OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Five teenagers have been arrested after shots were fired from their car at police during a chase from Omaha, east into Iowa and back into Omaha. 

Omaha police said that the five people arrested early Monday morning were a woman who turned 19 on Monday, an 18-year-old man, two 17-year-old boys and a 15-year-old boy. 

One of the juvenile offenders was treated for a minor injury and released. No officers were hurt, police said. 

Police said they were called to an area in north Omaha just after midnight by a report of shots being fired and an officer driving an unmarked car saw a vehicle driving erratically.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Five teenagers have been arrested after shots were fired from their car at police during a chase from Omaha, east into Iowa and back into Omaha. Omaha police said that the five people arrested early Monday morning were a woman who turned 19 on Monday, an 18-year-old man, two 17-year-old boys and a 15-year-old boy. One of the juvenile offenders was treated for a minor injury and released. No officers were hurt, police said. Police said they were called to an area in north Omaha just after midnight by a report of shots being fired and an officer driving an unmarked car saw a vehicle driving erratically.

5 teens arrested after chase from Omaha into Iowa and back

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in rural western Iowa say a shooting involving a married couple that stemmed from a domestic disturbance left a woman dead and her husband wounded. 

Investigators say the shooting happened Sunday morning at a home in Pottawattamie County just east of Council Bluffs. 

Sheriff's Sgt. Jim Doty said in a news release that deputies were called around 7:45 a.m. Sunday to the home for reports of a disturbance and arrived to find 86-year-old Harvey Rankin suffering from a gunshot wound and his 83-year-old wife, Bonnie Rankin, dead inside the home. 

Harvey Rankin was taken to a hospital in nearby Omaha, Nebraska, with critical injuries. Investigators have not yet given details of what led up to the shooting.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in rural western Iowa say a shooting involving a married couple that stemmed from a domestic disturbance left a woman dead and her husband wounded. Investigators say the shooting happened Sunday morning at a home in Pottawattamie County just east of Council Bluffs. Sheriff's Sgt. Jim Doty said in a news release that deputies were called around 7:45 a.m. Sunday to the home for reports of a disturbance and arrived to find 86-year-old Harvey Rankin suffering from a gunshot wound and his 83-year-old wife, Bonnie Rankin, dead inside the home. Harvey Rankin was taken to a hospital in nearby Omaha, Nebraska, with critical injuries. Investigators have not yet given details of what led up to the shooting.

Police: Wife killed, husband wounded in Iowa shooting

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A longtime state corrections worker will become the new warden at the Tecumseh State Correctional Instituion in southeast Nebraska.

 The Department of Correctional Services announced the appointment Tuesday of Craig Gable. 

Gable started in the department in 2011 as a correctiona officer and has risen through the ranks at seven different Nebraska prisons.

 He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Nebraska Omaha and a master’s degree in public administration from Bellevue University. 

Gable replaces outgoing warden Todd Wasmer, who will become the assistant warden at the state’s Diagnostic and Evaluation Center in Lincoln.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A longtime state corrections worker will become the new warden at the Tecumseh State Correctional Instituion in southeast Nebraska. The Department of Correctional Services announced the appointment Tuesday of Craig Gable. Gable started in the department in 2011 as a correctiona officer and has risen through the ranks at seven different Nebraska prisons. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Nebraska Omaha and a master’s degree in public administration from Bellevue University. Gable replaces outgoing warden Todd Wasmer, who will become the assistant warden at the state’s Diagnostic and Evaluation Center in Lincoln.

Longtime corrections worker becomes new Nebraska warden

<a href="https://littleapplepost.com/posts/26e4a988-7dc7-401f-89ad-6ba22798ac24">RELATED:&nbsp;Stimulus, Child Tax Credit and more: Tips on making 2022 tax filing easier</a>

WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Internal Revenue Service today updated frequently-asked-questions for the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">2021 Child Tax Credit and Advance Child Tax Credit Payments</a> to describe how taxpayers can now provide the IRS an estimate of your 2021 income using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal">Child Tax Credit Update Portal (CTC UP)</a>.

These <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/newsroom/fs-2021-13.pdf">FAQs update</a>&nbsp;PDF
 the Advance Child Tax Credit Topic A FAQs by adding a new question, 
question 17 and Topic F FAQs by adding new questions, questions 2 
through 6.

These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possible.

More information about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/general-overview-of-taxpayer-reliance-on-guidance-published-in-the-internal-revenue-bulletin-and-faqs">reliance is available</a>.

Additional Advance Child Tax Credit information

The IRS has created a special Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 
2021 page designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the 
credit and the advance payments. It's at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>.

The IRS encourages partners and community groups to share information
 and use available online tools and toolkits to help non-filers, 
low-income families and other underserved groups sign up. People can 
check their eligibility by using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-eligibility-assistant">Advance Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant</a>.

The webpage features a set of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">frequently asked questions</a>.
 It also provides direct links to the portal, as well as two other 
online tools – the Non-filer Sign up Tool and the Child Tax Credit 
Eligibility Assistant – and other useful resources.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://littleapplepost.com/posts/26e4a988-7dc7-401f-89ad-6ba22798ac24">RELATED:&nbsp;Stimulus, Child Tax Credit and more: Tips on making 2022 tax filing easier</a>IRSWASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Internal Revenue Service today updated frequently-asked-questions for the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">2021 Child Tax Credit and Advance Child Tax Credit Payments</a> to describe how taxpayers can now provide the IRS an estimate of your 2021 income using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal">Child Tax Credit Update Portal (CTC UP)</a>.These <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/newsroom/fs-2021-13.pdf">FAQs update</a>&nbsp;PDF
 the Advance Child Tax Credit Topic A FAQs by adding a new question, 
question 17 and Topic F FAQs by adding new questions, questions 2 
through 6.These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possible.More information about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/general-overview-of-taxpayer-reliance-on-guidance-published-in-the-internal-revenue-bulletin-and-faqs">reliance is available</a>.<h2>Additional Advance Child Tax Credit information</h2>The IRS has created a special Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 
2021 page designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the 
credit and the advance payments. It's at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>.The IRS encourages partners and community groups to share information
 and use available online tools and toolkits to help non-filers, 
low-income families and other underserved groups sign up. People can 
check their eligibility by using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-eligibility-assistant">Advance Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant</a>.The webpage features a set of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">frequently asked questions</a>.
 It also provides direct links to the portal, as well as two other 
online tools – the Non-filer Sign up Tool and the Child Tax Credit 
Eligibility Assistant – and other useful resources.

IRS offers new guidance on Child Tax Credit payments

National experts are predicting <a href="https://nrf.com/media-center/press-releases/nrf-predicts-highest-holiday-retail-sales-record" target="_blank">record numbers</a>
 in spending on holiday related items. There is also a concern if many 
of the items on consumer's holiday lists will be available on the shelf 
or online and are faced with the disappointing words: “Sorry, this item 
is currently out of stock.” That’s especially true when challenges are 
still occuring with supply chains.

But does that mean the words “out of stock” is the end of the line? 
Not at all. With a little determination and some creative thinking, the 
item might be found and purchased. Here are BBB’s tip for finding items 
that are sold out in stores.

Read <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/14040-bbb-tip-smart-shopping-online" target="_blank">BBB Tip: Smart Online Shopping</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23348-shop-safe" target="_blank">BBB Tip: Shop Safe, Shop Smart this Holiday Season</a> for more shopping tips.

Only make purchases from businesses who adhere to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/standards-for-trust" target="_blank">BBB Standards for Trust</a>. Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/bbb-accreditation-standards" target="_blank">BBB's Accreditation Standards</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Better Business BureauNational experts are predicting <a href="https://nrf.com/media-center/press-releases/nrf-predicts-highest-holiday-retail-sales-record" target="_blank">record numbers</a>
 in spending on holiday related items. There is also a concern if many 
of the items on consumer's holiday lists will be available on the shelf 
or online and are faced with the disappointing words: “Sorry, this item 
is currently out of stock.” That’s especially true when challenges are 
still occuring with supply chains.But does that mean the words “out of stock” is the end of the line? 
Not at all. With a little determination and some creative thinking, the 
item might be found and purchased. Here are BBB’s tip for finding items 
that are sold out in stores.<h2>How to Buy Out of Stock Items</h2><ul>
 <li>Try a different store. Avoid limiting the search to
 the most popular brick-and-mortar stores. Consider researching multiple
 vendors’ websites to see who is carrying stock. If the large chain 
stores are out of what you need, try a reputable independent shop or a 
different type of store entirely. For example, when toilet paper was in 
short supply at grocery stores, some consumers found stock in <a href="https://nymag.com/strategist/article/where-to-buy-out-of-stock-products-online.html" target="_blank">unlikely places</a>, such as hardware stores, restaurant suppliers, or office supply stores. </li><li>Check websites frequently. If there is an item out 
of stock when shopping online, don’t give up hope right away. Bookmark 
the product page and check back daily. Many vendors restock high-demand 
products on a regular basis. </li><li>Sign up for restock alerts. Many companies offer restock alerts, which are usually sent by email. For example, on <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/wa/seattle/profile/ecommerce/amazoncom-1296-7039385" target="_blank">Amazon</a> (a BBB Accredited Business), look for an <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=202074010" target="_blank">availability alert</a>
 on a product's information page. Amazon will send an e-mail when the 
item becomes available. Keep in mind, you still have to go to the 
website or store to make the purchase once the alert arrives. </li><li>Go straight to the product’s source. If a brand 
name item isn’t available from a favorite retailer, check the brand’s 
official website to see if it’s in stock there. If not, consider getting
 in touch by emailing customer service or reaching out through social 
media. </li><li>Take advantage of return policies. If you suspect 
that an item will sell out quickly but you aren’t sure if you really 
need or want it, review the store’s return policy. If a store gives you 
the option to return an item and offer refunds, you may want to purchase
 the item as soon as it’s available. You can always send it back if it 
doesn’t fit your needs, but you may regret not purchasing if the stock 
runs out for good. </li><li>Search for products on resale sites. If a product 
appears to be gone for good, don’t lose hope just yet. Some resale sites
 may offer the hard-to-find products. That said, watch out for scammers 
when looking for <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16580-scam-alert-looking-for-this-seasons-hot-toy-beware-of-scams" target="_blank">this year’s hottest toy</a>
 or a product that is very popular. Con artists prey on desperate 
shoppers by pretending to have an item that is impossible to find, 
accepting payments, and then never delivering the product. &nbsp; </li><li>Consider a personal shopping service. Personal 
shoppers can do the heavy lifting if there is a very specific product 
you are hunting for. Be sure to read reviews and ask for recommendations
 from friends and family members before deciding to hire. </li><li>Try out a subscription service. Subscription 
services offer regular deliveries of cleaning products, clothing and 
more. If the local stores are running out of fresh produce, for example,
 consider a <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/16622-bbb-tip-choosing-a-meal-delivery-service" target="_blank">meal delivery service</a>. </li><li>Be patient. Sometimes, despite the best efforts, it
 just may not be possible to find most popular items. This was the case 
for many consumers hoping to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23422-bbb-scam-alert-fake-deals-on-gaming-consoles-trick-holiday-shoppers" target="_blank">purchase new PS5 and Xbox Series X+S gaming systems</a>. Restocks have sold out almost immediately every time thanks to limited supplies and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2020/10/14/ps5-and-xbox-series-xs-sold-out-again-what-to-expect-for-restocks/?sh=3b1a43653d93" target="_blank">bot resellers</a>. If this happens to you, be patient. You may have to wait a few months until suppliers can meet consumers’ demands.</li>
 </ul><h2>For More Information</h2>Read <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/14040-bbb-tip-smart-shopping-online" target="_blank">BBB Tip: Smart Online Shopping</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23348-shop-safe" target="_blank">BBB Tip: Shop Safe, Shop Smart this Holiday Season</a> for more shopping tips.Only make purchases from businesses who adhere to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/standards-for-trust" target="_blank">BBB Standards for Trust</a>. Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/bbb-accreditation-standards" target="_blank">BBB's Accreditation Standards</a>.

Holiday gift 'out of stock'? Try these tips to beat supply chain disruption

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and THOMAS BEAUMONT

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — School board candidates opposing mask mandates and lessons about racism in U.S. history won in red states and some politically divided districts but often came up short in their bids to shape policy for school districts over the newest culture war issue.

The mixed results complicate the picture for Republicans who are increasingly looking to the education fight as a galvanizing issue that could help them sway voters. They point to the upset in&nbsp;Virginia&nbsp;by Republican Glenn Youngkin, who won his race for governor Tuesday in the liberal-leaning state after making education grievances a key part of his campaign. Some conservative political action groups said they racked up wins in the school board races where they funneled money.

But across the country, culture and identity fights were less decisive. The political tracking website Ballotpedia identified 96 school districts in more than a dozen states where race education and masking were part of the debate. It found that at least one anti-critical race theory or anti-mask candidate prevailed in 35 of the 86 districts in which it has determined winners, or 40%.

“Where they won, they won in really high numbers,” said Doug Kronaizl, a staff writer for Ballotpedia, noting that candidates who won on the issue tended to be concentrated in the same districts. “But overall nationwide they didn’t win that much.”

In&nbsp;Connecticut, a slate of five candidates running in opposition to critical race theory lost the board of education race in the Guilford school system, an overwhelmingly white New Haven suburb of 22,000 where a petition calling for the superintendent’s removal circulated after the district ditched its Indians mascot and doubled down on efforts to address social justice and racism.

“I think that there continues to be a national discussion where the term critical race theory is used inaccurately if not insincerely to attack work that is being done in schools, and that was successful in a lot of races,” said Superintendent Paul Freeman, who said the district doesn’t teach critical race theory.

Technically, it is an academic framework that centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the nation’s institutions and that they function to maintain the dominance of white people. But in recent months, it has become a catch-all political buzzword for any teaching in schools about race and American history.

“We do not shame or blame the white children in Guilford when we talk about the issues of race or racism in our classrooms, whether historic or contemporary,” Freeman stressed.

Incumbent school board members in Mequon,&nbsp;Wisconsin, a wealthy, Republican-leaning suburb north of Milwaukee, won decisively after a group of parents led a recall effort based largely on their opposition to the district’s hiring of a diversity consultant. All four incumbents were reelected by more than 1,000 votes after a summer-long petition drive that drew the attention of local Republicans.

In Springboro,&nbsp;Ohio, outside Dayton, Frank Catrine, a local Republican activist who is opposed to critical race theory, finished fifth out of eight candidates in a school board race in which all incumbents were reelected. He has argued that diversity and inclusion efforts exclude white students and parents.

“If you want true diversity, you’re open to everybody,” Catrine said. “But if they are only focused on Black people and the LGBTQ community, not everybody is welcome.”

In Washington state, school board candidate Riley Smith said that while knocking on doors in his Democratic-leaning district in Spokane this fall, he encountered very few people interested in discussing race in education.

“This whole critical race theory, anti-masking, that was dominating the national narrative wasn’t really on people’s minds,” said Riley, who beat a vocal opponent of the educational framework for the open seat.

Yael Levin, who leads the Virginia chapter of No Left Turn in Education, a group opposed to teaching critical race theory, said some losses were to be expected given the newness of the movement, which she said grew from the pandemic, when remote learning made parents more aware of what their children were being taught. The organization has ballooned to 78 chapters in more than 25 states since it was founded last year.

“This is a very new movement of parents. And it’s a direct result of COVID. So it makes sense that we succeeded in some places and didn’t in others,” Levin said, “but we’re going to keep our movement alive because the attack on our children is not stopping anytime soon.”

In conservative Wichita,&nbsp;Kansas, Ben Blankley was among three candidates voted out of office and replaced by a slate of anti-critical race theory candidates who have promised changes in COVID-19 mitigation efforts in the district.

“I kind of figured this would be the end result,” said Blankley, a 38-year-old aerospace engineer with a first-grader in the district. “Regardless of the decisions that we made, I figured there would be a political backlash eventually for a bunch of good people. And so it kind of steeled my resolve to make the best decisions I could with the information that we had knowing that being out of office could be an eventuality because of all of this.”

Across the state, mask mandate opponents were ahead Friday in several races in Johnson County, an increasingly purple Kansas City suburb that voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 despite historically leaning Republican. Some of the winning candidates in the Blue Valley and Olathe districts got a boost from the 1776 Project PAC.

Axios reported the political action committee — named after former President Donald Trump’s now-disbanded 1776 Commission, which played down America’s role in slavery — was successful in three-fourths of 58 races in seven states. “Victories across the country and this is just the beginning,” the group tweeted.

Money from other conservative PACs flowed into the West Chester,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/pennsylvania">Pennsylvania</a>, race after board president Chris McCune antagonized critical race theory opponents. McCune, a Republican, initially was ahead in the vote count but has slipped behind a a PAC-backed critical race theory supporter and another candidate as mail-in ballots are counted.

“These allegations from the far right are very challenging and the climate around public education has been very toxic,” said McCune, 48, who works in software sales and whose five children all attend district schools.

1776 Action, which is separate from the similarly named political action committee, sent out mailers and targeted text messages in the West Chester race and another in&nbsp;Iowa. The group, which encourages candidates to sign a pledge calling for the restoration of “honest, patriotic education,” was encouraged by the results.

“This movement to defeat anti-American indoctrination in our schools is only going to grow stronger in 2022," said Adam Waldeck, the group’s president.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636223435663.png" alt="From the July 26, 2020 school board meeting-photo courtesy Shawnee Mission Kansas Schools" />
 <figcaption>From the July 26, 2020 school board meeting-photo courtesy Shawnee Mission Kansas Schools</figcaption>
 </figure>By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and THOMAS BEAUMONTMISSION, Kan. (AP) — School board candidates opposing mask mandates and lessons about racism in U.S. history won in red states and some politically divided districts but often came up short in their bids to shape policy for school districts over the newest culture war issue.The mixed results complicate the picture for Republicans who are increasingly looking to the education fight as a galvanizing issue that could help them sway voters. They point to the upset in&nbsp;Virginia&nbsp;by Republican Glenn Youngkin, who won his race for governor Tuesday in the liberal-leaning state after making education grievances a key part of his campaign. Some conservative political action groups said they racked up wins in the school board races where they funneled money.But across the country, culture and identity fights were less decisive. The political tracking website Ballotpedia identified 96 school districts in more than a dozen states where race education and masking were part of the debate. It found that at least one anti-critical race theory or anti-mask candidate prevailed in 35 of the 86 districts in which it has determined winners, or 40%.“Where they won, they won in really high numbers,” said Doug Kronaizl, a staff writer for Ballotpedia, noting that candidates who won on the issue tended to be concentrated in the same districts. “But overall nationwide they didn’t win that much.”In&nbsp;Connecticut, a slate of five candidates running in opposition to critical race theory lost the board of education race in the Guilford school system, an overwhelmingly white New Haven suburb of 22,000 where a petition calling for the superintendent’s removal circulated after the district ditched its Indians mascot and doubled down on efforts to address social justice and racism.“I think that there continues to be a national discussion where the term critical race theory is used inaccurately if not insincerely to attack work that is being done in schools, and that was successful in a lot of races,” said Superintendent Paul Freeman, who said the district doesn’t teach critical race theory.Technically, it is an academic framework that centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the nation’s institutions and that they function to maintain the dominance of white people. But in recent months, it has become a catch-all political buzzword for any teaching in schools about race and American history.“We do not shame or blame the white children in Guilford when we talk about the issues of race or racism in our classrooms, whether historic or contemporary,” Freeman stressed.Incumbent school board members in Mequon,&nbsp;Wisconsin, a wealthy, Republican-leaning suburb north of Milwaukee, won decisively after a group of parents led a recall effort based largely on their opposition to the district’s hiring of a diversity consultant. All four incumbents were reelected by more than 1,000 votes after a summer-long petition drive that drew the attention of local Republicans.In Springboro,&nbsp;Ohio, outside Dayton, Frank Catrine, a local Republican activist who is opposed to critical race theory, finished fifth out of eight candidates in a school board race in which all incumbents were reelected. He has argued that diversity and inclusion efforts exclude white students and parents.“If you want true diversity, you’re open to everybody,” Catrine said. “But if they are only focused on Black people and the LGBTQ community, not everybody is welcome.”In Washington state, school board candidate Riley Smith said that while knocking on doors in his Democratic-leaning district in Spokane this fall, he encountered very few people interested in discussing race in education.“This whole critical race theory, anti-masking, that was dominating the national narrative wasn’t really on people’s minds,” said Riley, who beat a vocal opponent of the educational framework for the open seat.Yael Levin, who leads the Virginia chapter of No Left Turn in Education, a group opposed to teaching critical race theory, said some losses were to be expected given the newness of the movement, which she said grew from the pandemic, when remote learning made parents more aware of what their children were being taught. The organization has ballooned to 78 chapters in more than 25 states since it was founded last year.“This is a very new movement of parents. And it’s a direct result of COVID. So it makes sense that we succeeded in some places and didn’t in others,” Levin said, “but we’re going to keep our movement alive because the attack on our children is not stopping anytime soon.”In conservative Wichita,&nbsp;Kansas, Ben Blankley was among three candidates voted out of office and replaced by a slate of anti-critical race theory candidates who have promised changes in COVID-19 mitigation efforts in the district.“I kind of figured this would be the end result,” said Blankley, a 38-year-old aerospace engineer with a first-grader in the district. “Regardless of the decisions that we made, I figured there would be a political backlash eventually for a bunch of good people. And so it kind of steeled my resolve to make the best decisions I could with the information that we had knowing that being out of office could be an eventuality because of all of this.”Across the state, mask mandate opponents were ahead Friday in several races in Johnson County, an increasingly purple Kansas City suburb that voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 despite historically leaning Republican. Some of the winning candidates in the Blue Valley and Olathe districts got a boost from the 1776 Project PAC.Axios reported the political action committee — named after former President Donald Trump’s now-disbanded 1776 Commission, which played down America’s role in slavery — was successful in three-fourths of 58 races in seven states. “Victories across the country and this is just the beginning,” the group tweeted.Money from other conservative PACs flowed into the West Chester,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/pennsylvania">Pennsylvania</a>, race after board president Chris McCune antagonized critical race theory opponents. McCune, a Republican, initially was ahead in the vote count but has slipped behind a a PAC-backed critical race theory supporter and another candidate as mail-in ballots are counted.“These allegations from the far right are very challenging and the climate around public education has been very toxic,” said McCune, 48, who works in software sales and whose five children all attend district schools.1776 Action, which is separate from the similarly named political action committee, sent out mailers and targeted text messages in the West Chester race and another in&nbsp;Iowa. The group, which encourages candidates to sign a pledge calling for the restoration of “honest, patriotic education,” was encouraged by the results.“This movement to defeat anti-American indoctrination in our schools is only going to grow stronger in 2022," said Adam Waldeck, the group’s president.___

Culture war fight found mixed success in school board races

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Biden administration framed its vaccine mandate for private employers in life-and-death terms Monday in a legal filing that sought to get the requirement back on track after it was halted by a federal court.

Its filing in response to a stay issued over the weekend by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said there is no reason to rush into a ruling on whether the halt should be made permanent because the vaccine mandate won't take effect until Jan. 4. Stopping the mandate from taking effect will only prolong the COVID-19 pandemic and would “cost dozens or even hundreds of lives per day,” lawyers for the Justice and Labor departments said.

As of Sunday, the seven-day rolling average for daily new deaths in the U.S. was 1,151, but it's not clear what role a future vaccine mandate for private businesses would play in reducing that figure.

The mandate would apply to private businesses with more than 100 workers. Employees who do not receive the shots by Jan. 4 would be required to wear a mask and be tested weekly for the coronavirus. Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules issued last week create exemptions for workers citing religious objections and for those who do not interact in-person with coworkers or customers, as well as those who work only outdoors.

More than two dozen Republican state attorneys general, businesses, religious groups and conservative associations sued on the grounds that the federal government does not have the right to make the regulation, partly because COVID-19 is not a workplace-specific danger.

The Biden administration lawyers argued the risks were greater without the mandate than with it: “Petitioners’ asserted injuries, by contrast, are speculative and remote and do not outweigh the interest in protecting employees from a dangerous virus while this case proceeds,” they wrote.

At least 27 states filed legal challenges in at least six federal appeals courts after OSHA released its rules last week. All the states have a Republican governor or attorney general.

Over the weekend, judges on the New Orleans-based federal court paused the rule from taking effect, saying it raises “grave statutory and constitutional issues” and told the federal government to explain why the stay should not be made permanent.

The federal government said in its court filings Monday that the cases should be consolidated and that one of the circuit courts where a legal challenge has been filed should be chosen at random on Nov. 16 to hear it.

Administration lawyers said there is no reason to keep the vaccine mandate on hold while the court where the cases ultimately land remains undetermined. Besides, they argued, no employee will have to get a shot to comply until early December.

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre expressed confidence that the COVID-19 vaccine mandate can withstand the legal challenges.

“This is an authority that we believe the Department of Labor has,” Jean-Pierre told told reporters during a news briefing. “We are very confident about it.”

Jean-Pierre said the mandate was about keeping people safe and that Congress had empowered the Labor Department to act with the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Vaccine mandates, including those for certain federal employees, contractors and the military, are a key component of the Biden administration's strategy for containing a pandemic that has killed 755,000 people in the U.S.

It has said that widespread vaccinations are the quickest way out of the pandemic. But employers have pushed back, saying they fear the mandate would lead many of their workers to quit.

At a news conference Monday in Concord,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-hampshire">New Hampshire</a>, the president of Keller Companies, a manufacturer of building panels and plastics with 350 employees, described the OSHA rule as a “crushing blow to employers.”

Kathy Garfield, whose family has run the Manchester-based company for three generations, said it brought in a vaccination van to serve employees and gave workers paid time off to get the shots. Only about half have done so.

“We’ve had employees come forward and say if we mandate the vaccine, or this comes to be, they will not get the vaccine and they will not get tested. How can I run a business when I have no talent?” Garfield asked at a news conference with Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican.

She also said it’s difficult to find a place to get the virus test. When they are available, they can cost $200.

“That’s the difference between eating and starving,” Garfield said. “So what are these employees going to do? They’re going to go to another employer with less than 100 employees.”

The administration announced plans for the workplace rule in September and unveiled the plans Nov. 4. Many Republican governors and state attorneys general signaled ahead of time that they would challenge it immediately, as they did with multiple federal lawsuits filed Friday.

The states filed in the most conservative appeals courts in the country, where appointees of former President Donald Trump bolstered Republican-appointed majorities. It was not entirely clear whether the emergency stay issued Saturday by the 5th Circuit applied nationwide or just to the states that filed in that case —&nbsp;Louisiana,&nbsp;Mississippi,&nbsp;South Carolina,&nbsp;Texas&nbsp;and&nbsp;Utah.

The 5th Circuit order read, “the Mandate is hereby stayed pending further action by this court" but did not specifically state whether it applied only to the five states. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said it applied nationally, but states that filed in different courts asked Monday for clarification.

“Though the Fifth Circuit’s order may be construed to have nationwide effect, it does not make an explicit statement on this point," according to a state filing in the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. "To avoid any confusion and to secure full protection of their rights, Petitioners respectfully request that this Court enter a similar order here.”

Alabama,&nbsp;Florida&nbsp;and&nbsp;Georgia&nbsp;also asked for a stay Monday in the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, noting the one granted in the New Orleans-based court is temporary. The group of states, businesses and organizations challenging the rule in the St. Louis-based court called for a quick review of their challenge to the workplace rule.

“Thousands of employers and millions of working families will feel its impact immediately. The Court should act swiftly to forestall these illegal and unconstitutional injuries,” the groups said in court papers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636210096288.png" alt="At least 27 states filed legal challenges in at least six federal appeals courts after OSHA released its rules last week. All the states have a Republican governor or attorney general.-White House Photo" />
 <figcaption>At least 27 states filed legal challenges in at least six federal appeals courts after OSHA released its rules last week. All the states have a Republican governor or attorney general.-White House Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The Biden administration framed its vaccine mandate for private employers in life-and-death terms Monday in a legal filing that sought to get the requirement back on track after it was halted by a federal court.Its filing in response to a stay issued over the weekend by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said there is no reason to rush into a ruling on whether the halt should be made permanent because the vaccine mandate won't take effect until Jan. 4. Stopping the mandate from taking effect will only prolong the COVID-19 pandemic and would “cost dozens or even hundreds of lives per day,” lawyers for the Justice and Labor departments said.As of Sunday, the seven-day rolling average for daily new deaths in the U.S. was 1,151, but it's not clear what role a future vaccine mandate for private businesses would play in reducing that figure.The mandate would apply to private businesses with more than 100 workers. Employees who do not receive the shots by Jan. 4 would be required to wear a mask and be tested weekly for the coronavirus. Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules issued last week create exemptions for workers citing religious objections and for those who do not interact in-person with coworkers or customers, as well as those who work only outdoors.More than two dozen Republican state attorneys general, businesses, religious groups and conservative associations sued on the grounds that the federal government does not have the right to make the regulation, partly because COVID-19 is not a workplace-specific danger.The Biden administration lawyers argued the risks were greater without the mandate than with it: “Petitioners’ asserted injuries, by contrast, are speculative and remote and do not outweigh the interest in protecting employees from a dangerous virus while this case proceeds,” they wrote.At least 27 states filed legal challenges in at least six federal appeals courts after OSHA released its rules last week. All the states have a Republican governor or attorney general.Over the weekend, judges on the New Orleans-based federal court paused the rule from taking effect, saying it raises “grave statutory and constitutional issues” and told the federal government to explain why the stay should not be made permanent.The federal government said in its court filings Monday that the cases should be consolidated and that one of the circuit courts where a legal challenge has been filed should be chosen at random on Nov. 16 to hear it.Administration lawyers said there is no reason to keep the vaccine mandate on hold while the court where the cases ultimately land remains undetermined. Besides, they argued, no employee will have to get a shot to comply until early December.White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre expressed confidence that the COVID-19 vaccine mandate can withstand the legal challenges.“This is an authority that we believe the Department of Labor has,” Jean-Pierre told told reporters during a news briefing. “We are very confident about it.”Jean-Pierre said the mandate was about keeping people safe and that Congress had empowered the Labor Department to act with the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Vaccine mandates, including those for certain federal employees, contractors and the military, are a key component of the Biden administration's strategy for containing a pandemic that has killed 755,000 people in the U.S.It has said that widespread vaccinations are the quickest way out of the pandemic. But employers have pushed back, saying they fear the mandate would lead many of their workers to quit.At a news conference Monday in Concord,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-hampshire">New Hampshire</a>, the president of Keller Companies, a manufacturer of building panels and plastics with 350 employees, described the OSHA rule as a “crushing blow to employers.”Kathy Garfield, whose family has run the Manchester-based company for three generations, said it brought in a vaccination van to serve employees and gave workers paid time off to get the shots. Only about half have done so.“We’ve had employees come forward and say if we mandate the vaccine, or this comes to be, they will not get the vaccine and they will not get tested. How can I run a business when I have no talent?” Garfield asked at a news conference with Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican.She also said it’s difficult to find a place to get the virus test. When they are available, they can cost $200.“That’s the difference between eating and starving,” Garfield said. “So what are these employees going to do? They’re going to go to another employer with less than 100 employees.”The administration announced plans for the workplace rule in September and unveiled the plans Nov. 4. Many Republican governors and state attorneys general signaled ahead of time that they would challenge it immediately, as they did with multiple federal lawsuits filed Friday.The states filed in the most conservative appeals courts in the country, where appointees of former President Donald Trump bolstered Republican-appointed majorities. It was not entirely clear whether the emergency stay issued Saturday by the 5th Circuit applied nationwide or just to the states that filed in that case —&nbsp;Louisiana,&nbsp;Mississippi,&nbsp;South Carolina,&nbsp;Texas&nbsp;and&nbsp;Utah.The 5th Circuit order read, “the Mandate is hereby stayed pending further action by this court" but did not specifically state whether it applied only to the five states. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said it applied nationally, but states that filed in different courts asked Monday for clarification.“Though the Fifth Circuit’s order may be construed to have nationwide effect, it does not make an explicit statement on this point," according to a state filing in the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. "To avoid any confusion and to secure full protection of their rights, Petitioners respectfully request that this Court enter a similar order here.”Alabama,&nbsp;Florida&nbsp;and&nbsp;Georgia&nbsp;also asked for a stay Monday in the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, noting the one granted in the New Orleans-based court is temporary. The group of states, businesses and organizations challenging the rule in the St. Louis-based court called for a quick review of their challenge to the workplace rule.“Thousands of employers and millions of working families will feel its impact immediately. The Court should act swiftly to forestall these illegal and unconstitutional injuries,” the groups said in court papers.___

Biden: Vaccine mandate should remain while court cases play out

WASHINGTON (AP) — A suspected Ukrainian hacker has been arrested and charged in the United States in connection with a string of costly ransomware attacks, including one that snarled businesses around the globe on the Fourth of July weekend, U.S. officials said Monday.

Yaroslav Vasinskyi was arrested last month after traveling to Poland, according to the Justice Department, which also announced the recovery of $6.1 million in ill-gotten funds from a Russian national who was separately charged and remains sought by the FBI.

Both men are alleged to be affiliated with the prolific Russia-based REvil ransomware gang, whose attacks have compromised tens of thousands of computers worldwide and yielded at least $200 million in ransom payments, said Attorney General Merrick Garland. Victims have included the world’s largest meat processor, JBS SA, and a technology company called Kaseya,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-europe-government-and-politics-technology-business-fc0df4c42f8cd6148bf936ca24bb5cbe">which was hit in a holiday weekend attack last July&nbsp;</a>that the company said affected between 800 and 1,500 businesses that relied on its software.

The coordination of multiple agencies across the Biden administration amounted to perhaps the most high-profile response yet to a blitz of ransomware attacks that officials say continues to threaten national security and the economy. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco appeared to foreshadow Monday’s announcement in an interview with The Associated Press last week, saying that “in the days and weeks to come, you’re going to see more arrests” as well as more seizures of illicit ransomware proceeds.

Speaking at a news conference Monday, she said, “We have been using every tool at our disposal and leveraging every authority we have to hunt down and hold accountable cybercriminals wherever they seek to hide.”

The indictment accuses Vasinskyi, 22, of deploying REvil ransomware, also known as Sodinokibi, a broad range of victims — including the massive Kaseya attack.

Yevgeniy Polyanin, a Russian national, is charged in a separate indictment. He’s accused of conducting roughly 3,000 ransomware attacks on companies and entities across the U.S., including law enforcement agencies and local governments in the state of Texas.

Both indictments were filed in federal court in the Northern District of Texas, a state where REvil ransomware&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-government-and-politics-business-texas-hacking-47e23be2d9d90d67383c1bd6cee5aef7">compromised the computer networks</a>&nbsp;of some two dozen local government agencies in the summer of 2019.

The U.S. is seeking Vasinskyi’s extradition from Poland. Though it successfully seized $6 million in ransomware payments from Polyanin, the FBI is continuing to seek his arrest, and the State Department on Monday announced a $10 million reward for anyone with information leading to the capture of any leaders of the REvil group.

The Treasury Department, meanwhile, announced sanctions against the pair as well as a virtual currency exchange, Chatex, that it said was used to facilitate financial transactions for ransomware gangs.

President Joe Biden commended the government’s actions, saying he was making good on his commitment to Russian leader Vladimir Putin that the U.S. would hold cyber criminals accountable.

He said in a statement that the U.S. was “bringing the full strength of the federal government to disrupt malicious cyber activity and actors” and to “bolster resilience at home.”

The announcement of the criminal charges came hours after European law enforcement officials revealed the results of a lengthy, 17-nation operation. As part of that operation, Europol said, a total of seven hackers linked to REvil and another ransomware family have been arrested since February, including two last week by Romanian authorities.

The Justice Department has tried multiple ways to address a ransomware scourge that has exploded over the last year with attacks against critical infrastructure and major corporations. Arrests of foreign hackers are significant for the Justice Department, and rare, since many of them operate in the refuge of countries that do not extradite their own citizens to the U.S. for prosecution.

“There’s lots of reasons why people travel, and I can’t get into the specific reasons why Mr. Vasinskyi traveled, but boy are we glad he did,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said Monday.

Even so, ransomware attacks — in which hackers seize and encrypt data and demand often-exorbitant sums to release it to victims — have been hard to curb. Monaco told the AP last week that since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-europe-technology-government-and-politics-russia-df7ef73f02bcba61ad6e628aa95a9f84">Biden’s admonitions to Putin last summer</a>&nbsp;to rein in ransomware gangs, “we have not seen a material change in the landscape.”

Garland did not answer directly when asked if there was evidence that the Russian government was aware of REvil’s activities, but said, “we expect and hope that any government in which one of these ransomware actors is residing will do everything it can to provide that person to us for prosecution.”

The $6.1 million seizure in this case builds on a similar success from months ago.

Federal authorities in June&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-government-and-politics-8e7f5b297012333480d5e9153f40bd52">seized $2.3 million in cryptocurrency</a>&nbsp;from a payment made by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ga-state-wire-business-c6ef4314af911fb58b8445d2b121e82d">Colonial Pipeline</a>&nbsp;following a ransomware attack that caused the company to temporarily halt operations, creating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-technology-hacking-business-472c7e4f30649aec2dbf38200521b906">fuel shortages</a>&nbsp;in parts of the country.

Justice Department officials also used Monday’s news conference to urge Congress to create a national standard for the reporting of significant cyber incidents, and to require that that information be shared immediately with federal law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636402127170.png" alt="Attorney General Merrick Garland and other top officials announced charges against Ukrainian Yaroslav Vasinskyi and Russian Yevgeniy Polyanin, alleging them to be part of the REvil ransomware gang-image courtesy FBI" />
 <figcaption>Attorney General Merrick Garland and other top officials announced charges against Ukrainian Yaroslav Vasinskyi and Russian Yevgeniy Polyanin, alleging them to be part of the REvil ransomware gang-image courtesy FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A suspected Ukrainian hacker has been arrested and charged in the United States in connection with a string of costly ransomware attacks, including one that snarled businesses around the globe on the Fourth of July weekend, U.S. officials said Monday.Yaroslav Vasinskyi was arrested last month after traveling to Poland, according to the Justice Department, which also announced the recovery of $6.1 million in ill-gotten funds from a Russian national who was separately charged and remains sought by the FBI.Both men are alleged to be affiliated with the prolific Russia-based REvil ransomware gang, whose attacks have compromised tens of thousands of computers worldwide and yielded at least $200 million in ransom payments, said Attorney General Merrick Garland. Victims have included the world’s largest meat processor, JBS SA, and a technology company called Kaseya,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-europe-government-and-politics-technology-business-fc0df4c42f8cd6148bf936ca24bb5cbe">which was hit in a holiday weekend attack last July&nbsp;</a>that the company said affected between 800 and 1,500 businesses that relied on its software.The coordination of multiple agencies across the Biden administration amounted to perhaps the most high-profile response yet to a blitz of ransomware attacks that officials say continues to threaten national security and the economy. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco appeared to foreshadow Monday’s announcement in an interview with The Associated Press last week, saying that “in the days and weeks to come, you’re going to see more arrests” as well as more seizures of illicit ransomware proceeds.Speaking at a news conference Monday, she said, “We have been using every tool at our disposal and leveraging every authority we have to hunt down and hold accountable cybercriminals wherever they seek to hide.”The indictment accuses Vasinskyi, 22, of deploying REvil ransomware, also known as Sodinokibi, a broad range of victims — including the massive Kaseya attack.Yevgeniy Polyanin, a Russian national, is charged in a separate indictment. He’s accused of conducting roughly 3,000 ransomware attacks on companies and entities across the U.S., including law enforcement agencies and local governments in the state of Texas.Both indictments were filed in federal court in the Northern District of Texas, a state where REvil ransomware&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-government-and-politics-business-texas-hacking-47e23be2d9d90d67383c1bd6cee5aef7">compromised the computer networks</a>&nbsp;of some two dozen local government agencies in the summer of 2019.The U.S. is seeking Vasinskyi’s extradition from Poland. Though it successfully seized $6 million in ransomware payments from Polyanin, the FBI is continuing to seek his arrest, and the State Department on Monday announced a $10 million reward for anyone with information leading to the capture of any leaders of the REvil group.The Treasury Department, meanwhile, announced sanctions against the pair as well as a virtual currency exchange, Chatex, that it said was used to facilitate financial transactions for ransomware gangs.President Joe Biden commended the government’s actions, saying he was making good on his commitment to Russian leader Vladimir Putin that the U.S. would hold cyber criminals accountable.He said in a statement that the U.S. was “bringing the full strength of the federal government to disrupt malicious cyber activity and actors” and to “bolster resilience at home.”The announcement of the criminal charges came hours after European law enforcement officials revealed the results of a lengthy, 17-nation operation. As part of that operation, Europol said, a total of seven hackers linked to REvil and another ransomware family have been arrested since February, including two last week by Romanian authorities.The Justice Department has tried multiple ways to address a ransomware scourge that has exploded over the last year with attacks against critical infrastructure and major corporations. Arrests of foreign hackers are significant for the Justice Department, and rare, since many of them operate in the refuge of countries that do not extradite their own citizens to the U.S. for prosecution.“There’s lots of reasons why people travel, and I can’t get into the specific reasons why Mr. Vasinskyi traveled, but boy are we glad he did,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said Monday.Even so, ransomware attacks — in which hackers seize and encrypt data and demand often-exorbitant sums to release it to victims — have been hard to curb. Monaco told the AP last week that since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-europe-technology-government-and-politics-russia-df7ef73f02bcba61ad6e628aa95a9f84">Biden’s admonitions to Putin last summer</a>&nbsp;to rein in ransomware gangs, “we have not seen a material change in the landscape.”Garland did not answer directly when asked if there was evidence that the Russian government was aware of REvil’s activities, but said, “we expect and hope that any government in which one of these ransomware actors is residing will do everything it can to provide that person to us for prosecution.”The $6.1 million seizure in this case builds on a similar success from months ago.Federal authorities in June&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-government-and-politics-8e7f5b297012333480d5e9153f40bd52">seized $2.3 million in cryptocurrency</a>&nbsp;from a payment made by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ga-state-wire-business-c6ef4314af911fb58b8445d2b121e82d">Colonial Pipeline</a>&nbsp;following a ransomware attack that caused the company to temporarily halt operations, creating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-technology-hacking-business-472c7e4f30649aec2dbf38200521b906">fuel shortages</a>&nbsp;in parts of the country.Justice Department officials also used Monday’s news conference to urge Congress to create a national standard for the reporting of significant cyber incidents, and to require that that information be shared immediately with federal law enforcement.

US charges 2 suspected in major ransomware attacks

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in rural western Iowa say one person has been killed and another wounded in a shooting that stemmed from a domestic disturbance. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that the shooting happened Sunday morning at a home in Pottawattamie County just east of Council Bluffs.

 Sheriff's Sgt. Jim Doty says deputies were called to the home for reports of a disturbance and arrived to find one person dead and the other wounded. 

The wounded person was taken to a hospital in nearby Omaha, Nebraska, with critical injuries. 

Officials have not yet released the names of those involved.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in rural western Iowa say one person has been killed and another wounded in a shooting that stemmed from a domestic disturbance. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the shooting happened Sunday morning at a home in Pottawattamie County just east of Council Bluffs. Sheriff's Sgt. Jim Doty says deputies were called to the home for reports of a disturbance and arrived to find one person dead and the other wounded. The wounded person was taken to a hospital in nearby Omaha, Nebraska, with critical injuries. Officials have not yet released the names of those involved.

1 killed, another wounded in Council Bluffs shooting

WILBER, Neb. (AP) — A woman convicted of murder for her role in the death and dismemberment of a Nebraska hardware store clerk has been sentenced to life in prison. 

A three-judge panel on Monday sentenced 27-year-old Bailey Boswell for her role in the 2017 death and dismemberment of a Nebraska hardware store clerk, Sidney Loofe. 

Boswell had faced the prospect of being the first woman in state history to be sentenced to death.

 Prosecutors say Boswell and her boyfriend, 55-year-old Aubrey Trail, had been planning to kill someone before Boswell met the 24-year-old Loofe on the dating app Tinder and lured her to them.

 Loofe, a cashier at a Menards store in Lincoln, was strangled and her dismembered body parts were later found in garbage bags.

WILBER, Neb. (AP) — A woman convicted of murder for her role in the death and dismemberment of a Nebraska hardware store clerk has been sentenced to life in prison. A three-judge panel on Monday sentenced 27-year-old Bailey Boswell for her role in the 2017 death and dismemberment of a Nebraska hardware store clerk, Sidney Loofe. Boswell had faced the prospect of being the first woman in state history to be sentenced to death. Prosecutors say Boswell and her boyfriend, 55-year-old Aubrey Trail, had been planning to kill someone before Boswell met the 24-year-old Loofe on the dating app Tinder and lured her to them. Loofe, a cashier at a Menards store in Lincoln, was strangled and her dismembered body parts were later found in garbage bags.

Nebraska woman avoids death sentence for store clerk slaying

WASHINGTON
 — The Internal Revenue Service today encouraged taxpayers, including 
those who received stimulus payments or advance Child Tax Credit 
payments, to take important steps this fall to help them file their 
federal tax returns in 2022.

Planning ahead can help people file an accurate return and avoid processing delays that can slow tax refunds.

This is the first in a series of reminders to help taxpayers get ready for the upcoming tax filing season. A <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/steps-to-take-now-to-get-a-jump-on-next-years-taxes">special page</a>, updated and available on IRS.gov, outlines steps taxpayers can take now to prepare to file a 2021 tax return next year.

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc305">Organized tax records</a>
 make preparing a complete and accurate tax return easier. It helps 
avoid errors that lead to processing and refund delays. Individuals 
should have all their tax information available before filing to ensure 
the return is complete and accurate. They should notify the IRS if their
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/faqs/irs-procedures/address-changes">address changes</a> and notify the <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/">Social Security Administration</a> of a legal name change.

Remember, most income is taxable. Recordkeeping for individuals includes:

Income documents can help individuals determine if they're 
eligible for deductions or credits. Additionally, people who need to 
reconcile their advance payments of the Child Tax Credit and Premium Tax
 Credit will need their related 2021 information. Those who received 
third Economic Impact Payments and think they qualify for an additional 
amount will need their stimulus payment and plus-up amounts to figure 
and claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit.

Taxpayers should also keep end of year documents including:

Online Account securely provides tax account information on IRS.gov; helps provide important filing information

Taxpayers who access Online Account can securely gain entry to the 
Child Tax Credit Update Portal to see their payment dates and amounts. 
Taxpayers will need this information to reconcile their advance Child 
Tax Credit payments with the Child Tax Credit they can claim when they 
file their 2021 tax returns.

Eligible individuals claiming a 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit can log 
in to their online account to see their Economic Impact Payment amounts 
so they can accurately claim the credit when they file.

Individuals who have not set up an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/view-your-tax-account">Online Account</a>
 yet should act soon to create an account. People who have already set 
up an Online Account should make sure they can still log in 
successfully.

Taxpayers with questions about how to create an account or how to reset their username or password can find help at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/secure-access-how-to-register-for-certain-online-self-help-tools">How to Register for Certain Online Self-Help Tools</a>.
 Individuals should act now if they need to create an account. If 
they're unable to verify their identity online, there's a mail option 
they can use, but that takes longer.

Taxpayers who have an Online Account may:

Taxpayers should make sure they've withheld enough tax

Individuals may want to consider <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">adjusting their withholding</a>
 if they owed taxes or received a large refund the previous year. 
Changing withholding can help avoid a tax bill or let individuals keep 
more money each payday. Life changes – getting married or divorced, 
welcoming a child or taking on a second job – may also be reasons to 
change withholding. Taxpayers might think about completing a new Form 
W-4, Employee's Withholding Certificate, each year and when personal or 
financial situations change.

People also need to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes">consider estimated tax payments</a>. Individuals who receive a substantial amount of non-wage income like self-employment income, investment income, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/are-my-social-security-or-railroad-retirement-tier-i-benefits-taxable">taxable Social Security benefits</a>
 and in some instances, pension and annuity income should make quarterly
 estimated tax payments. The last payment for 2021 is due on Jan. 18, 
2022.

Individuals can log in to their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/view-your-tax-account">Online Account</a> to make a payment online or go to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">IRS.gov/payments</a>.

ITINs need to be renewed only if expired and if needed on a U.S. federal tax return

If an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) was not 
included on a U.S. federal tax return at least once for tax years 2018, 
2019 and 2020, the ITIN will expire on Dec. 31, 2021.

As a reminder, ITINs with middle digits 70 through 88 have expired. 
In addition, ITINs with middle digits 90 through 99, IF assigned before 
2013, have expired. Individuals who previously submitted a renewal 
application that was approved, do not need to renew again.

Want a faster refund? Getting banked speeds tax refunds with direct deposit

<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> gives individuals access to their refund faster than a paper check. Those without a bank account can learn how to open an account at an <a href="https://www.fdic.gov/getbanked/">FDIC-Insured bank</a> or through the National <a href="https://www.mycreditunion.gov/about-credit-unions/credit-union-locator">Credit Union Locator Tool</a>.

Veterans should see the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits/banking.asp">Veterans Benefits Banking Program (VBBP)</a>&nbsp;for access to financial services at participating banks.

Volunteer to help eligible taxpayers file their returns

The IRS and its community partners are preparing for the upcoming 
filing season and are looking for people around the country to become 
IRS-certified volunteers. Join the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance 
(VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs. VITA/TCE 
volunteers provide free tax return preparation for eligible taxpayers. 
With many people experiencing financial changes this year, additional 
volunteers are needed to assist them.

Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/irs-tax-volunteers">IRS.gov/volunteers</a> to learn more and sign up. After signing up, more information about attending a virtual orientation will be provided.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON
 — The Internal Revenue Service today encouraged taxpayers, including 
those who received stimulus payments or advance Child Tax Credit 
payments, to take important steps this fall to help them file their 
federal tax returns in 2022.Planning ahead can help people file an accurate return and avoid processing delays that can slow tax refunds.This is the first in a series of reminders to help taxpayers get ready for the upcoming tax filing season. A <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/steps-to-take-now-to-get-a-jump-on-next-years-taxes">special page</a>, updated and available on IRS.gov, outlines steps taxpayers can take now to prepare to file a 2021 tax return next year.<h2>Gather and organize tax records</h2><a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc305">Organized tax records</a>
 make preparing a complete and accurate tax return easier. It helps 
avoid errors that lead to processing and refund delays. Individuals 
should have all their tax information available before filing to ensure 
the return is complete and accurate. They should notify the IRS if their
 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/faqs/irs-procedures/address-changes">address changes</a> and notify the <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/">Social Security Administration</a> of a legal name change.Remember, most income is taxable. Recordkeeping for individuals includes:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-2">Forms W-2</a> from employer(s)</li><li>Forms 1099 from banks, issuing agencies and other payers including <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc418">unemployment compensation</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc404">dividends</a>, distributions from a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc410">pension, annuity or retirement plan</a></li><li>Form 1099-K, 1099-MISC, W-2 or other income statement for workers in the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/gig-economy-tax-center">gig economy</a></li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1099-int">Form 1099-INT</a> for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc403">interest received</a></li><li>Other income documents and records of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/virtual-currencies">virtual currency</a> transactions</li>
 </ul>Income documents can help individuals determine if they're 
eligible for deductions or credits. Additionally, people who need to 
reconcile their advance payments of the Child Tax Credit and Premium Tax
 Credit will need their related 2021 information. Those who received 
third Economic Impact Payments and think they qualify for an additional 
amount will need their stimulus payment and plus-up amounts to figure 
and claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit.<h2>Taxpayers should also keep end of year documents including:</h2><ul>
 <li>Letter 6419, 2021 Total Advance Child Tax Credit Payments, to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-h-reconciling-your-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-on-your-2021-tax-return">reconcile</a> advance Child Tax Credit payments</li><li>Letter 6475, Your 2021 Economic Impact Payment, to determine eligibility to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-the-third-economic-impact-payment-topic-h-reconciling-on-your-2021-tax-return">claim</a> the Recovery Rebate Credit</li><li>Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement, to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/affordable-care-act/individuals-and-families/premium-tax-credit-claiming-the-credit-and-reconciling-advance-credit-payments">reconcile</a> advance Premium Tax Credits for Marketplace coverage</li>
 </ul><h2>Online Account securely provides tax account information on IRS.gov; helps provide important filing information</h2>Taxpayers who access Online Account can securely gain entry to the 
Child Tax Credit Update Portal to see their payment dates and amounts. 
Taxpayers will need this information to reconcile their advance Child 
Tax Credit payments with the Child Tax Credit they can claim when they 
file their 2021 tax returns.Eligible individuals claiming a 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit can log 
in to their online account to see their Economic Impact Payment amounts 
so they can accurately claim the credit when they file.Individuals who have not set up an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/view-your-tax-account">Online Account</a>
 yet should act soon to create an account. People who have already set 
up an Online Account should make sure they can still log in 
successfully.Taxpayers with questions about how to create an account or how to reset their username or password can find help at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/secure-access-how-to-register-for-certain-online-self-help-tools">How to Register for Certain Online Self-Help Tools</a>.
 Individuals should act now if they need to create an account. If 
they're unable to verify their identity online, there's a mail option 
they can use, but that takes longer.Taxpayers who have an Online Account may:<ul>
 <li>View the amounts of their Economic Impact Payments</li><li>Access Child Tax Credit Update Portal for information about their advance Child Tax Credit payments</li><li>Approve or reject authorization requests from their tax professional</li><li>Update their email address and opt-out/in for selected paper notice preferences</li>
 </ul><h2>Taxpayers should make sure they've withheld enough tax</h2>Individuals may want to consider <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">adjusting their withholding</a>
 if they owed taxes or received a large refund the previous year. 
Changing withholding can help avoid a tax bill or let individuals keep 
more money each payday. Life changes – getting married or divorced, 
welcoming a child or taking on a second job – may also be reasons to 
change withholding. Taxpayers might think about completing a new Form 
W-4, Employee's Withholding Certificate, each year and when personal or 
financial situations change.People also need to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes">consider estimated tax payments</a>. Individuals who receive a substantial amount of non-wage income like self-employment income, investment income, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/are-my-social-security-or-railroad-retirement-tier-i-benefits-taxable">taxable Social Security benefits</a>
 and in some instances, pension and annuity income should make quarterly
 estimated tax payments. The last payment for 2021 is due on Jan. 18, 
2022.Individuals can log in to their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/view-your-tax-account">Online Account</a> to make a payment online or go to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">IRS.gov/payments</a>.<h2>ITINs need to be renewed only if expired and if needed on a U.S. federal tax return</h2>If an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) was not 
included on a U.S. federal tax return at least once for tax years 2018, 
2019 and 2020, the ITIN will expire on Dec. 31, 2021.As a reminder, ITINs with middle digits 70 through 88 have expired. 
In addition, ITINs with middle digits 90 through 99, IF assigned before 
2013, have expired. Individuals who previously submitted a renewal 
application that was approved, do not need to renew again.<h2>Want a faster refund? Getting banked speeds tax refunds with direct deposit</h2><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> gives individuals access to their refund faster than a paper check. Those without a bank account can learn how to open an account at an <a href="https://www.fdic.gov/getbanked/">FDIC-Insured bank</a> or through the National <a href="https://www.mycreditunion.gov/about-credit-unions/credit-union-locator">Credit Union Locator Tool</a>.Veterans should see the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits/banking.asp">Veterans Benefits Banking Program (VBBP)</a>&nbsp;for access to financial services at participating banks.<h2>Volunteer to help eligible taxpayers file their returns</h2>The IRS and its community partners are preparing for the upcoming 
filing season and are looking for people around the country to become 
IRS-certified volunteers. Join the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance 
(VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs. VITA/TCE 
volunteers provide free tax return preparation for eligible taxpayers. 
With many people experiencing financial changes this year, additional 
volunteers are needed to assist them.Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/irs-tax-volunteers">IRS.gov/volunteers</a> to learn more and sign up. After signing up, more information about attending a virtual orientation will be provided.

Stimulus, Child Tax Credit and more: Tips on making 2022 tax filing easier

WASHINGTON —President Joe Biden hailed Congress’ passage of his $1 trillion infrastructure package as a “monumental step forward for the nation." This, after fractious fellow Democrats resolved a months-long standoff in their ranks to finally seal the deal. 

The package is a historic investment by any measure, one that Biden compares in its breadth to the building of the interstate highway system in the last century or the transcontinental railroad the century before. 

Approval of the bill sends it to the desk of a president whose approval ratings have dropped and whose party got a cold shoulder from voters in this past week’s off-year elections.

According to a statement from the White House, the legislation will:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 

Deliver clean water to all American families and eliminate the nation’s lead service lines.&nbsp;Currently, up to 10 million American households and 400,000 schools and child care centers lack safe drinking water.&nbsp;

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will invest $55 billion to expand access to clean drinking water for households, businesses, schools, and child care centers all across the country. From rural towns to struggling cities, the legislation will invest in water infrastructure and eliminate lead service pipes, including in Tribal Nations and disadvantaged communities that need it most.

Ensure every American has access to reliable high-speed internet.&nbsp;Broadband internet is necessary for Americans to do their jobs, to participate equally in school learning, health care, and to stay connected. Yet, by one definition, more than 30 million Americans live in areas where there is no broadband infrastructure that provides minimally acceptable speeds – a particular problem in rural communities throughout the country. 

And, according to the latest OECD data, among 35 countries studied, the United States has the second highest broadband costs. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will deliver $65 billion to help ensure that every American has access to reliable high-speed internet through a historic investment in broadband infrastructure deployment. The legislation will also help lower prices for internet service and help close the digital divide, so that more Americans can afford internet access. Repair and rebuild our roads and bridges with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety for all users.&nbsp;In the United States, 1 in 5 miles of highways and major roads, and 45,000 bridges, are in poor condition.

The legislation will reauthorize surface transportation programs for five years and invest $110 billion in additional funding to repair our roads and bridges and support major, transformational projects. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal makes the single largest investment in repairing and reconstructing our nation’s bridges since the construction of the interstate highway system. 

It will rebuild the most economically significant bridges in the country as well as thousands of smaller bridges. The legislation also includes the first ever Safe Streets and Roads for All program to support projects to reduce traffic fatalities, which claimed more than 20,000 lives in the first half of 2021.

Improve transportation options for millions of Americans and reduce greenhouse emissions through the largest investment in public transit in U.S. history.&nbsp;America’s public transit infrastructure is inadequate – with a multibillion-dollar repair backlog, representing more than 24,000 buses, 5,000 rail cars, 200 stations, and thousands of miles of track, signals, and power systems in need of replacement.&nbsp;Communities of color are twice as likely to take public transportation and many of these communities lack sufficient public transit options. The transportation sector in the United States is now the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions.&nbsp;

The legislation includes $39 billion of new investment to modernize transit, in addition to continuing the existing transit programs for five years as part of surface transportation reauthorization.&nbsp; In total, the new investments and reauthorization in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal provide $89.9 billion in guaranteed funding for public transit over the next five years — the largest Federal investment in public transit in history. The legislation will expand public transit options across every state in the country, replace thousands of deficient transit vehicles, including buses, with clean, zero emission vehicles, and improve accessibility for the elderly and people with disabilities.

Upgrade our nation’s airports and ports to strengthen our supply chains and prevent disruptions that have caused inflation. This will improve U.S. competitiveness, create more and better jobs at these hubs, and reduce emissions.&nbsp;Decades of neglect and underinvestment in our infrastructure have left the links in our goods movement supply chains struggling to keep up with our strong economic recovery from the pandemic. 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will make the fundamental changes that are long overdue for our nation’s ports and airports so this will not happen again. The United States built modern aviation, but our airports lag far behind our competitors. According to some rankings, no U.S. airports rank in the top 25 of airports worldwide. Our ports and waterways need repair and reimagination too.&nbsp;

The legislation invests $17 billion in port infrastructure and waterways and $25 billion in airports to address repair and maintenance backlogs, reduce congestion and emissions near ports and airports, and drive electrification and other low-carbon technologies. Modern, resilient, and sustainable port, airport, and freight infrastructure will strengthen our supply chains and support U.S. competitiveness by removing bottlenecks and expediting commerce and reduce the environmental impact on neighboring communities.

Make the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak.&nbsp;U.S. passenger rail lags behind the rest of the world in reliability, speed, and coverage. China already has 22,000 miles of high-speed rail, and is planning to double that by 2035. 

The legislation positions rail to play a central role in our transportation and economic future, investing $66 billion in additional rail funding to eliminate the Amtrak maintenance backlog, modernize the Northeast Corridor, and bring world-class rail service to areas outside the northeast and mid-Atlantic.&nbsp;This is the largest investment in passenger rail since Amtrak’s creation, 50 years ago and will create safe, efficient, and climate-friendly alternatives for moving people and freight.

Build a national network of electric vehicle (EV) chargers.&nbsp;U.S. market share of plug-in EV sales is only one-third the size of the Chinese EV market. That needs to change. The legislation will invest $7.5 billion to build out a national network of EV chargers in the United States. 

This is a critical step in the President’s strategy to fight the climate crisis and it will create good U.S. manufacturing jobs. The legislation will provide funding for deployment of EV chargers along highway corridors to facilitate long-distance travel and within communities to provide convenient charging where people live, work, and shop. This investment will support the President’s goal of building a nationwide network of 500,000 EV chargers to accelerate the adoption of EVs, reduce emissions, improve air quality, and create good-paying jobs across the country.

Upgrade our power infrastructure to deliver clean, reliable energy across the country and deploy cutting-edge energy technology to achieve a zero-emissions future.&nbsp;According to the Department of Energy, power outages cost the U.S. economy up to $70 billion annually. 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal’s more than $65 billion investment includes the largest investment in clean energy transmission and grid in American history. It will upgrade our power infrastructure, by building thousands of miles of new, resilient transmission lines to facilitate the expansion of renewables and clean energy, while lowering costs. And it will fund new programs to support the development, demonstration, and deployment of cutting-edge clean energy technologies to accelerate our transition to a zero-emission economy.&nbsp; Make our infrastructure resilient against the impacts of climate change, cyber-attacks, and extreme weather events.&nbsp;Millions of Americans feel the effects of climate change each year when their roads wash out, power goes down, or schools get flooded. Last year alone, the United States faced 22 extreme weather and climate-related disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each – a cumulative price tag of nearly $100 billion. People of color are more likely to live in areas most vulnerable to flooding and other climate change-related weather events.&nbsp;

The legislation makes our communities safer and our infrastructure more resilient to the impacts of climate change and cyber-attacks, with an investment of over $50 billion to protect against droughts, heat, floods and wildfires, in addition to a major investment in weatherization. The legislation is the largest investment in the resilience of physical and natural systems in American history. Deliver the largest investment in tackling legacy pollution in American history by cleaning up Superfund and brownfield sites, reclaiming abandoned mines, and capping orphaned oil and gas wells.&nbsp;In thousands of rural and urban communities around the country, hundreds of thousands of former industrial and energy sites are now idle – sources of blight and pollution.

Proximity to a Superfund site can lead to elevated levels of lead in children’s blood. The bill will invest $21 billion clean up Superfund and brownfield sites, reclaim abandoned mine land and cap orphaned oil and gas wells. 

These projects will remediate environmental harms, address the legacy pollution that harms the public health of communities, create good-paying union jobs, and advance long overdue environmental justice This investment will benefit communities of color as, it has been found that 26% of Black Americans and 29% of Hispanic Americans live within 3 miles of a Superfund site, a higher percentage than for Americans overall.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636210096288.png" alt="President Biden held a press briefing early Saturday to celebrate passage of the bill- White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden held a press briefing early Saturday to celebrate passage of the bill- White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —President Joe Biden hailed Congress’ passage of his $1 trillion infrastructure package as a “monumental step forward for the nation." This, after fractious fellow Democrats resolved a months-long standoff in their ranks to finally seal the deal. The package is a historic investment by any measure, one that Biden compares in its breadth to the building of the interstate highway system in the last century or the transcontinental railroad the century before. Approval of the bill sends it to the desk of a president whose approval ratings have dropped and whose party got a cold shoulder from voters in this past week’s off-year elections.According to a statement from the White House, the legislation will:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Deliver clean water to all American families and eliminate the nation’s lead service lines.&nbsp;Currently, up to 10 million American households and 400,000 schools and child care centers lack safe drinking water.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We passed an infrastructure bill tonight that will be huge for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KS03?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KS03</a>. For folks who sit in traffic on US 69, who worry about their home being flooded, or who can’t get online to go to class or work. We got it done: bipartisan, paid for, and ready to be signed into law. <a href="https://t.co/k1Pqz0L9sV">pic.twitter.com/k1Pqz0L9sV</a>&mdash; Rep. Sharice Davids (@RepDavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDavids/status/1456826486749601793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will invest $55 billion to expand access to clean drinking water for households, businesses, schools, and child care centers all across the country. From rural towns to struggling cities, the legislation will invest in water infrastructure and eliminate lead service pipes, including in Tribal Nations and disadvantaged communities that need it most.Ensure every American has access to reliable high-speed internet.&nbsp;Broadband internet is necessary for Americans to do their jobs, to participate equally in school learning, health care, and to stay connected. Yet, by one definition, more than 30 million Americans live in areas where there is no broadband infrastructure that provides minimally acceptable speeds – a particular problem in rural communities throughout the country. And, according to the latest OECD data, among 35 countries studied, the United States has the second highest broadband costs. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will deliver $65 billion to help ensure that every American has access to reliable high-speed internet through a historic investment in broadband infrastructure deployment. The legislation will also help lower prices for internet service and help close the digital divide, so that more Americans can afford internet access. Repair and rebuild our roads and bridges with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety for all users.&nbsp;In the United States, 1 in 5 miles of highways and major roads, and 45,000 bridges, are in poor condition. The legislation will reauthorize surface transportation programs for five years and invest $110 billion in additional funding to repair our roads and bridges and support major, transformational projects. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal makes the single largest investment in repairing and reconstructing our nation’s bridges since the construction of the interstate highway system. It will rebuild the most economically significant bridges in the country as well as thousands of smaller bridges. The legislation also includes the first ever Safe Streets and Roads for All program to support projects to reduce traffic fatalities, which claimed more than 20,000 lives in the first half of 2021.Improve transportation options for millions of Americans and reduce greenhouse emissions through the largest investment in public transit in U.S. history.&nbsp;America’s public transit infrastructure is inadequate – with a multibillion-dollar repair backlog, representing more than 24,000 buses, 5,000 rail cars, 200 stations, and thousands of miles of track, signals, and power systems in need of replacement.&nbsp;Communities of color are twice as likely to take public transportation and many of these communities lack sufficient public transit options. The transportation sector in the United States is now the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions.&nbsp;The legislation includes $39 billion of new investment to modernize transit, in addition to continuing the existing transit programs for five years as part of surface transportation reauthorization.&nbsp; In total, the new investments and reauthorization in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal provide $89.9 billion in guaranteed funding for public transit over the next five years — the largest Federal investment in public transit in history. The legislation will expand public transit options across every state in the country, replace thousands of deficient transit vehicles, including buses, with clean, zero emission vehicles, and improve accessibility for the elderly and people with disabilities.Upgrade our nation’s airports and ports to strengthen our supply chains and prevent disruptions that have caused inflation. This will improve U.S. competitiveness, create more and better jobs at these hubs, and reduce emissions.&nbsp;Decades of neglect and underinvestment in our infrastructure have left the links in our goods movement supply chains struggling to keep up with our strong economic recovery from the pandemic. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will make the fundamental changes that are long overdue for our nation’s ports and airports so this will not happen again. The United States built modern aviation, but our airports lag far behind our competitors. According to some rankings, no U.S. airports rank in the top 25 of airports worldwide. Our ports and waterways need repair and reimagination too.&nbsp;The legislation invests $17 billion in port infrastructure and waterways and $25 billion in airports to address repair and maintenance backlogs, reduce congestion and emissions near ports and airports, and drive electrification and other low-carbon technologies. Modern, resilient, and sustainable port, airport, and freight infrastructure will strengthen our supply chains and support U.S. competitiveness by removing bottlenecks and expediting commerce and reduce the environmental impact on neighboring communities.Make the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak.&nbsp;U.S. passenger rail lags behind the rest of the world in reliability, speed, and coverage. China already has 22,000 miles of high-speed rail, and is planning to double that by 2035. The legislation positions rail to play a central role in our transportation and economic future, investing $66 billion in additional rail funding to eliminate the Amtrak maintenance backlog, modernize the Northeast Corridor, and bring world-class rail service to areas outside the northeast and mid-Atlantic.&nbsp;This is the largest investment in passenger rail since Amtrak’s creation, 50 years ago and will create safe, efficient, and climate-friendly alternatives for moving people and freight.Build a national network of electric vehicle (EV) chargers.&nbsp;U.S. market share of plug-in EV sales is only one-third the size of the Chinese EV market. That needs to change. The legislation will invest $7.5 billion to build out a national network of EV chargers in the United States. This is a critical step in the President’s strategy to fight the climate crisis and it will create good U.S. manufacturing jobs. The legislation will provide funding for deployment of EV chargers along highway corridors to facilitate long-distance travel and within communities to provide convenient charging where people live, work, and shop. This investment will support the President’s goal of building a nationwide network of 500,000 EV chargers to accelerate the adoption of EVs, reduce emissions, improve air quality, and create good-paying jobs across the country.Upgrade our power infrastructure to deliver clean, reliable energy across the country and deploy cutting-edge energy technology to achieve a zero-emissions future.&nbsp;According to the Department of Energy, power outages cost the U.S. economy up to $70 billion annually. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal’s more than $65 billion investment includes the largest investment in clean energy transmission and grid in American history. It will upgrade our power infrastructure, by building thousands of miles of new, resilient transmission lines to facilitate the expansion of renewables and clean energy, while lowering costs. And it will fund new programs to support the development, demonstration, and deployment of cutting-edge clean energy technologies to accelerate our transition to a zero-emission economy.&nbsp; Make our infrastructure resilient against the impacts of climate change, cyber-attacks, and extreme weather events.&nbsp;Millions of Americans feel the effects of climate change each year when their roads wash out, power goes down, or schools get flooded. Last year alone, the United States faced 22 extreme weather and climate-related disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each – a cumulative price tag of nearly $100 billion. People of color are more likely to live in areas most vulnerable to flooding and other climate change-related weather events.&nbsp;The legislation makes our communities safer and our infrastructure more resilient to the impacts of climate change and cyber-attacks, with an investment of over $50 billion to protect against droughts, heat, floods and wildfires, in addition to a major investment in weatherization. The legislation is the largest investment in the resilience of physical and natural systems in American history. Deliver the largest investment in tackling legacy pollution in American history by cleaning up Superfund and brownfield sites, reclaiming abandoned mines, and capping orphaned oil and gas wells.&nbsp;In thousands of rural and urban communities around the country, hundreds of thousands of former industrial and energy sites are now idle – sources of blight and pollution. Proximity to a Superfund site can lead to elevated levels of lead in children’s blood. The bill will invest $21 billion clean up Superfund and brownfield sites, reclaim abandoned mine land and cap orphaned oil and gas wells. These projects will remediate environmental harms, address the legacy pollution that harms the public health of communities, create good-paying union jobs, and advance long overdue environmental justice This investment will benefit communities of color as, it has been found that 26% of Black Americans and 29% of Hispanic Americans live within 3 miles of a Superfund site, a higher percentage than for Americans overall.

Details of $1T infrastructure bill Pres. Biden signs this week

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett’s company reported a third-quarter profit that was roughly one-third the amount of last year’s profit because of much smaller paper gains on the value of its investments, but most of its businesses were continuing to recover from the effects of the pandemic. 

Buffett has long said Berkshire’s operating earnings offer a better view of quarterly performance because they exclude investments and derivatives, which can vary widely.

 By that measure, Berkshire’s operating earnings grew 18% to $6.47 billion. 

But its insurance businesses recoded a $784 million loss because of catastrophes including Hurricane Ida.

 Berkshire’s cash crept up to $149.2 billion during the quarter even though Buffett used $7.6 billion to repurchase the company’s shares.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett’s company reported a third-quarter profit that was roughly one-third the amount of last year’s profit because of much smaller paper gains on the value of its investments, but most of its businesses were continuing to recover from the effects of the pandemic. Buffett has long said Berkshire’s operating earnings offer a better view of quarterly performance because they exclude investments and derivatives, which can vary widely. By that measure, Berkshire’s operating earnings grew 18% to $6.47 billion. But its insurance businesses recoded a $784 million loss because of catastrophes including Hurricane Ida. Berkshire’s cash crept up to $149.2 billion during the quarter even though Buffett used $7.6 billion to repurchase the company’s shares.

Profit plummets at Buffett's company on investment gains

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is pushing forward with a massive plan to require millions of private sector employees to get vaccinated by early next year. But first, he has to make sure workers in his own federal government get the shot.

About 4 million federal workers are to be vaccinated by Nov. 22 under the president’s executive order. Some employees, like those at the White House, are nearly all vaccinated. But the rates are lower at other federal agencies, particularly those related to law enforcement and intelligence, according to the agencies and union leaders. And some resistant workers are digging in, filing lawsuits and protesting what they say is unfair overreach by the White House.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-7e14906b91d1d97126ab60f652cb7b34">The upcoming deadline is the first test of Biden’s push&nbsp;</a>to compel people to get vaccinated. Beyond the federal worker rule, another mandate will take effect in January aimed at around 84 million private sector workers, according to guidelines put out this past week.

On Saturday, a federal appeals court in Louisiana&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/appeals-court-stays-vaccine-mandate-coronavirus-biden-b235b6fa858bd23b02ab5f9c009428db">temporarily halted the vaccine requirement&nbsp;</a>for businesses with 100 or more workers. The administration says it is confident that the requirement will withstand legal challenges in part because its safety rules preempt state laws.

“The president and the administration wouldn’t have put these requirements in place if they didn’t think that they were appropriate and necessary,” Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.” “And the administration is certainly prepared to defend them.”

If the mandates are a success, they could make the most serious dent in new coronavirus cases since the vaccine first became available, especially with the news this past week that children ages 5-11 can get the shot making an additional 64 million people eligible.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-travel-army-9ae47e40bec45bf709b3bae7b8451a50">But with two weeks remaining until the federal worker&nbsp;</a>deadline, some leaders of unions representing the employees say that convincing the unvaccinated to change their mind is increasingly challenging.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632773278988.png" alt="About 4 million federal workers are to be vaccinated by Nov. 22 under the president’s executive order-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>About 4 million federal workers are to be vaccinated by Nov. 22 under the president’s executive order-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is pushing forward with a massive plan to require millions of private sector employees to get vaccinated by early next year. But first, he has to make sure workers in his own federal government get the shot.About 4 million federal workers are to be vaccinated by Nov. 22 under the president’s executive order. Some employees, like those at the White House, are nearly all vaccinated. But the rates are lower at other federal agencies, particularly those related to law enforcement and intelligence, according to the agencies and union leaders. And some resistant workers are digging in, filing lawsuits and protesting what they say is unfair overreach by the White House.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-7e14906b91d1d97126ab60f652cb7b34">The upcoming deadline is the first test of Biden’s push&nbsp;</a>to compel people to get vaccinated. Beyond the federal worker rule, another mandate will take effect in January aimed at around 84 million private sector workers, according to guidelines put out this past week.On Saturday, a federal appeals court in Louisiana&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/appeals-court-stays-vaccine-mandate-coronavirus-biden-b235b6fa858bd23b02ab5f9c009428db">temporarily halted the vaccine requirement&nbsp;</a>for businesses with 100 or more workers. The administration says it is confident that the requirement will withstand legal challenges in part because its safety rules preempt state laws.“The president and the administration wouldn’t have put these requirements in place if they didn’t think that they were appropriate and necessary,” Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.” “And the administration is certainly prepared to defend them.”If the mandates are a success, they could make the most serious dent in new coronavirus cases since the vaccine first became available, especially with the news this past week that children ages 5-11 can get the shot making an additional 64 million people eligible.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-travel-army-9ae47e40bec45bf709b3bae7b8451a50">But with two weeks remaining until the federal worker&nbsp;</a>deadline, some leaders of unions representing the employees say that convincing the unvaccinated to change their mind is increasingly challenging.

Biden vaccine mandates face first test with federal workers

The Federal Trade Commission obtained an <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/2-1.pdf">order</a>&nbsp;permanently
 banning a payment processor that facilitated a fraudulent student loan 
debt relief scheme from processing debt relief payments.&nbsp; The order also
 requires the company and its owner to surrender $500,000 to the FTC for
 consumer redress.

The FTC’s <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/complaint_7.pdf">complaint</a>&nbsp;against
 Automatic Funds Transfer Services, Inc. (AFTS) and its owner, Eric 
Johnson, alleges that AFTS processed at least $31 million in consumer 
payments for <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/07/ftc-stops-student-loan-debt-relief-scheme-charges-operators">a fraudulent student loan debt relief scheme</a> sued by the FTC in 2019. The debt relief scheme used numerous names, including The Student Loan Group (SLG).

“Firms
 that facilitate fraud—especially against struggling student 
borrowers—need to pay a price,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the 
FTC’s Consumer Protection Bureau. “Many of these firms may operate in 
the background, but they’re very much in our sights.”

AFTS and 
Johnson processed payments from tens of thousands of consumers deceived 
by SLG into paying illegal upfront fees with false promises to lower the
 consumers’ monthly student loan payments. The complaint cites 
correspondence showing that AFTS and Johnson were aware of numerous 
issues with the scheme.

The FTC alleges that the company and 
Johnson received complaints from, among others, consumers and banks; 
were aware that SLG had high return rates and was collecting illegal 
upfront fees from consumers; and knew that SLG kept changing company and
 brand names to, among other reasons, mitigate negative publicity. 
Despite numerous warning signs, AFTS and Johnson continued processing 
consumer payments for SLG right until the scheme was ultimately shut 
down following an enforcement action by the FTC.

The settlement 
permanently prohibits AFTS and Johnson from processing payments for debt
 relief or student loan companies. They will also be prohibited from 
processing payments indirectly for any merchant that does not have a 
signed contract with AFTS, and will be required to apply enhanced 
screening and monitoring of certain high risk clients to ensure such 
clients are not operating illegally.

The settlement includes a 
monetary judgment of $27,584,969, which is largely suspended due to an 
inability to pay. AFTS and Johnson will be required to surrender 
$500,000 to the FTC, and if they are found to have misrepresented their 
financial status, the full amount of the judgment would be immediately 
due.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCThe Federal Trade Commission obtained an <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/2-1.pdf">order</a>&nbsp;permanently
 banning a payment processor that facilitated a fraudulent student loan 
debt relief scheme from processing debt relief payments.&nbsp; The order also
 requires the company and its owner to surrender $500,000 to the FTC for
 consumer redress.The FTC’s <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/complaint_7.pdf">complaint</a>&nbsp;against
 Automatic Funds Transfer Services, Inc. (AFTS) and its owner, Eric 
Johnson, alleges that AFTS processed at least $31 million in consumer 
payments for <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/07/ftc-stops-student-loan-debt-relief-scheme-charges-operators">a fraudulent student loan debt relief scheme</a> sued by the FTC in 2019. The debt relief scheme used numerous names, including The Student Loan Group (SLG).“Firms
 that facilitate fraud—especially against struggling student 
borrowers—need to pay a price,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the 
FTC’s Consumer Protection Bureau. “Many of these firms may operate in 
the background, but they’re very much in our sights.”AFTS and 
Johnson processed payments from tens of thousands of consumers deceived 
by SLG into paying illegal upfront fees with false promises to lower the
 consumers’ monthly student loan payments. The complaint cites 
correspondence showing that AFTS and Johnson were aware of numerous 
issues with the scheme.The FTC alleges that the company and 
Johnson received complaints from, among others, consumers and banks; 
were aware that SLG had high return rates and was collecting illegal 
upfront fees from consumers; and knew that SLG kept changing company and
 brand names to, among other reasons, mitigate negative publicity. 
Despite numerous warning signs, AFTS and Johnson continued processing 
consumer payments for SLG right until the scheme was ultimately shut 
down following an enforcement action by the FTC.The settlement 
permanently prohibits AFTS and Johnson from processing payments for debt
 relief or student loan companies. They will also be prohibited from 
processing payments indirectly for any merchant that does not have a 
signed contract with AFTS, and will be required to apply enhanced 
screening and monitoring of certain high risk clients to ensure such 
clients are not operating illegally.The settlement includes a 
monetary judgment of $27,584,969, which is largely suspended due to an 
inability to pay. AFTS and Johnson will be required to surrender 
$500,000 to the FTC, and if they are found to have misrepresented their 
financial status, the full amount of the judgment would be immediately 
due.The Commission vote authorizing the staff to file the 
complaint and stipulated final order was 4-0. The FTC filed the 
complaint and final order in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.NOTE: The
 Commission files a complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the 
named defendants are violating or are about to violate the law and it 
appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. 
Stipulated final orders have the force of law when approved and signed 
by the District Court judge.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>.