TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators are pushing to keep in place specific rules for tracing the close contacts of people exposed to COVID-19 despite public health groups’ opposition.

(Click below to listen to the committee discussion on the proposal)

The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/sb304_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;making limits on COVID-19 contact tracing permanent, rather than repealing them May 1. The GOP-controlled Legislature approved the rules last year at Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s request. He argued that they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-topeka-derek-schmidt-abfa3c6b1634a5b670a6943e9a3f37aa">protect the privacy</a>&nbsp;of infected people and prevent information about them from becoming public.

The committee’s voice vote Friday sent the measure next to the full Senate. It applies only to COVID-19 and not other diseases, and a key provision prevents people exposed to the novel coronavirus from being forced to disclose their close contacts. It also says people can’t face criminal charges or civil lawsuits for refusing.

“It’s a small change we are addressing while we are in session, keeping privacy protections in place,” said Committee Chair Kellie Warren, a Lenexa Republican.

But public health officials have said the rules&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bills-kansas-wichita-topeka-virus-outbreak-1402959bab4ae0016d313fae13258c62">hinder contact tracing,&nbsp;</a>and two public health associations told the Senate committee that it makes no sense to have different rules for COVID-19 and all other diseases.

“Let health care professionals have all the tools in the chest they need,” said Democratic Sen. David Haley, of Kansas City, Kansas.

By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators are pushing to keep in place specific rules for tracing the close contacts of people exposed to COVID-19 despite public health groups’ opposition.(Click below to listen to the committee discussion on the proposal)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vs5cWpA-iWM?start=194" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/sb304_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;making limits on COVID-19 contact tracing permanent, rather than repealing them May 1. The GOP-controlled Legislature approved the rules last year at Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s request. He argued that they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-topeka-derek-schmidt-abfa3c6b1634a5b670a6943e9a3f37aa">protect the privacy</a>&nbsp;of infected people and prevent information about them from becoming public.The committee’s voice vote Friday sent the measure next to the full Senate. It applies only to COVID-19 and not other diseases, and a key provision prevents people exposed to the novel coronavirus from being forced to disclose their close contacts. It also says people can’t face criminal charges or civil lawsuits for refusing.“It’s a small change we are addressing while we are in session, keeping privacy protections in place,” said Committee Chair Kellie Warren, a Lenexa Republican.But public health officials have said the rules&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bills-kansas-wichita-topeka-virus-outbreak-1402959bab4ae0016d313fae13258c62">hinder contact tracing,&nbsp;</a>and two public health associations told the Senate committee that it makes no sense to have different rules for COVID-19 and all other diseases.“Let health care professionals have all the tools in the chest they need,” said Democratic Sen. David Haley, of Kansas City, Kansas.

🎥  Kan. lawmakers push to keep COVID contact-tracing rules

DETROIT (AP) — A federal judge in Michigan should have blocked a Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6c1af80fb290472c89fb930e223505af">ban on bump stocks</a>, a device that allows semiautomatic firearms to fire rapidly, an appeals court said Thursday.

The ban came in response to a 2017 shooting in Las Vegas in which a gunman attached bump stocks to assault-style rifles to shoot concertgoers from his hotel room.

The prohibition came in the form of a regulation from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which treated bump stocks as if they are illegal machine guns. But the court, in a 2-1 decision, said changes in criminal law are up to Congress.

“It is not the role of the executive — particularly the unelected administrative state — to dictate to the public what is right and what is wrong,” said judges Alice Batchelder and Eric Murphy of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The court also said a bump stock doesn’t qualify as a machine gun.

“This is great news,” said Erich Pratt, senior vice president of Virginia-based Gun Owners of America.

In 2019, U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney in western Michigan turned down an injunction that would have stopped the bump stock ban. The case now will return to his court.

Gun owner groups “are likely to prevail on the merits and ... their motion for an injunction should have been granted,” the appeals court said.

Decisions from the 6th Circuit set legal precedent in federal courts in Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky.

There have been different opinions about the bump stock ban in federal courts across the country, which makes it a strong candidate for review by the U.S. Supreme Court. A year ago, the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/36d807ad9ea481fc88c7f679dbfa1857">turned down</a>&nbsp;an appeal, but it was a procedural step in a case that wasn’t fully developed.

“Waiting should not be mistaken for lack of concern,” Justice Neil Gorsuch said at the time.

DETROIT (AP) — A federal judge in Michigan should have blocked a Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6c1af80fb290472c89fb930e223505af">ban on bump stocks</a>, a device that allows semiautomatic firearms to fire rapidly, an appeals court said Thursday.The ban came in response to a 2017 shooting in Las Vegas in which a gunman attached bump stocks to assault-style rifles to shoot concertgoers from his hotel room.The prohibition came in the form of a regulation from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which treated bump stocks as if they are illegal machine guns. But the court, in a 2-1 decision, said changes in criminal law are up to Congress.“It is not the role of the executive — particularly the unelected administrative state — to dictate to the public what is right and what is wrong,” said judges Alice Batchelder and Eric Murphy of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.The court also said a bump stock doesn’t qualify as a machine gun.“This is great news,” said Erich Pratt, senior vice president of Virginia-based Gun Owners of America.In 2019, U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney in western Michigan turned down an injunction that would have stopped the bump stock ban. The case now will return to his court.Gun owner groups “are likely to prevail on the merits and ... their motion for an injunction should have been granted,” the appeals court said.Decisions from the 6th Circuit set legal precedent in federal courts in Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky.There have been different opinions about the bump stock ban in federal courts across the country, which makes it a strong candidate for review by the U.S. Supreme Court. A year ago, the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/36d807ad9ea481fc88c7f679dbfa1857">turned down</a>&nbsp;an appeal, but it was a procedural step in a case that wasn’t fully developed.“Waiting should not be mistaken for lack of concern,” Justice Neil Gorsuch said at the time.___

Court deals blow to nationwide bump stock ban

SALEM, S.D. (AP) — After a swastika and racial slur were spray-painted on a Black man’s car in Salem, South Dakota, the sheriff’s office is investigating the incident as a hate crime. 

Josh Gadsden says he woke up early Thursday to find his Dodge Charger spray painted with racist symbols, including the N-word, a swastika and what he said appeared to be the Confederate flag, KELO-TV reported.

 Gadsden, who has lived in Salem for five years, says that this is not the first time he has experienced racism. 

The McCook County Sheriff’s office says if the perpetrator is caught they would face felony vandalism and hate crime charges.

SALEM, S.D. (AP) — After a swastika and racial slur were spray-painted on a Black man’s car in Salem, South Dakota, the sheriff’s office is investigating the incident as a hate crime. Josh Gadsden says he woke up early Thursday to find his Dodge Charger spray painted with racist symbols, including the N-word, a swastika and what he said appeared to be the Confederate flag, KELO-TV reported. Gadsden, who has lived in Salem for five years, says that this is not the first time he has experienced racism. The McCook County Sheriff’s office says if the perpetrator is caught they would face felony vandalism and hate crime charges.

Police investigating a hate crime in South Dakota town

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A 26,000-square-foot mansion built with stolen money on the west side of Billings has been sold for $7.5 million.

 The 10-bedroom, 19-bathroom residence was purchased by Jock and Cathy Clause. 

The two are former owners of a mobile home park in Billings. 

The mansion was built six years ago by Larry Price Jr., a former Signal Peak mine executive. 

Price is serving five years in prison after stealing millions of dollars from the mine and investors. 

After closing costs, sale proceeds will go to pay back taxes, $1.7 million could be forfeited to the government and at least $1.1 million is owed to builders and material companies. Whatever's left goes to investors.

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A 26,000-square-foot mansion built with stolen money on the west side of Billings has been sold for $7.5 million. The 10-bedroom, 19-bathroom residence was purchased by Jock and Cathy Clause. The two are former owners of a mobile home park in Billings. The mansion was built six years ago by Larry Price Jr., a former Signal Peak mine executive. Price is serving five years in prison after stealing millions of dollars from the mine and investors. After closing costs, sale proceeds will go to pay back taxes, $1.7 million could be forfeited to the government and at least $1.1 million is owed to builders and material companies. Whatever's left goes to investors.

Infamous Billings mansion, built with stolen money, sold

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Two Omaha health care companies have agreed to settle with the Nebraska attorney general’s office on charges of misleading advertising, marketing, distribution and sales of coronavirus antibody testing.

 The Omaha World-Herald reports that Attorney General Doug Peterson alleged that Pivot Concierge Health and Banyan Medical Systems violated Nebraska’s consumer protection law and a federal deceptive trade practices law. 

Under a settlement signed this week, both companies must disclose the risks and limitations of COVID-19 testing products and comply with the law. 

Pivot Concierge Health must also pay $25,000 to the state.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Two Omaha health care companies have agreed to settle with the Nebraska attorney general’s office on charges of misleading advertising, marketing, distribution and sales of coronavirus antibody testing. The Omaha World-Herald reports that Attorney General Doug Peterson alleged that Pivot Concierge Health and Banyan Medical Systems violated Nebraska’s consumer protection law and a federal deceptive trade practices law. Under a settlement signed this week, both companies must disclose the risks and limitations of COVID-19 testing products and comply with the law. Pivot Concierge Health must also pay $25,000 to the state.

Omaha firms settle with state over COVID antibody tests

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday reversed a ruling by a lower court judge who denied a same-sex couple's petition to adopt a child, based not on state law but on the legal definition of "wife" that he pulled from a law dictionary.

The reversal came in the case of two married women who sought last year to adopt a 3-year-old child whom they had raised since her birth. Dixon County Judge Douglas Luebe denied the petition, saying he had no jurisdiction to grant the request to the women, who were listed in their petition as "wife and wife," because a law dictionary defined "wife" as "'a woman who has a lawful living husband.'"

The Nebraska high court rejected that reasoning, saying state adoption laws clearly allow a same-sex married couple to adopt, and that "any adult person or persons" can adopt a child. So set is the law that the Nebraska Attorney General declined to file a brief defending the judge's ruling.

The judge's reasoning was flawed, the high court said, because the plain language of the state law doesn't preclude same-sex married couples from adopting.

"The only caveat contained in the statute is that if the person had 'a husband or wife,' the husband or wife had to join in the petition" to adopt, Justice William B. Cassel wrote for the high court. That requirement has always existed in state adoption law, because were the adopting parent to die, their spouse would have no legal rights to the child, who could then become a ward of the state.

Luebe did not return messages left at his offices in Dakota, Dixon and Ponca counties. He later contacted Nebraska Supreme Court spokeswoman Janet Bancroft to relay a message to The Associated Press that he would have no comment. Judges in Nebraska are ethically barred from commenting on specific cases, Bancroft said.

It's not the first time the Nebraska Supreme Court has made clear its stance on the legality of same-sex adoption.

In 2017, the high court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/556aecae427c4c1ab6788d8662cc52db" target="_blank">affirmed&nbsp;</a>a judge's ruling striking down a 1995 state policy that banned same-sex couples from serving as foster parents or adopting wards of the state. In a scorching opinion, the high court slammed the former policy as akin to hanging a "Whites Only" sign on a hiring-office door.

Sara Rips, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska who represented the couple in their appeal, said Friday's ruling should solidify that married LGBTQ couples have the same rights as married heterosexual couples.

"But I think there will always be challenges," Rips said. "I think we have a lot of fight left to go."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1559617481129.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MARGERY A. BECK-Associated Press OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday reversed a ruling by a lower court judge who denied a same-sex couple's petition to adopt a child, based not on state law but on the legal definition of "wife" that he pulled from a law dictionary.The reversal came in the case of two married women who sought last year to adopt a 3-year-old child whom they had raised since her birth. Dixon County Judge Douglas Luebe denied the petition, saying he had no jurisdiction to grant the request to the women, who were listed in their petition as "wife and wife," because a law dictionary defined "wife" as "'a woman who has a lawful living husband.'"The Nebraska high court rejected that reasoning, saying state adoption laws clearly allow a same-sex married couple to adopt, and that "any adult person or persons" can adopt a child. So set is the law that the Nebraska Attorney General declined to file a brief defending the judge's ruling.The judge's reasoning was flawed, the high court said, because the plain language of the state law doesn't preclude same-sex married couples from adopting."The only caveat contained in the statute is that if the person had 'a husband or wife,' the husband or wife had to join in the petition" to adopt, Justice William B. Cassel wrote for the high court. That requirement has always existed in state adoption law, because were the adopting parent to die, their spouse would have no legal rights to the child, who could then become a ward of the state.Luebe did not return messages left at his offices in Dakota, Dixon and Ponca counties. He later contacted Nebraska Supreme Court spokeswoman Janet Bancroft to relay a message to The Associated Press that he would have no comment. Judges in Nebraska are ethically barred from commenting on specific cases, Bancroft said.It's not the first time the Nebraska Supreme Court has made clear its stance on the legality of same-sex adoption.In 2017, the high court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/556aecae427c4c1ab6788d8662cc52db" target="_blank">affirmed&nbsp;</a>a judge's ruling striking down a 1995 state policy that banned same-sex couples from serving as foster parents or adopting wards of the state. In a scorching opinion, the high court slammed the former policy as akin to hanging a "Whites Only" sign on a hiring-office door.Sara Rips, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska who represented the couple in their appeal, said Friday's ruling should solidify that married LGBTQ couples have the same rights as married heterosexual couples."But I think there will always be challenges," Rips said. "I think we have a lot of fight left to go."

Ruling denying adoption by same-sex Nebraska couple reversed

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Ambitious Republicans are starting to make moves in Iowa, long a proving ground for future presidents. Their first step is finding out whether activists there have gotten over the last one.

Former President Donald Trump remains a hulking presence in Iowa, where he won twice by healthy margins. He’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-leaves-white-house-ad718c0048c341d0044c4709fb23c8dd">hinted he’ll run again</a>, and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-fact-check-joe-biden-donald-trump-technology-49a24edd6d10888dbad61689c24b05a5">false claims</a>&nbsp;that the last election was stolen still dominate some Republican circles.

But that doesn’t mean Trump has frozen the field of potential 2024 Republican presidential candidates. Several GOP politicians have plans for trips to Iowa and other early nominating states this spring. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is the first since the election to gauge Iowans’ interest in person this week.

Party activists say these early arrivals are welcome, despite Trump’s enduring popularity and the pervasive belief he was somehow wronged in his 2020 defeat. But interviews with GOP county party leaders and local activists around the state expose the difference between their declared love for Trump and hope he runs again.

“There are Trumpsters who can’t wait for him to run again. They are the ones still moaning and groaning that they were cheated out of the election,” said Gwen Ecklund, a veteran former county chairwoman in conservative western Iowa. “But there are some — average, rank-and-file Republicans — who are turning the page.”

That’s who Pompeo will be looking for in this very early phase. The former top Trump diplomat and successful Kansas politician spoke Friday with a regular Republican breakfast group and up-and-coming Republicans in Des Moines as well as meet privately with top Iowa party officials.

Pompeo is fresh off a national political speaking debut at the American Conservative Union’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cpac-false-trump-claims-40eeace4eec6a286dc6e8fb50f0afd5b">CPAC conference</a>&nbsp;last month in Florida. As he’s expected to in Iowa, Pompeo subtly distinguished himself, without alienating Republicans still loyal to Trump and hoping for a 2024 comeback.

“I had the chance to bring home American hostages from Pyongyang,” Pompeo told the audience in Orlando. “‘America first’ takes some real courage. It takes a secretary of state willing to walk into a room and tell it like it is, and a president who will have his back.”

Others will attempt to walk the same line.

Florida Sen. Rick Scott plans to follow the well-worn path of presidential prospects with an April 1 trip to Cedar Rapids. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is scheduled to meet Republicans in eastern Iowa’s Quad Cities on April 15, all signs of an an exceptionally early start to the 2024 campaign.

Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, who has met virtually with Republicans in the leadoff primary state New Hampshire, is also making plans to visit Iowa in the coming months, advisers said.

They’ll get a fair hearing, Henry County Republican chairwoman Nancy Amos said. But most in her southeast corner of Iowa want to see Trump run again.

“Oh, sure, we’ll go and listen to them. It’s not like we won’t give others a chance,” said Amos, who represents one of a string of Mississippi River counties Trump carried after Democrat Barack Obama had earlier. “It’s just most of the talk is about Trump.”

Trump’s enduring popularity, however, doesn’t mean everyone wants him to run again. Though Trump carried Crawford County — where Ecklund is GOP co-chairwoman — by more than 30 percentage points twice, she’s encountered Republicans “ready to move on” and “tired of extreme controversy.”

Statewide, views of Trump have dimmed some since he carried Iowa by about 8 percentage points in November. In The Des Moines Register’s March Iowa Poll, 53% of Iowans viewed the former president unfavorably and 45% favorably, about the reverse of a year ago.

In an unscientific measure, a straw poll of 1,000 attendees at the CPAC conference found that 97% of these devout conservative activists approved of the job Trump had done as president, though only 68% said he, now age 74, should run again in four years.

Yet, Trump prompted roaring applause and a standing ovation in Orlando when he told the audience, “Who knows, I may even decide to beat them a third time,” alluding to his false claim that he won the 2020 election.

Members of his own administration, including Attorney General William Barr, say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">no proof of widespread voter fraud</a>&nbsp;has been uncovered. Courts in multiple battleground states have thrown out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-losing-election-lawsuits-36d113484ac0946fa5f0614deb7de15e">a barrage of lawsuits</a>&nbsp;filed on behalf of the president.

In a January Pew Research poll, taken after the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters, a 57% majority of Republicans said Trump should continue to be a major political figure for many years to come.

To maintain his influence, he’s going to have to find a way back to the spotlight, a challenge without his signature Twitter account, said Republican pollster Ed Goeas, who has advised Republican Senate candidates including Iowa Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst.

“At some point he’s going to figure out how to get more attention than he’s getting now, or he’s going to fade into the sunset,” Goeas said. “I just think Donald Trump two years from now is going to look very different than Donald Trump of a month ago.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616766061345.png" alt="Mike Pompeo spoke to the Pottawattamie County GOP in Council Bluffs, IA Thursday evening-photo courtesy Secretary Pompeo" />
 <figcaption>Mike Pompeo spoke to the Pottawattamie County GOP in Council Bluffs, IA Thursday evening-photo courtesy Secretary Pompeo</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Ambitious Republicans are starting to make moves in Iowa, long a proving ground for future presidents. Their first step is finding out whether activists there have gotten over the last one.Former President Donald Trump remains a hulking presence in Iowa, where he won twice by healthy margins. He’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-leaves-white-house-ad718c0048c341d0044c4709fb23c8dd">hinted he’ll run again</a>, and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-fact-check-joe-biden-donald-trump-technology-49a24edd6d10888dbad61689c24b05a5">false claims</a>&nbsp;that the last election was stolen still dominate some Republican circles.But that doesn’t mean Trump has frozen the field of potential 2024 Republican presidential candidates. Several GOP politicians have plans for trips to Iowa and other early nominating states this spring. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is the first since the election to gauge Iowans’ interest in person this week.Party activists say these early arrivals are welcome, despite Trump’s enduring popularity and the pervasive belief he was somehow wronged in his 2020 defeat. But interviews with GOP county party leaders and local activists around the state expose the difference between their declared love for Trump and hope he runs again.“There are Trumpsters who can’t wait for him to run again. They are the ones still moaning and groaning that they were cheated out of the election,” said Gwen Ecklund, a veteran former county chairwoman in conservative western Iowa. “But there are some — average, rank-and-file Republicans — who are turning the page.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616766008619.png" alt="Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was elected to serve Kansas 4th congressional district in 2010 until he accepted appointment as CIA Director in 2017." />
 <figcaption>Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was elected to serve Kansas 4th congressional district in 2010 until he accepted appointment as CIA Director in 2017.</figcaption>
 </figure>That’s who Pompeo will be looking for in this very early phase. The former top Trump diplomat and successful Kansas politician spoke Friday with a regular Republican breakfast group and up-and-coming Republicans in Des Moines as well as meet privately with top Iowa party officials.Pompeo is fresh off a national political speaking debut at the American Conservative Union’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cpac-false-trump-claims-40eeace4eec6a286dc6e8fb50f0afd5b">CPAC conference</a>&nbsp;last month in Florida. As he’s expected to in Iowa, Pompeo subtly distinguished himself, without alienating Republicans still loyal to Trump and hoping for a 2024 comeback.“I had the chance to bring home American hostages from Pyongyang,” Pompeo told the audience in Orlando. “‘America first’ takes some real courage. It takes a secretary of state willing to walk into a room and tell it like it is, and a president who will have his back.”Others will attempt to walk the same line.Florida Sen. Rick Scott plans to follow the well-worn path of presidential prospects with an April 1 trip to Cedar Rapids. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is scheduled to meet Republicans in eastern Iowa’s Quad Cities on April 15, all signs of an an exceptionally early start to the 2024 campaign.Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, who has met virtually with Republicans in the leadoff primary state New Hampshire, is also making plans to visit Iowa in the coming months, advisers said.They’ll get a fair hearing, Henry County Republican chairwoman Nancy Amos said. But most in her southeast corner of Iowa want to see Trump run again.“Oh, sure, we’ll go and listen to them. It’s not like we won’t give others a chance,” said Amos, who represents one of a string of Mississippi River counties Trump carried after Democrat Barack Obama had earlier. “It’s just most of the talk is about Trump.”Trump’s enduring popularity, however, doesn’t mean everyone wants him to run again. Though Trump carried Crawford County — where Ecklund is GOP co-chairwoman — by more than 30 percentage points twice, she’s encountered Republicans “ready to move on” and “tired of extreme controversy.”Statewide, views of Trump have dimmed some since he carried Iowa by about 8 percentage points in November. In The Des Moines Register’s March Iowa Poll, 53% of Iowans viewed the former president unfavorably and 45% favorably, about the reverse of a year ago.In an unscientific measure, a straw poll of 1,000 attendees at the CPAC conference found that 97% of these devout conservative activists approved of the job Trump had done as president, though only 68% said he, now age 74, should run again in four years.Yet, Trump prompted roaring applause and a standing ovation in Orlando when he told the audience, “Who knows, I may even decide to beat them a third time,” alluding to his false claim that he won the 2020 election.Members of his own administration, including Attorney General William Barr, say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">no proof of widespread voter fraud</a>&nbsp;has been uncovered. Courts in multiple battleground states have thrown out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-losing-election-lawsuits-36d113484ac0946fa5f0614deb7de15e">a barrage of lawsuits</a>&nbsp;filed on behalf of the president.In a January Pew Research poll, taken after the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters, a 57% majority of Republicans said Trump should continue to be a major political figure for many years to come.To maintain his influence, he’s going to have to find a way back to the spotlight, a challenge without his signature Twitter account, said Republican pollster Ed Goeas, who has advised Republican Senate candidates including Iowa Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst.“At some point he’s going to figure out how to get more attention than he’s getting now, or he’s going to fade into the sunset,” Goeas said. “I just think Donald Trump two years from now is going to look very different than Donald Trump of a month ago.”___

Former Kan. congressman in Iowa ahead of 2024 campaign

HASKELL COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just after 8:30a.m. Friday in Haskell County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Dodge Ram pulling a horse trailer and driven by Ira Sage Dickinson, 21, Rock Springs, WY., was eastbound on U.S. 56 three miles west of Satanta.

The driver attempted to pass a 2003 Peterbilt dump truck driven by Jessie Allen Eckert, 49, Hugoton. The Dodge made contact with the dump truck drivers side front bumper. 

The dump truck traveled into the south ditch. The Dodge pickup and trailer traveled into the north ditch.&nbsp; It rolled and&nbsp; the horse trailer detached.

Two passengers in the Dodge identified as Hadly G&nbsp;McCormick, 23, Scottsbluff, NE. and Cade Cinch Bullock, 19, Campo, CO., were&nbsp; pronounced dead at the scene.

McCormick was transported to&nbsp;Ziegler Funeral Chapel and Bullock to Robinson Funeral Home.

EMS transported Eckert and Dickinson to the Satanta District Hospital. The occupants of the Dodge were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

HASKELL COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just after 8:30a.m. Friday in Haskell County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Dodge Ram pulling a horse trailer and driven by Ira Sage Dickinson, 21, Rock Springs, WY., was eastbound on U.S. 56 three miles west of Satanta.The driver attempted to pass a 2003 Peterbilt dump truck driven by Jessie Allen Eckert, 49, Hugoton. The Dodge made contact with the dump truck drivers side front bumper. The dump truck traveled into the south ditch. The Dodge pickup and trailer traveled into the north ditch.&nbsp; It rolled and&nbsp; the horse trailer detached.Two passengers in the Dodge identified as Hadly G&nbsp;McCormick, 23, Scottsbluff, NE. and Cade Cinch Bullock, 19, Campo, CO., were&nbsp; pronounced dead at the scene.McCormick was transported to&nbsp;Ziegler Funeral Chapel and Bullock to Robinson Funeral Home.EMS transported Eckert and Dickinson to the Satanta District Hospital. The occupants of the Dodge were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Nebraska man among 2 dead after violent Kansas crash

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — The suspect in the Colorado supermarket shootings bought a firearm at a local gun store after passing a background check, and he also had a second weapon with him that he didn’t use in the attack that killed 10 people this week, authorities and the gun store owner said Friday.

Investigators are working to determine the motive for the shooting, but they don’t know yet why the suspect chose the King Soopers grocery store in Boulder or what led him to carry out the rampage, Police Chief Maris Herold said at a news conference.

“Like the rest of the community, we too want to know why — why that King Soopers, why Boulder, why Monday,” Herold said. “It will be something haunting for all of us until we figure that out. Sometimes you just don’t figure these things out. But, I am hoping that we will.”

The quick response by officers, who traded gunfire with the suspect, kept many people inside the store out of danger, said Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty, who declined to say how many people were in the supermarket. The first officer on scene was killed.

“Their actions saved other civilians from being killed,” Dougherty said about the officers. “They charged into the store and immediately faced a very significant amount of gunfire from the shooter, who at first they were unable to locate.”

More charges will be filed against 21-year-old Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa in the coming weeks in connection with firing at officers, Dougherty said.

John Mark Eagleton, owner of Eagles Nest Armory in the Denver suburb of Arvada, said in a statement that his store was cooperating with authorities as they investigate. The suspect passed a background check conducted by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation before purchasing a gun, Eagleton said.

Alissa used a Ruger AR-556 pistol, which resembles an AR-15 rifle with a slightly shorter stock, in the shooting, Herold said. An arrest affidavit says Alissa purchased it on March 16, six days before the shooting.

He also had a 9 mm handgun, which the police chief said was not believed to have been used in the attack. Herold didn’t say how Alissa obtained it.

“We are absolutely shocked by what happened and our hearts are broken for the victims and families that are left behind. Ensuring every sale that occurs at our shop is lawful, has always been and will always remain the highest priority for our business,” Eagleton said in the statement.

The gun store is in a shopping center that also has a chiropractic clinic, yoga studio and foot massage parlor. It is less than a half-mile from one of the restaurants Alissa’s family owns and about 3 miles (5 kilometers) from his family’s house in Arvada. A different King Soopers store is across the street.

Colorado has a universal background check law covering almost all gun sales, but misdemeanor convictions generally do not prevent people from purchasing weapons.

Alissa was convicted in 2018 of misdemeanor assault after he knocked a fellow high school student to the floor, climbed on top of him and punched him in the head several times, according to police documents. He was sentenced to probation and community service.

If Alissa had been convicted of a felony, his gun purchase would have been prohibited under federal law.

Dougherty, the district attorney, said Friday that the FBI and other agencies were looking into the background of Alissa and the victims and didn’t yet have information to share. He said federal agencies were looking into “other firearms that might be connected to him” but refused to elaborate.

Dougherty said officials will limit how much they reveal about the investigation, which is expected to take months, to protect Alissa’s right to a fair trial and ensure it takes place in Boulder County.

“If we share too much about the facts of the investigation, it’s possible we’ll see a motion by the defense to move this trial to somewhere else in the state of Colorado,” Dougherty said. “And I want to make sure that the people of Boulder have the opportunity for this trial to be held and for justice to be done here.”

Alissa made his first court appearance Thursday, where his public defender asked for a mental health evaluation but provided no details about his mental state. He is charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder over shots fired at a police officer who was not hurt.

Alissa was treated at a hospital before going to jail, his hands bound during the transfer by the handcuffs used by Officer Eric Talley, who died in the attack. Alissa has been moved to a jail outside Boulder County due to safety concerns stemming from threats made against him, county sheriff’s spokeswoman Carrie Haverfield said in a statement Friday.

Alissa is being held without bail and has not yet entered a plea. His next court hearing will not be scheduled for two to three months to allow his attorneys to evaluate his mental state and evidence collected by investigators.

A Catholic funeral Mass for Talley will be celebrated Monday at a cathedral in downtown Denver. His funeral is scheduled for Tuesday in the Boulder County city of Lafayette. The 51-year-old joined the Police Department in 2010. He had seven children.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616793462620.png" alt="The community has come together in the face of this week's horrific tragedy-photo City of Boulder" />
 <figcaption>The community has come together in the face of this week's horrific tragedy-photo City of Boulder</figcaption>
 </figure>BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — The suspect in the Colorado supermarket shootings bought a firearm at a local gun store after passing a background check, and he also had a second weapon with him that he didn’t use in the attack that killed 10 people this week, authorities and the gun store owner said Friday.Investigators are working to determine the motive for the shooting, but they don’t know yet why the suspect chose the King Soopers grocery store in Boulder or what led him to carry out the rampage, Police Chief Maris Herold said at a news conference.“Like the rest of the community, we too want to know why — why that King Soopers, why Boulder, why Monday,” Herold said. “It will be something haunting for all of us until we figure that out. Sometimes you just don’t figure these things out. But, I am hoping that we will.”The quick response by officers, who traded gunfire with the suspect, kept many people inside the store out of danger, said Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty, who declined to say how many people were in the supermarket. The first officer on scene was killed.“Their actions saved other civilians from being killed,” Dougherty said about the officers. “They charged into the store and immediately faced a very significant amount of gunfire from the shooter, who at first they were unable to locate.”More charges will be filed against 21-year-old Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa in the coming weeks in connection with firing at officers, Dougherty said.John Mark Eagleton, owner of Eagles Nest Armory in the Denver suburb of Arvada, said in a statement that his store was cooperating with authorities as they investigate. The suspect passed a background check conducted by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation before purchasing a gun, Eagleton said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616547245871.png" alt="Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa photo Boulder Police" />
 <figcaption>Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa photo Boulder Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Alissa used a Ruger AR-556 pistol, which resembles an AR-15 rifle with a slightly shorter stock, in the shooting, Herold said. An arrest affidavit says Alissa purchased it on March 16, six days before the shooting.He also had a 9 mm handgun, which the police chief said was not believed to have been used in the attack. Herold didn’t say how Alissa obtained it.“We are absolutely shocked by what happened and our hearts are broken for the victims and families that are left behind. Ensuring every sale that occurs at our shop is lawful, has always been and will always remain the highest priority for our business,” Eagleton said in the statement.The gun store is in a shopping center that also has a chiropractic clinic, yoga studio and foot massage parlor. It is less than a half-mile from one of the restaurants Alissa’s family owns and about 3 miles (5 kilometers) from his family’s house in Arvada. A different King Soopers store is across the street.Colorado has a universal background check law covering almost all gun sales, but misdemeanor convictions generally do not prevent people from purchasing weapons.Alissa was convicted in 2018 of misdemeanor assault after he knocked a fellow high school student to the floor, climbed on top of him and punched him in the head several times, according to police documents. He was sentenced to probation and community service.If Alissa had been convicted of a felony, his gun purchase would have been prohibited under federal law.Dougherty, the district attorney, said Friday that the FBI and other agencies were looking into the background of Alissa and the victims and didn’t yet have information to share. He said federal agencies were looking into “other firearms that might be connected to him” but refused to elaborate.Dougherty said officials will limit how much they reveal about the investigation, which is expected to take months, to protect Alissa’s right to a fair trial and ensure it takes place in Boulder County.“If we share too much about the facts of the investigation, it’s possible we’ll see a motion by the defense to move this trial to somewhere else in the state of Colorado,” Dougherty said. “And I want to make sure that the people of Boulder have the opportunity for this trial to be held and for justice to be done here.”Alissa made his first court appearance Thursday, where his public defender asked for a mental health evaluation but provided no details about his mental state. He is charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder over shots fired at a police officer who was not hurt.Alissa was treated at a hospital before going to jail, his hands bound during the transfer by the handcuffs used by Officer Eric Talley, who died in the attack. Alissa has been moved to a jail outside Boulder County due to safety concerns stemming from threats made against him, county sheriff’s spokeswoman Carrie Haverfield said in a statement Friday.Alissa is being held without bail and has not yet entered a plea. His next court hearing will not be scheduled for two to three months to allow his attorneys to evaluate his mental state and evidence collected by investigators.A Catholic funeral Mass for Talley will be celebrated Monday at a cathedral in downtown Denver. His funeral is scheduled for Tuesday in the Boulder County city of Lafayette. The 51-year-old joined the Police Department in 2010. He had seven children.___

Colorado shooting suspect passed check in legal gun purchase

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service issued <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/a-21-07.pdf">Announcement 2021-7&nbsp;PDF</a>
 today clarifying that the purchase of personal protective equipment, 
such as masks, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes, for the primary 
purpose of preventing the spread of coronavirus are deductible medical 
expenses.

The amounts paid for personal protective equipment are also eligible 
to be paid or reimbursed under health flexible spending arrangements , Archer medical savings accounts, health 
reimbursement arrangements, or health savings accounts.

For more information on determining what is deductible, see&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/can-i-deduct-my-medical-and-dental-expenses">Can I Deduct My Medical and Dental Expenses?</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/publications/p502">Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service issued <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/a-21-07.pdf">Announcement 2021-7&nbsp;PDF</a>
 today clarifying that the purchase of personal protective equipment, 
such as masks, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes, for the primary 
purpose of preventing the spread of coronavirus are deductible medical 
expenses.The amounts paid for personal protective equipment are also eligible 
to be paid or reimbursed under health flexible spending arrangements , Archer medical savings accounts, health 
reimbursement arrangements, or health savings accounts.For more information on determining what is deductible, see&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/can-i-deduct-my-medical-and-dental-expenses">Can I Deduct My Medical and Dental Expenses?</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/publications/p502">Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses</a>.

IRS: Masks, other PPP to prevent COVID spread now tax-deductible

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is including rivals Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China among the invitees to the first big climate talks of his administration, an event the U.S. hopes will help shape, speed up and deepen global efforts to cut climate-wrecking fossil fuel pollution, administration officials told The Associated Press. 

The president is seeking to revive a U.S.-convened forum of the world’s major economies on climate that George W. Bush and Barack Obama both used and Donald Trump let languish. 

Leaders of some of the world’s top climate-change sufferers, do-gooders and backsliders round out the rest of the 40 invitations being delivered Friday. It will be held April 22 and 23.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614942546425.png" alt="Biden" />
 <figcaption>Biden</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is including rivals Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China among the invitees to the first big climate talks of his administration, an event the U.S. hopes will help shape, speed up and deepen global efforts to cut climate-wrecking fossil fuel pollution, administration officials told The Associated Press. The president is seeking to revive a U.S.-convened forum of the world’s major economies on climate that George W. Bush and Barack Obama both used and Donald Trump let languish. Leaders of some of the world’s top climate-change sufferers, do-gooders and backsliders round out the rest of the 40 invitations being delivered Friday. It will be held April 22 and 23.

Pres. Biden invites Putin, Xi Jinping to climate talks 

PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha woman has been sentenced to 60 years to life in prison for her role in the 2018 killing of a Bellevue man.

 The Omaha World-Herald reports that 30-year-old Alisia Cooke was sentenced Thursday in Sarpy Count District Court in the killing of 39-year-old Brent Quigley in his home. 

Cooke pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the case. She is one of five people charged in the case. 

Prosecutors say Cooke was in on the plan to rob Quigley, and gained access to Quigley's home by arranging to have sex with him for payment.

 Police say Cooke told investigators the plan was to pistol-whip and rob Quigley, but he was stabbed to death when he tried to flee.

PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha woman has been sentenced to 60 years to life in prison for her role in the 2018 killing of a Bellevue man. The Omaha World-Herald reports that 30-year-old Alisia Cooke was sentenced Thursday in Sarpy Count District Court in the killing of 39-year-old Brent Quigley in his home. Cooke pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the case. She is one of five people charged in the case. Prosecutors say Cooke was in on the plan to rob Quigley, and gained access to Quigley's home by arranging to have sex with him for payment. Police say Cooke told investigators the plan was to pistol-whip and rob Quigley, but he was stabbed to death when he tried to flee.

Omaha woman gets 60 years to life for Bellevue killing

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Douglas County could start giving coronavirus vaccinations to residents who are at least 16 years old by mid-April, catching up with parts of rural Nebraska that have already moved onto that phase. 

The Douglas County Public Health District lists the timeline on its website, and local public health officials say it seems realistic. 

Other public health districts have started vaccinating younger residents, including the Public Health Solutions Health Department, which represents Filmore, Gage, Jefferson, Saline and Thayer counties in southeastern Nebraska. 

Health officials in the district said they’re vaccinating residents who are at least 18 years old.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Douglas County could start giving coronavirus vaccinations to residents who are at least 16 years old by mid-April, catching up with parts of rural Nebraska that have already moved onto that phase. The Douglas County Public Health District lists the timeline on its website, and local public health officials say it seems realistic. Other public health districts have started vaccinating younger residents, including the Public Health Solutions Health Department, which represents Filmore, Gage, Jefferson, Saline and Thayer counties in southeastern Nebraska. Health officials in the district said they’re vaccinating residents who are at least 18 years old.

Younger residents in Douglas County could get vaccines soon

EAGLE BUTTE, S.D. (AP) — The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe has taken down the coronavirus checkpoints on its South Dakota reservation that had become a point of contention between the tribe and Republican Gov. Kristi Noem and the Trump administration. 

Cheyenne River spokesman Remi Bald Eagle says the tribal council made the decision to take down the nine checkpoints because of declining infection rates and the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccines on the reservation. 

The tribe is also hoping to work with President Joe Biden’s new Bureau of Indian Affairs staff to maintain control over its police department after the Trump administration sent a letter in December 2020 saying the agency would begin managing the department.

EAGLE BUTTE, S.D. (AP) — The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe has taken down the coronavirus checkpoints on its South Dakota reservation that had become a point of contention between the tribe and Republican Gov. Kristi Noem and the Trump administration. Cheyenne River spokesman Remi Bald Eagle says the tribal council made the decision to take down the nine checkpoints because of declining infection rates and the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccines on the reservation. The tribe is also hoping to work with President Joe Biden’s new Bureau of Indian Affairs staff to maintain control over its police department after the Trump administration sent a letter in December 2020 saying the agency would begin managing the department.

Tribe removes disputed coronavirus reservation checkpoints

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have given initial approval to a bill that would bar ethanol plants from using chemically treated seed corn to make their product in response to a small-town facility that’s facing heavy criticism and a lawsuit for repeated environmental violations. 

The measure that lawmakers advanced 43-0 is aimed at the AltEn Ethanol plant in Mead, a town of 567 people about 35 miles west of Omaha. 

The plant is the only one in Nebraska that uses pesticide-covered seed corn that’s considered unsuitable for other uses, such as animal feed. 

For years, residents of Mead have complained about a stench coming from the plant and complained about bloody noses, headaches and trouble breathing.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have given initial approval to a bill that would bar ethanol plants from using chemically treated seed corn to make their product in response to a small-town facility that’s facing heavy criticism and a lawsuit for repeated environmental violations. The measure that lawmakers advanced 43-0 is aimed at the AltEn Ethanol plant in Mead, a town of 567 people about 35 miles west of Omaha. The plant is the only one in Nebraska that uses pesticide-covered seed corn that’s considered unsuitable for other uses, such as animal feed. For years, residents of Mead have complained about a stench coming from the plant and complained about bloody noses, headaches and trouble breathing.

Bill aimed at troubled Nebraska ethanol plant advances

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will take steps to more quickly move hundreds of migrant children and teens out of cramped detention facilities along the Southwest border, President Joe Biden said Thursday. He was pushing back against suggestions that his administration’s policies are responsible for the rising number of people seeking to enter the country.

Pressed repeatedly on the border issue at his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-1st-news-conference-2804de86cb2bd901c14c109efe024e5d">first news conference since taking office</a>, Biden said his administration was taking steps to address the situation with measures such as setting aside space at a Texas Army base for about 5,000 unaccompanied minors. But mostly he fired back at criticism.

He noted that his administration, as was done under President Donald Trump, is continuing to quickly expel most adults and families under a public health order imposed at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. The crucial difference is that the government is allowing teens and children, at least temporarily, to stay in the country, straining government resources during the pandemic.

“The only people we’re not going to let be left sitting there on the other side of the Rio Grande by themselves with no help are children,” he said.

The situation along the U.S.-Mexico border has become an early challenge for the administration, drawing more questions than any other subject at the maiden news conference, and diverting attention as the administration addresses the pandemic and the economy.

The number of migrants attempting to cross the border is at the highest level since a spring 2019 surge under Trump, according to the most recently released statistics. The numbers appear to be rising and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently warned they are on pace to hit a 20-year peak.

Biden sought to portray it as a seasonal spike and not, as critics have said, a result of moves such as his decisions to halt construction of border wall projects started under Trump or support for broad immigration legislation.

“It happens every year,” he said. “Does anybody suggest that there was a 31% increase under Trump because he was a nice guy and he was doing good things at the border? That’s not the reason they’re coming.”

Trump responded to a sharp increase in border crossings in 2019 by requiring migrants to wait in Mexico while the U.S. evaluated their asylum petitions or to make claims instead in Guatemala, El Salvador or Honduras. Those Trump-era programs were criticized for sending people fleeing violence back into dangerous situations.

Former acting DHS secretary Chad Wolf, now a fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said Thursday that Biden invited the current crisis by ending those programs and other measures. “He took away all of the consequences, at the same time he began to message that it was perfectly acceptable to come,” he said.

Biden, for his part, condemned the Trump-era requirement that migrants await their asylum claims in Mexico as “sitting on the edge of the Rio Grande in a muddy circumstance with not enough to eat.” He also criticized an earlier policy of separating children from their families at the border and argued that it’s conditions in people’s home countries that push them to the U.S. border.

“It’s because of earthquakes, floods. It’s because of lack of food. It’s because of gang violence,” he said. “It’s because of a whole range of things that when I was vice president had the same obligation to deal with unaccompanied children.”

Biden said that his administration is working to help the countries where migrants are coming from with long-term solutions to their issues, citing $700 million in aid going to Central America.

The number of migrants encountered by authorities along the Southwest border has been rising since April, shortly after the Trump administration imposed a public health order authorizing Customs and Border Protection to quickly expel most people. Many of those are repeat crossers, trying again after they have been sent back.

But in recent weeks, the number of unaccompanied minors has dramatically increased, straining the ability of CBP to hold them in their detention facilities until they can be turned over to the Department of Health and Human Services. The department houses them until they can be placed with relatives or sponsors while the government decides whether they have a legal claim for residency, either under asylum or for some other reason.

The government said there were nearly 5,000 children in Border Patrol custody as of Tuesday and an additional 11,551 at Department of Health and Human Services shelters.

Biden said the administration was opening up bed space at Fort Bliss, Texas, and was taking steps to more quickly to establish the identity of relatives in the U.S. so the minors can be moved out of government custody.

More than 100,000 migrants were stopped crossing the border in February, the most recent statistics publicly available. Most were single adults and were quickly turned back. Most families are being turned away as well, though Mexico has been refusing to accept some in shelters during the pandemic. Biden says it is working with the Mexican government to take more of them and to shore up its own border.

Wolf, however, is skeptical that any efforts by the Mexican government will make much of a difference. “The dynamics aren’t going to change unless the policies change,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616693395951.png" alt="The number of migrants attempting to cross the border is at the highest level since a spring 2019 surge under Trump, according to the most recently released statistics.&nbsp; President Biden addressed the issue during his Thursday news conference -photo White House" />
 <figcaption>The number of migrants attempting to cross the border is at the highest level since a spring 2019 surge under Trump, according to the most recently released statistics.&nbsp; President Biden addressed the issue during his Thursday news conference -photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will take steps to more quickly move hundreds of migrant children and teens out of cramped detention facilities along the Southwest border, President Joe Biden said Thursday. He was pushing back against suggestions that his administration’s policies are responsible for the rising number of people seeking to enter the country.Pressed repeatedly on the border issue at his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-1st-news-conference-2804de86cb2bd901c14c109efe024e5d">first news conference since taking office</a>, Biden said his administration was taking steps to address the situation with measures such as setting aside space at a Texas Army base for about 5,000 unaccompanied minors. But mostly he fired back at criticism.He noted that his administration, as was done under President Donald Trump, is continuing to quickly expel most adults and families under a public health order imposed at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. The crucial difference is that the government is allowing teens and children, at least temporarily, to stay in the country, straining government resources during the pandemic.“The only people we’re not going to let be left sitting there on the other side of the Rio Grande by themselves with no help are children,” he said.The situation along the U.S.-Mexico border has become an early challenge for the administration, drawing more questions than any other subject at the maiden news conference, and diverting attention as the administration addresses the pandemic and the economy.The number of migrants attempting to cross the border is at the highest level since a spring 2019 surge under Trump, according to the most recently released statistics. The numbers appear to be rising and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently warned they are on pace to hit a 20-year peak.Biden sought to portray it as a seasonal spike and not, as critics have said, a result of moves such as his decisions to halt construction of border wall projects started under Trump or support for broad immigration legislation.“It happens every year,” he said. “Does anybody suggest that there was a 31% increase under Trump because he was a nice guy and he was doing good things at the border? That’s not the reason they’re coming.”Trump responded to a sharp increase in border crossings in 2019 by requiring migrants to wait in Mexico while the U.S. evaluated their asylum petitions or to make claims instead in Guatemala, El Salvador or Honduras. Those Trump-era programs were criticized for sending people fleeing violence back into dangerous situations.Former acting DHS secretary Chad Wolf, now a fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said Thursday that Biden invited the current crisis by ending those programs and other measures. “He took away all of the consequences, at the same time he began to message that it was perfectly acceptable to come,” he said.Biden, for his part, condemned the Trump-era requirement that migrants await their asylum claims in Mexico as “sitting on the edge of the Rio Grande in a muddy circumstance with not enough to eat.” He also criticized an earlier policy of separating children from their families at the border and argued that it’s conditions in people’s home countries that push them to the U.S. border.“It’s because of earthquakes, floods. It’s because of lack of food. It’s because of gang violence,” he said. “It’s because of a whole range of things that when I was vice president had the same obligation to deal with unaccompanied children.”Biden said that his administration is working to help the countries where migrants are coming from with long-term solutions to their issues, citing $700 million in aid going to Central America.The number of migrants encountered by authorities along the Southwest border has been rising since April, shortly after the Trump administration imposed a public health order authorizing Customs and Border Protection to quickly expel most people. Many of those are repeat crossers, trying again after they have been sent back.But in recent weeks, the number of unaccompanied minors has dramatically increased, straining the ability of CBP to hold them in their detention facilities until they can be turned over to the Department of Health and Human Services. The department houses them until they can be placed with relatives or sponsors while the government decides whether they have a legal claim for residency, either under asylum or for some other reason.The government said there were nearly 5,000 children in Border Patrol custody as of Tuesday and an additional 11,551 at Department of Health and Human Services shelters.Biden said the administration was opening up bed space at Fort Bliss, Texas, and was taking steps to more quickly to establish the identity of relatives in the U.S. so the minors can be moved out of government custody.More than 100,000 migrants were stopped crossing the border in February, the most recent statistics publicly available. Most were single adults and were quickly turned back. Most families are being turned away as well, though Mexico has been refusing to accept some in shelters during the pandemic. Biden says it is working with the Mexican government to take more of them and to shore up its own border.Wolf, however, is skeptical that any efforts by the Mexican government will make much of a difference. “The dynamics aren’t going to change unless the policies change,” he said.

Biden vows action on migrants as he defends border policy

New Brunswick, New Jersey —Rutgers University shared plans on the school's web site Thursday to take steps to protect "the health of our academic community and to move toward a full return to our pre-pandemic normal as a vibrant institution in Fall 2021."

<a href="https://www.rutgers.edu/president/our-path-forward">The statement</a> from President and University Professor Jonathan Holloway said "the University will be updating its Immunization Requirements for Students to include the COVID-19 vaccine.&nbsp;This health policy update means that, with limited exceptions, all students planning to attend in the Fall 2021 semester must be fully vaccinated.&nbsp;In parallel, we continue to strongly urge all Rutgers faculty and staff to get immunized against COVID-19 at the earliest opportunity."

"The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination include prevention of serious illness, hospitalization, and death from the virus. Broad immunization is critical to help stop the current pandemic and to protect our University community." Benefits specific to the Rutgers community include:

"Most important, a safer Rutgers community supports a safer New Jersey for our families, our friends, and our neighbors across the state."

"The University has also been approved by the State to offer Rutgers clinics for on-campus administration of vaccines to faculty, staff, and students when vaccine supplies become available. However, we have not yet been given vaccine to administer. Thus, the University urges all members of its community currently eligible to receive a vaccine not to wait and to&nbsp;<a href="https://covidvaccine.nj.gov/">register with the State</a>&nbsp;in order to get vaccinated as soon as possible, wherever you can, if you have not done so already."&nbsp;

"Proof of vaccination will be required for all students planning to attend this fall.&nbsp;Any vaccine authorized for use in the U.S. (currently Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson &amp; Johnson) is acceptable.&nbsp; It is understood that some incoming students may be 17 years old, and may be only eligible for the Pfizer vaccine."

"Students planning to attend the fall 2021 semester may request an exemption from the vaccination requirement for medical or religious reasons. Students enrolled in fully online degree programs (typically defined as having no access to on-campus facilities), as well as individuals participating in fully online or off-campus Continuing Education programs, will not need to provide proof of vaccination."

"From the onset of the pandemic, the safety of the broader Rutgers community has been our shared responsibility. This has never been more true. The importance of an effective vaccination program to make our community safer for all cannot be overstated."

New Brunswick, New Jersey —Rutgers University shared plans on the school's web site Thursday to take steps to protect "the health of our academic community and to move toward a full return to our pre-pandemic normal as a vibrant institution in Fall 2021."<a href="https://www.rutgers.edu/president/our-path-forward">The statement</a> from President and University Professor Jonathan Holloway said "the University will be updating its Immunization Requirements for Students to include the COVID-19 vaccine.&nbsp;This health policy update means that, with limited exceptions, all students planning to attend in the Fall 2021 semester must be fully vaccinated.&nbsp;In parallel, we continue to strongly urge all Rutgers faculty and staff to get immunized against COVID-19 at the earliest opportunity.""The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination include prevention of serious illness, hospitalization, and death from the virus. Broad immunization is critical to help stop the current pandemic and to protect our University community." Benefits specific to the Rutgers community include:<ul>
 <li>An expedited return to pre-pandemic normal</li><li>Additional face-to-face course offerings and academic experiences</li><li>Opportunities for a wider range of events and activities offered at our campuses</li><li>Expanded dining and recreation options at Rutgers</li><li>Greater interpersonal collaboration among faculty, students, and researchers</li>
 </ul>"Most important, a safer Rutgers community supports a safer New Jersey for our families, our friends, and our neighbors across the state.""The University has also been approved by the State to offer Rutgers clinics for on-campus administration of vaccines to faculty, staff, and students when vaccine supplies become available. However, we have not yet been given vaccine to administer. Thus, the University urges all members of its community currently eligible to receive a vaccine not to wait and to&nbsp;<a href="https://covidvaccine.nj.gov/">register with the State</a>&nbsp;in order to get vaccinated as soon as possible, wherever you can, if you have not done so already."&nbsp;"Proof of vaccination will be required for all students planning to attend this fall.&nbsp;Any vaccine authorized for use in the U.S. (currently Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson &amp; Johnson) is acceptable.&nbsp; It is understood that some incoming students may be 17 years old, and may be only eligible for the Pfizer vaccine.""Students planning to attend the fall 2021 semester may request an exemption from the vaccination requirement for medical or religious reasons. Students enrolled in fully online degree programs (typically defined as having no access to on-campus facilities), as well as individuals participating in fully online or off-campus Continuing Education programs, will not need to provide proof of vaccination.""From the onset of the pandemic, the safety of the broader Rutgers community has been our shared responsibility. This has never been more true. The importance of an effective vaccination program to make our community safer for all cannot be overstated."

University will require COVID vaccine proof for all students

YORK, Neb. (AP) — Two Nebraska men died after their vehicles collided just outside of York on Wednesday night. 

The York County Sheriff’s Department said the crash happened on U.S. Highway 34 around 11 p.m. Wednesday.

 A westbound 2007 Dodge Caravan driven by 68-year-old Danny Foster of Gresham crossed the center line of the highway and crashed into a 1990 GMC Sierra driven by 73-year-old Melvin Preslicka of York. 

Investigator Alex Hildebrand said both men died at the scene of the crash. 

Hildebrand said alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the crash and neither driver was using a seat belt at the time of the crash.

YORK, Neb. (AP) — Two Nebraska men died after their vehicles collided just outside of York on Wednesday night. The York County Sheriff’s Department said the crash happened on U.S. Highway 34 around 11 p.m. Wednesday. A westbound 2007 Dodge Caravan driven by 68-year-old Danny Foster of Gresham crossed the center line of the highway and crashed into a 1990 GMC Sierra driven by 73-year-old Melvin Preslicka of York. Investigator Alex Hildebrand said both men died at the scene of the crash. Hildebrand said alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the crash and neither driver was using a seat belt at the time of the crash.

2 Nebraska men die after their vehicles collide near York

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — The suspect in the Colorado supermarket shooting appeared in court for the first time Thursday, and a defense attorney immediately asked that he receive a mental health evaluation before the case against him proceeds.

Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, 21, did not speak during the brief hearing except to say “yes” to a question from the judge, who advised him that he is charged with murder in the attack that killed 10 people, including a Boulder police officer. Alissa is also charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting at another police officer, who was unhurt.

Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said authorities planned to file more charges. He did not elaborate.

Alissa did not enter a plea, which will come later in the judicial process. He has been jailed without bail.

The young man entered court in a wheelchair, presumably because of a gunshot wound to the leg that he suffered in Monday’s shooting. He appeared alert and attentive, moving his knees from side to side, his eyes darting back and forth from his lawyers to the judge. He wore a mask and purple, short-sleeved coveralls.

His attorney, public defender Kathryn Herold, provided no details about his health. At Herold’s request, Alissa’s next hearing will not be scheduled for two to three months to allow the defense to evaluate his mental state and evidence collected by investigators.

“Our position is we cannot do anything until we are able to fully assess Mr. Alissa’s mental illness,” Herold said, adding that the defense cannot begin that assessment until it receives evidence from investigators.

A law enforcement official briefed on the shooting previously said that the suspect’s family told investigators they believed Alissa was suffering some type of mental illness, including delusions.

Relatives have described times when Alissa told them people were following or chasing him, which they said may have contributed to the violence, the official said. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Alissa’s legal team includes public defender Daniel King, who represented Colorado theater gunman James Holmes, as well as Robert Dear, who is accused of killing three people in a 2105 attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, two cases in which mental illness was a factor.

Jurors rejected Holmes’ insanity defense in the 2012 shooting at an Aurora movie theater that left a dozen dead. But jurors could not unanimously agree to sentence him to death after his lawyers presented evidence of his schizophrenia as a reason to spare his life. Colorado has since abolished the death penalty, and Holmes is in prison for life.

After repeatedly being found incompetent to stand trial in state court, Dear was charged in federal court, where his competency to stand trial has also slowed proceedings.

During the court proceedings, five deputies with black bands of mourning across their badges stood close by. Boulder police tweeted Thursday that they used the handcuffs of the slain officer, Eric Talley, to take the suspect from a hospital to jail earlier this week — and told him so.

“Though this was a small gesture, we hope it is the start of the healing process that so many of us need at this time,” the department said.

Screenshots of what was believed to be Alissa’s Facebook page hint of fears that he was secretly being tracked on his phone and reflect his interest in Islamic teachings, immigration and martial arts. The screenshots and dozens of postings were captured by the online extremist tracking firm SITE Intelligence Group.

In July 2019, Alissa wrote that his phone was being hacked by “racist islamophobic people.” At another point, he wrote that his old high school had likely gotten access to his phone, asking Facebook followers for advice on how to stop it.

Alissa was convicted in 2018 of assaulting a fellow high school student, according to police documents. A former classmate told the AP he was kicked off the wrestling team after yelling he would kill everyone following a loss in a practice match.

After a white supremacist killed 51 people in the 2019 New Zealand mosque massacre, Alissa called the dead “victims of the entire Islamophobia industry that vilified them.” Three months later, he posted a link to a PBS story about how immigrants help the economy, writing, “Why refugees and immigrants are good for America.”

“What Islam is really about,” he wrote in one Facebook post that referred to a list of teachings from the Koran, including to “be good to others” and “restrain anger.”

In other posts, he urged followers to give to charity, described abortion as “disgusting” and said that he opposed gay marriage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616675661874.png" alt="Candlelight vigil on Wednesday night -photo courtesy city of Boulder" />
 <figcaption>Candlelight vigil on Wednesday night -photo courtesy city of Boulder</figcaption>
 </figure>BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — The suspect in the Colorado supermarket shooting appeared in court for the first time Thursday, and a defense attorney immediately asked that he receive a mental health evaluation before the case against him proceeds.Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, 21, did not speak during the brief hearing except to say “yes” to a question from the judge, who advised him that he is charged with murder in the attack that killed 10 people, including a Boulder police officer. Alissa is also charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting at another police officer, who was unhurt.Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said authorities planned to file more charges. He did not elaborate.Alissa did not enter a plea, which will come later in the judicial process. He has been jailed without bail.The young man entered court in a wheelchair, presumably because of a gunshot wound to the leg that he suffered in Monday’s shooting. He appeared alert and attentive, moving his knees from side to side, his eyes darting back and forth from his lawyers to the judge. He wore a mask and purple, short-sleeved coveralls.His attorney, public defender Kathryn Herold, provided no details about his health. At Herold’s request, Alissa’s next hearing will not be scheduled for two to three months to allow the defense to evaluate his mental state and evidence collected by investigators.“Our position is we cannot do anything until we are able to fully assess Mr. Alissa’s mental illness,” Herold said, adding that the defense cannot begin that assessment until it receives evidence from investigators.A law enforcement official briefed on the shooting previously said that the suspect’s family told investigators they believed Alissa was suffering some type of mental illness, including delusions.Relatives have described times when Alissa told them people were following or chasing him, which they said may have contributed to the violence, the official said. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.Alissa’s legal team includes public defender Daniel King, who represented Colorado theater gunman James Holmes, as well as Robert Dear, who is accused of killing three people in a 2105 attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, two cases in which mental illness was a factor.Jurors rejected Holmes’ insanity defense in the 2012 shooting at an Aurora movie theater that left a dozen dead. But jurors could not unanimously agree to sentence him to death after his lawyers presented evidence of his schizophrenia as a reason to spare his life. Colorado has since abolished the death penalty, and Holmes is in prison for life.After repeatedly being found incompetent to stand trial in state court, Dear was charged in federal court, where his competency to stand trial has also slowed proceedings.During the court proceedings, five deputies with black bands of mourning across their badges stood close by. Boulder police tweeted Thursday that they used the handcuffs of the slain officer, Eric Talley, to take the suspect from a hospital to jail earlier this week — and told him so.“Though this was a small gesture, we hope it is the start of the healing process that so many of us need at this time,” the department said.Screenshots of what was believed to be Alissa’s Facebook page hint of fears that he was secretly being tracked on his phone and reflect his interest in Islamic teachings, immigration and martial arts. The screenshots and dozens of postings were captured by the online extremist tracking firm SITE Intelligence Group.In July 2019, Alissa wrote that his phone was being hacked by “racist islamophobic people.” At another point, he wrote that his old high school had likely gotten access to his phone, asking Facebook followers for advice on how to stop it.Alissa was convicted in 2018 of assaulting a fellow high school student, according to police documents. A former classmate told the AP he was kicked off the wrestling team after yelling he would kill everyone following a loss in a practice match.After a white supremacist killed 51 people in the 2019 New Zealand mosque massacre, Alissa called the dead “victims of the entire Islamophobia industry that vilified them.” Three months later, he posted a link to a PBS story about how immigrants help the economy, writing, “Why refugees and immigrants are good for America.”“What Islam is really about,” he wrote in one Facebook post that referred to a list of teachings from the Koran, including to “be good to others” and “restrain anger.”In other posts, he urged followers to give to charity, described abortion as “disgusting” and said that he opposed gay marriage.“There was no indication on his Facebook account that suggested radical views of any kind, whether it be Islamist, anti-Trump, or anything else,” said Rita Katz, executive director of SITE, which analyzed the postings. “He did mention Islam on his Facebook, but never to any extremity.”Thursday’s court appearance was the first time Alissa appeared in public since his arrest Monday inside the King Soopers supermarket. He was last seen handcuffed and being led out of the supermarket by police. He had removed all clothing except his shorts before being taken into custody.According to two law enforcement officials, Alissa was born in Syria in 1999, emigrated to the U.S. as a toddler and later became a U.S. citizen. He would need to be a citizen to buy a gun. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.An AR-15-style gun recovered inside the supermarket was believed to have been used in the attack, said a law enforcement official briefed on the shooting who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.-------BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Hundreds of mourners gathered Wednesday night at a candlelight vigil to remember the 10 people gunned down at a supermarket in a Colorado college town, while the 21-year-old man suspected of carrying out the rampage prepared for his first court appearance Thursday morning.Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa has been jailed for investigation of murder since he was arrested inside the King Soopers supermarket in Boulder on Monday and treated at a hospital for a leg wound. He was to hear the pending charges he faces and his rights as a defendant, and he would not be asked for a plea until later in the judicial process.Alissa was last seen handcuffed and being led out of the supermarket by police. He had removed all clothing except his shorts before being taken into custody. A rifle, a green tactical vest and a handgun were recovered inside the grocery store, according to an arrest affidavit.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616547245871.png" alt="Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa photo Boulder Police" />
 <figcaption>Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa photo Boulder Police</figcaption>
 </figure>While most Colorado court proceedings have been conducted by video during the pandemic, District Judge Thomas Francis Mulvahill ordered Alissa to appear before him in court unless Alissa waives his right to appear in person in writing. The courtroom will be closed to the public.More than 500 people bundled in winter jackets and wool hats attended a downtown candlelight vigil Wednesday night to mourn the victims and comfort one another. They observed a moment of silence; violins soothed the crowd; a woman sang “Ave Maria” as candle flames flickered in the crisp air. A star-shaped light usually turned on for the holidays glowed on a mountain overlooking the open square.Michele Weiner-Davis, a Boulder family therapist, offered the community some words of wisdom.“Whatever you’re feeling, whatever you’re thinking, no matter how uncomfortable, it’s completely natural,” Weiner-Davis said. “Be patient with yourself. Additionally, be just as compassionate with the people in your lives who might also be struggling.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616505527834.png" alt="Officer Eric Talley photo Boulder Police" />
 <figcaption>Officer Eric Talley photo Boulder Police</figcaption>
 </figure>In addition to Officer Eric Talley, 51, the victims are Denny Stong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralona Bartkowiak, 49; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Teri Leiker, 51; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62; and Jodi Waters, 65. Leiker, Olds and Stong worked at the supermarket.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616675706564.png" alt="Candlelight vigil on Wednesday -photo courtesy city of Boulder" />
 <figcaption>Candlelight vigil on Wednesday -photo courtesy city of Boulder</figcaption>
 </figure>Earlier Wednesday, hundreds of people paid their respects during a police procession for Talley as his body was taken to a funeral home in the Denver suburb of Aurora.Police also announced that people whose cars were left in the supermarket parking lot Monday could retrieve them.A supermarket employee told the AP she watched as the assailant opened fire and narrowly escaped his notice while joining others in a desperate scramble to get away.Emily Giffen, 27, was smoking outside the store Monday during a break when she heard multiple loud pops that she knew were not fireworks. She said she saw a man running across an intersection suddenly fall over and another man approach him in a crouch and fire several rounds at close range.“I don’t know how he didn’t see us,” she said of the suspect, who walked right by her before she ran into the supermarket and out the back.“I just really am having a hard time understanding why me and my friends deserve to die,” she said, wondering why the gunman chose to target the Boulder store specifically.According to the arrest affidavit, the suspect bought a Ruger AR-556 pistol — which resembles an AR-15 rifle with a slightly shorter stock — on March 16, six days before the attack. Authorities have not disclosed where the gun was purchased.According to two law enforcement officials, Alissa was born in Syria in 1999, emigrated to the U.S. as a toddler and later became a U.S. citizen. He would need to be a citizen to buy a gun. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.An AR-15-style gun recovered inside the supermarket was believed to have been used in the attack, said a law enforcement official briefed on the shooting who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.—---