OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Two boys died and their mother remained in critical condition after a weekend apartment fire in Omaha. 

Police said Monday that 7-year-old Germani Pettis-Greyson and 5-year-old Gamani Pettis-Greyson died after being taken to an Omaha hospital following the Saturday morning fire. 

Their mother, Rameshia Pettis, 28, was also critically injured in the fire.

 After being treated at the Omaha hospital, Pettis was later transferred to the burn unit at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Lincoln where she was in critical condition Monday.

 The fire at Southside Terrace Apartments in southeast Omaha was reported around 6:30 a.m. Saturday. 

The cause of the fire remained under investigation Monday.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Two boys died and their mother remained in critical condition after a weekend apartment fire in Omaha. Police said Monday that 7-year-old Germani Pettis-Greyson and 5-year-old Gamani Pettis-Greyson died after being taken to an Omaha hospital following the Saturday morning fire. Their mother, Rameshia Pettis, 28, was also critically injured in the fire. After being treated at the Omaha hospital, Pettis was later transferred to the burn unit at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Lincoln where she was in critical condition Monday. The fire at Southside Terrace Apartments in southeast Omaha was reported around 6:30 a.m. Saturday. The cause of the fire remained under investigation Monday.

Weekend Omaha fire kills 2 boys, critically hurts their mom

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has granted a three-month extension to a commission tasked with recommending changes to the state’s child support payment laws. 

The Child Support Commission faced a deadline to issue a report to the governor and Legislature by the end of 2021, but Noem extended the commission until the end of March through an executive order. 

The commission is tasked with recommending updates to state child support payment laws and had moved towards recommending a reduction of child support payments for parents with lower incomes.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has granted a three-month extension to a commission tasked with recommending changes to the state’s child support payment laws. The Child Support Commission faced a deadline to issue a report to the governor and Legislature by the end of 2021, but Noem extended the commission until the end of March through an executive order. The commission is tasked with recommending updates to state child support payment laws and had moved towards recommending a reduction of child support payments for parents with lower incomes.

Noem extends Child Support Commission report for 3 months

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have arrested a suspect in a deadly shooting in Nebraska City. 

The Lincoln Journal-Star reports that the unidentified 22-year-old was booked into jail on suspicion of second-degree murder and use of a weapon to commit a felony. 

He was arrested a few blocks away from the apartment where officers discovered the victim dead Friday night.

 Police also recovered the weapon thought to have be used in the shooting. 

The name of the victim wasn’t immediately released.

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have arrested a suspect in a deadly shooting in Nebraska City. The Lincoln Journal-Star reports that the unidentified 22-year-old was booked into jail on suspicion of second-degree murder and use of a weapon to commit a felony. He was arrested a few blocks away from the apartment where officers discovered the victim dead Friday night. Police also recovered the weapon thought to have be used in the shooting. The name of the victim wasn’t immediately released.

21-year-old man killed in Nebraska City shooting

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Doctors are worried about hospital capacity in the Wichita area amid the latest surge in virus cases and the ongoing staff shortages.

The high number of COVID cases along with other patients who need hospital care is leading to long waits in emergency rooms across Kansas’ largest city.

“You’ve got people waiting for days in emergency departments, sleeping on the floor or sitting in a chair for two days until a bed becomes available,” said Dr. Tom Moore, the lead physician in Wesley hospital’s COVID-19 unit.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Kansas has risen over the past two weeks from 1,674.14 new cases per day on Dec. 17 to 2,001.29 new cases per day on Friday.

Dr. Sam Antonios, Ascension Via Christi’s chief clinical officer,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/coronavirus/article256944712.html" target="_blank">told&nbsp;</a>the Wichita Eagle that the surge is also leading to unusually high wait times at St. Joseph and St. Francis hospitals.

“We have nearly 100 patients receiving care for COVID-19, straining our staff resources and the number of beds we have open for other types of care,” Antonios said.

Hospitals in Kansas are struggling to find enough nurses to care for critically ill patients because some intensive care nurses have been lured away by high-paying jobs in other states. Some health care workers are also leaving the profession after working long hours battling the pandemic for nearly two years.

Antonios reiterated that everyone should get vaccinated for COVID-19 and the flu to help limit the spread of those viruses and consider wearing masks when out in public.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639778741791.png" alt="Photo courtesy University of Kansas Health System" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy University of Kansas Health System</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Doctors are worried about hospital capacity in the Wichita area amid the latest surge in virus cases and the ongoing staff shortages.The high number of COVID cases along with other patients who need hospital care is leading to long waits in emergency rooms across Kansas’ largest city.“You’ve got people waiting for days in emergency departments, sleeping on the floor or sitting in a chair for two days until a bed becomes available,” said Dr. Tom Moore, the lead physician in Wesley hospital’s COVID-19 unit.The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Kansas has risen over the past two weeks from 1,674.14 new cases per day on Dec. 17 to 2,001.29 new cases per day on Friday.Dr. Sam Antonios, Ascension Via Christi’s chief clinical officer,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/coronavirus/article256944712.html" target="_blank">told&nbsp;</a>the Wichita Eagle that the surge is also leading to unusually high wait times at St. Joseph and St. Francis hospitals.“We have nearly 100 patients receiving care for COVID-19, straining our staff resources and the number of beds we have open for other types of care,” Antonios said.Hospitals in Kansas are struggling to find enough nurses to care for critically ill patients because some intensive care nurses have been lured away by high-paying jobs in other states. Some health care workers are also leaving the profession after working long hours battling the pandemic for nearly two years.Antonios reiterated that everyone should get vaccinated for COVID-19 and the flu to help limit the spread of those viruses and consider wearing masks when out in public.

Doctors in Kan. worry about hospital capacity as virus cases surge

The <a href="https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/beware-fraudulent-coronavirus-tests-vaccines-and-treatments" target="_blank">US Food and Drug Administration</a>
 is warning people of fraudulent coronavirus tests, vaccines, and 
treatments as the pandemic continues. According to Centers for Disease 
Control, since the arrival of the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/omicron-variant.html" target="_blank">Omicron variant</a>,
 the increase of testing for COVID-19 has become a concern. Scarcity 
often leads to potential scams for a product that doesn't exist, the 
compromise of personal identifiable information, or the increase of 
deceptive advertising.&nbsp;

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-warns-of-potential-fraud-in-antibody-testing-for-covid-19" target="_blank">issued a warning</a>
 earlier this year about potential fraud related to the antibody tests. 
Scammers are selling unapproved COVID-19 antibody tests, which can give 
inaccurate results. In doing so, they are also collecting personal 
information, such as Social Security numbers and dates of birth. They 
may also be stealing heath insurance or Medicare information that can be
 used in future schemes.

Robocalls are sent out to consumers directing them to a website that 
looks like a clinic or medical supply company offering COVID-19 tests. 
These tests allegedly identify if a person has been infected with 
coronavirus – even if they’ve&nbsp; recovered. Some even promise results in 
10 minutes. However, to receive a test, a credit card or a form needs to
 be completed with personal information.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In some cases, the test involves an easy at-home testing kit. Other 
times, the tests are allegedly offered through a clinic. But in all 
versions, the person or website selling the test is short on details. 
They aren’t willing or able to provide any information about how the 
test works, where it is sourced, and what laboratory processes it.

Don’t fall for it! These tests are not <a href="https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/counterterrorism-and-emerging-threats/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19" target="_blank">US Food and Drug Administration approved</a>
 and will not give accurate results. In fact, requestors may never even 
receive an actual test kit. Either way, scammers will have made off with
 the money and personal information.

BBB has additional tips for avoiding scams on <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam" target="_blank">BBB.org/spotascam</a> and the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/news" target="_blank">BBB news feed</a>.

If you’ve been the victim of a scam, please report it on the <a href="https://www.BBB.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>. Your report can help others to stay alert and avoid similar scams.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBThe <a href="https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/beware-fraudulent-coronavirus-tests-vaccines-and-treatments" target="_blank">US Food and Drug Administration</a>
 is warning people of fraudulent coronavirus tests, vaccines, and 
treatments as the pandemic continues. According to Centers for Disease 
Control, since the arrival of the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/omicron-variant.html" target="_blank">Omicron variant</a>,
 the increase of testing for COVID-19 has become a concern. Scarcity 
often leads to potential scams for a product that doesn't exist, the 
compromise of personal identifiable information, or the increase of 
deceptive advertising.&nbsp;The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-warns-of-potential-fraud-in-antibody-testing-for-covid-19" target="_blank">issued a warning</a>
 earlier this year about potential fraud related to the antibody tests. 
Scammers are selling unapproved COVID-19 antibody tests, which can give 
inaccurate results. In doing so, they are also collecting personal 
information, such as Social Security numbers and dates of birth. They 
may also be stealing heath insurance or Medicare information that can be
 used in future schemes.<h2>How the Scam Works</h2>Robocalls are sent out to consumers directing them to a website that 
looks like a clinic or medical supply company offering COVID-19 tests. 
These tests allegedly identify if a person has been infected with 
coronavirus – even if they’ve&nbsp; recovered. Some even promise results in 
10 minutes. However, to receive a test, a credit card or a form needs to
 be completed with personal information.&nbsp;&nbsp;In some cases, the test involves an easy at-home testing kit. Other 
times, the tests are allegedly offered through a clinic. But in all 
versions, the person or website selling the test is short on details. 
They aren’t willing or able to provide any information about how the 
test works, where it is sourced, and what laboratory processes it.Don’t fall for it! These tests are not <a href="https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/counterterrorism-and-emerging-threats/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19" target="_blank">US Food and Drug Administration approved</a>
 and will not give accurate results. In fact, requestors may never even 
receive an actual test kit. Either way, scammers will have made off with
 the money and personal information.<h2>How to Avoid Fake Coronavirus Tests</h2><ul>
 <li>Want a test? Talk to your doctor. Reach out to your
 healthcare provider. They can help figure out if the test will be 
covered by insurance and where to find a legitimate clinic.&nbsp; If you 
don't have a primary care physician, check out the official website of 
your <a href="https://www.usa.gov/state-health" target="_blank">local health department</a> for more information on testing availability. </li><li>Research before buying. Scammers put pressure on 
people to buy or commit without giving them time to do further research.
 Before agreeing to anything, investigate first. Research any claims the
 company makes. Start with searching <a href="https://www.bbb.org/search" target="_blank">BBB.org</a> to see they are BBB Accredited, have good reviews, and if there are complaints or <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">scam reports</a> associated with their business name. In addition, review the warnings on <a href="https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/beware-fraudulent-coronavirus-tests-vaccines-and-treatments" target="_blank">FBI</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov" target="_blank">Federal Trade Commission</a>, <a href="https://www.usa.gov/state-attorney-general" target="_blank">Attorney General's office</a>, and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB ScamTracker.</a> </li><li>Understand all options: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html" target="_blank">detailed guide</a> to testing for COVID-19. Understand the different tests available. </li><li>Never share your personal information with strangers. Only make purchases and share your personal information with people and companies you know and trust. </li><li>Check claims of FDA approval. Per the FBI, ,"Not 
all COVID-19 antibody tests have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
 Administration (FDA), and their efficacy has not been determined." 
Check the <a href="https://www.fda.gov/" target="_blank">FDA website</a> for a list of approved tests and testing companies.</li>
 </ul><h2>For More Information</h2>BBB has additional tips for avoiding scams on <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam" target="_blank">BBB.org/spotascam</a> and the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/news" target="_blank">BBB news feed</a>.If you’ve been the victim of a scam, please report it on the <a href="https://www.BBB.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>. Your report can help others to stay alert and avoid similar scams.

Scam alert: Want a COVID test? There’s a scam for that

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the COVID-19 omicron variant surges across the United States, top federal health officials are looking to add a negative test along with its five-day isolation restrictions for asymptomatic Americans who catch the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">coronavirus</a>, the White House’s top medical adviser said Sunday.

Dr. Anthony Fauci said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now considering including the negative test as part of its guidance after getting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-6d74e88d73ab2443298b1f3f827a556f">significant “pushback”</a>&nbsp;on its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-rochelle-walensky-d7d609c9c01e200d250df7ca7282c9d6">updated recommendations last week.</a>

Under that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1227-isolation-quarantine-guidance.html" target="_blank">Dec. 27 guidance</a>, isolation restrictions for people infected with COVID-19 were shortened from 10 days to five days if they are no longer feeling symptoms or running a fever. After that period, they are asked to spend the following five days wearing a mask when around others.

The guidelines have since received criticism from many health professionals for not specifying a negative antigen test as a requirement for leaving isolation.

“There has been some concern about why we don’t ask people at that five-day period to get tested,” Fauci said. “Looking at it again, there may be an option in that, that testing could be a part of that, and I think we’re going to be hearing more about that in the next day or so from the CDC.”

Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, said the U.S. has been seeing almost a “vertical increase” of new cases, now averaging 400,000 cases a day, with hospitalizations also up.

“We are definitely in the middle of a very severe surge and uptick in cases,” he said. “The acceleration of cases that we’ve seen is really unprecedented, gone well beyond anything we’ve seen before.”

Fauci said he’s concerned that the omicron variant is overwhelming the health care system and causing a “major disruption” on other essential services.

“When I say major disruptions, you’re certainly going to see stresses on the system and the system being people with any kind of jobs ... particularly with critical jobs to keep society functioning normally,” Fauci said. “We already know that there are reports from fire departments, from police departments in different cities that 10, 20, 25 and sometimes 30% of the people are ill. That’s something that we need to be concerned about, because we want to make sure that we don’t have such an impact on society that there really is a disruption. I hope that doesn’t happen.”

While there is “accumulating evidence” that omicron might lead to less severe illness, he cautioned that the data remains early. Fauci said he worries in particular about the tens of millions of unvaccinated Americans because “a fair number of them are going to get severe disease.”

He urged Americans who have not yet gotten vaccinated and boosted to do so and to mask up indoors to protect themselves and blunt the current surge of U.S. cases.

<a href="https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/coronavirus-disease-2019-testing-basics" target="_blank">The Food and Drug Administration</a>&nbsp;last week said preliminary research indicates&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-infectious-diseases-anthony-fauci-740278fd2c16925e6707d5a7a58e4ad3">at-home rapid tests</a>&nbsp;detect omicron, but may have reduced sensitivity. The agency noted it’s still studying how the tests perform with the variant, which was first detected in late November.

Fauci said Americans “should not get the impression that those tests are not valuable.”

“I think the confusion is that rapid antigen tests have never been as sensitive as the PCR test,” Fauci said. “They’re very good when they are given sequentially. So if you do them like maybe two or three times over a few-day period, at the end of the day, they are as good as the PCR. But as a single test, they are not as sensitive.”

A PCR test usually needs to be processed in a laboratory. The test looks for the virus’s genetic material and then reproduces it millions of times until it’s detectable with a computer.

Fauci said if Americans take the necessary precautions, the U.S. might see some semblance of more normal life returning soon.

“One of the things that we hope for is that this thing will peak after a period of a few weeks and turn around,” Fauci said. He expressed hope that by February or March, omicron could fall to a low enough level “that it doesn’t disrupt our society, our economy, our way of life.”

Fauci spoke on ABC’s “This Week” and CNN’s “State of the Union.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612486273418.png" alt="Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, said the U.S. has been seeing almost a “vertical increase” of new cases, now averaging 400,000 cases a day, with hospitalizations also up-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, said the U.S. has been seeing almost a “vertical increase” of new cases, now averaging 400,000 cases a day, with hospitalizations also up-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — As the COVID-19 omicron variant surges across the United States, top federal health officials are looking to add a negative test along with its five-day isolation restrictions for asymptomatic Americans who catch the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">coronavirus</a>, the White House’s top medical adviser said Sunday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638148803210.png" alt="3D structure of spike with amino acid changes in Omicron-image GISAID" />
 <figcaption>3D structure of spike with amino acid changes in Omicron-image GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>Dr. Anthony Fauci said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now considering including the negative test as part of its guidance after getting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-6d74e88d73ab2443298b1f3f827a556f">significant “pushback”</a>&nbsp;on its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-rochelle-walensky-d7d609c9c01e200d250df7ca7282c9d6">updated recommendations last week.</a>Under that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1227-isolation-quarantine-guidance.html" target="_blank">Dec. 27 guidance</a>, isolation restrictions for people infected with COVID-19 were shortened from 10 days to five days if they are no longer feeling symptoms or running a fever. After that period, they are asked to spend the following five days wearing a mask when around others.The guidelines have since received criticism from many health professionals for not specifying a negative antigen test as a requirement for leaving isolation.“There has been some concern about why we don’t ask people at that five-day period to get tested,” Fauci said. “Looking at it again, there may be an option in that, that testing could be a part of that, and I think we’re going to be hearing more about that in the next day or so from the CDC.”Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, said the U.S. has been seeing almost a “vertical increase” of new cases, now averaging 400,000 cases a day, with hospitalizations also up.“We are definitely in the middle of a very severe surge and uptick in cases,” he said. “The acceleration of cases that we’ve seen is really unprecedented, gone well beyond anything we’ve seen before.”Fauci said he’s concerned that the omicron variant is overwhelming the health care system and causing a “major disruption” on other essential services.“When I say major disruptions, you’re certainly going to see stresses on the system and the system being people with any kind of jobs ... particularly with critical jobs to keep society functioning normally,” Fauci said. “We already know that there are reports from fire departments, from police departments in different cities that 10, 20, 25 and sometimes 30% of the people are ill. That’s something that we need to be concerned about, because we want to make sure that we don’t have such an impact on society that there really is a disruption. I hope that doesn’t happen.”While there is “accumulating evidence” that omicron might lead to less severe illness, he cautioned that the data remains early. Fauci said he worries in particular about the tens of millions of unvaccinated Americans because “a fair number of them are going to get severe disease.”He urged Americans who have not yet gotten vaccinated and boosted to do so and to mask up indoors to protect themselves and blunt the current surge of U.S. cases.<a href="https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/coronavirus-disease-2019-testing-basics" target="_blank">The Food and Drug Administration</a>&nbsp;last week said preliminary research indicates&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-infectious-diseases-anthony-fauci-740278fd2c16925e6707d5a7a58e4ad3">at-home rapid tests</a>&nbsp;detect omicron, but may have reduced sensitivity. The agency noted it’s still studying how the tests perform with the variant, which was first detected in late November.Fauci said Americans “should not get the impression that those tests are not valuable.”“I think the confusion is that rapid antigen tests have never been as sensitive as the PCR test,” Fauci said. “They’re very good when they are given sequentially. So if you do them like maybe two or three times over a few-day period, at the end of the day, they are as good as the PCR. But as a single test, they are not as sensitive.”A PCR test usually needs to be processed in a laboratory. The test looks for the virus’s genetic material and then reproduces it millions of times until it’s detectable with a computer.Fauci said if Americans take the necessary precautions, the U.S. might see some semblance of more normal life returning soon.“One of the things that we hope for is that this thing will peak after a period of a few weeks and turn around,” Fauci said. He expressed hope that by February or March, omicron could fall to a low enough level “that it doesn’t disrupt our society, our economy, our way of life.”Fauci spoke on ABC’s “This Week” and CNN’s “State of the Union.”

CDC considers another change in COVID test, isolation requirement

WASHINGTON — As part of ongoing efforts to improve service for the tax-exempt community, the IRS has revised <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1024">Form 1024, Application for Recognition of Exemption Under Section 501(a) or Section 521 of the Internal Revenue Code</a>, to allow electronic filing.

Beginning January 3, 2022, applications for recognition of exemption on Form 1024 must be submitted electronically online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pay.gov/public/form/start/964636103">Pay.gov</a>.
 The IRS will provide a 90-day grace period during which it will 
continue to accept paper versions of Form 1024 (Rev. 01-2018) and letter
 applications.

"Electronic filing makes it easier to complete an application for 
tax-exempt status while reducing errors," said Sunita Lough, 
Commissioner of the IRS Tax Exempt and Government Entities division. 
"Electronic filing also shortens IRS processing time so applicants won't
 wait as long for a response."

Organizations requesting determinations under Section 521 are now 
also able to use the electronic Form 1024 instead of Form 1028, 
Application for Recognition of Exemption Under Section 521 of the 
Internal Revenue Code.

The required user fee for Form 1024 will remain $600 for 2022. Applicants must pay the fee through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pay.gov/public/form/start/964636103">Pay.gov</a>&nbsp;when submitting the form. Payment can be made directly from a bank account or by credit or debit card.

Organizations are encouraged to subscribe to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/current-edition-of-exempt-organizations-update">Exempt Organizations Update</a>, a free IRS e-Newsletter, for form updates and other exempt organization news.

As part of the revision, applications for recognition of exemption 
under Sections 501(c)(11), (14), (16), (18), (21), (22), (23), (26), 
(27), (28), (29) and 501(d) can no longer be submitted as letter 
applications. Instead, these requests must be made on the electronic 
Form 1024. Accordingly, organizations that are described in Section 
501(c) (other than 501(c)(3) and (c)(4)) and 501(d) applying for 
tax-exempt status must now use the electronic Form 1024. Section 
501(c)(3) organizations must continue to use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1023">Form 1023</a> or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1023-ez">Form 1023-EZ</a>, and Section 501(c)(4) organizations must continue to use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1024-a">Form 1024-A</a>. Those forms also must be filed electronically.

Additional information on how to apply for IRS recognition of tax-exempt status:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — As part of ongoing efforts to improve service for the tax-exempt community, the IRS has revised <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1024">Form 1024, Application for Recognition of Exemption Under Section 501(a) or Section 521 of the Internal Revenue Code</a>, to allow electronic filing.Beginning January 3, 2022, applications for recognition of exemption on Form 1024 must be submitted electronically online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pay.gov/public/form/start/964636103">Pay.gov</a>.
 The IRS will provide a 90-day grace period during which it will 
continue to accept paper versions of Form 1024 (Rev. 01-2018) and letter
 applications."Electronic filing makes it easier to complete an application for 
tax-exempt status while reducing errors," said Sunita Lough, 
Commissioner of the IRS Tax Exempt and Government Entities division. 
"Electronic filing also shortens IRS processing time so applicants won't
 wait as long for a response."Organizations requesting determinations under Section 521 are now 
also able to use the electronic Form 1024 instead of Form 1028, 
Application for Recognition of Exemption Under Section 521 of the 
Internal Revenue Code.The required user fee for Form 1024 will remain $600 for 2022. Applicants must pay the fee through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pay.gov/public/form/start/964636103">Pay.gov</a>&nbsp;when submitting the form. Payment can be made directly from a bank account or by credit or debit card.Organizations are encouraged to subscribe to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/current-edition-of-exempt-organizations-update">Exempt Organizations Update</a>, a free IRS e-Newsletter, for form updates and other exempt organization news.As part of the revision, applications for recognition of exemption 
under Sections 501(c)(11), (14), (16), (18), (21), (22), (23), (26), 
(27), (28), (29) and 501(d) can no longer be submitted as letter 
applications. Instead, these requests must be made on the electronic 
Form 1024. Accordingly, organizations that are described in Section 
501(c) (other than 501(c)(3) and (c)(4)) and 501(d) applying for 
tax-exempt status must now use the electronic Form 1024. Section 
501(c)(3) organizations must continue to use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1023">Form 1023</a> or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1023-ez">Form 1023-EZ</a>, and Section 501(c)(4) organizations must continue to use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1024-a">Form 1024-A</a>. Those forms also must be filed electronically.<h2>Additional information on how to apply for IRS recognition of tax-exempt status:</h2><ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/applying-for-tax-exempt-status">Applying for Tax-Exempt Status</a>&nbsp;on IRS.gov</li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-22-08.pdf">Revenue Procedure 2022-8</a>&nbsp;PDF&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>

IRS: Organizations can now file for tax-exempt status online

WASHINGTON — In accordance with Congressional directives in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Federal Communications Commission has officially launched the Affordable Connectivity Program, the $14.2 billion successor program to the Emergency Broadband Benefit which helped almost 9 million afford internet access during the pandemic.  As of today, eligible households are encouraged to apply to receive up to $30 per month discount toward internet service and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands.  Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.

“The response to the Emergency Broadband Benefit proved what many knew to be true: the cost of high-speed internet is out of reach for too many of us,” said FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel.  “Now with the long-term Affordable Connectivity Program, we have the opportunity to enroll even more households and help ensure they can afford the internet connections they need for work, school, health care and more for years.”

A household is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program if a member of the household meets&nbsp;at least&nbsp;one&nbsp;of the criteria below:

§ Has an income that is at or below 200% of the&nbsp;federal poverty guidelines;

§ Participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or&nbsp;Lifeline;

§ Participates in Tribal specific programs, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations;

§ Is approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision in the 2019-2020,&nbsp;2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school year;

§ Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year; or

§ Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income program.

Final program rules will be adopted by the Commission in January.  For more information about the Affordable Connectivity Program, please visit: https://www.fcc.gov/ACP. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/9/1569445831519.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FCCWASHINGTON — In accordance with Congressional directives in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Federal Communications Commission has officially launched the Affordable Connectivity Program, the $14.2 billion successor program to the Emergency Broadband Benefit which helped almost 9 million afford internet access during the pandemic. As of today, eligible households are encouraged to apply to receive up to $30 per month discount toward internet service and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.“The response to the Emergency Broadband Benefit proved what many knew to be true: the cost of high-speed internet is out of reach for too many of us,” said FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “Now with the long-term Affordable Connectivity Program, we have the opportunity to enroll even more households and help ensure they can afford the internet connections they need for work, school, health care and more for years.”A household is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program if a member of the household meets&nbsp;at least&nbsp;one&nbsp;of the criteria below:§ Has an income that is at or below 200% of the&nbsp;federal poverty guidelines;§ Participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or&nbsp;Lifeline;§ Participates in Tribal specific programs, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations;§ Is approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision in the 2019-2020,&nbsp;2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school year;§ Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year; or§ Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income program.Final program rules will be adopted by the Commission in January. For more information about the Affordable Connectivity Program, please visit: https://www.fcc.gov/ACP.

FCC launches $14B program to help Americans connect to internet

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The number of homicides reported in Omaha declined to 32 in 2021, but that remained higher than the four years before killings spiked in 2020. 

Omaha police said the number of homicides in Nebraska’s largest city declined about 14% from 2020′s 37. 

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said his department’s goal is to return to the 14-year lows of 2018 and 2019 when 22 and 23 homicides were reported respectively.

 But Schmaderer said the fact that ten of last year's homicide victims were teens is a concern. 

Police Capt. Steve Cerveny said the level of gang activity in the city is also worrisome.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The number of homicides reported in Omaha declined to 32 in 2021, but that remained higher than the four years before killings spiked in 2020. Omaha police said the number of homicides in Nebraska’s largest city declined about 14% from 2020′s 37. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said his department’s goal is to return to the 14-year lows of 2018 and 2019 when 22 and 23 homicides were reported respectively. But Schmaderer said the fact that ten of last year's homicide victims were teens is a concern. Police Capt. Steve Cerveny said the level of gang activity in the city is also worrisome.

Omaha reports 32 homicides in 2021, down from 37 in 2020

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials on Thursday pressed nursing home workers to get their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-boosters-adults-cdc-fda-pfizer-moderna-34aabde2c1c5a88c7763fa1dac77df5f">booster shots</a>&nbsp;amid a spike in COVID-19 cases among staffers and a concerning lag in booster vaccination for residents and staff.

The omicron variant “is lightning fast, and we cannot afford another COVID-19 surge in nursing homes,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a livestreamed appeal to the industry. “You know that. I know that. Higher numbers of COVID cases would likely once again have a devastating impact on our loved ones.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nursing-homes">Nursing homes</a>&nbsp;are a testing ground for President Joe Biden’s assertion that the U.S. is much better prepared to handle a surging virus than it was last winter. Although residents are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nursing-homes-coronavirus-pandemic-pandemics-business-health-f1a44187198ccca1e4311ac72f4f42aa">a tiny proportion of the population</a>, they represent a disproportionate share of Americans who have died in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>. Earlier this year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-pfizer-approval-1361ff61d06b815652a08a7cc0683a72">the advent of vaccines</a>&nbsp;brought the virus under control in nursing homes and allowed them to reopen to visitors. But that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-business-medicaid-medicare-a255b8b93fe023f77fca2b56257e3b7c">return to normalcy</a>&nbsp;could be in jeopardy as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-europe-london-england-eddf1657a9462547826881562b71f3b7">the omicron variant</a>&nbsp;pushes COVID-19 cases to new highs.

Cases among nursing home staffers jumped to 10,353 the week ending Dec. 27, a rise of nearly 80% from the previous week, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Staff deaths increased to 58, tripling from the previous week. Among residents, who are more heavily vaccinated, cases went up slightly and the data showed no increase in deaths.

With medical experts advising that a booster shot is critical to defend against omicron, Becerra said only 57% of nursing home residents and 25% of staff and have gotten boosters. That’s clearly behind a booster rate of nearly 66% among people age 65 or older and about 45% for the adult population, according to statistics from the White House.

“We’ve got to change that,” Becerra said.

The administration is urging some 1,400 federally funded community health centers across the land to partner with local nursing homes in a renewed vaccination campaign.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641141095739.png" alt="The omicron variant “is lightning fast, and we cannot afford another COVID-19 surge in nursing homes,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said. -photo courtesy HHS" />
 <figcaption>The omicron variant “is lightning fast, and we cannot afford another COVID-19 surge in nursing homes,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said. -photo courtesy HHS</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials on Thursday pressed nursing home workers to get their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-boosters-adults-cdc-fda-pfizer-moderna-34aabde2c1c5a88c7763fa1dac77df5f">booster shots</a>&nbsp;amid a spike in COVID-19 cases among staffers and a concerning lag in booster vaccination for residents and staff.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Omicron?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Omicron</a> variant spreads more easily than the original virus that causes <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a>. Help stop Omicron by using all the tools to protect yourself and others. Learn more: <a href="https://t.co/LkeBxGqVsm">https://t.co/LkeBxGqVsm</a>. <a href="https://t.co/35QnrmhyA8">pic.twitter.com/35QnrmhyA8</a>&mdash; HHS.gov (@HHSGov) <a href="https://twitter.com/HHSGov/status/1477640854810599428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The omicron variant “is lightning fast, and we cannot afford another COVID-19 surge in nursing homes,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a livestreamed appeal to the industry. “You know that. I know that. Higher numbers of COVID cases would likely once again have a devastating impact on our loved ones.”<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nursing-homes">Nursing homes</a>&nbsp;are a testing ground for President Joe Biden’s assertion that the U.S. is much better prepared to handle a surging virus than it was last winter. Although residents are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nursing-homes-coronavirus-pandemic-pandemics-business-health-f1a44187198ccca1e4311ac72f4f42aa">a tiny proportion of the population</a>, they represent a disproportionate share of Americans who have died in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>. Earlier this year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-pfizer-approval-1361ff61d06b815652a08a7cc0683a72">the advent of vaccines</a>&nbsp;brought the virus under control in nursing homes and allowed them to reopen to visitors. But that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-business-medicaid-medicare-a255b8b93fe023f77fca2b56257e3b7c">return to normalcy</a>&nbsp;could be in jeopardy as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-europe-london-england-eddf1657a9462547826881562b71f3b7">the omicron variant</a>&nbsp;pushes COVID-19 cases to new highs.Cases among nursing home staffers jumped to 10,353 the week ending Dec. 27, a rise of nearly 80% from the previous week, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Staff deaths increased to 58, tripling from the previous week. Among residents, who are more heavily vaccinated, cases went up slightly and the data showed no increase in deaths.With medical experts advising that a booster shot is critical to defend against omicron, Becerra said only 57% of nursing home residents and 25% of staff and have gotten boosters. That’s clearly behind a booster rate of nearly 66% among people age 65 or older and about 45% for the adult population, according to statistics from the White House.“We’ve got to change that,” Becerra said.The administration is urging some 1,400 federally funded community health centers across the land to partner with local nursing homes in a renewed vaccination campaign.

Feds press nursing home COVID boosters as staff cases spike

ORD, Neb. (AP) — A central Nebraska town is settling a lawsuit with a man it tried to stop from writing letters and emails to city officials and the police department.

The city sued Guy Brock in 2020 seeking to stop him from writing to the city or police, saying the communications had become harassing and burdensome. 

After the city lost the lawsuit, Brock sued for attorneys' fees and punitive damages. 

At a hearing in December, Brock and a representative for the town’s insurance carrier said they had reached a $16,000 settlement to dismiss the case. 

Ord is a town of 2,300 people about 60 miles northwest of Grand Island.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641148839832.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>ORD, Neb. (AP) — A central Nebraska town is settling a lawsuit with a man it tried to stop from writing letters and emails to city officials and the police department.The city sued Guy Brock in 2020 seeking to stop him from writing to the city or police, saying the communications had become harassing and burdensome. After the city lost the lawsuit, Brock sued for attorneys' fees and punitive damages. At a hearing in December, Brock and a representative for the town’s insurance carrier said they had reached a $16,000 settlement to dismiss the case. Ord is a town of 2,300 people about 60 miles northwest of Grand Island.

Ord settles with man it tried to stop from writing letters

JACKSON COUNTY —A Kansas City 17-year-old, certified by Family Court to stand trial as an adult, has been charged in the fatal shootings in March of two 15-year-olds near 73rd and Norton in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Edward T. Shelton faces two counts of Murder 2nd Degree and two counts of Armed Criminal Action.

According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched on March 20, 2021, to the scene of a double homicide in the area of 73rd and Norton in Kansas City. 

Both victims were 15 years old. They were identified as Dominque Nelson and Dominik Simmons. One was found at the scene, shot multiple times. The other was found the next morning, shot once in the back, nearby.&nbsp;

Prosecutors requested the Shelton be held on a $200,000 bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640364892094.png" alt="Shelton-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Shelton-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —A Kansas City 17-year-old, certified by Family Court to stand trial as an adult, has been charged in the fatal shootings in March of two 15-year-olds near 73rd and Norton in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Edward T. Shelton faces two counts of Murder 2nd Degree and two counts of Armed Criminal Action.According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched on March 20, 2021, to the scene of a double homicide in the area of 73rd and Norton in Kansas City. Both victims were 15 years old. They were identified as Dominque Nelson and Dominik Simmons. One was found at the scene, shot multiple times. The other was found the next morning, shot once in the back, nearby.&nbsp;Prosecutors requested the Shelton be held on a $200,000 bond.&nbsp;

Teen will be tried as an adult in killing of 2 Kansas City boys

MONROE, La. (AP) — President Joe Biden cannot require teachers in the Head Start early education program to be vaccinated against COVID-19, a Louisiana federal judge ruled Saturday, handing a victory to 24 states that had sued the federal government.

U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty&nbsp;<a href="https://www.alabamaag.gov/Documents/news/Head%20Start%20Mandate%20Stay%20Order.pdf" target="_blank">wrote that the Biden administration unlawfully bypassed Congress</a>&nbsp;when ordering that workers in Head Start programs be vaccinated by Jan. 31 and that students 2 years or older be masked when indoors or when in close contact outdoors.

Head Start is a federally funded program that promotes education for children under the age of 6 who are from low-income families.

Doughty, an appointee of then-President Donald Trump, wrote that the separation of powers is crucial to the country’s founding and quoted former President Ronald Reagan, who said “the nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”

“If the Executive branch is allowed to usurp the power of the Legislative branch to make laws, then this country is no longer a democracy — it is a monarchy,” Doughty wrote.

Republican attorneys general who were among the 24 states involved in the lawsuit praised Doughty’s decision.

“This victory will help ensure that numerous Head Start programs will continue to operate rather than have to fire teachers and cut back services to children,” Alabama Attorney General Marshall said in a news release. “And this win will forestall the nonsensical and damaging practice of forcing masks on two-year-olds.”

It was not immediately clear whether the federal government would appeal the decision to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.

Doughty’s ruling is similar to a Friday ruling in which a federal judge also blocked the Head Start mandate in Texas.

Saturday’s ruling affects Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and West Virginia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636124369655.png" alt="It was not immediately clear whether the federal government would appeal the decision to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans-photo White House" />
 <figcaption>It was not immediately clear whether the federal government would appeal the decision to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans-photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>MONROE, La. (AP) — President Joe Biden cannot require teachers in the Head Start early education program to be vaccinated against COVID-19, a Louisiana federal judge ruled Saturday, handing a victory to 24 states that had sued the federal government.U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty&nbsp;<a href="https://www.alabamaag.gov/Documents/news/Head%20Start%20Mandate%20Stay%20Order.pdf" target="_blank">wrote that the Biden administration unlawfully bypassed Congress</a>&nbsp;when ordering that workers in Head Start programs be vaccinated by Jan. 31 and that students 2 years or older be masked when indoors or when in close contact outdoors.Head Start is a federally funded program that promotes education for children under the age of 6 who are from low-income families.Doughty, an appointee of then-President Donald Trump, wrote that the separation of powers is crucial to the country’s founding and quoted former President Ronald Reagan, who said “the nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”“If the Executive branch is allowed to usurp the power of the Legislative branch to make laws, then this country is no longer a democracy — it is a monarchy,” Doughty wrote.Republican attorneys general who were among the 24 states involved in the lawsuit praised Doughty’s decision.“This victory will help ensure that numerous Head Start programs will continue to operate rather than have to fire teachers and cut back services to children,” Alabama Attorney General Marshall said in a news release. “And this win will forestall the nonsensical and damaging practice of forcing masks on two-year-olds.”It was not immediately clear whether the federal government would appeal the decision to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.Doughty’s ruling is similar to a Friday ruling in which a federal judge also blocked the Head Start mandate in Texas.Saturday’s ruling affects Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and West Virginia.

Federal judge blocks Biden vaccine mandate for Head Start program

FOUR CORNERS, Mont. (AP) — Marijuana producers in Montana are getting ready for legalization of recreational marijuana starting Saturday. 

Providers are ramping up production ahead of difficult-to-predict demand. 

Several dispensaries are preparing for new business in the Four Corners area near Bozeman.

 Lee newspapers' Montana State News Bureau reports Montana voters legalized medical marijuana in 2004 and approved recreational marijuana with 58% of the vote in 2020. 

Local government officials are meanwhile looking to follow the new marijuana laws passed by the state Legislature. 

Marijuana producers say they expect a 30% to 40% increase in demand compared to medical marijuana sales.

FOUR CORNERS, Mont. (AP) — Marijuana producers in Montana are getting ready for legalization of recreational marijuana starting Saturday. Providers are ramping up production ahead of difficult-to-predict demand. Several dispensaries are preparing for new business in the Four Corners area near Bozeman. Lee newspapers' Montana State News Bureau reports Montana voters legalized medical marijuana in 2004 and approved recreational marijuana with 58% of the vote in 2020. Local government officials are meanwhile looking to follow the new marijuana laws passed by the state Legislature. Marijuana producers say they expect a 30% to 40% increase in demand compared to medical marijuana sales.

Montana producers prepare for recreational marijuana Jan. 1

GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Novavax Inc. said it filed data Friday with the Food and Drug Administration to support clearance of its long-anticipated COVID-19 vaccine, a different kind of shot than current U.S. options.

Novavax said the data package is the last requirement before the company formally submits its emergency-use application next month to become the fourth U.S. COVID-19 vaccine. The announcement comes shortly after the European Commission and World Health Organization cleared use of the Maryland-based company’s two-dose shot.

Novavax developed a protein vaccine, similar to shots used for years against other diseases and a strategy that might appeal to people hesitant to use COVID-19 vaccines made with newer technologies. But Novavax, a small biotech company, faced months of delays in finding manufacturers to mass-produce its vaccine.

The Serum Institute of India currently is manufacturing the vaccine. Novavax has lined up additional production facilities in the Czech Republic, South Korea and elsewhere that are expected to eventually add to supplies.

In studies of tens of thousands of people in the U.S., U.K. and Mexico, the vaccine proved safe and 90% effective against symptomatic infection from earlier coronavirus variants. A booster dose six months later revved up protection against the recent delta variant. Novavax says it is currently testing how the shots hold up against the newest scourge, omicron.

The vaccine is made with lab-grown copies of the coronavirus spike protein and mixed with an immune-boosting chemical.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640978029009.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Novavax Inc. said it filed data Friday with the Food and Drug Administration to support clearance of its long-anticipated COVID-19 vaccine, a different kind of shot than current U.S. options.Novavax said the data package is the last requirement before the company formally submits its emergency-use application next month to become the fourth U.S. COVID-19 vaccine. The announcement comes shortly after the European Commission and World Health Organization cleared use of the Maryland-based company’s two-dose shot.Novavax developed a protein vaccine, similar to shots used for years against other diseases and a strategy that might appeal to people hesitant to use COVID-19 vaccines made with newer technologies. But Novavax, a small biotech company, faced months of delays in finding manufacturers to mass-produce its vaccine.The Serum Institute of India currently is manufacturing the vaccine. Novavax has lined up additional production facilities in the Czech Republic, South Korea and elsewhere that are expected to eventually add to supplies.In studies of tens of thousands of people in the U.S., U.K. and Mexico, the vaccine proved safe and 90% effective against symptomatic infection from earlier coronavirus variants. A booster dose six months later revved up protection against the recent delta variant. Novavax says it is currently testing how the shots hold up against the newest scourge, omicron.The vaccine is made with lab-grown copies of the coronavirus spike protein and mixed with an immune-boosting chemical.

New COVID vaccine might appeal to those hesitant to get shots

By DANA GENTRY <a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/holidays-are-no-holiday-amazon%C2%A0">States Newsroom</a>

It’s called ‘peak season’ – the time 
of year when 10-hour days for some of the nation’s more than one 
million Amazon employees extend into eleven-hour shifts packed into a 
backbreaking blur of six-day work weeks.

“They work us like crazy with hardly any days off, especially during the holidays. They
 don’t care about the safety of their employees,” says Johnny Acejo, who
 spent five years employed at an Amazon facility in Phoenix.&nbsp;

Amazon declined to answer the majority of questions posed for this story.

Unwinding after a long shift while 
facing the prospect of doing it again involves video games, booze, or 
weed, according to about a dozen employees interviewed by the Current. 
Others turn to the sleep aid Unisom, purchased online from Amazon.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“They literally keep track of your 
restroom time,” Acejo says of a scanner worn by employees that allows 
Amazon to track their movements. “I took five minutes in the restroom 
because I had real bad stomach pains and I was throwing up. I got a 
write up. All they care about is the numbers.”

Ecommerce sales in the U.S. topped $800 billion in the last year. As of October, Amazon owned 41% of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/274255/market-share-of-the-leading-retailers-in-us-e-commerce/">market share</a>, followed by Walmart at 6%, according to Statista.

Amazon’s net income for the twelve months ending September 30, 2021 was $26.263 billion, up&nbsp; 51.14% year-to-year.

Amazon is the second largest employer
 in the U.S. (behind Walmart) with more than a million workers. Amazon 
employs more than 10,500 Nevadans at more than a dozen warehouses, 
distribution facilities, and fulfillment centers throughout the state, 
mostly in Southern Nevada.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Amazon is changing the nature of 
work in our country,” says a resolution passed by the International 
Brotherhood of Teamsters last summer, which noted the company “presents 
an existential threat to the standards we have set” in Teamster-related 
industries Amazon has disrupted, such as parcel delivery, freight, food 
distribution, and movie production.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The resolution says the union 
“recognizes that there is no clearer example of how America is failing 
the working class than Amazon. From its start as a book retailer, Amazon
 has grown to become an ecommerce giant and has disrupted industry after
 industry and displaced hundreds of thousands of jobs.”

“Amazon is very rightly worried that 
if one fulfillment center were to organize and unionize, it could start a
 domino reaction that would cause all others to fall in line,” says 
Avery, a former Amazon worker and host of the podcast The Amazon.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Amazon exploits its employees, 
contractors, and employees of contractors via: wage theft, fraudulent 
classification, intense production quotas, dehumanizing work 
environments, unsafe workplaces and production standards, low wages, 
high turnover, no voice on the job, lack of job security and outsourced 
jobs,” says the Teamsters’ resolution.&nbsp;

But the union’s effort to organize Amazon workers appears stalled.&nbsp;

“We are not discussing specific locations or strategies at this time,” said a national spokesperson for the Teamsters.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Members of local Teamsters chapters 
say they’re unaware of any efforts to unionize Amazon workers in Nevada,
 as is a spokeswoman for the AFL-CIO of Nevada.

For the last two decades, Amazon has deflected union overtures – most recently in Bessemer, Alabama, when it turned back the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, which represents poultry plant workers in that state.

Last month, a judge <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/29/22565851/amazon-bessemer-union-vote-nlrb-appeal-overturned-second-election">ruled</a> Amazon interfered in the vote and ordered a do-over.&nbsp;

“I’d say the ability to organize is a
 slim chance due to attrition, union busters, and Amazon’s brazen 
ability to not break but obliterate labor law with little to no 
consequences,” says Avery of The Amazon podcast. “Every chip is stacked 
against the workers and through pure grit a large number of them are 
still fighting the good fight.”

“Organizing is hard due to the fact 
that no one stays,” he says. “Union organizers at Bessemer estimated 
they lost 60 ‘yes’ ballots a day due to attrition and Amazon’s ability 
to legally prolong the organizing attempt. People simply don’t stay in a
 shit hole long.”

A group of Whole Foods employees unsuccessfully <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/06/whole-foods-workers-seek-to-unionize-says-amazon-is-exploiting-our-dedication/#:~:text=Since%20the%20Amazon%20acquisition%2C%20several%20hundred%20Whole%20Foods,have%20saved%20millionsas%20a%20result%20of%20the%20shake-up.">attempted to organize </a>in
 2018 after Amazon laid off several hundred employees and increased the 
cost of doing business for suppliers, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-era-at-amazons-whole-foods-grates-on-some-suppliers-employees-1530526964">Wall Street Journa</a>l, when it purchased the grocery chain for $13.7 billion in 2017.

“Amazon won’t allow that because it 
will cost them more in the long run,” said one Whole Foods delivery 
driver in San Diego who asked not to be named. Paying union dues will 
just be a burden to workers, she fears.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

In February, Amazon <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/02/amazon-pay-617-million-settle-ftc-charges-it-withheld-some">agreed</a> to pay $61.7 million to settle charges leveled by the FTC that it withheld tips from its delivery drivers. Another <a target="_blank" href="https://www.classaction.org/news/amazon-illegally-withheld-tips-from-flex-drivers-class-action-claims">suit </a>with similar allegations followed within days.

“We do not believe unions are in the 
best interest of our customers, our shareholders, or most importantly, 
our associates,” says an anti-union <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRpwVwFxyk4">vide</a>o
 produced by Amazon for its employees. “Our business model is built upon
 speed, innovation, and customer obsession—things that are generally not
 associated with union. When we lose sight of those critical focus areas
 we jeopardize everyone’s job security: yours, mine, and the 
associates’.”

“Does your Chair take comfort in the 
outcome of the recent union vote in Bessemer? No, he doesn’t,” Jeff 
Bezos wrote earlier this year in his 2020 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/2020-letter-to-shareholders?utm_source=social&amp;utm_medium=tw&amp;utm_term=amznnews&amp;utm_content=2020shareholderletter&amp;linkId=116261313">letter</a> to shareholders. “I think we need to do a better job for our employees.”&nbsp;

Bezos went on to say that even though
 the vote was in Amazon’s favor, “it’s clear to me that we need a better
 vision for how we create value for employees – a vision for their 
success.”

Bezos rejected the notion that Amazon
 employees are “desperate souls and treated as robots. That’s not 
accurate. They’re sophisticated and thoughtful people who have options 
for where to work. When we survey fulfillment center employees, 94% say 
they would recommend Amazon to a friend as a place to work.”

Avery, host of The Amazon podcast, says job satisfaction is elusive at an Amazon fulfillment center.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Satisfaction isn’t near what most 
people get from a job at Amazon, it’d be hard to be satisfied when 
Amazon averages a 150% turnover rate and near double the average of 
serious accidents in the workplace,” he says.

He’s referring to a Washington Post 
investigation that revealed Amazon reported twice as many accidents to 
OSHA as other warehouse and storage companies.&nbsp;&nbsp;

OSHA is currently investigating the 
storm-related deaths this month of half a dozen Amazon employees at an 
Indiana warehouse.&nbsp; Some employees say they were not allowed to leave 
the warehouse to seek shelter.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“As soon as there was a tornado 
warning, the team took immediate action to move to shelter in place 
locations,” Amazon spokeswoman Alisa Carroll told the Current via 
email.&nbsp;

“When a site is made aware of a 
tornado warning in the area, all employees are notified and directed to 
move to a designated and marked shelter in place location,” she said. 
“This is the safest approach to ensure no one is on the road or outside 
during a tornado.”

Carroll said the site got warnings 
between 8:06 and 8:16, and “leaders directed people on site to 
immediately take shelter. At 8:27, the tornado struck the building.”

Validated OSHA complaints from 
Amazon’s Nevada workers the last year range from safety concerns, some 
resulting from a reduced workforce certain days of the week, to 
violations of COVID protocols.

“Scanners and carts used by employees
 for order picking are not being sanitized after being used,” says one 
complaint to OSHA, echoed frequently by workers interviewed 
nationwide.&nbsp;&nbsp;

But the most common complaint from Amazon workers in Nevada was the heat.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A complaint of “poor air quality” prompted an OSHA inspection of DLV 7, a facility in North Las Vegas ,on April 27.

“There is poor air quality in the 
workplace. The air filters are dirty,” says the complaint. “It is very 
hot in the building. Employees are experiencing headaches due to the 
heat and wearing a mask.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Employees in the warehouse are not 
provided with enough water or rest and are being potentially exposed to 
heat stress related illness,” says a complaint that brought OSHA to DLV 2
 on Alexander Rd. in North Las Vegas on June 1. “The warehouse fans are 
operational but are not providing adequate airflow for the given volume 
of the warehouse.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Inside the warehouse employees are 
exposed to heat stress,” says a complaint that resulted in an inspection
 of LAS 1 on Bermuda Rd. in Henderson on June 22. “There is only one fan
 and no air-conditioning in the building.”

On June 28, inspectors visited the 
LAS 7 fulfillment center on Tropical Pkwy. in North Las Vegas,&nbsp; after 
receiving complaints that employees were “experiencing heat issues since
 the summer began due to the lack of air conditioning on the south end 
of the warehouse. Operation managers have advised that fans would be 
installed at each station throughout the warehouse however that has yet 
to occur for all stations. It is warm on the north side of the 
warehouse, but it is hot on the south side of the warehouse.”&nbsp;

OSHA records say the complaint was resolved.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Employees are working under heat 
stress up to 100 degrees inside the establishment,” says a complaint 
filed in July by a worker at LAS 1 in Henderson. “The employer does not 
allow employees to use the fans in the trailers. The fans are locked up 
and employees that unlock the fans face retaliation including 
termination.”

The same substantiated complaint says
 workers “are rarely able to take breaks during their shifts. Employees 
typically do not receive any breaks during their shifts.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Amazon is among hundreds of companies
 that have agreed to pay a statutorily approved average wage and certain
 benefits to be eligible for incentives to do business in Nevada.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In 2014, the state ponied up a 
combination of incentives and tax abatements expected to save Amazon 
$1.365 million over the course of several years, while generating a 
projected $393 in economic impact for every dollar of abated tax.&nbsp;

“The proposed plan will bring a new non-sort operation to the Reno area. The state incentive program is a critical factor in the company’s decision for this expansion,” Amazon said in its proposal.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The company noted the majority of 
jobs would pay under the $20.62 per hour dictated by Nevada law to 
qualify a firm for the abatements.

“500 of the 600 positions will make 
an annual wage of $29,100 ($14/hr at 40 hrs/week). Of the remaining 100,
 50 will earn $41,600/yr ($20/hr) and the other 50 is above the 
statewide wage requirement,” its proposal said.

Companies that receive abatements are
 audited after two years and again after five years, according to Greg 
Bortolin, spokesman for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development.&nbsp;

“The company projections in 2014 
estimated they would produce 600 jobs at an average wage of $16.50 per 
hour and make a capital expenditure of $10 million,” he said via email. 
“The audit findings found they created 533 jobs at an average wage of 
$23.37 per hour and made a capital expenditure of $15,295,110.”

A second <a target="_blank" href="https://www.diversifynevada.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Amazon.com_.kydc_Board_Packet_4.pdf">contract</a>
 with Amazon in 2016 bestowed benefits valued at $1.8 million on Amazon 
in return for building and operating a warehouse in Clark County.&nbsp; The 
company estimated the economic impact at $707 for every dollar of tax 
revenue sacrificed by the government.&nbsp;

“The
 company projections in 2016 estimated they would produce 1,000 jobs at 
an average wage of $14.64 per hour and make a capital expenditure of $18
 million,” says Bortolin. “The audit findings found they created 704 
jobs at an average wage of $52.63 and made a capital expenditure of 
$7,439,082.”

Both the jobs and wages generated were in compliance with the abatements, Bortolin says.

When Amazon was looking for a second national headquarters, then-Gov. Brian Sandoval <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/100-free-acres-in-las-vegas-part-of-bid-for-amazons-2nd-hq/">offered </a>to pony up $800 million in incentives toward the effort.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Avery of The Amazon podcast says the 
idea behind subsidies that employees “would reinvest all of their 
paycheck back into the city via housing and taxes and just going 
downtown to buy stuff,” is questionable. “In reality, it’s hard to say 
that that would happen. Those employees work for Amazon. They have the 
biggest company store known to man where anything can arrive to them 
faster than ever, no matter how much subsidizing is done.”

Why does a company valued near $2 trillion need public money from the states where it does business?&nbsp;

Nevada Democratic state Sen. Dina Neal attempted in 2019 to create a legislative committee to oversee incentives and abatements.&nbsp; Gov. Steve Sisolak vetoed the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/80th2019/Bill/6857/Overview">bill</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The state’s arrangement with Amazon 
has put it at odds with its own interests, as it incentivizes higher 
wages from private employers while failing to invest in its own critical
 workforce.&nbsp;

In a letter to Sisolak in October, 
the Governor’s Committee on Behavioral Health lamented that pay for 
“…front line staff working with the intellectually disabled and 
psychiatrically ill adults is far below that of large local employers 
such as Amazon and Walmart,” the Current <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nevadacurrent.com/2021/10/14/sisolak-asked-to-make-mental-health-worker-pay-competitive-with-other-local-employers/">reported</a>.&nbsp;

While Amazon offers subsidies to 
employees to cover part of a health plan for workers who can purchase 
through an exchange, it has the most workers of any Nevada employer 
enrolled in Medicaid – 3,648 employees and 4,244 dependents at a cost of
 $ 21,326,448 in 2020, according to a<a target="_blank" href="https://dhhs.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/dhhsnvgov/content/Programs/Office_of_Analytics/Nevada%20Medicaid%20Recipients%20Employed%20by%20Employers%20with%2050%20or%20More%20Employees%20SFY%202020%20SB%20366.pdf"> state report</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640715507348.png" alt="An Amazon employee in a fulfillment center. (Amazon press photo)" />
 <figcaption>An Amazon employee in a fulfillment center. (Amazon press photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DANA GENTRY <a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/holidays-are-no-holiday-amazon%C2%A0">States Newsroom</a>It’s called ‘peak season’ – the time 
of year when 10-hour days for some of the nation’s more than one 
million Amazon employees extend into eleven-hour shifts packed into a 
backbreaking blur of six-day work weeks.“They work us like crazy with hardly any days off, especially during the holidays. They
 don’t care about the safety of their employees,” says Johnny Acejo, who
 spent five years employed at an Amazon facility in Phoenix.&nbsp;Amazon declined to answer the majority of questions posed for this story.Unwinding after a long shift while 
facing the prospect of doing it again involves video games, booze, or 
weed, according to about a dozen employees interviewed by the Current. 
Others turn to the sleep aid Unisom, purchased online from Amazon.&nbsp;&nbsp;The job is consuming.&nbsp;&nbsp;“They literally keep track of your 
restroom time,” Acejo says of a scanner worn by employees that allows 
Amazon to track their movements. “I took five minutes in the restroom 
because I had real bad stomach pains and I was throwing up. I got a 
write up. All they care about is the numbers.”The numbers are good.&nbsp;Ecommerce sales in the U.S. topped $800 billion in the last year. As of October, Amazon owned 41% of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/274255/market-share-of-the-leading-retailers-in-us-e-commerce/">market share</a>, followed by Walmart at 6%, according to Statista.Amazon’s net income for the twelve months ending September 30, 2021 was $26.263 billion, up&nbsp; 51.14% year-to-year.Amazon is the second largest employer
 in the U.S. (behind Walmart) with more than a million workers. Amazon 
employs more than 10,500 Nevadans at more than a dozen warehouses, 
distribution facilities, and fulfillment centers throughout the state, 
mostly in Southern Nevada.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Union no</h2>“Amazon is changing the nature of 
work in our country,” says a resolution passed by the International 
Brotherhood of Teamsters last summer, which noted the company “presents 
an existential threat to the standards we have set” in Teamster-related 
industries Amazon has disrupted, such as parcel delivery, freight, food 
distribution, and movie production.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The resolution says the union 
“recognizes that there is no clearer example of how America is failing 
the working class than Amazon. From its start as a book retailer, Amazon
 has grown to become an ecommerce giant and has disrupted industry after
 industry and displaced hundreds of thousands of jobs.”“Amazon is very rightly worried that 
if one fulfillment center were to organize and unionize, it could start a
 domino reaction that would cause all others to fall in line,” says 
Avery, a former Amazon worker and host of the podcast The Amazon.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Amazon exploits its employees, 
contractors, and employees of contractors via: wage theft, fraudulent 
classification, intense production quotas, dehumanizing work 
environments, unsafe workplaces and production standards, low wages, 
high turnover, no voice on the job, lack of job security and outsourced 
jobs,” says the Teamsters’ resolution.&nbsp;But the union’s effort to organize Amazon workers appears stalled.&nbsp;“We are not discussing specific locations or strategies at this time,” said a national spokesperson for the Teamsters.&nbsp;&nbsp;Members of local Teamsters chapters 
say they’re unaware of any efforts to unionize Amazon workers in Nevada,
 as is a spokeswoman for the AFL-CIO of Nevada.For the last two decades, Amazon has deflected union overtures – most recently in Bessemer, Alabama, when it turned back the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, which represents poultry plant workers in that state.Last month, a judge <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/29/22565851/amazon-bessemer-union-vote-nlrb-appeal-overturned-second-election">ruled</a> Amazon interfered in the vote and ordered a do-over.&nbsp;“I’d say the ability to organize is a
 slim chance due to attrition, union busters, and Amazon’s brazen 
ability to not break but obliterate labor law with little to no 
consequences,” says Avery of The Amazon podcast. “Every chip is stacked 
against the workers and through pure grit a large number of them are 
still fighting the good fight.”“Organizing is hard due to the fact 
that no one stays,” he says. “Union organizers at Bessemer estimated 
they lost 60 ‘yes’ ballots a day due to attrition and Amazon’s ability 
to legally prolong the organizing attempt. People simply don’t stay in a
 shit hole long.”A group of Whole Foods employees unsuccessfully <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/06/whole-foods-workers-seek-to-unionize-says-amazon-is-exploiting-our-dedication/#:~:text=Since%20the%20Amazon%20acquisition%2C%20several%20hundred%20Whole%20Foods,have%20saved%20millionsas%20a%20result%20of%20the%20shake-up.">attempted to organize </a>in
 2018 after Amazon laid off several hundred employees and increased the 
cost of doing business for suppliers, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-era-at-amazons-whole-foods-grates-on-some-suppliers-employees-1530526964">Wall Street Journa</a>l, when it purchased the grocery chain for $13.7 billion in 2017.“Amazon won’t allow that because it 
will cost them more in the long run,” said one Whole Foods delivery 
driver in San Diego who asked not to be named. Paying union dues will 
just be a burden to workers, she fears.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In February, Amazon <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/02/amazon-pay-617-million-settle-ftc-charges-it-withheld-some">agreed</a> to pay $61.7 million to settle charges leveled by the FTC that it withheld tips from its delivery drivers. Another <a target="_blank" href="https://www.classaction.org/news/amazon-illegally-withheld-tips-from-flex-drivers-class-action-claims">suit </a>with similar allegations followed within days.“We do not believe unions are in the 
best interest of our customers, our shareholders, or most importantly, 
our associates,” says an anti-union <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRpwVwFxyk4">vide</a>o
 produced by Amazon for its employees. “Our business model is built upon
 speed, innovation, and customer obsession—things that are generally not
 associated with union. When we lose sight of those critical focus areas
 we jeopardize everyone’s job security: yours, mine, and the 
associates’.”“Does your Chair take comfort in the 
outcome of the recent union vote in Bessemer? No, he doesn’t,” Jeff 
Bezos wrote earlier this year in his 2020 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/2020-letter-to-shareholders?utm_source=social&amp;utm_medium=tw&amp;utm_term=amznnews&amp;utm_content=2020shareholderletter&amp;linkId=116261313">letter</a> to shareholders. “I think we need to do a better job for our employees.”&nbsp;Bezos went on to say that even though
 the vote was in Amazon’s favor, “it’s clear to me that we need a better
 vision for how we create value for employees – a vision for their 
success.”Bezos rejected the notion that Amazon
 employees are “desperate souls and treated as robots. That’s not 
accurate. They’re sophisticated and thoughtful people who have options 
for where to work. When we survey fulfillment center employees, 94% say 
they would recommend Amazon to a friend as a place to work.”Avery, host of The Amazon podcast, says job satisfaction is elusive at an Amazon fulfillment center.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Satisfaction isn’t near what most 
people get from a job at Amazon, it’d be hard to be satisfied when 
Amazon averages a 150% turnover rate and near double the average of 
serious accidents in the workplace,” he says.He’s referring to a Washington Post 
investigation that revealed Amazon reported twice as many accidents to 
OSHA as other warehouse and storage companies.&nbsp;&nbsp;OSHA is currently investigating the 
storm-related deaths this month of half a dozen Amazon employees at an 
Indiana warehouse.&nbsp; Some employees say they were not allowed to leave 
the warehouse to seek shelter.&nbsp;&nbsp;“As soon as there was a tornado 
warning, the team took immediate action to move to shelter in place 
locations,” Amazon spokeswoman Alisa Carroll told the Current via 
email.&nbsp;“When a site is made aware of a 
tornado warning in the area, all employees are notified and directed to 
move to a designated and marked shelter in place location,” she said. 
“This is the safest approach to ensure no one is on the road or outside 
during a tornado.”Carroll said the site got warnings 
between 8:06 and 8:16, and “leaders directed people on site to 
immediately take shelter. At 8:27, the tornado struck the building.”Validated OSHA complaints from 
Amazon’s Nevada workers the last year range from safety concerns, some 
resulting from a reduced workforce certain days of the week, to 
violations of COVID protocols.“Scanners and carts used by employees
 for order picking are not being sanitized after being used,” says one 
complaint to OSHA, echoed frequently by workers interviewed 
nationwide.&nbsp;&nbsp;But the most common complaint from Amazon workers in Nevada was the heat.&nbsp;&nbsp;A complaint of “poor air quality” prompted an OSHA inspection of DLV 7, a facility in North Las Vegas ,on April 27.“There is poor air quality in the 
workplace. The air filters are dirty,” says the complaint. “It is very 
hot in the building. Employees are experiencing headaches due to the 
heat and wearing a mask.”&nbsp;&nbsp;“Employees in the warehouse are not 
provided with enough water or rest and are being potentially exposed to 
heat stress related illness,” says a complaint that brought OSHA to DLV 2
 on Alexander Rd. in North Las Vegas on June 1. “The warehouse fans are 
operational but are not providing adequate airflow for the given volume 
of the warehouse.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Inside the warehouse employees are 
exposed to heat stress,” says a complaint that resulted in an inspection
 of LAS 1 on Bermuda Rd. in Henderson on June 22. “There is only one fan
 and no air-conditioning in the building.”On June 28, inspectors visited the 
LAS 7 fulfillment center on Tropical Pkwy. in North Las Vegas,&nbsp; after 
receiving complaints that employees were “experiencing heat issues since
 the summer began due to the lack of air conditioning on the south end 
of the warehouse. Operation managers have advised that fans would be 
installed at each station throughout the warehouse however that has yet 
to occur for all stations. It is warm on the north side of the 
warehouse, but it is hot on the south side of the warehouse.”&nbsp;OSHA records say the complaint was resolved.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Employees are working under heat 
stress up to 100 degrees inside the establishment,” says a complaint 
filed in July by a worker at LAS 1 in Henderson. “The employer does not 
allow employees to use the fans in the trailers. The fans are locked up 
and employees that unlock the fans face retaliation including 
termination.”The same substantiated complaint says
 workers “are rarely able to take breaks during their shifts. Employees 
typically do not receive any breaks during their shifts.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Paying for the privilege</h2>Amazon is among hundreds of companies
 that have agreed to pay a statutorily approved average wage and certain
 benefits to be eligible for incentives to do business in Nevada.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 2014, the state ponied up a 
combination of incentives and tax abatements expected to save Amazon 
$1.365 million over the course of several years, while generating a 
projected $393 in economic impact for every dollar of abated tax.&nbsp;“The proposed plan will bring a new non-sort operation to the Reno area. The state incentive program is a critical factor in the company’s decision for this expansion,” Amazon said in its proposal.&nbsp;&nbsp;The company noted the majority of 
jobs would pay under the $20.62 per hour dictated by Nevada law to 
qualify a firm for the abatements.“500 of the 600 positions will make 
an annual wage of $29,100 ($14/hr at 40 hrs/week). Of the remaining 100,
 50 will earn $41,600/yr ($20/hr) and the other 50 is above the 
statewide wage requirement,” its proposal said.Companies that receive abatements are
 audited after two years and again after five years, according to Greg 
Bortolin, spokesman for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development.&nbsp;“The company projections in 2014 
estimated they would produce 600 jobs at an average wage of $16.50 per 
hour and make a capital expenditure of $10 million,” he said via email. 
“The audit findings found they created 533 jobs at an average wage of 
$23.37 per hour and made a capital expenditure of $15,295,110.”A second <a target="_blank" href="https://www.diversifynevada.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Amazon.com_.kydc_Board_Packet_4.pdf">contract</a>
 with Amazon in 2016 bestowed benefits valued at $1.8 million on Amazon 
in return for building and operating a warehouse in Clark County.&nbsp; The 
company estimated the economic impact at $707 for every dollar of tax 
revenue sacrificed by the government.&nbsp;“The
 company projections in 2016 estimated they would produce 1,000 jobs at 
an average wage of $14.64 per hour and make a capital expenditure of $18
 million,” says Bortolin. “The audit findings found they created 704 
jobs at an average wage of $52.63 and made a capital expenditure of 
$7,439,082.”Both the jobs and wages generated were in compliance with the abatements, Bortolin says.When Amazon was looking for a second national headquarters, then-Gov. Brian Sandoval <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/100-free-acres-in-las-vegas-part-of-bid-for-amazons-2nd-hq/">offered </a>to pony up $800 million in incentives toward the effort.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avery of The Amazon podcast says the 
idea behind subsidies that employees “would reinvest all of their 
paycheck back into the city via housing and taxes and just going 
downtown to buy stuff,” is questionable. “In reality, it’s hard to say 
that that would happen. Those employees work for Amazon. They have the 
biggest company store known to man where anything can arrive to them 
faster than ever, no matter how much subsidizing is done.”Why does a company valued near $2 trillion need public money from the states where it does business?&nbsp;Nevada Democratic state Sen. Dina Neal attempted in 2019 to create a legislative committee to oversee incentives and abatements.&nbsp; Gov. Steve Sisolak vetoed the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/80th2019/Bill/6857/Overview">bill</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state’s arrangement with Amazon 
has put it at odds with its own interests, as it incentivizes higher 
wages from private employers while failing to invest in its own critical
 workforce.&nbsp;In a letter to Sisolak in October, 
the Governor’s Committee on Behavioral Health lamented that pay for 
“…front line staff working with the intellectually disabled and 
psychiatrically ill adults is far below that of large local employers 
such as Amazon and Walmart,” the Current <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nevadacurrent.com/2021/10/14/sisolak-asked-to-make-mental-health-worker-pay-competitive-with-other-local-employers/">reported</a>.&nbsp;While Amazon offers subsidies to 
employees to cover part of a health plan for workers who can purchase 
through an exchange, it has the most workers of any Nevada employer 
enrolled in Medicaid – 3,648 employees and 4,244 dependents at a cost of
 $ 21,326,448 in 2020, according to a<a target="_blank" href="https://dhhs.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/dhhsnvgov/content/Programs/Office_of_Analytics/Nevada%20Medicaid%20Recipients%20Employed%20by%20Employers%20with%2050%20or%20More%20Employees%20SFY%202020%20SB%20366.pdf"> state report</a>.&nbsp;U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders <a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/3410#:~:text=Stop%20Bad%20Employers%20by%20Zeroing%20Out%20Subsidies%20Act,employees%20on%20business%20days%20during%20the%20preceding%20year.">attempted</a>
 unsuccessfully in 2018 to impose a tax on companies with 500 employees 
“equal to the amount of federal benefits received by their low wage 
workers.”