covid relief

U.S. House panel probes extent of fraud in federal COVID-19 relief programs

BY: - February 2, 2023

WASHINGTON — From 2020 to 2022, a group of Minnesotans pretended to be serving meals to low-income children, all the while filing for reimbursement under a federal COVID-19 relief program aimed to buoy child nutrition as schools and childcare centers closed.  In all, the schemers defrauded the government of $250 million, the Minnesota Reformer reported. […]

Sen. Jonathan Dismang

Arkansas lawmakers pass over pandemic relief projects, cite lack of priorities

BY: - September 13, 2022

Arkansas legislators on Tuesday approved just one of seven federal funding requests from state universities and colleges after expressing frustration that the state lacks a plan for appropriating dwindling American Rescue Plan Act funds. Black River Technical College received approval for $4.6 million in ARPA funds to construct a facility that would provide short-term housing […]

Legislators OK additional $124M in recovery funds for schools

BY: - August 26, 2022

The state Department of Education received legislative approval Friday to disburse $124.3 million in federal emergency relief money to 36 more school districts. The Arkansas Legislative Council accepted a report from its Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review subcommittee to authorize spending for 35 districts and suspended its rules to add a 36th district — Rector, […]