ATLANTA (AP) — Hank Aaron, who endured racist threats with stoic dignity during his pursuit of Babe Ruth but went on to break the career home run record in the pre-steroids era, died early Friday. He was 86

The Atlanta Braves said Aaron died peacefully in his sleep. No cause of death was given.

Aaron made his last public appearance less than two weeks ago when he received the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Hammerin’ Hank” set a wide array of career hitting records during a 23-year career spent mostly with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, including RBIs, extra-base hits and total bases.

But the Hall of Famer will be remembered for one swing above all others, the one that made him baseball’s home-run king.

It was a title he would hold for more than 33 years, a period in which the Hammer slowly but surely claimed his rightful place as one of America’s most iconic sporting figures, a true national treasure worthy of mention in the same breath with Ruth or Ali or Jordan.

ATLANTA (AP) — Hank Aaron, who endured racist threats with stoic dignity during his pursuit of Babe Ruth but went on to break the career home run record in the pre-steroids era, died early Friday. He was 86The Atlanta Braves said Aaron died peacefully in his sleep. No cause of death was given.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/4hOMsSGnRi">pic.twitter.com/4hOMsSGnRi</a>&mdash; Atlanta Braves (@Braves) <a href="https://twitter.com/Braves/status/1352650753920430083?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Aaron made his last public appearance less than two weeks ago when he received the COVID-19 vaccine.“Hammerin’ Hank” set a wide array of career hitting records during a 23-year career spent mostly with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, including RBIs, extra-base hits and total bases.But the Hall of Famer will be remembered for one swing above all others, the one that made him baseball’s home-run king.It was a title he would hold for more than 33 years, a period in which the Hammer slowly but surely claimed his rightful place as one of America’s most iconic sporting figures, a true national treasure worthy of mention in the same breath with Ruth or Ali or Jordan.

Baseball legend Hank Aaron has died 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republicans in the Kansas Senate on Thursday rejected Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s nomination of a public defender to the state’s second-highest court for the second time in eight months, despite support for him from the state’s top federal prosecutor and other attorneys.

The vote on Carl Folsom III’s nomination&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210121180102_539076/" target="_blank">was 18-17,</a>&nbsp;but he needed 21 votes in the 40-member Senate to join the Kansas Court of Appeals. It was a stinging defeat for Kelly, who said in nominating Folsom&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/04c8d0e853021ca78bccbb60f88b8403">a second time&nbsp;</a>after the Senate rejected him in June that she expected senators to reverse themselves and “do the right thing.”

But in considering Folsom for a different vacancy on the 14-member court, Republican senators repeated arguments they made when they first voted against him. Some suggested he would be an activist judge, while other said his legal experience as a public defender wasn’t broad enough.

“What has changed between seven months ago and today?”said Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Kellie Warren, a Leawood Republican who opposed Folsom’s nomination.

An array of lawyers, prosecutors, public defenders and others wrote supportive letters backing Folsom’s nomination. U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, wrote saying he was confident Folsom would not be driven by an agenda, nor would he be “political” as a judge.

Democrats said the broad support for Folsom showed that he’s well-qualified for the court. Sen. Jeff Pittman, a Leavenworth Democrat, noted that 75% of cases going to the appeals courts are criminal cases, yet the Court of Appeals doesn’t have a past, experienced public defender among its judges.

“He is fighting for the constitutional rights of people who often don’t have a lot of money to bring to the courts,” Pittman said.

Kelly said in statement that the vote shows that “legislative leaders are still putting partisan politics ahead of their constitutionally-mandated duties.”

The vote came the same day the Senate Judiciary Committee had a confirmation hearing and advanced Folsom’s nomination to the full Senate without a recommendation.

Folsom, an assistant federal public defender in Topeka, said during his confirmation hearing that his experience as a public defender would bring real value to an appeals court that is now filled with former civil litigators, former prosecutors and former district judges.

He also tried to quell Republicans’ concerns that he would be an activist judge by pledging that he would apply the law as written by the Legislature. He said a judge’s role is different than the one he now holds as a federal public defender.

“It is not the role of a judge to change the law that is in the statute or that is written in the Constitution,” Folsom said. “That power rests solely through the people of Kansas through their elected officials.”

Kelly nominated Folsom to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Steve Leben. Kansas law prohibits appointing a rejected nominee for the same vacancy again, but there is no such prohibition for a different vacancy on the same court.

Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/10615ba0313f4f0eacd31743e7eea4ac">previously nominated Folsom</a>&nbsp;to replace former appeals Judge G. Joseph Pierron Jr. When senators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3e640f3d1cdc2a336eae2b3c66b61337">rejected him in June,</a>&nbsp;some cited as the reason that Folsom once represented a man convicted of possession child pornography — an issue that didn’t come up in Senate debate Thursday.

Folsom received his law degree from the University of Kansas in 2005. He worked for the state office that defends poor defendants in appellate cases and then was an attorney in private practice before becoming a federal public defender. He worked in the federal system in Muskogee, Oklahoma, before arriving in Topeka.

Separately, the Senate&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210121180118_407491/" target="_blank">voted 37-0</a>&nbsp;to approve Kelly’s nomination of Wichita attorney Amy Cline to the Court of Appeal to fill the vacancy created by Pierron’s retirement.

She’s been practicing law since 2000, and her firm says&nbsp;<a href="http://www.twgfirm.com/amy-fellows-cline" target="_blank">on its website&nbsp;</a>that she has experience with “a wide variety” of business-related lawsuits, including representing oil and gas companies.

Senate Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop, a Wichita Republican, said the vote on Cline shows that the Senate will approve a nominee who is qualified.

“It shows the difference between the breadth and depth of experience,” Suellentrop said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611280712430.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly said in statement late Thursday that the vote shows that “legislative leaders are still putting partisan politics ahead of their constitutionally-mandated duties.”" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly said in statement late Thursday that the vote shows that “legislative leaders are still putting partisan politics ahead of their constitutionally-mandated duties.”</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republicans in the Kansas Senate on Thursday rejected Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s nomination of a public defender to the state’s second-highest court for the second time in eight months, despite support for him from the state’s top federal prosecutor and other attorneys.The vote on Carl Folsom III’s nomination&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210121180102_539076/" target="_blank">was 18-17,</a>&nbsp;but he needed 21 votes in the 40-member Senate to join the Kansas Court of Appeals. It was a stinging defeat for Kelly, who said in nominating Folsom&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/04c8d0e853021ca78bccbb60f88b8403">a second time&nbsp;</a>after the Senate rejected him in June that she expected senators to reverse themselves and “do the right thing.”But in considering Folsom for a different vacancy on the 14-member court, Republican senators repeated arguments they made when they first voted against him. Some suggested he would be an activist judge, while other said his legal experience as a public defender wasn’t broad enough.“What has changed between seven months ago and today?”said Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Kellie Warren, a Leawood Republican who opposed Folsom’s nomination.An array of lawyers, prosecutors, public defenders and others wrote supportive letters backing Folsom’s nomination. U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, wrote saying he was confident Folsom would not be driven by an agenda, nor would he be “political” as a judge.Democrats said the broad support for Folsom showed that he’s well-qualified for the court. Sen. Jeff Pittman, a Leavenworth Democrat, noted that 75% of cases going to the appeals courts are criminal cases, yet the Court of Appeals doesn’t have a past, experienced public defender among its judges.“He is fighting for the constitutional rights of people who often don’t have a lot of money to bring to the courts,” Pittman said.Kelly said in statement that the vote shows that “legislative leaders are still putting partisan politics ahead of their constitutionally-mandated duties.”“Kansans deserve better,” she said.The vote came the same day the Senate Judiciary Committee had a confirmation hearing and advanced Folsom’s nomination to the full Senate without a recommendation.Folsom, an assistant federal public defender in Topeka, said during his confirmation hearing that his experience as a public defender would bring real value to an appeals court that is now filled with former civil litigators, former prosecutors and former district judges.He also tried to quell Republicans’ concerns that he would be an activist judge by pledging that he would apply the law as written by the Legislature. He said a judge’s role is different than the one he now holds as a federal public defender.“It is not the role of a judge to change the law that is in the statute or that is written in the Constitution,” Folsom said. “That power rests solely through the people of Kansas through their elected officials.”Kelly nominated Folsom to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Steve Leben. Kansas law prohibits appointing a rejected nominee for the same vacancy again, but there is no such prohibition for a different vacancy on the same court.Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/10615ba0313f4f0eacd31743e7eea4ac">previously nominated Folsom</a>&nbsp;to replace former appeals Judge G. Joseph Pierron Jr. When senators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3e640f3d1cdc2a336eae2b3c66b61337">rejected him in June,</a>&nbsp;some cited as the reason that Folsom once represented a man convicted of possession child pornography — an issue that didn’t come up in Senate debate Thursday.Folsom received his law degree from the University of Kansas in 2005. He worked for the state office that defends poor defendants in appellate cases and then was an attorney in private practice before becoming a federal public defender. He worked in the federal system in Muskogee, Oklahoma, before arriving in Topeka.Separately, the Senate&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210121180118_407491/" target="_blank">voted 37-0</a>&nbsp;to approve Kelly’s nomination of Wichita attorney Amy Cline to the Court of Appeal to fill the vacancy created by Pierron’s retirement.She’s been practicing law since 2000, and her firm says&nbsp;<a href="http://www.twgfirm.com/amy-fellows-cline" target="_blank">on its website&nbsp;</a>that she has experience with “a wide variety” of business-related lawsuits, including representing oil and gas companies.Senate Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop, a Wichita Republican, said the vote on Cline shows that the Senate will approve a nominee who is qualified.“It shows the difference between the breadth and depth of experience,” Suellentrop said.___

Governor's appeals court nominee rejected again

GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) — A rare black rhinoceros has been born in captivity at the Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City. The zoo says in a news release that the male rhino was born Wednesday to 10-year-old Johari and her 7-year-old mate Jabari. 

The pair were moved from zoos in Cleveland and Atlanta in 2016 as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Eastern Black Rhinoceros Species Survival Plan. 

A news release from the zoo says mother and baby will be kept indoors for bonding and until weather conditions are appropriate for them to venture outside. Eastern black rhinos are native to eastern Africa and are listed as critically endangered.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611331337500.png" alt="This is the first black rhinoceros born at the zoo.&nbsp; Photo courtesy Lee Richardson Zoo" />
 <figcaption>This is the first black rhinoceros born at the zoo.&nbsp; Photo courtesy Lee Richardson Zoo</figcaption>
 </figure>GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) — A rare black rhinoceros has been born in captivity at the Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City. The zoo says in a news release that the male rhino was born Wednesday to 10-year-old Johari and her 7-year-old mate Jabari. The pair were moved from zoos in Cleveland and Atlanta in 2016 as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Eastern Black Rhinoceros Species Survival Plan. A news release from the zoo says mother and baby will be kept indoors for bonding and until weather conditions are appropriate for them to venture outside. Eastern black rhinos are native to eastern Africa and are listed as critically endangered.

Rare black rhinoceros born at Kansas  zoo

IRONTON, Mo. (AP) — One of three inmates who escaped from a Missouri jail last weekend has been captured in New Mexico, federal authorities said.

Tracy Brown, 57, and his girlfriend were arrested late Wednesday night at a gas station in Carrizozo, New Mexico. The other two escapees, Dwight Abernathie, 36, and Samuel Gillam, 35, remained at-large.

The three escaped from the Iron County jail on Jan. 15 or Jan. 16 by moving a block wall, climbing into an attic and escaping through an old office, officials said. Earlier in the week, Iron County Sheriff Jeff Burkett had said authorities believed the men were likely still in the area, but the U.S. Marshals Service said Brown told investigators after his arrest that the three had driven to Colorado together and split up in Denver.

Brown was jailed on burglary charges at the time of his escape, officials said. Abernathie was being held on assault and sodomy charges and Gillam on a kidnapping count.

A $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of Abernathie and Gillam.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611322685148.png" alt="Brown-photo Ironton Police" />
 <figcaption>Brown-photo Ironton Police</figcaption>
 </figure>IRONTON, Mo. (AP) — One of three inmates who escaped from a Missouri jail last weekend has been captured in New Mexico, federal authorities said.Tracy Brown, 57, and his girlfriend were arrested late Wednesday night at a gas station in Carrizozo, New Mexico. The other two escapees, Dwight Abernathie, 36, and Samuel Gillam, 35, remained at-large.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611322739365.png" alt="Abernathie photo Ironton PD" />
 <figcaption>Abernathie photo Ironton PD</figcaption>
 </figure>The three escaped from the Iron County jail on Jan. 15 or Jan. 16 by moving a block wall, climbing into an attic and escaping through an old office, officials said. Earlier in the week, Iron County Sheriff Jeff Burkett had said authorities believed the men were likely still in the area, but the U.S. Marshals Service said Brown told investigators after his arrest that the three had driven to Colorado together and split up in Denver.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611322804186.png" alt="Gillam-photo Ironton PD" />
 <figcaption>Gillam-photo Ironton PD</figcaption>
 </figure>Brown was jailed on burglary charges at the time of his escape, officials said. Abernathie was being held on assault and sodomy charges and Gillam on a kidnapping count.A $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of Abernathie and Gillam.

1 of 3 inmates who escaped Missouri jail captured in New Mexico

WASHINGTON (AP) — With a burst of executive orders, President Joe Biden served notice Thursday that America’s war on COVID-19 is under new command, promising an anxious nation progress to reduce infections and lift the siege it has endured for nearly a year.

At the same time, he tried to manage expectations in his second day in office, saying despite the best intentions “we’re going to face setbacks.” He brushed off a reporter’s question on whether his goal of 100 million coronavirus shots in 100 days should be more ambitious, a point pressed by some public health experts.

The 10 orders signed by Biden are aimed at jump starting his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemics-archive-coronavirus-pandemic-2cceeb30ccf92784a84cbfa16ed6c3ca">national COVID-19 strategy</a>&nbsp;to increase vaccinations and testing, lay the groundwork for reopening schools and businesses, and immediately increase the use of masks — including a requirement that Americans mask up for travel. One directive calls for addressing health care inequities in minority communities hard hit by the virus.

“We didn’t get into this mess overnight, and it will take months to turn this around,” Biden said at the White House. U.S. deaths have have surged past 400,000, and he noted projections that they could reach 500,000 in a month.

But then, looking directly into the TV camera, Biden declared: “To a nation waiting for action, let me be clear on this point: Help is on the way.”

The new president has vowed to take far&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/National-Strategy-for-the-COVID-19-Response-and-Pandemic-Preparedness.pdf" target="_blank">more aggressive measures</a>&nbsp;to contain the virus than his predecessor, starting with stringent adherence to public health guidance. A key difference is that under Biden, the federal government is assuming full responsibility for the COVID response. And instead of delegating major tasks to states, he is offering to help them with technical backup and federal money.

He faces steep obstacles, with the virus actively spreading in most states, slow progress on the vaccine rollout and political uncertainty over whether congressional Republicans will help him pass a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-coronavirus-action-plan-3d8d5841bb9098a81ad9452fb2619024">$1.9 trillion economic relief and COVID response package.</a>

On Thursday a group influential with Republican office holders lent its support to Biden’s strategy. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said, “We support the new administration’s focus on removing roadblocks to vaccinations and reopening schools, both of which are important steps to accelerating a broad-based economic recovery for all Americans.”

Biden officials have said they’ve been hampered by a lack of cooperation from the Trump administration during the transition. They say they don’t have a complete understanding of their predecessors’ actions on vaccine distribution. And they face a litany of complaints from states that say they are not getting enough vaccine even as they are being asked to vaccinate more categories of people.

The U.S. mask order for travel implemented by Biden applies to airports and planes, ships, intercity buses, trains and public transportation. Travelers from abroad must furnish a negative COVID-19 test before departing for the U.S. and must quarantine upon arrival. Biden has already mandated masks on federal property.

Although airlines, Amtrak and other transport providers now require masks, Biden’s order makes it a federal mandate, leaving little wiggle room for passengers tempted to argue about their rights. It marks a sharp break with the culture of President Donald Trump’s administration, under which masks were optional, and Trump made a point of going maskless and hosting big gatherings of like-minded supporters. Science has shown that masks, properly worn, cut down on coronavirus transmission.

Biden is seeking to expand testing and vaccine availability, with the goal of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a512629b3af12e89ab42097a81668960">100 million shots in his first 100 days in office</a>. But some independent experts say his administration should strive for two or three times that number. Even with the slow pace of vaccinations, the U.S. is already closing in on 1 million shots a day.

“It’s a disappointingly low bar,” said Dr. Leana Wen, a public health expert and emergency physician.

Asked about that at the White House on Thursday, Biden told a reporter: “When I announced it, you all said it’s not possible. Come on, give me a break, man.”

The Democratic president has directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency to begin setting up vaccination centers, aiming to have 100 up and running in a month. He’s ordering the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to begin a program to make vaccines available through local pharmacies starting next month, building on a plan devised by the Trump administration. And he’s launching an effort to train more people to administer shots.

Biden has set a goal of having most K-8 schools reopen in his first 100 days, and he’s ordering the departments of Education and Health and Human Services to provide clear guidance for reopening them safely. States would also be able to tap FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund to help get schools back open.

Getting schools and child care going will help ease the drag on the U.S. economy, making it easier for parents to return to their jobs and for restaurants to find lunch-time customers.

But administration officials stressed that reopening schools safely depends on increased testing.

Biden is giving government agencies a green light to use the Cold War-era&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/16bf293467703f6b4fceae5a7f272ab5">Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to direct manufacturing. It allows the government to direct private industry to produce supplies needed in times of national emergency. In this case it could be anything from swabs, to masks, to certain chemicals.

“We do not have nearly enough testing capacity in this country,” said White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients. “We need (more) money in order to really ramp up testing, which is so important to reopen schools and businesses.”

This means that efforts to boost the economy could hinge on how quickly lawmakers act on the $1.9 trillion package proposed by Biden, which includes separate planks such as $1,400 in direct payments to most working people, a $15 minimum wage and aid to state and local governments that some Republican lawmakers see as unnecessary for addressing the public health emergency.

The Biden plan estimates that a national vaccination strategy with expanded testing requires $160 billion, and he wants an additional $170 billion to aid the reopening of schools and universities. The proposal also calls for major investment in scientific research to track new variants of the virus.

As part of his strategy, Biden ordered establishment of a Health Equity Task Force to ensure that minority and underserved communities are not left out of the government’s response. Blacks, Latinos and Native Americans have borne a heavy burden of death and disease from the virus. Surveys have shown vaccine hesitancy is high among African Americans, a problem the administration plans to address through an education campaign.

But Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, the top White House health adviser on minority communities, said she’s not convinced that race is a factor in vaccination reluctance. Disparities seem to have more to do with risky jobs and other life circumstances.

“It’s not inherent to race,” she said. “It’s from the exposures.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611316225677.png" alt="President Biden discussed his COVID-19 plan Thursday -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden discussed his COVID-19 plan Thursday -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — With a burst of executive orders, President Joe Biden served notice Thursday that America’s war on COVID-19 is under new command, promising an anxious nation progress to reduce infections and lift the siege it has endured for nearly a year.At the same time, he tried to manage expectations in his second day in office, saying despite the best intentions “we’re going to face setbacks.” He brushed off a reporter’s question on whether his goal of 100 million coronavirus shots in 100 days should be more ambitious, a point pressed by some public health experts.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> issued a mask mandate on federal property, launching his “100 Day Masking Challenge” as part of our efforts to flatten the COVID-19 curve. <a href="https://t.co/NLGr6JHB0h">pic.twitter.com/NLGr6JHB0h</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1352086017822650368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The 10 orders signed by Biden are aimed at jump starting his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemics-archive-coronavirus-pandemic-2cceeb30ccf92784a84cbfa16ed6c3ca">national COVID-19 strategy</a>&nbsp;to increase vaccinations and testing, lay the groundwork for reopening schools and businesses, and immediately increase the use of masks — including a requirement that Americans mask up for travel. One directive calls for addressing health care inequities in minority communities hard hit by the virus.“We didn’t get into this mess overnight, and it will take months to turn this around,” Biden said at the White House. U.S. deaths have have surged past 400,000, and he noted projections that they could reach 500,000 in a month.But then, looking directly into the TV camera, Biden declared: “To a nation waiting for action, let me be clear on this point: Help is on the way.”The new president has vowed to take far&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/National-Strategy-for-the-COVID-19-Response-and-Pandemic-Preparedness.pdf" target="_blank">more aggressive measures</a>&nbsp;to contain the virus than his predecessor, starting with stringent adherence to public health guidance. A key difference is that under Biden, the federal government is assuming full responsibility for the COVID response. And instead of delegating major tasks to states, he is offering to help them with technical backup and federal money.He faces steep obstacles, with the virus actively spreading in most states, slow progress on the vaccine rollout and political uncertainty over whether congressional Republicans will help him pass a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-coronavirus-action-plan-3d8d5841bb9098a81ad9452fb2619024">$1.9 trillion economic relief and COVID response package.</a>On Thursday a group influential with Republican office holders lent its support to Biden’s strategy. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said, “We support the new administration’s focus on removing roadblocks to vaccinations and reopening schools, both of which are important steps to accelerating a broad-based economic recovery for all Americans.”Biden officials have said they’ve been hampered by a lack of cooperation from the Trump administration during the transition. They say they don’t have a complete understanding of their predecessors’ actions on vaccine distribution. And they face a litany of complaints from states that say they are not getting enough vaccine even as they are being asked to vaccinate more categories of people.The U.S. mask order for travel implemented by Biden applies to airports and planes, ships, intercity buses, trains and public transportation. Travelers from abroad must furnish a negative COVID-19 test before departing for the U.S. and must quarantine upon arrival. Biden has already mandated masks on federal property.Although airlines, Amtrak and other transport providers now require masks, Biden’s order makes it a federal mandate, leaving little wiggle room for passengers tempted to argue about their rights. It marks a sharp break with the culture of President Donald Trump’s administration, under which masks were optional, and Trump made a point of going maskless and hosting big gatherings of like-minded supporters. Science has shown that masks, properly worn, cut down on coronavirus transmission.Biden is seeking to expand testing and vaccine availability, with the goal of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a512629b3af12e89ab42097a81668960">100 million shots in his first 100 days in office</a>. But some independent experts say his administration should strive for two or three times that number. Even with the slow pace of vaccinations, the U.S. is already closing in on 1 million shots a day.“It’s a disappointingly low bar,” said Dr. Leana Wen, a public health expert and emergency physician.Asked about that at the White House on Thursday, Biden told a reporter: “When I announced it, you all said it’s not possible. Come on, give me a break, man.”The Democratic president has directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency to begin setting up vaccination centers, aiming to have 100 up and running in a month. He’s ordering the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to begin a program to make vaccines available through local pharmacies starting next month, building on a plan devised by the Trump administration. And he’s launching an effort to train more people to administer shots.Biden has set a goal of having most K-8 schools reopen in his first 100 days, and he’s ordering the departments of Education and Health and Human Services to provide clear guidance for reopening them safely. States would also be able to tap FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund to help get schools back open.Getting schools and child care going will help ease the drag on the U.S. economy, making it easier for parents to return to their jobs and for restaurants to find lunch-time customers.But administration officials stressed that reopening schools safely depends on increased testing.Biden is giving government agencies a green light to use the Cold War-era&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/16bf293467703f6b4fceae5a7f272ab5">Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to direct manufacturing. It allows the government to direct private industry to produce supplies needed in times of national emergency. In this case it could be anything from swabs, to masks, to certain chemicals.“We do not have nearly enough testing capacity in this country,” said White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients. “We need (more) money in order to really ramp up testing, which is so important to reopen schools and businesses.”This means that efforts to boost the economy could hinge on how quickly lawmakers act on the $1.9 trillion package proposed by Biden, which includes separate planks such as $1,400 in direct payments to most working people, a $15 minimum wage and aid to state and local governments that some Republican lawmakers see as unnecessary for addressing the public health emergency.The Biden plan estimates that a national vaccination strategy with expanded testing requires $160 billion, and he wants an additional $170 billion to aid the reopening of schools and universities. The proposal also calls for major investment in scientific research to track new variants of the virus.As part of his strategy, Biden ordered establishment of a Health Equity Task Force to ensure that minority and underserved communities are not left out of the government’s response. Blacks, Latinos and Native Americans have borne a heavy burden of death and disease from the virus. Surveys have shown vaccine hesitancy is high among African Americans, a problem the administration plans to address through an education campaign.But Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, the top White House health adviser on minority communities, said she’s not convinced that race is a factor in vaccination reluctance. Disparities seem to have more to do with risky jobs and other life circumstances.“It’s not inherent to race,” she said. “It’s from the exposures.”___

Biden’s mask order for travel includes airports, Amtrak and more

COWLEY COUNTY—Three-month old Isabella Consul-Pierce has been located is safe, according to Arkansas City Police.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, her name was entered into National Crime Information Center as an endangered-missing person. Police have released no additional details on where they found the baby or on her mother&nbsp;Melissa Ingram-Perdue.

COWLEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are asking the public for help to locate a woman and her infant.

On Wednesday, three-month-old Isabella Consul-Pierce was entered into National Crime Information Center as an endangered-missing person, according to a media release from Arkansas City, Kansas police.

She is believed to be in the custody of her mother 34-year-old Melissa Ingram-Perdue, who resides in Arkansas City with ties to the Lawrence, Kansas area. She is 5-foot-7 and weighs approximately 175 pounds.

Numerous efforts are underway to locate Isabella and the public's assistance is also being requested.  Melissa potentially is driving a dark grey 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee with Kansas license plate 602NMH.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Should you come into contact with the vehicle, victim or Mrs. Ingram-Perdue, please contact your local area law enforcement agency immediately.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611254457773.png" alt="Ingram-Perdue-photo Arkansas City PD" />
 <figcaption>Ingram-Perdue-photo Arkansas City PD</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY—Three-month old Isabella Consul-Pierce has been located is safe, according to Arkansas City Police.&nbsp;On Wednesday, her name was entered into National Crime Information Center as an endangered-missing person. Police have released no additional details on where they found the baby or on her mother&nbsp;Melissa Ingram-Perdue.-----COWLEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are asking the public for help to locate a woman and her infant.On Wednesday, three-month-old Isabella Consul-Pierce was entered into National Crime Information Center as an endangered-missing person, according to a media release from Arkansas City, Kansas police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611254548509.png" alt="IsabellaConsul-Pierce" />
 <figcaption>IsabellaConsul-Pierce</figcaption>
 </figure>She is believed to be in the custody of her mother 34-year-old Melissa Ingram-Perdue, who resides in Arkansas City with ties to the Lawrence, Kansas area. She is 5-foot-7 and weighs approximately 175 pounds.Numerous efforts are underway to locate Isabella and the public's assistance is also being requested. Melissa potentially is driving a dark grey 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee with Kansas license plate 602NMH.&nbsp;&nbsp;Should you come into contact with the vehicle, victim or Mrs. Ingram-Perdue, please contact your local area law enforcement agency immediately.

Police: Missing 3-month-old Kan. girl found safe

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on sex related charges.

On January 20, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a human trafficking operation in the City of Topeka. The goal of the operation was to identify and arrest individuals seeking to purchase sexual relations within Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Deputies arrested 57-year-old John R. Conley, 36-year-old Alexander Aguilar and 34-year-old Aaron R. Burge all of Topeka on requested charges of buying sexual relations and unlawful use of a communication facility. 

Aguilar was also arrested for a warrant through the City of Topeka. Burge was also charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and interference with law enforcement, according to Deputy Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611250982868.png" alt="Burge-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Burge-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on sex related charges.On January 20, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a human trafficking operation in the City of Topeka. The goal of the operation was to identify and arrest individuals seeking to purchase sexual relations within Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611250953774.png" alt="Aguilar-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Aguilar-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies arrested 57-year-old John R. Conley, 36-year-old Alexander Aguilar and 34-year-old Aaron R. Burge all of Topeka on requested charges of buying sexual relations and unlawful use of a communication facility. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611251047808.png" alt="Conley-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Conley-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Aguilar was also arrested for a warrant through the City of Topeka. Burge was also charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and interference with law enforcement, according to Deputy Christian.

Sheriff: 3 Kan. men jailed for purchasing sexual relations

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City area McDonald's restaurant owner who attended the Washington rally that spawned a deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol is apologizing after he wrote on social media that he was “glad" he didn't miss the “HISTORICAL DAY."

Jim Wagy said in a statement issued Wednesday that he was not part of the mob that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6 after a rally in which Republican Donald Trump repeated unsubstantiated claims that the presidential election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden was rigged, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article248644485.html">reports</a>.

“I apologize for, and sincerely regret, the comments I made. At the time of my posts, I did not understand the totality of the devastation caused by the terrible attack on the Capitol,” said Wagy, who owns and operates eight restaurants.

On Facebook, Wagy said he took a 21-hour bus ride to Washington “to peacefully protest election fraud.”

“It was a HISTORICAL DAY in our history! I’m glad that I didn’t miss it!!!” he wrote on his Facebook account, which has since been deleted. He also described it as an “EPIC adventure."

As a franchisee, Wagy is not an employee of McDonald’s, but the chain did denounce his rhetoric, describing it as “troubling and offensive."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611249784996.png" alt="Crowd a the Jan. 6 Trump rally in Washington- photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Crowd a the Jan. 6 Trump rally in Washington- photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City area McDonald's restaurant owner who attended the Washington rally that spawned a deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol is apologizing after he wrote on social media that he was “glad" he didn't miss the “HISTORICAL DAY."Jim Wagy said in a statement issued Wednesday that he was not part of the mob that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6 after a rally in which Republican Donald Trump repeated unsubstantiated claims that the presidential election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden was rigged, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article248644485.html">reports</a>.“I apologize for, and sincerely regret, the comments I made. At the time of my posts, I did not understand the totality of the devastation caused by the terrible attack on the Capitol,” said Wagy, who owns and operates eight restaurants.On Facebook, Wagy said he took a 21-hour bus ride to Washington “to peacefully protest election fraud.”“It was a HISTORICAL DAY in our history! I’m glad that I didn’t miss it!!!” he wrote on his Facebook account, which has since been deleted. He also described it as an “EPIC adventure."As a franchisee, Wagy is not an employee of McDonald’s, but the chain did denounce his rhetoric, describing it as “troubling and offensive."

KC restaurant owner who attended Trump rally apologizes 

TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly held a press conference&nbsp; Thursday to give an update regarding Kansas’s current phase within her administration’s COVID-19 vaccination framework, and other virus information for the state of Kansas. She reminded residents the state has a new vaccine information web site.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/">Click here </a>to access the web site.

The Republican-led House on Thursday approved a bill that would extend the state’s pandemic emergency declaration. The 119-3 vote sends the bill to Gov. Laura Kelly, who has until Jan. 26 to act before the declaration expires. It expands the use of telemedicine and adds flexibility in health care licensing through March 31. But it also limits Kelly’s ability to close businesses and allows counties to opt out of mask mandates and other health orders she issues.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 3590 to a total of 263,412, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 3575 an increase of 50

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

TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly held a press conference&nbsp; Thursday to give an update regarding Kansas’s current phase within her administration’s COVID-19 vaccination framework, and other virus information for the state of Kansas. She reminded residents the state has a new vaccine information web site.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/">Click here </a>to access the web site.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F3948694321829209%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The Republican-led House on Thursday approved a bill that would extend the state’s pandemic emergency declaration. The 119-3 vote sends the bill to Gov. Laura Kelly, who has until Jan. 26 to act before the declaration expires. It expands the use of telemedicine and adds flexibility in health care licensing through March 31. But it also limits Kelly’s ability to close businesses and allows counties to opt out of mask mandates and other health orders she issues.&nbsp;&nbsp;The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 3590 to a total of 263,412, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 3575 an increase of 50<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611166114849.png" alt="Wednesday Jan. 20, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Jan. 20, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

Gov. moves state into in Phase 2 of COVID-19 vaccination plan 

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/21/kcc-oil-and-gas-associations-push-bill-to-accelerate-plugging-abandoned-wells-in-kansas/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Legislation heard
 Wednesday would clarify legal responsibility and make it easier to fund
 plugging thousands of abandoned gas and oil wells across Kansas, 
advocates of the bill say.

Estimates indicate there 
are currently about 5,600 wells that require plugging and 10,000 wells 
plugged to date in the state. Last year, 349 were plugged, but there was
 only a net of 21 wells total plugged.

The proposed bill would 
combine two funds used to pay to plug the wells, making access to the 
money easier. It would also clarify who is legally responsible for 
plugging a well and authorize reimbursement in certain cases.

Dwight Keen, chairman of 
the Kansas Corporation Commission, which worked directly on the bill 
language, said the measure is a “win-win-win” for stakeholders.

“It’s a win for the 
environment, a win for the regulatory process and a win for the 
regulated oil and gas industry,” Kenn said. “Simply stated, it provides 
greater regulatory clarity, stability and certainty for the regulator, 
the regulated industry and for the public. In every respect, this bill 
advances the cause of good government.”

Representatives of the KCC
 and multiple oil and gas associations testified before the House 
Appropriations Committee, chaired by Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill,
 saying the bill would provide the sense of certainty they have been 
working for decades to accomplish. The single opponent of the bill 
expressed concern the legislation does not include the environmental 
imperative to ensure the wells are taken care of.

The legislation is nearly 
identical to a bill that passed through committee last year before the 
measure died when COVID-19 cut the session short.

Currently, Kansas has two 
pools it can pull funds from to manage the abandoned wells — one for 
wells drilled before 1996 and one for those drilled after. Waymaster 
said the post-1996 fund has barely been touched since its creation two 
decades ago.

Under the proposed law, 
the funds would be combined into one pool for all abandoned wells. Ryan 
Hoffman, director of KCC’s conservation division, said combined, the 
funds would total $6.73 million.

“We’ve already have almost
 $3 million in projects lined up for taking care of them,” Hoffman said,
 “so having access to that additional money is key.”

Hoffman said additional 
funding would be needed to fully address the issue, but that the KCC 
would take a phased approach to ensure the necessary money is available.

The bill would 
also clarify who KCC can assign responsibility to for plugging wells, 
which would accelerate the process and allow landowners to be reimbursed
 if they take the initiative to cap wells — as long as the landowner is 
not determined to be the party responsible for the wells.

While those who testified 
were largely supportive of the proposed changes to the law, Zack 
Pistora, a lobbyist for the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club, expressed
 concern with the removal of a clause that dictates that any well that 
has been abandoned or not plugged properly will be deemed likely to 
cause pollution of any useable water.

“That is the only 
statutory language in actual law that provides the imperative for the 
state to continue to plug abandoned wells because it is likely to cause 
pollution,” Pistora said.

Pistora said if that language were to be added back, the Sierra Club would be neutral or in favor of the bill.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611267031984.png" alt="Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, and members of the House Appropriations Committee heard testimony Wednesday on a bill advocates say would clarify years of work to address abandoned wells in Kansas. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, and members of the House Appropriations Committee heard testimony Wednesday on a bill advocates say would clarify years of work to address abandoned wells in Kansas. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/21/kcc-oil-and-gas-associations-push-bill-to-accelerate-plugging-abandoned-wells-in-kansas/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Legislation heard
 Wednesday would clarify legal responsibility and make it easier to fund
 plugging thousands of abandoned gas and oil wells across Kansas, 
advocates of the bill say.Estimates indicate there 
are currently about 5,600 wells that require plugging and 10,000 wells 
plugged to date in the state. Last year, 349 were plugged, but there was
 only a net of 21 wells total plugged.The proposed bill would 
combine two funds used to pay to plug the wells, making access to the 
money easier. It would also clarify who is legally responsible for 
plugging a well and authorize reimbursement in certain cases.Dwight Keen, chairman of 
the Kansas Corporation Commission, which worked directly on the bill 
language, said the measure is a “win-win-win” for stakeholders.“It’s a win for the 
environment, a win for the regulatory process and a win for the 
regulated oil and gas industry,” Kenn said. “Simply stated, it provides 
greater regulatory clarity, stability and certainty for the regulator, 
the regulated industry and for the public. In every respect, this bill 
advances the cause of good government.”Representatives of the KCC
 and multiple oil and gas associations testified before the House 
Appropriations Committee, chaired by Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill,
 saying the bill would provide the sense of certainty they have been 
working for decades to accomplish. The single opponent of the bill 
expressed concern the legislation does not include the environmental 
imperative to ensure the wells are taken care of.The legislation is nearly 
identical to a bill that passed through committee last year before the 
measure died when COVID-19 cut the session short.Currently, Kansas has two 
pools it can pull funds from to manage the abandoned wells — one for 
wells drilled before 1996 and one for those drilled after. Waymaster 
said the post-1996 fund has barely been touched since its creation two 
decades ago.Under the proposed law, 
the funds would be combined into one pool for all abandoned wells. Ryan 
Hoffman, director of KCC’s conservation division, said combined, the 
funds would total $6.73 million.“We’ve already have almost
 $3 million in projects lined up for taking care of them,” Hoffman said,
 “so having access to that additional money is key.”Hoffman said additional 
funding would be needed to fully address the issue, but that the KCC 
would take a phased approach to ensure the necessary money is available.The bill would 
also clarify who KCC can assign responsibility to for plugging wells, 
which would accelerate the process and allow landowners to be reimbursed
 if they take the initiative to cap wells — as long as the landowner is 
not determined to be the party responsible for the wells.While those who testified 
were largely supportive of the proposed changes to the law, Zack 
Pistora, a lobbyist for the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club, expressed
 concern with the removal of a clause that dictates that any well that 
has been abandoned or not plugged properly will be deemed likely to 
cause pollution of any useable water.“That is the only 
statutory language in actual law that provides the imperative for the 
state to continue to plug abandoned wells because it is likely to cause 
pollution,” Pistora said.Pistora said if that language were to be added back, the Sierra Club would be neutral or in favor of the bill.

Bill would accelerate plugging of abandoned gas, oil wells in Kan.

FORD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a body bound in a rail grain car in southwest Kansas released a statement Thursday afternoon.

According to Dodge City police, detectives investigated the death of the man found in Lions Park near 4th and Magnolia.

 A family member identified the subject as a 52-year-old Dodge City man. The cause of death has been determined to be alcohol poisoning and hypothermia.&nbsp;

DODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and local officials in southwestern Kansas are investigating after a body was found inside a rail grain car near Dodge City.

The body of a man was found in the grain car Wednesday morning in the unincorporated community of Wright, just northeast of Dodge City, television station KAKE&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kake.com/story/43206495/body-found-in-grain-car-in-southwestern-kansas" target="_blank">reported</a>. The KBI and Ford County Sheriff’s Office are working to identify the man.

Authorities said a preliminary investigation does not show any foul play in the case.

FORD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a body bound in a rail grain car in southwest Kansas released a statement Thursday afternoon.According to Dodge City police, detectives investigated the death of the man found in Lions Park near 4th and Magnolia. A family member identified the subject as a 52-year-old Dodge City man. The cause of death has been determined to be alcohol poisoning and hypothermia.&nbsp;Police released no additional details.-----------DODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and local officials in southwestern Kansas are investigating after a body was found inside a rail grain car near Dodge City.The body of a man was found in the grain car Wednesday morning in the unincorporated community of Wright, just northeast of Dodge City, television station KAKE&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kake.com/story/43206495/body-found-in-grain-car-in-southwestern-kansas" target="_blank">reported</a>. The KBI and Ford County Sheriff’s Office are working to identify the man.Authorities said a preliminary investigation does not show any foul play in the case.

Update: Body found in rail grain car in SW Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect&nbsp;following the recovery of a stolen vehicle.

Just after midnight Wednesday, a deputy with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office noticed a white Ford Crown Victoria parked at a business in the 2000 block of NW Tyler Street, according to Deputy Shayna Anderson.

The deputy recognized the vehicle as matching the description of a Crown Victoria reported stolen from Topeka. 

The deputy confirmed the vehicle was&nbsp;stolen and he placed the driver Michael-Don A. Vincent, 30, Topeka into custody.

He is being held on requested charges of felony possession of stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia as well as misdemeanor warrants out of Shawnee County. The Topeka Police Department assisted at the scene with the arrest, according to Anderson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611193974218.png" alt="Vincent photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Vincent photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect&nbsp;following the recovery of a stolen vehicle.Just after midnight Wednesday, a deputy with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office noticed a white Ford Crown Victoria parked at a business in the 2000 block of NW Tyler Street, according to Deputy Shayna Anderson.The deputy recognized the vehicle as matching the description of a Crown Victoria reported stolen from Topeka. The deputy confirmed the vehicle was&nbsp;stolen and he placed the driver Michael-Don A. Vincent, 30, Topeka into custody.He is being held on requested charges of felony possession of stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia as well as misdemeanor warrants out of Shawnee County. The Topeka Police Department assisted at the scene with the arrest, according to Anderson.

Kan. deputies recover stolen vehicle, make arrest

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Joe Biden revoked a recent Trump <a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">administration report </a>that aimed to promote “patriotic education” in schools but that historians mocked and rejected as political propaganda.

In an executive order signed on Wednesday in his first day in office, Biden disbanded&nbsp;Donald Trump’s <a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">presidential 1776 Commission&nbsp;</a>and withdrew a report it released Monday. Trump established the group in September to rally support from white voters and as a response to The New York Times’ “1619 Project,” which highlights the lasting consequences of slavery in America.

<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">In its report, </a>which Trump hoped would be used in classrooms across the nation, the commission glorifies the country’s founders, plays down America’s role in slavery, condemns the rise of progressive politics and argues that the civil rights movement ran afoul of the “lofty ideals” espoused by the Founding Fathers.

The panel, which included no professional historians of the United States, complained of “false and fashionable ideologies” that depict the country’s story as one of “oppression and victimhood.” Instead, it called for renewed efforts to foster “a brave and honest love for our country.”

Historians widely panned the report, saying it offers a false and outdated version of American history that ignores decades of research.

“It’s an insult to the whole enterprise of education. Education is supposed to help young people learn to think critically,” said David Blight, a Civil War historian at Yale University. “That report is a piece of right-wing propaganda.”

Trump officials heralded the report as “a definitive chronicle of the American founding,” but scholars say it disregards the most basic rules of scholarship. It offers no citations, for example, or a list of its source materials.

It also includes several passages copied directly from other writings by members of the panel, as one professor found after running the report through software that’s used to detect plagiarism.

Matthew Spalding, the panel’s executive director and a vice president at the conservative Hillsdale College, denied any wrongdoing, saying the panel’s members “contributed our own work and writing, under our own names, to the 1776 Report, which was an advisory report to the president.”

Spalding and other commission leaders did not immediately respond to other criticism leveled against the report.

In his order dissolving the panel, Biden said it “sought to erase America’s history of racial injustice.”

The American Historical Association condemned the document, saying it glorifies the founders while ignoring the histories and contributions of enslaved people, Indigenous communities and women. In a statement also signed by 13 other academic groups, the organization says the report seeks “government indoctrination of American students.”

The sharpest criticism of the report was directed at its presentation of slavery and race. The report attempts to undermine allegations of hypocrisy against Founding Fathers who owned slaves even as they espoused equality. It also attempts to soften America’s role in slavery and explain it as a product of the times.

“Many Americans labor under the illusion that slavery was somehow a uniquely American evil,” the panel wrote in the 20-page report. “The unfortunate fact is that the institution of slavery has been more the rule than the exception throughout human history.”

Blight, at Yale, compared it to “a sixth or seventh grade kind of approach to history — to make the children feel good.” He added: “But it’s worse than that, because it comes out of an agenda of political propaganda.”

The authors argue that the civil rights movement was distorted to advance programs promoting inequality and “group privilege.” It complains, for example, about affirmative action and other forms of “preferential treatment.”

Ibram X. Kendi, a scholar and historian of racism at Boston University, called the report “the last great lie from a Trump administration of great lies.”

“If we have commonly been given preferential treatment, then why do Black people remain on the lower and dying end of nearly every racial disparity?” Kendi said on Twitter. “Whenever they answer this question, they express racist ideas of Black inferiority while claiming they are ‘not racist.’”

Other scholars underscored what was left out. The report includes nothing of Native American history, and its only reference to Indigenous people is a racial slur quoted from the Declaration of Independence.

In one passage jeered by historians, the authors draw a comparison between the progressive movement in America and fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.

James Grossman, executive director of the American Historical Association, said the report is intended to discredit contemporary public policies rooted in America’s progressive reform movement. He worries that, even after Biden dissolved the commission, its report could end up in some classrooms.

“Historians need to be paying attention to curriculum conversations in localities and at the state level,” Grossman said. “The nonsense that’s in this report will be used to legitimate similar nonsense.”

In a public meeting of the commission this month, some members held out hope that Biden would keep the commission alive. But others said they needed to push the report to state and local education officials.

“It’s really going to be up to governors and state legislators and school board members and parents and higher education commissioners even students to take this charge and carry this work forward,” said Doug Hoelscher, a White House assistant under Trump.

The report ultimately demands a shift in teaching at schools and at U.S. universities, which the panel describes as “hotbeds of anti-Americanism.” It denounces any teaching that breeds contempt for American ideals, blaming that kind of “destructive scholarship” for the nation’s divisions and for “so much of the violence in our cities.”

“To restore our society,” the report says, “academics must return to their vocation of relentlessly pursuing the truth and engaging in honest scholarship that seeks to understand the world and America’s place in it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611233837065.png" alt="<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">Click here t</a>o read Donald Trump's 1776 Report" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">Click here t</a>o read Donald Trump's 1776 Report</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —President Joe Biden revoked a recent Trump <a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">administration report </a>that aimed to promote “patriotic education” in schools but that historians mocked and rejected as political propaganda.In an executive order signed on Wednesday in his first day in office, Biden disbanded&nbsp;Donald Trump’s <a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">presidential 1776 Commission&nbsp;</a>and withdrew a report it released Monday. Trump established the group in September to rally support from white voters and as a response to The New York Times’ “1619 Project,” which highlights the lasting consequences of slavery in America.<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission-Final-Report.pdf">In its report, </a>which Trump hoped would be used in classrooms across the nation, the commission glorifies the country’s founders, plays down America’s role in slavery, condemns the rise of progressive politics and argues that the civil rights movement ran afoul of the “lofty ideals” espoused by the Founding Fathers.The panel, which included no professional historians of the United States, complained of “false and fashionable ideologies” that depict the country’s story as one of “oppression and victimhood.” Instead, it called for renewed efforts to foster “a brave and honest love for our country.”Historians widely panned the report, saying it offers a false and outdated version of American history that ignores decades of research.“It’s an insult to the whole enterprise of education. Education is supposed to help young people learn to think critically,” said David Blight, a Civil War historian at Yale University. “That report is a piece of right-wing propaganda.”Trump officials heralded the report as “a definitive chronicle of the American founding,” but scholars say it disregards the most basic rules of scholarship. It offers no citations, for example, or a list of its source materials.It also includes several passages copied directly from other writings by members of the panel, as one professor found after running the report through software that’s used to detect plagiarism.Matthew Spalding, the panel’s executive director and a vice president at the conservative Hillsdale College, denied any wrongdoing, saying the panel’s members “contributed our own work and writing, under our own names, to the 1776 Report, which was an advisory report to the president.”Spalding and other commission leaders did not immediately respond to other criticism leveled against the report.In his order dissolving the panel, Biden said it “sought to erase America’s history of racial injustice.”The American Historical Association condemned the document, saying it glorifies the founders while ignoring the histories and contributions of enslaved people, Indigenous communities and women. In a statement also signed by 13 other academic groups, the organization says the report seeks “government indoctrination of American students.”The sharpest criticism of the report was directed at its presentation of slavery and race. The report attempts to undermine allegations of hypocrisy against Founding Fathers who owned slaves even as they espoused equality. It also attempts to soften America’s role in slavery and explain it as a product of the times.“Many Americans labor under the illusion that slavery was somehow a uniquely American evil,” the panel wrote in the 20-page report. “The unfortunate fact is that the institution of slavery has been more the rule than the exception throughout human history.”Blight, at Yale, compared it to “a sixth or seventh grade kind of approach to history — to make the children feel good.” He added: “But it’s worse than that, because it comes out of an agenda of political propaganda.”The authors argue that the civil rights movement was distorted to advance programs promoting inequality and “group privilege.” It complains, for example, about affirmative action and other forms of “preferential treatment.”Ibram X. Kendi, a scholar and historian of racism at Boston University, called the report “the last great lie from a Trump administration of great lies.”“If we have commonly been given preferential treatment, then why do Black people remain on the lower and dying end of nearly every racial disparity?” Kendi said on Twitter. “Whenever they answer this question, they express racist ideas of Black inferiority while claiming they are ‘not racist.’”Other scholars underscored what was left out. The report includes nothing of Native American history, and its only reference to Indigenous people is a racial slur quoted from the Declaration of Independence.In one passage jeered by historians, the authors draw a comparison between the progressive movement in America and fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.James Grossman, executive director of the American Historical Association, said the report is intended to discredit contemporary public policies rooted in America’s progressive reform movement. He worries that, even after Biden dissolved the commission, its report could end up in some classrooms.“Historians need to be paying attention to curriculum conversations in localities and at the state level,” Grossman said. “The nonsense that’s in this report will be used to legitimate similar nonsense.”In a public meeting of the commission this month, some members held out hope that Biden would keep the commission alive. But others said they needed to push the report to state and local education officials.“It’s really going to be up to governors and state legislators and school board members and parents and higher education commissioners even students to take this charge and carry this work forward,” said Doug Hoelscher, a White House assistant under Trump.The report ultimately demands a shift in teaching at schools and at U.S. universities, which the panel describes as “hotbeds of anti-Americanism.” It denounces any teaching that breeds contempt for American ideals, blaming that kind of “destructive scholarship” for the nation’s divisions and for “so much of the violence in our cities.”“To restore our society,” the report says, “academics must return to their vocation of relentlessly pursuing the truth and engaging in honest scholarship that seeks to understand the world and America’s place in it.”

Pres. Biden revokes report promoting 'patriotic education'

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on felony charges after a traffic stop.

Just before midnight January 19, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;conducted a traffic stop on a silver 2009 Dodge Charger near SW Montara Parkway and SW Towerview Lane, according to&nbsp; During the investigation, firearms and drugs were located inside the vehicle, according to Deputy Shayna Anderson.

Deputies arrested 25-year-old Melvin C. Avery, 28-year-old Terrance J. Wright and 23-year-old Jaquan D.J. Bridges-Alberty all of Topeka, and booked them into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

&nbsp;Avery is being held on requested charges of Criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, Multiple felony drug charges and Traffic violations

Wright is being held on requested charges of Criminal possession of a firearm by a felon and Multiple felony drug charges.

Bridges-Alberty is jailed on requested on Multiple felony drug charges. He also had a misdemeanor warrant out of the City of Topeka, according to Anderson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611194279124.png" alt="BRIDGES-ALBERTY" />
 <figcaption>BRIDGES-ALBERTY</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on felony charges after a traffic stop.Just before midnight January 19, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;conducted a traffic stop on a silver 2009 Dodge Charger near SW Montara Parkway and SW Towerview Lane, according to&nbsp; During the investigation, firearms and drugs were located inside the vehicle, according to Deputy Shayna Anderson.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611194181339.png" alt="Avery-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Avery-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies arrested 25-year-old Melvin C. Avery, 28-year-old Terrance J. Wright and 23-year-old Jaquan D.J. Bridges-Alberty all of Topeka, and booked them into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.&nbsp;Avery is being held on requested charges of Criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, Multiple felony drug charges and Traffic violationsWright is being held on requested charges of Criminal possession of a firearm by a felon and Multiple felony drug charges.Bridges-Alberty is jailed on requested on Multiple felony drug charges. He also had a misdemeanor warrant out of the City of Topeka, according to Anderson.

Sheriff: 3 jailed on felony charges after Kan. traffic stop

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — A North Platte man is being held in the Lincoln County Detention Center, accused of robbing a local business.

According
 to North Platte police, on Jan. 18, at 11:20 p.m., officers 
responded to a business in the 1600 block of East Fourth for a robbery that had just occurred. 

Police say upon arrival, officers made contact 
with an employee who stated the suspect had departed on foot prior to 
officers arrival. 

According to police, the employee stated that 
the male suspect had entered the business and approached the front 
counter.  The male suspect then demanded money from the employee and 
made movements that led the employee to believe the suspect had a 
weapon. 

Police say the employee reached under the counter and 
then sprayed the suspect with bear mace, which encouraged the suspect to
 leave the store empty handed. 

 Officers were able to obtain security footage of the incident and identified the suspect as 34-year-old Steven Gastineau. 

Police
 say after further investigation, officers were able to develop probable
 cause, and contact was made with Gastineau on January 20.  

Gastineau
 was placed under arrest at that time and a subsequent search of 
Gastineau's person was conducted where officers located suspected 
methamphetamine. 

 Gastineau was incarcerated at the Lincoln County Detention Center on suspicion of robbery and possession of methamphetamine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611247115968.jpeg" alt="Gastineau-photo Lincoln County" />
 <figcaption>Gastineau-photo Lincoln County</figcaption>
 </figure>NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — A North Platte man is being held in the Lincoln County Detention Center, accused of robbing a local business.According
 to North Platte police, on Jan. 18, at 11:20 p.m., officers 
responded to a business in the 1600 block of East Fourth for a robbery that had just occurred. Police say upon arrival, officers made contact 
with an employee who stated the suspect had departed on foot prior to 
officers arrival. According to police, the employee stated that 
the male suspect had entered the business and approached the front 
counter. The male suspect then demanded money from the employee and 
made movements that led the employee to believe the suspect had a 
weapon. Police say the employee reached under the counter and 
then sprayed the suspect with bear mace, which encouraged the suspect to
 leave the store empty handed. Officers were able to obtain security footage of the incident and identified the suspect as 34-year-old Steven Gastineau. Police
 say after further investigation, officers were able to develop probable
 cause, and contact was made with Gastineau on January 20. Gastineau
 was placed under arrest at that time and a subsequent search of 
Gastineau's person was conducted where officers located suspected 
methamphetamine. Gastineau was incarcerated at the Lincoln County Detention Center on suspicion of robbery and possession of methamphetamine.Police did not identify the business.

Employee at Neb. business uses bear mace to thwart robbery

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The co-owner of a one-time Kansas City payday lending company has pleaded guilty to a bankruptcy fraud count related to his 2015 personal bankruptcy, in which prosecutors say he hid more than $1 million in assets.

Del Kimball, 53, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court and faces up to five years in prison when he’s sentenced on June 2. Kimball will remain free on bond until his sentencing.

Prosecutors said Kimball and the payday loan company he co-owned, LTS Management, were forced into bankruptcy by creditors who said they were owed millions. Two years later, a bankruptcy trustee accused Kimball of concealing assets, bank accounts and income from his bankruptcy disclosures. Those included the sale of a warehouse for nearly $1 million, the sale of three cars for more than $120,000, eight wristwatches worth more than $29,000 and a painting by Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood.

Kimball was charged with failing to disclose the transfer of money to a relative and the existence of a company he owned that was formed to conceal income from creditors.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The co-owner of a one-time Kansas City payday lending company has pleaded guilty to a bankruptcy fraud count related to his 2015 personal bankruptcy, in which prosecutors say he hid more than $1 million in assets.Del Kimball, 53, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court and faces up to five years in prison when he’s sentenced on June 2. Kimball will remain free on bond until his sentencing.Prosecutors said Kimball and the payday loan company he co-owned, LTS Management, were forced into bankruptcy by creditors who said they were owed millions. Two years later, a bankruptcy trustee accused Kimball of concealing assets, bank accounts and income from his bankruptcy disclosures. Those included the sale of a warehouse for nearly $1 million, the sale of three cars for more than $120,000, eight wristwatches worth more than $29,000 and a painting by Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood.Kimball was charged with failing to disclose the transfer of money to a relative and the existence of a company he owned that was formed to conceal income from creditors.

KC payday lender pleads guilty to bankruptcy fraud

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden moved swiftly to dismantle Donald Trump’s legacy on his first day in office, signing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemics-climate-climate-change-health-b5b409da08e42414b9a12e2c67ee2df6">a series of executive actions</a>&nbsp;that reverse course on immigration, climate change, racial equity and the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

The new president signed the orders just hours after taking the oath of office at the Capitol, pivoting quickly from his pared-down inauguration ceremony to enacting his agenda. With the stroke of a pen, Biden ordered a halt to the construction of Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall, ended the ban on travel from some Muslim-majority countries, declared his intent to rejoin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0cafd1e56b124f5b9cf17ace7031d6d0">the Paris Climate Accord</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9dc4077f95d183649ca24a32a18abf01">the World Health Organization</a>&nbsp;and revoked the approval of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/keystone-pipeline">the Keystone XL oil pipeline</a>, aides said.

The 15 executive actions, and two directives, amount to an attempt to rewind the last four years of federal policies with striking speed. Only two recent presidents signed executive actions on their first day in office — and each signed just one. But Biden, facing the debilitating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">coronavirus pandemic, a damaged economy and a riven electorate</a>, is intent on demonstrating a sense of urgency and competence that he argues has been missing under his Republican predecessor.

“There’s no time to start like today,” Biden said in his first comments to reporters as president.

Biden wore a mask as he signed the orders in the Oval Office — a marked departure from Trump, who rarely wore a face covering in public and never during events in the Oval Office. But virus precautions are now required in the building. Among the executive actions signed Wednesday was one requiring masks and physical distancing on federal property and by federal employees. Biden’s order also extended the federal eviction freeze to aid those struggling from the pandemic economic fallout, created a new federal office to coordinate a national response to the virus and restored the White House’s National Security Council directorate for global health security and defense, an office his predecessor had closed.

The actions reflected the new president’s top policy priority — getting a handle on a debilitating pandemic. In his inaugural address, Biden paused for what he called his first act as president — a moment of a silent prayer for the victims of the nation’s worst public health crisis in more than a century.

He declared that he would “press forward with speed and urgency” in coming weeks. “For we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibilities — much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build and much to gain,” he said in the speech.

But Biden’s blitz of executive actions went beyond the pandemic. He targeted Trump’s environmental record, calling for a review of all regulations and executive actions that are deemed damaging to the environment or public health, aides said Tuesday as they previewed the moves.

Another order instructs federal agencies to prioritize racial equity and review policies that reinforce systemic racism. Biden revoked two Trump orders related to the 2020 census. The first attempted to discern the citizenship status of every U.S. resident, and the second sought to exclude people in the U.S. illegally from the numbers used for apportioning congressional seats among the states.”

He also ordered federal employees to take an ethics pledge that commits them to upholding the independence of the Justice Department.

The president also revoked the just-issued report of Trump’s “1776 Commission” that promotes “patriotic education.”

Those moves and others will be followed by dozens more in the next 10 days, the president’s aides said, as Biden looks to redirect the country without having to go through a Senate that Democrats control by the narrowest margin and will soon turn to the impeachment trial of Trump, who is charged by the House with inciting the insurrection at the Capitol.

Republicans signaled that Biden will face fierce opposition on some parts of his agenda.

One of his orders seeks to fortify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA, a signature effort of the Obama administration that provided hundreds of thousands of young immigrants protection from deportation and a pathway to citizenship. That’s part of a broader immigration plan Biden sent to Congress on Wednesday that would provide an eight-year path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. without legal status.

The plan would lead to “a permanent cycle of illegal immigration and amnesty that would hurt hard-working Americans and the millions of legal immigrants working their way through the legal immigration process,” said Chris Hartline, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Even that familiar criticism seemed a return to the normalcy Biden has promised after years of disruptive and overheated politics. Hewing to tradition, Biden started his day by attending church with both Democratic and Republican leaders of Congress. His press secretary, Jen Psaki, held a briefing for reporters, a practice the Trump White House had all but abandoned in the final two months of the presidency. Psaki said she intended to restore regular briefings as part of the White House’s commitment to transparency.

“I have deep respect for the role of a free and independent press in our democracy and for the role all of you play,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611228674924.png" alt="President Joe Biden wore a mask as he signed the orders in the Oval Office Wednesday -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden wore a mask as he signed the orders in the Oval Office Wednesday -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden moved swiftly to dismantle Donald Trump’s legacy on his first day in office, signing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemics-climate-climate-change-health-b5b409da08e42414b9a12e2c67ee2df6">a series of executive actions</a>&nbsp;that reverse course on immigration, climate change, racial equity and the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.The new president signed the orders just hours after taking the oath of office at the Capitol, pivoting quickly from his pared-down inauguration ceremony to enacting his agenda. With the stroke of a pen, Biden ordered a halt to the construction of Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall, ended the ban on travel from some Muslim-majority countries, declared his intent to rejoin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0cafd1e56b124f5b9cf17ace7031d6d0">the Paris Climate Accord</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9dc4077f95d183649ca24a32a18abf01">the World Health Organization</a>&nbsp;and revoked the approval of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/keystone-pipeline">the Keystone XL oil pipeline</a>, aides said.The 15 executive actions, and two directives, amount to an attempt to rewind the last four years of federal policies with striking speed. Only two recent presidents signed executive actions on their first day in office — and each signed just one. But Biden, facing the debilitating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">coronavirus pandemic, a damaged economy and a riven electorate</a>, is intent on demonstrating a sense of urgency and competence that he argues has been missing under his Republican predecessor.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> issued a mask mandate on federal property, launching his “100 Day Masking Challenge” as part of our efforts to flatten the COVID-19 curve. <a href="https://t.co/NLGr6JHB0h">pic.twitter.com/NLGr6JHB0h</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1352086017822650368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“There’s no time to start like today,” Biden said in his first comments to reporters as president.Biden wore a mask as he signed the orders in the Oval Office — a marked departure from Trump, who rarely wore a face covering in public and never during events in the Oval Office. But virus precautions are now required in the building. Among the executive actions signed Wednesday was one requiring masks and physical distancing on federal property and by federal employees. Biden’s order also extended the federal eviction freeze to aid those struggling from the pandemic economic fallout, created a new federal office to coordinate a national response to the virus and restored the White House’s National Security Council directorate for global health security and defense, an office his predecessor had closed.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, President Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. <a href="https://t.co/V4fVV2i2jZ">pic.twitter.com/V4fVV2i2jZ</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1352076100764127237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The actions reflected the new president’s top policy priority — getting a handle on a debilitating pandemic. In his inaugural address, Biden paused for what he called his first act as president — a moment of a silent prayer for the victims of the nation’s worst public health crisis in more than a century.He declared that he would “press forward with speed and urgency” in coming weeks. “For we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibilities — much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build and much to gain,” he said in the speech.But Biden’s blitz of executive actions went beyond the pandemic. He targeted Trump’s environmental record, calling for a review of all regulations and executive actions that are deemed damaging to the environment or public health, aides said Tuesday as they previewed the moves.Another order instructs federal agencies to prioritize racial equity and review policies that reinforce systemic racism. Biden revoked two Trump orders related to the 2020 census. The first attempted to discern the citizenship status of every U.S. resident, and the second sought to exclude people in the U.S. illegally from the numbers used for apportioning congressional seats among the states.”He also ordered federal employees to take an ethics pledge that commits them to upholding the independence of the Justice Department.The president also revoked the just-issued report of Trump’s “1776 Commission” that promotes “patriotic education.”Those moves and others will be followed by dozens more in the next 10 days, the president’s aides said, as Biden looks to redirect the country without having to go through a Senate that Democrats control by the narrowest margin and will soon turn to the impeachment trial of Trump, who is charged by the House with inciting the insurrection at the Capitol.Republicans signaled that Biden will face fierce opposition on some parts of his agenda.One of his orders seeks to fortify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA, a signature effort of the Obama administration that provided hundreds of thousands of young immigrants protection from deportation and a pathway to citizenship. That’s part of a broader immigration plan Biden sent to Congress on Wednesday that would provide an eight-year path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. without legal status.The plan would lead to “a permanent cycle of illegal immigration and amnesty that would hurt hard-working Americans and the millions of legal immigrants working their way through the legal immigration process,” said Chris Hartline, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.Even that familiar criticism seemed a return to the normalcy Biden has promised after years of disruptive and overheated politics. Hewing to tradition, Biden started his day by attending church with both Democratic and Republican leaders of Congress. His press secretary, Jen Psaki, held a briefing for reporters, a practice the Trump White House had all but abandoned in the final two months of the presidency. Psaki said she intended to restore regular briefings as part of the White House’s commitment to transparency.“I have deep respect for the role of a free and independent press in our democracy and for the role all of you play,” she said.Biden took other steps to try to signal his priorities and set the tone in his White House. As he swore in dozens of political appointees in a virtual ceremony, he declared he expected “honesty and decency” from all that worked for his administration and would fire anyone who shows disrespect to others “on the spot.”“Everyone is entitled to human decency and dignity,” Biden said. “That’s been missing in a big way for the last four years.”