SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a 2-year-old girl and have made an arrest.

On January 5, police were dispatched to 3501 SW 10th Avenue in Topeka on a report of an unresponsive girl, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

 Medical personnel arrived on scene a short time later and the girl later identified as Aurora M. Exon, 2 of Topeka was pronounced deceased.

In late March, the Shawnee County Coroner’s Office determined the manner of death to be homicide.

As a result of an extensive investigation, police on Tuesday arrested&nbsp; 45-year-old Jeffrey J. Exon of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for the requested charges of Murder in the 1st degree, Aggravated Endangering A Child and Failure to report the death of a child, according to Spiker.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617140051622.png" alt="Exon photo Shawnee County Detention Center" />
 <figcaption>Exon photo Shawnee County Detention Center</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a 2-year-old girl and have made an arrest.On January 5, police were dispatched to 3501 SW 10th Avenue in Topeka on a report of an unresponsive girl, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker. Medical personnel arrived on scene a short time later and the girl later identified as Aurora M. Exon, 2 of Topeka was pronounced deceased.In late March, the Shawnee County Coroner’s Office determined the manner of death to be homicide.As a result of an extensive investigation, police on Tuesday arrested&nbsp; 45-year-old Jeffrey J. Exon of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for the requested charges of Murder in the 1st degree, Aggravated Endangering A Child and Failure to report the death of a child, according to Spiker.

Coroner: Death of 2-year-old Kan. girl was homicide

(AP)-Pfizer says its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and strongly protective in kids as young as 12. 

The announcement Wednesday marks a step toward possibly beginning shots in this age group before the next school year. 

Most COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out worldwide are for adults, who are at higher risk from the coronavirus. 

Pfizer’s vaccine is authorized for ages 16 and older. But vaccinating children of all ages will be critical to stopping the pandemic. 

In a study of 2,260 U.S. volunteers ages 12 to 15, preliminary data showed there were no cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated adolescents compared to 18 among those given dummy shots.

By LAURAN NEERGAARD-Associated Press(AP)-Pfizer says its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and strongly protective in kids as young as 12. The announcement Wednesday marks a step toward possibly beginning shots in this age group before the next school year. Most COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out worldwide are for adults, who are at higher risk from the coronavirus. Pfizer’s vaccine is authorized for ages 16 and older. But vaccinating children of all ages will be critical to stopping the pandemic. In a study of 2,260 U.S. volunteers ages 12 to 15, preliminary data showed there were no cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated adolescents compared to 18 among those given dummy shots.

Pfizer says its COVID-19 vaccine protects younger teens

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming’s governor is rejecting a call by President Joe Biden for states to reimpose mask orders in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

A spokesman said Tuesday that Gov. Mark Gordon has no plans to reimpose Wyoming’s statewide mandate, which he lifted March 16. It had been in effect since December.

Several other governors have recently ended mask mandates.

Coronavirus cases nationwide are on the rise, but infections in Wyoming have fallen off sharply since December. New cases are back at the level of September — about 50 new cases per day. That is down from a peak of over 600 daily infections.

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming’s governor is rejecting a call by President Joe Biden for states to reimpose mask orders in response to the coronavirus pandemic.A spokesman said Tuesday that Gov. Mark Gordon has no plans to reimpose Wyoming’s statewide mandate, which he lifted March 16. It had been in effect since December.Several other governors have recently ended mask mandates.Coronavirus cases nationwide are on the rise, but infections in Wyoming have fallen off sharply since December. New cases are back at the level of September — about 50 new cases per day. That is down from a peak of over 600 daily infections.

Wyoming governor sticks with ending mask mandate

JEWELL COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just after 10:30a.m. Tuesday in Jewell County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Volvo semi driven by Rodney Brown, 55, Salina, was westbound on U.S. 36 just east of 300 Road.

&nbsp;A pedestrian identified as Gabriel Rupp, 18, Hays, was near the westbound roadway on the north shoulder of U.S. 36 loading traffic control equipment into a trailer which was in the roadway pulled by a 2015 GMC Sierra.

The semi failed to stop in time and hit Rupp. The semi came to rest in the north ditch. Rupp was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Melby Mortuary.

Brown was not injured and properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

JEWELL COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just after 10:30a.m. Tuesday in Jewell County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Volvo semi driven by Rodney Brown, 55, Salina, was westbound on U.S. 36 just east of 300 Road.&nbsp;A pedestrian identified as Gabriel Rupp, 18, Hays, was near the westbound roadway on the north shoulder of U.S. 36 loading traffic control equipment into a trailer which was in the roadway pulled by a 2015 GMC Sierra.The semi failed to stop in time and hit Rupp. The semi came to rest in the north ditch. Rupp was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Melby Mortuary.Brown was not injured and properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after struck by semi while working on highway

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A troubled Kansas foster care management provider has reached an agreement with the state to repay $9.4 million in unspent grant funds.

The deal that the Kansas Department for Children and Families announced it had reached Tuesday with St. Francis Ministries comes on the heels of earlier controversies.

In January,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/foster-care-kansas-nebraska-omaha-child-welfare-9917837d9c3cd8ec8398dffe780beac8" target="_blank">Nebraska&nbsp;</a>agreed to pay millions more to St. Francis after it significantly underbid the company that used to provide child welfare services in the Omaha area. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/salina-kansas-topeka-1b3b0e420e470e18a7dec207441ad8f7" target="_blank">Kansas officials announced in December&nbsp;</a>that St. Francis employees had falsified documents to show visits with families that never took place.

DCF spokesman Mike Deines said the grant repayment agreement is unrelated to the falsified document claims. A state audit is pending.

The agency said in a news release that the repayment stems from a requirement that case management providers come up with a plan to reinvest unspent funds into their child welfare programming. The release said St. Francis provided a preliminary plan, but it was never finalized and sent to DCF for approval.

St. Francis Interim CEO William Clark said in a statement that the goal is "always to do what is best for children and families, while also being good stewards of the resources entrusted to us."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617145536373.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A troubled Kansas foster care management provider has reached an agreement with the state to repay $9.4 million in unspent grant funds.The deal that the Kansas Department for Children and Families announced it had reached Tuesday with St. Francis Ministries comes on the heels of earlier controversies.In January,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/foster-care-kansas-nebraska-omaha-child-welfare-9917837d9c3cd8ec8398dffe780beac8" target="_blank">Nebraska&nbsp;</a>agreed to pay millions more to St. Francis after it significantly underbid the company that used to provide child welfare services in the Omaha area. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/salina-kansas-topeka-1b3b0e420e470e18a7dec207441ad8f7" target="_blank">Kansas officials announced in December&nbsp;</a>that St. Francis employees had falsified documents to show visits with families that never took place.DCF spokesman Mike Deines said the grant repayment agreement is unrelated to the falsified document claims. A state audit is pending.The agency said in a news release that the repayment stems from a requirement that case management providers come up with a plan to reinvest unspent funds into their child welfare programming. The release said St. Francis provided a preliminary plan, but it was never finalized and sent to DCF for approval.St. Francis Interim CEO William Clark said in a statement that the goal is "always to do what is best for children and families, while also being good stewards of the resources entrusted to us."

Troubled Kansas foster care agency agrees to repay $9.4M

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A group of three teenagers was caught on video stealing a vessel of holy water from a Catholic church in Lincoln last weekend.

Lincoln Police Officer Erin Spilker said the thieves took the vat of holy water and the tool used to sprinkle holy water during a Mass in the gym of St. Michael Catholic Church in southeast Lincoln on Saturday.

Officials estimate the stolen items were worth $200.

Police hope to use the video of the theft to identify the juveniles who were involved.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617144110933.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A group of three teenagers was caught on video stealing a vessel of holy water from a Catholic church in Lincoln last weekend.Lincoln Police Officer Erin Spilker said the thieves took the vat of holy water and the tool used to sprinkle holy water during a Mass in the gym of St. Michael Catholic Church in southeast Lincoln on Saturday.Officials estimate the stolen items were worth $200.Police hope to use the video of the theft to identify the juveniles who were involved.

Lincoln police: teens stole vat of holy water from a Catholic church

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The trial of a man charged with stabbing a Lincoln police officer ended in a mistrial Tuesday after one of the attorneys reported being exposed to COVID-19.

Opening statements had begun when District Judge Teresa Luther told the jury one of the attorneys in the trial of Christopher Brennauer had been exposed to someone who later tested positive for COVID-19, The Lincoln Journal Star&nbsp;<a href="https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/trial-for-man-accused-of-stabbing-lincoln-office-abruptly-ends-in-mistrial-after-covid-exposure/article_5734c859-a0ae-553d-807c-a9bbc406843b.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1" target="_blank">reported</a>.

Brennauer, 45, was charged with first-degree assault on an officer, attempted first-degree assault on an officer, terroristic threats and three weapons-related crimes.

Prosecutors allege he stabbed Officer Kyle Russell on Dec. 29, 2018. Russell fired three shots, hitting Brennauer twice and accidentally wounding Officer Josh Atkinson.

Brennauer's public defenders said they would be raising an insanity defense.

On Tuesday, Luther told the jurors that health department officials had said jurors did not have to quarantine at this point. The attorneys were getting tested Tuesday and informing the judge if there may have been a direct exposure, which would prompt the need to quarantine.

A new jury for the case will be called in May.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617144016682.png" alt="Brennauer" />
 <figcaption>Brennauer</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The trial of a man charged with stabbing a Lincoln police officer ended in a mistrial Tuesday after one of the attorneys reported being exposed to COVID-19.Opening statements had begun when District Judge Teresa Luther told the jury one of the attorneys in the trial of Christopher Brennauer had been exposed to someone who later tested positive for COVID-19, The Lincoln Journal Star&nbsp;<a href="https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/trial-for-man-accused-of-stabbing-lincoln-office-abruptly-ends-in-mistrial-after-covid-exposure/article_5734c859-a0ae-553d-807c-a9bbc406843b.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1" target="_blank">reported</a>.Brennauer, 45, was charged with first-degree assault on an officer, attempted first-degree assault on an officer, terroristic threats and three weapons-related crimes.Prosecutors allege he stabbed Officer Kyle Russell on Dec. 29, 2018. Russell fired three shots, hitting Brennauer twice and accidentally wounding Officer Josh Atkinson.Brennauer's public defenders said they would be raising an insanity defense.On Tuesday, Luther told the jurors that health department officials had said jurors did not have to quarantine at this point. The attorneys were getting tested Tuesday and informing the judge if there may have been a direct exposure, which would prompt the need to quarantine.A new jury for the case will be called in May.

Mistrial in trial of suspect in Lincoln officer's stabbing

FREMONT, Neb. (AP) - A former eastern Nebraska county prosecutor faces up to two months in jail after a judge found him guilty of violating his probation from a previous drunken driving conviction.

A judge determined former Dodge County Attorney Oliver Glass had been drinking earlier this year, violating his probation from a DUI conviction in March 2020, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/crime-and-courts/ex-dodge-county-attorney-found-guilty-of-probation-violation-will-face-second-dui-charge/article_4ecf7e6a-90d5-11eb-a68d-e758f792431d.html#tncms-source=login" target="_blank">reported</a>. Prosecutors also plan to file a second-offense DUI against Glass stemming from the January incident that produced the probation violation, the judge noted in his ruling.

Glass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-fremont-89e20b80e2c672836f70497de4417a88" target="_blank">resigned&nbsp;</a>as county attorney at the end of February, submitting his resignation letter to the county board eight days after being released from jail on allegations that he violated his probation by again driving while drunk the night of Jan. 28. Prosecutors say Glass was drunk when he showed up at the house of his estranged wife to pick up their kids for visitation.

Glass's attorney, Clarence Mock, indicated he would fight the second-offense DUI charge, saying no officers observed Glass driving drunk, instead finding him at his parents' home after he had allegedly driven there. Officers also did not perform field sobriety tests on Glass or follow up with further testing after a preliminary breath test showing Glass's blood alcohol level at more than twice the legal limit to drive.

Readings from preliminary breath tests are not admissible in Nebraska courts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574122756866.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FREMONT, Neb. (AP) - A former eastern Nebraska county prosecutor faces up to two months in jail after a judge found him guilty of violating his probation from a previous drunken driving conviction.A judge determined former Dodge County Attorney Oliver Glass had been drinking earlier this year, violating his probation from a DUI conviction in March 2020, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/crime-and-courts/ex-dodge-county-attorney-found-guilty-of-probation-violation-will-face-second-dui-charge/article_4ecf7e6a-90d5-11eb-a68d-e758f792431d.html#tncms-source=login" target="_blank">reported</a>. Prosecutors also plan to file a second-offense DUI against Glass stemming from the January incident that produced the probation violation, the judge noted in his ruling.Glass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-fremont-89e20b80e2c672836f70497de4417a88" target="_blank">resigned&nbsp;</a>as county attorney at the end of February, submitting his resignation letter to the county board eight days after being released from jail on allegations that he violated his probation by again driving while drunk the night of Jan. 28. Prosecutors say Glass was drunk when he showed up at the house of his estranged wife to pick up their kids for visitation.Glass's attorney, Clarence Mock, indicated he would fight the second-offense DUI charge, saying no officers observed Glass driving drunk, instead finding him at his parents' home after he had allegedly driven there. Officers also did not perform field sobriety tests on Glass or follow up with further testing after a preliminary breath test showing Glass's blood alcohol level at more than twice the legal limit to drive.Readings from preliminary breath tests are not admissible in Nebraska courts.

Ex-county prosecutor faces jail time for probation violation

LINCOLN, Neb. – There is good news for south-central Nebraska trout anglers. Elm Creek in Webster County will be stocked with 1,000 rainbow trout March 31.

The Calamus Fish Hatchery will stock the trout to enhance spring fishing opportunities.

Fisheries biologists with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission evaluated the stream on Elm Creek Wildlife Management Area on March 29 and determined the flows were fairly high and the water clear. Several holes were found in the stream that will hold trout. Road conditions to the WMA also were in good shape.

To view Game and Parks’ fish stocking database, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTAzMzAuMzc5NjkyMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi9maXNoLXN0b2NraW5nLWRhdGFiYXNlLyJ9.HeOdV3tHeB1UltVyifcrGOrrOXqUwe7jiCvU4I2I0WQ/s/1372948182/br/101200813188-l" target="_blank">outdoornebraska.gov/fish-stocking-database</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615227322759.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. – There is good news for south-central Nebraska trout anglers. Elm Creek in Webster County will be stocked with 1,000 rainbow trout March 31.The Calamus Fish Hatchery will stock the trout to enhance spring fishing opportunities.Fisheries biologists with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission evaluated the stream on Elm Creek Wildlife Management Area on March 29 and determined the flows were fairly high and the water clear. Several holes were found in the stream that will hold trout. Road conditions to the WMA also were in good shape.To view Game and Parks’ fish stocking database, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTAzMzAuMzc5NjkyMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi9maXNoLXN0b2NraW5nLWRhdGFiYXNlLyJ9.HeOdV3tHeB1UltVyifcrGOrrOXqUwe7jiCvU4I2I0WQ/s/1372948182/br/101200813188-l" target="_blank">outdoornebraska.gov/fish-stocking-database</a>.

Elm Creek to be stocked with rainbow trout March 31

WASHINGTON
 — The Internal Revenue Service issued frequently asked questions today 
on how students and higher education institutions should report 
pandemic-related emergency financial aid grants.

Emergency financial aid grants made by a federal agency, state, 
Indian tribe, higher education institution or scholarship-granting 
organization (including a tribal organization) to a student because of 
an event related to the COVID-19 pandemic are not included in the 
student's gross income.

Also, students should not reduce an amount of qualified tuition and 
related expenses by the amount of an emergency financial aid grant. If 
students used any portion of the grants to pay for qualified tuition and
 related expenses on or before December 31, 2020, they may be eligible 
to claim a tuition and fees deduction or the American Opportunity Credit
 or Lifetime Learning Credit on their 2020 tax return. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/higher-education-emergency-grants-frequently-asked-questions">Higher Education Emergency Grants Frequently Asked Questions</a>.

The tuition and fees deduction is not available for tax years 
beginning after December 31, 2020. For additional information on these 
credits and the tuition and fees deduction, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-970">Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education</a>.

Because students don't include emergency financial aid grants in 
their gross income, higher education institutions are not required to 
file or furnish Forms 1099-MISC reporting the grants made available by 
the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) or 
the COVID-related Tax Relief Act (COVID Relief Act) and do not need to 
report the grants in Box 5 of Form 1098-T.

But any amounts that qualify for the tuition and fees deduction or 
the American Opportunity Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit are 
considered "qualified tuition and related expenses" and trigger the 
reporting requirements of Internal Revenue Code section 6050S. Higher 
education institutions must include qualified tuition and related 
expenses paid by emergency financial aid grants awarded to students in 
Box 1 of Form 1098-T.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON
 — The Internal Revenue Service issued frequently asked questions today 
on how students and higher education institutions should report 
pandemic-related emergency financial aid grants.<h2>Students</h2>Emergency financial aid grants made by a federal agency, state, 
Indian tribe, higher education institution or scholarship-granting 
organization (including a tribal organization) to a student because of 
an event related to the COVID-19 pandemic are not included in the 
student's gross income.Also, students should not reduce an amount of qualified tuition and 
related expenses by the amount of an emergency financial aid grant. If 
students used any portion of the grants to pay for qualified tuition and
 related expenses on or before December 31, 2020, they may be eligible 
to claim a tuition and fees deduction or the American Opportunity Credit
 or Lifetime Learning Credit on their 2020 tax return. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/higher-education-emergency-grants-frequently-asked-questions">Higher Education Emergency Grants Frequently Asked Questions</a>.The tuition and fees deduction is not available for tax years 
beginning after December 31, 2020. For additional information on these 
credits and the tuition and fees deduction, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-970">Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education</a>.<h2>Higher Education Institutions</h2>Because students don't include emergency financial aid grants in 
their gross income, higher education institutions are not required to 
file or furnish Forms 1099-MISC reporting the grants made available by 
the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) or 
the COVID-related Tax Relief Act (COVID Relief Act) and do not need to 
report the grants in Box 5 of Form 1098-T.But any amounts that qualify for the tuition and fees deduction or 
the American Opportunity Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit are 
considered "qualified tuition and related expenses" and trigger the 
reporting requirements of Internal Revenue Code section 6050S. Higher 
education institutions must include qualified tuition and related 
expenses paid by emergency financial aid grants awarded to students in 
Box 1 of Form 1098-T.

IRS: Emergency aid granted to students due to COVID not taxable

By MICHELLE R. SMITH and TERRY TANG-Associated Press

(AP)-More than a dozen states will open vaccine eligibility to all adults this week in a major expansion of COVID-19 shots for tens of millions of Americans amid a worrisome increase in virus cases and concerns about balancing supply and demand for the vaccines.

Meanwhile, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that she had a recurring feeling of “impending doom” about a potential fourth wave of infections after cases in the U.S. rose 10% over the last week. She pleaded with Americans not to relax preventative practices such as social distancing and mask-wearing.

“Just please hold on a little while longer,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a White House briefing. Several Northeastern states and Michigan have seen the biggest increases, with some reporting hundreds or thousands more new cases per day than they were two weeks ago.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-new-york-coronavirus-pandemic-57cde25de803c98503c5ff9937598420">new study</a>&nbsp;by the CDC concluded that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were 90% effective after two doses, a finding that Walensky said should offer hope.

States opening eligibility to anyone ages 16 and older on Monday included Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Ohio, North Dakota and Kansas.

The rapid expansion has fueled concerns that the number of eager vaccine seekers will far outstrip the available supply of shots, frustrating millions of newly eligible people who have waited since late last year for a chance to get an injection. Other officials have put their faith in a promised glut of vaccines and instead turned their attention to the next challenge: pressing as many people as possible to get the shots so the nation can achieve herd immunity at the earliest opportunity.

Vaccination rates in Texas have lagged behind much of the U.S., and although state officials put at least part of the blame on delays in data reporting, they also acknowledged that appointment slots are going unfilled.

Demand “has definitely decreased over the past couple of weeks,” said Imelda Garcia, head of the state’s expert vaccine allocation panel.

Texas is supposed to receive more than 1 million new doses this week. On Monday, the state launched a new online vaccine scheduler and phone number, taking a bigger role in efforts that had largely been done at the local level.

In Kansas, where some local health officials have said they are also struggling to find people to vaccinate, an additional 400,000 people are now eligible for shots. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has been criticized by Republicans for a slow, disorganized vaccine rollout, and she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-arizona-coronavirus-pandemic-13700fb9f9d0b5cb75ab65ec12f05e68">faced more criticism Friday</a>&nbsp;when she announced the plan to expand eligibility. One Republican lawmaker said people with chronic medical conditions could be left behind.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has said the state will soon have enough shots for everyone who wants one and that the challenge now is to make sure people want to get vaccinated.

Some counties in Illinois&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-illinois-coronavirus-pandemic-588e0b41295f2eb3b811e642cecfe20f">are being allowed to expand eligibility</a>&nbsp;to all this week if they find doses are going unused. But in Chicago, the vaccine will not be available to everyone until at least May 1 because the city does not have enough shots on hand.

On Tuesday, Minnesota opens eligibility, followed by Indiana and South Carolina on Wednesday, Connecticut and Montana on Thursday, and New Hampshire and Colorado on Friday. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that residents over 30 will be eligible for vaccinations starting Tuesday, and everyone over 16 can sign up starting April 6.

Connecticut officials said “priority access” will be given to people with high medical risks or developmental disabilities once everyone 16 and up is eligible. That could include some hospitals organizing dedicated clinics or reserving appointment slots for people with those conditions, officials said.

Arizona opened up eligibility to all adults last week, but it has since been dealing with an unintended consequence: Interest in volunteering at four state-run vaccination sites plummeted almost immediately. Since February, thousands of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/volunteers-coronavirus-vaccine-sites-5dcef04d8b6fd33cd287ac3ab3e26137">volunteer shifts</a>&nbsp;filled up within an hour. Now many remain vacant, said Rhonda Oliver, CEO of HandsOn Greater Phoenix, a nonprofit handling online volunteer recruitment.

“People saw it as a way to get the vaccine sooner,” Oliver said. “We anticipated a drop-off, but we just didn’t expect it to go off a cliff in a matter of 24 to 48 hours like this.”

On Wednesday, the first day of the new eligibility, only 70 of the scheduled 145 volunteers appeared at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, and dozens of people either withdrew earlier or did not show up. Oliver said that put an unfair burden on volunteers who did show up and could not take breaks.

The shortage of volunteers should not affect wait times for those with appointments, Oliver said. HandsOn Greater Phoenix is hoping to lessen the hemorrhaging by reaching out to large companies and community groups looking for service activities. The group also is encouraging friends or family members who have been vaccinated to volunteer together.

Many other states are still limited by a continued lack of supply.

California officials said the state can administer 3 million shots a week now, and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has predicted that maximum capacity will climb to 4 million by the end of April. But supplies have limited the effort so far to 1.8 million shots per week, a figure that is expected to increase to 2.5 million per week in the first half of April and then 3 million by the end of April, when everybody 16 and older will be offered the vaccine.

Santa Clara County has been told it will get 58,000 doses this week, health officer Dr. Marty Fenstersheib said, but the state will begin allowing about 400,000 more people between 50 and 64 in the county to sign up as of Thursday, in addition to the current backlog.

“We don’t have the vaccine, and we are concerned,” Fenstersheib said.

Among the methods officials are employing to reach underserved communities are vans used as mobile clinics that travel to hard-hit neighborhoods and provide on-the-spot vaccinations.

In California, mobile clinics are helping vaccinate farmworkers who may not have transportation to larger vaccination sites or cannot navigate the state’s online portal. Los Angeles also plans to have 10 mobile vaccination teams.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Monday that four mobile bus clinics will distribute vaccines to underserved communities.

While demand has dropped off in some communities, it’s as brisk as ever in others, and sign-up hassles continue.

Lena Lawson, a 37-year-old technology consultant in Phoenix, tried to book a vaccine appointment since the new eligibility rules started. Working from home, she was able to periodically refresh appointment websites but had no luck for three days.

She happened to be up at 2 a.m. Sunday and finally got a slot at a Walgreens on Tuesday.

“I was pretty surprised. Oh, my God, I got an appointment. I’m good,” Lawson said.

The effort was smoother for University of Utah professor Bill Johnson. He said he was bracing for a time-consuming and confusing experience but instead found it remarkably easy.

“We had to make the appointment online and got in two days later,” said Johnson, 59, who got his first shot at the convention center in Salt Lake City. “It took us 10 minutes to drive there, and they jabbed us two minutes after we arrived.”

By MICHELLE R. SMITH and TERRY TANG-Associated Press(AP)-More than a dozen states will open vaccine eligibility to all adults this week in a major expansion of COVID-19 shots for tens of millions of Americans amid a worrisome increase in virus cases and concerns about balancing supply and demand for the vaccines.Meanwhile, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that she had a recurring feeling of “impending doom” about a potential fourth wave of infections after cases in the U.S. rose 10% over the last week. She pleaded with Americans not to relax preventative practices such as social distancing and mask-wearing.“Just please hold on a little while longer,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a White House briefing. Several Northeastern states and Michigan have seen the biggest increases, with some reporting hundreds or thousands more new cases per day than they were two weeks ago.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-new-york-coronavirus-pandemic-57cde25de803c98503c5ff9937598420">new study</a>&nbsp;by the CDC concluded that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were 90% effective after two doses, a finding that Walensky said should offer hope.States opening eligibility to anyone ages 16 and older on Monday included Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Ohio, North Dakota and Kansas.The rapid expansion has fueled concerns that the number of eager vaccine seekers will far outstrip the available supply of shots, frustrating millions of newly eligible people who have waited since late last year for a chance to get an injection. Other officials have put their faith in a promised glut of vaccines and instead turned their attention to the next challenge: pressing as many people as possible to get the shots so the nation can achieve herd immunity at the earliest opportunity.Vaccination rates in Texas have lagged behind much of the U.S., and although state officials put at least part of the blame on delays in data reporting, they also acknowledged that appointment slots are going unfilled.Demand “has definitely decreased over the past couple of weeks,” said Imelda Garcia, head of the state’s expert vaccine allocation panel.Texas is supposed to receive more than 1 million new doses this week. On Monday, the state launched a new online vaccine scheduler and phone number, taking a bigger role in efforts that had largely been done at the local level.In Kansas, where some local health officials have said they are also struggling to find people to vaccinate, an additional 400,000 people are now eligible for shots. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has been criticized by Republicans for a slow, disorganized vaccine rollout, and she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-arizona-coronavirus-pandemic-13700fb9f9d0b5cb75ab65ec12f05e68">faced more criticism Friday</a>&nbsp;when she announced the plan to expand eligibility. One Republican lawmaker said people with chronic medical conditions could be left behind.Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has said the state will soon have enough shots for everyone who wants one and that the challenge now is to make sure people want to get vaccinated.Some counties in Illinois&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-illinois-coronavirus-pandemic-588e0b41295f2eb3b811e642cecfe20f">are being allowed to expand eligibility</a>&nbsp;to all this week if they find doses are going unused. But in Chicago, the vaccine will not be available to everyone until at least May 1 because the city does not have enough shots on hand.On Tuesday, Minnesota opens eligibility, followed by Indiana and South Carolina on Wednesday, Connecticut and Montana on Thursday, and New Hampshire and Colorado on Friday. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that residents over 30 will be eligible for vaccinations starting Tuesday, and everyone over 16 can sign up starting April 6.Connecticut officials said “priority access” will be given to people with high medical risks or developmental disabilities once everyone 16 and up is eligible. That could include some hospitals organizing dedicated clinics or reserving appointment slots for people with those conditions, officials said.Arizona opened up eligibility to all adults last week, but it has since been dealing with an unintended consequence: Interest in volunteering at four state-run vaccination sites plummeted almost immediately. Since February, thousands of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/volunteers-coronavirus-vaccine-sites-5dcef04d8b6fd33cd287ac3ab3e26137">volunteer shifts</a>&nbsp;filled up within an hour. Now many remain vacant, said Rhonda Oliver, CEO of HandsOn Greater Phoenix, a nonprofit handling online volunteer recruitment.“People saw it as a way to get the vaccine sooner,” Oliver said. “We anticipated a drop-off, but we just didn’t expect it to go off a cliff in a matter of 24 to 48 hours like this.”On Wednesday, the first day of the new eligibility, only 70 of the scheduled 145 volunteers appeared at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, and dozens of people either withdrew earlier or did not show up. Oliver said that put an unfair burden on volunteers who did show up and could not take breaks.The shortage of volunteers should not affect wait times for those with appointments, Oliver said. HandsOn Greater Phoenix is hoping to lessen the hemorrhaging by reaching out to large companies and community groups looking for service activities. The group also is encouraging friends or family members who have been vaccinated to volunteer together.Many other states are still limited by a continued lack of supply.California officials said the state can administer 3 million shots a week now, and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has predicted that maximum capacity will climb to 4 million by the end of April. But supplies have limited the effort so far to 1.8 million shots per week, a figure that is expected to increase to 2.5 million per week in the first half of April and then 3 million by the end of April, when everybody 16 and older will be offered the vaccine.Santa Clara County has been told it will get 58,000 doses this week, health officer Dr. Marty Fenstersheib said, but the state will begin allowing about 400,000 more people between 50 and 64 in the county to sign up as of Thursday, in addition to the current backlog.“We don’t have the vaccine, and we are concerned,” Fenstersheib said.Among the methods officials are employing to reach underserved communities are vans used as mobile clinics that travel to hard-hit neighborhoods and provide on-the-spot vaccinations.In California, mobile clinics are helping vaccinate farmworkers who may not have transportation to larger vaccination sites or cannot navigate the state’s online portal. Los Angeles also plans to have 10 mobile vaccination teams.Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Monday that four mobile bus clinics will distribute vaccines to underserved communities.While demand has dropped off in some communities, it’s as brisk as ever in others, and sign-up hassles continue.Lena Lawson, a 37-year-old technology consultant in Phoenix, tried to book a vaccine appointment since the new eligibility rules started. Working from home, she was able to periodically refresh appointment websites but had no luck for three days.She happened to be up at 2 a.m. Sunday and finally got a slot at a Walgreens on Tuesday.“I was pretty surprised. Oh, my God, I got an appointment. I’m good,” Lawson said.The effort was smoother for University of Utah professor Bill Johnson. He said he was bracing for a time-consuming and confusing experience but instead found it remarkably easy.“We had to make the appointment online and got in two days later,” said Johnson, 59, who got his first shot at the convention center in Salt Lake City. “It took us 10 minutes to drive there, and they jabbed us two minutes after we arrived.”

More than a dozen states to open vaccines to all adults

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and a top health official warned that too many Americans are declaring virus victory too quickly, appealing for mask requirements and other restrictions to be maintained or restored to stave off a “fourth surge” of COVID-19. The head of the CDC said she had a feeling of “impending doom” if people keep easing off.

(Click the video below to listen to the CDC director's statement during Monday's virus press conference from the White House)

The double dose of warnings on Monday came even as Biden laid out hopeful new steps to expand coronavirus vaccinations, with all adults to become eligible over the next five weeks. Biden announced plans to expand the number of retail pharmacies that are administering vaccines, and investments to help Americans get to vaccination sites. But the optimism was tempered by stark warnings about the potential for another wave of cases.

“This is deadly serious,” Biden said, urging governors to reinstate mask mandates and other restrictions that some states have been easing.

Hours earlier, during a virtual White House health briefing, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, grew emotional as she reflected on her experience treating COVID-19 patients who are alone at the end of their lives.

“We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we are and so much reason for hope,” she said. “But right now, I’m scared.

“I’m going to lose the script, and I’m going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom.”

Cases of the virus are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-report-animals-source-covid-19-coronavirus-8a839c179c330c56fa46a763b7286a7f">up about 10% over the past week from the previous week</a>, to about 60,000 cases per day, with both hospitalizations and deaths ticking up as well, Walensky said. She warned that without immediate action the U.S. could follow European countries into another spike in cases and suffer needless deaths.

“I have to share the truth, and I have to hope and trust you will listen,” she said.

Later Monday, Biden addressed the nation from the White House, declaring, “If we let our guard down now, we can see the virus getting worse, not better. People are letting up on precautions, which is a very bad thing.”

Biden delivered a direct appeal to governors, state and local leaders to reinstate mask-wearing requirements if they have lifted them, and said he encouraged leaders to pause plans to further ease virus-related restrictions.

“Please, this is not politics, reinstate the mandate if you let it down,” he said.

Biden announced that by April 19 at least 90% of the adult U.S. population would be eligible for vaccination — and would have access to a vaccination site within 5 miles of home. Quick vaccination would still depend on supply.

Biden had previously directed that all states make all adults eligible for vaccination by May 1, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rochelle-walensky-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-ea8be8945ee27ca7f3d15959b0a7b613">many have moved to lift eligibility requirements sooner</a>&nbsp;in anticipation of supply increases.

Meanwhile, the White House is moving to double the number of pharmacies participating in the federal retail pharmacy program — it has emerged as among the most efficient avenues for administering vaccines — and increase the number of doses for them to deliver. Retail pharmacies are located relatively close to most Americans and have experience delivering vaccines like flu shots.

Biden announced that the U.S. is expecting delivery of 33 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine this week — including 11 million of the single-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson shot.

More than 1 in 5 adults and nearly 50% of senior American are fully vaccinated, according to data from the CDC. On Thursday, the U.S. set new single-day record for shots in arms: more than 3.2 million.

“Now is not the time to let down,” Biden said. “Now’s not the time to celebrate. It is time to do what we do best as a country: our duty, our jobs, take care of one another.”

“Fight to the finish,” he added. “Don’t let up now.”

Walensky and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, appealed to elected officials, community leaders and everyday Americans to maintain social distancing measures and mask wearing.

“We are doing things prematurely,” Fauci said, referring to moves to ease up on restrictions. Walensky appealed to Americans, “Just please hold on a little while longer.”

She added: “We are not powerless, we can change this trajectory of the pandemic.”

Walensky pointed to an uptick in travel and loosening virus restrictions for the increase in cases. “People want to be done with this. I, too, want to be done with this,” she said.

“We’ve seen surges after every single holiday,” she reiterated: “Please limit travel to essential travel for the time being.”

The White House, meanwhile is ruling out the creation of a national “vaccine passport” for Americans to verify their immunization status, saying it is leaving it to the private sector to develop a system for people show they’ve been vaccinated. Some other countries are establishing national databases to allow vaccinated people to resume normal activities.

“We do know that there is a segment of the population that is concerned that the government will play too heavy-handed of a role in monitoring their vaccinations,” said White House COVID-19 adviser Andy Slavitt. He said officials are worried that “it would discourage people” from getting vaccinated if the federal government was involved.

The administration, instead, is developing guidelines for such passports, touching on privacy, accuracy and equity, but the White House has not said when those guidelines will be ready.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made an impassioned plea to Americans Monday not to let their guard down in the fight against COVID-19, warning of a potential fourth wave of the virus and saying she has a recurring feeling “of impending doom.”

Speaking during a virtual White House briefing, Dr. Rochelle Walensky grew emotional as she reflected on her experience treating COVID-19 patients who are alone at the end of their lives.

“We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we are and so much reason for hope,” she said. “But right now, I’m scared.”

“I’m going to lose the script, and I’m going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom,” she said.

“I have to share the truth, and I have to hope and trust you will listen,” she added.

Walensky’s comments came hours before President Joe Biden was to address the nation Monday afternoon with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-new-york-coronavirus-pandemic-57cde25de803c98503c5ff9937598420">an update on the vaccination effort.</a>

“The president has not held back in calling for governors, leaders, the American people to continue to abide by the public health guidelines,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki. “He will continue to do that through all of his engagements.”

Walensky and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert. appealed to elected officials, community leaders and everyday Americans to maintain social distancing measures and mask wearing.

Walensky pointed to an uptick in travel and loosening virus restrictions for the increase in cases. “People want to be done with this. I, too, want to be done with this,” Walensky said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617040790970.png" alt="On Monday, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert appealed to elected officials, community leaders and everyday Americans to maintain social distancing measures and mask wearing-image courtesy White. House" />
 <figcaption>On Monday, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert appealed to elected officials, community leaders and everyday Americans to maintain social distancing measures and mask wearing-image courtesy White. House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and a top health official warned that too many Americans are declaring virus victory too quickly, appealing for mask requirements and other restrictions to be maintained or restored to stave off a “fourth surge” of COVID-19. The head of the CDC said she had a feeling of “impending doom” if people keep easing off.(Click the video below to listen to the CDC director's statement during Monday's virus press conference from the White House)<div><iframe width=512 height=330 src='https://www.c-span.org/video/standalone/?c4954773/cdc-director-rochelle-walensky-right-now-scared-rising-covid-19-cases-us' allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' frameborder=0></iframe></div>The double dose of warnings on Monday came even as Biden laid out hopeful new steps to expand coronavirus vaccinations, with all adults to become eligible over the next five weeks. Biden announced plans to expand the number of retail pharmacies that are administering vaccines, and investments to help Americans get to vaccination sites. But the optimism was tempered by stark warnings about the potential for another wave of cases.“This is deadly serious,” Biden said, urging governors to reinstate mask mandates and other restrictions that some states have been easing.Hours earlier, during a virtual White House health briefing, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, grew emotional as she reflected on her experience treating COVID-19 patients who are alone at the end of their lives.“We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we are and so much reason for hope,” she said. “But right now, I’m scared.“I’m going to lose the script, and I’m going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom.”Cases of the virus are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-report-animals-source-covid-19-coronavirus-8a839c179c330c56fa46a763b7286a7f">up about 10% over the past week from the previous week</a>, to about 60,000 cases per day, with both hospitalizations and deaths ticking up as well, Walensky said. She warned that without immediate action the U.S. could follow European countries into another spike in cases and suffer needless deaths.“I have to share the truth, and I have to hope and trust you will listen,” she said.Later Monday, Biden addressed the nation from the White House, declaring, “If we let our guard down now, we can see the virus getting worse, not better. People are letting up on precautions, which is a very bad thing.”Biden delivered a direct appeal to governors, state and local leaders to reinstate mask-wearing requirements if they have lifted them, and said he encouraged leaders to pause plans to further ease virus-related restrictions.“Please, this is not politics, reinstate the mandate if you let it down,” he said.Biden announced that by April 19 at least 90% of the adult U.S. population would be eligible for vaccination — and would have access to a vaccination site within 5 miles of home. Quick vaccination would still depend on supply.Biden had previously directed that all states make all adults eligible for vaccination by May 1, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rochelle-walensky-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-ea8be8945ee27ca7f3d15959b0a7b613">many have moved to lift eligibility requirements sooner</a>&nbsp;in anticipation of supply increases.Meanwhile, the White House is moving to double the number of pharmacies participating in the federal retail pharmacy program — it has emerged as among the most efficient avenues for administering vaccines — and increase the number of doses for them to deliver. Retail pharmacies are located relatively close to most Americans and have experience delivering vaccines like flu shots.Biden announced that the U.S. is expecting delivery of 33 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine this week — including 11 million of the single-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson shot.More than 1 in 5 adults and nearly 50% of senior American are fully vaccinated, according to data from the CDC. On Thursday, the U.S. set new single-day record for shots in arms: more than 3.2 million.“Now is not the time to let down,” Biden said. “Now’s not the time to celebrate. It is time to do what we do best as a country: our duty, our jobs, take care of one another.”“Fight to the finish,” he added. “Don’t let up now.”Walensky and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, appealed to elected officials, community leaders and everyday Americans to maintain social distancing measures and mask wearing.“We are doing things prematurely,” Fauci said, referring to moves to ease up on restrictions. Walensky appealed to Americans, “Just please hold on a little while longer.”She added: “We are not powerless, we can change this trajectory of the pandemic.”Walensky pointed to an uptick in travel and loosening virus restrictions for the increase in cases. “People want to be done with this. I, too, want to be done with this,” she said.“We’ve seen surges after every single holiday,” she reiterated: “Please limit travel to essential travel for the time being.”The White House, meanwhile is ruling out the creation of a national “vaccine passport” for Americans to verify their immunization status, saying it is leaving it to the private sector to develop a system for people show they’ve been vaccinated. Some other countries are establishing national databases to allow vaccinated people to resume normal activities.“We do know that there is a segment of the population that is concerned that the government will play too heavy-handed of a role in monitoring their vaccinations,” said White House COVID-19 adviser Andy Slavitt. He said officials are worried that “it would discourage people” from getting vaccinated if the federal government was involved.The administration, instead, is developing guidelines for such passports, touching on privacy, accuracy and equity, but the White House has not said when those guidelines will be ready.--------WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made an impassioned plea to Americans Monday not to let their guard down in the fight against COVID-19, warning of a potential fourth wave of the virus and saying she has a recurring feeling “of impending doom.”Speaking during a virtual White House briefing, Dr. Rochelle Walensky grew emotional as she reflected on her experience treating COVID-19 patients who are alone at the end of their lives.“We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we are and so much reason for hope,” she said. “But right now, I’m scared.”“I’m going to lose the script, and I’m going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom,” she said.Cases of the virus are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-report-animals-source-covid-19-coronavirus-8a839c179c330c56fa46a763b7286a7f">up about 10% over the past week from the previous week</a>, to about 60,000 cases per day, with both hospitalizations and deaths ticking up as well, Walensky said. She warned that without immediate action the U.S. could follow European countries into another spike in cases and suffer needless deaths.“I have to share the truth, and I have to hope and trust you will listen,” she added.Walensky’s comments came hours before President Joe Biden was to address the nation Monday afternoon with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-new-york-coronavirus-pandemic-57cde25de803c98503c5ff9937598420">an update on the vaccination effort.</a>“The president has not held back in calling for governors, leaders, the American people to continue to abide by the public health guidelines,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki. “He will continue to do that through all of his engagements.”Walensky and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert. appealed to elected officials, community leaders and everyday Americans to maintain social distancing measures and mask wearing.“We are doing things prematurely,” Fauci said, referring to moves to ease up on restrictions. Walensky appealed to Americans, “Just please hold on a little while longer.”She added: “We are not powerless, we can change this trajectory of the pandemic.”Walensky pointed to an uptick in travel and loosening virus restrictions for the increase in cases. “People want to be done with this. I, too, want to be done with this,” Walensky said.“We’ve seen surges after every single holiday,” she reiterated: “Please limit travel to essential travel for the time being.”The White House, meanwhile is ruling out the creation of a national “vaccine passport” for Americans to verify their immunization status, saying it is leaving it to the private sector to develop a system for people show they’ve been vaccinated. Some other countries are establishing national databases to allow vaccinated people to resume normal activities.“We do know that there is a segment of the population that is concerned that the government will play too heavy-handed of a role in monitoring their vaccinations,” said White House COVID-19 adviser Andy Slavitt. He said officials are worried that “it would discourage people” from getting vaccinated if the federal government was involved.The administration, instead, is developing guidelines for such passports, touching on privacy, accuracy and equity, but the White House has not said when those guidelines will be ready.

 🎥 Biden, CDC director warn of virus rebound if nation lets up

LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — The death sentence of an avowed anti-Semite who fatally shot three people at two suburban Kansas City Jewish sites in 2014 should be overturned because he was incapable of understanding the legal intricacies when he represented himself at trial and during sentencing, his attorney said Monday.

Attorney Reid Nelson also argued before the Kansas Supreme Court that Frazier Glenn Miller Jr.’s sentence should be overturned because the state’s death penalty law is unconstitutionally vague. He said Miller’s standby attorneys should have been allowed to intervene during the penalty phase.

Miller was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/049dd23899154d8ba71e596143520fa8">convicted&nbsp;</a>in August 2015 on one count of capital murder, three counts of attempted murder, and assault and weapons charges.

Attorneys also argued in an afternoon session over whether the state’s death penalty law itself is unconstitutional.

Nelson admitted Miller presented the case he wanted to, but said his standby attorneys were better trained to present evidence to the jury in the penalty phase about Miller’s difficult life, mental health issues and other factors that might have prompted the shootings.

“It is absolutely required that these proceedings have a heightened standard of reliability, which this case didn’t have,” Nelson said, adding that no defendant representing himself at sentencing in a capital murder case is ever capable.

Miller&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1d7ae9912d1941e6be9179d0af85074f">frequently interrupted</a>&nbsp;court proceedings and, after he was convicted, he said he didn’t care if he was sentenced to death.

Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe, who prosecuted Miller, argued Monday that the U.S. Constitution allows defendants to serve as their own lawyers and that trumps any legal argument over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/75bf9753ed13445f86f3e81c0dac5a2d">whether they are able to represent themselves</a>.

“I go back to the fact that this is his right to have the trial the way he wants the trial, and the lawyers can’t tell him what to do,” Howe said. “He made that abundantly clear and, as far as I’m concerned, the Sixth Amendment says, whether its a good idea or not, you have a right to be your own lawyer.”

He also argued that Miller’s outbursts and actions during court proceedings did not prove he had mental health issues. Howe noted that Miller methodically planned the killings and was able to participate in all aspects of the trial.

He said Miller used the court proceedings to present his anti-Semitic and racist views, and that prosecutors and the judge “went the extra mile” by explaining the legal process as well as accommodating Miller’s desire to talk about his beliefs.

Nelson also argued that the state’s death penalty law is so broad that any first-degree, premeditated murder could be subject to the death penalty. He said a clause that allows juries to consider whether any action is “especially henious” is unconstitutionally vague and needs to be changed to limit juries’ discretion.

Howe responded that Kansas law has specific factors that would not allow every murder to be considered a death penalty case, and allows juries to consider motivations, intent and conduct to determine state of mind in such cases.

“Kansas, as I think everyone would agree, is very limited on when you can meet capital murder,” Howe said. “... I do think Kansas has constructed this in a way that it’s clear what the Legislature’s intent was and that things like conduct, intent and motive were all things they contemplated as things for the juries to consider in a death penalty case.”

On Wednesday afternoon, Meryl Carver-Allmond, an attorney for Miller, argued the death penalty is unconstitutional and violates “the fundamental right to life” under Kansas’ Bill of Rights.

The argument comes after an April 2019 state Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">ruling</a>&nbsp;that protected abortion rights. The justices ruled language protecting “equal and inalienable rights” in the Kansas Constitution’s Bill of Rights includes the right to personal autonomy and to control one’s own body.

After the ruling, attorneys for Miller and other death row inmates argued executing prisoners violates their “inalienable” right to life.

Carver-Allmond said she was not arguing the death penalty should be banned forever in Kansas. Instead, she said, the law should be more narrowly tailored and, under the 2019 ruling, Miller should be resentenced to life without parole.

Brant Laue, solicitor general of Kansas, argued for the state that the 2019 ruling has no effect on death penalty being constitutional in Kansas under the Bill of Rights. He said Miller moved outside private autonomy when he committed multiple murders and the state Constitution does not prevent the Kansas from executing him.

Miller, testified during trial that he drove to the Kansas City area in April 2014&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1d7ae9912d1941e6be9179d0af85074f">to kill Jews</a>&nbsp;and that he didn’t expect to live long because he had chronic emphysema.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cab94ee0c9c84db0ae5c4e69f02a7a3c">He ambushed and killed</a>&nbsp;William Corporon, 69, and Corporon’s 14-year-old grandson, Reat Griffin Underwood, at the Jewish Community Center in Overland Park, Kansas. He then shot 53-year-old Terri LaManno at the nearby Village Shalom retirement center.

In his closing arguments during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7e13a00dfb6f4d3cb06a3b9918c072ba">penalty phase</a>, Miller spent nearly an hour complaining that Jewish people were running the government, media and Federal Reserve. He yelled “Heil Hitler” when he was sentenced to death.

Miller is a Vietnam War veteran who founded the Carolina Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in his native North Carolina and later the White Patriot Party. He also ran on a white-power platform during campaigns for the U.S. House in 2006 and the U.S. Senate in 2010 in Missouri.

LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — An avowed anti-Semite who shot three people to death at two suburban Kansas City Jewish sites in 2014 is asking the Kansas Supreme Court to overturn&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1600964728d24cd4ab072fb1094bcaec">his death sentence</a>, saying he should not have been allowed him to represent himself at trial.

The appeal from Frazier Glenn Miller Jr. is scheduled to go before the state Supreme Court on Monday. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/049dd23899154d8ba71e596143520fa8">convicted&nbsp;</a>of one count of capital murder, three counts of attempted murder, and assault and weapons charges in August 2015.

Miller’s attorneys argue that the Johnson County Court judge who oversaw his trial should not have allowed him to represent himself. They say the judge did not consider whether Miller had mental health issues that would make him&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/75bf9753ed13445f86f3e81c0dac5a2d">incompetent to represent himself</a>&nbsp;in a complex capital case.

Miller, from Aurora, Missouri, also argues that the judge should have allowed him to present mitigating evidence during the penalty phase, and that the death penalty itself is unconstitutional.

Miller, who is also known as Frazier Glenn Close, testified during trial that he drove to the Kansas City area in April 2014&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1d7ae9912d1941e6be9179d0af85074f">to kill Jews</a>&nbsp;before he died. He said at the time that he didn’t expect to live long because he had chronic emphysema.

During the trial, Miller frequently interrupted proceedings with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/72b20e419cee413da9a0f8409ffca4a7">outbursts&nbsp;</a>aimed at the judge, jury and prosecutor. After he was convicted, he said he didn’t care if he was sentenced to death.

In his closing arguments during the penalty phase, Miller spent nearly an hour complaining that Jewish people were running the government, media and Federal Reserve. He yelled “Heil Hitler” when he was sentenced to death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617015166450.png" alt="Miller photo Johnson County Sheriff&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Miller photo Johnson County Sheriff&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — The death sentence of an avowed anti-Semite who fatally shot three people at two suburban Kansas City Jewish sites in 2014 should be overturned because he was incapable of understanding the legal intricacies when he represented himself at trial and during sentencing, his attorney said Monday.Attorney Reid Nelson also argued before the Kansas Supreme Court that Frazier Glenn Miller Jr.’s sentence should be overturned because the state’s death penalty law is unconstitutionally vague. He said Miller’s standby attorneys should have been allowed to intervene during the penalty phase.Miller was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/049dd23899154d8ba71e596143520fa8">convicted&nbsp;</a>in August 2015 on one count of capital murder, three counts of attempted murder, and assault and weapons charges.Attorneys also argued in an afternoon session over whether the state’s death penalty law itself is unconstitutional.Nelson admitted Miller presented the case he wanted to, but said his standby attorneys were better trained to present evidence to the jury in the penalty phase about Miller’s difficult life, mental health issues and other factors that might have prompted the shootings.“It is absolutely required that these proceedings have a heightened standard of reliability, which this case didn’t have,” Nelson said, adding that no defendant representing himself at sentencing in a capital murder case is ever capable.Miller&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1d7ae9912d1941e6be9179d0af85074f">frequently interrupted</a>&nbsp;court proceedings and, after he was convicted, he said he didn’t care if he was sentenced to death.Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe, who prosecuted Miller, argued Monday that the U.S. Constitution allows defendants to serve as their own lawyers and that trumps any legal argument over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/75bf9753ed13445f86f3e81c0dac5a2d">whether they are able to represent themselves</a>.“I go back to the fact that this is his right to have the trial the way he wants the trial, and the lawyers can’t tell him what to do,” Howe said. “He made that abundantly clear and, as far as I’m concerned, the Sixth Amendment says, whether its a good idea or not, you have a right to be your own lawyer.”He also argued that Miller’s outbursts and actions during court proceedings did not prove he had mental health issues. Howe noted that Miller methodically planned the killings and was able to participate in all aspects of the trial.He said Miller used the court proceedings to present his anti-Semitic and racist views, and that prosecutors and the judge “went the extra mile” by explaining the legal process as well as accommodating Miller’s desire to talk about his beliefs.Nelson also argued that the state’s death penalty law is so broad that any first-degree, premeditated murder could be subject to the death penalty. He said a clause that allows juries to consider whether any action is “especially henious” is unconstitutionally vague and needs to be changed to limit juries’ discretion.Howe responded that Kansas law has specific factors that would not allow every murder to be considered a death penalty case, and allows juries to consider motivations, intent and conduct to determine state of mind in such cases.“Kansas, as I think everyone would agree, is very limited on when you can meet capital murder,” Howe said. “... I do think Kansas has constructed this in a way that it’s clear what the Legislature’s intent was and that things like conduct, intent and motive were all things they contemplated as things for the juries to consider in a death penalty case.”On Wednesday afternoon, Meryl Carver-Allmond, an attorney for Miller, argued the death penalty is unconstitutional and violates “the fundamental right to life” under Kansas’ Bill of Rights.The argument comes after an April 2019 state Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">ruling</a>&nbsp;that protected abortion rights. The justices ruled language protecting “equal and inalienable rights” in the Kansas Constitution’s Bill of Rights includes the right to personal autonomy and to control one’s own body.After the ruling, attorneys for Miller and other death row inmates argued executing prisoners violates their “inalienable” right to life.Carver-Allmond said she was not arguing the death penalty should be banned forever in Kansas. Instead, she said, the law should be more narrowly tailored and, under the 2019 ruling, Miller should be resentenced to life without parole.Brant Laue, solicitor general of Kansas, argued for the state that the 2019 ruling has no effect on death penalty being constitutional in Kansas under the Bill of Rights. He said Miller moved outside private autonomy when he committed multiple murders and the state Constitution does not prevent the Kansas from executing him.Miller, testified during trial that he drove to the Kansas City area in April 2014&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1d7ae9912d1941e6be9179d0af85074f">to kill Jews</a>&nbsp;and that he didn’t expect to live long because he had chronic emphysema.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cab94ee0c9c84db0ae5c4e69f02a7a3c">He ambushed and killed</a>&nbsp;William Corporon, 69, and Corporon’s 14-year-old grandson, Reat Griffin Underwood, at the Jewish Community Center in Overland Park, Kansas. He then shot 53-year-old Terri LaManno at the nearby Village Shalom retirement center.All of his victims were Christians.In his closing arguments during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7e13a00dfb6f4d3cb06a3b9918c072ba">penalty phase</a>, Miller spent nearly an hour complaining that Jewish people were running the government, media and Federal Reserve. He yelled “Heil Hitler” when he was sentenced to death.Miller is a Vietnam War veteran who founded the Carolina Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in his native North Carolina and later the White Patriot Party. He also ran on a white-power platform during campaigns for the U.S. House in 2006 and the U.S. Senate in 2010 in Missouri.--------LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — An avowed anti-Semite who shot three people to death at two suburban Kansas City Jewish sites in 2014 is asking the Kansas Supreme Court to overturn&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1600964728d24cd4ab072fb1094bcaec">his death sentence</a>, saying he should not have been allowed him to represent himself at trial.The appeal from Frazier Glenn Miller Jr. is scheduled to go before the state Supreme Court on Monday. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/049dd23899154d8ba71e596143520fa8">convicted&nbsp;</a>of one count of capital murder, three counts of attempted murder, and assault and weapons charges in August 2015.Miller’s attorneys argue that the Johnson County Court judge who oversaw his trial should not have allowed him to represent himself. They say the judge did not consider whether Miller had mental health issues that would make him&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/75bf9753ed13445f86f3e81c0dac5a2d">incompetent to represent himself</a>&nbsp;in a complex capital case.Miller, from Aurora, Missouri, also argues that the judge should have allowed him to present mitigating evidence during the penalty phase, and that the death penalty itself is unconstitutional.Miller, who is also known as Frazier Glenn Close, testified during trial that he drove to the Kansas City area in April 2014&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1d7ae9912d1941e6be9179d0af85074f">to kill Jews</a>&nbsp;before he died. He said at the time that he didn’t expect to live long because he had chronic emphysema.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cab94ee0c9c84db0ae5c4e69f02a7a3c">He ambushed and killed</a>&nbsp;William Corporon, 69, and Corporon’s 14-year-old grandson, Reat Griffin Underwood, at the Jewish Community Center in Overland Park, Kansas. He then shot 53-year-old Terri LaManno at the nearby Village Shalom retirement center.All of his victims were Christians.During the trial, Miller frequently interrupted proceedings with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/72b20e419cee413da9a0f8409ffca4a7">outbursts&nbsp;</a>aimed at the judge, jury and prosecutor. After he was convicted, he said he didn’t care if he was sentenced to death.In his closing arguments during the penalty phase, Miller spent nearly an hour complaining that Jewish people were running the government, media and Federal Reserve. He yelled “Heil Hitler” when he was sentenced to death.Miller is a Vietnam War veteran who founded the Carolina Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in his native North Carolina and later the White Patriot Party. He also ran on a white-power platform during campaigns for the U.S. House in 2006 and the U.S. Senate in 2010 in Missouri.

Update: Shooter at Kan. Jewish centers appeals death sentence

WASHINGTON — As work continues on issuing millions of Economic Impact
 Payments to Americans, the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury 
Department announced today that they anticipate payments will begin to 
be issued this weekend to Social Security recipients and other federal 
beneficiaries who do not normally file a tax return, with the projection
 that the majority of these payments would be sent electronically and 
received on April 7.

After receiving data from the Social Security Administration on 
Thursday, March 25, the IRS began the multi-step process to review, 
validate, and test tens of millions of records to ensure eligibility and
 proper calculation of Economic Impact Payments. If no additional issues
 arise, the IRS currently expects to complete that work and to begin 
processing these payment files at the end of this week. Because the 
majority of these payments will be disbursed electronically – through 
direct deposits and payments to existing Direct Express cards – they 
would be received on the official payment date of April 7.

Many federal beneficiaries who filed 2019 or 2020 returns or used the
 Non-Filers tool last year were issued Economic Impact Payments, if 
eligible, during the last three weeks. The update today applies to 
Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Railroad 
Retirement Board (RRB) beneficiaries who did not file a 2019 or 2020 tax
 return or did not use the Non-Filers tool.

"IRS employees are working tirelessly to once again deliver Economic 
Impact Payments to the nation's taxpayers as quickly as possible," said 
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "Our teams immediately began processing 
data we received last week for federal benefit recipients. We know how 
important these payments are, and we are doing everything we can to make
 these payments as fast as possible to these important individuals."

The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">Get My Payment</a>
 tool is updated for eligible individuals once their payment is 
processed. The IRS notes that the Get My Payment&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov will 
not be updated until the weekend of April 3-4 with information for 
federal beneficiaries expecting payments next week.

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

Federal benefit payments automatic; no action for most

Most Social Security retirement and disability beneficiaries, 
railroad retirees and recipients of veterans benefits who are eligible 
for an Economic Impact Payment do not need to take any action to receive
 a payment. These payments will be automatic. Like the previous Economic
 Impact Payments, Social Security and other federal beneficiaries will 
generally receive this third payment the same way that they receive 
their regular benefits.

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

Some federal benefit recipients already have received an Economic Impact Payment

The IRS emphasizes that federal benefit recipients in these groups 
who file tax returns already started to receive Economic Impact Payments
 earlier this month, along with other taxpayers.

Because some federal benefit recipients do not file tax returns, the 
IRS did not have in its tax systems the current information needed to 
generate the Economic Impact Payments. Last year, the IRS took the 
unprecedented step to receive and review data from other federal 
agencies and use that data to deliver payments automatically to these 
recipients. This action – which had never occurred in previous stimulus 
efforts – minimized risk and burdens for the American public during the 
pandemic. Due to regular changes in the federal benefits population, the
 IRS needed to receive updated information this month from other 
government agencies. With these critical updates, eligible federal 
benefit recipients who don't normally file an income tax return will get
 a payment automatically in the next few weeks.

Making these automatic payments to federal beneficiaries involves a 
complex, multi-step process to handle recipient data from the other 
agencies. For the first round of Economic Impact Payments last year, 
recipients in these groups received payments within four to six weeks 
after the CARES Act was signed into law. For the American Rescue Plan 
signed March 11, the IRS projects that it is on track to deliver 
Economic Impact Payments to federal beneficiaries at the same or faster 
speed.

More details on this third round of Economic Impact Payments and federal benefit recipients will be available soon on IRS.gov.

Other work continues on Economic Impact Payments; watch mail for checks, EIP Cards

In addition to work for federal benefit recipients, the IRS also 
continues to prepare and deliver additional Economic Impact Payments for
 other eligible individuals – as well as deliver tax refunds.

For those receiving payments in the mail, the IRS urges these 
taxpayers to continue to watch their mail for these payments, which 
could include a paper Treasury check or a special prepaid debit card 
called an EIP Card.

Taxpayers should note that the form of payment for the third Economic
 Impact Payment, including for some Social Security and other federal 
beneficiaries, may be different than earlier stimulus payments. More 
people are receiving direct deposits, while those receiving payments in 
the mail may receive either a paper check or an EIP Card – which may be 
different than how they received their previous Economic Impact 
Payments.

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

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

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

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

Individuals can check the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">Get My Payment</a>&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov to see the payment status of these payments. Additional information on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments">Economic Impact Payments</a> is available on IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — As work continues on issuing millions of Economic Impact
 Payments to Americans, the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury 
Department announced today that they anticipate payments will begin to 
be issued this weekend to Social Security recipients and other federal 
beneficiaries who do not normally file a tax return, with the projection
 that the majority of these payments would be sent electronically and 
received on April 7.After receiving data from the Social Security Administration on 
Thursday, March 25, the IRS began the multi-step process to review, 
validate, and test tens of millions of records to ensure eligibility and
 proper calculation of Economic Impact Payments. If no additional issues
 arise, the IRS currently expects to complete that work and to begin 
processing these payment files at the end of this week. Because the 
majority of these payments will be disbursed electronically – through 
direct deposits and payments to existing Direct Express cards – they 
would be received on the official payment date of April 7.Many federal beneficiaries who filed 2019 or 2020 returns or used the
 Non-Filers tool last year were issued Economic Impact Payments, if 
eligible, during the last three weeks. The update today applies to 
Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Railroad 
Retirement Board (RRB) beneficiaries who did not file a 2019 or 2020 tax
 return or did not use the Non-Filers tool."IRS employees are working tirelessly to once again deliver Economic 
Impact Payments to the nation's taxpayers as quickly as possible," said 
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "Our teams immediately began processing 
data we received last week for federal benefit recipients. We know how 
important these payments are, and we are doing everything we can to make
 these payments as fast as possible to these important individuals."The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">Get My Payment</a>
 tool is updated for eligible individuals once their payment is 
processed. The IRS notes that the Get My Payment&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov will 
not be updated until the weekend of April 3-4 with information for 
federal beneficiaries expecting payments next week.The IRS continues to review data received for Veterans Affairs (VA) 
benefit recipients and expects to determine a payment date and provide 
more details soon. Currently, the IRS estimates that Economic Impact 
Payments for VA beneficiaries who do not regularly file tax returns 
could be disbursed by mid-April. VA beneficiary payment information will
 be available in the Get My Payment tool at a future date.<h2>Federal benefit payments automatic; no action for most</h2>Most Social Security retirement and disability beneficiaries, 
railroad retirees and recipients of veterans benefits who are eligible 
for an Economic Impact Payment do not need to take any action to receive
 a payment. These payments will be automatic. Like the previous Economic
 Impact Payments, Social Security and other federal beneficiaries will 
generally receive this third payment the same way that they receive 
their regular benefits.Some federal benefit recipients may need to file a 2020 tax return, 
even if they don't usually file, to provide information the IRS needs to
 send payments for any qualified dependent. Eligible individuals in this
 group should file a 2020 tax return to be considered for an additional 
payment for their qualified dependent as quickly as possible.<h2>Some federal benefit recipients already have received an Economic Impact Payment</h2>The IRS emphasizes that federal benefit recipients in these groups 
who file tax returns already started to receive Economic Impact Payments
 earlier this month, along with other taxpayers.Because some federal benefit recipients do not file tax returns, the 
IRS did not have in its tax systems the current information needed to 
generate the Economic Impact Payments. Last year, the IRS took the 
unprecedented step to receive and review data from other federal 
agencies and use that data to deliver payments automatically to these 
recipients. This action – which had never occurred in previous stimulus 
efforts – minimized risk and burdens for the American public during the 
pandemic. Due to regular changes in the federal benefits population, the
 IRS needed to receive updated information this month from other 
government agencies. With these critical updates, eligible federal 
benefit recipients who don't normally file an income tax return will get
 a payment automatically in the next few weeks.Making these automatic payments to federal beneficiaries involves a 
complex, multi-step process to handle recipient data from the other 
agencies. For the first round of Economic Impact Payments last year, 
recipients in these groups received payments within four to six weeks 
after the CARES Act was signed into law. For the American Rescue Plan 
signed March 11, the IRS projects that it is on track to deliver 
Economic Impact Payments to federal beneficiaries at the same or faster 
speed.More details on this third round of Economic Impact Payments and federal benefit recipients will be available soon on IRS.gov.<h2>Other work continues on Economic Impact Payments; watch mail for checks, EIP Cards</h2>In addition to work for federal benefit recipients, the IRS also 
continues to prepare and deliver additional Economic Impact Payments for
 other eligible individuals – as well as deliver tax refunds.For those receiving payments in the mail, the IRS urges these 
taxpayers to continue to watch their mail for these payments, which 
could include a paper Treasury check or a special prepaid debit card 
called an EIP Card.Taxpayers should note that the form of payment for the third Economic
 Impact Payment, including for some Social Security and other federal 
beneficiaries, may be different than earlier stimulus payments. More 
people are receiving direct deposits, while those receiving payments in 
the mail may receive either a paper check or an EIP Card – which may be 
different than how they received their previous Economic Impact 
Payments.<h2>Special reminder for those who don't normally file a tax return</h2>People who don't normally file a tax return and don't receive federal
 benefits may qualify for these Economic Impact Payments. This includes 
those experiencing homelessness, the rural poor, and others. For those 
eligible individuals who didn't get a first or second Economic Impact 
Payment or got less than the full amounts, they may be eligible for the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>, but they'll need to file a 2020 tax return. See the special section on IRS.gov: <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-a-claiming-the-recovery-rebate-credit-if-you-arent-required-to-file-a-tax-return">Claiming the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if you aren't required to file a tax return</a>.Free <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">tax return preparation</a> is available for qualifying people.The IRS reminds taxpayers that the income levels in this new round of
 Economic Impact Payments have changed. This means that some people 
won't be eligible for the third payment even if they received a first or
 second Economic Impact Payment or claimed a 2020 Recovery Rebate 
Credit. Payments will begin to be reduced for individuals making $75,000
 or above in Adjusted Gross Income ($150,000 for married filing 
jointly). The payments end at $80,000 for individuals ($160,000 for 
married filing jointly); people with Adjusted Gross Incomes above these 
levels are ineligible for a payment.Individuals can check the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">Get My Payment</a>&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov to see the payment status of these payments. Additional information on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments">Economic Impact Payments</a> is available on IRS.gov.

IRS: Stimulus payments to non-filer Social Security, other beneficiaries will be disbursed later this week

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service on Tuesday announced that 
individuals have until May 17, 2021 to meet certain deadlines that would
 normally fall on April 15, such as making IRA contributions and filing 
certain claims for refund.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service on Tuesday announced that 
individuals have until May 17, 2021 to meet certain deadlines that would
 normally fall on April 15, such as making IRA contributions and filing 
certain claims for refund.This follows a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-day-for-individuals-extended-to-may-17-treasury-irs-extend-filing-and-payment-deadline">previous announcement</a>
 from the IRS on March 17, that the federal income tax filing due date 
for individuals for the 2020 tax year was extended from April 15, 2021, 
to May 17, 2021. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-21-21.pdf">Notice 2021-21&nbsp;PDF</a> provides details on the additional tax deadlines which have been postponed until May 17.<h2>Time to make contributions to IRAs and health savings accounts extended to May 17</h2>In extending the deadline to file Form 1040 series returns to May 17,
 the IRS is automatically postponing to the same date the time for 
individuals to make 2020 contributions to their individual retirement 
arrangements (IRAs and Roth IRAs), health savings accounts (HSAs), 
Archer Medical Savings Accounts (Archer MSAs), and Coverdell education 
savings accounts (Coverdell ESAs). This postponement also automatically 
postpones to May 17, 2021, the time for reporting and payment of the 10%
 additional tax on amounts includible in gross income from 2020 
distributions from IRAs or workplace-based retirement plans. Notice 
2021-21 also postpones the due date for Form 5498 series returns related
 to these accounts to June 30, 2021.<h2>2017 unclaimed refunds – deadline extended to May 17</h2>For tax year 2017 Federal income tax returns, the normal April 15 
deadline to claim a refund has also been extended to May 17, 2021. The 
law provides a three-year window of opportunity to claim a refund. If 
taxpayers do not file a return within three years, the money becomes 
property of the U.S. Treasury. The law requires taxpayers to properly 
address, mail and ensure the tax return is postmarked by the May 17, 
2021, date.Additionally, foreign trusts and estates with federal income tax 
filing or payment obligations, who file Form 1040-NR, now have until May
 17, 2021.<h2>2021 AFSP deadline postponed to May 17</h2>Tax preparers interested in voluntarily participating in the Annual 
Filing Season Program (AFSP) for calendar-year 2021 now have until May 
17, 2021 to file their application with the Internal Revenue Service. 
The normal due date is April 15.Details on this extension are in Notice 2021-21, posted on IRS.gov. For more information about the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/annual-filing-season-program">Annual Filing Season Program</a>, visit the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals">Tax Pros</a>&nbsp;page on IRS.gov.<h2>Estimated tax payment due April 15</h2>Notice 2021-21, issued today does not alter the April 15, 2021, 
deadline for estimated tax payments; these payments are still due on 
April 15. Taxes must be paid as taxpayers earn or receive income during 
the year, either through withholding or estimated tax payments. In 
general, estimated tax payments are made quarterly to the IRS by people 
whose income isn't subject to income tax withholding, including 
self-employment income, interest, dividends, alimony or rental income. 
Most taxpayers automatically have their taxes withheld from their 
paychecks and submitted to the IRS by their employer.Updates regarding <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus-tax-relief-and-economic-impact-payments">tax relief as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic</a> can be found at IRS.gov.