CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Police in Cheyenne have arrested a 13-year-old boy after finding a 14-year-old boy dead of an apparent gunshot wound.

 Officers found the dead boy in east Cheyenne around 3 a.m. Monday.

 Police say in a statement they booked the younger boy into a juvenile jail on manslaughter and theft charges. 

The case remains under investigation and police aren't releasing additional information, including the boys’ identities.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Police in Cheyenne have arrested a 13-year-old boy after finding a 14-year-old boy dead of an apparent gunshot wound. Officers found the dead boy in east Cheyenne around 3 a.m. Monday. Police say in a statement they booked the younger boy into a juvenile jail on manslaughter and theft charges. The case remains under investigation and police aren't releasing additional information, including the boys’ identities.

Boy, 13, arrested after boy, 14, found dead in Cheyenne

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 27-year-old Lincoln man pleaded guilty to molesting young children and making videos of the crimes at a child care center where he worked. 

Titus Miller was charged with first-degree sexual assault involving two victims and third-degree aggravated assault involving four victims. 

 Investigators found thousands of images and videos of child pornography on Miller's phone. 

Prosecutors said many of the images were taken at Playful Painters Child Care, where Miller was a night supervisor. 

At his sentencing in April, he will face 15 years to life imprisonment on the charges.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 27-year-old Lincoln man pleaded guilty to molesting young children and making videos of the crimes at a child care center where he worked. Titus Miller was charged with first-degree sexual assault involving two victims and third-degree aggravated assault involving four victims. All the boys were between 5 and 7. Investigators found thousands of images and videos of child pornography on Miller's phone. Prosecutors said many of the images were taken at Playful Painters Child Care, where Miller was a night supervisor. At his sentencing in April, he will face 15 years to life imprisonment on the charges.

Lincoln child care worker pleads guilty to child molestation

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A study conducted by University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers has found that gasoline blended with 30% ethanol is safe for use in non-flex-fuel vehicles. 

The yearlong study tested 50 Nebraska State Patrol vehicles and found no decrease in energy efficiency or performance during the study among those that used E30 fuel. 

The research was conducted with permission from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

Rajib Saha, an assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, says researchers ran 26 of the vehicles on a lower ethanol blend and 24 on the high-blend E30 fuel.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A study conducted by University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers has found that gasoline blended with 30% ethanol is safe for use in non-flex-fuel vehicles. The yearlong study tested 50 Nebraska State Patrol vehicles and found no decrease in energy efficiency or performance during the study among those that used E30 fuel. The research was conducted with permission from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Rajib Saha, an assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, says researchers ran 26 of the vehicles on a lower ethanol blend and 24 on the high-blend E30 fuel.

Nebraska study finds E30 fuel OK for non-flex-fuel vehicles

DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is recalling more than 854,000 cars in the U.S. and Canada because the brake lights might not come on when the driver presses on the pedal. 

The recall covers certain Sentra compacts from the 2016 through 2019 model years, including more than 807,000 in the U.S. Nissan says silicon contamination can cause the stop lamp switch near the brake pedal to malfunction. 

If that happens, the stop lamps may not light up and the engine may not start. Owners will be notified in April. Dealers will replace the switch.

In addition, Kia is telling owners of nearly 380,000 vehicles in the U.S. to park them outdoors due to the risk of an engine compartment fire. The Korean automaker is recalling certain 2017 through 2021 Sportage SUVs and 2017 through 2019 Cadenza sedans to fix the problem. The company says a short circuit in the electronic brake control unit can cause excessive current, increasing the risk of a fire. 

Owners should also park them away from structures until repairs are done. The company says the recalled vehicles are not equipped with Kia’s Smart Cruise Control system. Owners could see dashboard warning lights or smell a burning odor before the problem happens. Owners will be notified starting April 30. Dealers will replace fuses in the electrical junction box.

DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is recalling more than 854,000 cars in the U.S. and Canada because the brake lights might not come on when the driver presses on the pedal. The recall covers certain Sentra compacts from the 2016 through 2019 model years, including more than 807,000 in the U.S. Nissan says silicon contamination can cause the stop lamp switch near the brake pedal to malfunction. If that happens, the stop lamps may not light up and the engine may not start. Owners will be notified in April. Dealers will replace the switch.In addition, Kia is telling owners of nearly 380,000 vehicles in the U.S. to park them outdoors due to the risk of an engine compartment fire. The Korean automaker is recalling certain 2017 through 2021 Sportage SUVs and 2017 through 2019 Cadenza sedans to fix the problem. The company says a short circuit in the electronic brake control unit can cause excessive current, increasing the risk of a fire. Owners should also park them away from structures until repairs are done. The company says the recalled vehicles are not equipped with Kia’s Smart Cruise Control system. Owners could see dashboard warning lights or smell a burning odor before the problem happens. Owners will be notified starting April 30. Dealers will replace fuses in the electrical junction box.

Nissan recalls Sentra to fix brake lights; Kia recalls vehicles due to fire risk

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the death of a man being held on charges in a domestic abuse case in Omaha. 

Jail officials say 59-year-old Pah Leh was found unresponsive in his Douglas County Jail cell early Sunday morning and was pronounced dead by paramedics. 

Leh had been booked into the jail on Thursday and charged with making terroristic threats and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony. 

A police account of the charges say Leh had threatened his wife with a knife. 

Authorities have not said how Leh died. State law requires a grand jury investigation into the death of anyone being held in state custody.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the death of a man being held on charges in a domestic abuse case in Omaha. Jail officials say 59-year-old Pah Leh was found unresponsive in his Douglas County Jail cell early Sunday morning and was pronounced dead by paramedics. Leh had been booked into the jail on Thursday and charged with making terroristic threats and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony. A police account of the charges say Leh had threatened his wife with a knife. Authorities have not said how Leh died. State law requires a grand jury investigation into the death of anyone being held in state custody.

Man held in domestic abuse case found dead in Omaha cell

By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/08/cdc-its-ok-for-vaccinated-grandparents-to-visit-family-if-no-risk-for-severe-disease/">Kansas Reflector</a>

WASHINGTON
 — People who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can safely socialize
 inside with other vaccinated individuals without wearing masks or 
maintaining distance, federal health officials advised Monday in their 
first formal guidance for vaccinated Americans.

Perhaps more critically at a time when more than 90% of Americans are still waiting to be fully vaccinated, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html">the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines</a>
 also detail one scenario in which public health officials suggest it’s 
safe for those who are fully vaccinated to gather with those who are 
not.

Vaccinated
 individuals can gather with one other household that includes people 
who have not been vaccinated, as long as none of those lacking vaccines 
are at high risk for complications from COVID-19, officials said.

“If
 grandparents have been vaccinated, they can visit their daughter and 
her family, even if they have not been vaccinated, so long as the 
daughter and her family are not at risk for severe disease,” CDC 
director Rochelle Walensky said during a news conference.

Walensky
 added that if any of those unvaccinated are at high risk, everyone — 
including those with vaccines — should still wear a mask, physically 
distance and gather outside or in a well-ventilated space.

The
 new recommendations offer a glimmer of hope just days before March 11, 
which will mark one year since the World Health Organization declared a 
pandemic and the country began to lock down in response to the COVID-19 
outbreak. President Joe Biden is set to give his first primetime address
 Thursday evening to commemorate that anniversary.&nbsp;

Biden
 also will meet with officials from two vaccine manufacturers, Johnson 
&amp; Johnson and Merck, at the White House on Wednesday, according to 
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. He had been scheduled to travel 
to Baltimore to meet with them at Emergent BioSolutions, which produces 
the drug substance for the J&amp;J vaccine.

But
 as health officials detailed scenarios in which vaccinated individuals 
can begin to return to a semblance of normal life, they still urged 
caution, citing insufficient data about whether vaccinated individuals 
can transmit the virus.&nbsp;

Those
 who are vaccinated are urged to continue taking safety precautions — 
including wearing masks, socially distancing, and gathering outside — if
 gathering with people from multiple households.&nbsp;

And
 everyone, regardless of vaccination status, is still urged to refrain 
from large gatherings or non-essential travel. The guidance against 
travel is likely to come into conflict with the new recommendations on 
socializing after receiving a vaccine, with many agitating to travel to 
see family members in other states after a year of separation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“As
 more people get vaccinated, levels of COVID-19 infection decline in 
communities, and as our understanding of COVID immunity improves, we 
look forward to updating these recommendations,” Walensky said.

The
 guidelines come against a backdrop in which U.S. infections and 
hospitalizations are dropping, but not yet far enough to diminish the 
high rates of transmission in most communities. New variants of the 
virus also continue to circulate, yet some states have begun to lift 
restrictions on mask-wearing and business capacity.

The
 pace of COVID-19 vaccinations through the three federally authorized 
shots has picked up to more than 2 million doses per day, with 59 
million individuals having received at least one dose and 31 million now
 fully vaccinated.

Being
 “fully vaccinated” under the CDC’s definition means those who are at 
least two weeks past receiving the one-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson 
vaccine or the second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna shots.

People
 who are fully vaccinated are now advised that they do not need to 
quarantine or seek a COVID-19 test if they are exposed to the virus, as 
long as they do not have symptoms of infection.

Laura Olson covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit outlets that includes Kansas Reflector. Her areas of coverage include politics and policy, lobbying, elections, and campaign finance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615235292299.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/08/cdc-its-ok-for-vaccinated-grandparents-to-visit-family-if-no-risk-for-severe-disease/">Kansas Reflector</a>WASHINGTON
 — People who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can safely socialize
 inside with other vaccinated individuals without wearing masks or 
maintaining distance, federal health officials advised Monday in their 
first formal guidance for vaccinated Americans.Perhaps more critically at a time when more than 90% of Americans are still waiting to be fully vaccinated, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html">the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines</a>
 also detail one scenario in which public health officials suggest it’s 
safe for those who are fully vaccinated to gather with those who are 
not.Vaccinated
 individuals can gather with one other household that includes people 
who have not been vaccinated, as long as none of those lacking vaccines 
are at high risk for complications from COVID-19, officials said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615235345027.jpeg" alt="Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provided guidance Monday for interactions with family who have been vaccinated. (Lauren Bishop/CDC)" />
 <figcaption>Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provided guidance Monday for interactions with family who have been vaccinated. (Lauren Bishop/CDC)</figcaption>
 </figure>“If
 grandparents have been vaccinated, they can visit their daughter and 
her family, even if they have not been vaccinated, so long as the 
daughter and her family are not at risk for severe disease,” CDC 
director Rochelle Walensky said during a news conference.Walensky
 added that if any of those unvaccinated are at high risk, everyone — 
including those with vaccines — should still wear a mask, physically 
distance and gather outside or in a well-ventilated space.The
 new recommendations offer a glimmer of hope just days before March 11, 
which will mark one year since the World Health Organization declared a 
pandemic and the country began to lock down in response to the COVID-19 
outbreak. President Joe Biden is set to give his first primetime address
 Thursday evening to commemorate that anniversary.&nbsp;Biden
 also will meet with officials from two vaccine manufacturers, Johnson 
&amp; Johnson and Merck, at the White House on Wednesday, according to 
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. He had been scheduled to travel 
to Baltimore to meet with them at Emergent BioSolutions, which produces 
the drug substance for the J&amp;J vaccine.But
 as health officials detailed scenarios in which vaccinated individuals 
can begin to return to a semblance of normal life, they still urged 
caution, citing insufficient data about whether vaccinated individuals 
can transmit the virus.&nbsp;Those
 who are vaccinated are urged to continue taking safety precautions — 
including wearing masks, socially distancing, and gathering outside — if
 gathering with people from multiple households.&nbsp;And
 everyone, regardless of vaccination status, is still urged to refrain 
from large gatherings or non-essential travel. The guidance against 
travel is likely to come into conflict with the new recommendations on 
socializing after receiving a vaccine, with many agitating to travel to 
see family members in other states after a year of separation.&nbsp;&nbsp;“As
 more people get vaccinated, levels of COVID-19 infection decline in 
communities, and as our understanding of COVID immunity improves, we 
look forward to updating these recommendations,” Walensky said.The
 guidelines come against a backdrop in which U.S. infections and 
hospitalizations are dropping, but not yet far enough to diminish the 
high rates of transmission in most communities. New variants of the 
virus also continue to circulate, yet some states have begun to lift 
restrictions on mask-wearing and business capacity.The
 pace of COVID-19 vaccinations through the three federally authorized 
shots has picked up to more than 2 million doses per day, with 59 
million individuals having received at least one dose and 31 million now
 fully vaccinated.Being
 “fully vaccinated” under the CDC’s definition means those who are at 
least two weeks past receiving the one-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson 
vaccine or the second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna shots.People
 who are fully vaccinated are now advised that they do not need to 
quarantine or seek a COVID-19 test if they are exposed to the virus, as 
long as they do not have symptoms of infection.Laura Olson covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit outlets that includes Kansas Reflector. Her areas of coverage include politics and policy, lobbying, elections, and campaign finance.

CDC OKs vaccinated grandparents to visit family if no risk for severe disease

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — State health officials are reporting that South Dakota has reached 1,900 deaths due to complications from the coronavirus. 

Officials on Sunday confirmed two new COVID-19-related deaths in the last day, a person in their 40s and a person in their 60s. 

The COVID Tracking Project ranks South Dakota’s death count as the eighth highest per capita in the country at 215 deaths per 100,000 people.

 The daily state report included 211 new infections, bringing the total to 113,589 positive tests since the start of the pandemic. 

Active cases rose for a sixth straight day, from 2,109 to 2,158. Hospitalizations fell by two, to 72.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — State health officials are reporting that South Dakota has reached 1,900 deaths due to complications from the coronavirus. Officials on Sunday confirmed two new COVID-19-related deaths in the last day, a person in their 40s and a person in their 60s. The COVID Tracking Project ranks South Dakota’s death count as the eighth highest per capita in the country at 215 deaths per 100,000 people. The daily state report included 211 new infections, bringing the total to 113,589 positive tests since the start of the pandemic. Active cases rose for a sixth straight day, from 2,109 to 2,158. Hospitalizations fell by two, to 72.

South Dakota reaches 1,900 deaths due to the coronavirus

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is rethinking Trump administration policies that weakened how colleges and universities that get federal dollars handle sexual assault accusations on campus, according to administration officials.

Biden is set to sign an executive order on Monday directing the Department of Education to review policies implemented by Donald Trump’s administration, including changes to Title IX regulations that prohibit sex discrimination in federally funded institutions.

The new president focused on gender equity during his campaign and promised to strengthen Title IX if he won the White House. He also will sign a second executive order formally establishing the White House Gender Policy Council, according to two administration officials who briefed reporters on the plan. Biden’s transition team announced his plans to create the council before he took office.

The order directing the review of Title IX could pave the way to a major shift in how colleges handle allegations of sexual misconduct moving forward.

Trump’s education secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-betsy-devos-coronavirus-pandemic-education-9bac8880e7c7164473674c0bc02365d5">Betsy DeVos</a>, in 2018 rescinded an Obama-era administration standard in cases of reported sexual assault from requiring a “preponderance of evidence” — meaning it is more likely than not that sexual harassment or violence occurred — to “clear and convincing evidence.”

The DeVos changes reduced the liability of colleges and universities for investigating sexual misconduct claims and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f489490cb06c0ac02e6c586be9abc5f1">bolstered the due process rights of the accused</a>, including the right to cross-examine their accusers through a third-party advocate at campus hearings.

Biden, as vice president, along with then-Education Secretary Arne Duncan in 2011&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/vice-president-biden-announces-new-administration-effort-help-nations-schools-ad" target="_blank">laid out the legal guidance</a>&nbsp;of what was expected of college campuses in response to allegations of sexual violence on behalf of President Barack Obama’s administration.

With the Education Department review, Biden’s intent is to set policies that help ensure students have an environment that’s free from sexual harassment and without discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, according to one White House official who briefed reporters on the orders.

The order establishing the Gender Policy Council comes after Trump disbanded an office specifically focused on women’s issues created during the Obama administration that was called the White House Council on Women and Girls.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615204180481.png" alt="President Biden during comments on Sunday-image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden during comments on Sunday-image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is rethinking Trump administration policies that weakened how colleges and universities that get federal dollars handle sexual assault accusations on campus, according to administration officials.Biden is set to sign an executive order on Monday directing the Department of Education to review policies implemented by Donald Trump’s administration, including changes to Title IX regulations that prohibit sex discrimination in federally funded institutions.The new president focused on gender equity during his campaign and promised to strengthen Title IX if he won the White House. He also will sign a second executive order formally establishing the White House Gender Policy Council, according to two administration officials who briefed reporters on the plan. Biden’s transition team announced his plans to create the council before he took office.The order directing the review of Title IX could pave the way to a major shift in how colleges handle allegations of sexual misconduct moving forward.Trump’s education secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-betsy-devos-coronavirus-pandemic-education-9bac8880e7c7164473674c0bc02365d5">Betsy DeVos</a>, in 2018 rescinded an Obama-era administration standard in cases of reported sexual assault from requiring a “preponderance of evidence” — meaning it is more likely than not that sexual harassment or violence occurred — to “clear and convincing evidence.”The DeVos changes reduced the liability of colleges and universities for investigating sexual misconduct claims and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f489490cb06c0ac02e6c586be9abc5f1">bolstered the due process rights of the accused</a>, including the right to cross-examine their accusers through a third-party advocate at campus hearings.Biden, as vice president, along with then-Education Secretary Arne Duncan in 2011&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/vice-president-biden-announces-new-administration-effort-help-nations-schools-ad" target="_blank">laid out the legal guidance</a>&nbsp;of what was expected of college campuses in response to allegations of sexual violence on behalf of President Barack Obama’s administration.With the Education Department review, Biden’s intent is to set policies that help ensure students have an environment that’s free from sexual harassment and without discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, according to one White House official who briefed reporters on the orders.The order establishing the Gender Policy Council comes after Trump disbanded an office specifically focused on women’s issues created during the Obama administration that was called the White House Council on Women and Girls.

Biden order could change how colleges handle sex misconduct

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota hemp farmers are gearing up for the growing season while lawmakers tinker with a bill that would allow them to plant a crop this year. 

A key change to the original bill would permit year-round applications to grow rather than a 60-day window.

 Another amendment lowers the entry barrier of five outdoor acres to half an acre, and allows for indoor commercial greenhouses. 

South Dakota Industrial Hemp Association Vice President Derrick Dohmann says dropping the 60-day application limit would provide a boost to the state’s launch of the crop.

 He says he has been working with hemp farmers in North Dakota, Minnesota and elsewhere to learn about the industry.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota hemp farmers are gearing up for the growing season while lawmakers tinker with a bill that would allow them to plant a crop this year. A key change to the original bill would permit year-round applications to grow rather than a 60-day window. Another amendment lowers the entry barrier of five outdoor acres to half an acre, and allows for indoor commercial greenhouses. South Dakota Industrial Hemp Association Vice President Derrick Dohmann says dropping the 60-day application limit would provide a boost to the state’s launch of the crop. He says he has been working with hemp farmers in North Dakota, Minnesota and elsewhere to learn about the industry.

South Dakota hemp backers hopeful about planting this year

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Police have arrested a brother and sister in the shooting death earlier this month of a man whose body was found inside a Lincoln home.

On Thursday, officers arrested Marques Moten, 31, of Omaha, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and arrested his 17-year-old sister in Lincoln in connection with the March 1 death of 33-year-old James Shekie, Lincoln police said in a news release Monday.

Both have been charged with conspiracy to commit a felony. The AP does not typically name juveniles charged with a crime.

An arrest warrant also was issued for Deontae Rush, 25, of Omaha, charging him with first-degree murder in Shekie's death. Police were still searching for Rush, the release said.

Court documents say the three planned to steal marijuana from Shekie's trailer home in Lincoln, where the teenage girl had lived with Shekie for a time. Police believe all three drove together to the trailer, but that Rush went in alone to take the drugs and shot Shekie during the robbery.

Moten and the girl drove away from the trailer when they heard the gunshots, police said, leaving Rush behind. Investigators pieced together the details of the robbery and killing through Facebook messages sent between the girl and Rush.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615225313978.png" alt="Moten" />
 <figcaption>Moten</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Police have arrested a brother and sister in the shooting death earlier this month of a man whose body was found inside a Lincoln home.On Thursday, officers arrested Marques Moten, 31, of Omaha, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and arrested his 17-year-old sister in Lincoln in connection with the March 1 death of 33-year-old James Shekie, Lincoln police said in a news release Monday.Both have been charged with conspiracy to commit a felony. The AP does not typically name juveniles charged with a crime.An arrest warrant also was issued for Deontae Rush, 25, of Omaha, charging him with first-degree murder in Shekie's death. Police were still searching for Rush, the release said.Court documents say the three planned to steal marijuana from Shekie's trailer home in Lincoln, where the teenage girl had lived with Shekie for a time. Police believe all three drove together to the trailer, but that Rush went in alone to take the drugs and shot Shekie during the robbery.Moten and the girl drove away from the trailer when they heard the gunshots, police said, leaving Rush behind. Investigators pieced together the details of the robbery and killing through Facebook messages sent between the girl and Rush.

Police make arrests in death of man found in Lincoln home

By SCOTT CARLSON <a href="https://northplattepost.com">North Platte Post</a>

CUSTER COUNTY, Neb. — Authorities in Custer County say one man is dead following a plane crash Saturday.

According
 to a news release from the Custer County Sheriff's Office, on March 6, 
at around 1:09 p.m, the Sheriff's office received a report that a plane 
had left the Mason City, Neb., area at around 6:30 a.m. Saturday en 
route for Holyoke, Colo., but was overdue.

At around 4:37 p.m.,
 authorities received a report from the Civil Air Patrol that a small 
single-engine plane had crashed in a pasture approximately 7 miles 
southwest of Ansley, Neb.

Deputies along with the Nebraska 
State Patrol, Ansley Fire and Rescue, Mason City Fire and Rescue, and 
Broken Bow Fire and Rescue all responded to the scene.

Upon 
arrival, deputies reported finding the plane completely destroyed, and 
the pilot, identified as Keith A. Walker, 74, of Mason City, was 
deceased. Walker was the lone occupant of the aircraft.

The investigation into the crash has been turned over to the National Transportation Safety Board and is ongoing at this time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615208126508.png" alt="Google maps" />
 <figcaption>Google maps</figcaption>
 </figure>By SCOTT CARLSON <a href="https://northplattepost.com">North Platte Post</a>CUSTER COUNTY, Neb. — Authorities in Custer County say one man is dead following a plane crash Saturday.According
 to a news release from the Custer County Sheriff's Office, on March 6, 
at around 1:09 p.m, the Sheriff's office received a report that a plane 
had left the Mason City, Neb., area at around 6:30 a.m. Saturday en 
route for Holyoke, Colo., but was overdue.At around 4:37 p.m.,
 authorities received a report from the Civil Air Patrol that a small 
single-engine plane had crashed in a pasture approximately 7 miles 
southwest of Ansley, Neb.Deputies along with the Nebraska 
State Patrol, Ansley Fire and Rescue, Mason City Fire and Rescue, and 
Broken Bow Fire and Rescue all responded to the scene.Upon 
arrival, deputies reported finding the plane completely destroyed, and 
the pilot, identified as Keith A. Walker, 74, of Mason City, was 
deceased. Walker was the lone occupant of the aircraft.The investigation into the crash has been turned over to the National Transportation Safety Board and is ongoing at this time.

One dead after plane crash in central Nebraska

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police in Omaha say the grandmother of a child who died at a hospital last October has been arrested in his death. 

Police announced on Friday in a news release that 47-year-old Carmella Star, of Omaha, had been booked and charged with child abuse by negligence resulting in the death of 20-month-old Asann Star. 

Police say the boy was in his grandmother's care on Oct. 7 when he was found unresponsive and taken to an Omaha hospital, where he died.

 Police have not said what caused the boy's death and said the investigation is ongoing.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police in Omaha say the grandmother of a child who died at a hospital last October has been arrested in his death. Police announced on Friday in a news release that 47-year-old Carmella Star, of Omaha, had been booked and charged with child abuse by negligence resulting in the death of 20-month-old Asann Star. Police say the boy was in his grandmother's care on Oct. 7 when he was found unresponsive and taken to an Omaha hospital, where he died. Police have not said what caused the boy's death and said the investigation is ongoing.

Police: Grandmother charged in death of Omaha toddler

UNADILLA, Neb. (AP) — A Wyoming man accidentally shot his wife Saturday in a small town in Nebraska, authorities said. 

The Otoe County Sheriff’s office said the man was trying to remove the magazine from a handgun when he accidentally fired Saturday and shot his wife in the abdomen. 

The man and woman, who are both 57, were visiting a home in Unadilla, Nebraska, when the shooting happened. 

The woman was taken to a hospital in Syracuse before being flown to a Lincoln hospital. 

The sheriff’s office said she is expected to make a full recovery.

UNADILLA, Neb. (AP) — A Wyoming man accidentally shot his wife Saturday in a small town in Nebraska, authorities said. The Otoe County Sheriff’s office said the man was trying to remove the magazine from a handgun when he accidentally fired Saturday and shot his wife in the abdomen. The man and woman, who are both 57, were visiting a home in Unadilla, Nebraska, when the shooting happened. The woman was taken to a hospital in Syracuse before being flown to a Lincoln hospital. The sheriff’s office said she is expected to make a full recovery.

Wyoming man accidentally shoots his wife in Nebraska town

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — More than a year after two U.S. Department of Agriculture research agencies were moved from the nation’s capital to Kansas City forcing a mass exodus of employees who couldn’t or didn’t want to move halfway across the country, they remain critically understaffed and some farmers are less confident in the work they produce.

The decision to move the Economic Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture in September 2019 was pitched as putting them closer to farmers in the nation’s breadbasket, though much of their work involves advising members of Congress back in Washington. After the relocation was announced, President Donald Trump’s chief of staff at the time, Mick Mulvaney, joked that moving the jobs to Kansas City was also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9f3b4c70d47e4bdf92816c5f170b29f6">“a wonderful way to streamline government.”</a>

Tom Vilsack inherited a demoralized workforce at the two agencies when he took over as secretary of agriculture under President Joe Biden. With 235 vacancies between them, the agencies continued to hire during the pandemic and administration change, but they are putting out work that is smaller in scope and less frequent, causing some farmers to look elsewhere for data they rely on to run their operations.

Among them is Vance Ehmke, who said that since the USDA relocations occurred, he has been paying a lot more attention to private market analysis and what private grain companies are doing. The information feeds his decisions on everything from whether to buy more land or a new tractor to whether to build more grain bins.

“Here, when we need really good, hard information, you are really starting to question groups like USDA, which before that had a sterling reputation,” Ehmke said recently. “But out in the country, people are worried about how good the information is now because those groups are operating at half capacity.”

The relocation hollowed out years of specialized experience and delayed or scuttled some of the agencies’ research and other work. Hiring at the Kansas City site remains well below the roughly 550&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4f29da28ecd746169ded179859c02eca">high-paying jobs</a>&nbsp;local leaders had anticipated.

Farmers rely on the research to make decisions on a wide range of topics, from rural community planning to farming with climate change and volatile weather conditions, said Aaron Lehman, a farmer who is president of the Iowa Farmers Union.

The ERS examines issues including the rural economy, international trade, food safety and programs that provide food assistance to poor Americans. NIFA, meanwhile, provides grants for agricultural research and other farm services.

“It has gone in the wrong direction in general in terms of accuracy now,” said Adrian Polansky, a farmer and former executive director of the USDA’s Farm Service Agency office in Kansas during the Obama administration. “Whether that was for sure based on that transition or whether it was the leadership in the department in terms of what the political goals may have been, I am not exactly sure. But it seems like there was less reliability.”

Polansky said he looks to commercial sources of agricultural information to corroborate USDA data more often now than he did in the past. He said that even after the agencies fill their openings, it will take time to “become fully impactful” because research is a long-term endeavor.

“When you lose significant staff and significant institutional knowledge, there is just not a way that can’t impact the product and information from USDA,” he said.

Dan O’Brien, a grain market specialist at Kansas State University Research and Extension, acknowledged that farmers have increasingly been questioning the reliability of the government’s agricultural data over the past few years. However, he said those frustrations have dealt more with reports published by other USDA agencies, and that some farmers may be confusing them.

Laura Dodson, the union representative for ERS employees, said the relocation will affect the agency for another five years. It hasn’t affected the accuracy of its reports, but it has reduced their scope and frequency.

Dozens of ERS reports have either come out late or not at all, including reports on the organic food sector, antibiotic use in animal production, and hired farm workers and labor markets, among others, Dodson said. For example, a two-year research project on pollinators such as honeybees was shelved because the entire team working on it left the agency rather than move to Kansas City.

ERS published 37 reports in 2018, compared to 11 last year, Dodson said. Those figures don’t include its monthly crop price and analysis reports, which have remained fairly steady despite the relocation and the pandemic. Agency employees also published 100 articles in academic journals related to their fields of study in 2018, but just 64 in 2020.

“We help make sure that food is produced safely, timely and responds to changes in the marketplace and changes to environmental sector,” she said. “And so if those become less effective because they are not being informed by good data and research, that will translate directly to how Americans receive their food.”

Matt Herrick, a USDA spokesman, said in an email that he couldn’t speak to the volume and variety of ERS reports and research under the Trump administration. “However, when you lose more than half of your expert workforce, there is bound to be a noticeable effect,” he added, noting that the USDA is focused on restoring employee confidence and morale.

When former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5d5c86204a4d4d6c84431488b19c5fea">Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Purdue</a>&nbsp;toured the new Kansas City headquarters in November 2019, he predicted the agencies would be fully staffed by the first quarter of 2020. That didn’t happen.

In October 2016 — before Trump’s first year in office — ERS had 318 permanent employees, according to USDA data. By October 2019 — just a month after the move — its workforce had shrunk to 164. As of late January 2021, it had 219 employees, including 67 still based in Washington.

The same trend played out at NIFA, which had 320 employees in October 2016. In October 2019, it was down to 112 workers, though it rebounded somewhat to 218 by late January, including 16 based in Washington.

“Best I can tell, they were putting out information that Trump really did not like hearing, like global climate change and things like that,” Ehmke said. “And here in the United States, what we do with groups like that — we can’t send them to Siberia, so we send them to Kansas City.”

By ROXANA HEGEMANBELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — More than a year after two U.S. Department of Agriculture research agencies were moved from the nation’s capital to Kansas City forcing a mass exodus of employees who couldn’t or didn’t want to move halfway across the country, they remain critically understaffed and some farmers are less confident in the work they produce.The decision to move the Economic Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture in September 2019 was pitched as putting them closer to farmers in the nation’s breadbasket, though much of their work involves advising members of Congress back in Washington. After the relocation was announced, President Donald Trump’s chief of staff at the time, Mick Mulvaney, joked that moving the jobs to Kansas City was also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9f3b4c70d47e4bdf92816c5f170b29f6">“a wonderful way to streamline government.”</a>Tom Vilsack inherited a demoralized workforce at the two agencies when he took over as secretary of agriculture under President Joe Biden. With 235 vacancies between them, the agencies continued to hire during the pandemic and administration change, but they are putting out work that is smaller in scope and less frequent, causing some farmers to look elsewhere for data they rely on to run their operations.Among them is Vance Ehmke, who said that since the USDA relocations occurred, he has been paying a lot more attention to private market analysis and what private grain companies are doing. The information feeds his decisions on everything from whether to buy more land or a new tractor to whether to build more grain bins.“Here, when we need really good, hard information, you are really starting to question groups like USDA, which before that had a sterling reputation,” Ehmke said recently. “But out in the country, people are worried about how good the information is now because those groups are operating at half capacity.”The relocation hollowed out years of specialized experience and delayed or scuttled some of the agencies’ research and other work. Hiring at the Kansas City site remains well below the roughly 550&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4f29da28ecd746169ded179859c02eca">high-paying jobs</a>&nbsp;local leaders had anticipated.Farmers rely on the research to make decisions on a wide range of topics, from rural community planning to farming with climate change and volatile weather conditions, said Aaron Lehman, a farmer who is president of the Iowa Farmers Union.ADVERTISEMENTThe ERS examines issues including the rural economy, international trade, food safety and programs that provide food assistance to poor Americans. NIFA, meanwhile, provides grants for agricultural research and other farm services.“It has gone in the wrong direction in general in terms of accuracy now,” said Adrian Polansky, a farmer and former executive director of the USDA’s Farm Service Agency office in Kansas during the Obama administration. “Whether that was for sure based on that transition or whether it was the leadership in the department in terms of what the political goals may have been, I am not exactly sure. But it seems like there was less reliability.”Polansky said he looks to commercial sources of agricultural information to corroborate USDA data more often now than he did in the past. He said that even after the agencies fill their openings, it will take time to “become fully impactful” because research is a long-term endeavor.“When you lose significant staff and significant institutional knowledge, there is just not a way that can’t impact the product and information from USDA,” he said.Dan O’Brien, a grain market specialist at Kansas State University Research and Extension, acknowledged that farmers have increasingly been questioning the reliability of the government’s agricultural data over the past few years. However, he said those frustrations have dealt more with reports published by other USDA agencies, and that some farmers may be confusing them.Laura Dodson, the union representative for ERS employees, said the relocation will affect the agency for another five years. It hasn’t affected the accuracy of its reports, but it has reduced their scope and frequency.Dozens of ERS reports have either come out late or not at all, including reports on the organic food sector, antibiotic use in animal production, and hired farm workers and labor markets, among others, Dodson said. For example, a two-year research project on pollinators such as honeybees was shelved because the entire team working on it left the agency rather than move to Kansas City.ERS published 37 reports in 2018, compared to 11 last year, Dodson said. Those figures don’t include its monthly crop price and analysis reports, which have remained fairly steady despite the relocation and the pandemic. Agency employees also published 100 articles in academic journals related to their fields of study in 2018, but just 64 in 2020.“We help make sure that food is produced safely, timely and responds to changes in the marketplace and changes to environmental sector,” she said. “And so if those become less effective because they are not being informed by good data and research, that will translate directly to how Americans receive their food.”Matt Herrick, a USDA spokesman, said in an email that he couldn’t speak to the volume and variety of ERS reports and research under the Trump administration. “However, when you lose more than half of your expert workforce, there is bound to be a noticeable effect,” he added, noting that the USDA is focused on restoring employee confidence and morale.When former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5d5c86204a4d4d6c84431488b19c5fea">Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Purdue</a>&nbsp;toured the new Kansas City headquarters in November 2019, he predicted the agencies would be fully staffed by the first quarter of 2020. That didn’t happen.In October 2016 — before Trump’s first year in office — ERS had 318 permanent employees, according to USDA data. By October 2019 — just a month after the move — its workforce had shrunk to 164. As of late January 2021, it had 219 employees, including 67 still based in Washington.The same trend played out at NIFA, which had 320 employees in October 2016. In October 2019, it was down to 112 workers, though it rebounded somewhat to 218 by late January, including 16 based in Washington.“Best I can tell, they were putting out information that Trump really did not like hearing, like global climate change and things like that,” Ehmke said. “And here in the United States, what we do with groups like that — we can’t send them to Siberia, so we send them to Kansas City.”

USDA relocations to Kansas City curtail research, farmer confidence

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The family of Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert says her husband has died. 

Police found a man dead at the couple’s home. 

A statement Friday from the Stothert family announced the death of Joe Stothert. 

The statement came about three hours after Omaha police were called to the mayor’s home to investigate reports of a shooting. 

Police didn’t provide details about the shooting but stated that foul play wasn’t suspected. 

The family says Joe Stothert's death was a "tragic loss."

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The family of Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert says her husband has died. Police found a man dead at the couple’s home. A statement Friday from the Stothert family announced the death of Joe Stothert. The statement came about three hours after Omaha police were called to the mayor’s home to investigate reports of a shooting. Officers found the body of a man. Police didn’t provide details about the shooting but stated that foul play wasn’t suspected. The family says Joe Stothert's death was a "tragic loss."

Omaha mayor's family says her husband has died

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Roughly 5,000 teachers from the Omaha area received their coronavirus vaccine shots this weekend. 

The Douglas County Health Department held two large vaccination clinics Saturday at Millard North and Omaha North high schools to distribute doses of the new Johnson &amp; Johnson single-dose vaccine to educators.

 Tim Royers, president of the Millard Education Association, praised the mass vaccination effort.

 Royers said he’s optimistic all educators in Douglas County could be vaccinated by the end of next weekend.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Roughly 5,000 teachers from the Omaha area received their coronavirus vaccine shots this weekend. The Douglas County Health Department held two large vaccination clinics Saturday at Millard North and Omaha North high schools to distribute doses of the new Johnson &amp; Johnson single-dose vaccine to educators. Tim Royers, president of the Millard Education Association, praised the mass vaccination effort. Royers said he’s optimistic all educators in Douglas County could be vaccinated by the end of next weekend.

Thousands of teachers in Omaha area get virus vaccinations

WASHINGTON (AP) — Emergency loans made to small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic have been added to a list of government programs considered at high risk of waste, fraud or mismanagement.

The most common of those emergency loans, PPP loans, are provided at a low interest rate and are fully forgivable under conditions that include spending a certain percentage on payroll costs. The loans were created by Congress and have proven exceedingly popular as shops, restaurants and other small businesses try to survive the pandemic.

The Government Accountability Office reported that millions of small businesses benefitted from the emergency loans, but the speed with which the relief programs were set up limited safeguards necessary to identify risks, “including susceptibility to improper payments and potential fraud.”

The Small Business Administration made or guaranteed more than 14.7 million loans and grants totaling about $744 billion between March and December. Congress approved an additional $304 billion in emergency loans in December.

The GAO said in the report that, as of January, it continues to experience delays in obtaining key information about the loans, including detailed oversight plans and documentation for estimating improper payments.

“There’s no doubt they’ve had a positive impact. However, the management of these programs needs to be dramatically improved,” U.S. Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro told reporters in previewing the report.

Government auditors release a high-risk list near the beginning of every new Congress. The list is designed to increase attention on the shortfalls cited by the GAO, and to prompt action that can often save taxpayer dollars and improve government operations.

Auditors also added the government’s efforts to prevent drug misuse to the high-risk list. The GAO had warned as the pandemic began that it would be doing so. At the time, it noted that the pandemic could fuel the conditions that contribute to drug misuse, such as unemployment.

In December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the largest ever increase of drug overdose deaths during a 12-month period that ended the previous May. The CDC noted a particular acceleration in drug overdose deaths as widespread mitigation measures kicked in.

“This is heartbreaking,” said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio.

Portman said that the country and his home state had finally seen a drop in overdose deaths in 2018 for the first time in decades.

“Substantial progress. And yet now, with the pandemic, under this horrible pandemic, we have this horrible addiction crisis that has grown,” Portman said.

Auditors said that maintaining sustained attention to the problem of drug abuse will be challenging in the coming months with agencies focused on addressing the pandemic.

“This makes developing and implementing a coordinated, strategic approach even more important as agencies’ resources are also being diverted, in part, to pandemic priorities,” the report said.

On a positive note, the GAO said the Department of Defense had made concerted progress in how it aligns its support infrastructure with the needs of the country’s military forces, It dropped the support program from it’s high-risk list.

For example, in citing, progress, auditors said the Army reduced its leased footprint in the Washington D.C. region from a peak of 3.9 million square feet in 2011 to roughly 1 million square feet as of September 2019.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588075781384.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Emergency loans made to small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic have been added to a list of government programs considered at high risk of waste, fraud or mismanagement.The most common of those emergency loans, PPP loans, are provided at a low interest rate and are fully forgivable under conditions that include spending a certain percentage on payroll costs. The loans were created by Congress and have proven exceedingly popular as shops, restaurants and other small businesses try to survive the pandemic.The Government Accountability Office reported that millions of small businesses benefitted from the emergency loans, but the speed with which the relief programs were set up limited safeguards necessary to identify risks, “including susceptibility to improper payments and potential fraud.”The Small Business Administration made or guaranteed more than 14.7 million loans and grants totaling about $744 billion between March and December. Congress approved an additional $304 billion in emergency loans in December.The GAO said in the report that, as of January, it continues to experience delays in obtaining key information about the loans, including detailed oversight plans and documentation for estimating improper payments.“There’s no doubt they’ve had a positive impact. However, the management of these programs needs to be dramatically improved,” U.S. Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro told reporters in previewing the report.Government auditors release a high-risk list near the beginning of every new Congress. The list is designed to increase attention on the shortfalls cited by the GAO, and to prompt action that can often save taxpayer dollars and improve government operations.Auditors also added the government’s efforts to prevent drug misuse to the high-risk list. The GAO had warned as the pandemic began that it would be doing so. At the time, it noted that the pandemic could fuel the conditions that contribute to drug misuse, such as unemployment.In December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the largest ever increase of drug overdose deaths during a 12-month period that ended the previous May. The CDC noted a particular acceleration in drug overdose deaths as widespread mitigation measures kicked in.“This is heartbreaking,” said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio.Portman said that the country and his home state had finally seen a drop in overdose deaths in 2018 for the first time in decades.“Substantial progress. And yet now, with the pandemic, under this horrible pandemic, we have this horrible addiction crisis that has grown,” Portman said.Auditors said that maintaining sustained attention to the problem of drug abuse will be challenging in the coming months with agencies focused on addressing the pandemic.“This makes developing and implementing a coordinated, strategic approach even more important as agencies’ resources are also being diverted, in part, to pandemic priorities,” the report said.On a positive note, the GAO said the Department of Defense had made concerted progress in how it aligns its support infrastructure with the needs of the country’s military forces, It dropped the support program from it’s high-risk list.For example, in citing, progress, auditors said the Army reduced its leased footprint in the Washington D.C. region from a peak of 3.9 million square feet in 2011 to roughly 1 million square feet as of September 2019.

Pandemic loan program at high-risk for fraud, auditor finds

DENVER (AP) — Weather officials in Colorado have said drought conditions in some areas of the state have slightly improved after recent snowstorms left drifts deeper than previously predicted, but the state is still 98.5% in drought. 

The Colorado Sun reported that the latest national drought monitor report, which was made public on Thursday, said snowstorms last week pushed some regions across the Front Range out of “extreme” drought and down to “severe” drought. 

But officials believe less snow this winter will exacerbate drought conditions. 

Assistant State Climatologist Becky Bolinger said current snowfall models for the next few months are not encouraging.

DENVER (AP) — Weather officials in Colorado have said drought conditions in some areas of the state have slightly improved after recent snowstorms left drifts deeper than previously predicted, but the state is still 98.5% in drought. The Colorado Sun reported that the latest national drought monitor report, which was made public on Thursday, said snowstorms last week pushed some regions across the Front Range out of “extreme” drought and down to “severe” drought. But officials believe less snow this winter will exacerbate drought conditions. Assistant State Climatologist Becky Bolinger said current snowfall models for the next few months are not encouraging.

Recent snowfall concerns experts in drought-ridden Colorado

BY CARLA K. JOHNSON,&nbsp;MIKE STOBBE and ZEKE MILLER, Associated Press

More than 27 million Americans fully vaccinated against the coronavirus will have to keep waiting for guidance from federal health officials for what they should and shouldn’t do.

The Biden administration said Friday it’s focused on getting the guidance right and accommodating emerging science, but the delays add to the uncertainty around bringing about an end to the pandemic as the nation’s virus fatigue grows.

“These are complex issues and the science is rapidly evolving,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Friday. “We are making sure and taking time to get this right and we will be releasing this guidance soon.”

Such guidance would address a flood of questions coming in from people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19: Do I still have to wear a mask? Can I go to a bar now? Can I finally see my grandchildren?

The need has slowly grown since January, when the first Americans began to complete the two-dose series of COVID-19 vaccines then available.

In Washington state, Raul Espinoza Gomez has 22 grandchildren and great-grandchildren and an appointment Saturday for his second dose of coronavirus vaccine.

By Easter, the 77-year-old's immune system will be ready to protect him from the virus. But how the family celebrates will depend on government advice, said Melissa Espinoza, 47, of Carnation, Washington, who plans to drive Gomez, her father-in-law, to get his second shot.

“We didn’t gather together as a big family at Christmas," she said. "We go by what the state and federal guidelines recommend. We’ve had family members adversely affected by COVID. We know the risks are severe.”

Worried about persistently high case loads and deaths, the Biden administration has condemned efforts to relax states’ virus restrictions and pleaded with the public for several months more patience.

The caution has drawn critics, who point to the administration’s own warnings that “fatigue is winning” as evidence that they need to be more optimistic about the path ahead to secure the cooperation of those who are yet to be vaccinated.

“I think it’s going to be overly proscriptive and conservative and that’s the wrong message,” former FDA Commissioner Stuart Gottlieb told CNBC Wednesday of the forthcoming CDC guidance. “If we continue to be very proscriptive and not give people a realistic vision for what a better future is going to look like, they’re going to start to ignore the public health guidance.”

Dr. Jeremy Faust, an emergency physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the Division of Health Policy and Public Health, encouraged the CDC to be clearer about when and how it plans to produce guidelines for the vaccinated.

“Making the decision to go by the science is also making the decision that you’re going to have to make a decision, which is really difficult when the science isn’t settled,” he told the AP. “They’re drinking from a firehose of science, and sometimes, it gets messy.”

More than 54 million Americans have received at least one dose of vaccine, and slightly more than half — nearly 28 million — have gotten the recommended two doses. The single-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson shot soon will add a couple million more Americans with questions about what new freedoms they can safely enjoy.

“I do hope I get to see my great-grandchildren more," said Rolando Solar, 92, who received his second dose in Miami Wednesday. “But I know things will not go back to normal and, for an old man like me, this is as good as it will be.”

Tami Katz-Freiman, 65, of Miami, got her second dose three weeks ago, and plans to watch the Miami Film Festival virtually Sunday at the home of unvaccinated friends. All will wear masks.

“We didn’t have to discuss it with each other, because it’s very clear to me that when there is a doubt and you don’t have a CDC straightforward rule you better be on the safe side and take care for yourself,” Katz-Freiman said.

Three weeks ago, the CDC announced that fully vaccinated people do not have to go into quarantine if they have contact with someone with a confirmed infection (for 90 days after the final shot). But the agency said nothing beyond that, noted Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University.

“That (quarantine guidance) seems to imply to me that your chance of contracting COVID-19 and being a carrier to others is pretty low,” said Wen, who previously ran Baltimore’s health department.

“(But) we need to focus on what is most relevant to people's lives, and my patients are not coming in and asking me: 'If I'm vaccinated, do I still need to quarantine if I'm exposed?'" she continued.

“I’d say the most common question I get is ‘Can I visit my grandchildren?’” Wen said.

Experts say it’s understandable that the CDC has been cautious when many scientific questions remain, including how long vaccine-induced immunity lasts, and whether vaccinated people are still able to transmit the virus to others. The answers are important when advising someone what kind of risk they face in different settings, and how much of a risk they are to others.

“The vaccines at their best, in the clinical trials, were 95% effective, I didn't say 100%. And that's why we have to keep wearing masks most of the time," said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious-diseases expert at Vanderbilt University.

But CDC has needed to come out with something more for vaccinated people than sticking with the same old mask wearing, social distancing guidance, he added.

“People are so eager to do something and they want to see some tangible benefit from the vaccines. Americans are impatient. They want to get on with it,” Schaffner said.

Indeed, “there is a real cost to putting off this guidance,” as people turn to their own doctors for advice, or just make their own assumptions and decisions, Wen said.

Waiting too long can diminish the agency’s relevance on this kind of matter, said Wen, who believes CDC should have had some kind of guidance in place for vaccinated people back in January.

Clearly, vaccinated people should have been encouraged to go get cancer screenings, dental care, or other needed medical appointments. CDC officials also could have said that it’s OK for small groups of fully vaccinated people — maybe two or three couples, for example — to gather together for a dinner or other small gathering, she said.

Regarding small gatherings among people who have been fully vaccinated, “the relative risk is so low that you would not have to wear a mask, that you could have a good social gathering within the home,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's leading infectious diseases doctor, during a recent White House briefing.

Some experts discussed the possibility that movie theaters or cruise ships or certain other businesses might open up to vaccinated people, and ask for proof of vaccination status. Israel's government has begun issuing a “green pass” vaccination certificate to anyone who has received two doses of COVID vaccine through an accredited vaccination service.

“I don’t know if in this country we would tolerate the federal government issue some kind of pass, the way they did in Israel,” Wen said. But businesses might want such passes and they would be an incentive that might help the overall rate of vaccination, Wen said.

The only incentive Espinoza's family needed for vaccination was seeing her and her husband hospitalized with COVID-19 this winter. Still recovering, she uses oxygen at home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613699035300.png" alt="“These are complex issues and the science is rapidly evolving,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Friday" />
 <figcaption>“These are complex issues and the science is rapidly evolving,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Friday</figcaption>
 </figure>BY CARLA K. JOHNSON,&nbsp;MIKE STOBBE and ZEKE MILLER, Associated PressMore than 27 million Americans fully vaccinated against the coronavirus will have to keep waiting for guidance from federal health officials for what they should and shouldn’t do.The Biden administration said Friday it’s focused on getting the guidance right and accommodating emerging science, but the delays add to the uncertainty around bringing about an end to the pandemic as the nation’s virus fatigue grows.“These are complex issues and the science is rapidly evolving,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Friday. “We are making sure and taking time to get this right and we will be releasing this guidance soon.”Such guidance would address a flood of questions coming in from people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19: Do I still have to wear a mask? Can I go to a bar now? Can I finally see my grandchildren?The need has slowly grown since January, when the first Americans began to complete the two-dose series of COVID-19 vaccines then available.In Washington state, Raul Espinoza Gomez has 22 grandchildren and great-grandchildren and an appointment Saturday for his second dose of coronavirus vaccine.By Easter, the 77-year-old's immune system will be ready to protect him from the virus. But how the family celebrates will depend on government advice, said Melissa Espinoza, 47, of Carnation, Washington, who plans to drive Gomez, her father-in-law, to get his second shot.“We didn’t gather together as a big family at Christmas," she said. "We go by what the state and federal guidelines recommend. We’ve had family members adversely affected by COVID. We know the risks are severe.”Worried about persistently high case loads and deaths, the Biden administration has condemned efforts to relax states’ virus restrictions and pleaded with the public for several months more patience.The caution has drawn critics, who point to the administration’s own warnings that “fatigue is winning” as evidence that they need to be more optimistic about the path ahead to secure the cooperation of those who are yet to be vaccinated.“I think it’s going to be overly proscriptive and conservative and that’s the wrong message,” former FDA Commissioner Stuart Gottlieb told CNBC Wednesday of the forthcoming CDC guidance. “If we continue to be very proscriptive and not give people a realistic vision for what a better future is going to look like, they’re going to start to ignore the public health guidance.”Dr. Jeremy Faust, an emergency physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the Division of Health Policy and Public Health, encouraged the CDC to be clearer about when and how it plans to produce guidelines for the vaccinated.“Making the decision to go by the science is also making the decision that you’re going to have to make a decision, which is really difficult when the science isn’t settled,” he told the AP. “They’re drinking from a firehose of science, and sometimes, it gets messy.”More than 54 million Americans have received at least one dose of vaccine, and slightly more than half — nearly 28 million — have gotten the recommended two doses. The single-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson shot soon will add a couple million more Americans with questions about what new freedoms they can safely enjoy.“I do hope I get to see my great-grandchildren more," said Rolando Solar, 92, who received his second dose in Miami Wednesday. “But I know things will not go back to normal and, for an old man like me, this is as good as it will be.”Tami Katz-Freiman, 65, of Miami, got her second dose three weeks ago, and plans to watch the Miami Film Festival virtually Sunday at the home of unvaccinated friends. All will wear masks.“We didn’t have to discuss it with each other, because it’s very clear to me that when there is a doubt and you don’t have a CDC straightforward rule you better be on the safe side and take care for yourself,” Katz-Freiman said.Three weeks ago, the CDC announced that fully vaccinated people do not have to go into quarantine if they have contact with someone with a confirmed infection (for 90 days after the final shot). But the agency said nothing beyond that, noted Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University.“That (quarantine guidance) seems to imply to me that your chance of contracting COVID-19 and being a carrier to others is pretty low,” said Wen, who previously ran Baltimore’s health department.“(But) we need to focus on what is most relevant to people's lives, and my patients are not coming in and asking me: 'If I'm vaccinated, do I still need to quarantine if I'm exposed?'" she continued.“I’d say the most common question I get is ‘Can I visit my grandchildren?’” Wen said.Experts say it’s understandable that the CDC has been cautious when many scientific questions remain, including how long vaccine-induced immunity lasts, and whether vaccinated people are still able to transmit the virus to others. The answers are important when advising someone what kind of risk they face in different settings, and how much of a risk they are to others.“The vaccines at their best, in the clinical trials, were 95% effective, I didn't say 100%. And that's why we have to keep wearing masks most of the time," said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious-diseases expert at Vanderbilt University.But CDC has needed to come out with something more for vaccinated people than sticking with the same old mask wearing, social distancing guidance, he added.“People are so eager to do something and they want to see some tangible benefit from the vaccines. Americans are impatient. They want to get on with it,” Schaffner said.Indeed, “there is a real cost to putting off this guidance,” as people turn to their own doctors for advice, or just make their own assumptions and decisions, Wen said.Waiting too long can diminish the agency’s relevance on this kind of matter, said Wen, who believes CDC should have had some kind of guidance in place for vaccinated people back in January.Clearly, vaccinated people should have been encouraged to go get cancer screenings, dental care, or other needed medical appointments. CDC officials also could have said that it’s OK for small groups of fully vaccinated people — maybe two or three couples, for example — to gather together for a dinner or other small gathering, she said.Regarding small gatherings among people who have been fully vaccinated, “the relative risk is so low that you would not have to wear a mask, that you could have a good social gathering within the home,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's leading infectious diseases doctor, during a recent White House briefing.Some experts discussed the possibility that movie theaters or cruise ships or certain other businesses might open up to vaccinated people, and ask for proof of vaccination status. Israel's government has begun issuing a “green pass” vaccination certificate to anyone who has received two doses of COVID vaccine through an accredited vaccination service.“I don’t know if in this country we would tolerate the federal government issue some kind of pass, the way they did in Israel,” Wen said. But businesses might want such passes and they would be an incentive that might help the overall rate of vaccination, Wen said.The only incentive Espinoza's family needed for vaccination was seeing her and her husband hospitalized with COVID-19 this winter. Still recovering, she uses oxygen at home.Vaccination of the family elders means one step closer to returning to traditions they love: Church on Palm Sunday and, a week later, an Easter egg hunt for the kids and a meal featuring slow-cooked barbacoa, a Mexican beef dish.“I hope people will stay home and stay safe as much as possible until we can all get vaccinated and eradicate this disease," Espinoza said.___