HUTCHINSON – On Tuesday, Hutchinson Public Schools Superintendent Mike Folks announced the COVID-19 safety protocols for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year.

“District leadership has been researching and receiving input from 
various medical and state agencies over the past few weeks, and have 
determined district protocol in response to the prevalence of the Delta 
Variant in Reno County,” said Folks. “The Delta Variant has been found 
to be easily transmitted and prone to cause serious health issues in 
young people.”

The goal of Hutchinson Public Schools for the 
2021-22 school year is to keep students in school for the entire year.
 This goal also includes keeping staff and students safe, providing 
sustainability by limiting the number of changes to protocols, and 
providing as much normalcy as possible so we can continue to deliver the
 best educational opportunities for our students.

The following safety protocols will begin Wednesday:

o
 All students, staff and visitors will be required to wear a mask 
indoors in all USD 308 facilities, regardless of vaccination status.

o Outdoor activities and events will not require masks, but are recommended.

o No temperature checks will occur by the district before entering USD 308 buildings.

o It is recommended that staff and families practice home symptom screenings prior to coming to work or school.

o COVID-19 vaccination is not required by the district, but it is encouraged to all who are eligible to receive the vaccine.

“Thanks
 for your help, and thanks for your understanding. I look forward to 
kicking off a great new school year in a few days,” Folks said.

These protocols are subject to final board of education approval before becoming policy on Monday. 

<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FUSD308%2Fvideos%2F565953204582319%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>HUTCHINSON – On Tuesday, Hutchinson Public Schools Superintendent Mike Folks announced the COVID-19 safety protocols for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year.“District leadership has been researching and receiving input from 
various medical and state agencies over the past few weeks, and have 
determined district protocol in response to the prevalence of the Delta 
Variant in Reno County,” said Folks. “The Delta Variant has been found 
to be easily transmitted and prone to cause serious health issues in 
young people.”The goal of Hutchinson Public Schools for the 
2021-22 school year is to keep students in school for the entire year.
 This goal also includes keeping staff and students safe, providing 
sustainability by limiting the number of changes to protocols, and 
providing as much normalcy as possible so we can continue to deliver the
 best educational opportunities for our students.The following safety protocols will begin Wednesday:o
 All students, staff and visitors will be required to wear a mask 
indoors in all USD 308 facilities, regardless of vaccination status.o Outdoor activities and events will not require masks, but are recommended.o No temperature checks will occur by the district before entering USD 308 buildings.o It is recommended that staff and families practice home symptom screenings prior to coming to work or school.o COVID-19 vaccination is not required by the district, but it is encouraged to all who are eligible to receive the vaccine.“Thanks
 for your help, and thanks for your understanding. I look forward to 
kicking off a great new school year in a few days,” Folks said.These protocols are subject to final board of education approval before becoming policy on Monday.

🎥 Hutchinson schools will require masks, not vaccinations

Salina Regional Health Center is modifying its COVID-19 visitor 
guidelines due to increasing numbers of COVID-19 infection in the 
community. 

As of this morning SRHC had 23 inpatients admitted 
with COVID-19. The Saline County Health Department’s most recent report 
also noted 299 active COVID-19 cases in the community.

Effective 
today, all hospital outpatients and Salina SRHC-affiliated clinic 
patients will only be allowed to have one visitor/assistant accompany 
them for their appointments. This includes Emergency Department patients
 and outpatients with appointments for lab, radiology, physical therapy,
 and other services and doctor’s visits. 

Pediatric patients will continue to be allowed to have both parents/guardians accompany them for their appointments. 

Hospital
 outpatients and clinic patients had previously been allowed to have two
 visitors/assistants accompany them for appointments.

“We are 
constantly monitoring COVID-19 infection rates in the community and will
 continue to modify our visitation rules following guidelines set forth 
by the CDC and KDHE for health care providers,” said Bethanie McDowell, 
infection prevention director at SRHC. “Additional changes to our 
policies may be needed in the near future.”

At this time hospital inpatients are still allowed two visitors at a time.

•
 Inpatient visitors may only enter the hospital Main Entrance between 
the hours of 5 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on weekdays, and from 10 a.m. to 4 
p.m. on weekends and holidays.

• Visitors are not allowed to access the main hospital through the Emergency Department entrance at any time.

• Visitors are welcome to stay as long as they like within routine hospital visiting hours.

• Visitors will be screened for COVID-19 risk and given an ID bracelet upon entry.

• Visitors will be asked to wear a mask throughout the visit including in hallways, public areas and the patient’s room.

• Visitors should remain in the patient’s room as much as possible.

• NO VISITORS are permitted for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

Current visitation guidelines can be found at <a href="http://www.srhc.com">www.srhc.com</a>.

Salina Regional Health Center is modifying its COVID-19 visitor 
guidelines due to increasing numbers of COVID-19 infection in the 
community. As of this morning SRHC had 23 inpatients admitted 
with COVID-19. The Saline County Health Department’s most recent report 
also noted 299 active COVID-19 cases in the community.Effective 
today, all hospital outpatients and Salina SRHC-affiliated clinic 
patients will only be allowed to have one visitor/assistant accompany 
them for their appointments. This includes Emergency Department patients
 and outpatients with appointments for lab, radiology, physical therapy,
 and other services and doctor’s visits. Pediatric patients will continue to be allowed to have both parents/guardians accompany them for their appointments. Hospital
 outpatients and clinic patients had previously been allowed to have two
 visitors/assistants accompany them for appointments.“We are 
constantly monitoring COVID-19 infection rates in the community and will
 continue to modify our visitation rules following guidelines set forth 
by the CDC and KDHE for health care providers,” said Bethanie McDowell, 
infection prevention director at SRHC. “Additional changes to our 
policies may be needed in the near future.”At this time hospital inpatients are still allowed two visitors at a time.•
 Inpatient visitors may only enter the hospital Main Entrance between 
the hours of 5 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on weekdays, and from 10 a.m. to 4 
p.m. on weekends and holidays.• Visitors are not allowed to access the main hospital through the Emergency Department entrance at any time.• Visitors are welcome to stay as long as they like within routine hospital visiting hours.• Visitors will be screened for COVID-19 risk and given an ID bracelet upon entry.• Visitors must be age 18 or older.• Visitors will be asked to wear a mask throughout the visit including in hallways, public areas and the patient’s room.• Visitors should remain in the patient’s room as much as possible.• NO VISITORS are permitted for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.Current visitation guidelines can be found at <a href="http://www.srhc.com">www.srhc.com</a>.

Salina hospital returns to one-visitor policy after COVID spike

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing and asking the public for help to locate a suspect.

Just before 8:00 a.m. Tuesday police&nbsp; responded to the 900 block of SW 10th Avenue on a report of a stabbing that had just occurred., according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

At the scene, officers located the victim, an adult male, suffering from injuries believed to be life-threatening. The victim was transported to a local hospital by American Medical Response for treatment of his injuries.

Police identified 29-year-old Clinton P. Osborne as person of interest in this investigation and asked the public for help to locate him.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628017248289.png" alt="Osborne photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Osborne photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing and asking the public for help to locate a suspect.Just before 8:00 a.m. Tuesday police&nbsp; responded to the 900 block of SW 10th Avenue on a report of a stabbing that had just occurred., according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.At the scene, officers located the victim, an adult male, suffering from injuries believed to be life-threatening. The victim was transported to a local hospital by American Medical Response for treatment of his injuries.Police identified 29-year-old Clinton P. Osborne as person of interest in this investigation and asked the public for help to locate him.

Police ask for help to locate suspect in Kan. knife attack 

Zoom will pay $85 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that weak privacy controls opened too many peepholes into the personal information of users and that it was too easy for outsiders to disrupt video meetings during the early stages of the pandemic.

The proposed agreement must still be approved by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh. A hearing on the settlement is scheduled for Oct. 21 in San Jose, California.

Millions of people in the U.S. who have used Zoom since March 31, 2020 could be eligible for a slice of the settlement that was reached over the weekend. The payment amounts are expected to average $34 or $35 for those who subscribed to Zoom’s paid version, and $11 or $12 for the overwhelming majority who used the free version, based on estimates in court documents.

Zoom was bedeviled by security issues early last year after stay-at-home orders transformed the company’s videoconferencing service from a niche product into a cultural phenomenon. Almost overnight it became the go-to venue for business meetings, schools, social gatherings and, in a deadly global pandemic, funerals.

The lawsuit alleged that the Silicon Valley company violated the trust of millions of people by sharing the personal information of users with platforms like Facebook, Google and Microsoft-owned LinkedIn. The case, which consolidated 14 different lawsuits filed since March 2020, also targeted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-ca-state-wire-telecommunications-virus-outbreak-94f4446acae487e1eb7cc85e2c176908">the disruptive practice of “Zoombombing”</a>&nbsp;— a term coined to describe hackers who broke into videoconferencing meetings being held by others.

The company in a prepared statement Monday said that it acted quickly to tighten security after reports of Zoombombing began to surface.

“We are proud of the advancements we have made to our platform, and look forward to continuing to innovate with privacy and security at the forefront,” Zoom said Monday. The company didn’t acknowledged any wrongdoing in the settlement.

Security concerns did not prevent Zoom from permeating the daily lives of millions during the pandemic.

The Zoom’s annual revenue quadrupled last year to nearly $2.7 billion and it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-technology-business-8e6c5201e09a9467e1b6750629be81b0">ended April&nbsp;</a>with 497,000 customers that employed at least 10 workers and subscribed to the premium version of its service, up from 81,900 customers before the pandemic hit the U.S. Its stock price has tripled and traded close to $380 Monday.

The lawyers that pursued the case are seeking $21.25 million, or 25% of the $85 million settlement fund.

Zoom will pay $85 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that weak privacy controls opened too many peepholes into the personal information of users and that it was too easy for outsiders to disrupt video meetings during the early stages of the pandemic.The proposed agreement must still be approved by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh. A hearing on the settlement is scheduled for Oct. 21 in San Jose, California.Millions of people in the U.S. who have used Zoom since March 31, 2020 could be eligible for a slice of the settlement that was reached over the weekend. The payment amounts are expected to average $34 or $35 for those who subscribed to Zoom’s paid version, and $11 or $12 for the overwhelming majority who used the free version, based on estimates in court documents.Zoom was bedeviled by security issues early last year after stay-at-home orders transformed the company’s videoconferencing service from a niche product into a cultural phenomenon. Almost overnight it became the go-to venue for business meetings, schools, social gatherings and, in a deadly global pandemic, funerals.The lawsuit alleged that the Silicon Valley company violated the trust of millions of people by sharing the personal information of users with platforms like Facebook, Google and Microsoft-owned LinkedIn. The case, which consolidated 14 different lawsuits filed since March 2020, also targeted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-ca-state-wire-telecommunications-virus-outbreak-94f4446acae487e1eb7cc85e2c176908">the disruptive practice of “Zoombombing”</a>&nbsp;— a term coined to describe hackers who broke into videoconferencing meetings being held by others.The company in a prepared statement Monday said that it acted quickly to tighten security after reports of Zoombombing began to surface.“We are proud of the advancements we have made to our platform, and look forward to continuing to innovate with privacy and security at the forefront,” Zoom said Monday. The company didn’t acknowledged any wrongdoing in the settlement.Security concerns did not prevent Zoom from permeating the daily lives of millions during the pandemic.The Zoom’s annual revenue quadrupled last year to nearly $2.7 billion and it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-technology-business-8e6c5201e09a9467e1b6750629be81b0">ended April&nbsp;</a>with 497,000 customers that employed at least 10 workers and subscribed to the premium version of its service, up from 81,900 customers before the pandemic hit the U.S. Its stock price has tripled and traded close to $380 Monday.The lawyers that pursued the case are seeking $21.25 million, or 25% of the $85 million settlement fund.

Zoom to pay $85M for privacy miscues at start of pandemic

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration will announce a new 60-day eviction moratorium that would protect areas where 90% of the U.S. population lives, according to three people familiar with the plans who insisted on anonymity to discuss the forthcoming announcement.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified a legal authority for a new and different moratorium that would be for areas with high and substantial increases in COVID-19 infections.

The extension helps to heal a rift with liberal Democratic lawmakers who were calling on executive action to keep renters in their homes as the delta variant of the coronavirus spread and a prior moratorium lapsed at the end of July. Administration officials had previously said a Supreme Court ruling stopped them from setting up a new moratorium without congressional backing, saying that states and cities must be more aggressive in releasing nearly $47 billion in relief for renters on the verge of eviction.

The new policy came amid a scramble of actions by the Biden team to reassure Democrats and the country that it could find a way to halt potential evictions.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen briefed House Democrats Tuesday on the administration’s efforts to prevent widespread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-eviction-moratorium-coronavirus-da0e4cc8014b6c8a658dd1572707364f">housing evictions after a moratorium lapsed</a>, but lawmakers protesting outside the U.S. Capitol said more needs to be done, intensifying pressure on President Joe Biden to act.

Yellen told Democrats on a private call about the work underway to ensure some $47 billion in federal housing aid approved during the COVID-19 crisis makes it to renters and landlords. She provided data so that lawmakers could see how their districts and states are performing with distributing the relief, according to a person on the call.

The White House has said state and local governments have been slow to push out that federal money and is pressing them to do so swiftly after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-us-supreme-court-3065b165b8110c4238c698af8bcb8a42">eviction moratorium expired over the weekend</a>.

The treasury secretary tried to encourage Democrats to work together, even as lawmakers have said Biden should act on his own to extend the eviction moratorium, according to someone on the private call who insisted on anonymity to discuss its contents.

Yellen said on the call, according to this person, that she agrees “we need to bring every resource to bear” and that she appreciated the Democrats’ efforts and wants “to leave no stone unturned.”

But progressive lawmakers, who have been camped for days outside the Capitol with dozens of supporters, are trying to pressure the administration to put the moratorium back in place.

“What we need is for the White House to actually do, to do the thing — and they need to actually extend the moratorium,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said at the Capitol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627590471007.png" alt="The White House has said state and local governments have been slow to push out that federal money and is pressing them to do so swiftly after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-us-supreme-court-3065b165b8110c4238c698af8bcb8a42">eviction moratorium expired over the weekend</a>." />
 <figcaption>The White House has said state and local governments have been slow to push out that federal money and is pressing them to do so swiftly after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-us-supreme-court-3065b165b8110c4238c698af8bcb8a42">eviction moratorium expired over the weekend</a>.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration will announce a new 60-day eviction moratorium that would protect areas where 90% of the U.S. population lives, according to three people familiar with the plans who insisted on anonymity to discuss the forthcoming announcement.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified a legal authority for a new and different moratorium that would be for areas with high and substantial increases in COVID-19 infections.The extension helps to heal a rift with liberal Democratic lawmakers who were calling on executive action to keep renters in their homes as the delta variant of the coronavirus spread and a prior moratorium lapsed at the end of July. Administration officials had previously said a Supreme Court ruling stopped them from setting up a new moratorium without congressional backing, saying that states and cities must be more aggressive in releasing nearly $47 billion in relief for renters on the verge of eviction.The new policy came amid a scramble of actions by the Biden team to reassure Democrats and the country that it could find a way to halt potential evictions.Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen briefed House Democrats Tuesday on the administration’s efforts to prevent widespread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-eviction-moratorium-coronavirus-da0e4cc8014b6c8a658dd1572707364f">housing evictions after a moratorium lapsed</a>, but lawmakers protesting outside the U.S. Capitol said more needs to be done, intensifying pressure on President Joe Biden to act.Yellen told Democrats on a private call about the work underway to ensure some $47 billion in federal housing aid approved during the COVID-19 crisis makes it to renters and landlords. She provided data so that lawmakers could see how their districts and states are performing with distributing the relief, according to a person on the call.The White House has said state and local governments have been slow to push out that federal money and is pressing them to do so swiftly after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-us-supreme-court-3065b165b8110c4238c698af8bcb8a42">eviction moratorium expired over the weekend</a>.The treasury secretary tried to encourage Democrats to work together, even as lawmakers have said Biden should act on his own to extend the eviction moratorium, according to someone on the private call who insisted on anonymity to discuss its contents.Yellen said on the call, according to this person, that she agrees “we need to bring every resource to bear” and that she appreciated the Democrats’ efforts and wants “to leave no stone unturned.”But progressive lawmakers, who have been camped for days outside the Capitol with dozens of supporters, are trying to pressure the administration to put the moratorium back in place.“What we need is for the White House to actually do, to do the thing — and they need to actually extend the moratorium,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said at the Capitol.

Biden to set new eviction ban due to COVID spread

SPRINGDALE, ARK.— Tyson Foods is requiring its team members at U.S. office locations to be fully vaccinated by October 1, 2021. All other team members are required to be fully vaccinated by November 1, 2021, subject to ongoing discussions with locations represented by unions, according to a media release from the company.&nbsp;

Exceptions to the vaccination mandate will involve workers who seek medical or religious accommodation.

"Once fully vaccinated, and verified in the Vaccination Verification Program, employees will receive $200 as thank you for doing your part to keep us all safe, subject to ongoing discussions with our unions," <a href="https://thefeed.blog/2021/08/03/our-next-step-in-the-fight-against-the-pandemic/">according to a memo to team members</a> from President and CEO Donnie King.

This action makes Tyson Foods the largest U.S. food company to require COVID-19 vaccinations for its entire workforce. Almost half of Tyson Foods’ U.S. workforce has been vaccinated and coronavirus infection rates among team members remain low.

“Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is the single most effective thing we can do to protect our team members, their families and their communities,” said Dr. Claudia Coplein, Chief Medical Officer, Tyson Foods. “With rapidly rising COVID-19 case counts of contagious, dangerous variants leading to increasing rates of severe illness and hospitalization among the U.S. unvaccinated population, this is the right time to take the next step to ensure a fully vaccinated workforce.”

Since February, Tyson Foods has hosted more than 100 vaccination events for team members across the country and more than 56,000 U.S. team members have been vaccinated so far. Additional onsite vaccination events will be scheduled, and the company will continue to collaborate with local health departments and healthcare providers to make the vaccine more accessible. &nbsp;

In addition to the $200, the company will compensate workers for up to four hours of regular pay if they are vaccinated outside of their normal shift or through an external source. &nbsp;

To date, Tyson Foods has spent more than $700 million related to COVID-19, including on efforts to combat its spread, such as buying masks, face shields and temperature scanners, installing protective barriers and providing on-site testing and vaccinations. It also partnered with an independent medical provider to bring medical services on site, hired an additional 200 nurses and its first Chief Medical Officer. In addition, Tyson Foods has invested countless hours educating our team members, in dozens of languages, about the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618924071042.png" alt="Since February, Tyson Foods has hosted more than 100 vaccination events for team members across the country, according to a media release from the company -Photo courtesy Tyson Foods" />
 <figcaption>Since February, Tyson Foods has hosted more than 100 vaccination events for team members across the country, according to a media release from the company -Photo courtesy Tyson Foods</figcaption>
 </figure>SPRINGDALE, ARK.— Tyson Foods is requiring its team members at U.S. office locations to be fully vaccinated by October 1, 2021. All other team members are required to be fully vaccinated by November 1, 2021, subject to ongoing discussions with locations represented by unions, according to a media release from the company.&nbsp;Exceptions to the vaccination mandate will involve workers who seek medical or religious accommodation."Once fully vaccinated, and verified in the Vaccination Verification Program, employees will receive $200 as thank you for doing your part to keep us all safe, subject to ongoing discussions with our unions," <a href="https://thefeed.blog/2021/08/03/our-next-step-in-the-fight-against-the-pandemic/">according to a memo to team members</a> from President and CEO Donnie King.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593167451853.png" alt="Photo courtesy Tyson Foods" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Tyson Foods</figcaption>
 </figure>This action makes Tyson Foods the largest U.S. food company to require COVID-19 vaccinations for its entire workforce. Almost half of Tyson Foods’ U.S. workforce has been vaccinated and coronavirus infection rates among team members remain low.“Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is the single most effective thing we can do to protect our team members, their families and their communities,” said Dr. Claudia Coplein, Chief Medical Officer, Tyson Foods. “With rapidly rising COVID-19 case counts of contagious, dangerous variants leading to increasing rates of severe illness and hospitalization among the U.S. unvaccinated population, this is the right time to take the next step to ensure a fully vaccinated workforce.”Since February, Tyson Foods has hosted more than 100 vaccination events for team members across the country and more than 56,000 U.S. team members have been vaccinated so far. Additional onsite vaccination events will be scheduled, and the company will continue to collaborate with local health departments and healthcare providers to make the vaccine more accessible. &nbsp;In addition to the $200, the company will compensate workers for up to four hours of regular pay if they are vaccinated outside of their normal shift or through an external source. &nbsp;To date, Tyson Foods has spent more than $700 million related to COVID-19, including on efforts to combat its spread, such as buying masks, face shields and temperature scanners, installing protective barriers and providing on-site testing and vaccinations. It also partnered with an independent medical provider to bring medical services on site, hired an additional 200 nurses and its first Chief Medical Officer. In addition, Tyson Foods has invested countless hours educating our team members, in dozens of languages, about the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination.

Vaccine Mandate: Tyson workers get $200 to take COVID shot

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Monday he will prosecute any violations of election laws in Douglas County that the district attorney refuses to act upon.

Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez, a Democrat, said last week her office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-26e9dc84c422359e495e079c8af000ff">will not prosecute violations of new voting laws&nbsp;</a>that took effect on July 1. She said they are too vague and too broad and threaten “to create felons out of dedicated defenders of democracy.”

Among the provisions is one that makes it illegal to “give the appearance of being an election official.” State-level voter engagement groups contend that could criminalize their work if Kansans mistake volunteers for election officials.

Schmidt, a Republican seeking his party’s nomination for governor, urged law enforcement agencies in the county to refer election law cases to him.

“Thousands of Kansans will go to the polls Tuesday in the municipal primary elections. Citizens throughout our state deserve assurance that state election-integrity laws will be enforced and election crimes, like all other crimes, will be prosecuted when warranted by the evidence,” Schmidt said.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Monday he will prosecute any violations of election laws in Douglas County that the district attorney refuses to act upon.Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez, a Democrat, said last week her office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-26e9dc84c422359e495e079c8af000ff">will not prosecute violations of new voting laws&nbsp;</a>that took effect on July 1. She said they are too vague and too broad and threaten “to create felons out of dedicated defenders of democracy.”Among the provisions is one that makes it illegal to “give the appearance of being an election official.” State-level voter engagement groups contend that could criminalize their work if Kansans mistake volunteers for election officials.Schmidt, a Republican seeking his party’s nomination for governor, urged law enforcement agencies in the county to refer election law cases to him.“Thousands of Kansans will go to the polls Tuesday in the municipal primary elections. Citizens throughout our state deserve assurance that state election-integrity laws will be enforced and election crimes, like all other crimes, will be prosecuted when warranted by the evidence,” Schmidt said.

Kan. AG, county attorney in battle over election law violations

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A toddler has died after finding and firing an unsecured gun inside a home in suburban Kansas City, police there said.

The shooting happened Sunday night in Independence, according to police. First responders arrived shortly before 9:30 p.m. Sunday at the home to find a 2-year-old child with a gunshot wound. The child was taken to an area hospital and pronounced dead. Police did not immediately release the child’s name.

The Jackson County prosecutor’s office and police are working together to determine whether any charges will be filed.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A toddler has died after finding and firing an unsecured gun inside a home in suburban Kansas City, police there said.The shooting happened Sunday night in Independence, according to police. First responders arrived shortly before 9:30 p.m. Sunday at the home to find a 2-year-old child with a gunshot wound. The child was taken to an area hospital and pronounced dead. Police did not immediately release the child’s name.The Jackson County prosecutor’s office and police are working together to determine whether any charges will be filed.

Police: KC-area toddler died after finding gun in home

WASHINGTON
 — Internal Revenue Service Security Summit partners today outlined for 
tax professionals how they can assist clients who were victims of 
unemployment compensation fraud schemes that targeted state workforce 
agencies in 2020 and 2021.

The IRS, state tax agencies and the tax industry – working together as the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/security-summit">Security Summit</a>
 – reported that unemployment compensation fraud was one of the more 
common identity theft schemes that emerged in 2020 as criminals 
exploited the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic impact.

Addressing unemployment compensation fraud is the third in a 
five-part series sponsored by the Summit partners to highlight critical 
steps tax professionals can take to protect client data. This year's 
theme "<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/boost-security-immunity-fight-against-identity-theft">Boost Security Immunity: Fight&nbsp;Against Identity Theft</a>,"
 is an effort to urge tax professionals to try harder to secure their 
systems and protect client data during the pandemic and its aftermath.

"Identity thieves always look for opportunities, and the unemployment
 surge presented a new opportunity to exploit the pain and financial 
hardships faced by Americans," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "This
 particular scam is especially egregious because 23 million Americans 
were jobless or underemployed last year and desperately needed these 
benefits."

The U.S. Department of Labor's Inspector General estimated 
approximately $89 billion in unemployment compensation was lost in 2020 
due to fraud.

Unemployment compensation is taxable income on federal taxes, 
although Congress waived the tax for 2020 for many people. States report
 compensation to the individual and to the IRS by using the Form 1099-G.
 Because of fraud and identity theft, many taxpayers received Forms 
1099-G for compensation they did not receive. Some taxpayers received 
forms from multiple states.

This scam could affect 2021 returns next year as well as 2020 returns
 this year. Here are a few steps tax professionals should take to assist
 clients who are victims of the unemployment compensation fraud scheme:

Although unemployment compensation is taxable, the American 
Rescue Plan Act of 2021 allows an exclusion of unemployment compensation
 of up to $10,200 for individuals for taxable year 2020. In the case of 
married individuals filing a joint Form 1040 or 1040-SR, this exclusion 
is up to $10,200 per spouse.

To qualify for this exclusion, adjusted gross income (AGI) must be 
less than $150,000. This threshold applies to all filing statuses.

The exclusion may ease the burden on many fraud victims. However, 
victims who received Forms 1099-G from multiple states may have fraud 
claims that exceed that exclusion amount. Clients should retain any 
records of fraud reports to states.

Tax professionals can also get help with security recommendations by reviewing the recently revised IRS&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4557.pdf">Publication 4557, Safeguarding Taxpayer Data&nbsp;PDF</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ir/2016/NIST.IR.7621r1.pdf">Small Business Information Security: The Fundamentals&nbsp;PDF</a>&nbsp;by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-central">Identity Theft Central</a> pages for tax pros, individuals and businesses have important details as well.

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5293.pdf">Publication 5293, Data Security Resource Guide for Tax Professionals&nbsp;PDF</a>,
 provides a compilation of data theft information available on IRS.gov. 
Also, tax professionals should stay connected to the IRS through 
subscriptions to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/join-e-news-for-tax-professionals">e-News for Tax Professionals</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-new-media-1">Social Media</a>.

For more information, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/boost-security-immunity-fight-against-identity-theft">Boost Security Immunity: Fight Against Identity Theft</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON
 — Internal Revenue Service Security Summit partners today outlined for 
tax professionals how they can assist clients who were victims of 
unemployment compensation fraud schemes that targeted state workforce 
agencies in 2020 and 2021.The IRS, state tax agencies and the tax industry – working together as the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/security-summit">Security Summit</a>
 – reported that unemployment compensation fraud was one of the more 
common identity theft schemes that emerged in 2020 as criminals 
exploited the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic impact.Addressing unemployment compensation fraud is the third in a 
five-part series sponsored by the Summit partners to highlight critical 
steps tax professionals can take to protect client data. This year's 
theme "<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/boost-security-immunity-fight-against-identity-theft">Boost Security Immunity: Fight&nbsp;Against Identity Theft</a>,"
 is an effort to urge tax professionals to try harder to secure their 
systems and protect client data during the pandemic and its aftermath."Identity thieves always look for opportunities, and the unemployment
 surge presented a new opportunity to exploit the pain and financial 
hardships faced by Americans," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "This
 particular scam is especially egregious because 23 million Americans 
were jobless or underemployed last year and desperately needed these 
benefits."The U.S. Department of Labor's Inspector General estimated 
approximately $89 billion in unemployment compensation was lost in 2020 
due to fraud.Unemployment compensation is taxable income on federal taxes, 
although Congress waived the tax for 2020 for many people. States report
 compensation to the individual and to the IRS by using the Form 1099-G.
 Because of fraud and identity theft, many taxpayers received Forms 
1099-G for compensation they did not receive. Some taxpayers received 
forms from multiple states.This scam could affect 2021 returns next year as well as 2020 returns
 this year. Here are a few steps tax professionals should take to assist
 clients who are victims of the unemployment compensation fraud scheme:<ol>
 <li>File a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f14039.pdf">Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit&nbsp;PDF</a>,
 only if an e-filed tax return rejects because the client's Social 
Security number has already been used. Do not file the IRS Form 14039 to
 report unemployment compensation fraud to the IRS.</li><li>Report the fraud to state workforce agencies, and request a 
corrected Form 1099-G. Each state has its own process for reporting 
unemployment compensation fraud. The U.S. Department of Labor has 
created an information page with all state contacts and other 
information at <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/UIIDtheft">DOL.gov/fraud</a>.</li><li>File a tax return reporting only the actual income received. State 
workforce agencies may not be able to timely issue a corrected Form 
1099-G. Even if the client has not received a corrected Form 1099-G, 
report only wages and income received and exclude any fraudulent claims.</li><li>Consider an IRS Identity Protection PIN. Clients receiving Forms 
1099-G are identity theft victims whose personal information could be 
used for additional criminal activities, such as filing fraudulent tax 
returns. All taxpayers who can verify their identities can now obtain an
 Identity Protection PIN to protect their SSNs. Read more about IP PINs 
at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/ippin">IRS.gov/ippin</a>.</li><li>Follow Federal Trade Commission recommendations for identity theft 
victims. Taxpayers should consider steps to protect their credit and 
other actions outlined by the FTC. The DOL also includes this 
information on its <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/UIIDtheft">DOL.gov/fraud</a> page.</li><li>Finally, tax professionals' business clients can also assist in 
fighting unemployment compensation fraud by responding quickly to state 
notices about employees filing jobless claims, especially when it has no
 record of those employees.</li>
 </ol>Although unemployment compensation is taxable, the American 
Rescue Plan Act of 2021 allows an exclusion of unemployment compensation
 of up to $10,200 for individuals for taxable year 2020. In the case of 
married individuals filing a joint Form 1040 or 1040-SR, this exclusion 
is up to $10,200 per spouse.To qualify for this exclusion, adjusted gross income (AGI) must be 
less than $150,000. This threshold applies to all filing statuses.The exclusion may ease the burden on many fraud victims. However, 
victims who received Forms 1099-G from multiple states may have fraud 
claims that exceed that exclusion amount. Clients should retain any 
records of fraud reports to states.<h2>Additional resources</h2>Tax professionals can also get help with security recommendations by reviewing the recently revised IRS&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4557.pdf">Publication 4557, Safeguarding Taxpayer Data&nbsp;PDF</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ir/2016/NIST.IR.7621r1.pdf">Small Business Information Security: The Fundamentals&nbsp;PDF</a>&nbsp;by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-central">Identity Theft Central</a> pages for tax pros, individuals and businesses have important details as well.<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5293.pdf">Publication 5293, Data Security Resource Guide for Tax Professionals&nbsp;PDF</a>,
 provides a compilation of data theft information available on IRS.gov. 
Also, tax professionals should stay connected to the IRS through 
subscriptions to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/join-e-news-for-tax-professionals">e-News for Tax Professionals</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-new-media-1">Social Media</a>.For more information, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/boost-security-immunity-fight-against-identity-theft">Boost Security Immunity: Fight Against Identity Theft</a>.

How tax professionals can help battle identity fraud related to unemployment

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A federal appeals court ruled Monday that Indiana University can proceed with its plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-coronavirus-pandemic-education-health-government-and-politics-3dedd425b3f240acab2746bb7fcf41a6">require students and employees to get vaccinated for COVID-19,</a>&nbsp;in what is the highest court decision regarding college immunization mandates.

The Chicago-based appeals court upheld an Indiana district court judge’s ruling that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-government-and-politics-education-indiana-coronavirus-pandemic-39f985eeca76c23ad5b47f856ef034dc">found that the university was acting reasonably</a>&nbsp;“in pursuing public health and safety for its campus communities.”

Both courts rejected a request by eight IU students who sought to block the requirement while they challenge its legality, claiming that it would violate their constitutional rights by forcing them to receive unwanted medical treatment.

The policy makes vaccination a condition of attending the university, and students who don’t want to get vaccinated can also seek “ample educational opportunities” elsewhere, according to the appeals court ruling. Still, the vaccination policy allows exemptions on religious and medical grounds, which the court said provides constitutional accommodations for those who qualify.

“Once again, the court has affirmed our legitimate public health interest in assuring the safety of our students, faculty and staff and we are excited to welcome our community back for the fall semester,” the university said in a statement Monday.

James Bopp, a lawyer for the plaintiffs who takes on conservative political causes, said he would ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the rulings, which legal experts say are the first from federal courts regarding college immunization mandates. Similar lawsuits against student vaccine requirements at the University of Connecticut and the California State University system are awaiting action.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-colleges-divided-student-coronavirus-vaccination-8c46ab65afc4538cb060c320ed94fc54">College officials across the country</a>&nbsp;have struggled with whether they have the authority to require student vaccinations, which some see as key to returning campus to in-person classes and other normal activities.

Bopp argues that such vaccine requirements violate their rights to “bodily autonomy” and that the COVID-19 vaccines differ from other immunizations frequently required for college students, such as for measles and meningitis, because of their newness and the lower risks that younger adults have of suffering from severe bouts of COVID-19.

The lawsuit was filed after IU officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/in-state-wire-indiana-university-indiana-coronavirus-pandemic-education-d3f4a9d9cf8285e0377839c67be9bf92">announced in May</a>&nbsp;that the school would require its roughly 90,000 students and 40,000 employees on its seven campuses to receive COVID-19 vaccinations for the fall semester. Students who don’t comply will have their registration canceled and workers who don’t will lose their jobs.

IU initially was going to require students and employees to provide immunization documentation. That sparked a backlash from Republican state lawmakers and the state attorney general, leading university officials to make&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-coronavirus-pandemic-education-health-government-and-politics-3dedd425b3f240acab2746bb7fcf41a6">providing proof of vaccination optional</a>&nbsp;and allow students and employees to simply attest to their vaccination in an online form.

The university is allowing religious and medical exemptions, but school spokesman Chuck Carney said more than 80% of students have reported receiving at least one dose.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A federal appeals court ruled Monday that Indiana University can proceed with its plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-coronavirus-pandemic-education-health-government-and-politics-3dedd425b3f240acab2746bb7fcf41a6">require students and employees to get vaccinated for COVID-19,</a>&nbsp;in what is the highest court decision regarding college immunization mandates.The Chicago-based appeals court upheld an Indiana district court judge’s ruling that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-government-and-politics-education-indiana-coronavirus-pandemic-39f985eeca76c23ad5b47f856ef034dc">found that the university was acting reasonably</a>&nbsp;“in pursuing public health and safety for its campus communities.”Both courts rejected a request by eight IU students who sought to block the requirement while they challenge its legality, claiming that it would violate their constitutional rights by forcing them to receive unwanted medical treatment.The policy makes vaccination a condition of attending the university, and students who don’t want to get vaccinated can also seek “ample educational opportunities” elsewhere, according to the appeals court ruling. Still, the vaccination policy allows exemptions on religious and medical grounds, which the court said provides constitutional accommodations for those who qualify.“Once again, the court has affirmed our legitimate public health interest in assuring the safety of our students, faculty and staff and we are excited to welcome our community back for the fall semester,” the university said in a statement Monday.James Bopp, a lawyer for the plaintiffs who takes on conservative political causes, said he would ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the rulings, which legal experts say are the first from federal courts regarding college immunization mandates. Similar lawsuits against student vaccine requirements at the University of Connecticut and the California State University system are awaiting action.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-colleges-divided-student-coronavirus-vaccination-8c46ab65afc4538cb060c320ed94fc54">College officials across the country</a>&nbsp;have struggled with whether they have the authority to require student vaccinations, which some see as key to returning campus to in-person classes and other normal activities.Bopp argues that such vaccine requirements violate their rights to “bodily autonomy” and that the COVID-19 vaccines differ from other immunizations frequently required for college students, such as for measles and meningitis, because of their newness and the lower risks that younger adults have of suffering from severe bouts of COVID-19.The lawsuit was filed after IU officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/in-state-wire-indiana-university-indiana-coronavirus-pandemic-education-d3f4a9d9cf8285e0377839c67be9bf92">announced in May</a>&nbsp;that the school would require its roughly 90,000 students and 40,000 employees on its seven campuses to receive COVID-19 vaccinations for the fall semester. Students who don’t comply will have their registration canceled and workers who don’t will lose their jobs.IU initially was going to require students and employees to provide immunization documentation. That sparked a backlash from Republican state lawmakers and the state attorney general, leading university officials to make&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-coronavirus-pandemic-education-health-government-and-politics-3dedd425b3f240acab2746bb7fcf41a6">providing proof of vaccination optional</a>&nbsp;and allow students and employees to simply attest to their vaccination in an online form.The university is allowing religious and medical exemptions, but school spokesman Chuck Carney said more than 80% of students have reported receiving at least one dose.___

Appeals court upholds university’s vaccine mandate

The
 FTC is sending checks totaling more than $1.5 million to more than 
3,000 consumers who were deceived into buying worthless Internet-based 
marketing products and services by two companies called Position Gurus, 
LLC, and Top Shelf Ecommerce, LLC.

<a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/federal.trade.commission#!/vizhome/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase"></a> According to the <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/position_gurus_complaint.pdf">FTC’s May 2020 complaint,</a>
 the companies and their owners targeted consumers looking to start 
retail businesses on the Internet. The complaint alleged that the 
defendants falsely represented that their services would drive more 
customers to consumers’ new online stores and drastically increase sales
 and earnings.

The defendants also falsely claimed to be associated with unrelated 
coaching companies that consumers had prior dealings with; collected 
consumers’ personal financial information under false pretenses; and 
illegally restricted consumers’ ability to review or complain about the 
defendants’ products, services, or conduct, the FTC alleged.

JND Legal Administration, the refund administrator for this case, 
will mail checks today. The checks average over $511 each. People who 
receive checks should deposit or cash them within 90 days, as indicated 
on the check. Recipients who have questions about their checks can call 
the refund administrator at 1-888-906-0551. The FTC never requires 
people to pay money or provide account information to cash a refund 
check.

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 recently the United States Supreme Court ruled 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 promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and report scams, fraud, and bad business practices online at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Like the FTC on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/federaltradecommission">Facebook(link is external)</a>, follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/FTC">Twitter(link is external)</a>, get <a href="http://ftc.gov/subscribe">consumer alerts</a>, read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>, and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> for the latest FTC news and resources.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCThe
 FTC is sending checks totaling more than $1.5 million to more than 
3,000 consumers who were deceived into buying worthless Internet-based 
marketing products and services by two companies called Position Gurus, 
LLC, and Top Shelf Ecommerce, LLC.<a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/federal.trade.commission#!/vizhome/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase"></a> According to the <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/position_gurus_complaint.pdf">FTC’s May 2020 complaint,</a>
 the companies and their owners targeted consumers looking to start 
retail businesses on the Internet. The complaint alleged that the 
defendants falsely represented that their services would drive more 
customers to consumers’ new online stores and drastically increase sales
 and earnings.The defendants also falsely claimed to be associated with unrelated 
coaching companies that consumers had prior dealings with; collected 
consumers’ personal financial information under false pretenses; and 
illegally restricted consumers’ ability to review or complain about the 
defendants’ products, services, or conduct, the FTC alleged.JND Legal Administration, the refund administrator for this case, 
will mail checks today. The checks average over $511 each. People who 
receive checks should deposit or cash them within 90 days, as indicated 
on the check. Recipients who have questions about their checks can call 
the refund administrator at 1-888-906-0551. The FTC never requires 
people to pay money or provide account information to cash a refund 
check.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 recently the United States Supreme Court ruled 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 promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and report scams, fraud, and bad business practices online at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Like the FTC on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/federaltradecommission">Facebook(link is external)</a>, follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/FTC">Twitter(link is external)</a>, get <a href="http://ftc.gov/subscribe">consumer alerts</a>, read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>, and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> for the latest FTC news and resources.

FTC sending $1.5M to those defrauded by worthless online scams

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on federal charges after a traffic stop.

Just before 4a.m. August 1,&nbsp;&nbsp;a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a&nbsp; 2009 Hyundai Sonata in the 800 block of SE Adams Street. During the investigation, a Topeka Police Department K9 Unit assisted and illegal narcotics were located.

The driver, 36-year-old&nbsp; Clayton M. Becker of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, interference with law enforcement and operating a vehicle without an interlock device.

The 34-year-old female passenger was released from the scene. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1627928828033.png" alt="Becker photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Becker photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on federal charges after a traffic stop.Just before 4a.m. August 1,&nbsp;&nbsp;a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a&nbsp; 2009 Hyundai Sonata in the 800 block of SE Adams Street. During the investigation, a Topeka Police Department K9 Unit assisted and illegal narcotics were located.The driver, 36-year-old&nbsp; Clayton M. Becker of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, interference with law enforcement and operating a vehicle without an interlock device.The 34-year-old female passenger was released from the scene.

Kansas man jailed on federal charges after traffic stop

&nbsp;CAMDEN COUNTY, Mo. —Authorities have identified a Kansas man who drowned at the Lake of the Ozarks just after 11:30p.m. Saturday.

Cornelious Anderson, 20, Elwood, was at Shady Gators Bar and Grill when he was seen by
private security guards walking into the lake, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol

Officials recovered his body on Monday
morning.

Anderson’s drowning death was the 49th in Missouri in 2021. The state has recorded more drowning deaths in the first six months of this year than in the same time period of any year since 2008, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

&nbsp;CAMDEN COUNTY, Mo. —Authorities have identified a Kansas man who drowned at the Lake of the Ozarks just after 11:30p.m. Saturday.Cornelious Anderson, 20, Elwood, was at Shady Gators Bar and Grill when he was seen by
private security guards walking into the lake, according to the Missouri State Highway PatrolOfficials recovered his body on Monday
morning.Anderson’s drowning death was the 49th in Missouri in 2021. The state has recorded more drowning deaths in the first six months of this year than in the same time period of any year since 2008, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Authorities ID Kan. man who drowned at Lake of the Ozarks

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The eviction system, which saw a dramatic drop in cases before a federal moratorium expired over the weekend, rumbled back into action Monday, with activists girding for the first of what could be millions of tenants to be tossed onto the streets as the delta variant of the coronavirus surges.

Landlords tired of waiting for federal rental assistance were in court hoping to evict their tenants, while families from Ohio to Virginia turned up before judges hoping for a last-minute reprieve. In Detroit, at least 600 tenants with court orders against them were at immediate risk.

“It’s very scary with the moratorium being over,” said Ted Phillips, a lawyer who leads the United Community Housing Coalition in Detroit.

The Biden administration allowed the federal moratorium to expire over the weekend and Congress was unable to extend it. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for an immediate extension, calling it a “moral imperative” to prevent Americans from being put out of their homes during a COVID-19 surge.

The Biden administration had hoped that historic amounts of rental assistance allocated by Congress would help avert a crisis. But the distribution has been painfully slow: Only about $3 billion of the first tranche of $25 billion had been distributed through June by states and localities. A second amount of $21.5 billion will go to the states.

More than 15 million people live in households that owe as much as $20 billion to their landlords, according to the Aspen Institute. As of July 5, roughly 3.6 million people in the U.S. said they faced eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey.

In Rhode Island on Monday, Gabe Imondi, a 74-year-old landlord, was in court hoping to get an eviction execution — the final step to push a tenant out of one of four housing units he owns in nearby Pawtucket.

Imondi said he and his tenant both filed forms for the billions in federal aid meant to help keep tenants in their homes but so far, he said, he hasn’t seen a cent of the state’s $200 million share.

A retired general contractor, Imondi estimates he’s out around $20,000 in lost rent since September, when he began seeking to evict his tenant for non-payment. The eviction was approved in January.

“I don’t know what they’re doing with that money,” Imondi said.

Meanwhile, Luis Vertentes was told by a judge he had three weeks to clear out of his one-bedroom apartment in nearby East Providence. The 43-year-old landscaper said he was four months behind on rent after being hospitalized for a time.

“I’m going to be homeless, all because of this pandemic,” Vertentes said. “I feel helpless, like I can’t do anything even though I work and I got a full-time job.”

Outside the courtroom, Katie Barrington, a case manager with Crossroads Rhode Island, a nonprofit housing and homeless agency, signed him up with a housing counsellor to help him secure a new home and enrolled him for federal rental assistance.

In Columbus, Ohio, Chelsea Rivera showed up at Franklin County court Monday after receiving an eviction notice last month. A single mom, she’s behind $2,988 in rent and late fees for the one bed-room apartment she rents for herself and three young sons.

The 27-year-old said she started to struggle after her hours were cut in May at the Walmart warehouse where she worked. She’s applied to numerous agencies for help but they’re either out of money, have a waiting list, or not able to help until clients end up in court with an eviction notice.

Rivera said she’s preparing herself mentally to move into a shelter with her children until her situation improves.

“We just need help,” Rivera said, fighting back tears. “It’s just been really hard with everyday issues on top of worrying about where you’re going to live.”

But there was more optimism in Virginia, where Tiara Burton, 23, learned she would be getting federal help and wouldn't be evicted. She initially feared the worst when the moratorium lifted.

“That was definitely a worry yesterday,” said Burton, 23, who lives in Virginia Beach. “If they’re going to start doing evictions again, then I’m going to be faced with having to figure out where me and my family are going to go. And that’s not something that anyone should have to worry about these days at all.”

She was relieved to be told by an attorney she had been approved for assistance through the Virginia Rent Relief Program. Her court hearing was postponed for 30 days, during which time she and her landlord can presumably work things out.

“I’m grateful for that,” she said. “Just hearing, ‘Okay, we’re going to push it back 30 days, but we’re going to assist you still,’ … that’s another weight lifted off of my shoulders.”

Around the country, courts, legal advocates and law enforcement agencies were gearing up for evictions to return to pre-pandemic levels, a time when 3.7 million people were displaced from their homes every year, or seven every minute, according to the Eviction Lab at Princeton University.

Some of the cities with the most cases, according to the Eviction Lab, are Phoenix with more than 42,000 eviction filings, Houston with more than 37,000, Las Vegas with nearly 27,000 and Tampa more than 15,000. Indiana and Missouri also have more than 80,000 filings.

While the moratorium was enforced in much of the country, there were places like Idaho where judges ignored it, said Ali Rabe, executive director of Jesse Tree, a non-profit that works to prevent evictions in the Boise metropolitan area.

The non-profit represented renters in about 800 evictions in the past year, and only once was the moratorium enforced, Rabe said. Statewide about 1,500 people were evicted in the past year, she said.

“Eviction courts ran as usual,” she said.

That was much the way things played out in parts of North Carolina, where on Monday Sgt. David Ruppe knocked on a weathered mobile home door in Cleveland County, a rural community an hour west of Charlotte.

“We haven’t seen much of a difference at all,” he said. “We would still have evictions issued from the court and we would still serve them as if it happened pre-COVID.”

He waited a few minutes on the porch scattered with folding chairs and toys. Then a woman opened the door.

“How are you?" he asked quietly, then explained her landlord had started the eviction process. The woman told Ruppe she’d paid, and he said she’d need to bring proof to her upcoming Aug. 9 court date.

Ruppe, who has two young sons, said seeing families struggle day-after-day is tough.

“There’s only so much you can do," he said. “So, if you can offer them a glimmer of hope, words of encouragement, especially if there’s kids involved. Being a father, I can relate to that.”

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The eviction system, which saw a dramatic drop in cases before a federal moratorium expired over the weekend, rumbled back into action Monday, with activists girding for the first of what could be millions of tenants to be tossed onto the streets as the delta variant of the coronavirus surges.Landlords tired of waiting for federal rental assistance were in court hoping to evict their tenants, while families from Ohio to Virginia turned up before judges hoping for a last-minute reprieve. In Detroit, at least 600 tenants with court orders against them were at immediate risk.“It’s very scary with the moratorium being over,” said Ted Phillips, a lawyer who leads the United Community Housing Coalition in Detroit.The Biden administration allowed the federal moratorium to expire over the weekend and Congress was unable to extend it. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for an immediate extension, calling it a “moral imperative” to prevent Americans from being put out of their homes during a COVID-19 surge.The Biden administration had hoped that historic amounts of rental assistance allocated by Congress would help avert a crisis. But the distribution has been painfully slow: Only about $3 billion of the first tranche of $25 billion had been distributed through June by states and localities. A second amount of $21.5 billion will go to the states.More than 15 million people live in households that owe as much as $20 billion to their landlords, according to the Aspen Institute. As of July 5, roughly 3.6 million people in the U.S. said they faced eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey.In Rhode Island on Monday, Gabe Imondi, a 74-year-old landlord, was in court hoping to get an eviction execution — the final step to push a tenant out of one of four housing units he owns in nearby Pawtucket.Imondi said he and his tenant both filed forms for the billions in federal aid meant to help keep tenants in their homes but so far, he said, he hasn’t seen a cent of the state’s $200 million share.A retired general contractor, Imondi estimates he’s out around $20,000 in lost rent since September, when he began seeking to evict his tenant for non-payment. The eviction was approved in January.“I don’t know what they’re doing with that money,” Imondi said.Meanwhile, Luis Vertentes was told by a judge he had three weeks to clear out of his one-bedroom apartment in nearby East Providence. The 43-year-old landscaper said he was four months behind on rent after being hospitalized for a time.“I’m going to be homeless, all because of this pandemic,” Vertentes said. “I feel helpless, like I can’t do anything even though I work and I got a full-time job.”Outside the courtroom, Katie Barrington, a case manager with Crossroads Rhode Island, a nonprofit housing and homeless agency, signed him up with a housing counsellor to help him secure a new home and enrolled him for federal rental assistance.In Columbus, Ohio, Chelsea Rivera showed up at Franklin County court Monday after receiving an eviction notice last month. A single mom, she’s behind $2,988 in rent and late fees for the one bed-room apartment she rents for herself and three young sons.The 27-year-old said she started to struggle after her hours were cut in May at the Walmart warehouse where she worked. She’s applied to numerous agencies for help but they’re either out of money, have a waiting list, or not able to help until clients end up in court with an eviction notice.Rivera said she’s preparing herself mentally to move into a shelter with her children until her situation improves.“We just need help,” Rivera said, fighting back tears. “It’s just been really hard with everyday issues on top of worrying about where you’re going to live.”But there was more optimism in Virginia, where Tiara Burton, 23, learned she would be getting federal help and wouldn't be evicted. She initially feared the worst when the moratorium lifted.“That was definitely a worry yesterday,” said Burton, 23, who lives in Virginia Beach. “If they’re going to start doing evictions again, then I’m going to be faced with having to figure out where me and my family are going to go. And that’s not something that anyone should have to worry about these days at all.”She was relieved to be told by an attorney she had been approved for assistance through the Virginia Rent Relief Program. Her court hearing was postponed for 30 days, during which time she and her landlord can presumably work things out.“I’m grateful for that,” she said. “Just hearing, ‘Okay, we’re going to push it back 30 days, but we’re going to assist you still,’ … that’s another weight lifted off of my shoulders.”Around the country, courts, legal advocates and law enforcement agencies were gearing up for evictions to return to pre-pandemic levels, a time when 3.7 million people were displaced from their homes every year, or seven every minute, according to the Eviction Lab at Princeton University.Some of the cities with the most cases, according to the Eviction Lab, are Phoenix with more than 42,000 eviction filings, Houston with more than 37,000, Las Vegas with nearly 27,000 and Tampa more than 15,000. Indiana and Missouri also have more than 80,000 filings.While the moratorium was enforced in much of the country, there were places like Idaho where judges ignored it, said Ali Rabe, executive director of Jesse Tree, a non-profit that works to prevent evictions in the Boise metropolitan area.The non-profit represented renters in about 800 evictions in the past year, and only once was the moratorium enforced, Rabe said. Statewide about 1,500 people were evicted in the past year, she said.“Eviction courts ran as usual,” she said.That was much the way things played out in parts of North Carolina, where on Monday Sgt. David Ruppe knocked on a weathered mobile home door in Cleveland County, a rural community an hour west of Charlotte.“We haven’t seen much of a difference at all,” he said. “We would still have evictions issued from the court and we would still serve them as if it happened pre-COVID.”He waited a few minutes on the porch scattered with folding chairs and toys. Then a woman opened the door.“How are you?" he asked quietly, then explained her landlord had started the eviction process. The woman told Ruppe she’d paid, and he said she’d need to bring proof to her upcoming Aug. 9 court date.Ruppe, who has two young sons, said seeing families struggle day-after-day is tough.“There’s only so much you can do," he said. “So, if you can offer them a glimmer of hope, words of encouragement, especially if there’s kids involved. Being a father, I can relate to that.”__

Tenants scramble for assistance as evictions begin

Say "Department of Defense" and most Americans automatically envision
 uniformed soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen or Space Force guardians.

They don't think of the sinews holding all this together: DOD civilians.

"One of the things that I find so fascinating is that the Department 
of Defense civilian workforce … is close to 950,000, and still people 
don't seem to know about it," said Michelle LoweSolis, the director of 
Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service. "We're really and truly one
 of the biggest civilian employers in the country."

Your average citizen doesn't realize that you can come into the Defense Department and not wear a uniform, she said.

Pentagon officials have built a website —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dodciviliancareers.com/" target="_blank">www.dodciviliancareers.com</a>
 — to correct this misperception. The website project’s team lead said 
the site is primarily a recruitment tool; the website's purposes were to
 educate folks about civilian employment and help them explore where 
they might find their fit within the organization.&nbsp;

The idea began about two years ago, said Desiree Seifert, associate 
director for employment integration and strategic recruitment, at the 
service. "We knew we needed to be more active in social media," she 
said. "We knew we needed to have more of a way of communicating. We 
really wanted to look at our website as kind of the central hub of that 
messaging."

The organization had a website before, but it wasn't dynamic, Seifert
 said. "It didn't let people know who we are or the variety of positions
 that we have," she said. "It didn't specifically target certain groups 
to say, 'Hey, come on in and learn about us; here's why it would be 
interesting to you.'"

The site is designed to give those working with it different paths to
 explore. If someone knows they want to work for the Army, for example, 
the site will give them a pathway there. If they want to work in South 
Korea, it will show them opportunities there.

"If the person is not sure, we have avenues where they can look at 
our different careers," said the website project’s team lead. There's 
also a job exploration tool that allows people to answer a few basic 
questions about their interests and background and get some tips on 
where they might start looking. "The site can show them opportunities 
already aligned with their backgrounds."&nbsp;

There are more than 600 civilian occupations in the DOD. There are 
all kinds of careers from scientists and engineers to artists to human 
resource personnel to intelligence analysts to medical professionals. 
"If you want to fix aircraft, you can do it," Seifert said. "If you want
 to build ships, have at it.&nbsp; If you know talented individuals who want 
to make a powerful impact as DOD civilians, then <a href="https://www.dodciviliancareers.com/" target="_blank">www.dodciviliancareers.com</a> is an excellent place to begin."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/9/1569028961864.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>U.S. Department of DefenseSay "Department of Defense" and most Americans automatically envision
 uniformed soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen or Space Force guardians.They don't think of the sinews holding all this together: DOD civilians."One of the things that I find so fascinating is that the Department 
of Defense civilian workforce … is close to 950,000, and still people 
don't seem to know about it," said Michelle LoweSolis, the director of 
Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service. "We're really and truly one
 of the biggest civilian employers in the country."Your average citizen doesn't realize that you can come into the Defense Department and not wear a uniform, she said.Pentagon officials have built a website —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dodciviliancareers.com/" target="_blank">www.dodciviliancareers.com</a>
 — to correct this misperception. The website project’s team lead said 
the site is primarily a recruitment tool; the website's purposes were to
 educate folks about civilian employment and help them explore where 
they might find their fit within the organization.&nbsp;The idea began about two years ago, said Desiree Seifert, associate 
director for employment integration and strategic recruitment, at the 
service. "We knew we needed to be more active in social media," she 
said. "We knew we needed to have more of a way of communicating. We 
really wanted to look at our website as kind of the central hub of that 
messaging."The organization had a website before, but it wasn't dynamic, Seifert
 said. "It didn't let people know who we are or the variety of positions
 that we have," she said. "It didn't specifically target certain groups 
to say, 'Hey, come on in and learn about us; here's why it would be 
interesting to you.'"The site is designed to give those working with it different paths to
 explore. If someone knows they want to work for the Army, for example, 
the site will give them a pathway there. If they want to work in South 
Korea, it will show them opportunities there."If the person is not sure, we have avenues where they can look at 
our different careers," said the website project’s team lead. There's 
also a job exploration tool that allows people to answer a few basic 
questions about their interests and background and get some tips on 
where they might start looking. "The site can show them opportunities 
already aligned with their backgrounds."&nbsp;There are more than 600 civilian occupations in the DOD. There are 
all kinds of careers from scientists and engineers to artists to human 
resource personnel to intelligence analysts to medical professionals. 
"If you want to fix aircraft, you can do it," Seifert said. "If you want
 to build ships, have at it.&nbsp; If you know talented individuals who want 
to make a powerful impact as DOD civilians, then <a href="https://www.dodciviliancareers.com/" target="_blank">www.dodciviliancareers.com</a> is an excellent place to begin."

Website informs civilians about Defense Department opportunities

CASS COUNTY, MO., —Four people including three from Kansas died in an accident just after 11a.m. Monday in Cass County, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Peterbilt semi driven by Everett E. Ashley, Lowry City, Missouri, was southbound on MO 7 at Route Z.

The driver lost control of the semi. It traveled down an embankment and crossed the median into the northbound lanes of MO 7.&nbsp; 

The semi struck a northbound Nissan SUV driven by Stephen W. Bennett, 61, Junction City, head-on.

Ashley and two passengers in the SUV including Gerald R. Dittman, 68, Hope, Kansas and Jean M. Pariseau, 71 Herington, Kansas were pronounced dead at the scene. 

Harrisonville EMS transported Bennett to Cass Regional Medical Center where he died. Life Flight transported a third passenger in the SUV identified as Dakota M. Engel, 29, Junction City, to Research Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries. Ashley was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1627935855599.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the fatal crash photo courtesy KMBC-TV" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the fatal crash photo courtesy KMBC-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>CASS COUNTY, MO., —Four people including three from Kansas died in an accident just after 11a.m. Monday in Cass County, Missouri.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Peterbilt semi driven by Everett E. Ashley, Lowry City, Missouri, was southbound on MO 7 at Route Z.The driver lost control of the semi. It traveled down an embankment and crossed the median into the northbound lanes of MO 7.&nbsp; The semi struck a northbound Nissan SUV driven by Stephen W. Bennett, 61, Junction City, head-on.Ashley and two passengers in the SUV including Gerald R. Dittman, 68, Hope, Kansas and Jean M. Pariseau, 71 Herington, Kansas were pronounced dead at the scene. Harrisonville EMS transported Bennett to Cass Regional Medical Center where he died. Life Flight transported a third passenger in the SUV identified as Dakota M. Engel, 29, Junction City, to Research Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries. Ashley was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

3 from Kan. among 4 dead in head-on crash

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A grand jury indicted a man and woman on a first-degree murder charge alleging they strangled a woman and dismembered her body, the Jackson County prosecutor announced Monday.

Kansas City-area residents Michael Hendricks, 40, and Maggie Ybarra, 30, are charged with killing 32-year-old Kensie Renee Aubry. The grand jury also indicted them on harassment, first-degree sexual misconduct and child molestation charges, among others.

Aubry went missing in October. A teenage girl who said Hendricks sexually assaulted her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-michael-brown-8bbb5388d4a5f00b1ea2bc5acf269cda">helped police find Aubry's body</a>.

Police in July found Aubry's body in garbage bags buried in Hendricks' Grain Valley, Missouri, property.

“Our community owes greatly a child victim in this case who came forward and alerted police of the gruesome criminal activity detailed in these charges,” Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said in a statement. “Without her bravery, we might not know today Kensie Aubry’s fate.”

Hendricks' lawyer in an email said he remains “steadfast in our determination to represent Mr. Hendricks with a robust defense.”

Ybarra's public defender didn't immediately return an Associated Press request for comment Monday.

The teenage girl, who was in foster care, told police that Hendricks confessed to choking the woman and putting her body in a freezer. The girl said Hendricks showed her photos of a naked and bound woman and the chainsaw he allegedly used to chop up her body.

Ybarra was arrested in late April and jailed on sexual abuse charges related to the teenage girl, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article252836573.html">reported</a>. Police alleged that Ybarra called Hendricks from jail and asked him to throw away evidence at her house.

Ybarra is also charged with multiple crimes related to tampering with a victim. According to charging documents, Ybarra attempted to get other people to buy gifts for the teenage girl and pressure her to take back what she told police.

Police said Ybarra met Hendricks after he paid her for sex sometime last year. Ybarra has described Hendricks as both her boss and her boyfriend to police. Hendricks' wife filed for divorce within days of his June arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1627949313111.png" alt="Hendricks photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Hendricks photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A grand jury indicted a man and woman on a first-degree murder charge alleging they strangled a woman and dismembered her body, the Jackson County prosecutor announced Monday.Kansas City-area residents Michael Hendricks, 40, and Maggie Ybarra, 30, are charged with killing 32-year-old Kensie Renee Aubry. The grand jury also indicted them on harassment, first-degree sexual misconduct and child molestation charges, among others.Aubry went missing in October. A teenage girl who said Hendricks sexually assaulted her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-michael-brown-8bbb5388d4a5f00b1ea2bc5acf269cda">helped police find Aubry's body</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626354604788.png" alt="Police found Aubry's body buried on Hendricks' Grain Valley&nbsp; property-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police found Aubry's body buried on Hendricks' Grain Valley&nbsp; property-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>Police in July found Aubry's body in garbage bags buried in Hendricks' Grain Valley, Missouri, property.“Our community owes greatly a child victim in this case who came forward and alerted police of the gruesome criminal activity detailed in these charges,” Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said in a statement. “Without her bravery, we might not know today Kensie Aubry’s fate.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1627949238765.png" alt="Ybarra photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Ybarra photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hendricks' lawyer in an email said he remains “steadfast in our determination to represent Mr. Hendricks with a robust defense.”Ybarra's public defender didn't immediately return an Associated Press request for comment Monday.The teenage girl, who was in foster care, told police that Hendricks confessed to choking the woman and putting her body in a freezer. The girl said Hendricks showed her photos of a naked and bound woman and the chainsaw he allegedly used to chop up her body.Ybarra was arrested in late April and jailed on sexual abuse charges related to the teenage girl, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article252836573.html">reported</a>. Police alleged that Ybarra called Hendricks from jail and asked him to throw away evidence at her house.Ybarra is also charged with multiple crimes related to tampering with a victim. According to charging documents, Ybarra attempted to get other people to buy gifts for the teenage girl and pressure her to take back what she told police.Police said Ybarra met Hendricks after he paid her for sex sometime last year. Ybarra has described Hendricks as both her boss and her boyfriend to police. Hendricks' wife filed for divorce within days of his June arrest.

KC-area couple charged with killing, dismembering woman

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sought to speed up consideration of a nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-098eb9f30c9e2f658fbe14b2477db644">$1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package</a>, promising that Democrats would work with Republicans to put together amendments for consideration this week. GOP senators cautioned that they need time to digest the massive bill.

Formally called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the proposal clocked in at some 2,700 pages after a hurry-up-and-wait rare weekend session. The final product, unveiled late Sunday, was intended to follow the broad outline a bipartisan group of senators had negotiated for weeks with the White House. Schumer has said a final vote could be held “in a matter of days.”

“Let’s start voting on amendments,” Schumer said as the Senate opened work on Monday. “The longer it takes to finish the bill, the longer we will be here.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626283910947.png" alt="A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-voting-rights-2f36a335360b9d6151783487a56e162a">key part of President Joe Biden’s agenda</a>, the bipartisan bill is the first phase of the president’s infrastructure plan. It calls for $550 billion in new spending over five years above projected federal levels — one of the most substantial expenditures on the nation’s roads, bridges, waterworks, broadband and the electric grid in years.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-voting-rights-2f36a335360b9d6151783487a56e162a">key part of President Joe Biden’s agenda</a>, the bipartisan bill is the first phase of the president’s infrastructure plan. It calls for $550 billion in new spending over five years above projected federal levels — one of the most substantial expenditures on the nation’s roads, bridges, waterworks, broadband and the electric grid in years.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sought to speed up consideration of a nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-098eb9f30c9e2f658fbe14b2477db644">$1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package</a>, promising that Democrats would work with Republicans to put together amendments for consideration this week. GOP senators cautioned that they need time to digest the massive bill.Formally called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the proposal clocked in at some 2,700 pages after a hurry-up-and-wait rare weekend session. The final product, unveiled late Sunday, was intended to follow the broad outline a bipartisan group of senators had negotiated for weeks with the White House. Schumer has said a final vote could be held “in a matter of days.”“Let’s start voting on amendments,” Schumer said as the Senate opened work on Monday. “The longer it takes to finish the bill, the longer we will be here.”A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-voting-rights-2f36a335360b9d6151783487a56e162a">key part of President Joe Biden’s agenda</a>, the bipartisan bill is the first phase of the president’s infrastructure plan. It calls for $550 billion in new spending over five years above projected federal levels — one of the most substantial expenditures on the nation’s roads, bridges, waterworks, broadband and the electric grid in years.The Senate’s Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, has sided with those voting to allow debate to proceed, but he has not signaled how he will ultimately vote. He described the bill Monday as a “good and important jumping off point” for a robust, bipartisan amendment process. He warned Democrats against setting “any artificial timetable.”“Infrastructure is exactly the kind of subject that Congress should be able to address across the aisle,” McConnell said.The Senate overwhelmingly approved the first two amendments to the bill late Monday. Each was noncontroversial and received far more than the 60 votes necessary to be added to the legislation. Other amendment votes, particular on the issue of how to pay for the new spending, are expected to be more spirited affairs.Senators and staff labored behind the scenes for days to write the massive bill. It was supposed to be ready Friday, but by Sunday, more glitches were caught and changes made.Late Sunday, most of the 10 senators involved in the bipartisan effort rose on the Senate floor to mark the unveiling of the text.“We know that this has been a long and sometimes difficult process, but we are proud this evening to announce this legislation,” said Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., a lead negotiator. The bill showed “we can put aside our own political differences for the good of the country,” she said.Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, a Republican negotiator, framed the legislation as something that would help the U.S. better compete with China and would make the “economy more efficient, more productive” after years of struggle getting a public works bill off the ground.“People have talked about infrastructure in this city forever,” Portman said.As the amendment process gets underway, senators are weighing how much to try to change the package and how hard to try, knowing it will be difficult to reach the 60-vote threshold to approve any substantial changes.Time is not limitless. Schumer has repeatedly warned that he was prepared to keep lawmakers in Washington for as long as it took to complete votes on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-government-and-politics-a426246af6bbac8dd3a188eb443c36c7">both the bipartisan infrastructure plan and a budget blueprint</a>&nbsp;that would allow the Senate to begin work later this year on a massive, $3.5 trillion social, health and environmental bill.Republicans counter that they just had a chance to begin fully reviewing the bill late Sunday.“We shouldn’t sacrifice adequate time on this bill merely because the Democratic leader would like to spend next week jamming a 100% partisan piece of legislation through the United States Senate,” said Sen. John Thune of South Dakota.Among the major new investments, the bipartisan package is expected to provide $110 billion for roads and bridges, $39 billion for public transit and $66 billion for rail. There’s also to be $55 billion for water and wastewater infrastructure as well as billions for airports, ports, broadband internet and electric vehicle charging stations.Paying for the package has been a challenge after senators rejected ideas to raise revenue from a new gas tax or other streams. Instead, it is being financed from funding sources that might not pass muster with deficit hawks, including repurposing some $205 billion in untapped COVID-19 relief aid, as well as unemployment assistance that was turned back by some states and relying on projected future economic growth.Some Republicans are wary of another large spending bill after a series of COVID-19 relief measures have boosted the national debt.“I’ve got real concerns with this bill,” said Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.Bipartisan support from Republican and Democratic senators pushed the process along, and Schumer wanted the voting to be wrapped up before senators left for their August recess.Last week, 17 GOP senators joined all Democrats in voting to start work on the bill. That support largely held, with McConnell voting yes in another procedural vote to nudge the process along in the 50-50 Senate, where 60 votes are needed to overcome a filibuster and advance legislation.Whether the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-eacec96a1fb9070c64c302a9c012ed4a">Republican senators willing to pass the bill grows or shrinks</a>&nbsp;in the days ahead will determine if the president’s signature issue can make it across the finish line.The bipartisan bill still faces a rough road in the House, where progressive lawmakers want a more robust package but may have to settle for this one to keep Biden’s infrastructure plans on track.The outcome with the bipartisan effort will set the stage for the next debate over Biden’s much more ambitious $3.5 trillion package, a strictly partisan pursuit of far-reaching programs and services including child care, tax breaks and health care that touch almost every corner of American life. Republicans strongly oppose that bill, which would require a simple majority for passage. Final votes on that measure are not expected until fall.