Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Carney Turner, 42, of Omaha, Nebraska,&nbsp;and Julisha Biggs, 20, of Omaha, Nebraska, were sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for a conspiracy to sex traffic minors. Chief Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Turner to life imprisonment on one count of conspiracy to sex traffic minors, three counts of sex trafficking of a minor, and two counts of enticement of a minor.

Chief Judge Rossiter sentenced Biggs to 87 months’ imprisonment for her role in the sex trafficking conspiracy. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After her release from prison, Biggs will serve 5 years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.

Co-Defendant Sidney Marker is scheduled to be sentenced for her role in the conspiracy on November 14, 2022, at 10:00 AM.

Law enforcement began investigating in September 2020 after discovering electronic messages between a minor female and Turner during a separate sex trafficking investigation. The minor female was interviewed and reported that she had been sex trafficked by Turner for approximately three months and that Turner had kept money from the sex sales. In October 2020, a second minor female reported that she had been sexually assaulted by a man in a hotel room after Turner brought her to the hotel and paid her to meet with the man. In November 2020, a third minor female was reported missing from her foster home and law enforcement observed that she was being posted in online sex advertisements by a phone number associated with Turner.

Evidence uncovered by law enforcement showed that Turner, Marker, and Biggs resided together in an apartment in Ralston, Nebraska. Turner recruited, advertised, and arranged commercial sex sales for minors between approximately January 2020 and February 2021. The sex sales took place at hotels in and around Omaha, as well as at the apartment, which had been leased by Marker. At least one of the minors also stayed at the apartment for a period of time. Marker provided vehicles to transport the minors to hotels for commercial sex acts and assisted with renting hotel rooms. The minor who had been reported missing in November 2020 had been recruited by Biggs to come work for Turner.&nbsp;

“Criminals, like these sentenced today, are more concerned with their own greed than the horrific circumstances they seek to expose minors to,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Kansas City Katherine Greer. “This sentencing should send a strong message that HSI and our law enforcement partners are committed to seeking, dismantling and bringing&nbsp;to justice those who seek to perpetrate sex trafficking and child exploitation crimes against minors.”

A spokesperson for the Omaha Police Department stated that they are pleased to see such strong sentences against sex trafficking. “It is important to send the message that sex trafficking will not be tolerated and the criminals who participate in it will be severely punished. The Omaha Police Department will continue to work with their federal partners to rescue the survivors of trafficking and will tirelessly pursue their traffickers.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Russell added, “I appreciate the commitment and effort of Homeland Security Investigations, the Omaha Police Department and my staff in working together on these difficult and important cases while bringing justice to those who prey and traffic upon vulnerable children.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/" target="_blank">www.projectsafechildhood.gov</a>.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Omaha Police Department, and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667962619273.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By UNITED STATES ATTORNEYActing United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Carney Turner, 42, of Omaha, Nebraska,&nbsp;and Julisha Biggs, 20, of Omaha, Nebraska, were sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for a conspiracy to sex traffic minors. Chief Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Turner to life imprisonment on one count of conspiracy to sex traffic minors, three counts of sex trafficking of a minor, and two counts of enticement of a minor.Chief Judge Rossiter sentenced Biggs to 87 months’ imprisonment for her role in the sex trafficking conspiracy. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After her release from prison, Biggs will serve 5 years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.Co-Defendant Sidney Marker is scheduled to be sentenced for her role in the conspiracy on November 14, 2022, at 10:00 AM.Law enforcement began investigating in September 2020 after discovering electronic messages between a minor female and Turner during a separate sex trafficking investigation. The minor female was interviewed and reported that she had been sex trafficked by Turner for approximately three months and that Turner had kept money from the sex sales. In October 2020, a second minor female reported that she had been sexually assaulted by a man in a hotel room after Turner brought her to the hotel and paid her to meet with the man. In November 2020, a third minor female was reported missing from her foster home and law enforcement observed that she was being posted in online sex advertisements by a phone number associated with Turner.Evidence uncovered by law enforcement showed that Turner, Marker, and Biggs resided together in an apartment in Ralston, Nebraska. Turner recruited, advertised, and arranged commercial sex sales for minors between approximately January 2020 and February 2021. The sex sales took place at hotels in and around Omaha, as well as at the apartment, which had been leased by Marker. At least one of the minors also stayed at the apartment for a period of time. Marker provided vehicles to transport the minors to hotels for commercial sex acts and assisted with renting hotel rooms. The minor who had been reported missing in November 2020 had been recruited by Biggs to come work for Turner.&nbsp;“Criminals, like these sentenced today, are more concerned with their own greed than the horrific circumstances they seek to expose minors to,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Kansas City Katherine Greer. “This sentencing should send a strong message that HSI and our law enforcement partners are committed to seeking, dismantling and bringing&nbsp;to justice those who seek to perpetrate sex trafficking and child exploitation crimes against minors.”A spokesperson for the Omaha Police Department stated that they are pleased to see such strong sentences against sex trafficking. “It is important to send the message that sex trafficking will not be tolerated and the criminals who participate in it will be severely punished. The Omaha Police Department will continue to work with their federal partners to rescue the survivors of trafficking and will tirelessly pursue their traffickers.”Acting U.S. Attorney Russell added, “I appreciate the commitment and effort of Homeland Security Investigations, the Omaha Police Department and my staff in working together on these difficult and important cases while bringing justice to those who prey and traffic upon vulnerable children.”This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/" target="_blank">www.projectsafechildhood.gov</a>.This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Omaha Police Department, and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.

Omaha man sentenced to life for sex trafficking minors

NEW YORK (AP) — Guitarist Jeff Cook, who co-founded the country group Alabama and steered them up the charts with such hits as “Song of the South” and “Dixieland Delight,” has died. He was 73.

Cook had Parkinson's disease and disclosed his diagnosis in 2017. He died Tuesday at his home in Destin, Florida, said Don Murry Grubbs, a representative for the band.

Tributes poured in from country stars, including Travis Tritt who called Cook “a great guy and one heckuva bass fisherman,” and Jason Aldean, who tweeted: “ I got a chance to perform with him multiple times over the years and I will never forget it.” Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, added: "Everything he did was rooted in his deep love of music, a love he shared with millions.”

As a guitarist, fiddle player and vocalist, Cook — alongside cousins Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry — landed eight No. 1 songs on the country charts between spring 1980 and summer 1982, according to the Country Music Hall of Fame. That run included the pop crossover hits “Love In The First Degree” and “Feels So Right,” as well as “Tennessee River” and “Mountain Music.”

“Jeff Cook, and all of the guys in Alabama, were so generous with wisdom and fun when I got to tour with them as a young artist,” Kenny Chesney said in a statement. “They showed a kid in a T-shirt that country music could be rock, could be real, could be someone who looked like me. Growing up in East Tennessee, that gave me the heart to chase this dream.”

The band had a three-year run as CMA Entertainer of the Year from 1982-1985 and earned five ACM Award Entertainer of the Year trophies from 1981-1985. He stopped touring with Alabama in 2018.

Cook released a handful of solo projects and toured with his Allstar Goodtime Band. He also released collaborations with Charlie Daniels and “Star Trek” star William Shatner. He entered the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005 as a member of Alabama.

A song he co-wrote in 2015, “No Bad Days,” took on new meaning after his diagnosis. “After I got the Parkinson’s diagnosis, people would quote the song to me and say, ‘No bad days,’” Cook told The Tennessean in 2019. “They write me letters, notes and emails and they sign ‘No Bad Days.’ I know the support is there."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667955795772.png" alt="Cook had Parkinson's disease and disclosed his diagnosis in 2017" />
 <figcaption>Cook had Parkinson's disease and disclosed his diagnosis in 2017</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Guitarist Jeff Cook, who co-founded the country group Alabama and steered them up the charts with such hits as “Song of the South” and “Dixieland Delight,” has died. He was 73.Cook had Parkinson's disease and disclosed his diagnosis in 2017. He died Tuesday at his home in Destin, Florida, said Don Murry Grubbs, a representative for the band.Tributes poured in from country stars, including Travis Tritt who called Cook “a great guy and one heckuva bass fisherman,” and Jason Aldean, who tweeted: “ I got a chance to perform with him multiple times over the years and I will never forget it.” Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, added: "Everything he did was rooted in his deep love of music, a love he shared with millions.”As a guitarist, fiddle player and vocalist, Cook — alongside cousins Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry — landed eight No. 1 songs on the country charts between spring 1980 and summer 1982, according to the Country Music Hall of Fame. That run included the pop crossover hits “Love In The First Degree” and “Feels So Right,” as well as “Tennessee River” and “Mountain Music.”“Jeff Cook, and all of the guys in Alabama, were so generous with wisdom and fun when I got to tour with them as a young artist,” Kenny Chesney said in a statement. “They showed a kid in a T-shirt that country music could be rock, could be real, could be someone who looked like me. Growing up in East Tennessee, that gave me the heart to chase this dream.”The band had a three-year run as CMA Entertainer of the Year from 1982-1985 and earned five ACM Award Entertainer of the Year trophies from 1981-1985. He stopped touring with Alabama in 2018.Cook released a handful of solo projects and toured with his Allstar Goodtime Band. He also released collaborations with Charlie Daniels and “Star Trek” star William Shatner. He entered the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005 as a member of Alabama.A song he co-wrote in 2015, “No Bad Days,” took on new meaning after his diagnosis. “After I got the Parkinson’s diagnosis, people would quote the song to me and say, ‘No bad days,’” Cook told The Tennessean in 2019. “They write me letters, notes and emails and they sign ‘No Bad Days.’ I know the support is there."Survivors include his wife, Lisa.

Jeff Cook, co-founder of country band Alabama, dies at 73

WASHINGTON (AP) —Why won’t Americans know the winners of Tuesday's election for days?

(Click below to listen to White Press Secretary on the election results)

With polls open across the country, no big problems were reported early on, though there were hiccups in some places, which is typical on any Election Day.

For example, vote tabulators malfunctioned in a county in New Jersey and one in Arizona -- potentially requiring hand-counting instead; some voting sites in Pennsylvania were delayed in opening because workers showed up late, and others scrambled to replenish supplies of paper ballots that were running low.

In 2020, President Donald Trump proclaimed that the lack of final results on election night could be an indicator of something nefarious and used it to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">assert without evidence</a>&nbsp;that the election was stolen: “We don’t want them to find any more ballots at 4 o’clock in the morning and add them to the list,” he said.

In reality, however, results released on election night are unofficial and always incomplete. They&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-election-results-change-18343a391f9ccd143f4c0189d6bcd31e?utm_source=hubpage&amp;utm_medium=RelatedStories&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">inevitably change</a>&nbsp;as more ballots are counted.

Unlike in many countries, elections in the U.S. are highly decentralized, complex and feature long lists of races, from president and Congress all the way down to local measures and town council seats. Some states give local election offices several weeks before Election Day to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-voter-registration-government-and-politics-609866267baef89dd1513e7c9e2f7509">process mailed ballots</a>, including checking signatures and verifying ID information. In other states, that process can't start until Election Day or shortly before, meaning those ballots might not get counted until the next day or even later.

Here’s why results are not always known the night of an election.

SHOULD WE KNOW THE WINNERS BEFORE GOING TO BED?

Republicans in particular have pointed to perceived delays in knowing results as a reason to be suspicious about the integrity of elections.

“We’ve got to get our elections reformed so that every Arizonan, whether they be Democrat, Independent, or Republican, when they go to bed on Election Night they know the winner and they’re satisfied that it was a fair election. We don’t have that right now,” Kari Lake, the Trump-endorsed Republican candidate for governor in Arizona, said in August on Twitter.

Not knowing the winner on election night says nothing about the fairness of an election or the accuracy of results. Under Arizona law, all ballots including those that were mailed must be returned by 7 p.m. on Election Day, but officials have 20 days to finalize their counts.

In Nevada, counties have four days to count late-arriving mailed ballots and give voters two more days to fix mailed ballots that arrive in envelopes with errors or missing information. This week, the elections official in the county that includes Reno reminded voters of that extended timeline and said final, official results are unlikely until the actual canvass of the vote on Nov. 18.

“It will definitely be more than the day after the election for final results of the election," said Jamie Rodriguez, Washoe County's interim registrar of voters.

A close Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania last May triggered comparisons to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-french-election-voting-results-f5b549e3b99930ee05bed17a9d3870b6">French presidential election</a>, which had been held a few weeks earlier.

Trump, in a social media post two days after the Pennsylvania primary, questioned why it was taking so long to find out the winner: “France, same day all paper, had VERIFIED numbers in evening,” Trump wrote. “U.S. is a laughing stock on Elections.”

But in France there was only one contest on the ballot. Presidential and parliamentary elections are held on separate dates. In Pennsylvania, the U.S. Senate GOP primary was just one of several contests being decided, including races for governor, attorney general, Congress and state legislature.

U.S. elections also are not nationalized, but rather overseen by states and run by local officials at the county or even township level. The U.S. has some 10,000 jurisdictions charged with overseeing the voting process.

For presidential elections in France, the Ministry of Interior distributes election-related materials, including ballots, while local officials coordinate staffing of polling places. France also has a Constitutional Council that decides election-related complaints and announces results.

Noah Praetz, the former elections clerk in Cook County, Illinois, said it’s possible to have quick results, but the U.S. has “decided to make voting accessible to everybody and let us vote on everything.” He noted that ballots in the U.S. typically include dozens of offices in contrast to some countries where voters might simply back a party whose leadership then fills many of those positions.

In France, voters choose from lists of local candidates usually associated with a party. The candidate list gaining the most support will receive the most seats in the city and regional councils.

“It’s a fundamentally different view of democracy,” Praetz said.

In addition, voters in France can vote by proxy — designating someone else to vote for them if they are unable to cast a ballot in person on Election Day, which is not allowed in the U.S.

DO MAIL BALLOTS AFFECT THE REPORTING OF RESULTS?

They can. Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, states were expanding the use of mail ballots and early in-person voting to reduce lines on Election Day and provide more flexibility to voters.

Mail ballots are subject to various security checks, varying by state. Some require voter signatures or ID information to match their registration files, while others require witnesses or notaries to affirm a voter’s identity.

In most states, including Florida and Georgia, the process of validating mail ballots begins well ahead of Election Day -- providing a huge advantage in reporting results quickly. That's not the case in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-pennsylvania-voting-donald-trump-wisconsin-3a6e3b0f16933d94bad59297d9912dee">a few political battleground states</a>. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin officials are not allowed to begin that work until Election Day, while Michigan officials can start just two days before. This means most results being reported from these states on election night will be from in-person voting on Election Day or during the early voting period.

“Counting votes and reporting the results take time,” said Leigh Chapman, acting secretary of state in Pennsylvania. “Election officials are focused on accuracy over speed.”

While most states require mail ballots to be received on or before Election Day, 19 states provide a grace period as long as ballots were sent through the mail by Election Day. Such ballots in California can be received up to seven days later.

Voters may not know the outcome of a close race for several days if a significant number of those ballots arrive at local election offices after Election Day.

This also can change results over time. If Democratic voters dominate mail voting while Republican voters largely cast ballots in person, this can mean that early results heavily favor a Republican candidate who then sees that lead slip away as the late-arriving mail ballots are counted.

WOULD HAND COUNTING HELP SPEED UP THE PROCESS?

No. Hand counting of all ballots happens primarily in small towns in the Northeast. For places with a lot of ballots, experts consider it to be more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-nevada-voting-las-vegas-617fc7a37e9cd8d1a512e4fb7be77574">time-consuming</a>&nbsp;and susceptible to human error. Hand tallies are used in post-election reviews to ensure accuracy of tabulator machines, but that usually involves only a sample of ballots and is done without the time pressure of trying to report results quickly.

Republican activists and candidates have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-new-hampshire-nevada-donald-trump-elections-3f6785364fd52655cbd034f0708c6f0f">pushing for hand counts</a>, based largely on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-presidential-biden-cabinet-b4a3422d188fdd921d8e6f38f53ea0d0">conspiracy theories</a>&nbsp;that voting systems were manipulated to steal the 2020 election. There is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-claims-biden-won-explained-bd53b14ce871412b462cb3fe2c563f18">no evidence</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">widespread fraud</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-capitol-siege-donald-trump-campaigns-presidential-070ced9a013c58cf001d6d4137e4abc0">tampering of machines</a>.

Also, hand counts would by themselves prolong the reporting of results, perhaps by several days.

Cobb County, Georgia, performed a hand tally ordered by the state after the 2020 election. It took hundreds of people five days to count just the votes for president on roughly 397,000 ballots. A county election official estimated it would have taken 100 days to count every race on each ballot using the same procedures.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667863478582.png" alt="White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reminded during her Monday press briefing "We may not know all the winners of elections for a few days."" />
 <figcaption>White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reminded during her Monday press briefing "We may not know all the winners of elections for a few days."</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Why won’t Americans know the winners of Tuesday's election for days?(Click below to listen to White Press Secretary on the election results)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/70L_3uqIgRw?start=478" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>With polls open across the country, no big problems were reported early on, though there were hiccups in some places, which is typical on any Election Day.For example, vote tabulators malfunctioned in a county in New Jersey and one in Arizona -- potentially requiring hand-counting instead; some voting sites in Pennsylvania were delayed in opening because workers showed up late, and others scrambled to replenish supplies of paper ballots that were running low.In 2020, President Donald Trump proclaimed that the lack of final results on election night could be an indicator of something nefarious and used it to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">assert without evidence</a>&nbsp;that the election was stolen: “We don’t want them to find any more ballots at 4 o’clock in the morning and add them to the list,” he said.In reality, however, results released on election night are unofficial and always incomplete. They&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-election-results-change-18343a391f9ccd143f4c0189d6bcd31e?utm_source=hubpage&amp;utm_medium=RelatedStories&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">inevitably change</a>&nbsp;as more ballots are counted.Unlike in many countries, elections in the U.S. are highly decentralized, complex and feature long lists of races, from president and Congress all the way down to local measures and town council seats. Some states give local election offices several weeks before Election Day to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-voter-registration-government-and-politics-609866267baef89dd1513e7c9e2f7509">process mailed ballots</a>, including checking signatures and verifying ID information. In other states, that process can't start until Election Day or shortly before, meaning those ballots might not get counted until the next day or even later.Here’s why results are not always known the night of an election.SHOULD WE KNOW THE WINNERS BEFORE GOING TO BED?Republicans in particular have pointed to perceived delays in knowing results as a reason to be suspicious about the integrity of elections.“We’ve got to get our elections reformed so that every Arizonan, whether they be Democrat, Independent, or Republican, when they go to bed on Election Night they know the winner and they’re satisfied that it was a fair election. We don’t have that right now,” Kari Lake, the Trump-endorsed Republican candidate for governor in Arizona, said in August on Twitter.Not knowing the winner on election night says nothing about the fairness of an election or the accuracy of results. Under Arizona law, all ballots including those that were mailed must be returned by 7 p.m. on Election Day, but officials have 20 days to finalize their counts.In Nevada, counties have four days to count late-arriving mailed ballots and give voters two more days to fix mailed ballots that arrive in envelopes with errors or missing information. This week, the elections official in the county that includes Reno reminded voters of that extended timeline and said final, official results are unlikely until the actual canvass of the vote on Nov. 18.“It will definitely be more than the day after the election for final results of the election," said Jamie Rodriguez, Washoe County's interim registrar of voters.WHY CAN'T WE BE LIKE FRANCE?A close Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania last May triggered comparisons to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-french-election-voting-results-f5b549e3b99930ee05bed17a9d3870b6">French presidential election</a>, which had been held a few weeks earlier.Trump, in a social media post two days after the Pennsylvania primary, questioned why it was taking so long to find out the winner: “France, same day all paper, had VERIFIED numbers in evening,” Trump wrote. “U.S. is a laughing stock on Elections.”But in France there was only one contest on the ballot. Presidential and parliamentary elections are held on separate dates. In Pennsylvania, the U.S. Senate GOP primary was just one of several contests being decided, including races for governor, attorney general, Congress and state legislature.U.S. elections also are not nationalized, but rather overseen by states and run by local officials at the county or even township level. The U.S. has some 10,000 jurisdictions charged with overseeing the voting process.For presidential elections in France, the Ministry of Interior distributes election-related materials, including ballots, while local officials coordinate staffing of polling places. France also has a Constitutional Council that decides election-related complaints and announces results.Noah Praetz, the former elections clerk in Cook County, Illinois, said it’s possible to have quick results, but the U.S. has “decided to make voting accessible to everybody and let us vote on everything.” He noted that ballots in the U.S. typically include dozens of offices in contrast to some countries where voters might simply back a party whose leadership then fills many of those positions.In France, voters choose from lists of local candidates usually associated with a party. The candidate list gaining the most support will receive the most seats in the city and regional councils.“It’s a fundamentally different view of democracy,” Praetz said.In addition, voters in France can vote by proxy — designating someone else to vote for them if they are unable to cast a ballot in person on Election Day, which is not allowed in the U.S.DO MAIL BALLOTS AFFECT THE REPORTING OF RESULTS?They can. Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, states were expanding the use of mail ballots and early in-person voting to reduce lines on Election Day and provide more flexibility to voters.Mail ballots are subject to various security checks, varying by state. Some require voter signatures or ID information to match their registration files, while others require witnesses or notaries to affirm a voter’s identity.In most states, including Florida and Georgia, the process of validating mail ballots begins well ahead of Election Day -- providing a huge advantage in reporting results quickly. That's not the case in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-pennsylvania-voting-donald-trump-wisconsin-3a6e3b0f16933d94bad59297d9912dee">a few political battleground states</a>. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin officials are not allowed to begin that work until Election Day, while Michigan officials can start just two days before. This means most results being reported from these states on election night will be from in-person voting on Election Day or during the early voting period.“Counting votes and reporting the results take time,” said Leigh Chapman, acting secretary of state in Pennsylvania. “Election officials are focused on accuracy over speed.”WHAT OTHER FACTORS CAN SLOW RESULTS?While most states require mail ballots to be received on or before Election Day, 19 states provide a grace period as long as ballots were sent through the mail by Election Day. Such ballots in California can be received up to seven days later.Voters may not know the outcome of a close race for several days if a significant number of those ballots arrive at local election offices after Election Day.This also can change results over time. If Democratic voters dominate mail voting while Republican voters largely cast ballots in person, this can mean that early results heavily favor a Republican candidate who then sees that lead slip away as the late-arriving mail ballots are counted.WOULD HAND COUNTING HELP SPEED UP THE PROCESS?No. Hand counting of all ballots happens primarily in small towns in the Northeast. For places with a lot of ballots, experts consider it to be more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-nevada-voting-las-vegas-617fc7a37e9cd8d1a512e4fb7be77574">time-consuming</a>&nbsp;and susceptible to human error. Hand tallies are used in post-election reviews to ensure accuracy of tabulator machines, but that usually involves only a sample of ballots and is done without the time pressure of trying to report results quickly.Republican activists and candidates have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-new-hampshire-nevada-donald-trump-elections-3f6785364fd52655cbd034f0708c6f0f">pushing for hand counts</a>, based largely on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-presidential-biden-cabinet-b4a3422d188fdd921d8e6f38f53ea0d0">conspiracy theories</a>&nbsp;that voting systems were manipulated to steal the 2020 election. There is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-claims-biden-won-explained-bd53b14ce871412b462cb3fe2c563f18">no evidence</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">widespread fraud</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-capitol-siege-donald-trump-campaigns-presidential-070ced9a013c58cf001d6d4137e4abc0">tampering of machines</a>.Also, hand counts would by themselves prolong the reporting of results, perhaps by several days.Cobb County, Georgia, performed a hand tally ordered by the state after the 2020 election. It took hundreds of people five days to count just the votes for president on roughly 397,000 ballots. A county election official estimated it would have taken 100 days to count every race on each ballot using the same procedures.___

🎥 2022 Election results may not be known for a few days

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in 
Southern California has won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot 
after more than three months without anyone hitting the top prize.

The
 winning numbers drawn Tuesday morning at the Florida Lottery draw 
studio in Tallahassee were: white balls 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, and the 
red Powerball was 10.

The jackpot ticket was sold at Joe’s Service
 Center in Altadena, an unincorporated community in the foothills 
northeast of Los Angeles. A voicemail left for Joe’s Service Center was 
not immediately returned.

The jackpot was by far the largest 
lottery prize ever won, topping the previous record $1.586 billion prize
 won by three Powerball ticketholders in 2016. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-d074aec16d0f17eba2cc51c814faa99e">Only four previous jackpots</a>
 have topped $1 billion, but none of those are close to the current 
prize, which started at $20 million back on Aug. 6 and over three 
winless months has grown massive. No one has won the jackpot since Aug. 
3.

The jackpot was initially reported as <a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-drawing-today-what-to-know-75a57b3d83a5c5d1e0264c55261671cf">an estimated $1.9 billion</a> on Monday, but the prize was increased to $2.04 billion Tuesday morning after updated calculations.

The
 Multi-State Lottery Association said Monday night’s scheduled drawing 
was delayed by nearly 10 hours until Tuesday because a participating 
lottery had issues processing sales.

The problems in holding a 
drawing Monday night were blamed on one participating lottery's 
inability to process its sales data. After the lottery, which wasn't 
identified, completed its pre-draw procedures, the drawing was able to 
go ahead.

“Protecting the integrity of the draw is of upmost 
importance, and we were able to do that during this historic drawing 
with the cooperation of all participating lotteries,” said Drew Svitko, 
the chairman of the Powerball Product Group and executive director of 
the Pennsylvania Lottery.

Terry Rich, a former director of the 
Iowa Lottery who also served on the Powerball board, said the delay was 
likely due to a two-part verification system of ticket sales that makes 
use of an outside vendor to ensure all is in order before the game's 
numbers are drawn.

“Each state must verify through a dual process 
that all of the sales and dollars match before the Multi-State Lottery 
Association can do the draw," said Rich, who headed the Iowa Lottery for
 10 years and was president of the North American Lottery Association. 
“This is a state-by-state procedure, which separates the whole process 
and has been very effective."

Rich said state lotteries deal with 
similar problems several times a year but the delays usually don't 
attract much attention because the potential jackpots are far less than 
was up for grabs this week.

The winning numbers and recorded video of the drawing were posted to the Powerball's YouTube channel.

The $2.04 billion prize is for a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">winner who chooses an annuity</a>, paid annually over 29 years. Nearly all winners instead opt for cash, which was valued at $997.6 million.

The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

The game is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667933043117.jpeg" alt="AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes" />
 <figcaption>AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in 
Southern California has won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot 
after more than three months without anyone hitting the top prize.The
 winning numbers drawn Tuesday morning at the Florida Lottery draw 
studio in Tallahassee were: white balls 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, and the 
red Powerball was 10.The jackpot ticket was sold at Joe’s Service
 Center in Altadena, an unincorporated community in the foothills 
northeast of Los Angeles. A voicemail left for Joe’s Service Center was 
not immediately returned.The jackpot was by far the largest 
lottery prize ever won, topping the previous record $1.586 billion prize
 won by three Powerball ticketholders in 2016. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-d074aec16d0f17eba2cc51c814faa99e">Only four previous jackpots</a>
 have topped $1 billion, but none of those are close to the current 
prize, which started at $20 million back on Aug. 6 and over three 
winless months has grown massive. No one has won the jackpot since Aug. 
3.The jackpot was initially reported as <a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-drawing-today-what-to-know-75a57b3d83a5c5d1e0264c55261671cf">an estimated $1.9 billion</a> on Monday, but the prize was increased to $2.04 billion Tuesday morning after updated calculations.The
 Multi-State Lottery Association said Monday night’s scheduled drawing 
was delayed by nearly 10 hours until Tuesday because a participating 
lottery had issues processing sales.The problems in holding a 
drawing Monday night were blamed on one participating lottery's 
inability to process its sales data. After the lottery, which wasn't 
identified, completed its pre-draw procedures, the drawing was able to 
go ahead.“Protecting the integrity of the draw is of upmost 
importance, and we were able to do that during this historic drawing 
with the cooperation of all participating lotteries,” said Drew Svitko, 
the chairman of the Powerball Product Group and executive director of 
the Pennsylvania Lottery.Terry Rich, a former director of the 
Iowa Lottery who also served on the Powerball board, said the delay was 
likely due to a two-part verification system of ticket sales that makes 
use of an outside vendor to ensure all is in order before the game's 
numbers are drawn.“Each state must verify through a dual process 
that all of the sales and dollars match before the Multi-State Lottery 
Association can do the draw," said Rich, who headed the Iowa Lottery for
 10 years and was president of the North American Lottery Association. 
“This is a state-by-state procedure, which separates the whole process 
and has been very effective."Rich said state lotteries deal with 
similar problems several times a year but the delays usually don't 
attract much attention because the potential jackpots are far less than 
was up for grabs this week.The winning numbers and recorded video of the drawing were posted to the Powerball's YouTube channel.The $2.04 billion prize is for a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">winner who chooses an annuity</a>, paid annually over 29 years. Nearly all winners instead opt for cash, which was valued at $997.6 million.The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.The game is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Powerball ticket sold in California snags record $2.04B win

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Monday he will be making a “big announcement” next week as he teased a third presidential run while campaigning on the eve of the final day of voting in this year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=featured">midterm elections</a>.

“I'm going to be making a very big announcement on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at Mar-a-Lago," Trump said before a cheering crowd in Vandalia, Ohio, Monday night, where he was holding his final rally of the midterm season to bolster Senate candidate JD Vance.

Trump explained that he wanted “nothing to detract from the importance of tomorrow," even after he had sparked a frantic effort to hold him off after he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-donald-trump-congress-81685e6030f13360727420eaa1882a02?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">told people he was considering</a>&nbsp;officially launching his next campaign Monday night at the rally.

Trump has been increasingly explicit about his plans to seek another term, saying in recent days that he would “very, very, very probably” run again and would be formalizing his intentions “very, very soon."

“I will probably have to do it again but stay tuned,” he said Sunday night in Miami. “Stay tuned to tomorrow night in the great state of Ohio.”

Republican officials and some people in Trump’s orbit had been urging him for months to wait until after the midterms were over to launch, in part to avoid turning the election into a referendum on him and to shield him from potential blame should Republicans not do as well as the party hopes on Tuesday.

But Trump has been eager to move forward, hoping to piggyback off expected Republican wins after endorsing nearly 300 candidates, as well as to stave off potential challengers like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and others who have indicated they will run. Indeed, the date of Trump's announcement — Nov. 15 — is the same day former Vice President Mike Pence will be releasing a book that is seen as part of his own potential campaign rollout.

Trump's announcement comes as he confronts a series of escalating legal challenges, including several investigations that could lead to indictments. They include the probe into hundreds of documents with classified markings that were seized by the FBI from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, as well as ongoing state and federal inquiries into his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol has also subpoenaed Trump and last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-subpoena-jan-6-committee-2d63a2ba74c1874ef6ef0d8ae6d788c1">issued a letter to his lawyers</a>&nbsp;saying he must testify, either at the Capitol or by videoconference, “beginning on or about” Nov. 14 and continuing for multiple days if necessary.

Trump won Ohio, once considered a bellwether, by 8 points in both 2016 and 2020. The state also proved an early test of his endorsement power when his decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-steve-bannon-josh-mandel-congress-ohio-06e64ac7ba0f8d84b608fb82f4e632eb">to back Vance in the state's hyper-competitive Senate primary</a>&nbsp;vaulted the political newcomer to victory in a crowded Republican field.

Vance, an author, venture capitalist and onetime Trump critic, is part of a new generation of Republican leaders who have embraced Trump’s “American First” positions, including his isolationist foreign policy and focus on immigration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667914103883.png" alt="Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Ohio Monday night. -photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Ohio Monday night. -photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Monday he will be making a “big announcement” next week as he teased a third presidential run while campaigning on the eve of the final day of voting in this year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=featured">midterm elections</a>.“I'm going to be making a very big announcement on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at Mar-a-Lago," Trump said before a cheering crowd in Vandalia, Ohio, Monday night, where he was holding his final rally of the midterm season to bolster Senate candidate JD Vance.Trump explained that he wanted “nothing to detract from the importance of tomorrow," even after he had sparked a frantic effort to hold him off after he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-donald-trump-congress-81685e6030f13360727420eaa1882a02?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">told people he was considering</a>&nbsp;officially launching his next campaign Monday night at the rally.Trump has been increasingly explicit about his plans to seek another term, saying in recent days that he would “very, very, very probably” run again and would be formalizing his intentions “very, very soon."“I will probably have to do it again but stay tuned,” he said Sunday night in Miami. “Stay tuned to tomorrow night in the great state of Ohio.”Republican officials and some people in Trump’s orbit had been urging him for months to wait until after the midterms were over to launch, in part to avoid turning the election into a referendum on him and to shield him from potential blame should Republicans not do as well as the party hopes on Tuesday.But Trump has been eager to move forward, hoping to piggyback off expected Republican wins after endorsing nearly 300 candidates, as well as to stave off potential challengers like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and others who have indicated they will run. Indeed, the date of Trump's announcement — Nov. 15 — is the same day former Vice President Mike Pence will be releasing a book that is seen as part of his own potential campaign rollout.Trump's announcement comes as he confronts a series of escalating legal challenges, including several investigations that could lead to indictments. They include the probe into hundreds of documents with classified markings that were seized by the FBI from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, as well as ongoing state and federal inquiries into his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.The House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol has also subpoenaed Trump and last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-subpoena-jan-6-committee-2d63a2ba74c1874ef6ef0d8ae6d788c1">issued a letter to his lawyers</a>&nbsp;saying he must testify, either at the Capitol or by videoconference, “beginning on or about” Nov. 14 and continuing for multiple days if necessary.Trump won Ohio, once considered a bellwether, by 8 points in both 2016 and 2020. The state also proved an early test of his endorsement power when his decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-steve-bannon-josh-mandel-congress-ohio-06e64ac7ba0f8d84b608fb82f4e632eb">to back Vance in the state's hyper-competitive Senate primary</a>&nbsp;vaulted the political newcomer to victory in a crowded Republican field.Vance, an author, venture capitalist and onetime Trump critic, is part of a new generation of Republican leaders who have embraced Trump’s “American First” positions, including his isolationist foreign policy and focus on immigration.

Trump says he'll make 'big announcement' Nov. 15 

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The numbers for a record-breaking $2.04 billion<a href="https://powerball.com/"> Powerball jackpot</a> have been drawn following a delay and players were awaiting the announcement of a possible winner.

The numbers for the drawing held in Tallahassee, Florida, were: white balls 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, and the red Powerball was 10.

The Multi-State Lottery Association says Monday night’s Powerball drawing was delayed until Tuesday morning because a participating lottery had issues processing sales. The association said it was against its policy to say which lottery had the delay.

The jackpot was reported as an estimated $1.9 billion on Monday, but was $2.04 billion Tuesday morning after updated calculations.

It wasn't immediately known whether any jackpot-winning tickets were sold, but word of that was expected to be announced later in the day.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The numbers for a record-breaking $2.04 billion<a href="https://powerball.com/"> Powerball jackpot</a> have been drawn following a delay and players were awaiting the announcement of a possible winner.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Powerball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Powerball</a> numbers for Monday&#39;s drawing were 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56 with Powerball 10 Check your tickets now at 👉 <a href="https://t.co/v9q3NiyjFE">https://t.co/v9q3NiyjFE</a> <a href="https://t.co/raNqEugqQD">pic.twitter.com/raNqEugqQD</a>&mdash; Powerball USA (@PowerballUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PowerballUSA/status/1589985306102878208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The numbers for the drawing held in Tallahassee, Florida, were: white balls 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, and the red Powerball was 10.The Multi-State Lottery Association says Monday night’s Powerball drawing was delayed until Tuesday morning because a participating lottery had issues processing sales. The association said it was against its policy to say which lottery had the delay.The jackpot was reported as an estimated $1.9 billion on Monday, but was $2.04 billion Tuesday morning after updated calculations.It wasn't immediately known whether any jackpot-winning tickets were sold, but word of that was expected to be announced later in the day.

Winning numbers for $2.04B Powerball drawn after delay

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-monitor-polls-24-states-compliance-federal-voting-rights-laws">The Justice Department will send monitors</a>&nbsp;to 24 states in an effort to ensure compliance with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-releases-information-efforts-protect-right-vote-prosecute-election-fraud">federal voting rights laws</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">Tuesday's elections</a>.

The action, which occurs regularly on Election Day, comes as civil rights groups and the federal government have raised alarm over potential&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-phoenix-5353cfd0774727e6dd03bdbf48c12211">voter intimidation</a>&nbsp;at some polling places and ballot boxes.

The 2022 election is playing out against the backdrop of persistent falsehoods made by former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">losing the 2020 vote</a>, a relentless campaign that will have implications as people cast their ballots.

Democrats, on the other hand, have expressed concerns over the potential for voter suppression.

The 64 jurisdictions where federal monitors — typically lawyers with the department’s civil rights division and U.S. attorney’s offices across the United States — are going include Maricopa County, Arizona, where there have been reports of people watching ballot boxes, sometimes armed or wearing ballistic vests. The Justice Department also announced it would be sending monitors to Cole County, Missouri, where&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MissouriSOS/status/1589381102095183872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">local elections officials</a>&nbsp;have said they would block the monitors.

The attorneys will be in regular touch with election officials in the locations and will watch for signs of disruption to voters’ ability to cast ballots. There is also a call-in line should voters feel they are suffering discrimination at a polling place.

The monitors are being sent to “protect the rights of voters,” as they have for decades, the Justice Department said Monday.

The monitors are lawyers who work for the U.S. government. They are not law enforcement officers or federal agents. They generally include lawyers from the Justice Department’s civil rights division and U.S. attorney’s offices across the nation. The government also sometimes brings in employees from other agencies, such as the Office of Personnel Management, who are authorized to act as monitors under a federal court order.

WHY ARE THEY BEING SENT TO WATCH ELECTION SITES?

The Justice Department has sent attorneys to monitor election sites and compliance with federal voting laws for more than five decades. The department’s civil rights lawyers are responsible for enforcing civil action tied to the voting statutes and protecting the right to vote.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/statutes-enforced-voting-section">The laws they enforce</a>&nbsp;include the Voting Rights Act, along with the National Voter Registration Act and other statutes. Prosecutors in the same division also enforce criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and efforts to suppress voting based on someone’s race, national origin or religion.

Some of the locations where they have been sent include areas where there were concerns in 2020, as well as locations where issues have already been raised this year.

WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN MARICOPA COUNTY?

The Justice Department has warned about the potential for violations of the Voting Rights Act after people, sometimes armed or wearing ballistic vests, were monitoring ballot boxes in Maricopa County. There was a lawsuit over the activity and the department filed a statement of interest in the case. Federal officials have said that while lawful poll watching can support transparency, “ballot security forces” present a significant risk of voter intimidation.

Republican election officials in Cole County have pushed back against the Justice Department’s efforts to review voting access in Missouri. Missouri’s secretary of state, Jay Ashcroft, says county clerk Steve Korsmeyer had declined the Justice Department’s efforts to monitor the polls, and Korsmeyer says he won't let them in if they show up.

Ashcroft accused the department of “trying to bully a hard working county official.”

In a Thursday email shared by Ashcroft, an assistant U.S. attorney told Korsmeyer that four Department of Justice staffers planned to visit polling sites on Election Day and briefly question poll officials as part of a review in coordination with the civil rights division.

“Rest assured that we understand that you will be administering the election and we will try to minimize the time we spend at each site,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Thomas wrote.

Reiterating his stance on Monday, Korsmeyer told The Associated Press, “The DOJ won’t be allowed into our polling locations," citing a state statue that gives him some leeway in deciding who, other than election workers, is allowed to enter polling places. But he said Justice Department officials he spoke with were “very respectful and said they wouldn’t enter our polling locations on Election Day.”

“We don’t expect any issues,” he said in an email to the AP.

The department confirmed that its monitors would remain outside.

The Justice Department plans to send the monitors to 64 jurisdictions in 24 different states.

They include: the city of Bethel, Dillingham Census Area, Kusilvak Census Area and Sitka City-Borough in Alaska; Maricopa County, Navajo County, Pima County, Pinal County and Yavapai County in Arizona; Newton County in Arkansas; Los Angeles County and Sonoma County in California; Broward County, Miami-Dade County and Palm Beach County in Florida; Cobb County, Fulton County, Gwinnett County in Georgia; the town of Clinton, and the cities of Fitchburg, Leominster, Everett, Malden, Methuen, Randolph and Salem in Massachusetts; Prince George’s County in Maryland; Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Pontiac and Southfield in Michigan; Minneapolis, Hennepin and Ramsey counties in Minnesota; Cole County in Missouri; Alamance County, Columbus County, Harnett County, Mecklenburg County and Wayne County in North Carolina; Middlesex County in New Jersey Bernalillo County and San Juan County in New Mexico; Clark County and Washoe County in Nevada; the borough of Queens in New York City; Cuyahoga County in Ohio; Berks County, Centre County, Lehigh County, Luzerne County, Philadelphia County in Pennsylvania; the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; Horry County in South Carolina; Dallas County, Harris County and Waller County, Texas; San Juan County, Utah; Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park in Virginia; and Milwaukee and Racine, Wisconsin.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-monitor-polls-24-states-compliance-federal-voting-rights-laws">The Justice Department will send monitors</a>&nbsp;to 24 states in an effort to ensure compliance with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-releases-information-efforts-protect-right-vote-prosecute-election-fraud">federal voting rights laws</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">Tuesday's elections</a>.The action, which occurs regularly on Election Day, comes as civil rights groups and the federal government have raised alarm over potential&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-phoenix-5353cfd0774727e6dd03bdbf48c12211">voter intimidation</a>&nbsp;at some polling places and ballot boxes.The 2022 election is playing out against the backdrop of persistent falsehoods made by former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">losing the 2020 vote</a>, a relentless campaign that will have implications as people cast their ballots.Democrats, on the other hand, have expressed concerns over the potential for voter suppression.The 64 jurisdictions where federal monitors — typically lawyers with the department’s civil rights division and U.S. attorney’s offices across the United States — are going include Maricopa County, Arizona, where there have been reports of people watching ballot boxes, sometimes armed or wearing ballistic vests. The Justice Department also announced it would be sending monitors to Cole County, Missouri, where&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MissouriSOS/status/1589381102095183872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">local elections officials</a>&nbsp;have said they would block the monitors.The attorneys will be in regular touch with election officials in the locations and will watch for signs of disruption to voters’ ability to cast ballots. There is also a call-in line should voters feel they are suffering discrimination at a polling place.The monitors are being sent to “protect the rights of voters,” as they have for decades, the Justice Department said Monday.A look at the monitors:WHO ARE THE ELECTION MONITORS?The monitors are lawyers who work for the U.S. government. They are not law enforcement officers or federal agents. They generally include lawyers from the Justice Department’s civil rights division and U.S. attorney’s offices across the nation. The government also sometimes brings in employees from other agencies, such as the Office of Personnel Management, who are authorized to act as monitors under a federal court order.___WHY ARE THEY BEING SENT TO WATCH ELECTION SITES?The Justice Department has sent attorneys to monitor election sites and compliance with federal voting laws for more than five decades. The department’s civil rights lawyers are responsible for enforcing civil action tied to the voting statutes and protecting the right to vote.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/statutes-enforced-voting-section">The laws they enforce</a>&nbsp;include the Voting Rights Act, along with the National Voter Registration Act and other statutes. Prosecutors in the same division also enforce criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and efforts to suppress voting based on someone’s race, national origin or religion.Some of the locations where they have been sent include areas where there were concerns in 2020, as well as locations where issues have already been raised this year.___WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN MARICOPA COUNTY?The Justice Department has warned about the potential for violations of the Voting Rights Act after people, sometimes armed or wearing ballistic vests, were monitoring ballot boxes in Maricopa County. There was a lawsuit over the activity and the department filed a statement of interest in the case. Federal officials have said that while lawful poll watching can support transparency, “ballot security forces” present a significant risk of voter intimidation.___WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSY IN COLE COUNTY?Republican election officials in Cole County have pushed back against the Justice Department’s efforts to review voting access in Missouri. Missouri’s secretary of state, Jay Ashcroft, says county clerk Steve Korsmeyer had declined the Justice Department’s efforts to monitor the polls, and Korsmeyer says he won't let them in if they show up.Ashcroft accused the department of “trying to bully a hard working county official.”In a Thursday email shared by Ashcroft, an assistant U.S. attorney told Korsmeyer that four Department of Justice staffers planned to visit polling sites on Election Day and briefly question poll officials as part of a review in coordination with the civil rights division.“Rest assured that we understand that you will be administering the election and we will try to minimize the time we spend at each site,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Thomas wrote.Reiterating his stance on Monday, Korsmeyer told The Associated Press, “The DOJ won’t be allowed into our polling locations," citing a state statue that gives him some leeway in deciding who, other than election workers, is allowed to enter polling places. But he said Justice Department officials he spoke with were “very respectful and said they wouldn’t enter our polling locations on Election Day.”“We don’t expect any issues,” he said in an email to the AP.The department confirmed that its monitors would remain outside.___WHERE ARE THE MONITORS BEING SENT?The Justice Department plans to send the monitors to 64 jurisdictions in 24 different states.They include: the city of Bethel, Dillingham Census Area, Kusilvak Census Area and Sitka City-Borough in Alaska; Maricopa County, Navajo County, Pima County, Pinal County and Yavapai County in Arizona; Newton County in Arkansas; Los Angeles County and Sonoma County in California; Broward County, Miami-Dade County and Palm Beach County in Florida; Cobb County, Fulton County, Gwinnett County in Georgia; the town of Clinton, and the cities of Fitchburg, Leominster, Everett, Malden, Methuen, Randolph and Salem in Massachusetts; Prince George’s County in Maryland; Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Pontiac and Southfield in Michigan; Minneapolis, Hennepin and Ramsey counties in Minnesota; Cole County in Missouri; Alamance County, Columbus County, Harnett County, Mecklenburg County and Wayne County in North Carolina; Middlesex County in New Jersey Bernalillo County and San Juan County in New Mexico; Clark County and Washoe County in Nevada; the borough of Queens in New York City; Cuyahoga County in Ohio; Berks County, Centre County, Lehigh County, Luzerne County, Philadelphia County in Pennsylvania; the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; Horry County in South Carolina; Dallas County, Harris County and Waller County, Texas; San Juan County, Utah; Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park in Virginia; and Milwaukee and Racine, Wisconsin.___

Justice Department to monitor voting rights across 24 states

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kiosks-in-seven-communities-provide-new-option-for-paying-child-support/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraskans now have another option in paying child support: self-service kiosks installed in seven communities.

State Treasurer John Murante said the new “Rapid Pay” kiosks allow 
parents to pay in cash, check, money order, credit card or debit card. 
He said the kiosks should help parents remain current on their payments.

“The kiosks make it possible to pay support quickly in a secure setting during regular business hours,” Murante said. He added that they are  an example of his office’s efforts to provide “customer-focused services.”

• North entryway of the Nebraska Child Support Payment Center, 421 S. Ninth St., in Lincoln. • Entryway of the Douglas County Clerk of the District Court’s Office on the third floor of the Hall of Justice, 1701 Farnam St., in Omaha. • Sarpy County Jail entryway, 1208 Golden Gate Drive, in Papillion. • Waiting room of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Building, 209 N. Fifth St., in Norfolk. • Hallway outside the Hall County Child Support Office, 203 W. Second St., in Grand Island. • Buffalo County District/County Court entryway, 1520 Central Ave., in Kearney. • Scotts Bluff County Court House entryway, 1825 10th St., in Gering.

The seven kiosks, which went into service June 1, have handled more than 1,400 transactions to date. About 120,000 child support payments are made a month.

Currently, 89% of all child support payments are received electronically, and 98% of all child support payments are distributed electronically.

An eighth kiosk is scheduled to be deployed in the upcoming months.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667855640466.png" alt="A new option — kiosks —have been installed in seven cities across Nebraska for people to make child support payments. (Courtesy of the Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office)" />
 <figcaption>A new option — kiosks —have been installed in seven cities across Nebraska for people to make child support payments. (Courtesy of the Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kiosks-in-seven-communities-provide-new-option-for-paying-child-support/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraskans now have another option in paying child support: self-service kiosks installed in seven communities.State Treasurer John Murante said the new “Rapid Pay” kiosks allow 
parents to pay in cash, check, money order, credit card or debit card. 
He said the kiosks should help parents remain current on their payments.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667855687288.png" alt="Nebraska State Treasurer John Murante (Courtesy of the State Treasurer’s Office)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska State Treasurer John Murante (Courtesy of the State Treasurer’s Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>“The kiosks make it possible to pay support quickly in a secure setting during regular business hours,” Murante said. He added that they are an example of his office’s efforts to provide “customer-focused services.”The kiosks are located at:• North entryway of the Nebraska Child Support Payment Center, 421 S. Ninth St., in Lincoln. • Entryway of the Douglas County Clerk of the District Court’s Office on the third floor of the Hall of Justice, 1701 Farnam St., in Omaha. • Sarpy County Jail entryway, 1208 Golden Gate Drive, in Papillion. • Waiting room of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Building, 209 N. Fifth St., in Norfolk. • Hallway outside the Hall County Child Support Office, 203 W. Second St., in Grand Island. • Buffalo County District/County Court entryway, 1520 Central Ave., in Kearney. • Scotts Bluff County Court House entryway, 1825 10th St., in Gering.The seven kiosks, which went into service June 1, have handled more than 1,400 transactions to date. About 120,000 child support payments are made a month.Currently, 89% of all child support payments are received electronically, and 98% of all child support payments are distributed electronically.An eighth kiosk is scheduled to be deployed in the upcoming months.

Nebraska kiosks provide new option for paying child support

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/07/nebraska-on-pace-for-second-worst-wildfire-year-ever-2023-outlook-is-dim/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Worsening drought, coupled with strong, sustained winds, 
have combined to put 2022 on track as the second-worst year for 
wildfires in Nebraska.

And unless there’s an increase in expected precipitation this fall 
and winter, the state will be in for more of the same in 2023, a state 
fire authority predicted this week.

“It’s weird. We’re not in a normal 
pattern. And it doesn’t seem like we’re going to break that pattern any 
time soon,” said Matt Holte, fire program leader for the Nebraska Forest
 Service.

So far this year, about 200,000 acres of grasslands, cropland and 
forests have burned in the state, Holte said. That compares with about 
502,000 acres blackened in 2012, the previous record holder.

The fires of 2012 — another drought period — scorched an area larger 
than Douglas and Sarpy counties combined, blackening large swatches of 
forest south of Chadron in the Pine Ridge and north of Ainsworth along 
the Niobrara River.

So many acres of trees were destroyed in the Pine Ridge area during 
the 2012 fires that it is no longer the state’s largest coniferous 
forest —that is the Niobrara Valley, with more than 200,000 acres of 
pine and cedar trees remaining.

The 2012 fires in the Pine Ridge followed others in the summer of 
2006 near Harrison and south of Chadron that blackened nearly 70,000 
acres.

But this year will be remembered for its large and fast-moving fires 
led by two, the Road 702 and Road 739 fires in April. Pushed by high 
winds, the fires quickly spread, outracing fire lines and fire crews. 
One fire burned 22 miles across pastures and crop fields.

“I never really complained about the wind until we moved here,” said Holte, a native of traditionally windy Wyoming.

“It’s just been so dry,” he said. “Every little start we get … and it’s off to the races.”

At about the same time this past spring, a burn pile reignited in 
northeast Nebraska, near Lyons, sparking a fire that roared across farm 
fields and consumed two residences.

In the summer, there were <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/firefighters-make-progress-on-large-wildlife-south-of-gering-nebraska/">two big fires in the Wildcat Hills</a> areas of Nebraska’s Panhandle, which destroyed three homes and other outbuildings.

Then, last month, an off-highway vehicle (OHV) overturned at the Nebraska National Forest in Halsey, <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/wildlife-in-nebraska-national-forest-deemed-56-contained/">setting off a wind-blown fire</a>
 that leveled the popular 4-H Camp there, destroyed the historic Scott 
Lookout Tower and then jumped Nebraska Highway 2, burning miles into the
 Sandhills.

Due to the persistent fire risk, 2022 marked the first time that the 
state contracted for two SEAT (small air tanker) planes to be available,
 according to Ben Bohall of the Nebraska Forest Service. In previous 
years, only one plane was necessary.

Holte said that a lot of Nebraska wildfires are human caused. During 
spring planting and fall harvest season, farmers take to the field with 
heavy machinery that can get hot, throw off a spark or get clogged, 
starting a fire.

“It doesn’t take much to get a spark off of that equipment,” he said.

Modern, no-till farming leaves a lot of dry and shredded corn stalks 
or bean plants left behind on a farm field, providing fuel for a fire.

Winds were especially strong at times this year in Nebraska — so 
strong that the fire at the Halsey National Forest jumped 3/4 of a mile 
to a mile across Highway 2 before sparking a grassland fire, Holte said.

Is climate change a factor? He said that fire seasons are&nbsp; definitely longer and there are more fires.

The three-month forecast for Nebraska from the National Weather 
Service’s Climate Prediction Center is “leaning” towards above average 
temperatures and average precipitation. So Holte said there’s not much 
relief in sight.

But, he said, the 2022 fire year has inspired a greater awareness 
about the dangers associated with wildfires — three firefighters died 
this year — and the need to train and coordinate fire-fighting attacks.

There’s better coordination now, Holte said, between agencies 
involved in wildfire response, which includes local volunteer fire 
departments, the Forest Service, the Nebraska Emergency Management 
Agency and the Nebraska Fire Marshal’s Office.

Attendance was way up at this week’s Eastern Nebraska Wildland Fire 
Academy at Ponca State Park, he said, due to an awareness that even 
non-mountainous states like Nebraska can see big wildfires.

“We learned that as a state we need to learn more, we need to train more,” Holte said.

Officials with the Nebraska National 
Forest and Grasslands said last week that they plan no change in usage 
of off-highway vehicles (OHVs) despite reports that one that fell over 
caused a devastating fire at the Halsey forest last month.

Jack Isaacs, a forest supervisor, and Greg Wright, a wildlife biologist, said that the Halsey forest is managed as a “multi-use” area and will continue to be.

In recent years, the National Forest at 
Halsey — the nation’s largest hand-planted forest — has become a popular
 destination for ATVs (all-terrain vehicles) and their larger cousin, 
UTV (utility terrain vehicles).&nbsp;

The forest contains 36 miles of marked trails and two areas of open use, including one “Hill Climb” area.

Wright said that the exact cause of the 
fire is still under investigation, but that use of OHVs remains the same
 — they must stay on marked trails or designated areas.

Due to a lack of recent rainfall, the 
Halsey forest recently instituted Stage 2 fire restrictions, which added
 a prohibition on OHVs parking on areas of vegetation. Fire 
restrictions, the officials said, were not in place when the Bovee Fire 
broke out at Halsey on Oct. 2.

A portion of the Halsey forest has also 
been temporarily closed off to the public, officials said, to access 
damage to roads and culverts, and whether more erosion controls are 
needed.

Wright said that a structural engineer 
will be looking at the 50-foot-tall Scott Lookout Tower to assess the 
extent of the damages. He said the intent is to rebuild the tower.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663263228019.png" alt="Smoke rises from a wildfire sparked a month ago by lightning south of Gering, in Nebraska’s Panhandle. (Courtesy Nebraska State Patrol)" />
 <figcaption>Smoke rises from a wildfire sparked a month ago by lightning south of Gering, in Nebraska’s Panhandle. (Courtesy Nebraska State Patrol)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/07/nebraska-on-pace-for-second-worst-wildfire-year-ever-2023-outlook-is-dim/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Worsening drought, coupled with strong, sustained winds, 
have combined to put 2022 on track as the second-worst year for 
wildfires in Nebraska.And unless there’s an increase in expected precipitation this fall 
and winter, the state will be in for more of the same in 2023, a state 
fire authority predicted this week.<h2>Not a ‘normal pattern’</h2>“It’s weird. We’re not in a normal 
pattern. And it doesn’t seem like we’re going to break that pattern any 
time soon,” said Matt Holte, fire program leader for the Nebraska Forest
 Service.So far this year, about 200,000 acres of grasslands, cropland and 
forests have burned in the state, Holte said. That compares with about 
502,000 acres blackened in 2012, the previous record holder.The fires of 2012 — another drought period — scorched an area larger 
than Douglas and Sarpy counties combined, blackening large swatches of 
forest south of Chadron in the Pine Ridge and north of Ainsworth along 
the Niobrara River.So many acres of trees were destroyed in the Pine Ridge area during 
the 2012 fires that it is no longer the state’s largest coniferous 
forest —that is the Niobrara Valley, with more than 200,000 acres of 
pine and cedar trees remaining.The 2012 fires in the Pine Ridge followed others in the summer of 
2006 near Harrison and south of Chadron that blackened nearly 70,000 
acres.<h2>Large, fast</h2>But this year will be remembered for its large and fast-moving fires 
led by two, the Road 702 and Road 739 fires in April. Pushed by high 
winds, the fires quickly spread, outracing fire lines and fire crews. 
One fire burned 22 miles across pastures and crop fields.“I never really complained about the wind until we moved here,” said Holte, a native of traditionally windy Wyoming.“It’s just been so dry,” he said. “Every little start we get … and it’s off to the races.”At about the same time this past spring, a burn pile reignited in 
northeast Nebraska, near Lyons, sparking a fire that roared across farm 
fields and consumed two residences.In the summer, there were <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/firefighters-make-progress-on-large-wildlife-south-of-gering-nebraska/">two big fires in the Wildcat Hills</a> areas of Nebraska’s Panhandle, which destroyed three homes and other outbuildings.Then, last month, an off-highway vehicle (OHV) overturned at the Nebraska National Forest in Halsey, <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/wildlife-in-nebraska-national-forest-deemed-56-contained/">setting off a wind-blown fire</a>
 that leveled the popular 4-H Camp there, destroyed the historic Scott 
Lookout Tower and then jumped Nebraska Highway 2, burning miles into the
 Sandhills.<h2>Mostly human caused</h2>Due to the persistent fire risk, 2022 marked the first time that the 
state contracted for two SEAT (small air tanker) planes to be available,
 according to Ben Bohall of the Nebraska Forest Service. In previous 
years, only one plane was necessary.Holte said that a lot of Nebraska wildfires are human caused. During 
spring planting and fall harvest season, farmers take to the field with 
heavy machinery that can get hot, throw off a spark or get clogged, 
starting a fire.“It doesn’t take much to get a spark off of that equipment,” he said.Modern, no-till farming leaves a lot of dry and shredded corn stalks 
or bean plants left behind on a farm field, providing fuel for a fire.Winds were especially strong at times this year in Nebraska — so 
strong that the fire at the Halsey National Forest jumped 3/4 of a mile 
to a mile across Highway 2 before sparking a grassland fire, Holte said.<h2>More fires, season longer</h2>Is climate change a factor? He said that fire seasons are&nbsp; definitely longer and there are more fires.The three-month forecast for Nebraska from the National Weather 
Service’s Climate Prediction Center is “leaning” towards above average 
temperatures and average precipitation. So Holte said there’s not much 
relief in sight.But, he said, the 2022 fire year has inspired a greater awareness 
about the dangers associated with wildfires — three firefighters died 
this year — and the need to train and coordinate fire-fighting attacks.There’s better coordination now, Holte said, between agencies 
involved in wildfire response, which includes local volunteer fire 
departments, the Forest Service, the Nebraska Emergency Management 
Agency and the Nebraska Fire Marshal’s Office.Attendance was way up at this week’s Eastern Nebraska Wildland Fire 
Academy at Ponca State Park, he said, due to an awareness that even 
non-mountainous states like Nebraska can see big wildfires.“We learned that as a state we need to learn more, we need to train more,” Holte said.<h2>No change for off-highway vehicles</h2>Officials with the Nebraska National 
Forest and Grasslands said last week that they plan no change in usage 
of off-highway vehicles (OHVs) despite reports that one that fell over 
caused a devastating fire at the Halsey forest last month.Jack Isaacs, a forest supervisor, and Greg Wright, a wildlife biologist, said that the Halsey forest is managed as a “multi-use” area and will continue to be.In recent years, the National Forest at 
Halsey — the nation’s largest hand-planted forest — has become a popular
 destination for ATVs (all-terrain vehicles) and their larger cousin, 
UTV (utility terrain vehicles).&nbsp;The forest contains 36 miles of marked trails and two areas of open use, including one “Hill Climb” area.Wright said that the exact cause of the 
fire is still under investigation, but that use of OHVs remains the same
 — they must stay on marked trails or designated areas.Due to a lack of recent rainfall, the 
Halsey forest recently instituted Stage 2 fire restrictions, which added
 a prohibition on OHVs parking on areas of vegetation. Fire 
restrictions, the officials said, were not in place when the Bovee Fire 
broke out at Halsey on Oct. 2.A portion of the Halsey forest has also 
been temporarily closed off to the public, officials said, to access 
damage to roads and culverts, and whether more erosion controls are 
needed.Wright said that a structural engineer 
will be looking at the 50-foot-tall Scott Lookout Tower to assess the 
extent of the damages. He said the intent is to rebuild the tower.

Nebraska on pace for second-worst wildfire year ever

By JAZARI KUAL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/the-remains-of-a-capitol-peregrine-falcon-found-in-lincoln-yard/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A longtime feathered friend of the State Capitol, 19/K, has been confirmed dead.

A Lincoln resident recently discovered the remains of a male peregrine falcon in a yard.

Nebraska Game and Parks NonGame Bird 
Program Manager Joel Jorgensen confirmed that it was 19/K, who had been a
 fixture at the Capitol nearly 20 years before going missing in 2020.&nbsp;

“We’re not tracking them all the 
time,” Jorgensen said. “So that’s what made this kind of unusual is to 
find the remains after such a long time.”&nbsp;

The peregrine falcon and a mate named
 Ally began nesting at the Capitol building in the early 2000s. In 2005,
 their stay took an unprecedented and sentimental turn when they became 
the first resident pair to produce young, the only pair at the Capitol 
to have done so successfully.&nbsp;

They fledged numerous eyas during their residency at the Capitol.

After 19/K went missing in 2020, he was presumed dead, having surpassed the lifespan of the average peregrine falcon.

Someone found Ally with a broken leg northwest of Lincoln and she was taken in by the Raptor Conservation Alliance in Elmwood.

More recently, a new male peregrine falcon or tarcel was spotted at the Capitol but has not yet attracted a female.&nbsp; 	

The peregrine falcon’s population 
decreased dramatically in the middle of the 20th century, primarily due 
to DDT, an insecticide used in agriculture. In 1970, they became 
endangered under the Endangered Species and Conservation Act of 1969. 
After the EPA banned DDT in 1972, efforts were launched, such as the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.peregrinefund.org/">Peregrine Fund</a>, to revive its population.&nbsp;

In 1999 the Peregrine falcon was removed from the endangered species list.&nbsp;

The Capitol’s peregrine falcon nest box can be watched on the Nebraska Game and Parks constant <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7wuza9BWgc">livestream</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667830103372.png" alt="The peregrine falcon, 19/K (Courtesy of Joel Jorgensen, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission)" />
 <figcaption>The peregrine falcon, 19/K (Courtesy of Joel Jorgensen, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAZARI KUAL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/the-remains-of-a-capitol-peregrine-falcon-found-in-lincoln-yard/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — A longtime feathered friend of the State Capitol, 19/K, has been confirmed dead.A Lincoln resident recently discovered the remains of a male peregrine falcon in a yard.Nebraska Game and Parks NonGame Bird 
Program Manager Joel Jorgensen confirmed that it was 19/K, who had been a
 fixture at the Capitol nearly 20 years before going missing in 2020.&nbsp;“We’re not tracking them all the 
time,” Jorgensen said. “So that’s what made this kind of unusual is to 
find the remains after such a long time.”&nbsp;The peregrine falcon and a mate named
 Ally began nesting at the Capitol building in the early 2000s. In 2005,
 their stay took an unprecedented and sentimental turn when they became 
the first resident pair to produce young, the only pair at the Capitol 
to have done so successfully.&nbsp;They fledged numerous eyas during their residency at the Capitol.After 19/K went missing in 2020, he was presumed dead, having surpassed the lifespan of the average peregrine falcon.Someone found Ally with a broken leg northwest of Lincoln and she was taken in by the Raptor Conservation Alliance in Elmwood.More recently, a new male peregrine falcon or tarcel was spotted at the Capitol but has not yet attracted a female.&nbsp; 	<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667830163552.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The peregrine falcon’s population 
decreased dramatically in the middle of the 20th century, primarily due 
to DDT, an insecticide used in agriculture. In 1970, they became 
endangered under the Endangered Species and Conservation Act of 1969. 
After the EPA banned DDT in 1972, efforts were launched, such as the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.peregrinefund.org/">Peregrine Fund</a>, to revive its population.&nbsp;In 1999 the Peregrine falcon was removed from the endangered species list.&nbsp;The Capitol’s peregrine falcon nest box can be watched on the Nebraska Game and Parks constant <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7wuza9BWgc">livestream</a>.&nbsp;

Remains of a familiar Capitol peregrine falcon found in Lincoln yard

By AARON SANDERFORD and PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/07/an-election-day-cheat-sheet-from-the-nebraska-examiner-a-little-early/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Tuesday is Election Day in Nebraska, a civic test that 
political nerds who love to vote have been preparing for since at least 
January.

Others are just now tuning in, the voters who keep politics at an arm’s length until the last minute.

For them (and anybody else who needs a refresher before hitting the ballot box), the Nebraska Examiner put together this review.

Nebraskans already know that 2022 has been a <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/28/spending-on-nebraska-elections-is-surging-with-no-end-in-sight/">record year for fund-raising</a> and spending on state and local politics.

The state’s costliest Republican primary for governor powered the jump. University of Nebraska Regent <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/10/pillen-snatches-victory-from-trump-pick-herbster-in-nebraskas-gop-gubernatorial-primary/">Jim Pillen won it</a>.&nbsp;

This fall, he faces State Sen. Carol Blood, <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/07/05/interview-blood-says-state-needs-new-direction-from-governor-after-ricketts/">a Democrat running hard</a> but who raised six figures, not Pillen’s eight.

Pillen in the general election has stuck to his primary strategy of <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/07/05/interview-pillen-offers-his-prescription-for-nebraska-starting-with-kids/">campaigning in smaller-group settings</a> across the state.

Blood did small groups, too, hosting town-hall meetings where she gave her pitch and let voters ask questions.

The fall race’s biggest fight concerned Pillen’s <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/08/17/gop-candidate-pillen-wont-debate-democrat-blood-in-governors-race/">decision not to debate</a>. He called debates theater. Blood called them vital.&nbsp;

Because they didn’t debate, the Examiner arranged interviews and asked both candidates the same questions so voters can compare.

One of the Q&amp;As most interesting exchanges concerned the future of <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/19/q-and-a-in-nebraska-governors-race-pillen-blood-talk-about-education-property-taxes/">K-12 education and property tax</a> relief:

Pillen wants to divide the same pie of state aid to education so every district gets the same amount of baseline aid per kid.

He argued his approach would help ease the property tax burden that he said is disproportionately felt in rural areas.

Blood said Pillen’s plan would raise property taxes in districts serving impoverished students, if the state spends the same.

She said the state should fully fund state aid and cut unfunded mandates the state places on schools and local governments.

This year’s higher number of <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/03/nebraskans-facing-deluge-of-political-mail-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/">political mailers</a> and <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/24/large-number-of-contested-races-spice-2022-elections-for-nebraska-legislature/">competitive legislative races</a> hint at what’s at stake for voters.

Conservatives see an opening to grow their advantage, with a number of moderate Republicans being term limited this year.&nbsp;

Today, there are 32 registered 
Republicans in the Legislature, one short of the super-majority of 33 
needed to clear a filibuster.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667396556650.png" alt="Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>By AARON SANDERFORD and PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/07/an-election-day-cheat-sheet-from-the-nebraska-examiner-a-little-early/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Tuesday is Election Day in Nebraska, a civic test that 
political nerds who love to vote have been preparing for since at least 
January.Others are just now tuning in, the voters who keep politics at an arm’s length until the last minute.For them (and anybody else who needs a refresher before hitting the ballot box), the Nebraska Examiner put together this review.<h2>Governor</h2>Nebraskans already know that 2022 has been a <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/28/spending-on-nebraska-elections-is-surging-with-no-end-in-sight/">record year for fund-raising</a> and spending on state and local politics.The state’s costliest Republican primary for governor powered the jump. University of Nebraska Regent <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/10/pillen-snatches-victory-from-trump-pick-herbster-in-nebraskas-gop-gubernatorial-primary/">Jim Pillen won it</a>.&nbsp;This fall, he faces State Sen. Carol Blood, <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/07/05/interview-blood-says-state-needs-new-direction-from-governor-after-ricketts/">a Democrat running hard</a> but who raised six figures, not Pillen’s eight.Pillen in the general election has stuck to his primary strategy of <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/07/05/interview-pillen-offers-his-prescription-for-nebraska-starting-with-kids/">campaigning in smaller-group settings</a> across the state.Blood did small groups, too, hosting town-hall meetings where she gave her pitch and let voters ask questions.The fall race’s biggest fight concerned Pillen’s <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/08/17/gop-candidate-pillen-wont-debate-democrat-blood-in-governors-race/">decision not to debate</a>. He called debates theater. Blood called them vital.&nbsp;Because they didn’t debate, the Examiner arranged interviews and asked both candidates the same questions so voters can compare.One of the Q&amp;As most interesting exchanges concerned the future of <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/19/q-and-a-in-nebraska-governors-race-pillen-blood-talk-about-education-property-taxes/">K-12 education and property tax</a> relief:Pillen wants to divide the same pie of state aid to education so every district gets the same amount of baseline aid per kid.He argued his approach would help ease the property tax burden that he said is disproportionately felt in rural areas.Blood said Pillen’s plan would raise property taxes in districts serving impoverished students, if the state spends the same.She said the state should fully fund state aid and cut unfunded mandates the state places on schools and local governments.<h2>Legislature</h2>This year’s higher number of <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/03/nebraskans-facing-deluge-of-political-mail-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/">political mailers</a> and <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/24/large-number-of-contested-races-spice-2022-elections-for-nebraska-legislature/">competitive legislative races</a> hint at what’s at stake for voters.Conservatives see an opening to grow their advantage, with a number of moderate Republicans being term limited this year.&nbsp;Today, there are 32 registered 
Republicans in the Legislature, one short of the super-majority of 33 
needed to clear a filibuster.Democrats, meanwhile, are counting on a strong early vote and a push by abortion rights advocates to fend them off.&nbsp;Their aim: Preserve the 17 votes the minority needs to stop or force changes to bills the majority wants to pass.&nbsp;Democrats have used the legislative filibuster to block some major GOP initiatives, including a <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/04/06/trigger-abortion-bill-fails-by-two-votes-to-overcome-eight-hour-filibuster/">near-total ban on abortions</a> and state tax credits for <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/01/controversial-opportunity-scholarship-issue-gains-new-life-its-not-trickery-linehan-says/">donations to private schools</a>.Key races this year are centered in the Omaha and Lincoln areas.The GOP is trying to unseat two 
Democratic incumbents in Omaha, State Sens. Machaela Cavanaugh and Wendy
 DeBoer. Both Democrats and their GOP opponents, Christian Mirch and Lou
 Ann Goding, are knocking on voters’ doors like it’s a local race for 
Congress.The GOP is counting on flipping a 
seat in the Ralston-Millard area now held by Sen. Steve Lathrop, who is 
retiring. Former State Sen. Merv Riepe, a Republican, is favored there.But Democrats have said they think they can flip a seat in the Millard area left vacant by the death of Sen. Rich Pauls.Tim Royers, a school teacher who ran second to Pahls in 2020, is facing off against State Sen. Kathleen Kauth, who was <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/07/kathleen-kauth-owner-of-mediation-firm-and-a-mask-opponent-named-to-nebraska-legislature/">appointed to the seat</a> by Gov. Pete Ricketts after Pahls’ death.If the GOP gains a filibuster-proof 
majority, it could impact several issues, including how the Legislature 
designs voter ID requirements, if the public passes the ballot 
initiative.&nbsp;The fight to beat or retain the filibuster, plus the churn from term limits, has boosted spending to record levels.&nbsp;For the second straight cycle, 20 or more legislative candidates <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/28/spending-on-nebraska-elections-is-surging-with-no-end-in-sight/">raised more than $100,000</a> to win a seat paying $12,000 a year.<h2>Statewide offices</h2>No Democrats challenged Republican nominees for Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Attorney General or State Auditor.So Secretary of State Bob Evnen is running unopposed. GOP State Treasurer John Murante faces Libertarian Katrina Tomsen.GOP Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers is running against the Legal Marijuana Party Now Party’s Larry Bolinger.<h2>NU Board of Regents</h2>A GOP-on-GOP race this year for a seat on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents has gotten contentious.&nbsp;Ricketts put <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/15/nu-regents-race-is-spiced-by-charge-that-campaign-is-aimed-at-replacing-top-university-leaders/">$20,000 of his own money</a> behind Kathy Wilmot of Beaver City, a former member of the State Board of Education.&nbsp;He also put $314,000 into a political committee that has run ads against her opponent, State Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg.The ads claim, among other things, that Williams is a “Republican in Name Only (RINO).”Williams, who has pushed to direct 
funds toward workforce housing in rural areas, has pushed back on the 
claims, maintaining that he has a conservative voting record.&nbsp;He has said the heavy spending by 
Ricketts and others aims to replace the current chancellor at the 
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Ronnie Green, and NU President Ted 
Carter.The state party endorsed Wilmot, 
while NU Regent and Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Pillen and 
Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers have endorsed Williams.<h2>State Board of Education</h2>A movement to motivate conservative parents to vote with fears about sex education and social studies <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/05/state-board-of-ed-races-could-decide-future-role-of-board-next-ed-commissioner/">has reached Nebraska</a>.Leading the charge is a group of four GOP candidates running as a slate for State Board of Education.They are Marni Hodgen of Omaha, Kirk Penner of Aurora, Sherry Jones of Grand Island and Elizabeth Tegtmeier of North Platte.They are running against Democrats 
Deb Neary of Omaha and Danielle Helzer of Grand Island, nonpartisan 
Helen Raikes of Ashland and Republican Robin Stevens of Gothenburg.Each candidate has raised at least $30,000, the former high-water mark for State Board races outside of Omaha.The GOP slate, backed by Gov. Pete 
Ricketts and other school choice advocates, has argued that the State 
Board had no statutory authority to set standards on health education, 
so they should not have considered drafts the board did not pass.The slate candidates say they want to focus more attention on English, math and science.&nbsp;But they’ve spent much of their 
campaigns talking about critical race theory, sex education and whether 
trans kids should be allowed to play sports outside of their gender at 
birth.Some hosted screenings of the movie <a target="_blank" href="https://flatwaterfreepress.org/minds-polluted-film-claims-teachers-are-grooming-students-experts-say-its-filled-with-falsehoods/">“Mind Polluters,”</a> which alleges a discredited conspiracy theory that teachers are organizing to boost left-wing politics and sexual ideas.People backing the other four 
candidates, including the state teachers union and donors supporting 
public schools, have described the slate candidates as conspiracy 
theorists and political extremists.Slate candidates and their defenders have said the proposed standards
 on health education would have exposed children to topics in sex ed too
 soon and to some topics best left to parents.Opposing candidates have said the 
slate’s anti-educator rhetoric makes it harder to recruit and retain 
teachers. Advocates for LGBTQ students say the tone of their campaigns 
could put kids at risk.Both sides say they want to address a
 shortage of teachers and paraeducators and improve state testing. The 
board will have to come together to hire the <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraskas-education-commissioner-announces-his-resignation/">state’s next education commissioner</a>.<h2>U.S. House of Representatives — 1st District</h2>Nebraska has three incumbent members of Congress running for re-election this cycle. One is newer than the others.U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., won a June special election to serve the last months of former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry’s term.Fortenberry <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/28/fortenberry-sentenced-to-probation-not-prison-for-lying-to-federal-investigators/">resigned in March</a> after being convicted of three felonies from foreign funds raised illegally for his campaign.This fall is a <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/24/abortion-vs-inflation-could-decide-flood-pansing-brooks-rematch-this-fall/">rematch of the special election</a> between Flood,&nbsp;of Norfolk, and State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln.He won that race by <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/30/floods-close-win-over-pansing-brooks-shows-democrats-motivated-republicans-complacent/">6 percentage points</a>, the closest margin in Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District in decades.The race could hinge on Sarpy County voters in Papillion and La Vista. This is their first year <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/08/01/voters-in-limbo-whos-in-1st-whats-in-2nd-and-3rd-i-dont-know-which-house-member-to-call/">in a redrawn 1st District</a>.Flood, a former Speaker of the Legislature, has argued that Pansing Brooks is <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/02/sparks-fly-in-final-1st-district-house-debate-between-flood-pansing-brooks/">more partisan than she portrays herself</a>.He, like Nebraska’s two other House Republicans, argue they will act as a check against spending by national Democrats.Pansing Brooks, a former chair of the Lancaster County GOP, has said women can’t afford <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/27/abortion-decision-jolts-sleepy-special-election-with-pansing-brooks-and-flood/">Flood’s politics on abortion</a>. Pansing Brooks supports abortion rights.&nbsp;Flood sponsored a bill last 
legislative session that that would have banned most abortions in 
Nebraska. He wrote Nebraska’s law banning abortions after 20 weeks.<h2>U.S. House of Representatives — 2nd District</h2>Once again, the Omaha area’s 2nd District is home to one of the nation’s most <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/13/bacon-vargas-race-runs-into-inflation-abortion-guns-trump/">competitive congressional races</a>.This time, Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., of Papillion, faces Democratic State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha.Both men are trying to paint their opponent as <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/13/bacon-vargas-debate-in-ne02-who-is-more-extreme-who-is-moderate/">too far out of the mainstream</a> to represent a politically split district.Bacon has criticized Vargas’ state record on taxes, including a proposal to raise income taxes on Nebraska’s top earners.Vargas has criticized Bacon’s willingness to consider changes to Social Security and Medicare — and <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/16/bacon-and-vargas-tackle-national-security-social-security-abortion-taxes-in-second-debate/">his opposition to abortion</a>.Bacon co-sponsored a proposed constitutional amendment that would’ve banned abortion federally.He has since said he knows a full ban could not pass and would be willing to make progress toward that goal with a 15-week ban.Vargas has said the decision should be between a woman and her doctor, and has not specified what limits, if any, he supports.Bacon, like Flood and much of the House GOP, has made the core of his race the fight against inflation and rising costs.The congressman said he voted against the Biden administration’s stimulus spending out of worries that it wasn’t needed.Vargas criticized Bacon for voting against the American Rescue Plan Act that capped insulin prices for seniors on Medicare.Bacon has emphasized his bipartisan bona fides, emphasizing his vote to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill.Vargas has done the same by highlighting his vote for final passage of the state’s largest-ever tax relief package.Redistricting has replaced Bacon’s <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/09/democrats-pin-hopes-of-beating-bacon-on-vargas-a-newly-drawn-district-and-abortion/">home base of Papillion and La Vista</a> with Saunders County, which also votes Republican.It’s unclear who that <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/03/nebraska-house-candidates-still-fight-voter-confusion-after-redistricting/">might help, or how</a>. Most race raters consider Bacon the mild favorite, but many see a toss-up.<h2>U.S. House of Representatives — 3rd District</h2>Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., of Gering, faces Democrat <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/13/david-else-swaps-his-calls-to-ricketts-call-in-show-for-a-campaign-for-congress/">David Else of Overton</a> and Legal Marijuana Now Party member Mark Elworth Jr.But the biggest question the seven-term Smith faces Tuesday is whether he can continue his streak of <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/21/smith-touts-work-on-tax-relief-and-trade-as-he-campaigns-for-an-eighth-term/">securing 70% of the vote</a>.Nebraskans will also be watching whether his years of service on the Ways and Means Committee could lead to a chairmanship.That powerful committee writes the nation’s tax code. No Nebraskan has ever chaired the group.Smith has said being chair would help him advance favorable trade policies for Nebraska’s agricultural products.<h2>Ballot Initiatives</h2>Nebraskans will be voting on a pair of <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/06/minimum-wage-voter-id-petitions-qualify-for-nebraskas-november-ballot/">statewide ballot initiatives</a> on Tuesday, both of which might pass.One of them, Initiative 432, would require Nebraskans to show a valid picture ID to vote.&nbsp;The other, Initiative 433, would raise Nebraska’s minimum wage over time to $15 an hour and index it to inflation.Advocates of Voter ID have said passing the measure would <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/28/gov-pete-ricketts-takes-voter-id-show-on-the-road-with-town-halls/">help rebuild confidence</a> in the accuracy of the state’s elections.&nbsp;Opponents have said it would <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/19/group-says-voter-id-would-block-thousands-of-nebraskans-from-voting/">disenfranchise elderly, poor and minority voters</a> who are more likely to lack state IDs.If voters approve it, the Nebraska 
Legislature would be tasked with deciding how it is implemented. Backers
 say the Legislature will help fund IDs for people who can’t afford 
them.State senators would need to decide 
how and whether IDs could be verified during the early voting process 
and for voting by mail.Supporters have said people could photocopy their IDs or take a picture of them and print them out.&nbsp;Critics of Voter ID have said not every Nebraskan has access to a photocopier or printer and said it would add another hurdle.On minimum wage, advocates have argued the need to boost pay for working Nebraskans to <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/15-an-hour-could-help-150000-nebraskans-analysis-says/">keep up with inflation</a>.They have said others could see their pay increase as well, because employers compete for talent.Opponents have argued raising the minimum wage now could make inflation worse, and <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/18/minimum-wage-could-be-both-blessing-and-curse-for-employees/">reduce the number of available jobs</a>.They’ve also argued that the free market should decide what people are paid and whether a raise is warranted.