PAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in a December shooting&nbsp;appeared via Zoom before Pawnee County District Judge Gatterman Wednesday morning for arraignment, according to County Attorney Doug McNett.

Thomas R. Jones, III, aka Tre Jones, 22 of Larned, plead guilty to two counts of intentional aggravated battery with a firearm resulting in great bodily harm.

On Dec. 11, Pawnee County Communications received a 911 call after a man was shot at a house at&nbsp;701 Elm in&nbsp;Burdett. Deputies from the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office and EMS from both Burdett and Larned responded to the scene.

Before deputies arrived, dispatch was advised through another emergency call, that a second male shooting victim was identified at a house a block away from the first call.&nbsp;

Investigators believe both victims were together when they were shot outside the house at 701 Elm. The second man was able to run to a house northwest of the area to get help.

The first victim was a 51-year-old man from Burdett, who was treated for several gunshot wounds and was transported by EMS to a Wichita hospital.&nbsp;

The second victim, a 30-year-old man from Burdett, was taken to Pawnee Valley Community Hospital Larned.&nbsp;

Both victims made full recoveries. Since a firearm was used, the crimes carry a presumptive prison sentence, according to McNett.

In support of the plea, Pawnee County Attorney Douglas McNett advised the Court the evidence would show that during the earlier morning hours of Dec. 11, Jones, along with Tristian Scott, 18, and two juveniles, travelled to Burdett with the intention of robbing an individual the group perceived had wronged them. Once they encountered the intended victim, Jones without warning opened fire with a shotgun striking both the intended target and another individual outside the residence.

The four suspects were arrested on Dec. 23 by Kansas Bureau of Investigation agents without incident.

The Pawnee County Judge accepted the plea and found Jones guilty of the two charges. As part of the plea agreement, the defendant agreed to waive his right to appeal the convictions and will be subject to registration as a violent offender.

Jones was originally charged with two counts of attempted second-degree murder, attempted aggravated robbery, conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery, two felony counts of contributing to a child’s misconduct by encouraging the committing of a felony, two counts of felony aggravated endangering a child and felony interference with law enforcement or concealing of evidence.

Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Jones remains in the custody of the Pawnee County Sheriff.

The two juveniles have already entered pleas for their involvement. Tristan Scott’s case is scheduled for preliminary hearing on May 26.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608771834329.png" alt="Thomas Jones photo Pawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Thomas Jones photo Pawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in a December shooting&nbsp;appeared via Zoom before Pawnee County District Judge Gatterman Wednesday morning for arraignment, according to County Attorney Doug McNett.Thomas R. Jones, III, aka Tre Jones, 22 of Larned, plead guilty to two counts of intentional aggravated battery with a firearm resulting in great bodily harm.On Dec. 11, Pawnee County Communications received a 911 call after a man was shot at a house at&nbsp;701 Elm in&nbsp;Burdett. Deputies from the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office and EMS from both Burdett and Larned responded to the scene.Before deputies arrived, dispatch was advised through another emergency call, that a second male shooting victim was identified at a house a block away from the first call.&nbsp;Investigators believe both victims were together when they were shot outside the house at 701 Elm. The second man was able to run to a house northwest of the area to get help.The first victim was a 51-year-old man from Burdett, who was treated for several gunshot wounds and was transported by EMS to a Wichita hospital.&nbsp;The second victim, a 30-year-old man from Burdett, was taken to Pawnee Valley Community Hospital Larned.&nbsp;Both victims made full recoveries. Since a firearm was used, the crimes carry a presumptive prison sentence, according to McNett.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608771797890.png" alt="Tristin Scott photo Pawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Tristin Scott photo Pawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>In support of the plea, Pawnee County Attorney Douglas McNett advised the Court the evidence would show that during the earlier morning hours of Dec. 11, Jones, along with Tristian Scott, 18, and two juveniles, travelled to Burdett with the intention of robbing an individual the group perceived had wronged them. Once they encountered the intended victim, Jones without warning opened fire with a shotgun striking both the intended target and another individual outside the residence.The four suspects were arrested on Dec. 23 by Kansas Bureau of Investigation agents without incident.The Pawnee County Judge accepted the plea and found Jones guilty of the two charges. As part of the plea agreement, the defendant agreed to waive his right to appeal the convictions and will be subject to registration as a violent offender.Jones was originally charged with two counts of attempted second-degree murder, attempted aggravated robbery, conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery, two felony counts of contributing to a child’s misconduct by encouraging the committing of a felony, two counts of felony aggravated endangering a child and felony interference with law enforcement or concealing of evidence.Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Jones remains in the custody of the Pawnee County Sheriff.The two juveniles have already entered pleas for their involvement. Tristan Scott’s case is scheduled for preliminary hearing on May 26.

SW Kan. man enters plea deal for robbery, shooting

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly Wednesday announced that, due to increasing evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective for young people, the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine will now be available to those ages 12+ in Kansas.

“Health experts’ thorough, deliberate review process demonstrates that safety continues to be the number one priority in vaccine approval – and my administration is confident that opening the vaccine to young Kansans is the right move,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said. “I encourage all eligible Kansans to roll up their sleeves and do their part to ensure we can continue getting back to work, back to school, and back to normal.”

Today’s announcement&nbsp; follows the Monday expansion of the emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration and today’s vote of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and approval by the CDC Director.

“This is an incredible step forward in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,”&nbsp;Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said.&nbsp;“We are now able to protect our younger populations against this deadly disease.”

Kansas providers should now begin opening their vaccine supply to ages 12+. Those under 18 do need written parental consent for vaccination.&nbsp;

To find a vaccine provider near you, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.Up5uPD7WWNdBn5TRZLOg92V8Szco9v-Loj0f8DgQd8U/s/1303160919/br/106292647368-l" target="_blank">www.Vaccines.gov</a>&nbsp;or text your zip code to 438829 (GETVAX) or in Spanish, text your zip code to 822862 (VACUNA).

The original EUA was issued on December 11, 2020 by the FDA for administration in individuals ages 16 and older.

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly Wednesday announced that, due to increasing evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective for young people, the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine will now be available to those ages 12+ in Kansas.“Health experts’ thorough, deliberate review process demonstrates that safety continues to be the number one priority in vaccine approval – and my administration is confident that opening the vaccine to young Kansans is the right move,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said. “I encourage all eligible Kansans to roll up their sleeves and do their part to ensure we can continue getting back to work, back to school, and back to normal.”Today’s announcement&nbsp; follows the Monday expansion of the emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration and today’s vote of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and approval by the CDC Director.“This is an incredible step forward in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,”&nbsp;Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said.&nbsp;“We are now able to protect our younger populations against this deadly disease.”Kansas providers should now begin opening their vaccine supply to ages 12+. Those under 18 do need written parental consent for vaccination.&nbsp;To find a vaccine provider near you, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.Up5uPD7WWNdBn5TRZLOg92V8Szco9v-Loj0f8DgQd8U/s/1303160919/br/106292647368-l" target="_blank">www.Vaccines.gov</a>&nbsp;or text your zip code to 438829 (GETVAX) or in Spanish, text your zip code to 822862 (VACUNA).The original EUA was issued on December 11, 2020 by the FDA for administration in individuals ages 16 and older.

Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine now available to ages 12+ in Kansas

TOPEKA&nbsp;–Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF) resident Addison L. Payne died Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at the facility, according to a media release from the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

 The cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy. Preliminary assessment indicates the death was not related to COVID-19.

Per protocol, when a resident dies in the custody of the KDOC, the death is under investigation by KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Payne was serving a life sentence for robbery, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sodomy and rape. He had been imprisoned with KDOC since April 1993.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620848587769.png" alt="Payne was serving a life sentence for rape, robbery and other crimes from the 1990s, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Payne was serving a life sentence for rape, robbery and other crimes from the 1990s, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;–Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF) resident Addison L. Payne died Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at the facility, according to a media release from the Kansas Dept. of Corrections. The cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy. Preliminary assessment indicates the death was not related to COVID-19.Per protocol, when a resident dies in the custody of the KDOC, the death is under investigation by KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.Payne was serving a life sentence for robbery, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sodomy and rape. He had been imprisoned with KDOC since April 1993.

Kan. imate serving time for rape, kidnapping dies in prison

TOPEKA —Missouri Governor Mike Parson on Tuesday announced the state is cutting off all federal pandemic unemployment benefits in an attempt to push people back to work.

Governor Laura Kelly's spokesperson on Wednesday confirmed that won't happen in Kansas.

“At this time, Governor Kelly does not intend to end the federal unemployment benefit programs early. While the Governor will monitor this situation closely over the coming months, her primary focus remains on continuing her administration’s record-setting efforts recruiting new businesses and jobs to Kansas. She strongly encourages Kansans who are seeking employment, to visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.3ZbLoLmLI5iyG5bstj7sSXS0h_GHK94iJCNkot88Cxk/s/1303160919/br/106258188808-l" target="_blank">www.kansasworks.com</a>&nbsp;for job placement resources and assistance.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610733397386.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —Missouri Governor Mike Parson on Tuesday announced the state is cutting off all federal pandemic unemployment benefits in an attempt to push people back to work.Governor Laura Kelly's spokesperson on Wednesday confirmed that won't happen in Kansas.“At this time, Governor Kelly does not intend to end the federal unemployment benefit programs early. While the Governor will monitor this situation closely over the coming months, her primary focus remains on continuing her administration’s record-setting efforts recruiting new businesses and jobs to Kansas. She strongly encourages Kansans who are seeking employment, to visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.3ZbLoLmLI5iyG5bstj7sSXS0h_GHK94iJCNkot88Cxk/s/1303160919/br/106258188808-l" target="_blank">www.kansasworks.com</a>&nbsp;for job placement resources and assistance.”&nbsp;

Missouri cut federal jobless benefit; Kan. will continue paying 

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. health advisers endorsed use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine in kids as young as 12 on Wednesday, just as expected new guidelines say it’s OK for people of any age to get the shot at the same time as other needed vaccinations.

The sprint to vaccinate millions of middle and high school students has already started in parts of the country, as a long line of kids rolled up their sleeves in suburban Atlanta for a first dose Wednesday. But much of the nation was awaiting recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that Pfizer’s vaccine, already used for months in those 16 and older, was a good choice for 12- to 15-year-olds, too. The CDC was expected to accept its advisers’ recommendation.

“It just felt like a flu shot, honestly,” said Meredith Rogers, a 14-year-old middle school student from Decatur, Georgia, after getting her vaccination.

Michelle Rogers, Meredith’s mother, said she hoped the youth vaccinations would help bring some normalcy back.

“A little apprehensive, but you know what? This is a step towards getting life back to normal so, we’re all in,” Michelle Rogers said with a slight fist pump.

Earlier in the week, the Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of the two-shot vaccine made by Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech. A study of more than 2,000 12- to 15-year-olds found the same dose adults use is safe and strongly protective in the kids, too.

Among the outstanding questions: Is it OK to get vaccinated against COVID-19 at the same doctor’s visit as people receive some routine vaccinations? That’s an urgent back-to-school concern especially for the 12- to 15-year-olds, who have missed out on regularly scheduled vaccines during the pandemic — but also an issue for adults, too.

The CDC until now has recommended not getting other vaccinations within two weeks of a COVID-19 shot, mostly as a precaution so that safety monitors could spot if any unexpected side effects crop up. But the CDC said Wednesday it is changing that advice because the COVID-19 vaccines have proved so safe — and that health workers can decide to give another needed vaccine at the same time.

The American Academy of Pediatrics on Wednesday also endorsed the Pfizer vaccine for the 12-and-up crowd — and agreed that it’s fine to give more than one vaccine at the same time, especially for kids who are behind on their regular vaccinations.

In the Pfizer study, there were no cases of COVID-19 among volunteers given the two-shot vaccination compared with 16 in the group given dummy shots. Kids also developed higher levels of virus-fighting antibodies than vaccinated adults. Side effects are the same as adults experience, mostly sore arms and flu-like fever, chills or aches that signal the immune system is revving up.

Vaccinating Americans of all ages will be critical to getting back to normal, and there’s plenty of supply for the nation’s nearly 17 million 12- to 15-year-olds.

In addition to the mass vaccination sites and health department rollouts that were key for adults, many states will be offering kids more familiar options -- shipping doses to pediatricians and even to schools.

Pfizer is not the only company seeking to lower the age limit for its vaccine. Moderna recently said preliminary results from its study in 12- to 17-year-olds show strong protection and no serious side effects, data the FDA will need to scrutinize.

As for even younger children, both companies have begun tests in youngsters ages 6 months to 11 years. Those studies explore if different doses are needed at the youngest ages, and FDA plans to hold a public meeting next month to debate exactly what evidence is needed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608677701818.png" alt="A worker at Truman Medical Center in Kansas City prepares doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine against the virus that causes COVID-19 photo courtesyTruman Medical Center" />
 <figcaption>A worker at Truman Medical Center in Kansas City prepares doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine against the virus that causes COVID-19 photo courtesyTruman Medical Center</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. health advisers endorsed use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine in kids as young as 12 on Wednesday, just as expected new guidelines say it’s OK for people of any age to get the shot at the same time as other needed vaccinations.The sprint to vaccinate millions of middle and high school students has already started in parts of the country, as a long line of kids rolled up their sleeves in suburban Atlanta for a first dose Wednesday. But much of the nation was awaiting recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that Pfizer’s vaccine, already used for months in those 16 and older, was a good choice for 12- to 15-year-olds, too. The CDC was expected to accept its advisers’ recommendation.“It just felt like a flu shot, honestly,” said Meredith Rogers, a 14-year-old middle school student from Decatur, Georgia, after getting her vaccination.Michelle Rogers, Meredith’s mother, said she hoped the youth vaccinations would help bring some normalcy back.“A little apprehensive, but you know what? This is a step towards getting life back to normal so, we’re all in,” Michelle Rogers said with a slight fist pump.Earlier in the week, the Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of the two-shot vaccine made by Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech. A study of more than 2,000 12- to 15-year-olds found the same dose adults use is safe and strongly protective in the kids, too.Among the outstanding questions: Is it OK to get vaccinated against COVID-19 at the same doctor’s visit as people receive some routine vaccinations? That’s an urgent back-to-school concern especially for the 12- to 15-year-olds, who have missed out on regularly scheduled vaccines during the pandemic — but also an issue for adults, too.The CDC until now has recommended not getting other vaccinations within two weeks of a COVID-19 shot, mostly as a precaution so that safety monitors could spot if any unexpected side effects crop up. But the CDC said Wednesday it is changing that advice because the COVID-19 vaccines have proved so safe — and that health workers can decide to give another needed vaccine at the same time.The American Academy of Pediatrics on Wednesday also endorsed the Pfizer vaccine for the 12-and-up crowd — and agreed that it’s fine to give more than one vaccine at the same time, especially for kids who are behind on their regular vaccinations.In the Pfizer study, there were no cases of COVID-19 among volunteers given the two-shot vaccination compared with 16 in the group given dummy shots. Kids also developed higher levels of virus-fighting antibodies than vaccinated adults. Side effects are the same as adults experience, mostly sore arms and flu-like fever, chills or aches that signal the immune system is revving up.Vaccinating Americans of all ages will be critical to getting back to normal, and there’s plenty of supply for the nation’s nearly 17 million 12- to 15-year-olds.In addition to the mass vaccination sites and health department rollouts that were key for adults, many states will be offering kids more familiar options -- shipping doses to pediatricians and even to schools.Pfizer is not the only company seeking to lower the age limit for its vaccine. Moderna recently said preliminary results from its study in 12- to 17-year-olds show strong protection and no serious side effects, data the FDA will need to scrutinize.As for even younger children, both companies have begun tests in youngsters ages 6 months to 11 years. Those studies explore if different doses are needed at the youngest ages, and FDA plans to hold a public meeting next month to debate exactly what evidence is needed.

US advisers endorse Pfizer COVID shot for kids 12 and up

WASHINGTON (AP) —Americans can begin applying for $50 off their monthly internet bill on Wednesday as part of an emergency government program to keep people connected during the pandemic.

The $3.2 billion program is part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-politics-coronavirus-pandemic-2a2645e52fda774ae8f1443b4dffc82e">$900 billion December pandemic-relief package.&nbsp;</a>The government is increasing spending on broadband as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-weekend-reads-mo-state-wire-virus-outbreak-662dd51f3a433b3b4c82b3e9145db6aa">pandemic made stark</a>&nbsp;that millions of Americans did not have access to, and could not afford, broadband at a time when jobs, school and health care was moving online.

It’s unclear how long the money will last but it’s expected to be several months. Tens of millions of people are eligible, although the Federal Communications Commission, which is administering the program, did not specify a number.

For example, your household is eligible if you receive food stamps, have a child in the free or reduced-price school lunch program, use Medicaid, or lost income during the pandemic and made $99,000 for single filers, or $198,000 for joint filers, or less.

There are other eligibility requirements, too — <a href="https://getemergencybroadband.org/">click here to</a> find out if you qualify.

You can get the discount even if you owe your phone or cable company money. That’s important because some people have been barred from low-cost plans offered by internet service providers when they owed their service provider money. More than 800 cellphone and home-internet companies are participating, including AT&amp;T, Charter, Comcast, T-Mobile and Verizon.

People in tribal areas are eligible for up to $75 off their bill. There is also a $100 reimbursement for desktop computers, laptops or tablets — in that case, you must pay between $10 and $50 of the cost of the device yourself and buy it through your broadband provider.

The discount could apply to a household’s whole bill, or you can use it to trade up to a more expensive offering and your bill is partly covered.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit" target="_blank">Emergency Broadband Benefit</a>&nbsp;is a more robust, although temporary, program to help people afford internet than Lifeline, the FCC’s other affordability program, which subtracts only $9.25 a month from phone or internet bills. A household can use both the Lifeline and EBB programs.

The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-075c370920e8b38499a66372e9845af2">has proposed $100 billion</a>&nbsp;to get Americans connected, and even before that, billions of dollars are going to improve internet access.

The FCC on Tuesday approved a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-us-news-distance-learning-coronavirus-pandemic-internet-access-94c57075af6a3d539abe78bbb7e934ce">$7.2 billion program for schools and libraries&nbsp;</a>to connect students in their homes. The Treasury Department is also setting up a $10 billion fund for improving internet connectivity. The money for both came from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-personal-taxes-legislation-coronavirus-pandemic-unemployment-insurance-104c5477a7879abd4117abfea25c30d5">$1.9 trillion March pandemic relief</a>&nbsp;package.

There has also been hundreds of billions more in general funds sent to states that could be spent on broadband access.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597766755510.jpeg" alt="Tens of millions of people are eligible, although the Federal Communications Commission, which is administering the program, did not specify a number." />
 <figcaption>Tens of millions of people are eligible, although the Federal Communications Commission, which is administering the program, did not specify a number.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Americans can begin applying for $50 off their monthly internet bill on Wednesday as part of an emergency government program to keep people connected during the pandemic.The $3.2 billion program is part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-politics-coronavirus-pandemic-2a2645e52fda774ae8f1443b4dffc82e">$900 billion December pandemic-relief package.&nbsp;</a>The government is increasing spending on broadband as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-weekend-reads-mo-state-wire-virus-outbreak-662dd51f3a433b3b4c82b3e9145db6aa">pandemic made stark</a>&nbsp;that millions of Americans did not have access to, and could not afford, broadband at a time when jobs, school and health care was moving online.It’s unclear how long the money will last but it’s expected to be several months. Tens of millions of people are eligible, although the Federal Communications Commission, which is administering the program, did not specify a number.For example, your household is eligible if you receive food stamps, have a child in the free or reduced-price school lunch program, use Medicaid, or lost income during the pandemic and made $99,000 for single filers, or $198,000 for joint filers, or less.There are other eligibility requirements, too — <a href="https://getemergencybroadband.org/">click here to</a> find out if you qualify.You can get the discount even if you owe your phone or cable company money. That’s important because some people have been barred from low-cost plans offered by internet service providers when they owed their service provider money. More than 800 cellphone and home-internet companies are participating, including AT&amp;T, Charter, Comcast, T-Mobile and Verizon.People in tribal areas are eligible for up to $75 off their bill. There is also a $100 reimbursement for desktop computers, laptops or tablets — in that case, you must pay between $10 and $50 of the cost of the device yourself and buy it through your broadband provider.The discount could apply to a household’s whole bill, or you can use it to trade up to a more expensive offering and your bill is partly covered.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit" target="_blank">Emergency Broadband Benefit</a>&nbsp;is a more robust, although temporary, program to help people afford internet than Lifeline, the FCC’s other affordability program, which subtracts only $9.25 a month from phone or internet bills. A household can use both the Lifeline and EBB programs.The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-075c370920e8b38499a66372e9845af2">has proposed $100 billion</a>&nbsp;to get Americans connected, and even before that, billions of dollars are going to improve internet access.The FCC on Tuesday approved a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-us-news-distance-learning-coronavirus-pandemic-internet-access-94c57075af6a3d539abe78bbb7e934ce">$7.2 billion program for schools and libraries&nbsp;</a>to connect students in their homes. The Treasury Department is also setting up a $10 billion fund for improving internet connectivity. The money for both came from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-personal-taxes-legislation-coronavirus-pandemic-unemployment-insurance-104c5477a7879abd4117abfea25c30d5">$1.9 trillion March pandemic relief</a>&nbsp;package.There has also been hundreds of billions more in general funds sent to states that could be spent on broadband access.

Emergency program to give people $50 off internet bill

TOPEKA&nbsp;– On Wednesday, Governor Laura Kelly announced that State of Kansas offices will return to normal operations effective with the pay period beginning on June 13, 2021, according to a media release from her office.

By the end of May, all state employees will have had the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccination at no cost. Due to vaccinations, the widespread availability of rapid testing, and substantially reduced numbers of new positive cases being reported in the state, the State of Kansas has determined it is safe to return to normal operations with additional guidance* detailed below.

<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA1MTIuNDAzNDQ1MjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDUvMjAyMS1TdGF0ZS1BZ2VuY3ktUmVvcGVuaW5nLUd1aWRhbmNlLnBkZiJ9.YI6detQBlrStwtxLQa1XLKxs0TwdHfAoLuIMrsGAqOg/s/1303160919/br/106246797510-l" target="_blank">Click here for full guidance for State of Kansas agencies and employees</a>

*Guidance developed in consultation with KDHE.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– On Wednesday, Governor Laura Kelly announced that State of Kansas offices will return to normal operations effective with the pay period beginning on June 13, 2021, according to a media release from her office.By the end of May, all state employees will have had the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccination at no cost. Due to vaccinations, the widespread availability of rapid testing, and substantially reduced numbers of new positive cases being reported in the state, the State of Kansas has determined it is safe to return to normal operations with additional guidance* detailed below.<ul>
 <li>Masks or other facial coverings will continue to be required for all State of Kansas employees and visitors to any State of Kansas facilities under the jurisdiction of the Governor. Notice of this requirement will continue to be posted at entrances to all State of Kansas buildings.</li><li>Agencies should take all necessary steps to ensure that at least six feet of space can be maintained between employee workstations and other seating arrangements. Signs and floor markings will continue to be used throughout State of Kansas buildings to reinforce the importance of physical distancing.&nbsp;</li><li>Agencies should reinforce the need for proper handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Where this is not available, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% of alcohol may be used.</li><li>Agencies may continue to allow employees to work remotely in situations where adequate social distancing cannot be maintained in the office or as otherwise approved by the agency head, provided there is no disruption to agency operations.</li><li>Employees should continue to self-monitor and conduct self-screening activities before appearing for in-person work. Passive temperature check stations and posting of screening questions will continue to be in place in all State of Kansas buildings under the jurisdiction of the Governor.</li>
 </ul><a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA1MTIuNDAzNDQ1MjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDUvMjAyMS1TdGF0ZS1BZ2VuY3ktUmVvcGVuaW5nLUd1aWRhbmNlLnBkZiJ9.YI6detQBlrStwtxLQa1XLKxs0TwdHfAoLuIMrsGAqOg/s/1303160919/br/106246797510-l" target="_blank">Click here for full guidance for State of Kansas agencies and employees</a>*Guidance developed in consultation with KDHE.

Governor: State offices return to normal operation in June

WASHINGTON — Today, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department
 of the Treasury, and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced they 
are disbursing nearly 1 million payments in the ninth batch of Economic 
Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan.

Today's announcement brings the total disbursed so far to 
approximately 165 million payments, with a total value of approximately 
$388 billion, since these payments began rolling out to Americans in 
batches <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-begins-delivering-third-round-of-economic-impact-payments-to-americans">as announced</a> on March 12.

The ninth batch of payments began processing on Friday, May 7, with 
an official payment date of May 12, with some people receiving direct 
payments in their accounts earlier as provisional or pending deposits. 
Here is additional information on this batch of payments:

Additional information is available on the first eight batches 
of Economic Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan, which 
processed weekly on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/more-than-1-point-1-million-additional-economic-impact-payments-disbursed-under-the-american-rescue-plan-payments-total-approximately-164-million">April 30</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/nearly-2-million-more-economic-impact-payments-disbursed-under-the-american-rescue-plan-continuing-payments-reach-approximately-163-million">April 23</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/two-million-more-economic-impact-payments-disbursed-under-the-american-rescue-plan-total-reaches-approximately-161-million-as-payments-continue">April 16</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-2-million-more-economic-impact-payments-under-the-american-rescue-plan-va-beneficiaries-bring-total-to-approximately-159-million-as-payments-continue">April 9</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-25-million-more-economic-impact-payments-under-the-american-rescue-plan">April 2</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-more-economic-impact-payments-under-the-american-rescue-plan-total-tops-130-million-with-more-to-come">March 26</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-another-37-million-economic-impact-payments-from-the-american-rescue-plan">March 19</a> and <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0063">March 12</a>.

The IRS will continue to make Economic Impact Payments on a weekly 
basis. Ongoing payments will be sent to eligible individuals for whom 
the IRS previously did not have information to issue a payment but who 
recently filed a tax return, as well to people who qualify for "plus-up"
 payments.

Special reminder for those who don't normally file a tax return

Although payments are automatic for most people, the IRS continues to
 urge people who don't normally file a tax return and haven't received 
Economic Impact Payments to file a 2020 tax return to get all the 
benefits they're entitled to under the law, including tax credits such 
as the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>,
 the Child Tax Credit, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Filing a 2020 
tax return will also assist the IRS in determining whether someone is 
eligible for an advance payment of the 2021 Child Tax Credit, which will
 begin to be disbursed this summer.

For example, some federal benefits recipients may need to file a 2020
 tax return – even if they don't usually file – to provide information 
the IRS needs to send payments for a qualifying dependent. Eligible 
individuals in this group should file a 2020 tax return as quickly as 
possible to be considered for an additional payment for their qualifying
 dependents.

People who don't normally file a tax return and don't receive federal
 benefits may qualify for these Economic Impact Payments. This includes 
those experiencing <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/those-experiencing-homelessness-can-get-economic-impact-payments-and-other-tax-benefits-permanent-address-not-required">homelessness</a>,
 the rural poor, and others. Individuals who didn't get a first or 
second round Economic Impact Payment or got less than the full amounts 
may be eligible for the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>, but they'll need to file a 2020 tax return. See the special section on IRS.gov: <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-a-claiming-the-recovery-rebate-credit-if-you-arent-required-to-file-a-tax-return">Claiming the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if you aren't required to file a tax return</a>.

Free <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">tax return preparation</a> is available for qualifying people.

The IRS reminds taxpayers that the income levels in this third round 
of Economic Impact Payments have changed. This means that some people 
won't be eligible for the third payment even if they received a first or
 second Economic Impact Payment or claimed a 2020 Recovery Rebate 
Credit. Payments will begin to be reduced for individuals making $75,000
 or above in Adjusted Gross Income ($150,000 for married filing 
jointly). The payments end at $80,000 for individuals ($160,000 for 
married filing jointly); people with Adjusted Gross Incomes above these 
levels are ineligible for a payment.

Individuals can check the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">Get My Payment</a>&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov to see the payment status of these payments. Additional information on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments">Economic Impact Payments</a> is available on IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — Today, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department
 of the Treasury, and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced they 
are disbursing nearly 1 million payments in the ninth batch of Economic 
Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan.Today's announcement brings the total disbursed so far to 
approximately 165 million payments, with a total value of approximately 
$388 billion, since these payments began rolling out to Americans in 
batches <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-begins-delivering-third-round-of-economic-impact-payments-to-americans">as announced</a> on March 12.The ninth batch of payments began processing on Friday, May 7, with 
an official payment date of May 12, with some people receiving direct 
payments in their accounts earlier as provisional or pending deposits. 
Here is additional information on this batch of payments:<ul>
 <li>In total, this batch includes more than 960,000 payments with a value of more than $1.8 billion.</li><li>More than 500,000 payments, with a value of over $1 billion, went 
to eligible individuals for whom the IRS previously did not have 
information to issue an Economic Impact Payment but who recently filed a
 tax return.&nbsp;</li><li>This batch also includes additional ongoing supplemental payments 
for people who earlier this year received payments based on their 2019 
tax returns but are eligible for a new or larger payment based on their 
recently processed 2020 tax returns. This batch included more than 
460,000 of these "plus-up" payments, with a value of more than $800 
million. In all, the IRS has made more than 6 million of these 
supplemental payments this year.</li><li>Overall, this ninth batch of payments contains nearly 500,000 
direct deposit payments (with a total value of $946 million) with the 
remainder as paper payments.</li>
 </ul>Additional information is available on the first eight batches 
of Economic Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan, which 
processed weekly on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/more-than-1-point-1-million-additional-economic-impact-payments-disbursed-under-the-american-rescue-plan-payments-total-approximately-164-million">April 30</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/nearly-2-million-more-economic-impact-payments-disbursed-under-the-american-rescue-plan-continuing-payments-reach-approximately-163-million">April 23</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/two-million-more-economic-impact-payments-disbursed-under-the-american-rescue-plan-total-reaches-approximately-161-million-as-payments-continue">April 16</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-2-million-more-economic-impact-payments-under-the-american-rescue-plan-va-beneficiaries-bring-total-to-approximately-159-million-as-payments-continue">April 9</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-25-million-more-economic-impact-payments-under-the-american-rescue-plan">April 2</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-more-economic-impact-payments-under-the-american-rescue-plan-total-tops-130-million-with-more-to-come">March 26</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-another-37-million-economic-impact-payments-from-the-american-rescue-plan">March 19</a> and <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0063">March 12</a>.The IRS will continue to make Economic Impact Payments on a weekly 
basis. Ongoing payments will be sent to eligible individuals for whom 
the IRS previously did not have information to issue a payment but who 
recently filed a tax return, as well to people who qualify for "plus-up"
 payments.<h2>Special reminder for those who don't normally file a tax return</h2>Although payments are automatic for most people, the IRS continues to
 urge people who don't normally file a tax return and haven't received 
Economic Impact Payments to file a 2020 tax return to get all the 
benefits they're entitled to under the law, including tax credits such 
as the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>,
 the Child Tax Credit, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Filing a 2020 
tax return will also assist the IRS in determining whether someone is 
eligible for an advance payment of the 2021 Child Tax Credit, which will
 begin to be disbursed this summer.For example, some federal benefits recipients may need to file a 2020
 tax return – even if they don't usually file – to provide information 
the IRS needs to send payments for a qualifying dependent. Eligible 
individuals in this group should file a 2020 tax return as quickly as 
possible to be considered for an additional payment for their qualifying
 dependents.People who don't normally file a tax return and don't receive federal
 benefits may qualify for these Economic Impact Payments. This includes 
those experiencing <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/those-experiencing-homelessness-can-get-economic-impact-payments-and-other-tax-benefits-permanent-address-not-required">homelessness</a>,
 the rural poor, and others. Individuals who didn't get a first or 
second round Economic Impact Payment or got less than the full amounts 
may be eligible for the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>, but they'll need to file a 2020 tax return. See the special section on IRS.gov: <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-a-claiming-the-recovery-rebate-credit-if-you-arent-required-to-file-a-tax-return">Claiming the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if you aren't required to file a tax return</a>.Free <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">tax return preparation</a> is available for qualifying people.The IRS reminds taxpayers that the income levels in this third round 
of Economic Impact Payments have changed. This means that some people 
won't be eligible for the third payment even if they received a first or
 second Economic Impact Payment or claimed a 2020 Recovery Rebate 
Credit. Payments will begin to be reduced for individuals making $75,000
 or above in Adjusted Gross Income ($150,000 for married filing 
jointly). The payments end at $80,000 for individuals ($160,000 for 
married filing jointly); people with Adjusted Gross Incomes above these 
levels are ineligible for a payment.Individuals can check the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">Get My Payment</a>&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov to see the payment status of these payments. Additional information on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments">Economic Impact Payments</a> is available on IRS.gov.

IRS: 1M more COVID stimulus checks issued; total payments to nearly 165M

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 411 to a total of 311,338, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

The state reported 13 new COVID-19 deaths for a total of 5029.

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

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 411 to a total of 311,338, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;The state reported 13 new COVID-19 deaths for a total of 5029.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620839601298.png" alt="Wednesday May 12, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday May 12, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

WABAUNSEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a child porn suspect in Canada following an investigation that started in April.

School Resource Deputy Angie King for USD 330 Mission Valley Schools took a report from a youth that indicated that they had been coerced into sending explicit images to an individual on social media, according to Wabaunsee County Sheriff Rob Hoskins.

Deputy King and and a Detective Eric Kirsch worked on this investigation, located a suspect in Canada and were able to obtain evidence and information that the Canadian authorities were unable to obtain through their legal system.

&nbsp;Kirsch contacted the authorities in Canada and provided them with this valuable information and evidence that assisted them in locating a suspect. 

On Tuesday,&nbsp; the authorities in Canada were able to execute a search warrant and located a suspect along with the evidence that the suspect had engaged in several acts of soliciting and promoting child pornography, according to Sheriff Hoskins.

Authorities in Canada were able to make an arrest and initiate prosecution of the suspect.

Hoskins also thanked Deputy King and Detective Kirsch for a job well done and working diligently to protect the children of Wabaunsee County.

WABAUNSEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a child porn suspect in Canada following an investigation that started in April.School Resource Deputy Angie King for USD 330 Mission Valley Schools took a report from a youth that indicated that they had been coerced into sending explicit images to an individual on social media, according to Wabaunsee County Sheriff Rob Hoskins.Deputy King and and a Detective Eric Kirsch worked on this investigation, located a suspect in Canada and were able to obtain evidence and information that the Canadian authorities were unable to obtain through their legal system.&nbsp;Kirsch contacted the authorities in Canada and provided them with this valuable information and evidence that assisted them in locating a suspect. On Tuesday,&nbsp; the authorities in Canada were able to execute a search warrant and located a suspect along with the evidence that the suspect had engaged in several acts of soliciting and promoting child pornography, according to Sheriff Hoskins.Authorities in Canada were able to make an arrest and initiate prosecution of the suspect.Hoskins also thanked Deputy King and Detective Kirsch for a job well done and working diligently to protect the children of Wabaunsee County.

Kansas deputies help ID Canadian child porn suspect

CHAMBLEE, Ga. (AP) — State and federal officials are scrambling to find alternate routes to deliver gasoline in the Southeast U.S. after a hack of the nation’s largest fuel pipeline led to panic-buying that contributed to more than 1,000 gas stations running out of fuel.

There is no gasoline shortage, but if the pipeline shutdown continues past the weekend, it could create broader fuel disruptions.

The Colonial Pipeline, which delivers about 45% of what is consumed on the East Coast, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ga-state-wire-business-c6ef4314af911fb58b8445d2b121e82d">hit on Friday with a cyberattack</a>&nbsp;by hackers who lock up computer systems and demand a ransom to release them. The attack raised concerns, once again, about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-hacking-government-and-politics-technology-business-b2a867c0705acd953c90d6e2a58fabb9">vulnerability of the nation’s critical infrastructure</a>.

A large part of the pipeline resumed operations manually late Monday, and Colonial anticipates restarting most of its operations by the end of the week, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said.

However, the disruption is taking place at the time of year when Americans begin to become more mobile, especially as the nation emerges from the pandemic.

The national average price for a gallon of gasoline ticked above $3 for the first time since 2016 Wednesday, according to the AAA auto club. Prices begin to rise around this time every year and the AAA auto club said Wednesday that the average price hit $3.008 nationally.

The AAA expects more than 37 million people to travel at least 50 miles from home during the Memorial Day weekend, up 60% from last year, which was the lowest since AAA began keeping records in 2000.

Multiple U.S. agencies are coordinating efforts to avert any potential shortage, should they arise.

The White House said Wednesday that the Department of Transportation is now allowing Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia to use interstate highways to transport overweight loads of gasoline and other fuels under existing disaster declarations.

The department’s Maritime Administration completed a review of potential actions available under the Jones Act, a U.S. maritime law that requires shipments between U.S. ports, including fuel, to be moved by American-flagged ships.

The Department of Homeland Security is prepared to review any temporary Jones Act waiver requests from companies if there is not sufficient capacity to get to regions suffering fuel shortages, said White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Wednesday.

CHAMBLEE, Ga. (AP) — More than 1,000 gas stations in the Southeast reported running out of fuel, primarily because of what analysts say is unwarranted panic-buying among drivers, as the shutdown of a major pipeline by a gang of hackers entered its fifth day Tuesday.

Government officials acted swiftly to waive safety and environmental rules to speed the delivery of fuel by truck, ship or rail to motorists and airports, even as they sought to assure the public that there was no cause for alarm.

The Colonial Pipeline, the biggest fuel pipeline in the U.S., delivering about 45% of what is consumed on the East Coast, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ga-state-wire-business-c6ef4314af911fb58b8445d2b121e82d">hit on Friday with a cyberattack</a>&nbsp;by hackers who lock up computer systems and demand a ransom to release them. The attack raised concerns, once again, about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-hacking-government-and-politics-technology-business-b2a867c0705acd953c90d6e2a58fabb9">vulnerability of the nation’s critical infrastructure</a>.

Motorists may still feel a crunch because it takes a few days to ramp up operations, but she said there is no reason to hoard gasoline.

“We know that we have gasoline; we just have to get it to the right places,” she said.

S&amp;P’s Oil Price Information Service put the number of gas stations encountering shortages at more than 1,000.

“A lot of that is because they’re selling three or four times as much gasoline that they normally sell in a given day, because people do panic,” said Tom Kloza, an analyst with S&amp;P. “It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

The pipeline runs from the Texas Gulf Coast to the New York metropolitan area. The states most dependent on the pipeline include Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas, Kloza said.

In Virginia, 7.7% of the state’s nearly 3,900 gas stations reported running out of fuel Tuesday, according to Gasbuddy.com, which tracks supply. In North Carolina, 8.5% of almost 5,400 stations were out, the company said.

There were scattered reports of higher gasoline prices, but prices were rising even before the pipeline incident heading into the busy summer driving season. Nevertheless, Granholm warned gas station owners, “We will have no tolerance for price gouging.”

To ease brief shortages, the White House is considering temporarily waiving a law that says ships delivering products between U.S. ports must be built and manned by Americans.

The Transportation Department also is relaxing some workforce requirements and enlisting railroads to deliver fuel inland. And the Environmental Protection Agency lifted some fuel quality requirements on an emergency basis.

“We’re looking at every option we have across the federal government and all of the federal agencies,” Granholm said.

In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp suspended state taxes on motor fuels through Saturday. Georgia collects a gasoline tax of 28.7 cents per gallon and a diesel tax of 32.2 cents per gallon.

“It will probably help level the price at the pump off for a little while,” Kemp said.

However, he urged people not to hoard gasoline, saying he expects the situation to be resolved soon.

“You don’t need to go out and fill up every 5-gallon can you’ve got,” the governor said.

Scattered gas stations in metro Atlanta were out of fuel Monday and Tuesday. In Georgia, nearly 6% of about 6,400 stations had run out of fuel, Gasbuddy.com said.

In Florida, drivers in some areas faced long lines, and 3% of gas stations had run out.

The state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, declared a state of emergency Tuesday evening in response to the gasoline. The move activates the Florida National Guard, as needed, and directs state emergency management officials to work with federal and local officials.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam also declared a state of emergency.

Dave Gussak drove from one station to the next in Tallahassee, Florida, in search of gas, seeing a line nearly a mile long at the pumps outside a Costco. He eventually passed a station with gas on the way to Florida State University where he works.

Irena Yanava’s tank was about half full, but she wasn’t about to take chances as she sat in her car at the same Tallahassee gas station.

“I know that I’ll be needing it soon, so why not?” she said.

Citgo’s Fairfax, Virginia, terminal ran out of premium reformulated gasoline, and its Richmond, Virginia, terminal was out of unleaded regular, according to the American Automobile Association, citing a shipper bulletin.

The Colonial Pipeline carries jet fuel as well. American Airlines rerouted two long-haul flights from Charlotte, North Carolina, because of possible shortages. Passengers flying to Honolulu will have to change planes in Dallas, and those heading to London will stop in Boston to refuel.

Southwest and United flights carried extra fuel on flights to Nashville, Tennessee, Baltimore and some other airports in case jet fuel was unavailable at those airports. Normally airlines load only enough fuel for a single flight, because topping off adds to the plane’s weight and hurts mileage. Most planes can carry enough fuel for a round trip, but the extra fuel burn costs money.

The Colonial Pipeline, the biggest fuel pipeline in the U.S., delivering about 45% of what is consumed on the East Coast, was hit on Friday with a cyberattack by hackers who lock up computer systems and demand a ransom to release them. The attack raised concerns, once again, about the vulnerability of the nation’s critical infrastructure.

There were scattered reports of higher gasoline prices, but prices were rising even before the pipeline incident heading into the busy summer driving season. Nevertheless, Granholm warned gas station owners, “We will have no tolerance for price gouging."

"I know that I’ll be needing it soon, so why not?” she said.

Citgo's Fairfax, Virginia, terminal ran out of premium reformulated gasoline, and its Richmond, Virginia, terminal was out of unleaded regular, according to the American Automobile Association, citing a shipper bulletin,

CHAMBLEE, Georgia (AP) —As the shutdown of a major fuel pipeline entered into its fifth day, efforts are under way to stave off potential fuel shortages, though no widespread disruptions were evident.

The Colonial Pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the fuel consumed on the East Coast, was hit by a cyberattack on Friday. The attack raised concerns, once again, about the vulnerability of the nation’s critical infrastructure. Ransomware attacks are typically carried out by criminal hackers who scramble data to paralyze their target's networks. Large payments are demanded to decrypt it.

There were reports of gas stations in the Southeast running out of gasoline, according to Gasbuddy.com, which tracks outages and prices. In&nbsp;Virginia, 7.5% of the state’s 3,880 gas stations reported running out of fuel. In&nbsp;North Carolina, 5.4% of 5,372 stations were out, the company said.

By Tuesday, more than 1,000 gas stations had run out of gasoline, shortages primarily driven by panic buying.

“A lot of that is because they’re selling three or four times as much gasoline that they normally sell in a given day, because people do panic,” said Tom Kloza, a veteran analyst with S&amp;P’s Oil Price Information Service. “It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

The states most dependent on the pipeline include&nbsp;Alabama,&nbsp;Georgia,&nbsp;Tennessee&nbsp;and the Carolinas, he said.

Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm told reporters Tuesday that a large part of the pipeline resumed operations manually late Monday, and Colonial will be able restart most of its operations by the end of the week. Motorists may still feel a crunch because it takes a few days to ramp up operations, she said.

“We know that we have gasoline, we just have to get it to the right places,” Granholm said.

Granholm urged people not to hoard gasoline saying there is no need, and she warned gas station owners as well.

"We will have no tolerance for price gauging,” Granholm said.

The White House said this week that it is monitoring supply in parts of the Southeast and that President Joe Biden had directed federal agencies to bring their resources to bear.

There is action at the state level as well. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp suspended state taxes on motor fuels through Saturday. Georgia collects a gasoline tax of 28.7 cents per gallon and a diesel tax of 32.2 cents per gallon.

“It will probably help level the price at the pump off for a little while,” Kemp told reporters at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport in Chamblee, an Atlanta suburb.

However, Kemp also urged people not to hoard gasoline, saying he expected the situation to be resolved soon.

“You don’t need to go out and fill up every 5-gallon can you’ve got,” Kemp said.

Scattered gas stations in metro Atlanta were out of fuel Monday and Tuesday, but most were operating normally. In Georgia, nearly 4% of 6,368 stations had run out of fuel, Gasbuddy.com said.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/florida">Florida</a>, just 2% of the gas stations had run out of fuel. Nevertheless, consumers in some areas faced long lines.

Dave Gussak drove from one station to the next in Tallahassee, Florida in search of gas without success, he said. After putting a number of miles on his vehicle, he said he saw a line nearly a mile long at the gas pumps outside of a Costco store.

Gussak eventually passed a station with gas on the way to Florida State University where he works. “This is insane,” said Gussak.

Irena Yanava’s tank was about half full, but she wasn’t about to take chances as she sat in her car at the same Tallahassee gas station. She had heard stories from friends about their search for gas. “I was just driving by and I saw that there was a line here of cars, and I know that I’ll be needing it soon, so why not?” she said.

Citgo's Fairfax, Virginia terminal ran out of premium grade reformulated gasoline and its Richmond, Virginia terminal was out of unleaded regular, according to the American Automobile Association, citing a shipper bulletin,

The Colonial Pipeline carries jet fuel as well, and planes at the busy suburban airport where Kemp spoke Tuesday were being fueled and taking off.

American Airlines rerouted two long-haul flights from Charlotte due to possible fuel shortages, but said overall impact has been minimal. Passengers flying to Honolulu will have to change planes in Dallas, and those heading to London will stop in Boston to refuel.

To help alleviate potential shortages, the Environmental Protection Agency waved some fuel quality requirements on an emergency basis in parts of Washington D.C.,&nbsp;Maryland,&nbsp;Pennsylvania&nbsp;and Virginia.

The cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline struck as the Biden administration, still grappling with its response to massive breaches by Russia of federal agencies and private corporations, works on an executive order intended to strengthen cybersecurity defenses. The Justice Department, meanwhile, has formed a ransomware task force designed for such situations. The Energy Department on April 20 announced a 100-day initiative focused on protecting energy infrastructure from cyber threats. Similar actions are planned for other critical industries, such as water and natural gas.

The challenge facing the government and the private sector is immense.

The FBI assigned blame Monday in the Colonial attack to DarkSide, a criminal syndicate whose ransomware was used to snarl pipeline operations. The group’s members are Russian speakers, and the syndicate’s malware is coded not to attack networks using Russian-language keyboards. Russia has denied any involvement in the attack.

Asked Monday whether Russia was involved, Biden said, “I’m going to be meeting with President (Vladimir) Putin, and so far there is no evidence based on, from our intelligence people, that Russia is involved, although there is evidence that the actors, ransomware, is in Russia."

“They have some responsibility to deal with this,” he said.

Pipeline cyberattack: Scramble on for new fuel routes 

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A doorbell camera captured video of a mountain lion trotting along a residential back alley in Wichita earlier this week, Kansas wildlife officials confirmed.

Kansas Department of Wildlife Research Biologist Matt Peek said it’s the first confirmed cougar sighting in Wichita, KAKE&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kake.com/story/43857857/firstever-confirmed-mountain-lion-sighting-in-wichita-and-its-all-caught-on-camera" target="_blank">reported</a>.

The video was captured early Monday morning on Cris Boyle’s doorbell camera, showing the large cat padding along the alleyway in the Riverside neighborhood. The wildcat can even be heard growling as it passes by Boyle’s house.

Wildlife officials have notified Wichita police of the sighting, Peek said.

“So that if somebody does call up and say, you know, there’s a mountain lion in the tree in my yard, that they take it seriously because it is possible,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620829476424.png" alt="Kansas Department of Wildlife Research Biologist Matt Peek said it’s the first confirmed cougar sighting in Wichita- image courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Department of Wildlife Research Biologist Matt Peek said it’s the first confirmed cougar sighting in Wichita- image courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A doorbell camera captured video of a mountain lion trotting along a residential back alley in Wichita earlier this week, Kansas wildlife officials confirmed.Kansas Department of Wildlife Research Biologist Matt Peek said it’s the first confirmed cougar sighting in Wichita, KAKE&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kake.com/story/43857857/firstever-confirmed-mountain-lion-sighting-in-wichita-and-its-all-caught-on-camera" target="_blank">reported</a>.The video was captured early Monday morning on Cris Boyle’s doorbell camera, showing the large cat padding along the alleyway in the Riverside neighborhood. The wildcat can even be heard growling as it passes by Boyle’s house.Wildlife officials have notified Wichita police of the sighting, Peek said.“So that if somebody does call up and say, you know, there’s a mountain lion in the tree in my yard, that they take it seriously because it is possible,” he said.

Officials: Big cat captured on Kan. door camera is cougar

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans ousted Rep. Liz Cheney from her post as the chamber’s No. 3 GOP leader on Wednesday, punishing her after she repeatedly rebuked former President Donald Trump for his false claims of election fraud and his role in fomenting the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

Meeting behind closed doors for less than 20 minutes, GOP lawmakers used a voice vote to remove Cheney, R-Wyo., from the party’s No. 3 House position, a jarring turnabout to what’s been her fast-rising career within the party.

She was Congress’ highest-ranking Republican woman and is a daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, and her demotion was the latest evidence that challenging Trump can be career-threatening.

Cheney has refused to stop repudiating Trump and defiantly signaled after the meeting that she intended to use her overthrow to try pointing the party away from the former president.

“I will do everything I can to ensure that the former president never again gets anywhere near the Oval Office,” she told reporters.

Cheney’s replacement was widely expected to be Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who entered the House in 2015 at age 30, then the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. Stefanik owns a more moderate voting record than Cheney but has evolved into a vigorous Trump defender who’s echoed some of his unfounded claims about widespread election cheating.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620826013560.png" alt="Rep. Liz Cheney answered questions following Wednesday's vote and said she will do whatever is necessary to keep Trump from getting close to the Oval Office ever again.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Liz Cheney answered questions following Wednesday's vote and said she will do whatever is necessary to keep Trump from getting close to the Oval Office ever again.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans ousted Rep. Liz Cheney from her post as the chamber’s No. 3 GOP leader on Wednesday, punishing her after she repeatedly rebuked former President Donald Trump for his false claims of election fraud and his role in fomenting the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.Meeting behind closed doors for less than 20 minutes, GOP lawmakers used a voice vote to remove Cheney, R-Wyo., from the party’s No. 3 House position, a jarring turnabout to what’s been her fast-rising career within the party.She was Congress’ highest-ranking Republican woman and is a daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, and her demotion was the latest evidence that challenging Trump can be career-threatening.Cheney has refused to stop repudiating Trump and defiantly signaled after the meeting that she intended to use her overthrow to try pointing the party away from the former president.“I will do everything I can to ensure that the former president never again gets anywhere near the Oval Office,” she told reporters.Cheney’s replacement was widely expected to be Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who entered the House in 2015 at age 30, then the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. Stefanik owns a more moderate voting record than Cheney but has evolved into a vigorous Trump defender who’s echoed some of his unfounded claims about widespread election cheating.

House GOP ousts Trump critic Cheney from top post

ROOKS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect wanted on federal charges after a traffic stop in northwest Kansas.&nbsp;

Just after 10:30 p.m. May 6, police conducted a traffic stop on North Washington Street in Plainville, according to a social media report Wednesday.&nbsp; A K-9 officer and K-9 conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle.

They located Marijuana, THC Wax and drug Paraphernalia&nbsp; along with over $5,500 in cash.&nbsp; It was also discovered that the 69-year-old driver identified as William Dean Thompson had a federal warrant out of the state of Washington.

Officers arrested Thompson on requested charges that include drug possession with the intent to distribute and related drug charges. He is currently being held at the Rooks County Jail. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620824068994.jpeg" alt="Thompson photo Rooks County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Thompson photo Rooks County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>ROOKS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect wanted on federal charges after a traffic stop in northwest Kansas.&nbsp;Just after 10:30 p.m. May 6, police conducted a traffic stop on North Washington Street in Plainville, according to a social media report Wednesday.&nbsp; A K-9 officer and K-9 conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle.They located Marijuana, THC Wax and drug Paraphernalia&nbsp; along with over $5,500 in cash.&nbsp; It was also discovered that the 69-year-old driver identified as William Dean Thompson had a federal warrant out of the state of Washington.Officers arrested Thompson on requested charges that include drug possession with the intent to distribute and related drug charges. He is currently being held at the Rooks County Jail.

Man wanted on federal warrant captured in NW Kansas

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — U.S. educators are doing everything they can to track down high school students who stopped showing up to classes and to help them get the credits needed to graduate, amid an anticipated surge in the country’s dropout rate during the coronavirus pandemic.

There isn’t data available yet on how the pandemic has affected the nation’s overall dropout rate — 2019 is the last year for which it is available — and many school officials say it’s too early to know how many students who stopped logging on for distance learning don’t plan to return. But soaring numbers of students who are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/distance-learning-coronavirus-pandemic-oregon-7fde612c3dbfd2e21fab9673ca49ad89">failing classes&nbsp;</a>or are chronically absent have experts fearing the worst, and schools have been busy tracking down wayward seniors through social media, knocking on their doors, assigning staff to help them make up for lost time and, in some cases, even relaxing graduation requirements.

“When students drop out, they typically look for an out, an opportunity to leave. And this has provided that, unfortunately,” Sandy Addis, chairman of the National Dropout Prevention Center, said recently, referring to the pandemic. His group believes the dropout rate has spiked this year and will remain high for years.

At one high school in Kansas City, Kansas, staff members have made thousands of calls to the families of at-risk students, said Troy Pitsch, who supervises high school principals in the city.

“If we lose a student, it is going to be after kicking and screaming and fighting tooth and nail for them,” Pitsch said.

Many districts were forgiving last spring when schools shut down abruptly, freezing grades unless students wanted to improve them. That made this year the first for which schools would feel the full effects of the pandemic on student performance and engagement.

The early signs aren’t encouraging. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization&nbsp;<a href="https://en.unesco.org/news/why-world-must-urgently-strengthen-learning-and-protect-finance-education" target="_blank">warned&nbsp;</a>that the pandemic had put 24 million children worldwide at risk of dropping out of school. And the pandemic’s effects could erase gains the U.S. made in reducing its dropout rate, which fell from 9.3% in 2007 to 5.1% in 2019, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Not finishing high school significantly hurts a person’s earning potential, with dropouts bringing home an average of $150 less per week than graduates, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/In%20the%20third%20quarter%20of%202019,%20full-time%20workers%20age%2025%20and%20older%20had%20median%20weekly%20earnings%20of%20$975.%20Those%20without%20a%20high%20school%20diploma%20had%20median%20weekly%20earnings%20of%20$606,%20compared%20with%20$749%20for%20high%20school%20graduates%20(no%20college),%20and%20$874%20for%20workers%20with%20some%20college%20or%20an%20associate%20degree.%20Workers%20with%20a%20bachelor's%20degree%20(and%20no%20additional%20degree)%20had%20median%20weekly%20earnings%20of%20$1,281.%20Workers%20with%20an%20advanced%20degree%20(master's,%20professional,%20and%20doctoral%20degrees)%20had%20median%20weekly%20earnings%20of%20$1,559%20in%20the%20third%20quarter%20of%202019." target="_blank">U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</a>&nbsp;data.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — U.S. educators are doing everything they can to track down high school students who stopped showing up to classes and to help them get the credits needed to graduate, amid an anticipated surge in the country’s dropout rate during the coronavirus pandemic.There isn’t data available yet on how the pandemic has affected the nation’s overall dropout rate — 2019 is the last year for which it is available — and many school officials say it’s too early to know how many students who stopped logging on for distance learning don’t plan to return. But soaring numbers of students who are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/distance-learning-coronavirus-pandemic-oregon-7fde612c3dbfd2e21fab9673ca49ad89">failing classes&nbsp;</a>or are chronically absent have experts fearing the worst, and schools have been busy tracking down wayward seniors through social media, knocking on their doors, assigning staff to help them make up for lost time and, in some cases, even relaxing graduation requirements.“When students drop out, they typically look for an out, an opportunity to leave. And this has provided that, unfortunately,” Sandy Addis, chairman of the National Dropout Prevention Center, said recently, referring to the pandemic. His group believes the dropout rate has spiked this year and will remain high for years.At one high school in Kansas City, Kansas, staff members have made thousands of calls to the families of at-risk students, said Troy Pitsch, who supervises high school principals in the city.“If we lose a student, it is going to be after kicking and screaming and fighting tooth and nail for them,” Pitsch said.Many districts were forgiving last spring when schools shut down abruptly, freezing grades unless students wanted to improve them. That made this year the first for which schools would feel the full effects of the pandemic on student performance and engagement.The early signs aren’t encouraging. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization&nbsp;<a href="https://en.unesco.org/news/why-world-must-urgently-strengthen-learning-and-protect-finance-education" target="_blank">warned&nbsp;</a>that the pandemic had put 24 million children worldwide at risk of dropping out of school. And the pandemic’s effects could erase gains the U.S. made in reducing its dropout rate, which fell from 9.3% in 2007 to 5.1% in 2019, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Not finishing high school significantly hurts a person’s earning potential, with dropouts bringing home an average of $150 less per week than graduates, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/In%20the%20third%20quarter%20of%202019,%20full-time%20workers%20age%2025%20and%20older%20had%20median%20weekly%20earnings%20of%20$975.%20Those%20without%20a%20high%20school%20diploma%20had%20median%20weekly%20earnings%20of%20$606,%20compared%20with%20$749%20for%20high%20school%20graduates%20(no%20college),%20and%20$874%20for%20workers%20with%20some%20college%20or%20an%20associate%20degree.%20Workers%20with%20a%20bachelor's%20degree%20(and%20no%20additional%20degree)%20had%20median%20weekly%20earnings%20of%20$1,281.%20Workers%20with%20an%20advanced%20degree%20(master's,%20professional,%20and%20doctoral%20degrees)%20had%20median%20weekly%20earnings%20of%20$1,559%20in%20the%20third%20quarter%20of%202019." target="_blank">U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</a>&nbsp;data.To keep students on track, some local governments and school systems have waived certain testing requirements for graduation or changed grading policies so that missed assignments aren’t as damaging. But such leniency carries the risk of watering down academic standards, said Russell Rumberger, a professor emeritus of education at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who has written about dropouts.“If they let you pass with a D and you don’t have to do very much to do it, maybe technically you are getting a diploma, but you are not getting the same type of diploma you may have gotten prior to the pandemic, when the standards were higher,” he said.A National Dropout Prevention Center report predicted a doubling or tripling of the number of students who were at risk of falling behind academically and not graduating.Among them for much of this school year was Jose Solano-Hernandez, a 17-year-old senior at Wyandotte High School in Kansas City, Kansas. In January, when he was at his lowest point following the deaths of one grandparent from COVID-19 and another from cancer in the same week, he estimated that he had missed eight assignments in each of his classes.“I wouldn’t make my parents proud,” he recalled thinking as he struggled to learn virtually at night while working by day at a mechanic’s shop.Solano-Hernandez has been slowly chipping away at his backlog of work since his school brought back him and other struggling seniors for extra in-person help more than a month before the rest of the student body returned at the end of March. He said the change brought “relief” and he’s now hopeful he’ll graduate.Mary Stewart, the school’s principal, said there was “radio silence” from hundreds of students in the fall. But the number who weren’t accounted for shrank to about 40 by the spring after staff hunted down siblings and scrolled through Facebook searching for clues to their whereabouts.“I went to a house of a young man the day before Thanksgiving and found that he had self-isolated in his room because of a mental health issue,” she said. “That is very common. Whatever happens in the community and in the world, we are a micro-system of that.”The pandemic also has taken a toll on students at North Grand High School in Chicago.Principal Emily Feltes said some of her students took on jobs to support their families and others fell ill. Her students returned for part-time in-person instruction in April, but she’s worried that dropout numbers will rise.“We have done everything that we think that we can to try to re-engage kids — to try to help them. And I know that my colleagues are all working really hard too,” she said. “But the reality is that this has been a worldwide and a national trauma.”Persuading reluctant students to return isn’t easy. At Orange County Public Schools in the Orlando, Florida, area, substitute teacher Patrice Pullen was assigned in December to oversee a group of 13 seniors who fell behind during virtual learning. She said it became clear on her first day that her most important job would be “rebranding” the students, who had come to see themselves as failures.“You have kids — and I’m not exaggerating — they had zeros. They had not turned in anything since August, since school started,” she said. Now, eleven are on track to graduate and the other two are close to being on track.At Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, the 185,000-student district saw the percentage of middle school and high school students earning F’s in at least two classes jump by 83% in the fall.The spring numbers returned to more normal levels as the district made several changes, including dropping the minimum number of assignments per quarter from nine to six and allowing teachers to accept late work on major assignments with minimal penalties, said district spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell. Still, she said, it is hard to say how many students disappeared or what will happen with dropouts.“The pandemic was extraordinarily difficult on families — emotionally, economically, and physically,” Caldwell said.