By JASON HANCOCK <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-ag-set-to-depose-anthony-fauci-in-social-media-lawsuit/">Missouri Independent</a>

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s 
top infectious disease expert, is scheduled to be questioned under oath 
as part of a lawsuit alleging the federal government colluded with 
social media companies to suppress free speech, the Missouri attorney 
general’s office announced Tuesday.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Louisiana Attorney General
 Jeff Landry on Wednesday will depose Fauci, who serves as director of 
the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The pair of 
attorneys general filed the lawsuit in May against Fauci and a 
smattering of federal officials.

A federal court granted the request for depositions of top Biden Administration officials last month.

“We plan to get answers on behalf of the American people. Stay 
tuned,” said Schmitt, who will step down from the attorney general’s 
office in January to be sworn in as a U.S. Senator.

Last week, a Louisiana judge refused to quash a subpoena issued to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jen-psaki-subpoena-lawsuit-missouri-louisiana/">former White House press secretary Jen Psaki that seeks her deposition</a>.

However on Monday, a federal appeals court <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/21/depositions-biden-administration-social-media-censorship-suit-00070363">halted planned court-ordered depositions</a> of three other top Biden administration officials.

The lawsuit originally only included Missouri and Louisiana as 
plaintiffs. In August, Schmitt added several new plaintiffs to the case,
 including <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/21/missouri-ag-aligns-with-st-louis-conspiracy-theorist-in-social-media-lawsuit/">St. Louis conspiracy theorist Jim Hoft</a>, who was banned from Twitter last year after repeatedly&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/07/media/twitter-ban-gateway-pundit-founder-jim-hoft/index.html">promoting falsehoods about the 2020 presidential election</a>.

In the nearly two decades since its founding,&nbsp;Hoft’s website has 
spread debunked conspiracies on a wide range of topics, from&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/what-is-gateway-pundit-the-conspiracy-hawking-site-at-the-center-of-the-bogus-florida-crisis-actors-hype/2018/02/23/dded562a-174e-11e8-b681-2d4d462a1921_story.html">2018 Parkland school shooting</a>&nbsp;to former President Barack Obama’s birth certificate. More recently, he’s helped proliferate&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2022/11/02/1133465632/why-conspiracy-theories-about-paul-pelosis-assault-keep-circulating">lies about the brutal</a>&nbsp;attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband and made false claims about&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/nov/15/instagram-posts/ftx-helped-with-a-cryptocurrency-fundraising-site/">U.S. aid money sent to Ukraine</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638385235681.png" alt="Fauci" />
 <figcaption>Fauci</figcaption>
 </figure>By JASON HANCOCK <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-ag-set-to-depose-anthony-fauci-in-social-media-lawsuit/">Missouri Independent</a>Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s 
top infectious disease expert, is scheduled to be questioned under oath 
as part of a lawsuit alleging the federal government colluded with 
social media companies to suppress free speech, the Missouri attorney 
general’s office announced Tuesday.Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Louisiana Attorney General
 Jeff Landry on Wednesday will depose Fauci, who serves as director of 
the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The pair of 
attorneys general filed the lawsuit in May against Fauci and a 
smattering of federal officials.A federal court granted the request for depositions of top Biden Administration officials last month.“We plan to get answers on behalf of the American people. Stay 
tuned,” said Schmitt, who will step down from the attorney general’s 
office in January to be sworn in as a U.S. Senator.Last week, a Louisiana judge refused to quash a subpoena issued to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jen-psaki-subpoena-lawsuit-missouri-louisiana/">former White House press secretary Jen Psaki that seeks her deposition</a>.However on Monday, a federal appeals court <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/21/depositions-biden-administration-social-media-censorship-suit-00070363">halted planned court-ordered depositions</a> of three other top Biden administration officials.The lawsuit originally only included Missouri and Louisiana as 
plaintiffs. In August, Schmitt added several new plaintiffs to the case,
 including <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/21/missouri-ag-aligns-with-st-louis-conspiracy-theorist-in-social-media-lawsuit/">St. Louis conspiracy theorist Jim Hoft</a>, who was banned from Twitter last year after repeatedly&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/07/media/twitter-ban-gateway-pundit-founder-jim-hoft/index.html">promoting falsehoods about the 2020 presidential election</a>.In the nearly two decades since its founding,&nbsp;Hoft’s website has 
spread debunked conspiracies on a wide range of topics, from&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/what-is-gateway-pundit-the-conspiracy-hawking-site-at-the-center-of-the-bogus-florida-crisis-actors-hype/2018/02/23/dded562a-174e-11e8-b681-2d4d462a1921_story.html">2018 Parkland school shooting</a>&nbsp;to former President Barack Obama’s birth certificate. More recently, he’s helped proliferate&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2022/11/02/1133465632/why-conspiracy-theories-about-paul-pelosis-assault-keep-circulating">lies about the brutal</a>&nbsp;attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband and made false claims about&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/nov/15/instagram-posts/ftx-helped-with-a-cryptocurrency-fundraising-site/">U.S. aid money sent to Ukraine</a>.

Missouri AG set to depose Fauci in social media lawsuit

WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of Education announced on Tuesday an extension of the pause on student loan repayment, interest, and collections, according to a media release from the agency.

 The extension will alleviate uncertainty for borrowers as the Biden-Harris Administration asks the Supreme Court to review the lower-court orders that are preventing the Department from providing debt relief for tens of millions of Americans.

Payments will resume 60 days after the Department is permitted to implement the program or the litigation is resolved, which will give the Supreme Court an opportunity to resolve the case during its current Term. If the program has not been implemented and the litigation has not been resolved by June 30, 2023 – payments will resume 60 days after that.

“Callous efforts to block student debt relief in the courts have caused tremendous financial uncertainty for millions of borrowers who cannot set their family budgets or even plan for the holidays without a clear picture of their student debt obligations, and it’s just plain wrong,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “I want borrowers to know that the Biden-Harris Administration has their backs and we’re as committed as ever to fighting to deliver essential student debt relief to tens of millions of Americans. We’re extending the payment pause because it would be deeply unfair to ask borrowers to pay a debt that they wouldn’t have to pay, were it not for the baseless lawsuits brought by Republican officials and special interests.”&nbsp;

On August 24, President Biden and Secretary Cardona announced plans to provide targeted student debt relief to borrowers with loans held by the Department of Education. Borrowers with annual income during the pandemic of under $125,000 (for individuals) or under $250,000 (for married couples or heads of households) who received a Pell Grant in college would be eligible for up to $20,000 in debt cancellation. Targeted student debt relief addresses the financial harms of the pandemic, provides borrowers with smooth transition back to repayment and helps borrowers at highest risk of delinquencies or default once payments resume.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To date, over 26 million people have provided the Department with the necessary information to be considered for debt relief, and 16 million borrowers have been approved. But court orders are blocking the Department from discharging student loan debt and accepting additional applications.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Last week, the Department of Justice requested that the Supreme Court lift the lower court’s injunction against the program and suggested that if the Court does not do so, it could take up the student debt relief case, to provide borrowers the clarity and relief they are depending on.

Borrowers can use the additional time to ensure their contact information is up to date with their loan servicers and consider enrolling in electronic debit and income-driven repayment plans to support a smooth transition to repayment. More information can be found at StudentAid.gov.&nbsp;

In addition to providing relief specifically targeted to alleviating the continuing economic effects of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the Biden-Harris Administration has also taken other steps to support students and borrowers, make higher education more affordable, and improve student loan servicing, including providing nearly $48 billion in targeted loan relief to over 1.8 million borrowers. Actions within that include:&nbsp;

WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of Education announced on Tuesday an extension of the pause on student loan repayment, interest, and collections, according to a media release from the agency.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I&#39;m confident that our student debt relief plan is legal. But it’s on hold because Republican officials want to block it. That&#39;s why <a href="https://twitter.com/SecCardona?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecCardona</a> is extending the payment pause to no later than June 30, 2023, giving the Supreme Court time to hear the case in its current term. <a href="https://t.co/873CurlHFZ">pic.twitter.com/873CurlHFZ</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1595150070285885440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div> The extension will alleviate uncertainty for borrowers as the Biden-Harris Administration asks the Supreme Court to review the lower-court orders that are preventing the Department from providing debt relief for tens of millions of Americans.Payments will resume 60 days after the Department is permitted to implement the program or the litigation is resolved, which will give the Supreme Court an opportunity to resolve the case during its current Term. If the program has not been implemented and the litigation has not been resolved by June 30, 2023 – payments will resume 60 days after that. “Callous efforts to block student debt relief in the courts have caused tremendous financial uncertainty for millions of borrowers who cannot set their family budgets or even plan for the holidays without a clear picture of their student debt obligations, and it’s just plain wrong,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “I want borrowers to know that the Biden-Harris Administration has their backs and we’re as committed as ever to fighting to deliver essential student debt relief to tens of millions of Americans. We’re extending the payment pause because it would be deeply unfair to ask borrowers to pay a debt that they wouldn’t have to pay, were it not for the baseless lawsuits brought by Republican officials and special interests.”&nbsp;On August 24, President Biden and Secretary Cardona announced plans to provide targeted student debt relief to borrowers with loans held by the Department of Education. Borrowers with annual income during the pandemic of under $125,000 (for individuals) or under $250,000 (for married couples or heads of households) who received a Pell Grant in college would be eligible for up to $20,000 in debt cancellation. Targeted student debt relief addresses the financial harms of the pandemic, provides borrowers with smooth transition back to repayment and helps borrowers at highest risk of delinquencies or default once payments resume.&nbsp;&nbsp;To date, over 26 million people have provided the Department with the necessary information to be considered for debt relief, and 16 million borrowers have been approved. But court orders are blocking the Department from discharging student loan debt and accepting additional applications.&nbsp;&nbsp;Last week, the Department of Justice requested that the Supreme Court lift the lower court’s injunction against the program and suggested that if the Court does not do so, it could take up the student debt relief case, to provide borrowers the clarity and relief they are depending on.Borrowers can use the additional time to ensure their contact information is up to date with their loan servicers and consider enrolling in electronic debit and income-driven repayment plans to support a smooth transition to repayment. More information can be found at StudentAid.gov.&nbsp;In addition to providing relief specifically targeted to alleviating the continuing economic effects of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the Biden-Harris Administration has also taken other steps to support students and borrowers, make higher education more affordable, and improve student loan servicing, including providing nearly $48 billion in targeted loan relief to over 1.8 million borrowers. Actions within that include:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Revamping the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program in October, which has provided $24 billion in loan relief to 360,000 borrowers. The Department’s Limited PSLF Waiver helped eligible borrower count all prior payments made by student borrowers toward PSLF, regardless of the loan program.</li><li>Giving borrowers with Direct Loans or Department-managed Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) more credit toward forgiveness. The Department’s one-time account adjustment counts for all months spent in repayment, including payments prior to consolidation and regardless of whether they made partial or late payments or are on a repayment plan toward income-driven repayment (IDR) and PSLF forgiveness.</li><li>Establishing a fair and accessible bankruptcy discharge process to help struggling borrowers discharge their student loans.</li><li>Providing $9.1 billion in relief for 425,000 borrowers who have a total and permanent disability.</li><li>Approving $14.5 billion in borrower defense claims to nearly 1.1 million borrowers, including extending full relief to approved claims and approving new types of claims.&nbsp;</li><li>Providing $1.26 billion in closed school discharges to 107,000 borrowers who attended the now-defunct ITT Technical Institute.</li><li>Restoring eligibility for financial student aid to almost 7.5 million borrowers to help them complete their credential or degree.</li>
 </ul>

🎥Biden extends pause on federal student loan repayments 

By MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for the imminent handover of <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">former President Donald Trump's</a> tax returns to a congressional committee after a three-year legal fight.

The
 court, without comment, rejected Trump's plea for an order that would 
have prevented the Treasury Department from giving six years of tax 
returns for Trump and some of his businesses to the 
Democratic-controlled House Ways and Means Committee.

It was Trump's second loss at the Supreme Court in as many months, and third this year. In October, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-14a7106b99130bb6e3ffaafc845e268f">court refused to step into the legal fight surrounding the FBI search of Trump's Florida estate</a> that turned up classified documents.

In
 January, the court refused to stop the National Archives from turning 
over documents to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 
insurrection at the Capitol. Justice Clarence Thomas was the only vote 
in Trump's favor.

In the dispute over his tax returns, the 
Treasury Department had refused to provide the records during Trump's 
presidency. But the Biden administration said federal law is clear that 
the committee has the right to examine any taxpayer's return, including 
the president's.

Lower courts agreed that the committee has broad 
authority to obtain tax returns and rejected Trump’s claims that it was 
overstepping and only wanted the documents so they could be made public.

Chief
 Justice John Roberts imposed a temporary freeze on Nov. 1 to allow the 
court to weigh the legal issues raised by Trump's lawyers and the 
counter arguments of the administration and the House of 
Representatives.

Just over three weeks later, the court lifted Roberts' order with no noted dissents.

The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The
 House contended an order preventing the IRS from providing the tax 
returns would leave lawmakers “little or no time to complete their 
legislative work during this Congress, which is quickly approaching its 
end.”

Had Trump persuaded the nation’s highest court to intervene,
 he could have run out the clock on the committee, with Republicans 
ready to take control of the House in January. They almost certainly 
would have dropped the records request if the issue had not been 
resolved by then.

The House Ways and Means panel and its chairman,
 Democrat Richard Neal of Massachusetts, first requested Trump’s tax 
returns in 2019 as part of an investigation into the Internal Revenue 
Service’s audit program and tax law compliance by the former president. A
 federal law says the Internal Revenue Service “shall furnish” the 
returns of any taxpayer to a handful of top lawmakers.

The Justice
 Department under the Trump administration had defended a decision by 
then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to withhold the tax returns from 
Congress. Mnuchin argued that he could withhold the documents because he
 concluded they were being sought by Democrats for partisan reasons. A 
lawsuit ensued.

After President Joe Biden took office, the 
committee renewed the request, seeking Trump’s tax returns and 
additional information from 2015-2020. The White House took the position
 that the request was a valid one and that the Treasury Department had 
no choice but to comply. Trump then attempted to halt the handover in 
court.

Then-Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. obtained 
copies of Trump’s personal and business tax records as part of a 
criminal investigation. That case, too, went to the Supreme Court, which
 rejected Trump’s argument that he had broad immunity as president.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668907251214.jpeg" alt="Former President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago on Nov. 18 in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)" />
 <figcaption>Former President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago on Nov. 18 in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARK SHERMAN Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for the imminent handover of <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">former President Donald Trump's</a> tax returns to a congressional committee after a three-year legal fight.The
 court, without comment, rejected Trump's plea for an order that would 
have prevented the Treasury Department from giving six years of tax 
returns for Trump and some of his businesses to the 
Democratic-controlled House Ways and Means Committee.It was Trump's second loss at the Supreme Court in as many months, and third this year. In October, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-14a7106b99130bb6e3ffaafc845e268f">court refused to step into the legal fight surrounding the FBI search of Trump's Florida estate</a> that turned up classified documents.In
 January, the court refused to stop the National Archives from turning 
over documents to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 
insurrection at the Capitol. Justice Clarence Thomas was the only vote 
in Trump's favor.In the dispute over his tax returns, the 
Treasury Department had refused to provide the records during Trump's 
presidency. But the Biden administration said federal law is clear that 
the committee has the right to examine any taxpayer's return, including 
the president's.Lower courts agreed that the committee has broad 
authority to obtain tax returns and rejected Trump’s claims that it was 
overstepping and only wanted the documents so they could be made public.Chief
 Justice John Roberts imposed a temporary freeze on Nov. 1 to allow the 
court to weigh the legal issues raised by Trump's lawyers and the 
counter arguments of the administration and the House of 
Representatives.Just over three weeks later, the court lifted Roberts' order with no noted dissents.The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The
 House contended an order preventing the IRS from providing the tax 
returns would leave lawmakers “little or no time to complete their 
legislative work during this Congress, which is quickly approaching its 
end.”Had Trump persuaded the nation’s highest court to intervene,
 he could have run out the clock on the committee, with Republicans 
ready to take control of the House in January. They almost certainly 
would have dropped the records request if the issue had not been 
resolved by then.The House Ways and Means panel and its chairman,
 Democrat Richard Neal of Massachusetts, first requested Trump’s tax 
returns in 2019 as part of an investigation into the Internal Revenue 
Service’s audit program and tax law compliance by the former president. A
 federal law says the Internal Revenue Service “shall furnish” the 
returns of any taxpayer to a handful of top lawmakers.The Justice
 Department under the Trump administration had defended a decision by 
then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to withhold the tax returns from 
Congress. Mnuchin argued that he could withhold the documents because he
 concluded they were being sought by Democrats for partisan reasons. A 
lawsuit ensued.After President Joe Biden took office, the 
committee renewed the request, seeking Trump’s tax returns and 
additional information from 2015-2020. The White House took the position
 that the request was a valid one and that the Treasury Department had 
no choice but to comply. Trump then attempted to halt the handover in 
court.Then-Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. obtained 
copies of Trump’s personal and business tax records as part of a 
criminal investigation. That case, too, went to the Supreme Court, which
 rejected Trump’s argument that he had broad immunity as president.

Supreme Court OKs handover of Trump tax returns to Congress

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOSH%20FUNK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer</a>

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Consumers could see higher gas prices and shortages of some of their favorite groceries during the winter holiday season if railroads and all of their unions can't agree on new contracts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-economy-business-congress-kansas-city-southern-0daad98e345804513ca568068303cd22">by an early-December deadline</a>&nbsp;that had already been pushed back.

The likelihood of a strike that would paralyze the nation's rail traffic grew on Monday when the largest of the 12 rail unions, which represents mostly conductors, rejected management's latest offering that included 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses. With four of the 12 unions that represent half of the 115,000 rail workers holding out for a better deal, it might fall to Congress to impose one to protect the U.S. economy.

The Retail Industry Leaders Association said a rail strike “would cause enormous disruption" although retail stores are well stocked for the crucial holiday shopping season. It’s not clear what a strike would mean for packages because FedEx and UPS, which both rely on rail to some degree, haven’t commented in detail.

“Fortunately, this year’s holiday gifts have already landed on store shelves. But an interruption to rail transportation does pose a significant challenge to getting items like perishable food products and e-commerce shipments delivered on time, and it will undoubtedly add to the inflationary pressures already hitting the U.S. economy,” said Jess Dankert with the group that represents more than 200 major retailers.

Even getting close to the deadline could cause problems because railroads will freeze shipments of dangerous chemicals and perishable goods ahead of time. And commuters could be stranded if there is a strike because so many passenger railroads operate on tracks owned by the freight railroads.

Just about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-strike-impact-5eb6747b3e4b4e39d764644d6377121d">every industry</a>&nbsp;could be affected because so many businesses need railroads to deliver their raw materials and completed products, and there aren't enough trucks to pick up the slack.

Tom Madrecki with the Consumer Brands Association said a rail strike "would effectively bring hundreds of America’s largest food, beverage, household and personal care manufacturing operations to a halt in a matter of days as inputs and ingredients run out. On-shelf availability and accessibility will quickly drop, compounded by almost inevitable panic buying.”

There's no immediate threat of a strike even though four unions have rejected deals the Biden administration helped broker before the original strike deadline in September. Those unions agreed to try to hash out a contract before a new Dec. 5 strike deadline. But those talks have deadlocked because the railroads refuse to add&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-business-strikes-940da8fc519f8c526ca614e201d01216">paid sick time</a>&nbsp;to what they've already offered.

Railroad engineers voted Monday to join seven smaller unions in approving the deal, but conductors' union rejected its contract, joining&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-congress-kansas-city-southern-government-and-politics-763b5a75dd22bbdf1de52d6bf1879b29">three unions</a>&nbsp;that previously voted no.

It appears increasingly likely that Congress will have to settle the dispute. Lawmakers have the power to impose contract terms, and hundreds of business groups&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-congress-government-and-politics-6b60d53fefc7b85f301b0a3e7011715b">have urged</a>&nbsp;Congress and President Joe Biden to be ready to intervene.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated to reporters on Monday that Biden believes “a shutdown is unacceptable" but that “the best option is still for the parties to resolve this themselves.”

Workers frustrated with the demanding schedules and deep job cuts in the industry pushed to reject these contracts because they wouldn't do enough to resolve their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality-of-life concerns.</a>&nbsp;The deals for the engineers and conductors did include a promise to improve the scheduling of regular days off and negotiate the details of those schedules further at each railroad. Those two unions also received three unpaid days off a year to tend to medical needs as long they were scheduled at least 30 days in advance and the railroads said they wouldn't penalize workers who were hospitalized.

The railroads also lost out on their bid to cut crew sizes to one person as part of the negotiations. But the conductors in the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers union still narrowly rejected the deal. A small division of the SMART-TD union did approve it.

“The ball is now in the railroads’ court. Let’s see what they do. They can settle this at the bargaining table,” SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson said. “But, the railroad executives who constantly complain about government interference and regularly bad-mouth regulators and Congress now want Congress to do the bargaining for them.”

Dennis Pierce, the president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union, said the deal engineers ratified should help improve working conditions somewhat, but that the railroads must address workers' frustrations, especially after they cut nearly one-third of their jobs over the past six years as they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-us-news-norfolk-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">overhauled their operations</a>.

“When you’ve got to offer $20,000 to get somebody to go to work for the railroad in Lincoln, Nebraska, you’ve got a problem. People used to stand in line there,” Pierce said. “The reason for that is the word is out that if you go to work here, you’re not going to ever see your family.”

The railroads maintain that the deals with the unions should closely follow the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-norfolk-government-and-politics-eeedec386f2acba5d63181436ca03f3f">recommendations</a>&nbsp;made this summer by a special panel of arbitrators Biden appointed. That's part of the reason why they don't want to offer paid sick time. Plus, the railroads say the unions have agreed over the years to forgo paid sick time in favor of higher pay and strong short-term disability benefits.

The unions say it is long overdue for the railroads to offer paid sick time and that the pandemic highlighted the need for it.

The group that negotiates on behalf of the railroads that include Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, BNSF, Kansas City Southern and CSX said Monday that the unions that rejected their deals shouldn't expect to receive more than the Presidential Emergency Board of arbitrators recommended.

It's unclear what Congress might do given the deep political divisions in Washington D.C. and a single lawmaker could hold up a resolution. But the head of the Association of American Railroads trade group, Ian Jefferies, said "if the remaining unions do not accept an agreement, Congress should be prepared to act and avoid a disastrous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-congress-government-and-politics-a53abd85fa6f8b3ccd622222ea9a4c46">$2 billion a day hit</a>&nbsp;to our economy.”

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOSH%20FUNK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer</a>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Consumers could see higher gas prices and shortages of some of their favorite groceries during the winter holiday season if railroads and all of their unions can't agree on new contracts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-economy-business-congress-kansas-city-southern-0daad98e345804513ca568068303cd22">by an early-December deadline</a>&nbsp;that had already been pushed back.The likelihood of a strike that would paralyze the nation's rail traffic grew on Monday when the largest of the 12 rail unions, which represents mostly conductors, rejected management's latest offering that included 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses. With four of the 12 unions that represent half of the 115,000 rail workers holding out for a better deal, it might fall to Congress to impose one to protect the U.S. economy.The Retail Industry Leaders Association said a rail strike “would cause enormous disruption" although retail stores are well stocked for the crucial holiday shopping season. It’s not clear what a strike would mean for packages because FedEx and UPS, which both rely on rail to some degree, haven’t commented in detail.“Fortunately, this year’s holiday gifts have already landed on store shelves. But an interruption to rail transportation does pose a significant challenge to getting items like perishable food products and e-commerce shipments delivered on time, and it will undoubtedly add to the inflationary pressures already hitting the U.S. economy,” said Jess Dankert with the group that represents more than 200 major retailers.Even getting close to the deadline could cause problems because railroads will freeze shipments of dangerous chemicals and perishable goods ahead of time. And commuters could be stranded if there is a strike because so many passenger railroads operate on tracks owned by the freight railroads.Just about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-strike-impact-5eb6747b3e4b4e39d764644d6377121d">every industry</a>&nbsp;could be affected because so many businesses need railroads to deliver their raw materials and completed products, and there aren't enough trucks to pick up the slack.Tom Madrecki with the Consumer Brands Association said a rail strike "would effectively bring hundreds of America’s largest food, beverage, household and personal care manufacturing operations to a halt in a matter of days as inputs and ingredients run out. On-shelf availability and accessibility will quickly drop, compounded by almost inevitable panic buying.”There's no immediate threat of a strike even though four unions have rejected deals the Biden administration helped broker before the original strike deadline in September. Those unions agreed to try to hash out a contract before a new Dec. 5 strike deadline. But those talks have deadlocked because the railroads refuse to add&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-business-strikes-940da8fc519f8c526ca614e201d01216">paid sick time</a>&nbsp;to what they've already offered.Railroad engineers voted Monday to join seven smaller unions in approving the deal, but conductors' union rejected its contract, joining&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-congress-kansas-city-southern-government-and-politics-763b5a75dd22bbdf1de52d6bf1879b29">three unions</a>&nbsp;that previously voted no.It appears increasingly likely that Congress will have to settle the dispute. Lawmakers have the power to impose contract terms, and hundreds of business groups&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-congress-government-and-politics-6b60d53fefc7b85f301b0a3e7011715b">have urged</a>&nbsp;Congress and President Joe Biden to be ready to intervene.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated to reporters on Monday that Biden believes “a shutdown is unacceptable" but that “the best option is still for the parties to resolve this themselves.”Workers frustrated with the demanding schedules and deep job cuts in the industry pushed to reject these contracts because they wouldn't do enough to resolve their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality-of-life concerns.</a>&nbsp;The deals for the engineers and conductors did include a promise to improve the scheduling of regular days off and negotiate the details of those schedules further at each railroad. Those two unions also received three unpaid days off a year to tend to medical needs as long they were scheduled at least 30 days in advance and the railroads said they wouldn't penalize workers who were hospitalized.The railroads also lost out on their bid to cut crew sizes to one person as part of the negotiations. But the conductors in the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers union still narrowly rejected the deal. A small division of the SMART-TD union did approve it.“The ball is now in the railroads’ court. Let’s see what they do. They can settle this at the bargaining table,” SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson said. “But, the railroad executives who constantly complain about government interference and regularly bad-mouth regulators and Congress now want Congress to do the bargaining for them.”Dennis Pierce, the president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union, said the deal engineers ratified should help improve working conditions somewhat, but that the railroads must address workers' frustrations, especially after they cut nearly one-third of their jobs over the past six years as they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-us-news-norfolk-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">overhauled their operations</a>.“When you’ve got to offer $20,000 to get somebody to go to work for the railroad in Lincoln, Nebraska, you’ve got a problem. People used to stand in line there,” Pierce said. “The reason for that is the word is out that if you go to work here, you’re not going to ever see your family.”The railroads maintain that the deals with the unions should closely follow the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-norfolk-government-and-politics-eeedec386f2acba5d63181436ca03f3f">recommendations</a>&nbsp;made this summer by a special panel of arbitrators Biden appointed. That's part of the reason why they don't want to offer paid sick time. Plus, the railroads say the unions have agreed over the years to forgo paid sick time in favor of higher pay and strong short-term disability benefits.The unions say it is long overdue for the railroads to offer paid sick time and that the pandemic highlighted the need for it.The group that negotiates on behalf of the railroads that include Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, BNSF, Kansas City Southern and CSX said Monday that the unions that rejected their deals shouldn't expect to receive more than the Presidential Emergency Board of arbitrators recommended.It's unclear what Congress might do given the deep political divisions in Washington D.C. and a single lawmaker could hold up a resolution. But the head of the Association of American Railroads trade group, Ian Jefferies, said "if the remaining unions do not accept an agreement, Congress should be prepared to act and avoid a disastrous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-congress-government-and-politics-a53abd85fa6f8b3ccd622222ea9a4c46">$2 billion a day hit</a>&nbsp;to our economy.”

Consumers could pay price if railroads, unions can't agree

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/ricketts-sticks-to-his-says-wait-and-see-about-u-s-senate-vacancy/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Gov. Pete Ricketts stuck to his script Monday, declining to
 say whether he’s interested, or disinterested, in filling the vacancy 
created by the expected resignation of U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb.

The closest he came was in responding to a caller to his monthly 
radio call-in show Monday afternoon. The caller asked about his plans 
after stepping down as governor in January, due to term limits.

“I would love to remain involved in policy and politics,” the 58-year-old Republican responded.

But Ricketts said he was awaiting how Gov.-elect Jim Pillen plans to 
deal with the vacancy once he takes office in January, which is when 
Sasse is expected to resign.

Ricketts has said he would not fill the vacancy himself had the 
resignation come while he was still in office, but was deferring the 
pick to Pillen, whom Ricketts financially backed and endorsed.

It’s widely assumed that Ricketts will be the appointee, if he wants the job.

Earlier, during a press conference, Ricketts was noncommittal when asked by reporters about his interest in the opening.

“Gov.-elect Pillen is going to have a process,” Ricketts said. “We’ll wait and see what happens.”

When asked if he might decline to seek a seat in the U.S. Senate, as 
his predecessor, Gov. Dave Heineman, did because he preferred to be an 
executive rather than one of many legislators, Ricketts said that the 
executive and legislative branches are two separate wings of government 
that have “different roles.”

“There’s lots of ways to contribute. We’ll what Gov.-elect Pillen 
does in regard to this process, and we’ll see what happens from there,” 
Ricketts said.

The governor did push back against criticism leveled by Kerry 
Winterer, a former CEO of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human 
Services, in <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/21/nebraska-as-fiefdom/">a Nebraska Examiner commentary Monday</a>.

Winterer, who now lives in Wyoming, wrote that Ricketts’ use of his 
own personal wealth to support candidates and overturn the repeal of the
 death penalty isn’t illegal but possibly unethical.

It risks having Nebraska “governed as a fiefdom by those who have the resources to do so,” Winterer wrote.

Ricketts contributed about $3.8 million to a variety of political 
campaigns and causes this year, the Omaha World-Herald reported earlier 
this month.

Ricketts said he supports “conservative causes, and I’ve done that before I was governor and continue to do it today.”

“And I’m going to continue to it in the future,” he added. “It’s about getting your message out.”

Ricketts said that “at the end of the day, the people decide because they vote.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658508417267.png" alt="Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/ricketts-sticks-to-his-says-wait-and-see-about-u-s-senate-vacancy/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Gov. Pete Ricketts stuck to his script Monday, declining to
 say whether he’s interested, or disinterested, in filling the vacancy 
created by the expected resignation of U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb.The closest he came was in responding to a caller to his monthly 
radio call-in show Monday afternoon. The caller asked about his plans 
after stepping down as governor in January, due to term limits.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669135813314.png" alt="U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., has said he will resign after the first of the year to become the next president of the University of Florida. (Screenshot/University of Florida)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., has said he will resign after the first of the year to become the next president of the University of Florida. (Screenshot/University of Florida)</figcaption>
 </figure>“I would love to remain involved in policy and politics,” the 58-year-old Republican responded.But Ricketts said he was awaiting how Gov.-elect Jim Pillen plans to 
deal with the vacancy once he takes office in January, which is when 
Sasse is expected to resign.Ricketts has said he would not fill the vacancy himself had the 
resignation come while he was still in office, but was deferring the 
pick to Pillen, whom Ricketts financially backed and endorsed.It’s widely assumed that Ricketts will be the appointee, if he wants the job.Earlier, during a press conference, Ricketts was noncommittal when asked by reporters about his interest in the opening.<h2>‘Wait and see’</h2>“Gov.-elect Pillen is going to have a process,” Ricketts said. “We’ll wait and see what happens.”When asked if he might decline to seek a seat in the U.S. Senate, as 
his predecessor, Gov. Dave Heineman, did because he preferred to be an 
executive rather than one of many legislators, Ricketts said that the 
executive and legislative branches are two separate wings of government 
that have “different roles.”“There’s lots of ways to contribute. We’ll what Gov.-elect Pillen 
does in regard to this process, and we’ll see what happens from there,” 
Ricketts said.<h2>Disputed criticism</h2>The governor did push back against criticism leveled by Kerry 
Winterer, a former CEO of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human 
Services, in <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/21/nebraska-as-fiefdom/">a Nebraska Examiner commentary Monday</a>.Winterer, who now lives in Wyoming, wrote that Ricketts’ use of his 
own personal wealth to support candidates and overturn the repeal of the
 death penalty isn’t illegal but possibly unethical.It risks having Nebraska “governed as a fiefdom by those who have the resources to do so,” Winterer wrote.Ricketts contributed about $3.8 million to a variety of political 
campaigns and causes this year, the Omaha World-Herald reported earlier 
this month.Ricketts said he supports “conservative causes, and I’ve done that before I was governor and continue to do it today.”“And I’m going to continue to it in the future,” he added. “It’s about getting your message out.”Ricketts said that “at the end of the day, the people decide because they vote.”

Ricketts sticks to script, says wait and see about Senate vacancy

By MADDY ROHR K-State Research and Extension news service

MANHATTAN, Kan – Inflation has increased 13% in the last year, so it is no shock to shoppers that groceries have become more expensive. But Kansas State University food scientist Karen Blakeslee said that the outbreak of avian influenza in the U.S. also is partly responsible for increased holiday food costs.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“As of Nov. 16, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 50,371,760 birds have been affected, and this includes commercial and backyard flocks. It has been found in 46 states and there are 623 reported outbreaks,” said Blakeslee, who also is director of K-State’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rrc.ksu.edu/">Rapid Response Center for Food Science</a>.&nbsp;

Poultry deaths have resulted in meat and egg shortages leading to increased prices of meat and eggs. To save on grocery costs, Blakeslee said consumers can look for stores that may offer a free turkey when buying a certain number of other groceries.&nbsp;

“As a guideline (for buying a turkey), plan about one pound of turkey per person. Try buying a smaller turkey, and supplement with another favorite meat if you are having a large gathering,” Blakeslee said, adding that hosts can share the time and expense with guests by having them bring a favorite food.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Other tips to save on food costs include using coupons, buying only what you need, trying store brands instead of name brands and&nbsp;<a>making</a>&nbsp;a list before you go to the store to reduce impulse shopping.&nbsp;

To guard against poultry that may have been infected by avian influenza, “it is important to handle the meat safely, wash your hands, and cook the poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This is true for healthy poultry, also,” Blakeslee said.&nbsp;

Avian influenza can be transferred to humans by close contact with infected birds, Blakeslee said. It is important to not handle birds that appear ill or have died.&nbsp;

Blakeslee publishes a monthly newsletter called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rrc.k-state.edu/newsletter">You Asked It!</a>&nbsp;that provides numerous tips on being safe and healthy. More information is also available from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/statewide-locations.html">local extension offices</a>&nbsp;in Kansas.&nbsp;

By MADDY ROHR K-State Research and Extension news serviceMANHATTAN, Kan – Inflation has increased 13% in the last year, so it is no shock to shoppers that groceries have become more expensive. But Kansas State University food scientist Karen Blakeslee said that the outbreak of avian influenza in the U.S. also is partly responsible for increased holiday food costs.&nbsp;&nbsp;“As of Nov. 16, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 50,371,760 birds have been affected, and this includes commercial and backyard flocks. It has been found in 46 states and there are 623 reported outbreaks,” said Blakeslee, who also is director of K-State’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rrc.ksu.edu/">Rapid Response Center for Food Science</a>.&nbsp;Poultry deaths have resulted in meat and egg shortages leading to increased prices of meat and eggs. To save on grocery costs, Blakeslee said consumers can look for stores that may offer a free turkey when buying a certain number of other groceries.&nbsp;“As a guideline (for buying a turkey), plan about one pound of turkey per person. Try buying a smaller turkey, and supplement with another favorite meat if you are having a large gathering,” Blakeslee said, adding that hosts can share the time and expense with guests by having them bring a favorite food.&nbsp;&nbsp;Other tips to save on food costs include using coupons, buying only what you need, trying store brands instead of name brands and&nbsp;<a>making</a>&nbsp;a list before you go to the store to reduce impulse shopping.&nbsp;To guard against poultry that may have been infected by avian influenza, “it is important to handle the meat safely, wash your hands, and cook the poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This is true for healthy poultry, also,” Blakeslee said.&nbsp;Avian influenza can be transferred to humans by close contact with infected birds, Blakeslee said. It is important to not handle birds that appear ill or have died.&nbsp;Blakeslee publishes a monthly newsletter called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rrc.k-state.edu/newsletter">You Asked It!</a>&nbsp;that provides numerous tips on being safe and healthy. More information is also available from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/statewide-locations.html">local extension offices</a>&nbsp;in Kansas.&nbsp;

Bird flu having an impact on the cost of your holiday meals

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/elkhorn-man-says-hes-no-super-hero-but-a-person-who-helped-someone-in-need/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — After watching a semi-trailer truck slam into an SUV, 
pinning it against a concrete barrier along Interstate 80, Frank Axiotes
 said he didn’t think twice.

He immediately pulled over, told his wife and son to call 911,and charged across the Interstate to the flaming accident scene.

Axiotes pulled a 9-year-old boy from the back seat of the burning SUV
 and, along with another bystander, broke out the vehicle’s front window
 and pulled the child’s sister, the driver, out of the vehicle just 
before explosions erupted.

“When you see someone in need, it’s easy to walk away or turn your 
head … but when it’s someone who needs help, you need to be there,” 
Axiotes.

On Monday, the auto salesman from Elkhorn was honored as one of 17 recipients nationally of the Carnegie Medal for his heroism in the Sept. 25, 2020, crash.

&nbsp;Gov. Pete Ricketts, in presenting the award Monday, described it as North America’s highest honor for civilian heroism.

The driver, Maddie Daly, who was 21 at the time of the Sept. 25, 
2020, accident, described Axiotes as a “super hero” — a description he 
rejected Monday.

&nbsp;“I’m just Frank. I’m a dad, I’m a husband, I’m an uncle, I’m a co-worker,” he said. “It’s just something that happened.”

“I’m not a super hero. I was just somebody who was put in the right place and the right time.”

Monday marked the second time Axiotes was honored as a hero for his 
response to the accident. Last year, the Nebraska State Patrol presented
 him with a citizen Public Service Award.

Patrol Lt. Jason Stahl nominated Axiotes for the Patrol’s civilian award as well as the national honor.

“We truly do need to recognize the people who go out and help other people,” Stahl said.

“We can’t be everywhere, in every situation,” he said of the Patrol. 
“So it’s our responsibility as good human beings to take care of each 
other.”

Axiotes said he has experienced some tragedies in his family, and his wife is from a family of first responders.

His mother and a sister, he said, were both working at the Westroads 
Von Maur store on Dec. 5, 2007, when a 19-year-old man opened fire, 
killing eight people.

His wife’s father, Michael O’Keefe, is a retired Omaha police 
officer, and two of Axiotes’ brothers-in-law, Todd and Kevin O’Keefe, 
are current officers.

Axiotes said he hoped that others would spring to action if his two children were in peril.

“If people need help, and you’re there and willing to lend a hand, do
 everything you can,” he said. “I didn’t think about it. I just jumped 
into action.”

He emphasized that another man helped him pull Daly out of the car, 
but he did not know what happened to the other Good Samaritan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669125171661.png" alt="Flames broke out after the semi-trailer truck, left, slammed into a Chevy Trailblazer near the 27th Street interchange in Lincoln in a September 2020 crash. (courtesy Nebraska State Patrol)" />
 <figcaption>Flames broke out after the semi-trailer truck, left, slammed into a Chevy Trailblazer near the 27th Street interchange in Lincoln in a September 2020 crash. (courtesy Nebraska State Patrol)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/elkhorn-man-says-hes-no-super-hero-but-a-person-who-helped-someone-in-need/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — After watching a semi-trailer truck slam into an SUV, 
pinning it against a concrete barrier along Interstate 80, Frank Axiotes
 said he didn’t think twice.He immediately pulled over, told his wife and son to call 911,and charged across the Interstate to the flaming accident scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669125228281.jpeg" alt="Frank Axiotes, center, was honored Monday with a national award for heroism. Presenting the award was the John Bolduc, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, and Gov. Pete Ricketts.&nbsp;(Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Frank Axiotes, center, was honored Monday with a national award for heroism. Presenting the award was the John Bolduc, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, and Gov. Pete Ricketts.&nbsp;(Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Axiotes pulled a 9-year-old boy from the back seat of the burning SUV
 and, along with another bystander, broke out the vehicle’s front window
 and pulled the child’s sister, the driver, out of the vehicle just 
before explosions erupted.“When you see someone in need, it’s easy to walk away or turn your 
head … but when it’s someone who needs help, you need to be there,” 
Axiotes.On Monday, the auto salesman from Elkhorn was honored as one of 17 recipients nationally of the Carnegie Medal for his heroism in the Sept. 25, 2020, crash.&nbsp;Gov. Pete Ricketts, in presenting the award Monday, described it as North America’s highest honor for civilian heroism.<h2>Not a ‘super hero’</h2>The driver, Maddie Daly, who was 21 at the time of the Sept. 25, 
2020, accident, described Axiotes as a “super hero” — a description he 
rejected Monday.&nbsp;“I’m just Frank. I’m a dad, I’m a husband, I’m an uncle, I’m a co-worker,” he said. “It’s just something that happened.”“I’m not a super hero. I was just somebody who was put in the right place and the right time.”Monday marked the second time Axiotes was honored as a hero for his 
response to the accident. Last year, the Nebraska State Patrol presented
 him with a citizen Public Service Award.Patrol Lt. Jason Stahl nominated Axiotes for the Patrol’s civilian award as well as the national honor.<h2>Need to recognize those who help</h2>“We truly do need to recognize the people who go out and help other people,” Stahl said.“We can’t be everywhere, in every situation,” he said of the Patrol. 
“So it’s our responsibility as good human beings to take care of each 
other.”Axiotes said he has experienced some tragedies in his family, and his wife is from a family of first responders.His mother and a sister, he said, were both working at the Westroads 
Von Maur store on Dec. 5, 2007, when a 19-year-old man opened fire, 
killing eight people.His wife’s father, Michael O’Keefe, is a retired Omaha police 
officer, and two of Axiotes’ brothers-in-law, Todd and Kevin O’Keefe, 
are current officers.Axiotes said he hoped that others would spring to action if his two children were in peril.“If people need help, and you’re there and willing to lend a hand, do
 everything you can,” he said. “I didn’t think about it. I just jumped 
into action.”He emphasized that another man helped him pull Daly out of the car, 
but he did not know what happened to the other Good Samaritan.

'No super hero': Neb. man honored for life-saving actions

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JESSE%20BEDAYN%20and%20SAM%20METZ%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JESSE BEDAYN and SAM METZ Associated Press</a>

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — When army veteran Rich Fierro realized a gunman was spraying bullets inside the club where he had gathered with friends and family, instincts from his military training immediately kicked in.

First he ducked to avoid any potential incoming fire, then moved to try to disarm the shooter.

“It’s the reflex. Go! Go to the fire. Stop the action. Stop the activity. Don't let no one get hurt. I tried to bring everybody back,” he said Monday outside his home.

Fierro is one of two people police are crediting with saving lives by subduing a 22-year-old man armed with multiple firearms, including an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle, who went on a shooting rampage Saturday night at Club Q,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-shootings-colorado-gay-rights-112e79c6886defbcc07e2c7cec32a246">a well-known gathering place</a>&nbsp;for the LGBTQ community in Colorado Springs. Five people were killed and at least 17 wounded.

Fierro was there with his daughter Kassy, her boyfriend and several other friends to see a drag show and celebrate a birthday. He said it was one of the group’s most enjoyable nights. That suddenly changed when the shots rang out and Kassy’s boyfriend, Raymond Green Vance, was fatally shot.

Speaking to reporters at his home Monday, Fierro teared up as he recalled Raymond smiling and dancing before the shots rang out.

Fierro could smell the cordite from the ammunition, saw the flashes and dove, pushing his friend down before falling backwards.

Looking up from the floor, Fierro saw the shooter's body armor and the crowd that had fled to the club's patio. Moving toward the attacker, Fierro grasped the body armor, yanked the shooter down while yelling at another patron, Thomas James, to move the rifle out of reach.

As the shooter was pinned under a barrage of punches from Fierro and kicks to the head from James, he tried to reach for his pistol. Fierro grabbed it and used it as a bludgeon.

When a performer who was there for the drag show ran by, Fierro told them to kick the gunman. The performer stuffed a high-heeled shoe in the attacker's face, Fierro said.

“I love them,” Fierro said of the city's LGBTQ community. “I have nothing but love.”

Fierro served three tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, and said he’s dealt with violence. That’s what he signed up for. “Nobody in that club asked to do this,” he said, but everyone “is going to have to live with it now.”

Fierro and James, about whom little was known as of Monday evening, pinned the shooter down until officers arrived minutes later. Fierro was briefly handcuffed and sat in a police car as law enforcement tried to calm the chaos.

Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said Monday that Fierro acted courageously.

“I have never encountered a person who had engaged in such heroic actions who was so humble about it," Vasquez said. "He simply said to me, ‘I was trying to protect my family.’”

When asked about being hailed a hero, Fierro demurred. “I’m just some dude from San Diego,” he said, standing outside his home and alternating between English and a smattering of Spanish words.

The suspect, who was said to be carrying multiple guns and additional ammunition magazines, faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-colorado-gun-politics-springs-7f079c7feebc32cc8ad46f2724844c18">murder and hate crime charges</a>.

Fierro's wife, Jess, said via Facebook that her husband had bruised his right side and injured his hands, knees and ankle. “He was covered in blood,” she wrote on the page of their brewery, Atrevida Beer Co.

Though his actions saved lives, Fierro said the deaths — including his daughter's boyfriend, Vance — were a tragedy both personal and for the broader community.

“There are five people that I could not help. And one of which was family to me,” he said, as his brother put a consoling hand on his shoulder.

Fierro said he doesn't remember if the gunman responded as he yelled and struggled to subdue him, but he has thought about their next interaction.

“I’m gonna see that guy in court,” Fierro said. “And that guy’s gonna see who did him.”

Metz reported from Salt Lake City. Associated Press reporter Jamie Stengle in Dallas contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669124653069.jpeg" alt="Richard Fierro talks during a news conference outside his home about his efforts to subdue the gunman in Saturday's shooting at Club Q, Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)" />
 <figcaption>Richard Fierro talks during a news conference outside his home about his efforts to subdue the gunman in Saturday's shooting at Club Q, Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JESSE%20BEDAYN%20and%20SAM%20METZ%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JESSE BEDAYN and SAM METZ Associated Press</a>COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — When army veteran Rich Fierro realized a gunman was spraying bullets inside the club where he had gathered with friends and family, instincts from his military training immediately kicked in.First he ducked to avoid any potential incoming fire, then moved to try to disarm the shooter.“It’s the reflex. Go! Go to the fire. Stop the action. Stop the activity. Don't let no one get hurt. I tried to bring everybody back,” he said Monday outside his home.Fierro is one of two people police are crediting with saving lives by subduing a 22-year-old man armed with multiple firearms, including an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle, who went on a shooting rampage Saturday night at Club Q,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-shootings-colorado-gay-rights-112e79c6886defbcc07e2c7cec32a246">a well-known gathering place</a>&nbsp;for the LGBTQ community in Colorado Springs. Five people were killed and at least 17 wounded.Fierro was there with his daughter Kassy, her boyfriend and several other friends to see a drag show and celebrate a birthday. He said it was one of the group’s most enjoyable nights. That suddenly changed when the shots rang out and Kassy’s boyfriend, Raymond Green Vance, was fatally shot.Speaking to reporters at his home Monday, Fierro teared up as he recalled Raymond smiling and dancing before the shots rang out.Fierro could smell the cordite from the ammunition, saw the flashes and dove, pushing his friend down before falling backwards.Looking up from the floor, Fierro saw the shooter's body armor and the crowd that had fled to the club's patio. Moving toward the attacker, Fierro grasped the body armor, yanked the shooter down while yelling at another patron, Thomas James, to move the rifle out of reach.As the shooter was pinned under a barrage of punches from Fierro and kicks to the head from James, he tried to reach for his pistol. Fierro grabbed it and used it as a bludgeon.“I tried to finish him," he said.When a performer who was there for the drag show ran by, Fierro told them to kick the gunman. The performer stuffed a high-heeled shoe in the attacker's face, Fierro said.“I love them,” Fierro said of the city's LGBTQ community. “I have nothing but love.”Fierro served three tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, and said he’s dealt with violence. That’s what he signed up for. “Nobody in that club asked to do this,” he said, but everyone “is going to have to live with it now.”Fierro and James, about whom little was known as of Monday evening, pinned the shooter down until officers arrived minutes later. Fierro was briefly handcuffed and sat in a police car as law enforcement tried to calm the chaos.Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said Monday that Fierro acted courageously.“I have never encountered a person who had engaged in such heroic actions who was so humble about it," Vasquez said. "He simply said to me, ‘I was trying to protect my family.’”When asked about being hailed a hero, Fierro demurred. “I’m just some dude from San Diego,” he said, standing outside his home and alternating between English and a smattering of Spanish words.The suspect, who was said to be carrying multiple guns and additional ammunition magazines, faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-colorado-gun-politics-springs-7f079c7feebc32cc8ad46f2724844c18">murder and hate crime charges</a>.Fierro's wife, Jess, said via Facebook that her husband had bruised his right side and injured his hands, knees and ankle. “He was covered in blood,” she wrote on the page of their brewery, Atrevida Beer Co.Though his actions saved lives, Fierro said the deaths — including his daughter's boyfriend, Vance — were a tragedy both personal and for the broader community.“There are five people that I could not help. And one of which was family to me,” he said, as his brother put a consoling hand on his shoulder.Fierro said he doesn't remember if the gunman responded as he yelled and struggled to subdue him, but he has thought about their next interaction.“I’m gonna see that guy in court,” Fierro said. “And that guy’s gonna see who did him.”Metz reported from Salt Lake City. Associated Press reporter Jamie Stengle in Dallas contributed.

'It's the reflex': Veteran helped disarm gunman at gay club

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20LEICESTER%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN LEICESTER Associated Press</a>

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Rolling blackouts across Ukraine may continue through March, according to one of the country’s energy chiefs, as Ukrainians brace for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-europe-business-2b3c41d06740b6b3b5ad42497f7ebcae">a grim winter</a>&nbsp;after weeks of relentless Russian strikes against its power grid.

Sergey Kovalenko, CEO of private energy provider DTEK Yasno, said in a Facebook post late Monday that the company was under instructions from Ukraine’s state grid operator to resume emergency blackouts in the areas it covers, including the capital Kyiv and the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region.

“Although there are fewer blackouts now, I want everyone to understand: Most likely, Ukrainians will have to live with blackouts until at least the end of March,” Kovalenko warned.

“I think we need to be prepared for different options, even the worst ones. Stock up on warm clothes, blankets, think about what will help you wait out a long shutdown,” he said, addressing Ukrainian residents.

Russia has been pummeling Ukraine’s power grid and other infrastructure from the air for weeks, as the war approaches its nine-month milestone. That onslaught has caused widespread blackouts and deprived millions of Ukrainians of electricity, heat and water.

Temperatures commonly stick below freezing in Ukraine in the winter months. Ukrainian authorities have started&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-europe-4694a38addce348a51bc122a240e9c0b">evacuating civilians</a>&nbsp;from recently liberated sections of the southern Kherson and Mykolaiv regions out of fear that the winter will be hard to survive.

Kovalenko added that even if no more Russian strikes occur, scheduled outages will be needed across Ukraine to ensure that power is evenly distributed across the battered energy grid.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian missile strikes have damaged more than 50% of the country’s energy facilities, and the World Health Organization is warning that millions face a “life-threatening” winter in Ukraine.

The battle for terrain has continued unabated despite the deteriorating weather conditions, with Ukrainian forces pressing against Russian positions as part of a weeks-long counteroffensive and Moscow’s forces keeping up shelling and missile strikes.

In a key battlefield development, a Ukrainian official acknowledged that Kyiv’s forces are attacking Russian positions on the Kinburn Spit, which is a gateway to the Black Sea basin and parts of the southern Kherson region that are still under Russian control.

Despite an information blackout around the operation, Natalya Humenyuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian army’s Operational Command South, said in televised remarks that Ukrainian forces are “continuing a military operation” in the area.

The Kinburn Spit is Russia’s last outpost in Ukraine’s southern Mykolayiv region, directly west of Kherson. Ukrainian forces recently liberated other parts of the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions.

Moscow has used the Kinburn Spit as a staging ground for missile and artillery strikes on Ukrainian positions in the Mykolaiv province, and elsewhere along the Ukrainian-controlled Black Sea coast.

Ukraine recently recaptured the city of Kherson, on the western bank of the Dnieper River, and surrounding areas in a major battlefield advance.

Capturing the Kinburn Spit could help Ukrainian forces push into territory Russia still holds in the Kherson region “under significantly less Russian artillery fire” than an attempt at a direct crossing of the Dnieper would likely unleash, a Washington-based think tank said late Monday.

The Institute for the Study of War added that control of the area would help Kyiv alleviate Russian strikes on Ukraine’s southern seaports and allow Ukraine to increase its naval activity in the Black Sea.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s presidential office said Tuesday morning that at least eight civilians were killed and 16 were injured over the previous 24 hours, as Moscow’s forces once again used drones, rockets and heavy artillery to pound eight Ukrainian regions.

Since Russia invaded its neighbor on Feb. 24, the war has killed at least 16,784 civilians and injured 10,189, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights estimates.

In the eastern Donetsk region, fierce battles continued around the city of Bakhmut, where the Kremlin’s forces are keen to clinch an unambiguous victory after weeks of embarrassing military setbacks.

Speaking on Ukrainian TV, Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said Russia launched missiles at the city of Kramatorsk, home to the local headquarters of the Ukrainian military, and on the strategic city of Avdiivka.

Kyrylenko added that power supplies and communications are non-existent in most of the Donetsk region.

According to the Ukrainian presidential office, one civilian was killed and three others were wounded after Russia shelled the city of Kherson, which Ukrainian forces recaptured Nov. 10.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20LEICESTER%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN LEICESTER Associated Press</a>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Rolling blackouts across Ukraine may continue through March, according to one of the country’s energy chiefs, as Ukrainians brace for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-europe-business-2b3c41d06740b6b3b5ad42497f7ebcae">a grim winter</a>&nbsp;after weeks of relentless Russian strikes against its power grid.Sergey Kovalenko, CEO of private energy provider DTEK Yasno, said in a Facebook post late Monday that the company was under instructions from Ukraine’s state grid operator to resume emergency blackouts in the areas it covers, including the capital Kyiv and the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region.“Although there are fewer blackouts now, I want everyone to understand: Most likely, Ukrainians will have to live with blackouts until at least the end of March,” Kovalenko warned.“I think we need to be prepared for different options, even the worst ones. Stock up on warm clothes, blankets, think about what will help you wait out a long shutdown,” he said, addressing Ukrainian residents.Russia has been pummeling Ukraine’s power grid and other infrastructure from the air for weeks, as the war approaches its nine-month milestone. That onslaught has caused widespread blackouts and deprived millions of Ukrainians of electricity, heat and water.Temperatures commonly stick below freezing in Ukraine in the winter months. Ukrainian authorities have started&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-europe-4694a38addce348a51bc122a240e9c0b">evacuating civilians</a>&nbsp;from recently liberated sections of the southern Kherson and Mykolaiv regions out of fear that the winter will be hard to survive.Kovalenko added that even if no more Russian strikes occur, scheduled outages will be needed across Ukraine to ensure that power is evenly distributed across the battered energy grid.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian missile strikes have damaged more than 50% of the country’s energy facilities, and the World Health Organization is warning that millions face a “life-threatening” winter in Ukraine.The battle for terrain has continued unabated despite the deteriorating weather conditions, with Ukrainian forces pressing against Russian positions as part of a weeks-long counteroffensive and Moscow’s forces keeping up shelling and missile strikes.In a key battlefield development, a Ukrainian official acknowledged that Kyiv’s forces are attacking Russian positions on the Kinburn Spit, which is a gateway to the Black Sea basin and parts of the southern Kherson region that are still under Russian control.Despite an information blackout around the operation, Natalya Humenyuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian army’s Operational Command South, said in televised remarks that Ukrainian forces are “continuing a military operation” in the area.The Kinburn Spit is Russia’s last outpost in Ukraine’s southern Mykolayiv region, directly west of Kherson. Ukrainian forces recently liberated other parts of the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions.Moscow has used the Kinburn Spit as a staging ground for missile and artillery strikes on Ukrainian positions in the Mykolaiv province, and elsewhere along the Ukrainian-controlled Black Sea coast.Ukraine recently recaptured the city of Kherson, on the western bank of the Dnieper River, and surrounding areas in a major battlefield advance.Capturing the Kinburn Spit could help Ukrainian forces push into territory Russia still holds in the Kherson region “under significantly less Russian artillery fire” than an attempt at a direct crossing of the Dnieper would likely unleash, a Washington-based think tank said late Monday.The Institute for the Study of War added that control of the area would help Kyiv alleviate Russian strikes on Ukraine’s southern seaports and allow Ukraine to increase its naval activity in the Black Sea.Meanwhile, Ukraine’s presidential office said Tuesday morning that at least eight civilians were killed and 16 were injured over the previous 24 hours, as Moscow’s forces once again used drones, rockets and heavy artillery to pound eight Ukrainian regions.Since Russia invaded its neighbor on Feb. 24, the war has killed at least 16,784 civilians and injured 10,189, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights estimates.In the eastern Donetsk region, fierce battles continued around the city of Bakhmut, where the Kremlin’s forces are keen to clinch an unambiguous victory after weeks of embarrassing military setbacks.Speaking on Ukrainian TV, Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said Russia launched missiles at the city of Kramatorsk, home to the local headquarters of the Ukrainian military, and on the strategic city of Avdiivka.Kyrylenko added that power supplies and communications are non-existent in most of the Donetsk region.According to the Ukrainian presidential office, one civilian was killed and three others were wounded after Russia shelled the city of Kherson, which Ukrainian forces recaptured Nov. 10.

'Stock up on blankets': Ukrainians brace for bleak winter

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22BROOKE%20SCHULTZ%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By BROOKE SCHULTZ </a> <a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22BROOKE%20SCHULTZ%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">Associated Press/Report for America</a>

Some of Taylor Swift’s fans want you to know three things: They’re not still 16, they have careers and resources and, right now, they’re angry. That’s a powerful political motivator, researchers say.

It started Nov. 15, when millions crowded a presale for Swift’s long-awaited Eras Tour,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-concert-tickets-parents-34399cca6403c97f0983a5c69c7edec0">resulting in crashes, prolonged waits and frantic purchases.</a>&nbsp;By Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-sale-canceled-music-concert-tour-70c8a21059174c37a06b7a8475239b06">Ticketmaster had canceled the general sale,</a>&nbsp;citing insufficient remaining tickets and inciting a firestorm of outrage from fans. Swift herself said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-taylor-swift-af5d58d2a8c6def368ded1bd2ddd8a6f">the ordeal “really pisses me off.”</a>

Ticketmaster apologized but the bad blood had already been sowed. And now fans — and politicians — have started acting on it.

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez directed Swifties to where they could make U.S. Department of Justice complaints. Multiple&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/josh-shapiro-business-taylor-swift-tennessee-e157badef297f7c302615b3a6080ba2a">state attorneys general</a>&nbsp;— including in Pennsylvania and Tennessee, key states in Swift’s origin story — have announced investigations.

Stephanie Aly, a New York-based professional who has worked on community organizing for progressive politics, for years has thought mobilizing fandoms for social progress could be beneficial.

“Fandoms are natural organizers,” said the 33-year-old Swiftie. “If you find the right issues and you activate them and engage them then you can effect real change.”

In 2020, for instance, K-pop fans organized to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-music-ap-top-news-south-korea-entertainment-09aaf5560b48385f5adf8ae7a6af3740">back the Black Lives Matter movement</a>&nbsp;and sought to&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/[https://apnews.com/article/pop-music-music-donald-trump-us-news-united-states-2f18f18a8b40a4635fd3590fd159241c">inflate registration</a>&nbsp;for a Donald Trump rally. Aly and Swifties from different industries — law, public relations, cybersecurity and more — have joined forces to create Vigilante Legal, a group targeting Ticketmaster by creating email templates to petition attorneys general and providing antitrust information. Thousands have expressed interest in helping or learning more.

“The level of anger that you’ve just seen in the country around this issue is astounding,” said Jean Sinzdak, associate director for the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. “People are really sharing their feelings about that and building a movement about that online, which I really think is quite fascinating. It’s certainly an opportunity to engage people politically. Whether it lasts is hard to say, but it certainly feels like a real opportunity.”

In one way, said Sinzdak, this is giving Swift’s large following of younger people a direct line to seeing how policy takes shape. It’s also targeting a demographic that is seldom courted by politicians during election season.

“Nobody goes out and thinks, ‘Let’s target young women,’” said Gwen Nisbett, a University of North Texas professor who researches the intersection of political engagement and pop culture. “Be it about abortion or student loans, that age group is super mobilized and young women are super mobilized.”

Fan culture and community has boosted that tendency toward mobilization. Nisbett was studying parasocial relationships — when fans have strong one-way relationships with celebrities — in 2018, when the previously apolitical Swift posted an endorsement of Democratic candidates to social media. Nisbett found that while such posts may not determine fans' votes, they still led to the increased likelihood fans would look for more information about voting — and actually vote.

For the record:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-votecast-quirky-polls-e9c117cb5be549f91ca7d98d249c5f9d">AP VoteCast,</a>&nbsp;an extensive survey of the U.S. electorate, showed about a third of Tennessee voters in 2018 said they had a favorable opinion of Swift, and among them, a large majority — about 7 in 10 — backed Democrat Phil Bredesen in the Senate contest. That was in clear contrast to the roughly third of voters who had an unfavorable opinion of Swift and overwhelmingly backed Republican Marsha Blackburn.

For Swifties, the ire for Ticketmaster is not just about a ticket: “It’s the fact that you can’t participate in your community and your fandom and it’s part of your identity,” Nisbett said.

This isn’t even the first time a fandom or an artist has targeted Ticketmaster.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/063fca1ccd36ad2fe398537b71426d21">Pearl Jam took aim at the company</a>&nbsp;in 1994, although the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c3efaa2c4026495236f2035e93fe8a3f">Justice Department ultimately declined</a>&nbsp;to bring a case. More recently, Bruce Springsteen fans were enraged over high ticket costs because of the platform’s dynamic pricing system.

“It’s not just about getting vengeance for Swifties. It’s not about getting an extra million Taylor Swift fans tickets, or all of us going to a secret session,” said Jordan Burger, 28, who is using his law background to help the cause. “It’s about fundamental equality. And when you have a monopolist like that, it’s just so representative of the class structure of a society where there isn’t equality anymore, there isn’t fairness.”

The sheer power and size of Swift’s fandom has spurred conversations about economic inequality, merely symbolized by Ticketmaster.

Aly noted that quite a few of the members of the group did get tickets; the issue is is bigger than Ticketmaster, she said.

“We’ve gotten some feedback that, ‘This is too big, let the government handle it.’ Have you seen the U.S. government? The government only functions when the people push it to and when the people demand that it function and the people are involved,” she said. “Even when something seems too big to fail or too powerful to fail, there are always enough of us to make a difference. Your involvement may be the thing that pushes it over the edge that forces the government to act.”

Aly says many grown-up Swifties have 10-15 years’ experience of being bullied for liking the singer — but what fans have in mind might be better than revenge.

“We have thick skin and nothing to lose, really,” Aly said.

Associated Press journalist Hannah Fingerhut contributed to this report from Washington. Brooke Schultz is a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-based corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reportforamerica.org/">Report for America</a>&nbsp;is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22BROOKE%20SCHULTZ%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By BROOKE SCHULTZ </a> <a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22BROOKE%20SCHULTZ%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">Associated Press/Report for America</a>Some of Taylor Swift’s fans want you to know three things: They’re not still 16, they have careers and resources and, right now, they’re angry. That’s a powerful political motivator, researchers say.Look what Ticketmaster made them do.It started Nov. 15, when millions crowded a presale for Swift’s long-awaited Eras Tour,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-concert-tickets-parents-34399cca6403c97f0983a5c69c7edec0">resulting in crashes, prolonged waits and frantic purchases.</a>&nbsp;By Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-sale-canceled-music-concert-tour-70c8a21059174c37a06b7a8475239b06">Ticketmaster had canceled the general sale,</a>&nbsp;citing insufficient remaining tickets and inciting a firestorm of outrage from fans. Swift herself said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-taylor-swift-af5d58d2a8c6def368ded1bd2ddd8a6f">the ordeal “really pisses me off.”</a>Ticketmaster apologized but the bad blood had already been sowed. And now fans — and politicians — have started acting on it.U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez directed Swifties to where they could make U.S. Department of Justice complaints. Multiple&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/josh-shapiro-business-taylor-swift-tennessee-e157badef297f7c302615b3a6080ba2a">state attorneys general</a>&nbsp;— including in Pennsylvania and Tennessee, key states in Swift’s origin story — have announced investigations.Stephanie Aly, a New York-based professional who has worked on community organizing for progressive politics, for years has thought mobilizing fandoms for social progress could be beneficial.“Fandoms are natural organizers,” said the 33-year-old Swiftie. “If you find the right issues and you activate them and engage them then you can effect real change.”In 2020, for instance, K-pop fans organized to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-music-ap-top-news-south-korea-entertainment-09aaf5560b48385f5adf8ae7a6af3740">back the Black Lives Matter movement</a>&nbsp;and sought to&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/[https://apnews.com/article/pop-music-music-donald-trump-us-news-united-states-2f18f18a8b40a4635fd3590fd159241c">inflate registration</a>&nbsp;for a Donald Trump rally. Aly and Swifties from different industries — law, public relations, cybersecurity and more — have joined forces to create Vigilante Legal, a group targeting Ticketmaster by creating email templates to petition attorneys general and providing antitrust information. Thousands have expressed interest in helping or learning more.“The level of anger that you’ve just seen in the country around this issue is astounding,” said Jean Sinzdak, associate director for the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. “People are really sharing their feelings about that and building a movement about that online, which I really think is quite fascinating. It’s certainly an opportunity to engage people politically. Whether it lasts is hard to say, but it certainly feels like a real opportunity.”In one way, said Sinzdak, this is giving Swift’s large following of younger people a direct line to seeing how policy takes shape. It’s also targeting a demographic that is seldom courted by politicians during election season.“Nobody goes out and thinks, ‘Let’s target young women,’” said Gwen Nisbett, a University of North Texas professor who researches the intersection of political engagement and pop culture. “Be it about abortion or student loans, that age group is super mobilized and young women are super mobilized.”Fan culture and community has boosted that tendency toward mobilization. Nisbett was studying parasocial relationships — when fans have strong one-way relationships with celebrities — in 2018, when the previously apolitical Swift posted an endorsement of Democratic candidates to social media. Nisbett found that while such posts may not determine fans' votes, they still led to the increased likelihood fans would look for more information about voting — and actually vote.For the record:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-votecast-quirky-polls-e9c117cb5be549f91ca7d98d249c5f9d">AP VoteCast,</a>&nbsp;an extensive survey of the U.S. electorate, showed about a third of Tennessee voters in 2018 said they had a favorable opinion of Swift, and among them, a large majority — about 7 in 10 — backed Democrat Phil Bredesen in the Senate contest. That was in clear contrast to the roughly third of voters who had an unfavorable opinion of Swift and overwhelmingly backed Republican Marsha Blackburn.For Swifties, the ire for Ticketmaster is not just about a ticket: “It’s the fact that you can’t participate in your community and your fandom and it’s part of your identity,” Nisbett said.This isn’t even the first time a fandom or an artist has targeted Ticketmaster.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/063fca1ccd36ad2fe398537b71426d21">Pearl Jam took aim at the company</a>&nbsp;in 1994, although the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c3efaa2c4026495236f2035e93fe8a3f">Justice Department ultimately declined</a>&nbsp;to bring a case. More recently, Bruce Springsteen fans were enraged over high ticket costs because of the platform’s dynamic pricing system.“It’s not just about getting vengeance for Swifties. It’s not about getting an extra million Taylor Swift fans tickets, or all of us going to a secret session,” said Jordan Burger, 28, who is using his law background to help the cause. “It’s about fundamental equality. And when you have a monopolist like that, it’s just so representative of the class structure of a society where there isn’t equality anymore, there isn’t fairness.”The sheer power and size of Swift’s fandom has spurred conversations about economic inequality, merely symbolized by Ticketmaster.Aly noted that quite a few of the members of the group did get tickets; the issue is is bigger than Ticketmaster, she said.“We’ve gotten some feedback that, ‘This is too big, let the government handle it.’ Have you seen the U.S. government? The government only functions when the people push it to and when the people demand that it function and the people are involved,” she said. “Even when something seems too big to fail or too powerful to fail, there are always enough of us to make a difference. Your involvement may be the thing that pushes it over the edge that forces the government to act.”Aly says many grown-up Swifties have 10-15 years’ experience of being bullied for liking the singer — but what fans have in mind might be better than revenge.“We have thick skin and nothing to lose, really,” Aly said.___Associated Press journalist Hannah Fingerhut contributed to this report from Washington. Brooke Schultz is a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-based corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reportforamerica.org/">Report for America</a>&nbsp;is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Taylor Swift ticket trouble could drive political engagement

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/prosperity-index-nebraska-ranked-no-11-among-states/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Nebraska ranked 11th among 
the states for overall prosperity in a newly released report, scoring 
low in certain areas such as its natural environment but making up 
ground in others including health and employment.

Behind the findings are partnering organizations, the Legatum Institute and the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream.

The two <a target="_blank" href="https://www.americandreamprosperity.com/rankings/us/overall-prosperity/map">compared states</a> by about 50 categories, tapping dozens of data sources.

Results are reflected in their 
American Dream Prosperity Index, which is intended as a tool to help 
lawmakers and civil leaders shape policies and better understand 
barriers to greater prosperity.

For overall prosperity, Nebraska ranked behind Colorado, which was No. 10, and before Iowa, which was No. 12.

In the top spot was Massachusetts, followed by Connecticut and Minnesota.

Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana ranked at the bottom.

According to <a target="_blank" href="https://cdn.sanity.io/files/b2e0ek5d/production/93d31ed625d31e3fc2f15c504cb84fa2d239fc8e.pdf">the report,</a>
 Nebraska’s rise to the top tier was due to relatively high showings in 
health (including physical, mental and care systems), economic quality 
of life (including&nbsp; employment rate and fiscal health) and social 
capital (reflecting such areas as civic participation, family 
relationships and institutional trust).

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.americandreamprosperity.com/downloads?query=Nebraska+state">Nebraska</a>
 did not do as well in areas such as the natural environment (measured 
by factors such as preservation efforts, forests and land), 
infrastructure environment and business environment.

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/prosperity-index-nebraska-ranked-no-11-among-states/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Nebraska ranked 11th among 
the states for overall prosperity in a newly released report, scoring 
low in certain areas such as its natural environment but making up 
ground in others including health and employment.Behind the findings are partnering organizations, the Legatum Institute and the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream.The two <a target="_blank" href="https://www.americandreamprosperity.com/rankings/us/overall-prosperity/map">compared states</a> by about 50 categories, tapping dozens of data sources.<h2>Prosperity Index</h2>Results are reflected in their 
American Dream Prosperity Index, which is intended as a tool to help 
lawmakers and civil leaders shape policies and better understand 
barriers to greater prosperity.For overall prosperity, Nebraska ranked behind Colorado, which was No. 10, and before Iowa, which was No. 12.In the top spot was Massachusetts, followed by Connecticut and Minnesota.Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana ranked at the bottom.According to <a target="_blank" href="https://cdn.sanity.io/files/b2e0ek5d/production/93d31ed625d31e3fc2f15c504cb84fa2d239fc8e.pdf">the report,</a>
 Nebraska’s rise to the top tier was due to relatively high showings in 
health (including physical, mental and care systems), economic quality 
of life (including&nbsp; employment rate and fiscal health) and social 
capital (reflecting such areas as civic participation, family 
relationships and institutional trust).<a target="_blank" href="https://www.americandreamprosperity.com/downloads?query=Nebraska+state">Nebraska</a>
 did not do as well in areas such as the natural environment (measured 
by factors such as preservation efforts, forests and land), 
infrastructure environment and business environment.But overall the state fared better 
than last year, when Nebraska was ranked 15th by the prosperity index. 
Five yeas ago, Nebraska ranked&nbsp; 12th overall.<h2>‘Deteriorating mental health’</h2>“While our nation faces many 
challenges including record inflation, increased gun violence and a 
deteriorating mental health landscape, we are encouraged by the 
resiliency of communities across our country as they work to create 
prosperous lives for their residents,” said Milken Center President 
Kerry Healey.For most states, the report said that
 2022 has been a year of progress rebounding from COVID-19. But authors 
noted ill effects of rising gun violence, deteriorating mental health 
and suicides and opioid-related deaths.Key findings also point to waning social cohesion across the country as another roadblock to U.S. prosperity.“This is seen in the decreasing 
number of Americans who have helped a stranger, donated money to 
charity, volunteered or frequently talked to a neighbor,” said a 
statement by the Milken Center.&nbsp;Nebraska was among the states for which data and rankings are available on the county level as well.<h2>Highlights</h2>Among highlights reported:<ul>
 <li>This
 year, 26 states have recovered to pre-pandemic levels of overall 
prosperity, with Oklahoma, New Jersey and New Mexico seeing the biggest 
improvement. Reasons vary from state to state, but economic factors such
 as rising entrepreneurialism were a key.</li><li>Physical
 health improved over the past decade, with rates of smoking down by 
nearly a third, excessive alcohol use down by 17% and pain reliever 
misuse was reported to have declined by 21%.</li>
 </ul>The Legatum Institute is a London-based think tank with a vision to create a global movement toward prosperity.The Milken Center is a nonpartisan 
organization devoted in part to research identifying barriers to social 
and economic mobility.In a separate report described as the
 first ever “happiness report” by Gross National Happiness USA, Nebraska
 ranked No. 7 for overall happiness.The Vermont-based organization is a 
nonpartisan nonprofit founded in 2009, with a mission to increase 
personal happiness and well being by changing how progress is measured. 
Its findings were based on a survey of 5,000 Americans.The Huskers, as a state, finished No. 9 in life satisfaction and No. 44 for anxiety.