, a former trainer at junction City High School with two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of promoting obscenity to minors.

&nbsp;A student patient under age 18 received sexually explicit text messages from Martino, including a nude image of himself, <a href="http://www.ksbha.org/boardactions/Documents/martino_21.pdf">according to the order </a>from the Kansas Board of Healing Arts.&nbsp;

At the time of his arrest, USD 475 suspended Martino from all duties and responsibilities. "Any behavior that jeopardizes the safety and integrity of our students and staff is unacceptable."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1612144654328.png" alt="Martino photo Geary County" />
 <figcaption>Martino photo Geary County</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY—The Kansas Board of Healing Arts on Thursday reported they had <a href="http://www.ksbha.org/boardactions/Documents/martino_21.pdf">indefinitely suspended</a> the license of 30-year-old athletic trainer Brandon M. Martino.&nbsp;In February, officials in Geary County charged Martino, a former trainer at junction City High School with two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of promoting obscenity to minors.&nbsp;A student patient under age 18 received sexually explicit text messages from Martino, including a nude image of himself, <a href="http://www.ksbha.org/boardactions/Documents/martino_21.pdf">according to the order </a>from the Kansas Board of Healing Arts.&nbsp;At the time of his arrest, USD 475 suspended Martino from all duties and responsibilities. "Any behavior that jeopardizes the safety and integrity of our students and staff is unacceptable."------

Sexting a student cost Kan. school athletic trainer his license

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man has pleaded no contest to vehicular homicide for a rollover crash last fall that killed a passenger in his vehicle. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that Travis Loseman, 30, entered the plea Wednesday in Lancaster County Court in a deal with prosecutors, who reduced the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor. 

Loseman faces up to a year in jail when he's sentenced in September. 

The Nebraska State Patrol and Lancaster County Sheriff's investigators determined that Loseman was behind the wheel of the sport utility vehicle when he lost control on a Lincoln city street around 2 p.m. Oct. 23 and rolled several times. 

A passenger, 28-year-old Justin Stotts, was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625176858675.png" alt="Loseman" />
 <figcaption>Loseman</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man has pleaded no contest to vehicular homicide for a rollover crash last fall that killed a passenger in his vehicle. The Omaha World-Herald reports that Travis Loseman, 30, entered the plea Wednesday in Lancaster County Court in a deal with prosecutors, who reduced the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor. Loseman faces up to a year in jail when he's sentenced in September. The Nebraska State Patrol and Lancaster County Sheriff's investigators determined that Loseman was behind the wheel of the sport utility vehicle when he lost control on a Lincoln city street around 2 p.m. Oct. 23 and rolled several times. A passenger, 28-year-old Justin Stotts, was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene.

Man charged in deadly rollover crash in north Lincoln

WILBER, Neb. (AP) — A three-judge panel has begun hearing evidence to decide whether a woman should become the first female sentenced to death in Nebraska for her role in the killing and dismemberment of a woman she met through a dating app. 

Bailey Boswell was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder last year for the slaying of Sydney Loofe, a clerk at a Menards hardware store in Lincoln. 

Boswell’s boyfriend during the slaying,&nbsp; Aubrey Trail, 54, was sentenced to death last month for fatally strangling Loofe and dismembering her body. 

Authorities say Boswell lured the 24-year-old Loofe to her death through the dating app Tinder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625176598381.png" alt="Boswell" />
 <figcaption>Boswell</figcaption>
 </figure>WILBER, Neb. (AP) — A three-judge panel has begun hearing evidence to decide whether a woman should become the first female sentenced to death in Nebraska for her role in the killing and dismemberment of a woman she met through a dating app. Bailey Boswell was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder last year for the slaying of Sydney Loofe, a clerk at a Menards hardware store in Lincoln. Boswell’s boyfriend during the slaying,&nbsp; Aubrey Trail, 54, was sentenced to death last month for fatally strangling Loofe and dismembering her body. Authorities say Boswell lured the 24-year-old Loofe to her death through the dating app Tinder.