NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tom T. Hall, the singer-songwriter who composed “Harper Valley P.T.A.” and sang about life’s simple joys as country music’s consummate blue collar bard, has died. He was 85.

His son, Dean Hall, confirmed the musician's death on Friday at his home in Franklin, Tennessee. Known as “The Storyteller” for his unadorned yet incisive lyrics, Hall composed hundreds of songs.

Along with such contemporaries as Kris Kristofferson, John Hartford and Mickey Newbury, Hall helped usher in a literary era of country music in the early ’70s, with songs that were political, like “Watergate Blues” and “The Monkey That Became President,” deeply personal like “The Year Clayton Delaney Died,” and philosophical like “(Old Dogs, Children and) Watermelon Wine.”

“In all my writing, I’ve never made judgments,” he said in 1986. “I think that’s my secret. I’m a witness. I just watch everything and don’t decide if it’s good or bad.”

Singer-songwriter Jason Isbell performed Hall's song “Mama Bake A Pie (Daddy Kill A Chicken)" when Hall was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2019.

“The simplest words that told the most complicated stories. Felt like Tom T. just caught the songs as they floated by, but I know he carved them out of rock,” Isbell&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/JasonIsbell/status/1428879509844025348">tweeted</a>&nbsp;on Friday.

Hall, the fourth son of an ordained minister, was born near Olive Hill, Kentucky, in a log cabin built by his grandfather. He started playing guitar at age 4 and wrote his first song by the time he was 9.

Hall began playing in a bluegrass band, but when that didn’t work out he started working as a disc jockey in Morehead, Kentucky. He joined the U.S. Army in 1957 for four years including an assignment in Germany. He turned to writing when he got back stateside and was discovered by Nashville publisher Jimmy Key.

Hall settled in Nashville in 1964 and first established himself as a songwriter making $50 a week. He wrote songs for Jimmy C. Newman, Dave Dudley and Johnny Wright, but he had so many songs that he began recording them himself. The middle initial “T” was added when he got his recording contract to make the name catchier.

His breakthrough was writing “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” a 1968 international hit about small-town hypocrisy recorded by Jeannie C. Riley. The song about a mother telling a group of busybodies to mind their own business was witty and feisty and became a No. 1 country and pop hit. It sold millions of copies and Riley won a Grammy for best female country vocal performance and an award for single of the year from the Country Music Association. The story was so popular it even spawned a movie of the same name and a television series.

“Suddenly, it was the talk of the country,” Hall told The Associated Press in 1986. “It became a catch phrase. You’d flip the radio dial and hear it four or five times in 10 minutes. It was the most awesome time of my life; I caused all this stir.”

His own career took off after that song and he had a string of hits with “Ballad of Forty Dollars” (which also was recorded by Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings); his first career No. 1 hit “A Week in a Country Jail,” and “Homecoming,” in the late 1960s.

Throughout the ’70s, Hall became one of Nashville’s biggest singer-songwriters, with multiple hit songs including, “I Love,” “Country Is,” “I Care,” “I Like Beer,” and “Faster Horses (The Cowboy and The Poet.)” He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1978.

“Tom T. Hall’s masterworks vary in plot, tone and tempo, but they are bound by his ceaseless and unyielding empathy for the triumphs and losses of others,” said Kyle Young, CEO, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, in a statement. “He wrote without judgment or anger, offering a rhyming journalism of the heart that sets his compositions apart from any other writer.

He also penned songs for children on his records “Songs of Fox Hollow (for Children of All Ages)” in 1974 and “Country Songs for Kids,” in 1988. He also became an author, writing a book about songwriting, “The Songwriter’s Handbook,” and an autobiography, “The Storyteller’s Nashville,” as well as fiction novels.

He was host of the syndicated TV show “Pop Goes the Country” from 1980 to 1983 and even dabbled in politics. Hall was close to former President Jimmy Carter and Carter’s brother, Billy, when Carter was in the White House. Tennessee Democrats urged Hall to run for governor in 1982, but he declined.

For his 1985 album “Songs in a Seashell,” he spent six months walking up and down Southern beaches to get inspiration for the summer mood of the LP.

He was inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008 and in 2012, he was honored as the BMI Icon of the year, with artists such as the Avett Brothers, bluegrass stars Daily &amp; Vincent, Toby Keith and Justin Townes Earle paying tribute to the songwriting legend.

“I think a song is just a song,” Hall said at the ceremony in 2012. “They can do it with all kinds of different bands. It’s just a lyric and a melody. I was talking to Kris Kristofferson one time. They asked him what was country, and he said, ‘If it sounds country, it’s country.’ So that’s my philosophy.”

He married English-born songwriter Dixie Deen in 1968, and the two would go on to write hundreds of bluegrass songs after Hall retired from performing in the 1990s, including “All That’s Left” which Miranda Lambert covered on her 2014 album, “Platinum.” Dixie Hall died in 2015.

In 2015, music legend Bob Dylan singled out Hall for some harsh criticism in a rambling speech at a MusiCares event. He called Hall’s song, “I Love,” “a little overcooked,” and said that the arrival of Kristofferson in Nashville “blew ol’ Tom T. Hall’s world apart.”

The criticism apparently confused Hall, as he considered Kristofferson a friend and a peer, and when asked about Dylan’s comments in an 2016 article for “American Songwriter” magazine, he responded, “What the hell was all that about?”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tom T. Hall, the singer-songwriter who composed “Harper Valley P.T.A.” and sang about life’s simple joys as country music’s consummate blue collar bard, has died. He was 85.His son, Dean Hall, confirmed the musician's death on Friday at his home in Franklin, Tennessee. Known as “The Storyteller” for his unadorned yet incisive lyrics, Hall composed hundreds of songs.Along with such contemporaries as Kris Kristofferson, John Hartford and Mickey Newbury, Hall helped usher in a literary era of country music in the early ’70s, with songs that were political, like “Watergate Blues” and “The Monkey That Became President,” deeply personal like “The Year Clayton Delaney Died,” and philosophical like “(Old Dogs, Children and) Watermelon Wine.”“In all my writing, I’ve never made judgments,” he said in 1986. “I think that’s my secret. I’m a witness. I just watch everything and don’t decide if it’s good or bad.”Singer-songwriter Jason Isbell performed Hall's song “Mama Bake A Pie (Daddy Kill A Chicken)" when Hall was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2019.“The simplest words that told the most complicated stories. Felt like Tom T. just caught the songs as they floated by, but I know he carved them out of rock,” Isbell&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/JasonIsbell/status/1428879509844025348">tweeted</a>&nbsp;on Friday.Hall, the fourth son of an ordained minister, was born near Olive Hill, Kentucky, in a log cabin built by his grandfather. He started playing guitar at age 4 and wrote his first song by the time he was 9.Hall began playing in a bluegrass band, but when that didn’t work out he started working as a disc jockey in Morehead, Kentucky. He joined the U.S. Army in 1957 for four years including an assignment in Germany. He turned to writing when he got back stateside and was discovered by Nashville publisher Jimmy Key.Hall settled in Nashville in 1964 and first established himself as a songwriter making $50 a week. He wrote songs for Jimmy C. Newman, Dave Dudley and Johnny Wright, but he had so many songs that he began recording them himself. The middle initial “T” was added when he got his recording contract to make the name catchier.His breakthrough was writing “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” a 1968 international hit about small-town hypocrisy recorded by Jeannie C. Riley. The song about a mother telling a group of busybodies to mind their own business was witty and feisty and became a No. 1 country and pop hit. It sold millions of copies and Riley won a Grammy for best female country vocal performance and an award for single of the year from the Country Music Association. The story was so popular it even spawned a movie of the same name and a television series.“Suddenly, it was the talk of the country,” Hall told The Associated Press in 1986. “It became a catch phrase. You’d flip the radio dial and hear it four or five times in 10 minutes. It was the most awesome time of my life; I caused all this stir.”His own career took off after that song and he had a string of hits with “Ballad of Forty Dollars” (which also was recorded by Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings); his first career No. 1 hit “A Week in a Country Jail,” and “Homecoming,” in the late 1960s.Throughout the ’70s, Hall became one of Nashville’s biggest singer-songwriters, with multiple hit songs including, “I Love,” “Country Is,” “I Care,” “I Like Beer,” and “Faster Horses (The Cowboy and The Poet.)” He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1978.“Tom T. Hall’s masterworks vary in plot, tone and tempo, but they are bound by his ceaseless and unyielding empathy for the triumphs and losses of others,” said Kyle Young, CEO, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, in a statement. “He wrote without judgment or anger, offering a rhyming journalism of the heart that sets his compositions apart from any other writer.He also penned songs for children on his records “Songs of Fox Hollow (for Children of All Ages)” in 1974 and “Country Songs for Kids,” in 1988. He also became an author, writing a book about songwriting, “The Songwriter’s Handbook,” and an autobiography, “The Storyteller’s Nashville,” as well as fiction novels.He was host of the syndicated TV show “Pop Goes the Country” from 1980 to 1983 and even dabbled in politics. Hall was close to former President Jimmy Carter and Carter’s brother, Billy, when Carter was in the White House. Tennessee Democrats urged Hall to run for governor in 1982, but he declined.For his 1985 album “Songs in a Seashell,” he spent six months walking up and down Southern beaches to get inspiration for the summer mood of the LP.He was inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008 and in 2012, he was honored as the BMI Icon of the year, with artists such as the Avett Brothers, bluegrass stars Daily &amp; Vincent, Toby Keith and Justin Townes Earle paying tribute to the songwriting legend.“I think a song is just a song,” Hall said at the ceremony in 2012. “They can do it with all kinds of different bands. It’s just a lyric and a melody. I was talking to Kris Kristofferson one time. They asked him what was country, and he said, ‘If it sounds country, it’s country.’ So that’s my philosophy.”He married English-born songwriter Dixie Deen in 1968, and the two would go on to write hundreds of bluegrass songs after Hall retired from performing in the 1990s, including “All That’s Left” which Miranda Lambert covered on her 2014 album, “Platinum.” Dixie Hall died in 2015.In 2015, music legend Bob Dylan singled out Hall for some harsh criticism in a rambling speech at a MusiCares event. He called Hall’s song, “I Love,” “a little overcooked,” and said that the arrival of Kristofferson in Nashville “blew ol’ Tom T. Hall’s world apart.”The criticism apparently confused Hall, as he considered Kristofferson a friend and a peer, and when asked about Dylan’s comments in an 2016 article for “American Songwriter” magazine, he responded, “What the hell was all that about?”

Country legend Tom T. Hall dies; wrote ‘Harper Valley PTA’

MANHATTAN — As the fight against COVID-19 continues, Kansas State University has received a five-year, $3.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to research a new treatment method for the virus, according to a media release from the university. Kyeong-Ok "KC" Chang, a virologist at the Kansas State University&nbsp;<a href="https://vet.k-state.edu/">College of Veterinary Medicine</a>, is the principal investigator for the project, "Small Molecule Inhibitors Against 3C-Like Protease of SARS-CoV-2." The project's goal is to complete development of a drug for preclinical studies, ultimately leading to a COVID-19-specific antiviral therapeutic treatment. "There is currently an urgent and unmet need for the discovery and development of antiviral therapeutics for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19," Chang said. Yunjeong Kim, a virologist from Kansas State University, serves as co-principal investigator along with William C. Groutas, a medicinal chemist at Wichita State University; Stanley Perlman, a professor of microbiology and immunology from the University of Iowa; and Scott Lovell, a structural biologist at the University of Kansas. Chang's group has been working on antiviral drug development against both human and animal coronaviruses for over a decade, with a focus on protease inhibitors. "Recent advances of our efforts on the drug development include identification of potent compounds effective against SARS-CoV-2 confirmed by cell culture testing, X-ray co-crystallography and an animal model," Chang said. Chang and Kim, along with Groutas and Perlman recently published new findings on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/2021-07/chang-kim-pnas-covid.html">SARS-CoV-2 treatment options</a>. "Drs. Chang and Kim have over 30 years of collective experience investigating coronaviruses and other similar viruses," said Derek Mosier, department head of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine. "They have established a well-deserved international reputation for research excellence and discovery, so their recent success comes as no surprise. Their contributions to the research efforts of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Kansas State University are invaluable.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629558472279.png" alt="Kyeong-OK "KC" Chang, virologist with Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, recently received a $3.7 million grant to further development of COVID-19 therapeutic treatment-photo courtesy KSU" />
 <figcaption>Kyeong-OK "KC" Chang, virologist with Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, recently received a $3.7 million grant to further development of COVID-19 therapeutic treatment-photo courtesy KSU</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN — As the fight against COVID-19 continues, Kansas State University has received a five-year, $3.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to research a new treatment method for the virus, according to a media release from the university. Kyeong-Ok "KC" Chang, a virologist at the Kansas State University&nbsp;<a href="https://vet.k-state.edu/">College of Veterinary Medicine</a>, is the principal investigator for the project, "Small Molecule Inhibitors Against 3C-Like Protease of SARS-CoV-2." The project's goal is to complete development of a drug for preclinical studies, ultimately leading to a COVID-19-specific antiviral therapeutic treatment. "There is currently an urgent and unmet need for the discovery and development of antiviral therapeutics for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19," Chang said. Yunjeong Kim, a virologist from Kansas State University, serves as co-principal investigator along with William C. Groutas, a medicinal chemist at Wichita State University; Stanley Perlman, a professor of microbiology and immunology from the University of Iowa; and Scott Lovell, a structural biologist at the University of Kansas. Chang's group has been working on antiviral drug development against both human and animal coronaviruses for over a decade, with a focus on protease inhibitors. "Recent advances of our efforts on the drug development include identification of potent compounds effective against SARS-CoV-2 confirmed by cell culture testing, X-ray co-crystallography and an animal model," Chang said. Chang and Kim, along with Groutas and Perlman recently published new findings on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/2021-07/chang-kim-pnas-covid.html">SARS-CoV-2 treatment options</a>. "Drs. Chang and Kim have over 30 years of collective experience investigating coronaviruses and other similar viruses," said Derek Mosier, department head of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine. "They have established a well-deserved international reputation for research excellence and discovery, so their recent success comes as no surprise. Their contributions to the research efforts of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Kansas State University are invaluable.

KSU: $3.7M grant supports research into COVID-19 treatment

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Laura Kelly on Friday called for school districts to require masks and said she was contemplating an emergency declaration as hospitals buckle under the strain of increasingly young COVID-19 patients and hundreds of students and staff become infected.

“We really want people to understand that this is no fooling around,” Kelly lamented while speaking at Saint Luke’s South Hospital in Overland Park, Kansas, which is brimming with patients. “This is an emergency.”

The latest health department data shows 154 school clusters, with 1,889 cases.

Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools reported that 82 students and staff were infected in just the first nine days of the academic year, with 220 quarantined. The Turner school district began requiring masks after more than two dozen students were infected.

The Wichita district, which is the state’s largest and isn’t requiring masks, has had “a few” COVID-19 cases since classes started last week, said spokeswoman Susan Arensman. She said the district won’t provide weekly updates on cases until next month.

The school board for Perry-Lecompton public schools, where 16 students are quarantining, imposed a mask mandate Thursday night.

“These are students that are not in school right now and cannot learn because of COVID,” said Superintendent J.B. Elliott.

Kelly noted that schools in other states have shut down completely over outbreaks.

“Until the vaccine is approved for children under 12, masks can prevent students from quarantining, from getting very sick and dying from COVID-19,” she said. “We got our kids back into the classroom by following public health guidance, by wearing masks, by getting vaccinated. We will get them there and keep them safe by doing exactly those things.”

Kelly said that more COVID-19 patients were admitted to hospitals in the state on Wednesday than any other single day since the pandemic began. Intensive care units are at 100% capacity at six of the state’s largest hospitals, she said, with two-thirds of the patients infected with COVID-19.

“Other hospitals across Kansas are perilously close to maximum capacity,” she said, as some overwhelmed hospitals resort to flying patients to hospitals hundreds of miles away for treatment.

She said it takes an emergency declaration to access some federal aid. Kelly noted that “the Legislature had made it very difficult for me to do that.”

Top Republican legislators on June 15&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-ks-state-wire-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-health-7302d46eef675734fe1343f2640236f9">ended a state of emergency</a>&nbsp;in Kansas for the pandemic, canceling many of the law’s provisions.

Kansas averaged 1,162 new COVID-19 cases per day for the seven days ending Friday, the kind of figure it was reporting in late January, before vaccines were available to all adults. That has led to an increase in deaths, with the state averaging 16 additional COVID-19 fatalities a day for the seven days ending Friday, bringing the total to 5,494, or one death for every 534 of the state’s residents.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported Friday that 46.8% of the state’s 2.9 million residents have been fully vaccinated, while the national figure is 51.1% and seven northeast and mid-Atlantic states have rates of more than 60%.

Dr. Andrew Schlachter, a pulmonary and critical care specialist at St. Luke’s, said staff does its best, regardless of whether patients have been vaccinated.

“Our best efforts, though, are not a promise of survival or recovery,” he said.

Dr. Dena Hubbard, a pediatrician who cares for premature babies, said the delta variant is landing more unvaccinated pregnant mothers in the hospital, where some are so sick that they are placed on a machine built to take over for the lungs, known as ECMO. She has watched babies lose their mothers before she can discharge them, while other infants need ventilators to help them breath.

“We have a tool,” she said of the vaccine. “Yet we are not using it to the full extent that we could.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629505891634.png" alt="Kelly speaking with doctors following Friday's press conference at St. Luke's Hospital in Johnson County-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kelly speaking with doctors following Friday's press conference at St. Luke's Hospital in Johnson County-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Laura Kelly on Friday called for school districts to require masks and said she was contemplating an emergency declaration as hospitals buckle under the strain of increasingly young COVID-19 patients and hundreds of students and staff become infected.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fposts%2F818564428843333&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="372" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>“We really want people to understand that this is no fooling around,” Kelly lamented while speaking at Saint Luke’s South Hospital in Overland Park, Kansas, which is brimming with patients. “This is an emergency.”The latest health department data shows 154 school clusters, with 1,889 cases.Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools reported that 82 students and staff were infected in just the first nine days of the academic year, with 220 quarantined. The Turner school district began requiring masks after more than two dozen students were infected.The Wichita district, which is the state’s largest and isn’t requiring masks, has had “a few” COVID-19 cases since classes started last week, said spokeswoman Susan Arensman. She said the district won’t provide weekly updates on cases until next month.The school board for Perry-Lecompton public schools, where 16 students are quarantining, imposed a mask mandate Thursday night.“These are students that are not in school right now and cannot learn because of COVID,” said Superintendent J.B. Elliott.Kelly noted that schools in other states have shut down completely over outbreaks.“Until the vaccine is approved for children under 12, masks can prevent students from quarantining, from getting very sick and dying from COVID-19,” she said. “We got our kids back into the classroom by following public health guidance, by wearing masks, by getting vaccinated. We will get them there and keep them safe by doing exactly those things.”Kelly said that more COVID-19 patients were admitted to hospitals in the state on Wednesday than any other single day since the pandemic began. Intensive care units are at 100% capacity at six of the state’s largest hospitals, she said, with two-thirds of the patients infected with COVID-19.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629478468582.png" alt="Friday August 20, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Friday August 20, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>“Other hospitals across Kansas are perilously close to maximum capacity,” she said, as some overwhelmed hospitals resort to flying patients to hospitals hundreds of miles away for treatment.She said it takes an emergency declaration to access some federal aid. Kelly noted that “the Legislature had made it very difficult for me to do that.”Top Republican legislators on June 15&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-ks-state-wire-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-health-7302d46eef675734fe1343f2640236f9">ended a state of emergency</a>&nbsp;in Kansas for the pandemic, canceling many of the law’s provisions.Kansas averaged 1,162 new COVID-19 cases per day for the seven days ending Friday, the kind of figure it was reporting in late January, before vaccines were available to all adults. That has led to an increase in deaths, with the state averaging 16 additional COVID-19 fatalities a day for the seven days ending Friday, bringing the total to 5,494, or one death for every 534 of the state’s residents.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported Friday that 46.8% of the state’s 2.9 million residents have been fully vaccinated, while the national figure is 51.1% and seven northeast and mid-Atlantic states have rates of more than 60%.Dr. Andrew Schlachter, a pulmonary and critical care specialist at St. Luke’s, said staff does its best, regardless of whether patients have been vaccinated.“Our best efforts, though, are not a promise of survival or recovery,” he said.Dr. Dena Hubbard, a pediatrician who cares for premature babies, said the delta variant is landing more unvaccinated pregnant mothers in the hospital, where some are so sick that they are placed on a machine built to take over for the lungs, known as ECMO. She has watched babies lose their mothers before she can discharge them, while other infants need ventilators to help them breath.“We have a tool,” she said of the vaccine. “Yet we are not using it to the full extent that we could.”___

Gov. urges Kansas school districts to require masks

WASHINGTON
 — The Internal Revenue Service has launched a new feature allowing any 
family receiving monthly Child Tax Credit payments to quickly and easily
 update their mailing address using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal">Child Tax Credit Update Portal</a>,
 found exclusively on IRS.gov. This feature will help any family that 
chooses to receive their payment by paper check avoid mailing delays or 
even having a check returned as undeliverable.

Any family can easily have their September check and all future 
checks sent to their new address by using the portal to make an address 
change request. To have the change take effect in September, people need
 to complete the request before midnight Eastern Time on Monday, August 
30. Families can still make changes after that date, but their request 
will not be effective until the next scheduled monthly payment.

If you change your mailing address using the Child Tax Credit Update 
Portal, the IRS will use this updated address for all future IRS 
correspondence so the address change feature can also be helpful to 
taxpayers that are receiving payments by direct deposit. For example, 
the IRS will mail a year-end summary statement (Letter 6419) to all 
taxpayers who have received advance Child Tax Credit payments during 
2021 and having a current address on file with the IRS will ensure 
prompt delivery of this statement.

Families will need Letter 6419 to quickly and accurately fill out 
their 2021 federal income tax return next year. This is important 
because, for most families, the advance payments they are receiving 
during 2021 cover only half of the total credit. They will claim the 
remaining portion on their 2021 tax return.

The address change feature joins a growing set of services available 
through the Child Tax Credit Update Portal. Available only on IRS.gov, 
the portal already allows families to verify their eligibility for the 
payments and then, if they choose to:

Any of these changes made before midnight ET on August 30, will 
apply to the September 15 payment and all subsequent monthly payments, 
scheduled for October 15, November 15, and December 15.

Future enhancements are planned for the Child Tax Credit Portal

Later this year, families will also be able to use the Update Portal tool to:

Latest information for the Child Tax Credit payments on IRS.gov

The IRS has created a special Advance Child Tax Credit 2021 page 
designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the credit and
 the advance payments. For more information, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>.

The web page now features an updated set of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">frequently asked questions</a> and the new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5549.pdf">Publication 5549, IRS User Guide: Child Tax Credit Update Portal</a>.
 It also provides direct links to the portal, as well as two other 
online tools — the Non-Filer Sign Up Tool and the Child Tax Credit 
Eligibility Assistant — and other useful resources.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON
 — The Internal Revenue Service has launched a new feature allowing any 
family receiving monthly Child Tax Credit payments to quickly and easily
 update their mailing address using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal">Child Tax Credit Update Portal</a>,
 found exclusively on IRS.gov. This feature will help any family that 
chooses to receive their payment by paper check avoid mailing delays or 
even having a check returned as undeliverable.Any family can easily have their September check and all future 
checks sent to their new address by using the portal to make an address 
change request. To have the change take effect in September, people need
 to complete the request before midnight Eastern Time on Monday, August 
30. Families can still make changes after that date, but their request 
will not be effective until the next scheduled monthly payment.If you change your mailing address using the Child Tax Credit Update 
Portal, the IRS will use this updated address for all future IRS 
correspondence so the address change feature can also be helpful to 
taxpayers that are receiving payments by direct deposit. For example, 
the IRS will mail a year-end summary statement (Letter 6419) to all 
taxpayers who have received advance Child Tax Credit payments during 
2021 and having a current address on file with the IRS will ensure 
prompt delivery of this statement.Families will need Letter 6419 to quickly and accurately fill out 
their 2021 federal income tax return next year. This is important 
because, for most families, the advance payments they are receiving 
during 2021 cover only half of the total credit. They will claim the 
remaining portion on their 2021 tax return.The address change feature joins a growing set of services available 
through the Child Tax Credit Update Portal. Available only on IRS.gov, 
the portal already allows families to verify their eligibility for the 
payments and then, if they choose to:<ul>
 <li>Switch from receiving a paper check to direct deposit;</li><li>Change the account where their payment is direct deposited; or</li><li>Stop monthly payments for the rest of 2021.</li>
 </ul>Any of these changes made before midnight ET on August 30, will 
apply to the September 15 payment and all subsequent monthly payments, 
scheduled for October 15, November 15, and December 15.<h2>Future enhancements are planned for the Child Tax Credit Portal</h2>Later this year, families will also be able to use the Update Portal tool to:<ul>
 <li>Add or remove children in most situations;</li><li>Report a change in marital status; or</li><li>Report a significant change in income.</li>
 </ul><h2>Latest information for the Child Tax Credit payments on IRS.gov</h2>The IRS has created a special Advance Child Tax Credit 2021 page 
designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the credit and
 the advance payments. For more information, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>.The web page now features an updated set of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">frequently asked questions</a> and the new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5549.pdf">Publication 5549, IRS User Guide: Child Tax Credit Update Portal</a>.
 It also provides direct links to the portal, as well as two other 
online tools — the Non-Filer Sign Up Tool and the Child Tax Credit 
Eligibility Assistant — and other useful resources.

Updates for Child Tax Credit payment must be completed by Aug. 30

SHAWNEE COUNTY— A man traveling the country to raise awareness for veteran suicide assisted Topeka Police in finding a kidnapping suspect Thursday night.

Just before 9 p.m. police were notified that a 86-year-old woman had been kidnapped in a vehicle in the 800 block of SW Harrison Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

The witness, Darren Hafford, who’s doing pushups to combat veteran suicide, told officers that he saw a man enter the driver’s side of a vehicle. He then witnessed the woman in the passenger seat of the vehicle in distress. 

The driver of the vehicle then drove away and Hafford notified police.

Officers located the vehicle, the woman and the suspect later identified as 54-year-old David Baker a short time later in the 300 block of SW 10th Avenue in Topeka.

 The woman was not injured in the incident. The suspect and woman are not known to one another.

Police arrested Baker and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Kidnapping, Aggravated burglary, Theft &gt;$1,500 &lt;$25,000 Pocket-Picking, Driving while suspended and Assault.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629485789635.png" alt="Baker photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Baker photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY— A man traveling the country to raise awareness for veteran suicide assisted Topeka Police in finding a kidnapping suspect Thursday night.Just before 9 p.m. police were notified that a 86-year-old woman had been kidnapped in a vehicle in the 800 block of SW Harrison Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.The witness, Darren Hafford, who’s doing pushups to combat veteran suicide, told officers that he saw a man enter the driver’s side of a vehicle. He then witnessed the woman in the passenger seat of the vehicle in distress. The driver of the vehicle then drove away and Hafford notified police.Officers located the vehicle, the woman and the suspect later identified as 54-year-old David Baker a short time later in the 300 block of SW 10th Avenue in Topeka. The woman was not injured in the incident. The suspect and woman are not known to one another.Police arrested Baker and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Kidnapping, Aggravated burglary, Theft &gt;$1,500 &lt;$25,000 Pocket-Picking, Driving while suspended and Assault.

Vet advocate helps police rescue 86-year-old kidnap victim

GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a case of alleged fraud and asking the public for help&nbsp; to identify two suspects, according to a social media report from the&nbsp; Junction City Police Department&nbsp;

If you recognizes these individuals call officers at 785-762-5912

GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a case of alleged fraud and asking the public for help&nbsp; to identify two suspects, according to a social media report from the&nbsp; Junction City Police Department&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FJCPDKS%2Fposts%2F4462701160428287&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="721" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>If you recognizes these individuals call officers at 785-762-5912

Police ask for help to ID suspects in Kan. fraud case

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge ruled on Thursday that Kansas must pay more than $2.2 million in attorney fees to the groups that filed a lawsuit over problems in the child welfare system.

U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree also ordered the state to pay more than $72,000 in expenses.

The Kansas Department for Children and Families said in an emailed statement after the decision that it “continues to focus on improving services for youth in foster care. This has been our priority even before the settlement.” The agency said it was reviewing Thursday’s ruling and would have no further comment at this time.

Crabtree approved a settlement to the lawsuit in January, saying at the time that it provided a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/foster-care-lawsuits-kansas-child-welfare-topeka-eadb7a4e76fd7df61179176178494073">real value to the more than 7,000 children in the foster care system&nbsp;</a>and addressed the need to end extreme housing disruption and inadequate mental health care.

But the parties had continued to wrangle over attorney fees and other legal expenses.

The judge wrote in a 58-page opinion that the plaintiffs prevailed and were entitled to recover those costs. However, he substantially pared down the more than $3.7 million that the plaintiffs had initially requested for attorney’s fees and the almost $115,000 they wanted for expenses.

The class-action lawsuit was filed in 2018 by Kansas Appleseed, Lori Burns-Bucklew, Children’s Rights and the National Center for Youth Law against the Kansas Department for Children and Families and others.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge ruled on Thursday that Kansas must pay more than $2.2 million in attorney fees to the groups that filed a lawsuit over problems in the child welfare system.U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree also ordered the state to pay more than $72,000 in expenses.The Kansas Department for Children and Families said in an emailed statement after the decision that it “continues to focus on improving services for youth in foster care. This has been our priority even before the settlement.” The agency said it was reviewing Thursday’s ruling and would have no further comment at this time.Crabtree approved a settlement to the lawsuit in January, saying at the time that it provided a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/foster-care-lawsuits-kansas-child-welfare-topeka-eadb7a4e76fd7df61179176178494073">real value to the more than 7,000 children in the foster care system&nbsp;</a>and addressed the need to end extreme housing disruption and inadequate mental health care.But the parties had continued to wrangle over attorney fees and other legal expenses.The judge wrote in a 58-page opinion that the plaintiffs prevailed and were entitled to recover those costs. However, he substantially pared down the more than $3.7 million that the plaintiffs had initially requested for attorney’s fees and the almost $115,000 they wanted for expenses.The class-action lawsuit was filed in 2018 by Kansas Appleseed, Lori Burns-Bucklew, Children’s Rights and the National Center for Youth Law against the Kansas Department for Children and Families and others.

Kansas to pay $2.2M in legal costs in child welfare lawsuit

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court on Friday allowed the pause on evictions imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to remain in place, setting up a likely battle before the nation’s highest court.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia rejected a bid by Alabama and Georgia realtors to block the eviction moratorium reinstated earlier this month.

The realtors are likely to appeal to the Supreme Court, which voted 5-4 in June to allow the moratorium to continue through the end of July. But Justice Brett Kavanaugh — who joined the majority — warned the administration not to act further without explicit congressional approval.

The Biden administration allowed an earlier moratorium to lapse on July 31, saying it had no legal authority to allow it to continue. But the CDC issued a new moratorium days later amid mounting pressure from lawmakers and others to help vulnerable renters stay in their homes amid the surge of the coronavirus’ delta variant.

As of Aug. 2, roughly 3.5 million people in the United States said they faced eviction in the next two months, according to the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court on Friday allowed the pause on evictions imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to remain in place, setting up a likely battle before the nation’s highest court.A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia rejected a bid by Alabama and Georgia realtors to block the eviction moratorium reinstated earlier this month.The realtors are likely to appeal to the Supreme Court, which voted 5-4 in June to allow the moratorium to continue through the end of July. But Justice Brett Kavanaugh — who joined the majority — warned the administration not to act further without explicit congressional approval.The Biden administration allowed an earlier moratorium to lapse on July 31, saying it had no legal authority to allow it to continue. But the CDC issued a new moratorium days later amid mounting pressure from lawmakers and others to help vulnerable renters stay in their homes amid the surge of the coronavirus’ delta variant.As of Aug. 2, roughly 3.5 million people in the United States said they faced eviction in the next two months, according to the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey.

Federal appeals court upholds CDC's eviction moratorium

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is pledging to Americans still trapped in Afghanistan: “We will get you home.” 

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?514188-1/president-biden-remarks-afghanistan-evacuations">Click here to </a>watch the President's comments

Biden’s comments at a White House news conference Friday come as the U.S. government struggles to ramp up a massive airlift clearing Americans and other foreigners and vulnerable Afghans, rescuing them from a Taliban takeover of the country. Biden is facing criticism from some at home for the chaotic and often violent scene outside the airport as crowds struggle to reach safety. 

The pace of evacuations picked up some overnight, but flights from the Kabul airport had stopped for several hours as of Friday afternoon before resuming.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing a firestorm of criticism, President Joe Biden addressed the nation Friday afternoon about the chaotic evacuation of Americans and allies from Afghanistan as the U.S. struggles with obstacles ranging from armed Taliban checkpoints to airport pandemonium and cumbersome red tape.

While Biden has previously blamed Afghans for the U.S. failure to get out more allies ahead of this month’s sudden Taliban takeover, U.S. officials told The Associated Press that American diplomats had formally urged weeks ago that the Biden administration ramp up evacuation efforts.

Tens of thousands of people remain to be evacuated ahead of the United States’ Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw its troops from the country, although the pace picked up overnight. A defense official said about 5,700 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul aboard 16 C-17 transport planes. On each of the previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted.

With desperate crowds thronging Kabul’s airport, and Taliban fighters ringing its perimeter, the U.S. government is renewing its advisory to Americans and others that it cannot guarantee safe passage for any of those desperately seeking seats on the planes inside.

The advisory captured some of the pandemonium, and what many Afghans and foreigners see as their life-and-death struggle to get inside: “We are processing people at multiple gates. Due to large crowds and security concerns, gates may open or close without notice. Please use your best judgment and attempt to enter the airport at any gate that is open.”

Biden is set to meet with his national security team about the evacuations, and to speak from the White House Friday afternoon. In addition to criticism from some lawmakers who say the U.S. failed to adequately plan for the Taliban’s swift takeover, U.S. diplomats have voiced dissent.

In July, more than 20 diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul registered their concerns that the evacuation of Afghans who had worked for America was not proceeding quickly enough.

In a cable sent through the State Department’s dissent channel, a time-honored method for foreign service officers to register opposition to administration policies, the diplomats said the situation on the ground was dire, that the Taliban would likely seize control of the capital within months of the Aug. 31 pullout, and urged the Biden administration to immediately begin a concerted evacuation effort. That’s according to officials familiar with the document who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the internal debate.

Biden has said that the chaos that unfolded as part of the withdrawal was inevitable as the nearly 20-year war came to an end. He said he was following the advice of Afghanistan’s U.S.-backed president, Ashraf Ghani, in not earlier expanding U.S. efforts to fly out translators and other Afghans in danger for the past work with Americans. Ghani fled the country last weekend as the Taliban seized the capital.

Biden also said that many at-risk Afghan allies had not wanted to leave the country. But refugee groups point to yearslong backlogs of applications from thousands of those Afghans for visas that would let them take refuge in the United States.

The administration has also portrayed its contingency planning as successful after the Afghan government fell much faster than publicly anticipated by administration officials. Yet the White House received clear warnings that the situation was deteriorating rapidly before the current evacuation push.

The Kabul airport has been the focus of intense international efforts to get out foreigners, Afghan allies and other Afghans most at risk of reprisal from the Taliban insurgents.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that U.S. citizens are able to reach the airport, but face an obstacle in the large crowds at the airport gates.

On Thursday, Taliban militants fired into the air to try to control the crowds gathered at the airport’s blast walls. Men, women and children fled. U.S. Navy fighter jets flew overhead, a standard military precaution but also a reminder to the Taliban that the U.S. has firepower to respond to a combat crisis.

Sullivan acknowledged that there is the possibility of a hostage situation or terrorist attack, and said the government is working for safe passage for U.S. citizens. The administration has committed to ensuring that all Americans can leave, even if that means staying past the August deadline.

“This is a risky operation,” Sullivan told NBC News Thursday. “We can’t count on anything.”

There is no firm figure of the number of people — Americans, Afghans or others — who are in need of evacuation as the process is almost entirely self-selecting.

The State Department says that when it ordered its nonessential embassy staff to leave Kabul in April after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-troop-withdrawal-afghanistan-september-11-d2c7426736f9f530e0e62f2295a44d28">Biden’s withdrawal announcement</a>, fewer than 4,000 Americans had registered for security updates. The actual number, including dual U.S.-Afghan citizens along with family members, is likely much higher, with estimates ranging from 11,000 to 15,000. Refugee advocates estimate about 100,000 Afghan allies and family members also are appealing for seats on the U.S. airlift.

Compounding the uncertainty, the U.S. government has no way to track how many registered Americans may have left Afghanistan already. Some may have returned to the United States but others may have gone to third countries.

Although Afghanistan had been a hotspot for the coronavirus pandemic, the State Department said Thursday that evacuees are not required to get negative COVID-19 results.

However, Afghans and the Americans trying to help them escape say the Biden administration has clung to visa requirements for would-be evacuees that involve more than a dozen steps, and can take years to complete. That often included requirements that the Taliban sweep made impossible or dangerous — like requiring Afghans to go to a third-country to apply for a U.S. visa, and produce paperwork showing their work with Americans.

Additional American troops continued to arrive at the airport to safeguard and run the U.S. part of the evacuation. As of Thursday there were about 5,200, including Marines who specialize in evacuation coordination and an Air Force unit that specializes in emergency airport operations. Biden has authorized a total deployment of about 6,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629481981854.png" alt="President Joe Biden speaks about the evacuation of American citizens and vulnerable Afghans in the East Room of the White House, Friday.&nbsp; Vice President Kamala Harris, Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin and Sec. of State Antony Blinken joined the President-photo courtesy White House&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden speaks about the evacuation of American citizens and vulnerable Afghans in the East Room of the White House, Friday.&nbsp; Vice President Kamala Harris, Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin and Sec. of State Antony Blinken joined the President-photo courtesy White House&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is pledging to Americans still trapped in Afghanistan: “We will get you home.” <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?514188-1/president-biden-remarks-afghanistan-evacuations">Click here to </a>watch the President's commentsBiden’s comments at a White House news conference Friday come as the U.S. government struggles to ramp up a massive airlift clearing Americans and other foreigners and vulnerable Afghans, rescuing them from a Taliban takeover of the country. Biden is facing criticism from some at home for the chaotic and often violent scene outside the airport as crowds struggle to reach safety. The pace of evacuations picked up some overnight, but flights from the Kabul airport had stopped for several hours as of Friday afternoon before resuming.-------WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing a firestorm of criticism, President Joe Biden addressed the nation Friday afternoon about the chaotic evacuation of Americans and allies from Afghanistan as the U.S. struggles with obstacles ranging from armed Taliban checkpoints to airport pandemonium and cumbersome red tape.While Biden has previously blamed Afghans for the U.S. failure to get out more allies ahead of this month’s sudden Taliban takeover, U.S. officials told The Associated Press that American diplomats had formally urged weeks ago that the Biden administration ramp up evacuation efforts.Tens of thousands of people remain to be evacuated ahead of the United States’ Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw its troops from the country, although the pace picked up overnight. A defense official said about 5,700 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul aboard 16 C-17 transport planes. On each of the previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted.With desperate crowds thronging Kabul’s airport, and Taliban fighters ringing its perimeter, the U.S. government is renewing its advisory to Americans and others that it cannot guarantee safe passage for any of those desperately seeking seats on the planes inside.The advisory captured some of the pandemonium, and what many Afghans and foreigners see as their life-and-death struggle to get inside: “We are processing people at multiple gates. Due to large crowds and security concerns, gates may open or close without notice. Please use your best judgment and attempt to enter the airport at any gate that is open.”Biden is set to meet with his national security team about the evacuations, and to speak from the White House Friday afternoon. In addition to criticism from some lawmakers who say the U.S. failed to adequately plan for the Taliban’s swift takeover, U.S. diplomats have voiced dissent.In July, more than 20 diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul registered their concerns that the evacuation of Afghans who had worked for America was not proceeding quickly enough.In a cable sent through the State Department’s dissent channel, a time-honored method for foreign service officers to register opposition to administration policies, the diplomats said the situation on the ground was dire, that the Taliban would likely seize control of the capital within months of the Aug. 31 pullout, and urged the Biden administration to immediately begin a concerted evacuation effort. That’s according to officials familiar with the document who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the internal debate.Biden has said that the chaos that unfolded as part of the withdrawal was inevitable as the nearly 20-year war came to an end. He said he was following the advice of Afghanistan’s U.S.-backed president, Ashraf Ghani, in not earlier expanding U.S. efforts to fly out translators and other Afghans in danger for the past work with Americans. Ghani fled the country last weekend as the Taliban seized the capital.Biden also said that many at-risk Afghan allies had not wanted to leave the country. But refugee groups point to yearslong backlogs of applications from thousands of those Afghans for visas that would let them take refuge in the United States.The administration has also portrayed its contingency planning as successful after the Afghan government fell much faster than publicly anticipated by administration officials. Yet the White House received clear warnings that the situation was deteriorating rapidly before the current evacuation push.The Kabul airport has been the focus of intense international efforts to get out foreigners, Afghan allies and other Afghans most at risk of reprisal from the Taliban insurgents.White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that U.S. citizens are able to reach the airport, but face an obstacle in the large crowds at the airport gates.On Thursday, Taliban militants fired into the air to try to control the crowds gathered at the airport’s blast walls. Men, women and children fled. U.S. Navy fighter jets flew overhead, a standard military precaution but also a reminder to the Taliban that the U.S. has firepower to respond to a combat crisis.Sullivan acknowledged that there is the possibility of a hostage situation or terrorist attack, and said the government is working for safe passage for U.S. citizens. The administration has committed to ensuring that all Americans can leave, even if that means staying past the August deadline.“This is a risky operation,” Sullivan told NBC News Thursday. “We can’t count on anything.”There is no firm figure of the number of people — Americans, Afghans or others — who are in need of evacuation as the process is almost entirely self-selecting.The State Department says that when it ordered its nonessential embassy staff to leave Kabul in April after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-troop-withdrawal-afghanistan-september-11-d2c7426736f9f530e0e62f2295a44d28">Biden’s withdrawal announcement</a>, fewer than 4,000 Americans had registered for security updates. The actual number, including dual U.S.-Afghan citizens along with family members, is likely much higher, with estimates ranging from 11,000 to 15,000. Refugee advocates estimate about 100,000 Afghan allies and family members also are appealing for seats on the U.S. airlift.Compounding the uncertainty, the U.S. government has no way to track how many registered Americans may have left Afghanistan already. Some may have returned to the United States but others may have gone to third countries.Although Afghanistan had been a hotspot for the coronavirus pandemic, the State Department said Thursday that evacuees are not required to get negative COVID-19 results.However, Afghans and the Americans trying to help them escape say the Biden administration has clung to visa requirements for would-be evacuees that involve more than a dozen steps, and can take years to complete. That often included requirements that the Taliban sweep made impossible or dangerous — like requiring Afghans to go to a third-country to apply for a U.S. visa, and produce paperwork showing their work with Americans.Additional American troops continued to arrive at the airport to safeguard and run the U.S. part of the evacuation. As of Thursday there were about 5,200, including Marines who specialize in evacuation coordination and an Air Force unit that specializes in emergency airport operations. Biden has authorized a total deployment of about 6,000.

🎥  Pres. Biden updates chaotic Kabul evacuation

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 2675 to a total of 356,065, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

The state reported 38 new COVID-19 deaths for a total of 5494, up from 5394 deaths the KDHE reported Monday,

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

As of August 1, 2021, in accordance with an&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">updated CDC/CSTE surveillance case definition</a>, a confirmed case is defined as a person who tested positive by molecular detection (e.g., PCR, NAA) or identification of SARS-CoV-2 through genetic sequencing. A probable case is defined as a person with: a) presumptive lab evidence (antigen) or b) no lab testing but meeting clinical case criteria and is epi-linked. A person will be counted as a new surveillance case (e.g. reinfection) if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 by a diagnostic test (i.e., molecular, antigen) and it has been greater than 90 days since the previous positive diagnostic test. In addition, a person with sequencing results identifying different SARS-CoV-2 lineages regardless of the time since the previous specimen sequenced will be counted as a new surveillance case.&nbsp;

Cases occurring between&nbsp;September 1, 2020&nbsp;and July 29, 2021 were classified by&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">previous CDC/CSTE case definition,&nbsp;</a>and cases prior to September 1, 2020 were classified by the&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/coronavirus-disease-2019-2020/" target="_blank">original case definition</a>.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 2675 to a total of 356,065, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;The state reported 38 new COVID-19 deaths for a total of 5494, up from 5394 deaths the KDHE reported Monday,<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629478468582.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.As of August 1, 2021, in accordance with an&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">updated CDC/CSTE surveillance case definition</a>, a confirmed case is defined as a person who tested positive by molecular detection (e.g., PCR, NAA) or identification of SARS-CoV-2 through genetic sequencing. A probable case is defined as a person with: a) presumptive lab evidence (antigen) or b) no lab testing but meeting clinical case criteria and is epi-linked. A person will be counted as a new surveillance case (e.g. reinfection) if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 by a diagnostic test (i.e., molecular, antigen) and it has been greater than 90 days since the previous positive diagnostic test. In addition, a person with sequencing results identifying different SARS-CoV-2 lineages regardless of the time since the previous specimen sequenced will be counted as a new surveillance case.&nbsp;Cases occurring between&nbsp;September 1, 2020&nbsp;and July 29, 2021 were classified by&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">previous CDC/CSTE case definition,&nbsp;</a>and cases prior to September 1, 2020 were classified by the&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/coronavirus-disease-2019-2020/" target="_blank">original case definition</a>.

KDHE: 100 COVID deaths in Kansas this week

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly held a press conference Friday at St. Luke's hospital in Johnson County to discuss hospital and ICU capacity in Kansas, and concerns regarding COVID-19 spreading in schools.&nbsp;

The governor said the COVID situation in Kansas "is cause of real concern. It shouldn't be like this but COVID-19 infections are more rampant today than before the vaccine was available.

She encouraged all school districts to implement mask requirements in school.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly held a press conference Friday at St. Luke's hospital in Johnson County to discuss hospital and ICU capacity in Kansas, and concerns regarding COVID-19 spreading in schools.&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fposts%2F818564428843333&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="372" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The governor said the COVID situation in Kansas "is cause of real concern. It shouldn't be like this but COVID-19 infections are more rampant today than before the vaccine was available.She encouraged all school districts to implement mask requirements in school.

🎥 Gov. on COVID spread in schools, ICU bed capacity in Kansas

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Firefighters called to a house fire in Kansas City early Friday morning found the body of a woman inside.

Fire crews were called just after midnight Thursday to a house near Vineyard Park in southeastern Kansas City, officials said, and arriving firefighters encountered heavy smoke and flames coming from the home.

Firefighters who entered the home to battle the flames found the woman’s body, according to investigators. Her identity was not immediately released, and police and fire officials are investigating.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629474331732.png" alt="Friday morning fatal. house fire photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Friday morning fatal. house fire photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Firefighters called to a house fire in Kansas City early Friday morning found the body of a woman inside.Fire crews were called just after midnight Thursday to a house near Vineyard Park in southeastern Kansas City, officials said, and arriving firefighters encountered heavy smoke and flames coming from the home.Firefighters who entered the home to battle the flames found the woman’s body, according to investigators. Her identity was not immediately released, and police and fire officials are investigating.

Firefighters find woman dead in burning KC home 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Producer Mike Richards stepped down as host of “Jeopardy!” after a report about past misogynistic comments surfaced this week.

Richards was chosen last week as the successor to Alex Trebek, but his selection was seen as divisive from the beginning after the show embarked on a broad search that included actors, sports figures, journalists and celebrities. 

Earlier this week, a report on the website The Ringer revealed demeaning comments about women that Richards had made on a podcast. 

The clips were removed online after the report was posted. Richards says in a note to the “Jeopardy!” staff on Friday that moving forward would be too much of a “distraction for our fans.”

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Producer Mike Richards stepped down as host of “Jeopardy!” after a report about past misogynistic comments surfaced this week.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Announcing Mayim Bialik and Mike Richards as our new hosts of Jeopardy! Richards will host the daily syndicated show, while Bialik will host primetime and spinoff series.<a href="https://t.co/MVQAqnKgjU">https://t.co/MVQAqnKgjU</a> <a href="https://t.co/itY6fIe5Uv">pic.twitter.com/itY6fIe5Uv</a>&mdash; Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jeopardy/status/1425540248696619009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Richards was chosen last week as the successor to Alex Trebek, but his selection was seen as divisive from the beginning after the show embarked on a broad search that included actors, sports figures, journalists and celebrities. Earlier this week, a report on the website The Ringer revealed demeaning comments about women that Richards had made on a podcast. The clips were removed online after the report was posted. Richards says in a note to the “Jeopardy!” staff on Friday that moving forward would be too much of a “distraction for our fans.”

Search for 'Jeopardy!' host continues; Richards steps down

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Officials in some Kansas communities are battling a rise in COVID-19 cases by mandating masks for kids, issuing emergency orders and requiring vaccines.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Kansas has risen over the past two weeks from 605.14 new cases per day on Aug. 3 to 797.14 new cases per day on Tuesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

In the Lawrence area, Douglas County leaders approved a health order Wednesday that will require children ages 2 to 12 to wear masks while in indoor public spaces. The decision followed four hours of public comment that included jeering and interruptions from a largely maskless crowd, the Lawrence Journal-World reports.

Douglas County’s health officer, Dr. Thomas Marcellino was momentarily drowned out by laughter and heckling from the crowd when he tried to explain the reasoning for the order. One person called him a liar and disgusting, and some in the crowd started chanting “no more masks.”

One public commenter even compared maskless children being excluded from activities to racial segregation.

There are various exceptions to the proposed order, including youth with a medical condition, mental health condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering.

In the Wichita area, hospital status was changed to critical Wednesday, as about 150 COVID-19 patients fill beds there, The Wichita Eagle reports.

Amid the increase, Sedgwick County health officer Dr. Garold Minns is considering proposing that masks be worn again. He said he should reach a decision before the end of the week, although the Sedgwick County Commission will have the final say on any mask mandate.

In the Topeka area, Shawnee County is once again under a state of disaster emergency regarding COVID-19, The Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/2021/08/19/covid-19-delta-variant-brings-new-state-emergency-shawnee-county/8190324002/" target="_blank">reports</a>.

“This is projected to get worse, so in order to not let it get worse, we need to do some mitigation strategies,” said Dusty Nichols, the county’s COVID-19 incident commander.

He said the declaration’s issuance puts state officials on notice that Shawnee County is “maxed out on resources” in terms of dealing with COVID and might ask them for help. The declaration also sends a message to the public that local hospitals are running low on resources necessary to deal with COVID, Nichols said.

“I’m hoping that people kind of start paying attention to our resource shortages,” he said. “The reason we’re at this level is because mitigation strategies are not working, or they would work if people would follow them.”

In the Hutchinson area, cases also were rising, with 70% of staff out in the treasury and tag departments, according to Reno County treasurer Brenda Kowitz. The Hutchinson News&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hutchnews.com/story/news/coronavirus/2021/08/18/more-than-2-3-rds-county-tag-and-tax-office-staff-out-due-covid/8184433002/" target="_blank">reported that&nbsp;</a>hours have been reduced to address the staffing issues.

Meanwhile, employees of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, will be required to either receive the COVID-19 vaccine or take weekly tests under a new policy that takes effect Sept. 6.

“The Unified Government provides critical services for the community, and we must ensure that we have a workforce that is capable of providing the services upon which the public depends,” Unified Government County Administrator Doug Bach said in a news release.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Officials in some Kansas communities are battling a rise in COVID-19 cases by mandating masks for kids, issuing emergency orders and requiring vaccines.The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Kansas has risen over the past two weeks from 605.14 new cases per day on Aug. 3 to 797.14 new cases per day on Tuesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.In the Lawrence area, Douglas County leaders approved a health order Wednesday that will require children ages 2 to 12 to wear masks while in indoor public spaces. The decision followed four hours of public comment that included jeering and interruptions from a largely maskless crowd, the Lawrence Journal-World reports.Douglas County’s health officer, Dr. Thomas Marcellino was momentarily drowned out by laughter and heckling from the crowd when he tried to explain the reasoning for the order. One person called him a liar and disgusting, and some in the crowd started chanting “no more masks.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629307757240.png" alt="Wednesday August 18, 2021 KDHE imate" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday August 18, 2021 KDHE imate</figcaption>
 </figure>One public commenter even compared maskless children being excluded from activities to racial segregation.There are various exceptions to the proposed order, including youth with a medical condition, mental health condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering.In the Wichita area, hospital status was changed to critical Wednesday, as about 150 COVID-19 patients fill beds there, The Wichita Eagle reports.Amid the increase, Sedgwick County health officer Dr. Garold Minns is considering proposing that masks be worn again. He said he should reach a decision before the end of the week, although the Sedgwick County Commission will have the final say on any mask mandate.In the Topeka area, Shawnee County is once again under a state of disaster emergency regarding COVID-19, The Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/2021/08/19/covid-19-delta-variant-brings-new-state-emergency-shawnee-county/8190324002/" target="_blank">reports</a>.“This is projected to get worse, so in order to not let it get worse, we need to do some mitigation strategies,” said Dusty Nichols, the county’s COVID-19 incident commander.He said the declaration’s issuance puts state officials on notice that Shawnee County is “maxed out on resources” in terms of dealing with COVID and might ask them for help. The declaration also sends a message to the public that local hospitals are running low on resources necessary to deal with COVID, Nichols said.“I’m hoping that people kind of start paying attention to our resource shortages,” he said. “The reason we’re at this level is because mitigation strategies are not working, or they would work if people would follow them.”In the Hutchinson area, cases also were rising, with 70% of staff out in the treasury and tag departments, according to Reno County treasurer Brenda Kowitz. The Hutchinson News&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hutchnews.com/story/news/coronavirus/2021/08/18/more-than-2-3-rds-county-tag-and-tax-office-staff-out-due-covid/8184433002/" target="_blank">reported that&nbsp;</a>hours have been reduced to address the staffing issues.Meanwhile, employees of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, will be required to either receive the COVID-19 vaccine or take weekly tests under a new policy that takes effect Sept. 6.“The Unified Government provides critical services for the community, and we must ensure that we have a workforce that is capable of providing the services upon which the public depends,” Unified Government County Administrator Doug Bach said in a news release.

Restrictions return in some parts of Kan. as virus cases rise

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man and woman for the abuse of two young children.

On Monday, a Topeka area hospital notified the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office of the alleged abuse of a five-year-old girl, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, it was discovered that two siblings, a five-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy had both sustained serious injuries during the events. 

Both children were placed into police protective custody. Deputies arrested 28-year-old Ryan D. Wayman and 25-year-old Ellen R. Wayman booked them into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

Ryan Wayman has been charged with the felony crimes of abuse of a child; torture or cruel beating a child and aggravated battery, according to the sheriff's office. Ellen Wayman has been charged with the felony crime of aggravated endangering a child.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629420990214.png" alt="Ryan Wayman-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Ryan Wayman-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man and woman for the abuse of two young children.On Monday, a Topeka area hospital notified the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office of the alleged abuse of a five-year-old girl, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.During the investigation, it was discovered that two siblings, a five-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy had both sustained serious injuries during the events. Both children were placed into police protective custody. Deputies arrested 28-year-old Ryan D. Wayman and 25-year-old Ellen R. Wayman booked them into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629420899960.png" alt="Ellen Wayman-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Ellen Wayman-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Ryan Wayman has been charged with the felony crimes of abuse of a child; torture or cruel beating a child and aggravated battery, according to the sheriff's office. Ellen Wayman has been charged with the felony crime of aggravated endangering a child.

Kansas couple charged with violent abuse of 2 children

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of business robberies and offering a reward of up to $2500 for information that leads to an arrest, according to a media release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Just before 9p.m. August 8, the Dollar General at 1920 SW 10th Street in Topeka was robbed at gunpoint. The suspect entered the business with a gun and demanded money from the clerks. The suspect is described as light skinned, 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10 inches tall and approximately 150 pounds.

At 12:21 a.m. on August 15, a suspect described as a medium to light skinned African American male, 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, entered the KWIK shop at&nbsp; 102 SW 37th in Topeka. The suspect demanded money and assaulted the clerk.

The suspect took cash from each robbery and left the business on foot.

There were several patrons in the business at the time of the KWIK shop robbery, according to the FBI. They fled after the robbery. Police would like to speak to them or anyone else who may have information in the case.&nbsp;Call 816-512-8200&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629456154328.png" alt="Suspect in a pair of armed robberies -photo FBI" />
 <figcaption>Suspect in a pair of armed robberies -photo FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of business robberies and offering a reward of up to $2500 for information that leads to an arrest, according to a media release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.Just before 9p.m. August 8, the Dollar General at 1920 SW 10th Street in Topeka was robbed at gunpoint. The suspect entered the business with a gun and demanded money from the clerks. The suspect is described as light skinned, 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10 inches tall and approximately 150 pounds.At 12:21 a.m. on August 15, a suspect described as a medium to light skinned African American male, 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, entered the KWIK shop at&nbsp; 102 SW 37th in Topeka. The suspect demanded money and assaulted the clerk.The suspect took cash from each robbery and left the business on foot.There were several patrons in the business at the time of the KWIK shop robbery, according to the FBI. They fled after the robbery. Police would like to speak to them or anyone else who may have information in the case.&nbsp;Call 816-512-8200&nbsp;

 Reward offered for information in series of Kan. armed robberies

WASHINGTON — Amid the chaos and confusion at the airport, the United States said it had taken at least one step to ease requirements for those seeking to leave: COVID-19 tests.

Although Afghanistan had been a hotspot for the coronavirus pandemic, the State Department said Thursday that evacuees are not required to get a negative COVID-19 result to travel.

“A blanket humanitarian waiver has been implemented for COVID testing for all persons the U.S. government is relocating from Afghanistan,” the department said.

It referred questions about how the matter would be handled once evacuees arrive in the United States to the Department of Health and Human Services. Medical exams, including coronavirus tests, had been required for evacuees prior to Taliban’s weekend takeover of Kabul, which added extra urgency to efforts to get at-risk Afghans out of the country.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629403212055.png" alt="Afghan civilians prepare to board a plane during an evacuation Thursday at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan -photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Afghan civilians prepare to board a plane during an evacuation Thursday at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan -photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — Amid the chaos and confusion at the airport, the United States said it had taken at least one step to ease requirements for those seeking to leave: COVID-19 tests.Although Afghanistan had been a hotspot for the coronavirus pandemic, the State Department said Thursday that evacuees are not required to get a negative COVID-19 result to travel.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Kansas City would proudly accept refugees from Afghanistan who have served bravely by our side over the past generation.&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1427357250553884679?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“A blanket humanitarian waiver has been implemented for COVID testing for all persons the U.S. government is relocating from Afghanistan,” the department said.It referred questions about how the matter would be handled once evacuees arrive in the United States to the Department of Health and Human Services. Medical exams, including coronavirus tests, had been required for evacuees prior to Taliban’s weekend takeover of Kabul, which added extra urgency to efforts to get at-risk Afghans out of the country.

US: Evacuees from Afghanistan don't need COVID tests

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Biden administration announced Thursday it will automatically erase student loan debt for more than 300,000 Americans with severe disabilities that leave them unable to earn significant incomes.

The move will wipe out more than $5.8 billion in debt, according to the Education Department, and it marks the start of a broader overhaul of a program that has been criticized for having overly burdensome rules.

“We’ve heard loud and clear from borrowers with disabilities and advocates about the need for this change and we are excited to follow through on it,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement.

The federal government offers student debt relief for people who are “totally and permanently disabled” and have limited incomes. But the current rules require them to submit documentation of their disability and undergo a three-year monitoring period to prove they’re earning little pay.

Tens of thousands of people have been dropped from the program and had their loans reinstated simply because they failed to submit proof of their earnings, however, and critics say the complex rules deter some from applying.

Advocates have pressed the Education Department to eliminate the monitoring period entirely and to provide automatic debt relief to people who the Social Security Administration already identifies as permanently disabled.

Under the new action, both demands will be met. Starting in September, the Education Department will start erasing student debt for 323,000 Americans identified in Social Security records as being permanently disabled.

Borrowers will be notified once they have been approved for relief. All of the loans are expected to be discharged by the end of the year.

The department also plans to eliminate the program’s three-year monitoring period, which was previously suspended during the pandemic. That change is expected to be cemented during a federal rulemaking process set to start in October, the agency said.

“This is going to be a smooth process for our borrowers,” Cardona said in a call with reporters. “They’re not going to have to be applying for it or getting bogged down by paperwork.”

Advocates celebrated the change as a victory. Aaron Ament, president of the National Student Legal Defense Network, called it a “life-changing” step.

“This is a huge moment for hundreds of thousands of borrowers with disabilities who can now move on with their lives and won’t be trapped in a cycle of debt,” he said.

Democrats in Congress said it was the right move. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, said borrowers shouldn’t face paperwork and other administrative hurdles if the federal government already knows they’re eligible for loan forgiveness.

“With this simple and sensible change, more than 320,000 borrowers and their families are being freed from the burden of student loans that they should not have to repay,” Scott said in a statement.

The program has faced scrutiny since 2016, when a federal watchdog agency found that the income reporting process posed an obstacle for borrowers. In 98% of cases in which loans were restored, it was because borrowers did not submit paperwork, not because their earnings were too high, the U.S. Government Accountability Office reported.

The Trump administration started granting automatic loan cancellations to eligible military veterans in 2019, but the move did not apply to hundreds of thousands of other Americans with disabilities.

In March, the Education Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-f78bae481c408b19c96a7ab1a3e426da">canceled debt</a>&nbsp;for more than 40,000 borrowers whose debt had been restored because of paperwork issues, but it indicated further changes would need to come through a federal rulemaking process.

Cardona announced the change as the White House faces mounting pressure to pursue wider debt forgiveness.

Democrats including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, N.Y., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Mass.,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-joe-biden-business-education-0c2776d99aadef0ca3931eb6098c853b">have called on Biden to erase $50,000&nbsp;</a>in student debt for all borrowers as a way to jumpstart the economy.

Biden has asked the Education and Justice departments to assess the legality of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-business-985cd1e840698acd547d5032764a5c68">mass debt cancellation</a>. Cardona said Thursday that those conversations are “still underway.” Meanwhile, he said, his agency is working to improve other debt forgiveness programs that target specific groups of borrowers.

“It’s an effort to show that we are working to improve targeted loan relief and help our borrowers,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616100370459.png" alt="“We’ve heard loud and clear from borrowers with disabilities and advocates about the need for this change and we are excited to follow through on it,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement." />
 <figcaption>“We’ve heard loud and clear from borrowers with disabilities and advocates about the need for this change and we are excited to follow through on it,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The Biden administration announced Thursday it will automatically erase student loan debt for more than 300,000 Americans with severe disabilities that leave them unable to earn significant incomes.The move will wipe out more than $5.8 billion in debt, according to the Education Department, and it marks the start of a broader overhaul of a program that has been criticized for having overly burdensome rules.“We’ve heard loud and clear from borrowers with disabilities and advocates about the need for this change and we are excited to follow through on it,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement.The federal government offers student debt relief for people who are “totally and permanently disabled” and have limited incomes. But the current rules require them to submit documentation of their disability and undergo a three-year monitoring period to prove they’re earning little pay.Tens of thousands of people have been dropped from the program and had their loans reinstated simply because they failed to submit proof of their earnings, however, and critics say the complex rules deter some from applying.Advocates have pressed the Education Department to eliminate the monitoring period entirely and to provide automatic debt relief to people who the Social Security Administration already identifies as permanently disabled.Under the new action, both demands will be met. Starting in September, the Education Department will start erasing student debt for 323,000 Americans identified in Social Security records as being permanently disabled.Borrowers will be notified once they have been approved for relief. All of the loans are expected to be discharged by the end of the year.The department also plans to eliminate the program’s three-year monitoring period, which was previously suspended during the pandemic. That change is expected to be cemented during a federal rulemaking process set to start in October, the agency said.“This is going to be a smooth process for our borrowers,” Cardona said in a call with reporters. “They’re not going to have to be applying for it or getting bogged down by paperwork.”Advocates celebrated the change as a victory. Aaron Ament, president of the National Student Legal Defense Network, called it a “life-changing” step.“This is a huge moment for hundreds of thousands of borrowers with disabilities who can now move on with their lives and won’t be trapped in a cycle of debt,” he said.Democrats in Congress said it was the right move. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, said borrowers shouldn’t face paperwork and other administrative hurdles if the federal government already knows they’re eligible for loan forgiveness.“With this simple and sensible change, more than 320,000 borrowers and their families are being freed from the burden of student loans that they should not have to repay,” Scott said in a statement.The program has faced scrutiny since 2016, when a federal watchdog agency found that the income reporting process posed an obstacle for borrowers. In 98% of cases in which loans were restored, it was because borrowers did not submit paperwork, not because their earnings were too high, the U.S. Government Accountability Office reported.The Trump administration started granting automatic loan cancellations to eligible military veterans in 2019, but the move did not apply to hundreds of thousands of other Americans with disabilities.In March, the Education Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-f78bae481c408b19c96a7ab1a3e426da">canceled debt</a>&nbsp;for more than 40,000 borrowers whose debt had been restored because of paperwork issues, but it indicated further changes would need to come through a federal rulemaking process.Cardona announced the change as the White House faces mounting pressure to pursue wider debt forgiveness.Democrats including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, N.Y., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Mass.,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-joe-biden-business-education-0c2776d99aadef0ca3931eb6098c853b">have called on Biden to erase $50,000&nbsp;</a>in student debt for all borrowers as a way to jumpstart the economy.Biden has asked the Education and Justice departments to assess the legality of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-business-985cd1e840698acd547d5032764a5c68">mass debt cancellation</a>. Cardona said Thursday that those conversations are “still underway.” Meanwhile, he said, his agency is working to improve other debt forgiveness programs that target specific groups of borrowers.“It’s an effort to show that we are working to improve targeted loan relief and help our borrowers,” he said.