COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri prosecutor said she'd work with local police in response to concerns raised by the House speaker about a resigning lawmaker's contact with a child.

Emails obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday show House Speaker Rob Vescovo and the House Ethics Committee leader last week went to the Jackson County prosecutor to share concerns about fellow Republican Rep. Rick Roeber.

After his November election last year, Roeber’s adult children told Vescovo that he sexually and physically abused them when they were young.

The House launched an investigation and on Tuesday House leaders said they found the allegations credible. Roeber announced his resignation plans Tuesday without mentioning the claims against him.

As part of the investigation, lawmakers found out that Roeber has weekend visitations with a child around 12 years old.

In response, Vescovo and Ethics Committee Chairman Travis Fitzwater on April 6 wrote to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker asking her to notify local law enforcement who can check on the child.

“Given the severity of the allegations raised by Representative Roeber's children, we are concerned for the safety of this minor child,” Vescovo and Fitzwater wrote.

Baker in response said she takes the allegations “very seriously." She wrote that she contacted the chief of police in Lee's Summit, where Roeber lives, and will “work with him to devise a plan.”

Baker's spokesman declined to comment further. Roeber did not immediately return an Associated Press request for comment Wednesday.

Roeber in his letter of resignation said he needs to move out of state to be closer to family, citing that as the reason for his departure from the Legislature. He said he plans to move after he marries his fiancé.

The House Ethics Committee is scheduled to release a full report on the investigation of Roeber next week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608046618254.png" alt="Roeber announced his resignation plans Tuesday. represents part of Jackson County, including much of Lee’s Summit and Greenwood, (District 34) in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was elected to his first two-year term in November 2020. Prior to his legislative duties, Roeber served as a project manager for Sprint for 20 years, as well as a chaplain for KC Rescue Mission." />
 <figcaption>Roeber announced his resignation plans Tuesday. represents part of Jackson County, including much of Lee’s Summit and Greenwood, (District 34) in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was elected to his first two-year term in November 2020. Prior to his legislative duties, Roeber served as a project manager for Sprint for 20 years, as well as a chaplain for KC Rescue Mission.</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri prosecutor said she'd work with local police in response to concerns raised by the House speaker about a resigning lawmaker's contact with a child.Emails obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday show House Speaker Rob Vescovo and the House Ethics Committee leader last week went to the Jackson County prosecutor to share concerns about fellow Republican Rep. Rick Roeber.After his November election last year, Roeber’s adult children told Vescovo that he sexually and physically abused them when they were young.The House launched an investigation and on Tuesday House leaders said they found the allegations credible. Roeber announced his resignation plans Tuesday without mentioning the claims against him.As part of the investigation, lawmakers found out that Roeber has weekend visitations with a child around 12 years old.In response, Vescovo and Ethics Committee Chairman Travis Fitzwater on April 6 wrote to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker asking her to notify local law enforcement who can check on the child.“Given the severity of the allegations raised by Representative Roeber's children, we are concerned for the safety of this minor child,” Vescovo and Fitzwater wrote.Baker in response said she takes the allegations “very seriously." She wrote that she contacted the chief of police in Lee's Summit, where Roeber lives, and will “work with him to devise a plan.”Baker's spokesman declined to comment further. Roeber did not immediately return an Associated Press request for comment Wednesday.Roeber in his letter of resignation said he needs to move out of state to be closer to family, citing that as the reason for his departure from the Legislature. He said he plans to move after he marries his fiancé.The House Ethics Committee is scheduled to release a full report on the investigation of Roeber next week.

Prosecutor reviewing abuse claims against Missouri lawmaker

BYRNES MILL, Mo. (AP) — And eastern Missouri man was charged Wednesday with driving while intoxicated after a crash that killed a young couple and their infant son, authorities said.

David Goss Thurby, 26, of Fenton, was being held without bond Wednesday in the Jefferson County jail.

The crash Tuesday night on Highway 30 near Byrnes Mill killed 25-year-old Lacey Newton; her fiance, Cordell Williams, 30; and their 4-month-old son, Cordell Shawn Michael Williams. They lived in Bonne Terre.

Newton and Williams also had 2- and 4-year-old sons, who were staying with relatives at the time of the crash.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Thurby’s vehicle rear-ended the couple’s car, forcing it off the road and into a tree, where it caught fire, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/driver-charged-with-dwi-after-three-people-including-infant-die-in-jefferson-county-crash/article_c91a3914-0da1-5418-8188-63dbab070be8.html#tncms-source=login" target="_blank">reported</a>.

A preliminary test revealed that Thurby had a blood-alcohol level of 0.192, more than twice the legal limit, a trooper said in a probable cause statement.

Thurby, who suffered minor injuries in the crash, was also charged with four misdemeanors, including possession of marijuana and driving in a reckless manner.

BYRNES MILL, Mo. (AP) — And eastern Missouri man was charged Wednesday with driving while intoxicated after a crash that killed a young couple and their infant son, authorities said.David Goss Thurby, 26, of Fenton, was being held without bond Wednesday in the Jefferson County jail.The crash Tuesday night on Highway 30 near Byrnes Mill killed 25-year-old Lacey Newton; her fiance, Cordell Williams, 30; and their 4-month-old son, Cordell Shawn Michael Williams. They lived in Bonne Terre.Newton and Williams also had 2- and 4-year-old sons, who were staying with relatives at the time of the crash.The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Thurby’s vehicle rear-ended the couple’s car, forcing it off the road and into a tree, where it caught fire, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/driver-charged-with-dwi-after-three-people-including-infant-die-in-jefferson-county-crash/article_c91a3914-0da1-5418-8188-63dbab070be8.html#tncms-source=login" target="_blank">reported</a>.A preliminary test revealed that Thurby had a blood-alcohol level of 0.192, more than twice the legal limit, a trooper said in a probable cause statement.Thurby, who suffered minor injuries in the crash, was also charged with four misdemeanors, including possession of marijuana and driving in a reckless manner.

3 killed including infant in Missouri crash

Washington, D.C.—&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall delivered what is called his "maiden" speech in the U.S. Senate Wednesday.&nbsp; This was Marshall's first time speaking on the floor since the debate in January on Arizona's electors.&nbsp;

Marshall’s speech highlighted his upbringing and the Kansas values that will help lay the foundation for his priorities as a U.S. Senator.

Excerpts of Senator Marshall’s Remarks:

<a href="https://youtu.be/n4Ddkx2Cbf0?t=80" target="_blank">On the values that shaped Senator Marshall and that are laying the foundation for his priorities as a U.S. Senator</a>:

These VALUES provided the foundation for me – a fifth generation farm kid – to become a first generation college student, and live my American dream as a physician in rural America. And these VALUES have become pillars, the sturdiest of which in my life are faith, family, community, education and hard work: A FAITH that you live in your heart, not wear on your shirt sleeve; A FAMILY that loves and stands beside you no matter what; A COMMUNITY where everyone looks out for each other; An EDUCATION that is the great equalizer leveling the playing field for all. And finally, a belief in HARD WORK that paves the way to achieve your American dream.

<a href="https://youtu.be/n4Ddkx2Cbf0?t=127" target="_blank">On Senator Marshall’s priorities</a>:

As I traveled Kansas this past year, I carried these pillars with me while I heard from people all over the state as they gave me three very clear priorities: 1) To provide for their safety, health, and security; 2) To bring our jobs and economy back; and 3) To protect our VALUES and our God-given, inalienable rights. And I’m here in this Senate to do just that. To fight for the people of Kansas, for all Americans, but more than anyone else, I’m here to fight for our children and grandchildren. Like another Kansan, the 34th President of the United States, Dwight David Eisenhower, the decisions I make will be most guided by the impact they will have upon future generations

<a href="https://youtu.be/n4Ddkx2Cbf0?t=183" target="_blank">On providing for the safety, health, and security of Kansans</a>:

The motto of the First Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, the BIG RED 1 – housed in the heart of Kansas – is “No Mission Too Difficult. No Sacrifice Too Great. Duty First!” It is with this fighting attitude I intend to: Fully fund our military; secure our borders; as the son and brother of veterans, and a veteran myself, honor our commitment to those who protected our freedoms and values; and, as the son of a police chief, fully support our law enforcement.

<a href="https://youtu.be/n4Ddkx2Cbf0?t=244" target="_blank">On bringing our jobs and economy back</a>:

Pre-COVID, we had the strongest economy of my lifetime thanks to Republican led policies put into place over the last four years. Lower taxes and deregulation resulted in historically low unemployment rates, as well as American energy independence and affordable energy costs. But here’s what concerns me today: like my grandma often told me at the supper table, there are three things you can count on from the current majority party: 1) They will spend a lot of your money, 2) They will raise your taxes, 3) They will increase regulations.

Just like my grandma warned, within the first three months of this new administration, we’ve seen an onslaught of harmful red tape, proposed tax increases, and an unprecedented spending spree. Fighting government red tape and working to ensure Kansans keep more of their hard-earned money as a means to harness job growth and help our economy recover, will be what I work for each day.

<a href="https://youtu.be/n4Ddkx2Cbf0?t=311" target="_blank">On protecting Kansas values and our God-given, inalienable rights</a>:

Lastly, and I think most importantly, as this is what keeps me up at night, I was sent here to protect the Kansas VALUES I was raised on. These VALUES are still held by the majority of Americans and many of us are tired of being canceled, censured, and lectured to… I believe our country will not fall from another military giant, nor will it succumb to economic failure created from foreign lands. Our greater risk of failure comes from falling under our own weight if we continue to ignore the self-evident VALUES our forefathers taught us… I want to share how important and personal the sanctity of life is to me. I had the honor as an OBGYN to deliver over 5,000 babies, and I will work as hard in this Chamber to protect the lives of the unborn and our children as I did in the delivery room all those years. I will always LEAD on this issue, and protect our VALUES… And as long as we pass on our American VALUES that have seen this nation through so many dark nights, we will succeed through current and future trials and conflicts.

<a href="https://youtu.be/n4Ddkx2Cbf0?t=468" target="_blank">On leadership and the filibuster</a>:

Three months into the 117th Congress, it appears the power grab General Washington declined is now the majority party’s primary modus operandi. We’ve seen: a record number of executive orders, the first partisan COVID relief bill, steps to grant D.C. statehood to tip the scales of power, an attempt to federalize elections and destroy election integrity with H.R.1, and now a commission to study expanding the Supreme Court. Like Dorothy watching the grains of sand dropping through the hourglass, additional partisan priorities remain on standby while the timing of dropping the ultimate power grab – the elimination of the filibuster – is carefully weighed.

The filibuster is meant to force both parties to work together to come up with long-lasting policies which help all Americans. Without it, we will see tax laws and many other important policies go up and down like a roller coaster, creating uncertainty and making it impossible for long term business planning.

We are witnessing what may be the most blatantly hypocritical policy switch we’ve ever seen, as most all senators – and the president – have been on record previously in support of the filibuster. This flip -flop appears to be all in the name of greed and power.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618413718530.png" alt="Senator Roger Marshall acknowledged Jerry Moran, now the Senior Senator from Kansas, and mentioned Pat Roberts and Bob Dole during&nbsp; the opening of his speech on Wednesday morning." />
 <figcaption>Senator Roger Marshall acknowledged Jerry Moran, now the Senior Senator from Kansas, and mentioned Pat Roberts and Bob Dole during&nbsp; the opening of his speech on Wednesday morning.</figcaption>
 </figure>Washington, D.C.—&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall delivered what is called his "maiden" speech in the U.S. Senate Wednesday.&nbsp; This was Marshall's first time speaking on the floor since the debate in January on Arizona's electors.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/n4Ddkx2Cbf0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Marshall’s speech highlighted his upbringing and the Kansas values that will help lay the foundation for his priorities as a U.S. Senator.Excerpts of Senator Marshall’s Remarks:<a href="https://youtu.be/n4Ddkx2Cbf0?t=80" target="_blank">On the values that shaped Senator Marshall and that are laying the foundation for his priorities as a U.S. Senator</a>:These VALUES provided the foundation for me – a fifth generation farm kid – to become a first generation college student, and live my American dream as a physician in rural America. And these VALUES have become pillars, the sturdiest of which in my life are faith, family, community, education and hard work: A FAITH that you live in your heart, not wear on your shirt sleeve; A FAMILY that loves and stands beside you no matter what; A COMMUNITY where everyone looks out for each other; An EDUCATION that is the great equalizer leveling the playing field for all. And finally, a belief in HARD WORK that paves the way to achieve your American dream.***<a href="https://youtu.be/n4Ddkx2Cbf0?t=127" target="_blank">On Senator Marshall’s priorities</a>:As I traveled Kansas this past year, I carried these pillars with me while I heard from people all over the state as they gave me three very clear priorities: 1) To provide for their safety, health, and security; 2) To bring our jobs and economy back; and 3) To protect our VALUES and our God-given, inalienable rights. And I’m here in this Senate to do just that. To fight for the people of Kansas, for all Americans, but more than anyone else, I’m here to fight for our children and grandchildren. Like another Kansan, the 34th President of the United States, Dwight David Eisenhower, the decisions I make will be most guided by the impact they will have upon future generations***<a href="https://youtu.be/n4Ddkx2Cbf0?t=183" target="_blank">On providing for the safety, health, and security of Kansans</a>:The motto of the First Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, the BIG RED 1 – housed in the heart of Kansas – is “No Mission Too Difficult. No Sacrifice Too Great. Duty First!” It is with this fighting attitude I intend to: Fully fund our military; secure our borders; as the son and brother of veterans, and a veteran myself, honor our commitment to those who protected our freedoms and values; and, as the son of a police chief, fully support our law enforcement.<a href="https://youtu.be/n4Ddkx2Cbf0?t=244" target="_blank">On bringing our jobs and economy back</a>:Pre-COVID, we had the strongest economy of my lifetime thanks to Republican led policies put into place over the last four years. Lower taxes and deregulation resulted in historically low unemployment rates, as well as American energy independence and affordable energy costs. But here’s what concerns me today: like my grandma often told me at the supper table, there are three things you can count on from the current majority party: 1) They will spend a lot of your money, 2) They will raise your taxes, 3) They will increase regulations.Just like my grandma warned, within the first three months of this new administration, we’ve seen an onslaught of harmful red tape, proposed tax increases, and an unprecedented spending spree. Fighting government red tape and working to ensure Kansans keep more of their hard-earned money as a means to harness job growth and help our economy recover, will be what I work for each day.***<a href="https://youtu.be/n4Ddkx2Cbf0?t=311" target="_blank">On protecting Kansas values and our God-given, inalienable rights</a>:Lastly, and I think most importantly, as this is what keeps me up at night, I was sent here to protect the Kansas VALUES I was raised on. These VALUES are still held by the majority of Americans and many of us are tired of being canceled, censured, and lectured to… I believe our country will not fall from another military giant, nor will it succumb to economic failure created from foreign lands. Our greater risk of failure comes from falling under our own weight if we continue to ignore the self-evident VALUES our forefathers taught us… I want to share how important and personal the sanctity of life is to me. I had the honor as an OBGYN to deliver over 5,000 babies, and I will work as hard in this Chamber to protect the lives of the unborn and our children as I did in the delivery room all those years. I will always LEAD on this issue, and protect our VALUES… And as long as we pass on our American VALUES that have seen this nation through so many dark nights, we will succeed through current and future trials and conflicts.***<a href="https://youtu.be/n4Ddkx2Cbf0?t=468" target="_blank">On leadership and the filibuster</a>:Three months into the 117th Congress, it appears the power grab General Washington declined is now the majority party’s primary modus operandi. We’ve seen: a record number of executive orders, the first partisan COVID relief bill, steps to grant D.C. statehood to tip the scales of power, an attempt to federalize elections and destroy election integrity with H.R.1, and now a commission to study expanding the Supreme Court. Like Dorothy watching the grains of sand dropping through the hourglass, additional partisan priorities remain on standby while the timing of dropping the ultimate power grab – the elimination of the filibuster – is carefully weighed.The filibuster is meant to force both parties to work together to come up with long-lasting policies which help all Americans. Without it, we will see tax laws and many other important policies go up and down like a roller coaster, creating uncertainty and making it impossible for long term business planning.We are witnessing what may be the most blatantly hypocritical policy switch we’ve ever seen, as most all senators – and the president – have been on record previously in support of the filibuster. This flip -flop appears to be all in the name of greed and power.

🎥 Roger Marshall outlines policy goals in first Senate speech

BRANSON, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri tourist town of Branson is ditching its mask mandate early after electing a new mayor who ran on platform that called for doing away with it.

“The city heard your voices loud and clear,” said newly elected Mayor Larry Milton after the Board of Alderman voted 6-0 on Tuesday night to repeal the public masking ordinance effective Friday.

The ordinance was first enacted July 31 after extensive discussion amid rising COVID-19 case counts. Last month, the Board of Aldermen voted 4-2 to repeal it, but delayed implementation until May 24 to allow Branson’s tourism industry an opportunity to vaccinate its front-line workers.

But that wasn’t fast enough for Branson voters, who on April 6 decisively elected Milton to the city’s highest office and remade the composition of the Board of Aldermen.

The discussion leading up to the vote was heated with one community member called masking mandates “diabolically evil.”

Milton called for everyone to support Branson’s business community, regardless of how policy differences over masking requirements played out.

“I want to be very clear with this message,” the mayor said. “If this ordinance passes, I will encourage and fully support any business that continues to mandate masks. I will support anybody who chooses to wear a mask.”

BRANSON, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri tourist town of Branson is ditching its mask mandate early after electing a new mayor who ran on platform that called for doing away with it.“The city heard your voices loud and clear,” said newly elected Mayor Larry Milton after the Board of Alderman voted 6-0 on Tuesday night to repeal the public masking ordinance effective Friday.The ordinance was first enacted July 31 after extensive discussion amid rising COVID-19 case counts. Last month, the Board of Aldermen voted 4-2 to repeal it, but delayed implementation until May 24 to allow Branson’s tourism industry an opportunity to vaccinate its front-line workers.But that wasn’t fast enough for Branson voters, who on April 6 decisively elected Milton to the city’s highest office and remade the composition of the Board of Aldermen.The discussion leading up to the vote was heated with one community member called masking mandates “diabolically evil.”Milton called for everyone to support Branson’s business community, regardless of how policy differences over masking requirements played out.“I want to be very clear with this message,” the mayor said. “If this ordinance passes, I will encourage and fully support any business that continues to mandate masks. I will support anybody who chooses to wear a mask.”

Tourist town of Branson repeals mask mandate early

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Wednesday he will withdraw remaining U.S. troops from Afghanistan, declaring that the Sept. 11 attacks “cannot explain” why American forces should still be there 20 years after the deadliest terror assault on the United States.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?510842-1/president-biden-time-bring-us-troops-home-afghanistan">Click here to watch</a> a replay of the President's comments

His plan is to pull out all American forces — numbering 2,500 now — by this Sept. 11, the anniversary of the attacks, which were coordinated from Afghanistan.

The U.S. cannot continue to pour resources into an intractable war and expect different results, Biden said.

The drawdown would begin rather than conclude by May 1, which has been the deadline for full withdrawal under a peace agreement the Trump administration reached with the Taliban last year.

“It is time to end America’s longest war,” Biden said, but he added that the U.S. will “not conduct a hasty rush to the exit.”

“We cannot continue the cycle of extending or expanding our military presence in Afghanistan hoping to create the ideal conditions for our withdrawal, expecting a different result,” Biden said. “I am now the fourth United States president to preside over an American troop presence in Afghanistan. Two Republicans. Two Democrats. I will not pass this responsibility to a fifth.”

The decision marks perhaps the most significant foreign policy decision for Biden in the early going of his presidency.

He’s long been skeptical about the U.S. presence in Afghanistan. As Barack Obama’s vice president, Biden was a lonely voice in the administration who advised the 44th president to tilt towards a smaller counterterrorism role in the country while military advisers were urging a troop buildup to counter Taliban gains. Biden has also made clear he wants to recalibrate U.S. foreign policy to face bigger challenges posed by China and Russia.

Withdrawing all U.S. troops comes with clear risks. It could boost the Taliban’s effort to claw back power and undo gains toward democracy and women’s rights made over the past two decades. It also opens Biden to criticism, mostly Republicans and some Democrats, even though former President Donald Trump had also wanted a full withdrawal.

“This administration has decided to abandon U.S. efforts in Afghanistan which have helped keep radical Islamic terrorism in check,” said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell. “And bizarrely, they have decided to do so by September 11th.”

While Biden’s decision keeps U.S. forces in Afghanistan four months longer than initially planned, it sets a firm end to two decades of war that killed more than 2,200 U.S. troops, wounded 20,000, and cost as much as $1 trillion.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani said he spoke on Wednesday with Biden ahead of the U.S. president’s speech.

“The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan respects the U.S. decision, and we will work with our U.S. partners to ensure a smooth transition,” Ghani said in a Twitter posting.

Biden consulted with allies, military leaders, lawmakers and Vice President Kamala Harris to help make his decision. White House press secretary Jen Psaki added that Biden also spoke to “some of his predecessors” in the White House and administration officials contacted 44 officials from other countries, NATO, the European Union and United Nations in recent days.

He is emphasizing that his administration will continue to support peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban and assist international efforts to train the Afghan military.

After his speech, Biden was to visit Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery to honor those who died in recent American conflicts.

CIA Director William Burns acknowledged at a hearing Wednesday that America’s ability to contain the terrorist threat from Afghanistan has benefited from the military presence there, and that when that presence is withdrawn, “the U.S. government’s ability to collect and act on threats will diminish.”

“That’s simply a fact,” Burns said. “It is also a fact, however, that after withdrawal, whenever that time comes, the CIA and all of our partners in the U.S. government will retain a suite of capabilities, some of it remaining in place, some of them that we will generate, that can help us to anticipate and contest any rebuilding effort.”

A senior administration official said the September withdrawal date was an absolute deadline that won’t be affected by security conditions in Afghanistan.

The long conflict has largely crippled al-Qaida and led to the death of Osama bin Laden, the architect of the Sept. 11 attacks. But an American withdrawal also risks many of the gains made in democracy, women’s rights and governance, while ensuring that the Taliban, who provided al-Qaida’s haven, remain strong and in control of large swaths of the country.

As Biden announced his decision, his top national security aides were consulting on Wednesday in Brussels to coordinate the alliance’s withdrawal from Afghanistan with the planned pullout of American troops.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin were meeting senior officials from the alliance’s 30 members to discuss NATO’s future presence in Afghanistan in light of the announcement of the U.S. withdrawal that Biden was to make later in the day.

Blinken said that he expected the allies to withdraw together but maintained that neither the U.S. nor NATO would abandon the country despite the impending pullout. There are roughly 7,000 NATO forces still in Afghanistan in addition to the remaining 2,500 U.S. troops.

“Together, we went into Afghanistan to deal with those who attacked us and to make sure that Afghanistan would not again become a haven for terrorists who might attack any of us,” Blinken said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America that were coordinated from that country, several U.S. officials said Tuesday.

The decision defies a May 1 deadline for full withdrawal under a peace agreement the Trump administration reached with the Taliban last year, but leaves no room for additional extensions. A senior administration official called the September date an absolute deadline that won’t be affected by security conditions in the country.

While Biden’s decision keeps U.S. troops in Afghanistan four months longer than initially planned, it sets a firm end to two decades of war that killed more than 2,200 U.S. troops, wounded 20,000, and cost as much as $1 trillion. The conflict largely crippled al-Qaida and led to the death of Osama bin Laden, the architect of the Sept. 11 attacks. But an American withdrawal also risks many of the gains made in democracy, women’s rights and governance, while ensuring that the Taliban, who provided al-Qaida’s safe haven, remain strong and in control of large swaths of the country.

Biden has been hinting for weeks that he was going to let the May deadline lapse, and as the days went by it became clear that an orderly withdrawal of the roughly 2,500 remaining troops would be difficult and was unlikely. The administration official said the drawdown would begin by May 1.

Biden’s choice of the 9/11 date underscores the reason that American troops were in Afghanistan to begin with — to prevent extremist groups like al-Qaida from establishing a foothold again that could be used to launch attacks against the U.S.

The administration official said Biden decided that the withdrawal deadline had to be absolute, rather than based on conditions on the ground. “We’re committing today to going to zero” U.S. forces by Sept. 11, and possibly well before, the official said, adding that Biden concluded that a conditioned withdrawal would be “a recipe for staying in Afghanistan forever.”

Defense officials and commanders had argued against the May 1 deadline, saying the U.S. troop withdrawal should be based on security conditions in Afghanistan, including Taliban attacks and violence.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden will deliver remarks Wednesday “on the way forward in Afghanistan, including his plans and timeline for withdrawing U.S. troops.” She didn’t provide details, but said during a White House briefing that Biden “has been consistent in his view that there is not a military solution to Afghanistan, that we have been there for far too long.”

Psaki tweeted later Tuesday that Biden would also visit Arlington National Cemetery “to pay his respects to the brave men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan.”

Several U.S. officials confirmed Biden’s withdrawal decision to The Associated Press, and an administration official provided details to reporters on condition of anonymity, speaking ahead of the announcement.

According to the administration official, the only U.S. forces remaining in Afghanistan will be those needed to protect diplomats there. No exact number was provided, but American troop totals in Afghanistan have been understated by U.S. administrations for years. Officials have quietly acknowledged that there are hundreds more in Afghanistan than the official 2,500 number, and likely would include special operations forces conducting covert or counterterrorism missions, often working with intelligence agency personnel.

Biden’s new, extended timeline will allow a safe and orderly withdrawal of American troops in coordination with NATO allies, the administration official added.

The president’s decision, however, risks retaliation by the Taliban on U.S. and Afghan forces, possibly escalating the 20-year war. And it will reignite political division over America’s involvement in what many have called the endless war.

An intelligence community report issued Tuesday about global challenges for the next year said prospects for a peace deal in Afghanistan are “low” and warned that “the Taliban is likely to make gains on the battlefield. If the coalition withdraws support, the report says, the Afghan government will struggle to control the Taliban.

Congressional reaction to the new deadline was mixed.

“Precipitously withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan is a grave mistake,” said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “It is retreat in the face of an enemy that has not yet been vanquished and abdication of American leadership.

Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, slammed it as a “reckless and dangerous decision.” He said any withdrawal should be conditions-based, adding that arbitrary deadlines could put troops in danger, create a breeding ground for terrorists and lead to civil war in Afghanistan.

Democrats were generally more supportive. Sen. Jack Reed, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said Trump’s May 1 deadline limited Biden’s options. “We still have vital interests in protecting against terrorist attacks that could be emanating from that part of the world, but there are other areas, too, we have to be conscious of,” Reed said.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said troops should come home, and the U.S. must refocus American national security on more pressing challenges.

But at least one senior Democrat expressed disappointment. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said in a tweet that the U.S. “has sacrificed too much to bring stability to Afghanistan to leave w/o verifiable assurances of a secure future.”

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed told The Associated Press that the religious militia is waiting for a formal announcement to issue its reaction. The Taliban previously warned the U.S. of “consequences” if it reneged on the May 1 deadline.

In a February 2020 agreement with the administration of President Donald Trump, the Taliban agreed to halt attacks and hold peace talks with the Afghan government, in exchange for a U.S. commitment to a complete withdrawal by May 2021.

Over the past year, U.S. military commanders and defense officials have said that attacks on U.S. troops have largely paused, but that Taliban attacks on the Afghans increased. Commanders have argued that the Taliban have failed to meet the conditions of the peace agreement by continuing attacks on the Afghans and failing to totally cut ties with al-Qaida and other extremist groups.

When Biden entered the White House in January, he was keenly aware of the looming deadline and had time to meet it if he had chosen to do so. He began a review of the February 2020 agreement shortly after taking office, and has been consulting at length with his defense advisers and allies.

In recent weeks, it became increasingly clear that he was leaning toward defying the deadline.

“It’s going to be hard to meet the May 1 deadline,” Biden said in March. “Just in terms of tactical reasons, it’s hard to get those troops out.” He added, “And if we leave, we’re going to do so in a safe and orderly way.”

___ Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City. Associated Press writers Kathy Gannon in Islamabad, Eric Tucker and broadcast correspondent Sagar Meghani contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618425650365.png" alt="“It is time to end America’s longest war,” Biden said, but he added that the U.S. will “not conduct a hasty rush to the exit.” -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>“It is time to end America’s longest war,” Biden said, but he added that the U.S. will “not conduct a hasty rush to the exit.” -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Wednesday he will withdraw remaining U.S. troops from Afghanistan, declaring that the Sept. 11 attacks “cannot explain” why American forces should still be there 20 years after the deadliest terror assault on the United States.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?510842-1/president-biden-time-bring-us-troops-home-afghanistan">Click here to watch</a> a replay of the President's commentsHis plan is to pull out all American forces — numbering 2,500 now — by this Sept. 11, the anniversary of the attacks, which were coordinated from Afghanistan.The U.S. cannot continue to pour resources into an intractable war and expect different results, Biden said.The drawdown would begin rather than conclude by May 1, which has been the deadline for full withdrawal under a peace agreement the Trump administration reached with the Taliban last year.“It is time to end America’s longest war,” Biden said, but he added that the U.S. will “not conduct a hasty rush to the exit.”“We cannot continue the cycle of extending or expanding our military presence in Afghanistan hoping to create the ideal conditions for our withdrawal, expecting a different result,” Biden said. “I am now the fourth United States president to preside over an American troop presence in Afghanistan. Two Republicans. Two Democrats. I will not pass this responsibility to a fifth.”The decision marks perhaps the most significant foreign policy decision for Biden in the early going of his presidency.He’s long been skeptical about the U.S. presence in Afghanistan. As Barack Obama’s vice president, Biden was a lonely voice in the administration who advised the 44th president to tilt towards a smaller counterterrorism role in the country while military advisers were urging a troop buildup to counter Taliban gains. Biden has also made clear he wants to recalibrate U.S. foreign policy to face bigger challenges posed by China and Russia.Withdrawing all U.S. troops comes with clear risks. It could boost the Taliban’s effort to claw back power and undo gains toward democracy and women’s rights made over the past two decades. It also opens Biden to criticism, mostly Republicans and some Democrats, even though former President Donald Trump had also wanted a full withdrawal.“This administration has decided to abandon U.S. efforts in Afghanistan which have helped keep radical Islamic terrorism in check,” said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell. “And bizarrely, they have decided to do so by September 11th.”While Biden’s decision keeps U.S. forces in Afghanistan four months longer than initially planned, it sets a firm end to two decades of war that killed more than 2,200 U.S. troops, wounded 20,000, and cost as much as $1 trillion.Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani said he spoke on Wednesday with Biden ahead of the U.S. president’s speech.“The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan respects the U.S. decision, and we will work with our U.S. partners to ensure a smooth transition,” Ghani said in a Twitter posting.Biden consulted with allies, military leaders, lawmakers and Vice President Kamala Harris to help make his decision. White House press secretary Jen Psaki added that Biden also spoke to “some of his predecessors” in the White House and administration officials contacted 44 officials from other countries, NATO, the European Union and United Nations in recent days.He is emphasizing that his administration will continue to support peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban and assist international efforts to train the Afghan military.After his speech, Biden was to visit Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery to honor those who died in recent American conflicts.CIA Director William Burns acknowledged at a hearing Wednesday that America’s ability to contain the terrorist threat from Afghanistan has benefited from the military presence there, and that when that presence is withdrawn, “the U.S. government’s ability to collect and act on threats will diminish.”“That’s simply a fact,” Burns said. “It is also a fact, however, that after withdrawal, whenever that time comes, the CIA and all of our partners in the U.S. government will retain a suite of capabilities, some of it remaining in place, some of them that we will generate, that can help us to anticipate and contest any rebuilding effort.”A senior administration official said the September withdrawal date was an absolute deadline that won’t be affected by security conditions in Afghanistan.The long conflict has largely crippled al-Qaida and led to the death of Osama bin Laden, the architect of the Sept. 11 attacks. But an American withdrawal also risks many of the gains made in democracy, women’s rights and governance, while ensuring that the Taliban, who provided al-Qaida’s haven, remain strong and in control of large swaths of the country.As Biden announced his decision, his top national security aides were consulting on Wednesday in Brussels to coordinate the alliance’s withdrawal from Afghanistan with the planned pullout of American troops.Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin were meeting senior officials from the alliance’s 30 members to discuss NATO’s future presence in Afghanistan in light of the announcement of the U.S. withdrawal that Biden was to make later in the day.Blinken said that he expected the allies to withdraw together but maintained that neither the U.S. nor NATO would abandon the country despite the impending pullout. There are roughly 7,000 NATO forces still in Afghanistan in addition to the remaining 2,500 U.S. troops.“Together, we went into Afghanistan to deal with those who attacked us and to make sure that Afghanistan would not again become a haven for terrorists who might attack any of us,” Blinken said.---------WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America that were coordinated from that country, several U.S. officials said Tuesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618363361783.png" alt="President Biden during a memorial service for Capitol Police Officer William “Billy” Evans on Tuesday.&nbsp; The President has been hinting for weeks that he was going to let the May deadline to bring troops home lapse.-image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden during a memorial service for Capitol Police Officer William “Billy” Evans on Tuesday.&nbsp; The President has been hinting for weeks that he was going to let the May deadline to bring troops home lapse.-image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>The decision defies a May 1 deadline for full withdrawal under a peace agreement the Trump administration reached with the Taliban last year, but leaves no room for additional extensions. A senior administration official called the September date an absolute deadline that won’t be affected by security conditions in the country.While Biden’s decision keeps U.S. troops in Afghanistan four months longer than initially planned, it sets a firm end to two decades of war that killed more than 2,200 U.S. troops, wounded 20,000, and cost as much as $1 trillion. The conflict largely crippled al-Qaida and led to the death of Osama bin Laden, the architect of the Sept. 11 attacks. But an American withdrawal also risks many of the gains made in democracy, women’s rights and governance, while ensuring that the Taliban, who provided al-Qaida’s safe haven, remain strong and in control of large swaths of the country.Biden has been hinting for weeks that he was going to let the May deadline lapse, and as the days went by it became clear that an orderly withdrawal of the roughly 2,500 remaining troops would be difficult and was unlikely. The administration official said the drawdown would begin by May 1.Biden’s choice of the 9/11 date underscores the reason that American troops were in Afghanistan to begin with — to prevent extremist groups like al-Qaida from establishing a foothold again that could be used to launch attacks against the U.S.The administration official said Biden decided that the withdrawal deadline had to be absolute, rather than based on conditions on the ground. “We’re committing today to going to zero” U.S. forces by Sept. 11, and possibly well before, the official said, adding that Biden concluded that a conditioned withdrawal would be “a recipe for staying in Afghanistan forever.”Defense officials and commanders had argued against the May 1 deadline, saying the U.S. troop withdrawal should be based on security conditions in Afghanistan, including Taliban attacks and violence.White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden will deliver remarks Wednesday “on the way forward in Afghanistan, including his plans and timeline for withdrawing U.S. troops.” She didn’t provide details, but said during a White House briefing that Biden “has been consistent in his view that there is not a military solution to Afghanistan, that we have been there for far too long.”Psaki tweeted later Tuesday that Biden would also visit Arlington National Cemetery “to pay his respects to the brave men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan.”Several U.S. officials confirmed Biden’s withdrawal decision to The Associated Press, and an administration official provided details to reporters on condition of anonymity, speaking ahead of the announcement.According to the administration official, the only U.S. forces remaining in Afghanistan will be those needed to protect diplomats there. No exact number was provided, but American troop totals in Afghanistan have been understated by U.S. administrations for years. Officials have quietly acknowledged that there are hundreds more in Afghanistan than the official 2,500 number, and likely would include special operations forces conducting covert or counterterrorism missions, often working with intelligence agency personnel.Biden’s new, extended timeline will allow a safe and orderly withdrawal of American troops in coordination with NATO allies, the administration official added.The president’s decision, however, risks retaliation by the Taliban on U.S. and Afghan forces, possibly escalating the 20-year war. And it will reignite political division over America’s involvement in what many have called the endless war.An intelligence community report issued Tuesday about global challenges for the next year said prospects for a peace deal in Afghanistan are “low” and warned that “the Taliban is likely to make gains on the battlefield. If the coalition withdraws support, the report says, the Afghan government will struggle to control the Taliban.Congressional reaction to the new deadline was mixed.“Precipitously withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan is a grave mistake,” said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “It is retreat in the face of an enemy that has not yet been vanquished and abdication of American leadership.Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, slammed it as a “reckless and dangerous decision.” He said any withdrawal should be conditions-based, adding that arbitrary deadlines could put troops in danger, create a breeding ground for terrorists and lead to civil war in Afghanistan.Democrats were generally more supportive. Sen. Jack Reed, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said Trump’s May 1 deadline limited Biden’s options. “We still have vital interests in protecting against terrorist attacks that could be emanating from that part of the world, but there are other areas, too, we have to be conscious of,” Reed said.Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said troops should come home, and the U.S. must refocus American national security on more pressing challenges.But at least one senior Democrat expressed disappointment. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said in a tweet that the U.S. “has sacrificed too much to bring stability to Afghanistan to leave w/o verifiable assurances of a secure future.”Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed told The Associated Press that the religious militia is waiting for a formal announcement to issue its reaction. The Taliban previously warned the U.S. of “consequences” if it reneged on the May 1 deadline.In a February 2020 agreement with the administration of President Donald Trump, the Taliban agreed to halt attacks and hold peace talks with the Afghan government, in exchange for a U.S. commitment to a complete withdrawal by May 2021.Over the past year, U.S. military commanders and defense officials have said that attacks on U.S. troops have largely paused, but that Taliban attacks on the Afghans increased. Commanders have argued that the Taliban have failed to meet the conditions of the peace agreement by continuing attacks on the Afghans and failing to totally cut ties with al-Qaida and other extremist groups.When Biden entered the White House in January, he was keenly aware of the looming deadline and had time to meet it if he had chosen to do so. He began a review of the February 2020 agreement shortly after taking office, and has been consulting at length with his defense advisers and allies.In recent weeks, it became increasingly clear that he was leaning toward defying the deadline.“It’s going to be hard to meet the May 1 deadline,” Biden said in March. “Just in terms of tactical reasons, it’s hard to get those troops out.” He added, “And if we leave, we’re going to do so in a safe and orderly way.”___ Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City. Associated Press writers Kathy Gannon in Islamabad, Eric Tucker and broadcast correspondent Sagar Meghani contributed to this report.

🎥 Pres. Biden to pull troops from Afghanistan, end longest US war

One company’s gas bill rose to 20 times its price from the month before

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/14/as-businesses-grapple-with-sky-high-gas-bills-from-historic-cold-snap-kansas-looks-to-loan-relief/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA
 — Chris Klimek had already started hearing about the exorbitant natural
 gas bills other businesses got after this winter’s historic cold snap 
before he found out what his company would owe.&nbsp;

At first, he thought he had been spared. The bill he received at the beginning of March looked normal: $6,763.73.&nbsp;

Last week, though, he got the next bill — this one covering a historic cold snap that caused natural gas prices to skyrocket.&nbsp;

It’s a big hit to the company’s bottom line, he said.&nbsp;

“I
 mean, that’s almost 10% of our annual net profit,” said Klimek, 
president of Central Bag Company, an employee-owned manufacturer in 
Leavenworth that provides packaging for agricultural and food 
businesses.

Once
 he picked himself up off the floor, Klimek said, he called Vlad 
Kaufman, who runs an Overland Park-based company that performs energy 
audits and advises businesses on efficiency. Kaufman was hearing from 
other clients who got bills between five and 50 times their normal 
price.

Clients
 with large manufacturing businesses, he said, got seven-figure natural 
gas bills. Other businesses were barely surviving the COVID-19 pandemic 
and ensuing economic crisis only to be hit with these exorbitant 
charges.

“And
 they’re in complete and utter shock and basically saying, ‘We can’t pay
 these bills,’ and they’re completely freaking out,” Kaufman said.

The
 bills come as the result of the cold snap so severe it caused Kansas 
Gov. Laura Kelly to declare a state of emergency. Supply shortages 
caused by the frigid temperatures, combined with high demand, sent 
natural gas prices through the roof. Across the region, hundreds of 
thousands lost power. In the Kansas City region, <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/23/rolling-blackouts-in-kansas-helped-regional-power-grid-avoid-cascading-failures/">Evergy shut off power to more than 170,000 households</a> to keep the grid from being overwhelmed.

The state moved in <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/05/100-million-low-interest-loan-program-applications-now-open-for-cities-facing-high-utility-fees/">March to bail out municipal utilities</a>,
 which received similarly high bills for the power they provide 
residents. But the natural gas used to heat Central Bag Company doesn’t 
come from a municipal utility.&nbsp;

Klimek
 and countless other large customers —&nbsp;from manufacturers to school 
districts — buy their natural gas from third-party wholesalers. Now, 
those customers might get relief from the state. Last week, the Kansas 
Legislature passed a bill that would create a loan fund much like that 
for municipal utilities. This one would be for customers of wholesale 
natural gas companies.

In Klimek’s case, that company is called Constellation.&nbsp;

Often,
 businesses can save money by buying natural gas from a wholesaler 
rather than a utility provider. Kaufman’s office itself is too small to 
buy his natural gas on the wholesale market, but he said the vast 
majority of businesses that can buy their gas that way do so.

Dave
 Snyder, a Constellation spokesman, said the company is “committed to 
offering deferred payment plans and other billing solutions” to its 
large-scale customers. The company also is working with municipalities 
where it provides natural gas.

Sen.
 Jeff Longbine, an Emporia Republican, said the huge bills could wipe 
out years of savings businesses have enjoyed from purchasing wholesale 
natural gas. But he said the spikes were likely a one-time incident, not
 a sign the state should reconsider deregulation.

“It’s a 500-year flood and an F-5 tornado at the same time,” Longbine said. “You never think it’ll happen again.”&nbsp;

The proposal made its way to the floor of the Kansas House and Senate late in the session. Legislators <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/ccr_2021_sb86_h_2188">added it through a conference committee</a> on Friday. Both chambers endorsed the proposal overwhelmingly later that day.&nbsp;

Now, it awaits the governor’s signature.&nbsp;

But
 some legislators questioned the idea of providing relief to the 
customers out of concern it would let the natural gas companies off the 
hook.

“I
 still have a problem with this bill,” Sen. Alicia Straub, an Ellinwood 
Republican, told the Senate Republican caucus last week.

Straub
 said she wasn’t sure the state would be helping the customer. She 
thought a better solution would be to more quickly investigate whether 
natural gas companies had charged unfair rates as a result of the winter
 weather.

One <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/04/mulberry-files-lawsuit-accusing-bp-energy-of-price-gouging-during-extreme-cold/">Kansas town is suing BP Energy</a>,
 accusing the company of profiteering because its natural gas prices 
rose from $2.98 per mmbtu on Feb. 9 to $329.615 from Feb. 13-16.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article250342866.html">told The Kansas City Star his office was investigating</a> whether natural gas companies had engaged in price gouging.

But Longbine said the process could take “years.”&nbsp;

“These
 customers can’t withhold payment for years,” he said. “They’ll 
eventually get cut off and not have gas, so they need immediate help.”

Rep. Rui Xu, a Westwood Democrat, agreed.&nbsp;

“Somebody made a lot of money” on the cold snap, he said, and that should be investigated.

“Meanwhile,”
 Xu said, “real people on the ground have bills that need to be paid, 
and we need to do whatever we can to help them.”

Allison Kite is a data reporter for The Missouri Independent and Kansas Reflector, with a focus on the environment and agriculture.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618415909539.png" alt="Sen. Jeff Longbine, an Emporia Republican, served on a conference committee with fellow Kansas legislators who proposed a loan fund for businesses hit with high natural gas bills following record cold temperatures. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Jeff Longbine, an Emporia Republican, served on a conference committee with fellow Kansas legislators who proposed a loan fund for businesses hit with high natural gas bills following record cold temperatures. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>One company’s gas bill rose to 20 times its price from the month before</h2>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/14/as-businesses-grapple-with-sky-high-gas-bills-from-historic-cold-snap-kansas-looks-to-loan-relief/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA
 — Chris Klimek had already started hearing about the exorbitant natural
 gas bills other businesses got after this winter’s historic cold snap 
before he found out what his company would owe.&nbsp;At first, he thought he had been spared. The bill he received at the beginning of March looked normal: $6,763.73.&nbsp;Last week, though, he got the next bill — this one covering a historic cold snap that caused natural gas prices to skyrocket.&nbsp;$137,530.34.It’s a big hit to the company’s bottom line, he said.&nbsp;“I
 mean, that’s almost 10% of our annual net profit,” said Klimek, 
president of Central Bag Company, an employee-owned manufacturer in 
Leavenworth that provides packaging for agricultural and food 
businesses.Once
 he picked himself up off the floor, Klimek said, he called Vlad 
Kaufman, who runs an Overland Park-based company that performs energy 
audits and advises businesses on efficiency. Kaufman was hearing from 
other clients who got bills between five and 50 times their normal 
price.Clients
 with large manufacturing businesses, he said, got seven-figure natural 
gas bills. Other businesses were barely surviving the COVID-19 pandemic 
and ensuing economic crisis only to be hit with these exorbitant 
charges.“And
 they’re in complete and utter shock and basically saying, ‘We can’t pay
 these bills,’ and they’re completely freaking out,” Kaufman said.The
 bills come as the result of the cold snap so severe it caused Kansas 
Gov. Laura Kelly to declare a state of emergency. Supply shortages 
caused by the frigid temperatures, combined with high demand, sent 
natural gas prices through the roof. Across the region, hundreds of 
thousands lost power. In the Kansas City region, <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/23/rolling-blackouts-in-kansas-helped-regional-power-grid-avoid-cascading-failures/">Evergy shut off power to more than 170,000 households</a> to keep the grid from being overwhelmed.The state moved in <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/05/100-million-low-interest-loan-program-applications-now-open-for-cities-facing-high-utility-fees/">March to bail out municipal utilities</a>,
 which received similarly high bills for the power they provide 
residents. But the natural gas used to heat Central Bag Company doesn’t 
come from a municipal utility.&nbsp;Klimek
 and countless other large customers —&nbsp;from manufacturers to school 
districts — buy their natural gas from third-party wholesalers. Now, 
those customers might get relief from the state. Last week, the Kansas 
Legislature passed a bill that would create a loan fund much like that 
for municipal utilities. This one would be for customers of wholesale 
natural gas companies.In Klimek’s case, that company is called Constellation.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618415969622.jpeg" alt="Chris Klimek, president of Central Bag Company, said his Leavenworth manufacturing facility received a bill for more than $137,000, covering days in February when a historic cold snap gripped much of the Midwest. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>Chris Klimek, president of Central Bag Company, said his Leavenworth manufacturing facility received a bill for more than $137,000, covering days in February when a historic cold snap gripped much of the Midwest. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>Often,
 businesses can save money by buying natural gas from a wholesaler 
rather than a utility provider. Kaufman’s office itself is too small to 
buy his natural gas on the wholesale market, but he said the vast 
majority of businesses that can buy their gas that way do so.Dave
 Snyder, a Constellation spokesman, said the company is “committed to 
offering deferred payment plans and other billing solutions” to its 
large-scale customers. The company also is working with municipalities 
where it provides natural gas.Sen.
 Jeff Longbine, an Emporia Republican, said the huge bills could wipe 
out years of savings businesses have enjoyed from purchasing wholesale 
natural gas. But he said the spikes were likely a one-time incident, not
 a sign the state should reconsider deregulation.“It’s a 500-year flood and an F-5 tornado at the same time,” Longbine said. “You never think it’ll happen again.”&nbsp;The proposal made its way to the floor of the Kansas House and Senate late in the session. Legislators <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/ccr_2021_sb86_h_2188">added it through a conference committee</a> on Friday. Both chambers endorsed the proposal overwhelmingly later that day.&nbsp;Now, it awaits the governor’s signature.&nbsp;But
 some legislators questioned the idea of providing relief to the 
customers out of concern it would let the natural gas companies off the 
hook.“I
 still have a problem with this bill,” Sen. Alicia Straub, an Ellinwood 
Republican, told the Senate Republican caucus last week.Straub
 said she wasn’t sure the state would be helping the customer. She 
thought a better solution would be to more quickly investigate whether 
natural gas companies had charged unfair rates as a result of the winter
 weather.One <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/04/mulberry-files-lawsuit-accusing-bp-energy-of-price-gouging-during-extreme-cold/">Kansas town is suing BP Energy</a>,
 accusing the company of profiteering because its natural gas prices 
rose from $2.98 per mmbtu on Feb. 9 to $329.615 from Feb. 13-16.Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article250342866.html">told The Kansas City Star his office was investigating</a> whether natural gas companies had engaged in price gouging.But Longbine said the process could take “years.”&nbsp;“These
 customers can’t withhold payment for years,” he said. “They’ll 
eventually get cut off and not have gas, so they need immediate help.”Rep. Rui Xu, a Westwood Democrat, agreed.&nbsp;“Somebody made a lot of money” on the cold snap, he said, and that should be investigated.“Meanwhile,”
 Xu said, “real people on the ground have bills that need to be paid, 
and we need to do whatever we can to help them.”Allison Kite is a data reporter for The Missouri Independent and Kansas Reflector, with a focus on the environment and agriculture.

As businesses grapple with sky-high gas bills, Kansas looks to loan relief

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 601 to a total of 305,320, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Total coronavirus deaths were reported at 4944, an increase of 14.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 601 to a total of 305,320, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Total coronavirus deaths were reported at 4944, an increase of 14.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618425843921.png" alt="Wednesday April 14, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday April 14, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Anyone who has ever negotiated the line of vehicles at a school drop-off zone knows how frustrating the daily process can be. But police in Kansas City, Kansas, say one mom took matters too far when she used a gun to threaten another mother in a school drop-off line.

The incident happened Tuesday morning at Junction Elementary School, television station KSHB&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/woman-arrested-after-incident-with-gun-at-junction-elementary-school" target="_blank">reported</a>. Police say in reports that a mother was dropping off her children in the line when another car sped around hers. As the line was stopped, the mother got out of her car and confronted the other driver — a woman who also was dropping off students.

That’s when the woman who was confronted displayed a handgun and made threatening statements to the first mother, police said. School officials reported the incident to police, and officers arrested the woman who displayed the gun a short time later.

The woman is being held at the Wyandotte County Detention Center for two days as prosecutors decide what charges she might face, officials said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618416103206.png" alt="The woman is being held at the Wyandotte County Detention Center after the incident at Junction Elementary google image" />
 <figcaption>The woman is being held at the Wyandotte County Detention Center after the incident at Junction Elementary google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Anyone who has ever negotiated the line of vehicles at a school drop-off zone knows how frustrating the daily process can be. But police in Kansas City, Kansas, say one mom took matters too far when she used a gun to threaten another mother in a school drop-off line.The incident happened Tuesday morning at Junction Elementary School, television station KSHB&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/woman-arrested-after-incident-with-gun-at-junction-elementary-school" target="_blank">reported</a>. Police say in reports that a mother was dropping off her children in the line when another car sped around hers. As the line was stopped, the mother got out of her car and confronted the other driver — a woman who also was dropping off students.That’s when the woman who was confronted displayed a handgun and made threatening statements to the first mother, police said. School officials reported the incident to police, and officers arrested the woman who displayed the gun a short time later.The woman is being held at the Wyandotte County Detention Center for two days as prosecutors decide what charges she might face, officials said.

Police: Mom threatens another with gun at Kan. school drop-off

Donna, Texas —First District Congressman Tracey Mann&nbsp;visited the southern border and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Facility in Donna, Texas. He said what he saw there was nothing short of a heartbreak.

In a social media report, Mann shared: The children I saw have been traumatized and been taken advantage of by Mexican cartels. These cartels are making hundreds of millions of dollars every day by exploiting children. Under the Biden Administration, cartels are the winners, and innocent children are the losers.

The daily average of unaccompanied minors crossing the border has nearly doubled since 2019, and there is no end in sight. By the end of the year, a projected 2 million migrants will cross the southern border.

Texas migrant facilities are over 700% capacity. The children are housed here until they are transferred into a long-term care facility. This transfer legally is supposed to occur 72 hours after being processed, but  children reside there as long as 18 days.

After being processed, the children are separated into rooms meant to house 30 people, but instead, there are anywhere from 300 to 600 children at one time. Today, there are over 4,000 people being detained in the Donna facility.

The heartbreak doesn’t stop at the Donna facility. Last week, Texas Gov. Abbott called on the federal government to close a facility housing migrant children in San Antonio, due to complaints of abuse, sexual assault, and COVID positive children not able to be isolated.

President Biden’s policies paved the way for this full scale crisis. He promised citizenship – no pathway, just outright citizenship – to more than 11 million illegal immigrants and halted border wall construction.

Pres. Biden and VP Harris are doing nothing to stop the flow of illegal migrants crossing the border. We must end these disastrous policies; secure our border through a physical barrier, and patrol agents; and adhere to or modernize our country’s immigration system.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618396445966.png" alt="Children at the U.S. Mexico border-photo courtesy Rep. Tracey Mann" />
 <figcaption>Children at the U.S. Mexico border-photo courtesy Rep. Tracey Mann</figcaption>
 </figure>Donna, Texas —First District Congressman Tracey Mann&nbsp;visited the southern border and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Facility in Donna, Texas. He said what he saw there was nothing short of a heartbreak.In a social media report, Mann shared: The children I saw have been traumatized and been taken advantage of by Mexican cartels. These cartels are making hundreds of millions of dollars every day by exploiting children. Under the Biden Administration, cartels are the winners, and innocent children are the losers.The daily average of unaccompanied minors crossing the border has nearly doubled since 2019, and there is no end in sight. By the end of the year, a projected 2 million migrants will cross the southern border.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618396418186.png" alt="&nbsp;300 to 600 children are held in each room-photo Rep. Mann" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;300 to 600 children are held in each room-photo Rep. Mann</figcaption>
 </figure>Texas migrant facilities are over 700% capacity. The children are housed here until they are transferred into a long-term care facility. This transfer legally is supposed to occur 72 hours after being processed, but children reside there as long as 18 days.After being processed, the children are separated into rooms meant to house 30 people, but instead, there are anywhere from 300 to 600 children at one time. Today, there are over 4,000 people being detained in the Donna facility.The heartbreak doesn’t stop at the Donna facility. Last week, Texas Gov. Abbott called on the federal government to close a facility housing migrant children in San Antonio, due to complaints of abuse, sexual assault, and COVID positive children not able to be isolated.President Biden’s policies paved the way for this full scale crisis. He promised citizenship – no pathway, just outright citizenship – to more than 11 million illegal immigrants and halted border wall construction.Pres. Biden and VP Harris are doing nothing to stop the flow of illegal migrants crossing the border. We must end these disastrous policies; secure our border through a physical barrier, and patrol agents; and adhere to or modernize our country’s immigration system.

Kan. congressman tours 'heartbreak' at the U.S. border

KANSAS CITY (AP) — After years of debate and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f81653ba84b44d67b9d76665ce26a01d">divisive election</a>, Kansas City will soon have a street route named for Martin Luther King Jr., removing its designation as one of the largest cities in the U.S. without a street named for the civil rights icon.

The city’s Board of Parks and Recreation on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to name a 5-mile stretch along existing boulevards that runs east to west through the city for King.

It was the culmination of decades of work by civil rights activists, who celebrated Tuesday’s vote along with Mayor Quinton Lucas and other city officials. Several speakers at a news conference vowed that naming a street for King was only the first step in work to improve race relations in the city and provide economic stimulus to struggling areas along the route.

“This isn’t just a trivial street naming,” said parks board commissioner Chris Goode. “It’s bigger, it’s so much bigger. It was 53 years ago that Dr. King was slain... we still are seeing Black men slain in a very similar manner. So this isn’t just another street name. This is a moment for us to come along side of each other.”

Lucas said the city is determined to develop and improve the route to make the city’s Martin Luther King Boulevard one of the finest in the country, with investments in businesses so people across the city feel a sense of belonging and equality.

“This is a celebration, and this is a story that’s not about one boulevard,” Lucas said. “It’s about Kansas City keeping up its commitment. Let this be an important step in Kansas City keeping up that commitment but only one of many.”

The Rev. Vernon Howard, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Kansas City, one of the primary forces behind the move to name a street for King, said Tuesday’s vote was tied to other social justice issues promoted by King and his followers for decades.

“We must understand the connection between the renaming of this corridor and justice and peace and equity for all,” Howard said.

Civil rights activists thought they had achieved the goal of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/892b4ef5a18e40c0bfe154c9896470ea">naming a street</a>&nbsp;for King in January 2019 when one of the city’s prominent boulevards, The Paseo, was named for him. But some residents who objected gathered signatures to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/21b5bb74d477487193c853082f6f1ec1">get the issue</a>&nbsp;placed on a ballot and later in 2019 voters overwhelmingly chose to remove King’s name and return the street to The Paseo.T

The effort to find a new street was slowed by the coronavirus pandemic and racial injustice protests in Kansas City in 2020, and the proposal approved Tuesday drew little vocal opposition during public meetings.

Derek Alderman, a geography professor at the University of Tennessee who has studied the naming of streets for Martin Luther King for decades, said naming a street for King is intimately connected to social justice issues that have received renewed attention during social justice demonstrations and the pandemic.

“Naming a street for Dr. King is not the same thing as demanding police reform or addressing the inequity in distributing vaccines or other inequity issues we’re all discussing today. His name, his memory, is more than a symbol of remembering him, it’s about carving out a sense of belonging and is definitely connected to larger issues.”

The new route runs along a continuous street that currently has three names, Volker Boulevard, Swope Parkway and Blue Parkway. It runs east to west from mostly Black eastern neighborhoods to more affluent neighborhoods to the west.

The parks board also approved resolutions Tuesday recommending the City Council change two sections along the route that are not part of the parks department’s jurisdiction.

The route also goes by Martin Luther King Square Park, which has received new attention since the 2019 vote. The park has begun construction on a state-of-the art playground funded in part by up to $1 million from Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ 15 and Mahomies Foundation.

Terry Rynard, director of the parks department, said new signs along the route could begin going up within 2.5 weeks. She said the cost would be minimal because the city kept the signs made for the previous King Boulevard.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618395215867.png" alt="Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard signs will be installed within the next two weeks along the stretch of road that is now Blue Parkway, Swope Parkway, and Volker Boulevard. Combined, they connect South Plaza to the East near the Brush Creek Community Center. The boulevard intersects with Troost Avenue, The Paseo, and Prospect Avenue. The Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center, the Boys and Girls Club, and Martin Luther King Jr. Square Park are located along the route.-photo courtesy KCMO Parks and Rec" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard signs will be installed within the next two weeks along the stretch of road that is now Blue Parkway, Swope Parkway, and Volker Boulevard. Combined, they connect South Plaza to the East near the Brush Creek Community Center. The boulevard intersects with Troost Avenue, The Paseo, and Prospect Avenue. The Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center, the Boys and Girls Club, and Martin Luther King Jr. Square Park are located along the route.-photo courtesy KCMO Parks and Rec</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — After years of debate and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f81653ba84b44d67b9d76665ce26a01d">divisive election</a>, Kansas City will soon have a street route named for Martin Luther King Jr., removing its designation as one of the largest cities in the U.S. without a street named for the civil rights icon.The city’s Board of Parks and Recreation on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to name a 5-mile stretch along existing boulevards that runs east to west through the city for King.It was the culmination of decades of work by civil rights activists, who celebrated Tuesday’s vote along with Mayor Quinton Lucas and other city officials. Several speakers at a news conference vowed that naming a street for King was only the first step in work to improve race relations in the city and provide economic stimulus to struggling areas along the route.“This isn’t just a trivial street naming,” said parks board commissioner Chris Goode. “It’s bigger, it’s so much bigger. It was 53 years ago that Dr. King was slain... we still are seeing Black men slain in a very similar manner. So this isn’t just another street name. This is a moment for us to come along side of each other.”Lucas said the city is determined to develop and improve the route to make the city’s Martin Luther King Boulevard one of the finest in the country, with investments in businesses so people across the city feel a sense of belonging and equality.“This is a celebration, and this is a story that’s not about one boulevard,” Lucas said. “It’s about Kansas City keeping up its commitment. Let this be an important step in Kansas City keeping up that commitment but only one of many.”The Rev. Vernon Howard, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Kansas City, one of the primary forces behind the move to name a street for King, said Tuesday’s vote was tied to other social justice issues promoted by King and his followers for decades.“We must understand the connection between the renaming of this corridor and justice and peace and equity for all,” Howard said.Civil rights activists thought they had achieved the goal of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/892b4ef5a18e40c0bfe154c9896470ea">naming a street</a>&nbsp;for King in January 2019 when one of the city’s prominent boulevards, The Paseo, was named for him. But some residents who objected gathered signatures to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/21b5bb74d477487193c853082f6f1ec1">get the issue</a>&nbsp;placed on a ballot and later in 2019 voters overwhelmingly chose to remove King’s name and return the street to The Paseo.TThe effort to find a new street was slowed by the coronavirus pandemic and racial injustice protests in Kansas City in 2020, and the proposal approved Tuesday drew little vocal opposition during public meetings.Derek Alderman, a geography professor at the University of Tennessee who has studied the naming of streets for Martin Luther King for decades, said naming a street for King is intimately connected to social justice issues that have received renewed attention during social justice demonstrations and the pandemic.“Naming a street for Dr. King is not the same thing as demanding police reform or addressing the inequity in distributing vaccines or other inequity issues we’re all discussing today. His name, his memory, is more than a symbol of remembering him, it’s about carving out a sense of belonging and is definitely connected to larger issues.”The new route runs along a continuous street that currently has three names, Volker Boulevard, Swope Parkway and Blue Parkway. It runs east to west from mostly Black eastern neighborhoods to more affluent neighborhoods to the west.The parks board also approved resolutions Tuesday recommending the City Council change two sections along the route that are not part of the parks department’s jurisdiction.The route also goes by Martin Luther King Square Park, which has received new attention since the 2019 vote. The park has begun construction on a state-of-the art playground funded in part by up to $1 million from Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ 15 and Mahomies Foundation.Terry Rynard, director of the parks department, said new signs along the route could begin going up within 2.5 weeks. She said the cost would be minimal because the city kept the signs made for the previous King Boulevard.___

Kansas City approves naming street for Martin Luther King

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a case of alleged vandalism and asking the public for help to identify a suspect.

According to Shawnee County Crime Stoppers, a suspect glued a credit union ATM shut in Topeka keeping customers from their money. 

Envista Credit Union donated $500 to Crime Stoppers of Shawnee County for a reward leading to the arrest of the suspect. 

<a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=128#">Click here</a> to submit at tip online or send an anonymous tip by calling 785-234-0007&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618403286918.png" alt="Security camera image of the suspect -photo Shawnee Co. Crime Stoppers" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image of the suspect -photo Shawnee Co. Crime Stoppers</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a case of alleged vandalism and asking the public for help to identify a suspect.According to Shawnee County Crime Stoppers, a suspect glued a credit union ATM shut in Topeka keeping customers from their money. Envista Credit Union donated $500 to Crime Stoppers of Shawnee County for a reward leading to the arrest of the suspect. <a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=128#">Click here</a> to submit at tip online or send an anonymous tip by calling 785-234-0007&nbsp;

Suspect allegedly glued Kan. credit union ATM shut

WASHINGTON, DC –The U.S. Department of Labor’s <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta">Employment and Training Administration</a> today announced the issuance of an Unemployment Insurance Program Letter that provides <a href="https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=9141">new guidance to states on identity verification for unemployment insurance claims</a>.

The guidance follows unprecedented increases
 in UI claims amid the pandemic and related surges in fraudulent filings
 in states’ systems by sophisticated criminal rings using stolen or 
“synthetic” identities – false identities composed of real and fake 
information. It provides states with guidance about adjudication 
standards to apply when determining UI eligibility in cases where an 
individual’s identity appears questionable. 

This guidance will help states find and stop payments on 
claims based on stolen or fake identities and help unemployed workers 
who have been falsely flagged as possibly fraudulent. The guidance also 
explains what states can do to protect those victims who may have had 
their identities previously stolen and then used by criminals to apply 
for unemployment insurance benefits. 

“Criminals using false and stolen identities to 
file for benefits cause widespread problems – both for the people who 
unknowingly had claims filed in their name and for legitimately 
unemployed Americans – is a growing problem for many state unemployment 
insurance programs,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Employment and Training Suzi LeVine. “The U.S. Department of Labor 
issued this guidance to help states fight this problem in their 
unemployment insurance programs and make sure American workers receive 
the benefits to which they are rightly entitled.” 

In addition to its guidance to states to prevent UI fraud, the department recently launched <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/UIIDtheft">a website to assist people who are victims of UI identity theft</a>. The website enables individuals to report ID theft and to find helpful information if their identities have been stolen.

The unemployment insurance program is a 
federal-state partnership, with states responsible for accepting, 
processing, and paying claims. <a href="https://www.careeronestop.org/localhelp/unemploymentbenefits/unemployment-benefits.aspx">Please direct all eligibility questions to state employment agencies.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615920467817.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>U.S. Department of LaborWASHINGTON, DC –The U.S. Department of Labor’s <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta">Employment and Training Administration</a> today announced the issuance of an Unemployment Insurance Program Letter that provides <a href="https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=9141">new guidance to states on identity verification for unemployment insurance claims</a>. The guidance follows unprecedented increases
 in UI claims amid the pandemic and related surges in fraudulent filings
 in states’ systems by sophisticated criminal rings using stolen or 
“synthetic” identities – false identities composed of real and fake 
information. It provides states with guidance about adjudication 
standards to apply when determining UI eligibility in cases where an 
individual’s identity appears questionable. This guidance will help states find and stop payments on 
claims based on stolen or fake identities and help unemployed workers 
who have been falsely flagged as possibly fraudulent. The guidance also 
explains what states can do to protect those victims who may have had 
their identities previously stolen and then used by criminals to apply 
for unemployment insurance benefits. “Criminals using false and stolen identities to 
file for benefits cause widespread problems – both for the people who 
unknowingly had claims filed in their name and for legitimately 
unemployed Americans – is a growing problem for many state unemployment 
insurance programs,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Employment and Training Suzi LeVine. “The U.S. Department of Labor 
issued this guidance to help states fight this problem in their 
unemployment insurance programs and make sure American workers receive 
the benefits to which they are rightly entitled.” In addition to its guidance to states to prevent UI fraud, the department recently launched <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/UIIDtheft">a website to assist people who are victims of UI identity theft</a>. The website enables individuals to report ID theft and to find helpful information if their identities have been stolen.The unemployment insurance program is a 
federal-state partnership, with states responsible for accepting, 
processing, and paying claims. <a href="https://www.careeronestop.org/localhelp/unemploymentbenefits/unemployment-benefits.aspx">Please direct all eligibility questions to state employment agencies.</a>

Labor Dept. guidance addresses steep climb in unemployment fraud

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting death have identified the victim as 58-year-old Kevin Rogers.

Just after 4p.m. Friday police responded to a home in the 800 Block of Barnett in Kansas City, Kansas and found Rogers dead from a single gunshot wound, according to police spokesperson Nancy Chartrand.

The suspect later identified as Curtis Lee Stacker, 45, Kansas City, Kansas, fled the scene on foot.&nbsp; Officers took him into custody a short time later.

Stricker is being held on a $400,000 bond on requested charges of first-degree murder, attempted aggravated robbery, criminal in possession of a weapon by a felon and a probation violation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618310933251.png" alt="Stacker has previous convictions for aggravated battery, sexual battery violations of the Kansas Offender Registration Act -photo Wyandotte County" />
 <figcaption>Stacker has previous convictions for aggravated battery, sexual battery violations of the Kansas Offender Registration Act -photo Wyandotte County</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting death have identified the victim as 58-year-old Kevin Rogers.Just after 4p.m. Friday police responded to a home in the 800 Block of Barnett in Kansas City, Kansas and found Rogers dead from a single gunshot wound, according to police spokesperson Nancy Chartrand.The suspect later identified as Curtis Lee Stacker, 45, Kansas City, Kansas, fled the scene on foot.&nbsp; Officers took him into custody a short time later.Stricker is being held on a $400,000 bond on requested charges of first-degree murder, attempted aggravated robbery, criminal in possession of a weapon by a felon and a probation violation.

Police: Man charged in robbery, murder at Kansas home

WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today urged low- and 
moderate-income individuals and families, especially those who don't 
normally file a tax return, to use IRS Free File to prepare their own 
federal tax return, e-file it and get a refund – all for free.

This year's federal tax filing deadline for individuals has been postponed to May 17 from April 15.

Free File offers free access to brand-name tax software to anyone who
 makes $72,000 or less. Already this year, more than 2.96 million 
individuals and couples have used this online service to file returns 
and get their share of these valuable benefits.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today urged low- and 
moderate-income individuals and families, especially those who don't 
normally file a tax return, to use IRS Free File to prepare their own 
federal tax return, e-file it and get a refund – all for free.This year's federal tax filing deadline for individuals has been postponed to May 17 from April 15.Free File offers free access to brand-name tax software to anyone who
 makes $72,000 or less. Already this year, more than 2.96 million 
individuals and couples have used this online service to file returns 
and get their share of these valuable benefits.Available only at IRS.gov, Free File offers people experiencing 
homelessness, students who are now on their own, low-and moderate-income
 families and others a fast and easy way to access these benefits. All 
anyone needs to reach Free File is access to a computer or similar 
device. No computer? No problem. IRS Free File products support mobile 
phone access too.Never has Free File been as important as it is right now. The IRS 
delivered two rounds of Economic Impact Payments to eligible people. The
 first payment was up to $1,200 per person and $500 per qualifying 
child. The second payment was up to $600 per eligible person and $600 
per qualifying child.People who did not receive the full amount of the first or second 
payments can claim the additional amount they are due as the Recovery 
Rebate Credit when they file their 2020 tax return.And that's where Free File comes in. It's a free way to claim the 
full amount of tax benefits, including the Recovery Rebate Credit, and 
ensure that eligible people get their refund. See the special section on
 IRS.gov - <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-a-claiming-the-recovery-rebate-credit-if-you-arent-required-to-file-a-tax-return">Claiming the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if you aren't required to file a tax return</a>
 – for more information. Look for a Free File product with "no minimum 
income" and file electronically and choose direct deposit.Free File is also a great way to take advantage of two other tax 
benefits that help workers and families --the Earned Income Tax Credit 
(EITC) and the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). Under a special 
COVID-related rule, people who were laid off during part or all of 2020 
will often still qualify for these benefits. That's because if they 
worked during 2019, they can choose to use their 2019 earned income to 
figure these credits, as long as it was higher than it was in 2020.Through Free File, leading tax software providers make their online 
products available for free as part of a 19-year partnership with the 
IRS. There are nine products in English and one in Spanish. Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS.gov/freefile</a> for details. In addition, <a href="https://www.militaryonesource.mil/financial-legal/tax-resource-center/miltax-military-tax-services">MilTax</a>, available free through the Department of Defense, offers a similar online tax-preparation service to members of the military.Because Free File returns are filed electronically, the service 
offers everyone a great way to get their money quickly. This is 
especially true for anyone who chooses to have their refund deposited 
directly into a savings or checking account.The IRS urges everyone to consider taking advantage of the speed and convenience of Free File. This includes:<ul>
 <li>People experiencing homelessness. As long as they are not 
someone's dependent, chances are they still qualify for the Recovery 
Rebate Credit even if they have little or no income. They can still use 
Free File even if their only access to the Internet is through a 
smartphone. Look for a Free File product with "no minimum income."</li><li>Individuals who were claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax 
return in 2018 or 2019, but who cannot be claimed as a dependent on 
someone else's return in 2020, may now be eligible to claim a 2020 
Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 tax return.</li><li>One spouse with an ITIN: Under a new law enacted in December 2020, a
 married couple filing a joint return now may be eligible for a partial 
credit when only one spouse has a Social Security number valid for 
employment. If a couple did not receive one or both Economic Impact 
Payments because one of them did not have a Social Security number valid
 for employment, they may be eligible to claim a 2020 Recovery Rebate 
Credit and must file a 2020 tax return. There is an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-b-eligibility">exception if one spouse is a member of the U.S. Armed Forces</a>.</li><li>Qualifying child: Families who had a baby or adopted a child during
 2020 did not receive a first or second Economic Impact Payment for that
 qualifying child. They may be eligible to claim a 2020 Recovery Rebate 
Credit and must file a 2020 tax return.</li><li>Low- and moderate-income workers and working families who don't 
normally file a return: Historically, many of these families miss out on
 the EITC and ACTC because they don't file.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Check out the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/about-irs/free-file-can-help-people-who-have-no-filing-requirement-find-overlooked-tax-credits">A Closer Look column</a> for more information on how Free File can help people get all available tax benefits.For those who are not comfortable doing their own return, IRS-trained
 community volunteers offer tax help at more than 11,000 tax help sites,
 nationwide. To find the nearest site, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/irs-tax-volunteers">IRS.gov/volunteers</a>, or call <a href="tel:800-906-9887">800-906-9887</a>.