Though still awaiting money from the latest federal coronavirus relief act, some governors and state lawmakers already are making plans to add the multibillion-dollar boon to their budgets.

Among their priorities: bailing out depleted unemployment accounts, expanding high-speed internet and providing additional aid to schools and businesses.

The $1.9 trillion pandemic relief law signed by President Joe Biden earlier this year contains $350 billion of flexible aid for state and local governments, plus billions of dollars more for specific programs such as housing assistance. Unlike earlier coronavirus aid, states have broad leeway to use the money to plug budget holes, invest in certain infrastructure or address the “negative economic impacts” of the pandemic.

States are expected to receive an initial installment soon, with a second round coming a year later.

“A billion dollars has just fallen from the sky, in some respects," said Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican. "It’s here, right in front of us. We have to invest it wisely.”

Like many governors, Scott hadn't accounted for a new influx of federal money when he presented a budget plan earlier this year. Now he's working with lawmakers to add it to the state's spending plan while still awaiting guidance from the U.S. Treasury Department on specific ways the money can — or can't — be used.

Scott wants to put the money toward economic development, climate change initiatives, water and sewer infrastructure, housing and high-speed internet. Democratic Senate President Pro Tem Becca Balint also wants some to go toward workforce training.

In other states, the spending plans include bonuses for teachers and first-responders; aid to movie theaters and entertainment venues; construction at parks and public facilities; and grants to farmers, commercial fishing operations and food processors.

“Of course it’s classical politics: They announce it, no details and everybody’s filling in the void with what they want to spend it on,” Virginia Secretary of Finance Aubrey Layne said.

Officials in Virginia and about a dozen other states told The Associated Press they are waiting for Treasury Department guidance before developing specific spending plans. Federal law prohibits states from using the aid to make pension payments or fund tax cuts. Some state officials are concerned that other uses also could be ruled out, trigging a provision requiring them to repay the federal government.

“If we don’t know what the guidelines are, it makes it hard to spend the money, because we don’t want to spend it in the wrong way and have it clawed back,” said Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican.

The federal law, known as the American Rescue Plan, comes on top of $150 billion the federal government sent directly to states and local governments last year.

This year's law cites infrastructure for water, sewer and broadband internet as allowable uses. It’s less clear whether money can be used for other infrastructure, such as roads and bridges. But some states are planning to do so, anyway.

A budget plan passed by the Indiana Legislature allots $192 million in federal aid to pay off bonds for an Interstate 69 project and $900 million for other “future state infrastructure projects." Maine Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, rolled out a plan this week that allots $50 million for road and bridge work this summer.

A potentially wide-ranging provision allows states to use the federal aid for “government services” affected by a pandemic-induced reduction in revenue. States also can use the aid to provide extra pay for essential workers, such as the $1,000 bonuses included in a Florida budget for first-responders, teachers and early learning instructors.

Federal law allows states to address the pandemic's economic effects by providing aid to households, small businesses, nonprofits and industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality. But that doesn't necessarily prevent money from going to other purposes.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, wants to use more than half the state’s flexible funds to plug budget holes over the next two years. But his plan also would spend millions on social programs.

Lamont wants to use $15 million to provide free admission for children at museums, aquariums, zoos and other venues from July through Labor Day; $3.5 million to help send low-income children to sports and specialty camps; and $1.9 million for programs that provide “safe, fun and healing spaces” for teenagers. He said the programs would provide a dual benefit — aiding children who were socially isolated during the pandemic and organizations that lost money because of a lack of customers.

Mills’ wide-ranging plan would provide aid to Maine’s agriculture and seafood industries, increase public support for private-sector research and subsidize health insurers to temporarily reduce premiums for small businesses and their employees, among other things.

Officials in Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine and Maryland are among those wanting to use part of their federal aid to replenish depleted unemployment trust funds. Doing so could spare businesses from temporary tax hikes that could otherwise be imposed to repay federal loans that funded benefits when jobless rates spiked during coronavirus shutdowns.

A plan passed by Kansas' Republican-led Senate would dedicate nearly $700 million to compensate small businesses that were forced to close or had their operations restricted because of the pandemic — a “pot of gold” that some Democrats said should be partly passed on to workers in higher wages.

Republican state. Sen. Mike Thompson said compensation should have been paid months ago, as pandemic restrictions were imposed.

“A lot of these businesses should not have been shut down,” Thompson said.

In Kansas and some other states, the federal funding surge has generated spats over who can control how it’s spent.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, vetoed bills passed by the Republican-led Legislature that sought to use $1 billion for property tax cuts, $308 million for local roads and $250 million to pay off transportation bonds. Nonpartisan legislative staff had warned that those uses might not be allowed under federal law. Evers said he will instead spend the money according to his own plans, not all of which have been detailed.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham vetoed the Democratic-led Legislature’s plan to devote $600 million to the state's unemployment fund, $200 million to roads and $100 million to a college scholarship program. The Democratic governor said in her veto message that “the Legislature lacks the authority” to tell her how to use the money and that the state should wait for federal guidance.

By DAVID A. LIEB, Associated PressThough still awaiting money from the latest federal coronavirus relief act, some governors and state lawmakers already are making plans to add the multibillion-dollar boon to their budgets.Among their priorities: bailing out depleted unemployment accounts, expanding high-speed internet and providing additional aid to schools and businesses.The $1.9 trillion pandemic relief law signed by President Joe Biden earlier this year contains $350 billion of flexible aid for state and local governments, plus billions of dollars more for specific programs such as housing assistance. Unlike earlier coronavirus aid, states have broad leeway to use the money to plug budget holes, invest in certain infrastructure or address the “negative economic impacts” of the pandemic.States are expected to receive an initial installment soon, with a second round coming a year later.“A billion dollars has just fallen from the sky, in some respects," said Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican. "It’s here, right in front of us. We have to invest it wisely.”Like many governors, Scott hadn't accounted for a new influx of federal money when he presented a budget plan earlier this year. Now he's working with lawmakers to add it to the state's spending plan while still awaiting guidance from the U.S. Treasury Department on specific ways the money can — or can't — be used.Scott wants to put the money toward economic development, climate change initiatives, water and sewer infrastructure, housing and high-speed internet. Democratic Senate President Pro Tem Becca Balint also wants some to go toward workforce training.In other states, the spending plans include bonuses for teachers and first-responders; aid to movie theaters and entertainment venues; construction at parks and public facilities; and grants to farmers, commercial fishing operations and food processors.“Of course it’s classical politics: They announce it, no details and everybody’s filling in the void with what they want to spend it on,” Virginia Secretary of Finance Aubrey Layne said.Officials in Virginia and about a dozen other states told The Associated Press they are waiting for Treasury Department guidance before developing specific spending plans. Federal law prohibits states from using the aid to make pension payments or fund tax cuts. Some state officials are concerned that other uses also could be ruled out, trigging a provision requiring them to repay the federal government.“If we don’t know what the guidelines are, it makes it hard to spend the money, because we don’t want to spend it in the wrong way and have it clawed back,” said Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican.The federal law, known as the American Rescue Plan, comes on top of $150 billion the federal government sent directly to states and local governments last year.This year's law cites infrastructure for water, sewer and broadband internet as allowable uses. It’s less clear whether money can be used for other infrastructure, such as roads and bridges. But some states are planning to do so, anyway.A budget plan passed by the Indiana Legislature allots $192 million in federal aid to pay off bonds for an Interstate 69 project and $900 million for other “future state infrastructure projects." Maine Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, rolled out a plan this week that allots $50 million for road and bridge work this summer.A potentially wide-ranging provision allows states to use the federal aid for “government services” affected by a pandemic-induced reduction in revenue. States also can use the aid to provide extra pay for essential workers, such as the $1,000 bonuses included in a Florida budget for first-responders, teachers and early learning instructors.Federal law allows states to address the pandemic's economic effects by providing aid to households, small businesses, nonprofits and industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality. But that doesn't necessarily prevent money from going to other purposes.Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, wants to use more than half the state’s flexible funds to plug budget holes over the next two years. But his plan also would spend millions on social programs.Lamont wants to use $15 million to provide free admission for children at museums, aquariums, zoos and other venues from July through Labor Day; $3.5 million to help send low-income children to sports and specialty camps; and $1.9 million for programs that provide “safe, fun and healing spaces” for teenagers. He said the programs would provide a dual benefit — aiding children who were socially isolated during the pandemic and organizations that lost money because of a lack of customers.Mills’ wide-ranging plan would provide aid to Maine’s agriculture and seafood industries, increase public support for private-sector research and subsidize health insurers to temporarily reduce premiums for small businesses and their employees, among other things.Officials in Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine and Maryland are among those wanting to use part of their federal aid to replenish depleted unemployment trust funds. Doing so could spare businesses from temporary tax hikes that could otherwise be imposed to repay federal loans that funded benefits when jobless rates spiked during coronavirus shutdowns.A plan passed by Kansas' Republican-led Senate would dedicate nearly $700 million to compensate small businesses that were forced to close or had their operations restricted because of the pandemic — a “pot of gold” that some Democrats said should be partly passed on to workers in higher wages.Republican state. Sen. Mike Thompson said compensation should have been paid months ago, as pandemic restrictions were imposed.“A lot of these businesses should not have been shut down,” Thompson said.In Kansas and some other states, the federal funding surge has generated spats over who can control how it’s spent.Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, vetoed bills passed by the Republican-led Legislature that sought to use $1 billion for property tax cuts, $308 million for local roads and $250 million to pay off transportation bonds. Nonpartisan legislative staff had warned that those uses might not be allowed under federal law. Evers said he will instead spend the money according to his own plans, not all of which have been detailed.New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham vetoed the Democratic-led Legislature’s plan to devote $600 million to the state's unemployment fund, $200 million to roads and $100 million to a college scholarship program. The Democratic governor said in her veto message that “the Legislature lacks the authority” to tell her how to use the money and that the state should wait for federal guidance.___

Some states plan big spending with Biden's aid, others wait

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A jury has convicted a Colorado Springs man in a 2018 double-slaying in which a woman and man were shot and left in a burning car in a scheme to steal marijuana. 

The panel on Friday found Nashid Rayon Rivers guilty of of first-degree murder in the killings of Serena Garcia of Parker and Marcus Denton of Atchison, Kansas. 

Rivers also was convicted of aggravated robbery, tampering with human bodies and other counts. Fourth Judicial District Judge Frances Johnson imposed an automatic penalty of life in prison without parole. Rivers told the judge he was innocent.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620501970018.png" alt="Rivers is being held in El Paso County, according to online jail records" />
 <figcaption>Rivers is being held in El Paso County, according to online jail records</figcaption>
 </figure>COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A jury has convicted a Colorado Springs man in a 2018 double-slaying in which a woman and man were shot and left in a burning car in a scheme to steal marijuana. The panel on Friday found Nashid Rayon Rivers guilty of of first-degree murder in the killings of Serena Garcia of Parker and Marcus Denton of Atchison, Kansas. Rivers also was convicted of aggravated robbery, tampering with human bodies and other counts. Fourth Judicial District Judge Frances Johnson imposed an automatic penalty of life in prison without parole. Rivers told the judge he was innocent.

Man sentenced for deaths of pair from Kansas, Colorado

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says a Missouri law that prevents cities from enacting their own gun control measures hamstrings his efforts to address the city's shootings and killings.

&nbsp;Lucas said he would like to promote city ordinances to stop easy access to illegal firearms, but a 2014 state law prohibits such local rules.

“Let us find a way to try to save the babies who are dying on our streets, each and every day,” Lucas said.

A bill filed by Kansas City Democrat Richard Brown to repeal the state’s prohibition on cities passing their own gun measures has not been assigned to a committee, meaning it won’t get considered this year. Lawmakers face a May 17 deadline to pass bills.

A bill sought by Kansas City officials to increase penalties for randomly firing a weapon — named Blair’s Law after a child killed by a falling bullet a decade ago — has passed the House this year. But it was attached to legislation that also allows concealed carry into churches and onto public transit, lowers the age for a concealed carry permit from 19 to 18 and declares gun shops essential businesses during emergency orders.

A sponsor of Blair’s Law, Kansas City Democrat Mark Sharp, wrote in an April newsletter that combining the bill with the other measures was its best chance of passage.

A proposal that Republicans have pushed for nearly a decade would declare federal gun laws and regulations “invalid” in Missouri, restrict local police from assisting federal agents enforcing those laws, and allow those who believe their Second Amendment rights have been violated to sue local law enforcement for $50,000. The House has passed the bill.

“They live in a bubble,” Sen. Barbara Washington, a Kansas City Democrat, said of Republicans in the legislature. “They clearly don’t see the danger.”

Washington said she fully believes in the Second Amendment and her family members hunt. But she said she lives in the city where she hears gunshots three or four times a week. She does not let her grandchildren play on the first level of her home for fear of gunfire.

Sen. Eric Burlison, a Battlefield Republican, said the two sides are unlikely to ever agree. He said Missouri’s high rate of gun deaths was “not in any way” connected to the state’s loosening of gun restrictions.

“One side ultimately believes the blame has to rest with the device,” he said. “The other side ultimately believes the device is useful and the blame rests with the individual.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620595284301.png" alt="Mayor Quinton Lucas said he would like to promote city ordinances to stop easy access to illegal firearms, but a 2014 state law prohibits such local rules." />
 <figcaption>Mayor Quinton Lucas said he would like to promote city ordinances to stop easy access to illegal firearms, but a 2014 state law prohibits such local rules.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says a Missouri law that prevents cities from enacting their own gun control measures hamstrings his efforts to address the city's shootings and killings.&nbsp;Lucas said he would like to promote city ordinances to stop easy access to illegal firearms, but a 2014 state law prohibits such local rules.“Let us find a way to try to save the babies who are dying on our streets, each and every day,” Lucas said.A bill filed by Kansas City Democrat Richard Brown to repeal the state’s prohibition on cities passing their own gun measures has not been assigned to a committee, meaning it won’t get considered this year. Lawmakers face a May 17 deadline to pass bills.A bill sought by Kansas City officials to increase penalties for randomly firing a weapon — named Blair’s Law after a child killed by a falling bullet a decade ago — has passed the House this year. But it was attached to legislation that also allows concealed carry into churches and onto public transit, lowers the age for a concealed carry permit from 19 to 18 and declares gun shops essential businesses during emergency orders.A sponsor of Blair’s Law, Kansas City Democrat Mark Sharp, wrote in an April newsletter that combining the bill with the other measures was its best chance of passage.A proposal that Republicans have pushed for nearly a decade would declare federal gun laws and regulations “invalid” in Missouri, restrict local police from assisting federal agents enforcing those laws, and allow those who believe their Second Amendment rights have been violated to sue local law enforcement for $50,000. The House has passed the bill.“They live in a bubble,” Sen. Barbara Washington, a Kansas City Democrat, said of Republicans in the legislature. “They clearly don’t see the danger.”Washington said she fully believes in the Second Amendment and her family members hunt. But she said she lives in the city where she hears gunshots three or four times a week. She does not let her grandchildren play on the first level of her home for fear of gunfire.Sen. Eric Burlison, a Battlefield Republican, said the two sides are unlikely to ever agree. He said Missouri’s high rate of gun deaths was “not in any way” connected to the state’s loosening of gun restrictions.“One side ultimately believes the blame has to rest with the device,” he said. “The other side ultimately believes the device is useful and the blame rests with the individual.”

Kansas City Mayor: State should allow local gun rules

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 7p.m. Sunday in Kansas City, Kansas.

An eastbound vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed and ran the stop sign at North 38th and Parallel Parkway, according to a Nancy Chartrand with Kansas City Police.

The vehicle struck a vehicle that was northbound on 38th and had entered the intersection at a green light.&nbsp; The impact caused the northbound vehicle to roll several times before coming to rest in the eastbound lanes of Parallel Parkway.

The eastbound vehicle crossed the media and westbound lanes of Parallel Parkway and before coming to a stop when it struck a retaining wall.

The driver of the northbound vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. EMS transported the speeding vehicle to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp;

Police did not release names of the drivers. The accident remains under investigation.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 7p.m. Sunday in Kansas City, Kansas.An eastbound vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed and ran the stop sign at North 38th and Parallel Parkway, according to a Nancy Chartrand with Kansas City Police.The vehicle struck a vehicle that was northbound on 38th and had entered the intersection at a green light.&nbsp; The impact caused the northbound vehicle to roll several times before coming to rest in the eastbound lanes of Parallel Parkway.The eastbound vehicle crossed the media and westbound lanes of Parallel Parkway and before coming to a stop when it struck a retaining wall.The driver of the northbound vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. EMS transported the speeding vehicle to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp;Police did not release names of the drivers. The accident remains under investigation.

Driver running red light blamed in fatal Kansas crash

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government’s auto safety agency is investigating multiple complaints about steering failures that could affect more than 1.1 million Honda Accord sedans. 

In documents posted Monday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it received 31 complaints about the problem. Honda has 77 more. 

Owners complained about the cars veering from their intended travel path. Two crashes and two injuries were reported. The probe covers Accords from 2013 through 2015. 

The agency opened the probe after getting a petition from an owner in October of last year. It will investigate how often the problem happens, how many vehicles are affected, and the safety consequences. 

The probe could lead to a recall. A message was left Monday seeking comment from Honda.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620660442885.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government’s auto safety agency is investigating multiple complaints about steering failures that could affect more than 1.1 million Honda Accord sedans. In documents posted Monday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it received 31 complaints about the problem. Honda has 77 more. Owners complained about the cars veering from their intended travel path. Two crashes and two injuries were reported. The probe covers Accords from 2013 through 2015. The agency opened the probe after getting a petition from an owner in October of last year. It will investigate how often the problem happens, how many vehicles are affected, and the safety consequences. The probe could lead to a recall. A message was left Monday seeking comment from Honda.

US opens probe of steering problems in Honda Accord sedans

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Six people including a small child were injured in an accident just before 7p.m. Sunday in Topeka.

A silver passenger vehicle was northbound in the 3000 Block of SE California Avenue and collided head-on with a gray SUV, according to Police Lt. Ron Ekis.

EMS transported one adult and a toddler from the silver car and four in the SUV to an area hospital. The child had life-threatening injuries, according to Ekis.&nbsp;

The Topeka Police Department’s Accident Reconstruction Unit responded to the scene to investigate the accident. SE California Avenue was closed from SE 29th Terrace to SE 32nd Street. Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620642086517.png" alt="6 people were hospitalized after Sunday head-on crash-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>6 people were hospitalized after Sunday head-on crash-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — Six people including a small child were injured in an accident just before 7p.m. Sunday in Topeka.A silver passenger vehicle was northbound in the 3000 Block of SE California Avenue and collided head-on with a gray SUV, according to Police Lt. Ron Ekis.EMS transported one adult and a toddler from the silver car and four in the SUV to an area hospital. The child had life-threatening injuries, according to Ekis.&nbsp;The Topeka Police Department’s Accident Reconstruction Unit responded to the scene to investigate the accident. SE California Avenue was closed from SE 29th Terrace to SE 32nd Street. Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Police: Toddler with life-threatening injuries after head-on crash

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an attempted robbery.

Just after 1a.m. Sunday, police responded to report of an aggravated robbery attempt at the Dominos Pizza at 2835 SE California in Topeka, according to Lt. Matt Danielson.

The victim in this case reported that an unknown man with a face mask, blue hoodie and dark colored jeans entered the store and demanded money. The suspect was reportedly armed with a black rifle or shotgun. The suspect left the store before taking anything.&nbsp;

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an attempted robbery.Just after 1a.m. Sunday, police responded to report of an aggravated robbery attempt at the Dominos Pizza at 2835 SE California in Topeka, according to Lt. Matt Danielson.The victim in this case reported that an unknown man with a face mask, blue hoodie and dark colored jeans entered the store and demanded money. The suspect was reportedly armed with a black rifle or shotgun. The suspect left the store before taking anything.&nbsp;

Kan. attempted-robbery suspect was armed with shotgun

KANSAS CITY&nbsp; (AP) — A Kansas City man has been convicted in federal court of conspiring to steal more than 1,400 cell phones in burglaries in several states, and then reselling them.

Bryan C. Kirkendoll II, 31, was found guilty May 5, for helping to steal electronic devices — primarily cell phones — during 48 burglaries in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, and Oklahoma, federal prosecutors said. The loss was estimated at more than $1 million.

Kirkendoll was convicted for participating in a conspiracy, three counts of transporting stolen property across state lines, two counts of witness tampering, one count of transmitting threats in interstate commerce and obstruction of justice.

A co-defendant, Viktor Chernetskiy, 31, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty last summer to his role in the conspiracy and to one count of transporting stolen property across state lines. He is scheduled to be sentenced June 3.

The burglaries occurred between Nov. 21, 2018, and June 14, 2019.

Kirkendoll was also convicted of intimidating and threatening a victim/witness in the case to dissuade him from testifying at the trial.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620329953392.png" alt="Kirkendoll photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Kirkendoll photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY&nbsp; (AP) — A Kansas City man has been convicted in federal court of conspiring to steal more than 1,400 cell phones in burglaries in several states, and then reselling them.Bryan C. Kirkendoll II, 31, was found guilty May 5, for helping to steal electronic devices — primarily cell phones — during 48 burglaries in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, and Oklahoma, federal prosecutors said. The loss was estimated at more than $1 million.Kirkendoll was convicted for participating in a conspiracy, three counts of transporting stolen property across state lines, two counts of witness tampering, one count of transmitting threats in interstate commerce and obstruction of justice.A co-defendant, Viktor Chernetskiy, 31, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty last summer to his role in the conspiracy and to one count of transporting stolen property across state lines. He is scheduled to be sentenced June 3.The burglaries occurred between Nov. 21, 2018, and June 14, 2019.Kirkendoll was also convicted of intimidating and threatening a victim/witness in the case to dissuade him from testifying at the trial.

Man convicted in scheme to steal 1,400 phones in Kan., other states

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A gunman opened fire at a birthday party in Colorado, slaying six adults before killing himself Sunday, police said.

The shooting happened just after midnight in a mobile home park on the east side of Colorado Springs, police said.

Officers arrived at a trailer to find six dead adults and a man with serious injuries who died later at a hospital,&nbsp;<a href="https://gazette.com/news/local/7-dead-including-suspect-in-overnight-birthday-party-shooting-at-colorado-springs-mobile-home-police/article_4186ea1a-b0cc-11eb-b3e5-9f195dc56ec0.html" target="_blank">the Colorado Springs Gazette reported.</a>

The suspected shooter was the boyfriend of a female victim at the party attended by friends, family and children. He walked inside and opened fire before shooting himself, police said. Children at the attack weren’t hurt and were placed with relatives.

The birthday party was for one of the people killed, police said.

Police on Sunday hadn’t released the identities of the shooter or victims. Authorities say a motive wasn’t immediately known.

“My heart breaks for the families who have lost someone they love and for the children who have lost their parents,” Colorado Springs Police Chief Vince Niski said in a statement.

It was Colorado’s worst mass shooting since a gunman killed 10 people at a Boulder supermarket March 22.

“The tragic shooting in Colorado Springs is devastating,” Gov. Jared Polis said Sunday, “especially as many of us are spending the day celebrating the women in our lives who have made us the people we are today.”

Colorado Springs, population 465,000, is Colorado’s second-biggest city after Denver.

In 2015, a man shot three people to death at random before dying in a shootout with police in Colorado Springs on Halloween. Less than a month later, a man killed three people, including a police officer, and injured eight others in a shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic in the city.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Seven people are dead after a man opened fire at a birthday party in Colorado.

The shooting happened just after midnight Sunday in a mobile home park on the east side of <a href="https://coloradosprings.gov/police-department/article/news/update-homicide-investigation-2800-block">Colorado Springs, police said.</a>

Officers arrived at a trailer to find six dead adults and a man with serious injuries who died later at a hospital.

The suspected shooter was the boyfriend of a female victim at the party attended by friends, family and children. He walked inside and began shooting before killing himself, police said.

Police on Sunday hadn’t identified the shooter or victims. Children at the shooting were placed with relatives.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620594883726.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation on Sunday -photo courtesy KCNC TV" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation on Sunday -photo courtesy KCNC TV</figcaption>
 </figure>COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A gunman opened fire at a birthday party in Colorado, slaying six adults before killing himself Sunday, police said.The shooting happened just after midnight in a mobile home park on the east side of Colorado Springs, police said.Officers arrived at a trailer to find six dead adults and a man with serious injuries who died later at a hospital,&nbsp;<a href="https://gazette.com/news/local/7-dead-including-suspect-in-overnight-birthday-party-shooting-at-colorado-springs-mobile-home-police/article_4186ea1a-b0cc-11eb-b3e5-9f195dc56ec0.html" target="_blank">the Colorado Springs Gazette reported.</a>The suspected shooter was the boyfriend of a female victim at the party attended by friends, family and children. He walked inside and opened fire before shooting himself, police said. Children at the attack weren’t hurt and were placed with relatives.The birthday party was for one of the people killed, police said.Police on Sunday hadn’t released the identities of the shooter or victims. Authorities say a motive wasn’t immediately known.“My heart breaks for the families who have lost someone they love and for the children who have lost their parents,” Colorado Springs Police Chief Vince Niski said in a statement.It was Colorado’s worst mass shooting since a gunman killed 10 people at a Boulder supermarket March 22.“The tragic shooting in Colorado Springs is devastating,” Gov. Jared Polis said Sunday, “especially as many of us are spending the day celebrating the women in our lives who have made us the people we are today.”Colorado Springs, population 465,000, is Colorado’s second-biggest city after Denver.In 2015, a man shot three people to death at random before dying in a shootout with police in Colorado Springs on Halloween. Less than a month later, a man killed three people, including a police officer, and injured eight others in a shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic in the city.---------COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Seven people are dead after a man opened fire at a birthday party in Colorado.The shooting happened just after midnight Sunday in a mobile home park on the east side of <a href="https://coloradosprings.gov/police-department/article/news/update-homicide-investigation-2800-block">Colorado Springs, police said.</a>Officers arrived at a trailer to find six dead adults and a man with serious injuries who died later at a hospital.The suspected shooter was the boyfriend of a female victim at the party attended by friends, family and children. He walked inside and began shooting before killing himself, police said.Police on Sunday hadn’t identified the shooter or victims. Children at the shooting were placed with relatives.

Update: 7 dead including gunman in Colo. birthday party shooting

By JODI FORTINO <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2021-05-06/kansas-native-americans-say-shawnee-mission-schools-long-overdue-in-retiring-native-mascots">Kansas News Service</a>

Native Americans in Kansas are speaking out in support of Shawnee 
Mission North’s retirement of its long-time mascot, the Indians.

The high school <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2021-05-05/home-of-the-bison-shawnee-mission-north-officially-replaces-indians-mascot">announced Tuesday</a> that it is now the home of the Bison, following a months-long process and vote by students.

In
 January, the Shawnee Mission school board approved a new policy that 
barred mascots deemed derogatory or offensive, following widespread 
criticism of their use of Native American imagery.

Kansas state Rep. Christina Haswood, a member of the Navajo Nation, said she was proud to finally see a new mascot chosen.

“There
 has been a history of past Indigenous students of Shawnee Mission North
 fighting for the change, and it is really great to see the younger 
generation get the mascot change passed,” Haswood said in a statement.

Ben Barnes, chief of the Shawnee Tribe, was also involved in asking the school board to revise its policy.

“Educational
 institutions have a key responsibility in teaching accurate history, 
and that includes ensuring that their school culture does not contribute
 to Indigenous erasure and stereotypes," Barnes said. "It’s heartening 
to see this shift from Shawnee Mission North."

Three Shawnee 
Mission elementary schools with mascots that referenced Native Americans
 have also selected new mascots. The district <a href="https://www.smsd.org/about/news-post/~board/2020-2021-district-news/post/new-mascots-announced-in-the-shawnee-mission-school-district" target="_blank">announced</a> the new mascots Wednesday:

Rhonda
 LeValdo, an enrolled member of the Acoma Pueblo who is on the faculty 
at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, also voiced her 
support. She said using Native Americans as mascots is harmful to the 
students who have to face the images when attending these schools.

“When
 you're a kid, you think that people are making fun of you and what 
you're supposed to be like," LeValdo said. "In reality, that's not who 
we are."

Carole Cadue-Blackwood, an enrolled member of the Kickapoo tribe of 
Kansas, said the mascot change is “long overdue.” As a caseworker with 
the <a href="https://kcindiancenter.org/" target="_blank">Kansas City Indian Center</a>, she says she's seen firsthand the impact these mascots have on the self-esteem of Native American children.

“When
 you walk in the room, and as soon as you see some teacher with some 
imagery of Native Americans as the mascots, you just know that the bar 
is set low for you,” said Cadue-Blackwood, who is also a Lawrence school
 board member. “Because you're not seen at the same level as others who 
are not Native American.”

Cadue-Blackwood said that, while 
attending sporting events in the Lawrence school district, she would 
sometimes see SM North’s Indian mascot at games. She said her children 
“shut down” when they heard the mascot perform a stereotypical 
war-chant.

LeValdo said she has heard similar experiences from students on her weekly radio show, Native Spirit Radio on <a href="https://kkfi.org/people/rhonda-levaldo/" target="_blank">KKFI 90.1</a>.
 She said that the “Indian princess” and Brave mascots seen at these 
games, as well as other Native American caricatures, are often an 
inaccurate portrayal of the tribe they claim to be representing.

“As
 native people, we’re from different tribes, so a lot of times they mesh
 these different mascots from a Plains Indian-type person, when you're 
not even Plains Indian,” LeValdo said.

Cadue-Blackwood said these 
mascots play a greater societal role in dehumanizing Native Americans, 
and can lead to higher rates of sexual abuse and violence against their 
communities.

According to <a href="https://www.ncai.org/policy-research-center/research-data/prc-publications/Data_and_Literature_of_Services_for_AIAN_Victims_of_Crime_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">a study</a>
 from the National Congress of American Indians’ Policy Research Center,
 84.3% of American Indian and Alaskan Native women have experienced some
 sort of violence in their lifetime.

“There is a link to how the 
imagery, the mascots, and the portrayal in the media does contribute to 
sexual and domestic violence because it dehumanizes you. We're seen as 
sub-human,” Cadue-Blackwood said.

Cadue-Blackwood said beyond 
retiring these mascots, the state of Kansas needs to begin requiring 
mandatory education on Native American history in schools. She argues 
this education falls under the capacities included in the Kansas State 
Board of Education’s <a href="https://www.heartspring.org/assets/Rose_Capacities_Primer_Fall_2014.pdf" target="_blank">Rose Standards</a>.

“The
 schools must have curriculums that have cultural grounding to support 
the students. That means everybody across the board. There's a definite 
need to require Native American history, LGBTQ, and Latinx studies,” 
Cadue-Blackwood said.

She said education is necessary because she feels people forget there are still Native Americans in their communities.

LeValdo is also a founding member of <a href="https://notinourhonor.com/" target="_blank">Not In Our Honor</a>, a coalition of Native Americans against the use of the Native mascots, names and imagery.

“We're
 all around Kansas City, we're all around Lawrence, we're all around 
Shawnee, we're always going to be here," LeValdo said. "And people are 
always going to say something against those mascots."

Now that new
 mascots have been chosen, Shawnee Mission schools will work to finalize
 the logos. Those will be released as they become available, according 
to <a href="https://www.smsd.org/about/news-post/~board/2020-2021-district-news/post/new-mascots-announced-in-the-shawnee-mission-school-district" target="_blank">the district</a>.

Jodi Fortino, a University of Missouri-Kansas City graduate, is a freelance reporter for KCUR 89.3.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620423609660.png" alt="Rushton Elementary School is one of three elementary schools in Shawnee Mission changing their mascot along with Shawnee Mission North High School. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Rushton Elementary School is one of three elementary schools in Shawnee Mission changing their mascot along with Shawnee Mission North High School. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By JODI FORTINO <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2021-05-06/kansas-native-americans-say-shawnee-mission-schools-long-overdue-in-retiring-native-mascots">Kansas News Service</a>Native Americans in Kansas are speaking out in support of Shawnee 
Mission North’s retirement of its long-time mascot, the Indians.The high school <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2021-05-05/home-of-the-bison-shawnee-mission-north-officially-replaces-indians-mascot">announced Tuesday</a> that it is now the home of the Bison, following a months-long process and vote by students.In
 January, the Shawnee Mission school board approved a new policy that 
barred mascots deemed derogatory or offensive, following widespread 
criticism of their use of Native American imagery.Kansas state Rep. Christina Haswood, a member of the Navajo Nation, said she was proud to finally see a new mascot chosen.“There
 has been a history of past Indigenous students of Shawnee Mission North
 fighting for the change, and it is really great to see the younger 
generation get the mascot change passed,” Haswood said in a statement.Ben Barnes, chief of the Shawnee Tribe, was also involved in asking the school board to revise its policy.“Educational
 institutions have a key responsibility in teaching accurate history, 
and that includes ensuring that their school culture does not contribute
 to Indigenous erasure and stereotypes," Barnes said. "It’s heartening 
to see this shift from Shawnee Mission North."Three Shawnee 
Mission elementary schools with mascots that referenced Native Americans
 have also selected new mascots. The district <a href="https://www.smsd.org/about/news-post/~board/2020-2021-district-news/post/new-mascots-announced-in-the-shawnee-mission-school-district" target="_blank">announced</a> the new mascots Wednesday:<ul>
 <li>Belinder Bears, formerly Braves</li><li>Rushton Red-Tailed Hawks, formerly Indians</li><li>Shawanoe Bison, formerly Indians</li>
 </ul>Rhonda
 LeValdo, an enrolled member of the Acoma Pueblo who is on the faculty 
at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, also voiced her 
support. She said using Native Americans as mascots is harmful to the 
students who have to face the images when attending these schools.“When
 you're a kid, you think that people are making fun of you and what 
you're supposed to be like," LeValdo said. "In reality, that's not who 
we are."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620423676668.png" alt="Shawnee Mission North is no longer Home of the Indians — it's Home of the Bison. That's the mascot students voted for after a months-long process of finding a mascot that would comply with the district's new policy, which found all Native American mascots to be non-compliant." />
 <figcaption>Shawnee Mission North is no longer Home of the Indians — it's Home of the Bison. That's the mascot students voted for after a months-long process of finding a mascot that would comply with the district's new policy, which found all Native American mascots to be non-compliant.</figcaption>
 </figure>Carole Cadue-Blackwood, an enrolled member of the Kickapoo tribe of 
Kansas, said the mascot change is “long overdue.” As a caseworker with 
the <a href="https://kcindiancenter.org/" target="_blank">Kansas City Indian Center</a>, she says she's seen firsthand the impact these mascots have on the self-esteem of Native American children.“When
 you walk in the room, and as soon as you see some teacher with some 
imagery of Native Americans as the mascots, you just know that the bar 
is set low for you,” said Cadue-Blackwood, who is also a Lawrence school
 board member. “Because you're not seen at the same level as others who 
are not Native American.”Cadue-Blackwood said that, while 
attending sporting events in the Lawrence school district, she would 
sometimes see SM North’s Indian mascot at games. She said her children 
“shut down” when they heard the mascot perform a stereotypical 
war-chant.LeValdo said she has heard similar experiences from students on her weekly radio show, Native Spirit Radio on <a href="https://kkfi.org/people/rhonda-levaldo/" target="_blank">KKFI 90.1</a>.
 She said that the “Indian princess” and Brave mascots seen at these 
games, as well as other Native American caricatures, are often an 
inaccurate portrayal of the tribe they claim to be representing.“As
 native people, we’re from different tribes, so a lot of times they mesh
 these different mascots from a Plains Indian-type person, when you're 
not even Plains Indian,” LeValdo said.Cadue-Blackwood said these 
mascots play a greater societal role in dehumanizing Native Americans, 
and can lead to higher rates of sexual abuse and violence against their 
communities.According to <a href="https://www.ncai.org/policy-research-center/research-data/prc-publications/Data_and_Literature_of_Services_for_AIAN_Victims_of_Crime_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">a study</a>
 from the National Congress of American Indians’ Policy Research Center,
 84.3% of American Indian and Alaskan Native women have experienced some
 sort of violence in their lifetime.“There is a link to how the 
imagery, the mascots, and the portrayal in the media does contribute to 
sexual and domestic violence because it dehumanizes you. We're seen as 
sub-human,” Cadue-Blackwood said.Cadue-Blackwood said beyond 
retiring these mascots, the state of Kansas needs to begin requiring 
mandatory education on Native American history in schools. She argues 
this education falls under the capacities included in the Kansas State 
Board of Education’s <a href="https://www.heartspring.org/assets/Rose_Capacities_Primer_Fall_2014.pdf" target="_blank">Rose Standards</a>.“The
 schools must have curriculums that have cultural grounding to support 
the students. That means everybody across the board. There's a definite 
need to require Native American history, LGBTQ, and Latinx studies,” 
Cadue-Blackwood said.She said education is necessary because she feels people forget there are still Native Americans in their communities.LeValdo is also a founding member of <a href="https://notinourhonor.com/" target="_blank">Not In Our Honor</a>, a coalition of Native Americans against the use of the Native mascots, names and imagery.“We're
 all around Kansas City, we're all around Lawrence, we're all around 
Shawnee, we're always going to be here," LeValdo said. "And people are 
always going to say something against those mascots."Now that new
 mascots have been chosen, Shawnee Mission schools will work to finalize
 the logos. Those will be released as they become available, according 
to <a href="https://www.smsd.org/about/news-post/~board/2020-2021-district-news/post/new-mascots-announced-in-the-shawnee-mission-school-district" target="_blank">the district</a>.Jodi Fortino, a University of Missouri-Kansas City graduate, is a freelance reporter for KCUR 89.3.&nbsp;

Kan. Native Americans: Schools 'long overdue' in retiring native mascots

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Cece Linder was living in a 770-square-foot apartment outside Washington, D.C., last spring when the area went into lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In May 2020, after a few months of both living and working in the small space, Linder decided to leave the capital area and move into the 2,000-square-foot beachside home she jointly owns with her parents in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Now she gets to see the sunrise over the water each morning before work.

“If I’m teleworking anyway, why not move to this other place that is more visually attractive, it’s beachside, and someone can occasionally cook for me?” Linder said. “Though that didn’t exactly work out. My mom has me cooking for them.”

Linder was not alone in her thinking. According to a new study and data from the U.S. Census Bureau, she was one of thousands of people who migrated out of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas and into smaller ones during the pandemic.

The study found that, like Linder, many of the migrants weren’t driven by new jobs or weather — or even a fear of the virus — but a desire to be closer to family and a freedom to make it happen because of remote working. Although the pattern of people moving from larger to smaller cities has been going on for several years, the pandemic exacerbated that trend, said Peter Haslag of Vanderbilt University, who conducted the study on migrant motivations with Daniel Weagley of Georgia Tech. Their paper has not yet been published.

The data adds to understanding of how the pandemic has changed where and how Americans live. The moves were most common among those with higher incomes and more job flexibility. If the trends continue, it could have long-term implications for real estate markets, tax bases and the wealth inequality in cities, according to researchers.

“For us, the question is, is this a temporary blip or is it going to continue?” Haslag said. “If work-from-home really is going to be a factor in job and company decisions, and by allowing work and location to be separate decisions, people are going to be able to optimize their locations, if they have the right jobs.”

The Census Bureau data shows that the New York metro area — which was hit early by the new coronavirus — declined by about 108,000 residents, or 0.5%. Roughly 216,000 residents moved out of the metropolitan area, but the natural increase from births and gains in international migration offset the departures. The New York metro area has experienced decelerated growth over the past several years, but last year’s decline was a bigger bite of the Big Apple than in 2019, when it lost 60,000 residents.

The nation’s next largest metro areas — Los Angeles and Chicago — also experienced greater population declines last year compared to the previous year: around 0.5% last year compared to 0.3% in 2019 for both metros. San Francisco also had a drop of around 0.5% last year compared to a 0.1% gain in 2019.

“I think some core urban counties like Manhattan, San Francisco and others may have taken a bigger brunt of pandemic-related out-movement, as well as lower immigration,” said William Frey, a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution. “Overall, it was a year of slow growth with selective movement out of some urban centers.”

Smaller metros in the Sun Belt and West, several with large communities of vacation homes, saw the biggest population gains last year, mostly driven by migration. Led by the Florida retirement community The Villages, the metros seeing population increases between 3% and 4% included St. George, Utah; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Austin, Texas; and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Sun Belt megalopolises, such as Dallas, Houston and Phoenix, also grew last year, though not as much as their smaller cousins.

The Census Bureau data captured changes in states, metros and counties between July 1, 2019, and July 1, 2020. The last third of that time-frame overlapped with the first three months of the spread of the virus in the U.S. Population-change estimates are different from the 2020 census, a head count of every U.S. resident that determines how many congressional seats each state gets. Those numbers were released last week. Population changes are estimated using data on births, deaths and migration.

Haslag and Weagley estimate that 10% to 20% of the 300,000 interstate moves they studied between April 2020 and February 2021 were influenced by the pandemic. Their study used four years of long-distance moving data obtained from UniGroup, the parent company of United Van Lines and Mayflower Transit.

Job-related reasons for moving dropped from 46.6% of responses before the pandemic to 34.5% after the start of the pandemic in the U.S. in March 2020, while the desire to be closer to family jumped from 24.7% to 29.9%. The researchers theorized the jump for family reasons was due to people wanting to create social “bubbles” with family members, and the drop in job-related reasons was due to remote working and the decoupling of jobs from offices.

“It’s not really about the infection rate when it comes to moving. It’s about all the other things that came with the pandemic, whether it was to be closer to family or work from home,” Haslag said. “That was really surprising to us.”

Higher-income households moved less because of job loss or to take a new job than for other reasons such as lifestyle or the ability to work remotely. In fact, 75% of those who cited the ability to work remotely had annual households earnings of $100,000 or more. Lower-income households were more likely to move for financial reasons such as job loss or to move to a place with a lower cost of living, the researchers said.

David Mann and his wife, Lauren, had been wanting to move to the U.S. southeast from Dallas to be closer to family and friends for some time, but it was the pandemic that made it possible. Knowing they could work from home in their jobs in supply-chain consulting and merchandise planning, they made the leap and moved to Atlanta last summer.

“Working from home gave us the opportunity to move without having to look for new jobs,” Mann said.

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Cece Linder was living in a 770-square-foot apartment outside Washington, D.C., last spring when the area went into lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic.In May 2020, after a few months of both living and working in the small space, Linder decided to leave the capital area and move into the 2,000-square-foot beachside home she jointly owns with her parents in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Now she gets to see the sunrise over the water each morning before work.“If I’m teleworking anyway, why not move to this other place that is more visually attractive, it’s beachside, and someone can occasionally cook for me?” Linder said. “Though that didn’t exactly work out. My mom has me cooking for them.”Linder was not alone in her thinking. According to a new study and data from the U.S. Census Bureau, she was one of thousands of people who migrated out of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas and into smaller ones during the pandemic.The study found that, like Linder, many of the migrants weren’t driven by new jobs or weather — or even a fear of the virus — but a desire to be closer to family and a freedom to make it happen because of remote working. Although the pattern of people moving from larger to smaller cities has been going on for several years, the pandemic exacerbated that trend, said Peter Haslag of Vanderbilt University, who conducted the study on migrant motivations with Daniel Weagley of Georgia Tech. Their paper has not yet been published.The data adds to understanding of how the pandemic has changed where and how Americans live. The moves were most common among those with higher incomes and more job flexibility. If the trends continue, it could have long-term implications for real estate markets, tax bases and the wealth inequality in cities, according to researchers.“For us, the question is, is this a temporary blip or is it going to continue?” Haslag said. “If work-from-home really is going to be a factor in job and company decisions, and by allowing work and location to be separate decisions, people are going to be able to optimize their locations, if they have the right jobs.”The Census Bureau data shows that the New York metro area — which was hit early by the new coronavirus — declined by about 108,000 residents, or 0.5%. Roughly 216,000 residents moved out of the metropolitan area, but the natural increase from births and gains in international migration offset the departures. The New York metro area has experienced decelerated growth over the past several years, but last year’s decline was a bigger bite of the Big Apple than in 2019, when it lost 60,000 residents.The nation’s next largest metro areas — Los Angeles and Chicago — also experienced greater population declines last year compared to the previous year: around 0.5% last year compared to 0.3% in 2019 for both metros. San Francisco also had a drop of around 0.5% last year compared to a 0.1% gain in 2019.“I think some core urban counties like Manhattan, San Francisco and others may have taken a bigger brunt of pandemic-related out-movement, as well as lower immigration,” said William Frey, a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution. “Overall, it was a year of slow growth with selective movement out of some urban centers.”Smaller metros in the Sun Belt and West, several with large communities of vacation homes, saw the biggest population gains last year, mostly driven by migration. Led by the Florida retirement community The Villages, the metros seeing population increases between 3% and 4% included St. George, Utah; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Austin, Texas; and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.Sun Belt megalopolises, such as Dallas, Houston and Phoenix, also grew last year, though not as much as their smaller cousins.The Census Bureau data captured changes in states, metros and counties between July 1, 2019, and July 1, 2020. The last third of that time-frame overlapped with the first three months of the spread of the virus in the U.S. Population-change estimates are different from the 2020 census, a head count of every U.S. resident that determines how many congressional seats each state gets. Those numbers were released last week. Population changes are estimated using data on births, deaths and migration.Haslag and Weagley estimate that 10% to 20% of the 300,000 interstate moves they studied between April 2020 and February 2021 were influenced by the pandemic. Their study used four years of long-distance moving data obtained from UniGroup, the parent company of United Van Lines and Mayflower Transit.Job-related reasons for moving dropped from 46.6% of responses before the pandemic to 34.5% after the start of the pandemic in the U.S. in March 2020, while the desire to be closer to family jumped from 24.7% to 29.9%. The researchers theorized the jump for family reasons was due to people wanting to create social “bubbles” with family members, and the drop in job-related reasons was due to remote working and the decoupling of jobs from offices.“It’s not really about the infection rate when it comes to moving. It’s about all the other things that came with the pandemic, whether it was to be closer to family or work from home,” Haslag said. “That was really surprising to us.”Higher-income households moved less because of job loss or to take a new job than for other reasons such as lifestyle or the ability to work remotely. In fact, 75% of those who cited the ability to work remotely had annual households earnings of $100,000 or more. Lower-income households were more likely to move for financial reasons such as job loss or to move to a place with a lower cost of living, the researchers said.David Mann and his wife, Lauren, had been wanting to move to the U.S. southeast from Dallas to be closer to family and friends for some time, but it was the pandemic that made it possible. Knowing they could work from home in their jobs in supply-chain consulting and merchandise planning, they made the leap and moved to Atlanta last summer.“Working from home gave us the opportunity to move without having to look for new jobs,” Mann said.

Study: Residents left big metros during pandemic for family

LYON COUNTY — Three Kansas teens died in an accident Saturday in Lyon County.

Just before 6:30p.m. Saturday, police and sheriff's deputies responded to reports of an injured woman walking in the 800 Block of Road 147&nbsp; five miles south of Emporia, according to the Lyon County Sheriff's Department.

When they arrived, they located&nbsp; 15-year-old Ashely Edwards who had been a passenger in a 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix that traveled off the road and into the Cottonwood River.

First responders found three others&nbsp; dead inside the car which was submerged in the river. The sheriff's department identified them as 17-year-0ld Chase Luby, 13-year-old Paxton Luby and 17-year-old Shelby Phoenix.

EMS transported Edwards to the hospital in Emporia. The cause of the accident remains under investigation, according to the sheriff's department.

LYON COUNTY — Three Kansas teens died in an accident Saturday in Lyon County.Just before 6:30p.m. Saturday, police and sheriff's deputies responded to reports of an injured woman walking in the 800 Block of Road 147&nbsp; five miles south of Emporia, according to the Lyon County Sheriff's Department.When they arrived, they located&nbsp; 15-year-old Ashely Edwards who had been a passenger in a 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix that traveled off the road and into the Cottonwood River.First responders found three others&nbsp; dead inside the car which was submerged in the river. The sheriff's department identified them as 17-year-0ld Chase Luby, 13-year-old Paxton Luby and 17-year-old Shelby Phoenix.EMS transported Edwards to the hospital in Emporia. The cause of the accident remains under investigation, according to the sheriff's department.

Sheriff: 3 Kansas teens dead after car lands in river

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City police are investigating after a man was found shot to death outside an apartment.

The shooting happened just after midnight Saturday near 88th and Crystal Avenue. Arriving officers found the victim with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim has not been identified, and no arrests have been made.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City police are investigating after a man was found shot to death outside an apartment.The shooting happened just after midnight Saturday near 88th and Crystal Avenue. Arriving officers found the victim with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.The victim has not been identified, and no arrests have been made.

KC Police: Man shot to death outside apartment

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A measure approved by Kansas lawmakers ties the renewal of a tax that’s crucial to funding public schools to a proposed tax break for businesses that are forced to shut down during future emergencies or pandemics.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/ccrb_hb2313_02_0507202110pm.pdf" target="_blank">The bill</a>&nbsp;approved early Saturday is a response from the GOP-controlled Legislature to frustrations that businesses shut down or restricted last year during the coronavirus pandemic still owed local property taxes. Those taxes are based on a property’s appraised value, so they’re due even if a business makes no money.

The votes were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210508012055_515350/" target="_blank">35-0</a>&nbsp;in the Senate and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210508013713_111761/" target="_blank">108-3</a>&nbsp;in the House, sending the measure to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

Starting next year, counties would have to give property tax rebates to businesses that are shut down or restricted during a declared state of emergency, based on the number of days the rules are in place.

Local officials worry that the rebates will undercut funding for services, particularly public safety.

But that proposal is tied to a statewide property tax that is expected to raise $752 million for public schools for their 2021-22 year. The state constitution prohibits the levy from being imposed for more than two years at time.

By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A measure approved by Kansas lawmakers ties the renewal of a tax that’s crucial to funding public schools to a proposed tax break for businesses that are forced to shut down during future emergencies or pandemics.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/ccrb_hb2313_02_0507202110pm.pdf" target="_blank">The bill</a>&nbsp;approved early Saturday is a response from the GOP-controlled Legislature to frustrations that businesses shut down or restricted last year during the coronavirus pandemic still owed local property taxes. Those taxes are based on a property’s appraised value, so they’re due even if a business makes no money.The votes were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210508012055_515350/" target="_blank">35-0</a>&nbsp;in the Senate and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210508013713_111761/" target="_blank">108-3</a>&nbsp;in the House, sending the measure to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.Starting next year, counties would have to give property tax rebates to businesses that are shut down or restricted during a declared state of emergency, based on the number of days the rules are in place.Local officials worry that the rebates will undercut funding for services, particularly public safety.But that proposal is tied to a statewide property tax that is expected to raise $752 million for public schools for their 2021-22 year. The state constitution prohibits the levy from being imposed for more than two years at time.

Plan ties Kansas school tax to break for closed businesses

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government is working with the Georgia-based company that shut down a major pipeline transporting fuel across the East Coast after a ransomware attack, the White House says.

The government is planning for various scenarios and working with state and local authorities on measures to mitigate any potential supply issues, officials said Saturday. The attack is unlikely to affect gasoline supply and prices unless it leads to a prolonged shutdown, experts said.

Colonial Pipeline did not say what was demanded or who made the demand. Ransomware attacks are typically carried out by criminal hackers who scramble data, paralyzing victim networks, and demand a large payment to decrypt it.

The attack on the company, which says it delivers roughly 45% of fuel consumed on the East Coast, underscores again the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure to damaging cyberattacks that threaten to impede operations. It presents a new challenge for an administration still dealing with its response to major hacks from months ago, including a massive breach of government agencies and corporations for which the U.S. sanctioned Russia last month.

In this case, Colonial Pipeline said the ransomware attack Friday affected some of its information technology systems and that the company moved “proactively” to take certain systems offline, halting pipeline operations. In an earlier statement, it said it was “taking steps to understand and resolve this issue” with an eye toward returning to normal operations.

The Alpharetta, Georgia-based company transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and home heating oil from refineries located on the Gulf Coast through pipelines running from Texas to New Jersey. Its pipeline system spans more than 5,500 miles, transporting more than 100 million gallon a day.

The private cybersecurity firm FireEye said it's been hired to manage the incident response investigation.

Oil analyst Andy Lipow said the impact of the attack on fuel supplies and prices depends on how long the pipeline is down. An outage of one day or two would be minimal, he said, but an outage of five or six days could cause shortages and price hikes, particularly in an area stretching from central Alabama to the Washington, D.C., region.

Lipow said a key concern about a lengthy delay would be the supply of jet fuel needed to keep major airports operating, like those in Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina.

A leading expert in industrial control systems, Dragos CEO Robert Lee, said systems such as those that directly manage the pipeline’s operation have been increasingly connected to computer networks in the past decade.

But critical infrastructure companies in the energy and electricity industries also tend to have invested more in cybersecurity than other sectors. If Colonial’s shutdown was mostly precautionary — and it detected the ransomware attack early and was well-prepared — the impact may not be great, Lee said.

While there have long been fears about U.S. adversaries disrupting American energy suppliers, ransomware attacks by criminal syndicates are much more common and have been soaring lately. The Justice Department has a new task force dedicated to countering ransomware attacks.

The attack “underscores the threat that ransomware poses to organizations regardless of size or sector,” said Eric Goldstein, executive assistant director of the cybersecurity division at the federal Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency.

“We encourage every organization to take action to strengthen their cybersecurity posture to reduce their exposure to these types of threats,” Goldstein said in a statement.

Ransomware scrambles a victim organization’s data with encryption. The criminals leave instructions on infected computers for how to negotiate ransom payments and, once paid, provide software decryption keys.

The attacks, mostly by criminal syndicates operating out of Russia and other safe havens, reached epidemic proportions last year, costing hospitals, medical researchers private businesses, state and local governments and schools tens of billions of dollars. Biden administration officials are warning of a national security threat, especially after criminals began stealing data before scrambling victim networks and saying they will expose it online unless a ransom is paid.

Average ransoms paid in the United States jumped nearly threefold to more than $310,000 last year. The average downtime for victims of ransomware attacks is 21 days, according to the firm Coveware, which helps victims respond.

U.S. law enforcement officials say some of these criminals have worked with Russia’s security services and that the Kremlin benefits by damaging adversaries’ economies. These operations also potentially provide cover for intelligence-gathering.

“Ransomware is the most common disruptive event that organizations are seeing right now that would cause them to shut down to prevent the spread,” said Dave White, president of cybersecurity firm Axio.

Mike Chapple, teaching professor of IT, analytics and operations at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and a former computer scientist with the National Security Agency, said systems that control pipelines should not be connected to the internet and vulnerable to cyber intrusions.

“The attacks were extremely sophisticated and they were able to defeat some pretty sophisticated security controls, or the right degree of security controls weren’t in place,” Chapple said.

Brian Bethune, a professor of applied economics at Boston College, also said the impact on consumer prices should be short-lived as long as the shutdown does not last for more than a week or two. “But it is an indication of how vulnerable our infrastructure is to these kinds of cyberattacks,” he said.

Bethune noted the shutdown is occurring at a time when energy prices have already been rising as the economy reopens further as pandemic restrictions are lifted. According to the AAA auto club, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has increased by 4 cents since Monday to $2.94.

Anne Neuberger, the Biden administration’s deputy national security adviser for cybersecurity and emerging technology, said in an interview with The Associated Press in April that the government was undertaking a new effort to help electric utilities, water districts and other critical industries protect against potentially damaging cyberattacks. She said the goal was to ensure that control systems serving 50,000 or more Americans have the core technology to detect and block malicious cyber activity.

Since then, the White House has announced a 100-day initiative aimed at protecting the country’s electricity system from cyberattacks by encouraging owners and operators of power plants and electric utilities to improve their capabilities for identifying cyber threats to their networks. It includes concrete milestones for them to put technologies into use so they can spot and respond to intrusions in real time.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The operator of a major pipeline system that transports fuel across the East Coast said Saturday that it had been victimized by a ransomware attack and that it had halted all pipeline operations to deal with the threat. The attack is unlikely to affect gasoline supply and prices unless it leads to a prolonged shutdown of the pipeline, experts said.

Colonial Pipeline did not say what was demanded or by whom, but ransomware attacks are typically carried out by criminal hackers who seize data and demand a large payment in order to release it.

The attack on a pipeline operator, which says it delivers roughly 45% of all fuel consumed on the East Coast, underscored again the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure to cyberattacks both by criminal hackers and U.S. adversaries. It presents a new challenge for an administration still grappling with its response to major hacks from months ago, including a massive breach of government agencies and corporations for which the U.S. sanctioned Russia last month.

In this case, Colonial Pipeline said the ransomware attack Friday affected some of its information technology systems and that the company moved “proactively” to take certain systems online, halting pipeline operations.

The Alpharetta, Georgia-based company transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and home heating oil from refineries primarily located on the Gulf Coast through pipelines running from Texas to New Jersey.

The company said it hired a cybersecurity firm to investigate the nature and scope of the attack and has also contacted law enforcement and federal agencies.

In a statement late Friday, Colonial Pipeline said it was “taking steps to understand and resolve this issue,” focused primarily on ”the safe and efficient restoration of our service and our efforts to return to normal operation.” It said it was “working diligently to address this matter and to minimize disruption to our customers and those who rely on Colonial Pipeline.”

While there have long been fears about U.S. adversaries disrupting American energy suppliers, ransomware attacks by criminal syndicates are much more common and have been soaring lately.

Oil analyst Andy Lipow said the impact of the attack on fuel supplies and prices depends on how long the pipeline is down. An outage of one or two days would be minimal, he said, but an outage of five or six days could cause shortages and price hikes, particularly in an area stretching from central Alabama to the Washington, D.C., area.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620494037231.png" alt="Pipeline tank farm in Dorsey, Maryland-photo courtesy Colonial Pipeline" />
 <figcaption>Pipeline tank farm in Dorsey, Maryland-photo courtesy Colonial Pipeline</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government is working with the Georgia-based company that shut down a major pipeline transporting fuel across the East Coast after a ransomware attack, the White House says.The government is planning for various scenarios and working with state and local authorities on measures to mitigate any potential supply issues, officials said Saturday. The attack is unlikely to affect gasoline supply and prices unless it leads to a prolonged shutdown, experts said.Colonial Pipeline did not say what was demanded or who made the demand. Ransomware attacks are typically carried out by criminal hackers who scramble data, paralyzing victim networks, and demand a large payment to decrypt it.The attack on the company, which says it delivers roughly 45% of fuel consumed on the East Coast, underscores again the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure to damaging cyberattacks that threaten to impede operations. It presents a new challenge for an administration still dealing with its response to major hacks from months ago, including a massive breach of government agencies and corporations for which the U.S. sanctioned Russia last month.In this case, Colonial Pipeline said the ransomware attack Friday affected some of its information technology systems and that the company moved “proactively” to take certain systems offline, halting pipeline operations. In an earlier statement, it said it was “taking steps to understand and resolve this issue” with an eye toward returning to normal operations.The Alpharetta, Georgia-based company transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and home heating oil from refineries located on the Gulf Coast through pipelines running from Texas to New Jersey. Its pipeline system spans more than 5,500 miles, transporting more than 100 million gallon a day.The private cybersecurity firm FireEye said it's been hired to manage the incident response investigation.Oil analyst Andy Lipow said the impact of the attack on fuel supplies and prices depends on how long the pipeline is down. An outage of one day or two would be minimal, he said, but an outage of five or six days could cause shortages and price hikes, particularly in an area stretching from central Alabama to the Washington, D.C., region.Lipow said a key concern about a lengthy delay would be the supply of jet fuel needed to keep major airports operating, like those in Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina.A leading expert in industrial control systems, Dragos CEO Robert Lee, said systems such as those that directly manage the pipeline’s operation have been increasingly connected to computer networks in the past decade.But critical infrastructure companies in the energy and electricity industries also tend to have invested more in cybersecurity than other sectors. If Colonial’s shutdown was mostly precautionary — and it detected the ransomware attack early and was well-prepared — the impact may not be great, Lee said.While there have long been fears about U.S. adversaries disrupting American energy suppliers, ransomware attacks by criminal syndicates are much more common and have been soaring lately. The Justice Department has a new task force dedicated to countering ransomware attacks.The attack “underscores the threat that ransomware poses to organizations regardless of size or sector,” said Eric Goldstein, executive assistant director of the cybersecurity division at the federal Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency.“We encourage every organization to take action to strengthen their cybersecurity posture to reduce their exposure to these types of threats,” Goldstein said in a statement.Ransomware scrambles a victim organization’s data with encryption. The criminals leave instructions on infected computers for how to negotiate ransom payments and, once paid, provide software decryption keys.The attacks, mostly by criminal syndicates operating out of Russia and other safe havens, reached epidemic proportions last year, costing hospitals, medical researchers private businesses, state and local governments and schools tens of billions of dollars. Biden administration officials are warning of a national security threat, especially after criminals began stealing data before scrambling victim networks and saying they will expose it online unless a ransom is paid.Average ransoms paid in the United States jumped nearly threefold to more than $310,000 last year. The average downtime for victims of ransomware attacks is 21 days, according to the firm Coveware, which helps victims respond.U.S. law enforcement officials say some of these criminals have worked with Russia’s security services and that the Kremlin benefits by damaging adversaries’ economies. These operations also potentially provide cover for intelligence-gathering.“Ransomware is the most common disruptive event that organizations are seeing right now that would cause them to shut down to prevent the spread,” said Dave White, president of cybersecurity firm Axio.Mike Chapple, teaching professor of IT, analytics and operations at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and a former computer scientist with the National Security Agency, said systems that control pipelines should not be connected to the internet and vulnerable to cyber intrusions.“The attacks were extremely sophisticated and they were able to defeat some pretty sophisticated security controls, or the right degree of security controls weren’t in place,” Chapple said.Brian Bethune, a professor of applied economics at Boston College, also said the impact on consumer prices should be short-lived as long as the shutdown does not last for more than a week or two. “But it is an indication of how vulnerable our infrastructure is to these kinds of cyberattacks,” he said.Bethune noted the shutdown is occurring at a time when energy prices have already been rising as the economy reopens further as pandemic restrictions are lifted. According to the AAA auto club, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has increased by 4 cents since Monday to $2.94.Anne Neuberger, the Biden administration’s deputy national security adviser for cybersecurity and emerging technology, said in an interview with The Associated Press in April that the government was undertaking a new effort to help electric utilities, water districts and other critical industries protect against potentially damaging cyberattacks. She said the goal was to ensure that control systems serving 50,000 or more Americans have the core technology to detect and block malicious cyber activity.Since then, the White House has announced a 100-day initiative aimed at protecting the country’s electricity system from cyberattacks by encouraging owners and operators of power plants and electric utilities to improve their capabilities for identifying cyber threats to their networks. It includes concrete milestones for them to put technologies into use so they can spot and respond to intrusions in real time.--------WASHINGTON (AP) — The operator of a major pipeline system that transports fuel across the East Coast said Saturday that it had been victimized by a ransomware attack and that it had halted all pipeline operations to deal with the threat. The attack is unlikely to affect gasoline supply and prices unless it leads to a prolonged shutdown of the pipeline, experts said.Colonial Pipeline did not say what was demanded or by whom, but ransomware attacks are typically carried out by criminal hackers who seize data and demand a large payment in order to release it.The attack on a pipeline operator, which says it delivers roughly 45% of all fuel consumed on the East Coast, underscored again the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure to cyberattacks both by criminal hackers and U.S. adversaries. It presents a new challenge for an administration still grappling with its response to major hacks from months ago, including a massive breach of government agencies and corporations for which the U.S. sanctioned Russia last month.In this case, Colonial Pipeline said the ransomware attack Friday affected some of its information technology systems and that the company moved “proactively” to take certain systems online, halting pipeline operations.The Alpharetta, Georgia-based company transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and home heating oil from refineries primarily located on the Gulf Coast through pipelines running from Texas to New Jersey.The company said it hired a cybersecurity firm to investigate the nature and scope of the attack and has also contacted law enforcement and federal agencies.In a statement late Friday, Colonial Pipeline said it was “taking steps to understand and resolve this issue,” focused primarily on ”the safe and efficient restoration of our service and our efforts to return to normal operation.” It said it was “working diligently to address this matter and to minimize disruption to our customers and those who rely on Colonial Pipeline.”While there have long been fears about U.S. adversaries disrupting American energy suppliers, ransomware attacks by criminal syndicates are much more common and have been soaring lately.Oil analyst Andy Lipow said the impact of the attack on fuel supplies and prices depends on how long the pipeline is down. An outage of one or two days would be minimal, he said, but an outage of five or six days could cause shortages and price hikes, particularly in an area stretching from central Alabama to the Washington, D.C., area.Lipow said a key concern about a lengthy delay would be the supply of jet fuel needed to keep major airports operating, like those in Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina.A leading expert in industrial control systems, Dragos CEO Robert Lee, said systems such as those that directly manage the pipeline’s operation have been increasingly connected to computer networks in the past decade.But critical infrastructure companies in the energy and electricity industries also tend to have invested more in cybersecurity than other sectors. If Colonial’s shutdown was mostly precautionary — and it detected the ransomware attack early and was well-prepared — the impact may not be great, Lee said.Ransomware&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-canada-health-coronavirus-technology-288c8979c10b648ba72a4b0fc34b02ac">scrambles a victim organization’s data</a>&nbsp;with encryption. The criminals leave instructions on infected computers for how to negotiate ransom payments and, once paid, provide software decryption keys.Mike Chapple, teaching professor of IT, analytics and operations at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and a former computer scientist with the National Security Agency, said systems that control pipelines should not be connected to the internet and vulnerable to cyber intrusions.“The attacks were extremely sophisticated and they were able to defeat some pretty sophisticated security controls, or the right degree of security controls weren’t in place,” Chapple said.Brian Bethune, a professor of applied economics at Boston College, also said the impact on consumer prices should be short-lived as long as the shutdown does not last for more than a week or two. “But it is an indication of how vulnerable our infrastructure is to these kinds of cyberattacks,” he said.Bethune noted the shutdown is occurring at a time when energy prices have already been rising as the economy reopens further as pandemic restrictions are lifted. According to the AAA auto club, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has increased by four cents since Monday to $2.94.Colonial Pipeline said it transports more than 100 million gallons of fuel daily, through a pipeline system spanning more than 5,500 miles.The FBI and the White House’s National Security Council did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The federal Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency referred questions about the incident to the company.A hacker’s botched attempt to poison the water supply of a small Florida city raised alarms about how vulnerable the nation’s critical infrastructure may be to attacks by more sophisticated intruders.Anne Neuberger, the Biden administration’s deputy national security adviser for cybersecurity and emerging technology, said in an interview with The Associated Press in April that the government was undertaking a new effort to help electric utilities, water districts and other critical industries protect against potentially damaging cyberattacks. She said the goal was to ensure that control systems serving 50,000 or more Americans have the core technology to detect and block malicious cyber activity.Since then, the White House has announced a 100-day initiative aimed at protecting the country’s electricity system from cyberattacks by encouraging owners and operators of power plants and electric utilities to improve their capabilities for identifying cyber threats to their networks. It includes concrete milestones for them to put technologies into use so they can spot and respond to intrusions in real time. The Justice Department has also announced a new task force dedicated to countering ransomware attacks.---------WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. energy company says a cyberattack forced it to temporarily halt all operations on a major pipeline that delivers roughly 45% of all fuel consumed on the East Coast.Colonial Pipeline said the attack took place Friday and also affected some of its information technology systems. The company transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and home heating oil from refineries primarily located on the Gulf Coast through pipelines running from Texas to New Jersey.The Alpharetta, Georgia-based company said it hired an outside cybersecurity firm to investigate the nature and scope of the attack and has also contacted law enforcement and federal agencies. While there have long been fears about U.S. adversaries disrupting American energy suppliers, ransomware attacks by criminal syndicates are much more common and have been soaring lately.In a statement late Friday, Colonial Pipeline said it was “taking steps to understand and resolve this issue,” focused primarily on ”the safe and efficient restoration of our service and our efforts to return to normal operation.” It said it was “working diligently to address this matter and to minimize disruption to our customers and those who rely on Colonial Pipeline.”Oil analyst Andy Lipow said the impact of the attack on fuel supplies and prices depends on how long the pipeline is down. An outage of one or two days would be minimal, he said, but an outage of five or six days could causes shortages and price hikes, particularly in an area stretching from central Alabama to the Washington, D.C., area.Lipow said a key concern about a lengthy delay would be the supply of jet fuel needed to keep major airports operating, like those in Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina.The precise nature of the attack was unclear, including who launched it and what the motives were. A Colonial Pipeline spokeswoman declined to say whether the company had received a ransom demand, as is common in attacks from cyber criminal syndicates.A leading expert in industrial control systems, CEO Robert Lee of Dragos, Inc., said everything points to a ransomware attack.“How long they’ll be down depends on how far and wide this is,” he said. The pipeline could be back up and running relatively quickly if only IT systems are affected and Colonial was well-prepared. But if the network that directly controls pipeline functions is impacted it could take days, he said.“It would not be unreasonable for a longer term, a week or so, of outages if it’s impactful on the operations side. We just don’t know that yet,” Lee said.Ransomware&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-canada-health-coronavirus-technology-288c8979c10b648ba72a4b0fc34b02ac">scrambles a victim organization’s data</a>&nbsp;with encryption. The criminals leave instructions on infected computers for how to negotiate ransom payments and, once paid, provide software decryption keys.Mike Chapple, teaching professor of IT, analytics and operations at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and a former computer scientist with the National Security Agency, said systems that control pipelines should not be connected to the internet and vulnerable to cyber intrusions.“The attacks were extremely sophisticated and they were able to defeat some pretty sophisticated security controls, or the right degree of security controls weren’t in place,” Chapple said.Brian Bethune, a professor of applied economics at Boston College, also said the impact on consumer prices should be short-lived as long as the shutdown does not last for more than a week or two. “But it is an indication of how vulnerable our infrastructure is to these kinds of cyberattacks,” he said.Bethune noted the shutdown is occurring at a time when energy prices have already been rising as the economy re-opens further as pandemic restrictions are lifted. According to the AAA auto club, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has increased by four cents since Monday to $2.94.Colonial Pipeline said it transports more than 100 million gallons of fuel daily, through a pipeline system spanning more than 5,500 miles.The FBI and the White House’s National Security Council did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The federal Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency referred questions about the incident to the company.A hacker’s botched attempt to poison the water supply of a small Florida city raised alarms about how vulnerable the nation’s critical infrastructure may be to attacks by more sophisticated intruders.Anne Neuberger, the Biden administration’s deputy national security adviser for cybersecurity and emerging technology, said in an interview with The Associated Press in April that the government was undertaking a new effort to help electric utilities, water districts and other critical industries protect against potentially damaging cyberattacks. She said the goal was to ensure that control systems serving 50,000 or more Americans have the core technology to detect and block malicious cyber activity.Since then, the White House has announced a 100-day initiative aimed at protecting the country’s electricity system from cyberattacks by encouraging owners and operators of power plants and electric utilities to improve their capabilities for identifying cyber threats to their networks. It includes concrete milestones for them to put technologies into use so they can spot and respond to intrusions in real time. The Justice Department has also announced a new task force dedicated to countering ransomware attacks in which data is seized by hackers who demand payment from victims in order to release it.___