ATCHISON—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have a suspect in custody.

Just before 4a.m. Wednesday, an employee of the Massasoit Apartments in the 200 block North 3rd Street in Atchison interrupted burglary, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

As the employee opened the office door, the suspect later identified as 39-year-old Gale Hewitt pointed a handgun at the employee.

The employee was able to flee that immediate area and called police. Officers arrived quickly but the suspect had fled after taking a handgun and cash, according to Wilson.

The same suspect described as a white male, 6-foot-2, stock build, bald head, a goatee and wearing a gray sweatshirt and bleached blue jeans, appeared at the door of a residence in the 200 block North 4th about 5:30a.m. He confronted the resident, displayed a gun during a conversation but left without taking anything.

By late Wednesday, police identified Hewitt as&nbsp;the suspect and just before 5p.m. a police officer spotted him driving a 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser at 6th and “M” Street in Atchison.

 Hewitt got out of the vehicle holding a handgun and subsequently ran into a wooded area. Police officers were joined by Atchison County sheriff deputies and Kansas Highway Patrol troopers at the scene as a perimeter around the wooded area was secured. At 5:18PM Hewitt was taken into custody north of the wooded area, just south of Harper Drive in the 500 block with the assistance of a Kansas Highway Patrol K-9.

Hewitt was transported to the hospital by EMS for treatment of minor injuries and subsequently taken to the County Jail, according to Wilson.

He is being held on requested charges that include burglary, aggravated assault, theft, theft of a firearm, criminal damage to property, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, and felony interference with law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613051025400.png" alt="Hewitt has previous convictions that include arson, theft,&nbsp; burglary, driving while suspended and flee or attempt to elude law enforcement and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>Hewitt has previous convictions that include arson, theft,&nbsp; burglary, driving while suspended and flee or attempt to elude law enforcement and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have a suspect in custody.Just before 4a.m. Wednesday, an employee of the Massasoit Apartments in the 200 block North 3rd Street in Atchison interrupted burglary, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.As the employee opened the office door, the suspect later identified as 39-year-old Gale Hewitt pointed a handgun at the employee.The employee was able to flee that immediate area and called police. Officers arrived quickly but the suspect had fled after taking a handgun and cash, according to Wilson.The same suspect described as a white male, 6-foot-2, stock build, bald head, a goatee and wearing a gray sweatshirt and bleached blue jeans, appeared at the door of a residence in the 200 block North 4th about 5:30a.m. He confronted the resident, displayed a gun during a conversation but left without taking anything.By late Wednesday, police identified Hewitt as&nbsp;the suspect and just before 5p.m. a police officer spotted him driving a 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser at 6th and “M” Street in Atchison. Hewitt got out of the vehicle holding a handgun and subsequently ran into a wooded area. Police officers were joined by Atchison County sheriff deputies and Kansas Highway Patrol troopers at the scene as a perimeter around the wooded area was secured. At 5:18PM Hewitt was taken into custody north of the wooded area, just south of Harper Drive in the 500 block with the assistance of a Kansas Highway Patrol K-9.Hewitt was transported to the hospital by EMS for treatment of minor injuries and subsequently taken to the County Jail, according to Wilson.He is being held on requested charges that include burglary, aggravated assault, theft, theft of a firearm, criminal damage to property, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, and felony interference with law enforcement.

Kansas burglary suspect taken from hospital to jail

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Add another obstacle to the already stuttering rollout of COVID-19 vaccines — brutal winter weather creating dangerous conditions and forcing tens of thousands of would-be shot takers to wait longer.

Icy roads from the West Coast through the Midwest and into the South shut down vaccinations at many sites, pushing those with appointments back into the pool of those waiting. The schedule disarray could get worse, with nasty weather expected to last for several days. Places from Oregon to Oklahoma could see a foot of new snow by the weekend.

Limited vaccine supply, varying state plans and other points of confusion have slowed the effort to get doses to Americans. Statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday showed a little over 10% of the country — 34.7 million people — have received at least one dose, and 11.2 million have received both of the two doses required for both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

With the elderly now the focus of mass vaccinations, state and local health officials decided the risk of falls or accidents outweighed the benefit of a timely shot.

“Unfortunately, if you look at the weather for next week, it’s not going to be easy,” Oklahoma Deputy Health Commissioner Keith Reed said. “It’s just another challenge with this vaccine program. You talk about all the logistical challenges, and now Mother Nature wants to make it a little bit more of a challenge for us.”

Ice-covered roads led to crashes and road closures in Oklahoma. A mass vaccination site in Tulsa was shut down, forcing 2,000 appointments to be rescheduled. At another site in Oklahoma City, 700 appointments were moved to March 10.

The prospect of an extended delay was worrisome for those who have received their first shot. The second shot for the Pfizer vaccine is recommended 21 days after the first, and the second dose of the Moderna vaccine is recommended 28 days later.

Dr. Dale Bratzler, Oklahoma University Health’s chief quality officer, said a later-than-ideal second shot will still be an effective booster, whenever you can get it, though within six weeks of the first shot is best.

“If you don’t get it within the 21 or 28 days, that’s OK,” Bratzler said. “Just go ahead and get it as soon as you can.”

In Texas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2-dozen-cars-pileup-texas-icy-road-87f579e71157567d2be476cc5f69caf2">where at least six people were killed Thursday</a>&nbsp;in a massive pileup on an icy interstate, Dallas’ largest vaccination site was ordered shut down after consultation with the National Weather Service, said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, the county's top administrator.

More than 42,000 people have received the first dose in downtown’s Fair Park, which the Biden administration announced Wednesday would soon become one of three federal mass vaccination sites in Texas capable of delivering 10,000 shots a day. The dangerous weather conditions also come ahead of a long weekend for many because of Presidents Day, which state health officials warned could push back the arrival of vaccines even more.

“We have two potential events that may delay shipments next week," said Imelda Garcia, chairwoman of the state's vaccine allocation panel.

In Missouri, wind chills in the single digits was a big factor in postponing mass vaccination drive-thrus being operated by the National Guard.

“The National Guard tells us it’s very difficult to thaw frozen vaccine at an outdoor event when the temperature may be 5 degrees,” said Robert Knodell, deputy chief of staff for Gov. Mike Parson. He said most of the postponed events will be moved back only a few days, depending on when the weather breaks.

A forecast of up to 14 inches of snow in parts of Oregon was enough to cancel a drive-thru vaccination clinic at Portland International Airport for up to 4,500 people age 80 and older.

“Our goal is to keep our patients, members and volunteers safe by mitigating the risk of driving/commuting in the snow and exposure to freezing temperatures,” the Oregon Health &amp; Science University said in a statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613128909073.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Add another obstacle to the already stuttering rollout of COVID-19 vaccines — brutal winter weather creating dangerous conditions and forcing tens of thousands of would-be shot takers to wait longer.Icy roads from the West Coast through the Midwest and into the South shut down vaccinations at many sites, pushing those with appointments back into the pool of those waiting. The schedule disarray could get worse, with nasty weather expected to last for several days. Places from Oregon to Oklahoma could see a foot of new snow by the weekend.Limited vaccine supply, varying state plans and other points of confusion have slowed the effort to get doses to Americans. Statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday showed a little over 10% of the country — 34.7 million people — have received at least one dose, and 11.2 million have received both of the two doses required for both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.With the elderly now the focus of mass vaccinations, state and local health officials decided the risk of falls or accidents outweighed the benefit of a timely shot.“Unfortunately, if you look at the weather for next week, it’s not going to be easy,” Oklahoma Deputy Health Commissioner Keith Reed said. “It’s just another challenge with this vaccine program. You talk about all the logistical challenges, and now Mother Nature wants to make it a little bit more of a challenge for us.”Ice-covered roads led to crashes and road closures in Oklahoma. A mass vaccination site in Tulsa was shut down, forcing 2,000 appointments to be rescheduled. At another site in Oklahoma City, 700 appointments were moved to March 10.The prospect of an extended delay was worrisome for those who have received their first shot. The second shot for the Pfizer vaccine is recommended 21 days after the first, and the second dose of the Moderna vaccine is recommended 28 days later.Dr. Dale Bratzler, Oklahoma University Health’s chief quality officer, said a later-than-ideal second shot will still be an effective booster, whenever you can get it, though within six weeks of the first shot is best.“If you don’t get it within the 21 or 28 days, that’s OK,” Bratzler said. “Just go ahead and get it as soon as you can.”In Texas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2-dozen-cars-pileup-texas-icy-road-87f579e71157567d2be476cc5f69caf2">where at least six people were killed Thursday</a>&nbsp;in a massive pileup on an icy interstate, Dallas’ largest vaccination site was ordered shut down after consultation with the National Weather Service, said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, the county's top administrator.More than 42,000 people have received the first dose in downtown’s Fair Park, which the Biden administration announced Wednesday would soon become one of three federal mass vaccination sites in Texas capable of delivering 10,000 shots a day. The dangerous weather conditions also come ahead of a long weekend for many because of Presidents Day, which state health officials warned could push back the arrival of vaccines even more.“We have two potential events that may delay shipments next week," said Imelda Garcia, chairwoman of the state's vaccine allocation panel.In Missouri, wind chills in the single digits was a big factor in postponing mass vaccination drive-thrus being operated by the National Guard.“The National Guard tells us it’s very difficult to thaw frozen vaccine at an outdoor event when the temperature may be 5 degrees,” said Robert Knodell, deputy chief of staff for Gov. Mike Parson. He said most of the postponed events will be moved back only a few days, depending on when the weather breaks.A forecast of up to 14 inches of snow in parts of Oregon was enough to cancel a drive-thru vaccination clinic at Portland International Airport for up to 4,500 people age 80 and older.“Our goal is to keep our patients, members and volunteers safe by mitigating the risk of driving/commuting in the snow and exposure to freezing temperatures,” the Oregon Health &amp; Science University said in a statement.

Winter weather is latest snag for lagging vaccine rollout

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman has been arrested and charged in the shooting death earlier this week of a man inside a Kansas City home, authorities said.

Marvina Stemmons, 30, has been charged in Jackson County with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Sunday shooting death of 48-year-old Charles Harris.

Officers were called to the home in the Ivanhoe Southeast neighborhood around 4 a.m. Sunday for reports of a shooting and found Harris dead from a gunshot wound, police said. Police said Stemmons was later brought in for questioning after witnesses reported seeing her Saturday night with Harris.

Stemmons first said she accidentally shot Harris, then later told investigators she fired shots at him when he became sexually aggressive, police said.

Stemmons was being held on a $75,000 cash-only bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613076567456.png" alt="Stemmons photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Stemmons photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman has been arrested and charged in the shooting death earlier this week of a man inside a Kansas City home, authorities said.Marvina Stemmons, 30, has been charged in Jackson County with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Sunday shooting death of 48-year-old Charles Harris.Officers were called to the home in the Ivanhoe Southeast neighborhood around 4 a.m. Sunday for reports of a shooting and found Harris dead from a gunshot wound, police said. Police said Stemmons was later brought in for questioning after witnesses reported seeing her Saturday night with Harris.Stemmons first said she accidentally shot Harris, then later told investigators she fired shots at him when he became sexually aggressive, police said.Stemmons was being held on a $75,000 cash-only bond.

Police: Woman charged in shooting death of Kansas City man

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?508743-1/impeachment-trial">CLICK here&nbsp;</a>to watch replay of Day 3 of the trial

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dire harm from Donald Trump’s false and violent incitements will vex American democracy long into the future unless the Senate convicts him of impeachment and bars him from future office, House prosecutors insisted Thursday as they concluded two days of emotional arguments in his historic trial.

Making their case, they presented piles of new videos of last month’s deadly Capitol attack, with invaders proudly declaring they were merely obeying “the president’s orders” to fight to overturn the election results as Congress was certifying his defeat to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump is accused of inciting the invasion, which prosecutors said was a predictable culmination of the many public and explicit instructions he gave supporters long before his White House rally that unleashed the Jan. 6&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">attack.</a>

“If we pretend this didn’t happen, or worse, if we let it go unanswered, who’s to say it won’t happen again?” argued prosecutor Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo. Even out of office, Democrats warned, Trump could whip up a mob of followers for similar damage.

Trump’s defense will take the Senate floor on Friday, arguing that as terrible as the attack was, it clearly was not the president’s doing. The proceedings could finish with a vote this weekend by the senators who are sitting as impeachment jurors.

The Democrats, with little hope of conviction by two-thirds of the evenly divided Senate, are also making their most graphic case to the American public, while Trump’s lawyers and the Republicans are focused on legal rather than emotional or historic questions, hoping to get it all behind as quickly as possible. Five people died in the Capitol chaos and its aftermath, a domestic attack unparalleled in U.S. history.

Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-biden-cabinet-trials-acquittals-d82d5aa64d4988ec92860d4729dfc9f8">second impeachment trial,</a>&nbsp;on a charge of incitement of insurrection, has echoes of last year’s impeachment and acquittal over the Ukraine matter, as prosecutors warn senators that Trump has shown no bounds and will pose a continuing danger to the civic order unless he is convicted. Even out of the White House, the former president holds influence over large swaths of voters.

The Democratic House members acting as prosecutors drew a direct line Thursday from Trump’s repeated comments condoning and even celebrating violence — praising “both sides” after the 2017 outbreak at the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia — and urging his rally crowd last month to go to the Capitol and fight for his presidency. He spread false claims about election fraud and urged his supporters to “stop the steal” of the presidency.

Prosecutors used the rioters’ own videos from that day to pin responsibility on Trump. “We were invited here,” said one. “Trump sent us,” said another. “He’ll be happy. We’re fighting for Trump.”

“They truly believed that the whole intrusion was at the president’s orders,” said Rep. Diana DeGette of Colorado. “The president told them to be there.”

At the White House, President Biden said he believed “some minds may be changed” after senators saw chilling security video Wednesday of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">deadly insurrection at the Capitol</a>, including of rioters searching menacingly for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence.

Biden said he didn’t watch any of the previous day’s proceedings live but later saw news coverage.

Though most of the Senate jurors seem to have made up their minds, making Trump’s acquittal likely, the never-before-seen audio and video released Wednesday became a key exhibit.

Senators sat riveted as the jarring video played in the chamber. The footage showed the mob smashing into the building and rioters engaging in hand-to-hand combat with police, with audio of officers pleading for backup. Rioters roamed the halls chanting, “Hang Mike Pence,” and eerily singing out, “Where are you, Nancy?” in search of Pelosi.

Videos of the siege have been circulating since the day of the riot, but the graphic compilation offered a moment-by-moment retelling of one of the nation’s most alarming days. And it underscored how dangerously close the rioters came to the nation’s leaders, shifting the focus of the trial from an academic debate about the Constitution to a raw retelling of the assault.

Trump attorney David Schoen took issue, saying that the presentation was “offensive” and that the Democrats “haven’t tied it in any way to Trump.”

He told reporters Thursday at the Capitol that he believed Democrats were making the public relive the tragedy in a way that “tears at the American people” and impedes efforts at unity in the country.

And by Thursday, senators sitting through a second full day of arguments appeared somewhat fatigued, slouching in their chairs, crossing their arms and walking around to stretch.

One Republican, Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, said during a break: “To me, they’re losing credibility the longer they talk.”

The goal of the two-day presentation by prosecutors from the House, which impeached the outgoing president last month a week after the siege, was to cast Trump not as an innocent bystander but rather as the “inciter in chief” who spent months spreading falsehoods and revving up supporters to challenge the election.

“This attack never would have happened but for Donald Trump,” Rep. Madeleine Dean, one of the impeachment managers, said as she choked back emotion. “And so they came, draped in Trump’s flag, and used our flag, the American flag, to batter and to bludgeon.”

Trump’s lawyers are likely to blame the rioters themselves for the violence.

The first president to face an impeachment trial after leaving office, Trump is also the first to be twice impeached.

His lawyers say he cannot be convicted because he is already gone from the White House. Even though the Senate rejected that argument in Tuesday’s vote to proceed to trial, the issue could resonate with Senate Republicans eager to acquit Trump without being seen as condoning his behavior.

While six Republicans joined with Democrats to vote to proceed with the trial on Tuesday, the 56-44 vote was far from the two-thirds threshold of 67 votes needed for conviction.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump incited a deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol, put his own vice president in danger and later expressed solidarity with rioters who attempted to overturn the 2020 election in his name, Democrats argued Thursday as they wrapped up opening arguments in Trump’s impeachment trial.

Over two days of testimony, the Democrats asserted that Trump deliberately ordered his supporters to “fight like hell” and “go by very different rules” or they “wouldn’t have a country anymore.” They bolstered their case with accounts from the rioters themselves, some of whom said they were acting on Trump’s orders.

The former president’s defense team insists Trump’s speech near the White House was protected under the First Amendment. And they argue he shouldn’t be on trial in the Senate because he is no longer in office — an argument Democrats reject.

“The First Amendment does not create some superpower immunity from impeachment,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat who is leading the prosecution. “If you don’t find this a high crime and misdemeanor today, you have set a new terrible standard for presidential misconduct.”

“Fight for Trump.” “Trump sent us.” “We are listening to Trump.” “We wait and take orders from our president”

Democrats focused intently on words offered by rioters to rationalize their storming of the Capitol. It was part of a broader effort to directly link the president’s call for his loyalists to “fight like hell” with the death, destruction and mayhem that followed his speech on Jan. 6.

In many cases, rioters, who sought to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory, explained that they were acting at Trump’s behest.

To underscore their point, Democrats showed videos using rioters own words. Among them was Jennifer Ryan, a Texas real estate agent who was criminally charged but insists she was just “following my president.”

One video showed a man in the Capitol during the siege, who suggested to his friends that they pick up an office phone and call Trump to say, “We love you, bro!”

Another captured a man shouting at police: “We were invited here.”

Democratic impeachment managers also noted that many left after Trump released an online video hours after the attack, urging them to go home.

“Today is ours. We won the day,” a man with a bullhorn can be heard saying in one clip. He then added that Trump wanted “everybody to go home.”

The violence at the Capitol shocked the nation. But Democratic impeachment managers said that, in hindsight, it should have been no surprise.

Ever since Trump descended a golden escalator in his New York tower to launch his presidential bid in 2016, he has openly stoked and incited his supporters to violence, they said. Then they showed an exhibit cataloging his past incendiary remarks.

When Trump supporters attacked a protester at a 2016 campaign rally, the then-candidate called it “very, very appropriate.”

Another time, he urged supporters to “knock the crap out of” a protester and promised to pay their legal fees.

In 2017, after a woman in Charlottesville, Virginia, was stuck and killed by a car driven by a white supremacist during violent clashes, Trump said there were “fine people on both sides.”

And last year, after armed protesters surged into the Michigan statehouse to protest pandemic lockdown measures, he criticized Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and tweeted “LIBERATE MICHIGAN.”

“These are very good people but they are angry. They want their lives back again,” Trump said.

The FBI later broke up a plot to kidnap Whitmer by anti-government extremists upset over coronavirus restrictions she had imposed in the state.

“The siege of the Michigan statehouse was effectively a state-level dress rehearsal,” Raskin said. “It was a preview of the coming insurrection.”

Trump attorney David Schoen said Thursday that the defense’s case should go quickly on Friday, making clear they have no intention of using the 16 hours available to them.

“There’s no reason for us to be out there a long time,” Schoen said during an appearance on Fox News before blasting Democrats for the “harm this is causing to the American people.”

Schoen told reporters that the Democrats’ video presentations during the trial were “offensive” and that they “haven’t tied it in any way to Trump.” He said he believed Democrats were effectively making the public relive the tragedy in a way that “tears at the American people” and impedes efforts at unity in the country.

Trump senior adviser Jason Miller said he expects the defense will wrap up in less than a day.

Many Senate Republicans have indicated they will not vote to impeach Trump, a sign of cooling of emotions that had run hot just over a month ago.

As Democrats look to secure the 67 votes needed for a conviction, they used a slideshow presentation on Thursday to remind Senate jurors of the widespread outrage voiced in the wake of the attack, when many in the party directly blamed Trump — including Republicans who had worked for him.

“Today’s violent assault on our Capitol, an effort to subjugate American democracy by mob rule, was fomented by Mr. Trump,” read a statement issued by James Mattis, Trump’s former secretary of defense, hours after the attack.

Another slide showed a statement from John Kelly, Trump’s former chief of staff, who said the violence was “a direct result of (Trump) poisoning the minds of people with the lies and the fraud.”

“The invasion of our Capitol by a mob, incited by lies from some entrusted with power, is a disgrace to all who sacrificed to build our Republic,” read another, which showed a tweet from former Republican House Speaker John Boehner.

Democrats also showed a chart of the 16 administration officials and Cabinet members who resigned in the aftermath of the attack on the Capitol, including Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

“There is no mistaking the impact your rhetoric had on the situation, and it is the inflection point for me,” DeVos said at the time.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats prosecuting President Donald Trump’s impeachment have wrapped up their opening arguments.

Rep. Jamie Raskin implored senators in his closing speech to exercise “common sense about what just took place in our country” and find Trump guilty of inciting an insurrection. Raskin is the lead prosecutor for the House.

He said senators have the power under the Constitution to find Trump guilty of having betrayed the oath of office the nation's founders wrote into the Constitution.

Another impeachment manager warned senators that acquitting Trump could have lasting consequences for the country. Rep. Joe Neguse said that “if we pretend this didn’t happen, or worse, if we let it go unanswered, who’s to say it won’t happen again.”

Trump’s lawyers will begin their arguments when the trial resumes at noon Friday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic prosecutors in Donald Trump's impeachment trial say rioters believed they were are acting on the “president’s orders” to storm the Capitol to undo Joe Biden's election victory. 

The House is ready to wrap up opening arguments. Biden says he believes “some minds may be changed” after the previous day's gripping video of the deadly siege The Democrats are laying out the physical and mental harm caused by the Capitol attack and discussing Trump’s lack of action as it unfolded. Thursday's session follows the previous day's raw and visceral video of last month’s deadly insurrection. 

The Trump legal team gets its chance to make its case Friday and Saturday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic prosecutors in Donald Trump's impeachment trial say rioters believed they were are acting on the “president’s orders” to storm the Capitol to undo Joe Biden's election victory. The House is ready to wrap up opening arguments. 

Biden says he believes “some minds may be changed” after the previous day's gripping video of the deadly siege The Democrats are laying out the physical and mental harm caused by the Capitol attack and discussing Trump’s lack of action as it unfolded. Thursday's session follows the previous day's raw and visceral video of last month’s deadly insurrection. The Trump legal team gets its chance to make its case Friday and Saturday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House managers are continuing their case Thursday in the historic impeachment trial. Trump’s lawyers are expected to launch their defense by week’s end.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?508743-1/impeachment-trial">CLICK here </a>to watch Day 3 of the trial

President Joe Biden said&nbsp; he believes “some minds may be changed” in former President Trump’s&nbsp; trial after the display of <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?508741-101/senate-impeachment-trial-day-2-part-2">searing, graphic videos</a> of the assault on the U.S. Capitol.

Biden told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday that he didn’t watch any of the previous day’s proceedings live but later saw news coverage. The Democratic House impeachment managers used security video as part of their case, and the violent images of the riot shook senators and TV viewers alike.

Biden has steadfastly refused to weigh in on the trial and again on Thursday said his focus was on fulfilling his campaign promise to battle the coronavirus pandemic. Biden says the nation has “to move on.” Aides have said Biden will address the proceedings after a verdict is reached.

Trump’s lawyers are expected to launch their defense by week’s end.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613085041579.png" alt="In his final remarks, House impeachment manager Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) said&nbsp;“The First Amendment does not create some superpower immunity from impeachment." -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>In his final remarks, House impeachment manager Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) said&nbsp;“The First Amendment does not create some superpower immunity from impeachment." -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?508743-1/impeachment-trial">CLICK here&nbsp;</a>to watch replay of Day 3 of the trialWASHINGTON (AP) — Dire harm from Donald Trump’s false and violent incitements will vex American democracy long into the future unless the Senate convicts him of impeachment and bars him from future office, House prosecutors insisted Thursday as they concluded two days of emotional arguments in his historic trial.Making their case, they presented piles of new videos of last month’s deadly Capitol attack, with invaders proudly declaring they were merely obeying “the president’s orders” to fight to overturn the election results as Congress was certifying his defeat to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump is accused of inciting the invasion, which prosecutors said was a predictable culmination of the many public and explicit instructions he gave supporters long before his White House rally that unleashed the Jan. 6&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">attack.</a>“If we pretend this didn’t happen, or worse, if we let it go unanswered, who’s to say it won’t happen again?” argued prosecutor Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo. Even out of office, Democrats warned, Trump could whip up a mob of followers for similar damage.Trump’s defense will take the Senate floor on Friday, arguing that as terrible as the attack was, it clearly was not the president’s doing. The proceedings could finish with a vote this weekend by the senators who are sitting as impeachment jurors.The Democrats, with little hope of conviction by two-thirds of the evenly divided Senate, are also making their most graphic case to the American public, while Trump’s lawyers and the Republicans are focused on legal rather than emotional or historic questions, hoping to get it all behind as quickly as possible. Five people died in the Capitol chaos and its aftermath, a domestic attack unparalleled in U.S. history.Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-biden-cabinet-trials-acquittals-d82d5aa64d4988ec92860d4729dfc9f8">second impeachment trial,</a>&nbsp;on a charge of incitement of insurrection, has echoes of last year’s impeachment and acquittal over the Ukraine matter, as prosecutors warn senators that Trump has shown no bounds and will pose a continuing danger to the civic order unless he is convicted. Even out of the White House, the former president holds influence over large swaths of voters.The Democratic House members acting as prosecutors drew a direct line Thursday from Trump’s repeated comments condoning and even celebrating violence — praising “both sides” after the 2017 outbreak at the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia — and urging his rally crowd last month to go to the Capitol and fight for his presidency. He spread false claims about election fraud and urged his supporters to “stop the steal” of the presidency.Prosecutors used the rioters’ own videos from that day to pin responsibility on Trump. “We were invited here,” said one. “Trump sent us,” said another. “He’ll be happy. We’re fighting for Trump.”“They truly believed that the whole intrusion was at the president’s orders,” said Rep. Diana DeGette of Colorado. “The president told them to be there.”At the White House, President Biden said he believed “some minds may be changed” after senators saw chilling security video Wednesday of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">deadly insurrection at the Capitol</a>, including of rioters searching menacingly for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence.Biden said he didn’t watch any of the previous day’s proceedings live but later saw news coverage.Though most of the Senate jurors seem to have made up their minds, making Trump’s acquittal likely, the never-before-seen audio and video released Wednesday became a key exhibit.Senators sat riveted as the jarring video played in the chamber. The footage showed the mob smashing into the building and rioters engaging in hand-to-hand combat with police, with audio of officers pleading for backup. Rioters roamed the halls chanting, “Hang Mike Pence,” and eerily singing out, “Where are you, Nancy?” in search of Pelosi.Videos of the siege have been circulating since the day of the riot, but the graphic compilation offered a moment-by-moment retelling of one of the nation’s most alarming days. And it underscored how dangerously close the rioters came to the nation’s leaders, shifting the focus of the trial from an academic debate about the Constitution to a raw retelling of the assault.Trump attorney David Schoen took issue, saying that the presentation was “offensive” and that the Democrats “haven’t tied it in any way to Trump.”He told reporters Thursday at the Capitol that he believed Democrats were making the public relive the tragedy in a way that “tears at the American people” and impedes efforts at unity in the country.And by Thursday, senators sitting through a second full day of arguments appeared somewhat fatigued, slouching in their chairs, crossing their arms and walking around to stretch.One Republican, Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, said during a break: “To me, they’re losing credibility the longer they talk.”The goal of the two-day presentation by prosecutors from the House, which impeached the outgoing president last month a week after the siege, was to cast Trump not as an innocent bystander but rather as the “inciter in chief” who spent months spreading falsehoods and revving up supporters to challenge the election.“This attack never would have happened but for Donald Trump,” Rep. Madeleine Dean, one of the impeachment managers, said as she choked back emotion. “And so they came, draped in Trump’s flag, and used our flag, the American flag, to batter and to bludgeon.”Trump’s lawyers are likely to blame the rioters themselves for the violence.The first president to face an impeachment trial after leaving office, Trump is also the first to be twice impeached.His lawyers say he cannot be convicted because he is already gone from the White House. Even though the Senate rejected that argument in Tuesday’s vote to proceed to trial, the issue could resonate with Senate Republicans eager to acquit Trump without being seen as condoning his behavior.While six Republicans joined with Democrats to vote to proceed with the trial on Tuesday, the 56-44 vote was far from the two-thirds threshold of 67 votes needed for conviction.-----WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump incited a deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol, put his own vice president in danger and later expressed solidarity with rioters who attempted to overturn the 2020 election in his name, Democrats argued Thursday as they wrapped up opening arguments in Trump’s impeachment trial.Over two days of testimony, the Democrats asserted that Trump deliberately ordered his supporters to “fight like hell” and “go by very different rules” or they “wouldn’t have a country anymore.” They bolstered their case with accounts from the rioters themselves, some of whom said they were acting on Trump’s orders.The former president’s defense team insists Trump’s speech near the White House was protected under the First Amendment. And they argue he shouldn’t be on trial in the Senate because he is no longer in office — an argument Democrats reject.“The First Amendment does not create some superpower immunity from impeachment,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat who is leading the prosecution. “If you don’t find this a high crime and misdemeanor today, you have set a new terrible standard for presidential misconduct.”Highlights from the trial on Thursday:‘WE WERE INVITED HERE’“Fight for Trump.” “Trump sent us.” “We are listening to Trump.” “We wait and take orders from our president”Democrats focused intently on words offered by rioters to rationalize their storming of the Capitol. It was part of a broader effort to directly link the president’s call for his loyalists to “fight like hell” with the death, destruction and mayhem that followed his speech on Jan. 6.In many cases, rioters, who sought to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory, explained that they were acting at Trump’s behest.To underscore their point, Democrats showed videos using rioters own words. Among them was Jennifer Ryan, a Texas real estate agent who was criminally charged but insists she was just “following my president.”One video showed a man in the Capitol during the siege, who suggested to his friends that they pick up an office phone and call Trump to say, “We love you, bro!”Another captured a man shouting at police: “We were invited here.”Democratic impeachment managers also noted that many left after Trump released an online video hours after the attack, urging them to go home.“Today is ours. We won the day,” a man with a bullhorn can be heard saying in one clip. He then added that Trump wanted “everybody to go home.”___A HISTORY OF VIOLENCEThe violence at the Capitol shocked the nation. But Democratic impeachment managers said that, in hindsight, it should have been no surprise.Ever since Trump descended a golden escalator in his New York tower to launch his presidential bid in 2016, he has openly stoked and incited his supporters to violence, they said. Then they showed an exhibit cataloging his past incendiary remarks.When Trump supporters attacked a protester at a 2016 campaign rally, the then-candidate called it “very, very appropriate.”Another time, he urged supporters to “knock the crap out of” a protester and promised to pay their legal fees.In 2017, after a woman in Charlottesville, Virginia, was stuck and killed by a car driven by a white supremacist during violent clashes, Trump said there were “fine people on both sides.”And last year, after armed protesters surged into the Michigan statehouse to protest pandemic lockdown measures, he criticized Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and tweeted “LIBERATE MICHIGAN.”“These are very good people but they are angry. They want their lives back again,” Trump said.The FBI later broke up a plot to kidnap Whitmer by anti-government extremists upset over coronavirus restrictions she had imposed in the state.“The siege of the Michigan statehouse was effectively a state-level dress rehearsal,” Raskin said. “It was a preview of the coming insurrection.”___A QUICK DEFENSETrump attorney David Schoen said Thursday that the defense’s case should go quickly on Friday, making clear they have no intention of using the 16 hours available to them.“There’s no reason for us to be out there a long time,” Schoen said during an appearance on Fox News before blasting Democrats for the “harm this is causing to the American people.”Schoen told reporters that the Democrats’ video presentations during the trial were “offensive” and that they “haven’t tied it in any way to Trump.” He said he believed Democrats were effectively making the public relive the tragedy in a way that “tears at the American people” and impedes efforts at unity in the country.Trump senior adviser Jason Miller said he expects the defense will wrap up in less than a day.___POST RIOT RESIGNATIONSMany Senate Republicans have indicated they will not vote to impeach Trump, a sign of cooling of emotions that had run hot just over a month ago.As Democrats look to secure the 67 votes needed for a conviction, they used a slideshow presentation on Thursday to remind Senate jurors of the widespread outrage voiced in the wake of the attack, when many in the party directly blamed Trump — including Republicans who had worked for him.“Today’s violent assault on our Capitol, an effort to subjugate American democracy by mob rule, was fomented by Mr. Trump,” read a statement issued by James Mattis, Trump’s former secretary of defense, hours after the attack.Another slide showed a statement from John Kelly, Trump’s former chief of staff, who said the violence was “a direct result of (Trump) poisoning the minds of people with the lies and the fraud.”“The invasion of our Capitol by a mob, incited by lies from some entrusted with power, is a disgrace to all who sacrificed to build our Republic,” read another, which showed a tweet from former Republican House Speaker John Boehner.Democrats also showed a chart of the 16 administration officials and Cabinet members who resigned in the aftermath of the attack on the Capitol, including Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.“There is no mistaking the impact your rhetoric had on the situation, and it is the inflection point for me,” DeVos said at the time.WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats prosecuting President Donald Trump’s impeachment have wrapped up their opening arguments.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613077374687.png" alt="House impeachment manager Rep. Joe Neguse of Colorado during his presentation Thursday afternoon." />
 <figcaption>House impeachment manager Rep. Joe Neguse of Colorado during his presentation Thursday afternoon.</figcaption>
 </figure>Rep. Jamie Raskin implored senators in his closing speech to exercise “common sense about what just took place in our country” and find Trump guilty of inciting an insurrection. Raskin is the lead prosecutor for the House.He said senators have the power under the Constitution to find Trump guilty of having betrayed the oath of office the nation's founders wrote into the Constitution.Another impeachment manager warned senators that acquitting Trump could have lasting consequences for the country. Rep. Joe Neguse said that “if we pretend this didn’t happen, or worse, if we let it go unanswered, who’s to say it won’t happen again.”Trump’s lawyers will begin their arguments when the trial resumes at noon Friday.WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic prosecutors in Donald Trump's impeachment trial say rioters believed they were are acting on the “president’s orders” to storm the Capitol to undo Joe Biden's election victory. The House is ready to wrap up opening arguments. Biden says he believes “some minds may be changed” after the previous day's gripping video of the deadly siege The Democrats are laying out the physical and mental harm caused by the Capitol attack and discussing Trump’s lack of action as it unfolded. Thursday's session follows the previous day's raw and visceral video of last month’s deadly insurrection. The Trump legal team gets its chance to make its case Friday and Saturday.---------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613061767146.png" alt="<a href="https://www.c-span.org/series/?theSenate">The Senate</a>&nbsp;impeachment trial of former&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?donaldtrump">President Donald Trump&nbsp;</a>continues Thursday with House managers presenting more of their case.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://www.c-span.org/series/?theSenate">The Senate</a>&nbsp;impeachment trial of former&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?donaldtrump">President Donald Trump&nbsp;</a>continues Thursday with House managers presenting more of their case.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic prosecutors in Donald Trump's impeachment trial say rioters believed they were are acting on the “president’s orders” to storm the Capitol to undo Joe Biden's election victory. The House is ready to wrap up opening arguments. Biden says he believes “some minds may be changed” after the previous day's gripping video of the deadly siege The Democrats are laying out the physical and mental harm caused by the Capitol attack and discussing Trump’s lack of action as it unfolded. Thursday's session follows the previous day's raw and visceral video of last month’s deadly insurrection. The Trump legal team gets its chance to make its case Friday and Saturday.---------WASHINGTON (AP) — The House managers are continuing their case Thursday in the historic impeachment trial. Trump’s lawyers are expected to launch their defense by week’s end.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?508743-1/impeachment-trial">CLICK here </a>to watch Day 3 of the trialPresident Joe Biden said&nbsp; he believes “some minds may be changed” in former President Trump’s&nbsp; trial after the display of <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?508741-101/senate-impeachment-trial-day-2-part-2">searing, graphic videos</a> of the assault on the U.S. Capitol.Biden told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday that he didn’t watch any of the previous day’s proceedings live but later saw news coverage. The Democratic House impeachment managers used security video as part of their case, and the violent images of the riot shook senators and TV viewers alike.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The &#39;Not Guilty&#39; vote is growing after today. I think most Republicans found the presentation by the House Managers offensive and absurd.&mdash; Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LindseyGrahamSC/status/1359695883906998277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden has steadfastly refused to weigh in on the trial and again on Thursday said his focus was on fulfilling his campaign promise to battle the coronavirus pandemic. Biden says the nation has “to move on.” Aides have said Biden will address the proceedings after a verdict is reached.Trump’s lawyers are expected to launch their defense by week’s end.

🎥  Impeachment Day 3 Highlights: Convict or face dire democracy damage

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after a chase in Barton County.

Just before 7p.m. Wednesday sheriff’s deputies had just finished executing a search warrant in the city of Great Bend when they became aware of a city police car that had been struck by a suspect vehicle, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

The Great Bend Police Department officer had stopped a vehicle in the 3300 block of 10th Street. The vehicle was traveling with no headlights as required. The officer contacted the driver later identified as&nbsp;Nicholas Kramer, 33 of Great Bend and became aware that he may be intoxicated. 

The suspect vehicle initially fled from the city police officer, then stopped and backed into the police car twice, according to Bellendir.

 The suspect then again fled from the city police. Several Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area to assist the police department. At one point a Sheriff’s office Sgt. blocked the vehicle at the intersection of 10th and Grant. 

The suspect vehicle struck the rear of the Sheriff’s car and continued to flee from officers. The pursuit continued to the west side of Great Bend and traveled north on Kansas Highway 96 towards 24th Street.

 At this point the police officers opted to discontinue pursuit and the Sheriff’s Office intervened. The suspect vehicle continued north on Kansas 96. to 24th Street where it turned East. 

A Sheriff’s vehicle was alongside the suspect vehicle attempting to keep it boxed in, while the suspect swerved at the Sheriff’s car several times. 

The suspect then entered the cemetery on 24th Street. Due to the extreme danger posed to the general public, a Sheriff’s office Sgt. decided rather than allow the vehicle back on city streets it should be stopped in the cemetery. 

A Sheriff’s office vehicle intentionally pushed the rear of the suspect vehicle causing it to spin out at which point a Pawnee County Sheriff’s patrol unit was able to box in the suspect.

Deputies arrested Kramer and transported him to the Barton County Jail without incident where he was booked on requested charges of three counts of aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer, three counts of criminal damage to property, aggravated battery w/ DUI and felony flee and elude. His bond is set at $100,000. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613082823277.png" alt="Overhead view of the chase and arrest-image Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Overhead view of the chase and arrest-image Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after a chase in Barton County.Just before 7p.m. Wednesday sheriff’s deputies had just finished executing a search warrant in the city of Great Bend when they became aware of a city police car that had been struck by a suspect vehicle, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.The Great Bend Police Department officer had stopped a vehicle in the 3300 block of 10th Street. The vehicle was traveling with no headlights as required. The officer contacted the driver later identified as&nbsp;Nicholas Kramer, 33 of Great Bend and became aware that he may be intoxicated. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613082923925.jpeg" alt="Kramer photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Kramer photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect vehicle initially fled from the city police officer, then stopped and backed into the police car twice, according to Bellendir. The suspect then again fled from the city police. Several Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area to assist the police department. At one point a Sheriff’s office Sgt. blocked the vehicle at the intersection of 10th and Grant. The suspect vehicle struck the rear of the Sheriff’s car and continued to flee from officers. The pursuit continued to the west side of Great Bend and traveled north on Kansas Highway 96 towards 24th Street. At this point the police officers opted to discontinue pursuit and the Sheriff’s Office intervened. The suspect vehicle continued north on Kansas 96. to 24th Street where it turned East. A Sheriff’s vehicle was alongside the suspect vehicle attempting to keep it boxed in, while the suspect swerved at the Sheriff’s car several times. The suspect then entered the cemetery on 24th Street. Due to the extreme danger posed to the general public, a Sheriff’s office Sgt. decided rather than allow the vehicle back on city streets it should be stopped in the cemetery. A Sheriff’s office vehicle intentionally pushed the rear of the suspect vehicle causing it to spin out at which point a Pawnee County Sheriff’s patrol unit was able to box in the suspect.Deputies arrested Kramer and transported him to the Barton County Jail without incident where he was booked on requested charges of three counts of aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer, three counts of criminal damage to property, aggravated battery w/ DUI and felony flee and elude. His bond is set at $100,000.

Kan. driver rams police vehicles, arrested in cemetery 

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/10/kansas-sentencing-commission-department-of-corrections-back-bill-lowering-punishment-for-low-level-drug-crimes/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A representative 
for the Kansas Sentencing Commission says research casts doubt on the 
theory that increased prison sentences will effectively deter people 
from drug misuse or drug-related crimes.

According to a 2018 study 
conducted by Pew Research Center comparing state drug imprisonment rates
 with self-reported drug use, drug arrest and overdose deaths, there is 
no significant relationship between drug imprisonment and these 
indicators. The evidence suggests there is room for improved policy on 
drug sentencing, said Scott Schultz, executive director of the 
sentencing commission.

A bill backed by Schultz 
would reduce the criminal penalties for most level five drug crimes. He 
said stiffer penalties were not cutting it, as indicated by the Pew 
study, instead suggesting efforts were better served elsewhere.

“Their research found the 
most effective response to drug misuse is a combination of law 
enforcement to curtail trafficking and prevent the emergence of new 
markets and alternative sentencing to divert nonviolent drug offenders,”
 Schultz said.

The House Committee on 
Corrections and Juvenile Justice, chaired by Rep. Russ Jennings, 
R-Lakin, is reviewing a package of bills suggested by the Kansas 
Criminal Justice Reform Commission in its December report. The panel of 
legislators heard testimony from Schultz and others on the first two of 
those bills Wednesday.

Schultz reported this 
legislation would have no impact on prison admissions but would free up 
80 prison beds in 2022 and as many as 118 beds by 2031. He also noted 
this would not change sentencing for any drug manufacturers or 
distributors.

Randall Bowman, a 
spokesman for the Kansas Department of Corrections, said Kansas’ current
 prison population is about 8,700. He said KDOC supports reducing the 
number of people in prison, although the cost benefits would be almost 
nonexistent.

“A few more people in and a
 few more out really doesn’t get us big gains. We can’t close a housing 
unit,” Bowman said. “These 80 individuals will be both genders and the 
various security levels in our facility, so they just come out of units 
in the eight prisons as one and two here and there that really don’t 
materially get a lot of money for us.”

Still, Bowman said there would be marginal cost savings and push Kansas in the right direction on criminal justice reform.

A second bill would alter 
the sentencing grid for drug crimes, expanding the number of presumptive
 probation and border categories — crimes that usually result in prison 
time but can be reduced to probation at the discretion of the judge.

Schultz described this 
bill as a peanut butter cup with two good things wrapped into one. He 
said primarily this bill brings Kansas in line with the practices of 
many judges across the state already departing from the border 
recommendation of prison.

It would also allow for 
more offenders to be assigned mandatory drug treatment and give more 
leeway to judges to assign discretionary treatment.

Kendall Seal, director of 
advocacy for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, added the 
bill would aid in creating a more just and equitable criminal legal 
system.

In Kansas, Black people represent 5.6% of the state’s population but account for 18.9% of the drug arrests.

“Undoubtedly, allowing 
people to be on probation and be productive members of society is more 
humane and fiscally responsible compared to imprisonment, which has 
devastating collateral consequences,” Seal said. “This bill will help 
reduce the prison population and address some sentencing proportionality
 issues.”

Greg Smith, a former state
 senator who works on policy issues for the Johnson County Sheriff’s 
Department, poured cold water on the idea. He questioned why if this was
 already common practice for most judges in the state is it necessary to
 alter the sentencing grid.

“If this already reflects 
what is going on in the state, it’s going to go even lower with plea 
bargains. That’s part of the system. That’s how the system works,” Smith
 said. “So the question is, what are we really doing this for?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613054156171.png" alt="The House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice, chaired by Rep. Russ Jennings, R-Lakin, heard testimony Wednesday on the first two bills in a series of suggestions by the Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission. The hearing on a third bill was delayed. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice, chaired by Rep. Russ Jennings, R-Lakin, heard testimony Wednesday on the first two bills in a series of suggestions by the Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission. The hearing on a third bill was delayed. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/10/kansas-sentencing-commission-department-of-corrections-back-bill-lowering-punishment-for-low-level-drug-crimes/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A representative 
for the Kansas Sentencing Commission says research casts doubt on the 
theory that increased prison sentences will effectively deter people 
from drug misuse or drug-related crimes.According to a 2018 study 
conducted by Pew Research Center comparing state drug imprisonment rates
 with self-reported drug use, drug arrest and overdose deaths, there is 
no significant relationship between drug imprisonment and these 
indicators. The evidence suggests there is room for improved policy on 
drug sentencing, said Scott Schultz, executive director of the 
sentencing commission.A bill backed by Schultz 
would reduce the criminal penalties for most level five drug crimes. He 
said stiffer penalties were not cutting it, as indicated by the Pew 
study, instead suggesting efforts were better served elsewhere.“Their research found the 
most effective response to drug misuse is a combination of law 
enforcement to curtail trafficking and prevent the emergence of new 
markets and alternative sentencing to divert nonviolent drug offenders,”
 Schultz said.The House Committee on 
Corrections and Juvenile Justice, chaired by Rep. Russ Jennings, 
R-Lakin, is reviewing a package of bills suggested by the Kansas 
Criminal Justice Reform Commission in its December report. The panel of 
legislators heard testimony from Schultz and others on the first two of 
those bills Wednesday.Schultz reported this 
legislation would have no impact on prison admissions but would free up 
80 prison beds in 2022 and as many as 118 beds by 2031. He also noted 
this would not change sentencing for any drug manufacturers or 
distributors.Randall Bowman, a 
spokesman for the Kansas Department of Corrections, said Kansas’ current
 prison population is about 8,700. He said KDOC supports reducing the 
number of people in prison, although the cost benefits would be almost 
nonexistent.“A few more people in and a
 few more out really doesn’t get us big gains. We can’t close a housing 
unit,” Bowman said. “These 80 individuals will be both genders and the 
various security levels in our facility, so they just come out of units 
in the eight prisons as one and two here and there that really don’t 
materially get a lot of money for us.”Still, Bowman said there would be marginal cost savings and push Kansas in the right direction on criminal justice reform.A second bill would alter 
the sentencing grid for drug crimes, expanding the number of presumptive
 probation and border categories — crimes that usually result in prison 
time but can be reduced to probation at the discretion of the judge.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613054212321.jpeg" alt="Kendall Seal, director of advocacy for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, noted the racial equity benefits of altering the sentencing grid to increase access to the state’s probation system. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kendall Seal, director of advocacy for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, noted the racial equity benefits of altering the sentencing grid to increase access to the state’s probation system. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Schultz described this 
bill as a peanut butter cup with two good things wrapped into one. He 
said primarily this bill brings Kansas in line with the practices of 
many judges across the state already departing from the border 
recommendation of prison.It would also allow for 
more offenders to be assigned mandatory drug treatment and give more 
leeway to judges to assign discretionary treatment.Kendall Seal, director of 
advocacy for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, added the 
bill would aid in creating a more just and equitable criminal legal 
system.In Kansas, Black people represent 5.6% of the state’s population but account for 18.9% of the drug arrests.“Undoubtedly, allowing 
people to be on probation and be productive members of society is more 
humane and fiscally responsible compared to imprisonment, which has 
devastating collateral consequences,” Seal said. “This bill will help 
reduce the prison population and address some sentencing proportionality
 issues.”Greg Smith, a former state
 senator who works on policy issues for the Johnson County Sheriff’s 
Department, poured cold water on the idea. He questioned why if this was
 already common practice for most judges in the state is it necessary to
 alter the sentencing grid.“If this already reflects 
what is going on in the state, it’s going to go even lower with plea 
bargains. That’s part of the system. That’s how the system works,” Smith
 said. “So the question is, what are we really doing this for?”

Effort would dial back punishment in Kan. for low-level drug crimes 

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —FBI Special Agents and members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested five individuals Thursday on federal charges related to the violence on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, according to a media release from the FBI.&nbsp; All five have been linked to a Kansas City metro chapter of the Proud Boys.

William Norman Chrestman, of Olathe, Kansas was arrested on federal charges of Conspiracy, Civil Disorder, Obstruction of an Official Proceeding, Threatening to assault a Federal Law Enforcement Officer, Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority and Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds.&nbsp;

Christopher Charles Kuehn, 48, of Olathe, Kansas was arrested on federal charges of Conspiracy, Civil Disorder, Obstruction of an Official Proceeding, Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority, and Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds.&nbsp;

Louis Enrique Colon, of Blue Springs, MO was arrested on federal charges of Conspiracy, Civil Disorder, Obstruction of an Official Proceeding, Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority and Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds.

&nbsp;Also arrested in Arizona Felicia and Cory Konold who prosecutors linked to the Kansas City chapter of the Proud Boys.&nbsp;All&nbsp; were taken into custody without incident, according to the FBI.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —FBI Special Agents and members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested five individuals Thursday on federal charges related to the violence on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, according to a media release from the FBI.&nbsp; All five have been linked to a Kansas City metro chapter of the Proud Boys.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613070062571.png" alt="Chrestman is being held in Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Chrestman is being held in Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>William Norman Chrestman, of Olathe, Kansas was arrested on federal charges of Conspiracy, Civil Disorder, Obstruction of an Official Proceeding, Threatening to assault a Federal Law Enforcement Officer, Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority and Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613070020356.png" alt="Kuehn is being held in Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Kuehn is being held in Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Christopher Charles Kuehn, 48, of Olathe, Kansas was arrested on federal charges of Conspiracy, Civil Disorder, Obstruction of an Official Proceeding, Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority, and Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds.&nbsp;Louis Enrique Colon, of Blue Springs, MO was arrested on federal charges of Conspiracy, Civil Disorder, Obstruction of an Official Proceeding, Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority and Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds.&nbsp;Also arrested in Arizona Felicia and Cory Konold who prosecutors linked to the Kansas City chapter of the Proud Boys.&nbsp;All&nbsp; were taken into custody without incident, according to the FBI.

FBI: 2 Kan. men accused of violence at U.S. Capitol

SHAWNEE COUNTY—There were no injuries in a fire early Thursday in Topeka.

Just after midnight, fire crews responded to a fire in a home at 1628 SW Harrison Street in Topeka, according to Fire Marshall Todd Harrison.

Upon arrival, fire crews found smoke and flames coming from the single story residence. Firefighters began an offensive fire attack, keeping it confined to the structure of fire origin. 

A Topeka Fire Department Investigation Unit responded to this incident and determined&nbsp; the fire was intentionally set.

The estimated dollar loss – $6,500.00; of which $6,000.00 is associated with structural loss and $500.00 associated with contents loss. The structure was vacant at the time of the fire. Working smoke detectors were not located within the residence, according to Harrison.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613072331984.png" alt="Thursday morning fire in Topeka -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Thursday morning fire in Topeka -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—There were no injuries in a fire early Thursday in Topeka.Just after midnight, fire crews responded to a fire in a home at 1628 SW Harrison Street in Topeka, according to Fire Marshall Todd Harrison.Upon arrival, fire crews found smoke and flames coming from the single story residence. Firefighters began an offensive fire attack, keeping it confined to the structure of fire origin. A Topeka Fire Department Investigation Unit responded to this incident and determined&nbsp; the fire was intentionally set.The estimated dollar loss – $6,500.00; of which $6,000.00 is associated with structural loss and $500.00 associated with contents loss. The structure was vacant at the time of the fire. Working smoke detectors were not located within the residence, according to Harrison.

Fire Marshal: Kansas house fire intentionally set

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects following an investigation into the distribution of meth in Great Bend.

Just after 6p.m. Wednesday, sheriff’s deputies and detectives executed a search warrant at 2320 24th St. in Great Bend, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

The warrant was part of the ongoing investigation and the Sheriff’s Office was looking for a wanted person, José Saul Torres Jr. as well as controlled substances. 

Deputies made entry in the residence without resistance and located Torres. During the course the investigation detectives also located methamphetamine, a firearm and drug paraphernalia.

Deputies José Torres Jr., 39 of Great Bend without incident and booked him on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, criminal use of a firearm as well as the Barton County District Court warrant for violation of probation. 

The bond on the drug charges is in excess of $100,000, he is being held without bond on the probation violation warrant.

The also arrested Calli Lundquist, 26 of Great Bend on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and criminal possession of a firearm. The bond on those charges is $10,000. There was also an outstanding Barton County District Court warrant for Lundquist for contempt of court. She is also being held without bond on the District Court warrant, according to Bellendir.

&nbsp;The Sheriff’s office was assisted by a K9 unit from the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613065282620.png" alt="Law enforcement authorities during the investigation on Wednesday -photo Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement authorities during the investigation on Wednesday -photo Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects following an investigation into the distribution of meth in Great Bend.Just after 6p.m. Wednesday, sheriff’s deputies and detectives executed a search warrant at 2320 24th St. in Great Bend, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.The warrant was part of the ongoing investigation and the Sheriff’s Office was looking for a wanted person, José Saul Torres Jr. as well as controlled substances. Deputies made entry in the residence without resistance and located Torres. During the course the investigation detectives also located methamphetamine, a firearm and drug paraphernalia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613065337266.png" alt="Torres photo Barton County" />
 <figcaption>Torres photo Barton County</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies José Torres Jr., 39 of Great Bend without incident and booked him on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, criminal use of a firearm as well as the Barton County District Court warrant for violation of probation. The bond on the drug charges is in excess of $100,000, he is being held without bond on the probation violation warrant.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613065262418.png" alt="Lundquist photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Lundquist photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The also arrested Calli Lundquist, 26 of Great Bend on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and criminal possession of a firearm. The bond on those charges is $10,000. There was also an outstanding Barton County District Court warrant for Lundquist for contempt of court. She is also being held without bond on the District Court warrant, according to Bellendir.&nbsp;The Sheriff’s office was assisted by a K9 unit from the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff: Deputies catch wanted Kansas drug suspect

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Learjet, which became synonymous with lifestyles of the rich and famous, is about to fade into aviation history.

Canada’s Bombardier announced Thursday that it will stop production of the Learjet later this year to focus on more profitable planes.

That means the elimination of 1,600 jobs in Canada and the United States, another blow to aircraft manufacturing, which has withered in the pandemic.

The iconic jet was among the first private luxury planes. William Lear based his design in part on military jets. The first Learjet flew in 1963, and more than 3,000 had been built since.

“It was sleek and it had almost a fighter-jet pedigree,” said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst for Teal Group. “For its time it symbolized personal executive transportation. Besides, Carly Simon put it into a fantastic song – that cemented its place in popular culture.”

Along with being a line in Simon’s 1971 hit, “You’re So Vain,” the jet showed up elsewhere in pop culture, including the hit TV show “Mad Men.” Frank Sinatra let Elvis Presley borrow his Learjet to elope with Priscilla Beaulieu in 1967.

In recent years, production of the plane had slowed to about one a month. Thursday’s decision was foreshadowed in 2015, when Bombardier pulled the plug on an all-new model, the Learjet 85, citing weak demand. Analysts could see the end of the line.

“The only thing the pandemic did was accelerate a sad ending,” Aboulafia said.

Bombardier said it will continue to support the Learjet fleet, and existing jets will fly for many more years.

Most of the projected job losses for Montreal-based Bombardier will occur in Canada, with about 700 planned in Quebec and 100 in Ontario. The company said about 250 jobs will be eliminated in Wichita this year and next year, with another 100 job losses scattered across the rest of the U.S.

CEO Eric Martel said in a statement that job cuts are always difficult, “but these reductions are absolutely necessary for us to rebuild our company while we continue to navigate through the pandemic.”

Air travel has plummeted during the COVID-19 outbreak, causing a sharp drop in demand for new planes.

Bombardier said that ending production of the Learjet later this year will let the company focus on its more profitable Challenger and Global aircraft and accelerate the expansion of its services business.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613065911364.png" alt="Learjet photo courtesy Bombardier" />
 <figcaption>Learjet photo courtesy Bombardier</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Learjet, which became synonymous with lifestyles of the rich and famous, is about to fade into aviation history.Canada’s Bombardier announced Thursday that it will stop production of the Learjet later this year to focus on more profitable planes.That means the elimination of 1,600 jobs in Canada and the United States, another blow to aircraft manufacturing, which has withered in the pandemic.The iconic jet was among the first private luxury planes. William Lear based his design in part on military jets. The first Learjet flew in 1963, and more than 3,000 had been built since.“It was sleek and it had almost a fighter-jet pedigree,” said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst for Teal Group. “For its time it symbolized personal executive transportation. Besides, Carly Simon put it into a fantastic song – that cemented its place in popular culture.”Along with being a line in Simon’s 1971 hit, “You’re So Vain,” the jet showed up elsewhere in pop culture, including the hit TV show “Mad Men.” Frank Sinatra let Elvis Presley borrow his Learjet to elope with Priscilla Beaulieu in 1967.In recent years, production of the plane had slowed to about one a month. Thursday’s decision was foreshadowed in 2015, when Bombardier pulled the plug on an all-new model, the Learjet 85, citing weak demand. Analysts could see the end of the line.“The only thing the pandemic did was accelerate a sad ending,” Aboulafia said.Bombardier said it will continue to support the Learjet fleet, and existing jets will fly for many more years.Most of the projected job losses for Montreal-based Bombardier will occur in Canada, with about 700 planned in Quebec and 100 in Ontario. The company said about 250 jobs will be eliminated in Wichita this year and next year, with another 100 job losses scattered across the rest of the U.S.CEO Eric Martel said in a statement that job cuts are always difficult, “but these reductions are absolutely necessary for us to rebuild our company while we continue to navigate through the pandemic.”Air travel has plummeted during the COVID-19 outbreak, causing a sharp drop in demand for new planes.Bombardier said that ending production of the Learjet later this year will let the company focus on its more profitable Challenger and Global aircraft and accelerate the expansion of its services business.

End of an era: Learjet production ends, 1,600 jobs gone

LYON COUNTY—Law enforcement and school authorities are investigating an alleged school threat in Lyon County.

Just before 7:30a.m. Thursday, USD 251 Northern Heights High School,&nbsp;1208 U.S 56, Allen, Kansas, notified the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office of an imminent threat against the school, according to Sheriff Jeff Cope.

 USD 251 began their safety protocols and deputies responded to secure the school. Deputies also made contact with a suspect currently identified as a 16-year-old boy.&nbsp; He was taken into custody without incident. 

Authorities believe, at this time, that the suspect acted alone and there was no one else involved. No one was in immediate danger at any point due to the swift action of USD 251 officials, according to Cope.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573757762937.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY—Law enforcement and school authorities are investigating an alleged school threat in Lyon County.Just before 7:30a.m. Thursday, USD 251 Northern Heights High School,&nbsp;1208 U.S 56, Allen, Kansas, notified the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office of an imminent threat against the school, according to Sheriff Jeff Cope. USD 251 began their safety protocols and deputies responded to secure the school. Deputies also made contact with a suspect currently identified as a 16-year-old boy.&nbsp; He was taken into custody without incident. Authorities believe, at this time, that the suspect acted alone and there was no one else involved. No one was in immediate danger at any point due to the swift action of USD 251 officials, according to Cope.

Sheriff: Teen in custody after Kan. school threat

PARKVILLE, Mo. (AP) — Two men have been fatally shot in northwest Missouri by another man in a dispute over firewood, police there said.

Police in Parkville, ten miles north of Kansas City, said the deadly confrontation happened between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday after two men in a truck hauling a trailer of firewood met with another man at a Platte County home to sell the firewood. There was a dispute, and the men with the firewood left, Police Chief Kevin Chrisman said.

Police believe the other man then followed the truck and fired shots at both men inside, hitting them. The driver of the truck died at the scene, while the passenger was taken to a hospital, where he later died, Chrisman said.

The suspected shooter drove back to his home and called police to report the shooting, and he was later arrested, Chrisman said. Police have not released the names of the men killed or the suspect.

The Kansas City Police Department helped collect evidence at the crime scene, which was “in the middle of the road” on Highway 9 between Park University and Coffey Road, Chrisman said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613058596707.png" alt="Police near the scene of the investigation Wednesday night photo courtesy Fox4Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>Police near the scene of the investigation Wednesday night photo courtesy Fox4Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure>PARKVILLE, Mo. (AP) — Two men have been fatally shot in northwest Missouri by another man in a dispute over firewood, police there said.Police in Parkville, ten miles north of Kansas City, said the deadly confrontation happened between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday after two men in a truck hauling a trailer of firewood met with another man at a Platte County home to sell the firewood. There was a dispute, and the men with the firewood left, Police Chief Kevin Chrisman said.Police believe the other man then followed the truck and fired shots at both men inside, hitting them. The driver of the truck died at the scene, while the passenger was taken to a hospital, where he later died, Chrisman said.The suspected shooter drove back to his home and called police to report the shooting, and he was later arrested, Chrisman said. Police have not released the names of the men killed or the suspect.The Kansas City Police Department helped collect evidence at the crime scene, which was “in the middle of the road” on Highway 9 between Park University and Coffey Road, Chrisman said.

Police: 2 fatally shot in spat over firewood near Kansas City

WASHINGTON – With filing season opening on February 12, the Internal 
Revenue Service urged taxpayers to take some simple steps to help ensure
 they file accurate tax returns and speed their tax refunds to avoid a 
variety of pandemic-related issues.

Although every year the IRS encourages taxpayers to e-file their 
returns and use direct deposit to receive refunds, to those taxpayers 
who have previously not used e-file, the IRS emphasizes using it this 
year to avoid paper-related processing delays. Taxpayers can file 
electronically by using a tax professional, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>
 or other commercial tax preparation software. The IRS cautioned 
paper-filed tax returns and paper checks will take even longer this year
 due to a variety of reasons.

Taxpayers have until Thursday, April 15, 2021, to file their 2020 tax
 return and pay any tax owed. The IRS expects to receive more than 160 
million individual tax returns this year with nine out of 10 returns 
filed <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">electronically</a>. At least eight out of 10 taxpayers get their refunds by using <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>.

"The pandemic has created a variety of tax law changes and has 
created some unique circumstances for this filing season," said IRS 
Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "To avoid issues, the IRS urges taxpayers to 
take some simple steps to help ensure they get their refund as quickly 
as possible, starting with filing electronically and using direct 
deposit.

"Following months of hard work, we are ready to start this year's tax
 season," Rettig added. "Getting to this point is always a year-round 
effort for the IRS and the nation's tax community. Doing it in a 
continuing COVID-19 environment while simultaneously delivering stimulus
 payments for the nation is an unprecedented accomplishment by IRS 
employees. I also want to thank all our tax partners and tax 
professionals for their hard work that makes tax time smoother for the 
nation. All of us stand ready to serve America's taxpayers during this 
important filing season."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON – With filing season opening on February 12, the Internal 
Revenue Service urged taxpayers to take some simple steps to help ensure
 they file accurate tax returns and speed their tax refunds to avoid a 
variety of pandemic-related issues.Although every year the IRS encourages taxpayers to e-file their 
returns and use direct deposit to receive refunds, to those taxpayers 
who have previously not used e-file, the IRS emphasizes using it this 
year to avoid paper-related processing delays. Taxpayers can file 
electronically by using a tax professional, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>
 or other commercial tax preparation software. The IRS cautioned 
paper-filed tax returns and paper checks will take even longer this year
 due to a variety of reasons.Taxpayers have until Thursday, April 15, 2021, to file their 2020 tax
 return and pay any tax owed. The IRS expects to receive more than 160 
million individual tax returns this year with nine out of 10 returns 
filed <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">electronically</a>. At least eight out of 10 taxpayers get their refunds by using <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>."The pandemic has created a variety of tax law changes and has 
created some unique circumstances for this filing season," said IRS 
Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "To avoid issues, the IRS urges taxpayers to 
take some simple steps to help ensure they get their refund as quickly 
as possible, starting with filing electronically and using direct 
deposit."Following months of hard work, we are ready to start this year's tax
 season," Rettig added. "Getting to this point is always a year-round 
effort for the IRS and the nation's tax community. Doing it in a 
continuing COVID-19 environment while simultaneously delivering stimulus
 payments for the nation is an unprecedented accomplishment by IRS 
employees. I also want to thank all our tax partners and tax 
professionals for their hard work that makes tax time smoother for the 
nation. All of us stand ready to serve America's taxpayers during this 
important filing season."Wage and Investment Commissioner and Chief Taxpayer Experience 
Officer Ken Corbin provides an in-depth perspective on how the IRS is 
preparing for a successful filing season in his <a href="https://www.irs.gov/about-irs/preparing-for-and-delivering-the-2021-filing-season">A Closer Look</a> column.<h2>Be tax ready: Review pandemic-related changes</h2>Last year's sweeping set of tax changes not only affected individuals
 and their families but may also affect the tax return they're filing 
this year. A new IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/be-tax-ready-understand-how-life-changes-may-affect-the-2020-tax-return-filed-this-year">fact sheet</a>
 explains what taxpayers need to know to file a complete and accurate 
tax return. The IRS recognizes that filing this year may be challenging 
for some taxpayers and it's important to understand how to claim credits
 and deductions, get a refund timely and meet all tax responsibilities.<h2>Recovery Rebate Credit helps people still eligible for Economic Impact Payments</h2>For those who may be eligible for stimulus payments, they should 
carefully review the guidelines for the Recovery Rebate Credit. Most 
people received Economic Impact Payments automatically, and anyone who 
received the maximum amount does not need to include any information 
about their payments when they file. However, those who didn't receive a
 payment or only received a partial payment may be eligible to claim the
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> when they file their 2020 tax return. Tax preparation software, including IRS Free File, will help taxpayers figure the amount.<h2>New language preferences to help taxpayers</h2>Additionally, this year for the first time, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040">Forms 1040 and 1040-SR</a> are available in Spanish, and the IRS has a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-schedule-lep">new form</a>
 allowing taxpayers to request that they receive information from the 
IRS in their preferred language. The Schedule LEP, Request for Change in
 Language Preference, will allow taxpayers to request information in 
some 20 different languages besides English.The IRS also wants to remind taxpayers of other important changes that could impact their tax return this year.<h2>Remember to factor in retirement plan distributions</h2>Some taxpayers found it necessary to take coronavirus-related early 
distributions from 401(k) plans and traditional IRAs in 2020. Under the 
CARES Act, those distributions – up to $100,000 – are not subject to the
 10% additional tax that otherwise generally applies to distributions 
made before an individual reaches age 59 ½. In addition, a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/coronavirus-related-relief-for-retirement-plans-and-iras-questions-and-answers">coronavirus-related distribution</a>
 can be included in income in equal installments over a three-year 
period, and an individual has three years to repay a coronavirus-related
 distribution to a plan or IRA and undo the tax consequences of the 
distribution.Taxpayers should also remember that they can make contributions to 
traditional IRAs until April 15, 2021, and still deduct that amount on 
their 2020 tax return, if eligible.<h2>New for 2020: non-itemizers can deduct $300 for charitable cash contributions</h2>Previously, charitable contributions could only be deducted if taxpayers itemized their deductions.However, with the CARES act, taxpayers who don't itemize deductions may take a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/most-taxpayers-can-deduct-up-to-300-in-charitable-contributions-without-itemizing-deductions">charitable deduction</a>
 of up to $300 for cash contributions made in 2020 to qualifying 
organizations. For the purposes of this deduction, qualifying 
organizations are those that are religious, charitable, educational, 
scientific or literary in purpose.<h2>Now more than ever, e-file is best</h2>Now more than ever, the safest and best way to file a complete and accurate tax return and get a refund is to file <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">electronically and use direct deposit</a>. Taxpayers can visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing">IRS.gov/filing</a> for more details about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms">Free File Fillable Forms</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/irs-free-tax-return-preparation-programs">Free tax preparation sites</a>.
 E-filing is also available through a trusted tax professional. Free 
File is a great option for people who are only filing a tax return to 
claim the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a>, either because they didn't receive an Economic Impact Payment or did not receive the full amount.The fastest way to get a refund is to file <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">electronically and use direct deposit</a>.
 Most refunds are issued in less than 21 days, but some refunds may take
 longer for a variety of reasons. Taxpayers can track their refund using
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;on
 IRS.gov or by downloading the IRS2Go mobile app where they'll get a 
personalized refund date as soon as 24 hours after the tax return is 
electronically submitted.Most early Earned Income Tax Credit/Additional Child Tax Credit 
filers should see an update to Where's My Refund?&nbsp;by February 22. The 
IRS cannot answer refund status inquiries unless it has been 21 days 
since the return was electronically filed.IRS tax help is available 24 hours a day on IRS.gov, where people can
 find answers to tax questions and resolve tax issues online from the 
safety of their home. The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/telephone-assistance">Let Us Help You</a> page helps answer most tax questions, and the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5136.pdf">IRS Services Guide&nbsp;PDF</a> links to other important IRS services.