By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/dignity-and-grace-new-historical-marker-showcases-life-legacy-hattie-mcdaniel">Kansas News Service</a>

Hattie McDaniel made history as the first Black actor to win an Academy Award, for her role as Mammy in “Gone with the Wind.”

Now, visitors passing her childhood home near 9th and Waco in Wichita can read all about her.

A
 colorful new memorial showcasing the actor’s life and career was 
dedicated Wednesday at 925 N. Wichita, across the street from where 
McDaniel once lived. It replaces a trail marker placed there by The 
Kansas African American Museum in 2011, which was removed after the 
sign's sponsor went out of business.

About 100 people gathered near the new marker on a sunny afternoon to
 remember McDaniel and honor her life. Among them was Ebony 
Clemons-Ajibolade, who read an original poem, “Black Not Accepted,” by 
Kevin John Goff, a descendant of McDaniel’s.

“But Wichita accepts
 her,” Clemons-Ajibolade read. “All of you here today accept her. You 
understand. You try to hold back the tears, for you were born in that 
everyday kind of pain that she knew all too well.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The new 
marker relates McDaniel’s remarkable history: Her father, Henry 
McDaniel, was a former slave who fought in the Civil War. He moved his 
family to Manhattan, Kansas, and then to a portion of Wichita previously
 known as the “Black District.”

Hattie McDaniel, the youngest of 13 children, moved with her family 
to Colorado when she was 5. She began her career in vaudeville and was a
 talented singer, songwriter, playwright, dancer, radio show host and 
comedienne.

When “Gone with the Wind” was set to be released in 
1939, the producer scheduled a gala premiere in Atlanta, the hometown of
 author Margaret Mitchell. Because of Jim Crow laws in effect at the 
time, McDaniel and other Black actors were denied entrance to the 
premiere, and their photos were removed from a souvenir program.

Denise
 Sherman, executive director of the Kansas African American Museum, 
choked up toward the end of the dedication ceremony as she reflected on 
McDaniel’s career and its impact on Black history.

“I want to 
really share with you how blessed we are today,” Sherman said. “That we 
can come together and recognize an awesome African-American woman who 
endured so much but left a positive legacy for all of us.”

The historical marker is part of an initiative between The Kansas African American Museum, the city of Wichita and KMUW.

Carla
 Eckels, KMUW’s director of cultural diversity, news and engagement, 
helped raise interest and funds for the historical marker after 
interviewing fellow Wichitan Karla Burns at the site in 2019. Burns, a 
Broadway performer who portrayed McDaniel in a musical called “Hi-Hat 
Hattie,” was distressed that the marker noting the actor’s birthplace 
had been removed.

“You never know where a story will take you,” 
Eckels said Wednesday. “After the interview aired, there was an 
outpouring of calls and emails from KMUW listeners. . . And she now has a
 historic marker in her birthplace — Wichita, Kansas.

“As you 
will read on her historic marker, she lived her life with dignity and 
grace, proudly and bravely serving as an inspiration and shining example
 to all who knew her and for the generations to follow.”

You can view the new historical marker from a walking and biking path just east of Waco, between north 8th and 9th streets.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617294612284.png" alt="Suzanne Perez / KMUW " />
 <figcaption>Suzanne Perez / KMUW </figcaption>
 </figure>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/dignity-and-grace-new-historical-marker-showcases-life-legacy-hattie-mcdaniel">Kansas News Service</a>Hattie McDaniel made history as the first Black actor to win an Academy Award, for her role as Mammy in “Gone with the Wind.”Now, visitors passing her childhood home near 9th and Waco in Wichita can read all about her.A
 colorful new memorial showcasing the actor’s life and career was 
dedicated Wednesday at 925 N. Wichita, across the street from where 
McDaniel once lived. It replaces a trail marker placed there by The 
Kansas African American Museum in 2011, which was removed after the 
sign's sponsor went out of business.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617294693252.jpeg" alt=" Denise Sherman, executive director of The Kansas African American Museum, speaks at a dedication ceremony for a new marker honoring Wichita native Hattie McDaniel. Credit Hugo Phan / KMUW" />
 <figcaption> Denise Sherman, executive director of The Kansas African American Museum, speaks at a dedication ceremony for a new marker honoring Wichita native Hattie McDaniel. Credit Hugo Phan / KMUW</figcaption>
 </figure>About 100 people gathered near the new marker on a sunny afternoon to
 remember McDaniel and honor her life. Among them was Ebony 
Clemons-Ajibolade, who read an original poem, “Black Not Accepted,” by 
Kevin John Goff, a descendant of McDaniel’s.“But Wichita accepts
 her,” Clemons-Ajibolade read. “All of you here today accept her. You 
understand. You try to hold back the tears, for you were born in that 
everyday kind of pain that she knew all too well.”&nbsp;&nbsp;The new 
marker relates McDaniel’s remarkable history: Her father, Henry 
McDaniel, was a former slave who fought in the Civil War. He moved his 
family to Manhattan, Kansas, and then to a portion of Wichita previously
 known as the “Black District.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617294721015.jpeg" alt=" Hattie McDaniel was born in Wichita. She became a talented singer, songwriter, playwright, dancer and radio show host. She was the first Black person to win an Academy Award. Credit BETTMANN/CORBIS/NPR" />
 <figcaption> Hattie McDaniel was born in Wichita. She became a talented singer, songwriter, playwright, dancer and radio show host. She was the first Black person to win an Academy Award. Credit BETTMANN/CORBIS/NPR</figcaption>
 </figure>Hattie McDaniel, the youngest of 13 children, moved with her family 
to Colorado when she was 5. She began her career in vaudeville and was a
 talented singer, songwriter, playwright, dancer, radio show host and 
comedienne.When “Gone with the Wind” was set to be released in 
1939, the producer scheduled a gala premiere in Atlanta, the hometown of
 author Margaret Mitchell. Because of Jim Crow laws in effect at the 
time, McDaniel and other Black actors were denied entrance to the 
premiere, and their photos were removed from a souvenir program.Denise
 Sherman, executive director of the Kansas African American Museum, 
choked up toward the end of the dedication ceremony as she reflected on 
McDaniel’s career and its impact on Black history.“I want to 
really share with you how blessed we are today,” Sherman said. “That we 
can come together and recognize an awesome African-American woman who 
endured so much but left a positive legacy for all of us.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617294759155.jpeg" alt="Credit Hugo Phan / KMUW" />
 <figcaption>Credit Hugo Phan / KMUW</figcaption>
 </figure>The historical marker is part of an initiative between The Kansas African American Museum, the city of Wichita and KMUW.Carla
 Eckels, KMUW’s director of cultural diversity, news and engagement, 
helped raise interest and funds for the historical marker after 
interviewing fellow Wichitan Karla Burns at the site in 2019. Burns, a 
Broadway performer who portrayed McDaniel in a musical called “Hi-Hat 
Hattie,” was distressed that the marker noting the actor’s birthplace 
had been removed.“You never know where a story will take you,” 
Eckels said Wednesday. “After the interview aired, there was an 
outpouring of calls and emails from KMUW listeners. . . And she now has a
 historic marker in her birthplace — Wichita, Kansas.“As you 
will read on her historic marker, she lived her life with dignity and 
grace, proudly and bravely serving as an inspiration and shining example
 to all who knew her and for the generations to follow.”You can view the new historical marker from a walking and biking path just east of Waco, between north 8th and 9th streets.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617294786628.png" alt="Credit Hugo Phan / KMUW" />
 <figcaption>Credit Hugo Phan / KMUW</figcaption>
 </figure>

New historical marker in Kansas showcases the life of Hattie McDaniel 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — A Texas man has been sentenced to three years and two months in prison in a deadly Kansas crash.

&nbsp;Benjamin Buzzini also was ordered Friday to pay about $2,090 in restitution.

He pleaded no contest in January to involuntary manslaughter resulting from driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in the April 2017 crash that killed Stephanie Futral, of Wichita,

A state trooper testified at the preliminary hearing that the sport utility had been traveling at a speed of 150 mph just seconds before it began to roll near South Hutchinson.

A blood draw several hours after the crash showed Buzzini had a blood-alcohol level of 0.07, which is just below the legal limit, but that he also had THC, from marijuana, in his system.

His attorney, Kenneth Miller, sought a shorter sentence, noting that Buzzini is the father of a 7-month-old girl and has health issues. Miller also raised questions about whether Buzzini was behind the wheel.

But prosecutors noted that Buzzini was arrested in Houston on suspicion of road rage in September and aggravated assault in February while free on bond in the Kansas case.

Futral’s sister, Olivia Hicks, challenged Buzzini to use his time in prison become a “better man” and to stop drinking.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617480879144.png" alt="Buzzini photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Buzzini photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — A Texas man has been sentenced to three years and two months in prison in a deadly Kansas crash.&nbsp;Benjamin Buzzini also was ordered Friday to pay about $2,090 in restitution.He pleaded no contest in January to involuntary manslaughter resulting from driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in the April 2017 crash that killed Stephanie Futral, of Wichita,A state trooper testified at the preliminary hearing that the sport utility had been traveling at a speed of 150 mph just seconds before it began to roll near South Hutchinson.A blood draw several hours after the crash showed Buzzini had a blood-alcohol level of 0.07, which is just below the legal limit, but that he also had THC, from marijuana, in his system.His attorney, Kenneth Miller, sought a shorter sentence, noting that Buzzini is the father of a 7-month-old girl and has health issues. Miller also raised questions about whether Buzzini was behind the wheel.But prosecutors noted that Buzzini was arrested in Houston on suspicion of road rage in September and aggravated assault in February while free on bond in the Kansas case.Futral’s sister, Olivia Hicks, challenged Buzzini to use his time in prison become a “better man” and to stop drinking.

Man sentenced for fatal Kansas crash at 150mph

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas expects to lose a total of $360 million in tax revenues over three years because of a change in federal policies on COVID-19 relief for businesses, complicating legislative debates over state spending and cutting income taxes.

The disclosure of the state’s expected loss is a cloud in what for months has otherwise been a sunny fiscal picture, with tax collections exceeding expectations and the unemployment rate back to lows seen before the coronavirus pandemic. The disclosure this week came as Republicans pushed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-personal-taxes-legislature-kansas-topeka-c014cb53898dfb79502311cef1557cee">a bill cutting income taxes</a>&nbsp;through the GOP-controlled Legislature.

The expected loss was outlined in a short memo to six legislative leaders from Mark Burghart, the state Department of Revenue’s top administrator, and Adam Proffitt, budget director for Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. The memo noted that relief legislation approved in December by Congress created a new income tax deduction for businesses that received federal Paycheck Protection Program loans.

“This new deduction will have a negative impact on the state’s revenue forecast that had not been accounted for in previous revenue estimates,” the memo said.

Kansas has experienced what many GOP lawmakers see as an unanticipated “windfall” in tax collections from changes in federal income tax laws in 2017 championed by former President Donald Trump. Republican leaders want to provide relief to people and businesses paying more taxes to the state because of those changes, and the GOP’s bill would save taxpayers $284 million over three years.

Kelly vetoed two Republican tax-cutting bills in 2019, arguing that they would return Kansas to a nationally notorious, now-mostly repealed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e4f794cd96cb488cb04ab1cd48b1458d">tax-cutting experiment</a>&nbsp;in 2012 and 2013 under then-GOP Gov. Sam Brownback that was followed by persistent budget shortfalls. Kelly has not said whether she will veto this year’s bill, but she called Thursday for caution.

“We cannot risk passing any tax bill that would put Kansas back into a self-inflicted budget crisis, and jeopardize our COVID-19 recovery efforts,” Kelly said in a statement issued as&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/09_March_Revenue_FY2021_04-01-2021_Final.pdf" target="_blank">the Department of Revenue reported</a>&nbsp;that tax collections in March exceeded the state’s official forecast by more than $52 million, or 9.7%.

The state anticipated taking in $538 million in taxes and instead collected more than $590 million.

Tax collections have been better than forecast for eight consecutive months and all but four months during the past four years. For the budget year that began July 1, the state has collected more than $6 billion, when it anticipated less than $5.8 billion — a difference of 4%, or $233 million higher.

The state reported a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.2% in February, the latest data available, down from 3.4% in January. The rate approached 13% in April 2020, after Kelly imposed a statewide stay-at-home order.

Kelly’s budget staff, Department of Revenue officials, legislative researchers and university economists plan to meet April 20 to issue a new fiscal forecast that will guide lawmakers as they wrap up budget decisions.

The 2017 federal tax changes increased the state’s tax collections partly because they discouraged people from claiming itemized deductions on their federal income tax returns. Kansas law doesn’t allow people to claim deductions on their state returns if they don’t on their federal returns — something&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_sb50_02_0000.pdf" target="_blank">the GOP tax-cutting bill</a>&nbsp;would change.

The changes approved by Congress in December involve Paycheck Protection Program loans forgiven by the federal government. Congress is allowing filers to claim a deduction for expenses paid with forgiven loans.

The memo from Burghart and Proffitt noted that Kansas has “rolling conformity” with federal tax laws, meaning changes at the federal level “automatically flow through at the state level.”

“Kansas tax filers will also be allowed to deduct expenses associated with forgiven PPP loans on their state income tax returns, even though the loans themselves are not included as taxable income,” the memo said.

By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas expects to lose a total of $360 million in tax revenues over three years because of a change in federal policies on COVID-19 relief for businesses, complicating legislative debates over state spending and cutting income taxes.The disclosure of the state’s expected loss is a cloud in what for months has otherwise been a sunny fiscal picture, with tax collections exceeding expectations and the unemployment rate back to lows seen before the coronavirus pandemic. The disclosure this week came as Republicans pushed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-personal-taxes-legislature-kansas-topeka-c014cb53898dfb79502311cef1557cee">a bill cutting income taxes</a>&nbsp;through the GOP-controlled Legislature.The expected loss was outlined in a short memo to six legislative leaders from Mark Burghart, the state Department of Revenue’s top administrator, and Adam Proffitt, budget director for Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. The memo noted that relief legislation approved in December by Congress created a new income tax deduction for businesses that received federal Paycheck Protection Program loans.“This new deduction will have a negative impact on the state’s revenue forecast that had not been accounted for in previous revenue estimates,” the memo said.Kansas has experienced what many GOP lawmakers see as an unanticipated “windfall” in tax collections from changes in federal income tax laws in 2017 championed by former President Donald Trump. Republican leaders want to provide relief to people and businesses paying more taxes to the state because of those changes, and the GOP’s bill would save taxpayers $284 million over three years.Kelly vetoed two Republican tax-cutting bills in 2019, arguing that they would return Kansas to a nationally notorious, now-mostly repealed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e4f794cd96cb488cb04ab1cd48b1458d">tax-cutting experiment</a>&nbsp;in 2012 and 2013 under then-GOP Gov. Sam Brownback that was followed by persistent budget shortfalls. Kelly has not said whether she will veto this year’s bill, but she called Thursday for caution.“We cannot risk passing any tax bill that would put Kansas back into a self-inflicted budget crisis, and jeopardize our COVID-19 recovery efforts,” Kelly said in a statement issued as&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/09_March_Revenue_FY2021_04-01-2021_Final.pdf" target="_blank">the Department of Revenue reported</a>&nbsp;that tax collections in March exceeded the state’s official forecast by more than $52 million, or 9.7%.The state anticipated taking in $538 million in taxes and instead collected more than $590 million.Tax collections have been better than forecast for eight consecutive months and all but four months during the past four years. For the budget year that began July 1, the state has collected more than $6 billion, when it anticipated less than $5.8 billion — a difference of 4%, or $233 million higher.The state reported a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.2% in February, the latest data available, down from 3.4% in January. The rate approached 13% in April 2020, after Kelly imposed a statewide stay-at-home order.Kelly’s budget staff, Department of Revenue officials, legislative researchers and university economists plan to meet April 20 to issue a new fiscal forecast that will guide lawmakers as they wrap up budget decisions.The 2017 federal tax changes increased the state’s tax collections partly because they discouraged people from claiming itemized deductions on their federal income tax returns. Kansas law doesn’t allow people to claim deductions on their state returns if they don’t on their federal returns — something&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_sb50_02_0000.pdf" target="_blank">the GOP tax-cutting bill</a>&nbsp;would change.The changes approved by Congress in December involve Paycheck Protection Program loans forgiven by the federal government. Congress is allowing filers to claim a deduction for expenses paid with forgiven loans.The memo from Burghart and Proffitt noted that Kansas has “rolling conformity” with federal tax laws, meaning changes at the federal level “automatically flow through at the state level.”“Kansas tax filers will also be allowed to deduct expenses associated with forgiven PPP loans on their state income tax returns, even though the loans themselves are not included as taxable income,” the memo said.

New federal policy to cost Kan. $360M over 3 years

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Vaccine passports being developed to verify COVID-19 immunization status and allow inoculated people to more freely travel, shop and dine have become the latest flash point in America’s perpetual political wars, with Republicans portraying them as a heavy-handed intrusion into personal freedom and private health choices.

They currently exist in only one state — a limited government partnership in New York with a private company — but that hasn’t stopped GOP lawmakers in a handful of states from rushing out legislative proposals to ban their use.

The argument over whether passports are a sensible response to the pandemic or governmental overreach echoes the bitter disputes over the past year about masks, shutdown orders and even the vaccines themselves.

Vaccine passports are typically an app with a code that verifies whether someone has been vaccinated or recently tested negative for COVID-19. They are in use in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-can-unvaccinated-return-to-work-dilemma-coronavrius-7e18cdee3a66018c36a6c61d5bc8a4c1">Israel&nbsp;</a>and under development in parts of Europe, seen as a way to safely help rebuild the pandemic-&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-travel-pandemics-europe-airlines-9c410bacd04c443f4ed562d1b2c3d37e">devastated travel industry</a>.

They are intended to allow businesses to more safely open up as the vaccine drive gains momentum, and they mirror measures already in place for schools and overseas travel that require proof of immunization against various diseases.

But lawmakers around the country are already taking a stand against the idea. GOP senators in Pennsylvania are drawing up legislation that would prohibit vaccine passports, also known as health certificates or travel passes, from being used to bar people from routine activities.

“We have constitutional rights and health privacy laws for a reason,” said Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, a Republican. “They should not cease to exist in a time of crisis. These passports may start with COVID-19, but where will they end?”

Benninghoff said this week his concern was “using taxpayer money to generate a system that will now be, possibly, in the hands of mega-tech organizations who’ve already had problems with getting hacked and security issues.”

A Democratic colleague, Rep. Chris Rabb of Philadelphia, sees value in vaccine passports if they are implemented carefully.

“There’s a role for using technology and other means to confirm people’s statuses,” Rabb said. “But we do have concerns around privacy, surveillance and inequitable access.”

Republican legislators in other states have also been drafting proposals to ban or limit them. A bill introduced in the Arkansas Legislature on Wednesday would prevent government officials from requiring vaccine passports for any reason, and would ban their use as a condition of “entry, travel, education, employment or services.”

The sponsor, Republican state Sen. Trent Garner, called vaccine passports “just another example of the Biden administration using COVID-19 to put regulations or restrictions on everyday Americans.”

President Joe Biden’s administration has largely taken a hands-off approach on vaccine passports.

At a news conference this week, Andy Slavitt, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said he considered them a project for the private sector, not the government.

He said the government is considering federal guidelines to steer the process surrounding vaccine passports. Among its concerns: Not everyone who would need a passport has a smartphone; passports should be free and in multiple languages; and private health information must be protected.

“There will be organizations that want to use these. There will be organizations that don’t want to use these,” said Dr. Brian Anderson of Mitre, which operates federally funded research centers and is part of a coalition working to develop standards for vaccine certifications to make their use easier across vendors.

Anderson noted the Vaccination Credential Initiative is not making recommendations on how — or even if — organizations choose to use the certifications.

In Montana, GOP lawmakers this week voted along party lines to advance a pair of bills that would ban discrimination based on vaccine status or possession of an immunity passport, and to prohibit using vaccine status or passports to obtain certain benefits and services.

And a freshman Republican state lawmaker in Ohio spoke out about the concept, saying more restrictions or mandates are not the answer to every COVID-19 problem.

“Ohioans are encouraged to take the COVID-19 vaccine for the health and well-being of themselves and others,” Rep. Al Cutrona said. “However, a vaccine should not be mandated or required by our government for our people to integrate back to a sense of normalcy.”

Republican Florida Gov. Ron&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fort-myers-miami-orlando-fort-lauderdale-florida-d2f3bc41dd70f812bdd5becea2bcfbbd">DeSantis on Friday</a>&nbsp;issued an executive order that said no governmental entity can issue a vaccine passport, and businesses in that state can’t require them. He said he expected the Legislature to pass a similar law.

His order said requiring “so-called COVID-19 vaccine passports for taking part in everyday life — such as attending a sporting event, patronizing a restaurant, or going to a movie theater — would create two classes of citizens.”

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, a newly elected member who has embraced and promoted a range of far-right political positions, told her supporters on Facebook earlier this week that “something called a vaccine passport” was a form of “corporate communism” and part of a Democratic effort to control people’s lives.

And a GOP lawmaker in Louisiana has teed up a bill to keep the state from including any vaccination information on the Louisiana driver’s license or to make issuance of a driver’s license subject to vaccine status.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-public-health-new-york-andrew-cuomo-coronavirus-pandemic-de31c6f9da7a0d83c8e38be36a0fca33">New York</a>, a government-sponsored vaccine passport called the Excelsior Pass is being introduced. A smartphone app, it shows whether someone has been vaccinated or recently tested negative for COVID-19.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo touted the idea as letting an event venue usher, for example, use their own smartphone to scan a concertgoer’s code.

New York officials have not released specific details about how the app will work, access someone’s vaccination or testing status or protect a user’s name, date of birth or the location where their code was scanned. The app’s privacy policy says data will be “maintained in a secure manner” and won’t be used for sales or marketing purposes or shared with a third party. But some privacy experts say the public needs more specifics to ensure its information is protected.

Albert Fox Cahn, founder and executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project at the Urban Justice Center, a New York–based civil rights and privacy group, warned the Excelsior Pass creates a new layer of surveillance without sufficient details about how it collects data or protects privacy.

“We basically only have screenshots of the user interface and not much more,” Cahn said of Excelsior Pass.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Vaccine passports being developed to verify COVID-19 immunization status and allow inoculated people to more freely travel, shop and dine have become the latest flash point in America’s perpetual political wars, with Republicans portraying them as a heavy-handed intrusion into personal freedom and private health choices.They currently exist in only one state — a limited government partnership in New York with a private company — but that hasn’t stopped GOP lawmakers in a handful of states from rushing out legislative proposals to ban their use.The argument over whether passports are a sensible response to the pandemic or governmental overreach echoes the bitter disputes over the past year about masks, shutdown orders and even the vaccines themselves.Vaccine passports are typically an app with a code that verifies whether someone has been vaccinated or recently tested negative for COVID-19. They are in use in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-can-unvaccinated-return-to-work-dilemma-coronavrius-7e18cdee3a66018c36a6c61d5bc8a4c1">Israel&nbsp;</a>and under development in parts of Europe, seen as a way to safely help rebuild the pandemic-&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-travel-pandemics-europe-airlines-9c410bacd04c443f4ed562d1b2c3d37e">devastated travel industry</a>.They are intended to allow businesses to more safely open up as the vaccine drive gains momentum, and they mirror measures already in place for schools and overseas travel that require proof of immunization against various diseases.But lawmakers around the country are already taking a stand against the idea. GOP senators in Pennsylvania are drawing up legislation that would prohibit vaccine passports, also known as health certificates or travel passes, from being used to bar people from routine activities.“We have constitutional rights and health privacy laws for a reason,” said Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, a Republican. “They should not cease to exist in a time of crisis. These passports may start with COVID-19, but where will they end?”Benninghoff said this week his concern was “using taxpayer money to generate a system that will now be, possibly, in the hands of mega-tech organizations who’ve already had problems with getting hacked and security issues.”A Democratic colleague, Rep. Chris Rabb of Philadelphia, sees value in vaccine passports if they are implemented carefully.“There’s a role for using technology and other means to confirm people’s statuses,” Rabb said. “But we do have concerns around privacy, surveillance and inequitable access.”Republican legislators in other states have also been drafting proposals to ban or limit them. A bill introduced in the Arkansas Legislature on Wednesday would prevent government officials from requiring vaccine passports for any reason, and would ban their use as a condition of “entry, travel, education, employment or services.”The sponsor, Republican state Sen. Trent Garner, called vaccine passports “just another example of the Biden administration using COVID-19 to put regulations or restrictions on everyday Americans.”President Joe Biden’s administration has largely taken a hands-off approach on vaccine passports.At a news conference this week, Andy Slavitt, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said he considered them a project for the private sector, not the government.He said the government is considering federal guidelines to steer the process surrounding vaccine passports. Among its concerns: Not everyone who would need a passport has a smartphone; passports should be free and in multiple languages; and private health information must be protected.“There will be organizations that want to use these. There will be organizations that don’t want to use these,” said Dr. Brian Anderson of Mitre, which operates federally funded research centers and is part of a coalition working to develop standards for vaccine certifications to make their use easier across vendors.Anderson noted the Vaccination Credential Initiative is not making recommendations on how — or even if — organizations choose to use the certifications.In Montana, GOP lawmakers this week voted along party lines to advance a pair of bills that would ban discrimination based on vaccine status or possession of an immunity passport, and to prohibit using vaccine status or passports to obtain certain benefits and services.And a freshman Republican state lawmaker in Ohio spoke out about the concept, saying more restrictions or mandates are not the answer to every COVID-19 problem.“Ohioans are encouraged to take the COVID-19 vaccine for the health and well-being of themselves and others,” Rep. Al Cutrona said. “However, a vaccine should not be mandated or required by our government for our people to integrate back to a sense of normalcy.”Republican Florida Gov. Ron&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fort-myers-miami-orlando-fort-lauderdale-florida-d2f3bc41dd70f812bdd5becea2bcfbbd">DeSantis on Friday</a>&nbsp;issued an executive order that said no governmental entity can issue a vaccine passport, and businesses in that state can’t require them. He said he expected the Legislature to pass a similar law.His order said requiring “so-called COVID-19 vaccine passports for taking part in everyday life — such as attending a sporting event, patronizing a restaurant, or going to a movie theater — would create two classes of citizens.”U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, a newly elected member who has embraced and promoted a range of far-right political positions, told her supporters on Facebook earlier this week that “something called a vaccine passport” was a form of “corporate communism” and part of a Democratic effort to control people’s lives.And a GOP lawmaker in Louisiana has teed up a bill to keep the state from including any vaccination information on the Louisiana driver’s license or to make issuance of a driver’s license subject to vaccine status.In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-public-health-new-york-andrew-cuomo-coronavirus-pandemic-de31c6f9da7a0d83c8e38be36a0fca33">New York</a>, a government-sponsored vaccine passport called the Excelsior Pass is being introduced. A smartphone app, it shows whether someone has been vaccinated or recently tested negative for COVID-19.Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo touted the idea as letting an event venue usher, for example, use their own smartphone to scan a concertgoer’s code.New York officials have not released specific details about how the app will work, access someone’s vaccination or testing status or protect a user’s name, date of birth or the location where their code was scanned. The app’s privacy policy says data will be “maintained in a secure manner” and won’t be used for sales or marketing purposes or shared with a third party. But some privacy experts say the public needs more specifics to ensure its information is protected.Albert Fox Cahn, founder and executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project at the Urban Justice Center, a New York–based civil rights and privacy group, warned the Excelsior Pass creates a new layer of surveillance without sufficient details about how it collects data or protects privacy.“We basically only have screenshots of the user interface and not much more,” Cahn said of Excelsior Pass.

Vaccine passport efforts draw opposition from GOP lawmakers

KANSAS City, Kan.—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a crash that killed one and sent three others to a hospital.

While on patrol just before 11:30p.m. Kansas City, Kanas police came upon a two vehicle crash in the 6700 Block of Parallel Parkway, according to a media release.

EMS transported two minors and one adult to area hospitals for treatment of serious injuries. A minor was also pronounced dead at the scene, according to the release.

The initial investigation indicates speed may have been a factor in the crash.

Police closed the westbound lanes of Parallel Parkway from 64th to 68th Street overnight while they investigated.

Police released no additional details early Sunday.

KANSAS City, Kan.—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a crash that killed one and sent three others to a hospital.While on patrol just before 11:30p.m. Kansas City, Kanas police came upon a two vehicle crash in the 6700 Block of Parallel Parkway, according to a media release.EMS transported two minors and one adult to area hospitals for treatment of serious injuries. A minor was also pronounced dead at the scene, according to the release.The initial investigation indicates speed may have been a factor in the crash.Police closed the westbound lanes of Parallel Parkway from 64th to 68th Street overnight while they investigated.Police released no additional details early Sunday.

Police: Child dead, 3 hospitalized after Kansas crash

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A mother and father have been charged with first-degree murder in the alleged drug overdose death of their 2-year-old son in a Kansas City suburb.

Shelly Vallejo, 29, and Jean Morales, 26, both of Shawnee, made a first appearance Friday. They also are charged with aggravated child endangerment and a felony charge alleging that they possessed Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that is potentially deadly if misused. Each is jailed on a $1 million bond.

Court records said the child’s death in November at a home in Merriam stems from the “commission of an inherently dangerous felony.” No details about the child’s death were released in court records, but Vallejo’s attorney, Michael Duma, said the state contends the child died of a Fentanyl overdose.

“She is a grieving mother who tragically lost a child under tragic circumstances,” Duma said. “We believe the evidence will show that she did not in any way contribute to the death of her son. She has been cooperative with investigators since the death of her son, and it comes as a surprise to us that she is charged with a crime.”

He added that he believed she would be acquitted. Morales’ attorney didn’t immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617465387693.png" alt="Morales photo Johnson Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Morales photo Johnson Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A mother and father have been charged with first-degree murder in the alleged drug overdose death of their 2-year-old son in a Kansas City suburb.Shelly Vallejo, 29, and Jean Morales, 26, both of Shawnee, made a first appearance Friday. They also are charged with aggravated child endangerment and a felony charge alleging that they possessed Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that is potentially deadly if misused. Each is jailed on a $1 million bond.Court records said the child’s death in November at a home in Merriam stems from the “commission of an inherently dangerous felony.” No details about the child’s death were released in court records, but Vallejo’s attorney, Michael Duma, said the state contends the child died of a Fentanyl overdose.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617465328633.png" alt="Vallejo photo Johnson Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Vallejo photo Johnson Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>“She is a grieving mother who tragically lost a child under tragic circumstances,” Duma said. “We believe the evidence will show that she did not in any way contribute to the death of her son. She has been cooperative with investigators since the death of her son, and it comes as a surprise to us that she is charged with a crime.”He added that he believed she would be acquitted. Morales’ attorney didn’t immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

Kan. mom, dad charged in death of 2-year-old son

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a Kansas man on drug distribution allegations.

On April 1, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 900 block of SW Tyler related to an ongoing investigation, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.

At the home, officers located heroin and drug paraphernalia. They also arrested 36-year-old&nbsp;Dustin Lutterman&nbsp; of Topeka on requested charges of Possession of heroin with the intent of distribution within 1000 feet of a school, Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent and Unlawful distribution of a controlled substance using a communication facility, according to Monasmith.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617467287936.png" alt="Lutterman photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Lutterman photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a Kansas man on drug distribution allegations.On April 1, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 900 block of SW Tyler related to an ongoing investigation, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.At the home, officers located heroin and drug paraphernalia. They also arrested 36-year-old&nbsp;Dustin Lutterman&nbsp; of Topeka on requested charges of Possession of heroin with the intent of distribution within 1000 feet of a school, Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent and Unlawful distribution of a controlled substance using a communication facility, according to Monasmith.

Kan. man accused of heroin distribution near a school

By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/02/cdc-if-youre-fully-vaccinated-you-can-travel-in-the-u-s-without-tests-or-quarantines/">Kansas Reflector</a>

WASHINGTON
 — Fully vaccinated individuals can travel at low risk to themselves, 
and do not need to get a COVID-19 test or quarantine after traveling 
within the United States, federal health officials said Friday as they 
unveiled updated travel guidelines.

The
 new guidelines offer the first official guidance to Americans who are 
at least two weeks past receiving their final dose of a COVID-19 
vaccine, and want to visit family and friends elsewhere in the United 
States.

Those
 who do travel are urged to continue taking precautions: wearing a mask,
 avoiding crowds, socially distancing, and washing hands frequently.

Fully
 vaccinated people seeking to travel internationally may still need to 
have a negative COVID-19 test to enter their destination. They should 
have a negative COVID-19 test result before they board a flight home to 
the United States, and should take another test three to five days after
 returning, according to the CDC.&nbsp;

But those traveling abroad won’t need to quarantine upon return unless their state requires doing so.

The new travel guidance expands upon <a href="https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2021/03/08/cdc-its-ok-for-vaccinated-grandparents-to-visit-family-if-no-risk-for-severe-disease/">an initial set of guidance that the CDC released last month</a>, outlining recommendations for how vaccinated individuals should socialize with those who are and are not vaccinated.

Those
 initial recommendations sidestepped questions about traveling. And even
 as federal officials released the new guidelines, they also urged 
Americans to continue refraining from any travel that is not essential.

“While
 we believe that fully vaccinated people can travel at low risk to 
themselves, the CDC is not recommending travel at this time due to the 
rising number of cases,” said Rochelle Walensky, the CDC’s director.

<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations">According to CDC tracking data</a>,
 30% of Americans have received at least one dose of one of the three 
authorized COVID-19 vaccines, and 17% have been fully vaccinated.&nbsp;

But the vaccination effort has been racing to outpace <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_dailytrendscases">a rise in the daily rate of coronavirus infections</a>.
 After falling to an average daily rate of 40,000 new cases in 
mid-March, that number has been going up, to 75,000 new cases reported 
Thursday.

Earlier
 this week, Walensky described a sense of “impending doom” as she 
watched those numbers grow and new variants of the virus pop up across 
the country.

“We
 know that travel was up in the month of March more so than it had been 
since the beginning of this pandemic. We know that right now we have a 
surging number of cases,” Walensky said, adding that the CDC guidance 
“is silent on recommending or not recommending fully vaccinated people 
travel —&nbsp;our guidance speaks to the safety of doing so.”

<a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/04/cdc-data-suggests-vaccinated-dont-carry-cant-spread-virus.html">Recently released studies</a>
 have suggested that fully vaccinated people are unlikely to spread the 
virus, a scenario that scientists have said for months is likely to be 
true, but had lacked enough data on the brand-new vaccine to say 
definitively.

Even before the new CDC guidelines, air travel had begun to pick up again. <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput">Data from the Transportation Security Administration</a> has shown a rising number of travelers passing through airports.

Laura covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617480482614.png" alt="In this 2020 photograph, captured inside a clinical setting, a health care provider places a bandage on the injection site of a patient who just received a vaccine. (Lauren Bishop/CDC)" />
 <figcaption>In this 2020 photograph, captured inside a clinical setting, a health care provider places a bandage on the injection site of a patient who just received a vaccine. (Lauren Bishop/CDC)</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/02/cdc-if-youre-fully-vaccinated-you-can-travel-in-the-u-s-without-tests-or-quarantines/">Kansas Reflector</a>WASHINGTON
 — Fully vaccinated individuals can travel at low risk to themselves, 
and do not need to get a COVID-19 test or quarantine after traveling 
within the United States, federal health officials said Friday as they 
unveiled updated travel guidelines.The
 new guidelines offer the first official guidance to Americans who are 
at least two weeks past receiving their final dose of a COVID-19 
vaccine, and want to visit family and friends elsewhere in the United 
States.Those
 who do travel are urged to continue taking precautions: wearing a mask,
 avoiding crowds, socially distancing, and washing hands frequently.Fully
 vaccinated people seeking to travel internationally may still need to 
have a negative COVID-19 test to enter their destination. They should 
have a negative COVID-19 test result before they board a flight home to 
the United States, and should take another test three to five days after
 returning, according to the CDC.&nbsp;But those traveling abroad won’t need to quarantine upon return unless their state requires doing so.The new travel guidance expands upon <a href="https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2021/03/08/cdc-its-ok-for-vaccinated-grandparents-to-visit-family-if-no-risk-for-severe-disease/">an initial set of guidance that the CDC released last month</a>, outlining recommendations for how vaccinated individuals should socialize with those who are and are not vaccinated.Those
 initial recommendations sidestepped questions about traveling. And even
 as federal officials released the new guidelines, they also urged 
Americans to continue refraining from any travel that is not essential.“While
 we believe that fully vaccinated people can travel at low risk to 
themselves, the CDC is not recommending travel at this time due to the 
rising number of cases,” said Rochelle Walensky, the CDC’s director.<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations">According to CDC tracking data</a>,
 30% of Americans have received at least one dose of one of the three 
authorized COVID-19 vaccines, and 17% have been fully vaccinated.&nbsp;But the vaccination effort has been racing to outpace <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_dailytrendscases">a rise in the daily rate of coronavirus infections</a>.
 After falling to an average daily rate of 40,000 new cases in 
mid-March, that number has been going up, to 75,000 new cases reported 
Thursday.Earlier
 this week, Walensky described a sense of “impending doom” as she 
watched those numbers grow and new variants of the virus pop up across 
the country.“We
 know that travel was up in the month of March more so than it had been 
since the beginning of this pandemic. We know that right now we have a 
surging number of cases,” Walensky said, adding that the CDC guidance 
“is silent on recommending or not recommending fully vaccinated people 
travel —&nbsp;our guidance speaks to the safety of doing so.”<a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/04/cdc-data-suggests-vaccinated-dont-carry-cant-spread-virus.html">Recently released studies</a>
 have suggested that fully vaccinated people are unlikely to spread the 
virus, a scenario that scientists have said for months is likely to be 
true, but had lacked enough data on the brand-new vaccine to say 
definitively.Even before the new CDC guidelines, air travel had begun to pick up again. <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput">Data from the Transportation Security Administration</a> has shown a rising number of travelers passing through airports.Laura covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.

CDC: Fully vaccinated can travel in the U.S. without tests, quarantines

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 3a.m. Sunday in Johnson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Infiniti driven by&nbsp; William D. Carter, 37, Independence, MO., was&nbsp; southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 35&nbsp;south of 67th Street in Merriam.

The vehicle struck a 2016 Volkswagen Jetta driven by&nbsp; Andrew A.&nbsp; Hixson,&nbsp; 34, Mission, head-on.

Hixson was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Johnson County Medical Examiner's Office.

EMS transported Carter to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. The drivers were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 3a.m. Sunday in Johnson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Infiniti driven by&nbsp; William D. Carter, 37, Independence, MO., was&nbsp; southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 35&nbsp;south of 67th Street in Merriam.The vehicle struck a 2016 Volkswagen Jetta driven by&nbsp; Andrew A.&nbsp; Hixson,&nbsp; 34, Mission, head-on.Hixson was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Johnson County Medical Examiner's Office.EMS transported Carter to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. The drivers were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after wrong-way, head-on crash

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Haskell Indian Nations University faculty are signaling frustration with the college’s top leader over free speech and governance issues with a vote of “no confidence.”

The resolution describing Ronald Graham’s leadership style as “autocratic” was certified Thursday with a unanimous Faculty Senate vote. 

Graham began his presidency in May 2020. He didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from the Journal-World. Graham angered the faculty when he sent a memorandum last month forbidding employees from expressing derogatory opinions about the administration and others, contending that such expression is “inappropriate” and not protected by academic freedom.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617226828106.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Haskell Indian Nations University faculty are signaling frustration with the college’s top leader over free speech and governance issues with a vote of “no confidence.”The resolution describing Ronald Graham’s leadership style as “autocratic” was certified Thursday with a unanimous Faculty Senate vote. Graham began his presidency in May 2020. He didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from the Journal-World. Graham angered the faculty when he sent a memorandum last month forbidding employees from expressing derogatory opinions about the administration and others, contending that such expression is “inappropriate” and not protected by academic freedom.

Haskell Indians Nations University faculty casts 'no confidence' vote

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

Just after 11a.m. April 1,&nbsp;a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a black 1995 Mazda pickup truck in the 3000 block of SE Croco Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. 

The driver’s side windshield was smashed. The truck came back stolen, according to the Topeka Police Department. 

During the investigation, deputies located illegal narcotics and drug paraphernalia. They also arrested the driver, Christopher J. Obier, 33, of Topeka.

He was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of stolen property, driving without a valid license and obstructed windshield, according to Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617359077199.png" alt="Obier photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Obier photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple charges following a traffic stop.Just after 11a.m. April 1,&nbsp;a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a black 1995 Mazda pickup truck in the 3000 block of SE Croco Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. The driver’s side windshield was smashed. The truck came back stolen, according to the Topeka Police Department. During the investigation, deputies located illegal narcotics and drug paraphernalia. They also arrested the driver, Christopher J. Obier, 33, of Topeka.He was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of stolen property, driving without a valid license and obstructed windshield, according to Christian.

Kan. deputies catch drug suspect driving stolen pickup

WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking to overcome&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-norc-poll-us-half-want-vaccine-shots-4d98dbfc0a64d60d52ac84c3065dac55">vaccine hesitancy</a>, the Biden administration on Thursday stepped up its outreach efforts to skeptical Americans, launching a coalition of community, religious and celebrity partners to promote COVID-19 shots in hard-hit communities.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?509124-1/vice-president-harris-holds-virtual-town-hall">Click here to </a>watch a replay of the virtual meeting

The administration’s “We Can Do This” campaign features television and social media ads, but it also relies on a community corps of public health, athletic, faith and other groups to spread the word about the safety and efficacy of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-19-vaccine-us-study-highly-effective-57cde25de803c98503c5ff9937598420">the three approved vaccines</a>. The campaign comes amid worries that reluctance to get vaccinated will delay the nation’s recovery from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;— and is kicking off as the U.S. is anticipating a boost in vaccine supply that will make all adult Americans eligible for vaccines by the beginning of May.

President Joe Biden encouraged more than 1,000 faith leaders on Thursday to continue their efforts to promote vaccinations in their communities. “They’re going to listen to your words more than they are to me as president of the United States,” Biden said.

Vice President Kamala Harris and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-opioids-coronavirus-pandemic-vivek-murthy-barack-obama-2e1643c5f69e2f64ef04a46db60e95d7">Surgeon General Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;held a virtual meeting with the more than 275 inaugural members of the community corps on Thursday to kick off the effort. The Department of Health and Human Services was also encouraging other groups, as well as everyday Americans, to&nbsp;<a href="https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/covidcommunitycorps" target="_blank">join the effort.</a>

“You are the people that folks on the ground know and rely on and have a history with,” Harris said. “And when people are then making the decision to get vaccinated, they’re going to look to you.”

A White House official said Harris plans to take on a larger role in promoting the uptake of vaccines, in addition to her efforts selling the president’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill and working to address the root causes of migration driving an increase in unaccompanied minors entering the U.S. along the southern border.

The focus on trusted validators stems from both internal and public surveys showing those skeptical of the vaccines are most likely to be swayed by local, community and medical encouragement to get vaccinated, rather than messages from politicians.

Courtney Rowe, the White House’s COVID-19 director of strategic communications and engagement, briefed governors on the new initiative Tuesday, telling them that people “want to hear from those they know and trust.” She added that the initiative would be “empowering the leaders people want to hear from.”

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted late last month finds that three-quarters of American adults now say they have or will get a vaccine, compared with 13% who say they probably will not, while 12% say they definitely will not. The share saying they probably or definitely will not has ticked down since January, when a combined 32% said that.

The coalition includes health groups like the American Medical Association and the National Council of Urban Indian Health, sports leagues like the NFL, NASCAR and MLB, rural groups, unions and Latino, Black, Asian American Pacific Islander and Native American organizations, as well as coalitions of faith, business and veterans leaders.

The community corps will receive fact sheets and social media messages to share with members of their communities, as well as regular updates from the Biden administration with the latest vaccine confidence resources.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week that it will devote $3 billion to support outreach by community leaders and groups to boost vaccine confidence.

HHS was also launching its first national ad campaign promoting vaccinations, aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsVx_PZtigo" target="_blank">senior</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9iEVmAiWsc%3C&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">Latino</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ArOJN4XF3I" target="_blank">Black</a>&nbsp;Americans, with the roughly $250 million initial ad campaign. And in partnership with Facebook, it was deploying social media profile frames so that ordinary Americans could share their intent to get vaccinations and their experience with the shots to their peers.

The White House is also deploying Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, and Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, who chairs Biden’s COVID-19 equity task force, to speak directly to the public about the benefits of the vaccines. On Wednesday, the pair conducted an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KloxyjK36v0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KloxyjK36v0" target="_blank">interview</a>&nbsp;with rapper and actor LL Cool J and DJ Jazzy Jeff.

By the end of May, the U.S. will have enough supply of COVID-19 vaccine to cover all adults in the country.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/anthony-fauci">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, has estimated that 70% to 85% of the population needs to be immune to the virus to reach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/when-do-we-reach-herd-immunity-explained-8da12b3d4f6e33c0c6562f29f81ca52a">herd immunity</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617360034286.png" alt="Vice President Kamala Harris and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-opioids-coronavirus-pandemic-vivek-murthy-barack-obama-2e1643c5f69e2f64ef04a46db60e95d7">Surgeon General Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;held a virtual meeting with the more than 275 inaugural members of the community corps on Thursday-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Kamala Harris and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-opioids-coronavirus-pandemic-vivek-murthy-barack-obama-2e1643c5f69e2f64ef04a46db60e95d7">Surgeon General Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;held a virtual meeting with the more than 275 inaugural members of the community corps on Thursday-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking to overcome&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-norc-poll-us-half-want-vaccine-shots-4d98dbfc0a64d60d52ac84c3065dac55">vaccine hesitancy</a>, the Biden administration on Thursday stepped up its outreach efforts to skeptical Americans, launching a coalition of community, religious and celebrity partners to promote COVID-19 shots in hard-hit communities.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?509124-1/vice-president-harris-holds-virtual-town-hall">Click here to </a>watch a replay of the virtual meetingThe administration’s “We Can Do This” campaign features television and social media ads, but it also relies on a community corps of public health, athletic, faith and other groups to spread the word about the safety and efficacy of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-19-vaccine-us-study-highly-effective-57cde25de803c98503c5ff9937598420">the three approved vaccines</a>. The campaign comes amid worries that reluctance to get vaccinated will delay the nation’s recovery from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;— and is kicking off as the U.S. is anticipating a boost in vaccine supply that will make all adult Americans eligible for vaccines by the beginning of May.President Joe Biden encouraged more than 1,000 faith leaders on Thursday to continue their efforts to promote vaccinations in their communities. “They’re going to listen to your words more than they are to me as president of the United States,” Biden said.Vice President Kamala Harris and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-opioids-coronavirus-pandemic-vivek-murthy-barack-obama-2e1643c5f69e2f64ef04a46db60e95d7">Surgeon General Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;held a virtual meeting with the more than 275 inaugural members of the community corps on Thursday to kick off the effort. The Department of Health and Human Services was also encouraging other groups, as well as everyday Americans, to&nbsp;<a href="https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/covidcommunitycorps" target="_blank">join the effort.</a>“You are the people that folks on the ground know and rely on and have a history with,” Harris said. “And when people are then making the decision to get vaccinated, they’re going to look to you.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617360300944.png" alt="Vice President Harris during the virtual event -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Harris during the virtual event -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>A White House official said Harris plans to take on a larger role in promoting the uptake of vaccines, in addition to her efforts selling the president’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill and working to address the root causes of migration driving an increase in unaccompanied minors entering the U.S. along the southern border.The focus on trusted validators stems from both internal and public surveys showing those skeptical of the vaccines are most likely to be swayed by local, community and medical encouragement to get vaccinated, rather than messages from politicians.Courtney Rowe, the White House’s COVID-19 director of strategic communications and engagement, briefed governors on the new initiative Tuesday, telling them that people “want to hear from those they know and trust.” She added that the initiative would be “empowering the leaders people want to hear from.”A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted late last month finds that three-quarters of American adults now say they have or will get a vaccine, compared with 13% who say they probably will not, while 12% say they definitely will not. The share saying they probably or definitely will not has ticked down since January, when a combined 32% said that.The coalition includes health groups like the American Medical Association and the National Council of Urban Indian Health, sports leagues like the NFL, NASCAR and MLB, rural groups, unions and Latino, Black, Asian American Pacific Islander and Native American organizations, as well as coalitions of faith, business and veterans leaders.The community corps will receive fact sheets and social media messages to share with members of their communities, as well as regular updates from the Biden administration with the latest vaccine confidence resources.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week that it will devote $3 billion to support outreach by community leaders and groups to boost vaccine confidence.HHS was also launching its first national ad campaign promoting vaccinations, aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsVx_PZtigo" target="_blank">senior</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9iEVmAiWsc%3C&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">Latino</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ArOJN4XF3I" target="_blank">Black</a>&nbsp;Americans, with the roughly $250 million initial ad campaign. And in partnership with Facebook, it was deploying social media profile frames so that ordinary Americans could share their intent to get vaccinations and their experience with the shots to their peers.The White House is also deploying Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, and Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, who chairs Biden’s COVID-19 equity task force, to speak directly to the public about the benefits of the vaccines. On Wednesday, the pair conducted an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KloxyjK36v0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KloxyjK36v0" target="_blank">interview</a>&nbsp;with rapper and actor LL Cool J and DJ Jazzy Jeff.By the end of May, the U.S. will have enough supply of COVID-19 vaccine to cover all adults in the country.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/anthony-fauci">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, has estimated that 70% to 85% of the population needs to be immune to the virus to reach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/when-do-we-reach-herd-immunity-explained-8da12b3d4f6e33c0c6562f29f81ca52a">herd immunity</a>.

🎥 Vice Pres. leads celebrity team to boost vaccinations

BUTLER COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Thursday in Butler County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Piper Single-Engine airplane piloted by Nathaniel L. Trenum, 38, Chattanooga, TN. was on an approach at the end of training and came in for a landing too fast at&nbsp;SW 106th Terrace and SW Sante Fe Lake Road.

The pilot had to make an emergency landing for safety reasons. When they made their emergency landing, they went through a fence and removed the right wing of the plane on a fence post. The plane came to a stop in front of the barn on the property.

&nbsp;EMS transported Trenum to Susan B. Allen Hospital. A passenger Charles Michael Frisch, 19, Wichita, was not injured.&nbsp;

The KHP released no additional details. The NTSB will investigate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617454776381.png" alt="The crash occurred four miles east of Augusta-Google image" />
 <figcaption>The crash occurred four miles east of Augusta-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Thursday in Butler County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Piper Single-Engine airplane piloted by Nathaniel L. Trenum, 38, Chattanooga, TN. was on an approach at the end of training and came in for a landing too fast at&nbsp;SW 106th Terrace and SW Sante Fe Lake Road.The pilot had to make an emergency landing for safety reasons. When they made their emergency landing, they went through a fence and removed the right wing of the plane on a fence post. The plane came to a stop in front of the barn on the property.&nbsp;EMS transported Trenum to Susan B. Allen Hospital. A passenger Charles Michael Frisch, 19, Wichita, was not injured.&nbsp;The KHP released no additional details. The NTSB will investigate.

KHP IDs pilot injured after small plane mishap in Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators don’t yet agree on how much time to give the Kansas Department of Labor to upgrade aged technology for an unemployment system that for months has been plagued by problems and the frequent target of scammers.

The House and the Senate have approved legislation aimed at modernizing the system. Both chambers’ versions would give the GOP-controlled Legislature more oversight of the department’s upgrades, set aside up to $500 million in federal COVID-19 relief dollars to shoring up the state fund that provides benefits and revise the tax rates paid by employers to help finance benefits in hopes of making the assessments fairer.

The Senate approved&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2196_04_0000.pdf" target="_blank">its version</a>&nbsp;Wednesday, 40-0, the same day it also unanimously confirmed Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s appointment of Amber Shultz, a former Lawrence city official with an information-technology background, as the department’s top administrator. Under the Senate’s bill, top legislative leaders would set the deadline for technology upgrades.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2196_02_0000.pdf" target="_blank">The House’s version,</a>&nbsp;which was approved in early March with no Democratic support, would require the department to finish its upgrades by the end of 2022 — a deadline the department deems unrealistic. Lawmakers expect negotiators for the two chambers to draft the final version of the legislation as early as next week.

“I tried to be practical,” Republican Sen. Rob Olson, of Olathe, the Senate Commerce Committee’s chair, said Thursday.

The department estimated that it paid out $290 million in fraudulent unemployment claims last year, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-topeka-coronavirus-pandemic-2ff466a95e0e08fec896b9fcac161312">a legislative audit</a>&nbsp;estimated the figure at $600 million, suggesting that nearly 1 in every 4 claims was bogus. GOP lawmakers have worried those claims will compel employers to pay higher taxes than they should to replenish the benefits fund.

House Republicans have argued that the modernization legislation needs to set a specific deadline for the upgrades so that the work doesn’t drag out. Kelly included $37.5 million in her budget for the upgrades.

“When we shake the trees, generally, they respond and there are improvements made,” Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Stilwell Republican and the House commerce committee’s chair, said after it finished with the bill in late February.

The state previously spent about $51 million on upgrading the department’s technology from 2004 until the project was canceled in December 2011 under Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, according to a memo from the Legislature’s research staff. Some Republicans worried at the time that the project was plagued by wasteful spending, and the researchers’ memo said “approximately half” of the work was completed.

Kelly and her staff have suggested that the cancellation of the previous project left Kansas unprepared for last spring’s surge in unemployment claims at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic and a wave of fraudulent claims. They also have blamed the old technology for multiple problems in getting benefits to jobless workers.

The department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-topeka-f79ed0b839ad8501cf50650ca51dcbb1">shut down</a>&nbsp;its unemployment system for several days over the winter to install new, anti-fraud security protocols.

Both versions of the unemployment modernization bill would establish a 13-member council to oversee the department’s technology upgrades, with 10 members appointed by legislative leaders, two by the governor and either the department’s head or her appointee serving.

Democrats and labor unions argued that the House’s version of the bill contained little or nothing for workers.

But Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, said her chamber’s version “puts us on the road to fixing things.”

“It’s not an overnight fix,” she said.

Shultz became the department’s fourth leader in a little more than seven months&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-biden-cabinet-lawrence-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-1d66dcf497249b9da89fbabbbe9495d2">in late January,</a>&nbsp;after Kelly’s first state labor secretary, Delia Garcia,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/25193ce98f24c3fcb41503653e0b0cf6">resigned</a>&nbsp;last June. Shultz previously was Lawrence’s general manager of municipal services and operations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610733397386.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators don’t yet agree on how much time to give the Kansas Department of Labor to upgrade aged technology for an unemployment system that for months has been plagued by problems and the frequent target of scammers.The House and the Senate have approved legislation aimed at modernizing the system. Both chambers’ versions would give the GOP-controlled Legislature more oversight of the department’s upgrades, set aside up to $500 million in federal COVID-19 relief dollars to shoring up the state fund that provides benefits and revise the tax rates paid by employers to help finance benefits in hopes of making the assessments fairer.The Senate approved&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2196_04_0000.pdf" target="_blank">its version</a>&nbsp;Wednesday, 40-0, the same day it also unanimously confirmed Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s appointment of Amber Shultz, a former Lawrence city official with an information-technology background, as the department’s top administrator. Under the Senate’s bill, top legislative leaders would set the deadline for technology upgrades.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2196_02_0000.pdf" target="_blank">The House’s version,</a>&nbsp;which was approved in early March with no Democratic support, would require the department to finish its upgrades by the end of 2022 — a deadline the department deems unrealistic. Lawmakers expect negotiators for the two chambers to draft the final version of the legislation as early as next week.“I tried to be practical,” Republican Sen. Rob Olson, of Olathe, the Senate Commerce Committee’s chair, said Thursday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617375818934.png" alt="Members during a Senate conference committee meeting Thursday" />
 <figcaption>Members during a Senate conference committee meeting Thursday</figcaption>
 </figure>The department estimated that it paid out $290 million in fraudulent unemployment claims last year, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-topeka-coronavirus-pandemic-2ff466a95e0e08fec896b9fcac161312">a legislative audit</a>&nbsp;estimated the figure at $600 million, suggesting that nearly 1 in every 4 claims was bogus. GOP lawmakers have worried those claims will compel employers to pay higher taxes than they should to replenish the benefits fund.House Republicans have argued that the modernization legislation needs to set a specific deadline for the upgrades so that the work doesn’t drag out. Kelly included $37.5 million in her budget for the upgrades.“When we shake the trees, generally, they respond and there are improvements made,” Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Stilwell Republican and the House commerce committee’s chair, said after it finished with the bill in late February.The state previously spent about $51 million on upgrading the department’s technology from 2004 until the project was canceled in December 2011 under Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, according to a memo from the Legislature’s research staff. Some Republicans worried at the time that the project was plagued by wasteful spending, and the researchers’ memo said “approximately half” of the work was completed.Kelly and her staff have suggested that the cancellation of the previous project left Kansas unprepared for last spring’s surge in unemployment claims at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic and a wave of fraudulent claims. They also have blamed the old technology for multiple problems in getting benefits to jobless workers.The department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-topeka-f79ed0b839ad8501cf50650ca51dcbb1">shut down</a>&nbsp;its unemployment system for several days over the winter to install new, anti-fraud security protocols.Both versions of the unemployment modernization bill would establish a 13-member council to oversee the department’s technology upgrades, with 10 members appointed by legislative leaders, two by the governor and either the department’s head or her appointee serving.Democrats and labor unions argued that the House’s version of the bill contained little or nothing for workers.But Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, said her chamber’s version “puts us on the road to fixing things.”“It’s not an overnight fix,” she said.Shultz became the department’s fourth leader in a little more than seven months&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-biden-cabinet-lawrence-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-1d66dcf497249b9da89fbabbbe9495d2">in late January,</a>&nbsp;after Kelly’s first state labor secretary, Delia Garcia,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/25193ce98f24c3fcb41503653e0b0cf6">resigned</a>&nbsp;last June. Shultz previously was Lawrence’s general manager of municipal services and operations.

GOP legislators disagree over upgrades to Kan. Labor Dept.

WASHINGTON — A Capitol Police officer was killed after a man rammed a car into two officers at a barricade outside the U.S. Capitol and then emerged wielding a knife. The suspect died at a hospital. 

Police identified the slain officer as William “Billy” Evans, an 18-year veteran who was a member of the department’s first responders unit.&nbsp; Members of the Kansas Congressional delegation issued statements on his death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617385738948.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the fatal attack Friday photo courtesy WJLA TV" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the fatal attack Friday photo courtesy WJLA TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — A Capitol Police officer was killed after a man rammed a car into two officers at a barricade outside the U.S. Capitol and then emerged wielding a knife. The suspect died at a hospital. Police identified the slain officer as William “Billy” Evans, an 18-year veteran who was a member of the department’s first responders unit.&nbsp; Members of the Kansas Congressional delegation issued statements on his death.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Robba and I join the country in mourning the loss of the fallen U.S. Capitol Police officer following today&#39;s senseless act of violence. We are praying for the recovery of the injured USCP officer and the safety of all first responders who sacrifice each day to keep us safe.&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1378074151932551170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are praying for the <a href="https://twitter.com/CapitolPolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CapitolPolice</a> Officers involved in the incident outside the U.S. Capitol today. Grateful for their heroism and for always keeping us safe.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1378052063603654661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m continuing to monitor the situation at the Capitol as it unfolds. My thoughts are with the US Capitol Police, the injured officer, and the loved ones of the officer who was tragically killed in the line of duty.&mdash; Rep. Sharice Davids (@RepDavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDavids/status/1378068305089597442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Suzanne and I are praying for the entire <a href="https://twitter.com/CapitolPolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CapitolPolice</a> department today. They serve courageously to protect us and tragically lost one of their fellow officers today. May God bless the victims and their families.&mdash; Rep. Jake LaTurner (@RepLaTurner) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepLaTurner/status/1378088976716857347?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My prayers are with the fallen <a href="https://twitter.com/CapitolPolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CapitolPolice</a> officer. These brave women and men put themselves in harm’s way every day to serve and protect. Audrey and I extend our condolences to the families impacted and pray the other officers make a quick recovery.&mdash; Tracey Mann (@RepMann) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMann/status/1378077667724046344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Please join me in praying for the <a href="https://twitter.com/CapitolPolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CapitolPolice</a> officers and all involved. Susan and I are so grateful for the bravery and commitment of those officers and our law enforcement. <a href="https://t.co/HjSaw7g4En">https://t.co/HjSaw7g4En</a>&mdash; Rep. Ron Estes (@RepRonEstes) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRonEstes/status/1378052303974981634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Kan. delegation responds to attack on US Capitol police

Just before 8p.m. Friday, officials reopened Carlson Road to traffic. Residents were allowed to return to their homes. Approximately 2000 acres burned. There were no injuries reported.

MAPLE HILL, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are urging people to evacuate two towns near Topeka because of a large wildfire. The Topeka Fire Department said in a tweet Friday that western Shawnee County should be avoided. 

The tweet said residents of Maple Hill and Willard have been urged to go to the nearby town of Rossville. Multiple emergency crews are on the scene. 

The National Weather Service has issued red flag fire danger warnings for the area because of gusty winds. Shawnee County Emergency Management didn’t immediately have any other details to release.

In addition, fire crews were also working another fire just north of Hutchinson in Reno County Friday afternoon at&nbsp;43rd and Loraine, according to the Hutchinson Fire Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617404810732.png" alt="Heinen Brothers Agra Services has been requested to assist on a wildfire in Wabaunsee/Shawnee Counties-photo courtesy Kansas Forest Service" />
 <figcaption>Heinen Brothers Agra Services has been requested to assist on a wildfire in Wabaunsee/Shawnee Counties-photo courtesy Kansas Forest Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 8p.m. Friday, officials reopened Carlson Road to traffic. Residents were allowed to return to their homes. Approximately 2000 acres burned. There were no injuries reported.--------MAPLE HILL, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are urging people to evacuate two towns near Topeka because of a large wildfire. The Topeka Fire Department said in a tweet Friday that western Shawnee County should be avoided. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617396126382.png" alt="Traffic backed up at U.S. 75 and U.S. 24 due to the fire-image courtesy KanDrive" />
 <figcaption>Traffic backed up at U.S. 75 and U.S. 24 due to the fire-image courtesy KanDrive</figcaption>
 </figure>The tweet said residents of Maple Hill and Willard have been urged to go to the nearby town of Rossville. Multiple emergency crews are on the scene. The National Weather Service has issued red flag fire danger warnings for the area because of gusty winds. Shawnee County Emergency Management didn’t immediately have any other details to release.In addition, fire crews were also working another fire just north of Hutchinson in Reno County Friday afternoon at&nbsp;43rd and Loraine, according to the Hutchinson Fire Department.

Update: Large wildfire forces evacuations in 2 Kan. towns

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Although President Biden’s major transportation infrastructure plan provides little for actual transportation, it does provide a major infusion of funds for Amtrak. It could mean expanded service in Kansas.

“The President has set the table with about $80 billion in funds for an expanded and improved Amtrak network,” Amtrak Spokesperson Marc Magliari said. “ That’s an idea that hasn’t had a lot of discussion lately and places where it has had a lot of discussion.”

Magliari says the expansion could mean Amtrak service to Wichita.

“Kansas has the advantage of having an active conversation with us and KDOT, and the Oklahoma DOT about extending our service that stops right now in Oklahoma City,” Magliari said. “It could continue up to Newton or perhaps even further.”

The Heartland Flyer route has been under the expansion plans of Amtrak for several years but has never gained as much transaction as now. Right now, buses carry passengers from Newton to Oklahoma City through Wichita. Newton is easily the busiest station in Kansas. It's also a far different outlook for Amtrak than two years ago. Back then, Amtrak's President and CEO said some major long distance routes should have busses intermixed with the train routes.

Other cities such as Phoenix and Las Vegas could also see service again under the proposal. Most have been without Amtrak since 1979. That includes Wichita. The Air Capital lost train service when Amtrak eliminated the Chicago to Houston Lone Star in 1979.

Amtrak is also set to take on a long list of new equipment, including new locomotives to replace its aging Genesis fleet on long distance trains along with new coaches. Those locomotives could be on long distance routes this summer.&nbsp;

Amtrak is also preparing to ramp up service again on the SW Chief that serves Kansas. It and the other long distance routes are set to go back to daily service in May. Service had been cut to three times per week due to a lack of ridership during the pandemic. It also forced the rail carrier to lay off some 2,200 employees.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1609258167047.png" alt="Photo courtesy Amtrak" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Amtrak</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROD ZOOKHutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Although President Biden’s major transportation infrastructure plan provides little for actual transportation, it does provide a major infusion of funds for Amtrak. It could mean expanded service in Kansas.“The President has set the table with about $80 billion in funds for an expanded and improved Amtrak network,” Amtrak Spokesperson Marc Magliari said. “ That’s an idea that hasn’t had a lot of discussion lately and places where it has had a lot of discussion.”Magliari says the expansion could mean Amtrak service to Wichita.“Kansas has the advantage of having an active conversation with us and KDOT, and the Oklahoma DOT about extending our service that stops right now in Oklahoma City,” Magliari said. “It could continue up to Newton or perhaps even further.”The Heartland Flyer route has been under the expansion plans of Amtrak for several years but has never gained as much transaction as now. Right now, buses carry passengers from Newton to Oklahoma City through Wichita. Newton is easily the busiest station in Kansas. It's also a far different outlook for Amtrak than two years ago. Back then, Amtrak's President and CEO said some major long distance routes should have busses intermixed with the train routes.Other cities such as Phoenix and Las Vegas could also see service again under the proposal. Most have been without Amtrak since 1979. That includes Wichita. The Air Capital lost train service when Amtrak eliminated the Chicago to Houston Lone Star in 1979.Amtrak is also set to take on a long list of new equipment, including new locomotives to replace its aging Genesis fleet on long distance trains along with new coaches. Those locomotives could be on long distance routes this summer.&nbsp;Amtrak is also preparing to ramp up service again on the SW Chief that serves Kansas. It and the other long distance routes are set to go back to daily service in May. Service had been cut to three times per week due to a lack of ridership during the pandemic. It also forced the rail carrier to lay off some 2,200 employees.

Amtrak: Biden transportation bill could be a major boost

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued guidance for 
employers claiming the Employee Retention Credit under the Coronavirus 
Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) modified by the 
Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020 (Relief Act).

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-21-23.pdf">Notice 2021-23&nbsp;PDF</a> explains the changes to the Employee Retention Credit for the first two calendar quarters of 2021, including:

As a result of the changes made by the Relief Act, eligible 
employers can now claim a refundable tax credit against the employer 
share of Social Security tax equal to 70% of the qualified wages they 
pay to employees after December&nbsp;31, 2020, through June 30, 2021. 
Qualified wages are limited to $10,000 per employee per calendar quarter
 in 2021. Thus, the maximum employee retention credit available is 
$7,000 per employee per calendar quarter, for a total of $14,000 for the
 first two calendar quarters of 2021.

Employers can access the Employee Retention Credit for the 1st and 
2nd calendar quarters of 2021 prior to filing their employment tax 
returns by reducing employment tax deposits. Small employers (i.e., 
employers with an average of 500 or fewer full-time employees in 2019) 
may request advance payment of the credit (subject to certain limits) on
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-7200">Form 7200, Advance of Employer Credits Due to Covid-19</a>,
 after reducing deposits. In 2021, advances are not available for 
employers larger than this. Further details on how to calculate and 
claim the employee retention credit for the first two calendar quarters 
of 2021 can be found in Notice 2021-23.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued guidance for 
employers claiming the Employee Retention Credit under the Coronavirus 
Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) modified by the 
Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020 (Relief Act).<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-21-23.pdf">Notice 2021-23&nbsp;PDF</a> explains the changes to the Employee Retention Credit for the first two calendar quarters of 2021, including:<ul>
 <li>the increase in the maximum credit amount,</li><li>the expansion of the category of employers that may be eligible to claim the credit,</li><li>modifications to the gross receipts test,</li><li>revisions to the definition of qualified wages, and</li><li>new restrictions on the ability of eligible employers to request an advance payment of the credit.</li>
 </ul>As a result of the changes made by the Relief Act, eligible 
employers can now claim a refundable tax credit against the employer 
share of Social Security tax equal to 70% of the qualified wages they 
pay to employees after December&nbsp;31, 2020, through June 30, 2021. 
Qualified wages are limited to $10,000 per employee per calendar quarter
 in 2021. Thus, the maximum employee retention credit available is 
$7,000 per employee per calendar quarter, for a total of $14,000 for the
 first two calendar quarters of 2021.Employers can access the Employee Retention Credit for the 1st and 
2nd calendar quarters of 2021 prior to filing their employment tax 
returns by reducing employment tax deposits. Small employers (i.e., 
employers with an average of 500 or fewer full-time employees in 2019) 
may request advance payment of the credit (subject to certain limits) on
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-7200">Form 7200, Advance of Employer Credits Due to Covid-19</a>,
 after reducing deposits. In 2021, advances are not available for 
employers larger than this. Further details on how to calculate and 
claim the employee retention credit for the first two calendar quarters 
of 2021 can be found in Notice 2021-23.Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, enacted March 11, 2021, 
the Employee Retention Credit is available to eligible employers for 
wages paid during the third and fourth quarters of 2021. The Department 
of the Treasury and the IRS will provide further guidance on the 
Employee Retention Credit available under the ARPA.Additional coronavirus relief <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/coronavirus-tax-relief-for-businesses-and-tax-exempt-entities">information for businesses</a> is available on IRS.gov.