WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of Transportation is gearing up for another busy holiday travel season. On Monday, Secretary&nbsp;Pete Buttigieg shared updates from the department on progress made to empower airline passengers.

<a href="https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/airline-customer-service-dashboard">Click here to view</a> the airline customer service dashboard

The skies will be extremely busy this Thanksgiving period – eclipsing last year. The Federal Aviation Administration is expecting 49,600 flights on Wednesday, according to Administrator Mike Whitaker.

The FAA will be working around the clock to make sure passengers get to their destinations safely.

WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of Transportation is gearing up for another busy holiday travel season. On Monday, Secretary&nbsp;Pete Buttigieg shared updates from the department on progress made to empower airline passengers.<a href="https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/airline-customer-service-dashboard">Click here to view</a> the airline customer service dashboard<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We&#39;re gearing up for another busy holiday travel season. Tune in as I share updates from our department on progress we&#39;ve made to empower airline passengers. <a href="https://t.co/ZJrIB6PQJw">https://t.co/ZJrIB6PQJw</a>&mdash; Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecretaryPete/status/1726607009259167786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The skies will be extremely busy this Thanksgiving period – eclipsing last year. The Federal Aviation Administration is expecting 49,600 flights on Wednesday, according to Administrator Mike Whitaker.The FAA will be working around the clock to make sure passengers get to their destinations safely.

🎥U.S. DOT:  Know your rights before you fly this holiday

WASHINGTON (AP) — Liberty and Bell can spread their wings without fear.

The two Thanksgiving turkeys played their part Monday in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/pardoning-the-thanksgiving-turkey">annual holiday tradition</a>&nbsp;at the White House: a president sparing them from becoming someone's dinner.

“I hereby pardon Liberty and Bell. Congratulations, birds,” Biden said after one of the National Thanksgiving Turkeys was placed on a table near him.

The event, held on the South Lawn this year instead of the smaller Rose Garden, marks the unofficial start of the holiday season in Washington, and Monday was an especially busy opening day.

President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, the oldest president in U.S. history, also celebrated turning 81 on Monday. In the afternoon, his wife, first lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden">Jill Biden</a>, was accepting the delivery of an 18.5-foot (5.6-meter) Fraser fir from Fleetwood, North Carolina, as the official White House Christmas tree.

Biden joked about his age, saying, “this is the 76th anniversary of this event. I want you to know I wasn't there for the first one.” The Democrat's age has become an issue as he seeks reelection next year.

Steve Lykken, chairman of the National Turkey Federation and president of the Jennie-O Turkey Store, told The Associated Press in an interview last week that the pardons are a “great way to kick off the holiday season and really, really a fun honor.”

Lykken introduced Liberty and Bell on Sunday at the Willard Intercontinental, a luxury hotel near the White House. The gobblers checked into a suite there on Saturday following their red-carpet arrival in the U.S. capital after a dayslong road trip from Minnesota in a black Cadillac Escalade.

“They were raised like all of our turkeys, protected, of course, from weather extremes and predators, free to walk about with constant access to water and feed,” Lykken said at Sunday's event as Liberty and Bell strutted around the Willard's newly renovated Crystal Room on plastic sheeting laid over the carpet. Young children in the crowd of onlookers — many of them employees and guests of the Jennie-O company — yelled “gobble, gobble” at them.

The male turkeys, both about 20 weeks old and about 42 pounds (19 kilograms), were hatched in July in Willmar, Minnesota — Jennie-O is headquartered there — as part of the “presidential flock,” Lykken said. They listened to music and other sounds to prepare them for Monday's hoopla at the White House.

“They listened to all kinds of music to get ready for the crowds and people along the way. I can confirm they are, in fact, Swifties, and they do enjoy some Prince,” Lykken said, meaning that Liberty and Bell are fans of Taylor Swift. “I think they’re absolutely ready for prime time.”

The tradition dates to 1947 when the National Turkey Federation, which represents turkey farmers and producers, first presented a National Thanksgiving Turkey to President Harry Truman.

Back then, and even earlier, the gobbler was given for the first family's holiday consumption. But by the late 1980s, the tradition had evolved into an often humorous ceremony in which the birds are pardoned, given a second chance at life after they are spared from ending up on a family's Thanksgiving table.

In 1989, as animal rights activists picketed nearby, President George H.W. Bush said, "But let me assure you, and this fine tom turkey, that he will not end up on anyone’s dinner table, not this guy -- he’s granted a presidential pardon as of right now -- and allow him to live out his days on a children’s farm not far from here.”

After Biden pardons&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-holidays-obituaries-christmas-c98e1ce25e97dbe097f2ed37d9c7a4c2">his third pair of turkeys</a>&nbsp;on Monday, Liberty and Bell will be returned to their home state to be cared for by the University of Minnesota's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Sciences.

“You can imagine the wonderful care they're going to get from students and veterinarians and professors, etc., and so they will hopefully have a chance, maybe, to go see a hockey game or spend time with Goldy the gopher,” Lykken said, referring to the university's mascot.

A little over 200 million turkeys will be eaten on Thanksgiving, Lykken said.

Biden will eat his Thanksgiving turkey with family on Nantucket, a Massachusetts island, continuing a long family tradition. On Sunday, he and the first lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-thanksgiving-troops-military-norfolk-naval-station-4453eee2e8194cf767d47b1b7e12c563">served an early Thanksgiving meal</a>&nbsp;to hundreds of service members at Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Liberty and Bell are ready for their presidential pardons.

The two Thanksgiving turkeys were due at the White House on Monday to play their part in what has become an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/pardoning-the-thanksgiving-turkey" target="_blank">annual holiday tradition</a>: a president sparing them from becoming someone’s dinner.

“We think that’s a great way to kick off the holiday season and really, really a fun honor,” Steve Lykken, chairman of the National Turkey Federation and president of the Jennie-O Turkey Store, said in an interview with The Associated Press.

The event, set for the South Lawn this year instead of the Rose Garden, marks the unofficial start of the holiday season in Washington, and Monday was shaping up to be an especially busy opening day.

President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden" target="_blank">Joe Biden</a>, the oldest president in U.S. history, also was celebrating his 81st birthday on Monday. In the afternoon, his wife, first lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden" target="_blank">Jill Biden</a>, was accepting the delivery of an 18-and-a-half foot Fraser fir from Fleetwood, North Carolina, as the official White House Christmas tree.

Lykken introduced Liberty and Bell on Sunday at the Willard Intercontinental, a luxury hotel close to the White House. The gobblers checked into a suite there on Saturday following their red-carpet arrival in the U.S. capital after a dayslong road trip from Minnesota in a black Cadillac Escalade.

“They were raised like all of our turkeys, protected, of course, from weather extremes and predators, free to walk about with constant access to water and feed,” Lykken said Sunday, as Liberty and Bell strutted around the Willard’s newly renovated Crystal Room on plastic sheeting laid over the carpet. Young children in the crowd of onlookers — many of them employees and guests of the Jennie-O company — yelled “gobble, gobble” at them.

The male turkeys, both about 20 weeks old and about 42 pounds, were hatched in July in Willmar, Minnesota — Jennie-O is headquartered there — as part of the “presidential flock,” Lykken said. They listened to music and other sounds to prepare them for Monday’s hoopla at the White House.

Back then, and even earlier, the gobbler was given for the first family’s holiday consumption. But by the late 1980s, the tradition had evolved into an often humorous ceremony in which the birds are pardoned, given a second chance at life after they are spared from ending up on a family’s Thanksgiving table.

In 1989, as animal rights activists picketed nearby, President George H.W. Bush said, “But let me assure you, and this fine tom turkey, that he will not end up on anyone’s dinner table, not this guy -- he’s granted a presidential pardon as of right now -- and allow him to live out his days on a children’s farm not far from here.”

After Biden pardons&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-holidays-obituaries-christmas-c98e1ce25e97dbe097f2ed37d9c7a4c2" target="_blank">his third pair of turkeys</a>&nbsp;on Monday, Liberty and Bell will be returned to their home state to be cared for by the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Sciences.

“You can imagine the wonderful care they’re going to get from students and veterinarians and professors, etc., and so they will hopefully have a chance, maybe, to go see a hockey game or spend time with Goldy the gopher,” Lykken said, referring to the university’s mascot.

Biden will eat his Thanksgiving turkey with family on Nantucket, a Massachusetts island, continuing a long family tradition. On Sunday, he and the first lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-thanksgiving-troops-military-norfolk-naval-station-4453eee2e8194cf767d47b1b7e12c563" target="_blank">served an early Thanksgiving meal</a>&nbsp;to hundreds of service members from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.airlant.usff.navy.mil/cvn69/" target="_blank">USS Dwight D. Eisenhower</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.airlant.usff.navy.mil/cvn78/" target="_blank">USS Gerald R. Ford</a>&nbsp;at Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia, the largest installation of its kind in the world, along with their families.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/thanksgiving-side-dish-recipes-d188ab4d289ac8d8f66804623d194838">Nontraditional flavors boost one-note Thanksgiving squash, kale and mashed potatoes</a>

Markus Platzer, the Willard’s general manager, said the hotel’s role in introducing the turkeys is the “highlight of the year.” The Willard has been involved for more than 15 years, he said, calling the turkeys “very special guests of ours.”

“There are so many bad things going on globally that this is something where everybody, you know, brings a smile into the face of the people, at least for a few minutes,” Platzer said Sunday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Liberty and Bell can spread their wings without fear.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Join me on the South Lawn as I pardon the National Thanksgiving Turkey and wish American families a safe and healthy holiday. <a href="https://t.co/fntz6rUMCM">https://t.co/fntz6rUMCM</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1726641864579662297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The two Thanksgiving turkeys played their part Monday in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/pardoning-the-thanksgiving-turkey">annual holiday tradition</a>&nbsp;at the White House: a president sparing them from becoming someone's dinner.“I hereby pardon Liberty and Bell. Congratulations, birds,” Biden said after one of the National Thanksgiving Turkeys was placed on a table near him.The event, held on the South Lawn this year instead of the smaller Rose Garden, marks the unofficial start of the holiday season in Washington, and Monday was an especially busy opening day.President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, the oldest president in U.S. history, also celebrated turning 81 on Monday. In the afternoon, his wife, first lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden">Jill Biden</a>, was accepting the delivery of an 18.5-foot (5.6-meter) Fraser fir from Fleetwood, North Carolina, as the official White House Christmas tree.Biden joked about his age, saying, “this is the 76th anniversary of this event. I want you to know I wasn't there for the first one.” The Democrat's age has become an issue as he seeks reelection next year.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Introducing Liberty and Bell, the 2023 National Thanksgiving Turkeys! <a href="https://t.co/Pwwn7GHZla">pic.twitter.com/Pwwn7GHZla</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1726655944229110118?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Steve Lykken, chairman of the National Turkey Federation and president of the Jennie-O Turkey Store, told The Associated Press in an interview last week that the pardons are a “great way to kick off the holiday season and really, really a fun honor.”Lykken introduced Liberty and Bell on Sunday at the Willard Intercontinental, a luxury hotel near the White House. The gobblers checked into a suite there on Saturday following their red-carpet arrival in the U.S. capital after a dayslong road trip from Minnesota in a black Cadillac Escalade.“They were raised like all of our turkeys, protected, of course, from weather extremes and predators, free to walk about with constant access to water and feed,” Lykken said at Sunday's event as Liberty and Bell strutted around the Willard's newly renovated Crystal Room on plastic sheeting laid over the carpet. Young children in the crowd of onlookers — many of them employees and guests of the Jennie-O company — yelled “gobble, gobble” at them.The male turkeys, both about 20 weeks old and about 42 pounds (19 kilograms), were hatched in July in Willmar, Minnesota — Jennie-O is headquartered there — as part of the “presidential flock,” Lykken said. They listened to music and other sounds to prepare them for Monday's hoopla at the White House.“They listened to all kinds of music to get ready for the crowds and people along the way. I can confirm they are, in fact, Swifties, and they do enjoy some Prince,” Lykken said, meaning that Liberty and Bell are fans of Taylor Swift. “I think they’re absolutely ready for prime time.”The tradition dates to 1947 when the National Turkey Federation, which represents turkey farmers and producers, first presented a National Thanksgiving Turkey to President Harry Truman.Back then, and even earlier, the gobbler was given for the first family's holiday consumption. But by the late 1980s, the tradition had evolved into an often humorous ceremony in which the birds are pardoned, given a second chance at life after they are spared from ending up on a family's Thanksgiving table.In 1989, as animal rights activists picketed nearby, President George H.W. Bush said, "But let me assure you, and this fine tom turkey, that he will not end up on anyone’s dinner table, not this guy -- he’s granted a presidential pardon as of right now -- and allow him to live out his days on a children’s farm not far from here.”After Biden pardons&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-holidays-obituaries-christmas-c98e1ce25e97dbe097f2ed37d9c7a4c2">his third pair of turkeys</a>&nbsp;on Monday, Liberty and Bell will be returned to their home state to be cared for by the University of Minnesota's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Sciences.“You can imagine the wonderful care they're going to get from students and veterinarians and professors, etc., and so they will hopefully have a chance, maybe, to go see a hockey game or spend time with Goldy the gopher,” Lykken said, referring to the university's mascot.A little over 200 million turkeys will be eaten on Thanksgiving, Lykken said.Biden will eat his Thanksgiving turkey with family on Nantucket, a Massachusetts island, continuing a long family tradition. On Sunday, he and the first lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-thanksgiving-troops-military-norfolk-naval-station-4453eee2e8194cf767d47b1b7e12c563">served an early Thanksgiving meal</a>&nbsp;to hundreds of service members at Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia.----------WASHINGTON (AP) — Liberty and Bell are ready for their presidential pardons.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700479774610.png" alt="On Sunday President Biden and first lady Jill Biden serve food at a Friendsgiving dinner with service members and military families at Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>On Sunday President Biden and first lady Jill Biden serve food at a Friendsgiving dinner with service members and military families at Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The two Thanksgiving turkeys were due at the White House on Monday to play their part in what has become an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/pardoning-the-thanksgiving-turkey" target="_blank">annual holiday tradition</a>: a president sparing them from becoming someone’s dinner.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden and first lady Jill Biden serve food at a Friendsgiving dinner with service members and military families at Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia. <a href="https://t.co/DvdFbofjaY">pic.twitter.com/DvdFbofjaY</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1726369806293643667?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We think that’s a great way to kick off the holiday season and really, really a fun honor,” Steve Lykken, chairman of the National Turkey Federation and president of the Jennie-O Turkey Store, said in an interview with The Associated Press.The event, set for the South Lawn this year instead of the Rose Garden, marks the unofficial start of the holiday season in Washington, and Monday was shaping up to be an especially busy opening day.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Jill and I were honored to join American service members and their families this weekend in Norfolk. These incredible men and women are the backbone, the sinew, the spine of America. And as their president, I&#39;ll never stop working to equip and care for them as they deserve. <a href="https://t.co/x61z8EmbzE">pic.twitter.com/x61z8EmbzE</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1726610119209701492?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden" target="_blank">Joe Biden</a>, the oldest president in U.S. history, also was celebrating his 81st birthday on Monday. In the afternoon, his wife, first lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden" target="_blank">Jill Biden</a>, was accepting the delivery of an 18-and-a-half foot Fraser fir from Fleetwood, North Carolina, as the official White House Christmas tree.Lykken introduced Liberty and Bell on Sunday at the Willard Intercontinental, a luxury hotel close to the White House. The gobblers checked into a suite there on Saturday following their red-carpet arrival in the U.S. capital after a dayslong road trip from Minnesota in a black Cadillac Escalade.“They were raised like all of our turkeys, protected, of course, from weather extremes and predators, free to walk about with constant access to water and feed,” Lykken said Sunday, as Liberty and Bell strutted around the Willard’s newly renovated Crystal Room on plastic sheeting laid over the carpet. Young children in the crowd of onlookers — many of them employees and guests of the Jennie-O company — yelled “gobble, gobble” at them.The male turkeys, both about 20 weeks old and about 42 pounds, were hatched in July in Willmar, Minnesota — Jennie-O is headquartered there — as part of the “presidential flock,” Lykken said. They listened to music and other sounds to prepare them for Monday’s hoopla at the White House.“They listened to all kinds of music to get ready for the crowds and people along the way. I can confirm they are, in fact, Swifties, and they do enjoy some Prince,” Lykken said, meaning that Liberty and Bell are fans of Taylor Swift. “I think they’re absolutely ready for prime time.”The tradition dates to 1947 when the National Turkey Federation, which represents turkey farmers and producers, first presented a National Thanksgiving Turkey to President Harry Truman.Back then, and even earlier, the gobbler was given for the first family’s holiday consumption. But by the late 1980s, the tradition had evolved into an often humorous ceremony in which the birds are pardoned, given a second chance at life after they are spared from ending up on a family’s Thanksgiving table.In 1989, as animal rights activists picketed nearby, President George H.W. Bush said, “But let me assure you, and this fine tom turkey, that he will not end up on anyone’s dinner table, not this guy -- he’s granted a presidential pardon as of right now -- and allow him to live out his days on a children’s farm not far from here.”After Biden pardons&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-holidays-obituaries-christmas-c98e1ce25e97dbe097f2ed37d9c7a4c2" target="_blank">his third pair of turkeys</a>&nbsp;on Monday, Liberty and Bell will be returned to their home state to be cared for by the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Sciences.“You can imagine the wonderful care they’re going to get from students and veterinarians and professors, etc., and so they will hopefully have a chance, maybe, to go see a hockey game or spend time with Goldy the gopher,” Lykken said, referring to the university’s mascot.A little over 200 million turkeys will be eaten on Thanksgiving, Lykken said.Biden will eat his Thanksgiving turkey with family on Nantucket, a Massachusetts island, continuing a long family tradition. On Sunday, he and the first lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-thanksgiving-troops-military-norfolk-naval-station-4453eee2e8194cf767d47b1b7e12c563" target="_blank">served an early Thanksgiving meal</a>&nbsp;to hundreds of service members from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.airlant.usff.navy.mil/cvn69/" target="_blank">USS Dwight D. Eisenhower</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.airlant.usff.navy.mil/cvn78/" target="_blank">USS Gerald R. Ford</a>&nbsp;at Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia, the largest installation of its kind in the world, along with their families.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/thanksgiving-side-dish-recipes-d188ab4d289ac8d8f66804623d194838">Nontraditional flavors boost one-note Thanksgiving squash, kale and mashed potatoes</a>Markus Platzer, the Willard’s general manager, said the hotel’s role in introducing the turkeys is the “highlight of the year.” The Willard has been involved for more than 15 years, he said, calling the turkeys “very special guests of ours.”“There are so many bad things going on globally that this is something where everybody, you know, brings a smile into the face of the people, at least for a few minutes,” Platzer said Sunday.

🎥Biden pardons Thanksgiving turkeys, jokes about his 81st birthday

Scottsbluff, Nebraska-On Saturday November 18th, 2023 at 10:06 PM Scottsbluff Police Department responded to the 1300 block of 14th Ave to investigate a traffic accident. Investigation revealed that Fredrick Evans, age 55 of Scottsbluff, was south bound on 14TH Ave from East 15TH Street driving in a black 2009 GMC pickup. The vehicle crossed over to the left side of the road and struck a red 2012 GMC pickup.

The collision caused the black pickup to roll over ¼ times onto its right side. Evans was not wearing a seat belt. Police are investigating health conditions and alcohol use as protentional contributing factors. Scottsbluff Police Department was assisted on scene by Scottsbluff Fire Department, Valley Ambulance Service, and Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Deputies.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Scottsbluff Police DepartmentScottsbluff, Nebraska-On Saturday November 18th, 2023 at 10:06 PM Scottsbluff Police Department responded to the 1300 block of 14th Ave to investigate a traffic accident. Investigation revealed that Fredrick Evans, age 55 of Scottsbluff, was south bound on 14TH Ave from East 15TH Street driving in a black 2009 GMC pickup. The vehicle crossed over to the left side of the road and struck a red 2012 GMC pickup.The collision caused the black pickup to roll over ¼ times onto its right side. Evans was not wearing a seat belt. Police are investigating health conditions and alcohol use as protentional contributing factors. Scottsbluff Police Department was assisted on scene by Scottsbluff Fire Department, Valley Ambulance Service, and Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Deputies.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3Dpfbid0CDPKKtkER7F2j3mA7NoMmksQifEdTUfupipgpgXMhTmVVRgjhaCmFHv87Yumpntwl%26id%3D100068922951021&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="807" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>

Scottsbluff Police Department respond to fatality traffic crash.

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/controversy-over-barring-nebraska-inspectors-general-from-accessing-agency-data-to-be-debated/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The controversy over barring legislatively created inspectors general from accessing information from executive branch agencies will be debated in a special panel discussion Monday.

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers will be joined by State Sen. Danielle Conrad, University of Nebraska College of Law professor Anthony Schutz and Jennifer Carter, the Inspector General for Child Welfare, in a discussion at noon Monday at the NU law school.

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/16/attorney-generals-opinion-casts-doubt-on-powers-of-legislatures-inspectors-general/">In August, Hilgers sparked the controversy</a>&nbsp;when his office issued a legal opinion casting doubt whether inspectors general appointed by the Legislature had authority to probe problems in state prisons and child welfare cases.

Th<a target="_blank" href="https://ago.nebraska.gov/Opinions">e 38-page opinion</a>, requested by the Nebraska Department of Corrections, stated that the inspectors general violated the separation of powers clause of the State Constitution and impaired the powers of the Executive Branch and state judiciary to govern their operations.

The State Legislature had created the two inspectors general offices to probe problems within the state prison system and cases of abuse and neglect involving state wards, and report their findings to state lawmakers.

There have been two deadly riots within state prisons in recent years, and Nebraska’s prisons have been the most overcrowded in the nation. The child welfare system has seen trouble associated with attempts to privatize it.

Conrad, a former head of the ACLU of Nebraska — which had sued the state over the overcrowding issue — questioned Hilger’s legal conclusions when the opinion was issued in August.

Since the opinion was issued, the two inspectors general offices have been blocked from accessing information that they had previously had easy access to, including information about the recent death of a prison inmate at the Tecumseh State Prison.

The panel discussion,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://events.unl.edu/law/2023/11/20/176682/">which is open to the public,</a>&nbsp;will be moderated by Eric Berger, a professor at the NU College of Law.

The event is sponsored by the NU law school’s chapters of the American Constitution Society and Federalist Society.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700490542721.jpeg" alt="The University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/controversy-over-barring-nebraska-inspectors-general-from-accessing-agency-data-to-be-debated/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The controversy over barring legislatively created inspectors general from accessing information from executive branch agencies will be debated in a special panel discussion Monday.Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers will be joined by State Sen. Danielle Conrad, University of Nebraska College of Law professor Anthony Schutz and Jennifer Carter, the Inspector General for Child Welfare, in a discussion at noon Monday at the NU law school.<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/16/attorney-generals-opinion-casts-doubt-on-powers-of-legislatures-inspectors-general/">In August, Hilgers sparked the controversy</a>&nbsp;when his office issued a legal opinion casting doubt whether inspectors general appointed by the Legislature had authority to probe problems in state prisons and child welfare cases.Th<a target="_blank" href="https://ago.nebraska.gov/Opinions">e 38-page opinion</a>, requested by the Nebraska Department of Corrections, stated that the inspectors general violated the separation of powers clause of the State Constitution and impaired the powers of the Executive Branch and state judiciary to govern their operations.The State Legislature had created the two inspectors general offices to probe problems within the state prison system and cases of abuse and neglect involving state wards, and report their findings to state lawmakers.There have been two deadly riots within state prisons in recent years, and Nebraska’s prisons have been the most overcrowded in the nation. The child welfare system has seen trouble associated with attempts to privatize it.Conrad, a former head of the ACLU of Nebraska — which had sued the state over the overcrowding issue — questioned Hilger’s legal conclusions when the opinion was issued in August.Since the opinion was issued, the two inspectors general offices have been blocked from accessing information that they had previously had easy access to, including information about the recent death of a prison inmate at the Tecumseh State Prison.The panel discussion,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://events.unl.edu/law/2023/11/20/176682/">which is open to the public,</a>&nbsp;will be moderated by Eric Berger, a professor at the NU College of Law.The event is sponsored by the NU law school’s chapters of the American Constitution Society and Federalist Society.&nbsp;

Controversy over barring Nebraska ‘inspectors general’ from accessing agency data to be debated

DETROIT (AP) — Honda is recalling nearly 250,000 vehicles in the U.S. because bearings can fail, causing the engines to stall and increasing the risk of a crash.

The recall covers certain 2018 and 2019 Honda Pilot SUVs and Odyssey minivans and some 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline pickup trucks. Also affected are certain 2015 to 2020 Acura TLX cars and some 2016 to 2020 Acura MDX SUVs.

Honda says in&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCAK-23V751-1498.pdf">documents posted Friday</a>&nbsp;by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that connecting rod bearings in the engine can wear and seize due to a manufacturing error, damaging the engines. The engines could run improperly or stall while being driven, increasing the risk of a fire, crash or injury.

The automaker says in documents that it has 1,450 warranty claims due to the problem but no reports of injuries.

DETROIT (AP) — Honda is recalling nearly 250,000 vehicles in the U.S. because bearings can fail, causing the engines to stall and increasing the risk of a crash.The recall covers certain 2018 and 2019 Honda Pilot SUVs and Odyssey minivans and some 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline pickup trucks. Also affected are certain 2015 to 2020 Acura TLX cars and some 2016 to 2020 Acura MDX SUVs.Honda says in&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCAK-23V751-1498.pdf">documents posted Friday</a>&nbsp;by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that connecting rod bearings in the engine can wear and seize due to a manufacturing error, damaging the engines. The engines could run improperly or stall while being driven, increasing the risk of a fire, crash or injury.The automaker says in documents that it has 1,450 warranty claims due to the problem but no reports of injuries.

Honda recalls nearly 250,000 cars, SUVs and pickup truck

JERUSALEM (AP) — Yemen's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;seized an Israeli-linked cargo ship in a crucial Red Sea shipping route Sunday and took its 25 crew members hostage, officials said, raising fears that regional tensions heightened over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;were playing out on a new maritime front.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-israeli-houthi-gaza-war-3e48ff43f1225ccd98c9a56929fb8f57">Iran-backed Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;said they hijacked the ship over its connection to Israel and would continue to target ships in international waters that were linked to or owned by Israelis until the end of Israel's campaign against Gaza's Hamas rulers.

“All ships belonging to the Israeli enemy or that deal with it will become legitimate targets,” the Houthis said.

Mohammed Abdul-Salam, the Houthis’ chief negotiator and spokesman, later added in an online statement that the Israelis only understand “the language of force.”

“The detention of the Israeli ship is a practical step that proves the seriousness of the Yemeni armed forces in waging the sea battle, regardless of its costs and costs,” he added. “This is the beginning.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office had blamed the Houthis for the attack on the Bahamas-flagged Galaxy Leader, a vehicle carrier affiliated with an Israeli billionaire. It said no Israelis were on board.

The ship's Japanese operator, NYK Line, said the vessel had no cargo at the time of the hijacking. Its crewmembers are from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and Mexico, NYK said.

Japan on Monday condemned the hijacking. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the Japanese government was doing its utmost for an early release of the crew through negotiations with Houthi rebels, while also communicating with Israel and cooperating with the governments of Saudi Arabia, Oman and Iran.

The Houthis said they were treating the crew members “in accordance with their Islamic values,” but did not elaborate on what that meant.

Netanyahu's office condemned the seizure as an “Iranian act of terror." The Israeli military called the hijacking a “very grave incident of global consequence."

Israeli officials insisted the ship was British-owned and Japanese-operated. However, ownership details in public shipping databases associated the ship’s owners with Ray Car Carriers, founded by Abraham “Rami” Ungar, who is known as one of the richest men in Israel.

Ungar told The Associated Press he was aware of the incident but couldn’t comment as he awaited details. A ship linked to him experienced an explosion in 2021 in the Gulf of Oman. Israeli media blamed it on Iran at the time.

Authorities confirmed Monday that the captain and the first mate on the Galaxy Leader were Bulgarians.

Bulgaria's top police officer, Zhivko Kotsev, told reporters that they were in touch with their families. “Nobody has sought contact with us up to this moment,” he said.

International shipping often involves a series of management companies, flags and owners stretching across the globe in a single vessel.

Two U.S. defense officials confirmed that Houthi rebels seized the Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea on Sunday afternoon local time. The rebels descended on the cargo ship by rappelling from a helicopter, the officials said, confirming details first reported by NBC News. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.

The ship's seizure resembles others previously conducted by Iran, which has long armed the Houthis.

Twice in the last month, U.S. warships have intercepted missiles or drones from Yemen that were believed to be headed toward Israel or posing a threat to American vessels. The USS Carney, a Navy destroyer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-navy-warship-missiles-intercepted-2f5fc9c8a3737f762b29d5c53ec08a5b">intercepted three land attack cruise missiles</a>&nbsp;and several drones that were launched by Houthi forces toward the northern Red Sea last month.

On Nov. 15 the USS Thomas Hudner, another destroyer, was sailing toward the Bab-el-Mandeb strait when the crew saw a drone, reported to have originated in Yemen. The ship shot down the drone over the water. The officials said the crew took action to ensure the safety of U.S. personnel, and there were no casualties or damage to the ship.

Satellite tracking data from&nbsp;<a href="http://marinetraffic.com/">MarineTraffic.com</a>&nbsp;analyzed by the AP showed the Galaxy Leader traveling in the Red Sea southwest of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, more than a day ago. The vessel had been in Korfez, Turkey, and was on its way to Pipavav, India, at the time of the seizure reported by Israel.

It had its Automatic Identification System tracker, or AIS, switched off, the data showed. Ships are supposed to keep their AIS active for safety reasons, but crews will turn them off if it appears they might be targeted or to smuggle contraband, which there was no immediate evidence to suggest was the case with the Galaxy Leader.

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which provides warnings to sailors in the Persian Gulf and the wider region, put the hijacking as having occurred some 150 kilometers (90 miles) off the coast of Yemen’s port city of Hodeida, near the coast of Eritrea. It later cited a security officer with the ship's company saying the vessel had been taken to Hodeida.

The Red Sea, stretching from Egypt’s Suez Canal to the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait separating the Arabian Peninsula from Africa, remains a key trade route for global shipping and energy supplies. That’s why the U.S. Navy has stationed multiple ships in the sea since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7.

Since 2019, a series of ships have come under attack at sea as Iran began breaking all the limits of its tattered nuclear deal with world powers. As Israel expands its devastating campaign against Hamas in the besieged Gaza Strip following the militant group's unprecedented attack on southern Israel, fears have grown that the military operations could escalate into a wider regional conflict.

The Houthis have repeatedly threatened to target Israeli ships in the waters off Yemen. Such attacks both back its Iranian benefactors, as well as bolster the Houthis' position in Yemen as anger has grown against their rule in recent months as that country's civil war grinds on without resolution, said Gregory D. Johnsen, a Yemen expert with the Arabian Gulf States Institute in Washington.

“The Houthis view the war between Israel and Hamas as an opportunity to mute some of this domestic criticism,” Johnsen wrote in an analysis earlier this month. “If they are attacking Israel, their local rivals will be less inclined to attack them.”

JERUSALEM (AP) — Yemen's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;seized an Israeli-linked cargo ship in a crucial Red Sea shipping route Sunday and took its 25 crew members hostage, officials said, raising fears that regional tensions heightened over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;were playing out on a new maritime front.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-israeli-houthi-gaza-war-3e48ff43f1225ccd98c9a56929fb8f57">Iran-backed Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;said they hijacked the ship over its connection to Israel and would continue to target ships in international waters that were linked to or owned by Israelis until the end of Israel's campaign against Gaza's Hamas rulers.“All ships belonging to the Israeli enemy or that deal with it will become legitimate targets,” the Houthis said.Mohammed Abdul-Salam, the Houthis’ chief negotiator and spokesman, later added in an online statement that the Israelis only understand “the language of force.”“The detention of the Israeli ship is a practical step that proves the seriousness of the Yemeni armed forces in waging the sea battle, regardless of its costs and costs,” he added. “This is the beginning.”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office had blamed the Houthis for the attack on the Bahamas-flagged Galaxy Leader, a vehicle carrier affiliated with an Israeli billionaire. It said no Israelis were on board.The ship's Japanese operator, NYK Line, said the vessel had no cargo at the time of the hijacking. Its crewmembers are from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and Mexico, NYK said.Japan on Monday condemned the hijacking. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the Japanese government was doing its utmost for an early release of the crew through negotiations with Houthi rebels, while also communicating with Israel and cooperating with the governments of Saudi Arabia, Oman and Iran.The Houthis said they were treating the crew members “in accordance with their Islamic values,” but did not elaborate on what that meant.Netanyahu's office condemned the seizure as an “Iranian act of terror." The Israeli military called the hijacking a “very grave incident of global consequence."Israeli officials insisted the ship was British-owned and Japanese-operated. However, ownership details in public shipping databases associated the ship’s owners with Ray Car Carriers, founded by Abraham “Rami” Ungar, who is known as one of the richest men in Israel.Ungar told The Associated Press he was aware of the incident but couldn’t comment as he awaited details. A ship linked to him experienced an explosion in 2021 in the Gulf of Oman. Israeli media blamed it on Iran at the time.Authorities confirmed Monday that the captain and the first mate on the Galaxy Leader were Bulgarians.Bulgaria's top police officer, Zhivko Kotsev, told reporters that they were in touch with their families. “Nobody has sought contact with us up to this moment,” he said.International shipping often involves a series of management companies, flags and owners stretching across the globe in a single vessel.Two U.S. defense officials confirmed that Houthi rebels seized the Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea on Sunday afternoon local time. The rebels descended on the cargo ship by rappelling from a helicopter, the officials said, confirming details first reported by NBC News. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.The ship's seizure resembles others previously conducted by Iran, which has long armed the Houthis.Twice in the last month, U.S. warships have intercepted missiles or drones from Yemen that were believed to be headed toward Israel or posing a threat to American vessels. The USS Carney, a Navy destroyer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-navy-warship-missiles-intercepted-2f5fc9c8a3737f762b29d5c53ec08a5b">intercepted three land attack cruise missiles</a>&nbsp;and several drones that were launched by Houthi forces toward the northern Red Sea last month.On Nov. 15 the USS Thomas Hudner, another destroyer, was sailing toward the Bab-el-Mandeb strait when the crew saw a drone, reported to have originated in Yemen. The ship shot down the drone over the water. The officials said the crew took action to ensure the safety of U.S. personnel, and there were no casualties or damage to the ship.Satellite tracking data from&nbsp;<a href="http://marinetraffic.com/">MarineTraffic.com</a>&nbsp;analyzed by the AP showed the Galaxy Leader traveling in the Red Sea southwest of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, more than a day ago. The vessel had been in Korfez, Turkey, and was on its way to Pipavav, India, at the time of the seizure reported by Israel.It had its Automatic Identification System tracker, or AIS, switched off, the data showed. Ships are supposed to keep their AIS active for safety reasons, but crews will turn them off if it appears they might be targeted or to smuggle contraband, which there was no immediate evidence to suggest was the case with the Galaxy Leader.The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which provides warnings to sailors in the Persian Gulf and the wider region, put the hijacking as having occurred some 150 kilometers (90 miles) off the coast of Yemen’s port city of Hodeida, near the coast of Eritrea. It later cited a security officer with the ship's company saying the vessel had been taken to Hodeida.The Red Sea, stretching from Egypt’s Suez Canal to the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait separating the Arabian Peninsula from Africa, remains a key trade route for global shipping and energy supplies. That’s why the U.S. Navy has stationed multiple ships in the sea since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7.Since 2019, a series of ships have come under attack at sea as Iran began breaking all the limits of its tattered nuclear deal with world powers. As Israel expands its devastating campaign against Hamas in the besieged Gaza Strip following the militant group's unprecedented attack on southern Israel, fears have grown that the military operations could escalate into a wider regional conflict.The Houthis have repeatedly threatened to target Israeli ships in the waters off Yemen. Such attacks both back its Iranian benefactors, as well as bolster the Houthis' position in Yemen as anger has grown against their rule in recent months as that country's civil war grinds on without resolution, said Gregory D. Johnsen, a Yemen expert with the Arabian Gulf States Institute in Washington.“The Houthis view the war between Israel and Hamas as an opportunity to mute some of this domestic criticism,” Johnsen wrote in an analysis earlier this month. “If they are attacking Israel, their local rivals will be less inclined to attack them.”___

U.S. officials: Terrorists hijack Israeli-linked ship in the Red Sea

Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Andre Lott, 46, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 15, 20223, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.&nbsp; United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Lott to 300 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Lott is released from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.

On April 20, 2020, Lott sold cocaine to one of the victims, who in turn shared it with two other individuals.&nbsp; The cocaine contained fentanyl, and all three individuals were found deceased at a residence in Ponca Hills, Nebraska.&nbsp;

Law enforcement extracted data from the iPhone located next to one of the victim’s bodies. A review of the data found text messages indicative of Lott selling narcotics. Additionally, two contacts’ phone numbers were located on the phone. A check with the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force identified these phone numbers as belonging to Andre Lott.

Investigators found a bag containing drug residue inside of a backpack belonging to one of the victims.&nbsp; Law enforcement swabbed the bag, and the swab was submitted to the forensic lab for DNA testing.&nbsp; Lott was determined to be a major contributor of the DNA found on the bag.&nbsp; The forensic pathology report indicated all three victims died of fentanyl.&nbsp;

Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr stated “this case is a horrific reminder of the consequences of using illicit drugs.&nbsp; What started out as a party among friends resulted in three funerals and 25 years in prison for the victims’ supplier.”

Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Andre Lott, 46, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 15, 20223, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.&nbsp; United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Lott to 300 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Lott is released from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.On April 20, 2020, Lott sold cocaine to one of the victims, who in turn shared it with two other individuals.&nbsp; The cocaine contained fentanyl, and all three individuals were found deceased at a residence in Ponca Hills, Nebraska.&nbsp;Law enforcement extracted data from the iPhone located next to one of the victim’s bodies. A review of the data found text messages indicative of Lott selling narcotics. Additionally, two contacts’ phone numbers were located on the phone. A check with the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force identified these phone numbers as belonging to Andre Lott.Investigators found a bag containing drug residue inside of a backpack belonging to one of the victims.&nbsp; Law enforcement swabbed the bag, and the swab was submitted to the forensic lab for DNA testing.&nbsp; Lott was determined to be a major contributor of the DNA found on the bag.&nbsp; The forensic pathology report indicated all three victims died of fentanyl.&nbsp;Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr stated “this case is a horrific reminder of the consequences of using illicit drugs.&nbsp; What started out as a party among friends resulted in three funerals and 25 years in prison for the victims’ supplier.”

Omaha Man Sentenced for Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nu-president-leadership-profile-released-applications-due-jan-1/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The University of Nebraska Board of Regents is officially seeking applications and nominations for the university system’s ninth president.

Regent Tim Clare, board chair, announced the next phase of the search Thursday in an email to NU faculty and staff. Applications or nominations are due to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="mailto:NUPresident@academicsearch.org">NUPresident@academicsearch.org</a>&nbsp;by Jan. 1.&nbsp;

Clare said that after hearing from the community, the board’s goal is to find a leader deeply committed to Nebraska and willing to remain as president for a decade or more.

Both outgoing NU President Ted Carter, who is&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/22/nebraskas-ted-carter-expected-to-be-next-president-at-ohio-state/">leaving at year’s end</a>, and his predecessor, Hank Bounds, led NU for just over four years. The national average for college or university presidents is about five years, according to Academic Search, the search firm assisting NU.

“We have the crucial task of finding exactly the right person who will lead our university to its next phase of growth and excellence,” Clare said.

A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://academicsearch.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/8/NU-President-Leadership-Profile-v2-FINAL.pdf">leadership profile</a>&nbsp;released Thursday serves as an advertisement to prospective candidates and expands upon nine core leadership pillars initially developed during the 2019 search that brought Carter to Nebraska.&nbsp;

Gov. Jim Pillen, at the time a regent, led development of those pillars, which the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/27/nu-presidential-search-inches-closer-to-recruitment-phase-after-listening-sessions/">Presidential Search Advisory Committee</a>&nbsp;and Board of Regents have each since expanded on.

For NU’s next president, the regents are seeking “an authentic, humble proven leader and strategic thinker” who brings a “proven record” in financial leadership during challenging times.

A major goal of the next president will be addressing a projected $58 million shortfall over the next two fiscal years.

The next president, according to the profile, should also prioritize students in decisions and commit to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

The 22-member advisory committee, chaired by Clare, will select final candidates for the Board of Regents to consider. All eight regents also serve on that committee.

Following state law, only a priority candidate will be announced and all other candidates will remain anonymous. The priority candidate will be subjected to a 30-day public vetting period before a final vote among the regents.

The board is slated to consider at its Dec. 1 meeting appointing&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/09/nu-on-verge-of-naming-chris-kabourek-interim-president-after-carter-leaves/">Chris Kabourek</a>, the system’s chief financial officer, to fill in as interim president after Carter leaves Dec. 31.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700396211452.jpeg" alt=" Regent Tim Clare, at right, joins Jay Lemons, leader of the consulting firm Academic Search, during an advisory committee meeting to find NU’s next president. Clare leads the advisory committee Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Lincoln. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Regent Tim Clare, at right, joins Jay Lemons, leader of the consulting firm Academic Search, during an advisory committee meeting to find NU’s next president. Clare leads the advisory committee Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Lincoln. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nu-president-leadership-profile-released-applications-due-jan-1/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The University of Nebraska Board of Regents is officially seeking applications and nominations for the university system’s ninth president.Regent Tim Clare, board chair, announced the next phase of the search Thursday in an email to NU faculty and staff. Applications or nominations are due to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="mailto:NUPresident@academicsearch.org">NUPresident@academicsearch.org</a>&nbsp;by Jan. 1.&nbsp;Clare said that after hearing from the community, the board’s goal is to find a leader deeply committed to Nebraska and willing to remain as president for a decade or more.Both outgoing NU President Ted Carter, who is&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/22/nebraskas-ted-carter-expected-to-be-next-president-at-ohio-state/">leaving at year’s end</a>, and his predecessor, Hank Bounds, led NU for just over four years. The national average for college or university presidents is about five years, according to Academic Search, the search firm assisting NU.“We have the crucial task of finding exactly the right person who will lead our university to its next phase of growth and excellence,” Clare said.<h2>Desired attributes and qualities</h2>A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://academicsearch.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/8/NU-President-Leadership-Profile-v2-FINAL.pdf">leadership profile</a>&nbsp;released Thursday serves as an advertisement to prospective candidates and expands upon nine core leadership pillars initially developed during the 2019 search that brought Carter to Nebraska.&nbsp;Gov. Jim Pillen, at the time a regent, led development of those pillars, which the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/27/nu-presidential-search-inches-closer-to-recruitment-phase-after-listening-sessions/">Presidential Search Advisory Committee</a>&nbsp;and Board of Regents have each since expanded on.For NU’s next president, the regents are seeking “an authentic, humble proven leader and strategic thinker” who brings a “proven record” in financial leadership during challenging times.A major goal of the next president will be addressing a projected $58 million shortfall over the next two fiscal years.The next president, according to the profile, should also prioritize students in decisions and commit to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.<h2>Next steps in the process</h2>The 22-member advisory committee, chaired by Clare, will select final candidates for the Board of Regents to consider. All eight regents also serve on that committee.Following state law, only a priority candidate will be announced and all other candidates will remain anonymous. The priority candidate will be subjected to a 30-day public vetting period before a final vote among the regents.The board is slated to consider at its Dec. 1 meeting appointing&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/09/nu-on-verge-of-naming-chris-kabourek-interim-president-after-carter-leaves/">Chris Kabourek</a>, the system’s chief financial officer, to fill in as interim president after Carter leaves Dec. 31.

NU president leadership profile released, applications due Jan. 1

ATLANTA (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rosalynn-carter">Former first lady Rosalynn Carter</a>, the closest adviser to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jimmy-carter">Jimmy Carter</a>&nbsp;during his one term as U.S. president and their four decades thereafter as global humanitarians, has died at the age of 96.

<a href="http://www.cartercenter.org/index.html">The Carter Center</a>&nbsp;said she died Sunday after living with dementia and suffering many months of declining health. The statement announcing her death said she “died peacefully, with family by her side" at 2:10 p.m. at her rural Georgia home of Plains.

“Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” Carter said in the statement. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”

The Carters were married for more than 77 years, forging what they both described as a “full partnership.” Unlike many&nbsp;<a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/firstladies/">previous first ladies</a>, Rosalynn sat in on Cabinet meetings, spoke out on controversial issues and represented her husband on foreign trips. Aides to President Carter sometimes referred to her — privately — as “co-president.”

“Rosalynn is my best friend ... the perfect extension of me, probably the most influential person in my life,” Jimmy Carter told aides during their White House years, which spanned from 1977-1981.

Fiercely loyal and compassionate as well as politically astute, Rosalynn Carter prided herself on being an activist first lady, and no one doubted her behind-the-scenes influence. When her role in a highly publicized Cabinet shakeup became known, she was forced to declare publicly, “I am not running the government.”

Many presidential aides insisted that her political instincts were better than her husband’s — they often enlisted her support for a project before they discussed it with the president. Her iron will, contrasted with her outwardly shy demeanor and a soft Southern accent, inspired Washington reporters to call her “the Steel Magnolia.”

Both Carters said in their later years that Rosalynn had always been the more political of the two. After Jimmy Carter’s landslide defeat in 1980, it was she, not the former president, who contemplated an implausible comeback, and years later she confessed to missing their life in Washington.

Jimmy Carter trusted her so much that in 1977, only months into his term, he sent her on a mission to Latin America to tell dictators he meant what he said about denying military aid and other support to violators of human rights.

She also had strong feelings about the style of the Carter White House. The Carters did not serve hard liquor at public functions, though Rosalynn did permit U.S. wine. There were fewer evenings of ballroom dancing and more square dancing and picnics.

Throughout her husband's political career, she chose mental health and problems of the elderly as her signature policy emphasis. When the news media didn't cover those efforts as much as she believed was warranted, she criticized reporters for writing only about "sexy subjects."

As honorary chairwoman of the President's Commission on Mental Health, she once testified before a Senate subcommittee, becoming the first first lady since Eleanor Roosevelt to address a congressional panel. She was back in Washington in 2007 to push Congress for improved mental health coverage, saying, "We've been working on this for so long, it finally seems to be in reach."

She said she developed her interest in mental health during her husband's campaigns for Georgia governor.

“I used to come home and say to Jimmy, 'Why are people telling me their problems?' And he said, 'Because you may be the only person they'll ever see who may be close to someone who can help them,'” she explained.

After Ronald Reagan won the 1980 election, Rosalynn Carter seemed more visibly devastated than her husband. She initially had little interest in returning to the small town of Plains, Georgia, where they both were born, married and spent most of their lives.

"I was hesitant, not at all sure that I could be happy here after the dazzle of the White House and the years of stimulating political battles," she wrote in her 1984 autobiography, "First Lady from Plains." But "we slowly rediscovered the satisfaction of a life we had left long before."

After leaving Washington, Jimmy and Rosalynn co-founded The Carter Center in Atlanta to continue their work. She chaired the center's annual symposium on mental health issues and raised funds for efforts to aid the mentally ill and homeless. She also wrote "Helping Yourself Help Others," about the challenges of caring for elderly or ailing relatives, and a sequel, "Helping Someone With Mental Illness."

Frequently, the Carters left home on humanitarian missions, building houses with Habitat for Humanity and promoting public health and democracy across the developing world.

"I get tired," she said of her travels. "But something so wonderful always happens. To go to a village where they have Guinea worm and go back a year or two later and there's no Guinea worm, I mean the people dance and sing — it's so wonderful."

In 2015, Jimmy Carter’s doctors discovered four small tumors on his brain. The Carters feared he had weeks to live. He was treated with a drug to boost his immune system, and later announced that doctors found no remaining signs of cancer. But when they first received the news, she said she didn't know what she was going to do.

“I depend on him when I have questions, when I'm writing speeches, anything, I consult with him,” she said.

She helped Carter recover several years later when he had hip replacement surgery at age 94 and had to learn to walk again. And she was with him earlier this year when he decided after a series of hospital stays that he would forgo further medical interventions and begin end-of-life care.

Jimmy Carter is the longest-lived U.S. president. Rosalynn Carter was the second longest-lived of the nation's first ladies, trailing only Bess Truman, who died at age 97.

Eleanor Rosalynn Smith was born in Plains on Aug. 18, 1927, the eldest of four children. Her father died when she was young, so she took on much of the responsibility of caring for her siblings when her mother went to work part time.

She also contributed to the family income by working after school in a beauty parlor. "We were very poor and worked hard," she once said, but she kept up her studies, graduating from high school as class valedictorian.

She soon fell in love with the brother of one of her best friends. Jimmy and Rosalynn had known each other all their lives — it was Jimmy's mother, nurse Lillian Carter, who delivered baby Rosalynn — but he left for the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, when she was still in high school.

After a blind date, Jimmy told his mother: "That's the girl I want to marry." They wed in 1946, shortly after his graduation from Annapolis and Rosalynn's graduation from Georgia Southwestern College.

Their sons were born where Jimmy Carter was stationed: John William (Jack) in Portsmouth, Virginia, in 1947; James Earl III (Chip) in Honolulu in 1950; and Donnel Jeffery (Jeff) in New London, Connecticut, in 1952. Amy was born in Plains in 1967. By then, Carter was a state senator.

Navy life had provided Rosalynn her first chance to see the world. When Carter's father, James Earl Sr., died in 1953, Jimmy Carter decided, without consulting his wife, to move the family back to Plains, where he took over the family farm. She joined him there in the day-to-day operations, keeping the books and weighing fertilizer trucks.

“We developed a partnership when we were working in the farm supply business,” Rosalynn Carter recalled with pride in a 2021 interview with The Associated Press. “I knew more on paper about the business than he did. He would take my advice about things.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700318605509.png" alt="FILE - The former first lady Rosalynn Carter speaks to the press at conference at The Carter Center on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019, in Atlanta. Rosalynn Carter, the 96-year-old former first lady, is in hospice care at home, the Carter Center says. (AP Photo/Ron Harris, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - The former first lady Rosalynn Carter speaks to the press at conference at The Carter Center on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019, in Atlanta. Rosalynn Carter, the 96-year-old former first lady, is in hospice care at home, the Carter Center says. (AP Photo/Ron Harris, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rosalynn-carter">Former first lady Rosalynn Carter</a>, the closest adviser to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jimmy-carter">Jimmy Carter</a>&nbsp;during his one term as U.S. president and their four decades thereafter as global humanitarians, has died at the age of 96.<a href="http://www.cartercenter.org/index.html">The Carter Center</a>&nbsp;said she died Sunday after living with dementia and suffering many months of declining health. The statement announcing her death said she “died peacefully, with family by her side" at 2:10 p.m. at her rural Georgia home of Plains.“Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” Carter said in the statement. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”The Carters were married for more than 77 years, forging what they both described as a “full partnership.” Unlike many&nbsp;<a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/firstladies/">previous first ladies</a>, Rosalynn sat in on Cabinet meetings, spoke out on controversial issues and represented her husband on foreign trips. Aides to President Carter sometimes referred to her — privately — as “co-president.”“Rosalynn is my best friend ... the perfect extension of me, probably the most influential person in my life,” Jimmy Carter told aides during their White House years, which spanned from 1977-1981.Fiercely loyal and compassionate as well as politically astute, Rosalynn Carter prided herself on being an activist first lady, and no one doubted her behind-the-scenes influence. When her role in a highly publicized Cabinet shakeup became known, she was forced to declare publicly, “I am not running the government.”Many presidential aides insisted that her political instincts were better than her husband’s — they often enlisted her support for a project before they discussed it with the president. Her iron will, contrasted with her outwardly shy demeanor and a soft Southern accent, inspired Washington reporters to call her “the Steel Magnolia.”Both Carters said in their later years that Rosalynn had always been the more political of the two. After Jimmy Carter’s landslide defeat in 1980, it was she, not the former president, who contemplated an implausible comeback, and years later she confessed to missing their life in Washington.Jimmy Carter trusted her so much that in 1977, only months into his term, he sent her on a mission to Latin America to tell dictators he meant what he said about denying military aid and other support to violators of human rights.She also had strong feelings about the style of the Carter White House. The Carters did not serve hard liquor at public functions, though Rosalynn did permit U.S. wine. There were fewer evenings of ballroom dancing and more square dancing and picnics.Throughout her husband's political career, she chose mental health and problems of the elderly as her signature policy emphasis. When the news media didn't cover those efforts as much as she believed was warranted, she criticized reporters for writing only about "sexy subjects."As honorary chairwoman of the President's Commission on Mental Health, she once testified before a Senate subcommittee, becoming the first first lady since Eleanor Roosevelt to address a congressional panel. She was back in Washington in 2007 to push Congress for improved mental health coverage, saying, "We've been working on this for so long, it finally seems to be in reach."She said she developed her interest in mental health during her husband's campaigns for Georgia governor.“I used to come home and say to Jimmy, 'Why are people telling me their problems?' And he said, 'Because you may be the only person they'll ever see who may be close to someone who can help them,'” she explained.After Ronald Reagan won the 1980 election, Rosalynn Carter seemed more visibly devastated than her husband. She initially had little interest in returning to the small town of Plains, Georgia, where they both were born, married and spent most of their lives."I was hesitant, not at all sure that I could be happy here after the dazzle of the White House and the years of stimulating political battles," she wrote in her 1984 autobiography, "First Lady from Plains." But "we slowly rediscovered the satisfaction of a life we had left long before."After leaving Washington, Jimmy and Rosalynn co-founded The Carter Center in Atlanta to continue their work. She chaired the center's annual symposium on mental health issues and raised funds for efforts to aid the mentally ill and homeless. She also wrote "Helping Yourself Help Others," about the challenges of caring for elderly or ailing relatives, and a sequel, "Helping Someone With Mental Illness."Frequently, the Carters left home on humanitarian missions, building houses with Habitat for Humanity and promoting public health and democracy across the developing world."I get tired," she said of her travels. "But something so wonderful always happens. To go to a village where they have Guinea worm and go back a year or two later and there's no Guinea worm, I mean the people dance and sing — it's so wonderful."In 2015, Jimmy Carter’s doctors discovered four small tumors on his brain. The Carters feared he had weeks to live. He was treated with a drug to boost his immune system, and later announced that doctors found no remaining signs of cancer. But when they first received the news, she said she didn't know what she was going to do.“I depend on him when I have questions, when I'm writing speeches, anything, I consult with him,” she said.She helped Carter recover several years later when he had hip replacement surgery at age 94 and had to learn to walk again. And she was with him earlier this year when he decided after a series of hospital stays that he would forgo further medical interventions and begin end-of-life care.Jimmy Carter is the longest-lived U.S. president. Rosalynn Carter was the second longest-lived of the nation's first ladies, trailing only Bess Truman, who died at age 97.Eleanor Rosalynn Smith was born in Plains on Aug. 18, 1927, the eldest of four children. Her father died when she was young, so she took on much of the responsibility of caring for her siblings when her mother went to work part time.She also contributed to the family income by working after school in a beauty parlor. "We were very poor and worked hard," she once said, but she kept up her studies, graduating from high school as class valedictorian.She soon fell in love with the brother of one of her best friends. Jimmy and Rosalynn had known each other all their lives — it was Jimmy's mother, nurse Lillian Carter, who delivered baby Rosalynn — but he left for the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, when she was still in high school.After a blind date, Jimmy told his mother: "That's the girl I want to marry." They wed in 1946, shortly after his graduation from Annapolis and Rosalynn's graduation from Georgia Southwestern College.Their sons were born where Jimmy Carter was stationed: John William (Jack) in Portsmouth, Virginia, in 1947; James Earl III (Chip) in Honolulu in 1950; and Donnel Jeffery (Jeff) in New London, Connecticut, in 1952. Amy was born in Plains in 1967. By then, Carter was a state senator.Navy life had provided Rosalynn her first chance to see the world. When Carter's father, James Earl Sr., died in 1953, Jimmy Carter decided, without consulting his wife, to move the family back to Plains, where he took over the family farm. She joined him there in the day-to-day operations, keeping the books and weighing fertilizer trucks.“We developed a partnership when we were working in the farm supply business,” Rosalynn Carter recalled with pride in a 2021 interview with The Associated Press. “I knew more on paper about the business than he did. He would take my advice about things.”

Rosalynn Carter, outspoken former first lady, dead at 96

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/18/a-cost-we-cant-afford-faculty-blast-state-for-not-investing-in-university/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;Faculty across the University of Nebraska said Friday the state government is forcing NU to “collapse into a more limited version of its former self.”

In the face of mounting budget cuts and stalled state investments, faculty at NU’s Lincoln, Omaha and Kearney campuses in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/aaupUNL/status/1725636984645783599?s=20">joint statement</a>&nbsp;said the state government is starving Nebraska of educational opportunities and economic development that an adequately funded state university could offer.

Nebraska has a choice, they added: provide a higher education environment where all children can pursue their dreams and creativity or restrict opportunity to the wealthy few with fewer possible subjects.

“Right now, the Unicameral and Board of Regents are choosing the second option for our state,” the statement reads. “That’s a choice that cheapens our future, and that’s a cost we can’t afford.”

The Friday statement is penned by the University of Nebraska at Kearney Education Association, which represents full-time faculty, and the campus chapters of the American Association of University Professors at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The AAUP is a national nonprofit of faculty and other academic professors that seeks to advance academic freedom and shared governance.

Melissa Lee, chief communications officer for NU, reviewed the joint statement and said Friday evening the Board of Regents has challenged NU to think differently about how to grow and compete in today’s changing market.

Lee said NU’s next steps are discussing how NU will focus on its needs, not wants, while considering trims such as degrees that have consistently low enrollment or redundant operations.

“Nebraskans expect their University to get better every day, not settle for the status quo,” Lee said.

Regent Tim Clare of Lincoln, chair of the Board of Regents, said NU’s plan is not to limit its mission. He’s excited about opportunities to be more competitive and nimble —&nbsp;and about NU’s goal to rejoin the Association of American Universities.

But, he said, the university can’t be all things to all people.

“We owe it to the taxpayers to spend our money on the things that bring the greatest possible return to the state of Nebraska,” Clare said in a statement.

Julia Schleck, a UNL AAUP member and vice chair of UNL’s Department of English, described the cuts in terms of biological systems that can absorb a certain amount of impact until their resilience is weakened, blow after blow.

Since coming to UNL in 2006, Schleck said, it’s felt as though there are cuts nearly every year.&nbsp;

“The system itself starts being threatened with collapse in the way that it had previously been constructed,” Schleck said. “Its essential identity changes in some dramatic way, and it feels very much like the university is on the cusp of that.”

UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.unl.edu/chancellor/budget-reduction-proposals">proposed $12 million in cuts</a>&nbsp;and UNK has&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/03/university-of-nebraska-at-kearney-faculty-students-protest-budget-cuts/">proposed $4.3 million in cuts</a>&nbsp;so far this year. They are part of NU’s projected&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/05/nu-president-budget-cuts-necessary-for-the-survival-of-the-overall-institution/">$58 million shortfall projected over the next two years</a>.

Will Avilés, president of the UNKEA and a professor of political science, said that if UNK approves its proposed cuts, with deep impacts in humanities, UNK will be a lesser institution.

UNK has proposed eliminating its departments of geography, philosophy and theater as well as various degrees ranging from geography and modern languages with a French or German emphasis to journalism and sports communications.

“I don’t see how we better ourselves by weakening these institutions,” Avilés said. “The expectation of a complete and comprehensive education is going to be undermined if these cuts are pursued.”

UNL and UNO are anticipating academic cuts in the near future, the joint statement adds, and faculty questioned whether funding for initiatives such as the Nebraska Promise that covers tuition for low-income students could dry up soon.

Lee said NU will continue to invest in priorities such as Nebraska Promise and growing programs that meet workforce demand and attract funding.

Laura Grams, an associate professor of philosophy and president of UNO AAUP, said that while her campus is in a different place —&nbsp;no specific cuts at this time — faculty and staff are in the business of transforming lives and giving people economic opportunity.

“That is what is bringing us into work every day — to make our students’ lives better and to help them gain access to the tools they need for a better future,” Grams said.

Through the cuts, the faculty said, students and families will be paying more for less.

At the same time, NU is seeking to be invited back into the elite Association of American Universities, a collection of 65 leading research universities. UNL had been a member for 102 years before being the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/governance/executive-leadership/2023/08/15/cast-out-12-years-ago-nebraska-seeks-return-aau">first university voted out in 2011</a>.

Schleck said the AAU looks heavily at research prowess, but cuts will immediately impact faculty’s ability to do research as they take on more work through personnel losses.

This spring, NU requested a 3% annual increase in state appropriations and the Legislature granted a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/18/lawmakers-pass-state-budget-make-few-adjustments-from-governors-plan/">2.5% increase</a>. Gov. Jim Pillen, a former regent himself, initially proposed a 2% increase.

Pillen’s office did not immediately respond to an email Friday.

However, State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, who chairs the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, said the committee has worked with NU President Carter who is “satisfied” with the funding levels. Final cuts are due to Carter by Dec. 1.

“I believe we’re adequately funding the university,” he said.

Avilés said faculty are organizing a petition to the regents and Appropriations Committee requesting they do more to mitigate the impacts of cuts. Clements said any requests to alter the budget in 2024 will require justification of the need.

Lee said NU appreciates the increased funding that Pillen and the Legislature approved, including millions for a new&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/unmc-takes-another-step-to-grow-health-care-workforce-in-rural-nebraska/">rural health facility</a>&nbsp;in Kearney.

“But as President Carter has committed to our elected leaders, it is the university’s responsibility, not the taxpayer’s, to right-size our spending in light of our enrollment declines,” she said.

Schleck said higher education is on a path to simply serve as advanced job training, even as employers emphasize skills learned in humanities.

Grams said she wants state leaders to know that when they invest in NU —&nbsp;with a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.edu/news-and-events/news/2022/02/new-analysis-finds-university-of-nebraskas-annual-economic-impact-grows">$9 return on investment for every state dollar</a>&nbsp;—&nbsp;they’re investing in the state’s people of the future.

“We really care about academic excellence. We really care about quality education,” Grams said. “And if our state’s going to thrive, we feel like the university needs to thrive with it and that we’re going to give back to you.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700329644369.jpeg" alt="The University of Nebraska Board of Regents meets Oct. 5, 2023, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The University of Nebraska Board of Regents meets Oct. 5, 2023, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/18/a-cost-we-cant-afford-faculty-blast-state-for-not-investing-in-university/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;Faculty across the University of Nebraska said Friday the state government is forcing NU to “collapse into a more limited version of its former self.”In the face of mounting budget cuts and stalled state investments, faculty at NU’s Lincoln, Omaha and Kearney campuses in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/aaupUNL/status/1725636984645783599?s=20">joint statement</a>&nbsp;said the state government is starving Nebraska of educational opportunities and economic development that an adequately funded state university could offer.Nebraska has a choice, they added: provide a higher education environment where all children can pursue their dreams and creativity or restrict opportunity to the wealthy few with fewer possible subjects.“Right now, the Unicameral and Board of Regents are choosing the second option for our state,” the statement reads. “That’s a choice that cheapens our future, and that’s a cost we can’t afford.”The Friday statement is penned by the University of Nebraska at Kearney Education Association, which represents full-time faculty, and the campus chapters of the American Association of University Professors at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.The AAUP is a national nonprofit of faculty and other academic professors that seeks to advance academic freedom and shared governance.<h2>Beyond the status quo</h2>Melissa Lee, chief communications officer for NU, reviewed the joint statement and said Friday evening the Board of Regents has challenged NU to think differently about how to grow and compete in today’s changing market.Lee said NU’s next steps are discussing how NU will focus on its needs, not wants, while considering trims such as degrees that have consistently low enrollment or redundant operations.“Nebraskans expect their University to get better every day, not settle for the status quo,” Lee said.Regent Tim Clare of Lincoln, chair of the Board of Regents, said NU’s plan is not to limit its mission. He’s excited about opportunities to be more competitive and nimble —&nbsp;and about NU’s goal to rejoin the Association of American Universities.But, he said, the university can’t be all things to all people.“We owe it to the taxpayers to spend our money on the things that bring the greatest possible return to the state of Nebraska,” Clare said in a statement.<h2>On the cusp of dramatic change</h2>Julia Schleck, a UNL AAUP member and vice chair of UNL’s Department of English, described the cuts in terms of biological systems that can absorb a certain amount of impact until their resilience is weakened, blow after blow.Since coming to UNL in 2006, Schleck said, it’s felt as though there are cuts nearly every year.&nbsp;“The system itself starts being threatened with collapse in the way that it had previously been constructed,” Schleck said. “Its essential identity changes in some dramatic way, and it feels very much like the university is on the cusp of that.”UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.unl.edu/chancellor/budget-reduction-proposals">proposed $12 million in cuts</a>&nbsp;and UNK has&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/03/university-of-nebraska-at-kearney-faculty-students-protest-budget-cuts/">proposed $4.3 million in cuts</a>&nbsp;so far this year. They are part of NU’s projected&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/05/nu-president-budget-cuts-necessary-for-the-survival-of-the-overall-institution/">$58 million shortfall projected over the next two years</a>.<h2>Future will be ‘undermined’</h2>Will Avilés, president of the UNKEA and a professor of political science, said that if UNK approves its proposed cuts, with deep impacts in humanities, UNK will be a lesser institution.UNK has proposed eliminating its departments of geography, philosophy and theater as well as various degrees ranging from geography and modern languages with a French or German emphasis to journalism and sports communications.“I don’t see how we better ourselves by weakening these institutions,” Avilés said. “The expectation of a complete and comprehensive education is going to be undermined if these cuts are pursued.”UNL and UNO are anticipating academic cuts in the near future, the joint statement adds, and faculty questioned whether funding for initiatives such as the Nebraska Promise that covers tuition for low-income students could dry up soon.Lee said NU will continue to invest in priorities such as Nebraska Promise and growing programs that meet workforce demand and attract funding.<h2>‘A better future’</h2>Laura Grams, an associate professor of philosophy and president of UNO AAUP, said that while her campus is in a different place —&nbsp;no specific cuts at this time — faculty and staff are in the business of transforming lives and giving people economic opportunity.“That is what is bringing us into work every day — to make our students’ lives better and to help them gain access to the tools they need for a better future,” Grams said.Through the cuts, the faculty said, students and families will be paying more for less.At the same time, NU is seeking to be invited back into the elite Association of American Universities, a collection of 65 leading research universities. UNL had been a member for 102 years before being the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/governance/executive-leadership/2023/08/15/cast-out-12-years-ago-nebraska-seeks-return-aau">first university voted out in 2011</a>.Schleck said the AAU looks heavily at research prowess, but cuts will immediately impact faculty’s ability to do research as they take on more work through personnel losses.<h2>State funding has slowed</h2>This spring, NU requested a 3% annual increase in state appropriations and the Legislature granted a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/18/lawmakers-pass-state-budget-make-few-adjustments-from-governors-plan/">2.5% increase</a>. Gov. Jim Pillen, a former regent himself, initially proposed a 2% increase.Pillen’s office did not immediately respond to an email Friday.However, State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, who chairs the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, said the committee has worked with NU President Carter who is “satisfied” with the funding levels. Final cuts are due to Carter by Dec. 1.“I believe we’re adequately funding the university,” he said.Avilés said faculty are organizing a petition to the regents and Appropriations Committee requesting they do more to mitigate the impacts of cuts. Clements said any requests to alter the budget in 2024 will require justification of the need.Lee said NU appreciates the increased funding that Pillen and the Legislature approved, including millions for a new&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/unmc-takes-another-step-to-grow-health-care-workforce-in-rural-nebraska/">rural health facility</a>&nbsp;in Kearney.“But as President Carter has committed to our elected leaders, it is the university’s responsibility, not the taxpayer’s, to right-size our spending in light of our enrollment declines,” she said.<h2>‘We’re going to give back’</h2>Schleck said higher education is on a path to simply serve as advanced job training, even as employers emphasize skills learned in humanities.Grams said she wants state leaders to know that when they invest in NU —&nbsp;with a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.edu/news-and-events/news/2022/02/new-analysis-finds-university-of-nebraskas-annual-economic-impact-grows">$9 return on investment for every state dollar</a>&nbsp;—&nbsp;they’re investing in the state’s people of the future.“We really care about academic excellence. We really care about quality education,” Grams said. “And if our state’s going to thrive, we feel like the university needs to thrive with it and that we’re going to give back to you.”

‘A cost we can’t afford’: Faculty blast state for not investing in university

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. flu season is underway, with at least seven states reporting high levels of illnesses and cases rising in other parts of the country, health officials say.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm">new flu data</a>&nbsp;on Friday, showing very high activity last week in Louisiana, and high activity in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, New Mexico and South Carolina. It was also high in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, the U.S. territory where health officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/puerto-rico-flu-epidemic-0a9dda2ac3b407486d44412f6cbc62e0">declared</a>&nbsp;an influenza epidemic earlier this month.

“We’re off to the races,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University infectious diseases expert

Traditionally, the winter flu season ramps up in December or January. But it took off in October last year, and is making a November entrance this year.

Flu activity was moderate but rising in New York City, Arkansas, California, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. And while flu activity has been high in Alaska for weeks, the state did not report data last week, so it wasn't part of the latest count.

Tracking during flu season relies in part on reports of people with flu-like symptoms who go to doctor's offices or hospitals; many people with the flu are not tested, so their infections aren’t lab-confirmed. COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses can sometimes muddy the picture.

Alicia Budd, who leads the CDC’s flu surveillance team, said several indicators are showing “continued increases” in flu.

There are different kinds of flu viruses, and the version that's been spreading the most so far this year usually leads to a lesser amount of hospitalizations and deaths in the elderly — the group on whom flu tends to take the largest toll.

So far this fall, the CDC estimates at least 780,000 flu illnesses, at least 8,000 hospitalizations and at least 490 flu-related deaths — including at least one child.

Budd said that it’s not yet clear exactly how effective the current flu vaccines are, but the shots are well-matched to the flu strains that are showing up. In the U.S., about 35% of U.S. adults and 33% of children have been vaccinated against flu, current CDC data indicates. That's down compared to last year in both categories.

Flu vaccination rates are better than rates for the other two main respiratory viruses — COVID-19 and RSV. About 14% of adults and 5% of children have gotten the currently recommended COVID-19 shot, and about 13.5% of adults 60 and older have gotten one of the RSV shots that became available earlier this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700243960153.png" alt="CDC map for November 17" />
 <figcaption>CDC map for November 17</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. flu season is underway, with at least seven states reporting high levels of illnesses and cases rising in other parts of the country, health officials say.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm">new flu data</a>&nbsp;on Friday, showing very high activity last week in Louisiana, and high activity in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, New Mexico and South Carolina. It was also high in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, the U.S. territory where health officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/puerto-rico-flu-epidemic-0a9dda2ac3b407486d44412f6cbc62e0">declared</a>&nbsp;an influenza epidemic earlier this month.“We’re off to the races,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University infectious diseases expertTraditionally, the winter flu season ramps up in December or January. But it took off in October last year, and is making a November entrance this year.Flu activity was moderate but rising in New York City, Arkansas, California, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. And while flu activity has been high in Alaska for weeks, the state did not report data last week, so it wasn't part of the latest count.Tracking during flu season relies in part on reports of people with flu-like symptoms who go to doctor's offices or hospitals; many people with the flu are not tested, so their infections aren’t lab-confirmed. COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses can sometimes muddy the picture.Alicia Budd, who leads the CDC’s flu surveillance team, said several indicators are showing “continued increases” in flu.There are different kinds of flu viruses, and the version that's been spreading the most so far this year usually leads to a lesser amount of hospitalizations and deaths in the elderly — the group on whom flu tends to take the largest toll.So far this fall, the CDC estimates at least 780,000 flu illnesses, at least 8,000 hospitalizations and at least 490 flu-related deaths — including at least one child.Budd said that it’s not yet clear exactly how effective the current flu vaccines are, but the shots are well-matched to the flu strains that are showing up. In the U.S., about 35% of U.S. adults and 33% of children have been vaccinated against flu, current CDC data indicates. That's down compared to last year in both categories.Flu vaccination rates are better than rates for the other two main respiratory viruses — COVID-19 and RSV. About 14% of adults and 5% of children have gotten the currently recommended COVID-19 shot, and about 13.5% of adults 60 and older have gotten one of the RSV shots that became available earlier this year.

The flu is soaring in 7 states and rising in others

WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is screening imports of cinnamon from multiple countries for toxic lead contamination after growing reports of children who were sickened after eating pouches of applesauce and apple puree.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699279077387.png" alt="FDA image" />
 <figcaption>FDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is screening imports of cinnamon from multiple countries for toxic lead contamination after growing reports of children who were sickened after eating pouches of applesauce and apple puree.Cinnamon from a manufacturer in Ecuador is the “likely source” of high levels of lead found in recalled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wanabana-lead-poisoning-children-cdc-applesauce-puree-793c33aa66544044ae6413f8d34e169a" target="_blank">pouches of applesauce puree</a>&nbsp;linked to illnesses in at least 34 children in 22 states, the FDA said Friday.But the agency noted there have not been other reports of illness or elevated blood lead levels tied to the spice that’s popular in holiday baking.The agency has not yet been able to collect and directly test samples of the cinnamon in the product. Import records show that WanaBana LLC of Coral Gables, Florida, received shipments of cinnamon apple fruit puree from Austrofood, a manufacturer in Ecuador.One pouch of recalled WanaBana apple cinnamon puree collected from a Dollar Tree store was found to have lead levels more than 200 times higher than proposed FDA guidance would allow, officials said.The agency does not regulate specific levels of heavy metals — including lead— in spices, said Joanne Slavin, a food science professor at the University of Minnesota.Consumers should be aware that cinnamon may contain lead, she said, but the FDA’s release on Friday said there’s no indication that cinnamon products other than the applesauce puree are affected.“I wouldn’t want to panic people and say if you put cinnamon in your pumpkin pie, you’re a bad grandma,” she said.Illnesses linked to the pouches have been reported in children ages 1 to 3, with at least one child showing a blood lead level eight times higher than the level that raises concern, the&nbsp;<a href="https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2023/han00500.asp?ACSTrackingID=USCDC_511-DM117142&amp;ACSTrackingLabel=HAN%20500%20-%20General%20Public&amp;deliveryName=USCDC_511-DM117142" target="_blank">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>&nbsp;said.There’s no safe level of lead exposure, but the CDC uses a marker of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter to identify children with higher levels than most. The affected children’s blood lead levels ranged from 4 to 29 micrograms per deciliter.The recalled fruit products include pouches of WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree and Schnucks and Weis brand cinnamon applesauce. They were sold at the Dollar Tree, on Amazon and in other online outlets.Kids who may have eaten the products should be tested for lead levels, health officials said. Children who have fallen ill reported headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and anemia, but often kids may show no symptoms.Lead exposure can lead to serious learning, cognitive and behavior problems. Heavy metals like lead can get into food products from soil, air, water or industrial processes, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.