WASHINGTON (AP) — X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has threatened to sue a group of independent researchers whose research documented an increase in hate speech on the site since it was purchased last year by Elon Musk.

An attorney representing the social media site wrote to the Center for Countering Digital Hate on July 20 threatening legal action over the nonprofit's research into hate speech and content moderation. The letter alleged that CCDH's research publications seem intended “to harm Twitter’s business by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims.”

Musk is a self-professed free speech absolutist who has welcomed back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kanye-west-elon-musk-twitter-inc-entertainment-technology-0bf6e0ab969a60cd38abd9358ee5fd47">white supremacists</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-trump-misinformation-election-lies-5137a88a58eaaca0e45ba043db911d15">election deniers</a>&nbsp;to the platform, which he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/twitter-x-logo-blue-bird-musk-0689e9a5c3a217afc2fbefeaf0e6d8a8">renamed X earlier this month</a>. But the billionaire has at times proven sensitive about critical speech directed at him or his companies.

The center is a nonprofit with offices in the U.S. and United Kingdom. It regularly publishes reports on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-shootings-business-social-media-colorado-75a3c597a60dca0f116d5deb6a6c1a6b">hate speech</a>, extremism or harmful behavior on social media platforms like X,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-health-eating-disorders-center-government-and-politics-0c8ae73f44926fa3daf66bd7caf3ad43">TikTok</a>&nbsp;or Facebook.

The organization has published&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-technology-business-government-and-politics-2907d382db132cfd7446152b9309992c">several reports critical of Musk's leadership</a>, detailing an increase in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-florida-gender-identity-afc63ddae2a10a32010b5b2ba23fddf0">anti-LGBTQ hate speech</a>&nbsp;as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-inc-technology-science-social-media-a7e2e3214abb4470dcb6e2837aa39c2e">climate misinformation</a>&nbsp;since his purchase. The letter from X's attorney cited one specific report from June that found the platform failed to remove neo-Nazi and anti-LGBTQ content from verified users that violated the platform’s rules.

In the letter, attorney Alex Spiro questioned the expertise of the researchers and accused the center of trying to harm X's reputation. The letter also suggested, without evidence, that the center received funds from some of X's competitors, even though the center has also published critical reports about TikTok, Facebook and other large platforms.

“CCDH intends to harm Twitter’s business by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims,” Spiro wrote, using the platform's former name.

Imran Ahmed, the center’s founder and CEO, told the AP on Monday that his group has never received a similar response from any tech company, despite a history of studying the relationship between social media, hate speech and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-gun-politics-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-2d37c8ede6135eca9f0b2150e7927a92">extremism</a>. He said that typically, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/the-facebook-papers-covid-vaccine-misinformation-c8bbc569be7cc2ca583dadb4236a0613">targets of the center’s criticism</a>&nbsp;have responded by defending their work or promising to address any problems that have been identified.

Ahmed said he worried X’s response to the center’s work could have a chilling effect if it frightens other researchers away from studying the platform. He said he also worried that other industries could take note of the strategy.

“This is an unprecedented escalation by a social media company against independent researchers. Musk has just declared open war,” Ahmed told the Associated Press. “If Musk succeeds in silencing us other researchers will be next in line.”

Messages left with Spiro and X were not immediately returned Monday.

It's not the first time that Musk has fired back at critics. Last year, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-technology-business-social-media-647b3b9d5961da3cd8bd0c0041d05b49">suspended the accounts of several journalists</a>&nbsp;who covered his takeover of Twitter. Another user was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-technology-business-social-media-13119e8cc9bbc15a886369263b29087a">permanently banned for using publicly available flight data</a>&nbsp;to track Musk's private plane; Musk had initially pledged to keep the user on the platform but later changed his mind, citing his personal safety. He also threatened to sue the user.

He initially had promised that he would allow any speech on his platform that wasn't illegal. “I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-spacex-technology-business-sports-d42809b692fc9f7a5eaad327a86526a0">Musk wrote in a tweet last year</a>.

X's recent threat of a lawsuit prompted concern from U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who said the billionaire was trying to use the threat of legal action to punish a nonprofit group trying to hold a powerful social media platform accountable.

“Instead of attacking them, he should be attacking the increasingly disturbing content on Twitter,” Schiff said in a statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690827870820.jpeg" alt="Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors Inc., introduces the Model X car at the company's headquarters Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, in Fremont, Calif. Musk may want to send “tweet” back to the birds, but the ubiquitous term for posting on the site he now calls X is here to stay, at least for now. For one, the word is still plastered all over the website formerly known as Twitter. Write a post, you still need to press a blue button that says “tweet” to publish it. To repost it, you still tap “retweet.” (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)" />
 <figcaption>Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors Inc., introduces the Model X car at the company's headquarters Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, in Fremont, Calif. Musk may want to send “tweet” back to the birds, but the ubiquitous term for posting on the site he now calls X is here to stay, at least for now. For one, the word is still plastered all over the website formerly known as Twitter. Write a post, you still need to press a blue button that says “tweet” to publish it. To repost it, you still tap “retweet.” (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has threatened to sue a group of independent researchers whose research documented an increase in hate speech on the site since it was purchased last year by Elon Musk.An attorney representing the social media site wrote to the Center for Countering Digital Hate on July 20 threatening legal action over the nonprofit's research into hate speech and content moderation. The letter alleged that CCDH's research publications seem intended “to harm Twitter’s business by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims.”Musk is a self-professed free speech absolutist who has welcomed back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kanye-west-elon-musk-twitter-inc-entertainment-technology-0bf6e0ab969a60cd38abd9358ee5fd47">white supremacists</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-trump-misinformation-election-lies-5137a88a58eaaca0e45ba043db911d15">election deniers</a>&nbsp;to the platform, which he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/twitter-x-logo-blue-bird-musk-0689e9a5c3a217afc2fbefeaf0e6d8a8">renamed X earlier this month</a>. But the billionaire has at times proven sensitive about critical speech directed at him or his companies.The center is a nonprofit with offices in the U.S. and United Kingdom. It regularly publishes reports on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-shootings-business-social-media-colorado-75a3c597a60dca0f116d5deb6a6c1a6b">hate speech</a>, extremism or harmful behavior on social media platforms like X,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-health-eating-disorders-center-government-and-politics-0c8ae73f44926fa3daf66bd7caf3ad43">TikTok</a>&nbsp;or Facebook.The organization has published&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-technology-business-government-and-politics-2907d382db132cfd7446152b9309992c">several reports critical of Musk's leadership</a>, detailing an increase in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-florida-gender-identity-afc63ddae2a10a32010b5b2ba23fddf0">anti-LGBTQ hate speech</a>&nbsp;as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-inc-technology-science-social-media-a7e2e3214abb4470dcb6e2837aa39c2e">climate misinformation</a>&nbsp;since his purchase. The letter from X's attorney cited one specific report from June that found the platform failed to remove neo-Nazi and anti-LGBTQ content from verified users that violated the platform’s rules.In the letter, attorney Alex Spiro questioned the expertise of the researchers and accused the center of trying to harm X's reputation. The letter also suggested, without evidence, that the center received funds from some of X's competitors, even though the center has also published critical reports about TikTok, Facebook and other large platforms.“CCDH intends to harm Twitter’s business by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims,” Spiro wrote, using the platform's former name.Imran Ahmed, the center’s founder and CEO, told the AP on Monday that his group has never received a similar response from any tech company, despite a history of studying the relationship between social media, hate speech and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-gun-politics-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-2d37c8ede6135eca9f0b2150e7927a92">extremism</a>. He said that typically, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/the-facebook-papers-covid-vaccine-misinformation-c8bbc569be7cc2ca583dadb4236a0613">targets of the center’s criticism</a>&nbsp;have responded by defending their work or promising to address any problems that have been identified.Ahmed said he worried X’s response to the center’s work could have a chilling effect if it frightens other researchers away from studying the platform. He said he also worried that other industries could take note of the strategy.“This is an unprecedented escalation by a social media company against independent researchers. Musk has just declared open war,” Ahmed told the Associated Press. “If Musk succeeds in silencing us other researchers will be next in line.”Messages left with Spiro and X were not immediately returned Monday.It's not the first time that Musk has fired back at critics. Last year, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-technology-business-social-media-647b3b9d5961da3cd8bd0c0041d05b49">suspended the accounts of several journalists</a>&nbsp;who covered his takeover of Twitter. Another user was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-technology-business-social-media-13119e8cc9bbc15a886369263b29087a">permanently banned for using publicly available flight data</a>&nbsp;to track Musk's private plane; Musk had initially pledged to keep the user on the platform but later changed his mind, citing his personal safety. He also threatened to sue the user.He initially had promised that he would allow any speech on his platform that wasn't illegal. “I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-spacex-technology-business-sports-d42809b692fc9f7a5eaad327a86526a0">Musk wrote in a tweet last year</a>.X's recent threat of a lawsuit prompted concern from U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who said the billionaire was trying to use the threat of legal action to punish a nonprofit group trying to hold a powerful social media platform accountable.“Instead of attacking them, he should be attacking the increasingly disturbing content on Twitter,” Schiff said in a statement.

Musk threatens to sue researchers who documented the rise in hateful tweets

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian whose character Pee-wee Herman became a cultural phenomenon through films and TV shows, has died.

Reubens died Sunday night after a six-year struggle with cancer that he did not make public, his publicist said in a statement.

“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens said in a statement released with the announcement of his death. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”

The character with his too-tight gray suit, white chunky loafers and red bow tie was best known for the film “Pee-wee's Big Adventure” and the TV series “Pee-wee's Playhouse.”

Herman created Pee-wee when he was part of the Los Angeles improv group The Groundlings in the late 1970s. The live “Pee-wee Herman Show” debuted at a Los Angeles theater in 1981 and was a success with both kids during matinees and adults at a midnight show. HBO would air the show as a special.

Reubens took Pee-wee to the big screen in 1985’s “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.” The film, in which Pee-wee’s cherished bike is stolen, was said to be loosely based on Vittorio De Sica’s Italian neo-realist classic, “The Bicycle Thief.” The film, directed by Tim Burton and co-written by Phil Hartman of “Saturday Night Live,” sent Pee-wee on a nationwide escapade. The movie was a success, grossing $40 million, and continued to spawn a cult following for its oddball whimsy.

A sequel followed three years later in the less well-received “Big Top Pee-wee,” in which Pee-wee seeks to join a circus. Reubens’ character wouldn’t get another movie starring role until 2016’s Pee-wee’s Big Holiday,” for Netflix. Judd Apatow produced Pee-wee’s big-screen revival.

His television series, “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” ran for five seasons, earned 22 Emmys and attracted not only children but adults to Saturday-morning TV.

Both silly and subversive and championing nonconformity, the Pee-wee universe was a trippy place, populated by things such as a talking armchair and a friendly pterodactyl. The host, who is fond of secret words and loves fruit salad so much he once married it, is prone to lines like, “I know you are, but what am I?” and “Why don’t you take a picture; it’ll last longer?” The act was a hit because it worked on multiple levels, even though Reubens insists that wasn’t the plan.

“It’s for kids,” Reubens told The Associated Press in 2010. “People have tried to get me for years to go, ‘It wasn’t really for kids, right?’ Even the original show was for kids. I always censored myself to have it be kid-friendly.

“The whole thing has been just a gut feeling from the beginning," Reubens told the AP. "That’s all it ever is and I think always ever be. Much as people want me to dissect it and explain it, I can’t. One, I don’t know, and two, I don’t want to know, and three, I feel like I’ll hex myself if I know.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690827482075.jpeg" alt="Actor Paul Reubens portraying Pee-wee Herman poses for a portrait while promoting "The Pee-wee Herman Show" live stage play, Monday, Dec. 7, 2009, in Los Angeles. Reubens died Sunday night after a six-year struggle with cancer that he did not make public, his publicist said in a statement. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok, File)" />
 <figcaption>Actor Paul Reubens portraying Pee-wee Herman poses for a portrait while promoting "The Pee-wee Herman Show" live stage play, Monday, Dec. 7, 2009, in Los Angeles. Reubens died Sunday night after a six-year struggle with cancer that he did not make public, his publicist said in a statement. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian whose character Pee-wee Herman became a cultural phenomenon through films and TV shows, has died.Reubens died Sunday night after a six-year struggle with cancer that he did not make public, his publicist said in a statement.“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens said in a statement released with the announcement of his death. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”The character with his too-tight gray suit, white chunky loafers and red bow tie was best known for the film “Pee-wee's Big Adventure” and the TV series “Pee-wee's Playhouse.”Herman created Pee-wee when he was part of the Los Angeles improv group The Groundlings in the late 1970s. The live “Pee-wee Herman Show” debuted at a Los Angeles theater in 1981 and was a success with both kids during matinees and adults at a midnight show. HBO would air the show as a special.Reubens took Pee-wee to the big screen in 1985’s “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.” The film, in which Pee-wee’s cherished bike is stolen, was said to be loosely based on Vittorio De Sica’s Italian neo-realist classic, “The Bicycle Thief.” The film, directed by Tim Burton and co-written by Phil Hartman of “Saturday Night Live,” sent Pee-wee on a nationwide escapade. The movie was a success, grossing $40 million, and continued to spawn a cult following for its oddball whimsy.A sequel followed three years later in the less well-received “Big Top Pee-wee,” in which Pee-wee seeks to join a circus. Reubens’ character wouldn’t get another movie starring role until 2016’s Pee-wee’s Big Holiday,” for Netflix. Judd Apatow produced Pee-wee’s big-screen revival.His television series, “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” ran for five seasons, earned 22 Emmys and attracted not only children but adults to Saturday-morning TV.Both silly and subversive and championing nonconformity, the Pee-wee universe was a trippy place, populated by things such as a talking armchair and a friendly pterodactyl. The host, who is fond of secret words and loves fruit salad so much he once married it, is prone to lines like, “I know you are, but what am I?” and “Why don’t you take a picture; it’ll last longer?” The act was a hit because it worked on multiple levels, even though Reubens insists that wasn’t the plan.“It’s for kids,” Reubens told The Associated Press in 2010. “People have tried to get me for years to go, ‘It wasn’t really for kids, right?’ Even the original show was for kids. I always censored myself to have it be kid-friendly.“The whole thing has been just a gut feeling from the beginning," Reubens told the AP. "That’s all it ever is and I think always ever be. Much as people want me to dissect it and explain it, I can’t. One, I don’t know, and two, I don’t want to know, and three, I feel like I’ll hex myself if I know.”

Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens dies from cancer at 70

NEW YORK (AP) — Trucking company Yellow Corp. has shut down operations and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yellow-corp-trucking-company-bankruptcy-d489652b6acd63dbb046047da9e2a074">headed for a bankruptcy filing</a>, according to the Teamsters Union and multiple media reports.

After years of financial struggles, reports of Yellow preparing for bankruptcy emerged last week — as the Nashville, Tennessee-based trucker saw customers leave in large numbers. Yellow shut down operations on Sunday, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-fall-of-a-trucking-giant-why-yellow-is-on-the-verge-of-collapse-3724f662">Wall Street Journal</a>, following the layoffs of hundreds of nonunion employees on Friday.

In an announcement early Monday, the Teamsters said that the union received legal notice confirming Yellow was ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy.

“Today’s news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government,” Teamsters general president Sean O’Brien said in a statement. “This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry.”

The Associated Press reached out to Yellow for comment on Monday. No bankruptcy filings had gone live as of the early morning.

The bankruptcy reports have renewed attention around Yellow’s ongoing negotiations with unionized workers, a $700 million pandemic-era loan from the government and other bills the trucker has racked up over time. Yellow, formerly known as YRC Worldwide Inc., is one of the nation’s largest less-than-truckload carriers. The company's reported closure puts 30,000 jobs at risk.

WHAT WOULD BANKRUPTCY MEAN FOR YELLOW?

According to Satish Jindel, president of transportation and logistics firm SJ Consulting, Yellow handled an average of 49,000 shipments per day in 2022. Last week, he estimated that number was down to between 10,000 and 15,000 daily shipments.

With customers leaving — as well reports of Yellow stopping freight pickups last week — bankruptcy would “be the end of Yellow,” Jindel told The Associated Press, noting increased risk for liquidation.

“The likelihood of them surviving and remaining solvent diminishes really by the day,” added Bruce Chan, a research director at investment banking firm Stifel.

Yellow declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press on Friday. In a Wednesday statement to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/trucker-yellow-prepares-to-file-for-bankruptcy-as-customers-flee-281151a6">The Journal</a>, the company said it was continuing “to prepare for a range of contingencies.” On Thursday, Yellow said it was in talks with multiple parties about selling its third-party logistics organization.

Even if Yellow was able to sell its logistics firm, it would “not generate a sufficient amount of cash to keep them operational on any sort of permanent basis,” Chan said. “Without a major equity injection, it would be very difficult for them to survive.”

As of late March, Yellow had an outstanding debt of about $1.5 billion. Of that, $729.2 million was owed to the federal government.

In 2020, under the Trump administration, the Treasury Department granted the company a $700 million pandemic-era loan on national security grounds. Last month, a congressional probe concluded that the Treasury and Defense Departments “made missteps” in this decision — and noted that Yellow’s “precarious financial position at the time of the loan, and continued struggles, expose taxpayers to a significant risk of loss.”

The government loan is due in September 2024. As of March, Yellow had made $54.8 million in interest payments and repaid just $230 million of the principal owed, according to government documents.

Yellow’s current finances and prospect of bankruptcy “is probably two decades in the making,” Chan said, pointing to poor management and strategic decisions dating back to the early 2000s. “At this point, after each party has bailed them out so many times, there is a limited appetite to do that anymore.”

In May, Yellow reported a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/earnings-9cccf85534862b16e643827b52dba349">loss of $54.6 million</a>, a decline of $1.06 per share, for its first quarter of 2023. Operating revenue was about $1.16 billion in the period.

A Wednesday investors note from financial service firm Stephens estimated that Yellow could be burning between $9 million and $10 million each day. Using a liquidity disclosure from earlier this month, Yellow had roughly $100 million in cash at the end of June, the note added — estimating that the company has been burning through increasing amounts of money through July.

“It is reasonable to believe that the Company could breach its $35 mil. liquidity requirement at any moment,” Stephens analyst Jack Atkins and associate Grant Smith wrote.

Last week's reports of bankruptcy preparations arrived just days after a strike from the Teamsters, which represents Yellow’s 22,000 unionized workers, was averted.

A series of heated exchanges have built up between the Teamsters and Yellow, who sued the union in June after alleging it was “unjustifiably blocking” restructuring plans needed for the company’s survival. The Teamsters called the litigation “baseless” — with O’Brien pointing to Yellow’s “decades of gross mismanagement,” which included exhausting the $700 million federal loan.

On July 23, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow Corp. operating companies, averting a strike — and giving Yellow “30 days to pay its bills,” notably $50 million that Yellow failed to pay the Central States Health and Welfare Fund on July 15, the union said. While the strike didn’t occur, talks of a walkout may have caused some Yellow customers to pull back, Chan said.

“The financial struggles of Yellow are not related to the union and the contracts,” Jindel said, pointing to management’s responsibility around its services and prices. He added the union wages from Yellow are “lower than any competitor.”

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YELLOW WENT UNDER?

As Yellow customers take their shipments to other carriers, like FedEx or ABF Freight, prices will go up.

Yellow’s prices have historically been the cheapest compared to other carriers, Jindel said. “That’s why they obviously were not making money,” he added. “And while there is capacity with the other LTL carriers to handle the diversions from Yellow, it will come at a high price for (current shippers and customers) of Yellow.”

Chan adds that we’re in an interesting time for the LTL marketplace — noting that, if Yellow liquidates, “the freight would find a home” with other carriers, which may not have been true in recent years.

“It may take time, but there’s room for it to be absorbed,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690827382488.jpeg" alt="Yellow Corp. trucks are seen at a YRC Freight terminal Friday, July 28, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. After years of financial struggles, Yellow is reportedly preparing for bankruptcy and seeing customers leave in large numbers — heightening risk for future liquidation. While no official decision has been announced by the company, the prospect of bankruptcy has renewed attention around Yellow's ongoing negotiations with unionized workers, a $700 million pandemic-era loan from the government and other bills the trucker has racked up over time. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Yellow Corp. trucks are seen at a YRC Freight terminal Friday, July 28, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. After years of financial struggles, Yellow is reportedly preparing for bankruptcy and seeing customers leave in large numbers — heightening risk for future liquidation. While no official decision has been announced by the company, the prospect of bankruptcy has renewed attention around Yellow's ongoing negotiations with unionized workers, a $700 million pandemic-era loan from the government and other bills the trucker has racked up over time. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Trucking company Yellow Corp. has shut down operations and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yellow-corp-trucking-company-bankruptcy-d489652b6acd63dbb046047da9e2a074">headed for a bankruptcy filing</a>, according to the Teamsters Union and multiple media reports.After years of financial struggles, reports of Yellow preparing for bankruptcy emerged last week — as the Nashville, Tennessee-based trucker saw customers leave in large numbers. Yellow shut down operations on Sunday, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-fall-of-a-trucking-giant-why-yellow-is-on-the-verge-of-collapse-3724f662">Wall Street Journal</a>, following the layoffs of hundreds of nonunion employees on Friday.In an announcement early Monday, the Teamsters said that the union received legal notice confirming Yellow was ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy.“Today’s news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government,” Teamsters general president Sean O’Brien said in a statement. “This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry.”The Associated Press reached out to Yellow for comment on Monday. No bankruptcy filings had gone live as of the early morning.The bankruptcy reports have renewed attention around Yellow’s ongoing negotiations with unionized workers, a $700 million pandemic-era loan from the government and other bills the trucker has racked up over time. Yellow, formerly known as YRC Worldwide Inc., is one of the nation’s largest less-than-truckload carriers. The company's reported closure puts 30,000 jobs at risk.Here’s what you need to know.WHAT WOULD BANKRUPTCY MEAN FOR YELLOW? According to Satish Jindel, president of transportation and logistics firm SJ Consulting, Yellow handled an average of 49,000 shipments per day in 2022. Last week, he estimated that number was down to between 10,000 and 15,000 daily shipments.With customers leaving — as well reports of Yellow stopping freight pickups last week — bankruptcy would “be the end of Yellow,” Jindel told The Associated Press, noting increased risk for liquidation.“The likelihood of them surviving and remaining solvent diminishes really by the day,” added Bruce Chan, a research director at investment banking firm Stifel.Yellow declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press on Friday. In a Wednesday statement to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/trucker-yellow-prepares-to-file-for-bankruptcy-as-customers-flee-281151a6">The Journal</a>, the company said it was continuing “to prepare for a range of contingencies.” On Thursday, Yellow said it was in talks with multiple parties about selling its third-party logistics organization.Even if Yellow was able to sell its logistics firm, it would “not generate a sufficient amount of cash to keep them operational on any sort of permanent basis,” Chan said. “Without a major equity injection, it would be very difficult for them to survive.”HOW MUCH DEBT DOES YELLOW HAVE? As of late March, Yellow had an outstanding debt of about $1.5 billion. Of that, $729.2 million was owed to the federal government.In 2020, under the Trump administration, the Treasury Department granted the company a $700 million pandemic-era loan on national security grounds. Last month, a congressional probe concluded that the Treasury and Defense Departments “made missteps” in this decision — and noted that Yellow’s “precarious financial position at the time of the loan, and continued struggles, expose taxpayers to a significant risk of loss.”The government loan is due in September 2024. As of March, Yellow had made $54.8 million in interest payments and repaid just $230 million of the principal owed, according to government documents.Yellow’s current finances and prospect of bankruptcy “is probably two decades in the making,” Chan said, pointing to poor management and strategic decisions dating back to the early 2000s. “At this point, after each party has bailed them out so many times, there is a limited appetite to do that anymore.”In May, Yellow reported a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/earnings-9cccf85534862b16e643827b52dba349">loss of $54.6 million</a>, a decline of $1.06 per share, for its first quarter of 2023. Operating revenue was about $1.16 billion in the period.A Wednesday investors note from financial service firm Stephens estimated that Yellow could be burning between $9 million and $10 million each day. Using a liquidity disclosure from earlier this month, Yellow had roughly $100 million in cash at the end of June, the note added — estimating that the company has been burning through increasing amounts of money through July.“It is reasonable to believe that the Company could breach its $35 mil. liquidity requirement at any moment,” Stephens analyst Jack Atkins and associate Grant Smith wrote.DID THE COMPANY JUST AVERT A STRIKE? Last week's reports of bankruptcy preparations arrived just days after a strike from the Teamsters, which represents Yellow’s 22,000 unionized workers, was averted.A series of heated exchanges have built up between the Teamsters and Yellow, who sued the union in June after alleging it was “unjustifiably blocking” restructuring plans needed for the company’s survival. The Teamsters called the litigation “baseless” — with O’Brien pointing to Yellow’s “decades of gross mismanagement,” which included exhausting the $700 million federal loan.On July 23, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow Corp. operating companies, averting a strike — and giving Yellow “30 days to pay its bills,” notably $50 million that Yellow failed to pay the Central States Health and Welfare Fund on July 15, the union said. While the strike didn’t occur, talks of a walkout may have caused some Yellow customers to pull back, Chan said.“The financial struggles of Yellow are not related to the union and the contracts,” Jindel said, pointing to management’s responsibility around its services and prices. He added the union wages from Yellow are “lower than any competitor.”WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YELLOW WENT UNDER? As Yellow customers take their shipments to other carriers, like FedEx or ABF Freight, prices will go up.Yellow’s prices have historically been the cheapest compared to other carriers, Jindel said. “That’s why they obviously were not making money,” he added. “And while there is capacity with the other LTL carriers to handle the diversions from Yellow, it will come at a high price for (current shippers and customers) of Yellow.”Chan adds that we’re in an interesting time for the LTL marketplace — noting that, if Yellow liquidates, “the freight would find a home” with other carriers, which may not have been true in recent years.“It may take time, but there’s room for it to be absorbed,” he said.

Yellow is shutting down and headed for bankruptcy, the Teamsters Union says. Here's what to know

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The nation's top health official implored states to do more to keep lower-income residents enrolled in Medicaid, as the Biden administration released figures Friday confirming that many who had health coverage during the coronavirus pandemic are now losing it.

Though a decline in Medicaid coverage was expected, health officials are raising concerns about the large numbers of people being dropped from the rolls for failing to return forms or follow procedures.

In 18 states that began a post-pandemic review of their Medicaid rolls in April, health coverage was continued for about 1 million recipients and terminated for 715,000. Of those dropped, 4 in 5 were for procedural reasons, according to newly released data from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra sent a letter Friday to all governors encouraging them to bolster efforts to retain people on Medicaid. He particularly encouraged them to use electronic information from other federal programs, such as food stamps, to automatically confirm people's eligibility for Medicaid. That would avert the need to mail and return documents.

“I am deeply concerned about high rates of procedural terminations due to ‘red tape’ and other paperwork issues,” Becerra told governors.

During the pandemic, states were prohibited from ending people’s Medicaid coverage. As a result, Medicaid enrollment swelled by nearly one-third, from 71 million people in February 2020 to 93 million in February 2023. The prohibition on trimming rolls ended in April, and states now have resumed annual eligibility redeterminations that had been required before the pandemic.

The new federal data captures only the first month of state Medicaid reviews from states that acted the most expeditiously. Since then, additional states also have submitted reports on those renewed and dropped from Medicaid in May and June.

Though the federal government hasn't released data from the most recent reports, information gathered by The Associated Press and health care advocacy groups show that about 3.7 million people already have lost Medicaid coverage. That includes about 500,000 in Texas, around 400,000 in Florida and 225,000 in California. Of those who lost coverage, 89% were for procedural reasons in California, 81% in Texas and 59% in Florida, according to the AP's data.

Many of those people may have still been eligible for Medicaid, “but they’re caught in a bureaucratic nightmare of confusing forms, notices sent to wrong addresses and other errors,” said Michelle Levander, founding director of the Center for Health Journalism at the University of Southern California,

Top CMS officials said they have worked with several states to pause Medicaid removals and improve procedures for determining eligibility.

South Carolina is one state that voluntarily slowed down. It reported renewing Medicaid coverage for about 27,000 people in May while removing 118,000. Of those dropped, 95% were for procedural reasons. In a recent report to the federal government, South Carolina said it removed no one from Medicaid in June because it extended the eligibility renewal deadline from 60 days to 90 days.

Michigan reported renewing more than 103,000 Medicaid recipients in June and removing just 12,000. It told the federal government that the state opted to delay terminations for those who failed to respond to renewal requests while instead making additional outreach attempts. As a result, the state reported more than 100,000 people whose June eligibility cases remained incomplete.

People who are dropped from Medicaid can regain coverage retroactively if they submit information within 90 days proving their eligibility. But some advocacy groups say that still poses a challenge.

“State government is not necessarily nimble,” said Keesa Smith, executive director of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. "When individuals are being disenrolled, the biggest concern ... is that there is not a fast track to get those individuals back on the rolls.”

Arkansas officials have been at the forefront of defending Medicaid cuts. They contend that many people likely don't return forms because they no longer need Medicaid.

People are “transitioning off of Medicaid” because "they are working, making more money, and have access to health care through their employers or the federal marketplace,” Arkansas Medicaid Director Janet Mann said earlier this month. “This should be celebrated, not criticized.”

Insurance companies that run Medicaid programs for states said they are trying to reduce procedural terminations and enroll people in new plans.

The Blue Cross-Blue Shield insurer Elevance Health lost 130,000 Medicaid customers during the recently completed second quarter, as Medicaid eligibility redeterminations began. Chief Financial Officer John Gallina said earlier this month that many people lost Medicaid coverage for administrative reasons but are likely to reenroll in the near future.

Leaders of the insurer Molina Healthcare told analysts Thursday that the company lost about 93,000 Medicaid customers in the recently completed second quarter, mostly due to eligibility redeterminations. Molina officials said they are trying to switch people who no longer qualify for Medicaid to one of the individual insurance plans they sell through state-based marketplaces.

Federal data for April indicates that some states did a better job than others at handling a crush of questions from people about their Medicaid coverage.

In 19 states and the District of Columbia, the average Medicaid call center wait time was one minute or less in April. But in Idaho, the average caller to the state's Medicaid help line waited 51 minutes. In Missouri, the average wait was 44 minutes, and in Florida 40 minutes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681122121502.png" alt="Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra sent a letter Friday to all governors encouraging them to bolster efforts to retain people on Medicaid.-file photo" />
 <figcaption>Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra sent a letter Friday to all governors encouraging them to bolster efforts to retain people on Medicaid.-file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — The nation's top health official implored states to do more to keep lower-income residents enrolled in Medicaid, as the Biden administration released figures Friday confirming that many who had health coverage during the coronavirus pandemic are now losing it.Though a decline in Medicaid coverage was expected, health officials are raising concerns about the large numbers of people being dropped from the rolls for failing to return forms or follow procedures.In 18 states that began a post-pandemic review of their Medicaid rolls in April, health coverage was continued for about 1 million recipients and terminated for 715,000. Of those dropped, 4 in 5 were for procedural reasons, according to newly released data from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra sent a letter Friday to all governors encouraging them to bolster efforts to retain people on Medicaid. He particularly encouraged them to use electronic information from other federal programs, such as food stamps, to automatically confirm people's eligibility for Medicaid. That would avert the need to mail and return documents.“I am deeply concerned about high rates of procedural terminations due to ‘red tape’ and other paperwork issues,” Becerra told governors.During the pandemic, states were prohibited from ending people’s Medicaid coverage. As a result, Medicaid enrollment swelled by nearly one-third, from 71 million people in February 2020 to 93 million in February 2023. The prohibition on trimming rolls ended in April, and states now have resumed annual eligibility redeterminations that had been required before the pandemic.The new federal data captures only the first month of state Medicaid reviews from states that acted the most expeditiously. Since then, additional states also have submitted reports on those renewed and dropped from Medicaid in May and June.Though the federal government hasn't released data from the most recent reports, information gathered by The Associated Press and health care advocacy groups show that about 3.7 million people already have lost Medicaid coverage. That includes about 500,000 in Texas, around 400,000 in Florida and 225,000 in California. Of those who lost coverage, 89% were for procedural reasons in California, 81% in Texas and 59% in Florida, according to the AP's data.Many of those people may have still been eligible for Medicaid, “but they’re caught in a bureaucratic nightmare of confusing forms, notices sent to wrong addresses and other errors,” said Michelle Levander, founding director of the Center for Health Journalism at the University of Southern California,Top CMS officials said they have worked with several states to pause Medicaid removals and improve procedures for determining eligibility.South Carolina is one state that voluntarily slowed down. It reported renewing Medicaid coverage for about 27,000 people in May while removing 118,000. Of those dropped, 95% were for procedural reasons. In a recent report to the federal government, South Carolina said it removed no one from Medicaid in June because it extended the eligibility renewal deadline from 60 days to 90 days.Michigan reported renewing more than 103,000 Medicaid recipients in June and removing just 12,000. It told the federal government that the state opted to delay terminations for those who failed to respond to renewal requests while instead making additional outreach attempts. As a result, the state reported more than 100,000 people whose June eligibility cases remained incomplete.People who are dropped from Medicaid can regain coverage retroactively if they submit information within 90 days proving their eligibility. But some advocacy groups say that still poses a challenge.“State government is not necessarily nimble,” said Keesa Smith, executive director of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. "When individuals are being disenrolled, the biggest concern ... is that there is not a fast track to get those individuals back on the rolls.”Arkansas officials have been at the forefront of defending Medicaid cuts. They contend that many people likely don't return forms because they no longer need Medicaid.People are “transitioning off of Medicaid” because "they are working, making more money, and have access to health care through their employers or the federal marketplace,” Arkansas Medicaid Director Janet Mann said earlier this month. “This should be celebrated, not criticized.”Insurance companies that run Medicaid programs for states said they are trying to reduce procedural terminations and enroll people in new plans.The Blue Cross-Blue Shield insurer Elevance Health lost 130,000 Medicaid customers during the recently completed second quarter, as Medicaid eligibility redeterminations began. Chief Financial Officer John Gallina said earlier this month that many people lost Medicaid coverage for administrative reasons but are likely to reenroll in the near future.Leaders of the insurer Molina Healthcare told analysts Thursday that the company lost about 93,000 Medicaid customers in the recently completed second quarter, mostly due to eligibility redeterminations. Molina officials said they are trying to switch people who no longer qualify for Medicaid to one of the individual insurance plans they sell through state-based marketplaces.Federal data for April indicates that some states did a better job than others at handling a crush of questions from people about their Medicaid coverage.In 19 states and the District of Columbia, the average Medicaid call center wait time was one minute or less in April. But in Idaho, the average caller to the state's Medicaid help line waited 51 minutes. In Missouri, the average wait was 44 minutes, and in Florida 40 minutes.

Simple paperwork problems drive surge in people losing Medicaid coverage

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/29/how-voter-id-in-nebraska-will-work-what-voters-need-to-know/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska voters passed a state constitutional amendment in 2022 requiring voters to verify their identities with a photo ID. This June, the Nebraska Legislature decided how the Secretary of State and 93 county election officials would implement that amendment, starting with the state’s 2024 primary election.

But the public education piece of that effort, outreach to voters and would-be voters, starts this summer. The Secretary of State’s Office is already preparing a brochure to hand out in Grand Island, during the Nebraska State Fair. Civic Nebraska and other voting rights organizations are also ramping up.

Secretary of State Bob Evnen said his office will staff a booth at the State Fair that will let people pick up brochures and ask state and local election officials how the new law will work, Legislative Bill 514. They also plan outreach through social media, TV, radio and print advertising as elections get closer.

The Nebraska Examiner pulled together a quick guide for what voters will need to know before they head to the polls for the first election that the state will requiring the ID, the state’s May 2024 primary. This guide, built with input from state and local election officials, should help folks get ready to vote.

Voters heading to the polls in person will need to bring a state-approved photo ID, which could include a driver’s license, a college ID, a nursing home ID, a passport, a military ID, a tribal ID or an ID from a city, county, school district or another political subdivision of the state.

People who accidentally forget their photo ID but want to go ahead and cast their ballot can still choose to vote provisionally. However, they will need to find or obtain a photo ID and bring it to their county election office within a week of Election Day to have their ballot count.

Others who lack access to a photo ID will need to apply for a certificate from their county election office verifying a disability, circumstance or religious objection that lets them vote without showing a photo ID. Federal case law limits states from restricting people in both groups from participating in elections.

“We want to be sure that they know … when they come to vote, they need to prepare to present that identification, because I can see folks getting cranky because they’ve never had to do this before, and this is new,” said State Sen. Tom Brewer, who represents north-central Nebraska and led passage of the bill.

People who like to vote early in person at their county election office will need to follow the same requirements as voting on Election Day in person. They’ll need to bring a state-approved photo ID or vote provisionally and bring in a photo ID later.

Those who qualify for a legal exception to photo IDs can apply for a certificate allowing it. The Secretary of State’s Office has already started training with county election officials and has a training conference scheduled this fall. The goal is to help counties prepare to re-train poll workers used to the old way of doing things and to hire and train new poll workers in time for 2024.

This is where LB 514 gives voters some options on how to verify their photo ID. When requesting an early voting ballot by mail, Nebraska voters will need to write their driver’s license or approved state ID number on the ballot request form. Those who choose not to write down that information can put a photocopy of their state-approved photo ID in the envelope or a form for a “reasonable impediment certification.”

Election officials hope that by pushing this part of the process up to the point when people request ballots, instead of waiting for when they return ballots by mail, that voters who forget a step in the ID verification process will still have adequate time to visit their county election offices and provide ID or obtain the necessary certification to have their ballot count.

People in all or part of 11 largely rural Nebraska counties vote entirely by mail – Boone, Cedar, Cherry, Clay, Dawes, Dixon, Garden, Knox, Merrick, Morrill and Stanton. Every registered voter in those all-mail precincts already receives a ballot by mail. Their process changes a bit under the new law.

They will need to write their driver’s license or approved state ID number on the envelope used to return their ballot. They will also have the option of instead using a photocopy of an approved photo ID or a certificate noting a legal exception to showing a photo ID.

The Secretary of State’s Office is already working with local election officials to try to design request and return forms and ballot envelopes that will work without requiring investments in new boxes to transport ballots to county election offices for secure counting.

Implementing the new voter ID process will require months of state and local work, Evnen said, including months of engagement with the public long before they hit the polls. An “adjustment period” is unavoidable, he and other election officials have said.

“The law that was passed reflects what was learned in other states (that implemented voter ID),” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680605917852.jpeg" alt="Voting booths Photo on File" />
 <figcaption>Voting booths Photo on File</figcaption>
 </figure>By Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/29/how-voter-id-in-nebraska-will-work-what-voters-need-to-know/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska voters passed a state constitutional amendment in 2022 requiring voters to verify their identities with a photo ID. This June, the Nebraska Legislature decided how the Secretary of State and 93 county election officials would implement that amendment, starting with the state’s 2024 primary election.But the public education piece of that effort, outreach to voters and would-be voters, starts this summer. The Secretary of State’s Office is already preparing a brochure to hand out in Grand Island, during the Nebraska State Fair. Civic Nebraska and other voting rights organizations are also ramping up.Secretary of State Bob Evnen said his office will staff a booth at the State Fair that will let people pick up brochures and ask state and local election officials how the new law will work, Legislative Bill 514. They also plan outreach through social media, TV, radio and print advertising as elections get closer.The Nebraska Examiner pulled together a quick guide for what voters will need to know before they head to the polls for the first election that the state will requiring the ID, the state’s May 2024 primary. This guide, built with input from state and local election officials, should help folks get ready to vote.<h2>Voting on Election Day in person</h2>Voters heading to the polls in person will need to bring a state-approved photo ID, which could include a driver’s license, a college ID, a nursing home ID, a passport, a military ID, a tribal ID or an ID from a city, county, school district or another political subdivision of the state.People who accidentally forget their photo ID but want to go ahead and cast their ballot can still choose to vote provisionally. However, they will need to find or obtain a photo ID and bring it to their county election office within a week of Election Day to have their ballot count.Others who lack access to a photo ID will need to apply for a certificate from their county election office verifying a disability, circumstance or religious objection that lets them vote without showing a photo ID. Federal case law limits states from restricting people in both groups from participating in elections.“We want to be sure that they know … when they come to vote, they need to prepare to present that identification, because I can see folks getting cranky because they’ve never had to do this before, and this is new,” said State Sen. Tom Brewer, who represents north-central Nebraska and led passage of the bill.<h2>Voting early in person</h2>People who like to vote early in person at their county election office will need to follow the same requirements as voting on Election Day in person. They’ll need to bring a state-approved photo ID or vote provisionally and bring in a photo ID later.Those who qualify for a legal exception to photo IDs can apply for a certificate allowing it. The Secretary of State’s Office has already started training with county election officials and has a training conference scheduled this fall. The goal is to help counties prepare to re-train poll workers used to the old way of doing things and to hire and train new poll workers in time for 2024.<h2>Voting early by mail</h2>This is where LB 514 gives voters some options on how to verify their photo ID. When requesting an early voting ballot by mail, Nebraska voters will need to write their driver’s license or approved state ID number on the ballot request form. Those who choose not to write down that information can put a photocopy of their state-approved photo ID in the envelope or a form for a “reasonable impediment certification.”Election officials hope that by pushing this part of the process up to the point when people request ballots, instead of waiting for when they return ballots by mail, that voters who forget a step in the ID verification process will still have adequate time to visit their county election offices and provide ID or obtain the necessary certification to have their ballot count.<h2>Voting by mail in an all-mail precinct</h2>People in all or part of 11 largely rural Nebraska counties vote entirely by mail – Boone, Cedar, Cherry, Clay, Dawes, Dixon, Garden, Knox, Merrick, Morrill and Stanton. Every registered voter in those all-mail precincts already receives a ballot by mail. Their process changes a bit under the new law.They will need to write their driver’s license or approved state ID number on the envelope used to return their ballot. They will also have the option of instead using a photocopy of an approved photo ID or a certificate noting a legal exception to showing a photo ID.The Secretary of State’s Office is already working with local election officials to try to design request and return forms and ballot envelopes that will work without requiring investments in new boxes to transport ballots to county election offices for secure counting.Implementing the new voter ID process will require months of state and local work, Evnen said, including months of engagement with the public long before they hit the polls. An “adjustment period” is unavoidable, he and other election officials have said.“The law that was passed reflects what was learned in other states (that implemented voter ID),” he said.

How voter ID in Nebraska will work: What voters need to know

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/31/law-passed-last-year-to-reduce-nitrates-in-nebraska-water-hasnt-left-the-ground-sponsor-says/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A new state program, approved in 2022 to help reduce nitrate pollution in drinking water, is struggling to get started, more than a year after it became law.

Legislative Bill 925, the Resilient Soils and Water Quality Act, provided $1.25 million over five years to hire a non-government “facilitator” to organize small-group, educational meetings with farmers to promote conservation practices that reduce nitrate pollution in groundwater and surface water.

But so far, no facilitator has been hired, and education sessions are still being mulled. A website is in the works, however, and a five-page annual report was produced in December while an employee with the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources is sorting out the best way to use the funding.

Former State Sen. Tim Gragert, who led passage of LB 925, said Friday that overall the program “hasn’t left the ground” while nitrate problems in Nebraska’s water resources persist.

&nbsp;“It’s kind of disappointing,” Gragert said.

“Nitrates in our water are just terrible in some parts of Nebraska and it’s not getting any better,” said the senator, who left the Legislature last year after deciding not to run for re-election.

Gragert said that his hometown of Creighton had to install a reverse-osmosis system in 1990 to lower nitrate levels to healthy levels in groundwater there.

A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://water.unl.edu/article/groundwater/small-communities-pay-high-costs-clean-water">2020 report from the University of Nebraska</a>&nbsp;said that Creighton and four other nearby rural towns had spent nearly $9 million — at a cost of $2,200 per person — to supply clean drinking water.

The state’s 2022 annual report on groundwater quality found that nearly 30% (157 out of 550) of the state’s public water systems had to regularly test for nitrate levels to discern if they exceeded the level deemed unsafe for drinking — 10 parts per billion.

Nitrates can cause “blue baby syndrome” where a baby’s skin color changes and they can become irritable or lethargic. Nitrates have also been l<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6068531/">inked to birth defects</a>&nbsp;and some cancers.

Gragert, who worked for the federal soil conservation service for three decades, said that because growing corn — which requires nitrogen fertilizer — is such a huge business in Nebraska, policy makers are willing to “turn their heads” to the problem.

“There’s a real lack of education, even though we have some really sharp producers out there,” the senator said.

Tom Riley, the director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, was out of the office on Friday and unavailable for comment.

But Kent Zimmerman, a supervisor at DNR who is dealing with the healthy soils law, said, “I wouldn’t say nothing is happening.”

He said the job of implementing the resilient soils/water quality law was handed “at the last minute” to DNR, which regulates surface water.

‘Don’t upset the apple cart attitude’

Zimmerman said that other groups have tried “learning events” like those envisioned by LB 925, but they’ve had mixed results and seem to draw the same people. So, he’s now trying to discern if there’s a better way to move forward and utilize the $250,000 a year funding.

“While soil health seems like a great thing, what I’ve discovered is there’s a ‘don’t upset the apple cart attitude’ out there,” Zimmerman said.

&nbsp;“I don’t think they thought this one through,” he added.

Gragert and others involved in a task force that studied the issue for more than a year before LB 925 was passed disagree. The task force consisted of authorities on nitrates and farming practices.

The senator said the bill was intentionally drafted to require a non-government facilitator to lead the effect because many farmers don’t trust government officials visiting their land.

The idea, Gragert said, was to use other farmers as mentors to promote a voluntary, grass-roots effort toward a “healthy soils” practices — like cover crops and better fertilizer management — that can reduce nitrate problems.

That approach, he said, is the best way to break through the reluctance of some farmers to consider practices that don’t contribute to more nitrate in surface and groundwater.

Gragert said it’s not true that nitrogen fertilizer is being taken away from farmers, it’s about using it more efficiently.

The facilitator, he added, was also supposed to seek grant funding, so that the water quality work could continue after state funding was scheduled to run out, in five years.

The DNR was chosen to help facilitate the program, Gragert said, because it was viewed as being more cooperative than another option, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.

Zimmerman, the DNR official, said that the agency is in the final stages of hiring a company that put together a website on best farming practices to avoid nitrates in water in South Dakota.

“Rather than have one person doing everything, I think we’re looking for a group approach,” he said.

If they hire a facilitator who is not a government employee, that would probably be a couple of years off, Zimmerman said.

Right now, he said, there’s a lot of momentum nationally and within corporations to address nitrate problems, and getting LB 925 off and running shouldn’t wait.

Still, Gragert acknowledged, it’s a complicated problem involving farming practices, confined animal feeding operations and lawn fertilizer that will take a comprehensive approach.

“This is problem that was created over many many years, and a solution isn’t going to be immediate either,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690368604351.jpeg" alt="Water Photo on File" />
 <figcaption>Water Photo on File</figcaption>
 </figure>By Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/31/law-passed-last-year-to-reduce-nitrates-in-nebraska-water-hasnt-left-the-ground-sponsor-says/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — A new state program, approved in 2022 to help reduce nitrate pollution in drinking water, is struggling to get started, more than a year after it became law.Legislative Bill 925, the Resilient Soils and Water Quality Act, provided $1.25 million over five years to hire a non-government “facilitator” to organize small-group, educational meetings with farmers to promote conservation practices that reduce nitrate pollution in groundwater and surface water.But so far, no facilitator has been hired, and education sessions are still being mulled. A website is in the works, however, and a five-page annual report was produced in December while an employee with the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources is sorting out the best way to use the funding.Former State Sen. Tim Gragert, who led passage of LB 925, said Friday that overall the program “hasn’t left the ground” while nitrate problems in Nebraska’s water resources persist.&nbsp;“It’s kind of disappointing,” Gragert said.“Nitrates in our water are just terrible in some parts of Nebraska and it’s not getting any better,” said the senator, who left the Legislature last year after deciding not to run for re-election.Gragert said that his hometown of Creighton had to install a reverse-osmosis system in 1990 to lower nitrate levels to healthy levels in groundwater there.<h2>‘Blue baby syndrome’</h2>A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://water.unl.edu/article/groundwater/small-communities-pay-high-costs-clean-water">2020 report from the University of Nebraska</a>&nbsp;said that Creighton and four other nearby rural towns had spent nearly $9 million — at a cost of $2,200 per person — to supply clean drinking water.The state’s 2022 annual report on groundwater quality found that nearly 30% (157 out of 550) of the state’s public water systems had to regularly test for nitrate levels to discern if they exceeded the level deemed unsafe for drinking — 10 parts per billion.Nitrates can cause “blue baby syndrome” where a baby’s skin color changes and they can become irritable or lethargic. Nitrates have also been l<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6068531/">inked to birth defects</a>&nbsp;and some cancers.Gragert, who worked for the federal soil conservation service for three decades, said that because growing corn — which requires nitrogen fertilizer — is such a huge business in Nebraska, policy makers are willing to “turn their heads” to the problem.“There’s a real lack of education, even though we have some really sharp producers out there,” the senator said.Tom Riley, the director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, was out of the office on Friday and unavailable for comment.But Kent Zimmerman, a supervisor at DNR who is dealing with the healthy soils law, said, “I wouldn’t say nothing is happening.”He said the job of implementing the resilient soils/water quality law was handed “at the last minute” to DNR, which regulates surface water.<h2>‘Don’t upset the apple cart attitude’</h2>Zimmerman said that other groups have tried “learning events” like those envisioned by LB 925, but they’ve had mixed results and seem to draw the same people. So, he’s now trying to discern if there’s a better way to move forward and utilize the $250,000 a year funding.“While soil health seems like a great thing, what I’ve discovered is there’s a ‘don’t upset the apple cart attitude’ out there,” Zimmerman said.&nbsp;“I don’t think they thought this one through,” he added.Gragert and others involved in a task force that studied the issue for more than a year before LB 925 was passed disagree. The task force consisted of authorities on nitrates and farming practices.The senator said the bill was intentionally drafted to require a non-government facilitator to lead the effect because many farmers don’t trust government officials visiting their land.The idea, Gragert said, was to use other farmers as mentors to promote a voluntary, grass-roots effort toward a “healthy soils” practices — like cover crops and better fertilizer management — that can reduce nitrate problems.That approach, he said, is the best way to break through the reluctance of some farmers to consider practices that don’t contribute to more nitrate in surface and groundwater.Gragert said it’s not true that nitrogen fertilizer is being taken away from farmers, it’s about using it more efficiently.<h2>DNR thought to be more cooperative</h2>The facilitator, he added, was also supposed to seek grant funding, so that the water quality work could continue after state funding was scheduled to run out, in five years.The DNR was chosen to help facilitate the program, Gragert said, because it was viewed as being more cooperative than another option, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.Zimmerman, the DNR official, said that the agency is in the final stages of hiring a company that put together a website on best farming practices to avoid nitrates in water in South Dakota.“Rather than have one person doing everything, I think we’re looking for a group approach,” he said.If they hire a facilitator who is not a government employee, that would probably be a couple of years off, Zimmerman said.“Oh man,” was Gragert’s response.Right now, he said, there’s a lot of momentum nationally and within corporations to address nitrate problems, and getting LB 925 off and running shouldn’t wait.Still, Gragert acknowledged, it’s a complicated problem involving farming practices, confined animal feeding operations and lawn fertilizer that will take a comprehensive approach.“This is problem that was created over many many years, and a solution isn’t going to be immediate either,” he said.

Law passed last year to reduce nitrates in Nebraska water ‘hasn’t left the ground,’ sponsor says

Defending&nbsp;our constitutional rights is our fundamental duty and special privilege as Americans. The north entrance of Nebraska’s State Capitol Building is engraved with words coined by philosopher and Capitol thematic consultant Hartley Burr Alexander, “The Salvation of the State is Watchfulness in the Citizen.” Vigilance to secure our rights is no more important for any other right than it is for our Second Amendment.

Law-abiding citizens have the right to exercise their Second Amendment freedoms, and – as your elected representative – I have a duty to actively defend the rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

I have serious concerns about ongoing attempts to encroach on the Second Amendment and am actively working to fight them. To this end, earlier this month I joined many of my Congressional colleagues in a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) opposing its tactics implementing the Safer Communities Act. While I opposed its passage, this law was enacted in 2022 and created a program to fund “red flag” programs at the state level.&nbsp;

Red flag laws and other ill-conceived proposals to limit firearm rights are bad policies with the potential to violate Americans’ rights to due process, and our letter to the DOJ raises concerns with the unlawful awarding of grants to states that do not currently have red flag laws. It would be inappropriate for DOJ to award red flag grants to states which do not have red flag laws, and DOJ must clarify their criteria for awarding these funds.

In January of 2022, San Jose, California became the first city in the United States to mandate liability insurance and an annual fee for gun owners. To protect Second Amendment rights at the federal level, I am a cosponsor of the No User Fees for Gun Owners Act. This measure would prohibit state governments from violating Second Amendment rights through the imposition of insurance requirements, taxes, or fees as a condition of gun or ammunition ownership.

I am also a cosponsor of the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. This bill would establish a framework for carrying or possessing concealed firearms when bringing them across state lines, allowing individuals eligible to carry a concealed firearm under one state’s laws to carry or possess a concealed handgun in other states which permit them to carry concealed firearms.

Earlier this year, Nebraska joined 26 states to enact a constitutional carry bill into law. This law allows Nebraskans 21 and older to carry a concealed handgun without a permit, and I applaud the leadership of Governor Pillen to defend Nebraskans’ Second Amendment rights. The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act would implement federal protections to ensure Nebraskans are able to exercise these constitutional rights recognized by our state while they are traveling in other states which allow either constitutional carry or concealed carry with a permit.

Preserving freedom for ourselves and future generations depends on our diligence to safeguard the wisdom of the Constitution. I will continue working with my colleagues to defend and preserve the Second Amendment.

Adrian SmithDefending&nbsp;our constitutional rights is our fundamental duty and special privilege as Americans. The north entrance of Nebraska’s State Capitol Building is engraved with words coined by philosopher and Capitol thematic consultant Hartley Burr Alexander, “The Salvation of the State is Watchfulness in the Citizen.” Vigilance to secure our rights is no more important for any other right than it is for our Second Amendment.Law-abiding citizens have the right to exercise their Second Amendment freedoms, and – as your elected representative – I have a duty to actively defend the rights guaranteed by the Constitution.I have serious concerns about ongoing attempts to encroach on the Second Amendment and am actively working to fight them. To this end, earlier this month I joined many of my Congressional colleagues in a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) opposing its tactics implementing the Safer Communities Act. While I opposed its passage, this law was enacted in 2022 and created a program to fund “red flag” programs at the state level.&nbsp;Red flag laws and other ill-conceived proposals to limit firearm rights are bad policies with the potential to violate Americans’ rights to due process, and our letter to the DOJ raises concerns with the unlawful awarding of grants to states that do not currently have red flag laws. It would be inappropriate for DOJ to award red flag grants to states which do not have red flag laws, and DOJ must clarify their criteria for awarding these funds.In January of 2022, San Jose, California became the first city in the United States to mandate liability insurance and an annual fee for gun owners. To protect Second Amendment rights at the federal level, I am a cosponsor of the No User Fees for Gun Owners Act. This measure would prohibit state governments from violating Second Amendment rights through the imposition of insurance requirements, taxes, or fees as a condition of gun or ammunition ownership.I am also a cosponsor of the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. This bill would establish a framework for carrying or possessing concealed firearms when bringing them across state lines, allowing individuals eligible to carry a concealed firearm under one state’s laws to carry or possess a concealed handgun in other states which permit them to carry concealed firearms.Earlier this year, Nebraska joined 26 states to enact a constitutional carry bill into law. This law allows Nebraskans 21 and older to carry a concealed handgun without a permit, and I applaud the leadership of Governor Pillen to defend Nebraskans’ Second Amendment rights. The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act would implement federal protections to ensure Nebraskans are able to exercise these constitutional rights recognized by our state while they are traveling in other states which allow either constitutional carry or concealed carry with a permit.Preserving freedom for ourselves and future generations depends on our diligence to safeguard the wisdom of the Constitution. I will continue working with my colleagues to defend and preserve the Second Amendment.

 Standing up for Second Amendment Rights

July 31, 2023 (Lincoln, Neb.) — The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT), law enforcement, and health agencies are hosting a stakeholder meeting regarding the statewide Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Assessment.&nbsp;

In January 2022, an updated version of Nebraska’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan was finalized. This data-driven, strategic plan makes progress towards the state’s goal of eliminating fatal and serious injury crashes.&nbsp;

To continue these efforts and support the plan, we are creating a new Vulnerable Road User&nbsp; Assessment. Anyone who walks, bikes, or rolls on or across Nebraska roads is a vulnerable road user. This assessment is intended to protect and improve the conditions for vulnerable road users across the state.&nbsp;

We value your input and hope you can join us on August 8, 2023, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the NDOT Auditorium (1500 Nebraska Pkwy, Lincoln, NE 68502). The meeting will include a presentation by the project team at 5:15 p.m. followed by an open house featuring display boards.&nbsp;

We would also like to invite you to participate in a short online survey to help us develop the VRU Assessment. Please complete the survey at ndot.info/VRUsurvey. The survey will be open for responses from July 31 through August 14, 2023.&nbsp;

We encourage you to share this meeting invite with your colleagues, friends and family. If you have any questions, please contact us.&nbsp;

July 31, 2023 (Lincoln, Neb.) — The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT), law enforcement, and health agencies are hosting a stakeholder meeting regarding the statewide Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Assessment.&nbsp;In January 2022, an updated version of Nebraska’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan was finalized. This data-driven, strategic plan makes progress towards the state’s goal of eliminating fatal and serious injury crashes.&nbsp;To continue these efforts and support the plan, we are creating a new Vulnerable Road User&nbsp; Assessment. Anyone who walks, bikes, or rolls on or across Nebraska roads is a vulnerable road user. This assessment is intended to protect and improve the conditions for vulnerable road users across the state.&nbsp;We value your input and hope you can join us on August 8, 2023, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the NDOT Auditorium (1500 Nebraska Pkwy, Lincoln, NE 68502). The meeting will include a presentation by the project team at 5:15 p.m. followed by an open house featuring display boards.&nbsp;We would also like to invite you to participate in a short online survey to help us develop the VRU Assessment. Please complete the survey at ndot.info/VRUsurvey. The survey will be open for responses from July 31 through August 14, 2023.&nbsp;We encourage you to share this meeting invite with your colleagues, friends and family. If you have any questions, please contact us.&nbsp;

Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Assessment Meeting to be held August 8, 2023 in Lincoln 

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China accused the United States of turning Taiwan into an “ammunition depot” after the White House announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-military-aid-china-support-06e61a0e0ed787ea120f839ef59885fa">$345 million military aid package</a>&nbsp;for Taipei, and the self-ruled island said Sunday it tracked six Chinese navy ships in waters off its shores.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office issued a statement late Saturday opposing the military aid to Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.

“No matter how much of the ordinary people's taxpayer money the ... Taiwanese separatist forces spend, no matter how many U.S. weapons, it will not shake our resolve to solve the Taiwan problem. Or shake our firm will to realize the reunification of our motherland,” said Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office.

“Their actions are turning Taiwan into a powder keg and ammunition depot, aggravating the threat of war in the Taiwan Strait," the statement said.

China’s People’s Liberation Army has increased its military maneuvers in recent years aimed at Taiwan, sending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-china-warplanes-military-exercises-2732de541f0154abbc92b5e91b12a611">fighter jets and warships</a>&nbsp;to circle the island.

On Sunday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said it tracked six Chinese navy ships near the island.

Taiwan's ruling administration, led by the Democratic Progressive Party, has stepped up its weapons purchases from the U.S. as part of a deterrence strategy against a Chinese invasion.

China and Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949, and Taiwan has never been governed by China’s ruling Communist Party.

Unlike previous military purchases, the latest batch of aid is part of a presidential authority approved by the U.S. Congress last year to draw weapons from current U.S. military stockpiles — so Taiwan will not have to wait for military production and sales.

While Taiwan has purchased $19 billion worth of weaponry, much of it has yet to be delivered to Taiwan. Washington will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-military-aid-china-support-06e61a0e0ed787ea120f839ef59885fa">send man-portable air defense systems, intelligence and surveillance capabilities</a>, firearms and missiles to Taiwan.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Friday announced $345 million in military aid for Taiwan, in what is the Biden administration’s first major package drawing on America’s own stockpiles to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-china-warplanes-military-exercises-548705bdceb0763c654cfd11f9b74dfd" target="_blank">help Taiwan counter China</a>.

The White House’s announcement said the package would include defense, education and training for the Taiwanese. Washington will send man-portable air defense systems, or MANPADS, intelligence and surveillance capabilities, firearms and missiles, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters ahead of the announcement.

U.S. lawmakers have been pressuring the Pentagon and White House to speed weapons to Taiwan. The goals are to help it counter China and to deter China from considering attacking, by providing Taipei enough weaponry that it would make the price of invasion too high.

The package is in addition to nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-taiwan-military-b7d7f4e8ee181301b0b0ceefc1dce74b" target="_blank">$19 billion in military sales</a>&nbsp;of F-16s and other major weapons systems that the U.S. has approved for Taiwan. Delivery of those weapons has been hampered by supply chain issues that started during the COVID-19 pandemic and have been exacerbated by the global defense industrial base pressures created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The difference is that this aid is part of a presidential authority approved by Congress last year to draw weapons from current U.S. military stockpiles — so Taiwan will not have to wait for military production and sales. This gets weapons delivered faster than providing funding for new weapons.

The Pentagon has used a similar authority to get billions of dollars worth of munitions to Ukraine.

Taiwan split from China in 1949 amid civil war. Chinese President Xi Jinping maintains China’s right to take over the now self-ruled island, by force if necessary. China has accused the U.S. of turning Taiwan into a “powder keg” through the billions of dollars in weapons sales it has pledged.

The U.S. maintains a “One China” policy under which it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-china-us-military-sales-4730400c993d2e32e85ad8cf718be583" target="_blank">does not recognize</a>&nbsp;Taiwan’s formal independence and has no formal diplomatic relations with the island in deference to Beijing. However, U.S. law requires a credible defense for Taiwan and for the U.S. to treat all threats to the island as matters of “grave concern.”

Getting stockpiles of weapons to Taiwan now, before an attack begins, is one of the lessons the U.S. has learned from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Pentagon deputy defense secretary Kathleen Hicks told The Associated Press earlier this year.

Ukraine “was more of a cold-start approach than the planned approach we have been working on for Taiwan, and we will apply those lessons,” Hicks said. Efforts to resupply Taiwan after a conflict erupted would be complicated because it is an island, she said.

China regularly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-taiwan-warships-ee3bcf774b5d979c3b36a1a3c2f6ae7d" target="_blank">sends warships and planes across the center line</a>&nbsp;in the Taiwan Strait that provides a buffer between the sides, as well as into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, in an effort to intimidate the island’s 23 million people and wear down its military capabilities.

Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for China’s embassy in Washington, said in a statement Friday that Beijing was “firmly opposed” to U.S. military ties with Taiwan. The U.S. should “stop selling arms to Taiwan” and “stop creating new factors that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait,” Liu said.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China accused the United States of turning Taiwan into an “ammunition depot” after the White House announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-military-aid-china-support-06e61a0e0ed787ea120f839ef59885fa">$345 million military aid package</a>&nbsp;for Taipei, and the self-ruled island said Sunday it tracked six Chinese navy ships in waters off its shores.China's Taiwan Affairs Office issued a statement late Saturday opposing the military aid to Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.“No matter how much of the ordinary people's taxpayer money the ... Taiwanese separatist forces spend, no matter how many U.S. weapons, it will not shake our resolve to solve the Taiwan problem. Or shake our firm will to realize the reunification of our motherland,” said Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office.“Their actions are turning Taiwan into a powder keg and ammunition depot, aggravating the threat of war in the Taiwan Strait," the statement said.China’s People’s Liberation Army has increased its military maneuvers in recent years aimed at Taiwan, sending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-china-warplanes-military-exercises-2732de541f0154abbc92b5e91b12a611">fighter jets and warships</a>&nbsp;to circle the island.On Sunday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said it tracked six Chinese navy ships near the island.Taiwan's ruling administration, led by the Democratic Progressive Party, has stepped up its weapons purchases from the U.S. as part of a deterrence strategy against a Chinese invasion.China and Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949, and Taiwan has never been governed by China’s ruling Communist Party.Unlike previous military purchases, the latest batch of aid is part of a presidential authority approved by the U.S. Congress last year to draw weapons from current U.S. military stockpiles — so Taiwan will not have to wait for military production and sales.While Taiwan has purchased $19 billion worth of weaponry, much of it has yet to be delivered to Taiwan. Washington will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-military-aid-china-support-06e61a0e0ed787ea120f839ef59885fa">send man-portable air defense systems, intelligence and surveillance capabilities</a>, firearms and missiles to Taiwan.----------------------WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Friday announced $345 million in military aid for Taiwan, in what is the Biden administration’s first major package drawing on America’s own stockpiles to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-china-warplanes-military-exercises-548705bdceb0763c654cfd11f9b74dfd" target="_blank">help Taiwan counter China</a>.The White House’s announcement said the package would include defense, education and training for the Taiwanese. Washington will send man-portable air defense systems, or MANPADS, intelligence and surveillance capabilities, firearms and missiles, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters ahead of the announcement.U.S. lawmakers have been pressuring the Pentagon and White House to speed weapons to Taiwan. The goals are to help it counter China and to deter China from considering attacking, by providing Taipei enough weaponry that it would make the price of invasion too high.The package is in addition to nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-taiwan-military-b7d7f4e8ee181301b0b0ceefc1dce74b" target="_blank">$19 billion in military sales</a>&nbsp;of F-16s and other major weapons systems that the U.S. has approved for Taiwan. Delivery of those weapons has been hampered by supply chain issues that started during the COVID-19 pandemic and have been exacerbated by the global defense industrial base pressures created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.The difference is that this aid is part of a presidential authority approved by Congress last year to draw weapons from current U.S. military stockpiles — so Taiwan will not have to wait for military production and sales. This gets weapons delivered faster than providing funding for new weapons.The Pentagon has used a similar authority to get billions of dollars worth of munitions to Ukraine.Taiwan split from China in 1949 amid civil war. Chinese President Xi Jinping maintains China’s right to take over the now self-ruled island, by force if necessary. China has accused the U.S. of turning Taiwan into a “powder keg” through the billions of dollars in weapons sales it has pledged.The U.S. maintains a “One China” policy under which it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-china-us-military-sales-4730400c993d2e32e85ad8cf718be583" target="_blank">does not recognize</a>&nbsp;Taiwan’s formal independence and has no formal diplomatic relations with the island in deference to Beijing. However, U.S. law requires a credible defense for Taiwan and for the U.S. to treat all threats to the island as matters of “grave concern.”Getting stockpiles of weapons to Taiwan now, before an attack begins, is one of the lessons the U.S. has learned from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Pentagon deputy defense secretary Kathleen Hicks told The Associated Press earlier this year.Ukraine “was more of a cold-start approach than the planned approach we have been working on for Taiwan, and we will apply those lessons,” Hicks said. Efforts to resupply Taiwan after a conflict erupted would be complicated because it is an island, she said.China regularly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-taiwan-warships-ee3bcf774b5d979c3b36a1a3c2f6ae7d" target="_blank">sends warships and planes across the center line</a>&nbsp;in the Taiwan Strait that provides a buffer between the sides, as well as into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, in an effort to intimidate the island’s 23 million people and wear down its military capabilities.Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for China’s embassy in Washington, said in a statement Friday that Beijing was “firmly opposed” to U.S. military ties with Taiwan. The U.S. should “stop selling arms to Taiwan” and “stop creating new factors that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait,” Liu said.

China responds to US giving $345M in military aid to Taiwan

BY SETH BORENSTEIN, CAMILLE FASSETT and MICHAEL GOLDBERG Associated Press

ROLLING FORK, Miss. (AP) — Many were not just killed at home. They were killed by their homes.

Angela Eason had visited Brenda Odoms' tidy mobile home before. It was a place where Odoms, who had many tragedies in her life, felt safe.

In March, a tornado ripped through this small Mississippi town and people in mobile or manufactured homes were hit the hardest. Inside a mobile morgue, Eason, the county coroner, examined Odoms' gaping fatal head wound. Odoms was found just outside of her collapsed mobile home that was tossed around by a tornado. Blunt force trauma killed her.

"The one place she felt safe she was not," Eason said. Fourteen people died in that Rolling Fork tornado, nine of them, including Odoms, were in uprooted manufactured or mobile homes.

Tornadoes in the United States are disproportionately killing more people in mobile or manufactured homes, especially in the South, often victimizing some of the most socially and economically vulnerable residents. Since 1996, tornadoes have killed 815 people in mobile or manufactured homes, representing 53% of all the people killed at home during a tornado, according to an Associated Press data analysis of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tornado deaths. Meanwhile, less than 6% of America's housing units are manufactured homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

While the dangers of tornadoes to mobile homes have long been known, and there are ways to mitigate the risk, the percentage of total tornado deaths that happen in mobile homes has been increasing. Part of the problem is that federal housing rules that call for tougher manufactured home standards, including anchoring, only apply in hurricane zones, which is most of Florida and then several counties along the coast. Those are not the areas where tornadoes usually hit.

Auburn University engineering professor David Roueche called manufactured homes in non-coastal places "death traps compared to most permanent homes" when it comes to tornadoes.

The first tornado deaths this year were in Alabama in January, killing seven people, all in mobile homes. All but one were thrown at least 1,000 feet from their homes, with the seventh person thrown at least 500 feet, said Ernie Baggett, the former emergency management chief for Autauga County, Alabama. Less than 100 yards from where four of those people died was a permanent home that had little more than shingle damage, he said.

When the wind hits the mobile homes, "it's like a house of cards. They just crumble," Baggett said.

So far this year, at least 45 of the 74 people killed in the U.S. by tornadoes were in some form of manufactured housing when they died, according to NOAA data. Nine others died in site homes and the rest were killed in other places, such as in vehicles.

The manufactured housing industry — which disputes that there's any disproportionate danger — insists on calling the structures manufactured homes if they are built after hurricane-based federal standards in 1976 and mobile homes if they are built before, saying age of the home matters. Federal housing officials use the term manufactured housing. Other people, including many researchers and residents, use the terms interchangeably.

More than 70% of the 8 million manufactured homes in America were built after 1976. Because a big chunk were built in the 1980s and early 1990s, 60% of all those homes were installed before increased federal standards were adopted in 1994, the industry's trade group, Manufactured Housing Institute said.

Tornado experts say most tornadoes should be survivable.

"You just have to be in some structure that's attached to the ground. And then no matter what the tornado throws at you, you have really good odds," said NOAA social scientist Kim Klockow-McClain.

But in manufactured homes, even the weakest tornadoes are killing people in large numbers when they shouldn't be, more than a dozen experts in meteorology, disasters and engineering told The AP.

More than 240 people in mobile homes in the past 28 years have died in tornadoes with winds of 135 mph or less, the three weakest of the six categories of twisters, the AP analysis found. That's 79% of the deaths at home in the weaker tornadoes. It's only in storms with winds higher than 165 mph where most of the at home deaths are in more permanent structures.

Auburn's Roueche not only studies what happens in mobile homes during tornadoes, he grew up in one. What he sees over and over are mobile homes that fail from the bottom up because they are not secured enough to the ground, like permanent homes are.

"The whole structure is rolling or flying through air. You've got dressers falling on top of you. You've got the entire structure that's trying to crush you," said Roueche.

That March evening in Rolling Fork, when the tornado roared through Ida Cartlidge remembered the air blowing so powerfully that she couldn't breathe, the sounds of windows shattering and then utter mayhem.

"The only thing that's holding a mobile home down are the little straps in the ground," Cartlidge said. "It picked up the home one time, set it down. It picked it up again, set it down. It picked it up a third time, and we were in the air."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651760459335.png" alt="EF3 tornado in Andover, Kansas - photo courtesy city of Andover" />
 <figcaption>EF3 tornado in Andover, Kansas - photo courtesy city of Andover</figcaption>
 </figure>BY SETH BORENSTEIN, CAMILLE FASSETT and MICHAEL GOLDBERG Associated PressROLLING FORK, Miss. (AP) — Many were not just killed at home. They were killed by their homes.Angela Eason had visited Brenda Odoms' tidy mobile home before. It was a place where Odoms, who had many tragedies in her life, felt safe.In March, a tornado ripped through this small Mississippi town and people in mobile or manufactured homes were hit the hardest. Inside a mobile morgue, Eason, the county coroner, examined Odoms' gaping fatal head wound. Odoms was found just outside of her collapsed mobile home that was tossed around by a tornado. Blunt force trauma killed her."The one place she felt safe she was not," Eason said. Fourteen people died in that Rolling Fork tornado, nine of them, including Odoms, were in uprooted manufactured or mobile homes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690567690702.png" alt="Damage from the EF3 tornado in Andover, Kansas in April 2022-photo NWS Wichita" />
 <figcaption>Damage from the EF3 tornado in Andover, Kansas in April 2022-photo NWS Wichita</figcaption>
 </figure>Tornadoes in the United States are disproportionately killing more people in mobile or manufactured homes, especially in the South, often victimizing some of the most socially and economically vulnerable residents. Since 1996, tornadoes have killed 815 people in mobile or manufactured homes, representing 53% of all the people killed at home during a tornado, according to an Associated Press data analysis of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tornado deaths. Meanwhile, less than 6% of America's housing units are manufactured homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.While the dangers of tornadoes to mobile homes have long been known, and there are ways to mitigate the risk, the percentage of total tornado deaths that happen in mobile homes has been increasing. Part of the problem is that federal housing rules that call for tougher manufactured home standards, including anchoring, only apply in hurricane zones, which is most of Florida and then several counties along the coast. Those are not the areas where tornadoes usually hit.Auburn University engineering professor David Roueche called manufactured homes in non-coastal places "death traps compared to most permanent homes" when it comes to tornadoes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690567758554.png" alt="Damage from the EF3 tornado in Andover, Kansas in April 2022-photo NWS Wichita" />
 <figcaption>Damage from the EF3 tornado in Andover, Kansas in April 2022-photo NWS Wichita</figcaption>
 </figure>The first tornado deaths this year were in Alabama in January, killing seven people, all in mobile homes. All but one were thrown at least 1,000 feet from their homes, with the seventh person thrown at least 500 feet, said Ernie Baggett, the former emergency management chief for Autauga County, Alabama. Less than 100 yards from where four of those people died was a permanent home that had little more than shingle damage, he said.When the wind hits the mobile homes, "it's like a house of cards. They just crumble," Baggett said.So far this year, at least 45 of the 74 people killed in the U.S. by tornadoes were in some form of manufactured housing when they died, according to NOAA data. Nine others died in site homes and the rest were killed in other places, such as in vehicles.The manufactured housing industry — which disputes that there's any disproportionate danger — insists on calling the structures manufactured homes if they are built after hurricane-based federal standards in 1976 and mobile homes if they are built before, saying age of the home matters. Federal housing officials use the term manufactured housing. Other people, including many researchers and residents, use the terms interchangeably.More than 70% of the 8 million manufactured homes in America were built after 1976. Because a big chunk were built in the 1980s and early 1990s, 60% of all those homes were installed before increased federal standards were adopted in 1994, the industry's trade group, Manufactured Housing Institute said.Tornado experts say most tornadoes should be survivable."You just have to be in some structure that's attached to the ground. And then no matter what the tornado throws at you, you have really good odds," said NOAA social scientist Kim Klockow-McClain.But in manufactured homes, even the weakest tornadoes are killing people in large numbers when they shouldn't be, more than a dozen experts in meteorology, disasters and engineering told The AP.More than 240 people in mobile homes in the past 28 years have died in tornadoes with winds of 135 mph or less, the three weakest of the six categories of twisters, the AP analysis found. That's 79% of the deaths at home in the weaker tornadoes. It's only in storms with winds higher than 165 mph where most of the at home deaths are in more permanent structures.Auburn's Roueche not only studies what happens in mobile homes during tornadoes, he grew up in one. What he sees over and over are mobile homes that fail from the bottom up because they are not secured enough to the ground, like permanent homes are."The whole structure is rolling or flying through air. You've got dressers falling on top of you. You've got the entire structure that's trying to crush you," said Roueche.That March evening in Rolling Fork, when the tornado roared through Ida Cartlidge remembered the air blowing so powerfully that she couldn't breathe, the sounds of windows shattering and then utter mayhem."The only thing that's holding a mobile home down are the little straps in the ground," Cartlidge said. "It picked up the home one time, set it down. It picked it up again, set it down. It picked it up a third time, and we were in the air."The tornado hit Mildred Joyner's mobile home so hard she felt the mobile home shake, heard the cracking sound of what she figured was her home coming apart and then she woke up in the hospital.The problem is worsening in the South because tornadoes have been moving more from the Great Plains to the mid-South in recent decades and will likely to continue to do so with climate change a possible factor, studies show. Alabama has the most tornado deaths by far.Unlike the rest of the country, which usually has most manufactured housing in parks, the South has mobile homes scattered about the countryside in ones and twos, making central tornado shelters less effective and likely to be built, said Villanova University tornado expert Stephen Strader and Northern Illinois meteorology professor Walker Ashley.One thing scientists, emergency managers and the manufactured housing industry agree on is that anchoring mobile homes to the ground is key.That requires expensive concrete or expensive tie down systems, said former Alabama emergency official Jonathan Gaddy, now a professor at Idaho State University."Why does that matter? Well, it explains why we haven't fixed the problem with anchoring because nobody can fix the problem and still make money. That's the bottom line," Gaddy said."Anchoring matters and has been shown to be the difference between life or death," Villanova's Strader said in an email. "However, the MH industry seems disinterested in addressing this because it would make their homes more expensive."Manufactured Home Institute Chief Executive Officer Lesli Gooch said the industry is "very clear" about the importance of anchoring. "We also talk about making sure that a professional checks your anchoring systems on your manufactured home, especially on mobile homes built prior to (19)76," she said."We're very focused on making sure that there are minimum installation standards in the states," Gooch said.Northern Illinois' Ashley said lack of state regulations and inspections, especially in much of the South, is a big problem.Improvements in federal codes that went into effect in 1976, 1994 and 2008 make a big difference, Gooch said, arguing that the NOAA data the AP analyzed and that scientists use lump different ages of manufactured homes together and tar them with the problems of the oldest ones."I wouldn't want your readers to misinterpret your data to suggest that living in a manufactured home is somehow more deadly than living in a site-built home because I would tell you that I don't think that the data bears that out," Gooch said.Gooch pointed to manufactured homes in Florida, where tighter federal Housing and Urban Development safety rules apply because it is a hurricane wind zone. "Homes in Florida that are manufactured homes are performing better than what you see in the site-built world," she said.Several scientists and engineers said data, and history, show the situation has not improved."This is more of the handwaving- and misdirection-type statements that has come to represent the manufactured housing industry's take on tornado and manufactured home safety," Villanova's Strader said in an email, with Northern Illinois' Ashley agreeing."Our study of the Lee County Alabama EF4 tornado found that 19 of the 23 deaths were in manufactured homes (all built after 1994)," Strader said. "All of those deaths were due to a lack of anchoring or a floor-to-wall connection. There have been many prior studies that have illustrated that these homes are failing at lower wind loads than permanent homes."If Gooch were right, the percentage of tornado deaths in mobile homes would be going down with time and they are not, NOAA National Severe Storms Lab tornado scientist Harold Brooks said, presenting data that goes back to 1975. His data showed mobile home deaths between 1975 and 1984 were 43.6% of all at-home tornado deaths and the same figure was 63.2% for the past ten years through the end of May.A contributing factor, Strader, Ashley and Roueche said, is that federal rules for anchoring only apply in hurricane zones, mostly in Florida. Those are not the areas where tornadoes usually hit. Instead, they hit inland where the weakest federal standards are, they said. Most of tornado-prone areas, including almost all of Alabama, Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas and Mississippi are in "Zone 1," where safety and anchoring of mobile homes have the most lax standards."People are dying in new and old Zone 1 manufactured homes," Roueche said in response to Gooch's comments. Tornado homes throughout the country would be much safer if the coastal federal requirements applied everywhere, he said.One of the issues with mobile homes and tornadoes is that it is an intersection of risk and "different social vulnerability factors like poverty, even some issues pertaining to race, ethnicity, age," NOAA's Klockow said.And it makes it harder for people to leave their mobile homes and head for a permanent shelter."I always think about the single mother who's living in a manufactured home. It's the middle of the night. She has three kids. Her car's not starting correctly and all of a sudden here comes a tornado," Strader said in an interview.Officials tell her "to get to a storm shelter because our manufactured home isn't safe," Strader said. "Well, the problem there is that there's all these factors up against them."Tornadoes pop down rapidly, which doesn't allow meteorologists to give much warning, maybe 10 to 15 minutes. In many cases, the National Weather Service warns days in advance that the conditions are be ripe for tornadoes, but that isn't the same as warning that one has touched down.University of Oklahoma social scientist Justin Sharpe, who studies disaster warnings, said with poor and disabled residents the key is to avoid warnings that simply say "get out now" and nothing else.Instead, a couple hours before a tornado is possible, meteorologists should warn people to be packed up and ready to go at a moment's notice later, Sharpe and Klockow-McClain said.A relatively new law in Alabama could help provide more shelters. The law gives liability protection to buildings like churches and stores that open up in an emergency as a shelter if specifically-built shelters aren't available.When this year's first deadly tornado struck just outside Montgomery, Alabama, Autauga County had about 30 minutes warning but no "safer places" to send people, the then-emergency chief, Baggett said. Seven people in mobile homes died.The tornado continued into neighboring Elmore County, which had already set off its 30 warning sirens, used a mass notification system to make 16,772 calls to phones in the danger area and opened up 16 churches and other safer places.People went into the temporary shelters. Homes were destroyed, but no one died.___This story has been corrected to show that Stephen Strader is affiliated with Villanova University, not Vanderbilt University.___Associated Press photographer Gerald Herbert and video journalist Stephen Smith contributed to this report. Borenstein reported from Washington and Fassett from Seattle.___Follow AP's climate and environment coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment___Follow Seth Borenstein, Camille Fasset and Michael Goldberg on Twitter at @borenbears, @camfassett and @mikergoldberg.___Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP's climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.