<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/state-seeks-applicants-for-4-million-in-scholarships-for-nurses-in-training/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The State of Nebraska has $4 million remaining in a $5 million program to provide scholarships for nurses and is seeking more applicants.

The scholarships, &nbsp;up to $2,500 per student for the fall semester, are available for any Nebraska resident enrolled in a licensed practical nurse program, associate degree of nursing program or accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program.

Last year,&nbsp;the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services was given $5 million through the American Rescue Plan Act for nursing scholarships.

Thus far, about $1.1 million in scholarships have been disbursed to nearly 400 nursing students. The remaining funds will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.

The ARPA funds are intended to address a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nurses-say-their-field-is-challenging-and-rewarding-despite-workforce-challenges/">shortage of nurses in Nebraska</a>&nbsp;that is projected to grow to 5,400 nurses by 2025. Stress caused by COVID-19 and earlier-than-expected retirements have been blamed for the shortage.

To qualify, the nursing program must be in Nebraska, and students must have finished all prerequisites and be enrolled in the nursing program to be eligible.

Scholarship recipients will be required to practice nursing in Nebraska for a minimum of two years.

To apply, access the following link:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=JQrDlL-2FDrn4beqHnFHKcIzP1NkoB3fCcNy8n7m9UB6qpxKXx7p9vCWTbKYe9JjVqL4Cd_Fw8jvoyj-2FQa0TO06mdJjmbSdGWw4TpFvG-2BpgeXurq4CO5EYX9Q2IJAjr10VTOpDnsQOZsXV-2FXLURaWkWK0-2BpS5OwIEvmHBsaPj-2FezKzozJ5ktHrbqghkw7ESmcwed7UuTK2Sie5dG8T2LpMcaaH7-2FXNRaFe84uMIZ2IXAeVNuDXbUEjb4aRR7iP5ZFGFTXLmIpCaSs-2FqKYOy8kwgy3eyEiL5K3ArEg1YvOu2xo723xZis2wHjr-2BKD01KNGCCIbQqv2Nz5JC-2FyausaoRKMsn8LoKwP4L8vD2N8jyd-2Bv2YtQgIzKtx9rPCKhtbzwjxGw6l-2FaRVPPjTRFFDdBosI4s0sQNbsIfSH-2FnG7koBYUaPv0Tsin98J7IJFDxpzmxNkCuX0UW1yMSwR38roODswI-2F7aQ-3D-3D">https://redcap.link/75o4jzvw</a>.

The deadline for applying for fall 2023 scholarships is July 31.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1561900937732.png" alt="UNMC - Stock Photo" />
 <figcaption>UNMC - Stock Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/state-seeks-applicants-for-4-million-in-scholarships-for-nurses-in-training/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The State of Nebraska has $4 million remaining in a $5 million program to provide scholarships for nurses and is seeking more applicants.The scholarships, &nbsp;up to $2,500 per student for the fall semester, are available for any Nebraska resident enrolled in a licensed practical nurse program, associate degree of nursing program or accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program.Last year,&nbsp;the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services was given $5 million through the American Rescue Plan Act for nursing scholarships.Thus far, about $1.1 million in scholarships have been disbursed to nearly 400 nursing students. The remaining funds will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.The ARPA funds are intended to address a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nurses-say-their-field-is-challenging-and-rewarding-despite-workforce-challenges/">shortage of nurses in Nebraska</a>&nbsp;that is projected to grow to 5,400 nurses by 2025. Stress caused by COVID-19 and earlier-than-expected retirements have been blamed for the shortage.To qualify, the nursing program must be in Nebraska, and students must have finished all prerequisites and be enrolled in the nursing program to be eligible.Scholarship recipients will be required to practice nursing in Nebraska for a minimum of two years.To apply, access the following link:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=JQrDlL-2FDrn4beqHnFHKcIzP1NkoB3fCcNy8n7m9UB6qpxKXx7p9vCWTbKYe9JjVqL4Cd_Fw8jvoyj-2FQa0TO06mdJjmbSdGWw4TpFvG-2BpgeXurq4CO5EYX9Q2IJAjr10VTOpDnsQOZsXV-2FXLURaWkWK0-2BpS5OwIEvmHBsaPj-2FezKzozJ5ktHrbqghkw7ESmcwed7UuTK2Sie5dG8T2LpMcaaH7-2FXNRaFe84uMIZ2IXAeVNuDXbUEjb4aRR7iP5ZFGFTXLmIpCaSs-2FqKYOy8kwgy3eyEiL5K3ArEg1YvOu2xo723xZis2wHjr-2BKD01KNGCCIbQqv2Nz5JC-2FyausaoRKMsn8LoKwP4L8vD2N8jyd-2Bv2YtQgIzKtx9rPCKhtbzwjxGw6l-2FaRVPPjTRFFDdBosI4s0sQNbsIfSH-2FnG7koBYUaPv0Tsin98J7IJFDxpzmxNkCuX0UW1yMSwR38roODswI-2F7aQ-3D-3D">https://redcap.link/75o4jzvw</a>.The deadline for applying for fall 2023 scholarships is July 31.

 HEALTH LABOR & GROWTH BRIEFLY State seeks applicants for $4 million in scholarships for nurses in training

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

WASHINGTON — The Department of Education and the White House announced Friday that more than 800,000 federal student loan borrowers will have their remaining debt wiped out.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-provide-804000-borrowers-39-billion-automatic-loan-forgiveness-result-fixes-income-driven-repayment-plans">The $39 billion in debt relief</a>&nbsp;will come through fixes to mismanagement of the agency’s income-driven repayment plans. Many long-time borrowers, including those who had been making payments for 20 years or more, were denied relief they were eligible for under the repayment plans. Qualified payments that were made were not accounted for.

“For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement.

Starting Friday, the Department of Education will begin to notify those 804,000 borrowers of their forgiveness, and within 30 days their debts will be wiped out.

The plan includes borrowers with Direct Loans or Federal Family Education Loans held by the department (including Parent PLUS loans of either type) who have reached a forgiveness threshold specified by the department.

“By fixing past administrative failures, we are ensuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve, just as we have done for public servants, students who were cheated by their colleges, and borrowers with permanent disabilities, including veterans,” Cardona said.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2022/04/01/1089750113/student-loan-debt-investigation">A 2022 NPR investigation</a>&nbsp;found numerous problems with the agency’s handling of IDR plans, which are meant to help low-income borrowers. Loan servicers failed to keep track of borrowers’ progress toward forgiveness and payment histories were not properly transferred from one loan servicer to another.

Under IDR, after 20 years of payments, a borrower’s loan plan should be forgiven. But&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nclc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IB_IDR.pdf">a 2021 report&nbsp;</a>from the National Consumer Law Center found that more than 4 million borrowers had been making payments for at least 20 years, but only 32 had their debts canceled under the plan.

Because of this issue, the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/department-education-announces-actions-fix-longstanding-failures-student-loan-programs">&nbsp;Department of Education announced in 2022</a>&nbsp;that it would conduct an adjustment and fix past inaccuracies.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/new-federal-student-loan-repayment-plan-aimed-low-income-borrowers">The Department of Education in early January announced</a>&nbsp;its plans to overhaul the income-driven repayment plan.

Under the new plan, monthly payments would decline to 5% of a borrower’s income — down from 10% — and the repayment timeline for loan forgiveness would be decreased to 10 years from 20 or 25 if the initial loan is less than $12,000.

The announcement Friday followed the Supreme Court’s decision in late June&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/06/30/u-s-supreme-court-rules-against-biden-administration-student-loan-debt-relief-plan/">to strike down the Biden administration’s student debt relief program</a>&nbsp;that would have canceled up to $20,000 in student loan debt for some borrowers.

The Department of Education is now going through a rulemaking process to cancel that student loan debt under the Higher Education Act, an action likely to face the same legal challenges as the initial debt relief program.

Under the Biden administration, the Department of Education has canceled about $116 billion in student loan debt for borrowers who were misled by for-profit institutions, borrowers with disabilities and those with loans through Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

​​<a target="_blank" href="https://educationdata.org/how-many-people-have-student-loans">More than 43 million&nbsp;</a>Americans have student loan debt, and the Federal Reserve&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/SLOAS">estimates</a>&nbsp;that the total U.S. student loan debt is more than $1.76 trillion.

By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — The Department of Education and the White House announced Friday that more than 800,000 federal student loan borrowers will have their remaining debt wiped out.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Big news: <a href="https://twitter.com/usedgov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@usedgov</a> will begin notifying borrowers that their federal loans will be discharged following fixes to income driven repayment plans. This is a result of the Administration’s actions to ensure borrowers have an accurate count of payments qualifying for IDR forgiveness. <a href="https://t.co/t2x6XGsJmi">pic.twitter.com/t2x6XGsJmi</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1679862669912801280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a target="_blank" href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-provide-804000-borrowers-39-billion-automatic-loan-forgiveness-result-fixes-income-driven-repayment-plans">The $39 billion in debt relief</a>&nbsp;will come through fixes to mismanagement of the agency’s income-driven repayment plans. Many long-time borrowers, including those who had been making payments for 20 years or more, were denied relief they were eligible for under the repayment plans. Qualified payments that were made were not accounted for.“For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement.Starting Friday, the Department of Education will begin to notify those 804,000 borrowers of their forgiveness, and within 30 days their debts will be wiped out.The plan includes borrowers with Direct Loans or Federal Family Education Loans held by the department (including Parent PLUS loans of either type) who have reached a forgiveness threshold specified by the department.“By fixing past administrative failures, we are ensuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve, just as we have done for public servants, students who were cheated by their colleges, and borrowers with permanent disabilities, including veterans,” Cardona said.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2022/04/01/1089750113/student-loan-debt-investigation">A 2022 NPR investigation</a>&nbsp;found numerous problems with the agency’s handling of IDR plans, which are meant to help low-income borrowers. Loan servicers failed to keep track of borrowers’ progress toward forgiveness and payment histories were not properly transferred from one loan servicer to another.Under IDR, after 20 years of payments, a borrower’s loan plan should be forgiven. But&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nclc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IB_IDR.pdf">a 2021 report&nbsp;</a>from the National Consumer Law Center found that more than 4 million borrowers had been making payments for at least 20 years, but only 32 had their debts canceled under the plan.Because of this issue, the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/department-education-announces-actions-fix-longstanding-failures-student-loan-programs">&nbsp;Department of Education announced in 2022</a>&nbsp;that it would conduct an adjustment and fix past inaccuracies.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/new-federal-student-loan-repayment-plan-aimed-low-income-borrowers">The Department of Education in early January announced</a>&nbsp;its plans to overhaul the income-driven repayment plan.Under the new plan, monthly payments would decline to 5% of a borrower’s income — down from 10% — and the repayment timeline for loan forgiveness would be decreased to 10 years from 20 or 25 if the initial loan is less than $12,000.The announcement Friday followed the Supreme Court’s decision in late June&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/06/30/u-s-supreme-court-rules-against-biden-administration-student-loan-debt-relief-plan/">to strike down the Biden administration’s student debt relief program</a>&nbsp;that would have canceled up to $20,000 in student loan debt for some borrowers.The Department of Education is now going through a rulemaking process to cancel that student loan debt under the Higher Education Act, an action likely to face the same legal challenges as the initial debt relief program.Under the Biden administration, the Department of Education has canceled about $116 billion in student loan debt for borrowers who were misled by for-profit institutions, borrowers with disabilities and those with loans through Public Service Loan Forgiveness.​​<a target="_blank" href="https://educationdata.org/how-many-people-have-student-loans">More than 43 million&nbsp;</a>Americans have student loan debt, and the Federal Reserve&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/SLOAS">estimates</a>&nbsp;that the total U.S. student loan debt is more than $1.76 trillion.

White House: More than 800K student loan borrowers to have debt forgiven

WASHINGTON (AP) — Only about 1 in 10 U.S. adults give high ratings to the way democracy is working in the United States or how well it represents the interests of most Americans, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Majorities of adults say U.S. laws and policies do a poor job of representing what most Americans want on issues ranging from the economy and government spending to gun policy, immigration and abortion. The poll shows 53% say Congress is doing a bad job of upholding democratic values, compared with just 16% who say it’s doing a good job.

The findings illustrate widespread political alienation as a polarized country limps out of the pandemic and into a recovery haunted by inflation and fears of a recession. In interviews, respondents worried less about the machinery of democracy — voting laws and the tabulation of ballots — and more about the outputs.

Overall, about half the country — 49% — say democracy is not working well in the United States, compared with 10% who say it’s working very or extremely well and 40% only somewhat well. About half also say each of the political parties is doing a bad job of upholding democracy, including 47% who say that about Democrats and even more — 56% — about Republicans.

“I don’t think either of them is doing a good job just because of the state of the economy — inflation is killing us,” said Michael Brown, a 45-year-old worker’s compensation adjuster and father of two in Bristol, Connecticut. “Right now I’m making as much as I ever have, and I’m struggling as much as I ever have.”

A self-described moderate Republican, Brown has seen the United States falling short of its democratic promise ever since learning in high school that the Electoral College allows someone to become president while not winning the majority of national votes. But he’s especially disappointed with Congress now, seeing its obsessions as not reflective of the people’s will.

“They’re fighting over something, and it has nothing to do with the economy,” Brown said, singling out the GOP-controlled House’s investigation of President Joe Biden’s son.

“Hunter Biden — what does that have to do with us?” he asked.

The poll shows 53% of Americans say views of “people like you” are not represented well by the government, with 35% saying they’re represented somewhat well and 12% very or extremely well. About 6 in 10 Republicans and independents feel like the government is not representing people like them well, compared with about 4 in 10 Democrats.

Karalyn Kiessling, a researcher at the University of Michigan who participated in the poll, sees troubling signs all around her. A Democrat, she recently moved to a conservative area outside the liberal campus hub of Ann Arbor, and worried that conspiracy theorists who believe former President Donald Trump’s lies that he won the 2020 election would show up as poll watchers. Her Republican family members no longer identify with the party and are limiting their political engagement.

Kiessling researches the intersection of public health and politics and sees many other ways to participate in a democracy in addition to voting — from being active in a political party to speaking at a local government meeting. But she fears increased partisan nastiness is scaring people away from these crucial outlets.

“I think people are less willing to get involved because it’s become more contentious,” Kiessling, 29, said.

That leads to alienation at the national level, she said — something she certainly feels when she sees what comes out of Washington. “When you have a base that’s a minority of what general Americans think, but they’re the loudest voices in the room, that’s who politicians listen to,” Kiessling said.

Polarization has transformed some states into single-party dominions, further alienating people like Mark Short, a Republican who lives in Dana Point, California.

“In California, I kind of feel that I throw my vote away every time, and this is just what you get,” said Short, 63, a retired businessman.

The poll shows that the vast majority of Americans — 71% — think what most Americans want should be highly important when laws and policies are made, but only 48% think that’s actually true in practice.

And views are even more negative when it comes to specific issues: About two-thirds of adults say policies on immigration, government spending, abortion policy and gun policy are not representative of most Americans’ views, and nearly that many say the same about the economy as well as gender identity and LGBTQ+ issues. More than half also say policies poorly reflect what Americans want on health care and the environment.

Joseph Derito, an 81-year-old retired baker in Elmyra, New York, sees immigration policy as not representing the views of most Americans. “The government today is all for the people who have nothing — a lot of them are capable of working but get help,” said Derito, a white political independent who leans Republican and voted for Trump. “They just want to give these people everything.”

Sandra Wyatt, a 68-year-old retired data collection worker and Democrat in Cincinnati, blames Trump for what she sees as an erosion in democracy. “When he got in there, it was like, man, you’re trying to take us back to the day, before all the rights and privileges everybody fought for,” said Wyatt, who is Black, adding that she’s voted previously for Republicans as well.

She sees those bad dynamics as lingering after Trump’s presidency. “We always knew there was racism but now they’re emboldened enough to go around and shoot people because of the color of their skin,” Wyatt said.

Stanley Hobbs, a retired autoworker in Detroit and a Democrat, blames “a few Republicans” for what he sees as democracy’s erosion in the U.S. He sees those GOP politicians as beholden to a cabal of big businesses and points to issues like abortion as examples of how the laws no longer represent the views of the majority of Americans.

“It seems like this always happens in the U.S. and we always prevail,” Hobbs said, recalling how American politicians sympathetic to Nazi Germany gained prominence before World War II. “I just hope we prevail this time.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689347946801.jpeg" alt="FILE - Protester David Barrows carries a sign during a rally to press Congress to pass voting rights protection and the "Build Back Better Act," Monday, Dec. 13, 2021, in Washington. A new poll finds that 1 in 10 U.S. adults give high ratings to the way democracy is working in the United States or how well it represents the interests of most Americans. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)ASSOCIATED PRESS" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Protester David Barrows carries a sign during a rally to press Congress to pass voting rights protection and the "Build Back Better Act," Monday, Dec. 13, 2021, in Washington. A new poll finds that 1 in 10 U.S. adults give high ratings to the way democracy is working in the United States or how well it represents the interests of most Americans. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)ASSOCIATED PRESS</figcaption>
 </figure>BY NICHOLAS RICCARDI AND LINLEY SANDERSWASHINGTON (AP) — Only about 1 in 10 U.S. adults give high ratings to the way democracy is working in the United States or how well it represents the interests of most Americans, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.Majorities of adults say U.S. laws and policies do a poor job of representing what most Americans want on issues ranging from the economy and government spending to gun policy, immigration and abortion. The poll shows 53% say Congress is doing a bad job of upholding democratic values, compared with just 16% who say it’s doing a good job.The findings illustrate widespread political alienation as a polarized country limps out of the pandemic and into a recovery haunted by inflation and fears of a recession. In interviews, respondents worried less about the machinery of democracy — voting laws and the tabulation of ballots — and more about the outputs.Overall, about half the country — 49% — say democracy is not working well in the United States, compared with 10% who say it’s working very or extremely well and 40% only somewhat well. About half also say each of the political parties is doing a bad job of upholding democracy, including 47% who say that about Democrats and even more — 56% — about Republicans.“I don’t think either of them is doing a good job just because of the state of the economy — inflation is killing us,” said Michael Brown, a 45-year-old worker’s compensation adjuster and father of two in Bristol, Connecticut. “Right now I’m making as much as I ever have, and I’m struggling as much as I ever have.”A self-described moderate Republican, Brown has seen the United States falling short of its democratic promise ever since learning in high school that the Electoral College allows someone to become president while not winning the majority of national votes. But he’s especially disappointed with Congress now, seeing its obsessions as not reflective of the people’s will.“They’re fighting over something, and it has nothing to do with the economy,” Brown said, singling out the GOP-controlled House’s investigation of President Joe Biden’s son.“Hunter Biden — what does that have to do with us?” he asked.The poll shows 53% of Americans say views of “people like you” are not represented well by the government, with 35% saying they’re represented somewhat well and 12% very or extremely well. About 6 in 10 Republicans and independents feel like the government is not representing people like them well, compared with about 4 in 10 Democrats.Karalyn Kiessling, a researcher at the University of Michigan who participated in the poll, sees troubling signs all around her. A Democrat, she recently moved to a conservative area outside the liberal campus hub of Ann Arbor, and worried that conspiracy theorists who believe former President Donald Trump’s lies that he won the 2020 election would show up as poll watchers. Her Republican family members no longer identify with the party and are limiting their political engagement.Kiessling researches the intersection of public health and politics and sees many other ways to participate in a democracy in addition to voting — from being active in a political party to speaking at a local government meeting. But she fears increased partisan nastiness is scaring people away from these crucial outlets.“I think people are less willing to get involved because it’s become more contentious,” Kiessling, 29, said.That leads to alienation at the national level, she said — something she certainly feels when she sees what comes out of Washington. “When you have a base that’s a minority of what general Americans think, but they’re the loudest voices in the room, that’s who politicians listen to,” Kiessling said.Polarization has transformed some states into single-party dominions, further alienating people like Mark Short, a Republican who lives in Dana Point, California.“In California, I kind of feel that I throw my vote away every time, and this is just what you get,” said Short, 63, a retired businessman.The poll shows that the vast majority of Americans — 71% — think what most Americans want should be highly important when laws and policies are made, but only 48% think that’s actually true in practice.And views are even more negative when it comes to specific issues: About two-thirds of adults say policies on immigration, government spending, abortion policy and gun policy are not representative of most Americans’ views, and nearly that many say the same about the economy as well as gender identity and LGBTQ+ issues. More than half also say policies poorly reflect what Americans want on health care and the environment.Joseph Derito, an 81-year-old retired baker in Elmyra, New York, sees immigration policy as not representing the views of most Americans. “The government today is all for the people who have nothing — a lot of them are capable of working but get help,” said Derito, a white political independent who leans Republican and voted for Trump. “They just want to give these people everything.”Sandra Wyatt, a 68-year-old retired data collection worker and Democrat in Cincinnati, blames Trump for what she sees as an erosion in democracy. “When he got in there, it was like, man, you’re trying to take us back to the day, before all the rights and privileges everybody fought for,” said Wyatt, who is Black, adding that she’s voted previously for Republicans as well.She sees those bad dynamics as lingering after Trump’s presidency. “We always knew there was racism but now they’re emboldened enough to go around and shoot people because of the color of their skin,” Wyatt said.Stanley Hobbs, a retired autoworker in Detroit and a Democrat, blames “a few Republicans” for what he sees as democracy’s erosion in the U.S. He sees those GOP politicians as beholden to a cabal of big businesses and points to issues like abortion as examples of how the laws no longer represent the views of the majority of Americans.He’s trying to stay optimistic.“It seems like this always happens in the U.S. and we always prevail,” Hobbs said, recalling how American politicians sympathetic to Nazi Germany gained prominence before World War II. “I just hope we prevail this time.”

Americans are widely pessimistic about democracy in the United States, an AP-NORC poll finds

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/14/nebraska-rep-mike-floods-first-year-in-congress-national-security-federal-spending/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

BELLEVUE — During the final days of his first year in Congress, U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., landed in the middle of a global fight over an island nation’s existence.&nbsp;

The former state senator from Norfolk said he expected to face complex new issues when he left Lincoln. The scope of the federal government and its challenges forced him to learn quickly, he said.

For instance, Flood joined a delegation to Taiwan this month, as China discusses reunifying the island by force. Taiwan is an independent government on land China considers its territory.

Americans should care about the issue, Flood said, because most of the world’s microchips in consumer goods from refrigerators to cars come from China or Taiwan.

“If we thought Ukraine was essential to protect, Taiwan takes it to the next level because it will impact every American’s ability to live their lives the way we do today,” Flood said.

Visiting with leaders in Taipei who spend every day confronting the prospect of a military invasion makes the urgency of U.S. national defense policy palpable, he said.

Flood’s district includes eastern Sarpy County, home to Offutt Air Force Base and many military families.

He said the spy balloon saga last winter showed many Americans at home that “we’re actually in a Cold War with China right now.”

That’s why Flood spent part of his first year in Congress visiting his old stomping grounds in Lincoln, endorsing state legislation&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/14/nebraska-bill-would-ban-access-to-usf-funds-for-cell-providers-with-huawei-equipment/">banning access</a>&nbsp;to Nebraska Universal Service Funds for cell service providers that have&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/AM/AM1181.pdf">Chinese equipment</a>&nbsp;on cell phone towers.

Flood, a former Speaker of the Legislature, won a special election to Congress in June 2022 over State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks. He took office a year ago this week.&nbsp;

A year later, Flood, the owner of News Channel Nebraska, a statewide internet and broadcast news outlet, has faced criticism for what some describe as shifting farther to the right politically in Congress than he had done in the Legislature.

ane Kleeb, chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, said “Flood the Senator” cared about issues like creating university pre-kindergarten education for “all kids, including immigrants.”

“Flood the Congressman cares about shoring up his MAGA base doing ridiculous stunts like pretending gas stoves are being banned,” she said, referencing a story that made the right-wing media rounds.&nbsp;

Flood said he has “always been conservative.” He said he helped pass the nation’s first 20-week abortion ban and helped cut $1 billion from the state budget when times got tight.

The congressman said he had a different job as speaker of an officially nonpartisan Legislature than the one he has in the partisan U.S. House, with political party caucuses and whips.&nbsp;

He said he sees the difference between governing at both levels but said political parties and their leadership structures are vital to helping organize a large body like the House.&nbsp;

In Nebraska, he said, he was one of 49 senators with a Republican governor. In Washington, D.C., he is one of 435 House members in a GOP-controlled House that has to negotiate with a Democratic-controlled Senate and Democratic President Joe Biden.

Political divisions in Congress, while they might be frustrating to watch, he said, help slow the system and make U.S. laws more predictable for investors, businesses and taxpayers.

He pointed to debt ceiling negotiations as a crash course on how Congress works and said he was proud Republicans secured $2.1 trillion in spending cuts from the federal budget.

“It took a lot of work and I’m very pleased,” he said.

Some House Republicans have indicated that they intend to seek additional spending cuts from agency budgets being negotiated this fall, spending levels lower than were negotiated as part of raising the debt ceiling. Flood said he would seek to cut spending again.

His toughest adjustment, he said, has been starting from scratch in meeting colleagues he might work with. He said he wants to build relationships, and that starts with face time.

Asked what it’s like working with U.S. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Georgia, and Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., Flood said it reminds him of serving with former State Sen. Ernie Chambers.

“The Legislature is full of people … passionate about their issues, and I see the same thing in Washington,” he said. “It’s harder in Washington to be obstructionists. You have to stand out.”&nbsp;

Flood said he is still adjusting to elections every two years in Congress instead of running every four. In a quirk of local circumstance, Flood has already run two races for Congress — the June 2022 special election to finish the final months of former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry’s term and November’s race for a full term.

Flood defeated former State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln in both elections. He does not yet have an announced opponent for 2024. But Democrats have promised one. Republicans have held the 1st Congressional District seat since the 1960s.

Flood said he will focus his second year in Congress on constituent services, taxes, national defense and cutting spending. He also wants to help shore up the banking system, which wobbled a bit after a Silicon Valley shakeup.&nbsp;

He said he’s getting closer to his long-sought meeting with leaders of the U.S. Postal Service about the idea of relocating the main post office in downtown Lincoln to free up land for a potential convention center.

He spoke about the need to boost border security, despite a recent drop in recorded illegal border crossings. He said he remains hopeful that Congress can work with Biden to better address the backlog of people trying to enter the country legally and how to stop those who try to enter illegally.&nbsp;

Then there is the issue that seems to stop progress on immigration reform: what to do with people already in the country without papers. Legislation that deals with all three, he said is “going to be a tall order in a divided government.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689340876446.jpeg" alt="U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., speaks during a federal delegation’s visit to Taiwan. Flood just finished his first year in Congress. (Courtesy of U.S. Rep. Mike Flood’s office)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., speaks during a federal delegation’s visit to Taiwan. Flood just finished his first year in Congress. (Courtesy of U.S. Rep. Mike Flood’s office)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/14/nebraska-rep-mike-floods-first-year-in-congress-national-security-federal-spending/">Nebraska Examiner</a>BELLEVUE — During the final days of his first year in Congress, U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., landed in the middle of a global fight over an island nation’s existence.&nbsp;The former state senator from Norfolk said he expected to face complex new issues when he left Lincoln. The scope of the federal government and its challenges forced him to learn quickly, he said.For instance, Flood joined a delegation to Taiwan this month, as China discusses reunifying the island by force. Taiwan is an independent government on land China considers its territory.Americans should care about the issue, Flood said, because most of the world’s microchips in consumer goods from refrigerators to cars come from China or Taiwan.“If we thought Ukraine was essential to protect, Taiwan takes it to the next level because it will impact every American’s ability to live their lives the way we do today,” Flood said.<h2>National security</h2>Visiting with leaders in Taipei who spend every day confronting the prospect of a military invasion makes the urgency of U.S. national defense policy palpable, he said.Flood’s district includes eastern Sarpy County, home to Offutt Air Force Base and many military families.He said the spy balloon saga last winter showed many Americans at home that “we’re actually in a Cold War with China right now.”That’s why Flood spent part of his first year in Congress visiting his old stomping grounds in Lincoln, endorsing state legislation&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/14/nebraska-bill-would-ban-access-to-usf-funds-for-cell-providers-with-huawei-equipment/">banning access</a>&nbsp;to Nebraska Universal Service Funds for cell service providers that have&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/AM/AM1181.pdf">Chinese equipment</a>&nbsp;on cell phone towers.<h2>Has Flood gotten more conservative?</h2>Flood, a former Speaker of the Legislature, won a special election to Congress in June 2022 over State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks. He took office a year ago this week.&nbsp;A year later, Flood, the owner of News Channel Nebraska, a statewide internet and broadcast news outlet, has faced criticism for what some describe as shifting farther to the right politically in Congress than he had done in the Legislature.ane Kleeb, chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, said “Flood the Senator” cared about issues like creating university pre-kindergarten education for “all kids, including immigrants.”“Flood the Congressman cares about shoring up his MAGA base doing ridiculous stunts like pretending gas stoves are being banned,” she said, referencing a story that made the right-wing media rounds.&nbsp;Flood said he has “always been conservative.” He said he helped pass the nation’s first 20-week abortion ban and helped cut $1 billion from the state budget when times got tight.The congressman said he had a different job as speaker of an officially nonpartisan Legislature than the one he has in the partisan U.S. House, with political party caucuses and whips.&nbsp;<h2>Differences in Washington, D.C.</h2>He said he sees the difference between governing at both levels but said political parties and their leadership structures are vital to helping organize a large body like the House.&nbsp;In Nebraska, he said, he was one of 49 senators with a Republican governor. In Washington, D.C., he is one of 435 House members in a GOP-controlled House that has to negotiate with a Democratic-controlled Senate and Democratic President Joe Biden.Political divisions in Congress, while they might be frustrating to watch, he said, help slow the system and make U.S. laws more predictable for investors, businesses and taxpayers.He pointed to debt ceiling negotiations as a crash course on how Congress works and said he was proud Republicans secured $2.1 trillion in spending cuts from the federal budget.“It took a lot of work and I’m very pleased,” he said.Some House Republicans have indicated that they intend to seek additional spending cuts from agency budgets being negotiated this fall, spending levels lower than were negotiated as part of raising the debt ceiling. Flood said he would seek to cut spending again.His toughest adjustment, he said, has been starting from scratch in meeting colleagues he might work with. He said he wants to build relationships, and that starts with face time.Asked what it’s like working with U.S. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Georgia, and Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., Flood said it reminds him of serving with former State Sen. Ernie Chambers.“The Legislature is full of people … passionate about their issues, and I see the same thing in Washington,” he said. “It’s harder in Washington to be obstructionists. You have to stand out.”&nbsp;<h2>Elections every two years</h2>Flood said he is still adjusting to elections every two years in Congress instead of running every four. In a quirk of local circumstance, Flood has already run two races for Congress — the June 2022 special election to finish the final months of former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry’s term and November’s race for a full term.Flood defeated former State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln in both elections. He does not yet have an announced opponent for 2024. But Democrats have promised one. Republicans have held the 1st Congressional District seat since the 1960s.Flood said he will focus his second year in Congress on constituent services, taxes, national defense and cutting spending. He also wants to help shore up the banking system, which wobbled a bit after a Silicon Valley shakeup.&nbsp;He said he’s getting closer to his long-sought meeting with leaders of the U.S. Postal Service about the idea of relocating the main post office in downtown Lincoln to free up land for a potential convention center.He spoke about the need to boost border security, despite a recent drop in recorded illegal border crossings. He said he remains hopeful that Congress can work with Biden to better address the backlog of people trying to enter the country legally and how to stop those who try to enter illegally.&nbsp;Then there is the issue that seems to stop progress on immigration reform: what to do with people already in the country without papers. Legislation that deals with all three, he said is “going to be a tall order in a divided government.”

Nebraska Rep. Mike Flood’s first year in Congress: national security, federal spending

JULY 13, 2023 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) Carrier Enforcement Division conducted surprise commercial vehicle inspections for a second straight day in Lancaster County.

During the special enforcement effort, the Metropolitan Aggressive and Prevention Selective (MAPS) Team conducted 32 vehicle inspections. Troopers discovered 113 violations of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and state law. Troopers placed 26 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.

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.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689332174360.jpeg" alt="photo courtesy by Nebraska State Patrol" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy by Nebraska State Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>Cody Thomas Nebraska State PatrolJULY 13, 2023 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) Carrier Enforcement Division conducted surprise commercial vehicle inspections for a second straight day in Lancaster County.During the special enforcement effort, the Metropolitan Aggressive and Prevention Selective (MAPS) Team conducted 32 vehicle inspections. Troopers discovered 113 violations of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and state law. Troopers placed 26 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.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.

Second Day of Surprise Truck Inspections Held in Lancaster County

WASHINGTON —With&nbsp;Russia’s war on Ukraine&nbsp;in its 17th month, President Joe Biden Thursday issued&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/07/13/ordering-the-selected-reserve-and-certain-members-of-the-individual-ready-reserve-of-the-armed-forces-to-active-duty/">an executive order</a>&nbsp;approving the mobilization of select reserve forces with up to 3,000 personnel, augmenting the armed forces in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, according to a statement from the White House.

This operation will be designated as a contingency operation, said Army Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Sims II, Joint Staff director of operations, during a press briefing Thursday.&nbsp;

"This new designation benefits troops and families with increases in authorities, entitlements and access to the reserve component forces and personnel," Sims said.&nbsp;

"This [executive order] reaffirms the unwavering support and commitment to defend&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nato.int/" target="_blank">NATO</a>'s eastern flank in the wake of Russia's illegal and unprovoked war on Ukraine," Sims said.

U.S. European Command is preparing to use this new authority in continuation of U.S. commitment to NATO's collective security, stated Eucom spokesman Navy Capt. Bill Speaks.

"These authorities will ensure long-term resilience in Eucom's continued heightened level of presence and operations. This will not change current force-posture levels in Europe," Speaks said.&nbsp;

These new authorities are an important demonstration of the U.S. commitment to allies and partners and provides Eucom with greater flexibility to provide key entitlements to the forces who support those commitments, Speaks said in the release.

Providing a current assessment of the fighting in Ukraine, Sims said the fighting is severe. &nbsp;

Despite being shot at, bombed, and facing well dug-in Russian defenses in tough terrain, Ukrainian forces are doing a remarkable job with their new equipment and techniques, he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689293812586.png" alt="Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Biden this week at the NATO summit- White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Biden this week at the NATO summit- White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —With&nbsp;Russia’s war on Ukraine&nbsp;in its 17th month, President Joe Biden Thursday issued&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/07/13/ordering-the-selected-reserve-and-certain-members-of-the-individual-ready-reserve-of-the-armed-forces-to-active-duty/">an executive order</a>&nbsp;approving the mobilization of select reserve forces with up to 3,000 personnel, augmenting the armed forces in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, according to a statement from the White House.This operation will be designated as a contingency operation, said Army Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Sims II, Joint Staff director of operations, during a press briefing Thursday.&nbsp;"This new designation benefits troops and families with increases in authorities, entitlements and access to the reserve component forces and personnel," Sims said.&nbsp;"This [executive order] reaffirms the unwavering support and commitment to defend&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nato.int/" target="_blank">NATO</a>'s eastern flank in the wake of Russia's illegal and unprovoked war on Ukraine," Sims said.U.S. European Command is preparing to use this new authority in continuation of U.S. commitment to NATO's collective security, stated Eucom spokesman Navy Capt. Bill Speaks."These authorities will ensure long-term resilience in Eucom's continued heightened level of presence and operations. This will not change current force-posture levels in Europe," Speaks said.&nbsp;These new authorities are an important demonstration of the U.S. commitment to allies and partners and provides Eucom with greater flexibility to provide key entitlements to the forces who support those commitments, Speaks said in the release.Providing a current assessment of the fighting in Ukraine, Sims said the fighting is severe. &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689328811078.png" alt="Air Force Airman Faith Grayson, 436th Aerial Port Squadron ramp operation specialist, loads cargo during a security assistance mission at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Feb. 3, 2023. The Defense Department is providing Ukraine with critical capabilities to defend against Russia’s invasion.&nbsp;Photo By:Air Force Staff Sgt. Marco Gomez" />
 <figcaption>Air Force Airman Faith Grayson, 436th Aerial Port Squadron ramp operation specialist, loads cargo during a security assistance mission at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Feb. 3, 2023. The Defense Department is providing Ukraine with critical capabilities to defend against Russia’s invasion.&nbsp;Photo By:Air Force Staff Sgt. Marco Gomez</figcaption>
 </figure>Despite being shot at, bombed, and facing well dug-in Russian defenses in tough terrain, Ukrainian forces are doing a remarkable job with their new equipment and techniques, he said.

Biden orders 3,000 reservists to be ready for Europe deployment

LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/lisa-marie-presley">Lisa Marie Presley</a>&nbsp;died from complications from bariatric surgery she had several years ago, authorities said Thursday.

The January 12 death at age 54 of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lisa-marie-presley-musical-legacy-71d8b763f38c75b389aab331d5cbe468">singer, songwriter</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lisa-marie-presley-dies-9fc02552f6f31e270647897a2e4104e9">heir of Elvis Presley</a>&nbsp;was ruled as being from natural causes due to effects of a small bowel obstruction.

Additional details about what caused Presley's death were included in an autopsy report released Thursday afternoon by the office of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner.

The report says the complication that Presley experienced is a common complication from bariatric surgery, which is a weight loss procedure. The Mayo Clinic says it is often done when other weight loss methods haven't worked or if a person has a serious medical condition.

Presley died at a Los Angeles hospital, where she had been rushed by paramedics responding to a 911 call of a woman in cardiac arrest at her home. No indication was made public at the time of what may have caused the medical issue.

The autopsy report said she had been complaining of stomach pain earlier in the day.

She was buried at a Jan. 22&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/celebrity-lisa-marie-presley-memphis-b1b049e9ce7796830f48623fd173b9e2">funeral at Graceland</a>, the home where she lived with her father as a child that has become a museum, tourist attraction and shrine for Elvis fans.

Presley left behind three daughters, 34-year-old “Daisy Jones &amp; the Six” actor Riley Keough and 15-year-old twins Harper and Finley Lockwood. A son, Benjamin Keough, died in 2020.

In the immediate aftermath of her death, it appeared that a major legal fight would ensue over Presley's estate. Four days after her funeral, her mother,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-lisa-marie-presley-priscilla-riley-keough-los-angeles-0efc14c3329239fe2f2f143fe34966d8">Priscilla Presley, filed court documents</a>&nbsp;disputing a 2016 amendment to Lisa Marie Presley's living trust that removed Priscilla Presley and a former business manager as trustees and replaced them with her two eldest children.

But Priscilla Presley and Riley Keough – who is now acting as sole trustee – agreed to a settlement in May.

Riley Keough was nominated for her first Emmy on Wednesday, for best actress in a limited series or TV movie for “Daisy Jones &amp; the Six.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674489309670.png" alt="More than a thousand people gathered on the front lawn of Graceland on a gray, chilly Memphis morning to mourn the death and remember the life of Lisa Marie Presley, who died Jan. 12 after she was taken to a hospital in California. photo by John Amis, Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>More than a thousand people gathered on the front lawn of Graceland on a gray, chilly Memphis morning to mourn the death and remember the life of Lisa Marie Presley, who died Jan. 12 after she was taken to a hospital in California. photo by John Amis, Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/lisa-marie-presley">Lisa Marie Presley</a>&nbsp;died from complications from bariatric surgery she had several years ago, authorities said Thursday.The January 12 death at age 54 of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lisa-marie-presley-musical-legacy-71d8b763f38c75b389aab331d5cbe468">singer, songwriter</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lisa-marie-presley-dies-9fc02552f6f31e270647897a2e4104e9">heir of Elvis Presley</a>&nbsp;was ruled as being from natural causes due to effects of a small bowel obstruction.Additional details about what caused Presley's death were included in an autopsy report released Thursday afternoon by the office of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner.The report says the complication that Presley experienced is a common complication from bariatric surgery, which is a weight loss procedure. The Mayo Clinic says it is often done when other weight loss methods haven't worked or if a person has a serious medical condition.Presley died at a Los Angeles hospital, where she had been rushed by paramedics responding to a 911 call of a woman in cardiac arrest at her home. No indication was made public at the time of what may have caused the medical issue.The autopsy report said she had been complaining of stomach pain earlier in the day.She was buried at a Jan. 22&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/celebrity-lisa-marie-presley-memphis-b1b049e9ce7796830f48623fd173b9e2">funeral at Graceland</a>, the home where she lived with her father as a child that has become a museum, tourist attraction and shrine for Elvis fans.Presley left behind three daughters, 34-year-old “Daisy Jones &amp; the Six” actor Riley Keough and 15-year-old twins Harper and Finley Lockwood. A son, Benjamin Keough, died in 2020.In the immediate aftermath of her death, it appeared that a major legal fight would ensue over Presley's estate. Four days after her funeral, her mother,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-lisa-marie-presley-priscilla-riley-keough-los-angeles-0efc14c3329239fe2f2f143fe34966d8">Priscilla Presley, filed court documents</a>&nbsp;disputing a 2016 amendment to Lisa Marie Presley's living trust that removed Priscilla Presley and a former business manager as trustees and replaced them with her two eldest children.But Priscilla Presley and Riley Keough – who is now acting as sole trustee – agreed to a settlement in May.Riley Keough was nominated for her first Emmy on Wednesday, for best actress in a limited series or TV movie for “Daisy Jones &amp; the Six.”

Coroner reports on cause of Lisa Marie Presley's death

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Leaders of a Hollywood’s actors union voted Thursday to join&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-hollywood-march-rally-actors-1e87e496db3581f251ee4ad7664a96b2">screenwriters</a>&nbsp;in the first joint strike in more than six decades, shutting down production across the entertainment industry after talks for a new contract with studios and streaming services broke down.

It’s the first time two major Hollywood unions have been on strike at the same time since 1960, when Ronald Reagan was the actors’ guild president.

In an impassioned speech as the strike, which begins at midnight, was announced, actors’ union president and former “The Nanny Star” Fran Drescher chastised industry executives.

“Employers make Wall Street and greed their priority and they forget about the essential contributors that make the machine run,” Drescher said. “It is disgusting. Shame on them. They stand on the wrong side of history.”

Hours earlier, a three-year contract had expired and talks broke off between the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/sag-aftra">Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists</a>&nbsp;and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers representing employers including Disney, Netflix, Amazon and others.

Outside Netflix's Hollywood offices, picketing screenwriters chanted “Pay Your Actors!” immediately after the strike was declared. Actors will begin picketing alongside writers outside studio headquarters in New York and Los Angeles on Friday.

“It looks like it’s time to take down the MASKS. And pick up the SIGNS,” Oscar-winner&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CupmkOmSRS4/?hl=en">Jamie Lee Curtis</a>&nbsp;said in an Instagram post with a photo of the tragic and comic masks that represent acting.

The premiere of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-469cc81e0989f414a20db5508c7630a0">Christopher Nolan’s film “Oppenheimer”</a>&nbsp;in London was moved up an hour so that the cast could walk the red carpet before the SAG board’s announcement. Stars including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cillian-murphy-oppenheimer-9632a46e5fb6292b8f903541d6d07660">Cillian Murphy</a>, Emily Blunt and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXMNisH5aeI">Matt Damon</a>&nbsp;left the event once the strike was announced.

The strike — the first for film and television actors since 1980 — casts a shadow over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/emmy-awards">upcoming 75th Emmy Awards,</a>&nbsp;whose nominations were announced a day earlier. Union rules prevent actors from doing any interviews or promotions around the awards, and they may not appear at the ceremony.

The strike rules also prevent actors from making personal appearances or promoting their work on podcasts or at premieres. And they are barred from do any production work including auditions, readings, rehearsals or voiceovers along with actual shooting.

While international shoots technically can continue, the stoppage among U.S.-based writers and performers is likely to have a drag on those too.

Disney chief Bob Iger warned the strike would have a “very damaging effect on the whole industry.”

“This is the worst time in the world to add to that disruption,” Iger said on CNBC. “There’s a level of expectation that they have that is just not realistic.”

A nearly two-week extension of the actors union contract, and negotiations, only heightened the hostility between the two groups. Drescher said the extension made us “feel like we’d been duped, like maybe it was just to let studios promote their summer movies for another 12 days.”

Before the talks began June 7, the 65,000&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/screen-actors-strike-authorization-vote-5ae02cee343eb0077eaaf8d64a2f4769">actors who cast ballots voted overwhelmingly</a>&nbsp;for union leaders to send them into a strike, as the Writers Guild of America did when their deal expired more than two months ago.

When the initial deadline approached in late June, more than 1,000 members of the union, including Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence and Bob Odenkirk, added their names to a letter signaling to leaders their willingness to strike.

While famous names predominate, the strike also includes tens of thousands of little-known actors who scramble for small parts at sometimes meager pay. The union says modest-but-essential income streams including long-term residuals for shows they appear in have dried up.

Stakes in the negotiations included that kind of pay, which actors say has been undercut by inflation and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/streaming-shows-removed-residuals-4be3ac859c766c352e57ef96176fd812">the streaming ecosystem</a>, benefits, the growing tendency to make performers create video auditions at their own expense, and the threat of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-hollywood-writers-strike-artificial-intelligence-dc71c4cabcca0ee1b1afe0050d392a36">unregulated use of artificial intelligence</a>.

“At a moment when streaming and AI and digital was so prevalent, it has disemboweled the industry that we once knew,” Drescher said, drawing applause from her fellow union leaders. “When I did ‘The Nanny' everybody was part of the gravy train. Now it’s a vacuum.”

The AMPTP said it presented a generous deal that included the biggest bump in minimum pay in 35 years, higher caps on pension and health contributions, and “a groundbreaking AI proposal that protects actors’ digital likenesses.”

“A strike is certainly not the outcome we hoped for as studios cannot operate without the performers that bring our TV shows and films to life,” the group said in a statement. “The Union has regrettably chosen a path that will lead to financial hardship for countless thousands of people who depend on the industry.”

SAG-AFTRA represents more than 160,000 screen actors, broadcast journalists, announcers, hosts and stunt performers. The walkout affects only the union’s actors from television and film productions, who voted overwhelmingly to authorize their leaders to call a strike before talks began on June 7. Broadway actors said in a statement that they stand “in solidarity” with SAG-AFTRA workers.

The 11,500 members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wga-writers-strike-demands-d403f5b4666f20e2ce3e379bcaef5f2a">Writers Guild of America have been on strike</a>&nbsp;since their own talks collapsed and their contract expired on May 2. The stoppage has showed no signs of a solution, with no negotiations even planned.

That strike brought the immediate shutdown of late-night talk shows and “Saturday Night Live,” and several scripted shows, including “Stranger Things” on Netflix,” “Hacks” on Max, and “Family Guy” on Fox, which have either had their writers’ rooms&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-hollywood-shows-delayed-47ae4a4c9a83f8f9b65d19dfc1f5f0b2">or their production paused</a>. Many more are sure to follow them now that performers have been pulled too.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689291239288.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Leaders of a Hollywood’s actors union voted Thursday to join&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-hollywood-march-rally-actors-1e87e496db3581f251ee4ad7664a96b2">screenwriters</a>&nbsp;in the first joint strike in more than six decades, shutting down production across the entertainment industry after talks for a new contract with studios and streaming services broke down.It’s the first time two major Hollywood unions have been on strike at the same time since 1960, when Ronald Reagan was the actors’ guild president.In an impassioned speech as the strike, which begins at midnight, was announced, actors’ union president and former “The Nanny Star” Fran Drescher chastised industry executives.“Employers make Wall Street and greed their priority and they forget about the essential contributors that make the machine run,” Drescher said. “It is disgusting. Shame on them. They stand on the wrong side of history.”Hours earlier, a three-year contract had expired and talks broke off between the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/sag-aftra">Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists</a>&nbsp;and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers representing employers including Disney, Netflix, Amazon and others.Outside Netflix's Hollywood offices, picketing screenwriters chanted “Pay Your Actors!” immediately after the strike was declared. Actors will begin picketing alongside writers outside studio headquarters in New York and Los Angeles on Friday.“It looks like it’s time to take down the MASKS. And pick up the SIGNS,” Oscar-winner&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CupmkOmSRS4/?hl=en">Jamie Lee Curtis</a>&nbsp;said in an Instagram post with a photo of the tragic and comic masks that represent acting.The premiere of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-469cc81e0989f414a20db5508c7630a0">Christopher Nolan’s film “Oppenheimer”</a>&nbsp;in London was moved up an hour so that the cast could walk the red carpet before the SAG board’s announcement. Stars including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cillian-murphy-oppenheimer-9632a46e5fb6292b8f903541d6d07660">Cillian Murphy</a>, Emily Blunt and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXMNisH5aeI">Matt Damon</a>&nbsp;left the event once the strike was announced.The strike — the first for film and television actors since 1980 — casts a shadow over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/emmy-awards">upcoming 75th Emmy Awards,</a>&nbsp;whose nominations were announced a day earlier. Union rules prevent actors from doing any interviews or promotions around the awards, and they may not appear at the ceremony.The strike rules also prevent actors from making personal appearances or promoting their work on podcasts or at premieres. And they are barred from do any production work including auditions, readings, rehearsals or voiceovers along with actual shooting.While international shoots technically can continue, the stoppage among U.S.-based writers and performers is likely to have a drag on those too.Disney chief Bob Iger warned the strike would have a “very damaging effect on the whole industry.”“This is the worst time in the world to add to that disruption,” Iger said on CNBC. “There’s a level of expectation that they have that is just not realistic.”A nearly two-week extension of the actors union contract, and negotiations, only heightened the hostility between the two groups. Drescher said the extension made us “feel like we’d been duped, like maybe it was just to let studios promote their summer movies for another 12 days.”Before the talks began June 7, the 65,000&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/screen-actors-strike-authorization-vote-5ae02cee343eb0077eaaf8d64a2f4769">actors who cast ballots voted overwhelmingly</a>&nbsp;for union leaders to send them into a strike, as the Writers Guild of America did when their deal expired more than two months ago.When the initial deadline approached in late June, more than 1,000 members of the union, including Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence and Bob Odenkirk, added their names to a letter signaling to leaders their willingness to strike.While famous names predominate, the strike also includes tens of thousands of little-known actors who scramble for small parts at sometimes meager pay. The union says modest-but-essential income streams including long-term residuals for shows they appear in have dried up.Stakes in the negotiations included that kind of pay, which actors say has been undercut by inflation and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/streaming-shows-removed-residuals-4be3ac859c766c352e57ef96176fd812">the streaming ecosystem</a>, benefits, the growing tendency to make performers create video auditions at their own expense, and the threat of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-hollywood-writers-strike-artificial-intelligence-dc71c4cabcca0ee1b1afe0050d392a36">unregulated use of artificial intelligence</a>.“At a moment when streaming and AI and digital was so prevalent, it has disemboweled the industry that we once knew,” Drescher said, drawing applause from her fellow union leaders. “When I did ‘The Nanny' everybody was part of the gravy train. Now it’s a vacuum.”The AMPTP said it presented a generous deal that included the biggest bump in minimum pay in 35 years, higher caps on pension and health contributions, and “a groundbreaking AI proposal that protects actors’ digital likenesses.”“A strike is certainly not the outcome we hoped for as studios cannot operate without the performers that bring our TV shows and films to life,” the group said in a statement. “The Union has regrettably chosen a path that will lead to financial hardship for countless thousands of people who depend on the industry.”SAG-AFTRA represents more than 160,000 screen actors, broadcast journalists, announcers, hosts and stunt performers. The walkout affects only the union’s actors from television and film productions, who voted overwhelmingly to authorize their leaders to call a strike before talks began on June 7. Broadway actors said in a statement that they stand “in solidarity” with SAG-AFTRA workers.The 11,500 members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wga-writers-strike-demands-d403f5b4666f20e2ce3e379bcaef5f2a">Writers Guild of America have been on strike</a>&nbsp;since their own talks collapsed and their contract expired on May 2. The stoppage has showed no signs of a solution, with no negotiations even planned.That strike brought the immediate shutdown of late-night talk shows and “Saturday Night Live,” and several scripted shows, including “Stranger Things” on Netflix,” “Hacks” on Max, and “Family Guy” on Fox, which have either had their writers’ rooms&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-hollywood-shows-delayed-47ae4a4c9a83f8f9b65d19dfc1f5f0b2">or their production paused</a>. Many more are sure to follow them now that performers have been pulled too.

Hollywood shutdown: Actors join writers in historic strike

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/after-half-century-an-omaha-commercial-corner-is-poised-for-change-food-bank-is-new-owner/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — The nonprofit Food Bank for the Heartland, which serves more than 75 counties in Nebraska, has purchased a 12-acre property at the busy 84th and L Streets intersection of Omaha.

For more than a half-century, the northeast corner had been home to a familiar car dealership, H&amp;H Chevrolet, which earlier this year relocated its business to Sarpy County.

Food Bank officials said they are not ready to reveal details of what is ahead.&nbsp;

Public records show that the sprawling area containing four structures and numerous vehicle parking spaces sold to the Food Bank for $7.1 million.

Currently, the dealership premises are vacant.

Investors Realty, a real estate brokerage that represented the seller, said in a newsletter that the match with the Food Bank answered its challenge of finding a buyer for the property with buildings of varying age and on different elevations.

Founded in 1981,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://foodbankheartland.org/who-we-are/our-programs/">the Food Bank</a>&nbsp;currently operates out of an Omaha base near 105th and J Streets. It serves 93 counties, the bulk of them in Nebraska but some also in western Iowa.

According to its website, the Food Bank works with 544 network partners that include pantries, schools, churches, emergency shelters and other nonprofits to supply emergency and supplemental food.

In fiscal year 2022, the Food Bank distributed nearly 27 million meals across its service area.

Investors Realty says that H&amp;H Chevrolet, which had been at 84th and L Streets since 1968, more than doubled its space with the 30 acres it settled in at the Steel Ridge development.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689279237972.jpeg" alt="The longtime car dealership at 84th and L Street in Omaha, which has four structures across 12 acres, has been sold to Food Bank of the Heartland. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The longtime car dealership at 84th and L Street in Omaha, which has four structures across 12 acres, has been sold to Food Bank of the Heartland. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/after-half-century-an-omaha-commercial-corner-is-poised-for-change-food-bank-is-new-owner/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — The nonprofit Food Bank for the Heartland, which serves more than 75 counties in Nebraska, has purchased a 12-acre property at the busy 84th and L Streets intersection of Omaha.For more than a half-century, the northeast corner had been home to a familiar car dealership, H&amp;H Chevrolet, which earlier this year relocated its business to Sarpy County.Food Bank officials said they are not ready to reveal details of what is ahead.&nbsp;Public records show that the sprawling area containing four structures and numerous vehicle parking spaces sold to the Food Bank for $7.1 million.Currently, the dealership premises are vacant.Investors Realty, a real estate brokerage that represented the seller, said in a newsletter that the match with the Food Bank answered its challenge of finding a buyer for the property with buildings of varying age and on different elevations.Founded in 1981,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://foodbankheartland.org/who-we-are/our-programs/">the Food Bank</a>&nbsp;currently operates out of an Omaha base near 105th and J Streets. It serves 93 counties, the bulk of them in Nebraska but some also in western Iowa.According to its website, the Food Bank works with 544 network partners that include pantries, schools, churches, emergency shelters and other nonprofits to supply emergency and supplemental food.In fiscal year 2022, the Food Bank distributed nearly 27 million meals across its service area.Investors Realty says that H&amp;H Chevrolet, which had been at 84th and L Streets since 1968, more than doubled its space with the 30 acres it settled in at the Steel Ridge development.

After half-century, an Omaha commercial corner is poised for change. Food bank is new owner.

NEW YORK (AP) — The northern lights could put on a show this week — though the audience will be much smaller than some early forecasts had suggested.

The sky spectacle will be fairly typical: Stretches of Canada have a chance to spot the shimmering curtain of the aurora borealis, while a few in the U.S. could see a faint reddish glow on the horizon. Here’s what to know about the updated predictions.

An early forecast by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gi.alaska.edu/monitors/aurora-forecast" target="_blank">University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute</a>, using data from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spaceweather.gov/communities/aurora-dashboard-experimental" target="_blank">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>, suggested that the northern lights could be visible much farther south than usual this week. But that forecast was based on long-term predictions about the solar activity responsible for the display. Forecasts using more current data from NOAA predict nothing special for the U.S.

“For the same reasons that it’s hard to predict weather on Earth, it’s hard to predict weather in space,” said Northeastern University physicist Jonathan Blazek.

In North America, the predictions show a broad stretch of Canada and Alaska could see the northern lights overhead Wednesday and Thursday. Those in small slices of the contiguous U.S. — including parts of Wisconsin, Michigan and Montana — could also get a peek. But for them the aurora will probably be a “faint glow on the horizon,” rather than a shimmering green curtain, said Lt. Bryan Brasher, a project manager for NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.

For those in range, seeking out clear, dark skies between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. will give the best chance to see the aurora’s colorful glow.

The northern lights happen when particles from the sun make their way toward Earth and collide with our planet’s atmosphere.

The sun is constantly sending material our way in a stream known as the solar wind. These particles carry an electric charge, and when they bump into gases such as oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth’s atmosphere, they transfer some of their energy — “like two billiard balls hitting each other,” Brasher said.

This puts the atoms and molecules in an excited state. They shake off some of that energy in the form of light, creating the colorful displays of greens, blues, pinks and reds.

This solar wind is always flowing, but its levels can vary.

“There are solar storms where you get more particles than usual. It’s windier than usual,” Blazek said. “There’s also periods when it’s fairly quiet.”

It’s during those periods of stronger solar wind activity when we tend to see more auroras, Blazek explained. More solar particles can make the northern lights brighter and also push them down toward the equator — giving people farther south a view.

Sometimes, the sun also shoots out huge amounts of plasma in what’s known as a coronal mass ejection, Brasher said. If one of these outbursts hits Earth, even in a “glancing blow,” it can disturb our planet’s magnetic field and also cause shimmering auroras.

Scientists are constantly monitoring the sun using telescopes on Earth and in space in part because space weather can impact radio communications, satellites, power grids and more, Brasher said.

The sun spins on its axis once every 27 days. So, if scientists notice a spot with high activity, they might get a hint that it could come back around in a few weeks, he said.

But conditions can change by the time the sun makes a full rotation. Even then, there are so many factors at play that it can be hard to be sure about what’s to come.

Generally, the sun’s activity is “on the up-and-up” as we’re heading toward a solar maximum in the next couple of years, Brasher said. So we may be seeing more solar storms soon — which will mean more northern lights.

“Everyone should stay tuned, because we probably have a lot more coming,” Brasher said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689282134909.jpeg" alt="An aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is seen in the night sky in the early morning hours of Monday, April 24, 2023, near Washtucna, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)" />
 <figcaption>An aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is seen in the night sky in the early morning hours of Monday, April 24, 2023, near Washtucna, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY MADDIE BURAKOFFNEW YORK (AP) — The northern lights could put on a show this week — though the audience will be much smaller than some early forecasts had suggested.The sky spectacle will be fairly typical: Stretches of Canada have a chance to spot the shimmering curtain of the aurora borealis, while a few in the U.S. could see a faint reddish glow on the horizon. Here’s what to know about the updated predictions.<h2>WHO CAN SEE THE LIGHTS THIS WEEK?</h2>An early forecast by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gi.alaska.edu/monitors/aurora-forecast" target="_blank">University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute</a>, using data from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spaceweather.gov/communities/aurora-dashboard-experimental" target="_blank">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>, suggested that the northern lights could be visible much farther south than usual this week. But that forecast was based on long-term predictions about the solar activity responsible for the display. Forecasts using more current data from NOAA predict nothing special for the U.S.“For the same reasons that it’s hard to predict weather on Earth, it’s hard to predict weather in space,” said Northeastern University physicist Jonathan Blazek.In North America, the predictions show a broad stretch of Canada and Alaska could see the northern lights overhead Wednesday and Thursday. Those in small slices of the contiguous U.S. — including parts of Wisconsin, Michigan and Montana — could also get a peek. But for them the aurora will probably be a “faint glow on the horizon,” rather than a shimmering green curtain, said Lt. Bryan Brasher, a project manager for NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.For those in range, seeking out clear, dark skies between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. will give the best chance to see the aurora’s colorful glow.<h2>WHAT CAUSES THE NORTHERN LIGHTS?</h2>The northern lights happen when particles from the sun make their way toward Earth and collide with our planet’s atmosphere.The sun is constantly sending material our way in a stream known as the solar wind. These particles carry an electric charge, and when they bump into gases such as oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth’s atmosphere, they transfer some of their energy — “like two billiard balls hitting each other,” Brasher said.This puts the atoms and molecules in an excited state. They shake off some of that energy in the form of light, creating the colorful displays of greens, blues, pinks and reds.This solar wind is always flowing, but its levels can vary.“There are solar storms where you get more particles than usual. It’s windier than usual,” Blazek said. “There’s also periods when it’s fairly quiet.”It’s during those periods of stronger solar wind activity when we tend to see more auroras, Blazek explained. More solar particles can make the northern lights brighter and also push them down toward the equator — giving people farther south a view.Sometimes, the sun also shoots out huge amounts of plasma in what’s known as a coronal mass ejection, Brasher said. If one of these outbursts hits Earth, even in a “glancing blow,” it can disturb our planet’s magnetic field and also cause shimmering auroras.<h2>HOW IS IT PREDICTED?</h2>Scientists are constantly monitoring the sun using telescopes on Earth and in space in part because space weather can impact radio communications, satellites, power grids and more, Brasher said.The sun spins on its axis once every 27 days. So, if scientists notice a spot with high activity, they might get a hint that it could come back around in a few weeks, he said.But conditions can change by the time the sun makes a full rotation. Even then, there are so many factors at play that it can be hard to be sure about what’s to come.Generally, the sun’s activity is “on the up-and-up” as we’re heading toward a solar maximum in the next couple of years, Brasher said. So we may be seeing more solar storms soon — which will mean more northern lights.“Everyone should stay tuned, because we probably have a lot more coming,” Brasher said.

Northern lights might be visible this week, but most of the US won’t see them

WASHINGTON (AP) — No fingerprints or DNA turned up on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-suspicious-substance-cocaine-bd7a792357a85453cf55b6c955ff1b4f">baggie of cocaine found in a lobby at the White House</a>&nbsp;last week despite a sophisticated FBI crime lab analysis, and surveillance footage of the area didn’t identify a suspect, according to a summary of the Secret Service investigation obtained by The Associated Press.&nbsp;

The full statement from the Secret Service on the investigation says: 

&nbsp;"On the evening of July 2, officers from the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division found an unknown substance inside a vestibule leading to the lobby area of the West Executive Avenue entrance to the White House."

"The substance was located inside a receptacle used to temporarily store electronic and personal devices prior to entering the West Wing."

"Following the discovery, safety closures were implemented around the White House. This response was designed to ensure that the found substance was not a chemical or radiological material that threatened the security of the White House. As such, the substance was field tested and preliminarily determined to not be a hazardous compound."

"Testing conducted by the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department indicated that the found powder tested preliminarily positive for the presence of cocaine. The substance and packaging were treated as evidence and sent to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, which analyzed the item for any biothreats. Tests conducted at this facility came back negative and gave formal confirmation that the substance was not biological in nature."

"The substance and packaging underwent further forensic testing. The substance was analyzed for its chemical composition. The packaging was subjected to advanced fingerprint and DNA analysis. Both of these analyses were conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's crime laboratory given their expertise in this area and independence from the investigation."

"While awaiting the FBl's results, the Secret Service investigation into how this item entered the White House continued. The investigation included a methodical review of security systems and protocols. This review included a backwards examination that spanned several days prior to the discovery of the substance and developed an index of several hundred individuals who may have accessed the area where the substance was found. The focal point of these actions developed a pool of known persons for comparison of forensic evidence gleaned from the FBI’s analysis of the substance's packaging. "

"On July 12, the Secret Service received the FBI’s laboratory results, which did not develop latent fingerprints and insufficient DNA was present for investigative comparisons. &nbsp;Therefore, the Secret Service is not able to compare evidence against the known pool of individuals. The FBl's evaluation of the substance also confirmed that it was cocaine."&nbsp;

"There was no surveillance video footage found that provided investigative leads or any other means for investigators to identify who may have deposited the found substance in this area. Without physical evidence, the investigation will not be able to single out a person of interest from the hundreds of individuals who passed through the vestibule where the cocaine was discovered. At this time, the Secret Service's investigation is closed due to a lack of physical evidence"

"The U.S. Secret Service takes its mission to protect U.S. leaders, facilities, and events seriously and we are constantly adapting to meet the needs of the current and future security environment."

The presence of cocaine at the White House prompted a flurry of criticism and questions from Republicans, who received a closed briefing Thursday on the results of the investigation.

“There is no equal justice,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Thursday. “Anything revolving around ‘Biden, Inc.’ gets treated different than any other American and that’s got to stop.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden believed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-cocaine-west-wing-secret-service-6b8aae2c55e5c1ecf860a70a0533dbed">it was “incredibly important” for</a>&nbsp;the Secret Service to get to the bottom of how the drugs ended up in the White House. The Secret Service is responsible for securing the White House and led the investigation.

Biden wasn’t there at the time of the discovery. He was at Camp David with members of his family for the holiday weekend.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-suspicious-substance-cocaine-bd7a792357a85453cf55b6c955ff1b4f">The complex was briefly evacuated</a>&nbsp;as a precaution when the white powder was found. The fire department was called in to test the substance on the spot to determine whether it was hazardous, and the initial test came back negative for a biohazard but positive for cocaine.

The bag was sent for a secondary, more sensitive lab analysis. Homeland Security’s National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center analyzed the item for any biothreats. Tests conducted at the facility came back negative.

The cocaine and packaging underwent further forensics testing, including advanced fingerprint and DNA work at the FBI's crime laboratory, according to the summary. The FBI also did chemical testing.

Meanwhile, Secret Service investigators put together a list of several hundred individuals who may have accessed the area where the drugs were found. Anyone who comes through the White House must give identifying information and pass through security before entering.

But the lab results didn’t turn up latent fingerprints or DNA, so agents can’t compare anything to the possible suspect pool. White House staff are fingerprinted; participants in tour groups are not.

Video of the West Executive street lobby entrance did not identify the person or provide any solid investigative leads, the Secret Service said.

The lobby is open to staff-led tours of the West Wing, which are scheduled for nonworking hours on the weekends and evenings. Those tours are invitation-only and led by White House staff for friends, family and other guests. Most staffers who work in the complex can request an evening or weekend tour slot, but there is often a long wait list. There were tours on the day, a Sunday, the drugs were found, as well as on the two preceding days.

The Situation Room, located in the West Wing, where staffers would also drop their phones before entering, has been undergoing construction work and was not in use at the time the baggie was found, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said last week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689281802758.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — No fingerprints or DNA turned up on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-suspicious-substance-cocaine-bd7a792357a85453cf55b6c955ff1b4f">baggie of cocaine found in a lobby at the White House</a>&nbsp;last week despite a sophisticated FBI crime lab analysis, and surveillance footage of the area didn’t identify a suspect, according to a summary of the Secret Service investigation obtained by The Associated Press.&nbsp;The full statement from the Secret Service on the investigation says: &nbsp;"On the evening of July 2, officers from the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division found an unknown substance inside a vestibule leading to the lobby area of the West Executive Avenue entrance to the White House.""The substance was located inside a receptacle used to temporarily store electronic and personal devices prior to entering the West Wing.""Following the discovery, safety closures were implemented around the White House. This response was designed to ensure that the found substance was not a chemical or radiological material that threatened the security of the White House. As such, the substance was field tested and preliminarily determined to not be a hazardous compound.""Testing conducted by the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department indicated that the found powder tested preliminarily positive for the presence of cocaine. The substance and packaging were treated as evidence and sent to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, which analyzed the item for any biothreats. Tests conducted at this facility came back negative and gave formal confirmation that the substance was not biological in nature.""The substance and packaging underwent further forensic testing. The substance was analyzed for its chemical composition. The packaging was subjected to advanced fingerprint and DNA analysis. Both of these analyses were conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's crime laboratory given their expertise in this area and independence from the investigation.""While awaiting the FBl's results, the Secret Service investigation into how this item entered the White House continued. The investigation included a methodical review of security systems and protocols. This review included a backwards examination that spanned several days prior to the discovery of the substance and developed an index of several hundred individuals who may have accessed the area where the substance was found. The focal point of these actions developed a pool of known persons for comparison of forensic evidence gleaned from the FBI’s analysis of the substance's packaging. ""On July 12, the Secret Service received the FBI’s laboratory results, which did not develop latent fingerprints and insufficient DNA was present for investigative comparisons. &nbsp;Therefore, the Secret Service is not able to compare evidence against the known pool of individuals. The FBl's evaluation of the substance also confirmed that it was cocaine."&nbsp;"There was no surveillance video footage found that provided investigative leads or any other means for investigators to identify who may have deposited the found substance in this area. Without physical evidence, the investigation will not be able to single out a person of interest from the hundreds of individuals who passed through the vestibule where the cocaine was discovered. At this time, the Secret Service's investigation is closed due to a lack of physical evidence""The U.S. Secret Service takes its mission to protect U.S. leaders, facilities, and events seriously and we are constantly adapting to meet the needs of the current and future security environment."The presence of cocaine at the White House prompted a flurry of criticism and questions from Republicans, who received a closed briefing Thursday on the results of the investigation.“There is no equal justice,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Thursday. “Anything revolving around ‘Biden, Inc.’ gets treated different than any other American and that’s got to stop.”White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden believed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-cocaine-west-wing-secret-service-6b8aae2c55e5c1ecf860a70a0533dbed">it was “incredibly important” for</a>&nbsp;the Secret Service to get to the bottom of how the drugs ended up in the White House. The Secret Service is responsible for securing the White House and led the investigation.Biden wasn’t there at the time of the discovery. He was at Camp David with members of his family for the holiday weekend.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-suspicious-substance-cocaine-bd7a792357a85453cf55b6c955ff1b4f">The complex was briefly evacuated</a>&nbsp;as a precaution when the white powder was found. The fire department was called in to test the substance on the spot to determine whether it was hazardous, and the initial test came back negative for a biohazard but positive for cocaine.The bag was sent for a secondary, more sensitive lab analysis. Homeland Security’s National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center analyzed the item for any biothreats. Tests conducted at the facility came back negative.The cocaine and packaging underwent further forensics testing, including advanced fingerprint and DNA work at the FBI's crime laboratory, according to the summary. The FBI also did chemical testing.Meanwhile, Secret Service investigators put together a list of several hundred individuals who may have accessed the area where the drugs were found. Anyone who comes through the White House must give identifying information and pass through security before entering.But the lab results didn’t turn up latent fingerprints or DNA, so agents can’t compare anything to the possible suspect pool. White House staff are fingerprinted; participants in tour groups are not.Video of the West Executive street lobby entrance did not identify the person or provide any solid investigative leads, the Secret Service said.The lobby is open to staff-led tours of the West Wing, which are scheduled for nonworking hours on the weekends and evenings. Those tours are invitation-only and led by White House staff for friends, family and other guests. Most staffers who work in the complex can request an evening or weekend tour slot, but there is often a long wait list. There were tours on the day, a Sunday, the drugs were found, as well as on the two preceding days.The Situation Room, located in the West Wing, where staffers would also drop their phones before entering, has been undergoing construction work and was not in use at the time the baggie was found, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said last week.