OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities are investigating after finding a 24-year-old man serving a short sentence in the Douglas County Jail dead in his cell. 

The Douglas County Department of Corrections says Victor Harman was found unresponsive by jail staff Monday afternoon. 

Jail staff and medics tried to revive Harman, but he was declared dead at the jail. Authorities have not said what caused his death. 

Harman had begun a 30-day sentence last week for convictions of second-offense drunken driving and second-offense driving while his license was revoked.

 State law requires a grand jury investigation any time someone dies in custody.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities are investigating after finding a 24-year-old man serving a short sentence in the Douglas County Jail dead in his cell. The Douglas County Department of Corrections says Victor Harman was found unresponsive by jail staff Monday afternoon. Jail staff and medics tried to revive Harman, but he was declared dead at the jail. Authorities have not said what caused his death. Harman had begun a 30-day sentence last week for convictions of second-offense drunken driving and second-offense driving while his license was revoked. State law requires a grand jury investigation any time someone dies in custody.

24-year-old prisoner found dead in Omaha jail cell

GREEN RIVER, Wyo. (AP) — A judge has sentenced a Wyoming man to life in prison without parole on first-degree murder charges in the death of a 5-year-old boy in his care. 

The Rocket-Miner reported that Sweetwater County Third District Court Judge Suzannah Robinson sentenced 27-year-old Christopher James Nielsen last week. 

Court documents say Nielsen was arrested Nov. 14, 2019, and was originally charged with aggravated child abuse after the boy was taken to hospital where he died on Nov. 28, 2019, from excessive brain trauma.

 The aggravated child abuse charge was elevated after the boy died.

 Nielsen apologized for his actions and said that he prays for forgiveness even though he doesn’t deserve it.

GREEN RIVER, Wyo. (AP) — A judge has sentenced a Wyoming man to life in prison without parole on first-degree murder charges in the death of a 5-year-old boy in his care. The Rocket-Miner reported that Sweetwater County Third District Court Judge Suzannah Robinson sentenced 27-year-old Christopher James Nielsen last week. Court documents say Nielsen was arrested Nov. 14, 2019, and was originally charged with aggravated child abuse after the boy was taken to hospital where he died on Nov. 28, 2019, from excessive brain trauma. The aggravated child abuse charge was elevated after the boy died. Nielsen apologized for his actions and said that he prays for forgiveness even though he doesn’t deserve it.

Wyoming man gets life in prison in death of Green River boy

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly described whether U.S. Reps. Jake LaTurner and Rep. Ron Estes had used earmarks. Estes opposed the return to using earmarks, and a spokesman for LaTurner previously said he did not participate, but both have made multiple earmark requests to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

By ABIGAIL CENSKY <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-06-07/earmarks-pose-tricky-question-for-kansas-republicans-miss-out-on-money-or-keep-your-reputation">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA, Kansas — Eleven years ago, in a navy-and-wood-paneled Topeka TV studio, then U.S. Reps. Jerry Moran and Todd Tiahrt <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?294388-1/kansas-senate-republican-primary-debate" target="_blank">argued</a> ahead of the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate.

Looking
 directly into the camera, Moran told viewers he backed a moratorium on 
earmarks, but “Congressman Tiahrt led the effort to keep the earmarks 
process in place.”

“Well, when
 you listen to Congressman Moran, you’d think that I’m the only one in 
Washington or from Kansas that does earmarks,” Tiahrt said.

“In fact, just last year,” Tiahrt said, “Moran supported and requested more than $250 million dollars in earmarks.”

Earmarks
 give Congress a tool to tie money from a spending bill to a specific 
project without going through all of the hoops of a normal funding 
request.

They’d become a favorite target for Republicans, glaring 
examples of the soft corruption of incumbents that wasted money on 
things like a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-alaska-bridge/alaskas-bridge-to-nowhere-plan-finally-scrapped-idUSKCN0SI00120151024" target="_blank">bridge to nowwhere.</a> And when the budget hawks of the Tea Party swept into the U.S. House, earmarks got swept away.

Tiahrt’s
 seat on the powerful appropriations committee and his desire to reform 
earmarks, rather than ditch them entirely, put a target on his back. He 
lost to Moran, who’s since become a senator.

This year, Democrats 
in Congress brought earmarks back, and they’ve invited Republicans to 
join in snagging money for special projects in their districts. Some 
Republicans are cashing in. But earmarks pose a double-edged sword for 
members of a party that has long stood for less spending and lower 
taxes. If they don’t play the earmark game, they leave money in 
Washington that could’ve come back to their districts — and won them 
votes.

In 2010, before Jerry Moran became a senator, gone were the days of touting the $142, 500 dollars he had secured to help <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/state/2010-07-02/earmarks_tricky_business" target="_blank">pay for </a>the McPherson Opera House, or the earmark requests he’d made to help a community college build a biotech center.

Shortly
 after the 2010 elections, the earmarks that helped build coalitions, 
pass big spending bills, and generally greased the wheels of Capitol 
Hill <a href="https://www.rollcall.com/2010/11/04/boehner-house-will-have-earmark-moratorium/" target="_blank">went away</a> when House Speaker John Boehner banned them.

Giving
 up earmarks also meant surrendering up a way to control some of the 
Republican Party’s most fiscally conservative firebrands. There weren’t 
as many incentives like campaign donations or spending money for special
 projects to bring people to middle ground.

“What else do you 
have? Well, you could really go nuclear, if someone is a real thorn in 
your side, and remove them from a committee,” said Laura Blessing, who 
studied earmarks as a senior fellow at the Georgetown Government Affairs
 Institute. “It's just too strong of a tool. That's a sledgehammer.”

Then-U.S.Rep.
 Tim Huelskamp felt that hammer’s blow. He’d had a stormy relationship 
with Boehner. The speaker booted the congressman from western Kansas, 
and leader of the House Freedom Caucus, off the House Agriculture 
Committee. And for the first time in 150 years, Kansas no longer had a 
player sitting at the table when farm policy got hashed out.

When he ran for reelection in 2016, attack ads blasted the Republican for losing that Ag seat.

Michael Smith, a political science professor at Emporia State University, said Huelskamp effectively <a href="https://www.npr.org/2016/08/03/488568404/tea-party-rep-tim-huelskamp-defeated-in-kansas-primary" target="_blank">lost re-election</a> when he lost his spot on the committee.

“When
 Roger Marshall challenged him in the primaries, he didn’t specifically 
run on earmarks. Earmarks are kind of politically touchy,” Smith said. 
But “he hammered Huelskamp on the idea (that) he is not the most 
effective of bringing home resources to this district. And earmarks are a
 part of that.”

Yet when asked about earmarks recently, now-Sen. Marshall<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/05/senate-republicans-earmarks-485373" target="_blank"> told Politico</a>, “I’m gonna do everything I can to blow up the process so that no one does earmarks.”

Rep. Tracey Mann, a Republican from Salina, said in a <a href="https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-tracey-manns-statement-earmarks-117th-congress" target="_blank">statement</a>,
 “I did not run for office so I could be the caretaker in the slow 
demise of our great nation” noting he was worried a return to earmarks 
in the House, “will once again spiral out of control and lead to more 
government spending.”

U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, a Wichita Republican, 
agreed. A statement from his office said the earmarks process “detracts 
from focusing on how to reduce spending."

Smith said if 
Republicans continue to pass on earmarks, that’s leaving federal money 
that could benefit their districts on the table.

“Are they going 
to bring over that conservative ideology argument, no more big 
government?” he said. “Or are they going to go back to the more 
traditional kind of Bob Dole type politics of talking small government, 
but still making sure that their districts get their fair share of the 
pie?”

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids is the lone Kansas Democrat in Congress. She supports earmarks to help <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article250974644.html" target="_blank">revamp a Kansas City highway</a> and buy more electric busses for her district. Davids has requested<a href="https://davids.house.gov/approps" target="_blank"> millions</a> of dollars in earmarks for a myriad of projects ranging from $43 million for a<a href="https://davids.house.gov/sites/davids.house.gov/files/wysiwyg_uploaded/Energy%20and%20Water%20Development%20CPF%20Requests%20-%20FY22.pdf" target="_blank"> levee and flood wall system</a> in Merriam to an <a href="https://davids.house.gov/sites/davids.house.gov/files/wysiwyg_uploaded/LaborHHS%20Ed%20CPF%20Requests%20-%20FY22.pdf" target="_blank">imaging machine</a> at the University of Kansas Cancer Center.

So far, the three Republicans who represent Kansas in the U.S. House have not requested<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/transparency" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/transparency" target="_blank">many earmarks</a>.

Estes
 opposed the return to using earmarks, and a spokesman for U.S. Rep. 
Jake LaTurner previously said he did not participate in requests this 
year. But the two congressmen have made<a href="https://transportation.house.gov/committee-activity/issue/member-designated-projects" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://transportation.house.gov/committee-activity/issue/member-designated-projects" target="_blank">multiple</a> requests to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

A
 spokesperson for LaTurner’s office said the congressman “stuck to his 
word” and didn’t request earmarks during the appropriations process this
 winter.

“(But) as Congress moved on to the transportation plan we
 had additional time and chose to submit office and state-vetted, 
approved, and sponsored transportation projects previously qualified to 
receive federal funds,” his office said in a statement. “Representative 
LaTurner is proud to utilize his Constitutionally derived authority to 
facilitate interstate commerce by seeking funds for critical 
infrastructure projects in eastern Kansas.”

The only member of the Kansas delegation who hasn’t decided on whether to participate yet is Moran.

When Politico <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/05/senate-republicans-earmarks-485373" target="_blank">polled senators</a>
 in early May, Moran was one of more than a dozen who were undecided if 
they would participate in earmarks this year. His office didn’t respond 
to multiple requests for comment.

Jim Slattery is a former 
Democratic member of Congress from Topeka. He said he thinks the Kansas 
delegation should request earmarks. If Congress doesn’t choose where to 
spend the money, he said, the president will. That cash could end up 
going to swing states that are more politically useful to the president.
 Not Kansas.

“Why,” he said, “would they not aggressively pursue 
the money that is being appropriated to build highways and build 
infrastructure to improve the internet and broadband capability in 
Kansas?”

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 (at) kcur (dot) org.

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/2021/3/1614817353591.png" alt="GOP members of the Kansas congressional delegation pose with Democrat Representative Sharice Davids during a January meeting- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>GOP members of the Kansas congressional delegation pose with Democrat Representative Sharice Davids during a January meeting- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly described whether U.S. Reps. Jake LaTurner and Rep. Ron Estes had used earmarks. Estes opposed the return to using earmarks, and a spokesman for LaTurner previously said he did not participate, but both have made multiple earmark requests to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.By ABIGAIL CENSKY <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-06-07/earmarks-pose-tricky-question-for-kansas-republicans-miss-out-on-money-or-keep-your-reputation">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA, Kansas — Eleven years ago, in a navy-and-wood-paneled Topeka TV studio, then U.S. Reps. Jerry Moran and Todd Tiahrt <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?294388-1/kansas-senate-republican-primary-debate" target="_blank">argued</a> ahead of the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate.Looking
 directly into the camera, Moran told viewers he backed a moratorium on 
earmarks, but “Congressman Tiahrt led the effort to keep the earmarks 
process in place.”Tiahrt framed it differently.“Well, when
 you listen to Congressman Moran, you’d think that I’m the only one in 
Washington or from Kansas that does earmarks,” Tiahrt said.But, he said, everyone was using them.“In fact, just last year,” Tiahrt said, “Moran supported and requested more than $250 million dollars in earmarks.”Earmarks
 give Congress a tool to tie money from a spending bill to a specific 
project without going through all of the hoops of a normal funding 
request.They’d become a favorite target for Republicans, glaring 
examples of the soft corruption of incumbents that wasted money on 
things like a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-alaska-bridge/alaskas-bridge-to-nowhere-plan-finally-scrapped-idUSKCN0SI00120151024" target="_blank">bridge to nowwhere.</a> And when the budget hawks of the Tea Party swept into the U.S. House, earmarks got swept away.Tiahrt’s
 seat on the powerful appropriations committee and his desire to reform 
earmarks, rather than ditch them entirely, put a target on his back. He 
lost to Moran, who’s since become a senator.This year, Democrats 
in Congress brought earmarks back, and they’ve invited Republicans to 
join in snagging money for special projects in their districts. Some 
Republicans are cashing in. But earmarks pose a double-edged sword for 
members of a party that has long stood for less spending and lower 
taxes. If they don’t play the earmark game, they leave money in 
Washington that could’ve come back to their districts — and won them 
votes.A moratoriumIn 2010, before Jerry Moran became a senator, gone were the days of touting the $142, 500 dollars he had secured to help <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/state/2010-07-02/earmarks_tricky_business" target="_blank">pay for </a>the McPherson Opera House, or the earmark requests he’d made to help a community college build a biotech center.Shortly
 after the 2010 elections, the earmarks that helped build coalitions, 
pass big spending bills, and generally greased the wheels of Capitol 
Hill <a href="https://www.rollcall.com/2010/11/04/boehner-house-will-have-earmark-moratorium/" target="_blank">went away</a> when House Speaker John Boehner banned them.Giving
 up earmarks also meant surrendering up a way to control some of the 
Republican Party’s most fiscally conservative firebrands. There weren’t 
as many incentives like campaign donations or spending money for special
 projects to bring people to middle ground.“What else do you 
have? Well, you could really go nuclear, if someone is a real thorn in 
your side, and remove them from a committee,” said Laura Blessing, who 
studied earmarks as a senior fellow at the Georgetown Government Affairs
 Institute. “It's just too strong of a tool. That's a sledgehammer.”Then-U.S.Rep.
 Tim Huelskamp felt that hammer’s blow. He’d had a stormy relationship 
with Boehner. The speaker booted the congressman from western Kansas, 
and leader of the House Freedom Caucus, off the House Agriculture 
Committee. And for the first time in 150 years, Kansas no longer had a 
player sitting at the table when farm policy got hashed out.When he ran for reelection in 2016, attack ads blasted the Republican for losing that Ag seat.Michael Smith, a political science professor at Emporia State University, said Huelskamp effectively <a href="https://www.npr.org/2016/08/03/488568404/tea-party-rep-tim-huelskamp-defeated-in-kansas-primary" target="_blank">lost re-election</a> when he lost his spot on the committee.“When
 Roger Marshall challenged him in the primaries, he didn’t specifically 
run on earmarks. Earmarks are kind of politically touchy,” Smith said. 
But “he hammered Huelskamp on the idea (that) he is not the most 
effective of bringing home resources to this district. And earmarks are a
 part of that.”Play or notYet when asked about earmarks recently, now-Sen. Marshall<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/05/senate-republicans-earmarks-485373" target="_blank"> told Politico</a>, “I’m gonna do everything I can to blow up the process so that no one does earmarks.”Rep. Tracey Mann, a Republican from Salina, said in a <a href="https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-tracey-manns-statement-earmarks-117th-congress" target="_blank">statement</a>,
 “I did not run for office so I could be the caretaker in the slow 
demise of our great nation” noting he was worried a return to earmarks 
in the House, “will once again spiral out of control and lead to more 
government spending.”U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, a Wichita Republican, 
agreed. A statement from his office said the earmarks process “detracts 
from focusing on how to reduce spending."Smith said if 
Republicans continue to pass on earmarks, that’s leaving federal money 
that could benefit their districts on the table.“Are they going 
to bring over that conservative ideology argument, no more big 
government?” he said. “Or are they going to go back to the more 
traditional kind of Bob Dole type politics of talking small government, 
but still making sure that their districts get their fair share of the 
pie?”U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids is the lone Kansas Democrat in Congress. She supports earmarks to help <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article250974644.html" target="_blank">revamp a Kansas City highway</a> and buy more electric busses for her district. Davids has requested<a href="https://davids.house.gov/approps" target="_blank"> millions</a> of dollars in earmarks for a myriad of projects ranging from $43 million for a<a href="https://davids.house.gov/sites/davids.house.gov/files/wysiwyg_uploaded/Energy%20and%20Water%20Development%20CPF%20Requests%20-%20FY22.pdf" target="_blank"> levee and flood wall system</a> in Merriam to an <a href="https://davids.house.gov/sites/davids.house.gov/files/wysiwyg_uploaded/LaborHHS%20Ed%20CPF%20Requests%20-%20FY22.pdf" target="_blank">imaging machine</a> at the University of Kansas Cancer Center.So far, the three Republicans who represent Kansas in the U.S. House have not requested<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/transparency" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/transparency" target="_blank">many earmarks</a>.Estes
 opposed the return to using earmarks, and a spokesman for U.S. Rep. 
Jake LaTurner previously said he did not participate in requests this 
year. But the two congressmen have made<a href="https://transportation.house.gov/committee-activity/issue/member-designated-projects" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://transportation.house.gov/committee-activity/issue/member-designated-projects" target="_blank">multiple</a> requests to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.A
 spokesperson for LaTurner’s office said the congressman “stuck to his 
word” and didn’t request earmarks during the appropriations process this
 winter.“(But) as Congress moved on to the transportation plan we
 had additional time and chose to submit office and state-vetted, 
approved, and sponsored transportation projects previously qualified to 
receive federal funds,” his office said in a statement. “Representative 
LaTurner is proud to utilize his Constitutionally derived authority to 
facilitate interstate commerce by seeking funds for critical 
infrastructure projects in eastern Kansas.”The only member of the Kansas delegation who hasn’t decided on whether to participate yet is Moran.When Politico <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/05/senate-republicans-earmarks-485373" target="_blank">polled senators</a>
 in early May, Moran was one of more than a dozen who were undecided if 
they would participate in earmarks this year. His office didn’t respond 
to multiple requests for comment.Jim Slattery is a former 
Democratic member of Congress from Topeka. He said he thinks the Kansas 
delegation should request earmarks. If Congress doesn’t choose where to 
spend the money, he said, the president will. That cash could end up 
going to swing states that are more politically useful to the president.
 Not Kansas.“Why,” he said, “would they not aggressively pursue 
the money that is being appropriated to build highways and build 
infrastructure to improve the internet and broadband capability in 
Kansas?”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 (at) kcur (dot) org.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.

Earmarks pose tricky question for Kansas Republicans

WASHINGTON (AP) — Government health officials have approved the first drug that they say may help slow Alzheimer’s disease. 

The decision Monday came after the agency’s independent advisers said the treatment hadn’t been shown to help slow the brain-destroying disease. 

The Food and Drug Administration is not required to follow the panel's advice and approved the infused drug from Biogen. It's the first new Alzheimer’s treatment in nearly 20 years and the only one that FDA has backed to treat the underlying disease, rather than manage symptoms. 

One physician who voted against the drug says he is surprised and disappointed by the approval. 

Biogen said the drug would cost approximately $56,000 for a typical year’s worth of treatment.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Government health officials have approved the first drug that they say may help slow Alzheimer’s disease. The decision Monday came after the agency’s independent advisers said the treatment hadn’t been shown to help slow the brain-destroying disease. The Food and Drug Administration is not required to follow the panel's advice and approved the infused drug from Biogen. It's the first new Alzheimer’s treatment in nearly 20 years and the only one that FDA has backed to treat the underlying disease, rather than manage symptoms. One physician who voted against the drug says he is surprised and disappointed by the approval. Biogen said the drug would cost approximately $56,000 for a typical year’s worth of treatment.

FDA approves much-debated Alzheimer’s drug panned by experts

NEW YORK (AP) — Apple kicked off its second annual all-virtual developer conference with a keynote that outlined new updates to its software for iPhones and other devices. 

The presentation highlighted features such as more privacy options for paid iCloud accounts and a “Find My” service that helps find errant AirPods, but included no major product announcements. 

The latest renovations in Apple’s $2 trillion empire come at a pivotal time for the Cupertino, California, company. &nbsp;

Apple is facing legal and regulatory threats to its control over its App Store, a so-called “walled garden” that produces substantial profits for the company.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623154841294.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Apple kicked off its second annual all-virtual developer conference with a keynote that outlined new updates to its software for iPhones and other devices. The presentation highlighted features such as more privacy options for paid iCloud accounts and a “Find My” service that helps find errant AirPods, but included no major product announcements. The latest renovations in Apple’s $2 trillion empire come at a pivotal time for the Cupertino, California, company. &nbsp;Apple is facing legal and regulatory threats to its control over its App Store, a so-called “walled garden” that produces substantial profits for the company.

Apple previews new software for iPhone, other gadgets

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers who pay <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes">estimated taxes</a> that they have until June 15 to pay their estimated tax payment for the second quarter of tax year 2021 without penalty.

Estimated tax is the method used to pay tax on income that isn't 
subject to withholding. This includes income from self-employment, 
interest, dividends, rent, gains from the sale of assets,

prizes and awards. You may also have to pay estimated tax if the amount of income tax being

withheld from your salary, pension or other income isn't enough.

Individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, and S corporation 
shareholders, generally have to make estimated tax payments if they 
expect to owe tax of $1,000 or more when they file their return.

Individual taxpayers can use the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/am-i-required-to-make-estimated-tax-payments">IRS Interactive Tax Assistant</a> online to see if they are required to pay estimated taxes. They can also see the worksheet in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040-es">Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals</a> for more details on who must pay estimated tax.

Corporations generally have to make estimated tax payments if they 
expect to owe tax of $500 or more when they file their return. 
Corporations can see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1120-w">Form 1120-W, Estimated Tax for Corporations</a> for more information.

Special rules apply to some groups of taxpayers, such as farmers, 
fishermen, certain higher income taxpayers, casualty and disaster 
victims, those who recently became disabled, recent retirees and those 
who receive income unevenly during the year.

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-505">Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax</a>,
 has additional details, including worksheets and examples, that can be 
especially helpful to those who have dividend or capital gain income, 
owe alternative minimum tax or self-employment tax, or have other 
special situations.

This means taxpayers need to pay most of their taxes owed during the year as income is received. There are two ways to do that:

Taxpayers can avoid an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc306">underpayment penalty</a>
 by owing less than $1,000 at tax time or by paying most of their taxes 
during the year. Generally, for 2021 that means making payments of at 
least 90% of the tax expected on their 2021 return. Most taxpayers who 
pay at least 100 percent of the tax shown on their return for tax year 
2020 may also avoid the penalty. There are special rules for farmers and
 fishermen, certain household employers and certain higher income 
taxpayers. For more information, refer to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040-es">Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals</a>.

Generally, taxpayers should make estimated tax payments in four equal
 amounts to avoid a penalty. However, if they receive income unevenly 
during the year, they may be able to vary the amounts of the payments to
 avoid or lower the penalty by using the annualized installment method. 
Taxpayers can use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-2210">Form 2210, Underpayment of Estimated Tax by Individuals, Estates, and Trusts</a> to see if they owe a penalty for underpaying their estimated tax.

Third quarter payments are due September 15 and the final estimated tax payment for tax year 2021 is due on January 17, 2022.

If a taxpayer receives salaries and wages, they can avoid having to 
pay estimated tax by asking their employer to withhold more tax from 
their earnings. To do this, they would submit a new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">Form W-4</a> to their employer.

If a taxpayer receives a paycheck, the Tax Withholding Estimator can 
help them make sure they have the right amount of tax withheld from 
their pay.

The Tax Withholding Estimator offers workers, as well as retirees, 
self-employed individuals and other taxpayers a clear, step-by-step 
method for effectively checking their withholding to protect against 
having too little tax withheld and facing an unexpected tax bill or 
penalty at tax time next year.

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040-es">Form 1040-ES</a>&nbsp;includes instructions to help taxpayers figure their estimated taxes.

The fastest and easiest ways for individuals to make an estimated tax payment is electronically by using IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a> from their checking or savings account or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-your-taxes-by-debit-or-credit-card">pay using a debit or credit card</a>.
 Taxpayers should note that the payment processor, not the IRS, charges a
 fee for debit and credit card payments. Both Direct Pay and the pay by 
debit or credit card options are available online at IRS.gov and through
 the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go app</a>.

Taxpayers can also use the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)</a>&nbsp;to make an estimated tax payment.

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i1120w">Corporations</a>
 must use electronic funds transfer to make all federal tax deposits 
(such as deposits of employment, excise, and corporate income tax). This
 includes installment payments of estimated tax. Generally, electronic 
funds transfer is made using the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System 
(EFTPS). However, if the corporation does not want to use EFTPS, it can 
arrange for its tax professional, financial institution, payroll 
service, or other trusted third party to make electronic deposits on its
 behalf.

If taxpayers opt to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-by-check-or-money-order">mail a check or money order,</a> they should make them payable to the "United States Treasury."

For information on all payment options, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">IRS.gov/payments</a>.

Tax help is available 24/7 on IRS.gov. The IRS website offers a 
variety of online tools to help taxpayers answer common tax questions. 
For example, taxpayers can search the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita">Interactive Tax Assistant</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics">Tax Topics</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/faqs">Frequently Asked Questions</a> to get answers to common questions.

The IRS is continuing to expand ways to communicate to taxpayers who 
prefer to get information in other languages. The IRS has posted 
translated tax resources in 20 other languages on IRS.gov. For more 
information, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/languages">We Speak Your Language</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers who pay <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes">estimated taxes</a> that they have until June 15 to pay their estimated tax payment for the second quarter of tax year 2021 without penalty.Estimated tax is the method used to pay tax on income that isn't 
subject to withholding. This includes income from self-employment, 
interest, dividends, rent, gains from the sale of assets,prizes and awards. You may also have to pay estimated tax if the amount of income tax beingwithheld from your salary, pension or other income isn't enough.<h2>Who must pay estimated tax?</h2>Individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, and S corporation 
shareholders, generally have to make estimated tax payments if they 
expect to owe tax of $1,000 or more when they file their return.Individual taxpayers can use the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/am-i-required-to-make-estimated-tax-payments">IRS Interactive Tax Assistant</a> online to see if they are required to pay estimated taxes. They can also see the worksheet in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040-es">Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals</a> for more details on who must pay estimated tax.Corporations generally have to make estimated tax payments if they 
expect to owe tax of $500 or more when they file their return. 
Corporations can see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1120-w">Form 1120-W, Estimated Tax for Corporations</a> for more information.Special rules apply to some groups of taxpayers, such as farmers, 
fishermen, certain higher income taxpayers, casualty and disaster 
victims, those who recently became disabled, recent retirees and those 
who receive income unevenly during the year.<a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-505">Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax</a>,
 has additional details, including worksheets and examples, that can be 
especially helpful to those who have dividend or capital gain income, 
owe alternative minimum tax or self-employment tax, or have other 
special situations.<h2>Taxes are pay-as-you-go</h2>This means taxpayers need to pay most of their taxes owed during the year as income is received. There are two ways to do that:<ul>
 <li>Withholding from pay, pension or certain government payments such as Social Security</li><li>Making quarterly estimated tax payments during the year.</li>
 </ul>Taxpayers can avoid an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc306">underpayment penalty</a>
 by owing less than $1,000 at tax time or by paying most of their taxes 
during the year. Generally, for 2021 that means making payments of at 
least 90% of the tax expected on their 2021 return. Most taxpayers who 
pay at least 100 percent of the tax shown on their return for tax year 
2020 may also avoid the penalty. There are special rules for farmers and
 fishermen, certain household employers and certain higher income 
taxpayers. For more information, refer to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040-es">Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals</a>.Generally, taxpayers should make estimated tax payments in four equal
 amounts to avoid a penalty. However, if they receive income unevenly 
during the year, they may be able to vary the amounts of the payments to
 avoid or lower the penalty by using the annualized installment method. 
Taxpayers can use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-2210">Form 2210, Underpayment of Estimated Tax by Individuals, Estates, and Trusts</a> to see if they owe a penalty for underpaying their estimated tax.Third quarter payments are due September 15 and the final estimated tax payment for tax year 2021 is due on January 17, 2022.<h2>Tax Withholding Estimator</h2>If a taxpayer receives salaries and wages, they can avoid having to 
pay estimated tax by asking their employer to withhold more tax from 
their earnings. To do this, they would submit a new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">Form W-4</a> to their employer.If a taxpayer receives a paycheck, the Tax Withholding Estimator can 
help them make sure they have the right amount of tax withheld from 
their pay.The Tax Withholding Estimator offers workers, as well as retirees, 
self-employed individuals and other taxpayers a clear, step-by-step 
method for effectively checking their withholding to protect against 
having too little tax withheld and facing an unexpected tax bill or 
penalty at tax time next year.<h2>How to pay estimated taxes</h2><a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040-es">Form 1040-ES</a>&nbsp;includes instructions to help taxpayers figure their estimated taxes.The fastest and easiest ways for individuals to make an estimated tax payment is electronically by using IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a> from their checking or savings account or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-your-taxes-by-debit-or-credit-card">pay using a debit or credit card</a>.
 Taxpayers should note that the payment processor, not the IRS, charges a
 fee for debit and credit card payments. Both Direct Pay and the pay by 
debit or credit card options are available online at IRS.gov and through
 the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go app</a>.Taxpayers can also use the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)</a>&nbsp;to make an estimated tax payment.<a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i1120w">Corporations</a>
 must use electronic funds transfer to make all federal tax deposits 
(such as deposits of employment, excise, and corporate income tax). This
 includes installment payments of estimated tax. Generally, electronic 
funds transfer is made using the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System 
(EFTPS). However, if the corporation does not want to use EFTPS, it can 
arrange for its tax professional, financial institution, payroll 
service, or other trusted third party to make electronic deposits on its
 behalf.If taxpayers opt to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-by-check-or-money-order">mail a check or money order,</a> they should make them payable to the "United States Treasury."For information on all payment options, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">IRS.gov/payments</a>.<h2>IRS.gov assistance 24/7</h2>Tax help is available 24/7 on IRS.gov. The IRS website offers a 
variety of online tools to help taxpayers answer common tax questions. 
For example, taxpayers can search the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita">Interactive Tax Assistant</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics">Tax Topics</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/faqs">Frequently Asked Questions</a> to get answers to common questions.The IRS is continuing to expand ways to communicate to taxpayers who 
prefer to get information in other languages. The IRS has posted 
translated tax resources in 20 other languages on IRS.gov. For more 
information, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/languages">We Speak Your Language</a>.

IRS: Deadline approaches for second quarter estimated tax payments

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris offered an optimistic outlook for improved cooperation with Guatemala on addressing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-guatemala-central-america-immigration-coronavirus-pandemic-a37241f7310940c98dbdd986efec3532">spike in migration to the U.S.</a>&nbsp;after her meeting with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Monday. She also delivered a direct warning to migrants considering making the trek: “Do not come. Do not come.”

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?512371-1/vice-president-harris-guatemalan-president-giammattei-hold-news-conference">Click here</a> to watch the Vice President's press conference

Her comments, during a press conference after she met privately with Giammattei, underscored the challenge that remains even as Harris engages in substantive talks with the Guatemalan and Mexican presidents during a three-day visit to the region this week, her first foreign trip as vice president.

“I want to emphasize that the goal of our work is to help Guatemalans find hope at home,” Harris said. “At the same time, I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border: Do not come, do not come.”

In conjunction with Harris’ trip, the Biden administration announced that the Justice Department would create an anti-corruption task force and an additional task force to combat human trafficking and drug smuggling in the region. Harris also promised a new program focused on creating education and economic opportunities for girls there, among other new initiatives. And she told Giammattei that her goal in the region was to restore “hope” to residents so they no longer felt the need to flee their homeland for better opportunities in the U.S.

But for all the talk about new ways to cooperate, reining in corruption and improving living conditions in the region have been long-running challenges that previous administrations have been unable to achieve in their efforts to stem the tide of migration to the United States.

Part of the challenge remains that, despite the best efforts of U.S. officials, corruption underpins many of the region’s governments. Indeed, Giammattei himself has faced criticism over his handling of the issue.

Last month, two lawyers who are outspoken critics of Giammattei’s administration were arrested on what they say were trumped-up charges aimed at silencing them.

And the selection of judges for Guatemala’s Constitutional Court, its highest, was mired in influence peddling and allegations of corruption. Giammattei&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-cabinet-cabinets-guatemala-city-guatemala-alejandro-giammattei-1546696816b78a3fabbedc2e2dbee0d7">picked his chief of staff</a>&nbsp;to fill one of the five vacancies. When Gloria Porras, a respected force against corruption, was elected to a second term, the congress controlled by Giammattei’s party refused to seat her.

On Monday, Giammattei seemed less than eager to address those issues.

Asked by The Associated Press about criticism of his record on corruption, Giammattei initially ignored the question. When pressed by another journalist to answer for the complaints against him, Giammattei seemed to bristle at the allegation that he was at fault, insisting there were “zero” allegations of corruption against him and labeling drug traffickers the biggest corruption issue in his nation.

Still, Harris expressed optimism about their ability to work together, telling reporters that the two had a “very frank and very candid” conversation that included “the importance of anti-corruption and the importance of an independent judiciary.”

Harris said the Justice, Treasury and State departments would work together on anti-corruption investigations and train local law enforcement to conduct their own.

“We are creating this task force to address corruption. We are working on a task force that is about human smuggling. We are doing the work of requiring certain progress be made if we are going to attract U.S. investment, private investment, to this region,” Harris said.

Giammattei said that the U.S. and Guatemala also agreed to collaborate on a “very simple process” through visas to allow for regular migration to the U.S., and that the two countries would work to prioritize family reunifications.

The White House also announced a $7.5 million commitment through USAID to support entrepreneurs and innovators in Guatemala, as well as millions more in investments in affordable housing, agribusinesses and loans to small businesses in the country.

Besides her meeting with Giammattei, Harris participated in a roundtable with Guatemalan community and civil society leaders and met with young female engineers and entrepreneurs.

In addressing the root causes of migration, Harris has laid out an approach centered on creating better opportunities and living conditions in the region through humanitarian and economic aid.

Harris had previously announced plans to send $310 million to provide support for refugees and address food shortages, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/central-america-immigration-business-government-and-politics-e5f715296eef17c08af58c633b2b9b3e">she recently secured commitments</a>&nbsp;from a dozen companies and organizations to invest in the Northern Triangle countries to promote economic opportunity and job training.

Washington won some goodwill through its vaccine diplomacy this past week. Giammattei and Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador both received calls from Harris on Thursday telling them the U.S. would be sending 500,000 doses and 1 million doses, respectively, of COVID-19 vaccine.

While in Latin America, Harris is also navigating the politics of immigration. Congressional Republicans have criticized both President Joe Biden and Harris for not visiting the U.S.-Mexico border and contend the administration is ignoring what they say is a crisis there.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-health-coronavirus-pandemic-government-and-politics-7c155484414c569451d330ebea7d0094">April was the second-busiest month</a>&nbsp;on record for unaccompanied children encountered at the border, following March’s all-time high. The Border Patrol’s total encounters in April were up 3% from March, marking the highest level since April 2000.

On Monday, Harris defended her decision not to visit the border, telling reporters she was focused on addressing the root causes of migration in a way that delivers “tangible” results “as opposed to grand gestures.”

But even as Harris made the case for reforms in the nation’s capital, those very migrants she hoped to help were still streaming to the nation’s borders.

On Monday, Henry Armando Rodríguez, 27, from El Paraiso in south-central Honduras, rested outside the migrant shelter in Tecun Uman at the Guatemala-Mexico border on his journey toward the United States. He didn’t know about Harris’ visit but described reasons for leaving that touched on the hopelessness the vice president wants to address.

“Life is very bad in Honduras right now,” he said.

It was his first time attempting to migrate, he said. He decided to make the journey because it was impossible to find any agricultural work because of droughts at home.

When he was able to find work, he couldn’t make enough money to pay for a decent home. He said that, because of poverty in Honduras, “we have to flee from there to be able to look for new opportunities.” And he wasn’t impressed with the politicians who he says only claim to want to help when they’re fishing for votes around election season.

“They promise you the sun and the moon, and then in the end they forgot all of that,” he said. “What interests them is only themselves, how they live, and the life of the poor is of little importance to them.”

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — With Kamala Harris visiting Guatemala and Mexico on her first foreign trip as vice president, the Biden administration is expected to announce new measures to fight smuggling and trafficking, and hopes to announce additional anti-corruption efforts as well on Monday, a senior administration official said.

The official, who briefed reporters traveling with Harris on Sunday, spoke on condition of anonymity to preview announcements before they have been made public. No further details were provided.

Harris has been tasked by President Joe Biden with addressing the root causes of the spike in migration to the U.S.-Mexico border, and her aides say corruption will be a central focus of her meetings with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Monday and Mexico’s Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday.

“Corruption really does sap the the wealth of any country, and in Central America is at a scale where it is a large percentage of GDP across the region,” said special envoy Ricardo Zuniga.

“We see corruption as one of the most important root causes to be dealt with,” Zuniga added.

The trip got off to a rocky start when Harris’ plane returned to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland about 30 minutes after takeoff because of what her spokesperson said was a problem with the landing gear. She departed on another plane and landed late Sunday in in Guatemala City, where she was met by Foreign Minister Pedro Brolo.

Harris is seeking to secure commitments from Guatemala and Mexico for greater cooperation on border security and economic investment, and aides say she will also discuss vaccine sharing during her meetings. But corruption in the region — a far more intractable challenge — will complicate her efforts.

It’s already had a significant impact on her work in Central America. Harris has yet to engage substantively with the leaders of Honduras and El Salvador, who are both embroiled in corruption scandals.

Giammattei has faced criticism over corruption within his own government. Zuniga acknowledged that the U.S. government faces a challenge in working with him but argued Harris was in the country in part to have a direct conversation with the president about this and other issues.

“The best way to deal with these cases where you have a very complex relationship in a country like Guatemala is to talk clearly and plainly as partners, as countries that have to get along” he said.

Harris has laid out an approach centered on creating better opportunities and living conditions in the region through humanitarian and economic aid. She announced plans to send $310 million to provide support for refugees and address food shortages, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/central-america-immigration-business-government-and-politics-e5f715296eef17c08af58c633b2b9b3e">recently secured commitments</a>&nbsp;from a dozen companies and organizations to invest in the Northern Triangle countries to promote economic opportunity and job training.

Washington won some goodwill through its vaccine diplomacy this past week. Giammattei and López Obrador both received calls from Harris on Thursday telling them the U.S. would be sending 500,000 doses and 1 million doses, respectively, of COVID-19 vaccine.

While in Guatemala, Harris also plans to meet community leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs. In Mexico, she will speak with female entrepreneurs and hold a roundtable with labor workers.

She’s underscored the need to address corruption in public remarks and events. In a May meeting with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/guatemala-aab7d6852c956a981cc73aff1e5bdcd1">a number of leading voices on Guatemala’s justice system</a>, she noted her work as a prosecutor and said that “injustice is a root cause of migration.”

“Part of giving people hope is having a very specific commitment to rooting out corruption in the region,” she said.

Harris has also raised the issue during virtual meetings with the leaders of both countries, and aides say she will do it again during meetings on her trip. During their past conversations, they have discussed areas of mutual interest — improving port security, fighting smuggling networks, going after corrupt actors — and the goal of this trip is to turn that talk into action, aides say.

While the vice president will make announcements concerning new efforts at cooperation and new programs, she’s not expected to announce any new aid during her trip.

While in Latin America, Harris will also have to navigate the politics of immigration. Congressional Republicans have criticized both Biden and Harris for deciding not to visit the border, and contend the administration is ignoring what they say is a crisis there. April was the second-busiest month on record for unaccompanied children encountered at the U.S.-Mexico border, following March’s all-time high. The Border Patrol’s total encounters in April were up 3% from March, marking the highest level since April 2000.

Conservatives will be watching Harris closely for any missteps, hoping to drag her into further controversy on an issue that they see as a political winner.

In her efforts to win commitments on corruption from the region’s leaders, Harris can point to a number of moves by the Biden administration last week.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the problem during his own recent trip to Central America. The White House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/06/03/memorandum-on-establishing-the-fight-against-corruption-as-a-core-united-states-national-security-interest/" target="_blank">issued a memo</a>&nbsp;elevating foreign corruption to a major national security issue, and directed all federal agencies to prioritize it and modernize their foreign corruption-fighting tools.

Eric Olson, director of policy at the Seattle International Foundation, which works to promote good governance in Central America, said that addressing corruption will take particular diplomatic skill. Harris will need to hold the leaders of Guatemala and Mexico accountable while also deepening trust and cooperation with the two nations.

“The challenge that she faces is how to, on the one hand, have a conversation, keep the door open — while not seeming to ignore the obvious elephant in the room, which is this incredible penetration of the state by corrupt actors,” he said.

In Mexico, López Obrador continues to face a complicated security situation in many parts of the country. Nearly three-dozen candidates or pre-candidates were killed before this weekend’s midterm elections as drug cartels sought to protect their interests. The government’s inability to provide security in parts of the country is of interest to the U.S. in an immigration context, both for the people who are displaced by violence and the impact it has on a severely weakened economy trying reemerge from the pandemic.

The number of Mexicans encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection rose steadily from December through April. Mexico remains a key U.S. ally in trying to slow immigration, not only of its own citizens, but those crossing its territory. Successive U.S. administrations have effectively tried to push their immigration enforcement goals south to Mexico and Guatemala.

Nongovernmental organizations placed Guatemala’s widespread corruption at the top of their list of concerns before Harris’ visit.

The selection of judges for Guatemala’s Constitutional Court, its highest, was mired in influence peddling and alleged corruption. Giammattei picked his chief of staff to fill one of the five vacancies. When Gloria Porras, a respected force against corruption, was elected to a second term, the congress controlled by Giammattei’s party refused to seat her.

Harris’ visit comes with high expectations, but experts say clear progress on corruption may be elusive.

“These are societies built on corruption,” said Olson. “You’re not gonna have an impact in six months.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623101366879.png" alt="<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?kamalaharris">Vice President Kamala Harris&nbsp;</a>and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?130268">Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;upon her arrival on Sunday night.-photo courtesy Office of Vice President" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?kamalaharris">Vice President Kamala Harris&nbsp;</a>and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?130268">Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;upon her arrival on Sunday night.-photo courtesy Office of Vice President</figcaption>
 </figure>GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris offered an optimistic outlook for improved cooperation with Guatemala on addressing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-guatemala-central-america-immigration-coronavirus-pandemic-a37241f7310940c98dbdd986efec3532">spike in migration to the U.S.</a>&nbsp;after her meeting with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Monday. She also delivered a direct warning to migrants considering making the trek: “Do not come. Do not come.”<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?512371-1/vice-president-harris-guatemalan-president-giammattei-hold-news-conference">Click here</a> to watch the Vice President's press conferenceHer comments, during a press conference after she met privately with Giammattei, underscored the challenge that remains even as Harris engages in substantive talks with the Guatemalan and Mexican presidents during a three-day visit to the region this week, her first foreign trip as vice president.“I want to emphasize that the goal of our work is to help Guatemalans find hope at home,” Harris said. “At the same time, I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border: Do not come, do not come.”In conjunction with Harris’ trip, the Biden administration announced that the Justice Department would create an anti-corruption task force and an additional task force to combat human trafficking and drug smuggling in the region. Harris also promised a new program focused on creating education and economic opportunities for girls there, among other new initiatives. And she told Giammattei that her goal in the region was to restore “hope” to residents so they no longer felt the need to flee their homeland for better opportunities in the U.S.But for all the talk about new ways to cooperate, reining in corruption and improving living conditions in the region have been long-running challenges that previous administrations have been unable to achieve in their efforts to stem the tide of migration to the United States.Part of the challenge remains that, despite the best efforts of U.S. officials, corruption underpins many of the region’s governments. Indeed, Giammattei himself has faced criticism over his handling of the issue.Last month, two lawyers who are outspoken critics of Giammattei’s administration were arrested on what they say were trumped-up charges aimed at silencing them.And the selection of judges for Guatemala’s Constitutional Court, its highest, was mired in influence peddling and allegations of corruption. Giammattei&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-cabinet-cabinets-guatemala-city-guatemala-alejandro-giammattei-1546696816b78a3fabbedc2e2dbee0d7">picked his chief of staff</a>&nbsp;to fill one of the five vacancies. When Gloria Porras, a respected force against corruption, was elected to a second term, the congress controlled by Giammattei’s party refused to seat her.On Monday, Giammattei seemed less than eager to address those issues.Asked by The Associated Press about criticism of his record on corruption, Giammattei initially ignored the question. When pressed by another journalist to answer for the complaints against him, Giammattei seemed to bristle at the allegation that he was at fault, insisting there were “zero” allegations of corruption against him and labeling drug traffickers the biggest corruption issue in his nation.Still, Harris expressed optimism about their ability to work together, telling reporters that the two had a “very frank and very candid” conversation that included “the importance of anti-corruption and the importance of an independent judiciary.”Harris said the Justice, Treasury and State departments would work together on anti-corruption investigations and train local law enforcement to conduct their own.“We are creating this task force to address corruption. We are working on a task force that is about human smuggling. We are doing the work of requiring certain progress be made if we are going to attract U.S. investment, private investment, to this region,” Harris said.Giammattei said that the U.S. and Guatemala also agreed to collaborate on a “very simple process” through visas to allow for regular migration to the U.S., and that the two countries would work to prioritize family reunifications.The White House also announced a $7.5 million commitment through USAID to support entrepreneurs and innovators in Guatemala, as well as millions more in investments in affordable housing, agribusinesses and loans to small businesses in the country.Besides her meeting with Giammattei, Harris participated in a roundtable with Guatemalan community and civil society leaders and met with young female engineers and entrepreneurs.In addressing the root causes of migration, Harris has laid out an approach centered on creating better opportunities and living conditions in the region through humanitarian and economic aid.Harris had previously announced plans to send $310 million to provide support for refugees and address food shortages, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/central-america-immigration-business-government-and-politics-e5f715296eef17c08af58c633b2b9b3e">she recently secured commitments</a>&nbsp;from a dozen companies and organizations to invest in the Northern Triangle countries to promote economic opportunity and job training.Washington won some goodwill through its vaccine diplomacy this past week. Giammattei and Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador both received calls from Harris on Thursday telling them the U.S. would be sending 500,000 doses and 1 million doses, respectively, of COVID-19 vaccine.While in Latin America, Harris is also navigating the politics of immigration. Congressional Republicans have criticized both President Joe Biden and Harris for not visiting the U.S.-Mexico border and contend the administration is ignoring what they say is a crisis there.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-health-coronavirus-pandemic-government-and-politics-7c155484414c569451d330ebea7d0094">April was the second-busiest month</a>&nbsp;on record for unaccompanied children encountered at the border, following March’s all-time high. The Border Patrol’s total encounters in April were up 3% from March, marking the highest level since April 2000.On Monday, Harris defended her decision not to visit the border, telling reporters she was focused on addressing the root causes of migration in a way that delivers “tangible” results “as opposed to grand gestures.”But even as Harris made the case for reforms in the nation’s capital, those very migrants she hoped to help were still streaming to the nation’s borders.On Monday, Henry Armando Rodríguez, 27, from El Paraiso in south-central Honduras, rested outside the migrant shelter in Tecun Uman at the Guatemala-Mexico border on his journey toward the United States. He didn’t know about Harris’ visit but described reasons for leaving that touched on the hopelessness the vice president wants to address.“Life is very bad in Honduras right now,” he said.It was his first time attempting to migrate, he said. He decided to make the journey because it was impossible to find any agricultural work because of droughts at home.When he was able to find work, he couldn’t make enough money to pay for a decent home. He said that, because of poverty in Honduras, “we have to flee from there to be able to look for new opportunities.” And he wasn’t impressed with the politicians who he says only claim to want to help when they’re fishing for votes around election season.“They promise you the sun and the moon, and then in the end they forgot all of that,” he said. “What interests them is only themselves, how they live, and the life of the poor is of little importance to them.”___GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — With Kamala Harris visiting Guatemala and Mexico on her first foreign trip as vice president, the Biden administration is expected to announce new measures to fight smuggling and trafficking, and hopes to announce additional anti-corruption efforts as well on Monday, a senior administration official said.The official, who briefed reporters traveling with Harris on Sunday, spoke on condition of anonymity to preview announcements before they have been made public. No further details were provided.Harris has been tasked by President Joe Biden with addressing the root causes of the spike in migration to the U.S.-Mexico border, and her aides say corruption will be a central focus of her meetings with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Monday and Mexico’s Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday.“Corruption really does sap the the wealth of any country, and in Central America is at a scale where it is a large percentage of GDP across the region,” said special envoy Ricardo Zuniga.“We see corruption as one of the most important root causes to be dealt with,” Zuniga added.The trip got off to a rocky start when Harris’ plane returned to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland about 30 minutes after takeoff because of what her spokesperson said was a problem with the landing gear. She departed on another plane and landed late Sunday in in Guatemala City, where she was met by Foreign Minister Pedro Brolo.Harris is seeking to secure commitments from Guatemala and Mexico for greater cooperation on border security and economic investment, and aides say she will also discuss vaccine sharing during her meetings. But corruption in the region — a far more intractable challenge — will complicate her efforts.It’s already had a significant impact on her work in Central America. Harris has yet to engage substantively with the leaders of Honduras and El Salvador, who are both embroiled in corruption scandals.Giammattei has faced criticism over corruption within his own government. Zuniga acknowledged that the U.S. government faces a challenge in working with him but argued Harris was in the country in part to have a direct conversation with the president about this and other issues.“The best way to deal with these cases where you have a very complex relationship in a country like Guatemala is to talk clearly and plainly as partners, as countries that have to get along” he said.Harris has laid out an approach centered on creating better opportunities and living conditions in the region through humanitarian and economic aid. She announced plans to send $310 million to provide support for refugees and address food shortages, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/central-america-immigration-business-government-and-politics-e5f715296eef17c08af58c633b2b9b3e">recently secured commitments</a>&nbsp;from a dozen companies and organizations to invest in the Northern Triangle countries to promote economic opportunity and job training.Washington won some goodwill through its vaccine diplomacy this past week. Giammattei and López Obrador both received calls from Harris on Thursday telling them the U.S. would be sending 500,000 doses and 1 million doses, respectively, of COVID-19 vaccine.While in Guatemala, Harris also plans to meet community leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs. In Mexico, she will speak with female entrepreneurs and hold a roundtable with labor workers.She’s underscored the need to address corruption in public remarks and events. In a May meeting with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/guatemala-aab7d6852c956a981cc73aff1e5bdcd1">a number of leading voices on Guatemala’s justice system</a>, she noted her work as a prosecutor and said that “injustice is a root cause of migration.”“Part of giving people hope is having a very specific commitment to rooting out corruption in the region,” she said.Harris has also raised the issue during virtual meetings with the leaders of both countries, and aides say she will do it again during meetings on her trip. During their past conversations, they have discussed areas of mutual interest — improving port security, fighting smuggling networks, going after corrupt actors — and the goal of this trip is to turn that talk into action, aides say.While the vice president will make announcements concerning new efforts at cooperation and new programs, she’s not expected to announce any new aid during her trip.While in Latin America, Harris will also have to navigate the politics of immigration. Congressional Republicans have criticized both Biden and Harris for deciding not to visit the border, and contend the administration is ignoring what they say is a crisis there. April was the second-busiest month on record for unaccompanied children encountered at the U.S.-Mexico border, following March’s all-time high. The Border Patrol’s total encounters in April were up 3% from March, marking the highest level since April 2000.Conservatives will be watching Harris closely for any missteps, hoping to drag her into further controversy on an issue that they see as a political winner.In her efforts to win commitments on corruption from the region’s leaders, Harris can point to a number of moves by the Biden administration last week.Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the problem during his own recent trip to Central America. The White House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/06/03/memorandum-on-establishing-the-fight-against-corruption-as-a-core-united-states-national-security-interest/" target="_blank">issued a memo</a>&nbsp;elevating foreign corruption to a major national security issue, and directed all federal agencies to prioritize it and modernize their foreign corruption-fighting tools.Eric Olson, director of policy at the Seattle International Foundation, which works to promote good governance in Central America, said that addressing corruption will take particular diplomatic skill. Harris will need to hold the leaders of Guatemala and Mexico accountable while also deepening trust and cooperation with the two nations.“The challenge that she faces is how to, on the one hand, have a conversation, keep the door open — while not seeming to ignore the obvious elephant in the room, which is this incredible penetration of the state by corrupt actors,” he said.In Mexico, López Obrador continues to face a complicated security situation in many parts of the country. Nearly three-dozen candidates or pre-candidates were killed before this weekend’s midterm elections as drug cartels sought to protect their interests. The government’s inability to provide security in parts of the country is of interest to the U.S. in an immigration context, both for the people who are displaced by violence and the impact it has on a severely weakened economy trying reemerge from the pandemic.The number of Mexicans encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection rose steadily from December through April. Mexico remains a key U.S. ally in trying to slow immigration, not only of its own citizens, but those crossing its territory. Successive U.S. administrations have effectively tried to push their immigration enforcement goals south to Mexico and Guatemala.Nongovernmental organizations placed Guatemala’s widespread corruption at the top of their list of concerns before Harris’ visit.Last month, two lawyers who are outspoken critics of Giammattei’s administration were arrested on what they say were trumped-up charges aimed at silencing them.The selection of judges for Guatemala’s Constitutional Court, its highest, was mired in influence peddling and alleged corruption. Giammattei picked his chief of staff to fill one of the five vacancies. When Gloria Porras, a respected force against corruption, was elected to a second term, the congress controlled by Giammattei’s party refused to seat her.Harris’ visit comes with high expectations, but experts say clear progress on corruption may be elusive.“These are societies built on corruption,” said Olson. “You’re not gonna have an impact in six months.”___

🎥Vice President to Central Americans: Don't come to U.S.

WASHINGTON — On Monday, FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program enrolled over 2.3 million households into the subsidy program initiated by Congress.  Since mid-May, households in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and American Samoa were approved to receive a discount on their monthly internet bills and have selected a participating EBB provider to receive internet service at home. 

“I am thrilled to see that the great need for affordable broadband support is being met with over 2 million households enrolled in three short weeks. I’ve also said we need good data to know how the program is progressing and to inform any long-term efforts to address broadband affordability. This information is now available to the public as we always intended,” said Rosenworcel. 

Additionally, at the agency’s direction, USAC debuted a new data dashboard for advocates, members of Congress, and the general public to track the progress of the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program.  The dashboard contains information related to nationwide and state-specific enrollment figures, will report the amount of program funds disbursed once participating providers start to file claims and will be updated regularly by USAC staff.  You can access the EBB data dashboard here. 

Over 1000 broadband providers have agreed to take part in the program. &nbsp;The benefit is available to eligible new, prior, and existing customers of participating providers.&nbsp; Customers can sign up by contacting a participating provider, enroll online at https://www.getemergencybroadband.org, or sign up via mail.&nbsp; To learn more or learn where to access a mail-in application, call (833) 511-0311.

Households can qualify several ways such as through their use of existing assistance programs like SNAP, Medicaid, Lifeline or if a child received reduced-price school meals programs in the last two school years.&nbsp; The Emergency Broadband Benefit is also available to households who are eligible for a broadband provider’s existing COVID relief program, to those who have received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year, and to those low-income households who suffered a significant loss in income during the pandemic due to job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584977952684.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FCCWASHINGTON — On Monday, FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program enrolled over 2.3 million households into the subsidy program initiated by Congress. Since mid-May, households in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and American Samoa were approved to receive a discount on their monthly internet bills and have selected a participating EBB provider to receive internet service at home. “I am thrilled to see that the great need for affordable broadband support is being met with over 2 million households enrolled in three short weeks. I’ve also said we need good data to know how the program is progressing and to inform any long-term efforts to address broadband affordability. This information is now available to the public as we always intended,” said Rosenworcel. Additionally, at the agency’s direction, USAC debuted a new data dashboard for advocates, members of Congress, and the general public to track the progress of the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. The dashboard contains information related to nationwide and state-specific enrollment figures, will report the amount of program funds disbursed once participating providers start to file claims and will be updated regularly by USAC staff. You can access the EBB data dashboard here. Over 1000 broadband providers have agreed to take part in the program. &nbsp;The benefit is available to eligible new, prior, and existing customers of participating providers.&nbsp; Customers can sign up by contacting a participating provider, enroll online at https://www.getemergencybroadband.org, or sign up via mail.&nbsp; To learn more or learn where to access a mail-in application, call (833) 511-0311.Households can qualify several ways such as through their use of existing assistance programs like SNAP, Medicaid, Lifeline or if a child received reduced-price school meals programs in the last two school years.&nbsp; The Emergency Broadband Benefit is also available to households who are eligible for a broadband provider’s existing COVID relief program, to those who have received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year, and to those low-income households who suffered a significant loss in income during the pandemic due to job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020.

FCC: 2.3M households sign up for emergency broadband payments

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has recovered the majority of a multimillion-dollar ransom payment to hackers after a cyberattack that caused the operator of the nation’s largest fuel pipeline to halt its operations last month, officials said Monday.

The operation to recover the cryptocurrency from the Russia-based hacker group is believed to be the first of its kind, and reflects what U.S. officials say is an increasingly aggressive approach to deal with a ransomware threat that in the last month has targeted critical industries around the world.

“By going after an entire ecosystem that fuels ransomware and digital currency, we will continue to use all of our tools and all of our resources to increase the costs and the consequences of ransomware attacks and other cyber-enabled attacks,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said at a news conference announcing the operation.

Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline, which supplies roughly half the fuel consumed on the East Coast, temporarily shut down its operations on May 7 after a gang of criminal hackers known as DarkSide broke into its computer system.

Colonial officials have said they took their pipeline system offline before the attack could spread to its operating system, and decided to pay a roughly $4.4 million ransom in an effort to bring itself back online as soon as it could.

The FBI generally discourages the payment of ransom, fearing it could encourage additional hacks.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has recovered the majority of a multimillion-dollar ransom payment to hackers after a cyberattack that caused the operator of the nation’s largest fuel pipeline to halt its operations last month, officials said Monday.The operation to recover the cryptocurrency from the Russia-based hacker group is believed to be the first of its kind, and reflects what U.S. officials say is an increasingly aggressive approach to deal with a ransomware threat that in the last month has targeted critical industries around the world.“By going after an entire ecosystem that fuels ransomware and digital currency, we will continue to use all of our tools and all of our resources to increase the costs and the consequences of ransomware attacks and other cyber-enabled attacks,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said at a news conference announcing the operation.Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline, which supplies roughly half the fuel consumed on the East Coast, temporarily shut down its operations on May 7 after a gang of criminal hackers known as DarkSide broke into its computer system.Colonial officials have said they took their pipeline system offline before the attack could spread to its operating system, and decided to pay a roughly $4.4 million ransom in an effort to bring itself back online as soon as it could.The FBI generally discourages the payment of ransom, fearing it could encourage additional hacks.

US recovers millions in ransom paid to pipeline hackers

WASHINGTON (AP) — A unanimous Supreme Court ruled Monday that thousands of people living in the U.S. for humanitarian reasons are ineligible to apply to become permanent residents.

Justice Elena Kagan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20798529-sanchez-v-mayorkas" target="_blank">wrote for the court</a>&nbsp;that federal immigration law prohibits people who entered the country illegally and now have Temporary Protected Status from seeking “green cards” to remain in the country permanently.

The designation applies to people who come from countries ravaged by war or disaster. It protects them from deportation and allows them to work legally. There are 400,000 people from 12 countries with TPS status.

The outcome in a case involving a couple from El Salvador who have been in the U.S. since the 1990s turned on whether people who entered the country illegally and were given humanitarian protections were ever “admitted” into the United States under immigration law.

Kagan wrote that they were not. “The TPS program gives foreign nationals nonimmigrant status, but it does not admit them. So the conferral of TPS does not make an unlawful entrant...eligible” for a green card, she wrote.

The House of Representatives already has passed legislation that would make it possible for TPS recipients to become permanent residents, Kagan noted. The bill faces uncertain prospects in the Senate.

President Joe Biden has said he supports the change in the law. But his administration, like the Trump administration, argued that current immigration law doesn’t permit people who entered the country illegally to apply for permanent residency.

On the other side were immigrant groups that argued many people who came to the U.S. for humanitarian reasons have lived in the country for many years, given birth to American citizens and put down roots in the U.S.

Federal courts around the country had come to conflicting decisions about whether the grant of TPS status was, by itself, enough to enable an immigrant to try to obtain permanent residency.

Former President Donald Trump tried to cancel the program for many immigrants, stoking fear they could be sent back to their homelands where they haven’t lived in many years.

“All of these families that are established in the United States and have lived in our communities for decades faced a very real threat,” said Lisa Koop, a lawyer with the National Immigrant Justice Center who also teaches at Notre Dame’s law school.

In 2001, the U.S. gave Salvadoran migrants legal protection to remain in the U.S. after a series of earthquakes in their home country.

People from 11 other countries are similarly protected. They are: Haiti, Honduras, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.

Monday’s decision does not affect immigrants with TPS who initially entered the U.S. legally and then, say, overstayed their visa, Kagan noted. Because those people were legally admitted to the country and later were given humanitarian protections, they can seek to become permanent residents.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A unanimous Supreme Court ruled Monday that thousands of people living in the U.S. for humanitarian reasons are ineligible to apply to become permanent residents.Justice Elena Kagan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20798529-sanchez-v-mayorkas" target="_blank">wrote for the court</a>&nbsp;that federal immigration law prohibits people who entered the country illegally and now have Temporary Protected Status from seeking “green cards” to remain in the country permanently.The designation applies to people who come from countries ravaged by war or disaster. It protects them from deportation and allows them to work legally. There are 400,000 people from 12 countries with TPS status.The outcome in a case involving a couple from El Salvador who have been in the U.S. since the 1990s turned on whether people who entered the country illegally and were given humanitarian protections were ever “admitted” into the United States under immigration law.Kagan wrote that they were not. “The TPS program gives foreign nationals nonimmigrant status, but it does not admit them. So the conferral of TPS does not make an unlawful entrant...eligible” for a green card, she wrote.The House of Representatives already has passed legislation that would make it possible for TPS recipients to become permanent residents, Kagan noted. The bill faces uncertain prospects in the Senate.President Joe Biden has said he supports the change in the law. But his administration, like the Trump administration, argued that current immigration law doesn’t permit people who entered the country illegally to apply for permanent residency.On the other side were immigrant groups that argued many people who came to the U.S. for humanitarian reasons have lived in the country for many years, given birth to American citizens and put down roots in the U.S.Federal courts around the country had come to conflicting decisions about whether the grant of TPS status was, by itself, enough to enable an immigrant to try to obtain permanent residency.Former President Donald Trump tried to cancel the program for many immigrants, stoking fear they could be sent back to their homelands where they haven’t lived in many years.“All of these families that are established in the United States and have lived in our communities for decades faced a very real threat,” said Lisa Koop, a lawyer with the National Immigrant Justice Center who also teaches at Notre Dame’s law school.In 2001, the U.S. gave Salvadoran migrants legal protection to remain in the U.S. after a series of earthquakes in their home country.People from 11 other countries are similarly protected. They are: Haiti, Honduras, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.Monday’s decision does not affect immigrants with TPS who initially entered the U.S. legally and then, say, overstayed their visa, Kagan noted. Because those people were legally admitted to the country and later were given humanitarian protections, they can seek to become permanent residents.

Unanimous: Court rules against immigrants with temporary status

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Fisher-Price says it is recalling a model of its baby soothers after the deaths of four infants who were placed on their backs unrestrained in the devices and later found on their stomachs. 

In a joint statement with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Fisher-Price said Friday it is recalling its 4-in-1 Rock ’n Glide Soothers, which are designed to mimic the motion of a baby being rocked in someone’s arms. 

The fatalities between April 2019 and February 2020 were a 4-month old from Missouri, a 2-month old from Nevada, a 2-month old from Michigan and an 11-week old from Colorado, according to the statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623089196601.png" alt="Fisher Price&nbsp; photo courtesy Consumer Products Safety Commission" />
 <figcaption>Fisher Price&nbsp; photo courtesy Consumer Products Safety Commission</figcaption>
 </figure>EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Fisher-Price says it is recalling a model of its baby soothers after the deaths of four infants who were placed on their backs unrestrained in the devices and later found on their stomachs. In a joint statement with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Fisher-Price said Friday it is recalling its 4-in-1 Rock ’n Glide Soothers, which are designed to mimic the motion of a baby being rocked in someone’s arms. The fatalities between April 2019 and February 2020 were a 4-month old from Missouri, a 2-month old from Nevada, a 2-month old from Michigan and an 11-week old from Colorado, according to the statement.

Fisher-Price recalls baby soothers after 4 infant deaths

BEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska county that was ordered to pay $28.1 million to six people wrongfully convicted of murder may be able to cover the balance of the federal judgment in the next three years, much sooner than first expected. 

The Beatrice Daily Sun reports that Gage County officials had initially predicted that it would take nine years to pay off the legal judgment. 

The change in schedule came after state lawmakers and Gov. Pete Ricketts approved $4 million in state money this year to help the county.

 Gage County made its first payment, totaling $1.9 million, in June 2019 after exhausting all of its appeals.

BEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska county that was ordered to pay $28.1 million to six people wrongfully convicted of murder may be able to cover the balance of the federal judgment in the next three years, much sooner than first expected. The Beatrice Daily Sun reports that Gage County officials had initially predicted that it would take nine years to pay off the legal judgment. The change in schedule came after state lawmakers and Gov. Pete Ricketts approved $4 million in state money this year to help the county. Gage County made its first payment, totaling $1.9 million, in June 2019 after exhausting all of its appeals.

Nebraska county could pay off judgment in next three years

ASHLAND, Neb. (AP) — A bison calf born last month at a safari park near Omaha is now on full display at the park, where it is roaming the grounds with its mother and the rest of the herd.

 The Omaha World-Herald reports that the auburn-colored calf was born May 11 at the park's Bison Plains. 

Bison young are lighter than adults and don't turn the characteristic dark brown of bison until they are several months old. 

Zookeepers have not directly interacted with the calf and do not yet know if it's male or female. 

ASHLAND, Neb. (AP) — A bison calf born last month at a safari park near Omaha is now on full display at the park, where it is roaming the grounds with its mother and the rest of the herd. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the auburn-colored calf was born May 11 at the park's Bison Plains. Bison young are lighter than adults and don't turn the characteristic dark brown of bison until they are several months old. Zookeepers have not directly interacted with the calf and do not yet know if it's male or female. The calf brings the herd's total to 32.

Bison calf born last month now roaming Nebraska safari park

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Officials say an earthquake occurred in southern South Dakota, though no damage was reported. 

The United States Geological Survey said the 3.7 magnitude quake happened at 10:25 a.m. Friday just north of the South Dakota border with Nebraska. 

The center of the earthquake was about 11 miles southeast of Fairfax.

 The agency says the earthquake occurred in a relatively sparsely populated region. 

About 12,000 people were exposed to “light shaking.” 

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Officials say an earthquake occurred in southern South Dakota, though no damage was reported. The United States Geological Survey said the 3.7 magnitude quake happened at 10:25 a.m. Friday just north of the South Dakota border with Nebraska. The center of the earthquake was about 11 miles southeast of Fairfax. The agency says the earthquake occurred in a relatively sparsely populated region. About 12,000 people were exposed to “light shaking.” It's the third earthquake reported this year in South Dakota. Two earthquakes were reported last year in the state.