<a href="https://greatbendpost.com">Via Great Bend Post</a>

As
 you are aware, the current surge in the omicron variant is creating 
immense pressure on our schools and staff members as we work to keep 
classrooms staffed and in-person learning possible.

To help 
alleviate some of the pressure on our schools, the Kansas Department of 
Health and Environment (KDHE), along with the Kansas State Department of
 Education (KSDE), support schools implementing a 30-day temporary 
suspension on all contact tracing activities.

What does this mean for you as parents and guardians?&nbsp;

This
 change also shifts USD 428’s testing program. We will no longer be 
offering test-to-stay, but instead, testing will be used for diagnostic 
purposes as needed.&nbsp;

Expectation for all parents and families:

If you believe your child has 
been exposed to a positive case either at school, home, or elsewhere, 
families can choose to keep their child home to monitor symptoms for up 
to 10 days. Absences related to COVID-19 are still considered excused 
absences but the situation must be communicated with the child’s 
school.&nbsp;

While we continue to practice stepped-up hygiene 
routines and distance students when possible, there are additional 
mitigation strategies for families to consider. For students 5 and up, 
COVID-19 Vaccinations and/or boosters are free and widely available. 
Students can also wear a well-fitted mask at school and activities.&nbsp;

If
 you have any questions regarding this change to school contact tracing 
protocols, please contact your school nurse. Thank you for your 
continued support as we navigate this challenging time for our schools 
and communities. We will continue to keep you informed as guidance 
changes are announced.

<a href="https://greatbendpost.com">Via Great Bend Post</a>From USD 428 Great Bend...Dear 428 families, As
 you are aware, the current surge in the omicron variant is creating 
immense pressure on our schools and staff members as we work to keep 
classrooms staffed and in-person learning possible. To help 
alleviate some of the pressure on our schools, the Kansas Department of 
Health and Environment (KDHE), along with the Kansas State Department of
 Education (KSDE), support schools implementing a 30-day temporary 
suspension on all contact tracing activities. What does this mean for you as parents and guardians?&nbsp;<ol>
 <li>Beginning
 Tuesday, Jan. 18, our district will no longer notify families whose 
child may have been in contact, through classroom or extracurricular 
settings, with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19.&nbsp;</li><li>Students
 and staff who were previously quarantined as a close-contact, or those 
currently participating in the test-to-stay program,&nbsp;can return to 
school on Wednesday, Jan. 19 as long as they have NO symptoms.</li>
 </ol>This
 change also shifts USD 428’s testing program. We will no longer be 
offering test-to-stay, but instead, testing will be used for diagnostic 
purposes as needed.&nbsp; Expectation for all parents and families:<ol>
 <li>Regularly monitor your children for symptoms of COVID-19.While symptoms can vary based on the strain or individual,&nbsp;<a href="http://track.spe.schoolmessenger.com/f/a/5utFZXH-ESxqyMil7cTCsg~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRjyGB9P0RIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2RjLmdvdi9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy8yMDE5LW5jb3Yvc3ltcHRvbXMtdGVzdGluZy9zeW1wdG9tcy5odG1sVwdzY2hvb2xtQgph3_0s52ECx_geUhhjb2xlLnJlaWZAZWFnbGVyYWRpby5uZXRYBAAAAAE~" target="_blank">click here</a>&nbsp;for a list of common COVID-19 symptoms provided by the CDC.&nbsp;</li><li>While symptoms can vary based on the strain or individual,&nbsp;<a href="http://track.spe.schoolmessenger.com/f/a/5utFZXH-ESxqyMil7cTCsg~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRjyGB9P0RIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2RjLmdvdi9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy8yMDE5LW5jb3Yvc3ltcHRvbXMtdGVzdGluZy9zeW1wdG9tcy5odG1sVwdzY2hvb2xtQgph3_0s52ECx_geUhhjb2xlLnJlaWZAZWFnbGVyYWRpby5uZXRYBAAAAAE~" target="_blank">click here</a>&nbsp;for a list of common COVID-19 symptoms provided by the CDC.&nbsp;</li><li>Notify your school if your child tests positive.</li><li>Do
 not send your child to school if they are sick or if they test 
positive.All students who test positive for COVID-19 should stay home 
for 10 days and be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of 
fever-reducing medication before returning to school.</li><li>All 
students who test positive for COVID-19 should stay home for 10 days and
 be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication
 before returning to school.</li>
 </ol>If you believe your child has 
been exposed to a positive case either at school, home, or elsewhere, 
families can choose to keep their child home to monitor symptoms for up 
to 10 days. Absences related to COVID-19 are still considered excused 
absences but the situation must be communicated with the child’s 
school.&nbsp; While we continue to practice stepped-up hygiene 
routines and distance students when possible, there are additional 
mitigation strategies for families to consider. For students 5 and up, 
COVID-19 Vaccinations and/or boosters are free and widely available. 
Students can also wear a well-fitted mask at school and activities.&nbsp; If
 you have any questions regarding this change to school contact tracing 
protocols, please contact your school nurse. Thank you for your 
continued support as we navigate this challenging time for our schools 
and communities. We will continue to keep you informed as guidance 
changes are announced.

Great Bend school district scales back COVID protocols

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;are pursuing redistricting proposals that would remove Democratic voters from the Kansas-City area swing district currently held by the state’s only Democratic member of Congress.

GOP lawmakers on Tuesday made public their first congressional redistricting proposals during meetings of committees in the state House and Senate. Those committees could vote on new lines for the state's four congressional districts by the end of the week.

The debate in Kansas comes with Republicans hoping to regain a U.S. House majority in this year's mid-term elections. Democrats fear that new political boundaries will make it harder for Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids to win reelection in Kansas' 3rd District and are focused on keeping most of Johnson and Wyandotte counties together. Those two counties contain most of the state's side of the Kansas City metropolitan area, and Wyandotte County is among a few Democratic strongholds in Republican-leaning Kansas.

Davids' district is almost 58,000 residents over the ideal district population of about 734,000. The other three districts are underpopulated, with the already-sprawling 1st District of western and central Kansas needing to pick up close to 34,000 people for all four districts to be as equal in population as possible.

The House committee Chair, Rep. Chris Croft, an Overland Park Republican, said he wasn't considering politics when he outlined a proposal that would draw part of Wyandotte County out of Davids' district. He also emphasized that new proposals may emerge from hearings and debates later this week.

“A lot of it's population driven,” he said. “There's a lot of factors that go into it.”

Top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature hope to avoid the meltdown that occurred in 2012, the last time lawmakers faced redrawing political boundaries to account for shifts in population. A bitter fight over legislative districts between conservative and moderate Republicans kept any proposal from passing — and three federal judges drew all the lines.

Democrats are skeptical that GOP proposals on congressional redistricting aren't driven by a desire to wound Davids politically. Democratic state Rep. Tom Burroughs, of Kansas City, outlined his own proposal that would keep Wyandotte County in Davids' district with most of Johnson County. He said local residents don't want their area split between two congressional districts.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who can veto redistricting measures, told reporters last week: “What should happen is that they should shrink it in a way that maintains that community interest there in the KC metro area.”

In Croft's proposal, the northern part of Wyandotte County would go into a redrawn 2nd District with Topeka and most of southeast Kansas.

A second proposal came from Republican Rep. Kyle Hoffman, of Coldwater, and it would move all of Wyandotte County into a 1st District that would stretch from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/colorado">Colorado</a>&nbsp;to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/missouri">Missouri</a>&nbsp;border in the north part of the state. He said it was based on a proposal that won House approval in 2012.

“I'm not really introducing it because I'm in love with it,” Hoffman said. “It's more of a map to just give us an idea and a baseline.”

Burroughs' proposal appeals to Democrats, but it has the 1st District snaking over the Wichita area and taking in most of southeast Kansas. Some GOP lawmakers pushed a similar idea in 2002 — only to have their proposed map angrily mocked by some residents of both northwest and southeast Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642591979872.png" alt="Proposed map" />
 <figcaption>Proposed map</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA, AP Political WriterTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;are pursuing redistricting proposals that would remove Democratic voters from the Kansas-City area swing district currently held by the state’s only Democratic member of Congress.GOP lawmakers on Tuesday made public their first congressional redistricting proposals during meetings of committees in the state House and Senate. Those committees could vote on new lines for the state's four congressional districts by the end of the week.The debate in Kansas comes with Republicans hoping to regain a U.S. House majority in this year's mid-term elections. Democrats fear that new political boundaries will make it harder for Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids to win reelection in Kansas' 3rd District and are focused on keeping most of Johnson and Wyandotte counties together. Those two counties contain most of the state's side of the Kansas City metropolitan area, and Wyandotte County is among a few Democratic strongholds in Republican-leaning Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610038234095.png" alt="Rep. Sharie Davids" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Sharie Davids</figcaption>
 </figure>Davids' district is almost 58,000 residents over the ideal district population of about 734,000. The other three districts are underpopulated, with the already-sprawling 1st District of western and central Kansas needing to pick up close to 34,000 people for all four districts to be as equal in population as possible.The House committee Chair, Rep. Chris Croft, an Overland Park Republican, said he wasn't considering politics when he outlined a proposal that would draw part of Wyandotte County out of Davids' district. He also emphasized that new proposals may emerge from hearings and debates later this week.“A lot of it's population driven,” he said. “There's a lot of factors that go into it.”Top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature hope to avoid the meltdown that occurred in 2012, the last time lawmakers faced redrawing political boundaries to account for shifts in population. A bitter fight over legislative districts between conservative and moderate Republicans kept any proposal from passing — and three federal judges drew all the lines.Democrats are skeptical that GOP proposals on congressional redistricting aren't driven by a desire to wound Davids politically. Democratic state Rep. Tom Burroughs, of Kansas City, outlined his own proposal that would keep Wyandotte County in Davids' district with most of Johnson County. He said local residents don't want their area split between two congressional districts.Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who can veto redistricting measures, told reporters last week: “What should happen is that they should shrink it in a way that maintains that community interest there in the KC metro area.”In Croft's proposal, the northern part of Wyandotte County would go into a redrawn 2nd District with Topeka and most of southeast Kansas.A second proposal came from Republican Rep. Kyle Hoffman, of Coldwater, and it would move all of Wyandotte County into a 1st District that would stretch from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/colorado">Colorado</a>&nbsp;to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/missouri">Missouri</a>&nbsp;border in the north part of the state. He said it was based on a proposal that won House approval in 2012.“I'm not really introducing it because I'm in love with it,” Hoffman said. “It's more of a map to just give us an idea and a baseline.”Burroughs' proposal appeals to Democrats, but it has the 1st District snaking over the Wichita area and taking in most of southeast Kansas. Some GOP lawmakers pushed a similar idea in 2002 — only to have their proposed map angrily mocked by some residents of both northwest and southeast Kansas.

GOP redistricting plans in Kansas split Democrat's district

WASHINGTON (AP) —The fast-moving omicron variant may cause less severe disease on average, but COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are climbing and modelers forecast 50,000 to 300,000 more Americans could die by the time the wave subsides in mid-March.

The seven-day rolling average for daily new COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. has been trending upward since mid-November, reaching nearly 1,700 on Jan. 17 — still below the peak of 3,300 in January 2021. COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-pandemics-nursing-homes-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-31685a926b0ee4e97e1b314a52b1f41c">started rising slightly two weeks ago</a>, although still at a rate 10 times less than last year before most residents were vaccinated.

Despite signs omicron causes milder disease on average, the unprecedented level of infection spreading through the country, with cases still soaring in many states, means many vulnerable people will become severely sick. If the higher end of projections comes to pass, that would push total U.S. deaths from COVID-19 over 1 million by early spring.

“A lot of people are still going to die because of how transmissible omicron has been,” said University of South Florida epidemiologist Jason Salemi. “It unfortunately is going to get worse before it gets better.”

Morgues are starting to run out of space in Johnson County, Kansas, said Dr. Sanmi Areola, director of the health department. More than 30 residents have died in the county this year, the vast majority of them unvaccinated.

But the notion that a generally less severe variant could still take the lives of thousands of people has been difficult for health experts to convey. The math of it — that a small percentage of a very high number of infections can yield a very high number of deaths — is difficult to visualize.

“Overall, you’re going to see more sick people even if you as an individual have a lower chance of being sick,” said Katriona Shea of Pennsylvania State University, who co-leads a team that pulls together&nbsp;<a href="https://covid19scenariomodelinghub.org/" target="_blank">several pandemic models</a>&nbsp;and shares the combined projections with the White House.

The wave of deaths heading for the United States will crest in late January or early February, Shea said. In early February, weekly deaths could equal or exceed the delta peak, and possibly even surpass the previous U.S. peak in deaths last year.

Some unknown portion of these deaths are among people infected with the delta variant, but experts say omicron is also claiming lives.

“This is omicron driven,” Shea said of the coming wave of deaths. The combined models project 1.5 million Americans will be hospitalized and 191,000 will die from mid-December through mid-March. Taking into account the uncertainty in the models, U.S. deaths during the omicron wave could range from 58,000 to 305,000.

Yet, it’s become increasingly clear that the risk from omicron is lower than from previous variants. New evidence from nearly 70,000 patients in Southern California suggests omicron is causing milder illness than delta.

A study, posted online and cited during a recent White House briefing, found patients with omicron had a 53% lower risk of hospitalization with respiratory symptoms, a 74% lower risk of ICU admission, and a 91% lower risk of death. The study, which has not yet been peer reviewed, comes from researchers at Kaiser Permanente and University of California, Berkeley.

“It’s hard for me to say straight out it’s good news,” said study co-author Sara Y. Tartof, a Kaiser Permanente research scientist. “Maybe there’s good news in the sense that if you are infected your chance of becoming severely ill are decreased, but from a societal perspective it’s a very heavy burden for us. It remains a serious situation, and we need to maintain practices and behaviors we know protect us.”

Overburdened hospitals could also contribute to more deaths, said Marc Lipsitch of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and scientific director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s forecasting center.

“In places with extremely short staffing and overloads of patients, as the medical professionals have been telling us, the quality of care begins to suffer,” Lipsitch said. “That may also lead to higher death rates, but that’s not in any of the models that I’m aware of.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —The fast-moving omicron variant may cause less severe disease on average, but COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are climbing and modelers forecast 50,000 to 300,000 more Americans could die by the time the wave subsides in mid-March.The seven-day rolling average for daily new COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. has been trending upward since mid-November, reaching nearly 1,700 on Jan. 17 — still below the peak of 3,300 in January 2021. COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-pandemics-nursing-homes-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-31685a926b0ee4e97e1b314a52b1f41c">started rising slightly two weeks ago</a>, although still at a rate 10 times less than last year before most residents were vaccinated.Despite signs omicron causes milder disease on average, the unprecedented level of infection spreading through the country, with cases still soaring in many states, means many vulnerable people will become severely sick. If the higher end of projections comes to pass, that would push total U.S. deaths from COVID-19 over 1 million by early spring.“A lot of people are still going to die because of how transmissible omicron has been,” said University of South Florida epidemiologist Jason Salemi. “It unfortunately is going to get worse before it gets better.”Morgues are starting to run out of space in Johnson County, Kansas, said Dr. Sanmi Areola, director of the health department. More than 30 residents have died in the county this year, the vast majority of them unvaccinated.But the notion that a generally less severe variant could still take the lives of thousands of people has been difficult for health experts to convey. The math of it — that a small percentage of a very high number of infections can yield a very high number of deaths — is difficult to visualize.“Overall, you’re going to see more sick people even if you as an individual have a lower chance of being sick,” said Katriona Shea of Pennsylvania State University, who co-leads a team that pulls together&nbsp;<a href="https://covid19scenariomodelinghub.org/" target="_blank">several pandemic models</a>&nbsp;and shares the combined projections with the White House.The wave of deaths heading for the United States will crest in late January or early February, Shea said. In early February, weekly deaths could equal or exceed the delta peak, and possibly even surpass the previous U.S. peak in deaths last year.Some unknown portion of these deaths are among people infected with the delta variant, but experts say omicron is also claiming lives.“This is omicron driven,” Shea said of the coming wave of deaths. The combined models project 1.5 million Americans will be hospitalized and 191,000 will die from mid-December through mid-March. Taking into account the uncertainty in the models, U.S. deaths during the omicron wave could range from 58,000 to 305,000.Yet, it’s become increasingly clear that the risk from omicron is lower than from previous variants. New evidence from nearly 70,000 patients in Southern California suggests omicron is causing milder illness than delta.A study, posted online and cited during a recent White House briefing, found patients with omicron had a 53% lower risk of hospitalization with respiratory symptoms, a 74% lower risk of ICU admission, and a 91% lower risk of death. The study, which has not yet been peer reviewed, comes from researchers at Kaiser Permanente and University of California, Berkeley.“It’s hard for me to say straight out it’s good news,” said study co-author Sara Y. Tartof, a Kaiser Permanente research scientist. “Maybe there’s good news in the sense that if you are infected your chance of becoming severely ill are decreased, but from a societal perspective it’s a very heavy burden for us. It remains a serious situation, and we need to maintain practices and behaviors we know protect us.”Overburdened hospitals could also contribute to more deaths, said Marc Lipsitch of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and scientific director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s forecasting center.“In places with extremely short staffing and overloads of patients, as the medical professionals have been telling us, the quality of care begins to suffer,” Lipsitch said. “That may also lead to higher death rates, but that’s not in any of the models that I’m aware of.”___

Report: US faces wave of omicron deaths in coming weeks

FINNEY COUNY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery and asking the public for help with information.

Just after 3:30a.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to 950 N. Jennie Barker for an aggravated robbery

The investigation revealed that the victim, a 28-year-old man, was sitting in his vehicle when an unknown man dressed in black and wearing a black ski mask approached the front driver side window. 

The suspect tapped on the window with a knife and demanded the victim to give him everything he had. 

The victim rolled down the window and gave the suspect an undisclosed amount of money. Officers searched the area and were unable to locate the suspect.

The Garden City Police Department is requesting assistance from the community. If you witnessed this incident, or have information related to this incident, you should call the Garden City Police Department (620) 276-1300, 

FINNEY COUNY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery and asking the public for help with information.Just after 3:30a.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to 950 N. Jennie Barker for an aggravated robberyThe investigation revealed that the victim, a 28-year-old man, was sitting in his vehicle when an unknown man dressed in black and wearing a black ski mask approached the front driver side window. The suspect tapped on the window with a knife and demanded the victim to give him everything he had. The victim rolled down the window and gave the suspect an undisclosed amount of money. Officers searched the area and were unable to locate the suspect.The Garden City Police Department is requesting assistance from the community. If you witnessed this incident, or have information related to this incident, you should call the Garden City Police Department (620) 276-1300,

Police: SW Kansas armed robbery suspect wore black ski mask 

By DAN MARGOLIES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-01-17/kansas-woman-sues-democratic-national-committee-over-robotexts-and-wins-60-000">Kansas News Service</a>

A Kansas woman who claimed unsolicited text messages from the 
Democratic National Committee blocked her cellphone and prevented her 
from providing needed herbal treatment to a cancer patient has been 
awarded a $60,000 default judgment against the DNC.

Mankato 
resident Ursula Lenhardt sued the DNC last year, alleging the raft of 
unsolicited robotexts violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 
which allows consumers to recover $500 for each phone solicitation that 
violates the law.

The TCPA, which was enacted in 1991, generally prohibits unsolicited, automated telemarketing calls.

The
 DNC never responded to Lenhardt’s lawsuit, which she filed without an 
attorney, and last week, U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree awarded her
 $500 in damages for each of the 120 text message violations Lenhardt 
alleged.

Lenhardt claimed in her complaint that, as a result of 
the unsolicited messages from the DNC, she was unable “to make an 
urgently needed phone call” around Election Day Nov. 3, 2020, to an 
elderly cancer patient whom she was treating.

The person died, “as
 Miss Lenhardt was unable to provide the herbal remedy for this cancer 
suffering person,” Lenhardt’s complaint stated. “Her cell phone was 
blocked completely. That person has been refused treatment at a Salina 
hospital, he has been send (sic) home — the herbs that just had arrived 
and urgently needed to be picked up were his only hope and chance.”

Lenhardt did not respond to questions sent to her via email. The DNC did not respond to multiple requests seeking comment.

Bill
 Raney, a Kansas City lawyer who specializes in TCPA cases, said he was 
surprised the DNC didn’t respond to Lenhardt’s lawsuit.

“I’ve 
represented at least 10 pro se (parties who represent themselves) and 
otherwise more serious actions against politicians and political 
parties,” Raney said. “It’s impossible that they were unaware of the 
law, and it’s just shocking to me that a default would be taken.”

Lenhardt
 is a German citizen, according to her complaint. She is an artist whose
 work was displayed at Blue Earth Studios and Gallery in Mankato in 
December 2016. The paintings were being offered at $2,250 apiece. The 
gallery described her on its <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=blueearthstudios&amp;set=a.1824682347749643" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> as having studied art, theater, filmmaking, linguistics and literature in Indonesia, England and Germany.

Lenhardt
 has also sued the city of Mankato and the Federal Republic of Germany, 
according to court records. The suit against Mankato, which alleged the 
city had allowed “an unpermitted go-cart-rally” in her backyard for five
 hours in 2018, was dismissed. The suit against the Federal Republic of 
Germany, which sought $12 million in damages and alleged Germany had 
wrongfully failed to issue her a passport, also was dismissed.

In 
addition to the DNC, Lenhardt’s original lawsuit named as defendants 
President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former President 
Barack Obama, former Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Elizabeth Warren “as 
leading members of the Democratic National Party.”

Crabtree, 
however, found that Lenhardt had no standing to sue them and dismissed 
them from the lawsuit. But he found that Lenhardt did assert plausible 
claims under the TCPA against the DNC and allowed those to proceed.

Lenhardt
 asked for a total of $720,000 in damages, but Crabtree rejected her 
request for damages based on “the additional stress, pain and suffering”
 that she claimed she incurred from the TCPA violations.

To back 
up that claim, Lenhardt provided a statement from a neighbor of the 
cancer patient claiming that Lenhardt was unable to send the neighbor a 
message to pick up the herbal remedy for the patient because her phone 
was blocked.

Crabtree, however, said those allegations were “too 
attenuated from the TCPA violations” to support Lenhardt’s pain and 
suffering request.

"That would have no relevance on the damages," Raney said. "The damages are statutory."

Crabtree
 also rejected Lenhardt's claim for triple damages based on “willful and
 knowing” violations of the TCPA. Crabtree ruled that Lenhardt failed to
 prove the DNC’s violations were willful and knowing.

But he did 
find that she was entitled to statutory damages of $500 for each TCPA 
violation. And he also awarded her post-judgment interest.

Oddly, 
on the same day that Crabtree issued his ruling, another federal judge 
in Texas ruled in a similar case brought against the Republican National
 Committee. Unlike the DNC, however, the RNC defended itself and the 
judge found in its favor.

The plaintiff in the Texas case, 
Savannah Berger, claimed that unsolicited text messages sent by the RNC 
to encourage her to vote for Donald Trump were sent to her cell phone 
without her consent. The judge found that Berger had abandoned her claim
 that the texts were made using an automated telephone dialing system. 
The judge also found that political texts are not covered by the TCPA’s 
DNC — which in this context does not stand for Democratic National 
Committee but for “do not call.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642520506851.png" alt="U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree rejected Ursula Lenhardt's claims for damages based on "pain and suffering," but found that the DNC had violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Photo Illustration-Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree rejected Ursula Lenhardt's claims for damages based on "pain and suffering," but found that the DNC had violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Photo Illustration-Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAN MARGOLIES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-01-17/kansas-woman-sues-democratic-national-committee-over-robotexts-and-wins-60-000">Kansas News Service</a>A Kansas woman who claimed unsolicited text messages from the 
Democratic National Committee blocked her cellphone and prevented her 
from providing needed herbal treatment to a cancer patient has been 
awarded a $60,000 default judgment against the DNC.Mankato 
resident Ursula Lenhardt sued the DNC last year, alleging the raft of 
unsolicited robotexts violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 
which allows consumers to recover $500 for each phone solicitation that 
violates the law.The TCPA, which was enacted in 1991, generally prohibits unsolicited, automated telemarketing calls.The
 DNC never responded to Lenhardt’s lawsuit, which she filed without an 
attorney, and last week, U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree awarded her
 $500 in damages for each of the 120 text message violations Lenhardt 
alleged.Lenhardt claimed in her complaint that, as a result of 
the unsolicited messages from the DNC, she was unable “to make an 
urgently needed phone call” around Election Day Nov. 3, 2020, to an 
elderly cancer patient whom she was treating.The person died, “as
 Miss Lenhardt was unable to provide the herbal remedy for this cancer 
suffering person,” Lenhardt’s complaint stated. “Her cell phone was 
blocked completely. That person has been refused treatment at a Salina 
hospital, he has been send (sic) home — the herbs that just had arrived 
and urgently needed to be picked up were his only hope and chance.”Lenhardt did not respond to questions sent to her via email. The DNC did not respond to multiple requests seeking comment.Bill
 Raney, a Kansas City lawyer who specializes in TCPA cases, said he was 
surprised the DNC didn’t respond to Lenhardt’s lawsuit.“I’ve 
represented at least 10 pro se (parties who represent themselves) and 
otherwise more serious actions against politicians and political 
parties,” Raney said. “It’s impossible that they were unaware of the 
law, and it’s just shocking to me that a default would be taken.”Lenhardt
 is a German citizen, according to her complaint. She is an artist whose
 work was displayed at Blue Earth Studios and Gallery in Mankato in 
December 2016. The paintings were being offered at $2,250 apiece. The 
gallery described her on its <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=blueearthstudios&amp;set=a.1824682347749643" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> as having studied art, theater, filmmaking, linguistics and literature in Indonesia, England and Germany.Lenhardt
 has also sued the city of Mankato and the Federal Republic of Germany, 
according to court records. The suit against Mankato, which alleged the 
city had allowed “an unpermitted go-cart-rally” in her backyard for five
 hours in 2018, was dismissed. The suit against the Federal Republic of 
Germany, which sought $12 million in damages and alleged Germany had 
wrongfully failed to issue her a passport, also was dismissed.In 
addition to the DNC, Lenhardt’s original lawsuit named as defendants 
President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former President 
Barack Obama, former Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Elizabeth Warren “as 
leading members of the Democratic National Party.”Crabtree, 
however, found that Lenhardt had no standing to sue them and dismissed 
them from the lawsuit. But he found that Lenhardt did assert plausible 
claims under the TCPA against the DNC and allowed those to proceed.Lenhardt
 asked for a total of $720,000 in damages, but Crabtree rejected her 
request for damages based on “the additional stress, pain and suffering”
 that she claimed she incurred from the TCPA violations.To back 
up that claim, Lenhardt provided a statement from a neighbor of the 
cancer patient claiming that Lenhardt was unable to send the neighbor a 
message to pick up the herbal remedy for the patient because her phone 
was blocked.Crabtree, however, said those allegations were “too 
attenuated from the TCPA violations” to support Lenhardt’s pain and 
suffering request."That would have no relevance on the damages," Raney said. "The damages are statutory."Crabtree
 also rejected Lenhardt's claim for triple damages based on “willful and
 knowing” violations of the TCPA. Crabtree ruled that Lenhardt failed to
 prove the DNC’s violations were willful and knowing.But he did 
find that she was entitled to statutory damages of $500 for each TCPA 
violation. And he also awarded her post-judgment interest.Oddly, 
on the same day that Crabtree issued his ruling, another federal judge 
in Texas ruled in a similar case brought against the Republican National
 Committee. Unlike the DNC, however, the RNC defended itself and the 
judge found in its favor.The plaintiff in the Texas case, 
Savannah Berger, claimed that unsolicited text messages sent by the RNC 
to encourage her to vote for Donald Trump were sent to her cell phone 
without her consent. The judge found that Berger had abandoned her claim
 that the texts were made using an automated telephone dialing system. 
The judge also found that political texts are not covered by the TCPA’s 
DNC — which in this context does not stand for Democratic National 
Committee but for “do not call.”

Kan. woman sues Democratic National Committee over robotexts, wins $60K

TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE)&nbsp;and the Kansas Trauma Program (KTP)&nbsp;continue to highlight the importance of&nbsp;blood donation&nbsp;amid increasingly critical blood shortages&nbsp;experienced across the state and nation, according to a media release from the KDHE.

Blood shortages&nbsp;can pose risks to hospitals&nbsp;in performing necessary patient care.&nbsp;As January is&nbsp;National Blood Donor month, KDHE&nbsp;and KTP&nbsp;encourage those able to schedule an appointment&nbsp;to donate blood.&nbsp;In recent weeks, the Red Cross has&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMTguNTE5ODQzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5yZWRjcm9zc2Jsb29kLm9yZy9kb25hdGUtYmxvb2QvZGxwL3JlZC1jcm9zcy1uYXRpb25hbC1ibG9vZC1zaG9ydGFnZS1jcmlzaXMuaHRtbD91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.iASOp0H5bbu_82ByKXRuKOz71NRXz6nQH2aX7wnSNq4/s/1305913448/br/125267166386-l" target="_blank">declared</a>&nbsp;this the worst blood shortage in over a decade, with less than a one-day supply of critical blood types.&nbsp;The Community Blood Center for our region is at a 1-2 day&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMTguNTE5ODQzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3NhdmVhbGlmZW5vdy5vcmcvbmV3cy9hcnRpY2xlcy9sb2NhbC1ibG9vZC1zdXBwbHktZHJvcHMtZW1lcmdlbmN5LWxldmVscy1mb3VydGgtdGltZS15ZWFyLW5hdGlvbndpZGUtc2hvcnRhZ2UtY29udGludWVzLz91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.P5XU0EFudbN2jI6JYCS_PgOQ20_IdWI36in8fdHtjO8/s/1305913448/br/125267166386-l" target="_blank">supply</a>.&nbsp;

“We encourage Kansans who can donate blood to&nbsp;schedule an appointment today,”&nbsp;Janet Stanek, Acting Secretary, said.&nbsp;“Blood donation&nbsp;helps ensure&nbsp;our&nbsp;hospitals can continue their operations and&nbsp;has the ability to save lives.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Updated policies and practices&nbsp;allow for safe donation during the pandemic.&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMTguNTE5ODQzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3NhdmVhbGlmZW5vdy5vcmcvZG9uYXRlLWJsb29kL2NvdmlkLTE5LWFuZC1ibG9vZC1kb25hdGlvbi8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.wzcTV3bsGe17ouyqwNy2bznDjC3zcnvAw8ku7pKuM3E/s/1305913448/br/125267166386-l" target="_blank">Donation centers provide specific guidance</a>&nbsp;on the blood donation process and safety measures&nbsp;taken within their centers. The National Institutes of Health have&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMTguNTE5ODQzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5uaWguZ292L25ld3MtZXZlbnRzL25ld3MtcmVsZWFzZXMvdXMtYmxvb2QtZG9uYXRpb25zLWFyZS1zYWZlLXVuZGVyLWN1cnJlbnQtY292aWQtMTktc2NyZWVuaW5nLWd1aWRlbGluZXM_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.nwGrS4d3UPLmWuGxDNEkQEThSqWA4gSJAXmVRcakM_4/s/1305913448/br/125267166386-l" target="_blank">found</a>&nbsp;blood donations to be safe under current COVID-19 screening guidelines.&nbsp;

Locations for blood donation can be found at organization websites such as&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMTguNTE5ODQzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3NhdmVhbGlmZW5vdy5vcmcvbmV3cy9hcnRpY2xlcy9sb2NhbC1ibG9vZC1odHRwczovc2F2ZWFsaWZlbm93Lm9yZy9kb25hdGUtYmxvb2QvP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.pJfMbJzA_j2bpbTnwu5SU0Ixg8UcfxEyf0kDjrGoJbE/s/1305913448/br/125267166386-l" target="_blank">savealifenow.org</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMTguNTE5ODQzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmFtZXJpY2FzYmxvb2Qub3JnLz91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.tiQ7uHlRycEJUlszzvSvB-3P1qKwZE2BYk4btixh3yg/s/1305913448/br/125267166386-l" target="_blank">AmericasBlood.org</a>,&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMTguNTE5ODQzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5yZWRjcm9zc2Jsb29kLm9yZy9naXZlLmh0bWwvZmluZC1kcml2ZT91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.BeIO6EnubxrkGuCBF9pHTB8K2_n6VC408_ecqTky7Xo/s/1305913448/br/125267166386-l" target="_blank">redcrossblood.org</a>.&nbsp;

TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE)&nbsp;and the Kansas Trauma Program (KTP)&nbsp;continue to highlight the importance of&nbsp;blood donation&nbsp;amid increasingly critical blood shortages&nbsp;experienced across the state and nation, according to a media release from the KDHE.Blood shortages&nbsp;can pose risks to hospitals&nbsp;in performing necessary patient care.&nbsp;As January is&nbsp;National Blood Donor month, KDHE&nbsp;and KTP&nbsp;encourage those able to schedule an appointment&nbsp;to donate blood.&nbsp;In recent weeks, the Red Cross has&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMTguNTE5ODQzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5yZWRjcm9zc2Jsb29kLm9yZy9kb25hdGUtYmxvb2QvZGxwL3JlZC1jcm9zcy1uYXRpb25hbC1ibG9vZC1zaG9ydGFnZS1jcmlzaXMuaHRtbD91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.iASOp0H5bbu_82ByKXRuKOz71NRXz6nQH2aX7wnSNq4/s/1305913448/br/125267166386-l" target="_blank">declared</a>&nbsp;this the worst blood shortage in over a decade, with less than a one-day supply of critical blood types.&nbsp;The Community Blood Center for our region is at a 1-2 day&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMTguNTE5ODQzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3NhdmVhbGlmZW5vdy5vcmcvbmV3cy9hcnRpY2xlcy9sb2NhbC1ibG9vZC1zdXBwbHktZHJvcHMtZW1lcmdlbmN5LWxldmVscy1mb3VydGgtdGltZS15ZWFyLW5hdGlvbndpZGUtc2hvcnRhZ2UtY29udGludWVzLz91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.P5XU0EFudbN2jI6JYCS_PgOQ20_IdWI36in8fdHtjO8/s/1305913448/br/125267166386-l" target="_blank">supply</a>.&nbsp;“We encourage Kansans who can donate blood to&nbsp;schedule an appointment today,”&nbsp;Janet Stanek, Acting Secretary, said.&nbsp;“Blood donation&nbsp;helps ensure&nbsp;our&nbsp;hospitals can continue their operations and&nbsp;has the ability to save lives.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Updated policies and practices&nbsp;allow for safe donation during the pandemic.&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMTguNTE5ODQzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3NhdmVhbGlmZW5vdy5vcmcvZG9uYXRlLWJsb29kL2NvdmlkLTE5LWFuZC1ibG9vZC1kb25hdGlvbi8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.wzcTV3bsGe17ouyqwNy2bznDjC3zcnvAw8ku7pKuM3E/s/1305913448/br/125267166386-l" target="_blank">Donation centers provide specific guidance</a>&nbsp;on the blood donation process and safety measures&nbsp;taken within their centers. The National Institutes of Health have&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMTguNTE5ODQzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5uaWguZ292L25ld3MtZXZlbnRzL25ld3MtcmVsZWFzZXMvdXMtYmxvb2QtZG9uYXRpb25zLWFyZS1zYWZlLXVuZGVyLWN1cnJlbnQtY292aWQtMTktc2NyZWVuaW5nLWd1aWRlbGluZXM_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.nwGrS4d3UPLmWuGxDNEkQEThSqWA4gSJAXmVRcakM_4/s/1305913448/br/125267166386-l" target="_blank">found</a>&nbsp;blood donations to be safe under current COVID-19 screening guidelines.&nbsp;Locations for blood donation can be found at organization websites such as&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMTguNTE5ODQzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3NhdmVhbGlmZW5vdy5vcmcvbmV3cy9hcnRpY2xlcy9sb2NhbC1ibG9vZC1odHRwczovc2F2ZWFsaWZlbm93Lm9yZy9kb25hdGUtYmxvb2QvP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.pJfMbJzA_j2bpbTnwu5SU0Ixg8UcfxEyf0kDjrGoJbE/s/1305913448/br/125267166386-l" target="_blank">savealifenow.org</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMTguNTE5ODQzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmFtZXJpY2FzYmxvb2Qub3JnLz91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.tiQ7uHlRycEJUlszzvSvB-3P1qKwZE2BYk4btixh3yg/s/1305913448/br/125267166386-l" target="_blank">AmericasBlood.org</a>,&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMTguNTE5ODQzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5yZWRjcm9zc2Jsb29kLm9yZy9naXZlLmh0bWwvZmluZC1kcml2ZT91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.BeIO6EnubxrkGuCBF9pHTB8K2_n6VC408_ecqTky7Xo/s/1305913448/br/125267166386-l" target="_blank">redcrossblood.org</a>.&nbsp;

Critical blood shortage impacting hospitals in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — Voting legislation that Democrats and civil rights leaders say is vital for protecting democracy appeared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-joe-biden-voting-elections-wv-state-wire-28fce7f5190404f5091158c912bf8d5d">headed for defeat</a>&nbsp;as the Senate churned into debate, a devastating setback enabled by President Joe Biden’s own party as two holdout senators refuse to support rule changes to overcome a Republican filibuster.

The Democratic senators,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kyrsten-sinema">Kyrsten Sinema</a>&nbsp;of Arizona and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-manchin">Joe Manchin</a>&nbsp;of West Virginia, faced strong criticism from Black leaders and civil rights organizations for failing to take on what critics call the “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-bills-filibusters-legislation-voting-rights-4b2f6cff2030420b21a6e394641d5fe1">Jim Crow filibuster.”</a>

The debate carries echoes of an earlier era when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-congress-voting-elections-filibusters-ed5fdd5d4a0338e04779015abcb6e1db">the Senate filibuster</a>&nbsp;was deployed in lengthy speeches by opponents of civil rights legislation. It comes as Democrats and other voting advocates nationwide warn that Republican-led states are passing laws making it more difficult for Black Americans and others to vote by consolidating polling locations, requiring certain types of identification and ordering other changes.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer acknowledged the current bill’s likely defeat this week. But he said the fight is not over as he heeds advocates’ call to force all senators to go on record with their positions.

“We ain’t giving up,” Schumer said after a Tuesday evening strategy meeting. “It is a fight for the soul and the future of America.”

This is the fifth time the Senate will try to pass voting legislation this Congress.

The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act combines earlier bills into one package that would make Election Day a national holiday, ensure access to early voting and mail-in ballots — which have become especially popular during the COVID-19 pandemic — and enable the Justice Department to intervene in states with a history of voter interference, among other changes.

Both Manchin and Sinema say they support the package, which has passed the House, but they are unwilling to change the Senate rules to muscle it through that chamber over Republican objections. With a 50-50 split, Democrats have a narrow Senate majority — Vice President Kamala Harris can break a tie — but they lack the 60 votes needed to overcome the GOP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-bills-filibusters-legislation-voting-rights-4b2f6cff2030420b21a6e394641d5fe1">filibuster</a>.

Instead, Schumer announced the Senate will vote on a more specific rules change for a “talking filibuster” on this one bill — requiring senators to stand at their desks and argue their views, rather than the current practice that simply allows senators to privately signal their objections.

Initial voting could start as soon as Wednesday. But even the proposal for a “talking filibuster” is expected to fail, since Manchin and Sinema have said they are unwilling to change the rules on a party-line vote by Democrats alone.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who led his party in doing away with the filibuster’s 60-vote threshold for Supreme Court nominees during Donald Trump’s presidency, warned off changing the rules again. He said Tuesday it would “break the Senate.”

Democratic senators countered in speeches from the Senate floor that with Republicans objecting to the voting legislation they have no choice.

Manchin did open the door to a more tailored package of voting law changes — including to the Electoral College Act, which became a focus of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol — that he said a bipartisan group of senators are working on and could draw Republican support.

“There are so many things that we can agree on,” he said, though he held firm against voting to change the filibuster rules.

Just as Manchin and Sinema blocked Biden’s broad “Build Back Better” domestic spending package, the two senators are now dashing hopes for another major part of Biden’s presidential agenda. They are infuriating many of their colleagues and faced a barrage of criticism during Martin Luther King Jr. Day events.

Martin Luther King III, the son of the late civil rights leader, compared Sinema and Manchin to the white moderates his father wrote about during the civil rights battles of the 1950s and 1960s — who declared support for the goals of Black voting rights but not the direct actions or demonstrations that ultimately led to passage of landmark legislation.

“History will not remember them kindly,” the younger King said, referring to Sinema and Manchin by name.

Once reluctant himself to change Senate rules, Biden used the King holiday to press senators to do just that. But the push from the White House, including Biden’s blistering speech last week in Atlanta comparing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-joe-biden-georgia-voting-martin-luther-king-jr-dc4544c23622f35fc95d63afe512554d">opponents to segregationists</a>, is seen as too late, coming as the president ends his first year in office with his popularity sagging.

“The president’s view is that the American people deserve to see where their leaders stand on protecting their fundamental rights,” said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.

The Senate launched the days-long debate, but the outcome is expected to be no different from past failed votes on the legislation. Biden has been unable to persuade Sinema and Manchin to join other Democrats to change the rules to lower the 60-vote threshold. In fact, Sinema upstaged the president last week, reiterating her opposition to the rules changes just before Biden arrived on Capitol Hill to court senators’ votes.

Both senators have argued that preserving the filibuster rules is important for fostering bipartisanship. They also warn of what would happen if Republicans win back majority control, as is distinctly possible this election year.

McConnell has argued the broad package now before the Senate is a federal overreach into state-run elections, and he harshly criticized Biden’s speech last week as “unpresidential.”

Leading sports figures from Manchin’s home state of West Virginia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-college-football-sports-alabama-crimson-tide-football-jerry-west-eb9b7b0a33e81f7f3661ad528959cf1c">also have weighed in</a>. In a letter last week, University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban, NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West and others urged him to support the legislation.

The political group Emily’s List said it won’t endorse Sinema if she cannot support a path forward for the voting bill.

Before Republicans lowered the vote threshold for Trump’s Supreme Court nominees, Democrats had similarly dropped it to a simple majority for confirmation of administrative positions and lower court nominees. It typically takes a 67-vote supermajority to change party rules, but both were done on party-line votes.

The voting bill was the Democrats’ top priority this Congress, and the House swiftly approved H.R. 1 only to see it languish in the Senate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642590897189.png" alt="Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer acknowledged the current bill’s likely defeat this week. But he said the fight is not over as he heeds advocates’ call to force all senators to go on record with their positions.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer acknowledged the current bill’s likely defeat this week. But he said the fight is not over as he heeds advocates’ call to force all senators to go on record with their positions.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Voting legislation that Democrats and civil rights leaders say is vital for protecting democracy appeared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-joe-biden-voting-elections-wv-state-wire-28fce7f5190404f5091158c912bf8d5d">headed for defeat</a>&nbsp;as the Senate churned into debate, a devastating setback enabled by President Joe Biden’s own party as two holdout senators refuse to support rule changes to overcome a Republican filibuster.The Democratic senators,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kyrsten-sinema">Kyrsten Sinema</a>&nbsp;of Arizona and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-manchin">Joe Manchin</a>&nbsp;of West Virginia, faced strong criticism from Black leaders and civil rights organizations for failing to take on what critics call the “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-bills-filibusters-legislation-voting-rights-4b2f6cff2030420b21a6e394641d5fe1">Jim Crow filibuster.”</a>The debate carries echoes of an earlier era when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-congress-voting-elections-filibusters-ed5fdd5d4a0338e04779015abcb6e1db">the Senate filibuster</a>&nbsp;was deployed in lengthy speeches by opponents of civil rights legislation. It comes as Democrats and other voting advocates nationwide warn that Republican-led states are passing laws making it more difficult for Black Americans and others to vote by consolidating polling locations, requiring certain types of identification and ordering other changes.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer acknowledged the current bill’s likely defeat this week. But he said the fight is not over as he heeds advocates’ call to force all senators to go on record with their positions.“We ain’t giving up,” Schumer said after a Tuesday evening strategy meeting. “It is a fight for the soul and the future of America.”This is the fifth time the Senate will try to pass voting legislation this Congress.The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act combines earlier bills into one package that would make Election Day a national holiday, ensure access to early voting and mail-in ballots — which have become especially popular during the COVID-19 pandemic — and enable the Justice Department to intervene in states with a history of voter interference, among other changes.Both Manchin and Sinema say they support the package, which has passed the House, but they are unwilling to change the Senate rules to muscle it through that chamber over Republican objections. With a 50-50 split, Democrats have a narrow Senate majority — Vice President Kamala Harris can break a tie — but they lack the 60 votes needed to overcome the GOP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-bills-filibusters-legislation-voting-rights-4b2f6cff2030420b21a6e394641d5fe1">filibuster</a>.Instead, Schumer announced the Senate will vote on a more specific rules change for a “talking filibuster” on this one bill — requiring senators to stand at their desks and argue their views, rather than the current practice that simply allows senators to privately signal their objections.Initial voting could start as soon as Wednesday. But even the proposal for a “talking filibuster” is expected to fail, since Manchin and Sinema have said they are unwilling to change the rules on a party-line vote by Democrats alone.Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who led his party in doing away with the filibuster’s 60-vote threshold for Supreme Court nominees during Donald Trump’s presidency, warned off changing the rules again. He said Tuesday it would “break the Senate.”Democratic senators countered in speeches from the Senate floor that with Republicans objecting to the voting legislation they have no choice.Manchin did open the door to a more tailored package of voting law changes — including to the Electoral College Act, which became a focus of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol — that he said a bipartisan group of senators are working on and could draw Republican support.“There are so many things that we can agree on,” he said, though he held firm against voting to change the filibuster rules.Just as Manchin and Sinema blocked Biden’s broad “Build Back Better” domestic spending package, the two senators are now dashing hopes for another major part of Biden’s presidential agenda. They are infuriating many of their colleagues and faced a barrage of criticism during Martin Luther King Jr. Day events.Martin Luther King III, the son of the late civil rights leader, compared Sinema and Manchin to the white moderates his father wrote about during the civil rights battles of the 1950s and 1960s — who declared support for the goals of Black voting rights but not the direct actions or demonstrations that ultimately led to passage of landmark legislation.“History will not remember them kindly,” the younger King said, referring to Sinema and Manchin by name.Once reluctant himself to change Senate rules, Biden used the King holiday to press senators to do just that. But the push from the White House, including Biden’s blistering speech last week in Atlanta comparing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-joe-biden-georgia-voting-martin-luther-king-jr-dc4544c23622f35fc95d63afe512554d">opponents to segregationists</a>, is seen as too late, coming as the president ends his first year in office with his popularity sagging.“The president’s view is that the American people deserve to see where their leaders stand on protecting their fundamental rights,” said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.The Senate launched the days-long debate, but the outcome is expected to be no different from past failed votes on the legislation. Biden has been unable to persuade Sinema and Manchin to join other Democrats to change the rules to lower the 60-vote threshold. In fact, Sinema upstaged the president last week, reiterating her opposition to the rules changes just before Biden arrived on Capitol Hill to court senators’ votes.Both senators have argued that preserving the filibuster rules is important for fostering bipartisanship. They also warn of what would happen if Republicans win back majority control, as is distinctly possible this election year.McConnell has argued the broad package now before the Senate is a federal overreach into state-run elections, and he harshly criticized Biden’s speech last week as “unpresidential.”Leading sports figures from Manchin’s home state of West Virginia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-college-football-sports-alabama-crimson-tide-football-jerry-west-eb9b7b0a33e81f7f3661ad528959cf1c">also have weighed in</a>. In a letter last week, University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban, NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West and others urged him to support the legislation.The political group Emily’s List said it won’t endorse Sinema if she cannot support a path forward for the voting bill.Before Republicans lowered the vote threshold for Trump’s Supreme Court nominees, Democrats had similarly dropped it to a simple majority for confirmation of administrative positions and lower court nominees. It typically takes a 67-vote supermajority to change party rules, but both were done on party-line votes.The voting bill was the Democrats’ top priority this Congress, and the House swiftly approved H.R. 1 only to see it languish in the Senate.___

Biden's voting bill faces defeat as Dems can't stop filibuster

The
 Federal Trade Commission is returning more than $10 million to 
consumers who were charged undisclosed fees by online lender LendingClub
 Corporation. The FTC is distributing refunds directly to 
more than 15,000 LendingClub customers and encouraging additional 
LendingClub customers to apply for refunds.

The FTC <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2018/04/ftc-charges-lending-club-deceiving-consumers-0">sued LendingClub in April 2018</a>,
 charging that the company falsely promised loan applicants that they 
would receive a specific loan amount with “no hidden fees,” when in 
reality the company deducted hundreds or even thousands of dollars in 
hidden up-front fees from the loans. The FTC also alleged that 
LendingClub told consumers they were approved for loans when they were 
not and took money from consumers’ bank accounts without authorization.

The FTC is sending refunds via PayPal to 
15,748 LendingClub customers who complained to the company or the FTC 
about the hidden fees. Recipients have until February 16, 2022 to accept the payments.
 Recipients who have questions about their payments should call the 
refund administrator, Rust Consulting, at 833-630-1417. The FTC never 
requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a 
refund.

In addition, between January 18 and 20, the FTC will 
email additional LendingClub customers who took out loans before January
 6, 2017 and repaid the loan. The email will provide instructions on how
 to request a refund. LendingClub customers who believe they may be 
eligible for a refund but do not receive an email by January 20 should 
contact the refund administrator at 833-630-1417. The deadline for 
additional consumers to file claims is February 16, 2022.

The FTC’s <a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/federal.trade.commission#!/vizhome/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase">interactive dashboards for refund data(link is external)</a>
 provide a state-by-state breakdown of FTC refunds. In 2020, FTC actions
 led to more than $483 million in refunds to consumers across the 
country, but the United States Supreme Court ruled earlier this year 
that the FTC lacks authority under Section 13(b) to seek monetary relief
 in federal court going forward. The <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/04/ftc-asks-congress-pass-legislation-reviving-agencys-authority">Commission has urged Congress</a> to restore the FTC’s ability to get money back for consumers.

The Federal Trade Commission works to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-competition">promote competition</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">stop deceptive and unfair business practices and scams</a>, and <a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">educate consumers</a>. Report fraud, scams, or bad business practices at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Get consumer advice at <a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">consumer.ftc.gov</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/social-media">follow the FTC on social media</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a>, and read the FTC’s <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCThe
 Federal Trade Commission is returning more than $10 million to 
consumers who were charged undisclosed fees by online lender LendingClub
 Corporation. The FTC is distributing refunds directly to 
more than 15,000 LendingClub customers and encouraging additional 
LendingClub customers to apply for refunds.The FTC <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2018/04/ftc-charges-lending-club-deceiving-consumers-0">sued LendingClub in April 2018</a>,
 charging that the company falsely promised loan applicants that they 
would receive a specific loan amount with “no hidden fees,” when in 
reality the company deducted hundreds or even thousands of dollars in 
hidden up-front fees from the loans. The FTC also alleged that 
LendingClub told consumers they were approved for loans when they were 
not and took money from consumers’ bank accounts without authorization.The FTC is sending refunds via PayPal to 
15,748 LendingClub customers who complained to the company or the FTC 
about the hidden fees. Recipients have until February 16, 2022 to accept the payments.
 Recipients who have questions about their payments should call the 
refund administrator, Rust Consulting, at 833-630-1417. The FTC never 
requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a 
refund.In addition, between January 18 and 20, the FTC will 
email additional LendingClub customers who took out loans before January
 6, 2017 and repaid the loan. The email will provide instructions on how
 to request a refund. LendingClub customers who believe they may be 
eligible for a refund but do not receive an email by January 20 should 
contact the refund administrator at 833-630-1417. The deadline for 
additional consumers to file claims is February 16, 2022.The FTC’s <a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/federal.trade.commission#!/vizhome/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase">interactive dashboards for refund data(link is external)</a>
 provide a state-by-state breakdown of FTC refunds. In 2020, FTC actions
 led to more than $483 million in refunds to consumers across the 
country, but the United States Supreme Court ruled earlier this year 
that the FTC lacks authority under Section 13(b) to seek monetary relief
 in federal court going forward. The <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/04/ftc-asks-congress-pass-legislation-reviving-agencys-authority">Commission has urged Congress</a> to restore the FTC’s ability to get money back for consumers.The Federal Trade Commission works to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-competition">promote competition</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">stop deceptive and unfair business practices and scams</a>, and <a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">educate consumers</a>. Report fraud, scams, or bad business practices at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Get consumer advice at <a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">consumer.ftc.gov</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/social-media">follow the FTC on social media</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a>, and read the FTC’s <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>.

FTC returns $10M+ to consumers who paid hidden fees to LendingClub

Several Better Business Bureaus (BBB) have received reports from
 businesses that have been contacted by scam artists posing as Hitachi 
Metals, Ltd. or a Hitachi Metals Group company.

The scammers are sending out fake emails to businesses that claim to be from the BBB.
 The emails use the return address of reply@hitachi-metals-jp.com or 
hitachi@hitachi-metals-jp.com, with the subject line “Message from 
BBB.org.” If you respond to one of the requests, you could be setting 
yourself up for identity theft. Don’t fall for it! BBB recommends deleting the message right away.

BBB has spoken to Hitachi Metals, Ltd. and was told that they have 
been aware of the fake emails since November 2021. Hitachi Metals, Ltd. 
is currently in the process of domain arbitration, in which any 
unauthorized use of that domain name can no longer be used as an email 
address. If you receive any emails from reply@hitachi-metals-jp.com or 
hitachi@hitachi-metals-jp.com, Hitachi Metals, Ltd. is encouraging 
consumers to <a href="https://www.hitachi-metals.co.jp/e/topics/20211104.html">file a report</a>.

You receive an email that seems to come from a human resources 
professional recruiting you for a position at their company. The email 
has a company logo, signature block, and reply email address. According 
to the message, the HR representative found your email through your 
Better Business Bureau Business Profile.

Read about <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16887-bbb-scam-alert-beware-of-bbb-impostor" target="_blank">another time when BBB was impostored</a>, and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/phishingscam" target="_blank">Learn more about phishing attempts here</a>.

What to do if an <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/business/24324-better-business-bureau-of-greater-maryland-tip-responding-to-a-business-imposter-scam" target="_blank">impostor pretends to be your business</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBSeveral Better Business Bureaus (BBB) have received reports from
 businesses that have been contacted by scam artists posing as Hitachi 
Metals, Ltd. or a Hitachi Metals Group company.The scammers are sending out fake emails to businesses that claim to be from the BBB.
 The emails use the return address of reply@hitachi-metals-jp.com or 
hitachi@hitachi-metals-jp.com, with the subject line “Message from 
BBB.org.” If you respond to one of the requests, you could be setting 
yourself up for identity theft. Don’t fall for it! BBB recommends deleting the message right away.BBB has spoken to Hitachi Metals, Ltd. and was told that they have 
been aware of the fake emails since November 2021. Hitachi Metals, Ltd. 
is currently in the process of domain arbitration, in which any 
unauthorized use of that domain name can no longer be used as an email 
address. If you receive any emails from reply@hitachi-metals-jp.com or 
hitachi@hitachi-metals-jp.com, Hitachi Metals, Ltd. is encouraging 
consumers to <a href="https://www.hitachi-metals.co.jp/e/topics/20211104.html">file a report</a>.<h2>How the scam works:</h2>You receive an email that seems to come from a human resources 
professional recruiting you for a position at their company. The email 
has a company logo, signature block, and reply email address. According 
to the message, the HR representative found your email through your 
Better Business Bureau Business Profile.<h2>Tips to avoid this scam:</h2><ul>
 <li>Be wary of unexpected emails that contain links or attachments. As always, do not click on links or open files in unfamiliar emails.</li><li>Don’t believe what you see. Just because an email looks real doesn’t mean it is. Scammers can fake anything from a company logo to the sent email address.</li><li>Check the company’s website. Businesses typically post job information on their websites.</li><li>Be cautious of generic emails. Scammers try to cast
 a wide net by including little or no specific information in their fake
 emails. Always be wary of messages that seem overly general. If a 
recruiter was emailing you, he/she should have your name and job title.</li>
 </ul>For more informationRead about <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16887-bbb-scam-alert-beware-of-bbb-impostor" target="_blank">another time when BBB was impostored</a>, and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/phishingscam" target="_blank">Learn more about phishing attempts here</a>.What to do if an <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/business/24324-better-business-bureau-of-greater-maryland-tip-responding-to-a-business-imposter-scam" target="_blank">impostor pretends to be your business</a>.

Scam alert: Don't fall for business email impostors

WASHINGTON —
 The Internal Revenue Service today urged employers to be aware of the 
January deadline to file Forms W-2 and other wage statements. Filing 
these documents timely helps employers avoid penalties and helps the IRS
 in fraud prevention.

A 2015 law made it a permanent requirement that employers file copies of their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-2">Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statements,</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-3">Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements</a>, with the Social Security Administration by January 31.

Forms W-2 are normally due to workers by January 31. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1099-misc">Forms 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Information</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1099-nec">Forms 1099-NEC, Nonemployee Compensation</a>,
 are also due to taxpayers by January 31. Various other due dates 
related to Form 1099-MISC and Form 1099-NEC, including dates due to the 
IRS, can be found on the form's <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1099mec.pdf">instructions</a>&nbsp;PDF at IRS.gov.

The normal January filing date for wage statements means that the IRS
 can more easily detect refund fraud by verifying income that 
individuals report on their tax returns. Employers can help support that
 process and avoid penalties by filing the forms on time and without 
errors.

The IRS and SSA encourage all employers to e-file. It is the 
quickest, most accurate and convenient way to file these forms. For more
 information about e-filing Forms W-2 and a link to the SSA's Business 
Services Online website, visit the SSA's Employer W-2 Filing 
Instructions &amp; Information website at <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/employer/">SSA.gov/employer</a>.

Use same employer identification number on all forms

Employers should ensure the employer identification number (EIN) on 
their wage and tax statements (Forms W-2, W-3, etc.) and their payroll 
tax returns (Forms 941, 943, 944, etc.) match the EIN the IRS assigned 
to their business. They should not use their social security number 
(SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification number (ITIN) on forms that 
ask for an EIN.

If an employer used an EIN (including a prior owner's EIN) on their 
payroll tax returns that's different from the EIN reported on their W-3,
 they should review <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/iw2w3.pdf">General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3</a>&nbsp;PDF, Box h—Other EIN used this year.

Filing these forms with inconsistent EINs or using another business's
 EIN may result in penalties and delays in processing an employer's 
returns. Even if an employer uses a third-party payer (such as a 
Certified Professional Employer Organization, Professional Employer 
Organization, or other third party) or a different entity within their 
business to file these documents, the name and EIN on all statements and
 forms filed must be consistent and exactly match the EIN the IRS 
assigned to their business.&nbsp;For more information on third-party 
arrangements, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-15">Publication 15, Employer's Tax Guide</a>.

Employers may request a 30-day extension to file Forms W-2 by submitting a complete application on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-8809">Form 8809, Application for Extension of Time to File Information Returns</a> by January 31. However, one of the criteria in Section 7 of Form 8809 must be met for the extension to be granted.

Filing Form 8809 does not extend the due date for furnishing wage 
statements to employees. A separate extension of time to furnish Forms 
W-2 to employees must be filed by January 31. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/iw2w3">Extension of time to furnish Forms W-2 to employees</a> for more information.

Additional information can be found on the instructions for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-2">Forms W-2 &amp; W-3</a> and the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/information-return-penalties">Information Return Penalties</a> page at IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON —
 The Internal Revenue Service today urged employers to be aware of the 
January deadline to file Forms W-2 and other wage statements. Filing 
these documents timely helps employers avoid penalties and helps the IRS
 in fraud prevention.A 2015 law made it a permanent requirement that employers file copies of their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-2">Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statements,</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-3">Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements</a>, with the Social Security Administration by January 31.Forms W-2 are normally due to workers by January 31. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1099-misc">Forms 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Information</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1099-nec">Forms 1099-NEC, Nonemployee Compensation</a>,
 are also due to taxpayers by January 31. Various other due dates 
related to Form 1099-MISC and Form 1099-NEC, including dates due to the 
IRS, can be found on the form's <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1099mec.pdf">instructions</a>&nbsp;PDF at IRS.gov.<h2>Fraud detection</h2>The normal January filing date for wage statements means that the IRS
 can more easily detect refund fraud by verifying income that 
individuals report on their tax returns. Employers can help support that
 process and avoid penalties by filing the forms on time and without 
errors.The IRS and SSA encourage all employers to e-file. It is the 
quickest, most accurate and convenient way to file these forms. For more
 information about e-filing Forms W-2 and a link to the SSA's Business 
Services Online website, visit the SSA's Employer W-2 Filing 
Instructions &amp; Information website at <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/employer/">SSA.gov/employer</a>.<h2>Use same employer identification number on all forms</h2>Employers should ensure the employer identification number (EIN) on 
their wage and tax statements (Forms W-2, W-3, etc.) and their payroll 
tax returns (Forms 941, 943, 944, etc.) match the EIN the IRS assigned 
to their business. They should not use their social security number 
(SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification number (ITIN) on forms that 
ask for an EIN.If an employer used an EIN (including a prior owner's EIN) on their 
payroll tax returns that's different from the EIN reported on their W-3,
 they should review <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/iw2w3.pdf">General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3</a>&nbsp;PDF, Box h—Other EIN used this year.Filing these forms with inconsistent EINs or using another business's
 EIN may result in penalties and delays in processing an employer's 
returns. Even if an employer uses a third-party payer (such as a 
Certified Professional Employer Organization, Professional Employer 
Organization, or other third party) or a different entity within their 
business to file these documents, the name and EIN on all statements and
 forms filed must be consistent and exactly match the EIN the IRS 
assigned to their business.&nbsp;For more information on third-party 
arrangements, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-15">Publication 15, Employer's Tax Guide</a>.<h2>Extensions</h2>Employers may request a 30-day extension to file Forms W-2 by submitting a complete application on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-8809">Form 8809, Application for Extension of Time to File Information Returns</a> by January 31. However, one of the criteria in Section 7 of Form 8809 must be met for the extension to be granted.Filing Form 8809 does not extend the due date for furnishing wage 
statements to employees. A separate extension of time to furnish Forms 
W-2 to employees must be filed by January 31. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/iw2w3">Extension of time to furnish Forms W-2 to employees</a> for more information.Additional information can be found on the instructions for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-2">Forms W-2 &amp; W-3</a> and the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/information-return-penalties">Information Return Penalties</a> page at IRS.gov.

IRS issues wage statement deadline reminder for employers

FRANKLIN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged assault and have a suspect in custody.

Just after 1:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to report of an armed disturbance in the 800 Block of South Olive Street in Ottawa, according to a media release from police.

A man reported a woman later identified as 35-year-old Karly Robinson threatened him with a machete. The man was able to escape the home and contact police who also learned the suspect had access to a handgun and&nbsp; shotgun in addition to the machete.

Officers were unable to contact Robinson and the Ottawa Police Star team responded to the residence. The Star team, that includes deputies from the Franklin County Sheriff's Department executed a search warrant at the home to find evidence of the alleged assault.&nbsp;

Just after 5p.m., officers made entry into the home and arrested Robinson.&nbsp; She has a 2017 drug conviction in Franklin County, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642542400226.png" alt="Robinson photo Franklin Co." />
 <figcaption>Robinson photo Franklin Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FRANKLIN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged assault and have a suspect in custody.Just after 1:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to report of an armed disturbance in the 800 Block of South Olive Street in Ottawa, according to a media release from police.A man reported a woman later identified as 35-year-old Karly Robinson threatened him with a machete. The man was able to escape the home and contact police who also learned the suspect had access to a handgun and&nbsp; shotgun in addition to the machete.Officers were unable to contact Robinson and the Ottawa Police Star team responded to the residence. The Star team, that includes deputies from the Franklin County Sheriff's Department executed a search warrant at the home to find evidence of the alleged assault.&nbsp;Just after 5p.m., officers made entry into the home and arrested Robinson.&nbsp; She has a 2017 drug conviction in Franklin County, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Kansas woman accused of threatening man with a machete 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the teens who died as 17-year-old Alexis Cervantes Martinez and 16-year-old Mariah Zamora both of Wichita.

Just before 9:30 p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting call at an apartment complex in the 2700 block of S. Emporia in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

Callers to 911 reported hearing multiple gunshots and a loud crash. Officers arrived and located a vehicle that crashed into a storage unit.

A male driver later identified as Cervantes-Martinez, and a passenger identified as Zamora, were unresponsive in the vehicle. Officers removed them from the vehicle and saw that they both had suffered gunshot wounds. Cervantes-Martinez was pronounced deceased on scene.

EMS transported Zamora to an area hospital, where she later died.

Investigators learned that the two had come to the location to take part in a drug transaction that had been set up on social media, according to Macy. During the meeting, multiple shots were fired by a suspect, striking and fatally injuring both victims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642506215169.png" alt="Police on the scene of the Monday night investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the Monday night investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the teens who died as 17-year-old Alexis Cervantes Martinez and 16-year-old Mariah Zamora both of Wichita.Just before 9:30 p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting call at an apartment complex in the 2700 block of S. Emporia in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.Callers to 911 reported hearing multiple gunshots and a loud crash. Officers arrived and located a vehicle that crashed into a storage unit.A male driver later identified as Cervantes-Martinez, and a passenger identified as Zamora, were unresponsive in the vehicle. Officers removed them from the vehicle and saw that they both had suffered gunshot wounds. Cervantes-Martinez was pronounced deceased on scene.EMS transported Zamora to an area hospital, where she later died.Investigators learned that the two had come to the location to take part in a drug transaction that had been set up on social media, according to Macy. During the meeting, multiple shots were fired by a suspect, striking and fatally injuring both victims.

Police: Kan. teens died after drug deal set up on social media

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINE COUNTY- A registered Kansas sex offender is under investigation for alleged aggravated assault after an incident with his neighbors.

Just after 9:30 p.m. Jan. 14, deputies were sent to 8296 Shane Hunter Drive on the west side of Assaria, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

It was reported that 37-year-old Christopher Albertson of Assaria had stepped outside his trailer and was yelling at his neighbors. He allegedly was intoxicated and pointed a bow and arrow at the neighbors, according to Soldan.n No one was injured.&nbsp; Deputies arrested Albertson on a requested charge of aggravated assault. He has previous convictions for a criminal restraint and&nbsp;Aggravated Indecent Liberties GE 14less than 16; Fondling, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642255363443.png" alt="Christopher Albertson photo-Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Christopher Albertson photo-Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINE COUNTY- A registered Kansas sex offender is under investigation for alleged aggravated assault after an incident with his neighbors.Just after 9:30 p.m. Jan. 14, deputies were sent to 8296 Shane Hunter Drive on the west side of Assaria, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.It was reported that 37-year-old Christopher Albertson of Assaria had stepped outside his trailer and was yelling at his neighbors. He allegedly was intoxicated and pointed a bow and arrow at the neighbors, according to Soldan.n No one was injured.&nbsp; Deputies arrested Albertson on a requested charge of aggravated assault. He has previous convictions for a criminal restraint and&nbsp;Aggravated Indecent Liberties GE 14less than 16; Fondling, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Kan. sex offender threatened neighbors with bow and arrow

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Tuesday quietly launched its website for Americans to request free at-home COVID-19 tests, a day before the site was scheduled to officially go online.

The website,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.covidtests.gov/" target="_blank">COVIDTests.gov</a>, now includes a link for Americans to&nbsp;<a href="https://special.usps.com/testkits" target="_blank">access an order form run by the U.S. Postal Service</a>. People can order four at-home tests per residential address, to be delivered by the Postal Service. It marks the latest step by President Joe Biden to address criticism of low inventory and long lines for testing during a nationwide surge in COVID-19 cases due to the omicron variant.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the website was in “beta testing” and operating at a “limited capacity” ahead of its official launch. The website will officially launch midmorning Wednesday, Psaki said.

There were isolated reports Tuesday afternoon of issues relating to the website’s address verification tool erroneously enforcing the four-per-household cap on apartment buildings and other multi-unit dwellings. A spokesperson for the Postal Service said in a statement that the error was “occurring in a small percentage of orders.” He said any user needing assistance could file a service request at&nbsp;<a href="https://emailus.usps.com/s/the-postal-store-inquiry" target="_blank">emailus.usps.com/s/the-postal-store-inquiry</a>&nbsp;or contact a help desk at 1-800-ASK-USPS.

At points Tuesday more than 750,000 people were accessing the website at the same time, according to public government tracking data, but it was not immediately known how many orders were placed.

Psaki added that the administration was anticipating a “bug or two,” but had IT experts from across the government working to get the site ready.

Biden announced last month that the U.S. would purchase 500 million at-home tests to launch the program and on Thursday the president announced that he was doubling the order to 1 billion tests.

But Americans shouldn’t expect a rapid turnaround on the orders and they will have to plan ahead and request the tests well before they meet federal guidelines for when to use a test.

The White House said “tests will typically ship within 7- 12 days of ordering” through USPS, which reports shipping times of 1-3 days for its first-class package service in the continental United States.

Officials emphasized that the federal website is just one way for people to procure COVID-19 tests, and shortages of at-home test kits have shown signs of easing as more supply has hit the market.

Since Saturday, private insurance companies have been required to cover the cost of at-home rapid tests, allowing Americans to be reimbursed for tests they purchase at pharmacies and online retailers. That covers up to eight tests per month.

The technical bugs that embarrassed President Barack Obama’s administration with the 2013 rollout of the HealthCare.gov website should not be a problem for the COVID-19 test kit website in part because it is so much simpler, said Alex Howard, director of the Digital Democracy Project, an open government watchdog group. Howard said the new website is also simpler than the Vaccines.gov website – for finding nearby vaccine clinics and pharmacies – that was already successfully launched by the Biden administration last year.

Howard said the task of requesting someone’s address is a straightforward one, especially when compared with the Obama-era health insurance website that involved shopping for different health plans and authenticating a secure transaction. The challenge of hosting a website application under high demand is also a “solved problem” in the private sector, he said.

“My expectation is the U.S. Digital Service and any vendors they work with will be able to pull this off,” he said. “It’s the least hard part of this.”

Two tech companies that frequently work with the federal government – Microsoft and Accenture – on Tuesday referred questions about the website to the Postal Service. Amazon, a major cloud provider for U.S. agencies, didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Howard said the trickiest part of the project is not the website but the physical distribution of kits.

“I don’t recall the last time the federal government sent something like this to everyone that wasn’t a tax document,” he said.

Likely challenges include multiple people ordering from the same apartment building address, or how to handle people who try to game the system and order extra.

“I would like my fellow Americans to be a more trustworthy lot,” said Howard, but given other debates over COVID-19 protocols and response, “that’s not going to fly very well.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Tuesday quietly launched its website for Americans to request free at-home COVID-19 tests, a day before the site was scheduled to officially launch. 

The website, <a href="https://www.covidtests.gov/">COVIDTests.gov ,</a> now includes a link for Americans to order four tests per residential address, to be delivered by the Postal Service.

It marks the latest step by President Joe Biden to address criticism of low inventory and long lines for testing during a nationwide surge in COVID-19 cases due to the omicron varian. A White House official website is “currently in its beta phase” and operating at a “limited capacity ahead of its official launch” on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal website where Americans can request free COVID-19 tests will begin accepting orders on Wednesday as the White House looks to address nationwide shortages, but supplies will be limited to just four free tests per home.

Starting on Jan. 19, the website COVIDTests.gov will provide tests at no cost, including no shipping fee, the White House announced Friday.

As he faced criticism for low inventory and long lines for testing, President Joe Biden announced last month that the U.S. would purchase 500 million at-home tests to launch the program and on Thursday the president announced that he was doubling the order to 1 billion tests.

But Americans shouldn't expect a rapid turn-around on the orders and they will have to plan ahead and request the tests well before they meet federal guidelines for when to use a test.

The White House said “tests will typically ship within 7-12 days of ordering" through the U.S. Postal Service, which reports shipping times of 1-3 days for its first-class package service in the continental United States.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at-home testing when experiencing COVID-19 systems including fever, cough, sore throat, respiratory symptoms and muscle aches, five days after a potential COVID-19 exposure, or as part of test-to-stay protocols in schools and workplaces.

“Certainly if you’re going to gather with family, if you’re going to a gathering where people are immunocompromised or where they’re elderly or where you have people who might be unvaccinated or poorly protected from a vaccine that might be an opportunity you want to test,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director.

Officials emphasized that the federal website is just one way for people to procure COVID-19 tests. Starting on Saturday, private insurance companies will be required to cover the cost of at-home rapid tests, allowing Americans to be reimbursed for tests they purchase at pharmacies and online retailers. That covers up to eight tests per month.

The White House said the four-test limit on website orders will be applied to each residential address and will apply to the first tranche of 500 million tests. It estimates that the cost of purchasing and distributing the first block of tests at $4 billion.

Officials said they are cognizant that any launch of a website carries some risks — and memories of the disastrous roll-out during the Obama administration of Healthcare.gov are still fresh — but said they believe they are well-positioned to handle expected demand for tests.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642104330616.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Tuesday quietly launched its website for Americans to request free at-home COVID-19 tests, a day before the site was scheduled to officially go online.The website,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.covidtests.gov/" target="_blank">COVIDTests.gov</a>, now includes a link for Americans to&nbsp;<a href="https://special.usps.com/testkits" target="_blank">access an order form run by the U.S. Postal Service</a>. People can order four at-home tests per residential address, to be delivered by the Postal Service. It marks the latest step by President Joe Biden to address criticism of low inventory and long lines for testing during a nationwide surge in COVID-19 cases due to the omicron variant.White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the website was in “beta testing” and operating at a “limited capacity” ahead of its official launch. The website will officially launch midmorning Wednesday, Psaki said.There were isolated reports Tuesday afternoon of issues relating to the website’s address verification tool erroneously enforcing the four-per-household cap on apartment buildings and other multi-unit dwellings. A spokesperson for the Postal Service said in a statement that the error was “occurring in a small percentage of orders.” He said any user needing assistance could file a service request at&nbsp;<a href="https://emailus.usps.com/s/the-postal-store-inquiry" target="_blank">emailus.usps.com/s/the-postal-store-inquiry</a>&nbsp;or contact a help desk at 1-800-ASK-USPS.At points Tuesday more than 750,000 people were accessing the website at the same time, according to public government tracking data, but it was not immediately known how many orders were placed.Psaki added that the administration was anticipating a “bug or two,” but had IT experts from across the government working to get the site ready.Biden announced last month that the U.S. would purchase 500 million at-home tests to launch the program and on Thursday the president announced that he was doubling the order to 1 billion tests.But Americans shouldn’t expect a rapid turnaround on the orders and they will have to plan ahead and request the tests well before they meet federal guidelines for when to use a test.The White House said “tests will typically ship within 7- 12 days of ordering” through USPS, which reports shipping times of 1-3 days for its first-class package service in the continental United States.Officials emphasized that the federal website is just one way for people to procure COVID-19 tests, and shortages of at-home test kits have shown signs of easing as more supply has hit the market.Since Saturday, private insurance companies have been required to cover the cost of at-home rapid tests, allowing Americans to be reimbursed for tests they purchase at pharmacies and online retailers. That covers up to eight tests per month.The technical bugs that embarrassed President Barack Obama’s administration with the 2013 rollout of the HealthCare.gov website should not be a problem for the COVID-19 test kit website in part because it is so much simpler, said Alex Howard, director of the Digital Democracy Project, an open government watchdog group. Howard said the new website is also simpler than the Vaccines.gov website – for finding nearby vaccine clinics and pharmacies – that was already successfully launched by the Biden administration last year.Howard said the task of requesting someone’s address is a straightforward one, especially when compared with the Obama-era health insurance website that involved shopping for different health plans and authenticating a secure transaction. The challenge of hosting a website application under high demand is also a “solved problem” in the private sector, he said.“My expectation is the U.S. Digital Service and any vendors they work with will be able to pull this off,” he said. “It’s the least hard part of this.”Two tech companies that frequently work with the federal government – Microsoft and Accenture – on Tuesday referred questions about the website to the Postal Service. Amazon, a major cloud provider for U.S. agencies, didn’t respond to requests for comment.Howard said the trickiest part of the project is not the website but the physical distribution of kits.“I don’t recall the last time the federal government sent something like this to everyone that wasn’t a tax document,” he said.Likely challenges include multiple people ordering from the same apartment building address, or how to handle people who try to game the system and order extra.“I would like my fellow Americans to be a more trustworthy lot,” said Howard, but given other debates over COVID-19 protocols and response, “that’s not going to fly very well.”--------------WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Tuesday quietly launched its website for Americans to request free at-home COVID-19 tests, a day before the site was scheduled to officially launch. The website, <a href="https://www.covidtests.gov/">COVIDTests.gov ,</a> now includes a link for Americans to order four tests per residential address, to be delivered by the Postal Service. It marks the latest step by President Joe Biden to address criticism of low inventory and long lines for testing during a nationwide surge in COVID-19 cases due to the omicron varian. A White House official website is “currently in its beta phase” and operating at a “limited capacity ahead of its official launch” on Wednesday.----------WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal website where Americans can request free COVID-19 tests will begin accepting orders on Wednesday as the White House looks to address nationwide shortages, but supplies will be limited to just four free tests per home.Starting on Jan. 19, the website COVIDTests.gov will provide tests at no cost, including no shipping fee, the White House announced Friday.As he faced criticism for low inventory and long lines for testing, President Joe Biden announced last month that the U.S. would purchase 500 million at-home tests to launch the program and on Thursday the president announced that he was doubling the order to 1 billion tests.But Americans shouldn't expect a rapid turn-around on the orders and they will have to plan ahead and request the tests well before they meet federal guidelines for when to use a test.The White House said “tests will typically ship within 7-12 days of ordering" through the U.S. Postal Service, which reports shipping times of 1-3 days for its first-class package service in the continental United States.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at-home testing when experiencing COVID-19 systems including fever, cough, sore throat, respiratory symptoms and muscle aches, five days after a potential COVID-19 exposure, or as part of test-to-stay protocols in schools and workplaces.“Certainly if you’re going to gather with family, if you’re going to a gathering where people are immunocompromised or where they’re elderly or where you have people who might be unvaccinated or poorly protected from a vaccine that might be an opportunity you want to test,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director.Officials emphasized that the federal website is just one way for people to procure COVID-19 tests. Starting on Saturday, private insurance companies will be required to cover the cost of at-home rapid tests, allowing Americans to be reimbursed for tests they purchase at pharmacies and online retailers. That covers up to eight tests per month.The White House said the four-test limit on website orders will be applied to each residential address and will apply to the first tranche of 500 million tests. It estimates that the cost of purchasing and distributing the first block of tests at $4 billion.Officials said they are cognizant that any launch of a website carries some risks — and memories of the disastrous roll-out during the Obama administration of Healthcare.gov are still fresh — but said they believe they are well-positioned to handle expected demand for tests.

Biden's free COVID-19 test request website now available 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former Roman Catholic priest who was named in dozens of child sexual abuse lawsuits was found dead in Kansas City on Sunday, police said.

Emergency responders found Thomas Reardon, 80, a former priest in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, dead Sunday at the Brookdale Wornall Place, a senior living facility where he lived.

Police said there was no evidence of suspicious circumstances or foul play in Reardon's death.

Reardon resigned as a priest in 1989 and was later removed by the diocese from the priesthood.

In 2019, he was among 24 priests whose names the diocese released as being credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors.

Reardon was among 12 current and former priests named in a sexual abuse case involving 47 plaintiffs that the diocese settled for $10 million in 2008, the Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article257431517.html">reported</a>.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former Roman Catholic priest who was named in dozens of child sexual abuse lawsuits was found dead in Kansas City on Sunday, police said.Emergency responders found Thomas Reardon, 80, a former priest in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, dead Sunday at the Brookdale Wornall Place, a senior living facility where he lived.Police said there was no evidence of suspicious circumstances or foul play in Reardon's death.Reardon resigned as a priest in 1989 and was later removed by the diocese from the priesthood.In 2019, he was among 24 priests whose names the diocese released as being credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors.Reardon was among 12 current and former priests named in a sexual abuse case involving 47 plaintiffs that the diocese settled for $10 million in 2008, the Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article257431517.html">reported</a>.He also was included in a $10 million settlement by the diocese in 2014 that covered 32 lawsuits involving 14 current and former priests facing allegations of sexual abuse over three decades.Rebecca Randles, a Kansas City attorney who has filed about 30 lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by Reardon, said that he “left behind a legacy of loss and shattered lives.”