The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced earlier this week that they were again extending its waiver deadline for those in need of baby formula.

On Wednesday, the agency said the waivers made available through the federal WIC nutrition program would be extended through the end of the year.

The current waivers were set to expire on Sept. 30.

“USDA recognizes the flexibilities provided by these waivers remain necessary as we continue to pull every lever to address infant formula supply issues and provide certainty for families,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release. “We will continue to work all hands on deck to ensure families can access infant formula, as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government approach to get more safe formula on store shelves nationwide.”

The waiver program was first introduced in June to deal with the infant formula crisis.

The crisis began in February amid the coronavirus pandemic and then was exacerbated after Abbott announced a voluntary recall and then had to shut its Michigan factory due to contamination, the agency said.

The agency said close to 500 waivers have been issued to WIC state agencies.

Often around election time, we tend to focus on our differences. There's talk of boomers versus millennials and vice versa. If you could spend eight weeks of one-on-one time with somebody of a much different generation, experts say you'd likely find you have more in common than you thought. A program called Sages & Seekers is working to end division in our country by battling ageism.

Mary Lee Bartlet and Beckett Rogers met through the eight-week program. They are nearly 70 years apart in age, but they're basically best friends.

"I'm telling you, I would add him as my grandchild," Bartlet said. "That's how much I love him."

"We were both willing to be open with one another, share experiences that we've both been through, whether it be racial injustice, familial tragedies, or just familial love," Rogers said.

Elly Katz is the founder of Sages & Seekers.

"We bring older adults together with teens— the two most marginalized age groups," Katz said. "The younger brain is just wildly wonderful and the older brain is more methodical, so they both have something to bring to the table."

The Sages bring their wisdom, while the Seekers bring their energy. Katz says she contacted a neurological researcher to study the program's impact.

"When someone is listening to a story, it lights up parts of the brain that do not get lit up if someone's lecturing or telling you what to do," Katz said.

One measurable outcome of the research was an increased feeling of empathy for the other generation. However, the largest impact, research found, was that forming an intergenerational bond gave participants a greater purpose in life. Patti Bishop helps facilitate the program that can be offered online and in-person anywhere from coast to coast and across the world.

"Everything's so fast-paced that we just we're losing connection with each other," Bishop said. "Our humanity is the one thing we all have in common. The sages tell stories and the seeker is going to respect the journey they've taken, the rough times they've had, the good times they've had, you know, where they've succeeded in life and where it didn't look like success, but they got back up. And I think that it gives the seekers hope for the future."

That hope goes both ways.

"I believe that God brought us together," Bartlet said. "I do, because I was feeling a little down about what's happening in the United States. I was for an old lady. I said, 'Oh, well'. Then, I came to this and met Beckett and that was it. I've been joyful!"

Rogers describes himself as an optimistic person ready to take on life's challenges.

"There will be struggles, naturally," Rogers said. "Life's full of them. But regardless of what is thrown your way, you'll be able to overcome."

It becomes a lot easier to overcome when you have someone rooting for you, like Bartlet.

"You're a wonderful young man," Barlet said. "And you have a praying woman praying for you every day."

If you'd like to get a Sages & Seekers program set up in your community, visit sagesandseekers.org.

 

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced last week it had canceled more than $400 million in student loans for people who attended for-profit colleges.

The ruling affects 16,000 students who the government says were defrauded by for-profit colleges, including 1,800 former DeVry University students.

While it comes as a relief to thousands of people and their families, it's left some to wonder: If President Joe Biden can cancel debt for those students, can he cancel debt for everyone?

AMERICA'S DEBT PROBLEM

The U.S. has accrued nearly $1.75 trillion worth of student debt nationwide.

In Florida, the average debt for those with loans is around $24,000. In Montana, it's averaging just over $27,000. In Wisconsin, it's over $30,000.

Similar numbers are reported in most states throughout the country.

A RELUCTANT PRESIDENT

When Biden ran for office, he pledged to cancel student debt. However, since he has taken office, he has not acted on his own to do it.

Instead, he has encouraged Congress to take action to cancel student debt — a move that has frustrated many in his party.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, has recently called on the Biden Administration to take more action to cancel student debt.

CHANGES HAVE HAPPENED

But that doesn't mean no changes are happening. In fact, some changes have already occurred that are impacting families.

For one, every American with federal student loan debt has enjoyed nearly two years of not having to make the payments — without interest accumulating on those loans.

Since March of 2020, under a program that began under former President Donald Trump, federal payments have been suspended. Biden has extended the pandemic-related policy several times since taking office.

May 1 is when federal student loan payments are set to resume. However, that date may get pushed back again.

Additionally, federal law already allows Americans who work in public service to get their debt forgiven after working a certain number of years.

Before Biden took office, the process was complicated, and many borrowers were denied loan forgiveness over technicalities. A new waiver by the Biden administration has changed some of that, and experts now say 9.3 million Americans are now eligible for student loan forgiveness. That includes teachers, police officers, government employees and even some who work for non-profits. Those who think they may qualify are encouraged to apply — or re-apply.

Finally, a big change has happened recently involving bankruptcies.

Student loans aren't treated the same way as credit cards when someone files for bankruptcy. While it's possible to get the debt discharged, typically, the debt stays with someone after they get a bankruptcy ruling. However, in New Jersey, a federal judge decided to interpret the law differently and canceled more than $100,000 in one man's student debt after he filed for bankruptcy. The Justice Department has decided not to object to that case, a rare move, and the Department is now reviewing bankruptcy policies going forward.

PRESSURE ON PRESIDENT

Still, Biden is facing pressure to do more.

The White House has not yet released an internal legal analysis showing whether Biden's attorneys believe he has the authority to cancel debt on his own.

Many members of Congress believe he does and would like to see that analysis released.

IOWA CITY, IOWA -- Caitlin Clark is a sophomore basketball player for the University of Iowa.

“I started playing basketball before I could even remember,” Clark said.

The next three years of basketball will be very different for Clark and other student-athletes. For the first time in NCAA history, college athletes across the country can now capitalize off their name, image, and likeness, or NIL, just like a professional athlete.

“Pretty much using your name to make money whether it’s commercials, advertisements, if a company wants to have them post on their social media – like an ad or something like that,” Clark said.

Knowing the change was likely to happen soon, the University of Iowa has spent the past year developing an NIL program called FLIGHT. Lyla Clerry is the associate athletics director for compliance.

“Previously they really could only use their name, image, and likeness if it was associated with their educational institution, or for a nonprofit entity," Clerry said. "So they would not be able to use their name, image, and likeness for any type of endorsement or promotion, and they could not receive compensation for such.”

If a student wasn’t compliant with those NCAA rules, it would threaten their eligibility to play. That’s no longer a concern, but now students are navigating a new realm. FLIGHT equips Iowa student-athletes with the educational training necessary to strengthen their NIL potential.

“So it could include something about branding – how do I best brand myself," Clerry said. "It can include things about finance, ya know, financial literacy – what do I need to know about being a CEO of basically my own business.”

Universities across the country are providing athletes with tools through programs like FLIGHT because they're not allowed to help them get NIL opportunities directly.

Clark says it’ll be a learning process for everybody. She still has lots of questions, but she’s thrilled about what’s ahead.

“I think commercials, I think ads on social media will definitely be two of the biggest for me,” Clark said.

When it comes to college athletes making a profit off their name – the opportunities are limitless.

University of Iowa basketball player Jordan Bohannon partnered with a fireworks store for a meet-and-greet and a chance for people to win a pair of his game-winning shoes.

University of Nebraska volleyball player Lexi Sun started her own apparel line.

Auburn University quarterback Bo Nix signed a deal with a sweet tea manufacturing company.

Right now, there’s no cap to the amount of money they can bring in.

“It can be everything from a spokesperson for a business or commercial entity, to being a social media influencer, to selling their autographs," Clerry said. "Cameo videos have become very popular – somebody pays for you to send a video message whether it’s a birthday message or congratulations message to somebody.”

Clark says she’s already been made some offers, but no contracts have been signed yet. She says she plans to be very intentional with the opportunities she chooses to pursue.

“The biggest thing for me is, I didn’t want to say ‘yes’ to everybody because that’s not really who I am and what I want to represent," Clark said.

"I want to make sure I’m aligning with the right people and doing my research. It’s almost like a business now and that’s kind of how you think and so that’s kind of the approach I’ve taken to it.”

CHICAGO — The U.S. has topped 260 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered, but the number of people getting it each day is starting to drop. A new program by Walgreens aims to expand access in some of the hardest-hit communities.

Originally used as a mobile pharmacy deployed during natural disasters, Walgreens has reconfigured its trailer to serve as a mobile walk-up vaccination unit.

“We also have coach busses. Why not take them out to the community and come out and make them more accessible to them for the vaccines?” said Latasha Guy, a pharmacist and manager at Walgreens.

The trailer has five vaccination stations and can administer 400 doses a day or more. It was recently deployed at a church fair on Chicago’s west side.

Chicago resident Joan Hill-McClain has been trying to get her daughter, Victoria, to get the vaccine.

“It's been extremely tough. She's the very last person in the family to get it, you know, so she's pretty hesitant,” said Hill-McClain.

But when Hill-McClain saw the walk-up opportunity, she grabbed her daughter by the arm to get in line for a jab.

“She was like, ‘Well, you know, don't you want to get the shot?’ ‘No, not really.’ And I said, ‘Well, you know what, mom? Since you didn't want anything for Mother’s Day, this is your Mother's Day gift.’ And she was like, ‘Oh, my God. Oh, my God. This is the best Mother's Day ever,’” recalled Victoria McClain.

Along with the problem of vaccine hesitancy, there have also been racial disparities. Black and brown people have gotten smaller shares of vaccinations despite having disproportionately higher numbers of cases and deaths.

For example, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation in Colorado, 10% of vaccinations have gone to Hispanic people, while they account for 41% of cases and 25% of deaths. In Washington, D.C., Black people have received 31% of vaccinations, while they make up 55% of cases and 70% of deaths.

“Those are the communities we try to target because we know those are the people that need us most, so we go out and make sure that we're accessible to them,” said Guy.

For Michelle Padilla, the trailer gave her easy access to the vaccine.

“I know a lot of elderly people that can't get out to the doctor and can't walk,” she said. “It made me get it, coming to me. So, it’ll make more people get it. More people will be vaccinated, you know, and that helps everybody.”

Walgreens plans to use its coach units to take the program on the road to at least nine other locations across the country.