WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands converged Saturday on the National Mall for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-on-washington-mlk-dream-speech-sharpton-062039daf026d65cbbae914456ba0543">60th anniversary</a>&nbsp;of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s March on Washington, saying a country that remains riven by racial inequality has yet to fulfill his dream.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?529724-1/60th-anniversary-march-washington">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the festivities

“We have made progress, over the last 60 years, since Dr. King led the March on Washington," said Alphonso David, president and CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum. “Have we reached the mountaintop? Not by a long shot."

The event was convened by the Kings’ Drum Major Institute and the Rev.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/al-sharpton">Al Sharpton</a>&nbsp;'s National Action Network. A host of Black civil rights leaders and a multiracial, interfaith coalition of allies rallied attendees on the same spot where as many as 250,000 gathered in 1963 for what is still considered one of the greatest and most consequential racial justice and equality demonstrations in U.S. history.

Inevitably, Saturday's event was shot through with contrasts to the initial, historic demonstration. Speakers and banners talked about the importance of LGBTQ and Asian American rights. Many who addressed the crowd were women after only one was given the microphone in 1963.

Pamela Mays McDonald of Philadelphia attended the initial march as a child. “I was 8 years old at the original March and only one woman was allowed to speak — she was from Arkansas where I’m from — now look at how many women are on the podium today,” she said.

For some, the contrasts between the size of the original demonstration and the more modest turnout Saturday were bittersweet. “I often look back and look over to the reflection pool and the Washington Monument and I see a quarter of a million people 60 years ago and just a trickling now," said Marsha Dean Phelts of Amelia Island, Florida. “It was more fired up then. But the things we were asking for and needing, we still need them today.”

As speakers delivered messages, they were overshadowed by the sounds of passenger planes taking off from Ronald Reagan National Airport. Rugby games were underway along the Mall in close proximity to the Lincoln Memorial while joggers and bikers went about their routines.

Yolanda King, the 15-year-old granddaughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., roused marchers with remarks delivered from the same spot her grandfather gave the “I Have A Dream” speech sixty years ago.

“If I could speak to my grandfather today, I would say I’m sorry we still have to be here to rededicate ourselves to finishing your work and ultimately realizing your dream,” she said. “Today, racism is still with us. Poverty is still with us. And now, gun violence has come for places of worship, our schools and our shopping centers.”

From the podium, Sharpton promised more demonstrations to push back against injustices, new and old.

“Sixty years ago Martin Luther King talked about a dream. Sixty years later we’re the dreamers. The problem is we’re facing the schemers,” Sharpton said. “The dreamers are fighting for voting rights. The schemers are changing voter regulations in states. The dreamers are standing up for women’s right to choose. The schemers are arguing whether they are going to make you stop at six weeks or 15 weeks."

After the speeches, the crowd marched to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.

Several leaders from groups organizing the march met Friday with Attorney General&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/merrick-garland">Merrick Garland</a>&nbsp;and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the civil rights division, to discuss a range of issues, including voting rights, policing and redlining.

Saturday's gathering was a precursor to the actual anniversary of the Aug. 28, 1963 March on Washington. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-washington-biden-harris-1963-king-b8e4d25a9807d0be61099839044d4f02">observe the march anniversary</a>&nbsp;on Monday by meeting with organizers of the 1963 gathering. All of King’s children have been invited to meet with Biden, White House officials said.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s Washington remarks have resounded through decades of push and pull toward progress in civil and human rights. But dark moments followed his speech, too.

Two weeks later in 1963, four Black girls were killed in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/today-in-history-africa-united-states-bombings-cd946a2825508f6c3424c6a4459b6fa4">the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing</a>&nbsp;in Birmingham, Alabama, followed by the kidnapping and murder of three civil rights workers in Neshoba County, Mississippi the following year. The tragedies spurred passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The voting rights marches from Montgomery to Selma, Alabama, in which marchers were brutally beaten while crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in what became known as “Bloody Sunday,” forced Congress to adopt the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Speakers warned that King's unfinished dream was in danger of being further whittled away. “I’m very concerned about the direction our country is going in," Martin Luther King III said. "And it is because instead of moving forward, it feels as if we’re moving back. The question is, what are we going to do?”

Rosetta Manns-Baugh knew the answer: Keep fighting.

“I think we have accomplished a lot, but I also think we lost." said Manns-Baugh, who was a Trailways bus counter worker in 1963 when she left her seven children and husband at home in Virginia to come to D.C. Now she's so disillusioned she's stopped singing “We Shall Overcome,” the anthem of the civil rights movement.

But even at age 92, she returned to Washington for the 60th anniversary, bringing three generations of her family, all the way down to her 18-month-old grandchild. “I think that’s why we all are here because we do expect the world to get better," Manns-Baugh said. "We can’t stop working at it that’s for sure.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693097195088.png" alt="After the speeches, the crowd marched to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>After the speeches, the crowd marched to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands converged Saturday on the National Mall for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-on-washington-mlk-dream-speech-sharpton-062039daf026d65cbbae914456ba0543">60th anniversary</a>&nbsp;of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s March on Washington, saying a country that remains riven by racial inequality has yet to fulfill his dream.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?529724-1/60th-anniversary-march-washington">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the festivities“We have made progress, over the last 60 years, since Dr. King led the March on Washington," said Alphonso David, president and CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum. “Have we reached the mountaintop? Not by a long shot."The event was convened by the Kings’ Drum Major Institute and the Rev.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/al-sharpton">Al Sharpton</a>&nbsp;'s National Action Network. A host of Black civil rights leaders and a multiracial, interfaith coalition of allies rallied attendees on the same spot where as many as 250,000 gathered in 1963 for what is still considered one of the greatest and most consequential racial justice and equality demonstrations in U.S. history.Inevitably, Saturday's event was shot through with contrasts to the initial, historic demonstration. Speakers and banners talked about the importance of LGBTQ and Asian American rights. Many who addressed the crowd were women after only one was given the microphone in 1963.Pamela Mays McDonald of Philadelphia attended the initial march as a child. “I was 8 years old at the original March and only one woman was allowed to speak — she was from Arkansas where I’m from — now look at how many women are on the podium today,” she said.For some, the contrasts between the size of the original demonstration and the more modest turnout Saturday were bittersweet. “I often look back and look over to the reflection pool and the Washington Monument and I see a quarter of a million people 60 years ago and just a trickling now," said Marsha Dean Phelts of Amelia Island, Florida. “It was more fired up then. But the things we were asking for and needing, we still need them today.”As speakers delivered messages, they were overshadowed by the sounds of passenger planes taking off from Ronald Reagan National Airport. Rugby games were underway along the Mall in close proximity to the Lincoln Memorial while joggers and bikers went about their routines.Yolanda King, the 15-year-old granddaughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., roused marchers with remarks delivered from the same spot her grandfather gave the “I Have A Dream” speech sixty years ago.“If I could speak to my grandfather today, I would say I’m sorry we still have to be here to rededicate ourselves to finishing your work and ultimately realizing your dream,” she said. “Today, racism is still with us. Poverty is still with us. And now, gun violence has come for places of worship, our schools and our shopping centers.”From the podium, Sharpton promised more demonstrations to push back against injustices, new and old.“Sixty years ago Martin Luther King talked about a dream. Sixty years later we’re the dreamers. The problem is we’re facing the schemers,” Sharpton said. “The dreamers are fighting for voting rights. The schemers are changing voter regulations in states. The dreamers are standing up for women’s right to choose. The schemers are arguing whether they are going to make you stop at six weeks or 15 weeks."After the speeches, the crowd marched to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.Several leaders from groups organizing the march met Friday with Attorney General&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/merrick-garland">Merrick Garland</a>&nbsp;and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the civil rights division, to discuss a range of issues, including voting rights, policing and redlining.Saturday's gathering was a precursor to the actual anniversary of the Aug. 28, 1963 March on Washington. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-washington-biden-harris-1963-king-b8e4d25a9807d0be61099839044d4f02">observe the march anniversary</a>&nbsp;on Monday by meeting with organizers of the 1963 gathering. All of King’s children have been invited to meet with Biden, White House officials said.Martin Luther King Jr.'s Washington remarks have resounded through decades of push and pull toward progress in civil and human rights. But dark moments followed his speech, too.Two weeks later in 1963, four Black girls were killed in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/today-in-history-africa-united-states-bombings-cd946a2825508f6c3424c6a4459b6fa4">the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing</a>&nbsp;in Birmingham, Alabama, followed by the kidnapping and murder of three civil rights workers in Neshoba County, Mississippi the following year. The tragedies spurred passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.The voting rights marches from Montgomery to Selma, Alabama, in which marchers were brutally beaten while crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in what became known as “Bloody Sunday,” forced Congress to adopt the Voting Rights Act of 1965.Speakers warned that King's unfinished dream was in danger of being further whittled away. “I’m very concerned about the direction our country is going in," Martin Luther King III said. "And it is because instead of moving forward, it feels as if we’re moving back. The question is, what are we going to do?”Rosetta Manns-Baugh knew the answer: Keep fighting.“I think we have accomplished a lot, but I also think we lost." said Manns-Baugh, who was a Trailways bus counter worker in 1963 when she left her seven children and husband at home in Virginia to come to D.C. Now she's so disillusioned she's stopped singing “We Shall Overcome,” the anthem of the civil rights movement.But even at age 92, she returned to Washington for the 60th anniversary, bringing three generations of her family, all the way down to her 18-month-old grandchild. “I think that’s why we all are here because we do expect the world to get better," Manns-Baugh said. "We can’t stop working at it that’s for sure.”___

🎥Thousands mark the March on Washington’s 60th anniversary

LOS ANGELES (AP)—A publicist says popular game show host Bob Barker, a household name for a half-century as host of “Truth or Consequences” and “The Price Is Right,” has died at his home in Los Angeles. Barker was 99.

Barker — also a longtime animal rights activist — died Saturday morning, according to publicist Roger Neal.

“I am so proud of the trailblazing work Barker and I did together to expose the cruelty to animals in the entertainment industry and including working to improve the plight of abused and exploited animals in the United States and internationally,” said Nancy Burnet, his longtime friend and caretaker, in a statement.

Barker retired in June 2007, telling his studio audience: “I thank you, thank you, thank you for inviting me into your home for more than 50 years.”

Barker was working in radio in 1956 when producer Ralph Edwards invited him to audition as the new host of "Truth or Consequences," a game show in which audience members had to do wacky stunts — the "consequence" — if they failed to answer a question — the "truth," which was always the silly punchline to a riddle no one was ever meant to furnish. (Q: What did one eye say to another? A: Just between us, something smells.)

In a 1996 interview with The Associated Press, Barker recalled receiving the news that he had been hired: "I know exactly where I was, I know exactly how I felt: I hung up the phone and said to my wife, 'Dorothy Jo, I got it!'"

Barker stayed with "Truth or Consequences" for 18 years — including several years in a syndicated version.

Meanwhile, he began hosting a resurrected version of "The Price Is Right" in 1972. (The original host in the 1950s and '60s was Bill Cullen.) It would become TV's longest-running game show and the last on a broadcast network of what in TV's early days had numbered dozens.

"I have grown old in your service," the silver-haired, perennially tanned Barker joked on a prime-time television retrospective in the mid-'90s.

In all, he taped more than 5,000 shows in his career. He said he was retiring because "I'm just reaching the age where the constant effort to be there and do the show physically is a lot for me. ... Better (to leave) a year too soon than a year too late." Comedian Drew Carey was chosen to replace him.

Barker was back with Carey for one show broadcast in April 2009. He was there to promote the publication of his memoir, "Priceless Memories," in which he summed up his joy from hosting the show as the opportunity "to watch people reveal themselves and to watch the excitement and humor unfold."

He well understood the attraction of "The Price Is Right," in which audience members — invited to "Come on down!" to the stage — competed for prizes by trying to guess their retail value.

"Everyone can identify with prices, even the president of the United States. Viewers at home become involved because they all have an opinion on the bids," Barker once said. His own appeal was clear: Barker played it straight — warm, gracious and witty — refusing to mock the game show format or his contestants.

"I want the contestants to feel as though they're guests in my home," he said in 1996. "Perhaps my feeling of respect for them comes across to viewers, and that may be one of the reasons why I've lasted."

As a TV personality, Barker retained a touch of the old school — for instance, no wireless microphone for him. Like the mic itself, the mic cord served him well as a prop, insouciantly flicked and finessed.

His career longevity, he said, was the result of being content. "I had the opportunity to do this type of show and I discovered I enjoyed it ... People who do something that they thoroughly enjoy and they started doing it when they're very young, I don't think they want to stop."

Barker also spent 20 years as host of the Miss USA Pageant and the Miss Universe Pageant. A longtime animal rights activist who daily urged his viewers to "have your pets spayed or neutered" and successfully lobbied to ban fur coats as prizes on "The Price Is Right," he quit the Miss USA Pageant in 1987 in protest over the presentation of fur coats to the winners.

In 1997, Barker declined to be a presenter at the Daytime Emmy awards ceremony because he said it snubbed game shows by not airing awards in the category. He called game shows "the pillars of daytime TV."

He had a memorable cameo appearance on the big screen in 1996, sparring with Adam Sandler in the movie "Happy Gilmore." "I did `The Price Is Right' for 35 years, and they're asking me how it was to beat up Adam Sandler," Barker later joked.

In 1994, the widowed Barker was sued for sexual harassment by Dian Parkinson, a "Price is Right" model for 18 years. Barker admitted engaging in "hanky panky" with Parkinson from 1989-91 but said she initiated the relationship. Parkinson dropped the lawsuit in 1995, saying it was hurting her health.

Barker became embroiled in a dispute with another former "Price Is Right" model, Holly Hallstrom, who claimed she was fired in 1995 because the show's producers believed she was fat. Barker denied the allegations.

Neither uproar affected his goodwill from the audience.

Born in Darrington, Washington, in 1923, Barker spent part of his childhood on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, where his widowed mother had taken a teaching job. The family later moved to Springfield, Mo., where he attended high school. He served in the Navy in World War II.

He married Dorothy Jo Gideon, his high school sweetheart; she died in 1981 after 37 years of marriage. They had no children.

Barker was given a lifetime achievement award at the 26th annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 1999. He closed his acceptance remarks with the signoff: "Have your pets spayed or neutered."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693069598456.png" alt="Barker retired in June 2007, telling his studio audience: “I thank you, thank you, thank you for inviting me into your home for more than 50 years.”" />
 <figcaption>Barker retired in June 2007, telling his studio audience: “I thank you, thank you, thank you for inviting me into your home for more than 50 years.”</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP)—A publicist says popular game show host Bob Barker, a household name for a half-century as host of “Truth or Consequences” and “The Price Is Right,” has died at his home in Los Angeles. Barker was 99.Barker — also a longtime animal rights activist — died Saturday morning, according to publicist Roger Neal.“I am so proud of the trailblazing work Barker and I did together to expose the cruelty to animals in the entertainment industry and including working to improve the plight of abused and exploited animals in the United States and internationally,” said Nancy Burnet, his longtime friend and caretaker, in a statement.Barker retired in June 2007, telling his studio audience: “I thank you, thank you, thank you for inviting me into your home for more than 50 years.”Barker was working in radio in 1956 when producer Ralph Edwards invited him to audition as the new host of "Truth or Consequences," a game show in which audience members had to do wacky stunts — the "consequence" — if they failed to answer a question — the "truth," which was always the silly punchline to a riddle no one was ever meant to furnish. (Q: What did one eye say to another? A: Just between us, something smells.)In a 1996 interview with The Associated Press, Barker recalled receiving the news that he had been hired: "I know exactly where I was, I know exactly how I felt: I hung up the phone and said to my wife, 'Dorothy Jo, I got it!'"Barker stayed with "Truth or Consequences" for 18 years — including several years in a syndicated version.Meanwhile, he began hosting a resurrected version of "The Price Is Right" in 1972. (The original host in the 1950s and '60s was Bill Cullen.) It would become TV's longest-running game show and the last on a broadcast network of what in TV's early days had numbered dozens."I have grown old in your service," the silver-haired, perennially tanned Barker joked on a prime-time television retrospective in the mid-'90s.In all, he taped more than 5,000 shows in his career. He said he was retiring because "I'm just reaching the age where the constant effort to be there and do the show physically is a lot for me. ... Better (to leave) a year too soon than a year too late." Comedian Drew Carey was chosen to replace him.Barker was back with Carey for one show broadcast in April 2009. He was there to promote the publication of his memoir, "Priceless Memories," in which he summed up his joy from hosting the show as the opportunity "to watch people reveal themselves and to watch the excitement and humor unfold."He well understood the attraction of "The Price Is Right," in which audience members — invited to "Come on down!" to the stage — competed for prizes by trying to guess their retail value."Everyone can identify with prices, even the president of the United States. Viewers at home become involved because they all have an opinion on the bids," Barker once said. His own appeal was clear: Barker played it straight — warm, gracious and witty — refusing to mock the game show format or his contestants."I want the contestants to feel as though they're guests in my home," he said in 1996. "Perhaps my feeling of respect for them comes across to viewers, and that may be one of the reasons why I've lasted."As a TV personality, Barker retained a touch of the old school — for instance, no wireless microphone for him. Like the mic itself, the mic cord served him well as a prop, insouciantly flicked and finessed.His career longevity, he said, was the result of being content. "I had the opportunity to do this type of show and I discovered I enjoyed it ... People who do something that they thoroughly enjoy and they started doing it when they're very young, I don't think they want to stop."Barker also spent 20 years as host of the Miss USA Pageant and the Miss Universe Pageant. A longtime animal rights activist who daily urged his viewers to "have your pets spayed or neutered" and successfully lobbied to ban fur coats as prizes on "The Price Is Right," he quit the Miss USA Pageant in 1987 in protest over the presentation of fur coats to the winners.In 1997, Barker declined to be a presenter at the Daytime Emmy awards ceremony because he said it snubbed game shows by not airing awards in the category. He called game shows "the pillars of daytime TV."He had a memorable cameo appearance on the big screen in 1996, sparring with Adam Sandler in the movie "Happy Gilmore." "I did `The Price Is Right' for 35 years, and they're asking me how it was to beat up Adam Sandler," Barker later joked.In 1994, the widowed Barker was sued for sexual harassment by Dian Parkinson, a "Price is Right" model for 18 years. Barker admitted engaging in "hanky panky" with Parkinson from 1989-91 but said she initiated the relationship. Parkinson dropped the lawsuit in 1995, saying it was hurting her health.Barker became embroiled in a dispute with another former "Price Is Right" model, Holly Hallstrom, who claimed she was fired in 1995 because the show's producers believed she was fat. Barker denied the allegations.Neither uproar affected his goodwill from the audience.Born in Darrington, Washington, in 1923, Barker spent part of his childhood on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, where his widowed mother had taken a teaching job. The family later moved to Springfield, Mo., where he attended high school. He served in the Navy in World War II.He married Dorothy Jo Gideon, his high school sweetheart; she died in 1981 after 37 years of marriage. They had no children.Barker was given a lifetime achievement award at the 26th annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 1999. He closed his acceptance remarks with the signoff: "Have your pets spayed or neutered."

Popular game show host Bob Barker has died

LAKE TAHOE, CA. (AP) President Joe Biden offered his take on Donald Trump’s mug shot while speaking to reporters Friday in South Lake Tahoe, California.

Trump was photographed Thursday as he surrendered inside a jail in Fulton County, Georgia, on charges related to the 2020 election.

When the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-atlanta-indictment-republican-primary-7f4e9860859fbb71221b6a5163aaa42f">camera shutter blinked</a>&nbsp;inside an Atlanta jail on Thursday, it both created and documented a tiny inflection point in American life. Captured for posterity, there was a former president of the United States, for the first time in history, under arrest and captured in the sort of frame more commonly associated with drug dealers or drunken drivers. The trappings of power gone, for that split second.

Left behind: an enduring image that will appear in history books long after Donald Trump is gone.

“It will be forever part of the iconography of being alive in this time,” said Marty Kaplan, a professor at the University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communications.

In the photo, Trump confronts the camera in front of a bland gray backdrop, his eyes meeting the lens in an intense glare. He's wearing a blue suit, white shirt and red tie, his shoulders squared, his head tilted slightly toward the camera. The sheriff's logo has been digitally added above his right shoulder.

Some of the 18 others charged with him in Georgia smiled in their booking photos like they were posing for a yearbook. Not Trump. His defiance is palpable, as if he’s staring down a nemesis through the lens.

“It is not a comfortable feeling — especially when you’ve done nothing wrong,” he later&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-says-taking-mugshot-was-not-comfortable-feeling-when-done-nothing-wrong">told</a>&nbsp;Fox News Digital about the moment.

Trump facing charges is by now a familiar sight of 2023 to Americans who watched him stand before a judge in a New York courtroom or saw watercolor sketches from the inside of federal courthouses in Miami and Washington, where cameras aren’t allowed.

As Anderson Cooper put it on CNN: “The former president of the United States has an inmate number.” P01135809, to be exact. But until he surrendered to face charges of trying to steal the 2020 election in Georgia, his fourth indictment this year, he avoided having to pose for the iconic booking photo like millions accused of crimes before him.

Never mind that Trump, like all Americans, is innocent until proven guilty in court; the mug shot, and all it connotes, packs an extra emotional and cultural punch.

A mug shot is a visceral representation of the criminal justice system, a symbol of lost freedom. It permanently memorializes one of the worst days of a person's life, a moment not meant for a scrapbook. It must be particularly foreign to a man born into privilege, who famously loves to be in control, who is highly attentive to his image and who rose to be the most powerful figure in the world.

“‘Indictment’ is a sort of bloodless word. And words are pale compared to images,” said Kaplan, a former speechwriter for Vice President Walter Mondale and Hollywood screenwriter. “A mug shot is a genre. Its frame is, ‘This is a deer caught in the headlights. This is the crook being nailed.’ It’s the walk of shame moment.”

Not even President Joe Biden, who otherwise has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-democracy-indictments-2024-election-33b15d98f655c4b36d3d1d041199ab44">declined to talk</a>&nbsp;about his predecessor’s legal problems, could resist remarking on the mugshot. “Handsome guy,” he said sarcastically.

Trump is unlikely to treat the mug shot as a moment of shame as he seeks a second term in the White House while fighting criminal charges in four jurisdictions. His campaign has reported a spike in contributions each time he’s been indicted.

And the imagery itself? Trump hasn't shied away from it. In fact, his campaign concocted one long before it became real.

Months before he was photographed in Georgia on Thursday evening, his campaign used the prospect of a mug shot as a fundraising opportunity. For $36, anyone can buy a T-shirt with a fake booking photo of Trump and the words “not guilty.” Dozens of similar designs are available to purchase online, including many that appeal to Trump’s critics.

Now they have a real one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-twitter-tweets-return-49594b9f72c68a309758e19bc9cdce0f">to work with.</a>&nbsp;Within minutes of the mug shot's release, Trump's campaign used it in a fundraising appeal on its website. “BREAKING NEWS: THE MUGSHOT IS HERE,” reads the subject line of the campaign’s latest fundraising email, which advertises a new T-shirt with the image. And this quote: “This mugshot will forever go down in history as a symbol of America’s defiance of tyranny.”

In a show of solidarity, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene posted to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/repmtg/status/1694849434062877177?s=46">a photo of herself</a>&nbsp;smiling broadly in front of a gray background, the sheriff's logo in the top left corner to mimic the jail's style — essentially her DIY mug. “I stand with President Trump against the commie DA Fani Willis,” she said, a swipe at the Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney who persuaded a grand jury to indict Trump.

Recent history is full of politicians&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/mug-shot-as-a-political-boost-some-politicians-have-tried/article_53cf0330-8f45-579a-b814-2abbe666a624.html">seeking political dividends</a>&nbsp;from their booking photos. They’ve offered large smiles or defiant smirks and tried to make the best of their predicament.

Yet this is one of just 45 presidents in all of U.S. history — not only someone who held the keys to the most powerful government in the world, but who held a position that for many these days, both at home and overseas, personifies the United States. To see that face looking at a camera whose lens he is not seeking out — that's a potent moment.

“There’s a power to the still image, which is inarguable,” said Mitchell Stephens, a professor emeritus at New York University who has written a book about the place imagery holds in modern society and how it is supplanting the word.

“It kind of freezes a moment, and in this case it’s freezing an unhappy moment for Donald Trump," Stephens said. “And it’s not something he can click away. It’s not something he can simply brush off. That moment is going to live on. And it’s entirely possible that it will end up as the image that history preserves of this man.”

LAKE TAHOE, CA. (AP) President Joe Biden offered his take on Donald Trump’s mug shot while speaking to reporters Friday in South Lake Tahoe, California.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden on Former President Trump&#39;s mugshot: &quot;Handsome guy. Wonderful guy.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/xbsuStN2Z0">pic.twitter.com/xbsuStN2Z0</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1695167322653348313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump was photographed Thursday as he surrendered inside a jail in Fulton County, Georgia, on charges related to the 2020 election.When the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-atlanta-indictment-republican-primary-7f4e9860859fbb71221b6a5163aaa42f">camera shutter blinked</a>&nbsp;inside an Atlanta jail on Thursday, it both created and documented a tiny inflection point in American life. Captured for posterity, there was a former president of the United States, for the first time in history, under arrest and captured in the sort of frame more commonly associated with drug dealers or drunken drivers. The trappings of power gone, for that split second.Left behind: an enduring image that will appear in history books long after Donald Trump is gone.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692924558227.png" alt="Photo Fulton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Fulton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>“It will be forever part of the iconography of being alive in this time,” said Marty Kaplan, a professor at the University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communications.In the photo, Trump confronts the camera in front of a bland gray backdrop, his eyes meeting the lens in an intense glare. He's wearing a blue suit, white shirt and red tie, his shoulders squared, his head tilted slightly toward the camera. The sheriff's logo has been digitally added above his right shoulder.Some of the 18 others charged with him in Georgia smiled in their booking photos like they were posing for a yearbook. Not Trump. His defiance is palpable, as if he’s staring down a nemesis through the lens.“It is not a comfortable feeling — especially when you’ve done nothing wrong,” he later&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-says-taking-mugshot-was-not-comfortable-feeling-when-done-nothing-wrong">told</a>&nbsp;Fox News Digital about the moment.NOT LIKE ANY OTHER PHOTOGRAPH Trump facing charges is by now a familiar sight of 2023 to Americans who watched him stand before a judge in a New York courtroom or saw watercolor sketches from the inside of federal courthouses in Miami and Washington, where cameras aren’t allowed.This is different.As Anderson Cooper put it on CNN: “The former president of the United States has an inmate number.” P01135809, to be exact. But until he surrendered to face charges of trying to steal the 2020 election in Georgia, his fourth indictment this year, he avoided having to pose for the iconic booking photo like millions accused of crimes before him.Never mind that Trump, like all Americans, is innocent until proven guilty in court; the mug shot, and all it connotes, packs an extra emotional and cultural punch.A mug shot is a visceral representation of the criminal justice system, a symbol of lost freedom. It permanently memorializes one of the worst days of a person's life, a moment not meant for a scrapbook. It must be particularly foreign to a man born into privilege, who famously loves to be in control, who is highly attentive to his image and who rose to be the most powerful figure in the world.“‘Indictment’ is a sort of bloodless word. And words are pale compared to images,” said Kaplan, a former speechwriter for Vice President Walter Mondale and Hollywood screenwriter. “A mug shot is a genre. Its frame is, ‘This is a deer caught in the headlights. This is the crook being nailed.’ It’s the walk of shame moment.”Not even President Joe Biden, who otherwise has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-democracy-indictments-2024-election-33b15d98f655c4b36d3d1d041199ab44">declined to talk</a>&nbsp;about his predecessor’s legal problems, could resist remarking on the mugshot. “Handsome guy,” he said sarcastically.HE IS ALREADY LEVERAGING THE MOMENT Trump is unlikely to treat the mug shot as a moment of shame as he seeks a second term in the White House while fighting criminal charges in four jurisdictions. His campaign has reported a spike in contributions each time he’s been indicted.And the imagery itself? Trump hasn't shied away from it. In fact, his campaign concocted one long before it became real.Months before he was photographed in Georgia on Thursday evening, his campaign used the prospect of a mug shot as a fundraising opportunity. For $36, anyone can buy a T-shirt with a fake booking photo of Trump and the words “not guilty.” Dozens of similar designs are available to purchase online, including many that appeal to Trump’s critics.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/MlIKklPSJT">https://t.co/MlIKklPSJT</a> <a href="https://t.co/Mcbf2xozsY">pic.twitter.com/Mcbf2xozsY</a>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1694886846050771321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Now they have a real one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-twitter-tweets-return-49594b9f72c68a309758e19bc9cdce0f">to work with.</a>&nbsp;Within minutes of the mug shot's release, Trump's campaign used it in a fundraising appeal on its website. “BREAKING NEWS: THE MUGSHOT IS HERE,” reads the subject line of the campaign’s latest fundraising email, which advertises a new T-shirt with the image. And this quote: “This mugshot will forever go down in history as a symbol of America’s defiance of tyranny.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692965420915.png" alt="The Trump campaign is fundraising with the mug shot-image from Trump campaign web site" />
 <figcaption>The Trump campaign is fundraising with the mug shot-image from Trump campaign web site</figcaption>
 </figure>In a show of solidarity, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene posted to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/repmtg/status/1694849434062877177?s=46">a photo of herself</a>&nbsp;smiling broadly in front of a gray background, the sheriff's logo in the top left corner to mimic the jail's style — essentially her DIY mug. “I stand with President Trump against the commie DA Fani Willis,” she said, a swipe at the Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney who persuaded a grand jury to indict Trump.Recent history is full of politicians&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/mug-shot-as-a-political-boost-some-politicians-have-tried/article_53cf0330-8f45-579a-b814-2abbe666a624.html">seeking political dividends</a>&nbsp;from their booking photos. They’ve offered large smiles or defiant smirks and tried to make the best of their predicament.Yet this is one of just 45 presidents in all of U.S. history — not only someone who held the keys to the most powerful government in the world, but who held a position that for many these days, both at home and overseas, personifies the United States. To see that face looking at a camera whose lens he is not seeking out — that's a potent moment.“There’s a power to the still image, which is inarguable,” said Mitchell Stephens, a professor emeritus at New York University who has written a book about the place imagery holds in modern society and how it is supplanting the word.“It kind of freezes a moment, and in this case it’s freezing an unhappy moment for Donald Trump," Stephens said. “And it’s not something he can click away. It’s not something he can simply brush off. That moment is going to live on. And it’s entirely possible that it will end up as the image that history preserves of this man.”

🎥 President Biden comments on Donald Trump's mug shot

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Four astronauts from four countries rocketed toward the International Space Station on Saturday.

They should reach the orbiting lab in their SpaceX capsule Sunday, replacing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-private-launch-saudi-arabia-3caf2f6538f3fe6059dfb84e6f627517">four astronauts</a>&nbsp;living up there since March.

A NASA astronaut was joined on the predawn liftoff from Kennedy Space Center by fliers from Denmark, Japan and Russia. They clasped one another's gloved hands upon reaching orbit.

It was the first U.S. launch where every spacecraft seat was occupied by a different country — until now, NASA had always included two or three of its own on its SpaceX taxi flights. A fluke in timing led to the assignments, officials said.

“We're a united team with a common mission,” NASA's Jasmin Moghbeli radioed from orbit. Added NASA's Ken Bowersox, space operations mission chief: “Boy, what a beautiful launch ... and with four international crew members, really an exciting thing to see.”

Moghbeli, a Marine pilot serving as commander, is joined on the six-month mission by the European Space Agency’s Andreas Mogensen, Japan’s Satoshi Furukawa and Russia’s Konstantin Borisov.

“To explore space, we need to do it together,” the European Space Agency's director general, Josef Aschbacher, said minutes before liftoff. “Space is really global, and international cooperation is key.”

The astronauts' paths to space couldn’t be more different.

Moghbeli’s parents fled Iran during the 1979 revolution. Born in Germany and raised on New York’s Long Island, she joined the Marines and flew attack helicopters in Afghanistan. The first-time space traveler hopes to show Iranian girls that they, too, can aim high. “Belief in yourself is something really powerful,” she said before the flight.

Mogensen worked on oil rigs off the West African coast after getting an engineering degree. He told people puzzled by his job choice that “in the future we would need drillers in space” like Bruce Willis' character in the killer asteroid film “Armageddon." He’s convinced the rig experience led to his selection as Denmark’s first astronaut.

Furukawa spent a decade as a surgeon before making Japan’s astronaut cut. Like Mogensen, he’s visited the station before.

Borisov, a space rookie, turned to engineering after studying business. He runs a freediving school in Moscow and judges the sport, in which divers shun oxygen tanks and hold their breath underwater.

One of the perks of an international crew, they noted, is the food. Among the delicacies soaring: Persian herbed stew, Danish chocolate and Japanese mackerel.

SpaceX's first-stage booster returned to Cape Canaveral several minutes after liftoff, an extra treat for the thousands of spectators gathered in the early-morning darkness.

Liftoff was delayed a day for additional data reviews of valves in the capsule's life-support system. The countdown almost was halted again Saturday after a tiny fuel leak cropped up in the capsule's thruster system. SpaceX engineers managed to verify the leak would pose no threat with barely two minutes remaining on the clock, said Benji Reed, the company's senior director for human spaceflight.

Another NASA astronaut will launch to the station from Kazakhstan in mid-September under a barter agreement, along with two Russians.

SpaceX has now launched eight crews for NASA. Boeing was hired at the same time nearly a decade ago, but has yet to fly astronauts. Its crew capsule is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-starliner-capsule-space-launch-delay-5d162444f9e5a753f8eccc7bc54ab5b6">grounded until 2024</a>&nbsp;by parachute and other issues.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Four astronauts from four countries rocketed toward the International Space Station on Saturday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Liftoff of Crew-7! <a href="https://t.co/fvMpbvDPjU">pic.twitter.com/fvMpbvDPjU</a>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1695337464024707506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>They should reach the orbiting lab in their SpaceX capsule Sunday, replacing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-private-launch-saudi-arabia-3caf2f6538f3fe6059dfb84e6f627517">four astronauts</a>&nbsp;living up there since March.A NASA astronaut was joined on the predawn liftoff from Kennedy Space Center by fliers from Denmark, Japan and Russia. They clasped one another's gloved hands upon reaching orbit.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Crew-7 is go for launch <a href="https://t.co/9U8d0fQSQo">pic.twitter.com/9U8d0fQSQo</a>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1695326774283096336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It was the first U.S. launch where every spacecraft seat was occupied by a different country — until now, NASA had always included two or three of its own on its SpaceX taxi flights. A fluke in timing led to the assignments, officials said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Crew7?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Crew7</a> walks out from the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAKennedy</a>, greeting their family and friends before heading to the launchpad. <a href="https://t.co/k4ZElVRSli">pic.twitter.com/k4ZElVRSli</a>&mdash; NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1695287798155317657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We're a united team with a common mission,” NASA's Jasmin Moghbeli radioed from orbit. Added NASA's Ken Bowersox, space operations mission chief: “Boy, what a beautiful launch ... and with four international crew members, really an exciting thing to see.”Moghbeli, a Marine pilot serving as commander, is joined on the six-month mission by the European Space Agency’s Andreas Mogensen, Japan’s Satoshi Furukawa and Russia’s Konstantin Borisov.“To explore space, we need to do it together,” the European Space Agency's director general, Josef Aschbacher, said minutes before liftoff. “Space is really global, and international cooperation is key.”The astronauts' paths to space couldn’t be more different.Moghbeli’s parents fled Iran during the 1979 revolution. Born in Germany and raised on New York’s Long Island, she joined the Marines and flew attack helicopters in Afghanistan. The first-time space traveler hopes to show Iranian girls that they, too, can aim high. “Belief in yourself is something really powerful,” she said before the flight.Mogensen worked on oil rigs off the West African coast after getting an engineering degree. He told people puzzled by his job choice that “in the future we would need drillers in space” like Bruce Willis' character in the killer asteroid film “Armageddon." He’s convinced the rig experience led to his selection as Denmark’s first astronaut.Furukawa spent a decade as a surgeon before making Japan’s astronaut cut. Like Mogensen, he’s visited the station before.Borisov, a space rookie, turned to engineering after studying business. He runs a freediving school in Moscow and judges the sport, in which divers shun oxygen tanks and hold their breath underwater.One of the perks of an international crew, they noted, is the food. Among the delicacies soaring: Persian herbed stew, Danish chocolate and Japanese mackerel.SpaceX's first-stage booster returned to Cape Canaveral several minutes after liftoff, an extra treat for the thousands of spectators gathered in the early-morning darkness.Liftoff was delayed a day for additional data reviews of valves in the capsule's life-support system. The countdown almost was halted again Saturday after a tiny fuel leak cropped up in the capsule's thruster system. SpaceX engineers managed to verify the leak would pose no threat with barely two minutes remaining on the clock, said Benji Reed, the company's senior director for human spaceflight.Another NASA astronaut will launch to the station from Kazakhstan in mid-September under a barter agreement, along with two Russians.SpaceX has now launched eight crews for NASA. Boeing was hired at the same time nearly a decade ago, but has yet to fly astronauts. Its crew capsule is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-starliner-capsule-space-launch-delay-5d162444f9e5a753f8eccc7bc54ab5b6">grounded until 2024</a>&nbsp;by parachute and other issues.

🎥 SpaceX  sends 4 astronauts from 4 countries to space station

ATLANTA (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-indictment-meadows-guiliani-084efc6796becef3714196cee3854cf6https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-indictment-meadows-guiliani-084efc6796becef3714196cee3854cf6">18 people</a>&nbsp;indicted along with him in Georgia on charges that they participated in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-grand-jury-willis-d39562cedfc60d64948708de1b011ed3">wide-ranging illegal scheme</a>&nbsp;to overturn the results of the 2020 election have all turned themselves in to a jail in Atlanta before the deadline at noon Friday.

After Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-atlanta-indictment-republican-primary-7f4e9860859fbb71221b6a5163aaa42f">booked Thursday evening</a>&nbsp;— scowling at the camera for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mug-shot-donald-trump-indictment-839920116a244df3e55bdedf33820a80">first-ever mug shot of a former president</a>&nbsp;— seven co-defendants who had not yet surrendered did so Friday morning. All but one of those charged had agreed to a bond amount and conditions with Fulton County District Fani Willis ahead of time, and they were free to go after booking.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-maryland-fbi-agent-assault-6cc51e5accf7dc48fa4e4edc89ad748d">Harrison William Prescott Floyd</a>, who is accused of harassing a Fulton County election worker, did not negotiate a bond ahead of time and remained in the jail after turning himself in Thursday. Federal court records from Maryland show Floyd, identified as a former U.S. Marine who’s active with the group Black Voices for Trump, was also arrested three months ago on a federal warrant that accuses him of aggressively confronting two FBI agents sent to serve him with a grand jury subpoena.

Next, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee is expected to set arraignments for each of the defendants in the coming weeks. That's when they would appear in court for the first time and enter a plea of guilty or not guilty, though it is not uncommon for defendants in Georgia to waive arraignment.

The case filed under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-trump-election-investigation-indictment-rico-willis-2b18a1c1ed6a4ce22b1a2ca88ea861e3">Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act</a>, or RICO, is sprawling, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-indictment-donald-trump-fani-willis-racketeering-299d9e597b0dffbd7636d3e798128a3e">logistics of bringing it to trial</a>&nbsp;are likely to be complicated. Legal maneuvering by several of those charged has already begun.

At least five of them are trying to move their cases to federal court. Two are former federal officials: former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former U.S. Department of Justice official Jeffrey Clark. The other three — former Georgia Republican Party chair David Shafer, Georgia state Sen. Shawn Still and Cathy Latham — are among the 16 Georgia Republicans who signed a certificate declaring falsely that Trump had won the 2020 presidential election and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors.

A judge is to hear arguments on Meadows' request Monday and on Clark's on Sept. 18. There has been speculation that Trump will also try to move to federal court.

One defendant, lawyer Kenneth Chesebro, who prosecutors say worked on the coordination and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-joe-biden-presidential-elections-election-2020-electoral-college-311f88768b65f7196f52a4757dc162e4">execution of a plan</a>&nbsp;to have 16 Georgia Republicans sign a certificate declaring falsely that Trump won and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors, has filed a demand for a speedy trial. That requires his trial start by the end of the next court term, in this case by early November. The day after he filed that request, Willis — who has said she wants to try all 19 defendants together — proposed starting the trial for everyone on Oct. 23. The judge issued an order Thursday setting an Oct. 23 trial for Chesebro alone.

Trump attorney Steve Sadow on Thursday filed an objection to the proposed broad October trial date and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-georgia-election-willis-892156d8658d9fe86d47ae3828c54cb9">March date</a>&nbsp;that Willis had previously suggested. He asked that Trump's case be separated from Chesebro and any other codefendant who files a speedy trial demand.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692039434568.jpeg" alt="Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump walks to his vehicle after arriving at the Des Moines International Airport before his visit to the Iowa State Fair, Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)" />
 <figcaption>Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump walks to his vehicle after arriving at the Des Moines International Airport before his visit to the Iowa State Fair, Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-indictment-meadows-guiliani-084efc6796becef3714196cee3854cf6https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-indictment-meadows-guiliani-084efc6796becef3714196cee3854cf6">18 people</a>&nbsp;indicted along with him in Georgia on charges that they participated in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-grand-jury-willis-d39562cedfc60d64948708de1b011ed3">wide-ranging illegal scheme</a>&nbsp;to overturn the results of the 2020 election have all turned themselves in to a jail in Atlanta before the deadline at noon Friday.After Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-atlanta-indictment-republican-primary-7f4e9860859fbb71221b6a5163aaa42f">booked Thursday evening</a>&nbsp;— scowling at the camera for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mug-shot-donald-trump-indictment-839920116a244df3e55bdedf33820a80">first-ever mug shot of a former president</a>&nbsp;— seven co-defendants who had not yet surrendered did so Friday morning. All but one of those charged had agreed to a bond amount and conditions with Fulton County District Fani Willis ahead of time, and they were free to go after booking.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-maryland-fbi-agent-assault-6cc51e5accf7dc48fa4e4edc89ad748d">Harrison William Prescott Floyd</a>, who is accused of harassing a Fulton County election worker, did not negotiate a bond ahead of time and remained in the jail after turning himself in Thursday. Federal court records from Maryland show Floyd, identified as a former U.S. Marine who’s active with the group Black Voices for Trump, was also arrested three months ago on a federal warrant that accuses him of aggressively confronting two FBI agents sent to serve him with a grand jury subpoena.Next, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee is expected to set arraignments for each of the defendants in the coming weeks. That's when they would appear in court for the first time and enter a plea of guilty or not guilty, though it is not uncommon for defendants in Georgia to waive arraignment.The case filed under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-trump-election-investigation-indictment-rico-willis-2b18a1c1ed6a4ce22b1a2ca88ea861e3">Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act</a>, or RICO, is sprawling, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-indictment-donald-trump-fani-willis-racketeering-299d9e597b0dffbd7636d3e798128a3e">logistics of bringing it to trial</a>&nbsp;are likely to be complicated. Legal maneuvering by several of those charged has already begun.At least five of them are trying to move their cases to federal court. Two are former federal officials: former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former U.S. Department of Justice official Jeffrey Clark. The other three — former Georgia Republican Party chair David Shafer, Georgia state Sen. Shawn Still and Cathy Latham — are among the 16 Georgia Republicans who signed a certificate declaring falsely that Trump had won the 2020 presidential election and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors.A judge is to hear arguments on Meadows' request Monday and on Clark's on Sept. 18. There has been speculation that Trump will also try to move to federal court.One defendant, lawyer Kenneth Chesebro, who prosecutors say worked on the coordination and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-joe-biden-presidential-elections-election-2020-electoral-college-311f88768b65f7196f52a4757dc162e4">execution of a plan</a>&nbsp;to have 16 Georgia Republicans sign a certificate declaring falsely that Trump won and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors, has filed a demand for a speedy trial. That requires his trial start by the end of the next court term, in this case by early November. The day after he filed that request, Willis — who has said she wants to try all 19 defendants together — proposed starting the trial for everyone on Oct. 23. The judge issued an order Thursday setting an Oct. 23 trial for Chesebro alone.Trump attorney Steve Sadow on Thursday filed an objection to the proposed broad October trial date and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-georgia-election-willis-892156d8658d9fe86d47ae3828c54cb9">March date</a>&nbsp;that Willis had previously suggested. He asked that Trump's case be separated from Chesebro and any other codefendant who files a speedy trial demand.

Trump and all 18 others charged in Georgia election case meet the deadline to surrender at jail

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/25/officials-still-unsure-on-changing-drug-use-standards-for-police-recruits/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A law enforcement panel is still considering whether to adjust its drug-use standards for new recruits after&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/12/governor-nixes-proposal-to-relax-police-trainee-standards-for-marijuana-drug-use/">Gov. Jim Pillen recently rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposal to relax them.

But one thing is clear — statistics sought by the governor aren’t available to indicate how many potential recruits are deterred by the current standards: no marijuana use in past two years and no hard drug use in the last five years.

Both Bryan Tuma, the head of the Nebraska Crime Commission, and Brian Jackson, an assistant Lincoln police chief who chairs the State Police Standards Advisory Council, said such statistics aren’t kept.

In addition, they said it would be impossible to know how many potential recruits don’t apply once they learn of Nebraska’s standards.

Jackson compared it to trying to determine how many crimes police prevented today.

“That’s part of the problem,” said Tuma, a former superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol.

One option in Nebraska, Tuma said, would be to retain the current standards but consider “extenuating circumstances” — as is allowed in state rules — in case a recruit of otherwise good character had violated the drug-use standards.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/12/governor-nixes-proposal-to-relax-police-trainee-standards-for-marijuana-drug-use/">Nebraska Examiner first reported</a>&nbsp;the governor’s rejection of the rule change proposed by the police council, a change that was portrayed as part of an effort to get more recruits into law enforcement training. The proposal would lower the drug-use standards to no marijuana use within one year and no hard drug use within three years.

Nebraska’s explicit drug standards appear to be somewhat unusual.

Both Iowa and Colorado do not have statewide standards for drug use among recruits,&nbsp;leaving that decision up to local law enforcement officers.

In Colorado, where recreational marijuana use is legal, agencies still prohibit their officers from using pot, according to Lawrence Pacheco&nbsp;of the Colorado Attorney General’s Office.

Iowa’s rules prohibit recruits who have convictions for crimes of “moral turpitude.” In those cases, a state council decides whether a recruit will be permitted to attend a law enforcement training academy or not.

Nebraska’s rules are a minimum for acceptance into the state’s Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island. Local agencies can adopt stricter standards.

But checks with law enforcement academies run by the Omaha police and Sarpy County law enforcement agencies indicated they adhere to the current state standard — no pot use in two years, no hard drug use in five years.

The Nebraska Police Standards Advisory Committee discussed the governor’s rejection of the drug-use policy at its Aug. 16 meeting without making a decision.

Jackson said the issue will be discussed again at its next meeting on Sept. 20.

Pillen in rejecting the relaxation of drug-use standards, said he understood the policy was aimed at allowing more recruits for law enforcement, but he said he felt it wasn’t “prudent” to adopt such a change without “data” showing that significant numbers of recruits were being disqualified by Nebraska’s current policy.

He invited officials to gather the data and resubmit the rule change, which apparently isn’t going to happen.

Tuma said Nebraska, along with the entire country, is seeing a smaller pool of applicants for law enforcement positions and battling less interest in it as a career.

It’s possible that drug use by younger people is part of the problem, he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692991898256.jpeg" alt=" Agencies like the Nebraska State Patrol are working to increase the number of applicants to join law enforcement amid a nationwide drop in candidates. (Courtesy of the Nebraska State Patrol)" />
 <figcaption> Agencies like the Nebraska State Patrol are working to increase the number of applicants to join law enforcement amid a nationwide drop in candidates. (Courtesy of the Nebraska State Patrol)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/25/officials-still-unsure-on-changing-drug-use-standards-for-police-recruits/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — A law enforcement panel is still considering whether to adjust its drug-use standards for new recruits after&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/12/governor-nixes-proposal-to-relax-police-trainee-standards-for-marijuana-drug-use/">Gov. Jim Pillen recently rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposal to relax them.But one thing is clear — statistics sought by the governor aren’t available to indicate how many potential recruits are deterred by the current standards: no marijuana use in past two years and no hard drug use in the last five years.Both Bryan Tuma, the head of the Nebraska Crime Commission, and Brian Jackson, an assistant Lincoln police chief who chairs the State Police Standards Advisory Council, said such statistics aren’t kept.In addition, they said it would be impossible to know how many potential recruits don’t apply once they learn of Nebraska’s standards.Jackson compared it to trying to determine how many crimes police prevented today.“That’s part of the problem,” said Tuma, a former superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol.<h2>‘Extenuating circumstances’</h2>One option in Nebraska, Tuma said, would be to retain the current standards but consider “extenuating circumstances” — as is allowed in state rules — in case a recruit of otherwise good character had violated the drug-use standards.The&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/12/governor-nixes-proposal-to-relax-police-trainee-standards-for-marijuana-drug-use/">Nebraska Examiner first reported</a>&nbsp;the governor’s rejection of the rule change proposed by the police council, a change that was portrayed as part of an effort to get more recruits into law enforcement training. The proposal would lower the drug-use standards to no marijuana use within one year and no hard drug use within three years.Nebraska’s explicit drug standards appear to be somewhat unusual.Both Iowa and Colorado do not have statewide standards for drug use among recruits,&nbsp;leaving that decision up to local law enforcement officers.In Colorado, where recreational marijuana use is legal, agencies still prohibit their officers from using pot, according to Lawrence Pacheco&nbsp;of the Colorado Attorney General’s Office.Iowa’s rules prohibit recruits who have convictions for crimes of “moral turpitude.” In those cases, a state council decides whether a recruit will be permitted to attend a law enforcement training academy or not.Nebraska’s rules are a minimum for acceptance into the state’s Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island. Local agencies can adopt stricter standards.But checks with law enforcement academies run by the Omaha police and Sarpy County law enforcement agencies indicated they adhere to the current state standard — no pot use in two years, no hard drug use in five years.<h2>National struggles with hiring</h2>The Nebraska Police Standards Advisory Committee discussed the governor’s rejection of the drug-use policy at its Aug. 16 meeting without making a decision.Jackson said the issue will be discussed again at its next meeting on Sept. 20.Pillen in rejecting the relaxation of drug-use standards, said he understood the policy was aimed at allowing more recruits for law enforcement, but he said he felt it wasn’t “prudent” to adopt such a change without “data” showing that significant numbers of recruits were being disqualified by Nebraska’s current policy.He invited officials to gather the data and resubmit the rule change, which apparently isn’t going to happen.Tuma said Nebraska, along with the entire country, is seeing a smaller pool of applicants for law enforcement positions and battling less interest in it as a career.It’s possible that drug use by younger people is part of the problem, he said.

Officials still unsure on changing drug-use standards for police recruits

JACKSON HOLE, Wyoming (AP) — The continued strength of the U.S. economy could require further interest rate increases, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Friday in a closely watched speech that also highlighted the uncertain nature of the economic outlook.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?529983-1/federal-reserve-chair-economic-outlook-monetary-policy">Click here to watch</a> Powell's statement

Powell noted that the economy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-economy-unemployment-85ac93672416e7e4115f5c9bd8089754">has been growing faster than expected</a>&nbsp;and that consumers have kept spending briskly — trends that could keep inflation pressures high. He reiterated the Fed's determination to keep its benchmark rate elevated until inflation is reduced to its 2% target.

“We are attentive to signs that the economy may not be cooling as expected," Powell said. “We are prepared to raise rates further if appropriate and intend to hold policy at a restrictive level until we are confident that inflation is moving sustainably down toward our objective.”

"Although inflation has moved down from its peak — a welcome development — it remains too high.”

Powell's speech, at an annual conference of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, highlighted the uncertainties surrounding the economy and the complexity of the Fed's response to it. It marked a contrast to his remarks here a year ago, when he bluntly warned that the Fed would continue its campaign of sharp rate hikes to rein in spiking prices.

“When it comes to another rate hike, the chair still very much has his finger on the trigger, even if it’s a bit less itchy than it was last year,” said Omair Sharif, chief economist at Inflation Insights.

Substantially higher loan rates, a direct result of the Fed’s rate hikes, have made it harder for Americans to afford a home or a car or for businesses to finance expansions. At the same time, items like rent, restaurant meals and other services are still getting costlier. “Core” inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, has remained elevated despite the Fed’s streak of 11 rate hikes beginning in March 2022.

The overall economy has nevertheless powered ahead.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-federal-reserve-def1e5500e2852bf8ec3621b7270cd61">Hiring has remained healthy</a>, confounding economists who had forecast that the spike in rates would cause&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-system-canada-business-2f3096f01c56c76432dce0a51a9dca24">widespread layoffs and a recession</a>. Consumer spending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-sales-inflation-economy-spending-f68c3a6b3f749fe8038dfbc357bed9a7">keeps growing at a healthy rate</a>. And the U.S. unemployment rate stands exactly where it did when Powell spoke last year: 3.5%, barely above a half-century low.

“He is still very concerned how rapid the economy is growing because that does actually mean, all else equal, we need higher interest rates just to be restrictive," said Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG.

In his speech, Powell did not mention the possibility that the Fed will eventually cut interest rates. Earlier this year, many on Wall Street had expected rate cuts by early next year. Now, most traders envision no interest rate cuts before mid-2024 at the earliest.

Powell said the central bank's policymakers believe their key rate is high enough to restrain the economy and cool growth, hiring and inflation. But he acknowledged that it's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-economy-unemployment-85ac93672416e7e4115f5c9bd8089754">hard to know how high borrowing costs</a>&nbsp;must be to slow the economy, “and thus there is always uncertainty” about how effectively the Fed's policies are in reducing inflation.

The Fed's officials “will proceed carefully as we decide whether to tighten further or, instead, to hold the policy rate constant and await further data,” he said.

Since Powell spoke at last summer’s Jackson Hole conference, the Fed has raised its benchmark rate to a 22-year high of 5.4%. From a peak of 9.1% in June 2022, inflation has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-9ca16040f3824b498a7129e47b65f363">slowed to 3.2%</a>, though still above the Fed’s 2% target.

Powell acknowledged the decline in inflation, which he called “very good news.” Consumer prices, excluding the volatile food and energy categories, have begun to ease.

“But two months of good data," he added, “are only the beginning of what it will take to build confidence that inflation is moving down sustainably toward our goal.”

In June, when the Fed’s 18 policymakers last issued their quarterly projections, they predicted that they would raise rates once more this year. That expectation might have changed, though, in light of milder inflation readings the government has issued in recent weeks. The officials will update their interest rate projections when they next meet Sept. 19-20.

Some Fed officials, including John Williams, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a top official on the interest-rate setting committee, have suggested that the central bank may be nearing the end of its rate hikes.

Many economists have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/recession-economy-inflation-jobs-unemployment-2ad91e65f4c0c79ebd2518e351934605">postponed or reversed their earlier forecasts for a U.S. recession</a>. Optimism that the Fed will pull off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-economy-recession-c08901d250144a322f4c423517112e5e">a difficult “soft landing”</a>&nbsp;— in which it would manage to reduce inflation to its target level without causing a steep recession — has risen.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-economy-federal-reserve-jackson-hole-inflation-892d7da599165d19e9779c9fc456f240">Many traders in the financial markets</a>&nbsp;envision not only a soft landing but an acceleration of growth. Those expectations have helped fuel a surge in bond yields, notably for the 10-year Treasury note, which heavily influences long-term mortgage rates. Accordingly, the average fixed rate on a 30-year mortgage has reached 7.23%,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-interest-housing-real-estate-937725e40ddae95e3d65cd68222f531a">the highest level in 22 years</a>. Auto loans and credit card rates have also shot higher and could weaken borrowing and consumer spending, the lifeblood of the economy.

Emily Roland, co-chief investment strategist at John Hancock Investment Management, is among the analysts who still doubt that the Fed will achieve a soft landing.

“The lag impact of all the tightening that the Fed has done — the most amount that we’ve seen in decades — is likely to bite and tip the economy into a recession," she said. "It’s just taking a while to get there.’’

Likewise, Sonia Meskin, head of U.S. macro at BNY Mellon Investment Management, said she worries that the financial markets are “underestimating the chances of a harder, delayed landing.’’

“Much of the tightening might still be in the pipeline,’’ Meskin said, and the full impact of higher rates might not hit until next year.

Some economists say they think that much higher long-term rates in the bond market might lessen the need for further Fed hikes because by slowing growth, those long-term rates should help cool inflation pressures. Indeed, many economists say they think&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-interest-rates-economy-jobs-47a78ceb285ac50217ef39e2441112ee">the Fed’s July rate increase will prove to be its last</a>.

Even if the Fed imposes no further hikes, it may still feel compelled to keep its benchmark rate elevated well into future to try to contain inflation. This would introduce a new threat: Keeping interest rates at high levels indefinitely would risk weakening the economy so much as to trigger a downturn. It could also endanger many banks by reducing the value of bonds they own — a dynamic that helped cause the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and two other large lenders last spring.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692976595162.png" alt="Powell acknowledged the decline in inflation from its peak, which he called “very good news.” And consumer prices, excluding the volatile food and energy categories, have also begun to ease.-image courtesy Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>Powell acknowledged the decline in inflation from its peak, which he called “very good news.” And consumer prices, excluding the volatile food and energy categories, have also begun to ease.-image courtesy Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON HOLE, Wyoming (AP) — The continued strength of the U.S. economy could require further interest rate increases, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Friday in a closely watched speech that also highlighted the uncertain nature of the economic outlook.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?529983-1/federal-reserve-chair-economic-outlook-monetary-policy">Click here to watch</a> Powell's statementPowell noted that the economy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-economy-unemployment-85ac93672416e7e4115f5c9bd8089754">has been growing faster than expected</a>&nbsp;and that consumers have kept spending briskly — trends that could keep inflation pressures high. He reiterated the Fed's determination to keep its benchmark rate elevated until inflation is reduced to its 2% target.“We are attentive to signs that the economy may not be cooling as expected," Powell said. “We are prepared to raise rates further if appropriate and intend to hold policy at a restrictive level until we are confident that inflation is moving sustainably down toward our objective.”"Although inflation has moved down from its peak — a welcome development — it remains too high.”Powell's speech, at an annual conference of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, highlighted the uncertainties surrounding the economy and the complexity of the Fed's response to it. It marked a contrast to his remarks here a year ago, when he bluntly warned that the Fed would continue its campaign of sharp rate hikes to rein in spiking prices.“When it comes to another rate hike, the chair still very much has his finger on the trigger, even if it’s a bit less itchy than it was last year,” said Omair Sharif, chief economist at Inflation Insights.Substantially higher loan rates, a direct result of the Fed’s rate hikes, have made it harder for Americans to afford a home or a car or for businesses to finance expansions. At the same time, items like rent, restaurant meals and other services are still getting costlier. “Core” inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, has remained elevated despite the Fed’s streak of 11 rate hikes beginning in March 2022.The overall economy has nevertheless powered ahead.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-federal-reserve-def1e5500e2852bf8ec3621b7270cd61">Hiring has remained healthy</a>, confounding economists who had forecast that the spike in rates would cause&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-system-canada-business-2f3096f01c56c76432dce0a51a9dca24">widespread layoffs and a recession</a>. Consumer spending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-sales-inflation-economy-spending-f68c3a6b3f749fe8038dfbc357bed9a7">keeps growing at a healthy rate</a>. And the U.S. unemployment rate stands exactly where it did when Powell spoke last year: 3.5%, barely above a half-century low.“He is still very concerned how rapid the economy is growing because that does actually mean, all else equal, we need higher interest rates just to be restrictive," said Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG.In his speech, Powell did not mention the possibility that the Fed will eventually cut interest rates. Earlier this year, many on Wall Street had expected rate cuts by early next year. Now, most traders envision no interest rate cuts before mid-2024 at the earliest.Powell said the central bank's policymakers believe their key rate is high enough to restrain the economy and cool growth, hiring and inflation. But he acknowledged that it's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-economy-unemployment-85ac93672416e7e4115f5c9bd8089754">hard to know how high borrowing costs</a>&nbsp;must be to slow the economy, “and thus there is always uncertainty” about how effectively the Fed's policies are in reducing inflation.The Fed's officials “will proceed carefully as we decide whether to tighten further or, instead, to hold the policy rate constant and await further data,” he said.Since Powell spoke at last summer’s Jackson Hole conference, the Fed has raised its benchmark rate to a 22-year high of 5.4%. From a peak of 9.1% in June 2022, inflation has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-9ca16040f3824b498a7129e47b65f363">slowed to 3.2%</a>, though still above the Fed’s 2% target.Powell acknowledged the decline in inflation, which he called “very good news.” Consumer prices, excluding the volatile food and energy categories, have begun to ease.“But two months of good data," he added, “are only the beginning of what it will take to build confidence that inflation is moving down sustainably toward our goal.”In June, when the Fed’s 18 policymakers last issued their quarterly projections, they predicted that they would raise rates once more this year. That expectation might have changed, though, in light of milder inflation readings the government has issued in recent weeks. The officials will update their interest rate projections when they next meet Sept. 19-20.Some Fed officials, including John Williams, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a top official on the interest-rate setting committee, have suggested that the central bank may be nearing the end of its rate hikes.Many economists have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/recession-economy-inflation-jobs-unemployment-2ad91e65f4c0c79ebd2518e351934605">postponed or reversed their earlier forecasts for a U.S. recession</a>. Optimism that the Fed will pull off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-economy-recession-c08901d250144a322f4c423517112e5e">a difficult “soft landing”</a>&nbsp;— in which it would manage to reduce inflation to its target level without causing a steep recession — has risen.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-economy-federal-reserve-jackson-hole-inflation-892d7da599165d19e9779c9fc456f240">Many traders in the financial markets</a>&nbsp;envision not only a soft landing but an acceleration of growth. Those expectations have helped fuel a surge in bond yields, notably for the 10-year Treasury note, which heavily influences long-term mortgage rates. Accordingly, the average fixed rate on a 30-year mortgage has reached 7.23%,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-interest-housing-real-estate-937725e40ddae95e3d65cd68222f531a">the highest level in 22 years</a>. Auto loans and credit card rates have also shot higher and could weaken borrowing and consumer spending, the lifeblood of the economy.Emily Roland, co-chief investment strategist at John Hancock Investment Management, is among the analysts who still doubt that the Fed will achieve a soft landing.“The lag impact of all the tightening that the Fed has done — the most amount that we’ve seen in decades — is likely to bite and tip the economy into a recession," she said. "It’s just taking a while to get there.’’Likewise, Sonia Meskin, head of U.S. macro at BNY Mellon Investment Management, said she worries that the financial markets are “underestimating the chances of a harder, delayed landing.’’“Much of the tightening might still be in the pipeline,’’ Meskin said, and the full impact of higher rates might not hit until next year.Some economists say they think that much higher long-term rates in the bond market might lessen the need for further Fed hikes because by slowing growth, those long-term rates should help cool inflation pressures. Indeed, many economists say they think&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-interest-rates-economy-jobs-47a78ceb285ac50217ef39e2441112ee">the Fed’s July rate increase will prove to be its last</a>.Even if the Fed imposes no further hikes, it may still feel compelled to keep its benchmark rate elevated well into future to try to contain inflation. This would introduce a new threat: Keeping interest rates at high levels indefinitely would risk weakening the economy so much as to trigger a downturn. It could also endanger many banks by reducing the value of bonds they own — a dynamic that helped cause the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and two other large lenders last spring.

🎥Fed Chair has more bad news for borrowers 

By JENNIFER SHUTT&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration this week announced a $1.4 billion investment in developing the so-called next generation of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell made the announcement, saying the funding is part of the $5 billion program they hope will help the country get ahead of any future changes in COVID-19.

“This is an investment in expanding our country’s ability to respond to the future variants that we might see coming out of COVID,” Becerra said. “It’s an investment in better protecting all of our community, including those who are immunocompromised, and who don’t respond well to the existing vaccines.”

The $1.4 billion in funding should allow clinical trials for a new monoclonal antibody to start this autumn with clinical trials for a new COVID-19 vaccine starting as soon as the winter, O’Connell said.

“Project NextGen is operationalizing the lessons we’ve learned about the COVID-19 virus to broaden the nation’s medicine cabinet and increase protection for all communities,” O’Connell said.

The Biden administration, she said, expects to announce additional funding for Project NextGen programs before the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.

An HHS official said the department is in the process of identifying the COVID-19 vaccines that will move into the Phase IIb clinical trials.

Once the vaccines are identified, the HHS official said, the department would be able to “accelerate” their movement into clinical trials since a lot of the preparation to start a clinical trial can be going on before the vaccines are identified.

The HHS official said the timeline for moving the next generation of COVID-19 vaccines to doctors’ offices and pharmacies will be determined by the data and how effective they may be when compared with the current vaccines.

By JENNIFER SHUTT&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — The Biden administration this week announced a $1.4 billion investment in developing the so-called next generation of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell made the announcement, saying the funding is part of the $5 billion program they hope will help the country get ahead of any future changes in COVID-19.“This is an investment in expanding our country’s ability to respond to the future variants that we might see coming out of COVID,” Becerra said. “It’s an investment in better protecting all of our community, including those who are immunocompromised, and who don’t respond well to the existing vaccines.”The $1.4 billion in funding should allow clinical trials for a new monoclonal antibody to start this autumn with clinical trials for a new COVID-19 vaccine starting as soon as the winter, O’Connell said.“Project NextGen is operationalizing the lessons we’ve learned about the COVID-19 virus to broaden the nation’s medicine cabinet and increase protection for all communities,” O’Connell said.The Biden administration, she said, expects to announce additional funding for Project NextGen programs before the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.The projects funded on Tuesday include<ul>
 <li>$1 billion for four Phase IIb clinical trial studies on a COVID-19 vaccine. That funding will go to ICON Government and Public Health Solutions, Inc of Hinckley, Ohio; Pharm-Olam, LLC, of Houston, Texas; Technical Resources International (TRI), Inc., of Bethesda, Maryland; and Rho Federal Systems, Inc., Durham, North Carolina.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$326 million to Regeneron for a monoclonal antibody to prevent COVID-19.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$100 million to Global Health Investment Corp., a non-profit organization that is managing an investment portfolio known as BARDA Ventures, referring to the federal agency called Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. The portfolio should “expand investments in new technologies that will accelerate responses in the future,” according to a statement from HHS.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$10 million to Johnson &amp; Johnson Innovation for a competition through Blue Knight, which HHS said in its statement is a partnership between BARDA and JLABS.</li>
 </ul>An HHS official said the department is in the process of identifying the COVID-19 vaccines that will move into the Phase IIb clinical trials.Once the vaccines are identified, the HHS official said, the department would be able to “accelerate” their movement into clinical trials since a lot of the preparation to start a clinical trial can be going on before the vaccines are identified.The HHS official said the timeline for moving the next generation of COVID-19 vaccines to doctors’ offices and pharmacies will be determined by the data and how effective they may be when compared with the current vaccines.

Biden admin. spending $1.4 billion to study improved COVID vaccines:

AUGUST 25, 2022 (GRAND ISLAND, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Nebraska is on display for the next ten days at the Nebraska State Fair and Nebraska State Troopers will be working to keep the event safe for all. Troopers are also looking to recruit the next generation of Troopers throughout the fair.

“We’re excited for another great year at the Nebraska State Fair,” said Captain Dean Riedel, Commander of Troop C, based in Grand Island. “We encourage everyone to travel safely on the way to the fair and have a great time during the event. Our troopers will be on patrol throughout the grounds if you need assistance.”

Fairgoers can check out the NSP booth inside the Pinnacle Bank Expo Building. Kids can get their own replica trooper hat, take a shot on the “Become A Trooper” basketball hoop, watch an NSP drone flight, and meet troopers from around the state.

In addition to the NSP booth, troopers and investigators will also patrol the fairgrounds to keep patrons safe. Troopers work in a variety of ways throughout the fair, using bicycles and all-terrain vehicles. The fair begins today and runs through Labor Day, September 4 at Fonner Park in Grand Island.

Any visitor in need of law enforcement assistance can contact any of the troopers patrolling throughout the fair, visit the NSP booth in the Expo Building, or go directly to the NSP Security Office, located at the Fonner Park Racing Office.

Cody Thomas Nebraska State PatrolAUGUST 25, 2022 (GRAND ISLAND, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Nebraska is on display for the next ten days at the Nebraska State Fair and Nebraska State Troopers will be working to keep the event safe for all. Troopers are also looking to recruit the next generation of Troopers throughout the fair.“We’re excited for another great year at the Nebraska State Fair,” said Captain Dean Riedel, Commander of Troop C, based in Grand Island. “We encourage everyone to travel safely on the way to the fair and have a great time during the event. Our troopers will be on patrol throughout the grounds if you need assistance.”Fairgoers can check out the NSP booth inside the Pinnacle Bank Expo Building. Kids can get their own replica trooper hat, take a shot on the “Become A Trooper” basketball hoop, watch an NSP drone flight, and meet troopers from around the state.In addition to the NSP booth, troopers and investigators will also patrol the fairgrounds to keep patrons safe. Troopers work in a variety of ways throughout the fair, using bicycles and all-terrain vehicles. The fair begins today and runs through Labor Day, September 4 at Fonner Park in Grand Island.Any visitor in need of law enforcement assistance can contact any of the troopers patrolling throughout the fair, visit the NSP booth in the Expo Building, or go directly to the NSP Security Office, located at the Fonner Park Racing Office.

Troopers on Patrol at Nebraska State Fair

OMAHA, Neb. – Even though it’s the dog days of summer, fall will be top of mind as Scooter’s Coffee puts a fun spin on its puppy-loved Pup Cups for National Dog Day on Saturday, Aug. 26. Dogs can enjoy a free, fall-inspired Pumpkin Spice Pup Cup made up of all dog-friendly ingredients, including whipped cream, a pumpkin dog treat and a dusting of cinnamon. The first 15 canine customers at each Scooter’s Coffee store on National Dog Day also will receive a bandana imprinted with the Scooter’s Coffee signature Smiley logo, at participating locations while supplies last.

“We know how much dogs mean to our customers, and with the upcoming launch of the Scooter’s Coffee fall menu and popular pumpkin offerings, we wanted to provide something special for our pup friends to celebrate National Dog Day,” said Scooter’s Coffee Chief Community Officer Bill Black. “It’s always fun to see our customers’ Pup Cup photos, and we look forward to seeing how their dogs enjoy the new Pumpkin Spice Pup Cups.”

Scooter’s Coffee also is launching a search for the first-ever Scooter’s Coffee Dogfluencer. A participant may enter their dog in this Contest by timely completing all of the following actions:

Between Aug. 28 and Aug. 29, customers can visit Scooter’s Coffee Facebook or Instagram to view the top six finalists that the company selected and vote for their favorite dog. The dog with the most votes will be announced on Aug. 30 and receive the grand prize of being featured on a billboard in Omaha, Neb., where Scooter’s Coffee is headquartered. The winning dog’s owner will receive a doggy bag full of fun surprises and free coffee for a year, via a credit through the <a href="https://www.scooterscoffee.com/mobileapp">Scooter’s Coffee Mobile App</a>. The remaining finalists will also receive a doggy bag.&nbsp;

Visit <a href="http://www.scooterscoffee.com/NationalDogDay">scooterscoffee.com/NationalDogDay</a> for specific terms and conditions, and to learn more about how Scooter’s Coffee is celebrating National Dog Day.

About Scooter’s Coffee Founded in 1998 by Don and Linda Eckles in Bellevue, Nebraska, Scooter’s Coffee uses only the finest coffee beans in the world, which are roasted by its affiliated company, Harvest Roasting, in Omaha, Nebraska. In over 25 years of business, the key to Scooter’s Coffee’s success is simple: stay committed to the original business principles and company’s four core values, which are Integrity, Love, Humility and Courage. The Scooter’s Coffee Brand Promise, often recited to franchisees, customers and employees, is: “Amazing People, Amazing Drinks… Amazingly Fast!®” It represents the company’s business origins and reflects a steady commitment to providing an unforgettable experience to loyal and new customers.

Scooter’s Coffee, celebrating its 25th&nbsp;anniversary in 2023, is at the dawn of a strategic growth phase. The company is approaching 700 stores in 29 states, with plans to have 1,000 franchise stores open by the end of 2024. The U.S. coffee market is an estimated&nbsp;$48 billion-a-year, recession-resistant industry, and Scooter’s Coffee is striving to become the #1 drive-thru specialty coffee franchise system in the nation.

For more information, visit <a href="https://scooterscoffee.com/">scooterscoffee.com</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ScootersCoffee">facebook.com/scooterscoffee</a>, or <a href="https://ownascooters.com/">ownascooters.com</a>, or call 877-494-7004.

OMAHA, Neb. – Even though it’s the dog days of summer, fall will be top of mind as Scooter’s Coffee puts a fun spin on its puppy-loved Pup Cups for National Dog Day on Saturday, Aug. 26. Dogs can enjoy a free, fall-inspired Pumpkin Spice Pup Cup made up of all dog-friendly ingredients, including whipped cream, a pumpkin dog treat and a dusting of cinnamon. The first 15 canine customers at each Scooter’s Coffee store on National Dog Day also will receive a bandana imprinted with the Scooter’s Coffee signature Smiley logo, at participating locations while supplies last.“We know how much dogs mean to our customers, and with the upcoming launch of the Scooter’s Coffee fall menu and popular pumpkin offerings, we wanted to provide something special for our pup friends to celebrate National Dog Day,” said Scooter’s Coffee Chief Community Officer Bill Black. “It’s always fun to see our customers’ Pup Cup photos, and we look forward to seeing how their dogs enjoy the new Pumpkin Spice Pup Cups.”Scooter’s Coffee also is launching a search for the first-ever Scooter’s Coffee Dogfluencer. A participant may enter their dog in this Contest by timely completing all of the following actions:<ul>
 <li>LIKE and FOLLOW <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ScootersCoffee">Scooter’s Coffee on Facebook</a> or FOLLOW <a href="https://www.instagram.com/scooterscoffee/">Scooter’s Coffee on Instagram</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>LIKE the Aug. 25 Facebook or Instagram post that announces the contest and TAG three friends in the comments.&nbsp;</li><li>VISIT a Scooter’s Coffee location during operating hours on Aug. 26 and take a photo of participant’s dog enjoying a free Pumpkin Spice Pup Cup.&nbsp;</li><li>UPLOAD the photo to participant’s Facebook or Instagram between Aug. 26 and Aug. 27, utilizing the hashtag #ScootersPupCup and tagging Scooter’s Coffee in the post.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Between Aug. 28 and Aug. 29, customers can visit Scooter’s Coffee Facebook or Instagram to view the top six finalists that the company selected and vote for their favorite dog. The dog with the most votes will be announced on Aug. 30 and receive the grand prize of being featured on a billboard in Omaha, Neb., where Scooter’s Coffee is headquartered. The winning dog’s owner will receive a doggy bag full of fun surprises and free coffee for a year, via a credit through the <a href="https://www.scooterscoffee.com/mobileapp">Scooter’s Coffee Mobile App</a>. The remaining finalists will also receive a doggy bag.&nbsp;Visit <a href="http://www.scooterscoffee.com/NationalDogDay">scooterscoffee.com/NationalDogDay</a> for specific terms and conditions, and to learn more about how Scooter’s Coffee is celebrating National Dog Day.About Scooter’s Coffee Founded in 1998 by Don and Linda Eckles in Bellevue, Nebraska, Scooter’s Coffee uses only the finest coffee beans in the world, which are roasted by its affiliated company, Harvest Roasting, in Omaha, Nebraska. In over 25 years of business, the key to Scooter’s Coffee’s success is simple: stay committed to the original business principles and company’s four core values, which are Integrity, Love, Humility and Courage. The Scooter’s Coffee Brand Promise, often recited to franchisees, customers and employees, is: “Amazing People, Amazing Drinks… Amazingly Fast!®” It represents the company’s business origins and reflects a steady commitment to providing an unforgettable experience to loyal and new customers.Scooter’s Coffee, celebrating its 25th&nbsp;anniversary in 2023, is at the dawn of a strategic growth phase. The company is approaching 700 stores in 29 states, with plans to have 1,000 franchise stores open by the end of 2024. The U.S. coffee market is an estimated&nbsp;$48 billion-a-year, recession-resistant industry, and Scooter’s Coffee is striving to become the #1 drive-thru specialty coffee franchise system in the nation. For more information, visit <a href="https://scooterscoffee.com/">scooterscoffee.com</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ScootersCoffee">facebook.com/scooterscoffee</a>, or <a href="https://ownascooters.com/">ownascooters.com</a>, or call 877-494-7004.

Scooter’s Coffee® Celebrates National Dog Day with Free Pumpkin  Spice Pup Cups, Giveaways and Search for a Dogfluencer

ATLANTA (AP) — A scowling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump" target="_blank">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;posed for a mug shot Thursday as he surrendered inside a jail in Atlanta on charges that he illegally schemed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-grand-jury-willis-d39562cedfc60d64948708de1b011ed3" target="_blank">overturn the 2020 election in Georgia</a>, creating a historic and humbling visual underscoring the former president’s escalating legal troubles.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mug-shot-donald-trump-indictment-839920116a244df3e55bdedf33820a80" target="_blank">booking photo</a>&nbsp;instantly becomes part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mug-shot-donald-trump-indictment-839920116a244df3e55bdedf33820a80" target="_blank">former president’s legacy</a>&nbsp;as he confronts criminal charges in four American cities while seeking to reclaim the White House.

His aides swiftly seized on the image, fundraising off the first mug shot in American history of a former president as representative of the persecution they contend Trump is encountering. His opponents, meanwhile, are likely to use it to remind voters of dangers in electing a president facing dozens of felony charges.

Trump was released on $200,000 bond and headed back to the airport for his return flight home to New Jersey, flashing a thumbs-up through the window of his sport utility vehicle as his motorcade left. Unrepentant but subdued after the brief jail visit, he again insisted that he “did nothing wrong” and called the case accusing him of subverting election results a “travesty of justice.”

“If you challenge an election, you should be able to challenge an election,” he told reporters on the airport tarmac.

Trump’s surrender to law enforcement authorities, the fourth time this year, has by now become a familiar election-season routine in a way that belies the unprecedented spectacle of a former president, and current candidate, being booked on criminal charges. But his visit to Atlanta was notably different from the three past surrenders, unfolding at night and requiring him to visit a problem-plagued jail - rather than a courthouse.

And unlike in other cities that did not require him to pose for a mug shot, a booking photo of him was taken. It depicts Trump, wearing a navy suit and red tie, angrily scowling at the camera, his brows furrowed as he stares into the lens.

Before Trump’s plane had crossed North Carolina, his campaign was already using the image to solicit contributions on a fundraising site. And for the first time since Jan. 8, 2021, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-twitter-tweets-return-49594b9f72c68a309758e19bc9cdce0f" target="_blank">made a post on X</a>, the website formerly known as Twitter, issuing a fundraising plea on the platform that prevented him from using his account after he helped spark the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege" target="_blank">violent insurrection</a>&nbsp;at the U.S. Capitol.

“This mugshot will forever go down in history as a symbol of America’s defiance of tyranny,” said a Trump campaign fundraising email.

He also called into conservative TV channel Newsmax to talk about what he said had been “a very sad day for our country.”

His jail visit created a remarkable split-screen visual during a 2024 Republican primary contest in which he remains the leading candidate, swiping the spotlight at least temporarily from his opponents and coming one day after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/first-republican-debate-2024-elections-gop-89812d5aa1ed6a4ebe7373ff36858250" target="_blank">debate in Milwaukee</a>&nbsp;where eight of his leading rivals sought to exploit Trump’s absence by trying to stand out from the pack.

Trump landed in Atlanta around 7 p.m. and was driven to jail for the booking process. He offered a wave and thumbs-up as he descended the steps of his private plane.

He completed the process in a brisk 20 minutes, providing officials as is customary with his physical measurements: 6 foot 3 inches. 215 pounds. Blond or strawberry hair. And Trump, who for four years in the White House reveled in the title of “Mr. President,” was given the inmate number of P01135809.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692965420915.png" alt="<a href="https://secure.winred.com/save-america-joint-fundraising-committee/storefront/?utm_medium=ad&amp;utm_source=ci_d_google&amp;utm_content=merch_sa&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwoqGnBhAcEiwAwK-OkaZiWlh4S9H_vnsbqb5BElRpCKuPZA0HBkU2HP5hBbBP913L2Y6jeBoCtmsQAvD_BwE">MAGA gear on the Trump campaign web site</a>" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://secure.winred.com/save-america-joint-fundraising-committee/storefront/?utm_medium=ad&amp;utm_source=ci_d_google&amp;utm_content=merch_sa&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwoqGnBhAcEiwAwK-OkaZiWlh4S9H_vnsbqb5BElRpCKuPZA0HBkU2HP5hBbBP913L2Y6jeBoCtmsQAvD_BwE">MAGA gear on the Trump campaign web site</a></figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — A scowling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump" target="_blank">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;posed for a mug shot Thursday as he surrendered inside a jail in Atlanta on charges that he illegally schemed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-grand-jury-willis-d39562cedfc60d64948708de1b011ed3" target="_blank">overturn the 2020 election in Georgia</a>, creating a historic and humbling visual underscoring the former president’s escalating legal troubles.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump remarks after Fulton County Jail booking: &quot;If you challenge an election, you should be able to challenge an election. I thought the election was a rigged election, a stolen election and I should have every right to do that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/RF98T5ghb5">pic.twitter.com/RF98T5ghb5</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1694871700968817018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mug-shot-donald-trump-indictment-839920116a244df3e55bdedf33820a80" target="_blank">booking photo</a>&nbsp;instantly becomes part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mug-shot-donald-trump-indictment-839920116a244df3e55bdedf33820a80" target="_blank">former president’s legacy</a>&nbsp;as he confronts criminal charges in four American cities while seeking to reclaim the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/MlIKklPSJT">https://t.co/MlIKklPSJT</a> <a href="https://t.co/Mcbf2xozsY">pic.twitter.com/Mcbf2xozsY</a>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1694886846050771321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>His aides swiftly seized on the image, fundraising off the first mug shot in American history of a former president as representative of the persecution they contend Trump is encountering. His opponents, meanwhile, are likely to use it to remind voters of dangers in electing a president facing dozens of felony charges.Trump was released on $200,000 bond and headed back to the airport for his return flight home to New Jersey, flashing a thumbs-up through the window of his sport utility vehicle as his motorcade left. Unrepentant but subdued after the brief jail visit, he again insisted that he “did nothing wrong” and called the case accusing him of subverting election results a “travesty of justice.”“If you challenge an election, you should be able to challenge an election,” he told reporters on the airport tarmac.Trump’s surrender to law enforcement authorities, the fourth time this year, has by now become a familiar election-season routine in a way that belies the unprecedented spectacle of a former president, and current candidate, being booked on criminal charges. But his visit to Atlanta was notably different from the three past surrenders, unfolding at night and requiring him to visit a problem-plagued jail - rather than a courthouse.And unlike in other cities that did not require him to pose for a mug shot, a booking photo of him was taken. It depicts Trump, wearing a navy suit and red tie, angrily scowling at the camera, his brows furrowed as he stares into the lens.Before Trump’s plane had crossed North Carolina, his campaign was already using the image to solicit contributions on a fundraising site. And for the first time since Jan. 8, 2021, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-twitter-tweets-return-49594b9f72c68a309758e19bc9cdce0f" target="_blank">made a post on X</a>, the website formerly known as Twitter, issuing a fundraising plea on the platform that prevented him from using his account after he helped spark the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege" target="_blank">violent insurrection</a>&nbsp;at the U.S. Capitol.“This mugshot will forever go down in history as a symbol of America’s defiance of tyranny,” said a Trump campaign fundraising email.He also called into conservative TV channel Newsmax to talk about what he said had been “a very sad day for our country.”His jail visit created a remarkable split-screen visual during a 2024 Republican primary contest in which he remains the leading candidate, swiping the spotlight at least temporarily from his opponents and coming one day after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/first-republican-debate-2024-elections-gop-89812d5aa1ed6a4ebe7373ff36858250" target="_blank">debate in Milwaukee</a>&nbsp;where eight of his leading rivals sought to exploit Trump’s absence by trying to stand out from the pack.Trump landed in Atlanta around 7 p.m. and was driven to jail for the booking process. He offered a wave and thumbs-up as he descended the steps of his private plane.He completed the process in a brisk 20 minutes, providing officials as is customary with his physical measurements: 6 foot 3 inches. 215 pounds. Blond or strawberry hair. And Trump, who for four years in the White House reveled in the title of “Mr. President,” was given the inmate number of P01135809.