WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/ntas/alerts/21_0127_ntas-bulletin.pdf" target="_blank">national terrorism bulletin</a>&nbsp;Wednesday warning of the potential for lingering violence from people motivated by anti-government sentiment after President Joe Biden’s election, suggesting the Jan. 6&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">riot at the Capitol</a>&nbsp;may embolden extremists and set the stage for additional attacks.

The department did not cite a specific threat, but pointed to “a heightened threat environment across the United States” that it believes “will persist” for weeks after Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration.

It is not uncommon for the federal government to warn local law enforcement through bulletins about the prospect for violence tied to a particular date or event, such as July 4.

But this particular bulletin, issued through the the department’s National Terrorism Advisory System, is notable because it effectively places the Biden administration into the politically charged debate over how to describe or characterize acts motivated by political ideology and suggests that it sees violence aimed at overturning the election as akin to terrorism.

The wording of the document suggests that national security officials see a connective thread between recent violence over the last year motivated by anti-government grievances, whether over COVID-19 restrictions, the 2020 election results and police use of force. It also singles out racially motivated acts of violence such as the 2019 rampage targeting Hispanics in Texas, as well as the threat posed by extremists motivated by foreign terrorist organizations.

“Information suggests that some ideologically-motivated violent extremists with objections to the exercise of governmental authority and the presidential transition, as well as other perceived grievances fueled by false narratives, could continue to mobilize to incite or commit violence,” the bulletin said.

It did not mention any ideological or political affiliation. A DHS statement noted the potential for violence from “a broad range of ideologically-motivated actors.”

The alert comes at a tense time after the riot at the Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump who were seeking to overturn the presidential election. DHS also noted violent riots in “recent days,” an apparent reference to events in Portland, Oregon, linked to anarchist groups.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611782393385.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/ntas/alerts/21_0127_ntas-bulletin.pdf" target="_blank">national terrorism bulletin</a>&nbsp;Wednesday warning of the potential for lingering violence from people motivated by anti-government sentiment after President Joe Biden’s election, suggesting the Jan. 6&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">riot at the Capitol</a>&nbsp;may embolden extremists and set the stage for additional attacks.The department did not cite a specific threat, but pointed to “a heightened threat environment across the United States” that it believes “will persist” for weeks after Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration.It is not uncommon for the federal government to warn local law enforcement through bulletins about the prospect for violence tied to a particular date or event, such as July 4.But this particular bulletin, issued through the the department’s National Terrorism Advisory System, is notable because it effectively places the Biden administration into the politically charged debate over how to describe or characterize acts motivated by political ideology and suggests that it sees violence aimed at overturning the election as akin to terrorism.The wording of the document suggests that national security officials see a connective thread between recent violence over the last year motivated by anti-government grievances, whether over COVID-19 restrictions, the 2020 election results and police use of force. It also singles out racially motivated acts of violence such as the 2019 rampage targeting Hispanics in Texas, as well as the threat posed by extremists motivated by foreign terrorist organizations.“Information suggests that some ideologically-motivated violent extremists with objections to the exercise of governmental authority and the presidential transition, as well as other perceived grievances fueled by false narratives, could continue to mobilize to incite or commit violence,” the bulletin said.It did not mention any ideological or political affiliation. A DHS statement noted the potential for violence from “a broad range of ideologically-motivated actors.”The alert comes at a tense time after the riot at the Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump who were seeking to overturn the presidential election. DHS also noted violent riots in “recent days,” an apparent reference to events in Portland, Oregon, linked to anarchist groups.

US terrorism alert warns of politically motivated violence

SEWARD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing and have made an arrest.

Just before 3:30a.m. Jan. 16, police responded to report of a stabbing in the 1500 Block of Fairview in Liberal, according to a media release.

At the scene, officers found a 24-year-old Hispanic man with three stab wounds to his abdomen. EMS transported him to a Wichita hospital in critical condition.

Investigators learned the victim had been involved in an altercation with two other men at a party. One suspect grabbed a knife and stabbed the victim, according to the release.

As part of their investigation, police executed a search warrants in the 500 Block of North Cain and the 700 Block of East Curtis in Liberal. Police arrested a 20-year-old man and 25-year-old&nbsp; man on requested charges of attempted first-degree murder, according to the release.

Police did not release the name of the suspects or provide an update on the victim.

SEWARD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing and have made an arrest.Just before 3:30a.m. Jan. 16, police responded to report of a stabbing in the 1500 Block of Fairview in Liberal, according to a media release.At the scene, officers found a 24-year-old Hispanic man with three stab wounds to his abdomen. EMS transported him to a Wichita hospital in critical condition.Investigators learned the victim had been involved in an altercation with two other men at a party. One suspect grabbed a knife and stabbed the victim, according to the release.As part of their investigation, police executed a search warrants in the 500 Block of North Cain and the 700 Block of East Curtis in Liberal. Police arrested a 20-year-old man and 25-year-old&nbsp; man on requested charges of attempted first-degree murder, according to the release.Police did not release the name of the suspects or provide an update on the victim.

Police: Victim in critical condition after SW Kan. party fight

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly will hold a press conference at 4 p.m. Wednesday to give an update regarding COVID-19 information for the state of Kansas.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 3262 to a total of 272,517, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 3718 an increase of 96.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly will hold a press conference at 4 p.m. Wednesday to give an update regarding COVID-19 information for the state of Kansas.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F418828329381137%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 3262 to a total of 272,517, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 3718 an increase of 96.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611771570799.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Wednesday Jan. 27, 2021 KDHE image

🎥  Gov. updates COVID-19 battle in Kansas 

LYONS, Kan. (AP) — The mother of the man who killed his father and shot two Rice County law officers in 2019 has been charged with providing a weapon to her son, Rice County Attorney Remington Dalke said.

Shirley Loder, 67, of Arlington, was charged this month with suspicion of criminal distribution of a firearm. She bonded out of the Rice County jail on Friday.

Loder’s son, David Madden,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5b6ea690541340bda12261f88b422330">fatally shot</a>&nbsp;his father, Tom Madden, on April 29, 2019, at their rural Rice County home. He also shot Reno County undersheriff Chad Murphy and Sheriff Bryant Evans before killing himself at the home, according to court records.

Madden was a convicted felon who was not allowed to have a weapon.

Erin Baker, Madden’s former girlfriend, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/21588bf38a7b209edfc7c008cd674a76">previously sentenced&nbsp;</a>to 60 days in jail and 18 months of probation for her role in the shootings. She was driving the car, with her child in the backseat, when Madden shot Murphy.

She then took Madden to his house for guns and ammunition before they drove to his father’s home, where she watched him get out of the car and start shooting his father before driving off. Court records said she didn’t alert law enforcement authorities.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611784474350.png" alt="Loder photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Loder photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>LYONS, Kan. (AP) — The mother of the man who killed his father and shot two Rice County law officers in 2019 has been charged with providing a weapon to her son, Rice County Attorney Remington Dalke said.Shirley Loder, 67, of Arlington, was charged this month with suspicion of criminal distribution of a firearm. She bonded out of the Rice County jail on Friday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611782761461.png" alt="David Madden photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>David Madden photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>Loder’s son, David Madden,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5b6ea690541340bda12261f88b422330">fatally shot</a>&nbsp;his father, Tom Madden, on April 29, 2019, at their rural Rice County home. He also shot Reno County undersheriff Chad Murphy and Sheriff Bryant Evans before killing himself at the home, according to court records.Madden was a convicted felon who was not allowed to have a weapon.Erin Baker, Madden’s former girlfriend, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/21588bf38a7b209edfc7c008cd674a76">previously sentenced&nbsp;</a>to 60 days in jail and 18 months of probation for her role in the shootings. She was driving the car, with her child in the backseat, when Madden shot Murphy.She then took Madden to his house for guns and ammunition before they drove to his father’s home, where she watched him get out of the car and start shooting his father before driving off. Court records said she didn’t alert law enforcement authorities.

Mom of man who killed his father, shot Kan. lawmen charged

WASHINGTON&nbsp;— Hudson Institute announced Tuesday that former U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo has joined Hudson as a distinguished fellow, according to a <a href="https://www.hudson.org/about">media release</a> from the organization.

“I am pleased to be joining Hudson Institute and look forward to contributing to its mission of promoting American leadership and global engagement,” said Secretary Pompeo.

Secretary Pompeo has had a distinguished career in public office, serving most recently as America’s 70th Secretary of State. He is the only person to have had both that role and to have served as the Director Central Intelligence Agency. His previous public service also includes representing the people of the 4th District of Kansas as a member of the House of Representatives and as an officer in the United States Army. As Secretary of State, he successfully led U.S. foreign policy in confronting a range geopolitical challenges, including religious freedom, human rights and the threats posed by authoritarian powers such as China, North Korea, Russia and Iran. In 2019, Hudson Institute honored Secretary Pompeo for his service with its Herman Kahn Award.

“Secretary Pompeo’s exemplary record of public service and his commitment to the values underpinning our mission makes this an exciting opportunity for collaboration,” said Sarah May Stern, chair of Hudson Institute’s Board of Trustees. “It’s a great privilege to welcome him to Hudson.”

Prior to joining the Trump Administration, Secretary Pompeo was serving in his fourth term as congressman from Kansas’ 4th Congressional District. He had served on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence as well as the Energy and Commerce Committee and House Select Benghazi Committee.

Before reentering public service, Secretary Pompeo founded Thayer Aerospace, a manufacturer of airplane components, where he served as&nbsp;CEO. He later became President of Sentry International, an oilfield equipment manufacturing, distribution, and service company.

“From his leadership in promoting peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors to confronting strategic threats to the United States, Secretary Pompeo has been among the most consequential secretaries of State,” said John Walters, president and&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;of Hudson Institute. “It is an honor to have this outstanding public servant join Hudson Institute.”

Pompeo graduated first in his class at the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1986 and served as a cavalry officer in the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment patrolling the Iron Curtain before the fall of the Berlin Wall. He also served with the 2nd Squadron, 7th Cavalry in the U.S. Army’s Fourth Infantry Division. After leaving active duty, Mr. Pompeo graduated from Harvard Law School, having been an editor of the Harvard Law Review.&nbsp;

Founded in 1961 by strategist Herman Kahn, Hudson Institute challenges conventional thinking and helps manage strategic transitions to the future through interdisciplinary studies in defense, international relations, economics, health care, technology, culture, and law, according to the institute web site. They "promote American leadership and global engagement for a secure, free and prosperous future."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605036065360.png" alt="Mike Pompeo represented Kansas 4th Congressional District from 2011 until his appointment to CIA Director in 2017. In March of 2018, President Trump appointed him to serve as Secretary of State." />
 <figcaption>Mike Pompeo represented Kansas 4th Congressional District from 2011 until his appointment to CIA Director in 2017. In March of 2018, President Trump appointed him to serve as Secretary of State.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;— Hudson Institute announced Tuesday that former U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo has joined Hudson as a distinguished fellow, according to a <a href="https://www.hudson.org/about">media release</a> from the organization.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am pleased to be joining <a href="https://twitter.com/HudsonInstitute?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HudsonInstitute</a> as a distinguished fellow, effective Feb. 1. I look forward to contributing to its mission of promoting American leadership and global engagement. It’s important that we keep putting America First! 🇺🇸&mdash; Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) <a href="https://twitter.com/mikepompeo/status/1354432575742345221?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I am pleased to be joining Hudson Institute and look forward to contributing to its mission of promoting American leadership and global engagement,” said Secretary Pompeo.Secretary Pompeo has had a distinguished career in public office, serving most recently as America’s 70th Secretary of State. He is the only person to have had both that role and to have served as the Director Central Intelligence Agency. His previous public service also includes representing the people of the 4th District of Kansas as a member of the House of Representatives and as an officer in the United States Army. As Secretary of State, he successfully led U.S. foreign policy in confronting a range geopolitical challenges, including religious freedom, human rights and the threats posed by authoritarian powers such as China, North Korea, Russia and Iran. In 2019, Hudson Institute honored Secretary Pompeo for his service with its Herman Kahn Award.“Secretary Pompeo’s exemplary record of public service and his commitment to the values underpinning our mission makes this an exciting opportunity for collaboration,” said Sarah May Stern, chair of Hudson Institute’s Board of Trustees. “It’s a great privilege to welcome him to Hudson.”Prior to joining the Trump Administration, Secretary Pompeo was serving in his fourth term as congressman from Kansas’ 4th Congressional District. He had served on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence as well as the Energy and Commerce Committee and House Select Benghazi Committee.Before reentering public service, Secretary Pompeo founded Thayer Aerospace, a manufacturer of airplane components, where he served as&nbsp;CEO. He later became President of Sentry International, an oilfield equipment manufacturing, distribution, and service company.“From his leadership in promoting peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors to confronting strategic threats to the United States, Secretary Pompeo has been among the most consequential secretaries of State,” said John Walters, president and&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;of Hudson Institute. “It is an honor to have this outstanding public servant join Hudson Institute.”Pompeo graduated first in his class at the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1986 and served as a cavalry officer in the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment patrolling the Iron Curtain before the fall of the Berlin Wall. He also served with the 2nd Squadron, 7th Cavalry in the U.S. Army’s Fourth Infantry Division. After leaving active duty, Mr. Pompeo graduated from Harvard Law School, having been an editor of the Harvard Law Review.&nbsp;Founded in 1961 by strategist Herman Kahn, Hudson Institute challenges conventional thinking and helps manage strategic transitions to the future through interdisciplinary studies in defense, international relations, economics, health care, technology, culture, and law, according to the institute web site. They "promote American leadership and global engagement for a secure, free and prosperous future."

Pompeo goes from Sec. of State to D.C. think tank 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp; State Senator Dr. Mark Steffen noted Wednesday that there are systemic issues within the Kansas Department of Labor that are causing struggles for many Kansans. He heard about that this week i<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTJh-_uRCiM">n the Senate Commerce committee.</a>

"What we heard, just one after the other, was the degree of fraud going on within the Department of Labor," Steffen said. "It's literally bringing that department down. It's literally, clearly, it's ground it to a complete stop. That was the overwhelmingly incredible news of the day. This fraud is literally draining a $300 million unemployment insurance pool to nothing."

Everybody likely knows somebody who has been a victim of this fraud.

"We were told Tuesday that they are getting like 2,300 fradulent claims a day," Steffen said. "This is originating overseas. A lot of these claims get labeled as fraudulent, but end up getting paid."

Since the funds are from taxes on employers in the state, every employer has a vested interest in seeing that this stops.

"Employers pay this in," Steffen said. "We were told very clear that they are going to want that money back. That's an issue in and of itself."

Steffen would like to hear more from the executive branch on how they plan to address the fraud as the session goes forward.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611763405510.png" alt="State Senator Dr. Mark Steffen (back) during Tuesday's Commerce Committee Hearing" />
 <figcaption>State Senator Dr. Mark Steffen (back) during Tuesday's Commerce Committee Hearing</figcaption>
 </figure>By NICK GOSNELLHutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp; State Senator Dr. Mark Steffen noted Wednesday that there are systemic issues within the Kansas Department of Labor that are causing struggles for many Kansans. He heard about that this week i<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTJh-_uRCiM">n the Senate Commerce committee.</a><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FTJh-_uRCiM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>"What we heard, just one after the other, was the degree of fraud going on within the Department of Labor," Steffen said. "It's literally bringing that department down. It's literally, clearly, it's ground it to a complete stop. That was the overwhelmingly incredible news of the day. This fraud is literally draining a $300 million unemployment insurance pool to nothing."Everybody likely knows somebody who has been a victim of this fraud."We were told Tuesday that they are getting like 2,300 fradulent claims a day," Steffen said. "This is originating overseas. A lot of these claims get labeled as fraudulent, but end up getting paid."Since the funds are from taxes on employers in the state, every employer has a vested interest in seeing that this stops."Employers pay this in," Steffen said. "We were told very clear that they are going to want that money back. That's an issue in and of itself."Steffen would like to hear more from the executive branch on how they plan to address the fraud as the session goes forward.

🎥  Senator on unemployment fraud at Kan. Dept. of Labor

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 3262 to a total of 272,517, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 3718 an increase of 96

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

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 3262 to a total of 272,517, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 3718 an increase of 96<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611771570799.png" alt="Wednesday Jan. 27, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Jan. 27, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Public health officials in Kansas are trying to determine whether a coronavirus variant is fueling a new outbreak at a minimum-security state prison with inmates who regularly work in surrounding communities. Democratic Gov. 

Laura Kelly said during a Zoom call Wednesday with top leaders of the Republican-controlled Legislature that there had been no COVID-19 cases at the Winfield Correctional Facility in the two weeks leading up to a recent outbreak that sickened dozens. She says the state is doing genomic testing to determine whether the outbreak has been caused by recent variants of the virus. Meanwhile, Kansas has seen an overall drop in its average number of new cases and deaths.

WINFIELD, Kan. (AP) — Public health officials are trying to determine whether a coronavirus variant is fueling a new outbreak at a Kansas prison.

Dr. Lee Norman, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said there had been no cases for weeks at Winfield Correctional Facility before a “whole cluster of cases broke out.”

“We did the epidemiologic tracking and found it came in through the community through the food service workers, and then went from there to some other places.,” Norman said Tuesday during a virtual media briefing hosted by the University of Kansas Health System. “But it was very fast spread, and we’re going to test every one of those positive individuals with genomic sequencing.”

The Kansas Department of Corrections reported that Winfield’s prison currently had eight staff cases and 69 inmates cases as of Monday. Statewide, there have been 5,628 inmates and 1,174 staff members infected since the pandemic began.

Norman said the outbreak shows why it is important to vaccinate inmates early. They are part of the second phase, along with those over the age of 65 and essential workers.

But that has been controversial, with the Kansas Republican Party tweeting earlier this month: “Prioritize law-abiding Kansans first!”

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the HutchPost mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily HutchPost email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611755621273.png" alt=" KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman said the outbreak shows why it is important to vaccinate inmates early." />
 <figcaption> KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman said the outbreak shows why it is important to vaccinate inmates early.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Public health officials in Kansas are trying to determine whether a coronavirus variant is fueling a new outbreak at a minimum-security state prison with inmates who regularly work in surrounding communities. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said during a Zoom call Wednesday with top leaders of the Republican-controlled Legislature that there had been no COVID-19 cases at the Winfield Correctional Facility in the two weeks leading up to a recent outbreak that sickened dozens. She says the state is doing genomic testing to determine whether the outbreak has been caused by recent variants of the virus. Meanwhile, Kansas has seen an overall drop in its average number of new cases and deaths.----------WINFIELD, Kan. (AP) — Public health officials are trying to determine whether a coronavirus variant is fueling a new outbreak at a Kansas prison.Dr. Lee Norman, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said there had been no cases for weeks at Winfield Correctional Facility before a “whole cluster of cases broke out.”“We did the epidemiologic tracking and found it came in through the community through the food service workers, and then went from there to some other places.,” Norman said Tuesday during a virtual media briefing hosted by the University of Kansas Health System. “But it was very fast spread, and we’re going to test every one of those positive individuals with genomic sequencing.”The Kansas Department of Corrections reported that Winfield’s prison currently had eight staff cases and 69 inmates cases as of Monday. Statewide, there have been 5,628 inmates and 1,174 staff members infected since the pandemic began.Norman said the outbreak shows why it is important to vaccinate inmates early. They are part of the second phase, along with those over the age of 65 and essential workers.But that has been controversial, with the Kansas Republican Party tweeting earlier this month: “Prioritize law-abiding Kansans first!”<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the HutchPost mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily HutchPost email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Update: New COVID-19 strain investigated at Kan. prison

SALINE COUNTY —Fire destroyed a business building in rural Saline County Tuesday night.

Just before 11:30p.m., sheriff's deputies and firefighters from Rural Fire District 7 were sent to a fire at 1334 West North Street west of Salina, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan. 

The building rented by Gerald Teet, 48, of Salina, was for a firewood business and contained a&nbsp;wood-burning stove.

Teed had left it burning after leaving for the day, according to Soldan. The fire got out of the stove and spread throughout the building.

In addition to the building, a $4,000 New Holland skid loader and $3,000 John Deere Gator were destroyed in the fire. Soldan did not have a total dollar loss as a result of the blaze. There were no injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611764481964.jpeg" alt="Fire destroyed a building at a rural Saline Co. business Tuesday night-photo Saline Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Fire destroyed a building at a rural Saline Co. business Tuesday night-photo Saline Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Fire destroyed a business building in rural Saline County Tuesday night.Just before 11:30p.m., sheriff's deputies and firefighters from Rural Fire District 7 were sent to a fire at 1334 West North Street west of Salina, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan. The building rented by Gerald Teet, 48, of Salina, was for a firewood business and contained a&nbsp;wood-burning stove.Teed had left it burning after leaving for the day, according to Soldan. The fire got out of the stove and spread throughout the building.In addition to the building, a $4,000 New Holland skid loader and $3,000 John Deere Gator were destroyed in the fire. Soldan did not have a total dollar loss as a result of the blaze. There were no injuries reported.

Sheriff: Fire destroys building at rural Kansas business

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that injured two in Topeka.

Just after&nbsp;7:00 p.m.Tuesday, police were dispatched to a Sonic Restaurant, 636 NW US 24 Highway in regards to two individuals suffering from non-life threatening gunshot wounds, according to Topeka Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

One victim was transported by ambulance to a local hospital with minor injuries and the other was treated and released at the scene. 

It was discovered that the shooting occurred at a separate location, and then the victims drove to the Sonic restaurant and reported the incident, according to Stanley.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611749052208.png" alt="Police at the scene of the Topeka shooting investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the Topeka shooting investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that injured two in Topeka.Just after&nbsp;7:00 p.m.Tuesday, police were dispatched to a Sonic Restaurant, 636 NW US 24 Highway in regards to two individuals suffering from non-life threatening gunshot wounds, according to Topeka Police Lt. Edward Stanley.One victim was transported by ambulance to a local hospital with minor injuries and the other was treated and released at the scene. It was discovered that the shooting occurred at a separate location, and then the victims drove to the Sonic restaurant and reported the incident, according to Stanley.Police have not reported an arrest.

Police find 2 Kan. shooting victims at fast food restaurant

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators suggested Tuesday that mistakes by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration are making it more difficult for older Kansas residents to get COVID-19 vaccine shots.

But Dr. Lee Norman, the head of the state health department and Kelly’s top public health administrator, said the biggest problem Kansas faces in administering the vaccines is “there’s just not enough.” He acknowledged during a joint meeting of the House and Senate health committees that he can’t predict how long it will take for the state to inoculate enough people to say it no longer faces a pandemic emergency.

Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature have grown increasingly critical of Kelly and the state Department of Health and Environment, peppering Norman with pointed questions during Tuesday’s meeting. One GOP lawmaker even argued that Kansas was wrong to focus on vaccinating health care workers first, rather than people 65 and older.

“I’ve never felt like our leadership, the Kelly administration, the KDHE, has learned lessons from this virus and adapted strategies to it,” said freshman Sen. Mark Steffen, a Hutchinson Republican and a physician, who didn’t wear a mask at Tuesday’s socially distanced meeting and said he doubts the effectiveness of mask wearing, despite a growing scientific consensus that masks provide protection for others as well as those wearing them.

The Democratic governor and Republican legislators have been sparring for months over the state’s response to the pandemic, but GOP lawmakers have recently focused on what they see as a slow and rocky vaccine distribution.

Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican, said he wants to see the state get to the point where there are enough people who have been vaccinated or had COVID-19 and developed immunity to “getting our economy back in shape.” Norman said those two groups would have to cover at least 85% of the population — close to 2.5 million people, or nearly 10 times the 255,550 vaccine does the state says it has received so far.

“I understand that there are supply chain issues, but I think we need to get the access out to the people as fast as possible,” said Thompson, who declines to wear a mask because, he says, he suffers from asthma.

Norman, who testified by WebEx, said Kansas has received its full allotment of vaccine doses from the federal government but just doesn’t have enough to gives shots as quickly as people want them.

Kelly announced last week that Kansas was entering its second phase of vaccine distribution, where anyone 65 and older, people in group living situations and “critical” workers are eligible for inoculations. Norman said that could be about 800,000 of the state’s 2.9 million residents, or 27%.

“We are ordering everything that is allocated to us, and here in recent weeks we’ve been getting everything we’ve ordered,” Norman said. “But there’s no way on the planet that that’s enough vaccine.”

Republican legislators have cited U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data showing Kansas lagging behind other states in vaccination rates.&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations" target="_blank">A CDC report Tuesday&nbsp;</a>showed Kansas ranking 47th for doses administered per 100,000 residents, ahead of only Alabama, Idaho and Nevada.

The state health department reported that nearly 158,000 vaccine doses had been administered as of Monday; the CDC’s figure is slightly higher.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data" target="_blank">Kansas reports</a>&nbsp;that it has administered almost 62% of the vaccine doses it has received so far — something Norman touted as a sign that the administration of inoculations is on track.

However, the CDC said the state actually has received about 348,000 doses, which would put the percentage administered at roughly 45%. State officials said the CDC figures include doses shipped to pharmacies but not received for nursing home workers and residents.

House health committee Chair Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican, questioned a state health department policy allowing residents of one county to go to another to get vaccinated, suggesting it sows confusion. Norman defended it, saying it has allowed counties to keep administering shots to health care workers so they weren’t without protections.

Kelly and other state officials have said repeatedly that Kansas is following CDC guidelines in deciding when people are eligible for inoculations. But Steffen argued that Kansas should have put a priority on vaccinating older residents even ahead of health care workers.

About 25% of the people vaccinated have been 65 or older. While that group accounted for about 15% of the state’s more than 269,000 confirmed and probable coronavirus cases through Monday, it had nearly 86% of the state’s 3,622 deaths, with one death for every 13 reported cases.

“If you give it to a bunch of health care workers and you’re just protecting them from flu symptoms, rather than giving it to people who you could save their life, that’s questionable,” Steffen said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611752735957.png" alt="Total doses administered <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations__">reported to the </a>CDC by State per 100,000-CDC image" />
 <figcaption>Total doses administered <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations__">reported to the </a>CDC by State per 100,000-CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators suggested Tuesday that mistakes by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration are making it more difficult for older Kansas residents to get COVID-19 vaccine shots.(Watch Tuesday's hearing below)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o9XyAclr57w" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>But Dr. Lee Norman, the head of the state health department and Kelly’s top public health administrator, said the biggest problem Kansas faces in administering the vaccines is “there’s just not enough.” He acknowledged during a joint meeting of the House and Senate health committees that he can’t predict how long it will take for the state to inoculate enough people to say it no longer faces a pandemic emergency.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611753536468.png" alt="Dr. Lee Norman testified Tuesday by WebEx" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Lee Norman testified Tuesday by WebEx</figcaption>
 </figure>Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature have grown increasingly critical of Kelly and the state Department of Health and Environment, peppering Norman with pointed questions during Tuesday’s meeting. One GOP lawmaker even argued that Kansas was wrong to focus on vaccinating health care workers first, rather than people 65 and older.“I’ve never felt like our leadership, the Kelly administration, the KDHE, has learned lessons from this virus and adapted strategies to it,” said freshman Sen. Mark Steffen, a Hutchinson Republican and a physician, who didn’t wear a mask at Tuesday’s socially distanced meeting and said he doubts the effectiveness of mask wearing, despite a growing scientific consensus that masks provide protection for others as well as those wearing them.The Democratic governor and Republican legislators have been sparring for months over the state’s response to the pandemic, but GOP lawmakers have recently focused on what they see as a slow and rocky vaccine distribution.Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican, said he wants to see the state get to the point where there are enough people who have been vaccinated or had COVID-19 and developed immunity to “getting our economy back in shape.” Norman said those two groups would have to cover at least 85% of the population — close to 2.5 million people, or nearly 10 times the 255,550 vaccine does the state says it has received so far.“I understand that there are supply chain issues, but I think we need to get the access out to the people as fast as possible,” said Thompson, who declines to wear a mask because, he says, he suffers from asthma.Norman, who testified by WebEx, said Kansas has received its full allotment of vaccine doses from the federal government but just doesn’t have enough to gives shots as quickly as people want them.Kelly announced last week that Kansas was entering its second phase of vaccine distribution, where anyone 65 and older, people in group living situations and “critical” workers are eligible for inoculations. Norman said that could be about 800,000 of the state’s 2.9 million residents, or 27%.“We are ordering everything that is allocated to us, and here in recent weeks we’ve been getting everything we’ve ordered,” Norman said. “But there’s no way on the planet that that’s enough vaccine.”Republican legislators have cited U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data showing Kansas lagging behind other states in vaccination rates.&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations" target="_blank">A CDC report Tuesday&nbsp;</a>showed Kansas ranking 47th for doses administered per 100,000 residents, ahead of only Alabama, Idaho and Nevada.The state health department reported that nearly 158,000 vaccine doses had been administered as of Monday; the CDC’s figure is slightly higher.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data" target="_blank">Kansas reports</a>&nbsp;that it has administered almost 62% of the vaccine doses it has received so far — something Norman touted as a sign that the administration of inoculations is on track.However, the CDC said the state actually has received about 348,000 doses, which would put the percentage administered at roughly 45%. State officials said the CDC figures include doses shipped to pharmacies but not received for nursing home workers and residents.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611753419734.png" alt="Rep. Brenda Landwher during Tuesday's hearing" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Brenda Landwher during Tuesday's hearing</figcaption>
 </figure>House health committee Chair Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican, questioned a state health department policy allowing residents of one county to go to another to get vaccinated, suggesting it sows confusion. Norman defended it, saying it has allowed counties to keep administering shots to health care workers so they weren’t without protections.Kelly and other state officials have said repeatedly that Kansas is following CDC guidelines in deciding when people are eligible for inoculations. But Steffen argued that Kansas should have put a priority on vaccinating older residents even ahead of health care workers.About 25% of the people vaccinated have been 65 or older. While that group accounted for about 15% of the state’s more than 269,000 confirmed and probable coronavirus cases through Monday, it had nearly 86% of the state’s 3,622 deaths, with one death for every 13 reported cases.“If you give it to a bunch of health care workers and you’re just protecting them from flu symptoms, rather than giving it to people who you could save their life, that’s questionable,” Steffen said.___

🎥  Kan. lawmakers push for answers on COVID-19, vaccine reporting

WASHINGTON (AP) —Answering growing frustration over vaccine shortages, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the U.S. is ramping up deliveries to hard-pressed states over the next three weeks and expects to provide enough doses to vaccinate 300 million Americans by the end of the summer or early fall.

Biden, calling the push a “wartime effort,” said the administration was working to buy an additional 100 million doses of each of the two approved coronavirus vaccines. He acknowledged that states in recent weeks have been left guessing how much vaccine they will have from one week to the next.

Shortages have been so severe that some vaccination sites around the U.S. had to cancel tens of thousands of appointments with people seeking their first shot.

“This is unacceptable,” Biden said. “Lives are at stake.”

He promised a roughly 16% boost in deliveries to states over the next three weeks.

The administration said it plans to buy another 100 million doses each from drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna to ensure it has enough vaccine for the long term. Even more vaccine could be available if federal scientists approve a single-dose shot from Johnson &amp; Johnson, which is expected to seek emergency authorization in the coming weeks.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the government plans to make about 10.1 million first and second doses available next week, up from this week’s allotment of 8.6 million. The figures represent doses of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. It was not immediately clear how long the surge of doses could be sustained.

Governors and top health officials have been increasingly raising the alarm about inadequate supplies and the need for earlier and more reliable estimates of how much vaccine is on the way so that they can plan.

Biden’s team held its first virus-related call with the nation’s governors on Tuesday and pledged to provide states with firm vaccine allocations three weeks ahead of delivery.

Biden’s announcement came a day after he grew more bullish about exceeding his vaccine pledge to deliver 100 million injections in his first 100 days in office, suggesting that a rate of 1.5 million doses per day could soon be achieved.

The administration has also promised more openness and said it will hold news briefings three times a week, beginning Wednesday, about the outbreak that has killed over 420,000 Americans.

“We appreciate the administration stating that it will provide states with slightly higher allocations for the next few weeks, but we are going to need much more supply,” said Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican.

The setup inherited from the Trump administration has been marked by miscommunication and unexplained bottlenecks, with shortages reported in some places even as vaccine doses remain on the shelf.

Officials in West Virginia, which has had one of the best rates of administering vaccine, said they have fewer than 11,000 first doses on hand even after this week’s shipment.

“I’m screaming my head off” for more, Republican Gov. Jim Justice said.

California, which has faced criticism over a slow vaccine rollout, announced Tuesday that it is centralizing its hodgepodge of county systems and streamlining appointment sign-up, notification and eligibility. Residents have been baffled by the varying rules in different counties.

And in Colorado, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said that the limited supply of vaccine from the federal government is prompting the state to repurpose second doses as first doses, though he expects that people scheduled for their second shot will still be able to keep their appointments.

The weekly allocation cycle for first doses begins on Monday nights, when federal officials review data on vaccine availability from manufacturers to determine how much each state can have. Allocations are based on each jurisdiction’s population of people 18 and older.

States are notified on Tuesdays of their allocations through a computer network called Tiberius and other channels, after which they can specify where they want doses shipped. Deliveries start the following Monday.

A similar but separate process for ordering second doses, which must be given three to four weeks after the first, begins each week on Sunday night.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the CDC reported that just over half of the 44 million doses distributed to states have been put in people’s arms. That is well short of the hundreds of millions of doses that experts say will need to be administered to achieve herd immunity and conquer the outbreak.

The U.S. ranks fifth in the world in the number of doses administered relative to the country’s population, behind No. 1 Israel, United Arab Emirates, Britain and Bahrain, according to the University of Oxford.

The reason more of the available shots in the U.S. haven’t been dispensed isn’t entirely clear. But many vaccination sites are apparently holding large quantities of vaccine in reserve to make sure people who have already gotten their first shot receive the required second one on schedule.

Also, some state officials have complained of a lag between when they report their vaccination numbers to the government and when the figures are posted on the CDC website.

In the New Orleans area, Ochsner Health said Monday that inadequate supply forced the cancellation last week of 21,400 first-dose appointments but that second-dose appointments aren’t affected.

In North Carolina, Greensboro-based Cone Health announced it is canceling first-dose appointments for 10,000 people and moving them to a waiting list because of supply problems.

Jesse Williams, 81, of Reidsville, North Carolina, said his appointment Thursday with Cone Health was scratched, and he is waiting to hear when it might be rescheduled. The former volunteer firefighter had hoped the vaccine would enable him to resume attending church, playing golf and seeing friends.

“It’s just a frustration that we were expecting to be having our shots and being a little more resilient to COVID-19,” he said.

The vaccine rollout across the 27-nation European Union has also run into roadblocks and has likewise been criticized as too slow. Pfizer is delaying deliveries while it upgrades its plant in Belgium to increase capacity. And AstraZeneca disclosed that its initial shipment will be smaller than expected.

The EU, with 450 million citizens, is demanding that the pharmaceutical companies meet their commitments on schedule.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611700674264.png" alt="President Biden during a Tuesday news conference promised a roughly 16% boost in vaccine deliveries to states over the next three weeks-Photo courtesy White House&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>President Biden during a Tuesday news conference promised a roughly 16% boost in vaccine deliveries to states over the next three weeks-Photo courtesy White House&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Answering growing frustration over vaccine shortages, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the U.S. is ramping up deliveries to hard-pressed states over the next three weeks and expects to provide enough doses to vaccinate 300 million Americans by the end of the summer or early fall.Biden, calling the push a “wartime effort,” said the administration was working to buy an additional 100 million doses of each of the two approved coronavirus vaccines. He acknowledged that states in recent weeks have been left guessing how much vaccine they will have from one week to the next.Shortages have been so severe that some vaccination sites around the U.S. had to cancel tens of thousands of appointments with people seeking their first shot.“This is unacceptable,” Biden said. “Lives are at stake.”He promised a roughly 16% boost in deliveries to states over the next three weeks.The administration said it plans to buy another 100 million doses each from drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna to ensure it has enough vaccine for the long term. Even more vaccine could be available if federal scientists approve a single-dose shot from Johnson &amp; Johnson, which is expected to seek emergency authorization in the coming weeks.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the government plans to make about 10.1 million first and second doses available next week, up from this week’s allotment of 8.6 million. The figures represent doses of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. It was not immediately clear how long the surge of doses could be sustained.Governors and top health officials have been increasingly raising the alarm about inadequate supplies and the need for earlier and more reliable estimates of how much vaccine is on the way so that they can plan.Biden’s team held its first virus-related call with the nation’s governors on Tuesday and pledged to provide states with firm vaccine allocations three weeks ahead of delivery.Biden’s announcement came a day after he grew more bullish about exceeding his vaccine pledge to deliver 100 million injections in his first 100 days in office, suggesting that a rate of 1.5 million doses per day could soon be achieved.The administration has also promised more openness and said it will hold news briefings three times a week, beginning Wednesday, about the outbreak that has killed over 420,000 Americans.“We appreciate the administration stating that it will provide states with slightly higher allocations for the next few weeks, but we are going to need much more supply,” said Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican.The setup inherited from the Trump administration has been marked by miscommunication and unexplained bottlenecks, with shortages reported in some places even as vaccine doses remain on the shelf.Officials in West Virginia, which has had one of the best rates of administering vaccine, said they have fewer than 11,000 first doses on hand even after this week’s shipment.“I’m screaming my head off” for more, Republican Gov. Jim Justice said.California, which has faced criticism over a slow vaccine rollout, announced Tuesday that it is centralizing its hodgepodge of county systems and streamlining appointment sign-up, notification and eligibility. Residents have been baffled by the varying rules in different counties.And in Colorado, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said that the limited supply of vaccine from the federal government is prompting the state to repurpose second doses as first doses, though he expects that people scheduled for their second shot will still be able to keep their appointments.The weekly allocation cycle for first doses begins on Monday nights, when federal officials review data on vaccine availability from manufacturers to determine how much each state can have. Allocations are based on each jurisdiction’s population of people 18 and older.States are notified on Tuesdays of their allocations through a computer network called Tiberius and other channels, after which they can specify where they want doses shipped. Deliveries start the following Monday.A similar but separate process for ordering second doses, which must be given three to four weeks after the first, begins each week on Sunday night.As of Tuesday afternoon, the CDC reported that just over half of the 44 million doses distributed to states have been put in people’s arms. That is well short of the hundreds of millions of doses that experts say will need to be administered to achieve herd immunity and conquer the outbreak.The U.S. ranks fifth in the world in the number of doses administered relative to the country’s population, behind No. 1 Israel, United Arab Emirates, Britain and Bahrain, according to the University of Oxford.The reason more of the available shots in the U.S. haven’t been dispensed isn’t entirely clear. But many vaccination sites are apparently holding large quantities of vaccine in reserve to make sure people who have already gotten their first shot receive the required second one on schedule.Also, some state officials have complained of a lag between when they report their vaccination numbers to the government and when the figures are posted on the CDC website.In the New Orleans area, Ochsner Health said Monday that inadequate supply forced the cancellation last week of 21,400 first-dose appointments but that second-dose appointments aren’t affected.In North Carolina, Greensboro-based Cone Health announced it is canceling first-dose appointments for 10,000 people and moving them to a waiting list because of supply problems.Jesse Williams, 81, of Reidsville, North Carolina, said his appointment Thursday with Cone Health was scratched, and he is waiting to hear when it might be rescheduled. The former volunteer firefighter had hoped the vaccine would enable him to resume attending church, playing golf and seeing friends.“It’s just a frustration that we were expecting to be having our shots and being a little more resilient to COVID-19,” he said.The vaccine rollout across the 27-nation European Union has also run into roadblocks and has likewise been criticized as too slow. Pfizer is delaying deliveries while it upgrades its plant in Belgium to increase capacity. And AstraZeneca disclosed that its initial shipment will be smaller than expected.The EU, with 450 million citizens, is demanding that the pharmaceutical companies meet their commitments on schedule.___

Biden: More vaccine is on the way

WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Tracey Mann announced his new assignment to the House Veterans Affairs Committee, according to a media release from his office.

Representative Mann will work with members on the committee to address veterans’ issues and ensure our nation’s heroes have the care and support they deserve.

“I am a proud supporter of the men and women serving in our military. Our nation would not be standing today if it were not for their sacrifices,” said Rep. Mann. “I am honored to have been selected to serve on the House Veterans Affairs Committee and will be a strong voice for our Kansas veterans.”

“I am so happy to have Rep. Mann serving on the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs this Congress,” said Ranking Member Mike Bost (Ill-12). “He brings a wealth of experience in business and politics to the table, along with a passion for rural America. I have no doubt he will serve veterans in Kansas and across the country well over the next two years.”

Kansas is home to 200,000 veterans, and the “Big First” is the proud home of the U.S. Army First Infantry Division (Big Red 1), at Fort Riley. As a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Mann will prioritize workforce transition programs and telehealth services for veterans. Over 900,000 veterans used the Veterans Health Administration’s telehealth services last year alone; ensuring that veterans in rural Kansas have access to these services is vital. Advocating for top quality education assistance, housing services, and financial benefits for Kansas veterans will also be a priority.

“Our servicemembers deserve health and job security following their service to our country,” said Rep. Mann. “I vow to be a champion for them in Congress.”

Representative Mann also announced yesterday that he will also be serving on the House Agriculture Committee.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611747599085.png" alt="First District Rep. Tracey Mann" />
 <figcaption>First District Rep. Tracey Mann</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Tracey Mann announced his new assignment to the House Veterans Affairs Committee, according to a media release from his office.Representative Mann will work with members on the committee to address veterans’ issues and ensure our nation’s heroes have the care and support they deserve.“I am a proud supporter of the men and women serving in our military. Our nation would not be standing today if it were not for their sacrifices,” said Rep. Mann. “I am honored to have been selected to serve on the House Veterans Affairs Committee and will be a strong voice for our Kansas veterans.”“I am so happy to have Rep. Mann serving on the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs this Congress,” said Ranking Member Mike Bost (Ill-12). “He brings a wealth of experience in business and politics to the table, along with a passion for rural America. I have no doubt he will serve veterans in Kansas and across the country well over the next two years.”Kansas is home to 200,000 veterans, and the “Big First” is the proud home of the U.S. Army First Infantry Division (Big Red 1), at Fort Riley. As a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Mann will prioritize workforce transition programs and telehealth services for veterans. Over 900,000 veterans used the Veterans Health Administration’s telehealth services last year alone; ensuring that veterans in rural Kansas have access to these services is vital. Advocating for top quality education assistance, housing services, and financial benefits for Kansas veterans will also be a priority.“Our servicemembers deserve health and job security following their service to our country,” said Rep. Mann. “I vow to be a champion for them in Congress.”Representative Mann also announced yesterday that he will also be serving on the House Agriculture Committee.

First District Rep.assigned to Veterans Affairs Committee

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Tuesday rescinded a Trump-era memo that established a “zero tolerance” enforcement policy for migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, which resulted in thousands of family separations.

Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson issued the new memo to federal prosecutors across the nation, saying the department would return to its longstanding previous policy and instructing prosecutors to act on the merits of individual cases.

“Consistent with this longstanding principle of making individualized assessments in criminal cases, I am rescinding — effective immediately — the policy directive,” Wilkinson wrote.

Wilkinson said the department’s principles have “long emphasized that decisions about bringing criminal charges should involve not only a determination that a federal offense has been committed and that the admissible evidence will probably be sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction, but should also take into account other individualized factors, including personal circumstances and criminal history, the seriousness of the offense, and the probable sentence or other consequences that would result from a conviction.”

The “zero tolerance” policy meant that any adult caught crossing the border illegally would be prosecuted for illegal entry. Because children cannot be jailed with their family members,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/63e7e47666914bf79eff7366e8eb411b">families were separated</a>&nbsp;and children were taken into custody by Health and Human Services, which manages unaccompanied children at the border.

While the rescinding of “zero tolerance” is in part symbolic, it undoes the Trump administration’s massively unpopular policy responsible for the separation of more than 5,500 children from their parents at the U.S-Mexico border. Most families have not been prosecuted under zero tolerance since 2018, when the separations were halted, though separations have continued on a smaller scale. Practically, the ending of the policy will affect mostly single men who have entered the country illegally. Prosecutions had dropped sharply after the Trump administration declared a pandemic-related health emergency that allows them to immediately expel Mexicans and many Central Americans without applying immigration laws.

“While policies may change, our mission always remains the same: to seek justice under the law,” Wilkinson wrote in the memo, which was obtained by The Associated Press.

President Joe Biden has issued an executive order to undo some of Trump’s restrictive policies, but the previous administration has so altered the immigration landscape that it will take quite a while to untangle all the major changes. Some of the parents separated from their children were deported. Advocates for the families have called on Biden to allow those families to reunite in the United States.

Then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, along with Trump and other top leaders in his administration, were bent on curbing immigration. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f11e70e3d8c7424d8c0a01ae41ca15a7">“zero tolerance” policy&nbsp;</a>was one of several increasingly restrictive policies aimed at discouraging migrants from coming to the Southern border. Trump’s administration also vastly reduced the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. and all but halted asylum at the border, through a combination of executive orders and regulation changes.

The policy was a disaster; there was no system created to reunite children with their families. A report from the Justice Department’s inspector general,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aclu-doj-zero-tolerance-policy-failure-b8e6e0a189f5752697335f51d57b1628">released earlier this month</a>, found that the policy led to a $227 million funding shortfall. Children suffered lasting emotional damage from the separations, and the policy was criticized as grossly inhumane by world leaders.

The policy began April 6, 2018, under an executive order that was issued without warning to other federal agencies that would have to manage the policy, including the U.S. Marshals Service and Health and Human Services. It was halted June 20, 2018. A federal judge ordered the families to be reunited.

The watchdog report also found that Sessions and other top officials knew the children would be separated under the policy and encouraged it. Justice officials ignored concerns from staff about the rollout and did not bother to set up a system to track families in order to reunite them. Some children are still separated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1565991611783.png" alt="Near McAllen, TX, migrants who crossed the Rio Grande surrender to U.S. Border Patrol agents near an area known as Rincon on June 5, 2019 From here, they are transported to a processing center. photo courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection" />
 <figcaption>Near McAllen, TX, migrants who crossed the Rio Grande surrender to U.S. Border Patrol agents near an area known as Rincon on June 5, 2019 From here, they are transported to a processing center. photo courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Tuesday rescinded a Trump-era memo that established a “zero tolerance” enforcement policy for migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, which resulted in thousands of family separations.Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson issued the new memo to federal prosecutors across the nation, saying the department would return to its longstanding previous policy and instructing prosecutors to act on the merits of individual cases.“Consistent with this longstanding principle of making individualized assessments in criminal cases, I am rescinding — effective immediately — the policy directive,” Wilkinson wrote.Wilkinson said the department’s principles have “long emphasized that decisions about bringing criminal charges should involve not only a determination that a federal offense has been committed and that the admissible evidence will probably be sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction, but should also take into account other individualized factors, including personal circumstances and criminal history, the seriousness of the offense, and the probable sentence or other consequences that would result from a conviction.”The “zero tolerance” policy meant that any adult caught crossing the border illegally would be prosecuted for illegal entry. Because children cannot be jailed with their family members,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/63e7e47666914bf79eff7366e8eb411b">families were separated</a>&nbsp;and children were taken into custody by Health and Human Services, which manages unaccompanied children at the border.While the rescinding of “zero tolerance” is in part symbolic, it undoes the Trump administration’s massively unpopular policy responsible for the separation of more than 5,500 children from their parents at the U.S-Mexico border. Most families have not been prosecuted under zero tolerance since 2018, when the separations were halted, though separations have continued on a smaller scale. Practically, the ending of the policy will affect mostly single men who have entered the country illegally. Prosecutions had dropped sharply after the Trump administration declared a pandemic-related health emergency that allows them to immediately expel Mexicans and many Central Americans without applying immigration laws.“While policies may change, our mission always remains the same: to seek justice under the law,” Wilkinson wrote in the memo, which was obtained by The Associated Press.President Joe Biden has issued an executive order to undo some of Trump’s restrictive policies, but the previous administration has so altered the immigration landscape that it will take quite a while to untangle all the major changes. Some of the parents separated from their children were deported. Advocates for the families have called on Biden to allow those families to reunite in the United States.Then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, along with Trump and other top leaders in his administration, were bent on curbing immigration. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f11e70e3d8c7424d8c0a01ae41ca15a7">“zero tolerance” policy&nbsp;</a>was one of several increasingly restrictive policies aimed at discouraging migrants from coming to the Southern border. Trump’s administration also vastly reduced the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. and all but halted asylum at the border, through a combination of executive orders and regulation changes.The policy was a disaster; there was no system created to reunite children with their families. A report from the Justice Department’s inspector general,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aclu-doj-zero-tolerance-policy-failure-b8e6e0a189f5752697335f51d57b1628">released earlier this month</a>, found that the policy led to a $227 million funding shortfall. Children suffered lasting emotional damage from the separations, and the policy was criticized as grossly inhumane by world leaders.The policy began April 6, 2018, under an executive order that was issued without warning to other federal agencies that would have to manage the policy, including the U.S. Marshals Service and Health and Human Services. It was halted June 20, 2018. A federal judge ordered the families to be reunited.The watchdog report also found that Sessions and other top officials knew the children would be separated under the policy and encouraged it. Justice officials ignored concerns from staff about the rollout and did not bother to set up a system to track families in order to reunite them. Some children are still separated.

DOJ rescinds ‘zero tolerance’ immigration rule

KANSAS CITY— A former captain in the Kansas City Fire Department was sentenced in federal court Monday for illegally selling dozens of firearms over a five-year period, and to selling firearms to convicted felons, according to the United State's Attorney.

James Samuels, 55, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to six years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Samuels to pay a fine of $11,282, which is the amount of cash seized by law enforcement officers at the time of his arrest.

On Aug. 31, 2020, Samuels pleaded guilty to seven counts of a federal indictment, including one count of conspiracy to make false statements during the purchase of firearms, one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, four counts of selling firearms and ammunition to persons prohibited by law from possessing them, and one count of possessing an unregistered firearm. Samuels has been in federal custody without bond since his arrest on Oct. 4, 2018.

Samuels admitted that he purchased 77 firearms from November 2013 to August 2018. Of those 77 firearms, 57 were Jimenez pistols. Samuels transferred 47 of those 77 firearms to third parties (including 43 Jimenez pistols). During this time, Samuels was not a licensed dealer of firearms.

Samuels also admitted that 10 to 20 of those firearms were sold to persons who were forbidden by law from possessing them. Samuels bought the firearms at a low price and sold them for a $40 to $50 profit.

Samuels conspired with others to make false statements to federally licensed firearms dealers by misrepresenting the identity of the actual buyer of firearms. Samuels purchased firearms then transferred ownership to another person, who later reported the firearms had been stolen.

Samuels was arrested on Oct. 4, 2018, following an undercover operation in which he sold an Armscor of the Philippines .38-caliber revolver to a confidential informant whom he knew to be a felon. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Samuels’s residence the same day and seized 28 firearms (including 22 handguns, five rifles and one shotgun). Among the firearms seized was a Glock .40-caliber pistol with a TAC Isran GLR 440 stock installed, which was not registered to Samuels, and a Colt .45-caliber pistol, which had been reported stolen. In addition to the firearms, officers seized approximately 12,000 rounds of assorted ammunition, as well as firearm parts and accessories.

The Oct. 4, 2018, transaction is one of four instances cited in Samuels’s plea agreement in which the same confidential informant, whom Samuels knew was a felon and thus prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, purchased a firearm and ammunition from Samuels. In each of those four instances, Samuels accompanied the confidential informant and an undercover federal agent to a licensed firearms dealer, where the undercover agent completed the paperwork for the straw purchase of the firearm on behalf of the confidential informant. In each instance, the straw purchase was at the direction of Samuels.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582215629955.png" alt="Former Kansas City Fire Captain James Samuels (L) admitted&nbsp; illegally buying and selling guns. One was used in a 2016 murder. Photo shows Samuels during a recognition event courtesy Greater Kansas City Firefighter's Assn.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Former Kansas City Fire Captain James Samuels (L) admitted&nbsp; illegally buying and selling guns. One was used in a 2016 murder. Photo shows Samuels during a recognition event courtesy Greater Kansas City Firefighter's Assn.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— A former captain in the Kansas City Fire Department was sentenced in federal court Monday for illegally selling dozens of firearms over a five-year period, and to selling firearms to convicted felons, according to the United State's Attorney.James Samuels, 55, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to six years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Samuels to pay a fine of $11,282, which is the amount of cash seized by law enforcement officers at the time of his arrest.On Aug. 31, 2020, Samuels pleaded guilty to seven counts of a federal indictment, including one count of conspiracy to make false statements during the purchase of firearms, one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, four counts of selling firearms and ammunition to persons prohibited by law from possessing them, and one count of possessing an unregistered firearm. Samuels has been in federal custody without bond since his arrest on Oct. 4, 2018.Samuels admitted that he purchased 77 firearms from November 2013 to August 2018. Of those 77 firearms, 57 were Jimenez pistols. Samuels transferred 47 of those 77 firearms to third parties (including 43 Jimenez pistols). During this time, Samuels was not a licensed dealer of firearms.Samuels also admitted that 10 to 20 of those firearms were sold to persons who were forbidden by law from possessing them. Samuels bought the firearms at a low price and sold them for a $40 to $50 profit.Samuels conspired with others to make false statements to federally licensed firearms dealers by misrepresenting the identity of the actual buyer of firearms. Samuels purchased firearms then transferred ownership to another person, who later reported the firearms had been stolen.Samuels was arrested on Oct. 4, 2018, following an undercover operation in which he sold an Armscor of the Philippines .38-caliber revolver to a confidential informant whom he knew to be a felon. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Samuels’s residence the same day and seized 28 firearms (including 22 handguns, five rifles and one shotgun). Among the firearms seized was a Glock .40-caliber pistol with a TAC Isran GLR 440 stock installed, which was not registered to Samuels, and a Colt .45-caliber pistol, which had been reported stolen. In addition to the firearms, officers seized approximately 12,000 rounds of assorted ammunition, as well as firearm parts and accessories.The Oct. 4, 2018, transaction is one of four instances cited in Samuels’s plea agreement in which the same confidential informant, whom Samuels knew was a felon and thus prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, purchased a firearm and ammunition from Samuels. In each of those four instances, Samuels accompanied the confidential informant and an undercover federal agent to a licensed firearms dealer, where the undercover agent completed the paperwork for the straw purchase of the firearm on behalf of the confidential informant. In each instance, the straw purchase was at the direction of Samuels.

Former KC fire captain sentenced for selling guns to felons

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a traffic stop.

Just after 4p.m. Jan. 24,&nbsp;a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a silver Mazda in the 4800 block of SE US 40 Highway, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. 

During the investigation, a K9 unit was deployed and narcotics were located. Deputies arrested the passenger identified as&nbsp; William L. Jamerson Jr., 45, of Topeka, and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

The driver, Alisha D. Swiger, 34, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on a warrant out of Shawnee County, according to Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611601091047.png" alt="Swiger photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Swiger photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just after 4p.m. Jan. 24,&nbsp;a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a silver Mazda in the 4800 block of SE US 40 Highway, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611601058391.png" alt="Jamerson-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Jamerson-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>During the investigation, a K9 unit was deployed and narcotics were located. Deputies arrested the passenger identified as&nbsp; William L. Jamerson Jr., 45, of Topeka, and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. The driver, Alisha D. Swiger, 34, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on a warrant out of Shawnee County, according to Christian.

Sheriff's K9 helps Kan. deputies make drug arrest

KANSAS CITY—Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, officials with the Chiefs and the Kansas City Sports Commission issued a joint statement Monday confirming there would be no parade if the Chiefs win the Super Bowl. Last year's parade drew hundreds of thousands of red-clad fans.

“We hope that this journey ends with a victory in Tampa and if that’s the case, we will continue to work with the experts to celebrate safely when the time is appropriate,” Chiefs president Mark Donovan said in a statement.

A county near Kansas City is offering to host a parade even though the team says it doesn’t plan to have one. Cass County commissioners said in a statement that they are “proud members of Chiefs Kingdom” and offered to host the celebration. Not everyone thought this was a good idea.

Email messages left with the Cass County commission on Tuesday were not immediately returned.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580929297396.jpeg" alt="The February 2020 Chiefs Super Bowl Parade" />
 <figcaption>The February 2020 Chiefs Super Bowl Parade</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, officials with the Chiefs and the Kansas City Sports Commission issued a joint statement Monday confirming there would be no parade if the Chiefs win the Super Bowl. Last year's parade drew hundreds of thousands of red-clad fans.“We hope that this journey ends with a victory in Tampa and if that’s the case, we will continue to work with the experts to celebrate safely when the time is appropriate,” Chiefs president Mark Donovan said in a statement.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My coworkers and I are tired of putting bodies in bags, but yeah go off Cass County. <a href="https://t.co/3PRpELBFMI">pic.twitter.com/3PRpELBFMI</a>&mdash; Kayti Vernier (@KaytiVernier) <a href="https://twitter.com/KaytiVernier/status/1353439234703683584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A county near Kansas City is offering to host a parade even though the team says it doesn’t plan to have one. Cass County commissioners said in a statement that they are “proud members of Chiefs Kingdom” and offered to host the celebration. Not everyone thought this was a good idea.Email messages left with the Cass County commission on Tuesday were not immediately returned.

COVID-19 prompts debate over Super Bowl parade for Chiefs

RENO COUNTY&nbsp;— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing and have a suspect in custody.

&nbsp;Timothy Peters, 56, Hutchinson, went to a residence at 20 E. 15th Street where he is accused of breaking down a door and confronting a man and woman, according to a media release.

One of the victims identified as Demetrius Burgess got into a physical altercation with Peters. The fight spilled out into the front yard when Peters pulled a knife and stabbed Burgess in the stomach, according to the police.

EMS transported Burgess to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment. Police arrested Peters on requested charges of&nbsp;aggravated battery and criminal damage to property. He is being held on a bond of $10,000.

Peters had been on community corrections since October 2019 following four or more DUI convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611683427022.png" alt="Peters has several previous convictions for DUI, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Peters has several previous convictions for DUI, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY&nbsp;— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing and have a suspect in custody.&nbsp;Timothy Peters, 56, Hutchinson, went to a residence at 20 E. 15th Street where he is accused of breaking down a door and confronting a man and woman, according to a media release.One of the victims identified as Demetrius Burgess got into a physical altercation with Peters. The fight spilled out into the front yard when Peters pulled a knife and stabbed Burgess in the stomach, according to the police.EMS transported Burgess to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment. Police arrested Peters on requested charges of&nbsp;aggravated battery and criminal damage to property. He is being held on a bond of $10,000.Peters had been on community corrections since October 2019 following four or more DUI convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kansas man back in jail after alleged stabbing

WASHINGTON— (AP) President Joe Biden on Tuesday ordered the Department of Justice to end its reliance on private prisons and acknowledge the central role government has played in implementing discriminatory housing policies.

In remarks before signing the order, Biden said the U.S. government needs to change “its whole approach” on the issue of racial equity. He added that the nation is less prosperous and secure because of the scourge of systemic racism.

“We must change now,” the president said. “I know it’s going to take time, but I know we can do it. And I firmly believe the nation is ready to change. But government has to change as well.”

Biden rose to the presidency during a year of intense reckoning on institutional racism in the U.S. The moves announced on Tuesday reflect his efforts to follow through with campaign pledges to combat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/racial-injustice">racial injustice.</a>

Beyond calling on the Justice Department to curb the use of private prisons and address housing discrimination, the new orders will recommit the federal government to respect tribal sovereignty and disavow discrimination against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community over the coronavirus pandemic.

Biden directed the Department of Housing and Urban Development in a memorandum to take steps to promote equitable housing policy. The memorandum calls for HUD to examine the effects of Trump regulatory actions that may have undermined fair housing policies and laws.

Months before the November election, the Trump administration rolled back an Obama-era rule that required communities that wanted to receive HUD funding to document and report patterns of racial bias.

The order to end the reliance on privately-run prisons directs the attorney general not to renew Justice Department contracts with privately operated criminal detention facilities. The move will effectively revert the Justice Department to the same posture it held at the end of the Obama administration.

“This is a first step to stop corporations from profiting off of incarceration,” Biden said.

The more than 14,000 federal inmates housed at privately-managed facilities represent a fraction of the nearly 152,000 federal inmates currently incarcerated.

The federal Bureau of Prisons had already opted not to renew some private prison contracts in recent months as the number of inmates dwindled and thousands were released to home confinement because of the coronavirus pandemic.

GEO Group, a private company that operates federal prisons, called the Biden order “a solution in search of a problem. ”

“Given the steps the BOP had already announced, today’s Executive Order merely represents a political statement, which could carry serious negative unintended consequences, including the loss of hundreds of jobs and negative economic impact for the communities where our facilities are located, which are already struggling economically due to the COVID pandemic,” a GEO Group spokesperson said in a statement.

David Fathi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s National Prison Project, noted that the order does not end the federal government’s reliance on privately-run immigration detention centers.

“The order signed today is an important first step toward acknowledging the harm that has been caused and taking actions to repair it, but President Biden has an obligation to do more, especially given his history and promises,” Fathi said.

The memorandum highlighting xenophobia against Asian Americans is in large part a reaction to what White House officials say was offensive and dangerous rhetoric from the Trump administration. Trump, throughout the pandemic, repeatedly used&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a7c233f0b3bcdb72c06cca6271ba6713">xenophobic language</a>&nbsp;in public comments when referring to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611700794973.png" alt="President Biden sees addressing equity issues as also good for the nation’s bottom line. -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden sees addressing equity issues as also good for the nation’s bottom line. -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON— (AP) President Joe Biden on Tuesday ordered the Department of Justice to end its reliance on private prisons and acknowledge the central role government has played in implementing discriminatory housing policies.In remarks before signing the order, Biden said the U.S. government needs to change “its whole approach” on the issue of racial equity. He added that the nation is less prosperous and secure because of the scourge of systemic racism.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611700891419.png" alt="Image Courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>“We must change now,” the president said. “I know it’s going to take time, but I know we can do it. And I firmly believe the nation is ready to change. But government has to change as well.”Biden rose to the presidency during a year of intense reckoning on institutional racism in the U.S. The moves announced on Tuesday reflect his efforts to follow through with campaign pledges to combat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/racial-injustice">racial injustice.</a>Beyond calling on the Justice Department to curb the use of private prisons and address housing discrimination, the new orders will recommit the federal government to respect tribal sovereignty and disavow discrimination against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community over the coronavirus pandemic.Biden directed the Department of Housing and Urban Development in a memorandum to take steps to promote equitable housing policy. The memorandum calls for HUD to examine the effects of Trump regulatory actions that may have undermined fair housing policies and laws.Months before the November election, the Trump administration rolled back an Obama-era rule that required communities that wanted to receive HUD funding to document and report patterns of racial bias.The order to end the reliance on privately-run prisons directs the attorney general not to renew Justice Department contracts with privately operated criminal detention facilities. The move will effectively revert the Justice Department to the same posture it held at the end of the Obama administration.“This is a first step to stop corporations from profiting off of incarceration,” Biden said.The more than 14,000 federal inmates housed at privately-managed facilities represent a fraction of the nearly 152,000 federal inmates currently incarcerated.The federal Bureau of Prisons had already opted not to renew some private prison contracts in recent months as the number of inmates dwindled and thousands were released to home confinement because of the coronavirus pandemic.GEO Group, a private company that operates federal prisons, called the Biden order “a solution in search of a problem. ”“Given the steps the BOP had already announced, today’s Executive Order merely represents a political statement, which could carry serious negative unintended consequences, including the loss of hundreds of jobs and negative economic impact for the communities where our facilities are located, which are already struggling economically due to the COVID pandemic,” a GEO Group spokesperson said in a statement.David Fathi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s National Prison Project, noted that the order does not end the federal government’s reliance on privately-run immigration detention centers.“The order signed today is an important first step toward acknowledging the harm that has been caused and taking actions to repair it, but President Biden has an obligation to do more, especially given his history and promises,” Fathi said.The memorandum highlighting xenophobia against Asian Americans is in large part a reaction to what White House officials say was offensive and dangerous rhetoric from the Trump administration. Trump, throughout the pandemic, repeatedly used&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a7c233f0b3bcdb72c06cca6271ba6713">xenophobic language</a>&nbsp;in public comments when referring to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus</a>.This memorandum will direct Health and Human Services officials to consider issuing guidance describing best practices to advance cultural competency and sensitivity toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the federal government’s COVID-19 response. It also directs the Department of Justice to partner with AAPI communities to prevent hate crimes and harassment.The latest executive actions come after Biden signed an order Monday reversing a Trump-era Pentagon policy that largely barred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-reverse-ban-transgender-military-f0ace4f9866e0ca0df021eba75b3af20">transgender people</a>&nbsp;from serving in the military. Last week, he signed an order reversing Trump’s ban on travelers from several predominantly Muslim and African countries.Biden last week also directed law enforcement and intelligence officials in his administration to study the threat of domestic violent extremism in the United States, an undertaking launched weeks after a mob of insurgents loyal to Trump, including some connected to white supremacist groups, stormed the U.S. Capitol.White House domestic policy adviser Susan Rice said Biden sees addressing equity issues as also good for the nation’s bottom line. She cited a Citigroup study from last year that U.S. gross domestic product lost $16 trillion over the last 20 years as a result of discriminatory practices in a range of areas, including in education and access to business loans. The same study finds the U.S. economy would be boosted by $5 trillion over the next five years if it addressed issues of discrimination in areas such as education and access to business loans.“Building a more equitable economy is essential if Americans are going to compete and thrive in the 21st century,” Rice added.Biden’s victory over Trump in several battleground states, including Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, was fueled by strong Black voter turnout.Throughout his campaign and transition, Biden promised that his administration would keep issues of equity — as well as climate change, another issue he views as an existential crisis — in the shaping of all policy considerations.Biden, who followed through on early promise to pick a woman to serve as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-vice-president-f86d6be83bf83fe9b823ae7e21f94796">vice president</a>, has also sought to spotlight the diversity of his Cabinet selections.On Monday, the Senate confirmed Biden’s pick for treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, who is the first woman to lead the department. Last week, the Senate confirmed Lloyd Austin as the nation’s first Black defense secretary.___