By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/02/cdc-if-youre-fully-vaccinated-you-can-travel-in-the-u-s-without-tests-or-quarantines/">Kansas Reflector</a>

WASHINGTON
 — Fully vaccinated individuals can travel at low risk to themselves, 
and do not need to get a COVID-19 test or quarantine after traveling 
within the United States, federal health officials said Friday as they 
unveiled updated travel guidelines.

The
 new guidelines offer the first official guidance to Americans who are 
at least two weeks past receiving their final dose of a COVID-19 
vaccine, and want to visit family and friends elsewhere in the United 
States.

Those
 who do travel are urged to continue taking precautions: wearing a mask,
 avoiding crowds, socially distancing, and washing hands frequently.

Fully
 vaccinated people seeking to travel internationally may still need to 
have a negative COVID-19 test to enter their destination. They should 
have a negative COVID-19 test result before they board a flight home to 
the United States, and should take another test three to five days after
 returning, according to the CDC.&nbsp;

But those traveling abroad won’t need to quarantine upon return unless their state requires doing so.

The new travel guidance expands upon <a href="https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2021/03/08/cdc-its-ok-for-vaccinated-grandparents-to-visit-family-if-no-risk-for-severe-disease/">an initial set of guidance that the CDC released last month</a>, outlining recommendations for how vaccinated individuals should socialize with those who are and are not vaccinated.

Those
 initial recommendations sidestepped questions about traveling. And even
 as federal officials released the new guidelines, they also urged 
Americans to continue refraining from any travel that is not essential.

“While
 we believe that fully vaccinated people can travel at low risk to 
themselves, the CDC is not recommending travel at this time due to the 
rising number of cases,” said Rochelle Walensky, the CDC’s director.

<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations">According to CDC tracking data</a>,
 30% of Americans have received at least one dose of one of the three 
authorized COVID-19 vaccines, and 17% have been fully vaccinated.&nbsp;

But the vaccination effort has been racing to outpace <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_dailytrendscases">a rise in the daily rate of coronavirus infections</a>.
 After falling to an average daily rate of 40,000 new cases in 
mid-March, that number has been going up, to 75,000 new cases reported 
Thursday.

Earlier
 this week, Walensky described a sense of “impending doom” as she 
watched those numbers grow and new variants of the virus pop up across 
the country.

“We
 know that travel was up in the month of March more so than it had been 
since the beginning of this pandemic. We know that right now we have a 
surging number of cases,” Walensky said, adding that the CDC guidance 
“is silent on recommending or not recommending fully vaccinated people 
travel —&nbsp;our guidance speaks to the safety of doing so.”

<a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/04/cdc-data-suggests-vaccinated-dont-carry-cant-spread-virus.html">Recently released studies</a>
 have suggested that fully vaccinated people are unlikely to spread the 
virus, a scenario that scientists have said for months is likely to be 
true, but had lacked enough data on the brand-new vaccine to say 
definitively.

Even before the new CDC guidelines, air travel had begun to pick up again. <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput">Data from the Transportation Security Administration</a> has shown a rising number of travelers passing through airports.

Laura covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617480482614.png" alt="In this 2020 photograph, captured inside a clinical setting, a health care provider places a bandage on the injection site of a patient who just received a vaccine. (Lauren Bishop/CDC)" />
 <figcaption>In this 2020 photograph, captured inside a clinical setting, a health care provider places a bandage on the injection site of a patient who just received a vaccine. (Lauren Bishop/CDC)</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/02/cdc-if-youre-fully-vaccinated-you-can-travel-in-the-u-s-without-tests-or-quarantines/">Kansas Reflector</a>WASHINGTON
 — Fully vaccinated individuals can travel at low risk to themselves, 
and do not need to get a COVID-19 test or quarantine after traveling 
within the United States, federal health officials said Friday as they 
unveiled updated travel guidelines.The
 new guidelines offer the first official guidance to Americans who are 
at least two weeks past receiving their final dose of a COVID-19 
vaccine, and want to visit family and friends elsewhere in the United 
States.Those
 who do travel are urged to continue taking precautions: wearing a mask,
 avoiding crowds, socially distancing, and washing hands frequently.Fully
 vaccinated people seeking to travel internationally may still need to 
have a negative COVID-19 test to enter their destination. They should 
have a negative COVID-19 test result before they board a flight home to 
the United States, and should take another test three to five days after
 returning, according to the CDC.&nbsp;But those traveling abroad won’t need to quarantine upon return unless their state requires doing so.The new travel guidance expands upon <a href="https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2021/03/08/cdc-its-ok-for-vaccinated-grandparents-to-visit-family-if-no-risk-for-severe-disease/">an initial set of guidance that the CDC released last month</a>, outlining recommendations for how vaccinated individuals should socialize with those who are and are not vaccinated.Those
 initial recommendations sidestepped questions about traveling. And even
 as federal officials released the new guidelines, they also urged 
Americans to continue refraining from any travel that is not essential.“While
 we believe that fully vaccinated people can travel at low risk to 
themselves, the CDC is not recommending travel at this time due to the 
rising number of cases,” said Rochelle Walensky, the CDC’s director.<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations">According to CDC tracking data</a>,
 30% of Americans have received at least one dose of one of the three 
authorized COVID-19 vaccines, and 17% have been fully vaccinated.&nbsp;But the vaccination effort has been racing to outpace <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_dailytrendscases">a rise in the daily rate of coronavirus infections</a>.
 After falling to an average daily rate of 40,000 new cases in 
mid-March, that number has been going up, to 75,000 new cases reported 
Thursday.Earlier
 this week, Walensky described a sense of “impending doom” as she 
watched those numbers grow and new variants of the virus pop up across 
the country.“We
 know that travel was up in the month of March more so than it had been 
since the beginning of this pandemic. We know that right now we have a 
surging number of cases,” Walensky said, adding that the CDC guidance 
“is silent on recommending or not recommending fully vaccinated people 
travel —&nbsp;our guidance speaks to the safety of doing so.”<a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/04/cdc-data-suggests-vaccinated-dont-carry-cant-spread-virus.html">Recently released studies</a>
 have suggested that fully vaccinated people are unlikely to spread the 
virus, a scenario that scientists have said for months is likely to be 
true, but had lacked enough data on the brand-new vaccine to say 
definitively.Even before the new CDC guidelines, air travel had begun to pick up again. <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput">Data from the Transportation Security Administration</a> has shown a rising number of travelers passing through airports.Laura covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.

CDC: Fully vaccinated can travel in the U.S. without tests, quarantines

Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Cameron Hogan, 44, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced Friday in federal court in Omaha for misappropriation of postal funds. 

Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Hogan to 5 years of probation. 

Hogan will be required to pay $13,595 in restitution.

In 2020, federal agents began investigating financial irregularities reported at the West Omaha Postal Service Station in Omaha. At the time of the investigation, Hogan was employed as a Lead Sales and Services Associate. Agents reviewed sale activity reports and observed that Hogan had processed an excessive number of refunds and no sales and voided transactions. When interviewed, Hogan admitted to issuing fraudulent refunds and voided transactions and taking the funds for his own use.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General.

Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Cameron Hogan, 44, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced Friday in federal court in Omaha for misappropriation of postal funds. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Hogan to 5 years of probation. Hogan will be required to pay $13,595 in restitution.In 2020, federal agents began investigating financial irregularities reported at the West Omaha Postal Service Station in Omaha. At the time of the investigation, Hogan was employed as a Lead Sales and Services Associate. Agents reviewed sale activity reports and observed that Hogan had processed an excessive number of refunds and no sales and voided transactions. When interviewed, Hogan admitted to issuing fraudulent refunds and voided transactions and taking the funds for his own use.This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General.

Omaha man sentenced for misappropriation of postal funds   

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Vaccine passports being developed to verify COVID-19 immunization status and allow inoculated people to more freely travel, shop and dine have become the latest flash point in America’s perpetual political wars, with Republicans portraying them as a heavy-handed intrusion into personal freedom and private health choices.

They currently exist in only one state — a limited government partnership in New York with a private company — but that hasn’t stopped GOP lawmakers in a handful of states from rushing out legislative proposals to ban their use.

The argument over whether passports are a sensible response to the pandemic or governmental overreach echoes the bitter disputes over the past year about masks, shutdown orders and even the vaccines themselves.

Vaccine passports are typically an app with a code that verifies whether someone has been vaccinated or recently tested negative for COVID-19. They are in use in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-can-unvaccinated-return-to-work-dilemma-coronavrius-7e18cdee3a66018c36a6c61d5bc8a4c1">Israel&nbsp;</a>and under development in parts of Europe, seen as a way to safely help rebuild the pandemic-&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-travel-pandemics-europe-airlines-9c410bacd04c443f4ed562d1b2c3d37e">devastated travel industry</a>.

They are intended to allow businesses to more safely open up as the vaccine drive gains momentum, and they mirror measures already in place for schools and overseas travel that require proof of immunization against various diseases.

But lawmakers around the country are already taking a stand against the idea. GOP senators in Pennsylvania are drawing up legislation that would prohibit vaccine passports, also known as health certificates or travel passes, from being used to bar people from routine activities.

“We have constitutional rights and health privacy laws for a reason,” said Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, a Republican. “They should not cease to exist in a time of crisis. These passports may start with COVID-19, but where will they end?”

Benninghoff said this week his concern was “using taxpayer money to generate a system that will now be, possibly, in the hands of mega-tech organizations who’ve already had problems with getting hacked and security issues.”

A Democratic colleague, Rep. Chris Rabb of Philadelphia, sees value in vaccine passports if they are implemented carefully.

“There’s a role for using technology and other means to confirm people’s statuses,” Rabb said. “But we do have concerns around privacy, surveillance and inequitable access.”

Republican legislators in other states have also been drafting proposals to ban or limit them. A bill introduced in the Arkansas Legislature on Wednesday would prevent government officials from requiring vaccine passports for any reason, and would ban their use as a condition of “entry, travel, education, employment or services.”

The sponsor, Republican state Sen. Trent Garner, called vaccine passports “just another example of the Biden administration using COVID-19 to put regulations or restrictions on everyday Americans.”

President Joe Biden’s administration has largely taken a hands-off approach on vaccine passports.

At a news conference this week, Andy Slavitt, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said he considered them a project for the private sector, not the government.

He said the government is considering federal guidelines to steer the process surrounding vaccine passports. Among its concerns: Not everyone who would need a passport has a smartphone; passports should be free and in multiple languages; and private health information must be protected.

“There will be organizations that want to use these. There will be organizations that don’t want to use these,” said Dr. Brian Anderson of Mitre, which operates federally funded research centers and is part of a coalition working to develop standards for vaccine certifications to make their use easier across vendors.

Anderson noted the Vaccination Credential Initiative is not making recommendations on how — or even if — organizations choose to use the certifications.

In Montana, GOP lawmakers this week voted along party lines to advance a pair of bills that would ban discrimination based on vaccine status or possession of an immunity passport, and to prohibit using vaccine status or passports to obtain certain benefits and services.

And a freshman Republican state lawmaker in Ohio spoke out about the concept, saying more restrictions or mandates are not the answer to every COVID-19 problem.

“Ohioans are encouraged to take the COVID-19 vaccine for the health and well-being of themselves and others,” Rep. Al Cutrona said. “However, a vaccine should not be mandated or required by our government for our people to integrate back to a sense of normalcy.”

Republican Florida Gov. Ron&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fort-myers-miami-orlando-fort-lauderdale-florida-d2f3bc41dd70f812bdd5becea2bcfbbd">DeSantis on Friday</a>&nbsp;issued an executive order that said no governmental entity can issue a vaccine passport, and businesses in that state can’t require them. He said he expected the Legislature to pass a similar law.

His order said requiring “so-called COVID-19 vaccine passports for taking part in everyday life — such as attending a sporting event, patronizing a restaurant, or going to a movie theater — would create two classes of citizens.”

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, a newly elected member who has embraced and promoted a range of far-right political positions, told her supporters on Facebook earlier this week that “something called a vaccine passport” was a form of “corporate communism” and part of a Democratic effort to control people’s lives.

And a GOP lawmaker in Louisiana has teed up a bill to keep the state from including any vaccination information on the Louisiana driver’s license or to make issuance of a driver’s license subject to vaccine status.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-public-health-new-york-andrew-cuomo-coronavirus-pandemic-de31c6f9da7a0d83c8e38be36a0fca33">New York</a>, a government-sponsored vaccine passport called the Excelsior Pass is being introduced. A smartphone app, it shows whether someone has been vaccinated or recently tested negative for COVID-19.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo touted the idea as letting an event venue usher, for example, use their own smartphone to scan a concertgoer’s code.

New York officials have not released specific details about how the app will work, access someone’s vaccination or testing status or protect a user’s name, date of birth or the location where their code was scanned. The app’s privacy policy says data will be “maintained in a secure manner” and won’t be used for sales or marketing purposes or shared with a third party. But some privacy experts say the public needs more specifics to ensure its information is protected.

Albert Fox Cahn, founder and executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project at the Urban Justice Center, a New York–based civil rights and privacy group, warned the Excelsior Pass creates a new layer of surveillance without sufficient details about how it collects data or protects privacy.

“We basically only have screenshots of the user interface and not much more,” Cahn said of Excelsior Pass.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617473492633.png" alt="vaccine-card.png" />
 <figcaption>vaccine-card.png</figcaption>
 </figure>HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Vaccine passports being developed to verify COVID-19 immunization status and allow inoculated people to more freely travel, shop and dine have become the latest flash point in America’s perpetual political wars, with Republicans portraying them as a heavy-handed intrusion into personal freedom and private health choices.They currently exist in only one state — a limited government partnership in New York with a private company — but that hasn’t stopped GOP lawmakers in a handful of states from rushing out legislative proposals to ban their use.The argument over whether passports are a sensible response to the pandemic or governmental overreach echoes the bitter disputes over the past year about masks, shutdown orders and even the vaccines themselves.Vaccine passports are typically an app with a code that verifies whether someone has been vaccinated or recently tested negative for COVID-19. They are in use in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-can-unvaccinated-return-to-work-dilemma-coronavrius-7e18cdee3a66018c36a6c61d5bc8a4c1">Israel&nbsp;</a>and under development in parts of Europe, seen as a way to safely help rebuild the pandemic-&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-travel-pandemics-europe-airlines-9c410bacd04c443f4ed562d1b2c3d37e">devastated travel industry</a>.They are intended to allow businesses to more safely open up as the vaccine drive gains momentum, and they mirror measures already in place for schools and overseas travel that require proof of immunization against various diseases.But lawmakers around the country are already taking a stand against the idea. GOP senators in Pennsylvania are drawing up legislation that would prohibit vaccine passports, also known as health certificates or travel passes, from being used to bar people from routine activities.“We have constitutional rights and health privacy laws for a reason,” said Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, a Republican. “They should not cease to exist in a time of crisis. These passports may start with COVID-19, but where will they end?”Benninghoff said this week his concern was “using taxpayer money to generate a system that will now be, possibly, in the hands of mega-tech organizations who’ve already had problems with getting hacked and security issues.”A Democratic colleague, Rep. Chris Rabb of Philadelphia, sees value in vaccine passports if they are implemented carefully.“There’s a role for using technology and other means to confirm people’s statuses,” Rabb said. “But we do have concerns around privacy, surveillance and inequitable access.”Republican legislators in other states have also been drafting proposals to ban or limit them. A bill introduced in the Arkansas Legislature on Wednesday would prevent government officials from requiring vaccine passports for any reason, and would ban their use as a condition of “entry, travel, education, employment or services.”The sponsor, Republican state Sen. Trent Garner, called vaccine passports “just another example of the Biden administration using COVID-19 to put regulations or restrictions on everyday Americans.”President Joe Biden’s administration has largely taken a hands-off approach on vaccine passports.At a news conference this week, Andy Slavitt, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said he considered them a project for the private sector, not the government.He said the government is considering federal guidelines to steer the process surrounding vaccine passports. Among its concerns: Not everyone who would need a passport has a smartphone; passports should be free and in multiple languages; and private health information must be protected.“There will be organizations that want to use these. There will be organizations that don’t want to use these,” said Dr. Brian Anderson of Mitre, which operates federally funded research centers and is part of a coalition working to develop standards for vaccine certifications to make their use easier across vendors.Anderson noted the Vaccination Credential Initiative is not making recommendations on how — or even if — organizations choose to use the certifications.In Montana, GOP lawmakers this week voted along party lines to advance a pair of bills that would ban discrimination based on vaccine status or possession of an immunity passport, and to prohibit using vaccine status or passports to obtain certain benefits and services.And a freshman Republican state lawmaker in Ohio spoke out about the concept, saying more restrictions or mandates are not the answer to every COVID-19 problem.“Ohioans are encouraged to take the COVID-19 vaccine for the health and well-being of themselves and others,” Rep. Al Cutrona said. “However, a vaccine should not be mandated or required by our government for our people to integrate back to a sense of normalcy.”Republican Florida Gov. Ron&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fort-myers-miami-orlando-fort-lauderdale-florida-d2f3bc41dd70f812bdd5becea2bcfbbd">DeSantis on Friday</a>&nbsp;issued an executive order that said no governmental entity can issue a vaccine passport, and businesses in that state can’t require them. He said he expected the Legislature to pass a similar law.His order said requiring “so-called COVID-19 vaccine passports for taking part in everyday life — such as attending a sporting event, patronizing a restaurant, or going to a movie theater — would create two classes of citizens.”U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, a newly elected member who has embraced and promoted a range of far-right political positions, told her supporters on Facebook earlier this week that “something called a vaccine passport” was a form of “corporate communism” and part of a Democratic effort to control people’s lives.And a GOP lawmaker in Louisiana has teed up a bill to keep the state from including any vaccination information on the Louisiana driver’s license or to make issuance of a driver’s license subject to vaccine status.In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-public-health-new-york-andrew-cuomo-coronavirus-pandemic-de31c6f9da7a0d83c8e38be36a0fca33">New York</a>, a government-sponsored vaccine passport called the Excelsior Pass is being introduced. A smartphone app, it shows whether someone has been vaccinated or recently tested negative for COVID-19.Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo touted the idea as letting an event venue usher, for example, use their own smartphone to scan a concertgoer’s code.New York officials have not released specific details about how the app will work, access someone’s vaccination or testing status or protect a user’s name, date of birth or the location where their code was scanned. The app’s privacy policy says data will be “maintained in a secure manner” and won’t be used for sales or marketing purposes or shared with a third party. But some privacy experts say the public needs more specifics to ensure its information is protected.Albert Fox Cahn, founder and executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project at the Urban Justice Center, a New York–based civil rights and privacy group, warned the Excelsior Pass creates a new layer of surveillance without sufficient details about how it collects data or protects privacy.“We basically only have screenshots of the user interface and not much more,” Cahn said of Excelsior Pass.

Vaccine passport efforts draw opposition from GOP lawmakers

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is sorry for tweeting about peeing. The company, which sent a tweet to a Wisconsin congressman more than a week ago denying that its employees work so hard they have to urinate in empty water bottles, admitted in a late Friday blog post that it was wrong and vowed to improve working conditions for delivery drivers. 

The company went on to write that urinating in bottles is an industry-wide problem. 

To try and prove its point, it shared links to news articles about drivers for other delivery companies who urinate in bottles. Amazon said it is looking to fix the problem, but doesn't know how yet.

By the Associated PressNEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is sorry for tweeting about peeing. The company, which sent a tweet to a Wisconsin congressman more than a week ago denying that its employees work so hard they have to urinate in empty water bottles, admitted in a late Friday blog post that it was wrong and vowed to improve working conditions for delivery drivers. The company went on to write that urinating in bottles is an industry-wide problem. To try and prove its point, it shared links to news articles about drivers for other delivery companies who urinate in bottles. Amazon said it is looking to fix the problem, but doesn't know how yet.

Amazon apologizes to congressman for bogus ‘peeing’ tweet

WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking to overcome&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-norc-poll-us-half-want-vaccine-shots-4d98dbfc0a64d60d52ac84c3065dac55">vaccine hesitancy</a>, the Biden administration on Thursday stepped up its outreach efforts to skeptical Americans, launching a coalition of community, religious and celebrity partners to promote COVID-19 shots in hard-hit communities.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?509124-1/vice-president-harris-holds-virtual-town-hall">Click here to </a>watch a replay of the virtual meeting

The administration’s “We Can Do This” campaign features television and social media ads, but it also relies on a community corps of public health, athletic, faith and other groups to spread the word about the safety and efficacy of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-19-vaccine-us-study-highly-effective-57cde25de803c98503c5ff9937598420">the three approved vaccines</a>. The campaign comes amid worries that reluctance to get vaccinated will delay the nation’s recovery from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;— and is kicking off as the U.S. is anticipating a boost in vaccine supply that will make all adult Americans eligible for vaccines by the beginning of May.

President Joe Biden encouraged more than 1,000 faith leaders on Thursday to continue their efforts to promote vaccinations in their communities. “They’re going to listen to your words more than they are to me as president of the United States,” Biden said.

Vice President Kamala Harris and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-opioids-coronavirus-pandemic-vivek-murthy-barack-obama-2e1643c5f69e2f64ef04a46db60e95d7">Surgeon General Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;held a virtual meeting with the more than 275 inaugural members of the community corps on Thursday to kick off the effort. The Department of Health and Human Services was also encouraging other groups, as well as everyday Americans, to&nbsp;<a href="https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/covidcommunitycorps" target="_blank">join the effort.</a>

“You are the people that folks on the ground know and rely on and have a history with,” Harris said. “And when people are then making the decision to get vaccinated, they’re going to look to you.”

A White House official said Harris plans to take on a larger role in promoting the uptake of vaccines, in addition to her efforts selling the president’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill and working to address the root causes of migration driving an increase in unaccompanied minors entering the U.S. along the southern border.

The focus on trusted validators stems from both internal and public surveys showing those skeptical of the vaccines are most likely to be swayed by local, community and medical encouragement to get vaccinated, rather than messages from politicians.

Courtney Rowe, the White House’s COVID-19 director of strategic communications and engagement, briefed governors on the new initiative Tuesday, telling them that people “want to hear from those they know and trust.” She added that the initiative would be “empowering the leaders people want to hear from.”

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted late last month finds that three-quarters of American adults now say they have or will get a vaccine, compared with 13% who say they probably will not, while 12% say they definitely will not. The share saying they probably or definitely will not has ticked down since January, when a combined 32% said that.

The coalition includes health groups like the American Medical Association and the National Council of Urban Indian Health, sports leagues like the NFL, NASCAR and MLB, rural groups, unions and Latino, Black, Asian American Pacific Islander and Native American organizations, as well as coalitions of faith, business and veterans leaders.

The community corps will receive fact sheets and social media messages to share with members of their communities, as well as regular updates from the Biden administration with the latest vaccine confidence resources.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week that it will devote $3 billion to support outreach by community leaders and groups to boost vaccine confidence.

HHS was also launching its first national ad campaign promoting vaccinations, aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsVx_PZtigo" target="_blank">senior</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9iEVmAiWsc%3C&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">Latino</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ArOJN4XF3I" target="_blank">Black</a>&nbsp;Americans, with the roughly $250 million initial ad campaign. And in partnership with Facebook, it was deploying social media profile frames so that ordinary Americans could share their intent to get vaccinations and their experience with the shots to their peers.

The White House is also deploying Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, and Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, who chairs Biden’s COVID-19 equity task force, to speak directly to the public about the benefits of the vaccines. On Wednesday, the pair conducted an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KloxyjK36v0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KloxyjK36v0" target="_blank">interview</a>&nbsp;with rapper and actor LL Cool J and DJ Jazzy Jeff.

By the end of May, the U.S. will have enough supply of COVID-19 vaccine to cover all adults in the country.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/anthony-fauci">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, has estimated that 70% to 85% of the population needs to be immune to the virus to reach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/when-do-we-reach-herd-immunity-explained-8da12b3d4f6e33c0c6562f29f81ca52a">herd immunity</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617360034286.png" alt="Vice President Kamala Harris and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-opioids-coronavirus-pandemic-vivek-murthy-barack-obama-2e1643c5f69e2f64ef04a46db60e95d7">Surgeon General Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;held a virtual meeting with the more than 275 inaugural members of the community corps on Thursday-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Kamala Harris and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-opioids-coronavirus-pandemic-vivek-murthy-barack-obama-2e1643c5f69e2f64ef04a46db60e95d7">Surgeon General Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;held a virtual meeting with the more than 275 inaugural members of the community corps on Thursday-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking to overcome&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-norc-poll-us-half-want-vaccine-shots-4d98dbfc0a64d60d52ac84c3065dac55">vaccine hesitancy</a>, the Biden administration on Thursday stepped up its outreach efforts to skeptical Americans, launching a coalition of community, religious and celebrity partners to promote COVID-19 shots in hard-hit communities.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?509124-1/vice-president-harris-holds-virtual-town-hall">Click here to </a>watch a replay of the virtual meetingThe administration’s “We Can Do This” campaign features television and social media ads, but it also relies on a community corps of public health, athletic, faith and other groups to spread the word about the safety and efficacy of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-19-vaccine-us-study-highly-effective-57cde25de803c98503c5ff9937598420">the three approved vaccines</a>. The campaign comes amid worries that reluctance to get vaccinated will delay the nation’s recovery from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;— and is kicking off as the U.S. is anticipating a boost in vaccine supply that will make all adult Americans eligible for vaccines by the beginning of May.President Joe Biden encouraged more than 1,000 faith leaders on Thursday to continue their efforts to promote vaccinations in their communities. “They’re going to listen to your words more than they are to me as president of the United States,” Biden said.Vice President Kamala Harris and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-opioids-coronavirus-pandemic-vivek-murthy-barack-obama-2e1643c5f69e2f64ef04a46db60e95d7">Surgeon General Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;held a virtual meeting with the more than 275 inaugural members of the community corps on Thursday to kick off the effort. The Department of Health and Human Services was also encouraging other groups, as well as everyday Americans, to&nbsp;<a href="https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/covidcommunitycorps" target="_blank">join the effort.</a>“You are the people that folks on the ground know and rely on and have a history with,” Harris said. “And when people are then making the decision to get vaccinated, they’re going to look to you.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617360300944.png" alt="Vice President Harris during the virtual event -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Harris during the virtual event -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>A White House official said Harris plans to take on a larger role in promoting the uptake of vaccines, in addition to her efforts selling the president’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill and working to address the root causes of migration driving an increase in unaccompanied minors entering the U.S. along the southern border.The focus on trusted validators stems from both internal and public surveys showing those skeptical of the vaccines are most likely to be swayed by local, community and medical encouragement to get vaccinated, rather than messages from politicians.Courtney Rowe, the White House’s COVID-19 director of strategic communications and engagement, briefed governors on the new initiative Tuesday, telling them that people “want to hear from those they know and trust.” She added that the initiative would be “empowering the leaders people want to hear from.”A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted late last month finds that three-quarters of American adults now say they have or will get a vaccine, compared with 13% who say they probably will not, while 12% say they definitely will not. The share saying they probably or definitely will not has ticked down since January, when a combined 32% said that.The coalition includes health groups like the American Medical Association and the National Council of Urban Indian Health, sports leagues like the NFL, NASCAR and MLB, rural groups, unions and Latino, Black, Asian American Pacific Islander and Native American organizations, as well as coalitions of faith, business and veterans leaders.The community corps will receive fact sheets and social media messages to share with members of their communities, as well as regular updates from the Biden administration with the latest vaccine confidence resources.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week that it will devote $3 billion to support outreach by community leaders and groups to boost vaccine confidence.HHS was also launching its first national ad campaign promoting vaccinations, aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsVx_PZtigo" target="_blank">senior</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9iEVmAiWsc%3C&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">Latino</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ArOJN4XF3I" target="_blank">Black</a>&nbsp;Americans, with the roughly $250 million initial ad campaign. And in partnership with Facebook, it was deploying social media profile frames so that ordinary Americans could share their intent to get vaccinations and their experience with the shots to their peers.The White House is also deploying Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, and Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, who chairs Biden’s COVID-19 equity task force, to speak directly to the public about the benefits of the vaccines. On Wednesday, the pair conducted an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KloxyjK36v0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KloxyjK36v0" target="_blank">interview</a>&nbsp;with rapper and actor LL Cool J and DJ Jazzy Jeff.By the end of May, the U.S. will have enough supply of COVID-19 vaccine to cover all adults in the country.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/anthony-fauci">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, has estimated that 70% to 85% of the population needs to be immune to the virus to reach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/when-do-we-reach-herd-immunity-explained-8da12b3d4f6e33c0c6562f29f81ca52a">herd immunity</a>.

🎥 Vice Pres. leads celebrity team to boost vaccinations

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Sports, theater and music fans will be able to take their seats again in California as the state’s coronavirus cases plunge and vaccinations jump. 

After a year-long ban on most indoor seating, the state Friday set the stage for the resumption of NBA games and live entertainment performances in most counties beginning April 15. 

Most of the state’s 58 counties will be permitted to allow at least some indoor seating although the numbers will depend on which of four COVID-19 restriction tiers they fall under. 

Also, events that require fans to have been vaccinated will be allowed more customers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617457659930.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Sports, theater and music fans will be able to take their seats again in California as the state’s coronavirus cases plunge and vaccinations jump. After a year-long ban on most indoor seating, the state Friday set the stage for the resumption of NBA games and live entertainment performances in most counties beginning April 15. Most of the state’s 58 counties will be permitted to allow at least some indoor seating although the numbers will depend on which of four COVID-19 restriction tiers they fall under. Also, events that require fans to have been vaccinated will be allowed more customers.

California OKs indoor sports, concerts as COVID cases plunge

Just before 8p.m. Friday, officials reopened Carlson Road to traffic. Residents were allowed to return to their homes. Approximately 2000 acres burned. There were no injuries reported.

MAPLE HILL, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are urging people to evacuate two towns near Topeka because of a large wildfire. The Topeka Fire Department said in a tweet Friday that western Shawnee County should be avoided. 

The tweet said residents of Maple Hill and Willard have been urged to go to the nearby town of Rossville. Multiple emergency crews are on the scene. 

The National Weather Service has issued red flag fire danger warnings for the area because of gusty winds. Shawnee County Emergency Management didn’t immediately have any other details to release.

In addition, fire crews were also working another fire just north of Hutchinson in Reno County Friday afternoon at&nbsp;43rd and Loraine, according to the Hutchinson Fire Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617404810732.png" alt="Heinen Brothers Agra Services has been requested to assist on a wildfire in Wabaunsee/Shawnee Counties-photo courtesy Kansas Forest Service" />
 <figcaption>Heinen Brothers Agra Services has been requested to assist on a wildfire in Wabaunsee/Shawnee Counties-photo courtesy Kansas Forest Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 8p.m. Friday, officials reopened Carlson Road to traffic. Residents were allowed to return to their homes. Approximately 2000 acres burned. There were no injuries reported.--------MAPLE HILL, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are urging people to evacuate two towns near Topeka because of a large wildfire. The Topeka Fire Department said in a tweet Friday that western Shawnee County should be avoided. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617396126382.png" alt="Traffic backed up at U.S. 75 and U.S. 24 due to the fire-image courtesy KanDrive" />
 <figcaption>Traffic backed up at U.S. 75 and U.S. 24 due to the fire-image courtesy KanDrive</figcaption>
 </figure>The tweet said residents of Maple Hill and Willard have been urged to go to the nearby town of Rossville. Multiple emergency crews are on the scene. The National Weather Service has issued red flag fire danger warnings for the area because of gusty winds. Shawnee County Emergency Management didn’t immediately have any other details to release.In addition, fire crews were also working another fire just north of Hutchinson in Reno County Friday afternoon at&nbsp;43rd and Loraine, according to the Hutchinson Fire Department.

Update: Large wildfire forces evacuations in 2 Kan. towns

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Although President Biden’s major transportation infrastructure plan provides little for actual transportation, it does provide a major infusion of funds for Amtrak. It could mean expanded service in Kansas.

“The President has set the table with about $80 billion in funds for an expanded and improved Amtrak network,” Amtrak Spokesperson Marc Magliari said. “ That’s an idea that hasn’t had a lot of discussion lately and places where it has had a lot of discussion.”

Magliari says the expansion could mean Amtrak service to Wichita.

“Kansas has the advantage of having an active conversation with us and KDOT, and the Oklahoma DOT about extending our service that stops right now in Oklahoma City,” Magliari said. “It could continue up to Newton or perhaps even further.”

The Heartland Flyer route has been under the expansion plans of Amtrak for several years but has never gained as much transaction as now. Right now, buses carry passengers from Newton to Oklahoma City through Wichita. Newton is easily the busiest station in Kansas. It's also a far different outlook for Amtrak than two years ago. Back then, Amtrak's President and CEO said some major long distance routes should have busses intermixed with the train routes.

Other cities such as Phoenix and Las Vegas could also see service again under the proposal. Most have been without Amtrak since 1979. That includes Wichita. The Air Capital lost train service when Amtrak eliminated the Chicago to Houston Lone Star in 1979.

Amtrak is also set to take on a long list of new equipment, including new locomotives to replace its aging Genesis fleet on long distance trains along with new coaches. Those locomotives could be on long distance routes this summer.&nbsp;

Amtrak is also preparing to ramp up service again on the SW Chief that serves Kansas. It and the other long distance routes are set to go back to daily service in May. Service had been cut to three times per week due to a lack of ridership during the pandemic. It also forced the rail carrier to lay off some 2,200 employees.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1609258167047.png" alt="Photo courtesy Amtrak" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Amtrak</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROD ZOOKHutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Although President Biden’s major transportation infrastructure plan provides little for actual transportation, it does provide a major infusion of funds for Amtrak. It could mean expanded service in Kansas.“The President has set the table with about $80 billion in funds for an expanded and improved Amtrak network,” Amtrak Spokesperson Marc Magliari said. “ That’s an idea that hasn’t had a lot of discussion lately and places where it has had a lot of discussion.”Magliari says the expansion could mean Amtrak service to Wichita.“Kansas has the advantage of having an active conversation with us and KDOT, and the Oklahoma DOT about extending our service that stops right now in Oklahoma City,” Magliari said. “It could continue up to Newton or perhaps even further.”The Heartland Flyer route has been under the expansion plans of Amtrak for several years but has never gained as much transaction as now. Right now, buses carry passengers from Newton to Oklahoma City through Wichita. Newton is easily the busiest station in Kansas. It's also a far different outlook for Amtrak than two years ago. Back then, Amtrak's President and CEO said some major long distance routes should have busses intermixed with the train routes.Other cities such as Phoenix and Las Vegas could also see service again under the proposal. Most have been without Amtrak since 1979. That includes Wichita. The Air Capital lost train service when Amtrak eliminated the Chicago to Houston Lone Star in 1979.Amtrak is also set to take on a long list of new equipment, including new locomotives to replace its aging Genesis fleet on long distance trains along with new coaches. Those locomotives could be on long distance routes this summer.&nbsp;Amtrak is also preparing to ramp up service again on the SW Chief that serves Kansas. It and the other long distance routes are set to go back to daily service in May. Service had been cut to three times per week due to a lack of ridership during the pandemic. It also forced the rail carrier to lay off some 2,200 employees.

Amtrak: Biden transportation bill could be a major boost

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued guidance for 
employers claiming the Employee Retention Credit under the Coronavirus 
Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) modified by the 
Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020 (Relief Act).

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-21-23.pdf">Notice 2021-23&nbsp;PDF</a> explains the changes to the Employee Retention Credit for the first two calendar quarters of 2021, including:

As a result of the changes made by the Relief Act, eligible 
employers can now claim a refundable tax credit against the employer 
share of Social Security tax equal to 70% of the qualified wages they 
pay to employees after December&nbsp;31, 2020, through June 30, 2021. 
Qualified wages are limited to $10,000 per employee per calendar quarter
 in 2021. Thus, the maximum employee retention credit available is 
$7,000 per employee per calendar quarter, for a total of $14,000 for the
 first two calendar quarters of 2021.

Employers can access the Employee Retention Credit for the 1st and 
2nd calendar quarters of 2021 prior to filing their employment tax 
returns by reducing employment tax deposits. Small employers (i.e., 
employers with an average of 500 or fewer full-time employees in 2019) 
may request advance payment of the credit (subject to certain limits) on
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-7200">Form 7200, Advance of Employer Credits Due to Covid-19</a>,
 after reducing deposits. In 2021, advances are not available for 
employers larger than this. Further details on how to calculate and 
claim the employee retention credit for the first two calendar quarters 
of 2021 can be found in Notice 2021-23.

Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, enacted March 11, 2021, 
the Employee Retention Credit is available to eligible employers for 
wages paid during the third and fourth quarters of 2021. The Department 
of the Treasury and the IRS will provide further guidance on the 
Employee Retention Credit available under the ARPA.

Additional coronavirus relief <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/coronavirus-tax-relief-for-businesses-and-tax-exempt-entities">information for businesses</a> is available on IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued guidance for 
employers claiming the Employee Retention Credit under the Coronavirus 
Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) modified by the 
Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020 (Relief Act).<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-21-23.pdf">Notice 2021-23&nbsp;PDF</a> explains the changes to the Employee Retention Credit for the first two calendar quarters of 2021, including:<ul>
 <li>the increase in the maximum credit amount,</li><li>the expansion of the category of employers that may be eligible to claim the credit,</li><li>modifications to the gross receipts test,</li><li>revisions to the definition of qualified wages, and</li><li>new restrictions on the ability of eligible employers to request an advance payment of the credit.</li>
 </ul>As a result of the changes made by the Relief Act, eligible 
employers can now claim a refundable tax credit against the employer 
share of Social Security tax equal to 70% of the qualified wages they 
pay to employees after December&nbsp;31, 2020, through June 30, 2021. 
Qualified wages are limited to $10,000 per employee per calendar quarter
 in 2021. Thus, the maximum employee retention credit available is 
$7,000 per employee per calendar quarter, for a total of $14,000 for the
 first two calendar quarters of 2021.Employers can access the Employee Retention Credit for the 1st and 
2nd calendar quarters of 2021 prior to filing their employment tax 
returns by reducing employment tax deposits. Small employers (i.e., 
employers with an average of 500 or fewer full-time employees in 2019) 
may request advance payment of the credit (subject to certain limits) on
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-7200">Form 7200, Advance of Employer Credits Due to Covid-19</a>,
 after reducing deposits. In 2021, advances are not available for 
employers larger than this. Further details on how to calculate and 
claim the employee retention credit for the first two calendar quarters 
of 2021 can be found in Notice 2021-23.Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, enacted March 11, 2021, 
the Employee Retention Credit is available to eligible employers for 
wages paid during the third and fourth quarters of 2021. The Department 
of the Treasury and the IRS will provide further guidance on the 
Employee Retention Credit available under the ARPA.Additional coronavirus relief <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/coronavirus-tax-relief-for-businesses-and-tax-exempt-entities">information for businesses</a> is available on IRS.gov.

IRS provides guidance on Employee Retention Credit for 2021

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — A man shot by police during a chase and gun battle in east central Indiana has died of his wounds, authorities said

Jonathan Levi Allen, 28, a former Muncie resident who most recently resided in Wichita, Kansas, died sometime following the March 3 shooting.

Indiana State Police said Allen was shot in the head by a Muncie officer and crashed his SUV into a parked vehicle.

Muncie officers responding to a report of a suspect in an SUV firing gunshots tried to pull the vehicle but Allen didn’t stop and a short pursuit ensued before police ended it because school buses were nearby. The chase resumed when authorities learned Allen was holding a female passenger against her will in his vehicle, state police said.

“The suspect began firing multiple gunshots from the SUV towards officers and civilians,” state police said in a news release. Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman said he will review the state police investigation of the chase and shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617377519398.png" alt="Allen had two previous drug convictions in Kansas, according to the Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Allen had two previous drug convictions in Kansas, according to the Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — A man shot by police during a chase and gun battle in east central Indiana has died of his wounds, authorities saidJonathan Levi Allen, 28, a former Muncie resident who most recently resided in Wichita, Kansas, died sometime following the March 3 shooting.Indiana State Police said Allen was shot in the head by a Muncie officer and crashed his SUV into a parked vehicle.Muncie officers responding to a report of a suspect in an SUV firing gunshots tried to pull the vehicle but Allen didn’t stop and a short pursuit ensued before police ended it because school buses were nearby. The chase resumed when authorities learned Allen was holding a female passenger against her will in his vehicle, state police said.“The suspect began firing multiple gunshots from the SUV towards officers and civilians,” state police said in a news release. Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman said he will review the state police investigation of the chase and shooting.

Kan. felon dies after shot by police during chase

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Capitol Police officer was killed Friday after a man rammed a car into two officers at a barricade outside the U.S. Capitol and then emerged wielding a knife. It was the second line-of-duty death this year for a department still struggling to heal from the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Video shows the driver of the crashed car emerging with a knife in his hand and starting to run at the pair of officers, Capitol Police Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman told reporters. Authorities shot the suspect, who died at a hospital.

Two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press that the suspect stabbed one of the officers. The officials spoke to AP were not authorized to publicly discuss the pending investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“I just ask that the public continue to keep U.S. Capitol Police and their families in your prayers,” Pittman said. “This has been an extremely difficult time for U.S. Capitol Police after the events of Jan. 6 and now the events that have occurred here today.”

Police identified the slain officer as William “Billy” Evans, an 18-year veteran who was a member of the department’s first responders unit.

Authorities said that there wasn’t an ongoing threat and that the attack did not appear to be related to terrorism, though the Capitol was put on lockdown as a precaution. There was also no immediate connection apparent between Friday’s crash and the Jan. 6 riot.

Law enforcement officials identified the slain suspect as 25-year-old Noah Green. Investigators were digging into his background and examining whether he had any mental health history as they tried to discern a motive. They were working to obtain warrants to access his online accounts.

Pittman said the suspect did not appear to have been on the police’s radar. But the attack underscored that the building and campus — and the officers charged with protecting them — remain potential targets for violence.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that he and his wife were heartbroken to learn of the attack and expressed condolences to Evans’ family. He directed flags at the White House to be lowered to half staff.

The crash and shooting happened at a security checkpoint near the Capitol typically used by senators and staff on weekdays, though most are away from the building during the current recess. The attack occurred about 100 yards (91 meters) from the entrance of the building on the Senate side of the Capitol. One witness, the Rev. Patrick Mahoney, said he was finishing a Good Friday service nearby when he heard three shots ring out.

The Washington region remains on edge nearly three months after a mob of armed insurrectionists loyal to former President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol as Congress was voting to certify Biden’s presidential win.

Five people died in the Jan. 6 riot, including Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who was among a badly outnumbered force trying to fight off invaders seeking to overturn the election. Authorities installed a tall perimeter fence around the Capitol and for months restricted traffic along the roads closest to the building, but they had begun pulling back some of the emergency measures. Fencing that prevented vehicular traffic near that area was only recently removed.

Evans was the seventh Capitol Police member to die in the line of duty in the department’s history, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, which tracks deaths of law enforcement. In addition, two officers, one from Capitol Police and another from Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department, died by suicide following the Jan. 6 attack.

Almost 140 Capitol Police officers were wounded in that attack, including officers not issued helmets who sustained head injuries and one with cracked ribs, according to the officers’ union. It took hours for the National Guard to arrive, a delay that has driven months of finger-pointing between that day’s key decision makers.

Capitol Police and National Guard troops were called upon soon afterward to secure the Capitol during Biden’s inauguration and faced another potential threat in early March linked to conspiracy theories falsely claiming Trump would retake the presidency.

“Today, once again, these heroes risked their lives to protect our Capitol and our country, with the same extraordinary selflessness and spirit of service seen on January 6,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. “On behalf of the entire House, we are profoundly grateful.”

The U.S. Capitol complex was placed on lockdown after Friday’s shooting, and staffers were told they could not enter or exit buildings. Video showed Guard troops mobilizing near the area of the crash.

Video posted online showed a dark colored sedan crashed against a vehicle barrier and a police K-9 dog inspecting the vehicle. Law enforcement and paramedics could be seen caring for at least one unidentified individual.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/car-rams-capitol-barricade-add0fea76244f1755344aa856ee64ecd">the lockdown at the U.S. Capitol complex&nbsp;</a>(all times local):

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Capitol Police officer has been killed after a man rammed a car into two officers at a barricade outside the U.S. Capitol and then emerged wielding a knife. The suspect died at a hospital. 

Capitol Police Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman did not identify the slain officer or suspect on Friday afternoon. Authorities said the attack did not appear to be related to terrorism. The crash and shooting happened at a security checkpoint near the Capitol as Congress is on recess. It comes as the Washington region remains on edge nearly three months after a mob of armed insurrectionists stormed the Capitol as Congress was voting to certify Joe Biden’s presidential win.

WASHINGTON (AP) —U.S. Capitol Police say an officer has died after a suspect rammed his car into two officers and lunged at officers with a knife before being shot.

Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman says the officer died after Friday’s incident but did not immediately provide additional details. The officer’s identity was not released.

Pittman says the suspect rammed a barricade near the U.S. Capitol. She says the suspect then exited the vehicle with a knife and lunged at the officers. The suspect was shot and died at the hospital.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two law enforcement officials say a man rammed a car into two Capitol Police officers at a barricade outside the U.S. Capitol before being shot to death by authorities when he climbed out of the vehicle while appearing to brandish a knife. 

The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity on Friday afternoon as the event was unfolding. Both Capitol Police officers were taken to the hospital, with at least one in serious condition. 

The crash comes as Congress is on recess and as the Washington region remains on edge months after a mob of armed insurrectionists stormed the Capitol as lawmakers were voting to certify Joe Biden’s presidential win

WASHINGTON (AP) — A car has rammed a barricade outside the U.S. Capitol, injuring two Capitol Police officers and leading to the driver being shot.

That's according to two law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on Friday afternoon on condition of anonymity as the event was unfolding. 

At least one officer was in serious condition. The driver is in critical condition. The incident comes as the Washington region remains on edge months after a mob of armed insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol as Congress was voting to certify Joe Biden’s presidential win. The Capitol complex was placed on lockdown after the shooting and staff were told they could not enter or exit buildings

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617385738948.png" alt="Two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press that the suspect stabbed one of the officers. &nbsp;-photo courtesy WJLA TV" />
 <figcaption>Two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press that the suspect stabbed one of the officers. &nbsp;-photo courtesy WJLA TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A Capitol Police officer was killed Friday after a man rammed a car into two officers at a barricade outside the U.S. Capitol and then emerged wielding a knife. It was the second line-of-duty death this year for a department still struggling to heal from the Jan. 6 insurrection.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">UPDATE: The other USCP officer who was struck by the car is in stable and non-threatening condition.&mdash; U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/CapitolPolice/status/1378105541755539456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Video shows the driver of the crashed car emerging with a knife in his hand and starting to run at the pair of officers, Capitol Police Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman told reporters. Authorities shot the suspect, who died at a hospital.Two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press that the suspect stabbed one of the officers. The officials spoke to AP were not authorized to publicly discuss the pending investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.“I just ask that the public continue to keep U.S. Capitol Police and their families in your prayers,” Pittman said. “This has been an extremely difficult time for U.S. Capitol Police after the events of Jan. 6 and now the events that have occurred here today.”Police identified the slain officer as William “Billy” Evans, an 18-year veteran who was a member of the department’s first responders unit.Authorities said that there wasn’t an ongoing threat and that the attack did not appear to be related to terrorism, though the Capitol was put on lockdown as a precaution. There was also no immediate connection apparent between Friday’s crash and the Jan. 6 riot.Law enforcement officials identified the slain suspect as 25-year-old Noah Green. Investigators were digging into his background and examining whether he had any mental health history as they tried to discern a motive. They were working to obtain warrants to access his online accounts.Pittman said the suspect did not appear to have been on the police’s radar. But the attack underscored that the building and campus — and the officers charged with protecting them — remain potential targets for violence.President Joe Biden said in a statement that he and his wife were heartbroken to learn of the attack and expressed condolences to Evans’ family. He directed flags at the White House to be lowered to half staff.The crash and shooting happened at a security checkpoint near the Capitol typically used by senators and staff on weekdays, though most are away from the building during the current recess. The attack occurred about 100 yards (91 meters) from the entrance of the building on the Senate side of the Capitol. One witness, the Rev. Patrick Mahoney, said he was finishing a Good Friday service nearby when he heard three shots ring out.The Washington region remains on edge nearly three months after a mob of armed insurrectionists loyal to former President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol as Congress was voting to certify Biden’s presidential win.Five people died in the Jan. 6 riot, including Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who was among a badly outnumbered force trying to fight off invaders seeking to overturn the election. Authorities installed a tall perimeter fence around the Capitol and for months restricted traffic along the roads closest to the building, but they had begun pulling back some of the emergency measures. Fencing that prevented vehicular traffic near that area was only recently removed.Evans was the seventh Capitol Police member to die in the line of duty in the department’s history, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, which tracks deaths of law enforcement. In addition, two officers, one from Capitol Police and another from Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department, died by suicide following the Jan. 6 attack.Almost 140 Capitol Police officers were wounded in that attack, including officers not issued helmets who sustained head injuries and one with cracked ribs, according to the officers’ union. It took hours for the National Guard to arrive, a delay that has driven months of finger-pointing between that day’s key decision makers.Capitol Police and National Guard troops were called upon soon afterward to secure the Capitol during Biden’s inauguration and faced another potential threat in early March linked to conspiracy theories falsely claiming Trump would retake the presidency.“Today, once again, these heroes risked their lives to protect our Capitol and our country, with the same extraordinary selflessness and spirit of service seen on January 6,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. “On behalf of the entire House, we are profoundly grateful.”The U.S. Capitol complex was placed on lockdown after Friday’s shooting, and staffers were told they could not enter or exit buildings. Video showed Guard troops mobilizing near the area of the crash.Video posted online showed a dark colored sedan crashed against a vehicle barrier and a police K-9 dog inspecting the vehicle. Law enforcement and paramedics could be seen caring for at least one unidentified individual.---------WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/car-rams-capitol-barricade-add0fea76244f1755344aa856ee64ecd">the lockdown at the U.S. Capitol complex&nbsp;</a>(all times local):WASHINGTON (AP) — A Capitol Police officer has been killed after a man rammed a car into two officers at a barricade outside the U.S. Capitol and then emerged wielding a knife. The suspect died at a hospital. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617389572630.png" alt="Police block traffic at the intersection of Independence and Washington just before 2p.m. CDT Friday -image DC traffic camera" />
 <figcaption>Police block traffic at the intersection of Independence and Washington just before 2p.m. CDT Friday -image DC traffic camera</figcaption>
 </figure>Capitol Police Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman did not identify the slain officer or suspect on Friday afternoon. Authorities said the attack did not appear to be related to terrorism. The crash and shooting happened at a security checkpoint near the Capitol as Congress is on recess. It comes as the Washington region remains on edge nearly three months after a mob of armed insurrectionists stormed the Capitol as Congress was voting to certify Joe Biden’s presidential win.-------WASHINGTON (AP) —U.S. Capitol Police say an officer has died after a suspect rammed his car into two officers and lunged at officers with a knife before being shot.Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman says the officer died after Friday’s incident but did not immediately provide additional details. The officer’s identity was not released.Pittman says the suspect rammed a barricade near the U.S. Capitol. She says the suspect then exited the vehicle with a knife and lunged at the officers. The suspect was shot and died at the hospital.-----------WASHINGTON (AP) — Two law enforcement officials say a man rammed a car into two Capitol Police officers at a barricade outside the U.S. Capitol before being shot to death by authorities when he climbed out of the vehicle while appearing to brandish a knife. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity on Friday afternoon as the event was unfolding. Both Capitol Police officers were taken to the hospital, with at least one in serious condition. The crash comes as Congress is on recess and as the Washington region remains on edge months after a mob of armed insurrectionists stormed the Capitol as lawmakers were voting to certify Joe Biden’s presidential win------WASHINGTON (AP) — A car has rammed a barricade outside the U.S. Capitol, injuring two Capitol Police officers and leading to the driver being shot.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">CRITICAL INCIDENT: USCP is responding to the North Barricade vehicle access point along Independence Avenue for reports someone rammed a vehicle into two USCP officers. A suspect is in custody. Both officers are injured. All three have been transported to the hospital. <a href="https://t.co/4TXIdulJc6">pic.twitter.com/4TXIdulJc6</a>&mdash; U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/CapitolPolice/status/1378036076175110145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>That's according to two law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on Friday afternoon on condition of anonymity as the event was unfolding. At least one officer was in serious condition. The driver is in critical condition. The incident comes as the Washington region remains on edge months after a mob of armed insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol as Congress was voting to certify Joe Biden’s presidential win. The Capitol complex was placed on lockdown after the shooting and staff were told they could not enter or exit buildings

Police ID officer, suspect who died at US Capitol

OMAHA. Neb. (AP) - A 31-year-old Nebraska cattle rancher is recovering after doctors replaced his coronavirus-damaged lungs.

The Lincoln Journal-Star&nbsp;<a href="https://journalstar.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/health/fairbury-man-up-and-walking-after-nebraska-medicine-doctors-replace-covid-damaged-lungs/article_5673302c-dfc1-5225-9dff-311b6b71c018.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1" target="_blank">reports&nbsp;</a>that Jake Immink, of Fairbury, got sick around Halloweeen and wound up hospitalized on a ventilator for months. His lungs were so damaged that his only chance for a fairly normal life was a double-lung transplant.

He underwent the surgery March 20 after loosing weight and building up strength. He put his new lungs to the test this week, walking a mile and a half.

"I fully expect him to be herding cattle this summer," said Dr. Heather Strah, a transplant pulmonologist with Nebraska Medicine in Omaha.

Doing transplants for patients whose lungs are damaged by an acute illness is rare, although it's become more common because of COVID-19. Strah said she's aware of about 40 that have been done since the start of the pandemic, but Immink's was the first in Nebraska.

Immink said he wants to be a cautionary tale to people who may not think COVID-19 is a big deal, and he encouraged everyone to get vaccinated as soon as they can.

"I just hope everyone takes it serious and we can get back to a normal life," he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611181661423.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By the Associated PressOMAHA. Neb. (AP) - A 31-year-old Nebraska cattle rancher is recovering after doctors replaced his coronavirus-damaged lungs.The Lincoln Journal-Star&nbsp;<a href="https://journalstar.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/health/fairbury-man-up-and-walking-after-nebraska-medicine-doctors-replace-covid-damaged-lungs/article_5673302c-dfc1-5225-9dff-311b6b71c018.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1" target="_blank">reports&nbsp;</a>that Jake Immink, of Fairbury, got sick around Halloweeen and wound up hospitalized on a ventilator for months. His lungs were so damaged that his only chance for a fairly normal life was a double-lung transplant.He underwent the surgery March 20 after loosing weight and building up strength. He put his new lungs to the test this week, walking a mile and a half."I fully expect him to be herding cattle this summer," said Dr. Heather Strah, a transplant pulmonologist with Nebraska Medicine in Omaha.Doing transplants for patients whose lungs are damaged by an acute illness is rare, although it's become more common because of COVID-19. Strah said she's aware of about 40 that have been done since the start of the pandemic, but Immink's was the first in Nebraska.Immink said he wants to be a cautionary tale to people who may not think COVID-19 is a big deal, and he encouraged everyone to get vaccinated as soon as they can."I just hope everyone takes it serious and we can get back to a normal life," he said.

Doctors replace Nebraska rancher's COVID-damaged lungs

TOPEKA – A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emerging Variant known as the South African variant has been identified in Kansas, according to a media release from the KDHE.

An individual in Finney County was found to have the B.1.351 variant. A case investigation is being conducted to determine how the person became infected with this particular variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as if others may have been exposed. No further details are being released concerning the patient, including demographics.

The variant was determined through the whole genome sequencing conducted through the laboratories at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

The B.1.351 variant was originally identified in South Africa in December and has been&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MDIuMzgxNzczNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jZGMuZ292L2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLzIwMTktbmNvdi90cmFuc21pc3Npb24vdmFyaWFudC1jYXNlcy5odG1sP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9._nn9ojNVzakEjMi-aimoKpcFAhZD53MiJp-A4pc4JwA/s/1305913448/br/101421661976-l" target="_blank">found in 31 states and territories</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. At this point, it is not known to cause more severe disease and it is not clear whether it spreads more readily than other strains. Although this strain can reduce the effectiveness of some vaccines, vaccines still provide strong protection against severe illness and death.

“We continue to encourage people to take the appropriate precautions. This includes wearing a mask that fits snuggly around the nose and face and has multiple layers of fabric or layering thinner masks with an additional cloth face mask to improve the fit,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said. “Kansans should also follow isolation and quarantine recommendations, practice physical distancing, good hygiene, staying home if ill and getting the vaccine if you are able to.”

Another variant of concern, B.1.1.7, also known as the UK variant, has previously been identified in Kansas. There are currently 76 cases identified in 14 counties.&nbsp; This variant was first reported in the U.S. at the end of December 2020. Evidence from the UK indicates that this variant spreads much more quickly through the population and, given that fact, may rapidly increase the number of hospitalizations and deaths. More studies are needed to confirm this finding.

Testing is available and free for all Kansans. <a href="https://www.gogettested.com/kansas">Click here to find a</a> location near you.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608566572342.png" alt="Virus variant image courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>Virus variant image courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emerging Variant known as the South African variant has been identified in Kansas, according to a media release from the KDHE.An individual in Finney County was found to have the B.1.351 variant. A case investigation is being conducted to determine how the person became infected with this particular variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as if others may have been exposed. No further details are being released concerning the patient, including demographics.The variant was determined through the whole genome sequencing conducted through the laboratories at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.The B.1.351 variant was originally identified in South Africa in December and has been&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MDIuMzgxNzczNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jZGMuZ292L2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLzIwMTktbmNvdi90cmFuc21pc3Npb24vdmFyaWFudC1jYXNlcy5odG1sP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9._nn9ojNVzakEjMi-aimoKpcFAhZD53MiJp-A4pc4JwA/s/1305913448/br/101421661976-l" target="_blank">found in 31 states and territories</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. At this point, it is not known to cause more severe disease and it is not clear whether it spreads more readily than other strains. Although this strain can reduce the effectiveness of some vaccines, vaccines still provide strong protection against severe illness and death.“We continue to encourage people to take the appropriate precautions. This includes wearing a mask that fits snuggly around the nose and face and has multiple layers of fabric or layering thinner masks with an additional cloth face mask to improve the fit,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said. “Kansans should also follow isolation and quarantine recommendations, practice physical distancing, good hygiene, staying home if ill and getting the vaccine if you are able to.”Another variant of concern, B.1.1.7, also known as the UK variant, has previously been identified in Kansas. There are currently 76 cases identified in 14 counties.&nbsp; This variant was first reported in the U.S. at the end of December 2020. Evidence from the UK indicates that this variant spreads much more quickly through the population and, given that fact, may rapidly increase the number of hospitalizations and deaths. More studies are needed to confirm this finding.Testing is available and free for all Kansans. <a href="https://www.gogettested.com/kansas">Click here to find a</a> location near you.

KDHE: South African COVID variant identified in Kansas

SALINA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have rescued a man who fell into a grain storage facility near Salina and became trapped. Salina Fire Department Fire Marshal Troy Long said the man was apparently trying to remove a clog when he fell into a grain mover system at the Scoular grain elevator. 

The machinery was quickly shut down. Long said crews were able were able to remove part of that grain mover system and safely get the man out. He then was taken to a hospital with unknown injuries. Long said the department trains for situations like this often.

SALINE COUNTY —One person was rescued after an incident at the Scoular Grain elevator, 2880 East Country Club Road in Salina on Thursday, according to Sheriff's Lt. Jeremiah Hayes.

EMS transported the man to the hospital in Salina.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.&nbsp; 

Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617306805267.jpeg" alt="Emergency crews responded to Scoular Grain elevator east of Salina this afternoon.Salina Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Emergency crews responded to Scoular Grain elevator east of Salina this afternoon.Salina Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have rescued a man who fell into a grain storage facility near Salina and became trapped. Salina Fire Department Fire Marshal Troy Long said the man was apparently trying to remove a clog when he fell into a grain mover system at the Scoular grain elevator. The machinery was quickly shut down. Long said crews were able were able to remove part of that grain mover system and safely get the man out. He then was taken to a hospital with unknown injuries. Long said the department trains for situations like this often.------------SALINE COUNTY —One person was rescued after an incident at the Scoular Grain elevator, 2880 East Country Club Road in Salina on Thursday, according to Sheriff's Lt. Jeremiah Hayes.EMS transported the man to the hospital in Salina.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

Update: Man freed after entrapment at Kan. grain elevator 

HOUSTON (AP) — A&nbsp;federal judge did not immediately rule this week on a closely watched case over the fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which confers limited protections on hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought into the U.S. as children.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen set an early April deadline for lawyers on both sides to provide more information.

Texas&nbsp;heads a coalition of Republican-led states that want Hanen to invalidate the DACA program, instituted in 2012 by then-President Barack Obama. Defending the program is the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the state of&nbsp;New Jersey.

DACA recipients are granted a two-year reprieve from deportation that can be extended and receive a work permit and a Social Security number. The more than 600,000 people currently in the program must meet several requirements, including having no criminal record. Immigrants who are accepted and later get arrested face deportation to their country of origin.

Hanen declined in 2018 to issue a preliminary injunction, saying Texas and other states had waited too long to sue. But in that ruling, he said he believed DACA was unconstitutional and called on Congress to enact legislation shielding people under the program, often known as “Dreamers." Separate federal court rulings barred former President Donald Trump from ending the program and required him to reinstitute admissions.

But the program remains on potentially precarious ground. Lawyers for Texas&nbsp; pushed Hanen to quickly invalidate DACA. MALDEF has asked Hanen to delay any new order as President Joe Biden's administration and Congress consider legislation addressing DACA recipients.

Proposals on Capitol Hill have already faced strong Republican opposition and the politics of immigration have been complicated by a sharp increase in border crossings by immigrant children unaccompanied by a parent. GOP lawmakers have alleged Biden's limited reversal of Trump immigration restrictions have driven families to attempt to cross the border, though migrant families and experts interviewed by The Associated Press have offered a multitude of reasons.

Hanen noted that there had been dozens of failed proposals in the years since Obama enacted DACA

HOUSTON (AP) — A&nbsp;federal judge did not immediately rule this week on a closely watched case over the fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which confers limited protections on hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought into the U.S. as children.U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen set an early April deadline for lawyers on both sides to provide more information.Texas&nbsp;heads a coalition of Republican-led states that want Hanen to invalidate the DACA program, instituted in 2012 by then-President Barack Obama. Defending the program is the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the state of&nbsp;New Jersey.DACA recipients are granted a two-year reprieve from deportation that can be extended and receive a work permit and a Social Security number. The more than 600,000 people currently in the program must meet several requirements, including having no criminal record. Immigrants who are accepted and later get arrested face deportation to their country of origin.Hanen declined in 2018 to issue a preliminary injunction, saying Texas and other states had waited too long to sue. But in that ruling, he said he believed DACA was unconstitutional and called on Congress to enact legislation shielding people under the program, often known as “Dreamers." Separate federal court rulings barred former President Donald Trump from ending the program and required him to reinstitute admissions.But the program remains on potentially precarious ground. Lawyers for Texas&nbsp; pushed Hanen to quickly invalidate DACA. MALDEF has asked Hanen to delay any new order as President Joe Biden's administration and Congress consider legislation addressing DACA recipients.Proposals on Capitol Hill have already faced strong Republican opposition and the politics of immigration have been complicated by a sharp increase in border crossings by immigrant children unaccompanied by a parent. GOP lawmakers have alleged Biden's limited reversal of Trump immigration restrictions have driven families to attempt to cross the border, though migrant families and experts interviewed by The Associated Press have offered a multitude of reasons.Hanen noted that there had been dozens of failed proposals in the years since Obama enacted DACA

Judge delays ruling on DACA immigration program

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A Papillion woman died when a car she was it hit a utility pole and rolled, and the driver of the car was arrested, police in Omaha said.

The crash happened just after 12 a.m. Friday in north-central Omaha when a BMW sedan left the road, hit a utility pole and flipped over, the Omaha Police Department said in a news release.

Lepree-Ava Carroll-Fansler, 23, was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the car, police said. She was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The driver of the car, 26-year-old Edward D. Purvis Jr. of Omaha, was arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide caused by driving recklessly. Police said in the release that alcohol consumption and excessive speed are being investigated as contributing factors to the crash.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1559617385052.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A Papillion woman died when a car she was it hit a utility pole and rolled, and the driver of the car was arrested, police in Omaha said.The crash happened just after 12 a.m. Friday in north-central Omaha when a BMW sedan left the road, hit a utility pole and flipped over, the Omaha Police Department said in a news release.Lepree-Ava Carroll-Fansler, 23, was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the car, police said. She was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.The driver of the car, 26-year-old Edward D. Purvis Jr. of Omaha, was arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide caused by driving recklessly. Police said in the release that alcohol consumption and excessive speed are being investigated as contributing factors to the crash.

Omaha police say woman killed when car she was in flipped

WASHINGTON — Today, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department
 of the Treasury and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced they are
 disbursing several million more payments in the third batch of Economic
 Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan. This brings the total 
disbursed so far to more than 130 million payments worth approximately 
$335 billion.

As <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-begins-delivering-third-round-of-economic-impact-payments-to-americans">announced</a>
 on March 12, Economic Impact Payments continue to roll out in batches 
to millions of Americans. The third batch of payments began processing 
on Friday, March 26, with an official payment date of March 31, with 
some people receiving direct payments in their accounts earlier as 
provisional or pending deposits. Here is additional information on this 
batch of payments:

For the first two batches of payments (which began processing on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disbursed-90-million-economic-impact-payments-from-the-american-rescue-plan">March 12</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-another-37-million-economic-impact-payments-from-the-american-rescue-plan">March 19</a>),
 payments were primarily sent to eligible taxpayers who filed 2019 or 
2020 returns. People who don't typically file a return but who 
successfully used the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov last year were also 
sent payments in these first two batches, either as a direct deposit or 
by paper check or an EIP Card, a prepaid debit card.

Starting Friday, a large set of payments will begin going to Social 
Security and other federal beneficiaries who didn't file a 2020 or 2019 
tax return and didn't use the Non-Filers tool last year. These payments 
will go to Social Security retirement, survivor or disability (SSDI), 
Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) 
beneficiaries. As <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-projects-stimulus-payments-to-non-filer-social-security-and-other-federal-beneficiaries-will-be-disbursed-later-this-week">announced</a>
 previously, these payments will begin to be issued this weekend, with 
the projection that the majority of these payments will be sent 
electronically and received on April 7.

No action is needed by most people to obtain this round of Economic Impact Payments. People can check the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">Get My Payment</a>
 tool on IRS.gov on to see if&nbsp;their payment has been scheduled. The IRS 
notes that the Get My Payment tool on IRS.gov will not be updated until 
the weekend of April 3-4 with information for Social Security and other 
federal beneficiaries expecting payments next week.

The IRS continues to review data received for Veterans Affairs (VA) 
benefit recipients and expects to determine a payment date and provide 
more details soon. Currently, the IRS estimates that Economic Impact 
Payments for VA beneficiaries who do not regularly file tax returns 
could be disbursed by mid-April. VA beneficiary payment information will
 be available in the Get My Payment tool at a future date

Special reminder for those who don't normally file a tax return

Some federal benefits recipients may need to file a 2020 tax return, 
even if they don't usually file, to provide information the IRS needs to
 send payments for any qualified dependent. Eligible individuals in this
 group should file a 2020 tax return to be considered for an additional 
payment for their qualified dependent as quickly as possible.

People who don't normally file a tax return and don't receive federal
 benefits may qualify for these Economic Impact Payments. This includes 
those experiencing homelessness, the rural poor, and others. For those 
eligible individuals who didn't get a first or second Economic Impact 
Payment or got less than the full amounts, they may be eligible for the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>, but they'll need to file a 2020 tax return. See the special section on IRS.gov: <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-a-claiming-the-recovery-rebate-credit-if-you-arent-required-to-file-a-tax-return">Claiming the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if you aren't required to file a tax return</a>.

Free <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">tax return preparation</a> is available for qualifying people.

The IRS reminds taxpayers that the income levels in this new round of
 Economic Impact Payments have changed. This means that some people 
won't be eligible for the third payment even if they received a first or
 second Economic Impact Payment or claimed a 2020 Recovery Rebate 
Credit. Payments will begin to be reduced for individuals making $75,000
 or above in Adjusted Gross Income ($150,000 for married filing 
jointly). The payments end at $80,000 for individuals ($160,000 for 
married filing jointly); people with Adjusted Gross Incomes above these 
levels are ineligible for a payment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — Today, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department
 of the Treasury and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced they are
 disbursing several million more payments in the third batch of Economic
 Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan. This brings the total 
disbursed so far to more than 130 million payments worth approximately 
$335 billion.As <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-begins-delivering-third-round-of-economic-impact-payments-to-americans">announced</a>
 on March 12, Economic Impact Payments continue to roll out in batches 
to millions of Americans. The third batch of payments began processing 
on Friday, March 26, with an official payment date of March 31, with 
some people receiving direct payments in their accounts earlier as 
provisional or pending deposits. Here is additional information on this 
batch of payments:<ul>
 <li>This batch includes the first of ongoing supplemental payments 
for people who earlier in March received payments based on their 2019 
tax returns but are eligible for a new or larger payment based on their 
recently processed 2020 tax returns. These "plus-up" payments could 
include a situation where a person's income dropped in 2020 compared to 
2019, or a person had a new child or dependent on their 2020 tax return,
 and other situations.</li><li>The payments announced today also include payments for people for 
whom the IRS previously did not have information to issue a payment but 
who recently filed a tax return and qualify for an Economic Impact 
Payment. Payments to this group -- and the "plus-up" payments noted 
above -- will continue on a weekly basis going forward, as the IRS 
continues processing tax returns from 2020 and 2019.</li><li>In total, this third batch includes more than 4 million payments, with a total value of more than $10 billion.</li><li>This batch of payments contains more than 2 million direct deposit 
payments (with a total value of more than $5 billion) and approximately 2
 million paper check payments (with a total value of nearly $5 billion).</li>
 </ul>For the first two batches of payments (which began processing on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disbursed-90-million-economic-impact-payments-from-the-american-rescue-plan">March 12</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-another-37-million-economic-impact-payments-from-the-american-rescue-plan">March 19</a>),
 payments were primarily sent to eligible taxpayers who filed 2019 or 
2020 returns. People who don't typically file a return but who 
successfully used the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov last year were also 
sent payments in these first two batches, either as a direct deposit or 
by paper check or an EIP Card, a prepaid debit card.Starting Friday, a large set of payments will begin going to Social 
Security and other federal beneficiaries who didn't file a 2020 or 2019 
tax return and didn't use the Non-Filers tool last year. These payments 
will go to Social Security retirement, survivor or disability (SSDI), 
Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) 
beneficiaries. As <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-projects-stimulus-payments-to-non-filer-social-security-and-other-federal-beneficiaries-will-be-disbursed-later-this-week">announced</a>
 previously, these payments will begin to be issued this weekend, with 
the projection that the majority of these payments will be sent 
electronically and received on April 7.No action is needed by most people to obtain this round of Economic Impact Payments. People can check the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">Get My Payment</a>
 tool on IRS.gov on to see if&nbsp;their payment has been scheduled. The IRS 
notes that the Get My Payment tool on IRS.gov will not be updated until 
the weekend of April 3-4 with information for Social Security and other 
federal beneficiaries expecting payments next week.The IRS continues to review data received for Veterans Affairs (VA) 
benefit recipients and expects to determine a payment date and provide 
more details soon. Currently, the IRS estimates that Economic Impact 
Payments for VA beneficiaries who do not regularly file tax returns 
could be disbursed by mid-April. VA beneficiary payment information will
 be available in the Get My Payment tool at a future date<h2>Special reminder for those who don't normally file a tax return</h2>Some federal benefits recipients may need to file a 2020 tax return, 
even if they don't usually file, to provide information the IRS needs to
 send payments for any qualified dependent. Eligible individuals in this
 group should file a 2020 tax return to be considered for an additional 
payment for their qualified dependent as quickly as possible.People who don't normally file a tax return and don't receive federal
 benefits may qualify for these Economic Impact Payments. This includes 
those experiencing homelessness, the rural poor, and others. For those 
eligible individuals who didn't get a first or second Economic Impact 
Payment or got less than the full amounts, they may be eligible for the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>, but they'll need to file a 2020 tax return. See the special section on IRS.gov: <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-a-claiming-the-recovery-rebate-credit-if-you-arent-required-to-file-a-tax-return">Claiming the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if you aren't required to file a tax return</a>.Free <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">tax return preparation</a> is available for qualifying people.The IRS reminds taxpayers that the income levels in this new round of
 Economic Impact Payments have changed. This means that some people 
won't be eligible for the third payment even if they received a first or
 second Economic Impact Payment or claimed a 2020 Recovery Rebate 
Credit. Payments will begin to be reduced for individuals making $75,000
 or above in Adjusted Gross Income ($150,000 for married filing 
jointly). The payments end at $80,000 for individuals ($160,000 for 
married filing jointly); people with Adjusted Gross Incomes above these 
levels are ineligible for a payment.Individuals can check the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">Get My Payment</a> tool on IRS.gov to see the payment status of these payments. Additional information on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments">Economic Impact Payments</a> is available on IRS.gov.