WASHINGTON (AP) —The race against the virus that causes COVID-19 has taken a new turn: Mutations are rapidly popping up, and the longer it takes to vaccinate people, the more likely it is that a variant that can elude current tests, treatments and vaccines could emerge.

The coronavirus is becoming more genetically diverse, and health officials say the high rate of new cases is the main reason. Each new infection gives the virus a chance to mutate as it makes copies of itself, threatening to undo the progress made so far to control the pandemic.

&nbsp;The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a new version first identified in the United Kingdom may become dominant in the U.S. by March. Although it doesn’t cause more severe illness, it will lead to more hospitalizations and deaths just because it spreads much more easily, said the CDC, warning of “a new phase of exponential growth.”

“We’re taking it really very seriously,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“We need to do everything we can now ... to get transmission as low as we possibly can,” said Harvard University’s Dr. Michael Mina. “The best way to prevent mutant strains from emerging is to slow transmission.”

So far, vaccines seem to remain effective, but there are signs that some of the new mutations may undermine tests for the virus and reduce the effectiveness of antibody drugs as treatments.

“We’re in a race against time” because the virus “may stumble upon a mutation” that makes it more dangerous, said Dr. Pardis Sabeti, an evolutionary biologist at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

Younger people may be less willing to wear masks, shun crowds and take other steps to avoid infection because the current strain doesn’t seem to make them very sick, but “in one mutational change, it might,” she warned. Sabeti documented a change in the Ebola virus during the 2014 outbreak that made it much worse.

It’s normal for viruses to acquire small changes or mutations in their genetic alphabet as they reproduce. Ones that help the virus flourish give it a competitive advantage and thus crowd out other versions.

In March, just a couple months after the coronavirus was discovered in China, a mutation called D614G emerged that made it more likely to spread. It soon became the dominant version in the world.

Now, after months of relative calm, “we’ve started to see some striking evolution” of the virus, biologist Trevor Bedford of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle wrote on Twitter last week. “The fact that we’ve observed three variants of concern emerge since September suggests that there are likely more to come.”

One was first identified in the United Kingdom and quickly became dominant in parts of England. It has now been reported in at least 30 countries, including the United States.

Soon afterward, South Africa and Brazil reported new variants, and the main mutation in the version identified in Britain turned up on a different version “that’s been circulating in Ohio ... at least as far back as September,” said Dr. Dan Jones, a molecular pathologist at Ohio State University who announced that finding last week.

“The important finding here is that this is unlikely to be travel-related” and instead may reflect the virus acquiring similar mutations independently as more infections occur, Jones said.

That also suggests that travel restrictions might be ineffective, Mina said. Because the United States has so many cases, “we can breed our own variants that are just as bad or worse” as those in other countries, he said.

Some lab tests suggest the variants identified in South Africa and Brazil may be less susceptible to antibody drugs or convalescent plasma, antibody-rich blood from COVID-19 survivors — both of which help people fight off the virus.

Government scientists are “actively looking” into that possibility, Dr. Janet Woodcock of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration told reporters Thursday. The government is encouraging development of multi-antibody treatments rather than single-antibody drugs to have more ways to target the virus in case one proves ineffective, she said.

Current vaccines induce broad enough immune responses that they should remain effective, many scientists say. Enough genetic change eventually may require tweaking the vaccine formula, but “it’s probably going to be on the order of years if we use the vaccine well rather than months,” Dr. Andrew Pavia of the University of Utah said Thursday on a webcast hosted by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Health officials also worry that if the virus changes enough, people might get COVID-19 a second time. Reinfection currently is rare, but Brazil already confirmed a case in someone with a new variant who had been sickened with a previous version several months earlier.

“We’re seeing a lot of variants, viral diversity, because there’s a lot of virus out there,” and reducing new infections is the best way to curb it, said Dr. Adam Lauring, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Loyce Pace, who heads the nonprofit Global Health Council and is a member of President-elect Joe Biden’s COVID-19 advisory board, said the same precautions scientists have been advising all along “still work and they still matter.”

“We still want people to be masking up,” she said Thursday on a webcast hosted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“We still need people to limit congregating with people outside their household. We still need people to be washing their hands and really being vigilant about those public health practices, especially as these variants emerge.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608566572342.png" alt="Image courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The race against the virus that causes COVID-19 has taken a new turn: Mutations are rapidly popping up, and the longer it takes to vaccinate people, the more likely it is that a variant that can elude current tests, treatments and vaccines could emerge.The coronavirus is becoming more genetically diverse, and health officials say the high rate of new cases is the main reason. Each new infection gives the virus a chance to mutate as it makes copies of itself, threatening to undo the progress made so far to control the pandemic.&nbsp;The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a new version first identified in the United Kingdom may become dominant in the U.S. by March. Although it doesn’t cause more severe illness, it will lead to more hospitalizations and deaths just because it spreads much more easily, said the CDC, warning of “a new phase of exponential growth.”“We’re taking it really very seriously,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”“We need to do everything we can now ... to get transmission as low as we possibly can,” said Harvard University’s Dr. Michael Mina. “The best way to prevent mutant strains from emerging is to slow transmission.”So far, vaccines seem to remain effective, but there are signs that some of the new mutations may undermine tests for the virus and reduce the effectiveness of antibody drugs as treatments.“We’re in a race against time” because the virus “may stumble upon a mutation” that makes it more dangerous, said Dr. Pardis Sabeti, an evolutionary biologist at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.Younger people may be less willing to wear masks, shun crowds and take other steps to avoid infection because the current strain doesn’t seem to make them very sick, but “in one mutational change, it might,” she warned. Sabeti documented a change in the Ebola virus during the 2014 outbreak that made it much worse.MUTATIONS ON THE RISEIt’s normal for viruses to acquire small changes or mutations in their genetic alphabet as they reproduce. Ones that help the virus flourish give it a competitive advantage and thus crowd out other versions.In March, just a couple months after the coronavirus was discovered in China, a mutation called D614G emerged that made it more likely to spread. It soon became the dominant version in the world.Now, after months of relative calm, “we’ve started to see some striking evolution” of the virus, biologist Trevor Bedford of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle wrote on Twitter last week. “The fact that we’ve observed three variants of concern emerge since September suggests that there are likely more to come.”One was first identified in the United Kingdom and quickly became dominant in parts of England. It has now been reported in at least 30 countries, including the United States.Soon afterward, South Africa and Brazil reported new variants, and the main mutation in the version identified in Britain turned up on a different version “that’s been circulating in Ohio ... at least as far back as September,” said Dr. Dan Jones, a molecular pathologist at Ohio State University who announced that finding last week.“The important finding here is that this is unlikely to be travel-related” and instead may reflect the virus acquiring similar mutations independently as more infections occur, Jones said.That also suggests that travel restrictions might be ineffective, Mina said. Because the United States has so many cases, “we can breed our own variants that are just as bad or worse” as those in other countries, he said.___TREATMENT, VACCINE, REINFECTION RISKSSome lab tests suggest the variants identified in South Africa and Brazil may be less susceptible to antibody drugs or convalescent plasma, antibody-rich blood from COVID-19 survivors — both of which help people fight off the virus.Government scientists are “actively looking” into that possibility, Dr. Janet Woodcock of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration told reporters Thursday. The government is encouraging development of multi-antibody treatments rather than single-antibody drugs to have more ways to target the virus in case one proves ineffective, she said.Current vaccines induce broad enough immune responses that they should remain effective, many scientists say. Enough genetic change eventually may require tweaking the vaccine formula, but “it’s probably going to be on the order of years if we use the vaccine well rather than months,” Dr. Andrew Pavia of the University of Utah said Thursday on a webcast hosted by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.Health officials also worry that if the virus changes enough, people might get COVID-19 a second time. Reinfection currently is rare, but Brazil already confirmed a case in someone with a new variant who had been sickened with a previous version several months earlier.___WHAT TO DO“We’re seeing a lot of variants, viral diversity, because there’s a lot of virus out there,” and reducing new infections is the best way to curb it, said Dr. Adam Lauring, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.Loyce Pace, who heads the nonprofit Global Health Council and is a member of President-elect Joe Biden’s COVID-19 advisory board, said the same precautions scientists have been advising all along “still work and they still matter.”“We still want people to be masking up,” she said Thursday on a webcast hosted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.“We still need people to limit congregating with people outside their household. We still need people to be washing their hands and really being vigilant about those public health practices, especially as these variants emerge.”___

COVID-19 mutations rise along with cases

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump offered rare, kind words to his successor in a farewell video, while failing to address him by name, as he spent his final full day in office preparing to issue a flurry of pardons in a near-deserted White House, surrounded by an extraordinary security presence outside.

“This week we inaugurate a new administration and pray for its success in keeping America safe and prosperous,” Trump said in the video “farewell address,” released by the White House Tuesday afternoon. “We extend our best wishes. And we also want them to have luck. A very important word.”

Trump, who spent months trying to delegitimize President-elect Joe Biden’s win with baseless allegations of mass voter fraud, referenced the “next administration,” but declined to utter Biden’s name. Many of Trump’s supporters continue to believe the election was stolen from him, even though a long list of judges, Republican state officials and even Trump’s own government have said there is no evidence to support that claim.

The American public — regular people who have spent years languishing in prison — as well as politically connected friends and allies like those he’s pardoned in the past.

Trump spent much of the address trumpeting what he sees as his top achievements, including efforts to normalize relations in the Middle East, the development of coronavirus vaccinations and the creation of a new Space Force.

“We did what we came here to do — and so much more,” he said in the nearly 20-minute address.

Trump has remained largely out of sight since his supporters stormed the Capitol building earlier this month, trying to halt the peaceful transfer of power. Aides had urged him to spend his final days in office participating in a series of legacy-burnishing events. But Trump, who remains consumed with anger and grievance over his election loss, largely refused. He has not been seen in public since last week, when he traveled to Texas for one last photo opportunity at the border wall he pushed so adamantly throughout his presidency. In the end, he spent less than 45 minutes on the ground there and spoke just 21 minutes.

Trump is set to leave Washington early Wednesday morning and has been planning a grand farewell event at nearby Joint Base Andrews. Once there, he will board Air Force One for a final time, flying to Florida and becoming the first outgoing president in more than a century to skip the inauguration of his successor.

Trump has also refused to take part in any of the symbolic passing-of-the-torch traditions that have been the capstones of the peaceful transition of power from one administration to the next. He is boycotting not just the ceremony at the Capitol, but also passed on inviting the Bidens to the White House for a get-to-know-you meeting. And it remains unclear whether he will write Biden a personal welcome letter, like the one he received from former President Obama when he moved in.

Denied his Twitter bullhorn and with little else planned, Trump did participate in multiple meetings over the long weekend to discuss pending clemency actions, according to a White House official, who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity because the action had yet to be made public.

Trump was personally involved in the effort to sift through requests, mostly from first-time drug offenders sentenced to life, rejecting some applications and greenlighting others, according to one of the people involved in the effort. Also playing a key role has been the president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, who personally met with advocates, reviewed cases and brought them to the Department of Justice and pardon attorney.

Jessica Jackson, a lawyer and criminal justice advocate who has been working with the administration, said that she came to Ivanka Trump with the case of Darrell Frazier, who has served more than 29 years of a life sentence with no parole for his role in a drug conspiracy. While incarcerated, he founded a non-profit foundation in Tennessee that teaches tennis to 100-200 kids a week.

“I heard his story and brought it to Ivanka,” said Jackson. “Once she heard the story, she took it to the DOJ, she took it to the pardon attorney.”

Trump had been expected to move forward with additional pardons and commutations earlier this month, but discussions were put on hold after the insurrection at the Capitol by pro-Trump rioters incited by the president’s fiery and baseless election challenges. That threw an already paralyzed White House into even further chaos.

Trump has since been impeached for a second time and a sense of wariness has set in, with the president’s inner circle fearful of doing anything that could provoke a conviction in the Senate that would potentially bar him from ever holding office again.

That would curtail any chance of a 2024 comeback run that Trump had hoped would at least stoke the rumors of a campaign to remain relevant and a GOP kingmaker. Trump aides nervously watched Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s Tuesday denunciation of the president’s words that incited the riot; if McConnell, who has not signaled how he will vote in the trial, opts to convict, enough Republicans may follow suit to oust Trump, who does not have his Twitter account to keep his adopted party in line.

A long list of Trump staffers have already packed their offices and departed the White House, leaving the West Wing deserted — a warren of empty offices and bare walls — surrounded by an unprecedented security apparatus with National Guard troops, military vehicles and checkpoints aimed at staving off further violence.

Moving trucks were spotted in Florida on Monday arriving at Trump’s private Mar-a-Lago club.

As advocates and prisoners await Trump’s clemency decisions, it remains unclear whether Trump will pardon Steve Bannon, his former top strategist, or offer pre-emptive reprieves to his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, his adult children and or even himself — uncharted legal territory.

Bannon has been charged with duping thousands of investors who believed their money would be used to fulfill Trump’s chief campaign promise to build a wall along the southern border. Instead, Bannon is charged with diverting over a million dollars, paying a salary to one campaign official and personal expenses for himself.

Giuliani said on his Sunday radio show that, while he fears that prosecutors might “try to frame me,” he is “willing to run that risk.”

“I do not need a pardon. I don’t commit crimes,” he said.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who speaks often with Trump, said on Fox’s Sunday Morning Futures that there are also “a lot of people” urging the president to pardon those who participated in the storming of the Capitol building — pleas he urged the president to swiftly reject.

“I don’t care if you went there and spread flowers on the floor, you breached the security of the Capitol, you interrupted a joint session of Congress, you tried to intimidate us all. You should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and to seek a pardon of these people would be wrong,” he said. He warned that such a move “would destroy President Trump and I hope we don’t go down that road.”

In addition to the bold-faced names, Trump’s list is expected to include people whose cases have been championed by criminal justice reform advocates. They are people like Chris Young, who was sentenced to life in prison for drug possession because of federal sentencing minimums and whose case has been championed by reality TV star Kim Kardashian West.

“Our nation is not well served by spending millions of taxpayer dollars burying people alive under outdated federal drug laws,” said his attorney, Brittany K. Barnett, who is co-founder of the Buried Alive Project, a criminal justice reform advocacy group.

Trump has already pardoned a number of longtime associates and supporters, including his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort; the father of his son-in-law, Charles Kushner; his longtime friend and adviser Roger Stone and his former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611096506367.png" alt="President Trump is scheduled to leave Washington Wednesday morning -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump is scheduled to leave Washington Wednesday morning -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump offered rare, kind words to his successor in a farewell video, while failing to address him by name, as he spent his final full day in office preparing to issue a flurry of pardons in a near-deserted White House, surrounded by an extraordinary security presence outside.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F270628861310657%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>“This week we inaugurate a new administration and pray for its success in keeping America safe and prosperous,” Trump said in the video “farewell address,” released by the White House Tuesday afternoon. “We extend our best wishes. And we also want them to have luck. A very important word.”Trump, who spent months trying to delegitimize President-elect Joe Biden’s win with baseless allegations of mass voter fraud, referenced the “next administration,” but declined to utter Biden’s name. Many of Trump’s supporters continue to believe the election was stolen from him, even though a long list of judges, Republican state officials and even Trump’s own government have said there is no evidence to support that claim.The American public — regular people who have spent years languishing in prison — as well as politically connected friends and allies like those he’s pardoned in the past.Trump spent much of the address trumpeting what he sees as his top achievements, including efforts to normalize relations in the Middle East, the development of coronavirus vaccinations and the creation of a new Space Force.“We did what we came here to do — and so much more,” he said in the nearly 20-minute address.Trump has remained largely out of sight since his supporters stormed the Capitol building earlier this month, trying to halt the peaceful transfer of power. Aides had urged him to spend his final days in office participating in a series of legacy-burnishing events. But Trump, who remains consumed with anger and grievance over his election loss, largely refused. He has not been seen in public since last week, when he traveled to Texas for one last photo opportunity at the border wall he pushed so adamantly throughout his presidency. In the end, he spent less than 45 minutes on the ground there and spoke just 21 minutes.Trump is set to leave Washington early Wednesday morning and has been planning a grand farewell event at nearby Joint Base Andrews. Once there, he will board Air Force One for a final time, flying to Florida and becoming the first outgoing president in more than a century to skip the inauguration of his successor.Trump has also refused to take part in any of the symbolic passing-of-the-torch traditions that have been the capstones of the peaceful transition of power from one administration to the next. He is boycotting not just the ceremony at the Capitol, but also passed on inviting the Bidens to the White House for a get-to-know-you meeting. And it remains unclear whether he will write Biden a personal welcome letter, like the one he received from former President Obama when he moved in.Denied his Twitter bullhorn and with little else planned, Trump did participate in multiple meetings over the long weekend to discuss pending clemency actions, according to a White House official, who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity because the action had yet to be made public.Trump was personally involved in the effort to sift through requests, mostly from first-time drug offenders sentenced to life, rejecting some applications and greenlighting others, according to one of the people involved in the effort. Also playing a key role has been the president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, who personally met with advocates, reviewed cases and brought them to the Department of Justice and pardon attorney.Jessica Jackson, a lawyer and criminal justice advocate who has been working with the administration, said that she came to Ivanka Trump with the case of Darrell Frazier, who has served more than 29 years of a life sentence with no parole for his role in a drug conspiracy. While incarcerated, he founded a non-profit foundation in Tennessee that teaches tennis to 100-200 kids a week.“I heard his story and brought it to Ivanka,” said Jackson. “Once she heard the story, she took it to the DOJ, she took it to the pardon attorney.”Trump had been expected to move forward with additional pardons and commutations earlier this month, but discussions were put on hold after the insurrection at the Capitol by pro-Trump rioters incited by the president’s fiery and baseless election challenges. That threw an already paralyzed White House into even further chaos.Trump has since been impeached for a second time and a sense of wariness has set in, with the president’s inner circle fearful of doing anything that could provoke a conviction in the Senate that would potentially bar him from ever holding office again.That would curtail any chance of a 2024 comeback run that Trump had hoped would at least stoke the rumors of a campaign to remain relevant and a GOP kingmaker. Trump aides nervously watched Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s Tuesday denunciation of the president’s words that incited the riot; if McConnell, who has not signaled how he will vote in the trial, opts to convict, enough Republicans may follow suit to oust Trump, who does not have his Twitter account to keep his adopted party in line.A long list of Trump staffers have already packed their offices and departed the White House, leaving the West Wing deserted — a warren of empty offices and bare walls — surrounded by an unprecedented security apparatus with National Guard troops, military vehicles and checkpoints aimed at staving off further violence.Moving trucks were spotted in Florida on Monday arriving at Trump’s private Mar-a-Lago club.As advocates and prisoners await Trump’s clemency decisions, it remains unclear whether Trump will pardon Steve Bannon, his former top strategist, or offer pre-emptive reprieves to his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, his adult children and or even himself — uncharted legal territory.Bannon has been charged with duping thousands of investors who believed their money would be used to fulfill Trump’s chief campaign promise to build a wall along the southern border. Instead, Bannon is charged with diverting over a million dollars, paying a salary to one campaign official and personal expenses for himself.Giuliani said on his Sunday radio show that, while he fears that prosecutors might “try to frame me,” he is “willing to run that risk.”“I do not need a pardon. I don’t commit crimes,” he said.Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who speaks often with Trump, said on Fox’s Sunday Morning Futures that there are also “a lot of people” urging the president to pardon those who participated in the storming of the Capitol building — pleas he urged the president to swiftly reject.“I don’t care if you went there and spread flowers on the floor, you breached the security of the Capitol, you interrupted a joint session of Congress, you tried to intimidate us all. You should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and to seek a pardon of these people would be wrong,” he said. He warned that such a move “would destroy President Trump and I hope we don’t go down that road.”In addition to the bold-faced names, Trump’s list is expected to include people whose cases have been championed by criminal justice reform advocates. They are people like Chris Young, who was sentenced to life in prison for drug possession because of federal sentencing minimums and whose case has been championed by reality TV star Kim Kardashian West.“Our nation is not well served by spending millions of taxpayer dollars burying people alive under outdated federal drug laws,” said his attorney, Brittany K. Barnett, who is co-founder of the Buried Alive Project, a criminal justice reform advocacy group.Trump has already pardoned a number of longtime associates and supporters, including his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort; the father of his son-in-law, Charles Kushner; his longtime friend and adviser Roger Stone and his former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

🎥  Pres. Trump wishes Biden luck in farewell video

WEBSTER COUNTY, Missouri—One person died in an accident just after 3:30a.m. Tuesday in Webster County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Toyota Camry driven by Morgan M. Wright, 26, Marshfield, was westbound on Evergreen Road four miles east of Strafford.

The car struck a pedestrian identified as Traten J. Sherry, 46, Omaha, who was walking in the road. Sherry was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Day Funeral Home. Wright was not injured and properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.

WEBSTER COUNTY, Missouri—One person died in an accident just after 3:30a.m. Tuesday in Webster County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Toyota Camry driven by Morgan M. Wright, 26, Marshfield, was westbound on Evergreen Road four miles east of Strafford.The car struck a pedestrian identified as Traten J. Sherry, 46, Omaha, who was walking in the road. Sherry was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Day Funeral Home. Wright was not injured and properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.

Nebraska man dies after struck by car on Missouri highway

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and a weapons count in the shooting death of his father last summer in Lincoln. 

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that 21-year-old Adolfo Ortiz entered the plea last week in a hearing he attended via video from his jail cell.

 His trial date has not yet been set. Ortiz is accused of shooting his father, 48-year-old Adolfo Aguado, twice early the morning of July 13 in the Lincoln home Aguado and his wife shared.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and a weapons count in the shooting death of his father last summer in Lincoln. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that 21-year-old Adolfo Ortiz entered the plea last week in a hearing he attended via video from his jail cell. His trial date has not yet been set. Ortiz is accused of shooting his father, 48-year-old Adolfo Aguado, twice early the morning of July 13 in the Lincoln home Aguado and his wife shared.

Lincoln man pleads not guilty to shooting death of father

In a college application season like no other, students who have seen every aspect of their lives disrupted by the coronavirus are grappling with how to show their potential.

High school seniors around the U.S. are facing January and February college application deadlines without SAT and ACT entrance exam scores, community service records and resumes flush with extracurricular activities — all casualties of an era of social distancing and remote learning that has carried over from their junior year.

The pandemic has prompted colleges to make tests optional and find new ways to evaluate students, including student-athletes, like southern California high school senior Anthony Correra. The pandemic canceled his last football season, shortening the highlight tapes that he’d hoped to share with college recruiters.

“Colleges and universities don’t have the same tools that they did to evaluate students before,” said Angel Perez, chief executive of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, or NACAC. “The experience that students are going through right now is drastically different from many others.”

For the first time, the Common Application that allows students to apply to multiple institutions at the same time added an optional space so students can explain in 250 words or less the pandemic’s impacts.

A sampling of responses provided to The Associated Press illustrate the pandemic’s academic, emotional and financial toll.

“My parents losing their jobs made it very hard financially and we struggled to get by,” a student wrote. “It was already hard before the pandemic but with the low amount of money flowing in as a result of Covid-19’s safe to say our situations got even worse.”

Others wrote of struggling to focus alongside siblings and parents in noisy households disrupted by work and school Zoom calls, or of money and technology challenges.

“We want to provide colleges with the information they need, with the goal of having students answer COVID-19 questions only once while using the rest of the application as they would have before to share their interests and perspectives beyond COVID-19,” the nonprofit Common Application said.

Correra, an all-season athlete at Grand Terrace High School in California, said he hadn’t thought much about college until recently, describing a side effect of life on what he called “quarantine time” where months and milestones pass unremarkably. He has applied to schools in the University of California and California State University systems, as well as some private colleges.

The colleges that have shown interest have been understanding because so many students are in the same situation, said his father, Mike Correra.

“It’s been kind of refreshing a little bit because I’m not as stressed as I was,” said Mike Correra, who said one coach even viewed his cellphone video from his son’s games.

Colleges have been eager to work with applicants amid concerns about enrollment declines and an alarming drop in the number of potential students,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4e0667bb51f18bf54656ce5c504d5859">particularly low-income students</a>, filling out financial aid documents — an indicator they may not pursue college.

Very competitive colleges, though, have had the opposite problem of trying to juggle large numbers of students who deferred acceptance last year on top of increasing applications for the coming year. Harvard College, for one, marked its most competitive early admissions cycle ever, the Harvard Crimson reported. The college invited 747 of 10,086 early applicants to join its Class of 2025, down from 895 of 6,424 applicants last year.

More than 1,600 institutions have made it optional for students to submit admissions test scores in an acknowledgement of cancelled testing sessions, Perez said. Instead, admissions officers will lean more heavily on essays, grades and the rigor of coursework, pre-pandemic extracurriculars and more than ever, the interest students show in attending.

“Usually this time of year, schools would be all over the country and the world, recruiting. ... But now they’ve moved into this online space where they are seeking individual conversations, interviews, engagement with students and families,” Perez said. “So I would also say to students, raise your hand and reach out individually to an admissions counselor if you’re interested in those institutions.”

With in-person interviews difficult, institutions including Washington University in St. Louis and Bowdoin in Maine are inviting students to send videos introducing themselves, a practice that was catching on before the pandemic. Bowdoin this year also said applicants could swap out a usual teacher evaluation with an “other” recommendation from a friend, employer or someone else with insight about their character.

But rounding up any kind of letters remotely can be challenging.

“It’s definitely preferable to be able to discuss those in person instead of emailing back and forth,” said Claire Gelillo, a high school senior in Rockville, Maryland. “One of the big things is not having the support of peers and teachers as readily available.”

Lexington, Kentucky, high school senior Gabriella Staykova had planned to visit several colleges during spring break in her junior year, but with her school shut down since March 13 she is applying for many colleges sight unseen. She crossed Barnard College in New York City off the list and has reservations about others in unfamiliar cities.

“I’m just hoping that things will clear up enough before Decision Day that I’ll be able to either tour the schools in person or that the schools will offer some sort of online alternative that’s a lot more personal than what they usually would do,” she said. “That way maybe I can make more educated guesses.”

By CAROLYN THOMPSON, Associated PressIn a college application season like no other, students who have seen every aspect of their lives disrupted by the coronavirus are grappling with how to show their potential.High school seniors around the U.S. are facing January and February college application deadlines without SAT and ACT entrance exam scores, community service records and resumes flush with extracurricular activities — all casualties of an era of social distancing and remote learning that has carried over from their junior year.The pandemic has prompted colleges to make tests optional and find new ways to evaluate students, including student-athletes, like southern California high school senior Anthony Correra. The pandemic canceled his last football season, shortening the highlight tapes that he’d hoped to share with college recruiters.“Colleges and universities don’t have the same tools that they did to evaluate students before,” said Angel Perez, chief executive of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, or NACAC. “The experience that students are going through right now is drastically different from many others.”For the first time, the Common Application that allows students to apply to multiple institutions at the same time added an optional space so students can explain in 250 words or less the pandemic’s impacts.A sampling of responses provided to The Associated Press illustrate the pandemic’s academic, emotional and financial toll.“My parents losing their jobs made it very hard financially and we struggled to get by,” a student wrote. “It was already hard before the pandemic but with the low amount of money flowing in as a result of Covid-19’s safe to say our situations got even worse.”Others wrote of struggling to focus alongside siblings and parents in noisy households disrupted by work and school Zoom calls, or of money and technology challenges.“We want to provide colleges with the information they need, with the goal of having students answer COVID-19 questions only once while using the rest of the application as they would have before to share their interests and perspectives beyond COVID-19,” the nonprofit Common Application said.Correra, an all-season athlete at Grand Terrace High School in California, said he hadn’t thought much about college until recently, describing a side effect of life on what he called “quarantine time” where months and milestones pass unremarkably. He has applied to schools in the University of California and California State University systems, as well as some private colleges.The colleges that have shown interest have been understanding because so many students are in the same situation, said his father, Mike Correra.“It’s been kind of refreshing a little bit because I’m not as stressed as I was,” said Mike Correra, who said one coach even viewed his cellphone video from his son’s games.Colleges have been eager to work with applicants amid concerns about enrollment declines and an alarming drop in the number of potential students,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4e0667bb51f18bf54656ce5c504d5859">particularly low-income students</a>, filling out financial aid documents — an indicator they may not pursue college.Very competitive colleges, though, have had the opposite problem of trying to juggle large numbers of students who deferred acceptance last year on top of increasing applications for the coming year. Harvard College, for one, marked its most competitive early admissions cycle ever, the Harvard Crimson reported. The college invited 747 of 10,086 early applicants to join its Class of 2025, down from 895 of 6,424 applicants last year.More than 1,600 institutions have made it optional for students to submit admissions test scores in an acknowledgement of cancelled testing sessions, Perez said. Instead, admissions officers will lean more heavily on essays, grades and the rigor of coursework, pre-pandemic extracurriculars and more than ever, the interest students show in attending.“Usually this time of year, schools would be all over the country and the world, recruiting. ... But now they’ve moved into this online space where they are seeking individual conversations, interviews, engagement with students and families,” Perez said. “So I would also say to students, raise your hand and reach out individually to an admissions counselor if you’re interested in those institutions.”With in-person interviews difficult, institutions including Washington University in St. Louis and Bowdoin in Maine are inviting students to send videos introducing themselves, a practice that was catching on before the pandemic. Bowdoin this year also said applicants could swap out a usual teacher evaluation with an “other” recommendation from a friend, employer or someone else with insight about their character.But rounding up any kind of letters remotely can be challenging.“It’s definitely preferable to be able to discuss those in person instead of emailing back and forth,” said Claire Gelillo, a high school senior in Rockville, Maryland. “One of the big things is not having the support of peers and teachers as readily available.”Lexington, Kentucky, high school senior Gabriella Staykova had planned to visit several colleges during spring break in her junior year, but with her school shut down since March 13 she is applying for many colleges sight unseen. She crossed Barnard College in New York City off the list and has reservations about others in unfamiliar cities.“I’m just hoping that things will clear up enough before Decision Day that I’ll be able to either tour the schools in person or that the schools will offer some sort of online alternative that’s a lot more personal than what they usually would do,” she said. “That way maybe I can make more educated guesses.”

Pandemic's toll shows up on students' college applications

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials say the state is launching the next phase of the coronavirus vaccinations.

 Phase 1D includes people 65 years and older, beginning with those who are 80 and older.

 1D also includes high-risk patients, including those on dialysis and post-transplant recipients. 

Avera Medical Group vice president Dr. David Basel says there are 250,000 individuals in 1D, and they're getting 11,000 doses a week.

 Basel says it's going to take some patience. South Dakota health officials on Monday confirmed 116 positive COVID-19 tests and 11 deaths due to the coronavirus in the last day, The brings the total number of cases to 94,652 and the cumulative fatalities to 1,667.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials say the state is launching the next phase of the coronavirus vaccinations. Phase 1D includes people 65 years and older, beginning with those who are 80 and older. 1D also includes high-risk patients, including those on dialysis and post-transplant recipients. Avera Medical Group vice president Dr. David Basel says there are 250,000 individuals in 1D, and they're getting 11,000 doses a week. Basel says it's going to take some patience. South Dakota health officials on Monday confirmed 116 positive COVID-19 tests and 11 deaths due to the coronavirus in the last day, The brings the total number of cases to 94,652 and the cumulative fatalities to 1,667.

South Dakota launches next phase of COVID-19 vaccinations

LINCOLN – As he often does, 15-year-old Jacob Uphoff of Lincoln used a day off from school last fall to go hunting with his dad. That October day, he completed the Nebraska Duck Slam, making him the first youth to do so this season.

Jacob was excited and surprised to hear the news, his father, Blane, said. His accomplishment comes on the back of years of waterfowl hunting experience, he added.

“He’s been going to duck blinds with us since he was 2,” Blane Uphoff said. “We’re always planning for the next hunt.”

The Nebraska Duck Slam challenges hunters to harvest a teal (blue-winged or green-winged) of either sex, as well as drakes of three other species: an American wigeon, a mallard and a northern pintail. All ducks must be harvested in Nebraska, and hunters must upload a photo of each harvest at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTAxMTkuMzM1NjAwOTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi9EdWNrU2xhbS8ifQ.JM3XHvsrXCKI74KKtF7xcl4o3ggWTfEjxUBENR-B-r4/s/497221906/br/93309665927-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.org/DuckSlam</a>.

To date, 314 hunters – including nine youth – have participated in the challenge. To date, 127 hunters have completed the Duck Slam – 117 Nebraskans and 10 nonresidents.

Jacob persevered despite an “extremely difficult” year for waterfowl hunting, his father said, one in which conditions were often very dry. “One morning he carried our gear in about three quarters of a mile to the marsh, only to find that the marsh was completely dry,” he said. “But we hunted it.”

Jacob also harvested all his birds using a 20-gauge shotgun, adding to his accomplishment, Uphoff said.

Hunters who complete the Slam will receive an official certificate, a Nebraska Duck Slam pin, four tasty meals and Central Flyway bragging rights. Additionally, all hunters who complete the Slam during the 2020-2021 season will be registered to win one of several prizes donated by Ducks Unlimited. A drawing for the grand prize, a Special Edition Ducks Unlimited Winchester SX 4 12-gauge shotgun, will take place Feb. 20 at the Ducks Unlimited State Banquet.

Find more information on the Slam at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTAxMTkuMzM1NjAwOTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi9EdWNrU2xhbS8ifQ.HuVPMxJno2Qj-IhKhuB-AGHZayPkGBkrNqSGsdhVMs8/s/497221906/br/93309665927-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.org/DuckSlam</a>, and view lands open to public hunting in the Public Access Atlas at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTAxMTkuMzM1NjAwOTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi9QdWJsaWNBY2Nlc3NBdGxhcy8ifQ.2N0WJU7wimAwT98c1yfCU2QMF7buq9gEnv-K3jQlbg4/s/497221906/br/93309665927-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov/PublicAccessAtlas</a>.

LINCOLN – As he often does, 15-year-old Jacob Uphoff of Lincoln used a day off from school last fall to go hunting with his dad. That October day, he completed the Nebraska Duck Slam, making him the first youth to do so this season.Jacob was excited and surprised to hear the news, his father, Blane, said. His accomplishment comes on the back of years of waterfowl hunting experience, he added.“He’s been going to duck blinds with us since he was 2,” Blane Uphoff said. “We’re always planning for the next hunt.”The Nebraska Duck Slam challenges hunters to harvest a teal (blue-winged or green-winged) of either sex, as well as drakes of three other species: an American wigeon, a mallard and a northern pintail. All ducks must be harvested in Nebraska, and hunters must upload a photo of each harvest at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTAxMTkuMzM1NjAwOTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi9EdWNrU2xhbS8ifQ.JM3XHvsrXCKI74KKtF7xcl4o3ggWTfEjxUBENR-B-r4/s/497221906/br/93309665927-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.org/DuckSlam</a>.To date, 314 hunters – including nine youth – have participated in the challenge. To date, 127 hunters have completed the Duck Slam – 117 Nebraskans and 10 nonresidents.Jacob persevered despite an “extremely difficult” year for waterfowl hunting, his father said, one in which conditions were often very dry. “One morning he carried our gear in about three quarters of a mile to the marsh, only to find that the marsh was completely dry,” he said. “But we hunted it.”Jacob also harvested all his birds using a 20-gauge shotgun, adding to his accomplishment, Uphoff said.Hunters who complete the Slam will receive an official certificate, a Nebraska Duck Slam pin, four tasty meals and Central Flyway bragging rights. Additionally, all hunters who complete the Slam during the 2020-2021 season will be registered to win one of several prizes donated by Ducks Unlimited. A drawing for the grand prize, a Special Edition Ducks Unlimited Winchester SX 4 12-gauge shotgun, will take place Feb. 20 at the Ducks Unlimited State Banquet.Find more information on the Slam at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTAxMTkuMzM1NjAwOTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi9EdWNrU2xhbS8ifQ.HuVPMxJno2Qj-IhKhuB-AGHZayPkGBkrNqSGsdhVMs8/s/497221906/br/93309665927-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.org/DuckSlam</a>, and view lands open to public hunting in the Public Access Atlas at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTAxMTkuMzM1NjAwOTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi9QdWJsaWNBY2Nlc3NBdGxhcy8ifQ.2N0WJU7wimAwT98c1yfCU2QMF7buq9gEnv-K3jQlbg4/s/497221906/br/93309665927-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov/PublicAccessAtlas</a>.

Uphoff first youth to complete Duck Slam this season

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man has been charged with felony child abuse after police and doctors say he left his 3-month-old daughter with serious injuries, including a brain bleed. 

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that 20-year-old Malcom Lofton was arrested Thursday after the girl's mother rushed the baby to a Lincoln hospital after returning home to find the infant with injuries to her face and head. 

Online court documents show Lofton was charged Friday with intentional child abuse resulting in injury. 

He remained in the Lancaster County Jail on Tuesday in lieu of $25,000 cash bond. His preliminary court date is set for Feb. 23.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man has been charged with felony child abuse after police and doctors say he left his 3-month-old daughter with serious injuries, including a brain bleed. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that 20-year-old Malcom Lofton was arrested Thursday after the girl's mother rushed the baby to a Lincoln hospital after returning home to find the infant with injuries to her face and head. Online court documents show Lofton was charged Friday with intentional child abuse resulting in injury. He remained in the Lancaster County Jail on Tuesday in lieu of $25,000 cash bond. His preliminary court date is set for Feb. 23.

Lincoln man charged, accused of seriously injuring baby girl

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden has tapped Pennsylvania Health Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-discrimination-pennsylvania-virus-outbreak-2702d3f6961f2c355c0c0f73018a1f5f">Rachel Levine</a>&nbsp;to be his assistant secretary of health, leaving her poised to become the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

A pediatrician and former Pennsylvania physician general, Levine was appointed to her current post by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf in 2017, making her one of the few transgender people serving in elected or appointed positions nationwide. She won past confirmation by the Republican-majority Pennsylvania Senate and has emerged as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-health-pennsylvania-archive-0ea47128a21526aa9a1bbab69e9e6266">the public face of the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic</a>.

“Dr. Rachel Levine will bring the steady leadership and essential expertise we need to get people through this pandemic — no matter their zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability — and meet the public health needs of our country in this critical moment and beyond,” Biden said in a statement. “She is a historic and deeply qualified choice to help lead our administration’s health efforts.”

A graduate of Harvard and of Tulane Medical School, Levine is president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. She’s written in the past on the opioid crisis, medical marijuana, adolescent medicine, eating disorders and LGBTQ medicine.

Biden and his transition team have already begun negotiating with members of Congress, promoting speedy passage of the president-elect’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-unveil-plan-coronavirus-economy-a512629b3af12e89ab42097a81668960">$1.9 trillion plan</a>&nbsp;to bring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">the coronavirus</a>, which&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">has killed nearly 400,000 people in the United States</a>, under control. It seeks to enlist federal emergency personnel to run mass vaccination centers and provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a512629b3af12e89ab42097a81668960">100 immunization shots</a>&nbsp;in his administration’s first 100 days while using government spending to stimulate the pandemic-hammered economy,

Biden also says that, in one of his first acts as president, he’ll ask Americans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-jake-tapper-coronavirus-pandemic-fa365aa74f80e768bce3edc1649e4e8a">wear masks for 100 days</a>&nbsp;to slow the virus’ spread.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris called Levine “a remarkable public servant with the knowledge and experience to help us contain this pandemic, and protect and improve the health and well-being of the American people.”

Levine joins Biden’s Health and Human Services secretary nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-xavier-becerra-harvard-bc89947ff5ad8d21bc272743607d01fa">Xavier Becerra</a>, a Latino politician who rose from humble beginnings to serve in Congress and as California’s attorney general.

Businessman Jeff Zients is Biden’s coronavirus response coordinator, while Biden picked infectious-disease specialist Rochelle Walensky to run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vivek Murthy as surgeon general and Yale epidemiologist Marcella Nunez-Smith to head a working group to ensure fair and equitable distribution of vaccines and treatments.

The government’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, will also work closely with the Biden administration.

A transition spokesperson also said Tuesday that Dawn O’Connell will serve as senior counselor for coronavirus response to the health and human services secretary. O’Connell most recently served as director of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and was the senior counselor and deputy chief of staff to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell during the Obama administration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611066522458.png" alt="Rachel Levine-photo courtesy office of Gov. Tom Wolf" />
 <figcaption>Rachel Levine-photo courtesy office of Gov. Tom Wolf</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden has tapped Pennsylvania Health Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-discrimination-pennsylvania-virus-outbreak-2702d3f6961f2c355c0c0f73018a1f5f">Rachel Levine</a>&nbsp;to be his assistant secretary of health, leaving her poised to become the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.A pediatrician and former Pennsylvania physician general, Levine was appointed to her current post by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf in 2017, making her one of the few transgender people serving in elected or appointed positions nationwide. She won past confirmation by the Republican-majority Pennsylvania Senate and has emerged as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-health-pennsylvania-archive-0ea47128a21526aa9a1bbab69e9e6266">the public face of the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic</a>.“Dr. Rachel Levine will bring the steady leadership and essential expertise we need to get people through this pandemic — no matter their zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability — and meet the public health needs of our country in this critical moment and beyond,” Biden said in a statement. “She is a historic and deeply qualified choice to help lead our administration’s health efforts.”A graduate of Harvard and of Tulane Medical School, Levine is president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. She’s written in the past on the opioid crisis, medical marijuana, adolescent medicine, eating disorders and LGBTQ medicine.Biden and his transition team have already begun negotiating with members of Congress, promoting speedy passage of the president-elect’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-unveil-plan-coronavirus-economy-a512629b3af12e89ab42097a81668960">$1.9 trillion plan</a>&nbsp;to bring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">the coronavirus</a>, which&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">has killed nearly 400,000 people in the United States</a>, under control. It seeks to enlist federal emergency personnel to run mass vaccination centers and provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a512629b3af12e89ab42097a81668960">100 immunization shots</a>&nbsp;in his administration’s first 100 days while using government spending to stimulate the pandemic-hammered economy,Biden also says that, in one of his first acts as president, he’ll ask Americans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-jake-tapper-coronavirus-pandemic-fa365aa74f80e768bce3edc1649e4e8a">wear masks for 100 days</a>&nbsp;to slow the virus’ spread.Vice President-elect Kamala Harris called Levine “a remarkable public servant with the knowledge and experience to help us contain this pandemic, and protect and improve the health and well-being of the American people.”Levine joins Biden’s Health and Human Services secretary nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-xavier-becerra-harvard-bc89947ff5ad8d21bc272743607d01fa">Xavier Becerra</a>, a Latino politician who rose from humble beginnings to serve in Congress and as California’s attorney general.Businessman Jeff Zients is Biden’s coronavirus response coordinator, while Biden picked infectious-disease specialist Rochelle Walensky to run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vivek Murthy as surgeon general and Yale epidemiologist Marcella Nunez-Smith to head a working group to ensure fair and equitable distribution of vaccines and treatments.The government’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, will also work closely with the Biden administration.A transition spokesperson also said Tuesday that Dawn O’Connell will serve as senior counselor for coronavirus response to the health and human services secretary. O’Connell most recently served as director of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and was the senior counselor and deputy chief of staff to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell during the Obama administration.

Biden nominee would be 1st transgender woman confirmed by Senate

SALINA —Christopher and Banks, a specialty women’s apparel retailer is closing all of its stores including 14 locations in Nebraska and 15 in Kansas.&nbsp;

The Minneapolis-based company announced last week it filed for Chapter 11 in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey.&nbsp;

The Company has launched a store closing and liquidation process. The Company, however, will continue to operate its business in the ordinary course in the near term; and The Company is in active discussion with potential buyers for the sale of its eCommerce platform and related assets.

The company currently operates 449 stores in 44 states consisting of 315 MPW stores, 76 Outlet stores, 31 Christopher &amp; Banks stores, and 28 stores in its women’s plus size clothing division CJ Banks. The Company also operates the www.ChristopherandBanks.com eCommerce website.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611003664699.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA —Christopher and Banks, a specialty women’s apparel retailer is closing all of its stores including 14 locations in Nebraska and 15 in Kansas.&nbsp;The Minneapolis-based company announced last week it filed for Chapter 11 in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey.&nbsp;The Company has launched a store closing and liquidation process. The Company, however, will continue to operate its business in the ordinary course in the near term; and The Company is in active discussion with potential buyers for the sale of its eCommerce platform and related assets.The company currently operates 449 stores in 44 states consisting of 315 MPW stores, 76 Outlet stores, 31 Christopher &amp; Banks stores, and 28 stores in its women’s plus size clothing division CJ Banks. The Company also operates the www.ChristopherandBanks.com eCommerce website.

Christopher & Banks closing stores, files for bankruptcy

WASHINGTON (AP) —Organizers of the March for Life, the anti-abortion movement’s preeminent annual event, are asking their supporters nationwide not to gather in Washington this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and political unrest.

Instead, a small group of invited pro-life leaders will march Jan. 29, and the event will be livestreamed, March for Life’s president, Jeanne Mancini, announced.

“Since we are in the midst of a pandemic which may be peaking, and in view of the heightened pressures that law enforcement officers and others are currently facing in and around the Capitol, this year’s March for Life will look different,” she said. “The annual rally will take place virtually and we are asking all participants to stay home and to join the March virtually.”

Tim Tebow, the football star, is still scheduled to make a keynote speech at a virtual gala taking place after the downsized march, Mancini said.

Mancini said she looks forward to holding the event in person next year.

The march has been held annually since 1974, one year after the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion across in the United States. Even blizzards in 1987 and 2016 did not force cancellation, although turnouts were smaller than usual.

Local March for Life events also have been affected this year. State marches in Arkansas and Oregon have been indefinitely postponed, while a march planned in Tucson, Arizona, was converted into a car caravan dubbed the Road Rally for Life.

The annual National Prayer Vigil for Life, usually held the night before the national march at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, will instead be a livestreamed event, with bishops participating virtually from across the U.S.

A year ago, President Donald Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to address the March for Life. Trump became a hero to many anti-abortion activists for appointing Supreme Court justices and other federal judges viewed as open to the possibility of repealing or weakening the Roe v. Wade ruling.

This year’s event will take place nine days after the presidential inauguration of Democrat Joe Biden, who is a staunch supporter of abortion rights.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611004361565.png" alt="Photo courtesy March for Life" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy March for Life</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Organizers of the March for Life, the anti-abortion movement’s preeminent annual event, are asking their supporters nationwide not to gather in Washington this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and political unrest.Instead, a small group of invited pro-life leaders will march Jan. 29, and the event will be livestreamed, March for Life’s president, Jeanne Mancini, announced.“Since we are in the midst of a pandemic which may be peaking, and in view of the heightened pressures that law enforcement officers and others are currently facing in and around the Capitol, this year’s March for Life will look different,” she said. “The annual rally will take place virtually and we are asking all participants to stay home and to join the March virtually.”Tim Tebow, the football star, is still scheduled to make a keynote speech at a virtual gala taking place after the downsized march, Mancini said.Mancini said she looks forward to holding the event in person next year.The march has been held annually since 1974, one year after the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion across in the United States. Even blizzards in 1987 and 2016 did not force cancellation, although turnouts were smaller than usual.Local March for Life events also have been affected this year. State marches in Arkansas and Oregon have been indefinitely postponed, while a march planned in Tucson, Arizona, was converted into a car caravan dubbed the Road Rally for Life.The annual National Prayer Vigil for Life, usually held the night before the national march at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, will instead be a livestreamed event, with bishops participating virtually from across the U.S.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579888682982.png" alt="President Trump at the 2020 March for Life Rally photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump at the 2020 March for Life Rally photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>A year ago, President Donald Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to address the March for Life. Trump became a hero to many anti-abortion activists for appointing Supreme Court justices and other federal judges viewed as open to the possibility of repealing or weakening the Roe v. Wade ruling.This year’s event will take place nine days after the presidential inauguration of Democrat Joe Biden, who is a staunch supporter of abortion rights.___

March for Life supporters to stay home this year

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The body of a 75-year-old Nebraska man who had been reported missing earlier this week was found near the Douglas County landfill, officials said.

A landfill employee called sheriff's deputies Tuesday morning to report a man's body near the entrance of the landfill, which is north of Bennington, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

Arriving deputies found the body of Edward Manheimer, 75, of Omaha, on the ground near his vehicle. Manheimer had been reported missing Sunday.

Officials are investigating Manheimer's cause of death, but said foul play is not suspected.

The Nebraska State Patrol has canceled the Missing/Endangered Advisory for Edward Manheimer. The patrol reports that Manheimer was found deceased. No further information was released.

Issued On: Monday, January 18, 2021, at 1:11:32 PM

Name:&nbsp;<a href="https://statepatrol.nebraska.gov/ema#">Edward MANHEIMER</a>

<a href="https://statepatrol.nebraska.gov/ema#"></a>Description: An Endangered Missing Advisory has been activated to determine the whereabouts of Edward MANHEIMER. An Endangered Missing Advisory has been issued for Nebraska. The Omaha Police Department is attempting to locate, Edward MANHEIMER who is a 75-year-old, white male, approximately 5’ 10" tall, approximately 190 pounds, with balding hair, green eyes, and wearing a blue button-down shirt and dark sweatpants. MANHEIMER is missing from the Omaha, NE, and last seen at 9:00 am on January 17th in North Bend, Nebraska. He was driving a white 2004 Chevy Malibu bearing Nebraska plate VEA457. MANHEIMER suffers from medical conditions and seemed confused when last in contact. If you have any information, please call 911, or contact the Omaha Police Department at (402) 444-5636 immediately.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610997981440.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The body of a 75-year-old Nebraska man who had been reported missing earlier this week was found near the Douglas County landfill, officials said.A landfill employee called sheriff's deputies Tuesday morning to report a man's body near the entrance of the landfill, which is north of Bennington, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.Arriving deputies found the body of Edward Manheimer, 75, of Omaha, on the ground near his vehicle. Manheimer had been reported missing Sunday.Officials are investigating Manheimer's cause of death, but said foul play is not suspected.The Nebraska State Patrol has canceled the Missing/Endangered Advisory for Edward Manheimer. The patrol reports that Manheimer was found deceased. No further information was released.Issued On: Monday, January 18, 2021, at 1:11:32 PMName:&nbsp;<a href="https://statepatrol.nebraska.gov/ema#">Edward MANHEIMER</a><a href="https://statepatrol.nebraska.gov/ema#"></a>Description: An Endangered Missing Advisory has been activated to determine the whereabouts of Edward MANHEIMER. An Endangered Missing Advisory has been issued for Nebraska. The Omaha Police Department is attempting to locate, Edward MANHEIMER who is a 75-year-old, white male, approximately 5’ 10" tall, approximately 190 pounds, with balding hair, green eyes, and wearing a blue button-down shirt and dark sweatpants. MANHEIMER is missing from the Omaha, NE, and last seen at 9:00 am on January 17th in North Bend, Nebraska. He was driving a white 2004 Chevy Malibu bearing Nebraska plate VEA457. MANHEIMER suffers from medical conditions and seemed confused when last in contact. If you have any information, please call 911, or contact the Omaha Police Department at (402) 444-5636 immediately.&nbsp;&nbsp;

UPDATED Missing/Endangered Advisory issued for 75-year-old Omaha man

WASHINGTON (AP) —President-elect Joe Biden will take the stage for his inaugural address at perhaps the most difficult starting point for a president since Franklin Roosevelt began his first term by assuring a nation scarred by the Great Depression that “we have nothing to fear but fear itself.”

But memorable turns of phrase like Roosevelt’s are more the exception than the rule when it comes to inaugural addresses.

Former President Barack Obama in his memoir noted that singer Aretha Franklin’s showy hat and a glitch in Chief Justice John Roberts’ administration of the oath of office got more attention than his speech in the days following the first Black president’s address, delivered as the nation was mired in recession and a growing malaise over two intractable wars.

Now, with the coronavirus raging, unemployment claims soaring and partisan divisions sharpening, Biden faces a fraught moment as he prepares to deliver a speech that aides say he wants to use to “call Americans to unity.”

“The situation he faces is absolutely brutal,” said Cody Keenan, who served as a chief speechwriter for Obama and assisted with his two inaugural addresses. He added that Biden in many ways is ”the perfect president for the moment, because he is not hyperbolic, he’s not a bomb thrower, he’s surrounded himself with policy wonks who already have all these plans. I think what we are going to hear him talk about is ‘Here’s where we are, here’s what we have to get done.’ I think that’s going to go a long way just to making people feel better.”

With the current mood of the country, Biden’s consistent focus on restoring “the soul of America” may be of greater value to the nation than any soaring oratory, in the view of some Democratic allies of the incoming president.

“It is entirely possible that this inaugural is one we remember for generations to come, because of the gravity of this moment” said David Litt, who served as an Obama speechwriter and wrote the comedic memoir, “Thanks, Obama: My Hopey Changey White House Years.” “But I also think it’s possible that the signature speeches of the Biden administration come at less expected moments and that would be par for the course.”

The inaugural address is as much a celebration of the peaceful handover of power as it is a set piece for a new or reelected president to lay out a vision for the nation. In recent memory, inaugural addresses have followed a predictable structure: The nation has challenges but there is hope to solve the problems if the president’s agenda is embraced.

One tradition dating back at least to Jimmy Carter’s 1977 inaugural is for the incoming president to offer the nation’s gratitude to the outgoing president — a moment of graciousness intended to put aside the strife of the political campaign and signal to Americans that it’s time to come together as a nation.

President Donald Trump won’t be there to hear it. He’s already said he won’t attend the inauguration — the first outgoing president to skip his successor’s swearing-in since Andrew Johnson did not attend Ulysses S. Grant’s inauguration in 1869.

Ari Fleischer, who served as press secretary for President George W. Bush, said there are still ways that Biden’s speechwriting team can continue the tradition of honoring the peaceful transition of power by simply giving a nod to the past presidents and Vice President Mike Pence, who are expected to be at the Capitol for the address.

Biden chief of staff Ron Klain said during a recent event hosted by The Washington Post that the president-elect has been chipping away on the address through the entire transition — taking time every few days to write and rewrite his thoughts. His speechwriting team is led by longtime Biden collaborator Vinay Reddy.

More important than flowery oratory is substantively demonstrating how Biden will take steps to begin unifying a country that remains emotionally raw because of the pandemic and a divisive election cycle that culminated with the violent insurrection at the Capitol, Fleischer said.

“Don’t dwell on today’s difficulties. Focus on tomorrow’s answers,” Fleischer advised. “Soaring oratory is just not Joe Biden. The effectiveness of his speech is going to be much more about what he says than how he says it.”

Edward Frantz, a presidential historian at the University of Indianapolis, said Biden’s daunting moment has parallels to what Roosevelt faced in 1933 as he sought to rally support for his agenda, as well as to Rutherford B. Hayes, who delivered his inaugural address in 1877 after winning by a single Electoral College vote in an election in which he and his allies alleged fraud in several states.

In addition to pushing a message of unity for Americans, Biden should signal to the world that the United States will recalibrate after four years of Trump, Frantz said. That may be easier said than done, though.

“How do you talk about returning to new normal while also not seeming arrogant about the United States’ position in the world — especially after what’s transpired over the last four years of the Trump administration and also with what foreign observers watched in horror as the riots transpired,” Frantz said. “There really is no parallel to what Biden faces.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610986740193.png" alt="President-elect Biden volunteered at a hunger relief charity based in Philadelphia, as part of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President-elect Biden volunteered at a hunger relief charity based in Philadelphia, as part of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —President-elect Joe Biden will take the stage for his inaugural address at perhaps the most difficult starting point for a president since Franklin Roosevelt began his first term by assuring a nation scarred by the Great Depression that “we have nothing to fear but fear itself.”But memorable turns of phrase like Roosevelt’s are more the exception than the rule when it comes to inaugural addresses.Former President Barack Obama in his memoir noted that singer Aretha Franklin’s showy hat and a glitch in Chief Justice John Roberts’ administration of the oath of office got more attention than his speech in the days following the first Black president’s address, delivered as the nation was mired in recession and a growing malaise over two intractable wars.Now, with the coronavirus raging, unemployment claims soaring and partisan divisions sharpening, Biden faces a fraught moment as he prepares to deliver a speech that aides say he wants to use to “call Americans to unity.”“The situation he faces is absolutely brutal,” said Cody Keenan, who served as a chief speechwriter for Obama and assisted with his two inaugural addresses. He added that Biden in many ways is ”the perfect president for the moment, because he is not hyperbolic, he’s not a bomb thrower, he’s surrounded himself with policy wonks who already have all these plans. I think what we are going to hear him talk about is ‘Here’s where we are, here’s what we have to get done.’ I think that’s going to go a long way just to making people feel better.”With the current mood of the country, Biden’s consistent focus on restoring “the soul of America” may be of greater value to the nation than any soaring oratory, in the view of some Democratic allies of the incoming president.“It is entirely possible that this inaugural is one we remember for generations to come, because of the gravity of this moment” said David Litt, who served as an Obama speechwriter and wrote the comedic memoir, “Thanks, Obama: My Hopey Changey White House Years.” “But I also think it’s possible that the signature speeches of the Biden administration come at less expected moments and that would be par for the course.”The inaugural address is as much a celebration of the peaceful handover of power as it is a set piece for a new or reelected president to lay out a vision for the nation. In recent memory, inaugural addresses have followed a predictable structure: The nation has challenges but there is hope to solve the problems if the president’s agenda is embraced.One tradition dating back at least to Jimmy Carter’s 1977 inaugural is for the incoming president to offer the nation’s gratitude to the outgoing president — a moment of graciousness intended to put aside the strife of the political campaign and signal to Americans that it’s time to come together as a nation.President Donald Trump won’t be there to hear it. He’s already said he won’t attend the inauguration — the first outgoing president to skip his successor’s swearing-in since Andrew Johnson did not attend Ulysses S. Grant’s inauguration in 1869.Ari Fleischer, who served as press secretary for President George W. Bush, said there are still ways that Biden’s speechwriting team can continue the tradition of honoring the peaceful transition of power by simply giving a nod to the past presidents and Vice President Mike Pence, who are expected to be at the Capitol for the address.Biden chief of staff Ron Klain said during a recent event hosted by The Washington Post that the president-elect has been chipping away on the address through the entire transition — taking time every few days to write and rewrite his thoughts. His speechwriting team is led by longtime Biden collaborator Vinay Reddy.More important than flowery oratory is substantively demonstrating how Biden will take steps to begin unifying a country that remains emotionally raw because of the pandemic and a divisive election cycle that culminated with the violent insurrection at the Capitol, Fleischer said.“Don’t dwell on today’s difficulties. Focus on tomorrow’s answers,” Fleischer advised. “Soaring oratory is just not Joe Biden. The effectiveness of his speech is going to be much more about what he says than how he says it.”Edward Frantz, a presidential historian at the University of Indianapolis, said Biden’s daunting moment has parallels to what Roosevelt faced in 1933 as he sought to rally support for his agenda, as well as to Rutherford B. Hayes, who delivered his inaugural address in 1877 after winning by a single Electoral College vote in an election in which he and his allies alleged fraud in several states.In addition to pushing a message of unity for Americans, Biden should signal to the world that the United States will recalibrate after four years of Trump, Frantz said. That may be easier said than done, though.“How do you talk about returning to new normal while also not seeming arrogant about the United States’ position in the world — especially after what’s transpired over the last four years of the Trump administration and also with what foreign observers watched in horror as the riots transpired,” Frantz said. “There really is no parallel to what Biden faces.”___

Biden aims for unifying speech at daunting moment for US

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Transportation Security Administration is using new credential authentication technology at security checkpoints in Omaha's Eppley Airfield to confirm travelers' ID and their flight information in near real time. 

Michael Fowler is TSA’s federal security director for Nebraska. 

He says the technology is better able to identify fraudulent driver’s licenses and passports at checkpoints and increases efficiency by automatically verifying passenger identification. 

It also eliminates the need for most passengers to hand over their boarding passes at checkpoints. 

Travelers will still need to check in with their airline in advance and bring their boarding pass to their gate agent to show the airline representative before boarding their flight.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Transportation Security Administration is using new credential authentication technology at security checkpoints in Omaha's Eppley Airfield to confirm travelers' ID and their flight information in near real time. Michael Fowler is TSA’s federal security director for Nebraska. He says the technology is better able to identify fraudulent driver’s licenses and passports at checkpoints and increases efficiency by automatically verifying passenger identification. It also eliminates the need for most passengers to hand over their boarding passes at checkpoints. Travelers will still need to check in with their airline in advance and bring their boarding pass to their gate agent to show the airline representative before boarding their flight.

New technology at security checkpoints in Omaha airport

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say a man has died following a shooting at a southwestern Omaha motel. 

Police say in a news release that the shooting occurred shortly after 4 a.m. Monday at a Motel 6 near 109th and J streets. 

Arriving first responders found a man with gunshot wounds who was taken by paramedics to an Omaha hospital, where he died a short time later. 

Police have identified the victim as 38-year-old Andrew Brown of Omaha. 

Police have not named any suspects or announced any arrests in the case.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say a man has died following a shooting at a southwestern Omaha motel. Police say in a news release that the shooting occurred shortly after 4 a.m. Monday at a Motel 6 near 109th and J streets. Arriving first responders found a man with gunshot wounds who was taken by paramedics to an Omaha hospital, where he died a short time later. Police have identified the victim as 38-year-old Andrew Brown of Omaha. Police have not named any suspects or announced any arrests in the case.

Victim of shooting at Omaha motel died at hospital

MOUNT STERLING, Ky. (AP) — Nestlé Prepared Foods is recalling more than 762,000 pounds of pepperoni Hot Pockets, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said.

The frozen stuffed sandwiches — shipped to retail stores nationwide — are being recalled because they “may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically pieces of glass and hard plastic,” the USDA said Friday.

The problem was discovered when the company received four consumer complaints of extraneous material in pepperoni Hot Pockets, the department said. The company has received one report of a “minor oral injury” associated with consumption of the product, the USDA said.

The recall is for 54-ounce packages containing 12 “Nestlé Hot Pockets Brand Sandwiches: Premium Pepperoni made with pork, chicken and beef pizza garlic buttery crust.” Affected boxes have a “Best before Feb 2022″ date and lot codes of 0318544624, 0319544614, 0320544614 and 0321544614, the department said.

The boxes also have the establishment number “EST. 7721A” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

“Consumers who have purchased this product are urged not to consume it,” the USDA said. “This product should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”

MOUNT STERLING, Ky. (AP) — Nestlé Prepared Foods is recalling more than 762,000 pounds of pepperoni Hot Pockets, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said.The frozen stuffed sandwiches — shipped to retail stores nationwide — are being recalled because they “may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically pieces of glass and hard plastic,” the USDA said Friday.The problem was discovered when the company received four consumer complaints of extraneous material in pepperoni Hot Pockets, the department said. The company has received one report of a “minor oral injury” associated with consumption of the product, the USDA said.ADVERTISEMENTThe recall is for 54-ounce packages containing 12 “Nestlé Hot Pockets Brand Sandwiches: Premium Pepperoni made with pork, chicken and beef pizza garlic buttery crust.” Affected boxes have a “Best before Feb 2022″ date and lot codes of 0318544624, 0319544614, 0320544614 and 0321544614, the department said.The boxes also have the establishment number “EST. 7721A” inside the USDA mark of inspection.“Consumers who have purchased this product are urged not to consume it,” the USDA said. “This product should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”

Nestlé recalls 762,000 pounds of pepperoni Hot Pockets

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. defense officials say they are worried about an insider attack or other threat from service members involved in securing President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, prompting the FBI to vet all of the 25,000 National Guard troops coming into Washington for the event.

The massive undertaking reflects the extraordinary security concerns that have gripped Washington following the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump rioters. And it underscores fears that some of the very people assigned to protect the city over the next several days could present a threat to the incoming president and other VIPs in attendance.

Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told The Associated Press on Sunday that officials are conscious of the potential threat, and he warned commanders to be on the lookout for any problems within their ranks as the inauguration approaches. So far, however, he and other leaders say they have seen no evidence of any threats, and officials said the vetting hadn’t flagged any issues.

”We’re continually going through the process, and taking second, third looks at every one of the individuals assigned to this operation,” McCarthy said in an interview after he and other military leaders went through an exhaustive, three-hour security drill in preparation for Wednesday’s inauguration. He said Guard members are also getting training on how to identify potential insider threats.

About 25,000 members of the National Guard are streaming into Washington from across the country — at least two and a half times the number for previous inaugurals. And while the military routinely reviews service members for extremist connections, the FBI screening is in addition to any previous monitoring.

Multiple officials said the process began as the first Guard troops began deploying to D.C. more than a week ago. And they said it is slated to be complete by Wednesday. Several officials discussed military planning on condition of anonymity.

“The question is, is that all of them? Are there others?” said McCarthy. “We need to be conscious of it and we need to put all of the mechanisms in place to thoroughly vet these men and women who would support any operations like this.”

In a situation like this one, FBI vetting would involve running peoples’ names through databases and watchlists maintained by the bureau to see if anything alarming comes up. That could include involvement in prior investigations or terrorism-related concerns, said David Gomez, a former FBI national security supervisor in Seattle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610939789454.png" alt="H Street at Massachusetts Avenue and 3rd Street in the District of Columbia Sunday night-image DC traffic camera" />
 <figcaption>H Street at Massachusetts Avenue and 3rd Street in the District of Columbia Sunday night-image DC traffic camera</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. defense officials say they are worried about an insider attack or other threat from service members involved in securing President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, prompting the FBI to vet all of the 25,000 National Guard troops coming into Washington for the event.The massive undertaking reflects the extraordinary security concerns that have gripped Washington following the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump rioters. And it underscores fears that some of the very people assigned to protect the city over the next several days could present a threat to the incoming president and other VIPs in attendance.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610835825899.png" alt="Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy meeting with National Guard Troops in Washington- Photo courtesy Secretary of the U.S. Army" />
 <figcaption>Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy meeting with National Guard Troops in Washington- Photo courtesy Secretary of the U.S. Army</figcaption>
 </figure>Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told The Associated Press on Sunday that officials are conscious of the potential threat, and he warned commanders to be on the lookout for any problems within their ranks as the inauguration approaches. So far, however, he and other leaders say they have seen no evidence of any threats, and officials said the vetting hadn’t flagged any issues.”We’re continually going through the process, and taking second, third looks at every one of the individuals assigned to this operation,” McCarthy said in an interview after he and other military leaders went through an exhaustive, three-hour security drill in preparation for Wednesday’s inauguration. He said Guard members are also getting training on how to identify potential insider threats.About 25,000 members of the National Guard are streaming into Washington from across the country — at least two and a half times the number for previous inaugurals. And while the military routinely reviews service members for extremist connections, the FBI screening is in addition to any previous monitoring.Multiple officials said the process began as the first Guard troops began deploying to D.C. more than a week ago. And they said it is slated to be complete by Wednesday. Several officials discussed military planning on condition of anonymity.“The question is, is that all of them? Are there others?” said McCarthy. “We need to be conscious of it and we need to put all of the mechanisms in place to thoroughly vet these men and women who would support any operations like this.”In a situation like this one, FBI vetting would involve running peoples’ names through databases and watchlists maintained by the bureau to see if anything alarming comes up. That could include involvement in prior investigations or terrorism-related concerns, said David Gomez, a former FBI national security supervisor in Seattle.Insider threats have been a persistent law enforcement priority in the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But in most cases, the threats are from homegrown insurgents radicalized by al-Qaida, the Islamic State group or similar groups. In contrast, the threats against Biden’s inauguration have been fueled by supporters of President Donald Trump, far-right militants, white supremacists and other radical groups. Many believe Trump’s baseless accusations that the election was stolen from him, a claim that has been refuted by many courts, the Justice Department and Republican officials in key battleground states.The insurrection at the Capitol began after Trump made incendiary remarks at the Jan. 6 rally. According to McCarthy, service members from across the military were at that rally, but it’s not clear how many were there or who may have participated in the breach at the Capitol. So far only a couple of current active-duty or National Guard members have been arrested in connection with the Capitol assault, which left five people dead. The dead included a Capitol Police officer and a woman shot by police as she climbed through a window in a door near the House chamber.Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, has been meeting with Guard troops as they arrive in D.C. and as they gather downtown. He said he believes there are good processes in place to identify any potential threats.“If there’s any indication that any of our soldiers or airmen are expressing things that are extremist views, it’s either handed over to law enforcement or dealt with the chain of command immediately,” he said.The insider threat, however, was just one of the security concerns voiced by officials on Sunday, as dozens of military, National Guard, law enforcement and Washington, D.C., officials and commanders went through a security rehearsal in northern Virginia. As many as three dozen leaders lined tables that ringed a massive color-coded map of D.C. reflected onto the floor. Behind them were dozens more National Guard officers and staff, with their eyes trained on additional maps and charts displayed on the wall.The Secret Service is in charge of event security, but there is a wide variety of military and law enforcement personnel involved, ranging from the National Guard and the FBI to Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department, U.S. Capitol Police and U.S. Park Police.Commanders went over every aspect of the city’s complicated security lockdown, with McCarthy and others peppering them with questions about how the troops will respond in any scenario and how well they can communicate with the other enforcement agencies scattered around the city.Hokanson said he believes his troops have been adequately equipped and prepared, and that they are rehearsing as much as they can to be prepared for any contingency.The major security concern is an attack by armed groups of individuals, as well as planted explosives and other devices. McCarthy said intelligence reports suggest that groups are organizing armed rallies leading up to Inauguration Day, and possibly after that.The bulk of the Guard members will be armed. And McCarthy said units are going through repeated drills to practice when and how to use force and how to work quickly with law enforcement partners. Law enforcement officers would make any arrests.He said Guard units are going through “constant mental repetitions of looking at the map and talking through scenarios with leaders so they understand their task and purpose, they know their routes, they know where they’re friendly, adjacent units are, they have the appropriate frequencies to communicate with their law enforcement partners.”The key goal, he said, is for America’s transfer of power to happen without incident.“This is a national priority. We have to be successful as an institution,” said McCarthy. “We want to send the message to everyone in the United States and for the rest of the world that we can do this safely and peacefully.”___