DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran fired air defenses at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan after spotting drones, which were suspected to be part of an Israeli attack in retaliation for Tehran's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strait-of-hormuz-vessel-33fcffde2d867380e98c89403776a8ac">unprecedented drone-and-missile assault</a>&nbsp;on the country.

No Iranian official directly acknowledged the possibility that Israel attacked, and the Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-retaliation-explainer-d9145465e2e2d54d3c975e51af95275b">tensions</a>&nbsp;have been high since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-attacks-f27cda966ac274982d968cbcc033eff0">the Saturday assault</a>&nbsp;on Israel amid its war on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>&nbsp;and its own strikes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">targeting Iran</a>&nbsp;in Syria.

U.S. officials declined to comment as of early Friday, but American broadcast networks quoting unnamed U.S. officials said Israel carried out the attack. The New York Times quoted anonymous Israeli officials claiming the assault, which came on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's 85th birthday. Israeli politicians also made comments hinting that the country had launched an attack.

Air defense batteries fired in several provinces over reports of drones being in the air, state television reported. Iranian army commander Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi said crews targeted several flying objects.

“The explosion this morning in the sky of Isfahan was related to the shooting of air defense systems at a suspicious object that did not cause any damage,” Mousavi said. Others suggested the drones may be so-called quadcopters — four rotor, small drones that are commercially available.

Authorities said air defenses fired at a major air base in Isfahan, which long has been home to Iran's fleet of American-made F-14 Tomcats — purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Tasnim also published a video from one of its reporters, who said he was in the southeastern Zerdenjan area of Isfahan, near its “nuclear energy mountain.” The footage showed two different anti-aircraft gun positions, and details of the video corresponded with known features of the site of Iran's Uranium Conversion Facility at Isfahan.

“At 4:45, we heard gunshots. There was nothing going on,” he said. “It was the air defense, these guys that you’re watching, and over there too.”

The facility at Isfahan operates three small Chinese-supplied research reactors, as well as handling fuel production and other activities for Iran's civilian nuclear program.

Isfahan also is home to sites associated with Iran's nuclear program, including its underground Natanz enrichment site, which has been repeatedly targeted by suspected Israeli sabotage attacks.

State television described all atomic sites in the area as “fully safe." The United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, also said “there is no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites” after the incident.

The IAEA “continues to call for extreme restraint from everybody and reiterates that nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts,” the agency said.

Iran's nuclear program has rapidly advanced to producing enriched uranium at nearly weapons-grade levels since the collapse of its atomic deal with world powers after then-President Donald Trump withdrew America from the accord in 2018.

While Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, Western nations and the IAEA say Tehran operated a secret military weapons program until 2003. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-iaea-nuclear-quarterly-report-bca494913fbc8ccc1621466fe9c221e6">IAEA has warned</a>&nbsp;that Iran now holds enough enriched uranium to build several nuclear weapons if it chose to do so — though the U.S. intelligence community maintains Tehran is not actively seeking the bomb.

Dubai-based carriers Emirates and FlyDubai began diverting around western Iran about 4:30 a.m. local time. They offered no explanation, though local warnings to aviators suggested the airspace may have been closed.

Iran then grounded commercial flights in Tehran and across areas of its western and central regions. Iran later restored normal flight service, authorities said.

Around the time of the incident in Iran, Syria's state-run SANA news agency quoted a military statement saying Israel carried out a missile strike targeting an air defense unit in its south and causing material damage. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said the strike hit a military radar for government forces. It was not clear if there were casualties, the Observatory said.

That area of Syria is directly west of Isfahan, some 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) away, and east of Israel.

Meanwhile in Iraq, where a number of Iranian-backed militias are based, residents of Baghdad reported hearing sounds of explosions, but the source of the noise was not immediately clear.

The incident Friday in Iran also sparked concerns about the conflict again escalating across the seas of the Middle East, which have been seeing attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen on shipping over the war in Gaza.

The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center warned ships in the region that they could see increased drone activity in the skies.

“There are currently no indications commercial vessels are the intended target,” it wrote.

The Houthis have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebel-attack-israel-hamas-war-bf077f026a9f177ec87f4131d695cafc">launched at least 53 attacks</a>&nbsp;on shipping, seized one vessel and sank another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.

Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen and as shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined over the threat.

However, Iranian state-run media sought to downplay the incident after the fact, airing footage of an otherwise-peaceful Isfahan morning. That could be intentional, particularly after Iranian officials for days have been threatening to retaliate for any Israeli retaliatory attack on the nation.

“As long as Iran continues to deny the attack and deflect attention from it and no further hits are seen, there is space for both sides to climb down the escalation ladder for now,” said Sanam Vakil, the director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran fired air defense batteries early Friday morning after reports of explosions near a major airbase at the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

It remained unclear if the country was under attack. However, tensions remain high after Iran’s unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel. One government official suggested sites may have been targeted by drones.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

IRNA said the defenses fired across several provinces. It did not elaborate on what caused the batteries to fire, though people across the area reported hearing the sounds.

In particular, IRNA said air defenses fired at a major airbase in Isfahan, which long has been home to Iran's fleet of American-made F-14 Tomcats — purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The semiofficial Fars and Tasnim news agencies also reported the sound of blasts, without giving a cause. State television acknowledged “loud noise" in the area.

Isfahan also is home to sites associated with Iran's nuclear program, including its underground Natanz enrichment site, which has been repeatedly targeted by suspected Israeli attacks. However, state television described all sites in the area as “fully safe."

Iran later announced it grounded commercial flights in Tehran and across areas of its western and central regions. Loudspeakers informed customers of the incident at Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, online videos purported to show.

Iranian state television began a scrolling, on-screen alert acknowledging a “loud noise” near Isfahan, without immediately elaborating.

Hossein Dalirian, a spokesman for Iran's civilian space program, said on the X social media platform that several small “quadcopter” drones had been shot down. It wasn't immediately clear where that happened or if it was part of the ongoing incident in Iran.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran fired air defense batteries early Friday morning after reports of explosions near the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

It remained unclear if the country was under attack. However, tensions remain high in the wider Middle East after Iran’s unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel. One government official suggested sites may have been targeted by drones.

The semiofficial Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported the sound of blasts, without giving a cause. State television acknowledged “loud noise" in the area.

Isfahan is home to a major airbase for the Iranian military, as well as sites associated with its nuclear program.

It remained unclear if the country was under attack. However, tensions remain high in the wider Middle East after Iran’s unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Commercial flights began diverting their routes over western Iran without explanation early Friday as one semiofficial news agency in the Islamic Republic reported “explosions” heard over the city of Isfahan. State television acknowledged “loud noise.”

The incident comes as tensions remain high in the wider Middle East after Iran’s unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel.

The semiofficial Fars news agency reported on explosions being heard over Isfahan near its international airport. It offered no explanation. However, Isfahan is home to a major airbase for the Iranian military, as well as sites associated with its nuclear program.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713495701429.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran fired air defenses at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan after spotting drones, which were suspected to be part of an Israeli attack in retaliation for Tehran's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strait-of-hormuz-vessel-33fcffde2d867380e98c89403776a8ac">unprecedented drone-and-missile assault</a>&nbsp;on the country.No Iranian official directly acknowledged the possibility that Israel attacked, and the Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-retaliation-explainer-d9145465e2e2d54d3c975e51af95275b">tensions</a>&nbsp;have been high since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-attacks-f27cda966ac274982d968cbcc033eff0">the Saturday assault</a>&nbsp;on Israel amid its war on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>&nbsp;and its own strikes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">targeting Iran</a>&nbsp;in Syria.U.S. officials declined to comment as of early Friday, but American broadcast networks quoting unnamed U.S. officials said Israel carried out the attack. The New York Times quoted anonymous Israeli officials claiming the assault, which came on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's 85th birthday. Israeli politicians also made comments hinting that the country had launched an attack.Air defense batteries fired in several provinces over reports of drones being in the air, state television reported. Iranian army commander Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi said crews targeted several flying objects.“The explosion this morning in the sky of Isfahan was related to the shooting of air defense systems at a suspicious object that did not cause any damage,” Mousavi said. Others suggested the drones may be so-called quadcopters — four rotor, small drones that are commercially available.Authorities said air defenses fired at a major air base in Isfahan, which long has been home to Iran's fleet of American-made F-14 Tomcats — purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.Tasnim also published a video from one of its reporters, who said he was in the southeastern Zerdenjan area of Isfahan, near its “nuclear energy mountain.” The footage showed two different anti-aircraft gun positions, and details of the video corresponded with known features of the site of Iran's Uranium Conversion Facility at Isfahan.“At 4:45, we heard gunshots. There was nothing going on,” he said. “It was the air defense, these guys that you’re watching, and over there too.”The facility at Isfahan operates three small Chinese-supplied research reactors, as well as handling fuel production and other activities for Iran's civilian nuclear program.Isfahan also is home to sites associated with Iran's nuclear program, including its underground Natanz enrichment site, which has been repeatedly targeted by suspected Israeli sabotage attacks.State television described all atomic sites in the area as “fully safe." The United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, also said “there is no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites” after the incident.The IAEA “continues to call for extreme restraint from everybody and reiterates that nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts,” the agency said.Iran's nuclear program has rapidly advanced to producing enriched uranium at nearly weapons-grade levels since the collapse of its atomic deal with world powers after then-President Donald Trump withdrew America from the accord in 2018.While Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, Western nations and the IAEA say Tehran operated a secret military weapons program until 2003. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-iaea-nuclear-quarterly-report-bca494913fbc8ccc1621466fe9c221e6">IAEA has warned</a>&nbsp;that Iran now holds enough enriched uranium to build several nuclear weapons if it chose to do so — though the U.S. intelligence community maintains Tehran is not actively seeking the bomb.Dubai-based carriers Emirates and FlyDubai began diverting around western Iran about 4:30 a.m. local time. They offered no explanation, though local warnings to aviators suggested the airspace may have been closed.Iran then grounded commercial flights in Tehran and across areas of its western and central regions. Iran later restored normal flight service, authorities said.Around the time of the incident in Iran, Syria's state-run SANA news agency quoted a military statement saying Israel carried out a missile strike targeting an air defense unit in its south and causing material damage. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said the strike hit a military radar for government forces. It was not clear if there were casualties, the Observatory said.That area of Syria is directly west of Isfahan, some 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) away, and east of Israel.Meanwhile in Iraq, where a number of Iranian-backed militias are based, residents of Baghdad reported hearing sounds of explosions, but the source of the noise was not immediately clear.The incident Friday in Iran also sparked concerns about the conflict again escalating across the seas of the Middle East, which have been seeing attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen on shipping over the war in Gaza.The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center warned ships in the region that they could see increased drone activity in the skies.“There are currently no indications commercial vessels are the intended target,” it wrote.The Houthis have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebel-attack-israel-hamas-war-bf077f026a9f177ec87f4131d695cafc">launched at least 53 attacks</a>&nbsp;on shipping, seized one vessel and sank another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen and as shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined over the threat.However, Iranian state-run media sought to downplay the incident after the fact, airing footage of an otherwise-peaceful Isfahan morning. That could be intentional, particularly after Iranian officials for days have been threatening to retaliate for any Israeli retaliatory attack on the nation.“As long as Iran continues to deny the attack and deflect attention from it and no further hits are seen, there is space for both sides to climb down the escalation ladder for now,” said Sanam Vakil, the director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House.-----------------DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran fired air defense batteries early Friday morning after reports of explosions near a major airbase at the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.It remained unclear if the country was under attack. However, tensions remain high after Iran’s unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel. One government official suggested sites may have been targeted by drones.The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.IRNA said the defenses fired across several provinces. It did not elaborate on what caused the batteries to fire, though people across the area reported hearing the sounds.In particular, IRNA said air defenses fired at a major airbase in Isfahan, which long has been home to Iran's fleet of American-made F-14 Tomcats — purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.The semiofficial Fars and Tasnim news agencies also reported the sound of blasts, without giving a cause. State television acknowledged “loud noise" in the area.Isfahan also is home to sites associated with Iran's nuclear program, including its underground Natanz enrichment site, which has been repeatedly targeted by suspected Israeli attacks. However, state television described all sites in the area as “fully safe."Dubai-based carriers Emirates and FlyDubai began diverting around western Iran about 4:30 a.m. local time. They offered no explanation, though local warnings to aviators suggested the airspace may have been closed.Iran later announced it grounded commercial flights in Tehran and across areas of its western and central regions. Loudspeakers informed customers of the incident at Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, online videos purported to show.Iranian state television began a scrolling, on-screen alert acknowledging a “loud noise” near Isfahan, without immediately elaborating.Hossein Dalirian, a spokesman for Iran's civilian space program, said on the X social media platform that several small “quadcopter” drones had been shot down. It wasn't immediately clear where that happened or if it was part of the ongoing incident in Iran.Meanwhile in Iraq, where a number of Iranian-backed militias are based, residents of Baghdad reported hearing sounds of explosions, but the source of the noise was not immediately clear.--------------DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran fired air defense batteries early Friday morning after reports of explosions near the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.It remained unclear if the country was under attack. However, tensions remain high in the wider Middle East after Iran’s unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel. One government official suggested sites may have been targeted by drones.The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.IRNA said the defenses fired across several provinces. It did not elaborate on what caused the batteries to fire, though people across the area reported hearing the sounds.The semiofficial Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported the sound of blasts, without giving a cause. State television acknowledged “loud noise" in the area.Isfahan is home to a major airbase for the Iranian military, as well as sites associated with its nuclear program.Dubai-based carriers Emirates and FlyDubai began diverting around western Iran about 4:30 a.m. local time. They offered no explanation, though local warnings to aviators suggested the airspace may have been closed.Iran later announced it grounded commercial flights in Tehran and across areas of its western and central regions. Loudspeakers informed customers of the incident at Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, online videos purported to show.Iranian state television began a scrolling, on-screen alert acknowledging a “loud noise” near Isfahan, without immediately elaborating.Hossein Dalirian, a spokesman for Iran's civilian space program, said on the X social media platform that several small “quadcopter” drones had been shot down. It wasn't immediately clear where that happened or if it was part of the ongoing incident in Iran.DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran fired air defense batteries early Friday morning after reports of explosions near the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.It remained unclear if the country was under attack. However, tensions remain high in the wider Middle East after Iran’s unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel.IRNA said the defenses fired across several provinces. It did not elaborate on what caused the batteries to fire, though people across the area reported hearing the sounds.The semiofficial Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported the sound of blasts, without giving a cause. State television acknowledged “loud noise" in the area.-----------DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Commercial flights began diverting their routes over western Iran without explanation early Friday as one semiofficial news agency in the Islamic Republic reported “explosions” heard over the city of Isfahan. State television acknowledged “loud noise.”The incident comes as tensions remain high in the wider Middle East after Iran’s unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel.Dubai-based carriers Emirates and FlyDubai began diverting around western Iran about 4:30 a.m. local time. They offered no explanation, though local warnings to aviators suggested the airspace may have been closed.The semiofficial Fars news agency reported on explosions being heard over Isfahan near its international airport. It offered no explanation. However, Isfahan is home to a major airbase for the Iranian military, as well as sites associated with its nuclear program.Iranian state television began a scrolling, on-screen alert acknowledging a “loud noise” near Isfahan, without immediately elaborating.The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Iran fires at suspected Israeli attack drones near nuclear facilities

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/18/stunning-last-minute-defeat-for-pillen-tax-shift-bill-likely-ensures-special-session/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen’s much-amended plan to raise sales taxes to decrease local property taxes went down in flames Thursday, the final day of the 2024 state legislative session.

It was a stunning defeat for the idea of raising some taxes to reduce others, and it almost assuredly guarantees that state lawmakers will be back this summer in a special session on taxes.

After all, Pillen has said that he will keep senators in session until Christmas, if need be, to reach his goal of reducing local property taxes by 40%.

His office declined to comment after the vote, instead saying the governor would address the demise of LB 388 during his sine die speech Thursday afternoon.

State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar led a final-round filibuster of the governor’s plan, Legislative Bill 388, saying it was a tax increase that Nebraskans overwhelmingly opposed and contained a likely unconstitutional clause to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/17/broadcasters-mount-last-minute-blitz-to-delete-tax-on-digital-ads-from-pillen-plan/">tax digital ads.</a>

Only one other state, Maryland, has attempted to tax advertising placed on social media giants like Facebook and Google, and that state is fighting multiple lawsuits and being forced to pay back what it’s collected in taxes plus interest.

Slama argued that the only Nebraskans who would see a tax reduction under LB 388 were those who aren’t already taking a tax credit on their property taxes available on their state income tax filing.

She and other senators said more “thoughtful” discussion is needed on a bill that was the subject of several last-minute amendments last week, including the removal of Pillen’s proposed 1-cent hike in state sales taxes.

“I would much rather handle this particular issue — the state tax code — in a special session,” Slama said.

Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman was more blunt, saying LB 388 would provide only a 2% cut in his property tax bill, which would be eaten up by larger increases in the valuation of his house.

“This bill doesn’t mean squat for anybody — bring on a special session,” he said.

After the 1-cent sales tax hike and some other new taxes were amended out of LB 388 last week, it was estimated that it would provide a 22% decrease in local property taxes, far short of the 40% goal set by the governor.

Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad said that the bill was put together hurriedly, without time for senators to weigh its impact, and that there were “smarter” ways to reduce property taxes.

“We shouldn’t rush forward and jump off the cliff together … we should hit ‘pause’ today,” Conrad said.

But supporters of the bill said it addressed the No. 1 demand they hear from constituents — reduce local property taxes.

“Is it a perfect solution? Probably not,” said Omaha Sen. Brad von Gillern. “But it was the best I saw this year.”

Property taxes, in total, have risen 53% over the past decade, according to Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte, and have shifted off of sales and income taxes and onto property.

“My constituents are tired of being patient,” he said. “They want action.”

The chief sponsor of LB 388, Elkhorn Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, said that taxing soda pop and candy was a fair trade “so grandma doesn’t have to move out of her house” due to high property taxes.

But later, Linehan, facing growing opposition during floor debate, asked that the measure be pulled from the agenda. The Speaker of the Legislature, Sen. John Arch, confirmed that the bill wouldn’t be debated later Thursday, the last day of the 2024 session, and thus the measure was dead.

LB 388 had been the subject of a<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/17/broadcasters-mount-last-minute-blitz-to-delete-tax-on-digital-ads-from-pillen-plan/">&nbsp;last-minute TV</a>&nbsp;and newspaper ad blitz by Nebraska broadcasters and a coalition led by the state’s grocery association to defeat the bill because it raised taxes on several products, such as cigarettes and vaping products, and imposed new sales taxes on other items, such as pop and candy, pet services by veterinarians, digital ads and dry cleaning.

In defeat, Linehan said that broadening the sales tax base, as LB 388 would do, has been a long-running recommendation of several organizations, including the state chamber, Platte Institute and OpenSky Policy Institute, and it was frustrating that they were opposing the bill.

“It’s easy to say no, no, no,” the senator said, adding that opponents of LB 388 need to be ready to offer alternative paths to lower property taxes prior to the special session.

Already, some senators were discussing other ideas for reducing property taxes, such as legalizing marijuana and online gaming, and taxing them to replace property tax revenue.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713465125222.jpeg" alt=" State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar. April 18, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar. April 18, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/18/stunning-last-minute-defeat-for-pillen-tax-shift-bill-likely-ensures-special-session/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen’s much-amended plan to raise sales taxes to decrease local property taxes went down in flames Thursday, the final day of the 2024 state legislative session.It was a stunning defeat for the idea of raising some taxes to reduce others, and it almost assuredly guarantees that state lawmakers will be back this summer in a special session on taxes.After all, Pillen has said that he will keep senators in session until Christmas, if need be, to reach his goal of reducing local property taxes by 40%.<h2>Comment later during speech</h2>His office declined to comment after the vote, instead saying the governor would address the demise of LB 388 during his sine die speech Thursday afternoon.State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar led a final-round filibuster of the governor’s plan, Legislative Bill 388, saying it was a tax increase that Nebraskans overwhelmingly opposed and contained a likely unconstitutional clause to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/17/broadcasters-mount-last-minute-blitz-to-delete-tax-on-digital-ads-from-pillen-plan/">tax digital ads.</a>Only one other state, Maryland, has attempted to tax advertising placed on social media giants like Facebook and Google, and that state is fighting multiple lawsuits and being forced to pay back what it’s collected in taxes plus interest.Slama argued that the only Nebraskans who would see a tax reduction under LB 388 were those who aren’t already taking a tax credit on their property taxes available on their state income tax filing.<h2>‘Doesn’t mean squat’</h2>She and other senators said more “thoughtful” discussion is needed on a bill that was the subject of several last-minute amendments last week, including the removal of Pillen’s proposed 1-cent hike in state sales taxes.“I would much rather handle this particular issue — the state tax code — in a special session,” Slama said.Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman was more blunt, saying LB 388 would provide only a 2% cut in his property tax bill, which would be eaten up by larger increases in the valuation of his house.“This bill doesn’t mean squat for anybody — bring on a special session,” he said.After the 1-cent sales tax hike and some other new taxes were amended out of LB 388 last week, it was estimated that it would provide a 22% decrease in local property taxes, far short of the 40% goal set by the governor.Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad said that the bill was put together hurriedly, without time for senators to weigh its impact, and that there were “smarter” ways to reduce property taxes.“We shouldn’t rush forward and jump off the cliff together … we should hit ‘pause’ today,” Conrad said.<h2>Not a ‘perfect solution’</h2>But supporters of the bill said it addressed the No. 1 demand they hear from constituents — reduce local property taxes.“Is it a perfect solution? Probably not,” said Omaha Sen. Brad von Gillern. “But it was the best I saw this year.”Property taxes, in total, have risen 53% over the past decade, according to Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte, and have shifted off of sales and income taxes and onto property.“My constituents are tired of being patient,” he said. “They want action.”The chief sponsor of LB 388, Elkhorn Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, said that taxing soda pop and candy was a fair trade “so grandma doesn’t have to move out of her house” due to high property taxes.But later, Linehan, facing growing opposition during floor debate, asked that the measure be pulled from the agenda. The Speaker of the Legislature, Sen. John Arch, confirmed that the bill wouldn’t be debated later Thursday, the last day of the 2024 session, and thus the measure was dead.<h2>Last-minute ad blitz</h2>LB 388 had been the subject of a<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/17/broadcasters-mount-last-minute-blitz-to-delete-tax-on-digital-ads-from-pillen-plan/">&nbsp;last-minute TV</a>&nbsp;and newspaper ad blitz by Nebraska broadcasters and a coalition led by the state’s grocery association to defeat the bill because it raised taxes on several products, such as cigarettes and vaping products, and imposed new sales taxes on other items, such as pop and candy, pet services by veterinarians, digital ads and dry cleaning.In defeat, Linehan said that broadening the sales tax base, as LB 388 would do, has been a long-running recommendation of several organizations, including the state chamber, Platte Institute and OpenSky Policy Institute, and it was frustrating that they were opposing the bill.“It’s easy to say no, no, no,” the senator said, adding that opponents of LB 388 need to be ready to offer alternative paths to lower property taxes prior to the special session.Already, some senators were discussing other ideas for reducing property taxes, such as legalizing marijuana and online gaming, and taxing them to replace property tax revenue.

Stunning last-minute defeat for Pillen tax shift bill likely ensures special session

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States vetoed a widely backed U.N. resolution on Thursday that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?535031-1/un-security-council-meeting-situation-middle-east">Click here to watch</a> the debate

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 12 in favor, the United States opposed and two abstentions.

The resolution would have recommended that the 193-member General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, approve Palestine becoming the 194th member of the United Nations. Some 140 countries have already recognized the state of Palestine, so its admission would have been approved.

This is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestine-un-membership-security-council-us-reject-f55c4f58c35cf8486cf512b85b530a50">second Palestinian attempt</a>&nbsp;to become a full member of the United Nations, and it comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-war-statistics-95a6407fac94e9d589be234708cd5005">the war in Gaza</a>, now in its seventh month, has put the more than 75-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-hamas-latest-04-16-2024-2d556f46e9dd08b68930f86777524b21">Israeli-Palestinian conflict</a>&nbsp;at center stage.

Before the vote, U.S. deputy State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the United States has “been very clear consistently that premature actions in New York — even with the best intentions — will not achieve statehood for the Palestinian people.”

Palestinian membership “needs to be the outcome of the negotiation between Israel and the Palestinians,” U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood said. It “is something that would flow from the result of those negotiations.”

Anything that gets in the way “makes it more difficult to have those negotiations” and doesn’t help move toward a two-state solution where Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace, which “we all want,” Wood told reporters.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas first delivered the Palestinian Authority’s application for U.N. membership to then-Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2011. That initial bid failed because the Palestinians didn’t get the required minimum support of nine of the Security Council’s 15 members.

The Palestinians then went to the General Assembly and by more than a two-thirds majority succeeded in having their status raised from a U.N. observer to a non-member observer state in November 2012. That opened the door for the Palestinian territories to join U.N. and other international organizations, including the International Criminal Court.

The Palestinians revived their bid for U.N. membership in early April, backed by the 140 countries that have recognized Palestine as an independent state.

Ziad Abu Amr, special representative of the Palestinian president, said adopting the resolution would grant the Palestinian people hope “for a decent life within an independent state."

He said such "hope has dissipated over the past years because of the intransigence of the Israeli government that has rejected this solution publicly and blatantly, especially following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-war-news-04-15-2024-5d6b5dc1483771045113eea2c1904449">the destructive war against the Gaza Strip</a>.”

He stressed to the Security Council that it won’t be an alternative “for serious negotiations that are time-bound to implement the two-state solution” and U.N. resolutions, and to resolve pending issues between Palestinians and Israelis.

Amr asked the U.S. and other countries opposed to its U.N. membership how that could damage prospects for peace or harm international peace and security when they already recognize Israel and approved its U.N. membership.

“To grant the state of Palestine full membership will be an important pillar to achieve peace in our region, because the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and its different dimensions now goes beyond the borders of Palestine and Israel and impacts other regions in the Middle East and around the world,” the Palestinian envoy said.

Israeli-Palestinian negotiations have been stalled for years, and Israel’s right-wing government is dominated by hard-liners who oppose Palestinian statehood.

Israeli U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan called the resolution “disconnected to the reality on the ground” and warned that it “will cause only destruction for years to come and harm any chance for future dialogue.”

Six months after the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel by Hamas, which controlled Gaza, and the killing of 1,200 people in “the most brutal massacre of Jews since the Holocaust,” he accused the Security Council of seeking “to reward the perpetrators of these atrocities with statehood.”

Israel's military offensive in response has killed over 32,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, and destroyed much of the territory, which speaker after speaker denounced Thursday.

Erdan listed the requirements for U.N. membership — accepting the obligations in the U.N. Charter and especially being a “peace-loving” state.

“What a joke,” he said. “Does anyone doubt that the Palestinians failed to meet these criteria? Did anyone hear any Palestinian leader even condemn the massacre of our children?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713477575817.png" alt="Robert Wood, United States' Ambassador to the United Nations, speaks during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, Thursday.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Robert Wood, United States' Ambassador to the United Nations, speaks during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, Thursday.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States vetoed a widely backed U.N. resolution on Thursday that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?535031-1/un-security-council-meeting-situation-middle-east">Click here to watch</a> the debateThe vote in the 15-member Security Council was 12 in favor, the United States opposed and two abstentions.The resolution would have recommended that the 193-member General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, approve Palestine becoming the 194th member of the United Nations. Some 140 countries have already recognized the state of Palestine, so its admission would have been approved.This is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestine-un-membership-security-council-us-reject-f55c4f58c35cf8486cf512b85b530a50">second Palestinian attempt</a>&nbsp;to become a full member of the United Nations, and it comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-war-statistics-95a6407fac94e9d589be234708cd5005">the war in Gaza</a>, now in its seventh month, has put the more than 75-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-hamas-latest-04-16-2024-2d556f46e9dd08b68930f86777524b21">Israeli-Palestinian conflict</a>&nbsp;at center stage.Before the vote, U.S. deputy State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the United States has “been very clear consistently that premature actions in New York — even with the best intentions — will not achieve statehood for the Palestinian people.”Palestinian membership “needs to be the outcome of the negotiation between Israel and the Palestinians,” U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood said. It “is something that would flow from the result of those negotiations.”Anything that gets in the way “makes it more difficult to have those negotiations” and doesn’t help move toward a two-state solution where Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace, which “we all want,” Wood told reporters.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas first delivered the Palestinian Authority’s application for U.N. membership to then-Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2011. That initial bid failed because the Palestinians didn’t get the required minimum support of nine of the Security Council’s 15 members.The Palestinians then went to the General Assembly and by more than a two-thirds majority succeeded in having their status raised from a U.N. observer to a non-member observer state in November 2012. That opened the door for the Palestinian territories to join U.N. and other international organizations, including the International Criminal Court.The Palestinians revived their bid for U.N. membership in early April, backed by the 140 countries that have recognized Palestine as an independent state.Ziad Abu Amr, special representative of the Palestinian president, said adopting the resolution would grant the Palestinian people hope “for a decent life within an independent state."He said such "hope has dissipated over the past years because of the intransigence of the Israeli government that has rejected this solution publicly and blatantly, especially following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-war-news-04-15-2024-5d6b5dc1483771045113eea2c1904449">the destructive war against the Gaza Strip</a>.”He stressed to the Security Council that it won’t be an alternative “for serious negotiations that are time-bound to implement the two-state solution” and U.N. resolutions, and to resolve pending issues between Palestinians and Israelis.Amr asked the U.S. and other countries opposed to its U.N. membership how that could damage prospects for peace or harm international peace and security when they already recognize Israel and approved its U.N. membership.“To grant the state of Palestine full membership will be an important pillar to achieve peace in our region, because the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and its different dimensions now goes beyond the borders of Palestine and Israel and impacts other regions in the Middle East and around the world,” the Palestinian envoy said.Israeli-Palestinian negotiations have been stalled for years, and Israel’s right-wing government is dominated by hard-liners who oppose Palestinian statehood.Israeli U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan called the resolution “disconnected to the reality on the ground” and warned that it “will cause only destruction for years to come and harm any chance for future dialogue.”Six months after the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel by Hamas, which controlled Gaza, and the killing of 1,200 people in “the most brutal massacre of Jews since the Holocaust,” he accused the Security Council of seeking “to reward the perpetrators of these atrocities with statehood.”Israel's military offensive in response has killed over 32,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, and destroyed much of the territory, which speaker after speaker denounced Thursday.Erdan listed the requirements for U.N. membership — accepting the obligations in the U.N. Charter and especially being a “peace-loving” state.“What a joke,” he said. “Does anyone doubt that the Palestinians failed to meet these criteria? Did anyone hear any Palestinian leader even condemn the massacre of our children?”

US stops UN from recognizing a Palestinian state through membership

OMAHA, NE — Today, the Platte Institute addresses LB 388, a measure
 proposed to alleviate property tax pressures in Nebraska. Despite its intention to provide relief, the Institute had raised concerns about its long-term fiscal implications and its approach to funding.&nbsp;


Jim Vokal, CEO of the Platte Institute, stated, "Solving the property tax problem
 is difficult but with the 7th highest rates in the country, we need to continue our efforts. These solutions, however, must not raise other tax rates, tamper with previous income tax reforms, or involve taxing business inputs. Further, the focus of property
 tax reform should center on reform solutions that control and limit spending at the local level rather than a shift of state funds.”&nbsp;


Vokal added, "While the Platte Institute had concerns about LB388, we remain
 steadfast in our push for lower property taxes in Nebraska and stand ready to work with policymakers moving forward.”&nbsp;


The Platte Institute remains dedicated to promoting a balanced, forward-looking
 fiscal policy framework that supports economic growth and fiscal responsibility. We will continue to engage with stakeholders and policymakers to explore sustainable property tax solutions that align with the principles of economic freedom and fairness.&nbsp;

Platte InsituteOMAHA, NE — Today, the Platte Institute addresses LB 388, a measure
 proposed to alleviate property tax pressures in Nebraska. Despite its intention to provide relief, the Institute had raised concerns about its long-term fiscal implications and its approach to funding.&nbsp;
Jim Vokal, CEO of the Platte Institute, stated, "Solving the property tax problem
 is difficult but with the 7th highest rates in the country, we need to continue our efforts. These solutions, however, must not raise other tax rates, tamper with previous income tax reforms, or involve taxing business inputs. Further, the focus of property
 tax reform should center on reform solutions that control and limit spending at the local level rather than a shift of state funds.”&nbsp;
Vokal added, "While the Platte Institute had concerns about LB388, we remain
 steadfast in our push for lower property taxes in Nebraska and stand ready to work with policymakers moving forward.”&nbsp;
The Platte Institute remains dedicated to promoting a balanced, forward-looking
 fiscal policy framework that supports economic growth and fiscal responsibility. We will continue to engage with stakeholders and policymakers to explore sustainable property tax solutions that align with the principles of economic freedom and fairness.&nbsp;

Platte Institute Responds to Legislative Action on Property Tax Relief Measure LB 388 

NASHVILLE (AP) —Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man,” has died. He was 80.

The Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Famer died at his home in Osprey, Florida, David Spero, Betts’ manager of 20 years, confirmed. Betts had been battling cancer for more than a year and had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Spero said.

“He was surrounded by his whole family and he passed peacefully. They didn’t think he was in any pain,” Spero said by phone.

Betts shared lead guitar duties with Duane Allman in the original Allman Brothers Band to help give the group its distinctive sound and create a new genre — Southern rock. Acts ranging from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Kid Rock were influenced by the Allmans’ music, which combined the blues, country, R&amp;B and jazz with ‘60s rock.

Founded in 1969, the Allmans were a pioneering jam band, trampling the traditional notion of three-minute pop songs by performing lengthy compositions in concert and on record. The band was also notable as a biracial group from the Deep South.

Duane Allman died in a motorcycle accident in 1971, and founding member Berry Oakley was killed in a motorcycle crash a year later. That left Betts and Allman’s younger brother Gregg as the band’s leaders, but they frequently clashed, and substance abuse caused further dysfunction. The band broke up at least twice before reforming, and has had more than a dozen lineups.

The Allman Brothers Band was inducted into the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and earned a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 2012. Betts left the group for good in 2000, and also played solo and with his own band Great Southern, which included his son, guitarist Duane Betts.

Forrest Richard Betts was born Dec. 12, 1943, and was raised in the Bradenton, Florida, area, near the highway 41 he sang about in “Ramblin’ Man.” His family had lived in area since the mid-19th century.

Betts grew up listening to country, bluegrass and Western swing, and played the ukulele and banjo before focusing on the electric guitar because it impressed girls. At 16 he left home for his first road trip, joining the circus to play in a band.

He returned home, and with bassist Oakley joined a group that became the Jacksonville, Florida-based band Second Coming. One night in 1969 Betts and Oakley jammed with Duane Allman, already a successful session musician, and his younger brother, and together they formed the Allman Brothers Band.

The group moved to Macon, Georgia, and released a self-titled debut album in 1969. A year later came the album “Idlewild South,” highlighted by Betts’ instrumental composition “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” which soon became a concert staple.

The 1971 double album “At Fillmore East,” now considered among the greatest live albums of the classic rock era, was the Allmans’ commercial breakthrough and cemented their performing reputation by showcasing the unique guitar interplay between Allman and Betts. Their styles contrasted, with Allman playing bluesy slide guitar, while Betts’ solos and singing tugged the band toward country. When layered in harmony, their playing was especially distinctive.

The group also had two drummers — “Jaimoe” Johanson, who is Black, and Butch Trucks.

Duane Allman died four days after “Fillmore” was certified as a gold record, but the band carried on and crowds continued to grow. The 1973 album “Brothers and Sisters” rose to No. 1 on the charts and featured “Ramblin' Man,” with Betts singing the lead and bringing twang to the Top 40. The song reached No. 2 on the singles charts and was kept out of the No. 1 spot by "Half Breed" by Cher, who later married Gregg Allman.

The soaring sound of Betts’ guitar on “Ramblin’ Man” reverberated in neighborhood bars around the country for decades, and the song underscored his knack for melodic hooks. “Ramblin’ Man” was the Allmans’ only Top Ten hit, but Betts’ catchy 7½-minute instrumental composition “Jessica,” recorded in 1972, became an FM radio staple.

Betts also wrote or co-wrote some of the band’s other best-loved songs, including “Blue Sky” and “Southbound.” In later years the group remained a successful touring act with Betts and Warren Haynes on guitar. Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks died in 2017.

After leaving the Allmans for good, Betts continued to play with his own group and lived in the Bradenton area with his wife, Donna.

The group also had two drummers — “Jaimoe” Johanson, who is black, and Butch Trucks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713458097441.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE (AP) —Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man,” has died. He was 80.The Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Famer died at his home in Osprey, Florida, David Spero, Betts’ manager of 20 years, confirmed. Betts had been battling cancer for more than a year and had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Spero said.“He was surrounded by his whole family and he passed peacefully. They didn’t think he was in any pain,” Spero said by phone.Betts shared lead guitar duties with Duane Allman in the original Allman Brothers Band to help give the group its distinctive sound and create a new genre — Southern rock. Acts ranging from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Kid Rock were influenced by the Allmans’ music, which combined the blues, country, R&amp;B and jazz with ‘60s rock.Founded in 1969, the Allmans were a pioneering jam band, trampling the traditional notion of three-minute pop songs by performing lengthy compositions in concert and on record. The band was also notable as a biracial group from the Deep South.Duane Allman died in a motorcycle accident in 1971, and founding member Berry Oakley was killed in a motorcycle crash a year later. That left Betts and Allman’s younger brother Gregg as the band’s leaders, but they frequently clashed, and substance abuse caused further dysfunction. The band broke up at least twice before reforming, and has had more than a dozen lineups.The Allman Brothers Band was inducted into the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and earned a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 2012. Betts left the group for good in 2000, and also played solo and with his own band Great Southern, which included his son, guitarist Duane Betts.Forrest Richard Betts was born Dec. 12, 1943, and was raised in the Bradenton, Florida, area, near the highway 41 he sang about in “Ramblin’ Man.” His family had lived in area since the mid-19th century.Betts grew up listening to country, bluegrass and Western swing, and played the ukulele and banjo before focusing on the electric guitar because it impressed girls. At 16 he left home for his first road trip, joining the circus to play in a band.He returned home, and with bassist Oakley joined a group that became the Jacksonville, Florida-based band Second Coming. One night in 1969 Betts and Oakley jammed with Duane Allman, already a successful session musician, and his younger brother, and together they formed the Allman Brothers Band.The group moved to Macon, Georgia, and released a self-titled debut album in 1969. A year later came the album “Idlewild South,” highlighted by Betts’ instrumental composition “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” which soon became a concert staple.The 1971 double album “At Fillmore East,” now considered among the greatest live albums of the classic rock era, was the Allmans’ commercial breakthrough and cemented their performing reputation by showcasing the unique guitar interplay between Allman and Betts. Their styles contrasted, with Allman playing bluesy slide guitar, while Betts’ solos and singing tugged the band toward country. When layered in harmony, their playing was especially distinctive.The group also had two drummers — “Jaimoe” Johanson, who is Black, and Butch Trucks.Duane Allman died four days after “Fillmore” was certified as a gold record, but the band carried on and crowds continued to grow. The 1973 album “Brothers and Sisters” rose to No. 1 on the charts and featured “Ramblin' Man,” with Betts singing the lead and bringing twang to the Top 40. The song reached No. 2 on the singles charts and was kept out of the No. 1 spot by "Half Breed" by Cher, who later married Gregg Allman.The soaring sound of Betts’ guitar on “Ramblin’ Man” reverberated in neighborhood bars around the country for decades, and the song underscored his knack for melodic hooks. “Ramblin’ Man” was the Allmans’ only Top Ten hit, but Betts’ catchy 7½-minute instrumental composition “Jessica,” recorded in 1972, became an FM radio staple.Betts also wrote or co-wrote some of the band’s other best-loved songs, including “Blue Sky” and “Southbound.” In later years the group remained a successful touring act with Betts and Warren Haynes on guitar. Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks died in 2017.After leaving the Allmans for good, Betts continued to play with his own group and lived in the Bradenton area with his wife, Donna.The 1971 double album “At Fillmore East,” now considered among the greatest live albums of the classic rock era, was the Allmans’ commercial breakthrough and cemented their performing reputation by showcasing the unique guitar interplay between Allman and Betts. Their styles contrasted, with Allman playing bluesy slide guitar, while Betts’ solos and singing tugged the band toward country. When layered in harmony, their playing was especially distinctive.The group also had two drummers — “Jaimoe” Johanson, who is black, and Butch Trucks.Duane Allman died four days after “Fillmore” was certified as a gold record, but the band carried on and crowds continued to grow. The 1973 album “Brothers and Sisters” rose to No. 1 on the charts and featured “Ramblin' Man,” with Betts singing the lead and bringing twang to the Top 40. The song reached No. 2 on the singles charts and was kept out of the No. 1 spot by "Half Breed" by Cher, who later married Gregg Allman.The soaring sound of Betts’ guitar on “Ramblin’ Man” reverberated in neighborhood bars around the country for decades, and the song underscored his knack for melodic hooks. “Ramblin’ Man” was the Allmans’ only Top Ten hit, but Betts’ catchy 7½-minute instrumental composition “Jessica,” recorded in 1972, became an FM radio staple.Betts also wrote or co-wrote some of the band’s other best-loved songs, including “Blue Sky” and “Southbound.” In later years the group remained a successful touring act with Betts and Warren Haynes on guitar. Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks died in 2017.After leaving the Allmans for good, Betts continued to play with his own group and lived in the Bradenton area with his wife, Donna.

Allman Brothers Band co-founder, legendary guitarist Dickey Betts dies at 80

<a href="https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFS/press/PDFs/Letter-re-jury-selection-4-8-24.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the Trump jury selection questionnaire

NEW YORK (AP) — Two jurors in former President Donald Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-jury-selection-8da8759352478be8effd3d5734aae35e">hush money trial</a>&nbsp;were dismissed Thursday, one after expressing doubt about her ability to be fair and impartial and the other over concerns that some of his answers in court may not have been accurate.

The dismissals reduced to five the number of jurors who have been seated for the first-ever criminal trial of a former president.

The setbacks in the selection process emerged during a frenetic morning in which prosecutors also asked for Trump to be held in contempt over a series of social media posts this week, while the judge in the case barred reporters from identifying jurors' employers after expressing privacy concerns.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial-jurors-e47b0494de7688bde0e877ccb90aeca2">The seating of the full jury</a>&nbsp;— whenever it comes — will be a seminal moment in the case, setting the stage for a trial that will place the former president’s legal jeopardy at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-criminal-trial-campaign-833ca03359cb76331f16580ac04e398e">heart of the campaign against Democrat Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and for weeks of testimony about Trump’s private life before he became president.

The jury selection process picked up momentum Tuesday with the selection of seven jurors. But on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial-judge-merchan-c227f5eab200cccffb19ed931b4dac92">Judge Juan Merchan</a>&nbsp;revealed in court that one of the seven, a cancer nurse, had “conveyed that after sleeping on it overnight she had concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial in this case.” And though jurors’ names are being kept confidential, the woman said her family members and friends questioned her about being a juror.

A second seated juror was dismissed after prosecutors raised concerns that may not have been honest in answering a jury selection question by saying that he had never been accused or convicted of a crime.

The IT professional was summoned to court to answer questions after prosecutors said they found an article about a person with the same name who had been arrested in the 1990s for tearing down political posters pertaining to the political right in suburban Westchester County.

A prosecutor had also disclosed that a relative of the man may have been involved in a deferred prosecution agreement in the 1990s with the Manhattan district attorney’s office, which is prosecuting Trump’s case.

Because the juror was questioned Thursday at the judge’s bench, off-microphone and out of earshot of reports, it was not known whether the man confirmed or denied either instance was connected to him.

Twelve jurors and six alternates must be seated to hear the trial. Merchan said Tuesday that opening statements could begin as soon as Monday.

The process of picking a jury is a critical phase of any criminal trial but especially so when the defendant is a former president and the presumptive Republican nominee. Prospective jurors have been grilled on their social media posts, personal lives and political views as the lawyers and judge search for biases that would prevent them from being impartial.

Inside the court, there’s broad acknowledgment of the futility in trying to find jurors without knowledge of Trump. A prosecutor this week said that lawyers were not looking for people who had been “living under a rock for the past eight years.”

But Thursday's events laid bare the inherent challenges of selecting a jury for such a landmark, high-publicity case. More than half the members of a group of 96 prospective jurors brought into the courtroom were dismissed Thursday, most after saying they doubted their ability to be fair and impartial.

After dismissing from the jury the nurse who had already been selected, Merchan ordered journalists in court not to report prospective jurors’ answers to questions about their current and former employers.

He said that “as evidenced by what’s happened already, it’s become a problem.” The answers also will be redacted from court transcripts.

Prosecutors had asked that the employer inquiries be axed from the jury questionnaire. Defense lawyer Todd Blanche responded that “depriving us of the information because of what the press is doing isn’t the answer.”

The district attorney's office on Monday sought a $3,000 fine for Trump for three Truth Social posts they said violated the order. Since then, though, prosecutors say he's made seven additional posts that they believe violate the order.

Several of the posts involved an article that referred to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen as a “serial perjurer,” and one from Wednesday repeated a claim by a Fox News host that liberal activists were lying to get on the jury, said prosecutor Christopher Conroy.

Trump lawyer Emil Bove said Cohen “has been attacking President Trump in public statements,” and Trump was just replying.

The judge had already scheduled a hearing for next week on the prosecution’s request for contempt sanctions over Trump’s posts.

The trial centers on a $130,000 payment that Trump's lawyer and personal fixer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-cohen">Michael Cohen</a>, made shortly before the 2016 election to porn actor Stormy Daniels to prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump from becoming public in the race's final days.

Prosecutors say Trump obscured the true nature of the payments in internal records when his company reimbursed Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 and is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution.

Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels, and his lawyers argue that the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.

Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He could get up to four years in prison if convicted, though it's not clear that the judge would opt to put him behind bars. Trump would almost certainly appeal any conviction.

The hush money case is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">one of four criminal prosecutions</a>&nbsp;involving Trump as he vies to reclaim the White House, but it's possible that it will be the sole case to reach trial before November's presidential election.

NEW YORK (AP) — Prosecutors in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-jury-selection-8da8759352478be8effd3d5734aae35e">hush money trial of Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;asked Thursday for the former president to be held in contempt and fined because of seven social media posts that they said violated a judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses.

Meanwhile, the jury selection process took a step back when one of the seven jurors who had been picked, an oncology nurse, was dismissed after telling the court that she had become concerned about her ability to be impartial in the first-ever criminal case against a former president.

Although the jurors’ names are being kept confidential, the woman said her family members and friends questioned her about being a juror.

The dismissal leaves six on the panel so far, including a software engineer, an information technology professional, a sales professional, an English teacher and two lawyers.

Twelve more people must still be sworn in, with the judge saying he anticipated opening statements in the landmark case to be given as early as next week.

After dismissing the juror, Judge Juan Merchan ordered journalists in court not to report prospective jurors’ answers to questions about their current and former employers.

The judge said he agreed “that that information is necessary.”

The social media posts at issue were made by Trump since Monday, when prosecutors first sought a $3,000 fine for Trump for three Truth Social posts they said violated the order.

Prosecutor Christopher Conroy said several of the posts involved an article that referred to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen as a “serial perjurer,” and one from Wednesday that repeated a claim by a Fox News host that liberal activists were lying to get on the jury.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial-jurors-e47b0494de7688bde0e877ccb90aeca2">The seating of the Manhattan jury</a>&nbsp;— whenever it comes — will be a seminal moment in the case, setting the stage for a trial that will place the former president's legal jeopardy at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-criminal-trial-campaign-833ca03359cb76331f16580ac04e398e">heart of the campaign against Democrat Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and feature potentially unflattering testimony about Trump's private life in the years before he became president.

The process of picking a jury is a critical phase of any criminal trial but especially so when the defendant is a former president and the presumptive Republican nominee.

Prospective jurors have been grilled on their social media posts, personal lives and political views as the lawyers and judge search for biases that would prevent them from being impartial.

Inside the court, there's broad acknowledgment of the futility in trying to find jurors without knowledge of Trump, with a prosecutor this week saying that lawyers were not looking for people who had been “living under a rock for the past eight years.”

To that end, at least some of the jurors selected acknowledged having their own opinions about Trump.

“I find him fascinating and mysterious," one juror selected for the case, an IT professional, said under questioning. “He walks into a room and he sets people off, one way or the other. I find that really interesting. ‘Really? This one guy could do all of this? Wow.’ That’s what I think.”

The process has moved swifter than expected, prompting Trump when leaving the courthouse on Tuesday to complain to reporters that the judge,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial-judge-merchan-c227f5eab200cccffb19ed931b4dac92">Juan Merchan</a>, was “rushing” the trial.

The case centers on a $130,000 payment that Trump's lawyer and personal fixer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-cohen">Michael Cohen</a>, made shortly before the 2016 election to porn actor Stormy Daniels to prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump from becoming public in the race's final days.

Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels, and his lawyers argue the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.

Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He could face up to four years in prison if convicted, though it's not clear that the judge would opt to put him behind bars. Trump would almost certainly appeal any conviction.

The hush money case is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">one of four criminal prosecutions</a>&nbsp;Trump is confronting as he vies to reclaim the White House, but it's possible that it will be the sole case to reach trial before November's presidential election. Appeals and other legal wrangling have caused delays in cases charging Trump with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">plotting to overturn the 2020 election results</a>&nbsp;and with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">illegally hoarding classified documents</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713452408310.png" alt="Former President Trump after court on Tuesday -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Former President Trump after court on Tuesday -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFS/press/PDFs/Letter-re-jury-selection-4-8-24.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the Trump jury selection questionnaireNEW YORK (AP) — Two jurors in former President Donald Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-jury-selection-8da8759352478be8effd3d5734aae35e">hush money trial</a>&nbsp;were dismissed Thursday, one after expressing doubt about her ability to be fair and impartial and the other over concerns that some of his answers in court may not have been accurate.The dismissals reduced to five the number of jurors who have been seated for the first-ever criminal trial of a former president.The setbacks in the selection process emerged during a frenetic morning in which prosecutors also asked for Trump to be held in contempt over a series of social media posts this week, while the judge in the case barred reporters from identifying jurors' employers after expressing privacy concerns.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial-jurors-e47b0494de7688bde0e877ccb90aeca2">The seating of the full jury</a>&nbsp;— whenever it comes — will be a seminal moment in the case, setting the stage for a trial that will place the former president’s legal jeopardy at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-criminal-trial-campaign-833ca03359cb76331f16580ac04e398e">heart of the campaign against Democrat Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and for weeks of testimony about Trump’s private life before he became president.The jury selection process picked up momentum Tuesday with the selection of seven jurors. But on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial-judge-merchan-c227f5eab200cccffb19ed931b4dac92">Judge Juan Merchan</a>&nbsp;revealed in court that one of the seven, a cancer nurse, had “conveyed that after sleeping on it overnight she had concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial in this case.” And though jurors’ names are being kept confidential, the woman said her family members and friends questioned her about being a juror.A second seated juror was dismissed after prosecutors raised concerns that may not have been honest in answering a jury selection question by saying that he had never been accused or convicted of a crime.The IT professional was summoned to court to answer questions after prosecutors said they found an article about a person with the same name who had been arrested in the 1990s for tearing down political posters pertaining to the political right in suburban Westchester County.A prosecutor had also disclosed that a relative of the man may have been involved in a deferred prosecution agreement in the 1990s with the Manhattan district attorney’s office, which is prosecuting Trump’s case.Because the juror was questioned Thursday at the judge’s bench, off-microphone and out of earshot of reports, it was not known whether the man confirmed or denied either instance was connected to him.Twelve jurors and six alternates must be seated to hear the trial. Merchan said Tuesday that opening statements could begin as soon as Monday.The process of picking a jury is a critical phase of any criminal trial but especially so when the defendant is a former president and the presumptive Republican nominee. Prospective jurors have been grilled on their social media posts, personal lives and political views as the lawyers and judge search for biases that would prevent them from being impartial.Inside the court, there’s broad acknowledgment of the futility in trying to find jurors without knowledge of Trump. A prosecutor this week said that lawyers were not looking for people who had been “living under a rock for the past eight years.”But Thursday's events laid bare the inherent challenges of selecting a jury for such a landmark, high-publicity case. More than half the members of a group of 96 prospective jurors brought into the courtroom were dismissed Thursday, most after saying they doubted their ability to be fair and impartial.After dismissing from the jury the nurse who had already been selected, Merchan ordered journalists in court not to report prospective jurors’ answers to questions about their current and former employers.He said that “as evidenced by what’s happened already, it’s become a problem.” The answers also will be redacted from court transcripts.Prosecutors had asked that the employer inquiries be axed from the jury questionnaire. Defense lawyer Todd Blanche responded that “depriving us of the information because of what the press is doing isn’t the answer.”The district attorney's office on Monday sought a $3,000 fine for Trump for three Truth Social posts they said violated the order. Since then, though, prosecutors say he's made seven additional posts that they believe violate the order.Several of the posts involved an article that referred to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen as a “serial perjurer,” and one from Wednesday repeated a claim by a Fox News host that liberal activists were lying to get on the jury, said prosecutor Christopher Conroy.Trump lawyer Emil Bove said Cohen “has been attacking President Trump in public statements,” and Trump was just replying.The judge had already scheduled a hearing for next week on the prosecution’s request for contempt sanctions over Trump’s posts.The trial centers on a $130,000 payment that Trump's lawyer and personal fixer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-cohen">Michael Cohen</a>, made shortly before the 2016 election to porn actor Stormy Daniels to prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump from becoming public in the race's final days.Prosecutors say Trump obscured the true nature of the payments in internal records when his company reimbursed Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 and is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution.Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels, and his lawyers argue that the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He could get up to four years in prison if convicted, though it's not clear that the judge would opt to put him behind bars. Trump would almost certainly appeal any conviction.The hush money case is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">one of four criminal prosecutions</a>&nbsp;involving Trump as he vies to reclaim the White House, but it's possible that it will be the sole case to reach trial before November's presidential election.--------NEW YORK (AP) — Prosecutors in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-jury-selection-8da8759352478be8effd3d5734aae35e">hush money trial of Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;asked Thursday for the former president to be held in contempt and fined because of seven social media posts that they said violated a judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses.Meanwhile, the jury selection process took a step back when one of the seven jurors who had been picked, an oncology nurse, was dismissed after telling the court that she had become concerned about her ability to be impartial in the first-ever criminal case against a former president.Although the jurors’ names are being kept confidential, the woman said her family members and friends questioned her about being a juror.The dismissal leaves six on the panel so far, including a software engineer, an information technology professional, a sales professional, an English teacher and two lawyers.Twelve more people must still be sworn in, with the judge saying he anticipated opening statements in the landmark case to be given as early as next week.After dismissing the juror, Judge Juan Merchan ordered journalists in court not to report prospective jurors’ answers to questions about their current and former employers.He said that “as evidenced by what’s happened already, it’s become a problem.” The answers also will be redacted from court transcripts.Prosecutors had asked that the employer inquiries be axed from the jury questionnaire. Defense lawyer Todd Blanche responded that “depriving us of the information because of what the press is doing isn’t the answer.”The judge said he agreed “that that information is necessary.”The social media posts at issue were made by Trump since Monday, when prosecutors first sought a $3,000 fine for Trump for three Truth Social posts they said violated the order.Prosecutor Christopher Conroy said several of the posts involved an article that referred to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen as a “serial perjurer,” and one from Wednesday that repeated a claim by a Fox News host that liberal activists were lying to get on the jury.Trump lawyer Emil Bove said Cohen “has been attacking President Trump in public statements,” and Trump was just replying.The judge had already scheduled a hearing for next week on the prosecution’s request for contempt sanctions over Trump’s posts.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial-jurors-e47b0494de7688bde0e877ccb90aeca2">The seating of the Manhattan jury</a>&nbsp;— whenever it comes — will be a seminal moment in the case, setting the stage for a trial that will place the former president's legal jeopardy at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-criminal-trial-campaign-833ca03359cb76331f16580ac04e398e">heart of the campaign against Democrat Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and feature potentially unflattering testimony about Trump's private life in the years before he became president.The process of picking a jury is a critical phase of any criminal trial but especially so when the defendant is a former president and the presumptive Republican nominee.Prospective jurors have been grilled on their social media posts, personal lives and political views as the lawyers and judge search for biases that would prevent them from being impartial.Inside the court, there's broad acknowledgment of the futility in trying to find jurors without knowledge of Trump, with a prosecutor this week saying that lawyers were not looking for people who had been “living under a rock for the past eight years.”To that end, at least some of the jurors selected acknowledged having their own opinions about Trump.“I find him fascinating and mysterious," one juror selected for the case, an IT professional, said under questioning. “He walks into a room and he sets people off, one way or the other. I find that really interesting. ‘Really? This one guy could do all of this? Wow.’ That’s what I think.”The process has moved swifter than expected, prompting Trump when leaving the courthouse on Tuesday to complain to reporters that the judge,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial-judge-merchan-c227f5eab200cccffb19ed931b4dac92">Juan Merchan</a>, was “rushing” the trial.The case centers on a $130,000 payment that Trump's lawyer and personal fixer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-cohen">Michael Cohen</a>, made shortly before the 2016 election to porn actor Stormy Daniels to prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump from becoming public in the race's final days.Prosecutors say Trump obscured the true nature of the payments in internal records when his company reimbursed Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 and is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution.Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels, and his lawyers argue the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He could face up to four years in prison if convicted, though it's not clear that the judge would opt to put him behind bars. Trump would almost certainly appeal any conviction.The hush money case is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">one of four criminal prosecutions</a>&nbsp;Trump is confronting as he vies to reclaim the White House, but it's possible that it will be the sole case to reach trial before November's presidential election. Appeals and other legal wrangling have caused delays in cases charging Trump with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">plotting to overturn the 2020 election results</a>&nbsp;and with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">illegally hoarding classified documents</a>.

Trump judge warns media; 2 jurors dismissed

As leader of the Nebraska Legislature’s budget-writing Appropriations Committee, former Sen. John Stinner held a uniquely powerful post that allowed him to help direct how state tax dollars were invested.

In that role, the lawmaker from Gering proved to be a powerful champion for behavioral health, said Erin Schneider, EdD, deputy director of the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.&nbsp;

“Sen. Stinner often worked directly to ensure the state budget included strong funding for key behavioral health issues,” Dr. Schneider said.

Two examples of Sen. Stinner’s behavioral health advocacy occurred in 2022, his last in the legislature, when he worked to:

Thanks to his efforts to advance behavioral health care, BHECN presented Stinner with the 2023 BHECN Distinguished Service Award on April 16 during the organization’s annual awards dinner in Omaha.

The Distinguished Service Award is the highest honor bestowed by BHECN and is presented to individuals who provide inspirational leadership, service, advocacy and heart in support of behavioral health workforce development in Nebraska.

“Sen. Stinner deeply understands the importance of behavioral health care and its impact on the state as a whole,” said BHECN Director Marley Doyle, MD. “This understanding allowed him to make vital contributions that will improve the health and well-being for many Nebraskans for years to come.”

Four others received awards at the dinner including:

<a href="https://www.unmc.edu/bhecn/" target="_blank">Learn more about BHECN</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713451435824.jpeg" alt="Top row from left, former Sen. John Stinner and Kenton Shaffer, MD. Bottom row from left: Cecilia Poon, PhD, Laurie Halpenny, and Robin Conyers. " />
 <figcaption>Top row from left, former Sen. John Stinner and Kenton Shaffer, MD. Bottom row from left: Cecilia Poon, PhD, Laurie Halpenny, and Robin Conyers. </figcaption>
 </figure>UNMCAs leader of the Nebraska Legislature’s budget-writing Appropriations Committee, former Sen. John Stinner held a uniquely powerful post that allowed him to help direct how state tax dollars were invested.In that role, the lawmaker from Gering proved to be a powerful champion for behavioral health, said Erin Schneider, EdD, deputy director of the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.&nbsp;“Sen. Stinner often worked directly to ensure the state budget included strong funding for key behavioral health issues,” Dr. Schneider said.Two examples of Sen. Stinner’s behavioral health advocacy occurred in 2022, his last in the legislature, when he worked to:<ul>
 <li>Increase BHECN’s annual operating budget; and</li><li>Allocate $25.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to BHECN to distribute to organizations throughout the state to address Nebraska’s behavioral health workforce shortage and behavioral health issues that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic.</li>
 </ul>Thanks to his efforts to advance behavioral health care, BHECN presented Stinner with the 2023 BHECN Distinguished Service Award on April 16 during the organization’s annual awards dinner in Omaha.The Distinguished Service Award is the highest honor bestowed by BHECN and is presented to individuals who provide inspirational leadership, service, advocacy and heart in support of behavioral health workforce development in Nebraska.“Sen. Stinner deeply understands the importance of behavioral health care and its impact on the state as a whole,” said BHECN Director Marley Doyle, MD. “This understanding allowed him to make vital contributions that will improve the health and well-being for many Nebraskans for years to come.”Four others received awards at the dinner including:<ul>
 <li>Robin Conyers&nbsp;and&nbsp;Cecilia Poon, PhD,&nbsp;who received the 2023 Ambassador Award. Conyers is vice president of behavioral services for CHI Health/Central Division of CommonSpirit Health. Dr. Poon is a staff psychologist in the Nebraska Medicine Department of Psychology, training director of the Clinical Health Psychology Pre-Doctoral Internship at Nebraska Medicine and adjunct assistant professor in the UNMC Department of Psychiatry. The award recognizes individuals for outstanding efforts in mentoring the future behavioral health workforce in Nebraska.</li><li>Kenton Shaffer, MD,&nbsp;a retired pediatrician from Kearney, received the BHECN Champion Award, which recognizes outstanding service and outreach to the behavioral health community by a student, trainee or health care professional.</li><li>Laurie Halpenny&nbsp;of Omaha – who has long advocated for children with developmental disabilities -- received the BHECN Courage Award. The award recognizes outstanding service and outreach to the behavioral health community by a consumer of behavioral health services or a family member.</li>
 </ul><a href="https://www.unmc.edu/bhecn/" target="_blank">Learn more about BHECN</a>.

 Former Sen. John Stinner, others recognized at BHECN awards dinner

Joint press release:&nbsp;Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful and&nbsp;Downtown Association

North Platte, Neb. - The North Platte Downtown Association in coordination with Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful will be holding the annual Downtown Cleanup on Tuesday, May 14th.&nbsp; The event is held annually as part of the Great American Cleanup which&nbsp;is the country’s largest community improvement program that kicks off in more than 20,000 communities each spring. This national program engages 2 million volunteers who take action in their communities to create positive change and lasting impact.

The day will kick off with breakfast and a short meeting at 8:30 AM sponsored by NebraskaLand Bank at their downtown location.&nbsp; Volunteers will be split into groups to begin cleanup efforts. Lunch will be served at 1st&nbsp;Interstate Bank with their sponsorship. Volunteers don’t need to be present for the entire day.&nbsp; After the initial registration at NebraskaLand Bank, the headquarters will be moved to the corner of 5th&nbsp;and Dewey.&nbsp;&nbsp; Water and soda will be provided, and all other supplies will be available.&nbsp; Volunteers can stop in at any time during the day and stay for as long as they would like.&nbsp;

Joint press release:&nbsp;Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful and&nbsp;Downtown AssociationNorth Platte, Neb. - The North Platte Downtown Association in coordination with Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful will be holding the annual Downtown Cleanup on Tuesday, May 14th.&nbsp; The event is held annually as part of the Great American Cleanup which&nbsp;is the country’s largest community improvement program that kicks off in more than 20,000 communities each spring. This national program engages 2 million volunteers who take action in their communities to create positive change and lasting impact.The day will kick off with breakfast and a short meeting at 8:30 AM sponsored by NebraskaLand Bank at their downtown location.&nbsp; Volunteers will be split into groups to begin cleanup efforts. Lunch will be served at 1st&nbsp;Interstate Bank with their sponsorship. Volunteers don’t need to be present for the entire day.&nbsp; After the initial registration at NebraskaLand Bank, the headquarters will be moved to the corner of 5th&nbsp;and Dewey.&nbsp;&nbsp; Water and soda will be provided, and all other supplies will be available.&nbsp; Volunteers can stop in at any time during the day and stay for as long as they would like.&nbsp;

Downtown Association to Hold Cleanup May 14th in North Platte

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has dismissed all impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/alejandro-mayorkas">Alejandro Mayorkas</a>, ending the House Republican push to remove the Cabinet secretary from office over his handling of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-security-migrants-homeland-security-1c6e9f612dff721191c0254f980947a5">the U.S.-Mexico border</a>&nbsp;and ending his trial before arguments even began.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?534981-1/senate-session&amp;live">Click here to watch a replay of the Senate</a>&nbsp;impeachment debate.

<a href="https://d3i6fh83elv35t.cloudfront.net/static/2024/01/Articles-of-Impeachment.pdf">Click here to read full</a>&nbsp;articles of impeachment against Sec. Mayorkas

Senators voted to dismiss both articles of impeachment and end the trial, with Democrats arguing that the articles were unconstitutional. The first article charged Mayorkas with “willful and systemic refusal to comply" with immigration law. The second article charged Mayorkas with a “breach of trust” for saying the border was secure. The votes were 51-48 and 51-49, both along party lines.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the House Republicans’ case failed to meet “the high standard of high crimes and misdemeanors” and could set a dangerous precedent.

“For the sake of the Senate’s integrity and to protect impeachment for those rare cases we truly need it, senators should dismiss today’s charges,” said Schumer, D-N.Y., as he opened Wednesday’s session.

Senate Republicans had argued for a full impeachment trial after the House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-mayorkas-impeachment-vote-border-security-80cbd5bbb8f512c6814f155f825a1214">narrowly voted</a>&nbsp;in February to impeach Mayorkas for his handling of the border, arguing in the two articles that he “willfully and systematically” refused to enforce immigration laws. The House vote was the first time in nearly 150 years that a Cabinet secretary was impeached.

An outright dismissal of House Republicans’ prosecution of Mayorkas, with no chance to argue the case, is an embarrassing defeat for House Republicans and embattled House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who made the impeachment a priority. And it is likely to resonate politically for both Republicans and Democrats in a presidential election year when border security has been a top issue.

Republicans argue that President Joe Biden has been weak on the border as arrests for illegal crossings skyrocketed to more than 2 million people during the last two years of his term, though they have fallen from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-crossings-mexico-biden-18ac91ef502e0c5433f74de6cc629b32">a record-high</a>&nbsp;of 250,000 in December amid heightened enforcement in Mexico. Democrats say that instead of impeaching Mayorkas, Republicans should have accepted a bipartisan Senate compromise aimed at reducing the number of migrants who come into the U.S. illegally.

House impeachment managers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-mayorkas-impeachment-trial-border-security-63e9ec242ec8a2f0a95f84497c506e0d">delivered the charges to the Senate</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, standing in the well of the Senate and reading them aloud to a captive audience of senators. But they did not get a chance to present the case before the Senate dismissed it.

Once the senators were sworn in on Wednesday, the chamber turned into the court of impeachment, with Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington presiding. Murray is the president pro tempore of the Senate, or the senior-most member of the majority party who sits in for the vice president. Senators approached the front of the Senate in groups of four to sign an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/political-news-57ef0cdd29d9875b13713f4974eab9d5">oath book</a>&nbsp;that is stored in the National Archives.

Schumer then called for the votes to dismiss the trial after Republicans rejected a proposed agreement for Senate debate time and several votes on GOP objections. Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt said Democrats were “bulldozing 200 years of precedent" on impeachments by trying to dismiss the trial.

Angry Republicans called for several votes to delay the inevitable final outcome, but none of them passed as all Democrats and three Independents held together.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said “history will not judge this moment well.”