WASHINGTON -&nbsp;U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors deployed to U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility as part of a multifaceted show of U.S. support and capability in the wake of increasingly unsafe and unprofessional behavior by Russian aircraft in the region, according to a media release.

The Raptors, from Langley Air Force Base, Va.'s 94th Fighter Squadron, are demonstrating the U.S.' ability to re-posture forces and deliver overwhelming power at a moment's notice.

The F-22's combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and mission systems make it the best fifth-generation fighter in the world.

While in the CENTCOM area, the 94th Fighter Squadron will integrate with coalition forces on the ground and in the air.

"Russian Forces' unsafe and unprofessional behavior is not what we expect from a professional air force. Their regular violation of agreed upon airspace deconfliction measures increases the risk of escalation or miscalculation," said Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command. "Alongside our partners and allies, we are committed to improving the security and stability in the region."

This rapid deployment and integration into coalition operations is a clear demonstration of the commitment shared by partners, allies, and the U.S. to long-term peace and stability in the region.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686857402741.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON -&nbsp;U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors deployed to U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility as part of a multifaceted show of U.S. support and capability in the wake of increasingly unsafe and unprofessional behavior by Russian aircraft in the region, according to a media release.The Raptors, from Langley Air Force Base, Va.'s 94th Fighter Squadron, are demonstrating the U.S.' ability to re-posture forces and deliver overwhelming power at a moment's notice.The F-22's combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and mission systems make it the best fifth-generation fighter in the world.While in the CENTCOM area, the 94th Fighter Squadron will integrate with coalition forces on the ground and in the air."Russian Forces' unsafe and unprofessional behavior is not what we expect from a professional air force. Their regular violation of agreed upon airspace deconfliction measures increases the risk of escalation or miscalculation," said Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command. "Alongside our partners and allies, we are committed to improving the security and stability in the region."This rapid deployment and integration into coalition operations is a clear demonstration of the commitment shared by partners, allies, and the U.S. to long-term peace and stability in the region.

American fighter jets deployed to Middle East amid Russian aircraft activity

WASHINGTON (AP) — Moments after Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-indictment-miami-court-e9412bb71b63ab1b7cfb8e8b122e9809">pleaded not guilty to federal charges</a>&nbsp;that he hoarded classified documents and then conspired to obstruct an investigation about it, the Republicans in Congress had his back.

Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;dashed off a fundraising email decrying the “witch hunt" against the former president and urging donors to sign up and “stand with Trump.”

The Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell steered clear of criticizing the former president or assuring the nation justice will be impartial, refusing to engage in questions about the unprecedented indictment.

And at a public meeting in the Capitol basement,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-marjorie-taylor-greene-congress-ed7fb114dbe45d0cd703d8800c21bfa3">Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene</a>&nbsp;compared the case against Trump to the federal prosecution of people at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection</a>, suggesting in both instances it was the Justice Department, not the defendants, under scrutiny.

The mounting legal jeopardy Trump finds himself in has quickly become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-republicans-weaponization-23fc661b7c4c1d4070538232f4653f2b">a political rallying cry</a>&nbsp;for the Republicans, many of whom acknowledged they had not fully read the 49-page federal indictment but are rushing to stand by the indicted former president, adopting his grievances against the federal justice system as their own.

It’s an unparalleled example of how Trump has transformed the Republican Party that once embraced “law and order” but is now defending, justifying and explaining away the grave charges he faces with multiple counts of violating the Espionage Act involving some of the country's most sensitive national security secrets.

At the same time, Trump is rewriting the job description of what it means to lead a major American political party. Making another run for the White House, Trump is attacking the bedrock system of U.S. justice that is foundational to democracy and molding an emboldened generation of Republican members of Congress to follow along.

“Stand with Trump,” tweeted Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, the fourth-ranking House GOP leader.

“I will be standing right next to President Trump tonight in total support,” tweeted Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama before he dashed to join the former president at his private Bedminster golf club for a campaign event after the federal court hearing.

“I stand by him right now,” said Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., outside the Capitol. “Ten toes down.”

Despite two impeachment trials, state charges of hush money payments to porn star, a pair of probes into Trump's efforts to undo the 2020 election and now the deepening federal case over his classified documents, Trump has shown an exaggerated ability to not just withstand legal scrutiny but to thrive off it.

As Trump's defenders in Congress see it, he will be rising politically, precisely because of all the investigations against him. Republicans in Congress are working strenuously to reframe the historic indictment of a former president as an unfair political persecution rather than stark federal charges of wrongdoing.

“I’ve been pretty clear on this all the way through: I think the country is very frustrated, when you don’t feel like there’s equal justice.” McCarthy told reporters at the Capitol.

“This president hasn’t even been out of office for four years, but you’re holding him to a standard you’ve never held anybody else to.”

It's an approach that echoed through the halls.

Republican Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida said the case smacks of a “two-tier” justice system, adding that constituents tell her they “never in a million years would have voted for Trump, but this is insane.”

“A bogus investigation,” said Donalds.

“Political hit job,” said Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri, who said he did read the whole indictment.

Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio said Trump is merely the “latest victim” of the Justice Department. He announced he would be blocking all DOJ nominees unless the attorney general changes course.

“If Merrick Garland wants to use these officials to harass Joe Biden’s political opponents, we will grind his department to a halt,” Vance said in a statement.

Republicans also see the federal case against Trump as a winning political strategy — a way to motivate aggrieved voters to the polls in 2024 elections, when the House and one-third of the Senate will be up for another term alongside the presidential nominees.

House Republicans were fundraising off the indictment, and the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Rep. Richard Hudson, joined Trump on the plane from a campaign rally in Georgia to one in North Carolina over the weekend where the congressman introduced the former president on stage.

“A lot of people are going to vote,” Trump told the Bedminster crowd later Wednesday evening. “They know what we’ve gone through.”

The details of 37 counts against Trump in indictment are vivid. The prosecutors laid out explicit evidence how they allege Trump knowingly stored highly sensitive national security documents at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida and then schemed to provide false information to investigators who tried to retrieve the government papers.

Trump could face a potentially lengthy prison sentence, if convicted of the charges.

Some Republicans acknowledge that Trump’s hoarding of the documents — in dozens of boxes in the bathroom, on a ballroom stage and spilled in a storage room – was problematic. Prosecutors said the papers included material about nuclear programs, defense and weapons capabilities, among others, some of the most secret information the U.S. government owns.

Sen. Marco Rubio, the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Trump should have never stored the documents at his home, but said he suggested there was no real harm done since Trump didn’t appear to give away the documents to China, Saudi Arabia or other countries.

Rubio was more worried the indictment of Trump will “release a fury” across a politically divided nation.

Few voices in Congress dared to publicly raise serious questions, concerns or criticism about Trump’s behavior.

“The real question is, why did he do it?” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, the only Republican senator who voted twice to convict Trump in the impeachment trials. “Why should the country go through all this angst and turmoil when all he had to do is turn in the documents when asked?”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said of what she’s seen in the indictment, “it looks pretty damning to me.”

About the same time Trump was pleading not guilty to the charges, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida was leading a panel discussion with Greene and others about the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by a mob of pro-Trump supporters trying to challenge and overturn Biden’s election.

Greene opened her remarks saying it was “heavy on my heart that we’re doing this today."

She compared the two historic moments in U.S. history — "when President Trump was being arraigned all because of the weaponized government that has been weaponized against each of you.”

Trump had encouraged the mob to go to the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and fight for his presidency as Congress was certifying the election won by Biden. Some 1,000 people have been charged by the Justice Department in the Capitol riot, including members of extremist groups convicted of sedition.

Many of those defendants were backing Trump’s claims of a stolen election. But the states certified the results, and experts and judges said the election wasn’t rigged – he just lost. Five people died in the siege of the Capitol, including Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt who was shot and killed by Capitol Police.

Greene and the others draw a through-line between the prosecutions of Jan. 6 attendees and the case against Trump as evidence of a “weaponization” of the justice system.

“It all started on the day, on Jan. 6, when we were just doing our constitutional duty to object” to Biden’s election, the congresswoman said.

Asked afterward if they were trying to rewrite Jan. 6 history, Gaetz a top Trump ally said: “We’re trying to correct history.”

Across the Capitol at his weekly press conference, McConnell, the Republican leader of the Senate, declined to use his position to take sides.

Questioned about Trump’s indictment he said: “I’m not going to start commenting on the various candidates we have for president.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Moments after Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-indictment-miami-court-e9412bb71b63ab1b7cfb8e8b122e9809">pleaded not guilty to federal charges</a>&nbsp;that he hoarded classified documents and then conspired to obstruct an investigation about it, the Republicans in Congress had his back.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">There is corruption happening at the highest levels within the FBI and DOJ. The law should be applied equally to everyone. <a href="https://t.co/h5hnk4tBDm">pic.twitter.com/h5hnk4tBDm</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1669346676799307778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;dashed off a fundraising email decrying the “witch hunt" against the former president and urging donors to sign up and “stand with Trump.”The Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell steered clear of criticizing the former president or assuring the nation justice will be impartial, refusing to engage in questions about the unprecedented indictment.And at a public meeting in the Capitol basement,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-marjorie-taylor-greene-congress-ed7fb114dbe45d0cd703d8800c21bfa3">Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene</a>&nbsp;compared the case against Trump to the federal prosecution of people at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection</a>, suggesting in both instances it was the Justice Department, not the defendants, under scrutiny.The mounting legal jeopardy Trump finds himself in has quickly become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-republicans-weaponization-23fc661b7c4c1d4070538232f4653f2b">a political rallying cry</a>&nbsp;for the Republicans, many of whom acknowledged they had not fully read the 49-page federal indictment but are rushing to stand by the indicted former president, adopting his grievances against the federal justice system as their own.It’s an unparalleled example of how Trump has transformed the Republican Party that once embraced “law and order” but is now defending, justifying and explaining away the grave charges he faces with multiple counts of violating the Espionage Act involving some of the country's most sensitive national security secrets.At the same time, Trump is rewriting the job description of what it means to lead a major American political party. Making another run for the White House, Trump is attacking the bedrock system of U.S. justice that is foundational to democracy and molding an emboldened generation of Republican members of Congress to follow along.“Stand with Trump,” tweeted Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, the fourth-ranking House GOP leader.“I will be standing right next to President Trump tonight in total support,” tweeted Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama before he dashed to join the former president at his private Bedminster golf club for a campaign event after the federal court hearing.“I stand by him right now,” said Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., outside the Capitol. “Ten toes down.”Despite two impeachment trials, state charges of hush money payments to porn star, a pair of probes into Trump's efforts to undo the 2020 election and now the deepening federal case over his classified documents, Trump has shown an exaggerated ability to not just withstand legal scrutiny but to thrive off it.As Trump's defenders in Congress see it, he will be rising politically, precisely because of all the investigations against him. Republicans in Congress are working strenuously to reframe the historic indictment of a former president as an unfair political persecution rather than stark federal charges of wrongdoing.“I’ve been pretty clear on this all the way through: I think the country is very frustrated, when you don’t feel like there’s equal justice.” McCarthy told reporters at the Capitol.“This president hasn’t even been out of office for four years, but you’re holding him to a standard you’ve never held anybody else to.”It's an approach that echoed through the halls.Republican Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida said the case smacks of a “two-tier” justice system, adding that constituents tell her they “never in a million years would have voted for Trump, but this is insane.”“A bogus investigation,” said Donalds.“Political hit job,” said Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri, who said he did read the whole indictment.Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio said Trump is merely the “latest victim” of the Justice Department. He announced he would be blocking all DOJ nominees unless the attorney general changes course.“If Merrick Garland wants to use these officials to harass Joe Biden’s political opponents, we will grind his department to a halt,” Vance said in a statement.Republicans also see the federal case against Trump as a winning political strategy — a way to motivate aggrieved voters to the polls in 2024 elections, when the House and one-third of the Senate will be up for another term alongside the presidential nominees.House Republicans were fundraising off the indictment, and the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Rep. Richard Hudson, joined Trump on the plane from a campaign rally in Georgia to one in North Carolina over the weekend where the congressman introduced the former president on stage.“A lot of people are going to vote,” Trump told the Bedminster crowd later Wednesday evening. “They know what we’ve gone through.”The details of 37 counts against Trump in indictment are vivid. The prosecutors laid out explicit evidence how they allege Trump knowingly stored highly sensitive national security documents at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida and then schemed to provide false information to investigators who tried to retrieve the government papers.Trump could face a potentially lengthy prison sentence, if convicted of the charges.Some Republicans acknowledge that Trump’s hoarding of the documents — in dozens of boxes in the bathroom, on a ballroom stage and spilled in a storage room – was problematic. Prosecutors said the papers included material about nuclear programs, defense and weapons capabilities, among others, some of the most secret information the U.S. government owns.Sen. Marco Rubio, the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Trump should have never stored the documents at his home, but said he suggested there was no real harm done since Trump didn’t appear to give away the documents to China, Saudi Arabia or other countries.Rubio was more worried the indictment of Trump will “release a fury” across a politically divided nation.Few voices in Congress dared to publicly raise serious questions, concerns or criticism about Trump’s behavior.“The real question is, why did he do it?” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, the only Republican senator who voted twice to convict Trump in the impeachment trials. “Why should the country go through all this angst and turmoil when all he had to do is turn in the documents when asked?”Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said of what she’s seen in the indictment, “it looks pretty damning to me.”About the same time Trump was pleading not guilty to the charges, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida was leading a panel discussion with Greene and others about the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by a mob of pro-Trump supporters trying to challenge and overturn Biden’s election.Greene opened her remarks saying it was “heavy on my heart that we’re doing this today."She compared the two historic moments in U.S. history — "when President Trump was being arraigned all because of the weaponized government that has been weaponized against each of you.”Trump had encouraged the mob to go to the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and fight for his presidency as Congress was certifying the election won by Biden. Some 1,000 people have been charged by the Justice Department in the Capitol riot, including members of extremist groups convicted of sedition.Many of those defendants were backing Trump’s claims of a stolen election. But the states certified the results, and experts and judges said the election wasn’t rigged – he just lost. Five people died in the siege of the Capitol, including Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt who was shot and killed by Capitol Police.Greene and the others draw a through-line between the prosecutions of Jan. 6 attendees and the case against Trump as evidence of a “weaponization” of the justice system.“It all started on the day, on Jan. 6, when we were just doing our constitutional duty to object” to Biden’s election, the congresswoman said.Asked afterward if they were trying to rewrite Jan. 6 history, Gaetz a top Trump ally said: “We’re trying to correct history.”Across the Capitol at his weekly press conference, McConnell, the Republican leader of the Senate, declined to use his position to take sides.Questioned about Trump’s indictment he said: “I’m not going to start commenting on the various candidates we have for president.”___

🎥'Stand with Trump': Republicans amplify attacks on US justice system

Karoly&nbsp;Mirnics, MD, PhD, has never lobbed a bocce ball before.

But Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics, director of the Munroe-Meyer Institute&nbsp;at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, will try his hand at the sport as a unified athlete this month during the Special Olympics International (SOI) World Games in Berlin.

The games are the world’s most inclusive sporting event.&nbsp;They feature athletes with disabilities as well as Unified Sports, which team people with and without disabilities for events.

Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics, one of 30 individuals worldwide who sit on the Board of Directors of Special Olympics International, will arrive in Berlin June 15.

He will partake in&nbsp;a number of&nbsp;events during the games, which run from June 17 to June 25.&nbsp;At&nbsp;the games, Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;will meet with fellow SOI board members and host the Golisano Health Leadership Awards. In addition to his role on the board, Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;also serves on the organization’s Research and Policy Committee and is chair of the Global Medical Advisory Committee, which serves the world.

“It’s an amazing organization and I’m proud they feel I’m bringing something to the table,” Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;said. “I am deeply honored to represent MMI, UNMC, the state of Nebraska and the USA.”

From a backyard summer camp for people with intellectual disabilities to a global movement, Special Olympics has been changing lives and attitudes since 1968. With more than 6 million athletes and Unified partners across more than 200 countries, Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Today, it unifies more than 28,000 local clubs and programs on all inhabited continents, with a participation of more than half a million coaches and a million volunteers. In addition to advancing athletic excellence, the organization also promotes physical and behavioral health, and advocates for inclusive policies worldwide.

More than 7,000 athletes will participate in 26 summer sports in the 2023 World Games, supported by more than 3,000 coaches and 20,000 volunteers.

Other Nebraskans attending the games include Carolyn Chamberlin,&nbsp;president&nbsp;and CEO of Special Olympics Nebraska; Anne Hermann competing for Team USA in track and field; and athlete Joe&nbsp;Drwal&nbsp;of Omaha and unified partner Sophie Hill will be part of the Global Youth Leadership Summit.

“They are fierce competitors and extraordinary individuals. Not everyone will break a record, but all the athletes will push themselves to the limit,” Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;said. “They will do their best and we celebrate it together, in public, inclusively. That’s the part that is amazing to me.”

This is the first times the games have been back in full swing since the COVID-19 pandemic. Athletes and organizers alike are eager to be together again at the event, Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;said.

The international games are a celebration — of inclusion and achievement, Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;said. They also represent a larger effort. Special Olympics launched “The Revolution Is Inclusion,” a global campaign in 2018 designed to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities and to create a fully inclusive world, where everyone with intellectual disability is seen,&nbsp;respected&nbsp;and welcomed.

“The population we care for and about should not be invisible,” Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;said. “These are amazing human beings. They compete. They feel the highs and lows. They are genuinely nice people. And it’s their health and place in an inclusive society that we should all care about.”

Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;said his leadership in SOI reflects the wider work being done at the Munroe-Meyer Institute and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

“In a sense, my role in SOI is a recognition of the amazing job that we are doing here,” he said. “Frankly, I would have never gotten these worldwide leadership appointments if UNMC and our community were not recognized as world leaders in this arena.”

While Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;said he’s looking forward to many parts of the games, he’s particularly excited to meet Sana, one of the special athletes from Pakistan featured in the Academy Award-nominated documentary “As Far&nbsp;As&nbsp;They Can Run.”

As for his bocce ball debut, Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;isn’t squeezing in any practice sessions. Instead, he’s embodying the spirit of the games: Being inclusive.

“Is it about breaking the next world record or getting a gold medal? No. It’s about doing your best, having fun, camaraderie, raising awareness, providing opportunities for all, improving health, and being an integral, respected part of the society,” he said.

Karoly&nbsp;Mirnics, MD, PhD, has never lobbed a bocce ball before.But Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics, director of the Munroe-Meyer Institute&nbsp;at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, will try his hand at the sport as a unified athlete this month during the Special Olympics International (SOI) World Games in Berlin.The games are the world’s most inclusive sporting event.&nbsp;They feature athletes with disabilities as well as Unified Sports, which team people with and without disabilities for events.Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics, one of 30 individuals worldwide who sit on the Board of Directors of Special Olympics International, will arrive in Berlin June 15.He will partake in&nbsp;a number of&nbsp;events during the games, which run from June 17 to June 25.&nbsp;At&nbsp;the games, Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;will meet with fellow SOI board members and host the Golisano Health Leadership Awards. In addition to his role on the board, Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;also serves on the organization’s Research and Policy Committee and is chair of the Global Medical Advisory Committee, which serves the world.“It’s an amazing organization and I’m proud they feel I’m bringing something to the table,” Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;said. “I am deeply honored to represent MMI, UNMC, the state of Nebraska and the USA.”From a backyard summer camp for people with intellectual disabilities to a global movement, Special Olympics has been changing lives and attitudes since 1968. With more than 6 million athletes and Unified partners across more than 200 countries, Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Today, it unifies more than 28,000 local clubs and programs on all inhabited continents, with a participation of more than half a million coaches and a million volunteers. In addition to advancing athletic excellence, the organization also promotes physical and behavioral health, and advocates for inclusive policies worldwide.More than 7,000 athletes will participate in 26 summer sports in the 2023 World Games, supported by more than 3,000 coaches and 20,000 volunteers.Other Nebraskans attending the games include Carolyn Chamberlin,&nbsp;president&nbsp;and CEO of Special Olympics Nebraska; Anne Hermann competing for Team USA in track and field; and athlete Joe&nbsp;Drwal&nbsp;of Omaha and unified partner Sophie Hill will be part of the Global Youth Leadership Summit.“They are fierce competitors and extraordinary individuals. Not everyone will break a record, but all the athletes will push themselves to the limit,” Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;said. “They will do their best and we celebrate it together, in public, inclusively. That’s the part that is amazing to me.”This is the first times the games have been back in full swing since the COVID-19 pandemic. Athletes and organizers alike are eager to be together again at the event, Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;said.The international games are a celebration — of inclusion and achievement, Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;said. They also represent a larger effort. Special Olympics launched “The Revolution Is Inclusion,” a global campaign in 2018 designed to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities and to create a fully inclusive world, where everyone with intellectual disability is seen,&nbsp;respected&nbsp;and welcomed.“The population we care for and about should not be invisible,” Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;said. “These are amazing human beings. They compete. They feel the highs and lows. They are genuinely nice people. And it’s their health and place in an inclusive society that we should all care about.”Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;said his leadership in SOI reflects the wider work being done at the Munroe-Meyer Institute and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.“In a sense, my role in SOI is a recognition of the amazing job that we are doing here,” he said. “Frankly, I would have never gotten these worldwide leadership appointments if UNMC and our community were not recognized as world leaders in this arena.”While Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;said he’s looking forward to many parts of the games, he’s particularly excited to meet Sana, one of the special athletes from Pakistan featured in the Academy Award-nominated documentary “As Far&nbsp;As&nbsp;They Can Run.”As for his bocce ball debut, Dr.&nbsp;Mirnics&nbsp;isn’t squeezing in any practice sessions. Instead, he’s embodying the spirit of the games: Being inclusive.“Is it about breaking the next world record or getting a gold medal? No. It’s about doing your best, having fun, camaraderie, raising awareness, providing opportunities for all, improving health, and being an integral, respected part of the society,” he said.

Karoly Mirnics, director of UNMC’s Munroe-Meyer Institute, to attend Special Olympics International

Today we celebrate the US Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Indian Child Welfare Act.&nbsp;

By a 7-to-2 vote, the court upheld the law's preferences for Native tribes when Indian children are&nbsp;involved in state court adoption and foster care proceedings, ruling that the law does not discriminate&nbsp;on the basis of&nbsp;race and does not impermissibly impose a federal mandate on traditionally state-regulated areas of power.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

It also affirms&nbsp;the unique political status of tribes&nbsp;as sovereign nations within the United States.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ICWA was passed in 1978 in&nbsp;response to the United States’ alarming history of separating&nbsp;almost all&nbsp;Native children from their families and forcing them into non-Native placements, intentionally removing them from their culture to threaten the future of Tribes. ICWA intended to repair this especially disparate treatment, adding special protections to child welfare cases involving Native children that discourage their placement outside of their families or Tribes, unless necessary.&nbsp;

“The court rejected&nbsp;all of&nbsp;the challenges to the Indian Child Welfare Act. We are ecstatic,&nbsp;relieved&nbsp;and heartened&nbsp;by this decision. For more than a&nbsp;century tribes&nbsp;have fought to protect their children,&nbsp;and&nbsp;this law enacted only 45 years ago,&nbsp;strengthens&nbsp;Native families by giving them a voice,” said Misty Flowers, executive director of the Nebraska Indian Child Welfare Coalition.&nbsp;

“We are not a racial group, we are sovereign nations and as such we should always have the right to&nbsp;govern ourselves,&nbsp;to protect our families and&nbsp;preserve our culture through our children.”&nbsp;

We would like to thank&nbsp;all of&nbsp;our supporters for their hard work and dedication to preserving tribes’ right to protect their children.&nbsp;ICWA truly is the gold standard for child welfare practices and culture IS a protective factor!&nbsp;

Please visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://nicwc.org/" target="_blank">nicwc.org</a>&nbsp;for more information about the ICWA and to get involved with us and our amazing partners!&nbsp;

Today we celebrate the US Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Indian Child Welfare Act.&nbsp;By a 7-to-2 vote, the court upheld the law's preferences for Native tribes when Indian children are&nbsp;involved in state court adoption and foster care proceedings, ruling that the law does not discriminate&nbsp;on the basis of&nbsp;race and does not impermissibly impose a federal mandate on traditionally state-regulated areas of power.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It also affirms&nbsp;the unique political status of tribes&nbsp;as sovereign nations within the United States.&nbsp;&nbsp;ICWA was passed in 1978 in&nbsp;response to the United States’ alarming history of separating&nbsp;almost all&nbsp;Native children from their families and forcing them into non-Native placements, intentionally removing them from their culture to threaten the future of Tribes. ICWA intended to repair this especially disparate treatment, adding special protections to child welfare cases involving Native children that discourage their placement outside of their families or Tribes, unless necessary.&nbsp;“The court rejected&nbsp;all of&nbsp;the challenges to the Indian Child Welfare Act. We are ecstatic,&nbsp;relieved&nbsp;and heartened&nbsp;by this decision. For more than a&nbsp;century tribes&nbsp;have fought to protect their children,&nbsp;and&nbsp;this law enacted only 45 years ago,&nbsp;strengthens&nbsp;Native families by giving them a voice,” said Misty Flowers, executive director of the Nebraska Indian Child Welfare Coalition.&nbsp;“We are not a racial group, we are sovereign nations and as such we should always have the right to&nbsp;govern ourselves,&nbsp;to protect our families and&nbsp;preserve our culture through our children.”&nbsp;We would like to thank&nbsp;all of&nbsp;our supporters for their hard work and dedication to preserving tribes’ right to protect their children.&nbsp;ICWA truly is the gold standard for child welfare practices and culture IS a protective factor!&nbsp;Please visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://nicwc.org/" target="_blank">nicwc.org</a>&nbsp;for more information about the ICWA and to get involved with us and our amazing partners!&nbsp;

Indian Child Welfare Act upheld by US Supreme Court    

&nbsp;United States Attorney Steven Russell announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 10 unsealed Indictments charging 12 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ciprian Amariutei,&nbsp;a/k/a Steffano Ferrari, a/k/a Gianluca Ferrer,&nbsp;age 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, and&nbsp;Mona Maria Tataru, a/k/a Maria Murino,&nbsp;age 32, of Los Angeles, California, are charged in a four-count Indictment.&nbsp; Count I charges Amariutei and Tataru with illegal possession, production, or trafficking in device making equipment on or about April 23, 2023 and continuing to on or about April 25, 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;The penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp; Count II charges Amariutei and Tataru with possession of fifteen or more devices which are counterfeit and unauthorized on or about April 23, 2023 and continuing to on or about April 25, 2023.&nbsp; The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp; Count III charges Amariutei with aggravated identity theft on or about April 23, 2023 and continuing to on or about April 25, 2023.&nbsp; The penalty if convicted is an additional 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges Tataru with aggravated identity theft on or about April 23, 2023 and continuing to on or about April 25, 2023.&nbsp; The penalty if convicted is an additional 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

There is also an allegation to forfeit United States currency and property seized.

Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.

*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Latjor Gony,&nbsp;age 28, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment.&nbsp; Count I charges Gony with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person on or about July 21, 2020 and continuing to on or about December 28, 2021.&nbsp;&nbsp;The penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp; Count II charges Gony with illegal possession of a machine gun on or about July 21, 2020 and continuing to on or about December 28, 2021.&nbsp; The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp;

Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information.

*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Victor Aaron Gonzales,&nbsp;age 37, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment.&nbsp; Count I charges Gonzales with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture), a detectable amount of cocaine and a detectable amount of marijuana on or about February 1, 2022 and continuing to on or about November 17, 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp; Count II charges Gonzales with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) on or about November 16, 2022.&nbsp; The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to life term of supervised release consecutive, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp;

*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dexter D. Hall,&nbsp;age 36, is charged with a prohibited person in possession of ammunition on or about February 8, 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;The penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp;

*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thomas Janes,&nbsp;age 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with possession of child pornography on or about March 9, 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, not less than five years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $5,100 special assessment.&nbsp;

*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Salome Juarez-Castro, age 24, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about May 22, 2023.&nbsp; The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Miguel Angel Lopez Aguirre, age 30, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien after an aggravated felony conviction on or about April 19, 2023.&nbsp; The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp;

Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.

*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Brian E. Nielsen,&nbsp;age 46, of Oakland, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about February 24, 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp;

*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; David Sikes, age 68, of Alma, Nebraska, is charged with harboring or concealing a person from arrest on or about January 17, 2018 and continuing to on or about January 14, 2022.&nbsp; The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp;

*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alphonso Johnson, Jr.,&nbsp;age 45, of Lincoln, Nebraska, and&nbsp;Stacey Vanarsdale,&nbsp;age 36, of Lincoln, Nebraska, are charged in a two-count Indictment.&nbsp; Count I charges Johnson and Vanarsdale with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), on or about July 9, 2022 and continuing to on or about August 10, 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp; Count II charges Johnson and Vanarsdale with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) on or about August 10, 2022.&nbsp; The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five years and up to life term of supervised release consecutive, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp;

&nbsp;United States Attorney Steven Russell announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 10 unsealed Indictments charging 12 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ciprian Amariutei,&nbsp;a/k/a Steffano Ferrari, a/k/a Gianluca Ferrer,&nbsp;age 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, and&nbsp;Mona Maria Tataru, a/k/a Maria Murino,&nbsp;age 32, of Los Angeles, California, are charged in a four-count Indictment.&nbsp; Count I charges Amariutei and Tataru with illegal possession, production, or trafficking in device making equipment on or about April 23, 2023 and continuing to on or about April 25, 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;The penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp; Count II charges Amariutei and Tataru with possession of fifteen or more devices which are counterfeit and unauthorized on or about April 23, 2023 and continuing to on or about April 25, 2023.&nbsp; The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp; Count III charges Amariutei with aggravated identity theft on or about April 23, 2023 and continuing to on or about April 25, 2023.&nbsp; The penalty if convicted is an additional 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges Tataru with aggravated identity theft on or about April 23, 2023 and continuing to on or about April 25, 2023.&nbsp; The penalty if convicted is an additional 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.There is also an allegation to forfeit United States currency and property seized.Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Latjor Gony,&nbsp;age 28, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment.&nbsp; Count I charges Gony with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person on or about July 21, 2020 and continuing to on or about December 28, 2021.&nbsp;&nbsp;The penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp; Count II charges Gony with illegal possession of a machine gun on or about July 21, 2020 and continuing to on or about December 28, 2021.&nbsp; The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp;Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information.*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Victor Aaron Gonzales,&nbsp;age 37, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment.&nbsp; Count I charges Gonzales with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture), a detectable amount of cocaine and a detectable amount of marijuana on or about February 1, 2022 and continuing to on or about November 17, 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp; Count II charges Gonzales with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) on or about November 16, 2022.&nbsp; The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to life term of supervised release consecutive, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp;Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information.*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dexter D. Hall,&nbsp;age 36, is charged with a prohibited person in possession of ammunition on or about February 8, 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;The penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp;Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information.*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thomas Janes,&nbsp;age 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with possession of child pornography on or about March 9, 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, not less than five years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $5,100 special assessment.&nbsp;Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Salome Juarez-Castro, age 24, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about May 22, 2023.&nbsp; The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Miguel Angel Lopez Aguirre, age 30, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien after an aggravated felony conviction on or about April 19, 2023.&nbsp; The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp;Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Brian E. Nielsen,&nbsp;age 46, of Oakland, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about February 24, 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp;Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information.*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; David Sikes, age 68, of Alma, Nebraska, is charged with harboring or concealing a person from arrest on or about January 17, 2018 and continuing to on or about January 14, 2022.&nbsp; The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp;Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alphonso Johnson, Jr.,&nbsp;age 45, of Lincoln, Nebraska, and&nbsp;Stacey Vanarsdale,&nbsp;age 36, of Lincoln, Nebraska, are charged in a two-count Indictment.&nbsp; Count I charges Johnson and Vanarsdale with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), on or about July 9, 2022 and continuing to on or about August 10, 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp; Count II charges Johnson and Vanarsdale with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) on or about August 10, 2022.&nbsp; The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five years and up to life term of supervised release consecutive, and a $100 special assessment.&nbsp;Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information.

Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska

JUNE 14, 2023 (OMAHA, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) Carrier Enforcement Division conducted surprise commercial vehicle inspections today in Douglas County.

During the special enforcement effort, the Metropolitan Aggressive and Prevention Selective (MAPS) Team conducted 18 vehicle inspections. Troopers discovered 65 violations of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and state law. Troopers placed 14 vehicles out of service (not allowed to return to the road). Vehicles are placed out of service for a variety of reasons relating to bad brakes or tires, or other problems that pose immediate safety risks. Two drivers were placed out of service.

The surprise inspections focus on commercial vehicles that might not travel outside the city or pass-through weigh stations as part of their regular routes. Additional MAPS operations will be conducted in communities across Nebraska throughout the summer months.

The MAPS Team is funded largely by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Troopers check for compliance with federal safety regulations and enforce laws pertaining to weight, size, registration, dyed fuels, and permits associated with commercial vehicles. The MAPS Team was implemented in 1998 and consists of troopers from the Nebraska State Patrol Carrier Enforcement Division.

JUNE 14, 2023 (OMAHA, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) Carrier Enforcement Division conducted surprise commercial vehicle inspections today in Douglas County.During the special enforcement effort, the Metropolitan Aggressive and Prevention Selective (MAPS) Team conducted 18 vehicle inspections. Troopers discovered 65 violations of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and state law. Troopers placed 14 vehicles out of service (not allowed to return to the road). Vehicles are placed out of service for a variety of reasons relating to bad brakes or tires, or other problems that pose immediate safety risks. Two drivers were placed out of service.The surprise inspections focus on commercial vehicles that might not travel outside the city or pass-through weigh stations as part of their regular routes. Additional MAPS operations will be conducted in communities across Nebraska throughout the summer months.The MAPS Team is funded largely by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Troopers check for compliance with federal safety regulations and enforce laws pertaining to weight, size, registration, dyed fuels, and permits associated with commercial vehicles. The MAPS Team was implemented in 1998 and consists of troopers from the Nebraska State Patrol Carrier Enforcement Division.

Surprise Truck Inspections Held in Douglas County

COFFEY COUNTY —Two people died during in an accident just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday during a pursuit of a stolen vehicle.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Trooper initiated a traffic stop on a 2004 Ford F150 northbound U.S. 75 Highway north of Kansas 58 exit.

The pickup was reported stolen as a result of an aggravated robbery carjacking in Texas.

The vehicle driven by Trevell D. Moore, 24, Omaha, fled and a pursuit was initiated. At 11:24am, the F150 drove onto the right shoulder, and attempted to pass a northbound semi five miles south of the Interstate 35 exit.

A 2018 Freightliner semi driven by Keith L. Coffey, 52, Vale, North Carolina, struck the pickup. The pickup continued into the southbound lanes of U.S. 75 and a 2015 Peterbilt semi driven by Logan T.&nbsp;Perrodin, 26, El Dorado Springs, Missouri also struck the pickup and caught fire.

Moore and a passenger in the pickup identified as Gale Wright, Jr., 20, Omaha, were pronounced dead at the scene.

EMS transported Coffey to the hospital in Burlington.&nbsp;Perrodin was not injured.

COFFEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal crash during a pursuit of a stolen vehicle.

Just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday, a Trooper with the Kansas Highway Patrol initiated a traffic stop on northbound U.S. 75 Highway north of Kansas 58 exit.

The vehicle, a red Ford F-150, was stolen as a result of an aggravated robbery carjacking in Texas.

The vehicle fled and a pursuit was initiated. At 11:24am, the F150 drove onto the right shoulder, and attempted to pass a northbound commercial vehicle five miles south of the Interstate 35 exit.

While passing, the Ford truck was involved in a crash with two commercial vehicles.

As a result of the collision, the driver and passenger of the Ford F-150 were pronounced deceased. There were no injuries reported to either commercial vehicle driver.

The Kansas Highway Patrol Critical Highway Accident Response Team was called to the scene. Authorities released no additional details including names of those who died.

COFFEY COUNTY —Two people died during in an accident just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday during a pursuit of a stolen vehicle.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Trooper initiated a traffic stop on a 2004 Ford F150 northbound U.S. 75 Highway north of Kansas 58 exit.The pickup was reported stolen as a result of an aggravated robbery carjacking in Texas.The vehicle driven by Trevell D. Moore, 24, Omaha, fled and a pursuit was initiated. At 11:24am, the F150 drove onto the right shoulder, and attempted to pass a northbound semi five miles south of the Interstate 35 exit.A 2018 Freightliner semi driven by Keith L. Coffey, 52, Vale, North Carolina, struck the pickup. The pickup continued into the southbound lanes of U.S. 75 and a 2015 Peterbilt semi driven by Logan T.&nbsp;Perrodin, 26, El Dorado Springs, Missouri also struck the pickup and caught fire.Moore and a passenger in the pickup identified as Gale Wright, Jr., 20, Omaha, were pronounced dead at the scene.EMS transported Coffey to the hospital in Burlington.&nbsp;Perrodin was not injured.-------------COFFEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal crash during a pursuit of a stolen vehicle.Just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday, a Trooper with the Kansas Highway Patrol initiated a traffic stop on northbound U.S. 75 Highway north of Kansas 58 exit.The vehicle, a red Ford F-150, was stolen as a result of an aggravated robbery carjacking in Texas.The vehicle fled and a pursuit was initiated. At 11:24am, the F150 drove onto the right shoulder, and attempted to pass a northbound commercial vehicle five miles south of the Interstate 35 exit.While passing, the Ford truck was involved in a crash with two commercial vehicles.As a result of the collision, the driver and passenger of the Ford F-150 were pronounced deceased. There were no injuries reported to either commercial vehicle driver.The Kansas Highway Patrol Critical Highway Accident Response Team was called to the scene. Authorities released no additional details including names of those who died.

KHP IDs Nebraska suspects who died in pursuit crash, fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans passed a resolution that would repeal a Biden administration rule tightening&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-national-rifle-association-us-republican-party-gun-politics-362e5d6dfc78c896b7a376e5368c770b">federal regulations</a>&nbsp;on stabilizing braces for firearms, an accessory that has been used in several mass shootings in the U.S. over the last decade.

The resolution passed 219-210 nearly on party lines and after a contentious floor debate where Republicans accused the administration of “executive overreach” and Democrats condemned a bill they said would “help kill people.” Two Democrats voted in support and two Republicans voted against it.

The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., will now go to the Senate, which could take up the measure as soon as this week. Should it pass, President Joe Biden has promised a veto. Overriding a presidential veto would require two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate.

The new rule issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in January treats guns with the accessories like short-barreled rifles, a weapon that is like a sawed-off shotgun and has been heavily regulated since the 1930s.

The regulation, which went into effect June 1, was one of several steps Biden announced in 2021 after a man using a stabilizing brace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/boulder-supermarket-shooting">killed 10 people at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado</a>. A stabilizing brace was also used in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-el-paso-texas-mass-shooting-us-news-ap-top-news-health-165d6dd66e1b46628a0ffdcc4d27c58b">shooting in Dayton, Ohio</a>, that left nine people dead in 2019 and most recently in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-school-shooting-covenant-school-5da45b469ccb6c9533bbddf20c1bfe16">a school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee</a>.

Stabilizing braces transform a pistol into a weapon that’s powerful and easy to conceal, Attorney General Merrick Garland said when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-national-rifle-association-us-republican-party-gun-politics-362e5d6dfc78c896b7a376e5368c770b">he announced the rule</a>. Originally developed for disabled veterans, gun-control groups have said the accessories have became a loophole exploited by gunmakers to make weapons more deadly.

Since taking effect earlier this month, the rule requires anyone who has a gun with an arm-stabilizing brace to register the weapon with the federal government and pay a fee, or remove the brace from their weapons.

Republicans employed the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to undo recently enacted executive branch regulations, to try and nullify the new rule that they claim has turned millions of gun owners into felons.

“This rule doesn’t just infringe upon Americans' Second Amendment liberties. It represents a dangerous government overreach by the administration,” Clyde said during debate Tuesday. “Congress maintains sole legislative authority, not government agencies, not the executive branch.”

Several lawsuits have been filed against the regulations by gun owners and state attorneys general. They say it violates Second Amendment protections by requiring millions of people to alter or register their weapons. In some cases, judges have recently agreed to temporarily block enforcement of the rule for the plaintiffs in a setback for the Biden administration.

House Democrats defended the rule on Tuesday, saying it could save lives.

“How many more mass shootings need to happen, how many more kids need to die before my Republican colleagues pull their heads out of the sand and realize that the NRA money is not worth the damage that’s been done to our country,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.

The main sponsor for the measure, Clyde, is a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus and the owner of a gun store in his district in Georgia. His proposal to overturn the ATF rule first came to the House Judiciary Committee in late March for markup. But House Republicans postponed debate of the measure after a gunman used a weapon with a stabilizing brace to fatally shoot three children and three adults at an elementary school in Nashville, Tenn.

Last week, Clyde claimed GOP leadership had blocked his resolution from reaching the floor as retribution for his no vote on a bipartisan agreement to lift the debt ceiling, which leaders denied.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said he and Rep. Tom Emmer, the GOP's chief vote-counter, had been working intensely to ensure enough support to pass the legislation in the narrowly divided House.

“We’ve been moving people every week on this bill,” Scalise said. “It has not been easy.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686790900641.png" alt="The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., will now go to the Senate, which could take up the measure as soon as this week. courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., will now go to the Senate, which could take up the measure as soon as this week. courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans passed a resolution that would repeal a Biden administration rule tightening&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-national-rifle-association-us-republican-party-gun-politics-362e5d6dfc78c896b7a376e5368c770b">federal regulations</a>&nbsp;on stabilizing braces for firearms, an accessory that has been used in several mass shootings in the U.S. over the last decade.The resolution passed 219-210 nearly on party lines and after a contentious floor debate where Republicans accused the administration of “executive overreach” and Democrats condemned a bill they said would “help kill people.” Two Democrats voted in support and two Republicans voted against it.The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., will now go to the Senate, which could take up the measure as soon as this week. Should it pass, President Joe Biden has promised a veto. Overriding a presidential veto would require two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate.The new rule issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in January treats guns with the accessories like short-barreled rifles, a weapon that is like a sawed-off shotgun and has been heavily regulated since the 1930s.The regulation, which went into effect June 1, was one of several steps Biden announced in 2021 after a man using a stabilizing brace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/boulder-supermarket-shooting">killed 10 people at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado</a>. A stabilizing brace was also used in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-el-paso-texas-mass-shooting-us-news-ap-top-news-health-165d6dd66e1b46628a0ffdcc4d27c58b">shooting in Dayton, Ohio</a>, that left nine people dead in 2019 and most recently in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-school-shooting-covenant-school-5da45b469ccb6c9533bbddf20c1bfe16">a school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee</a>.Stabilizing braces transform a pistol into a weapon that’s powerful and easy to conceal, Attorney General Merrick Garland said when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-national-rifle-association-us-republican-party-gun-politics-362e5d6dfc78c896b7a376e5368c770b">he announced the rule</a>. Originally developed for disabled veterans, gun-control groups have said the accessories have became a loophole exploited by gunmakers to make weapons more deadly.Since taking effect earlier this month, the rule requires anyone who has a gun with an arm-stabilizing brace to register the weapon with the federal government and pay a fee, or remove the brace from their weapons.Republicans employed the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to undo recently enacted executive branch regulations, to try and nullify the new rule that they claim has turned millions of gun owners into felons.“This rule doesn’t just infringe upon Americans' Second Amendment liberties. It represents a dangerous government overreach by the administration,” Clyde said during debate Tuesday. “Congress maintains sole legislative authority, not government agencies, not the executive branch.”Several lawsuits have been filed against the regulations by gun owners and state attorneys general. They say it violates Second Amendment protections by requiring millions of people to alter or register their weapons. In some cases, judges have recently agreed to temporarily block enforcement of the rule for the plaintiffs in a setback for the Biden administration.House Democrats defended the rule on Tuesday, saying it could save lives.“How many more mass shootings need to happen, how many more kids need to die before my Republican colleagues pull their heads out of the sand and realize that the NRA money is not worth the damage that’s been done to our country,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.The main sponsor for the measure, Clyde, is a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus and the owner of a gun store in his district in Georgia. His proposal to overturn the ATF rule first came to the House Judiciary Committee in late March for markup. But House Republicans postponed debate of the measure after a gunman used a weapon with a stabilizing brace to fatally shoot three children and three adults at an elementary school in Nashville, Tenn.Last week, Clyde claimed GOP leadership had blocked his resolution from reaching the floor as retribution for his no vote on a bipartisan agreement to lift the debt ceiling, which leaders denied.House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said he and Rep. Tom Emmer, the GOP's chief vote-counter, had been working intensely to ensure enough support to pass the legislation in the narrowly divided House.“We’ve been moving people every week on this bill,” Scalise said. “It has not been easy.”

House passes resolution to overturn controversial gun regulation

Today,&nbsp;Governor&nbsp;Jim&nbsp;Pillen joined with Republican governors in urging congressional leaders to support the reintroduction of the Exposing Agricultural Trade Suppression Act, a bill that would uphold the Commerce Clause of the Constitution by preventing states from impeding interstate agricultural trade.&nbsp;Governor Pillen and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds are leading the coalition of states, representing 54% of the country's pork production, in response to the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of California's Proposition 12, which dictates how pork is raised across state lines.

The letter states in part:&nbsp;"Despite California's reliance on its fellow States for food, Proposition 12 threatens to disrupt the very system Californians depend on for their pork supply. Its strict, activist-drafted requirements for pig farming sharply depart from the practices which are lawful in our States."

Governor Pillen hailed the stance taken by the coalition of states as a step toward protecting U.S. agriculture.

"I am proud to partner with Governor Reynolds in leading this initiative, alongside this group of governors,"&nbsp;said&nbsp;Governor Pillen.&nbsp;"Congress needs to act to protect our nation's agricultural interests from state's that are working to put onerous and unfounded regulations on livestock producers that will ultimately increase food costs and hurt farming operations."

Governor Reynolds added that California's Proposition 12 will hurt consumers and increase food insecurity if Congress does not act.

“California’s onerous requirements will pass the buck to American consumers – worsening the inflationary crisis gripping our economy,” said Governor Reynolds.&nbsp;“Iowa’s pork producers use science-based techniques to help feed America and the world, and California’s activist-drafted requirements will have a dramatic negative impact on those facing food insecurity. It’s time for Congress to use their power and allow pork producers around the country to do what they do best.”

Today,&nbsp;Governor&nbsp;Jim&nbsp;Pillen joined with Republican governors in urging congressional leaders to support the reintroduction of the Exposing Agricultural Trade Suppression Act, a bill that would uphold the Commerce Clause of the Constitution by preventing states from impeding interstate agricultural trade.&nbsp;Governor Pillen and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds are leading the coalition of states, representing 54% of the country's pork production, in response to the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of California's Proposition 12, which dictates how pork is raised across state lines.The letter states in part:&nbsp;"Despite California's reliance on its fellow States for food, Proposition 12 threatens to disrupt the very system Californians depend on for their pork supply. Its strict, activist-drafted requirements for pig farming sharply depart from the practices which are lawful in our States." Governor Pillen hailed the stance taken by the coalition of states as a step toward protecting U.S. agriculture."I am proud to partner with Governor Reynolds in leading this initiative, alongside this group of governors,"&nbsp;said&nbsp;Governor Pillen.&nbsp;"Congress needs to act to protect our nation's agricultural interests from state's that are working to put onerous and unfounded regulations on livestock producers that will ultimately increase food costs and hurt farming operations."Governor Reynolds added that California's Proposition 12 will hurt consumers and increase food insecurity if Congress does not act. “California’s onerous requirements will pass the buck to American consumers – worsening the inflationary crisis gripping our economy,” said Governor Reynolds.&nbsp;“Iowa’s pork producers use science-based techniques to help feed America and the world, and California’s activist-drafted requirements will have a dramatic negative impact on those facing food insecurity. It’s time for Congress to use their power and allow pork producers around the country to do what they do best.”

Governor Pillen Joins Governors in Urging Congress to Protect Ag Industry

By Paul Hammel <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/08/state-approved-use-of-pesticide-coated-seed-corn-for-ethanol-plant-a-decade-ago/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — An error on a referendum petition seeking to repeal the recently passed Opportunity Scholarships Act has been corrected, which opponents of school choice labeled Tuesday as a “hiccup.”

“The new petitions are already being printed and we’ll be distributing them yet today,” said Jenni Benson, the president of the Nebraska State Education Association and a sponsor of the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/06/public-schools-supporters-launch-drive-to-put-school-choice-bill-on-ballot/">“Support Our Schools Nebraska” petition.</a>

The Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office, which is responsible for providing a template of such referendum petitions, provided a corrected petition Monday and said it will honor all erroneous petitions signed through Monday.

Support Our Schools had reportedly gathered 10,000 signatures by the end of this past weekend, toward a stated goal of obtaining 90,000 signatures within 90 days.

The referendum seeks to repeal the Opportunity Scholarships Act, or Legislative Bill 753, which allows taxpayers to divert up to half of their state income taxes to organizations providing scholarships to attend private and parochial schools.

It is the first “school choice” bill ever to pass in Nebraska, which was one of two states in the nation that hadn’t previously adopted any form of providing public funds for private schools.

The error occurred within the Secretary of State’s Office, which had sent out an approved template of the Support Our Schools petition a week ago that was mislabeled as an “initiative petition” rather than a “referendum petition.”

The difference: Referendums seek to repeal an existing state law by letting voters decide; initiative petitions seek to enact new laws or constitutional amendments via a vote of the people.

Each is treated differently in state law. For instance, those seeking to repeal a law via a referendum have 90 days to collect signatures, as is the case with the effort to overturn the Opportunity Scholarships Act.

The state teachers union and other supporters of public schools need to submit about 61,000 valid signatures of registered voters to qualify for the ballot in 2024.

Meanwhile, the initiative petition drive to legalize medical marijuana in Nebraska, for instance, has a deadline next year to submit its petitions.

A request for comment from the Secretary of State’s Office was not immediately returned Tuesday morning. Officials with Support Our Schools did not immediately respond to queries seeking how much it cost to reprint the petitions.

Proponents of LB 753 have said that the measure will allow low-income families the same choice of a private school that more well-heeled families already have and that such a choice can help some children thrive who were struggling in a public school.

Critics say it’s a foot in the door to more extensive school choice laws, such as charter schools and voucher programs, and will divert funds to private schools that aren’t as accountable as public schools.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686777822748.png" alt="The Rev. T. Michael Williams, at left, president of the Omaha chapter of the NAACP, was the first person to sign the “Support Our Schools” petition a week ago. Also pictured is Jenni Benson, president of the state teacher’s union. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The Rev. T. Michael Williams, at left, president of the Omaha chapter of the NAACP, was the first person to sign the “Support Our Schools” petition a week ago. Also pictured is Jenni Benson, president of the state teacher’s union. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Paul Hammel <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/08/state-approved-use-of-pesticide-coated-seed-corn-for-ethanol-plant-a-decade-ago/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — An error on a referendum petition seeking to repeal the recently passed Opportunity Scholarships Act has been corrected, which opponents of school choice labeled Tuesday as a “hiccup.”“The new petitions are already being printed and we’ll be distributing them yet today,” said Jenni Benson, the president of the Nebraska State Education Association and a sponsor of the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/06/public-schools-supporters-launch-drive-to-put-school-choice-bill-on-ballot/">“Support Our Schools Nebraska” petition.</a>The Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office, which is responsible for providing a template of such referendum petitions, provided a corrected petition Monday and said it will honor all erroneous petitions signed through Monday.Support Our Schools had reportedly gathered 10,000 signatures by the end of this past weekend, toward a stated goal of obtaining 90,000 signatures within 90 days.<h2>New law allows diversion of taxes</h2>The referendum seeks to repeal the Opportunity Scholarships Act, or Legislative Bill 753, which allows taxpayers to divert up to half of their state income taxes to organizations providing scholarships to attend private and parochial schools.It is the first “school choice” bill ever to pass in Nebraska, which was one of two states in the nation that hadn’t previously adopted any form of providing public funds for private schools.The error occurred within the Secretary of State’s Office, which had sent out an approved template of the Support Our Schools petition a week ago that was mislabeled as an “initiative petition” rather than a “referendum petition.”The difference: Referendums seek to repeal an existing state law by letting voters decide; initiative petitions seek to enact new laws or constitutional amendments via a vote of the people.<h2>90 days to collect signatures</h2>Each is treated differently in state law. For instance, those seeking to repeal a law via a referendum have 90 days to collect signatures, as is the case with the effort to overturn the Opportunity Scholarships Act.The state teachers union and other supporters of public schools need to submit about 61,000 valid signatures of registered voters to qualify for the ballot in 2024.Meanwhile, the initiative petition drive to legalize medical marijuana in Nebraska, for instance, has a deadline next year to submit its petitions.A request for comment from the Secretary of State’s Office was not immediately returned Tuesday morning. Officials with Support Our Schools did not immediately respond to queries seeking how much it cost to reprint the petitions.Proponents of LB 753 have said that the measure will allow low-income families the same choice of a private school that more well-heeled families already have and that such a choice can help some children thrive who were struggling in a public school.Critics say it’s a foot in the door to more extensive school choice laws, such as charter schools and voucher programs, and will divert funds to private schools that aren’t as accountable as public schools.

Effort to repeal school choice law via ballot referendum proceeds after ‘hiccup’

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday after having raised it 10 straight times to combat high inflation. But in a surprise move, the Fed signaled that it may raise rates twice more this year, beginning as soon as next month.

The Fed’s move to leave its benchmark rate at about 5.1%, its highest level in 16 years, suggests that it believes the much higher borrowing rates it’s engineered have made some progress in taming inflation. But top Fed officials want to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-inflation-federal-reserve-hike-pause-71a4d82e338437a599eef8427b98894f">take time to more fully assess</a>&nbsp;how their rate hikes have affected inflation and the economy.

The central bank’s 18 policymakers envision raising their key rate by an additional half-point this year, to about 5.6%, according to economic forecasts they issued Wednesday.

The economic projections revealed a more hawkish Fed than many analysts had expected. Twelve of the 18 policymakers forecast at least two more quarter-point rate increases. Four supported a quarter-point increase. Only two envisioned keeping rates unchanged. The policymakers also predicted that their benchmark rate will stay higher for longer than they did three months ago.

“We understand the hardship that high inflation is causing, and we remain strongly committed to bring inflation back down to our 2% goal," Fed Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference. "The process of getting inflation down is going to be a gradual one — it’s going to take some time.”

Still, Powell stopped short of saying the Fed's policymakers have committed to resuming their rate hikes when they next meet in late July.

One reason why the officials may be predicting additional rate hikes is that they foresee a modestly healthier economy and more persistent inflation that might require higher rates to cool. Their updated forecasts show them predicting economic growth of 1% for 2023, an upgrade from a meager 0.4% forecast in March. And they expect “core” inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, of 3.9% by year’s end, higher than they expected three months ago.

At his news conference, Powell made clear that the Fed still regards the still-robust job market and the wage growth that has accompanied it as contributing to high inflation. At the same time, he expressed optimism that lower apartment rental costs, among other items, may help slow inflation in the coming months. He stressed that the Fed wants to see an inflation slowdown actually materialize before holding off on further rate hikes.

“We want to see inflation coming down decisively,” he said.

Immediately after the Fed's announcement, which followed its latest policy meeting, stocks sank and Treasury yields surged. The yield on the two-year Treasury note, which tends to track market expectations for future Fed actions, jumped from 4.62% to 4.77%.

The Fed’s aggressive streak of rate hikes, which have made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-interest-rate-hike-pause-consumers-d44a6f58eb03ec5edeff78294a167053">mortgages, auto loans, credit cards</a>&nbsp;and business borrowing costlier, have been intended to slow spending and defeat the worst bout of inflation in four decades. Average credit card rates have surpassed 20% to a record high.

The central bank’s rate hikes have coincided with a steady drop in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-4c0ea8315ab90c1b832ef6fa67dc0c7a">consumer inflation</a>, from a peak of 9.1% last June to 4% as of May. But core inflation remains chronically high.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-4c0ea8315ab90c1b832ef6fa67dc0c7a">Core inflation</a>&nbsp;clocked in at 5.3% in May compared with 12 months earlier, well above the Fed’s 2% target.

Powell and other top policymakers have also indicated that they want to assess how much a pullback in bank lending might be weakening the economy. Banks have been slowing their lending — and demand for loans has fallen — as interest rates have risen. Some analysts have expressed concern that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/first-republic-bank-silicon-valley-fdic-5ab48702b7136d42f73ac13e0a20955d">the collapse of three large banks</a>&nbsp;last spring could cause nervous lenders to sharply tighten their loan qualifications.

The Fed has raised its benchmark rate by a substantial 5 percentage points since March of last year — the fastest pace of increases in 40 years. “Skipping” a rate hike now might have been the most effective way for Powell to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-hikes-recession-130884fbb44313b567096efc33bf00a9">unite a fractious policymaking committee</a>.

The 18 members of the committee have appeared divided between those who favor one or two more rate hikes and those who would like to leave the Fed’s key rate where it is for at least a few months and see whether inflation further moderates. This group is concerned that hiking too aggressively would heighten the risk of causing a deep recession.

In an encouraging sign, inflation data that the government issued this week showed that most of the rise in core prices reflected high rents and used car prices. Those costs are expected to ease later this year.

Wholesale used car prices, for example, fell in May, raising the prospect that retail prices will follow suit. And rents are expected to ease in the coming months as new leases are signed with milder price increases. Those lower prices, though, will take time to feed into the government’s measure.

The economy has so far fared better than the central bank and most economists had expected at the beginning of the year. Companies are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-inflation-layoffs-economy-federal-reserve-e1ec3c376117935a0d85e466e3a20af4">still hiring at a robust pace</a>, which has helped encourage many people to keep spending, particularly on travel, dining out and entertainment.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday after having raised it 10 straight times to combat high inflation. But in a surprise move, the Fed signaled that it may raise rates twice more this year, beginning as soon as next month.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Powell: &quot;In light of how far we&#39;ve come in tightening policy, the uncertain lags with which monetary policy affects the economy and potential headwinds from credit tightening, today we decided to leave our policy interest rate unchanged.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FOMC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FOMC</a> <a href="https://t.co/XYDbWk7gb7">pic.twitter.com/XYDbWk7gb7</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1669052448881664010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Fed’s move to leave its benchmark rate at about 5.1%, its highest level in 16 years, suggests that it believes the much higher borrowing rates it’s engineered have made some progress in taming inflation. But top Fed officials want to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-inflation-federal-reserve-hike-pause-71a4d82e338437a599eef8427b98894f">take time to more fully assess</a>&nbsp;how their rate hikes have affected inflation and the economy.The central bank’s 18 policymakers envision raising their key rate by an additional half-point this year, to about 5.6%, according to economic forecasts they issued Wednesday.The economic projections revealed a more hawkish Fed than many analysts had expected. Twelve of the 18 policymakers forecast at least two more quarter-point rate increases. Four supported a quarter-point increase. Only two envisioned keeping rates unchanged. The policymakers also predicted that their benchmark rate will stay higher for longer than they did three months ago.“We understand the hardship that high inflation is causing, and we remain strongly committed to bring inflation back down to our 2% goal," Fed Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference. "The process of getting inflation down is going to be a gradual one — it’s going to take some time.”Still, Powell stopped short of saying the Fed's policymakers have committed to resuming their rate hikes when they next meet in late July.One reason why the officials may be predicting additional rate hikes is that they foresee a modestly healthier economy and more persistent inflation that might require higher rates to cool. Their updated forecasts show them predicting economic growth of 1% for 2023, an upgrade from a meager 0.4% forecast in March. And they expect “core” inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, of 3.9% by year’s end, higher than they expected three months ago.At his news conference, Powell made clear that the Fed still regards the still-robust job market and the wage growth that has accompanied it as contributing to high inflation. At the same time, he expressed optimism that lower apartment rental costs, among other items, may help slow inflation in the coming months. He stressed that the Fed wants to see an inflation slowdown actually materialize before holding off on further rate hikes.“We want to see inflation coming down decisively,” he said.Immediately after the Fed's announcement, which followed its latest policy meeting, stocks sank and Treasury yields surged. The yield on the two-year Treasury note, which tends to track market expectations for future Fed actions, jumped from 4.62% to 4.77%.The Fed’s aggressive streak of rate hikes, which have made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-interest-rate-hike-pause-consumers-d44a6f58eb03ec5edeff78294a167053">mortgages, auto loans, credit cards</a>&nbsp;and business borrowing costlier, have been intended to slow spending and defeat the worst bout of inflation in four decades. Average credit card rates have surpassed 20% to a record high.The central bank’s rate hikes have coincided with a steady drop in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-4c0ea8315ab90c1b832ef6fa67dc0c7a">consumer inflation</a>, from a peak of 9.1% last June to 4% as of May. But core inflation remains chronically high.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-4c0ea8315ab90c1b832ef6fa67dc0c7a">Core inflation</a>&nbsp;clocked in at 5.3% in May compared with 12 months earlier, well above the Fed’s 2% target.Powell and other top policymakers have also indicated that they want to assess how much a pullback in bank lending might be weakening the economy. Banks have been slowing their lending — and demand for loans has fallen — as interest rates have risen. Some analysts have expressed concern that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/first-republic-bank-silicon-valley-fdic-5ab48702b7136d42f73ac13e0a20955d">the collapse of three large banks</a>&nbsp;last spring could cause nervous lenders to sharply tighten their loan qualifications.The Fed has raised its benchmark rate by a substantial 5 percentage points since March of last year — the fastest pace of increases in 40 years. “Skipping” a rate hike now might have been the most effective way for Powell to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-hikes-recession-130884fbb44313b567096efc33bf00a9">unite a fractious policymaking committee</a>.The 18 members of the committee have appeared divided between those who favor one or two more rate hikes and those who would like to leave the Fed’s key rate where it is for at least a few months and see whether inflation further moderates. This group is concerned that hiking too aggressively would heighten the risk of causing a deep recession.In an encouraging sign, inflation data that the government issued this week showed that most of the rise in core prices reflected high rents and used car prices. Those costs are expected to ease later this year.Wholesale used car prices, for example, fell in May, raising the prospect that retail prices will follow suit. And rents are expected to ease in the coming months as new leases are signed with milder price increases. Those lower prices, though, will take time to feed into the government’s measure.The economy has so far fared better than the central bank and most economists had expected at the beginning of the year. Companies are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-inflation-layoffs-economy-federal-reserve-e1ec3c376117935a0d85e466e3a20af4">still hiring at a robust pace</a>, which has helped encourage many people to keep spending, particularly on travel, dining out and entertainment.

🎥 Fed keeps rates unchanged for first time in 15 months

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

An expert in the field of sex trafficking and relationship violence told a summit assembled in Hays on Monday that addressing child abuse is needed to deal with sex trafficking.

Dorthy Stucky Halley, founder of the Family Peace initiative, said most victims of sex trafficking, sex traffickers and sex buyers were abused as children.

Stucky Halley has worked in the field since 1986. She taught social work at Pittsburg State University for a decade before becoming the state’s victim rights coordinator and directing the Victim Services Division of the Kansas Attorney General’s Office.

"It is important that we prioritize funds and really give attention to stopping child abuse," Stucky Halley said in a short interview after her lecture. "As long as child abuse is going on, these problems will continue to happen."

Seventy to 90 percent of people who are commercially sexually exploited have a history of childhood sexual abuse. This includes 90 percent of strippers as well.&nbsp;

Stucky Halley said people say that strippers choose to strip.&nbsp;

"They should be handing out thank you cards to their uncle, to their mother, to their father, to whomever sexually abused them because you wouldn't be watching them on stage had that person not sexually abused them," she said.

Stucky Halley said victims of child sexual abuse may see the sex trade as their least bad option.

Victims of the sex trade may have children to feed and a criminal history and selling themselves for sex may be the only thing they can think of that pays that kind of money given their circumstances, Stucky Halley said.

"As far as those who are already caught up in it, I think we need to have effective intervention services for those who have been victims and intervention services for those who are buyers and those who are traffickers," she said.

"Putting them in jail for a short amount of time is not going to resolve the issue," she said.&nbsp;

The number of trafficking cases per year in Options&nbsp;Domestic and Sexual Violence Services coverage area in northwest Kansas is usually less than 10 per year, said Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp, director of client services for Options.&nbsp;

However, Options advocates are training to better recognize human trafficking, which may happen in conjunction with child abuse, adult sexual abuse or domestic violence, she said.

Complex trauma as a child, which is often called adverse childhood experiences or ACEs, is a predictor of people becoming victims of sex trafficking. Of the 10 ACEs, 44 percent of women who were sex trafficked had four to seven of these traumatic experiences in their childhoods.&nbsp;

An additional 48 percent had scores of eight or more.

If a person has an ACE score of six or more, their life expectancy is 20 years or more shorter than the general public.

"In the background of human trafficking, we have child abuse. We've got sexual abuse, and we've got domestic violence. Really most victims of human trafficking that I've worked with and talked with have at least one of those in their background,"&nbsp;Stucky Halley said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686693453207.jpg" alt="Photo courtesy Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostAn expert in the field of sex trafficking and relationship violence told a summit assembled in Hays on Monday that addressing child abuse is needed to deal with sex trafficking.Dorthy Stucky Halley, founder of the Family Peace initiative, said most victims of sex trafficking, sex traffickers and sex buyers were abused as children.Stucky Halley has worked in the field since 1986. She taught social work at Pittsburg State University for a decade before becoming the state’s victim rights coordinator and directing the Victim Services Division of the Kansas Attorney General’s Office."It is important that we prioritize funds and really give attention to stopping child abuse," Stucky Halley said in a short interview after her lecture. "As long as child abuse is going on, these problems will continue to happen."Seventy to 90 percent of people who are commercially sexually exploited have a history of childhood sexual abuse. This includes 90 percent of strippers as well.&nbsp;Stucky Halley said people say that strippers choose to strip.&nbsp;"They should be handing out thank you cards to their uncle, to their mother, to their father, to whomever sexually abused them because you wouldn't be watching them on stage had that person not sexually abused them," she said.Stucky Halley said victims of child sexual abuse may see the sex trade as their least bad option.Victims of the sex trade may have children to feed and a criminal history and selling themselves for sex may be the only thing they can think of that pays that kind of money given their circumstances, Stucky Halley said."As far as those who are already caught up in it, I think we need to have effective intervention services for those who have been victims and intervention services for those who are buyers and those who are traffickers," she said."Putting them in jail for a short amount of time is not going to resolve the issue," she said.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686672716428.jpeg" alt="Adverse childhood experiences or ACEs." />
 <figcaption>Adverse childhood experiences or ACEs.</figcaption>
 </figure>The number of trafficking cases per year in Options&nbsp;Domestic and Sexual Violence Services coverage area in northwest Kansas is usually less than 10 per year, said Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp, director of client services for Options.&nbsp;However, Options advocates are training to better recognize human trafficking, which may happen in conjunction with child abuse, adult sexual abuse or domestic violence, she said.Complex trauma as a child, which is often called adverse childhood experiences or ACEs, is a predictor of people becoming victims of sex trafficking. Of the 10 ACEs, 44 percent of women who were sex trafficked had four to seven of these traumatic experiences in their childhoods.&nbsp;An additional 48 percent had scores of eight or more.If a person has an ACE score of six or more, their life expectancy is 20 years or more shorter than the general public.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686674500711.jpeg" alt="Sex trafficking victims, their traffickers and sex buyers all tend to have histories of child abuse, domestic violence and/or sexual abuse in their backgrounds, according to&nbsp;Dorthy Stucky Halley." />
 <figcaption>Sex trafficking victims, their traffickers and sex buyers all tend to have histories of child abuse, domestic violence and/or sexual abuse in their backgrounds, according to&nbsp;Dorthy Stucky Halley.</figcaption>
 </figure>"In the background of human trafficking, we have child abuse. We've got sexual abuse, and we've got domestic violence. Really most victims of human trafficking that I've worked with and talked with have at least one of those in their background,"&nbsp;Stucky Halley said."If we are really going to get rid of human trafficking, we've got to get rid of those three," she said. "As long as we have those three going on, we're going to have victims that are vulnerable to get involved in some kind of sex trafficking."Stucky Halley went on to break some myths about who offenders are. The same childhood traumas that were in the backgrounds of human trafficking victims were in the backgrounds of the traffickers.Seventy-two percent of traffickers are male, and 28 percent are female. Communities often assume that all traffickers are male, but she noted that 1 in 4 are females.Sixty-four percent of traffickers did not finish high school.Eighty-eight percent of traffickers were physically abused in childhood, and 76 percent were sexually abused as children. Eighty-eight percent of human traffickers also experienced domestic violence in the home.&nbsp;Eighty-four percent witnessed substance abuse in their homes as children."It's really easy to denounce them and call them the evil people. It's another thing to view the trafficker and realize that they were victims in another part of their lives," Stucky Halley said.Stucky Halley also said the motivations of sex traffickers also lined up with those of domestic violence abusers. She said, in her experience,&nbsp; often sex trafficking is discovered when an intimate partner is admitted to a psychiatric facility for care.Stucky Halley found that one-third to one-half of sex trafficking victims were trafficked by family members. One-quarter to one-third were trafficked by their husbands.Sex buyers, or "Johns" as they are called on the street, also tend to have many of the same traumatic childhood experiences in their backgrounds, Stucky Halley said.Sex buyers tend to be white, middle or upper class, married, and often in positions of authority or respect in their communities, she said.Almost one in five buyers were in positions in which they worked with children, including teachers, coaches and Boy Scout leaders.Ninety-nine percent of the sex buyers were male.Twenty-two percent involved a position of authority, including attorneys, law enforcement, ministers and members of the military.&nbsp;Often sadistic sex buyers or traffickers, those who wish to inflict pain on others, are the ones who will donate to women's shelters or other charities.&nbsp;Not only do they enjoy inflicting pain on others, but they also derive pleasure in being able to fool others about their violent behavior,&nbsp;Stucky Halley said.This can lead to victims not being believed because of the status of the offender.Stucky Halley gave the example of a postmaster in a small community in Missouri who tortured a developmentally disabled woman to the point she had a heart attack."What if she had in the middle of the night gone pounding on someone's door in the community and said the postmaster and these men who are considered very reputable in the community are doing these crazy, horrible things to me,"&nbsp;Stucky Halley said. "How many people would have believed her?"How many of them would have said, 'The postmaster, you've got to be joking. I take my grandkid in when I go pick up my mail, and he's giving my grandkid a lollipop. He's a very nice, considerate man.'"Stucky Halley said some places in the state have implemented "John schools," which are similar to batterer intervention programs for offenders who have been convicted of domestic violence.However, she said there are only a few of these programs in the state.Stucky Halley said Kansas and our nation need ways to hold sex buyers and sex traffickers accountable for the harm they have caused others but also give them a path to heal the trauma that led them to those offenses in the first place."Accountability is necessary," she said. "It's just not the solution. Those who have been violent with others need to be accountable for all the violence they've done, but the second thing they have to be accountable for is for healing from the violence that happened to them long before they could do anything about it."She said she has talked to women who are in prison, and they tell about the circumstances that led them to transition from being a victim to a trafficker."So, who are you dealing with then?" Stucky Halley said. "Are you dealing with a trafficker or a victim?"Rotary's Community Action Against Human Trafficking Project in Shawnee County is giving women who have been in jail options other than returning to their traffickers.Many women who have been in jail have no one to turn to for clean clothes, a place to stay or food other than their traffickers. They are the only ones waiting when they get out, she said.Participation is voluntary. The women are provided with mentors. Kits, including clean clothes and hygiene items, are provided to the women upon their release.The women can access ongoing services after their release.The average woman who experiences domestic violence will try to leave their abuser seven times before they finally leave permanently.Stucky Halley said sex trafficking victims also often will go back to the streets multiple times before they make permanent life changes. She said this can be very frustrating for advocates, especially when youth are being trafficked, and the urgency to get them out of that life is so great."We know people do not make transformational change overnight," she said.