OMAHA, Neb.-Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a Colorado minor following a pursuit on Interstate 80 overnight.

At approximately 12:40 a.m. Tuesday, a trooper observed a Subaru WRX speeding at over 100 miles per hour on Interstate 80 near Gretna, at mile marker 435. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to yield and accelerated to a higher rate of speed. The trooper initiated a pursuit.

The Subaru continued westbound on Interstate 80, with speeds reaching 150 miles per hour. After approximately 10 miles, the Subaru’s engine failed, and the vehicle came a stop.

The driver, an 18-year-old male from Colorado, was taken into custody for willful reckless driving and flight to avoid arrest. He was lodged in Sarpy County Jail. The entire pursuit lasted less than five minutes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675248428105.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By NEBRASKA STATE PATROLOMAHA, Neb.-Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a Colorado minor following a pursuit on Interstate 80 overnight.At approximately 12:40 a.m. Tuesday, a trooper observed a Subaru WRX speeding at over 100 miles per hour on Interstate 80 near Gretna, at mile marker 435. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to yield and accelerated to a higher rate of speed. The trooper initiated a pursuit.The Subaru continued westbound on Interstate 80, with speeds reaching 150 miles per hour. After approximately 10 miles, the Subaru’s engine failed, and the vehicle came a stop.The driver, an 18-year-old male from Colorado, was taken into custody for willful reckless driving and flight to avoid arrest. He was lodged in Sarpy County Jail. The entire pursuit lasted less than five minutes.

Colorado juvenile arrested following pursuit near Gretna

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/council-bluffs-man-says-he-was-not-himself-when-he-threatened-shooting-at-omaha-islamic-center/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A Council Bluffs, Iowa,
 man has been ordered to be placed at a mental health treatment center 
as part of his sentence for threatening to shoot members of the Islamic 
Center of Omaha with an AK-47.

Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon also sentenced the man to
 time served in detention (about 30 months) while awaiting sentencing.

Nolan Lee Al-Jaddou, 38, will be on federal supervision for three 
years while residing at the treatment facility, according to the U.S. 
Attorney’s Office in Omaha.

At his sentencing hearing Monday, Al-Jaddou apologized to the Islamic
 Center and said he was “not himself” when he transmitted a threat&nbsp;from a
 motel in Council Bluffs on March 25, 2020.

He was identified in part due to an ankle monitor he was wearing&nbsp; as 
part of an Iowa court sentence for harassing the Council Bluffs mayor.

The FBI and the Omaha Police Department investigated the case.

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/council-bluffs-man-says-he-was-not-himself-when-he-threatened-shooting-at-omaha-islamic-center/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — A Council Bluffs, Iowa,
 man has been ordered to be placed at a mental health treatment center 
as part of his sentence for threatening to shoot members of the Islamic 
Center of Omaha with an AK-47.Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon also sentenced the man to
 time served in detention (about 30 months) while awaiting sentencing.Nolan Lee Al-Jaddou, 38, will be on federal supervision for three 
years while residing at the treatment facility, according to the U.S. 
Attorney’s Office in Omaha.At his sentencing hearing Monday, Al-Jaddou apologized to the Islamic
 Center and said he was “not himself” when he transmitted a threat&nbsp;from a
 motel in Council Bluffs on March 25, 2020.He was identified in part due to an ankle monitor he was wearing&nbsp; as 
part of an Iowa court sentence for harassing the Council Bluffs mayor.The FBI and the Omaha Police Department investigated the case.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Man says he was ‘not himself’ when he threatened Islamic center

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say they fatally shot a man who entered a Target store with an AR-15-style rifle and "plenty of ammunition" on Tuesday.

Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said officers searched for victims, including customers and workers, "because there were some people hiding in there." No injured people were immediately found.

Schmaderer said evidence suggests the man fired multiple rounds before officers shot him, but it wasn't immediately known if he fired at anyone.

The chief said there were several 911 calls and officers were at the store within minutes.

"The first arriving officers went into the building, confronted the suspect, and shot him dead," Schmaderer said. "He had an AR-15 rifle with him and plenty of ammunition."

Officer Chris Gordon, a police spokesperson, said the store in west Omaha was locked down at about noon Tuesday after reports of shots being fired.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675194770067.jpeg" alt="Omaha police officers gather outside a Target store in Omaha on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. They were investigating reports of a shooting at the store Tuesday. Police spokesman Officer Chris Gordon said the store in west Omaha was locked down at about noon Tuesday after reports of shots being fired. The department said on its Twitter site that authorities were clearing the store and that the scene had been secured. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)" />
 <figcaption>Omaha police officers gather outside a Target store in Omaha on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. They were investigating reports of a shooting at the store Tuesday. Police spokesman Officer Chris Gordon said the store in west Omaha was locked down at about noon Tuesday after reports of shots being fired. The department said on its Twitter site that authorities were clearing the store and that the scene had been secured. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say they fatally shot a man who entered a Target store with an AR-15-style rifle and "plenty of ammunition" on Tuesday.Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said officers searched for victims, including customers and workers, "because there were some people hiding in there." No injured people were immediately found.Schmaderer said evidence suggests the man fired multiple rounds before officers shot him, but it wasn't immediately known if he fired at anyone.The chief said there were several 911 calls and officers were at the store within minutes."The first arriving officers went into the building, confronted the suspect, and shot him dead," Schmaderer said. "He had an AR-15 rifle with him and plenty of ammunition."Officer Chris Gordon, a police spokesperson, said the store in west Omaha was locked down at about noon Tuesday after reports of shots being fired.

Omaha police fatally shoot armed man in Target store

By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph Post

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Investors would have to be told their money is being invested
to achieve a social goal under a new rule being proposed by the Missouri
Secretary of State.

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft claims some financial advisers
have been investing client funds in accordance with social causes without
consulting their clients.

“This rule puts the onus on investment advisers or broker
dealers to make sure that they are fully disclosing why they are suggesting an
investment to their customer,” Ashcroft tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post in a phone
interview. “And if they do not fully disclose to their customer, it is fraud
and there are serious penalties for that. And we’re happy to be a part of
punishing people that would defraud Missourians.”

Ashcroft claims some financial advisers have been investing
client funds to support social, environmental, or governmental causes without
making full disclosure to their clients.

Ashcroft says there is nothing wrong with investing toward a
purpose.

“I believe that the investor should make the decision and they
should have full disclosure to make an educated decision and whatever they want
to do with their money, that’s their choice,” Ashcroft says. “They earned it,
they built it, not the government.”

Ashcroft has opened a 30-day comment period to give opinions
on the proposed rule.

“We will collect all those comments. There’ll be a public
record of all comments,” says Ashcroft. “Then we will go through every one of
those comments to see if there are any good ideas, maybe there are things, ah, maybe
it sounds a little better if we do that or maybe this is easier to understand.
We will look to those comments to see for ways to make the rule better.”

The proposed rule would require advisers to make the
disclosure. If they do not, it could be prosecuted as fraud.

To comment, go to the Secretary of State’s website to view the
proposed rule, which is actually divided into two sections. Scroll through the
proposed rule and information on how to leave a comment is contained at the
end.

Click <a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/ProposedRules">HERE</a> to be taken to the proposed investment rule.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675185199322.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph PostST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Investors would have to be told their money is being invested
to achieve a social goal under a new rule being proposed by the Missouri
Secretary of State.Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft claims some financial advisers
have been investing client funds in accordance with social causes without
consulting their clients.“This rule puts the onus on investment advisers or broker
dealers to make sure that they are fully disclosing why they are suggesting an
investment to their customer,” Ashcroft tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post in a phone
interview. “And if they do not fully disclose to their customer, it is fraud
and there are serious penalties for that. And we’re happy to be a part of
punishing people that would defraud Missourians.”Ashcroft claims some financial advisers have been investing
client funds to support social, environmental, or governmental causes without
making full disclosure to their clients.Ashcroft says there is nothing wrong with investing toward a
purpose.“I believe that the investor should make the decision and they
should have full disclosure to make an educated decision and whatever they want
to do with their money, that’s their choice,” Ashcroft says. “They earned it,
they built it, not the government.”Ashcroft has opened a 30-day comment period to give opinions
on the proposed rule.“We will collect all those comments. There’ll be a public
record of all comments,” says Ashcroft. “Then we will go through every one of
those comments to see if there are any good ideas, maybe there are things, ah, maybe
it sounds a little better if we do that or maybe this is easier to understand.
We will look to those comments to see for ways to make the rule better.”The proposed rule would require advisers to make the
disclosure. If they do not, it could be prosecuted as fraud.To comment, go to the Secretary of State’s website to view the
proposed rule, which is actually divided into two sections. Scroll through the
proposed rule and information on how to leave a comment is contained at the
end.Click <a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/ProposedRules">HERE</a> to be taken to the proposed investment rule.

Proposal: Mo. financial advisers would be required to disclose social agenda

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government's road safety agency is investigating complaints that windshield trim panels can fly off of Ford Explorers while they're traveling at highway speeds.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has 164 complaints about the trim pieces detaching on 2011 through 2019 Explorer SUVs. The probe covers about 1.86 million vehicles.

The parts could hit the windshield of following vehicles or even a motorcycle rider, possibly causing loss of control and a crash, the agency said.

The agency doesn't have any reports of crashes or injuries, according to a document posted Tuesday.

NHTSA says it will determine how often the problem happens and the safety consequences of the trim pieces flying off the vehicles.

The investigation could lead to a recall, but so far there hasn't been one.

Ford says it’s working with NHTSA on the investigation.

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government's road safety agency is investigating complaints that windshield trim panels can fly off of Ford Explorers while they're traveling at highway speeds.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has 164 complaints about the trim pieces detaching on 2011 through 2019 Explorer SUVs. The probe covers about 1.86 million vehicles.The parts could hit the windshield of following vehicles or even a motorcycle rider, possibly causing loss of control and a crash, the agency said.The agency doesn't have any reports of crashes or injuries, according to a document posted Tuesday.NHTSA says it will determine how often the problem happens and the safety consequences of the trim pieces flying off the vehicles.The investigation could lead to a recall, but so far there hasn't been one.Ford says it’s working with NHTSA on the investigation.

US probes complaints of parts flying off of Ford Explorers

By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/30/ed-committee-hears-bills-aimed-at-easing-nebraskas-teacher-shortage/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska teachers, 
administrators and K-12 education advocates testified Monday before the 
Legislature’s Education Committee about the scale of Nebraska’s teacher 
shortage.

The state’s public schools reported 
nearly 700 unfilled teaching positions at the start of this school year,
 officials told the committee. Private schools said they were short 
another 100.

State education statistics show the 
shortage has been accelerating since the pandemic, with unfilled 
teaching jobs at the start of the 2022-23 school year up 60% over the 
previous year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The committee heard teacher support 
for at least parts of three bills proposed to encourage more people to 
teach and to motivate existing teachers to stay on the job longer.&nbsp;

The one bill educators opposed was 
Omaha State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan’s Legislative Bill 603, which would let
 certain nonprofits and companies certify teachers outside of colleges.

Teachers, including Millard Education
 Association President Tim Royers, testifying for the Nebraska State 
Education Association, said LB 603 would risk watering down new teacher 
preparation.

By allowing some people to test their
 way into teaching instead of requiring them to student teach first and 
show practical ability, he said, new teachers would lack field 
experience.

“This bill is aimed at letting already identified companies profit from our teacher shortage,” Royers said.

Melanie Olmstead, who advocated for 
LB 603 on behalf of American Board’s nonprofit teacher certification 
program, said it would help prepare more teachers for the classroom 
during the crisis.

American Board was funded by federal 
grants during George W. Bush’s administration to develop new ways to 
certify teachers who hold non-education-related bachelor’s degrees.

Linehan said nearly 800 of Nebraska’s
 classrooms have been staffed this year by people without proper 
certification to teach what they’re teaching, many in special education.

She cited Nebraska Department of 
Education statistics that show nearly 200 more teachers retiring than 
being hired. She said she was trying to maintain standards but expand 
the applicant pool.

“This bill is not lowering the 
standards for teacher certification,” she said. “This provides an 
alternative route for teacher certification.”

Teachers were more supportive of 
Linehan’s Legislative Bill 385, which would earmark $10 million to offer
 teachers up to three annual $5,000 incentives to stay on the job 
through their fourth year.

The bill also offered incentives for 
new teachers in specialty areas where districts have had a hard time 
hiring, including math, science, dual-credit and special education.&nbsp;

“If it’s a crisis, we’re not going to be able to do just one thing,” Linehan said. “We’re going to have to do several things.”

Mike Lucas, superintendent of Omaha 
Westside Community Schools, testified in support of LB 385, saying his 
district was not yet short of teachers but wants to stay that way.

Several testifiers, including Royers,
 questioned whether the incentives should be broadened and funded more 
aggressively to make sure they work to reward existing teachers, too.

Jeremy Ekeler of the Nebraska 
Catholic Conference, which represents many of the state’s parochial 
schools, suggested reducing the amount of the incentives to help more 
teachers.&nbsp;

Hastings teacher Ben Welsch said he 
welcomed a new investment in new teachers but said he worried about 
potential troubles when the funding runs out, a so-called “funding 
cliff.”

Linehan said she wants to have more 
discussions about making sure experienced teachers are paid enough to 
stay but said she focused on new teachers because starting salaries are 
so low that many quit.&nbsp;

“These kinds of funds would help you 
keep that kid in Beatrice or Lewiston,” she said. “If you can’t help 
them, you’re not going to keep them.”

Teachers widely backed Fremont Sen. 
Lynne Walz’s Legislative Bill 519, which would fund their certification 
fees, retention bonuses and a teaching excellence program and would pay 
student teachers.&nbsp;

The bill’s estimated cost of the bill
 is about $65 million. Of that, $35 million would pay for a 
$430-per-teacher retention bonus for public and private school teachers 
and staff.&nbsp;

Another $30 million would cover the 
state paying student loans for student teachers willing to teach in 
Nebraska for at least two to four years.&nbsp;

Student teachers who start in rural 
schools or schools with higher concentrations of poverty could keep the 
pay after two years. They would have to work four years.&nbsp;

Linehan and State Sen. Tom Briese of 
Albion raised some questions about the bill’s cost. Walz said she would 
work with staff and get back to them about the fiscal note.

Omaha Public Schools Superintendent 
Cheryl Logan, who supports LB 519, told the committee she worries the 
day is coming soon when some classrooms won’t have a teacher in them.&nbsp;

OPS, the state’s largest district, 
which serves more than 50,000 students, has 300 open teaching jobs, many
 of them in special ed, she said.&nbsp;

“We are moving to a point where it 
won’t matter how we move things around, there will be children who don’t
 have a teacher,” Logan said.

Bellevue State Sen. Carol Blood also 
offered a bill teachers liked, Legislative Bill 413, which would sign 
Nebraska onto a budding teacher certification compact with other states.

The Teacher Mobility Interstate 
Compact’s goal, she said, is to make it easier for military spouses and 
teachers certified in other states to be able to teach in Nebraska.

Blood said she hoped her peers would 
not wait to see what other states do before jumping on board. Compacts 
like this already work in Nebraska for health care workers, she said.

Ten states would need to pass the 
legislation for it to take effect among those states, she said. Teachers
 from those states wouldn’t need to go through a separate licensing 
process. It would also let states more easily share data on teachers, 
including disciplinary actions.

Jack Moles, with the Nebraska Rural 
Community Schools Association, said his members often find it difficult 
to get teachers to cross the border and work in Nebraska schools.

The reason: The state’s separate certification process takes more time, money and testing than some.&nbsp;

“I think this is a good idea,” he said, “something to really look into.”

By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/30/ed-committee-hears-bills-aimed-at-easing-nebraskas-teacher-shortage/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska teachers, 
administrators and K-12 education advocates testified Monday before the 
Legislature’s Education Committee about the scale of Nebraska’s teacher 
shortage.The state’s public schools reported 
nearly 700 unfilled teaching positions at the start of this school year,
 officials told the committee. Private schools said they were short 
another 100.State education statistics show the 
shortage has been accelerating since the pandemic, with unfilled 
teaching jobs at the start of the 2022-23 school year up 60% over the 
previous year.&nbsp;&nbsp;The committee heard teacher support 
for at least parts of three bills proposed to encourage more people to 
teach and to motivate existing teachers to stay on the job longer.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675176225688.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>New way to qualify to teach</h2>The one bill educators opposed was 
Omaha State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan’s Legislative Bill 603, which would let
 certain nonprofits and companies certify teachers outside of colleges.Teachers, including Millard Education
 Association President Tim Royers, testifying for the Nebraska State 
Education Association, said LB 603 would risk watering down new teacher 
preparation.By allowing some people to test their
 way into teaching instead of requiring them to student teach first and 
show practical ability, he said, new teachers would lack field 
experience.“This bill is aimed at letting already identified companies profit from our teacher shortage,” Royers said.Melanie Olmstead, who advocated for 
LB 603 on behalf of American Board’s nonprofit teacher certification 
program, said it would help prepare more teachers for the classroom 
during the crisis.American Board was funded by federal 
grants during George W. Bush’s administration to develop new ways to 
certify teachers who hold non-education-related bachelor’s degrees.Linehan said nearly 800 of Nebraska’s
 classrooms have been staffed this year by people without proper 
certification to teach what they’re teaching, many in special education.She cited Nebraska Department of 
Education statistics that show nearly 200 more teachers retiring than 
being hired. She said she was trying to maintain standards but expand 
the applicant pool.“This bill is not lowering the 
standards for teacher certification,” she said. “This provides an 
alternative route for teacher certification.”<h2>Incentives for new teachers</h2>Teachers were more supportive of 
Linehan’s Legislative Bill 385, which would earmark $10 million to offer
 teachers up to three annual $5,000 incentives to stay on the job 
through their fourth year.The bill also offered incentives for 
new teachers in specialty areas where districts have had a hard time 
hiring, including math, science, dual-credit and special education.&nbsp;“If it’s a crisis, we’re not going to be able to do just one thing,” Linehan said. “We’re going to have to do several things.”Mike Lucas, superintendent of Omaha 
Westside Community Schools, testified in support of LB 385, saying his 
district was not yet short of teachers but wants to stay that way.Several testifiers, including Royers,
 questioned whether the incentives should be broadened and funded more 
aggressively to make sure they work to reward existing teachers, too.Jeremy Ekeler of the Nebraska 
Catholic Conference, which represents many of the state’s parochial 
schools, suggested reducing the amount of the incentives to help more 
teachers.&nbsp;Hastings teacher Ben Welsch said he 
welcomed a new investment in new teachers but said he worried about 
potential troubles when the funding runs out, a so-called “funding 
cliff.”Linehan said she wants to have more 
discussions about making sure experienced teachers are paid enough to 
stay but said she focused on new teachers because starting salaries are 
so low that many quit.&nbsp;“These kinds of funds would help you 
keep that kid in Beatrice or Lewiston,” she said. “If you can’t help 
them, you’re not going to keep them.”<h2>Fewer fees, paid student teaching</h2>Teachers widely backed Fremont Sen. 
Lynne Walz’s Legislative Bill 519, which would fund their certification 
fees, retention bonuses and a teaching excellence program and would pay 
student teachers.&nbsp;The bill’s estimated cost of the bill
 is about $65 million. Of that, $35 million would pay for a 
$430-per-teacher retention bonus for public and private school teachers 
and staff.&nbsp;Another $30 million would cover the 
state paying student loans for student teachers willing to teach in 
Nebraska for at least two to four years.&nbsp;Student teachers who start in rural 
schools or schools with higher concentrations of poverty could keep the 
pay after two years. They would have to work four years.&nbsp;Linehan and State Sen. Tom Briese of 
Albion raised some questions about the bill’s cost. Walz said she would 
work with staff and get back to them about the fiscal note.Omaha Public Schools Superintendent 
Cheryl Logan, who supports LB 519, told the committee she worries the 
day is coming soon when some classrooms won’t have a teacher in them.&nbsp;OPS, the state’s largest district, 
which serves more than 50,000 students, has 300 open teaching jobs, many
 of them in special ed, she said.&nbsp;“We are moving to a point where it 
won’t matter how we move things around, there will be children who don’t
 have a teacher,” Logan said.<h2>Teaching certificate compact</h2>Bellevue State Sen. Carol Blood also 
offered a bill teachers liked, Legislative Bill 413, which would sign 
Nebraska onto a budding teacher certification compact with other states.The Teacher Mobility Interstate 
Compact’s goal, she said, is to make it easier for military spouses and 
teachers certified in other states to be able to teach in Nebraska.Blood said she hoped her peers would 
not wait to see what other states do before jumping on board. Compacts 
like this already work in Nebraska for health care workers, she said.Ten states would need to pass the 
legislation for it to take effect among those states, she said. Teachers
 from those states wouldn’t need to go through a separate licensing 
process. It would also let states more easily share data on teachers, 
including disciplinary actions.Jack Moles, with the Nebraska Rural 
Community Schools Association, said his members often find it difficult 
to get teachers to cross the border and work in Nebraska schools.The reason: The state’s separate certification process takes more time, money and testing than some.&nbsp;“I think this is a good idea,” he said, “something to really look into.”

Ed Committee hears bills aimed at easing Neb. teacher shortage

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/30/contaminants-from-alten-plant-found-in-more-homes-streams-and-soil/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

MEAD — Residents near 
the closed AltEn ethanol plant were told Monday night that contaminants 
found in area homes were “significantly higher” than those found in 
houses in Omaha and another rural community, Kennard.

But investigators with the University of Nebraska Medical 
Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Creighton University said 
that more research is needed to determine if the relatively low levels 
of the class of pesticides called “neonicotinoids” would be harmful to 
human health, given long-term exposure in the area.

There is a lack of information on the impacts of such 
chemicals, which coated seed corn used by the AltEn plant and, after 
being used to produce ethanol, was spread on local fields or stacked up 
in giant, putrid-smelling piles around the plant.

“This is uncharted territory,” Dr. Ali Khan, a public 
health specialist with UNMC, said of such a long-term exposure to 
neonicotinoids in one community.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Khan spoke after a 90-minute presentation by members of the <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/16/unmc-scientists-mead-residents-have-reason-to-be-concerned-about-alten-waste/">AltEn Study Group</a>,
 a collaboration of scientists from UNMC, Creighton, UNL and Three 
Rivers Public Health Department that was given $1 million by the State 
Legislature to study the impacts on the environment, wildlife and human 
health.

The AltEn plant was
 closed down two years ago after a spill of 4 million gallons of 
contaminated wastewater poured into a nearby stream. Contaminants, 
residents were told Monday, were found as far away as 6 miles.

Since then, frustrated residents have 
been looking for answers to many questions, including: Is our 
groundwater safe to drink and are some local health issues linked to the
 plant?

A recurring question Monday night: When 
are the millions of gallons of wastewater and the 16-acre pile of 
contaminated waste corn or “wet cake” ever going to be cleaned up?

“This isn’t going to get any better until
 we figure out how to get rid of it,” said former State Sen. Jerry 
Johnson, now the mayor of Wahoo and a member of the local natural 
resources district board.

Steve Mayfield, a 45-year-old electrician
 who has lived in Mead for decades, said that despite the spraying of a 
cap of cement-like material on top of the wet cake last year, the putrid
 smell is coming back.&nbsp;

Drone photographs shown at the meeting 
showed cracks in the Posi-Shell covering, and dark patches where water 
had pooled. But residents were also told that the wastewater being 
sprayed on local fields had been treated and deemed safe.

The AltEn Facility Response Group, a 
collaboration of seed corn companies, appears to be considering using 
mobile incinerators to burn up the estimated 85,000 tons of contaminated
 wet cake, according to a recent report by the <a target="_blank" href="https://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska/alten-group-explores-bringing-thermal-treatment-units-for-on-site-cleanup-at-mead-plant-site/article_0929815a-6dc0-569c-9101-f3ac87b955b5.html">Lincoln Journal-Star</a>.

But Monday’s meeting focused on what 
investigators found since the last time a public meeting was held with 
residents in June. Here’s some of what was discovered:

&nbsp;—
 Losses of bees in nearby hives were higher compared to other hives 
maintained by UNL in Lincoln and Nebraska City. However, overwintering 
survival of bees in hives near the AltEn site has improved steadily 
since the plant closed. It was 0% in the winter of 2020-21, then 30% in 
2021-22 and so far this winter, 69%.

“We’re seeing some recovery,” said Judy Wu-Smart, a UNL entomologist.&nbsp;

&nbsp;—
 Tests of water in a nearby stream, Johnson Creek, showed the presence 
of 11 neonicotinoids, but those levels have decreased since April of 
2021 after the plant closed.

Still, soil core testing showed some 
contaminants up to 30 feet deep, just above the level of the local 
aquifer. Officials said they are seeking to obtain permission from 
landowners to test areas where wet cake was applied on fields, but have 
been unsuccessful so far.

— Testing of bullfrog tadpoles found 
neonicotinoids in a stream connected to the AltEn site six miles away. 
Expanded testing, closer to well fields in the Ashland area, is being 
pursued. Testing of songbird nests found the highest levels of pesticide
 residues nearest the AltEn site.

&nbsp;— A survey by the Centers for Disease Control in 2015-16 indicated 
that 49% of people had detectable levels of neonicotinoids in urine, 
likely as the result of eating produce.

&nbsp;— Testing is planned at Creighton to determine if natural bacteria can be used to remediate contaminated soil.

Capping the wet cake pile with the cement
 mixture has helped, but hasn’t stopped leaching of contaminants into 
the ground, said John Schalles, an environmental scientist from 
Creighton.

“It’s nasty stuff,” he said of the contaminated runoff.

&nbsp;—
 Seventy-five percent of residents who responded to a recent survey said
 they worry about the impact of the contaminants on local health, 
drinking water and the environment. Seventeen percent of households 
reported chronic health conditions since 2015, but only 8% thought they 
were related to AltEn, and another 25% were unsure.

Concerns also were aired Monday about how
 far contaminants had spread, and whether they have impacted drinking 
water supplies for both Omaha and Lincoln, which both have well fields 
downstream from the AltEn plant near Ashland.

&nbsp;—
 Swabs at 11 homes near the AltEn plant showed levels of neonicotinoids,
 while similar tests at homes in Kennard, another small farming 
community, and Omaha, had “virtually no detectable” levels.

Yet the levels found at one Mead home — 
18 parts per billion on dust inside the home, and 59&nbsp; ppb on dust 
outside — were far below what is considered a level of concern by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, according to Dr. Eleanor Rogan of UNMC.&nbsp;

What is not known, she said, is whether long term exposure to low levels could cause health problems. 

The main concerns, Khan said, would be to
 infants and pregnant women. In insects, neonicotinoids attack the 
central nervous system.

“We’ve been looking to see if the 
(federal) Environmental Protection Agency has guidelines and they really
 don’t,” Rogan said. “I think EPA hasn’t taken them seriously, 
unfortunately.”

Khan said he’d like to see the state fund
 at least five to 10 years of health monitoring in the area, to 
determine if there are lingering impacts from the neonicotinoids found 
in the water, homes and soil around Mead. Currently funding, he said, should last only until the end of 2023.

Officials at the meeting urged local 
residents, especially those who might have worked at the AltEn plant, to
 sign up with a “medical registry” to track local health impacts.

A high participation rate is needed, they said, to help determine if the contamination has caused human health impacts.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675176088419.png" alt="Elizabeth VanWormer of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln explains how testing was done of songbird eggs as part of the AltEn study group (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Elizabeth VanWormer of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln explains how testing was done of songbird eggs as part of the AltEn study group (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/30/contaminants-from-alten-plant-found-in-more-homes-streams-and-soil/">Nebraska Examiner</a>MEAD — Residents near 
the closed AltEn ethanol plant were told Monday night that contaminants 
found in area homes were “significantly higher” than those found in 
houses in Omaha and another rural community, Kennard.But investigators with the University of Nebraska Medical 
Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Creighton University said 
that more research is needed to determine if the relatively low levels 
of the class of pesticides called “neonicotinoids” would be harmful to 
human health, given long-term exposure in the area.There is a lack of information on the impacts of such 
chemicals, which coated seed corn used by the AltEn plant and, after 
being used to produce ethanol, was spread on local fields or stacked up 
in giant, putrid-smelling piles around the plant.<h2>‘Uncharted territory’</h2>“This is uncharted territory,” Dr. Ali Khan, a public 
health specialist with UNMC, said of such a long-term exposure to 
neonicotinoids in one community.&nbsp; &nbsp;Khan spoke after a 90-minute presentation by members of the <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/16/unmc-scientists-mead-residents-have-reason-to-be-concerned-about-alten-waste/">AltEn Study Group</a>,
 a collaboration of scientists from UNMC, Creighton, UNL and Three 
Rivers Public Health Department that was given $1 million by the State 
Legislature to study the impacts on the environment, wildlife and human 
health.The AltEn plant was
 closed down two years ago after a spill of 4 million gallons of 
contaminated wastewater poured into a nearby stream. Contaminants, 
residents were told Monday, were found as far away as 6 miles.Since then, frustrated residents have 
been looking for answers to many questions, including: Is our 
groundwater safe to drink and are some local health issues linked to the
 plant?<h2>When will it be cleaned up?</h2>A recurring question Monday night: When 
are the millions of gallons of wastewater and the 16-acre pile of 
contaminated waste corn or “wet cake” ever going to be cleaned up?“This isn’t going to get any better until
 we figure out how to get rid of it,” said former State Sen. Jerry 
Johnson, now the mayor of Wahoo and a member of the local natural 
resources district board.Steve Mayfield, a 45-year-old electrician
 who has lived in Mead for decades, said that despite the spraying of a 
cap of cement-like material on top of the wet cake last year, the putrid
 smell is coming back.&nbsp;Drone photographs shown at the meeting 
showed cracks in the Posi-Shell covering, and dark patches where water 
had pooled. But residents were also told that the wastewater being 
sprayed on local fields had been treated and deemed safe.<h2>Incineration considered</h2>The AltEn Facility Response Group, a 
collaboration of seed corn companies, appears to be considering using 
mobile incinerators to burn up the estimated 85,000 tons of contaminated
 wet cake, according to a recent report by the <a target="_blank" href="https://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska/alten-group-explores-bringing-thermal-treatment-units-for-on-site-cleanup-at-mead-plant-site/article_0929815a-6dc0-569c-9101-f3ac87b955b5.html">Lincoln Journal-Star</a>.But Monday’s meeting focused on what 
investigators found since the last time a public meeting was held with 
residents in June. Here’s some of what was discovered:&nbsp;—
 Losses of bees in nearby hives were higher compared to other hives 
maintained by UNL in Lincoln and Nebraska City. However, overwintering 
survival of bees in hives near the AltEn site has improved steadily 
since the plant closed. It was 0% in the winter of 2020-21, then 30% in 
2021-22 and so far this winter, 69%.“We’re seeing some recovery,” said Judy Wu-Smart, a UNL entomologist.&nbsp;&nbsp;—
 Tests of water in a nearby stream, Johnson Creek, showed the presence 
of 11 neonicotinoids, but those levels have decreased since April of 
2021 after the plant closed.Still, soil core testing showed some 
contaminants up to 30 feet deep, just above the level of the local 
aquifer. Officials said they are seeking to obtain permission from 
landowners to test areas where wet cake was applied on fields, but have 
been unsuccessful so far.<h2>Up to six miles away</h2>— Testing of bullfrog tadpoles found 
neonicotinoids in a stream connected to the AltEn site six miles away. 
Expanded testing, closer to well fields in the Ashland area, is being 
pursued. Testing of songbird nests found the highest levels of pesticide
 residues nearest the AltEn site.&nbsp;— A survey by the Centers for Disease Control in 2015-16 indicated 
that 49% of people had detectable levels of neonicotinoids in urine, 
likely as the result of eating produce.&nbsp;— Testing is planned at Creighton to determine if natural bacteria can be used to remediate contaminated soil.Capping the wet cake pile with the cement
 mixture has helped, but hasn’t stopped leaching of contaminants into 
the ground, said John Schalles, an environmental scientist from 
Creighton.“It’s nasty stuff,” he said of the contaminated runoff.&nbsp;—
 Seventy-five percent of residents who responded to a recent survey said
 they worry about the impact of the contaminants on local health, 
drinking water and the environment. Seventeen percent of households 
reported chronic health conditions since 2015, but only 8% thought they 
were related to AltEn, and another 25% were unsure.<h2>How far have contaminants spread?</h2>Concerns also were aired Monday about how
 far contaminants had spread, and whether they have impacted drinking 
water supplies for both Omaha and Lincoln, which both have well fields 
downstream from the AltEn plant near Ashland.&nbsp;—
 Swabs at 11 homes near the AltEn plant showed levels of neonicotinoids,
 while similar tests at homes in Kennard, another small farming 
community, and Omaha, had “virtually no detectable” levels.Yet the levels found at one Mead home — 
18 parts per billion on dust inside the home, and 59&nbsp; ppb on dust 
outside — were far below what is considered a level of concern by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, according to Dr. Eleanor Rogan of UNMC.&nbsp;What is not known, she said, is whether long term exposure to low levels could cause health problems. The main concerns, Khan said, would be to
 infants and pregnant women. In insects, neonicotinoids attack the 
central nervous system.<h2>EPA ‘hasn’t taken them seriously’</h2>“We’ve been looking to see if the 
(federal) Environmental Protection Agency has guidelines and they really
 don’t,” Rogan said. “I think EPA hasn’t taken them seriously, 
unfortunately.”Khan said he’d like to see the state fund
 at least five to 10 years of health monitoring in the area, to 
determine if there are lingering impacts from the neonicotinoids found 
in the water, homes and soil around Mead. Currently funding, he said, should last only until the end of 2023.Officials at the meeting urged local 
residents, especially those who might have worked at the AltEn plant, to
 sign up with a “medical registry” to track local health impacts.A high participation rate is needed, they said, to help determine if the contamination has caused human health impacts.&nbsp;

Ethanol plant contaminants found in more homes, streams, soil

OMAHA, Neb. (AP)— Two Nebraska police officers were wounded and a suspect was killed in a shootout during an attempted burglary, police said.

The Omaha World-Herald reported Omaha Police Chief Todd R. Schmaderer said the two officers responded to a report of a burglary at a storage business around 10:30 p.m. Monday.

Employees let the officers into the building and they exchanged gunfire with the suspect, who was killed. Police did not immediately identify the suspect, who was a described as a man in his late 30s.

Investigators recovered a handgun at the scene near the suspect's body, police said.

The officers, who were not immediately identified, were transported to Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha by ambulance and police cruiser. One officer was shot near his knee and may require surgery and the other officer was shot through his upper leg and was expected to be released, the World-Herald reported.

Schmaderer said he spoke to the officers, who were awake and alert after the shooting.

The Nebraska State Patrol and the Douglas County Sheriff's Office were expected to be involved in the investigation. Both officers were wearing body cameras and security video from the storage business was made available for review, the World-Herald reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675175106325.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP)— Two Nebraska police officers were wounded and a suspect was killed in a shootout during an attempted burglary, police said.The Omaha World-Herald reported Omaha Police Chief Todd R. Schmaderer said the two officers responded to a report of a burglary at a storage business around 10:30 p.m. Monday.Employees let the officers into the building and they exchanged gunfire with the suspect, who was killed. Police did not immediately identify the suspect, who was a described as a man in his late 30s.Investigators recovered a handgun at the scene near the suspect's body, police said.The officers, who were not immediately identified, were transported to Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha by ambulance and police cruiser. One officer was shot near his knee and may require surgery and the other officer was shot through his upper leg and was expected to be released, the World-Herald reported.Schmaderer said he spoke to the officers, who were awake and alert after the shooting.The Nebraska State Patrol and the Douglas County Sheriff's Office were expected to be involved in the investigation. Both officers were wearing body cameras and security video from the storage business was made available for review, the World-Herald reported.

2 Omaha officers wounded, suspect killed in shootout

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden informed Congress on Monday that he will end the twin national emergencies for addressing COVID-19 on May 11, as most of the world has returned closer to normalcy nearly three years after they were first declared.

The move to end the national emergency and public health emergency declarations would formally restructure the federal coronavirus response to treat the virus as an endemic threat to public health that can be managed through agencies' normal authorities.

It comes as lawmakers have already ended elements of the emergencies that kept millions of Americans insured during the pandemic. Combined with the drawdown of most federal COVID-19 relief money, it would also shift the development of vaccines and treatments away from the direct management of the federal government.

Biden’s announcement comes in a statement opposing resolutions being brought to the floor this week by House Republicans to bring the emergency to an immediate end. House Republicans are also gearing up to launch investigations on the federal government’s response to COVID-19.

Then-President Donald Trump's Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar first declared&nbsp;<a href="https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/2019-nCoV.aspx">a public health emergency on Jan. 31, 2020,</a>&nbsp;and Trump later declared the COVID-19&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-health-83b0c8e168548fd453b0c177dd1f203a">pandemic a national emergenc</a>&nbsp;y that March. The emergencies have been repeatedly extended by Biden since he took office in January 2021, and are set to expire in the coming months. The White House said Biden plans to extend them both briefly to end on May 11.

“An abrupt end to the emergency declarations would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system — for states, for hospitals and doctors’ offices, and, most importantly, for tens of millions of Americans,” the Office of Management and Budget wrote in a Statement of Administration Policy.

More than 1.1 million people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19 since 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including about 3,700 last week.

Congress has already blunted the reach of the public health emergency that had the most direct impact on Americans, as political calls to end the declaration intensified. Lawmakers have refused for months to fulfill the Biden administration’s request for billions more dollars to extend free COVID vaccines and testing. And the $1.7 trillion spending package passed last year and signed into law by Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-covid-304d921beee43d29f1862cd4d6ab5297">put an end to a rule that barred states from kicking people off Medicaid</a>, a move that is expected to see millions of people lose their coverage after April 1.

"In some respects, the Biden administration is catching up to what a lot of people in the country have been experiencing," said Larry Levitt, the executive vice president for health policy at Kaiser Family Foundation. “That said, hundreds of people a day are still dying from COVID.”

Still, some things will change for Americans once the emergency expires, Levitt pointed out.

The costs of COVID-19 vaccines are also expected to skyrocket once the government stops buying them, with Pfizer saying it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-business-covid-medicare-1a5d65356ebc7b5bc76524ae99deb55e">charge as much as $130 per dose</a>. Only 15% of Americans have received the recommended, updated booster that has been offered since last fall.

People with private insurance could have some out-of-pocket costs for vaccines, especially if they go to an out-of-network provider, Levitt said. Free at-home&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-cb49a8458f33a698c3a4f3b721835270">COVID tests</a>&nbsp;will also come to an end. And hospitals will not get extra payments for treating COVID patients.

Legislators did extend for another two years telehealth flexibilities that were introduced as COVID-19 hit, leading health care systems around the country to regularly deliver care by smartphone or computer.

The Biden administration had previously considered ending the emergency last year, but held off amid concerns about a potential “winter surge” in cases and to provide adequate time for providers, insurers and patients to prepare for its end.

Officials said the administration would use the next three months to transition the response to conventional methods, warning that an immediate end to the emergency authorities “would sow confusion and chaos into this critical wind-down.”

“To be clear, continuation of these emergency declarations until May 11 does not impose any restriction at all on individual conduct with regard to COVID-19," the administration said. “They do not impose mask mandates or vaccine mandates. They do not restrict school or business operations. They do not require the use of any medicines or tests in response to cases of COVID-19.”

Case counts have trended downward after a slight bump over the winter holidays, and are significantly below levels seen over the last two winters — though the number of tests performed for the virus and reported to public health officials has sharply decreased.

On Monday, the World Health Organization said the coronavirus&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-world-organization-pandemics-covid-2ed2d1e268d3be50fa98ff04c2dec989">remains a global health emergency</a>, even as a key advisory panel for the group found the pandemic may be nearing an “inflexion point” where higher levels of immunity can lower virus-related deaths. China, for example, reported an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-world-organization-south-korea-china-covid-5a3ba286fc84659b96b319b76bb717a4">unprecedented surge</a>&nbsp;in December after lifting most of its COVID-19 restrictions.

Moments before the White House’s announcement, Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., accused the president of unnecessarily extending the public health emergency to take action on issues like forgiving some federal student loan debts.

“The country has largely returned to normal,” Cole said Monday, introducing a Republican-backed bill calling for an end to the health emergency. “Everyday Americans have returned to work and to school with no restrictions on their activities. It is time that the government acknowledges this reality: the pandemic is over.”

The House was scheduled to vote Tuesday on legislation that would terminate the public health emergency.

The bill’s author, Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., said he still hopes the House will proceed with a vote. He said he was surprised by the White House move, but thinks the legislation may have played a role in prompting the administration to act.

“I think we should go forward,” he said late Monday as lawmakers returned to the Capitol. “If for some reason they don’t do it on May the 11th, the vehicle is still there for Congress to take back its authority.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675123739115.png" alt="Biden spoke on infrastructure funding in Baltimore Monday-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Biden spoke on infrastructure funding in Baltimore Monday-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden informed Congress on Monday that he will end the twin national emergencies for addressing COVID-19 on May 11, as most of the world has returned closer to normalcy nearly three years after they were first declared.The move to end the national emergency and public health emergency declarations would formally restructure the federal coronavirus response to treat the virus as an endemic threat to public health that can be managed through agencies' normal authorities.It comes as lawmakers have already ended elements of the emergencies that kept millions of Americans insured during the pandemic. Combined with the drawdown of most federal COVID-19 relief money, it would also shift the development of vaccines and treatments away from the direct management of the federal government.Biden’s announcement comes in a statement opposing resolutions being brought to the floor this week by House Republicans to bring the emergency to an immediate end. House Republicans are also gearing up to launch investigations on the federal government’s response to COVID-19.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Why not now? <a href="https://t.co/XDQMo4IZbQ">https://t.co/XDQMo4IZbQ</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1620191908348964864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Then-President Donald Trump's Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar first declared&nbsp;<a href="https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/2019-nCoV.aspx">a public health emergency on Jan. 31, 2020,</a>&nbsp;and Trump later declared the COVID-19&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-health-83b0c8e168548fd453b0c177dd1f203a">pandemic a national emergenc</a>&nbsp;y that March. The emergencies have been repeatedly extended by Biden since he took office in January 2021, and are set to expire in the coming months. The White House said Biden plans to extend them both briefly to end on May 11.“An abrupt end to the emergency declarations would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system — for states, for hospitals and doctors’ offices, and, most importantly, for tens of millions of Americans,” the Office of Management and Budget wrote in a Statement of Administration Policy.More than 1.1 million people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19 since 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including about 3,700 last week.Congress has already blunted the reach of the public health emergency that had the most direct impact on Americans, as political calls to end the declaration intensified. Lawmakers have refused for months to fulfill the Biden administration’s request for billions more dollars to extend free COVID vaccines and testing. And the $1.7 trillion spending package passed last year and signed into law by Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-covid-304d921beee43d29f1862cd4d6ab5297">put an end to a rule that barred states from kicking people off Medicaid</a>, a move that is expected to see millions of people lose their coverage after April 1."In some respects, the Biden administration is catching up to what a lot of people in the country have been experiencing," said Larry Levitt, the executive vice president for health policy at Kaiser Family Foundation. “That said, hundreds of people a day are still dying from COVID.”Still, some things will change for Americans once the emergency expires, Levitt pointed out.The costs of COVID-19 vaccines are also expected to skyrocket once the government stops buying them, with Pfizer saying it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-business-covid-medicare-1a5d65356ebc7b5bc76524ae99deb55e">charge as much as $130 per dose</a>. Only 15% of Americans have received the recommended, updated booster that has been offered since last fall.People with private insurance could have some out-of-pocket costs for vaccines, especially if they go to an out-of-network provider, Levitt said. Free at-home&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-cb49a8458f33a698c3a4f3b721835270">COVID tests</a>&nbsp;will also come to an end. And hospitals will not get extra payments for treating COVID patients.Legislators did extend for another two years telehealth flexibilities that were introduced as COVID-19 hit, leading health care systems around the country to regularly deliver care by smartphone or computer.The Biden administration had previously considered ending the emergency last year, but held off amid concerns about a potential “winter surge” in cases and to provide adequate time for providers, insurers and patients to prepare for its end.Officials said the administration would use the next three months to transition the response to conventional methods, warning that an immediate end to the emergency authorities “would sow confusion and chaos into this critical wind-down.”“To be clear, continuation of these emergency declarations until May 11 does not impose any restriction at all on individual conduct with regard to COVID-19," the administration said. “They do not impose mask mandates or vaccine mandates. They do not restrict school or business operations. They do not require the use of any medicines or tests in response to cases of COVID-19.”Case counts have trended downward after a slight bump over the winter holidays, and are significantly below levels seen over the last two winters — though the number of tests performed for the virus and reported to public health officials has sharply decreased.On Monday, the World Health Organization said the coronavirus&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-world-organization-pandemics-covid-2ed2d1e268d3be50fa98ff04c2dec989">remains a global health emergency</a>, even as a key advisory panel for the group found the pandemic may be nearing an “inflexion point” where higher levels of immunity can lower virus-related deaths. China, for example, reported an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-world-organization-south-korea-china-covid-5a3ba286fc84659b96b319b76bb717a4">unprecedented surge</a>&nbsp;in December after lifting most of its COVID-19 restrictions.Moments before the White House’s announcement, Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., accused the president of unnecessarily extending the public health emergency to take action on issues like forgiving some federal student loan debts.“The country has largely returned to normal,” Cole said Monday, introducing a Republican-backed bill calling for an end to the health emergency. “Everyday Americans have returned to work and to school with no restrictions on their activities. It is time that the government acknowledges this reality: the pandemic is over.”The House was scheduled to vote Tuesday on legislation that would terminate the public health emergency.The bill’s author, Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., said he still hopes the House will proceed with a vote. He said he was surprised by the White House move, but thinks the legislation may have played a role in prompting the administration to act.“I think we should go forward,” he said late Monday as lawmakers returned to the Capitol. “If for some reason they don’t do it on May the 11th, the vehicle is still there for Congress to take back its authority.”—\

Biden, House GOP battle over when to end COVID-19 emergency

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/30/she-killed-her-rapist-after-months-of-abuse-advocates-say-kansas-governor-should-set-her-free/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Sarah Gonzales-McLinn regrets killing Hal Sasko.

She also regrets moving into his 
Lawrence home, where he repeatedly raped her until she channeled a 
lifetime of trauma into psychotic rupture.

On a January night in 2014, she drugged her captor, zip-tied his limbs and slit his throat.

“That is the moment that my pain and 
suffering spilled over onto many different people, even outside of us 
two,” she said in a phone interview from the women’s prison in Topeka. 
“So that moment, yes, I absolutely regret, and I would never do that 
again.”

A jury convicted Gonzales-McLinn of 
first-degree murder in 2015 without knowing about the months of abuse 
that preceded her grisly crime. Now, her advocates hope to get her out 
of prison by convincing the governor to grant her clemency — a longshot 
attempt to correct what they view as injustice.

<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Sarah-Gonzales-McLinn-Clemency-Application.pdf">The clemency application</a>
 focuses on Sasko’s grooming of her from the age of 14, including the 
financial and psychological traps he used to keep her in bondage. New 
details include the revelation that Sasko, at age 52, had started 
grooming 16-year-old twin girls before his death.

Advocates hope her request for 
clemency will elevate public awareness of human trafficking cases so 
that women like Gonzales-McLinn may be better understood by family, 
friends, law enforcement and judges.

“How is it that she can be tried and 
convicted without a jury being fully aware of what was going on in that 
house? How is that not an injustice?” said Dave Ranney, a retired 
journalist who met Gonzales-McLinn as a volunteer for a writing program 
at the women’s prison. “The question isn’t whether she killed him, it’s 
why? And if you don’t know the answer to that, just ask anyone who 
counsels women who find themselves caught up in abusive relationships. 
They can tell you.”

Gonzales-McLinn was sentenced to a 
minimum of 50 years in prison. In 2021, newly elected Douglas County 
District Attorney Suzanne Valdez made a stunning deal. Gonzales-McLinn’s
 sentence was cut in half in exchange for giving up the right to appeal.
 But there is no guarantee a parole board will let her out of prison 
before she dies.

Valdez publicly <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/06/30/why-a-prosecutor-and-a-defense-attorney-took-an-extraordinary-step-in-a-high-profile-kansas-murder-case/">defended the plea deal</a> but secretly agreed Gonzales-McLinn should be freed.

Interviews, court records, 
confidential police documents, psychological reports, the clemency 
application and other materials obtained by Kansas Reflector provide 
insight into the events surrounding Sasko’s death and the legal 
proceedings that followed.

State corrections officials refused 
to allow an in-person interview with Gonzales-McLinn, citing 
inconvenience for prison staff and a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.doc.ks.gov/kdoc-policies/AdultIMPP/chapter-8/08-104d-media-and-public-access.pdf/view">state agency policy</a>
 that only grants reporters access for stories on “appropriate” topics. 
Instead, corrections officials required Gonzales-McLinn to answer 
sensitive questions over the phone while surrounded by other inmates.

This was her first interview with a reporter, and she was nervous to tell her story.

“I’ve never talked about this with 
anyone outside of attorneys and psychologists — like, not even my 
family,” Gonzales-McLinn said. “But I just feel like it’s time, also. I 
feel like it has been just so hard to talk about because it does still 
hold a certain amount of power over me.”

Gonzales-McLinn welcomed the 
invitation from Sasko to move into his Lawrence home after she graduated
 a year early from Topeka High School. She was 17, and he was 50.

They met three years earlier, when 
she went to work for Sasko at his Cicis Pizza branch in Topeka. He 
stayed in touch as she moved on to other jobs.

Sasko knew about her troubled 
relationship with her parents. He knew she had been violently raped by a
 man who left her with scars from cigarette burns. She had attempted 
suicide and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and 
depression.

“When I moved into that house, I had 
no idea what was in store for me,” Gonzales-McLinn said. “I truly did 
think of him as a father figure to me. I just had no idea.”

The supposed sanctuary included unlimited access to marijuana and alcohol. Cocaine and ecstasy also were available.

Sasko charged her rent, and she 
bought her own food. He slowly gained control over “most everything that
 I did,” Gonzales-McLinn said.

After they had lived together for 
about six months, he told Gonzales-McLinn he loved her. She said she 
“shut it down,” but he continued to make unwanted advances. Eventually, 
he demanded sex as a condition for staying with him.

“I was very crushed the first time that happened, and I just felt completely helpless at that point,” Gonzales-McLinn said.

Sasko commandeered her paychecks, 
telling her she owed money for gas, her phone, car repairs and other 
expenses. He threatened to sue her if she left and told her he would 
wreck her credit rating so that she could never get an apartment or buy a
 car. She would be homeless, he warned.

Family and friends later told police 
that Sasko bragged about how “amazing” it was to “have an 18-year-old.” 
But he complained to Gonzales-McLinn that she wasn’t attractive enough.

He paid for her to get a nose job, 
then added the $6,000 cost to the bill she would have to repay before 
she could stop having sex with him.

He told her that men don’t like 
flat-chested women. She needed a curvier body. He wanted her to have 
breast augmentation surgery, but the doctor said she was too young. He 
arranged for her to have buttocks implants instead. She objected but 
felt she had no choice. He added the $10,000 cost to her bill.

Her last paycheck, from Bed Bath &amp; Beyond, was for $265.56.

Gonzales-McLinn later told a 
psychologist that she would drink herself into a semi-conscious state 
when Sasko required sex. If she tried to resist, he held her arms.

“I would get as drunk as I could and just lay there,” she told the psychologist.

She estimated that he raped her two to three times per week for 10 months.

By late December 2013, 
Gonzales-McLinn had broken from reality. She searched Google for such 
phrases as: “Why do I think so differently?”

She texted her sister: “I feel like a caged animal right now, and it’s making me crazy.”

Greg Kelley told police he visited 
his uncle’s house a month or two before the murder and was alarmed to 
find a skinned rabbit in a bowl in the refrigerator.

Gonzales-McLinn had bought the rabbit
 at a local pet store, signed a waiver saying she would care for it, 
then used a knife to kill and skin the animal. She dug the rabbit’s fur 
out of the trash and demonstrated for Kelley how she stuck the knife 
through the rabbit’s neck. She had put thought into the technique.

She did this, she explained, to learn how to “self survive.”

The rabbit was marinating because she planned to cook and eat it the next day.

Kelley thought to himself: “This chick has problems.”

In clinical terms, Gonzales-McLinn 
was suffering from major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, 
substance abuse and dissociative identity disorder — formerly known as 
multiple personalities.

“To a reasonable degree of 
psychological certainty, Ms. Gonzales McLinn suffers from a number of 
serious mental illnesses,” wrote Marilyn Hutchinson, a psychologist who 
spent 17.5 hours evaluating Gonzales-McLinn after the murder.

Sharon Sullivan, a Washburn 
University professor and expert on human trafficking, said it is 
important to understand the neurological impact of sexual abuse. 
“Survival brain” takes over, Sullivan said, and the part of the brain 
that controls decision making goes offline.

In Gonzales-McLinn’s case, Sullivan 
said, her brain wasn’t even fully developed. She was trapped. She didn’t
 know there were options.

“I can’t even imagine having to deal 
with that at 18 years old, with so little experience of the world,” 
Sullivan said. “And this is someone who’s supposed to love her, called 
her his daughter. How f***ing creepy is that?”

Gonzales-McLinn said she couldn’t find a way to cope with the abuse in a way that made her feel better.

“There was a lot of drugs and alcohol
 in that house, and that was the only relief that I felt the whole 
time,” Gonzales-McLinn said. “That is kind of a dark road to go down.”

Hutchinson’s report said 
Gonzales-McLinn had been molested by a neighbor as a child, and the rape
 at age 16 “was extraordinarily traumatic.” She had nightmares of 
killing herself and the rapist. She felt unavoidable humiliation.