OMAHA, NE&nbsp;— The Platte Institute&nbsp;will host its&nbsp;Annual Legislative Summit on September 28th in Lincoln, Nebraska. This summit comes on the heels of a landmark year of legislative achievements, embodying the theme "Keep Up the Momentum" as we look forward to more&nbsp;prosperous&nbsp;endeavors for the state.&nbsp;

Jim Vokal, Chief Executive Officer of the Platte Institute, remarked, "With the successes of the past year as our foundation, this summit will not only reflect on our achievements but will chart the course for our future. We invite all Nebraskans to join us in this crucial conversation."&nbsp;

Tickets for the event are priced at $20, with complimentary passes available for senators, their staff, and media representatives.&nbsp;Tickets are&nbsp;available&nbsp;at this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/platte-institute-annual-legislative-summit-tickets-699044138837?aff=ebdssbdestsearch" target="_blank">link</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Members of the media wishing to&nbsp;secure tickets or schedule an interview, please contact Ryan Kopsa at (402) 366-4432 or write to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;

The Platte Institute advances policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. For more on our initiatives and resources, visit PlatteInstitute.org.&nbsp;

Platte&nbsp;InstituteOMAHA, NE&nbsp;— The Platte Institute&nbsp;will host its&nbsp;Annual Legislative Summit on September 28th in Lincoln, Nebraska. This summit comes on the heels of a landmark year of legislative achievements, embodying the theme "Keep Up the Momentum" as we look forward to more&nbsp;prosperous&nbsp;endeavors for the state.&nbsp;Jim Vokal, Chief Executive Officer of the Platte Institute, remarked, "With the successes of the past year as our foundation, this summit will not only reflect on our achievements but will chart the course for our future. We invite all Nebraskans to join us in this crucial conversation."&nbsp;Reasons to Attend:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Pivotal Discussions:&nbsp;Dive deep into the core subjects that define Nebraska's future - workforce, taxes, education, and regulation. Explore innovative strategies designed to position Nebraska at the forefront of economic and educational leadership.&nbsp;</li><li>Engage with Elected Leaders:&nbsp;Beyond the routine event circuit, this summit offers a rare chance for Nebraskans to interact directly with their representatives,&nbsp;providing&nbsp;a platform to voice their thoughts and play an active role in the state's development.</li><li>Celebrate Excellence:&nbsp;Join us as we unveil our 'Legislator of the Year', an honor given to a legislator whose outstanding dedication has been instrumental in Nebraska's growth.&nbsp;</li><li>Insights from the Top:&nbsp;Keynote talks by Speaker Arch, Auditor Foley, and others&nbsp;promise to shed light on the upcoming legislative session and&nbsp;provide&nbsp;an unparalleled glimpse into the inner workings of state governance.&nbsp;</li><li>Networking &amp; Breakfast:&nbsp;Kickstart the day by connecting with peers, leaders, and influencers over a breakfast spread.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Tickets for the event are priced at $20, with complimentary passes available for senators, their staff, and media representatives.&nbsp;Tickets are&nbsp;available&nbsp;at this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/platte-institute-annual-legislative-summit-tickets-699044138837?aff=ebdssbdestsearch" target="_blank">link</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;Members of the media wishing to&nbsp;secure tickets or schedule an interview, please contact Ryan Kopsa at (402) 366-4432 or write to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;The Platte Institute advances policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. For more on our initiatives and resources, visit PlatteInstitute.org.&nbsp;

Platte Institute to Host Annual Legislative Summit: "Keep Up the Momentum" 

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Today, Governor Jim Pillen joined twenty-five other United States Governors in a joint letter calling for President Biden to address the crisis at the southern border and provide states with accurate information on border crossings.

“Every state is a border state, and this crisis transcends partisan politics,” said Gov. Pillen. “President Biden and the federal government have turned a blind eye to the surge of crossings of illegal drugs, weapons, and human trafficking happening at our border.”

The joint letter requests the Biden administration to provide detailed information immediately on where migrants admitted at the southern border are being relocated in the United States, comprehensive data on asylum claim timeliness and qualifications rates, and successful deportations. The states affirmed their commitment to addressing the issues that face our southern border.

In May, Texas Governor Abbott requested assistance from states to secure the border. Gov. Pillen responded by deploying State Patrol drone operators in May and soldiers with the Nebraska National Guard in August to support Operation Lone Star.

<a href="https://governor.nebraska.gov/sites/governor.nebraska.gov/files/doc/press/Joint-Governors-Letter-to-President-Biden-on-the-Impact-of-the-Border-Crisis-9-19-23.pdf" target="_blank">You can read the joint Governors’ letter here.</a>

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Today, Governor Jim Pillen joined twenty-five other United States Governors in a joint letter calling for President Biden to address the crisis at the southern border and provide states with accurate information on border crossings.“Every state is a border state, and this crisis transcends partisan politics,” said Gov. Pillen. “President Biden and the federal government have turned a blind eye to the surge of crossings of illegal drugs, weapons, and human trafficking happening at our border.”The joint letter requests the Biden administration to provide detailed information immediately on where migrants admitted at the southern border are being relocated in the United States, comprehensive data on asylum claim timeliness and qualifications rates, and successful deportations. The states affirmed their commitment to addressing the issues that face our southern border.In May, Texas Governor Abbott requested assistance from states to secure the border. Gov. Pillen responded by deploying State Patrol drone operators in May and soldiers with the Nebraska National Guard in August to support Operation Lone Star.<a href="https://governor.nebraska.gov/sites/governor.nebraska.gov/files/doc/press/Joint-Governors-Letter-to-President-Biden-on-the-Impact-of-the-Border-Crisis-9-19-23.pdf" target="_blank">You can read the joint Governors’ letter here.</a>

Governor Pillen Signs Joint Governors Letter to President Biden on the Border Crisis

More than 27 million unique files of child sexual abuse material were reported last year. 59 percent were of children who were prepubescent. 8 percent were of infants or toddlers.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Amy was 12 years old when a sex trafficker started grooming her online. She was a star softball player in Spring Hill, Kan. He said he was her age.

He was so nice, she said. She met him in person and got the shock of her life when she realized he was a 21-year-old sex trafficker from Olathe.

She still lived at home with her dad and mom, who was a stay-at-home mom, but her trafficker was selling her seven to 10 times a week. She never told a trusted adult.

When she was 14, the traffickers killed a little dog in front of her and told her if she didn't come with them the same thing would happen to her dad. She went with them and officially became a runaway.

She tried to escape many times. She became addicted to drugs and alcohol to cope. By the time she was 21, her heart had given out and she had to have an artificial heart implanted. She died in 2021, leaving a young son.

Before Amy died, she insisted that&nbsp;Russ Tuttle of the Stop Trafficking Project tell her story, say her name.&nbsp;

"I want my life to have meant something," she told him.

Tuttle spoke to an adult audience Sunday night at the Beach Schmidt Performing Arts Center in Hays. Tuttle will be giving age-appropriate presentations to youth in the public and Catholic schools in Ellis County this week.

Kids feel fear and shame, Tuttle said, and that's why they don't tell.

Child sex crimes, sex abuse material and domestic minor sex trafficking are increasing in Kansas. 2021 was the worst year on record for online sex abuse, he said.

There was a three-fold increase of self-generated images of children 7 to 10, he said. That is children taking their clothes off and sending naked pictures.

"At the Stop Trafficking Project, it is our vision is to end domestic minor sex trafficking before it starts," he said, " by disrupting the exploration of vulnerability. ...

"My heart is that a student will never need to be rescued by law enforcement," Tuttle said. "Our heart is that a student will never need to be examined by a sexual assault nurse examiner. 

"Our heart is that a student will never experience such severe trauma that they now require a lifetime of housing and public assistance and trauma-informed therapy. Our heart is to function on the very front end of this crisis."

After a student assembly in another community, a sixth-grade girl came up to Tuttle with tears in her eyes and showed him the bruises on her neck where her eighth-grade boyfriend had choked her out while having sex the day before.

The boy, who had started watching porn when he was in the second grade, thought this was normal. He had recorded the act on a cell phone. Within 24 hours of the act, that eighth-grade boy had been approached by 37 adult men who were trying to figure out how to pay the eighth-grade boy to sexually assault that sixth-grade girl.

The United States far outpaces every other country in the world in its porn usage, according to Pornhub. The United States consumes more than double the next country on the list, which is the United Kingdom.

The average age of exposure to porn is between 8 and 11, Tuttle said. Eighty-four percent of porn is viewed through a cell phone, according to Pornhub. Even if your child doesn't have a cell phone, they have a friend who does, Tuttle said.&nbsp;

One of the pervasive ideas about sex trafficking is that young kids are being snatched off the street by a person in a scary vehicle. Tuttle said that is very rare and is a very narrow view of what trafficking can be.

One hundred percent of sex trafficking today is coming through digital devices, almost all of them cell phones, he said.

The initial contact and grooming usually come through an app that has some kind of chat function, he said.

Tuttle said the youngest child he's encountered who was on Tinder, which is an adult hook-up app, was in the second grade. Seventeen adult men, who all knew she was in second grade, had asked her to take off her clothes and send them naked pictures of herself.

An eighth-grade boy in Missouri convinced 80 girls in junior high to take naked pictures of themselves. He created an app and was selling the pictures to adult men for $25 each. His goal was to sell the girls in person. That ring was disrupted before those in-person interactions happened.

"... people online want to harm kids' brains and their minds, so they can later harm them in person," Tuttle said.

All the crimes of sex trafficking come down to three words — exploration of vulnerability, Tuttle said.

"This is the loneliest generation that has ever lived on planet Earth," he said, "yet they are the most connected."

Kids can find out on social media they didn't get invited to the party and what other kids are saying about them. Depression is skyrocketing among youth, Tuttle said.

"Perverts, predators and pimps love this," Tuttle said. "When in the process of grooming if a kid is lonely, isolated and depressed and wondering in life if they are even important, they pounce on that."

They are extremely kind or extremely controlling, he said.

"We don't let these people in our homes, but we don't know what our kids are doing online or we don't know how to know what our kids are doing online or we say, 'not my kids,'" Tuttle said.

The perverts, predators and pimps start by casing children online. Tuttle showed a video from a woman who had been lured into sex trafficking when she was a child. She met the predator through an online book club.

"Then the grooming started, because he found her weaknesses," Tuttle said.&nbsp;

"What I hear all the time from kids is 'He's so nice. She's so nice. They're so nice,'" Tuttle said.&nbsp;

More than 27 million unique files of child sexual abuse material were reported last year. Fifty-nine percent were of children who were prepubescent. Eight percent were of infants or toddlers, Tuttle said.

&nbsp;Two sixth-grade girls independently of each other came to Tuttle after a school assembly and said they were engaging in online sex during school hours on school-issued Macbooks. Both girls said they had plans to meet these "boys" that weekend in-person. They were actually all adult male registered sex offenders.

"We ended it before it started," Tuttle said.

"If we go into schools and tell the truth about this to kids, when we appeal to the hero in kids in a space that is very near and dear to them, it's amazing to watch them step up."

Predators infiltrate any number of apps and groom children. Tuttle mentioned Snapchat, Blender and TikTok.

You can find a list of 100 problematic apps through the Stop Trafficking Project app, which is available for download for free for Apple and Android devices.

People upload images to Blender and others rank them as hot or not hot. Two 12-year-old girls at the same school uploaded naked images to the app. One was ranked as "hot," but within 30 minutes she was being body-shamed and exploited online. She was suicidal.

 The second girl was ranked as"not hot." She was also suicidal.

"This is where kids live. We better figure it out," Tuttle said.

Tuttle said TikTok was the worst app on the market in terms of child safety.&nbsp;

"This is where they are learning how to die by suicide," he said. "This is learning the latest self-harming techniques such as cutting and burning. This is where they are learning dangerous diet fads to lessen the pain of the seductions they are facing online."

Seven-year-old Jessy had no technology of her own. Her mother set a timer for 15 minutes and allowed her to get online on her phone. In that short time, a grown man who said he was her age, tried to get Jesse to take a picture of herself with her shirt off and send it to him.&nbsp;

Her father was a law enforcement officer. He ended the chat before his daughter sent the image the man requested.

When Tuttle does presentations for young children, he shares with them to not keep secrets and to go to a trusted adult and ask for "screen help," if they encounter something online that makes them feel uncomfortable.

Predators will lie about their age and send fake photos. They appeal to a child's fantasy of love.

A ninth-grade boy told Tuttle that a "smokin' hot" woman sent him naked photos and asked him to send her naked photos of himself. He sent pictures and videos. Within an hour he had multiple messages that if he didn't pay $1,000, they were going to make him famous on the Internet.

The boy stole his dad's credit card and paid $18,000 before his disclosure. Tuttle said if that happens to your child, never pay. The photos are going to be circulated anyway.

"We are not arguing with kids. We are arguing with their fantasy," he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695063779015.jpeg" alt="Russ Tuttle of the Stop Trafficking Project spoke at the Beach Schmidt Performing Arts Center Sunday in Hays. Photos by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Russ Tuttle of the Stop Trafficking Project spoke at the Beach Schmidt Performing Arts Center Sunday in Hays. Photos by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>More than 27 million unique files of child sexual abuse material were reported last year. 59 percent were of children who were prepubescent. 8 percent were of infants or toddlers.</h2>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostAmy was 12 years old when a sex trafficker started grooming her online. She was a star softball player in Spring Hill, Kan. He said he was her age.He was so nice, she said. She met him in person and got the shock of her life when she realized he was a 21-year-old sex trafficker from Olathe.She still lived at home with her dad and mom, who was a stay-at-home mom, but her trafficker was selling her seven to 10 times a week. She never told a trusted adult.When she was 14, the traffickers killed a little dog in front of her and told her if she didn't come with them the same thing would happen to her dad. She went with them and officially became a runaway.She tried to escape many times. She became addicted to drugs and alcohol to cope. By the time she was 21, her heart had given out and she had to have an artificial heart implanted. She died in 2021, leaving a young son.Before Amy died, she insisted that&nbsp;Russ Tuttle of the Stop Trafficking Project tell her story, say her name.&nbsp;"I want my life to have meant something," she told him.Tuttle spoke to an adult audience Sunday night at the Beach Schmidt Performing Arts Center in Hays. Tuttle will be giving age-appropriate presentations to youth in the public and Catholic schools in Ellis County this week.Kids feel fear and shame, Tuttle said, and that's why they don't tell.Child sex crimes, sex abuse material and domestic minor sex trafficking are increasing in Kansas. 2021 was the worst year on record for online sex abuse, he said.There was a three-fold increase of self-generated images of children 7 to 10, he said. That is children taking their clothes off and sending naked pictures."At the Stop Trafficking Project, it is our vision is to end domestic minor sex trafficking before it starts," he said, " by disrupting the exploration of vulnerability. ..."My heart is that a student will never need to be rescued by law enforcement," Tuttle said. "Our heart is that a student will never need to be examined by a sexual assault nurse examiner. "Our heart is that a student will never experience such severe trauma that they now require a lifetime of housing and public assistance and trauma-informed therapy. Our heart is to function on the very front end of this crisis."After a student assembly in another community, a sixth-grade girl came up to Tuttle with tears in her eyes and showed him the bruises on her neck where her eighth-grade boyfriend had choked her out while having sex the day before.The boy, who had started watching porn when he was in the second grade, thought this was normal. He had recorded the act on a cell phone. Within 24 hours of the act, that eighth-grade boy had been approached by 37 adult men who were trying to figure out how to pay the eighth-grade boy to sexually assault that sixth-grade girl."That's sex trafficking," Tuttle said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695056730023.jpeg" alt="The United States is the top viewer of porn in the world, according to Pornhub." />
 <figcaption>The United States is the top viewer of porn in the world, according to Pornhub.</figcaption>
 </figure>The United States far outpaces every other country in the world in its porn usage, according to Pornhub. The United States consumes more than double the next country on the list, which is the United Kingdom.The average age of exposure to porn is between 8 and 11, Tuttle said. Eighty-four percent of porn is viewed through a cell phone, according to Pornhub. Even if your child doesn't have a cell phone, they have a friend who does, Tuttle said.&nbsp;One of the pervasive ideas about sex trafficking is that young kids are being snatched off the street by a person in a scary vehicle. Tuttle said that is very rare and is a very narrow view of what trafficking can be.One hundred percent of sex trafficking today is coming through digital devices, almost all of them cell phones, he said.The initial contact and grooming usually come through an app that has some kind of chat function, he said.Tuttle said the youngest child he's encountered who was on Tinder, which is an adult hook-up app, was in the second grade. Seventeen adult men, who all knew she was in second grade, had asked her to take off her clothes and send them naked pictures of herself.An eighth-grade boy in Missouri convinced 80 girls in junior high to take naked pictures of themselves. He created an app and was selling the pictures to adult men for $25 each. His goal was to sell the girls in person. That ring was disrupted before those in-person interactions happened."... people online want to harm kids' brains and their minds, so they can later harm them in person," Tuttle said.All the crimes of sex trafficking come down to three words — exploration of vulnerability, Tuttle said."This is the loneliest generation that has ever lived on planet Earth," he said, "yet they are the most connected."Kids can find out on social media they didn't get invited to the party and what other kids are saying about them. Depression is skyrocketing among youth, Tuttle said."Perverts, predators and pimps love this," Tuttle said. "When in the process of grooming if a kid is lonely, isolated and depressed and wondering in life if they are even important, they pounce on that."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695066147581.jpeg" alt="Texting and sexting lingo" />
 <figcaption>Texting and sexting lingo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695066496572.jpeg" alt="Texting and sexting lingo" />
 <figcaption>Texting and sexting lingo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695066624469.jpeg" alt="Texting and sexting lingo" />
 <figcaption>Texting and sexting lingo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695066624469.jpeg" alt="Texting and sexting lingo" />
 <figcaption>Texting and sexting lingo</figcaption>
 </figure>They are extremely kind or extremely controlling, he said."We don't let these people in our homes, but we don't know what our kids are doing online or we don't know how to know what our kids are doing online or we say, 'not my kids,'" Tuttle said.The perverts, predators and pimps start by casing children online. Tuttle showed a video from a woman who had been lured into sex trafficking when she was a child. She met the predator through an online book club."Then the grooming started, because he found her weaknesses," Tuttle said.&nbsp;"What I hear all the time from kids is 'He's so nice. She's so nice. They're so nice,'" Tuttle said.&nbsp;More than 27 million unique files of child sexual abuse material were reported last year. Fifty-nine percent were of children who were prepubescent. Eight percent were of infants or toddlers, Tuttle said.&nbsp;Two sixth-grade girls independently of each other came to Tuttle after a school assembly and said they were engaging in online sex during school hours on school-issued Macbooks. Both girls said they had plans to meet these "boys" that weekend in-person. They were actually all adult male registered sex offenders."We ended it before it started," Tuttle said."If we go into schools and tell the truth about this to kids, when we appeal to the hero in kids in a space that is very near and dear to them, it's amazing to watch them step up."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695068015938.jpeg" alt="Process predators use to groom children into sex trafficking." />
 <figcaption>Process predators use to groom children into sex trafficking.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695068046590.jpeg" alt="Process predators use to groom children into sex trafficking." />
 <figcaption>Process predators use to groom children into sex trafficking.</figcaption>
 </figure>Predators infiltrate any number of apps and groom children. Tuttle mentioned Snapchat, Blender and TikTok.You can find a list of 100 problematic apps through the Stop Trafficking Project app, which is available for download for free for Apple and Android devices.People upload images to Blender and others rank them as hot or not hot. Two 12-year-old girls at the same school uploaded naked images to the app. One was ranked as "hot," but within 30 minutes she was being body-shamed and exploited online. She was suicidal. The second girl was ranked as"not hot." She was also suicidal."This is where kids live. We better figure it out," Tuttle said.Tuttle said TikTok was the worst app on the market in terms of child safety.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695068284754.jpeg" alt="Talking point for adults with children on safety online from Russ Tuttle." />
 <figcaption>Talking point for adults with children on safety online from Russ Tuttle.</figcaption>
 </figure>"This is where they are learning how to die by suicide," he said. "This is learning the latest self-harming techniques such as cutting and burning. This is where they are learning dangerous diet fads to lessen the pain of the seductions they are facing online."Seven-year-old Jessy had no technology of her own. Her mother set a timer for 15 minutes and allowed her to get online on her phone. In that short time, a grown man who said he was her age, tried to get Jesse to take a picture of herself with her shirt off and send it to him.&nbsp;He said it would be their secret.Her father was a law enforcement officer. He ended the chat before his daughter sent the image the man requested.When Tuttle does presentations for young children, he shares with them to not keep secrets and to go to a trusted adult and ask for "screen help," if they encounter something online that makes them feel uncomfortable.Predators will lie about their age and send fake photos. They appeal to a child's fantasy of love.A ninth-grade boy told Tuttle that a "smokin' hot" woman sent him naked photos and asked him to send her naked photos of himself. He sent pictures and videos. Within an hour he had multiple messages that if he didn't pay $1,000, they were going to make him famous on the Internet.The boy stole his dad's credit card and paid $18,000 before his disclosure. Tuttle said if that happens to your child, never pay. The photos are going to be circulated anyway."We are not arguing with kids. We are arguing with their fantasy," he said.

Speaker: Children are cell phone chat away from predators, perverts, pimps

The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday recognized 353 schools as&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Mi5lZC5nb3YvcHJvZ3JhbXMvbmNsYmJycy9pbmRleC5odG1sP3V0bV9jb250ZW50PSZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9uYW1lPSZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5JnV0bV90ZXJtPSIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA5MTkuODI4MTk0MzEifQ.u3iTMM_yzpfxsaD1pjAKtL_fH41EWWRc8eFA1Lj_a38/s/179215596/br/226211591441-l" target="_blank">National Blue Ribbon Schools</a>&nbsp;for 2023. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student groups on assessments, according to a media release from the U.S. Department of Education.

Four schools in Nebraska earned the honor this year including&nbsp;Bess Streeter Aldrich Elementary School, Omaha, Neb.;&nbsp;Dodge Elementary School, Dodge, Neb.;&nbsp;Pender High School and Pender Elementary School, Pender, Neb. and&nbsp;Reeder Elementary School, Gretna, Neb.

<a href="https://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/assets/reports/2023/all_2023_national_blue_ribbon_schools.pdf">CLICK here to see</a> the entire list of Blue Ribbon Schools.

“The honorees for our 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award have set a national example for what it means to Raise the Bar in education,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The leaders, educators, and staff at our National Blue Ribbon Schools continually inspire me with their dedication to fostering academic excellence and building positive school cultures that support students of all backgrounds to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. As the Biden-Harris Administration partners with states and schools to accelerate academic success and transform educational opportunity in this country, we take tremendous pride in the achievements of these schools and their commitment to empowering educators, serving students, and engaging families.”

With its 40th cohort, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed approximately 10,000 awards to more than 9,700 schools. The National Blue Ribbon School award affirms and validates the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in striving for – and attaining – exemplary achievement. National Blue Ribbon Schools represent the full diversity of American schools and serve students of every background.

While awardee schools represent the diverse fabric of American schools, they also share some core elements. National Blue Ribbon School leaders articulate a vision of excellence and hold everyone to high standards. They demonstrate effective and innovative teaching and learning, and the schools value and support teachers and staff through meaningful professional learning. Data from many sources are used to drive instruction and every student strives for success. Families, communities, and educators work together toward common goals.

National Blue Ribbon Schools serve as models of effective and innovative school practices for state and district educators and other schools throughout the nation. A National Blue Ribbon School flag gracing a school’s entryway or on a flagpole is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.

The Department recognizes all schools in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates:

Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. The Department invites nominations for the National Blue Ribbon Schools award from the top education official in all states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Private schools are nominated by the Council for American Private Education.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695146261197.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday recognized 353 schools as&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Mi5lZC5nb3YvcHJvZ3JhbXMvbmNsYmJycy9pbmRleC5odG1sP3V0bV9jb250ZW50PSZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9uYW1lPSZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5JnV0bV90ZXJtPSIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA5MTkuODI4MTk0MzEifQ.u3iTMM_yzpfxsaD1pjAKtL_fH41EWWRc8eFA1Lj_a38/s/179215596/br/226211591441-l" target="_blank">National Blue Ribbon Schools</a>&nbsp;for 2023. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student groups on assessments, according to a media release from the U.S. Department of Education.Four schools in Nebraska earned the honor this year including&nbsp;Bess Streeter Aldrich Elementary School, Omaha, Neb.;&nbsp;Dodge Elementary School, Dodge, Neb.;&nbsp;Pender High School and Pender Elementary School, Pender, Neb. and&nbsp;Reeder Elementary School, Gretna, Neb.<a href="https://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/assets/reports/2023/all_2023_national_blue_ribbon_schools.pdf">CLICK here to see</a> the entire list of Blue Ribbon Schools.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695145849769.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“The honorees for our 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award have set a national example for what it means to Raise the Bar in education,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The leaders, educators, and staff at our National Blue Ribbon Schools continually inspire me with their dedication to fostering academic excellence and building positive school cultures that support students of all backgrounds to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. As the Biden-Harris Administration partners with states and schools to accelerate academic success and transform educational opportunity in this country, we take tremendous pride in the achievements of these schools and their commitment to empowering educators, serving students, and engaging families.”With its 40th cohort, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed approximately 10,000 awards to more than 9,700 schools. The National Blue Ribbon School award affirms and validates the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in striving for – and attaining – exemplary achievement. National Blue Ribbon Schools represent the full diversity of American schools and serve students of every background.While awardee schools represent the diverse fabric of American schools, they also share some core elements. National Blue Ribbon School leaders articulate a vision of excellence and hold everyone to high standards. They demonstrate effective and innovative teaching and learning, and the schools value and support teachers and staff through meaningful professional learning. Data from many sources are used to drive instruction and every student strives for success. Families, communities, and educators work together toward common goals.National Blue Ribbon Schools serve as models of effective and innovative school practices for state and district educators and other schools throughout the nation. A National Blue Ribbon School flag gracing a school’s entryway or on a flagpole is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.The Department recognizes all schools in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates:<ul>
 <li>Exemplary High-Performing Schools&nbsp;are among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.</li><li>Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing Schools&nbsp;are among their state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s student groups and all students. Nominated schools also complete an extensive narrative application describing their school culture and philosophy, curriculum, assessments, instructional practices, professional development, leadership structures, and parent and community involvement.</li>
 </ul>Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. The Department invites nominations for the National Blue Ribbon Schools award from the top education official in all states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Private schools are nominated by the Council for American Private Education.

4 Nebraska schools named 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools

UNITED NATIONS (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;made a robust case before the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday that the world must remain united in defending Ukraine against Russian aggression, warning that no nation can be secure if “we allow Ukraine to be carved up" as he tries to rally support for Kyiv's effort to repel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">a nearly 19-month-old Russian invasion</a>&nbsp;that has no end in sight.

(click below to watch a replay of the President's address)

The U.S. president called on world leaders to not let support for Ukraine diminish, arguing that Russia is counting on countries to grow tired of prolonged conflict in Kyiv which will “allow it to brutalize Ukraine without consequence.” Russia alone is standing in the way of a resolution, Biden argued, saying that Moscow's price for peace was “Ukraine’s capitulation, Ukraine’s territory and Ukraine’s children.”

"I ask you this: If we abandon the core principles of the United States to appease an aggressor, can any member state in this body feel confident that they are protected?” Biden said in his address. “If we allow Ukraine to be carved up, is the independence of any nation secure?

He continued: “I'd respectfully suggest the answer is no.” He implored the leaders to stand up to "this naked aggression today to deter other would-be aggressors tomorrow."

During his address, Biden described the partnerships that the U.S. government was fostering around the globe — from Africa to the Indo-Pacific — that he said were creating economic and other advancements, even as he stressed that those relationships were not about “containing any country" — a clear reference to Beijing.

“When it comes to China, let me be clear and consistent,” Biden said. “We seek to responsibly manage the competition between our countries so it does not tip into conflict.'

In his 30-minute address, Biden repeatedly emphasized the value of institutions such as the United Nations and international coalitions that has helped the world confront significant challenges such as poverty and disease, as well as echoing his defense of democracy, a common theme of his presidency.

“We will not retreat from the values that make us strong," Biden said. “We will defend democracy — our best tool to meet the challenges that we face around the world. And we're working to show how democracy can deliver in ways that matter to people's lives."

The annual forum is a chance for Biden to showcase to other world leaders — and the 2024 U.S. electorate — that he’s reestablished U.S. leadership on the world stage that he says was diminished under former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.

Biden previewed his thinking in a pair of fundraisers on Monday evening, telling supporters that he stood up to Vladimir Putin’s invasion, and questioning whether Trump, the 2024 GOP presidential front-runner, would have even attempted to help Ukraine stop the Russian land grab if he were in power.

“I will not side with dictators like Putin. Maybe Trump and his MAGA friends can bow down but I won’t,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-broadway-fundraiser-new-york-fc92b7f04ad2ac20c119e60337da5cfb">Biden told supporters at a Broadway fundraiser.</a>

There were some notable absences as Biden made his case before the General Assembly: British Prime&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rishi-sunak">Rishi Sunak</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/emmanuel-macron">French President Emmanuel Macron</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/xi-jinping">Chinese President Xi Jinping</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Putin</a>&nbsp;are all skipping the gathering.

For Biden, the more important audience for Tuesday’s speech could be closer to home as he looks to make the case to voters that he’s skillfully handled a complicated foreign policy agenda and that the experience that comes with age has proved to be an asset. It’s an argument that the 80-year-old president is likely to continue to make to try to counter skepticism — even in his own Democratic Party —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-2024-poll-old-corrupt-12b806876e2072790f9a67793761c688">among voters who are concerned about his age.</a>

“We rallied the world to support Ukraine and united NATO because I was convinced from the beginning that Putin’s counting on NATO not being able to stick together,” Biden said at another Monday fundraiser. “He’s still trying. And our allies know once again, the United States can be counted on.”

Biden's message of unwavering support for Ukraine will play out as Congress is increasingly divided over providing additional funding for Kyiv.

Biden has sought a package of $13.1 billion in additional military aid for Ukraine and $8.5 billion for humanitarian support. But conservative Republican lawmakers have been pushing for broad federal spending cuts and some of those allied with Trump are specifically looking to stop money to Ukraine.

In addition to underscoring continued U.S. support for Ukraine, Biden is expected to touch on mobilizing global resources to combat climate change and bolstering multilateral organizations to help poor and middle-income countries, according to senior administration officials.

Biden aims to send a message that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is in violation of the U.N. charter and to emphasize that every country has a stake in defending a nation’s sovereignty, especially when it is under attack, said the officials, who previewed Biden’s activities in New York this week on condition of anonymity.

After the speech, Biden planned to meet with António Guterres, the U.N. secretary-general, as well as leaders from the so-called C5 group of Central Asian nations, which include Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The meeting was expected to focus on regional security, trade, climate change, ongoing reforms to improve governance and other issues.

Xi has stepped up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-central-asia-energy-terrorism-security-f20090e0bacf961d0c87d50f1bcbd052">his own courting of those countries</a>. During his own summit in May with the Central Asian leaders, Xi promised to build more railway and other trade links with the region and proposed jointly developing oil and gas sources.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters last week that Biden’s meeting with those leaders should not be seen as an effort to counterbalance Chinese influence in the region.

“Look, this summit is not against any country,” Sullivan said in previewing the meeting. “It is for a positive agenda that we want to work through with these countries.”

The officials played down the fact that the leaders of the other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -– the UK, France, Russia and China — won’t be in New York this week and instead emphasized the importance that Biden attaches to showing up at the annual diplomatic forum.

However, Biden does not plan to attend a special summit on climate that Guterres will host on Wednesday, where countries are encouraged to bring new ideas and proposals on how to further cut emissions and combat climate change. Officials played down Biden’s absence at the climate summit, saying the issue will be interspersed through the president’s remarks and events throughout the week. John Kerry, the U.S. climate envoy, is to attend in Biden’s place.

Biden plans to meet with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva">Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.</a>&nbsp;Senior administration officials said the two leaders will discuss issues including Iran but declined to elaborate further.

Biden is scheduled to host talks Thursday at the White House with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.</a>

UNITED NATIONS (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;made a robust case before the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday that the world must remain united in defending Ukraine against Russian aggression, warning that no nation can be secure if “we allow Ukraine to be carved up" as he tries to rally support for Kyiv's effort to repel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">a nearly 19-month-old Russian invasion</a>&nbsp;that has no end in sight.(click below to watch a replay of the President's address)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oVIm3oMmIm0?si=nbK3RnpNu595T0lH&amp;start=1315" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The U.S. president called on world leaders to not let support for Ukraine diminish, arguing that Russia is counting on countries to grow tired of prolonged conflict in Kyiv which will “allow it to brutalize Ukraine without consequence.” Russia alone is standing in the way of a resolution, Biden argued, saying that Moscow's price for peace was “Ukraine’s capitulation, Ukraine’s territory and Ukraine’s children.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695138092476.png" alt="Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the UN during President Biden's address" />
 <figcaption>Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the UN during President Biden's address</figcaption>
 </figure>"I ask you this: If we abandon the core principles of the United States to appease an aggressor, can any member state in this body feel confident that they are protected?” Biden said in his address. “If we allow Ukraine to be carved up, is the independence of any nation secure?He continued: “I'd respectfully suggest the answer is no.” He implored the leaders to stand up to "this naked aggression today to deter other would-be aggressors tomorrow."During his address, Biden described the partnerships that the U.S. government was fostering around the globe — from Africa to the Indo-Pacific — that he said were creating economic and other advancements, even as he stressed that those relationships were not about “containing any country" — a clear reference to Beijing.“When it comes to China, let me be clear and consistent,” Biden said. “We seek to responsibly manage the competition between our countries so it does not tip into conflict.'In his 30-minute address, Biden repeatedly emphasized the value of institutions such as the United Nations and international coalitions that has helped the world confront significant challenges such as poverty and disease, as well as echoing his defense of democracy, a common theme of his presidency.“We will not retreat from the values that make us strong," Biden said. “We will defend democracy — our best tool to meet the challenges that we face around the world. And we're working to show how democracy can deliver in ways that matter to people's lives."The annual forum is a chance for Biden to showcase to other world leaders — and the 2024 U.S. electorate — that he’s reestablished U.S. leadership on the world stage that he says was diminished under former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.Biden previewed his thinking in a pair of fundraisers on Monday evening, telling supporters that he stood up to Vladimir Putin’s invasion, and questioning whether Trump, the 2024 GOP presidential front-runner, would have even attempted to help Ukraine stop the Russian land grab if he were in power.“I will not side with dictators like Putin. Maybe Trump and his MAGA friends can bow down but I won’t,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-broadway-fundraiser-new-york-fc92b7f04ad2ac20c119e60337da5cfb">Biden told supporters at a Broadway fundraiser.</a>There were some notable absences as Biden made his case before the General Assembly: British Prime&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rishi-sunak">Rishi Sunak</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/emmanuel-macron">French President Emmanuel Macron</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/xi-jinping">Chinese President Xi Jinping</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Putin</a>&nbsp;are all skipping the gathering.For Biden, the more important audience for Tuesday’s speech could be closer to home as he looks to make the case to voters that he’s skillfully handled a complicated foreign policy agenda and that the experience that comes with age has proved to be an asset. It’s an argument that the 80-year-old president is likely to continue to make to try to counter skepticism — even in his own Democratic Party —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-2024-poll-old-corrupt-12b806876e2072790f9a67793761c688">among voters who are concerned about his age.</a>“We rallied the world to support Ukraine and united NATO because I was convinced from the beginning that Putin’s counting on NATO not being able to stick together,” Biden said at another Monday fundraiser. “He’s still trying. And our allies know once again, the United States can be counted on.”Biden's message of unwavering support for Ukraine will play out as Congress is increasingly divided over providing additional funding for Kyiv.Biden has sought a package of $13.1 billion in additional military aid for Ukraine and $8.5 billion for humanitarian support. But conservative Republican lawmakers have been pushing for broad federal spending cuts and some of those allied with Trump are specifically looking to stop money to Ukraine.In addition to underscoring continued U.S. support for Ukraine, Biden is expected to touch on mobilizing global resources to combat climate change and bolstering multilateral organizations to help poor and middle-income countries, according to senior administration officials.Biden aims to send a message that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is in violation of the U.N. charter and to emphasize that every country has a stake in defending a nation’s sovereignty, especially when it is under attack, said the officials, who previewed Biden’s activities in New York this week on condition of anonymity.After the speech, Biden planned to meet with António Guterres, the U.N. secretary-general, as well as leaders from the so-called C5 group of Central Asian nations, which include Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.The meeting was expected to focus on regional security, trade, climate change, ongoing reforms to improve governance and other issues.Xi has stepped up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-central-asia-energy-terrorism-security-f20090e0bacf961d0c87d50f1bcbd052">his own courting of those countries</a>. During his own summit in May with the Central Asian leaders, Xi promised to build more railway and other trade links with the region and proposed jointly developing oil and gas sources.White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters last week that Biden’s meeting with those leaders should not be seen as an effort to counterbalance Chinese influence in the region.“Look, this summit is not against any country,” Sullivan said in previewing the meeting. “It is for a positive agenda that we want to work through with these countries.”The officials played down the fact that the leaders of the other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -– the UK, France, Russia and China — won’t be in New York this week and instead emphasized the importance that Biden attaches to showing up at the annual diplomatic forum.However, Biden does not plan to attend a special summit on climate that Guterres will host on Wednesday, where countries are encouraged to bring new ideas and proposals on how to further cut emissions and combat climate change. Officials played down Biden’s absence at the climate summit, saying the issue will be interspersed through the president’s remarks and events throughout the week. John Kerry, the U.S. climate envoy, is to attend in Biden’s place.Biden plans to meet with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva">Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.</a>&nbsp;Senior administration officials said the two leaders will discuss issues including Iran but declined to elaborate further.Biden is scheduled to host talks Thursday at the White House with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.</a>

🎥 Biden exhorts world leaders at the UN to stand up to Russia

Joann B. Sweasy, PhD, an internationally recognized comprehensive cancer center director and an expert in the genetics, cell biology and biochemistry of DNA repair, has been named the next director of the Fred &amp; Pamela Buffett Cancer Center and the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer&nbsp;and Allied Diseases, UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, announced Tuesday.

A National Institutes of Health-funded researcher since 1994, Dr. Sweasy currently is the director of the University of Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson. As UACC director, she led the center to renewal of its National Cancer Institute-Comprehensive designation in 2022.

Dr. Sweasy will begin in her new roles on Nov. 1. She will replace Ken Cowan, MD, PhD, who has led the cancer center since 1999.

“I could not be more thrilled to have a leader such as Dr. Sweasy with all of her experience and dedication to lead the Fred &amp; Pamela Buffett Cancer Center and the Eppley Institute,” Dr. Gold said. “Her experience in leading an NCI comprehensive cancer center, her years of service on various NCI committees and other national review boards, and her highly recognized research acumen make her an ideal candidate to accelerate our momentum as a highly recognized world-class NCI cancer center.

“Dr. Cowan has led the cancer center through unprecedented growth over the past two decades. We are poised for even greater heights, and we all look forward to working with Dr. Sweasy to lead us forward.”

James Linder, MD, CEO of Nebraska Medicine, said: "Dr. Sweasy has a world-class reputation in cancer research and building teams to deliver patient care. I could not be more delighted to have her join the cancer leadership team at Nebraska Medicine."

Dr. Sweasy serves as a member of the NCI-subcommittee A, the panel that reviews all NCI cancer centers, and is vice president/president-elect of the American Association of Cancer&nbsp;Institutes.

“It is a tremendous honor to be selected to direct the Fred &amp; Pamela Buffett Cancer Center and the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer, which are recognized for exceptional cancer care and research,” Dr. Sweasy said. “I look forward to interacting with communities across the state of Nebraska and beyond to increase the impact of our cancer research and improve access to cancer care and prevention.”

Dr. Sweasy’s research has been funded continuously by the National Institutes of Health since 1994 for her research on the genetics, cell biology and biochemistry of DNA repair and the roles of aberrant DNA repair in cancer and autoimmunity. For this work, she was awarded the 2016 Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society Award as well as many other national awards and recognitions.

Dr. Sweasy earned her bachelor’s degree from Arcadia University and her doctoral degree from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Dr. Sweasy was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington. She then was appointed as an assistant professor in the Department of Therapeutic Radiology at the Yale University School of Medicine, eventually earning tenure and serving as vice chair of the department and the Ensign Professor of Therapeutic Radiology. Dr. Sweasy joined the University of Arizona Cancer Center as director in 2019.

In addition to thanking Dr. Cowan for his remarkable leadership over the past two decades, Dr. Gold expressed his appreciation to the search committee, chaired by Ann Anderson Berry, MD, PhD, director of the Child Health Research Institute, and Chris Kratochvil, MD, interim vice chancellor for external relations, for their work in vetting and bringing forward highly qualified candidates.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695129645495.jpeg" alt="Joann Sweasy PHD/Photo provided by UNMC" />
 <figcaption>Joann Sweasy PHD/Photo provided by UNMC</figcaption>
 </figure>UNMCJoann B. Sweasy, PhD, an internationally recognized comprehensive cancer center director and an expert in the genetics, cell biology and biochemistry of DNA repair, has been named the next director of the Fred &amp; Pamela Buffett Cancer Center and the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer&nbsp;and Allied Diseases, UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, announced Tuesday.A National Institutes of Health-funded researcher since 1994, Dr. Sweasy currently is the director of the University of Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson. As UACC director, she led the center to renewal of its National Cancer Institute-Comprehensive designation in 2022.Dr. Sweasy will begin in her new roles on Nov. 1. She will replace Ken Cowan, MD, PhD, who has led the cancer center since 1999.“I could not be more thrilled to have a leader such as Dr. Sweasy with all of her experience and dedication to lead the Fred &amp; Pamela Buffett Cancer Center and the Eppley Institute,” Dr. Gold said. “Her experience in leading an NCI comprehensive cancer center, her years of service on various NCI committees and other national review boards, and her highly recognized research acumen make her an ideal candidate to accelerate our momentum as a highly recognized world-class NCI cancer center.“Dr. Cowan has led the cancer center through unprecedented growth over the past two decades. We are poised for even greater heights, and we all look forward to working with Dr. Sweasy to lead us forward.”James Linder, MD, CEO of Nebraska Medicine, said: "Dr. Sweasy has a world-class reputation in cancer research and building teams to deliver patient care. I could not be more delighted to have her join the cancer leadership team at Nebraska Medicine."Dr. Sweasy serves as a member of the NCI-subcommittee A, the panel that reviews all NCI cancer centers, and is vice president/president-elect of the American Association of Cancer&nbsp;Institutes.“It is a tremendous honor to be selected to direct the Fred &amp; Pamela Buffett Cancer Center and the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer, which are recognized for exceptional cancer care and research,” Dr. Sweasy said. “I look forward to interacting with communities across the state of Nebraska and beyond to increase the impact of our cancer research and improve access to cancer care and prevention.”Dr. Sweasy’s research has been funded continuously by the National Institutes of Health since 1994 for her research on the genetics, cell biology and biochemistry of DNA repair and the roles of aberrant DNA repair in cancer and autoimmunity. For this work, she was awarded the 2016 Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society Award as well as many other national awards and recognitions.Dr. Sweasy earned her bachelor’s degree from Arcadia University and her doctoral degree from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Dr. Sweasy was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington. She then was appointed as an assistant professor in the Department of Therapeutic Radiology at the Yale University School of Medicine, eventually earning tenure and serving as vice chair of the department and the Ensign Professor of Therapeutic Radiology. Dr. Sweasy joined the University of Arizona Cancer Center as director in 2019.In addition to thanking Dr. Cowan for his remarkable leadership over the past two decades, Dr. Gold expressed his appreciation to the search committee, chaired by Ann Anderson Berry, MD, PhD, director of the Child Health Research Institute, and Chris Kratochvil, MD, interim vice chancellor for external relations, for their work in vetting and bringing forward highly qualified candidates.

Dr. Joann Sweasy, expert in DNA repair, named cancer center director

DETROIT (AP) —The leader of the United Auto Workers said that a limited strike targeting plants in Missouri, Michigan and Ohio may be expanded if “serious progress” toward an new contract agreement isn't made by Friday at noon.

The UAW for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strike-ford-gm-stellantis-78ff5706878c1308cb45d63c8db7e99b">first time in its history</a>&nbsp;is striking at all three Detroit automakers, but the 13,000 workers on the picket lines for a fifth day Tuesday are hitting only three facilities, one each at GM, Ford and Stellantis, in a novel strategy.

The union can stretch the funds it maintains for striking autoworkers if it limits picketing, but the targeted strikes can still ripple through integrated production systems.

In a video statement late Monday, UAW President Shawn Fain said more factories may be picketed if there is no significant progress in talks by the end of the week.

“We’re not messing around,” he said.

Stellantis resumed negotiations with the UAW this week and on Tuesday, the company's North American Chief Operating Officer Mart Stewart said common ground is still being sought to end the standoff.

“I hope that we're able to do that by Friday,” Stewart said on CNBC.

A spokesman for General Motors said representatives of the company and the United Auto Workers also were continuing to negotiate.

Fain said on NPR that there is “a long way to go,” and if significant progress is not made, "then we will escalate action.”

The union's strategy hinges on its ability to escalate the strike quickly, and the carmakers are warning of potential layoffs as the limited strike reduces the amount of material needed at plants that remain open.

GM said Monday that 2,000 UAW-represented workers at an assembly plant in Kansas City are “expected to be idled as soon as early this week" because of a shortage of supplies from a GM plant near St. Louis, where workers walked off the job Friday.

Workers at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gm.com/company/facilities/fairfax">Kansas City plant</a>&nbsp;build the Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac XT4.

The strike could begin to affect suppliers and their employees too. CIE Newcor told Michigan officials that it expects a one-month closure of four plants in the state to start Oct. 2 and idle nearly 300 workers.

In a sign of concern of the strike's potential economic and political fallout, the Biden administration stepped up its response.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said she is hoping for a quick resolution, while adding that is too soon to gauge the strike's impact.

“It's premature to be making forecasts about what it means for the economy. It would depend on how long the strike lasts and who would be affected by it,” she said on CNBC.

Strikes by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-hollywood-wga-926179281803e10b1d501dcab93e305d">Hollywood writers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-explained-2607dd29da6c16c0a406359a7e86d7fb">actors</a>, by workers at about 150 Starbucks locations and walkouts that were narrowly averted at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ups-teamsters-contract-union-voting-b104ca459ddb810f2018c68046d063ed">United Parcel Service</a>&nbsp;and West Coast ports — has been driven by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-inflation-layoffs-economy-federal-reserve-9a0309b7644eb10f4069d9cab0d66687">strong labor market</a>&nbsp;and high demand for workers as well as living costs that have risen rapidly.

President Joe Biden is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-strike-automakers-uaw-gm-50d3fbb70714b2faff3b87b596fc0455">sending two top administration officials</a>&nbsp;to Detroit to meet with both sides. Biden has backed the UAW in brief public comments, saying that the automakers have not fairly shared their record profits with workers.

An administration official said Monday that acting Labor Secretary Julie Su and senior aide Gene Sperling will not serve as mediators — they won't be at the bargaining table — but are going to Detroit “to help support the negotiations in any way the parties feel is constructive.” The official was not authorized to discuss private discussions and spoke anonymously.

Fain said the Biden administration won't broker a deal

“This is our battle. Our members are out there manning the picket lines," he said Monday on MSNBC. “This battle is not about the president, it’s not about the former president” —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-debate-strike-f79e9f0db53694206805d0bd3ae6683a">a reference to reports</a>&nbsp;that former President Donald Trump plans to skip a debate for Republican presidential candidates next week to meet with striking autoworkers in Detroit.

And Fain came back to the issue early Tuesday, dismissing Trump's planned visit with striking workers.

“Every fiber of our union is being poured into fighting the billionaire class and an economy that enriches people like Donald Trump at the expense of workers," Fain said in a prepared statement. "We can’t keep electing billionaires and millionaires that don’t have any understanding what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck and struggle to get by and expecting them to solve the problems of the working class.”

Ford workers on a picket line outside a plant in the Detroit suburb of Wayne this week were joined by members of other unions and the occasional politician.

Tevita Uhatafe, an aircraft-maintenance worker from Arlington, Texas, showed his support and saw what it might look like if UAW members strike against a GM truck plant in his hometown.

“This is a fight that is most likely going to happen in our backyard,” Uhatafe said.

U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., said she walked the picket line because the strike “is showcasing a modern movement for worker justice and worker fairness.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695120321769.png" alt="So far the strike is limited to about 13,000 workers at three factories — one each at GM, Ford and Stellantis, the successor to Fiat Chrysler.-photo UAW" />
 <figcaption>So far the strike is limited to about 13,000 workers at three factories — one each at GM, Ford and Stellantis, the successor to Fiat Chrysler.-photo UAW</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) —The leader of the United Auto Workers said that a limited strike targeting plants in Missouri, Michigan and Ohio may be expanded if “serious progress” toward an new contract agreement isn't made by Friday at noon.The UAW for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strike-ford-gm-stellantis-78ff5706878c1308cb45d63c8db7e99b">first time in its history</a>&nbsp;is striking at all three Detroit automakers, but the 13,000 workers on the picket lines for a fifth day Tuesday are hitting only three facilities, one each at GM, Ford and Stellantis, in a novel strategy.The union can stretch the funds it maintains for striking autoworkers if it limits picketing, but the targeted strikes can still ripple through integrated production systems.In a video statement late Monday, UAW President Shawn Fain said more factories may be picketed if there is no significant progress in talks by the end of the week.“We’re not messing around,” he said.Stellantis resumed negotiations with the UAW this week and on Tuesday, the company's North American Chief Operating Officer Mart Stewart said common ground is still being sought to end the standoff.“I hope that we're able to do that by Friday,” Stewart said on CNBC.A spokesman for General Motors said representatives of the company and the United Auto Workers also were continuing to negotiate.Fain said on NPR that there is “a long way to go,” and if significant progress is not made, "then we will escalate action.”The union's strategy hinges on its ability to escalate the strike quickly, and the carmakers are warning of potential layoffs as the limited strike reduces the amount of material needed at plants that remain open.GM said Monday that 2,000 UAW-represented workers at an assembly plant in Kansas City are “expected to be idled as soon as early this week" because of a shortage of supplies from a GM plant near St. Louis, where workers walked off the job Friday.Workers at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gm.com/company/facilities/fairfax">Kansas City plant</a>&nbsp;build the Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac XT4.The strike could begin to affect suppliers and their employees too. CIE Newcor told Michigan officials that it expects a one-month closure of four plants in the state to start Oct. 2 and idle nearly 300 workers.In a sign of concern of the strike's potential economic and political fallout, the Biden administration stepped up its response.Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said she is hoping for a quick resolution, while adding that is too soon to gauge the strike's impact.“It's premature to be making forecasts about what it means for the economy. It would depend on how long the strike lasts and who would be affected by it,” she said on CNBC.Strikes by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-hollywood-wga-926179281803e10b1d501dcab93e305d">Hollywood writers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-explained-2607dd29da6c16c0a406359a7e86d7fb">actors</a>, by workers at about 150 Starbucks locations and walkouts that were narrowly averted at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ups-teamsters-contract-union-voting-b104ca459ddb810f2018c68046d063ed">United Parcel Service</a>&nbsp;and West Coast ports — has been driven by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-inflation-layoffs-economy-federal-reserve-9a0309b7644eb10f4069d9cab0d66687">strong labor market</a>&nbsp;and high demand for workers as well as living costs that have risen rapidly.President Joe Biden is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-strike-automakers-uaw-gm-50d3fbb70714b2faff3b87b596fc0455">sending two top administration officials</a>&nbsp;to Detroit to meet with both sides. Biden has backed the UAW in brief public comments, saying that the automakers have not fairly shared their record profits with workers.An administration official said Monday that acting Labor Secretary Julie Su and senior aide Gene Sperling will not serve as mediators — they won't be at the bargaining table — but are going to Detroit “to help support the negotiations in any way the parties feel is constructive.” The official was not authorized to discuss private discussions and spoke anonymously.Fain said the Biden administration won't broker a deal“This is our battle. Our members are out there manning the picket lines," he said Monday on MSNBC. “This battle is not about the president, it’s not about the former president” —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-debate-strike-f79e9f0db53694206805d0bd3ae6683a">a reference to reports</a>&nbsp;that former President Donald Trump plans to skip a debate for Republican presidential candidates next week to meet with striking autoworkers in Detroit.And Fain came back to the issue early Tuesday, dismissing Trump's planned visit with striking workers.“Every fiber of our union is being poured into fighting the billionaire class and an economy that enriches people like Donald Trump at the expense of workers," Fain said in a prepared statement. "We can’t keep electing billionaires and millionaires that don’t have any understanding what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck and struggle to get by and expecting them to solve the problems of the working class.”Ford workers on a picket line outside a plant in the Detroit suburb of Wayne this week were joined by members of other unions and the occasional politician.Tevita Uhatafe, an aircraft-maintenance worker from Arlington, Texas, showed his support and saw what it might look like if UAW members strike against a GM truck plant in his hometown.“This is a fight that is most likely going to happen in our backyard,” Uhatafe said.U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., said she walked the picket line because the strike “is showcasing a modern movement for worker justice and worker fairness.”___

UAW sets deadline to expand strike if demands aren't met

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans detained for years in Iran arrived home Tuesday, tearfully hugged their loved ones and declared “Freedom!” after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-prisoner-swap-sanctions-assets-4e1fa477f8e6af45fb764acd259c2f1a">being let go as part of a politically risky deal</a>&nbsp;that saw President Joe Biden agree to the release of nearly $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets.

The prisoners landed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with clapping and cheers heard in the predawn hours. Siamak Namazi, the first off the jet, paused for a moment, closed his eyes and took a deep breath before leaving the plane. Loved ones, some holding small American flags, enveloped them in hugs and exchanged greetings in English and Farsi, the main language of Iran.

“The nightmare is finally over,” Namazi’s brother, Babak, said at the airport.

“We haven’t had this moment is over eight years,” he added, his arm around his brother and his formerly detained father, Baquer, who had been earlier released by Iran. “It’s unbelievable.”

The former prisoners later posed for a group photograph with their families, calling out: “Freedom!”

The successful negotiations for the Americans' freedom brought Biden profuse thanks from their families but heat from Republican presidential rivals and other opponents for the monetary arrangement with one of America's top adversaries.

“Today, five innocent Americans who were imprisoned in Iran are finally coming home,” the Democratic president said in a statement released as the plane carrying the group from Tehran landed in Doha, Qatar, on Monday.

Iran’s hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, on hand for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-general-assembly-2023-what-to-know-9f3f99a3c99594a2a36d83e11e206975">the United Nations General Assembly in New York</a>, suggested the exchange could be “a step in the direction of a humanitarian action between us and America.”

“It can definitely help in building trust,” Raisi told journalists.

However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-tensions-prisoner-swap-analysis-e168c0bd2f15e794caa0079a0a97b251">tensions are almost certain to remain high</a>&nbsp;between the U.S. and Iran, which are locked in disputes over Tehran’s nuclear program and other matters. Iran says the program is peaceful, but it now enriches uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels.

The prisoner release unfolded amid a major American military buildup in the Persian Gulf, with the possibility of U.S. troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/persian-gulf-tensions-us-armed-guards-57295a81dc45c9e0755bd6a83ece86d9">boarding and guarding commercial ships</a>&nbsp;in the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of all oil shipments pass.

After the plane slowed to a stop in Doha, three of the prisoners — Siamak Namazi, Emad Sharghi and Morad Tahbaz — emerged.

They hugged the U.S. ambassador to Qatar, Timmy Davis, and others. The three then threw their arms over one another's shoulders and walked off toward the airport.

In a statement issued on his behalf, Namazi said: “I would not be free today, if it wasn’t for all of you who didn’t allow the world to forget me.”

“Thank you for being my voice when I could not speak for myself and for making sure I was heard when I mustered the strength to scream from behind the impenetrable walls of Evin Prison,” he said.

The United States did not immediately identify the other two freed Americans. All were released in exchange for five Iranians in U.S. custody and for the deal over the frozen Iranian assets owed by South Korea. The Biden administration said the five freed Iranians pose no threat to U.S. national security.

Two of the imprisoned Americans' family members, Effie Namazi and Vida Tahbaz, who had been under travel bans in Iran, also were on the plane.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said two of the Iranian prisoners will stay in the U.S. Meanwhile, Nour News, a website believed to be close to Iran’s security apparatus, said two of the Iranian prisoners were in Doha for the swap.

Nour News identified the two in Doha as: Mehrdad Ansari, an Iranian sentenced by the U.S. to 63 months in prison in 2021 for obtaining equipment that could be used in missiles, electronic warfare, nuclear weapons and other military gear, and Reza Sarhangpour Kafrani, an Iranian charged in 2021 over allegedly unlawfully exporting laboratory equipment to Iran.

The $5.9 billion in cash released to Iran represents money South Korea owed Iran — but had not yet paid — for oil purchased before the U.S. imposed sanctions on such transactions in 2019.

The U.S. maintains that, once in Qatar, the money will be held in restricted accounts to be used only for humanitarian goods, such as medicine and food. Those transactions are currently allowed under American sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic over its advancing nuclear program.

Iranian government officials have largely concurred, though some hard-liners have insisted, without evidence, that there would be no restrictions on how Tehran spends the money.

The deal has already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-hostage-state-department-51bb853cfd64bb824aed264038afe6d9">opened Biden to fresh criticism</a>&nbsp;from Republicans and others who say the administration is helping boost the Iranian economy at a time when Iran poses a growing threat to American troops and Mideast allies. That could have implications in his re-election campaign.

Former President Donald Trump, currently the lead Republican challenger in that race, called it an “absolutely ridiculous” deal on the Truth Social social media site. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell accused Biden of “rewarding and incentivizing Tehran's bad behavior.”

Biden held what the White House described as an emotional phone call with the families of the freed Americans after their release.

In his statement, Biden demanded more information on what happened to Bob Levinson, an American who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-levinson-iran-22c7a2b7b68fe693ff2ab49e16b732e6">went missing years ago.</a>&nbsp;The Biden administration also announced fresh sanctions on former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence.

The U.S. government, the prisoners’ families and activists have denounced the charges against the five Americans as baseless.

The Americans included Namazi, who was detained in 2015 and later sentenced to 10 years in prison on spying charges; Sharghi, a venture capitalist sentenced to 10 years; and Tahbaz, a British-American conservationist of Iranian descent who was arrested in 2018 and also received a 10-year sentence.

In a statement, Sharghi’s sister, Neda, said she “can’t wait to hug my brother and never let him go.”

“This is my brother, not an abstract policy," she added. "We are talking about human lives. There is nothing partisan about saving the lives of innocent Americans and today should be a moment of American unity as we welcome them home.”

Iran and the U.S. have a history of prisoner swaps dating back to the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover and hostage crisis following the Islamic Revolution.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695125209993.png" alt="Family members embrace freed American Emad Shargi after he and four fellow detainees were released in a prisoner swap deal between U.S and Iran, as he arrives at Davison Army Airfield, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023 at Fort Belvoir, Va. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool via AP)" />
 <figcaption>Family members embrace freed American Emad Shargi after he and four fellow detainees were released in a prisoner swap deal between U.S and Iran, as he arrives at Davison Army Airfield, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023 at Fort Belvoir, Va. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans detained for years in Iran arrived home Tuesday, tearfully hugged their loved ones and declared “Freedom!” after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-prisoner-swap-sanctions-assets-4e1fa477f8e6af45fb764acd259c2f1a">being let go as part of a politically risky deal</a>&nbsp;that saw President Joe Biden agree to the release of nearly $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">American citizens imprisoned by Iran for years are welcomed by family and friends upon arrival in Fort Belvior, Virginia. <a href="https://t.co/7ocQ2FwIyN">pic.twitter.com/7ocQ2FwIyN</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1704135205831729594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The prisoners landed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with clapping and cheers heard in the predawn hours. Siamak Namazi, the first off the jet, paused for a moment, closed his eyes and took a deep breath before leaving the plane. Loved ones, some holding small American flags, enveloped them in hugs and exchanged greetings in English and Farsi, the main language of Iran.“The nightmare is finally over,” Namazi’s brother, Babak, said at the airport.“We haven’t had this moment is over eight years,” he added, his arm around his brother and his formerly detained father, Baquer, who had been earlier released by Iran. “It’s unbelievable.”The former prisoners later posed for a group photograph with their families, calling out: “Freedom!”The successful negotiations for the Americans' freedom brought Biden profuse thanks from their families but heat from Republican presidential rivals and other opponents for the monetary arrangement with one of America's top adversaries.“Today, five innocent Americans who were imprisoned in Iran are finally coming home,” the Democratic president said in a statement released as the plane carrying the group from Tehran landed in Doha, Qatar, on Monday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Joe Biden releases 5 prisoners &amp; $6B to Iran, a leading state sponsor of terrorism. On the day we pay tribute &amp; remember the victims of 9/11, one of the most horrific attacks on American soil, the Biden Admin brokered a deal with terrorists who openly shout ‘Death to America.’ <a href="https://t.co/2AqTHG0Wso">https://t.co/2AqTHG0Wso</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1701355511201902602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Iran’s hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, on hand for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-general-assembly-2023-what-to-know-9f3f99a3c99594a2a36d83e11e206975">the United Nations General Assembly in New York</a>, suggested the exchange could be “a step in the direction of a humanitarian action between us and America.”“It can definitely help in building trust,” Raisi told journalists.However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-tensions-prisoner-swap-analysis-e168c0bd2f15e794caa0079a0a97b251">tensions are almost certain to remain high</a>&nbsp;between the U.S. and Iran, which are locked in disputes over Tehran’s nuclear program and other matters. Iran says the program is peaceful, but it now enriches uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels.The prisoner release unfolded amid a major American military buildup in the Persian Gulf, with the possibility of U.S. troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/persian-gulf-tensions-us-armed-guards-57295a81dc45c9e0755bd6a83ece86d9">boarding and guarding commercial ships</a>&nbsp;in the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of all oil shipments pass.After the plane slowed to a stop in Doha, three of the prisoners — Siamak Namazi, Emad Sharghi and Morad Tahbaz — emerged.They hugged the U.S. ambassador to Qatar, Timmy Davis, and others. The three then threw their arms over one another's shoulders and walked off toward the airport.In a statement issued on his behalf, Namazi said: “I would not be free today, if it wasn’t for all of you who didn’t allow the world to forget me.”“Thank you for being my voice when I could not speak for myself and for making sure I was heard when I mustered the strength to scream from behind the impenetrable walls of Evin Prison,” he said.The United States did not immediately identify the other two freed Americans. All were released in exchange for five Iranians in U.S. custody and for the deal over the frozen Iranian assets owed by South Korea. The Biden administration said the five freed Iranians pose no threat to U.S. national security.Two of the imprisoned Americans' family members, Effie Namazi and Vida Tahbaz, who had been under travel bans in Iran, also were on the plane.Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said two of the Iranian prisoners will stay in the U.S. Meanwhile, Nour News, a website believed to be close to Iran’s security apparatus, said two of the Iranian prisoners were in Doha for the swap.Nour News identified the two in Doha as: Mehrdad Ansari, an Iranian sentenced by the U.S. to 63 months in prison in 2021 for obtaining equipment that could be used in missiles, electronic warfare, nuclear weapons and other military gear, and Reza Sarhangpour Kafrani, an Iranian charged in 2021 over allegedly unlawfully exporting laboratory equipment to Iran.The $5.9 billion in cash released to Iran represents money South Korea owed Iran — but had not yet paid — for oil purchased before the U.S. imposed sanctions on such transactions in 2019.The U.S. maintains that, once in Qatar, the money will be held in restricted accounts to be used only for humanitarian goods, such as medicine and food. Those transactions are currently allowed under American sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic over its advancing nuclear program.Iranian government officials have largely concurred, though some hard-liners have insisted, without evidence, that there would be no restrictions on how Tehran spends the money.The deal has already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-hostage-state-department-51bb853cfd64bb824aed264038afe6d9">opened Biden to fresh criticism</a>&nbsp;from Republicans and others who say the administration is helping boost the Iranian economy at a time when Iran poses a growing threat to American troops and Mideast allies. That could have implications in his re-election campaign.Former President Donald Trump, currently the lead Republican challenger in that race, called it an “absolutely ridiculous” deal on the Truth Social social media site. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell accused Biden of “rewarding and incentivizing Tehran's bad behavior.”Biden held what the White House described as an emotional phone call with the families of the freed Americans after their release.In his statement, Biden demanded more information on what happened to Bob Levinson, an American who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-levinson-iran-22c7a2b7b68fe693ff2ab49e16b732e6">went missing years ago.</a>&nbsp;The Biden administration also announced fresh sanctions on former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence.The U.S. government, the prisoners’ families and activists have denounced the charges against the five Americans as baseless.The Americans included Namazi, who was detained in 2015 and later sentenced to 10 years in prison on spying charges; Sharghi, a venture capitalist sentenced to 10 years; and Tahbaz, a British-American conservationist of Iranian descent who was arrested in 2018 and also received a 10-year sentence.In a statement, Sharghi’s sister, Neda, said she “can’t wait to hug my brother and never let him go.”“This is my brother, not an abstract policy," she added. "We are talking about human lives. There is nothing partisan about saving the lives of innocent Americans and today should be a moment of American unity as we welcome them home.”Iran and the U.S. have a history of prisoner swaps dating back to the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover and hostage crisis following the Islamic Revolution.

🎥 $6 billion deal: Americans released by Iran arrive home, declare Freedom!

Kearney, Neb.&nbsp;(Sep. 18, 2023)&nbsp;—Nebraska NetFest, featuring competition in volleyball and, newly-added this year, pickleball, will take place Oct. 7-8 in Kearney.&nbsp;

The Buffalo County Fairgrounds Exposition Building will host NetFest Volleyball for 3rd-8th&nbsp;Grade teams, with 3rd-6th&nbsp;graders playing Saturday, Oct. 7 and 7th-8th&nbsp;grade divisions playing Sunday, Oct. 8.&nbsp;Officials expect more than 60 teams to enter before the deadline on Sep. 29.

NetFest Pickleball for ages 16 and up will be held at Horizon and Sunrise Middle Schools.&nbsp;Registration closes at the end of the day Friday, Sep. 22 for NetFest Pickleball, and officials expect more than 100 players will participate.

Those interested, can register and find information under the events tab at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001n4CASHUb_eFdKp02tJAAdfCT1_BQhFZsxuLeBZgmLxVp5YMPnHhMefwFNaq-AT094LJYNdnIT4VDAoZl0yu4OcjKhkG7k-OmX51CMNb_XFCQPyTMQaPd97dKPQWpSi-OgZhzSOiVfHOhYu1nQiLigmDj3leRob6H&amp;c=819zqnw1loH0iDicekr6X0i_7ae2CJ6ecY1pMg881qJMwjk8_3cpyw==&amp;ch=3N1bop-2ThFNTUYIeCy73wOwVg0RzYLvCDrSUP0CVPKPBq_pUGIDZQ==" target="_blank">NebraskaSportsCouncil.com</a>.

Presenting Partners for Nebraska NetFest include the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001n4CASHUb_eFdKp02tJAAdfCT1_BQhFZsxuLeBZgmLxVp5YMPnHhMecaMFbkFXSBGRDBoZhPT_spV7Ka9vJ82urhX7-0GNvhb-5tO7LUk70KK-hWeF5CuplhJZ_-pTsQ0FpdRva4pUUYCSv6uYa06iA==&amp;c=819zqnw1loH0iDicekr6X0i_7ae2CJ6ecY1pMg881qJMwjk8_3cpyw==&amp;ch=3N1bop-2ThFNTUYIeCy73wOwVg0RzYLvCDrSUP0CVPKPBq_pUGIDZQ==" target="_blank">Kearney Visitors Bureau</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001n4CASHUb_eFdKp02tJAAdfCT1_BQhFZsxuLeBZgmLxVp5YMPnHhMeS6wWHhTM4JPDitc4Wzsm1PNO8Df7QHoLKDl8AAC4BJQzLwzkEGqIscV6i85FGVZxr1JRGUl-t9s17u0wKNyrJzRbLo-Nhf1EPzyzvVdGYBw&amp;c=819zqnw1loH0iDicekr6X0i_7ae2CJ6ecY1pMg881qJMwjk8_3cpyw==&amp;ch=3N1bop-2ThFNTUYIeCy73wOwVg0RzYLvCDrSUP0CVPKPBq_pUGIDZQ==" target="_blank">Nebraska Chiropractic Physicians Association</a>.&nbsp;Community partners assisting in the events include Nebraska Volleyball Academy, USA Volleyball, Kearney Parks &amp; Recreation, Buffalo County Fairgrounds, Kearney Public Schools, Younes Hospitality, Edgewater Insurance and Angus Burgers &amp; Shakes.

Nebraska NetFest is conducted by the Nebraska Sports Council, a 501 c 3 non-profit organization whose mission is to provide quality sports competition and promote healthy-lifestyles for Nebraskans of all ages and abilities.&nbsp;Platinum partners include Farmers Mutual of Nebraska, the Nebraska Medical Association, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center and Pepsi-Cola of Lincoln.

Nebraska Sports CouncilKearney, Neb.&nbsp;(Sep. 18, 2023)&nbsp;—Nebraska NetFest, featuring competition in volleyball and, newly-added this year, pickleball, will take place Oct. 7-8 in Kearney.&nbsp;The Buffalo County Fairgrounds Exposition Building will host NetFest Volleyball for 3rd-8th&nbsp;Grade teams, with 3rd-6th&nbsp;graders playing Saturday, Oct. 7 and 7th-8th&nbsp;grade divisions playing Sunday, Oct. 8.&nbsp;Officials expect more than 60 teams to enter before the deadline on Sep. 29.NetFest Pickleball for ages 16 and up will be held at Horizon and Sunrise Middle Schools.&nbsp;Registration closes at the end of the day Friday, Sep. 22 for NetFest Pickleball, and officials expect more than 100 players will participate.Those interested, can register and find information under the events tab at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001n4CASHUb_eFdKp02tJAAdfCT1_BQhFZsxuLeBZgmLxVp5YMPnHhMefwFNaq-AT094LJYNdnIT4VDAoZl0yu4OcjKhkG7k-OmX51CMNb_XFCQPyTMQaPd97dKPQWpSi-OgZhzSOiVfHOhYu1nQiLigmDj3leRob6H&amp;c=819zqnw1loH0iDicekr6X0i_7ae2CJ6ecY1pMg881qJMwjk8_3cpyw==&amp;ch=3N1bop-2ThFNTUYIeCy73wOwVg0RzYLvCDrSUP0CVPKPBq_pUGIDZQ==" target="_blank">NebraskaSportsCouncil.com</a>.Presenting Partners for Nebraska NetFest include the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001n4CASHUb_eFdKp02tJAAdfCT1_BQhFZsxuLeBZgmLxVp5YMPnHhMecaMFbkFXSBGRDBoZhPT_spV7Ka9vJ82urhX7-0GNvhb-5tO7LUk70KK-hWeF5CuplhJZ_-pTsQ0FpdRva4pUUYCSv6uYa06iA==&amp;c=819zqnw1loH0iDicekr6X0i_7ae2CJ6ecY1pMg881qJMwjk8_3cpyw==&amp;ch=3N1bop-2ThFNTUYIeCy73wOwVg0RzYLvCDrSUP0CVPKPBq_pUGIDZQ==" target="_blank">Kearney Visitors Bureau</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001n4CASHUb_eFdKp02tJAAdfCT1_BQhFZsxuLeBZgmLxVp5YMPnHhMeS6wWHhTM4JPDitc4Wzsm1PNO8Df7QHoLKDl8AAC4BJQzLwzkEGqIscV6i85FGVZxr1JRGUl-t9s17u0wKNyrJzRbLo-Nhf1EPzyzvVdGYBw&amp;c=819zqnw1loH0iDicekr6X0i_7ae2CJ6ecY1pMg881qJMwjk8_3cpyw==&amp;ch=3N1bop-2ThFNTUYIeCy73wOwVg0RzYLvCDrSUP0CVPKPBq_pUGIDZQ==" target="_blank">Nebraska Chiropractic Physicians Association</a>.&nbsp;Community partners assisting in the events include Nebraska Volleyball Academy, USA Volleyball, Kearney Parks &amp; Recreation, Buffalo County Fairgrounds, Kearney Public Schools, Younes Hospitality, Edgewater Insurance and Angus Burgers &amp; Shakes.Nebraska NetFest is conducted by the Nebraska Sports Council, a 501 c 3 non-profit organization whose mission is to provide quality sports competition and promote healthy-lifestyles for Nebraskans of all ages and abilities.&nbsp;Platinum partners include Farmers Mutual of Nebraska, the Nebraska Medical Association, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center and Pepsi-Cola of Lincoln.

Nebraska NetFest Set For October 7-8 In Kearney

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/09/18/pillen-pushes-school-boards-to-slow-spending-to-ease-property-taxes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen doubled down last week on his effort to curb higher spending by local school districts after the state invested in a tax shift meant to ease property tax bills.

Pillen sent a letter Wednesday to every school board member in the state, the Governor’s Office confirmed. He repeated his push to restrain spending that echoed his Sept. 1 call with superintendents.&nbsp;

Several board members said privately that schools are spending more because of inflationary costs, not greed. One described what the governor is doing as “bullying.” Board members declined to be quoted by name, citing fear of retribution.&nbsp;

Pillen’s letter urges school board members to use all but a sliver of the Legislature’s new $300 million investment in K-12 schools as he and state senators intended — for property tax relief, not for new spending.

“1. Are you collecting more in property taxes this year compared to last year? 2. Are you getting more in revenue authority than you currently need?”

If school districts collect more in property taxes this year over last year while accepting more money from the state, they are “operating contrary to the intent of the law,” Pillen writes.

Districts rushing to exceed the new law’s 3% a year cap on revenue authority without urgent needs are “working against the intent of the current state funding formula,” the letter says.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695064580739.jpeg" alt="Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, at the podium, and State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood speak about the state’s first investments toward a $1 billion pledge to build an Education Future Fund. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, at the podium, and State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood speak about the state’s first investments toward a $1 billion pledge to build an Education Future Fund. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/09/18/pillen-pushes-school-boards-to-slow-spending-to-ease-property-taxes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen doubled down last week on his effort to curb higher spending by local school districts after the state invested in a tax shift meant to ease property tax bills.Pillen sent a letter Wednesday to every school board member in the state, the Governor’s Office confirmed. He repeated his push to restrain spending that echoed his Sept. 1 call with superintendents.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695064546264.png" alt=" This is the letter Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen sent to school board members across the state last week. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> This is the letter Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen sent to school board members across the state last week. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Several board members said privately that schools are spending more because of inflationary costs, not greed. One described what the governor is doing as “bullying.” Board members declined to be quoted by name, citing fear of retribution.&nbsp;Pillen’s letter urges school board members to use all but a sliver of the Legislature’s new $300 million investment in K-12 schools as he and state senators intended — for property tax relief, not for new spending.<h2>Two questions</h2>He asked them to consider two questions:“1. Are you collecting more in property taxes this year compared to last year? 2. Are you getting more in revenue authority than you currently need?”If school districts collect more in property taxes this year over last year while accepting more money from the state, they are “operating contrary to the intent of the law,” Pillen writes.Districts rushing to exceed the new law’s 3% a year cap on revenue authority without urgent needs are “working against the intent of the current state funding formula,” the letter says.<h2>Higher costs</h2>After the governor’s Sept. 1 call with superintendents, several school leaders told the Examiner they are only increasing spending for real needs. Among them: higher diesel fuel costs for buses, higher health care costs, higher staff salaries and higher energy costs.&nbsp;&nbsp;And many districts are struggling to hire enough teachers and other staff.Not every school district has seen a windfall from the state’s changes. During a recent board meeting, Norfolk Public Schools officials&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://northeast.newschannelnebraska.com/story/49645197/nps-receiving-less-funding-after-state-education-reform">told News Channel Nebraska</a>&nbsp;that the district expects to receive $433,000 less in state aid funding under the new system than the old.They and other, larger districts, including the Omaha Public Schools, hope to see their finances made whole by the increase in state funding for special education, which lawmakers tweaked for districts that previously received more in state aid.<h2>Frustrations on all sides</h2>Frustrations started bubbling out last week from teachers, school board members and school administrators. Several said Pillen’s pressure campaign proved that the state’s talk of “new funding for education” was just a tax shift and not new funds for improving education.Lincoln middle school teacher Jake Bogus tweeted Pillen’s letter, joking with his followers: “Hi folks. Jim Pillen here. We have a major crisis happening in public education. Shortage of teachers, substitutes, paras, bus drivers, and other various staff. I value public education. But please, local school boards, don’t spend $ on it. Keep those property taxes down.”State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha, a Pillen supporter, said this pushback is “why it’s so hard to fix property taxes.”She said the state is trying to do what school leaders say they want by picking up more of the tab for K-12 education. School boards, she said, want state funding but also want local control of how much they spend.&nbsp;“If the taxing entities want to keep their taxing authority, they need to become partners with the governor and the Legislature,” Linehan said. “They could lose their taxing authority.”Linehan sponsored a bill this year that created a tax credit for donors who fund scholarships for needy students to attend private K-12 schools. Pillen supported the effort. Critics have argued the tax credit could eventually threaten the amount of state money available to fund public education.<h2>Fiscal fight ahead</h2>Jenni Benson, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, said school boards “will continue to be fiscally responsible in their budgeting while working to ensure students in their communities receive a quality education.”She said they’ve been doing a difficult job well while the state has lagged at 49th nationally in the level of state support for K-12 education. (Nebraska’s ranking will likely improve once the new state spending is factored in.)“It’s important to remember that local school board members are unpaid public servants who care about their communities … and they listen to their constituents and know the needs of their schools and communities,” Benson said.