LOS ANGELES (AP) — U.S. officials said Tuesday that the FBI and its European partners infiltrated and seized control of a major global malware network used for more than 15 years to commit a gamut of online crimes including crippling ransomware attacks.

They then remotely removed the malicious software agent — known as Qakbot — from thousands of infected computers.

Cybersecurity experts said they were impressed by the deft dismantling of the network but cautioned that any setback to cybercrime would likely be temporary.

“Nearly ever sector of the economy has been victimized by Qakbot,” Martin Estrada, the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, said Tuesday in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/qakbot-malware-disrupted-international-cyber-takedown">announcing the takedown.</a>&nbsp;He said the criminal network had facilitated about 40 ransomware attacks alone over 18 months that investigators said netted Qakbot administrators about $58 million.

Qakbot's ransomware victims included an Illinois-based engineering firm, financial services organizations in Alabama and Kansas, along with a Maryland defense manufacturer and a Southern California food distribution company, Estrada said.

Officials said $8.6 million in cybercurrency was seized or frozen but no arrests were announced.

Estrada said the investigation is ongoing. He would not say where administrators of the malware, which marshaled infected machines into a botnet of zombie computers, were located. Cybersecurity researchers say they are believed to be in Russia and/or other former Soviet states.

Officials estimated the so-called malware loader, a digital Swiss knife for cybercrooks also known as Pinkslipbot and Qbot, was leveraged to cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage since first appearing in 2008 as an information-stealing bank trojan. They said millions of people in nearly every country in the world have been affected.

Typically delivered via phishing email infections,&nbsp;<a href="https://attack.mitre.org/versions/v11/software/S0650/">Qakbot gave criminal hackers</a>&nbsp;initial access to violated computers. They could then deploy additional payloads including ransomware, steal sensitive information or gather intelligence on victims to facilitate financial fraud and crimes such as tech support and romance scams.

The Qakbot network was “literally feeding the global cybercrime supply chain,” said Donald Alway, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles office, calling it “one of the most devastating cybercriminal tools in history.” The&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.checkpoint.com/security/check-point-shares-analysis-of-qakbot-malware-group/">most commonly detected malware</a>&nbsp;in the first half of 2023, Qakbot impacted one in 10 corporate networks and accounted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reliaquest.com/blog/the-3-malware-loaders-behind-80-of-incidents/">for about 30% of attacks globally,</a>&nbsp;a pair of cybersecurity firms found. Such “initial access” tools allow extortionist ransomware gangs to skip the initial step of penetrating computer networks, making them major facilitators for the far-flung, mostly Russian-speaking criminals who have wreaked havoc by stealing data and disrupting schools, hospitals, local governments and businesses worldwide.

Beginning Friday in an operation officials dubbed “Duck Hunt,” the FBI along with Europol and law enforcement and justice partners in France, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Latvia seized more than 50 Qakbot servers and identified more than 700,000 infected computers, more than 200,000 of them in the U.S. — effectively cutting off criminals from their quarry.

The FBI then used the seized Qakbot infrastructure to remotely dispatch updates that deleted the malware from thousands of infected computers. A senior FBI official, briefing reporters on condition he not be further identified, called that number “fluid” and cautioned that other malware may have remained on machines liberated from Qakbot.

It was the FBI's biggest success against cybercrooks since it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-health-crime-us-department-of-justice-ed17a8853d78a9d0185af04cb8bd2fd2">“hacked the hackers”</a>&nbsp;with the January takedown of the prolific Hive ransomware gang.

“It is an impressive takedown. Qakbot was the largest botnet" in number of victims, said Alex Holden, founder of Milwaukee-based Hold Security. But he said it may have been a casualty of its own success in its staggering growth over the past few years. “Large botnets today tend to implode as too many threat actors are mining this data for various types of abuse.”

Cybersecurity expert Chester Wisniewski at Sophos agreed that while there could be a temporary drop in ransomware attacks, the criminals can be expected to either revive infrastructure elsewhere or move to other botnets.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — U.S. officials said Tuesday that the FBI and its European partners infiltrated and seized control of a major global malware network used for more than 15 years to commit a gamut of online crimes including crippling ransomware attacks.They then remotely removed the malicious software agent — known as Qakbot — from thousands of infected computers.Cybersecurity experts said they were impressed by the deft dismantling of the network but cautioned that any setback to cybercrime would likely be temporary.“Nearly ever sector of the economy has been victimized by Qakbot,” Martin Estrada, the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, said Tuesday in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/qakbot-malware-disrupted-international-cyber-takedown">announcing the takedown.</a>&nbsp;He said the criminal network had facilitated about 40 ransomware attacks alone over 18 months that investigators said netted Qakbot administrators about $58 million.Qakbot's ransomware victims included an Illinois-based engineering firm, financial services organizations in Alabama and Kansas, along with a Maryland defense manufacturer and a Southern California food distribution company, Estrada said.Officials said $8.6 million in cybercurrency was seized or frozen but no arrests were announced.Estrada said the investigation is ongoing. He would not say where administrators of the malware, which marshaled infected machines into a botnet of zombie computers, were located. Cybersecurity researchers say they are believed to be in Russia and/or other former Soviet states.Officials estimated the so-called malware loader, a digital Swiss knife for cybercrooks also known as Pinkslipbot and Qbot, was leveraged to cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage since first appearing in 2008 as an information-stealing bank trojan. They said millions of people in nearly every country in the world have been affected.Typically delivered via phishing email infections,&nbsp;<a href="https://attack.mitre.org/versions/v11/software/S0650/">Qakbot gave criminal hackers</a>&nbsp;initial access to violated computers. They could then deploy additional payloads including ransomware, steal sensitive information or gather intelligence on victims to facilitate financial fraud and crimes such as tech support and romance scams.The Qakbot network was “literally feeding the global cybercrime supply chain,” said Donald Alway, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles office, calling it “one of the most devastating cybercriminal tools in history.” The&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.checkpoint.com/security/check-point-shares-analysis-of-qakbot-malware-group/">most commonly detected malware</a>&nbsp;in the first half of 2023, Qakbot impacted one in 10 corporate networks and accounted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reliaquest.com/blog/the-3-malware-loaders-behind-80-of-incidents/">for about 30% of attacks globally,</a>&nbsp;a pair of cybersecurity firms found. Such “initial access” tools allow extortionist ransomware gangs to skip the initial step of penetrating computer networks, making them major facilitators for the far-flung, mostly Russian-speaking criminals who have wreaked havoc by stealing data and disrupting schools, hospitals, local governments and businesses worldwide.Beginning Friday in an operation officials dubbed “Duck Hunt,” the FBI along with Europol and law enforcement and justice partners in France, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Latvia seized more than 50 Qakbot servers and identified more than 700,000 infected computers, more than 200,000 of them in the U.S. — effectively cutting off criminals from their quarry.The FBI then used the seized Qakbot infrastructure to remotely dispatch updates that deleted the malware from thousands of infected computers. A senior FBI official, briefing reporters on condition he not be further identified, called that number “fluid” and cautioned that other malware may have remained on machines liberated from Qakbot.It was the FBI's biggest success against cybercrooks since it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-health-crime-us-department-of-justice-ed17a8853d78a9d0185af04cb8bd2fd2">“hacked the hackers”</a>&nbsp;with the January takedown of the prolific Hive ransomware gang.“It is an impressive takedown. Qakbot was the largest botnet" in number of victims, said Alex Holden, founder of Milwaukee-based Hold Security. But he said it may have been a casualty of its own success in its staggering growth over the past few years. “Large botnets today tend to implode as too many threat actors are mining this data for various types of abuse.”Cybersecurity expert Chester Wisniewski at Sophos agreed that while there could be a temporary drop in ransomware attacks, the criminals can be expected to either revive infrastructure elsewhere or move to other botnets.

FBI, European partners seize major malware network

<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 — The job posting to lead the Nebraska Public Employees Retirement Systems clearly states that “successful candidates will have an advanced degree….”

But the person hired, State Treasurer John Murante, doesn’t have an advanced degree, let alone one in the fields described in the job posting: “business administration, public administration, finance/accounting or related field.”

Murante, who<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/21/nebraska-state-treasurer-to-exit-elected-role-to-head-state-retirement-agency/">&nbsp;last week got a 6-0 vote</a>&nbsp;to be hired for the job, lists a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as his education credentials.

Whether the lack of an advanced degree is just an oddity or a potential deal breaker wasn’t immediately clear. But also unclear was why it was included as a qualification in a job posting, but then didn’t come into play in the selection process.

When asked about it last week, the chair of the Public Employees Retirement Board, Kelli Ackerman of Lincoln, said that Murante’s candidacy was screened by the personnel department at the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services and then was forwarded as one of three finalists for the post.

DAS decided who was qualified, said Ackerman, who added that they looked at “related degrees and expertise.”

When DAS officials were asked why they approved the application, despite the lack of the required master’s degree or doctorate, the Examiner received this response via email:

“John Murante is a business owner, career public servant, and has five years’ experience managing the State Treasury. The Public Employees Retirement Board was thorough in its evaluation process and should be congratulated on having landed such a well-qualified candidate,” said DAS spokeswoman Sarah Skinner.

“The Governor looks forward to concurring in Treasurer Murante’s appointment and advancing him to the Legislature after the Public Employees Retirement Board ratifies his employment agreement,” she added.

When Skinner was asked to clarify how a candidate could be approved and forwarded without the required advanced degree, she said that the DAS’s original response answered that question.

For his part, Murante, in a statement, said he was honored to be selected by the Public Employees Retirement for the position.

“My experience as the current custodian of Nebraska’s retirement dollars, member of the Nebraska Investment Council and having run both a state agency and small business make me well qualified to steward Nebraska pensions,” Murante said.

The Nebraska Legislature, by a majority vote, as well as Gov. Jim Pillen, must still ratify Murante’s appointment to the job. It’s unclear whether the requirement for an advanced degree will come up when the appointment hits the floor of the Legislature in 2024.

Murante is a Republican and a former state senator, and right now the Unicameral Legislature is solidly red, with the GOP just one vote short of having a filibuster proof 33 senators in the 49-seat, officially nonpartisan body.

State statute doesn’t require advanced degree

It should be noted that state statutes concerning the qualifications to become head of the retirement systems agency are less explicit than the job posting seeking applicants for the job. The statutes do not mention the need for an advanced college degree.

Director qualifications, as listed in state statutes, “shall include, but not be limited to, (i) supervisory or management experience and (ii) training in, experience with, or a demonstrated knowledge of qualified public employee retirement plan administration.”

The director, a job that was paying $185,000-a-year (more than twice the State Treasurer’s salary), oversees investments and administration of retirement accounts for tens of thousands of state and county employees in Nebraska, as well as teachers and school employees, judges and state troopers. The PERB website says it manages more than $18 billion in assets.

Murante, if he is confirmed by the governor and Legislature, will replace Randy Gerke as director.

Gerke declined to comment for this story other than to confirm that he does have an advanced degree — a master of science in computer information systems.

This hasn’t been the only hiccup in the hiring of a replacement for Gerke. The PERB’s original pick for the job,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-legislators-in-a-rare-move-reject-hiring-by-a-state-agency/">Jason Hayes, was rejected by senators last spring,</a>&nbsp;forcing the agency to redo its selection and Gerke to delay his retirement.

Ackerman noted some frustration, but emphasized that Murante has “great experience” and will do a great job.

“We’re excited to get started,” she said. “This has been a long process for our board.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693334947728.jpeg" alt=" State Treasurer John Murante testified this spring before a Nebraska legislative committee in favor of a bill that would ensure state funds aren’t used by banks for social or political goals. Murante led a national group of GOP state financial officers who opposed so-called ESG investing. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> State Treasurer John Murante testified this spring before a Nebraska legislative committee in favor of a bill that would ensure state funds aren’t used by banks for social or political goals. Murante led a national group of GOP state financial officers who opposed so-called ESG investing. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>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 — The job posting to lead the Nebraska Public Employees Retirement Systems clearly states that “successful candidates will have an advanced degree….”But the person hired, State Treasurer John Murante, doesn’t have an advanced degree, let alone one in the fields described in the job posting: “business administration, public administration, finance/accounting or related field.”Murante, who<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/21/nebraska-state-treasurer-to-exit-elected-role-to-head-state-retirement-agency/">&nbsp;last week got a 6-0 vote</a>&nbsp;to be hired for the job, lists a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as his education credentials.<h2>Had ‘related degrees and expertise’</h2>Whether the lack of an advanced degree is just an oddity or a potential deal breaker wasn’t immediately clear. But also unclear was why it was included as a qualification in a job posting, but then didn’t come into play in the selection process.When asked about it last week, the chair of the Public Employees Retirement Board, Kelli Ackerman of Lincoln, said that Murante’s candidacy was screened by the personnel department at the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services and then was forwarded as one of three finalists for the post.DAS decided who was qualified, said Ackerman, who added that they looked at “related degrees and expertise.”When DAS officials were asked why they approved the application, despite the lack of the required master’s degree or doctorate, the Examiner received this response via email:“John Murante is a business owner, career public servant, and has five years’ experience managing the State Treasury. The Public Employees Retirement Board was thorough in its evaluation process and should be congratulated on having landed such a well-qualified candidate,” said DAS spokeswoman Sarah Skinner.“The Governor looks forward to concurring in Treasurer Murante’s appointment and advancing him to the Legislature after the Public Employees Retirement Board ratifies his employment agreement,” she added.When Skinner was asked to clarify how a candidate could be approved and forwarded without the required advanced degree, she said that the DAS’s original response answered that question.For his part, Murante, in a statement, said he was honored to be selected by the Public Employees Retirement for the position.“My experience as the current custodian of Nebraska’s retirement dollars, member of the Nebraska Investment Council and having run both a state agency and small business make me well qualified to steward Nebraska pensions,” Murante said.The Nebraska Legislature, by a majority vote, as well as Gov. Jim Pillen, must still ratify Murante’s appointment to the job. It’s unclear whether the requirement for an advanced degree will come up when the appointment hits the floor of the Legislature in 2024.Murante is a Republican and a former state senator, and right now the Unicameral Legislature is solidly red, with the GOP just one vote short of having a filibuster proof 33 senators in the 49-seat, officially nonpartisan body.<h2>State statute doesn’t require advanced degree</h2>It should be noted that state statutes concerning the qualifications to become head of the retirement systems agency are less explicit than the job posting seeking applicants for the job. The statutes do not mention the need for an advanced college degree.Director qualifications, as listed in state statutes, “shall include, but not be limited to, (i) supervisory or management experience and (ii) training in, experience with, or a demonstrated knowledge of qualified public employee retirement plan administration.”The director, a job that was paying $185,000-a-year (more than twice the State Treasurer’s salary), oversees investments and administration of retirement accounts for tens of thousands of state and county employees in Nebraska, as well as teachers and school employees, judges and state troopers. The PERB website says it manages more than $18 billion in assets.Murante, if he is confirmed by the governor and Legislature, will replace Randy Gerke as director.Gerke declined to comment for this story other than to confirm that he does have an advanced degree — a master of science in computer information systems.This hasn’t been the only hiccup in the hiring of a replacement for Gerke. The PERB’s original pick for the job,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-legislators-in-a-rare-move-reject-hiring-by-a-state-agency/">Jason Hayes, was rejected by senators last spring,</a>&nbsp;forcing the agency to redo its selection and Gerke to delay his retirement.Ackerman noted some frustration, but emphasized that Murante has “great experience” and will do a great job.“We’re excited to get started,” she said. “This has been a long process for our board.”

Did State Treasurer meet the qualifications to run Nebraska’s public employees retirement agency?

AUGUST 29, 2023 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Volleyball Day in Nebraska is setting up to be a record-breaking event at Memorial Stadium and Nebraska State Troopers will be on patrol to keep fans safe as they travel to and from Lincoln.

“The world has never seen anything like what we’re expecting tomorrow in Lincoln,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “People will be talking about this event for many years. Let’s all work together to make sure those memories don’t include a roadway incident. Drive safely and always drive sober.”

Troopers will be working overtime thanks in part a grant from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office. Troopers will be patrolling high-traffic roadways in and around Lincoln. The NSP AirWing will also patrol from the air to provide aerial support.

The Nebraska Department of Transportation has issued several reminders for traffic flow entering Lincoln from both the east and west.&nbsp;<a href="https://dot.nebraska.gov/media/1zjfozlw/8-29-23-volleyball-day-revised.pdf" target="_blank">Fans can view those recommendations here.</a>

<a>The City of Lincoln has provided the following guidance for travel into Lincoln.</a>

Cody Thomas Nebraska State PatrolAUGUST 29, 2023 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Volleyball Day in Nebraska is setting up to be a record-breaking event at Memorial Stadium and Nebraska State Troopers will be on patrol to keep fans safe as they travel to and from Lincoln.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693337207149.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of the Nebraska State Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of the Nebraska State Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>“The world has never seen anything like what we’re expecting tomorrow in Lincoln,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “People will be talking about this event for many years. Let’s all work together to make sure those memories don’t include a roadway incident. Drive safely and always drive sober.”Troopers will be working overtime thanks in part a grant from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office. Troopers will be patrolling high-traffic roadways in and around Lincoln. The NSP AirWing will also patrol from the air to provide aerial support.The Nebraska Department of Transportation has issued several reminders for traffic flow entering Lincoln from both the east and west.&nbsp;<a href="https://dot.nebraska.gov/media/1zjfozlw/8-29-23-volleyball-day-revised.pdf" target="_blank">Fans can view those recommendations here.</a><a>The City of Lincoln has provided the following guidance for travel into Lincoln.</a><ul>
 <li>Downtown Construction: North 10th street from “Q” to “R” streets will have one lane closed due to building construction.</li><li>Downtown Traffic Notes:</li><li>Stadium Drive west of the stadium will be closed to all vehicle traffic. Passenger drop-off and pick-up will not be allowed in front of the Stadium before or after the game. Fan can be dropped off and picked up at 10th&nbsp;and Charleston streets.</li><li>Fans cannot be dropped off at 12th and “R” streets. That location is for shuttle buses only.</li><li>Entrance to the Haymarket from Ninth Street via “R”, “Q” and “P” streets is prohibited 2-1/2 hours prior to the game. Drivers are encouraged to use “N” Street to access the Haymarket and Railyard.</li><li>“Q” Street from 11th to 10th streets and 10th Street from “Q” to “T” streets will be closed for about one hour after the game and concert ends.</li>
 </ul>

Troopers on Patrol for Volleyball Day in Nebraska

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/28/state-lawmaker-challenges-gov-pillen-to-act-on-danger-lurking-at-state-psychiatric-hospital/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — State Sen. Carol Blood has stepped in on behalf of workers and patients at the Lincoln Regional Center, saying that assaults, equipment needs and mandatory overtime add up to unsafe conditions at the state psychiatric hospital.

The Bellevue lawmaker has challenged Gov. Jim Pillen to act swiftly, noting that he is aware and has been meeting with union officials who told the Nebraska Examiner that change isn’t happening fast enough.

“It’s getting very dangerous,” said Blood.

Pillen’s office on Monday received a letter from Blood outlining concerns, including that a group of workers had been discussing a possible protest.

A spokeswoman for the governor confirmed receipt of the letter and said: “A response will be provided to her office in due course.”&nbsp;

‘Corrections facility meets hospital’

Blood said mental health specialists, or “techs,” at the Regional Center contacted her in early August, describing conditions at the 250-bed inpatient psychiatric hospital operated by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

The complex serves people in need of specialized mental health services and adults committed for being not responsible for a crime due to a mental illness.

A union representative for the mental health specialists described the Regional Center as a “corrections facility meets hospital” — and said different and better training is needed for the techs to be able to defend themselves when working among potentially violent patients.

Mike Chipman, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 88, which represents the techs, said that he’s seen an uptick in techs seeking hospital attention as a result of work conditions. He said one tech recently had surgery on his face after an attack.&nbsp;

“Nobody should have to be a punching bag,” said Chipman.

The techs experience the majority of patient contact, Blood said, handling duties such as mental health episodes, helping with patient treatments and even tending to janitorial tasks such as taking out the trash.

She said there appears to be a shortage of portable radios, which are a critical tool for techs who might need to call for assistance in a crisis. Break times have been reduced.&nbsp;

Mandatory overtime shifts weren’t common until July 2023, Blood said, based on data she has been provided.

&nbsp;“It appears that patients aren’t able to be controlled in a compassionate manner due to ongoing staffing shortage, specifically for techs,” she said.

Jerry Brittain, vice president of the FOP Lodge 88, said concerns stem from multiple sources, including administrative changes, staff turnover and inadequate training for techs whose pay starts at $25.75 an hour.&nbsp;

He said that while he is “optimistic” that the Governor’s Office will respond with improvements, “it’s been slow going and we would like to step it up.”

Blood’s letter, and complaints from techs who said they didn’t want to be identified for fear of retaliation, follows<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/assaults-on-staff-nearly-double-at-lincoln-regional-center-new-report-says/">&nbsp;a report last December</a>&nbsp;that said assaults on staff at the Regional Center nearly doubled in 2022.

It also noted critical vacant positions that year at the Regional Center.

The report, an annual review of Nebraska’s public institutions, has been required since 2020, when unsafe conditions at the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center for girls in Geneva forced the youths to be relocated to a Kearney facility that previously housed only boys.

Blood said Pillen’s office has known, since late July, about talks of mental health technicians possibly organizing a protest. Their contract prohibits walking off the job, but the protest, if it happened, would be outside the Capitol by off-duty workers.

“This is the time for appropriate oversight and greater transparency to Nebraskans,” Blood said in her letter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693324975139.jpeg" alt=" The Lincoln Regional Center was first established in 1869, just outside the capital city. It treats adults with mental illnesses, and those committed for being not responsible for committing a crime due to a mental illness, at several buildings on a campus just southwest of the city. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> The Lincoln Regional Center was first established in 1869, just outside the capital city. It treats adults with mental illnesses, and those committed for being not responsible for committing a crime due to a mental illness, at several buildings on a campus just southwest of the city. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/28/state-lawmaker-challenges-gov-pillen-to-act-on-danger-lurking-at-state-psychiatric-hospital/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — State Sen. Carol Blood has stepped in on behalf of workers and patients at the Lincoln Regional Center, saying that assaults, equipment needs and mandatory overtime add up to unsafe conditions at the state psychiatric hospital.The Bellevue lawmaker has challenged Gov. Jim Pillen to act swiftly, noting that he is aware and has been meeting with union officials who told the Nebraska Examiner that change isn’t happening fast enough.“It’s getting very dangerous,” said Blood.Pillen’s office on Monday received a letter from Blood outlining concerns, including that a group of workers had been discussing a possible protest.A spokeswoman for the governor confirmed receipt of the letter and said: “A response will be provided to her office in due course.”&nbsp;<h2>‘Corrections facility meets hospital’</h2>Blood said mental health specialists, or “techs,” at the Regional Center contacted her in early August, describing conditions at the 250-bed inpatient psychiatric hospital operated by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.The complex serves people in need of specialized mental health services and adults committed for being not responsible for a crime due to a mental illness.A union representative for the mental health specialists described the Regional Center as a “corrections facility meets hospital” — and said different and better training is needed for the techs to be able to defend themselves when working among potentially violent patients.Mike Chipman, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 88, which represents the techs, said that he’s seen an uptick in techs seeking hospital attention as a result of work conditions. He said one tech recently had surgery on his face after an attack.&nbsp;“Nobody should have to be a punching bag,” said Chipman.The techs experience the majority of patient contact, Blood said, handling duties such as mental health episodes, helping with patient treatments and even tending to janitorial tasks such as taking out the trash.She said there appears to be a shortage of portable radios, which are a critical tool for techs who might need to call for assistance in a crisis. Break times have been reduced.&nbsp;Mandatory overtime shifts weren’t common until July 2023, Blood said, based on data she has been provided.Patients are at risk, Blood added.&nbsp;“It appears that patients aren’t able to be controlled in a compassionate manner due to ongoing staffing shortage, specifically for techs,” she said.<h2>Response ‘slow going’</h2>Jerry Brittain, vice president of the FOP Lodge 88, said concerns stem from multiple sources, including administrative changes, staff turnover and inadequate training for techs whose pay starts at $25.75 an hour.&nbsp;He said that while he is “optimistic” that the Governor’s Office will respond with improvements, “it’s been slow going and we would like to step it up.”Blood’s letter, and complaints from techs who said they didn’t want to be identified for fear of retaliation, follows<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/assaults-on-staff-nearly-double-at-lincoln-regional-center-new-report-says/">&nbsp;a report last December</a>&nbsp;that said assaults on staff at the Regional Center nearly doubled in 2022.It also noted critical vacant positions that year at the Regional Center.The report, an annual review of Nebraska’s public institutions, has been required since 2020, when unsafe conditions at the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center for girls in Geneva forced the youths to be relocated to a Kearney facility that previously housed only boys.Blood said Pillen’s office has known, since late July, about talks of mental health technicians possibly organizing a protest. Their contract prohibits walking off the job, but the protest, if it happened, would be outside the Capitol by off-duty workers.“This is the time for appropriate oversight and greater transparency to Nebraskans,” Blood said in her letter.

State lawmaker challenges Gov. Pillen to act on “danger” lurking at state psychiatric hospital

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nu-college-of-law-to-establish-clinic-to-defend-first-amendment-rights/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Journalists and the members of the public facing violations of they First Amendment rights will soon have somewhere else to turn.

The University of Nebraska College of Law announced Monday that it was establishing a law clinic, staffed by law students and supervised by practicing attorneys, to take on cases involving free speech, public records and public meetings.

Law school officials unveiled the project before a roomful of journalists at the law college.

“We will defend the First Amendment rights of our clients while at the same time educating students on the intricacies of First Amendment law,” said Daniel Gutman, an Omaha-based attorney who will direct the clinic.

Sydney Hayes, a former associate with Husch Blackwell in Omaha, will be assistant director. Both are graduates of the NU law school and now teach there.

The clinic, which will involve eight third-year law students taking perhaps four cases at a time, is already seeking cases, Gutman said.

“We’re looking for a wide range of cases and clients,” said Gutman.

Its launch was made possible by a three-year, $1 million grant from the Stanton Foundation, created by Frank Stanton, a longtime president of CBS News.

The NU clinic will focus on local and regional cases involving freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and freedom of petition, according to a press release from the law college. It will also serve to increase&nbsp;law students’ understanding of First Amendment rights and will be a resource for organizations, students, journalists and citizens.

“Our clinical programs help students develop skills as they work on real cases and are a highlight in many students’ law school careers,” said Richard Moberly, dean of the College of Law.

The law school currently has several similar law clinics, including ones focused on justice for children, immigrants and debtors, and a housing justice clinic.

The stated goal of the Stanton Foundation is to “advance First Amendment and democratic values through an informed citizenry.”

During his career, Stanton organized the first televised presidential debate in 1960 between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. He also presided over CBS’s defense of a libel action brought by Gen. William Westmoreland, who sued over a broadcast report that U.S. military had deliberately misrepresented the military strength of the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693319410510.jpeg" alt=" The University of Nebraska Law College sits on East Campus in Lincoln. (Craig Chandler/University Communication)" />
 <figcaption> The University of Nebraska Law College sits on East Campus in Lincoln. (Craig Chandler/University Communication)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nu-college-of-law-to-establish-clinic-to-defend-first-amendment-rights/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Journalists and the members of the public facing violations of they First Amendment rights will soon have somewhere else to turn.The University of Nebraska College of Law announced Monday that it was establishing a law clinic, staffed by law students and supervised by practicing attorneys, to take on cases involving free speech, public records and public meetings.Law school officials unveiled the project before a roomful of journalists at the law college.<h2>$1 million grant</h2>“We will defend the First Amendment rights of our clients while at the same time educating students on the intricacies of First Amendment law,” said Daniel Gutman, an Omaha-based attorney who will direct the clinic.Sydney Hayes, a former associate with Husch Blackwell in Omaha, will be assistant director. Both are graduates of the NU law school and now teach there.The clinic, which will involve eight third-year law students taking perhaps four cases at a time, is already seeking cases, Gutman said.“We’re looking for a wide range of cases and clients,” said Gutman.Its launch was made possible by a three-year, $1 million grant from the Stanton Foundation, created by Frank Stanton, a longtime president of CBS News.The NU clinic will focus on local and regional cases involving freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and freedom of petition, according to a press release from the law college. It will also serve to increase&nbsp;law students’ understanding of First Amendment rights and will be a resource for organizations, students, journalists and citizens.<h2>One of several law clinics</h2>“Our clinical programs help students develop skills as they work on real cases and are a highlight in many students’ law school careers,” said Richard Moberly, dean of the College of Law.The law school currently has several similar law clinics, including ones focused on justice for children, immigrants and debtors, and a housing justice clinic.The stated goal of the Stanton Foundation is to “advance First Amendment and democratic values through an informed citizenry.”During his career, Stanton organized the first televised presidential debate in 1960 between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. He also presided over CBS’s defense of a libel action brought by Gen. William Westmoreland, who sued over a broadcast report that U.S. military had deliberately misrepresented the military strength of the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War.Stanton died in 2006 at age 98.

NU College of Law to establish clinic to defend First Amendment rights

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is targeting the blood thinner Eliquis, diabetes treatment Jardiance and eight other medications for Medicare's first-ever drug price negotiations as it seeks to lower medical costs for Americans.

The administration on Tuesday released&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23930689-medicare-drug-price-negotiation-list">a list of the 10 drugs</a>&nbsp;for which prices will be negotiated directly with the manufacturer. The move is expected to cut costs for many patients, but it faces litigation from the drugmakers and heavy criticism from Republican lawmakers, and it could be years before consumers notice any savings.

The effort is a centerpiece of President Joe Biden's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">reelection pitch</a>&nbsp;as the Democrat seeks to show Americans he's deserving of a second term because of the work he's doing to lower costs for them while the country is struggling with inflation. But like the drug negotiations, many of Biden's biggest policy moves take time to roll out, and his challenge is to persuade the public to be patient.

“For many Americans, the cost of one drug is the difference between life and death, dignity and dependence, hope and fear,” Biden said in a statement. “That is why we will continue the fight to lower healthcare costs — and we will not stop until we finish the job.”

Biden plans to deliver a speech on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lifestyle-health-care-costs-medicare-prescription-drugs-2fe3928665506b9a2d9c9c38bfd4f0c9">health care costs</a>&nbsp;from the White House later Tuesday. He’ll be joined by Vice President Kamala Harris.

The drugs on the list announced Tuesday accounted for more than $50 billion in Medicare prescription drug costs between June 1, 2022, and May 31, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS. The diabetes treatments Jardiance from Eli Lilly and Co. and Merck’s Januvia made the list, along with Amgen’s autoimmune disease treatment Enbrel. Other drugs include Entresto from Novartis, which is used to treat heart failure.

Medicare spent about $10 billion in 2020 on Eliquis, according to AARP research. The drug from Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb treats blood clots in the legs and lungs and reduces the risk of stroke in people with an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation.

Senior administration officials said Tuesday that the 10 drugs selected for negotiation are among the most costly to the Medicare program. They said 8.2 million people with Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage take them.

Other drugs on the list include AstraZeneca’s diabetes and heart failure treatment Farxiga and three drugs from Johnson &amp; Johnson: the blood thinner Xarelto, the blood cancer treatment Imbruvica and it’s biggest seller, Stelara, an IV treatment for psoriasis and other inflammatory disorders.

The list also includes several versions of Novo Nordisk’s Fiasp, a fast-acting insulin taken around meals.

The Inflation Reduction Act already caps Medicare patient out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 a month. An administration official said Tuesday that upper limit will hold but there could be further changes in those costs.

The announcement is a significant step under the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-climate-health-tax-law-economy-inflation-f112d7c78abaa724d22964317d213deb">Inflation Reduction Act,</a>&nbsp;which was signed by Biden last year. The law requires the federal government for the first time to start negotiating directly with companies about the prices they charge for some of Medicare’s most expensive drugs.

More than 52 million people who either are 65 or older or have certain severe disabilities or illnesses get prescription drug coverage through Medicare’s Part D program, according to CMS.

About 9% of Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older said in 2021 that they did not fill a prescription or skipped a drug dose due to cost, according to research by the Commonwealth Fund, which studies health care issues.

The agency aims to negotiate the lowest maximum fair price for drugs on the list released Tuesday. That could help some patients who have coverage but still face big bills like high deductible payments when they get a prescription.

Currently, pharmacy benefit managers that run Medicare prescription plans negotiate rebates off a drug's price. Those rebates sometimes help reduce premiums customers pay for coverage. But they may not change what a patient spends at the pharmacy counter.

The new drug price negotiations aim "to basically make drugs more affordable while also still allowing for profits to be made,” said Gretchen Jacobson, who researches Medicare issues at Commonwealth.

Drug companies that refuse to be a part of the new negotiation process will be heavily taxed.

The pharmaceutical industry has been gearing up for months to fight these rules. Already, the plan faces several lawsuits, including complaints filed by drugmakers Merck and Bristol-Myers Squibb and a key lobbying group, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA.

PhRMA said in a federal court complaint filed earlier this year that the act forces drugmakers to agree to a “government-dictated price” under the threat of a heavy tax and gives too much price-setting authority to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

PhRMA representatives also have said pharmacy benefit managers can still restrict access to drugs with negotiated prices by moving the drugs to a tier of their formulary — a list of covered drugs — that would require higher out-of-pocket payments. Pharmacy benefit managers also could require patients to try other drugs first or seek approval before a prescription can be covered.

Republican lawmakers also have blasted the Biden administration for its plan, saying companies might pull back on introducing new drugs that could be subjected to future haggling. They’ve also questioned whether the government knows enough to suggest prices for drugs.

CMS will start its negotiations on drugs for which it spends the most money. The drugs also must be ones that don't have generic competitors and are approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

CMS plans to meet this fall with drugmakers that have a drug on its list, and government officials say they also plan to hold patient-focused listening sessions. By February 2024, the government will make its first offer on a maximum fair price and then give drugmakers time to respond.

Any negotiated prices won't take hold until 2026. More drugs could be added to the program in the coming years.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is targeting the blood thinner Eliquis, diabetes treatment Jardiance and eight other medications for Medicare's first-ever drug price negotiations as it seeks to lower medical costs for Americans.The administration on Tuesday released&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23930689-medicare-drug-price-negotiation-list">a list of the 10 drugs</a>&nbsp;for which prices will be negotiated directly with the manufacturer. The move is expected to cut costs for many patients, but it faces litigation from the drugmakers and heavy criticism from Republican lawmakers, and it could be years before consumers notice any savings.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">No senior should have to overpay for life-saving drugs to pad Big Pharma’s pockets. My Administration is announcing the first 10 Medicare Part D drugs selected for price negotiation. We&#39;re ending the days of deciding between buying your medicine or putting food on the table. <a href="https://t.co/oEMkaXAjWb">pic.twitter.com/oEMkaXAjWb</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1696492901633585429?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The effort is a centerpiece of President Joe Biden's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">reelection pitch</a>&nbsp;as the Democrat seeks to show Americans he's deserving of a second term because of the work he's doing to lower costs for them while the country is struggling with inflation. But like the drug negotiations, many of Biden's biggest policy moves take time to roll out, and his challenge is to persuade the public to be patient.“For many Americans, the cost of one drug is the difference between life and death, dignity and dependence, hope and fear,” Biden said in a statement. “That is why we will continue the fight to lower healthcare costs — and we will not stop until we finish the job.”Biden plans to deliver a speech on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lifestyle-health-care-costs-medicare-prescription-drugs-2fe3928665506b9a2d9c9c38bfd4f0c9">health care costs</a>&nbsp;from the White House later Tuesday. He’ll be joined by Vice President Kamala Harris.The drugs on the list announced Tuesday accounted for more than $50 billion in Medicare prescription drug costs between June 1, 2022, and May 31, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS. The diabetes treatments Jardiance from Eli Lilly and Co. and Merck’s Januvia made the list, along with Amgen’s autoimmune disease treatment Enbrel. Other drugs include Entresto from Novartis, which is used to treat heart failure.Medicare spent about $10 billion in 2020 on Eliquis, according to AARP research. The drug from Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb treats blood clots in the legs and lungs and reduces the risk of stroke in people with an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation.Senior administration officials said Tuesday that the 10 drugs selected for negotiation are among the most costly to the Medicare program. They said 8.2 million people with Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage take them.Other drugs on the list include AstraZeneca’s diabetes and heart failure treatment Farxiga and three drugs from Johnson &amp; Johnson: the blood thinner Xarelto, the blood cancer treatment Imbruvica and it’s biggest seller, Stelara, an IV treatment for psoriasis and other inflammatory disorders.The list also includes several versions of Novo Nordisk’s Fiasp, a fast-acting insulin taken around meals.The Inflation Reduction Act already caps Medicare patient out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 a month. An administration official said Tuesday that upper limit will hold but there could be further changes in those costs.The announcement is a significant step under the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-climate-health-tax-law-economy-inflation-f112d7c78abaa724d22964317d213deb">Inflation Reduction Act,</a>&nbsp;which was signed by Biden last year. The law requires the federal government for the first time to start negotiating directly with companies about the prices they charge for some of Medicare’s most expensive drugs.More than 52 million people who either are 65 or older or have certain severe disabilities or illnesses get prescription drug coverage through Medicare’s Part D program, according to CMS.About 9% of Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older said in 2021 that they did not fill a prescription or skipped a drug dose due to cost, according to research by the Commonwealth Fund, which studies health care issues.The agency aims to negotiate the lowest maximum fair price for drugs on the list released Tuesday. That could help some patients who have coverage but still face big bills like high deductible payments when they get a prescription.Currently, pharmacy benefit managers that run Medicare prescription plans negotiate rebates off a drug's price. Those rebates sometimes help reduce premiums customers pay for coverage. But they may not change what a patient spends at the pharmacy counter.The new drug price negotiations aim "to basically make drugs more affordable while also still allowing for profits to be made,” said Gretchen Jacobson, who researches Medicare issues at Commonwealth.Drug companies that refuse to be a part of the new negotiation process will be heavily taxed.The pharmaceutical industry has been gearing up for months to fight these rules. Already, the plan faces several lawsuits, including complaints filed by drugmakers Merck and Bristol-Myers Squibb and a key lobbying group, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA.PhRMA said in a federal court complaint filed earlier this year that the act forces drugmakers to agree to a “government-dictated price” under the threat of a heavy tax and gives too much price-setting authority to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.PhRMA representatives also have said pharmacy benefit managers can still restrict access to drugs with negotiated prices by moving the drugs to a tier of their formulary — a list of covered drugs — that would require higher out-of-pocket payments. Pharmacy benefit managers also could require patients to try other drugs first or seek approval before a prescription can be covered.Republican lawmakers also have blasted the Biden administration for its plan, saying companies might pull back on introducing new drugs that could be subjected to future haggling. They’ve also questioned whether the government knows enough to suggest prices for drugs.CMS will start its negotiations on drugs for which it spends the most money. The drugs also must be ones that don't have generic competitors and are approved by the Food and Drug Administration.CMS plans to meet this fall with drugmakers that have a drug on its list, and government officials say they also plan to hold patient-focused listening sessions. By February 2024, the government will make its first offer on a maximum fair price and then give drugmakers time to respond.Any negotiated prices won't take hold until 2026. More drugs could be added to the program in the coming years.___

Biden targets 10 Medicare Part D drugs for price negotiation

We have a good public education system in Nebraska: it is usually one of the top twenty systems in the nation, yet there is always room for improvement. It would be great if we could once again be a top 5 school system in the nation, and that is what we must strive to achieve.

One thing we’ve done in the last session is give classroom control back to the teacher. Legislative Bill 705 was passed and one of its provisions allows teachers who’ve been properly trained to remove disruptive children. Classrooms in some districts were becoming difficult places for education to flourish as Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) techniques were being used by teachers instead of other, more effective ways, to deal with disruptive students. Even more, what is called SEL today isn’t just to help student/classroom behavior, and emotional well-being. We believe that racial/gender/comprehensive sex education propaganda (CRT) is being shoe horned into SEL. There are videos of administrators suggesting this. Public school students have been badgered and shamed for their race for no reason. This is wrong.&nbsp;

We ARE NOT systematically racist in this nation and that is obvious and our children should not be told otherwise. Yes, there are still instances of racism, all around and in every ethnic community, but it is not systematic. Our schools have always taught about our nation’s sins of the past yet it was done acknowledging that we are and have been a great, yet flawed nation. This is not how some modern curriculum presents our history. As an example, while those with a CRT mindset continue to impugn our nation there are millions of African slaves on the African continent to this day. All you can hear is crickets when you ask them about this modern atrocity. We can and have learned from the sins of our past and we will not white-wash our history, but we will not do this in a condemnatory way. We will continue to learn from our past sins and still teach our students that our country has been built on liberty.

Children’s confusion concerning their gender is not something our schools should be invested in as Comprehensive Sex Education is not a part of our education standards in Nebraska. Our children need to be taught the basics. Even as Nebraska scores well nationally in overall education, our nation continues to plummet internationally as other nations do not get bogged down in CRT type propaganda. Our education system should not be sowing gender confusion on our impressionable children.&nbsp;

The continued misinformation about the Opportunity Scholarship Act is unfortunate. No money for public schools has been cut or will be cut. The money allocated for this scholarship is through tax credits. This money is never a part of our state education funding and the last session increased education spending over 300 million dollars with a new 1-billion-dollar fund created for future needs. The future of public education in Nebraska is financially stable.

What is truly a step forward is that now Nebraska is not behind every other state except one when it comes to educational liberty and opportunity! This scholarship allows parents and children to choose a school best suited to their needs. This includes schools that can help children with special needs. This happens today when special needs children are able to go to a school which is able to best deal with their issue. Now this will be available to far more children whose parents would not normally be able to pay for private schooling. This will greatly help many minority families. Educational liberty should not be a controversial idea, Nebraska has been in the dark ages for far too long when it comes to academic freedom. Now our parents and students can proclaim with Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “We are free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

We do need to do our best to make sure our children do not have easy access to pornography. Many Americans have fallen into a lifelong addiction to porn just through finding some readily available porn as a young child and this can scar their relationships for life. Interestingly, when parents read some of the porn provided in the schools at school board meetings, they are told to stop because of its lascivious nature, yet nothing is done about the accessibility of the book to the children. Only the ears of the school board are protected, not our children. We are still studying what some common-sense answers would be to this issue. We can all agree that if something is objectionable to a school board it is probably objectionable to a young student and their parents.

In summary, we must strive to make our schools even better and we can best do that through: providing educational/academic liberty, keeping American ideals central, and teaching our children the fundamentals, free from leftist indoctrination. The voices of the past want to sow shame and confusion and keep parents on the outside. I have confidence in the vast majority of parents and their teachers and I want to make sure our schools are simply places emphasize ABC’s/1,2,3’s of education.&nbsp;

Senator Dave MurmanWe have a good public education system in Nebraska: it is usually one of the top twenty systems in the nation, yet there is always room for improvement. It would be great if we could once again be a top 5 school system in the nation, and that is what we must strive to achieve.One thing we’ve done in the last session is give classroom control back to the teacher. Legislative Bill 705 was passed and one of its provisions allows teachers who’ve been properly trained to remove disruptive children. Classrooms in some districts were becoming difficult places for education to flourish as Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) techniques were being used by teachers instead of other, more effective ways, to deal with disruptive students. Even more, what is called SEL today isn’t just to help student/classroom behavior, and emotional well-being. We believe that racial/gender/comprehensive sex education propaganda (CRT) is being shoe horned into SEL. There are videos of administrators suggesting this. Public school students have been badgered and shamed for their race for no reason. This is wrong.&nbsp;We ARE NOT systematically racist in this nation and that is obvious and our children should not be told otherwise. Yes, there are still instances of racism, all around and in every ethnic community, but it is not systematic. Our schools have always taught about our nation’s sins of the past yet it was done acknowledging that we are and have been a great, yet flawed nation. This is not how some modern curriculum presents our history. As an example, while those with a CRT mindset continue to impugn our nation there are millions of African slaves on the African continent to this day. All you can hear is crickets when you ask them about this modern atrocity. We can and have learned from the sins of our past and we will not white-wash our history, but we will not do this in a condemnatory way. We will continue to learn from our past sins and still teach our students that our country has been built on liberty.Children’s confusion concerning their gender is not something our schools should be invested in as Comprehensive Sex Education is not a part of our education standards in Nebraska. Our children need to be taught the basics. Even as Nebraska scores well nationally in overall education, our nation continues to plummet internationally as other nations do not get bogged down in CRT type propaganda. Our education system should not be sowing gender confusion on our impressionable children.&nbsp;The continued misinformation about the Opportunity Scholarship Act is unfortunate. No money for public schools has been cut or will be cut. The money allocated for this scholarship is through tax credits. This money is never a part of our state education funding and the last session increased education spending over 300 million dollars with a new 1-billion-dollar fund created for future needs. The future of public education in Nebraska is financially stable.What is truly a step forward is that now Nebraska is not behind every other state except one when it comes to educational liberty and opportunity! This scholarship allows parents and children to choose a school best suited to their needs. This includes schools that can help children with special needs. This happens today when special needs children are able to go to a school which is able to best deal with their issue. Now this will be available to far more children whose parents would not normally be able to pay for private schooling. This will greatly help many minority families. Educational liberty should not be a controversial idea, Nebraska has been in the dark ages for far too long when it comes to academic freedom. Now our parents and students can proclaim with Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “We are free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”We do need to do our best to make sure our children do not have easy access to pornography. Many Americans have fallen into a lifelong addiction to porn just through finding some readily available porn as a young child and this can scar their relationships for life. Interestingly, when parents read some of the porn provided in the schools at school board meetings, they are told to stop because of its lascivious nature, yet nothing is done about the accessibility of the book to the children. Only the ears of the school board are protected, not our children. We are still studying what some common-sense answers would be to this issue. We can all agree that if something is objectionable to a school board it is probably objectionable to a young student and their parents.In summary, we must strive to make our schools even better and we can best do that through: providing educational/academic liberty, keeping American ideals central, and teaching our children the fundamentals, free from leftist indoctrination. The voices of the past want to sow shame and confusion and keep parents on the outside. I have confidence in the vast majority of parents and their teachers and I want to make sure our schools are simply places emphasize ABC’s/1,2,3’s of education.&nbsp;Thank you,Senator Murman.

Our Schools Are Good but Can Always Be Better

DARWIN, AUSTRALIA — Military officials confirm the names of those killed in the U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey crash on Melville Island, north of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, on Sunday morning. They are identified as U.S. Marine Corps Captain Eleanor V. LeBeau, female, 29, MV-22B Osprey pilot for VMM-363 (REIN), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, originally from Belleville, Illinois.

U.S. Marine Corps Major Tobin J. Lewis, male, 37, the executive officer of VMM-363 (REIN), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, originally from Jefferson, Colorado.

&nbsp;U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Spencer R. Collart, male, 21, MV-22B Osprey crew chief for VMM-363 (REIN), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, originally from Arlington, VA

Three Marines remain in Royal Darwin Hospital, with one in critical condition and two in stable condition. 17 others were taken to Royal Darwin Hospital, treated for minor injuries, and released.

Up to 2,500 U.S. Marines have been based in Darwin for six months a year since 2012 as part of the U.S. military pivot to Asia to counter China’s growing influence in the region.

Col. Brendan Sullivan, the commanding officer of the Marine Rotation Force-Darwin, said the Marines’ focus was on supporting the recovery of wreckage and investigating the cause.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of three respected and beloved members of the MRF-D family,” Sullivan said in a statement.

“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and with all involved,” Sullivan added.

President Joe Biden has also offered his condolences to their families.

“Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families of the Marines who lost their lives in this deadly crash,” Biden tweeted, referring to his wife Jill Biden. “We are praying for those who also suffered injuries.”

The Osprey is a hybrid aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter but during flight can tilt its propellers forward and cruise much faster like an airplane.

Before Sunday, there had been five fatal crashes of Marine Ospreys since 2012, causing a total of 16 deaths.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Eight U.S. Marines remained in a hospital in the Australian north coast city of Darwin on Monday after they were injured in a fiery crash of a tiltrotor aircraft that killed three of their colleagues on an island.

All 20 survivors were flown from Melville Island 80 kilometers (50 miles) south to Darwin within hours of the Marine V-22 Osprey crashing at 9:30 a.m. Sunday during a multinational training exercise, Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said.

All were taken to the Royal Darwin Hospital, and 12 had been discharged by Monday, she said.

The first five Marines to arrive at the city’s main hospital were critically injured and one underwent emergency surgery.

Fyles said she would not detail the conditions of eight who remained in the hospital out of respect for them and their families.

“It’s ... a credit to everyone involved that we were able to get 20 patients from an extremely remote location on an island into our tertiary hospital within a matter of hours,” Fyles told reporters.

The Osprey that crashed was one of two that flew from Darwin to Melville on Sunday as part of Exercise Predators Run, which involves the militaries of the United States, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and East Timor.

All 23 Marines aboard the lost aircraft were temporarily based in Darwin as part of the Marine Corps’ annual troop rotation.

Around 150 U.S. Marines are currently based in Darwin and up to 2,500 rotate through the city every year. They are part of a realignment of U.S. forces in the Asia-Pacific that is broadly meant to face an increasingly assertive China.

The bodies of the three Marines remained at the crash site, where an exclusion zone would be maintained, Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said.

The cause of the crash had yet to be explained and investigators would remain at the site for at least 10 days, Murphy said.

The Osprey, a hybrid aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter but during flight can tilt its propellers forward and cruise much faster like an airplane, crashed into tropical forest and burst into flame.

The latest was in June 2022, when five Marines died in a fiery crash in a remote part of California east of San Diego.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marine-v22-aircraft-crash-investigation-6a449feb2f590f6d35909a2b40e6839a">A crash investigation report</a>&nbsp;last month found that the tragedy was caused by a mechanical failure related to a clutch.

There had been 16 similar clutch problems with the Marine Ospreys in flight since 2012, the report found. But no problems have arisen since February when the Marine Corps began replacing a piece of equipment on the aircraft, the report said.

Emergency responders were surprised the death toll from Sunday's crash was not higher.

“For a chopper that crashes and catches fire, to have 20 Marines that are surviving, I think that’s an incredible outcome,” Murphy said.

Defense Minister Richard Marles was also greateful that the toll was not worse.

“It’s remarkable that in many ways, so many have survived,” Marles told Nine News television. “This remains a very tragic incident and the loss of those lives are keenly felt,” Marles added.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin paid tribute to dead Marines.

“These Marines served our country with courage and pride, and my thoughts and prayers are with their families today, with the other troops who were injured in the crash, and with the entire USMC family,” Austin tweeted.

The U.S. Embassy in Australia issued a statement offering condolences to the families and friends of the dead Marines and thanking Australian responders for their help.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693270537403.png" alt="Capt. Eleanor V. LeBeau courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Capt. Eleanor V. LeBeau courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>DARWIN, AUSTRALIA — Military officials confirm the names of those killed in the U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey crash on Melville Island, north of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, on Sunday morning. They are identified as U.S. Marine Corps Captain Eleanor V. LeBeau, female, 29, MV-22B Osprey pilot for VMM-363 (REIN), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, originally from Belleville, Illinois.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693270582869.png" alt="Maj. Tobin J. Lewis courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Maj. Tobin J. Lewis courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>U.S. Marine Corps Major Tobin J. Lewis, male, 37, the executive officer of VMM-363 (REIN), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, originally from Jefferson, Colorado.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693270610503.png" alt="Cpl. Spencer R. Collart courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Cpl. Spencer R. Collart courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Spencer R. Collart, male, 21, MV-22B Osprey crew chief for VMM-363 (REIN), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, originally from Arlington, VAThree Marines remain in Royal Darwin Hospital, with one in critical condition and two in stable condition. 17 others were taken to Royal Darwin Hospital, treated for minor injuries, and released.Up to 2,500 U.S. Marines have been based in Darwin for six months a year since 2012 as part of the U.S. military pivot to Asia to counter China’s growing influence in the region.Col. Brendan Sullivan, the commanding officer of the Marine Rotation Force-Darwin, said the Marines’ focus was on supporting the recovery of wreckage and investigating the cause.“We are deeply saddened by the loss of three respected and beloved members of the MRF-D family,” Sullivan said in a statement.“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and with all involved,” Sullivan added.President Joe Biden has also offered his condolences to their families.“Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families of the Marines who lost their lives in this deadly crash,” Biden tweeted, referring to his wife Jill Biden. “We are praying for those who also suffered injuries.”The Osprey is a hybrid aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter but during flight can tilt its propellers forward and cruise much faster like an airplane.Before Sunday, there had been five fatal crashes of Marine Ospreys since 2012, causing a total of 16 deaths.The cause of the crash remains under investigation.--------------------CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Eight U.S. Marines remained in a hospital in the Australian north coast city of Darwin on Monday after they were injured in a fiery crash of a tiltrotor aircraft that killed three of their colleagues on an island.All 20 survivors were flown from Melville Island 80 kilometers (50 miles) south to Darwin within hours of the Marine V-22 Osprey crashing at 9:30 a.m. Sunday during a multinational training exercise, Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said.All were taken to the Royal Darwin Hospital, and 12 had been discharged by Monday, she said.The first five Marines to arrive at the city’s main hospital were critically injured and one underwent emergency surgery.Fyles said she would not detail the conditions of eight who remained in the hospital out of respect for them and their families.“It’s ... a credit to everyone involved that we were able to get 20 patients from an extremely remote location on an island into our tertiary hospital within a matter of hours,” Fyles told reporters.The Osprey that crashed was one of two that flew from Darwin to Melville on Sunday as part of Exercise Predators Run, which involves the militaries of the United States, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and East Timor.All 23 Marines aboard the lost aircraft were temporarily based in Darwin as part of the Marine Corps’ annual troop rotation.Around 150 U.S. Marines are currently based in Darwin and up to 2,500 rotate through the city every year. They are part of a realignment of U.S. forces in the Asia-Pacific that is broadly meant to face an increasingly assertive China.The bodies of the three Marines remained at the crash site, where an exclusion zone would be maintained, Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said.The cause of the crash had yet to be explained and investigators would remain at the site for at least 10 days, Murphy said.The Osprey, a hybrid aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter but during flight can tilt its propellers forward and cruise much faster like an airplane, crashed into tropical forest and burst into flame.Before Sunday, there had been five fatal crashes of Marine Ospreys since 2012, causing a total of 16 deaths.The latest was in June 2022, when five Marines died in a fiery crash in a remote part of California east of San Diego.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marine-v22-aircraft-crash-investigation-6a449feb2f590f6d35909a2b40e6839a">A crash investigation report</a>&nbsp;last month found that the tragedy was caused by a mechanical failure related to a clutch.There had been 16 similar clutch problems with the Marine Ospreys in flight since 2012, the report found. But no problems have arisen since February when the Marine Corps began replacing a piece of equipment on the aircraft, the report said.Emergency responders were surprised the death toll from Sunday's crash was not higher.“For a chopper that crashes and catches fire, to have 20 Marines that are surviving, I think that’s an incredible outcome,” Murphy said.Defense Minister Richard Marles was also greateful that the toll was not worse.“It’s remarkable that in many ways, so many have survived,” Marles told Nine News television. “This remains a very tragic incident and the loss of those lives are keenly felt,” Marles added.U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin paid tribute to dead Marines.“These Marines served our country with courage and pride, and my thoughts and prayers are with their families today, with the other troops who were injured in the crash, and with the entire USMC family,” Austin tweeted.The U.S. Embassy in Australia issued a statement offering condolences to the families and friends of the dead Marines and thanking Australian responders for their help.

U.S. Marines killed in Australian Osprey crash are identified

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.

Salina police received a call from the family of a sex abuse victim informing them of the alleged sexual abuse, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Lieutenant James Feldman.

On Sunday police arrested 56-year-old Delwin Wohlgemuth on the requested charges that include 30 counts of aggravated indecent solicitation of a child less than 14 years old and 30 counts of rape where the victim is less than 14 years old.

Feldman said the alleged sexual abuse took place over the course of multiple months.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693224613487.jpeg" alt="Wohlgemuth-photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Wohlgemuth-photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Salina PostSALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.Salina police received a call from the family of a sex abuse victim informing them of the alleged sexual abuse, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Lieutenant James Feldman.On Sunday police arrested 56-year-old Delwin Wohlgemuth on the requested charges that include 30 counts of aggravated indecent solicitation of a child less than 14 years old and 30 counts of rape where the victim is less than 14 years old.Feldman said the alleged sexual abuse took place over the course of multiple months.&nbsp;

Kansas man accused of child sex assault over many months

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a accident that seriously injured&nbsp; a man just after 11:30p.m. Friday in Barton County.

According to Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir, a Buick sedan driven by Ricky McGinnis, 66 of Hoisington, ran over the legs of 20-year-old Kaden Baird, of Ellinwood who was lying in the eastbound lanes of the NW 100 Road just west of Hoisington.&nbsp;

EMS transported Baird to Clara Barton Hospital and he was later air-lifted to a hospital in Wichita, according to Bellendir.

Witnesses who had been with the man earlier&nbsp;reported that he was highly intoxicated at the time of the incident. The occupants of the Buick were not injured. The accident remains under investigaton.

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a accident that seriously injured&nbsp; a man just after 11:30p.m. Friday in Barton County.According to Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir, a Buick sedan driven by Ricky McGinnis, 66 of Hoisington, ran over the legs of 20-year-old Kaden Baird, of Ellinwood who was lying in the eastbound lanes of the NW 100 Road just west of Hoisington.&nbsp;EMS transported Baird to Clara Barton Hospital and he was later air-lifted to a hospital in Wichita, according to Bellendir.Witnesses who had been with the man earlier&nbsp;reported that he was highly intoxicated at the time of the incident. The occupants of the Buick were not injured. The accident remains under investigaton.

Sheriff: Man airlifted to hospital after vehicle ran over his legs

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has blasted the “backwardness” of some conservatives in the U.S. Catholic Church, saying they have replaced faith with ideology and that a correct understanding of Catholic doctrine allows for change over time.

Francis’ comments were an acknowledgment of the divisions in the U.S. Catholic Church, which has been split between progressives and conservatives who long found support in the doctrinaire papacies of St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI, particularly on issues of abortion and same-sex marriage.

Many conservatives have blasted Francis’ emphasis instead on social justice issues such as the environment and the poor, while also branding as heretical his opening to letting divorced and civilly remarried Catholics receive the sacraments.

Francis made the comments in a private meeting with Portuguese members of his Jesuit religious order while visiting Lisbon on Aug. 5; the Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica, which is vetted by the Vatican secretariat of state, published a transcript of the encounter Monday.

During the meeting, a Portuguese Jesuit told Francis that he had suffered during a recent sabbatical year in the United States because he came across many Catholics, including some U.S. bishops, who criticized Francis’ 10-year papacy as well as today’s Jesuits.

The 86-year-old Argentine acknowledged his point, saying there was “a very strong, organized, reactionary attitude” in the U.S. church, which he called “backward.” He warned that such an attitude leads to a climate of closure, which was erroneous.

"Doing this, you lose the true tradition and you turn to ideologies to have support. In other words, ideologies replace faith,” he said.

“The vision of the doctrine of the church as a monolith is wrong,” he added. “When you go backward, you make something closed off, disconnected from the roots of the church,” which then has devastating effects on morality.

“I want to remind these people that backwardness is useless, and they must understand that there’s a correct evolution in the understanding of questions of faith and morals,” that allows for doctrine to progress and consolidate over time.

Francis has previously acknowledged the criticism directed at him from some U.S. conservatives, once quipping that it was an “honor” to be attacked by Americans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603292366279.png" alt="Francis has previously acknowledged the criticism directed at him from some U.S. conservatives, once quipping that it was an “honor” to be attacked by Americans.image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Francis has previously acknowledged the criticism directed at him from some U.S. conservatives, once quipping that it was an “honor” to be attacked by Americans.image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has blasted the “backwardness” of some conservatives in the U.S. Catholic Church, saying they have replaced faith with ideology and that a correct understanding of Catholic doctrine allows for change over time.Francis’ comments were an acknowledgment of the divisions in the U.S. Catholic Church, which has been split between progressives and conservatives who long found support in the doctrinaire papacies of St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI, particularly on issues of abortion and same-sex marriage.Many conservatives have blasted Francis’ emphasis instead on social justice issues such as the environment and the poor, while also branding as heretical his opening to letting divorced and civilly remarried Catholics receive the sacraments.Francis made the comments in a private meeting with Portuguese members of his Jesuit religious order while visiting Lisbon on Aug. 5; the Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica, which is vetted by the Vatican secretariat of state, published a transcript of the encounter Monday.During the meeting, a Portuguese Jesuit told Francis that he had suffered during a recent sabbatical year in the United States because he came across many Catholics, including some U.S. bishops, who criticized Francis’ 10-year papacy as well as today’s Jesuits.The 86-year-old Argentine acknowledged his point, saying there was “a very strong, organized, reactionary attitude” in the U.S. church, which he called “backward.” He warned that such an attitude leads to a climate of closure, which was erroneous."Doing this, you lose the true tradition and you turn to ideologies to have support. In other words, ideologies replace faith,” he said.“The vision of the doctrine of the church as a monolith is wrong,” he added. “When you go backward, you make something closed off, disconnected from the roots of the church,” which then has devastating effects on morality.“I want to remind these people that backwardness is useless, and they must understand that there’s a correct evolution in the understanding of questions of faith and morals,” that allows for doctrine to progress and consolidate over time.Francis has previously acknowledged the criticism directed at him from some U.S. conservatives, once quipping that it was an “honor” to be attacked by Americans.