&nbsp;By&nbsp;<a href="http://www.defense.gov/News/Author/42773/c-todd-lopez/">C. Todd Lopez</a>,&nbsp;Department of Defense

The Pentagon announced that a squadron of F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft has arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The aircraft will work alongside an array of capabilities the Defense Department has sent to the region in recent days to further enhance the ability of U.S. forces to defend themselves.

Since Hamas attacked Israel Oct. 7, militia groups backed by Iran have, on more than a dozen occasions, attacked U.S. forces conducting counterterrorism missions in both Iraq and Syria.&nbsp;

"We know that the groups conducting these attacks are supported by the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] and the Iranian regime," Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said during a briefing today. "What we are seeing is the prospect for more significant escalation against U.S. forces and personnel across the region, in the very near term, coming from Iranian proxy forces and ultimately from Iran."&nbsp;

In response, this past weekend, the department deployed the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group to Centcom, and directed to the region a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery from Fort Bliss, Texas, and additional Patriot missile battalions from both Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and Fort Sill, Oklahoma.&nbsp;

The aircraft movement announced today involves F-16s from the New Jersey Air National Guard's 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron.&nbsp;

A variety of military units have been put on prepare-to-deploy orders, though none of those have yet been activated, he said.

The effort to protect U.S. forces in the region is one of three primary objectives the department has focused on since the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. Ryder said the department is also focused on supporting Israel's right to defend itself from terrorist attacks and deterring a broader conflict in the region.&nbsp;

To assist Israel in its defense he said the U.S. has rushed in security assistance to enable Israel Defense Forces to restore security and protect the Israeli people.&nbsp;

"As we've highlighted, this includes capabilities requested by Israel, to include precision guided munitions, small diameter bombs, artillery, ammunition, Iron Dome interceptors and other critical equipment. We continue to stay in close contact with our Israeli partners on their defense needs and remain committed to the security of Israel," Ryder said.&nbsp;

The department has also provided advisors to Israel to help officials there mitigate civilian casualties as they conduct their military planning. Those advisors, Ryder noted, have deep experience in urban combat.&nbsp;

"Since [the] Hamas terrorist attack, we've also been crystal clear that we do not want to see the situation in Israel [widen] into a broader regional conflict," he said. " ... Our message to any country or group thinking about trying to take advantage of this situation to widen the conflict is: Don't."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698241827937.png" alt="F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 177th Fighter Wing, 119th Fighter Squadron, of the New Jersey Air National Guard, prepare to land at the Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, N.J., July 31, 2021. The squadron has been identified to deploy to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility-photo Department of Defense." />
 <figcaption>F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 177th Fighter Wing, 119th Fighter Squadron, of the New Jersey Air National Guard, prepare to land at the Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, N.J., July 31, 2021. The squadron has been identified to deploy to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility-photo Department of Defense.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;By&nbsp;<a href="http://www.defense.gov/News/Author/42773/c-todd-lopez/">C. Todd Lopez</a>,&nbsp;Department of DefenseThe Pentagon announced that a squadron of F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft has arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The aircraft will work alongside an array of capabilities the Defense Department has sent to the region in recent days to further enhance the ability of U.S. forces to defend themselves.Since Hamas attacked Israel Oct. 7, militia groups backed by Iran have, on more than a dozen occasions, attacked U.S. forces conducting counterterrorism missions in both Iraq and Syria.&nbsp;"We know that the groups conducting these attacks are supported by the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] and the Iranian regime," Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said during a briefing today. "What we are seeing is the prospect for more significant escalation against U.S. forces and personnel across the region, in the very near term, coming from Iranian proxy forces and ultimately from Iran."&nbsp;In response, this past weekend, the department deployed the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group to Centcom, and directed to the region a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery from Fort Bliss, Texas, and additional Patriot missile battalions from both Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and Fort Sill, Oklahoma.&nbsp;The aircraft movement announced today involves F-16s from the New Jersey Air National Guard's 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron.&nbsp;A variety of military units have been put on prepare-to-deploy orders, though none of those have yet been activated, he said.The effort to protect U.S. forces in the region is one of three primary objectives the department has focused on since the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. Ryder said the department is also focused on supporting Israel's right to defend itself from terrorist attacks and deterring a broader conflict in the region.&nbsp;To assist Israel in its defense he said the U.S. has rushed in security assistance to enable Israel Defense Forces to restore security and protect the Israeli people.&nbsp;"As we've highlighted, this includes capabilities requested by Israel, to include precision guided munitions, small diameter bombs, artillery, ammunition, Iron Dome interceptors and other critical equipment. We continue to stay in close contact with our Israeli partners on their defense needs and remain committed to the security of Israel," Ryder said.&nbsp;The department has also provided advisors to Israel to help officials there mitigate civilian casualties as they conduct their military planning. Those advisors, Ryder noted, have deep experience in urban combat.&nbsp;"Since [the] Hamas terrorist attack, we've also been crystal clear that we do not want to see the situation in Israel [widen] into a broader regional conflict," he said. " ... Our message to any country or group thinking about trying to take advantage of this situation to widen the conflict is: Don't."

Squadron of US F-16 fighter jets has arrived in the Middle East

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Tuesday that “prudent contingency planning” is underway to evacuate Americans from the Middle East in case the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;spreads into a broad regional conflict.

(click below to watch White House spokesman John Kirby's statement)

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stressed there are currently no “active efforts” to evacuate Americans from the region beyond charter flights the U.S government began operating earlier this month out of Israel.

“It would be imprudent and irresponsible if we didn’t have folks thinking through a broad range of contingencies and possibilities,” Kirby said. “And certainly evacuations are one of those things.”

The White House addressed the contingency plans amid growing concerns that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-palestinians-live-updates-9a0ddf745bde0ffc46921b99ed34fb65">18-day-old Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;could further escalate. The U.S. has advised Israel that postponing a possible ground invasion of Gaza could be helpful as the U.S. and other partners in the region try to secure the release of more than 200 hostages who were captured in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel soil. The contingency planning was first reported by The Washington Post.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke by phone on Tuesday about the deteriorating situation. It was the two leaders' first interaction since before the Hamas attack on Israel.

Biden and the crown prince spoke about “efforts to deter state and non-state actors from widening the conflict between Israel and Hamas,” according to the White House. Biden administration officials have repeatedly warned Iran not to become involved in the conflict. U.S. forces in the region over the last few days have come under repeated attacks that the Pentagon has said were likely endorsed by Iran, which is the chief sponsor of Hamas, the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, as well as militant groups in Iraq and Yemen.

“The two leaders agreed on pursuing broader diplomatic efforts to maintain stability across the region and prevent the conflict from expanding,” the White House added.

At the Pentagon, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the U.S. is preparing for an increase in violence, noting that there have already been at least 13 attacks against troops and installations in Iraq and Syria.

“What we are seeing is the prospect for more significant escalation against U.S. forces and personnel across the region in the very near term coming from Iranian proxy forces and ultimately from Iran,” said Ryder, the Pentagon's press secretary.

He added that the U.S. won’t hesitate to take action if needed to protect its forces and interests in the region.

Biden said last week he believed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Hamas was motivated to attack Israel</a>&nbsp;in part by a desire to stop that country from normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia.

“One of the reasons ... why Hamas moved on Israel, is because they knew I was about to sit down with the Saudis,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-saudi-arabia-war-1c376cf1497acd0df05a98721bf88fae">Biden said at a campaign fundraiser.</a>&nbsp;The U.S. president said he thinks Hamas militants launched their deadly assault on Oct. 7 because “guess what? The Saudis wanted to recognize Israel” and were near being able to formally do so.

An agreement, which the White House says it continues to pursue, would be a feat of diplomacy that could have enabled broader recognition of Israel by other Arab and Muslim-majority nations that have largely opposed Israel since its creation 75 years ago in a territory where Palestinians have long resided.

But talks were interrupted after Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip where Palestinians live into nearby Israeli towns.

Israel sealed off Gaza in response, and Biden told reporters in Washington on Tuesday that humanitarian aid into the territory wasn't arriving fast enough.

Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been running out of food, water, fuel and medicine. The aid convoys allowed into Gaza so far have carried a fraction of what’s needed.

The president made his comments to reporters about the speed of aid flowing into Gaza after presenting science and technology awards to several Americans for exemplary achievements that have had a positive impact on the United States.

One of the recipients, Sheldon Weinbaum of the City College of New York, wore a “Stop War” button on his suit coat lapel as he received his medal from Biden.

Biden suggested the ceremony was a welcome break from the grim news coming out of the Middle East.

“This is a happy occasion," Biden said at the start of the White House ceremony. "We need some more happy occasions.”

The war is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Health Ministry said at least 5,791 Palestinians have been killed and 16,297 wounded. In the occupied West Bank, 96 Palestinians have been killed and 1,650 wounded in violence and Israeli raids since Oct. 7.

“This is war. It is combat. It is bloody, it is ugly, and it’s going to be messy,” Kirby said. “I wish I could tell you something different. I wish that that wasn’t going to happen.”

Ryder said several new force protection measures are now underway, including the deployment of air defense systems. He said a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and additional Patriot missile battalions have begun to move to undisclosed locations in the Middle East.

The THAAD is being sent from Fort Bliss, Texas, and the Patriot battalions are from Fort Liberty in North Carolina and Fort Sill in Oklahoma.

Ryder also said that additional forces have moved into the Middle East. He said the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 119 Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, with its F-16 fighter jets, arrived on Tuesday, but officials would not say where exactly it went.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Tuesday that “prudent contingency planning” is underway to evacuate Americans from the Middle East in case the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;spreads into a broad regional conflict.(click below to watch White House spokesman John Kirby's statement)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F310166491774001%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=422" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stressed there are currently no “active efforts” to evacuate Americans from the region beyond charter flights the U.S government began operating earlier this month out of Israel.“It would be imprudent and irresponsible if we didn’t have folks thinking through a broad range of contingencies and possibilities,” Kirby said. “And certainly evacuations are one of those things.”The White House addressed the contingency plans amid growing concerns that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-palestinians-live-updates-9a0ddf745bde0ffc46921b99ed34fb65">18-day-old Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;could further escalate. The U.S. has advised Israel that postponing a possible ground invasion of Gaza could be helpful as the U.S. and other partners in the region try to secure the release of more than 200 hostages who were captured in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel soil. The contingency planning was first reported by The Washington Post.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke by phone on Tuesday about the deteriorating situation. It was the two leaders' first interaction since before the Hamas attack on Israel.Biden and the crown prince spoke about “efforts to deter state and non-state actors from widening the conflict between Israel and Hamas,” according to the White House. Biden administration officials have repeatedly warned Iran not to become involved in the conflict. U.S. forces in the region over the last few days have come under repeated attacks that the Pentagon has said were likely endorsed by Iran, which is the chief sponsor of Hamas, the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, as well as militant groups in Iraq and Yemen.“The two leaders agreed on pursuing broader diplomatic efforts to maintain stability across the region and prevent the conflict from expanding,” the White House added.At the Pentagon, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the U.S. is preparing for an increase in violence, noting that there have already been at least 13 attacks against troops and installations in Iraq and Syria.“What we are seeing is the prospect for more significant escalation against U.S. forces and personnel across the region in the very near term coming from Iranian proxy forces and ultimately from Iran,” said Ryder, the Pentagon's press secretary.He added that the U.S. won’t hesitate to take action if needed to protect its forces and interests in the region.Biden said last week he believed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Hamas was motivated to attack Israel</a>&nbsp;in part by a desire to stop that country from normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia.“One of the reasons ... why Hamas moved on Israel, is because they knew I was about to sit down with the Saudis,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-saudi-arabia-war-1c376cf1497acd0df05a98721bf88fae">Biden said at a campaign fundraiser.</a>&nbsp;The U.S. president said he thinks Hamas militants launched their deadly assault on Oct. 7 because “guess what? The Saudis wanted to recognize Israel” and were near being able to formally do so.An agreement, which the White House says it continues to pursue, would be a feat of diplomacy that could have enabled broader recognition of Israel by other Arab and Muslim-majority nations that have largely opposed Israel since its creation 75 years ago in a territory where Palestinians have long resided.But talks were interrupted after Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip where Palestinians live into nearby Israeli towns.Israel sealed off Gaza in response, and Biden told reporters in Washington on Tuesday that humanitarian aid into the territory wasn't arriving fast enough.Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been running out of food, water, fuel and medicine. The aid convoys allowed into Gaza so far have carried a fraction of what’s needed.The president made his comments to reporters about the speed of aid flowing into Gaza after presenting science and technology awards to several Americans for exemplary achievements that have had a positive impact on the United States.One of the recipients, Sheldon Weinbaum of the City College of New York, wore a “Stop War” button on his suit coat lapel as he received his medal from Biden.Biden suggested the ceremony was a welcome break from the grim news coming out of the Middle East.“This is a happy occasion," Biden said at the start of the White House ceremony. "We need some more happy occasions.”The war is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Health Ministry said at least 5,791 Palestinians have been killed and 16,297 wounded. In the occupied West Bank, 96 Palestinians have been killed and 1,650 wounded in violence and Israeli raids since Oct. 7.“This is war. It is combat. It is bloody, it is ugly, and it’s going to be messy,” Kirby said. “I wish I could tell you something different. I wish that that wasn’t going to happen.”Ryder said several new force protection measures are now underway, including the deployment of air defense systems. He said a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and additional Patriot missile battalions have begun to move to undisclosed locations in the Middle East.The THAAD is being sent from Fort Bliss, Texas, and the Patriot battalions are from Fort Liberty in North Carolina and Fort Sill in Oklahoma.Ryder also said that additional forces have moved into the Middle East. He said the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 119 Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, with its F-16 fighter jets, arrived on Tuesday, but officials would not say where exactly it went.___

🎥U.S. readies plans for mass evacuations from the Middle East

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Richard Roundtree, the trailblazing actor who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in several “Shaft” films beginning in the early 1970s, has died. He was 81.

Roundtree’s longtime manager, Patrick McMinn, said the actor had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday. He was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and underwent a double mastectomy.

“Richard’s work and career served as a turning point for African American leading men,” McMinn said. “The impact he had on the industry cannot be overstated.”

Roundtree, who was born in New Rochelle, New York, was considered as the first Black action hero and became one of the leading actors in the blaxploitation genre through his New York street smart John Shaft character in the Gordon Parks-directed film in 1971. At age 28, it was Roundtree’s first feature film appearance after starting his career as a model.

Roundtree’s “Shaft” was part of a change in how Black movies were viewed in Hollywood, which failed to consider Black actors – especially for leading roles — in projects at the time. The blaxploitation films were primarily aimed at the African American audiences.

In the film, his character navigated the world of thugs. He regularly whipped out popular one-liners like “It’s my duty to please that booty.”

“What we were doing was a good, old Saturday afternoon shoot ’em up," Roundtree said in a 2000 interview with The Associated Press.

Isaac Hayes’ “Shaft” theme song — which included the line “You a bad mother— (Shut your mouth)” — helped insinuate the original movie into the pop-cult consciousness. The singer, who died in 2008, said the song was “like the ‘shot heard round the world." His single won an Academy Award for best song in 1971 and two Grammys the following year.

After the film’s success, Roundtree returned in sequels “Shaft’s Big Score” in 1972 and “Shaft in Africa” in 1973. That same year, he played the savvy detective once again on the CBS television series “Shaft,” which lasted only seven episodes.

Roundtree reprised his role in the 2000 “Shaft” film, a revival that starred Samuel L. Jackson. He appeared as Jackson’s uncle in the big-budget film that was aimed at the general audience. Both appeared again in the same roles in the 2019 film starring Jessie T. Usher.

Jackson called Roundtree the “prototype” and the “best to ever do it" in a social media post.

“SHAFT, as we know it is &amp; will always be his Creation," he said of Roundtree. "His passing leaves a deep hole not only in my heart, but I’m sure a lotta y’all’s, too.”

Through his 50-plus year career, Roundtree appeared in a number other notable films including “Earthquake,” “Man Friday” with Peter O’Toole, “Roots,” “Maniac Cop” “Se7en” and “What Men Want” starring Taraji P. Henson. He also made his mark with television roles on “Magnum P.I.,” “The Love Boat,” “Being Mary Jane” and “The Love Boat.”

In 1995, Roundtree received a lifetime achievement award at the MTV Movie &amp; TV awards.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698227923055.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Richard Roundtree, the trailblazing actor who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in several “Shaft” films beginning in the early 1970s, has died. He was 81.Roundtree’s longtime manager, Patrick McMinn, said the actor had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday. He was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and underwent a double mastectomy.“Richard’s work and career served as a turning point for African American leading men,” McMinn said. “The impact he had on the industry cannot be overstated.”Roundtree, who was born in New Rochelle, New York, was considered as the first Black action hero and became one of the leading actors in the blaxploitation genre through his New York street smart John Shaft character in the Gordon Parks-directed film in 1971. At age 28, it was Roundtree’s first feature film appearance after starting his career as a model.Roundtree’s “Shaft” was part of a change in how Black movies were viewed in Hollywood, which failed to consider Black actors – especially for leading roles — in projects at the time. The blaxploitation films were primarily aimed at the African American audiences.In the film, his character navigated the world of thugs. He regularly whipped out popular one-liners like “It’s my duty to please that booty.”“What we were doing was a good, old Saturday afternoon shoot ’em up," Roundtree said in a 2000 interview with The Associated Press.Isaac Hayes’ “Shaft” theme song — which included the line “You a bad mother— (Shut your mouth)” — helped insinuate the original movie into the pop-cult consciousness. The singer, who died in 2008, said the song was “like the ‘shot heard round the world." His single won an Academy Award for best song in 1971 and two Grammys the following year.After the film’s success, Roundtree returned in sequels “Shaft’s Big Score” in 1972 and “Shaft in Africa” in 1973. That same year, he played the savvy detective once again on the CBS television series “Shaft,” which lasted only seven episodes.Roundtree reprised his role in the 2000 “Shaft” film, a revival that starred Samuel L. Jackson. He appeared as Jackson’s uncle in the big-budget film that was aimed at the general audience. Both appeared again in the same roles in the 2019 film starring Jessie T. Usher.Jackson called Roundtree the “prototype” and the “best to ever do it" in a social media post.“SHAFT, as we know it is &amp; will always be his Creation," he said of Roundtree. "His passing leaves a deep hole not only in my heart, but I’m sure a lotta y’all’s, too.”Through his 50-plus year career, Roundtree appeared in a number other notable films including “Earthquake,” “Man Friday” with Peter O’Toole, “Roots,” “Maniac Cop” “Se7en” and “What Men Want” starring Taraji P. Henson. He also made his mark with television roles on “Magnum P.I.,” “The Love Boat,” “Being Mary Jane” and “The Love Boat.”In 1995, Roundtree received a lifetime achievement award at the MTV Movie &amp; TV awards.

'Shaft' star Richard Roundtree, first Black action movie hero, has died 

Lincoln, October 24, 2023- The Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) is pleased to honorMatt Effken, Agency Legal Counsel, and Laurie Casados, Budget, and Finance Manager, as its2023 State of Nebraska Excellence in Leadership Award recipients.

A member of the Commissions legal team since 2016, Effken has served as the primary attorneyfor the State 911 Department. In his role Effken has been instrumental in helping the State 911Department and the 911 Centers across the state in the transition from a Legacy 911 system to aNext Generation 911 system.

“Matt has a strong desire to improved public safety for the citizens of Nebraska,” said PSCExecutive Director Thomas Golden. “An outstanding communicator, he has played a key role inall aspects of the Commission’s effort as it works to bring the next generation of 911 services tothe state.”

In her role as Budget, and Finance Manager, Casados has proven she can adapt and respond toextreme challenges. Her ability to research grant requirements and regulations along with her in-depth knowledge of broadband proved to be essential to the successful implementation of twolarge and complex federal grants.

Golden said, “Laurie has shown herself to be an invaluable member of our team. She has aninnate desire to learn and grow and is always welcoming of a challenge.”

Lincoln, October 24, 2023- The Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) is pleased to honorMatt Effken, Agency Legal Counsel, and Laurie Casados, Budget, and Finance Manager, as its2023 State of Nebraska Excellence in Leadership Award recipients.A member of the Commissions legal team since 2016, Effken has served as the primary attorneyfor the State 911 Department. In his role Effken has been instrumental in helping the State 911Department and the 911 Centers across the state in the transition from a Legacy 911 system to aNext Generation 911 system.“Matt has a strong desire to improved public safety for the citizens of Nebraska,” said PSCExecutive Director Thomas Golden. “An outstanding communicator, he has played a key role inall aspects of the Commission’s effort as it works to bring the next generation of 911 services tothe state.”In her role as Budget, and Finance Manager, Casados has proven she can adapt and respond toextreme challenges. Her ability to research grant requirements and regulations along with her in-depth knowledge of broadband proved to be essential to the successful implementation of twolarge and complex federal grants.Golden said, “Laurie has shown herself to be an invaluable member of our team. She has aninnate desire to learn and grow and is always welcoming of a challenge.”

PSC Announces Excellence in Leadership Award Recipients

NEW YORK (AP) —Dozens of U.S. states, including Kansas, Missouri, California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms.

<a href="https://coag.gov/app/uploads/2023/10/23.10.24-Doc.-1-Complaint-People-v.-Meta-23cv05448.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the lawsuit

The<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24080215-meta-lawsuit">&nbsp;lawsuit</a>&nbsp;filed by 33 states in federal court in California, claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law. In addition, nine attorneys general are filing lawsuits in their respective states, bringing the total number of states taking action to 41 and Washington, D.C.

“Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms,” the complaint says. “It has concealed the ways in which these platforms exploit and manipulate its most vulnerable consumers: teenagers and children.”

The suits seek financial damages and restitution and an end to Meta’s practices that are in violation of the law.

“Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement. “Meta has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem.”

In a statement, Meta said it shares “the attorneys general’s commitment to providing teens with safe, positive experiences online, and have already introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families.”

“We’re disappointed that instead of working productively with companies across the industry to create clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use, the attorneys general have chosen this path,” the company added.

The broad-ranging federal suit is the result of an investigation led by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Vermont. It follows damning newspaper reports, first by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-facebook-files-11631713039">The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;in the fall of 2021, based on the Meta’s own research that found that the company knew about the harms Instagram can cause teenagers — especially teen girls — when it comes to mental health and body image issues. One internal study cited 13.5% of teen girls saying Instagram makes thoughts of suicide worse and 17% of teen girls saying it makes eating disorders worse.

Following the first reports, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/the-facebook-papers">consortium of news organizations</a>, including The Associated Press, published their own findings based on leaked documents from whistleblower Frances Haugen, who has testified before Congress and a British parliamentary committee about what she found.

“Meta has been harming our children and teens, cultivating addiction to boost corporate profits,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “With today’s lawsuit, we are drawing the line.”

The use of social media among teens is nearly universal in the U.S. and many other parts of the world.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/">Almost all teens</a>&nbsp;ages 13 to 17 in the U.S. report using a social media platform, with about a third saying they use social media “almost constantly,” according to the Pew Research Center.

To comply with federal regulation, social media companies ban kids under 13 from signing up to their platforms — but children have been shown to easily get around the bans, both with and without their parents’ consent, and many younger kids have social media accounts. The states’ complaint says Meta knowingly violated this law, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, by collecting data on children without informing and getting permission from their parents.

Other measures social platforms have taken to address concerns about children’s mental health are also easily circumvented. For instance, TikTok recently introduced a default&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-minors-social-media-china-time-limit-f735bd496ea3513abfc6480e5637abd8">60-minute time limit</a>&nbsp;for users under 18. But once the limit is reached, minors can simply enter a passcode to keep watching. TikTok, Snapchat and other social platforms that have also been blamed for contributing to the youth mental health crisis are not part of Tuesday’s lawsuit.

Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb wouldn’t comment on whether they’re also looking at TikTok or Snapchat. For now they’re focusing on the Meta empire of Facebook and Instagram, he said.

“They’re the worst of the worst when it comes to using technology to addict teenagers to social media, all in the furtherance of putting profits over people.”

In May, U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-kids-social-media-teens-tiktok-instagram-443530d9baa3f91386bf9fbfb313bbaf">Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;called on tech companies, parents and caregivers to take “immediate action to protect kids now” from the harms of social media.

NEW YORK (AP) —Dozens of U.S. states, including Kansas, Missouri, California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms.<a href="https://coag.gov/app/uploads/2023/10/23.10.24-Doc.-1-Complaint-People-v.-Meta-23cv05448.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the lawsuitThe<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24080215-meta-lawsuit">&nbsp;lawsuit</a>&nbsp;filed by 33 states in federal court in California, claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law. In addition, nine attorneys general are filing lawsuits in their respective states, bringing the total number of states taking action to 41 and Washington, D.C.“Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms,” the complaint says. “It has concealed the ways in which these platforms exploit and manipulate its most vulnerable consumers: teenagers and children.”The suits seek financial damages and restitution and an end to Meta’s practices that are in violation of the law.“Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement. “Meta has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem.”In a statement, Meta said it shares “the attorneys general’s commitment to providing teens with safe, positive experiences online, and have already introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families.”“We’re disappointed that instead of working productively with companies across the industry to create clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use, the attorneys general have chosen this path,” the company added.The broad-ranging federal suit is the result of an investigation led by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Vermont. It follows damning newspaper reports, first by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-facebook-files-11631713039">The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;in the fall of 2021, based on the Meta’s own research that found that the company knew about the harms Instagram can cause teenagers — especially teen girls — when it comes to mental health and body image issues. One internal study cited 13.5% of teen girls saying Instagram makes thoughts of suicide worse and 17% of teen girls saying it makes eating disorders worse.Following the first reports, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/the-facebook-papers">consortium of news organizations</a>, including The Associated Press, published their own findings based on leaked documents from whistleblower Frances Haugen, who has testified before Congress and a British parliamentary committee about what she found.“Meta has been harming our children and teens, cultivating addiction to boost corporate profits,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “With today’s lawsuit, we are drawing the line.”The use of social media among teens is nearly universal in the U.S. and many other parts of the world.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/">Almost all teens</a>&nbsp;ages 13 to 17 in the U.S. report using a social media platform, with about a third saying they use social media “almost constantly,” according to the Pew Research Center.To comply with federal regulation, social media companies ban kids under 13 from signing up to their platforms — but children have been shown to easily get around the bans, both with and without their parents’ consent, and many younger kids have social media accounts. The states’ complaint says Meta knowingly violated this law, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, by collecting data on children without informing and getting permission from their parents.Other measures social platforms have taken to address concerns about children’s mental health are also easily circumvented. For instance, TikTok recently introduced a default&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-minors-social-media-china-time-limit-f735bd496ea3513abfc6480e5637abd8">60-minute time limit</a>&nbsp;for users under 18. But once the limit is reached, minors can simply enter a passcode to keep watching. TikTok, Snapchat and other social platforms that have also been blamed for contributing to the youth mental health crisis are not part of Tuesday’s lawsuit.Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb wouldn’t comment on whether they’re also looking at TikTok or Snapchat. For now they’re focusing on the Meta empire of Facebook and Instagram, he said.“They’re the worst of the worst when it comes to using technology to addict teenagers to social media, all in the furtherance of putting profits over people.”In May, U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-kids-social-media-teens-tiktok-instagram-443530d9baa3f91386bf9fbfb313bbaf">Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;called on tech companies, parents and caregivers to take “immediate action to protect kids now” from the harms of social media.__

Read lawsuit filed by Neb. claiming Facebook, Instagram harm children's mental health

Faculty from the UNMC Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, iEXCEL staff and technology from the Davis Global Center are contributing to the development of breakthroughs using Artificial Intelligence (AI), computational Simulations (S) and Extended Reality (ER). The novel use of these technologies in concert creates not just an acronym, but the first demonstration of a new concept, AISER.

AI, computational simulation and ER have each become crucial tools. But together, as AISER, “their symbiosis and synergy might unlock significant potential in patient-specific health care delivery,” according to a new paper,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jcin.2023.07.022" target="_blank">“Artificial Intelligence, Computational Simulations and Extended Reality: Revolutionary Tools in Cardiovascular Interventions,”</a>&nbsp;published Monday in the Journal of American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions.

“This report demonstrates what can be achieved when the AI that is supporting advanced 3-D imaging at the Davis Global Center is combined with the knowledge and skill of our Nebraska Medicine Interventional Cardiology clinical team,” said UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, one of the paper’s co-authors.

“The successful design, 3-D modeling and clinical care will define the future of ‘serious medicine and extraordinary care,’” Dr. Gold said.

AI and informatics technology are becoming increasingly integrated into health care, and UNMC is among the vanguard. The University of Nebraska established the UNMC Center for Intelligent Health Care (CIHC) in 2020.

John Windle, MD, Holland Distinguished Chair of Cardiovascular Science, the CIHC’s inaugural director and another of the paper’s co-authors, said that establishing AISER “illustrates the potential that can come from optimizing human and computer integration.”

A handful of UNMC faculty are authors on the publication, which includes collaborators from across the country, Europe and Asia. Senior and corresponding author of the paper is Yiannis Chatzizisis, MD, PhD, now at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Chatzizisis developed the technology and completed the project while chief of interventional cardiology at UNMC.

AI can mine and collect patient information, while S, or computational simulation, takes it to the next level through data analysis and prediction of data. And ER’s role? “Disease complexity, interventional procedures and outcomes can be visualized and learned with extended reality (ER),” the authors wrote.

ER is where iEXCEL comes in. “They (Dr. Chatzizisis and cardiovascular faculty) brought us all of their data, but they didn’t have a good way to visualize or experience it,” said Bill Glass, artistic director, iEXCEL visualization. But Glass and the iEXCEL team created next-level models. “We were one of the first to combine different imaging modalities into one and run it as a simulation,” he explained.

Pamela Boyers, PhD, associate vice chancellor of clinical simulation and iEXCEL, is another of the study’s co-investigators from UNMC.

The use of 3-D modeling through ER, and iEXCEL, proved to be the missing piece to AI and computational simulations – and vice versa.

Through AISER, investigators can instantaneously run through 1,000 or more variations to come up with the best candidates for turning population-sized data sets into personalized precision medicine. For example, creating ER models of potential new heart stents in action, then using patient data and computer programming to see which design would work best.

"It is exciting to see the impact of using AI not only to acquire data but to simulate clinical outcomes,” said Daniel Anderson, MD, PhD, chief of cardiovascular medicine, another co-investigator. “It is impressive to be able to predict how a stent will deploy in a coronary artery when different segments within the area of deployment area are calcified, fibrosed and/or include a soft, fatty plaque.”

Computational stent simulations by Dr. Chatzizisis, iEXCEL and team, and collaboration with industry helped lead to the invention of a new stent, specifically designed for larger and stiffer heart vessels.

The first of these&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskamed.com/heart/megatron-the-largest-arteries-require-the-largest-stents" target="_blank">new stents were successfully implanted in two patients</a>&nbsp;at the Nebraska Medical Center in 2021.

Through AISER, Dr. Anderson said, “We will not only better refine our pre-clinical and clinical research trials, but also enable providers to select appropriate stents and deliver a personalized treatment strategy for atheromatous lesions. Thus, we continue to streamline and elevate our translational clinical research efforts and clinical practice."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698153002828.jpeg" alt="The use of Extended Reality (ER), shown here exploring a potential stent in a laser-CAVE immersive environment, in combination with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and computational Simulations (S), has shown potential for personalized medicine breakthroughs. The new concept, created in collaboration with iEXCEL and a handful of UNMC faculty, is called AISER." />
 <figcaption>The use of Extended Reality (ER), shown here exploring a potential stent in a laser-CAVE immersive environment, in combination with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and computational Simulations (S), has shown potential for personalized medicine breakthroughs. The new concept, created in collaboration with iEXCEL and a handful of UNMC faculty, is called AISER.</figcaption>
 </figure>UNMCFaculty from the UNMC Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, iEXCEL staff and technology from the Davis Global Center are contributing to the development of breakthroughs using Artificial Intelligence (AI), computational Simulations (S) and Extended Reality (ER). The novel use of these technologies in concert creates not just an acronym, but the first demonstration of a new concept, AISER.AI, computational simulation and ER have each become crucial tools. But together, as AISER, “their symbiosis and synergy might unlock significant potential in patient-specific health care delivery,” according to a new paper,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jcin.2023.07.022" target="_blank">“Artificial Intelligence, Computational Simulations and Extended Reality: Revolutionary Tools in Cardiovascular Interventions,”</a>&nbsp;published Monday in the Journal of American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions.“This report demonstrates what can be achieved when the AI that is supporting advanced 3-D imaging at the Davis Global Center is combined with the knowledge and skill of our Nebraska Medicine Interventional Cardiology clinical team,” said UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, one of the paper’s co-authors.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698153053782.jpeg" alt=" University of Nebraska Medical Center Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD" />
 <figcaption> University of Nebraska Medical Center Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD</figcaption>
 </figure>“The successful design, 3-D modeling and clinical care will define the future of ‘serious medicine and extraordinary care,’” Dr. Gold said.AI and informatics technology are becoming increasingly integrated into health care, and UNMC is among the vanguard. The University of Nebraska established the UNMC Center for Intelligent Health Care (CIHC) in 2020.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698153105778.jpeg" alt=" John Windle, MD" />
 <figcaption> John Windle, MD</figcaption>
 </figure>John Windle, MD, Holland Distinguished Chair of Cardiovascular Science, the CIHC’s inaugural director and another of the paper’s co-authors, said that establishing AISER “illustrates the potential that can come from optimizing human and computer integration.”A handful of UNMC faculty are authors on the publication, which includes collaborators from across the country, Europe and Asia. Senior and corresponding author of the paper is Yiannis Chatzizisis, MD, PhD, now at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Chatzizisis developed the technology and completed the project while chief of interventional cardiology at UNMC.AI can mine and collect patient information, while S, or computational simulation, takes it to the next level through data analysis and prediction of data. And ER’s role? “Disease complexity, interventional procedures and outcomes can be visualized and learned with extended reality (ER),” the authors wrote.ER is where iEXCEL comes in. “They (Dr. Chatzizisis and cardiovascular faculty) brought us all of their data, but they didn’t have a good way to visualize or experience it,” said Bill Glass, artistic director, iEXCEL visualization. But Glass and the iEXCEL team created next-level models. “We were one of the first to combine different imaging modalities into one and run it as a simulation,” he explained.Pamela Boyers, PhD, associate vice chancellor of clinical simulation and iEXCEL, is another of the study’s co-investigators from UNMC.The use of 3-D modeling through ER, and iEXCEL, proved to be the missing piece to AI and computational simulations – and vice versa.Through AISER, investigators can instantaneously run through 1,000 or more variations to come up with the best candidates for turning population-sized data sets into personalized precision medicine. For example, creating ER models of potential new heart stents in action, then using patient data and computer programming to see which design would work best."It is exciting to see the impact of using AI not only to acquire data but to simulate clinical outcomes,” said Daniel Anderson, MD, PhD, chief of cardiovascular medicine, another co-investigator. “It is impressive to be able to predict how a stent will deploy in a coronary artery when different segments within the area of deployment area are calcified, fibrosed and/or include a soft, fatty plaque.”Computational stent simulations by Dr. Chatzizisis, iEXCEL and team, and collaboration with industry helped lead to the invention of a new stent, specifically designed for larger and stiffer heart vessels.The first of these&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskamed.com/heart/megatron-the-largest-arteries-require-the-largest-stents" target="_blank">new stents were successfully implanted in two patients</a>&nbsp;at the Nebraska Medical Center in 2021.Through AISER, Dr. Anderson said, “We will not only better refine our pre-clinical and clinical research trials, but also enable providers to select appropriate stents and deliver a personalized treatment strategy for atheromatous lesions. Thus, we continue to streamline and elevate our translational clinical research efforts and clinical practice."

UNMC pioneers combination of AI, simulations and extended reality in health care scenarios

JERUSALEM — The U.S. is issuing a new warning to ships traveling through the Red Sea after a drone and missile attack launched from Yemen during the Israel-Hamas war.

The U.S. Maritime Administration warning on Tuesday urged vessels to “exercise caution when transiting this region.”

The U.S. Navy says it shot down missiles and drones believed to have been launched by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in recent days amid wider tensions across the Middle East over the war.

In addition, the U.S. Central Command reported the 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Tuesday to bolster U.S. posture to deter further aggression.&nbsp;On Monday, the U.S. military destroyed two one-way attack drones near U.S. and Coalition forces in southwest Syria before they reached their intended targets, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697765298614.png" alt="The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney transits the Suez Canal, Oct. 18. Carney is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure maritime security and stability in the Middle East region. Photo By:Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Aaron Lau" />
 <figcaption>The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney transits the Suez Canal, Oct. 18. Carney is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure maritime security and stability in the Middle East region. Photo By:Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Aaron Lau</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM — The U.S. is issuing a new warning to ships traveling through the Red Sea after a drone and missile attack launched from Yemen during the Israel-Hamas war.The U.S. Maritime Administration warning on Tuesday urged vessels to “exercise caution when transiting this region.”The U.S. Navy says it shot down missiles and drones believed to have been launched by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in recent days amid wider tensions across the Middle East over the war.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698161439211.png" alt="Photo U.S. Department of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Department of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>In addition, the U.S. Central Command reported the 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Tuesday to bolster U.S. posture to deter further aggression.&nbsp;On Monday, the U.S. military destroyed two one-way attack drones near U.S. and Coalition forces in southwest Syria before they reached their intended targets, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.&nbsp;

U.S. issues warning to ships in the Red Sea 

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/23/mysterious-monument-for-mountain-man-hugh-glass-has-been-moved-to-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

BANCROFT — A 3,200-pound concrete “altar of courage,” holding a mysterious and possibly valuable literary manuscript, found a new home Monday in this northeast Nebraska farm town.&nbsp;

With the help of a powerful forklift, the monument, built by poet/author John Neihardt and others to honor the heroic crawl of mountain man Hugh Glass after he was mauled by a bear and left for dead in 1823, was lowered into the sod at the John Neihardt State Historic Site here.

Neihardt wrote an epic poem about Glass’ ordeal called “The Song of Hugh Glass” and&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/09/wayne-state-group-seeks-to-unlock-mysteries-surrounding-lonely-south-dakota-monument/">issued a challenge a century ago</a>&nbsp;to the students from modern-day Wayne State College who helped build the concrete obelisk: Return in 100 years and open up a time capsule inside the monument and celebrate like the mountain men of old.

Neihardt, in 1923, wrote that he left an “original manuscript” in the metal time capsule, among other items, and buried it in the concrete. But no one’s quite sure what the original work might be.

Neihardt’s grandson, Robin, said it’s possible the manuscript might be the original, handwritten version of “The Song of Hugh Glass.”

“That would be something,” Robin Neihardt said, as family members worked to level the monument in its new home.

&nbsp;“We don’t know what’s in there,” he added. “It might be an old sandwich and a burnt cigar.”

Tim Anderson, who wrote a recent biography of Neihardt, “Lonesome Dreamer,” said that it’s possible it could be the original poem.

Anderson said that Neihardt — the poet laureate in perpetuity of Nebraska — wrote his early works in longhand, though the poem was probably typed before it was sent, along with five other poems, to the publisher of “The Cycle of The West,” Neihardt’s decades-long effort to document the heroes of the western frontier and the displacement of the Plains Indians.

The Hugh Glass monument, featuring a bronze plaque entitled an “altar of courage,” was erected near the site of the mauling, at the confluence of two branches of the Grand River near Lemmon, South Dakota. It was erected on the ranch of Otto Weinkauf, a German immigrant who lent his homemade cement mixer for the task.&nbsp;

The epic crawl, which was depicted in the recent Hollywood movie, “The Revenant,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, ended with Glass surviving horrific wounds and forgiving the colleagues who left him behind to die.

Fast forward to today. The process of opening the monument to retrieve the time capsule and manuscript was complicated by determining who really owned the block of concrete and who really controlled the task of opening it. The property on which it sat is part of a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation reservoir and is located on land leased for the state park.

Ultimately, it was&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/02/tale-of-mysterious-monument-thickens-as-relative-of-famed-author-pledges-to-find-out-whats-inside/">determined that the Neihardt family</a>&nbsp;owned the monument, and the family determined that the old monument would make a nice addition to the historic site dedicated to their grandfather in Nebraska. The site includes the renovated shack where Neihardt wrote “The Song of Hugh Glass” and other early works, a museum/library, and a sculpture depicting Neihardt’s interviews of a Lakota medicine man that led to the book, “Black Elk Speaks.”

The Neihardt family, who hauled the monument from Lemmon to Bancroft on Sunday in a trailer, came armed with drills, chisels, a metal detector and a “borescope” — a rope-like, lighted camera that can be slid inside a drilled hole to see what’s inside.

“I asked a historian and he said make sure you have a borescope,” said Alexis Petri, a great-granddaughter of Neihardt from Kansas City, Missouri.

Coralie Hughes, a granddaughter of Neihardt, said that officials in South Dakota had been very helpful and had already dug up the monument, laid it on a pallet and wrapped it in plastic film by the time she and her husband made the drive from Indiana.

“We’ve been so blessed,” Hughes said. “The weather was perfect up there and the weather is perfect here — it could be so bad in late October.”

A grandson, Robin Neihardt, a classical guitarist and home designer from Arizona, used to own a lumber yard in Herman, Nebraska, and has some experience with breaking into concrete.&nbsp;

He pointed to lines on the concrete monument where it appeared that one pour of the home-mixed concrete ended, and the pour of another batch began.

“Come here and look,” he told a group of about a dozen onlookers Monday morning.

Robin Neihardt speculated that the time capsule, possibly inside a wooden cavity, was buried in the monument toward the bottom, after the first pour of concrete. He said he planned to remove the bronze plaque, use the metal detector to discern the location of the metal time capsule, and then drill a hole to see what the borescope might reveal.

“We’re just going to wait and see,” Hughes said.

There’s some concern about the condition of what’s inside the time capsule.

Arlen Saunders, a grandson of Weinkauf, said it was flooded at its original site along the Grand River before being moved to make way for the reservoir. Then it was flooded again, according to&nbsp;&nbsp;Joseph Wiexelman, a now-retired Wayne State history professor who led students up to the Lemmon site in June.&nbsp;

Hughes said the family hopes to discern what’s inside later Monday and then repair the monument so it can be displayed at the Neihardt Center. Revealing what’s inside will remain a family secret until April 27, when the Neihardt Foundation holds its annual spring conference at Wayne State College.

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/19/federal-agency-clarifies-it-would-permit-a-replacement-marker-in-south-dakota-for-mountain-man/">Some kind of interpretive sign</a>&nbsp;is planned to be erected in Lemmon to preserve the story of the century-old monument.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698158570525.jpeg" alt=" The descendants of poet/author John Neihardt work to ease a 3,200-pound monument into place at the state historic site dedicated to Neihardt. The study in the background is where Neihardt wrote “The Song of Hugh Glass,” the subject of the monument. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> The descendants of poet/author John Neihardt work to ease a 3,200-pound monument into place at the state historic site dedicated to Neihardt. The study in the background is where Neihardt wrote “The Song of Hugh Glass,” the subject of the monument. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/23/mysterious-monument-for-mountain-man-hugh-glass-has-been-moved-to-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>BANCROFT — A 3,200-pound concrete “altar of courage,” holding a mysterious and possibly valuable literary manuscript, found a new home Monday in this northeast Nebraska farm town.&nbsp;With the help of a powerful forklift, the monument, built by poet/author John Neihardt and others to honor the heroic crawl of mountain man Hugh Glass after he was mauled by a bear and left for dead in 1823, was lowered into the sod at the John Neihardt State Historic Site here.Neihardt wrote an epic poem about Glass’ ordeal called “The Song of Hugh Glass” and&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/09/wayne-state-group-seeks-to-unlock-mysteries-surrounding-lonely-south-dakota-monument/">issued a challenge a century ago</a>&nbsp;to the students from modern-day Wayne State College who helped build the concrete obelisk: Return in 100 years and open up a time capsule inside the monument and celebrate like the mountain men of old.Neihardt, in 1923, wrote that he left an “original manuscript” in the metal time capsule, among other items, and buried it in the concrete. But no one’s quite sure what the original work might be.Neihardt’s grandson, Robin, said it’s possible the manuscript might be the original, handwritten version of “The Song of Hugh Glass.”“That would be something,” Robin Neihardt said, as family members worked to level the monument in its new home.&nbsp;“We don’t know what’s in there,” he added. “It might be an old sandwich and a burnt cigar.”Tim Anderson, who wrote a recent biography of Neihardt, “Lonesome Dreamer,” said that it’s possible it could be the original poem.Anderson said that Neihardt — the poet laureate in perpetuity of Nebraska — wrote his early works in longhand, though the poem was probably typed before it was sent, along with five other poems, to the publisher of “The Cycle of The West,” Neihardt’s decades-long effort to document the heroes of the western frontier and the displacement of the Plains Indians.The Hugh Glass monument, featuring a bronze plaque entitled an “altar of courage,” was erected near the site of the mauling, at the confluence of two branches of the Grand River near Lemmon, South Dakota. It was erected on the ranch of Otto Weinkauf, a German immigrant who lent his homemade cement mixer for the task.&nbsp;The epic crawl, which was depicted in the recent Hollywood movie, “The Revenant,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, ended with Glass surviving horrific wounds and forgiving the colleagues who left him behind to die.<h2>Who owned the monument?</h2>Fast forward to today. The process of opening the monument to retrieve the time capsule and manuscript was complicated by determining who really owned the block of concrete and who really controlled the task of opening it. The property on which it sat is part of a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation reservoir and is located on land leased for the state park.Ultimately, it was&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/02/tale-of-mysterious-monument-thickens-as-relative-of-famed-author-pledges-to-find-out-whats-inside/">determined that the Neihardt family</a>&nbsp;owned the monument, and the family determined that the old monument would make a nice addition to the historic site dedicated to their grandfather in Nebraska. The site includes the renovated shack where Neihardt wrote “The Song of Hugh Glass” and other early works, a museum/library, and a sculpture depicting Neihardt’s interviews of a Lakota medicine man that led to the book, “Black Elk Speaks.”The Neihardt family, who hauled the monument from Lemmon to Bancroft on Sunday in a trailer, came armed with drills, chisels, a metal detector and a “borescope” — a rope-like, lighted camera that can be slid inside a drilled hole to see what’s inside.“I asked a historian and he said make sure you have a borescope,” said Alexis Petri, a great-granddaughter of Neihardt from Kansas City, Missouri.Coralie Hughes, a granddaughter of Neihardt, said that officials in South Dakota had been very helpful and had already dug up the monument, laid it on a pallet and wrapped it in plastic film by the time she and her husband made the drive from Indiana.“We’ve been so blessed,” Hughes said. “The weather was perfect up there and the weather is perfect here — it could be so bad in late October.”A grandson, Robin Neihardt, a classical guitarist and home designer from Arizona, used to own a lumber yard in Herman, Nebraska, and has some experience with breaking into concrete.&nbsp;He pointed to lines on the concrete monument where it appeared that one pour of the home-mixed concrete ended, and the pour of another batch began.“Come here and look,” he told a group of about a dozen onlookers Monday morning.Robin Neihardt speculated that the time capsule, possibly inside a wooden cavity, was buried in the monument toward the bottom, after the first pour of concrete. He said he planned to remove the bronze plaque, use the metal detector to discern the location of the metal time capsule, and then drill a hole to see what the borescope might reveal.<h2>‘Wait and see’</h2>“We’re just going to wait and see,” Hughes said.There’s some concern about the condition of what’s inside the time capsule.Arlen Saunders, a grandson of Weinkauf, said it was flooded at its original site along the Grand River before being moved to make way for the reservoir. Then it was flooded again, according to&nbsp;&nbsp;Joseph Wiexelman, a now-retired Wayne State history professor who led students up to the Lemmon site in June.&nbsp;Hughes said the family hopes to discern what’s inside later Monday and then repair the monument so it can be displayed at the Neihardt Center. Revealing what’s inside will remain a family secret until April 27, when the Neihardt Foundation holds its annual spring conference at Wayne State College.<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/19/federal-agency-clarifies-it-would-permit-a-replacement-marker-in-south-dakota-for-mountain-man/">Some kind of interpretive sign</a>&nbsp;is planned to be erected in Lemmon to preserve the story of the century-old monument.

Mysterious monument for mountain man Hugh Glass has been moved to Nebraska

(GRAND ISLAND, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested one person following a pursuit Sunday evening in Hall County.

At approximately 10:15 p.m. Sunday, a trooper observed a motorcycle traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour on Interstate 80 near Shelton. As the vehicle exited I-80 at the Shelton interchange, at mile marker 291, the trooper attempted a traffic stop. The rider refused to yield and accelerated to approximately 120 miles per hour. The trooper initiated a pursuit.

The motorcycle turned eastbound onto Highway 30 and continued fleeing at a high rate of speed. As the motorcycle reached the western side of Grand Island, the rider laid the motorcycle down in a ditch near West Park Plaza and fled on foot. Additional troopers, Hall County deputies and Grand Island police officers, responded to the scene to assist in the search. A short time later, a trooper located the subject hiding under a porch.

The rider, Kade Coble, 38, of Alda, was arrested for flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, driving under revocation, obstructing a peace officer, numerous traffic violations, and multiple outstanding warrants. He was lodged in Hall County Jail.

Cody Thomas (GRAND ISLAND, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested one person following a pursuit Sunday evening in Hall County.At approximately 10:15 p.m. Sunday, a trooper observed a motorcycle traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour on Interstate 80 near Shelton. As the vehicle exited I-80 at the Shelton interchange, at mile marker 291, the trooper attempted a traffic stop. The rider refused to yield and accelerated to approximately 120 miles per hour. The trooper initiated a pursuit.The motorcycle turned eastbound onto Highway 30 and continued fleeing at a high rate of speed. As the motorcycle reached the western side of Grand Island, the rider laid the motorcycle down in a ditch near West Park Plaza and fled on foot. Additional troopers, Hall County deputies and Grand Island police officers, responded to the scene to assist in the search. A short time later, a trooper located the subject hiding under a porch.The rider, Kade Coble, 38, of Alda, was arrested for flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, driving under revocation, obstructing a peace officer, numerous traffic violations, and multiple outstanding warrants. He was lodged in Hall County Jail.

Troopers Arrest Motorcycle Rider After Hall County Pursuit

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jacob-fischler/">JACOB FISCHLER</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/samantha-dietel/">SAMANTHA DIETEL</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

WASHINGTON — The eight Republican candidates to be speaker of the U.S. House made their cases to their colleagues Monday evening, as the House Republican Conference restarted its process to choose a candidate.

Nine had filed on Sunday to run for speaker but on Monday night Pennsylvania Rep. Dan Meuser dropped out, after announcing just the day before he would make a bid for the post. Meuser cited his promise to run former President Donald Trump’s campaign in Pennsylvania as one of the reasons he exited the race.

The chamber has been in turmoil since eight Republicans voted with all House Democrats to remove Speaker Kevin McCarthy from the post last month. The conference has been unable to unite behind a single candidate.

After Monday night’s speeches, the conference was expected to hold a vote or likely multiple votes behind closed doors Tuesday to try to settle on a nominee, then bring that nominee to the floor.

With the exception of Minnesota’s Tom Emmer, the House majority whip, the group is not particularly well known outside of their districts.

Six of the eight voted to object to certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election, in line with Trump’s position.

With Republicans holding only a 221-212 majority, any would-be speaker will need near-unanimous support from Republicans —&nbsp;a tall order for a deeply divided conference largely still loyal to the former president, but with some members in vulnerable seats.

“It’s a nearly impossible task,” Peter Loge, a professor at the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University, told States Newsroom. “Because you have to be as conservative and angry and election-denying as Matt Gaetz, but as reasonable and a believer in compromise and democratic institutions as the New York moderates. And you can’t be both at the same time.”

In hopes that Republicans will rally around whoever the party nominates this time, Rep. Mike Flood of Nebraska introduced a “<a target="_blank" href="https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-launches-unity-pledge-speakers-race">unity pledge</a>” for members to sign. As of Monday afternoon, eight of the nine original candidates — all but Gary Palmer of Alabama — have signed the pledge, according to Flood’s office.

“Everyone running for Speaker should sign this,” Michigan Republican Jack Bergman, one of the contenders,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/RepJackBergman/status/1715529170271309938">wrote on X</a>.

Loge said the field can be divided into long-term members with institutionalist tendencies —&nbsp;Emmer and Texas’ Pete Sessions, for example — and newer members such as Florida’s Byron Donalds, who are more in line with the conference’s anti-establishment wing.

The next speaker will immediately face a challenge in passing spending bills or a short-term funding measure to keep the government open past a Nov. 17 deadline, as well as an aid package to Israel and Ukraine amid ongoing wars and a farm bill reauthorization.

States Newsroom put together the guide below to help readers get to know the candidates.

First elected in 2016, Bergman is a retired U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant general. He sits on the Armed Services, Veterans’ Affairs and Budget committees.

He’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2023/10/21/rep-bergman-says-his-hat-is-in-the-ring-for-u-s-house-speaker/">said</a>&nbsp;his priorities as speaker would include funding the government, especially the military, homeland security and aid to foreign allies.

In&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://bergman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1131">announcing his candidacy</a>, Bergman suggested he would stay in the position only through the end of the current Congress,

“We need a leader who shuns permanent power and recognizes the current crisis of leadership,” he said.

Who’s supporting him: Other members of Michigan’s House GOP delegation. They are John James, John Moolenaar, Tim Walberg and Lisa McClain.

A member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, Donalds is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/10/20/floridas-byron-donalds-is-now-a-candidate-for-u-s-house-speaker/">a favorite of the Trump wing</a>&nbsp;of the party. He voted against certifying the 2020 election and has said as recently&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/07/ron-desantis-florida-successor-freedom-caucus-byron-donalds">as July</a>&nbsp;that President Joe Biden is not legitimate.

First elected in 2020, Donalds, 44, is the youngest to join the field and has been in the House for the shortest time.

He has said his priorities would be to improve border security and “responsibly” pass funding bills.

He sits on the Financial Services Committee. Before coming to Congress, he worked in the finance industry.

The only non-white Republican candidate for speaker, Donalds would be the first Black speaker.

Who’s supporting him: fellow Florida Republicans Carlos Gimenez, Mario Diaz-Balart and Mike Waltz.

Currently the No. 3 House Republican, Emmer is considered by some the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/10/23/handicapping-u-s-rep-tom-emmers-chances-to-become-the-next-speaker/">frontrunner</a>&nbsp;for the top spot and has McCarthy’s endorsement.

In an appearance on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday, McCarthy praised Emmer’s experience as part of his leadership team.

“He sets himself, head and shoulders, above all those others who want to run,” McCarthy said.

Emmer also developed relationships across the conference when he chaired the House Republican campaign operation in the 2020 and 2022 cycles.

Emmer is one of only two candidates for speaker who voted consistently to certify the 2020 election results. That could make his path harder with the most fervent Trump supporters in the House GOP.

Emmer&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/GOPMajorityWhip/status/1716536001819017487?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">posted a video</a>&nbsp;of Trump on Monday saying that he had “always gotten along” with Emmer and saying he would stay out of the speaker race. Emmer wrote that as speaker he would continue their “strong working relationship.”

He won his House seat in 2014 following an unsuccessful run for Minnesota governor.

In his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/GOPMajorityWhip/status/1715744128166760891/photo/1">letter to colleagues</a>&nbsp;announcing his candidacy, Emmer highlighted national debt and spending, national security and border security as major issues.

The chair of the conservative House Republican Study Committee, Hern could seek support from budget hawks.

The Institute for Legislative Analysis, a limited-government group, gave Hern the highest marks of any candidate for fiscal and tax issues.

Hern has not been shy about his leadership aspirations. He publicly weighed a run for speaker shortly after McCarthy stepped down, but opted not to join that race. He&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/repkevinhern/status/1631785840316674050">has said</a>&nbsp;he at one time dreamed of being an astronaut.

In a letter to colleagues, Hern said Congress has not run well for decades, citing the number of unauthorized programs and a lack of regular order for spending bills. He also listed illegal immigration and drug overdose deaths as problems that Congress should address.

Hern won a special election for his House seat in 2018. Hern owns several McDonald’s franchises in Oklahoma.

As the vice chairman of the House Republican Conference, Johnson is something of an establishment candidate. He’s also a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, which Rep. Jim Jordan, the conference’s previous nominee, chairs.

But Johnson also has conservative bonafides, having previously chaired the House Republican Study Committee.

In&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/RepMikeJohnson/status/1715753985540239776/photo/1">his letter</a>&nbsp;to colleagues asking for support, Johnson highlighted the national debt, border security, crime and inflation as major issues.

An attorney, Johnson was on Trump’s defense team for the former president’s Senate impeachment trials in 2019 and 2020.

Palmer called for GOP unity in his speaker candidacy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://alabamareflector.com/2023/10/23/alabama-congressman-gary-palmer-to-run-for-u-s-house-speaker/">announcement</a>.

“There is a distinct difference between our vision for a prosperous and strong America and the vision of the Democrats that has done so much harm,” Palmer said in his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/USRepGaryPalmer/status/1716219033798717549">statement on X</a>.

Palmer said he “decided to step forward” as a candidate “to do what I can to put our differences behind us and unite Republicans behind a clear path forward, so we can do our job for the benefit of the American people.”

His statement also cited the concerns American families have about the cost of living, child safety, crime in urban areas, fentanyl, federal bankruptcy and national security.

Palmer was first elected to the House in 2014.

Palmer&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://palmer.house.gov/about/committees-and-caucuses">serves</a>&nbsp;as the chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee. He also sits on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, as well as the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

He&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://palmer.house.gov/about/full-biography">led</a>&nbsp;the Alabama Policy Institute for 24 years before joining Congress. The Alabama Policy Institute is a conservative think tank with core values surrounding free markets, limited government and “strong families,” according to the organization’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://alabamapolicy.org/about/">website</a>.

Scott received&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/ohios-jordan-latest-us-house-gop-nominee-speaker-after-days-turmoil">81</a>&nbsp;votes when he&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2023/10/13/ohios-jordan-the-latest-u-s-house-gop-nominee-for-speaker-after-days-of-turmoil/">ran</a>&nbsp;for speaker earlier this month against Jordan, an Ohio Republican.

“If we are going to be the majority we need to act like the majority, and that means we have to do the right things the right way,” Scott said in his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/AustinScottGA08/status/1715441064096436424">announcement</a>&nbsp;Friday that he will run again for speaker of the House following Jordan’s withdrawal.

He is one of only two members to vote consistently to certify the 2020 presidential election.

Scott has been a House member since 2011.

Scott sits on the House Armed Services Committee and the Agriculture Committee. He chairs the House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management and Credit.

Sessions has been in Congress the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/who-pete-sessions-and-why-he-running-house-speaker">longest of any of the candidates</a>.

Sessions was initially elected to represent the eastern Dallas district in 1999 and continued to serve until he lost to Rep. Colin Allred in 2018. Sessions was then reelected in 2020, this time to represent the district surrounding Waco.

He&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sessions.house.gov/about">chaired</a>&nbsp;the National Republican Congressional Committee from 2009 to 2012. Republicans regained control of the House in 2010. He also chaired the House Rules Committee from 2013 to 2019.

Sessions voted against the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act last year, as well as the codification of same-sex marriage.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jacob-fischler/">JACOB FISCHLER</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/samantha-dietel/">SAMANTHA DIETEL</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>WASHINGTON — The eight Republican candidates to be speaker of the U.S. House made their cases to their colleagues Monday evening, as the House Republican Conference restarted its process to choose a candidate.Nine had filed on Sunday to run for speaker but on Monday night Pennsylvania Rep. Dan Meuser dropped out, after announcing just the day before he would make a bid for the post. Meuser cited his promise to run former President Donald Trump’s campaign in Pennsylvania as one of the reasons he exited the race.The chamber has been in turmoil since eight Republicans voted with all House Democrats to remove Speaker Kevin McCarthy from the post last month. The conference has been unable to unite behind a single candidate.After Monday night’s speeches, the conference was expected to hold a vote or likely multiple votes behind closed doors Tuesday to try to settle on a nominee, then bring that nominee to the floor.With the exception of Minnesota’s Tom Emmer, the House majority whip, the group is not particularly well known outside of their districts.Six of the eight voted to object to certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election, in line with Trump’s position.With Republicans holding only a 221-212 majority, any would-be speaker will need near-unanimous support from Republicans —&nbsp;a tall order for a deeply divided conference largely still loyal to the former president, but with some members in vulnerable seats.“It’s a nearly impossible task,” Peter Loge, a professor at the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University, told States Newsroom. “Because you have to be as conservative and angry and election-denying as Matt Gaetz, but as reasonable and a believer in compromise and democratic institutions as the New York moderates. And you can’t be both at the same time.”In hopes that Republicans will rally around whoever the party nominates this time, Rep. Mike Flood of Nebraska introduced a “<a target="_blank" href="https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-launches-unity-pledge-speakers-race">unity pledge</a>” for members to sign. As of Monday afternoon, eight of the nine original candidates — all but Gary Palmer of Alabama — have signed the pledge, according to Flood’s office.“Everyone running for Speaker should sign this,” Michigan Republican Jack Bergman, one of the contenders,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/RepJackBergman/status/1715529170271309938">wrote on X</a>.Loge said the field can be divided into long-term members with institutionalist tendencies —&nbsp;Emmer and Texas’ Pete Sessions, for example — and newer members such as Florida’s Byron Donalds, who are more in line with the conference’s anti-establishment wing.The next speaker will immediately face a challenge in passing spending bills or a short-term funding measure to keep the government open past a Nov. 17 deadline, as well as an aid package to Israel and Ukraine amid ongoing wars and a farm bill reauthorization.States Newsroom put together the guide below to help readers get to know the candidates.<h2>Jack Bergman of Michigan</h2>First elected in 2016, Bergman is a retired U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant general. He sits on the Armed Services, Veterans’ Affairs and Budget committees.He’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2023/10/21/rep-bergman-says-his-hat-is-in-the-ring-for-u-s-house-speaker/">said</a>&nbsp;his priorities as speaker would include funding the government, especially the military, homeland security and aid to foreign allies.In&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://bergman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1131">announcing his candidacy</a>, Bergman suggested he would stay in the position only through the end of the current Congress,“We need a leader who shuns permanent power and recognizes the current crisis of leadership,” he said.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: No</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: Yes</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: Yes</li>
 </ul>Who’s supporting him: Other members of Michigan’s House GOP delegation. They are John James, John Moolenaar, Tim Walberg and Lisa McClain.<h2>Byron Donalds of Florida</h2>A member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, Donalds is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/10/20/floridas-byron-donalds-is-now-a-candidate-for-u-s-house-speaker/">a favorite of the Trump wing</a>&nbsp;of the party. He voted against certifying the 2020 election and has said as recently&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/07/ron-desantis-florida-successor-freedom-caucus-byron-donalds">as July</a>&nbsp;that President Joe Biden is not legitimate.First elected in 2020, Donalds, 44, is the youngest to join the field and has been in the House for the shortest time.He has said his priorities would be to improve border security and “responsibly” pass funding bills.He sits on the Financial Services Committee. Before coming to Congress, he worked in the finance industry.The only non-white Republican candidate for speaker, Donalds would be the first Black speaker.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: No</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: Did not vote</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: No</li>
 </ul>Who’s supporting him: fellow Florida Republicans Carlos Gimenez, Mario Diaz-Balart and Mike Waltz.<h2>Tom Emmer of Minnesota</h2>Currently the No. 3 House Republican, Emmer is considered by some the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/10/23/handicapping-u-s-rep-tom-emmers-chances-to-become-the-next-speaker/">frontrunner</a>&nbsp;for the top spot and has McCarthy’s endorsement.In an appearance on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday, McCarthy praised Emmer’s experience as part of his leadership team.“He sets himself, head and shoulders, above all those others who want to run,” McCarthy said.Emmer also developed relationships across the conference when he chaired the House Republican campaign operation in the 2020 and 2022 cycles.Emmer is one of only two candidates for speaker who voted consistently to certify the 2020 election results. That could make his path harder with the most fervent Trump supporters in the House GOP.Emmer&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/GOPMajorityWhip/status/1716536001819017487?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">posted a video</a>&nbsp;of Trump on Monday saying that he had “always gotten along” with Emmer and saying he would stay out of the speaker race. Emmer wrote that as speaker he would continue their “strong working relationship.”He won his House seat in 2014 following an unsuccessful run for Minnesota governor.In his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/GOPMajorityWhip/status/1715744128166760891/photo/1">letter to colleagues</a>&nbsp;announcing his candidacy, Emmer highlighted national debt and spending, national security and border security as major issues.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: Yes</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: Yes</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: Yes</li>
 </ul>Who’s supporting him: McCarthy.<h2>Kevin Hern of Oklahoma</h2>The chair of the conservative House Republican Study Committee, Hern could seek support from budget hawks.The Institute for Legislative Analysis, a limited-government group, gave Hern the highest marks of any candidate for fiscal and tax issues.Hern has not been shy about his leadership aspirations. He publicly weighed a run for speaker shortly after McCarthy stepped down, but opted not to join that race. He&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/repkevinhern/status/1631785840316674050">has said</a>&nbsp;he at one time dreamed of being an astronaut.In a letter to colleagues, Hern said Congress has not run well for decades, citing the number of unauthorized programs and a lack of regular order for spending bills. He also listed illegal immigration and drug overdose deaths as problems that Congress should address.Hern won a special election for his House seat in 2018. Hern owns several McDonald’s franchises in Oklahoma.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: No</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: No</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: No</li>
 </ul><h2>Mike Johnson of Louisiana</h2>As the vice chairman of the House Republican Conference, Johnson is something of an establishment candidate. He’s also a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, which Rep. Jim Jordan, the conference’s previous nominee, chairs.But Johnson also has conservative bonafides, having previously chaired the House Republican Study Committee.In&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/RepMikeJohnson/status/1715753985540239776/photo/1">his letter</a>&nbsp;to colleagues asking for support, Johnson highlighted the national debt, border security, crime and inflation as major issues.An attorney, Johnson was on Trump’s defense team for the former president’s Senate impeachment trials in 2019 and 2020.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: No</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: No</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: No</li>
 </ul><h2>Gary Palmer of Alabama</h2>Palmer called for GOP unity in his speaker candidacy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://alabamareflector.com/2023/10/23/alabama-congressman-gary-palmer-to-run-for-u-s-house-speaker/">announcement</a>.“There is a distinct difference between our vision for a prosperous and strong America and the vision of the Democrats that has done so much harm,” Palmer said in his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/USRepGaryPalmer/status/1716219033798717549">statement on X</a>.Palmer said he “decided to step forward” as a candidate “to do what I can to put our differences behind us and unite Republicans behind a clear path forward, so we can do our job for the benefit of the American people.”His statement also cited the concerns American families have about the cost of living, child safety, crime in urban areas, fentanyl, federal bankruptcy and national security.Palmer was first elected to the House in 2014.Palmer&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://palmer.house.gov/about/committees-and-caucuses">serves</a>&nbsp;as the chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee. He also sits on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, as well as the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.He&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://palmer.house.gov/about/full-biography">led</a>&nbsp;the Alabama Policy Institute for 24 years before joining Congress. The Alabama Policy Institute is a conservative think tank with core values surrounding free markets, limited government and “strong families,” according to the organization’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://alabamapolicy.org/about/">website</a>.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: No</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: No</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: No</li>
 </ul><h2>Austin Scott of Georgia</h2>Scott received&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/ohios-jordan-latest-us-house-gop-nominee-speaker-after-days-turmoil">81</a>&nbsp;votes when he&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2023/10/13/ohios-jordan-the-latest-u-s-house-gop-nominee-for-speaker-after-days-of-turmoil/">ran</a>&nbsp;for speaker earlier this month against Jordan, an Ohio Republican.“If we are going to be the majority we need to act like the majority, and that means we have to do the right things the right way,” Scott said in his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/AustinScottGA08/status/1715441064096436424">announcement</a>&nbsp;Friday that he will run again for speaker of the House following Jordan’s withdrawal.He is one of only two members to vote consistently to certify the 2020 presidential election.Scott has been a House member since 2011.Scott sits on the House Armed Services Committee and the Agriculture Committee. He chairs the House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management and Credit.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: Yes</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: Yes</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: Yes</li>
 </ul><h2>Pete Sessions of Texas</h2>Sessions has been in Congress the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/who-pete-sessions-and-why-he-running-house-speaker">longest of any of the candidates</a>.Sessions was initially elected to represent the eastern Dallas district in 1999 and continued to serve until he lost to Rep. Colin Allred in 2018. Sessions was then reelected in 2020, this time to represent the district surrounding Waco.He&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sessions.house.gov/about">chaired</a>&nbsp;the National Republican Congressional Committee from 2009 to 2012. Republicans regained control of the House in 2010. He also chaired the House Rules Committee from 2013 to 2019.Sessions voted against the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act last year, as well as the codification of same-sex marriage.In 2019, Sessions was caught in a scandal when he was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.texastribune.org/2019/10/10/pete-sessions-congressman-1-guliani-associates-indictment/">referred to in an indictment</a>&nbsp;of two men charged with violating campaign finance rules.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: No</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: Yes</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: Yes</li>
 </ul>