In brief: Mathews Burwell proposed for post
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama nominated White House aide Sylvia Mathews Burwell on Friday to replace embattled Kathleen Sebelius as secretary of health and human services.
Known for her management skills, Burwell will become the new face of the controversial Affordable Care Act.
The first test for Burwell will come in the Senate, which unanimously confirmed her as White House budget director last year but which likely will use her confirmation hearings next month to stage a partisan debate over Obamacare.
First family’s income down by $127,500
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama watched their income fall and their federal tax rate go up in 2013, according to IRS returns released Friday by the White House.
In a joint filing, the couple reported an adjusted gross income of $481,098, down $127,500 from 2012. The Obamas have seen a steady drop in income during their White House years, largely a result of slowing book sales for the couple. Both have published best-sellers.
The Obamas paid $98,169 in federal taxes, down from $112,214 in 2012. But their effective tax rose from 18.4 percent in 2012 to 20.4 percent last year.
Norovirus strikes on consecutive cruises
BALTIMORE – Passengers sailing on the Grandeur of the Seas from the Port of Baltimore have been sickened on two consecutive trips, federal health officials say.
The most recent outbreak occurred on the Royal Caribbean International vessel, which left Baltimore on April 5 for a seven-day cruise to the Bahamas, a Royal Caribbean spokeswoman said by email Friday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on its website that about 100 passengers and crew members fell ill with vomiting and diarrhea. Martinez said a norovirus was believed to be the cause.
The CDC said more than 100 passengers and crew members got sick on the Grandeur’s last cruise from Baltimore from March 28 to April 5. The agency said the cause was a norovirus.
Twelve road shootings in Kansas City area tied
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Police have connected 12 shootings targeting vehicles on Kansas City-area roads and highways since early March.
Three drivers have been wounded by gunfire, though none of the wounds was considered life-threatening. Police have said they were looking into as many as 20 reported highway shootings, but that number has fluctuated as investigators address new reports and rule out others.
Most of the shootings were reported in an area in the southern part of Kansas City, Mo., known as the Grandview Triangle, where three interstate highways and U.S. 50 intersect. In all cases someone fired shots just before reaching a highway exit ramp or road split, then veered off in a different direction from the victim’s vehicle.