LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The trial of a man charged with killing a Lincoln police investigator will be moved out of Lancaster County. 

 Lancaster County District Court Judge Andrew Jacobsen ordered Monday that 18-year-old Felipe Vazquez will be tried in Platte County.

 Vazquez is charged with first-degree murder and several other counts in the death of Lincoln police investigator Luis “Mario” Herrera, who was shot in August 2020.

 Vazquez's attorney argued in a motion that he could not receive a fair trial in Lancaster County because of extensive publicity surrounding Herrera's death and burial. 

Judge Jacobsen agreed and ordered the trial moved to Columbus in northeast Nebraska. 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The trial of a man charged with killing a Lincoln police investigator will be moved out of Lancaster County. Lancaster County District Court Judge Andrew Jacobsen ordered Monday that 18-year-old Felipe Vazquez will be tried in Platte County. Vazquez is charged with first-degree murder and several other counts in the death of Lincoln police investigator Luis “Mario” Herrera, who was shot in August 2020. Vazquez's attorney argued in a motion that he could not receive a fair trial in Lancaster County because of extensive publicity surrounding Herrera's death and burial. Judge Jacobsen agreed and ordered the trial moved to Columbus in northeast Nebraska. The trial is scheduled to start March 7.

Trial of man charged in Lincoln officer's death to be moved

NEW YORK (AP) — The COVID-19 booster drive in the U.S. is losing steam, worrying health experts who have pleaded with Americans to get an extra shot to shore up their protection against the highly contagious omicron variant.

Just 40% of fully vaccinated Americans have received a booster dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the average number of booster shots dispensed per day in the U.S. has plummeted from a peak of 1 million in early December to about 490,000 as of last week.

Also, a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that Americans are more likely to see the initial vaccinations — rather than a booster — as essential.

“It’s clear that the booster effort is falling short,” said Jason Schwartz, a vaccine policy expert at Yale University.

Overall, the U.S. vaccination campaign has been sluggish. More than 13 months after it began, just 63% of Americans, or 210 million people, are fully vaccinated with the initial rounds of shots. Mandates that could raise those numbers have been hobbled by legal challenges.

Vaccination numbers are stagnant in states such as Wyoming, Idaho, Mississippi and Alabama, which have been hovering below 50%.

In Wyoming, 44% are fully vaccinated, up just slightly from 41% in September. To boost numbers, the state has been running TV ads with health care workers giving grim accounts of unvaccinated people struggling with COVID-19.

“Certainly we would like to see higher rates. But it would be wrong for anyone to think that the rates we have are due to lack of effort,” Wyoming Health Department spokeswoman Kim Deti said Tuesday.

And in neighboring Idaho, which also has one of the country’s lowest vaccination rates, the number of people getting their first vaccine dose has remained under 1,000 almost every day this year and the number getting booster shots is also declining. Still, officials say they won’t give up.

“I don’t like to use the word ‘resigned,’” said Elke Shaw-Tulloch, administrator of the Idaho Division of Public Health. “I think we just need to keep saying it over and over again, how important it is.”

At the other end of the spectrum, Vermont is a national leader in the percentage of people who have been fully vaccinated and received a booster shot. About 60% of the population over 18 has gotten a booster. But it’s not enough, said Vermont Health Commissioner Mark Levine.

“I’d love to see that percentage much closer to 90%,” Levine said.

The U.S. and many other nations have been urging adults to get boosters because the vaccine’s protection can wane. Also, research has shown that while the vaccines have proved less effective against omicron,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-29f2895733312cb4b39393fcf3780cc0">boosters can rev up the body’s defenses against the threat</a>.

As for why an estimated 86 million Americans who have been fully vaccinated and are eligible for a booster have not yet gotten one, Schwartz said public confusion is one important reason.

“I think the evidence is now overwhelming that the booster is not simply an optional supplement, but it is a foundational part of protection,” he said. “But clearly that message has been lost.”

The need for all Americans to get boosters initially was debated by scientists, and at first the government recommended only that certain groups of people, such as senior citizens, get additional doses. The arrival of omicron, and additional evidence about falling immunity, showed more clearly a widespread need for boosters.

But the message “has been lost in the sea of changing recommendations and guidance,” Schwartz said.

The AP-NORC Center poll found that 59% of Americans think it is essential that they receive a vaccine to fully participate in public life without feeling at risk of COVID-19 infection. Only 47% say the same about a booster shot.

Keller Anne Ruble, 32, of Denver, received her two doses of the Moderna vaccine but hasn’t gotten her booster. She said she had a bad reaction to the second dose and was in bed for four days with a fever and flu-like symptoms.

“I believe in the power of vaccines, and I know that’s going to protect me,” said Ruble, the owner of a greeting card sending service. But the vaccine “just knocked me out completely and freaked me out about getting the booster.”

She said she does plan to get the booster in the next few weeks and in the meantime wears an N95 mask and tries to stay home.

“I just don’t want to get COVID in general,” she said. “It does scare me.”

Blake Hassler, 26, of Nashville, Tennessee, said he doesn’t plan to get the booster. He received Pfizer’s two doses last year after having a mild case of COVID-19 in 2020. He said he considers himself to be in a low-risk category.

“At this point, we need to focus on prevention of serious illness at the onset of symptoms rather than creating a new shot every six weeks and more divisive mandates,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637084886815.png" alt="President Biden received a booster shot in September -White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden received a booster shot in September -White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The COVID-19 booster drive in the U.S. is losing steam, worrying health experts who have pleaded with Americans to get an extra shot to shore up their protection against the highly contagious omicron variant.Just 40% of fully vaccinated Americans have received a booster dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the average number of booster shots dispensed per day in the U.S. has plummeted from a peak of 1 million in early December to about 490,000 as of last week.Also, a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that Americans are more likely to see the initial vaccinations — rather than a booster — as essential.“It’s clear that the booster effort is falling short,” said Jason Schwartz, a vaccine policy expert at Yale University.Overall, the U.S. vaccination campaign has been sluggish. More than 13 months after it began, just 63% of Americans, or 210 million people, are fully vaccinated with the initial rounds of shots. Mandates that could raise those numbers have been hobbled by legal challenges.Vaccination numbers are stagnant in states such as Wyoming, Idaho, Mississippi and Alabama, which have been hovering below 50%.In Wyoming, 44% are fully vaccinated, up just slightly from 41% in September. To boost numbers, the state has been running TV ads with health care workers giving grim accounts of unvaccinated people struggling with COVID-19.“Certainly we would like to see higher rates. But it would be wrong for anyone to think that the rates we have are due to lack of effort,” Wyoming Health Department spokeswoman Kim Deti said Tuesday.And in neighboring Idaho, which also has one of the country’s lowest vaccination rates, the number of people getting their first vaccine dose has remained under 1,000 almost every day this year and the number getting booster shots is also declining. Still, officials say they won’t give up.“I don’t like to use the word ‘resigned,’” said Elke Shaw-Tulloch, administrator of the Idaho Division of Public Health. “I think we just need to keep saying it over and over again, how important it is.”At the other end of the spectrum, Vermont is a national leader in the percentage of people who have been fully vaccinated and received a booster shot. About 60% of the population over 18 has gotten a booster. But it’s not enough, said Vermont Health Commissioner Mark Levine.“I’d love to see that percentage much closer to 90%,” Levine said.The U.S. and many other nations have been urging adults to get boosters because the vaccine’s protection can wane. Also, research has shown that while the vaccines have proved less effective against omicron,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-29f2895733312cb4b39393fcf3780cc0">boosters can rev up the body’s defenses against the threat</a>.ADVERTISEMENTAs for why an estimated 86 million Americans who have been fully vaccinated and are eligible for a booster have not yet gotten one, Schwartz said public confusion is one important reason.“I think the evidence is now overwhelming that the booster is not simply an optional supplement, but it is a foundational part of protection,” he said. “But clearly that message has been lost.”The need for all Americans to get boosters initially was debated by scientists, and at first the government recommended only that certain groups of people, such as senior citizens, get additional doses. The arrival of omicron, and additional evidence about falling immunity, showed more clearly a widespread need for boosters.But the message “has been lost in the sea of changing recommendations and guidance,” Schwartz said.The AP-NORC Center poll found that 59% of Americans think it is essential that they receive a vaccine to fully participate in public life without feeling at risk of COVID-19 infection. Only 47% say the same about a booster shot.Keller Anne Ruble, 32, of Denver, received her two doses of the Moderna vaccine but hasn’t gotten her booster. She said she had a bad reaction to the second dose and was in bed for four days with a fever and flu-like symptoms.“I believe in the power of vaccines, and I know that’s going to protect me,” said Ruble, the owner of a greeting card sending service. But the vaccine “just knocked me out completely and freaked me out about getting the booster.”She said she does plan to get the booster in the next few weeks and in the meantime wears an N95 mask and tries to stay home.“I just don’t want to get COVID in general,” she said. “It does scare me.”Blake Hassler, 26, of Nashville, Tennessee, said he doesn’t plan to get the booster. He received Pfizer’s two doses last year after having a mild case of COVID-19 in 2020. He said he considers himself to be in a low-risk category.“At this point, we need to focus on prevention of serious illness at the onset of symptoms rather than creating a new shot every six weeks and more divisive mandates,” he said.___

COVID-19 vaccine booster drive is faltering in the US

DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is recalling more than 793,000 small SUVs in the U.S. and Canada because water can get into wiring and in rare cases could start a fire. The recall covers Nissan Rogue SUVs from the 2014 through 2016 model years. 

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents that water and salt can enter a wiring connector in the driver’s foot well, causing corrosion. 

The corrosion can increase the risk of a fire. Nissan says it’s working on a fix and expects to have one in the spring. Owners will get an interim notification letter in March and later will be told when to take their Rogues to a dealer for service.

DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is recalling more than 793,000 small SUVs in the U.S. and Canada because water can get into wiring and in rare cases could start a fire. The recall covers Nissan Rogue SUVs from the 2014 through 2016 model years. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents that water and salt can enter a wiring connector in the driver’s foot well, causing corrosion. The corrosion can increase the risk of a fire. Nissan says it’s working on a fix and expects to have one in the spring. Owners will get an interim notification letter in March and later will be told when to take their Rogues to a dealer for service.

Nissan recalls 793K Rogues; wiring trouble raises fire risk

The
 Federal Trade Commission is returning more than $3.7 million to 
consumers who lost money because of unfair and deceptive loan servicing 
practices by online lender Avant, LLC.

The FTC <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/04/online-lending-company-agrees-settle-ftc-charges-it-engaged">sued Avant in April 2019</a>,
 alleging that the company falsely advertised that it would accept 
payments by credit or debit cards, when in fact it did not. This often 
resulted in customers being charged additional interest on their loans 
as they tried to arrange a different form of payment. The FTC also 
alleged that the company withdrew money from customers’ bank accounts or
 charged their credit cards without authorization, failed to properly 
and timely credit payments made by check, provided deceptive payoff 
quotes to customers, and tried to collect more money than the quoted 
payoff amount.

<a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/federal.trade.commission/viz/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase"></a>The FTC is sending checks to 17,367 consumers who were harmed by Avant’s practices. The average payment amount is $216. People who receive checks should deposit or cash them within 90 days, as indicated on the check.

Recipients who have questions about their refund, as well as 
consumers who believe they are eligible for a refund but did not receive
 a check, should call the refund administrator, Rust Consulting, at 
877-625-9420. The FTC never requires people to pay money or provide 
account information to get a refund.

The FTC’s <a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/federal.trade.commission#!/vizhome/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase">interactive dashboards for refund data(link is external)</a> provide
 a state-by-state breakdown of FTC refunds. In 2020, FTC actions led to 
more than $483 million in refunds to consumers across the country, but 
the United States Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that the FTC lacks 
authority under Section 13(b) to seek monetary relief in federal court 
going forward. The <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/04/ftc-asks-congress-pass-legislation-reviving-agencys-authority">Commission has urged Congress</a> to restore the FTC’s ability to get money back for consumers.

The Federal Trade Commission works to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-competition">promote competition</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">stop deceptive and unfair business practices and scams</a>, and <a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">educate consumers</a>. Report fraud, scams, or bad business practices at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Get consumer advice at <a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">consumer.ftc.gov</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/social-media">follow the FTC on social media</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a>, and read the FTC’s <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCThe
 Federal Trade Commission is returning more than $3.7 million to 
consumers who lost money because of unfair and deceptive loan servicing 
practices by online lender Avant, LLC.The FTC <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/04/online-lending-company-agrees-settle-ftc-charges-it-engaged">sued Avant in April 2019</a>,
 alleging that the company falsely advertised that it would accept 
payments by credit or debit cards, when in fact it did not. This often 
resulted in customers being charged additional interest on their loans 
as they tried to arrange a different form of payment. The FTC also 
alleged that the company withdrew money from customers’ bank accounts or
 charged their credit cards without authorization, failed to properly 
and timely credit payments made by check, provided deceptive payoff 
quotes to customers, and tried to collect more money than the quoted 
payoff amount.<a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/federal.trade.commission/viz/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase"></a>The FTC is sending checks to 17,367 consumers who were harmed by Avant’s practices. The average payment amount is $216. People who receive checks should deposit or cash them within 90 days, as indicated on the check.Recipients who have questions about their refund, as well as 
consumers who believe they are eligible for a refund but did not receive
 a check, should call the refund administrator, Rust Consulting, at 
877-625-9420. The FTC never requires people to pay money or provide 
account information to get a refund.The FTC’s <a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/federal.trade.commission#!/vizhome/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase">interactive dashboards for refund data(link is external)</a> provide
 a state-by-state breakdown of FTC refunds. In 2020, FTC actions led to 
more than $483 million in refunds to consumers across the country, but 
the United States Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that the FTC lacks 
authority under Section 13(b) to seek monetary relief in federal court 
going forward. The <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/04/ftc-asks-congress-pass-legislation-reviving-agencys-authority">Commission has urged Congress</a> to restore the FTC’s ability to get money back for consumers.The Federal Trade Commission works to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-competition">promote competition</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">stop deceptive and unfair business practices and scams</a>, and <a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">educate consumers</a>. Report fraud, scams, or bad business practices at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Get consumer advice at <a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">consumer.ftc.gov</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/social-media">follow the FTC on social media</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a>, and read the FTC’s <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>.

FTC: $4M sent to victims of unfair practices by online lender

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that all 
third-round Economic Impact Payments have been issued and reminds people
 how to claim any remaining stimulus payment they're entitled to on 
their 2021 income tax return as part of the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit.

Parents of a child born in 2021 – or parents and guardians who added a
 new qualifying child to their family in 2021 – did not receive a 
third-round Economic Impact Payment for that child and may be eligible 
to receive up to $1,400 for the child by claiming the Recovery Rebate 
Credit.

While some payments of the Economic Impact Payments from 2021 may 
still be in the mail, including, supplemental payments for people who 
earlier this year received payments based on their 2019 tax returns but 
are eligible for a new or larger payment based on their recently 
processed 2020 tax returns. The IRS is no longer issuing payments as 
required by law. Through December 31, the IRS issued more than 175 
million third-round payments totaling over $400 billion to individuals 
and families across the country while simultaneously managing an 
extended filing season in 2021.

Third-round Economic Impact Payments were advance payments of the 
2021 Recovery Rebate Credit. In late January, the IRS began issuing 
Letter 6475, Your Third Economic Impact Payment, to recipients of the 
third-round Economic Impact Payment. This letter will help Economic 
Impact Payment recipients determine if they are entitled to and should 
claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns when they 
file in 2022.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, signed into law on March 11, 
2021, authorized a third round of Economic Impact Payments and required 
them to be issued by December 31, 2021. The IRS began issuing these 
payments on March 12, 2021 and continued through the end of the year.

Eligible parents of children born in 2021 and families that added 
qualifying dependents in 2021 should claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate 
Credit; most other eligible people already received the full amount and 
won’t need to claim a credit on their tax return

The third-round Economic Impact Payment was an advance payment of the
 tax year 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit. The amount of the third-round 
Economic Impact Payment was based on the income and number of dependents
 listed on an individual's 2019 or 2020 income tax return. The amount of
 the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit is based on the income and number of 
dependents listed on an individual's 2021 income tax return.

Families and individuals in the following circumstances, among 
others, may not have received the full amount of their third-round 
Economic Impact Payment because their circumstances in 2021 were 
different than they were in 2020. These families and individuals may be 
eligible to receive more money by claiming the 2021 Recovery Rebate 
Credit on their 2021 income tax return:

Individuals must claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit on their 
2021 income tax return in order to get this money; the IRS will not 
automatically calculate the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit. The IRS began 
accepting 2021 income tax returns on January 24.

Most other eligible people already received the full amount of their 
credit in advance and don't need to include any information about this 
payment when they file their 2021 tax return. The IRS issued additional 
payments – called "Plus-Up" Payments – to individuals who initially 
received a third-round Economic Impact Payment based on information on 
their 2019 tax return and were eligible for a larger amount based on 
information on their 2020 tax return.

Avoid processing delays when claiming the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit

The IRS strongly encourages people to have all the information they 
need to file an accurate return to avoid processing delays. If the 
return includes errors or is incomplete, it may require further review 
while the IRS corrects the error, which may slow the tax refund.

To claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit, individuals will need to 
know the total amount of their third-round Economic Impact Payment, 
including any Plus-Up Payments, they received. People can view the total
 amount of their third-round Economic Impact Payments through their 
individual <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a>.
 The IRS will also send Letter 6475 through March to those who were 
issued third-round payments confirming the total amount for tax year 
2021. For married individuals filing a joint return with their spouse, 
each spouse will need to log into their own Online Account or review 
their own letter for their portion of their couple's total payment.

The IRS urges recipients of stimulus payments to carefully review 
their tax return before filing. Having this payment information 
available while preparing the tax return will help individuals determine
 if they are eligible to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit for 
missing third-round stimulus payments. If eligible for the credit, they 
must file a 2021 tax return. Using the total amount of the third 
payments from the individual's online account or Letter 6475 when filing
 a tax return can reduce errors and avoid delays in processing while the
 IRS corrects the tax return.

The Get My Payment application will no longer be available as of January 29, 2022, and individuals are encouraged to access <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/view-your-tax-account">Online Account</a> to view their first-, second-, and third-round Economic Impact Payment amounts under Tax Records.

File electronically, and choose direct deposit

The amount of the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit will reduce the amount 
of tax owed for 2021, or, if it's more than the tax owed, it will be 
included as part of the individual's 2021 tax refund. Individuals will 
receive their 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit included in their refund after
 the 2021 tax return is processed. The 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit will 
not be issued separately from the tax refund.

To avoid processing delays, the IRS urges people to file a complete 
and accurate tax return. Filing electronically allows tax software to 
figure credits and deductions, including the 2021 Recovery Rebate 
Credit. The 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040">Form 1040 and Form 1040-SR instructions</a> can also help.

The fastest and most secure way for eligible individuals to get their
 2021 tax refund that will include their allowable 2021 Recovery Rebate 
Credit is by filing electronically and choosing <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>.

Anyone with income of $73,000 or less, including those who don't have
 a tax return filing requirement, can file their federal tax return 
electronically for free through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a> program. The fastest and most secure way to get a tax refund is to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">file electronically</a>
 and have it direct deposited —&nbsp;contactless and free — into the 
individual's financial account. Bank accounts, many prepaid debit cards,
 and several mobile apps can be used for direct deposit when taxpayers 
provide a routing and account number.

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing">IRS.gov/filing</a> has details about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms">Free File Fillable Forms</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/irs-free-tax-return-preparation-programs">free VITA or TCE tax preparation sites</a> in communities or finding a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">trusted tax professional</a>.

Claim 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit for missing first- or second-round Economic Impact Payments

All first- and second-round Economic Impact Payments have been 
issued. The first- and second-round Economic Impact Payments were an 
advance payment of tax year 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit. People who 
didn't qualify for a first- and second- Economic Impact Payment or got 
less than the full amounts may be eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery 
Rebate Credit on a 2020 income tax return. Individuals will need to file
 a 2020 tax return if they have not filed yet or amend their 2020 income
 tax return if it's already been processed.

If the individual's 2020 income tax return has not yet been fully 
processed, the individual should not file a second return. Some returns 
need special handling to correct errors or credit amounts, which can 
delay processing. The IRS is having to correct significantly more errors
 on 2020 tax returns than in previous years. If the IRS corrects the 
credit claimed on the return, the IRS will send a letter with an 
explanation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that all 
third-round Economic Impact Payments have been issued and reminds people
 how to claim any remaining stimulus payment they're entitled to on 
their 2021 income tax return as part of the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit.Parents of a child born in 2021 – or parents and guardians who added a
 new qualifying child to their family in 2021 – did not receive a 
third-round Economic Impact Payment for that child and may be eligible 
to receive up to $1,400 for the child by claiming the Recovery Rebate 
Credit.While some payments of the Economic Impact Payments from 2021 may 
still be in the mail, including, supplemental payments for people who 
earlier this year received payments based on their 2019 tax returns but 
are eligible for a new or larger payment based on their recently 
processed 2020 tax returns. The IRS is no longer issuing payments as 
required by law. Through December 31, the IRS issued more than 175 
million third-round payments totaling over $400 billion to individuals 
and families across the country while simultaneously managing an 
extended filing season in 2021.Third-round Economic Impact Payments were advance payments of the 
2021 Recovery Rebate Credit. In late January, the IRS began issuing 
Letter 6475, Your Third Economic Impact Payment, to recipients of the 
third-round Economic Impact Payment. This letter will help Economic 
Impact Payment recipients determine if they are entitled to and should 
claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns when they 
file in 2022.The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, signed into law on March 11, 
2021, authorized a third round of Economic Impact Payments and required 
them to be issued by December 31, 2021. The IRS began issuing these 
payments on March 12, 2021 and continued through the end of the year.<h2>Eligible parents of children born in 2021 and families that added 
qualifying dependents in 2021 should claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate 
Credit; most other eligible people already received the full amount and 
won’t need to claim a credit on their tax return</h2>The third-round Economic Impact Payment was an advance payment of the
 tax year 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit. The amount of the third-round 
Economic Impact Payment was based on the income and number of dependents
 listed on an individual's 2019 or 2020 income tax return. The amount of
 the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit is based on the income and number of 
dependents listed on an individual's 2021 income tax return.Families and individuals in the following circumstances, among 
others, may not have received the full amount of their third-round 
Economic Impact Payment because their circumstances in 2021 were 
different than they were in 2020. These families and individuals may be 
eligible to receive more money by claiming the 2021 Recovery Rebate 
Credit on their 2021 income tax return:<ul>
 <li>Parents of a child born in 2021 who claim the child as a 
dependent on their 2021 income tax return may be eligible to receive a 
2021 Recovery Rebate Credit of up to $1,400 for this child.
	All eligible parents of qualifying children born or welcomed 
through adoption or foster care in 2021 are also encouraged to claim the
 child tax credit — worth up to $3,600 per child born in 2021 — on their
 2021 income tax return.</li><li>All eligible parents of qualifying children born or welcomed 
through adoption or foster care in 2021 are also encouraged to claim the
 child tax credit — worth up to $3,600 per child born in 2021 — on their
 2021 income tax return.</li><li>Families who added a dependent – such as a parent, a nephew or 
niece, or a grandchild – on their 2021 income tax return who was not 
listed as a dependent on their 2020 income tax return may be eligible to
 receive a 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit of up to $1,400 for this 
dependent.</li><li>Single filers who had incomes above $80,000 in 2020 but less than 
this amount in 2021; married couples who filed a joint return and had 
incomes above $160,000 in 2020 but less than this amount in 2021; and 
head of household filers who had incomes above $120,000 in 2020 but less
 than this amount in 2021 may be eligible for a 2021 Recovery Rebate 
Credit of up to $1,400 per person.</li><li>Single filers who had incomes between $75,000 and $80,000 in 2020 
but had lower incomes in 2021; married couples who filed a joint return 
and had incomes between $150,000 and $160,000 in 2020 but had lower 
incomes in 2021; and head of household filers who had incomes between 
$112,500 and $120,000 in 2020 but had lower incomes in 2021 may be 
eligible for a 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit.</li>
 </ul>Individuals must claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit on their 
2021 income tax return in order to get this money; the IRS will not 
automatically calculate the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit. The IRS began 
accepting 2021 income tax returns on January 24.Most other eligible people already received the full amount of their 
credit in advance and don't need to include any information about this 
payment when they file their 2021 tax return. The IRS issued additional 
payments – called "Plus-Up" Payments – to individuals who initially 
received a third-round Economic Impact Payment based on information on 
their 2019 tax return and were eligible for a larger amount based on 
information on their 2020 tax return.<h2>Avoid processing delays when claiming the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit</h2>The IRS strongly encourages people to have all the information they 
need to file an accurate return to avoid processing delays. If the 
return includes errors or is incomplete, it may require further review 
while the IRS corrects the error, which may slow the tax refund.To claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit, individuals will need to 
know the total amount of their third-round Economic Impact Payment, 
including any Plus-Up Payments, they received. People can view the total
 amount of their third-round Economic Impact Payments through their 
individual <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a>.
 The IRS will also send Letter 6475 through March to those who were 
issued third-round payments confirming the total amount for tax year 
2021. For married individuals filing a joint return with their spouse, 
each spouse will need to log into their own Online Account or review 
their own letter for their portion of their couple's total payment.The IRS urges recipients of stimulus payments to carefully review 
their tax return before filing. Having this payment information 
available while preparing the tax return will help individuals determine
 if they are eligible to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit for 
missing third-round stimulus payments. If eligible for the credit, they 
must file a 2021 tax return. Using the total amount of the third 
payments from the individual's online account or Letter 6475 when filing
 a tax return can reduce errors and avoid delays in processing while the
 IRS corrects the tax return.The Get My Payment application will no longer be available as of January 29, 2022, and individuals are encouraged to access <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/view-your-tax-account">Online Account</a> to view their first-, second-, and third-round Economic Impact Payment amounts under Tax Records.<h2>File electronically, and choose direct deposit</h2>The amount of the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit will reduce the amount 
of tax owed for 2021, or, if it's more than the tax owed, it will be 
included as part of the individual's 2021 tax refund. Individuals will 
receive their 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit included in their refund after
 the 2021 tax return is processed. The 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit will 
not be issued separately from the tax refund.To avoid processing delays, the IRS urges people to file a complete 
and accurate tax return. Filing electronically allows tax software to 
figure credits and deductions, including the 2021 Recovery Rebate 
Credit. The 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040">Form 1040 and Form 1040-SR instructions</a> can also help.The fastest and most secure way for eligible individuals to get their
 2021 tax refund that will include their allowable 2021 Recovery Rebate 
Credit is by filing electronically and choosing <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>.Anyone with income of $73,000 or less, including those who don't have
 a tax return filing requirement, can file their federal tax return 
electronically for free through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a> program. The fastest and most secure way to get a tax refund is to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">file electronically</a>
 and have it direct deposited —&nbsp;contactless and free — into the 
individual's financial account. Bank accounts, many prepaid debit cards,
 and several mobile apps can be used for direct deposit when taxpayers 
provide a routing and account number.<a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing">IRS.gov/filing</a> has details about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms">Free File Fillable Forms</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/irs-free-tax-return-preparation-programs">free VITA or TCE tax preparation sites</a> in communities or finding a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">trusted tax professional</a>.<h2>Claim 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit for missing first- or second-round Economic Impact Payments</h2>All first- and second-round Economic Impact Payments have been 
issued. The first- and second-round Economic Impact Payments were an 
advance payment of tax year 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit. People who 
didn't qualify for a first- and second- Economic Impact Payment or got 
less than the full amounts may be eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery 
Rebate Credit on a 2020 income tax return. Individuals will need to file
 a 2020 tax return if they have not filed yet or amend their 2020 income
 tax return if it's already been processed.If the individual's 2020 income tax return has not yet been fully 
processed, the individual should not file a second return. Some returns 
need special handling to correct errors or credit amounts, which can 
delay processing. The IRS is having to correct significantly more errors
 on 2020 tax returns than in previous years. If the IRS corrects the 
credit claimed on the return, the IRS will send a letter with an 
explanation.<h2>More information</h2><ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account Information</a></li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a></li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2021-recovery-rebate-credit-questions-and-answers">2021 Recovery Rebate Credit Frequently Asked Questions</a></li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-frequently-asked-questions">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit Frequently Asked Questions</a></li>
 </ul>

IRS: All COVID relief payments issued, but some can claim tax credit

The Biden administration has officially withdrawn a rule that would have required workers at big companies to get vaccinated or face regular COVID testing requirements.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirmed the withdrawal Tuesday. But the agency said it still strongly encourages workers to get vaccinated.

In early November, OSHA announced a vaccine-or-test mandate for companies with at least 100 employees. The rule __ which would have impacted more than 80 million U.S. workers __ was originally set to go into effect on Jan. 4.

But numerous states and business groups challenged the rule in court. On Jan. 13, the Supreme Court halted the plan. In a 6-3 ruling, the court’s conservative majority concluded that OSHA had overstepped its authority.

“OSHA has never before imposed such a mandate. Nor has Congress,″ the court’s majority wrote. ”Indeed, although Congress has enacted significant legislation addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, it has declined to enact any measure similar to what OSHA has promulgated here."

The justices left in place a vaccine mandate for health care providers who receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding. That rule affects 10.4 million workers.

OSHA indicated that the rule could return in some form. While it is no longer an enforceable standard, it remains a proposed rule, OSHA said. In the meantime, the agency said it will prioritize the health care mandate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642678724173.png" alt="The Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirmed the withdrawal Tuesday. But the agency said it still strongly encourages workers to get vaccinated-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>The Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirmed the withdrawal Tuesday. But the agency said it still strongly encourages workers to get vaccinated-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By DEE-ANN DURBIN, AP Business WriterThe Biden administration has officially withdrawn a rule that would have required workers at big companies to get vaccinated or face regular COVID testing requirements.The Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirmed the withdrawal Tuesday. But the agency said it still strongly encourages workers to get vaccinated.In early November, OSHA announced a vaccine-or-test mandate for companies with at least 100 employees. The rule __ which would have impacted more than 80 million U.S. workers __ was originally set to go into effect on Jan. 4.But numerous states and business groups challenged the rule in court. On Jan. 13, the Supreme Court halted the plan. In a 6-3 ruling, the court’s conservative majority concluded that OSHA had overstepped its authority.“OSHA has never before imposed such a mandate. Nor has Congress,″ the court’s majority wrote. ”Indeed, although Congress has enacted significant legislation addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, it has declined to enact any measure similar to what OSHA has promulgated here."The justices left in place a vaccine mandate for health care providers who receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding. That rule affects 10.4 million workers.OSHA indicated that the rule could return in some form. While it is no longer an enforceable standard, it remains a proposed rule, OSHA said. In the meantime, the agency said it will prioritize the health care mandate.

Biden administration officially withdraws vaccine rule

By ERIC BERGER <a href="https://khn.org/news/article/with-a-vaccine-mandate-looming-nursing-homes-face-more-staffing-problems/">Kaiser Health News</a>

ST. CHARLES, Mo. — Jamie Smith, a staffing agency nurse who loves end-of-life care, said she has been warmly welcomed by staffers and residents at Frontier Health &amp; Rehabilitation in this conservative St. Louis suburb.

That’s even though she has not been vaccinated against covid-19.

But leaders of the nursing home, where 22 residents died from covid 
before vaccines were available, likely won’t be able to employ 
unvaccinated people like Smith for much longer. The <a href="https://khn.org/news/article/supreme-court-vaccine-mandate-ruling/">U.S. Supreme Court</a> on Jan. 13 upheld a <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-11-05/pdf/2021-23831.pdf">federal mandate</a>
 requiring health care workers at facilities that receive Medicaid or 
Medicare funding to be fully vaccinated. If all staffers — excluding 
those with approved religious or medical exemptions — aren’t fully 
vaccinated, the facility will lose that money.

Health care sites in Missouri and other states that challenged the 
federal requirement have until March 15 for their staffs to be fully 
vaccinated, according to the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid 
Services, while facilities in states that didn’t sue to block the 
mandate have a Feb. 28 deadline.

That poses a challenge for Frontier and its residents because the 
nursing home already doesn’t have enough staffers. And it is in the 
state with the lowest rate of fully vaccinated nursing home health care 
workers, 67% as of Jan. 9, according to CMS data. Frontier’s reported 
staff vaccination rate was just 30% at the start of the year.

That compares with a national rate of 81%, according to the federal data.

Although the mandate ensures that unvaccinated staff members are not 
caring for some of the people most vulnerable to the virus, not enough 
workers are willing to take the low-paying, challenging jobs. If they 
quit to avoid getting shots or are fired because they won’t get them, 
nursing home residents might not be any safer — because of lack of care.

“Obviously we need good staff members to take care of residents, but 
the residents need to be safe as well,” said Marjorie Moore, who 
supports the mandate and is executive director of Voyce, a St. Louis 
nonprofit that advocates for nursing home residents and their families.

“A person who lives in their own home has the chance to say, ‘I don’t
 want somebody in my home who isn’t vaccinated,’” she added. “In a 
nursing home, they don’t have the opportunity to say, ‘I don’t want 
somebody who is unvaccinated coming up and feeding me.’”

The problem of inadequate staffing at nursing homes predates the pandemic, and it’s gotten worse.

In March 2020, 3.3 million people were employed at U.S. nursing homes
 and residential care facilities, according to the Bureau of Labor 
Statistics. In December 2021, that number had dropped to 2.9 million, a 
loss of 400,000 workers.

Nursing home operators can’t find enough staffers because they often 
don’t pay much. The mean hourly wage for nursing assistants in Missouri 
was $13.33 in 2020, according to the statistics bureau. And the homes 
require employees to take on a slew of responsibilities, including 
feeding residents, changing adult diapers, and caring for residents who 
have dementia and may become combative.

Nursing assistants “can typically find a job with better pay that is less physically and emotionally demanding,” said <a href="https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/people/26750101-brian-e-mcgarry">Brian McGarry</a>,
 a University of Rochester professor who studies long-term care. 
“Somebody’s life and dignity is in your hands, and it’s a huge 
responsibility, and you are not getting paid commensurate with that 
responsibility.”

Those downsides of the job often lead to significant turnover. In 2017-18, <a href="https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/codifying-the-nursing-home-industrys-elusive-alarming-turnover-rates/">the turnover rate</a> among nursing home employees in Missouri was 138%, the fourth-highest in the country, according to a <a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00957">study in the journal Health Affairs</a>. Frontier had a rate of more than 300%, according to Huizi Yu, one of the study’s authors.

The nursing home’s management declined to comment.

Smith, the nurse who works for a health care staffing agency, said 
she has not been vaccinated against covid because she had a rare cancer 
in 2017 and is “very particular about what I put in my body.”

She said, “I’m not sure if I would be able to get it just to keep a job.”

But, she noted in a text message, “I still practice safely.”

And, indeed, no Frontier residents have died from covid since the 
outbreak at the start of the pandemic, according to the federal data. 
But the center reported having seven new confirmed cases among its 
residents and 10 new cases among its staff as of Jan. 9. At the 
beginning of the year, 89% of residents were fully vaccinated against 
covid.

Low vaccination levels among staffers place residents at greater risk, according to a <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2115674">recent analysis</a>
 in The New England Journal of Medicine. Facilities in high-covid 
counties with an average staff vaccination rate of approximately 30% had
 nearly three times as many covid deaths among residents as facilities 
where about 82% of employees were vaccinated, the analysis found.

“An unvaccinated or low-vaccinated staff, I think, pretty clearly 
puts residents at risk — even if they are vaccinated,” said McGarry, one
 of the analysis’s authors.

The vaccination rate has increased from fewer than half of Missouri 
nursing home staff members when President Joe Biden announced the 
mandate for nursing homes Aug. 18 to about two-thirds of staffers now, 
according to the federal data.

Like Frontier, Northview Village does not have enough staffers, and 
most people who work there have not been vaccinated. The facility — a 
nursing home in a predominantly Black, low-income north St. Louis 
neighborhood — held a vaccination drive in December to increase its 
roughly 20% staff vaccination rate, but the numbers did not rise, 
according to the federal data. And only half of residents were fully 
vaccinated.

The Northview management declined to comment.

Kimberly Watkins, a technician who works to keep Northview residents 
active, was reluctant to get any of the shots, in part because she heard
 the conspiracy theory that they contained a tracking chip. But she said
 she decided to go ahead and get vaccinated because she has asthma and 
high blood pressure. Co-workers told her their doctors said that they 
didn’t need the vaccine or that they may be allergic to it.

Now with the mandate taking effect, Moore, of the nonprofit Voyce, thinks most local nursing home staffers will comply.

She highlighted Mary, Queen and Mother Center, a Catholic nonprofit 
nursing home in St. Louis County, that announced its own mandate in 
August. Before its Sept. 30 deadline, the nursing home saw its staff 
vaccination rate increase from 67% to 92%, with the remainder being 
those with a medical or religious exemption, according to the 
organization. The facility retained almost all its staff.

Not everyone is worried about nursing home staffers being vaccinated, in part reflecting the community around them. Just <a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/data/public-health/vaccine-county.php">55% of Missourians</a> are fully vaccinated.

“I’m not into forcing stuff on people,” said Antuan Diltz, a St. 
Louis firefighter whose mother is a 64-year-old retired nurse with 
dementia and diabetes living at Frontier. She received the vaccine; 
Diltz had not.

But others, like Bill Talton, who have family at Frontier hope more 
staffers will get the shots. Talton, a 77-year-old retired computer 
programmer, said he is happy with the care his younger brother, who has 
dementia, has received, although he sometimes couldn’t visit him during 
covid-related lockdowns.

“It’s kind of late in the game,” said Talton, who is fully vaccinated and received a booster. “They’ll get it done — I hope.”

KHN data editor Holly K. Hacker contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643123004196.png" alt="Nursing homes in Missouri like Frontier Health &amp; Rehabilitation in St. Charles risk losing funding from Medicaid and Medicare if their employees are not fully vaccinated by March 15. (Eric Berger for KHN)" />
 <figcaption>Nursing homes in Missouri like Frontier Health &amp; Rehabilitation in St. Charles risk losing funding from Medicaid and Medicare if their employees are not fully vaccinated by March 15. (Eric Berger for KHN)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ERIC BERGER <a href="https://khn.org/news/article/with-a-vaccine-mandate-looming-nursing-homes-face-more-staffing-problems/">Kaiser Health News</a>ST. CHARLES, Mo. — Jamie Smith, a staffing agency nurse who loves end-of-life care, said she has been warmly welcomed by staffers and residents at Frontier Health &amp; Rehabilitation in this conservative St. Louis suburb.That’s even though she has not been vaccinated against covid-19.But leaders of the nursing home, where 22 residents died from covid 
before vaccines were available, likely won’t be able to employ 
unvaccinated people like Smith for much longer. The <a href="https://khn.org/news/article/supreme-court-vaccine-mandate-ruling/">U.S. Supreme Court</a> on Jan. 13 upheld a <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-11-05/pdf/2021-23831.pdf">federal mandate</a>
 requiring health care workers at facilities that receive Medicaid or 
Medicare funding to be fully vaccinated. If all staffers — excluding 
those with approved religious or medical exemptions — aren’t fully 
vaccinated, the facility will lose that money.Health care sites in Missouri and other states that challenged the 
federal requirement have until March 15 for their staffs to be fully 
vaccinated, according to the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid 
Services, while facilities in states that didn’t sue to block the 
mandate have a Feb. 28 deadline.That poses a challenge for Frontier and its residents because the 
nursing home already doesn’t have enough staffers. And it is in the 
state with the lowest rate of fully vaccinated nursing home health care 
workers, 67% as of Jan. 9, according to CMS data. Frontier’s reported 
staff vaccination rate was just 30% at the start of the year.That compares with a national rate of 81%, according to the federal data.<div><iframe title="Nursing Home Staff Vaccination Rates Vary Widely" aria-label="Map" id="datawrapper-chart-hs29A" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/hs29A/10/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="686"></div>Although the mandate ensures that unvaccinated staff members are not 
caring for some of the people most vulnerable to the virus, not enough 
workers are willing to take the low-paying, challenging jobs. If they 
quit to avoid getting shots or are fired because they won’t get them, 
nursing home residents might not be any safer — because of lack of care.“Obviously we need good staff members to take care of residents, but 
the residents need to be safe as well,” said Marjorie Moore, who 
supports the mandate and is executive director of Voyce, a St. Louis 
nonprofit that advocates for nursing home residents and their families.“A person who lives in their own home has the chance to say, ‘I don’t
 want somebody in my home who isn’t vaccinated,’” she added. “In a 
nursing home, they don’t have the opportunity to say, ‘I don’t want 
somebody who is unvaccinated coming up and feeding me.’”The problem of inadequate staffing at nursing homes predates the pandemic, and it’s gotten worse.In March 2020, 3.3 million people were employed at U.S. nursing homes
 and residential care facilities, according to the Bureau of Labor 
Statistics. In December 2021, that number had dropped to 2.9 million, a 
loss of 400,000 workers.Nursing home operators can’t find enough staffers because they often 
don’t pay much. The mean hourly wage for nursing assistants in Missouri 
was $13.33 in 2020, according to the statistics bureau. And the homes 
require employees to take on a slew of responsibilities, including 
feeding residents, changing adult diapers, and caring for residents who 
have dementia and may become combative.Nursing assistants “can typically find a job with better pay that is less physically and emotionally demanding,” said <a href="https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/people/26750101-brian-e-mcgarry">Brian McGarry</a>,
 a University of Rochester professor who studies long-term care. 
“Somebody’s life and dignity is in your hands, and it’s a huge 
responsibility, and you are not getting paid commensurate with that 
responsibility.”Those downsides of the job often lead to significant turnover. In 2017-18, <a href="https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/codifying-the-nursing-home-industrys-elusive-alarming-turnover-rates/">the turnover rate</a> among nursing home employees in Missouri was 138%, the fourth-highest in the country, according to a <a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00957">study in the journal Health Affairs</a>. Frontier had a rate of more than 300%, according to Huizi Yu, one of the study’s authors.The nursing home’s management declined to comment.Smith, the nurse who works for a health care staffing agency, said 
she has not been vaccinated against covid because she had a rare cancer 
in 2017 and is “very particular about what I put in my body.”She said, “I’m not sure if I would be able to get it just to keep a job.”But, she noted in a text message, “I still practice safely.”And, indeed, no Frontier residents have died from covid since the 
outbreak at the start of the pandemic, according to the federal data. 
But the center reported having seven new confirmed cases among its 
residents and 10 new cases among its staff as of Jan. 9. At the 
beginning of the year, 89% of residents were fully vaccinated against 
covid.Low vaccination levels among staffers place residents at greater risk, according to a <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2115674">recent analysis</a>
 in The New England Journal of Medicine. Facilities in high-covid 
counties with an average staff vaccination rate of approximately 30% had
 nearly three times as many covid deaths among residents as facilities 
where about 82% of employees were vaccinated, the analysis found.“An unvaccinated or low-vaccinated staff, I think, pretty clearly 
puts residents at risk — even if they are vaccinated,” said McGarry, one
 of the analysis’s authors.The vaccination rate has increased from fewer than half of Missouri 
nursing home staff members when President Joe Biden announced the 
mandate for nursing homes Aug. 18 to about two-thirds of staffers now, 
according to the federal data.Like Frontier, Northview Village does not have enough staffers, and 
most people who work there have not been vaccinated. The facility — a 
nursing home in a predominantly Black, low-income north St. Louis 
neighborhood — held a vaccination drive in December to increase its 
roughly 20% staff vaccination rate, but the numbers did not rise, 
according to the federal data. And only half of residents were fully 
vaccinated.The Northview management declined to comment.Kimberly Watkins, a technician who works to keep Northview residents 
active, was reluctant to get any of the shots, in part because she heard
 the conspiracy theory that they contained a tracking chip. But she said
 she decided to go ahead and get vaccinated because she has asthma and 
high blood pressure. Co-workers told her their doctors said that they 
didn’t need the vaccine or that they may be allergic to it.Now with the mandate taking effect, Moore, of the nonprofit Voyce, thinks most local nursing home staffers will comply.She highlighted Mary, Queen and Mother Center, a Catholic nonprofit 
nursing home in St. Louis County, that announced its own mandate in 
August. Before its Sept. 30 deadline, the nursing home saw its staff 
vaccination rate increase from 67% to 92%, with the remainder being 
those with a medical or religious exemption, according to the 
organization. The facility retained almost all its staff.Not everyone is worried about nursing home staffers being vaccinated, in part reflecting the community around them. Just <a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/data/public-health/vaccine-county.php">55% of Missourians</a> are fully vaccinated.“I’m not into forcing stuff on people,” said Antuan Diltz, a St. 
Louis firefighter whose mother is a 64-year-old retired nurse with 
dementia and diabetes living at Frontier. She received the vaccine; 
Diltz had not.But others, like Bill Talton, who have family at Frontier hope more 
staffers will get the shots. Talton, a 77-year-old retired computer 
programmer, said he is happy with the care his younger brother, who has 
dementia, has received, although he sometimes couldn’t visit him during 
covid-related lockdowns.“It’s kind of late in the game,” said Talton, who is fully vaccinated and received a booster. “They’ll get it done — I hope.”KHN data editor Holly K. Hacker contributed to this report.

With vaccine mandate looming, nursing homes face staffing crisis

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A judge has refused to block Omaha’s new mask mandate. 

Douglas County District Judge Shelly Stratman on Tuesday declined to issue an injunction the state requested while its lawsuit challenging the mask rule continues. 

The state has argued that Douglas County Health Director Lindsay Huse didn’t have the authority to issue a mask mandate unless the state approved it beforehand. 

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services had rejected her previous requests. 

Huse has said she believes Omaha city code gives her the power to order the mask rule and the mandate is needed because of the surge in virus cases this month.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A judge has refused to block Omaha’s new mask mandate. Douglas County District Judge Shelly Stratman on Tuesday declined to issue an injunction the state requested while its lawsuit challenging the mask rule continues. The state has argued that Douglas County Health Director Lindsay Huse didn’t have the authority to issue a mask mandate unless the state approved it beforehand. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services had rejected her previous requests. Huse has said she believes Omaha city code gives her the power to order the mask rule and the mandate is needed because of the surge in virus cases this month.

Nebraska judge refuses to block Omaha's new mask mandate

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has issued its first clean energy loan guarantee, reviving an Obama-era program that helped launch the country’s first utility-scale wind and solar farms a decade ago but has largely gone dormant in recent years.

The Energy Department said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://www.energy.gov/lpo/articles/open-business-lpo-issues-new-conditional-commitment-loan-guarantee" target="_blank">guarantee up to $1 billion in loans to help a Nebraska company scale up production of “clean” hydrogen</a>&nbsp;to convert natural gas into commercial products used in manufacturing and agriculture.

The revived loan program is part of President Joe Biden’s efforts to slash planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, amid legislative gridlock that has stalled a $2 trillion package of social and environmental initiatives. It’s among the tools he can use without new legislation.

Under President Barack Obama, the program boosted Tesla’s efforts to become a behemoth in electric cars, but it stumbled after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barack-obama-archive-economic-stimulus-30189ac3d2eb4daf926f2575cf6d0874">California solar company Solyndra failed&nbsp;</a>soon after receiving federal aid a decade ago, costing taxpayers more than $500 million. Republicans and other critics seized on Solyndra as an example of wasteful spending under Obama’s stimulus program.

The aid to Lincoln-based Monolith Inc. is the program’s first non-nuclear loan guarantee since 2016.

Monolith produces “carbon black,” a powdery substance that enhances tires and other rubber products, and hydrogen used in ammonia-based fertilizer.

Monolith says it can create both products while vastly shrinking their greenhouse gas emissions. The company plans to use the Energy Department guarantee to finance a major expansion of its existing Hallam, Nebraska, plant that produces hydrogen and carbon black.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm hailed the announcement as a sign the once-high profile loan program is back in business and ready to support deployment of clean energy, from biofuels to nuclear power and offshore wind.

“Advanced, clean production technology like Monolith’s are the types of impactful projects that support not just sustainability, but economic growth and clean energy jobs for the American people,” Granholm said.

Monolith will use the loan guarantees to “develop the innovation needed to help lead the clean energy transition, while also creating high-paying green jobs and strengthening our nation’s supply chain,” said Rob Hanson, the company’s co-founder and CEO.

Jigar Shah, who took over as director of the loan program office last year, said the program has drawn over 70 applications valued at more than $60 billion. The new bipartisan infrastructure law expanded the program’s authority and broadened the pool of eligible borrowers. The agency has access to roughly $40 billion in loan authority and expects to make an array of loan commitments in 2022, Shah said.

While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-steven-chu-8ddaf26f98424eae9dbf733da62c1427">Tesla</a>&nbsp;and Solyndra are the best known examples, the loan office manages over 30 projects worth more than $30 billion and generates $500 million in interest income for the federal government every year, Shah said.

“We have a track record of our projects being winners,″ he said in an interview. “And I know that we get a lot of press on the ones who don’t succeed,″ but the program has suffered just over $1 billion in losses since 2011, or roughly 3.3% of its investment, a figure Shah said is on par with commercial banks.

“Many people think we’re not taking enough risk,″ he said. ”But we’re in line with the best of the best.″

Some companies that apply for assistance “want the Loan Program Office to be sort of your fairy godmother in Cinderella, where you show up in rags and I create a carriage for you out of a pumpkin and turn all the mice into horses and all that stuff,″ Shah said. “But it’s just not the way it works.″

A former clean-energy entrepreneur who founded the SunEdison solar company, Shah said he understands the mindset of loan applicants —“you sell the dream, right?” — but says his job as a government official is to provide a reality check even as he offers assistance.

“Tell me how you’re going to make the mice into horses, and pumpkins into a carriage and the rags into a beautiful dress,″ he said, continuing the metaphor. “What processes and procedures have you learned to put in place? How are you going to protect my money?″

The loan guarantee program “is not intended to be a subsidy. It’s intended to be market-rate debt,″ Shah said.

Monolith is the first-ever commercial-scale project to deploy a technology known as methane pyrolysis, which converts natural gas into carbon black and hydrogen. While carbon black typically emits large volumes of carbon dioxide and other gases, Monolith says its technologies aim to reduce greenhouse gases by up to 80% compared to traditional production.

Robert Howarth, professor of ecology and environmental biology at Cornell University, said he is “highly skeptical that this can be done with low emissions,″ adding that he was “very disappointed” at the Energy Department’s action.

“I very much doubt that emission reductions will be anywhere near that large when the upstream fugitive methane emissions are included,″ Howarth said in an email.

Howarth and Stanford professor Mark Jacobson published a research paper last year questioning climate benefits of so-called blue hydrogen produced from natural gas. “Emissions from blue hydrogen are worse than if one simply burned natural gas for the energy instead,″ Howarth said.

Shah called Howarth a friend, but said he is confident Monolith can meets its projections on carbon pollution.

“Even with the worst case scenario, and methane leakage, we still have 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions versus the business as usual processes,″ he said.

Monolith said it would create about 1,000 jobs to support expansion of its hydrogen plant

Goodyear Tire &amp; Rubber Co., one of two tiremakers that has signed a letter of intent to purchase the carbon black, said in a statement it was “excited” to work with Monolith to reduce its carbon footprint.

“As the only U.S.-headquartered tire manufacturer, it’s especially rewarding to be at the connection point of significant U.S. innovation with Monolith” and the Energy Department, said Richard Kramer, Goodyear’s chairman and CEO.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643137209562.png" alt="The revived loan program is part of President Joe Biden’s efforts to slash planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>The revived loan program is part of President Joe Biden’s efforts to slash planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has issued its first clean energy loan guarantee, reviving an Obama-era program that helped launch the country’s first utility-scale wind and solar farms a decade ago but has largely gone dormant in recent years.The Energy Department said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://www.energy.gov/lpo/articles/open-business-lpo-issues-new-conditional-commitment-loan-guarantee" target="_blank">guarantee up to $1 billion in loans to help a Nebraska company scale up production of “clean” hydrogen</a>&nbsp;to convert natural gas into commercial products used in manufacturing and agriculture.The revived loan program is part of President Joe Biden’s efforts to slash planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, amid legislative gridlock that has stalled a $2 trillion package of social and environmental initiatives. It’s among the tools he can use without new legislation.Under President Barack Obama, the program boosted Tesla’s efforts to become a behemoth in electric cars, but it stumbled after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barack-obama-archive-economic-stimulus-30189ac3d2eb4daf926f2575cf6d0874">California solar company Solyndra failed&nbsp;</a>soon after receiving federal aid a decade ago, costing taxpayers more than $500 million. Republicans and other critics seized on Solyndra as an example of wasteful spending under Obama’s stimulus program.The aid to Lincoln-based Monolith Inc. is the program’s first non-nuclear loan guarantee since 2016.Monolith produces “carbon black,” a powdery substance that enhances tires and other rubber products, and hydrogen used in ammonia-based fertilizer.Monolith says it can create both products while vastly shrinking their greenhouse gas emissions. The company plans to use the Energy Department guarantee to finance a major expansion of its existing Hallam, Nebraska, plant that produces hydrogen and carbon black.Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm hailed the announcement as a sign the once-high profile loan program is back in business and ready to support deployment of clean energy, from biofuels to nuclear power and offshore wind.“Advanced, clean production technology like Monolith’s are the types of impactful projects that support not just sustainability, but economic growth and clean energy jobs for the American people,” Granholm said.Monolith will use the loan guarantees to “develop the innovation needed to help lead the clean energy transition, while also creating high-paying green jobs and strengthening our nation’s supply chain,” said Rob Hanson, the company’s co-founder and CEO.Jigar Shah, who took over as director of the loan program office last year, said the program has drawn over 70 applications valued at more than $60 billion. The new bipartisan infrastructure law expanded the program’s authority and broadened the pool of eligible borrowers. The agency has access to roughly $40 billion in loan authority and expects to make an array of loan commitments in 2022, Shah said.While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-steven-chu-8ddaf26f98424eae9dbf733da62c1427">Tesla</a>&nbsp;and Solyndra are the best known examples, the loan office manages over 30 projects worth more than $30 billion and generates $500 million in interest income for the federal government every year, Shah said.“We have a track record of our projects being winners,″ he said in an interview. “And I know that we get a lot of press on the ones who don’t succeed,″ but the program has suffered just over $1 billion in losses since 2011, or roughly 3.3% of its investment, a figure Shah said is on par with commercial banks.“Many people think we’re not taking enough risk,″ he said. ”But we’re in line with the best of the best.″Some companies that apply for assistance “want the Loan Program Office to be sort of your fairy godmother in Cinderella, where you show up in rags and I create a carriage for you out of a pumpkin and turn all the mice into horses and all that stuff,″ Shah said. “But it’s just not the way it works.″A former clean-energy entrepreneur who founded the SunEdison solar company, Shah said he understands the mindset of loan applicants —“you sell the dream, right?” — but says his job as a government official is to provide a reality check even as he offers assistance.“Tell me how you’re going to make the mice into horses, and pumpkins into a carriage and the rags into a beautiful dress,″ he said, continuing the metaphor. “What processes and procedures have you learned to put in place? How are you going to protect my money?″The loan guarantee program “is not intended to be a subsidy. It’s intended to be market-rate debt,″ Shah said.Monolith is the first-ever commercial-scale project to deploy a technology known as methane pyrolysis, which converts natural gas into carbon black and hydrogen. While carbon black typically emits large volumes of carbon dioxide and other gases, Monolith says its technologies aim to reduce greenhouse gases by up to 80% compared to traditional production.Robert Howarth, professor of ecology and environmental biology at Cornell University, said he is “highly skeptical that this can be done with low emissions,″ adding that he was “very disappointed” at the Energy Department’s action.“I very much doubt that emission reductions will be anywhere near that large when the upstream fugitive methane emissions are included,″ Howarth said in an email.Howarth and Stanford professor Mark Jacobson published a research paper last year questioning climate benefits of so-called blue hydrogen produced from natural gas. “Emissions from blue hydrogen are worse than if one simply burned natural gas for the energy instead,″ Howarth said.Shah called Howarth a friend, but said he is confident Monolith can meets its projections on carbon pollution.“Even with the worst case scenario, and methane leakage, we still have 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions versus the business as usual processes,″ he said.Monolith said it would create about 1,000 jobs to support expansion of its hydrogen plantGoodyear Tire &amp; Rubber Co., one of two tiremakers that has signed a letter of intent to purchase the carbon black, said in a statement it was “excited” to work with Monolith to reduce its carbon footprint.“As the only U.S.-headquartered tire manufacturer, it’s especially rewarding to be at the connection point of significant U.S. innovation with Monolith” and the Energy Department, said Richard Kramer, Goodyear’s chairman and CEO.

Biden revives 'clean energy' program with $1B loan guarantee

Pfizer is enrolling healthy adults to test a reformulated COVID-19 vaccine that matches the hugely contagious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-can-i-protect-myself-from-omicron-variant-c4e5662a36708a594c454b171ab93bd0">omicron variant</a>, to see how it compares with the original shots.

Pfizer and its partner BioNTech announced the study on Tuesday.

COVID-19 vaccine-makers have been updating their shots to better match omicron in case global health authorities decide the change is needed.

Omicron is more likely than previous variants to cause infection even in people who’ve been vaccinated, but it’s not yet clear that a change to the vaccine recipe will be ordered. Among the issues regulators are weighing: Some of the first places to face an omicron surge already are seeing the mutant wane — and there’s no way to know if the next variant that arises will resemble omicron or be totally different.

The original vaccines still offer good protection against severe illness and death. Studies in the U.S. and elsewhere have made clear that adding a booster dose strengthens that protection and improves the chances of avoiding even a milder infection.

“We recognize the need to be prepared in the event this protection wanes over time and to potentially help address omicron and new variants in the future,” Kathrin Jansen, Pfizer’s vaccine research chief, said in a statement.

The new U.S. study will include up to 1,420 volunteers ages 18 to 55 to test the updated omicron-based shots for use as a booster or for primary vaccinations. Researchers will examine the tweaked vaccine’s safety and how it revs up the immune system in comparison to the original shots.

Full study results will take many months as volunteers receive multiple vaccine doses — and as researchers measure how long virus-fighting antibodies remain at high levels after an omicron-adapted dose versus the regular booster.

Pfizer’s CEO told CNBC earlier this month that the company could have some omicron-matched doses ready as early as March. But doing what the company calls “at-risk” manufacturing doesn’t mean those doses will be rolled out to the public. Pfizer and other vaccine makers also have brewed and tested experimental doses to match previous variants, changes that ultimately weren’t needed but offered valuable practice at tweaking the recipe.

For the new study, one group of about 600 volunteers who received two doses of the current Pfizer vaccine three to six months ago will receive either one or two omicron-based shots as boosters. Another 600 who have already gotten three regular doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be given a fourth dose of either the regular vaccine or the omicron-matched version.

The study also will enroll some unvaccinated volunteers who will receive three doses of the omicron-based vaccine.

Pfizer plans to produce 4 billion vaccine doses in 2022, and said Tuesday the amount isn’t expected to change if an omicron-adapted version is needed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604926559777.png" alt="Pfizer and its partner BioNTech announced the study on Tuesday.-photo courtesy Pfizer" />
 <figcaption>Pfizer and its partner BioNTech announced the study on Tuesday.-photo courtesy Pfizer</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURAN NEERGAARD, Associated PressPfizer is enrolling healthy adults to test a reformulated COVID-19 vaccine that matches the hugely contagious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-can-i-protect-myself-from-omicron-variant-c4e5662a36708a594c454b171ab93bd0">omicron variant</a>, to see how it compares with the original shots.Pfizer and its partner BioNTech announced the study on Tuesday.COVID-19 vaccine-makers have been updating their shots to better match omicron in case global health authorities decide the change is needed.Omicron is more likely than previous variants to cause infection even in people who’ve been vaccinated, but it’s not yet clear that a change to the vaccine recipe will be ordered. Among the issues regulators are weighing: Some of the first places to face an omicron surge already are seeing the mutant wane — and there’s no way to know if the next variant that arises will resemble omicron or be totally different.The original vaccines still offer good protection against severe illness and death. Studies in the U.S. and elsewhere have made clear that adding a booster dose strengthens that protection and improves the chances of avoiding even a milder infection.“We recognize the need to be prepared in the event this protection wanes over time and to potentially help address omicron and new variants in the future,” Kathrin Jansen, Pfizer’s vaccine research chief, said in a statement.The new U.S. study will include up to 1,420 volunteers ages 18 to 55 to test the updated omicron-based shots for use as a booster or for primary vaccinations. Researchers will examine the tweaked vaccine’s safety and how it revs up the immune system in comparison to the original shots.Full study results will take many months as volunteers receive multiple vaccine doses — and as researchers measure how long virus-fighting antibodies remain at high levels after an omicron-adapted dose versus the regular booster.Pfizer’s CEO told CNBC earlier this month that the company could have some omicron-matched doses ready as early as March. But doing what the company calls “at-risk” manufacturing doesn’t mean those doses will be rolled out to the public. Pfizer and other vaccine makers also have brewed and tested experimental doses to match previous variants, changes that ultimately weren’t needed but offered valuable practice at tweaking the recipe.For the new study, one group of about 600 volunteers who received two doses of the current Pfizer vaccine three to six months ago will receive either one or two omicron-based shots as boosters. Another 600 who have already gotten three regular doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be given a fourth dose of either the regular vaccine or the omicron-matched version.The study also will enroll some unvaccinated volunteers who will receive three doses of the omicron-based vaccine.Pfizer plans to produce 4 billion vaccine doses in 2022, and said Tuesday the amount isn’t expected to change if an omicron-adapted version is needed.___

Pfizer begins testing omicron-matched COVID shots in adults

LINCOLN&nbsp; — The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating an incident that occurred overnight in Adams that led to a standoff of several hours.

At approximately 9:50 p.m. Monday, the Gage County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the NSP SWAT Team in response to an ongoing situation on Elm Street in Adams. Deputies had previously responded to a domestic violence incident after receiving a 911 call from the victim. The victim reported that her husband had hit her several times and pointed a gun at her. When he pointed the gun at her, she pushed it away, but the man fired the weapon, striking the victim in the hand. At that point she was able to flee the home to safety. Her children were also able to flee the home unharmed.

After the NSP SWAT Team was activated, numerous attempts were made to contact the suspect. No contact was established, and the SWAT team breached the front door using a light armored vehicle. Shortly thereafter, the suspect was located inside the home, deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The entire incident lasted approximately nine hours.

The suspect’s name is being withheld at this time pending notification of next of kin. The victim was transported to Bryan Medical Center West Campus in Lincoln for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The children are with family. No law enforcement officers were injured.

The Gage County Attorney has requested that NSP investigate the incident. NSP was assisted by the Gage County Sheriff’s Office, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, Adams Volunteer Fire and Rescue, Lincoln Fire and Rescue, and the Gage County Attorney’s Office. The investigation is ongoing.

LINCOLN&nbsp; — The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating an incident that occurred overnight in Adams that led to a standoff of several hours.At approximately 9:50 p.m. Monday, the Gage County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the NSP SWAT Team in response to an ongoing situation on Elm Street in Adams. Deputies had previously responded to a domestic violence incident after receiving a 911 call from the victim. The victim reported that her husband had hit her several times and pointed a gun at her. When he pointed the gun at her, she pushed it away, but the man fired the weapon, striking the victim in the hand. At that point she was able to flee the home to safety. Her children were also able to flee the home unharmed.After the NSP SWAT Team was activated, numerous attempts were made to contact the suspect. No contact was established, and the SWAT team breached the front door using a light armored vehicle. Shortly thereafter, the suspect was located inside the home, deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The entire incident lasted approximately nine hours.The suspect’s name is being withheld at this time pending notification of next of kin. The victim was transported to Bryan Medical Center West Campus in Lincoln for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The children are with family. No law enforcement officers were injured.The Gage County Attorney has requested that NSP investigate the incident. NSP was assisted by the Gage County Sheriff’s Office, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, Adams Volunteer Fire and Rescue, Lincoln Fire and Rescue, and the Gage County Attorney’s Office. The investigation is ongoing.

Standoff in Adams ends after several hours

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska judge is expected to decide by noon Tuesday whether to overturn a new Omaha mask mandate that's opposed by state officials. 

Judge Shelly Stratman says in a court hearing that she will rule on the matter by the end of the day or noon Tuesday at the latest. 

Nebraska state officials filed a lawsuit earlier this month to block the new mandate, arguing that Douglas County Health Director Lindsay Huse doesn’t have the legal authority to issue one unless the state approves it beforehand.

 State officials under the administration of Gov. Pete Ricketts had rejected her previous requests, in keeping with the Republican governor’s opposition to mask requirements.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska judge is expected to decide by noon Tuesday whether to overturn a new Omaha mask mandate that's opposed by state officials. Judge Shelly Stratman says in a court hearing that she will rule on the matter by the end of the day or noon Tuesday at the latest. Nebraska state officials filed a lawsuit earlier this month to block the new mandate, arguing that Douglas County Health Director Lindsay Huse doesn’t have the legal authority to issue one unless the state approves it beforehand. State officials under the administration of Gov. Pete Ricketts had rejected her previous requests, in keeping with the Republican governor’s opposition to mask requirements.

Judge hears arguments in case challenging Omaha mask mandate

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon ordered 8,500 troops on higher alert Monday to potentially deploy to Europe as part of a NATO “response force” amid growing concern that Russia could soon make a military move on Ukraine. President Joe Biden consulted with key European leaders, underscoring U.S. solidarity with allies there.

Putting the U.S.-based troops on heightened alert for Europe suggested diminishing hope that Russian President Vladimir Putin will back away from what Biden himself has said looks like a threat to invade neighboring Ukraine.

At stake, beyond the future of Ukraine, is the credibility of a NATO alliance that is central to U.S. defense strategy but that Putin views as a Cold War relic and a threat to Russian security. For Biden, the crisis represents a major test of his ability to forge a united&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-russia-vladimir-putin-soviet-union-europe-32b8a914ad4debba6c3231738a5f5a36">allied stance against Putin.</a>

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said about 8,500 U.S.-based troops are being put on alert for possible deployment — not to Ukraine but to NATO territory in Eastern Europe as part of an alliance force meant to signal a unified commitment to deter any wider Putin aggression.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-britain-intelligence-claims-8342b5b5aafd6a095d2e427d3e4201c5">Russia denies it is planning an invasion.</a>&nbsp;It says Western accusations are merely a cover for NATO’s own planned provocations. Recent days have seen high-stakes diplomacy that has failed to reach any breakthrough, and key players in the drama are making moves that suggest fear of imminent war. Biden has sought to strike a balance between actions meant to deter Putin and those that might provide the Russian leader with an opening to use the huge force he has assembled at Ukraine’s border.

Biden held an 80-minute video call with several European leaders on the Russian military buildup and potential responses to an invasion.

“I had a very, very, very good meeting -- total unanimity with all the European leaders,” Biden told reporters at the White House. “We’ll talk about it later.”

The White House said the leaders emphasized their desire for a diplomatic solution to the crisis but also discussed efforts to deter further Russian aggression, “including preparations to impose massive consequences and severe economic costs on Russia for such actions as well as to reinforce security on NATO’s eastern flank.”

A day earlier, the State Department had ordered the families of all American personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv to leave the country, and it said that nonessential embassy staff could leave at U.S. government expense.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Oleg Nikolenko, said that U.S. decision was “a premature step” and a sign of “excessive caution.” He said Russia was sowing panic among Ukrainians and foreigners in order to destabilize Ukraine.

Britain said it, too, was withdrawing some diplomats and dependents from its Kyiv Embassy. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said an invasion was not inevitable but “the intelligence is pretty gloomy.”

Ordering even a modest number of American troops to be ready for potential deployment to Europe is meant to demonstrate U.S. resolve to support its NATO allies, particularly those in Eastern Europe who feel threatened by Russia and worry that Putin could put them in his crosshairs.

“What this is about is reassurance to our NATO allies,” Kirby told a Pentagon news conference, adding that no troops are intended for deployment to Ukraine, which is not a member of the alliance but has been assured by Washington of continued U.S. political support and arms supplies.

The Pentagon’s move, which was done at Biden’s direction and on Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s recommendation, is being made in tandem with actions by other NATO member governments to bolster a defensive presence in Eastern European nations. Denmark, for example, is sending a frigate and F-16 warplanes to Lithuania; Spain is sending four fighter jets to Bulgaria and three ships to the Black Sea to join NATO naval forces, and France stands ready to send troops to Romania.

In a statement prior to Kirby’s announcement, NATO said the Netherlands plans to send two F-35 fighter aircraft to Bulgaria in April and is putting a ship and land-based units on standby for NATO’s Response Force.

NATO has not made a decision to activate the Response Force, which consists of about 40,000 troops from multiple nations. That force was enhanced in 2014 — the year Russia seized Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula and intervened in support of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine — by creating a “spearhead force” of about 20,000 troops on extra-high alert within the larger Response Force.

If NATO does decide to activate the Response Force, the United States will contribute a range of military units, Kirby said.

“It is a NATO call to make,” Kirby said. “For our part, we wanted to make sure that we were ready in case that call should come. And that means making sure that units that would contribute to it are as ready as they can be on as short a notice as possible.”

He said some units will be ordered to be ready to deploy on as little as five days’ notice. Among the 8,500 troops, an unspecified number could be sent to Europe for purposes other than supporting the NATO Response Force, he said. Without providing details, he said they might be deployed “if other situations develop.”

Prior to the U.S. announcement, NATO issued a statement summing up moves already described by member countries. Restating them under the NATO banner appeared aimed at showing resolve. The West is ramping up its rhetoric in the information war that has accompanied the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-russia-vladimir-putin-soviet-union-europe-32b8a914ad4debba6c3231738a5f5a36">Ukraine standoff</a>.

Russia has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-vladimir-putin-moscow-united-states-5fbc86c84dfeb604ebe12e47a753bdcb">massed an estimated 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s border,</a>&nbsp;demanding that NATO promise it will never allow Ukraine to join and that other actions, such as stationing alliance troops in former Soviet bloc countries, be curtailed.

NATO said Monday it is bolstering its deterrence in the Baltic Sea region.