WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s administration wants to make&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-archive-education-a157a7355bfc5c189fdc1040722fb652">a $1.8 trillion down payment on the future</a>&nbsp;of children, families and higher education, saying it would produce lasting benefits for the economy. Paying for it would be $1.5 trillion of tax hikes over the next decade on the wealthiest households.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?511121-1/president-biden-addresses-joint-session-congress">Click here to watch</a> the President's address

A closer look at where the money is going and where it’s coming from:

— $200 billion to provide free preschool to all 3- and 4-year-olds. The administration estimates that 5 million children would benefit and an average family would save $13,000.

— $109 billion to offer two years of free community college to all Americans. Eligible for the program would also be young immigrants living in the U.S. illegally who were brought to the country as children to remain here.

— Increase the maximum Pell Grant award by $1,400 per eligible student. Pell Grants are financial aid for low-income students, and the increase would help to reduce the dependence on education loans.

— $46 billion for historically Black colleges and universities as well as tribal colleges and universities. This would include $39 billion to provides two years of subsidized tuition for students from families earning less than $125,000 a year.

— $9 billion for scholarships and training for teachers.

— $225 billion to subsidize child care for families and support child care workers. Families earning 1.5 times their state median income would pay a maximum of 7% of their income for all children under age 5.

— $225 billion to create a national family and medical leave program. The program would provide workers up to $4,000 a month, with a minimum of two-thirds of average weekly wages replaced, rising to 80% for the lowest-wage workers.

— $45 billion to improve school meals and offer food benefits to children during the summer.

— Peg the length and amount of unemployment benefits to underlying economic conditions, creating an automated response to a downturn.

— $200 billion to make temporary reductions in health insurance premiums for the Affordable Care Act plans permanent.

— Extend through 2025 an enhanced child tax credit that could be paid out monthly. Eligible families would receive $3,600 annually per child for children under age 6. The payment would be $3,000 per child for children ages 6 to 17.

— Permanently increase tax credits for child care. The credits would cover as much as half of a family’s spending on care for children under age 13, up to a total of $4,000 for one child or $8,000 for two or more children.

— Make the expanded Earned Income Tax Credit permanent for childless workers.

— Allow the IRS to regulate paid tax preparers.

Biden’s plan would cover these proposed expenses by:

— Increasing IRS enforcement funding to audit wealthier taxpayers and mandate that financial institutions report earnings from investments and business activity in ways similar to wages. This could raise $700 billion over 10 years.

— Raising the top tax rate on the wealthiest Americans from 37% to 39.6%. The rate had been 39.6% before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2d9e099660064f2b8a8fc2237b4e7e4e">the 2017 tax cuts</a>.

— Taxpayers earning $1 million or more a year, the top 0.3%, would no longer pay a 20% rate on income from capital gains such as the sale of a stock or other asset. They would pay 39.6% instead.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619658477245.png" alt="Vice President Kamala Harris, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., stand and as President Joe Biden addresses a joint session of Congress Wednesday night-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Kamala Harris, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., stand and as President Joe Biden addresses a joint session of Congress Wednesday night-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s administration wants to make&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-archive-education-a157a7355bfc5c189fdc1040722fb652">a $1.8 trillion down payment on the future</a>&nbsp;of children, families and higher education, saying it would produce lasting benefits for the economy. Paying for it would be $1.5 trillion of tax hikes over the next decade on the wealthiest households.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?511121-1/president-biden-addresses-joint-session-congress">Click here to watch</a> the President's addressA closer look at where the money is going and where it’s coming from:INITIATIVES— $200 billion to provide free preschool to all 3- and 4-year-olds. The administration estimates that 5 million children would benefit and an average family would save $13,000.— $109 billion to offer two years of free community college to all Americans. Eligible for the program would also be young immigrants living in the U.S. illegally who were brought to the country as children to remain here.— Increase the maximum Pell Grant award by $1,400 per eligible student. Pell Grants are financial aid for low-income students, and the increase would help to reduce the dependence on education loans.— $46 billion for historically Black colleges and universities as well as tribal colleges and universities. This would include $39 billion to provides two years of subsidized tuition for students from families earning less than $125,000 a year.— $9 billion for scholarships and training for teachers.— $225 billion to subsidize child care for families and support child care workers. Families earning 1.5 times their state median income would pay a maximum of 7% of their income for all children under age 5.— $225 billion to create a national family and medical leave program. The program would provide workers up to $4,000 a month, with a minimum of two-thirds of average weekly wages replaced, rising to 80% for the lowest-wage workers.— $45 billion to improve school meals and offer food benefits to children during the summer.— Peg the length and amount of unemployment benefits to underlying economic conditions, creating an automated response to a downturn.— $200 billion to make temporary reductions in health insurance premiums for the Affordable Care Act plans permanent.— Extend through 2025 an enhanced child tax credit that could be paid out monthly. Eligible families would receive $3,600 annually per child for children under age 6. The payment would be $3,000 per child for children ages 6 to 17.— Permanently increase tax credits for child care. The credits would cover as much as half of a family’s spending on care for children under age 13, up to a total of $4,000 for one child or $8,000 for two or more children.— Make the expanded Earned Income Tax Credit permanent for childless workers.— Allow the IRS to regulate paid tax preparers.FUNDING SOURCESBiden’s plan would cover these proposed expenses by:— Increasing IRS enforcement funding to audit wealthier taxpayers and mandate that financial institutions report earnings from investments and business activity in ways similar to wages. This could raise $700 billion over 10 years.— Raising the top tax rate on the wealthiest Americans from 37% to 39.6%. The rate had been 39.6% before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2d9e099660064f2b8a8fc2237b4e7e4e">the 2017 tax cuts</a>.— Taxpayers earning $1 million or more a year, the top 0.3%, would no longer pay a 20% rate on income from capital gains such as the sale of a stock or other asset. They would pay 39.6% instead.

How Biden pays for his $1.8T families and education plan

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Doctors are reporting that more parents are refusing to have their sick children tested for the coronavirus because they don’t want to deal with the hassle if the result is positive.

Pediatric Partners in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park recently posted an alert on its Facebook page exhorting parents to stay vigilant because so many weren’t following testing advice.

“We’ve had parents tell us, for instance, ‘No we have a big tournament this weekend, I don’t want to have to deal with COVID,’” said Pediatrician Kristen Stuppy. “And they’re forgetting the fact that it’s still going to be COVID even if you don’t know that it’s COVID. So from a public health perspective it scares me.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children and teens who have COVID-19 symptoms should be tested immediately — “especially important if they have in-person in school, sports or jobs, so that anyone who may have been exposed can be alerted,” the organization says. If they have COVID-19, they need to isolate for at least 10 days.

Public health officials have said for weeks that overall interest in COVID-19 testing is down, which is problematic because it makes it difficult to know how much of the virus remains in the community and prevent it from spreading by having people isolate.

But many don’t want to deal with having their work and their children’s schooling and activities disrupted by quarantining, said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine in the health policy department at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville.

“So they’re saying ‘Well, he’s going to get over it anyway. Let’s just not make the diagnosis, and we don’t have to go through all that hullabaloo,’” Schaffner said. “That’s beyond unfortunate. That’s selfish. And it’s not in the public interest, it’s in your own narrow interest. It’s not in your child’s best interest.”

Dr. Angela Myers at Children’s Mercy said the hospital has seen a recent uptick in other viruses, including common colds and a couple of cases of respiratory viruses in the last week. She, too, is hearing that some parents are refusing COVID-19 testing, which concerns her.

“It is important to get tested if you have symptoms compatible with COVID-19 so that the appropriate actions can take place if positive,” said Myers, division director of infectious diseases.

There is no vaccine yet for children younger than 16, though Children’s Mercy is part of a national trial testing for one for younger kids. But many parents feel more secure now that vulnerable grandparents have been vaccinated and aren’t as worried about their children getting sick, Stuppy said.

“For many kids it seems like it’s a mild disease and I think they’re banking on that,” Stuppy said of parents. “But they’re forgetting that some kids get really sick.”

Statewide, just 38.1% of residents were at least partially vaccinated as of Wednesday, up just 1.1 percentage points from a week ago and 3.1 percentage points from two weeks ago as the rate of immunizations slows. State data also shows that the number of cases rose from Monday to Wednesday by 645 to 308,510 and the number of deaths by eight to 4,978.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Doctors are reporting that more parents are refusing to have their sick children tested for the coronavirus because they don’t want to deal with the hassle if the result is positive.Pediatric Partners in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park recently posted an alert on its Facebook page exhorting parents to stay vigilant because so many weren’t following testing advice.“We’ve had parents tell us, for instance, ‘No we have a big tournament this weekend, I don’t want to have to deal with COVID,’” said Pediatrician Kristen Stuppy. “And they’re forgetting the fact that it’s still going to be COVID even if you don’t know that it’s COVID. So from a public health perspective it scares me.”The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children and teens who have COVID-19 symptoms should be tested immediately — “especially important if they have in-person in school, sports or jobs, so that anyone who may have been exposed can be alerted,” the organization says. If they have COVID-19, they need to isolate for at least 10 days.Public health officials have said for weeks that overall interest in COVID-19 testing is down, which is problematic because it makes it difficult to know how much of the virus remains in the community and prevent it from spreading by having people isolate.But many don’t want to deal with having their work and their children’s schooling and activities disrupted by quarantining, said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine in the health policy department at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville.“So they’re saying ‘Well, he’s going to get over it anyway. Let’s just not make the diagnosis, and we don’t have to go through all that hullabaloo,’” Schaffner said. “That’s beyond unfortunate. That’s selfish. And it’s not in the public interest, it’s in your own narrow interest. It’s not in your child’s best interest.”Dr. Angela Myers at Children’s Mercy said the hospital has seen a recent uptick in other viruses, including common colds and a couple of cases of respiratory viruses in the last week. She, too, is hearing that some parents are refusing COVID-19 testing, which concerns her.“It is important to get tested if you have symptoms compatible with COVID-19 so that the appropriate actions can take place if positive,” said Myers, division director of infectious diseases.There is no vaccine yet for children younger than 16, though Children’s Mercy is part of a national trial testing for one for younger kids. But many parents feel more secure now that vulnerable grandparents have been vaccinated and aren’t as worried about their children getting sick, Stuppy said.“For many kids it seems like it’s a mild disease and I think they’re banking on that,” Stuppy said of parents. “But they’re forgetting that some kids get really sick.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619631211737.png" alt="Wednesday April 28, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday April 28, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Statewide, just 38.1% of residents were at least partially vaccinated as of Wednesday, up just 1.1 percentage points from a week ago and 3.1 percentage points from two weeks ago as the rate of immunizations slows. State data also shows that the number of cases rose from Monday to Wednesday by 645 to 308,510 and the number of deaths by eight to 4,978.

Doctors: More parents refuse COVID tests for their sick kids

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City reported they are investigating the city’s 50th homicide of the year.

The fatal shooting happened early Thursday morning at the East Hills Village Apartments near the south end of the city, according to police. Authorities have not released any information on the victim or details of the shooting, other than to say crime scene investigators and homicide detectives are on the scene.

The killing marked the city’s 50th homicide for 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article251026739.html">according&nbsp;</a>to data kept by the Kansas City Star. The city saw a record 182 homicides in all of 2020.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City reported they are investigating the city’s 50th homicide of the year.The fatal shooting happened early Thursday morning at the East Hills Village Apartments near the south end of the city, according to police. Authorities have not released any information on the victim or details of the shooting, other than to say crime scene investigators and homicide detectives are on the scene.The killing marked the city’s 50th homicide for 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article251026739.html">according&nbsp;</a>to data kept by the Kansas City Star. The city saw a record 182 homicides in all of 2020.

Kansas City police probing city's 50th homicide of 2021

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Senate on Wednesday voted against paying to expand Medicaid as called for by voters last year.

The late-night Senate vote locked in the House's decision to refuse funding for the program, likely setting up a court battle with supporters of greater access to health care.

On her statewide tour last week, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said it is important right now for the state legislature to take action on Medicaid. She said the federal government is offering to pay Kansas 350 to 450 million dollars in Rescue Plan money over the next two years if Medicaid is expanded.

The vote in Missouri on Wednesday divided Republicans and came after hours of sometimes-heated debate.

Several Republicans, including the Missouri Senate budget leader, argued that expanding Medicaid would obligate the state to pay for an expensive program that could mean a huge financial hit to the state's budget in the future.

“I'm sorry, if you're a healthy adult, you need to get a job,” said Manchester Republican Sen. Andrew Koenig, arguing that those newly eligible for Medicaid should instead get employer-based health insurance.

Democrats countered that many people who would get access to Medicaid are already working multiple jobs but still can't afford health care.

“We have a working class that cannot afford for-profit health insurance, and I’m one of those people, that could be one illness or one injury away from bankruptcy,” St. Louis-area Democratic Sen. Brian Williams said. “And those are people who go to work every single day.”

Some Republicans joined with Democrats in voting to pay to expand the program. They argued that lawmakers are obligated to fulfil the will of voters, who last year expanded Medicaid coverage eligibility to thousands more low-income adults.

Missouri’s Medicaid program currently does not cover most adults without children, and its income eligibility threshold for parents is one of the lowest in the nation at about one-fifth of the poverty level.

Former President Barack Obama’s 2010 federal health care law provides a higher-than-usual federal funding share for states that expand Medicaid coverage to adults earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level, about $17,600 for an individual or $30,000 for a family of three.

Missouri's new eligibility rules will take effect in July. It's unclear how lack of funding by lawmakers will impact that.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Senate on Wednesday voted against paying to expand Medicaid as called for by voters last year.The late-night Senate vote locked in the House's decision to refuse funding for the program, likely setting up a court battle with supporters of greater access to health care.On her statewide tour last week, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said it is important right now for the state legislature to take action on Medicaid. She said the federal government is offering to pay Kansas 350 to 450 million dollars in Rescue Plan money over the next two years if Medicaid is expanded.The vote in Missouri on Wednesday divided Republicans and came after hours of sometimes-heated debate.Several Republicans, including the Missouri Senate budget leader, argued that expanding Medicaid would obligate the state to pay for an expensive program that could mean a huge financial hit to the state's budget in the future.“I'm sorry, if you're a healthy adult, you need to get a job,” said Manchester Republican Sen. Andrew Koenig, arguing that those newly eligible for Medicaid should instead get employer-based health insurance.Democrats countered that many people who would get access to Medicaid are already working multiple jobs but still can't afford health care.“We have a working class that cannot afford for-profit health insurance, and I’m one of those people, that could be one illness or one injury away from bankruptcy,” St. Louis-area Democratic Sen. Brian Williams said. “And those are people who go to work every single day.”Some Republicans joined with Democrats in voting to pay to expand the program. They argued that lawmakers are obligated to fulfil the will of voters, who last year expanded Medicaid coverage eligibility to thousands more low-income adults.Missouri’s Medicaid program currently does not cover most adults without children, and its income eligibility threshold for parents is one of the lowest in the nation at about one-fifth of the poverty level.Former President Barack Obama’s 2010 federal health care law provides a higher-than-usual federal funding share for states that expand Medicaid coverage to adults earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level, about $17,600 for an individual or $30,000 for a family of three.Missouri's new eligibility rules will take effect in July. It's unclear how lack of funding by lawmakers will impact that.

Missouri rejects funding voter-approved Medicaid expansion

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran released the following statement in response to President Biden’s address to a Joint Session of Congress:

“Unity, bipartisanship, working together – I agree with President Biden that these are all things that should and can represent the federal government, but we are falling far short. Pledges for unity mean nothing without listening to those with opposing points of view, finding common ground with them and agreeing to compromises.&nbsp;The President demonstrated he was unwilling to work with Republicans by forcing his partisan $1.9 trillion relief package through Congress without a single Republican vote. Overreaching, partisan legislation that costs trillions of taxpayer dollars isn’t the right path forward.

“While I am eager to work with the President and my colleagues on improving America’s infrastructure, the President’s $2.3 trillion proposal isn’t affordable, and it isn’t infrastructure. I also agree that we should focus on supporting families and education, but these things are achieved through creating jobs and opportunities, not by adding an additional $1.8 trillion spending package.

“Even amidst this divisive political climate, I’ve seen through my work on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee that we are capable of working together to get things done, especially on behalf of our nations’ veterans. I am committed to working with the President to continue serving our veterans by further implementing the&nbsp;MISSION Act, improving care for veterans suffering from toxic exposure and improving VA accessibility for minority and women veterans.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619661641260.png" alt="President Biden addressed fewer members of the House and Senate Wednesday night due to COVID-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Biden addressed fewer members of the House and Senate Wednesday night due to COVID-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran released the following statement in response to President Biden’s address to a Joint Session of Congress:“Unity, bipartisanship, working together – I agree with President Biden that these are all things that should and can represent the federal government, but we are falling far short. Pledges for unity mean nothing without listening to those with opposing points of view, finding common ground with them and agreeing to compromises.&nbsp;The President demonstrated he was unwilling to work with Republicans by forcing his partisan $1.9 trillion relief package through Congress without a single Republican vote. Overreaching, partisan legislation that costs trillions of taxpayer dollars isn’t the right path forward.“While I am eager to work with the President and my colleagues on improving America’s infrastructure, the President’s $2.3 trillion proposal isn’t affordable, and it isn’t infrastructure. I also agree that we should focus on supporting families and education, but these things are achieved through creating jobs and opportunities, not by adding an additional $1.8 trillion spending package.“Even amidst this divisive political climate, I’ve seen through my work on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee that we are capable of working together to get things done, especially on behalf of our nations’ veterans. I am committed to working with the President to continue serving our veterans by further implementing the&nbsp;MISSION Act, improving care for veterans suffering from toxic exposure and improving VA accessibility for minority and women veterans.”&nbsp;

Sen. Moran: Biden's pledge for unity means nothing without compromise

OVERLAND PARK —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fight between students and parents at a Kansas middle school where one parent was run over and critically injured issued an attempt to locate for 40-year-old&nbsp; Tyla Jack.

The incident happened Tuesday afternoon and started with a fight between two girls at Carl Bruce Middle School,&nbsp;2100 N 18th St, Kansas City, Kansas.

 School officials broke up the fight and called the girls’ parents, who showed up on the scene and made matters worse, police said.

As the mother of one of the girls walked away to leave, a family member of the other girl ran over the woman with her car and dragged her, police said. No students were hurt in the altercation.

The woman who was hit was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries. Police said the driver who hit her later identified as Tyla Jack fled the scene.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A fight involving students and parents at a Kansas middle school became a police matter when one parent was run over and critically injured in the school’s parking lot, police in Kansas City, Kansas, said.

The incident happened Tuesday afternoon and started with a fight between two girls at Carl Bruce Middle School, station WDAF&nbsp;<a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/fight-ends-when-adult-hits-another-adult-with-car-outside-kansas-city-kansas-middle-school/" target="_blank">reported</a>. School officials broke up the fight and called the girls’ parents, who showed up on the scene and made matters worse, police said.

The woman who was hit was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries. Police said the driver who hit her fled the scene and had not been arrested by early Wednesday morning.

Police said they are investigating and reviewing video of the crash.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619698781089.png" alt="Tyla Jack photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Tyla Jack photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>OVERLAND PARK —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fight between students and parents at a Kansas middle school where one parent was run over and critically injured issued an attempt to locate for 40-year-old&nbsp; Tyla Jack.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619698830636.png" alt="Police believe Jack was driving this vehicle when it struck and seriously injured the mother of another student. If you have info call 816-474-TIPS." />
 <figcaption>Police believe Jack was driving this vehicle when it struck and seriously injured the mother of another student. If you have info call 816-474-TIPS.</figcaption>
 </figure>The incident happened Tuesday afternoon and started with a fight between two girls at Carl Bruce Middle School,&nbsp;2100 N 18th St, Kansas City, Kansas. School officials broke up the fight and called the girls’ parents, who showed up on the scene and made matters worse, police said.As the mother of one of the girls walked away to leave, a family member of the other girl ran over the woman with her car and dragged her, police said. No students were hurt in the altercation.The woman who was hit was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries. Police said the driver who hit her later identified as Tyla Jack fled the scene.-------KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A fight involving students and parents at a Kansas middle school became a police matter when one parent was run over and critically injured in the school’s parking lot, police in Kansas City, Kansas, said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619622867048.png" alt="Police on the scene in the school parking lot on Tuesday -photo courtesy KMBC&nbsp; TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene in the school parking lot on Tuesday -photo courtesy KMBC&nbsp; TV</figcaption>
 </figure>The incident happened Tuesday afternoon and started with a fight between two girls at Carl Bruce Middle School, station WDAF&nbsp;<a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/fight-ends-when-adult-hits-another-adult-with-car-outside-kansas-city-kansas-middle-school/" target="_blank">reported</a>. School officials broke up the fight and called the girls’ parents, who showed up on the scene and made matters worse, police said.As the mother of one of the girls walked away to leave, a family member of the other girl ran over the woman with her car and dragged her, police said. No students were hurt in the altercation.The woman who was hit was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries. Police said the driver who hit her fled the scene and had not been arrested by early Wednesday morning.Police said they are investigating and reviewing video of the crash.

Update: Police say parent hit by car in Kan. school parking lot during fight

WASHINGTON
 — Anyone can request an automatic tax-filing extension, but some people
 get extra time without asking, according to the Internal Revenue 
Service.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, this year the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-day-for-individuals-extended-to-may-17-treasury-irs-extend-filing-and-payment-deadline">postponed</a>
 the usual April 15 deadline for filing individual income tax returns 
until May 17, 2021. Even so, as is the case every year, many Americans 
will still need more time to meet their tax-filing obligation.

The IRS estimates that more than 16 million taxpayers will get an 
automatic extension this filing season, either by filing a form or 
making an electronic tax payment. But some taxpayers, including disaster
 victims, those serving in a combat zone and Americans living abroad get
 more time, even if they don't ask for it. Here are details on each of 
these special tax-relief provisions.

Victims of the February winter storms in Texas, Oklahoma and 
Louisiana have until June 15, 2021, to file their 2020 returns and pay 
any tax due.

The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any 
taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in a federally declared 
disaster area when at least one area qualifies for FEMA's Individual 
Assistance program. Ordinarily, this means that taxpayers need not 
contact the IRS to get disaster tax relief.

This relief also includes more time for making 2020 contributions to 
IRAs and other plans and making 2021 estimated tax payments. In some 
cases, relief is also available to people living outside the disaster 
area if, for example, they have a business located in the disaster area,
 have tax records located in the disaster area or are assisting in 
disaster relief. For details on all available relief, visit the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/around-the-nation">Around the Nation</a> page on IRS.gov.

Military service members and eligible support personnel serving in a 
combat zone have at least 180 days after they leave the combat zone to 
file their tax returns and pay any tax due. This includes those serving 
in Iraq, Afghanistan and other combat zones. A complete list of 
designated combat zone localities can be found in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-3">Publication 3, Armed Forces' Tax Guide</a>, available on IRS.gov.

Combat zone extensions also give affected taxpayers more time for a 
variety of other tax-related actions, including contributing to an IRA. 
Various circumstances affect the exact length of the extension available
 to taxpayers. Details, including examples illustrating how these 
extensions are calculated, are in the Extensions of Deadlines section in
 Publication 3.

U.S. citizens and resident aliens who live and work outside the U.S. 
and Puerto Rico have until June 15, 2021 to file their 2020 tax returns 
and pay any tax due.

The special June 15 deadline also applies to members of the military 
on duty outside the U.S. and Puerto Rico who do not qualify for the 
longer combat zone extension. Affected taxpayers should attach a 
statement to their return explaining which of these situations apply.

Though taxpayers abroad get more time to pay, interest -- <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/interest-rates-remain-the-same-for-the-second-quarter-of-2021">currently</a>
 at the rate of 3% per year, compounded daily -- applies to any payment 
received after this year's May 17 deadline. For more information about 
the special tax rules for U.S. taxpayers abroad, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-547">Publication 54, Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad</a>, on IRS.gov.

Taxpayers who don't qualify for any of these three special situations
 can still get more time to file by submitting a request for an 
automatic extension. This will extend their filing deadline until 
October&nbsp;15, 2021. But because this is only a tax-filing extension, their
 2020 tax payments are still due by May 17.

An easy way to get the extra time is through <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a>
 on IRS.gov. In a matter of minutes, anyone, regardless of income, can 
use this free service to electronically request an extension on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-4868">Form 4868</a>. To get the extension, taxpayers must estimate their tax liability on this form.

Another option is to pay electronically and get a tax-filing 
extension. The IRS will automatically process an extension when a 
taxpayer selects Form 4868 and makes a full or partial federal tax 
payment by the May 17 due date using <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)</a>
 or a debit or credit card. Under this option, there is no need to file a
 separate Form 4868. Please note, you must register for EFTPS before 
using. Electronic payment options are available at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">IRS.gov/payments</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON
 — Anyone can request an automatic tax-filing extension, but some people
 get extra time without asking, according to the Internal Revenue 
Service.Due to the ongoing pandemic, this year the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-day-for-individuals-extended-to-may-17-treasury-irs-extend-filing-and-payment-deadline">postponed</a>
 the usual April 15 deadline for filing individual income tax returns 
until May 17, 2021. Even so, as is the case every year, many Americans 
will still need more time to meet their tax-filing obligation.The IRS estimates that more than 16 million taxpayers will get an 
automatic extension this filing season, either by filing a form or 
making an electronic tax payment. But some taxpayers, including disaster
 victims, those serving in a combat zone and Americans living abroad get
 more time, even if they don't ask for it. Here are details on each of 
these special tax-relief provisions.<h2>Disaster victims</h2>Victims of the February winter storms in Texas, Oklahoma and 
Louisiana have until June 15, 2021, to file their 2020 returns and pay 
any tax due.The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any 
taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in a federally declared 
disaster area when at least one area qualifies for FEMA's Individual 
Assistance program. Ordinarily, this means that taxpayers need not 
contact the IRS to get disaster tax relief.This relief also includes more time for making 2020 contributions to 
IRAs and other plans and making 2021 estimated tax payments. In some 
cases, relief is also available to people living outside the disaster 
area if, for example, they have a business located in the disaster area,
 have tax records located in the disaster area or are assisting in 
disaster relief. For details on all available relief, visit the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/around-the-nation">Around the Nation</a> page on IRS.gov.<h2>Combat zone taxpayers</h2>Military service members and eligible support personnel serving in a 
combat zone have at least 180 days after they leave the combat zone to 
file their tax returns and pay any tax due. This includes those serving 
in Iraq, Afghanistan and other combat zones. A complete list of 
designated combat zone localities can be found in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-3">Publication 3, Armed Forces' Tax Guide</a>, available on IRS.gov.Combat zone extensions also give affected taxpayers more time for a 
variety of other tax-related actions, including contributing to an IRA. 
Various circumstances affect the exact length of the extension available
 to taxpayers. Details, including examples illustrating how these 
extensions are calculated, are in the Extensions of Deadlines section in
 Publication 3.<h2>Taxpayers outside the United States</h2>U.S. citizens and resident aliens who live and work outside the U.S. 
and Puerto Rico have until June 15, 2021 to file their 2020 tax returns 
and pay any tax due.The special June 15 deadline also applies to members of the military 
on duty outside the U.S. and Puerto Rico who do not qualify for the 
longer combat zone extension. Affected taxpayers should attach a 
statement to their return explaining which of these situations apply.Though taxpayers abroad get more time to pay, interest -- <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/interest-rates-remain-the-same-for-the-second-quarter-of-2021">currently</a>
 at the rate of 3% per year, compounded daily -- applies to any payment 
received after this year's May 17 deadline. For more information about 
the special tax rules for U.S. taxpayers abroad, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-547">Publication 54, Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad</a>, on IRS.gov.<h2>Everyone else</h2>Taxpayers who don't qualify for any of these three special situations
 can still get more time to file by submitting a request for an 
automatic extension. This will extend their filing deadline until 
October&nbsp;15, 2021. But because this is only a tax-filing extension, their
 2020 tax payments are still due by May 17.An easy way to get the extra time is through <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a>
 on IRS.gov. In a matter of minutes, anyone, regardless of income, can 
use this free service to electronically request an extension on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-4868">Form 4868</a>. To get the extension, taxpayers must estimate their tax liability on this form.Another option is to pay electronically and get a tax-filing 
extension. The IRS will automatically process an extension when a 
taxpayer selects Form 4868 and makes a full or partial federal tax 
payment by the May 17 due date using <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)</a>
 or a debit or credit card. Under this option, there is no need to file a
 separate Form 4868. Please note, you must register for EFTPS before 
using. Electronic payment options are available at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">IRS.gov/payments</a>.

IRS: Despite May 17 tax deadline, return extensions still available

SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a woman and have made an arrest.

Just before at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, deputies from the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 800 block of SW 57th Street for a death investigation, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 Deputies arrived on scene and discovered the body of a deceased adult woman.

After a preliminary investigation deputies arrested Jon K. Ewing, 61, of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of voluntary manslaughter. He remains jailed on a&nbsp;$1,000,000.00 bond, according to online jail records.

Authorities have not released the name of the victim or details on how she died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619643435186.png" alt="Ewing -photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Ewing -photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a woman and have made an arrest.Just before at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, deputies from the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 800 block of SW 57th Street for a death investigation, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. Deputies arrived on scene and discovered the body of a deceased adult woman.After a preliminary investigation deputies arrested Jon K. Ewing, 61, of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of voluntary manslaughter. He remains jailed on a&nbsp;$1,000,000.00 bond, according to online jail records.Authorities have not released the name of the victim or details on how she died.

Sheriff: Kansas man held on $1 million bond for woman's death

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden declared that “America is rising anew” as he called for an expansion of federal programs to drive the economy past the pandemic and broadly extend the social safety net on a scale not seen in decades.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?511121-1/president-biden-addresses-joint-session-congress">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;a replay of he President's address&nbsp;

Biden’s nationally televised address to Congress, his first, raised the stakes for his ability to sell his plans to voters of both parties, even if Republican lawmakers prove resistant. The president is following Wednesday night’s speech by pushing his plans in person, beginning in Georgia on Thursday and then on to Pennsylvania and Virginia in the days ahead.

In the address, Biden pointed optimistically to the nation’s emergence from the coronavirus scourge as a moment for America to prove that its democracy can still work and maintain primacy in the world.

Speaking in highly personal terms while demanding massive structural changes, the president marked his first 100 days in office by proposing a $1.8 trillion investment in children, families and education to help rebuild an economy devastated by the virus and compete with rising global competitors.

His speech represented both an audacious vision and a considerable gamble. He is governing with the most slender of majorities in Congress, and even some in his own party have blanched at the price tag of his proposals.

At the same time, the speech highlighted Biden’s fundamental belief in the power of government as a force for good, even at a time when it is so often the object of scorn.

“I can report to the nation: America is on the move again,” he said. “Turning peril into possibility. Crisis into opportunity. Setback into strength.”

While the ceremonial setting of the Capitol was the same as usual, the visual images were unlike any previous presidential address. Members of Congress wore masks and were seated apart because of pandemic restrictions. Outside the grounds were still surrounded by fencing after insurrectionists in January protesting Biden’s election stormed to the doors of the House chamber where he gave his address.

“America is ready for takeoff. We are working again. Dreaming again. Discovering again. Leading the world again. We have shown each other and the world: There is no quit in America,” Biden said.

This year’s scene at the front of the House chamber also had a historic look: For the first time, a female vice president, Kamala Harris, was seated behind the chief executive. And she was next to another woman, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The first ovation came as Biden greeted “Madam Vice President.” He added, “No president has ever said those words from this podium, and it’s about time.”

The chamber was so sparsely populated that individual claps could be heard echoing off the walls.

Yet Biden said, “I have never been more confident or more optimistic about America. We have stared into an abyss of insurrection and autocracy — of pandemic and pain — and ‘We the People’ did not flinch.”

At times, the president plainly made his case for democracy itself.

Biden demanded that the government take care of its own as a powerful symbol to the world of an America willing to forcefully follow its ideals and people. He confronted an issue rarely faced by an American president, namely that in order to compete with autocracies like China, the nation needs “to prove that democracy still works” after his predecessor’s baseless claims of election fraud and the ensuing attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“Can our democracy overcome the lies, anger, hate and fears that have pulled us apart?” he asked. “America’s adversaries – the autocrats of the world – are betting it can’t. They believe we are too full of anger and division and rage. They look at the images of the mob that assaulted this Capitol as proof that the sun is setting on American democracy. They are wrong. And we have to prove them wrong.”

Biden repeatedly hammered home that his plans would put Americans back to work, restoring the millions of jobs lost to the virus. He laid out an extensive proposal for universal preschool, two years of free community college, $225 billion for child care and monthly payments of at least $250 to parents. His ideas target frailties that were uncovered by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the pandemic</a>, and he argues that economic growth will best come from taxing the rich to help the middle class and the poor.

Biden’s speech also provided an update on combating the COVID-19 crisis he was elected to tame, showcasing hundreds of millions of vaccinations and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-virus-relief-checks-3eed6a4659f1fb7d36b4ced0eba58f86">relief checks</a>&nbsp;delivered to help offset the devastation wrought by a virus that has&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">killed more than 573,000 people in the United States</a>. He also championed his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-coronavirus-pandemic-pittsburgh-jen-psaki-8865ffc8f5ad3142155a5bd3c3a3e6d3">$2.3 trillion infrastructure plan</a>, a staggering figure to be financed by higher taxes on corporations.

His appeals were often emotive and personal, talking about Americans needing food and rental assistance. He also spoke to members of Congress as a peer as much as a president, singling out Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republicans’ leader, to praise him and speaking as one at a professional homecoming.

The GOP members in the chamber largely stayed silent, even refusing to clap for seemingly universal goals like reducing childhood poverty. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said, in the Republicans’ designated response, that Biden was more rhetoric than action.

“Our president seems like a good man,” Scott said. “But our nation is starving for more than empty platitudes.”

The president spoke against a backdrop of the weakening but still lethal pandemic, staggering unemployment and a roiling debate about police violence against Blacks. He also used his address to touch on the broader national reckoning over race in America, urging legislation be passed by the anniversary of George Floyd’s death next month, and to call on Congress to act on the thorny issues of prescription drug pricing, gun control and modernizing the nation’s immigration system.

In his first three months in office, Biden has signed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill — passed without a single GOP vote — and has shepherded direct payments of $1,400 per person to more than 160 million households. Hundreds of billions of dollars in aid will soon arrive for state and local governments, enough money that overall U.S. growth this year could eclipse 6% — a level not seen since 1984. Administration officials are betting that it will be enough to bring back all 8.4 million jobs lost to the pandemic by next year.

A significant amount proposed just Wednesday would ensure that eligible families receive at least $250 monthly per child through 2025, extending the enhanced tax credit that was part of Biden’s COVID-19 aid. There would be more than $400 billion for subsidized child care and free preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds.

Another combined $425 billion would go to permanently reduce health insurance premiums for people who receive coverage through the Affordable Care Act, as well a national paid family and medical leave program. Further spending would be directed toward Pell Grants, historically Black and tribal institutions and to allow people to attend community college tuition-free for two years.

Funding all of this would be a series of tax increases on the wealthy that would raise about $1.5 trillion over a decade. Republican lawmakers in Congress so far have balked at the price tags of Biden’s plans, complicating the chances of passage in a deeply divided Washington.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden declared Wednesday night in his first address to a joint session of Congress that “America is rising anew” on the verge of overcoming the historic pandemic. Looking to the future, he urged a $1.8 trillion investment in children, families and education that would fundamentally transform roles the government plays in American life.

Biden marked his first 100 days in office as the nation emerges from a menacing mix of crises, making his case before a pared-down gathering of mask-wearing legislators because of pandemic restrictions. The speech took place in a setting unlike any other presidential address in the familiar venue, the U.S. Capitol still surrounded by fencing after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">insurrectionists in January protesting his election</a>&nbsp;stormed to the doors of the House chamber where he gave his address.

The nationally televised ritual of a president standing before Congress for the first time was one of the most watched moments of Biden’s presidency, raising the stakes for his ability to sell his plans to voters of both parties, even if Republican lawmakers prove resistant.

“America is ready for takeoff. We are working again. Dreaming again. Discovering again. Leading the world again. We have shown each other and the world: There is no quit in America,” Biden said. “100 days ago, America’s house was on fire. We had to act.”

This year’s scene at the front of the House chamber had a historic look: For the first time, a female vice president, Kamala Harris, was seated behind the chief executive. And she was next to another woman, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, both clad in pastel.

The first ovation came as Biden greeted, “Madam Vice President.” He added “No president has ever said those words from this podium, and it’s about time.”

The entire House setting was unlike that for any of Biden’s predecessors, with members of Congress spread out, a sole Supreme Court justice in attendance and many Republicans citing “scheduling conflicts” to stay away. There was no need for a “designated survivor,” with so many Cabinet members not there, and the chamber was so sparsely populated that individual claps could be heard echoing off the walls.

Biden repeatedly hammered home how his plans would put Americans back to work, restoring the millions of jobs lost to the virus. He laid out a sweeping proposal for universal preschool, two years of free community college, $225 billion for child care and monthly payments of at least $250 to parents. His ideas target frailties that were uncovered by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the pandemic</a>, and he argues that that economic growth will best come from taxing the rich to help the middle class and the poor.

“I can report to the nation: America is on the move again,” Biden said. “Turning peril into possibility. Crisis into opportunity. Setback into strength.”

For Biden, whose moment has been nearly a half century in the making, his speech also provided an update on combating the COVID-19 crisis he was elected to tame, showcasing hundreds of millions of vaccinations and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-virus-relief-checks-3eed6a4659f1fb7d36b4ced0eba58f86">relief checks</a>&nbsp;delivered to help offset the devastation wrought by a virus that has&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">killed more than 573,000 people in the United States</a>. He also championed his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-coronavirus-pandemic-pittsburgh-jen-psaki-8865ffc8f5ad3142155a5bd3c3a3e6d3">$2.3 trillion infrastructure plan</a>, a staggering figure to be financed by higher taxes on corporations.

Seizing an opportunity born of calamity, Biden has embraced major action over incremental change. But he will be forced to thread a needle between Republicans who cry government overreach and some Democrats who fear he won’t go big enough.

The Democratic president’s strategy is to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-coronavirus-pandemic-impeachments-barack-obama-4c79ff8d59f8ce19f9dae6b550223bf0">sidestep polarization</a>&nbsp;and appeal directly to voters. His prime-time speech underscored a trio of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-climate-iran-nuclear-immigration-de7b288aa2b4315b5b7fe38559a6e666">central campaign promises</a>: to manage the deadly pandemic, to turn down the tension in Washington in the aftermath of the insurrection and to restore faith in government as an effective force for good.

Biden also was addressing an issue rarely confronted by an American president, namely that in order to compete with autocracies like China, the nation needs “to prove that democracy still works” after his predecessor’s baseless claims of election fraud and the ensuing attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“In our first 100 days together, we have acted to restore the people’s faith in our democracy to deliver,” he said in the excerpts, pointing to actions against the pandemic and resulting economic slide.

Unimpressed, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina was to say in the Republicans’ designated response that Biden was claiming too much credit.

“This administration inherited a tide that had already turned,” Scott said in excerpts released in advance. “The coronavirus is on the run.”

No American politician has more familiarity with the presidential address to Congress than Biden. He spent three decades in the audience as a senator and eight years as vice president seated behind President Barack Obama during the annual address.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday, “President Biden ran as a moderate, but I’m hard pressed to think of anything at all that he’s done so far that would indicate some degree of moderation.”

Yet the desire for swift action is born from political necessity. Biden understands that the time for passing his agenda could be perilously short given that presidents’ parties historically lose congressional seats in the midterm elections, less than two years away. The Democrats’ margins are already razor-thin.

He spoke against a backdrop of the weakening but still lethal pandemic, staggering unemployment and a roiling debate about police violence against Blacks. Biden was also using his address to touch on the broader national reckoning over race in America, and to call on Congress to act on prescription drug pricing, gun control and modernizing the nation’s immigration system.

New in his Wednesday speech was a “families” plan that could cement Biden’s legacy with $1.8 trillion worth of spending over 10 years.

A significant amount would ensure that eligible families receive at least $250 monthly per child through 2025, extending the enhanced tax credit that was part of Biden’s COVID-19 aid. There would be more than $400 billion for subsidized child care and free preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds.

Another combined $425 billion would go to permanently reduce health insurance premiums for people who receive coverage through the Affordable Care Act, as well a national paid family and medical leave program. Further spending would be directed toward Pell Grants, historically Black and tribal institutions and allow people to could attend community college tuition-free for two years.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will use his first joint address to Congress to declare the nation is “turning peril into possibility, crisis into opportunity."

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?511121-1/president-biden-addresses-joint-session-congress">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;the President's address 7:30p.m. CDT

He's urging a $1.8 trillion investment in children, families and education that would fundamentally transform roles the government plays in American life.  Biden is marking his first 100 days in office as the nation emerges from a confluence of crises, making his case Wednesday night before a pared-down gathering of mask-wearing legislators because of coronavirus restrictions. 

In excerpts released in advance, he says, “I can report to the nation: America is on the move again. ... Turning peril into possibility. Crisis into opportunity. Setback into strength.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will use his first joint address to Congress to pitch a $1.8 trillion investment in children, families and education that would transform the role government plays in American life. 

Biden delivers the Wednesday night speech on the eve of his 100th day in office. He will make his case before a pared-down gathering of mask-wearing legislators due to coronavirus restrictions. 

The Democrat will speak in a Capitol still surrounded by fencing after the Jan. 6 storming of the building by insurrectionists protesting his election. 

Biden will lay out a sweeping proposal for universal preschool, two years of free community college, $225 billion for child care and monthly payments of at least $250 to parents.

🎥 Biden's declaration: America's democracy 'is rising anew'

ROOKS COUNTY —A Kansas teen died in an accident just after 9:30p.m. Wednesday in Rooks County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Chevy Silverado driven by Zebulun Thomas Cole, 20, Stockton, was westbound on Kansas 18 at 14 Road three miles west of Plainville.&nbsp;

The pickup struck a 1997 GMC Jimmy that was disabled on the shoulder of the road.&nbsp; 

Carole Leanne&nbsp;Adamson, 16, Plainvile, was standing outside of the Jimmy at the time of the collision and was pronounced dead at the scene. She was transported to&nbsp;Brock's North Hill Chapel.

The crash pushed the Jimmy into a 2002 Dodge Ram.&nbsp; Maranda Payton-Louise Kuhl, 21, Sibley, Iowa, was standing outside of the Dodge. EMS transported her to Hays Medical Center and transported Cole to the hospital in Plainville.&nbsp; He was wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

ROOKS COUNTY —A Kansas teen died in an accident just after 9:30p.m. Wednesday in Rooks County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Chevy Silverado driven by Zebulun Thomas Cole, 20, Stockton, was westbound on Kansas 18 at 14 Road three miles west of Plainville.&nbsp; The pickup struck a 1997 GMC Jimmy that was disabled on the shoulder of the road.&nbsp; Carole Leanne&nbsp;Adamson, 16, Plainvile, was standing outside of the Jimmy at the time of the collision and was pronounced dead at the scene. She was transported to&nbsp;Brock's North Hill Chapel.The crash pushed the Jimmy into a 2002 Dodge Ram.&nbsp; Maranda Payton-Louise Kuhl, 21, Sibley, Iowa, was standing outside of the Dodge. EMS transported her to Hays Medical Center and transported Cole to the hospital in Plainville.&nbsp; He was wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas teen standing near disabled SUV killed in crash

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida judge rejected a proposed plea deal Tuesday for two men accused of running onto the field during the final quarter of Super Bowl LV in February.

Luis Cartaya, an attorney for Yuri Andrade and Douglas Schaffer, told a Hillsborough County circuit judge during a video conference hearing that they had reached a planned agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty to misdemeanor trespassing charges at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.

In exchange, the men would serve six months of probation, complete 25 community service hours, pay off court costs and write a letter of apology to the National Football League.

Judge Jack Gutman said that was unacceptable and rescheduled the case for next month.

“I am familiar with these cases, as is most of the world,” Gutman said. “I’m not prejudging the case. However, I look at the probable cause on every case. They can have a trial. But the way I view this situation — I saw the video — they exposed multiple individuals to injury that had to chase Mr. Andrade, that had to dive, that had to tackle him. It was a dangerous situation.”

With the world watching, Andrade scampered onto the field Feb. 7 in the fourth quarter of the championship game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs. Andrade was wearing shorts and a pink leotard or swimsuit. He was eventually tackled and removed from the stadium.

Andrade previously told the Times that he and Schaffer had studied stadium schematics, made maps of escape routes and scrutinized similar stunts that had failed, before attending the big game. He said Schaffer actually ran onto the field first, distracting security officers, before Andrade began his run.

Andrade said he and Schaffer planned the gag with another man, a social media personality who runs an adult website that was written on the front of Andrade’s pink outfit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612809471083.png" alt="Yuri Andrade photo Hillsborough Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Yuri Andrade photo Hillsborough Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida judge rejected a proposed plea deal Tuesday for two men accused of running onto the field during the final quarter of Super Bowl LV in February.Luis Cartaya, an attorney for Yuri Andrade and Douglas Schaffer, told a Hillsborough County circuit judge during a video conference hearing that they had reached a planned agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty to misdemeanor trespassing charges at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.In exchange, the men would serve six months of probation, complete 25 community service hours, pay off court costs and write a letter of apology to the National Football League.Judge Jack Gutman said that was unacceptable and rescheduled the case for next month.“I am familiar with these cases, as is most of the world,” Gutman said. “I’m not prejudging the case. However, I look at the probable cause on every case. They can have a trial. But the way I view this situation — I saw the video — they exposed multiple individuals to injury that had to chase Mr. Andrade, that had to dive, that had to tackle him. It was a dangerous situation.”With the world watching, Andrade scampered onto the field Feb. 7 in the fourth quarter of the championship game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs. Andrade was wearing shorts and a pink leotard or swimsuit. He was eventually tackled and removed from the stadium.Andrade previously told the Times that he and Schaffer had studied stadium schematics, made maps of escape routes and scrutinized similar stunts that had failed, before attending the big game. He said Schaffer actually ran onto the field first, distracting security officers, before Andrade began his run.Andrade said he and Schaffer planned the gag with another man, a social media personality who runs an adult website that was written on the front of Andrade’s pink outfit.The Buccaneers won the game 31-9.

Judge nixes plea deal for 2 in Super Bowl field run

NORTON –&nbsp; A Norton man has been convicted of rape and aggravated criminal sodomy following a jury trial, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Mark A. Scheetz, 32, Norton, was convicted in Norton County District Court on two counts of rape, two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of intimidation of a witness. Norton County District Court Judge Preston Pratt presided over the eight-day trial. Sentencing was set for May 25 at 1 p.m.

The crimes took place between 2012 and 2015 in Norton County. The victim in the crime was under the age of 14 at the time.

The case was investigated by the Norton Police Department, Norton County Sheriff’s Office, Sheridan County Sheriff's Office, Bonner Springs Police Department, Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

The case was prosecuted by Norton County Attorney Missi Schoen and Senior Assistant Attorney General Melissa Johnson and Assistant Attorney General Stephanie Plaschka of Schmidt’s office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619649349091.png" alt="Scheetz photo Norton County" />
 <figcaption>Scheetz photo Norton County</figcaption>
 </figure>NORTON –&nbsp; A Norton man has been convicted of rape and aggravated criminal sodomy following a jury trial, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.Mark A. Scheetz, 32, Norton, was convicted in Norton County District Court on two counts of rape, two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of intimidation of a witness. Norton County District Court Judge Preston Pratt presided over the eight-day trial. Sentencing was set for May 25 at 1 p.m.The crimes took place between 2012 and 2015 in Norton County. The victim in the crime was under the age of 14 at the time.The case was investigated by the Norton Police Department, Norton County Sheriff’s Office, Sheridan County Sheriff's Office, Bonner Springs Police Department, Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.The case was prosecuted by Norton County Attorney Missi Schoen and Senior Assistant Attorney General Melissa Johnson and Assistant Attorney General Stephanie Plaschka of Schmidt’s office.

 NW Kansas man convicted of rape, aggravated criminal sodomy

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/28/democrats-throw-zombies-spooky-bats-and-old-video-clips-at-gop-candidates-colyer-schmidt/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The words of 
Kansas Republican governor candidates Jeff Colyer and Derek Schmidt 
reappeared Wednesday as fodder in a campaign attack video featuring 
zombies, a screaming actress and a flurry of bats to shock voters with 
the thought of returning to a political era defined by former Gov. Sam 
Brownback.

The Democratic Governors 
Association stepped into Kansas politics on behalf of Gov. Laura Kelly 
with a 30-second “Brownback from the Dead” video anchored by Schmidt and
 Colyer repeatedly praising Brownback. It followed release of a pair of 
Kansas GOP videos blasting the work of Kelly during the COVID-19 
pandemic.

Schmidt, the state’s 
attorney general for the past decade, and Colyer, who took over as 
governor when Brownback resigned to join the Trump administration in 
2018, have launched campaigns for the Republican nomination with the 
goal of denying Kelly a second term in 2022. Colyer and Schmidt <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/24/kansas-republicans-throw-haymakers-at-democrat-kelly-prepare-for-2022-cycle/">made direct appeals for support</a> at the Kansas Republican Party’s annual convention last week in Manhattan.

“Jeff Colyer and Derek 
Schmidt may say nasty things about each other, but they both had nothing
 but praise for&nbsp;Sam&nbsp;Brownback as they teamed up to crash the state 
budget and cut public education,” said Sam Newton, a spokesman for the 
Democratic Governors Association. “That’s a harmful record Colyer and 
Schmidt won’t be able to run from because Kansas families know they 
can’t afford to get dragged back to the failed Brownback years.”

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA6-U-AZii4">In the DGA’s video drawing upon “Night of the Living Dead” for inspiration</a>,
 there were snippets of Colyer saying “Sam gets things done for Kansas” 
and “Sam knows how to make those wise, hard decisions.” Colyer also 
affirmed his partnership as lieutenant governor with Brownback by 
emphasizing “Sam is the CEO and I’m the COO.”

Schmidt’s contributions 
included bits of a 2014 campaign appearance on Brownback’s behalf. His 
two lines: “It’s a pleasure to be here in support of Governor Brownback”
 and “Brownback has attentively delivered time and again.”

During the current GOP 
campaign for governor, Colyer has appeared reluctant to speak at length 
about criticism of tax policy embraced by Brownback and Colyer. In 2012 
and 2013, Brownback signed a massive income tax-cut bill that eroded 
state revenue to the point the state sales tax had to be raised. Much of
 the Brownback tax program, or “experiment” as he called it, was 
repealed in 2017. During a recent campaign news conference, Colyer 
responded to a tax question by saying, “I’m not talking about past.”

The <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/19/colyer-takes-plunge-in-republican-race-for-governor-earns-backing-from-marshall/">Kansas Democratic Party has tried to make waves by suggesting Colyer and Schmidt</a>
 represented a return to Brownback, who suffered under the yoke of low 
polling numbers before accepting the position as Trump’s ambassador of 
international religious freedom.

Newton, of the Democratic 
Governors Association, said both Schmidt and Colyer should be held 
accountable for helping Brownback “crash the economy and harm public 
schools.” The Brownback governorship was an “economic failure” framed by
 a “disastrous tax experiment that devastated the state’s budget,” 
Newton said.

The state Republican Party
 and the Kansas House Republican Caucus previously released videos 
outlining criticism of Kelly’s two years as governor. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDjoEVxGn5c">Premise of the state party’s 30-second piece was that “Kansas is in crisis”</a>
 and the emergency was evident in Kelly’s handling of unemployment 
benefits for Kansans who lost jobs during the pandemic. The video 
concluded the Democratic governor failed to prevent loss of an estimated
 $700 million in fraudulent jobless claims.

“Kansas families are looking for answers,” the ad’s narrator said. “So, what is Laura Kelly doing about it?”

The video featured a 
news-conference clip of Kelly responding to a question about the Kansas 
Department of Labor’s struggle to process billions of dollars in 
unemployment claims. The controversy led to ouster of one labor 
secretary in 2020 and exposed the agency’s ill-equipped computer system.

The Legislature and Kelly have agreed to overhaul the 40-year-old IT system.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeE4u4ZgNjw">In a 60-second video sponsored by the Kansas House GOP’s political arm</a>,
 the state’s Democrats were blamed for overseeing a “legacy of fraud” at
 the labor department. It took a swipe at Kansas Democrats for 
“governing with incompetence.” That was followed by bouncy orchestral 
music and the assertion Republicans in Kansas would provide solutions to
 challenges at the labor department. In the meantime, the House GOP 
recommended: “Fix this. Now.”

Bob Beatty, a political science professor at Washburn University, maintains a <a href="https://www.washburn.edu/reference/cks/politics/ads.html">trove of Kansas political commercials and videos at the Topeka university’s Kansas Institute of Politics</a>. The publicly accessible ad collection includes political ads from 1968 to 2021.

He said it was 
increasingly common for political organizations to place attack ads on 
social media early in an election cycle because the cost was modest and 
it was useful in staying engaged with the base and with fundraising or 
voter registration efforts. It is too expensive to place the 30- and 
60-second assaults on commercial television at this point of campaigns, 
he said.

“Modern political campaigns don’t take time off anymore,” Beatty said.

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619646220709.png" alt="The Democratic Governors Association turned to scare tactics with a video designed to damage gubernatorial campaigns of Derek Schmidt and Jeff Colyer by linking them to former Gov. Sam Brownback. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Democratic Governors Association turned to scare tactics with a video designed to damage gubernatorial campaigns of Derek Schmidt and Jeff Colyer by linking them to former Gov. Sam Brownback. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/28/democrats-throw-zombies-spooky-bats-and-old-video-clips-at-gop-candidates-colyer-schmidt/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The words of 
Kansas Republican governor candidates Jeff Colyer and Derek Schmidt 
reappeared Wednesday as fodder in a campaign attack video featuring 
zombies, a screaming actress and a flurry of bats to shock voters with 
the thought of returning to a political era defined by former Gov. Sam 
Brownback.The Democratic Governors 
Association stepped into Kansas politics on behalf of Gov. Laura Kelly 
with a 30-second “Brownback from the Dead” video anchored by Schmidt and
 Colyer repeatedly praising Brownback. It followed release of a pair of 
Kansas GOP videos blasting the work of Kelly during the COVID-19 
pandemic.Schmidt, the state’s 
attorney general for the past decade, and Colyer, who took over as 
governor when Brownback resigned to join the Trump administration in 
2018, have launched campaigns for the Republican nomination with the 
goal of denying Kelly a second term in 2022. Colyer and Schmidt <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/24/kansas-republicans-throw-haymakers-at-democrat-kelly-prepare-for-2022-cycle/">made direct appeals for support</a> at the Kansas Republican Party’s annual convention last week in Manhattan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619646275532.png" alt="The Democratic Governors Association included old video of Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeff Colyer praising then-Gov. Sam Brownback in a new attack ad designed to undermine Colyer’s credibility. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Democratic Governors Association included old video of Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeff Colyer praising then-Gov. Sam Brownback in a new attack ad designed to undermine Colyer’s credibility. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“Jeff Colyer and Derek 
Schmidt may say nasty things about each other, but they both had nothing
 but praise for&nbsp;Sam&nbsp;Brownback as they teamed up to crash the state 
budget and cut public education,” said Sam Newton, a spokesman for the 
Democratic Governors Association. “That’s a harmful record Colyer and 
Schmidt won’t be able to run from because Kansas families know they 
can’t afford to get dragged back to the failed Brownback years.”<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA6-U-AZii4">In the DGA’s video drawing upon “Night of the Living Dead” for inspiration</a>,
 there were snippets of Colyer saying “Sam gets things done for Kansas” 
and “Sam knows how to make those wise, hard decisions.” Colyer also 
affirmed his partnership as lieutenant governor with Brownback by 
emphasizing “Sam is the CEO and I’m the COO.”Schmidt’s contributions 
included bits of a 2014 campaign appearance on Brownback’s behalf. His 
two lines: “It’s a pleasure to be here in support of Governor Brownback”
 and “Brownback has attentively delivered time and again.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619646305817.png" alt="The Democratic Governors Association dipped into video archives for GOP gubernatorial candidate Derek Schmidt’s endorsement of then-Gov. Sam Brownback in a bid to damage Schmidt’s bid for higher office in 2022. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Democratic Governors Association dipped into video archives for GOP gubernatorial candidate Derek Schmidt’s endorsement of then-Gov. Sam Brownback in a bid to damage Schmidt’s bid for higher office in 2022. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>During the current GOP 
campaign for governor, Colyer has appeared reluctant to speak at length 
about criticism of tax policy embraced by Brownback and Colyer. In 2012 
and 2013, Brownback signed a massive income tax-cut bill that eroded 
state revenue to the point the state sales tax had to be raised. Much of
 the Brownback tax program, or “experiment” as he called it, was 
repealed in 2017. During a recent campaign news conference, Colyer 
responded to a tax question by saying, “I’m not talking about past.”The <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/19/colyer-takes-plunge-in-republican-race-for-governor-earns-backing-from-marshall/">Kansas Democratic Party has tried to make waves by suggesting Colyer and Schmidt</a>
 represented a return to Brownback, who suffered under the yoke of low 
polling numbers before accepting the position as Trump’s ambassador of 
international religious freedom.Newton, of the Democratic 
Governors Association, said both Schmidt and Colyer should be held 
accountable for helping Brownback “crash the economy and harm public 
schools.” The Brownback governorship was an “economic failure” framed by
 a “disastrous tax experiment that devastated the state’s budget,” 
Newton said.The state Republican Party
 and the Kansas House Republican Caucus previously released videos 
outlining criticism of Kelly’s two years as governor. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDjoEVxGn5c">Premise of the state party’s 30-second piece was that “Kansas is in crisis”</a>
 and the emergency was evident in Kelly’s handling of unemployment 
benefits for Kansans who lost jobs during the pandemic. The video 
concluded the Democratic governor failed to prevent loss of an estimated
 $700 million in fraudulent jobless claims.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619646334844.png" alt="The Kansas Republican Party released a video denouncing work of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly in the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kansas GOP focused on the Department of Labor’s handling of unemployment claims. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas Republican Party released a video denouncing work of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly in the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kansas GOP focused on the Department of Labor’s handling of unemployment claims. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“Kansas families are looking for answers,” the ad’s narrator said. “So, what is Laura Kelly doing about it?”The video featured a 
news-conference clip of Kelly responding to a question about the Kansas 
Department of Labor’s struggle to process billions of dollars in 
unemployment claims. The controversy led to ouster of one labor 
secretary in 2020 and exposed the agency’s ill-equipped computer system.The Legislature and Kelly have agreed to overhaul the 40-year-old IT system.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeE4u4ZgNjw">In a 60-second video sponsored by the Kansas House GOP’s political arm</a>,
 the state’s Democrats were blamed for overseeing a “legacy of fraud” at
 the labor department. It took a swipe at Kansas Democrats for 
“governing with incompetence.” That was followed by bouncy orchestral 
music and the assertion Republicans in Kansas would provide solutions to
 challenges at the labor department. In the meantime, the House GOP 
recommended: “Fix this. Now.”Bob Beatty, a political science professor at Washburn University, maintains a <a href="https://www.washburn.edu/reference/cks/politics/ads.html">trove of Kansas political commercials and videos at the Topeka university’s Kansas Institute of Politics</a>. The publicly accessible ad collection includes political ads from 1968 to 2021.He said it was 
increasingly common for political organizations to place attack ads on 
social media early in an election cycle because the cost was modest and 
it was useful in staying engaged with the base and with fundraising or 
voter registration efforts. It is too expensive to place the 30- and 
60-second assaults on commercial television at this point of campaigns, 
he said.“Modern political campaigns don’t take time off anymore,” Beatty said.Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

Race for Kan. governor already getting nasty on the airwaves

MITCHELL COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating after human skeletal remains were located along the Mitchell and Cloud County line, according to a media release from the agency.

MITCHELL COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating after human skeletal remains were located along the Mitchell and Cloud County line, according to a media release from the agency.On Monday morning, April 26, just before noon, the KBI was asked by the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office and the Cloud County Sheriff’s Office to investigate after they located human skeletal remains near Highway 9 and County Road 757, east of Beloit, Kan. KBI agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded.The Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office and the Cloud County Sheriff’s Office began searching the area on Monday morning after a resident notified law enforcement at about 10:25 a.m. that they had found a human bone. Authorities made the discovery of the remains soon after.The KBI is working to determine what caused the person’s death. The remains have not yet been positively identified.