Lincoln, NE ‐ September 7, 2023 ‐ One lucky player who bought a Nebraska Pick 5 ticket for the Wednesday, September 6 drawing is holding a ticket worth $250,000.

The Nebraska Lottery has confirmed that one ticket sold for Wednesday's Nebraska Pick 5 draw matched all five winning numbers for the $250,000 jackpot. The ticket was sold at Pump &amp; Pantry #52, 3210 Old Potash Hwy, in Grand Island. The winning numbers from Wednesday's Nebraska Pick 5 draw were 08, 14, 26, 35, 38. Players are encouraged to check their tickets at any Nebraska Lottery retailer, online at&nbsp;<a href="http://nelottery.com/" target="_blank">nelottery.com</a>, or by calling the Lottery office at 402-471-6100.

Winning Nebraska Lottery Lotto tickets expire 180 days after the drawing. Prizes of $20,000 or more must be claimed in person at Lottery headquarters in Lincoln. Additional information about claiming prizes can be found at the Nebraska Lottery website,&nbsp;<a href="http://nelottery.com/" target="_blank">nelottery.com</a>, or by calling 800-587-5200.

Nebraska Pick 5 is Nebraska's unique Lottery game: all the proceeds from Nebraska Pick 5 stay in Nebraska, and all the winning tickets are sold in Nebraska at Nebraska Lottery Lotto game retailers. The odds of winning the Nebraska Pick 5 jackpot, which starts at $50,000 and grows by $10,000 each drawing that it is not won, are 1 in 658,008. The overall odds of winning any Nebraska Pick 5 prize which has drawings seven nights a week, are 1 in 9.2.

The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $936 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery's beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.

Neil Watson Nebraska LotteryLincoln, NE ‐ September 7, 2023 ‐ One lucky player who bought a Nebraska Pick 5 ticket for the Wednesday, September 6 drawing is holding a ticket worth $250,000.The Nebraska Lottery has confirmed that one ticket sold for Wednesday's Nebraska Pick 5 draw matched all five winning numbers for the $250,000 jackpot. The ticket was sold at Pump &amp; Pantry #52, 3210 Old Potash Hwy, in Grand Island. The winning numbers from Wednesday's Nebraska Pick 5 draw were 08, 14, 26, 35, 38. Players are encouraged to check their tickets at any Nebraska Lottery retailer, online at&nbsp;<a href="http://nelottery.com/" target="_blank">nelottery.com</a>, or by calling the Lottery office at 402-471-6100.Winning Nebraska Lottery Lotto tickets expire 180 days after the drawing. Prizes of $20,000 or more must be claimed in person at Lottery headquarters in Lincoln. Additional information about claiming prizes can be found at the Nebraska Lottery website,&nbsp;<a href="http://nelottery.com/" target="_blank">nelottery.com</a>, or by calling 800-587-5200.Nebraska Pick 5 is Nebraska's unique Lottery game: all the proceeds from Nebraska Pick 5 stay in Nebraska, and all the winning tickets are sold in Nebraska at Nebraska Lottery Lotto game retailers. The odds of winning the Nebraska Pick 5 jackpot, which starts at $50,000 and grows by $10,000 each drawing that it is not won, are 1 in 658,008. The overall odds of winning any Nebraska Pick 5 prize which has drawings seven nights a week, are 1 in 9.2.The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $936 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery's beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.

$250,000 Nebraska Pick 5 Winning Ticket Sold in Grand Island

DETROIT (AP) — The head of the United Auto Workers warned Wednesday that the union plans to go on strike against any Detroit automaker that hasn't reached a new agreement by the time contracts expire next week.

“That’s the plan,” President Shawn Fain responded when asked if the union would strike any of the companies that haven’t reached a tentative deal by the time their national contracts end.

A strike against all three major automakers — General Motors, Stellantis and Ford — could cause damage not only to the industry as a whole but also to the Midwest economy. A prolonged strike could lead eventually to higher vehicle prices.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Fain left open the possibility of avoiding a strike. He acknowledged, more explicitly than he has before, that the union will have to give up some of its demands to reach agreements. Contracts with the three companies will all expire at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 14.

“There’s a lot of back and forth in bargaining," he said, "and naturally, when you go into bargaining, you don’t always get everything you demand. Our workers have high expectations. We made a lot of sacrifices going back to the economic recession.”

In the interview, Fain did report some progress in the negotiations, saying the union will meet Thursday with GM to hear the company’s response to the UAW’s economic demands. In addition, discussions are under way with Ford on wages and benefits. Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, has yet to make a counteroffer on wage and benefit demands, he said.

Stellantis declined to comment Wednesday.

The union’s demands include 46% across-the-board pay raises, a 32-hour week with 40 hours of pay, restoration of traditional pensions for new hires, union representation of workers at new battery plants and a restoration of traditional pensions. Top-scale UAW assembly plant workers make about $32 an hour, plus annual profit sharing checks.

In his remarks to the AP, Fain argued that worker pay isn’t what has driven up vehicle prices. The average price of a new car has leaped to more than $48,000 on average, in part because of still-scarce supplies resulting from a global shortage of computer chips.

“In the last four years, the price of vehicles went up 30%," he said. “Our wages went up 6%. There were billions of dollars in shareholder dividends. So our wages aren’t the problem.”

While saying a strike by up to 146,000 members against all three major automakers is a real possibility, Fain said the union doesn't want to strike and would prefer to to reach new contracts with them.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693911296614.png" alt="Auto workers marched over Labor Day weekend-photo UAW" />
 <figcaption>Auto workers marched over Labor Day weekend-photo UAW</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) — The head of the United Auto Workers warned Wednesday that the union plans to go on strike against any Detroit automaker that hasn't reached a new agreement by the time contracts expire next week.“That’s the plan,” President Shawn Fain responded when asked if the union would strike any of the companies that haven’t reached a tentative deal by the time their national contracts end.A strike against all three major automakers — General Motors, Stellantis and Ford — could cause damage not only to the industry as a whole but also to the Midwest economy. A prolonged strike could lead eventually to higher vehicle prices.In an interview with The Associated Press, Fain left open the possibility of avoiding a strike. He acknowledged, more explicitly than he has before, that the union will have to give up some of its demands to reach agreements. Contracts with the three companies will all expire at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 14.“There’s a lot of back and forth in bargaining," he said, "and naturally, when you go into bargaining, you don’t always get everything you demand. Our workers have high expectations. We made a lot of sacrifices going back to the economic recession.”In the interview, Fain did report some progress in the negotiations, saying the union will meet Thursday with GM to hear the company’s response to the UAW’s economic demands. In addition, discussions are under way with Ford on wages and benefits. Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, has yet to make a counteroffer on wage and benefit demands, he said.Stellantis declined to comment Wednesday.The union’s demands include 46% across-the-board pay raises, a 32-hour week with 40 hours of pay, restoration of traditional pensions for new hires, union representation of workers at new battery plants and a restoration of traditional pensions. Top-scale UAW assembly plant workers make about $32 an hour, plus annual profit sharing checks.In his remarks to the AP, Fain argued that worker pay isn’t what has driven up vehicle prices. The average price of a new car has leaped to more than $48,000 on average, in part because of still-scarce supplies resulting from a global shortage of computer chips.“In the last four years, the price of vehicles went up 30%," he said. “Our wages went up 6%. There were billions of dollars in shareholder dividends. So our wages aren’t the problem.”While saying a strike by up to 146,000 members against all three major automakers is a real possibility, Fain said the union doesn't want to strike and would prefer to to reach new contracts with them.

UAW chief: Union set to strike; contracts end next week

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian missile tore through an outdoor market in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, killing 17 people and wounding dozens, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to the country with more than $1 billion in new American funding for Ukraine, including military and humanitarian aid.

Blinken’s fourth visit to the country was overshadowed by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-blinken-counteroffensive-6c1545768d77d927a5cda148fc197e3c">strike in the city of Kostiantynivka</a>, near the front line in the Donetsk region, that turned the marketplace into an inferno. It was one of the deadliest bombardments of civilians in the 18-month-old war. In addition to the dead, at least 32 people were wounded.

“Those who know this place are well aware that it is a civilian area,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a news conference with the Danish prime minister in Kyiv. “There aren’t any military units nearby. The strike was deliberate.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said such brutal Russian attacks underscore "the importance of continuing to support the people of Ukraine.”

Blinken’s visit was aimed at assessing Ukraine’s 3-month-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-counteroffensive-explainer-ff774fce8608b464a406ae087b1a3607">counteroffensive</a>&nbsp;and signaling continued U.S. support as some Western allies express worries about Kyiv’s slow progress against invading Russian forces.

“We want to make sure that Ukraine has what it needs, not only to succeed in the counteroffensive but has what it needs for the long-term, to make sure that it has a strong deterrent,” Blinken said. “We’re also determined to continue to work with our partners as they build and rebuild a strong economy, strong democracy.”

About $175 million of the total is in the form of weaponry to be provided from Pentagon stockpiles and another $100 million is in the form of grants to allow the Ukrainians to purchase additional arms and equipment, according to the State Department.

Noting progress in the counteroffensive, Blinken said the new aid "will help sustain it and build further momentum.” He said the new military assistance would be bolstered by the arrival of U.S. Abrams tanks in the fall and the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets to complement training in Europe.

In addition to the military assistance, Blinken announced nearly $805 million in non-arms-related aid for Ukraine, including $300 million for law enforcement, $206 million in humanitarian aid, $203 million to combat corruption and $90.5 million for removing mines, the State Department said.

The package also includes a previously announced $5.4 million transfer to Ukraine of frozen Russian oligarch assets.

The aid announced by Blinken comes from money previously approved by Congress. President Joe Biden has requested another $21 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine for the final months of 2023, but it’s not clear how much — if any — will be approved.

Many Republican lawmakers are wary of providing more aid, and the party’s presidential front-runner, former President Donald Trump, has criticized U.S. financial support. Opinion polls also have shown a decline in support for the war by the American public.

Biden and the Pentagon have said repeatedly they will support Ukraine for as long as it takes. As of Aug. 29, there was approximately $5.75 billion left in the already approved funding for weapons and equipment taken from existing Pentagon stocks.

Blinken was to discuss other issues, including support for Ukraine’s economy, building on his June announcement of $1.3 billion to help Kyiv rebuild, with a focus on modernizing its energy network, which was bombarded by Russia last winter.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said U.S. assistance to Ukraine “can’t influence the course of the special military operation” — Moscow’s euphemism for the war.

Blinken arrived in Kyiv for an overnight visit hours after Russia launched a missile attack on the city.

On the train to Kyiv, Blinken met with the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, who was also on an official visit, and thanked her for Denmark’s leadership in training Ukrainian pilots on F-16s and for promising to donate the fighter jets to Ukraine, according to State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

Washington officials said there will be discussions of alternative export routes for Ukrainian grain following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-turkey-putin-erdogan-sochi-ac41cb453a6d6c597d543873850414eb">Russia’s exit</a>&nbsp;from the Black Sea Grain Initiative and its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-odesa-grain-port-cathedral-055bd34b40ba271e89084fda83c34fb0">frequent attacks</a>&nbsp;on port facilities in the Odesa region.

Those alternatives may include new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-global-trade-romania-blockades-020ec081ae0dd77e66874364766635d5">overland routes</a>&nbsp;or ships hugging coastlines to keep out of international waters where they could be targeted by Russia’s navy. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also mentioned the potential to develop the Danube River corridor for grain exports.

After arriving in Kyiv, Blinken laid a wreath at the city’s Berkovetske cemetery to commemorate Ukrainian troops killed defending the country.

In a meeting, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Ukraine is grateful the U.S. money is coming in the form of grants, not loans that would drive it into debt.

In other developments, Russia fired cruise missiles overnight at Kyiv in its first aerial attack on the capital since Aug. 30, according to Serhii Popko, the head of Kyiv’s regional military administration. Debris from a downed missile caused a fire and damage but no casualties.

One person was killed in the Odesa region in a Russian missile and drone attack on the port of Izmail that damaged grain elevators, administrative buildings and agricultural enterprises, authorities said.

The trip was Blinken’s fourth to Ukraine since the war began, including one brief excursion over the Polish-Ukrainian border in March 2022, just a month after the Russian invasion. But it will be the first time America’s top diplomat spends the night in Kyiv since January 2022, before the invasion, in what U.S. officials called another sign of American support.

Blinken’s visit comes after some of Ukraine’s allies have privately expressed concern that Ukrainian troops may fail to reach their objectives.

While the U.S. has been concerned by some day-to-day battlefield setbacks, American officials said, they are still generally encouraged by Ukraine’s handling of the military situation, particularly its air defense capabilities in knocking down Russian drones aimed at Kyiv.

Western analysts and military officials caution that the counteroffensive’s success is far from certain and that it could take years to rid Ukraine of entrenched, powerfully armed and skilled Russian troops.

Both sides will have to assess their supply shortages, with more battles of attrition likely over the winter. A long war could stretch deep into next year and beyond, according to experts.

Associated Press writers Matthew Lee, Lolita Baldor and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694033844262.png" alt="&nbsp;U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to the country with more than $1 billion in new American funding for Ukraine- photo U.S. Dept. of State" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to the country with more than $1 billion in new American funding for Ukraine- photo U.S. Dept. of State</figcaption>
 </figure>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian missile tore through an outdoor market in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, killing 17 people and wounding dozens, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to the country with more than $1 billion in new American funding for Ukraine, including military and humanitarian aid.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he and U.S. officials thought Ukraine&#39;s progress in its counteroffensive against Russian forces to be &quot;very, very encouraging.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/xKcZu9aiDT">https://t.co/xKcZu9aiDT</a> <a href="https://t.co/NrkgTNY99o">pic.twitter.com/NrkgTNY99o</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1699458407311306838?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Blinken’s fourth visit to the country was overshadowed by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-blinken-counteroffensive-6c1545768d77d927a5cda148fc197e3c">strike in the city of Kostiantynivka</a>, near the front line in the Donetsk region, that turned the marketplace into an inferno. It was one of the deadliest bombardments of civilians in the 18-month-old war. In addition to the dead, at least 32 people were wounded.“Those who know this place are well aware that it is a civilian area,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a news conference with the Danish prime minister in Kyiv. “There aren’t any military units nearby. The strike was deliberate.”White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said such brutal Russian attacks underscore "the importance of continuing to support the people of Ukraine.”Blinken’s visit was aimed at assessing Ukraine’s 3-month-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-counteroffensive-explainer-ff774fce8608b464a406ae087b1a3607">counteroffensive</a>&nbsp;and signaling continued U.S. support as some Western allies express worries about Kyiv’s slow progress against invading Russian forces.“We want to make sure that Ukraine has what it needs, not only to succeed in the counteroffensive but has what it needs for the long-term, to make sure that it has a strong deterrent,” Blinken said. “We’re also determined to continue to work with our partners as they build and rebuild a strong economy, strong democracy.”About $175 million of the total is in the form of weaponry to be provided from Pentagon stockpiles and another $100 million is in the form of grants to allow the Ukrainians to purchase additional arms and equipment, according to the State Department.Noting progress in the counteroffensive, Blinken said the new aid "will help sustain it and build further momentum.” He said the new military assistance would be bolstered by the arrival of U.S. Abrams tanks in the fall and the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets to complement training in Europe.In addition to the military assistance, Blinken announced nearly $805 million in non-arms-related aid for Ukraine, including $300 million for law enforcement, $206 million in humanitarian aid, $203 million to combat corruption and $90.5 million for removing mines, the State Department said.The package also includes a previously announced $5.4 million transfer to Ukraine of frozen Russian oligarch assets.The aid announced by Blinken comes from money previously approved by Congress. President Joe Biden has requested another $21 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine for the final months of 2023, but it’s not clear how much — if any — will be approved.Many Republican lawmakers are wary of providing more aid, and the party’s presidential front-runner, former President Donald Trump, has criticized U.S. financial support. Opinion polls also have shown a decline in support for the war by the American public.Biden and the Pentagon have said repeatedly they will support Ukraine for as long as it takes. As of Aug. 29, there was approximately $5.75 billion left in the already approved funding for weapons and equipment taken from existing Pentagon stocks.Blinken was to discuss other issues, including support for Ukraine’s economy, building on his June announcement of $1.3 billion to help Kyiv rebuild, with a focus on modernizing its energy network, which was bombarded by Russia last winter.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said U.S. assistance to Ukraine “can’t influence the course of the special military operation” — Moscow’s euphemism for the war.Blinken arrived in Kyiv for an overnight visit hours after Russia launched a missile attack on the city.On the train to Kyiv, Blinken met with the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, who was also on an official visit, and thanked her for Denmark’s leadership in training Ukrainian pilots on F-16s and for promising to donate the fighter jets to Ukraine, according to State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.Washington officials said there will be discussions of alternative export routes for Ukrainian grain following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-turkey-putin-erdogan-sochi-ac41cb453a6d6c597d543873850414eb">Russia’s exit</a>&nbsp;from the Black Sea Grain Initiative and its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-odesa-grain-port-cathedral-055bd34b40ba271e89084fda83c34fb0">frequent attacks</a>&nbsp;on port facilities in the Odesa region.Those alternatives may include new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-global-trade-romania-blockades-020ec081ae0dd77e66874364766635d5">overland routes</a>&nbsp;or ships hugging coastlines to keep out of international waters where they could be targeted by Russia’s navy. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also mentioned the potential to develop the Danube River corridor for grain exports.After arriving in Kyiv, Blinken laid a wreath at the city’s Berkovetske cemetery to commemorate Ukrainian troops killed defending the country.In a meeting, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Ukraine is grateful the U.S. money is coming in the form of grants, not loans that would drive it into debt.In other developments, Russia fired cruise missiles overnight at Kyiv in its first aerial attack on the capital since Aug. 30, according to Serhii Popko, the head of Kyiv’s regional military administration. Debris from a downed missile caused a fire and damage but no casualties.One person was killed in the Odesa region in a Russian missile and drone attack on the port of Izmail that damaged grain elevators, administrative buildings and agricultural enterprises, authorities said.The trip was Blinken’s fourth to Ukraine since the war began, including one brief excursion over the Polish-Ukrainian border in March 2022, just a month after the Russian invasion. But it will be the first time America’s top diplomat spends the night in Kyiv since January 2022, before the invasion, in what U.S. officials called another sign of American support.Blinken’s visit comes after some of Ukraine’s allies have privately expressed concern that Ukrainian troops may fail to reach their objectives.While the U.S. has been concerned by some day-to-day battlefield setbacks, American officials said, they are still generally encouraged by Ukraine’s handling of the military situation, particularly its air defense capabilities in knocking down Russian drones aimed at Kyiv.Western analysts and military officials caution that the counteroffensive’s success is far from certain and that it could take years to rid Ukraine of entrenched, powerfully armed and skilled Russian troops.Both sides will have to assess their supply shortages, with more battles of attrition likely over the winter. A long war could stretch deep into next year and beyond, according to experts.___Associated Press writers Matthew Lee, Lolita Baldor and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.

🎥 U.S. giving another $1 billion in new funding to Ukraine 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is seeking the public’s assistance with obtaining&nbsp; identifying information regarding an unknown male who may have critical information pertaining to the&nbsp; identity of a child victim in an ongoing sexual exploitation investigation. Photographs and an&nbsp; informational poster depicting the unknown individual, known only as John Doe 47, are being&nbsp; disseminated to the public and can be found online at the FBI website at <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/ecap/unknown-individual---john-doe-47">http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/ecap.&nbsp;</a>

Initial video of the unidentified male, John Doe 47, shown with a child were first recorded by the&nbsp; National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in August of 2020. The EXIF data embedded within&nbsp; the video files indicated that the files were produced prior to April of 2020.&nbsp;

John Doe 47 is described as a Black male, likely between the ages of 18 and 25 years old. John&nbsp; Doe 47 could be heard speaking English in the video.&nbsp;

Anyone with information to provide should submit a tip online at https://tips.fbi.gov/, or call the&nbsp; FBI’s toll-free tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). The public is reminded no charges have&nbsp; been filed in this case and the pictured individual is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a&nbsp; court of law.&nbsp;

This individual is being sought as part of the FBI’s Operation Rescue Me and Endangered Child&nbsp; Alert Program (ECAP) initiatives, both of which represent strategic partnerships between the FBI and the&nbsp; National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Operation Rescue Me focuses on utilizing clues&nbsp; obtained through in-depth image analysis to identify the child victims depicted in child exploitation&nbsp; material, while ECAP seeks national and international media exposure of unknown adults (referred to as&nbsp; John/Jane Does) who visibly display their faces and/or other distinguishing characteristics in association&nbsp; with child pornography images.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694015483404.jpeg" alt="Photo provided by FBI" />
 <figcaption>Photo provided by FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>FBI Omaha Field OfficeThe Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is seeking the public’s assistance with obtaining&nbsp; identifying information regarding an unknown male who may have critical information pertaining to the&nbsp; identity of a child victim in an ongoing sexual exploitation investigation. Photographs and an&nbsp; informational poster depicting the unknown individual, known only as John Doe 47, are being&nbsp; disseminated to the public and can be found online at the FBI website at <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/ecap/unknown-individual---john-doe-47">http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/ecap.&nbsp;</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694015515906.jpeg" alt="Photo provided by FBI" />
 <figcaption>Photo provided by FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>Initial video of the unidentified male, John Doe 47, shown with a child were first recorded by the&nbsp; National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in August of 2020. The EXIF data embedded within&nbsp; the video files indicated that the files were produced prior to April of 2020.&nbsp;John Doe 47 is described as a Black male, likely between the ages of 18 and 25 years old. John&nbsp; Doe 47 could be heard speaking English in the video.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694015540628.jpeg" alt="Photo provided by FBI" />
 <figcaption>Photo provided by FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>Anyone with information to provide should submit a tip online at https://tips.fbi.gov/, or call the&nbsp; FBI’s toll-free tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). The public is reminded no charges have&nbsp; been filed in this case and the pictured individual is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a&nbsp; court of law.&nbsp;This individual is being sought as part of the FBI’s Operation Rescue Me and Endangered Child&nbsp; Alert Program (ECAP) initiatives, both of which represent strategic partnerships between the FBI and the&nbsp; National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Operation Rescue Me focuses on utilizing clues&nbsp; obtained through in-depth image analysis to identify the child victims depicted in child exploitation&nbsp; material, while ECAP seeks national and international media exposure of unknown adults (referred to as&nbsp; John/Jane Does) who visibly display their faces and/or other distinguishing characteristics in association&nbsp; with child pornography images.&nbsp;

FBI Seeking Individual Who May Have Information Regarding the Identity of a Child  Sexual Assault Victim 

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/shovels-signal-construction-start-for-95m-medical-school-in-kearney/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Ceremonial shovels broke ground Tuesday for the $95 million Rural Health Education Building in Kearney, where a three-story, 110,000-square-foot medical school is soon to rise and then open in early 2026.

Leaders of the University of Nebraska at Kearney and Omaha-based University of Nebraska Medical Center led the event signaling the construction start of the facility aimed at growing the state’s rural health care workforce.

“Our goal is to harness UNMC’s world-class skills to transform rural Nebraska through a unique endeavor not seen elsewhere in the United States: educating health care workers and professionals in rural areas,” said UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen.&nbsp;

He called the project a “game-changer” in helping to fill shortages in all medical professions across the state. UNMC estimated attendance at Tuesday’s event at more than 300.

The center will launch new programs to train physicians, pharmacists and public health professionals in Kearney, while also expanding the presence of other existing health and nursing programs.

It will contain state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories for pre-clinical education and complex clinical scenarios and primary care practice spaces.

Students will be able to enroll in the newly expanded programs beginning in fall 2025, using existing UNK facilities until the new facility opens, officials said. The new Rural Health Education Building will be operated by UNMC.

“Today is the beginning of transformational change for Nebraska,” UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey Gold said in a media statement. “This project — a public-private partnership to strengthen Nebraska’s rural health care workforce —&nbsp;will create many new opportunities for students who want to both pursue and practice their health careers in rural Nebraska.”

The project builds on a UNK and UNMC partnership. The institutions in 2015 opened a $19 million Health Science Education Complex on UNK’s west campus, where more than 300 students currently pursue degrees in areas such as cardiovascular interventional technology, diagnostic medical sonography, physical therapy, nursing and more.

The new Rural Health Education Building will allow for another 300 health care students, officials said, bringing the total number to&nbsp;more than 600.

According to UNMC, the combined facilities are expected to support about 240 local jobs and have an annual economic impact estimated at $34.5 million.

The latest project received support from numerous public and private sources, including $60 million in federal American Rescue Plan funding allocated by the Nebraska Legislature, $5 million from the city of Kearney and $1.5 million from Central Community College.

The William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation is serving as the lead donor to the project.

Past estimates have noted $85 million as the medical school’s projected construction costs. A separate $10 million from the state was to go toward technology startup costs. However, that $10 million recently was shifted to the capital budget because it involves special technical equipment that is to be installed and capitalized with the building project.

The change was approved recently by the Board of Regents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694011742539.jpeg" alt="More than 300 people attended Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the new Rural Health Education Building on the UNK campus. (Courtesy of Todd Gottula, UNK Communications)" />
 <figcaption>More than 300 people attended Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the new Rural Health Education Building on the UNK campus. (Courtesy of Todd Gottula, UNK Communications)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/shovels-signal-construction-start-for-95m-medical-school-in-kearney/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Ceremonial shovels broke ground Tuesday for the $95 million Rural Health Education Building in Kearney, where a three-story, 110,000-square-foot medical school is soon to rise and then open in early 2026.Leaders of the University of Nebraska at Kearney and Omaha-based University of Nebraska Medical Center led the event signaling the construction start of the facility aimed at growing the state’s rural health care workforce.“Our goal is to harness UNMC’s world-class skills to transform rural Nebraska through a unique endeavor not seen elsewhere in the United States: educating health care workers and professionals in rural areas,” said UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen.&nbsp;He called the project a “game-changer” in helping to fill shortages in all medical professions across the state. UNMC estimated attendance at Tuesday’s event at more than 300.The center will launch new programs to train physicians, pharmacists and public health professionals in Kearney, while also expanding the presence of other existing health and nursing programs.It will contain state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories for pre-clinical education and complex clinical scenarios and primary care practice spaces.Students will be able to enroll in the newly expanded programs beginning in fall 2025, using existing UNK facilities until the new facility opens, officials said. The new Rural Health Education Building will be operated by UNMC.“Today is the beginning of transformational change for Nebraska,” UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey Gold said in a media statement. “This project — a public-private partnership to strengthen Nebraska’s rural health care workforce —&nbsp;will create many new opportunities for students who want to both pursue and practice their health careers in rural Nebraska.”The project builds on a UNK and UNMC partnership. The institutions in 2015 opened a $19 million Health Science Education Complex on UNK’s west campus, where more than 300 students currently pursue degrees in areas such as cardiovascular interventional technology, diagnostic medical sonography, physical therapy, nursing and more.The new Rural Health Education Building will allow for another 300 health care students, officials said, bringing the total number to&nbsp;more than 600.According to UNMC, the combined facilities are expected to support about 240 local jobs and have an annual economic impact estimated at $34.5 million.The latest project received support from numerous public and private sources, including $60 million in federal American Rescue Plan funding allocated by the Nebraska Legislature, $5 million from the city of Kearney and $1.5 million from Central Community College.The William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation is serving as the lead donor to the project.Past estimates have noted $85 million as the medical school’s projected construction costs. A separate $10 million from the state was to go toward technology startup costs. However, that $10 million recently was shifted to the capital budget because it involves special technical equipment that is to be installed and capitalized with the building project.The change was approved recently by the Board of Regents.

Shovels signal construction start for $95M medical school in Kearney

By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — More than 4 million federal student loan borrowers are enrolled in the Biden administration’s new repayment program, according to figures released Tuesday by the Department of Education.

With the pause of more than three years on federal student loan repayments coming to an end in October, and the Supreme Court’s summer decision to strike down the White House’s one-time debt relief program, the Department of Education has rolled out several repayment and loan forgiveness programs. One of those initiatives is the Saving on A Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan that for some borrowers could result in no monthly payments.

“Our top priority is to support borrowers as they prepare to return to repayment with the tools and resources that they need,” Jason Miller, deputy director for management at the Office of Management and Budget, said on a call with reporters Tuesday.

<a target="_blank" href="https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2023/08/22/heres-what-to-know-about-new-federal-policies-for-repaying-student-loans/">The new income-driven repayment plan</a>&nbsp;calculates payments based on a borrower’s income and family size and forgives balances after a set number of years. The Department of Education has estimated that most borrowers will save about $1,000 per year under the new plan.

Borrowers who are currently in the Revised Pay as You Earn plan, will automatically be enrolled in the SAVE program.

Democrats, such as U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, are expecting legal challenges.

“While there will be those that will challenge this in court, the administration has carefully crossed the legal t’s and dotted the legal i’s,” Schumer said in a statement following the opening of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://studentaid.gov/idr/">applications</a>&nbsp;for the SAVE program on Aug. 22.

So far, the states with the highest number of borrowers enrolled in the program are Texas, with 345,800, California with 331,600, Florida with 291,100, New York with 212,800 and Pennsylvania with 170,200.

There are 82,300 borrowers enrolled in Missouri.

James Kvaal, the undersecretary of Education, said no borrowers will owe payments if they make $15 an hour while supporting a family, and that borrowers will not see their balances grow due to unpaid interest “as long as they keep up with their payments.”

“We’re not just lowering payments for today’s borrowers, we’re helping entire families and communities, and we’re making paying for college more affordable for millions of future students,” Kvaal said.

Borrowers who have defaulted on their student loans at any point will be able to enroll into the SAVE program through the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/default-fresh-start">Fresh Start program</a>, which is a one-time program for those who have defaulted on federal student loan repayment.

Even though the pause on federal student loans is set to end in October, borrowers will still have a year of leniency to begin repayments, but interest will accrue starting this month. The program starts Oct. 1 and will extend until Sept. 30 of next year.

By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — More than 4 million federal student loan borrowers are enrolled in the Biden administration’s new repayment program, according to figures released Tuesday by the Department of Education.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Folks, join the 4 million Americans who have already signed up for the most affordable student loan repayment plan ever created, our Administration&#39;s SAVE Plan. Don&#39;t wait – head to <a href="https://t.co/RlyR0iT5yU">https://t.co/RlyR0iT5yU</a>. <a href="https://t.co/dcMJ39NSy1">pic.twitter.com/dcMJ39NSy1</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1699460012161040878?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>With the pause of more than three years on federal student loan repayments coming to an end in October, and the Supreme Court’s summer decision to strike down the White House’s one-time debt relief program, the Department of Education has rolled out several repayment and loan forgiveness programs. One of those initiatives is the Saving on A Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan that for some borrowers could result in no monthly payments.“Our top priority is to support borrowers as they prepare to return to repayment with the tools and resources that they need,” Jason Miller, deputy director for management at the Office of Management and Budget, said on a call with reporters Tuesday.<a target="_blank" href="https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2023/08/22/heres-what-to-know-about-new-federal-policies-for-repaying-student-loans/">The new income-driven repayment plan</a>&nbsp;calculates payments based on a borrower’s income and family size and forgives balances after a set number of years. The Department of Education has estimated that most borrowers will save about $1,000 per year under the new plan.Borrowers who are currently in the Revised Pay as You Earn plan, will automatically be enrolled in the SAVE program.Democrats, such as U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, are expecting legal challenges.“While there will be those that will challenge this in court, the administration has carefully crossed the legal t’s and dotted the legal i’s,” Schumer said in a statement following the opening of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://studentaid.gov/idr/">applications</a>&nbsp;for the SAVE program on Aug. 22.So far, the states with the highest number of borrowers enrolled in the program are Texas, with 345,800, California with 331,600, Florida with 291,100, New York with 212,800 and Pennsylvania with 170,200.There are 82,300 borrowers enrolled in Missouri.James Kvaal, the undersecretary of Education, said no borrowers will owe payments if they make $15 an hour while supporting a family, and that borrowers will not see their balances grow due to unpaid interest “as long as they keep up with their payments.”“We’re not just lowering payments for today’s borrowers, we’re helping entire families and communities, and we’re making paying for college more affordable for millions of future students,” Kvaal said.Borrowers who have defaulted on their student loans at any point will be able to enroll into the SAVE program through the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/default-fresh-start">Fresh Start program</a>, which is a one-time program for those who have defaulted on federal student loan repayment.Even though the pause on federal student loans is set to end in October, borrowers will still have a year of leniency to begin repayments, but interest will accrue starting this month. The program starts Oct. 1 and will extend until Sept. 30 of next year.

Millions enrolled in new student loan repayment program

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government is taking a big step toward forcing a defiant Tennessee company to recall 52 million air bag inflators that could explode, hurl shrapnel and injure or kill people.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday said it has made an initial decision that the inflators made by ARC Automotive Inc., and under license by another company, are defective. The agency scheduled a public hearing for Oct. 5, a required step before seeking a court-ordered recall.

In May the agency asked ARC to recall the inflators, which it says are responsible for at least seven injuries and two deaths in the U.S. and Canada since 2009. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/air-bag-inflators-recall-tennessee-nhtsa-c10c943d69230763b68b6aa93e68eaf0">ARC has refused to issue a full-scale recall, setting the stage for the possible court fight.</a>

Messages were left Tuesday seeking comment from ARC. The company maintains that no safety defect exists, that NHTSA’s demand is based on a hypothesis rather than technical conclusions, and that the agency has no authority to order a parts manufacturer to announce recalls.

NHTSA is trying to force ARC to recall inflators in driver and passenger front air bags from at least a dozen automakers. Neither ARC nor the auto industry&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/air-bag-deflators-explode-crash-arc-nhtsa-8393a55574147c712d11d62f50ff249f">has released a full list of vehicle models with the kind of air bag inflators that have exploded.</a>&nbsp;But at least 33 million of the 284 million vehicles on U.S. roads are believed to contain them.

Owners of vehicles made by at least a dozen automakers — Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Ford, Toyota, Stellantis, Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Porsche, Hyundai and Kia — are left to wonder anxiously whether their vehicles contain driver or front passenger inflators made by ARC.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576782225717.png" alt="Image National Highway Traffic Safety Admin" />
 <figcaption>Image National Highway Traffic Safety Admin</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government is taking a big step toward forcing a defiant Tennessee company to recall 52 million air bag inflators that could explode, hurl shrapnel and injure or kill people.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday said it has made an initial decision that the inflators made by ARC Automotive Inc., and under license by another company, are defective. The agency scheduled a public hearing for Oct. 5, a required step before seeking a court-ordered recall.In May the agency asked ARC to recall the inflators, which it says are responsible for at least seven injuries and two deaths in the U.S. and Canada since 2009. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/air-bag-inflators-recall-tennessee-nhtsa-c10c943d69230763b68b6aa93e68eaf0">ARC has refused to issue a full-scale recall, setting the stage for the possible court fight.</a>Messages were left Tuesday seeking comment from ARC. The company maintains that no safety defect exists, that NHTSA’s demand is based on a hypothesis rather than technical conclusions, and that the agency has no authority to order a parts manufacturer to announce recalls.NHTSA is trying to force ARC to recall inflators in driver and passenger front air bags from at least a dozen automakers. Neither ARC nor the auto industry&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/air-bag-deflators-explode-crash-arc-nhtsa-8393a55574147c712d11d62f50ff249f">has released a full list of vehicle models with the kind of air bag inflators that have exploded.</a>&nbsp;But at least 33 million of the 284 million vehicles on U.S. roads are believed to contain them.Owners of vehicles made by at least a dozen automakers — Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Ford, Toyota, Stellantis, Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Porsche, Hyundai and Kia — are left to wonder anxiously whether their vehicles contain driver or front passenger inflators made by ARC.

US to force recall of 52 million air bag inflators that can explode

SEPTEMBER 6, 2023 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Nebraska State Troopers arrested 94 impaired drivers during a three-week enforcement campaign to close-out the summer travel season. The&nbsp;Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over&nbsp;campaign ran from August 16 through September 4.

“As we move from the summer driving season into the fall months, drivers need to remain vigilant on the roads,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol.

In addition to removing 94 impaired drivers from the road, troopers also issued citations for speeding (1,580), including 70 citations for speeding at or above 100 miles per hour, driving under suspension (120), no seat belt (47), improper child restraint (26), open alcohol container (31), and minor in possession (15). Troopers also performed 794 motorist assists and made 99 felony arrests.

Labor Day marks the traditional end of the summer travel season. From Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend, troopers made 393 arrests for driving under the influence. Troopers also cited 357 drivers for speeding at or above 100 miles per hour and performed over 4,000 motorist assists throughout the state.

“With summer vacations in the rear view, now is the time to stay alert for changing weather conditions and keep an eye out for farm machinery moving from field to field,” said Colonel Bolduc. “When you’re driving, keep your focus on the road and help keep Nebraska roads safe.”

The&nbsp;Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over&nbsp;campaign is made possible thanks in part to grant funding from the Nebraska Department of Transportation - Highway Safety Office.

Cody Thomas Nebraska State PatrolSEPTEMBER 6, 2023 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Nebraska State Troopers arrested 94 impaired drivers during a three-week enforcement campaign to close-out the summer travel season. The&nbsp;Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over&nbsp;campaign ran from August 16 through September 4.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694015086420.jpeg" alt="8-31-DUI arrest/Photo courtesy of Nebraska State Patrol" />
 <figcaption>8-31-DUI arrest/Photo courtesy of Nebraska State Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>“As we move from the summer driving season into the fall months, drivers need to remain vigilant on the roads,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol.In addition to removing 94 impaired drivers from the road, troopers also issued citations for speeding (1,580), including 70 citations for speeding at or above 100 miles per hour, driving under suspension (120), no seat belt (47), improper child restraint (26), open alcohol container (31), and minor in possession (15). Troopers also performed 794 motorist assists and made 99 felony arrests.Labor Day marks the traditional end of the summer travel season. From Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend, troopers made 393 arrests for driving under the influence. Troopers also cited 357 drivers for speeding at or above 100 miles per hour and performed over 4,000 motorist assists throughout the state.“With summer vacations in the rear view, now is the time to stay alert for changing weather conditions and keep an eye out for farm machinery moving from field to field,” said Colonel Bolduc. “When you’re driving, keep your focus on the road and help keep Nebraska roads safe.”The&nbsp;Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over&nbsp;campaign is made possible thanks in part to grant funding from the Nebraska Department of Transportation - Highway Safety Office.

Troopers Make 94 DUI Arrests in Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

Lack of required ‘redundancy’ after two outages last week raise concerns about reliability of Nebraska emergency lines

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/29/did-state-treasurer-meet-the-qualifications-to-run-nebraskas-public-employees-retirement-agency/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A state agency is digging into why backup procedures failed to work after emergency 911 networks across Nebraska went down last week.

David Sankey, the 911 director for the Nebraska Public Service Commission, said Tuesday he has questions for both Omaha-based Lumen and Lincoln-based Windstream about why required “redundancy” in their 911 systems failed.

It’s critical, Sankey said, that emergency calls can get through to responders.

“When our citizens need emergency help, we want the system to be working all the time so they can get the help they need,” he said.

Officials said they could not recall when two 911 systems failed in the same general time frame, and when the failures involved such a wide area.

Nemaha County Sheriff Brent Lottman, who leads a group of 11 southeast Nebraska counties that cooperate on 911 services, said Tuesday that he wants to know why he could continue to call his neighbors but not 911 during the outage in his area.

And State Sen. Mike Moser of Columbus, who heads the Legislature’s Transportation and Telecommunications Committee, said it will be important for state lawmakers to learn whether state laws need to be changed to avoid such outages in the future.

The Public Service Commission, which regulates telecommunications companies, said that on Thursday at 7:05 p.m., Lumen reported an outage caused by two separate fiber cuts to its network in the Omaha area by two different contractors.

That outage, which impacted&nbsp;39 of the state’s 68 911 centers, continued until 5:30 a.m. Friday, when service was restored.

Then, about 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Windstream reported a disruption in service caused by a fire at one of its switch centers, which resulted in 911 service being down until early Sunday morning in Gage, Otoe and Saunders Counties.

A Windstream spokesman said that after the power went out, the company switched to an onsite generator, but that generator eventually stopped working.

The company then switched to battery power, but after a while, the batteries dropped to “dangerously low voltage levels,” according to spokesman Scott Morris. A decision was made to shut down one of the three switches operated out of the center, which caused the disruption in the four counties.

A Lumen spokesman, in an email Tuesday afternoon, didn’t respond directly to questions seeking an explanation about why auxiliary systems did not keep its 911 services from failing.

The spokesman, Mark Molzen, said that the cuts prevented calls from reaching Lumen, and that its network was not the problem.

Sankey said he specifically wants to know why there wasn’t redundancy in Lumen’s 911 services and why backup options in the Windstream system failed.

The expectation, he said, is that if a fiber line is cut, calls can be rerouted to other lines or to other 911 centers.

The Lumen outage impacted the Omaha metropolitan area, as well as communities along the Platte River and Interstate 80, including Fremont, Kearney, Grand Island and North Platte.

Both Sankey and Lottman said they were unaware of any problems, such as a tardy response to an emergency, caused by the two outages. Sankey praised 911 center employees for quickly getting the word out about the outages and providing alternative phone numbers to call.

Sen. Moser said, however, that any time 911 response centers are down, it’s a serious matter.

Sankey said the elected commissioners of the Public Service Commission, at a meeting next week, are expected to formally approve an investigation into the outages and the failure of backup options.

Moser said lawmakers will wait for the results of that probe before deciding whether any changes in state laws need to be considered.

<h2>Lack of required ‘redundancy’ after two outages last week raise concerns about reliability of Nebraska emergency lines</h2>By Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/29/did-state-treasurer-meet-the-qualifications-to-run-nebraskas-public-employees-retirement-agency/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — A state agency is digging into why backup procedures failed to work after emergency 911 networks across Nebraska went down last week.David Sankey, the 911 director for the Nebraska Public Service Commission, said Tuesday he has questions for both Omaha-based Lumen and Lincoln-based Windstream about why required “redundancy” in their 911 systems failed.It’s critical, Sankey said, that emergency calls can get through to responders.“When our citizens need emergency help, we want the system to be working all the time so they can get the help they need,” he said.<h2>Rare, twin outages</h2>Officials said they could not recall when two 911 systems failed in the same general time frame, and when the failures involved such a wide area.Nemaha County Sheriff Brent Lottman, who leads a group of 11 southeast Nebraska counties that cooperate on 911 services, said Tuesday that he wants to know why he could continue to call his neighbors but not 911 during the outage in his area.And State Sen. Mike Moser of Columbus, who heads the Legislature’s Transportation and Telecommunications Committee, said it will be important for state lawmakers to learn whether state laws need to be changed to avoid such outages in the future.The Public Service Commission, which regulates telecommunications companies, said that on Thursday at 7:05 p.m., Lumen reported an outage caused by two separate fiber cuts to its network in the Omaha area by two different contractors.That outage, which impacted&nbsp;39 of the state’s 68 911 centers, continued until 5:30 a.m. Friday, when service was restored.Then, about 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Windstream reported a disruption in service caused by a fire at one of its switch centers, which resulted in 911 service being down until early Sunday morning in Gage, Otoe and Saunders Counties.A Windstream spokesman said that after the power went out, the company switched to an onsite generator, but that generator eventually stopped working.<h2>Generator, then batteries, failed</h2>The company then switched to battery power, but after a while, the batteries dropped to “dangerously low voltage levels,” according to spokesman Scott Morris. A decision was made to shut down one of the three switches operated out of the center, which caused the disruption in the four counties.A Lumen spokesman, in an email Tuesday afternoon, didn’t respond directly to questions seeking an explanation about why auxiliary systems did not keep its 911 services from failing.The spokesman, Mark Molzen, said that the cuts prevented calls from reaching Lumen, and that its network was not the problem.Sankey said he specifically wants to know why there wasn’t redundancy in Lumen’s 911 services and why backup options in the Windstream system failed.The expectation, he said, is that if a fiber line is cut, calls can be rerouted to other lines or to other 911 centers.The Lumen outage impacted the Omaha metropolitan area, as well as communities along the Platte River and Interstate 80, including Fremont, Kearney, Grand Island and North Platte.Both Sankey and Lottman said they were unaware of any problems, such as a tardy response to an emergency, caused by the two outages. Sankey praised 911 center employees for quickly getting the word out about the outages and providing alternative phone numbers to call.Sen. Moser said, however, that any time 911 response centers are down, it’s a serious matter.Sankey said the elected commissioners of the Public Service Commission, at a meeting next week, are expected to formally approve an investigation into the outages and the failure of backup options.Moser said lawmakers will wait for the results of that probe before deciding whether any changes in state laws need to be considered.

Neb. agency to probe why 911 network backup systems failed to work

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was sentenced Tuesday to 22 years in prison for orchestrating his far-right extremist group’s attack on the U.S. Capitol in a failed bid to stop the transfer of presidential power after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">Donald Trump lost the 2020 election.</a>

Tarrio’s sentence is the longest so far among more than 1,100 Capitol riot cases, topping the 18-year sentences that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stewart-rhodes-oath-keepers-seditious-conspiracy-sentencing-b3ed4556a3dec577539c4181639f666c">Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-jan-6-proud-boys-prison-sentence-58173200af1664716cbaec8ed2c2a145">one-time Proud Boys leader Ethan Nordean</a>&nbsp;each received after juries convicted them of seditious conspiracy and other charges.

It comes as the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-justice-department-indictment-1a5ae1a0ea35492e1e347e28867a7d3f">prepares to put Trump on trial</a>&nbsp;at the same courthouse in Washington on charges that the then-president illegally schemed to cling to power that he knew had been stripped away by voters.

The Tarrio case — and hundreds of others like it — function as a vivid reminder of the violent chaos fueled by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">Trump’s lies around the election</a>&nbsp;and the extent to which his false claims helped inspire right-wing extremists who ultimately stormed the Capitol to thwart the peaceful transfer of power.

Rising to speak before the sentence was handed down, Tarrio pleaded for leniency, describing Jan. 6 as a “national embarrassment,” and apologizing to the police officers who defended the Capitol and the lawmakers who fled in fear. His voice cracked as he expressed remorse for letting down his family and vowed that he is done with politics.

“I am not a political zealot. Inflicting harm or changing the results of the election was not my goal,” Tarrio said.

“Please show me mercy,” he said, adding, “I ask you that you not take my 40s from me.”

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, who was appointed to the bench by Trump, said Tarrio was motivated by "revolutionary zeal" to lead the conspiracy that resulted in “200 men, amped up for battle, encircling the Capitol.” Noting that Tarrio had not previously shown any public remorse for his crimes, the judge said a stiff punishment was necessary to deter future political violence.

"It can't happen again. It can’t happen again,” the judge repeated.

Standing before the judge in orange jail garb, Tarrio lowered his head after the sentence was read, then squared his shoulders and put his hands before his back.

Prosecutors had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/enrique-tarrio-capitol-riot-proud-boys-sentencing-aa8fd5e8acbc5d173e6e462974014bc7">sought 33 years behind bars</a>&nbsp;for Tarrio, describing him as the ringleader of a plot to use violence to shatter the cornerstone of American democracy and overturn the election victory by Joe Biden, a Democrat, over Trump, the Republican incumbent.

Prosecutor Conor Mulroe told the judge that the Proud Boys came dangerously close to succeeding in their plot to stop the transfer of presidential power — and noted that “it didn’t take rifles or explosives.”

“There was a very real possibility we were going to wake up on Jan. 7 in a full-blown constitutional crisis,” Mulroe said, with “300 million Americans having no idea who the next president would be or how it would be decided.”

The prosecutor urged the judge to ensure that “consequences are abundantly clear to anyone who might be unhappy with the results of 2024, 2028, 2032 or any future election for as long as this case is remembered.”

Tarrio wasn’t in Washington, D.C, when Proud Boys members joined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">thousands of Trump supporters</a>, who smashed windows, beat police officers and poured into the House and Senate chambers as lawmakers met to certify Biden’s victory. But prosecutors say the 39-year-old Miami resident organized and led the Proud Boys’ assault from afar, inspiring followers with his charisma and penchant for propaganda.

Tarrio had been arrested two days before the Capitol riot on charges that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-politics-race-and-ethnicity-district-of-columbia-4ec2c696a58253b95ef76e5c18aa5ada">defaced a Black Lives Matter banner</a>&nbsp;during an earlier rally in the nation’s capital, and he had complied with a judge’s order to leave the city after his arrest.

The judge agreed with prosecutors that the Proud Boys’ crimes could be punished as “terrorism” — increasing the recommended sentence under federal guidelines. But he ultimately sentenced the Proud Boys to prison terms shorter than what prosecutors were seeking.

The backbone of the government’s case was hundreds of messages exchanged by Proud Boys in the days leading up to Jan. 6 that prosecutors say showed how the extremists saw themselves as revolutionaries and celebrated the Capitol attack, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-capitol-siege-lawmakers-trauma-04e29724aa6017180259385642c1b990">sent lawmakers running into hiding</a>.

As Proud Boys swarmed the Capitol, Tarrio cheered them on from afar, writing on social media, “Do what must be done.” In a Proud Boys encrypted group chat later that day someone asked what they should do next. Tarrio responded, “Do it again.”

“Make no mistake,” Tarrio wrote in another message. “We did this.”

Tarrio’s lawyers denied the Proud Boys had any plan to attack the Capitol or stop the certification of Biden’s victory. They argued that prosecutors used Tarrio as a scapegoat for Trump, who spoke at the “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on Jan. 6 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-capitol-siege-media-e79eb5164613d6718e9f4502eb471f27">urged his supporters to “fight like hell.”</a>

Tarrio is the final Proud Boys leader convicted of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-legal-proceedings-united-states-government-violence-proud-boys-0eedce46cf5375f3417f4a9c968a8e62">seditious conspiracy</a>&nbsp;to receive his punishment. Three fellow Proud Boys found guilty by a Washington jury of the rarely used sedition charge were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 15 to 18 years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614042711157.png" alt="Rising to speak before the sentence was handed down, Tarrio pleaded for leniency, describing Jan. 6 as a “national embarrassment,” and apologizing to the police officers who defended the Capitol and the lawmakers who fled in fear.-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Rising to speak before the sentence was handed down, Tarrio pleaded for leniency, describing Jan. 6 as a “national embarrassment,” and apologizing to the police officers who defended the Capitol and the lawmakers who fled in fear.-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was sentenced Tuesday to 22 years in prison for orchestrating his far-right extremist group’s attack on the U.S. Capitol in a failed bid to stop the transfer of presidential power after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">Donald Trump lost the 2020 election.</a>Tarrio’s sentence is the longest so far among more than 1,100 Capitol riot cases, topping the 18-year sentences that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stewart-rhodes-oath-keepers-seditious-conspiracy-sentencing-b3ed4556a3dec577539c4181639f666c">Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-jan-6-proud-boys-prison-sentence-58173200af1664716cbaec8ed2c2a145">one-time Proud Boys leader Ethan Nordean</a>&nbsp;each received after juries convicted them of seditious conspiracy and other charges.It comes as the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-justice-department-indictment-1a5ae1a0ea35492e1e347e28867a7d3f">prepares to put Trump on trial</a>&nbsp;at the same courthouse in Washington on charges that the then-president illegally schemed to cling to power that he knew had been stripped away by voters.The Tarrio case — and hundreds of others like it — function as a vivid reminder of the violent chaos fueled by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">Trump’s lies around the election</a>&nbsp;and the extent to which his false claims helped inspire right-wing extremists who ultimately stormed the Capitol to thwart the peaceful transfer of power.Rising to speak before the sentence was handed down, Tarrio pleaded for leniency, describing Jan. 6 as a “national embarrassment,” and apologizing to the police officers who defended the Capitol and the lawmakers who fled in fear. His voice cracked as he expressed remorse for letting down his family and vowed that he is done with politics.“I am not a political zealot. Inflicting harm or changing the results of the election was not my goal,” Tarrio said.“Please show me mercy,” he said, adding, “I ask you that you not take my 40s from me.”U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, who was appointed to the bench by Trump, said Tarrio was motivated by "revolutionary zeal" to lead the conspiracy that resulted in “200 men, amped up for battle, encircling the Capitol.” Noting that Tarrio had not previously shown any public remorse for his crimes, the judge said a stiff punishment was necessary to deter future political violence."It can't happen again. It can’t happen again,” the judge repeated.Standing before the judge in orange jail garb, Tarrio lowered his head after the sentence was read, then squared his shoulders and put his hands before his back.Prosecutors had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/enrique-tarrio-capitol-riot-proud-boys-sentencing-aa8fd5e8acbc5d173e6e462974014bc7">sought 33 years behind bars</a>&nbsp;for Tarrio, describing him as the ringleader of a plot to use violence to shatter the cornerstone of American democracy and overturn the election victory by Joe Biden, a Democrat, over Trump, the Republican incumbent.Prosecutor Conor Mulroe told the judge that the Proud Boys came dangerously close to succeeding in their plot to stop the transfer of presidential power — and noted that “it didn’t take rifles or explosives.”“There was a very real possibility we were going to wake up on Jan. 7 in a full-blown constitutional crisis,” Mulroe said, with “300 million Americans having no idea who the next president would be or how it would be decided.”The prosecutor urged the judge to ensure that “consequences are abundantly clear to anyone who might be unhappy with the results of 2024, 2028, 2032 or any future election for as long as this case is remembered.”Tarrio wasn’t in Washington, D.C, when Proud Boys members joined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">thousands of Trump supporters</a>, who smashed windows, beat police officers and poured into the House and Senate chambers as lawmakers met to certify Biden’s victory. But prosecutors say the 39-year-old Miami resident organized and led the Proud Boys’ assault from afar, inspiring followers with his charisma and penchant for propaganda.Tarrio had been arrested two days before the Capitol riot on charges that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-politics-race-and-ethnicity-district-of-columbia-4ec2c696a58253b95ef76e5c18aa5ada">defaced a Black Lives Matter banner</a>&nbsp;during an earlier rally in the nation’s capital, and he had complied with a judge’s order to leave the city after his arrest.The judge agreed with prosecutors that the Proud Boys’ crimes could be punished as “terrorism” — increasing the recommended sentence under federal guidelines. But he ultimately sentenced the Proud Boys to prison terms shorter than what prosecutors were seeking.The backbone of the government’s case was hundreds of messages exchanged by Proud Boys in the days leading up to Jan. 6 that prosecutors say showed how the extremists saw themselves as revolutionaries and celebrated the Capitol attack, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-capitol-siege-lawmakers-trauma-04e29724aa6017180259385642c1b990">sent lawmakers running into hiding</a>.As Proud Boys swarmed the Capitol, Tarrio cheered them on from afar, writing on social media, “Do what must be done.” In a Proud Boys encrypted group chat later that day someone asked what they should do next. Tarrio responded, “Do it again.”“Make no mistake,” Tarrio wrote in another message. “We did this.”Tarrio’s lawyers denied the Proud Boys had any plan to attack the Capitol or stop the certification of Biden’s victory. They argued that prosecutors used Tarrio as a scapegoat for Trump, who spoke at the “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on Jan. 6 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-capitol-siege-media-e79eb5164613d6718e9f4502eb471f27">urged his supporters to “fight like hell.”</a>Tarrio is the final Proud Boys leader convicted of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-legal-proceedings-united-states-government-violence-proud-boys-0eedce46cf5375f3417f4a9c968a8e62">seditious conspiracy</a>&nbsp;to receive his punishment. Three fellow Proud Boys found guilty by a Washington jury of the rarely used sedition charge were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 15 to 18 years.

Proud Boys’ leader apologizes before sentenced for Jan. 6 conspiracy

Warner Bros. Discovery is cutting its profit expectations for the year, saying it will likely incur costs as high as $500 million tied to the ongoing Hollywood writers' and actors' strike.

The U.S. film and television industries remain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hollywood-strikes/">paralyzed by the dual strikes</a>. The writers strike began in May&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hollywood-strikes/">and the actors joined them</a>&nbsp;on July 14.

Warner Bros. Discovery owns HBO and Max, CNN, TNT and a host of other entertainment outlets, including DC Comics.

The company said in a regulatory filing that it now expects 2023 adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to be between $10.5 billion to $11 billion, down from $11 billion to $11.5 billion.

“While (Warner Bros. Discovery) is hopeful that these strikes will be resolved soon, it cannot predict when the strikes will ultimately end. With both guilds still on strike today, the company now assumes the financial impact to (Warner Bros. Discovery) of these strikes will persist through the end of 2023,” the company stated.

Shares of Warner Bros.. based in New York City, rose about 2% Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693929727057.jpeg" alt="Actor Hill Harper, a democrat running for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat, walks with SAG-AFTRA members in the Labor Day parade in Detroit, Monday, Sept. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)" />
 <figcaption>Actor Hill Harper, a democrat running for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat, walks with SAG-AFTRA members in the Labor Day parade in Detroit, Monday, Sept. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)</figcaption>
 </figure>Associated PressWarner Bros. Discovery is cutting its profit expectations for the year, saying it will likely incur costs as high as $500 million tied to the ongoing Hollywood writers' and actors' strike.The U.S. film and television industries remain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hollywood-strikes/">paralyzed by the dual strikes</a>. The writers strike began in May&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hollywood-strikes/">and the actors joined them</a>&nbsp;on July 14.Warner Bros. Discovery owns HBO and Max, CNN, TNT and a host of other entertainment outlets, including DC Comics.The company said in a regulatory filing that it now expects 2023 adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to be between $10.5 billion to $11 billion, down from $11 billion to $11.5 billion.“While (Warner Bros. Discovery) is hopeful that these strikes will be resolved soon, it cannot predict when the strikes will ultimately end. With both guilds still on strike today, the company now assumes the financial impact to (Warner Bros. Discovery) of these strikes will persist through the end of 2023,” the company stated.Shares of Warner Bros.. based in New York City, rose about 2% Tuesday.

Hollywood strike stings Warner Bros., profit outlook for the year trimmed by as much as $500 million

WASHINGTON (AP) — The attending physician to Congress said Thursday that he had cleared Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell to continue with his planned schedule after evaluating an incident in which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-gop-leader-mcconnell-health-freeze-up-c5b43745251daa0bb63636ceff4edce2">McConnell appeared to freeze up</a>&nbsp;at an event in Kentucky.

But the health episode — his second in public this summer — has fueled quiet concern among Republican senators and intense speculation about his ability to remain as leader. The famously guarded McConnell called several of his deputies in leadership after the Wednesday health episode. But the longest-serving Senate party leader is still revealing little about his health condition, even to his closest colleagues.

McConnell, 81, appeared to freeze up and remained silent for about 30 seconds during a news conference Wednesday, almost a month after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-freeze-senate-fall-republican-leader-f18008b314c5907ba0111f6891c9a0d3">a similar incident in Washington</a>. In March, McConnell&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-senate-concussion-hospital-release-b72a2b49260926d84a12cf94c1cfb944">suffered a concussion and broke a rib</a>&nbsp;after falling and hitting his head after a dinner event at a hotel.

The Kentucky Republican's office released a statement from Dr. Brian Monahan saying that he had consulted with McConnell and his neurology team and cleared the senator to continue with his schedule. He did not say if he had examined McConnell personally, and he did not provide any additional details or a diagnosis.

"After evaluating yesterday’s incident, I have informed Leader McConnell that he is medically clear to continue with his schedule as planned," the short statement read. “Occasional lightheadedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected as a result of dehydration.”

McConnell’s office has only said that he was feeling “momentarily lightheaded" when he froze up on Wednesday. An aide eventually came to his assistance and repeated questions for him, and he gave brief answers before leaving the room. The episode was strikingly similar to the incident in July, when he froze mid-sentence for around 20 seconds before fellow Republicans and an aide came to his assistance and led him back to his office. He then returned to the news conference and answered additional questions.

President Joe Biden said he spoke to McConnell on Thursday and the senator “was his old self on the telephone.”

“It’s not at all unusual to have a response that sometimes happens to Mitch when you’ve had a severe concussion,” the president said during a visit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “It’s part of the recovery, and so I’m confident he’s going to be back to his old self.”

The Senate is scheduled to convene next week after the month-long August break, and there are certain to be questions from McConnell's colleagues about his health, which has visibly declined since the concussion in March. His speaking has been more halting, and he has walked more slowly and carefully.

The lack of information from McConnell and his doctors has prompted more questions on Capitol Hill about whether he will run for reelection in 2026 and who may succeed him as GOP leader. But the discussion has remained behind closed doors, for now, with most fellow Republican senators publicly supportive.

“I talked to Sen. McConnell yesterday and he seemed to be doing fine,” said Texas Sen. John Cornyn on Thursday after an event in his home state. “I don’t know what the underlying issue is, but we all wish him well. We know he’s had a fall, and a concussion, and I think this may be part of the recovery process from that. But I served with him for a long time now, he’s been my mentor, and basically everything I’ve learned about the United States Senate I’ve learned from him.”

Cornyn added that he expects McConnell “will continue as long as he can and wants to.”

As McConnell’s former top deputy, Cornyn is one of several senators who could be in the running to replace him. Speculation has also centered around South Dakota Sen. John Thune, who is currently McConnell’s No. 2, and Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who is the No. 3 Republican and the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.

McConnell called all three men on Wednesday after the episode, along with West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and Montana Sen. Steve Daines, who also serve on McConnell’s leadership team.

In the calls, McConnell gave the senators reassurances about his health. A spokeswoman for Cornyn, Natalie Yezbick, said McConnell “shared that he was doing well.” A spokesman for Thune, Ryan Wrasse, said McConnell “sounded like his usual self and was in good spirits.”

Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, another McConnell ally, said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that she had spoken to him Thursday. “Leader Mitch McConnell called me this afternoon to discuss the resumption of Senate business next week,” she wrote. “He is fully prepared to continue leading our caucus when the Senate resumes session on Tuesday.”

Longtime McConnell friend and adviser Scott Jennings says he spent much of August with McConnell in Kentucky and noted that the GOP leader has kept a robust schedule, speaking frequently to the public and press. McConnell had just given a 20-minute speech with no issues when he froze up on Wednesday in response to a reporter's question about whether he would run for re-election in 2026.

Jennings said McConnell is "relatively private person when it comes to personal matters like that” and always has been. He pushed back on critics who say McConnell is too old to serve in his position.

“Two things are being conflated, his age and his recovery from this concussion,” Jennings said.

Still, many of his colleagues want more information. After McConnell's first public freeze-up in July, Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota said the job of leader calls for more transparency than it would for others.

“We should find out, you know, fairly soon what happened and how serious it is,” Cramer said then. “But I don’t have to tell you, Mitch is also, as an individual, a pretty private guy. So we’ll see.”

McConnell was elected to the Senate in 1984 and as GOP leader in 2007. He became the longest-serving party leader in the Senate at the beginning of the year.

He had polio in his early childhood and he has long acknowledged some difficulty as an adult in climbing stairs. In addition to his fall in March, McConnell also tripped and fell four years ago at his home in Kentucky, causing a shoulder fracture that required surgery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693945010291.png" alt="U.S. Capitol Attending Physician on Senator Mitch McConnell: "There is no evidence that you have seizure disorder or that you have experienced a stroke, TIA or movement disorder such as Parkinson's disease." -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Capitol Attending Physician on Senator Mitch McConnell: "There is no evidence that you have seizure disorder or that you have experienced a stroke, TIA or movement disorder such as Parkinson's disease." -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The attending physician to Congress said Thursday that he had cleared Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell to continue with his planned schedule after evaluating an incident in which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-gop-leader-mcconnell-health-freeze-up-c5b43745251daa0bb63636ceff4edce2">McConnell appeared to freeze up</a>&nbsp;at an event in Kentucky.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Senator Mitch McConnell: &quot;One particular moment of my time back home has received its fair share of attention in the press over the past week. But I assure you August was a busy and productive month for me and my staff back in the Commonwealth.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/g5jegvZml6">https://t.co/g5jegvZml6</a> <a href="https://t.co/9UYKmC42Ry">pic.twitter.com/9UYKmC42Ry</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1699147978009895162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But the health episode — his second in public this summer — has fueled quiet concern among Republican senators and intense speculation about his ability to remain as leader. The famously guarded McConnell called several of his deputies in leadership after the Wednesday health episode. But the longest-serving Senate party leader is still revealing little about his health condition, even to his closest colleagues.McConnell, 81, appeared to freeze up and remained silent for about 30 seconds during a news conference Wednesday, almost a month after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-freeze-senate-fall-republican-leader-f18008b314c5907ba0111f6891c9a0d3">a similar incident in Washington</a>. In March, McConnell&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-senate-concussion-hospital-release-b72a2b49260926d84a12cf94c1cfb944">suffered a concussion and broke a rib</a>&nbsp;after falling and hitting his head after a dinner event at a hotel.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appears to have a health issue while speaking during a press conference in the U.S. Capitol. About 12 minutes later, the Minority Leader returned to the press conference and, when asked about what happened, said, &quot;I&#39;m fine.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/EU7zDzGT0m">pic.twitter.com/EU7zDzGT0m</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1684278322098761728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Kentucky Republican's office released a statement from Dr. Brian Monahan saying that he had consulted with McConnell and his neurology team and cleared the senator to continue with his schedule. He did not say if he had examined McConnell personally, and he did not provide any additional details or a diagnosis."After evaluating yesterday’s incident, I have informed Leader McConnell that he is medically clear to continue with his schedule as planned," the short statement read. “Occasional lightheadedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected as a result of dehydration.”McConnell’s office has only said that he was feeling “momentarily lightheaded" when he froze up on Wednesday. An aide eventually came to his assistance and repeated questions for him, and he gave brief answers before leaving the room. The episode was strikingly similar to the incident in July, when he froze mid-sentence for around 20 seconds before fellow Republicans and an aide came to his assistance and led him back to his office. He then returned to the news conference and answered additional questions.President Joe Biden said he spoke to McConnell on Thursday and the senator “was his old self on the telephone.”“It’s not at all unusual to have a response that sometimes happens to Mitch when you’ve had a severe concussion,” the president said during a visit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “It’s part of the recovery, and so I’m confident he’s going to be back to his old self.”The Senate is scheduled to convene next week after the month-long August break, and there are certain to be questions from McConnell's colleagues about his health, which has visibly declined since the concussion in March. His speaking has been more halting, and he has walked more slowly and carefully.The lack of information from McConnell and his doctors has prompted more questions on Capitol Hill about whether he will run for reelection in 2026 and who may succeed him as GOP leader. But the discussion has remained behind closed doors, for now, with most fellow Republican senators publicly supportive.“I talked to Sen. McConnell yesterday and he seemed to be doing fine,” said Texas Sen. John Cornyn on Thursday after an event in his home state. “I don’t know what the underlying issue is, but we all wish him well. We know he’s had a fall, and a concussion, and I think this may be part of the recovery process from that. But I served with him for a long time now, he’s been my mentor, and basically everything I’ve learned about the United States Senate I’ve learned from him.”Cornyn added that he expects McConnell “will continue as long as he can and wants to.”As McConnell’s former top deputy, Cornyn is one of several senators who could be in the running to replace him. Speculation has also centered around South Dakota Sen. John Thune, who is currently McConnell’s No. 2, and Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who is the No. 3 Republican and the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.McConnell called all three men on Wednesday after the episode, along with West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and Montana Sen. Steve Daines, who also serve on McConnell’s leadership team.In the calls, McConnell gave the senators reassurances about his health. A spokeswoman for Cornyn, Natalie Yezbick, said McConnell “shared that he was doing well.” A spokesman for Thune, Ryan Wrasse, said McConnell “sounded like his usual self and was in good spirits.”Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, another McConnell ally, said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that she had spoken to him Thursday. “Leader Mitch McConnell called me this afternoon to discuss the resumption of Senate business next week,” she wrote. “He is fully prepared to continue leading our caucus when the Senate resumes session on Tuesday.”Longtime McConnell friend and adviser Scott Jennings says he spent much of August with McConnell in Kentucky and noted that the GOP leader has kept a robust schedule, speaking frequently to the public and press. McConnell had just given a 20-minute speech with no issues when he froze up on Wednesday in response to a reporter's question about whether he would run for re-election in 2026.Jennings said McConnell is "relatively private person when it comes to personal matters like that” and always has been. He pushed back on critics who say McConnell is too old to serve in his position.“Two things are being conflated, his age and his recovery from this concussion,” Jennings said.Still, many of his colleagues want more information. After McConnell's first public freeze-up in July, Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota said the job of leader calls for more transparency than it would for others.“We should find out, you know, fairly soon what happened and how serious it is,” Cramer said then. “But I don’t have to tell you, Mitch is also, as an individual, a pretty private guy. So we’ll see.”McConnell was elected to the Senate in 1984 and as GOP leader in 2007. He became the longest-serving party leader in the Senate at the beginning of the year.He had polio in his early childhood and he has long acknowledged some difficulty as an adult in climbing stairs. In addition to his fall in March, McConnell also tripped and fell four years ago at his home in Kentucky, causing a shoulder fracture that required surgery.

🎥 Doctor: 81-year-old Senate GOP leader can continue working

The science and engineering,&nbsp;happening&nbsp;behind the scenes at landfills across the country to protect groundwater, surface water and air, will be the focus of&nbsp;the&nbsp;next&nbsp;Science Café presentation,&nbsp;to be held at 7 p.m. on Sept. 12 at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th&nbsp;St.&nbsp;

“We&nbsp;will talk about the history of landfills pre- and post-federal regulation, and everything that makes a modern landfill today,” said Katie Kinley, a civil and environmental engineer.&nbsp;

Kinley has more than&nbsp;nine&nbsp;years&nbsp;of&nbsp;experience&nbsp;in landfill design, permits&nbsp;and construction. She&nbsp;is a licensed professional engineer in Iowa, Nebraska,&nbsp;Michigan&nbsp;and Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kinley’s experience&nbsp;includes landfill gas management,&nbsp;the design of landfill&nbsp;liners&nbsp;and the management of water&nbsp;that&nbsp;has leached out.&nbsp;&nbsp;

She has worked with sites across the country supporting designs, expansions and plans&nbsp;to meet&nbsp;long-term needs with environmentally protective facilities.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Science&nbsp;Cafés&nbsp;involve&nbsp;a conversation with an expert about current science topics.&nbsp;They are open to everyone.&nbsp;Each meeting is organized around an interesting topic of conversation. Experts give a brief presentation followed by a Q&amp;A period.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As&nbsp;Nebraska’s&nbsp;only public academic health science center, the University of Nebraska Medical Center&nbsp;enrolls more than 4,400 students across six colleges, two institutes and a graduate studies program.&nbsp;Its mission is to&nbsp;create a healthier future for Nebraskans&nbsp;through premier education,&nbsp;research&nbsp;and clinical care,&nbsp;but its&nbsp;impact&nbsp;--&nbsp;rooted in a culture of collaboration,&nbsp;big ideas&nbsp;and public-private partnerships – goes far beyond,&nbsp;in areas&nbsp;that include&nbsp;infectious diseases, rural health, cancer research and treatments, global health security, and&nbsp;simulation and experiential learning technologies.&nbsp;

<a href="https://twitter.com/unmc" target="_blank">Twitter</a>  |  <a href="https://www.facebook.com/unmcedu" target="_blank">Facebook</a>  |  <a href="https://instagram.com/iamunmc" target="_blank">Instagram</a>  |  <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/UNMCEDU" target="_blank">YouTube</a>  |  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/unmc/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>&nbsp;

UNMCThe science and engineering,&nbsp;happening&nbsp;behind the scenes at landfills across the country to protect groundwater, surface water and air, will be the focus of&nbsp;the&nbsp;next&nbsp;Science Café presentation,&nbsp;to be held at 7 p.m. on Sept. 12 at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th&nbsp;St.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693924673683.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Katie Kinley/Photo courtesy of UNMC" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Katie Kinley/Photo courtesy of UNMC</figcaption>
 </figure>“We&nbsp;will talk about the history of landfills pre- and post-federal regulation, and everything that makes a modern landfill today,” said Katie Kinley, a civil and environmental engineer.&nbsp;Kinley has more than&nbsp;nine&nbsp;years&nbsp;of&nbsp;experience&nbsp;in landfill design, permits&nbsp;and construction. She&nbsp;is a licensed professional engineer in Iowa, Nebraska,&nbsp;Michigan&nbsp;and Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kinley’s experience&nbsp;includes landfill gas management,&nbsp;the design of landfill&nbsp;liners&nbsp;and the management of water&nbsp;that&nbsp;has leached out.&nbsp;&nbsp;She has worked with sites across the country supporting designs, expansions and plans&nbsp;to meet&nbsp;long-term needs with environmentally protective facilities.&nbsp;&nbsp;Science&nbsp;Cafés&nbsp;involve&nbsp;a conversation with an expert about current science topics.&nbsp;They are open to everyone.&nbsp;Each meeting is organized around an interesting topic of conversation. Experts give a brief presentation followed by a Q&amp;A period.&nbsp;&nbsp;About UNMC&nbsp;As&nbsp;Nebraska’s&nbsp;only public academic health science center, the University of Nebraska Medical Center&nbsp;enrolls more than 4,400 students across six colleges, two institutes and a graduate studies program.&nbsp;Its mission is to&nbsp;create a healthier future for Nebraskans&nbsp;through premier education,&nbsp;research&nbsp;and clinical care,&nbsp;but its&nbsp;impact&nbsp;--&nbsp;rooted in a culture of collaboration,&nbsp;big ideas&nbsp;and public-private partnerships – goes far beyond,&nbsp;in areas&nbsp;that include&nbsp;infectious diseases, rural health, cancer research and treatments, global health security, and&nbsp;simulation and experiential learning technologies.&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/unmc" target="_blank">Twitter</a>  |  <a href="https://www.facebook.com/unmcedu" target="_blank">Facebook</a>  |  <a href="https://instagram.com/iamunmc" target="_blank">Instagram</a>  |  <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/UNMCEDU" target="_blank">YouTube</a>  |  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/unmc/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>&nbsp;

The Science of landfills is topic of Sept. 12 Science Café 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/saudi-arabia">Saudi Arabia</a>&nbsp;and Russia agreed Tuesday to extend their voluntary oil production cuts through the end of this year, trimming 1.3 million barrels of crude out of the global market and boosting energy prices.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683569393523.png" alt="There was no immediate reaction in Washington, though U.S. lawmakers have criticized OPEC, Saudi Arabia and Russia over their past production decisions." />
 <figcaption>There was no immediate reaction in Washington, though U.S. lawmakers have criticized OPEC, Saudi Arabia and Russia over their past production decisions.</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/saudi-arabia">Saudi Arabia</a>&nbsp;and Russia agreed Tuesday to extend their voluntary oil production cuts through the end of this year, trimming 1.3 million barrels of crude out of the global market and boosting energy prices.The dual announcements from Riyadh and Moscow pushed benchmark Brent crude above $90 a barrel in trading Tuesday afternoon, a price unseen in the market since November.The countries' moves could increase inflation and the cost for motorists at gasoline pumps. It also puts new pressure on Saudi Arabia's relationship with the United States, as President Joe Biden last year warned the kingdom there would be unspecified “consequences” for partnering with Russia on cuts as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Moscow wages war on Ukraine</a>.Saudi Arabia's announcement, carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, said the country still would monitor the market and could take further action if necessary.“This additional voluntary cut comes to reinforce the precautionary efforts made by OPEC+ countries with the aim of supporting the stability and balance of oil markets,” the Saudi Press Agency report said, citing an unnamed Energy Ministry official.State-run Russian news agency Tass quoted Alexander Novak, Russia's deputy prime minister and former energy minister, as saying Moscow would continue its 300,000 barrel a day cut.The decision “is aimed at strengthening the precautionary measures taken by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/opec">OPEC+ countries</a>&nbsp;in order to maintain stability and balance of oil markets,” Novak said.Benchmark Brent crude traded Tuesday above $90 a barrel after the announcement. Brent had largely hovered between $75 and $85 a barrel since last October. A barrel of West Texas Intermediate, a benchmark for America, traded over $87 a barrel.The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, though Biden and U.S. lawmakers have criticized Saudi Arabia and Russia over their past production decisions.Bob McNally, the founder and president of the Washington-based Rapidan Energy Group and a former White House energy adviser, said Saudi Arabia and Russia had “demonstrated their unity and resolve to proactively manage" the risk of oil prices potentially dropping in tougher economic conditions with their announcement Tuesday.“Barring a sharp economic downturn, these supply cuts will drive deep deficits into global oil balances and should propel crude oil prices well above $90 per barrel,” McNally said.The average gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in the U.S. stands at $3.81, according to AAA, just under the all-time high for Labor Day of $3.83 in 2012. However, gasoline demand typically drops for U.S. motorists after the holiday so it remains unclear what immediate effect this could have on the American market, AAA spokesman Andrew Gross said.“I’m more concerned about what the rest of hurricane season may hold,” Gross told The Associated Press. “A big storm along the Gulf coast could move prices dramatically here.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-hurricane-idalia-2136985ceea53f5deb600c43aeea1138">Hurricane Idalia</a>&nbsp;just plowed through Florida and U.S. forecasters said Tuesday that a new tropical depression in the Atlantic Ocean could become a “major hurricane.”Meanwhile, higher gasoline prices can increase transportation costs and ultimately push the prices of goods even higher at a time when the U.S. and much of the world is already raising interest rates to combat inflation.“The impact these cuts will have on inflation and economic policy in the West is hard to predict, but higher oil prices will only increase the likelihood of more fiscal tightening, especially in the U.S., to curtail inflation,” said Jorge Leon, a senior vice president at Rystad Energy. “Western leaders, wary of an oil price spike, could explore import adjustments or open diplomatic discussions to help mitigate the impact and tame inflation.”The Saudi reduction, which began in July, comes as the other OPEC+ producers have agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">extend earlier production cuts</a>&nbsp;through next year.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">A series of production cuts over the past year</a>&nbsp;has failed to substantially boost prices amid weakened demand from China and tighter monetary policy aimed at combating inflation. But with international travel back up to nearly pre-pandemic levels, the demand for oil likely will continue to rise.The Saudis are particularly keen to boost oil prices in order to fund Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to overhaul the kingdom’s economy, reduce its dependence on oil and to create jobs for a young population.The plan includes several massive infrastructure projects, including the construction of a futuristic $500 billion city called Neom.But Saudi Arabia also has to manage its relationship with Washington. Biden campaigned on a promise of making the kingdom's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a “pariah” over the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.In recent months, tensions eased slightly as Biden's administration sought a deal with Riyadh for it to diplomatically recognize Israel.But those talks include Saudi Arabia pushing for a nuclear cooperation deal that includes America allowing it to enrich uranium in the kingdom — something that worries nonproliferation experts, as spinning centrifuges open the door to a possible weapons program.Prince Mohammed already has said the kingdom would pursue an atomic bomb if Iran had one, potentially creating a nuclear arms race in the region as Tehran’s program continues to advance closer to weapons-grade levels. Saudi Arabia and Iran reached a détente in recent months, though the region remains tense amid the wider tensions between Iran and the U.S.Higher oil prices would also help Russian President Vladimir Putin fund his war on Ukraine. Western countries have used a price cap to try to cut into Moscow’s revenues. But those sanctions have seen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-health-covid-prices-european-union-65de1c4934227208bfa68bb7d4c47716">Moscow be forced to sell its oil at a discount</a>&nbsp;to countries like China and India.