WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will begin airdropping emergency humanitarian assistance into Gaza, President Joe Biden said Friday, a day after more than 100 Palestinians were killed during a chaotic encounter with Israeli troops.

The president&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">announced the move</a>&nbsp;after at least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others were injured, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, on Thursday when witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire as huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy.

Biden said the airdrops&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">would begin soon</a>&nbsp;and that the United States was looking into additional ways to facilitate getting badly needed aid into&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">the war-battered territory</a>&nbsp;to ease the suffering of Palestinians.

“In the coming days we’re going to join with our friends in Jordan and others who are providing airdrops of additional food and supplies” and will "seek to open up other avenues in, including possibly a marine corridor,” Biden said.

The president twice referred to airdrops to help Ukraine, but White House officials clarified that he was referring to Gaza.

Israel said many of the dead were trampled in a stampede linked to the chaos and that its troops fired at some in the crowd who they believed moved toward them in a threatening way. The Israeli government has said it is investigating the matter.

The head of a Gaza City hospital that treated some of those wounded said Friday that&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">more than 80% had been struck by gunfire.</a>

Biden made his announcement while hosting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White house.

“Aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough," Biden said. "Now, it’s nowhere nearly enough. Innocent lives are on the line and children’s lives are on the line. We won’t stand by until we get more aid in there. We should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several.”

The White House, State Department and Pentagon had been weighing the merits of U.S. military airdrops of assistance for several months, but had held off due to concerns that the method is inefficient, has no way of ensuring the aid gets to civilians in need and cannot make up for overland aid deliveries.

Administration officials said their preference was to further increase overland aid deliveries through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom border points and to try to get Israel to open the Erez Crossing into northern Gaza.

The incident on Thursday appeared to tip the balance and push Biden to approve airdrops. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said that airdrops are difficult operations, but the acute need for aid in Gaza informed the president's decision.

He stressed that ground routes will be continued to be used to get aid into Gaza, and that the airdrops are a supplemental effort.

“It’s not the kind of thing you want to do in a heartbeat. you want to think it through carefully," Kirby said. He added, “There’s few military operations that are more complicated than humanitarian assistance airdrops”

Pressure has been mounting for Biden to move more aggressively to ease Palestinian suffering, including from lawmakers of Biden’s Democratic Party. Even before Thursday’s deaths, Sen. Jack Reed, chairman of the Senate’s Armed Services Committee, wrote Biden this week to urge that the administration deploy a military hospital ship and support units to help treat Gaza’s wounded and open a sea route to Gaza for delivery of humanitarian aid.

“Yesterday’s event, I think, underscores the need to find more creative ways of getting assistance in faster and at greater scale,” Kirby said.

Egypt, France, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates have already used airdrops to get aid into Gaza since the conflict started in October.

Biden in his visit with Meloni at the White House also sought to assure European leaders that the U.S. remains behind Ukraine even as he's been unable to win passage of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-senate-china-d7b4846de76a1dfe5d2207b7eb6eeead">supplemental foreign aid package</a>&nbsp;that includes $60 billion for Ukraine in addition to $35 billion for Israel and Taiwan. The legislation has passed the Senate, but Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to put it up for a vote in the House.

Ahead of Meloni's visit, White House officials said they don't have good answers for allies about finding an end to the impasse with House Republicans and reopening the American spigot of aid to Kyiv that's badly needed as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine tries to fend off Russia's</a>&nbsp;invasion.

Biden, along with top Democrats and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, strongly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-johnson-israel-ukraine-shutdown-government-dc6d39b2a652130c6e3021394c1a3ee3">urged</a>&nbsp;Johnson during a White House meeting this week to take up the foreign aid package, but Johnson responded by saying that Congress “must take care of America’s needs first.”

The leaders also discussed efforts by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar to broker an extended cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Italy's priorities for a G7 presidency, migrant flows into Italy from North Africa, and their countries' China policies.

Biden said earlier this week that a cease-fire deal could be reached by Monday, before tempering his optimism after Thursday's incident. But on Friday, Biden said he still held hope that a deal can be struck, possibly before Muslims around the globe begin observing the holy month of Ramadan that is expected to begin on March 10.

“I'm still hoping so,” Biden told reporters on Friday evening before departing the White House for the presidential retreat at Camp David, Md. "We’re still working real hard at it. We’re not there yet.”

Meloni said solving the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was Italy's top priority.

“We need to coordinate our actions to avoid an escalation, and this regard we fully support the U.S. mediation efforts,” she said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will begin airdropping emergency humanitarian assistance into Gaza, President Joe Biden said Friday, a day after more than 100 Palestinians were killed during a chaotic encounter with Israeli troops.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;We&#39;re trying to work out a deal between Israel and Hamas the hostages being returned and immediate ceasefire in Gaza for at least the next six weeks.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/caW7nQFKov">pic.twitter.com/caW7nQFKov</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1763659658089083168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The president&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">announced the move</a>&nbsp;after at least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others were injured, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, on Thursday when witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire as huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy.Biden said the airdrops&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">would begin soon</a>&nbsp;and that the United States was looking into additional ways to facilitate getting badly needed aid into&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">the war-battered territory</a>&nbsp;to ease the suffering of Palestinians.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In the coming days, the United States will carry out airdrops of aid to Gaza, redouble our efforts to open a maritime corridor, and expand deliveries by land. The aid flowing into Gaza is nowhere near enough. We all need to do more. And the United States will do more.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1763702007469085066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“In the coming days we’re going to join with our friends in Jordan and others who are providing airdrops of additional food and supplies” and will "seek to open up other avenues in, including possibly a marine corridor,” Biden said.The president twice referred to airdrops to help Ukraine, but White House officials clarified that he was referring to Gaza.Israel said many of the dead were trampled in a stampede linked to the chaos and that its troops fired at some in the crowd who they believed moved toward them in a threatening way. The Israeli government has said it is investigating the matter.The head of a Gaza City hospital that treated some of those wounded said Friday that&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">more than 80% had been struck by gunfire.</a>Biden made his announcement while hosting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White house.“Aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough," Biden said. "Now, it’s nowhere nearly enough. Innocent lives are on the line and children’s lives are on the line. We won’t stand by until we get more aid in there. We should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several.”The White House, State Department and Pentagon had been weighing the merits of U.S. military airdrops of assistance for several months, but had held off due to concerns that the method is inefficient, has no way of ensuring the aid gets to civilians in need and cannot make up for overland aid deliveries.Administration officials said their preference was to further increase overland aid deliveries through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom border points and to try to get Israel to open the Erez Crossing into northern Gaza.The incident on Thursday appeared to tip the balance and push Biden to approve airdrops. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said that airdrops are difficult operations, but the acute need for aid in Gaza informed the president's decision.He stressed that ground routes will be continued to be used to get aid into Gaza, and that the airdrops are a supplemental effort.“It’s not the kind of thing you want to do in a heartbeat. you want to think it through carefully," Kirby said. He added, “There’s few military operations that are more complicated than humanitarian assistance airdrops”Pressure has been mounting for Biden to move more aggressively to ease Palestinian suffering, including from lawmakers of Biden’s Democratic Party. Even before Thursday’s deaths, Sen. Jack Reed, chairman of the Senate’s Armed Services Committee, wrote Biden this week to urge that the administration deploy a military hospital ship and support units to help treat Gaza’s wounded and open a sea route to Gaza for delivery of humanitarian aid.“Yesterday’s event, I think, underscores the need to find more creative ways of getting assistance in faster and at greater scale,” Kirby said.Egypt, France, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates have already used airdrops to get aid into Gaza since the conflict started in October.Biden in his visit with Meloni at the White House also sought to assure European leaders that the U.S. remains behind Ukraine even as he's been unable to win passage of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-senate-china-d7b4846de76a1dfe5d2207b7eb6eeead">supplemental foreign aid package</a>&nbsp;that includes $60 billion for Ukraine in addition to $35 billion for Israel and Taiwan. The legislation has passed the Senate, but Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to put it up for a vote in the House.Ahead of Meloni's visit, White House officials said they don't have good answers for allies about finding an end to the impasse with House Republicans and reopening the American spigot of aid to Kyiv that's badly needed as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine tries to fend off Russia's</a>&nbsp;invasion.Biden, along with top Democrats and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, strongly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-johnson-israel-ukraine-shutdown-government-dc6d39b2a652130c6e3021394c1a3ee3">urged</a>&nbsp;Johnson during a White House meeting this week to take up the foreign aid package, but Johnson responded by saying that Congress “must take care of America’s needs first.”The leaders also discussed efforts by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar to broker an extended cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Italy's priorities for a G7 presidency, migrant flows into Italy from North Africa, and their countries' China policies.Biden said earlier this week that a cease-fire deal could be reached by Monday, before tempering his optimism after Thursday's incident. But on Friday, Biden said he still held hope that a deal can be struck, possibly before Muslims around the globe begin observing the holy month of Ramadan that is expected to begin on March 10.“I'm still hoping so,” Biden told reporters on Friday evening before departing the White House for the presidential retreat at Camp David, Md. "We’re still working real hard at it. We’re not there yet.”Meloni said solving the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was Italy's top priority.“We need to coordinate our actions to avoid an escalation, and this regard we fully support the U.S. mediation efforts,” she said.___

🎥Biden: US military to airdrop food and supplies into Gaza

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The moon’s newest arrival was said to be “alive and well” a day after making the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-private-company-intuitive-machines-9c896bfca61582773d381f4045fd35d7">first U.S. landing</a>&nbsp;in half a century, but flight controllers were still trying to get a better handle on its bearings.

Intuitive Machines reported Friday that it’s communicating with its lander, Odysseus, and sending commands to acquire science data. But it noted: “We continue to learn more about the vehicle’s specific information” regarding location, overall health and positioning.

(click below to watch a replay of the landing)

The Houston company was shooting for the south polar region, near the Malapert A crater, closer to the pole than anyone else so NASA could scout out the area before astronauts show up later this decade.

With Thursday’s touchdown, Intuitive Machines became the first private business to pull off a moon landing, a feat previously achieved by only five countries. The mission was sponsored in large part by NASA, whose experiments were on board. NASA paid $118 million for the delivery under a program meant to jump-start the lunar economy.

One of the NASA experiments was pressed into service when the lander's navigation system failed in the final few hours before touchdown. The lander took an extra lap around the moon to allow time for the last-minute switch to NASA's laser system.

“Odie is a scrapper,” mission director Tim Crain said late Thursday via X, formerly Twitter.

Another experiment didn't go so well. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's EagleCam — a set of six cameras — was supposed to eject 30 seconds before touchdown so it could capture pictures from afar of Odysseus' touchdown. EagleCam landed, instead, still attached to the lander.

The original plan had to be modified during the last orbit due to “unexpected events,” a university spokeswoman explained.

Intuitive Machines was the second company to aim for the moon under NASA's commercial lunar services program. Last month, Pittsburgh's Astrobotic Technology gave it a shot, but a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-spacecraft-reenter-burned-e7abeeac01711633eaa807b050704084">fuel leak on the lander</a>&nbsp;cut the mission short and the craft ended up crashing back to Earth.

Until Thursday, the U.S. had not landed on the moon since Apollo 17's Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt closed out NASA's famed moon-landing program in December 1972. NASA's new effort to return astronauts to the moon is named Artemis after Apollo's mythological twin sister. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-moon-landings-artemis-delay-23e425d490c0c9e65ae774ec2e00f090">first Artemis crew landing</a>&nbsp;is planned for 2026 at the earliest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708707904055.png" alt="Image from a simulation video provided by Intuitive Machines&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Image from a simulation video provided by Intuitive Machines&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The moon’s newest arrival was said to be “alive and well” a day after making the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-private-company-intuitive-machines-9c896bfca61582773d381f4045fd35d7">first U.S. landing</a>&nbsp;in half a century, but flight controllers were still trying to get a better handle on its bearings.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Lunar Surface Day One Update (23FEB2024 0818 CST) Odysseus is alive and well. Flight controllers are communicating and commanding the vehicle to download science data. The lander has good telemetry and solar charging. We continue to learn more about the vehicle’s specific…&mdash; Intuitive Machines (@Int_Machines) <a href="https://twitter.com/Int_Machines/status/1761032731729739804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Intuitive Machines reported Friday that it’s communicating with its lander, Odysseus, and sending commands to acquire science data. But it noted: “We continue to learn more about the vehicle’s specific information” regarding location, overall health and positioning.(click below to watch a replay of the landing)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dg2ffigGcYM?si=faNrnj88EqV5Ek9W" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The Houston company was shooting for the south polar region, near the Malapert A crater, closer to the pole than anyone else so NASA could scout out the area before astronauts show up later this decade.With Thursday’s touchdown, Intuitive Machines became the first private business to pull off a moon landing, a feat previously achieved by only five countries. The mission was sponsored in large part by NASA, whose experiments were on board. NASA paid $118 million for the delivery under a program meant to jump-start the lunar economy.One of the NASA experiments was pressed into service when the lander's navigation system failed in the final few hours before touchdown. The lander took an extra lap around the moon to allow time for the last-minute switch to NASA's laser system.“Odie is a scrapper,” mission director Tim Crain said late Thursday via X, formerly Twitter.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708646787215.png" alt="-Members of the Intuitive Machines team celebrate the success Thursday evening" />
 <figcaption>-Members of the Intuitive Machines team celebrate the success Thursday evening</figcaption>
 </figure>Another experiment didn't go so well. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's EagleCam — a set of six cameras — was supposed to eject 30 seconds before touchdown so it could capture pictures from afar of Odysseus' touchdown. EagleCam landed, instead, still attached to the lander.The original plan had to be modified during the last orbit due to “unexpected events,” a university spokeswoman explained.Intuitive Machines was the second company to aim for the moon under NASA's commercial lunar services program. Last month, Pittsburgh's Astrobotic Technology gave it a shot, but a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-spacecraft-reenter-burned-e7abeeac01711633eaa807b050704084">fuel leak on the lander</a>&nbsp;cut the mission short and the craft ended up crashing back to Earth.Until Thursday, the U.S. had not landed on the moon since Apollo 17's Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt closed out NASA's famed moon-landing program in December 1972. NASA's new effort to return astronauts to the moon is named Artemis after Apollo's mythological twin sister. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-moon-landings-artemis-delay-23e425d490c0c9e65ae774ec2e00f090">first Artemis crew landing</a>&nbsp;is planned for 2026 at the earliest.

Lander 'alive and well' after first US moon landing in a half century

WASHINGTON — During the busiest time of the tax filing season, the Internal Revenue Service kicked off its 2024 Tax Time Guide series to help remind taxpayers of key items they’ll need to file a 2023 tax return.

As part of its four-part, weekly&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvbmV3c3Jvb20vdGF4LXRpbWUtZ3VpZGUiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.b1LDYgGvuX8lcwmLX2xdqqlap7rkO9SCdeWZvTLpkiY/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Tax Time Guide</a>&nbsp;series, the IRS continues to provide new and updated resources to help taxpayers file an accurate tax return. Taxpayers can count on&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDIyMS45MDU3MDU1MSJ9.KFzQKy1EgSo9H5i12cSSA006_ojDQ_aa6lrL7EhjYQk/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">IRS.gov</a>&nbsp;for updated&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjgsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvaGVscC90YXgtbGF3LXF1ZXN0aW9ucyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.vBeKcHCvWbKqmcvRjbH9EcEB9c1bEwgx2_868pnuQrA/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">resources</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjksInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvaGVscC90b29scyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.p1ToYwuK4zLtpBdjkOmj19BBCZ3rox2JTNcSLLgK9cE/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">tools</a>&nbsp;along with a&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvaGVscC9sZXQtdXMtaGVscC15b3UiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0._FojOXVu9VaViwIi2pIS8TuXe-ydJFFnqMoMIXHSfIc/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">special free help</a>&nbsp;page available around the clock. Taxpayers are also encouraged to read&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1wdWJsaWNhdGlvbi0xNyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.UDO9JpNiTB8IBAcXD3wXkiUIiyz2yBw9BpEevNcnbTs/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax (For Individuals)</a>&nbsp;for additional guidance.

Essentials to filing an accurate tax returnThe deadline this tax season for filing&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1mb3JtLTEwNDAiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.T4TWt2LRHEEtjUGvJt32n6w5q6MI3CUlQ90IviMFhmQ/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return</a>, or&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1mb3JtLTEwNDAtc3IiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.79x6rK2O3e-w3qMUl0ZN9HE_S47gf5abI1osefTfovA/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">1040-SR, U.S. Tax Return for Seniors</a>, is April 15, 2024. However, those who live in Maine or Massachusetts will have until April 17, 2024, to file due to official holidays observed in those states.

Taxpayers are advised to wait until they receive all their proper&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvaW5kaXZpZHVhbHMvc3RlcHMtdG8tdGFrZS1ub3ctdG8tZ2V0LWEtanVtcC1vbi1uZXh0LXllYXJzLXRheGVzI2NvbGxhcHNlQ29sbGFwc2libGUxNjc1OTQ2MTg0OTI5IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDIyMS45MDU3MDU1MSJ9.YUWAYpgf9J2QDlcKEgHDX6OyVpW9JtNKp2jYNht-4-g/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">tax documents</a>&nbsp;before filing their tax returns. Filing without all the necessary documents could lead to mistakes and potential delays.

It’s important for taxpayers to carefully review their documents for any inaccuracies or missing information. If any issues are found, taxpayers should&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvdGF4dG9waWNzL3RjMTU0IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDIyMS45MDU3MDU1MSJ9.WRWGkk_z4bMyXSnwwTwt_NIJTzjlcfvV9qVxX8iYAvY/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">contact the payer</a>&nbsp;immediately to request a correction or confirm that the payer has their current mailing or email address on file.

Creating an IRS&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvcGF5bWVudHMveW91ci1vbmxpbmUtYWNjb3VudCIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.PetYUZcQxDRxVud0-96P9RvmaYfouaIyKVdt_G7KvdY/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Online Account</a>&nbsp;can provide taxpayers with secure access to information about their federal tax account, including payment history, tax records and other important information.

Having organized tax records can make the process of preparing a complete and accurate tax return easier and may also help taxpayers identify any overlooked&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvY3JlZGl0cyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.5zioWr88MFYSYy6XBogFVjOgvmaJqEePCnVIisKz8fA/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">deductions or credits</a>.

Taxpayers who have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number or&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzgsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvaW5kaXZpZHVhbHMvaW5kaXZpZHVhbC10YXhwYXllci1pZGVudGlmaWNhdGlvbi1udW1iZXIiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.eaCLwkgaL0HvvneU_Or0G47GVWp66dMVirzfpqE9NbY/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">ITIN</a>&nbsp;may need to renew it if it has expired and is required for a U.S. federal tax return. If an expiring or expired ITIN is not renewed, the IRS can still accept the tax return, but it may result in processing delays or delays in credits owed.

Changes to credits and deductions for tax year 2023Standard deduction amount increased.&nbsp;For 2023, the standard deduction amount has been increased for all filers. The amounts are:

— Single or married filing separately — $13,850.

— Married filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse — $27,700.

Additional child tax credit amount increased.&nbsp;The maximum additional child tax credit amount has increased to $1,600 for each qualifying child.

Child tax credit enhancements.&nbsp;Many changes to the Child tax credit (CTC) that had been implemented by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 have expired.

However, the IRS continues to closely monitor legislation being considered by Congress affecting the Child Tax Credit. The IRS reminds taxpayers eligible for the Child Tax Credit that they should not wait to file their 2023 tax return this filing season. If Congress changes the CTC guidelines, the IRS will automatically make adjustments for those who have already filed so no additional action will be needed by those eligible taxpayers.

Under current law, for tax year 2023, the following currently apply:

— The enhanced credit allowed for qualifying children under age 6 and children under age 18 has expired. For 2023, the initial amount of the CTC is $2,000 for each qualifying child. The credit amount begins to phase out where AGI income exceeds $200,000 ($400,000 in the case of a joint return). The amount of the CTC that can be claimed as a refundable credit is limited as it was in 2020 except that the maximum ACTC amount for each qualifying child increased to $1,500.

— The increased age allowance for a qualifying child has expired. A child must be under age 17 at the end of 2023 to be a qualifying child.

Changes to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).&nbsp;The enhancements for taxpayers without a qualifying child implemented by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 will not apply for tax year 2023. To claim the EITC without a qualifying child in 2023, taxpayers must be at least age 25 but under age 65 at the end of 2023. If a taxpayer is married filing a joint return, one spouse must be at least age 25 but under age 65 at the end of 2023.

Taxpayers may find more information on Child tax credits in the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzksInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1zY2hlZHVsZS04ODEyLWZvcm0tMTA0MCIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.8UWCwWxaxApQscWJMXNd-J3vumiYZ1thloEM_KZ9rEU/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Instructions for Schedule 8812 (Form 1040)</a>.

New Clean Vehicle Credit.&nbsp;The credit for new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles has changed. This credit is now known as the Clean Vehicle Credit. The maximum amount of the credit and some of the requirements to claim the credit have changed. The credit is reported on&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1mb3JtLTg5MzYiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.FbjqwLhmhQjaDI9MuhGmynDP_9iYfOsPnWZPSA_xnPY/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Form 8936, Qualified Plug-In Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit</a>, and on Form 1040, Schedule 3.

More information on these and other credit and deduction changes for tax year 2023 may be found in the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1wdWJsaWNhdGlvbi0xNyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.tDUht4N4eVo7l9Xn_2nyyDJi-MyA0HzJ_g4Df6bF6KI/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax (For Individuals)</a>, taxpayer guide.

1099-K reporting requirements have not changed for tax year 2023Following feedback from taxpayers, tax professionals and payment processors, and to reduce taxpayer confusion, the IRS recently released&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvbmV3c3Jvb20vaXJzLWFubm91bmNlcy1kZWxheS1pbi1mb3JtLTEwOTktay1yZXBvcnRpbmctdGhyZXNob2xkLWZvci10aGlyZC1wYXJ0eS1wbGF0Zm9ybS1wYXltZW50cy1pbi0yMDIzLXBsYW5zLWZvci1hLXRocmVzaG9sZC1vZi01MDAwLWZvci0yMDI0LXRvLXBoYXNlLWluLWltcGxlbWVudGF0aW9uIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDIyMS45MDU3MDU1MSJ9.34fC7PrGRgb39H94ewkjvQSApkBWJVdIOC5BxmlFUqc/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Notice 2023-74</a>&nbsp;announcing a delay of the new $600 reporting threshold for tax year 2023 on&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1mb3JtLTEwOTktayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.fPKRVg3MyYSPki0D-wrhBCNjUTEAydrCIZfn1HaK9FM/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Form 1099-K, Payment Card and Third-Party Network Transactions</a>. The previous reporting thresholds will remain in place for 2023.

The IRS has published a&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvbmV3c3Jvb20vaXJzLWFubm91bmNlcy0yMDIzLWZvcm0tMTA5OS1rLXJlcG9ydGluZy10aHJlc2hvbGQtZGVsYXktZm9yLXRoaXJkLXBhcnR5LXBsYXRmb3JtLXBheW1lbnRzLXBsYW5zLWZvci1hLTUwMDAtdGhyZXNob2xkLWluLTIwMjQtdG8tcGhhc2UtaW4taW1wbGVtZW50YXRpb24iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.M1AkMWhz6dvsa6wXbxUGt61UxdPozd3GiyFnzl-xsOQ/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Fact Sheet</a>&nbsp;with further information to assist taxpayers concerning changes to 1099-K reporting requirements for tax year 2023.

Form 1099-K reporting requirementsTaxpayers who take direct payment by credit, debit or gift cards for selling goods or providing services by customers or clients should get a Form 1099-K from their payment processor or payment settlement entity no matter how many payments they got or how much they were for.

If they used a payment app or online marketplace and received over $20,000 from over 200 transactions, the payment app or online marketplace is required to send a Form 1099-K. However, they can send a Form 1099-K with lower amounts. Whether or not the taxpayer receives a Form 1099-K, they must still report any income on their tax return.

What’s taxable?&nbsp;It’s the profit from these activities that’s taxable income. The Form 1099-K shows the gross or total amount of payments received. Taxpayers can use it and other records to figure out the actual taxes they owe on any profits. Remember that all income, no matter the amount, is taxable unless the tax law says it isn’t – even if taxpayers don’t get a Form 1099-K.

What’s not taxable?&nbsp;Taxpayers shouldn’t receive a Form 1099-K for personal payments, including money received as a gift and for repayment of shared expenses. That money isn’t taxable. To prevent getting an inaccurate Form 1099-K, note those payments as “personal,” if possible.

Good recordkeeping is key.&nbsp;Be sure to keep good records because it helps when it’s time to file a tax return. It’s a good idea to keep business and personal transactions separate to make it easier to figure out what a taxpayer owes.

For details on what to do if a taxpayer gets a Form 1099-K in error or the information on their form is incorrect, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvYnVzaW5lc3Nlcy91bmRlcnN0YW5kaW5nLXlvdXItZm9ybS0xMDk5LWsiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.3uAPKV3BB40sZW1CYG8E8UzqTTHmDGTNjap9_fxlS8k/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">irs.gov/1099K</a>&nbsp;or find frequently asked questions at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvbmV3c3Jvb20vZm9ybS0xMDk5LWstZmFxcyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.rwI1eV_0dw7lpSdnHdLe1Fz3s0WSgwcKP5YpTCaR3PY/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Form 1099-K FAQs</a>.

Direct File pilot program provides a new option this year for someThe IRS launched the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvYWJvdXQtaXJzL3N0cmF0ZWdpYy1wbGFuL2RpcmVjdC1maWxlIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDIyMS45MDU3MDU1MSJ9.hoOBd1Wdgf8615iSfPgJ-gJNLUCn7tFaJeqWh3ipBzU/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Direct File pilot program</a>&nbsp;during the 2024 tax season. The pilot will give eligible taxpayers an option to prepare and electronically file their 2023 tax returns, for free, directly with the IRS.

The Direct File pilot program will be offered to eligible taxpayers in 12 pilot states who have relatively simple tax returns reporting only certain types of income and claiming limited credits and deductions. The 12 states currently participating in the Direct File pilot program are Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington state and Wyoming. Taxpayers can check their eligibility at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDgsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZGlyZWN0ZmlsZS5pcnMuZ292LyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.Av7upADxQtkw2-kiyC6_Avzl2UlJtrwt32R5z_kA4yc/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">directfile.irs.gov</a>.

The Direct File pilot is currently in the internal testing phase and will be more widely available in mid-March. Taxpayers can get the latest news about the pilot at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDksInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvYWJvdXQtaXJzL3N0cmF0ZWdpYy1wbGFuL2RpcmVjdC1maWxlLXBpbG90LW5ld3MiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.AIAUmujz-fbi580aFRwbvyqYux3FTyvETMBg_v8Hc1g/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Direct File pilot news</a>&nbsp;and sign up to be notified when Direct File is open to new users.

Finally, for comprehensive information on all these and other changes for tax year 2023, taxpayers and tax professionals are encouraged to read the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1wdWJsaWNhdGlvbi0xNyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.byxcRjUwJdJo0SPp3WVFJDhDi3adhjJCpNp3Hhfx9Fw/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax (For Individuals)</a>, taxpayer guide, as well as visit other topics of taxpayer interest on&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDIyMS45MDU3MDU1MSJ9.v0n7hkxgGFDDdDCiLB4HeiYb358dwK42j5b1doV89GQ/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">IRS.gov</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869881583.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Internal Revenue ServiceWASHINGTON — During the busiest time of the tax filing season, the Internal Revenue Service kicked off its 2024 Tax Time Guide series to help remind taxpayers of key items they’ll need to file a 2023 tax return.As part of its four-part, weekly&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvbmV3c3Jvb20vdGF4LXRpbWUtZ3VpZGUiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.b1LDYgGvuX8lcwmLX2xdqqlap7rkO9SCdeWZvTLpkiY/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Tax Time Guide</a>&nbsp;series, the IRS continues to provide new and updated resources to help taxpayers file an accurate tax return. Taxpayers can count on&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDIyMS45MDU3MDU1MSJ9.KFzQKy1EgSo9H5i12cSSA006_ojDQ_aa6lrL7EhjYQk/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">IRS.gov</a>&nbsp;for updated&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjgsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvaGVscC90YXgtbGF3LXF1ZXN0aW9ucyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.vBeKcHCvWbKqmcvRjbH9EcEB9c1bEwgx2_868pnuQrA/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">resources</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjksInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvaGVscC90b29scyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.p1ToYwuK4zLtpBdjkOmj19BBCZ3rox2JTNcSLLgK9cE/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">tools</a>&nbsp;along with a&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvaGVscC9sZXQtdXMtaGVscC15b3UiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0._FojOXVu9VaViwIi2pIS8TuXe-ydJFFnqMoMIXHSfIc/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">special free help</a>&nbsp;page available around the clock. Taxpayers are also encouraged to read&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1wdWJsaWNhdGlvbi0xNyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.UDO9JpNiTB8IBAcXD3wXkiUIiyz2yBw9BpEevNcnbTs/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax (For Individuals)</a>&nbsp;for additional guidance.Essentials to filing an accurate tax returnThe deadline this tax season for filing&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1mb3JtLTEwNDAiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.T4TWt2LRHEEtjUGvJt32n6w5q6MI3CUlQ90IviMFhmQ/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return</a>, or&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1mb3JtLTEwNDAtc3IiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.79x6rK2O3e-w3qMUl0ZN9HE_S47gf5abI1osefTfovA/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">1040-SR, U.S. Tax Return for Seniors</a>, is April 15, 2024. However, those who live in Maine or Massachusetts will have until April 17, 2024, to file due to official holidays observed in those states.Taxpayers are advised to wait until they receive all their proper&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvaW5kaXZpZHVhbHMvc3RlcHMtdG8tdGFrZS1ub3ctdG8tZ2V0LWEtanVtcC1vbi1uZXh0LXllYXJzLXRheGVzI2NvbGxhcHNlQ29sbGFwc2libGUxNjc1OTQ2MTg0OTI5IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDIyMS45MDU3MDU1MSJ9.YUWAYpgf9J2QDlcKEgHDX6OyVpW9JtNKp2jYNht-4-g/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">tax documents</a>&nbsp;before filing their tax returns. Filing without all the necessary documents could lead to mistakes and potential delays.It’s important for taxpayers to carefully review their documents for any inaccuracies or missing information. If any issues are found, taxpayers should&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvdGF4dG9waWNzL3RjMTU0IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDIyMS45MDU3MDU1MSJ9.WRWGkk_z4bMyXSnwwTwt_NIJTzjlcfvV9qVxX8iYAvY/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">contact the payer</a>&nbsp;immediately to request a correction or confirm that the payer has their current mailing or email address on file.Creating an IRS&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvcGF5bWVudHMveW91ci1vbmxpbmUtYWNjb3VudCIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.PetYUZcQxDRxVud0-96P9RvmaYfouaIyKVdt_G7KvdY/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Online Account</a>&nbsp;can provide taxpayers with secure access to information about their federal tax account, including payment history, tax records and other important information.Having organized tax records can make the process of preparing a complete and accurate tax return easier and may also help taxpayers identify any overlooked&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvY3JlZGl0cyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.5zioWr88MFYSYy6XBogFVjOgvmaJqEePCnVIisKz8fA/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">deductions or credits</a>.Taxpayers who have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number or&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzgsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvaW5kaXZpZHVhbHMvaW5kaXZpZHVhbC10YXhwYXllci1pZGVudGlmaWNhdGlvbi1udW1iZXIiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.eaCLwkgaL0HvvneU_Or0G47GVWp66dMVirzfpqE9NbY/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">ITIN</a>&nbsp;may need to renew it if it has expired and is required for a U.S. federal tax return. If an expiring or expired ITIN is not renewed, the IRS can still accept the tax return, but it may result in processing delays or delays in credits owed.Changes to credits and deductions for tax year 2023Standard deduction amount increased.&nbsp;For 2023, the standard deduction amount has been increased for all filers. The amounts are:— Single or married filing separately — $13,850.— Head of household — $20,800.— Married filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse — $27,700.Additional child tax credit amount increased.&nbsp;The maximum additional child tax credit amount has increased to $1,600 for each qualifying child.Child tax credit enhancements.&nbsp;Many changes to the Child tax credit (CTC) that had been implemented by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 have expired.However, the IRS continues to closely monitor legislation being considered by Congress affecting the Child Tax Credit. The IRS reminds taxpayers eligible for the Child Tax Credit that they should not wait to file their 2023 tax return this filing season. If Congress changes the CTC guidelines, the IRS will automatically make adjustments for those who have already filed so no additional action will be needed by those eligible taxpayers.Under current law, for tax year 2023, the following currently apply:— The enhanced credit allowed for qualifying children under age 6 and children under age 18 has expired. For 2023, the initial amount of the CTC is $2,000 for each qualifying child. The credit amount begins to phase out where AGI income exceeds $200,000 ($400,000 in the case of a joint return). The amount of the CTC that can be claimed as a refundable credit is limited as it was in 2020 except that the maximum ACTC amount for each qualifying child increased to $1,500.— The increased age allowance for a qualifying child has expired. A child must be under age 17 at the end of 2023 to be a qualifying child.Changes to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).&nbsp;The enhancements for taxpayers without a qualifying child implemented by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 will not apply for tax year 2023. To claim the EITC without a qualifying child in 2023, taxpayers must be at least age 25 but under age 65 at the end of 2023. If a taxpayer is married filing a joint return, one spouse must be at least age 25 but under age 65 at the end of 2023.Taxpayers may find more information on Child tax credits in the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzksInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1zY2hlZHVsZS04ODEyLWZvcm0tMTA0MCIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.8UWCwWxaxApQscWJMXNd-J3vumiYZ1thloEM_KZ9rEU/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Instructions for Schedule 8812 (Form 1040)</a>.New Clean Vehicle Credit.&nbsp;The credit for new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles has changed. This credit is now known as the Clean Vehicle Credit. The maximum amount of the credit and some of the requirements to claim the credit have changed. The credit is reported on&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1mb3JtLTg5MzYiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.FbjqwLhmhQjaDI9MuhGmynDP_9iYfOsPnWZPSA_xnPY/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Form 8936, Qualified Plug-In Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit</a>, and on Form 1040, Schedule 3.More information on these and other credit and deduction changes for tax year 2023 may be found in the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1wdWJsaWNhdGlvbi0xNyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.tDUht4N4eVo7l9Xn_2nyyDJi-MyA0HzJ_g4Df6bF6KI/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax (For Individuals)</a>, taxpayer guide.1099-K reporting requirements have not changed for tax year 2023Following feedback from taxpayers, tax professionals and payment processors, and to reduce taxpayer confusion, the IRS recently released&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvbmV3c3Jvb20vaXJzLWFubm91bmNlcy1kZWxheS1pbi1mb3JtLTEwOTktay1yZXBvcnRpbmctdGhyZXNob2xkLWZvci10aGlyZC1wYXJ0eS1wbGF0Zm9ybS1wYXltZW50cy1pbi0yMDIzLXBsYW5zLWZvci1hLXRocmVzaG9sZC1vZi01MDAwLWZvci0yMDI0LXRvLXBoYXNlLWluLWltcGxlbWVudGF0aW9uIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDIyMS45MDU3MDU1MSJ9.34fC7PrGRgb39H94ewkjvQSApkBWJVdIOC5BxmlFUqc/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Notice 2023-74</a>&nbsp;announcing a delay of the new $600 reporting threshold for tax year 2023 on&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1mb3JtLTEwOTktayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.fPKRVg3MyYSPki0D-wrhBCNjUTEAydrCIZfn1HaK9FM/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Form 1099-K, Payment Card and Third-Party Network Transactions</a>. The previous reporting thresholds will remain in place for 2023.The IRS has published a&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvbmV3c3Jvb20vaXJzLWFubm91bmNlcy0yMDIzLWZvcm0tMTA5OS1rLXJlcG9ydGluZy10aHJlc2hvbGQtZGVsYXktZm9yLXRoaXJkLXBhcnR5LXBsYXRmb3JtLXBheW1lbnRzLXBsYW5zLWZvci1hLTUwMDAtdGhyZXNob2xkLWluLTIwMjQtdG8tcGhhc2UtaW4taW1wbGVtZW50YXRpb24iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.M1AkMWhz6dvsa6wXbxUGt61UxdPozd3GiyFnzl-xsOQ/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Fact Sheet</a>&nbsp;with further information to assist taxpayers concerning changes to 1099-K reporting requirements for tax year 2023.Form 1099-K reporting requirementsTaxpayers who take direct payment by credit, debit or gift cards for selling goods or providing services by customers or clients should get a Form 1099-K from their payment processor or payment settlement entity no matter how many payments they got or how much they were for.If they used a payment app or online marketplace and received over $20,000 from over 200 transactions, the payment app or online marketplace is required to send a Form 1099-K. However, they can send a Form 1099-K with lower amounts. Whether or not the taxpayer receives a Form 1099-K, they must still report any income on their tax return.What’s taxable?&nbsp;It’s the profit from these activities that’s taxable income. The Form 1099-K shows the gross or total amount of payments received. Taxpayers can use it and other records to figure out the actual taxes they owe on any profits. Remember that all income, no matter the amount, is taxable unless the tax law says it isn’t – even if taxpayers don’t get a Form 1099-K.What’s not taxable?&nbsp;Taxpayers shouldn’t receive a Form 1099-K for personal payments, including money received as a gift and for repayment of shared expenses. That money isn’t taxable. To prevent getting an inaccurate Form 1099-K, note those payments as “personal,” if possible.Good recordkeeping is key.&nbsp;Be sure to keep good records because it helps when it’s time to file a tax return. It’s a good idea to keep business and personal transactions separate to make it easier to figure out what a taxpayer owes.For details on what to do if a taxpayer gets a Form 1099-K in error or the information on their form is incorrect, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvYnVzaW5lc3Nlcy91bmRlcnN0YW5kaW5nLXlvdXItZm9ybS0xMDk5LWsiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.3uAPKV3BB40sZW1CYG8E8UzqTTHmDGTNjap9_fxlS8k/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">irs.gov/1099K</a>&nbsp;or find frequently asked questions at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvbmV3c3Jvb20vZm9ybS0xMDk5LWstZmFxcyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.rwI1eV_0dw7lpSdnHdLe1Fz3s0WSgwcKP5YpTCaR3PY/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Form 1099-K FAQs</a>.Direct File pilot program provides a new option this year for someThe IRS launched the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvYWJvdXQtaXJzL3N0cmF0ZWdpYy1wbGFuL2RpcmVjdC1maWxlIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDIyMS45MDU3MDU1MSJ9.hoOBd1Wdgf8615iSfPgJ-gJNLUCn7tFaJeqWh3ipBzU/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Direct File pilot program</a>&nbsp;during the 2024 tax season. The pilot will give eligible taxpayers an option to prepare and electronically file their 2023 tax returns, for free, directly with the IRS.The Direct File pilot program will be offered to eligible taxpayers in 12 pilot states who have relatively simple tax returns reporting only certain types of income and claiming limited credits and deductions. The 12 states currently participating in the Direct File pilot program are Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington state and Wyoming. Taxpayers can check their eligibility at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDgsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZGlyZWN0ZmlsZS5pcnMuZ292LyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.Av7upADxQtkw2-kiyC6_Avzl2UlJtrwt32R5z_kA4yc/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">directfile.irs.gov</a>.The Direct File pilot is currently in the internal testing phase and will be more widely available in mid-March. Taxpayers can get the latest news about the pilot at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDksInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvYWJvdXQtaXJzL3N0cmF0ZWdpYy1wbGFuL2RpcmVjdC1maWxlLXBpbG90LW5ld3MiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIxLjkwNTcwNTUxIn0.AIAUmujz-fbi580aFRwbvyqYux3FTyvETMBg_v8Hc1g/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Direct File pilot news</a>&nbsp;and sign up to be notified when Direct File is open to new users.Finally, for comprehensive information on all these and other changes for tax year 2023, taxpayers and tax professionals are encouraged to read the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvZm9ybXMtcHVicy9hYm91dC1wdWJsaWNhdGlvbi0xNyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjEuOTA1NzA1NTEifQ.byxcRjUwJdJo0SPp3WVFJDhDi3adhjJCpNp3Hhfx9Fw/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax (For Individuals)</a>, taxpayer guide, as well as visit other topics of taxpayer interest on&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmlycy5nb3YvIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDIyMS45MDU3MDU1MSJ9.v0n7hkxgGFDDdDCiLB4HeiYb358dwK42j5b1doV89GQ/s/1558083055/br/237464752169-l">IRS.gov</a>.

Tax Time Guide 2024: What to know before completing a tax return

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY — The Riley County Police Department reported just before 10a.m. Wednesday, that missing Anabelle Deacon has been located.

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY –&nbsp;The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue an endangered persons advisory for a missing Manhattan girl, according to a media release from the KBI.

The whereabouts of 12-year-old Anabelle C. Deacon are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her.

Anabelle lives in Manhattan, Kansas, and in rural Pottawatomie County. She was last seen walking east on Heather Lane in Manhattan on Wednesday morning around 6:50 a.m. She was last known wearing a St. Francis Xavier’s catholic school uniform, which is tan khaki pants, and a blue polo shirt. She may also be wearing a black hoodie.

Anabelle is described as a white female, approximately 5 foot 5 inches tall, and weighing around 110 pounds. She has brown curly hair, brown eyes, and wears glasses.

If you see Anabelle, call 911 immediately. If you have any other information about this case, please call the&nbsp;Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office at&nbsp;(785) 457-3353.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707925699200.png" alt="Anabelle C. Deacon courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Anabelle C. Deacon courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY — The Riley County Police Department reported just before 10a.m. Wednesday, that missing Anabelle Deacon has been located.---------POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY –&nbsp;The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue an endangered persons advisory for a missing Manhattan girl, according to a media release from the KBI.The whereabouts of 12-year-old Anabelle C. Deacon are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707925762367.png" alt="Anabelle C. Deacon courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Anabelle C. Deacon courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Anabelle lives in Manhattan, Kansas, and in rural Pottawatomie County. She was last seen walking east on Heather Lane in Manhattan on Wednesday morning around 6:50 a.m. She was last known wearing a St. Francis Xavier’s catholic school uniform, which is tan khaki pants, and a blue polo shirt. She may also be wearing a black hoodie.Anabelle is described as a white female, approximately 5 foot 5 inches tall, and weighing around 110 pounds. She has brown curly hair, brown eyes, and wears glasses.If you see Anabelle, call 911 immediately. If you have any other information about this case, please call the&nbsp;Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office at&nbsp;(785) 457-3353.

Police: Missing Manhattan girl found safe

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Several elected leaders in Oregon declared a state of emergency last week for downtown Portland over the public health and public safety crisis fueled by fentanyl.

This comes as&nbsp;Democratic lawmakers in Oregon last month unveiled a sweeping new bill that would undo a key part of the state’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law, a recognition that public opinion has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-drugs-decriminalization-pushback-bb209e6ba9835c69f95b093c8ee00279">soured on the measure</a>&nbsp;amid rampant public drug use during the fentanyl crisis.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson made the emergency declaration for a 90-day period during which collaboration and response will come from a command center downtown. The three governments are directing their agencies to work with first responders in connecting people addicted to the synthetic opioid with resources including drug treatment programs and to crack down on drug sales.

“Our country and our state have never seen a drug this deadly addictive, and all are grappling with how to respond,” Kotek said in a statement.

The declaration is a recommendation from a governor-established task force that met for several months last year to determine ways to rejuvenate downtown Portland.

People addicted to fentanyl who interact with first responders in Portland’s downtown in the next 90 days will be triaged by this new command center. Staff can connect people with various resources from a bed in a drug treatment center to meeting with a behavioral health clinician to help with registering for food stamps.

“We cannot underestimate the tremendous value of bringing leaders from different disciplines in a room on a daily basis who all account for a different part of the solution,” Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said in a statement.

Mike Myers, the director of Portland’s Community Safety Division, will head the city’s command team. Nathan Reynolds, deputy policy chief at the state’s Office of Resilience and Emergency Management, will be the state’s incident commander.

The effort also extends the Portland Police Bureau’s partnership with Oregon State Police to jointly patrol downtown streets for fentanyl sales. It additionally kicks off information campaigns centered on drug use prevention and recovery programs across the region. The county will expand outreach and training on how to administer Narcan, an overdose-reversal drug.

The program doesn’t establish any goals to measure success. Kotek said the next 90 days will provide a road map for the next steps.

The synthetic opioid addiction and overdose crisis that has gripped the U.S. for over two decades has left governments at the federal, state and local levels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fentanyl-opioids-oregon-washington-legislature-2db8e01e0cdc26fb72f119fe99cdb73a" target="_blank">scrambling for solutions</a>.

At the state level, Oregon lawmakers have introduced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-drug-decriminalization-law-3f851183d45e9c29609360b09e996d04" target="_blank">new bill</a>&nbsp;that would undo a key part of the state’s drug decriminalization law.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-drugs-decriminalization-pushback-bb209e6ba9835c69f95b093c8ee00279" target="_blank">Public opinion has soured</a>&nbsp;on it as public drug use has become more visible because of growing homelessness.

And President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced last fall that China was telling its chemical companies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-xi-fentanyl-agreement-mexico-china-opioids-1fa57facd0dbdac714b616d705952d92" target="_blank">restrict shipments to Latin America and elsewhere of the materials used to produce fentanyl</a>, which is largely finished in Mexico and then smuggled into the U.S.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Several elected leaders in Oregon declared a state of emergency last week for downtown Portland over the public health and public safety crisis fueled by fentanyl.This comes as&nbsp;Democratic lawmakers in Oregon last month unveiled a sweeping new bill that would undo a key part of the state’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law, a recognition that public opinion has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-drugs-decriminalization-pushback-bb209e6ba9835c69f95b093c8ee00279">soured on the measure</a>&nbsp;amid rampant public drug use during the fentanyl crisis.Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson made the emergency declaration for a 90-day period during which collaboration and response will come from a command center downtown. The three governments are directing their agencies to work with first responders in connecting people addicted to the synthetic opioid with resources including drug treatment programs and to crack down on drug sales.“Our country and our state have never seen a drug this deadly addictive, and all are grappling with how to respond,” Kotek said in a statement.The declaration is a recommendation from a governor-established task force that met for several months last year to determine ways to rejuvenate downtown Portland.People addicted to fentanyl who interact with first responders in Portland’s downtown in the next 90 days will be triaged by this new command center. Staff can connect people with various resources from a bed in a drug treatment center to meeting with a behavioral health clinician to help with registering for food stamps.“We cannot underestimate the tremendous value of bringing leaders from different disciplines in a room on a daily basis who all account for a different part of the solution,” Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said in a statement.Mike Myers, the director of Portland’s Community Safety Division, will head the city’s command team. Nathan Reynolds, deputy policy chief at the state’s Office of Resilience and Emergency Management, will be the state’s incident commander.The effort also extends the Portland Police Bureau’s partnership with Oregon State Police to jointly patrol downtown streets for fentanyl sales. It additionally kicks off information campaigns centered on drug use prevention and recovery programs across the region. The county will expand outreach and training on how to administer Narcan, an overdose-reversal drug.The program doesn’t establish any goals to measure success. Kotek said the next 90 days will provide a road map for the next steps.The synthetic opioid addiction and overdose crisis that has gripped the U.S. for over two decades has left governments at the federal, state and local levels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fentanyl-opioids-oregon-washington-legislature-2db8e01e0cdc26fb72f119fe99cdb73a" target="_blank">scrambling for solutions</a>.At the state level, Oregon lawmakers have introduced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-drug-decriminalization-law-3f851183d45e9c29609360b09e996d04" target="_blank">new bill</a>&nbsp;that would undo a key part of the state’s drug decriminalization law.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-drugs-decriminalization-pushback-bb209e6ba9835c69f95b093c8ee00279" target="_blank">Public opinion has soured</a>&nbsp;on it as public drug use has become more visible because of growing homelessness.And President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced last fall that China was telling its chemical companies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-xi-fentanyl-agreement-mexico-china-opioids-1fa57facd0dbdac714b616d705952d92" target="_blank">restrict shipments to Latin America and elsewhere of the materials used to produce fentanyl</a>, which is largely finished in Mexico and then smuggled into the U.S.

State’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law in jeopardy

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/chase-woodruff/">CHASE WOODRUFF</a>&nbsp;

The plaintiffs who persuaded a majority of the Colorado Supreme Court to block former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot under a Civil War-era insurrection clause urged the U.S. Supreme Court to promptly weigh in on the case in a new filing.

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUVD3sX8LwthbWVYhf8fe1OUYtlLMzDkszA-2BIqPpCFEPX7YCUG8Pq20fh1jCrcK0FMwMtiiSlW6JQMCQvarwWIGrDTRdIv5xfY3DE22lyG5ulldSP6FWTLWffha68j6jtpKh07EnNePaihJKUh6axmVw-3DLy9n_Jm5goVoRUsnLGAkeCf3KzuTJy56ex9G-2FU4MIWWg7cd-2FpMzbu10h-2FsHfvAs75q7ILXjf9EAPVZZvvlv1-2BavrUdAOq0b3G4YMbFM7gQYgCqBxATSW-2BKI-2FBJx6DY7HiRke9uu7aTaCfc1Ls-2F2yYSGE09A02XoxCPVO-2BRclNnFm03K0lRoK9aAZH3Q52EzPA0IWYDO026F0p17dGTarUzclQsksrMr7lURpITe3jSiN-2FsToB-2BXDBnxxQicIL4z-2BZNsYmV2R97xTMCSRVum6USJ98SZoU0cTBffWDAugr7upRD5ypLKAma-2FH7WlPE5TfSbf-2B-2BPjKMrfT5elt3er00jfG-2FYMdKb7kWosvDKMYOA-2Bu-2BxBU-3D">33-page brief</a>&nbsp;from the attorneys representing six Colorado Republican and unaffiliated voters was filed with the nation’s highest court on Tuesday. It followed the Colorado Republican Party’s petition last week for a so-called writ of certiorari, a formal order the Supreme Court issues when it agrees to review a case.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs, who are backed by the nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, wrote that with primary election deadlines looming, the court should take up the case on an “expedited timetable.”

“Although the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision was correct and implicates no split of authority, this Court should nevertheless grant certiorari,” the brief said. “This case is of utmost national importance. And given the upcoming presidential primary schedule, there is no time to wait for the issues to percolate further.”

A U.S. Supreme Court review has been widely expected in the wake of the Colorado Supreme Court’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://coloradonewsline.com/2023/12/19/colorado-supreme-court-trump-2024-ballot-ruling/">seismic Dec. 19 ruling</a>, which held that Trump’s actions in relation to the Jan. 6 insurrection disqualify him from office under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Section 3 of the amendment prohibits a person who took an oath to support the Constitution and then “engaged in insurrection” from holding office again.

The court stayed its decision pending a likely U.S. Supreme Court appeal, meaning that Trump’s name will still appear on GOP primary ballots if the court agrees to review the case before the Jan. 5 ballot certification deadline, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold has said.

Following the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mainemorningstar.com/2023/12/28/secretary-of-state-finds-trump-ineligible-for-maines-primary-ballot/">Maine became the second state</a>&nbsp;to disqualify Trump from the ballot under Section 3 when Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows issued a ruling to that effect on Dec. 28.

The Colorado Republican Party appealed the Colorado case to the U.S. Supreme Court the same day, writing in a petition that “voters have been denied the ability to choose their Chief Executive through the electoral process.” A separate appeal from attorneys representing Trump is expected soon.

The plaintiffs’ Tuesday filing calls the Colorado lawsuit an “ideal vehicle” for the court to settle questions about Trump’s constitutional eligibility under Section 3.

“Today’s brief underscores that Section 3 applies to former presidents, that our clients had the right to bring this challenge under Colorado state law and that the First Amendment does not allow a state party to list disqualified candidates on the ballot,” CREW president Noah Bookbinder said in a statement. “It is crucial that the Supreme Court take up and review this case quickly so that Coloradans and the American public have complete clarity on Donald Trump’s eligibility before casting their ballots.”

The brief asks the court to grant review of the case by Friday and to issue a ruling by Feb. 11. The presidential primary election in Colorado will occur March 5.

<a target="_blank" href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/supreme-court-block-trump-colorado-ballot/">This story</a>&nbsp;was produced by Colorado Newsline, a States Newsroom affiliate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703030684419.png" alt="Following the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mainemorningstar.com/2023/12/28/secretary-of-state-finds-trump-ineligible-for-maines-primary-ballot/">Maine became the second state</a>&nbsp;to disqualify Trump from the ballot under Section 3 when Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows issued a ruling to that effect on Dec. 28.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Following the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mainemorningstar.com/2023/12/28/secretary-of-state-finds-trump-ineligible-for-maines-primary-ballot/">Maine became the second state</a>&nbsp;to disqualify Trump from the ballot under Section 3 when Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows issued a ruling to that effect on Dec. 28.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/chase-woodruff/">CHASE WOODRUFF</a>&nbsp;The plaintiffs who persuaded a majority of the Colorado Supreme Court to block former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot under a Civil War-era insurrection clause urged the U.S. Supreme Court to promptly weigh in on the case in a new filing.The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUVD3sX8LwthbWVYhf8fe1OUYtlLMzDkszA-2BIqPpCFEPX7YCUG8Pq20fh1jCrcK0FMwMtiiSlW6JQMCQvarwWIGrDTRdIv5xfY3DE22lyG5ulldSP6FWTLWffha68j6jtpKh07EnNePaihJKUh6axmVw-3DLy9n_Jm5goVoRUsnLGAkeCf3KzuTJy56ex9G-2FU4MIWWg7cd-2FpMzbu10h-2FsHfvAs75q7ILXjf9EAPVZZvvlv1-2BavrUdAOq0b3G4YMbFM7gQYgCqBxATSW-2BKI-2FBJx6DY7HiRke9uu7aTaCfc1Ls-2F2yYSGE09A02XoxCPVO-2BRclNnFm03K0lRoK9aAZH3Q52EzPA0IWYDO026F0p17dGTarUzclQsksrMr7lURpITe3jSiN-2FsToB-2BXDBnxxQicIL4z-2BZNsYmV2R97xTMCSRVum6USJ98SZoU0cTBffWDAugr7upRD5ypLKAma-2FH7WlPE5TfSbf-2B-2BPjKMrfT5elt3er00jfG-2FYMdKb7kWosvDKMYOA-2Bu-2BxBU-3D">33-page brief</a>&nbsp;from the attorneys representing six Colorado Republican and unaffiliated voters was filed with the nation’s highest court on Tuesday. It followed the Colorado Republican Party’s petition last week for a so-called writ of certiorari, a formal order the Supreme Court issues when it agrees to review a case.Attorneys for the plaintiffs, who are backed by the nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, wrote that with primary election deadlines looming, the court should take up the case on an “expedited timetable.”“Although the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision was correct and implicates no split of authority, this Court should nevertheless grant certiorari,” the brief said. “This case is of utmost national importance. And given the upcoming presidential primary schedule, there is no time to wait for the issues to percolate further.”A U.S. Supreme Court review has been widely expected in the wake of the Colorado Supreme Court’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://coloradonewsline.com/2023/12/19/colorado-supreme-court-trump-2024-ballot-ruling/">seismic Dec. 19 ruling</a>, which held that Trump’s actions in relation to the Jan. 6 insurrection disqualify him from office under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Section 3 of the amendment prohibits a person who took an oath to support the Constitution and then “engaged in insurrection” from holding office again.The court stayed its decision pending a likely U.S. Supreme Court appeal, meaning that Trump’s name will still appear on GOP primary ballots if the court agrees to review the case before the Jan. 5 ballot certification deadline, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold has said.Following the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mainemorningstar.com/2023/12/28/secretary-of-state-finds-trump-ineligible-for-maines-primary-ballot/">Maine became the second state</a>&nbsp;to disqualify Trump from the ballot under Section 3 when Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows issued a ruling to that effect on Dec. 28.The Colorado Republican Party appealed the Colorado case to the U.S. Supreme Court the same day, writing in a petition that “voters have been denied the ability to choose their Chief Executive through the electoral process.” A separate appeal from attorneys representing Trump is expected soon.The plaintiffs’ Tuesday filing calls the Colorado lawsuit an “ideal vehicle” for the court to settle questions about Trump’s constitutional eligibility under Section 3.“Today’s brief underscores that Section 3 applies to former presidents, that our clients had the right to bring this challenge under Colorado state law and that the First Amendment does not allow a state party to list disqualified candidates on the ballot,” CREW president Noah Bookbinder said in a statement. “It is crucial that the Supreme Court take up and review this case quickly so that Coloradans and the American public have complete clarity on Donald Trump’s eligibility before casting their ballots.”The brief asks the court to grant review of the case by Friday and to issue a ruling by Feb. 11. The presidential primary election in Colorado will occur March 5.<a target="_blank" href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/supreme-court-block-trump-colorado-ballot/">This story</a>&nbsp;was produced by Colorado Newsline, a States Newsroom affiliate.

U.S. Supreme Court reviews Trump ballot ban in Colorado

Scams can be hard to spot because they often look just like&nbsp;the real thing.&nbsp;That includes job scams. They crop up on real job sites, including places like LinkedIn. Scammers have even invited people to do things like 45-minute interviews, putting in the time so you let your guard down. So how do you tell a scam from the real thing?

Let’s say you get a message from a recruiter. They say you’re&nbsp;just&nbsp;what they’ve been looking for and schedule a virtual interview. The invitation has the company’s logo and an official-looking job briefing guide describing the job’s duties. Soon after the interview, you get the email: You got the job! The offer letter comes in — company logo and all — and everything seems promising. But what comes next?

Here are some signs that job offer may be a scam:

Not sure if you’re dealing with a job scam? Contact the company using a phone number or website you know to be legitimate — not one you got from the “recruiter.”

Report job scams to the FTC:&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.

Federal Trade Commission<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702930819749.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Scams can be hard to spot because they often look just like&nbsp;the real thing.&nbsp;That includes job scams. They crop up on real job sites, including places like LinkedIn. Scammers have even invited people to do things like 45-minute interviews, putting in the time so you let your guard down. So how do you tell a scam from the real thing?Let’s say you get a message from a recruiter. They say you’re&nbsp;just&nbsp;what they’ve been looking for and schedule a virtual interview. The invitation has the company’s logo and an official-looking job briefing guide describing the job’s duties. Soon after the interview, you get the email: You got the job! The offer letter comes in — company logo and all — and everything seems promising. But what comes next?Here are some signs that job offer may be a scam:<ul>
 <li>Scammy recruiters will email you from a personal email, not a company account.&nbsp;Recruiters will generally email from their company (@companyname.com), not a personal email like @gmail.com or @yahoo.com.</li><li>Scammy recruiters push you for money.&nbsp;They might send you a fake invoice for equipment (like a computer ) or “training” that they’ll supposedly order but tell you to pay for first — using mobile payment apps like Cash App, Zelle, or PayPal. They’ll promise to reimburse you…but won’t, because it’s a scam.</li><li>Scammy recruiters ask for your personal information up front.&nbsp;Before giving you any details about the job, they’ll ask for your driver’s license, Social Security, or bank account number to fill out “employment paperwork.” But if you share it, they might steal your identity.</li>
 </ul>Not sure if you’re dealing with a job scam? Contact the company using a phone number or website you know to be legitimate — not one you got from the “recruiter.”Report job scams to the FTC:&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.

FTC: How to spot the latest job scams

WASHINGTON, D.C. — You may have heard us say when you’re shopping online, check things out before checkout. The same advice applies to giveaways on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. 

Here’s why: One in four people who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2023/10/social-media-golden-goose-scammers">reported losing money to fraud since 2021</a>&nbsp;said it started on social media. Scammers make it hard to tell what’s real and what’s fake. Want to avoid scams on your feed? Slow your scroll and keep reading to find out how.

If you follow your favorite businesses on social media to get updates about upcoming events or promotions, you’re not the only one. Scammers are watching too — and they may hijack legit businesses’ giveaways and promotions to&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams#recognize">try and get your personal and financial information</a>.

Imagine your favorite photographer is giving away a free photo session. You follow the steps to enter — liking their page, tagging a few friends, and sharing the post. Then someone who&nbsp;looks&nbsp;like the business owner tags you in a comment saying that you’ve won. They send you a link — and ask for financial information — to claim your prize. What’s your next step?&nbsp;[Hint: it rhymes with Jaws!]

Before you respond,&nbsp;pause. Don’t click on any links&nbsp;since they&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-remove-avoid-malware">might contain malware</a>. Then:

• Ask yourself: Does this business need information like my credit card number to get this free prize? If it’s legit, probably not!&nbsp;

• Contact the business&nbsp;using a phone number, email, or website that you know is real. Ask if they really sent the message. If they didn’t, report the post and let them know that their account may have been hacked.&nbsp;

Learn more about how to spot, avoid, and report scams—and how to recover money if you’ve paid a scammer—at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/scams">ftc.gov/scams</a>. If you spot a scam, report it to the FTC at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700145879317.png" alt="Federal Trade Commission" />
 <figcaption>Federal Trade Commission</figcaption>
 </figure>By TERRI MILLER FTCWASHINGTON, D.C. — You may have heard us say when you’re shopping online, check things out before checkout. The same advice applies to giveaways on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. Here’s why: One in four people who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2023/10/social-media-golden-goose-scammers">reported losing money to fraud since 2021</a>&nbsp;said it started on social media. Scammers make it hard to tell what’s real and what’s fake. Want to avoid scams on your feed? Slow your scroll and keep reading to find out how.If you follow your favorite businesses on social media to get updates about upcoming events or promotions, you’re not the only one. Scammers are watching too — and they may hijack legit businesses’ giveaways and promotions to&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams#recognize">try and get your personal and financial information</a>. Imagine your favorite photographer is giving away a free photo session. You follow the steps to enter — liking their page, tagging a few friends, and sharing the post. Then someone who&nbsp;looks&nbsp;like the business owner tags you in a comment saying that you’ve won. They send you a link — and ask for financial information — to claim your prize. What’s your next step?&nbsp;[Hint: it rhymes with Jaws!]Before you respond,&nbsp;pause. Don’t click on any links&nbsp;since they&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-remove-avoid-malware">might contain malware</a>. Then:• Ask yourself: Does this business need information like my credit card number to get this free prize? If it’s legit, probably not!&nbsp;• Contact the business&nbsp;using a phone number, email, or website that you know is real. Ask if they really sent the message. If they didn’t, report the post and let them know that their account may have been hacked.&nbsp;Learn more about how to spot, avoid, and report scams—and how to recover money if you’ve paid a scammer—at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/scams">ftc.gov/scams</a>. If you spot a scam, report it to the FTC at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.

FTC: Slow your scroll: Spot, avoid social media giveaway scams

FINNEY COUNTY — There was a large first responder presence at Garden City Community College, 801 North Campus Drive in Garden City, Thursday morning, according to a social media report from police.

Just before noon, the school reported there is no ongoing threat to the public. Local law enforcement are working with GCCC officials to ensure student and staff safety. Normal business operations, including classes, remain closed for the duration of the day.

The lockout for all schools in USD 457 was also lifted, according to a social media report from the district.&nbsp; The rest of the school day will continue as normal.&nbsp;

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

FINNEY COUNTY — There is a large first responder presence at Garden City Community College, 801 North Campus Drive in Garden City, according to a social media report from police.

Just before 10a.m. Thursday, the school reported a combined law enforcement response continued to sweep campus. The college is following its procedures for a potential intruder. 

There continue to be no normal college operations at this time, and we continue to ask those who are off campus to not come to campus.

In addition, all schools in Garden City are on lockout, according to USD 457.&nbsp; No one will be allowed in or out of the buildings, but classes will continue as normal inside.

Check the Post for additional details as they become availavle.

FINNEY COUNTY — There was a large first responder presence at Garden City Community College, 801 North Campus Drive in Garden City, Thursday morning, according to a social media report from police.Just before noon, the school reported there is no ongoing threat to the public. Local law enforcement are working with GCCC officials to ensure student and staff safety. Normal business operations, including classes, remain closed for the duration of the day.The lockout for all schools in USD 457 was also lifted, according to a social media report from the district.&nbsp; The rest of the school day will continue as normal.&nbsp;Check the Post for additional details as they become available.----------FINNEY COUNTY — There is a large first responder presence at Garden City Community College, 801 North Campus Drive in Garden City, according to a social media report from police.Just before 10a.m. Thursday, the school reported a combined law enforcement response continued to sweep campus. The college is following its procedures for a potential intruder. There continue to be no normal college operations at this time, and we continue to ask those who are off campus to not come to campus.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGardenCityCommunityCollege%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02kBs2zJ8nNGfTY4XeXkpU7b2zB8CSyXRTcqCvmrFZPQjKtJGKgg7MAtYWkCJmz95El&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="194" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>In addition, all schools in Garden City are on lockout, according to USD 457.&nbsp; No one will be allowed in or out of the buildings, but classes will continue as normal inside.Check the Post for additional details as they become availavle.

Police: Threat ends, Garden City Com. College remains closed 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — It's been a big year for labor organizing in the U.S. And from auto production lines in Kansas City to Hollywood,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/strikes">all eyes are on strikes</a>&nbsp;taking the world of work by storm.

The boiling point we’re seeing today comes amid soaring costs of living and rising inequality, including growing pay gaps between workers and top executives. Now, thousands of workers who were asked to make sacrifices during the pandemic even as corporate profits soared are asking for better pay and protections — and walking off the job if progress isn't made in heated contract negotiations.

At least 453,000 workers have participated in 312 strikes in the U.S. this year, according to Johnnie Kallas, a Ph.D. candidate and the project director of Cornell University’s Labor Action Tracker. This year’s work stoppages have spread across multiple industries — including transportation, entertainment and hospitality.

Here's a rundown of some of the largest strikes taking place in the U.S. today.

75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers walk off the job

In the health care sector, a major strike kicked off this week — with some 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kaiser-health-care-workers-strike-b8b40ce8c082c0b8c4f1c0fb7ec38741">walking off the job</a>&nbsp;Wednesday in multiple states. Strikers include licensed vocational nurses, home health aides and ultrasound sonographers, as well as technicians in the radiology, X-ray, surgical, pharmacy and emergency departments.

The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, which represents about 85,000 of the health system’s employees nationally, approved a strike for three days in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, and for one day in Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Back in August, unions representing Kaiser workers asked for a $25 hourly minimum wage, as well as increases of 7% each year in the first two years and 6.25% each year in the two years afterward. Union members say understaffing is boosting the hospital system’s profits but hurting patients, and executives have been bargaining in bad faith during negotiations.

Company executive Michelle Gaskill-Hames defended Kaiser — saying its practices, compensation and retention are better than its competitors. Kaiser has proposed minimum hourly wages of between $21 and $23 next year depending on the location.

Kaiser is one of the country’s larger insurers and health care system operators, serving nearly 13 million people. The Oakland, California-based nonprofit said its 39 hospitals, including emergency rooms, will remain open during the picketing, though appointments and non-urgent procedures could be delayed. Doctors are also not participating in the strike, and Kaiser said it was bringing in thousands of temporary workers.

UAW strike nears 3-week mark, with 25,000 on the picket lines

In an unprecedented labor campaign against three major car companies,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/autoworkers-detroit-general-motors-stellantis-ford-e2c78274333bea20856b90126a6b831c">some 25,000 auto workers</a>&nbsp;have joined picket lines in recent weeks

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-auto-workers">United Auto Workers</a>&nbsp;' targeted strikes against General Motors, Stellantis and Ford began at select factories after the union’s contract with the companies expired in mid-September — and have grown to a total of five vehicle assembly plants and 38 parts warehouses since.

UAW President Shawn Fain has announced strike expansions on each of the past two Fridays, citing a lack of what the union says is meaningful progress, but it's unclear how much that will continue as the strike nears its 3-week mark.

A person with direct knowledge of the talks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strike-negotiations-progress-gm-stellantis-ford-4dc51e9f463022bc3794e9615d8a705b">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;Wednesday that progress was reported at all three companies, with some offers being exchanged. Another said there was more movement in talks with Jeep maker Stellantis and less at Ford and General Motors. Neither wanted to be identified because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly about the bargaining.

Fain will update members on the negotiations again Friday. The union is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-strike-ford-gm-stellantis-contract-offers-5dd4dee2056b7efe06d2a55433d8d13a">seeking</a>&nbsp;36% general wage increases over four years, as well as a 32-hour week with 40 hours of pay, the restoration of traditional defined-benefit pensions for new hires and a return of cost-of-living pay raises, among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-strike-ford-stellantis-general-motors-union-58cfc129b91b257b25c0a9254b2c44ec">other benefits</a>.

The companies, however, fear that raising their labor costs could make their vehicles more expensive than those manufactured by Tesla or foreign automakers with U.S. factories where workers are paid less. Tensions have also risen amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strike-auto-workers-ford-gm-stellantis-dce8eb39a1e36f2cc54a5c1e4210e1f3">layoffs</a>&nbsp;impacting thousands of workers, with the auto makers saying some factories are running short on parts because of the strike.

Striking Hollywood actors resume talks with studios

Hollywood was taken by storm this summer with a historic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hollywood-strikes/">dual strike</a>&nbsp;from the unions representing writers and actors — bringing much of production to a halt.

After five months on the picket lines, the writers strike was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-deal-hollywood-vote-actors-d3119d670a4fd3449773bf8f4026fb2b">declared over</a>&nbsp;after their union approved a contract agreement with studios last week. Meanwhile, actors are still on strike — but a shot at cutting their own deal is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-late-night-shows-return-negotiations-1ddcaa8c4684375f8e56d2cd2abd62ea">finally on the horizon</a>.

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-ends-actors-hollywood-28316c5104765576b7259b180e15c05b">began</a>&nbsp;negotiations Monday with the same group of major studios and streaming services, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, for the first time since they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-explained-2607dd29da6c16c0a406359a7e86d7fb">joined writers</a>&nbsp;on the picket lines on July 14. The two sides resumed talks Wednesday.

With similar sticking points to the writers, actors and their employers have been divided on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-explained-2607dd29da6c16c0a406359a7e86d7fb">issues of pay</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-hollywood-strikes-explained-writers-actors-e872bd63ab52c3ea9f7d6e825240a202">use of artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;and self-taped auditions. SAG-AFTRA leaders said they would look closely at the gains and compromises of the writers' deal, but emphasized that their demands would remain the same as they were when the strike began.

The two sides said in a joint statement that “several executives” from studios would be in on the talks, without providing names.

Southern California hotel workers' rolling strikes

Thousands of hotel workers in Southern California have staged&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-city-workers-strike-689eaa21d729694d8fa91080ddaa01df">staggered walkouts</a>&nbsp;over recent months. Union leaders are calling for better wages, improved health care, higher pension contributions, better safety protections and less strenuous workloads, among other benefits.

Members of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unitehere11.org/">Unite Here Local 11</a>&nbsp;overwhelmingly voted in favor of authorizing a strike back in June. After contracts expired at more than 60 hotels — including properties owned by major chains such as Marriott and Hilton — cooks, room attendants, dishwashers, servers, bellmen and front desk agents began picketing outside major hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-hotel-workers-strike-unite-here-0858937937766b75a1bfd10e9e41525f">at the start of July.</a>

During the staggered strikes, workers have also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-los-angeles-hotel-strike-ff26bbef8cbf37c82469a446ff29f919">called for solidarity</a>&nbsp;and a boycott of hotels in the Los Angeles area. According to United Here Local 11's website, the rolling walkouts surpassed the 100th strike mark last month.

While walkouts continue at dozens of hotels, two companies have made agreements with the union to date. On Friday, United Here Local 11 said that Biltmore Los Angeles had reached a tentative contract agreement — joining Westin Bonaventure Hotel &amp; Suites, which averted walkouts with a June deal promising higher pay and increased staffing levels.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695067603080.png" alt="Autoworkers on strike in Missouri photo UAW" />
 <figcaption>Autoworkers on strike in Missouri photo UAW</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — It's been a big year for labor organizing in the U.S. And from auto production lines in Kansas City to Hollywood,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/strikes">all eyes are on strikes</a>&nbsp;taking the world of work by storm.The boiling point we’re seeing today comes amid soaring costs of living and rising inequality, including growing pay gaps between workers and top executives. Now, thousands of workers who were asked to make sacrifices during the pandemic even as corporate profits soared are asking for better pay and protections — and walking off the job if progress isn't made in heated contract negotiations.At least 453,000 workers have participated in 312 strikes in the U.S. this year, according to Johnnie Kallas, a Ph.D. candidate and the project director of Cornell University’s Labor Action Tracker. This year’s work stoppages have spread across multiple industries — including transportation, entertainment and hospitality.Here's a rundown of some of the largest strikes taking place in the U.S. today.75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers walk off the jobIn the health care sector, a major strike kicked off this week — with some 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kaiser-health-care-workers-strike-b8b40ce8c082c0b8c4f1c0fb7ec38741">walking off the job</a>&nbsp;Wednesday in multiple states. Strikers include licensed vocational nurses, home health aides and ultrasound sonographers, as well as technicians in the radiology, X-ray, surgical, pharmacy and emergency departments.The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, which represents about 85,000 of the health system’s employees nationally, approved a strike for three days in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, and for one day in Virginia and Washington, D.C.Back in August, unions representing Kaiser workers asked for a $25 hourly minimum wage, as well as increases of 7% each year in the first two years and 6.25% each year in the two years afterward. Union members say understaffing is boosting the hospital system’s profits but hurting patients, and executives have been bargaining in bad faith during negotiations.Company executive Michelle Gaskill-Hames defended Kaiser — saying its practices, compensation and retention are better than its competitors. Kaiser has proposed minimum hourly wages of between $21 and $23 next year depending on the location.Kaiser is one of the country’s larger insurers and health care system operators, serving nearly 13 million people. The Oakland, California-based nonprofit said its 39 hospitals, including emergency rooms, will remain open during the picketing, though appointments and non-urgent procedures could be delayed. Doctors are also not participating in the strike, and Kaiser said it was bringing in thousands of temporary workers.UAW strike nears 3-week mark, with 25,000 on the picket linesIn an unprecedented labor campaign against three major car companies,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/autoworkers-detroit-general-motors-stellantis-ford-e2c78274333bea20856b90126a6b831c">some 25,000 auto workers</a>&nbsp;have joined picket lines in recent weeksThe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-auto-workers">United Auto Workers</a>&nbsp;' targeted strikes against General Motors, Stellantis and Ford began at select factories after the union’s contract with the companies expired in mid-September — and have grown to a total of five vehicle assembly plants and 38 parts warehouses since.UAW President Shawn Fain has announced strike expansions on each of the past two Fridays, citing a lack of what the union says is meaningful progress, but it's unclear how much that will continue as the strike nears its 3-week mark.A person with direct knowledge of the talks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strike-negotiations-progress-gm-stellantis-ford-4dc51e9f463022bc3794e9615d8a705b">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;Wednesday that progress was reported at all three companies, with some offers being exchanged. Another said there was more movement in talks with Jeep maker Stellantis and less at Ford and General Motors. Neither wanted to be identified because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly about the bargaining.Fain will update members on the negotiations again Friday. The union is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-strike-ford-gm-stellantis-contract-offers-5dd4dee2056b7efe06d2a55433d8d13a">seeking</a>&nbsp;36% general wage increases over four years, as well as a 32-hour week with 40 hours of pay, the restoration of traditional defined-benefit pensions for new hires and a return of cost-of-living pay raises, among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-strike-ford-stellantis-general-motors-union-58cfc129b91b257b25c0a9254b2c44ec">other benefits</a>.The companies, however, fear that raising their labor costs could make their vehicles more expensive than those manufactured by Tesla or foreign automakers with U.S. factories where workers are paid less. Tensions have also risen amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strike-auto-workers-ford-gm-stellantis-dce8eb39a1e36f2cc54a5c1e4210e1f3">layoffs</a>&nbsp;impacting thousands of workers, with the auto makers saying some factories are running short on parts because of the strike.Striking Hollywood actors resume talks with studiosHollywood was taken by storm this summer with a historic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hollywood-strikes/">dual strike</a>&nbsp;from the unions representing writers and actors — bringing much of production to a halt.After five months on the picket lines, the writers strike was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-deal-hollywood-vote-actors-d3119d670a4fd3449773bf8f4026fb2b">declared over</a>&nbsp;after their union approved a contract agreement with studios last week. Meanwhile, actors are still on strike — but a shot at cutting their own deal is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-late-night-shows-return-negotiations-1ddcaa8c4684375f8e56d2cd2abd62ea">finally on the horizon</a>.The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-ends-actors-hollywood-28316c5104765576b7259b180e15c05b">began</a>&nbsp;negotiations Monday with the same group of major studios and streaming services, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, for the first time since they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-explained-2607dd29da6c16c0a406359a7e86d7fb">joined writers</a>&nbsp;on the picket lines on July 14. The two sides resumed talks Wednesday.With similar sticking points to the writers, actors and their employers have been divided on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-explained-2607dd29da6c16c0a406359a7e86d7fb">issues of pay</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-hollywood-strikes-explained-writers-actors-e872bd63ab52c3ea9f7d6e825240a202">use of artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;and self-taped auditions. SAG-AFTRA leaders said they would look closely at the gains and compromises of the writers' deal, but emphasized that their demands would remain the same as they were when the strike began.The two sides said in a joint statement that “several executives” from studios would be in on the talks, without providing names.Southern California hotel workers' rolling strikesThousands of hotel workers in Southern California have staged&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-city-workers-strike-689eaa21d729694d8fa91080ddaa01df">staggered walkouts</a>&nbsp;over recent months. Union leaders are calling for better wages, improved health care, higher pension contributions, better safety protections and less strenuous workloads, among other benefits.Members of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unitehere11.org/">Unite Here Local 11</a>&nbsp;overwhelmingly voted in favor of authorizing a strike back in June. After contracts expired at more than 60 hotels — including properties owned by major chains such as Marriott and Hilton — cooks, room attendants, dishwashers, servers, bellmen and front desk agents began picketing outside major hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-hotel-workers-strike-unite-here-0858937937766b75a1bfd10e9e41525f">at the start of July.</a>During the staggered strikes, workers have also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-los-angeles-hotel-strike-ff26bbef8cbf37c82469a446ff29f919">called for solidarity</a>&nbsp;and a boycott of hotels in the Los Angeles area. According to United Here Local 11's website, the rolling walkouts surpassed the 100th strike mark last month.While walkouts continue at dozens of hotels, two companies have made agreements with the union to date. On Friday, United Here Local 11 said that Biltmore Los Angeles had reached a tentative contract agreement — joining Westin Bonaventure Hotel &amp; Suites, which averted walkouts with a June deal promising higher pay and increased staffing levels.

Thousands are on strike. A rundown of major US work stoppages

WASHINGTON (AP) — “THIS IS A TEST:" If you have a cell phone or are watching television Wednesday that message will flash across your screen as the federal government tests its emergency alert system used to tell people about emergencies.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system">Integrated Public Alert and Warning System</a>&nbsp;sends out messages via the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fema.gov%2Femergency-alert-system&amp;data=05%7C01%7CPMarcelo%40ap.org%7Ccef8e0e7fb174b82465408dbbacf9e85%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638309173128071582%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=aZXAjubdHzIm0ZbVuRKH0kEtRsXU2kwk8P92tEFOwyQ%3D&amp;reserved=0">Emergency Alert System</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system/public/wireless-emergency-alerts">Wireless Emergency Alerts</a>.

The Emergency Alert System is a national public warning system that's designed to allow the president to speak to the American people within ten minutes during a national emergency via specific outlets such as radio and television. And Wireless Emergency Alerts are short messages — 360 characters or less — that go to mobile phones to alert their owner to important information.

While these types of alerts are frequently used in targeted areas to alert people in the area to thing like tornadoes, Wednesday's test is being done across the country.

The test is slated to start at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time Wednesday. Wireless phone customers in the United States whose phones are on will get a message saying: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” The incoming message will also make a noise and the phone should vibrate.

Customers whose phones are set to the Spanish language will get the message in Spanish.

The test will be conducted over a 30-minute window started at 1:20 p.m. CDT although mobile phone owners would only get the message once. If their phones are turned off at 1:20 p.m. and then turned on in the next 30 minutes, they'll get the message when they turn their phones back on. If they turn their phones on after the 30 minutes have expired they will not get the message.

People watching broadcast or cable television or listening to the radio will hear and see a message lasting one minute that says: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 1:20 CDT to 1:50 hours CDT. This is only a test. No action is required by the public."

Federal law&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/1180">requires</a>&nbsp;the systems be tested at least once every three years. The last nationwide test was Aug. 11, 2021.

The test&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-fema-hydroxychloroquine-rand-paul-ukraine-cf1d1adb0f179593b64d92be0a5d5507">has spurred falsehoods on social media</a>&nbsp;that it's part of a plot to send a signal to cell phones nationwide in order to activate nanoparticles such as graphene oxide that have been introduced into people’s bodies. Experts and FEMA officials have dismissed those claims but some social media say they'll shut off their cellphones Wednesday.

All wireless phones should receive the message only once. The following can be expected from the nationwide WEA test:

WEA alerts are created and sent by authorized federal, state, local, tribal and territorial government agencies through IPAWS to participating wireless providers, which deliver the alerts to compatible handsets in geo-targeted areas. To help ensure that these alerts are accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, the alerts are accompanied by a unique tone and vibration.&nbsp;

Important information about the EAS test:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695205625537.png" alt="Photo FEMA" />
 <figcaption>Photo FEMA</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — “THIS IS A TEST:" If you have a cell phone or are watching television Wednesday that message will flash across your screen as the federal government tests its emergency alert system used to tell people about emergencies.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system">Integrated Public Alert and Warning System</a>&nbsp;sends out messages via the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fema.gov%2Femergency-alert-system&amp;data=05%7C01%7CPMarcelo%40ap.org%7Ccef8e0e7fb174b82465408dbbacf9e85%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638309173128071582%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=aZXAjubdHzIm0ZbVuRKH0kEtRsXU2kwk8P92tEFOwyQ%3D&amp;reserved=0">Emergency Alert System</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system/public/wireless-emergency-alerts">Wireless Emergency Alerts</a>.The Emergency Alert System is a national public warning system that's designed to allow the president to speak to the American people within ten minutes during a national emergency via specific outlets such as radio and television. And Wireless Emergency Alerts are short messages — 360 characters or less — that go to mobile phones to alert their owner to important information.While these types of alerts are frequently used in targeted areas to alert people in the area to thing like tornadoes, Wednesday's test is being done across the country.The test is slated to start at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time Wednesday. Wireless phone customers in the United States whose phones are on will get a message saying: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” The incoming message will also make a noise and the phone should vibrate.Customers whose phones are set to the Spanish language will get the message in Spanish.The test will be conducted over a 30-minute window started at 1:20 p.m. CDT although mobile phone owners would only get the message once. If their phones are turned off at 1:20 p.m. and then turned on in the next 30 minutes, they'll get the message when they turn their phones back on. If they turn their phones on after the 30 minutes have expired they will not get the message.People watching broadcast or cable television or listening to the radio will hear and see a message lasting one minute that says: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 1:20 CDT to 1:50 hours CDT. This is only a test. No action is required by the public."Federal law&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/1180">requires</a>&nbsp;the systems be tested at least once every three years. The last nationwide test was Aug. 11, 2021.The test&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-fema-hydroxychloroquine-rand-paul-ukraine-cf1d1adb0f179593b64d92be0a5d5507">has spurred falsehoods on social media</a>&nbsp;that it's part of a plot to send a signal to cell phones nationwide in order to activate nanoparticles such as graphene oxide that have been introduced into people’s bodies. Experts and FEMA officials have dismissed those claims but some social media say they'll shut off their cellphones Wednesday.All wireless phones should receive the message only once. The following can be expected from the nationwide WEA test:<ul>
 <li>Beginning at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET, cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless provider participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message.&nbsp;</li><li>For consumers, the message that appears on their phones will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”</li><li>Phones with the main menu set to Spanish will display: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.”</li>
 </ul>WEA alerts are created and sent by authorized federal, state, local, tribal and territorial government agencies through IPAWS to participating wireless providers, which deliver the alerts to compatible handsets in geo-targeted areas. To help ensure that these alerts are accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, the alerts are accompanied by a unique tone and vibration.&nbsp;Important information about the EAS test:<ul>
 <li>The EAS portion of the test is scheduled to last approximately one minute and will be conducted with the participation of radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers&nbsp;and wireline video providers.</li><li>The test message will be similar to the regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar. It will state: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.</li>
 </ul>

Nationwide emergency alert test today via mobile phones, radio

PHELPS COUNTY —Inmates Steven Timothy Scott and Jonathan Eugene Schmidt O'Dell both managed to escape from the jail in Phelps County, according to the FBI in Kansas City. Scott later turning himself to authorities. 

Law enforcement continue to search for33-year-old Schmidt O'Dell. He is described as a white male, 6-feet-1 inches tall and weighs approximately 200 pounds with brown hair, blue eyes and a full beard at the time of his booking. 

He may have shaved his beard to disguise his identity. He was last seen wearing a maroon-colored shirt with a Phelps County logo and brown slacks with a tan stripe.

Just after 11p.m. Friday the two inmates at the Phelps County Jail escaped by comprising the structural integrity of the cell and exiting the building. 

O'Dell is facing federal charges. According to a federal indictment O'Dell planned to travel to Texas to shoot at illegal immigrants who crossed into the U.S. from Mexico. The indictment also alleges he planned to murder officers and employees of U.S. Border Patrol who attempted to stop him.

As a reminder, anyone who aids a wanted fugitive could be subject to serious charges.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jonathan O'Dell is asked to call 9-1-1 as soon as possible.  For non-emergency tips, please call our command post at (573) 426-3886.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696102076107.png" alt="What escaped Phelps County Jail inmate O'Dell looked like without his beard. Call 911 is you see him." />
 <figcaption>What escaped Phelps County Jail inmate O'Dell looked like without his beard. Call 911 is you see him.</figcaption>
 </figure>PHELPS COUNTY —Inmates Steven Timothy Scott and Jonathan Eugene Schmidt O'Dell both managed to escape from the jail in Phelps County, according to the FBI in Kansas City. Scott later turning himself to authorities. Law enforcement continue to search for33-year-old Schmidt O'Dell. He is described as a white male, 6-feet-1 inches tall and weighs approximately 200 pounds with brown hair, blue eyes and a full beard at the time of his booking. He may have shaved his beard to disguise his identity. He was last seen wearing a maroon-colored shirt with a Phelps County logo and brown slacks with a tan stripe.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696102787994.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 11p.m. Friday the two inmates at the Phelps County Jail escaped by comprising the structural integrity of the cell and exiting the building. O'Dell is facing federal charges. According to a federal indictment O'Dell planned to travel to Texas to shoot at illegal immigrants who crossed into the U.S. from Mexico. The indictment also alleges he planned to murder officers and employees of U.S. Border Patrol who attempted to stop him.As a reminder, anyone who aids a wanted fugitive could be subject to serious charges.Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jonathan O'Dell is asked to call 9-1-1 as soon as possible. For non-emergency tips, please call our command post at (573) 426-3886.

FBI: Search continues for escapee from county jail in Missouri

NEW YORK (AP) — With gridlock persisting in Washington, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-biden-trump-mccarthy-f1b06964cf549b09977677e5f70bf9ff" target="_blank">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;is looking all but inevitable ahead of the Saturday night deadline.

While the Senate pushes forward with bipartisan approach aimed at keeping the government open, the Republican-controlled House has made little progress — most recently with Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-house-republicans-biden-4b6644959722dbbbed654768bd9fc653" target="_blank">last-ditch plan collapsing</a>&nbsp;Friday. If spending measures aren’t passed by Saturday night, millions of federal employees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-park-grand-canyon-shutdown-budget-congress-55c06261c51650e34f4591626bd9f236" target="_blank">will be furloughed</a>&nbsp;and many others will be forced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-gop-federal-workers-congress-government-5978a4c7411eba06261d16c3aff3dfc5" target="_blank">to work without pay</a>&nbsp;until the shutdown ends.

A handful of federal safety services that people rely on everyday are also in jeopardy. From dwindling funds for critical food assistance programs to potential delays in customer service for recipients of low-staffed Medicare and Social Security offices. The ripple effects would come down to how long the shutdown lasts and varying contingency plans in place at impacted agencies.

“Collectively, hundreds of millions of Americans, a majority of the population, are receiving some kind of benefits from the government,” said Forrest V. Morgeson III, an associate professor at Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business. He noted a shutdown would bring significant financial uncertainty and economic implications down the road.

Will SNAP be affected by a government shutdown? What about WIC?

A government shutdown could risk millions of low-income Americans’ access to food and nutrition assistance programs — with impacts depending on how long the shutdown lasts and program-by-program contingency funds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695951910798.png" alt="FILE - A sign reading "Because of the Federal Government SHUTDOWN All National Parks are Closed" is posted on a barricade in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Oct. 1, 2013. The federal government is heading toward a shutdown at month's end that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics. It comes as Republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands for deep cuts, force a confrontation over federal spending. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - A sign reading "Because of the Federal Government SHUTDOWN All National Parks are Closed" is posted on a barricade in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Oct. 1, 2013. The federal government is heading toward a shutdown at month's end that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics. It comes as Republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands for deep cuts, force a confrontation over federal spending. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — With gridlock persisting in Washington, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-biden-trump-mccarthy-f1b06964cf549b09977677e5f70bf9ff" target="_blank">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;is looking all but inevitable ahead of the Saturday night deadline.While the Senate pushes forward with bipartisan approach aimed at keeping the government open, the Republican-controlled House has made little progress — most recently with Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-house-republicans-biden-4b6644959722dbbbed654768bd9fc653" target="_blank">last-ditch plan collapsing</a>&nbsp;Friday. If spending measures aren’t passed by Saturday night, millions of federal employees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-park-grand-canyon-shutdown-budget-congress-55c06261c51650e34f4591626bd9f236" target="_blank">will be furloughed</a>&nbsp;and many others will be forced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-gop-federal-workers-congress-government-5978a4c7411eba06261d16c3aff3dfc5" target="_blank">to work without pay</a>&nbsp;until the shutdown ends.A handful of federal safety services that people rely on everyday are also in jeopardy. From dwindling funds for critical food assistance programs to potential delays in customer service for recipients of low-staffed Medicare and Social Security offices. The ripple effects would come down to how long the shutdown lasts and varying contingency plans in place at impacted agencies.“Collectively, hundreds of millions of Americans, a majority of the population, are receiving some kind of benefits from the government,” said Forrest V. Morgeson III, an associate professor at Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business. He noted a shutdown would bring significant financial uncertainty and economic implications down the road.<h2>Will SNAP be affected by a government shutdown? What about WIC?</h2>A government shutdown could risk millions of low-income Americans’ access to food and nutrition assistance programs — with impacts depending on how long the shutdown lasts and program-by-program contingency funds.Nearly 7 million women and children who rely on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) could be at risk of losing assistance almost immediately into a shutdown, according to the Biden Administration. That’s because the federal contingency fund supporting normal WIC operations will likely run out in a matter of days — pushing states to rely on their own money or carryover funds.Impacted families are “going to be going to food pantries,” said Dr. Nancy Nielsen, senior associate dean for health policy at the University at Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine &amp; Biomedical Sciences. “These are people who need the help. These are moms. These are infants. So this is a real problem.”Families who receive benefits from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program" target="_blank">Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program</a>&nbsp;could also lose assistance if a shutdown drags out for a more significant period of time. According to the Agriculture Department, regardless of what happens in Washington this weekend, households will receive SNAP assistance as usual through October.<h2>What about Head Start programs and free school lunch?</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/head-start-program" target="_blank">Head Start</a>&nbsp;programs serving more than 10,000 disadvantaged children&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/head-start-preschool-shutdown-budget-congress-199fcb7da90479e3f4dc3b17f6b07c43" target="_blank">would immediately lose federal funding</a>, although they might be able to stave off immediate closure if the shutdown doesn’t last long.Those 10 programs, which are located in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts and South Carolina, serve just a fraction of the 820,000 children enrolled in the program at any given time.Tommy Sheridan, the deputy director for the National Head Start Association, said the programs are in trouble because their grants start on Oct. 1. Programs with grants that don’t start on that date will continue getting money. But if the shutdown drags on, the number of affected programs will grow as more grants come up for renewal.Beyond Head Start, concerns have also arisen around&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/free-school-meals-usda-lunch-1b5a3a5209ef76c6260e64bcb44650e8" target="_blank">free school meals</a>. But the Agriculture Department says it does not anticipate any immediate issues with federal child nutrition programs, including school meals because support for these programs is provided in part by a permanent and mandatory funding authority.In the event of a government shutdown, state and federal operations for child nutrition are set to continue through October and potentially a few months beyond that, according to the department. But the department would not be able to support these programs for the full year without appropriations.<h2>Will I continue to receive Social Security checks?</h2>Regardless of what happens in Washington this weekend, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income recipients will continue to receive payments. But response times for people with issues could be delayed due to furloughs.“If you have a question about Social Security, you may not be able to find anybody to answer your questions,” Nielsen said. “But the everyday transactions of sending checks out will still continue.”According to a recent contingency plan from the Social Security Administration, the agency will cease non-critical actions and those “not directly related to the accurate and timely payment of benefits.” The issuance of new social security cards and replacements will continue.<h2>Would a shutdown impact Medicare and other health services?</h2>Medicare and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-eligibility-states-health-care-1cfb633c932c5e9e57567f1b138280a7" target="_blank">Medicaid</a>&nbsp;benefits will also continue — as both are mandatory programs funded separately from annual appropriations. That means that patients should still be able to see their doctors and have medical bills paid.But, similar to Social Security, there could be delays and disruptions to customer service due to furloughs. According to contingency details published by the Health and Human Services Department last week, about half of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is set to be furloughed in the event of a lapse of appropriations.Beyond Medicare and Medicaid, health care services for veterans are set to continue in the event of a shutdown. The majority of programs funded by the Indian Health Service would also remain in operation and IHS has received advanced appropriations for the 2024 fiscal year, per a recent contingency plan.<h2>How could flights and other travel be impacted?</h2>The nation’s air-travel system is expected to operate relatively normally during a shutdown. Air traffic controllers and TSA screeners are deemed essential workers — however, those people won’t be paid until the shutdown ends, and TSA lines could grow longer if enough screeners stay home.Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday that air travel will remain safe in a shutdown, but that the training of new air traffic controllers will stop and 1,000 trainees will be furloughed.Long before this week’s deadline, airlines were already been complaining that a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-congress-spending-summer-travel-8b9c7cb54933fe0e5c591dab27e20b2a" target="_blank">shortage</a>&nbsp;of air traffic controllers has been causing flight delays and cancellations. The Federal Aviation Administration said in August it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-limits-new-york-flights-6992dfe968891b414901f5bd2fef9de7" target="_blank">hired 1,500 new controllers</a>&nbsp;in the past year and asked Congress for money to hire another 1,800 in the new fiscal year.The processing of passports and visas will continue in a shutdown “as the situation permits,” according to guidance that the State Department gave employees last week. The department said consulates in the U.S. and abroad will say open “as long as there are sufficient fees to support operations,” but passport work could stop if the building where the work is done gets shuttered.The time it takes to get a passport or visa already is much longer than before the pandemic. Most Customs and Border Protection agents are also considered essential and would be expected to work at airports and border crossings.<h2>Could there be student loan disruptions?</h2>If spending measures aren’t passed by Saturday’s deadline, the government shutdown would start the same day that student loans emerge from the pandemic pause after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-interest-repayment-payments-plans-1e35445c34a73f0b7b02c7296a84722a" target="_blank">beginning to accrue interest again</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 1.But, shutdown or not, borrowers’ payments will still be due. For the most part, loan servicers will be able to continue to process payments regularly — but there could be delays for those who need to consult with or seek help from the Education Department due to the potential of agency furloughs.Students applying for federal aid during a shutdown can expect similar delays because of this. Officials have pointed to potential disruptions to processing FAFSA applications, disbursing Pell Grants and pursuing public loan forgiveness, for example.<h2>Would mail services slow down?</h2>The United States Postal Service will not be affected by a government shutdown. The Postal Service doesn’t rely on taxpayer dollars because it generally gets its funding through the sales of products and services.<h2>___</h2>Associated Press writers David Koenig in Dallas and Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City contributed to this report.

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