An Iowa boy is using his artwork to raise awareness and money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Arsh Pal started painting when he was 8 years old, and his work has taken off since then. He started selling his canvas paintings and donating all of the proceeds to St. Jude — he said he wants to help kids with cancer."Originally, my first goal was raising $1,000 for St. Jude Research Hospital and everybody kind of doubted me because I was so young, but when I did raise $1,000 everybody was surprised," the 12-year-old from Dubuque said.Related video: President Biden lays out plan to cut cancer deaths in half within next 25 yearsOver the past four years, Pal has raised more than $15,000. He was also honored with the Diana Award for his efforts.

It's National Leukemia Awareness Month, a disease that kills nearly 24,000 Americans every year. One Missouri man is beating the disease with a bit of help from his family.

"My daughter literally saved my life," survivor Jim Allin said.

It's a story that tells itself.

“To know my daughter is the one that did that, it's a pretty special thing," Allin said.

Allin was on vacation in Miami when he got sick, went to a hospital, and was told he had an advanced form of leukemia.

"We have no family history," Allin said.

With few options, his family flew back to Kansas City to keep his business going. Allin was forced to stay in Miami and desperately search for a bone marrow donor.

Jim spent 33 days in a Miami hospital, then returned to Kansas City with a list of six possible donors that got narrowed to just one, his daughter.

"It’s tough because you clearly don't want your daughter to bear any burden if something doesn't go well," Allin said.

A 96% match, his 11-year-old daughter Harper Allin was all in. She wanted to save her dad’s life. He’s grateful she dove in headfirst to help him.

"It was scary for her, and she admitted that. She said, ‘You know, dad, if I had to do it again for somebody else, I would,’" Allin said.

Jim has now been in remission for 18 months.

"She knows what she did, and she should be very proud of that for the rest of her life," Allin said.

Watch the video above for the full story.

What started as a rescue call ended with a moment of kindness thanks to police officers in Nebraska.

Karen Ressegieu recently woke up to find her husband unresponsive.

"I woke up at 1:30 a.m., and he was still breathing. So, I, evidently, I went back to sleep, I'd never heard him. And at 6:15 a.m. I got up because we had a funeral that morning," Ressegieu said.

When medics arrived, they performed multiple rounds of CPR before telling Ressegieu her husband had died.

Despite the devastating news, Officer John Danderand said Ressegieu still kept putting everyone else first.

"She had a lot going on, she had some neighbors stopping by trying to figure things out, get information from her. And she had mentioned about three times that she had to get a cake frosted, they were supposed to attend a funeral that morning," he said.

Danderand decided to jump in to help.

"They said, 'Karen, can I frost that cake?'" Ressegieu said.

Sgt. Kraig Gomon said he snapped a couple of pictures to serve as a memory down the line, but it captured a part of the job that goes on behind the scenes.

"She was just more worried about everybody else than herself. And that was what struck me the most as her kindness. And for me, it was a small gesture for us to be able to try to return that to her," Gomon said.

Ressegieu said that morning was a blur, so having officers she could rely on helped her through the loss of her husband.

"And they said, so where does it go? And I pointed to where, so they delivered the cake, too," Ressegieu said.

It was a somber day made a little sweeter by a simple gesture.

"They just showed lots of kindness, you know, going out of their way," she said.

GLENWOOD, Iowa —

An Iowa teenager is turning to surgery, hoping an expensive procedure will give her a new smile.

Since she was a little girl, Liberty Williams’ mouth curved a bit different than those around her. Now after years of bullying, she said she doesn't feel free to smile wide.

"Do I have a crooked smile?"

At 4 years old, Liberty asked her mom that question.

Dusty Williams said her daughter's preschool teacher had brought it up to her.

It broke her heart, so they tried to find a fix.

"There was nothing, we had no diagnosis at all,” Dusty Williams said.

So for 15 years, Liberty lived with one side of her mouth being different. And bullies have always noticed.

"It was hard because I know I’m different from other people and people would just see me differently than I do, so I just want to be seen as normal and have a normal mouth but it’s hard when people keep saying things,” Liberty said.

This past year the bullying took a big turn.

Liberty got an anonymous text message calling her names and saying, "You have no point in life and nobody wants you here. I don’t know how you get friends with that messed up mouth."

"It didn’t have a phone number or anything, I didn’t know what to do. I went straight to my mom,” Liberty said.

"She was just sobbing in a ball on her bed, just sobbing and I was angry,” Dusty Williams said.

After calls to the police, the school, the phone provider and the county attorney with no answers, the Williams family felt at a loss.

But, that reignited their search for a doctor who could help.

A surgeon in Omaha, Nebraska, tried, but once Liberty was under anesthesia, Williams said the doctor came out with bad news.

"This surgery was unsuccessful. We went in, we cut her open we dug around and there’s actually no nerves or muscles in the entire side of her face,” Dusty Williams said.

He was able to place gold in her eye, which allowed her to finally close her eyes completely.

That doctor referred them all the way to a surgeon in Beverly Hills. They believe he can do a facial reanimation.

"They can’t fix anything internally but on the outside, they can make her smile a little more symmetrical and change some of the things about her that she's uncomfortable with,” Dusty Williams said.

A GoFundMe will pay for the expensive surgery.

A friend is offering photoshoots, with the proceeds going to the Williams family.

Money is also being raised by the sale of anti-bullying T-shirts in Liberty’s name.

“That’s what’s more important is that they stop treating her that way to me than fixing who she is, like that’s who she is,” Dusty Williams said.

In the end, it’s Liberty's choice.

"I think if I got the surgery I’d be happier with my smile but I feel like other people are winning if I do. So, I don’t know what to do,” Liberty said.

MASON, Ohio —

The community is coming together to try to help a local hero heal.

Veterans Day is Thursday and there is a push to finish a fundraiser for Marine Cpl. Kelsee Lainhart with a big boost.

Lainhart was badly hurt in an attack during the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan in August.

Family members said there is hope as she progresses in her recovery.

Lainhart's uncle, Kevin Ingram, said she is determined to walk again.

Right now, he said she cannot feel below her waist.

In the meantime, the community is rallying around her.

"She's always wanted to be in the Marine Corps. She started basic military training when she was 17 years old, got injured when she was 19. She's now 20," Ingram said.

He reflected on his niece's journey and her resilience.

Ingram also remembered the punch in the gut, when he learned a young woman he considered practically a daughter was hurt in the attack at the Kabul Airport in August.

"It's devastating. I knew where she was. I knew that she had worked the Abbey Gate," Ingram said.

Lainhart, 20, graduated from East Central High School in Dearborn County in 2019.

Her family and fellow Marines have seen her grit and her strength as she recovers in Chicago at the Shirley Ryan facility.

Her uncle said it is not a VA Hospital, so there will be additional costs.

Ingram said she cannot walk, at least now, but that's no deterrent.

"Kelsee is a warrior. She is a Marine. She's got a positive attitude. She is going to walk again. She tells me that every time I talk to her. She's working very hard. They have all kinds of different treatments they're doing," Ingram said.

People have rallied around her.

Basco Shower Enclosures, where Ingram works, launched a fundraiser to help her, too.

It ends on Veterans Day with the company putting a percentage toward each donation.

"We don't look at this, it's not this week, it's the next 40, 50, 60 years that we're looking at. If you think about, if Kelsee doesn't fully recover and walk again, you know, you're going to have to have adaptive housing situations, you're going to have cars that are adaptive," Ingram said.

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Many in Lainhart's family have served in the military, including Ingram.

Now, the community is saying thank you.

"We'd like to just kind of get as much support as we can now and push this thing forward through the finish line," he said.

Ingram said they will still gladly take donations after Veterans Day.

He also wanted to honor the Marine Corps birthday on Wednesday.

Ingram told WLWT Lainhart still wants to chase her dream of going to college and being an FBI agent.

Basco Shower Enclosures has raised more than $20,000 so far.

There are several ways you can make a donation, including by Venmo.

There's more information on the Basco Shower Enclosures website here.

DENVER, Colo. — People rely on hospitals to help them when they need medical attention. Some of those hospitals are the very reason some of the best doctors get into the medical profession.

That is the case for Dr. Woosik Chung, who is the director of Spine Surgery at Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center in Denver, Colorado.

One of the newest spaces within their facility is the smartOR. It's where Dr. Chung does all of his spinal surgeries.

He's the brains behind incorporating some of the newest technologies within this space. However, he didn’t get to where he is by accident.

“Growing up with a dad that was a surgeon and a mom that was an OR nurse, you know, you kind of take it for granted, unfortunately," Dr. Chung said.

His story starts when he was about three years old and it was a celebratory holiday in South Korea.

“I remember I was playing with my friends. I believe we were playing hide-and-seek. I remember hiding behind a tractor and I remember the engine cover was open or it wasn’t there, and there was the propeller spinning and the fan belt around that propeller. I remember I was sitting on my tricycle and I was hiding and nobody could come and find me and I got bored and I saw the propeller moving around and I thought I could stop it," Dr. Chung said.

He severed both of his hands. Both were a clean cut.

“The next thing I remember— my dad is holding me and compressing my arms and I heard my mom say, 'I found them,' and she was referring to my limbs," Dr. Chung said.

They lived right near the hospital. His father had to step in as many doctors weren't working because it was a holiday.

“Luckily, thanks to my parents, my dad and the powers that be, I healed up and I was able to start using my hands again and I think it took me a long time to understand the significance of that," Dr. Chung said.

What could have turned into a tragic story, instead, was the beginning of a remarkable career.

“I was curious about the OR, I was curious about what my dad did because I knew that he had done my hand surgery and so I think it made me want to go to his hospital more when we were living in Malawi and check out what he was doing," Dr. Chung said. “He was as busy as ever so the only times I really saw him were if I visited him at the hospital and then I’d run around with him as he was making his rounds and then I’d kind of look in as he was operating outside of the OR.”

Those times of exploration, combined with his curiosity, gave him purpose to join the medical field.

“Wow, this is pretty unique and it’s an opportunity that doesn’t come by that often and so maybe the best thing to do is to try and use my hands to help somebody else," Dr. Chung said.

That’s exactly what he does now. Day-in and day-out, using his own hands, to change others' lives at this hospital. His outcome, is not the norm. Limb reattachment is far from a guarantee.

“I would still say it’s a rarity. And I would say this only happens in unique circumstances. And I think In my case, thank goodness I was a young kid, thank goodness the injury itself is what we call a clean cut, and thank goodness my father was able to take care of me so quickly right after the injury," Dr. Chung said.

People would never know Dr. Chung's story by looking at him but knowing it, makes people appreciate him as the doctor and surgeon he is.

“Get to know your doctor. Get to know your nurse. Get to know the people that want to take care of you because we want to be able to take care of you, we want to help," Dr. Chung said. “Helping others, and do whatever you can, even if all the odds are against you, and as long as you look at that goal and you work towards it as hard as you can, well sometimes amazing things can happen.”

President Joe Biden said Thursday a lot of Americans are feeling "down" because of the pandemic and anxious about the future — particularly heading into the holiday season — and urged those struggling with mental health issues to seek help if they need it.

"How many people do you know — and maybe some in this audience — who because of what you've been through, a loss of a husband, wife, brother, mother, father, son, whatever, or you've had something that's really impacted you with COVID, that you really find yourself just down?" Biden told Anderson Cooper at a CNN Town Hall.

The president said: "There's a lot of people who are just down. They're not sure how to get back in the game. They're not sure whether they want to get back in the game."

The president said so many events that people used to look forward to — a high school prom or a graduation ceremony, he said, for example — were canceled because of the pandemic. He said people have "a lot of anxiety," and that he often gets asked about what holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are going to look like because of the pandemic and issues with the global supply chain, which are causing delays in the deliveries of some goods.

"A lot of it has to do with us getting back on our feet and getting back on our feet in terms of our attitudes about what the future looks like for us," Biden said.

But he urged those struggling with mental health issues, perhaps exacerbated by the pandemic and lockdowns, to seek help.

"There's plenty of help," the president said. "Look, being down, having some problem in terms of needing some, some advice — if you have a broken spirit, it's no different than a broken arm. You shouldn't be ashamed of it. You should seek the help. There's a lot of people who can help."

The president said that many Americans are reluctant to return to work because of concerns about COVID-19. He also said many people are rethinking minimum-wage or low-paying jobs.

"People are now using this as an opportunity to say, 'Wait a minute, do I want to go back to that $7 an hour job?'"

The delta variant of COVID-19, which is more transmissible and may cause more severe illness than previous strains, has ripped through parts of the country with low vaccination rates for months, though cases have decreased in recent weeks. Biden and health officials have repeatedly pleaded with unvaccinated Americans to get vaccinated to protect themselves and those around them.

Biden said last week the nation was "headed in the right direction" on COVID-19 but that the country is now in a "very critical period" as he urged unvaccinated Americans to get the shot.

The pandemic has made addiction exponentially worse. Doctors are worried that those who are suffering aren't getting the treatment and help they need, especially as people turn their focus to Covid-19.

Ashlynn, 25, is two years "clean."

"I love being a mom. It's my favorite thing ever and I love that I’m in recovery,” she said.

It's been two years since she walked away from a life that was spiraling out of control and heading for an extremely dark place.

“I went through stages of functioning addict, thief, manipulator, prostitute, the person that relapses, the person that overdoses, you name it I went through it,” Ashlynn explains.

Her journey with mental illness started when she was a teenager. She was in and out of mental institutions and eventually, rehab.

“It wasn’t that I wanted to party, it was just that I didn’t want to feel anything at all because I felt so terrible. I didn’t want any of those feelings,” she recalls.

It wasn't that she didn't try to break away, it was that she couldn't. She relapsed. A lot. And then she was confronted with one of those life moments in which she realized that her life could go one way or another.

“I remember being in a hospital and thinking, 'I don’t want to die a statistic. I’m more than a statistic. I don’t want to die a statistic.' And I got arrested and that helped me get my life together because I don’t really want to go to jail,” Ashlynn said.

She made milestones for herself. And eventually, became the person she is today, after finding what doctors call "medication assisted treatment," balanced with support groups and counseling. The first step though, says Dr. Adam Rubinstein, is making that call for help.

“My concern is that because we’re all so focused on Covid-19 and it is so scary, patients with opioid use disorder who were already moving in the shadows may be even more marginalized,” Dr. Rubinstein said.

Dr. Rubinstein works in both internal and addiction medicine.

“We take care of people who have a disorder that hijacks their brain, people that are compulsively using a substance and can’t stop on their own," he said.

The behaviors, he says, bring negative consequences. But those who suffer from the disease of addiction can't stop, and end up using so as to not suffer withdrawal.

“They think they’ll die when they’re in withdrawal and will do anything they can to get out of it. Which means using that drug of choice again,” he said.

The disease of addiction doesn't stop even in a global health crisis. The death rate from opioid overdoses is rising.

“The second problem is that Covid-19 brings unemployment, financial problems, isolation and depression. Third, is our healthcare system is now less accessible,” Dr. Rubinstein explained.

When we asked how the problem is addressed during a pandemic, Dr. Rubinstein said, “there is no one answer because addiction requires customization based on the provider and the patient deciding what is most effective.”

As for Ashlynn, she wants people to know there's hope. And a way out.

“I don’t regret what I went through, though, because it brought me to where I am today. I’m a different person than I was before I started using,” she said.

It's never too early and never too late to start the road to recovery, Ashlynn says.

For those who are ready to take the first step towards a new life, doctors recommend visiting www.samhsa.org and rethinkopioidaddiction.com

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The issue of missing and murdered Indigenous people has gained more attention in recent years, but many who have lost their own say it’s not enough. A new state office that's the first of its kind in the country is working to change that.

Janice Hannigan, Roma L. Jim and Mary Johnson are just a few of the missing Indigenous people in the U.S.

Nicole Matthews, the executive director of the Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition, says most people don't know about the missing Indigenous people.

“Why hasn’t Sheila St. Claire from Duluth, who’s been missing for six years, why isn’t her story isn’t out there? Why don’t we know her name? How come we don’t know about Jojo Boswell, who's been missing for decades, and was 19 when she went missing," Matthews said.

Advocates say a lack of communication, combined with jurisdictional issues between state, local, federal and tribal law enforcement, makes it difficult to start the investigative process.

“Our relationship to the federal government is much different than other racial and ethnic groups. This is our land, everybody that is in this country is standing on Indian land," Matthews said. “So if a non-Native person comes onto our land and rapes a Native woman, our tribes have no recourse. So, if the states or the feds who do have jurisdiction in those cases decline prosecution, that person walks.”

It’s why Matthews was the Vice-Chair of the Missing and Murdered Women’s Task Force in Minnesota and that has led to the country's first State Office for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives.

Sen. Mary Kunesh spearheaded this effort in the Minnesota Senate.

“I’m still floored that we were able to do this good legislative in kind of a short amount of time," Kunesh said. “They were able to use funding’s through the governor’s office to initially create this but it will also be supported through public safety dollars.”

The office now has permanent funding, which means it’s not going anywhere. One of their main efforts is building a data base that will track those names and cases.

“We need to be able to have that liaison there that’s going to be able to go walk between and work between all these different agencies," Kunesh said.

Having no database has made gathering information tough. However, the task force was able to pinpoint some jarring statistics.

“In our task force work, we learned in a ten-year period, in any given month, there were anywhere from 27 to 54 Native women that were missing," Matthews said. “Native women represent about 1% here in Minnesota, but we represent about 8 or 9% of the murdered women in Minnesota. So that is a huge disproportionate impact on our communities.”

Marisa Cummings, the CEO of the Minnesota Women’s Resource Center says there is distrust in government from some tribal members, especially women. 

“I’m thinking about the lack of trust our people have with systems in this country. Systems that have been designed to exterminate us," Cummings said.

Now there is an opportunity to create trust through this office and its partnerships.

“I think the office can be a starting point if the office is staffed with native women that the community trusts," Cummings said. “All of these implicit biases, manifest in ways of oppression. So a lot of times our families, when they go to report someone missing, they are not believed, a lot of times a woman reporting a sexual assault, they are not believed, or deaths are considered explosion. She got really drunk and she just died somewhere and not acknowledging the psychical violence she experienced that left her in a field in the freezing cold.”

These women say Gabby Petito's case is not only a reminder of why this office is so crucial in Minnesota, but also how it can be adopted in every other state.

“The response that Gabby Petitio received is the response that all of us deserve," Matthews said.

“But I think we’re entering a time now where we’re demanding that there is some accountability and some equity in the way that these systems work in our country. Systems that we designed to eliminate us as the original people of this land," Cummings said.

“Minnesota has obviously made this a priority and recognizes this is an investment in our communities now but like we say in the Native communities, investment in the next seven generations to come," Kunesh said.

COVINGTON, Ky. — It wouldn't be Christmas Day without the annual Northern Kentucky Christmas Day dinner, but there are some changes in place for this year's dinner.

For years, the Sunday Morning Club has sponsored the event, which regularly feeds close to 2,000 people at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center each Christmas Day.

"This is our 33rd year with the dinner and it just makes you feel good," Tom Hall, president of the Sunday Morning Club, said

This year, the club will still be feeding those in need, but the food will be in take-out containers which will have turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, dessert and more.

The club will also be at the Parish Kitchen on Madison Avenue in Covington, rather than the convention center.

"It's a little different this year because you have to take it with you," Hall said. "But that's our main goal, to help anyone we can."

You can walk or drive up to Parish Kitchen at 1561 Madison Ave. from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico — Since the passage of Senate Bill 8, which prohibits abortion once a heartbeat is detected, many Texans who need abortions have left home for care. It's lead to a surge in patients at clinics in surrounding states

Planned Parenthood of South Texas would normally be filled with patients receiving different types of care for abortion. Jeffrey Hons, the president and CEO, says they had no choice but to shut down those procedures.

“It’s eerily quiet here now and that’s been the case here for the month of September," Hons said. “And then when the Supreme Court turned its back on not only the women of Texas, but the legal framework of the United States of America, then things went eerily quiet here when people realized finding abortion in Texas had essentially become nearly impossible and the flurry of activity has now moved across state lines where people are desperately trying to find the care very very far away that they should be able to find right here.”

Hons says it feels wrong for them to not be offering the services their patients desperately need.

“And for those people finding abortion care that is legal, safe and offered without judgement and without stigma, it’s essential. It’s a human dignity, it’s a human right. And so, it is very painful right now, to be experiencing the emotion and physic toll that Senate Bill 8 is creating for staff who want to help people but can’t," Hons said.

This reality has put some people in a tough spot; their options are slim.

“There is so much to be worried about right now. I mean when you talk to abortion providers in neighboring states, whether that be Louisiana, New Mexico Oklahoma, they are seeing an uptick in the number of patients who are reporting Texas zip codes as their home address," Hons said.

The New Mexico Religious Coalition for Reproduction Choice is seeing that firsthand.

Brittany Defeao, the program manager, shows us some context. She says In September 2019, they performed 20 abortions, in September of 2020 that number dropped to 15, and this year, it’s up to 50 people, 80% of whom are Texans.

“We were not really seeing new Mexico patients, it’s a very small amount of what we serve. We do anyone. Anywhere you come from, we will support you. Clearly Texas is the majority, it always has been, now it’s overwhelming, it is all Texas people," Defeao said.

To look at it another way, in 2020 they provided abortions to 216 people and they have already surpassed that this year with three months to go.

“It’s not how it used to be. It’s like they scatter in, they are just showing up. A lot of them are flying in in the morning. I’m getting them at the airport, taking them straight to an appointment, picking them up, getting food, they are flying back," Defeao said.

She says their phones have not stopped ringing; people are terrified to submit an application while still in Texas and are unsure of the boundaries around Senate Bill 8.

“So, we have the people who are afraid to travel, the people who are afraid to travel in a pandemic, and the people who are afraid that they are going to go to jail if they come out here to access care," Defeao said.

On top of all of that, their resources are slim.

“So, what we’re seeing is really low income, marginalized communities, the people that need the help the most," Defeao said. “These are people that have nothing, that don’t have access to birth control, to health care, to food, to safety.”

That’s why this clinic in New Mexico is making sure the people of Texas are reminded that they do have options.

“Just like confirming that community and trying to break that shame and stigma that’s even heavier because of this law," Defeao said.

Coffee grounds are abrasive, which makes them a great cleaning scrub for pots, pans, ovens and foul-smelling fridge drawers. Scrubbing away at those tough kitchen stains can often seem like a never-ending chore, but used coffee could be the answer you're looking for.

"We've all heard about lemon juice and vinegar acting as great natural cleaning products for the home, but coffee also has multiple benefits to keep your kitchen spick and span," said Polly Shearer, interiors expert at Tap Warehouse.

Looking for some simple cleaning tips? Take a look at what you can do once you've had your morning caffeine fix...

1. Scrubbing pans

The coarse texture of ground coffee makes it ideal for scrubbing those hard-to-clean pans — and is much better for the environment than abrasive sponges. All you need to do is combine two to three teaspoons of ground coffee with warm, soapy water, and scrub the pans with a soft sponge until clean. Coffee is a natural degreaser, so your pans will be spotless in no time.

2. Cleaning the grill and oven

Removing dirt, grease and grime from your oven is no easy feat. Having trouble getting yours clean? According to the experts at Tap Warehouse, the acidity in coffee makes it brilliant for removing tough stains.

Shearer explained: "Soak your grill grates in the sink for about 45 minutes in a solution of warm water and a few spoonfuls of coffee, (even instant coffee will do), and you'll find the tough stains will melt off, leaving you with a grill that's as good as new. This also works just as well for barbecue grills."

3. Fridge and trash can smells

Looking to banish lingering food smells? Kitchen trash cans and fridges are a magnet for bacteria, but coffee is another great secret ingredient that can help banish bad smells for good.

To try this at home, all you need to do is place coffee grounds or a few beans in a cup in your fridge. Coffee is a great absorber of odours, so it can be used to keep your fridge smelling fresh. The same can be done with your trash can; simply place a teaspoon of coffee at the bottom before you put in the bin bag and any bad odors will fade.

4. Cleaning surfaces

"Coffee is also great for removing hard-to-clean stains from tiles — mix a few teaspoons of instant coffee or used grounds with soapy water and you'll have your very own surface cleanser," Shearer said.

"This method can also be used on wooden surfaces that have scratches — soak a spoonful of coffee with warm water and gently rub on the surface. This will minimise the appearance of scratches and stains."

5. Unblocking the sink

Kitchen sink not draining? Try pouring coffee grounds into the sink followed by liquid soap and boiling water. A great way to use up old grounds, this will help clear any blockages and leave your sink odor-free in no time.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Authorities in Washington D.C. are asking the public to help identify persons of interest who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) released photos Thursday of numerous individuals who officers say committed various criminal acts in the district following President Donald Trump’s “Save America” rally.

Most of the people in the images are facing unlawful entry charges after they violently forced their way into the Capitol. Others may also be charged for stolen property, as some took items from the building when they exited.

The insurgent mob of Pro-Trump protesters prompted the Capitol to lock down and delayed Congress from confirming President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory.

In the end, four people died amid the protests that sought to overturn the election in President Donald Trump’s favor. One person was shot by a police officer, and the others suffered medical emergencies.

In a statement, Metro police said there are peaceful protests in D.C. on a daily basis and that the same rules apply for all demonstrations. So, when demonstrators destroy property or hurt others, police say they’ll take action.

“MPD rarely has to make an arrest at a demonstration but in the event that we do, know that it will be done safely and respectfully,” wrote the department.

Anyone who can identify the individuals in the released images or has knowledge of any of the incidents is asked to call police at (202) 727-9099 or text tips to the department's tip line at 50411.

The MPD currently offers a reward of up to $1,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for a crime committed in D.C.

FBI also investigating the riot

The FBI says it’s also seeking information related to the violent activity seen at the Capitol building on Wednesday. In a statement, the bureau said it’s asking the public to help identify the individuals who actively instigated violence in D.C.

If you witnessed unlawful violent actions, the FBI says to submit any information, photos or videos that could be relevant at fbi.gov/USCapitol.

“Please use this form to submit any images, videos, or other multimedia files you have related to possible violations of federal law committed,” wrote the FBI. “Our goal is to preserve the public’s constitutional right to protest by protecting everyone from violence and other criminal activity.”

You can also call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-‪800-225-5324) to verbally report tips and/or information related to this investigation.

A Marine veteran in Missouri ran a 60K, over 37 miles, with a 20-pound vest on his 60th birthday. "Koach Karl" said the weight represents the burden transitioning veterans carry. "If I can take that selfishness and silliness and transfer that to helping other people, it's just a gift from God," Karl said. He's supporting Valor Ranch, a startup nonprofit in Smithville, Missouri, that helps veterans experiencing homelessness by providing transitional housing, job readiness and reintegration programs. To support Valor Ranch, visit their website.Watch the video above for the full story.

It has been two weeks since the United States Supreme Court overturned the extension of a nationwide moratorium on rental evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since then, at least one area homeless shelter has reported an uptick in people seeking temporary housing during an already taxing time.

"It is devastating to watch people sit across the street from this building and not be able to access services because we don't have a bed available," said Kim Webb, Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky executive director.

RELATED: Are you a Kentucky tenant behind in rent or utilities? This fund could help

Webb said she and other emergency shelter staff had turned people away since opening its doors this summer ... an unusual step for the historically winter-only shelter.

"We're starting to see more people sleeping in cars in our parking lot, which is something we haven't seen in a long time," Webb said.

She attributed the recent rise in demand to the effects of COVID, which includes limiting the shelter's capacity due to the pandemic.

The shelter is currently alternating guests every other night to give more people access to its services.

According to Stacey Burge, Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati president and CEO, the situation is similar for shelters across the river in Ohio.

"At any given time, we can take about half the people who are calling," Burge said. "And so that was a challenge that already existed before the pandemic."

RELATED: Hamilton County officials offer help to families facing eviction

She said it is too early to tell how lifting the eviction ban had impacted local shelters because shelters were already turning people away before the Supreme Court overturned the moratorium on evictions.

"I believe we will see more people, but people did not quit becoming homeless during the pandemic," Burge said.

She added that adding more beds or space in shelters is not the solution to the growing problems for those without homes.

The answer, Burge said, is more affordable housing.

Josh Spring, executive director for the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, agreed.

"Before the pandemic, we had an extreme lack of affordable housing," Spring said. "If so much of your income is already going to pay the rent or pay the mortgage, any loss can quickly mean that you just simply can't keep up."

A recent census survey found that one in four Kentucky respondents was behind on rent in August. About one in 10 Ohioans said the same.

Webb hopes the current housing crisis becomes a catalyst for change.

"It takes political will or a catastrophic event to really move the needle on homelessness in a community," Webb said. "We ended up with political will, and now we have a pandemic."

For renters at risk for eviction in Kentucky, they can find resources to help at teamkyhherf.ky.gov. In addition, Kentucky homeowners behind on their mortgages can find helpful tools at mailchi.mp/kyhousing.

In Hamilton County, people can find rental assistance at erap.hcjfs.org.

DENVER — Seventeen years ago, 15-year-old Bianca Acosta couldn’t look her mother in the eyes as she bid goodbye to her family and Mexico, seeking safety, security, and a career in the United States.

Acosta was born and raised in a small village in Zacatecas, Mexico.

“No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark,” Acosta said, quoting poet Warsan Shire.

Acosta embarked on a journey to the U.S. with a group of 15 people guided by a "coyote," a smuggler.

Only five people, including herself, made it through the two-month journey. Tapping into those memories is emotionally tolling.

“I was 15, and it was scary,” Acosta said. “I have PTSD.”

Acosta moved in with her family in Colorado. Her decision to pack up and leave opened doors to a career out of reach in her homeland. She graduated from the University of Northern Colorado and pursued a job in education.

Her schooling and safety came with many sacrifices.

“My grandfather passed in 2017, and I couldn’t see him,” Acosta said. “I have two siblings that I don’t know in person.”

Her immigration status as a DACA recipient prevented her from traveling outside the United States. DACA recipients can only travel if they can prove it’s for education, employment, or a humanitarian reason like a funeral or a sick family member.

Acosta did not qualify for any categories until last year, when her mother’s heart problems worsened. Fearful of her mother’s health, Acosta applied for "advanced parole," which allows immigrants to travel outside of the U.S. and return lawfully.

Still, it comes with risks, including the possibility of getting stuck outside of the United States.

Acosta went to the immigration office in Colorado to help expedite her application process, but she said she was told it would take eight to nine months unless her mother died. Determined, Acosta pushed forward and prayed to her ancestors. She was eventually approved for a three-month visit to Mexico.

“I was like, 'I’m going to see my mom, I am going to be able to tell her like, here is your runaway child; I’m here I’m home, I’m home,'” Acosta said.

For nearly two decades, she’s held on to childhood memories and phone calls. Technology in her small village is behind, video calls aren’t an option, and phone lines are sometimes down for weeks.

“My mom doesn’t know I’m coming, it’s going to be a surprise,” Acosta said. “I want to say, 'I’m sorry I couldn’t come before, sorry I couldn’t be there when she was sick, and to see my siblings grow up.'”

It’s an unexpected gift heavy with emotion. Acosta worries she may not recognize her mother after 17 years.

To help fund Acosta's extended trip to Mexico, a mentor launched a GoFundMe.

Acosta hopes to raise $5,000 to cover her rent and other expenses in the United States while she’s gone. Her 14-year-old daughter is in high school and will stay with a family member while she’s gone.

“I don’t think nothing that I ever do will give me back those 17 years that I missed, walking alongside my family, my land, my people,” Acosta said.

While it’s been challenging, she doesn’t regret her decision to leave. Over the years, their bond has grown stronger, and Acosta can't wait to make corn tortillas with her mother next to her.

The excitement to reunite with her mom steals her sleep as she inches closer to Saturday, the day she plans to begin her journey back home. Acosta says if she has to, she will sell her call to cover her expenses.

Adi Guajardo at KMGH first reported this story.

SHELBYVILLE, K.y. — For Emily Hernandez, transitioning from sergeant in the Army to civilian took a toll she did not expect.

"I was just ready for the next chapter, and then when I started working on the civilian side, I just went into work, work, work. 'Cause that's what I was used to. And I started to feel so alone," she said.

After seven years of active duty in the Army and a tour in Afghanistan, Emily went back to her hometown of Shelbyville, Kentucky with her son and husband. When she got back to friends and family, something was missing – she could no longer relate to the people around her.

"I noticed it when I was working night shift and when I would come home, it was about a 20-minute drive. There's not a lot of cars on the road and you're just able to like, sit there with your thoughts. That's when I started to think, I was like, 'man, life is a lot different,'" she said.

In the U.S. – there are two million female veterans and although women make up only 9% of the military, it’s the fastest growing military and veteran population.

In a study published by Boston Medical Center this year, it was found that although female veterans were younger with less combat experience, they were more likely to have lifetime PTSD, depression, suicidal thoughts, and more likely to use lifetime mental health services, compared to male veterans.

Sherry Whitehouse says the root of the mental obstacles for many female veterans is finding the understanding and a sense of identity they had in service in their new role as a civilian. It’s something she struggled with until she found it in helping others like her – at Veterans Club.

"Our ladies definitely have been under served in the past and I'm grateful to the veterans club for allowing that space to be open, safe and supported," said Whitehouse.

The Kentucky-based organization helps more than 6,000 veterans by providing that missing link of understanding – providing healing through connection. Founder Jeremy Harrell said they started a women-only group because the need was great.

"It's a rare thing from what I understand and it shouldn't be, and we hope that this helps others go, 'We should probably do that too,' because there's some women out there who gave their all for the defense of this country. That are hurting because they don't feel like anybody cares," said Harrell.

Whitehouse is the leader of that program, helping women to open up and own every aspect of their self.

"That's one of the things that I've worked really hard to change just across the board with our ladies that it's okay to stand up, It's okay to say I served. It's okay to say that I need help," she said.

Though Hernandez has gone back into the service, she says the connections she's made at Veteran's Club with other women have helped her greatly.

"I didn't want to admit somethings in my own self-reflection. So when I would hear people in the veterans club explain their stories and it sounded a lot like mine. that's when I started feeling like, 'Oh, like I needed this.' And I think that equally they need me as well," she said.

She hopes other women take the step in finding a community that understands.

"Reach out and understand that you're not alone and once the military's over or even if it's not, you know, there's a big group of people that are here and we want to welcome you with open arms," said Hernandez.

Although Veterans Club is based in Kentucky, they are hoping to connect people across the country.

If you or someone you know believes they can benefit from their services, visit their website by clicking on this link.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Preparation and dedication. That’s what led Richard Torrez Jr. to become an Olympic silver medalist.

“I mean, I’ve imagined myself saying it ever since I was a little kid, but to be able to actually say it is amazing," Torrez Jr. said.

By competing in the Tokyo Olympics, he fulfilled a three-generation dream. And on Sunday, the super heavyweight boxer earned a silver medal.

“Ever since I was little, I wanted to be just like my dad. The first time I ever saw him spar, I saw him drop a guy with a body shot and it was the coolest thing I ever saw," Torrez Jr. said.

His dad, Richard Torrez Sr., will be the first to tell you boxing is in the Torrez family blood.

“He didn’t get to finish that Olympic journey and I know that’s been a dream not just of mine but of his and my grandpa's. And to be able to be the one that does it, I’m just happy that I could bear that weight," Torrez Sr. said. “I fought for many years until I was 30. I went to the Olympic trials. I was ranked in two weight classes in the world. Every generation has had successful things and each generation has done a little better and he’s doing the ultimate for us which is the Olympics that we all wanted to go to and he gets to go for us all.”

The history for this central California family traces back to 1945 when Torrez Jr.’s grandfather paved the way with the Tulare Athletic Boxing Club.

“When he passed away, I took over the gym, and my son was very young and he uh, same thing I did, started coming to the gym, and I told my wife if he’s gonna box, he’s gotta box until he’s 16," Torrez Sr. said.

But it didn’t end there.

“I’ve been to 13 different countries. I’ve traveled the world. I got to meet new people," Torrez Jr. said. “It’s taught me about dedication, it’s taught me about post one gratification, it’s taught me about how you have to sacrifice things now for the benefit of the future, and my dad stood on the shoulders of my grandpa and I’m standing on the shoulders of my dad, so I got a pretty good view right now.”

And that view got even closer because, in 2020, the Olympic qualifiers were canceled.

“And man I was really nervous, I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know what was going to happen next so I called my dad," Torrez Jr. said.

Richard Torrez Sr. put on one of his many hats and pushed his son to where he is now.

“My dad wears three hats, you know, he’s the coach hat, the dad hat, and the boss hat," Torrez Jr. said.

“It’s going to happen, don’t worry. It’s going to take a little time. It gives us another year to train, to hone our skills, it’s going to happen don’t worry," Torrez Sr. said.

Now, one year later, the 22-year-old can confidently say the wait was worth it.

“That’s a dream we’ve all had and that’s a dream that’s coming true," Torrez Jr. said.

He’s fulfilling the legacies of the boxers before him.

“Him being able to carry on tradition, it validates all the years of hard work," Torrez Sr. said. “Oh my gosh, if he was here, I’d have to push him out of the way to get to him. My dad would be right there with him. My dad had a habit, he’d wipe his mouth, yeah, we made it we did it.”

To many, this may look like a father and son journey, but it is so much more than that.

"I see how he acts inside and outside athletics, see what he does as a person, and I just really want to replicate myself to be just like him," Torrez Jr. said. “It’s the Torrez team it’s not just the two. Having a foundation like my family behind me is the best foundation I could ever have.”

It’s a chance to remind the world that he’s carrying on the Torrez name.

BEDFORD, Va. — Millions of people are scouring the internet every day, digging deep into genealogy and learning about the generations before them. One woman has found that behind every name lies an important story.

A cemetery might not be a place that comes to mind when thinking about healing.

But for Alicia Williams, that’s exactly what Bedford, Virginia’s Longwood Cemetery is. It’s her therapy.

“It’s just more of an underground community, I mean, who hangs out in cemeteries with dead people all day," Williams said.

She recently went through a tumultuous divorce and a battle for her children.

“I had not a soul in the world that made me feel like I was good enough to exist in the world," Williams said.

This place, filled with souls Williams can only feel, became her cleanse.

“Coming out here, it was like, this stone has 120 years of dirt on it and I made it clean, so why can’t I do the same thing for myself? For my soul?” Williams said.

For almost a year, she’s been cleaning gravestones to conserve what’s there and bring these stories back to life.

“Once I get their name out and see their dates, then I can start to research them and investigative them and some of them sadly, there is not much to find out," Williams said. “Which to me makes it even more important to clean that marker because, in a lot of instances, it’s the only record that that person existed at all.”

For many, there is much more to discover. It’s why the genealogy trend is picking up. For example, Ancestry had 15 million people in its DNA network in 2019, and in just two years, that number grew to over 20 million.

Joshua Taylor, the president of the New York Genealogical and Biological Society says the accessibility factor of records and information has changed the way people approach it.

“Those are individual stories, and they are also a collective community story," Taylor said. “Getting started is easier than ever before because you can access records at home, online, in 10 minutes that could take you ten months to find.”

It’s also why eyes are glued on Williams' work.

“We are in many ways, the current generation is the most documented generation ever. In photographs, in audio or video," Taylor said.

“We live in a time where people are very passionate about restoring the historical narrative and giving a voice to people that didn’t have a voice.”

Her cleaning methods and efforts to conserve have gone viral on TikTok.

“For the most part, the thing that surprises me and still to this day, it’s been nine months now, it’s been overwhelmingly positive," Williams said.

After cleaning, she researches and discovers stories buried beneath these graves. Decades later, Williams is resurfacing this history and trying to keep their legacies alive.

“If we don’t tell as many individual stories as possible, we’re never going to get an accurate picture," Williams said. “I feel like it’s giving me the courage to slowly start to tell more of my story.”

SHELBYVILLE, Ken. — The nationwide eviction moratorium expired at the end of July and leaders at the Veterans Administration are concerned it will lead to a large increase in homeless veterans. One Kentucky program is working to house veterans before the moratorium ends.

Nearly 40,000 veterans experienced homelessness on any given night in 2020, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Paul Elliott was one of them.

“Living out of your van, or whatever, you just get tired of it," Elliott said. “There is a saying when you go into service is they try to 'break the civilian out of you' and once that civilian is gone, you never go back.”

For Elliott, and many like him, homelessness wasn’t a choice, but it is a common outcome.

“Even when you sleep, you’re not sleeping. This is where PTSD comes in, where you’re always wired," Elliott said.

As Elliott experienced, nothing feels safe. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports that 11 to 20 out of every 100 veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan have PTSD in any given year.

Jeremy Harrell knows that feeling too. It’s why he started the Veterans Club in Shelbyville, Kentucky, to help people just like Elliott.

“It’s emotional for me because I’ve been in those same positions that everyone that we help have. I struggle with PTSD myself," Harrell said. “It’s not enough just to say, 'hey we want to get vets off the street.' But I remember how I felt when I felt like I had no one. And I don’t want that ever to be the case that we’re around.”

Through partnerships, the club recently started its Veterans Village, a community of tiny homes for veterans in need.

“The homes are foundational. What that does is it tears down any barriers you have about where am I going to sleep and what am I going to eat. So we get rid of that for you," Harrell said.

Elliott says his life has been a revolving door, until a few weeks ago

“I had a hard time readjusting to civilian world and at this time I still do. I find being here at the Veterans Club, I think being around other veterans and this community that’s going to be a brotherhood and a family, I think this is going to help me get established and have a home," Elliot said.

“Create that same bond that we had while we were in service and that’s not replicable in the civilian world really and so that’s a powerful tool that we have," Harrell said.

That’s just the beginning.

“Then we have case managers who kind of sit down with them, clinicians who sit down with them and kind talk about hey these are the challenges you have but what are your goals? We come up with a 3, 6, 9, 12-month plan.”

They pay extremely close attention to every detail.

“Then we start working on financial literacy, we start working on employment, we start working on supportive services, we start working on education, we do training, we just want to fill the toolbox," Harrell said.

For Elliott, it’s been years since he’s had a place to call his own. With those worries lifted, and a comfortable support system he’s working on his next step.

“I want to go back to work. I’ve injured myself. I’ve been dealing with injuries," Elliott said.

Harrell gets calls about veterans who could benefit from their services across the country. The reality is, there aren’t many programs like this out there.

“It’s hard work in a way that it could work for a year and then in a day it could all go south," Harrell said. “When you’re dealing with recovery of any kind whether it be mental health, whether it be substance abuse, you can put a lot of effort in and not produce any fruit.”

Delaware, Connecticut, and Virginia are the only states that have virtually eradicated veteran homelessness, according to the National Conference of State Legislators. But until that’s the case nationwide, Harrell and his team won’t stop helping veterans like Elliott.

“If it was up to me, I’d be in trouble again. I’d be on my own somewhere trying to deal with something on my own and you can’t do it on your own," Elliott said.

The hard work of helping yourself and others is what fuels the Veterans Club.

“Oftentimes, it’s looked at as a person may be lazy or they don’t want to work but oftentimes that’s not the case at all," Harrell said. “We can’t get so comfortable and so arrogant that we think for a minute that that can’t be us. And how would you want to be treated if it was you? And if we just start asking ourselves that throughout daily life in general I think our country would be in a lot better state than it is now.”

WASHINGTON — The CDC last September put in place an order banning evictions.

Similar executive orders by President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump restricted many foreclosures.

However, after extending the mandate several times, the Biden administration is poised to let them expire on July 31, potentially impacting millions of Americans still behind on their payments.

HOW MANY IMPACTED

According to the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, an estimated 11.4 million Americans are not caught up on their rent.

Meanwhile, an estimated 7.4 million live in a home behind on mortgage payments.

Those numbers suggest it's possible a historic number of evictions and foreclosures could take place over the course of the next few months.

GOVERNMENT HELP STILL AVAILABLE

Since the pandemic began, Congress has allocated $46 billion worth of rental assistance.

However, that money is being distributed through local and state governments.

In some areas, payments have been slower than in others.

"There has never been a national infrastructure for preventing unnecessary evictions," Gene Sperling, a senior economic adviser to President Biden, said during a recent White House live stream.

Sperling did however say that programs are getting faster at distributing the assistance.

In June, for instance, nearly 300,000 households received checks. That's triple the amount that received help in April.

"That’s significant progress but it’s not where we need to be," Sperling added.

BEST RESOURCES

Depending on where you live dictates how the money is being allocated.

However, one of the best national resources is consumerfinance.gov/housing.

On that website landlords, tenants and homeowners can find resources and tips for qualifying for assistance.

As an example, homeowners can learn about forbearance programs as well as how federally-backed mortgages are eligible for lower payments.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — When you walk into Kaitlyn Mahoney’s house, you’ll notice every shelf is filled with pages and pages of insight. There are hundreds of books, all with a similar purpose.

“One of the things that I’m really committed to is prioritizing stories by and about Black people, Jewish people, fat people, disabled people, as many different marginalization’s and intersections with the queer identify as I can," Mahoney said.

Mahoney is the founder of Under the Umbrella Bookstore. It is an upcoming community bookstore serving the LGBTQIA+ community in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the first of its kind in the area.

Fewer than 1% of small businesses in America are certified as LGBT business enterprises. Now, this new business is joining the ranks to open its own inclusive space.

“Under the Umbrella is meant to flip the entire hierarchy of prioritization so that those stories featuring or about black queers, and trans queers and disabled queers are the most important ones," Mahoney said. “What I envision for Under the Umbrella is a space where people can come and do what I did with yourself and those books and you are learning about yourself. You’re having an experience for and with yourself and that book.”

Mahoney's own experiences with books is what has sent her on this journey of self-discovery.

“I started reading more diversly in general and that’s kind of how I realized how diverse life could be and is, but how diverse it could be for me," Mahoney said. “It made me start questioning what I had been talk about gender and sexuality. Because I grew up in a religion where gender is male and female, and it’s eternal and that’s it, and sexually was either straight or gay and one of those was a bad thing to be. Books is how I really found the language to describe a lot of things I had been feeling, but I just hadn’t let myself just think about.”

Mahoney says this space will be safe for those who have nowhere to go.

“There are a lot of queer youth who desperately need acceptance and love," Mahoney said.

She wants to make sure no one is left behind wondering.

“I can’t even imagine what my life would look like if I would have had that when I was younger. If I had been exposed to the love and acceptance that I desperately needed to help me and myself," Mahoney said.

Members of the community couldn’t agree more.

“I can’t tell you how many people have said those words to me, ‘I wish this space had existed when I was younger," Mahoney said.

People have come together to raise more than $55,000 to make this vision of Under the Umbrella a reality.

“I knew that the space was necessary. I knew that we needed it, but the response from the community has just been amazing," Mahoney said.

Mahoney says Salt Lake City needs businesses like this, but so does every other city. According to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, out of the 28 million small businesses across the country, only 909 are officially certified as LGBT Business Enterprises.

“There are only a handful that are specifically queer, but there are a handful that are very queer focused," Mahoney said.

The NGLCC says businesses like these are a vibrant, essential part of the small business engine that makes the economy run.

“There is nothing like this in Utah and I can’t tell you why, like I don’t know," Mahoney said.

That is why she says books and book stores need to be more inclusive nationally and world wide.

“I found it really hard to go into a general bookstore like your Barns and Noble or your local and that just has a general selection of books was hard to find books that were specifically queer or that showed identities that are everywhere but that you don’t necessarily see in books," Mahoney said.

With a house filled with books and items made by LGBTQ+ individuals ready to sell Kaitlyn is ready to welcome all.

“So, however you identify under the LGBTQIA+ queer umbrella, you are welcome under the umbrella," Mahoney said.

It's been five months since Congress created a new grant program for live music venues, theaters and museums that were forced to shut their doors because of the pandemic — but none of the $16 billion available has yet been disbursed.

The Small Business Administration has said it expects the first round of grants — going to the hardest-hit businesses — will go out this week. Administrator Isabella Guzman will appear before the House Committee on Small Businesses on Wednesday to testify about the COVID-19 relief programs she oversees.

The months-long wait, made longer by technical delays, is raising anxiety for some venue owners who are desperate for aid as social distancing restrictions are lifted across the country.

Some Broadway shows, including "Hamilton," "Wicked" and "The Lion King," have announced they will return to the stage on Sept. 14 — a promise sign that theaters will be able to put on a fall season.

But uncertainty remains about whether audiences will show up and smaller venues, especially, have a hard time booking future shows without knowing when or if the aid money will come in.

More than 12,000 businesses have applied for one of the grants.

First to close, last to open

Soon after states and cities shut down last March, industry leaders banded together to form the National Independent Venue Association and launched a lobbying campaign known as Save Our Stages. The group now has 3,000 members.

The pressure helped create bipartisan support for an emergency grant program and a bill was introduced last summer.

But live venue owners were kept waiting until December's relief bill. It provided $15 billion in grants for live venue operators and promoters, theaters, and some museums, zoos and aquariums. Owners were still waiting for a chance to apply for a grant when Congress passed another huge COVID-19 relief bill in March, known as the American Rescue plan. It added $1.25 billion to the program.

The new grant can total up to $10 million or up to 45% of 2019 revenue, whichever is less. The money can be used for expenses such as payroll costs, rent, utilities and personal protective equipment — and it doesn't have to be paid back.

Operators who have lost at least 25% of their revenue last year are eligible and the law gives priority to those who have suffered the most economic loss — starting with an exclusive 14-day period to those who lost at least 90%.

Restaurants are getting money faster

Similar emergency grants for struggling restaurants have taken less time to go out. That program, known as the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, was approved by Congress in March and began sending money out two weeks ago, marked with a visit from President Joe Biden to a taqueria in Washington, D.C. About $6 billion has been awarded to date.

But the program won't be able to meet the need. It has received more than 303,000 applications requesting about $69 billion — much more than the $28.6 billion the program was provided by Congress — and the government stopped taking applications Monday.

A portion of the funds have been set aside for the smallest restaurants and bars. Businesses owned by women, veterans, or socially and economically disadvantaged individuals will get first priority for the funds.

The Small Business Administration was tasked with establishing these two new grant programs while also administering two other key relief programs: the Paycheck Protection Program, which lends forgivable loans to small businesses, and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans, which makes longer-term, low-interest loans.

The former is now closed to new applicants but the latter is ongoing.