WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2021-13262/tip-regulations-under-the-fair-labor-standards-act-partial-withdrawal" target="_blank">Notice of Proposed Rulemaking</a>
 to limit the amount of non-tip producing work that a tipped employee 
can perform when an employer is taking a tip credit. The proposed rule 
clarifies when an employee is working in a tipped occupation and when a 
worker has performed such a substantial amount of non-tipped labor that 
an employer can no longer take a tip credit and must pay the full 
federal minimum wage to the worker.

The <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa">Fair Labor Standards Act</a>
 allows employers with tipped workers to pay as little as $2.13 per hour
 in direct wages, while taking a credit against the tips earned by the 
employee to make up the balance of the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per
 hour.

The proposed rule also clarifies that an employer may 
only take a tip credit when tipped employees perform labor that is part 
of their tipped occupation. Work considered part of the tipped 
occupation includes labor that produces tips and labor that directly 
supports tip-producing work, so long as the employee does not perform it
 for a substantial amount of time. For example, waiting on tables is an 
example of labor that produces tips for the worker. Labor that supports a
 server’s tip-producing work includes a server folding napkins or 
refilling salt and pepper shakers.

The proposed rule also clarifies that if an employee 
performs work that directly supports tip-producing work for a 
substantial amount of time – that exceeds 20 percent of all of the hours
 worked during the employee’s workweek or exceeds 30 continuous minutes –
 that worker is no longer performing labor that is part of the tipped 
occupation.

The proposal clarifies that employers may not take a tip credit for work that is not part of the tipped occupation. 

“Tipped workers are among those who continue to be 
hardest hit as we emerge from the pandemic, and the Wage and Hour 
Division continues to prioritize protecting these essential front-line 
workers,” said Wage and Hour Division Principal Deputy Administrator 
Jessica Looman. “This proposed rule provides more clarity and certainty 
for employers while better protecting workers. It helps ensure that 
tipped workers are treated with dignity and respect, and that they 
receive wages appropriate for the work they perform.” 

The department invites comments from the public on the proposed rule at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov" target="_blank">www.regulations.gov</a>. The comment period closes Aug. 23, 2021.

Anyone who submits a comment (including duplicate 
comments) should understand and expect that the comment, including any 
personal information provided, will become a matter of public record. 
The division will post comments without change at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/" target="_blank">www.regulations.gov</a>
 and include any personal information provided. The division posts 
comments gathered and submitted by a third-party organization as a 
group, using a single document ID number at the site.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615920467817.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>U.S. Department of LaborWASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2021-13262/tip-regulations-under-the-fair-labor-standards-act-partial-withdrawal" target="_blank">Notice of Proposed Rulemaking</a>
 to limit the amount of non-tip producing work that a tipped employee 
can perform when an employer is taking a tip credit. The proposed rule 
clarifies when an employee is working in a tipped occupation and when a 
worker has performed such a substantial amount of non-tipped labor that 
an employer can no longer take a tip credit and must pay the full 
federal minimum wage to the worker. The <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa">Fair Labor Standards Act</a>
 allows employers with tipped workers to pay as little as $2.13 per hour
 in direct wages, while taking a credit against the tips earned by the 
employee to make up the balance of the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per
 hour.The proposed rule also clarifies that an employer may 
only take a tip credit when tipped employees perform labor that is part 
of their tipped occupation. Work considered part of the tipped 
occupation includes labor that produces tips and labor that directly 
supports tip-producing work, so long as the employee does not perform it
 for a substantial amount of time. For example, waiting on tables is an 
example of labor that produces tips for the worker. Labor that supports a
 server’s tip-producing work includes a server folding napkins or 
refilling salt and pepper shakers.The proposed rule also clarifies that if an employee 
performs work that directly supports tip-producing work for a 
substantial amount of time – that exceeds 20 percent of all of the hours
 worked during the employee’s workweek or exceeds 30 continuous minutes –
 that worker is no longer performing labor that is part of the tipped 
occupation.The proposal clarifies that employers may not take a tip credit for work that is not part of the tipped occupation. “Tipped workers are among those who continue to be 
hardest hit as we emerge from the pandemic, and the Wage and Hour 
Division continues to prioritize protecting these essential front-line 
workers,” said Wage and Hour Division Principal Deputy Administrator 
Jessica Looman. “This proposed rule provides more clarity and certainty 
for employers while better protecting workers. It helps ensure that 
tipped workers are treated with dignity and respect, and that they 
receive wages appropriate for the work they perform.” The department invites comments from the public on the proposed rule at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov" target="_blank">www.regulations.gov</a>. The comment period closes Aug. 23, 2021.Anyone who submits a comment (including duplicate 
comments) should understand and expect that the comment, including any 
personal information provided, will become a matter of public record. 
The division will post comments without change at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/" target="_blank">www.regulations.gov</a>
 and include any personal information provided. The division posts 
comments gathered and submitted by a third-party organization as a 
group, using a single document ID number at the site.

U.S. Labor Department issued proposal to protect tipped workers

By ABIGAIL CENSKY <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-06-18/what-happens-when-a-kansas-school-board-uses-youtube-for-meetings-and-someone-dishes-up-bad-science">Kansas News Service</a>

OVERLAND PARK&nbsp;— At the mid-May Shawnee Mission School Board meeting, state Sen. Mike Thompson, a former Kansas City meteorologist, <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article251554913.html" target="_blank">showed up</a> mask-less to protest the district’s mask policy.

Thompson said masks exposed children to potential carcinogens.

“Think
 of it this way,” said Thompson. “I’m about six feet tall. Saying that 
this mask is going to block the virus is like saying I can’t walk 
through a doorway 6,000 feet tall and 2,000 feet wide.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says wearing face masks <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-briefs/masking-science-sars-cov2.html" target="_blank">does</a> prevent the spread of COVID-19.

YouTube
 — which the school board uses to stream its meetings — deemed 
statements from Thompson and other speakers so dangerous that the tech 
giant pulled the entire meeting off its platform for spreading medical 
misinformation.

That leaves the district in a quandary. Does it 
strip out the public comment portion of its streamed meetings to avoid a
 YouTube ban? Or would that effectively censor any criticism of the 
school board. It’s tough because Shawnee Mission has grown dependent on 
YouTube.

“It's accessible. It's easy to use. So, it's a great platform,” said Shawnee Mission spokesperson
 David Smith, “But we absolutely have to be concerned because we don’t 
want to lose the ability to use that platform.”

In the age of 
COVID-19 and social media, streaming public meetings offers a convenient
 way to let residents track critical debates on decisions about their 
taxes, their children, their communities.

At the same time, Big 
Tech is grappling with how to choke-out viral misinformation. But 
conversations at the meetings of city councils, school boards and other 
parts of local government can be riddled with conspiracies and 
half-truths without fact checkers to keep the record straight.

Shortly after last month’s meeting, a warning popped up on the 
Shawnee Mission School District’s webpage that more violations of 
YouTube’s policies aimed at fighting disinformation might take meetings 
offline.

The district wouldn’t be able to upload, post, or live stream for one week. YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/policies/community-guidelines/#enforcing-policies" target="_blank">community guidelines </a>state after three strikes in a 90-day period, an account can be terminated.

That
 could mean a lot of trouble for the district. It has 10 years of videos
 archived on the platform, and it uses benefits like live streaming and 
automatic closed captioning for free. The cost of moving to another 
platform would start at $20,000, Smith said.

In a statement, 
YouTube spokesperson Elena Hernandez said, “We apply our policies 
equally, regardless of the speaker or setting of the video.”

YouTube
 says that in some cases videos with medical misinformation are allowed 
to stay on the platform if they have an audio or visual disclaimer 
refuting the false claims or sharing CDC guidelines about the 
effectiveness of masks to prevent COVID-19. If an account holder 
disagrees with YouTube’s decision, they can appeal.

Katie Paul, 
director of the industry watchdog Tech Transparency Project, said the 
misinformation policy is fine. But her group is critical more broadly of
 how Big Tech moderates content.

“That is to rely on the cheapest 
option, which is (artificial intelligence),” said Paul. “But AI is not 
perfect, and it’s effective in some cases, but takes down incorrect 
content.”

She argued that companies like YouTube need to rely less
 on their algorithms to sort out content, and spend more heavily on 
workers who can pick up on the subtleties that computer programs can’t 
catch.

YouTube did not respond to questions about the role of artificial intelligence in flagging the Shawnee Mission video.

Shawnee Mission isn’t alone. Accounts in <a href="https://www.southeastiowaunion.com/news/city-council-forum-leads-to-youtube-suspending-account/" target="_blank">Iowa</a> and <a href="https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/04/09/youtube-removes-video-of-desantis-coronavirus-roundtable/#" target="_blank">Florida</a> streaming public or government meetings have also been flagged for spreading medical misinformation. In early March, <a href="https://www.axios.com/youtube-removed-30000-covid19-vaccine-videos-misinformation-a8968086-95a4-4d5e-86da-0e22ddbc1b6a.html" target="_blank">Axios</a> reported YouTube removed 30,000 videos for spreading medical misinformation in a six-month period.

But
 Paul said the application of the policy has been uneven at best, and is
 “ultimately not removing the content that’s most egregious and at the 
same time removing content that should remain on the platform.”

Now
 the Johnson County school board is looking for a way forward. At a 
mid-June meeting, some board members made the case for extracting public
 comment from the streamed meeting entirely. People could still show up 
and speak before the board, but it wouldn’t be uploaded to YouTube.

Board member Jamie Borgman argued public comment was how teachers made their voices heard during <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2020-03-02/how-a-protracted-fight-over-kansas-school-funding-fueled-shawnee-missions-teacher-contract-dispute" target="_blank">fraught union contract negotiations</a>, and how Shawnee Tribe Chief Ben Barnes spoke about the district’s <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/05/21/999241565/kansas-city-school-district-retires-offensive-native-american-mascots" target="_blank">previous mascot</a>.

“We’re
 putting all of our eggs in this YouTube basket,” said Borgman. “We want
 to ditch public comment because we’re afraid our meetings are going to 
get pulled from YouTube, but I think we need to look bigger.”

She’s
 advocating that the district move to a third party platform to stream 
its meetings. But that would come with a price and could mean losing the
 space to archive 10 years of district videos, and leaving the 
ubiquitous social media channel.

At the June meeting, board 
members were split on whether to stay with YouTube or leave. They’ll 
likely broach the issue again twice before making a final decision.

“I
 do not want to see us let a small group of people with some medical 
misinformation deprive our entire community of seeing what kind of 
comments are coming before this board,” said board member Jessica 
Hembree. “That’s important.”

Abigail Censky is the political reporter for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/AbigailCensky" target="_blank"> @AbigailCensky</a> or email her at abigailcensky@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624283197458.png" alt="The mid-May meeting of the Shawnee Mission school board was pulled off of the school district's YouTube channel for spreading medical misinformation. " />
 <figcaption>The mid-May meeting of the Shawnee Mission school board was pulled off of the school district's YouTube channel for spreading medical misinformation. </figcaption>
 </figure>By ABIGAIL CENSKY <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-06-18/what-happens-when-a-kansas-school-board-uses-youtube-for-meetings-and-someone-dishes-up-bad-science">Kansas News Service</a>OVERLAND PARK&nbsp;— At the mid-May Shawnee Mission School Board meeting, state Sen. Mike Thompson, a former Kansas City meteorologist, <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article251554913.html" target="_blank">showed up</a> mask-less to protest the district’s mask policy.Thompson said masks exposed children to potential carcinogens.“Think
 of it this way,” said Thompson. “I’m about six feet tall. Saying that 
this mask is going to block the virus is like saying I can’t walk 
through a doorway 6,000 feet tall and 2,000 feet wide.”His claims about masks weren’t true.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says wearing face masks <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-briefs/masking-science-sars-cov2.html" target="_blank">does</a> prevent the spread of COVID-19.YouTube
 — which the school board uses to stream its meetings — deemed 
statements from Thompson and other speakers so dangerous that the tech 
giant pulled the entire meeting off its platform for spreading medical 
misinformation.That leaves the district in a quandary. Does it 
strip out the public comment portion of its streamed meetings to avoid a
 YouTube ban? Or would that effectively censor any criticism of the 
school board. It’s tough because Shawnee Mission has grown dependent on 
YouTube.“It's accessible. It's easy to use. So, it's a great platform,” said Shawnee Mission spokesperson
 David Smith, “But we absolutely have to be concerned because we don’t 
want to lose the ability to use that platform.”In the age of 
COVID-19 and social media, streaming public meetings offers a convenient
 way to let residents track critical debates on decisions about their 
taxes, their children, their communities.At the same time, Big 
Tech is grappling with how to choke-out viral misinformation. But 
conversations at the meetings of city councils, school boards and other 
parts of local government can be riddled with conspiracies and 
half-truths without fact checkers to keep the record straight.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624283275388.png" alt="Shawnee Mission school district sign outside of the Center for Academic Excellence. Abigail Censky" />
 <figcaption>Shawnee Mission school district sign outside of the Center for Academic Excellence. Abigail Censky</figcaption>
 </figure>Shortly after last month’s meeting, a warning popped up on the 
Shawnee Mission School District’s webpage that more violations of 
YouTube’s policies aimed at fighting disinformation might take meetings 
offline.The district wouldn’t be able to upload, post, or live stream for one week. YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/policies/community-guidelines/#enforcing-policies" target="_blank">community guidelines </a>state after three strikes in a 90-day period, an account can be terminated.That
 could mean a lot of trouble for the district. It has 10 years of videos
 archived on the platform, and it uses benefits like live streaming and 
automatic closed captioning for free. The cost of moving to another 
platform would start at $20,000, Smith said.In a statement, 
YouTube spokesperson Elena Hernandez said, “We apply our policies 
equally, regardless of the speaker or setting of the video.”YouTube
 says that in some cases videos with medical misinformation are allowed 
to stay on the platform if they have an audio or visual disclaimer 
refuting the false claims or sharing CDC guidelines about the 
effectiveness of masks to prevent COVID-19. If an account holder 
disagrees with YouTube’s decision, they can appeal.Katie Paul, 
director of the industry watchdog Tech Transparency Project, said the 
misinformation policy is fine. But her group is critical more broadly of
 how Big Tech moderates content.“That is to rely on the cheapest 
option, which is (artificial intelligence),” said Paul. “But AI is not 
perfect, and it’s effective in some cases, but takes down incorrect 
content.”She argued that companies like YouTube need to rely less
 on their algorithms to sort out content, and spend more heavily on 
workers who can pick up on the subtleties that computer programs can’t 
catch.YouTube did not respond to questions about the role of artificial intelligence in flagging the Shawnee Mission video.Shawnee Mission isn’t alone. Accounts in <a href="https://www.southeastiowaunion.com/news/city-council-forum-leads-to-youtube-suspending-account/" target="_blank">Iowa</a> and <a href="https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/04/09/youtube-removes-video-of-desantis-coronavirus-roundtable/#" target="_blank">Florida</a> streaming public or government meetings have also been flagged for spreading medical misinformation. In early March, <a href="https://www.axios.com/youtube-removed-30000-covid19-vaccine-videos-misinformation-a8968086-95a4-4d5e-86da-0e22ddbc1b6a.html" target="_blank">Axios</a> reported YouTube removed 30,000 videos for spreading medical misinformation in a six-month period.But
 Paul said the application of the policy has been uneven at best, and is
 “ultimately not removing the content that’s most egregious and at the 
same time removing content that should remain on the platform.”Now
 the Johnson County school board is looking for a way forward. At a 
mid-June meeting, some board members made the case for extracting public
 comment from the streamed meeting entirely. People could still show up 
and speak before the board, but it wouldn’t be uploaded to YouTube.Board member Jamie Borgman argued public comment was how teachers made their voices heard during <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2020-03-02/how-a-protracted-fight-over-kansas-school-funding-fueled-shawnee-missions-teacher-contract-dispute" target="_blank">fraught union contract negotiations</a>, and how Shawnee Tribe Chief Ben Barnes spoke about the district’s <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/05/21/999241565/kansas-city-school-district-retires-offensive-native-american-mascots" target="_blank">previous mascot</a>.“We’re
 putting all of our eggs in this YouTube basket,” said Borgman. “We want
 to ditch public comment because we’re afraid our meetings are going to 
get pulled from YouTube, but I think we need to look bigger.”She’s
 advocating that the district move to a third party platform to stream 
its meetings. But that would come with a price and could mean losing the
 space to archive 10 years of district videos, and leaving the 
ubiquitous social media channel.At the June meeting, board 
members were split on whether to stay with YouTube or leave. They’ll 
likely broach the issue again twice before making a final decision.“I
 do not want to see us let a small group of people with some medical 
misinformation deprive our entire community of seeing what kind of 
comments are coming before this board,” said board member Jessica 
Hembree. “That’s important.”Abigail Censky is the political reporter for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/AbigailCensky" target="_blank"> @AbigailCensky</a> or email her at abigailcensky@kcur.org.

Bad science, Big Tech at heart of Kan. school board meeting drama

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A female Lincoln firefighter who is suing the department is asking for an independent investigation into a fire captain that she claims abandoned her team in a burning building. 

Amanda Benson filed a lawsuit in 2018 alleging discrimination and retaliation in the department.

 Last week, she filed a motion asking a federal judge to order the city to begin disciplinary proceedings and an investigation into Capt. Shawn Mahler's conduct, and prohibit him from responding to fires. 

She alleges Mahler walked away from her crew during a warehouse fire on April 26, leaving them without communication amid heavy smoke.

 The city has not filed a response to the motion.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A female Lincoln firefighter who is suing the department is asking for an independent investigation into a fire captain that she claims abandoned her team in a burning building. Amanda Benson filed a lawsuit in 2018 alleging discrimination and retaliation in the department. Last week, she filed a motion asking a federal judge to order the city to begin disciplinary proceedings and an investigation into Capt. Shawn Mahler's conduct, and prohibit him from responding to fires. She alleges Mahler walked away from her crew during a warehouse fire on April 26, leaving them without communication amid heavy smoke. The city has not filed a response to the motion.

Female Lincoln firefighter seeks investigation of captain

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 17-year-old Nebraska man has been charged with felony child abuse in the death of his 6-month-old daughter.

 Chief Deputy Douglas County Attorney Brenda Beadle said the girl suffered significant injuries, including retinal hemorrhaging, while her father was caring for her on June 3, and the injuries don’t appear to be accidental. 

Beadle said the teen took his daughter to a neighbor’s apartment after she became unresponsive. 

The girl was rushed to a hospital where she died two days later. 

Beadle said the charges against the father may be upgraded after prosecutors receive the results of some additional testing that was done as part of the girl’s autopsy.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 17-year-old Nebraska man has been charged with felony child abuse in the death of his 6-month-old daughter. Chief Deputy Douglas County Attorney Brenda Beadle said the girl suffered significant injuries, including retinal hemorrhaging, while her father was caring for her on June 3, and the injuries don’t appear to be accidental. Beadle said the teen took his daughter to a neighbor’s apartment after she became unresponsive. The girl was rushed to a hospital where she died two days later. Beadle said the charges against the father may be upgraded after prosecutors receive the results of some additional testing that was done as part of the girl’s autopsy.

Teen father charged with abuse in infant daughter's death

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 78-year-old Lincoln woman is in critical condition after being shot in the head, and police say her husband is the suspect. 

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that the shooting happened Sunday morning. 

The couple’s son, who also lives at the home, was awakened by a gunshot and found his mother injured in the living room. Police say her injuries were life-threatening. 

Police on Monday said the woman’s 80-year-old husband was arrested on suspicion of first-degree assault and a weapons crime. 

It wasn’t immediately clear if formal charges have been filed.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 78-year-old Lincoln woman is in critical condition after being shot in the head, and police say her husband is the suspect. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that the shooting happened Sunday morning. The couple’s son, who also lives at the home, was awakened by a gunshot and found his mother injured in the living room. Police say her injuries were life-threatening. Police on Monday said the woman’s 80-year-old husband was arrested on suspicion of first-degree assault and a weapons crime. It wasn’t immediately clear if formal charges have been filed.

Woman, 78, in shot in Lincoln; husband arrested

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska teen has been charged as an adult in the death of his 6-month-old daughter. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that 17-year-old Alejandro Flores, of Omaha, was ordered held this week on $225,000 bail on a charge of intentional child abuse in the death of Ruby Flores-Martinez.

 She wasn’t breathing when police responded to an apartment on June 3.

 Flores rode in the ambulance to the hospital as medics performed CPR on the baby. 

The police report said he initially didn't know what happened but later confessed to injuring the girl.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska teen has been charged as an adult in the death of his 6-month-old daughter. The Omaha World-Herald reports that 17-year-old Alejandro Flores, of Omaha, was ordered held this week on $225,000 bail on a charge of intentional child abuse in the death of Ruby Flores-Martinez. She wasn’t breathing when police responded to an apartment on June 3. Flores rode in the ambulance to the hospital as medics performed CPR on the baby. She died two days later. The police report said he initially didn't know what happened but later confessed to injuring the girl.

Nebraska teen charged in death of his 6-month-old daughter

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The Department of Veterans Affairs is moving to offer transgender veterans gender confirmation surgery, Secretary Denis McDonough announced at a Pride Month event in Orlando Saturday.

McDonough said in prepared remarks that the move was “the right thing to do,” and that it was part of an effort to overcome a “dark history” of discrimination against LGBTQ service members. The move is just the first step in what’s likely to be a yearslong federal rulemaking process to expand VA health benefits to cover the surgery, but McDonough said the VA will use the time to “develop capacity to meet the surgical needs” of transgender veterans.

The decision, he said, will allow “transgender vets to go through the full gender confirmation process with VA by their side.” McDonough also referenced what he said were higher rates of mental illness and suicidal thoughts among LGBTQ veterans, and a fear of discrimination that prevents those veterans from seeking care.

“We’re making these changes not only because they are the right thing to do, but because they can save lives,” he said.

McDonough said the decision was based on the “recommendation of our clinicians, so this is a health care decision that has very real physical health care impacts as well as significant mental health impacts.”

The National Center for Transgender Equality&nbsp;<a href="https://transequality.org/issues/military-veterans" target="_blank">estimates</a>&nbsp;that there are more than 134,000 transgender veterans and over 15,000 transgender individuals serving in the military today.

McDonough’s announcement is the latest in a series of moves by the Biden administration to expand protections and benefits to transgender individuals in the military.

Just days into his term, President Joe Biden signed an executive order overturning a Trump administration ban on transgender individuals serving in the military. And in February, McDonough&nbsp;<a href="https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/85152/secretary-orders-review-vas-transgender-policies/" target="_blank">ordered a review</a>&nbsp;of the department’s policies to “ensure that transgender Veterans and employees do not face discrimination on the basis of their gender identity and expression.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624278338586.png" alt="VA Secretary Denis McDonough’s announcement during a weekend Pride Month event in Orlando is the latest in a series of moves by the Biden administration to expand protections and benefits to transgender individuals in the military- photo courtesy Albert Guerrero" />
 <figcaption>VA Secretary Denis McDonough’s announcement during a weekend Pride Month event in Orlando is the latest in a series of moves by the Biden administration to expand protections and benefits to transgender individuals in the military- photo courtesy Albert Guerrero</figcaption>
 </figure>WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The Department of Veterans Affairs is moving to offer transgender veterans gender confirmation surgery, Secretary Denis McDonough announced at a Pride Month event in Orlando Saturday.McDonough said in prepared remarks that the move was “the right thing to do,” and that it was part of an effort to overcome a “dark history” of discrimination against LGBTQ service members. The move is just the first step in what’s likely to be a yearslong federal rulemaking process to expand VA health benefits to cover the surgery, but McDonough said the VA will use the time to “develop capacity to meet the surgical needs” of transgender veterans.The decision, he said, will allow “transgender vets to go through the full gender confirmation process with VA by their side.” McDonough also referenced what he said were higher rates of mental illness and suicidal thoughts among LGBTQ veterans, and a fear of discrimination that prevents those veterans from seeking care.“We’re making these changes not only because they are the right thing to do, but because they can save lives,” he said.McDonough said the decision was based on the “recommendation of our clinicians, so this is a health care decision that has very real physical health care impacts as well as significant mental health impacts.”The National Center for Transgender Equality&nbsp;<a href="https://transequality.org/issues/military-veterans" target="_blank">estimates</a>&nbsp;that there are more than 134,000 transgender veterans and over 15,000 transgender individuals serving in the military today.McDonough’s announcement is the latest in a series of moves by the Biden administration to expand protections and benefits to transgender individuals in the military.Just days into his term, President Joe Biden signed an executive order overturning a Trump administration ban on transgender individuals serving in the military. And in February, McDonough&nbsp;<a href="https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/85152/secretary-orders-review-vas-transgender-policies/" target="_blank">ordered a review</a>&nbsp;of the department’s policies to “ensure that transgender Veterans and employees do not face discrimination on the basis of their gender identity and expression.”

VA will now provide full gender confirmation surgery to vets

BROKEN BOW, Neb. (AP) — A 45-year-old central Nebraska man has been convicted of killing his stepmother last year. 

A jury on Friday found Trent Esch guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 62-year-old Crystal Esch north of Broken Bow. 

He was also convicted of use of a weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon.

 Crystal Esch was found shot to death in her home last July. 

She had a protection order against her stepson for threatening behavior and messages.

BROKEN BOW, Neb. (AP) — A 45-year-old central Nebraska man has been convicted of killing his stepmother last year. A jury on Friday found Trent Esch guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 62-year-old Crystal Esch north of Broken Bow. He was also convicted of use of a weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon. Crystal Esch was found shot to death in her home last July. She had a protection order against her stepson for threatening behavior and messages.

Man found guilty of killing his stepmother in Broken Bow

SEATTLE (AP) — Leroy Pascubillo missed his daughter’s first step, her first word and countless other precious milestones. After being born addicted to heroin, she had been placed with a foster family, and he anxiously counted the days between their visits as he tried to regain custody. But because of the pandemic, the visits dwindled and went virtual, and all he could do was watch his daughter — too young to engage via computer — try to crawl through the screen.

They are among thousands of families across the country whose reunifications have been snarled in the foster care system as courts delayed cases, went virtual or temporarily shut down, according to an Associated Press analysis of child welfare data from 34 states.

The decrease in children leaving foster care means families are lingering longer in a system intended to be temporary, as critical services were shuttered or limited. Vulnerable families are suffering long-term and perhaps irreversible damage, experts say, which could leave parents with weakened bonds with their children.

The AP’s analysis found at least 8,700 fewer reunifications during the early months of the pandemic compared with the March-to-December period the year before -- a decrease of 16%. Adoptions, too, dropped — by 23%, according to the analysis. Overall, at least 22,600 fewer children left foster care compared with 2019.

“Everybody needed extra help, and nobody was getting extra help,” said Shawn Powell, a Parents for Parents advocacy program coordinator in King County, Washington.

For months, King County, like many parts of the country, suspended nearly all hearings except emergency orders, which led to prioritizing child removals -- sparked by child welfare reports or other red flags -- over family reunifications. Adoptions slowed to a trickle. Services needed for reunification — psychiatric evaluations, random drug testing, group therapy, mental health counseling, housing assistance, and the public transportation to access these services — also were limited.

For foster care children, even doctor’s appointments must be approved by a judge, and frustrated lawyers say matters as routine as that were affected.

During the period examined in AP’s analysis, the total foster care population dropped 2% overall -- likely a result of the significant decrease in child abuse and neglect reports, where the process to remove a child from a home typically begins.

National data show that the average stay in foster care is about 20 months, which means the children most affected during the early months of the pandemic were those in the foster care system long before the pandemic.

Those in foster care are disproportionately children of color and from poor families, national data also show. Those groups tend to have more contact with social service agencies that are mandated to report potential abuse and neglect, which means the pandemic has amplified not just the challenges of poor parenting but of parenting while poor.

“The systemic problems around racism and poverty in COVID and how people are treated in the child welfare system may be compounding,” said Sharon Vandivere of the national think tank group Child Trends, who noted that longer stays in foster care are inherently traumatic and make reunifications less likely. “It was bad before, and it’s probably made it even worse.”

For D.Y., a Black teenager living at a Seattle-area group home, the pandemic has magnified the loneliness and isolation of being in the care of child protective services. He’s been out of his mother’s custody since 2016, after an abuse report found she physically disciplined her children. He had visits with her in the years following, and lawyers expected his mom would regain custody and D.Y. could go home in the fall of 2020. Then the pandemic rocked his case and life.

Because of new COVID-19 protocols and staffing shortages, already-limited privileges at the institutional group home were scaled back or revoked. In-person visits with his mom ended. Group activities all but disappeared. Inside, he resented wearing a mask and washing his hands constantly. With each exposure scare in the living facility, he and others had to quarantine.

When he resumed in-person school, he hoped officials would find it safe to see his mom again, too — but that didn't happen for months. He watched helplessly as his sister - who was placed with relatives and had a case further along in the system when the pandemic began - was returned home to their mom last summer. D.Y. was happy for them, but he wants the same: to taste his mom's cooking, to make eggs in his own kitchen, to sit on the couch with his family with no masks.

“I still want her to baby me,” the 13-year-old boy said of his mother, who declined to comment for this story while the cases of D.Y. and her third child remain active. “I can tell she has high faith of when I’ll come home. I don’t know if it’s going to happen anymore.”

The AP is not naming D.Y., instead referring to him by the initials used in his lawsuit against the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families. The lawsuit accuses the state of providing inadequate care as D.Y. was bounced through 50 placements before the pandemic, some days housing him in a motel or the agency’s office building. The state declined to comment on his case and lawsuit.

But Frank Ordway, chief of staff at the state's child welfare agency, blamed the court system's closures for the drop in reunifications and implored those that still haven't fully reopened to prioritize cases like D.Y.'s.

“When those systems aren’t working, those families and those children are left in limbo," Ordway said. “Our job as an agency is to help keep those families together and to get them together. Not being able to do so because of the pandemic was a wrenching experience."

King County Superior Court Commissioner Nicole Wagner, a presiding judge in the family court system, said court staff, attorneys, social workers and counselors did their best, but that no one knew how to address unprecedented issues in the pandemic. For example, she said, she wanted in-person visits for children but couldn't order social workers with underlying conditions to monitor them when required by law.

Wagner said she hopes lessons from the pandemic will help redefine how the system supports already struggling families in the process of reunification.

“It's scary, it’s overwhelming, it’s frightening. And it’s about the most important things in your life: your children,” Wagner said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that the pandemic absolutely, 100% has disproportionately impacted the more vulnerable populations.”

Illinois&nbsp;was the only state that saw an increase in foster care exits. Others in AP's analysis acknowledged a significant drop but said that each foster care case has unique circumstances beneath the numbers.

Many states, for example, extended support to those on the cusp of aging out of state care during the pandemic. This policy change effectively protected foster care youths from being kicked out of their living arrangements if they still needed a place to stay, but it also affected the number of foster care exits.

<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/connecticut">Connecticut</a>&nbsp;— which had one of the largest drops in exits, at 36% — waited until May 2021 to fully return to in-person visits, which serve as a key metric to judge whether parents are prepared to regain care and custody of their children.

The state "never stopped serving children and families, and we found that conducting some of our work virtually is both more efficient and, in some cases, preferred by our clients,” a Connecticut Department of Children and Families spokesman said in a statement.

Leroy Pascubillo, now 51, had used drugs over the course of four decades, but said he started working toward sobriety immediately after his daughter’s birth in February 2019.

The court put him in the only drug rehab center in the Seattle area that allows children to stay on site with their fathers. He had a few in-person visits with his daughter each week, and he was told that if he got through the initial stages of the program, she could join him there in March 2020 while he completed treatment. The pandemic upended that plan.

“You start building that relationship, and then it’s taken away and you try to start it all over again,” he said. All the more painful was that he knew his daughter, now 2, also had no contact with her mother. Pascubillo said she hasn’t participated in the custody case, and she couldn't be reached by the AP.

Once courts began to hear existing cases again, Pascubillo was able to reunite with his daughter, complete rehab and land a Seattle apartment with the help of state and nonprofit services. He wants to work as a parent advocate to help other fathers find their way back to their kids. He still weeps over the time he's lost and the four-month delay in reuniting with his daughter.

“It felt like 40 years. I figured she would have forgotten me. But as soon as I looked at her and sang ‘baby, baby, baby,’ she started kicking like she was in the womb," Pascubillo said. "We have this bond.”

By SALLY HO and CAMILLE FASSETTSEATTLE (AP) — Leroy Pascubillo missed his daughter’s first step, her first word and countless other precious milestones. After being born addicted to heroin, she had been placed with a foster family, and he anxiously counted the days between their visits as he tried to regain custody. But because of the pandemic, the visits dwindled and went virtual, and all he could do was watch his daughter — too young to engage via computer — try to crawl through the screen.They are among thousands of families across the country whose reunifications have been snarled in the foster care system as courts delayed cases, went virtual or temporarily shut down, according to an Associated Press analysis of child welfare data from 34 states.The decrease in children leaving foster care means families are lingering longer in a system intended to be temporary, as critical services were shuttered or limited. Vulnerable families are suffering long-term and perhaps irreversible damage, experts say, which could leave parents with weakened bonds with their children.The AP’s analysis found at least 8,700 fewer reunifications during the early months of the pandemic compared with the March-to-December period the year before -- a decrease of 16%. Adoptions, too, dropped — by 23%, according to the analysis. Overall, at least 22,600 fewer children left foster care compared with 2019.“Everybody needed extra help, and nobody was getting extra help,” said Shawn Powell, a Parents for Parents advocacy program coordinator in King County, Washington.For months, King County, like many parts of the country, suspended nearly all hearings except emergency orders, which led to prioritizing child removals -- sparked by child welfare reports or other red flags -- over family reunifications. Adoptions slowed to a trickle. Services needed for reunification — psychiatric evaluations, random drug testing, group therapy, mental health counseling, housing assistance, and the public transportation to access these services — also were limited.For foster care children, even doctor’s appointments must be approved by a judge, and frustrated lawyers say matters as routine as that were affected.During the period examined in AP’s analysis, the total foster care population dropped 2% overall -- likely a result of the significant decrease in child abuse and neglect reports, where the process to remove a child from a home typically begins.National data show that the average stay in foster care is about 20 months, which means the children most affected during the early months of the pandemic were those in the foster care system long before the pandemic.Those in foster care are disproportionately children of color and from poor families, national data also show. Those groups tend to have more contact with social service agencies that are mandated to report potential abuse and neglect, which means the pandemic has amplified not just the challenges of poor parenting but of parenting while poor.“The systemic problems around racism and poverty in COVID and how people are treated in the child welfare system may be compounding,” said Sharon Vandivere of the national think tank group Child Trends, who noted that longer stays in foster care are inherently traumatic and make reunifications less likely. “It was bad before, and it’s probably made it even worse.”For D.Y., a Black teenager living at a Seattle-area group home, the pandemic has magnified the loneliness and isolation of being in the care of child protective services. He’s been out of his mother’s custody since 2016, after an abuse report found she physically disciplined her children. He had visits with her in the years following, and lawyers expected his mom would regain custody and D.Y. could go home in the fall of 2020. Then the pandemic rocked his case and life.Because of new COVID-19 protocols and staffing shortages, already-limited privileges at the institutional group home were scaled back or revoked. In-person visits with his mom ended. Group activities all but disappeared. Inside, he resented wearing a mask and washing his hands constantly. With each exposure scare in the living facility, he and others had to quarantine.When he resumed in-person school, he hoped officials would find it safe to see his mom again, too — but that didn't happen for months. He watched helplessly as his sister - who was placed with relatives and had a case further along in the system when the pandemic began - was returned home to their mom last summer. D.Y. was happy for them, but he wants the same: to taste his mom's cooking, to make eggs in his own kitchen, to sit on the couch with his family with no masks.“I still want her to baby me,” the 13-year-old boy said of his mother, who declined to comment for this story while the cases of D.Y. and her third child remain active. “I can tell she has high faith of when I’ll come home. I don’t know if it’s going to happen anymore.”The AP is not naming D.Y., instead referring to him by the initials used in his lawsuit against the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families. The lawsuit accuses the state of providing inadequate care as D.Y. was bounced through 50 placements before the pandemic, some days housing him in a motel or the agency’s office building. The state declined to comment on his case and lawsuit.But Frank Ordway, chief of staff at the state's child welfare agency, blamed the court system's closures for the drop in reunifications and implored those that still haven't fully reopened to prioritize cases like D.Y.'s.“When those systems aren’t working, those families and those children are left in limbo," Ordway said. “Our job as an agency is to help keep those families together and to get them together. Not being able to do so because of the pandemic was a wrenching experience."King County Superior Court Commissioner Nicole Wagner, a presiding judge in the family court system, said court staff, attorneys, social workers and counselors did their best, but that no one knew how to address unprecedented issues in the pandemic. For example, she said, she wanted in-person visits for children but couldn't order social workers with underlying conditions to monitor them when required by law.Wagner said she hopes lessons from the pandemic will help redefine how the system supports already struggling families in the process of reunification.“It's scary, it’s overwhelming, it’s frightening. And it’s about the most important things in your life: your children,” Wagner said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that the pandemic absolutely, 100% has disproportionately impacted the more vulnerable populations.”Illinois&nbsp;was the only state that saw an increase in foster care exits. Others in AP's analysis acknowledged a significant drop but said that each foster care case has unique circumstances beneath the numbers.Many states, for example, extended support to those on the cusp of aging out of state care during the pandemic. This policy change effectively protected foster care youths from being kicked out of their living arrangements if they still needed a place to stay, but it also affected the number of foster care exits.<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/connecticut">Connecticut</a>&nbsp;— which had one of the largest drops in exits, at 36% — waited until May 2021 to fully return to in-person visits, which serve as a key metric to judge whether parents are prepared to regain care and custody of their children.The state "never stopped serving children and families, and we found that conducting some of our work virtually is both more efficient and, in some cases, preferred by our clients,” a Connecticut Department of Children and Families spokesman said in a statement.Leroy Pascubillo, now 51, had used drugs over the course of four decades, but said he started working toward sobriety immediately after his daughter’s birth in February 2019.The court put him in the only drug rehab center in the Seattle area that allows children to stay on site with their fathers. He had a few in-person visits with his daughter each week, and he was told that if he got through the initial stages of the program, she could join him there in March 2020 while he completed treatment. The pandemic upended that plan.“You start building that relationship, and then it’s taken away and you try to start it all over again,” he said. All the more painful was that he knew his daughter, now 2, also had no contact with her mother. Pascubillo said she hasn’t participated in the custody case, and she couldn't be reached by the AP.Once courts began to hear existing cases again, Pascubillo was able to reunite with his daughter, complete rehab and land a Seattle apartment with the help of state and nonprofit services. He wants to work as a parent advocate to help other fathers find their way back to their kids. He still weeps over the time he's lost and the four-month delay in reuniting with his daughter.“It felt like 40 years. I figured she would have forgotten me. But as soon as I looked at her and sang ‘baby, baby, baby,’ she started kicking like she was in the womb," Pascubillo said. "We have this bond.”

Report: COVID prolonged foster care stays for thousands

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Eleven U.S. mayors — from Los Angeles to tiny Tullahassee, Oklahoma — have pledged to pay reparations for slavery to a small group of Black residents in their cities, saying their aim is to set an example for the federal government on how a nationwide program could work.

The mayors had no details on how much it would cost, who would pay for it or how people would be chosen. All of those details would be worked out with the help of local commissions comprised of representatives from Black-led organizations set up to advise the mayor of each city. But the mayors say they are committed to paying reparations instead of just talking about them.

“Black Americans don’t need another study that sits on a shelf,” said St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, the city’s first Black female mayor and a member of the group. “We need decisive action to address the racial wealth gap holding communities back across our country.”

The effort comes as Juneteenth, which marks the end of slavery in the United States, has become a federal holiday. President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday that was passed by Congress to set aside Juneteenth, or June 19, as a holiday.

Slavery officially ended in the United States in 1865 with the adoption of the 13th amendment to U.S. Constitution. But its effects have lingered far beyond that, contributing to disparities in wealth and health between white and Black populations.

Since 1989, lawmakers in Congress introduced a bill that would form a commission to study and develop reparations proposals in the United States. But it has never passed. Last year, California became the first state to set up its own reparations commission. That group held its first meeting earlier this month.

Friday's announcement marks the largest city-led effort at paying reparations to date, but it isn't the first. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-francisco-race-and-ethnicity-government-and-politics-162ed9de1b72bab0ed7e9c360392f59c">voted in March</a>&nbsp;to appoint a 15-member African American Reparations Advisory Committee. That same month, the City Council of Evanston, Illinois,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reparations-evanston-illinois-black-residents-752a6fe83c560117523d7f8abba1bfb8">voted to pay $400,000</a>&nbsp;to eligible Black households, part of a pledge to spend $10 million over the next 10 years. Qualifying households would get $25,000 to use for things like home repair or putting a down payment on property.

Last year, the City Council in Asheville, North Carolina,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5b46780d8ad761dbeedafe3db855721b">voted to approve reparations</a>&nbsp;in the form of investments in areas of disparity for Black residents.

This group of mayors, dubbed&nbsp;<a href="https://moremayors.org/">Mayors Organized for Reparations and Equity</a>&nbsp;(MORE), is led by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock. Their stated goal is for these reparations programs to “serve as high-profile demonstrations for how the country can more quickly move from conversation to action on reparations for Black Americans,” according to the group's website.

“Let me be clear: Cities will never have the funds to pay for reparations on our own,” Garcetti said during a news conference on Friday to announce the group. “When we have the laboratories of cities show that there is much more to embrace than to fear, we know that we can inspire national action as well.”

It’s similar to the aim of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-andrew-yang-california-poverty-michael-tubbs-150214c358eaca9a24c8501c51e09491">another group of mayors&nbsp;</a>who have experimented with guaranteed income programs, where a small group of low-income people receive cash payments each month with no restrictions on how they can spend it. The first such program was set up in Stockton, California, by former mayor Michael Tubbs, who is listed as an “emeritus member” of the reparations group.

The other mayors are Jorge Elorza of Providence, Rhode Island; Steve Adler of Austin, Texas; Steve Schewel of Durham, North Carolina: Esther Manheimer of Asheville, North Carolina: Quinton Lucas of Kansas City; Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento, California; Melvin Carter of St. Paul, Minnesota; and Keisha Currin of Tullahassee, Oklahoma.

Tullahassee — a small town of fewer than 200 people in northeast Oklahoma — is the oldest of the surviving all-Black towns in the states that were founded after the U.S. abolished slavery. Many of the first Black people to live there had been enslaved by Native American tribes that had allied with the Confederacy during the Civil War.

“Slavery has played a huge part in my family and in my community,” Currin said. “This program is going to show our community that we care.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624128251238.png" alt="Friday's announcement marks the largest city-led effort at paying reparations to date. Mayor Quinton Lucas of Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>Friday's announcement marks the largest city-led effort at paying reparations to date. Mayor Quinton Lucas of Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure>SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Eleven U.S. mayors — from Los Angeles to tiny Tullahassee, Oklahoma — have pledged to pay reparations for slavery to a small group of Black residents in their cities, saying their aim is to set an example for the federal government on how a nationwide program could work.The mayors had no details on how much it would cost, who would pay for it or how people would be chosen. All of those details would be worked out with the help of local commissions comprised of representatives from Black-led organizations set up to advise the mayor of each city. But the mayors say they are committed to paying reparations instead of just talking about them.“Black Americans don’t need another study that sits on a shelf,” said St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, the city’s first Black female mayor and a member of the group. “We need decisive action to address the racial wealth gap holding communities back across our country.”The effort comes as Juneteenth, which marks the end of slavery in the United States, has become a federal holiday. President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday that was passed by Congress to set aside Juneteenth, or June 19, as a holiday.Slavery officially ended in the United States in 1865 with the adoption of the 13th amendment to U.S. Constitution. But its effects have lingered far beyond that, contributing to disparities in wealth and health between white and Black populations.Since 1989, lawmakers in Congress introduced a bill that would form a commission to study and develop reparations proposals in the United States. But it has never passed. Last year, California became the first state to set up its own reparations commission. That group held its first meeting earlier this month.Friday's announcement marks the largest city-led effort at paying reparations to date, but it isn't the first. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-francisco-race-and-ethnicity-government-and-politics-162ed9de1b72bab0ed7e9c360392f59c">voted in March</a>&nbsp;to appoint a 15-member African American Reparations Advisory Committee. That same month, the City Council of Evanston, Illinois,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reparations-evanston-illinois-black-residents-752a6fe83c560117523d7f8abba1bfb8">voted to pay $400,000</a>&nbsp;to eligible Black households, part of a pledge to spend $10 million over the next 10 years. Qualifying households would get $25,000 to use for things like home repair or putting a down payment on property.Last year, the City Council in Asheville, North Carolina,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5b46780d8ad761dbeedafe3db855721b">voted to approve reparations</a>&nbsp;in the form of investments in areas of disparity for Black residents.This group of mayors, dubbed&nbsp;<a href="https://moremayors.org/">Mayors Organized for Reparations and Equity</a>&nbsp;(MORE), is led by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock. Their stated goal is for these reparations programs to “serve as high-profile demonstrations for how the country can more quickly move from conversation to action on reparations for Black Americans,” according to the group's website.“Let me be clear: Cities will never have the funds to pay for reparations on our own,” Garcetti said during a news conference on Friday to announce the group. “When we have the laboratories of cities show that there is much more to embrace than to fear, we know that we can inspire national action as well.”It’s similar to the aim of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-andrew-yang-california-poverty-michael-tubbs-150214c358eaca9a24c8501c51e09491">another group of mayors&nbsp;</a>who have experimented with guaranteed income programs, where a small group of low-income people receive cash payments each month with no restrictions on how they can spend it. The first such program was set up in Stockton, California, by former mayor Michael Tubbs, who is listed as an “emeritus member” of the reparations group.The other mayors are Jorge Elorza of Providence, Rhode Island; Steve Adler of Austin, Texas; Steve Schewel of Durham, North Carolina: Esther Manheimer of Asheville, North Carolina: Quinton Lucas of Kansas City; Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento, California; Melvin Carter of St. Paul, Minnesota; and Keisha Currin of Tullahassee, Oklahoma.Tullahassee — a small town of fewer than 200 people in northeast Oklahoma — is the oldest of the surviving all-Black towns in the states that were founded after the U.S. abolished slavery. Many of the first Black people to live there had been enslaved by Native American tribes that had allied with the Confederacy during the Civil War.“Slavery has played a huge part in my family and in my community,” Currin said. “This program is going to show our community that we care.”

KC Mayor joins effort to pay reparations for slavery

As cases tumble and states reopen, the potential final stage in the U.S. campaign to vanquish COVID-19 is turning into a slog, with a worrisome variant gaining a bigger foothold and lotteries and other prizes failing to persuade some Americans to get vaccinated.

“The last half, the last mile, the last quarter-mile always requires more effort,” Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said Wednesday.

While two of the states slammed hardest by the disaster, California and New York, celebrated their reopenings this week with fireworks and a multimillion-dollar drawing, hospitalizations in parts of Missouri are surging and cases are rising sharply in Texas, illustrating the challenges the country faces this summer.

One major concern is the highly contagious and potentially more severe delta variant of the coronavirus that originated in India. While health officials say the vaccines are effective against it, the fear is that it will lead to outbreaks in states with lower vaccination rates.

The delta variant has increased from 2.7% of all cases in May to 9.7% this month, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a call for governors on Monday, according to details provided by the Washington governor’s office.

At the same time, states are convening focus groups to better understand who is declining to get vaccinated, why, and how to convince them that getting the shot is the right thing to do.

“It’s a race between the vaccines going into people and the current or future variants,” said Kansas Health Secretary Dr. Lee Norman.

Average deaths and cases per day have plummeted 90% or more across the U.S. since the winter. But the picture is uneven.

In Texas, the rolling average of newly confirmed infections has climbed from about 1,000 per day on May 31 to nearly 2,000 this week.

A swath of Missouri is seeing a big rise in cases and hospitalizations as tourists eager to get out after being cooped up for a year make their way to popular destinations like Branson and Lake of the Ozarks. Health officials said more than 200 people were hospitalized with the virus in southwestern Missouri, nearly double the number at the start of May. The number of patients in intensive care units in the region has tripled.

Health experts cite two factors driving the surge there: the faster-spreading delta variant and a reluctance among residents to get vaccinated.

The U.S. is expected to fall short of President Joe Biden’s goal of dispensing at least one dose to 70% of American adults by July 4. The figure stands at about 65%.

Among the states that don’t expect to hit the goal are Kansas and Idaho. In Idaho, some counties have adult vaccination rates under 30%, said Elke Shaw-Tulloch, public health administrator for the state Department of Health and Welfare.

To increase vaccinations, several states are working to break up large shipments of vaccine into smaller lots, which can then be distributed to doctors’ offices. Health officials see primary care physicians as key to easing people’s concerns.

“People want to hear it from their doctor, their medical providers, people that they know and trust,” Norman said.

Big, splashy giveaways such as lotteries have gotten a lot of headlines and dispensed millions of dollars. In Maine, home of the outdoor wear company L.L. Bean, Bean gift cards were a big hit. But elsewhere, there has been skepticism about such programs.

Shaw-Tulloch said some businesses in Idaho had offered financial incentives for employees to get vaccinated but didn’t get many takers. Instead, she said, the key is making it easy to get a vaccine by turning it into part of a person’s “daily flow.”

Some people’s attitude is that “if a vaccine were to fall out of the sky and hit me in the arm, I’ll get it. But I’m not going to interrupt my busy daily life to make that effort and go in and get a vaccination,” she said.

She added: “That’s why we’re really focusing on walk-in clinics, pop-up clinics where, wherever they turn, there’s a place that’s easily available for getting the vaccine.”

Elsewhere around the world, there have been glimmers of hope, as India reopened the Taj Mahal amid a decline in new infections. In France, where virus cases are below 4,000 per day — down from 35,000 in the spring — authorities eased the requirements on wearing masks outdoors and said the nightly curfew will end this weekend.

“We have not known such a low level of virus spreading since last August,” Prime Minister Jean Castex said.

Meanwhile, South Africa imposed tighter restrictions on public gatherings and liquor sales as hospital admissions due to COVID-19 increased by 59% over the past two weeks, authorities said. New cases there have nearly doubled.

The recorded U.S. death toll from COVID-19 hit 600,000 on Tuesday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, it stands at 3.8 million, though both numbers are thought to be a significant undercount.

By MICHELLE R. SMITHAs cases tumble and states reopen, the potential final stage in the U.S. campaign to vanquish COVID-19 is turning into a slog, with a worrisome variant gaining a bigger foothold and lotteries and other prizes failing to persuade some Americans to get vaccinated.“The last half, the last mile, the last quarter-mile always requires more effort,” Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said Wednesday.While two of the states slammed hardest by the disaster, California and New York, celebrated their reopenings this week with fireworks and a multimillion-dollar drawing, hospitalizations in parts of Missouri are surging and cases are rising sharply in Texas, illustrating the challenges the country faces this summer.One major concern is the highly contagious and potentially more severe delta variant of the coronavirus that originated in India. While health officials say the vaccines are effective against it, the fear is that it will lead to outbreaks in states with lower vaccination rates.The delta variant has increased from 2.7% of all cases in May to 9.7% this month, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a call for governors on Monday, according to details provided by the Washington governor’s office.At the same time, states are convening focus groups to better understand who is declining to get vaccinated, why, and how to convince them that getting the shot is the right thing to do.“It’s a race between the vaccines going into people and the current or future variants,” said Kansas Health Secretary Dr. Lee Norman.Average deaths and cases per day have plummeted 90% or more across the U.S. since the winter. But the picture is uneven.In Texas, the rolling average of newly confirmed infections has climbed from about 1,000 per day on May 31 to nearly 2,000 this week.A swath of Missouri is seeing a big rise in cases and hospitalizations as tourists eager to get out after being cooped up for a year make their way to popular destinations like Branson and Lake of the Ozarks. Health officials said more than 200 people were hospitalized with the virus in southwestern Missouri, nearly double the number at the start of May. The number of patients in intensive care units in the region has tripled.Health experts cite two factors driving the surge there: the faster-spreading delta variant and a reluctance among residents to get vaccinated.The U.S. is expected to fall short of President Joe Biden’s goal of dispensing at least one dose to 70% of American adults by July 4. The figure stands at about 65%.Among the states that don’t expect to hit the goal are Kansas and Idaho. In Idaho, some counties have adult vaccination rates under 30%, said Elke Shaw-Tulloch, public health administrator for the state Department of Health and Welfare.To increase vaccinations, several states are working to break up large shipments of vaccine into smaller lots, which can then be distributed to doctors’ offices. Health officials see primary care physicians as key to easing people’s concerns.“People want to hear it from their doctor, their medical providers, people that they know and trust,” Norman said.Big, splashy giveaways such as lotteries have gotten a lot of headlines and dispensed millions of dollars. In Maine, home of the outdoor wear company L.L. Bean, Bean gift cards were a big hit. But elsewhere, there has been skepticism about such programs.Shaw-Tulloch said some businesses in Idaho had offered financial incentives for employees to get vaccinated but didn’t get many takers. Instead, she said, the key is making it easy to get a vaccine by turning it into part of a person’s “daily flow.”Some people’s attitude is that “if a vaccine were to fall out of the sky and hit me in the arm, I’ll get it. But I’m not going to interrupt my busy daily life to make that effort and go in and get a vaccination,” she said.She added: “That’s why we’re really focusing on walk-in clinics, pop-up clinics where, wherever they turn, there’s a place that’s easily available for getting the vaccine.”Elsewhere around the world, there have been glimmers of hope, as India reopened the Taj Mahal amid a decline in new infections. In France, where virus cases are below 4,000 per day — down from 35,000 in the spring — authorities eased the requirements on wearing masks outdoors and said the nightly curfew will end this weekend.“We have not known such a low level of virus spreading since last August,” Prime Minister Jean Castex said.Meanwhile, South Africa imposed tighter restrictions on public gatherings and liquor sales as hospital admissions due to COVID-19 increased by 59% over the past two weeks, authorities said. New cases there have nearly doubled.The recorded U.S. death toll from COVID-19 hit 600,000 on Tuesday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, it stands at 3.8 million, though both numbers are thought to be a significant undercount.___

Vaccine effort turns into slog as infectious variant spreads

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service has started sending letters
 to more than 36 million American families who, based on tax returns 
filed with the agency, may be eligible to receive monthly Child Tax 
Credit payments starting in July.

The expanded and newly-advanceable Child Tax Credit was authorized by
 the American Rescue Plan Act, enacted in March. The letters are going 
to families who may be eligible based on information they included in 
either their 2019 or 2020 federal income tax return or who used the 
Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov last year to register for an Economic Impact 
Payment.

Families who are eligible for advance Child Tax Credit payments will 
receive a second, personalized letter listing an estimate of their 
monthly payment, which begins July 15.

Most families do not need to take any action to get their payment. 
Normally, the IRS will calculate the payment amount based on the 2020 
tax return. If that return is not available, either because it has not 
yet been filed or it has not yet been processed, the IRS will instead 
determine the payment amount using the 2019 return.

Eligible families will begin receiving advance payments, either by 
direct deposit or check. The payment will be up to $300 per month for 
each qualifying child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each 
qualifying child ages 6 to 17.The IRS will issue advance Child Tax 
Credit payments on July 15, August&nbsp;13, September 15, October 15, 
November 15 and December 15.

Eligible families should file tax returns soon

The IRS urges individuals and families who haven't yet filed their 
2020 return – or 2019 return – to do so as soon as possible so they can 
receive any advance payment they're eligible for.

Filing soon will also ensure that the IRS has their most current 
banking information, as well as key details about qualifying children. 
This includes people who don't normally file a tax return, such as 
families experiencing homelessness, the rural poor, and other 
underserved groups.

For most people, the fastest and easiest way to file a return is by using the Free File system, available only on IRS.gov.

Throughout the summer, the IRS will be adding additional tools and 
online resources to help with the advance Child Tax Credit. One of these
 tools will enable families to unenroll from receiving these advance 
payments and instead receive the full amount of the credit when they 
file their 2021 return next year.

Additionally, later this year, individuals and families will also be 
able to go to IRS.gov and use a Child Tax Credit Update Portal to notify
 IRS of changes in their income, filing status, or number of qualifying 
children; update their direct deposit information; and make other 
changes to ensure they are receiving the right amount as quickly as 
possible.

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

In the next few weeks, the page will also feature other useful new online tools, including:

The American Rescue Plan raised the maximum Child Tax Credit in 2021 
to $3,600 for qualifying children under the age of 6 and to $3,000 per 
child for qualifying children between ages 6 and 17. Before 2021, the 
credit was worth up to $2,000 per eligible child, and 17 year-olds were 
not considered as qualifying children for the credit.

The new maximum credit is available to taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income (AGI) of:

For most people, modified AGI is the amount shown on Line 11 of 
their 2020 Form 1040 or 1040-SR. Above these income thresholds, the 
extra amount above the original $2,000 credit — either $1,000 or $1,600 
per child — is reduced by $50 for every extra $1,000 in modified AGI.

In addition, the entire credit is fully refundable for 2021. This means that eligible families
 can get it, even if they owe no federal income tax. Before this year, 
the refundable portion was limited to $1,400 per child.

The IRS urges community groups, non-profits, associations, education 
organizations, and others with connections to people with children to 
share this critical information about the Child Tax Credit as well as 
other important benefits. The IRS will be providing in the near future 
additional materials and information that can be easily shared by social
 media, email and other methods.

For the most up-to-date information on the Child Tax Credit and advance payments, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 2021</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service has started sending letters
 to more than 36 million American families who, based on tax returns 
filed with the agency, may be eligible to receive monthly Child Tax 
Credit payments starting in July.The expanded and newly-advanceable Child Tax Credit was authorized by
 the American Rescue Plan Act, enacted in March. The letters are going 
to families who may be eligible based on information they included in 
either their 2019 or 2020 federal income tax return or who used the 
Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov last year to register for an Economic Impact 
Payment.Families who are eligible for advance Child Tax Credit payments will 
receive a second, personalized letter listing an estimate of their 
monthly payment, which begins July 15.Most families do not need to take any action to get their payment. 
Normally, the IRS will calculate the payment amount based on the 2020 
tax return. If that return is not available, either because it has not 
yet been filed or it has not yet been processed, the IRS will instead 
determine the payment amount using the 2019 return.Eligible families will begin receiving advance payments, either by 
direct deposit or check. The payment will be up to $300 per month for 
each qualifying child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each 
qualifying child ages 6 to 17.The IRS will issue advance Child Tax 
Credit payments on July 15, August&nbsp;13, September 15, October 15, 
November 15 and December 15.<h2>Eligible families should file tax returns soon</h2>The IRS urges individuals and families who haven't yet filed their 
2020 return – or 2019 return – to do so as soon as possible so they can 
receive any advance payment they're eligible for.Filing soon will also ensure that the IRS has their most current 
banking information, as well as key details about qualifying children. 
This includes people who don't normally file a tax return, such as 
families experiencing homelessness, the rural poor, and other 
underserved groups.For most people, the fastest and easiest way to file a return is by using the Free File system, available only on IRS.gov.Throughout the summer, the IRS will be adding additional tools and 
online resources to help with the advance Child Tax Credit. One of these
 tools will enable families to unenroll from receiving these advance 
payments and instead receive the full amount of the credit when they 
file their 2021 return next year.Additionally, later this year, individuals and families will also be 
able to go to IRS.gov and use a Child Tax Credit Update Portal to notify
 IRS of changes in their income, filing status, or number of qualifying 
children; update their direct deposit information; and make other 
changes to ensure they are receiving the right amount as quickly as 
possible.<h2>Other tools coming soon</h2>The IRS has created a special Advance Child Tax Credit 2021 page at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>, designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the credit and the advance payments.In the next few weeks, the page will also feature other useful new online tools, including:<ul>
 <li>An interactive Child Tax Credit eligibility tool to help 
families determine whether they qualify for the Advance Child Tax Credit
 payments.</li><li>Another tool, the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, will initially 
enable anyone who has been determined to be eligible for advance 
payments unenroll/ to opt out of the advance payment program. Later this
 year, it will allow people to check on the status of their payments, 
make updates to their information, and be available in Spanish. More 
details will be available soon about the online Child Tax Credit Update 
Portal.</li>
 </ul><h2>Child Tax Credit Changes</h2>The American Rescue Plan raised the maximum Child Tax Credit in 2021 
to $3,600 for qualifying children under the age of 6 and to $3,000 per 
child for qualifying children between ages 6 and 17. Before 2021, the 
credit was worth up to $2,000 per eligible child, and 17 year-olds were 
not considered as qualifying children for the credit.The new maximum credit is available to taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income (AGI) of:<ul>
 <li>$75,000 or less for singles,</li><li>$112,500 or less for heads of household, and</li><li>$150,000 or less for married couples filing a joint return and qualified widows and widowers.</li>
 </ul>For most people, modified AGI is the amount shown on Line 11 of 
their 2020 Form 1040 or 1040-SR. Above these income thresholds, the 
extra amount above the original $2,000 credit — either $1,000 or $1,600 
per child — is reduced by $50 for every extra $1,000 in modified AGI.In addition, the entire credit is fully refundable for 2021. This means that eligible families
 can get it, even if they owe no federal income tax. Before this year, 
the refundable portion was limited to $1,400 per child.The IRS urges community groups, non-profits, associations, education 
organizations, and others with connections to people with children to 
share this critical information about the Child Tax Credit as well as 
other important benefits. The IRS will be providing in the near future 
additional materials and information that can be easily shared by social
 media, email and other methods.For the most up-to-date information on the Child Tax Credit and advance payments, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 2021</a>.

IRS: Letters going out to 38M families getting Child Tax Credit payments

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President Joe Biden says that Champ, the older of the family's two dogs, has died “peacefully at home.” The German shepherd was 13.

The president and first lady Jill Biden got Champ from a breeder after Biden was elected vice president in 2008. Since then Champ has been a fixture at both the vice president’s residence at the Naval Observatory and now the White House. 

The Bidens say in a statement that  Champ “was our constant, cherished companion during the last 13 years and was adored by the entire Biden family.” Champ’s passing leaves the Bidens with their younger German shepherd, Major. The Bidens are expected to bring a cat to the White House sometime soon.

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President Joe Biden says that Champ, the older of the family's two dogs, has died “peacefully at home.” The German shepherd was 13.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our family lost our loving companion Champ today. I will miss him. <a href="https://t.co/sePqXBIAsE">pic.twitter.com/sePqXBIAsE</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1406273358187044868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The president and first lady Jill Biden got Champ from a breeder after Biden was elected vice president in 2008. Since then Champ has been a fixture at both the vice president’s residence at the Naval Observatory and now the White House. The Bidens say in a statement that Champ “was our constant, cherished companion during the last 13 years and was adored by the entire Biden family.” Champ’s passing leaves the Bidens with their younger German shepherd, Major. The Bidens are expected to bring a cat to the White House sometime soon.

President Bidens' older dog, Champ, has died

TORONTO (AP) — Canada’s public safety minister says border restrictions on nonessential travel with the United States will be extended until July 21. 

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says the move has been made in coordination with the U.S. He says Canada’s number one priority is to keep Canadians safe during the pandemic. 

The border between Canada and the U.S. remains closed to all nonessential travel. The restrictions were announced in March, 2020 in the early months of the pandemic and have been extended every month since. There are growing calls in the U.S. to open the Canada-U.S. border for nonessential travel like tourism, but less than 20% of eligible Canadians are fully vaccinated now.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584542151826.png" alt="Washington State Dept. of Transportation border traffic camera looking south from Canada 9:37 a.m. CDT&nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Washington State Dept. of Transportation border traffic camera looking south from Canada 9:37 a.m. CDT&nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>TORONTO (AP) — Canada’s public safety minister says border restrictions on nonessential travel with the United States will be extended until July 21. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says the move has been made in coordination with the U.S. He says Canada’s number one priority is to keep Canadians safe during the pandemic. The border between Canada and the U.S. remains closed to all nonessential travel. The restrictions were announced in March, 2020 in the early months of the pandemic and have been extended every month since. There are growing calls in the U.S. to open the Canada-U.S. border for nonessential travel like tourism, but less than 20% of eligible Canadians are fully vaccinated now.

Pandemic stress: US-Canada border restrictions extended 

WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service today unveiled an online <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-non-filer-sign-up-tool">Non-filer Sign-up tool</a>
 designed to help eligible families who don't normally file tax returns 
register for the monthly Advance Child Tax Credit payments, scheduled to
 begin July 15.

This tool, an update of last year's IRS Non-filers tool, is also 
designed to help eligible individuals who don't normally file income tax
 returns register for the $1,400 third round of Economic Impact Payments
 (also known as stimulus checks) and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit 
for any amount of the first two rounds of Economic Impact Payments they 
may have missed.

Developed in partnership with Intuit and delivered through the Free 
File Alliance, this tool provides a free and easy way for eligible 
people who don't make enough income to have an income tax return-filing 
obligation to provide the IRS the basic information needed—name, 
address, and Social Security numbers—to figure and issue their Advance 
Child Tax Credit payments. Often, these are individuals and families who
 receive little or no income, including those experiencing homelessness 
and other underserved groups. This new tool is available only on 
IRS.gov.

"We have been working hard to begin delivering the monthly Advance 
Child Tax Credit to millions of families with children in July," said 
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "This new tool will help more people 
easily gain access to this important credit as well as help people who 
don't normally file a tax return obtain an Economic Impact Payment. We 
encourage people to review the details about this important new effort."

The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-non-filer-sign-up-tool">Non-filer Sign-up tool</a>
 is for people who did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2020 and who 
did not use the IRS Non-filers tool last year to register for Economic 
Impact Payments. The tool enables them to provide required information 
about themselves, their qualifying children age 17 and under, their 
other dependents, and their direct deposit bank information so the IRS 
can quickly and easily deposit the payments directly into their checking
 or savings account.

Eligible families who already filed or plan to file 2019 or 2020 
income tax returns should not use this tool. Once the IRS processes 
their 2019 or 2020 tax return, the information will be used to determine
 eligibility and issue advance payments. Families who want to claim 
other tax benefits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit for low- and 
moderate-income families, should not use this tool and instead file a 
regular tax return. For them, the fastest and easiest way to file a 
return is the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a> system, available only on IRS.gov.

Public-private partnership plays vital role

Intuit developed the Non-filer Sign-up tool for the IRS and delivers 
this tool through its participation in the Free File Alliance. Intuit 
has a long history of working closely with the IRS on innovative 
solutions, including last year's Non-filers: Enter Payment Info
 Here tool. In addition, for many years, Intuit has offered Free File 
Fillable Forms, also delivered through the Free File Alliance. This is 
the electronic version of IRS paper forms, which provides all taxpayers 
with the option to electronically file for free. There are no income 
restrictions for using this option to file a 2020 tax return.

The IRS urges everyone to be on the lookout for scams related to both
 Advance Child Tax Credit payments and Economic Impact Payments. The IRS
 emphasized that the only way to get either of these benefits is by 
either filing a tax return with the IRS or registering online through 
the Non-filer Sign-up tool, exclusively on IRS.gov. Any other option is a
 scam.

Watch out for scams using email, phone calls or texts related to the 
payments. Be careful and cautious: The IRS never sends unsolicited 
electronic communications asking anyone to open attachments or visit a 
non-governmental web site.

The page already features a link to the Non-filer Sign-up tool. In 
the next few weeks, it will also feature other useful new tools, 
including:

The IRS urges community groups, non-profits, associations, education 
organizations and anyone else with connections to people with children 
to share this critical information about the Advance Child Tax Credit as
 well as other important benefits. The IRS will provide additional 
materials and information in the near future that can be easily shared 
by social media, email and other methods.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service today unveiled an online <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-non-filer-sign-up-tool">Non-filer Sign-up tool</a>
 designed to help eligible families who don't normally file tax returns 
register for the monthly Advance Child Tax Credit payments, scheduled to
 begin July 15.This tool, an update of last year's IRS Non-filers tool, is also 
designed to help eligible individuals who don't normally file income tax
 returns register for the $1,400 third round of Economic Impact Payments
 (also known as stimulus checks) and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit 
for any amount of the first two rounds of Economic Impact Payments they 
may have missed.Developed in partnership with Intuit and delivered through the Free 
File Alliance, this tool provides a free and easy way for eligible 
people who don't make enough income to have an income tax return-filing 
obligation to provide the IRS the basic information needed—name, 
address, and Social Security numbers—to figure and issue their Advance 
Child Tax Credit payments. Often, these are individuals and families who
 receive little or no income, including those experiencing homelessness 
and other underserved groups. This new tool is available only on 
IRS.gov."We have been working hard to begin delivering the monthly Advance 
Child Tax Credit to millions of families with children in July," said 
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "This new tool will help more people 
easily gain access to this important credit as well as help people who 
don't normally file a tax return obtain an Economic Impact Payment. We 
encourage people to review the details about this important new effort."The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-non-filer-sign-up-tool">Non-filer Sign-up tool</a>
 is for people who did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2020 and who 
did not use the IRS Non-filers tool last year to register for Economic 
Impact Payments. The tool enables them to provide required information 
about themselves, their qualifying children age 17 and under, their 
other dependents, and their direct deposit bank information so the IRS 
can quickly and easily deposit the payments directly into their checking
 or savings account.<h2>No action needed by most families</h2>Eligible families who already filed or plan to file 2019 or 2020 
income tax returns should not use this tool. Once the IRS processes 
their 2019 or 2020 tax return, the information will be used to determine
 eligibility and issue advance payments. Families who want to claim 
other tax benefits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit for low- and 
moderate-income families, should not use this tool and instead file a 
regular tax return. For them, the fastest and easiest way to file a 
return is the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a> system, available only on IRS.gov.<h2>Public-private partnership plays vital role</h2>Intuit developed the Non-filer Sign-up tool for the IRS and delivers 
this tool through its participation in the Free File Alliance. Intuit 
has a long history of working closely with the IRS on innovative 
solutions, including last year's Non-filers: Enter Payment Info
 Here tool. In addition, for many years, Intuit has offered Free File 
Fillable Forms, also delivered through the Free File Alliance. This is 
the electronic version of IRS paper forms, which provides all taxpayers 
with the option to electronically file for free. There are no income 
restrictions for using this option to file a 2020 tax return.<h2>Watch out for scams</h2>The IRS urges everyone to be on the lookout for scams related to both
 Advance Child Tax Credit payments and Economic Impact Payments. The IRS
 emphasized that the only way to get either of these benefits is by 
either filing a tax return with the IRS or registering online through 
the Non-filer Sign-up tool, exclusively on IRS.gov. Any other option is a
 scam.Watch out for scams using email, phone calls or texts related to the 
payments. Be careful and cautious: The IRS never sends unsolicited 
electronic communications asking anyone to open attachments or visit a 
non-governmental web site.<h2>Other tools coming soon</h2>The IRS has created a special Advance Child Tax Credit 2021 page at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>, designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the credit and the advance payments.The page already features a link to the Non-filer Sign-up tool. In 
the next few weeks, it will also feature other useful new tools, 
including:<ul>
 <li>An interactive Child Tax Credit eligibility assistant to help 
families determine whether they qualify for the Advance Child Tax Credit
 payments.</li><li>Another tool, the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, will initially 
enable anyone who has been determined to be eligible for advance 
payments to see that they are eligible and unenroll/opt out of the 
advance payment program. Later, it will allow people to check on the 
status of their payments, make updates to their information and be 
available in Spanish.</li>
 </ul><h2>Community partners can help</h2>The IRS urges community groups, non-profits, associations, education 
organizations and anyone else with connections to people with children 
to share this critical information about the Advance Child Tax Credit as
 well as other important benefits. The IRS will provide additional 
materials and information in the near future that can be easily shared 
by social media, email and other methods.<h2>About the Advance Child Tax Credit</h2>The expanded and newly-advanceable Child Tax Credit was authorized by
 the American Rescue Plan Act, enacted in March. Normally, the IRS will 
calculate the payment based on a person's 2020 tax return, including 
those who use the Non-filer Sign-up tool. If that return is not 
available because it has not yet been filed or is still being processed,
 the IRS will instead determine the initial payment amounts using the 
2019 return or the information entered using the Non-filers tool that 
was available in 2020.The payment will be up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each child age 6 through 17.To make sure families have easy access to their money, the IRS will 
issue these payments by direct deposit, as long as correct banking 
information has previously been provided to the IRS. Otherwise, people 
should watch their mail around July 15 for their mailed payment. The 
dates for the Advance Child Tax Credit payments are July 15, Aug. 13, 
Sept. 15, Oct. 15, Nov. 15 and Dec. 15.For more information, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>, or read <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">FAQs on the 2021 Child Tax Credit and Advance Child Tax Credit Payments</a>.