The Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding a two-vehicle fatal crash east of Ravenna on Highway 2 near the intersection of Pawnee Road. The crash occurred at approximately 4:55 AM on Friday, March 19, 2021. The two-vehicle crash resulted in the death of one occupant and injury to others.

According to the preliminary investigation, two vehicles collided in a head-on crash on Hwy 2. The crash involved a westbound 2016 Chevrolet pickup driven by a 25-year-old male who was a lone occupant. The eastbound vehicle was a 2019 Ford SUV driven by a 35-year-old female, with four occupants. One of the passengers in the Ford SUV died the scene. All remaining persons, all adults, were transported from the scene to CHI Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.

Members of the Buffalo County Fatality Accident Investigation Team, Kearney Police Department, Ravenna Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, Buffalo County Attorney’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, Paramedics of the CHI Good Samaritan Health Systems and NE Dept of Transportation all assisted at the scene.

A portion of Highway 2 near the crash site was closed for a number of hours during the investigation.

Next of Kin have not been notified. The Buffalo County Attorney has ordered an autopsy. Investigation is continuing.

The Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding a two-vehicle fatal crash east of Ravenna on Highway 2 near the intersection of Pawnee Road. The crash occurred at approximately 4:55 AM on Friday, March 19, 2021. The two-vehicle crash resulted in the death of one occupant and injury to others.According to the preliminary investigation, two vehicles collided in a head-on crash on Hwy 2. The crash involved a westbound 2016 Chevrolet pickup driven by a 25-year-old male who was a lone occupant. The eastbound vehicle was a 2019 Ford SUV driven by a 35-year-old female, with four occupants. One of the passengers in the Ford SUV died the scene. All remaining persons, all adults, were transported from the scene to CHI Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.Members of the Buffalo County Fatality Accident Investigation Team, Kearney Police Department, Ravenna Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, Buffalo County Attorney’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, Paramedics of the CHI Good Samaritan Health Systems and NE Dept of Transportation all assisted at the scene.A portion of Highway 2 near the crash site was closed for a number of hours during the investigation.Next of Kin have not been notified. The Buffalo County Attorney has ordered an autopsy. Investigation is continuing.

1 killed in crash near Ravenna

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminds taxpayers 
that the most convenient way to check on a tax refund is by using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool at IRS.gov or through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go Mobile App</a>.

Taxpayers can start checking their refund status within 24 hours 
after an e-filed return is received. In addition, Where's My 
Refund&nbsp;provides a personalized date after the return is processed and a 
refund is approved.

Now more than ever, the safest and best way to file a complete and accurate tax return and get a refund is to file <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">electronically</a> and use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>. Taxpayers can visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing">IRS.gov/filing</a> for more details about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms">Free File Fillable Forms</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">free tax preparation sites</a>. E-filing is also available through a trusted <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">tax professional</a>.

While most tax refunds are issued within 21 days, some may take longer because the return requires additional review.

There are several reasons a tax refund may take long:

The IRS will contact taxpayers by mail if more information is needed to process a return.

Taxpayers claiming the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a>
 on their tax return will not cause a delay in the processing of that 
tax return. However, it is important that taxpayers claim the correct 
amount. If a correction is needed, there may be a slight delay in 
processing the return and the IRS will send a notice explaining any 
change made. Refunds may be delayed while the IRS makes any necessary 
corrections.

Taxpayers can use Where's My Refund?&nbsp;to start checking on the status 
of their return within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of an
 electronically filed return or four weeks after the taxpayer mails a 
paper return. The tool's tracker displays progress through three phases:

To use it a taxpayer must <a href="https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp">enter</a>
 their Social Security number or ITIN (Individual Taxpayer 
Identification Number) , their filing status and the exact whole dollar 
amount of their refund. The IRS updates "Where's My Refund?&nbsp;once a day, 
usually overnight, so there's no need to check more frequently.

Calling IRS doesn't speed up refund timing

Calling the IRS won't expedite a tax refund. The information 
available on Where's My Refund?&nbsp;is the same information available to IRS
 telephone assistors.

Most taxpayers who want to prepare their own returns can file electronically for free with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>. Alternatively, taxpayers who qualify can get <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">free tax help from trained volunteers</a> at community sites around the country.

Some people mistakenly believe they can expedite their refund by 
ordering a tax transcript, calling the IRS or calling their tax 
preparer. Ordering a tax transcript will not help a taxpayer get their 
refund faster or find out when they'll get their refund.

Taxpayers can use several options to help find a paid tax preparer. One resource is <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">Choosing a Tax Professional</a>, which includes a list of consumer tips for selecting a tax professional.

The <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications</a>
 is a free searchable and sortable database. It includes the name, city,
 state and zip code of credentialed return preparers who are CPAs, 
enrolled agents or attorneys, as well as those who have completed the 
requirements for the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/annual-filing-season-program">Annual Filing Season Program</a>. A search of the database can help taxpayers verify credentials and qualifications of tax professionals.

Taxpayers can find answers to questions, forms and instructions and 
easy-to-use tools online at IRS.gov anytime. No appointment required and
 no waiting on hold.

This news release is part of a group of IRS tips called the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-time-guide">Tax Time Guide</a>. The guide is designed to help taxpayers as they near the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-day-for-individuals-extended-to-may-17-treasury-irs-extend-filing-and-payment-deadline">May 17, 2021, tax filing deadline</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminds taxpayers 
that the most convenient way to check on a tax refund is by using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool at IRS.gov or through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go Mobile App</a>.Taxpayers can start checking their refund status within 24 hours 
after an e-filed return is received. In addition, Where's My 
Refund&nbsp;provides a personalized date after the return is processed and a 
refund is approved.<h2>Go paperless</h2>Now more than ever, the safest and best way to file a complete and accurate tax return and get a refund is to file <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">electronically</a> and use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>. Taxpayers can visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing">IRS.gov/filing</a> for more details about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms">Free File Fillable Forms</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">free tax preparation sites</a>. E-filing is also available through a trusted <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">tax professional</a>.<h2>Refund timing</h2>While most tax refunds are issued within 21 days, some may take longer because the return requires additional review.<h2>There are several reasons a tax refund may take long:</h2><ul>
 <li>The return may include errors or be incomplete.</li><li>The return could be affected by identity theft or fraud.</li><li>The return includes a claim for the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit.</li><li>The time between the IRS issuing the refund and the bank posting it
 to an account since many banks do not process payments on weekends or 
holidays.</li>
 </ul>The IRS will contact taxpayers by mail if more information is needed to process a return.Taxpayers claiming the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a>
 on their tax return will not cause a delay in the processing of that 
tax return. However, it is important that taxpayers claim the correct 
amount. If a correction is needed, there may be a slight delay in 
processing the return and the IRS will send a notice explaining any 
change made. Refunds may be delayed while the IRS makes any necessary 
corrections.<h2>Fast and easy refund updates</h2>Taxpayers can use Where's My Refund?&nbsp;to start checking on the status 
of their return within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of an
 electronically filed return or four weeks after the taxpayer mails a 
paper return. The tool's tracker displays progress through three phases:<ol>
 <li>Return Received;</li><li>Refund Approved; and</li><li>Refund Sent.</li>
 </ol>To use it a taxpayer must <a href="https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp">enter</a>
 their Social Security number or ITIN (Individual Taxpayer 
Identification Number) , their filing status and the exact whole dollar 
amount of their refund. The IRS updates "Where's My Refund?&nbsp;once a day, 
usually overnight, so there's no need to check more frequently.<h2>Calling IRS doesn't speed up refund timing</h2>Calling the IRS won't expedite a tax refund. The information 
available on Where's My Refund?&nbsp;is the same information available to IRS
 telephone assistors.Most taxpayers who want to prepare their own returns can file electronically for free with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>. Alternatively, taxpayers who qualify can get <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">free tax help from trained volunteers</a> at community sites around the country.<h2>Ignore refund myths</h2>Some people mistakenly believe they can expedite their refund by 
ordering a tax transcript, calling the IRS or calling their tax 
preparer. Ordering a tax transcript will not help a taxpayer get their 
refund faster or find out when they'll get their refund.<h2>Filing options</h2>Taxpayers can use several options to help find a paid tax preparer. One resource is <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">Choosing a Tax Professional</a>, which includes a list of consumer tips for selecting a tax professional.The <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications</a>
 is a free searchable and sortable database. It includes the name, city,
 state and zip code of credentialed return preparers who are CPAs, 
enrolled agents or attorneys, as well as those who have completed the 
requirements for the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/annual-filing-season-program">Annual Filing Season Program</a>. A search of the database can help taxpayers verify credentials and qualifications of tax professionals.Taxpayers can find answers to questions, forms and instructions and 
easy-to-use tools online at IRS.gov anytime. No appointment required and
 no waiting on hold.This news release is part of a group of IRS tips called the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-time-guide">Tax Time Guide</a>. The guide is designed to help taxpayers as they near the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-day-for-individuals-extended-to-may-17-treasury-irs-extend-filing-and-payment-deadline">May 17, 2021, tax filing deadline</a>.

IRS: Use the Where’s My Refund? tool or app to check tax refund status

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A former longtime Nebraska state lawmaker died Tuesday at the age of 79.

Dwite Pedersen of Omaha served in the Nebraska Legislature from 1993 to 2009. Pedersen was a leading advocate for alcohol and drug rehabilitation and worked with troubled youth and prison inmates.

Pedersen represented the Elkhorn area of Omaha and ran unsuccessfully for Omaha City Council in 2017. He worked as a counselor focused on youth and was a recovered alcoholic who had been sober for 40 years. He also was known to help prison inmates, including those who rarely got visits from others.

Pedersen died in his sleep. Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, of Omaha, recognized his work and legacy Wednesday on the floor of the Legislature.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616169072364.png" alt="Pedersen" />
 <figcaption>Pedersen</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A former longtime Nebraska state lawmaker died Tuesday at the age of 79.Dwite Pedersen of Omaha served in the Nebraska Legislature from 1993 to 2009. Pedersen was a leading advocate for alcohol and drug rehabilitation and worked with troubled youth and prison inmates.Pedersen represented the Elkhorn area of Omaha and ran unsuccessfully for Omaha City Council in 2017. He worked as a counselor focused on youth and was a recovered alcoholic who had been sober for 40 years. He also was known to help prison inmates, including those who rarely got visits from others.Pedersen died in his sleep. Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, of Omaha, recognized his work and legacy Wednesday on the floor of the Legislature.

Former longtime Nebraska Sen. Dwite Pedersen dies at 79

BERLIN (AP) — The scientist who won the race to deliver the first widely used&nbsp;coronavirus&nbsp;vaccine says people can rest assured the shots are safe, and the technology behind it will soon be used to fight another global scourge — cancer.

Ozlem Tureci, who founded the German company&nbsp;BioNTech&nbsp;with her husband Ugur Sahin, was working on a way to harness the body's immune system to tackle tumors when they learned last year of an unknown virus infecting people in China.

Over breakfast, the couple decided to apply the technology they'd been researching for two decades to the new threat.

Britain authorized BioNTech's mRNA vaccine for use in December, followed a week later by the United States. Dozens of other countries have followed suit and tens of millions of people worldwide have since received the shot developed together with U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.

"It pays off to make bold decisions and to trust that if you have an extraordinary team, you will be able to solve any problem and obstacle which comes your way in real-time," Tureci told The Associated Press in an interview.

Among the biggest challenges for the small, Mainz-based company were how to conduct large-scale clinical trials across different regions and how to scale up the manufacturing process to meet global demand.

Along with&nbsp;Pfizer, the company enlisted the help of Fosun Pharma in China "to get assets, capabilities and geographical footprint on board, which we did not have," said Tureci.

Among the lessons, she and her colleagues learned was "how important cooperation and collaboration is international."

Tureci, who was born in Germany to Turkish immigrants, said the company reached out to medical oversight bodies from the start, to ensure that the new type of vaccine would pass the rigorous scrutiny of regulators.

"The process of getting a medicine or a vaccine approved is one where many questions are asked, many experts are involved and there is external peer review of all the data and scientific discourse," she said.

Amid a scare in Europe this week over the coronavirus shot made by British-Swedish rival AstraZeneca, Tureci dismissed the idea that any corners were cut by those racing to develop a vaccine.

"There is a very rigid process in place and the process does not stop after a vaccine has been approved," she said. "It is, in fact, continuing now all around the world, where regulators have used reporting systems to screen and to assess any observations made with our or other vaccines."

Tureci and her colleagues have all received the BioNTech shot themselves, she told the AP. "Yes, we have been vaccinated."

As BioNTech's profile has grown during the pandemic, so has its value, adding much-needed funds the company will be able to use to pursue its original goal of developing a new tool against cancer.

The vaccine made by BioNTech-Pfizer and U.S. rival Moderna uses messenger RNA, or mRNA, to carry instructions into the human body for making proteins that prime it to attack a specific virus. The same principle can be applied to get the immune system to take on tumors.

"We have several different cancer vaccines based on mRNA," said Tureci.

Asked when such a therapy might be available, Tureci said "that's very difficult to predict in innovative development. But we expect that within only a couple of years, we will also have our vaccines (against) cancer at a place where we can offer them to people."

For now, Tureci and Sahin are trying to ensure the vaccines governments have ordered are delivered and that the shots respond effectively to any new mutation in the virus.

On Friday the couple is taking time out of their schedule to receive Germany's highest award, the Order of Merit, from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a trained scientist herself, will attend the ceremony.

"It's indeed an honor," Tureci said of the award. "Both my husband and I are touched."

But she insisted developing the vaccine was the work of many.

"It's about the effort of many, our team at BioNTech, all the partners who were involved, also governments, regulatory authorities, which worked together with a sense of urgency," she said. "The way we see it, this is an acknowledgment of this effort and also a celebration of science."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/9/1568903138747.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By FRANK JORDANS-Associated PressBERLIN (AP) — The scientist who won the race to deliver the first widely used&nbsp;coronavirus&nbsp;vaccine says people can rest assured the shots are safe, and the technology behind it will soon be used to fight another global scourge — cancer. Ozlem Tureci, who founded the German company&nbsp;BioNTech&nbsp;with her husband Ugur Sahin, was working on a way to harness the body's immune system to tackle tumors when they learned last year of an unknown virus infecting people in China.Over breakfast, the couple decided to apply the technology they'd been researching for two decades to the new threat. Britain authorized BioNTech's mRNA vaccine for use in December, followed a week later by the United States. Dozens of other countries have followed suit and tens of millions of people worldwide have since received the shot developed together with U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer."It pays off to make bold decisions and to trust that if you have an extraordinary team, you will be able to solve any problem and obstacle which comes your way in real-time," Tureci told The Associated Press in an interview.Among the biggest challenges for the small, Mainz-based company were how to conduct large-scale clinical trials across different regions and how to scale up the manufacturing process to meet global demand.Along with&nbsp;Pfizer, the company enlisted the help of Fosun Pharma in China "to get assets, capabilities and geographical footprint on board, which we did not have," said Tureci.Among the lessons, she and her colleagues learned was "how important cooperation and collaboration is international."Tureci, who was born in Germany to Turkish immigrants, said the company reached out to medical oversight bodies from the start, to ensure that the new type of vaccine would pass the rigorous scrutiny of regulators."The process of getting a medicine or a vaccine approved is one where many questions are asked, many experts are involved and there is external peer review of all the data and scientific discourse," she said.Amid a scare in Europe this week over the coronavirus shot made by British-Swedish rival AstraZeneca, Tureci dismissed the idea that any corners were cut by those racing to develop a vaccine."There is a very rigid process in place and the process does not stop after a vaccine has been approved," she said. "It is, in fact, continuing now all around the world, where regulators have used reporting systems to screen and to assess any observations made with our or other vaccines."Tureci and her colleagues have all received the BioNTech shot themselves, she told the AP. "Yes, we have been vaccinated." As BioNTech's profile has grown during the pandemic, so has its value, adding much-needed funds the company will be able to use to pursue its original goal of developing a new tool against cancer.The vaccine made by BioNTech-Pfizer and U.S. rival Moderna uses messenger RNA, or mRNA, to carry instructions into the human body for making proteins that prime it to attack a specific virus. The same principle can be applied to get the immune system to take on tumors."We have several different cancer vaccines based on mRNA," said Tureci.Asked when such a therapy might be available, Tureci said "that's very difficult to predict in innovative development. But we expect that within only a couple of years, we will also have our vaccines (against) cancer at a place where we can offer them to people."For now, Tureci and Sahin are trying to ensure the vaccines governments have ordered are delivered and that the shots respond effectively to any new mutation in the virus.On Friday the couple is taking time out of their schedule to receive Germany's highest award, the Order of Merit, from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a trained scientist herself, will attend the ceremony."It's indeed an honor," Tureci said of the award. "Both my husband and I are touched."But she insisted developing the vaccine was the work of many."It's about the effort of many, our team at BioNTech, all the partners who were involved, also governments, regulatory authorities, which worked together with a sense of urgency," she said. "The way we see it, this is an acknowledgment of this effort and also a celebration of science."

Scientist behind coronavirus shot says next target is cancer

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Police in Kearney say a woman and two children have died in a house fire in the central Nebraska city. 

The Kearney Hub reports that the blaze was reported just before 1 p.m. Thursday. 

Arriving firefighters found the home fully engulfed in flames, and crews found the woman, a young girl and a young boy during an initial search of the house. 

Police say all three were pulled from the burning building's main floor and taken to a Kearney hospital, were they were pronounced dead. 

Police have not released the names of the victims. 

Autopsies have been ordered, and the cause of the fire is being investigated.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Police in Kearney say a woman and two children have died in a house fire in the central Nebraska city. The Kearney Hub reports that the blaze was reported just before 1 p.m. Thursday. Arriving firefighters found the home fully engulfed in flames, and crews found the woman, a young girl and a young boy during an initial search of the house. Police say all three were pulled from the burning building's main floor and taken to a Kearney hospital, were they were pronounced dead. Police have not released the names of the victims. Autopsies have been ordered, and the cause of the fire is being investigated.

Police say woman, 2 children killed in Kearney house fire

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a 5-year-old child who inside a car when it was stolen from an Omaha day care has been found unharmed.

 KETV reports that the child’s mother told police that she left the vehicle running with the child inside while dropping off another child at the day care. 

Police said the suspect was riding a bike in front of the day care and jumped into the car when the mother went inside the building. 

Police later received a 911 call after the 5-year-old was spotted walking around outside.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a 5-year-old child who inside a car when it was stolen from an Omaha day care has been found unharmed. KETV reports that the child’s mother told police that she left the vehicle running with the child inside while dropping off another child at the day care. Police said the suspect was riding a bike in front of the day care and jumped into the car when the mother went inside the building. Police later received a 911 call after the 5-year-old was spotted walking around outside.

Car stolen with 5-year-old child inside in Omaha

WASHINGTON (AP) — With the U.S. closing in on President Joe Biden’s goal of injecting 100 million coronavirus vaccinations weeks ahead of his target date, the White House said the nation is now in position to help supply neighbors Canada and Mexico with millions of lifesaving shots.

The Biden administration on Thursday revealed the outlines of a plan to “loan” a limited number of vaccines to Canada and Mexico as the president announced the U.S. is on the cusp of meeting his 100-day injection goal “way ahead of schedule.”

“&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemic-politics-877bcedb60014ff93a5908b971766c1e">I’m proud to announce that tomorrow, 58 days into our administration, we will have met our goal</a>,” Biden said. He promised to unveil a new vaccination target next week, as the U.S. is on pace to have enough of the three currently authorized vaccines to cover the entire adult population just 10 weeks from now.

Ahead of Biden’s remarks, the White House said it was finalizing plans to send a combined 4 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Mexico and Canada in its first export of shots. Press secretary Jen Psaki said the details of the “loan” were still being worked out, but 2.5 million doses would go to Mexico and 1.5 million would be sent to Canada.

“Our first priority remains vaccinating the U.S. population,” Psaki said. But she added that “ensuring our neighbors can contain the virus is a mission critical step, is mission critical to ending the pandemic.

The AstraZeneca vaccine has not yet been authorized for use in the U.S. but has been by the World Health Organization. Tens of millions of doses have been stockpiled in the U.S., waiting for emergency use authorization, and that has sparked an international outcry that lifesaving vaccine is being withheld when it could be used elsewhere. The White House said just 7 million of the AstraZeneca doses are ready for shipment.

The initial run of doses manufactured in the U.S. are owned by the federal government under the terms of agreements reached with drugmakers, and the Biden administration has faced calls from allies across the globe to release the AstraZeneca shots for immediate use. Biden has also fielded direct requests from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to buy vaccines produced in the United States.

Global public health advocates say wealthy nations like the U.S. need to do far more to help stem the spread of the pandemic. The World Health Organization on Thursday issued a report that fewer than 7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Africa thus far. That’s the equivalent of what the U.S. administers in a matter of days.

Biden did move to have the U.S. contribute financially to the United Nations- and World Health Organization-backed COVAX alliance, which will share vaccine with more than 90 lower- and middle-income nations, but the U.S. has yet to commit to sharing any doses.

From his first days in office, Biden has set clear — and achievable — metrics for U.S. success, whether they be vaccinations or school reopenings, as part of an apparent strategy of underpromising, then overdelivering. Aides believe that exceeding his goals breeds trust in government after the Trump administration’s sometimes-fanciful rhetoric on the virus.

The 100 million-dose goal was first announced on Dec. 8, days before the U.S. had even one authorized vaccine for COVID-19, let alone the three that have now received emergency authorization. Still, it was generally seen within reach, if optimistic.

By the time Biden was inaugurated on Jan. 20, the U.S. had already administered 20 million shots at a rate of about 1 million per day, bringing complaints at the time that Biden’s goal was not ambitious enough. He quickly revised it upward to 150 million doses in his first 100 days.

Now the U.S. is injecting an average of about 2.2 million doses each day — and the pace is likely to dramatically rise later this month in conjunction with an expected surge in supply of the vaccines.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, injections of 96 million doses have been reported to the agency since Biden’s inauguration, but those reports lag the actual date of administration. Vaccination trend lines pointed to Biden breaking the 100 million mark on Thursday, with the numbers likely to be confirmed by the CDC as soon as Friday.

The president has moved to speed up deliveries of vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson &amp; Johnson, as well as to expand the number of places to get shots and people who can administer them, with a focus on increasing the nation’s capacity to inject doses as supply constraints lift.

The risk in setting too rosy expectations is that an administration might become defined by its failure to meet them, such as in May 2020, when President Donald Trump said the nation had “prevailed” over the virus.

At the time, the country had seen about 80,000 deaths from the virus. This week, the U.S. death toll topped 538,000. Trump’s lax approach and lack of credibility also contributed to poor adherence to public safety rules among the American public.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616102627812.png" alt="President Joe Biden speaks about COVID-19 vaccinations from the East Room Thursday photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden speaks about COVID-19 vaccinations from the East Room Thursday photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — With the U.S. closing in on President Joe Biden’s goal of injecting 100 million coronavirus vaccinations weeks ahead of his target date, the White House said the nation is now in position to help supply neighbors Canada and Mexico with millions of lifesaving shots.The Biden administration on Thursday revealed the outlines of a plan to “loan” a limited number of vaccines to Canada and Mexico as the president announced the U.S. is on the cusp of meeting his 100-day injection goal “way ahead of schedule.”“&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemic-politics-877bcedb60014ff93a5908b971766c1e">I’m proud to announce that tomorrow, 58 days into our administration, we will have met our goal</a>,” Biden said. He promised to unveil a new vaccination target next week, as the U.S. is on pace to have enough of the three currently authorized vaccines to cover the entire adult population just 10 weeks from now.Ahead of Biden’s remarks, the White House said it was finalizing plans to send a combined 4 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Mexico and Canada in its first export of shots. Press secretary Jen Psaki said the details of the “loan” were still being worked out, but 2.5 million doses would go to Mexico and 1.5 million would be sent to Canada.“Our first priority remains vaccinating the U.S. population,” Psaki said. But she added that “ensuring our neighbors can contain the virus is a mission critical step, is mission critical to ending the pandemic.The AstraZeneca vaccine has not yet been authorized for use in the U.S. but has been by the World Health Organization. Tens of millions of doses have been stockpiled in the U.S., waiting for emergency use authorization, and that has sparked an international outcry that lifesaving vaccine is being withheld when it could be used elsewhere. The White House said just 7 million of the AstraZeneca doses are ready for shipment.The initial run of doses manufactured in the U.S. are owned by the federal government under the terms of agreements reached with drugmakers, and the Biden administration has faced calls from allies across the globe to release the AstraZeneca shots for immediate use. Biden has also fielded direct requests from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to buy vaccines produced in the United States.Global public health advocates say wealthy nations like the U.S. need to do far more to help stem the spread of the pandemic. The World Health Organization on Thursday issued a report that fewer than 7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Africa thus far. That’s the equivalent of what the U.S. administers in a matter of days.Biden did move to have the U.S. contribute financially to the United Nations- and World Health Organization-backed COVAX alliance, which will share vaccine with more than 90 lower- and middle-income nations, but the U.S. has yet to commit to sharing any doses.From his first days in office, Biden has set clear — and achievable — metrics for U.S. success, whether they be vaccinations or school reopenings, as part of an apparent strategy of underpromising, then overdelivering. Aides believe that exceeding his goals breeds trust in government after the Trump administration’s sometimes-fanciful rhetoric on the virus.The 100 million-dose goal was first announced on Dec. 8, days before the U.S. had even one authorized vaccine for COVID-19, let alone the three that have now received emergency authorization. Still, it was generally seen within reach, if optimistic.By the time Biden was inaugurated on Jan. 20, the U.S. had already administered 20 million shots at a rate of about 1 million per day, bringing complaints at the time that Biden’s goal was not ambitious enough. He quickly revised it upward to 150 million doses in his first 100 days.Now the U.S. is injecting an average of about 2.2 million doses each day — and the pace is likely to dramatically rise later this month in conjunction with an expected surge in supply of the vaccines.According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, injections of 96 million doses have been reported to the agency since Biden’s inauguration, but those reports lag the actual date of administration. Vaccination trend lines pointed to Biden breaking the 100 million mark on Thursday, with the numbers likely to be confirmed by the CDC as soon as Friday.The president has moved to speed up deliveries of vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson &amp; Johnson, as well as to expand the number of places to get shots and people who can administer them, with a focus on increasing the nation’s capacity to inject doses as supply constraints lift.The risk in setting too rosy expectations is that an administration might become defined by its failure to meet them, such as in May 2020, when President Donald Trump said the nation had “prevailed” over the virus.At the time, the country had seen about 80,000 deaths from the virus. This week, the U.S. death toll topped 538,000. Trump’s lax approach and lack of credibility also contributed to poor adherence to public safety rules among the American public.

Biden: U.S. to hit 100 million vaccination goal ahead of schedule

WASHINGTON (AP) — Students who were defrauded by their colleges and received only partial relief from their federal loans could now see them fully canceled, the Biden administration announced Thursday, reversing a Trump administration policy.

The change could lead to $1 billion in loans being canceled for 72,000 borrowers, all of whom attended for-profit schools, the Education Department said.

“Borrowers deserve a simplified and fair path to relief when they have been harmed by their institution’s misconduct,” said Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “A close review of these claims and the associated evidence showed these borrowers have been harmed, and we will grant them a fresh start from their debt.”

The department said it was rescinding the formula used by the Trump administration to determine partial relief and putting in place “a streamlined path to receiving full loan discharges.”

The decision applies to students who already had their claims approved and received only partial relief, the department said.

A senior department official briefing reporters said the agency was continuing to review both the backlog of claims yet to be decided and those that have been denied.

The department described Thursday’s action as “a first step” and said it would be looking at rewriting the regulations down the road.

In addition to having their loans fully canceled, students will be reimbursed for any payments made on the loans and have their eligibility for federal student aid reinstated. The department said it also would ask credit bureaus to remove any negative ratings tied to the loans.

“Abandoning partial relief is a strong start for a narrow subset of borrowers, but what we need from the Education Department is an overhaul of the current borrower defense process,” said Toby Merrill, director of the Project on Predatory Student Lending, which represents former students at for-profit colleges.

“The previous administration turned borrower defense into a total sham that was rigged to deny claims without any true consideration,” Merrill said. “The Biden-Harris administration must now address these failings or else perpetuate a system that is stacked against the very students they are supposed to protect.”

Career Education Colleges and Universities, an industry lobbying group, said it had no comment on the Biden administration’s actions.

The borrower defense to repayment program allows students to have their federal loans canceled if they were defrauded by their colleges. The Obama administration had expanded the program aimed at helping students who attended for-profit colleges. But President Donald Trump’s education secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ab84626294d6faa0494e9c5ac7f6421e">Betsy DeVos, pulled it back</a>, saying it had become too easy for students to have their loans erased, and revised the program to make it harder for them to get relief, including providing only partial cancellation of the loans.

Congress voted to overturn DeVos’ changes last March, but it was vetoed by Trump.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/00c9b70689a3a5fdcb54e63661608b11">Nearly two dozen state attorneys general had sued the Trump administration</a>&nbsp;over its implementation of the borrower defense to repayment program, which allows borrowers to have their loans canceled if their colleges made false claims to get them to enroll. One of the plaintiffs in that suit was California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who was confirmed Thursday as President Joe Biden’s health secretary.

The lawsuit, which was filed last July, argued that DeVos had changed the policy without justification, failed to provide a meaningful process for students to get their loans forgiven and created “arbitrary impediments” for them, including forcing them to prove that their schools knowingly misled them.

Sen. Patty Murray, who heads the Senate committee overseeing education, said DeVos used “faulty math” to deny student full relief. Rep. Bobby Scott, chair of the House Committee on Education and Labor, called it “a nonsensical formula.”

“This announcement is life-changing for tens of thousands of people across the country,” Scott said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616100370459.png" alt="Education Secretary Miguel Cardona during a press briefing Wednesday-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Education Secretary Miguel Cardona during a press briefing Wednesday-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Students who were defrauded by their colleges and received only partial relief from their federal loans could now see them fully canceled, the Biden administration announced Thursday, reversing a Trump administration policy.The change could lead to $1 billion in loans being canceled for 72,000 borrowers, all of whom attended for-profit schools, the Education Department said.“Borrowers deserve a simplified and fair path to relief when they have been harmed by their institution’s misconduct,” said Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “A close review of these claims and the associated evidence showed these borrowers have been harmed, and we will grant them a fresh start from their debt.”The department said it was rescinding the formula used by the Trump administration to determine partial relief and putting in place “a streamlined path to receiving full loan discharges.”The decision applies to students who already had their claims approved and received only partial relief, the department said.A senior department official briefing reporters said the agency was continuing to review both the backlog of claims yet to be decided and those that have been denied.The department described Thursday’s action as “a first step” and said it would be looking at rewriting the regulations down the road.In addition to having their loans fully canceled, students will be reimbursed for any payments made on the loans and have their eligibility for federal student aid reinstated. The department said it also would ask credit bureaus to remove any negative ratings tied to the loans.“Abandoning partial relief is a strong start for a narrow subset of borrowers, but what we need from the Education Department is an overhaul of the current borrower defense process,” said Toby Merrill, director of the Project on Predatory Student Lending, which represents former students at for-profit colleges.“The previous administration turned borrower defense into a total sham that was rigged to deny claims without any true consideration,” Merrill said. “The Biden-Harris administration must now address these failings or else perpetuate a system that is stacked against the very students they are supposed to protect.”Career Education Colleges and Universities, an industry lobbying group, said it had no comment on the Biden administration’s actions.The borrower defense to repayment program allows students to have their federal loans canceled if they were defrauded by their colleges. The Obama administration had expanded the program aimed at helping students who attended for-profit colleges. But President Donald Trump’s education secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ab84626294d6faa0494e9c5ac7f6421e">Betsy DeVos, pulled it back</a>, saying it had become too easy for students to have their loans erased, and revised the program to make it harder for them to get relief, including providing only partial cancellation of the loans.Congress voted to overturn DeVos’ changes last March, but it was vetoed by Trump.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/00c9b70689a3a5fdcb54e63661608b11">Nearly two dozen state attorneys general had sued the Trump administration</a>&nbsp;over its implementation of the borrower defense to repayment program, which allows borrowers to have their loans canceled if their colleges made false claims to get them to enroll. One of the plaintiffs in that suit was California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who was confirmed Thursday as President Joe Biden’s health secretary.The lawsuit, which was filed last July, argued that DeVos had changed the policy without justification, failed to provide a meaningful process for students to get their loans forgiven and created “arbitrary impediments” for them, including forcing them to prove that their schools knowingly misled them.Sen. Patty Murray, who heads the Senate committee overseeing education, said DeVos used “faulty math” to deny student full relief. Rep. Bobby Scott, chair of the House Committee on Education and Labor, called it “a nonsensical formula.”“This announcement is life-changing for tens of thousands of people across the country,” Scott said.

Students who got partial loan relief to see full discharge

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have advanced a bill that would extend free-press protections to student journalists and their advisers following several incidents where school administrators censored school newspaper articles that they deemed too controversial or unflattering. 

Lawmakers gave the measure first-round approval on a 28-15 vote after an eight-hour filibuster. 

The bill would apply to students at public high schools, colleges and universities. 

The sponsor, Sen. Adam Morfeld, of Lincoln, argued that students have a right to express themselves and that it’s important for them to learn firsthand about the power and consequences of the First Amendment.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have advanced a bill that would extend free-press protections to student journalists and their advisers following several incidents where school administrators censored school newspaper articles that they deemed too controversial or unflattering. Lawmakers gave the measure first-round approval on a 28-15 vote after an eight-hour filibuster. The bill would apply to students at public high schools, colleges and universities. The sponsor, Sen. Adam Morfeld, of Lincoln, argued that students have a right to express themselves and that it’s important for them to learn firsthand about the power and consequences of the First Amendment.

Nebraska advances press protections for student journalists

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska health officials say a variant of the coronavirus first found in Brazil has been found in Omaha. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed two people in Douglas County have tested positive for the so-called Brazil P.1 variant. 

That strain is believed to be responsible for a surge in hospitalizations in Brazil even though many people there had already developed COVID-19 and made antibodies against it. 

State health officials say the Douglas County cases were detected through COVID testing, and investigations into the cases are underway.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska health officials say a variant of the coronavirus first found in Brazil has been found in Omaha. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed two people in Douglas County have tested positive for the so-called Brazil P.1 variant. That strain is believed to be responsible for a surge in hospitalizations in Brazil even though many people there had already developed COVID-19 and made antibodies against it. State health officials say the Douglas County cases were detected through COVID testing, and investigations into the cases are underway.

2 cases of new coronavirus variant found in Omaha

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/d5a0fee7-ec64-4423-8a5d-e189df743e0d">RELATED:&nbsp;IRS: No stimulus check? You may be eligible for Recovery Rebate Credit. Click HERE for more.</a>

<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/3820050f-0695-4338-858b-9312156bda8a">RELATED:&nbsp;$1,400 payments begin by weekend</a>

As part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which included $1,400 payments to most Americans, the Internal Revenue Service offers an online tool to track those payments.

The Get My Payment tool can be accessed <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">HERE</a>. .

The link also contains information on what to do if you have not received the first and second round of relief payments.

<a href="https://jcpost.com/posts/b1dffc64-ce07-49b4-a374-8b42b5ca23a3">READ MORE:&nbsp;Big Red One Soldiers support FEMA vaccination efforts</a>.

<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/7104b600-820f-49e9-a109-7ec945681f03">READ MORE:&nbsp;A pandemic effect — gun sales up, ammunition scarce</a>.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/d5a0fee7-ec64-4423-8a5d-e189df743e0d">RELATED:&nbsp;IRS: No stimulus check? You may be eligible for Recovery Rebate Credit. Click HERE for more.</a><a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/3820050f-0695-4338-858b-9312156bda8a">RELATED:&nbsp;$1,400 payments begin by weekend</a>IRSAs part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which included $1,400 payments to most Americans, the Internal Revenue Service offers an online tool to track those payments.The Get My Payment tool can be accessed <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">HERE</a>. .The link also contains information on what to do if you have not received the first and second round of relief payments.<a href="https://jcpost.com/posts/b1dffc64-ce07-49b4-a374-8b42b5ca23a3">READ MORE:&nbsp;Big Red One Soldiers support FEMA vaccination efforts</a>.<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/7104b600-820f-49e9-a109-7ec945681f03">READ MORE:&nbsp;A pandemic effect — gun sales up, ammunition scarce</a>.&nbsp;

IRS: Check the status of your third COVID stimulus check

PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) — A former Papillion-La Vista High School football coach and social studies teacher has been arrested on suspicion of third-degree sexual abuse by a school employee. 

An arrest warrant was issued for 29-year-old Stephen Gentry on Wednesday, and he appeared in Sarpy County Court on Thursday. 

His bond was set at $1,000, and he was ordered to have no contact with any minors outside of his own children. 

Court records say investigators believe Gentry had inappropriate contact with a student in January. 

He resigned in February after the investigation began.

 If convicted, Gentry faces up to two years in prison. His next court date is set for April 13.

PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) — A former Papillion-La Vista High School football coach and social studies teacher has been arrested on suspicion of third-degree sexual abuse by a school employee. An arrest warrant was issued for 29-year-old Stephen Gentry on Wednesday, and he appeared in Sarpy County Court on Thursday. His bond was set at $1,000, and he was ordered to have no contact with any minors outside of his own children. Court records say investigators believe Gentry had inappropriate contact with a student in January. He resigned in February after the investigation began. If convicted, Gentry faces up to two years in prison. His next court date is set for April 13.

Ex-Nebraska high school coach, teacher arrested in sex case

WASHINGTON (AP) — Authorities in Washington, D.C., have arrested a Texas man near the vice president’s official residence on a weapons charge. Vice President Kamala Harris has not yet moved into the home, which is undergoing renovations. 

The Metropolitan Police Department says in a statement issued Wednesday that the man was seen on Massachusetts Avenue and then detained by Secret Service stationed near the residence following an intelligence bulletin from Texas. 

Police say Paul Murray of San Antonio is being on held charges that he carried a large-capacity ammunition-feeding device, a dangerous weapon, a rifle and unregistered ammunition.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616070087656.png" alt="Paul Murray from an alert by the College Station, Texas police" />
 <figcaption>Paul Murray from an alert by the College Station, Texas police</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Authorities in Washington, D.C., have arrested a Texas man near the vice president’s official residence on a weapons charge. Vice President Kamala Harris has not yet moved into the home, which is undergoing renovations. The Metropolitan Police Department says in a statement issued Wednesday that the man was seen on Massachusetts Avenue and then detained by Secret Service stationed near the residence following an intelligence bulletin from Texas. Police say Paul Murray of San Antonio is being on held charges that he carried a large-capacity ammunition-feeding device, a dangerous weapon, a rifle and unregistered ammunition.

Man arrested on weapons charge near vice president's home

WASHINGTON (AP) —The IRS will delay the traditional April 15 tax filing due date until May 17 to cope with added duties and provide Americans more flexibility. 

The IRS announced the decision Wednesday and said it would provide further guidance in coming days. The move provides more breathing room for taxpayers and the IRS alike to cope with changes brought on by the pandemic. 

The decision postpones when individual taxpayers must file their return and when their payment is due. The IRS said taxpayers who owe money would not face any further penalties or interest if they pay by May 17.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579706571729.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The IRS will delay the traditional April 15 tax filing due date until May 17 to cope with added duties and provide Americans more flexibility. The IRS announced the decision Wednesday and said it would provide further guidance in coming days. The move provides more breathing room for taxpayers and the IRS alike to cope with changes brought on by the pandemic. The decision postpones when individual taxpayers must file their return and when their payment is due. The IRS said taxpayers who owe money would not face any further penalties or interest if they pay by May 17.

IRS will delay tax filing due date until May 17

WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Department of Homeland Security pushed back Wednesday against Republican criticism of the Biden administration’s border policies, refusing to say that the surge of migrant children entering the United States is a “crisis.”

As GOP members of Congress argued that President Joe Biden had wrongly rolled back immigration policies enacted by former President Donald Trump, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas pointed to another Trump policy that was widely reviled: the separation of immigrant families under a “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings.

“A crisis is when a nation is willing to rip a 9-year-old child out of the hands of his or her parent and separate that family to deter future migration,” Mayorkas told the House Homeland Security Committee. “That, to me, is a humanitarian crisis.”

The number of migrants being stopped at the U.S.-Mexico border has been rising since last April, and the administration is still rapidly sending back most single adults and families&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-mexico-health-coronavirus-pandemic-immigration-74eba36e8cd2f842987c0e6e57bcfae1">under a public health order&nbsp;</a>issued by Trump at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the U.S. is now allowing teens and children to stay, at least temporarily, and they have been coming in ever larger numbers. Border agents have also been prevented from expelling families with young children from Texas’ Rio Grande Valley because of changes in Mexican policy.

More than 4,000 migrant children were being held by the Border Patrol as of Sunday, including at least 3,000 in custody longer than the 72-hour limit set by a court order, according to a U.S. official. The agency took in an additional 561 on Monday, twice the recent average, according to a second official. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss figures not yet publicly released.

The rise has left Biden in a difficult spot. He is criticized by Republicans for what they view as encouragement to illegal border crossings and by some Democrats over the prolonged detention of minors.

Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., referenced a photo of a small crowd of demonstrators in Tijuana, Mexico, wearing matching T-shirts with the words “Biden, please let us in” that circulated widely on social media in recent days.

“I look at two months ago, and we had a certain situation. We were under control,” Van Drew said. “And I look now with people crossing the border illegally in much larger numbers with shirts with our president’s name on it. That means something under anybody’s standard.”

The situation is also a challenge to Biden’s effort to overhaul broader Trump policies intended to curtail&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-united-nations-mexico-d613e1e5093857cef10221f0e906e225">both legal and illegal immigration</a>.

“I can say quite clearly: Don’t come over,” Biden said in an ABC News interview that aired Wednesday.

The number of migrants attempting to cross the border is at the highest level since March 2019. Mayorkas on Tuesday said it was on pace to hit a 20-year peak.

“The situation at the southwest border is difficult,” Mayorkas said in his most extensive remarks to date on the subject. “We are working around the clock to manage it and we will continue to do so. That is our job.”

Under questioning Wednesday, Mayorkas and some Democrats also highlighted nonimmigration issues, including the threat of domestic extremism following the violent insurrection at the Capitol, while Republicans focused primarily on the border.

Several Republicans argued that Biden’s rescinding of the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy was a mistake. Small numbers of immigrants — far from the more than 70,000 people barred from entry under the policy — have been allowed into the U.S. during the first weeks of the new administration after they pass a COVID-19 screening. Human rights groups and lawyers have documented kidnappings, rapes and attacks in border cities against many migrants forced to wait in Mexico.

Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas defended Trump’s agreements to send people from Central America to other countries in the region instead of letting them seek asylum under American law.

“The Trump administration, in my judgment, did a masterful job in negotiating the ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy and the asylum cooperative agreements with Central America,” McCaul said. “It was actually a foreign policy achievement.”

Biden has moved to roll back those policies and restore a program allowing Central American children to seek asylum while in their home countries. Said Mayorkas, “Sometimes the tools of deterrence defy values and principles for which we all stand.”

The Health and Human Services Department plans to open shelter facilities at Moffett Federal Airfield near San Francisco and in Pecos, Texas, to handle the flow. It is also looking to expand a facility in Donna, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley, to hold 2,000 people.

Also, the Dallas Convention Center was to begin holding children as early as Wednesday, with plans to accommodate up to 3,000. A makeshift holding center in Midland, Texas, that opened last weekend for 700 children had 485 on Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615805147594.png" alt="Migrants on Sunday near the Texas-Mexico border -photo courtesy Senator Roger Marshall." />
 <figcaption>Migrants on Sunday near the Texas-Mexico border -photo courtesy Senator Roger Marshall.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Department of Homeland Security pushed back Wednesday against Republican criticism of the Biden administration’s border policies, refusing to say that the surge of migrant children entering the United States is a “crisis.”As GOP members of Congress argued that President Joe Biden had wrongly rolled back immigration policies enacted by former President Donald Trump, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas pointed to another Trump policy that was widely reviled: the separation of immigrant families under a “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings.“A crisis is when a nation is willing to rip a 9-year-old child out of the hands of his or her parent and separate that family to deter future migration,” Mayorkas told the House Homeland Security Committee. “That, to me, is a humanitarian crisis.”The number of migrants being stopped at the U.S.-Mexico border has been rising since last April, and the administration is still rapidly sending back most single adults and families&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-mexico-health-coronavirus-pandemic-immigration-74eba36e8cd2f842987c0e6e57bcfae1">under a public health order&nbsp;</a>issued by Trump at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the U.S. is now allowing teens and children to stay, at least temporarily, and they have been coming in ever larger numbers. Border agents have also been prevented from expelling families with young children from Texas’ Rio Grande Valley because of changes in Mexican policy.More than 4,000 migrant children were being held by the Border Patrol as of Sunday, including at least 3,000 in custody longer than the 72-hour limit set by a court order, according to a U.S. official. The agency took in an additional 561 on Monday, twice the recent average, according to a second official. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss figures not yet publicly released.The rise has left Biden in a difficult spot. He is criticized by Republicans for what they view as encouragement to illegal border crossings and by some Democrats over the prolonged detention of minors.Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., referenced a photo of a small crowd of demonstrators in Tijuana, Mexico, wearing matching T-shirts with the words “Biden, please let us in” that circulated widely on social media in recent days.“I look at two months ago, and we had a certain situation. We were under control,” Van Drew said. “And I look now with people crossing the border illegally in much larger numbers with shirts with our president’s name on it. That means something under anybody’s standard.”The situation is also a challenge to Biden’s effort to overhaul broader Trump policies intended to curtail&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-united-nations-mexico-d613e1e5093857cef10221f0e906e225">both legal and illegal immigration</a>.“I can say quite clearly: Don’t come over,” Biden said in an ABC News interview that aired Wednesday.The number of migrants attempting to cross the border is at the highest level since March 2019. Mayorkas on Tuesday said it was on pace to hit a 20-year peak.“The situation at the southwest border is difficult,” Mayorkas said in his most extensive remarks to date on the subject. “We are working around the clock to manage it and we will continue to do so. That is our job.”Under questioning Wednesday, Mayorkas and some Democrats also highlighted nonimmigration issues, including the threat of domestic extremism following the violent insurrection at the Capitol, while Republicans focused primarily on the border.Several Republicans argued that Biden’s rescinding of the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy was a mistake. Small numbers of immigrants — far from the more than 70,000 people barred from entry under the policy — have been allowed into the U.S. during the first weeks of the new administration after they pass a COVID-19 screening. Human rights groups and lawyers have documented kidnappings, rapes and attacks in border cities against many migrants forced to wait in Mexico.Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas defended Trump’s agreements to send people from Central America to other countries in the region instead of letting them seek asylum under American law.“The Trump administration, in my judgment, did a masterful job in negotiating the ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy and the asylum cooperative agreements with Central America,” McCaul said. “It was actually a foreign policy achievement.”Biden has moved to roll back those policies and restore a program allowing Central American children to seek asylum while in their home countries. Said Mayorkas, “Sometimes the tools of deterrence defy values and principles for which we all stand.”The Health and Human Services Department plans to open shelter facilities at Moffett Federal Airfield near San Francisco and in Pecos, Texas, to handle the flow. It is also looking to expand a facility in Donna, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley, to hold 2,000 people.Also, the Dallas Convention Center was to begin holding children as early as Wednesday, with plans to accommodate up to 3,000. A makeshift holding center in Midland, Texas, that opened last weekend for 700 children had 485 on Monday.___

Crisis: Child border crossings surge; DHS chief defends policy

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A man undergoing his second trial for murder in the 2016 shooting death of an Omaha teenager has been found not guilty.

 The Omaha World-Herald reports that a Douglas County jury on Tuesday found 25-year-old Otis Walker not guilty of first-degree murder and gun charges in the Nov. 26, 2016, drive-by shooting death of 16-year-old Markeise Dunn. 

Prosecutors had argued that it was Walker who pulled the trigger when a car pulled up beside Dunn, who was walking his girlfriend to a bus stop, and opened fire. 

Walker's first trial ended in a mistrial in 2019 when jurors couldn't reach a verdict.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A man undergoing his second trial for murder in the 2016 shooting death of an Omaha teenager has been found not guilty. The Omaha World-Herald reports that a Douglas County jury on Tuesday found 25-year-old Otis Walker not guilty of first-degree murder and gun charges in the Nov. 26, 2016, drive-by shooting death of 16-year-old Markeise Dunn. Prosecutors had argued that it was Walker who pulled the trigger when a car pulled up beside Dunn, who was walking his girlfriend to a bus stop, and opened fire. Walker's first trial ended in a mistrial in 2019 when jurors couldn't reach a verdict.

Man in second murder trial acquitted of killing Omaha teen

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha police officer who was shot in the face and head last week after responding to a shoplifting call has been released from the hospital.

 The Omaha Police Department on Wednesday told the Omaha World-Herald that 39-year-old Officer Jeffrey Wittstruck is now at home recuperating. 

Wittstruck was shot last Friday during a struggle with a man suspected of shoplifting a package of T-shirts from a store in Westroads Mall.

 Police later arrested 21-year-old Kenya Lamont Jenkins Jr. following a high-speed chase on Interstate 80. 

Jenkins is charged with first-degree assault of a police officer and other counts. 

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha police officer who was shot in the face and head last week after responding to a shoplifting call has been released from the hospital. The Omaha Police Department on Wednesday told the Omaha World-Herald that 39-year-old Officer Jeffrey Wittstruck is now at home recuperating. Wittstruck was shot last Friday during a struggle with a man suspected of shoplifting a package of T-shirts from a store in Westroads Mall. Police later arrested 21-year-old Kenya Lamont Jenkins Jr. following a high-speed chase on Interstate 80. Jenkins is charged with first-degree assault of a police officer and other counts. He's being held on $10 million bail.

Omaha officer injured in mall shooting leaves hospital

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Gov. Kristi Noem says that two interim cabinet secretaries will be given the jobs permanently. 

Secretary Joel Jundt of the Department of Transportation and Secretary Kevin Robling with Game, Fish, and Parks will both continue to serve in their roles as secretaries to their departments. 

Noem saidd Robling has a great understanding of the state’s natural resource and conservation priorities. 

In regards to Jundt’s appointment, Noem said he has dedicated his life to promoting transportation access in South Dakota and has proven himself as a leader in the industry.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Gov. Kristi Noem says that two interim cabinet secretaries will be given the jobs permanently. Secretary Joel Jundt of the Department of Transportation and Secretary Kevin Robling with Game, Fish, and Parks will both continue to serve in their roles as secretaries to their departments. Noem saidd Robling has a great understanding of the state’s natural resource and conservation priorities. In regards to Jundt’s appointment, Noem said he has dedicated his life to promoting transportation access in South Dakota and has proven himself as a leader in the industry.

Interim cabinet secretaries appointed permanently by Noem

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Republican attorneys general from 21 states are questioning a provision in the $1.9 trillion pandemic rescue plan that bars states from using its funds to offset tax cuts. 

They wrote in a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Monday. They say the prohibition is “unclear, but potentially breathtaking."

 Republican states are concerned that any tax cut could be jeopardized if it is construed as taking advantage of the pandemic relief funds. 

The White House has said it expects the relief funds to not go toward decreasing taxes. 

The aid plan includes $195 billion for states, plus separate funds for local governments and schools.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Republican attorneys general from 21 states are questioning a provision in the $1.9 trillion pandemic rescue plan that bars states from using its funds to offset tax cuts. They wrote in a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Monday. They say the prohibition is “unclear, but potentially breathtaking." Republican states are concerned that any tax cut could be jeopardized if it is construed as taking advantage of the pandemic relief funds. The White House has said it expects the relief funds to not go toward decreasing taxes. The aid plan includes $195 billion for states, plus separate funds for local governments and schools.

GOP attorneys general question stimulus barring tax cuts

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln woman has been sentenced to jail but may be able to avoid time behind bars for helping her daughter dump her car after she was involved in a hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian.

 The Lincoln Journal Star reports that 52-year-old Kimberly Cowell said at her sentencing Tuesday that she responded “in the worst way possible” after the Oct. 18 crash that left Tina Mortensen dead. 

Lancaster County District Judge Robert Otte sentenced Cowell to 360 days in the county jail but allowed her to get into a program that will allow her to stay out of jail and be monitored.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln woman has been sentenced to jail but may be able to avoid time behind bars for helping her daughter dump her car after she was involved in a hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that 52-year-old Kimberly Cowell said at her sentencing Tuesday that she responded “in the worst way possible” after the Oct. 18 crash that left Tina Mortensen dead. Lancaster County District Judge Robert Otte sentenced Cowell to 360 days in the county jail but allowed her to get into a program that will allow her to stay out of jail and be monitored.

Mom sentenced for helping daughter after deadly hit-and-run

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha’s mayor says she’ll return to work and seek reelection after her husband, a prominent local surgeon, died earlier this month from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

Mayor Jean Stothert on Tuesday thanked the public and her campaign opponents for their support following the death of her husband, Dr. Joseph Stothert. 

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha’s mayor says she’ll return to work and seek reelection after her husband, a prominent local surgeon, died earlier this month from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Mayor Jean Stothert on Tuesday thanked the public and her campaign opponents for their support following the death of her husband, Dr. Joseph Stothert. She says he would have wanted her to continue as mayor and recalled how he joined her door-knocking campaigns, her town hall events and her annual State of the City addresses. She says her children, Elizabeth Leddy and Dr. Andrew Stothert, have also encouraged her to run. Joe Stothert was a longtime faculty member at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.