Duck hunters again must choose between two daily bag limits when they register for their Harvest Information Program number this year.

Nebraska and South Dakota are entering the third year of a “two-tier” program for the regular duck season.

Tier I is a traditional six-duck bag limit with species and sex restrictions. Tier II is a three-duck bag limit with no species or sex restrictions.

HIP registration begins Aug. 1. During the registration process, hunters will be asked if they plan to hunt ducks. If they do, they will be prompted to select a tier. Hunters will be bound to that bag limit for the entire season.

The regulations will not apply to goose limits or during the early teal season, which have their own bag limits.

All hunters age 16 and older, including residents, nonresidents, lifetime permit holders, veterans and senior permit holders, are required to register for HIP if they plan to hunt migratory game birds in Nebraska between Sept. 1, 2023, and July 31, 2024.

Residents under the age of 16 are exempt from the HIP requirement only if they choose the Tier I bag limit. All hunters must register for HIP if selecting Tier II. All nonresidents, regardless of age, must register for HIP for either tier.

Hunters who choose the Tier II option will be provided a journal, where they will record information on hunting activity and harvest. The journal will be submitted to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission at the end of the hunting season.

In addition, postage-paid envelopes will be provided to most Tier II hunters with the expectation that a wing from each duck harvested be sent. This process is crucial for federal collection efforts when estimating harvest. Duck harvest and species composition then will be compared to hunters using the Tier I option. If enough wings are not received to evaluate the harvest by Tier II hunters, the program will be unlikely to continue past the experimental phase.

New this year, starting Aug. 1, hunters must register for HIP through their permit system customer profile at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cuZ29vdXRkb29yc25lLmNvbS8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNzE4Ljc5ODIyMzkxIn0.bRqgKAgcptGJQQCXJBrcy19vdnvqIbGR-oOEQZrbaYM/s/401498001/br/222823870505-l" target="_blank">GoOutdoorsNE.com</a>. Registered hunters are assigned a number they must carry with them while hunting. Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cub3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNzE4Ljc5ODIyMzkxIn0.Tw3m2Ej9u97E6_lfB7hZVcGabPKMhs20B4aszQC1qiY/s/401498001/br/222823870505-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov</a>.

HIP, which is required by federal regulation of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, helps wildlife managers estimate the number of migratory game birds harvested each year. Migratory birds include doves, ducks, geese, snipe, rail, coots and woodcock.

The two-tier program will continue for the next two seasons, and then be reexamined to determine whether it affected waterfowl hunter numbers and duck populations.

Nebraska Games and ParkDuck hunters again must choose between two daily bag limits when they register for their Harvest Information Program number this year.Nebraska and South Dakota are entering the third year of a “two-tier” program for the regular duck season.Tier I is a traditional six-duck bag limit with species and sex restrictions. Tier II is a three-duck bag limit with no species or sex restrictions.HIP registration begins Aug. 1. During the registration process, hunters will be asked if they plan to hunt ducks. If they do, they will be prompted to select a tier. Hunters will be bound to that bag limit for the entire season.The regulations will not apply to goose limits or during the early teal season, which have their own bag limits.All hunters age 16 and older, including residents, nonresidents, lifetime permit holders, veterans and senior permit holders, are required to register for HIP if they plan to hunt migratory game birds in Nebraska between Sept. 1, 2023, and July 31, 2024.Residents under the age of 16 are exempt from the HIP requirement only if they choose the Tier I bag limit. All hunters must register for HIP if selecting Tier II. All nonresidents, regardless of age, must register for HIP for either tier.Hunters who choose the Tier II option will be provided a journal, where they will record information on hunting activity and harvest. The journal will be submitted to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission at the end of the hunting season.In addition, postage-paid envelopes will be provided to most Tier II hunters with the expectation that a wing from each duck harvested be sent. This process is crucial for federal collection efforts when estimating harvest. Duck harvest and species composition then will be compared to hunters using the Tier I option. If enough wings are not received to evaluate the harvest by Tier II hunters, the program will be unlikely to continue past the experimental phase.New this year, starting Aug. 1, hunters must register for HIP through their permit system customer profile at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cuZ29vdXRkb29yc25lLmNvbS8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNzE4Ljc5ODIyMzkxIn0.bRqgKAgcptGJQQCXJBrcy19vdnvqIbGR-oOEQZrbaYM/s/401498001/br/222823870505-l" target="_blank">GoOutdoorsNE.com</a>. Registered hunters are assigned a number they must carry with them while hunting. Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cub3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNzE4Ljc5ODIyMzkxIn0.Tw3m2Ej9u97E6_lfB7hZVcGabPKMhs20B4aszQC1qiY/s/401498001/br/222823870505-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov</a>.HIP, which is required by federal regulation of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, helps wildlife managers estimate the number of migratory game birds harvested each year. Migratory birds include doves, ducks, geese, snipe, rail, coots and woodcock.The two-tier program will continue for the next two seasons, and then be reexamined to determine whether it affected waterfowl hunter numbers and duck populations.

Duck hunters select from two bag limits when registering for HIP

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A bison severely injured a Minnesota woman on Saturday in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the National Park Service said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/thro/learn/news/visitor-injured-by-bison-thro.htm">statement</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday.

Park officials reported she was in serious but stable condition after suffering “significant injuries to her abdomen and foot.”

The woman was taken to a Fargo hospital after being transported by ambulance to a hospital in Dickinson, about 30 miles (48.28 kilometers) east of Painted Canyon, a colorful Badlands vista popular with motorists, where she was injured at a trailhead.

The attack is under investigation; exact details are unknown. Park Superintendent Angie Richman did not immediately respond to an email requesting information.

On Monday, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yellowstone-national-park-bison-attack-996cd6cadd71dc0aa7c1926b001d6358">bison charged and gored a 47-year-old Phoenix woman</a>&nbsp;in Yellowstone National Park. She sustained significant injuries to her chest and abdomen and was taken by helicopter to an Idaho Falls hospital.

Park officials reminded visitors that bison are large, powerful and wild, and can turn quickly and easily outrun people. Bulls can be aggressive during the rutting season from mid-July through August. Park regulations require visitors stay at least 25 yards (23 meters) away from large animals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669050091172.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A bison severely injured a Minnesota woman on Saturday in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the National Park Service said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/thro/learn/news/visitor-injured-by-bison-thro.htm">statement</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday.Park officials reported she was in serious but stable condition after suffering “significant injuries to her abdomen and foot.”The woman was taken to a Fargo hospital after being transported by ambulance to a hospital in Dickinson, about 30 miles (48.28 kilometers) east of Painted Canyon, a colorful Badlands vista popular with motorists, where she was injured at a trailhead.The attack is under investigation; exact details are unknown. Park Superintendent Angie Richman did not immediately respond to an email requesting information.On Monday, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yellowstone-national-park-bison-attack-996cd6cadd71dc0aa7c1926b001d6358">bison charged and gored a 47-year-old Phoenix woman</a>&nbsp;in Yellowstone National Park. She sustained significant injuries to her chest and abdomen and was taken by helicopter to an Idaho Falls hospital.Park officials reminded visitors that bison are large, powerful and wild, and can turn quickly and easily outrun people. Bulls can be aggressive during the rutting season from mid-July through August. Park regulations require visitors stay at least 25 yards (23 meters) away from large animals.

Bison attack visitors in North Dakota and Wyoming national parks

The Nebraska State Fair is pleased to announce Three Dog Night has been added to the Nebraska Lottery Concert Series, performing Tuesday, August 29, at the Heartland Events Center. Three Dog Night, at the peak of their career, achieved more top 10 hits, moved more records and sold more concert tickets than any other band of the day.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Jaime Parr, Nebraska State Fair executive director, said, “Three Dog Night is a band that has not only crossed all borders selling records around the world, but also crossed all musical genres to include pop, rock and country. We’re more than happy to add Three Dog Night to our lineup at this year’s Nebraska State Fair. It’s a concert that will make Two-Dollar Tuesday even more special.”

Three Dog Night is co-presented by the Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation and locally owned and operated GI Family Radio KRGI, and sponsored by four local firms: Tom Dinsdale Automotive, Galloway Financial, Pizza Hut and Middleton&nbsp;Electric.

Lindsey Koepke, executive director of the 1868 Foundation said, “Making the State Fair better is at the heart of everything we do, from infrastructure improvements to helping with entertainment to create an even better fairgoer experience. Adding Three Dog Night does just that. The group has over 50 years experience on the road, and since 1986 has performed over 3,000 shows - including two Super Bowls.”

GI Family Radio owner Alan Usher agrees, saying, “Three Dog Night is unique because they transcend time, bringing together both new and longtime audiences alike. With tens of millions of records sold since their inception, Three Dog Night has staying power and releases new material today as they have for the last five decades. We are excited to be a part of an event that makes the State Fair even better, and that’s not an easy thing to do.”

Tickets are all reserved seats in the Heartland Events Center unless requested to be stage side in the Dinsdale Auto Pit. Tickets are on sale now at&nbsp;<a href="http://statefair.org/" target="_blank">statefair.org</a>&nbsp;or at the Nebraska State Fair box office. Prices are $20, $35 or $50, plus fees.&nbsp;All concert tickets include State Fair admission.

Of the group’s 21 top 40 hits, those that topped the chart include: “Mama Told Me (Not To Come),” “Joy To The World” and “Black And White.” Add to that signature classics like “Shambala,” “An Old Fashioned Love Song” and “One,” and you have a concert event that includes all their hits and new material to be featured in their upcoming album release.&nbsp;(See complete list of hits at the end.)

Spirit In The Sky Production’s Jay Vavricek said, “It’s an honor to work with Jaime Parr and everyone at the Nebraska State Fair to bring Three Dog Night to Grand Island. We agree that a concert of this magnitude is a perfect fit for an already great line-up of entertainment. Three Dog Night is undoubtedly one of the greatest bands in rock and roll history.”

Tickets go on sale, Friday, July 21, 2023, at 10 a.m. Tickets are available at StateFair.org or at the Nebraska State Fair box office. The show will be inside the Heartland Events Center, Tuesday, August 29, 2023. Doors open at 6 p.m.

THREE DOG NIGHT’s 21 Top 40 Hits:&nbsp;

Nebraska State FairThe Nebraska State Fair is pleased to announce Three Dog Night has been added to the Nebraska Lottery Concert Series, performing Tuesday, August 29, at the Heartland Events Center. Three Dog Night, at the peak of their career, achieved more top 10 hits, moved more records and sold more concert tickets than any other band of the day.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jaime Parr, Nebraska State Fair executive director, said, “Three Dog Night is a band that has not only crossed all borders selling records around the world, but also crossed all musical genres to include pop, rock and country. We’re more than happy to add Three Dog Night to our lineup at this year’s Nebraska State Fair. It’s a concert that will make Two-Dollar Tuesday even more special.”Three Dog Night is co-presented by the Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation and locally owned and operated GI Family Radio KRGI, and sponsored by four local firms: Tom Dinsdale Automotive, Galloway Financial, Pizza Hut and Middleton&nbsp;Electric.Lindsey Koepke, executive director of the 1868 Foundation said, “Making the State Fair better is at the heart of everything we do, from infrastructure improvements to helping with entertainment to create an even better fairgoer experience. Adding Three Dog Night does just that. The group has over 50 years experience on the road, and since 1986 has performed over 3,000 shows - including two Super Bowls.”GI Family Radio owner Alan Usher agrees, saying, “Three Dog Night is unique because they transcend time, bringing together both new and longtime audiences alike. With tens of millions of records sold since their inception, Three Dog Night has staying power and releases new material today as they have for the last five decades. We are excited to be a part of an event that makes the State Fair even better, and that’s not an easy thing to do.”Tickets are all reserved seats in the Heartland Events Center unless requested to be stage side in the Dinsdale Auto Pit. Tickets are on sale now at&nbsp;<a href="http://statefair.org/" target="_blank">statefair.org</a>&nbsp;or at the Nebraska State Fair box office. Prices are $20, $35 or $50, plus fees.&nbsp;All concert tickets include State Fair admission.Of the group’s 21 top 40 hits, those that topped the chart include: “Mama Told Me (Not To Come),” “Joy To The World” and “Black And White.” Add to that signature classics like “Shambala,” “An Old Fashioned Love Song” and “One,” and you have a concert event that includes all their hits and new material to be featured in their upcoming album release.&nbsp;(See complete list of hits at the end.)Spirit In The Sky Production’s Jay Vavricek said, “It’s an honor to work with Jaime Parr and everyone at the Nebraska State Fair to bring Three Dog Night to Grand Island. We agree that a concert of this magnitude is a perfect fit for an already great line-up of entertainment. Three Dog Night is undoubtedly one of the greatest bands in rock and roll history.”Tickets go on sale, Friday, July 21, 2023, at 10 a.m. Tickets are available at StateFair.org or at the Nebraska State Fair box office. The show will be inside the Heartland Events Center, Tuesday, August 29, 2023. Doors open at 6 p.m.THREE DOG NIGHT’s 21 Top 40 Hits:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Mama Told Me (Not To Come) #1&nbsp;</li><li>Joy to The World #1</li><li>Black And White #1</li><li>Shambala #3&nbsp;</li><li>Easy To Be Hard #4</li><li>An Old Fashioned Love Song #4</li><li>The Show Must Go On #4</li><li>One #5</li><li>Never Been To Spain #5</li><li>Liar #7</li><li>Eli’s Coming #10</li><li>The Family Of Man #12</li><li>Celebrate #15</li><li>Out In The Country #15</li><li>Sure As I’m Sittin’ Here #16</li><li>Let Me Serenade You #17</li><li>One Man Band #19</li><li>Pieces Of April #19</li><li>Try A Little Tenderness #29</li><li>Til The World Ends #32</li><li>Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues) #33&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>

Nebraska State Fair adds Three Dog Night to Nebraska Lottery Concert Series

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials on Monday approved the first long-acting drug to protect babies and toddlers against a respiratory virus that sends tens of thousands of American children to the hospital each year.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/respiratory-syncytial-virus">RSV</a>&nbsp;is a cold-like nuisance for most healthy people, but it can be life-threatening in the very young and the elderly.

The Food and Drug Administration approved the injection for infants and children up to 2 years old who face increased risk of severe RSV.

“Monday’s approval addresses the great need for products to help reduce the impact of RSV disease on children, families and the health care system” said FDA's Dr. John Farley in a statement.

Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-covid-flu-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-4bb3180fce1ca15bb7bf4244d5c4085e">a surge in RSV cases</a>&nbsp;flooded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-covid-pandemics-072e11e5e3af77aac19fe95773a69610">U.S. hospitals</a>&nbsp;with wheezing children. There are no vaccines for babies yet, though Pfizer and other companies are working on them.

AstraZeneca’s drug, to be sold under the brand name Beyfortus, is a laboratory-made version of an antibody that helps the immune system fight off RSV. Under the FDA approval, babies — including preterm infants — can receive a single injection to protect against their first season of RSV, which typically lasts about five months. Children up to age 2 can receive another dose to protect them during their second season facing the virus.

Beyfortus, which will be marketed in the U.S. by Sanofi, is already approved in Canada,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-europe-european-commission-respiratory-syncytial-virus-government-and-politics-c46168af1b123bc8e26e1f13da7116aa">Europe</a>&nbsp;and the U.K. Sanofi did not immediately announce the U.S. price of the treatment.

FDA officials approved the drug based on three studies showing Beyfortus reduced the risk of RSV infection between 70% and 75% among infants and children 2 and younger.

Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet early next month to recommend exactly who should get the drug.

A similar antibody drug won FDA approval more than 20 years ago, but it’s only recommended for high-risk babies and requires monthly injections. Pediatricians say the drug is underutilized and they expect the longer-lasting effect of AstraZeneca's shot to improve uptake.

In the U.S., about 58,000 children younger than 5 are hospitalized for RSV each year and several hundred die.

After decades of setbacks for RSV research, drugmakers have made big strides this year, launching the first vaccines against the virus. In May, the FDA approved two RSV vaccines for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rsv-vaccine-adults-gsk-pfizer-cdc-virus-592dcd5ae36cdbec8c003511f5fd27f0">older adults</a>&nbsp;from GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer. In August, the FDA is expected to make a decision on approving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rsv-vaccine-respiratory-syncytial-virus-pregnant-42330f5b3ce608f9c5b1f4d8ed91594f">Pfizer’s vaccine for pregnant women</a>, with the aim of passing along protection to their newborns.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689685636392.png" alt="AstraZeneca’s drug, to be sold under the brand name Beyfortus, is a laboratory-made version of an antibody that helps the immune system fight off RSV.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>AstraZeneca’s drug, to be sold under the brand name Beyfortus, is a laboratory-made version of an antibody that helps the immune system fight off RSV.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials on Monday approved the first long-acting drug to protect babies and toddlers against a respiratory virus that sends tens of thousands of American children to the hospital each year.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/respiratory-syncytial-virus">RSV</a>&nbsp;is a cold-like nuisance for most healthy people, but it can be life-threatening in the very young and the elderly.The Food and Drug Administration approved the injection for infants and children up to 2 years old who face increased risk of severe RSV.“Monday’s approval addresses the great need for products to help reduce the impact of RSV disease on children, families and the health care system” said FDA's Dr. John Farley in a statement.Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-covid-flu-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-4bb3180fce1ca15bb7bf4244d5c4085e">a surge in RSV cases</a>&nbsp;flooded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-covid-pandemics-072e11e5e3af77aac19fe95773a69610">U.S. hospitals</a>&nbsp;with wheezing children. There are no vaccines for babies yet, though Pfizer and other companies are working on them.AstraZeneca’s drug, to be sold under the brand name Beyfortus, is a laboratory-made version of an antibody that helps the immune system fight off RSV. Under the FDA approval, babies — including preterm infants — can receive a single injection to protect against their first season of RSV, which typically lasts about five months. Children up to age 2 can receive another dose to protect them during their second season facing the virus.Beyfortus, which will be marketed in the U.S. by Sanofi, is already approved in Canada,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-europe-european-commission-respiratory-syncytial-virus-government-and-politics-c46168af1b123bc8e26e1f13da7116aa">Europe</a>&nbsp;and the U.K. Sanofi did not immediately announce the U.S. price of the treatment.FDA officials approved the drug based on three studies showing Beyfortus reduced the risk of RSV infection between 70% and 75% among infants and children 2 and younger.Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet early next month to recommend exactly who should get the drug.A similar antibody drug won FDA approval more than 20 years ago, but it’s only recommended for high-risk babies and requires monthly injections. Pediatricians say the drug is underutilized and they expect the longer-lasting effect of AstraZeneca's shot to improve uptake.In the U.S., about 58,000 children younger than 5 are hospitalized for RSV each year and several hundred die.After decades of setbacks for RSV research, drugmakers have made big strides this year, launching the first vaccines against the virus. In May, the FDA approved two RSV vaccines for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rsv-vaccine-adults-gsk-pfizer-cdc-virus-592dcd5ae36cdbec8c003511f5fd27f0">older adults</a>&nbsp;from GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer. In August, the FDA is expected to make a decision on approving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rsv-vaccine-respiratory-syncytial-virus-pregnant-42330f5b3ce608f9c5b1f4d8ed91594f">Pfizer’s vaccine for pregnant women</a>, with the aim of passing along protection to their newborns.

FDA OKs new drug to protect babies and toddlers from RSV

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/17/family-pleads-for-u-s-teacher-imprisoned-in-russia-were-not-forgetting-my-brother/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

WASHINGTON — Days after meeting with high-level White House officials, the family of an American teacher imprisoned in Russia walked the halls of the U.S. Capitol complex last week, pleading with U.S. leaders to remember that Marc Fogel is staring down a 14-year sentence in a penal colony on a marijuana charge.

Fogel, 61, an international baccalaureate history teacher from Pennsylvania with a lengthy resume, was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in August 2021. He was accused by Russian authorities of having marijuana in contact lens cases and cannabis oil e-cigarette cartridges in his luggage.

He was convicted in June 2022 and subsequently sentenced for “large-scale drug smuggling,” according to international news media reports quoting a Russian interior ministry statement.

Fogel is currently serving his sentence in Rybinsk, about six hours north of Moscow.

“We’re letting (lawmakers) know we’re still here, we’re still waiting, we’re still pushing,” Marc’s sister Anne Fogel told States Newsroom Thursday outside the Capitol after a long day of meetings with U.S. senators.

Marc Fogel was about to begin his 10th and final year of teaching at the Anglo-American School of Moscow, closing out a 35-year career teaching abroad in Malaysia, Mexico, Colombia, Oman, Venezuela and Russia, where he instructed the children of U.S. and other international diplomats.

He then planned to retire with his spouse, Jane, at their home in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, just northeast of Pittsburgh.

The teacher, who will turn 62 later this month, suffers from chronic pain after multiple surgeries on his back, knees, hips and rotator cuff, according to his family. Fogel walks with a limp, as one of his calf muscles atrophied over the years from numerous complications. Medical marijuana was part of Fogel’s pain management regimen; he refused to take opioids.

“That will be another birthday that he probably spends in a penal colony, which makes me very sad,” another sister, Lisa Hyland, told States Newsroom by phone from Ohio Township, Pennsylvania. “I worry about his health. He’s not that healthy to begin with. He has chronic pain and degenerative disease.”

Anne, a resident of Missoula, Montana, and Marc’s son, Ethan, met Thursday with several lawmakers, including Republican Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, who&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/stevedaines/status/1679638717068189699?s=46&amp;t=QtEnUrEjOnasn11enR93lg">posted</a>&nbsp;a photo of the meeting on Twitter.

Daines wrote: “Marc Fogel has been wrongfully detained in Russia since 2021, and I’ve been working closely with the Fogel family to press the Biden administration to escalate efforts to bring him home as soon as possible.”

But the administration has not declared Fogel “wrongfully detained.”

The family and lawmakers have been fighting for over a year for the special designation that triggers actions across government agencies to prioritize the release of an American detained abroad.

Friends, former students and loved ones planned to rally in front of the White House Saturday to pressure the administration to apply the same designation granted to other Americans jailed in Russia — including WNBA star Brittney Griner, U.S. Marine veterans Trevor Reed and Paul Whelan, and Russia’s most recent American detainee, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

President Joe Biden, speaking from Finland on Thursday, told reporters he is “serious about a prisoner exchange” for Gershkovich’s release.

“I’m serious about doing all we can to free Americans who are being illegally held in Russia or anywhere else for that matter.&nbsp; And that process is underway,” Biden said at the presidential palace in Helsinki during a joint press conference with Finland’s leader.

Jane and Ethan met with White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on July 6.

Administration officials are trying to “manage” the family’s expectations for a release, according to Anne, who is speaking for the Fogels.

“I think the priority is Evan Gershkovich at this point because Marc isn’t ‘wrongfully detained,’” Anne said.

The White House did not respond to multiple inquiries for comment about the meeting.

Other Americans ‘wrongfully detained,’ released

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/wsj-reporter-evan-gershkovich-detained-russia-cd03b0f3">Gershkovich</a>, an American journalist and son of Soviet refugees, was detained by Russian Federal Security Bureau agents in late March at a steakhouse in Yekaterinburg and arrested on espionage charges — charges that he, the Wall Street Journal and the Biden administration deny.

The Journal correspondent faces up to 20 years in prison and was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.state.gov/russias-wrongful-detention-of-journalist-evan-gershkovich/">declared “wrongfully detained”</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. State Department on April 10.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in interviews with CBS and MSNBC on July 11, said that he is “very much focused on” Gershkovich’s release, as well as the release of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.state.gov/four-year-anniversary-of-paul-whelans-wrongful-detention-in-russia/">Whelan</a>, who was arrested on spying charges at a Moscow hotel in 2018 and sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in a penal colony.

“I’m determined to bring Evan home, to bring Paul home, to bring others home,” Blinken told CBS Mornings’ Gayle King. “I have nothing that I can share with you right now. I can just tell you generally that even when we have profound, very profound differences with Russia, for example over Ukraine, that doesn’t mean that we’re not working to try to bring home Americans who are being unjustly detained.”

Fogel’s severe punishment is comparable to the nine-year sentence Russian officials levied on professional basketball player Griner — a U.S. Olympic gold medalist and six-time WNBA All Star — for having cannabis oil vape cartridges in her luggage, which she maintains were packed by accident, according to numerous media reports.

Griner was detained in February 2022, a week before Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine. (Russia forcefully occupied Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014.) The U.S. State Department declared Griner “wrongfully detained” and negotiated her December 2022 release in exchange for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/international-arms-dealer-viktor-bout-convicted-new-york-terrorism-crimes">convicted Russian international arms dealer Viktor Bout</a>.

Bout was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/nys/pressreleases/April12/boutviktorsentencing.html">sentenced</a>&nbsp;in 2012 after revealing years earlier to a confidential source for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency that he was planning to sell weapons worth millions of dollars — explosives, light aircraft, hundreds of surface-to-air missiles, 30,000 AK-47 firearms and 10 million rounds of ammunition — to guerilla fighters in Colombia who planned to use them to attack U.S. helicopters.

In April 2022, U.S. officials swapped former Russian pilot and convicted drug smuggler Konstantin Yaroshenko for the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.state.gov/release-of-u-s-citizen-trevor-reed-from-russia/">release of Reed</a>, who was declared “wrongfully detained” by the U.S. government after he was sentenced to nine years for assaulting two Russian police officers — charges he denied.

According to the family’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.freetrevorreed.com/the-incident-1">account</a>&nbsp;of the incident, Reed was inebriated, and possibly drugged, during a visit to Russia to see his girlfriend in August 2020. When those around him called for help, police took Reed into custody rather than to a medical facility.

Yaroshenko was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/nys/pressreleases/September11/yaroshenkokonstantinsentencingpr.pdf">convicted</a>&nbsp;in 2011 for conspiring to transport a portion of a 4,000-kilogram shipment of cocaine to the U.S. via Liberia.

Frustrated by unanswered requests for the State Department to designate Fogel “wrongfully detained,” a bipartisan delegation of Pennsylvania representatives in the U.S. House introduced the Marc Fogel Act in June.

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://reschenthaler.house.gov/imo/media/doc/marc_fogel_act.pdf">legislation</a>&nbsp;would compel the State Department to communicate to Congress within 180 days of reviewing evidence of Americans detained abroad.

“What this bill does is pushes and requires the State Department to report to Congress about these wrongful detention designations and why they do or don’t make them,” said freshman Democratic Rep. Chris Deluzio, who represents Fogel’s district. “In Marc’s case, he’s not been designated as wrongfully detained and that designation is an important part of our government putting its power behind getting someone brought home.”

The bill would add the mandate to the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act, the law that established the criteria for the special designation. The law is named after retired FBI agent Robert Levinson, who is presumed to have died in Iranian custody after his disappearance in 2007.

“Marc Fogel meets six of the eleven criteria established by the (Levinson Act) to be designated as wrongfully detained,” GOP Rep. Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania said in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://reschenthaler.house.gov/media/press-releases/reschenthaler-colleagues-introduce-the-marc-fogel-act">statement</a>&nbsp;upon the act’s introduction. “Since last year, I have urged the State Department to classify him as wrongfully detained and prioritize securing his release.”

The lawmakers included Fogel in a House&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/377/text">resolution</a>&nbsp;in mid-June calling for the immediate release of Gershkovich and Whelan.

The State Department does not comment on pending legislation.

“The Department continuously reviews the circumstances surrounding the detentions of U.S. nationals overseas, including those in Russia, for indicators that they are wrongful. The U.S. government continues to call on the Russian government to release Marc Fogel on humanitarian grounds. We take seriously our commitment to assist U.S. citizens abroad and to provide all appropriate consular assistance,” a State Department spokesperson said.

A companion bill has not been introduced in the Senate.

U.S. senators from Pennsylvania, along with the House delegation, wrote numerous letters to the administration last Congress and into this session.

“Mr. Fogel’s recent 14-year sentence to a maximum-security penal colony for possession of less than an ounce of medical marijuana can only be understood as a political ploy by Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian regime. Mr. Fogel, a 61-year-old with severe medical conditions, has already been detained for a year. The United States cannot stand by as Mr. Fogel wastes away in a Russian hard labor camp,” Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania wrote last August with former GOP Sen. Pat Toomey and colleagues.

Others who signed the letter to Blinken included Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Daines and Jon Tester of Montana, John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Joe Manchin III and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Tim Kaine of Virginia.

Casey has been instrumental in arranging meetings between the Fogel family and Congress, Anne said.

Pennsylvania’s freshman Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman’s office said in a statement that Fogel’s case “is not a political matter, this is a humanitarian matter.”

“John has been working with his colleagues in the Senate and the House to make sure that we can get Marc home as soon as possible,” the statement read. “We are in close consultation with the State Department to make sure every possible step is taken to free Marc from Russian captivity.”

In May, Marc and Anne’s 94-year-old mother, Malphine, accompanied Anne on a whirlwind 14 meetings with lawmakers. Marc’s other son, Sam, and Anne’s son pleaded the family’s case in 17 meetings in June.

“We’re here just letting them know that we’re not forgetting my brother,” Anne said. “And that he needs to be designated as wrongfully detained.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689692778499.jpeg" alt=" Anne Fogel, of Missoula, Montana, stands on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, July 13, 2023, between meetings with U.S. senators about securing the release of her brother, Marc Fogel, who has been detained in Russia since August 2021. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)" />
 <figcaption> Anne Fogel, of Missoula, Montana, stands on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, July 13, 2023, between meetings with U.S. senators about securing the release of her brother, Marc Fogel, who has been detained in Russia since August 2021. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Ashley Murray<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/17/family-pleads-for-u-s-teacher-imprisoned-in-russia-were-not-forgetting-my-brother/">Nebraska Examiner</a>WASHINGTON — Days after meeting with high-level White House officials, the family of an American teacher imprisoned in Russia walked the halls of the U.S. Capitol complex last week, pleading with U.S. leaders to remember that Marc Fogel is staring down a 14-year sentence in a penal colony on a marijuana charge.Fogel, 61, an international baccalaureate history teacher from Pennsylvania with a lengthy resume, was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in August 2021. He was accused by Russian authorities of having marijuana in contact lens cases and cannabis oil e-cigarette cartridges in his luggage.He was convicted in June 2022 and subsequently sentenced for “large-scale drug smuggling,” according to international news media reports quoting a Russian interior ministry statement.Fogel is currently serving his sentence in Rybinsk, about six hours north of Moscow.“We’re letting (lawmakers) know we’re still here, we’re still waiting, we’re still pushing,” Marc’s sister Anne Fogel told States Newsroom Thursday outside the Capitol after a long day of meetings with U.S. senators.<h2>35-year teaching career</h2>Marc Fogel was about to begin his 10th and final year of teaching at the Anglo-American School of Moscow, closing out a 35-year career teaching abroad in Malaysia, Mexico, Colombia, Oman, Venezuela and Russia, where he instructed the children of U.S. and other international diplomats.He then planned to retire with his spouse, Jane, at their home in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, just northeast of Pittsburgh.The teacher, who will turn 62 later this month, suffers from chronic pain after multiple surgeries on his back, knees, hips and rotator cuff, according to his family. Fogel walks with a limp, as one of his calf muscles atrophied over the years from numerous complications. Medical marijuana was part of Fogel’s pain management regimen; he refused to take opioids.“That will be another birthday that he probably spends in a penal colony, which makes me very sad,” another sister, Lisa Hyland, told States Newsroom by phone from Ohio Township, Pennsylvania. “I worry about his health. He’s not that healthy to begin with. He has chronic pain and degenerative disease.”Anne, a resident of Missoula, Montana, and Marc’s son, Ethan, met Thursday with several lawmakers, including Republican Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, who&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/stevedaines/status/1679638717068189699?s=46&amp;t=QtEnUrEjOnasn11enR93lg">posted</a>&nbsp;a photo of the meeting on Twitter.Daines wrote: “Marc Fogel has been wrongfully detained in Russia since 2021, and I’ve been working closely with the Fogel family to press the Biden administration to escalate efforts to bring him home as soon as possible.”But the administration has not declared Fogel “wrongfully detained.”The family and lawmakers have been fighting for over a year for the special designation that triggers actions across government agencies to prioritize the release of an American detained abroad.Friends, former students and loved ones planned to rally in front of the White House Saturday to pressure the administration to apply the same designation granted to other Americans jailed in Russia — including WNBA star Brittney Griner, U.S. Marine veterans Trevor Reed and Paul Whelan, and Russia’s most recent American detainee, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.President Joe Biden, speaking from Finland on Thursday, told reporters he is “serious about a prisoner exchange” for Gershkovich’s release.“I’m serious about doing all we can to free Americans who are being illegally held in Russia or anywhere else for that matter.&nbsp; And that process is underway,” Biden said at the presidential palace in Helsinki during a joint press conference with Finland’s leader.Jane and Ethan met with White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on July 6.Administration officials are trying to “manage” the family’s expectations for a release, according to Anne, who is speaking for the Fogels.“I think the priority is Evan Gershkovich at this point because Marc isn’t ‘wrongfully detained,’” Anne said.The White House did not respond to multiple inquiries for comment about the meeting.<h2>Other Americans ‘wrongfully detained,’ released</h2><a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/wsj-reporter-evan-gershkovich-detained-russia-cd03b0f3">Gershkovich</a>, an American journalist and son of Soviet refugees, was detained by Russian Federal Security Bureau agents in late March at a steakhouse in Yekaterinburg and arrested on espionage charges — charges that he, the Wall Street Journal and the Biden administration deny.The Journal correspondent faces up to 20 years in prison and was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.state.gov/russias-wrongful-detention-of-journalist-evan-gershkovich/">declared “wrongfully detained”</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. State Department on April 10.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in interviews with CBS and MSNBC on July 11, said that he is “very much focused on” Gershkovich’s release, as well as the release of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.state.gov/four-year-anniversary-of-paul-whelans-wrongful-detention-in-russia/">Whelan</a>, who was arrested on spying charges at a Moscow hotel in 2018 and sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in a penal colony.“I’m determined to bring Evan home, to bring Paul home, to bring others home,” Blinken told CBS Mornings’ Gayle King. “I have nothing that I can share with you right now. I can just tell you generally that even when we have profound, very profound differences with Russia, for example over Ukraine, that doesn’t mean that we’re not working to try to bring home Americans who are being unjustly detained.”Fogel’s severe punishment is comparable to the nine-year sentence Russian officials levied on professional basketball player Griner — a U.S. Olympic gold medalist and six-time WNBA All Star — for having cannabis oil vape cartridges in her luggage, which she maintains were packed by accident, according to numerous media reports.Griner was detained in February 2022, a week before Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine. (Russia forcefully occupied Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014.) The U.S. State Department declared Griner “wrongfully detained” and negotiated her December 2022 release in exchange for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/international-arms-dealer-viktor-bout-convicted-new-york-terrorism-crimes">convicted Russian international arms dealer Viktor Bout</a>.Bout was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/nys/pressreleases/April12/boutviktorsentencing.html">sentenced</a>&nbsp;in 2012 after revealing years earlier to a confidential source for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency that he was planning to sell weapons worth millions of dollars — explosives, light aircraft, hundreds of surface-to-air missiles, 30,000 AK-47 firearms and 10 million rounds of ammunition — to guerilla fighters in Colombia who planned to use them to attack U.S. helicopters.In April 2022, U.S. officials swapped former Russian pilot and convicted drug smuggler Konstantin Yaroshenko for the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.state.gov/release-of-u-s-citizen-trevor-reed-from-russia/">release of Reed</a>, who was declared “wrongfully detained” by the U.S. government after he was sentenced to nine years for assaulting two Russian police officers — charges he denied.According to the family’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.freetrevorreed.com/the-incident-1">account</a>&nbsp;of the incident, Reed was inebriated, and possibly drugged, during a visit to Russia to see his girlfriend in August 2020. When those around him called for help, police took Reed into custody rather than to a medical facility.Yaroshenko was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/nys/pressreleases/September11/yaroshenkokonstantinsentencingpr.pdf">convicted</a>&nbsp;in 2011 for conspiring to transport a portion of a 4,000-kilogram shipment of cocaine to the U.S. via Liberia.<h2>The Marc Fogel Act</h2>Frustrated by unanswered requests for the State Department to designate Fogel “wrongfully detained,” a bipartisan delegation of Pennsylvania representatives in the U.S. House introduced the Marc Fogel Act in June.The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://reschenthaler.house.gov/imo/media/doc/marc_fogel_act.pdf">legislation</a>&nbsp;would compel the State Department to communicate to Congress within 180 days of reviewing evidence of Americans detained abroad.“What this bill does is pushes and requires the State Department to report to Congress about these wrongful detention designations and why they do or don’t make them,” said freshman Democratic Rep. Chris Deluzio, who represents Fogel’s district. “In Marc’s case, he’s not been designated as wrongfully detained and that designation is an important part of our government putting its power behind getting someone brought home.”The bill would add the mandate to the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act, the law that established the criteria for the special designation. The law is named after retired FBI agent Robert Levinson, who is presumed to have died in Iranian custody after his disappearance in 2007.“Marc Fogel meets six of the eleven criteria established by the (Levinson Act) to be designated as wrongfully detained,” GOP Rep. Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania said in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://reschenthaler.house.gov/media/press-releases/reschenthaler-colleagues-introduce-the-marc-fogel-act">statement</a>&nbsp;upon the act’s introduction. “Since last year, I have urged the State Department to classify him as wrongfully detained and prioritize securing his release.”The lawmakers included Fogel in a House&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/377/text">resolution</a>&nbsp;in mid-June calling for the immediate release of Gershkovich and Whelan.The State Department does not comment on pending legislation.“The Department continuously reviews the circumstances surrounding the detentions of U.S. nationals overseas, including those in Russia, for indicators that they are wrongful. The U.S. government continues to call on the Russian government to release Marc Fogel on humanitarian grounds. We take seriously our commitment to assist U.S. citizens abroad and to provide all appropriate consular assistance,” a State Department spokesperson said.A companion bill has not been introduced in the Senate.<h2>Pennsylvania pressure</h2>U.S. senators from Pennsylvania, along with the House delegation, wrote numerous letters to the administration last Congress and into this session.“Mr. Fogel’s recent 14-year sentence to a maximum-security penal colony for possession of less than an ounce of medical marijuana can only be understood as a political ploy by Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian regime. Mr. Fogel, a 61-year-old with severe medical conditions, has already been detained for a year. The United States cannot stand by as Mr. Fogel wastes away in a Russian hard labor camp,” Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania wrote last August with former GOP Sen. Pat Toomey and colleagues.Others who signed the letter to Blinken included Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Daines and Jon Tester of Montana, John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Joe Manchin III and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Tim Kaine of Virginia.Casey has been instrumental in arranging meetings between the Fogel family and Congress, Anne said.Pennsylvania’s freshman Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman’s office said in a statement that Fogel’s case “is not a political matter, this is a humanitarian matter.”“John has been working with his colleagues in the Senate and the House to make sure that we can get Marc home as soon as possible,” the statement read. “We are in close consultation with the State Department to make sure every possible step is taken to free Marc from Russian captivity.”In May, Marc and Anne’s 94-year-old mother, Malphine, accompanied Anne on a whirlwind 14 meetings with lawmakers. Marc’s other son, Sam, and Anne’s son pleaded the family’s case in 17 meetings in June.“We’re here just letting them know that we’re not forgetting my brother,” Anne said. “And that he needs to be designated as wrongfully detained.”

Family pleads for U.S. teacher imprisoned in Russia: ‘We’re not forgetting my brother’

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — An American soldier facing military disciplinary actions fled across the heavily armed border from South Korea into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/north-korea">North Korea</a>, U.S. officials said Tuesday, becoming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-north-korea-border-entry-4456952c66626ea2d5a04578d4e7bb31">the first American detained in the North in nearly five years</a>.

Two U.S. officials said the soldier detained was Private 2nd Class Travis King, who had just been released from a South Korean prison where he'd been held on assault charges and was facing additional military disciplinary actions in the United States.

King, who's in his early 20s, was escorted to the airport to be returned to Fort Bliss, Texas, but instead of getting on the plane he left and joined a tour of the Korean border village of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/panmunjom">Panmunjom</a>, where he ran across the border, the officials said on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter ahead of a public announcement.

Details about King, including his hometown and what additional charges he faced, were not immediately available. It was also unclear how he managed to leave the airport while he was being escorted.

The American-led U.N. Command said he is believed to be in North Korean custody and the command is working with its North Korean counterparts to resolve the incident. North Korea’s state media didn’t immediately report on the border crossing.

Cases of Americans or South Koreans defecting to North Korea are rare, though more than 30,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea to avoid political oppression and economic difficulties since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

Panmunjom, located inside the 248-kilometer (154-mile) -long Demilitarized Zone, has been jointly overseen by the U.N. Command and North Korea since its creation at the close of the Korean War. Bloodshed and gunfire have occasionally occurred there, but it has also been a venue for numerous talks and is a popular tourist spot.

Known for its blue huts straddling concrete slabs that form&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-north-korea-border-entry-4456952c66626ea2d5a04578d4e7bb31">the demarcation line</a>, Panmunjom draws visitors from both sides who want to see the Cold War’s last frontier. No civilians live at Panmunjom. In the past, North and South Korean soldiers faced off within meters (yards) of each other.

Tours to the southern side of the village reportedly drew around 100,000 visitors a year before the coronavirus pandemic, when South Korea restricted gatherings to slow the spread of COVID-19. The tours resumed fully last year. During a short-lived period of inter-Korean engagement in 2018, Panmunjom was one of the border sites that underwent mine-clearing operations by North and South Korean army engineers as the Koreas vowed to turn the village into a “peace zone” where tourists from both sides could move around with more freedom.

In November 2017,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5deb0391ceac48558036db10c9208bef">North Korean soldiers fired 40 rounds</a>&nbsp;as one of their colleagues raced toward the South. The soldier was hit five times before he was found beneath a pile of leaves on the southern side of Panmunjom. He survived and is now in South Korea.

The most famous incident at Panmunjom happened in August 1976, when two American army officers were killed by ax-wielding North Korean soldiers. The U.S. officers had been sent to trim a 40-foot (12-meter) tree that obstructed the view from a checkpoint. The attack prompted Washington to fly nuclear-capable B-52 bombers toward the DMZ to intimidate North Korea.

Panmunjom also is where the armistice that ended the Korean War was signed. That armistice has yet to be replaced with a peace treaty, leaving the Korean Peninsula technically in a state of war. The United States still stations about 28,000 troops in South Korea.

There have been a small number of U.S. soldiers who went to North Korea during the Cold War, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ab3ea3fb4dc84f5e8233afffdec449ab">Charles Jenkins</a>, who deserted his army post in South Korea in 1965 and fled across the DMZ. He appeared in North Korean propaganda films and married a Japanese nursing student who had been abducted from Japan by North Korean agents. He died in Japan in 2017.

But in recent years, some American civilians have been arrested in North Korea after allegedly entering the country from China. They were later convicted of espionage, subversion and other anti-state acts, but were often released after the U.S. sent high-profile missions to secure their freedom.

In May 2018, North Korea released&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4b7802fb42934d18b31c000f4c99c04e">three American detainees</a>&nbsp;-– Kim Dong Chul, Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song -– who returned to the United States on a plane with then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a short-lived period of warm relations between the longtime adversaries. Later in 2018, North Korea said it expelled American Bruce Byron Lowrance. Since his ouster, there have been no reports of other Americans detained in North Korea before Tuesday’s incident.

The 2018 releases came as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was engaged in nuclear diplomacy with then-President Donald Trump. The high-stakes diplomacy collapsed in 2019 amid wrangling over U.S.-led sanctions on North Korea.

Their freedoms were a striking contrast to the fate of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/otto-warmbier-united-states-new-york-ohio-north-korea-ff3163f4d9916e4f8c9cfb74bbfba381">Otto Warmbier</a>, an American university student who died in 2017 days after he was released by North Korea in a coma after 17 months in captivity. Warmbier and other previous American detainees in North Korea were imprisoned over a variety of alleged crimes, including subversion, anti-state activities and spying.

The United States, South Korea and others have accused North Korea of using foreign detainees to wrest diplomatic concessions. Some foreigners have said after their release that their declarations of guilt were coerced while in North Korean custody.

Tuesday's border crossing happened amid high tensions over North Korea's barrage of missile tests since the start of last year. A U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-us-north-korea-nuclear-0c6a71344452d5b12420c13fd66a5a1f">nuclear-armed submarine visited South Korea</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday for the first time in four decades in deterrence against North Korea.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689700325324.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — An American soldier facing military disciplinary actions fled across the heavily armed border from South Korea into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/north-korea">North Korea</a>, U.S. officials said Tuesday, becoming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-north-korea-border-entry-4456952c66626ea2d5a04578d4e7bb31">the first American detained in the North in nearly five years</a>.Two U.S. officials said the soldier detained was Private 2nd Class Travis King, who had just been released from a South Korean prison where he'd been held on assault charges and was facing additional military disciplinary actions in the United States.King, who's in his early 20s, was escorted to the airport to be returned to Fort Bliss, Texas, but instead of getting on the plane he left and joined a tour of the Korean border village of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/panmunjom">Panmunjom</a>, where he ran across the border, the officials said on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter ahead of a public announcement.Details about King, including his hometown and what additional charges he faced, were not immediately available. It was also unclear how he managed to leave the airport while he was being escorted.The American-led U.N. Command said he is believed to be in North Korean custody and the command is working with its North Korean counterparts to resolve the incident. North Korea’s state media didn’t immediately report on the border crossing.Cases of Americans or South Koreans defecting to North Korea are rare, though more than 30,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea to avoid political oppression and economic difficulties since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.Panmunjom, located inside the 248-kilometer (154-mile) -long Demilitarized Zone, has been jointly overseen by the U.N. Command and North Korea since its creation at the close of the Korean War. Bloodshed and gunfire have occasionally occurred there, but it has also been a venue for numerous talks and is a popular tourist spot.Known for its blue huts straddling concrete slabs that form&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-north-korea-border-entry-4456952c66626ea2d5a04578d4e7bb31">the demarcation line</a>, Panmunjom draws visitors from both sides who want to see the Cold War’s last frontier. No civilians live at Panmunjom. In the past, North and South Korean soldiers faced off within meters (yards) of each other.Tours to the southern side of the village reportedly drew around 100,000 visitors a year before the coronavirus pandemic, when South Korea restricted gatherings to slow the spread of COVID-19. The tours resumed fully last year. During a short-lived period of inter-Korean engagement in 2018, Panmunjom was one of the border sites that underwent mine-clearing operations by North and South Korean army engineers as the Koreas vowed to turn the village into a “peace zone” where tourists from both sides could move around with more freedom.In November 2017,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5deb0391ceac48558036db10c9208bef">North Korean soldiers fired 40 rounds</a>&nbsp;as one of their colleagues raced toward the South. The soldier was hit five times before he was found beneath a pile of leaves on the southern side of Panmunjom. He survived and is now in South Korea.The most famous incident at Panmunjom happened in August 1976, when two American army officers were killed by ax-wielding North Korean soldiers. The U.S. officers had been sent to trim a 40-foot (12-meter) tree that obstructed the view from a checkpoint. The attack prompted Washington to fly nuclear-capable B-52 bombers toward the DMZ to intimidate North Korea.Panmunjom also is where the armistice that ended the Korean War was signed. That armistice has yet to be replaced with a peace treaty, leaving the Korean Peninsula technically in a state of war. The United States still stations about 28,000 troops in South Korea.There have been a small number of U.S. soldiers who went to North Korea during the Cold War, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ab3ea3fb4dc84f5e8233afffdec449ab">Charles Jenkins</a>, who deserted his army post in South Korea in 1965 and fled across the DMZ. He appeared in North Korean propaganda films and married a Japanese nursing student who had been abducted from Japan by North Korean agents. He died in Japan in 2017.But in recent years, some American civilians have been arrested in North Korea after allegedly entering the country from China. They were later convicted of espionage, subversion and other anti-state acts, but were often released after the U.S. sent high-profile missions to secure their freedom.In May 2018, North Korea released&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4b7802fb42934d18b31c000f4c99c04e">three American detainees</a>&nbsp;-– Kim Dong Chul, Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song -– who returned to the United States on a plane with then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a short-lived period of warm relations between the longtime adversaries. Later in 2018, North Korea said it expelled American Bruce Byron Lowrance. Since his ouster, there have been no reports of other Americans detained in North Korea before Tuesday’s incident.The 2018 releases came as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was engaged in nuclear diplomacy with then-President Donald Trump. The high-stakes diplomacy collapsed in 2019 amid wrangling over U.S.-led sanctions on North Korea.Their freedoms were a striking contrast to the fate of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/otto-warmbier-united-states-new-york-ohio-north-korea-ff3163f4d9916e4f8c9cfb74bbfba381">Otto Warmbier</a>, an American university student who died in 2017 days after he was released by North Korea in a coma after 17 months in captivity. Warmbier and other previous American detainees in North Korea were imprisoned over a variety of alleged crimes, including subversion, anti-state activities and spying.The United States, South Korea and others have accused North Korea of using foreign detainees to wrest diplomatic concessions. Some foreigners have said after their release that their declarations of guilt were coerced while in North Korean custody.Tuesday's border crossing happened amid high tensions over North Korea's barrage of missile tests since the start of last year. A U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-us-north-korea-nuclear-0c6a71344452d5b12420c13fd66a5a1f">nuclear-armed submarine visited South Korea</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday for the first time in four decades in deterrence against North Korea.

Why U.S. soldier crossed into North Korea ‘willfully, without authorization

LINCOLN (July 17, 2023) – Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) announced their Board of Directors have selected Norfolk’s Divots Conference Center-Lodge &amp; Suites, December 8-9 to host their 110th&nbsp;annual State Convention. Participants will elect officers, set policy, conduct business, and hear from speakers on issues facing agriculture.&nbsp;

The Nebraska Farmers Union block rates for rooms is $125. Call (402) 379-3833 to book rooms or go online at:&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.choicehotels.com%2freservations%2fgroups%2fIP72U8&amp;c=E,1,-CEc_ADa9rAmmVRIRtuyxBGqSu9Rl7vWdzVuxR1mLXQgfjRq_SVKwudmtybwOVFrkBBCLIwsNcBexYtwi5_Hr88Ax1IQZU2GhkJr8qmGKq1D0pZEtmDGJw,,&amp;typo=1" target="_blank">https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/IP72U8</a>.&nbsp;November 22nd&nbsp;is the booking deadline for the block.

NeFU President John Hansen said “Our membership has responded positively to the Board’s decision to rotate the location of our state convention to different communities so more members can attend. It is important that our members attend and participate in the operation of their general farm organization at all levels, local, state, and national. They are the grassroots that drives our service organization. The Divots Conference Center is an excellent facility and their staff does an outstanding job with their food and services. We strongly encourage area members and the public to join us for our 110th&nbsp;NeFU state convention.”

Delegates will elect three delegates and alternates from Nebraska to the National Farmers Union Convention to be held at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona March 10-12, 2024. In addition, Delegates will also elect NeFU Board of Directors in Districts 1 and District 5 to three-year terms and State President to a two-year term.&nbsp;

Norfolk Mayor Josh Moenning welcomed the NeFU State Convention, “The Nebraska Farmers Union, which has a rich history in Madison County and northeast Nebraska, is one of our state’s preeminent farm and ag policy organizations. Evidenced by its wide-ranging work advocating for farm families, biofuels, renewable energy, and competitive markets, NeFU has always been a thought and action leader, tirelessly working to improve the plight of rural folks and create better opportunities in rural places. On behalf of the city of Norfolk, I can say we are proud to be the host community of the 2023 NFU annual convention.”

Art Tanderup, NeFU District 7 Board of Director from Neligh said, “District 7 is proud to host this year’s State Convention. Afterall, NeFU began in Antelope County with the founding of the state’s first Local Chapter, the “Liberty Local #1” May 2, 1911. These farmers were self-reliant.&nbsp; They worked together to organize local creamery cooperatives so they would “get a fair price and an honest weigh” for their cream so everyone did better. Right from the beginning, they harnessed the power of organization to capture the benefits of cooperatively owned value-added agriculture. They realized they each did better when their neighbor also did better. That is still true today.”

Nebraska Farmers Union is a general farm organization with 3,155 farm and ranch family members dedicated to protecting and enhancing the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers and ranchers, and their rural communities.&nbsp; Since 1913, Nebraska Farmers Union has helped organize over 445 cooperatives.

John Hansen, Nebraska Farmers UnionLINCOLN (July 17, 2023) – Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) announced their Board of Directors have selected Norfolk’s Divots Conference Center-Lodge &amp; Suites, December 8-9 to host their 110th&nbsp;annual State Convention. Participants will elect officers, set policy, conduct business, and hear from speakers on issues facing agriculture.&nbsp;The Nebraska Farmers Union block rates for rooms is $125. Call (402) 379-3833 to book rooms or go online at:&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.choicehotels.com%2freservations%2fgroups%2fIP72U8&amp;c=E,1,-CEc_ADa9rAmmVRIRtuyxBGqSu9Rl7vWdzVuxR1mLXQgfjRq_SVKwudmtybwOVFrkBBCLIwsNcBexYtwi5_Hr88Ax1IQZU2GhkJr8qmGKq1D0pZEtmDGJw,,&amp;typo=1" target="_blank">https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/IP72U8</a>.&nbsp;November 22nd&nbsp;is the booking deadline for the block.NeFU President John Hansen said “Our membership has responded positively to the Board’s decision to rotate the location of our state convention to different communities so more members can attend. It is important that our members attend and participate in the operation of their general farm organization at all levels, local, state, and national. They are the grassroots that drives our service organization. The Divots Conference Center is an excellent facility and their staff does an outstanding job with their food and services. We strongly encourage area members and the public to join us for our 110th&nbsp;NeFU state convention.”Delegates will elect three delegates and alternates from Nebraska to the National Farmers Union Convention to be held at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona March 10-12, 2024. In addition, Delegates will also elect NeFU Board of Directors in Districts 1 and District 5 to three-year terms and State President to a two-year term.&nbsp;Norfolk Mayor Josh Moenning welcomed the NeFU State Convention, “The Nebraska Farmers Union, which has a rich history in Madison County and northeast Nebraska, is one of our state’s preeminent farm and ag policy organizations. Evidenced by its wide-ranging work advocating for farm families, biofuels, renewable energy, and competitive markets, NeFU has always been a thought and action leader, tirelessly working to improve the plight of rural folks and create better opportunities in rural places. On behalf of the city of Norfolk, I can say we are proud to be the host community of the 2023 NFU annual convention.”Art Tanderup, NeFU District 7 Board of Director from Neligh said, “District 7 is proud to host this year’s State Convention. Afterall, NeFU began in Antelope County with the founding of the state’s first Local Chapter, the “Liberty Local #1” May 2, 1911. These farmers were self-reliant.&nbsp; They worked together to organize local creamery cooperatives so they would “get a fair price and an honest weigh” for their cream so everyone did better. Right from the beginning, they harnessed the power of organization to capture the benefits of cooperatively owned value-added agriculture. They realized they each did better when their neighbor also did better. That is still true today.”Nebraska Farmers Union is a general farm organization with 3,155 farm and ranch family members dedicated to protecting and enhancing the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers and ranchers, and their rural communities.&nbsp; Since 1913, Nebraska Farmers Union has helped organize over 445 cooperatives.

Nebraska Farmers Union 110th Annual  State Convention to be Held at Divots Conference Center in Norfolk   

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Tuesday that he has received a letter informing him that he is a target of the Justice Department's investigation into efforts to undo the results of the 2020 presidential election, an indication that he could soon be indicted by federal prosecutors.

Trump made the claim in a post on his Truth Social platform, saying he received the target letter while with his family on Sunday night. Such a letter can precede an indictment and is used to advise individuals that prosecutors have evidence linking them to a crime; Trump received one ahead of being charged last month in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-judge-cannon-b4e51c8a2721cdf15d1b0cfaf02dcdd3">separate investigation into the mishandling of classified documents.</a>

A spokesman for special counsel Jack Smith, whose office is leading the investigation, declined to comment.

Smith's team has cast a broad net in its investigation into attempts by Trump and his allies to block the legitimate transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden in the days leading up to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol,</a>&nbsp;when Trump loyalists stormed the building in a bid to disrupt the certification of electoral votes in Congress. More than 1,000 people accused of participating in the riot have been charged.

Smith's probe has centered on a broad range of schemes from Trump and allies to keep him in power, including the use of slates of so-called fake electors in battleground states won by Biden and disputed by Trump.

Trump, who is currently the dominant early frontrunner for the Republican nomination, is scheduled to travel to Iowa Tuesday, where he is taping a town hall with Fox News host Sean Hannity.

One purpose of the target letter is to advise a potential defendant that he or she has a right to appear before the grand jury. Trump said in his post that he has been given “a very short 4 days to report to the Grand Jury, which almost always means an Arrest and indictment,” but aides did not immediately respond to questions seeking clarity.

Prosecutors in Georgia are conducting a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-grand-jury-election-485ca85e57fd80af7455a59174d10d4f">separate investigation into efforts by Trump</a>&nbsp;to reverse his election loss in that state, with the top prosecutor in Fulton County signaling that she expects to announce charging decisions next month.

In his post, Trump wrote that “they have now effectively indicted me three times.... with a probably fourth coming from Atlanta” and added in capital letters, “This witch hunt is all about election interference and a complete and total (political) weaponization of law enforTrump was indicted last month on 37 felony counts accusing him of illegally retaining hundreds of classified documents at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago. He has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial conference in that case was set for Tuesday in Fort Pierce, Fla.cement!”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686700913232.png" alt="&nbsp;One purpose of the target letter is to advise a potential defendant that he or she has a right to appear before the grand jury. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;One purpose of the target letter is to advise a potential defendant that he or she has a right to appear before the grand jury. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Tuesday that he has received a letter informing him that he is a target of the Justice Department's investigation into efforts to undo the results of the 2020 presidential election, an indication that he could soon be indicted by federal prosecutors.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689691291162.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump made the claim in a post on his Truth Social platform, saying he received the target letter while with his family on Sunday night. Such a letter can precede an indictment and is used to advise individuals that prosecutors have evidence linking them to a crime; Trump received one ahead of being charged last month in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-judge-cannon-b4e51c8a2721cdf15d1b0cfaf02dcdd3">separate investigation into the mishandling of classified documents.</a>A spokesman for special counsel Jack Smith, whose office is leading the investigation, declined to comment.Smith's team has cast a broad net in its investigation into attempts by Trump and his allies to block the legitimate transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden in the days leading up to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol,</a>&nbsp;when Trump loyalists stormed the building in a bid to disrupt the certification of electoral votes in Congress. More than 1,000 people accused of participating in the riot have been charged.Smith's probe has centered on a broad range of schemes from Trump and allies to keep him in power, including the use of slates of so-called fake electors in battleground states won by Biden and disputed by Trump.Trump, who is currently the dominant early frontrunner for the Republican nomination, is scheduled to travel to Iowa Tuesday, where he is taping a town hall with Fox News host Sean Hannity.One purpose of the target letter is to advise a potential defendant that he or she has a right to appear before the grand jury. Trump said in his post that he has been given “a very short 4 days to report to the Grand Jury, which almost always means an Arrest and indictment,” but aides did not immediately respond to questions seeking clarity.Prosecutors in Georgia are conducting a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-grand-jury-election-485ca85e57fd80af7455a59174d10d4f">separate investigation into efforts by Trump</a>&nbsp;to reverse his election loss in that state, with the top prosecutor in Fulton County signaling that she expects to announce charging decisions next month.In his post, Trump wrote that “they have now effectively indicted me three times.... with a probably fourth coming from Atlanta” and added in capital letters, “This witch hunt is all about election interference and a complete and total (political) weaponization of law enforTrump was indicted last month on 37 felony counts accusing him of illegally retaining hundreds of classified documents at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago. He has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial conference in that case was set for Tuesday in Fort Pierce, Fla.cement!”

Read Trump's statement on expected indictment for 1/6

The 2023 Nebraska Grazing Conference will be held August 8 and 9 at the Younes Conference&nbsp;Center in Kearney, NE.&nbsp; This year’s conference features speakers highlighting Grazing Lands Conservation, Emerging Issues in Grazing Lands, and Precision Livestock Management. The featured banquet speaker for the Conference is Curt Pate.

The conference will begin with a field tour from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Discussion topics will focus on Stress-free Livestock Management. The scheduled speakers are Curt Pate and Ruth Woiwode. There is no fee to attend the field tour.

Another highlight is the recognition of the 2022 Leopold Conservation Award&nbsp;recipient. This year’s recipient is the&nbsp;Logan Pribbeno Family from the Wine Glass Ranch located in Imperial, NE. This will begin a panel discussion from the current and several former Leopold Conservation Award winners who will provide an assessment of their past, present, and future grazing land conservation efforts. Tentative panelists are Nancy Peterson, Homer Buell, and Tim Kalkowski.

Other scheduled speakers include Cody Trump (The Sandhills Task Force), Rebecca Kern-Lunbery (Ward Laboratories), Alex McKiernan (The Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition), Jeff Nichols (USDA-NRCS), and Jerry Volesky and Gwendwr Meridith (University of Nebraska-Lincoln).

The second day of the Conference is devoted to Precision Livestock Management with a focus on available technology. Scheduled speakers include Yijie Xiong and Mitch Stephenson from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, along with a panel discussion of technology users.

To learn more about the conference, or to register, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://grassland.unl.edu/nebraska-grazing-conference-registration" target="_blank">https://grassland.unl.edu/nebraska-grazing-conference-registration</a>. Questions about the conference may be directed to Daren Redfearn, chair, Nebraska&nbsp;Grazing Conference at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:dredfearn2@unl.edu" target="_blank">dredfearn2@unl.edu</a>.

Sponsor and exhibitor booths will showcase new programs, equipment, and products to conference participants. Additional information about becoming a sponsor or exhibitor is outlined on the Nebraska Grazing Conference&nbsp;webpage. Questions related to booth space may be directed to Brent&nbsp;Plugge at (308) 236-1235 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:brent.plugge@unl.edu" target="_blank">brent.plugge@unl.edu</a>.

Please note that the conference will be held over two days with the Field Tour being held on Tuesday morning of the first day. Conference sessions will begin on Tuesday afternoon following the field tour and conclude with Curt Pate speaking at the Tuesday evening banquet. The second day will open with a breakfast buffet and the conference will conclude following the Wednesday morning sessions around noon.

Brent Plugge UNLThe 2023 Nebraska Grazing Conference will be held August 8 and 9 at the Younes Conference&nbsp;Center in Kearney, NE.&nbsp; This year’s conference features speakers highlighting Grazing Lands Conservation, Emerging Issues in Grazing Lands, and Precision Livestock Management. The featured banquet speaker for the Conference is Curt Pate.The conference will begin with a field tour from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Discussion topics will focus on Stress-free Livestock Management. The scheduled speakers are Curt Pate and Ruth Woiwode. There is no fee to attend the field tour.Another highlight is the recognition of the 2022 Leopold Conservation Award&nbsp;recipient. This year’s recipient is the&nbsp;Logan Pribbeno Family from the Wine Glass Ranch located in Imperial, NE. This will begin a panel discussion from the current and several former Leopold Conservation Award winners who will provide an assessment of their past, present, and future grazing land conservation efforts. Tentative panelists are Nancy Peterson, Homer Buell, and Tim Kalkowski.Other scheduled speakers include Cody Trump (The Sandhills Task Force), Rebecca Kern-Lunbery (Ward Laboratories), Alex McKiernan (The Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition), Jeff Nichols (USDA-NRCS), and Jerry Volesky and Gwendwr Meridith (University of Nebraska-Lincoln).The second day of the Conference is devoted to Precision Livestock Management with a focus on available technology. Scheduled speakers include Yijie Xiong and Mitch Stephenson from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, along with a panel discussion of technology users.To learn more about the conference, or to register, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://grassland.unl.edu/nebraska-grazing-conference-registration" target="_blank">https://grassland.unl.edu/nebraska-grazing-conference-registration</a>. Questions about the conference may be directed to Daren Redfearn, chair, Nebraska&nbsp;Grazing Conference at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:dredfearn2@unl.edu" target="_blank">dredfearn2@unl.edu</a>.Sponsor and exhibitor booths will showcase new programs, equipment, and products to conference participants. Additional information about becoming a sponsor or exhibitor is outlined on the Nebraska Grazing Conference&nbsp;webpage. Questions related to booth space may be directed to Brent&nbsp;Plugge at (308) 236-1235 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:brent.plugge@unl.edu" target="_blank">brent.plugge@unl.edu</a>.Please note that the conference will be held over two days with the Field Tour being held on Tuesday morning of the first day. Conference sessions will begin on Tuesday afternoon following the field tour and conclude with Curt Pate speaking at the Tuesday evening banquet. The second day will open with a breakfast buffet and the conference will conclude following the Wednesday morning sessions around noon.

Nebraska Grazing Conference

LINCOLN, NE –&nbsp;With a deadline drawing near, Governor Jim Pillen is reminding Nebraskans about the value of participating in the upcoming Governor’s Ag and Economic Development Summit. Registrations must be submitted by the end of business on Friday, July 21. The Summit is put on in collaboration with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) and the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA). The event will take place August 8-9, 2023, at the Younes Conference Center North in Kearney.

“Together, we have a responsibility to create great opportunities for the next generation of Nebraskans,” said Governor Pillen. “The Summit is a gathering where we can address the challenges facing our state, while strategizing how to make the most of our wealth of talent and natural resources. I invite you to join me for this year’s event. It’s a great way to build relationships with fellow Nebraskans who are shaping the future of the Good Life.”

The annual Governor’s Summit convenes economic developers and industry leaders in agriculture to discuss how to best grow Nebraska. This year, breakout sessions will cover workforce development, biomanufacturing, value-added agriculture, creative housing solutions, international trade, and much more.

Participants can register online at&nbsp;<a href="https://govsummit.nebraska.gov/" target="_blank">govsummit.nebraska.gov</a>.

“The conference is a can’t-miss networking opportunity. It’s also the best way to stay abreast of trends affecting the economic well-being of our state,” said Joe Fox, deputy director of business development and programs at DED. “We hope everyone dedicated to seeing Nebraska prosper will make plans to join us in Kearney for the Summit.”

“Nebraska agriculture has a reputation for producing food, feed, and fuel of the highest quality,” said NDA Director Sherry Vinton. “It’s an exciting time to be part of our state’s top industry. We’re expanding broadband to every corner of the state, making rapid technological advances, and discovering innovative uses for our sustainable commodities. At the upcoming Summit, we’ll explore more ways to spur growth in ag and strengthen partnerships across industries.”

The 2023 Summit officially kicks off on Tuesday night, August 8, with a reception and banquet hosted by the Nebraska Diplomats. The evening event includes an awards ceremony to honor leaders, businesses, and communities who have made key contributions to the state’s economic success over the previous year.

Wednesday, August 9, is the primary day of the Summit. It features opening and closing remarks from Governor Pillen, a keynote from Trev Alberts during the luncheon, and a full slate of breakout sessions -- each led by a panel of subject matter experts.

&nbsp;To register for the Diplomat Banquet and Summit, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://govsummit.nebraska.gov/" target="_blank">govsummit.nebraska.gov</a>. A full Summit agenda is also available through the website. For questions, contact Lori Shaal at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lori.shaal@nebraska.gov">lori.shaal@nebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;or 402-471-3780.

Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE –&nbsp;With a deadline drawing near, Governor Jim Pillen is reminding Nebraskans about the value of participating in the upcoming Governor’s Ag and Economic Development Summit. Registrations must be submitted by the end of business on Friday, July 21. The Summit is put on in collaboration with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) and the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA). The event will take place August 8-9, 2023, at the Younes Conference Center North in Kearney.“Together, we have a responsibility to create great opportunities for the next generation of Nebraskans,” said Governor Pillen. “The Summit is a gathering where we can address the challenges facing our state, while strategizing how to make the most of our wealth of talent and natural resources. I invite you to join me for this year’s event. It’s a great way to build relationships with fellow Nebraskans who are shaping the future of the Good Life.”The annual Governor’s Summit convenes economic developers and industry leaders in agriculture to discuss how to best grow Nebraska. This year, breakout sessions will cover workforce development, biomanufacturing, value-added agriculture, creative housing solutions, international trade, and much more.Participants can register online at&nbsp;<a href="https://govsummit.nebraska.gov/" target="_blank">govsummit.nebraska.gov</a>.“The conference is a can’t-miss networking opportunity. It’s also the best way to stay abreast of trends affecting the economic well-being of our state,” said Joe Fox, deputy director of business development and programs at DED. “We hope everyone dedicated to seeing Nebraska prosper will make plans to join us in Kearney for the Summit.”“Nebraska agriculture has a reputation for producing food, feed, and fuel of the highest quality,” said NDA Director Sherry Vinton. “It’s an exciting time to be part of our state’s top industry. We’re expanding broadband to every corner of the state, making rapid technological advances, and discovering innovative uses for our sustainable commodities. At the upcoming Summit, we’ll explore more ways to spur growth in ag and strengthen partnerships across industries.”The 2023 Summit officially kicks off on Tuesday night, August 8, with a reception and banquet hosted by the Nebraska Diplomats. The evening event includes an awards ceremony to honor leaders, businesses, and communities who have made key contributions to the state’s economic success over the previous year.Wednesday, August 9, is the primary day of the Summit. It features opening and closing remarks from Governor Pillen, a keynote from Trev Alberts during the luncheon, and a full slate of breakout sessions -- each led by a panel of subject matter experts.&nbsp;To register for the Diplomat Banquet and Summit, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://govsummit.nebraska.gov/" target="_blank">govsummit.nebraska.gov</a>. A full Summit agenda is also available through the website. For questions, contact Lori Shaal at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lori.shaal@nebraska.gov">lori.shaal@nebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;or 402-471-3780.

Gov. Pillen Reminds Nebraskans About Summit Deadline

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The Powerball jackpot rose yet again to an estimated $1 billion after no winning ticket was sold for the latest drawing.

No ticket for Monday’s drawing matched the white balls 5, 8, 9, 17, 41 and red Powerball 2. The jackpot was estimated at $900 million.

The new jackpot for Wednesday’s drawing would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-california-a11cb275a36848310e05ed56608c656c">the third highest</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history and will keep growing until someone wins. Ticket buyers have a chance at $1 billion paid out in yearly increments or a $516.8 million one-time lump sum before taxes.

Three people won $2 million after matching all five numbers plus the Power Play, lottery officials said. The winning tickets were sold in Arkansas, Georgia and Texas.

Five people won $1 million after matching all five numbers. The winning tickets were sold in Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, New York and Pennsylvania.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">game’s abysmal odds</a>&nbsp;of 1 in 292.2 million are designed to build big prizes that draw more players. The largest Powerball jackpot was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lotteries-iowa-36ef3aefbbc37a15e1c5f172129fa6a6">$2.04 billion Powerball</a>&nbsp;last November.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-winner-ohio-252-million-5506023262d64fb54556fb454a478615">last time</a>&nbsp;someone won the Powerball jackpot was April 19 for a top prize of nearly $253 million. Since then, no one has won the grand prize in the past 38 consecutive drawings.

Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The Powerball jackpot rose yet again to an estimated $1 billion after no winning ticket was sold for the latest drawing.No ticket for Monday’s drawing matched the white balls 5, 8, 9, 17, 41 and red Powerball 2. The jackpot was estimated at $900 million.The new jackpot for Wednesday’s drawing would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-california-a11cb275a36848310e05ed56608c656c">the third highest</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history and will keep growing until someone wins. Ticket buyers have a chance at $1 billion paid out in yearly increments or a $516.8 million one-time lump sum before taxes.Three people won $2 million after matching all five numbers plus the Power Play, lottery officials said. The winning tickets were sold in Arkansas, Georgia and Texas.Five people won $1 million after matching all five numbers. The winning tickets were sold in Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, New York and Pennsylvania.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">game’s abysmal odds</a>&nbsp;of 1 in 292.2 million are designed to build big prizes that draw more players. The largest Powerball jackpot was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lotteries-iowa-36ef3aefbbc37a15e1c5f172129fa6a6">$2.04 billion Powerball</a>&nbsp;last November.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-winner-ohio-252-million-5506023262d64fb54556fb454a478615">last time</a>&nbsp;someone won the Powerball jackpot was April 19 for a top prize of nearly $253 million. Since then, no one has won the grand prize in the past 38 consecutive drawings.Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

 No Powerball winner yet, jackpot hits $1 billion

U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Nebraska

Acting United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Joshua Thomas Alan Casiano, 36, of Kearney, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 10, 2023, by Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to five years’ imprisonment for possession of stolen firearms. He was also sentenced to a three-year term of supervised release to be served after he completes his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system. Casiano pleaded guilty to the offense on March 21, 2023.

Police discovered that a residence in Phelps County, Nebraska was burglarized on April 13, 2021. Fourteen firearms were stolen from the home during the burglary. Following this event, a witness came forward and told police that Casiano said he wanted to acquire firearms by committing a burglary. Casiano learned that the residence in Phelps County contained several firearms. Casiano left the night of the burglary and then returned later with what the witness estimated to be around a dozen firearms. Most of those firearms were later sold to two other persons. Once police learned of the sale, they obtained a search warrant to search the home of the buyers. Most of the stolen firearms were recovered during that search with the remainder recovered several days later.&nbsp; To date, all the stolen firearms were recovered by law enforcement. &nbsp;

Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Kearney Police Department, and the Phelps County Sheriff’s Office all contributed to this investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

U.S. Attorney's Office, District of NebraskaActing United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Joshua Thomas Alan Casiano, 36, of Kearney, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 10, 2023, by Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to five years’ imprisonment for possession of stolen firearms. He was also sentenced to a three-year term of supervised release to be served after he completes his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system. Casiano pleaded guilty to the offense on March 21, 2023.Police discovered that a residence in Phelps County, Nebraska was burglarized on April 13, 2021. Fourteen firearms were stolen from the home during the burglary. Following this event, a witness came forward and told police that Casiano said he wanted to acquire firearms by committing a burglary. Casiano learned that the residence in Phelps County contained several firearms. Casiano left the night of the burglary and then returned later with what the witness estimated to be around a dozen firearms. Most of those firearms were later sold to two other persons. Once police learned of the sale, they obtained a search warrant to search the home of the buyers. Most of the stolen firearms were recovered during that search with the remainder recovered several days later.&nbsp; To date, all the stolen firearms were recovered by law enforcement. &nbsp;Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Kearney Police Department, and the Phelps County Sheriff’s Office all contributed to this investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Kearney Man Sentenced to Five Years for Stealing Firearms

AMITYVILLE, N.Y. (AP) — Detectives investigating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/long-island-heuermann-serial-killer-gilgo-e8496c5bb2c1878ae8be00adb343c935" target="_blank">long-unsolved murders</a>&nbsp;known as the Gilgo Beach killings searched a storage facility in the Long Island community of Amityville over the weekend, police said.

Suffolk County police confirmed Monday that detectives executed a search warrant at Omega Self Storage on Sunrise Highway related to the investigation that led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/long-island-serial-killings-arrest-gilgo-beach-c3af339961c00276429908b1dd20dc19" target="_blank">last week’s arrest</a>&nbsp;of architect Rex Heuermann. He was charged Friday with murder in the deaths of three of the 11 victims whose remains were found buried along a remote beach highway.

Heuermann, who has lived for decades across a bay from where the remains were found, was first identified as a suspect in the killings in March 2022, when detectives linked him to a pickup truck that a witness reported seeing when one of the victims disappeared in 2010.

Heuermann has denied committing the crimes, his attorney, Michael Brown, said.

It was not clear what connection the storage facility in Amityville might have to the investigation.

A police vehicle was still parked at the facility behind yellow tape on Monday after detectives conducted the search Sunday.

A message seeking comment was left with managers at the storage facility.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689619301570.jpeg" alt="FILE - Crime Scene investigators use metal detectors to search a marsh for the remains of Shannon Gilbert, Dec. 12, 2011 in Oak Beach, New York. A Long Island architect has been charged Friday, July 14, 2023, with murder in the deaths of three of the 11 victims in a long-unsolved string of killings known as the Gilgo Beach murders. (James Carbone/Newberry via AP, Pool, File)ASSOCIATED PRESS" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Crime Scene investigators use metal detectors to search a marsh for the remains of Shannon Gilbert, Dec. 12, 2011 in Oak Beach, New York. A Long Island architect has been charged Friday, July 14, 2023, with murder in the deaths of three of the 11 victims in a long-unsolved string of killings known as the Gilgo Beach murders. (James Carbone/Newberry via AP, Pool, File)ASSOCIATED PRESS</figcaption>
 </figure>AMITYVILLE, N.Y. (AP) — Detectives investigating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/long-island-heuermann-serial-killer-gilgo-e8496c5bb2c1878ae8be00adb343c935" target="_blank">long-unsolved murders</a>&nbsp;known as the Gilgo Beach killings searched a storage facility in the Long Island community of Amityville over the weekend, police said.Suffolk County police confirmed Monday that detectives executed a search warrant at Omega Self Storage on Sunrise Highway related to the investigation that led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/long-island-serial-killings-arrest-gilgo-beach-c3af339961c00276429908b1dd20dc19" target="_blank">last week’s arrest</a>&nbsp;of architect Rex Heuermann. He was charged Friday with murder in the deaths of three of the 11 victims whose remains were found buried along a remote beach highway.Heuermann, who has lived for decades across a bay from where the remains were found, was first identified as a suspect in the killings in March 2022, when detectives linked him to a pickup truck that a witness reported seeing when one of the victims disappeared in 2010.Heuermann has denied committing the crimes, his attorney, Michael Brown, said.It was not clear what connection the storage facility in Amityville might have to the investigation.A police vehicle was still parked at the facility behind yellow tape on Monday after detectives conducted the search Sunday.A message seeking comment was left with managers at the storage facility.

Police investigating the Gilgo Beach killings have searched a Long Island storage facility

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa judge on Monday temporarily blocked the state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-abortion-ban-special-session-506e5e3fcd5517024a94a8e3a52d627e">new ban on most abortions</a>&nbsp;after about six weeks of pregnancy, just days after Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-governor-kim-reynolds-2024-election-216e52ef9ba77deda0b59ba4c41b6406">Kim Reynolds</a>&nbsp;signed the measure into law.

That means abortion is once again legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy while the courts assess the new law’s constitutionality.

The new law prohibits almost all abortions once cardiac activity can be detected, which is usually around six weeks of pregnancy and before many women know they are pregnant.

The Republican-controlled Legislature approved the measure in a rare, all-day special session last week, prompting a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-abortion-ban-lawsuit-eeeec320fc6453e69075da5a118bf0c8">legal challenge</a>&nbsp;by the ACLU of Iowa, Planned Parenthood North Central States and the Emma Goldman Clinic. Judge Joseph Seidlin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-abortion-ban-signing-lawsuit-a93ee0bfd11e5ff40d3c8d815f846c5c">held a hearing</a>&nbsp;on the matter Friday, but said he would take the issue under advisement — just as Reynolds signed the bill into law about a mile away.

Abortion providers said they scrambled last week to fit in as many appointments as possible before the governor put pen to paper, preemptively making hundreds of calls to prepare patients for the uncertainty and keeping clinics open late.

Reynolds swiftly put out a statement underscoring her intention to fight the issue in the state Supreme Court.

“The abortion industry’s attempt to thwart the will of Iowans and the voices of their elected representatives continues today," she said.

The ruling Monday does specify that while the law is temporarily paused, the state's Board of Medicine should proceed with rules for enforcement so that specific rules for health care providers will be well defined if the law were to be in effect in the future.

There are limited circumstances under the law that would allow for abortion after the point in a pregnancy where cardiac activity is detected: rape, if reported to law enforcement or a health provider within 45 days; incest, if reported within 145 days; if the fetus has a fetal abnormality “incompatible with life;” or if the pregnancy is endangering the life of the pregnant woman.

Most&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-divide-republican-democratic-states-fd2e6fffffec2fdcf328d7bca1e6fd78">Republican-led states</a>&nbsp;have drastically limited abortion access in the year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and handed authority on abortion law to the states. More than a dozen states have bans with limited exceptions and one state, Georgia, bans abortion after cardiac activity is detected.

Several other states have similar restrictions that are on hold pending court rulings, as is now the case in Iowa.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689627069496.png" alt="Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds celebrating the Heartbeat Bill last week-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds celebrating the Heartbeat Bill last week-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa judge on Monday temporarily blocked the state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-abortion-ban-special-session-506e5e3fcd5517024a94a8e3a52d627e">new ban on most abortions</a>&nbsp;after about six weeks of pregnancy, just days after Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-governor-kim-reynolds-2024-election-216e52ef9ba77deda0b59ba4c41b6406">Kim Reynolds</a>&nbsp;signed the measure into law.That means abortion is once again legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy while the courts assess the new law’s constitutionality.The new law prohibits almost all abortions once cardiac activity can be detected, which is usually around six weeks of pregnancy and before many women know they are pregnant.The Republican-controlled Legislature approved the measure in a rare, all-day special session last week, prompting a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-abortion-ban-lawsuit-eeeec320fc6453e69075da5a118bf0c8">legal challenge</a>&nbsp;by the ACLU of Iowa, Planned Parenthood North Central States and the Emma Goldman Clinic. Judge Joseph Seidlin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-abortion-ban-signing-lawsuit-a93ee0bfd11e5ff40d3c8d815f846c5c">held a hearing</a>&nbsp;on the matter Friday, but said he would take the issue under advisement — just as Reynolds signed the bill into law about a mile away.Abortion providers said they scrambled last week to fit in as many appointments as possible before the governor put pen to paper, preemptively making hundreds of calls to prepare patients for the uncertainty and keeping clinics open late.Reynolds swiftly put out a statement underscoring her intention to fight the issue in the state Supreme Court.“The abortion industry’s attempt to thwart the will of Iowans and the voices of their elected representatives continues today," she said.The ruling Monday does specify that while the law is temporarily paused, the state's Board of Medicine should proceed with rules for enforcement so that specific rules for health care providers will be well defined if the law were to be in effect in the future.There are limited circumstances under the law that would allow for abortion after the point in a pregnancy where cardiac activity is detected: rape, if reported to law enforcement or a health provider within 45 days; incest, if reported within 145 days; if the fetus has a fetal abnormality “incompatible with life;” or if the pregnancy is endangering the life of the pregnant woman.Most&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-divide-republican-democratic-states-fd2e6fffffec2fdcf328d7bca1e6fd78">Republican-led states</a>&nbsp;have drastically limited abortion access in the year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and handed authority on abortion law to the states. More than a dozen states have bans with limited exceptions and one state, Georgia, bans abortion after cardiac activity is detected.Several other states have similar restrictions that are on hold pending court rulings, as is now the case in Iowa.

Abortion in Iowa is legal again after a judge blocks new restrictions

JULY 17, 2023 (KEARNEY, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested two people after locating several controlled substances and multiple firearms during a traffic stop on Interstate 80.

Sunday, at approximately 9:25 p.m., a trooper observed an eastbound Dodge Durango speeding at 100 miles per hour on I-80 near Shelton, at mile marker 290. During the traffic stop, the trooper detected the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.

Cody Thomas Nebraska State PatrolJULY 17, 2023 (KEARNEY, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested two people after locating several controlled substances and multiple firearms during a traffic stop on Interstate 80.Sunday, at approximately 9:25 p.m., a trooper observed an eastbound Dodge Durango speeding at 100 miles per hour on I-80 near Shelton, at mile marker 290. During the traffic stop, the trooper detected the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.A search of the vehicle revealed two handguns, two sets of brass knuckles, dozens of pills including suspected ecstasy, hydrocodone, and codeine, as well as 37 grams of marijuana. Three children were also in the vehicle, one of which was not wearing a seat belt.The driver, Podjo Rowe, 36, of Euclid, California, and passenger, Lianie Feliciano, 29, of Cleveland, Ohio, were arrested for possession of controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia, carrying a concealed weapon, child abuse/no injury, possession of a firearm during a drug violation, and possession of marijuana – less than one ounce.Rowe was also cited for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, and failure to use a child restraint. Both Rowe and Feliciano were lodged in Buffalo County Jail. The children were placed in protective care.