Many Warned That a Child Care Cliff Was Coming. It’s Now Here. – The USA Potato

American students are losing ground in reading and math as COVID relief dollars run dry

New research published Tuesday shows eighth graders are a full year behind in reading and math four years after the start of the COVID pandemic.

COVID fraudster used stolen relief aid to buy private island in Florida

Patrick Parker Walsh is one of thousands of thieves who perpetrated the greatest grift in U.S. history — potentially plundering more than $280 billion in federal COVID-19 aid. Walsh is currently serving five and half years in federal prison for stealing nearly $8 million in COVID-19 relief funds that he used, in part, to buy a Florida island. While Walsh’s private island ranks among the most unusual purchases by pandemic aid fraudsters, his crime was not unique. The scammers who defrauded the government spent lavishly on houses, luxury watches, diamond jewelry, strip clubs and gambling sprees. Authorities vow to track down the fraudsters. Nearly 3,200 defendants have been charged with COVID-19 relief fraud, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

The Great Grift: How billions in COVID-19 relief aid was stolen or wasted

An Associated Press analysis found that fraudsters potentially stole more than $280 billion in COVID-19 relief funding; another $123 billion was wasted or misspent. Combined, the loss represents 10% of the $4.2 trillion the U.S. government has disbursed in COVID relief aid.

Survive and Thrive - write your state legislator

Bay Area Transit agencies including SFMTA, BART, Caltrain, AC Transit and other agencies, are heading toward a daunting fiscal cliff as federal Covid relief funding runs out while ridership regrows more slowly. This operating funding shortfall could lead to deep cuts to transit service, potentially triggering a spiral of decline with closed stations, infrequent service, no weekend transit. The most important action you can take right now is to call your state legislators before an important Transportation Committee hearing on February 27.

‘Late-in-the-Game’ COVID Relief Fund Guidance Leaves Some Scratching Their Heads

Earlier this month, more than two years into schools’ attempts to spend an unprecedented $189 billion in COVID relief funds, federal officials released a 97-page document that “strongly encourages” districts not to spend the windfall on construction. There’s one hitch: According to one analysis, districts are already spending, or planning to spend, almost a quarter […]

Chinese hackers stole millions worth of U.S. COVID relief money, Secret Service says

Chinese hackers have stolen tens of millions of dollars worth of U.S. COVID relief benefits since 2020, the Secret Service said on Monday.