JACKSON COUNTY— A 21-year-old man has been charged in the deaths of three people in Kansas City, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor's office.

Joshua Bell, of Kansas City, was charged with three counts of second-degree accessory murder, unlawful use of a weapon and four counts of armed criminal action.

He is the second man charged in the Oct. 2, 2021, shooting deaths of Kanen X. Wheaton, 24; Johnnai Owens, 23; and 24-year-old Devon Key.

The victims were at a home in eastern Kansas City when the suspects drove up and fired at them, prosecutors said.

Co-defendant Lucas Baker was charged in October with nine counts, including three counts of second-degree accessory murder.

Court documents show Bell’s phone was in the area of the suspect vehicle before and after the shootings. Bell also admitted that he had earlier helped steal ammunition that was found at the shooting scene.

Prosecutors have requested a $500,000 cash-only bond for Bell.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646259190160.png" alt="Bell photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Bell photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY— A 21-year-old man has been charged in the deaths of three people in Kansas City, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor's office.Joshua Bell, of Kansas City, was charged with three counts of second-degree accessory murder, unlawful use of a weapon and four counts of armed criminal action.He is the second man charged in the Oct. 2, 2021, shooting deaths of Kanen X. Wheaton, 24; Johnnai Owens, 23; and 24-year-old Devon Key.The victims were at a home in eastern Kansas City when the suspects drove up and fired at them, prosecutors said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646259263216.png" alt="Baker-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Baker-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Co-defendant Lucas Baker was charged in October with nine counts, including three counts of second-degree accessory murder.Court documents show Bell’s phone was in the area of the suspect vehicle before and after the shootings. Bell also admitted that he had earlier helped steal ammunition that was found at the shooting scene.Prosecutors have requested a $500,000 cash-only bond for Bell.

Second suspect charged in Kansas City triple murder

MANHATTAN, KAN. –&nbsp;A California man has been arrested in connection to a February 2020 shooting near Aggieville, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

Just after 2:30a.m. Feb. 8, police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired in the 1100 block of Laramie Street.

When officers arrived on scene, they found an unoccupied car that had been shot and through further investigation discovered 30-year-old Travell Hairston had fired several rounds at a 27-year-old male victim.

&nbsp;Hairston of Sacramento, Calif., is already confined in the Riley County Jail for domestic battery and failure to appear and was arrested in connection with the shooting Thursday afternoon and is being held on requested charges of attempted first-degree murder.

He is being held on a $500,000 bond for the shooting arrest, resulting in a total bond of $1,115,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644087068240.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, KAN. –&nbsp;A California man has been arrested in connection to a February 2020 shooting near Aggieville, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.Just after 2:30a.m. Feb. 8, police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired in the 1100 block of Laramie Street.When officers arrived on scene, they found an unoccupied car that had been shot and through further investigation discovered 30-year-old Travell Hairston had fired several rounds at a 27-year-old male victim.&nbsp;Hairston of Sacramento, Calif., is already confined in the Riley County Jail for domestic battery and failure to appear and was arrested in connection with the shooting Thursday afternoon and is being held on requested charges of attempted first-degree murder.He is being held on a $500,000 bond for the shooting arrest, resulting in a total bond of $1,115,000.

Police: Suspect accused of February 2020 shooting in Manhattan

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura&nbsp;Kelly on Thursday announced $160 million in grants&nbsp;available for&nbsp;child care providers in Kansas. The third round of Child Care Sustainability Grants will aid child care providers in meeting the costs of operating their businesses through the remaining impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a media release from her office.

"As we grow the economy, these grants&nbsp;will provide the continued support our child care facilities need to stay open and ensure that Kansas families have access to safe, quality child care.”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. "This&nbsp;support&nbsp;will&nbsp;help our child care facilities, it will help Kansas parents, and it will help our&nbsp;economy.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Qualifying child care providers are guaranteed nine months of payments ranging from $1,800 per month for family child care programs to $18,000 per month for large centers. In addition, the providers will be eligible for an additional five months of funding either in the same amount or more, depending on the utilization of the grants during the first nine months. &nbsp;

"When Covid-19 hit, we were so thankful that we were still able to be open and be there for our parents and the children who needed a safe and familiar place to go,"&nbsp;said&nbsp;Kristele&nbsp;Blessings, Precious Blessings Development Center.&nbsp;"During that time, we as a small business took a hit when some of our parents weren't able to work due to the pandemic and we lost some of our expected income.&nbsp;

"These grants have afforded us the ability to provide child care in the safest and most precautious way for our staff, children, and parents," she continued.&nbsp;

Precious Blessings Development Center received $20,000 in grants from the first two cycles. It&nbsp;is located in&nbsp;Topeka. &nbsp;

"As their businesses continue to recover from drop in classroom sizes, delayed capital improvements, and unexpected expenses for sanitization and personal protection equipment, child care providers can use the grant dollars how they need it most,"&nbsp;Department of Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard said.&nbsp;"These grants offer great flexibility to fulfill the needs of the providers."&nbsp;

The grant program will be administered by Child Care Aware of Kansas. The grant application is available starting March 1 at <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDMuNTQzMzE0NzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzLmNoaWxkY2FyZWF3YXJlLm9yZy8ifQ.Um6S7M4uRfH0O2AOfixm3RyRi0zdnY3v1XoWzZhcAWA/s/1303160919/br/127481043307-l" target="_blank">www.ks.childcareaware.org</a>. Applications are accepted until Nov. 30, 2022. Grant dollars may be used for personnel costs, rent/mortgage, utilities, personal protective equipment, goods or services, purchases of or updates to equipment and supplies, and mental health supports.&nbsp;

"Financial support from these grants represent an unprecedented investment in the stabilization of our existing child care infrastructure, ensuring that parents have a safe, nurturing environment for their young children,"&nbsp;said Kelly&nbsp;Davydov, Executive Director of Child Care Aware of Kansas.&nbsp;"These funds are critical to ensuring that child care businesses are able to keep paying staff, even when enrollment fluctuates due to illness. They also allow child care programs to absorb the increased cost of essential supplies, like food and personal protective equipment."&nbsp;

To be considered for funding, newly licensed or established child care programs must maintain an active permanent license with Kansas Department of Health and Environment, whether they remain open or temporarily closed. Funds may be used for any normal operational expenses, additional expenses the child&nbsp;care program has due to meeting CDC guidance for mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and other activities necessary to maintain or resume the operation of programs.&nbsp;

Qualifying child care providers in Kansas are encouraged to apply at <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDMuNTQzMzE0NzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzLmNoaWxkY2FyZWF3YXJlLm9yZy8ifQ.xOqo_6meqzKVOP0t6F9kNgtNkBGMa3DwbN5O9dq7RCU/s/1303160919/br/127481043307-l" target="_blank">www.ks.childcareaware.org</a>.&nbsp;

Round 1 and 2 of the Child Care Sustainability Grants provided $97 million in support to Kansas child care providers. Child Care Aware of Kansas estimates that nearly 211,000 children were impacted by the grants.&nbsp;

Round no. 1: $49.5 million&nbsp; Round no. 2: $47.5 million&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646347528119.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly also toured Harvesters Community Food Network in Topeka on Thursday to highlight how eliminating the state's sales tax on groceries will help Kansas families.&nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly also toured Harvesters Community Food Network in Topeka on Thursday to highlight how eliminating the state's sales tax on groceries will help Kansas families.&nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura&nbsp;Kelly on Thursday announced $160 million in grants&nbsp;available for&nbsp;child care providers in Kansas. The third round of Child Care Sustainability Grants will aid child care providers in meeting the costs of operating their businesses through the remaining impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a media release from her office."As we grow the economy, these grants&nbsp;will provide the continued support our child care facilities need to stay open and ensure that Kansas families have access to safe, quality child care.”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. "This&nbsp;support&nbsp;will&nbsp;help our child care facilities, it will help Kansas parents, and it will help our&nbsp;economy.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Qualifying child care providers are guaranteed nine months of payments ranging from $1,800 per month for family child care programs to $18,000 per month for large centers. In addition, the providers will be eligible for an additional five months of funding either in the same amount or more, depending on the utilization of the grants during the first nine months. &nbsp;"When Covid-19 hit, we were so thankful that we were still able to be open and be there for our parents and the children who needed a safe and familiar place to go,"&nbsp;said&nbsp;Kristele&nbsp;Blessings, Precious Blessings Development Center.&nbsp;"During that time, we as a small business took a hit when some of our parents weren't able to work due to the pandemic and we lost some of our expected income.&nbsp;"These grants have afforded us the ability to provide child care in the safest and most precautious way for our staff, children, and parents," she continued.&nbsp;Precious Blessings Development Center received $20,000 in grants from the first two cycles. It&nbsp;is located in&nbsp;Topeka. &nbsp;"As their businesses continue to recover from drop in classroom sizes, delayed capital improvements, and unexpected expenses for sanitization and personal protection equipment, child care providers can use the grant dollars how they need it most,"&nbsp;Department of Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard said.&nbsp;"These grants offer great flexibility to fulfill the needs of the providers."&nbsp;The grant program will be administered by Child Care Aware of Kansas. The grant application is available starting March 1 at <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDMuNTQzMzE0NzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzLmNoaWxkY2FyZWF3YXJlLm9yZy8ifQ.Um6S7M4uRfH0O2AOfixm3RyRi0zdnY3v1XoWzZhcAWA/s/1303160919/br/127481043307-l" target="_blank">www.ks.childcareaware.org</a>. Applications are accepted until Nov. 30, 2022. Grant dollars may be used for personnel costs, rent/mortgage, utilities, personal protective equipment, goods or services, purchases of or updates to equipment and supplies, and mental health supports.&nbsp;"Financial support from these grants represent an unprecedented investment in the stabilization of our existing child care infrastructure, ensuring that parents have a safe, nurturing environment for their young children,"&nbsp;said Kelly&nbsp;Davydov, Executive Director of Child Care Aware of Kansas.&nbsp;"These funds are critical to ensuring that child care businesses are able to keep paying staff, even when enrollment fluctuates due to illness. They also allow child care programs to absorb the increased cost of essential supplies, like food and personal protective equipment."&nbsp;To be considered for funding, newly licensed or established child care programs must maintain an active permanent license with Kansas Department of Health and Environment, whether they remain open or temporarily closed. Funds may be used for any normal operational expenses, additional expenses the child&nbsp;care program has due to meeting CDC guidance for mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and other activities necessary to maintain or resume the operation of programs.&nbsp;Qualifying child care providers in Kansas are encouraged to apply at <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDMuNTQzMzE0NzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzLmNoaWxkY2FyZWF3YXJlLm9yZy8ifQ.xOqo_6meqzKVOP0t6F9kNgtNkBGMa3DwbN5O9dq7RCU/s/1303160919/br/127481043307-l" target="_blank">www.ks.childcareaware.org</a>.&nbsp;Round 1 and 2 of the Child Care Sustainability Grants provided $97 million in support to Kansas child care providers. Child Care Aware of Kansas estimates that nearly 211,000 children were impacted by the grants.&nbsp;Round no. 1: $49.5 million&nbsp; Round no. 2: $47.5 million&nbsp;

Gov.: $160 million in grants will support child care providers in Kansas

Thanks to new legal changes, the popularity of <a href="https://morningconsult.com/2022/01/18/sports-betting-trends/" target="_blank">sports betting has exploded</a>. If you think scammers haven’t noticed, think again. <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a> is seeing reports from people who accidentally placed bets with scam sports betting websites or apps.

You want to place a bet on an upcoming game, so you search online for
 a sports betting service. You find a website or app that looks 
trustworthy. It may even offer an enticing introductory bonus, so you 
can make an initial bet “risk free.” &nbsp;

You place a bet, and, at first, everything seems normal. But as soon 
as you try to cash out your winnings, you find you can’t withdraw a 
cent. Scammers will make up various excuses. For example, they may claim
 technical issues or insist on additional identity verification. In 
other cases, they may require you to deposit even more money before you 
can withdraw your winnings! Whatever you do, you’ll never be able to get
 your money off the site. And any personal information you shared is now
 in the hands of scam artists.

One victim reported to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>:
 “I deposited money to put a wager for a sports game. I won the bet 
[and] attempted 3 times to cash out and 3 times it was declined. Spoke 
to their representative, and they needed a picture of my driver's 
license, a photo of myself holding my ID, and a blank check from my 
bank. With all the run around I've been given, it prompted me to read 
their reviews. All horrible reviews of a scam. Called my credit card 
company to file a fraud report.”

Check out BBB’s tips for <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam/how-to-identify-a-fake-website" target="_blank">spotting a lookalike website</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/26341-bbb-tip-how-to-avoid-app-store-scams" target="_blank">downloading apps</a>. Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bbb.org/ScamTips" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTips</a>&nbsp;to stay alert to new and commonly used scam tactics.

If you've come across a sports betting scam, report it at once to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>. Your report can help other consumers avoid falling prey to scammers’ tricks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBThanks to new legal changes, the popularity of <a href="https://morningconsult.com/2022/01/18/sports-betting-trends/" target="_blank">sports betting has exploded</a>. If you think scammers haven’t noticed, think again. <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a> is seeing reports from people who accidentally placed bets with scam sports betting websites or apps.<h2>How the scam works</h2>You want to place a bet on an upcoming game, so you search online for
 a sports betting service. You find a website or app that looks 
trustworthy. It may even offer an enticing introductory bonus, so you 
can make an initial bet “risk free.” &nbsp;You place a bet, and, at first, everything seems normal. But as soon 
as you try to cash out your winnings, you find you can’t withdraw a 
cent. Scammers will make up various excuses. For example, they may claim
 technical issues or insist on additional identity verification. In 
other cases, they may require you to deposit even more money before you 
can withdraw your winnings! Whatever you do, you’ll never be able to get
 your money off the site. And any personal information you shared is now
 in the hands of scam artists.One victim reported to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>:
 “I deposited money to put a wager for a sports game. I won the bet 
[and] attempted 3 times to cash out and 3 times it was declined. Spoke 
to their representative, and they needed a picture of my driver's 
license, a photo of myself holding my ID, and a blank check from my 
bank. With all the run around I've been given, it prompted me to read 
their reviews. All horrible reviews of a scam. Called my credit card 
company to file a fraud report.”<h2>How to avoid sports betting scams</h2><ul>
 <li>Look for an establish, approved service. Look for “white-listed” sports books that have been approved by your area’s gaming commission. In the United States, <a href="https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/19740480/the-united-states-sports-betting-where-all-50-states-stand-legalization" target="_blank">ESPN</a> has a list of where sports betting is legal. </li><li>Don’t fall for tempting ads. Ignore gambling-related pop-up ads, email spam, or text messages.&nbsp; </li><li>Read the fine print on incentives. Gambling sites 
and apps often offer incentives or bonuses to new users and around major
 games. But like any sales pitch, these can be deceptive. Be sure to 
read the fine print carefully. </li><li>Even legitimate sports betting sites have the right to freeze your winnings. Gambling companies can restrict user’s activity for “seeming to have an ‘unfair advantage’ or ‘irregular playing patterns,’” <a href="https://lifehacker.com/how-to-spot-a-shady-online-sports-betting-site-1848525467" target="_blank">reports Lifehacker</a>. Be sure to check the terms of service.</li>
 </ul><h2>For more information </h2>Check out BBB’s tips for <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam/how-to-identify-a-fake-website" target="_blank">spotting a lookalike website</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/26341-bbb-tip-how-to-avoid-app-store-scams" target="_blank">downloading apps</a>. Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bbb.org/ScamTips" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTips</a>&nbsp;to stay alert to new and commonly used scam tactics.If you've come across a sports betting scam, report it at once to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>. Your report can help other consumers avoid falling prey to scammers’ tricks.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Betting on a big game? Don't fall for a sports betting scam

'Glory to Ukraine': KU students denounce Putin’s invasion

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/03/ukrainian-students-stand-with-kansas-legislators-against-russians-glory-to-ukraine/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Ukrainian college students Elina Shutova and Mykola 
Hordiichuk stood under the U.S. and Kansas flags at the Capitol on 
Thursday to personally appeal for support of their homeland as family 
and friends endured brutal bombardments from invading Russian soldiers.

On the statehouse steps behind the University of Kansas students were
 dozens of state legislators backing a resolution denouncing Russian 
President Vladimir Putin’s aggression and encouraging the United States 
government to provide emergency support for Ukrainians who have been 
fighting since Feb. 24.

“I can feel the suffering of the people of Ukraine,” Shutova said. 
“Innocent people who wanted nothing but peace and to live in an 
independent country are now hiding in basements while Russians are 
destroying our cities.”

On the first day of shelling, Shutova said, her brother posed a 
poignant question that she couldn’t easily answer: “Am I going to see 
you again?”

She said the invasion wasn’t a rescue mission by Putin to rescue 
Ukrainians from terrorists. That is a lie and nothing but propaganda, 
she said. The terrorist nation is Russia, she said, a point illustrated 
by bombings that destroyed the neighborhood elementary school in her 
hometown of Kherson in the country’s south.

She urged the United States and NATO countries to continue supporting
 Ukraine with economic sanctions. She asked that the skies above Ukraine
 be closed with a no-fly zone.

“We will never forget and never forgive,” Shutova said. “We’ll win, because we are Ukrainians. Glory to Ukraine.”

Hordiichuk, who is from the city of Uman in central Ukraine, said the
 Russian military bombed cities without mercy since starting the war.

He said ordinary Ukrainians responded by flooding military volunteer 
centers and by personally taking up arms. His parents have been 
collecting bottles to make Molotov cocktails. His grandparents bake 
bread at night to feed soldiers in the morning. He sensed the horror and
 inspiration of it all.

“This is not life. This is survival,” he said. “It is hard to imagine
 until you run from explosions yourself. It is hard to believe until 
your parents’ and best friends’ trembling voices tell you they want to 
wake up from this nightmare. Is this our punishment for pursuing a fair,
 democratic system?”

He said the United States, which embodies basic human rights of life,
 liberty and the pursuit of happiness, has an opportunity to share that 
sentiment with an embattled nation of 44 million in Europe.

The bipartisan event on the Capitol steps was organized by Rep. Chuck
 Schmidt, a Wichita Democrat. More than 50 House members signed a 
resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which serves the 
breadbasket of Europe and made the sunflower its national flower.

“The people behind me are legislators from both sides of the aisle,” Schmidt said. “This is a nonpartisan endeavor.”

Rep. Clarke Sanders, R-Salina, said he felt comfortable declaring 
three fundamental truths about the Russian invasion of neighboring 
Ukraine.

“No. 1, what Vladimir Putin has done is evil,” Sanders said. “No. 2, 
the courage and resolve shown by the people of Ukraine is amazing. No. 
3, Putin needs to get the hell out of Ukraine now.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646343683584.png" alt="Ukrainians Mykola Hordiichuk and Elina Shutova, both students at the University of Kansas, joined state legislators in pressing for a broad international response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Ukrainians Mykola Hordiichuk and Elina Shutova, both students at the University of Kansas, joined state legislators in pressing for a broad international response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>'Glory to Ukraine': KU students denounce Putin’s invasion</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/03/ukrainian-students-stand-with-kansas-legislators-against-russians-glory-to-ukraine/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Ukrainian college students Elina Shutova and Mykola 
Hordiichuk stood under the U.S. and Kansas flags at the Capitol on 
Thursday to personally appeal for support of their homeland as family 
and friends endured brutal bombardments from invading Russian soldiers.On the statehouse steps behind the University of Kansas students were
 dozens of state legislators backing a resolution denouncing Russian 
President Vladimir Putin’s aggression and encouraging the United States 
government to provide emergency support for Ukrainians who have been 
fighting since Feb. 24.“I can feel the suffering of the people of Ukraine,” Shutova said. 
“Innocent people who wanted nothing but peace and to live in an 
independent country are now hiding in basements while Russians are 
destroying our cities.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646343784253.png" alt="Ukrainian Elina Shutova speaks with Evelyn Motley Thursday after a rally for Ukraine on the south steps of the Statehouse in Topeka. The child asked, Why can’t your land be free? (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Ukrainian Elina Shutova speaks with Evelyn Motley Thursday after a rally for Ukraine on the south steps of the Statehouse in Topeka. The child asked, Why can’t your land be free? (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>On the first day of shelling, Shutova said, her brother posed a 
poignant question that she couldn’t easily answer: “Am I going to see 
you again?”She said the invasion wasn’t a rescue mission by Putin to rescue 
Ukrainians from terrorists. That is a lie and nothing but propaganda, 
she said. The terrorist nation is Russia, she said, a point illustrated 
by bombings that destroyed the neighborhood elementary school in her 
hometown of Kherson in the country’s south.She urged the United States and NATO countries to continue supporting
 Ukraine with economic sanctions. She asked that the skies above Ukraine
 be closed with a no-fly zone.“We will never forget and never forgive,” Shutova said. “We’ll win, because we are Ukrainians. Glory to Ukraine.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646343821346.png" alt="Rep. Chuck Schmidt delivers opening remarks Thursday during a rally in support of Ukraine on the south steps of the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Chuck Schmidt delivers opening remarks Thursday during a rally in support of Ukraine on the south steps of the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Hordiichuk, who is from the city of Uman in central Ukraine, said the
 Russian military bombed cities without mercy since starting the war.He said ordinary Ukrainians responded by flooding military volunteer 
centers and by personally taking up arms. His parents have been 
collecting bottles to make Molotov cocktails. His grandparents bake 
bread at night to feed soldiers in the morning. He sensed the horror and
 inspiration of it all.“This is not life. This is survival,” he said. “It is hard to imagine
 until you run from explosions yourself. It is hard to believe until 
your parents’ and best friends’ trembling voices tell you they want to 
wake up from this nightmare. Is this our punishment for pursuing a fair,
 democratic system?”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646343853538.png" alt="krainians Mykola Hordiichuk, Elina Shutova and Andrew Brytsko cover their hearts as the Ukraine national anthem plays. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>krainians Mykola Hordiichuk, Elina Shutova and Andrew Brytsko cover their hearts as the Ukraine national anthem plays. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>He said the United States, which embodies basic human rights of life,
 liberty and the pursuit of happiness, has an opportunity to share that 
sentiment with an embattled nation of 44 million in Europe.The bipartisan event on the Capitol steps was organized by Rep. Chuck
 Schmidt, a Wichita Democrat. More than 50 House members signed a 
resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which serves the 
breadbasket of Europe and made the sunflower its national flower.“The people behind me are legislators from both sides of the aisle,” Schmidt said. “This is a nonpartisan endeavor.”Rep. Clarke Sanders, R-Salina, said he felt comfortable declaring 
three fundamental truths about the Russian invasion of neighboring 
Ukraine.“No. 1, what Vladimir Putin has done is evil,” Sanders said. “No. 2, 
the courage and resolve shown by the people of Ukraine is amazing. No. 
3, Putin needs to get the hell out of Ukraine now.”

Ukrainian students stand with Kan. legislators against Russians

WASHINGTON
 — The IRS is aware of a third-party software issue affecting qualifying
 farmers and fishermen attempting to electronically file Forms 7203.

Qualifying farmers and fishermen are those who are not subject to an 
addition to tax for failing to pay the required estimated tax 
installment payment by January 15, 2022, if they file their returns and 
pay the full amount of tax reported on the return as payable by March 1,
 2022.

The IRS has been working closely with software providers to ease the 
impact on qualifying farmers and fishermen caused by electronic filing 
challenges in connection with Form 7203.

Due to these challenges, the Treasury Department and the IRS intend 
to issue a notice providing penalty relief for qualifying farmers and 
fishermen filing Forms 7203 if they electronically file their 2021 tax 
return and pay in full any tax due by April 18, 2022, or by April 19, 
2022, for those qualifying farmers and fishermen who live in Maine or 
Massachusetts.

Farmers and fishermen who filed their returns by the March 1 deadline are unaffected by this news release.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON
 — The IRS is aware of a third-party software issue affecting qualifying
 farmers and fishermen attempting to electronically file Forms 7203.Qualifying farmers and fishermen are those who are not subject to an 
addition to tax for failing to pay the required estimated tax 
installment payment by January 15, 2022, if they file their returns and 
pay the full amount of tax reported on the return as payable by March 1,
 2022.The IRS has been working closely with software providers to ease the 
impact on qualifying farmers and fishermen caused by electronic filing 
challenges in connection with Form 7203.Due to these challenges, the Treasury Department and the IRS intend 
to issue a notice providing penalty relief for qualifying farmers and 
fishermen filing Forms 7203 if they electronically file their 2021 tax 
return and pay in full any tax due by April 18, 2022, or by April 19, 
2022, for those qualifying farmers and fishermen who live in Maine or 
Massachusetts.Farmers and fishermen who filed their returns by the March 1 deadline are unaffected by this news release.

IRS extends one filing deadline for some farmers due to software error

Washington—The U.S. Senate voted 48-47 on Thursday in favor of Senator Roger Marshall's legislation to<a href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/ROS22081.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;end the COVID-19 national state of emergency</a>&nbsp;currently in effect under the National Emergencies Act (NEA).

Despite all scientific advances and our possession of a much greater understanding of COVID, President Joe Biden stealthily extended the national emergency declaration two weeks ago.&nbsp;

“After nearly two years of living under this state of emergency, the American people are worn out and yearning to breathe free; they long for their God-given freedoms, and for leaders to take their side. There is no doubt, it’s time for our nation to learn to live with COVID,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall.&nbsp;“I am proud my colleagues came together to repeal this emergency declaration and delivered a symbolic victory to our citizens that normalcy is around the corner and that limited government and our constitutional rights still reign supreme. It’s high time to stop talking about restrictions and the unknown. We must chart a new course to victory today that respects the virus and our freedoms.”

Washington—The U.S. Senate voted 48-47 on Thursday in favor of Senator Roger Marshall's legislation to<a href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/ROS22081.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;end the COVID-19 national state of emergency</a>&nbsp;currently in effect under the National Emergencies Act (NEA).<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g12_S3-LS2Y?start=7" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Despite all scientific advances and our possession of a much greater understanding of COVID, President Joe Biden stealthily extended the national emergency declaration two weeks ago.&nbsp;“After nearly two years of living under this state of emergency, the American people are worn out and yearning to breathe free; they long for their God-given freedoms, and for leaders to take their side. There is no doubt, it’s time for our nation to learn to live with COVID,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall.&nbsp;“I am proud my colleagues came together to repeal this emergency declaration and delivered a symbolic victory to our citizens that normalcy is around the corner and that limited government and our constitutional rights still reign supreme. It’s high time to stop talking about restrictions and the unknown. We must chart a new course to victory today that respects the virus and our freedoms.”

48-47: Senate votes to end the COVID national state of emergency

By BRENT MARTIN <a href="https://stjosephpost.com">St. Joseph Post</a>

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Eastern Kansas Congressman Jake LaTurner says President Biden
failed to adequately address the most pressing problem facing the country
during his State of the Union address.

“I thought the president missed a big opportunity to talk
about what Americans are really struggling with right now, which is inflation,”
LaTurner tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

The first-term Republican lays the blame for inflation at the
feet of Biden and Democrats and faults the president for the solutions he
outlined in his speech to a joint session of Congress.

“I don’t think that he in any meaningful way addressed that problem,
because what’s been causing that is the out-of-control government spending at
the federal level,” LaTurner says.

Turner says the administration is still pushing for more
spending on social programs, which Turner argues will only worsen the problem.

LaTurner faults the Biden Administration for not imposing
stiffer sanctions against Russia and Vladimir Putin for the invasion of
Ukraine. LaTurner calls President Biden’s approach “Swiss cheese sanctions.”
LaTurner says the United States needs to confront Russia in two different manners.

“We need to provide the Ukrainians with lethal weapons to
defend their country and to fight back against Putin and his gang of thugs,”
according to Putin. “Secondly, we have to punish Vladimir Putin and the way to
do that is by stop buying natural gas from him and stop buying oil from him.”

LaTurner says though Republicans and Democrats stand together
on the issue, they differ on how exactly to punish Russia and back Ukraine.

“From my point of view, we need to provide lethal weapons to
the Ukrainians,” LaTurner says. “We should have been doing it for months. The president
turned them down when they asked for it in the past. We should have been doing
it all along, but we need to do it now.&nbsp;
And we need to get it to them immediately. This is an imminent threat.
They are not going to have much time left.”

LaTurner says the United States must lead the West in imposing
even tougher financial sanctions than now in place, such as cutting off all
Russian banks from the international financial system.

LaTurner adds that in the long run, the United States must
revert back to producing its own energy, not relying on Russia or others for
the nation’s energy needs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646334327235.jpeg" alt="Congressman Jake LaTurner/Photo courtesy of Congressman LaTurner office" />
 <figcaption>Congressman Jake LaTurner/Photo courtesy of Congressman LaTurner office</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTIN <a href="https://stjosephpost.com">St. Joseph Post</a>ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Eastern Kansas Congressman Jake LaTurner says President Biden
failed to adequately address the most pressing problem facing the country
during his State of the Union address.“I thought the president missed a big opportunity to talk
about what Americans are really struggling with right now, which is inflation,”
LaTurner tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.The first-term Republican lays the blame for inflation at the
feet of Biden and Democrats and faults the president for the solutions he
outlined in his speech to a joint session of Congress.“I don’t think that he in any meaningful way addressed that problem,
because what’s been causing that is the out-of-control government spending at
the federal level,” LaTurner says.Turner says the administration is still pushing for more
spending on social programs, which Turner argues will only worsen the problem.LaTurner faults the Biden Administration for not imposing
stiffer sanctions against Russia and Vladimir Putin for the invasion of
Ukraine. LaTurner calls President Biden’s approach “Swiss cheese sanctions.”
LaTurner says the United States needs to confront Russia in two different manners.“We need to provide the Ukrainians with lethal weapons to
defend their country and to fight back against Putin and his gang of thugs,”
according to Putin. “Secondly, we have to punish Vladimir Putin and the way to
do that is by stop buying natural gas from him and stop buying oil from him.”LaTurner says though Republicans and Democrats stand together
on the issue, they differ on how exactly to punish Russia and back Ukraine.“From my point of view, we need to provide lethal weapons to
the Ukrainians,” LaTurner says. “We should have been doing it for months. The president
turned them down when they asked for it in the past. We should have been doing
it all along, but we need to do it now.&nbsp;
And we need to get it to them immediately. This is an imminent threat.
They are not going to have much time left.”LaTurner says the United States must lead the West in imposing
even tougher financial sanctions than now in place, such as cutting off all
Russian banks from the international financial system.LaTurner adds that in the long run, the United States must
revert back to producing its own energy, not relying on Russia or others for
the nation’s energy needs.

Kan. congressman faults Biden on approach to inflation, Russia

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-03-01/ku-clinical-trial-seeks-black-wichita-residents-with-diabetes">Kansas News Service</a>

Say you’re heading to a family reunion — and you know when you get there, your favorite casseroles and desserts will await.

Everyday situations like this pose a quandary for many Americans.

“If
 you are living with diabetes, you can’t eat everything at the family 
gathering,” said Michelle Redmond, a community psychologist and 
professor of population health at the University of Kansas School of 
Medicine-Wichita. “You have to really think about your plan ahead of 
time. What are you going to eat? What are you not going to eat? How are 
you going to make sure that you’re managing the number of carbs you’re 
getting that day?”

Redmond is conducting a clinical trial to help people troubleshoot the situations that stand between them and getting their <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/diabetes.html" target="_blank">diabetes</a> under control.

For
 that family reunion, for example, she said that could mean bringing 
your own food or eating smaller portions. It could also mean thinking 
about what else you’ll eat that day.

Redmond and her team are <a href="https://redcap.kumc.edu/surveys/?s=T7CPWAJXYJ" target="_blank">looking for 70 trial participants</a> who are Black, live in the Wichita area and have uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes.

Her research focuses on health disparities — Black Americans face higher rates of this chronic health condition.

The trial includes an <a href="https://edecide.org/" target="_blank">18-week curriculum called eDecide</a>,
 designed with Black Americans in mind. The project is led by Black 
researchers and it engaged Black community members in the initial 
research and portal testing. The project also includes images of Black 
people throughout the website and curriculum.

eDECIDE is an online
 version of an in-person program for people with diabetes developed by 
professor Felicia Hill-Briggs at the Johns Hopkins University School of 
Medicine.

Research has already shown that the original version 
works. The goal now is to figure out whether taking the concept online 
does, too. If so, that could make it easier to scale up the program and 
reach more people.

Half of the trial participants in Wichita will 
work through the paper-based version of the coursework, and half will 
try the online version.

This means signing into a website where 
you log key information from your latest doctor’s appointment — such as 
your blood sugar levels and cholesterol.

A health coach will also 
check in with participants every two weeks while eDECIDE participants 
hone their problem-solving skills and work on monitoring their glucose 
and taking their medications.

People in the trial will also learn 
tips for asking the right questions at their doctor’s visits, and for 
approaching problems effectively.

“And that really helps 
individuals understand,” Redmond said, “‘I need to have a positive 
orientation to solving my problems. And get rid of the negative one, and
 then figure out how to overcome some obstacles.’”

Next, Redmond hopes to conduct broader trials with people of other races and ethnicities, too.

More
 than 34 million Americans live with diabetes, the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention says. This includes more than a quarter of 
Americans over the age of 65.

When not managed properly, diabetes 
and its complications can lead to death. Diabetes was the seventh 
leading cause of death in the U.S. before COVID-19.

“Managing diabetes is hard for everybody,” she said. “It’s not specific to African Americans.”

That’s because living with diabetes can involve so much more than just taking medication, she said.

“Do
 you go to your podiatrist to make sure you get your feet checked?” she 
said. “Are you going to your eye doctor to make sure that your eyes are 
okay? And are you exercising? Are you cutting out carbs?”

Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646170989003.png" alt="A flyer advertises a new clinical trial at KU's School of Medicine in Wichita. The goal is to enroll 70 Black residents with uncontrolled diabetes." />
 <figcaption>A flyer advertises a new clinical trial at KU's School of Medicine in Wichita. The goal is to enroll 70 Black residents with uncontrolled diabetes.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-03-01/ku-clinical-trial-seeks-black-wichita-residents-with-diabetes">Kansas News Service</a>Say you’re heading to a family reunion — and you know when you get there, your favorite casseroles and desserts will await.Everyday situations like this pose a quandary for many Americans.“If
 you are living with diabetes, you can’t eat everything at the family 
gathering,” said Michelle Redmond, a community psychologist and 
professor of population health at the University of Kansas School of 
Medicine-Wichita. “You have to really think about your plan ahead of 
time. What are you going to eat? What are you not going to eat? How are 
you going to make sure that you’re managing the number of carbs you’re 
getting that day?”Redmond is conducting a clinical trial to help people troubleshoot the situations that stand between them and getting their <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/diabetes.html" target="_blank">diabetes</a> under control.For
 that family reunion, for example, she said that could mean bringing 
your own food or eating smaller portions. It could also mean thinking 
about what else you’ll eat that day.Redmond and her team are <a href="https://redcap.kumc.edu/surveys/?s=T7CPWAJXYJ" target="_blank">looking for 70 trial participants</a> who are Black, live in the Wichita area and have uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes.Her research focuses on health disparities — Black Americans face higher rates of this chronic health condition.The trial includes an <a href="https://edecide.org/" target="_blank">18-week curriculum called eDecide</a>,
 designed with Black Americans in mind. The project is led by Black 
researchers and it engaged Black community members in the initial 
research and portal testing. The project also includes images of Black 
people throughout the website and curriculum.eDECIDE is an online
 version of an in-person program for people with diabetes developed by 
professor Felicia Hill-Briggs at the Johns Hopkins University School of 
Medicine.Research has already shown that the original version 
works. The goal now is to figure out whether taking the concept online 
does, too. If so, that could make it easier to scale up the program and 
reach more people.Half of the trial participants in Wichita will 
work through the paper-based version of the coursework, and half will 
try the online version.This means signing into a website where 
you log key information from your latest doctor’s appointment — such as 
your blood sugar levels and cholesterol.A health coach will also 
check in with participants every two weeks while eDECIDE participants 
hone their problem-solving skills and work on monitoring their glucose 
and taking their medications.People in the trial will also learn 
tips for asking the right questions at their doctor’s visits, and for 
approaching problems effectively.“And that really helps 
individuals understand,” Redmond said, “‘I need to have a positive 
orientation to solving my problems. And get rid of the negative one, and
 then figure out how to overcome some obstacles.’”Next, Redmond hopes to conduct broader trials with people of other races and ethnicities, too.More
 than 34 million Americans live with diabetes, the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention says. This includes more than a quarter of 
Americans over the age of 65.When not managed properly, diabetes 
and its complications can lead to death. Diabetes was the seventh 
leading cause of death in the U.S. before COVID-19.“Managing diabetes is hard for everybody,” she said. “It’s not specific to African Americans.”That’s because living with diabetes can involve so much more than just taking medication, she said.“Do
 you go to your podiatrist to make sure you get your feet checked?” she 
said. “Are you going to your eye doctor to make sure that your eyes are 
okay? And are you exercising? Are you cutting out carbs?”Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

KU clinical trial seeks Black Wichita-area residents with diabetes

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol said Wednesday for the first time that its evidence suggests crimes may have been committed by former President Donald Trump and his associates in the failed effort to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Trump and his associates engaged in a “criminal conspiracy” to prevent Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the Electoral College, the House committee said in a court filing. Trump and those working with him spread false information about the outcome of the presidential election and pressured state officials to overturn the results, potentially violating multiple federal laws, the panel said.

“The Select Committee also has a good-faith basis for concluding that the President and members of his Campaign engaged in a criminal conspiracy to defraud the United States,” the committee wrote in a filing submitted in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California.

The 221-page filing marks the committee’s most formal effort to link the former president to a federal crime, though the actual import of the filing is not clear. Lawmakers do not have the power to bring criminal charges on their own and can only make a referral to the Justice Department. The department has been investigating last year’s riot, but it has not given any indication that it is considering seeking charges against Trump.

The committee made the claims in response to a lawsuit by Trump adviser John Eastman, a lawyer and law professor who was consulting with Trump as he attempted to overturn the election. Eastman is trying to withhold documents from the committee.

In a statement late Wednesday, Charles Burnham, Eastman’s attorney, said his client has a responsibility “to protect client confidences, even at great personal risk and expense.”

Burnham added, “The Select Committee has responded to Dr. Eastman’s efforts to discharge this responsibility by accusing him of criminal activity.”

The brief filed Wednesday was an effort to knock down Eastman’s attorney-client privilege claims. In doing so, the committee argued there is a legal exception allowing the disclosure of communications regarding ongoing or future crimes.

“The Select Committee is not conducting a criminal investigation,” Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, the committee’s Democratic chairman, said in a statement. “But, as the judge noted at a previous hearing, Dr. Eastman’s privilege claims raise the question whether the crime-fraud exception to the attorney-client privilege applies in this situation.”

The filing also provides new details from the committee’s interviews with several top Trump aides and members of former Vice President Mike Pence’s team, including chief of staff Marc Short and chief counsel Greg Jacob.

The committee said it has evidence that Trump sought to obstruct an official proceeding — in this case, the certification of the election results — by trying to strong-arm Pence to delay the proceedings so there would be additional time to “manipulate” the results.

“The evidence supports an inference that President Trump and members of his campaign knew he had not won enough legitimate state electoral votes to be declared the winner of the 2020 Presidential election during the January 6 Joint Session of Congress, but the President nevertheless sought to use the Vice President to manipulate the results in his favor,” the filing states.

In a Jan. 6, 2021, email exchange between Eastman and Jacob revealed by the committee, Eastman pushed for Pence to intervene in his ceremonial role and halt the certification of the electoral votes, a step Pence had no power to take.

Jacob replied: “I respect your heart here. I share your concerns about what Democrats will do once in power. I want election integrity fixed. But I have run down every legal trail placed before me to its conclusion, and I respectfully conclude that as a legal framework, it is a results-oriented position that you would never support if attempted by the opposition, and essentially entirely made up.”

He added, “And thanks to your bulls—-, we are now under siege.”

The filing represents the most comprehensive look yet at the findings of the Jan. 6 committee, which is investigating the violent insurrection of Trump’s supporters in an effort to ensure that nothing like it happens again. While the panel can’t pursue criminal charges, members want to provide the public a thorough account of the attack, in which hundreds of people brutally beat police, pushed through windows and doors and interrupted the certification of Biden’s win.

So far, lawmakers and investigators have interviewed hundreds of people, including members of Trump’s family and his chief of staff as well as his allies in the seven swing states where the former president tried and failed to prove he won. The panel has also sought out information from members of Congress and subpoenaed records and testimony from top social media platforms they believe had a hand in the spreading of election misinformation.

The committee is expected to fully release its findings in a lengthy report or series of reports later this year, ahead of the midterm elections. The panel is also planning days or weeks of hearings starting in April with some of the witnesses who testified.

In other transcripts released as part of the filing, former senior Justice Department official Richard Donoghue described trying to convince Trump that claims of election fraud were pure fiction. “I told the President myself that several times, in several conversations, that these allegations about ballots being smuggled in a suitcase and run through the machines several times, it was not true, that we had looked at it, we looked at the video, we interviewed the witnesses, and it was not true.”

At one point, Donoghue said, he had to reassure Trump that the Justice Department had investigated a report that someone has transported a tractor-trailer full of ballots from New York to Pennsylvania. The department found no evidence to support the allegations, Donoghue said.

The transcripts also shed colorful detail on a contentious Jan. 3, 2021, meeting at which Trump contemplated replacing his acting attorney general, Jeffrey Rosen, with an assistant who promised to get to the bottom of the president’s bogus claims of election fraud.

That assistant, Jeffrey Clark, had been the department’s top environmental enforcement lawyer for a period, a fact that led to some derision from colleagues at the meeting when it was pointed out that Clark had not been a criminal prosecutor.

“And he kind of retorted by saying, ‘Well, I’ve done a lot of very complicated appeals and civil litigation, environmental litigation, and things like that,’” Donoghue said. “And I said, ‘That’s right. You’re an environmental lawyer. How about you go back to your office, and we’ll call you when there’s an oil spill.’”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614042711157.png" alt="photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol said Wednesday for the first time that its evidence suggests crimes may have been committed by former President Donald Trump and his associates in the failed effort to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.Trump and his associates engaged in a “criminal conspiracy” to prevent Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the Electoral College, the House committee said in a court filing. Trump and those working with him spread false information about the outcome of the presidential election and pressured state officials to overturn the results, potentially violating multiple federal laws, the panel said.“The Select Committee also has a good-faith basis for concluding that the President and members of his Campaign engaged in a criminal conspiracy to defraud the United States,” the committee wrote in a filing submitted in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California.The 221-page filing marks the committee’s most formal effort to link the former president to a federal crime, though the actual import of the filing is not clear. Lawmakers do not have the power to bring criminal charges on their own and can only make a referral to the Justice Department. The department has been investigating last year’s riot, but it has not given any indication that it is considering seeking charges against Trump.The committee made the claims in response to a lawsuit by Trump adviser John Eastman, a lawyer and law professor who was consulting with Trump as he attempted to overturn the election. Eastman is trying to withhold documents from the committee.In a statement late Wednesday, Charles Burnham, Eastman’s attorney, said his client has a responsibility “to protect client confidences, even at great personal risk and expense.”Burnham added, “The Select Committee has responded to Dr. Eastman’s efforts to discharge this responsibility by accusing him of criminal activity.”The brief filed Wednesday was an effort to knock down Eastman’s attorney-client privilege claims. In doing so, the committee argued there is a legal exception allowing the disclosure of communications regarding ongoing or future crimes.“The Select Committee is not conducting a criminal investigation,” Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, the committee’s Democratic chairman, said in a statement. “But, as the judge noted at a previous hearing, Dr. Eastman’s privilege claims raise the question whether the crime-fraud exception to the attorney-client privilege applies in this situation.”The filing also provides new details from the committee’s interviews with several top Trump aides and members of former Vice President Mike Pence’s team, including chief of staff Marc Short and chief counsel Greg Jacob.The committee said it has evidence that Trump sought to obstruct an official proceeding — in this case, the certification of the election results — by trying to strong-arm Pence to delay the proceedings so there would be additional time to “manipulate” the results.“The evidence supports an inference that President Trump and members of his campaign knew he had not won enough legitimate state electoral votes to be declared the winner of the 2020 Presidential election during the January 6 Joint Session of Congress, but the President nevertheless sought to use the Vice President to manipulate the results in his favor,” the filing states.In a Jan. 6, 2021, email exchange between Eastman and Jacob revealed by the committee, Eastman pushed for Pence to intervene in his ceremonial role and halt the certification of the electoral votes, a step Pence had no power to take.Jacob replied: “I respect your heart here. I share your concerns about what Democrats will do once in power. I want election integrity fixed. But I have run down every legal trail placed before me to its conclusion, and I respectfully conclude that as a legal framework, it is a results-oriented position that you would never support if attempted by the opposition, and essentially entirely made up.”He added, “And thanks to your bulls—-, we are now under siege.”The filing represents the most comprehensive look yet at the findings of the Jan. 6 committee, which is investigating the violent insurrection of Trump’s supporters in an effort to ensure that nothing like it happens again. While the panel can’t pursue criminal charges, members want to provide the public a thorough account of the attack, in which hundreds of people brutally beat police, pushed through windows and doors and interrupted the certification of Biden’s win.So far, lawmakers and investigators have interviewed hundreds of people, including members of Trump’s family and his chief of staff as well as his allies in the seven swing states where the former president tried and failed to prove he won. The panel has also sought out information from members of Congress and subpoenaed records and testimony from top social media platforms they believe had a hand in the spreading of election misinformation.The committee is expected to fully release its findings in a lengthy report or series of reports later this year, ahead of the midterm elections. The panel is also planning days or weeks of hearings starting in April with some of the witnesses who testified.In other transcripts released as part of the filing, former senior Justice Department official Richard Donoghue described trying to convince Trump that claims of election fraud were pure fiction. “I told the President myself that several times, in several conversations, that these allegations about ballots being smuggled in a suitcase and run through the machines several times, it was not true, that we had looked at it, we looked at the video, we interviewed the witnesses, and it was not true.”At one point, Donoghue said, he had to reassure Trump that the Justice Department had investigated a report that someone has transported a tractor-trailer full of ballots from New York to Pennsylvania. The department found no evidence to support the allegations, Donoghue said.The transcripts also shed colorful detail on a contentious Jan. 3, 2021, meeting at which Trump contemplated replacing his acting attorney general, Jeffrey Rosen, with an assistant who promised to get to the bottom of the president’s bogus claims of election fraud.That assistant, Jeffrey Clark, had been the department’s top environmental enforcement lawyer for a period, a fact that led to some derision from colleagues at the meeting when it was pointed out that Clark had not been a criminal prosecutor.“And he kind of retorted by saying, ‘Well, I’ve done a lot of very complicated appeals and civil litigation, environmental litigation, and things like that,’” Donoghue said. “And I said, ‘That’s right. You’re an environmental lawyer. How about you go back to your office, and we’ll call you when there’s an oil spill.’”

Jan. 6 panel sees evidence of Trump 'criminal conspiracy'

By NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>

HUTCHINSON — The 
Hutchinson Regional Academy is a paid internship program for a small 
group of Reno County high school students.

"We end up with ten 
students final, but we have a good, good response from the schools," 
said Carey Craig, Human Resources Director with Hutchinson Regional 
Healthcare System. "We go through an interview and selection process and
 it's tough getting down to those ten. There's a lot of sharp kids out 
there."

To be considered an applicant must live in Reno County, be
 at least 16 years old, have completed 10th, 11th or 12th grade by May 
31, be enrolled in a Reno County high school and have an overall and 
science GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale or 4.0 on a 5.0 scale.

"It 
actually runs Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 8 in the morning to 2:30
 in the afternoon," Craig said. "It's a paid internship and it runs from
 May 31 through July 22."

This is the tenth year of this important
 initiative to help get the next generation of professionals for 
Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System.

"With the labor market, we 
have to grow our own," Craig said. "It starts in high school. It's an 
investment of time for us and we find generally, a lot of kids, when 
they think about hospitals, they think about doctors and nurses. This is
 really an opportunity to learn about the lab, learn about pharmacy and 
imaging and a lot of different opportunities. we find kids that will 
start out at the end of May with one thing in mind and come up with a 
completely different perspective at the end of the course."

Craig 
noted that there is one recent academy alum who is working as a 
phlebotomist while they are in school. The program ends with an 
opportunity for two of the students to receive scholarships in exchange 
for a commitment to work at HRMC for a year after graduation. The 
application deadline is March 23.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583428390224.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>HUTCHINSON — The 
Hutchinson Regional Academy is a paid internship program for a small 
group of Reno County high school students."We end up with ten 
students final, but we have a good, good response from the schools," 
said Carey Craig, Human Resources Director with Hutchinson Regional 
Healthcare System. "We go through an interview and selection process and
 it's tough getting down to those ten. There's a lot of sharp kids out 
there."To be considered an applicant must live in Reno County, be
 at least 16 years old, have completed 10th, 11th or 12th grade by May 
31, be enrolled in a Reno County high school and have an overall and 
science GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale or 4.0 on a 5.0 scale."It 
actually runs Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 8 in the morning to 2:30
 in the afternoon," Craig said. "It's a paid internship and it runs from
 May 31 through July 22."This is the tenth year of this important
 initiative to help get the next generation of professionals for 
Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System."With the labor market, we 
have to grow our own," Craig said. "It starts in high school. It's an 
investment of time for us and we find generally, a lot of kids, when 
they think about hospitals, they think about doctors and nurses. This is
 really an opportunity to learn about the lab, learn about pharmacy and 
imaging and a lot of different opportunities. we find kids that will 
start out at the end of May with one thing in mind and come up with a 
completely different perspective at the end of the course."Craig 
noted that there is one recent academy alum who is working as a 
phlebotomist while they are in school. The program ends with an 
opportunity for two of the students to receive scholarships in exchange 
for a commitment to work at HRMC for a year after graduation. The 
application deadline is March 23.

Hutch program looks to create next generation of hospital workers

LENEXA, Kan. (AP) — Investigators found pipe bombs and a GPS tracking device in a car outside a Lenexa home where police say a gunman killed his ex-girlfriend and a man she was dating, then himself.

 Television station WDAF reports that investigators also found a so-called ghost gun and other weapons inside the home where 22-year-old Sara Beck and 20-year-old John Williamson were killed Sunday. 

Police say the gunman was 37-year-old Dustin Johnson, of Belton, Missouri, who also killed himself. Court documents say Johnson was wearing a tactical vest when his body was found and that police found an assault rifle near him that had been constructed from various parts. Lenexa police said they believe Johnson was using the tracking device to keep tabs on his ex-girlfriend.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1646085402627.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LENEXA, Kan. (AP) — Investigators found pipe bombs and a GPS tracking device in a car outside a Lenexa home where police say a gunman killed his ex-girlfriend and a man she was dating, then himself. Television station WDAF reports that investigators also found a so-called ghost gun and other weapons inside the home where 22-year-old Sara Beck and 20-year-old John Williamson were killed Sunday. Police say the gunman was 37-year-old Dustin Johnson, of Belton, Missouri, who also killed himself. Court documents say Johnson was wearing a tactical vest when his body was found and that police found an assault rifle near him that had been constructed from various parts. Lenexa police said they believe Johnson was using the tracking device to keep tabs on his ex-girlfriend.

Pipe bombs, tracker found at scene of Kansas murder-suicide

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

What a Salina man left behind aided police in his arrest Wednesday night.

Officers were sent to the 700 block of Moundview Avenue shortly before 11 p.m. Wednesday for the report of a vehicle theft, according to Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus.

Someone had entered a residence and stolen a key fob for a 2011 Buick four-door car, which was had been stolen from the attached garage of the residence. The fob was valued at $10 and the car at $10,000, Hanus said.

During the investigation, officers canvassed the neighborhood and heard from a neighbor who told them that a homeless man had been in the area. The neighbor, trying to be a good citizen and help someone in need, gave the man and item to help, Hanus said. Police found that particular item in the residence where the key fob was stolen.

Additionally, the neighbor told police that the man had dropped his ID in the neighbor's yard, Hanus said. The ID was turned over to police.

As officers were exiting the area, they saw a 2011 Buick four-door car with its hood up parked in the lot at Hillside Liquor, 1200 E. Crawford Street, Hanus said. Asleep inside was Anthony M. Langhorst, 32, of Salina, whose ID had been found in the neighbor's yard near the scene of the theft, Hanus said.

Langhorst was arrested on requested charges of Aggravated burglary and Felony theft

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646326177815.png" alt="Anthony M. Langhorst-photo&nbsp;Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Anthony M. Langhorst-photo&nbsp;Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostWhat a Salina man left behind aided police in his arrest Wednesday night.Officers were sent to the 700 block of Moundview Avenue shortly before 11 p.m. Wednesday for the report of a vehicle theft, according to Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus.Someone had entered a residence and stolen a key fob for a 2011 Buick four-door car, which was had been stolen from the attached garage of the residence. The fob was valued at $10 and the car at $10,000, Hanus said.During the investigation, officers canvassed the neighborhood and heard from a neighbor who told them that a homeless man had been in the area. The neighbor, trying to be a good citizen and help someone in need, gave the man and item to help, Hanus said. Police found that particular item in the residence where the key fob was stolen.Additionally, the neighbor told police that the man had dropped his ID in the neighbor's yard, Hanus said. The ID was turned over to police.As officers were exiting the area, they saw a 2011 Buick four-door car with its hood up parked in the lot at Hillside Liquor, 1200 E. Crawford Street, Hanus said. Asleep inside was Anthony M. Langhorst, 32, of Salina, whose ID had been found in the neighbor's yard near the scene of the theft, Hanus said.Langhorst was arrested on requested charges of Aggravated burglary and Felony theft

Police: Kansas burglary suspect dropped his ID 

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/03/kansas-treasurer-recommends-divestment-of-kpers-investments-in-russia/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas State Treasurer 
Lynn Rogers recommended the state’s public pension system respond to the
 Russian invasion of Ukraine by divesting a $35.9 million investment in 
Russian securities.

Rogers, who serves on the nine-member Kansas Public Employees 
Retirement System board, said trustees should work on extracting the 
pension system from Russian entities. An estimated 0.14% of KPERS’ 
portfolio has ties to Russia.

“I’m in full support of the financial 
sanctions placed against Russia – the aggressor in this escalating war,”
 Rogers said. “I will be working with my fellow trustees to protect the 
interests of our members and their beneficiaries. I stand firmly in 
support of the people of Ukraine.”

Alan Conroy, executive director of KPERS, said the system’s 
investment in Russian securities was a minor part of the total 
portfolio. As of Feb. 25, he said, the retirement system held Russian 
stocks in an international equity portfolio. KPERS holds no Russian 
debt, either corporate or sovereign.

“We are in daily communication with the system’s international equity
 managers on the situation. Of course, the retirement system will comply
 with all U.S. government sanctions against Russia,” Conroy said.

Conroy said KPERS wasn’t aware of an international equity index that 
excluded Russian securities. The Russian equity market is closed, he 
said Wednesday, and Russian brokers were instructed not to accept trade 
orders from foreign investors even if the market reopened.

“As a practical matter, new investments in Russia are effectively 
halted at this time, due to the lack of market liquidity,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646320632329.png" alt="Kansas State Treasurer Lynn Rogers, a Democrat seeking election in 2022, said the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System should divest of investments in Russia due to invasion of Ukraine. (Sherman smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Treasurer Lynn Rogers, a Democrat seeking election in 2022, said the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System should divest of investments in Russia due to invasion of Ukraine. (Sherman smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/03/kansas-treasurer-recommends-divestment-of-kpers-investments-in-russia/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas State Treasurer 
Lynn Rogers recommended the state’s public pension system respond to the
 Russian invasion of Ukraine by divesting a $35.9 million investment in 
Russian securities.Rogers, who serves on the nine-member Kansas Public Employees 
Retirement System board, said trustees should work on extracting the 
pension system from Russian entities. An estimated 0.14% of KPERS’ 
portfolio has ties to Russia.“I’m in full support of the financial 
sanctions placed against Russia – the aggressor in this escalating war,”
 Rogers said. “I will be working with my fellow trustees to protect the 
interests of our members and their beneficiaries. I stand firmly in 
support of the people of Ukraine.”Alan Conroy, executive director of KPERS, said the system’s 
investment in Russian securities was a minor part of the total 
portfolio. As of Feb. 25, he said, the retirement system held Russian 
stocks in an international equity portfolio. KPERS holds no Russian 
debt, either corporate or sovereign.“We are in daily communication with the system’s international equity
 managers on the situation. Of course, the retirement system will comply
 with all U.S. government sanctions against Russia,” Conroy said.Conroy said KPERS wasn’t aware of an international equity index that 
excluded Russian securities. The Russian equity market is closed, he 
said Wednesday, and Russian brokers were instructed not to accept trade 
orders from foreign investors even if the market reopened.“As a practical matter, new investments in Russia are effectively 
halted at this time, due to the lack of market liquidity,” he said.

Kansas treasurer: Divest KPERS’ investments in Russia

<a href="https://northplattepost.com">North Platte Post</a>

News Release Kearney (Neb.) Police Department

On Wednesday at approximately 10:33 a.m., Kearney Police were called to 
Blueprint Engines construction site at 2915 Marshall Ave., Kearney, for
 an injury accident.  

Preliminary information indicates Ron 
Blessing, owner of Blessing Construction, was accidentially run over by a 
bulldozer. Following the accident, the bulldozer continued, unattended, 
traveling south through a field, approximately a quarter-mile until it 
became stuck in the north ditch along Coal Chute Road. 

Witness 
statements and preliminary investigation indicate Blessing had been 
operating the bulldozer prior to the accident. Blessing was 
transported to CHI Good Samaritan by ambulance where he succumbed to his
 injuries. Family notifications have been made.

“On behalf of 
myself, the entire Kearney Police Department and City of Kearney, our 
thoughts and prayers are with the Blessing family, Blessing 
Construction, and all those impacted by this tragic accident,” said 
Kearney Chief of Police Bryan Waugh.

This accident remains under 
investigation by the Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff’s
 Office Fatal Accident Investigation Team. 

Deputies from Buffalo 
County Sheriff’s Office and Officers from the Kearney Police Department 
along with CHI Good Samaritan Hospital Paramedics responded to the 
scene.

<a href="https://northplattepost.com">North Platte Post</a>News Release Kearney (Neb.) Police DepartmentOn Wednesday at approximately 10:33 a.m., Kearney Police were called to 
Blueprint Engines construction site at 2915 Marshall Ave., Kearney, for
 an injury accident. Preliminary information indicates Ron 
Blessing, owner of Blessing Construction, was accidentially run over by a 
bulldozer. Following the accident, the bulldozer continued, unattended, 
traveling south through a field, approximately a quarter-mile until it 
became stuck in the north ditch along Coal Chute Road. Witness 
statements and preliminary investigation indicate Blessing had been 
operating the bulldozer prior to the accident. Blessing was 
transported to CHI Good Samaritan by ambulance where he succumbed to his
 injuries. Family notifications have been made.“On behalf of 
myself, the entire Kearney Police Department and City of Kearney, our 
thoughts and prayers are with the Blessing family, Blessing 
Construction, and all those impacted by this tragic accident,” said 
Kearney Chief of Police Bryan Waugh.This accident remains under 
investigation by the Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff’s
 Office Fatal Accident Investigation Team. Deputies from Buffalo 
County Sheriff’s Office and Officers from the Kearney Police Department 
along with CHI Good Samaritan Hospital Paramedics responded to the 
scene.

Owner of Neb. construction company run over by bulldozer, killed

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 36 months in prison for tax fraud and ordered to pay $40 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, according to the United State's Attorney.

In November 2021, Scott Tucker, 59, of Leawood pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false or fraudulent tax return. According to court documents, Tucker owned a professional auto racing business called Level 5 Sports. On a 1040-tax return in 2010, Tucker reported that Level 5 had approximately $18,251,000 in gross receipts and approximately $17,514,000 in expenses. 

Tucker admitted in a plea agreement Level 5 never operated as an intended for-profit business, and he admitted to submitting false information on the 1040 form to try to disguise the amount of tax due and owing.

A federal judge ordered Tucker’s 36-month prison sentence to be served concurrent with a previous conviction in the Southern District of New York. In 2018, Tucker was sentenced to 200 months in prison for operating a nationwide $3.5 billion internet payday lending enterprise that systematically evaded New York state laws.

“Taxes are due on all earned income, even income earned by ripping people off,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS-CI will always pursue the interests of the public. Mr. Tucker spent decades defrauding others through payday lending schemes and now a $40 million tax bill is due. In addition to the time he’s already serving, he’s now being held accountable for cheating the U.S. government and honest taxpayers.”

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 36 months in prison for tax fraud and ordered to pay $40 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, according to the United State's Attorney.In November 2021, Scott Tucker, 59, of Leawood pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false or fraudulent tax return. According to court documents, Tucker owned a professional auto racing business called Level 5 Sports. On a 1040-tax return in 2010, Tucker reported that Level 5 had approximately $18,251,000 in gross receipts and approximately $17,514,000 in expenses. Tucker admitted in a plea agreement Level 5 never operated as an intended for-profit business, and he admitted to submitting false information on the 1040 form to try to disguise the amount of tax due and owing.A federal judge ordered Tucker’s 36-month prison sentence to be served concurrent with a previous conviction in the Southern District of New York. In 2018, Tucker was sentenced to 200 months in prison for operating a nationwide $3.5 billion internet payday lending enterprise that systematically evaded New York state laws.“Taxes are due on all earned income, even income earned by ripping people off,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS-CI will always pursue the interests of the public. Mr. Tucker spent decades defrauding others through payday lending schemes and now a $40 million tax bill is due. In addition to the time he’s already serving, he’s now being held accountable for cheating the U.S. government and honest taxpayers.”

Former Kan. race team owner ordered to pay $40M for tax evasion

TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen for alleged threat to her school.

Just after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, USD 501-Topeka school administration place Chase Middle School, 2250 NE State Street, into a lock down due to receiving a credible threat to the school, according to police Lt. Manuel Munoz.

School officials contacted the Topeka Police Department who worked with Campus Police and USD 501 Administrators to investigate further. 

Detectives took a 14-year-old student into custody from Chase Middle School and transported her to LEC for further questioning.

At the conclusion of the investigation, police transported the girl to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Criminal Threat, according to Munoz.

TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen for alleged threat to her school.Just after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, USD 501-Topeka school administration place Chase Middle School, 2250 NE State Street, into a lock down due to receiving a credible threat to the school, according to police Lt. Manuel Munoz.School officials contacted the Topeka Police Department who worked with Campus Police and USD 501 Administrators to investigate further. Detectives took a 14-year-old student into custody from Chase Middle School and transported her to LEC for further questioning.At the conclusion of the investigation, police transported the girl to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Criminal Threat, according to Munoz.

Kan. middle school placed on lockdown after 14-year-old girl's threat 

WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s time for America to stop letting the coronavirus “dictate how we live,” President Joe Biden’s White House declared Wednesday, outlining a strategy to allow people to return to many normal activities safely after two years of pandemic disruptions.

One highlight is a new “test to treat” plan to provide free antiviral pills at pharmacies to people who test positive for the virus.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/National-COVID-19-Preparedness-Plan.pdf" target="_blank">The 90-page National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan</a>&nbsp;spells out initiatives and investments to continue to drive down serious illness and deaths from the virus, while preparing for potential new variants and providing employers and schools the resources to remain open.

“We know how to keep our businesses and our schools open with the tools that we have at our disposal,” said White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients.

Meanwhile, 140 million Americans, or 43% have now had COVID, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#national-lab" target="_blank">new assessment from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>. That estimate comes from a surveillance program that tested nearly 72,000 blood samples that were sent to commercial labs from late December to late January. The samples were checked for antibodies from infection, and were distinguishable from antibodies that came from vaccination.

More than 947,000 people in the U.S. have died from the virus according to the CDC.

Wednesday’s White House announcement follows Biden’s Tuesday night&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-state-of-the-union-4d6eb9fed9a46bb4efb63ea4e015725c">State of the Union speech</a>, in which he pointed to progress against the pandemic since last year, with a dramatic reduction in cases, along with readily available vaccines and the likelihood of new tests and therapeutics soon becoming more accessible.

“This plan lays out the roadmap to help us fight COVID-19 in the future as we move America from crisis to a time when COVID-19 does not disrupt our daily lives and is something we prevent, protect against, and treat,” the White House said. “We are not going to just ‘live with COVID.’ Because of our work, we are no longer going to let COVID-19 dictate how we live.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646306920285.png" alt="President Biden in Wisconsin on Wednesday-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden in Wisconsin on Wednesday-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s time for America to stop letting the coronavirus “dictate how we live,” President Joe Biden’s White House declared Wednesday, outlining a strategy to allow people to return to many normal activities safely after two years of pandemic disruptions.One highlight is a new “test to treat” plan to provide free antiviral pills at pharmacies to people who test positive for the virus.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/National-COVID-19-Preparedness-Plan.pdf" target="_blank">The 90-page National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan</a>&nbsp;spells out initiatives and investments to continue to drive down serious illness and deaths from the virus, while preparing for potential new variants and providing employers and schools the resources to remain open.“We know how to keep our businesses and our schools open with the tools that we have at our disposal,” said White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients.Meanwhile, 140 million Americans, or 43% have now had COVID, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#national-lab" target="_blank">new assessment from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>. That estimate comes from a surveillance program that tested nearly 72,000 blood samples that were sent to commercial labs from late December to late January. The samples were checked for antibodies from infection, and were distinguishable from antibodies that came from vaccination.More than 947,000 people in the U.S. have died from the virus according to the CDC.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Even if you already ordered free tests, tonight, I am announcing that you can order more from <a href="https://t.co/12LzJrqFsC">https://t.co/12LzJrqFsC</a> starting next week. <a href="https://t.co/ZJkbdlwyFX">pic.twitter.com/ZJkbdlwyFX</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1498852745830440963?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Wednesday’s White House announcement follows Biden’s Tuesday night&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-state-of-the-union-4d6eb9fed9a46bb4efb63ea4e015725c">State of the Union speech</a>, in which he pointed to progress against the pandemic since last year, with a dramatic reduction in cases, along with readily available vaccines and the likelihood of new tests and therapeutics soon becoming more accessible.“This plan lays out the roadmap to help us fight COVID-19 in the future as we move America from crisis to a time when COVID-19 does not disrupt our daily lives and is something we prevent, protect against, and treat,” the White House said. “We are not going to just ‘live with COVID.’ Because of our work, we are no longer going to let COVID-19 dictate how we live.”That tracked Biden’s speech statement, “Tonight, I can say we are moving forward safely, back to more normal routines. It’s time for Americans to get back to work and fill our great downtowns again.”COVID-19 cases have fallen to their lowest level since last summer in recent weeks, after a winter spike from the highly transmissible omicron variant. Deaths, though, which lag cases by weeks, are still elevated, with an average of nearly 1,700 people dying in the U.S. each day. Officials emphasize that most instances of serious illnesses and death in the U.S. occur among those who are unvaccinated or who have not received a booster dose of vaccine.The White House’s strategy comes days after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-87d7bdc811ba6521e32017072d5ea180">the CDC loosened its guidance for when face masks should be worn&nbsp;</a>in public indoor settings, placing more emphasis on local capacity to treat serious disease than overall case counts. Now more than 70% of the country can safely remove masks indoors, the CDC says, and the percentage is expected to grow as cases continue to decline.While most states and localities moved to relax their mask requirements even before the CDC change, many have kept mandates in place for schools, and the federal government continues to require face masks on public transportation, including airplanes. The federal mandate is to expire on March 18, and health officials did not provide any indication whether it would be extended.Meanwhile, businesses across the country are struggling to navigate employees’ lingering concerns about COVID-19 and desire for the flexibility of working from home. Many companies’ would like to get workers back into offices.A key component of the administration’s plan to convince American that it is safe to resume normal activities is the increasing availability of an antiviral pill from Pfizer that has been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 by 90%. By the end of the month, the administration says, 1 million pills will be available, with double that ready for use in April.A White House official said the “test-to-treat” plan would initially roll out in hundreds of pharmacies across the country, including CVS, Walgreens, and Kroger locations, and would soon expand beyond that. Those who test positive at the sites would be able to obtain the antiviral pills for quick use, dramatically reducing the risk of bad outcomes.One possible problem: The test-to-treat plan drew early concern from some pharmacists. Anne Burns, a vice president with the American Pharmacists Association, said pharmacies across the country have struggled with staffing issues in recent months. Pharmacists already doling out vaccines, prescriptions and health advice are worried about the extra time needed if they add more COVID-19 testing and treating.“There’s just a lot of considerations that go into this,” she said. “It takes far longer than it takes to dispense most normal prescriptions.”The administration said it also stands ready to rapidly administer millions of vaccine doses for children under 5 once the vaccines are approved by federal regulators. While there had been hope for the first shots to be authorized last month, Pfizer is now waiting on the results of a study including a third dose of the vaccine for that age group, and that will likely delay approval until April.As part of the new strategy, the administration is calling on Congress to reinstitute tax credits for businesses that provide paid sick leave for employees who are sick with COVID-19. The White House is also asking Congress for additional funding to invest in new COVID-19 drugs, including research into the development of pan-coronavirus vaccines that would prevent against multiple strains and even several different types of viruses.Meanwhile, federal officials emphasized they have greatly improved the public health system’s capacity to identify and track any potential new variants, with new investments in surveillance testing and genomic sequencing. Zients said the administration believes that if needed, it can authorize, produce and deliver new vaccines and treatments “in just 100 days rather than in many months or years.”Biden, in his remarks Tuesday night, said that in addition to starting the new antiviral initiative, his administration would allow people in the U.S. to order another round of free tests from the government. He said that starting next week, the administration would make available four more free tests to U.S. households through COVIDTests.gov, which has sent more than 270 million to nearly 70 million households since it launched in mid-January.Juan Gallego, a 58-year-old resident of Chelsea, Massachusetts, a majority Latino city north of Boston that was one of the state’s hardest hit during the pandemic, says Biden’s comments were appropriate, given how far the nation has come over the plast two years.“Before, we didn’t know how to treat it. We were all paranoid, we didn’t know what to do,” he said of the virus. “Now we know, with all the experience, all we’ve done with the vaccines and new treatments.”Gallego, a real estate agent who during the worst of the pandemic helped make face masks and deliver groceries and other essentials to quarantined families throughout Chelsea, said safety habits won’t quickly fade, especially in cities like his that took the brunt of the pain.Many along Chelsea’s bustling main street and even children in local schools have continued to mask up, although a statewide mask mandate in classrooms was lifted this week, he said.“He sent a message of hope, not desperation,” Gallego said of Biden. “We are in a much better place. And he’s right.”___