DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A rocket exploded late Tuesday night off the side of a ship traveling through the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, authorities said, the latest suspected attack to be carried out by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>.

The attack comes as the Houthis continue a series of assaults at sea over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>&nbsp;and as the U.S. and its allies launch airstrikes trying to stop them.

The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, which oversees shipping in the Mideast, reported the attack happened about 110 kilometers (70 miles) off the coast of the Houthi-held port city of Hodeida. The rocket exploded several miles off the bow of the vessel, it said.

“The crew and vessel are reported to be safe and are proceeding to next port of call,” the UKMTO said.

The private security firm Ambrey reported that the vessel targeted appeared to be a Marshall Islands-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier in the area at the time. Another ship, a Panama-flagged, Emirati-owned chemical tanker was nearby as well, Ambrey said.

The Associated Press could not immediately identify the vessels involved.

The Houthis typically take several hours to claim their assaults and have not yet done so for the assault late Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military's Central Command said an American and an allied warship shot down five Houthi bomb-carrying drones in the Red Sea on Tuesday night.

The drones originated “from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and (it was) determined they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the U.S. Navy and coalition ships in the region,” Central Command said in a statement.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over the Israel-Hamas war. Those vessels have included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-ship-missile-houthi-rebels-attack-bab-elmandeb-strait-999b911c916f9266c07a6d29cc020e9e">at least one with cargo for Iran</a>, the Houthis’ main benefactor, and an aid ship later bound for Houthi-controlled territory.

Despite over a month of U.S.-led airstrikes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">Houthi rebels remain capable</a>&nbsp;of launching significant attacks. Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-red-sea-israel-hamas-6ac2a1bf5032ed0531258816907cfe2c">they severely damaged a ship in a crucial strait and downed an American drone</a>&nbsp;worth tens of millions of dollars. The Houthis insist their attacks will continue until Israel stops its combat operations in the Gaza Strip, which have enraged the wider Arab world and seen the Houthis gain international recognition.

On Saturday, Central Command said a Houthi attack on a Belize-flagged ship on Feb. 18 caused an 18-mile (29-kilometer) oil slick and warned of the danger of a spill from the vessel’s cargo of fertilizer. The Rubymar, a British-registered, Lebanese-operated cargo vessel,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-attack-israel-hamas-war-gaza-67cf1acc17f4e17d04075a99688e4da8">was attacked while sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait</a>&nbsp;that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The Houthis, a Zaydi Shiite group, seized Yemen’s capital in 2014 and have battled a Saudi-led coalition since 2015. Their Zaydi people ran a 1,000-year kingdom in Yemen up until 1962.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703418619283.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A rocket exploded late Tuesday night off the side of a ship traveling through the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, authorities said, the latest suspected attack to be carried out by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>.The attack comes as the Houthis continue a series of assaults at sea over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>&nbsp;and as the U.S. and its allies launch airstrikes trying to stop them.The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, which oversees shipping in the Mideast, reported the attack happened about 110 kilometers (70 miles) off the coast of the Houthi-held port city of Hodeida. The rocket exploded several miles off the bow of the vessel, it said.“The crew and vessel are reported to be safe and are proceeding to next port of call,” the UKMTO said.The private security firm Ambrey reported that the vessel targeted appeared to be a Marshall Islands-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier in the area at the time. Another ship, a Panama-flagged, Emirati-owned chemical tanker was nearby as well, Ambrey said.The Associated Press could not immediately identify the vessels involved.The Houthis typically take several hours to claim their assaults and have not yet done so for the assault late Tuesday.Meanwhile, the U.S. military's Central Command said an American and an allied warship shot down five Houthi bomb-carrying drones in the Red Sea on Tuesday night.The drones originated “from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and (it was) determined they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the U.S. Navy and coalition ships in the region,” Central Command said in a statement.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over the Israel-Hamas war. Those vessels have included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-ship-missile-houthi-rebels-attack-bab-elmandeb-strait-999b911c916f9266c07a6d29cc020e9e">at least one with cargo for Iran</a>, the Houthis’ main benefactor, and an aid ship later bound for Houthi-controlled territory.Despite over a month of U.S.-led airstrikes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">Houthi rebels remain capable</a>&nbsp;of launching significant attacks. Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-red-sea-israel-hamas-6ac2a1bf5032ed0531258816907cfe2c">they severely damaged a ship in a crucial strait and downed an American drone</a>&nbsp;worth tens of millions of dollars. The Houthis insist their attacks will continue until Israel stops its combat operations in the Gaza Strip, which have enraged the wider Arab world and seen the Houthis gain international recognition.On Saturday, Central Command said a Houthi attack on a Belize-flagged ship on Feb. 18 caused an 18-mile (29-kilometer) oil slick and warned of the danger of a spill from the vessel’s cargo of fertilizer. The Rubymar, a British-registered, Lebanese-operated cargo vessel,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-attack-israel-hamas-war-gaza-67cf1acc17f4e17d04075a99688e4da8">was attacked while sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait</a>&nbsp;that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.The Houthis, a Zaydi Shiite group, seized Yemen’s capital in 2014 and have battled a Saudi-led coalition since 2015. Their Zaydi people ran a 1,000-year kingdom in Yemen up until 1962.

U.S. warship shot down 5 bomb-carrying drones in Red Sea

LANSING, Mich. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;easily won their party’s primaries in Michigan, but Tuesday’s results showed that both candidates have cause for concern in their bid to to win the swing state in November.

An “uncommitted” vote in Michigan's Democratic primary was the first indication of how backlash over President Biden's handling of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;in Gaza might impact his reelection campaign. Trump won his primary by a large margin, but support for rival Nikki Haley once again showed that some Republican voters may have misgivings about giving the former president another four years in the general election.

Biden, Trump each move closer to party's nomination

Michigan was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-michigan-election-2024-results">last major primary state before</a>&nbsp;Super Tuesday, and both sides were watching closely for implications for the November general election in one of the few genuine swing states left in the country.

Biden has now cruised to victories over lesser known candidates in South Carolina, Nevada and New Hampshire, which he won in a write-in campaign. Tuesday's results show that his standing is still strong in Michigan, which Biden returned to the Democratic column in 2020.

Trump has swept all five of the early state contests, including South Carolina, the home state of rival Haley. He now heads into Super Tuesday, when 15 states and one territory hold Republican nominating contests, as the overwhelming favorite to lock up the Republican nomination.

Michigan was one of three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-virus-outbreak-wisconsin-pennsylvania-27d3205028e5e43fa0031913c40b0b7d">so-called blue wall</a>&nbsp;states, including Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, that Trump won in 2016. He predicted a big win beforehand.

Just 16 of Michigan’s 55 Republican presidential delegates will be determined by the primary results, while the remaining delegates will be allocated during a March 2 convention. Trump’s anticipated dominance at the state convention, where grassroots activists will play a key role, will decide the allocation of the remaining 39 GOP delegates.

Some Democrats express anger over Gaza with ‘uncommitted’ vote

Michigan has become the focal point of Democratic frustration regarding the White House’s actions in the Israel-Hamas conflict. It has the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the nation.

That anger came through loud and clear on Tuesday as some voters marked “uncommitted” on their ballot in the Democratic primary. Biden still dominated the primary, but the result could be a concern in a state he won by less than 3% in 2020 and likely can’t afford to lose this year.

Organizers of the “uncommitted” movement had purposely kept expectations low, having only seriously begun their push a few weeks ago. The “Listen to Michigan” campaign that organized the push said they were hoping for 10,000 votes, pointing to Trump’s win of less than 11,000 votes in 2016 to show the significance of that number.

When Barack Obama ran for reelection in 2012, the last time a Democratic presidential incumbent sought re-election, the “uncommitted” option received close to 21,000 votes — or 11 percentage points.

The “uncommitted” vote totals would need to be between 20 and 30 percentage points for Democrats to worry about their impact in November, said Richard Czuba, a pollster who has long tracked Michigan politics.

“Twenty percent gets my attention. If it rises to 25%, that gets a lot more attention and if it rises above 30%, I think that’s a signal that Joe Biden has pretty substantial issues in his base,” said Czuba.

Much of the “uncommitted” vote was expected to come from the east side of the state, in communities such as Dearborn and Hamtramck, where Arab Americans represent close to half of the population. Biden won Dearborn by a roughly 3-to-1 advantage in 2020 and Hamtramck by a 5 to 1 margin.

Despite Trump's clear victory in Michigan, Haley still saw significant support from the swing state's Republicans.

Some of her best results came in Oakland and Kent counties, where Democrats have been gaining ground in recent years, contributing to their recent statewide success. She also performed better in counties where the state’s largest universities are located, Washtenaw and Ingham counties.

Trump has dominated in primaries with help from his base but his strength among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">general election</a>&nbsp;voters remains unclear. The former president has appeared in Michigan regularly in the eight years since he became president, while Haley only began stumping in the state over the weekend.

AP VoteCast reveals that a large portion of Trump’s opposition within the Republican primaries has come from voters who abandoned him before this year.

All three statewide Republican candidates that Trump endorsed in the 2022 midterms were crushed by Democratic incumbents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709081885197.png" alt="An “uncommitted” vote in Michigan's Democratic primary was the first indication of how backlash over President Biden's handling of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;in Gaza might impact his reelection campaign-image from video on Biden campaign social media page." />
 <figcaption>An “uncommitted” vote in Michigan's Democratic primary was the first indication of how backlash over President Biden's handling of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;in Gaza might impact his reelection campaign-image from video on Biden campaign social media page.</figcaption>
 </figure>LANSING, Mich. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;easily won their party’s primaries in Michigan, but Tuesday’s results showed that both candidates have cause for concern in their bid to to win the swing state in November.An “uncommitted” vote in Michigan's Democratic primary was the first indication of how backlash over President Biden's handling of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;in Gaza might impact his reelection campaign. Trump won his primary by a large margin, but support for rival Nikki Haley once again showed that some Republican voters may have misgivings about giving the former president another four years in the general election.Here are some takeaways from Michigan:Biden, Trump each move closer to party's nominationMichigan was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-michigan-election-2024-results">last major primary state before</a>&nbsp;Super Tuesday, and both sides were watching closely for implications for the November general election in one of the few genuine swing states left in the country.Biden has now cruised to victories over lesser known candidates in South Carolina, Nevada and New Hampshire, which he won in a write-in campaign. Tuesday's results show that his standing is still strong in Michigan, which Biden returned to the Democratic column in 2020.Trump has swept all five of the early state contests, including South Carolina, the home state of rival Haley. He now heads into Super Tuesday, when 15 states and one territory hold Republican nominating contests, as the overwhelming favorite to lock up the Republican nomination.Michigan was one of three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-virus-outbreak-wisconsin-pennsylvania-27d3205028e5e43fa0031913c40b0b7d">so-called blue wall</a>&nbsp;states, including Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, that Trump won in 2016. He predicted a big win beforehand.Just 16 of Michigan’s 55 Republican presidential delegates will be determined by the primary results, while the remaining delegates will be allocated during a March 2 convention. Trump’s anticipated dominance at the state convention, where grassroots activists will play a key role, will decide the allocation of the remaining 39 GOP delegates.Some Democrats express anger over Gaza with ‘uncommitted’ voteMichigan has become the focal point of Democratic frustration regarding the White House’s actions in the Israel-Hamas conflict. It has the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the nation.That anger came through loud and clear on Tuesday as some voters marked “uncommitted” on their ballot in the Democratic primary. Biden still dominated the primary, but the result could be a concern in a state he won by less than 3% in 2020 and likely can’t afford to lose this year.Organizers of the “uncommitted” movement had purposely kept expectations low, having only seriously begun their push a few weeks ago. The “Listen to Michigan” campaign that organized the push said they were hoping for 10,000 votes, pointing to Trump’s win of less than 11,000 votes in 2016 to show the significance of that number.When Barack Obama ran for reelection in 2012, the last time a Democratic presidential incumbent sought re-election, the “uncommitted” option received close to 21,000 votes — or 11 percentage points.The “uncommitted” vote totals would need to be between 20 and 30 percentage points for Democrats to worry about their impact in November, said Richard Czuba, a pollster who has long tracked Michigan politics.“Twenty percent gets my attention. If it rises to 25%, that gets a lot more attention and if it rises above 30%, I think that’s a signal that Joe Biden has pretty substantial issues in his base,” said Czuba.Much of the “uncommitted” vote was expected to come from the east side of the state, in communities such as Dearborn and Hamtramck, where Arab Americans represent close to half of the population. Biden won Dearborn by a roughly 3-to-1 advantage in 2020 and Hamtramck by a 5 to 1 margin.Some Republicans still oppose TrumpDespite Trump's clear victory in Michigan, Haley still saw significant support from the swing state's Republicans.Some of her best results came in Oakland and Kent counties, where Democrats have been gaining ground in recent years, contributing to their recent statewide success. She also performed better in counties where the state’s largest universities are located, Washtenaw and Ingham counties.Trump has dominated in primaries with help from his base but his strength among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">general election</a>&nbsp;voters remains unclear. The former president has appeared in Michigan regularly in the eight years since he became president, while Haley only began stumping in the state over the weekend.AP VoteCast reveals that a large portion of Trump’s opposition within the Republican primaries has come from voters who abandoned him before this year.All three statewide Republican candidates that Trump endorsed in the 2022 midterms were crushed by Democratic incumbents.

Trump, Biden win Michigan primary but both face warning signs

By Governor Jim Pillen and University of Nebraska Interim President Chris Kabourek

In Nebraska, we never give up on a kid. Our kids are our future. That’s why we need to do everything we can to encourage our young people to get an education, start their careers and put down roots right here in the great state of Nebraska.

That’s the thinking behind the newly launched Presidential Scholars Program. It covers the full cost of undergraduate attendance at the University of Nebraska, plus stipends, for any Nebraska kid who scores a perfect 36 on the ACT.

Just like the Huskers compete hard for homegrown, 5-star athletes like Jordy Bahl and Britt Prince, we’re going to compete equally hard to keep our top-tier academic talent from getting away. This initiative lets them know: We want you on Team Nebraska!

As lifelong Nebraskans hailing from Platte and Butler counties, respectively, we knew this was the place we could chase our dreams, raise our families and pursue ample opportunities. We want young Nebraskans – the next generation – to have those same opportunities. To keep top talent within our state, we need to get more competitive with other states in providing scholarships. With the President’s Scholarship, we’ll make sure Nebraska is at the top of the list for those smart and hard-working kids.

Since the announcement of the program, positive messages have poured in.&nbsp; One father shared his 13-year-old daughter was set on attending another school but has now experienced a change of heart. Those are the kinds of stories we want to hear.

Our vision extends beyond students who score a 36. As parents, we know that one test doesn’t decide the future. They don’t have to ace the ACT to be the next great cancer doctor, teacher, rancher. We would like to expand the program, so those who score near the top, are also not left out.&nbsp; Our message to every student, no matter their circumstance is -- if you are willing to roll up your sleeves and work hard, there’s a spot for you on Team Nebraska!

To the parents, teachers, coaches and mentors out there – help us spread the word and give those kids the encouragement they need to find their life’s journey in their home state of Nebraska. We promise, you won’t regret it.

By Governor Jim Pillen and University of Nebraska Interim President Chris KabourekIn Nebraska, we never give up on a kid. Our kids are our future. That’s why we need to do everything we can to encourage our young people to get an education, start their careers and put down roots right here in the great state of Nebraska.That’s the thinking behind the newly launched Presidential Scholars Program. It covers the full cost of undergraduate attendance at the University of Nebraska, plus stipends, for any Nebraska kid who scores a perfect 36 on the ACT.Just like the Huskers compete hard for homegrown, 5-star athletes like Jordy Bahl and Britt Prince, we’re going to compete equally hard to keep our top-tier academic talent from getting away. This initiative lets them know: We want you on Team Nebraska!As lifelong Nebraskans hailing from Platte and Butler counties, respectively, we knew this was the place we could chase our dreams, raise our families and pursue ample opportunities. We want young Nebraskans – the next generation – to have those same opportunities. To keep top talent within our state, we need to get more competitive with other states in providing scholarships. With the President’s Scholarship, we’ll make sure Nebraska is at the top of the list for those smart and hard-working kids.Since the announcement of the program, positive messages have poured in.&nbsp; One father shared his 13-year-old daughter was set on attending another school but has now experienced a change of heart. Those are the kinds of stories we want to hear.Our vision extends beyond students who score a 36. As parents, we know that one test doesn’t decide the future. They don’t have to ace the ACT to be the next great cancer doctor, teacher, rancher. We would like to expand the program, so those who score near the top, are also not left out.&nbsp; Our message to every student, no matter their circumstance is -- if you are willing to roll up your sleeves and work hard, there’s a spot for you on Team Nebraska!To the parents, teachers, coaches and mentors out there – help us spread the word and give those kids the encouragement they need to find their life’s journey in their home state of Nebraska. We promise, you won’t regret it.

 Competing to Keep Our Best & Brightest Kids on Team Nebraska

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/26/judge-rejects-plea-to-drop-charges-against-former-history-nebraska-director/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A Lancaster County judge has rejected a request by former History Nebraska Director Trevor Jones to dismiss the felony theft charge he faces.

District Judge Susan Strong, in an eight-page decision released Monday, ruled that the State of Nebraska had provided enough evidence to show that the case against Jones should proceed to trial.

Jones, through his attorney, John Ball of Lincoln, had contested a recent decision to bind his case over from county court for a trial,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/judge-takes-request-under-advisement-to-drop-felony-charge-against-former-history-nebraska-chief/">prompting a hearing before Strong a</a>&nbsp;month ago.

The judge ruled that state prosecutors had met their burden of providing “probable cause” that a crime had been committed.

Jones, 51, faces up to 20 years in prison for felony theft by deception, a charge that was spawned by&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/08/15/former-head-of-history-nebraska-might-have-violated-state-law-state-auditors-probe-says/">a critical state audit</a>&nbsp;in 2022 — an audit first reported by the Examiner.

Jones, who resigned shortly before that audit came out, is accused of redirecting about $270,000 in funds provided by the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation to cover financial losses caused by COVID-19.

Instead of depositing the fund with the state treasurer, as required, Jones deposited the funds into a private foundation he had helped create, to bolster its accounts.

Investigators also testified that the funds were never used for their intended purpose — to cover lost revenue due to the pandemic.

Jones, according to court files, has maintained that he was directed to deposit the funds into the newly created History Nebraska Foundation by the executive committee of the History Nebraska Board of Trustees.

The former director also argued that he had full discretion on how to spend the money, a contention disputed by the donor of the funds, which were provided, at Jones’ request, for the purpose of covering financial losses caused by the closing of history museums during the pandemic.

Corey O’Brien, a chief prosecutor in the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, has maintained that Jones either lied about his intended use of the money or failed to correct a false impression in order to get the $270,000 donated.

Judge Strong, in her ruling, said that “the evidence supports the inference that defendant knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully obtained the funds by deception.”

&nbsp;“This evidence is sufficient to establish probable cause to believe that the Defendant committed the crime of theft by deception,” she added.&nbsp;

Jones’ stint at History Nebraska director covered six years and was marked by efforts to modernize the agency’s collections, but also by employees’ complaints about unnecessary and heavy-handed supervision of their work.

He also spatted with the long-established Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation, a spat that prompted him eventually to establish a new replacement to raise funds, the History Nebraska Foundation.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/history-nebraska-would-become-code-agency-under-control-of-governor-under-legislative-proposal/">bill is pending in the Nebraska Legislature</a>&nbsp;to end History Nebraska’s status as an independent state agency and put it under the governor’s director. Debate on Legislative Bill 1169 has not yet been scheduled.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709065119268.jpeg" alt=" Former History Nebraska Director Trevor Jones, at left, arrives at a court hearing last year with his lawyer, John Ball of Lincoln. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Former History Nebraska Director Trevor Jones, at left, arrives at a court hearing last year with his lawyer, John Ball of Lincoln. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/26/judge-rejects-plea-to-drop-charges-against-former-history-nebraska-director/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — A Lancaster County judge has rejected a request by former History Nebraska Director Trevor Jones to dismiss the felony theft charge he faces.District Judge Susan Strong, in an eight-page decision released Monday, ruled that the State of Nebraska had provided enough evidence to show that the case against Jones should proceed to trial.Jones, through his attorney, John Ball of Lincoln, had contested a recent decision to bind his case over from county court for a trial,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/judge-takes-request-under-advisement-to-drop-felony-charge-against-former-history-nebraska-chief/">prompting a hearing before Strong a</a>&nbsp;month ago.The judge ruled that state prosecutors had met their burden of providing “probable cause” that a crime had been committed.Jones, 51, faces up to 20 years in prison for felony theft by deception, a charge that was spawned by&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/08/15/former-head-of-history-nebraska-might-have-violated-state-law-state-auditors-probe-says/">a critical state audit</a>&nbsp;in 2022 — an audit first reported by the Examiner.Jones, who resigned shortly before that audit came out, is accused of redirecting about $270,000 in funds provided by the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation to cover financial losses caused by COVID-19.Instead of depositing the fund with the state treasurer, as required, Jones deposited the funds into a private foundation he had helped create, to bolster its accounts.<h2>Money never used for intended purpose</h2>Investigators also testified that the funds were never used for their intended purpose — to cover lost revenue due to the pandemic.Jones, according to court files, has maintained that he was directed to deposit the funds into the newly created History Nebraska Foundation by the executive committee of the History Nebraska Board of Trustees.The former director also argued that he had full discretion on how to spend the money, a contention disputed by the donor of the funds, which were provided, at Jones’ request, for the purpose of covering financial losses caused by the closing of history museums during the pandemic.Corey O’Brien, a chief prosecutor in the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, has maintained that Jones either lied about his intended use of the money or failed to correct a false impression in order to get the $270,000 donated.<h2>Enough evidence to bind over for a trial</h2>Judge Strong, in her ruling, said that “the evidence supports the inference that defendant knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully obtained the funds by deception.”&nbsp;“This evidence is sufficient to establish probable cause to believe that the Defendant committed the crime of theft by deception,” she added.&nbsp;Jones’ stint at History Nebraska director covered six years and was marked by efforts to modernize the agency’s collections, but also by employees’ complaints about unnecessary and heavy-handed supervision of their work.He also spatted with the long-established Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation, a spat that prompted him eventually to establish a new replacement to raise funds, the History Nebraska Foundation.A&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/history-nebraska-would-become-code-agency-under-control-of-governor-under-legislative-proposal/">bill is pending in the Nebraska Legislature</a>&nbsp;to end History Nebraska’s status as an independent state agency and put it under the governor’s director. Debate on Legislative Bill 1169 has not yet been scheduled.

Judge rejects plea to drop charges against former History Nebraska director

NEW YORK (AP) — Seated in a courtroom witness box, Don Henley opened a large brown envelope Tuesday and paged through the aging yellow sheets of a legal pad.

“Well, it's got two song titles written on the top,” he explained when asked what it contained. “'After the Thrill is Gone' and ‘One of These Nights.’”

Then came another envelope and pad, and another, and one more. They bore 1970s drafts of lyrics to two other Eagles hits, “The Long Run" and "The Sad Cafe," in what Henley identified as his handwriting and occasionally that of band co-founder Glenn Frey.

It was the first glimpse in court of some of the physical pages at the heart of a trial involving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-973e74e795416821e6f022895b47b78e">handwritten drafts of lyrics</a>&nbsp;to several Eagles songs, including the megahit “Hotel California," and Henley's decade-long effort to reclaim the documents.

After spending Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/henley-hotel-california-lyrics-trial-eagles-aa5300708de790099f9f7d0ba3b8afcf">telling the New York court</a>&nbsp;about topics ranging from Eagles songwriting to his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/don-henley-eagles-hotel-california-sex-worker-dae5d3c41ae5ad1071a06dbc74a957d7">past personal troubles</a>, the Eagles co-founder underwent further questioning Tuesday from lawyers for three collectibles experts who are on trial.

Henley was asked about the writing of "Hotel California" and how he didn't notice for decades that the handwritten pages were missing. He was also asked about his past cocaine use — retorting that he was no “drug-filled zombie” — and even about a $96 limousine bill from 1973.

He continued to insist that he never voluntarily gave up handwritten sheets from the Eagles’ 1976 release “Hotel California," the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3c0b39a1bb5b4e44aafe2c4e05a4b67f">third-best-selling album ever</a>&nbsp;in the U.S.

“I believed that my property was stolen,” Henley said.

The album produced one of rock's most enduring hits, the song “Hotel California,” credited to Frey, Henley and guitarist Don Felder. Henley recalled that Felder provided a “very basic” tape with guitar chords and a drum-machine beat. Frey and Henley worked from that to craft the lyrics and three guitarists — “four, if you count the bass” — contributed, Henley said.

A prosecutor objected that the questions weren't relevant, but Judge Curtis Farber let them continue.

“I don’t know the relevance, but it’s interesting,” the judge said to laughter from the courtroom audience.

The defendants — Edward Kosinski, Craig Inciardi and Glenn Horowitz — are charged with scheming to conceal the lyrics pages' disputed ownership and sell them despite knowing that Henley claimed they had no right. The defendants have pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to criminally possess stolen property.

They're not accused of actually stealing the roughly 100 legal-pad sheets. Horowitz bought them in 2005 from writer Ed Sanders, who had worked with the Eagles decades earlier on a band&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-1b873edc7596bb736428fbf8fb431c1d">biography that never got published</a>. Horowitz later sold the documents to Inciardi and Kosinski, who then put some pages up for auction.

Sanders, who hasn't responded to messages about the case, isn't charged with any crime.

Henley bought back four pages of “Hotel California” song lyrics in 2012. He also went to authorities at the time, and again when more pages — some from the hit “Life in the Fast Lane” — turned up for sale in 2014 and 2016.

At the trial, Henley has testified that Sanders had no permission to keep or sell the pages, though he was allowed to view them in the course of writing the book.

“Mr. Sanders kept it in his residence, his garage, for 30 years, and then it was up for sale on the internet. I believed that that was a crime,” Henley told the court Tuesday.

He testified Monday that he didn't give permission for the “very personal, very private” lyrics drafts to be removed from his property in Malibu, California, though he acknowledged that he didn't recall the entirety of his conversations with the writer in the late 1970s and early '80s.

In a tape of a 1980 phone call that was played Monday in court, Henley said he'd “try to dig through” his lyrics drafts in order to aid Sanders' book.

Asked about the recording, Henley said he was talking about affording the writer “access. It’s not giving, it’s not gifting.”

Defense lawyers have sought to show that the Eagles provided Sanders with copious insider material. Attorney Scott Edelman pointed to the 1973 car-service receipt, which authorities said they found when searching Sanders' home.

Someone typed “Don Henley's offending limousine bill” on the slip, and Henley filled the margins with hand-written comments, according to testimony. The jottings weren't read aloud in court.

The defense also has tried to raise doubts about how clearly Henley remembers whatever he told Sanders during the book project, which spanned a tumultuous and fast-living period in Henley's past.

The Eagles broke up in 1980, and he was arrested that year after authorities said they found a 16-year-old girl naked and suffering from a drug overdose in his Los Angeles home. He later wrote to a probation officer that “my environment has led me to accept drugs as part of everyday life,” according to a letter presented in court. "

“Cocaine, by inducing feelings of confidence and even delusions of grandeur, gave me the courage I sometimes lacked to write songs and put my innermost feelings and emotions on public display,” Henley wrote in the undated letter in which he said he was giving up drugs. He had been sentenced to probation and a $2,500 fine after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

“Isn’t it a fact, sir, that you were using a significant amount of cocaine prior to the November (1980 arrest)?" Edelman asked.

“Significant?” Henley replied. “You know, ‘sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll’ is not revelatory.”

He said he used cocaine “intermittently” throughout the 1970s, but was always lucid when performing or doing business.

“If I was some sort of a drug-filled zombie, I couldn’t have accomplished everything I accomplished before 1980 and after 1980,” Henley said.

NEW YORK (AP) — Don Henley resumed testifying Tuesday in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-973e74e795416821e6f022895b47b78e">a trial over handwritten drafts of lyrics</a>&nbsp;to some of the Eagles' biggest hits, including “Hotel California," and his decade-long effort to reclaim the pages.

After spending Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/henley-hotel-california-lyrics-trial-eagles-aa5300708de790099f9f7d0ba3b8afcf">telling the New York court</a>&nbsp;about topics ranging from Eagles songwriting to his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/don-henley-eagles-hotel-california-sex-worker-dae5d3c41ae5ad1071a06dbc74a957d7">past personal troubles</a>, the Eagles co-founder underwent further questioning Tuesday from lawyers for the three men on trial in the case.

Edward Kosinski, Craig Inciardi and Glenn Horowitz are charged with scheming to conceal the pages' disputed ownership and sell them despite knowing that Henley claimed they had no right. The defendants have pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to criminally possess stolen property.

They're not charged with actually stealing the roughly 100 legal-pad sheets from the development of the Eagles' 1976 release “Hotel California," the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3c0b39a1bb5b4e44aafe2c4e05a4b67f">third-best-selling album ever</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. The sheets include drafts of the words to the song “Hotel California,” one of rock's most enduring hits.

Horowitz bought the pages in 2005 from writer Ed Sanders, who worked with the Eagles decades earlier on a band&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-1b873edc7596bb736428fbf8fb431c1d">biography that never got published</a>. Horowitz later sold the the documents to Inciardi and Kosinski, who then put some pages up for auction.

Sanders isn't charged with any crime. He hasn't responded to messages about the case.

“I believed that my property was stolen, Mr. Sanders kept it in his residence, his garage, for 30 years, and then it was up for sale on the internet. I believed that that was a crime,” Henley told the court Tuesday.

In a tape Monday of a 1980 phone call that was played Monday in court, Henley said he'd “try to dig through” his lyrics drafts in order to aid Sanders' book.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708429319229.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Seated in a courtroom witness box, Don Henley opened a large brown envelope Tuesday and paged through the aging yellow sheets of a legal pad.“Well, it's got two song titles written on the top,” he explained when asked what it contained. “'After the Thrill is Gone' and ‘One of These Nights.’”Then came another envelope and pad, and another, and one more. They bore 1970s drafts of lyrics to two other Eagles hits, “The Long Run" and "The Sad Cafe," in what Henley identified as his handwriting and occasionally that of band co-founder Glenn Frey.It was the first glimpse in court of some of the physical pages at the heart of a trial involving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-973e74e795416821e6f022895b47b78e">handwritten drafts of lyrics</a>&nbsp;to several Eagles songs, including the megahit “Hotel California," and Henley's decade-long effort to reclaim the documents.After spending Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/henley-hotel-california-lyrics-trial-eagles-aa5300708de790099f9f7d0ba3b8afcf">telling the New York court</a>&nbsp;about topics ranging from Eagles songwriting to his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/don-henley-eagles-hotel-california-sex-worker-dae5d3c41ae5ad1071a06dbc74a957d7">past personal troubles</a>, the Eagles co-founder underwent further questioning Tuesday from lawyers for three collectibles experts who are on trial.Henley was asked about the writing of "Hotel California" and how he didn't notice for decades that the handwritten pages were missing. He was also asked about his past cocaine use — retorting that he was no “drug-filled zombie” — and even about a $96 limousine bill from 1973.He continued to insist that he never voluntarily gave up handwritten sheets from the Eagles’ 1976 release “Hotel California," the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3c0b39a1bb5b4e44aafe2c4e05a4b67f">third-best-selling album ever</a>&nbsp;in the U.S.“I believed that my property was stolen,” Henley said.The album produced one of rock's most enduring hits, the song “Hotel California,” credited to Frey, Henley and guitarist Don Felder. Henley recalled that Felder provided a “very basic” tape with guitar chords and a drum-machine beat. Frey and Henley worked from that to craft the lyrics and three guitarists — “four, if you count the bass” — contributed, Henley said.A prosecutor objected that the questions weren't relevant, but Judge Curtis Farber let them continue.“I don’t know the relevance, but it’s interesting,” the judge said to laughter from the courtroom audience.The defendants — Edward Kosinski, Craig Inciardi and Glenn Horowitz — are charged with scheming to conceal the lyrics pages' disputed ownership and sell them despite knowing that Henley claimed they had no right. The defendants have pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to criminally possess stolen property.They're not accused of actually stealing the roughly 100 legal-pad sheets. Horowitz bought them in 2005 from writer Ed Sanders, who had worked with the Eagles decades earlier on a band&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-1b873edc7596bb736428fbf8fb431c1d">biography that never got published</a>. Horowitz later sold the documents to Inciardi and Kosinski, who then put some pages up for auction.Sanders, who hasn't responded to messages about the case, isn't charged with any crime.Henley bought back four pages of “Hotel California” song lyrics in 2012. He also went to authorities at the time, and again when more pages — some from the hit “Life in the Fast Lane” — turned up for sale in 2014 and 2016.At the trial, Henley has testified that Sanders had no permission to keep or sell the pages, though he was allowed to view them in the course of writing the book.“Mr. Sanders kept it in his residence, his garage, for 30 years, and then it was up for sale on the internet. I believed that that was a crime,” Henley told the court Tuesday.He testified Monday that he didn't give permission for the “very personal, very private” lyrics drafts to be removed from his property in Malibu, California, though he acknowledged that he didn't recall the entirety of his conversations with the writer in the late 1970s and early '80s.In a tape of a 1980 phone call that was played Monday in court, Henley said he'd “try to dig through” his lyrics drafts in order to aid Sanders' book.Asked about the recording, Henley said he was talking about affording the writer “access. It’s not giving, it’s not gifting.”Defense lawyers have sought to show that the Eagles provided Sanders with copious insider material. Attorney Scott Edelman pointed to the 1973 car-service receipt, which authorities said they found when searching Sanders' home.Someone typed “Don Henley's offending limousine bill” on the slip, and Henley filled the margins with hand-written comments, according to testimony. The jottings weren't read aloud in court.The defense also has tried to raise doubts about how clearly Henley remembers whatever he told Sanders during the book project, which spanned a tumultuous and fast-living period in Henley's past.The Eagles broke up in 1980, and he was arrested that year after authorities said they found a 16-year-old girl naked and suffering from a drug overdose in his Los Angeles home. He later wrote to a probation officer that “my environment has led me to accept drugs as part of everyday life,” according to a letter presented in court. "“Cocaine, by inducing feelings of confidence and even delusions of grandeur, gave me the courage I sometimes lacked to write songs and put my innermost feelings and emotions on public display,” Henley wrote in the undated letter in which he said he was giving up drugs. He had been sentenced to probation and a $2,500 fine after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.“Isn’t it a fact, sir, that you were using a significant amount of cocaine prior to the November (1980 arrest)?" Edelman asked.“Significant?” Henley replied. “You know, ‘sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll’ is not revelatory.”He said he used cocaine “intermittently” throughout the 1970s, but was always lucid when performing or doing business.“If I was some sort of a drug-filled zombie, I couldn’t have accomplished everything I accomplished before 1980 and after 1980,” Henley said.-----------------------NEW YORK (AP) — Don Henley resumed testifying Tuesday in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-973e74e795416821e6f022895b47b78e">a trial over handwritten drafts of lyrics</a>&nbsp;to some of the Eagles' biggest hits, including “Hotel California," and his decade-long effort to reclaim the pages.After spending Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/henley-hotel-california-lyrics-trial-eagles-aa5300708de790099f9f7d0ba3b8afcf">telling the New York court</a>&nbsp;about topics ranging from Eagles songwriting to his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/don-henley-eagles-hotel-california-sex-worker-dae5d3c41ae5ad1071a06dbc74a957d7">past personal troubles</a>, the Eagles co-founder underwent further questioning Tuesday from lawyers for the three men on trial in the case.Edward Kosinski, Craig Inciardi and Glenn Horowitz are charged with scheming to conceal the pages' disputed ownership and sell them despite knowing that Henley claimed they had no right. The defendants have pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to criminally possess stolen property.They're not charged with actually stealing the roughly 100 legal-pad sheets from the development of the Eagles' 1976 release “Hotel California," the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3c0b39a1bb5b4e44aafe2c4e05a4b67f">third-best-selling album ever</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. The sheets include drafts of the words to the song “Hotel California,” one of rock's most enduring hits.Horowitz bought the pages in 2005 from writer Ed Sanders, who worked with the Eagles decades earlier on a band&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-1b873edc7596bb736428fbf8fb431c1d">biography that never got published</a>. Horowitz later sold the the documents to Inciardi and Kosinski, who then put some pages up for auction.Sanders isn't charged with any crime. He hasn't responded to messages about the case.Henley bought back four pages of “Hotel California” song lyrics in 2012. He also went to authorities at the time, and again when more pages — some from the hit “Life in the Fast Lane” — turned up for sale in 2014 and 2016.At the trial, Henley has testified that Sanders had no permission to keep or sell the pages, though he was allowed to view them in the course of writing the book.“I believed that my property was stolen, Mr. Sanders kept it in his residence, his garage, for 30 years, and then it was up for sale on the internet. I believed that that was a crime,” Henley told the court Tuesday.He testified Monday that he didn't give permission for the “very personal, very private” lyrics drafts to be removed from his property in Malibu, California, though he acknowledged that he didn't recall the entirety of his conversations with the writer in the late 1970s and early '80s.In a tape Monday of a 1980 phone call that was played Monday in court, Henley said he'd “try to dig through” his lyrics drafts in order to aid Sanders' book.Asked about the recording, Henley said he was talking about affording the writer “access. It’s not giving, it’s not gifting.”

In court, Don Henley recounts making of Eagles' megahit 'Hotel California'

Nebraska Department of Veterans' Affairs

WASHINGTON (FEB 21, 2024)&nbsp;— On Wednesday, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough presented the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs (NDVA) with an Abraham Lincoln Pillars of Excellence Award in recognition of the Veterans Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic, held in October 2023.

“It’s an honor to receive a Pillars of Excellence award two years in a row, and it speaks to the efforts NDVA is making to serve veterans and their families through innovative initiatives,” said NDVA Director John Hilgert. “The dental clinic is a great example of how we do things in Nebraska because it was a close collaboration between several organizations, all of which recognized an unmet need in our state and offered their specific resources and expertise to help meet that need.”

Hundreds of volunteers from dozens of organizations helped conduct the clinic which provided 309 individuals, including 225 veterans and 84 spouses and surviving spouses of veterans, with free dental care. Services included exams, cleanings, fillings, root canals, extractions, and more. Sixty individuals received dentures over the course of the clinic, thanks to technology that allowed for intraoral scanning and 3D printing of dentures that could be picked up the same day or the next.

The value of care provided at the clinic, based on equivalent Medicaid/Medicare reimbursements, totaled $406,512. In total, 2,323 dental services were provided, with most participants receiving multiple services. One participant remarked the estimate he’d received for all the work he needed exceeded $30,000, and thanks to the clinic, most of that work had been done at no cost.

“Veterans are one of the largest underserved dental populations in Nebraska,” said State Dental Health Director Dr. Charles F. Craft. “By pooling our professional resources together, with the assets of the NDVA and the NE National Guard, we were able to conduct a humanitarian mission that helped address the oral health care needs of many veterans. The success of this first-time event demonstrated the pride Nebraska has for its military members. It was an honor to serve those who served our country.”

The clinic was a partnership between NDVA, DHHS Office of Oral Health and Dentistry, Nebraska Dental Foundation (NDF), University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) College of Dentistry, Creighton University School of Dentistry, and the Nebraska National Guard (NENG).

“The Veterans Mission of Mercy dental clinic was a wonderful collaboration of organized dentistry, Nebraska Office of Oral Health, NDVA, and the Nebraska National Guard to provide much-needed oral health care to Nebraska veterans and their spouses,” said NDF President David O’Doherty.

NDF funded the clinic, utilizing the American Dentists Care Foundation’s national “Mission of Mercy” program to rent or purchase most of the equipment and supplies. Local organizations provided specialty equipment, such as the intraoral scanners and 3D printers from Dental Design Lab in Lincoln and Fuhrman Dental Lab in Norfolk, X-ray equipment from Dexis Imaging and Ponca Health Services, and wi-fi through the Farm Bureau.

&nbsp; “The Nebraska Veterans Mission of Mercy 2023 was a wonderful event to help our veterans in need,” said Dr. Jim Jenkins of the UNMC College of Dentistry.&nbsp;“It was an incredible group effort between health groups, dental schools, and the National Guard to make it happen; and the cooperation was amazing. I was very pleased with the success of the event, and all the volunteers did a wonderful job to help our veterans with their dental needs. The UNMC College of Dentistry students and faculty who volunteered their time and talents for the veterans’ clinic had a fantastic experience.”

The clinic was staffed primarily by volunteers, including 274 dentists, dental students, dental hygienists, and dental hygiene students and numerous non-dental volunteers who helped with setup, check-in, and other non-clinical tasks. Most volunteers came from the UNMC College of Dentistry and Creighton University School of Dentistry, with others coming from private offices, dental companies, the Nebraska Dental Hygiene Association, Southeast Community College Dental Assistant program, and UNL Pre-Dental Club. NDVA public servants, county veteran service officers, VA employees, and others were also on-hand to provide non-clinical, veteran support.

“It was an honor and privilege for the Creighton University School of Dentistry to participate in this worthwhile endeavor serving our Nebraska veterans and their spouses,” said Dr. Joe Franco of the Creighton Dental School. “This event epitomizes Creighton’s commitment to the community for both our students and faculty. Both our students and faculty enjoyed the positive experience and satisfaction providing a wide range of dental care to our veterans. Creighton School of Dentistry is looking forward to participating and collaborating with the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs in future events.”

The Nebraska National Guard allowed for the use of the Titan Readiness Center in Yutan, Neb., with the large gym serving as the main work area and smaller rooms providing space for intake and triage, X-rays, 3D scanning and printing for dentures, patient recovery, and a veterans claims filing area with accredited veteran service officers. Vet Center staff members were on hand to offer additional resources to attendees, and the “Remembering Our Fallen” memorial, a traveling exhibit that honors the Nebraskans who have been killed during the Global War on Terrorism since 9/11, was on display.&nbsp;

“This was a remarkable coalition of skilled and dedicated people coming together to help Nebraska veterans, and the Nebraska National Guard was proud to partner with Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs in such an impactful effort,” said Maj. Scott Ingalsbe, Nebraska National Guard state public affairs officer. “On a rare weekend where the Titan Readiness Center was not being used for National Guard units’ training, we were glad to make it available to an all-volunteer army of dental care providers taking care of veterans in need.”

Participants traveled to the clinic from nearly 50 counties across the state, with over 15% of patients traveling over 100 miles to attend and 9% traveling over 250 miles. Individuals who were identified as needing additional dental services were provided with information for assistance through Nebraska Veterans Aid, their local County Veterans Service Officer, or alternative/low-cost dental services.

Based on the success of the event, NDVA and other partners involved hope to host another Veterans Mission of Mercy clinic in the fall of 2024. To stay up to date on this potential event and others, interested parties can sign up to receive emails from NDVA at&nbsp;<a href="https://veterans.nebraska.gov/subscribe" target="_blank">veterans.nebraska.gov/subscribe</a>.

The Abraham Lincoln Pillars of Excellence Award is a recognition program developed by the VA Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA). The award allows VA and NASDVA to evaluate state and territory programs to establish best practices and provide a model for other states and territories to implement programs that benefit veterans and their families across the Nation. Award categories include customer experience with VA benefits and services, eliminating veteran homelessness, suicide awareness and prevention, delivery of services to tribal governments serving Native American Veterans, innovative state programs, and eliminating the claims and appeals backlog.

 Nebraska was among seven states and territories to be recognized with a Pillars of Excellence award this year at the NASDVA Midwinter Training Conference in Washington, D.C.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709060973228.png" alt="From left to right, NASDVA President Dennis Wimer, NDVA Director John Hilgert, and VA Secretary Denis McDonough at the Abraham Lincoln Pillars of Excellence Award ceremony. Photo by Gene Russell, Department of Veterans Affairs photographer." />
 <figcaption>From left to right, NASDVA President Dennis Wimer, NDVA Director John Hilgert, and VA Secretary Denis McDonough at the Abraham Lincoln Pillars of Excellence Award ceremony. Photo by Gene Russell, Department of Veterans Affairs photographer.</figcaption>
 </figure>Holden ArmstrongNebraska Department of Veterans' AffairsWASHINGTON (FEB 21, 2024)&nbsp;— On Wednesday, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough presented the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs (NDVA) with an Abraham Lincoln Pillars of Excellence Award in recognition of the Veterans Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic, held in October 2023.“It’s an honor to receive a Pillars of Excellence award two years in a row, and it speaks to the efforts NDVA is making to serve veterans and their families through innovative initiatives,” said NDVA Director John Hilgert. “The dental clinic is a great example of how we do things in Nebraska because it was a close collaboration between several organizations, all of which recognized an unmet need in our state and offered their specific resources and expertise to help meet that need.”Hundreds of volunteers from dozens of organizations helped conduct the clinic which provided 309 individuals, including 225 veterans and 84 spouses and surviving spouses of veterans, with free dental care. Services included exams, cleanings, fillings, root canals, extractions, and more. Sixty individuals received dentures over the course of the clinic, thanks to technology that allowed for intraoral scanning and 3D printing of dentures that could be picked up the same day or the next.The value of care provided at the clinic, based on equivalent Medicaid/Medicare reimbursements, totaled $406,512. In total, 2,323 dental services were provided, with most participants receiving multiple services. One participant remarked the estimate he’d received for all the work he needed exceeded $30,000, and thanks to the clinic, most of that work had been done at no cost.“Veterans are one of the largest underserved dental populations in Nebraska,” said State Dental Health Director Dr. Charles F. Craft. “By pooling our professional resources together, with the assets of the NDVA and the NE National Guard, we were able to conduct a humanitarian mission that helped address the oral health care needs of many veterans. The success of this first-time event demonstrated the pride Nebraska has for its military members. It was an honor to serve those who served our country.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709060942808.png" alt="Volunteers transform the Titan Readiness Center’s gym into a state-of-the-art dental clinic." />
 <figcaption>Volunteers transform the Titan Readiness Center’s gym into a state-of-the-art dental clinic.</figcaption>
 </figure>The clinic was a partnership between NDVA, DHHS Office of Oral Health and Dentistry, Nebraska Dental Foundation (NDF), University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) College of Dentistry, Creighton University School of Dentistry, and the Nebraska National Guard (NENG).“The Veterans Mission of Mercy dental clinic was a wonderful collaboration of organized dentistry, Nebraska Office of Oral Health, NDVA, and the Nebraska National Guard to provide much-needed oral health care to Nebraska veterans and their spouses,” said NDF President David O’Doherty.NDF funded the clinic, utilizing the American Dentists Care Foundation’s national “Mission of Mercy” program to rent or purchase most of the equipment and supplies. Local organizations provided specialty equipment, such as the intraoral scanners and 3D printers from Dental Design Lab in Lincoln and Fuhrman Dental Lab in Norfolk, X-ray equipment from Dexis Imaging and Ponca Health Services, and wi-fi through the Farm Bureau.&nbsp; “The Nebraska Veterans Mission of Mercy 2023 was a wonderful event to help our veterans in need,” said Dr. Jim Jenkins of the UNMC College of Dentistry.&nbsp;“It was an incredible group effort between health groups, dental schools, and the National Guard to make it happen; and the cooperation was amazing. I was very pleased with the success of the event, and all the volunteers did a wonderful job to help our veterans with their dental needs. The UNMC College of Dentistry students and faculty who volunteered their time and talents for the veterans’ clinic had a fantastic experience.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709060911792.png" alt="Dentures being produced for a veteran whose mouth was scanned using a CEREC intraoral scanner earlier in the day." />
 <figcaption>Dentures being produced for a veteran whose mouth was scanned using a CEREC intraoral scanner earlier in the day.</figcaption>
 </figure>The clinic was staffed primarily by volunteers, including 274 dentists, dental students, dental hygienists, and dental hygiene students and numerous non-dental volunteers who helped with setup, check-in, and other non-clinical tasks. Most volunteers came from the UNMC College of Dentistry and Creighton University School of Dentistry, with others coming from private offices, dental companies, the Nebraska Dental Hygiene Association, Southeast Community College Dental Assistant program, and UNL Pre-Dental Club. NDVA public servants, county veteran service officers, VA employees, and others were also on-hand to provide non-clinical, veteran support.“It was an honor and privilege for the Creighton University School of Dentistry to participate in this worthwhile endeavor serving our Nebraska veterans and their spouses,” said Dr. Joe Franco of the Creighton Dental School. “This event epitomizes Creighton’s commitment to the community for both our students and faculty. Both our students and faculty enjoyed the positive experience and satisfaction providing a wide range of dental care to our veterans. Creighton School of Dentistry is looking forward to participating and collaborating with the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs in future events.”The Nebraska National Guard allowed for the use of the Titan Readiness Center in Yutan, Neb., with the large gym serving as the main work area and smaller rooms providing space for intake and triage, X-rays, 3D scanning and printing for dentures, patient recovery, and a veterans claims filing area with accredited veteran service officers. Vet Center staff members were on hand to offer additional resources to attendees, and the “Remembering Our Fallen” memorial, a traveling exhibit that honors the Nebraskans who have been killed during the Global War on Terrorism since 9/11, was on display.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709060881965.png" alt="Dentists, dental students, dental hygienists, and dental hygiene students provide care to veterans and their spouses at the Veterans Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic." />
 <figcaption>Dentists, dental students, dental hygienists, and dental hygiene students provide care to veterans and their spouses at the Veterans Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic.</figcaption>
 </figure>“This was a remarkable coalition of skilled and dedicated people coming together to help Nebraska veterans, and the Nebraska National Guard was proud to partner with Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs in such an impactful effort,” said Maj. Scott Ingalsbe, Nebraska National Guard state public affairs officer. “On a rare weekend where the Titan Readiness Center was not being used for National Guard units’ training, we were glad to make it available to an all-volunteer army of dental care providers taking care of veterans in need.”Participants traveled to the clinic from nearly 50 counties across the state, with over 15% of patients traveling over 100 miles to attend and 9% traveling over 250 miles. Individuals who were identified as needing additional dental services were provided with information for assistance through Nebraska Veterans Aid, their local County Veterans Service Officer, or alternative/low-cost dental services.Based on the success of the event, NDVA and other partners involved hope to host another Veterans Mission of Mercy clinic in the fall of 2024. To stay up to date on this potential event and others, interested parties can sign up to receive emails from NDVA at&nbsp;<a href="https://veterans.nebraska.gov/subscribe" target="_blank">veterans.nebraska.gov/subscribe</a>.The Abraham Lincoln Pillars of Excellence Award is a recognition program developed by the VA Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA). The award allows VA and NASDVA to evaluate state and territory programs to establish best practices and provide a model for other states and territories to implement programs that benefit veterans and their families across the Nation. Award categories include customer experience with VA benefits and services, eliminating veteran homelessness, suicide awareness and prevention, delivery of services to tribal governments serving Native American Veterans, innovative state programs, and eliminating the claims and appeals backlog. Nebraska was among seven states and territories to be recognized with a Pillars of Excellence award this year at the NASDVA Midwinter Training Conference in Washington, D.C.

Veterans Dental Clinic Provides Over $400k in Care, Receives VA Award

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Family Dollar Stores, a subsidiary of Dollar Tree Inc., pleaded guilty Monday to holding food, drugs, cosmetics and other items under “insanitary” conditions at a now-closed, rodent-infested distribution center in West Memphis, Arkansas, federal prosecutors said.

Family Dollar faced one misdemeanor count of causing FDA-regulated products to become adulterated while being held under insanitary conditions at the facility, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release. The company entered into a plea deal that includes a sentence of a fine and forfeiture amount totaling $41.675 million, the largest-ever monetary criminal penalty in a food safety case, the department said.

“When consumers go to the store, they have the right to expect that the food and drugs on the shelves have been kept in clean, uncontaminated conditions,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “When companies violate that trust and the laws designed to keep consumers safe, the public should rest assured: The Justice Department will hold those companies accountable.”

A company spokesperson said it cooperated extensively with the DOJ's investigation.

(Click below to watch Attorney General Leslie Rutledge who originally accused Family Dollar/Dollar Tree of deceiving consumers, negligence and engaging in a conspiracy that allowed the infestation.)

“In 2022, Family Dollar issued a voluntary recall of product that allowed customers to return goods for a full refund without proof of purchase. While we are not aware of any consumer becoming ill due to conditions at the distribution center, 14 consumer class actions were brought against the company, and we have reached a tentative settlement in those cases without any admission of liability or wrongdoing,” the spokesperson said in an email. “We look forward to putting the litigation behind us so that we can focus on our business of providing affordable products to our customers, with quality and safety at the heart of what we do.”

The plea agreement also requires Family Dollar and Dollar Tree to meet robust corporate compliance and reporting requirements for the next three years, the DOJ said.

In pleading guilty, the company admitted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-rodents-13af31891dc1c4ed5853ece779d4c2c1">that its Arkansas distribution center</a>&nbsp;shipped FDA-regulated products to more than 400 Family Dollar stores in Alabama, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee. According to the plea agreement, the company began receiving reports in August 2020 of mouse and pest issues with deliveries to stores. The company admitted that by January 2021, some of its employees were aware that the insanitary conditions caused FDA-regulated products held at the warehouse to become adulterated in violation of federal law.

According to the plea agreement, the company continued to ship FDA-regulated products from the warehouse until January 2022, when an FDA inspection revealed live rodents, dead and decaying rodents, rodent feces, urine, and odors, and evidence of gnawing and nesting throughout the facility.

Subsequent fumigation of the facility resulted in the reported extermination of 1,270 rodents.

Dollar Tree Chairman and CEO Rick Dreiling, in a news release, said the company is moving forward with its “business transformation, safety procedures and compliance initiatives.”

Since joining Dollar Tree's Board of Directors in March 2022, Dreiling said they have “worked diligently to help Family Dollar resolve this historical matter and significantly enhance our policies, procedures and physical facilities to ensure it is not repeated.”

Dollar Tree also recently announced that Family Dollar plans to return operations to West Memphis with a fully reimagined and refreshed distribution center. The new facility, which is expected to staff 300 new jobs, is expected to be open by fall 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658512118386.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Family Dollar Stores, a subsidiary of Dollar Tree Inc., pleaded guilty Monday to holding food, drugs, cosmetics and other items under “insanitary” conditions at a now-closed, rodent-infested distribution center in West Memphis, Arkansas, federal prosecutors said.Family Dollar faced one misdemeanor count of causing FDA-regulated products to become adulterated while being held under insanitary conditions at the facility, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release. The company entered into a plea deal that includes a sentence of a fine and forfeiture amount totaling $41.675 million, the largest-ever monetary criminal penalty in a food safety case, the department said.“When consumers go to the store, they have the right to expect that the food and drugs on the shelves have been kept in clean, uncontaminated conditions,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “When companies violate that trust and the laws designed to keep consumers safe, the public should rest assured: The Justice Department will hold those companies accountable.”A company spokesperson said it cooperated extensively with the DOJ's investigation.(Click below to watch Attorney General Leslie Rutledge who originally accused Family Dollar/Dollar Tree of deceiving consumers, negligence and engaging in a conspiracy that allowed the infestation.)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FAGLeslieRutledge%2Fvideos%2F671759331209284%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=62" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>“In 2022, Family Dollar issued a voluntary recall of product that allowed customers to return goods for a full refund without proof of purchase. While we are not aware of any consumer becoming ill due to conditions at the distribution center, 14 consumer class actions were brought against the company, and we have reached a tentative settlement in those cases without any admission of liability or wrongdoing,” the spokesperson said in an email. “We look forward to putting the litigation behind us so that we can focus on our business of providing affordable products to our customers, with quality and safety at the heart of what we do.”The plea agreement also requires Family Dollar and Dollar Tree to meet robust corporate compliance and reporting requirements for the next three years, the DOJ said.In pleading guilty, the company admitted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-rodents-13af31891dc1c4ed5853ece779d4c2c1">that its Arkansas distribution center</a>&nbsp;shipped FDA-regulated products to more than 400 Family Dollar stores in Alabama, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee. According to the plea agreement, the company began receiving reports in August 2020 of mouse and pest issues with deliveries to stores. The company admitted that by January 2021, some of its employees were aware that the insanitary conditions caused FDA-regulated products held at the warehouse to become adulterated in violation of federal law.According to the plea agreement, the company continued to ship FDA-regulated products from the warehouse until January 2022, when an FDA inspection revealed live rodents, dead and decaying rodents, rodent feces, urine, and odors, and evidence of gnawing and nesting throughout the facility.Subsequent fumigation of the facility resulted in the reported extermination of 1,270 rodents.Dollar Tree Chairman and CEO Rick Dreiling, in a news release, said the company is moving forward with its “business transformation, safety procedures and compliance initiatives.”Since joining Dollar Tree's Board of Directors in March 2022, Dreiling said they have “worked diligently to help Family Dollar resolve this historical matter and significantly enhance our policies, procedures and physical facilities to ensure it is not repeated.”Dollar Tree also recently announced that Family Dollar plans to return operations to West Memphis with a fully reimagined and refreshed distribution center. The new facility, which is expected to staff 300 new jobs, is expected to be open by fall 2024.

🎥Family Dollar Stores to pay $41M for rodent-infested warehouse

The Kearney Volunteer Fire Department (KVFD) was dispatched to an industrial fire at Andersen Wrecking, 1912 Avenue M. Upon arrival KVFD crews found heavy black smoke and flames coming from the exterior and interior of Andersen's sorting building. Firefighters worked to extinguish the conveyor belts on the exterior of the structure while crews made entry for fire attack and search. 

Crews found additional conveyor belts on fire inside of the structure. The fire was brought under control at 12:28. No injuries were reported. The Nebraska State Fire Marshal was requested to assist KVFD with the fire origin and cause investigation. The cause remains under investigation. 

However, the initial investigation indicates that the fire was caused by molten metal that fell into a debris pile and spread to the conveyor belts. Other agencies who responded and assisted KVFD were Good Samaritan EMS and the Kearney Police Department.&nbsp;

Kearney Volunteer Fire DepartmentThe Kearney Volunteer Fire Department (KVFD) was dispatched to an industrial fire at Andersen Wrecking, 1912 Avenue M. Upon arrival KVFD crews found heavy black smoke and flames coming from the exterior and interior of Andersen's sorting building. Firefighters worked to extinguish the conveyor belts on the exterior of the structure while crews made entry for fire attack and search. Crews found additional conveyor belts on fire inside of the structure. The fire was brought under control at 12:28. No injuries were reported. The Nebraska State Fire Marshal was requested to assist KVFD with the fire origin and cause investigation. The cause remains under investigation. However, the initial investigation indicates that the fire was caused by molten metal that fell into a debris pile and spread to the conveyor belts. Other agencies who responded and assisted KVFD were Good Samaritan EMS and the Kearney Police Department.&nbsp;

Kearney Volunteer Fire Department respond to a structure fire at Anderson Wrecking

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/26/linehan-letter-targets-private-nebraska-foundations-backing-public-schools-in-school-choice-fight/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The author of Nebraska’s tax credit program for donors funding scholarships to private K-12 schools says two of the state’s top donor families are improperly using tax-advantaged charities to fight the law.&nbsp;

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha, in a letter to the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission, accuses the Susie Buffett-chaired Sherwood Foundation of steering “funds from and thru Sherwood and its affiliates and connected organizations for the purpose of influencing politics and government in Nebraska.”

The letter also targets funding from the Weitz Family Foundation. That group is tied to University of Nebraska Regent Barbara Weitz and her daughter, Katie. The foundation donates to several organizations supporting public schools. The Buffetts and Weitzes are also major donors to Democrats in Nebraska.&nbsp;

Linehan, a Republican, wrote that she believes nonprofits are helping donors get around “at least the spirit of Nebraska’s campaign finance disclosure laws if not explicitly violating them.”

“Clearly, the Sherwood Foundation, in fact all of the Buffett family foundations, are working aggressively to impact politics, public policy and legislation in Nebraska…,” Linehan wrote.

Neither foundation immediately returned calls seeking comment.&nbsp;

Federal law and Internal Revenue Service regulations allow private foundations such as Sherwood and Weitz to give money to tax-advantaged nonprofits. They also allow those nonprofits to advocate on specific political issues, with some of that money, up to 20% of their annual budget, including ballot measures.&nbsp;

Several lawyers said the letter puzzled them. They said the language used tries to blur the lines between legal definitions involving nonprofits and their tax status. The line that lawyers said could not be crossed, representing political donations, is direct donations to candidates, which the letter does not allege.

“She just said a lot of things that are true, but all those things don’t add up to something illegal,” one Nebraska lawyer said, speaking on the condition that he not be identified.

Linehan’s critics say she is being hypocritical. They say her new law, sought by many local donors to school choice efforts, provides a dollar-for-dollar tax break of up to $25 million annually to fund private school scholarships for needy Nebraskans.&nbsp;

Linehan’s letter identified gifts the Sherwood and Weitz foundations have given to OpenSky Policy Institute ($2.5 million since 2016 from Sherwood and more than $540,000 from Weitz), Stand for Schools ($1.26 million from Sherwood) and the Nebraska Civic Engagement Table ($962,000 from Sherwood and $865,000 from Weitz).&nbsp;

Rebecca Firestone of OpenSky said her group appreciates the NADC’s work on behalf of campaign finance transparency.&nbsp;

Guadalupe Esquivel of the Civic Engagement Table said her group is “well within our rights to lobby” and said it adheres to strict limits.&nbsp;

Dunixi Guereca of Stand for Schools said his group follows the law.&nbsp;

“This is just another attempt to distract from the fact that 117,145 Nebraskans, from every county in this state and across the ideological spectrum, used a mechanism guaranteed to them by the Nebraska Constitution to have their voices heard in November,” Guereca said. He said voters will decide whether to repeal the tax credit law, Legislative Bill 753, during the general election.

Several Linehan critics said her letter lacked self-awareness. Her efforts to pass and protect the school choice law are funded by millionaires and billionaires on the right, including former Trump-era Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, the Ricketts family and foundations supporting religious education.

Others pointed to hundreds of thousands of dollars in political donations being sent to organizations such as the American Federation for Children, a group that has employed Linehan’s daughter, Katie, a longtime advocate for school choice.

Much of the $710,000 that a national school choice group sent to Nebraska to spend on legislative races in 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/27/betsy-devos-two-others-spent-big-on-nebraska-legislative-races/">came from the family of DeVos</a>&nbsp;and the owner of the National Football League’s Cleveland Browns, Jimmy Haslam.&nbsp;

Linehan said those donors are known because groups like American Federation for Children choose to be strict about how they interpret the law governing nonprofits and how they should participate in politics. That group said it runs its political advocacy under its 501(c)(4) organization, the type of nonprofit that does not offer tax deductions. It runs a separate PAC that gives to candidates and fully discloses donors.

The school choice group also&nbsp;has a tax-advantaged 501(c)(3), the American Federation for Children Growth Fund. That group gave Keep Kids First $391,571 in 2023.

Linehan says she distinguishes between tax-advantaged nonprofits, called 501(c)(3)s, that are supposed to limit their issue advocacy, and nonprofits without the tax advantages for donors, called 501(c)(4)s, that can legally spend more of their money on political action and activism.&nbsp;

Tax-advantaged nonprofits are typically limited to an educational role, public health or advocacy programs for the poor. The 501(c)(4) organizations have more flexibility. They can advocate for specific legislation and policies.

When donors give to groups supporting her Opportunity Scholarship law against the repeal effort, including Keep Kids First, those donations are not tax deductible, she said. When donors give to many of the groups opposing school choice, she said, they get a tax deduction.

She said people should know who is giving what to whom in political advocacy. And she said the IRS and the NADC ought to be clearer about what activities cross the line.

“Hiding who you are is the biggest thing,” Linehan said. “If you want to play on a stage and influence policy, we all should know who is writing the checks. We know when Ricketts is writing a check. We know when Betsy DeVos is writing a check.”

Ricketts and DeVos have also acknowledged donating to dark money groups on other issues. Those groups are not required to disclose their donors.

Linehan’s letter also targeted Bold Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to environmental activism run by Jane Kleeb, who is also chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party. Kleeb said it makes no sense for conservatives to complain about donations being sent to nonprofit organizations for issue advocacy.&nbsp;

Kleeb pointed to the tax relief and fossil fuel advocacy of the conservative Americans for Prosperity, which describes itself as an educational group and does not disclose its donors. Democrats have fought for years to reveal the donors to AFP-Nebraska.

“She is angry because rich people on the left are doing the same thing rich people on the right have always done,” Kleeb said.&nbsp;

Jenni Benson of Support Our Schools Nebraska, one of the nonprofit groups Linehan’s letter mentioned, said Nebraskans are doing the best they can to counter millions of dollars in out-of-state money flowing into political efforts to divert public dollars to fund private schools through “voucher scheme bills.”

“Our public schools are important to Nebraskans and to these Nebraska organizations,” said Jenni Benson, Support Our Schools Nebraska. “We appreciate their support for the effort to keep public funds for public schools.”

The letter also highlighted Sherwood grants to the Nebraska Council of School Administrators and the League of Women Voters, among others. The League, in a statement late Monday, said its statewide organization has received no funding from Sherwood and that its metro Omaha chapter has received grant funding for operational expenses.&nbsp;

Linehan wrote another letter recently asking Secretary of State Bob Evnen and Attorney General Mike Hilgers to rethink their decision to allow the repeal measure onto the ballot, citing legislative prerogative to set laws on matters involving taxation. Evnen’s decision is expected soon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709050855835.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn (Courtesy of the Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn (Courtesy of the Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/26/linehan-letter-targets-private-nebraska-foundations-backing-public-schools-in-school-choice-fight/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The author of Nebraska’s tax credit program for donors funding scholarships to private K-12 schools says two of the state’s top donor families are improperly using tax-advantaged charities to fight the law.&nbsp;State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha, in a letter to the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission, accuses the Susie Buffett-chaired Sherwood Foundation of steering “funds from and thru Sherwood and its affiliates and connected organizations for the purpose of influencing politics and government in Nebraska.”The letter also targets funding from the Weitz Family Foundation. That group is tied to University of Nebraska Regent Barbara Weitz and her daughter, Katie. The foundation donates to several organizations supporting public schools. The Buffetts and Weitzes are also major donors to Democrats in Nebraska.&nbsp;Linehan, a Republican, wrote that she believes nonprofits are helping donors get around “at least the spirit of Nebraska’s campaign finance disclosure laws if not explicitly violating them.”“Clearly, the Sherwood Foundation, in fact all of the Buffett family foundations, are working aggressively to impact politics, public policy and legislation in Nebraska…,” Linehan wrote.Neither foundation immediately returned calls seeking comment.&nbsp;<h2>Law allows issue advocacy</h2>Federal law and Internal Revenue Service regulations allow private foundations such as Sherwood and Weitz to give money to tax-advantaged nonprofits. They also allow those nonprofits to advocate on specific political issues, with some of that money, up to 20% of their annual budget, including ballot measures.&nbsp;Several lawyers said the letter puzzled them. They said the language used tries to blur the lines between legal definitions involving nonprofits and their tax status. The line that lawyers said could not be crossed, representing political donations, is direct donations to candidates, which the letter does not allege.“She just said a lot of things that are true, but all those things don’t add up to something illegal,” one Nebraska lawyer said, speaking on the condition that he not be identified.Linehan’s critics say she is being hypocritical. They say her new law, sought by many local donors to school choice efforts, provides a dollar-for-dollar tax break of up to $25 million annually to fund private school scholarships for needy Nebraskans.&nbsp;Linehan’s letter identified gifts the Sherwood and Weitz foundations have given to OpenSky Policy Institute ($2.5 million since 2016 from Sherwood and more than $540,000 from Weitz), Stand for Schools ($1.26 million from Sherwood) and the Nebraska Civic Engagement Table ($962,000 from Sherwood and $865,000 from Weitz).&nbsp;Rebecca Firestone of OpenSky said her group appreciates the NADC’s work on behalf of campaign finance transparency.&nbsp;Guadalupe Esquivel of the Civic Engagement Table said her group is “well within our rights to lobby” and said it adheres to strict limits.&nbsp;Dunixi Guereca of Stand for Schools said his group follows the law.&nbsp;“This is just another attempt to distract from the fact that 117,145 Nebraskans, from every county in this state and across the ideological spectrum, used a mechanism guaranteed to them by the Nebraska Constitution to have their voices heard in November,” Guereca said. He said voters will decide whether to repeal the tax credit law, Legislative Bill 753, during the general election.<h2>Critics say Linehan lacks self-awareness</h2>Several Linehan critics said her letter lacked self-awareness. Her efforts to pass and protect the school choice law are funded by millionaires and billionaires on the right, including former Trump-era Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, the Ricketts family and foundations supporting religious education.Others pointed to hundreds of thousands of dollars in political donations being sent to organizations such as the American Federation for Children, a group that has employed Linehan’s daughter, Katie, a longtime advocate for school choice.Much of the $710,000 that a national school choice group sent to Nebraska to spend on legislative races in 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/27/betsy-devos-two-others-spent-big-on-nebraska-legislative-races/">came from the family of DeVos</a>&nbsp;and the owner of the National Football League’s Cleveland Browns, Jimmy Haslam.&nbsp;Linehan said those donors are known because groups like American Federation for Children choose to be strict about how they interpret the law governing nonprofits and how they should participate in politics. That group said it runs its political advocacy under its 501(c)(4) organization, the type of nonprofit that does not offer tax deductions. It runs a separate PAC that gives to candidates and fully discloses donors.The school choice group also&nbsp;has a tax-advantaged 501(c)(3), the American Federation for Children Growth Fund. That group gave Keep Kids First $391,571 in 2023.Linehan says she distinguishes between tax-advantaged nonprofits, called 501(c)(3)s, that are supposed to limit their issue advocacy, and nonprofits without the tax advantages for donors, called 501(c)(4)s, that can legally spend more of their money on political action and activism.&nbsp;Tax-advantaged nonprofits are typically limited to an educational role, public health or advocacy programs for the poor. The 501(c)(4) organizations have more flexibility. They can advocate for specific legislation and policies.When donors give to groups supporting her Opportunity Scholarship law against the repeal effort, including Keep Kids First, those donations are not tax deductible, she said. When donors give to many of the groups opposing school choice, she said, they get a tax deduction.<h2>Linehan says she wants transparency</h2>She said people should know who is giving what to whom in political advocacy. And she said the IRS and the NADC ought to be clearer about what activities cross the line.“Hiding who you are is the biggest thing,” Linehan said. “If you want to play on a stage and influence policy, we all should know who is writing the checks. We know when Ricketts is writing a check. We know when Betsy DeVos is writing a check.”Ricketts and DeVos have also acknowledged donating to dark money groups on other issues. Those groups are not required to disclose their donors.Linehan’s letter also targeted Bold Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to environmental activism run by Jane Kleeb, who is also chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party. Kleeb said it makes no sense for conservatives to complain about donations being sent to nonprofit organizations for issue advocacy.&nbsp;Kleeb pointed to the tax relief and fossil fuel advocacy of the conservative Americans for Prosperity, which describes itself as an educational group and does not disclose its donors. Democrats have fought for years to reveal the donors to AFP-Nebraska.“She is angry because rich people on the left are doing the same thing rich people on the right have always done,” Kleeb said.&nbsp;<h2>Big money on both sides</h2>Jenni Benson of Support Our Schools Nebraska, one of the nonprofit groups Linehan’s letter mentioned, said Nebraskans are doing the best they can to counter millions of dollars in out-of-state money flowing into political efforts to divert public dollars to fund private schools through “voucher scheme bills.”“Our public schools are important to Nebraskans and to these Nebraska organizations,” said Jenni Benson, Support Our Schools Nebraska. “We appreciate their support for the effort to keep public funds for public schools.”The letter also highlighted Sherwood grants to the Nebraska Council of School Administrators and the League of Women Voters, among others. The League, in a statement late Monday, said its statewide organization has received no funding from Sherwood and that its metro Omaha chapter has received grant funding for operational expenses.&nbsp;Linehan wrote another letter recently asking Secretary of State Bob Evnen and Attorney General Mike Hilgers to rethink their decision to allow the repeal measure onto the ballot, citing legislative prerogative to set laws on matters involving taxation. Evnen’s decision is expected soon.

Linehan letter targets private Nebraska foundations backing public schools in school choice fight

The U.S. government is threatening to sue PacifiCorp, a unit of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, to recover nearly $1 billion in costs related to the 2020 wildfires in southern Oregon and northern California, though the company is trying to negotiate a settlement.

The potential lawsuits were disclosed in an annual report filed by PacifiCorp’s Iowa-based parent company, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, on Monday — two days after Buffett lamented the disappointing results at the conglomerate's utility division in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-letter-charlie-munger-41d58fcfe54fa1eba8f5492aac0542a2">annual letter</a>&nbsp;to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. This new liability comes after the utility already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-2020-wildfires-utility-power-lines-lawsuit-fae82fbff81e6ac26eb0ead775a16c75">agreed to pay</a>&nbsp;hundreds of millions of dollars in lawsuits related to the fires.

In its annual report, Berkshire Hathaway Energy said the U.S. Justice Department told the company it is seeking $625 million in firefighting and cleanup costs related to the September 2020 Archie Creek and Susan Creek fires. Oregon’s Justice Department said it is also seeking $109 million in damages related to those fires.

In addition to that, the U.S. Forest Service has asked PacfiCorp to pay $356 million for firefighting costs and damages related to the Slater Fire that started in California but also crossed over the border into Oregon.

The fires&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-brown-fires-us-news-wa-state-wire-ca-state-wire-8e4e0818146a72c713de625e902f9962">were among the worst natural disasters</a>&nbsp;in Oregon’s history. They killed nine people, burned more than 1,875 square miles (4,856 square kilometers) and destroyed upward of 5,000 homes and other structures.

The Oregon lawsuits say PacifiCorp negligently failed to shut off power to its 600,000 customers during a windstorm over Labor Day weekend in 2020, despite warnings from state leaders and top fire officials, and that its power lines caused multiple blazes.

Representatives of PacifiCorp and Berkshire Hathaway Energy declined to comment about the new liabilities. The Justice Department didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about the potential lawsuits.

Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire estimates that its utilities face at least $8 billion in claims across all the wildfire lawsuits already filed in Oregon and California although the damages could be doubled or even tripled in some of those cases and some of the lawsuits don’t list a dollar amount.

Those costs, combined with the uncertain regulatory environment in western states where wildfires have become more prevalent, are making it harder for utilities like PacifiCorp to decide when it makes sense to invest in major new power plants and transmission lines.

“It will be many years until we know the final tally from BHE’s (Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s) forest-fire losses and can intelligently make decisions about the desirability of future investments in vulnerable western states,” Buffett said in&nbsp;<a href="https://berkshirehathaway.com/2023ar/2023ar.pdf">his letter</a>. “It remains to be seen whether the regulatory environment will change elsewhere.”

Buffett said that in extreme cases like with Pacific Gas and Electric in California or Hawaiian Electric utilities could face bankruptcy and the country may have to decide whether to turn to public power if private investors are no longer willing to take the risks associated with the utility business.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709051042260.jpeg" alt="An old cash register sits among the charred remains of a home burned in the Slater Fire in Happy Camp, Calif., Oct. 6, 2021. The U.S. government has threatened to sue a unit of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway to recover nearly $1 billion of costs related to the wildfires in 2020 in southern Oregon and northern California. The potential lawsuits were disclosed in an annual report filed by PacifiCorp’s parent company, Berkshire Hathaway Energy on Monday, Feb 26, 2024. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)" />
 <figcaption>An old cash register sits among the charred remains of a home burned in the Slater Fire in Happy Camp, Calif., Oct. 6, 2021. The U.S. government has threatened to sue a unit of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway to recover nearly $1 billion of costs related to the wildfires in 2020 in southern Oregon and northern California. The potential lawsuits were disclosed in an annual report filed by PacifiCorp’s parent company, Berkshire Hathaway Energy on Monday, Feb 26, 2024. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>Associated PressThe U.S. government is threatening to sue PacifiCorp, a unit of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, to recover nearly $1 billion in costs related to the 2020 wildfires in southern Oregon and northern California, though the company is trying to negotiate a settlement.The potential lawsuits were disclosed in an annual report filed by PacifiCorp’s Iowa-based parent company, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, on Monday — two days after Buffett lamented the disappointing results at the conglomerate's utility division in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-letter-charlie-munger-41d58fcfe54fa1eba8f5492aac0542a2">annual letter</a>&nbsp;to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. This new liability comes after the utility already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-2020-wildfires-utility-power-lines-lawsuit-fae82fbff81e6ac26eb0ead775a16c75">agreed to pay</a>&nbsp;hundreds of millions of dollars in lawsuits related to the fires.In its annual report, Berkshire Hathaway Energy said the U.S. Justice Department told the company it is seeking $625 million in firefighting and cleanup costs related to the September 2020 Archie Creek and Susan Creek fires. Oregon’s Justice Department said it is also seeking $109 million in damages related to those fires.In addition to that, the U.S. Forest Service has asked PacfiCorp to pay $356 million for firefighting costs and damages related to the Slater Fire that started in California but also crossed over the border into Oregon.The fires&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-brown-fires-us-news-wa-state-wire-ca-state-wire-8e4e0818146a72c713de625e902f9962">were among the worst natural disasters</a>&nbsp;in Oregon’s history. They killed nine people, burned more than 1,875 square miles (4,856 square kilometers) and destroyed upward of 5,000 homes and other structures.The Oregon lawsuits say PacifiCorp negligently failed to shut off power to its 600,000 customers during a windstorm over Labor Day weekend in 2020, despite warnings from state leaders and top fire officials, and that its power lines caused multiple blazes.Representatives of PacifiCorp and Berkshire Hathaway Energy declined to comment about the new liabilities. The Justice Department didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about the potential lawsuits.Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire estimates that its utilities face at least $8 billion in claims across all the wildfire lawsuits already filed in Oregon and California although the damages could be doubled or even tripled in some of those cases and some of the lawsuits don’t list a dollar amount.Those costs, combined with the uncertain regulatory environment in western states where wildfires have become more prevalent, are making it harder for utilities like PacifiCorp to decide when it makes sense to invest in major new power plants and transmission lines.“It will be many years until we know the final tally from BHE’s (Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s) forest-fire losses and can intelligently make decisions about the desirability of future investments in vulnerable western states,” Buffett said in&nbsp;<a href="https://berkshirehathaway.com/2023ar/2023ar.pdf">his letter</a>. “It remains to be seen whether the regulatory environment will change elsewhere.”Buffett said that in extreme cases like with Pacific Gas and Electric in California or Hawaiian Electric utilities could face bankruptcy and the country may have to decide whether to turn to public power if private investors are no longer willing to take the risks associated with the utility business.

US government may sue PacifiCorp, a Warren Buffett utility, for nearly $1B in wildfire costs

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;cast doubt Monday on state laws that could affect how Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube and other social media platforms regulate content posted by their users. The cases are among several this term in which the justices could set standards for free speech in the digital age.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/22-555">Click here to listen </a>to a replay of the oral argument

In nearly four hours of arguments, several justices questioned aspects of laws adopted by Republican-dominated legislatures and signed by Republican governors in Florida and Texas in 2021. But they seemed wary of a broad ruling, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett warning of “land mines” she and her colleagues need to avoid in resolving the two cases.

While the details vary, both laws aimed to address conservative complaints that the social media companies were liberal-leaning and censored users based on their viewpoints, especially on the political right.

Differences on the court Wednesday emerged over how to think about the platforms — as akin to newspapers that have broad free-speech protections, or telephone companies, known as common carriers that are susceptible to broader regulation.

Chief Justice John Roberts suggested he was in the former camp, saying early in the session, “And I wonder, since we’re talking about the First Amendment, whether our first concern should be with the state regulating what we have called the modern public square?”

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 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;cast doubt Monday on state laws that could affect how Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube and other social media platforms regulate content posted by their users. The cases are among several this term in which the justices could set standards for free speech in the digital age.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/22-555">Click here to listen </a>to a replay of the oral argumentIn nearly four hours of arguments, several justices questioned aspects of laws adopted by Republican-dominated legislatures and signed by Republican governors in Florida and Texas in 2021. But they seemed wary of a broad ruling, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett warning of “land mines” she and her colleagues need to avoid in resolving the two cases.While the details vary, both laws aimed to address conservative complaints that the social media companies were liberal-leaning and censored users based on their viewpoints, especially on the political right.Differences on the court Wednesday emerged over how to think about the platforms — as akin to newspapers that have broad free-speech protections, or telephone companies, known as common carriers that are susceptible to broader regulation.Chief Justice John Roberts suggested he was in the former camp, saying early in the session, “And I wonder, since we’re talking about the First Amendment, whether our first concern should be with the state regulating what we have called the modern public square?”Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas appeared most ready to embrace arguments made by lawyers for the states. Thomas raised the idea that the companies are iseeking constitutional protection for “censoring other speech.”Alito complained about the term “content moderation” that the sites employ to keep material off their platforms.“Is it anything more than a euphemism for censorship?” he asked, later musing that term struck him as Orwellian.But Justice Brett Kavanaugh, seemingly more favorable to the companies, took issue with calling the actions of private companies censorship, a term he said should be reserved for restrictions imposed by the government.“When I think of Orwellian, I think of the state, not the private sector, not private individuals,” Kavanaugh said.The precise contours of rulings in the two cases were not clear after arguments, although it seemed likely the court would not let the laws take effect. The justices posed questions about how the laws might affect businesses that are not the primary targets of the laws, including e-commerce sites like Uber and Etsy and email and messaging services.The cases are among several the justices have grappled with over the past year involving social media platforms. Next month, the court will hear an appeal from Louisiana, Missouri and other parties accusing administration officials of pressuring social media companies to silence conservative points of view. Two more cases awaiting decision concern whether public officials can block critics from commenting on their social media accounts, an issue that previously came up in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-dimisses-case-trump-twitter-critics-bcdfcc37052e9c737ac5a1318b02a71c">a case involving then-President Donald Trump</a>. The court dismissed the Trump case when his presidential term ended in January 2021.The Florida and Texas laws were passed in the months following decisions by Facebook and Twitter, now X, to cut Trump off over his posts related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.Trade associations representing the companies sued in federal court, claiming that the laws violated the platforms’ speech rights. One federal appeal struck down Florida’s statute, while another upheld the Texas law. But both are on hold pending the outcome at the Supreme Court.In a statement when he signed the bill into law, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the measure would be “protection against the Silicon Valley elites.”When Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Texas law, he said that it was needed to protect free speech in what he termed the new public square. Social media platforms "are a place for healthy public debate where information should be able to flow freely — but there is a dangerous movement by social media companies to silence conservative viewpoints and ideas. That is wrong, and we will not allow it in Texas,“ Abbott said.But much has changed since then. Elon Musk purchased Twitter and, in addition to changing its name, eliminated teams focused on content moderation, welcomed back many users previously banned for hate speech and used the site to spread conspiracy theories.The Biden administration is siding with the challengers. Lawyers for Trump have filed a brief in the Florida case urging the court to uphold the state law.Still, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, cautioned the court to seek a narrow ruling that blocked the laws. Prelogar said governments maintain the ability to impose regulations to ensure competition, preserve data privacy and protect consumer interests.Several academics and privacy advocacy groups told the court that they view the laws at issue in these cases as unconstitutional, but want the justices to preserve the government's ability to regulate social media companies to some extent.