LVIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the West of cowardice Sunday while another top official said Russia was trying to split the nation in two, like North and South Korea.

Zelenskyy made an exasperated plea for fighter jets and tanks to sustain a defense as his country continues battling Russia’s invading troops. Russia now says its main focus is on taking control of the eastern Donbas region, an apparent pullback from its earlier, more expansive goals, but one which is raising fears of a divided Ukraine.

Speaking after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-migration-world-war-ii-warsaw-652da1c2ab1c88de3032241089bfa516">U.S. President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;said in a lacerating speech that Russian President Vladimir Putin could not stay in power —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-ketanji-brown-jackson-state-of-the-union-address-2022-midterm-elections-46757d4b4b7d4297245d7e6de8f2b290">words the White House immediately sought to downplay&nbsp;</a>— Zelenskyy lashed out at the West’s “ping-pong about who and how should hand over jets” and other weapons while Russian missile attacks kill and trap civilians.

“I’ve talked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-edf7240a9d990e7e3e32f82ca351dede">to the defenders of Mariupol&nbsp;</a>today. I’m in constant contact with them. Their determination, heroism and firmness are astonishing,” Zelenskyy said in a video address, referring to the besieged southern city that has suffered some of the war’s greatest deprivations and horrors. “If only those who have been thinking for 31 days on how to hand over dozens of jets and tanks had 1% of their courage.”

Zelenskyy also told independent Russian journalists Sunday that his government would consider declaring neutrality and offering security guarantees to Russia, repeating earlier statements. That would include keeping Ukraine nuclear-free, he said.

He told the reporters that the issue of neutrality – and agreeing to stay out of NATO – should be put to Ukrainian voters in a referendum after Russian troops withdraw. He said a vote could take place within a few months of the troops leaving.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has stalled in many areas. Its aim to quickly encircle the capital, Kyiv, and force its surrender has faltered against staunch Ukrainian resistance — bolstered by weapons from the U.S. and other Western allies.

Britain’s Defense Ministry said Russia’s troops are trying to encircle Ukrainian forces facing the two separatist-held areas in the country’s east. That would cut the bulk of Ukraine’s military off from the rest of the country.

Moscow claims its focus is on wresting the entire eastern Donbas region, which has been partially controlled by Russia-backed separatists since 2014. A high-ranking Russian military official on Friday said that troops were being redirected to the east from other parts of the country.

Russia has supported the separatist rebels in Luhansk and neighboring Donetsk since the insurgency erupted there shortly after Moscow annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. In talks with Ukraine, Moscow has demanded Kyiv acknowledge the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, accused Russia of seeking to split Ukraine in two, making the comparison to North and South Korea.

“The occupiers will try to pull the occupied territories into a single quasi-state structure and pit it against independent Ukraine,” Budanov said in a statement released by the Defense Ministry. He predicted that guerrilla warfare by Ukrainians would derail such plans.

A Ukrainian delegate in talks with Russia on ending the war, Davyd Arakhamia, said in a Facebook post the countries would meet in Turkey beginning Monday. However, the Russians then announced the talks would start Tuesday. The sides have met previously with no deal reached.

Ukraine’s priorities at the Ukrainian-Russian talks in Turkey this week will be “sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Zelenskyy told his nation Sunday in his nightly address.

“We are looking for peace, really, without delay,” he said. “There is an opportunity and a need for a face-to-face meeting in Turkey.”

Zelenskyy also signed a law Sunday that bans reporting on troop and equipment movements that haven’t been announced or approved by the military. Journalists who violate the law could face three to eight years in prison. The law does not differentiate between Ukrainian and foreign reporters.

Ukraine says that to defeat Russia, the West must provide fighter jets and not just missiles and other military equipment. A proposal to transfer Polish planes to Ukraine via the United States was scrapped amid NATO concerns about being drawn into direct fighting.

In his pointed remarks, Zelenskyy accused Western governments of being “afraid to prevent this tragedy. Afraid to simply make a decision.”

His plea was echoed Sunday by a priest in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/explosions-in-lviv-ukraine-russia-war-d19574a99afeb4bf964be7c3276c084c">western city of Lviv,&nbsp;</a>which was struck by rockets a day earlier. The aerial assault illustrated that Moscow, despite assertions that it intends to shift the war eastward, is willing to strike anywhere in Ukraine.

“When diplomacy doesn’t work, we need military support,” said the Rev. Yuri Vaskiv, who said fearful parishioners were staying away from his Greek Catholic church.

On the road to Kyiv, residents of a village combed through the wreckage of Russia’s ongoing attacks. Locals in Byshiv, about 22 miles (35 kilometers) from Kyiv. walked through buildings torn open and destroyed by shelling to salvage what they could, including books, shelving and framed pictures. .

Standing in what used to be a kindergarten classroom, teacher Svetlana Grybovska said too many children have fallen victim.

“It’s not right” Grybovska told British broadcaster Sky News. “Children are not guilty of anything.”

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov confirmed Russia used air-launched cruise missiles to hit a fuel depot and a defense plant in Lyiv, about 45 miles (75 kilometers) from the Polish border. He said another strike with sea-launched missiles destroyed a depot in Plesetske just west of Kyiv, where Ukraine stored air defense missiles.

On Sunday night, a rocket attack hit an oil base in the far northwestern region of Volyn, whose capital, Lutsk, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of Lviv.

A chemical smell lingered in Lyiv on Sunday as firefighters trained hoses on flames and black smoke poured from oil storage tanks hit in the attack.

Russia’s back-to-back airstrikes shook the city that has become a haven for an estimated 200,000 people who have fled bombarded towns and cities. Lviv, which has largely been spared bombardment, also has been a waystation for most of the 3.8 million refugees who have left Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24.

In a dim, crowded bomb shelter under an apartment block near the first blast site, Olana Ukrainets, a 34-year-old information technology professional, said she couldn’t believe she had to hide again after fleeing from the northeastern city of Kharkiv, one of the most bombarded cities.

“We were on one side of the street and saw it on the other side,” she said. “We saw fire. I said to my friend, ‘What’s this?’ Then we heard the sound of an explosion and glass breaking.”

Also in Kharkiv, Ukrainian firefighters used axes and chainsaws to dig through concrete and other debris Sunday searching for victims of a Russian military strike on the regional administration building. One body was found Saturday, a firefighter said. At least six people died in the March 1 attack — the first time Russian forces hit the center of Kharkiv, once home to 1.5 million people.

In his video address, Zelenskyy angrily warned Moscow that it was sowing a deep hatred for Russia among Ukrainians.

“You are doing everything so that our people themselves leave the Russian language, because the Russian language will now be associated only with you, with your explosions and murders, your crimes,” Zelenskyy said.

Along with the millions of people who have fled Ukraine, the invasion has driven more than 10 million people from their homes, almost one-quarter of Ukraine’s population. Thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648213777649.png" alt="Britain’s Defense Ministry said Russia’s troops are trying to encircle Ukrainian forces facing the two separatist-held areas in the country’s east. That would cut the bulk of Ukraine’s military off from the rest of the country.-Photo courtesy NATO" />
 <figcaption>Britain’s Defense Ministry said Russia’s troops are trying to encircle Ukrainian forces facing the two separatist-held areas in the country’s east. That would cut the bulk of Ukraine’s military off from the rest of the country.-Photo courtesy NATO</figcaption>
 </figure>LVIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the West of cowardice Sunday while another top official said Russia was trying to split the nation in two, like North and South Korea.Zelenskyy made an exasperated plea for fighter jets and tanks to sustain a defense as his country continues battling Russia’s invading troops. Russia now says its main focus is on taking control of the eastern Donbas region, an apparent pullback from its earlier, more expansive goals, but one which is raising fears of a divided Ukraine.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647393225414.png" alt="Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy-photo courtesy Ukraine Presidential press office" />
 <figcaption>Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy-photo courtesy Ukraine Presidential press office</figcaption>
 </figure>Speaking after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-migration-world-war-ii-warsaw-652da1c2ab1c88de3032241089bfa516">U.S. President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;said in a lacerating speech that Russian President Vladimir Putin could not stay in power —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-ketanji-brown-jackson-state-of-the-union-address-2022-midterm-elections-46757d4b4b7d4297245d7e6de8f2b290">words the White House immediately sought to downplay&nbsp;</a>— Zelenskyy lashed out at the West’s “ping-pong about who and how should hand over jets” and other weapons while Russian missile attacks kill and trap civilians.“I’ve talked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-edf7240a9d990e7e3e32f82ca351dede">to the defenders of Mariupol&nbsp;</a>today. I’m in constant contact with them. Their determination, heroism and firmness are astonishing,” Zelenskyy said in a video address, referring to the besieged southern city that has suffered some of the war’s greatest deprivations and horrors. “If only those who have been thinking for 31 days on how to hand over dozens of jets and tanks had 1% of their courage.”Zelenskyy also told independent Russian journalists Sunday that his government would consider declaring neutrality and offering security guarantees to Russia, repeating earlier statements. That would include keeping Ukraine nuclear-free, he said.He told the reporters that the issue of neutrality – and agreeing to stay out of NATO – should be put to Ukrainian voters in a referendum after Russian troops withdraw. He said a vote could take place within a few months of the troops leaving.Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has stalled in many areas. Its aim to quickly encircle the capital, Kyiv, and force its surrender has faltered against staunch Ukrainian resistance — bolstered by weapons from the U.S. and other Western allies.Britain’s Defense Ministry said Russia’s troops are trying to encircle Ukrainian forces facing the two separatist-held areas in the country’s east. That would cut the bulk of Ukraine’s military off from the rest of the country.Moscow claims its focus is on wresting the entire eastern Donbas region, which has been partially controlled by Russia-backed separatists since 2014. A high-ranking Russian military official on Friday said that troops were being redirected to the east from other parts of the country.Russia has supported the separatist rebels in Luhansk and neighboring Donetsk since the insurgency erupted there shortly after Moscow annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. In talks with Ukraine, Moscow has demanded Kyiv acknowledge the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk.Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, accused Russia of seeking to split Ukraine in two, making the comparison to North and South Korea.“The occupiers will try to pull the occupied territories into a single quasi-state structure and pit it against independent Ukraine,” Budanov said in a statement released by the Defense Ministry. He predicted that guerrilla warfare by Ukrainians would derail such plans.A Ukrainian delegate in talks with Russia on ending the war, Davyd Arakhamia, said in a Facebook post the countries would meet in Turkey beginning Monday. However, the Russians then announced the talks would start Tuesday. The sides have met previously with no deal reached.Ukraine’s priorities at the Ukrainian-Russian talks in Turkey this week will be “sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Zelenskyy told his nation Sunday in his nightly address.“We are looking for peace, really, without delay,” he said. “There is an opportunity and a need for a face-to-face meeting in Turkey.”Zelenskyy also signed a law Sunday that bans reporting on troop and equipment movements that haven’t been announced or approved by the military. Journalists who violate the law could face three to eight years in prison. The law does not differentiate between Ukrainian and foreign reporters.Ukraine says that to defeat Russia, the West must provide fighter jets and not just missiles and other military equipment. A proposal to transfer Polish planes to Ukraine via the United States was scrapped amid NATO concerns about being drawn into direct fighting.In his pointed remarks, Zelenskyy accused Western governments of being “afraid to prevent this tragedy. Afraid to simply make a decision.”His plea was echoed Sunday by a priest in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/explosions-in-lviv-ukraine-russia-war-d19574a99afeb4bf964be7c3276c084c">western city of Lviv,&nbsp;</a>which was struck by rockets a day earlier. The aerial assault illustrated that Moscow, despite assertions that it intends to shift the war eastward, is willing to strike anywhere in Ukraine.“When diplomacy doesn’t work, we need military support,” said the Rev. Yuri Vaskiv, who said fearful parishioners were staying away from his Greek Catholic church.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648213754283.png" alt="Russia’s back-to-back airstrikes shook the city that has become a haven for an estimated 200,000 people who have fled bombarded towns and cities.-photo courtesy NATO" />
 <figcaption>Russia’s back-to-back airstrikes shook the city that has become a haven for an estimated 200,000 people who have fled bombarded towns and cities.-photo courtesy NATO</figcaption>
 </figure>On the road to Kyiv, residents of a village combed through the wreckage of Russia’s ongoing attacks. Locals in Byshiv, about 22 miles (35 kilometers) from Kyiv. walked through buildings torn open and destroyed by shelling to salvage what they could, including books, shelving and framed pictures. .Standing in what used to be a kindergarten classroom, teacher Svetlana Grybovska said too many children have fallen victim.“It’s not right” Grybovska told British broadcaster Sky News. “Children are not guilty of anything.”Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov confirmed Russia used air-launched cruise missiles to hit a fuel depot and a defense plant in Lyiv, about 45 miles (75 kilometers) from the Polish border. He said another strike with sea-launched missiles destroyed a depot in Plesetske just west of Kyiv, where Ukraine stored air defense missiles.On Sunday night, a rocket attack hit an oil base in the far northwestern region of Volyn, whose capital, Lutsk, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of Lviv.A chemical smell lingered in Lyiv on Sunday as firefighters trained hoses on flames and black smoke poured from oil storage tanks hit in the attack.Russia’s back-to-back airstrikes shook the city that has become a haven for an estimated 200,000 people who have fled bombarded towns and cities. Lviv, which has largely been spared bombardment, also has been a waystation for most of the 3.8 million refugees who have left Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24.In a dim, crowded bomb shelter under an apartment block near the first blast site, Olana Ukrainets, a 34-year-old information technology professional, said she couldn’t believe she had to hide again after fleeing from the northeastern city of Kharkiv, one of the most bombarded cities.“We were on one side of the street and saw it on the other side,” she said. “We saw fire. I said to my friend, ‘What’s this?’ Then we heard the sound of an explosion and glass breaking.”Also in Kharkiv, Ukrainian firefighters used axes and chainsaws to dig through concrete and other debris Sunday searching for victims of a Russian military strike on the regional administration building. One body was found Saturday, a firefighter said. At least six people died in the March 1 attack — the first time Russian forces hit the center of Kharkiv, once home to 1.5 million people.In his video address, Zelenskyy angrily warned Moscow that it was sowing a deep hatred for Russia among Ukrainians.“You are doing everything so that our people themselves leave the Russian language, because the Russian language will now be associated only with you, with your explosions and murders, your crimes,” Zelenskyy said.Along with the millions of people who have fled Ukraine, the invasion has driven more than 10 million people from their homes, almost one-quarter of Ukraine’s population. Thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed.___

Ukrainian President accused the west of cowardice

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded retirees who
 turned 72 during the last half of 2021 that, in most cases, Friday, 
April 1, 2022, is the last day to begin receiving payments from 
Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), 401(k)s and similar workplace
 retirement plans.

The payments, called <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-required-minimum-distributions-rmds">required minimum distributions (RMDs)</a>,
 are normally made by the end of the year. But anyone who reached age 72
 after June 30, 2021, is covered by a special rule that allows IRA 
account owners and participants in workplace retirement plans to wait 
until as late as April 1, 2022, to take their first RMD. In other words,
 in general, the special April 1 rule applies to IRA owners and other 
participants in these plans who were born after June 30, 1949.

The April 1 RMD deadline only applies to the required distribution 
for the first year. For all later years, the RMD must be made by 
December 31.

This means that taxpayers who turned 72 after June 30, 2021, and 
receive their first required distribution (for 2021) in 2022 on or 
before April 1, must receive their second RMD (for 2022) by December 31,
 2022. Even though the first distribution is actually the required 2021 
distribution, it's taxable in 2022 and reported on the 2022 tax return -
 along with the regular 2022 distribution.

These required distribution rules apply to owners of traditional, SEP
 and SIMPLE IRAs while the original owner is alive. They also apply to 
participants in various workplace retirement plans, including 401(k), 
403(b) and 457(b) plans. RMDs don't apply to Roth IRAs.

An IRA trustee must either report the amount of the RMD to the IRA 
owner or offer to calculate it. Often, the trustee shows the RMD amount 
on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-5498">Form 5498</a>
 in Box 12b. For a 2021 RMD, required by April 1, 2022, the RMD amount 
is shown on the 2020 Form 5498, normally issued to the owner during the 
first part of 2021.

Though the April 1 deadline is mandatory for all owners of 
traditional IRAs and most participants in workplace retirement plans, 
some people with workplace plans can wait longer to receive their RMD.

Most participants who are still working for that employer can wait 
until April 1 of the year after they retire to start receiving these 
distributions, if their workplace plan allows. This RMD exception does 
not apply to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-required-minimum-distributions">5% owners</a>
 of the business sponsoring the retirement plan or to participants in 
SEP and SIMPLE IRA plans. See Tax on Excess Accumulation in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-575">Publication 575</a> for details.

Employees of public schools and certain tax-exempt organizations with
 403(b) plan accruals before 1987 should check with their employer, plan
 administrator or provider to see how to treat these accruals.

IRS online tools and publications can help

Many answers to questions about RMDs can be found at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-required-minimum-distributions">RMD FAQs</a>
 on IRS.gov. Most taxpayers use Table III (Uniform Lifetime) to figure 
their RMD. Married taxpayers whose spouse is more than 10 years younger 
and is their only beneficiary use Table II.

Because this and other life expectancy tables were updated for 2022, 
recipients need to use a different version of this table to figure their
 2021 RMD, compared to their 2022 RMD. The required withdrawals in 2022 
and future years will generally be smaller.

For a 2021 RMD (due April 1, 2022), use the life expectancy tables in Appendix B of the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/p590b--2020.pdf">Pub. 590-B</a>&nbsp;PDF
 used for preparing 2020 returns. As shown in Table III, the RMD for a 
person age 72 in 2021 will normally be based on a distribution period of
 25.6 years. Divide the December 31, 2020, balance by 25.6 to get the 
RMD for 2021.

For a 2022 RMD (due December 31, 2022), use the revised life expectancy tables in Appendix B of the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/p590b--2021.pdf">Pub. 590-B</a>&nbsp;PDF
 used for preparing 2021 returns. As shown in the revised Table III, the
 RMD for a person age 72 in 2022 will normally be based on a 
distribution period of 27.4 years. Divide the December 31, 2021, balance
 by 27.4 to get the RMD for 2022.

Pub. 590-B has worksheets, examples and other information that can 
help anyone figure their RMD. Visit IRS.gov for more information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded retirees who
 turned 72 during the last half of 2021 that, in most cases, Friday, 
April 1, 2022, is the last day to begin receiving payments from 
Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), 401(k)s and similar workplace
 retirement plans.The payments, called <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-required-minimum-distributions-rmds">required minimum distributions (RMDs)</a>,
 are normally made by the end of the year. But anyone who reached age 72
 after June 30, 2021, is covered by a special rule that allows IRA 
account owners and participants in workplace retirement plans to wait 
until as late as April 1, 2022, to take their first RMD. In other words,
 in general, the special April 1 rule applies to IRA owners and other 
participants in these plans who were born after June 30, 1949.<h2>Two payments in the same year</h2>The April 1 RMD deadline only applies to the required distribution 
for the first year. For all later years, the RMD must be made by 
December 31.This means that taxpayers who turned 72 after June 30, 2021, and 
receive their first required distribution (for 2021) in 2022 on or 
before April 1, must receive their second RMD (for 2022) by December 31,
 2022. Even though the first distribution is actually the required 2021 
distribution, it's taxable in 2022 and reported on the 2022 tax return -
 along with the regular 2022 distribution.<h2>Types of retirement plans requiring RMDs</h2>These required distribution rules apply to owners of traditional, SEP
 and SIMPLE IRAs while the original owner is alive. They also apply to 
participants in various workplace retirement plans, including 401(k), 
403(b) and 457(b) plans. RMDs don't apply to Roth IRAs.An IRA trustee must either report the amount of the RMD to the IRA 
owner or offer to calculate it. Often, the trustee shows the RMD amount 
on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-5498">Form 5498</a>
 in Box 12b. For a 2021 RMD, required by April 1, 2022, the RMD amount 
is shown on the 2020 Form 5498, normally issued to the owner during the 
first part of 2021.<h2>Some can delay RMDs</h2>Though the April 1 deadline is mandatory for all owners of 
traditional IRAs and most participants in workplace retirement plans, 
some people with workplace plans can wait longer to receive their RMD.Most participants who are still working for that employer can wait 
until April 1 of the year after they retire to start receiving these 
distributions, if their workplace plan allows. This RMD exception does 
not apply to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-required-minimum-distributions">5% owners</a>
 of the business sponsoring the retirement plan or to participants in 
SEP and SIMPLE IRA plans. See Tax on Excess Accumulation in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-575">Publication 575</a> for details.Employees of public schools and certain tax-exempt organizations with
 403(b) plan accruals before 1987 should check with their employer, plan
 administrator or provider to see how to treat these accruals.<h2>IRS online tools and publications can help</h2>Many answers to questions about RMDs can be found at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-required-minimum-distributions">RMD FAQs</a>
 on IRS.gov. Most taxpayers use Table III (Uniform Lifetime) to figure 
their RMD. Married taxpayers whose spouse is more than 10 years younger 
and is their only beneficiary use Table II.Because this and other life expectancy tables were updated for 2022, 
recipients need to use a different version of this table to figure their
 2021 RMD, compared to their 2022 RMD. The required withdrawals in 2022 
and future years will generally be smaller.For a 2021 RMD (due April 1, 2022), use the life expectancy tables in Appendix B of the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/p590b--2020.pdf">Pub. 590-B</a>&nbsp;PDF
 used for preparing 2020 returns. As shown in Table III, the RMD for a 
person age 72 in 2021 will normally be based on a distribution period of
 25.6 years. Divide the December 31, 2020, balance by 25.6 to get the 
RMD for 2021.For a 2022 RMD (due December 31, 2022), use the revised life expectancy tables in Appendix B of the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/p590b--2021.pdf">Pub. 590-B</a>&nbsp;PDF
 used for preparing 2021 returns. As shown in the revised Table III, the
 RMD for a person age 72 in 2022 will normally be based on a 
distribution period of 27.4 years. Divide the December 31, 2021, balance
 by 27.4 to get the RMD for 2022.Pub. 590-B has worksheets, examples and other information that can 
help anyone figure their RMD. Visit IRS.gov for more information.

IRS: April 1 is last day to start taking money out of IRAs, 401(k)s

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A 65-year-old Kansas City truck driver has been arrested in connection with the crash that killed an assistant fire chief while he was working an accident scene.

The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/article259835735.html">reports&nbsp;</a>that the Missouri Highway Patrol arrested Kevin Lee Brunson on Friday in Clay County. According to court documents, he was indicted on a charge of first-degree involuntary manslaughter earlier this month.

Boone County assistant fire chief Bryant Gladney died in an accident that occurred early on Dec. 22 on Interstate 70 near Columbia, as he was working at the scene of a previous accident. Authorities say a tractor-trailer traveling at a high rate of speed struck Gladney’s vehicle, then struck an ambulance and the truck involved in the earlier crash.

Gladney was extricated from his vehicle and taken to a hospital, where he died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640189981402.png" alt="Boone County assistant fire chief Bryant Gladney died in an accident that occurred early on Dec. 22 on Interstate 70-photo courtesy KOMU TV" />
 <figcaption>Boone County assistant fire chief Bryant Gladney died in an accident that occurred early on Dec. 22 on Interstate 70-photo courtesy KOMU TV</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A 65-year-old Kansas City truck driver has been arrested in connection with the crash that killed an assistant fire chief while he was working an accident scene.The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/article259835735.html">reports&nbsp;</a>that the Missouri Highway Patrol arrested Kevin Lee Brunson on Friday in Clay County. According to court documents, he was indicted on a charge of first-degree involuntary manslaughter earlier this month.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648428948452.png" alt="Brunson photo Boone Co." />
 <figcaption>Brunson photo Boone Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Boone County assistant fire chief Bryant Gladney died in an accident that occurred early on Dec. 22 on Interstate 70 near Columbia, as he was working at the scene of a previous accident. Authorities say a tractor-trailer traveling at a high rate of speed struck Gladney’s vehicle, then struck an ambulance and the truck involved in the earlier crash.Gladney was extricated from his vehicle and taken to a hospital, where he died.

KC truck driver arrested in crash that killed fire official

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A rising middle school football player in Missouri, only 14 but already 6 feet, 5 inches tall and well over 300 pounds, Tyre Sampson fell to his death from a towering Florida amusement ride. Lawyers for his family want to know if negligence about his size, or other factors, played a role.

“This young man, he was athletic and he was big. He had no way of knowing,” said Bob Hilliard, a Texas&nbsp;<a href="https://hmglawfirm.com/robert-c-hilliard/">attorney&nbsp;</a>who represents Tyre's mother, Nekia Dodd, in an interview Saturday. “This is going to be an issue of a lack of supervision and lack of training. A straight-up negligence case."

Investigators on Saturday continued to examine what happened Thursday night when Sampson dropped out of his seat from a 430-foot, free-fall&nbsp;<a href="https://iconparkorlando.com/">amusement park ride</a>&nbsp;that is taller than the Statue of Liberty along a busy street in the heart of Orlando’s tourist district not far from Disney World.

The ride takes patrons up to that height, tilts so they face the ground for a moment or two, and then plummets toward the ground at speeds of 75 mph (about 121 kph) or more.

The well-known civil rights attorney&nbsp;<a href="https://bencrump.com/">Ben Crump</a>, who is working with Hilliard and represents Tyre's father, Yarnell Sampson, said the family is “shocked and heartbroken at the loss of their son.”

“This young man was the kind of son everyone hopes for — an honor roll student, an aspiring athlete, and a kind-hearted person who cared about others,” Crump said in a statement Saturday.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office and the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which regulates amusement rides in Florida at all but the major theme parks, declined comment Saturday other than to say the investigation is ongoing.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://iconparkorlando.com/media/">Icon Park</a>&nbsp;attraction said in a statement it is fully cooperating with investigators and that the Orlando FreeFall ride will be closed indefinitely. It opened late last year on International Drive, a major tourist mecca.

“We are heartbroken with the incident that took the life of one of our guests. We extend our condolences and deepest sympathy to his family and friends," said a statement from the SlingShot Group, which operates the ride.

Tyre was a giant for his age, already the size of an NFL offensive lineman. His family says he aspired to play pro football, like many kids with athletic ability who see a way to buy their mother a house and lift everyone in the family to a new level.

“That was his dream, and he was on his way,” Wendy Wooten, his stepmother, told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/st-louis-county-teen-who-fell-to-his-death-at-florida-amusement-ride-dreamed-of/article_b86b02e4-7415-5365-b7d0-73949c837819.html">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>. “He had so many scouts looking at him. He was going to be a great football player.”

Tyre was part of a group called the St. Louis Bad Boyz football club who were in Orlando for a weeklong training camp, the Post-Dispatch reported. The group had chaperones and, by all accounts, were doing what millions do every year during spring break in Orlando: enjoying the theme parks and rides.

He was a student at the City Garden Montessori School in St. Louis. The school sent a letter to parents Friday saying counseling would be available for students on Monday.

“Tyre has been a City Garden student for many years,” the school said in a statement from its principal and CEO. “We will miss him tremendously and our hearts go out to his family and friends during this extremely difficult time.”

No criminal charges have been filed but a negligence or wrongful death lawsuit, or both, seem likely. Crump said boy's parents “intend to get answers for Tyre's grieving family.”

“A fun theme park visit with his football team should not have ended in tragedy,” Crump said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648251123999.png" alt="Investigators on Saturday continued to examine what happened Thursday night when Sampson dropped out of his seat from a 430-foot, free-fall&nbsp;<a href="https://iconparkorlando.com/">amusement park ride</a>&nbsp;that is taller than the Statue of Liberty along a busy street in the heart of Orlando’s tourist district not far from Disney World-photo courtesy WFTV" />
 <figcaption>Investigators on Saturday continued to examine what happened Thursday night when Sampson dropped out of his seat from a 430-foot, free-fall&nbsp;<a href="https://iconparkorlando.com/">amusement park ride</a>&nbsp;that is taller than the Statue of Liberty along a busy street in the heart of Orlando’s tourist district not far from Disney World-photo courtesy WFTV</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A rising middle school football player in Missouri, only 14 but already 6 feet, 5 inches tall and well over 300 pounds, Tyre Sampson fell to his death from a towering Florida amusement ride. Lawyers for his family want to know if negligence about his size, or other factors, played a role.“This young man, he was athletic and he was big. He had no way of knowing,” said Bob Hilliard, a Texas&nbsp;<a href="https://hmglawfirm.com/robert-c-hilliard/">attorney&nbsp;</a>who represents Tyre's mother, Nekia Dodd, in an interview Saturday. “This is going to be an issue of a lack of supervision and lack of training. A straight-up negligence case."Investigators on Saturday continued to examine what happened Thursday night when Sampson dropped out of his seat from a 430-foot, free-fall&nbsp;<a href="https://iconparkorlando.com/">amusement park ride</a>&nbsp;that is taller than the Statue of Liberty along a busy street in the heart of Orlando’s tourist district not far from Disney World.The ride takes patrons up to that height, tilts so they face the ground for a moment or two, and then plummets toward the ground at speeds of 75 mph (about 121 kph) or more.The well-known civil rights attorney&nbsp;<a href="https://bencrump.com/">Ben Crump</a>, who is working with Hilliard and represents Tyre's father, Yarnell Sampson, said the family is “shocked and heartbroken at the loss of their son.”“This young man was the kind of son everyone hopes for — an honor roll student, an aspiring athlete, and a kind-hearted person who cared about others,” Crump said in a statement Saturday.The Orange County Sheriff's Office and the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which regulates amusement rides in Florida at all but the major theme parks, declined comment Saturday other than to say the investigation is ongoing.The&nbsp;<a href="https://iconparkorlando.com/media/">Icon Park</a>&nbsp;attraction said in a statement it is fully cooperating with investigators and that the Orlando FreeFall ride will be closed indefinitely. It opened late last year on International Drive, a major tourist mecca.“We are heartbroken with the incident that took the life of one of our guests. We extend our condolences and deepest sympathy to his family and friends," said a statement from the SlingShot Group, which operates the ride.Tyre was a giant for his age, already the size of an NFL offensive lineman. His family says he aspired to play pro football, like many kids with athletic ability who see a way to buy their mother a house and lift everyone in the family to a new level.“That was his dream, and he was on his way,” Wendy Wooten, his stepmother, told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/st-louis-county-teen-who-fell-to-his-death-at-florida-amusement-ride-dreamed-of/article_b86b02e4-7415-5365-b7d0-73949c837819.html">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>. “He had so many scouts looking at him. He was going to be a great football player.”Tyre was part of a group called the St. Louis Bad Boyz football club who were in Orlando for a weeklong training camp, the Post-Dispatch reported. The group had chaperones and, by all accounts, were doing what millions do every year during spring break in Orlando: enjoying the theme parks and rides.He was a student at the City Garden Montessori School in St. Louis. The school sent a letter to parents Friday saying counseling would be available for students on Monday.“Tyre has been a City Garden student for many years,” the school said in a statement from its principal and CEO. “We will miss him tremendously and our hearts go out to his family and friends during this extremely difficult time.”No criminal charges have been filed but a negligence or wrongful death lawsuit, or both, seem likely. Crump said boy's parents “intend to get answers for Tyre's grieving family.”“A fun theme park visit with his football team should not have ended in tragedy,” Crump said.

Did teen's big size factor in amusement ride death?

KANSAS CITY (AP) — After her home flooded five times in the past year, Tilicia Owens was on edge with every impending storm and ready to leave her Detroit neighborhood behind.

But then the 40-year-old quality engineer heard the city had a program that could prevent heavy rains from inundating her basement and damaging her furniture, photos and exercise equipment. The city is tapping $2.5 million in federal stimulus money as part of a $15 million effort to provide pumps and other equipment to help prevent flooding in 11 neighborhoods.

“That would mean the world to me,” said Owens, who has applied to the city’s Basement Backup Protection Program, which would provide homeowners a pump to remove floodwaters or a valve outside the home to prevent water from entering.

“I have invested so much into my home," she added. “I want to protect that and I want to protect my investment. It would take away all my anxiety.”

Detroit has turned to the $350 billion in Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to partly finance the project. Part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-business-health-congress-310542ef5cddc914104960a00ae356e0">$1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan</a>&nbsp;approved last year, the money is meant to help communities recover from the pandemic and can be used for everything from job creation to child care to housing.

More than 60 states, counties and cities, including Detroit, are tapping the funds for housing programs.

With President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better bill floundering and federal Emergency Rental Assistance running out in some places, the funds have become a critical source of money to address a shortage of affordable housing and a growing homelessness crisis. Prioritizing housing is also a reminder that the long-running shortage of affordable housing, especially in communities of color, has worsened during the pandemic, a time when a looming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-bd61b8a59126081bb09ef9515d09866f">eviction crisis</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lifestyle-us-news-miami-florida-a4717c05df3cb0530b73a4fe998ec5d1">rising housing</a>&nbsp;prices threatened millions of families.

“There was already growing awareness before the pandemic in states and cities around the country that affordable housing problems that always existed were reaching an all time level and just had to be addressed,” said Stockton Williams, the executive director of the National Council of State Housing Agencies. “The pandemic has shown a brighter light on that, especially as they relate to the most vulnerable renters and homeowners.”

For many communities, the amount of money available in the state and local fiscal recovery funds is also historic and more than many have spent on housing in a year or even a decade.

“This is certainly transformational funding,” Jacqueline Edwards, the director of the Maricopa County Human Services Department in Arizona, said of the nearly $85 million it has to spend on everything from new housing to additional shelter beds to helping homeowners repair their air conditioning and stay in their homes when temperatures heat up. Typically, the county has a few million dollars to spend each year on these services.

“We’ll be able to make significant changes, not just that will impact today, but will impact lives for years to come,” she added.

But advocates say it still is only a start and significant federal investment — much of it in the Build Back Better bill, passed by the House but currently held up in the Senate — is necessary to fix the problem.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 1 in 4 families eligible for federal rental assistance received it before the pandemic. The National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates that $86 billion annually is needed over the next decade for universal housing vouchers and housing funds. Another $70 billion is needed for public housing repairs.

So far, more than $11 billion from the state and local fiscal recovery funds have been committed to housing-related programs, according to the Center, which is tracking&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/state-budget-and-tax/resource-lists/fiscal-recovery-funds-in-the-american-rescue-plan">spending</a>.

States in the West, Midwest and East have already made significant commitments, according to a February&nbsp;<a href="https://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/ARPA_State-Local-Housing.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;from the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Southern states, long known for having among the weakest tenant protections, have committed very little.

Among the biggest areas of investment is a promise to build more affordable housing.

Massachusetts has allotted nearly $600 million to affordable housing, including $150 million for new housing and $150 million to maintain public housing. Colorado lawmakers have proposed spending $400 million and Washington, D.C., has set aside $323 million, including $17 million for community groups to provide housing for victims of domestic violence. Clark County, Nevada, home to Las Vegas, whose tourist economy was hammered by the pandemic, plans to spend more than a third of its funds, or $157 million, on housing.

Others states, led by Washington, Oregon and New Jersey, are working to shore up their eviction protections — something the U.S. Treasury Department has encouraged.

Washington is spending $403 million to bolster its emergency rental assistance program and $174 million for homeowner assistance. New York City plans to spend nearly $329 million to increase access to rental assistance vouchers. New Jersey is spending $750 million in rental and utility assistance and creating a statewide eviction prevention program.

“A lot of people who never thought they would be housing unstable ... are in this situation. And so it is scary and people don’t know quite where to turn,” said Janel Winter, the director of New Jersey's Division of Housing and Community Resources.

“This provides them with that assistance. ... So everybody who is in that court understands their rights, understands their responsibilities, is able to take advantage of whatever protections are there for them.”

Several communities are using the funds to help the homeless.

North Carolina has set aside $15 million to rapidly rehouse people at risk of homelessness because of the pandemic. Clark County, Washington, is spending $4.4 million to fund homeless outreach teams while Burlington, Vermont, plans to use $1.4 million on 30 shelter pods for people to sleep in and store their belongings.

Austin, Texas, which has hundreds of homeless encampments and upwards of 2,500 people sleeping on the street most nights, is putting more than $106 million towards homelessness. That is in addition to the $110 million that Travis County, home to Austin, is putting towards the problem.

The funds will help move the homeless into temporary housing and eventually into permanent units that offer services like counseling and rental assistance. There is also funding for 1,300 new housing units set aside for the homeless and the city has acquired several hotels with the money.

“We are focused on building a system that doesn’t just move people off the streets into shelters but is focused on resolving their housing crisis,” said Dianna Grey, the city's homeless strategy officer.

Several cities are using the funds to save homes battered by years of neglect and to ensure impoverished families can remain housed. Milwaukee wants to spend $15 million to rehabilitate up to 150 city-owned, foreclosed houses.

Detroit has set aside more than $83 million for housing-related spending, including $27.5 million to repair 1,000 roofs — tripling the amount it spends on its low-income home-repair program. It's also spending $14.2 million to renovate vacant homes and $6.4 million to set up an online system allowing residents to find and apply for low-income housing.

Deputy Mayor Conrad Mallett said the spending priorities are aimed at preventing further declines in the city's population, which has dropped dramatically since the 1950s.

“If we are going to maintain population and attract new people to the city, it is going to be because of the housing opportunities that we can provide," he said, adding that the city also has to help those who have remained in Detroit.

“We are going to deliver service to the people who stayed," he said. "We are not simply going to say to the people who endured, that you have no place. We want you to stay. We want you to succeed."

KANSAS CITY (AP) — After her home flooded five times in the past year, Tilicia Owens was on edge with every impending storm and ready to leave her Detroit neighborhood behind.But then the 40-year-old quality engineer heard the city had a program that could prevent heavy rains from inundating her basement and damaging her furniture, photos and exercise equipment. The city is tapping $2.5 million in federal stimulus money as part of a $15 million effort to provide pumps and other equipment to help prevent flooding in 11 neighborhoods.“That would mean the world to me,” said Owens, who has applied to the city’s Basement Backup Protection Program, which would provide homeowners a pump to remove floodwaters or a valve outside the home to prevent water from entering.“I have invested so much into my home," she added. “I want to protect that and I want to protect my investment. It would take away all my anxiety.”Detroit has turned to the $350 billion in Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to partly finance the project. Part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-business-health-congress-310542ef5cddc914104960a00ae356e0">$1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan</a>&nbsp;approved last year, the money is meant to help communities recover from the pandemic and can be used for everything from job creation to child care to housing.More than 60 states, counties and cities, including Detroit, are tapping the funds for housing programs.With President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better bill floundering and federal Emergency Rental Assistance running out in some places, the funds have become a critical source of money to address a shortage of affordable housing and a growing homelessness crisis. Prioritizing housing is also a reminder that the long-running shortage of affordable housing, especially in communities of color, has worsened during the pandemic, a time when a looming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-bd61b8a59126081bb09ef9515d09866f">eviction crisis</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lifestyle-us-news-miami-florida-a4717c05df3cb0530b73a4fe998ec5d1">rising housing</a>&nbsp;prices threatened millions of families.“There was already growing awareness before the pandemic in states and cities around the country that affordable housing problems that always existed were reaching an all time level and just had to be addressed,” said Stockton Williams, the executive director of the National Council of State Housing Agencies. “The pandemic has shown a brighter light on that, especially as they relate to the most vulnerable renters and homeowners.”For many communities, the amount of money available in the state and local fiscal recovery funds is also historic and more than many have spent on housing in a year or even a decade.“This is certainly transformational funding,” Jacqueline Edwards, the director of the Maricopa County Human Services Department in Arizona, said of the nearly $85 million it has to spend on everything from new housing to additional shelter beds to helping homeowners repair their air conditioning and stay in their homes when temperatures heat up. Typically, the county has a few million dollars to spend each year on these services.“We’ll be able to make significant changes, not just that will impact today, but will impact lives for years to come,” she added.But advocates say it still is only a start and significant federal investment — much of it in the Build Back Better bill, passed by the House but currently held up in the Senate — is necessary to fix the problem.According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 1 in 4 families eligible for federal rental assistance received it before the pandemic. The National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates that $86 billion annually is needed over the next decade for universal housing vouchers and housing funds. Another $70 billion is needed for public housing repairs.So far, more than $11 billion from the state and local fiscal recovery funds have been committed to housing-related programs, according to the Center, which is tracking&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/state-budget-and-tax/resource-lists/fiscal-recovery-funds-in-the-american-rescue-plan">spending</a>.States in the West, Midwest and East have already made significant commitments, according to a February&nbsp;<a href="https://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/ARPA_State-Local-Housing.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;from the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Southern states, long known for having among the weakest tenant protections, have committed very little.Among the biggest areas of investment is a promise to build more affordable housing.Massachusetts has allotted nearly $600 million to affordable housing, including $150 million for new housing and $150 million to maintain public housing. Colorado lawmakers have proposed spending $400 million and Washington, D.C., has set aside $323 million, including $17 million for community groups to provide housing for victims of domestic violence. Clark County, Nevada, home to Las Vegas, whose tourist economy was hammered by the pandemic, plans to spend more than a third of its funds, or $157 million, on housing.Others states, led by Washington, Oregon and New Jersey, are working to shore up their eviction protections — something the U.S. Treasury Department has encouraged.Washington is spending $403 million to bolster its emergency rental assistance program and $174 million for homeowner assistance. New York City plans to spend nearly $329 million to increase access to rental assistance vouchers. New Jersey is spending $750 million in rental and utility assistance and creating a statewide eviction prevention program.“A lot of people who never thought they would be housing unstable ... are in this situation. And so it is scary and people don’t know quite where to turn,” said Janel Winter, the director of New Jersey's Division of Housing and Community Resources.“This provides them with that assistance. ... So everybody who is in that court understands their rights, understands their responsibilities, is able to take advantage of whatever protections are there for them.”Several communities are using the funds to help the homeless.North Carolina has set aside $15 million to rapidly rehouse people at risk of homelessness because of the pandemic. Clark County, Washington, is spending $4.4 million to fund homeless outreach teams while Burlington, Vermont, plans to use $1.4 million on 30 shelter pods for people to sleep in and store their belongings.Austin, Texas, which has hundreds of homeless encampments and upwards of 2,500 people sleeping on the street most nights, is putting more than $106 million towards homelessness. That is in addition to the $110 million that Travis County, home to Austin, is putting towards the problem.The funds will help move the homeless into temporary housing and eventually into permanent units that offer services like counseling and rental assistance. There is also funding for 1,300 new housing units set aside for the homeless and the city has acquired several hotels with the money.“We are focused on building a system that doesn’t just move people off the streets into shelters but is focused on resolving their housing crisis,” said Dianna Grey, the city's homeless strategy officer.Several cities are using the funds to save homes battered by years of neglect and to ensure impoverished families can remain housed. Milwaukee wants to spend $15 million to rehabilitate up to 150 city-owned, foreclosed houses.Detroit has set aside more than $83 million for housing-related spending, including $27.5 million to repair 1,000 roofs — tripling the amount it spends on its low-income home-repair program. It's also spending $14.2 million to renovate vacant homes and $6.4 million to set up an online system allowing residents to find and apply for low-income housing.Deputy Mayor Conrad Mallett said the spending priorities are aimed at preventing further declines in the city's population, which has dropped dramatically since the 1950s.“If we are going to maintain population and attract new people to the city, it is going to be because of the housing opportunities that we can provide," he said, adding that the city also has to help those who have remained in Detroit.“We are going to deliver service to the people who stayed," he said. "We are not simply going to say to the people who endured, that you have no place. We want you to stay. We want you to succeed."

Affordable housing, long overlooked, getting federal boost

KANSAS CITY– A former Kansas City man has been charged in federal court after child pornography was found on the cell phone he carried into a secure area at the U.S. Department of Energy national security campus in Kansas City, according to the United State's Attorney.

Shaun Walker, 39, was charged in a criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City on March 14, 2022, with one count of distributing child pornography, one count of receiving child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography. The complaint has been unsealed following Walker’s arrest on Monday, March 21. Walker remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Thursday, March 24.

Walker was employed by Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technology, which is contracted by the Nuclear National Security Administration.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Walker entered an inner secure area of the U.S. Department of Energy National Security Campus in Kansas City, Mo., with his personal cell phone on Nov. 29, 2021. Walker contacted Kansas City National Security Campus Security to self-report the violation.

Walker gave his cell phone to security personnel, who reviewed the cell phone to determine if any classified material was present on the phone. During the review, the affidavit says, a security officer observed numerous images and videos depicting child pornography. Walker’s phone was seized in order to conduct a forensic examination.

Investigators found an encrypted folder on Walker’s cell phone that contained 21 images and a video of a 5-year-old girl who is known to Walker. Investigators found dozens of additional images and videos of child pornography on Walker’s cell phone. Investigators also found thousands of WhatsApp chats between Walker and females he contacted through a livestreaming pornography website. Walker requested photos and videos of nude underage females conducting sexual acts, the affidavit says. As a result of his WhatsApp chats, Walker allegedly received and distributed images and videos of child pornography.

KANSAS CITY– A former Kansas City man has been charged in federal court after child pornography was found on the cell phone he carried into a secure area at the U.S. Department of Energy national security campus in Kansas City, according to the United State's Attorney.Shaun Walker, 39, was charged in a criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City on March 14, 2022, with one count of distributing child pornography, one count of receiving child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography. The complaint has been unsealed following Walker’s arrest on Monday, March 21. Walker remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Thursday, March 24.Walker was employed by Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technology, which is contracted by the Nuclear National Security Administration.According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Walker entered an inner secure area of the U.S. Department of Energy National Security Campus in Kansas City, Mo., with his personal cell phone on Nov. 29, 2021. Walker contacted Kansas City National Security Campus Security to self-report the violation.Walker gave his cell phone to security personnel, who reviewed the cell phone to determine if any classified material was present on the phone. During the review, the affidavit says, a security officer observed numerous images and videos depicting child pornography. Walker’s phone was seized in order to conduct a forensic examination.Investigators found an encrypted folder on Walker’s cell phone that contained 21 images and a video of a 5-year-old girl who is known to Walker. Investigators found dozens of additional images and videos of child pornography on Walker’s cell phone. Investigators also found thousands of WhatsApp chats between Walker and females he contacted through a livestreaming pornography website. Walker requested photos and videos of nude underage females conducting sexual acts, the affidavit says. As a result of his WhatsApp chats, Walker allegedly received and distributed images and videos of child pornography.

Child Porn: KC man's cell phone seized after carried into secure DOE area

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

Just after 3a.m. March 24, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a Topeka hospital in reference to a victim of a shooting arriving there with a non-life threatening injury, according to Lt. Donna Eubanks.

 After making contact with the victim officers located the place of the crime in the 500 Block of NE Grattan in Topeka.

As a result of the investigation, Dylan Dean Thomas, 30 years of age was booked into Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Distribution of an opiate within 1000’ of a school, Distribution of a depressant within 1000’ of a school, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648214947885.png" alt="Thomas-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Thomas-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have made an arrest.Just after 3a.m. March 24, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a Topeka hospital in reference to a victim of a shooting arriving there with a non-life threatening injury, according to Lt. Donna Eubanks. After making contact with the victim officers located the place of the crime in the 500 Block of NE Grattan in Topeka.As a result of the investigation, Dylan Dean Thomas, 30 years of age was booked into Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Distribution of an opiate within 1000’ of a school, Distribution of a depressant within 1000’ of a school, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police make arrest after shooting victim arrives at Kan. hospital

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thanks to a sudden $140 million cash infusion, officials in Broward County, Florida, recently broke ground on a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.broward.org/CCExpansion/pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">high-end hotel</a>&nbsp;that will have views of the Atlantic Ocean and an 11,000-square-foot spa.

In New York, Dutchess County pledged $12 million for renovations of a&nbsp;<a href="https://dutchesstourism.com/listingsv/dutchess-stadium" target="_blank">minor league baseball stadium</a>&nbsp;to meet requirements the New York Yankees set for their farm teams.

And in Massachusetts, lawmakers delivered $5 million to pay off debts of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.emkinstitute.org/" target="_blank">Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate</a>&nbsp;in Boston, a nonprofit established to honor the late senator that has struggled financially.

The three distinctly different outlays have one thing in common: Each is among the scores of projects that state and local governments across the United States are funding with federal coronavirus relief money despite having little to do with combating the pandemic, a review by The Associated Press has found.

The expenditures amount to a fraction of the $350 billion made available through last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-state-local-and-tribal-governments/state-and-local-fiscal-recovery-funds" target="_blank">American Rescue Plan</a>&nbsp;to help state and local governments weather the crisis. But they are examples of uses of the aid that are inconsistent with the rationale that Democrats offered for the record $1.9 trillion bill: The cash was desperately needed to save jobs, help those in distress, open schools and increase vaccinations.

Republicans are already balking at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-business-health-congress-e5b411a879b2becf3e342fea3b0df981">additional money for pandemic relief that President Joe Biden has requested,</a>&nbsp;and programs that seem far removed from ones that directly combat the virus will probably add to the resistance in the GOP.

“They need to give us an accounting,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who tried unsuccessfully to amend the Democrats’ bill last year to add more limits on how the money could be spent. “Show us how you’ve already spent the money Congress gave you,” he said, adding, “It’s hard to imagine how a four-star hotel is helping to solve the pain of COVID.”

Many of the projects identified by the AP echo pork-barrel spending disasters such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fe1ef497194642dab18792e14a61e27a">Alaska’s $398 million “Bridge to Nowhere,”</a>&nbsp;which was canceled in 2007 after a public uproar.

But with permissive Treasury Department rules governing how the pandemic money can be spent, state and local governments face few limitations. New Jersey allocated $15 million for upgrades to sweeten the state’s bid to host the 2026 World Cup. In Woonsocket, Rhode Island, officials allocated $53,000 for a remodeling of City Hall.

“Outrageous” and “just nuts” is how Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., described some of the expenditures, which she said were an affront to responsible local governments.

“Our hospitals were overwhelmed because of the pandemic and somebody now has a hotel somewhere?” she added.

Included among the projects and expenditures identified by the AP:

—$400 million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-prisons-montgomery-kay-ivey-8a7d30c43f4e61987051368a9604fda9">to build new prisons in Alabama</a>, accounting for nearly one-quarter of the total aid the state will receive through the program.

—tens of millions of dollars for tourism marketing campaigns in Puerto Rico ($70 million), Washington, D.C. ($8 million) and Tucson, Arizona ($2 million). The city of Alexandria, Virginia, also announced it would spend $120,000 to give its tourism website a makeover.

—$6.6 million to replace irrigation systems at two golf courses in Colorado Springs.

—$5 million approved by Birmingham, Alabama, to support the 2022 World Games. The event features niche sporting contests such as DanceSport, korfball and flying disc.

—$2.5 million to hire new parking enforcement officers in Washington, D.C.

—$2 million to help Pottawattamie County, Iowa, purchase a privately owned ski area.

—$1 million to pay off overdue child support in St. Louis. A city memo states that owing child support stops some people from looking for work because the overdue payments are garnished from paychecks; the program would “empower individuals” by paying down a portion.

—$300,000 to establish a museum in Worcester, Massachusetts, honoring Major Taylor, a famed Black bicycle rider from the turn of the 20th century known as the “Worcester Whirlwind” who died in 1932.

Liz Bourgeois, a spokeswoman for the Treasury Department, called the program a success that allowed state and local governments to “recover from financial distress” and “achieve their own strategies for restoring jobs and industries hit by the pandemic.”

“Ultimately local governments are accountable to their communities on their decisions on how best to use their funds,” Bourgeois said in a statement.

In Broward County, officials defended their planned 29-story, 800-room hotel, which will be owned by the county but operated by a private management group.

They also contest whether federal money is technically being used for the project. Broward County initially routed $140 million in federal coronavirus aid to the project, which ran against Treasury Department rules that generally bar spending the money on large capital projects.

To get around the prohibition, the county adopted a common workaround.

<a href="https://broward.legistar1.com/broward/meetings/2022/2/1096_A_County_Commission_22-02-22_Regular_Meeting_Agenda.pdf" target="_blank">The agenda from a Feb. 22 county board meeting</a>&nbsp;details how: In a back-to-back series of unopposed votes, commissioners clawed back the federal money they had given to the hotel. They then transferred it to the county’s general fund, describing it as a federal payment to cover lost tax revenue, which is an acceptable use. Then the cash was transferred from the general fund right back to the project.

County Administrator Monica Cepero insisted “no federal funds will be used to pay any of the cost of developing the Hotel Project.”

“The County has reviewed the Treasury guidance and modified its use of (the) funds,” she said in a statement.

Some lawmakers in Congress, however, are nonplussed.

“They are basically money laundering funding that is meant to help communities that are suffering,” said Spanberger, who called for more oversight.

Local officials in New York’s Dutchess County, home to the $12 million minor league stadium project, said in a statement that the expenditure was “completely and absolutely consistent” with Congress’ intent for the money.

“It’s ironic that this criticism emanates from the same congressional members who have brought back pork barrel earmarks,” said Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro.

The Edward Kennedy Institute did not respond to messages seeking comment on the $5 million in coronavirus aid received from Massachusetts. The institute operated at a $27 million loss between 2015 and 2019, according to tax filings from those years, the most recent that are publicly available.

Even in cases where local and state officials may have violated the spending rules, the sheer volume of money pumped out presents a challenge for government oversight offices that are often understaffed and poorly funded.

“The amount of money that went out was so massive and so far beyond anything that has ever been spent in our country before, that our capacity to audit every dollar spent is clearly stretched,” Romney said.

But groups that lobby on behalf of local governments in Washington say the spending rules were written permissively in order to give as much flexibility as possible.

“Counties should be able to determine what’s best for them,” said Mark Ritacco, director of government affairs for the National Association of Counties. “Their residents will decide whether that was appropriate or not at the ballot box.”

The new findings track closely with AP’s previous reporting, which found in October that states and large cities had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-states-cities-spend-federal-pandemic-funds-191dce8c75b0f5159691f0606d910d74">spent just a tiny fraction of their relief funding</a>&nbsp;six months after it was approved. That was despite their pleas for the emergency cash when Congress was still debating it.

Some school districts also had so much extra federal pandemic cash that they spent it on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-school-funding-sports-5b468b260ebd2593e53f03f9104d9bca">new sports stadiums, arenas and football turf.</a>&nbsp;In other instances, states used discretionary funding to further&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-school-choice-efe85ad624d092b6eff700b635103a02">school choice initiatives</a>&nbsp;that they had failed to get through their legislatures.

Rich Delmar, the deputy inspector general for the Treasury Department, declined to say whether the office had any active investigations into uses of the state and local pot of money.

“All projects are potentially subject to audit and investigation,” Delmar said in an email, adding that “we are actively engaging in oversight.”

Biden, meanwhile, has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-congress-7bba01ec15bdc406c793bc835f717cd1">his administration urgently needs more money</a>&nbsp;to pay for things that are directly related to the pandemic.

Without it, the White House says, the administration won’t be able to replenish depleted stockpiles of vaccines and therapeutics. Republican say winning their support will hinge on it being paid for with money that was already appropriated.

A deal that leaders struck this month would have been paid for by recouping some aid intended for states. But the agreement fell apart after several governors objected and rank-and-file House Democrats rebelled.

At least one Democrat sought to raise campaign cash off her opposition to clawing local money back.

“We had a bit of a fight when they tried to take money away from Michigan,” reads a fundraising email from Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell. “I was not going to let the Midwest get harmed. We won.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638285832314.png" alt="“Outrageous” and “just nuts” is how Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., described some of the expenditures, which she said were an affront to responsible local governments." />
 <figcaption>“Outrageous” and “just nuts” is how Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., described some of the expenditures, which she said were an affront to responsible local governments.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Thanks to a sudden $140 million cash infusion, officials in Broward County, Florida, recently broke ground on a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.broward.org/CCExpansion/pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">high-end hotel</a>&nbsp;that will have views of the Atlantic Ocean and an 11,000-square-foot spa.In New York, Dutchess County pledged $12 million for renovations of a&nbsp;<a href="https://dutchesstourism.com/listingsv/dutchess-stadium" target="_blank">minor league baseball stadium</a>&nbsp;to meet requirements the New York Yankees set for their farm teams.And in Massachusetts, lawmakers delivered $5 million to pay off debts of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.emkinstitute.org/" target="_blank">Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate</a>&nbsp;in Boston, a nonprofit established to honor the late senator that has struggled financially.The three distinctly different outlays have one thing in common: Each is among the scores of projects that state and local governments across the United States are funding with federal coronavirus relief money despite having little to do with combating the pandemic, a review by The Associated Press has found.The expenditures amount to a fraction of the $350 billion made available through last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-state-local-and-tribal-governments/state-and-local-fiscal-recovery-funds" target="_blank">American Rescue Plan</a>&nbsp;to help state and local governments weather the crisis. But they are examples of uses of the aid that are inconsistent with the rationale that Democrats offered for the record $1.9 trillion bill: The cash was desperately needed to save jobs, help those in distress, open schools and increase vaccinations.Republicans are already balking at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-business-health-congress-e5b411a879b2becf3e342fea3b0df981">additional money for pandemic relief that President Joe Biden has requested,</a>&nbsp;and programs that seem far removed from ones that directly combat the virus will probably add to the resistance in the GOP.“They need to give us an accounting,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who tried unsuccessfully to amend the Democrats’ bill last year to add more limits on how the money could be spent. “Show us how you’ve already spent the money Congress gave you,” he said, adding, “It’s hard to imagine how a four-star hotel is helping to solve the pain of COVID.”Many of the projects identified by the AP echo pork-barrel spending disasters such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fe1ef497194642dab18792e14a61e27a">Alaska’s $398 million “Bridge to Nowhere,”</a>&nbsp;which was canceled in 2007 after a public uproar.But with permissive Treasury Department rules governing how the pandemic money can be spent, state and local governments face few limitations. New Jersey allocated $15 million for upgrades to sweeten the state’s bid to host the 2026 World Cup. In Woonsocket, Rhode Island, officials allocated $53,000 for a remodeling of City Hall.“Outrageous” and “just nuts” is how Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., described some of the expenditures, which she said were an affront to responsible local governments.“Our hospitals were overwhelmed because of the pandemic and somebody now has a hotel somewhere?” she added.Included among the projects and expenditures identified by the AP:—$400 million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-prisons-montgomery-kay-ivey-8a7d30c43f4e61987051368a9604fda9">to build new prisons in Alabama</a>, accounting for nearly one-quarter of the total aid the state will receive through the program.—tens of millions of dollars for tourism marketing campaigns in Puerto Rico ($70 million), Washington, D.C. ($8 million) and Tucson, Arizona ($2 million). The city of Alexandria, Virginia, also announced it would spend $120,000 to give its tourism website a makeover.—$6.6 million to replace irrigation systems at two golf courses in Colorado Springs.—$5 million approved by Birmingham, Alabama, to support the 2022 World Games. The event features niche sporting contests such as DanceSport, korfball and flying disc.—$2.5 million to hire new parking enforcement officers in Washington, D.C.—$2 million to help Pottawattamie County, Iowa, purchase a privately owned ski area.—$1 million to pay off overdue child support in St. Louis. A city memo states that owing child support stops some people from looking for work because the overdue payments are garnished from paychecks; the program would “empower individuals” by paying down a portion.—$300,000 to establish a museum in Worcester, Massachusetts, honoring Major Taylor, a famed Black bicycle rider from the turn of the 20th century known as the “Worcester Whirlwind” who died in 1932.Liz Bourgeois, a spokeswoman for the Treasury Department, called the program a success that allowed state and local governments to “recover from financial distress” and “achieve their own strategies for restoring jobs and industries hit by the pandemic.”“Ultimately local governments are accountable to their communities on their decisions on how best to use their funds,” Bourgeois said in a statement.In Broward County, officials defended their planned 29-story, 800-room hotel, which will be owned by the county but operated by a private management group.They also contest whether federal money is technically being used for the project. Broward County initially routed $140 million in federal coronavirus aid to the project, which ran against Treasury Department rules that generally bar spending the money on large capital projects.To get around the prohibition, the county adopted a common workaround.<a href="https://broward.legistar1.com/broward/meetings/2022/2/1096_A_County_Commission_22-02-22_Regular_Meeting_Agenda.pdf" target="_blank">The agenda from a Feb. 22 county board meeting</a>&nbsp;details how: In a back-to-back series of unopposed votes, commissioners clawed back the federal money they had given to the hotel. They then transferred it to the county’s general fund, describing it as a federal payment to cover lost tax revenue, which is an acceptable use. Then the cash was transferred from the general fund right back to the project.County Administrator Monica Cepero insisted “no federal funds will be used to pay any of the cost of developing the Hotel Project.”“The County has reviewed the Treasury guidance and modified its use of (the) funds,” she said in a statement.Some lawmakers in Congress, however, are nonplussed.“They are basically money laundering funding that is meant to help communities that are suffering,” said Spanberger, who called for more oversight.Local officials in New York’s Dutchess County, home to the $12 million minor league stadium project, said in a statement that the expenditure was “completely and absolutely consistent” with Congress’ intent for the money.“It’s ironic that this criticism emanates from the same congressional members who have brought back pork barrel earmarks,” said Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro.The Edward Kennedy Institute did not respond to messages seeking comment on the $5 million in coronavirus aid received from Massachusetts. The institute operated at a $27 million loss between 2015 and 2019, according to tax filings from those years, the most recent that are publicly available.Even in cases where local and state officials may have violated the spending rules, the sheer volume of money pumped out presents a challenge for government oversight offices that are often understaffed and poorly funded.“The amount of money that went out was so massive and so far beyond anything that has ever been spent in our country before, that our capacity to audit every dollar spent is clearly stretched,” Romney said.But groups that lobby on behalf of local governments in Washington say the spending rules were written permissively in order to give as much flexibility as possible.“Counties should be able to determine what’s best for them,” said Mark Ritacco, director of government affairs for the National Association of Counties. “Their residents will decide whether that was appropriate or not at the ballot box.”The new findings track closely with AP’s previous reporting, which found in October that states and large cities had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-states-cities-spend-federal-pandemic-funds-191dce8c75b0f5159691f0606d910d74">spent just a tiny fraction of their relief funding</a>&nbsp;six months after it was approved. That was despite their pleas for the emergency cash when Congress was still debating it.Some school districts also had so much extra federal pandemic cash that they spent it on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-school-funding-sports-5b468b260ebd2593e53f03f9104d9bca">new sports stadiums, arenas and football turf.</a>&nbsp;In other instances, states used discretionary funding to further&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-school-choice-efe85ad624d092b6eff700b635103a02">school choice initiatives</a>&nbsp;that they had failed to get through their legislatures.Rich Delmar, the deputy inspector general for the Treasury Department, declined to say whether the office had any active investigations into uses of the state and local pot of money.“All projects are potentially subject to audit and investigation,” Delmar said in an email, adding that “we are actively engaging in oversight.”Biden, meanwhile, has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-congress-7bba01ec15bdc406c793bc835f717cd1">his administration urgently needs more money</a>&nbsp;to pay for things that are directly related to the pandemic.Without it, the White House says, the administration won’t be able to replenish depleted stockpiles of vaccines and therapeutics. Republican say winning their support will hinge on it being paid for with money that was already appropriated.A deal that leaders struck this month would have been paid for by recouping some aid intended for states. But the agreement fell apart after several governors objected and rank-and-file House Democrats rebelled.At least one Democrat sought to raise campaign cash off her opposition to clawing local money back.“We had a bit of a fight when they tried to take money away from Michigan,” reads a fundraising email from Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell. “I was not going to let the Midwest get harmed. We won.”

Pandemic relief spending had little to do with combating pandemic

By DARRELL EHRLICK <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2022/03/01/on-150th-anniversary-new-book-looks-back-at-the-founding-of-yellowstone-national-park/">Daily Montanan</a>

When educators cover American 
history, the Civil War period usually gives way to the westward 
expansion. Often, Reconstruction, the period directly following the 
Civil War, is glossed over or only presented as a movement in the U.S. 
South.

However, Megan Kate Nelson, a Pulitzer Prize nominee for history, has
 tackled the period, taking aim at the creation of Yellowstone National 
Park. Her latest book, “Saving Yellowstone: Exploration and Preservation
 in Reconstruction America,” demonstrates that the idea of changing 
America and rebuilding it in a better image didn’t just happen in the 
South, but was part of a larger Republican ideal that led to the 
founding of America’s first national park.

And yet, the book is told from three perspectives, including that of 
explorer Ferdinand Hayden, who saw illustrations and paintings of 
Yellowstone and wanted it preserved as a testament to the country. 
Meanwhile, railroad magnate and financier Jay Cooke saw the park as a 
tourist destination and economic engine for railroads. And Sitting Bull,
 the powerful Lakota leader, saw the land as desperately needing 
protection from the hordes of settlers who would otherwise lay claim to 
the area, which had held deep religious significance for generations of 
different Native tribes.

The book illustrates how different motives and interests led to an 
ultimately conflicted view of the park, which has been dubbed the “crown
 jewel” of the country’s national park system.

“The Civil War period with its battles and violence really continued 
into the Western expansion and ‘Indian Wars,’” Nelson said. “A lot of 
educators bolt through Reconstruction to get to the West. The Western 
expansion is more compelling, but it shouldn’t be. Four million people 
got new freedom, and there was pushback, which needs to be explored.”

Part of that pushback and freedom involves questions of why settlers 
went West and what happened as they encroached on Native lands.

And yet, the nascent idea of creating Yellowstone National Park was meant to be an act of unity.

“This is a Republican Party, which is asserting new ideals and trying
 to bring people back together again. This was supposed to give all 
Americans something to be proud of. This was supposed to be ‘Nature’s 
Nation.’ While we didn’t have claim to Roman ruins, we had these amazing
 natural wonders like Niagara Falls, Yosemite and Yellowstone,” Nelson 
said.

But these Republicans would shape the nation by more than just creating national tourist attractions.

“These ‘Radical Republicans’ also gave us the 13th, 14th, and 15th
 Amendments, which were galvanizing events that helped to fight the 
growing racial threats in the South like the Ku Klux Klan,” Nelson said.

And even though the Ulysses S. Grant administration ran on a platform
 of peace, for people of color, including Native Americans, it was 
anything but peaceful.

“They were fighting for emancipation and Black rights in the South 
while also discussing extermination of indigenous peoples in the West,” 
Nelson said.

It was Sitting Bull who also had an outsized influence in the 
creation of the park as hostile tribes that fought along the Bozeman 
Trail stymied earlier exploration of the land around Yellowstone prior 
and during the Civil War. Meanwhile, it was Cooke and the completion of 
the transcontinental railroad that helped travel to these previously 
remote locations possible.

“Before then, who has the time and money to take that kind of vacation?” Nelson said.

Yet, with the completion of the railroad, going from Chicago to the Pacific Ocean could happen in less than a week.

“And people saw all these amazing landscapes,” Nelson said. “And they had never seen anything like it.”

Because of that, Cooke invested heavily in creating a more robust western railroad.

“He really believed it was a good investment. It was not. There 
wasn’t a lot there,” Nelson said. “The investment was based on a future 
dream, but it destroyed him because he couldn’t let go of it.”

Throughout the book, there are circumstances of chance, places where 
characters keeping on popping up coincidentally, for example, Hayden and
 Cooke both being at the same Union League meeting in Philadelphia.

The book also helps put the Native perspective into the narrative, as
 most histories speak of Yellowstone National Park being “discovered” 
even though tribes had been attached to the area for centuries.

“It really shows the regional impact that these players had. They have an outsized influence on the story,” Nelson said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648219242155.png" alt="“Saving Yellowstone” by Megan Kate Nelson (Photo by Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan). " />
 <figcaption>“Saving Yellowstone” by Megan Kate Nelson (Photo by Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan). </figcaption>
 </figure>By DARRELL EHRLICK <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2022/03/01/on-150th-anniversary-new-book-looks-back-at-the-founding-of-yellowstone-national-park/">Daily Montanan</a>When educators cover American 
history, the Civil War period usually gives way to the westward 
expansion. Often, Reconstruction, the period directly following the 
Civil War, is glossed over or only presented as a movement in the U.S. 
South.However, Megan Kate Nelson, a Pulitzer Prize nominee for history, has
 tackled the period, taking aim at the creation of Yellowstone National 
Park. Her latest book, “Saving Yellowstone: Exploration and Preservation
 in Reconstruction America,” demonstrates that the idea of changing 
America and rebuilding it in a better image didn’t just happen in the 
South, but was part of a larger Republican ideal that led to the 
founding of America’s first national park.And yet, the book is told from three perspectives, including that of 
explorer Ferdinand Hayden, who saw illustrations and paintings of 
Yellowstone and wanted it preserved as a testament to the country. 
Meanwhile, railroad magnate and financier Jay Cooke saw the park as a 
tourist destination and economic engine for railroads. And Sitting Bull,
 the powerful Lakota leader, saw the land as desperately needing 
protection from the hordes of settlers who would otherwise lay claim to 
the area, which had held deep religious significance for generations of 
different Native tribes.The book illustrates how different motives and interests led to an 
ultimately conflicted view of the park, which has been dubbed the “crown
 jewel” of the country’s national park system.“The Civil War period with its battles and violence really continued 
into the Western expansion and ‘Indian Wars,’” Nelson said. “A lot of 
educators bolt through Reconstruction to get to the West. The Western 
expansion is more compelling, but it shouldn’t be. Four million people 
got new freedom, and there was pushback, which needs to be explored.”Part of that pushback and freedom involves questions of why settlers 
went West and what happened as they encroached on Native lands.And yet, the nascent idea of creating Yellowstone National Park was meant to be an act of unity.“This is a Republican Party, which is asserting new ideals and trying
 to bring people back together again. This was supposed to give all 
Americans something to be proud of. This was supposed to be ‘Nature’s 
Nation.’ While we didn’t have claim to Roman ruins, we had these amazing
 natural wonders like Niagara Falls, Yosemite and Yellowstone,” Nelson 
said.But these Republicans would shape the nation by more than just creating national tourist attractions.“These ‘Radical Republicans’ also gave us the 13th, 14th, and 15th
 Amendments, which were galvanizing events that helped to fight the 
growing racial threats in the South like the Ku Klux Klan,” Nelson said.And even though the Ulysses S. Grant administration ran on a platform
 of peace, for people of color, including Native Americans, it was 
anything but peaceful.“They were fighting for emancipation and Black rights in the South 
while also discussing extermination of indigenous peoples in the West,” 
Nelson said.It was Sitting Bull who also had an outsized influence in the 
creation of the park as hostile tribes that fought along the Bozeman 
Trail stymied earlier exploration of the land around Yellowstone prior 
and during the Civil War. Meanwhile, it was Cooke and the completion of 
the transcontinental railroad that helped travel to these previously 
remote locations possible.“Before then, who has the time and money to take that kind of vacation?” Nelson said.Yet, with the completion of the railroad, going from Chicago to the Pacific Ocean could happen in less than a week.“And people saw all these amazing landscapes,” Nelson said. “And they had never seen anything like it.”Because of that, Cooke invested heavily in creating a more robust western railroad.“He really believed it was a good investment. It was not. There 
wasn’t a lot there,” Nelson said. “The investment was based on a future 
dream, but it destroyed him because he couldn’t let go of it.”Throughout the book, there are circumstances of chance, places where 
characters keeping on popping up coincidentally, for example, Hayden and
 Cooke both being at the same Union League meeting in Philadelphia.The book also helps put the Native perspective into the narrative, as
 most histories speak of Yellowstone National Park being “discovered” 
even though tribes had been attached to the area for centuries.“It really shows the regional impact that these players had. They have an outsized influence on the story,” Nelson said.

On 150th anniversary, book looks at founding of Yellowstone National Park

Junction City Police Chief John Lamb is confirming that there was a "large melee" in the Freshman Success Academy cafeteria area on Thursday. Police estimate that it involved approximately 13 or 14 students. He stated that working with school officials they have identified all of the students and have taken&nbsp; the necessary reports.

Lamb said there will be a security meeting on Monday to talk to District officials about the security steps police will take with prosecution and moving forward with "taking the necessary course of an action."

In order to stop the violence Lamb noted that he felt the tone had to be set at the beginning of the year. "Moving forward I really want to set a strong tone next year when we go in with our school resource officers, letting them know that this type of behavior is not tolerated. It is criminal. " Lamb added working with school officials, police will take necessary actions "to hold people accountable for this type of behavior." Lamb added law enforcement and the school need to set a strong tone at the beginning of the school year.

No arrests have been made. Lamb said he had been informed that school officials wanted to charge the students with Disorderly Conduct instead of Battery because it was just a large fight. " But I want to revisit that and look at what else we can possibly do. "&nbsp;

USD 475 Superintendent Dr. Reginald Eggleston confirmed for JC Post that there was a fight between some students on Thursday in the&nbsp; freshman cafeteria at the high school and District officials are in the process of investigating and identifying everyone who was involved. "At this present moment disciplinary action will be determined. We will meet Monday in order to finalize any actions that need to be made."

Eggleston confirmed that right now officials are uncertain what caused the fight. "Don't know all of the details of that at this present moment, don't know if there was any disagreements or if something happened outside of school. At present we'll still need some time to kind of unravel all the pieces to it."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644346880791.jpeg" alt="Junction City High School" />
 <figcaption>Junction City High School</figcaption>
 </figure>By Dewey TerrillJC PostJunction City Police Chief John Lamb is confirming that there was a "large melee" in the Freshman Success Academy cafeteria area on Thursday. Police estimate that it involved approximately 13 or 14 students. He stated that working with school officials they have identified all of the students and have taken&nbsp; the necessary reports.Lamb said there will be a security meeting on Monday to talk to District officials about the security steps police will take with prosecution and moving forward with "taking the necessary course of an action."In order to stop the violence Lamb noted that he felt the tone had to be set at the beginning of the year. "Moving forward I really want to set a strong tone next year when we go in with our school resource officers, letting them know that this type of behavior is not tolerated. It is criminal. " Lamb added working with school officials, police will take necessary actions "to hold people accountable for this type of behavior." Lamb added law enforcement and the school need to set a strong tone at the beginning of the school year.No arrests have been made. Lamb said he had been informed that school officials wanted to charge the students with Disorderly Conduct instead of Battery because it was just a large fight. " But I want to revisit that and look at what else we can possibly do. "&nbsp;USD 475 Superintendent Dr. Reginald Eggleston confirmed for JC Post that there was a fight between some students on Thursday in the&nbsp; freshman cafeteria at the high school and District officials are in the process of investigating and identifying everyone who was involved. "At this present moment disciplinary action will be determined. We will meet Monday in order to finalize any actions that need to be made."Eggleston confirmed that right now officials are uncertain what caused the fight. "Don't know all of the details of that at this present moment, don't know if there was any disagreements or if something happened outside of school. At present we'll still need some time to kind of unravel all the pieces to it."The Superintendent confirmed that safety is always the number one priority for the school district and that they do everything to try and respond appropriately to information&nbsp; that they have received, or&nbsp; anything on which they need to take action "We're going to do everything in our power to make sure we create a culture and climate in the building that is conducive to learning so that everyone involved can be productive in the environment."&nbsp;USD 475 has issued a text statement that District leadership was aware of fights that took place at JCHS this week. They noted that they take these incidents seriously and are working with local law&nbsp; enforcement in addressing this situation, and will take the necessary&nbsp; steps to reduce incidents in the future.&nbsp; The message read that it's important for&nbsp; the public to know that the safety and well-being of the District's students and staff is our top priority. We want all kids to learn in a safe environment and feel safe coming to school.