WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that religious schools can’t be excluded from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/me-state-wire-us-supreme-court-maine-religion-education-053be754922af11fe1bceaf408d0f910">a Maine program</a>&nbsp;that offers tuition aid for private education, a decision that could ease religious organizations’ access to taxpayer money.

The most immediate effect of the court’s 6-3 decision beyond Maine will be next door in Vermont, which has a similar program.

But the outcome also could fuel a renewed push for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-choice">school choice programs</a>&nbsp;in some of the 18 states that have so far not directed taxpayer money to private, religious education.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for a conservative majority that the program violates the Constitution’s protections for religious freedoms.

“Maine’s ‘nonsectarian’ requirement for its otherwise generally available tuition assistance payments violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. Regardless of how the benefit and restriction are described, the program operates to identify and exclude otherwise eligible schools on the basis of their religious exercise,” Roberts wrote.

The court’s three liberal justices dissented. “This Court continues to dismantle the wall of separation between church and state that the Framers fought to build,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote.

The ruling is the latest in a line of decisions from the Supreme Court that have favored religion-based discrimination claims. The court is separately weighing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-football-religion-prayer-washington-7490d215c8b1ead529299ac92114dbab">case of a football coach who says he has a First Amendment right to pray</a>&nbsp;at midfield immediately after games.

In largely rural Maine, the state allows families who live in towns that don’t have public schools to receive public tuition dollars to send their children to the public or private school of their choosing. The program has excluded religious schools.

Students who live in a district with public schools or in a district that contracts with another public system are ineligible for the tuition program.

Parents who challenged the program argued that the exclusion of religious schools violates their religious rights under the Constitution. Teacher unions and school boards said states can impose limits on public money for private education without running afoul of religious freedoms.

Most of the justices attended religious schools, and several send or have sent their children to them.

In the Maine case, parents sued in federal court to be able to use state aid to send their children to Christian schools in Bangor and Waterville. The schools in question, Bangor Christian School and Temple Academy, are uncertain whether they would accept public funds, according to court filings.

The Bangor school said it would not hire teachers or admit students who are transgender. Both schools said they do not hire gay or lesbian teachers, according to court records.

In 2020, the high court ruled 5-4 that states must give religious schools the same access to public funding that other private schools receive, preserving a Montana scholarship program that had largely benefited students at religious institutions.

In that case, the court said states don’t have to allow public money to be used in private education. But they can’t keep religious schools out of such programs, once created.

But even after that ruling, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Maine program, holding that the state was not violating anyone’s constitutional rights by refusing to allow taxpayer money to be used for religious instruction. The three-judge panel included retired Justice David Souter, who occasionally hears cases in the appeals court.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that religious schools can’t be excluded from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/me-state-wire-us-supreme-court-maine-religion-education-053be754922af11fe1bceaf408d0f910">a Maine program</a>&nbsp;that offers tuition aid for private education, a decision that could ease religious organizations’ access to taxpayer money.The most immediate effect of the court’s 6-3 decision beyond Maine will be next door in Vermont, which has a similar program.But the outcome also could fuel a renewed push for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-choice">school choice programs</a>&nbsp;in some of the 18 states that have so far not directed taxpayer money to private, religious education.Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for a conservative majority that the program violates the Constitution’s protections for religious freedoms.“Maine’s ‘nonsectarian’ requirement for its otherwise generally available tuition assistance payments violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. Regardless of how the benefit and restriction are described, the program operates to identify and exclude otherwise eligible schools on the basis of their religious exercise,” Roberts wrote.The court’s three liberal justices dissented. “This Court continues to dismantle the wall of separation between church and state that the Framers fought to build,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote.The ruling is the latest in a line of decisions from the Supreme Court that have favored religion-based discrimination claims. The court is separately weighing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-football-religion-prayer-washington-7490d215c8b1ead529299ac92114dbab">case of a football coach who says he has a First Amendment right to pray</a>&nbsp;at midfield immediately after games.In largely rural Maine, the state allows families who live in towns that don’t have public schools to receive public tuition dollars to send their children to the public or private school of their choosing. The program has excluded religious schools.Students who live in a district with public schools or in a district that contracts with another public system are ineligible for the tuition program.Parents who challenged the program argued that the exclusion of religious schools violates their religious rights under the Constitution. Teacher unions and school boards said states can impose limits on public money for private education without running afoul of religious freedoms.Most of the justices attended religious schools, and several send or have sent their children to them.In the Maine case, parents sued in federal court to be able to use state aid to send their children to Christian schools in Bangor and Waterville. The schools in question, Bangor Christian School and Temple Academy, are uncertain whether they would accept public funds, according to court filings.The Bangor school said it would not hire teachers or admit students who are transgender. Both schools said they do not hire gay or lesbian teachers, according to court records.In 2020, the high court ruled 5-4 that states must give religious schools the same access to public funding that other private schools receive, preserving a Montana scholarship program that had largely benefited students at religious institutions.In that case, the court said states don’t have to allow public money to be used in private education. But they can’t keep religious schools out of such programs, once created.But even after that ruling, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Maine program, holding that the state was not violating anyone’s constitutional rights by refusing to allow taxpayer money to be used for religious instruction. The three-judge panel included retired Justice David Souter, who occasionally hears cases in the appeals court.

Supreme Court OKs use of public money for religious education

By RAHUL CHAWDHRY SHARMA <a href="https://www.virginiamercury.com/2022/06/21/punched-kicked-spit-on-va-health-care-workers-say-they-face-more-violence-since-pandemic/">Virginia Mercury</a>

Expressing frustration with what they
 say are increasing incidents of violence at work, doctors at the 
Virginia College of Emergency Physicians are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.acep.org/globalassets/ed-workplace-violence-one-pager.pdf">urging</a> federal lawmakers to support a U.S. Senate bill that would give greater protections to health care workers.&nbsp;

“I have been assaulted by patients 
hundreds of times —&nbsp; have been punched, kicked, spit on, and had objects
 thrown at me and weapons pointed at me. All this from the patients 
whose lives I’m trying to save,” one doctor who has worked as an 
emergency physician for three decades wrote in a letter to Sens. Mark 
Warner and Tim Kaine, Democrats from Virginia.&nbsp;

The emergency physician, who goes unnamed in the <a target="_blank" href="https://myemail.constantcontact.com/VACEP-eNews-167.html?soid=1102329573979&amp;aid=z3fEJgFy0kI">letter</a>, isn’t alone. The Bureau of Labor Statistics <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/violence/fastfacts.html">says</a>
 that 70 percent of private sector workers who “experienced trauma from 
nonfatal workplace violence” in 2019 worked in health care or related 
social assistance roles, making them five times more likely to be 
injured by violence at work than others.&nbsp;

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/4182/text">S.4182</a>,
 the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service 
Workers Act, would direct the Department of Labor to create enforceable 
standards to ensure health care and social services workplaces implement
 violence prevention, tracking and response systems. A companion bill in
 the House was passed in 2021. In 2019, the Virginia General Assembly 
passed <a target="_blank" href="http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?191+sum+SB1395">legislation</a> making it a Class 1 misdemeanor to threaten to injure or kill health care workers.&nbsp;

There is no comprehensive statewide 
dataset on health care workplace violence for Virginia, but the Virginia
 Hospital and Healthcare Association says violent attacks on health care
 workers are on the rise. VHHA established a Workplace Safety Task Force in 2020 that is collecting data to find
 a baseline measurement for statewide injuries, as well as “sharing 
educational resources and best practices” to reduce such injuries, 
according to VHHA spokesperson Julian Walker.

State-level trends track national 
data, according to Toni Ardabell, chief of clinical enterprise 
operations at Inova, a major health care provider in Northern Virginia 
with 18,000 employees and more than 2 million patients a year. In 2021, 
648 physical workplace violence incidents were reported within their 
hospital system and Ardabell assumes many minor incidents go unreported.
 By one NIH <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5006066/">estimate</a>, almost 90 percent of incidents are not formally reported.&nbsp;

She said violence has been on the 
rise during the COVID-19 pandemic, accelerating a longer-term trend. 
Assault rates against health care workers nationwide have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8816837/">doubled</a> in the last 10 years and around <a target="_blank" href="https://oem.bmj.com/content/76/12/927.long">40 percent</a> of those working in hospitals have been victims of physical violence in the last year. Another <a target="_blank" href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2021.04.019">survey</a> put that number at 78 percent.

“I think the stress of COVID, the 
stress of the mental health crisis in our communities, all have 
contributed to behavior we have seen all over the country,” Ardabell 
said. “Most of the violence events that are reported are carried out by 
visitors or mental-health patients— people that are frustrated, they are
 already coping with a life issue.”

Ardabell cited the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.virginiamercury.com/2022/03/30/virginias-new-behavioral-health-director-orders-strategic-plan-for-struggling-state-agency/">breakdown</a>
 of the state’s mental health system as another possible factor in 
rising incidents of violence. Understaffing and overcrowding at 
publicly-funded psychiatric care hospitals have increasingly forced 
patients to stay in local emergency rooms instead of at state 
facilities, where they may not receive adequate care. Some private 
hospitals have dedicated mental health units where patients can receive 
proper care.

“What we are not equipped to deal 
with is the extremely physically abusive mental health patients,” 
Ardabell said. “The state closed beds in mental health institutions 
where these patients should be, and so there is not a real good solution
 for these patients right now.”

The workload and stress of the pandemic pushed many nurses out of the field, leading to a nursing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.virginiamercury.com/2021/09/27/vaccine-mandates-dont-appear-to-be-driving-the-current-nursing-shortage-in-virginia/">shortage</a>
 in Virginia. Ardabell said that though workplace violence isn’t showing
 up in exit interviews as a primary cause of leaving the jobs, it could 
be a contributing factor in worker burnout.&nbsp;

It is also common for family members 
of patients to take their anger out on workers. The highest 
concentrations of violence take place within emergency and behavioral 
health departments, with nurses in the ER being <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/44997529?seq=1">four times</a> more likely to be assaulted than those in other departments, but Ardabell emphasized that there is no typical situation.

“The situations can really be all 
over the map. It could be a confused patient that hits someone in their 
confusion, it could be someone who purposely hits someone because of 
their anger,” Ardabell said.&nbsp;

The daily threat of violence was 
underscored by two attacks on hospitals earlier this month. First a 
shooting at a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that saw four people killed, 
and then a stabbing at a medical center in Los Angeles, where three 
medical professionals were injured. In response, the Virginia Hospital 
and Healthcare Association released a statement expressing concern and 
highlighting steps that hospitals were taking.

“Unfortunately, hospitals and the 
people who work in them live with the daily reality that health care 
professionals face an elevated risk of being victims of workplace 
violence,” read the statement. “In response to these conditions, 
hospitals across Virginia have implemented a range of safety and 
prevention programs for staff including alerting systems, safety 
protocols, enhanced security personnel presence, and more to protect 
patients, family, visitors, and staff.”

In the meantime, ER doctors continue 
push for better working conditions “The physical and verbal abuse and 
violence toward all ED staff is out of control. This bill is a decent 
start, but we need even more,” read another letter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655836007623.png" alt="VCU's emergency hospital entrance in Richmond. (Parker Michels-Boyce / For The Virginia Mercury)" />
 <figcaption>VCU's emergency hospital entrance in Richmond. (Parker Michels-Boyce / For The Virginia Mercury)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RAHUL CHAWDHRY SHARMA <a href="https://www.virginiamercury.com/2022/06/21/punched-kicked-spit-on-va-health-care-workers-say-they-face-more-violence-since-pandemic/">Virginia Mercury</a>Expressing frustration with what they
 say are increasing incidents of violence at work, doctors at the 
Virginia College of Emergency Physicians are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.acep.org/globalassets/ed-workplace-violence-one-pager.pdf">urging</a> federal lawmakers to support a U.S. Senate bill that would give greater protections to health care workers.&nbsp;“I have been assaulted by patients 
hundreds of times —&nbsp; have been punched, kicked, spit on, and had objects
 thrown at me and weapons pointed at me. All this from the patients 
whose lives I’m trying to save,” one doctor who has worked as an 
emergency physician for three decades wrote in a letter to Sens. Mark 
Warner and Tim Kaine, Democrats from Virginia.&nbsp;The emergency physician, who goes unnamed in the <a target="_blank" href="https://myemail.constantcontact.com/VACEP-eNews-167.html?soid=1102329573979&amp;aid=z3fEJgFy0kI">letter</a>, isn’t alone. The Bureau of Labor Statistics <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/violence/fastfacts.html">says</a>
 that 70 percent of private sector workers who “experienced trauma from 
nonfatal workplace violence” in 2019 worked in health care or related 
social assistance roles, making them five times more likely to be 
injured by violence at work than others.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/4182/text">S.4182</a>,
 the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service 
Workers Act, would direct the Department of Labor to create enforceable 
standards to ensure health care and social services workplaces implement
 violence prevention, tracking and response systems. A companion bill in
 the House was passed in 2021. In 2019, the Virginia General Assembly 
passed <a target="_blank" href="http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?191+sum+SB1395">legislation</a> making it a Class 1 misdemeanor to threaten to injure or kill health care workers.&nbsp;There is no comprehensive statewide 
dataset on health care workplace violence for Virginia, but the Virginia
 Hospital and Healthcare Association says violent attacks on health care
 workers are on the rise. VHHA established a Workplace Safety Task Force in 2020 that is collecting data to find
 a baseline measurement for statewide injuries, as well as “sharing 
educational resources and best practices” to reduce such injuries, 
according to VHHA spokesperson Julian Walker.State-level trends track national 
data, according to Toni Ardabell, chief of clinical enterprise 
operations at Inova, a major health care provider in Northern Virginia 
with 18,000 employees and more than 2 million patients a year. In 2021, 
648 physical workplace violence incidents were reported within their 
hospital system and Ardabell assumes many minor incidents go unreported.
 By one NIH <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5006066/">estimate</a>, almost 90 percent of incidents are not formally reported.&nbsp;She said violence has been on the 
rise during the COVID-19 pandemic, accelerating a longer-term trend. 
Assault rates against health care workers nationwide have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8816837/">doubled</a> in the last 10 years and around <a target="_blank" href="https://oem.bmj.com/content/76/12/927.long">40 percent</a> of those working in hospitals have been victims of physical violence in the last year. Another <a target="_blank" href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2021.04.019">survey</a> put that number at 78 percent.“I think the stress of COVID, the 
stress of the mental health crisis in our communities, all have 
contributed to behavior we have seen all over the country,” Ardabell 
said. “Most of the violence events that are reported are carried out by 
visitors or mental-health patients— people that are frustrated, they are
 already coping with a life issue.”Ardabell cited the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.virginiamercury.com/2022/03/30/virginias-new-behavioral-health-director-orders-strategic-plan-for-struggling-state-agency/">breakdown</a>
 of the state’s mental health system as another possible factor in 
rising incidents of violence. Understaffing and overcrowding at 
publicly-funded psychiatric care hospitals have increasingly forced 
patients to stay in local emergency rooms instead of at state 
facilities, where they may not receive adequate care. Some private 
hospitals have dedicated mental health units where patients can receive 
proper care.“What we are not equipped to deal 
with is the extremely physically abusive mental health patients,” 
Ardabell said. “The state closed beds in mental health institutions 
where these patients should be, and so there is not a real good solution
 for these patients right now.”The workload and stress of the pandemic pushed many nurses out of the field, leading to a nursing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.virginiamercury.com/2021/09/27/vaccine-mandates-dont-appear-to-be-driving-the-current-nursing-shortage-in-virginia/">shortage</a>
 in Virginia. Ardabell said that though workplace violence isn’t showing
 up in exit interviews as a primary cause of leaving the jobs, it could 
be a contributing factor in worker burnout.&nbsp;It is also common for family members 
of patients to take their anger out on workers. The highest 
concentrations of violence take place within emergency and behavioral 
health departments, with nurses in the ER being <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/44997529?seq=1">four times</a> more likely to be assaulted than those in other departments, but Ardabell emphasized that there is no typical situation.“The situations can really be all 
over the map. It could be a confused patient that hits someone in their 
confusion, it could be someone who purposely hits someone because of 
their anger,” Ardabell said.&nbsp;The daily threat of violence was 
underscored by two attacks on hospitals earlier this month. First a 
shooting at a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that saw four people killed, 
and then a stabbing at a medical center in Los Angeles, where three 
medical professionals were injured. In response, the Virginia Hospital 
and Healthcare Association released a statement expressing concern and 
highlighting steps that hospitals were taking.“Unfortunately, hospitals and the 
people who work in them live with the daily reality that health care 
professionals face an elevated risk of being victims of workplace 
violence,” read the statement. “In response to these conditions, 
hospitals across Virginia have implemented a range of safety and 
prevention programs for staff including alerting systems, safety 
protocols, enhanced security personnel presence, and more to protect 
patients, family, visitors, and staff.”In the meantime, ER doctors continue 
push for better working conditions “The physical and verbal abuse and 
violence toward all ED staff is out of control. This bill is a decent 
start, but we need even more,” read another letter.“We are sitting ducks.”

‘Punched, kicked, spit on’: Violence rises against health care workers since COVID

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/20/seattle-based-cycling-frog-jabs-at-nebraskas-social-scene-but-tourism-folks-snap-back/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

A
 Seattle-based brand called Cycling Frog has ranked Nebraska near the 
bottom of the pack when it comes to the best states for summer 
socializing.

In
 its media release, Cycling Frog is described as an “exciting new player
 in the THC &amp; CBD space” and said its picks for top social states 
have common ground in that they have a good share of colleges and state 
parks, and legal cannabis to some degree.

The wholesaler noted that it didn’t set out to bash any particular place.

“Whilst
 we’re confident that there are plenty of reasons to visit Nebraska, 
Alabama and Wyoming, they don’t appear to be the best destinations if 
you’re looking for carefree summer fun, according to our ranking 
criteria,” said head of brand Jason Peterson.

The
 Nebraska Tourism Commission, asked to respond, had its own summertime 
fun with the group’s findings. It released a statement that nodded to 
the commission’s spring and summer campaign slogan, which is: “Nebraska.
 Honestly, it’s not for everyone.”&nbsp;

“Note to our Cycling Frog friends:

Nebraska
 isn’t for everyone. It’s for the ‘not everyones’ of the world. And 
frankly, folks who refer to themselves as ‘Cycling Frogs’ sound about as
 ‘not everyone’ as you can get. So we hereby invite you to come and 
discover the vibrant (and very social) nightlife of our cities. Or our 
amazing party-friendly riverbanks and lakeshores. Or large events like 
the College World Series, rodeos, festivals, and all sorts of other 
reasons people gather to celebrate and hang out with lots of other 
people (AKA, ‘socializing’). Yes, Cycling Frogs, you are invited to 
visit. So hop to it.

<a target="_blank" href="https://cyclingfrog.com/blogs/news/ranked-the-best-and-worst-states-for-summer-socials">Cycling Frog,</a> which launched early this year, said it used eight criteria to develop the system that judged each state’s “suitability for summer socials.”&nbsp;

Criteria
 were population size, median age, number of state parks, number of 
state beaches, summer temperatures, number of colleges, average price of
 a 24-pack of beer and marijuana legality.

Husker
 territory was ranked third lowest, with researchers commenting that the
 “Beef State” had too few managed or protected parks and outdoor spaces 
“to explore and enjoy the summer sun.”

Just above and below Nebraska in the Cycling Frog rankings were Nevada and Alabama, respectively.

Wyoming
 wound up last, with researchers noting it has “only 14 state parks and 
beaches for outdoor recreation” in addition to high-priced beer.

Conversely,
 California, Massachusetts and New York were ranked on top. The 
researchers pointed out California’s “reliable temperatures” and over 
300 state parks and beaches. They noted that marijuana and associated 
cannabinoids are legal there for recreational use.

The three top ranked states all have fully legalized marijuana, including recreational use.

Of the bottom three, Wyoming and Nebraska have no legalized 
marijuana use. Alabama’s legislature and governor in 2021 signed into 
law a bill allowing medical marijuana use.Currently in 
Nebraska, a group is gathering signatures for a pair of initiative 
petitions aimed at legalizing medical marijuana in the state.&nbsp;

Cycling Frog<a target="_blank" href="https://cyclingfrog.com/"> offers</a>
 hemp-based THC and CBD products to a mass audience. The brand’s website
 also says that it is “pushing the boundaries and going into uncharted 
territory” in an attempt to change a generation’s perception and access 
to the products in the U.S.

THC,
 or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the psychoactive compound in marijuana. 
CBD, or cannabidiol, is said to not cause that same “high” and is touted
 as a component of medical marijuana and treating certain syndromes.

Meanwhile, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development announced the June 20 start of the monthlong “Nebraska Good Life <a target="_blank" href="https://thegoodlifeiscalling.com/connect/">Summer Contest.”</a>

Three Nebraskans will have the chance to win prizes by sharing their favorite fun-in-the-sun activity.

Entrants
 are asked to post a fun and creative Instagram reel of themselves and 
friends, tagging @nebraskagoodlife and using hashtag 
#NEGoodLifeSummerContest in the caption.&nbsp;

Prizes
 include a smart TV, an Amazon Echo and a streaming device. The contest 
is sponsored by the Nebraska Diplomats and hosted by the Department of 
Economic Development.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655835180511.png" alt=" (Courtesy of Nebraska Department of Economic Development)" />
 <figcaption> (Courtesy of Nebraska Department of Economic Development)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/20/seattle-based-cycling-frog-jabs-at-nebraskas-social-scene-but-tourism-folks-snap-back/">Nebraska Examiner</a>A
 Seattle-based brand called Cycling Frog has ranked Nebraska near the 
bottom of the pack when it comes to the best states for summer 
socializing.In
 its media release, Cycling Frog is described as an “exciting new player
 in the THC &amp; CBD space” and said its picks for top social states 
have common ground in that they have a good share of colleges and state 
parks, and legal cannabis to some degree.The wholesaler noted that it didn’t set out to bash any particular place.“Whilst
 we’re confident that there are plenty of reasons to visit Nebraska, 
Alabama and Wyoming, they don’t appear to be the best destinations if 
you’re looking for carefree summer fun, according to our ranking 
criteria,” said head of brand Jason Peterson.<h2>Back at you, Cycling Frog</h2>The
 Nebraska Tourism Commission, asked to respond, had its own summertime 
fun with the group’s findings. It released a statement that nodded to 
the commission’s spring and summer campaign slogan, which is: “Nebraska.
 Honestly, it’s not for everyone.”&nbsp;“Note to our Cycling Frog friends:Nebraska
 isn’t for everyone. It’s for the ‘not everyones’ of the world. And 
frankly, folks who refer to themselves as ‘Cycling Frogs’ sound about as
 ‘not everyone’ as you can get. So we hereby invite you to come and 
discover the vibrant (and very social) nightlife of our cities. Or our 
amazing party-friendly riverbanks and lakeshores. Or large events like 
the College World Series, rodeos, festivals, and all sorts of other 
reasons people gather to celebrate and hang out with lots of other 
people (AKA, ‘socializing’). Yes, Cycling Frogs, you are invited to 
visit. So hop to it.Love, Nebraska Tourism.”<a target="_blank" href="https://cyclingfrog.com/blogs/news/ranked-the-best-and-worst-states-for-summer-socials">Cycling Frog,</a> which launched early this year, said it used eight criteria to develop the system that judged each state’s “suitability for summer socials.”&nbsp;Criteria
 were population size, median age, number of state parks, number of 
state beaches, summer temperatures, number of colleges, average price of
 a 24-pack of beer and marijuana legality.Husker
 territory was ranked third lowest, with researchers commenting that the
 “Beef State” had too few managed or protected parks and outdoor spaces 
“to explore and enjoy the summer sun.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655835250891.jpeg" alt="(Courtesy of Department of Economic Development)" />
 <figcaption>(Courtesy of Department of Economic Development)</figcaption>
 </figure>Just above and below Nebraska in the Cycling Frog rankings were Nevada and Alabama, respectively.<h2>Bottom of the pile</h2>Wyoming
 wound up last, with researchers noting it has “only 14 state parks and 
beaches for outdoor recreation” in addition to high-priced beer.Conversely,
 California, Massachusetts and New York were ranked on top. The 
researchers pointed out California’s “reliable temperatures” and over 
300 state parks and beaches. They noted that marijuana and associated 
cannabinoids are legal there for recreational use.The three top ranked states all have fully legalized marijuana, including recreational use.Of the bottom three, Wyoming and Nebraska have no legalized 
marijuana use. Alabama’s legislature and governor in 2021 signed into 
law a bill allowing medical marijuana use.Currently in 
Nebraska, a group is gathering signatures for a pair of initiative 
petitions aimed at legalizing medical marijuana in the state.&nbsp;Cycling Frog<a target="_blank" href="https://cyclingfrog.com/"> offers</a>
 hemp-based THC and CBD products to a mass audience. The brand’s website
 also says that it is “pushing the boundaries and going into uncharted 
territory” in an attempt to change a generation’s perception and access 
to the products in the U.S.THC,
 or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the psychoactive compound in marijuana. 
CBD, or cannabidiol, is said to not cause that same “high” and is touted
 as a component of medical marijuana and treating certain syndromes.<h2>Good Life Summer Contest</h2>Meanwhile, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development announced the June 20 start of the monthlong “Nebraska Good Life <a target="_blank" href="https://thegoodlifeiscalling.com/connect/">Summer Contest.”</a>Three Nebraskans will have the chance to win prizes by sharing their favorite fun-in-the-sun activity.Entrants
 are asked to post a fun and creative Instagram reel of themselves and 
friends, tagging @nebraskagoodlife and using hashtag 
#NEGoodLifeSummerContest in the caption.&nbsp;Prizes
 include a smart TV, an Amazon Echo and a streaming device. The contest 
is sponsored by the Nebraska Diplomats and hosted by the Department of 
Economic Development.&nbsp;

Seattle THC dealer disses Neb. social life — Nebraskans snap back

DENVER (AP) — A Nebraska man has pleaded guilty to making death threats against Colorado’s top elections official in a what officials say is the first such plea obtained by a federal task force devoted to protecting elections workers across the U.S. who have been subject to increasing threats since the 2020 presidential election.

Travis Ford, 42, pleaded guilty in Denver federal court to sending threats to Secretary of State Jena Griswold on social media. Griswold is a national advocate for elections security who has received thousands of threats over her insistence that the 2020 election was secure and that former President Donald Trump’s claims that it was stolen from him are false.

Thursday’s plea was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/man-pleads-guilty-threatening-colorado-election-official" target="_blank">announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Colorado</a>&nbsp;and was first reported by The Denver Gazette. Ford, a resident of Lincoln, Nebraska, faces up to two years in prison when he is sentenced Oct. 6.

It’s the first guilty plea obtained by the U.S. Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, which was launched last year to investigate threats of violence against elections workers, the office said. FBI agents in Colorado and Nebraska investigated the case.

“Threats of violence against election officials are dangerous for people’s safety and dangerous for our democracy, and we will use every resource at our disposal to disrupt and investigate those threats and hold perpetrators accountable,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

According to the announcement, Ford sent Griswold a series of threatening messages over Instagram in August. “Do you feel safe? You shouldn’t,” one read. Another read: “Your security detail is far too thin and incompetent to protect you.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security this month&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/ntas/advisory/national-terrorism-advisory-system-bulletin-june-7-2022" target="_blank">renewed a threat advisory</a><a href="https://www.dhs.gov/ntas/advisory/national-terrorism-advisory-system-bulletin-february-07-2022" target="_blank"></a>&nbsp;warning of possible violence, particularly for elections officials, workers and other targets by individuals or small groups motivated by conspiracy theories and “false and misleading narratives.”

Griswold, a Democrat, told Colorado lawmakers earlier this year that she and other elections officials have received&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-colorado-voting-presidential-elections-voting-machines-b528a0ac173010547d1f8946424ecfeb">thousands of threats</a>&nbsp;that have prompted many local clerks to quit or take security training so they feel safe in their public service work.

The Legislature passed bills to enhance security for Griswold and other statewide office-holders and to add protections for all elections workers. Gov. Jared Polis has signed them into law.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573580132637.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ASSOCIATED PRESSDENVER (AP) — A Nebraska man has pleaded guilty to making death threats against Colorado’s top elections official in a what officials say is the first such plea obtained by a federal task force devoted to protecting elections workers across the U.S. who have been subject to increasing threats since the 2020 presidential election.Travis Ford, 42, pleaded guilty in Denver federal court to sending threats to Secretary of State Jena Griswold on social media. Griswold is a national advocate for elections security who has received thousands of threats over her insistence that the 2020 election was secure and that former President Donald Trump’s claims that it was stolen from him are false.Thursday’s plea was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/man-pleads-guilty-threatening-colorado-election-official" target="_blank">announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Colorado</a>&nbsp;and was first reported by The Denver Gazette. Ford, a resident of Lincoln, Nebraska, faces up to two years in prison when he is sentenced Oct. 6.It’s the first guilty plea obtained by the U.S. Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, which was launched last year to investigate threats of violence against elections workers, the office said. FBI agents in Colorado and Nebraska investigated the case.“Threats of violence against election officials are dangerous for people’s safety and dangerous for our democracy, and we will use every resource at our disposal to disrupt and investigate those threats and hold perpetrators accountable,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.According to the announcement, Ford sent Griswold a series of threatening messages over Instagram in August. “Do you feel safe? You shouldn’t,” one read. Another read: “Your security detail is far too thin and incompetent to protect you.”The U.S. Department of Homeland Security this month&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/ntas/advisory/national-terrorism-advisory-system-bulletin-june-7-2022" target="_blank">renewed a threat advisory</a><a href="https://www.dhs.gov/ntas/advisory/national-terrorism-advisory-system-bulletin-february-07-2022" target="_blank"></a>&nbsp;warning of possible violence, particularly for elections officials, workers and other targets by individuals or small groups motivated by conspiracy theories and “false and misleading narratives.”Griswold, a Democrat, told Colorado lawmakers earlier this year that she and other elections officials have received&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-colorado-voting-presidential-elections-voting-machines-b528a0ac173010547d1f8946424ecfeb">thousands of threats</a>&nbsp;that have prompted many local clerks to quit or take security training so they feel safe in their public service work.The Legislature passed bills to enhance security for Griswold and other statewide office-holders and to add protections for all elections workers. Gov. Jared Polis has signed them into law.

Colorado guilty plea a first for US election task force

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraskans-for-peace-calls-for-reduction-in-bloated-u-s-defense-budget/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA
 — Officials with Nebraskans for Peace called Monday for support for a 
bill that would cut the nation’s “bloated” military spending by $100 
billion and shift those funds to social issues.

At
 a press conference in downtown Omaha, officials said America spends 
more on the military than the next 10 countries combined and that some 
of the $732 billion defense budget would be better spent on domestic 
problems, such as securing schools, improving health care and reducing 
gun violence.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Let’s
 see where we can go with some of this money. We need to reinvest in our
 own self,” said Brittany Cooper, state coordinator with Nebraskans for 
Peace.&nbsp;

Speakers
 at the press conference called for support of a bill introduced in the 
House last week by U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., and Mark Pocan, 
D-Wis., to cut the defense budget by $100 billion and reallocate those 
funds to “prioritize people.”

“It
 is time that we realign our priorities to reflect the urgent needs of 
communities across this country that are healing from a pandemic, 
ongoing economic insecurity, and an international energy crisis — none 
of which will be resolved through greater military spending,” Lee said 
in a press release last week.

But
 U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said now is the wrong time to consider 
cuts in military spending, with Russia shelling Ukraine and recently 
threatening other Balkan countries, and with China building a nuclear 
inventory to rival the U.S.

“We’re in different world now. It’s not a bipartisan world … it’s like a three-way game of chess,” Bacon said.&nbsp;

On Thursday, another member of the Nebraska delegation in Washington, U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee,&nbsp;touted her support for a fiscal year 2022-23 defense budget of $857
 billion — $45 billion more than requested by the Biden administration. 
The budget bill advanced out of the committee last week on a vote of 23 
to 3, winning bipartisan support.

“I’m
 proud of the strong, bipartisan product our committee approved today to
 provide for the common defense, take care of our military, and support 
the biggest pay raise for our troops in two decades,” Fischer said in a 
press release.&nbsp;

She said the proposed budget included a 4.6% raise in military salaries, protected the&nbsp; 55th Wing, based at Offutt Air Force Base, and resisted Biden administration attempts to cut “vital programs.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nebraskans
 for Peace officials called the defense budget “bloated” and wasteful 
and said it diverted spending away from programs that help the poor and 
communities of color.

Ron
 Todd-Meyer, board president of Nebraskans for Peace and a U.S. Marine 
Corps Vietnam War veteran, pointed out that the U.S. spent $6 trillion 
over the last 20 years in the Middle East, yet many Americans live in 
poverty without good access to health care and education.

“Our
 nation needs to acknowledge the waste of war spending and begin the 
task of rebuilding a planet that is literally approaching the death of 
many living beings,” Todd-Meyer said. 

Nebraskans for Peace officials said federal 
funds could be better spent on making schools more secure and buying 
back assault-style weapons, as well as on improving mental health care.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655824399148.png" alt="Nebraskans for Peace, a 52-year-old organization, recently erected this billboard near 16th and California Streets in Omaha. (Courtesy of Nebraskans for Peace)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraskans for Peace, a 52-year-old organization, recently erected this billboard near 16th and California Streets in Omaha. (Courtesy of Nebraskans for Peace)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraskans-for-peace-calls-for-reduction-in-bloated-u-s-defense-budget/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA
 — Officials with Nebraskans for Peace called Monday for support for a 
bill that would cut the nation’s “bloated” military spending by $100 
billion and shift those funds to social issues.At
 a press conference in downtown Omaha, officials said America spends 
more on the military than the next 10 countries combined and that some 
of the $732 billion defense budget would be better spent on domestic 
problems, such as securing schools, improving health care and reducing 
gun violence.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Let’s
 see where we can go with some of this money. We need to reinvest in our
 own self,” said Brittany Cooper, state coordinator with Nebraskans for 
Peace.&nbsp;<h2>‘Prioritize people’</h2>Speakers
 at the press conference called for support of a bill introduced in the 
House last week by U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., and Mark Pocan, 
D-Wis., to cut the defense budget by $100 billion and reallocate those 
funds to “prioritize people.”“It
 is time that we realign our priorities to reflect the urgent needs of 
communities across this country that are healing from a pandemic, 
ongoing economic insecurity, and an international energy crisis — none 
of which will be resolved through greater military spending,” Lee said 
in a press release last week.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655824460624.jpeg" alt="U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb. (Courtesy of U.S. House of Representatives)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb. (Courtesy of U.S. House of Representatives)</figcaption>
 </figure>But
 U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said now is the wrong time to consider 
cuts in military spending, with Russia shelling Ukraine and recently 
threatening other Balkan countries, and with China building a nuclear 
inventory to rival the U.S.“We’re in different world now. It’s not a bipartisan world … it’s like a three-way game of chess,” Bacon said.&nbsp;On Thursday, another member of the Nebraska delegation in Washington, U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee,&nbsp;touted her support for a fiscal year 2022-23 defense budget of $857
 billion — $45 billion more than requested by the Biden administration. 
The budget bill advanced out of the committee last week on a vote of 23 
to 3, winning bipartisan support.<h2>Pay raise in new budget</h2>“I’m
 proud of the strong, bipartisan product our committee approved today to
 provide for the common defense, take care of our military, and support 
the biggest pay raise for our troops in two decades,” Fischer said in a 
press release.&nbsp;She said the proposed budget included a 4.6% raise in military salaries, protected the&nbsp; 55th Wing, based at Offutt Air Force Base, and resisted Biden administration attempts to cut “vital programs.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Nebraskans
 for Peace officials called the defense budget “bloated” and wasteful 
and said it diverted spending away from programs that help the poor and 
communities of color.Ron
 Todd-Meyer, board president of Nebraskans for Peace and a U.S. Marine 
Corps Vietnam War veteran, pointed out that the U.S. spent $6 trillion 
over the last 20 years in the Middle East, yet many Americans live in 
poverty without good access to health care and education.“Our
 nation needs to acknowledge the waste of war spending and begin the 
task of rebuilding a planet that is literally approaching the death of 
many living beings,” Todd-Meyer said. Nebraskans for Peace officials said federal 
funds could be better spent on making schools more secure and buying 
back assault-style weapons, as well as on improving mental health care.

Nebraskans for Peace calls for reduction in ‘bloated’ U.S. defense budget

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has rejected Bayer's appeal to shut down thousands of lawsuits claiming that its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer.

The justices on Tuesday left in place a $25 million judgment in favor of Edwin Hardeman, a&nbsp;California&nbsp;man who says he developed cancer from using Roundup for decades to treat poison oak, overgrowth and weeds on his San Francisco Bay Area property. Hardeman's lawsuit had served as a test case for thousands of similar lawsuits.

The high court’s action comes amid a series of court fights over Roundup that have pointed in different directions.

On Friday, a panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an Environmental Protection Agency finding from 2020 that glyphosate does not pose a serious health risk and is “not likely” to cause cancer in humans. The appellate court ordered the EPA to reexamine its finding.

At the same time, Bayer has won four consecutive trials in state court against people who claimed they got cancer from their use of Roundup. The latest verdict in favor of the company came last week in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/oregon">Oregon</a>.

Bayer had argued that federal regulators have repeatedly determined its products are safe, and that lawsuits based on claims under state laws should be dismissed.

Last year, Bayer set aside $4.5 billion to deal with the claims that glyphosate, the weed-killing ingredient in Roundup, causes non-Hodgins lymphoma, a type of cancer. The company had previously taken a charge of nearly $10 billion for earlier rounds of litigation.

Bayer also had warned that allowing these sorts of claims will damage innovation in agriculture, health and other industries.

Bayer inherited Roundup and the litigation when it acquired Monsanto in 2018.

The EPA says on its website that there is “no evidence glyphosate causes cancer humans.” But in 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as ”probably carcinogenic to humans.” The agency said it relied on “limited” evidence of cancer in people and “sufficient” evidence of cancer in study animals.

The Justice Department, which had sided with Bayer in the lower courts during the Trump administration, recommended that the high court not get involved.

Bayer maintains the product is safe, but said that it would replace glyphosate in Roundup for residential use beginning in 2023. Products containing glyphosate will still be available for professional and farm use.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has rejected Bayer's appeal to shut down thousands of lawsuits claiming that its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer.The justices on Tuesday left in place a $25 million judgment in favor of Edwin Hardeman, a&nbsp;California&nbsp;man who says he developed cancer from using Roundup for decades to treat poison oak, overgrowth and weeds on his San Francisco Bay Area property. Hardeman's lawsuit had served as a test case for thousands of similar lawsuits.The high court’s action comes amid a series of court fights over Roundup that have pointed in different directions.On Friday, a panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an Environmental Protection Agency finding from 2020 that glyphosate does not pose a serious health risk and is “not likely” to cause cancer in humans. The appellate court ordered the EPA to reexamine its finding.At the same time, Bayer has won four consecutive trials in state court against people who claimed they got cancer from their use of Roundup. The latest verdict in favor of the company came last week in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/oregon">Oregon</a>.Bayer had argued that federal regulators have repeatedly determined its products are safe, and that lawsuits based on claims under state laws should be dismissed.Last year, Bayer set aside $4.5 billion to deal with the claims that glyphosate, the weed-killing ingredient in Roundup, causes non-Hodgins lymphoma, a type of cancer. The company had previously taken a charge of nearly $10 billion for earlier rounds of litigation.Bayer also had warned that allowing these sorts of claims will damage innovation in agriculture, health and other industries.Bayer inherited Roundup and the litigation when it acquired Monsanto in 2018.The EPA says on its website that there is “no evidence glyphosate causes cancer humans.” But in 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as ”probably carcinogenic to humans.” The agency said it relied on “limited” evidence of cancer in people and “sufficient” evidence of cancer in study animals.The Justice Department, which had sided with Bayer in the lower courts during the Trump administration, recommended that the high court not get involved.Bayer maintains the product is safe, but said that it would replace glyphosate in Roundup for residential use beginning in 2023. Products containing glyphosate will still be available for professional and farm use.

Supreme Court rejects Bayer bid to stop Roundup lawsuits

KANSAS CITY (AP) —The price of a foot of water pipe in Tucson, Arizona: up 19%. The cost of a ton of asphalt in a small Massachusetts town: up 37%. The estimate to build a new airport terminal in Des Moines, Iowa: 69% higher, with a several year delay.

Inflation is taking a toll on infrastructure projects across the U.S., driving up costs so much that state and local officials are postponing projects, scaling back others and reprioritizing their needs.

The price hikes already are diminishing the value of a $1 trillion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">infrastructure plan President Joe Biden signed</a>&nbsp;into law just seven months ago. That law had included, among other things, a roughly 25% increase in regular highway program funding for states.

“Those dollars are essentially evaporating,” said Jim Tymon, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. "The cost of those projects is going up by 20%, by 30%, and just wiping out that increase from the federal government that they were so excited about earlier in the year.”

In Casper, Wyoming, the low bid to rebuild a major intersection and construct a new bridge over the North Platte River came in at $35 million this spring — 55% over a state engineer's estimate. The bid was rejected and the project delayed as state officials re-evaluate their options.

“If this inflation keeps the way it is, we will have to roll projects from one year into the next, into the next, into the next," said Mark Gillett, chief engineer of the Wyoming Department of Transportation.

Gillett had hoped the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would finance a boom in highway and bridge construction.

“But it’s just not going to go as far as we had hoped,” he said.

In addition to roads, the federal infrastructure bill includes billions of dollars for water projects, railways, airports, broadband internet, electric grids and green-energy projects over the coming years.

Inflation has affected the entire U.S. economy, posing one of Biden's biggest challenges during a midterm election year. Fuel, food and housing costs all have shot up.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/key-inflation-report-highest-level-in-four-decades-c0248c5b5705cd1523d3dab3771983b4">Consumer prices surged 8.6% in May</a>&nbsp;over last year, the highest rate since 1981, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Prices for some key materials in infrastructure construction have risen even more. Prices paid to U.S. manufacturers of&nbsp;<a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PCU3241213241210131">asphalt paving and tar mixtures</a>&nbsp;were up 14% in May compared to last year, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Prices for&nbsp;<a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/WPU10760102">fabricated steel plate</a>, used in bridges, were up 23%, and&nbsp;<a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PCU3315113315111">ductile iron pipes and fittings</a>&nbsp;— used by water systems — were nearly 25% higher.

The hikes are being driven by a variety of factors, including worldwide supply-chain backlogs, strong consumer and business spending in the U.S., Russia's invasion of Ukraine — and, some argue, federal energy and fiscal policies.

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, the ranking minority member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, contends the infrastructure law itself is contributing to inflation by pouring more federal money into an economy already flush with trillions of dollars in federal pandemic aid.

“They are borrowing more money so they can spend more money, (which) is driving inflation, which is cutting down on the projects that they’re actually wanting to do,” said Graves, a Missouri Republican who voted against the infrastructure bill.

White House senior adviser Mitch Landrieu said the infrastructure law “actually positions us for lowering costs for families in the short- and long-term." He pointed, among other things, to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/briefing-room/2022/04/20/how-build-america-buy-america-guidance-strengthens-made-in-america-requirements/">made-in America requirements</a>&nbsp;for steel, iron and other construction materials that could strengthen supply chains and thus lower costs.

Officials at Des Moines International Airport were counting on the federal infrastructure money to replace an aging terminal with a modern structure. Four years ago, a new 14-gate terminal was projected to cost about $434 million and be open by 2026. By this spring,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flydsm.com/filesimages/AIRPORT%20BUSINESS/Terminal%20Program%20Definition%20Manual%20Supplement%20Update%20-%20April%2015%202022.pdf">the cost had soared to $733 million.</a>

That’s more than the airport can afford, even with the federal aid. So officials are planning to break the project into phases, building just five new gates by 2026 at a cost of $411 million.

“If inflation continues, it may be a decade before the project gets completely done,” airport Executive Director Kevin Foley said.

Other projects also have been rocked by inflationary price hikes.

Since voters approved a property tax increase in 2020, the estimated cost of building two light rail lines and a tunnel through Austin, Texas, has&nbsp;<a href="https://publicinput.com/Customer/File/Full/6bba66e5-288f-4bfe-a4eb-a05d4176d792">gone from $5.8 billion to $10.3 billion</a>. Doubling the tunnel length was a big factor. But inflation and surging real estate prices also fueled the increase, forcing officials to consider cutting costs or lengthening the time frame for completing the project.

“It’s been a challenge,” said David Couch, chief program officer at the Austin Transit Partnership.

Low bids for a series of bridge repairs along Interstate 55 in St. Louis came in at $63 million this year, 57% over the budgeted amount. Overall, Missouri’s highway construction costs for the fiscal year ending in June were $139 million over budget — an 11% increase that marked a “pretty significant swing” from several under-budget years, said state Department of Transportation Director Patrick McKenna.

Though Missouri forged ahead with this year's projects, inflation “will take a bite out of the future,” McKenna said.

Inflation has carried more immediate consequence in some places.

When bids for a road project in Lansing, Michigan, came in 60% above estimates, the city rebid the project and cut its scope in half, said Andrew Kilpatrick, public service director and acting city engineer.

In Huntington, Massachusetts, a 1.5-mile stretch of road won't be finished this year after a 37% spike in the price of liquid asphalt increased the cost for paving a mile to about $140,000. The town gets $159,000 annually in state funding for its roads, highway superintendent Charles Dazelle said.

“Right now, one mile of road, that’s one year. That is doing nothing else,” Dazelle said.

Public water systems across the country also are straining under inflation.

When Tucson, Arizona, launched the first part of a four-phase water main replacement project in September 2020, ductile iron pipe cost $75-a-foot and a gate valve cost $3,000. When it bid the most recent phase this spring, pipe costs had risen to nearly $90-a-foot and gate valves to nearly $4,100. The city is now prioritizing what other projects it can afford, and which ones have to wait.

“To sum it up, we’re doing less work for the same amount of money,” said Tucson's chief water engineer, Scott Schladweiler.

The city of Tacoma, Washington, also is altering some of its planned water main replacements because of rising costs.

“Some of them are getting delayed, some of them are being reduced in scope, and it’s forcing us to re-evaluate some of the budgets that we’ve set forth,” said Ali Polda, principal engineer in the city's water department.

Residents in a neighborhood west of Little Rock, Arkansas, will pay a $146 monthly surcharge to Central Arkansas Water to install new water lines. The charge is 17% more than originally planned because of spikes in construction costs.

Other public utilities also will have to choose between scaling back work and passing along costs to customers, said Michael Arceneaux, acting CEO of the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies.

“In the end, it’s going to be the rate payers that suffer,” he said, "because the projects have to get done, and funding will have to come from the rate payers.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655740724204.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —The price of a foot of water pipe in Tucson, Arizona: up 19%. The cost of a ton of asphalt in a small Massachusetts town: up 37%. The estimate to build a new airport terminal in Des Moines, Iowa: 69% higher, with a several year delay.Inflation is taking a toll on infrastructure projects across the U.S., driving up costs so much that state and local officials are postponing projects, scaling back others and reprioritizing their needs.The price hikes already are diminishing the value of a $1 trillion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">infrastructure plan President Joe Biden signed</a>&nbsp;into law just seven months ago. That law had included, among other things, a roughly 25% increase in regular highway program funding for states.“Those dollars are essentially evaporating,” said Jim Tymon, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. "The cost of those projects is going up by 20%, by 30%, and just wiping out that increase from the federal government that they were so excited about earlier in the year.”In Casper, Wyoming, the low bid to rebuild a major intersection and construct a new bridge over the North Platte River came in at $35 million this spring — 55% over a state engineer's estimate. The bid was rejected and the project delayed as state officials re-evaluate their options.“If this inflation keeps the way it is, we will have to roll projects from one year into the next, into the next, into the next," said Mark Gillett, chief engineer of the Wyoming Department of Transportation.Gillett had hoped the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would finance a boom in highway and bridge construction.“But it’s just not going to go as far as we had hoped,” he said.In addition to roads, the federal infrastructure bill includes billions of dollars for water projects, railways, airports, broadband internet, electric grids and green-energy projects over the coming years.Inflation has affected the entire U.S. economy, posing one of Biden's biggest challenges during a midterm election year. Fuel, food and housing costs all have shot up.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/key-inflation-report-highest-level-in-four-decades-c0248c5b5705cd1523d3dab3771983b4">Consumer prices surged 8.6% in May</a>&nbsp;over last year, the highest rate since 1981, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.Prices for some key materials in infrastructure construction have risen even more. Prices paid to U.S. manufacturers of&nbsp;<a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PCU3241213241210131">asphalt paving and tar mixtures</a>&nbsp;were up 14% in May compared to last year, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Prices for&nbsp;<a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/WPU10760102">fabricated steel plate</a>, used in bridges, were up 23%, and&nbsp;<a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PCU3315113315111">ductile iron pipes and fittings</a>&nbsp;— used by water systems — were nearly 25% higher.The hikes are being driven by a variety of factors, including worldwide supply-chain backlogs, strong consumer and business spending in the U.S., Russia's invasion of Ukraine — and, some argue, federal energy and fiscal policies.U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, the ranking minority member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, contends the infrastructure law itself is contributing to inflation by pouring more federal money into an economy already flush with trillions of dollars in federal pandemic aid.“They are borrowing more money so they can spend more money, (which) is driving inflation, which is cutting down on the projects that they’re actually wanting to do,” said Graves, a Missouri Republican who voted against the infrastructure bill.White House senior adviser Mitch Landrieu said the infrastructure law “actually positions us for lowering costs for families in the short- and long-term." He pointed, among other things, to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/briefing-room/2022/04/20/how-build-america-buy-america-guidance-strengthens-made-in-america-requirements/">made-in America requirements</a>&nbsp;for steel, iron and other construction materials that could strengthen supply chains and thus lower costs.Officials at Des Moines International Airport were counting on the federal infrastructure money to replace an aging terminal with a modern structure. Four years ago, a new 14-gate terminal was projected to cost about $434 million and be open by 2026. By this spring,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flydsm.com/filesimages/AIRPORT%20BUSINESS/Terminal%20Program%20Definition%20Manual%20Supplement%20Update%20-%20April%2015%202022.pdf">the cost had soared to $733 million.</a>That’s more than the airport can afford, even with the federal aid. So officials are planning to break the project into phases, building just five new gates by 2026 at a cost of $411 million.“If inflation continues, it may be a decade before the project gets completely done,” airport Executive Director Kevin Foley said.Other projects also have been rocked by inflationary price hikes.Since voters approved a property tax increase in 2020, the estimated cost of building two light rail lines and a tunnel through Austin, Texas, has&nbsp;<a href="https://publicinput.com/Customer/File/Full/6bba66e5-288f-4bfe-a4eb-a05d4176d792">gone from $5.8 billion to $10.3 billion</a>. Doubling the tunnel length was a big factor. But inflation and surging real estate prices also fueled the increase, forcing officials to consider cutting costs or lengthening the time frame for completing the project.“It’s been a challenge,” said David Couch, chief program officer at the Austin Transit Partnership.Low bids for a series of bridge repairs along Interstate 55 in St. Louis came in at $63 million this year, 57% over the budgeted amount. Overall, Missouri’s highway construction costs for the fiscal year ending in June were $139 million over budget — an 11% increase that marked a “pretty significant swing” from several under-budget years, said state Department of Transportation Director Patrick McKenna.Though Missouri forged ahead with this year's projects, inflation “will take a bite out of the future,” McKenna said.Inflation has carried more immediate consequence in some places.When bids for a road project in Lansing, Michigan, came in 60% above estimates, the city rebid the project and cut its scope in half, said Andrew Kilpatrick, public service director and acting city engineer.In Huntington, Massachusetts, a 1.5-mile stretch of road won't be finished this year after a 37% spike in the price of liquid asphalt increased the cost for paving a mile to about $140,000. The town gets $159,000 annually in state funding for its roads, highway superintendent Charles Dazelle said.“Right now, one mile of road, that’s one year. That is doing nothing else,” Dazelle said.Public water systems across the country also are straining under inflation.When Tucson, Arizona, launched the first part of a four-phase water main replacement project in September 2020, ductile iron pipe cost $75-a-foot and a gate valve cost $3,000. When it bid the most recent phase this spring, pipe costs had risen to nearly $90-a-foot and gate valves to nearly $4,100. The city is now prioritizing what other projects it can afford, and which ones have to wait.“To sum it up, we’re doing less work for the same amount of money,” said Tucson's chief water engineer, Scott Schladweiler.The city of Tacoma, Washington, also is altering some of its planned water main replacements because of rising costs.“Some of them are getting delayed, some of them are being reduced in scope, and it’s forcing us to re-evaluate some of the budgets that we’ve set forth,” said Ali Polda, principal engineer in the city's water department.Residents in a neighborhood west of Little Rock, Arkansas, will pay a $146 monthly surcharge to Central Arkansas Water to install new water lines. The charge is 17% more than originally planned because of spikes in construction costs.Other public utilities also will have to choose between scaling back work and passing along costs to customers, said Michael Arceneaux, acting CEO of the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies.“In the end, it’s going to be the rate payers that suffer,” he said, "because the projects have to get done, and funding will have to come from the rate payers.”___

Inflation taking bite out of new infrastructure projects

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement and school distrct authorities are investigating an alleged school threat.

Just before 8a.m. Monday, USD 501 Topeka Public Schools police contacted Topeka officers of a&nbsp; reported school threat via social media, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.

Topeka Police detectives responded and met with 501 Police to obtain further details. Further investigation identified a person of interest who was located and brought to the Law Enforcement Center for interview.

Officers then arrested 23-year-old Isaac Dallen of Topeka on a requested charge of Aggravated Criminal Threat

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655805665009.png" alt="Dallen-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Dallen-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement and school distrct authorities are investigating an alleged school threat.Just before 8a.m. Monday, USD 501 Topeka Public Schools police contacted Topeka officers of a&nbsp; reported school threat via social media, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.Topeka Police detectives responded and met with 501 Police to obtain further details. Further investigation identified a person of interest who was located and brought to the Law Enforcement Center for interview.Officers then arrested 23-year-old Isaac Dallen of Topeka on a requested charge of Aggravated Criminal Threat

Man accused of online threat against Kansas school 

WASHINGTON (AP) —The day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-buttigieg-new-york-newark-jersey-government-and-politics-ca19cd1c9c176d149d26854c2f249077">Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg</a>&nbsp;met with airline leaders to quiz them about widespread flight disruptions, his own flight was canceled and he wound up driving from Washington to New York.

“That is happening to a lot of people, and that is exactly why we are paying close attention here to what can be done and how to make sure that the airlines are delivering,” Buttigieg told The Associated Press in an interview.

Buttigieg said he is pushing the airlines to stress-test their summer schedules to ensure they can operate all their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travel-pete-buttigieg-transportation-bac2897db4e1ac3aa7fdce0e500cbf32">planned flights</a>&nbsp;with the employees they have, and to add customer-service workers. That could put pressure on airlines to make additional cuts in their summer schedules.

Buttigieg said his department could take enforcement actions against airlines that fail to live up to consumer-protection standards. But first, he said, he wants to see whether there are major flight disruptions over the July Fourth holiday weekend and the rest of the summer.

Enforcement actions can results in fines, although they tend to be small. Air Canada agreed to pay a $2 million fine last year over slow refunds.

During the virtual meeting, airline executives described steps they are taking to avoid a repeat of the Memorial Day weekend, when about 2,800 flights were canceled. “Now we’re going to see how those steps measure up,” Buttigieg said.

Travel is back. On Friday, more than 2.4 million people&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput" target="_blank">passed through security checkpoints</a>&nbsp;at U.S. airports, coming within about 12,500 of breaking the pandemic-era high recorded on the Sunday after Thanksgiving last year.

The record surely would have been broken had airlines not canceled 1,400 flights, many of them because thunderstorms hit parts of the East Coast. A day earlier, airlines scrubbed more than 1,700 flights, according to tracking service FlightAware.

Weather is always a wild card when it comes to flying in summer, but airlines have also acknowledged staffing shortages as travel roared back faster than expected from pandemic lows. Airlines are scrambling to hire pilots and other workers to replace employees whom they encouraged to quit after the pandemic hit.

It takes months to hire and train a pilot to meet federal safety standards, but the Transportation Department sees no reason the airlines cannot immediately add customer-service representatives to help passengers rebook if their flight is canceled.

The government has its own staffing challenges.

Shortages at the Federal Aviation Administration, part of Buttigieg’s department, have contributed to flight delays in Florida. The FAA promises to increase staffing there. The Transportation Security Administration, an agency within the Department of Homeland Security, has created a roving force of 1,000 screeners who can be dispatched to airports where checkpoint lines get too long.

WASHINGTON (AP) —The day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-buttigieg-new-york-newark-jersey-government-and-politics-ca19cd1c9c176d149d26854c2f249077">Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg</a>&nbsp;met with airline leaders to quiz them about widespread flight disruptions, his own flight was canceled and he wound up driving from Washington to New York.“That is happening to a lot of people, and that is exactly why we are paying close attention here to what can be done and how to make sure that the airlines are delivering,” Buttigieg told The Associated Press in an interview.Buttigieg said he is pushing the airlines to stress-test their summer schedules to ensure they can operate all their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travel-pete-buttigieg-transportation-bac2897db4e1ac3aa7fdce0e500cbf32">planned flights</a>&nbsp;with the employees they have, and to add customer-service workers. That could put pressure on airlines to make additional cuts in their summer schedules.Buttigieg said his department could take enforcement actions against airlines that fail to live up to consumer-protection standards. But first, he said, he wants to see whether there are major flight disruptions over the July Fourth holiday weekend and the rest of the summer.Enforcement actions can results in fines, although they tend to be small. Air Canada agreed to pay a $2 million fine last year over slow refunds.During the virtual meeting, airline executives described steps they are taking to avoid a repeat of the Memorial Day weekend, when about 2,800 flights were canceled. “Now we’re going to see how those steps measure up,” Buttigieg said.Travel is back. On Friday, more than 2.4 million people&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput" target="_blank">passed through security checkpoints</a>&nbsp;at U.S. airports, coming within about 12,500 of breaking the pandemic-era high recorded on the Sunday after Thanksgiving last year.The record surely would have been broken had airlines not canceled 1,400 flights, many of them because thunderstorms hit parts of the East Coast. A day earlier, airlines scrubbed more than 1,700 flights, according to tracking service FlightAware.Weather is always a wild card when it comes to flying in summer, but airlines have also acknowledged staffing shortages as travel roared back faster than expected from pandemic lows. Airlines are scrambling to hire pilots and other workers to replace employees whom they encouraged to quit after the pandemic hit.It takes months to hire and train a pilot to meet federal safety standards, but the Transportation Department sees no reason the airlines cannot immediately add customer-service representatives to help passengers rebook if their flight is canceled.The government has its own staffing challenges.Shortages at the Federal Aviation Administration, part of Buttigieg’s department, have contributed to flight delays in Florida. The FAA promises to increase staffing there. The Transportation Security Administration, an agency within the Department of Homeland Security, has created a roving force of 1,000 screeners who can be dispatched to airports where checkpoint lines get too long.

US may act against airlines over widespread flight disruptions

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facebook on Monday removed a campaign video by Republican Missouri U.S. Senate candidate Eric Greitens that shows him brandishing a shotgun and declaring that he’s hunting RINOs, or Republicans In Name Only.

In the ad, Greitens, a former Missouri governor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-campaigns-missouri-jefferson-city-criminal-investigations-2457c44f0ef44394895af26cb0857814">who resigned in disgrace</a>&nbsp;in 2018, is flanked by a tactical unit outside a home on a tree-lined street as he whispers, “The RINO feeds on corruption and is marked by the stripes of cowardice,” using a term popularized by former President Donald Trump and his allies to deride moderate or establishment Republicans.

The armed tactical team breaks through the front door and throws what appear to be flash-bang grenades inside. Greitens enters an empty living room through the smoke and says: “Join the MAGA crew. Get a RINO hunting permit. There’s no bagging limit, no tagging limit and it doesn’t expire until we save our country.”

Facebook said the video was removed “for violating our policies prohibiting violence and incitement.” Twitter said Greitens’ post violated its rules about abusive behavior but said it was leaving it up because it was in the “public’s interest” for the tweet to be viewable. The company’s move prevented the post from being shared any further.

The video comes at a time of renewed focus on violence in politics following fatal mass shootings and threats to government officials. Two weeks ago, a man carrying a gun, a knife and zip ties was arrested near Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house after threatening to kill the justice. Around the same time, a gunman killed a retired county judge in Wisconsin before fatally shooting himself, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-gretchen-whitmer-michigan-wisconsin-shootings-0c6e4877dfe366eda990e2f401ab74ef">he had a list</a>&nbsp;that included the names of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers.

On Sunday, Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, one of two Republicans serving on the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, said he recently received a letter at his home threatening “to execute me, as well as my wife and 5-month-old child.”

Greitens is among the Republican candidates in a highly competitive Aug. 2 primary to fill the seat being vacated by retiring GOP Sen. Roy Blunt. The provocative new ad appeared as Greitens looks to improve his standing in the polls, jolt lackluster fundraising and move past graphic allegations of domestic abuse made in a sworn affidavit filed by his ex-wife in March in their child custody case.

Sheena Greitens has alleged that Eric Greitens was physically abusive to her and one of their sons, while demonstrating such “unstable and coercive behavior” that steps were taken to limit his access to firearms, court documents state.

The former governor has vehemently denied the allegations, but they’ve dogged him on the campaign trail. He resigned in 2018 amid criminal investigations and after he was accused of having an extramarital affair with his hairdresser and taking a compromising photo of her to keep her from talking about it.

Helen Wade, Sheena Greitens’ lawyer, told The Kansas City Star that she would “absolutely” use the new campaign video in the couple’s court case.

“This is over the line,” Wade told the newspaper while indicating she would file court papers to make the video an exhibit in the case. Wade did not respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.

Republican Caleb Rowden, majority leader of the Missouri state Senate, tweeted: “We have been in contact with the Missouri Highway Patrol and hope that former Gov. Greitens finds the help he needs. Anyone with multiple accusations of abuse toward women and children should probably steer clear of this rhetoric.”

Other candidates in the Senate race also condemned the video.

Republican state Sen. Dave Schatz called it “completely irresponsible.”

“That’s why I’m running. It’s time to restore sanity and reject this nonsense. Missouri deserves better,” Schatz said in a tweet.

Democratic Senate candidate Lucas Kunce tweeted that “terrorists, child abusers, and criminals” like Greitens “shouldn’t even be able to get a weapon.”

“Help me beat this guy in November, and I’ll keep our families safe from criminals like him,” Kunce said.

The Missouri Fraternal Order of Police, which has endorsed state Attorney General Eric Schmitt in the Republican Senate race, denounced Greitens’ video, saying it shows that Greitens “does not possess the sound judgment necessary” to represent the state and that “he has learned nothing from the legal problems” that preceded his resignation as governor.

Greitens’ campaign dismissed the outrage that erupted over the new ad.

“If anyone doesn’t get the metaphor, they are either lying or dumb,” campaign manager Dylan Johnson said in statement.

The firestorm enveloping Greitens follows a well-worn playbook that has helped other Republican candidates juice their standing: Make an inflammatory statement or ad, wait for a backlash to develop, then cite the backlash while trying to raise money from grassroots donors online. In Greitens’ case, the actions taken by the social media giants could prove to be a further boon,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-twitter-inc-technology-reno-nevada-d4814871d69a3dba034cafa09af56ea7">tapping into resentment</a>&nbsp;toward large technology companies that increasingly courses through the Republican Party.

Once a swing state, Missouri has become more reliably Republican in recent years. But the Senate race is nonetheless receiving national attention because some in the GOP establishment are anxious that, if Greitens wins the primary, he would be vulnerable against a Democrat in November. With the Senate evenly divided, the GOP can’t afford to lose what would otherwise be a safe seat.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facebook on Monday removed a campaign video by Republican Missouri U.S. Senate candidate Eric Greitens that shows him brandishing a shotgun and declaring that he’s hunting RINOs, or Republicans In Name Only.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are sick and tired of the Republicans in Name Only surrendering to Joe Biden &amp; the radical Left. Order your RINO Hunting Permit today! <a href="https://t.co/XLMdJnAzSK">pic.twitter.com/XLMdJnAzSK</a>&mdash; Eric Greitens (@EricGreitens) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricGreitens/status/1538876823978713089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In the ad, Greitens, a former Missouri governor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-campaigns-missouri-jefferson-city-criminal-investigations-2457c44f0ef44394895af26cb0857814">who resigned in disgrace</a>&nbsp;in 2018, is flanked by a tactical unit outside a home on a tree-lined street as he whispers, “The RINO feeds on corruption and is marked by the stripes of cowardice,” using a term popularized by former President Donald Trump and his allies to deride moderate or establishment Republicans.The armed tactical team breaks through the front door and throws what appear to be flash-bang grenades inside. Greitens enters an empty living room through the smoke and says: “Join the MAGA crew. Get a RINO hunting permit. There’s no bagging limit, no tagging limit and it doesn’t expire until we save our country.”Facebook said the video was removed “for violating our policies prohibiting violence and incitement.” Twitter said Greitens’ post violated its rules about abusive behavior but said it was leaving it up because it was in the “public’s interest” for the tweet to be viewable. The company’s move prevented the post from being shared any further.The video comes at a time of renewed focus on violence in politics following fatal mass shootings and threats to government officials. Two weeks ago, a man carrying a gun, a knife and zip ties was arrested near Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house after threatening to kill the justice. Around the same time, a gunman killed a retired county judge in Wisconsin before fatally shooting himself, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-gretchen-whitmer-michigan-wisconsin-shootings-0c6e4877dfe366eda990e2f401ab74ef">he had a list</a>&nbsp;that included the names of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers.On Sunday, Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, one of two Republicans serving on the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, said he recently received a letter at his home threatening “to execute me, as well as my wife and 5-month-old child.”Greitens is among the Republican candidates in a highly competitive Aug. 2 primary to fill the seat being vacated by retiring GOP Sen. Roy Blunt. The provocative new ad appeared as Greitens looks to improve his standing in the polls, jolt lackluster fundraising and move past graphic allegations of domestic abuse made in a sworn affidavit filed by his ex-wife in March in their child custody case.Sheena Greitens has alleged that Eric Greitens was physically abusive to her and one of their sons, while demonstrating such “unstable and coercive behavior” that steps were taken to limit his access to firearms, court documents state.The former governor has vehemently denied the allegations, but they’ve dogged him on the campaign trail. He resigned in 2018 amid criminal investigations and after he was accused of having an extramarital affair with his hairdresser and taking a compromising photo of her to keep her from talking about it.Helen Wade, Sheena Greitens’ lawyer, told The Kansas City Star that she would “absolutely” use the new campaign video in the couple’s court case.“This is over the line,” Wade told the newspaper while indicating she would file court papers to make the video an exhibit in the case. Wade did not respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.Republican Caleb Rowden, majority leader of the Missouri state Senate, tweeted: “We have been in contact with the Missouri Highway Patrol and hope that former Gov. Greitens finds the help he needs. Anyone with multiple accusations of abuse toward women and children should probably steer clear of this rhetoric.”Other candidates in the Senate race also condemned the video.Republican state Sen. Dave Schatz called it “completely irresponsible.”“That’s why I’m running. It’s time to restore sanity and reject this nonsense. Missouri deserves better,” Schatz said in a tweet.Democratic Senate candidate Lucas Kunce tweeted that “terrorists, child abusers, and criminals” like Greitens “shouldn’t even be able to get a weapon.”“Help me beat this guy in November, and I’ll keep our families safe from criminals like him,” Kunce said.The Missouri Fraternal Order of Police, which has endorsed state Attorney General Eric Schmitt in the Republican Senate race, denounced Greitens’ video, saying it shows that Greitens “does not possess the sound judgment necessary” to represent the state and that “he has learned nothing from the legal problems” that preceded his resignation as governor.Greitens’ campaign dismissed the outrage that erupted over the new ad.“If anyone doesn’t get the metaphor, they are either lying or dumb,” campaign manager Dylan Johnson said in statement.The firestorm enveloping Greitens follows a well-worn playbook that has helped other Republican candidates juice their standing: Make an inflammatory statement or ad, wait for a backlash to develop, then cite the backlash while trying to raise money from grassroots donors online. In Greitens’ case, the actions taken by the social media giants could prove to be a further boon,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-twitter-inc-technology-reno-nevada-d4814871d69a3dba034cafa09af56ea7">tapping into resentment</a>&nbsp;toward large technology companies that increasingly courses through the Republican Party.Once a swing state, Missouri has become more reliably Republican in recent years. But the Senate race is nonetheless receiving national attention because some in the GOP establishment are anxious that, if Greitens wins the primary, he would be vulnerable against a Democrat in November. With the Senate evenly divided, the GOP can’t afford to lose what would otherwise be a safe seat.

Facebook removes U.S. Senate candidate's 'RINO hunting' video

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Two former members of a University of Missouri fraternity have been indicted for a hazing incident that left another student blind and unable to walk or communicate after drinking a liter of vodka.

A Boone County grand jury on Friday indicted former Phi Gamma Delta fraternity members Ryan Delanty and Thomas Shultz, both of St. Louis County, in the hazing of Daniel Santulli, 19, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/higher_education/felony-charges-filed-against-two-fraternity-members-in-hazing-case/article_81c3e300-ee81-11ec-818f-cb61dfc87bab.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story">Columbia Missourian</a>&nbsp;reported.

Both were charged with felony hazing and misdemeanors of supplying liquor to a minor or intoxicated person. Shultz also faces a felony for tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution.

Santulli was pledging the fraternity in October when he was found unresponsive due to alcohol poisoning. Authorities said his blood alcohol content was 0.486, six times the legal limit.

Another member of the fraternity, Alec Wetzler, was charged earlier in June with misdemeanor counts of supplying alcohol to a minor and possession of alcohol by a minor. In May, Santulli's family settled with nearly two dozen defendants in a civil lawsuit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651785014636.png" alt="Daniel Santulli-photo courtesy KOMU TV" />
 <figcaption>Daniel Santulli-photo courtesy KOMU TV</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Two former members of a University of Missouri fraternity have been indicted for a hazing incident that left another student blind and unable to walk or communicate after drinking a liter of vodka.A Boone County grand jury on Friday indicted former Phi Gamma Delta fraternity members Ryan Delanty and Thomas Shultz, both of St. Louis County, in the hazing of Daniel Santulli, 19, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/higher_education/felony-charges-filed-against-two-fraternity-members-in-hazing-case/article_81c3e300-ee81-11ec-818f-cb61dfc87bab.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story">Columbia Missourian</a>&nbsp;reported.Both were charged with felony hazing and misdemeanors of supplying liquor to a minor or intoxicated person. Shultz also faces a felony for tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution.Santulli was pledging the fraternity in October when he was found unresponsive due to alcohol poisoning. Authorities said his blood alcohol content was 0.486, six times the legal limit.Another member of the fraternity, Alec Wetzler, was charged earlier in June with misdemeanor counts of supplying alcohol to a minor and possession of alcohol by a minor. In May, Santulli's family settled with nearly two dozen defendants in a civil lawsuit.

Felony fraternity hazing: Student left blind, unable to walk

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) — President Joe Biden said Monday that he’s considering a federal holiday on the gasoline tax, possibly saving U.S. consumers as much as 18.4 cents a gallon.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?521184-1/president-biden-speaks-reporters-rehoboth-delaware">Click here to watch </a>the President talk about his bicycle accident and a gas tax holiday.

“Yes, I’m considering it,” Biden told reporters after taking a walk along the beach near his vacation home in Delaware. “I hope to have a decision based on the data — I’m looking for by the end of the week.”

The administration is increasingly looking for ways to spare the public from higher prices at the pump, which began to climb last year and surged after Russia invaded Ukraine in February. Gas prices nationwide are averaging just under $5 a gallon, according to AAA.

Biden said members of his team were to meet this week with CEOs of the major oil companies to discuss rising oil prices. Biden lashed out at oil companies, saying they are making excessive profits when people are feeling the crunch of skyrocketing costs at the pump and inflation. But Biden said he would not be meeting the oil executives himself.

“I want an explanation for why they aren’t refining more oil,” Biden said.

The Biden administration has already released oil from the U.S. strategic reserve and increased ethanol blending for the summer, in additional to sending a letter last week to oil refiners urging them to increase their refining capacity. Yet those efforts have yet to reduce price pressures meaningfully, such that the administration is now considering a gas tax holiday. Taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel help to pay for highways.

The Penn Wharton Budget Model released estimates Wednesday showing that consumers saved at the pump because of gas tax holidays in Connecticut, Georgia and Maryland. The majority of the savings went to consumers, instead of service stations and others in the energy sector.

In an interview Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen expressed an openness to a federal gas tax holiday to give motorists some relief.

Strolling on the beach with his daughter Ashley, granddaughter Naomi, and his granddaughter’s fiancé, Biden stopped frequently to chat with beachgoers who were spending the Juneteenth federal holiday at the beach.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655749318739.png" alt="Strolling on the beach with his daughter Ashley, granddaughter Naomi, and his granddaughter’s fiancé, President Biden stopped frequently to chat with beachgoers who were spending the Juneteenth federal holiday at the beach-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Strolling on the beach with his daughter Ashley, granddaughter Naomi, and his granddaughter’s fiancé, President Biden stopped frequently to chat with beachgoers who were spending the Juneteenth federal holiday at the beach-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) — President Joe Biden said Monday that he’s considering a federal holiday on the gasoline tax, possibly saving U.S. consumers as much as 18.4 cents a gallon.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?521184-1/president-biden-speaks-reporters-rehoboth-delaware">Click here to watch </a>the President talk about his bicycle accident and a gas tax holiday.“Yes, I’m considering it,” Biden told reporters after taking a walk along the beach near his vacation home in Delaware. “I hope to have a decision based on the data — I’m looking for by the end of the week.”The administration is increasingly looking for ways to spare the public from higher prices at the pump, which began to climb last year and surged after Russia invaded Ukraine in February. Gas prices nationwide are averaging just under $5 a gallon, according to AAA.Biden said members of his team were to meet this week with CEOs of the major oil companies to discuss rising oil prices. Biden lashed out at oil companies, saying they are making excessive profits when people are feeling the crunch of skyrocketing costs at the pump and inflation. But Biden said he would not be meeting the oil executives himself.“I want an explanation for why they aren’t refining more oil,” Biden said.The Biden administration has already released oil from the U.S. strategic reserve and increased ethanol blending for the summer, in additional to sending a letter last week to oil refiners urging them to increase their refining capacity. Yet those efforts have yet to reduce price pressures meaningfully, such that the administration is now considering a gas tax holiday. Taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel help to pay for highways.The Penn Wharton Budget Model released estimates Wednesday showing that consumers saved at the pump because of gas tax holidays in Connecticut, Georgia and Maryland. The majority of the savings went to consumers, instead of service stations and others in the energy sector.In an interview Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen expressed an openness to a federal gas tax holiday to give motorists some relief.Strolling on the beach with his daughter Ashley, granddaughter Naomi, and his granddaughter’s fiancé, Biden stopped frequently to chat with beachgoers who were spending the Juneteenth federal holiday at the beach.He took a moment to offer assurances about inflation — the consumer-price index increased to a nearly 40-year high of 8.6% in May from the same month a year ago — and growing warnings from economists that a recession may be around the corner.“We’re going to get though this, guys,” Biden told one group of beachgoers.Last week, the Federal Reserve stepped up its drive to tame inflation by raising its key interest rate by three-quarters of a point — its largest increase in nearly three decades — and signaled more large rate increases to come.Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that in his estimation, “the dominant probability would be that by the end of next year we would be seeing a recession in the American economy.”Biden said he spoke with Summers, who served as treasury secretary in the Clinton administration, on Monday morning.“There’s nothing inevitable about a recession,” Biden said.___