WASHINGTON — A new year will bring a new President.

However, because of the pandemic, President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20th will be unlike any we have seen in recent years.

INAUGURATION CHANGE #1
Biden telling supporters not to come

The biggest change will be the crowd sizes. Because of the pandemic, the President-elect is telling his supporters not to travel to Washington D.C.

While some will still make their way to the national mall, crowds will be sparse and crowd-size records won't be broken.

INAUGURATION CHANGE #2
Members of Congress have limited tickets

In a normal year, Congress would distribute hundreds of thousands of official tickets.
Those watching near the Capitol would have to receive an official invite to get to the spot.

This year, each Member of Congress gets a plus one, just like the State of the Union.

INAUGURATION CHANGE #3
No lunch inside the Capitol

Traditionally, after the swearing-in, the new President has lunch with Members of Congress inside the Capitol. That event has been canceled.

INAUGURATION CHANGE #4
Inaugural balls and the parade being reconfigured

"I do think they will try to engage virtually," Rachel Glaws, a Washington D.C. event planner said.

In a normal year, she would help coordinate a half dozen inaugural galas and balls. This year her usual clients have canceled the cocktails.

"Right now, we don't have anything on deck," Glaws said.

INAUGURATION CHANGE #5
What role will President Donald Trump play?

This change is the one that is up in the air at the moment.

Four years ago, President Obama invited President Trump on the morning of his inauguration to the White House, per tradition. Obama also attended President Trump's swearing-in.

It's unclear if President Trump will go to anything this year.

"At this point I'm not sure what President Trump will want to do," Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, a co-chair of the Biden inauguration, said.

"It would be unfortunate if he chooses not to participate, I will tell you that the committee itself are working so that people across the country can participate in different ways," Blunt Rochester said.

WASHINGTON —

Video above: President Trump condemns violence, calls for calm in video

Potential threats and leads are pouring in to law enforcement agencies nationwide after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The challenge is now figuring out what's real and what's just noise.

Investigators are combing through a mountain of online posts, street surveillance and other intelligence, including information that suggests mobs could try to storm the Capitol again and threats to kill some members of Congress.

Security is being tightened from coast to coast. Thousands of National Guard troops are guarding the Capitol ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. Governors and lawmakers are stepping up protections at statehouses after an FBI bulletin this week warned of threats to legislative sessions and other inaugural ceremonies.

A primary concern is the safety of members of Congress, particularly when they are traveling through airports, according to two U.S. officials briefed on the matter.

The FBI and other federal authorities use their substantial resources to prepare. But smaller local police departments lack the staff to hunt down every tip. They must rely heavily on state and federal assessments to inform their work, and that information sometimes slips through the cracks — which apparently happened last week.

A day before the deadly attack on the Capitol, the FBI sent an intelligence bulletin warning of potential violence to other agencies, including the Capitol Police. But officials either did not receive it or ignored it — and instead prepared for a free-speech protest, not a riot. It took nearly two hours for reinforcements to arrive to help disperse the mob. Five people died, including a Capitol officer.

“There are some grammar schools that are better protected than the Capitol,” said Brian Higgins, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York and the former chief of a northern New Jersey police force.

Since last week, the FBI has opened 170 case files and received more than 100,000 pieces of digital media. The threats have ranged in specificity and complexity, according to officials briefed on them, making it difficult for authorities to determine which could be credible.

Combing through intelligence isn't the same as shoe-leather detective work. Large departments like New York and Los Angeles have dedicated intelligence units — the NYPD even disseminated its own bulletin ahead of the riot. But smaller police forces rely on joint terrorism task forces and so-called “fusion centers” that were set up around the country after the 2001 attacks to improve communication between agencies.

Norton, Kansas, Police Chief Gerald Cullumber leads a seven-member department in the northwestern part of the state. He said he relies on larger agencies like the Kansas Highway Patrol because his agency is too small to do its own intelligence work. But Cullumber said he stays up to date on the latest information and briefs his officers.

“It doesn’t mean that we rest on our laurels," he said. "It doesn’t mean that we ignore things.”

Once they receive intelligence reports, it’s up to local agencies to plan and take action to keep their communities safe, said Rich Stanek, the former sheriff of Hennepin County in Minnesota who now works in consulting and started the Public Safety Strategies Group.

“If I was the sheriff today, I would be taking it very seriously,” he said. “If they told me Jan. 17 is the date, yeah, I think it’s reasonable to plan for one week ahead and one week behind.”

Mike Koval, who retired in 2019 as the police chief in Madison, Wisconsin, said his state's two fusion centers have technology and resources that go far beyond those of a single local police department.

Staying on top of all the potential intelligence on the internet is like “going to a water fountain to get a drink of water, and it’s coming out with the strength of a fire hydrant and it will take your jaw off,” Koval said.

Meanwhile, elected officials nationwide, including President Donald Trump, have started to urge calm amid the threats. Trump egged on the riots during a speech at the Washington Monument, beseeching his loyalists to go to the Capitol as Congress was certifying Biden’s victory. He took no responsibility for the riot.

“In light of reports of more demonstrations, I urge that there must be NO violence, NO lawbreaking and NO vandalism of any kind,” Trump said in a statement Wednesday. “That is not what I stand for, and it is not what America stands for. I call on ALL Americans to help ease tensions and calm tempers.”

Experts say explicit or implicit bias likely helped downplay last week's threat because the protesters were white, and that must change, said Eric K. Ward, a senior fellow with the Southern Poverty Law Center and an expert on authoritarian movements and hate groups.

That could be why Capitol police were so unprepared, compared with the much more aggressive law enforcement response to last summer's protests following the death of George Floyd and other Black men killed by law enforcement.

___

Dazio reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Amy Forliti and Doug Glass in Minneapolis, Michael R. Sisak in New York and Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

Security forces in Washington, D.C., and state capitols across the country are on high alert Sunday as the country nears President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.

The FBI has warned of indications that armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitols and the U.S. Capitol in the days leading up to Jan. 20. A joint bulletin from the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and eight other agencies says domestic extremists pose the most likely threat to the inauguration, particularly those who believe the incoming administration is illegitimate.

In response, the Pentagon has authorized up to 25,000 National Guard members for Inauguration Day in Washington, D.C., and much of the area surrounding the country's iconic political buildings has been fenced off or made inaccessible.

Similarly, state leaders across the U.S. ramped up security around their capitol grounds — pulling in National Guard members for help, erecting barriers, boarding up windows, asking residents to avoid the area and some even closing down capitol grounds altogether.

As of midday Sunday, the heavy security efforts dwarfed the mostly small protests taking place. In Michigan, a group of several dozen armed and armored demonstrators gathered in front of the state capitol in Lansing under a light snow. And in Ohio, a small group of protesters stood in front of the statehouse in Columbus near a large police presence and metal barriers, according to CNN affiliate WSYX.

Video: Small group demonstrates at Michigan Capitol

Meanwhile, capitols in Minnesota, Tennessee, California and Colorado, among others, had a major police presence but few if any protesters. In Oregon, five armed people dressed in camo and carrying flags arrived to the state capitol, saying they were anti-government libertarians who did not support either Biden or President Donald Trump.

The extent of any potential unrest remains unclear. After being banned from Twitter and Facebook, Trump has not promoted these gatherings. That's a contrast from his actions before the Jan. 6 rally in D.C., when he had repeatedly called for his supporters to converge on the city.

Still, online calls for violence have intensified recently. And experts warn the perceived success of the deadly insurrection earlier this month, when a pro-Trump mob overwhelmed police and took over the U.S. Capitol, may be motivation for another attack.

"As somebody who worked on al Qaeda-related terrorism throughout the 2000s at the Justice Department and worked extensively on counterterrorism investigations and cases, there were several times where we were anticipating a follow-on attack to a world event," Carrie Cordero, a CNN legal and national security analyst, said Saturday. "I have that same feeling now."

"It feels like there is a substantial threat that exists," Cordero added.

The heightened security, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic, is making for an Inauguration Day unlike any other.

DC mayor urges Americans to watch inauguration from home

In a fortified Washington, D.C., fences blocked off areas once open to the public, National Guard members patrolled near the Capitol and much of the city was closed to vehicles and street traffic.

The rehearsal for the inauguration ceremony will now be delayed until Monday amid heightened security concerns, acting Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli said. Cuccinelli cited "online chatter" about the previously scheduled rehearsal day of Sunday but said there are "no specific credible threats."

Mayor Muriel Bowser urged Americans to enjoy the inauguration virtually from home and has asked anyone who does not need to be out to avoid restricted areas.

"Our goals right now are to encourage Americans to participate virtually and to protect the District of Columbia from a repeat of the violent insurrection experienced at the Capitol and its grounds on Jan. 6," Bowser said during a news conference Monday.

On Friday, U.S. Capitol Police arrested a Virginia man as he attempted to pass through a police checkpoint with unauthorized inaugural credentials, an unregistered handgun and more than 500 rounds of ammunition, according to court documents.

In an interview with the Washington Post, the man said he spent the past week working as hired security in Washington, D.C., and had been given credentials to guard media equipment. He told the Post he had forgotten that he had his firearm in his car when he left his home in Virginia, where he said he had a license to carry.

Because of concern over potential protests at state capitols, security measures are in place around the country. The U.S. Postal Service temporarily removed some mailboxes in several major cities, while the Transportation Security Administration said Friday it has "significantly increased its security posture."

The House Oversight Committee also sent letters Thursday to more than two dozen operators of bus lines, rental car companies and hotels asking for assistance in "identifying and preventing the ongoing and extreme threat of further violent attacks in Washington, DC, and elsewhere over the coming days."

The enforcement division of the Federal Communications Commission even warned the public against using radios as an alternative to social media to coordinate illegal activity. The warning says both explicit messages that facilitate a criminal act and "messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning" are prohibited.

Related video: Safety preparations ongoing at Massachusetts State House ahead of Inauguration Day

States closing, arming their capitols

Meanwhile, local and state leaders from coast to coast have boosted security for the coming days following officials' warnings of potentially more violence.

In Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear announced state capitol grounds will be closed entirely Sunday to "further ensure the safety of everyone -- both on or around the grounds and in the neighborhoods surrounding" the Capitol.

"Domestic terror is never OK," he said in a statement. "We must stop it every time we see it, and we cannot let what we saw at the U.S. Capitol become a new normal for this country."

Texas officials also said the state Capitol and its grounds will remain closed from Saturday to Wednesday, adding they were aware of "armed protests planned" and "violent extremists who may seek to exploit constitutionally protected events to conduct criminal acts."

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency related to the inauguration, to allow the state to "more efficiently coordinate support and provide assistance" to its local jurisdictions and neighboring states, the governor's office said Friday.

Related video: Marylanders play crucial role in D.C. security for inauguration

Minnesota's leaders said Friday they're ready ahead of anticipated protests, noting there were no credible threats against the state Capitol.

"I want you all to be comfortable and assured that there has been nothing left undone to keep the capitol safe," Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said.

"We are not panicking," Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan added. "We are concerned, we are alert, and we are prepared."

In South Carolina, officials in the city of Columbia advised anyone who does not need to be in the city center, near the state's Capitol, to stay home.

"Unless there's a need, this weekend, and certainly on inauguration day, to be downtown," Mayor Stephen Benjamin said, "I encourage you to stay home."

COLUMBUS, Ohio —

Extra security is in place at Ohio's Statehouse.

Concerns of armed protests and potential violence are looming in the days leading up to the inauguration of President-Elect Joe Biden.

On Sunday, people peacefully protested in Columbus, but the security plans will be just as stringent in the coming days.

The FBI has warned of potential armed protests across the country.

Officials said nationwide protests may start this weekend and go through the inauguration, and despite calm protests so far, leaders said they've prepared for much worse.

Windows are boarded up and metal fencing is all around the statehouse.

Peaceful protests served as a test run for safety measures put in place ahead of Inauguration Day.

"We are planning for the worst case scenario," Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said last week.

580 Ohio National Guard members have been activated to assist local law enforcement and Ohio state troopers are backing up Columbus police, officials said.

The FBI has warned of armed protests at all 50 state capitols and in Washington, D.C. leading up to Jan. 20.

"In the coming days, we will not allow violence and destruction to be a part of our city," Ginther said.

Sunday, supporters for President Donald Trump and President-Elect Joe Biden converged on capitol grounds.

A man from our area, known as the "Dancing Trucker" made a call for peace.

"I love to dance. It helps me. It helps people that watch me dance. I usually dance for smiles, but today I'm dancing for peace," John Drury said.

Armed protesters came to make a peaceful statement, with one man who said his gun was to ensure his First Amendment right.

Some held a megaphone instead, but there were also signs, Black Lives Matter clothing, Biden-Harris flags and American flags.

Officials hope this peace continues into the coming days.

"Police will be highly visible and we will be wearing body worn cameras. People caught on video or in photos who engage in illegal acts should expect to have their images released to identify law breakers to hold accountable," Columbus Police Chief Tom Quinlan said.

This time, there were dozens of protesters, but officials are prepared for what may come next.

Late last week, Gov. Mike DeWine said there have been direct threats on the Ohio Statehouse, but would not go into detail.

The statehouse and all other state buildings in Columbus are closed through Wednesday.

Officials are asking people to stay out of the downtown area during that time.

DeWine has also authorized 1,000 members of the Ohio National Guard to help in Washington, D.C.

He said the move comes after a request from the U.S. National Guard Bureau.

Video above: State Capitols step up security amid threats

U.S. defense officials say they are worried about an insider attack or other threat from service members involved in securing President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, prompting the FBI to vet all of the 25,000 National Guard troops coming into Washington for the event.

The massive undertaking reflects the extraordinary security concerns that have gripped Washington following the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump rioters. And it underscores fears that some of the very people assigned to protect the city over the next several days could present a threat to the incoming president and other VIPs in attendance.

Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told The Associated Press on Sunday that officials are conscious of the potential threat, and he warned commanders to be on the lookout for any problems within their ranks as the inauguration approaches. So far, however, he and other leaders say they have seen no evidence of any threats, and officials said the vetting hadn't flagged any issues that they were aware of.

”We’re continually going through the process, and taking second, third looks at every one of the individuals assigned to this operation,” McCarthy said in an interview after he and other military leaders went through an exhaustive, three-hour security drill in preparation for Wednesday’s inauguration. He said Guard members are also getting training on how to identify potential insider threats.

About 25,000 members of the National Guard are streaming into Washington from across the country — at least two and a half times the number for previous inaugurals. And while the military routinely reviews service members for extremist connections, the FBI screening is in addition to any previous monitoring.

Multiple officials said the process began as the first Guard troops began deploying to D.C. more than a week ago. And they said it is slated to be complete by Wednesday. Several officials discussed military planning on condition of anonymity.

“The question is, is that all of them? Are there others?” said McCarthy. “We need to be conscious of it and we need to put all of the mechanisms in place to thoroughly vet these men and women who would support any operations like this.”

In a situation like this one, FBI vetting would involve running peoples’ names through databases and watchlists maintained by the bureau to see if anything alarming comes up. That could include involvement in prior investigations or terrorism-related concerns, said David Gomez, a former FBI national security supervisor in Seattle.

Insider threats have been a persistent law enforcement priority in the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But in most cases, the threats are from homegrown insurgents radicalized by al-Qaida, the Islamic State group or similar groups. In contrast, the threats against Biden’s inauguration have been fueled by supporters of President Donald Trump, far-right militants, white supremacists and other radical groups. Many believe Trump’s baseless accusations that the election was stolen from him, a claim that has been refuted by many courts, the Justice Department and Republican officials in key battleground states.

The insurrection at the Capitol began after Trump made incendiary remarks at the Jan. 6 rally. According to McCarthy, service members from across the military were at that rally, but it’s not clear how many were there or who may have participated in the breach at the Capitol. So far only a couple of current active-duty or National Guard members have been arrested in connection with the Capitol assault, which left five people dead. The dead included a Capitol Police officer and a woman shot by police as she climbed through a window in a door near the House chamber.

Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, has been meeting with Guard troops as they arrive in D.C. and as they gather downtown. He said he believes there are good processes in place to identify any potential threats.

“If there’s any indication that any of our soldiers or airmen are expressing things that are extremist views, it’s either handed over to law enforcement or dealt with the chain of command immediately,” he said.

The insider threat, however, was just one of the security concerns voiced by officials on Sunday, as dozens of military, National Guard, law enforcement and Washington, D.C., officials and commanders went through a security rehearsal in northern Virginia. As many as three dozen leaders lined tables that ringed a massive color-coded map of D.C. reflected onto the floor. Behind them were dozens more National Guard officers and staff, with their eyes trained on additional maps and charts displayed on the wall.

The Secret Service is in charge of event security, but there is a wide variety of military and law enforcement personnel involved, ranging from the National Guard and the FBI to Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department, U.S. Capitol Police and U.S. Park Police.

Commanders went over every aspect of the city’s complicated security lockdown, with McCarthy and others peppering them with questions about how the troops will respond in any scenario and how well they can communicate with the other enforcement agencies scattered around the city.

Hokanson said he believes his troops have been adequately equipped and prepared, and that they are rehearsing as much as they can to be prepared for any contingency.

The major security concern is an attack by armed groups of individuals, as well as planted explosives and other devices. McCarthy said intelligence reports suggest that groups are organizing armed rallies leading up to Inauguration Day, and possibly after that.

The bulk of the Guard members will be armed. And McCarthy said units are going through repeated drills to practice when and how to use force and how to work quickly with law enforcement partners. Law enforcement officers would make any arrests.

He said Guard units are going through “constant mental repetitions of looking at the map and talking through scenarios with leaders so they understand their task and purpose, they know their routes, they know where they’re friendly, adjacent units are, they have the appropriate frequencies to communicate with their law enforcement partners.”

The key goal, he said, is for America’s transfer of power to happen without incident.

“This is a national priority. We have to be successful as an institution,” said McCarthy. “We want to send the message to everyone in the United States and for the rest of the world that we can do this safely and peacefully.”

___

Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON — The security in Washington, D.C. is only intensifying with just a few days to go before Inauguration Day.

WHAT IS BEING SHUT DOWN

The National Mall is closed until Thursday at the earliest.

Metro train stations near the Capitol, Pennsylvania Ave, the National Mall and the White House have been shut down already.

Roads near those same areas have been shut down for several days now. The Secret Service will also restrict even more access into the city in the days to come.

Around 25,000 National Guardsmen from all over the country have joined various police agencies to reinforce the security perimeter.

WHERE PROTESTERS CAN GO

Two "free speech zones" have been established for individuals to carry out their First Amendment rights.

John Marshall Park and the Navy Memorial are the two areas where protesters will be able to gather. Those protesters will only have access to the space if they go through metal detectors.

Areas remained mostly empty on Sunday. Plastic shields have been installed to keep the protesters contained.

ARRESTS

Multiple people have been arrested in D.C. over the weekend, mostly at security checkpoints.

One man was arrested Friday after attempting to bypass a security checkpoint with 500 rounds of ammunition and "unauthorized" credentials.

On Sunday, a woman was arrested for impersonating an officer.

FEELINGS FROM THOSE IN D.C.

"It’s tragic to see," Will Mulhern, a D.C. resident, said.

He, like many who live near the security perimeter, developing their own safety plans in case something goes wrong.

"I have talked to my partner about whose house is more secure," Mulhern said.

Meanwhile, those visiting the city remain stunned at the security, including Trump supporters.

"I voted for Trump both times," Andy Lewis from California said.

Lewis says you would have to be idiotic to try and repeat Jan. 6 again. Lewis says the vast majority of Trump supporters don't support violence.

"If you are going to do something do it right, the legal way, do it peacefully," Lewis said.

Add Garth Brooks to the lineup of entertainers at the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.“This is a great day in our household," the country music superstar said during a virtual press conference Monday, two days before Biden is to be sworn in. “This is not a political statement. This is a statement of unity.”Brooks, who joins Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez, among others, performed during the inaugural celebration of President Barack Obama in 2009. He turned down a chance to play for President Donald Trump in 2017, citing a scheduling conflict.Invited by incoming first lady Jill Biden, Brooks has known the Bidens for more than a decade, when Joe Biden was Obama's vice president.Brooks said that for this week's inaugural, he will perform solo doing “broken down, bare-bones stuff,” and hinted at covering material by songwriters from outside the U.S.He does not plan to sing his socially conscious “We Shall Be Free,” which he performed at the Obama inaugural.Video: Inauguration aims to engage, entertain and educate kidsBrooks praised the Bidens for being “hellbent on making things good” and said he welcomed the chance to help the country heal.“I want to spend the next 10 years of my life not divided. I’m so tired of being divided," he said.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. —

Sarah Fuller, the first woman to score in a Power Five conference football game, says she's been invited to attend President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday.

“It’s an honor to be invited to participate in one of America’s greatest traditions,” Fuller posted Sunday on social media.

“This historic inauguration is especially meaningful for American women and girls. The glass ceilings are breaking,” she added, including the Twitter handles for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris — who will become the first woman to hold that office — Biden, and their inaugural committee.

Attendance at the inauguration will be strictly curtailed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and security measures put in place after a violent mob supporting President Donald Trump invaded the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 as Congress was certifying Biden's victory.

Fuller helped Vanderbilt win the Southeastern Conference women's soccer tournament as the goalkeeper. She helped out the football team while it was dealing with COVID-19 issues.

She became the first woman to play in a Power Five game Nov. 28 with a squib kick to open the second half of a loss at Missouri in the only time she got on the field in that game. She got another chance on Dec. 12, when Vanderbilt had only 49 scholarship players for its game against Tennessee.

Video: FBI vetting National Guard for possible threats

Fuller, listed second out of three available kickers on the depth chart, came out for the extra point that tied the game at 7 with 1:50 left in the first quarter. She converted her second point-after with 7:22 left in the fourth quarter of the 42-17 loss.

The Tennessean also reported that Fuller will be part of a TV special Wednesday night also featuring remarks from Biden and Harris.

PHILADELPHIA — Two days from the inauguration, president-elect Joe Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris are pitching in on Martin Luther King Jr. Day service projects.

Their work comes as a militarized and jittery Washington prepares for a swearing-in that will play out under extraordinary security.

Biden and his wife, Jill, joined an assembly line in a Philadelphia parking lot, filling food boxes for people in need.

Harris also took part in a service event in Washington.

More than 20,000 National Guard troops were being dispatched across the city to bolster security.

Monuments — including the King memorial — are closed to the public until after Wednesday’s inaugural events.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris weren't the only ones in their families to receive new titles on Wednesday after the Inauguration Day ceremonies.

There were several young faces on the U.S. Capitol platform where Biden and Harris took their respective oaths of office, and later accompanied them as they walked onto the White House grounds — the children of the new first and second families.

The president's grandchildren and the children in Harris' family played a special role in their campaigns. Biden's grandchildren were the ones who informed him that the presidential race had been called in his favor, a source on the campaign told CNN. And during the Democratic National Convention, Harris was officially nominated to the Democratic presidential ticket by her sister Maya, niece Meena and stepdaughter Ella Emhoff.

Biden and Harris were flanked by their large families Wednesday for much of the day, and the president's family will have a presence inside the Oval Office — a table behind the Resolute Desk was filled with photos of Biden's adult children and grandchildren, including a prominent photo showing a much younger Biden holding his son Beau, who died in 2015 at the age of 46.

Related video: Biden sworn in as 46th U.S. president

This is who's who among Biden's grandchildren and Harris' stepchildren, niece and great-nieces:

Naomi Biden

Hunter Biden's daughter Naomi Biden, 27, is named after her late aunt, President Biden's late daughter. During her grandfather's campaign, she developed a presence on Twitter, sharing her thoughts on politics and offering an inside look into the life of her "pop." The president's eldest grandchild, she graduated from Columbia Law School in May 2020.

Finnegan Biden

Finnegan Biden, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, often joined her grandfather on the campaign trail, particularly during the primaries. She was named after the president's mother.

Maisy Biden

Naomi and Finnegan's younger sister, Maisy Biden, 20, is fairly active on the social media app TikTok. As the president has shared, she is good friends with former President Barack Obama's daughter Sasha, who is the same age.

Natalie Biden

The late Beau Biden's daughter, Natalie Biden garnered social media praise for her pink coat on Inauguration Day. She also has an avid TikTok following, and in a video during the DNC, she spoke about her grandfather's habit of eating ice cream "in the freezer so my grandma doesn't see."

Robert Hunter Biden

Robert Hunter Biden is President Biden's oldest grandson and the late Beau Biden's son. He appeared in a DNC video with his sister and cousins giving the Pledge of Allegiance.

Beau Biden

Beau Biden, the son of Hunter and his second wife, Melissa Cohen, was born in early spring 2020. He is named after Biden's late son.

Ella Emhoff

Ella Emhoff is Harris' stepdaughter from Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff's prior marriage. A student at Parsons School of Design and a fashion designer, she drew praise on social media for the rhinestone-studded plaid coat she wore on Inauguration Day.

Cole Emhoff

Harris' stepson Cole Emhoff, as well as Ella Emhoff, affectionately call the vice president "Momala." He is based in Los Angeles and works as an executive assistant at an entertainment company.

Meena Harris

Meena Harris, a lawyer and CEO of the lifestyle brand Phenomenal, is the daughter of Kamala Harris' sister, Maya. The sisters inspired Meena Harris to write the children's book "Kamala and Maya's Big Idea," in which two sisters work with the community to effect change, she told CNN earlier this year.

Amara Ajagu

Amara Ajagu is Meena Harris' elder daughter with husband Nikolas Ajagu and the vice president's great-niece, born in 2016. Amara was excited to attend the inauguration and has discussed her future dreams of being president and an astronaut with the vice president, as seen in Meena Harris' Instagram videos.

Leela Ajagu

The vice president's younger great-niece, Leela Ajagu was born in 2018, and she and Amara wore matching coats in honor of Kamala Harris, who had worn a similar coat as a child. Leela enjoys her mother Meena Harris' new children's book, titled "Ambitious Girl."

Amanda Gorman’s inauguration poem is already one for the history books. Now, the 22-year-old's back story is giving many other young people hope about their own futures.

Gorman is a Harvard scholarship graduate, but she was just 14 when she joined the Los Angeles nonprofit WriteGirl.

“I think the positivity that she exemplified is a real hallmark of WriteGirl, that that is something we really try to imbue in our young people is, you know, take a positive approach in your writing, in your perspective, in your views of the world and your future,” said Keren Taylor, Executive Director at WriteGirl.

Taylor explained the program is about more than just writing workshops. It offers one-on-one mentorships and community-based support for teen girls to help them graduate high school, get into college and succeed in careers and lives.

Taylor says Gorman’s inauguration speech has led to an increase in donations, interest in partnerships, volunteers and expansion beyond L.A.

It's overwhelming at the moment, but Taylor says it was Gorman’s speech that reminded her the most of what's possible.

“You know, we've had a little bit of a belief limiting feeling like, well, maybe that's just too big. Maybe that's not possible, and her remarks, her calm, her presence and all the flurry of attention and support has reminded me that maybe we just need to be OK about dreaming a little bigger and setting ourselves on a path for it,” said Taylor.

While the pandemic has presented in-person challenges, it’s also allowed WriteGirl to accept volunteers and teens from outside the L.A. area.

They're also accepting monetary donations and are willing to talk to those wanting to start similar programs in their communities. You can get in touch with them here.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Activating members of the Ohio National Guard for duty protecting the Statehouse and to provide security in Washington during the inauguration of President Biden ran around $1.2 million, the guard said Friday.

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine activated about 1,000 members of the Ohio guard for duty in and around the U.S. Capitol following its Jan. 6 breach by a mob of supporters of former President Donald Trump. DeWine activated about 500 guard members for duty providing security at the Ohio Statehouse ahead of possible protests in the days afterward.

The estimated cost of the Ohio deployment, including pay, meals and accommodation, was $1,042,000, according to data provided by Guard spokeswoman Stephanie Beougher.

The cost of in-state travel for Guard members was $68,732, and federally funded travel costs to Guard members serving in and around Washington for the inauguration of President Joe Biden was $93,110, Beougher said.

In Ohio, concerns over potential protests at the Statehouse Jan. 17 faded as a small number of armed but peaceful demonstrators were considerably outnumbered by state troopers and National Guard members during an afternoon rally.

On Inauguration Day, a small crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters rallied peacefully at the Statehouse, also far outnumbered by security personnel.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is still calculating its security costs.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — About 250 Indiana National Guard soldiers are expected to remain in Washington for about two more months after being sent there to help with security for President Joe Biden’s inauguration, officials said Tuesday.

Gov. Eric Holcomb authorized Indiana soldiers going to Washington on Jan. 13 as more than 25,000 troops from across the country were dispatched there following the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

More than 400 of the Indiana soldiers arrived back Monday night at the Guard’s Camp Atterbury after assisting with crowd and traffic control at the National Mall and near the White House, the Indiana Guard said. The soldiers remaining in Washington are scheduled to stay there until the end of March.

The Indiana soldiers were dispatched as Holcomb ordered the Statehouse complex closed to the public for several days and legislative leaders canceled a week of meetings over police concerns about possible armed protests. No protests occurred surrounding Biden’s inauguration in Indianapolis.