<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765069760164.png" alt="President Trump and George Straight in the Oval Office Saturday evening- photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President" />
 <figcaption>President Trump and George Straight in the Oval Office Saturday evening- photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> presents medallions to the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors recipients: George Strait, Michael Crawford, Gloria Gaynor, Sylvester Stallone, and Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, and Ace Frehley (accepted by his daughter). <a href="https://t.co/T7Z8A1R36M">pic.twitter.com/T7Z8A1R36M</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1997436237498425617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Donald J. Trump presents medallions to the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors recipients. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/06IRlZUvpV">pic.twitter.com/06IRlZUvpV</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1997467525362413634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump Participates in a Kennedy Center Honors Medal Presentation <a href="https://t.co/SCBYwwxfkT">https://t.co/SCBYwwxfkT</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1997432684008575047?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Trump awards medals to country music legend, other Kennedy Center honorees 

By Ariana Figueroa | Nebraska Examiner

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration Thursday announced new restrictions for immigrants, reducing the work authorization periods from five years to 18 months, the latest crackdown on legal immigration.

The new policy follows the shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members by an Afghan national granted asylum earlier this year.&nbsp;

The shift will not only affect hundreds of thousands of immigrants, but the shortened period for work authorization could create massive backlogs at the agency responsible for processing legal immigration requests, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.&nbsp;

“Reducing the maximum validity period for employment authorization will ensure that those seeking to work in the United States do not threaten public safety or promote harmful anti-American ideologies,” USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said in a statement.

“After the attack on National Guard service members in our nation’s capital by an alien who was admitted into this country by the previous administration, it’s even more clear that USCIS must conduct frequent vetting of aliens,” he continued.&nbsp;

Immigrants affected by the new changes include refugees; those granted asylum; those with a withholding of removal; those with pending applications for asylum or withholding of removal; those adjusting their status, for example by gaining a green card; and those who fall under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act of 1997.

That act applies to&nbsp;certain Nicaraguans, Cubans, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, nationals of former Soviet bloc countries and their dependents who in the 1990s had applied for asylum and were systematically denied.

Additionally, USCIS fees for applying for permits and other paperwork&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/22/2025-13738/uscis-immigration-fees-required-by-hr-1-reconciliation-bill" target="_blank">increased</a>&nbsp;as a result of the massive tax and spending passage that Republicans passed over the summer and President Donald Trump signed into law. For initial employment authorization, fees are now $550 and $275 to renew.&nbsp;

Following the shooting,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/one-national-guard-members-shot-attack-dc-has-died-trump-says" target="_blank">U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20,&nbsp;</a>died. A second guard member, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains critically wounded but hospitalized in stable condition.&nbsp;

In response, the Trump administration has ramped up its crackdown on legal immigration and highlighted the need for its mass deportation campaign. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/suspect-west-virginia-national-guard-shooting-pleads-not-guilty-dc-court" target="_blank">pleaded not guilty</a>&nbsp;to several charges in court on Tuesday.&nbsp;

This week, all immigration applications from 19 countries listed on Trump’s “high-risk” countries or travel ban from earlier this year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-administration-puts-hold-immigration-applications-19-nations" target="_blank">were paused</a>&nbsp;— a move that freezes processing for green card holders and citizenship applications.

By Ariana Figueroa | Nebraska Examiner<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764962840072.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — The Trump administration Thursday announced new restrictions for immigrants, reducing the work authorization periods from five years to 18 months, the latest crackdown on legal immigration.The new policy follows the shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members by an Afghan national granted asylum earlier this year.&nbsp;The shift will not only affect hundreds of thousands of immigrants, but the shortened period for work authorization could create massive backlogs at the agency responsible for processing legal immigration requests, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.&nbsp;“Reducing the maximum validity period for employment authorization will ensure that those seeking to work in the United States do not threaten public safety or promote harmful anti-American ideologies,” USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said in a statement.“After the attack on National Guard service members in our nation’s capital by an alien who was admitted into this country by the previous administration, it’s even more clear that USCIS must conduct frequent vetting of aliens,” he continued.&nbsp;Immigrants affected by the new changes include refugees; those granted asylum; those with a withholding of removal; those with pending applications for asylum or withholding of removal; those adjusting their status, for example by gaining a green card; and those who fall under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act of 1997.That act applies to&nbsp;certain Nicaraguans, Cubans, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, nationals of former Soviet bloc countries and their dependents who in the 1990s had applied for asylum and were systematically denied.Additionally, USCIS fees for applying for permits and other paperwork&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/22/2025-13738/uscis-immigration-fees-required-by-hr-1-reconciliation-bill" target="_blank">increased</a>&nbsp;as a result of the massive tax and spending passage that Republicans passed over the summer and President Donald Trump signed into law. For initial employment authorization, fees are now $550 and $275 to renew.&nbsp;Following the shooting,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/one-national-guard-members-shot-attack-dc-has-died-trump-says" target="_blank">U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20,&nbsp;</a>died. A second guard member, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains critically wounded but hospitalized in stable condition.&nbsp;In response, the Trump administration has ramped up its crackdown on legal immigration and highlighted the need for its mass deportation campaign. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/suspect-west-virginia-national-guard-shooting-pleads-not-guilty-dc-court" target="_blank">pleaded not guilty</a>&nbsp;to several charges in court on Tuesday.&nbsp;This week, all immigration applications from 19 countries listed on Trump’s “high-risk” countries or travel ban from earlier this year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-administration-puts-hold-immigration-applications-19-nations" target="_blank">were paused</a>&nbsp;— a move that freezes processing for green card holders and citizenship applications.

U.S. work authorizations for legal immigrants slashed from 5 years to 18 months

Netflix has announced a historic agreement to acquire Warner Bros.’ film and television studios, along with its streaming operations—including HBO and HBO Max—in a deal valued at approximately $82.7 billion. The transaction includes an equity value of roughly $72 billion and marks one of the largest entertainment mergers in Hollywood history.

Under the terms of the agreement, Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders will receive $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in Netflix stock per share. The deal depends on the planned separation of Warner Bros.’ Global Networks division, which includes cable brands such as CNN and TNT. That spinoff is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2026, clearing the way for final regulatory reviews of the acquisition. Both companies expect the merger to close within 12 to 18 months.

If approved, Netflix will gain control of Warner Bros.’ vast film and television library, including decades of cinematic classics, major franchises, and HBO’s award-winning slate of prestige series. Netflix leaders say they plan to continue theatrical releases for Warner Bros. films and maintain the studio’s existing operations while integrating its content strategy into Netflix's global streaming platform.

Netflix’s leaders described the acquisition as an opportunity to combine the company’s streaming reach with Warner Bros.’ legacy of storytelling. The move is also expected to substantially boost Netflix’s in-house production capabilities, reduce reliance on external studios, and position the company as an even more dominant force in the increasingly competitive streaming landscape. Analysts note that Netflix will become not just the world’s largest streamer, but one of its most powerful entertainment studios.

The acquisition is projected to deliver between $2 billion and $3 billion in annual cost savings within three years of closing. These savings could be used to fund new content production, streamline operations, or offset the significant financing behind the deal.

However, the merger faces significant regulatory challenges. Antitrust experts are already raising concerns about the impact of consolidating two major powerhouses of film, television, and streaming under one corporate umbrella. Critics argue that such a merger could limit competition, reduce consumer choice, and give Netflix outsized influence over what audiences are able to watch. Regulators in the U.S. and Europe are expected to scrutinize the agreement heavily before granting approval.

There are also unanswered questions about the future of HBO Max and how its programming will be folded into Netflix’s platform. Industry observers are watching closely to see whether Netflix will maintain separate brands, merge content libraries, or restructure its subscription model in response to the acquisition.

For Hollywood, the deal represents a dramatic shift in the balance of power. Studios, theaters, creators, and competing streaming services will all be affected as Netflix evolves into a production and distribution giant with both streaming reach and deep ownership of legacy content.

For viewers, the acquisition could ultimately bring a wider range of shows and films under one subscription, although the long-term effects on pricing, availability, and content strategies remain unknown.

If the merger clears regulatory hurdles, 2026 may become a defining year for the entertainment industry—one that cements the dominance of streaming and marks the most significant realignment in Hollywood in more than a decade.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764998770653.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Netflix has announced a historic agreement to acquire Warner Bros.’ film and television studios, along with its streaming operations—including HBO and HBO Max—in a deal valued at approximately $82.7 billion. The transaction includes an equity value of roughly $72 billion and marks one of the largest entertainment mergers in Hollywood history.Under the terms of the agreement, Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders will receive $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in Netflix stock per share. The deal depends on the planned separation of Warner Bros.’ Global Networks division, which includes cable brands such as CNN and TNT. That spinoff is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2026, clearing the way for final regulatory reviews of the acquisition. Both companies expect the merger to close within 12 to 18 months.If approved, Netflix will gain control of Warner Bros.’ vast film and television library, including decades of cinematic classics, major franchises, and HBO’s award-winning slate of prestige series. Netflix leaders say they plan to continue theatrical releases for Warner Bros. films and maintain the studio’s existing operations while integrating its content strategy into Netflix's global streaming platform.Netflix’s leaders described the acquisition as an opportunity to combine the company’s streaming reach with Warner Bros.’ legacy of storytelling. The move is also expected to substantially boost Netflix’s in-house production capabilities, reduce reliance on external studios, and position the company as an even more dominant force in the increasingly competitive streaming landscape. Analysts note that Netflix will become not just the world’s largest streamer, but one of its most powerful entertainment studios.The acquisition is projected to deliver between $2 billion and $3 billion in annual cost savings within three years of closing. These savings could be used to fund new content production, streamline operations, or offset the significant financing behind the deal.However, the merger faces significant regulatory challenges. Antitrust experts are already raising concerns about the impact of consolidating two major powerhouses of film, television, and streaming under one corporate umbrella. Critics argue that such a merger could limit competition, reduce consumer choice, and give Netflix outsized influence over what audiences are able to watch. Regulators in the U.S. and Europe are expected to scrutinize the agreement heavily before granting approval.There are also unanswered questions about the future of HBO Max and how its programming will be folded into Netflix’s platform. Industry observers are watching closely to see whether Netflix will maintain separate brands, merge content libraries, or restructure its subscription model in response to the acquisition.For Hollywood, the deal represents a dramatic shift in the balance of power. Studios, theaters, creators, and competing streaming services will all be affected as Netflix evolves into a production and distribution giant with both streaming reach and deep ownership of legacy content.For viewers, the acquisition could ultimately bring a wider range of shows and films under one subscription, although the long-term effects on pricing, availability, and content strategies remain unknown.If the merger clears regulatory hurdles, 2026 may become a defining year for the entertainment industry—one that cements the dominance of streaming and marks the most significant realignment in Hollywood in more than a decade.

Netflix Announces $82.7 Billion Deal to Acquire Warner Bros., Reshaping Hollywood

State workers sound alarms about state agency staffing reductions aimed at balancing Nebraska’s budget

LINCOLN — After state officials initially said Nebraska had made zero cuts to the workforce of the state’s Department of Economic Development, they acknowledged the department has paid roughly 22 fewer full-time employees over the past two months.

Similar workforce reductions have also impacted various other state agencies, prompting new concerns from some frontline workers that Gov. Jim Pillen and his administration are focusing on staff cuts to balance Nebraska’s budget.

A department spokesman, working with the Governor’s Office, initially said, in response to a reporter’s questions, that DED had seen “0 layoffs/reductions in force” in September and October, when the Examiner first asked in early November. The department noted it had seen voluntary departures from posts and would not fill some vacated positions but did not specify how many.

The state clarified the disconnect after payroll records obtained by the Examiner from the Department of Administrative Services in recent weeks indicated 112 full-time employees on DED’s payroll in September, then 101 in October and 93 in November.

Justin Pinkerman, a spokesperson for the Department of Economic Development, acknowledged this week that DED was down to just over 90 filled full-time positions by the end of November.

Governor’s Office spokeswoman Laura Strimple, in a separate statement clarifying what the department previously sent, said all of the reductions in full-time staff from September to November had been voluntary. And the department, via Pinkerman, says the downsizing is part of a winding down of pandemic-era programs.

Last month, Pinkerman had said DED eliminated only a single position this summer, that of Deputy Director of Operations Joe Lauber.

The DED downsizing comes as other cuts have impacted different state agencies, including the Nebraska Department of Revenue. The state laid off 11 revenue agents in October, closed the department’s Scottsbluff office and shrank its Lincoln-based individual income tax collections office.

At a press conference this week for a union representing state employees, the Nebraska Association of Public Employees, Executive Director Justin Hubly said reducing revenue agents when the state is short of funds was a “bananas decision” considering that State Auditor Mike Foley recently reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/17/unpaid-state-taxes-soar-and-nebraska-auditor-questions-why/">unpaid state taxes had grown 15% over the past year</a>, rising above $310 million.

Additionally, Hubly said at least four employees were cut from the state Office of the Chief Information Officer. He said smaller cuts have impacted several other departments in recent months.

At DED, evidence suggests that the majority of the downsizing was focused on managerial and higher-up positions not covered by union protections. Hubly said NAPE logged about seven voluntary departures within DED between June and November. NAPE represents roughly 55-60 DED workers, he said.

Lauber, who served as DED’s deputy director of operations and its chief legal counsel, said in August he was told his position had been eliminated due to budget cuts, and he was escorted out of the building. He had worked at DED for 13 years.

“It came as quite a shock to me,” Lauber said of his dismissal.

Prior to his termination, Lauber said there were signs of budget cuts impacting DED, like hiring freezes and directives to stop travel. He said during a management meeting he attended, then-interim director Maureen Larsen shared that it was the governor’s goal to reduce the size of DED through attrition.

Agencies often do this by not filling positions people vacated through retirements and having or encouraging people to leave on their own. Lauber said the state implemented strategies such as&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/12/02/nebraska-supreme-court-considers-state-bargaining-remote-work-dispute/">Pillen’s return-to-work order</a>&nbsp;and enforcing a strict 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. work schedule in hopes of getting people to consider whether they wanted to stay working for the department. Lauber said employees were not allowed to end their days earlier than 4:30 p.m.

Hubly said NAPE workers in other state agencies have also seen a pattern of the state cutting jobs this year to save cash.

Pillen has discussed his intent to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/07/16/gov-jim-pillen-touts-new-nebraska-efficiencies-as-he-seeks-500-million-budget-cut/">cut Nebraska’s two-year budget by $500 million</a>&nbsp;by the end of lawmakers’ 60-day legislative session in 2026. Lawmakers will enter the 2026 legislative session needing to fill&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/19/nebraskas-projected-budget-deficit-grows-to-471-million-ahead-of-2026-legislative-session/">a projected $471 million budget hole</a>.

Hubly suggested the state implement retirement incentives as a way of tightening the budget, arguing that hiring younger workers would reduce staffing costs. Hubly said the governor rejected this proposal.

Pillen recently named Larsen the permanent DED director after she had served as interim director since July following former director K.C. Belitz’ resignation. Belitz did not return a request for comment.

Prior to her appointment, Larsen served as Pillen’s general counsel and deputy director of his Policy Research Office. Hubly said he’s heard some concerns from workers that Larsen was appointed as director as part of a “hatchet job,” a term often used for someone hired to cut staff, due to a lack of outreach she did with the rest of the department.

“We did hear a lot of concerns when she was kind of installed temporarily,” Hubly said. “She wasn’t out and about, she wasn’t introducing herself to people. So I think there was kind of this general consensus from people we talked to that was like, ‘She’s here to do a hatchet job and get rid of people.’”

Larsen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Pinkerman, reaching out on her behalf, said DED “experienced dramatic growth following the coronavirus pandemic.”

Pinkerman shared data showing that between 2020 to 2023, the department’s full-time staff grew by about 10-15 people per year. It reached a peak of about 114 filled full-time positions on June 30 of this year, which has since dropped to around 90.

Larsen took over as interim DED director on July 21.

“As DED winds down pandemic-era economic recovery programs and identifies greater operational efficiencies, not all positions that come open are being filled,” Pinkerman said in an email.

Hubly called on the Nebraska Legislature to protect frontline workers when debating budget adjustments this spring, arguing that staff cuts should be the last place state officials look to fill the deficit.

Instead, he proposed searching for new revenue sources or surveying state workers for ways to improve efficiencies.

“It is not possible to continually cut positions and increase workloads on state employees and not affect the quality of the services the employees provide,” Hubly said.

Editor’s note: This story has been revised to clarify the timeline of answers from the Nebraska Governor’s Office and the Department of Economic Development.

<h2>State workers sound alarms about state agency staffing reductions aimed at balancing Nebraska’s budget</h2>By Erin Bamer | Nebraska Examiner<figure>
 <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pillen_720.jpg" alt="&nbsp;Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen listens during a summit of the governors of South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska with business leaders in the Sioux City area. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen listens during a summit of the governors of South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska with business leaders in the Sioux City area. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN — After state officials initially said Nebraska had made zero cuts to the workforce of the state’s Department of Economic Development, they acknowledged the department has paid roughly 22 fewer full-time employees over the past two months.Similar workforce reductions have also impacted various other state agencies, prompting new concerns from some frontline workers that Gov. Jim Pillen and his administration are focusing on staff cuts to balance Nebraska’s budget.A department spokesman, working with the Governor’s Office, initially said, in response to a reporter’s questions, that DED had seen “0 layoffs/reductions in force” in September and October, when the Examiner first asked in early November. The department noted it had seen voluntary departures from posts and would not fill some vacated positions but did not specify how many.The state clarified the disconnect after payroll records obtained by the Examiner from the Department of Administrative Services in recent weeks indicated 112 full-time employees on DED’s payroll in September, then 101 in October and 93 in November.Justin Pinkerman, a spokesperson for the Department of Economic Development, acknowledged this week that DED was down to just over 90 filled full-time positions by the end of November.Governor’s Office spokeswoman Laura Strimple, in a separate statement clarifying what the department previously sent, said all of the reductions in full-time staff from September to November had been voluntary. And the department, via Pinkerman, says the downsizing is part of a winding down of pandemic-era programs.Last month, Pinkerman had said DED eliminated only a single position this summer, that of Deputy Director of Operations Joe Lauber.The DED downsizing comes as other cuts have impacted different state agencies, including the Nebraska Department of Revenue. The state laid off 11 revenue agents in October, closed the department’s Scottsbluff office and shrank its Lincoln-based individual income tax collections office.At a press conference this week for a union representing state employees, the Nebraska Association of Public Employees, Executive Director Justin Hubly said reducing revenue agents when the state is short of funds was a “bananas decision” considering that State Auditor Mike Foley recently reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/17/unpaid-state-taxes-soar-and-nebraska-auditor-questions-why/">unpaid state taxes had grown 15% over the past year</a>, rising above $310 million.Additionally, Hubly said at least four employees were cut from the state Office of the Chief Information Officer. He said smaller cuts have impacted several other departments in recent months.At DED, evidence suggests that the majority of the downsizing was focused on managerial and higher-up positions not covered by union protections. Hubly said NAPE logged about seven voluntary departures within DED between June and November. NAPE represents roughly 55-60 DED workers, he said.Lauber, who served as DED’s deputy director of operations and its chief legal counsel, said in August he was told his position had been eliminated due to budget cuts, and he was escorted out of the building. He had worked at DED for 13 years.“It came as quite a shock to me,” Lauber said of his dismissal.<figure>
 <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/state-employees-rally_ZJW_120225-05-300x200.jpg" alt="Justin Hubly, executive director of the Nebraska Association of Public Employees, leads a rally in the Nebraska State Capitol against state spending cuts to state workers and also in response to the union’s Nebraska Supreme Court appeal over its labor contract. Dec. 2, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Justin Hubly, executive director of the Nebraska Association of Public Employees, leads a rally in the Nebraska State Capitol against state spending cuts to state workers and also in response to the union’s Nebraska Supreme Court appeal over its labor contract. Dec. 2, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Prior to his termination, Lauber said there were signs of budget cuts impacting DED, like hiring freezes and directives to stop travel. He said during a management meeting he attended, then-interim director Maureen Larsen shared that it was the governor’s goal to reduce the size of DED through attrition.Agencies often do this by not filling positions people vacated through retirements and having or encouraging people to leave on their own. Lauber said the state implemented strategies such as&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/12/02/nebraska-supreme-court-considers-state-bargaining-remote-work-dispute/">Pillen’s return-to-work order</a>&nbsp;and enforcing a strict 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. work schedule in hopes of getting people to consider whether they wanted to stay working for the department. Lauber said employees were not allowed to end their days earlier than 4:30 p.m.Hubly said NAPE workers in other state agencies have also seen a pattern of the state cutting jobs this year to save cash.Pillen has discussed his intent to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/07/16/gov-jim-pillen-touts-new-nebraska-efficiencies-as-he-seeks-500-million-budget-cut/">cut Nebraska’s two-year budget by $500 million</a>&nbsp;by the end of lawmakers’ 60-day legislative session in 2026. Lawmakers will enter the 2026 legislative session needing to fill&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/19/nebraskas-projected-budget-deficit-grows-to-471-million-ahead-of-2026-legislative-session/">a projected $471 million budget hole</a>.Hubly suggested the state implement retirement incentives as a way of tightening the budget, arguing that hiring younger workers would reduce staffing costs. Hubly said the governor rejected this proposal.Pillen recently named Larsen the permanent DED director after she had served as interim director since July following former director K.C. Belitz’ resignation. Belitz did not return a request for comment.Prior to her appointment, Larsen served as Pillen’s general counsel and deputy director of his Policy Research Office. Hubly said he’s heard some concerns from workers that Larsen was appointed as director as part of a “hatchet job,” a term often used for someone hired to cut staff, due to a lack of outreach she did with the rest of the department.“We did hear a lot of concerns when she was kind of installed temporarily,” Hubly said. “She wasn’t out and about, she wasn’t introducing herself to people. So I think there was kind of this general consensus from people we talked to that was like, ‘She’s here to do a hatchet job and get rid of people.’”Larsen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Pinkerman, reaching out on her behalf, said DED “experienced dramatic growth following the coronavirus pandemic.”Pinkerman shared data showing that between 2020 to 2023, the department’s full-time staff grew by about 10-15 people per year. It reached a peak of about 114 filled full-time positions on June 30 of this year, which has since dropped to around 90.Larsen took over as interim DED director on July 21.“As DED winds down pandemic-era economic recovery programs and identifies greater operational efficiencies, not all positions that come open are being filled,” Pinkerman said in an email.Hubly called on the Nebraska Legislature to protect frontline workers when debating budget adjustments this spring, arguing that staff cuts should be the last place state officials look to fill the deficit.Instead, he proposed searching for new revenue sources or surveying state workers for ways to improve efficiencies.“It is not possible to continually cut positions and increase workloads on state employees and not affect the quality of the services the employees provide,” Hubly said.Editor’s note: This story has been revised to clarify the timeline of answers from the Nebraska Governor’s Office and the Department of Economic Development.

Nebraska Economic Development paying 22 fewer full-time staff in last 2 months

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>

The U.S. Supreme Court said Friday justices will hear a case to decide if President Donald Trump’s order to end birthright citizenship is constitutional.

The court agreed to hear a case, before it is decided in a lower court, that deals with the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to almost everyone born in the United States. The amendment’s birthright citizenship clause has been used to give citizenship to the children of immigrants in the country without legal authorization or on a temporary basis.

While a schedule for arguments has not yet been released by the court, it’s likely the case would be heard sometime in early 2026.

The Trump administration argued in its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25-365/378052/20250926163053178_TrumpvBarbaraCertPet.pdf" target="_blank">petition</a>&nbsp;to the court that the amendment, which was adopted in 1868, was meant to apply to newly freed slaves. It was not meant to provide citizenship to the children of immigrants without legal status, Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote.

“Long after the Clause’s adoption, the mistaken view that birth on U.S. territory confers citizenship on anyone subject to the regulatory reach of U.S. law became pervasive, with destructive consequences,” Sauer&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2025/09/29/repub/trump-asks-us-supreme-court-to-take-birthright-citizenship-case/" target="_blank">wrote in the September petition.</a>

The petition also sought Supreme Court review of a related challenge to the order by the states of Washington, Arizona, Illinois and Oregon. Friday’s court order did not grant a hearing on that case.

Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 20 seeking to redefine the birthright citizenship clause to exclude the children of immigrants in the country without legal authority or only temporarily. Democratic-led states and advocacy groups swiftly sued.

Courts have largely blocked enforcement of the order, although the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/06/27/repub/us-supreme-court-limits-injunctions-allows-trump-to-act-on-birthright-citizenship-ban/" target="_blank">in June allowed it&nbsp;</a>to go into effect in the states that had not sued to preserve the right.

In a Friday afternoon statement, the American Civil Liberties Union, a leading civil rights group, noted that several federal judges had blocked enforcement and predicted the Supreme Court would preserve birthright citizenship.

“No president can change the 14th Amendment’s fundamental promise of citizenship,” Cecillia Wang, ACLU’s national legal director, said. “For over 150 years, it has been the law and our national tradition that everyone born on U.S. soil is a citizen from birth. The federal courts have unanimously held that President Trump’s executive order is contrary to the Constitution, a Supreme Court decision from 1898, and a law enacted by Congress. We look forward to putting this issue to rest once and for all in the Supreme Court this term.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672235865420.png" alt="Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States" />
 <figcaption>Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>The U.S. Supreme Court said Friday justices will hear a case to decide if President Donald Trump’s order to end birthright citizenship is constitutional.The court agreed to hear a case, before it is decided in a lower court, that deals with the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to almost everyone born in the United States. The amendment’s birthright citizenship clause has been used to give citizenship to the children of immigrants in the country without legal authorization or on a temporary basis.While a schedule for arguments has not yet been released by the court, it’s likely the case would be heard sometime in early 2026.The Trump administration argued in its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25-365/378052/20250926163053178_TrumpvBarbaraCertPet.pdf" target="_blank">petition</a>&nbsp;to the court that the amendment, which was adopted in 1868, was meant to apply to newly freed slaves. It was not meant to provide citizenship to the children of immigrants without legal status, Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote.“Long after the Clause’s adoption, the mistaken view that birth on U.S. territory confers citizenship on anyone subject to the regulatory reach of U.S. law became pervasive, with destructive consequences,” Sauer&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2025/09/29/repub/trump-asks-us-supreme-court-to-take-birthright-citizenship-case/" target="_blank">wrote in the September petition.</a>The petition also sought Supreme Court review of a related challenge to the order by the states of Washington, Arizona, Illinois and Oregon. Friday’s court order did not grant a hearing on that case.Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 20 seeking to redefine the birthright citizenship clause to exclude the children of immigrants in the country without legal authority or only temporarily. Democratic-led states and advocacy groups swiftly sued.Courts have largely blocked enforcement of the order, although the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/06/27/repub/us-supreme-court-limits-injunctions-allows-trump-to-act-on-birthright-citizenship-ban/" target="_blank">in June allowed it&nbsp;</a>to go into effect in the states that had not sued to preserve the right.In a Friday afternoon statement, the American Civil Liberties Union, a leading civil rights group, noted that several federal judges had blocked enforcement and predicted the Supreme Court would preserve birthright citizenship.“No president can change the 14th Amendment’s fundamental promise of citizenship,” Cecillia Wang, ACLU’s national legal director, said. “For over 150 years, it has been the law and our national tradition that everyone born on U.S. soil is a citizen from birth. The federal courts have unanimously held that President Trump’s executive order is contrary to the Constitution, a Supreme Court decision from 1898, and a law enacted by Congress. We look forward to putting this issue to rest once and for all in the Supreme Court this term.”

Trump order ending birthright citizenship to be argued at US Supreme Court

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 &quot;The inaugural 2025 FIFA Peace Prize is proudly bestowed upon the President of the United States of America, the Honorable Donald J. Trump.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/uyx6j9FcXf">pic.twitter.com/uyx6j9FcXf</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1996996968334139529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 &quot;Please welcome the very first winner of the FIFA Peace Prize — the 45th and 47th President of the United States of America, Mr. Donald J. Trump!&quot; <a href="https://t.co/wPcObuFBKV">pic.twitter.com/wPcObuFBKV</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1996996980606672939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">FIFA President Gianni Infantino presents <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> with a medal upon him receiving the very first FIFA Peace Prize 🕊️ <a href="https://t.co/h6GSBsWJc9">https://t.co/h6GSBsWJc9</a> <a href="https://t.co/EMtCkdhfq2">pic.twitter.com/EMtCkdhfq2</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1996997442408251620?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivers remarks as he awards <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> with the very first FIFA Peace Prize: <a href="https://t.co/PQxeWizEOm">pic.twitter.com/PQxeWizEOm</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1996998560554917900?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on receiving the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize: &quot;This is truly one of the great honors of my life. Beyond awards... we saved millions and millions of lives.&quot; 🕊️ <a href="https://t.co/6H6qSUmvKC">pic.twitter.com/6H6qSUmvKC</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1996998595208171806?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Donald J. Trump thanks his family after receiving the FIFA Peace Prize: &quot;I want to thank, by the way, my family — my great First Lady, Melania.&quot; ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/ZEPvi6DEXY">pic.twitter.com/ZEPvi6DEXY</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1996998932308664707?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥FIFA awards President Trump their first peace prize

December 4, 2025&nbsp;– CBI&nbsp;–&nbsp;&nbsp;Bailey, CO –&nbsp;The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in collaboration with the Park County Sheriff’s Office and the Park County Coroner’s Office, is making a renewed and expanded appeal for public assistance in identifying a man whose remains were discovered last year.

To aid in the identification, a forensic facial reconstruction expert was utilized to create a forensic sculpture that may resemble the unidentified man, often referred to as a "John Doe" in these cases.

The Park County Sheriff’s Office received a report of potential human remains on Tuesday, May 28th, 2024, at approximately 12:24 PM. The remains were found in a remote camping area outside of Bailey on United States Forest Service (USFS) land. Officials from all three agencies confirmed the finding. A botanist estimated the remains had been in the area since&nbsp;2022 or 2023. To aid in identification, a forensic facial reconstruction expert was utilized to create a forensic sculpture of the unidentified man.

The unidentified man, often referred to as "John Doe," has the following characteristics:

·&nbsp;&nbsp;Ancestry:&nbsp;Likely Eastern European

·&nbsp;&nbsp;Height:&nbsp;Estimated to be between 5’11” and 6’8”

·&nbsp;&nbsp;Age:&nbsp;Middle-aged, estimated between 30 and 60 years of age

Investigative Breakthrough and Expanded Search

Recent investigative genetic genealogy has yielded a significant breakthrough, strongly indicating the unidentified John Doe has&nbsp;Slovakian DNA. Based on this new information, investigators now believe the John Doe may have relatives in several key areas, prompting an expansion of media outreach to:

This focus is driven by the discovery of numerous DNA matches across Nebraska and the identification of strong Czech/Slovak communities in Pueblo and Cedar Rapids. The Cedar Rapids area is home to a significant Czech/Slovak cultural community and is also linked to a known Slovakian DNA match.&nbsp;

As of now, information regarding the case, including how the man might have died, is limited. Collaboratively, the Sheriff’s Office, the Coroner’s Office, and the CBI are diligently working to unravel more details. Further updates will be provided as new information emerges.

Anyone who might have information or a tip regarding this case, particularly those with familial ties to the Czech/Slovak communities in Pueblo, Omaha, or Cedar Rapids, is asked to call the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s tip line at 720-295-6642.

For Immediate Release<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764963166376.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>December 4, 2025&nbsp;– CBI&nbsp;–&nbsp;&nbsp;Bailey, CO –&nbsp;The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in collaboration with the Park County Sheriff’s Office and the Park County Coroner’s Office, is making a renewed and expanded appeal for public assistance in identifying a man whose remains were discovered last year.To aid in the identification, a forensic facial reconstruction expert was utilized to create a forensic sculpture that may resemble the unidentified man, often referred to as a "John Doe" in these cases.<h2>Case Discovery Details</h2>The Park County Sheriff’s Office received a report of potential human remains on Tuesday, May 28th, 2024, at approximately 12:24 PM. The remains were found in a remote camping area outside of Bailey on United States Forest Service (USFS) land. Officials from all three agencies confirmed the finding. A botanist estimated the remains had been in the area since&nbsp;2022 or 2023. To aid in identification, a forensic facial reconstruction expert was utilized to create a forensic sculpture of the unidentified man.<h2>Forensic Details</h2>The unidentified man, often referred to as "John Doe," has the following characteristics:·&nbsp;&nbsp;Sex:&nbsp;Male·&nbsp;&nbsp;Ancestry:&nbsp;Likely Eastern European·&nbsp;&nbsp;Height:&nbsp;Estimated to be between 5’11” and 6’8”·&nbsp;&nbsp;Age:&nbsp;Middle-aged, estimated between 30 and 60 years of age<h2>Investigative Breakthrough and Expanded Search</h2>Recent investigative genetic genealogy has yielded a significant breakthrough, strongly indicating the unidentified John Doe has&nbsp;Slovakian DNA. Based on this new information, investigators now believe the John Doe may have relatives in several key areas, prompting an expansion of media outreach to:·&nbsp;&nbsp;Pueblo, CO·&nbsp;&nbsp;Omaha, NE·&nbsp;&nbsp;Cedar Rapids, IAThis focus is driven by the discovery of numerous DNA matches across Nebraska and the identification of strong Czech/Slovak communities in Pueblo and Cedar Rapids. The Cedar Rapids area is home to a significant Czech/Slovak cultural community and is also linked to a known Slovakian DNA match.&nbsp;As of now, information regarding the case, including how the man might have died, is limited. Collaboratively, the Sheriff’s Office, the Coroner’s Office, and the CBI are diligently working to unravel more details. Further updates will be provided as new information emerges.Anyone who might have information or a tip regarding this case, particularly those with familial ties to the Czech/Slovak communities in Pueblo, Omaha, or Cedar Rapids, is asked to call the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s tip line at 720-295-6642.

From NSP: Colorado Bureau of Investigation Seeks Public Assistance in Identifying Dead Man Found in Park County

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On Dec. 4, at the direction of <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in international waters operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics and… <a href="https://t.co/pqksvxM3HP">pic.twitter.com/pqksvxM3HP</a>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/1996726797086457886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥After 3 week pause, US military strikes another drug boat

WASHINGTON —President Trump on Thursday evening had the first lady light the National Christmas Tree.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764904009350.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —President Trump on Thursday evening had the first lady light the National Christmas Tree.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump and The First Lady Participate in the National Christmas Tree Lighting <a href="https://t.co/np5QSKP7eA">https://t.co/np5QSKP7eA</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1996723239284883938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">MERRY CHRISTMAS!<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> light the beautiful National Christmas Tree ✨🎄 <a href="https://t.co/Um3Qf1pEIo">pic.twitter.com/Um3Qf1pEIo</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1996734857943437453?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

First lady lights the National Christmas Tree

The ruling is a major win for the Trump administration and Texas Republicans, who engineered the map to give the GOP control of 30 of the state’s 38 congressional districts.

by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/author/eleanor-klibanoff/">Eleanor Klibanoff</a> <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/">Texas Tribune</a>

Texas can use its new, GOP friendly congressional map while a legal challenge plays out, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, temporarily pausing a lower court ruling that had blocked the map from going into effect.

With the Dec. 8 candidate filing deadline fast approaching, the high court’s decision likely means Texas’ new map will be used for the 2026 midterm elections.

Justice Samuel Alito ruled that it was “indisputable” that Texas’ motivation for redistricting was “pure and simple” partisan advantage, which the court has previously ruled is permissible. Alito rejected the argument that Texas had engaged in racial gerrymandering.

The ruling is a major win for Republicans in Texas and nationally. President Donald Trump had pushed Texas to redraw its map over the summer, hoping to secure five additional GOP seats to shore up the party’s narrow majority in the U.S. House through the midterms.

On Nov. 18, two federal judges&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/11/18/texas-redistricting-ruling-lawsuit-el-paso-court-2026-midterms/">barred</a>&nbsp;Texas from using the new map for 2026, saying there was evidence state lawmakers had racially gerrymandered in redrawing the lines. Galveston District Judge Jeffrey Brown, a Trump appointee, authored the opinion ordering Texas to return to its 2021 map, while 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jerry Smith vociferously dissented.

The state asked the Supreme Court to overturn Brown’s ruling entirely, but that could take weeks or months to proceed through the court system, especially if the justices decide they want to hear arguments in Washington, D.C. With Thursday’s ruling, the justices have temporarily paused Brown’s ruling while that longer legal process can play out.

The ruling said the lower court, under Brown, “improperly inserted itself into an active primary campaign, causing much confusion and upsetting the delicate federal-state balance in elections.”

The new map, approved by the Texas Legislature and signed by Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://directory.texastribune.org/greg-abbott/">Greg Abbott</a>&nbsp;in August, is engineered to give Republicans control of 30 of the state’s 38 congressional districts, up from the 25 they currently hold under the 2021 map. Numerous Republican candidates have stepped forward to run in the newly favorable districts, while several Democratic incumbents were pushed into nearby districts already occupied by another Democrat, forcing them to contemplate primaries or retire.

Brown’s ruling&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/11/18/texas-congressional-redistricting-map-ruling-2026-effect/">upended those calculations</a>. But in restoring the new map, the Supreme Court likely ensured that Republicans running for redrawn districts will get to campaign under the new lines in 2026.

Attorney General Ken Paxton celebrated the ruling, saying it was a win for Texas and every conservative who is tired of watching the left try to upend the political system with bogus lawsuits.”

Texas Democrats, meanwhile, condemned the outcome, with House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Gene Wu of Houston saying the high court had “failed” Texans.

“This is what the end of the Voting Rights Act looks like: courts that won’t protect minority communities even when the evidence is staring them in the face,” Wu said.

In her dissent, Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan criticized the court for reversing Brown’s 160-page ruling “based on its perusal, over a holiday weekend, of a cold paper record.”

“Today’s order disrespects the work of a District Court that did everything one could ask to carry out its charge,” Kagan wrote on behalf of the liberal justices. “Today’s order disserves the millions of Texans whom the District Court found were assigned to their new districts based on their race.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764898399072.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The ruling is a major win for the Trump administration and Texas Republicans, who engineered the map to give the GOP control of 30 of the state’s 38 congressional districts.by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/author/eleanor-klibanoff/">Eleanor Klibanoff</a> <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/">Texas Tribune</a>Texas can use its new, GOP friendly congressional map while a legal challenge plays out, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, temporarily pausing a lower court ruling that had blocked the map from going into effect.With the Dec. 8 candidate filing deadline fast approaching, the high court’s decision likely means Texas’ new map will be used for the 2026 midterm elections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755030421448.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Justice Samuel Alito ruled that it was “indisputable” that Texas’ motivation for redistricting was “pure and simple” partisan advantage, which the court has previously ruled is permissible. Alito rejected the argument that Texas had engaged in racial gerrymandering.The ruling is a major win for Republicans in Texas and nationally. President Donald Trump had pushed Texas to redraw its map over the summer, hoping to secure five additional GOP seats to shore up the party’s narrow majority in the U.S. House through the midterms.On Nov. 18, two federal judges&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/11/18/texas-redistricting-ruling-lawsuit-el-paso-court-2026-midterms/">barred</a>&nbsp;Texas from using the new map for 2026, saying there was evidence state lawmakers had racially gerrymandered in redrawing the lines. Galveston District Judge Jeffrey Brown, a Trump appointee, authored the opinion ordering Texas to return to its 2021 map, while 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jerry Smith vociferously dissented.The state asked the Supreme Court to overturn Brown’s ruling entirely, but that could take weeks or months to proceed through the court system, especially if the justices decide they want to hear arguments in Washington, D.C. With Thursday’s ruling, the justices have temporarily paused Brown’s ruling while that longer legal process can play out.The ruling said the lower court, under Brown, “improperly inserted itself into an active primary campaign, causing much confusion and upsetting the delicate federal-state balance in elections.”The new map, approved by the Texas Legislature and signed by Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://directory.texastribune.org/greg-abbott/">Greg Abbott</a>&nbsp;in August, is engineered to give Republicans control of 30 of the state’s 38 congressional districts, up from the 25 they currently hold under the 2021 map. Numerous Republican candidates have stepped forward to run in the newly favorable districts, while several Democratic incumbents were pushed into nearby districts already occupied by another Democrat, forcing them to contemplate primaries or retire.Brown’s ruling&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/11/18/texas-congressional-redistricting-map-ruling-2026-effect/">upended those calculations</a>. But in restoring the new map, the Supreme Court likely ensured that Republicans running for redrawn districts will get to campaign under the new lines in 2026.Attorney General Ken Paxton celebrated the ruling, saying it was a win for Texas and every conservative who is tired of watching the left try to upend the political system with bogus lawsuits.”Texas Democrats, meanwhile, condemned the outcome, with House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Gene Wu of Houston saying the high court had “failed” Texans.“This is what the end of the Voting Rights Act looks like: courts that won’t protect minority communities even when the evidence is staring them in the face,” Wu said.In her dissent, Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan criticized the court for reversing Brown’s 160-page ruling “based on its perusal, over a holiday weekend, of a cold paper record.”“Today’s order disrespects the work of a District Court that did everything one could ask to carry out its charge,” Kagan wrote on behalf of the liberal justices. “Today’s order disserves the millions of Texans whom the District Court found were assigned to their new districts based on their race.”

Supreme Court lets Texas keep new congressional map

DICKINSON COUNTY KS—Law enforcement are investigating a vehicle theft and have taken a Kansas teen into custody.

On December 2, 2025, at approximately 12:30 PM, a deputy with the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office located a Toyota Avalon in the area of East 1st Street and Bonebrake Street that had been reported stolen out of Nebraska. The vehicle was unoccupied at the time it was recovered. The vehicle was processed and evidence was collected. The vehicle was towed for safekeeping until it can be returned to the owner.

Investigators with the Sheriff’s Office continued the investigation and developed a suspect the following day. The investigation led to the arrest of 19-year-old&nbsp; Christopher Madison Bryant of Abilene on a requested charge of theft of the vehicle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764861665339.png" alt="Bryant photo Dickinson Co." />
 <figcaption>Bryant photo Dickinson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>DICKINSON COUNTY KS—Law enforcement are investigating a vehicle theft and have taken a Kansas teen into custody.On December 2, 2025, at approximately 12:30 PM, a deputy with the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office located a Toyota Avalon in the area of East 1st Street and Bonebrake Street that had been reported stolen out of Nebraska. The vehicle was unoccupied at the time it was recovered. The vehicle was processed and evidence was collected. The vehicle was towed for safekeeping until it can be returned to the owner.Investigators with the Sheriff’s Office continued the investigation and developed a suspect the following day. The investigation led to the arrest of 19-year-old&nbsp; Christopher Madison Bryant of Abilene on a requested charge of theft of the vehicle.

Sheriff: Teen arrested after car stolen in Nebraska recovered

Case centers on alleged ‘fraud’ in 2024 petition drive a judge rejected while upholding medical marijuana push

LINCOLN —&nbsp;The Nebraska Supreme Court appeared skeptical Wednesday about a case alleging fraud in and seeking invalidation of last year’s medical cannabis petition campaign, which voters widely supported.

Former State Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell, a longtime opponent of medical marijuana, continues to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/12/lawsuit-seeks-to-invalidate-nebraskas-medical-marijuana-ballot-measures/">allege widespread “fraud” in the 2024 medical cannabis petitions</a>.&nbsp;

His lawsuit argues a district judge incorrectly ruled last November that the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/26/district-judge-sides-with-nebraska-medical-cannabis-ballot-sponsors-in-legal-challenge/">measures had enough signatures to reach the ballot</a>&nbsp;despite allegations from Kuehn and two top state officials, largely based on questions about notaries.

Kuehn sued Secretary of State Bob Evnen and the ballot sponsors, but Evnen and Attorney General Mike Hilgers&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/07/ag-secretary-of-state-target-nearly-100000-signatures-on-nebraska-medical-cannabis-petitions/">largely joined forces with Kuehn</a>. Together, they argued that at least enough signatures would lose a “presumption of validity” to force the trial into a second phase involving greater scrutiny of signatures.

“Notaries are, in effect, walking stamps of approval,” Zach Pohlman, state deputy solicitor general, said Wednesday. “They are professional truth tellers. And so when they lie, that presumption of truth … gets pierced, and they become just like every other witness.”

If the justices reverse, the 2024 medical cannabis ballot sponsors might need to rehabilitate enough signatures to show at least 86,499 valid signatures on two petitions apiece for the voter-approved laws to stand, or 172,998.

The campaign had 6,822 more signatures validated than it needed.

No other court in the country has adopted such a legal argument that would extend or “impute” one instance of notarial fraud to other documents that person had notarized, Daniel Gutman, attorney for the ballot sponsors, has repeatedly said.

Some justices probed how a ruling would fit more than a year after the 2024 election.

“What impact does it have that the signatures have already been verified?” asked Justice Stephanie Stacy, referring to county-level verification in summer 2024, before the ballot was&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/13/medical-marijuana-legalization-and-regulation-are-certified-for-nebraskas-november-ballot/">certified</a>.

“We know how the election turned out. What effect does that have?” asked Justice William Cassel.

Pohlman and former State Sen. Andrew La Grone of Dunbar, for Kuehn, said the Supreme Court could still legally invalidate the petitions. La Grone noted local election officials are not handwriting experts and can’t catch everything.

“When there are bad acts related to the affidavit … the value of the verification is destroyed, and the petition must fall unless the genuineness of the signature is permanently shown,” La Grone said.

Pohlman said the state’s highest court has invalidated a notary’s actions before, citing a 1944 case about a mail-in ballot. He said some other documents have also been invalidated.

“Of that document. But other documents notarized by the notary, have we invalidated those types of situations?” asked Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke.

“Not in Nebraska, your honor,” Pohlman responded.

Justice Jonathan Papik pressed whether the arguments from Pohlman and La Grone have ever been used in other states. Pohlman pointed to Oklahoma, where he said that because a notary failed to post a notary bond, 7,000 signatures the person had notarized were tossed.

Attorney Daniel Gutman, for the ballot sponsors, pointed to a case from&nbsp;<a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/north-dakota/supreme-court/2022/20220233.html" target="_blank">North Dakota</a>&nbsp;where the state supreme court declined a “wholesale rejection” of signatures and chose not to “impute” one bad act to other notarizations.&nbsp;

La Grone and Pohlman said the cases are different, in part because they’re not seeking “wholesale” invalidation, just a second trial phase. Gutman said the result is the same.

“The remedy the appellants seek in this case — which is the mass invalidation of petition signatures — is inconsistent with the high value this court places on the initiative right,” Gutman said. “It is inconsistent with the Election Act, which facilitates, not undermines, the initiative process. And it is inconsistent with common sense.”

State attorneys had previously asked the trial judge to toss the petitions without a second phase last year, a position that appears to have narrowed.

Wednesday’s arguments largely revolve around a 1919 Nebraska Supreme Court case —&nbsp;<a href="https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/barkley-v-pool-20946-908593188" target="_blank">Barkley v. Pool</a>&nbsp;—&nbsp;in which the court said a&nbsp;<a href="https://history.nebraska.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/doc_publications_NH1988Barkley.pdf" target="_blank">circulator’s fraudulent behavior</a>&nbsp;could be extended to other actions. In that case, three men against&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/nebraska-and-the-19th-amendment.htm" target="_blank">women’s suffrage</a>&nbsp;forged signatures in a petition campaign seeking to force a vote to overturn a 1917 law giving women some voting rights.

One circulator for the medical cannabis petitions from Grand Island&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/11/grand-island-petition-circulator-pleads-guilty-to-misdemeanor-and-fine/">pleaded guilty last year to forging signatures</a>, including by using a phone book. Campaign officials maintain he worked alone and agree any signatures he gathered should not be counted.

Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong ruled last year that there were some signatures she said lost a “presumption of validity” and would need to be rehabilitated, identifying 711 signatures on the legalization petition and 826 on the regulatory petition.

However, Strong ruled that the challenges still&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/kuehn-v-evnen-decision.pdf">fell “well short” of affecting access to the ballot</a>.

Pohlman said Strong should have extended the wrongdoing she found to all other signatures the people touched, potentially tens of thousands of signatures. He said county-level verification is “some evidence on the front end” but that circulator oaths are critical.

Justice Jason Bergevin asked La Grone whether there was any evidence that electors who purportedly signed the petitions, outside of the Grand Island case, didn’t actually sign. La Grone said that’s a “very open question,” one which Kuehn wants to get to in the second trial phase.

Funke asked La Grone whether he was asking the court to transition Barkley to notaries. La Grone said the “focal point” is a circulator’s “oath,” one which requires a notary.

“We think it is merely an application of the rule to the notary context,” La Grone said.

Funke also asked whether, under Barkley, a trial judge must extend fraudulent acts to all other actions, or whether there is judicial discretion. La Grone told Funke it is “slightly unclear.” Strong ruled that, either way, the ballot sponsors would survive the Evnen-Kuehn challenge.&nbsp;

Gutman said the medical cannabis and women’s suffrage cases are different, and he asked the high court to consider whether the century-old case law is still good. He pointed to technological advancements and county officials now being part of the signature verification process.&nbsp;

For example, only the secretary of state verified signatures in 1919, Gutman said, so Barkley relied on a circulator’s oath more as “the only evidence of the genuineness of the signature.”

“Every expansion of the scope of wrongdoing that may be imputed increases the risk of unjustly depriving an honest [signer] of the right to have his or her signature counted,” a legal brief from the ballot sponsors reads.

The AG’s Office has sought to frame the case as protecting the integrity of the ballot measure process. Pohlman said Wednesday that if the “proven fraud” in this case didn’t require a second phase of trial, “then the public’s confidence and the precious power of initiative may be shaken.”

Many medical cannabis supporters and campaign attorneys have said the opposite, arguing that continued attacks from top officials against the medical cannabis petitions and laws are more harmful. Gutman has said ballot litigation is also made “extremely difficult” when the secretary of state certifies an initiative but “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/13/nebraska-supreme-court-lets-voters-decide-fate-of-school-choice-law/">tries to pull the plug at the last minute.</a>”

Gutman said the Kuehn-Evnen case is about “numbers,” specifically at least 3,464 signatures on the campaign’s petition to legalize up to 5 ounces of medical cannabis with a physician’s recommendation and at least 3,358 signatures on a petition to set a framework for regulating the new medicine.&nbsp;

The legalization law received&nbsp;<a href="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/3yTDl/4/" target="_blank">71% support statewide</a>, including a majority in all 49 legislative districts. The regulatory law&nbsp;<a href="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/0LkpZ/3/" target="_blank">received 67% support</a>, including a majority in all but three legislative districts.

Gutman said that if the one bad notary act invalidates all others, those arguments could mean wills, real estate documents and more are “presumptively invalid right now.” Some targeted notaries have helped other petition drives in the state. La Grone said he was not asking to extend notarial wrongdoing on petitions to unrelated documents.

Of the notaries named in the Kuehn-Evnen challenges, just one —&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/04/22/judge-allows-charges-to-proceed-against-nebraska-notary-for-medical-cannabis-petitions/">Jacy Todd of York</a>&nbsp;—&nbsp;faces a criminal case in Grand Island. He is believed to be the first notary to face charges, with a trial set to begin Dec. 15. He is also running a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/07/08/medical-cannabis-advocate-targeted-notary-running-for-nebraska-governor/">2026 GOP campaign for governor</a>.

According to the Secretary of State’s Office, no notaries have had their notary commissions administratively canceled in 2025. According to a&nbsp;<a href="https://business.nebraska.gov/search/notary" target="_blank">state-run database of notaries</a>, all named notaries retain active notary licenses except Todd, whose commission expired July 29.&nbsp;

Funke asked what a second phase would look like, to which Gutman said he doesn’t imagine doing anything more than local election officials.

“If we go back to a second trial, there’s nobody we can hire, nothing we can do, nothing I can say, that is better than what the election officials have already done to verify the signatures,” Gutman said.

Pohlman said a second phase would mean sponsors have to prove “by a preponderance” that they have enough signatures. He said the Supreme Court would need to require the trial move forward “as quickly as possible” and could prohibit circulator affidavits from being repaired by “self-serving testimony.”

“So does that mean they’d call 86,000 signatories to testify that the petition was read to them, they understood what they were signing and they actually signed it?” Funke asked.

Pohlman said he doesn’t think the sponsors would need to call that many people, just circulators, notaries and enough voters to clear the threshold, if possible. Some of the notaries targeted in the case also served as circulators.

The 2024 campaign marked the third attempt for Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana to reach a statewide vote. In 2020, a divided Supreme Court, 5-2, said the first attempt was too broad.&nbsp;<a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/nebraska/supreme-court/2020/s-20-623.html" target="_blank">Papik wrote the dissent</a>&nbsp;and would have let voters weigh in. In 2022, the campaign did not garner enough signatures.

Some campaign volunteers have privately worried about issue fatigue for voters or campaign workers. Some have also expressed concern about whether some circulators, notaries or voters would come forward as the state continues to pursue civil, criminal and political penalties against some medical cannabis supporters.

In a Wednesday statement, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, which ran the 2024 campaign, said: “They cannot undo the will of the voters. Every lawsuit, every delay, every political maneuver is confirmation that we are winning.”

The Supreme Court will issue a ruling in the coming months on the case.

<h2>Case centers on alleged ‘fraud’ in 2024 petition drive a judge rejected while upholding medical marijuana push</h2>By Zach Wendling | Nebraska Examiner<figure>
 <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/gutman-scone_ZJW_120325-01-1536x1024.jpg" alt="&nbsp;Attorney Daniel Gutman argues before the Nebraska Supreme Court. From left on the bench are Justices Jason Bergevin, Jonathan Papik, William Cassel (not pictured), Jeffrey Funke (chief justice), Stephanie Stacy and John Freudenberg. At right is Gage County District Judge Rick Schreiner, who is rounding out the court due to a temporary vacancy. Dec. 3, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Attorney Daniel Gutman argues before the Nebraska Supreme Court. From left on the bench are Justices Jason Bergevin, Jonathan Papik, William Cassel (not pictured), Jeffrey Funke (chief justice), Stephanie Stacy and John Freudenberg. At right is Gage County District Judge Rick Schreiner, who is rounding out the court due to a temporary vacancy. Dec. 3, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN —&nbsp;The Nebraska Supreme Court appeared skeptical Wednesday about a case alleging fraud in and seeking invalidation of last year’s medical cannabis petition campaign, which voters widely supported.Former State Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell, a longtime opponent of medical marijuana, continues to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/12/lawsuit-seeks-to-invalidate-nebraskas-medical-marijuana-ballot-measures/">allege widespread “fraud” in the 2024 medical cannabis petitions</a>.&nbsp;His lawsuit argues a district judge incorrectly ruled last November that the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/26/district-judge-sides-with-nebraska-medical-cannabis-ballot-sponsors-in-legal-challenge/">measures had enough signatures to reach the ballot</a>&nbsp;despite allegations from Kuehn and two top state officials, largely based on questions about notaries.Kuehn sued Secretary of State Bob Evnen and the ballot sponsors, but Evnen and Attorney General Mike Hilgers&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/07/ag-secretary-of-state-target-nearly-100000-signatures-on-nebraska-medical-cannabis-petitions/">largely joined forces with Kuehn</a>. Together, they argued that at least enough signatures would lose a “presumption of validity” to force the trial into a second phase involving greater scrutiny of signatures.“Notaries are, in effect, walking stamps of approval,” Zach Pohlman, state deputy solicitor general, said Wednesday. “They are professional truth tellers. And so when they lie, that presumption of truth … gets pierced, and they become just like every other witness.”If the justices reverse, the 2024 medical cannabis ballot sponsors might need to rehabilitate enough signatures to show at least 86,499 valid signatures on two petitions apiece for the voter-approved laws to stand, or 172,998.The campaign had 6,822 more signatures validated than it needed.No other court in the country has adopted such a legal argument that would extend or “impute” one instance of notarial fraud to other documents that person had notarized, Daniel Gutman, attorney for the ballot sponsors, has repeatedly said.<h2>Timing of election case</h2>Some justices probed how a ruling would fit more than a year after the 2024 election.“What impact does it have that the signatures have already been verified?” asked Justice Stephanie Stacy, referring to county-level verification in summer 2024, before the ballot was&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/13/medical-marijuana-legalization-and-regulation-are-certified-for-nebraskas-november-ballot/">certified</a>.“We know how the election turned out. What effect does that have?” asked Justice William Cassel.<figure>
 <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/cassel-funke_ZJW_120225-01-300x200.jpg" alt="Nebraska Supreme Court Justice William Cassel, left, and Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke. Dec. 2, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Supreme Court Justice William Cassel, left, and Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke. Dec. 2, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Pohlman and former State Sen. Andrew La Grone of Dunbar, for Kuehn, said the Supreme Court could still legally invalidate the petitions. La Grone noted local election officials are not handwriting experts and can’t catch everything.“When there are bad acts related to the affidavit … the value of the verification is destroyed, and the petition must fall unless the genuineness of the signature is permanently shown,” La Grone said.Pohlman said the state’s highest court has invalidated a notary’s actions before, citing a 1944 case about a mail-in ballot. He said some other documents have also been invalidated.“Of that document. But other documents notarized by the notary, have we invalidated those types of situations?” asked Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke.“Not in Nebraska, your honor,” Pohlman responded.<h2>A new legal theory</h2>Justice Jonathan Papik pressed whether the arguments from Pohlman and La Grone have ever been used in other states. Pohlman pointed to Oklahoma, where he said that because a notary failed to post a notary bond, 7,000 signatures the person had notarized were tossed.Attorney Daniel Gutman, for the ballot sponsors, pointed to a case from&nbsp;<a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/north-dakota/supreme-court/2022/20220233.html" target="_blank">North Dakota</a>&nbsp;where the state supreme court declined a “wholesale rejection” of signatures and chose not to “impute” one bad act to other notarizations.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pohlman_ZJW_052025-01-300x200.jpg" alt="Deputy Solicitor General Zach Pohlman of the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office in Lancaster County District Court in a case arguing Nebraska’s medical cannabis laws are preempted by federal law. May 20, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Deputy Solicitor General Zach Pohlman of the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office in Lancaster County District Court in a case arguing Nebraska’s medical cannabis laws are preempted by federal law. May 20, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>La Grone and Pohlman said the cases are different, in part because they’re not seeking “wholesale” invalidation, just a second trial phase. Gutman said the result is the same.“The remedy the appellants seek in this case — which is the mass invalidation of petition signatures — is inconsistent with the high value this court places on the initiative right,” Gutman said. “It is inconsistent with the Election Act, which facilitates, not undermines, the initiative process. And it is inconsistent with common sense.”State attorneys had previously asked the trial judge to toss the petitions without a second phase last year, a position that appears to have narrowed.<h2>Circulators and notaries</h2>Wednesday’s arguments largely revolve around a 1919 Nebraska Supreme Court case —&nbsp;<a href="https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/barkley-v-pool-20946-908593188" target="_blank">Barkley v. Pool</a>&nbsp;—&nbsp;in which the court said a&nbsp;<a href="https://history.nebraska.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/doc_publications_NH1988Barkley.pdf" target="_blank">circulator’s fraudulent behavior</a>&nbsp;could be extended to other actions. In that case, three men against&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/nebraska-and-the-19th-amendment.htm" target="_blank">women’s suffrage</a>&nbsp;forged signatures in a petition campaign seeking to force a vote to overturn a 1917 law giving women some voting rights.One circulator for the medical cannabis petitions from Grand Island&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/11/grand-island-petition-circulator-pleads-guilty-to-misdemeanor-and-fine/">pleaded guilty last year to forging signatures</a>, including by using a phone book. Campaign officials maintain he worked alone and agree any signatures he gathered should not be counted.<figure>
 <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/strong_ZJW_092024-02-300x200.jpg" alt="Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong presides over the first day of hearings in a case related to medical cannabis ballot petitions. Sept. 20, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong presides over the first day of hearings in a case related to medical cannabis ballot petitions. Sept. 20, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong ruled last year that there were some signatures she said lost a “presumption of validity” and would need to be rehabilitated, identifying 711 signatures on the legalization petition and 826 on the regulatory petition.However, Strong ruled that the challenges still&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/kuehn-v-evnen-decision.pdf">fell “well short” of affecting access to the ballot</a>.Pohlman said Strong should have extended the wrongdoing she found to all other signatures the people touched, potentially tens of thousands of signatures. He said county-level verification is “some evidence on the front end” but that circulator oaths are critical.Justice Jason Bergevin asked La Grone whether there was any evidence that electors who purportedly signed the petitions, outside of the Grand Island case, didn’t actually sign. La Grone said that’s a “very open question,” one which Kuehn wants to get to in the second trial phase.<figure>
 <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/funke_ZJW_120325-02-300x200.jpg" alt="Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke listens to arguments from former State Sen. Andrew La Grone of Dunbar. Dec. 3, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke listens to arguments from former State Sen. Andrew La Grone of Dunbar. Dec. 3, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Funke asked La Grone whether he was asking the court to transition Barkley to notaries. La Grone said the “focal point” is a circulator’s “oath,” one which requires a notary.“We think it is merely an application of the rule to the notary context,” La Grone said.Funke also asked whether, under Barkley, a trial judge must extend fraudulent acts to all other actions, or whether there is judicial discretion. La Grone told Funke it is “slightly unclear.” Strong ruled that, either way, the ballot sponsors would survive the Evnen-Kuehn challenge.&nbsp;<h2>Future of petition law</h2>Gutman said the medical cannabis and women’s suffrage cases are different, and he asked the high court to consider whether the century-old case law is still good. He pointed to technological advancements and county officials now being part of the signature verification process.&nbsp;For example, only the secretary of state verified signatures in 1919, Gutman said, so Barkley relied on a circulator’s oath more as “the only evidence of the genuineness of the signature.”<figure>
 <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/guenzel-lagrone-mackin_ZJW_092024-01-300x170.jpg" alt="Attorneys Steven Guenzel, Andrew La Grone and Anne Marie Mackin for John Kuehn of Heartwell. Sept. 20, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Attorneys Steven Guenzel, Andrew La Grone and Anne Marie Mackin for John Kuehn of Heartwell. Sept. 20, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>“Every expansion of the scope of wrongdoing that may be imputed increases the risk of unjustly depriving an honest [signer] of the right to have his or her signature counted,” a legal brief from the ballot sponsors reads.The AG’s Office has sought to frame the case as protecting the integrity of the ballot measure process. Pohlman said Wednesday that if the “proven fraud” in this case didn’t require a second phase of trial, “then the public’s confidence and the precious power of initiative may be shaken.”Many medical cannabis supporters and campaign attorneys have said the opposite, arguing that continued attacks from top officials against the medical cannabis petitions and laws are more harmful. Gutman has said ballot litigation is also made “extremely difficult” when the secretary of state certifies an initiative but “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/13/nebraska-supreme-court-lets-voters-decide-fate-of-school-choice-law/">tries to pull the plug at the last minute.</a>”<h2>A case about ‘numbers’</h2>Gutman said the Kuehn-Evnen case is about “numbers,” specifically at least 3,464 signatures on the campaign’s petition to legalize up to 5 ounces of medical cannabis with a physician’s recommendation and at least 3,358 signatures on a petition to set a framework for regulating the new medicine.&nbsp;The legalization law received&nbsp;<a href="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/3yTDl/4/" target="_blank">71% support statewide</a>, including a majority in all 49 legislative districts. The regulatory law&nbsp;<a href="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/0LkpZ/3/" target="_blank">received 67% support</a>, including a majority in all but three legislative districts.<figure>
 <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/KF2024129_21-300x200.jpg" alt="Attorney Daniel Gutman, left, representing the Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana sponsors, and former State Sen. Adam Morfeld confer during the first day of the civil trial to determine the validity of the Medical Marijuana ballot at the Lancaster County Courthouse on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in Lincoln. (Pool photo by Kenneth Ferriera/Lincoln Journal Star)" />
 <figcaption>Attorney Daniel Gutman, left, representing the Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana sponsors, and former State Sen. Adam Morfeld confer during the first day of the civil trial to determine the validity of the Medical Marijuana ballot at the Lancaster County Courthouse on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in Lincoln. (Pool photo by Kenneth Ferriera/Lincoln Journal Star)</figcaption>
 </figure>Gutman said that if the one bad notary act invalidates all others, those arguments could mean wills, real estate documents and more are “presumptively invalid right now.” Some targeted notaries have helped other petition drives in the state. La Grone said he was not asking to extend notarial wrongdoing on petitions to unrelated documents.Of the notaries named in the Kuehn-Evnen challenges, just one —&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/04/22/judge-allows-charges-to-proceed-against-nebraska-notary-for-medical-cannabis-petitions/">Jacy Todd of York</a>&nbsp;—&nbsp;faces a criminal case in Grand Island. He is believed to be the first notary to face charges, with a trial set to begin Dec. 15. He is also running a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/07/08/medical-cannabis-advocate-targeted-notary-running-for-nebraska-governor/">2026 GOP campaign for governor</a>.According to the Secretary of State’s Office, no notaries have had their notary commissions administratively canceled in 2025. According to a&nbsp;<a href="https://business.nebraska.gov/search/notary" target="_blank">state-run database of notaries</a>, all named notaries retain active notary licenses except Todd, whose commission expired July 29.&nbsp;<h2>What would a second phase look like?</h2>Funke asked what a second phase would look like, to which Gutman said he doesn’t imagine doing anything more than local election officials.“If we go back to a second trial, there’s nobody we can hire, nothing we can do, nothing I can say, that is better than what the election officials have already done to verify the signatures,” Gutman said.Pohlman said a second phase would mean sponsors have to prove “by a preponderance” that they have enough signatures. He said the Supreme Court would need to require the trial move forward “as quickly as possible” and could prohibit circulator affidavits from being repaired by “self-serving testimony.”<figure>
 <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/papik_ZJW_120225-01-300x200.jpg" alt="Nebraska Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Papik listens to arguments from attorney Richard Griffin on behalf of the Nebraska Association of Public Employees. Dec. 2, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Papik listens to arguments from attorney Richard Griffin on behalf of the Nebraska Association of Public Employees. Dec. 2, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>“So does that mean they’d call 86,000 signatories to testify that the petition was read to them, they understood what they were signing and they actually signed it?” Funke asked.“And do that quickly?” Papik added.Pohlman said he doesn’t think the sponsors would need to call that many people, just circulators, notaries and enough voters to clear the threshold, if possible. Some of the notaries targeted in the case also served as circulators.The 2024 campaign marked the third attempt for Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana to reach a statewide vote. In 2020, a divided Supreme Court, 5-2, said the first attempt was too broad.&nbsp;<a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/nebraska/supreme-court/2020/s-20-623.html" target="_blank">Papik wrote the dissent</a>&nbsp;and would have let voters weigh in. In 2022, the campaign did not garner enough signatures.Some campaign volunteers have privately worried about issue fatigue for voters or campaign workers. Some have also expressed concern about whether some circulators, notaries or voters would come forward as the state continues to pursue civil, criminal and political penalties against some medical cannabis supporters.In a Wednesday statement, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, which ran the 2024 campaign, said: “They cannot undo the will of the voters. Every lawsuit, every delay, every political maneuver is confirmation that we are winning.”The Supreme Court will issue a ruling in the coming months on the case.

Nebraska Supreme Court hears appeal in medical cannabis, election notary case

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>

WASHINGTON — Federal authorities arrested a Virginia man Thursday morning who they say was involved in planting pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican national committee offices on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, according to numerous media reports.

The man’s identity has not yet been released, according to reports by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-12-4-2025" target="_blank">The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://wsj.com/politics/national-security/fbi-makes-arrest-in-connection-with-jan-6-pipe-bombs-4dcc6183?mod=hp_lead_pos11" target="_blank">The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;that cited law enforcement officials.

The arrest marked a potential breakthrough in the five-year-old case.

The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to States Newsroom’s request for comment.

According to the FBI, the suspect placed pipe bombs near the offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Jan. 5, 2021.

Authorities had publicized several&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/video-repository/wfo-pipebomb-oct-2025-update-v2.mp4/view" target="_blank">video clips</a>&nbsp;of a masked individual in a gray hooded sweatshirt carrying a backpack to transport the pipe bombs. The FBI offered a $500,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

The suspect is expected in court Thursday, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/04/january-6-pipebomb-suspect-arrest-00676412" target="_blank">Politico</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735867762680.png" alt="FBI poster seeking a suspect who allegedly placed pipe bombs in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>FBI poster seeking a suspect who allegedly placed pipe bombs in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>WASHINGTON — Federal authorities arrested a Virginia man Thursday morning who they say was involved in planting pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican national committee offices on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, according to numerous media reports.The man’s identity has not yet been released, according to reports by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-12-4-2025" target="_blank">The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://wsj.com/politics/national-security/fbi-makes-arrest-in-connection-with-jan-6-pipe-bombs-4dcc6183?mod=hp_lead_pos11" target="_blank">The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;that cited law enforcement officials.The arrest marked a potential breakthrough in the five-year-old case.The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to States Newsroom’s request for comment.According to the FBI, the suspect placed pipe bombs near the offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Jan. 5, 2021.Authorities had publicized several&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/video-repository/wfo-pipebomb-oct-2025-update-v2.mp4/view" target="_blank">video clips</a>&nbsp;of a masked individual in a gray hooded sweatshirt carrying a backpack to transport the pipe bombs. The FBI offered a $500,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.The suspect is expected in court Thursday, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/04/january-6-pipebomb-suspect-arrest-00676412" target="_blank">Politico</a>.

Man arrested in Jan. 2021 pipe bomb case targeting party headquarters

HHS Protects Parents’ Rights in Children’s Health Decisions

WASHINGTON&nbsp; — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced strong actions to protect the rights of parents within the practice of pediatric medicine. HHS opened an investigation into a complaint that a Midwestern school illegally vaccinated a child with a federally provided vaccine without the parents’ consent by ignoring a religious exemption submitted under a state law. HHS also issued a <a href="/sites/default/files/ocr-letter-hipaa-privacy-rule-and-parental-access-to-minor-childrens-medical-records.pdf" target="_blank">Dear Colleague letter [PDF, 265 KB]</a> reminding health care providers about federal law requiring them to provide parents access to their children’s health information. In addition, the Department directed the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to add a grant requirement stating that all funding recipients must comply with all applicable federal and state parental-consent laws for any services or care provided to minors at HRSA-supported health centers as a condition of receiving Health Center Program funds.

“Today, we are putting pediatric medical professionals on notice: you cannot sideline parents,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “When providers ignore parental consent, violate exemptions to vaccine mandates, or keep parents in the dark about their children’s care, we will act decisively. We will use every tool at our disposal to protect families and restore accountability.”

The investigation by HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) into the reported violation of the exemption from vaccination will examine whether the school failed to comply with the Vaccines for Children Program (VFC) requirement that conditions federal provision of vaccines for immunization on compliance with state religious and other exemptions from compulsory vaccination. OCR will also examine how the state agency and school district process religious exemption requests to ensure compliance with state law when implementing the VFC program. Program providers receive vaccines purchased for the VFC by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“The Vaccines for Children Program should never circumvent parents’ rights,” said Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary and CDC Acting Director Jim O’Neill. “Secretary Kennedy’s decision to probe potential abuse of the VFC is a necessary step in restoring public trust in immunization policy.”

OCR’s letter to health care providers spells out parents’ right to access their children’s protected health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Rule. Under the Privacy Rule, a parent is the personal representative of his or her minor child where the parent has the legal authority to make health care decisions for the child. The letter reinforces that parents who are their children’s personal representatives can exercise their children’s rights with respect to protected health information, including the right of access. OCR is also initiating compliance reviews of a number of large health care providers to ensure that parents receive timely access to their children’s health information.

As part of these actions to protect parents’ rights, HRSA is directly addressing the parental consent obligations that apply to HRSA-supported services for minors. Before a minor receives medical, dental, behavioral health, or other services at a HRSA-supported health center, the center must obtain consent from a parent or legal guardian in accordance with applicable state or federal law. This requirement applies to all forms of care, including treatment, preventive services, counseling, and services involving sensitive topics such as sexual identity or reproductive health. Existing state, federal, and local laws on parental consent and notification already apply, and HRSA is now clearly detailing these expectations as a condition of receiving Health Center Program funding. HRSA will also send a notice to grant recipients outlining this obligation.

If you believe that you or another person’s health information privacy or civil rights have been violated, you can <a href="/ocr/complaints/index.html">file a complaint</a> with OCR.

For Immediate Release<h2>HHS Protects Parents’ Rights in Children’s Health Decisions</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764869455715.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp; — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced strong actions to protect the rights of parents within the practice of pediatric medicine. HHS opened an investigation into a complaint that a Midwestern school illegally vaccinated a child with a federally provided vaccine without the parents’ consent by ignoring a religious exemption submitted under a state law. HHS also issued a <a href="/sites/default/files/ocr-letter-hipaa-privacy-rule-and-parental-access-to-minor-childrens-medical-records.pdf" target="_blank">Dear Colleague letter [PDF, 265 KB]</a> reminding health care providers about federal law requiring them to provide parents access to their children’s health information. In addition, the Department directed the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to add a grant requirement stating that all funding recipients must comply with all applicable federal and state parental-consent laws for any services or care provided to minors at HRSA-supported health centers as a condition of receiving Health Center Program funds.“Today, we are putting pediatric medical professionals on notice: you cannot sideline parents,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “When providers ignore parental consent, violate exemptions to vaccine mandates, or keep parents in the dark about their children’s care, we will act decisively. We will use every tool at our disposal to protect families and restore accountability.”The investigation by HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) into the reported violation of the exemption from vaccination will examine whether the school failed to comply with the Vaccines for Children Program (VFC) requirement that conditions federal provision of vaccines for immunization on compliance with state religious and other exemptions from compulsory vaccination. OCR will also examine how the state agency and school district process religious exemption requests to ensure compliance with state law when implementing the VFC program. Program providers receive vaccines purchased for the VFC by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).“The Vaccines for Children Program should never circumvent parents’ rights,” said Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary and CDC Acting Director Jim O’Neill. “Secretary Kennedy’s decision to probe potential abuse of the VFC is a necessary step in restoring public trust in immunization policy.”OCR’s letter to health care providers spells out parents’ right to access their children’s protected health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Rule. Under the Privacy Rule, a parent is the personal representative of his or her minor child where the parent has the legal authority to make health care decisions for the child. The letter reinforces that parents who are their children’s personal representatives can exercise their children’s rights with respect to protected health information, including the right of access. OCR is also initiating compliance reviews of a number of large health care providers to ensure that parents receive timely access to their children’s health information.As part of these actions to protect parents’ rights, HRSA is directly addressing the parental consent obligations that apply to HRSA-supported services for minors. Before a minor receives medical, dental, behavioral health, or other services at a HRSA-supported health center, the center must obtain consent from a parent or legal guardian in accordance with applicable state or federal law. This requirement applies to all forms of care, including treatment, preventive services, counseling, and services involving sensitive topics such as sexual identity or reproductive health. Existing state, federal, and local laws on parental consent and notification already apply, and HRSA is now clearly detailing these expectations as a condition of receiving Health Center Program funding. HRSA will also send a notice to grant recipients outlining this obligation.If you believe that you or another person’s health information privacy or civil rights have been violated, you can <a href="/ocr/complaints/index.html">file a complaint</a> with OCR.

HHS Investigating Midwestern School for Child Vaccinations Lacking Parental Consent

OMAHA, Neb.,– The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is intensifying its fight against the deadly threat of synthetic opioids with the launch of&nbsp;Fentanyl Free America,&nbsp;a comprehensive enforcement initiative and public awareness campaign aimed at reducing the supply and demand for fentanyl.

Through intensified enforcement operations and heightened intelligence, DEA is applying unprecedented pressure on the global fentanyl supply chain, forcing narco-terrorists, like the Sinaloa and CJNG Cartels, to change business practices. These efforts have led to a decrease in both fentanyl powder purity and the number of fentanyl pills containing a potentially lethal dose.

As of December 1, DEA has seized more than 45 million fentanyl pills, and more than 9,320 pounds of fentanyl powder, removing an estimated 347 million potentially deadly doses of fentanyl nationwide. Fentanyl seizures across the five-state DEA Omaha Field Division account for the removal of nearly seven million potentially deadly doses from communities across the Midwest. DEA intelligence indicates a shift in cartel operations, with increased trafficking of fentanyl powder and domestic production of fentanyl pills. The seizure of more than two dozen pill press machines in October, including two from Minnesota, further highlights this trend.

“Fentanyl Free America represents DEA’s unwavering commitment to save American lives and end the fentanyl crisis, we are making significant progress in this fight, and we must continue to intensify efforts to disrupt the fentanyl supply and reduce demand,” DEA Administrator Terrance Cole said. “DEA is striking harder and evolving faster to dismantle the foreign terrorists fueling this crisis, while empowering all our partners to join the fight to prevent fentanyl-related tragedies. Together, we can achieve a fentanyl free America and create a safer future for generations to come.”

The DEA Omaha Field Division was one of 23 domestic field divisions and seven foreign divisions that initiated&nbsp;Operation Fentanyl Free America&nbsp;in October. This targeted enforcement effort resulted in the seizure of nearly 25,000 fentanyl pills and 37 pounds of fentanyl powder across Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

"Countless families across the Midwest are entering a holiday season in which they face an empty chair at the dinner table, a space left vacant by a life lost to fentanyl,” DEA Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie said. “Working together with our law enforcement and community partners, we remain committed to combatting this scourge. Our work begins in the middle of America, but rest assured, this fight will land in the laps of those narco-terrorists inflicting terror and destruction from thousands of miles away.”

The threat of poly-drug organizations; cartels that traffic multiple drugs, became even more apparent during&nbsp;Operation Fentanyl Free America.&nbsp;&nbsp;Aside from producing less potent fentanyl, cartels have increasingly diversified their operations in an attempt to minimize their risks and maximize profits. This was evident in October with the seizure of more than 340 pounds of methamphetamine and nearly 42 pounds of cocaine across the DEA Omaha Field Division.

DEA remains at the forefront of the fight to disrupt trafficking networks and strengthen the government’s response to this epidemic.&nbsp;Fentanyl Free America&nbsp;represents DEA’s heightened focus on enforcement, education, public awareness and strategic partnerships. The goal of the campaign is clear: eliminate the fentanyl supply fueling the nation’s deadliest drug crisis. Since 2021, synthetic opioids have claimed nearly 325,000 American lives.

The&nbsp;Fentanyl Free America&nbsp;campaign also emphasizes the importance of public engagement.&nbsp; DEA encourages everyone from community leaders, clergy, educators, parents, physicians, pharmacists and law enforcement to take an active role in raising awareness by protecting others through education; preventing fentanyl poisonings by understanding the dangers; and supporting those impacted.&nbsp; Free resources including posters, radio advertising, billboards, and social media resources are available at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dea.gov/fentanylfree" target="_blank">dea.gov/fentanylfree</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

DEA’s efforts are part of a larger whole-of-government strategy to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and protect U.S. communities from fentanyl.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For Immediate Release<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762211590340.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb.,– The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is intensifying its fight against the deadly threat of synthetic opioids with the launch of&nbsp;Fentanyl Free America,&nbsp;a comprehensive enforcement initiative and public awareness campaign aimed at reducing the supply and demand for fentanyl.Through intensified enforcement operations and heightened intelligence, DEA is applying unprecedented pressure on the global fentanyl supply chain, forcing narco-terrorists, like the Sinaloa and CJNG Cartels, to change business practices. These efforts have led to a decrease in both fentanyl powder purity and the number of fentanyl pills containing a potentially lethal dose.As of December 1, DEA has seized more than 45 million fentanyl pills, and more than 9,320 pounds of fentanyl powder, removing an estimated 347 million potentially deadly doses of fentanyl nationwide. Fentanyl seizures across the five-state DEA Omaha Field Division account for the removal of nearly seven million potentially deadly doses from communities across the Midwest. DEA intelligence indicates a shift in cartel operations, with increased trafficking of fentanyl powder and domestic production of fentanyl pills. The seizure of more than two dozen pill press machines in October, including two from Minnesota, further highlights this trend.“Fentanyl Free America represents DEA’s unwavering commitment to save American lives and end the fentanyl crisis, we are making significant progress in this fight, and we must continue to intensify efforts to disrupt the fentanyl supply and reduce demand,” DEA Administrator Terrance Cole said. “DEA is striking harder and evolving faster to dismantle the foreign terrorists fueling this crisis, while empowering all our partners to join the fight to prevent fentanyl-related tragedies. Together, we can achieve a fentanyl free America and create a safer future for generations to come.”The DEA Omaha Field Division was one of 23 domestic field divisions and seven foreign divisions that initiated&nbsp;Operation Fentanyl Free America&nbsp;in October. This targeted enforcement effort resulted in the seizure of nearly 25,000 fentanyl pills and 37 pounds of fentanyl powder across Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota."Countless families across the Midwest are entering a holiday season in which they face an empty chair at the dinner table, a space left vacant by a life lost to fentanyl,” DEA Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie said. “Working together with our law enforcement and community partners, we remain committed to combatting this scourge. Our work begins in the middle of America, but rest assured, this fight will land in the laps of those narco-terrorists inflicting terror and destruction from thousands of miles away.”The threat of poly-drug organizations; cartels that traffic multiple drugs, became even more apparent during&nbsp;Operation Fentanyl Free America.&nbsp;&nbsp;Aside from producing less potent fentanyl, cartels have increasingly diversified their operations in an attempt to minimize their risks and maximize profits. This was evident in October with the seizure of more than 340 pounds of methamphetamine and nearly 42 pounds of cocaine across the DEA Omaha Field Division.DEA remains at the forefront of the fight to disrupt trafficking networks and strengthen the government’s response to this epidemic.&nbsp;Fentanyl Free America&nbsp;represents DEA’s heightened focus on enforcement, education, public awareness and strategic partnerships. The goal of the campaign is clear: eliminate the fentanyl supply fueling the nation’s deadliest drug crisis. Since 2021, synthetic opioids have claimed nearly 325,000 American lives.The&nbsp;Fentanyl Free America&nbsp;campaign also emphasizes the importance of public engagement.&nbsp; DEA encourages everyone from community leaders, clergy, educators, parents, physicians, pharmacists and law enforcement to take an active role in raising awareness by protecting others through education; preventing fentanyl poisonings by understanding the dangers; and supporting those impacted.&nbsp; Free resources including posters, radio advertising, billboards, and social media resources are available at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dea.gov/fentanylfree" target="_blank">dea.gov/fentanylfree</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;DEA’s efforts are part of a larger whole-of-government strategy to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and protect U.S. communities from fentanyl.&nbsp;&nbsp;