WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Internal Revenue Service today urged any taxpayer, now finishing up their 2021 tax return, to use the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a> to make sure they're having the right amount of tax taken out of their pay during 2022.

This <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/tools">online tool</a>
 offers workers, self-employed individuals and retirees who have wage 
income a user-friendly resource for effectively tailoring the amount of 
income tax withheld from wages.

2021 refund too big? Too small? Surprise tax bill? If any of these 
apply, the Tax Withholding Estimator can help anyone make sure it 
doesn't happen again by having the right amount of taxes taken out for 
2022.

For employees, withholding is the amount of federal income tax taken 
out of their paycheck. Taxpayers can use the results from the Tax 
Withholding Estimator to determine if they should complete a new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">Form W-4</a> and submit it to their employer. For example, checking withholding can:

The IRS recommends checking withholding at least once a year. For 
anyone who has just finished filling out their 2021 return, now is a 
particularly good time to do it. It's also a good idea to use this tool 
right after a major life change, such as marriage, divorce, home 
purchase or the birth or adoption of a child.

The Tax Withholding Estimator's results are only as accurate as the 
information entered. To help prepare, the IRS recommends that taxpayers 
gather:

While the Tax Withholding Estimator works for most taxpayers, 
people with more complex tax situations should instead use the 
instructions in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-505">Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax</a>.
 This includes taxpayers who owe alternative minimum tax or certain 
other taxes, and people with long-term capital gains or qualified 
dividends.

The IRS urges anyone still working on their 2021 return to make sure 
they have all their year-end statements in hand before filing. Besides 
all W-2s and 1099s, this includes two new letters issued by the IRS.

People who received advance payments of the Child Tax Credit will 
need to reconcile, or compare, the total received in advance with the 
amount they're eligible to claim. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-letter-6419">Letter 6419</a> shows their total advance Child Tax Credit payments to help taxpayers reconcile and receive the full amount of the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-h-reconciling-your-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-on-your-2021-tax-return">2021 Child Tax Credit</a>.

While most eligible people already received their stimulus payments, 
people who are missing a third stimulus payment or got less than the 
full amount may be eligible to claim a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> on their 2021 federal tax return. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-letter-6475">Letter 6475</a> shows their total third round of Economic Impact Payments.

Alternatively, anyone can securely sign in to their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a> to access information on their advance Child Tax Credit payments and Economic Impact Payments.

Taxpayers should also <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">e-file</a> and choose <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a> to avoid processing delays and help with faster delivery of their refund.

For most Americans, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/what-is-the-due-date-of-my-federal-tax-return-or-am-i-eligible-to-request-an-extension">tax-filing deadline</a>
 is April 18, 2022. For residents of Maine and Massachusetts, the 
deadline is April 19, 2022. Americans who live and work abroad have 
until June 15, 2022. Those who need more time to file can get an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return">automatic extension</a> to file until Oct. 17, 2022. These extensions don't change the April 18 payment deadline. It is not an extension to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">pay</a>. More information is available at IRS.gov.

Then, after they file, taxpayers can use the Tax Withholding Estimator to help them update their withholding for 2022.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Internal Revenue Service today urged any taxpayer, now finishing up their 2021 tax return, to use the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a> to make sure they're having the right amount of tax taken out of their pay during 2022.This <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/tools">online tool</a>
 offers workers, self-employed individuals and retirees who have wage 
income a user-friendly resource for effectively tailoring the amount of 
income tax withheld from wages.2021 refund too big? Too small? Surprise tax bill? If any of these 
apply, the Tax Withholding Estimator can help anyone make sure it 
doesn't happen again by having the right amount of taxes taken out for 
2022.<h2>Benefits of using the Estimator</h2>For employees, withholding is the amount of federal income tax taken 
out of their paycheck. Taxpayers can use the results from the Tax 
Withholding Estimator to determine if they should complete a new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">Form W-4</a> and submit it to their employer. For example, checking withholding can:<ul>
 <li>Ensure the right amount of tax is withheld and prevent an unexpected tax bill or penalty at tax time and</li><li>Determine whether to have less tax withheld up front, thereby boosting take-home pay and reducing any refund at tax time.</li>
 </ul><h2>When should taxpayers use this tool?</h2>The IRS recommends checking withholding at least once a year. For 
anyone who has just finished filling out their 2021 return, now is a 
particularly good time to do it. It's also a good idea to use this tool 
right after a major life change, such as marriage, divorce, home 
purchase or the birth or adoption of a child.<h2>What records are needed?</h2>The Tax Withholding Estimator's results are only as accurate as the 
information entered. To help prepare, the IRS recommends that taxpayers 
gather:<ul>
 <li>Their most recent pay statements and if married, for their spouse,</li><li>Information for other sources of income and</li><li>Their most recent income tax return, 2021, if possible.</li>
 </ul>While the Tax Withholding Estimator works for most taxpayers, 
people with more complex tax situations should instead use the 
instructions in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-505">Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax</a>.
 This includes taxpayers who owe alternative minimum tax or certain 
other taxes, and people with long-term capital gains or qualified 
dividends.<h2>Still working on a 2021 return?</h2>The IRS urges anyone still working on their 2021 return to make sure 
they have all their year-end statements in hand before filing. Besides 
all W-2s and 1099s, this includes two new letters issued by the IRS.People who received advance payments of the Child Tax Credit will 
need to reconcile, or compare, the total received in advance with the 
amount they're eligible to claim. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-letter-6419">Letter 6419</a> shows their total advance Child Tax Credit payments to help taxpayers reconcile and receive the full amount of the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-h-reconciling-your-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-on-your-2021-tax-return">2021 Child Tax Credit</a>.While most eligible people already received their stimulus payments, 
people who are missing a third stimulus payment or got less than the 
full amount may be eligible to claim a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> on their 2021 federal tax return. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-letter-6475">Letter 6475</a> shows their total third round of Economic Impact Payments.Alternatively, anyone can securely sign in to their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a> to access information on their advance Child Tax Credit payments and Economic Impact Payments.Taxpayers should also <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">e-file</a> and choose <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a> to avoid processing delays and help with faster delivery of their refund.For most Americans, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/what-is-the-due-date-of-my-federal-tax-return-or-am-i-eligible-to-request-an-extension">tax-filing deadline</a>
 is April 18, 2022. For residents of Maine and Massachusetts, the 
deadline is April 19, 2022. Americans who live and work abroad have 
until June 15, 2022. Those who need more time to file can get an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return">automatic extension</a> to file until Oct. 17, 2022. These extensions don't change the April 18 payment deadline. It is not an extension to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">pay</a>. More information is available at IRS.gov.Then, after they file, taxpayers can use the Tax Withholding Estimator to help them update their withholding for 2022.<h2>Additional information</h2><ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator-faqs">Tax Withholding Estimator FAQs</a></li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/paycheck-checkup">Paycheck Checkup</a></li>
 </ul>

IRS calculator helps ensure 2022 tax withholding correct

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A shooting at a house party early Wednesday in Kansas City left one person dead and two others injured, police said, capping a violent 24 hours in the city that saw four people killed in separate incidents.

Officers who were in the Ivanhoe Northeast neighborhood around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday to investigate a car crash heard several gunshots coming from a home nearby, police said in a news release.

The officers found three victims at the home. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, and another person was taken to a hospital in critical condition. A third person suffered minor injuries and declined medical treatment. Police did not release the names of those killed and hurt and were seeking suspects, as well as potential witnesses who fled the scene to protect their own safety.

The death marked the fourth homicide in Kansas City in a 24-hour period, including the stabbing death Tuesday of a middle school student at his school. Police were also investigating the separate shooting deaths of a woman outside an apartment complex and a man inside a vehicle in a store parking lot.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649868769831.png" alt="Officers who were in the Ivanhoe Northeast neighborhood around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday to investigate a car crash heard several gunshots coming from a home nearby-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Officers who were in the Ivanhoe Northeast neighborhood around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday to investigate a car crash heard several gunshots coming from a home nearby-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A shooting at a house party early Wednesday in Kansas City left one person dead and two others injured, police said, capping a violent 24 hours in the city that saw four people killed in separate incidents.Officers who were in the Ivanhoe Northeast neighborhood around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday to investigate a car crash heard several gunshots coming from a home nearby, police said in a news release.The officers found three victims at the home. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, and another person was taken to a hospital in critical condition. A third person suffered minor injuries and declined medical treatment. Police did not release the names of those killed and hurt and were seeking suspects, as well as potential witnesses who fled the scene to protect their own safety.The death marked the fourth homicide in Kansas City in a 24-hour period, including the stabbing death Tuesday of a middle school student at his school. Police were also investigating the separate shooting deaths of a woman outside an apartment complex and a man inside a vehicle in a store parking lot.

Police: 4 killed in Kansas City in violent 24-hours

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/04/12/nebraska-legislative-bill-to-require-computer-technology-classwork-for-graduation/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 — In Arkansas, enrollment in technology-related college courses 
increased 10-fold after the state passed a requirement that school kids 
pass computer-related classes.&nbsp;

“Now, they have companies moving there because they have skilled workers,” said Mike Cassling, the CEO of an Omaha health care tech firm.

Cassling
 was among advocates for an increase in computer technology courses who 
hailed the final approval Tuesday of a bill that will, by 2026-27, 
require that graduates of Nebraska high schools pass at least one 
five-credit-hour course in computer science or technology.

Cassling, the CEO of CQuence Health Group,
 heads the Nebraska Tech Collaborative, a coalition of 100 of the 
state’s top employers, educators and philanthropists pushing for 
improved tech training.

He
 said Nebraska currently has a workforce “crisis” — a shortage of 4,000 
workers in the tech sector, a shortage that is predicted to rise to 
10,000 within four years.

It’s
 not just computer programmers, but also cybersecurity workers, skilled 
employees who can run automated manufacturing systems and manage 
high-tech agricultural operations.

“If we don’t fix this problem, businesses will be looking to move their offices,” Cassling said.

On Tuesday, state senators gave 33-11 final approval to Legislative Bill 1112, the Computer Science and Technology Act.

The
 bill, co-sponsored by Sens. Terrell McKinney of Omaha and Julie Slama 
of Sterling, gives schools until the 2024-25 school year to incorporate 
computer science and technology classes into their K-12 curriculum, in 
consultation with the Nebraska Department of Education.&nbsp;

The
 measure, which was patterned after a similar law passed in Arkansas in 
2015, ran into some last-minute opposition from rural senators. They 
argued that smaller schools will face difficulty in adding another 
“unfunded mandate” and that it could block some students from 
graduating.

“I don’t think we should make it more difficult for kids to graduate from high school,” said Columbus Sen. Mike Moser.

Venango
 Sen. Dan Hughes claimed the bill was inspired by one company and one 
lobbyist, which he said was not the way to develop school curriculum.

But
 supporters of LB 1112, including McKinney, rejected that charge. They 
said the bill was inspired by an overall concern about preparing kids 
for the jobs of the 21st century.

“We
 should be preparing our kids for the future. If we don’t, we won’t be 
able to attract businesses to the state,” McKinney said.

Norfolk
 Sen. Mike Flood said automation is coming to Nebraska that promises, by
 2030, to eliminate many of the low-skilled, low-wage jobs that now 
exist in rural areas.&nbsp;

Employment
 at a pork processing plant in his district could be cut by two-thirds, 
he said, and the giant Nucor steel plant near Norfolk is already 
employing about half of the workforce it had in the 1970s due to 
automation.

“We are sitting ducks in Nebraska,” Flood said. “I actually think this is a workforce emergency.”

&nbsp;“Everything is changing,” he added. “This bill is necessary.”

Added Elkhorn Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, “You’re not going to be successful in the future if you’re not going to have these skills.”&nbsp;

McKinney
 as well as Fremont Sen. Lynne Walz, who chairs the Legislature’s 
Education Committee, pledged to work over the summer with small school 
districts and the state Education Department to ensure that adding 
computer education requirements won’t overburden small schools.

LB
 1112 provides that the new tech courses could be taught online, but 
Cassling said some training will be necessary for teachers. He added 
that some schools are already offering such courses, but most are not, 
and said it’s important to provide the right courses.

In
 Arkansas, besides increasing interest in tech careers overall, Cassling
 said the requirement caused a 50-fold increase in the number of females
 and students of color who enrolled in technical courses.&nbsp;

Unlike medical or law school, he added, tech education doesn’t require expensive tuition payments or large student loans.

LB
 1112 now heads to Gov. Pete Ricketts for his signature. Cassling said 
the governor has spoken in favor of the bill in the past.&nbsp;

Overall,
 Cassling said, it’s been a good year for those promoting computer 
technology training. As part of the state budget, an additional $20 
million will be invested in internship programs, including those in tech
 companies. The Nebraska Tech Collaborative is raising $5 million in 
matching funds for the paid internships.

“Everything
 we do anymore is related to technology, whether it’s your Iphone or 
whatever,” Cassling said. “We need kids to understand that and build up 
their skills.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649875635220.jpg" alt="Passage of a computer technology class would be required for Nebraska high school students to graduate under a bill given final approval on Tuesday. Pixabay photo" />
 <figcaption>Passage of a computer technology class would be required for Nebraska high school students to graduate under a bill given final approval on Tuesday. Pixabay photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/04/12/nebraska-legislative-bill-to-require-computer-technology-classwork-for-graduation/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — In Arkansas, enrollment in technology-related college courses 
increased 10-fold after the state passed a requirement that school kids 
pass computer-related classes.&nbsp;“Now, they have companies moving there because they have skilled workers,” said Mike Cassling, the CEO of an Omaha health care tech firm.Cassling
 was among advocates for an increase in computer technology courses who 
hailed the final approval Tuesday of a bill that will, by 2026-27, 
require that graduates of Nebraska high schools pass at least one 
five-credit-hour course in computer science or technology.<h2>Shortage of tech workers</h2>Cassling, the CEO of CQuence Health Group,
 heads the Nebraska Tech Collaborative, a coalition of 100 of the 
state’s top employers, educators and philanthropists pushing for 
improved tech training.He
 said Nebraska currently has a workforce “crisis” — a shortage of 4,000 
workers in the tech sector, a shortage that is predicted to rise to 
10,000 within four years.It’s
 not just computer programmers, but also cybersecurity workers, skilled 
employees who can run automated manufacturing systems and manage 
high-tech agricultural operations.“If we don’t fix this problem, businesses will be looking to move their offices,” Cassling said.On Tuesday, state senators gave 33-11 final approval to Legislative Bill 1112, the Computer Science and Technology Act.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646235303360.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha (Courtesy of Craig Chandler, University Communication)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha (Courtesy of Craig Chandler, University Communication)</figcaption>
 </figure>The
 bill, co-sponsored by Sens. Terrell McKinney of Omaha and Julie Slama 
of Sterling, gives schools until the 2024-25 school year to incorporate 
computer science and technology classes into their K-12 curriculum, in 
consultation with the Nebraska Department of Education.&nbsp;<h2>Rural senators object</h2>The
 measure, which was patterned after a similar law passed in Arkansas in 
2015, ran into some last-minute opposition from rural senators. They 
argued that smaller schools will face difficulty in adding another 
“unfunded mandate” and that it could block some students from 
graduating.“I don’t think we should make it more difficult for kids to graduate from high school,” said Columbus Sen. Mike Moser.Venango
 Sen. Dan Hughes claimed the bill was inspired by one company and one 
lobbyist, which he said was not the way to develop school curriculum.But
 supporters of LB 1112, including McKinney, rejected that charge. They 
said the bill was inspired by an overall concern about preparing kids 
for the jobs of the 21st century.“We
 should be preparing our kids for the future. If we don’t, we won’t be 
able to attract businesses to the state,” McKinney said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649875722746.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Mike Flood (Craig Chandler/University Communications)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Mike Flood (Craig Chandler/University Communications)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Automation coming</h2>Norfolk
 Sen. Mike Flood said automation is coming to Nebraska that promises, by
 2030, to eliminate many of the low-skilled, low-wage jobs that now 
exist in rural areas.&nbsp;Employment
 at a pork processing plant in his district could be cut by two-thirds, 
he said, and the giant Nucor steel plant near Norfolk is already 
employing about half of the workforce it had in the 1970s due to 
automation.“We are sitting ducks in Nebraska,” Flood said. “I actually think this is a workforce emergency.”&nbsp;“Everything is changing,” he added. “This bill is necessary.”Added Elkhorn Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, “You’re not going to be successful in the future if you’re not going to have these skills.”&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649875764026.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Lynn Walz of Fremont (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Lynn Walz of Fremont (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>McKinney
 as well as Fremont Sen. Lynne Walz, who chairs the Legislature’s 
Education Committee, pledged to work over the summer with small school 
districts and the state Education Department to ensure that adding 
computer education requirements won’t overburden small schools.LB
 1112 provides that the new tech courses could be taught online, but 
Cassling said some training will be necessary for teachers. He added 
that some schools are already offering such courses, but most are not, 
and said it’s important to provide the right courses.<h2>No expensive tuition</h2>In
 Arkansas, besides increasing interest in tech careers overall, Cassling
 said the requirement caused a 50-fold increase in the number of females
 and students of color who enrolled in technical courses.&nbsp;Unlike medical or law school, he added, tech education doesn’t require expensive tuition payments or large student loans.LB
 1112 now heads to Gov. Pete Ricketts for his signature. Cassling said 
the governor has spoken in favor of the bill in the past.&nbsp;Overall,
 Cassling said, it’s been a good year for those promoting computer 
technology training. As part of the state budget, an additional $20 
million will be invested in internship programs, including those in tech
 companies. The Nebraska Tech Collaborative is raising $5 million in 
matching funds for the paid internships.“Everything
 we do anymore is related to technology, whether it’s your Iphone or 
whatever,” Cassling said. “We need kids to understand that and build up 
their skills.”

Neb. bill requires computer technology classwork for graduation

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/04/13/ricketts-signs-historic-tax-cut-bill-into-law-credits-teamwork/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 — Gov. Pete Ricketts took a victory lap Wednesday with supporters as he
 signed into law a comprehensive tax cut bill that is projected to 
provide $948 million in tax breaks a year by 2028.

During
 a ceremony in the State Capitol Rotunda, Ricketts said Legislative Bill
 873 would add up to $3.4 billion in cumulative tax relief by 2027.

The
 Republican governor said that the yearly impact from the bill would be 
12 times greater than any previous tax-cut bill passed by the 
Legislature.

“It
 takes a lot of folks to get a historic bill like this over the finish 
line,” he said, as 25 state senators, along with legislative staffers 
and representatives of major business and farm groups looked on.

Critics
 of LB 873 have raised doubts about whether it reduced state revenues 
too deeply at a time when tax receipts have been propped up by billions 
in federal aid to combat the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 
OpenSky Policy Institute said the state may be forced to cut spending on
 education and roads in the end.

Opponents,
 led by State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, said the tax cuts primarily 
benefited wealthy Nebraskans and out-of-state corporations and granted 
no income tax breaks for couples earning less than about $60,000 a year.

But
 critics of the bill were nowhere to be found at Wednesday’s ceremony, 
in which the governor handed out ceremonial copies of LB 873 to 
representatives of several groups that backed the bill. Those included 
the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Nebraska Farm Bureau,
 Union Pacific Railroad and the AARP.&nbsp;

Officials
 with those groups described LB 873 as “landmark,” “historic” and “truly
 large,” and they pledged that the measure would make Nebraska more 
competitive with its neighboring states in tax rates and in attracting 
businesses and workers.

“We’re
 not 34th out of 50 any longer,” said Bryan Slone, president of the 
State Chamber, referring to the state’s ranking in “business tax 
climate” by the Tax Foundation.

The
 foundation actually ranked Nebraska 35th among the states in its most 
recent ratings in December. The group gave the Cornhusker State its 
worst ranking in property taxes, 40th, while placing the state 29th in the country for individual income taxes and 32nd in corporate income taxes.

Business
 groups have argued for years that Nebraska’s top state income tax 
bracket of 6.84%, was too high compared to its neighbors, acted as a 
disincentive for skilled workers to move here and especially hurt small 
businesses, which often pay their taxes as individual income.

Only Iowa, among Nebraska’s neighbors, has a higher top rate. But the Hawkeye State <a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/02/24/iowa-senate-passes-massive-tax-cut-package/">recently moved to reduce its state income taxes</a> to 3.9%.

Under
 LB 873, Nebraska’s top income tax rate will drop to 5.84% after five 
years. In addition, the state’s top corporate income tax rate, now 
7.81%, would fall to 5.84% by tax year 2027, which proponents said 
creates parity with small businesses.

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/30/third-time-is-the-charm-for-900-million-tax-cut-plan-in-nebraska-legislature/">In an effort to overcome filibusters</a>
 blocking the income tax proposals, they were paired with a hugely 
popular proposal to speed up the phase-out of state income taxes on 
Social Security payments, which was introduced by Omaha Sen. Brett 
Lindstrom. A bill passed last year phased out such taxes over 10 years, 
while LB 873 does it sooner, by tax year 2025.

To garner more support from rural senators and farm groups, LB 873 also included additional state property tax credits.

A
 current refundable state income tax credit provides about a 25% credit 
for property taxes paid to support K-12 schools. A compromise with rural
 senators added a new credit for property taxes paid to support 
community colleges, a credit that will grow to $195 million by 2026.

Dick
 Pierce, a representative of the Nebraska Cattlemen, said that group’s 
efforts to reduce property taxes on ranchers and farmers “is not over.”

“I think we can do better, but this is a step in the right direction,” Pierce said.

When
 asked about that, Ricketts — who will leave office in January — said 
Nebraska needs to change the way it values farmland from the current 
market system to one based on its income producing capability.

Elkhorn
 Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, who chairs the Legislature’s Revenue Committee, 
said Wednesday that both the state’s income taxes and property taxes are
 still too high. She added that LB 873 was based on very conservative 
estimates of its fiscal impact.

Ricketts,
 in comments after the ceremony, emphasized that the income tax cuts 
benefit 60% of Nebraskans. He said even those who won’t get income tax 
cuts will get indirect benefits via the property tax credits and 
elimination of taxes on Social Security.

Lee
 Will, the governor’s budget chief, said the next largest tax cut 
package was in 2012, which provided $56 million a year in breaks. 
Adjusted for inflation, Will said that package would amount to about $79
 million by 2028, which compares to a projection of a $948 million tax 
break from LB 873.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649875440721.png" alt="Gov. Pete Ricketts holds up a copy of LB 873, the massive tax cut package, after he signed it into law on Wednesday. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Pete Ricketts holds up a copy of LB 873, the massive tax cut package, after he signed it into law on Wednesday. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/04/13/ricketts-signs-historic-tax-cut-bill-into-law-credits-teamwork/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — Gov. Pete Ricketts took a victory lap Wednesday with supporters as he
 signed into law a comprehensive tax cut bill that is projected to 
provide $948 million in tax breaks a year by 2028.During
 a ceremony in the State Capitol Rotunda, Ricketts said Legislative Bill
 873 would add up to $3.4 billion in cumulative tax relief by 2027.The
 Republican governor said that the yearly impact from the bill would be 
12 times greater than any previous tax-cut bill passed by the 
Legislature.<h2>‘It takes a lot of folks’</h2>“It
 takes a lot of folks to get a historic bill like this over the finish 
line,” he said, as 25 state senators, along with legislative staffers 
and representatives of major business and farm groups looked on.Critics
 of LB 873 have raised doubts about whether it reduced state revenues 
too deeply at a time when tax receipts have been propped up by billions 
in federal aid to combat the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 
OpenSky Policy Institute said the state may be forced to cut spending on
 education and roads in the end.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645040514616.jpeg" alt="Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Opponents,
 led by State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, said the tax cuts primarily 
benefited wealthy Nebraskans and out-of-state corporations and granted 
no income tax breaks for couples earning less than about $60,000 a year.But
 critics of the bill were nowhere to be found at Wednesday’s ceremony, 
in which the governor handed out ceremonial copies of LB 873 to 
representatives of several groups that backed the bill. Those included 
the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Nebraska Farm Bureau,
 Union Pacific Railroad and the AARP.&nbsp;<h2>‘Landmark’</h2>Officials
 with those groups described LB 873 as “landmark,” “historic” and “truly
 large,” and they pledged that the measure would make Nebraska more 
competitive with its neighboring states in tax rates and in attracting 
businesses and workers.“We’re
 not 34th out of 50 any longer,” said Bryan Slone, president of the 
State Chamber, referring to the state’s ranking in “business tax 
climate” by the Tax Foundation.The
 foundation actually ranked Nebraska 35th among the states in its most 
recent ratings in December. The group gave the Cornhusker State its 
worst ranking in property taxes, 40th, while placing the state 29th in the country for individual income taxes and 32nd in corporate income taxes.Business
 groups have argued for years that Nebraska’s top state income tax 
bracket of 6.84%, was too high compared to its neighbors, acted as a 
disincentive for skilled workers to move here and especially hurt small 
businesses, which often pay their taxes as individual income.<h2>Iowa lowers its rate</h2>Only Iowa, among Nebraska’s neighbors, has a higher top rate. But the Hawkeye State <a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/02/24/iowa-senate-passes-massive-tax-cut-package/">recently moved to reduce its state income taxes</a> to 3.9%.Under
 LB 873, Nebraska’s top income tax rate will drop to 5.84% after five 
years. In addition, the state’s top corporate income tax rate, now 
7.81%, would fall to 5.84% by tax year 2027, which proponents said 
creates parity with small businesses.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649875552692.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha (Courtesy of the Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha (Courtesy of the Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/30/third-time-is-the-charm-for-900-million-tax-cut-plan-in-nebraska-legislature/">In an effort to overcome filibusters</a>
 blocking the income tax proposals, they were paired with a hugely 
popular proposal to speed up the phase-out of state income taxes on 
Social Security payments, which was introduced by Omaha Sen. Brett 
Lindstrom. A bill passed last year phased out such taxes over 10 years, 
while LB 873 does it sooner, by tax year 2025.To garner more support from rural senators and farm groups, LB 873 also included additional state property tax credits.<h2>More income tax credits</h2>A
 current refundable state income tax credit provides about a 25% credit 
for property taxes paid to support K-12 schools. A compromise with rural
 senators added a new credit for property taxes paid to support 
community colleges, a credit that will grow to $195 million by 2026.Dick
 Pierce, a representative of the Nebraska Cattlemen, said that group’s 
efforts to reduce property taxes on ranchers and farmers “is not over.”“I think we can do better, but this is a step in the right direction,” Pierce said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647445976129.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>When
 asked about that, Ricketts — who will leave office in January — said 
Nebraska needs to change the way it values farmland from the current 
market system to one based on its income producing capability.Elkhorn
 Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, who chairs the Legislature’s Revenue Committee, 
said Wednesday that both the state’s income taxes and property taxes are
 still too high. She added that LB 873 was based on very conservative 
estimates of its fiscal impact.Ricketts,
 in comments after the ceremony, emphasized that the income tax cuts 
benefit 60% of Nebraskans. He said even those who won’t get income tax 
cuts will get indirect benefits via the property tax credits and 
elimination of taxes on Social Security.Lee
 Will, the governor’s budget chief, said the next largest tax cut 
package was in 2012, which provided $56 million a year in breaks. 
Adjusted for inflation, Will said that package would amount to about $79
 million by 2028, which compares to a projection of a $948 million tax 
break from LB 873.

Ricketts signs ‘historic’ Nebraska tax cut bill into law

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have given final approval to a bill that would let the state build a canal in Colorado to divert water out of the South Platte River, a project steeped in fears about the Denver area’s growing water consumption. 

Lawmakers passed the measure on Tuesday by a 42-4 vote and sent it to Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts, who proposed the idea and is expected to sign it. 

The legislation will allow the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources to start work the estimated $500 million canal. 

They’ve only approved $53.5 million in funding, however, which will force the department to seek more money next year to continue the project.

 Nebraska can build the canal under a 1923 agreement.

By Associated PressLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have given final approval to a bill that would let the state build a canal in Colorado to divert water out of the South Platte River, a project steeped in fears about the Denver area’s growing water consumption. Lawmakers passed the measure on Tuesday by a 42-4 vote and sent it to Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts, who proposed the idea and is expected to sign it. The legislation will allow the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources to start work the estimated $500 million canal. They’ve only approved $53.5 million in funding, however, which will force the department to seek more money next year to continue the project. Nebraska can build the canal under a 1923 agreement.

Nebraska lawmakers approve proposed Colorado canal project

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration will extend for two weeks the nationwide mask requirement for public transit as it monitors an uptick in COVID-19 cases, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was set to extend the order, which was to expire on April 18, by two weeks to monitor for any observable increase in severe virus outcomes as cases rise in parts of the country. The move was being made out of abundance of caution, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to preview the CDC’s action.

When the Transportation Security Administration, which enforces the rule for planes, buses, trains and transit hubs, extended the requirement last month, it said the CDC had been hoping to roll out a more flexible masking strategy that would have replaced the nationwide requirement.

The mask mandate is the most visible vestige of government restrictions to control the pandemic, and possibly the most controversial. A surge of abusive and sometimes violent incidents on airplanes has been attributed mostly to disputes over mask-wearing.

Critics have seized on the fact that states have rolled back rules requiring masks in restaurants, stores and other indoor settings, and yet COVID-19 cases have fallen sharply since the omicron variant peaked in mid-January.

There has been a slight increase in cases in recent weeks, driven by an even more contagious subvariant of the omicron strain, with daily confirmed cases nationwide rising from about 25,000 per day to more than 30,000. Those figures are an undercount since many people now test positive on at-home tests that are not reported to public health agencies.

Severe illnesses and deaths tend to lag infections by several weeks. The CDC is awaiting indications of whether the increase in cases correlates to a rise in adverse outcomes before announcing a less restrictive mask policy for travel.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640348737573.png" alt="Photo courtesy Wichita Eisenhower National Airport" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Wichita Eisenhower National Airport</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration will extend for two weeks the nationwide mask requirement for public transit as it monitors an uptick in COVID-19 cases, according to a person familiar with the matter.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was set to extend the order, which was to expire on April 18, by two weeks to monitor for any observable increase in severe virus outcomes as cases rise in parts of the country. The move was being made out of abundance of caution, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to preview the CDC’s action.When the Transportation Security Administration, which enforces the rule for planes, buses, trains and transit hubs, extended the requirement last month, it said the CDC had been hoping to roll out a more flexible masking strategy that would have replaced the nationwide requirement.The mask mandate is the most visible vestige of government restrictions to control the pandemic, and possibly the most controversial. A surge of abusive and sometimes violent incidents on airplanes has been attributed mostly to disputes over mask-wearing.Critics have seized on the fact that states have rolled back rules requiring masks in restaurants, stores and other indoor settings, and yet COVID-19 cases have fallen sharply since the omicron variant peaked in mid-January.There has been a slight increase in cases in recent weeks, driven by an even more contagious subvariant of the omicron strain, with daily confirmed cases nationwide rising from about 25,000 per day to more than 30,000. Those figures are an undercount since many people now test positive on at-home tests that are not reported to public health agencies.Severe illnesses and deaths tend to lag infections by several weeks. The CDC is awaiting indications of whether the increase in cases correlates to a rise in adverse outcomes before announcing a less restrictive mask policy for travel.

CDC to extend travel mask mandate due to COVID case uptick

WASHINGTON (AP) — Another month, another four-decade high for inflation.

For the 12 months that ended in March, consumer prices rocketed 8.5%. That was the fastest year-over-year jump since 1981, far surpassing February’s mark of 7.9%, itself a 40-year high.

Even if you toss out food and energy prices — which are notoriously volatile and have driven much of the price spike — so-called core inflation jumped 6.5% in the past 12 months. That was also the sharpest such jump in four decades.

Consumers have felt the squeeze in everyday routines. Gasoline is up an average of 48% in the past year. Airline tickets are up 24%, men’s suits nearly 15%, bacon 18%.

The Federal Reserve never anticipated inflation this severe or persistent. Back in December 2020, the Fed’s policymakers had forecast that consumer inflation would stay below their 2% annual target and end 2021 at around 1.8%.

Yet after having been merely an afterthought for decades, high inflation reasserted itself last year with brutal speed. In February 2021, the government’s consumer price index was running just 1.7% above its level a year earlier. From there, the year-over-year increases accelerated — 2.6% in March, 4.2% in April, 5% in May, 5.4% in June.

By October, the figure was 6.2%, by November 6.8%, by December 7%.

For months, Fed Chair Jerome Powell and some others characterized higher consumer prices as merely “transitory” — the result, mainly, of shipping delays and temporary shortages of supplies and workers as the economy rebounded from the pandemic recession much faster than anyone had anticipated. Now, most economists expect inflation to remain elevated well into next year, with demand outstripping supplies in numerous areas of the economy.

So the Fed has radically changed course. Last month, it raised its benchmark short-term rate by a quarter-point and is expected to keep raising it, probably aggressively, well into 2023. In doing so, the Fed is moving decisively away from the ultra-low rates that helped revive the economy from the recession but also helped fuel surging consumer prices.

The Fed is making a high-risk bet that it can slow the economy enough to rein in inflation without weakening it so much as to trigger a recession. The overall economy is healthy, with a robust job market and extremely low unemployment. But many economists say they worry that the Fed’s steady credit tightening will cause an economic downturn.

Good news — mostly. When the pandemic paralyzed the economy in the spring of 2020 and lockdowns kicked in, businesses closed or cut hours and consumers stayed home as a health precaution, employers slashed a breathtaking 22 million jobs. Economic output plunged at a record-shattering 31% annual rate in 2020′s April-June quarter.

Everyone braced for more misery. Companies cut investment and postponed restocking. A brutal recession ensued.

But instead of sinking into a prolonged downturn, the economy staged an unexpectedly rousing recovery, fueled by vast infusions of government aid and emergency intervention by the Fed, which slashed rates, among other things. By spring of last year, the rollout of vaccines had emboldened consumers to return to restaurants, bars, shops, airports and entertainment venues.

Suddenly, businesses had to scramble to meet demand. They couldn’t hire fast enough to fill job openings or buy enough supplies to meet customer orders. As business roared back, ports and freight yards couldn’t handle the traffic. Global supply chains seized up.

With demand up and supplies down, costs jumped. And companies found that they could pass along those higher costs in the form of higher prices to consumers, many of whom had managed to pile up savings during the pandemic.

Critics blamed, in part, President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, with its $1,400 checks to most households, for overheating an economy that was already sizzling on its own. Many others argued that the Fed kept rates near zero far too long, lending fuel to runaway spending and inflated prices in stocks, homes and other assets.

Elevated consumer price inflation could endure as long as companies struggle to keep up with consumers’ demand for goods and services. A recovering job market — employers added a record 6.7 million jobs last year and are adding 560,000 a month so far this year — means that Americans as a whole can continue to splurge on everything from lawn furniture to electronics.

Many economists foresee inflation staying well above the Fed’s 2% annual target this year. But relief from higher prices might be coming. Jammed-up supply chains are beginning to show some signs of improvement, at least in some industries. The Fed’s pivot away from easy-money policies toward an anti-inflationary policy could eventually reduce consumer demand. There will be no repeat of last year’s COVID relief checks from Washington. Inflation itself is eroding purchasing power and might force some consumers to shave spending.

At the same time, new COVID variants could cloud the outlook — either by causing outbreaks that force factories and ports to close and disrupt supply chains even more or by keeping people home and reducing demand for goods.

HOW ARE HIGHER PRICES AFFECTING CONSUMERS?

The strong job market is boosting workers’ pay, though not enough to offset higher prices. The Labor Department says that after accounting for higher consumer prices, hourly earnings for private-sector employees fell 2.7% last month from a year earlier, the 12th straight such drop.

There are exceptions: After-inflation wages rose 8% for hotel workers and 4% for restaurant and bar employees in March from a year earlier.

Partisan politics, in the meantime, is influencing the way Americans view the inflation threat. With a Democrat in the White House, Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to say that inflation is having a negative effect on their personal finances, according to surveys of consumer sentiment conducted by the University of Michigan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579201323708.jpeg" alt="The cost of good and services saw the sharpest such jump in four decades.. Photo by Nomin Ujiyediin / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>The cost of good and services saw the sharpest such jump in four decades.. Photo by Nomin Ujiyediin / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Another month, another four-decade high for inflation.For the 12 months that ended in March, consumer prices rocketed 8.5%. That was the fastest year-over-year jump since 1981, far surpassing February’s mark of 7.9%, itself a 40-year high.Even if you toss out food and energy prices — which are notoriously volatile and have driven much of the price spike — so-called core inflation jumped 6.5% in the past 12 months. That was also the sharpest such jump in four decades.Consumers have felt the squeeze in everyday routines. Gasoline is up an average of 48% in the past year. Airline tickets are up 24%, men’s suits nearly 15%, bacon 18%.The Federal Reserve never anticipated inflation this severe or persistent. Back in December 2020, the Fed’s policymakers had forecast that consumer inflation would stay below their 2% annual target and end 2021 at around 1.8%.Yet after having been merely an afterthought for decades, high inflation reasserted itself last year with brutal speed. In February 2021, the government’s consumer price index was running just 1.7% above its level a year earlier. From there, the year-over-year increases accelerated — 2.6% in March, 4.2% in April, 5% in May, 5.4% in June.By October, the figure was 6.2%, by November 6.8%, by December 7%.For months, Fed Chair Jerome Powell and some others characterized higher consumer prices as merely “transitory” — the result, mainly, of shipping delays and temporary shortages of supplies and workers as the economy rebounded from the pandemic recession much faster than anyone had anticipated. Now, most economists expect inflation to remain elevated well into next year, with demand outstripping supplies in numerous areas of the economy.So the Fed has radically changed course. Last month, it raised its benchmark short-term rate by a quarter-point and is expected to keep raising it, probably aggressively, well into 2023. In doing so, the Fed is moving decisively away from the ultra-low rates that helped revive the economy from the recession but also helped fuel surging consumer prices.The Fed is making a high-risk bet that it can slow the economy enough to rein in inflation without weakening it so much as to trigger a recession. The overall economy is healthy, with a robust job market and extremely low unemployment. But many economists say they worry that the Fed’s steady credit tightening will cause an economic downturn.____WHAT’S CAUSED THE SPIKE IN INFLATION?Good news — mostly. When the pandemic paralyzed the economy in the spring of 2020 and lockdowns kicked in, businesses closed or cut hours and consumers stayed home as a health precaution, employers slashed a breathtaking 22 million jobs. Economic output plunged at a record-shattering 31% annual rate in 2020′s April-June quarter.Everyone braced for more misery. Companies cut investment and postponed restocking. A brutal recession ensued.But instead of sinking into a prolonged downturn, the economy staged an unexpectedly rousing recovery, fueled by vast infusions of government aid and emergency intervention by the Fed, which slashed rates, among other things. By spring of last year, the rollout of vaccines had emboldened consumers to return to restaurants, bars, shops, airports and entertainment venues.Suddenly, businesses had to scramble to meet demand. They couldn’t hire fast enough to fill job openings or buy enough supplies to meet customer orders. As business roared back, ports and freight yards couldn’t handle the traffic. Global supply chains seized up.With demand up and supplies down, costs jumped. And companies found that they could pass along those higher costs in the form of higher prices to consumers, many of whom had managed to pile up savings during the pandemic.Critics blamed, in part, President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, with its $1,400 checks to most households, for overheating an economy that was already sizzling on its own. Many others argued that the Fed kept rates near zero far too long, lending fuel to runaway spending and inflated prices in stocks, homes and other assets.____HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?Elevated consumer price inflation could endure as long as companies struggle to keep up with consumers’ demand for goods and services. A recovering job market — employers added a record 6.7 million jobs last year and are adding 560,000 a month so far this year — means that Americans as a whole can continue to splurge on everything from lawn furniture to electronics.Many economists foresee inflation staying well above the Fed’s 2% annual target this year. But relief from higher prices might be coming. Jammed-up supply chains are beginning to show some signs of improvement, at least in some industries. The Fed’s pivot away from easy-money policies toward an anti-inflationary policy could eventually reduce consumer demand. There will be no repeat of last year’s COVID relief checks from Washington. Inflation itself is eroding purchasing power and might force some consumers to shave spending.At the same time, new COVID variants could cloud the outlook — either by causing outbreaks that force factories and ports to close and disrupt supply chains even more or by keeping people home and reducing demand for goods.___HOW ARE HIGHER PRICES AFFECTING CONSUMERS?The strong job market is boosting workers’ pay, though not enough to offset higher prices. The Labor Department says that after accounting for higher consumer prices, hourly earnings for private-sector employees fell 2.7% last month from a year earlier, the 12th straight such drop.There are exceptions: After-inflation wages rose 8% for hotel workers and 4% for restaurant and bar employees in March from a year earlier.Partisan politics, in the meantime, is influencing the way Americans view the inflation threat. With a Democrat in the White House, Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to say that inflation is having a negative effect on their personal finances, according to surveys of consumer sentiment conducted by the University of Michigan.

Why US inflation is so high, and when it may ease

SALADO, Texas (AP) — Nearly two dozen people were injured when tornadoes swept through central Texas as part of a storm system that was expected to spawn more twisters and damaging winds Wednesday.

The storms caused&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-storms-austin-dallas-weather-cda91526b23b1e3314bd69ac596bf96f">widespread damage</a>&nbsp;Tuesday in Salado, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Austin. Bell County Judge David Blackburn said 23 people were injured, one of them critically. Twelve of the injured were taken to hospitals, Blackburn said.

“There’s not much left,” Blackburn said at a news conference Tuesday night. “Large trees are uprooted and overturned and stripped. Buildings really reduced to rubble. ... Power lines, power poles, are scattered all over the place. It’s pretty devastating.”

Photos on social media showed grapefruit-size hail associated with that storm.

Tornadoes were also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-storms-iowa-des-moines-weather-49de9d03386a29c8dbd83b0d5b8f70d3">spotted Tuesday in Iowa</a>, but there were no reports of serious injuries. In Lincoln, Nebraska, powerful wind gusts knocked down tree limbs and caused some roof damage.

More tornadoes were in the forecast Wednesday for parts of the mid-South and in the Mississippi River Valley, the Storm Prediction Center said.

Hurricane-force winds, intense tornadoes and large hail were possible in Arkansas, Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi, Indiana, Louisiana and Alabama, forecasters said. Little Rock, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, were among the cities that could see the worst weather Wednesday, the Storm Prediction Center said.

Elsewhere, the North Dakota Capitol, schools, government offices and interstates remained closed Wednesday as a blizzard continued to bear down on the state.

A blizzard warning issued by the National Weather Service remained in effect through Thursday for most of western and central North Dakota where up to 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow was expected.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649862412708.png" alt="Photo: Kansas State University" />
 <figcaption>Photo: Kansas State University</figcaption>
 </figure>By ASSOCIATED PRESSSALADO, Texas (AP) — Nearly two dozen people were injured when tornadoes swept through central Texas as part of a storm system that was expected to spawn more twisters and damaging winds Wednesday.The storms caused&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-storms-austin-dallas-weather-cda91526b23b1e3314bd69ac596bf96f">widespread damage</a>&nbsp;Tuesday in Salado, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Austin. Bell County Judge David Blackburn said 23 people were injured, one of them critically. Twelve of the injured were taken to hospitals, Blackburn said.“There’s not much left,” Blackburn said at a news conference Tuesday night. “Large trees are uprooted and overturned and stripped. Buildings really reduced to rubble. ... Power lines, power poles, are scattered all over the place. It’s pretty devastating.”Photos on social media showed grapefruit-size hail associated with that storm.Tornadoes were also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-storms-iowa-des-moines-weather-49de9d03386a29c8dbd83b0d5b8f70d3">spotted Tuesday in Iowa</a>, but there were no reports of serious injuries. In Lincoln, Nebraska, powerful wind gusts knocked down tree limbs and caused some roof damage.More tornadoes were in the forecast Wednesday for parts of the mid-South and in the Mississippi River Valley, the Storm Prediction Center said.Hurricane-force winds, intense tornadoes and large hail were possible in Arkansas, Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi, Indiana, Louisiana and Alabama, forecasters said. Little Rock, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, were among the cities that could see the worst weather Wednesday, the Storm Prediction Center said.Elsewhere, the North Dakota Capitol, schools, government offices and interstates remained closed Wednesday as a blizzard continued to bear down on the state.A blizzard warning issued by the National Weather Service remained in effect through Thursday for most of western and central North Dakota where up to 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow was expected.

23 injured in Texas storms; more tornadoes forecast in US

GILMORE CITY, Iowa (AP) — The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado hit near Gilmore City in north-central Iowa as a strong line of storms moved across the state Tuesday night into Wednesday. 

Weather service meteorologist Rod Donavon in Des Moines said Wednesday that the tornado was confirmed by a trained spotter southwest of the small town of Gilmore City and tracked several miles to the northeast. 

Donavon says up to 10 tornadoes were reported across mostly the northern half of the state as the storms moved through, but only ones near Logan in western Iowa and near Stacyville and St. Ansgar in northeastern Iowa have been confirmed. 

There have been no reports of serious injuries from the storms.

By ASSOCIATED PRESSGILMORE CITY, Iowa (AP) — The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado hit near Gilmore City in north-central Iowa as a strong line of storms moved across the state Tuesday night into Wednesday. Weather service meteorologist Rod Donavon in Des Moines said Wednesday that the tornado was confirmed by a trained spotter southwest of the small town of Gilmore City and tracked several miles to the northeast. Donavon says up to 10 tornadoes were reported across mostly the northern half of the state as the storms moved through, but only ones near Logan in western Iowa and near Stacyville and St. Ansgar in northeastern Iowa have been confirmed. There have been no reports of serious injuries from the storms.

Tornado confirmed near Gilmore City, others reported

KANSAS CITY — A student stabbed at a Kansas City Middle School has died, according to the school district Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell.

The stabbing occurred in a restroom at Northeast Middle School, which teaches seventh and eighth grade students, police spokeswoman Donna Drake said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The two male students had some type of confrontation but a motive for the stabbing was still being investigated, Drake said.

The school was placed on lockdown and closed for the rest of the day.

The injured student was taken to Children's Mercy Hospital where he died. Police have not released the student's name as the investigation continues.

KANSAS CITY(AP) — One middle school student suffered life-threatening injuries and another was detained after a stabbing at a Kansas City middle school on Tuesday, Kansas City police said.

The stabbing occurred in a restroom at Northeast Middle School, which teaches seventh and eighth grade students, police spokeswoman Donna Drake said.

There was no continuing threat to the public, she said.

The school was placed on lockdown and planned to close for the rest of the day.

The injured student was taken to Children's Mercy Hospital. His condition was not immediately available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649783049453.png" alt="Police on the scene at the school Tuesday -photo by Greg Payne courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene at the school Tuesday -photo by Greg Payne courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — A student stabbed at a Kansas City Middle School has died, according to the school district Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell.The stabbing occurred in a restroom at Northeast Middle School, which teaches seventh and eighth grade students, police spokeswoman Donna Drake said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Dr. Bedell&#39;s statement on the passing of our NEMS scholar earlier this evening. We will have counselors at NEMS tomorrow to help our students &amp; staff process this loss. Our hearts are broken. <a href="https://t.co/d3zMdHvGBl">pic.twitter.com/d3zMdHvGBl</a>&mdash; KCPS (@kcpublicschools) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpublicschools/status/1514081182035714048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The two male students had some type of confrontation but a motive for the stabbing was still being investigated, Drake said.The school was placed on lockdown and closed for the rest of the day.The injured student was taken to Children's Mercy Hospital where he died. Police have not released the student's name as the investigation continues.-------KANSAS CITY(AP) — One middle school student suffered life-threatening injuries and another was detained after a stabbing at a Kansas City middle school on Tuesday, Kansas City police said.The stabbing occurred in a restroom at Northeast Middle School, which teaches seventh and eighth grade students, police spokeswoman Donna Drake said.There was no continuing threat to the public, she said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our schools should always be safe environments for our young people to learn. I am horrified to learn of a stabbing at a Kansas City middle school just after the beginning of the school day. We are in touch with our school district partners and authorities.&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1513921587694776329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The two male students had some type of confrontation but a motive for the stabbing was still being investigated, Drake said.The school was placed on lockdown and planned to close for the rest of the day.The injured student was taken to Children's Mercy Hospital. His condition was not immediately available.

Student stabbed at Kansas City middle school has died

WASHINGTON ― With the April 18 tax-filing deadline closing in for 
most taxpayers, the Internal Revenue Service wants to dispel some new 
and common myths about getting refund details or speeding up tax 
refunds. A number of these myths circulate on social media every tax 
season.

The IRS continues to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-season-statistics-by-year">process 2021 tax returns and deliver refunds</a>,
 with nine&nbsp;out of 10 refunds issued in less than 21 days. As of the week
 ending April 1, the IRS has sent out more than 63 million refunds worth
 over $204 billion. The average refund is $3,226.

The IRS reminds taxpayers the easiest way to check on a refund is <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>, an online tool available on IRS.gov and through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go mobile app</a>.
 Where's My Refund? provides taxpayers the same information and issue 
date information that IRS assistors and tax professionals have.

Where's My Refund? can be used to check the status of a tax return 
within 24 hours after a taxpayer receives their e-file acceptance 
notification. The Where's My Refund? tool is updated only once every 24 
hours, usually overnight, so there's no need to check the status more 
than once a day. Taxpayers should only call the IRS tax help hotline to 
talk to a representative if it has been more than 21 days since their 
tax return was e-filed, or more than six weeks since mailing their 
return.

For those awaiting processing of a 2020 tax return, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/help-for-taxpayers-and-tax-professionals-special-filing-season-alerts">the IRS continues to make progress in this area and has taken numerous steps to help address this issue</a>, including <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/written-testimony-of-charles-p-rettig-commissioner-internal-revenue-service-before-the-house-ways-and-means-committee-subcommittee-on-oversight-on-the-filing-season-and-irs-operations">stopping the mailing of key notices and adding more IRS employees as part of surge teams to continue working tax returns</a>, as well as amended returns and correspondence from last year.

Myth 1: Calling the IRS or visiting an IRS office speeds up a refund

Many taxpayers mistakenly believe the commonly held myth that 
speaking with the IRS by phone or visiting in-person at an IRS Taxpayer 
Assistance Center will expedite their tax refund. The best way to check 
the status of a refund is online through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool at IRS.gov or via the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go mobile app</a>. Alternatively, those without internet access can reach Where's My Refund? by calling the automated refund hotline at <a href="tel:800-829-1954">800-829-1954</a>. IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers operate by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/contact-your-local-irs-office">appointment</a> and inquiring about a tax refund's status does not expedite the process.

Myth 2: Taxpayers need to wait for their 2020 return to be processed
 before filing their 2021 return, or that all refunds are delayed due to
 the number of 2020 returns the IRS still needs to process.

The reality is that taxpayers generally will not need to wait for 
their 2020 return to be fully processed to file their 2021 tax returns. 
They should file when they're ready. People with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/top-5-things-to-remember-when-filing-income-tax-returns-in-2022">unprocessed 2020 tax returns</a>, should enter $0 (zero dollars) for last year's AGI on their 2021 tax return when electronically filing.

Myth 3: Taxpayers can get a refund date by ordering a tax transcript

Ordering a tax transcript will not inform taxpayers of the timing of 
their tax refund, nor will it speed up a refund being processed. 
Taxpayers can use a transcript to validate past income and tax filing 
status for mortgage, student and small business loan applications and to
 help with tax preparation. But the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool is the fastest and most accurate way to check the status of a refund.

Myth 4: Where's My Refund? must be wrong because there's no deposit date yet

While the IRS issues most refunds in less than 21 days, it's possible a refund may take longer for a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions">variety of reasons</a>,
 including when a return is incomplete or needs further review. Delays 
can be caused by simple errors like an incomplete return, transposed 
numbers or when a tax return is affected by identity theft or fraud. The
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool only updates data once a day – usually overnight.

Myth 5: Where's My Refund? must be wrong because a refund amount is less than expected

Different factors can cause a tax refund to be larger or smaller than expected. Situations that may decrease
 a refund can include corrections to any Recovery Rebate Credit or Child
 Tax Credit amounts, delinquent federal taxes or state taxes and past 
due child support. The IRS will mail the taxpayer a letter of 
explanation if these adjustments are made. The Department of Treasury's 
Bureau of the Fiscal Service may also send a letter if all or part of a 
taxpayer's refund was used to pay certain financial obligations.

Myth 6: Calling a tax professional will provide a better refund date

Contacting a tax professional will not speed up a refund. Tax 
professionals cannot move up a refund date nor do they have access to 
any "special" information that will provide a more accurate refund date.
 The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool
 provides taxpayers with the same accurate and timely information that a
 tax professional, or even an IRS telephone assistor can access.

Myth 7: Getting a refund this year means there's no need to adjust tax withholding for 2022

Taxpayers should continually check their withholding and adjust 
accordingly. Adjusting tax withholding with an employer is easy and 
using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a>
 tool can help taxpayers determine if they are withholding the right 
amount from their paycheck. Taxpayers who experience a life event like 
marriage or divorce, childbirth, an adoption, home purchase or major 
income change are encouraged to check their withholding. Withholding 
takes place throughout the year, so it's better to take this step as 
soon as possible.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON ― With the April 18 tax-filing deadline closing in for 
most taxpayers, the Internal Revenue Service wants to dispel some new 
and common myths about getting refund details or speeding up tax 
refunds. A number of these myths circulate on social media every tax 
season.The IRS continues to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-season-statistics-by-year">process 2021 tax returns and deliver refunds</a>,
 with nine&nbsp;out of 10 refunds issued in less than 21 days. As of the week
 ending April 1, the IRS has sent out more than 63 million refunds worth
 over $204 billion. The average refund is $3,226.The IRS reminds taxpayers the easiest way to check on a refund is <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>, an online tool available on IRS.gov and through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go mobile app</a>.
 Where's My Refund? provides taxpayers the same information and issue 
date information that IRS assistors and tax professionals have.Where's My Refund? can be used to check the status of a tax return 
within 24 hours after a taxpayer receives their e-file acceptance 
notification. The Where's My Refund? tool is updated only once every 24 
hours, usually overnight, so there's no need to check the status more 
than once a day. Taxpayers should only call the IRS tax help hotline to 
talk to a representative if it has been more than 21 days since their 
tax return was e-filed, or more than six weeks since mailing their 
return.For those awaiting processing of a 2020 tax return, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/help-for-taxpayers-and-tax-professionals-special-filing-season-alerts">the IRS continues to make progress in this area and has taken numerous steps to help address this issue</a>, including <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/written-testimony-of-charles-p-rettig-commissioner-internal-revenue-service-before-the-house-ways-and-means-committee-subcommittee-on-oversight-on-the-filing-season-and-irs-operations">stopping the mailing of key notices and adding more IRS employees as part of surge teams to continue working tax returns</a>, as well as amended returns and correspondence from last year.<h2>Seven common myths about tax refunds:</h2><h2>Myth 1: Calling the IRS or visiting an IRS office speeds up a refund</h2>Many taxpayers mistakenly believe the commonly held myth that 
speaking with the IRS by phone or visiting in-person at an IRS Taxpayer 
Assistance Center will expedite their tax refund. The best way to check 
the status of a refund is online through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool at IRS.gov or via the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go mobile app</a>. Alternatively, those without internet access can reach Where's My Refund? by calling the automated refund hotline at <a href="tel:800-829-1954">800-829-1954</a>. IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers operate by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/contact-your-local-irs-office">appointment</a> and inquiring about a tax refund's status does not expedite the process.<h2>Myth 2: Taxpayers need to wait for their 2020 return to be processed
 before filing their 2021 return, or that all refunds are delayed due to
 the number of 2020 returns the IRS still needs to process.</h2>The reality is that taxpayers generally will not need to wait for 
their 2020 return to be fully processed to file their 2021 tax returns. 
They should file when they're ready. People with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/top-5-things-to-remember-when-filing-income-tax-returns-in-2022">unprocessed 2020 tax returns</a>, should enter $0 (zero dollars) for last year's AGI on their 2021 tax return when electronically filing.<h2>Myth 3: Taxpayers can get a refund date by ordering a tax transcript</h2>Ordering a tax transcript will not inform taxpayers of the timing of 
their tax refund, nor will it speed up a refund being processed. 
Taxpayers can use a transcript to validate past income and tax filing 
status for mortgage, student and small business loan applications and to
 help with tax preparation. But the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool is the fastest and most accurate way to check the status of a refund.<h2>Myth 4: Where's My Refund? must be wrong because there's no deposit date yet</h2>While the IRS issues most refunds in less than 21 days, it's possible a refund may take longer for a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions">variety of reasons</a>,
 including when a return is incomplete or needs further review. Delays 
can be caused by simple errors like an incomplete return, transposed 
numbers or when a tax return is affected by identity theft or fraud. The
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool only updates data once a day – usually overnight.<h2>Myth 5: Where's My Refund? must be wrong because a refund amount is less than expected</h2>Different factors can cause a tax refund to be larger or smaller than expected. Situations that may decrease
 a refund can include corrections to any Recovery Rebate Credit or Child
 Tax Credit amounts, delinquent federal taxes or state taxes and past 
due child support. The IRS will mail the taxpayer a letter of 
explanation if these adjustments are made. The Department of Treasury's 
Bureau of the Fiscal Service may also send a letter if all or part of a 
taxpayer's refund was used to pay certain financial obligations.<h2>Myth 6: Calling a tax professional will provide a better refund date</h2>Contacting a tax professional will not speed up a refund. Tax 
professionals cannot move up a refund date nor do they have access to 
any "special" information that will provide a more accurate refund date.
 The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool
 provides taxpayers with the same accurate and timely information that a
 tax professional, or even an IRS telephone assistor can access.<h2>Myth 7: Getting a refund this year means there's no need to adjust tax withholding for 2022</h2>Taxpayers should continually check their withholding and adjust 
accordingly. Adjusting tax withholding with an employer is easy and 
using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a>
 tool can help taxpayers determine if they are withholding the right 
amount from their paycheck. Taxpayers who experience a life event like 
marriage or divorce, childbirth, an adoption, home purchase or major 
income change are encouraged to check their withholding. Withholding 
takes place throughout the year, so it's better to take this step as 
soon as possible.

IRS dispels new and common myths about tax refunds

NEW YORK (AP) — At least 10 people were shot and eight others injured when a gunman filled a rush-hour subway train with smoke and opened fire Tuesday morning. 

Police were still searching for the shooter. 

There were no life-threatening injuries and the attack was not being investigated as terrorism. Officials said at least 16 in all were injured in some way in the attack at the 36th Street station in the borough's Sunset Park neighborhood. 

According to multiple law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation, preliminary information indicated that the gunman who fled was wearing a construction vest and a gas mask.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649781277377.png" alt="Photo courtesy WCBS" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WCBS</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — At least 10 people were shot and eight others injured when a gunman filled a rush-hour subway train with smoke and opened fire Tuesday morning. Police were still searching for the shooter. There were no life-threatening injuries and the attack was not being investigated as terrorism. Officials said at least 16 in all were injured in some way in the attack at the 36th Street station in the borough's Sunset Park neighborhood. According to multiple law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation, preliminary information indicated that the gunman who fled was wearing a construction vest and a gas mask.

Gunman opens fire on Brooklyn subway; at least 10 shot

NORFOLK, Neb. (AP) — Authorities in northeastern Nebraska say a Madison County man who was burning trash on his rural property died when the flames caught his clothing on fire. 

The Norfolk Daily News reports the incident happened Monday morning on property northwest of Norfolk. 

Firefighters and Madison County Sheriff's deputies called to the scene for a report of a fire found 72-year-old Stanley Acklie dead on his property from burn injuries. 

Officials say his body was found near a fire that was burning several outbuildings on the property. 

Sheriff Todd Volk said in a statement that Acklie had been burning trash when the fire apparently went out of control. 

The area has been under an elevated fire risk because of high winds and dry conditions.

By Associated PressNORFOLK, Neb. (AP) — Authorities in northeastern Nebraska say a Madison County man who was burning trash on his rural property died when the flames caught his clothing on fire. The Norfolk Daily News reports the incident happened Monday morning on property northwest of Norfolk. Firefighters and Madison County Sheriff's deputies called to the scene for a report of a fire found 72-year-old Stanley Acklie dead on his property from burn injuries. Officials say his body was found near a fire that was burning several outbuildings on the property. Sheriff Todd Volk said in a statement that Acklie had been burning trash when the fire apparently went out of control. The area has been under an elevated fire risk because of high winds and dry conditions.

Nebraska man killed in trash burn when clothes caught fire

By WENDY STOVALL <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2022/04/12/scientists-get-together-to-role-play-volcano-eruption-predictions/">For the Daily Montanan</a>

In February, 100 scientists got together to practice coordinating themselves during a pretend volcanic eruption.

As scientists who work on potentially active volcanoes, we ask 
ourselves “what” questions a lot. What if a volcano starts showing signs
 that it’s waking up? What sort of eruption might happen at a given 
volcano?&nbsp; What types of hazards might result from an eruption? Pondering
 such questions and the depths of possible answers always lead to 
further questions, then answers, then ultimately more questions, and on 
and on.

One of the ways that we examine these questions is to gather a group 
of scientists pondering the same thing and pretend it is happening. 
That’s right – we roll play a volcanic event! This practice helps us 
create plans and be better prepared to respond to an actual volcanic 
event.

For the month of February 2022, we did just this. A group of about 
100 scientists representing 40 different institutions participated in a 
roleplaying scenario of a volcanic eruption. The fake eruption was in 
northern Arizona’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/san-francisco-volcanic-field">San Francisco Volcanic Field</a>&nbsp;(SFVF), which one day could erupt in real life – although there is no sign of any volcanic unrest in the area right now.

This scenario was the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Feos.org%2Fscience-updates%2Fmaking-the-most-of-volcanic-eruption-responses&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cyellowstone-caldera-chronicles%40listserv.usgs.gov%7C0a4b61ed13ea4c0072f408da1bc39abd%7C0693b5ba4b184d7b9341f32f400a5494%7C0%7C0%7C637852824164827756%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=t6lIXjP%2BBPCIhtl5cWd36%2FcMHVutVHMZKZj4Tdu3s%2Bs%3D&amp;reserved=0">second of its kind</a>&nbsp;hosted
 by the NSF-funded Community Network for Volcanic Eruption Response 
(CONVERSE). This group of researchers aim to enable, organize, and focus
 the collaboration of academic researchers and U.S. federal agencies 
involved in volcano science.

A team of eight scientists from different disciplines, like 
seismology, geology, and gas geochemistry, organized the scenario. The 
organizational team shared with the scenario participants volcano 
monitoring data (earthquake locations, ground surface motions, and 
volcanic gas measurements) and “official” volcanic activity 
notifications from the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO is 
responsible for monitoring and reporting on volcanic activity in the 
southwest U.S.). In effect, the organizers were the “dungeon masters,” 
and the participating scientists played roles closely aligned with what 
they would do in an actual volcanic eruption.

To make it realistic, the organization team had to conceptualize the rise of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cms.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">magma</a>&nbsp;from
 deep within the earth to the surface. Organizers looked to the 
long-extinct 3–4-million-year-old San Rafael volcanic field located in 
southern Utah. The upper 2625 feet (800 meters) of the once subterranean
 volcanic plumbing system is visible today in the form of eroded dikes, 
sills, and volcanic conduits. Several researchers (including one of the 
scenario organizers) have used this geologic evidence to piece together 
the region’s eruption history, which fed into the design of the SFVF 
scenario.

With an analog volcano lined up, it was up to the geologists, 
geophysics, and gas geochemists of the organizer group to invent 
realistic datasets that would precede the pretend eruption. They relied 
upon actual data from similar eruptions, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b965D">Parícutin&nbsp;</a>(Mexico),&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/media/videos/image-week-volcano-spains-la-palma-island">La Palma&nbsp;</a>(Canary Islands),&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/recent-eruption">Kīlauea&nbsp;</a>(Hawaii), and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.vedur.is%2Fvolcanoes%2Ffagradalsfjall-eruption%2F&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cyellowstone-caldera-chronicles%40listserv.usgs.gov%7C0a4b61ed13ea4c0072f408da1bc39abd%7C0693b5ba4b184d7b9341f32f400a5494%7C0%7C0%7C637852824164827756%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=JBw7pAwo2X5vFW%2FkpYlpVWVzWTlJpbQAPz21KV0Dlhk%3D&amp;reserved=0">Fagradalsfjall&nbsp;</a>(Iceland). Some of the organizers took these data and developed mathematical models of ground movement and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cms.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">lava flow</a>&nbsp;areas, which were provided to the participants as the scenario progressed.

The entire group communicated in a collaborative virtual workspace 
and participated in two video conference calls each week. Pretend 
seismometers, GPS stations, gas sensors, and video surveillance 
equipment were “installed” in the “field.” Scientists planned fake 
sample collection campaigns and flew phony UAS video and gas monitoring 
instruments. Real, “what if” conversations were held between state, 
federal, and academic groups. Overall, it strengthened bonds between the
 community of scientists who might respond to future volcanic eruptions 
in the United States.

Scenarios like this allow scientists to practice working together, 
ensuring volcanic behavior is well documented while keeping people safe.
 Specifically, the USGS is mandated by the U.S. federal government to 
keep watch over the nation’s volcanoes and monitor hazards, then issue 
warnings to reduce the societal impacts of volcanic 
eruptions. Scientific researchers from academic and other institutions 
can bring unique perspectives to better understanding volcanic activity,
 aiding USGS scientists and land managers in the hazards response to an 
eruption. Because safety is a foremost concern, emphasis is placed on 
solid communication and coordination between all parties involved in 
observing, researching, and forecasting volcanic behavior.

Ultimately, the outcomes of this scenario will inform a new 
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory volcanic eruption response plan 
specifically for the Southwest U.S. volcanic fields located in Utah, 
Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.

So, why was San Francisco Volcanic Field chosen? The SFVF is one of the youngest of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/dispersed-volcanic-fields-are-found-through-western-us">many volcanic fields spread throughout the western United States</a>,
 and it is relatively well studied. There’s a significant population 
center on its border (Flagstaff), and there will likely be eruptions 
from the area again. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/san-francisco-volcanic-field/sunset-crater">1085 A.D. eruption of Sunset Crater</a>&nbsp;was the most recent volcanic event from the San Francisco Volcanic Field, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/sucr/learn/historyculture/people.htm">the eruption impacted indigenous people of the region</a>.

The coordination of scientists will yield a more complete 
understanding of volcanic processes and their hazards, while also aiding
 efforts to reduce the impacts of volcanic eruptions on society.

You can read more about the CONVERSE group and the February 2022 scenario at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvolcanoresponse.org%2F&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cyellowstone-caldera-chronicles%40listserv.usgs.gov%7C0a4b61ed13ea4c0072f408da1bc39abd%7C0693b5ba4b184d7b9341f32f400a5494%7C0%7C0%7C637852824164827756%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=G2LYr4ksj6%2BF%2F1vPIofGfJ7jIZJ973p7eZ2ltdULhVU%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://volcanoresponse.org/</a>.

Yellowstone <a target="_blank" href="https://cms.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">Caldera</a>&nbsp;Chronicles
 is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the 
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Wendy 
Stovall, volcanologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Deputy 
Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649772759753.png" alt="An ash plume rises from the summit crater of Parícutin sometime during 1946-48. A thick ash deposit covers the foreground. An estimated 4,500 cattle and 550 horses died during the heavy ashfall in the early months of the eruption, devastating the local people who depended on the animals for food, plowing, and transportation. Ashfall was deeper than 6 inches over a 115 square mile area around the volcano and continued with varying intensity throughout the 9-year-long eruption. (Photo by Ray Wilcox of the U.S. Geological Survey)" />
 <figcaption>An ash plume rises from the summit crater of Parícutin sometime during 1946-48. A thick ash deposit covers the foreground. An estimated 4,500 cattle and 550 horses died during the heavy ashfall in the early months of the eruption, devastating the local people who depended on the animals for food, plowing, and transportation. Ashfall was deeper than 6 inches over a 115 square mile area around the volcano and continued with varying intensity throughout the 9-year-long eruption. (Photo by Ray Wilcox of the U.S. Geological Survey)</figcaption>
 </figure>By WENDY STOVALL <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2022/04/12/scientists-get-together-to-role-play-volcano-eruption-predictions/">For the Daily Montanan</a>In February, 100 scientists got together to practice coordinating themselves during a pretend volcanic eruption.As scientists who work on potentially active volcanoes, we ask 
ourselves “what” questions a lot. What if a volcano starts showing signs
 that it’s waking up? What sort of eruption might happen at a given 
volcano?&nbsp; What types of hazards might result from an eruption? Pondering
 such questions and the depths of possible answers always lead to 
further questions, then answers, then ultimately more questions, and on 
and on.One of the ways that we examine these questions is to gather a group 
of scientists pondering the same thing and pretend it is happening. 
That’s right – we roll play a volcanic event! This practice helps us 
create plans and be better prepared to respond to an actual volcanic 
event.For the month of February 2022, we did just this. A group of about 
100 scientists representing 40 different institutions participated in a 
roleplaying scenario of a volcanic eruption. The fake eruption was in 
northern Arizona’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/san-francisco-volcanic-field">San Francisco Volcanic Field</a>&nbsp;(SFVF), which one day could erupt in real life – although there is no sign of any volcanic unrest in the area right now.This scenario was the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Feos.org%2Fscience-updates%2Fmaking-the-most-of-volcanic-eruption-responses&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cyellowstone-caldera-chronicles%40listserv.usgs.gov%7C0a4b61ed13ea4c0072f408da1bc39abd%7C0693b5ba4b184d7b9341f32f400a5494%7C0%7C0%7C637852824164827756%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=t6lIXjP%2BBPCIhtl5cWd36%2FcMHVutVHMZKZj4Tdu3s%2Bs%3D&amp;reserved=0">second of its kind</a>&nbsp;hosted
 by the NSF-funded Community Network for Volcanic Eruption Response 
(CONVERSE). This group of researchers aim to enable, organize, and focus
 the collaboration of academic researchers and U.S. federal agencies 
involved in volcano science.A team of eight scientists from different disciplines, like 
seismology, geology, and gas geochemistry, organized the scenario. The 
organizational team shared with the scenario participants volcano 
monitoring data (earthquake locations, ground surface motions, and 
volcanic gas measurements) and “official” volcanic activity 
notifications from the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO is 
responsible for monitoring and reporting on volcanic activity in the 
southwest U.S.). In effect, the organizers were the “dungeon masters,” 
and the participating scientists played roles closely aligned with what 
they would do in an actual volcanic eruption.To make it realistic, the organization team had to conceptualize the rise of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cms.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">magma</a>&nbsp;from
 deep within the earth to the surface. Organizers looked to the 
long-extinct 3–4-million-year-old San Rafael volcanic field located in 
southern Utah. The upper 2625 feet (800 meters) of the once subterranean
 volcanic plumbing system is visible today in the form of eroded dikes, 
sills, and volcanic conduits. Several researchers (including one of the 
scenario organizers) have used this geologic evidence to piece together 
the region’s eruption history, which fed into the design of the SFVF 
scenario.With an analog volcano lined up, it was up to the geologists, 
geophysics, and gas geochemists of the organizer group to invent 
realistic datasets that would precede the pretend eruption. They relied 
upon actual data from similar eruptions, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b965D">Parícutin&nbsp;</a>(Mexico),&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/media/videos/image-week-volcano-spains-la-palma-island">La Palma&nbsp;</a>(Canary Islands),&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/recent-eruption">Kīlauea&nbsp;</a>(Hawaii), and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.vedur.is%2Fvolcanoes%2Ffagradalsfjall-eruption%2F&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cyellowstone-caldera-chronicles%40listserv.usgs.gov%7C0a4b61ed13ea4c0072f408da1bc39abd%7C0693b5ba4b184d7b9341f32f400a5494%7C0%7C0%7C637852824164827756%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=JBw7pAwo2X5vFW%2FkpYlpVWVzWTlJpbQAPz21KV0Dlhk%3D&amp;reserved=0">Fagradalsfjall&nbsp;</a>(Iceland). Some of the organizers took these data and developed mathematical models of ground movement and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cms.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">lava flow</a>&nbsp;areas, which were provided to the participants as the scenario progressed.The entire group communicated in a collaborative virtual workspace 
and participated in two video conference calls each week. Pretend 
seismometers, GPS stations, gas sensors, and video surveillance 
equipment were “installed” in the “field.” Scientists planned fake 
sample collection campaigns and flew phony UAS video and gas monitoring 
instruments. Real, “what if” conversations were held between state, 
federal, and academic groups. Overall, it strengthened bonds between the
 community of scientists who might respond to future volcanic eruptions 
in the United States.Scenarios like this allow scientists to practice working together, 
ensuring volcanic behavior is well documented while keeping people safe.
 Specifically, the USGS is mandated by the U.S. federal government to 
keep watch over the nation’s volcanoes and monitor hazards, then issue 
warnings to reduce the societal impacts of volcanic 
eruptions. Scientific researchers from academic and other institutions 
can bring unique perspectives to better understanding volcanic activity,
 aiding USGS scientists and land managers in the hazards response to an 
eruption. Because safety is a foremost concern, emphasis is placed on 
solid communication and coordination between all parties involved in 
observing, researching, and forecasting volcanic behavior.Ultimately, the outcomes of this scenario will inform a new 
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory volcanic eruption response plan 
specifically for the Southwest U.S. volcanic fields located in Utah, 
Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.So, why was San Francisco Volcanic Field chosen? The SFVF is one of the youngest of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/dispersed-volcanic-fields-are-found-through-western-us">many volcanic fields spread throughout the western United States</a>,
 and it is relatively well studied. There’s a significant population 
center on its border (Flagstaff), and there will likely be eruptions 
from the area again. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/san-francisco-volcanic-field/sunset-crater">1085 A.D. eruption of Sunset Crater</a>&nbsp;was the most recent volcanic event from the San Francisco Volcanic Field, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/sucr/learn/historyculture/people.htm">the eruption impacted indigenous people of the region</a>.The coordination of scientists will yield a more complete 
understanding of volcanic processes and their hazards, while also aiding
 efforts to reduce the impacts of volcanic eruptions on society.You can read more about the CONVERSE group and the February 2022 scenario at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvolcanoresponse.org%2F&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cyellowstone-caldera-chronicles%40listserv.usgs.gov%7C0a4b61ed13ea4c0072f408da1bc39abd%7C0693b5ba4b184d7b9341f32f400a5494%7C0%7C0%7C637852824164827756%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=G2LYr4ksj6%2BF%2F1vPIofGfJ7jIZJ973p7eZ2ltdULhVU%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://volcanoresponse.org/</a>.Yellowstone <a target="_blank" href="https://cms.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">Caldera</a>&nbsp;Chronicles
 is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the 
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Wendy 
Stovall, volcanologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Deputy 
Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.

Scientists gather to role play volcano eruption predictions

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Monday took fresh aim at ghost guns,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-are-ghost-guns-aab2ded78314603e8e87e92dbe4def3f">the privately made firearms</a>&nbsp;without serial numbers that are increasingly cropping up in violent crimes, as he struggles to break past gun-control opposition to address firearm deaths.

Speaking at the White House, Biden highlighted the Justice Department’s work to finalize new regulations to crack down on ghost guns, and announced the nomination of Steve Dettelbach, who served as a U.S. attorney in Ohio from 2009 to 2016, to run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649769587607.png" alt="Photo White House" />
 <figcaption>Photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Monday took fresh aim at ghost guns,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-are-ghost-guns-aab2ded78314603e8e87e92dbe4def3f">the privately made firearms</a>&nbsp;without serial numbers that are increasingly cropping up in violent crimes, as he struggles to break past gun-control opposition to address firearm deaths.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1056624581951277%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=854" 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>Speaking at the White House, Biden highlighted the Justice Department’s work to finalize new regulations to crack down on ghost guns, and announced the nomination of Steve Dettelbach, who served as a U.S. attorney in Ohio from 2009 to 2016, to run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.“Law enforcement is sounding the alarm,” Biden said of ghost guns, briefly holding one up for cameras to see in the Rose Garden. “Our communities are paying the price.”He promised the new regulations would save lives.Still, the announcement on guns highlights the limits of Biden’s influence to push a sweeping congressional overhaul of the nation’s firearm laws in response to both a recent surge in violent crime and continued mass shootings. Congress has deadlocked on legislative proposals to reform gun laws for a decade, and executive actions have faced stiff headwinds in federal courts — even as the Democratic base has grown more vocal in calling on Biden to take more consequential action.Dettelbach’s confirmation, too, is likely to be an uphill battle. Biden had to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-gun-politics-susan-collins-angus-king-lisa-murkowski-e0d6522c455c86bd5d877307c4d5b19c">withdraw the nomination</a>&nbsp;of his first ATF nominee, gun-control advocate David Chipman, after it stalled for months because of opposition from Republicans and some Democrats in the Senate.Both Republican and Democratic administrations have failed to get nominees for the ATF position through the politically fraught process since the director’s position was made confirmable in 2006. Since then, only one nominee, former U.S. Attorney B. Todd Jones, has been confirmed. Jones made it through the Senate in 2013 but only after a six-month struggle. Jones was acting director when President Barack Obama nominated him in January 2013.The Biden administration’s plan on guns was first reported by Politico.For nearly a year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-gun-politics-gun-violence-violence-edc7a2c8dc505915a8ad841616d40ebe">the ghost gun rule has been making its way</a>&nbsp;through the federal regulation process. Gun safety groups and Democrats in Congress have been pushing for the Justice Department to finish the rule for months. It will probably be met with heavy resistance from gun groups and draw litigation in the coming weeks.Gun Owners of America vowed that it would immediately fight the rule.“Just as we opposed the Trump Administration’s arbitrary ban on bump stocks, GOA will also sue Biden’s ATF to halt the implementation of this rule,” Aidan Johnston, the group’s director of federal affairs said in a statement. The group believes the rule violates the U.S. Constitution and several federal laws.But gun safety advocacy groups, like Everytown for Gun Safety, which pushed the federal government for years to take action on ghost guns, applauded Biden’s moves and insisted that both Dettelbach’s appointment and the finalized rule will help combat gun violence.“Ghost guns look like a gun, they shoot like a gun, and they kill like a gun, but up until now they haven’t been regulated like a gun,” said John Feinblatt, Everytown’s president.Christian Heyne, the vice president of policy at Brady, another gun control group, said Dettelbach was “an unimpeachable public servant who has spent a career using the levers of government to hold negligent or nefarious actors accountable.”Justice Department statistics show that nearly 24,000 ghost guns were recovered by law enforcement at crime scenes and reported to the government from 2016 to 2020. It is hard to say how many are circulating on the streets, in part because in many cases police departments don’t contact the government about the guns because they can’t be traced.The new rule changes the current definition of a firearm under federal law to include unfinished parts, like the frame of a handgun or the receiver of a long gun. It says those parts must be licensed and include serial numbers. Manufacturers must also run background checks before a sale — as they do with other commercially made firearms. The requirement applies regardless of how the firearm was made, meaning it includes ghost guns made from individual parts, kits, or by 3D-printers.Federally licensed firearms dealers must retain key records until they shut down their business or licensed activity and then transfer the records to ATF as they are currently required to do at the end of licensed activity. Previously, these dealers were permitted to destroy most records after 20 years, making it harder for law enforcement to trace firearms found at crime scenes.“A year ago this week standing here with many of you, I instructed the attorney general to write a regulation that would rein in the proliferation of ghost guns because I was having trouble getting anything passed in the Congress,” Biden said.The rule goes into effect 120 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.For years, federal officials have been sounding the alarm about an increasing black market for homemade, military-style semi-automatic rifles and handguns. As well as turning up more frequently at crime scenes, ghost guns have been increasingly encountered when federal agents buy guns in undercover operations from gang members and other criminals.Some states, like California, have enacted laws in recent years to require serial numbers to be stamped on ghost guns.Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who was attending Monday’s event at the White House, applauded the move and pointed to a serious uptick in ghost guns being found by police. Police in Philadelphia have seen nearly a 500% increase in the number of ghost guns recovered in the past two years, Shapiro said. And just last week, a police officer there was shot by a ghost gun-wielding 18-year-old, who police said had also shot three others.“This loophole has caused our nation countless lives,” Shapiro said in an interview. “Today is a critically important step to close that loophole.”He said the move is likely to help drive down violence and aid both police and prosecutors in bringing their cases. The rule is also likely to help bring down the number of people who shouldn’t be purchasing firearms before a gun lands in their hand, he said.“There are two challenges: One, criminals can easily buy them without going through a background check. And two, they are unserialized and untraceable.”The critical component in building an untraceable gun is what is known as the lower receiver, a part typically made of metal or polymer. An unfinished receiver — sometimes referred to as an “80-percent receiver” — can be legally bought online with no serial numbers or other markings on it, no license required.Police across the country have been reporting spikes in ghost guns being recovered by officers. The New York Police Department, for example, said officers found 131 firearms without serial numbers since January.A gunman who killed his wife and four others in Northern California in 2017 had been prohibited from owning firearms, but he built his own to skirt the court order before his rampage. And in 2019, a teenager used a homemade handgun to fatally shoot two classmates and wound three others at a school in suburban Los Angeles.