TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has issued an order aimed at encouraging Kansas counties to keep COVID-19 mask mandates. However, the policy seemed unlikely to survive Thursday. 

Kelly’s order requires people to wear masks in indoor businesses and public spaces and outdoors when they can’t socially distance. Counties have the final say, but her order means that county commissions must take a specific vote to opt out. Eight top legislators have the power to revoke an order issued by the governor because of a pandemic. 

Those lawmakers planned to meet Thursday afternoon, and the six Republicans in the

The Governor issued the following orders, which will generally remain in effect until rescinded or until the statewide state of disaster emergency expires, whichever is earlier:

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has issued an order aimed at encouraging Kansas counties to keep COVID-19 mask mandates. However, the policy seemed unlikely to survive Thursday. Kelly’s order requires people to wear masks in indoor businesses and public spaces and outdoors when they can’t socially distance. Counties have the final say, but her order means that county commissions must take a specific vote to opt out. Eight top legislators have the power to revoke an order issued by the governor because of a pandemic. Those lawmakers planned to meet Thursday afternoon, and the six Republicans in theThe Governor issued the following orders, which will generally remain in effect until rescinded or until the statewide state of disaster emergency expires, whichever is earlier:<ul>
 <li>21-09 –&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MDEuMzgwOTc0OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDQvRU8tMjEtMDktRXhlY3V0ZWQucGRmIn0.PJ8mXtOKqtr_TQB5h3qwnsoAKHIWecHZOmHuw0kD4Nw/s/1303160919/br/101334745618-l" target="_blank">Extending professional and occupational licenses during state of disaster emergency</a></li><li>21-10 –&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MDEuMzgwOTc0OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDQvRU8tMjEtMTAtRXhlY3V0ZWQucGRmIn0.jHWjKj8ua7EZwbVXxbYaZoE58bTC4YA2XfsnHTuF4TU/s/1303160919/br/101334745618-l" target="_blank">Temporarily allowing notaries and witnesses to act via audio-video communication technology during state of disaster emergency</a></li><li>21-11 –&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MDEuMzgwOTc0OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDQvRU8tMjEtMTEtRXhlY3V0ZWQucGRmIn0.rq8OKi55v0Js5pg_kumEJnu2rvtOCgeLm1UMjagl8A0/s/1303160919/br/101334745618-l" target="_blank">Temporarily suspending certain rules relating to sale alcoholic beverages</a></li><li>21-12 –&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MDEuMzgwOTc0OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDQvRU8tMjEtMTItRXhlY3V0ZWQucGRmIn0.CmPRlnAaFZBzT9Rh2FAMtwpPkLzon85TRyIhhuPeR9A/s/1303160919/br/101334745618-l" target="_blank">Licensure, Certification, and Registration for persons and Licensure of “Adult Care Homes” during state of disaster emergency</a></li><li>21-13 –&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MDEuMzgwOTc0OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDQvRU8tMjEtMTMtRXhlY3V0ZWQucGRmIn0.31V_liNkQCvYt4tTs4EXafW_7f0z93rO3rarzDg_PT8/s/1303160919/br/101334745618-l" target="_blank">Temporarily prohibiting certain foreclosures and evictions</a></li><li>21-14 –&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MDEuMzgwOTc0OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDQvRU8tMjEtMTQtRXhlY3V0ZWQucGRmIn0.0QBr99RlWbo4HfZPW076SbOpp4TzRmHtZtSKQNA11lM/s/1303160919/br/101334745618-l" target="_blank">Establishing a face coverings protocol</a>&nbsp;(exempts local jurisdictions with their own mask orders in place)</li><li>21-15 –&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDgsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MDEuMzgwOTc0OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDQvRU8tMjEtMTUtRXhlY3V0ZWQucGRmIn0.Hclm6R3xy2G9EDEihLbitbHwEhvpPl8hI3ZBxqolpng/s/1303160919/br/101334745618-l" target="_blank">Requiring COVID-19 testing in certain adult care homes</a></li><li>21-16 –&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDksInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MDEuMzgwOTc0OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDQvRU8tMjEtMTYtRXhlY3V0ZWQucGRmIn0.cb5K4HGFlOf8WzXjpVLljCSShcPECjsiB55zbe4wXBs/s/1303160919/br/101334745618-l" target="_blank">Provisions related to drivers’ license and identification cards during the state of disaster emergency</a></li><li>21-17 –&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MDEuMzgwOTc0OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDQvRU8tMjEtMTctRXhlY3V0ZWQucGRmIn0.lqAiFBJtb7VCXJBK7XOpuXNX_JpAXtRiPgYSnuU7olw/s/1303160919/br/101334745618-l" target="_blank">Temporary relief from certain unemployment insurance requirements during state of disaster emergency</a></li><li>21-18 –&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MDEuMzgwOTc0OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDQvRU8tMjEtMTgtRXhlY3V0ZWQucGRmIn0.Hf5IXaiXym5JI4UMNRavCKg50O73ozxbEObyq2ALBQc/s/1303160919/br/101334745618-l" target="_blank">Temporary provisions for employer payment of income tax withholding for work performed in another state</a></li><li>21-19 –&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MDEuMzgwOTc0OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDQvRU8tMjEtMTktRXhlY3V0ZWQucGRmIn0.2hYLnTnJtJV7kFLNxgyIpujezoBaJQe59tvHJ8qy2SI/s/1303160919/br/101334745618-l" target="_blank">Temporary relief from certain tuberculin testing requirements during state of disaster emergency</a></li><li>21-20 –&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MDEuMzgwOTc0OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDQvRU8tMjEtMjAtRXhlY3V0ZWQucGRmIn0.ode6cYB8dsvvUFs6zvkN38SiX0NfeksroJgwCdG64Uw/s/1303160919/br/101334745618-l" target="_blank">Extending time for Kansas rural water districts to hold annual meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic</a></li><li>21-21 –&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MDEuMzgwOTc0OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDQvRU8tMjEtMjEtRXhlY3V0ZWQucGRmIn0.HRsqoBcfinjSGDdFCAY1HAkma1yDSNB7Tz1qD5MCI9M/s/1303160919/br/101334745618-l" target="_blank">Temporary authorization for additional vaccinators during state of disaster emergency</a></li>
 </ul>

Kan. governor issues new but doomed statewide mask policy

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles County sheriff says detectives have determined what caused Tiger Woods to crash his SUV last month in Southern California but declined to release details, citing unspecified privacy concerns for the golf star. 

Woods suffered serious injuries in the Feb. 23 crash just outside Los Angeles. He is in Florida recovering from multiple surgeries. 

Sheriff Alex Villanueva on Wednesday said detectives have determined what caused the collision but claimed investigators need permission from Woods to release information about the crash. Woods previously named his yacht “Privacy.” 

 A police expert refuted Villanueva's privacy claims.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles County sheriff says detectives have determined what caused Tiger Woods to crash his SUV last month in Southern California but declined to release details, citing unspecified privacy concerns for the golf star. Woods suffered serious injuries in the Feb. 23 crash just outside Los Angeles. He is in Florida recovering from multiple surgeries. Sheriff Alex Villanueva on Wednesday said detectives have determined what caused the collision but claimed investigators need permission from Woods to release information about the crash. Woods previously named his yacht “Privacy.” A police expert refuted Villanueva's privacy claims.

Cause of Tiger Woods crash found, officials won't reveal it

NEW YORK — Pfizer says its vaccine continues to be effective against COVID-19 up to six months later.

Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech, announced updated results Thursday from their ongoing late-stage study of more than 44,000 volunteers.

The companies said the vaccine was 91% effective against symptomatic disease and was even more protective in preventing severe disease. Of 927 confirmed COVID-19 cases detected through March 13, 77 were among people who received the vaccine and 850 were among people who got dummy shots.

There were no serious safety concerns and the vaccine also appeared to work against a variant first detected in South Africa, the companies said.

The U.K. and U.S. gave the emergency green light to roll out Pfizer’s vaccine late last year followed by many other countries. The vaccine is authorized for ages 16 and up.

This week, the companies said the vaccine is safe and strongly protective in kids as young as 12, based on a study of 2,260 U.S. volunteers.

By The Associated PressNEW YORK — Pfizer says its vaccine continues to be effective against COVID-19 up to six months later.Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech, announced updated results Thursday from their ongoing late-stage study of more than 44,000 volunteers.The companies said the vaccine was 91% effective against symptomatic disease and was even more protective in preventing severe disease. Of 927 confirmed COVID-19 cases detected through March 13, 77 were among people who received the vaccine and 850 were among people who got dummy shots.There were no serious safety concerns and the vaccine also appeared to work against a variant first detected in South Africa, the companies said.The U.K. and U.S. gave the emergency green light to roll out Pfizer’s vaccine late last year followed by many other countries. The vaccine is authorized for ages 16 and up.This week, the companies said the vaccine is safe and strongly protective in kids as young as 12, based on a study of 2,260 U.S. volunteers.

The Latest: Pfizer: Vaccine effective up to 6 months later

SHAWNEE COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities investigating a two-vehicle crash that killed a 7-month old baby and critically injured three others on Tuesday evening in Topeka have arrested the driver identified as&nbsp; Troy A. Vsetecka, 51, of Topeka, according to police department spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, police responded to the accident at the intersection of SW 5th Street and SW Polk Street in Topeka involving two vehicles, according to police Lt. Ron Ekis.

A preliminary investigation of the crash indicates the&nbsp;Vsetecka in an SUV was driving the wrong way on SW Polk Street at a high rate of speed when the vehicle crashed into a second dark gray colored vehicle.

In addition to the baby who died,&nbsp; three other adults were transported to a local hospital critical condition, according to&nbsp; Spiker.

Vsetecka was also hospitalized. Police arrested him after his release from the hospital Wednesday. He remains jailed on requested charges of Involuntary manslaughter, Aggravated battery, Failure To Stop Accident, Aggravated Endangering A Child, Speeding, Reckless driving, Driving Wrong Direction On One-Way Road, and Transport Open Container Of Liquid.

Police officers were not in pursuit of either vehicle prior to the crash, according to Spiker.

SHAWNEE COUNTY— A 7-month old baby died and three others were critically injured in a crash Tuesday evening in Topeka.&nbsp;

Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, police responded to the accident at the intersection of SW 5th Street and SW Polk Street in involving two vehicles, according to police Lt. Ron Ekis.

A preliminary investigation of the crash indicates the driver of a light colored SUV was driving the wrong way on SW Polk Street at a high rate of speed when it crashed into a second dark gray colored vehicle.

In addition to the baby,&nbsp; three other adults remain in critical, but stable condition at a local hospital, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

The driver and single occupant of the light colored SUV is also in the hospital and remains in stable condition. Police officers were not in pursuit of either vehicle, according to Spiker.

The accident remains under investigation. Police have not released names of those involved.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accident critically four people.

Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a serious injury accident at the intersection of SW 5th Street and SW Polk Street in Topeka involving two vehicles, according to police Lt. Ron Ekis. Four occupants were transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Officers are on scene investigating the accident and the circumstances leading up to the accident. Police asked the public to avoid the area of 5th street from Taylor to Polk and the 400 Blk of SW Polk as the area is closed to vehicle and foot traffic, according to Ekis.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617272054628.png" alt="Vsetecka photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Vsetecka photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities investigating a two-vehicle crash that killed a 7-month old baby and critically injured three others on Tuesday evening in Topeka have arrested the driver identified as&nbsp; Troy A. Vsetecka, 51, of Topeka, according to police department spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617206593208.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the fatal crash photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the fatal crash photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, police responded to the accident at the intersection of SW 5th Street and SW Polk Street in Topeka involving two vehicles, according to police Lt. Ron Ekis.A preliminary investigation of the crash indicates the&nbsp;Vsetecka in an SUV was driving the wrong way on SW Polk Street at a high rate of speed when the vehicle crashed into a second dark gray colored vehicle.In addition to the baby who died,&nbsp; three other adults were transported to a local hospital critical condition, according to&nbsp; Spiker.Vsetecka was also hospitalized. Police arrested him after his release from the hospital Wednesday. He remains jailed on requested charges of Involuntary manslaughter, Aggravated battery, Failure To Stop Accident, Aggravated Endangering A Child, Speeding, Reckless driving, Driving Wrong Direction On One-Way Road, and Transport Open Container Of Liquid.Police officers were not in pursuit of either vehicle prior to the crash, according to Spiker.------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617206171163.png" alt="Police on the scene of the crash investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the crash investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY— A 7-month old baby died and three others were critically injured in a crash Tuesday evening in Topeka.&nbsp;Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, police responded to the accident at the intersection of SW 5th Street and SW Polk Street in involving two vehicles, according to police Lt. Ron Ekis.A preliminary investigation of the crash indicates the driver of a light colored SUV was driving the wrong way on SW Polk Street at a high rate of speed when it crashed into a second dark gray colored vehicle.In addition to the baby,&nbsp; three other adults remain in critical, but stable condition at a local hospital, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.The driver and single occupant of the light colored SUV is also in the hospital and remains in stable condition. Police officers were not in pursuit of either vehicle, according to Spiker.The accident remains under investigation. Police have not released names of those involved.----------SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accident critically four people.Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a serious injury accident at the intersection of SW 5th Street and SW Polk Street in Topeka involving two vehicles, according to police Lt. Ron Ekis. Four occupants were transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.Officers are on scene investigating the accident and the circumstances leading up to the accident. Police asked the public to avoid the area of 5th street from Taylor to Polk and the 400 Blk of SW Polk as the area is closed to vehicle and foot traffic, according to Ekis.

Driver in Kan. crash that killed baby moved from hospital to jail

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police say human remains discovered in rural eastern Iowa have been identified as a 10-year-old girl who has been missing since last summer. 

Davenport Police Chief Paul Sikorski says an autopsy revealed the remains are those of Breasia Terrell of Davenport. Sikorski says authorities are investigating the case as a homicide. 

Breasia was last seen July 10 at a Davenport apartment complex, where she was staying with her half-brother and his father, Henry Dinkins. Fishermen discovered her remains in DeWitt in rural Clinton County earlier this month. 

Police have not made any arrests but say Dinkins is a person of interest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617275007518.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police say human remains discovered in rural eastern Iowa have been identified as a 10-year-old girl who has been missing since last summer. Davenport Police Chief Paul Sikorski says an autopsy revealed the remains are those of Breasia Terrell of Davenport. Sikorski says authorities are investigating the case as a homicide. Breasia was last seen July 10 at a Davenport apartment complex, where she was staying with her half-brother and his father, Henry Dinkins. Fishermen discovered her remains in DeWitt in rural Clinton County earlier this month. Police have not made any arrests but say Dinkins is a person of interest.

Police: Remains found in rural Iowa are missing girl, 10

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?510371-1/president-biden-announces-2-trillion-infrastructure-jobs-plan">Click here</a> to watch the President's anouncement

PITTSBURGH (AP) — President Joe Biden outlined a huge $2.3 trillion plan Wednesday to reengineer the nation’s infrastructure in what he billed as “a once-in-a-generation investment in America” that would undo his predecessor’s signature legislative achievement — giant tax cuts for corporations — in the process.

Speaking at a carpenters union training center in Pittsburgh, Biden drew comparisons between his hard-hatted proposed transformation of the U.S. economy and the space race — and promised results as grand in scale as the New Deal or Great Society programs that shaped the 20th century.

“It’s not a plan that tinkers around the edges,” Biden said. “It’s a once-in-a-generation investment in America unlike anything we’ve seen or done since we built the interstate highway system and the space race decades ago. In fact, it’s the largest American jobs investment since World War II. It will create millions of jobs, good-paying jobs.”

White House officials say the spending would generate those jobs as the country shifts away from fossil fuels and combats the perils of climate change. It is also an effort to compete with the technology and public investments made by China, which has the world’s second-largest economy and is fast gaining on the United States’ dominant position.

“I’m convinced that if we act now, in 50 years people are going to look back and say this is the moment when America won the future,” Biden said.

The Democratic president’s infrastructure projects would be financed by higher corporate taxes — a trade-off that could lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-politics-climate-climate-change-c14bb6ce360a43e6239abfe087758e5c">fierce resistance from the business community and thwart attempts to work with Republican lawmakers</a>. Biden hopes to pass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-nancy-pelosi-bills-archive-063cdac72af44b98b338842416c50752">an infrastructure plan by summer</a>, which could mean relying solely on the slim Democratic majorities in the House and the Senate.

The higher corporate taxes would aim to raise the necessary piles of money over 15 years and then reduce the deficit going forward. In doing so, Biden would undo the 2017 tax overhaul by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans and lift the corporate tax rate to 28% from the 21% rate.

“Ninety-one Fortune 500 Companies, including Amazon, pay not a single solitary penny in income tax,” Biden said.

Wednesday’s announcement will be followed in coming weeks by Biden pushing a companion bill of roughly equal size for investments in child care, family tax credits and other domestic programs. That nearly $2 trillion package would be paid for by tax hikes on wealthy individuals and families.

“Wall Street didn’t build this country,” Biden said. “You, the great middle class, built this country. And unions built the middle class.”

Biden’s choice of Pittsburgh for unveiling the plan carried important economic and political resonance. He not only won Pittsburgh and its surrounding county to help secure the presidency, but he launched his campaign there in 2019. The city famed for steel mills that powered America’s industrial rise has steadily pivoted toward technology and health care, drawing in college graduates in a sign of how economies can change.

The White House says the largest chunk of the proposal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-corporate-taxes-00c9edd7b759a8787ea1bb31f48f4016">includes $621 billion for roads, bridges, public transit, electric vehicle charging stations and other transportation infrastructure</a>. The spending would push the country away from internal combustion engines that the auto industry views as increasingly antiquated technology.

An additional $111 billion would go to replace lead water pipes and upgrade sewers. Broadband internet would blanket the country for $100 billion. Separately, $100 billion would upgrade the power grid to deliver clean electricity. Homes would get retrofitted, schools modernized, workers trained and hospitals renovated under the plan, which also seeks to strengthen U.S. manufacturing.

The new construction could keep the economy running hot, coming on the heels of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-first-prime-time-speech-next-phase-pandemic-85d1ae52bc61abffd3ae91c324e58308">Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package.&nbsp;</a>Economists already estimate it could push growth above 6% this year.

To keep companies from shifting profits overseas to avoid taxation, a 21% global minimum tax would be imposed. The tax code would also be updated so that companies could not merge with foreign businesses and avoid taxes by moving their headquarters to a tax haven. And among other provisions, it would increase IRS audits of corporations.

Biden appealed for Republicans and the business community to join him in negotiations on the bill, but the legislative prospects for Biden’s twin proposals already appear to hinge on Democrats coming up with the votes on their own through the budget reconciliation process, which requires just a simple majority in the 50-50 Senate.

“I’m going to bring Republicans into the Oval Office, listen to them, what they have to say and be open to other ideas,” Biden said. “We’ll have a good faith negotiation. Any Republican who wants to help get this done. But we have to get it done.”

Democratic leaders embraced Biden’s plan Wednesday. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said it would create millions of jobs.

“I look forward to working with President Biden to pass a big, bold plan that will drive America forward for decades to come,” Schumer said at an event in Buffalo.

But Republican opposition to Biden’s ambitious proposal came swiftly, and with resolve for the long brawl ahead.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell dismissed the package as nothing more than a “Trojan horse” for tax hikes.

Republicans on Capitol Hill view the fight as a defining moment for the parties, framing it as a choice between Democrats intent on relying on government to solve the nation’s problems and a GOP that believes the private sector can best unleash the nation’s potential.

Smarting over Biden’s intent to undo the 2017 tax cuts has only solidified what could amount to a wall of GOP opposition.

The business community favors updating U.S. infrastructure but dislikes higher tax rates. U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer Neil Bradley said in a statement that “we applaud the Biden administration for making infrastructure a top priority. However, we believe the proposal is dangerously misguided when it comes to how to pay for infrastructure.” The Business Roundtable, a group of CEOs, would rather have infrastructure funded with user fees such as tolls.

Trump, in a statement, blasted his successor’s proposal, claiming it “would be among the largest self-inflicted economic wounds in history.”

Infrastructure spending usually holds the promise of juicing economic growth, but by how much remains a subject of political debate. Commutes and shipping times could be shortened, while public health would be improved and construction jobs would bolster consumer spending.

Standard &amp; Poor’s chief U.S. economist, Beth Ann Bovino, estimated last year that a $2.1 trillion boost in infrastructure spending could add as much as $5.7 trillion in income to the entire economy over a decade. Those kinds of analyses have led liberal Democrats in Congress such as Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal to conclude, “The economic consensus is that infrastructure pays for itself over time.”

But the Biden administration is taking a more cautious approach than some Democrats might like. After $1.9 trillion in pandemic aid and $4 trillion in relief last year, the administration is trying to avoid raising the national debt to levels that would trigger higher interest rates and make it harder to repay.

Biden’s efforts may also be complicated by demands from a handful of Democratic lawmakers who say they cannot support the bill unless it addresses the $10,000 cap on individuals’ state and local tax deductions put in place under Trump and a Republican-led Congress.

With a narrow majority in the House, those Democrats could conceivably quash any bill that doesn’t significantly lift the cap or repeal it entirely.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617228468283.png" alt="President Biden said “It’s a once-in-a-generation investment in America unlike anything we’ve seen or done since we built the interstate highway system." Photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden said “It’s a once-in-a-generation investment in America unlike anything we’ve seen or done since we built the interstate highway system." Photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?510371-1/president-biden-announces-2-trillion-infrastructure-jobs-plan">Click here</a> to watch the President's anouncementPITTSBURGH (AP) — President Joe Biden outlined a huge $2.3 trillion plan Wednesday to reengineer the nation’s infrastructure in what he billed as “a once-in-a-generation investment in America” that would undo his predecessor’s signature legislative achievement — giant tax cuts for corporations — in the process.Speaking at a carpenters union training center in Pittsburgh, Biden drew comparisons between his hard-hatted proposed transformation of the U.S. economy and the space race — and promised results as grand in scale as the New Deal or Great Society programs that shaped the 20th century.“It’s not a plan that tinkers around the edges,” Biden said. “It’s a once-in-a-generation investment in America unlike anything we’ve seen or done since we built the interstate highway system and the space race decades ago. In fact, it’s the largest American jobs investment since World War II. It will create millions of jobs, good-paying jobs.”White House officials say the spending would generate those jobs as the country shifts away from fossil fuels and combats the perils of climate change. It is also an effort to compete with the technology and public investments made by China, which has the world’s second-largest economy and is fast gaining on the United States’ dominant position.“I’m convinced that if we act now, in 50 years people are going to look back and say this is the moment when America won the future,” Biden said.The Democratic president’s infrastructure projects would be financed by higher corporate taxes — a trade-off that could lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-politics-climate-climate-change-c14bb6ce360a43e6239abfe087758e5c">fierce resistance from the business community and thwart attempts to work with Republican lawmakers</a>. Biden hopes to pass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-nancy-pelosi-bills-archive-063cdac72af44b98b338842416c50752">an infrastructure plan by summer</a>, which could mean relying solely on the slim Democratic majorities in the House and the Senate.The higher corporate taxes would aim to raise the necessary piles of money over 15 years and then reduce the deficit going forward. In doing so, Biden would undo the 2017 tax overhaul by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans and lift the corporate tax rate to 28% from the 21% rate.“Ninety-one Fortune 500 Companies, including Amazon, pay not a single solitary penny in income tax,” Biden said.Wednesday’s announcement will be followed in coming weeks by Biden pushing a companion bill of roughly equal size for investments in child care, family tax credits and other domestic programs. That nearly $2 trillion package would be paid for by tax hikes on wealthy individuals and families.“Wall Street didn’t build this country,” Biden said. “You, the great middle class, built this country. And unions built the middle class.”Biden’s choice of Pittsburgh for unveiling the plan carried important economic and political resonance. He not only won Pittsburgh and its surrounding county to help secure the presidency, but he launched his campaign there in 2019. The city famed for steel mills that powered America’s industrial rise has steadily pivoted toward technology and health care, drawing in college graduates in a sign of how economies can change.The White House says the largest chunk of the proposal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-corporate-taxes-00c9edd7b759a8787ea1bb31f48f4016">includes $621 billion for roads, bridges, public transit, electric vehicle charging stations and other transportation infrastructure</a>. The spending would push the country away from internal combustion engines that the auto industry views as increasingly antiquated technology.An additional $111 billion would go to replace lead water pipes and upgrade sewers. Broadband internet would blanket the country for $100 billion. Separately, $100 billion would upgrade the power grid to deliver clean electricity. Homes would get retrofitted, schools modernized, workers trained and hospitals renovated under the plan, which also seeks to strengthen U.S. manufacturing.The new construction could keep the economy running hot, coming on the heels of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-first-prime-time-speech-next-phase-pandemic-85d1ae52bc61abffd3ae91c324e58308">Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package.&nbsp;</a>Economists already estimate it could push growth above 6% this year.To keep companies from shifting profits overseas to avoid taxation, a 21% global minimum tax would be imposed. The tax code would also be updated so that companies could not merge with foreign businesses and avoid taxes by moving their headquarters to a tax haven. And among other provisions, it would increase IRS audits of corporations.Biden appealed for Republicans and the business community to join him in negotiations on the bill, but the legislative prospects for Biden’s twin proposals already appear to hinge on Democrats coming up with the votes on their own through the budget reconciliation process, which requires just a simple majority in the 50-50 Senate.“I’m going to bring Republicans into the Oval Office, listen to them, what they have to say and be open to other ideas,” Biden said. “We’ll have a good faith negotiation. Any Republican who wants to help get this done. But we have to get it done.”Democratic leaders embraced Biden’s plan Wednesday. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said it would create millions of jobs.“I look forward to working with President Biden to pass a big, bold plan that will drive America forward for decades to come,” Schumer said at an event in Buffalo.But Republican opposition to Biden’s ambitious proposal came swiftly, and with resolve for the long brawl ahead.Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell dismissed the package as nothing more than a “Trojan horse” for tax hikes.Republicans on Capitol Hill view the fight as a defining moment for the parties, framing it as a choice between Democrats intent on relying on government to solve the nation’s problems and a GOP that believes the private sector can best unleash the nation’s potential.Smarting over Biden’s intent to undo the 2017 tax cuts has only solidified what could amount to a wall of GOP opposition.The business community favors updating U.S. infrastructure but dislikes higher tax rates. U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer Neil Bradley said in a statement that “we applaud the Biden administration for making infrastructure a top priority. However, we believe the proposal is dangerously misguided when it comes to how to pay for infrastructure.” The Business Roundtable, a group of CEOs, would rather have infrastructure funded with user fees such as tolls.Trump, in a statement, blasted his successor’s proposal, claiming it “would be among the largest self-inflicted economic wounds in history.”Infrastructure spending usually holds the promise of juicing economic growth, but by how much remains a subject of political debate. Commutes and shipping times could be shortened, while public health would be improved and construction jobs would bolster consumer spending.Standard &amp; Poor’s chief U.S. economist, Beth Ann Bovino, estimated last year that a $2.1 trillion boost in infrastructure spending could add as much as $5.7 trillion in income to the entire economy over a decade. Those kinds of analyses have led liberal Democrats in Congress such as Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal to conclude, “The economic consensus is that infrastructure pays for itself over time.”But the Biden administration is taking a more cautious approach than some Democrats might like. After $1.9 trillion in pandemic aid and $4 trillion in relief last year, the administration is trying to avoid raising the national debt to levels that would trigger higher interest rates and make it harder to repay.Biden’s efforts may also be complicated by demands from a handful of Democratic lawmakers who say they cannot support the bill unless it addresses the $10,000 cap on individuals’ state and local tax deductions put in place under Trump and a Republican-led Congress.With a narrow majority in the House, those Democrats could conceivably quash any bill that doesn’t significantly lift the cap or repeal it entirely.___

🎥  Pres. Biden's $2.3T infrastructure plan a 'win the future'

ANDERSON, Mo. (AP) — A woman who was named “Grace Doe” after her remains were found in 1990 in southwest Missouri has been identified, McDonald County authorities announced Wednesday.

Investigators and f<a href="https://dnasolves.com/articles/grace_doe/">orensic science identified </a>the remains as Shawna Beth Garber, 53, formerly of Kansas.

Her body was found on Dec. 2, 1990 in farmland in McDonald County. An autopsy determined she was raped and strangled about two months before the discovery.

In September 2020, the remains were sent to Othram, a forensics company, which extracted DNA and built a profile to find distant relatives, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

In January, Othram notified the McDonald County sheriff’s office that possible relatives had been located.

A detective eventually located Danielle Pixler, who said she had a half-sister named Shawna Garber who had been in foster care in Garnett, Kansas, before going back into state care. Pixler said she didn’t know what had happened to Garber after she left foster care.

Pixler donated DNA in February. Othram notified the McDonald County sheriff’s office on Monday that Pixler’s DNA was a match as a half-sibling for “Grace Doe.”

The sheriff’s office said it will try to trace Garber’s movements before her death to determine what happened to her.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617274045546.png" alt="'Grace Doe' photo McDonald Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>'Grace Doe' photo McDonald Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>ANDERSON, Mo. (AP) — A woman who was named “Grace Doe” after her remains were found in 1990 in southwest Missouri has been identified, McDonald County authorities announced Wednesday.Investigators and f<a href="https://dnasolves.com/articles/grace_doe/">orensic science identified </a>the remains as Shawna Beth Garber, 53, formerly of Kansas.Her body was found on Dec. 2, 1990 in farmland in McDonald County. An autopsy determined she was raped and strangled about two months before the discovery.In September 2020, the remains were sent to Othram, a forensics company, which extracted DNA and built a profile to find distant relatives, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.In January, Othram notified the McDonald County sheriff’s office that possible relatives had been located.A detective eventually located Danielle Pixler, who said she had a half-sister named Shawna Garber who had been in foster care in Garnett, Kansas, before going back into state care. Pixler said she didn’t know what had happened to Garber after she left foster care.Pixler donated DNA in February. Othram notified the McDonald County sheriff’s office on Monday that Pixler’s DNA was a match as a half-sibling for “Grace Doe.”The sheriff’s office said it will try to trace Garber’s movements before her death to determine what happened to her.

Authorities ID 'Grace Doe' found in 1990 in Missouri

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - A judge Wednesday ordered the detention of a Colorado firearms enthusiast who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boulder-iowa-colorado-marijuana-iowa-city-231d1804316248b9edbc88e5bbf66122" target="_blank">raised alarm</a>&nbsp;at an Iowa gun store last week when he said he was surprised people didn't suspect he was the Boulder mass shooter.

Adam Vannoy, 40, attempted to buy guns in Iowa after he was released on bond from a jail in Nebraska, where troopers had seized several firearms and marijuana from his vehicle during a March 14 traffic stop, U.S. Magistrate Stephen Jackson found.

A firearms dealer in Ankeny, Iowa refused to sell Vannoy an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle and alerted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives after Vannoy said he was surprised friends hadn't called to ask whether he was responsible for the shooting in which 10 people were killed at a Boulder grocery store.

After he was unable to secure a firearm, Vannoy purchased "kits that would enable him to assemble firearms," the judge said in his ruling Wednesday. Video posted by Vannoy to his Instagram account showed that he spent nearly $3,000 buying firearms accessories at Brownells, a retailer in Grinnell, Iowa.

"This continued attempt to obtain weapons, coupled with the behavior described at the hearing, leads to the conclusion that the government has met its burden and detention is appropriate," Jackson wrote after a detention hearing earlier Wednesday.

The judge ordered federal authorities to transfer Vannoy to Nebraska, where he is charged in federal court with possessing a firearm as an unlawful drug user.

The Nebraska State Patrol initially arrested Vannoy on March 14 on Interstate 80 in Lancaster County, after a driver had called police to report he was driving recklessly at about 120 mph.

During a search of his packed truck, troopers seized a handgun from Vannoy's jacket, a loaded AR-style semi-automatic rifle with an illegal silencer, four other firearms, ammunition, a bulletproof blanket and vest, two brown wigs and an Air Force costume. They also found marijuana.

Vannoy said his truck was packed with all of his belongings since he was abruptly leaving Colorado. Records show he told a Nebraska trooper during the stop that he was leaving Denver because his neighbors didn't like him, he had a mental breakdown and quit his job. He told the trooper that he would use his time in jail to "think about getting even with people," a remark the trooper viewed as threatening.

They jailed the Denver man on weapons and drug charges. He was released after posting $5,000 bond on March 17, even though he threatened to kill a guard, exposed his penis to guards and threw feces from his cell into a common area, according to a federal complaint unsealed Friday.

The case comes as Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds faces pressure to veto a bill passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature that would eliminate the need to obtain permits to purchase handguns from private sellers or carry them in public. People would still have to pass background checks or present permits to purchase weapons at retailers, but critics say the unregulated private sales would allow more unqualified and dangerous people to obtain firearms.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573580132637.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN J. FOLEY-Associated Press IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - A judge Wednesday ordered the detention of a Colorado firearms enthusiast who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boulder-iowa-colorado-marijuana-iowa-city-231d1804316248b9edbc88e5bbf66122" target="_blank">raised alarm</a>&nbsp;at an Iowa gun store last week when he said he was surprised people didn't suspect he was the Boulder mass shooter.Adam Vannoy, 40, attempted to buy guns in Iowa after he was released on bond from a jail in Nebraska, where troopers had seized several firearms and marijuana from his vehicle during a March 14 traffic stop, U.S. Magistrate Stephen Jackson found.A firearms dealer in Ankeny, Iowa refused to sell Vannoy an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle and alerted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives after Vannoy said he was surprised friends hadn't called to ask whether he was responsible for the shooting in which 10 people were killed at a Boulder grocery store.After he was unable to secure a firearm, Vannoy purchased "kits that would enable him to assemble firearms," the judge said in his ruling Wednesday. Video posted by Vannoy to his Instagram account showed that he spent nearly $3,000 buying firearms accessories at Brownells, a retailer in Grinnell, Iowa."This continued attempt to obtain weapons, coupled with the behavior described at the hearing, leads to the conclusion that the government has met its burden and detention is appropriate," Jackson wrote after a detention hearing earlier Wednesday.The judge ordered federal authorities to transfer Vannoy to Nebraska, where he is charged in federal court with possessing a firearm as an unlawful drug user.The Nebraska State Patrol initially arrested Vannoy on March 14 on Interstate 80 in Lancaster County, after a driver had called police to report he was driving recklessly at about 120 mph.During a search of his packed truck, troopers seized a handgun from Vannoy's jacket, a loaded AR-style semi-automatic rifle with an illegal silencer, four other firearms, ammunition, a bulletproof blanket and vest, two brown wigs and an Air Force costume. They also found marijuana.Vannoy said his truck was packed with all of his belongings since he was abruptly leaving Colorado. Records show he told a Nebraska trooper during the stop that he was leaving Denver because his neighbors didn't like him, he had a mental breakdown and quit his job. He told the trooper that he would use his time in jail to "think about getting even with people," a remark the trooper viewed as threatening.They jailed the Denver man on weapons and drug charges. He was released after posting $5,000 bond on March 17, even though he threatened to kill a guard, exposed his penis to guards and threw feces from his cell into a common area, according to a federal complaint unsealed Friday.The case comes as Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds faces pressure to veto a bill passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature that would eliminate the need to obtain permits to purchase handguns from private sellers or carry them in public. People would still have to pass background checks or present permits to purchase weapons at retailers, but critics say the unregulated private sales would allow more unqualified and dangerous people to obtain firearms.

US judge orders detention of gun enthusiast arrested in Iowa

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A Lincoln business lobbyist and Republican operative won confirmation to Nebraska's state health board on Wednesday despite criticism from a handful of Democratic lawmakers.

Senators voted 37-7 to confirm Bud Synhorst to the state Board of Health. The board sets rules for a variety of health care professions, including doctors and nurses, and regulates the people who work in those fields.

Synhorst is a former Nebraska Republican Party executive director who now serves as president of the Lincoln Independent Business Association, a conservative-leaning group with members that were openly critical of the city's coronavirus mask mandate. He was appointed by Gov. Pete Ricketts, a fellow Republican.

As the business group's president, Synhorst voiced concerns after Lincoln city officials shuttered two bars for violating the mandate. He also was a campaign operative for Republicans seeking office in Nebraska's officially nonpartisan Legislature.

Critics argued that many state boards lack diversity and said Ricketts could have chosen someone other than Synhorst, who is white, to represent minority concerns. They also argued that Synhorst already serves on a state nominating board for judges, which they said could run afoul of a constitutional provision that bars people from working in different branches of government at the same time.

Some GOP senators defended Synhorst, vouched for his character and said he was being criticized because he's a Republican.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A Lincoln business lobbyist and Republican operative won confirmation to Nebraska's state health board on Wednesday despite criticism from a handful of Democratic lawmakers.Senators voted 37-7 to confirm Bud Synhorst to the state Board of Health. The board sets rules for a variety of health care professions, including doctors and nurses, and regulates the people who work in those fields.Synhorst is a former Nebraska Republican Party executive director who now serves as president of the Lincoln Independent Business Association, a conservative-leaning group with members that were openly critical of the city's coronavirus mask mandate. He was appointed by Gov. Pete Ricketts, a fellow Republican.As the business group's president, Synhorst voiced concerns after Lincoln city officials shuttered two bars for violating the mandate. He also was a campaign operative for Republicans seeking office in Nebraska's officially nonpartisan Legislature.Critics argued that many state boards lack diversity and said Ricketts could have chosen someone other than Synhorst, who is white, to represent minority concerns. They also argued that Synhorst already serves on a state nominating board for judges, which they said could run afoul of a constitutional provision that bars people from working in different branches of government at the same time.Some GOP senators defended Synhorst, vouched for his character and said he was being criticized because he's a Republican.

Senators OK Lincoln business lobbyist for health board

LINCOLN, Neb.-Patricia Blankenfeld of Lincoln won $200,000 playing the $20 Scratch game White Ice Black Ice from the Nebraska Lottery.

Blankenfeld purchased her winning ticket at Casey’s General Store #2970, 2500 NW 12th Street in Lincoln. Scratching off the ticket, she revealed two matching numbers with a corresponding prize of $200,000.

She’d purchased her winning ticket just a few minutes before heading to the Nebraska Lottery offices to claim her prize. Blankenfeld scanned her ticket at Casey’s but wasn’t completely sure how much she won when the machine said, “Winner, take to Lottery”.

When she got to the Lottery and learned how much she’d won she was briefly in shocked silence until she started laughing.

“Today’s my birthday,” she said. “It’s usually raining or snowing on my birthday, but this is much better.”

Blankenfeld plans to purchase a new car using the prize money.

There are three $200,000 top prizes available in White Ice Black Ice. This is the first top prize claimed to date.

White Ice Black Ice is a $20 Scratch game from the Nebraska Lottery that offers players the chance to win $7.7 million in cash prizes from $20 to $200,000. The odds of winning the $200,000 top prize in White Ice Black Ice are 1 in 200,000, while the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 2.94.

The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $803 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617226217059.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release Nebraska LotteryLINCOLN, Neb.-Patricia Blankenfeld of Lincoln won $200,000 playing the $20 Scratch game White Ice Black Ice from the Nebraska Lottery.Blankenfeld purchased her winning ticket at Casey’s General Store #2970, 2500 NW 12th Street in Lincoln. Scratching off the ticket, she revealed two matching numbers with a corresponding prize of $200,000.She’d purchased her winning ticket just a few minutes before heading to the Nebraska Lottery offices to claim her prize. Blankenfeld scanned her ticket at Casey’s but wasn’t completely sure how much she won when the machine said, “Winner, take to Lottery”.When she got to the Lottery and learned how much she’d won she was briefly in shocked silence until she started laughing.“Today’s my birthday,” she said. “It’s usually raining or snowing on my birthday, but this is much better.”Blankenfeld plans to purchase a new car using the prize money.There are three $200,000 top prizes available in White Ice Black Ice. This is the first top prize claimed to date.White Ice Black Ice is a $20 Scratch game from the Nebraska Lottery that offers players the chance to win $7.7 million in cash prizes from $20 to $200,000. The odds of winning the $200,000 top prize in White Ice Black Ice are 1 in 200,000, while the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 2.94.The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $803 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.

Lincoln woman wins $200K on Nebraska Lottery scratch game

News Release US Attorney's Office-Omaha

Acting United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced that a federal jury in Omaha, Nebraska, returned guilty verdicts today against Ramon Simpson, 50, of Norfolk, for kidnapping resulting in death and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.&nbsp; Kidnapping resulting in death carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.&nbsp; 

There is no parole in the federal system. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher presided over the 7-day trial and set sentencing for June 30, 2021.

Phyllis Hunhoff regularly traveled from her home in Yankton, South Dakota to her mother’s home in Utica, South Dakota.&nbsp; Her regular practice was to call her mother upon returning to Yankton.&nbsp; 

On November 4, 2018, at approximately 9:45 p.m., Phyllis Hunhoff left her mother’s residence, alone, to drive home to Yankton.&nbsp; She did not call her mother as she did not make it home.&nbsp; Having not heard from Phyllis, her mother began repeatedly calling her phone to determine her whereabouts.&nbsp; All calls were unanswered.

Simpson, Joseph James, and other men were near Phyllis Hunhoff’s mother’s residence as she was leaving.&nbsp; James and Simpson encountered Phyllis Hunhoff outside of the residence and got into her car.&nbsp; Simpson and James kidnapped Phyllis Hunhoff and took Hunhoff and her vehicle to Norfolk, Nebraska, arriving at about 11:00 p.m.&nbsp; 

When they arrived in Norfolk, James remained in the vehicle and Simpson exited the vehicle with James’s cellular phone.&nbsp; James drove Phyllis Hunhoff’s vehicle, with her inside, to the Santee Sioux Indian Reservation in Knox County, Nebraska.&nbsp;

Simpson proceeded to delete communications and location data from James’s phone detailing their travels and activities on November 4, 2018.

Video from a gas station on the Santee Reservation showed James driving Hunhoff’s vehicle and putting gasoline into her vehicle.&nbsp; 

Later, James returned in the same vehicle to the gas station and pumped gasoline into a soda bottle.&nbsp; James then drove to an isolated location on the Santee Reservation in Knox County, Nebraska, where he set fire to Hunhoff’s body and her vehicle to conceal evidence of the murder and kidnapping.&nbsp; James abandoned the body and vehicle and left the area.

On November 8, 2018, Phyllis Hunhoff’s body was located inside of her vehicle on the Santee Sioux Indian Reservation. Hunhoff had been killed by strangulation and stab wounds. Hunhoff’s body and vehicle were set on fire. &nbsp;

The FBI and other law enforcement officers investigated the murder and obtained evidence, including surveillance footage of James at the gas station during the early morning hours of November 5, 2018.&nbsp; 

Santee Police recovered the shirt James was wearing when he killed Phyllis Hunhoff.&nbsp; Her DNA was on James’ shirt.&nbsp; James’s DNA was on clothing Phyllis Hunhoff was wearing when he killed her.&nbsp;

When contacted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Simpson repeatedly lied about his and James’s whereabout on November 4 and 5, 2018.

James entered a plea of guilty to Murder in Indian Country on February 5, 2020, and on July 15, 2020 was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp said, “The abduction and killing of Phyllis Hunhoff was a ghastly crime.&nbsp; Our hearts go out to her family.&nbsp; Mr. Simpson is richly deserving of the sentence he will likely receive.&nbsp; The two-year investigation and prosecution of Mr. Simpson, and Mr. James before him, was complicated by complex jurisdictional issues and the need to analyze volumes of digital evidence.&nbsp; The FBI and the trial team did an outstanding job putting together the case that led to Mr. Simpson’s conviction.”

After today’s verdict, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “Ramon Simpson may not have killed Phylliss Hunhoff, but his participation in her abduction and kidnapping ultimately lead to her violent and senseless death.&nbsp; 

FBI Omaha is committed to continuing working with our state and local partners to apprehend violent criminals and bring them to justice.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jody Mullis and Sean Lynch.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Nebraska State Patrol, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Santee Sioux Nation Tribal Police, Yankton County Sheriff’s Office, Yankton Police Department (South Dakota), Norfolk Police Department, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the Nebraska State Fire Marshal, and the Lincoln Police Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617226415989.png" alt="Hunhoff" />
 <figcaption>Hunhoff</figcaption>
 </figure>News Release US Attorney's Office-OmahaActing United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced that a federal jury in Omaha, Nebraska, returned guilty verdicts today against Ramon Simpson, 50, of Norfolk, for kidnapping resulting in death and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.&nbsp; Kidnapping resulting in death carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.&nbsp; There is no parole in the federal system. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher presided over the 7-day trial and set sentencing for June 30, 2021.Phyllis Hunhoff regularly traveled from her home in Yankton, South Dakota to her mother’s home in Utica, South Dakota.&nbsp; Her regular practice was to call her mother upon returning to Yankton.&nbsp; On November 4, 2018, at approximately 9:45 p.m., Phyllis Hunhoff left her mother’s residence, alone, to drive home to Yankton.&nbsp; She did not call her mother as she did not make it home.&nbsp; Having not heard from Phyllis, her mother began repeatedly calling her phone to determine her whereabouts.&nbsp; All calls were unanswered.Simpson, Joseph James, and other men were near Phyllis Hunhoff’s mother’s residence as she was leaving.&nbsp; James and Simpson encountered Phyllis Hunhoff outside of the residence and got into her car.&nbsp; Simpson and James kidnapped Phyllis Hunhoff and took Hunhoff and her vehicle to Norfolk, Nebraska, arriving at about 11:00 p.m.&nbsp; When they arrived in Norfolk, James remained in the vehicle and Simpson exited the vehicle with James’s cellular phone.&nbsp; James drove Phyllis Hunhoff’s vehicle, with her inside, to the Santee Sioux Indian Reservation in Knox County, Nebraska.&nbsp;Simpson proceeded to delete communications and location data from James’s phone detailing their travels and activities on November 4, 2018.Video from a gas station on the Santee Reservation showed James driving Hunhoff’s vehicle and putting gasoline into her vehicle.&nbsp; Later, James returned in the same vehicle to the gas station and pumped gasoline into a soda bottle.&nbsp; James then drove to an isolated location on the Santee Reservation in Knox County, Nebraska, where he set fire to Hunhoff’s body and her vehicle to conceal evidence of the murder and kidnapping.&nbsp; James abandoned the body and vehicle and left the area.On November 8, 2018, Phyllis Hunhoff’s body was located inside of her vehicle on the Santee Sioux Indian Reservation. Hunhoff had been killed by strangulation and stab wounds. Hunhoff’s body and vehicle were set on fire. &nbsp;The FBI and other law enforcement officers investigated the murder and obtained evidence, including surveillance footage of James at the gas station during the early morning hours of November 5, 2018.&nbsp; Santee Police recovered the shirt James was wearing when he killed Phyllis Hunhoff.&nbsp; Her DNA was on James’ shirt.&nbsp; James’s DNA was on clothing Phyllis Hunhoff was wearing when he killed her.&nbsp;When contacted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Simpson repeatedly lied about his and James’s whereabout on November 4 and 5, 2018.James entered a plea of guilty to Murder in Indian Country on February 5, 2020, and on July 15, 2020 was sentenced to life imprisonment.Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp said, “The abduction and killing of Phyllis Hunhoff was a ghastly crime.&nbsp; Our hearts go out to her family.&nbsp; Mr. Simpson is richly deserving of the sentence he will likely receive.&nbsp; The two-year investigation and prosecution of Mr. Simpson, and Mr. James before him, was complicated by complex jurisdictional issues and the need to analyze volumes of digital evidence.&nbsp; The FBI and the trial team did an outstanding job putting together the case that led to Mr. Simpson’s conviction.”After today’s verdict, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “Ramon Simpson may not have killed Phylliss Hunhoff, but his participation in her abduction and kidnapping ultimately lead to her violent and senseless death.&nbsp; FBI Omaha is committed to continuing working with our state and local partners to apprehend violent criminals and bring them to justice.”The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jody Mullis and Sean Lynch.The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Nebraska State Patrol, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Santee Sioux Nation Tribal Police, Yankton County Sheriff’s Office, Yankton Police Department (South Dakota), Norfolk Police Department, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the Nebraska State Fire Marshal, and the Lincoln Police Department.

Norfolk man convicted in fatal kidnapping

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) - A Grand Island man has pleaded not guilty in the shooting death of his stepfather.

Cody Clark, 27, was charged in the February death of Donald Carlin at a home in rural Hall County.

He pleaded not guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder, first-degree assault, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony and possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person.

Prosecutors said Clark got involved in an argument between his mother and Carlin and shot the older man in the head, KOLN&nbsp;<a href="http://011now.com/2021/03/31/grand-island-murder-suspect-says-not-guilty/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=snd&amp;utm_content=koln" target="_blank">reported.</a>

Clark's bond was set at $750,000. A pre-trial hearing was scheduled next month in Hall County District Court.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617225889286.png" alt="Clark" />
 <figcaption>Clark</figcaption>
 </figure>GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) - A Grand Island man has pleaded not guilty in the shooting death of his stepfather.Cody Clark, 27, was charged in the February death of Donald Carlin at a home in rural Hall County.He pleaded not guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder, first-degree assault, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony and possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person.Prosecutors said Clark got involved in an argument between his mother and Carlin and shot the older man in the head, KOLN&nbsp;<a href="http://011now.com/2021/03/31/grand-island-murder-suspect-says-not-guilty/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=snd&amp;utm_content=koln" target="_blank">reported.</a>Clark's bond was set at $750,000. A pre-trial hearing was scheduled next month in Hall County District Court.

Grand Island man pleads not guilty in stepfather's death

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A tweet issued on the official page of the U.S. military command in charge of the nation's nuclear arsenal early had many on social media confused.

What did the Sunday evening tweet, which read ";l;;gmlxzssaw," mean? Had the account of the U.S. Strategic Command, which has its headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base south of Omaha, been hacked?

Within 10 minutes, the tweet drew at least 12,400 "likes," 9,000 retweets and lots of snark and speculation, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/stratcoms-covfefe-curious-toddler-briefly-takes-over-nuke-commands-twitter-account/article_3e2e7610-916b-11eb-a750-6f2e4b84a91d.html#tncms-source=login" target="_blank">reported</a>. A half-hour later, a follow-up tweet apologized for the confusion and advised followers to disregard the nonsensical tweet. Then the mystery tweet disappeared.

"Should we be ducking and covering now?" one person responded.

StratCom officials provided the answer a day later: The tweet came from a rogue toddler.

In a statement issued late Monday, StratCom said the person who manages the command's Twitter account was working from home when he briefly stepped away from his computer while the account was open. That's when his child sat down to play on the keyboard and managed to hit "send."

"Absolutely nothing nefarious occurred; i.e., no hacking of our Twitter account," StratCom spokeswoman Karen Singer said in the statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617216643799.png" alt="Photo: US Military" />
 <figcaption>Photo: US Military</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A tweet issued on the official page of the U.S. military command in charge of the nation's nuclear arsenal early had many on social media confused.What did the Sunday evening tweet, which read ";l;;gmlxzssaw," mean? Had the account of the U.S. Strategic Command, which has its headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base south of Omaha, been hacked?Within 10 minutes, the tweet drew at least 12,400 "likes," 9,000 retweets and lots of snark and speculation, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/stratcoms-covfefe-curious-toddler-briefly-takes-over-nuke-commands-twitter-account/article_3e2e7610-916b-11eb-a750-6f2e4b84a91d.html#tncms-source=login" target="_blank">reported</a>. A half-hour later, a follow-up tweet apologized for the confusion and advised followers to disregard the nonsensical tweet. Then the mystery tweet disappeared."Should we be ducking and covering now?" one person responded.StratCom officials provided the answer a day later: The tweet came from a rogue toddler.In a statement issued late Monday, StratCom said the person who manages the command's Twitter account was working from home when he briefly stepped away from his computer while the account was open. That's when his child sat down to play on the keyboard and managed to hit "send.""Absolutely nothing nefarious occurred; i.e., no hacking of our Twitter account," StratCom spokeswoman Karen Singer said in the statement.

Cryptic military tweet was no code; it was toddler gibberish

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden wants $2 trillion to reengineer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-c98de9fe006e508c59857e32fd12ca1a">America’s infrastructure</a>&nbsp;and expects the nation’s corporations to pay for it.

The president travels to Pittsburgh on Wednesday to unveil what would be a hard-hatted transformation of the U.S. economy as grand in scale as the New Deal or Great Society programs that shaped the 20th century.

White House officials say the spending over eight years would generate millions of new jobs as the country shifts away from fossil fuels and combats the perils of climate change. It is also an effort to compete against the technology and public investments made by China, the world’s second-largest economy and fast gaining on the United States’ dominant position.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the plan is “about making an investment in America — not just modernizing our roads or railways or bridges but building an infrastructure of the future.”

Biden’s choice of Pittsburgh for unveiling the plan carries important economic and political resonance. He not only won Pittsburgh and its surrounding county to help secure the presidency, but he launched his campaign there in 2019. The city famed for steel mills that powered America’s industrial rise has steadily pivoted toward technology and health care, drawing in college graduates from western Pennsylvania in a sign of how economies can change.

The Democratic president’s infrastructure projects would be financed by higher corporate taxes — a trade-off that could lead to fierce resistance from the business community and thwart any attempts to work with Republicans lawmakers. Biden hopes to pass an infrastructure plan by summer, which could mean relying solely on the slim Democratic majorities in the House and the Senate.

The White House says the largest chunk of the proposal includes $621 billion for roads, bridges, public transit, electric vehicle charging stations and other transportation infrastructure. The spending would push the country away from internal combustion engines that the auto industry views as an increasingly antiquated technology.

Another $111 billion would go to replace lead water pipes and upgrade sewers. Broadband internet would blanket the country for $100 billion. Separately, $100 billion would upgrade the power grid to deliver clean electricity. Homes would get retrofitted, schools modernized, workers trained and hospitals renovated under the plan, which also seeks to strengthen U.S. manufacturing.

The new construction could keep the economy running hot, coming on the heels of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-first-prime-time-speech-next-phase-pandemic-85d1ae52bc61abffd3ae91c324e58308">Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package</a>&nbsp;— economists already estimate it could push growth above 6% this year.

Separately, Biden will propose in the coming weeks a series of soft infrastructure investments in child care, family tax credits and other domestic programs, another expenditure of roughly $2 trillion to be paid for by tax hikes on wealthy individuals and families, according to people familiar with the proposal.

Funding the first $2 trillion for construction and “hard” infrastructure projects would be a hike on corporate taxes that would raise the necessary sum over 15 years and then reduce the deficit going forward, according to a White House outline of the plan. Biden would undo the signature policy achievement of the Trump administration by lifting the corporate tax rate to 28% from the 21% rate set in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2d9e099660064f2b8a8fc2237b4e7e4e">a 2017 overhaul</a>.

To keep companies from shifting profits overseas to avoid taxation, a 21% global minimum tax would be imposed. The tax code would also be updated so that companies could not merge with a foreign business and avoid taxes by moving their headquarters to a tax haven. And among other provisions, it would increase IRS audits of corporations.

White House officials led by National Economic Council Director Brian Deese offered a private briefing Tuesday for top lawmakers in both parties. But key GOP and business leaders are already panning the package.

“It seems like President Biden has an insatiable appetite to spend more money and raise people’s taxes,” Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the GOP whip, said in an interview.

Scalise predicted that, if approved, the new spending and taxes would “start having a negative impact on the economy, which we’re very concerned about.”

The business community favors updating U.S. infrastructure, but it dislikes higher tax rates. An official at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce who insisted on anonymity to discuss the private talks said the organization fears the proposed tax hikes could undermine the gains from new infrastructure. The Business Roundtable, a group of CEOs, would rather have infrastructure funded with user fees such as tolls.

Pittsburgh is a series of steep hills and three intersecting rivers. Its steel mills once covered the sky in enough soot that men needed to take spare white shirts to work because their button downs would turn to gray by lunch. Only last year the city, amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>, met Environmental Protection Agency standards for air quality, even though it is increasingly the home of tech and health care workers with college degrees.

Standard &amp; Poor’s chief U.S. economist, Beth Ann Bovino, estimated last year that a $2.1 trillion boost in infrastructure spending could add as much as $5.7 trillion in income to the entire economy over a decade. Those kinds of analyses have led liberal Democrats in Congress such as Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal to conclude Tuesday, “The economic consensus is that infrastructure pays for itself over time.”

But the Biden administration is taking a more cautious approach than some Democrats might like. After $1.9 trillion in pandemic aid and $4 trillion in relief last year, the administration is trying to avoid raising the debt to levels that would trigger higher interest rates and make it harder to repay.

Psaki said Tuesday that Biden believes it’s “the responsible thing to do” to pay for infrastructure through taxes instead of borrowing. But the White House in its outline of the plan also couched the tax hikes as a matter of fairness, noting that 91 Fortune 500 companies paid $0 in federal corporate taxes in 2018.

ADVERTISEMENTTrending on AP News<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mike-pence-groundwork-2024-presidential-run-df46fb0af0c353a2f13d265bd041cffe">Trump’s heir? Pence reemerges, lays groundwork for 2024 run</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-jill-biden-dogs-2b1d3f05f2ed91b611998d7363b1ccae">‘Major’ pain: Biden’s dog involved in 2nd biting incident</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-legislature-scholarships-coronavirus-pandemic-kentucky-13b08c29aa086f42b877e2ab8db531b7">Republican lawmakers plunge into veto overrides in Kentucky</a><a href="https://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&amp;utm_source=associatedpress-apnews&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=organic-thumbnails-rr:Right%20Rail%20Thumbnails:" target="_blank">by Taboola</a>ADVERTISEMENT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden wants $2 trillion to reengineer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-c98de9fe006e508c59857e32fd12ca1a">America’s infrastructure</a>&nbsp;and expects the nation’s corporations to pay for it.The president travels to Pittsburgh on Wednesday to unveil what would be a hard-hatted transformation of the U.S. economy as grand in scale as the New Deal or Great Society programs that shaped the 20th century.White House officials say the spending over eight years would generate millions of new jobs as the country shifts away from fossil fuels and combats the perils of climate change. It is also an effort to compete against the technology and public investments made by China, the world’s second-largest economy and fast gaining on the United States’ dominant position.White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the plan is “about making an investment in America — not just modernizing our roads or railways or bridges but building an infrastructure of the future.”Biden’s choice of Pittsburgh for unveiling the plan carries important economic and political resonance. He not only won Pittsburgh and its surrounding county to help secure the presidency, but he launched his campaign there in 2019. The city famed for steel mills that powered America’s industrial rise has steadily pivoted toward technology and health care, drawing in college graduates from western Pennsylvania in a sign of how economies can change.The Democratic president’s infrastructure projects would be financed by higher corporate taxes — a trade-off that could lead to fierce resistance from the business community and thwart any attempts to work with Republicans lawmakers. Biden hopes to pass an infrastructure plan by summer, which could mean relying solely on the slim Democratic majorities in the House and the Senate.The White House says the largest chunk of the proposal includes $621 billion for roads, bridges, public transit, electric vehicle charging stations and other transportation infrastructure. The spending would push the country away from internal combustion engines that the auto industry views as an increasingly antiquated technology.Another $111 billion would go to replace lead water pipes and upgrade sewers. Broadband internet would blanket the country for $100 billion. Separately, $100 billion would upgrade the power grid to deliver clean electricity. Homes would get retrofitted, schools modernized, workers trained and hospitals renovated under the plan, which also seeks to strengthen U.S. manufacturing.The new construction could keep the economy running hot, coming on the heels of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-first-prime-time-speech-next-phase-pandemic-85d1ae52bc61abffd3ae91c324e58308">Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package</a>&nbsp;— economists already estimate it could push growth above 6% this year.Separately, Biden will propose in the coming weeks a series of soft infrastructure investments in child care, family tax credits and other domestic programs, another expenditure of roughly $2 trillion to be paid for by tax hikes on wealthy individuals and families, according to people familiar with the proposal.Funding the first $2 trillion for construction and “hard” infrastructure projects would be a hike on corporate taxes that would raise the necessary sum over 15 years and then reduce the deficit going forward, according to a White House outline of the plan. Biden would undo the signature policy achievement of the Trump administration by lifting the corporate tax rate to 28% from the 21% rate set in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2d9e099660064f2b8a8fc2237b4e7e4e">a 2017 overhaul</a>.To keep companies from shifting profits overseas to avoid taxation, a 21% global minimum tax would be imposed. The tax code would also be updated so that companies could not merge with a foreign business and avoid taxes by moving their headquarters to a tax haven. And among other provisions, it would increase IRS audits of corporations.White House officials led by National Economic Council Director Brian Deese offered a private briefing Tuesday for top lawmakers in both parties. But key GOP and business leaders are already panning the package.“It seems like President Biden has an insatiable appetite to spend more money and raise people’s taxes,” Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the GOP whip, said in an interview.Scalise predicted that, if approved, the new spending and taxes would “start having a negative impact on the economy, which we’re very concerned about.”The business community favors updating U.S. infrastructure, but it dislikes higher tax rates. An official at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce who insisted on anonymity to discuss the private talks said the organization fears the proposed tax hikes could undermine the gains from new infrastructure. The Business Roundtable, a group of CEOs, would rather have infrastructure funded with user fees such as tolls.Pittsburgh is a series of steep hills and three intersecting rivers. Its steel mills once covered the sky in enough soot that men needed to take spare white shirts to work because their button downs would turn to gray by lunch. Only last year the city, amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>, met Environmental Protection Agency standards for air quality, even though it is increasingly the home of tech and health care workers with college degrees.Infrastructure spending usually holds the promise of juicing economic growth, but by how much remains a subject of political debate. Commutes and shipping times could be shortened, while public health would be improved and construction jobs would bolster consumer spending.Standard &amp; Poor’s chief U.S. economist, Beth Ann Bovino, estimated last year that a $2.1 trillion boost in infrastructure spending could add as much as $5.7 trillion in income to the entire economy over a decade. Those kinds of analyses have led liberal Democrats in Congress such as Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal to conclude Tuesday, “The economic consensus is that infrastructure pays for itself over time.”But the Biden administration is taking a more cautious approach than some Democrats might like. After $1.9 trillion in pandemic aid and $4 trillion in relief last year, the administration is trying to avoid raising the debt to levels that would trigger higher interest rates and make it harder to repay.Psaki said Tuesday that Biden believes it’s “the responsible thing to do” to pay for infrastructure through taxes instead of borrowing. But the White House in its outline of the plan also couched the tax hikes as a matter of fairness, noting that 91 Fortune 500 companies paid $0 in federal corporate taxes in 2018.ADVERTISEMENTTrending on AP News<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mike-pence-groundwork-2024-presidential-run-df46fb0af0c353a2f13d265bd041cffe">Trump’s heir? Pence reemerges, lays groundwork for 2024 run</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-jill-biden-dogs-2b1d3f05f2ed91b611998d7363b1ccae">‘Major’ pain: Biden’s dog involved in 2nd biting incident</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-legislature-scholarships-coronavirus-pandemic-kentucky-13b08c29aa086f42b877e2ab8db531b7">Republican lawmakers plunge into veto overrides in Kentucky</a><a href="https://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&amp;utm_source=associatedpress-apnews&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=organic-thumbnails-rr:Right%20Rail%20Thumbnails:" target="_blank">by Taboola</a>ADVERTISEMENT<figure>
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Biden's tax hike will pay for $2T infrastructure plan

WASHINGTON — To help taxpayers, the Internal Revenue Service 
announced today that it will take steps to automatically refund money 
this spring and summer to people who filed their tax return reporting 
unemployment compensation before the recent changes made by the American
 Rescue Plan.

The legislation, signed on March 11, allows taxpayers who earned less
 than $150,000 in modified adjusted gross income to exclude unemployment
 compensation up to $20,400 if married filing jointly and $10,200 for 
all other eligible taxpayers. The legislation excludes only 2020 
unemployment benefits from taxes.

Because the change occurred after some people filed their taxes, the 
IRS will take steps in the spring and summer to make the appropriate 
change to their return, which may result in a refund. The first refunds 
are expected to be made in May and will continue into the summer.

For those taxpayers who already have filed and figured their tax 
based on the full amount of unemployment compensation, the IRS will 
determine the correct taxable amount of unemployment compensation and 
tax. Any resulting overpayment of tax will be either refunded or applied
 to other outstanding taxes owed.

For those who have already filed, the IRS will do these 
recalculations in two phases, starting with those taxpayers eligible for
 the up to $10,200 exclusion. The IRS will then adjust returns for those
 married filing jointly taxpayers who are eligible for the up to $20,400
 exclusion and others with more complex returns.

There is no need for taxpayers to file an amended return unless the 
calculations make the taxpayer newly eligible for additional federal 
credits and deductions not already included on the original tax return.

For example, the IRS can adjust returns for those taxpayers who 
claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and, because the exclusion 
changed the income level, may now be eligible for an increase in the 
EITC amount which may result in a larger refund. However, taxpayers 
would have to file an amended return if they did not originally claim 
the EITC or other credits but now are eligible because the exclusion 
changed their income.

These taxpayers may want to review their state tax returns as well.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 23 million U.S. 
workers nationwide filed for unemployment last year. For the first time,
 some self-employed workers qualified for unemployed benefits as well. 
The IRS is working to determine how many workers affected by the tax 
change already have filed their tax returns.

The new IRS guidance also includes details for those eligible taxpayers who have not yet filed.

The IRS has worked with the tax return preparation software industry 
to reflect these updates so people who choose to file electronically 
simply need to respond to the related questions when electronically 
preparing their tax returns. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/new-exclusion-of-up-to-10200-of-unemployment-compensation">New Exclusion of up to $10,200 of Unemployment Compensation</a>
 for information and examples. For others, instructions and an updated 
worksheet about the exclusion were available in March and posted to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040">IRS.gov/form1040</a>. These instructions can assist taxpayers who have not yet filed to prepare returns correctly.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — To help taxpayers, the Internal Revenue Service 
announced today that it will take steps to automatically refund money 
this spring and summer to people who filed their tax return reporting 
unemployment compensation before the recent changes made by the American
 Rescue Plan.The legislation, signed on March 11, allows taxpayers who earned less
 than $150,000 in modified adjusted gross income to exclude unemployment
 compensation up to $20,400 if married filing jointly and $10,200 for 
all other eligible taxpayers. The legislation excludes only 2020 
unemployment benefits from taxes.Because the change occurred after some people filed their taxes, the 
IRS will take steps in the spring and summer to make the appropriate 
change to their return, which may result in a refund. The first refunds 
are expected to be made in May and will continue into the summer.For those taxpayers who already have filed and figured their tax 
based on the full amount of unemployment compensation, the IRS will 
determine the correct taxable amount of unemployment compensation and 
tax. Any resulting overpayment of tax will be either refunded or applied
 to other outstanding taxes owed.For those who have already filed, the IRS will do these 
recalculations in two phases, starting with those taxpayers eligible for
 the up to $10,200 exclusion. The IRS will then adjust returns for those
 married filing jointly taxpayers who are eligible for the up to $20,400
 exclusion and others with more complex returns.There is no need for taxpayers to file an amended return unless the 
calculations make the taxpayer newly eligible for additional federal 
credits and deductions not already included on the original tax return.For example, the IRS can adjust returns for those taxpayers who 
claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and, because the exclusion 
changed the income level, may now be eligible for an increase in the 
EITC amount which may result in a larger refund. However, taxpayers 
would have to file an amended return if they did not originally claim 
the EITC or other credits but now are eligible because the exclusion 
changed their income.These taxpayers may want to review their state tax returns as well.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 23 million U.S. 
workers nationwide filed for unemployment last year. For the first time,
 some self-employed workers qualified for unemployed benefits as well. 
The IRS is working to determine how many workers affected by the tax 
change already have filed their tax returns.The new IRS guidance also includes details for those eligible taxpayers who have not yet filed.The IRS has worked with the tax return preparation software industry 
to reflect these updates so people who choose to file electronically 
simply need to respond to the related questions when electronically 
preparing their tax returns. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/new-exclusion-of-up-to-10200-of-unemployment-compensation">New Exclusion of up to $10,200 of Unemployment Compensation</a>
 for information and examples. For others, instructions and an updated 
worksheet about the exclusion were available in March and posted to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040">IRS.gov/form1040</a>. These instructions can assist taxpayers who have not yet filed to prepare returns correctly.

IRS will recalculate taxes on unemployment benefits; refunds to start in May

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Police have made a second arrest in the shooting deaths of two people in northeast Omaha.

Officers arrested Nyamal Both, 24, of Omaha, on suspicion of being an accessory in the early-morning Saturday shooting deaths of 27-year-old Loklok Thok and 24-year-old Duop Tang Deng, police said in a news release Wednesday.

Police earlier this week arrested Mabior Mabior, 24, of Omaha, on suspicion of criminal homicide and weapons counts in the deaths.

Police have not released a possible motive or other details of the shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617205969013.png" alt="Both" />
 <figcaption>Both</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Police have made a second arrest in the shooting deaths of two people in northeast Omaha.Officers arrested Nyamal Both, 24, of Omaha, on suspicion of being an accessory in the early-morning Saturday shooting deaths of 27-year-old Loklok Thok and 24-year-old Duop Tang Deng, police said in a news release Wednesday.Police earlier this week arrested Mabior Mabior, 24, of Omaha, on suspicion of criminal homicide and weapons counts in the deaths.Police have not released a possible motive or other details of the shooting.

Omaha police make second arrest in fatal double shooting

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A man who was arrested in Texas last summer on suspicion of carrying out the July shooting deaths of two people outside an Omaha motel has been extradited to Omaha, police said.

John Parks Sr. was transported back to Omaha on Tuesday and booked into the Douglas County Jail, Omaha police said in a news release Wednesday.

Parks was arrested in Dallas on Nebraska warrants charging him with first-degree murder and other counts in the July 30 deaths of Nicole Hatten, 36, and Michael Harbour, 35. Both were shot down outside a Best Western motel in southwestern Omaha.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597182198955.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A man who was arrested in Texas last summer on suspicion of carrying out the July shooting deaths of two people outside an Omaha motel has been extradited to Omaha, police said.John Parks Sr. was transported back to Omaha on Tuesday and booked into the Douglas County Jail, Omaha police said in a news release Wednesday.Parks was arrested in Dallas on Nebraska warrants charging him with first-degree murder and other counts in the July 30 deaths of Nicole Hatten, 36, and Michael Harbour, 35. Both were shot down outside a Best Western motel in southwestern Omaha.Officers called to the motel found Hatten and Harbour with gunshot wounds, and both were declared dead at the scene.Police have not given a motive for the shootings.