TYNDALL, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota man has been ordered to spend 60 days in jail for providing the marijuana in the brownies his mother unknowingly served to seniors at a card game. 

Forty-six-year-old Michael Koranda had earlier pleaded guilty to a felony drug charge. 

A judge in Bon Homme County Tuesday also sentenced the Tabor man to two years of probation and ordered him to pay more than $3,400 in court costs and restitution. 

He must also write an apology letter to the seniors who ate the marijuana brownies.

 At his sentencing, Koranda expressed regret for his actions and its impact on others, including those who sought medical attention.

By Associated PressTYNDALL, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota man has been ordered to spend 60 days in jail for providing the marijuana in the brownies his mother unknowingly served to seniors at a card game. Forty-six-year-old Michael Koranda had earlier pleaded guilty to a felony drug charge. A judge in Bon Homme County Tuesday also sentenced the Tabor man to two years of probation and ordered him to pay more than $3,400 in court costs and restitution. He must also write an apology letter to the seniors who ate the marijuana brownies. At his sentencing, Koranda expressed regret for his actions and its impact on others, including those who sought medical attention.

Jail time for South Dakota man whose marijuana brownies sickened seniors

Whether out of necessity due to staffing shortages, out of respect for social distancing or perhaps just to save money, one of the primary amenities that sets a hotel apart from your home — daily housekeeping — is disappearing.

The days of returning to a wrinkle-free duvet are likely gone. Forget fresh towels, and accept that your trash might never get taken out during your stay.

The trend of no more daily housekeeping — while largely initiated by COVID-19 — has become the norm at many hotels. During the pandemic’s early days, when transmission was more of a mystery, many hotels cut housekeeping services to reduce contact between strangers. But more than two years later, housekeeping still hasn’t returned.

Marriott’s policies vary by property, but housekeeping is usually offered only upon request, with all rooms cleaned automatically every sixth night. Hilton’s default is no more daily cleanings at most properties unless requested. Walt Disney World reduced service to light housekeeping every other day. That entails towel replacement and trash removal but doesn’t necessarily include services you might expect, like getting your bed made.

Other hotels have schedules, like the Hotel Solares in Santa Cruz, California: Three-night stays or fewer don’t get service, while six-night stays or fewer are cleaned once. The hotel recommends you leave trash outside your door.

Those service reductions aren’t always welcome.

“Guests don’t want to have to ask every time they need their trash emptied or dirty towels replaced,” said D. Taylor, international president of Unite Here — a U.S. and Canada hospitality workers’ union — in a prepared statement. “Without cleaning, what stops a hotel from being just a more expensive Airbnb?”

In many cases, the cutbacks may be more about money than safety. For some hotels, there’s not enough money to cover the cost. For others, it’s an opportunity to make more of it.

LABOR AND MATERIAL COSTS ARE AT MASSIVE HIGHS

The nationwide labor and materials shortage has hit hotels particularly hard. For instance, the leisure and hospitality industry lost 8.2 million jobs in March and April 2020 which is an employment decline of 49% , according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While there has certainly been rehiring hope (travel-related jobs are now among the fastest-growing sectors lately), the industry is still about 1.5 million jobs short of its pre-pandemic levels.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/how-supply-chain-issues-are-crushing-hotels-and-your-stay?utm_campaign=ct_prod&amp;utm_source=ap&amp;utm_medium=mpsyn" target="_blank">supply chain and inflation</a>&nbsp;issues are ongoing. Hotels reported a 79% cost increase of cleaning and housekeeping supplies, according to a November 2021 American Hotel &amp; Lodging Association survey of about 500 hotel operators.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647528355134.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSWhether out of necessity due to staffing shortages, out of respect for social distancing or perhaps just to save money, one of the primary amenities that sets a hotel apart from your home — daily housekeeping — is disappearing.The days of returning to a wrinkle-free duvet are likely gone. Forget fresh towels, and accept that your trash might never get taken out during your stay.The trend of no more daily housekeeping — while largely initiated by COVID-19 — has become the norm at many hotels. During the pandemic’s early days, when transmission was more of a mystery, many hotels cut housekeeping services to reduce contact between strangers. But more than two years later, housekeeping still hasn’t returned.Marriott’s policies vary by property, but housekeeping is usually offered only upon request, with all rooms cleaned automatically every sixth night. Hilton’s default is no more daily cleanings at most properties unless requested. Walt Disney World reduced service to light housekeeping every other day. That entails towel replacement and trash removal but doesn’t necessarily include services you might expect, like getting your bed made.Other hotels have schedules, like the Hotel Solares in Santa Cruz, California: Three-night stays or fewer don’t get service, while six-night stays or fewer are cleaned once. The hotel recommends you leave trash outside your door.Those service reductions aren’t always welcome.“Guests don’t want to have to ask every time they need their trash emptied or dirty towels replaced,” said D. Taylor, international president of Unite Here — a U.S. and Canada hospitality workers’ union — in a prepared statement. “Without cleaning, what stops a hotel from being just a more expensive Airbnb?”WHY CUT HOTEL HOUSEKEEPING?In many cases, the cutbacks may be more about money than safety. For some hotels, there’s not enough money to cover the cost. For others, it’s an opportunity to make more of it.LABOR AND MATERIAL COSTS ARE AT MASSIVE HIGHSThe nationwide labor and materials shortage has hit hotels particularly hard. For instance, the leisure and hospitality industry lost 8.2 million jobs in March and April 2020 which is an employment decline of 49% , according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While there has certainly been rehiring hope (travel-related jobs are now among the fastest-growing sectors lately), the industry is still about 1.5 million jobs short of its pre-pandemic levels.Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/how-supply-chain-issues-are-crushing-hotels-and-your-stay?utm_campaign=ct_prod&amp;utm_source=ap&amp;utm_medium=mpsyn" target="_blank">supply chain and inflation</a>&nbsp;issues are ongoing. Hotels reported a 79% cost increase of cleaning and housekeeping supplies, according to a November 2021 American Hotel &amp; Lodging Association survey of about 500 hotel operators.

One of the most basic hotel amenities is disappearing

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A critical Colorado River reservoir has fallen to a record low level, raising new concerns about a power source for millions of people in the U.S. West. 

Federal water officials that Lake Powell on the Arizona-Utah border fell below 3,525 feet on Tuesday. Western states had set that mark as a buffer to keep the lake from reaching a level that would prevent the turbines at Glen Canyon Dam from generating power. 

Federal officials are confident Lake Powell will rise quickly with springtime snowmelt and Glen Canyon Dam will stay productive. But the new low marks another sobering realization of the impacts of climate change and a megadrought on the country’s second-largest human-made lake.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647520049765.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSSALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A critical Colorado River reservoir has fallen to a record low level, raising new concerns about a power source for millions of people in the U.S. West. Federal water officials that Lake Powell on the Arizona-Utah border fell below 3,525 feet on Tuesday. Western states had set that mark as a buffer to keep the lake from reaching a level that would prevent the turbines at Glen Canyon Dam from generating power. Federal officials are confident Lake Powell will rise quickly with springtime snowmelt and Glen Canyon Dam will stay productive. But the new low marks another sobering realization of the impacts of climate change and a megadrought on the country’s second-largest human-made lake.

Lake Powell hits historic low, raising hydropower concerns

News Release Nebraska Department of Agriculture

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing a confirmed case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a backyard flock in Merrick County.  Since the initial announcement of a detection of HPAI in a wild goose in Lincoln on March 7, additional cases of the virus have been confirmed in wild geese in Cedar and Douglas counties.  

HPAI is a highly contagious virus that spreads easily among birds through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure. The virus can be spread in various ways from flock to flock, including by wild birds, through contact with infected poultry, by equipment, and on the clothing and shoes of caretakers. Wild birds can carry the virus without becoming sick, while domesticated birds can become very sick. 

“Unfortunately, Nebraska has joined a long list of states currently dealing with highly pathogenic avian influenza,” said NDA Director Steve Wellman.  “We are working closely with our counterparts at USDA APHIS to ensure we are following proper protocols to address this situation and control the spread of this virus as quickly as possible.”

According to NDA State Veterinarian Dr. Roger Dudley, the farm has been quarantined and the birds will be humanely depopulated and disposed of in an approved manner. Additionally, NDA will be establishing a 6.2-mile surveillance zone, as is USDA policy, around the affected premises.  A surveillance zone means poultry producers should be on heightened alert and practice biosecurity measures to protect their flock.  These producers should also know the signs and symptoms of HPAI and notify NDA immediately of sick or dying poultry.

Symptoms of HPAI in poultry include: a decrease in water consumption; lack of energy and appetite; decreased egg production or soft-shelled, misshapen eggs; nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing; incoordination; and diarrhea. HPAI can also cause sudden death in birds even if they aren’t showing any other symptoms. HPAI can survive for weeks in contaminated environments. 

Poultry owners should report unusual poultry bird deaths or sick birds to NDA at 402-471-2351, or through USDA at 866-536-7593.

Enhanced biosecurity helps prevent the introduction and spread of viruses and diseases including HPAI. NDA and USDA have resources available to help poultry owners step up their biosecurity efforts. 

• Know the warning signs of infectious bird diseases like HPAI. 

        Be on the lookout for unusual signs of behavior, severe illness 

• Restrict access to your property and poultry.

• Keep it clean. Wear clean clothes, scrub boots/shoes with 

        disinfectant and wash hands thoroughly before and after   

• If you, your employees or family have been on other farms, or 

        other places where there is livestock and/or poultry, clean and 

        disinfect your vehicle tires and equipment before returning   

• Don’t share equipment, tools, or other supplies with other 

• In addition to practicing good biosecurity, all bird owners 

        should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds,   

        making sure wild birds cannot access domestic poultry’s feed   

• Report sick birds immediately to: NDA at 402-471-2351; the 

        USDA at 866-536-7593; or your veterinarian. Early detection is   

        important to prevent the spread of disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk to people getting HPAI infections from birds is low. No human cases of avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States.

All poultry entering Nebraska must be accompanied by a VS form 9-3 or Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI, or health certificate). If you are considering moving an animal into Nebraska from an affected state, please call 402-471-2351 to learn more. Nebraska poultry owners wanting to ship poultry out of state should consult the state veterinarians of the destination states for import requirements. 

For more information about avian influenza, visit NDA’s website at https://nda.nebraska.gov/animal/avian/index.html or the USDA’s website https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/. Additional information on biosecurity for backyard flocks can be found at http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647513636843.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>News Release Nebraska Department of AgricultureThe Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing a confirmed case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a backyard flock in Merrick County. Since the initial announcement of a detection of HPAI in a wild goose in Lincoln on March 7, additional cases of the virus have been confirmed in wild geese in Cedar and Douglas counties. HPAI is a highly contagious virus that spreads easily among birds through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure. The virus can be spread in various ways from flock to flock, including by wild birds, through contact with infected poultry, by equipment, and on the clothing and shoes of caretakers. Wild birds can carry the virus without becoming sick, while domesticated birds can become very sick. “Unfortunately, Nebraska has joined a long list of states currently dealing with highly pathogenic avian influenza,” said NDA Director Steve Wellman. “We are working closely with our counterparts at USDA APHIS to ensure we are following proper protocols to address this situation and control the spread of this virus as quickly as possible.”According to NDA State Veterinarian Dr. Roger Dudley, the farm has been quarantined and the birds will be humanely depopulated and disposed of in an approved manner. Additionally, NDA will be establishing a 6.2-mile surveillance zone, as is USDA policy, around the affected premises. A surveillance zone means poultry producers should be on heightened alert and practice biosecurity measures to protect their flock. These producers should also know the signs and symptoms of HPAI and notify NDA immediately of sick or dying poultry.Symptoms of HPAI in poultry include: a decrease in water consumption; lack of energy and appetite; decreased egg production or soft-shelled, misshapen eggs; nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing; incoordination; and diarrhea. HPAI can also cause sudden death in birds even if they aren’t showing any other symptoms. HPAI can survive for weeks in contaminated environments. Poultry owners should report unusual poultry bird deaths or sick birds to NDA at 402-471-2351, or through USDA at 866-536-7593.Enhanced biosecurity helps prevent the introduction and spread of viruses and diseases including HPAI. NDA and USDA have resources available to help poultry owners step up their biosecurity efforts. • Know the warning signs of infectious bird diseases like HPAI. Be on the lookout for unusual signs of behavior, severe illness and/or sudden deaths. • Restrict access to your property and poultry.• Keep it clean. Wear clean clothes, scrub boots/shoes with disinfectant and wash hands thoroughly before and after contact with your flock.• If you, your employees or family have been on other farms, or other places where there is livestock and/or poultry, clean and disinfect your vehicle tires and equipment before returning home.• Don’t share equipment, tools, or other supplies with other livestock or poultry owners.• In addition to practicing good biosecurity, all bird owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds, making sure wild birds cannot access domestic poultry’s feed and water sources.• Report sick birds immediately to: NDA at 402-471-2351; the USDA at 866-536-7593; or your veterinarian. Early detection is important to prevent the spread of disease.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk to people getting HPAI infections from birds is low. No human cases of avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States.All poultry entering Nebraska must be accompanied by a VS form 9-3 or Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI, or health certificate). If you are considering moving an animal into Nebraska from an affected state, please call 402-471-2351 to learn more. Nebraska poultry owners wanting to ship poultry out of state should consult the state veterinarians of the destination states for import requirements. For more information about avian influenza, visit NDA’s website at https://nda.nebraska.gov/animal/avian/index.html or the USDA’s website https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/. Additional information on biosecurity for backyard flocks can be found at http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov.

Avian flu detected in Nebraska backyard flock

The Federal Trade Commission’s 
first-ever report on e-cigarette products paints a disturbing picture of
 surging e-cigarette sales and advertising that are likely to damage the
 health of America’s youth.

The report, which is based on 
industry data provided for the years 2015 to 2018, shows that total 
e-cigarette sales, including both disposable units and those using 
changeable cartridges, increased more than six-fold from $304.2 million 
to $2.06 billion in those three years alone. The sales of fruit and 
other flavored e-cigarette cartridges preferred by youth increased 
seven-fold over that time, and nicotine concentrations in disposable 
e-cigarette products also increased. 

“The Commission’s inaugural e-cigarette 
report paints a disturbing picture, especially with e-cigarettes driving
 an unprecedented increase in youth use of tobacco products,” said 
Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The
 data show that this increase coincided with dramatic spikes in the 
market share of flavored products, higher concentrations of nicotine, 
and an industry attempt to evade a ban on free sampling.”

In October 2019, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/10/ftc-study-e-cigarette-manufacturers-sales-advertising-promotional">the Commission issued identical orders under Section 6(b) of the FTC Act</a> to six of the largest domestic e-cigarette manufacturers:

While the FTC has collected information on 
traditional cigarette and smokeless tobacco sales and advertising 
expenditures for many years, this was the first time it sought 
information related to e-cigarettes. The orders asked about e-cigarette 
sales and advertising and promotional activities for 2015 to 2018. The 
report issued today presents an aggregated and anonymized summary of the
 information the six companies provided to the Commission.

Total Sales. The data collected show a dramatic increase in <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/03/federal-trade-commissions-first-report-e-cigarette-sales-advertising-reveals-disturbing-trends">e-cigarette </a>sales
 in general between 2015 and 2018 (from $304.2 million to $2.06 billion,
 respectively), as well as a similarly dramatic increase in the sales of
 cartridge e-cigarette systems such as Juul’s. The companies sold $260 
million worth of such cartridge systems in 2015, with sales growing to 
$1.969 billion in just three years.

Flavored E-Cigarette Sales.
 In addition, the FTC found that there was a large shift in sales from 
tobacco-flavored e-cigarette products to fruit, candy, and dessert 
flavors. For example, tobacco-flavored e-cigarette cartridges sales 
dropped from 47.2% of those sold or given away in 2015 to 21% in 2018, 
while the sale of “other” flavored cartridges tripled in that time, 
increasing from 13.8% in 2015 to 42.1% in 2018.

Of those other flavored cartridges, 
fruit-flavored cartridges were the most popular, with sales increasing 
600% from 4.7% of all cartridges sold in 2015 to 29.7% in 2018. Similar 
increases were seen in the sale of candy and dessert-flavored 
cartridges, as well as the sale of disposable e-cigarettes with these 
flavors.

The report concludes that “the 
dramatic increase in flavored products raises serious concerns that such
 products might have maintained or increased youth use of e-cigarette 
products.” It notes that a 2018 survey of high school students 
nationwide found that more than two-thirds of e-cigarette users used 
flavored products and that research shows that young people identify 
flavors as a primary reason they use e-cigarettes. 

This was a significant increase from 
2016, when a national survey of high school and middle school students 
found that just 31% said that the availability of “flavors such as mint,
 candy, fruit, or chocolate” was the primary reason they used 
e-cigarettes. In addition, 81% of adolescents said they used flavors the
 first time they tried e-cigarettes. 

Increasing Nicotine Concentration.
 The report also reveals a large increase in the concentration of 
nicotine in disposable e-cigarettes sold between 2015 and 2018. In 2015,
 disposable products on average contained 25 mg of nicotine per ml of 
e-liquid. This concentration increased nearly 60% to 39.5 mg/ml in 2018,
 increasing their addictiveness. Cartridge-based e-cigarettes contained 
even higher nicotine concentrations, with the most popular products 
having concentrations between 51 and 61 mg/ml, while the sale of 
nicotine-free cartridges was negligible.

The report stated that, “Increased use of e-cigarette <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/03/federal-trade-commissions-first-report-e-cigarette-sales-advertising-reveals-disturbing-trends">products with high nicotine concentrations </a>raises
 serious public health and safety concerns for users . . . including 
youth and young adults, who are uniquely at risk for long-term, 
long-lasting effects, including nicotine addiction, from exposing their 
developing brains to nicotine.”

Advertising and Promotion.
 Finally, the report provides detailed information on advertising and 
promotional expenditures by domestic e-cigarettes manufacturers between 
2015 and 2018. The Commission found that spending on advertising and 
promotion more than tripled in three years, from $197.8 million in 2015 
to $643.6 million in 2018. The Commission stated that “the increased 
advertising and promotion raise public health concerns,” as public 
health authorities have concluded that e-cigarette advertising exposure 
is one of several factors that has contributed to the recent surge in 
youth e-cigarette use.

The report finds that spending on 
free or deeply discounted e-cigarette products more than doubled between
 2015 and 2018, with some companies evading the FDA’s 2016 ban on free 
e-cigarette samples by offering products for $1 or a similar amount. 

The report also states that price 
discounts paid to retailers or wholesalers to reduce the price of 
e-cigarettes to consumers increased 14-fold between 2015 and 2018, and 
spending on celebrity endorsers, social media influencers, brand 
ambassadors, and others to promote e-cigarettes products increased even 
more – nearly 15-fold during those three years. 

The Commission vote approving issuance of the FTC’s E-Cigarette Report was 4-0.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCThe Federal Trade Commission’s 
first-ever report on e-cigarette products paints a disturbing picture of
 surging e-cigarette sales and advertising that are likely to damage the
 health of America’s youth.The report, which is based on 
industry data provided for the years 2015 to 2018, shows that total 
e-cigarette sales, including both disposable units and those using 
changeable cartridges, increased more than six-fold from $304.2 million 
to $2.06 billion in those three years alone. The sales of fruit and 
other flavored e-cigarette cartridges preferred by youth increased 
seven-fold over that time, and nicotine concentrations in disposable 
e-cigarette products also increased. “The Commission’s inaugural e-cigarette 
report paints a disturbing picture, especially with e-cigarettes driving
 an unprecedented increase in youth use of tobacco products,” said 
Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The
 data show that this increase coincided with dramatic spikes in the 
market share of flavored products, higher concentrations of nicotine, 
and an industry attempt to evade a ban on free sampling.”BackgroundIn October 2019, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/10/ftc-study-e-cigarette-manufacturers-sales-advertising-promotional">the Commission issued identical orders under Section 6(b) of the FTC Act</a> to six of the largest domestic e-cigarette manufacturers: <ul>
 <li>Fontem US, Inc.; </li><li>JUUL Labs, Inc. </li><li>Logic Technology Development LLC; </li><li>NJOY, LLC; </li><li>Nu Mark LLC; and</li><li>R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company. </li>
 </ul>While the FTC has collected information on 
traditional cigarette and smokeless tobacco sales and advertising 
expenditures for many years, this was the first time it sought 
information related to e-cigarettes. The orders asked about e-cigarette 
sales and advertising and promotional activities for 2015 to 2018. The 
report issued today presents an aggregated and anonymized summary of the
 information the six companies provided to the Commission.Key FindingsTotal Sales. The data collected show a dramatic increase in <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/03/federal-trade-commissions-first-report-e-cigarette-sales-advertising-reveals-disturbing-trends">e-cigarette </a>sales
 in general between 2015 and 2018 (from $304.2 million to $2.06 billion,
 respectively), as well as a similarly dramatic increase in the sales of
 cartridge e-cigarette systems such as Juul’s. The companies sold $260 
million worth of such cartridge systems in 2015, with sales growing to 
$1.969 billion in just three years.Flavored E-Cigarette Sales.
 In addition, the FTC found that there was a large shift in sales from 
tobacco-flavored e-cigarette products to fruit, candy, and dessert 
flavors. For example, tobacco-flavored e-cigarette cartridges sales 
dropped from 47.2% of those sold or given away in 2015 to 21% in 2018, 
while the sale of “other” flavored cartridges tripled in that time, 
increasing from 13.8% in 2015 to 42.1% in 2018. Of those other flavored cartridges, 
fruit-flavored cartridges were the most popular, with sales increasing 
600% from 4.7% of all cartridges sold in 2015 to 29.7% in 2018. Similar 
increases were seen in the sale of candy and dessert-flavored 
cartridges, as well as the sale of disposable e-cigarettes with these 
flavors.The report concludes that “the 
dramatic increase in flavored products raises serious concerns that such
 products might have maintained or increased youth use of e-cigarette 
products.” It notes that a 2018 survey of high school students 
nationwide found that more than two-thirds of e-cigarette users used 
flavored products and that research shows that young people identify 
flavors as a primary reason they use e-cigarettes. This was a significant increase from 
2016, when a national survey of high school and middle school students 
found that just 31% said that the availability of “flavors such as mint,
 candy, fruit, or chocolate” was the primary reason they used 
e-cigarettes. In addition, 81% of adolescents said they used flavors the
 first time they tried e-cigarettes. Increasing Nicotine Concentration.
 The report also reveals a large increase in the concentration of 
nicotine in disposable e-cigarettes sold between 2015 and 2018. In 2015,
 disposable products on average contained 25 mg of nicotine per ml of 
e-liquid. This concentration increased nearly 60% to 39.5 mg/ml in 2018,
 increasing their addictiveness. Cartridge-based e-cigarettes contained 
even higher nicotine concentrations, with the most popular products 
having concentrations between 51 and 61 mg/ml, while the sale of 
nicotine-free cartridges was negligible. The report stated that, “Increased use of e-cigarette <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/03/federal-trade-commissions-first-report-e-cigarette-sales-advertising-reveals-disturbing-trends">products with high nicotine concentrations </a>raises
 serious public health and safety concerns for users . . . including 
youth and young adults, who are uniquely at risk for long-term, 
long-lasting effects, including nicotine addiction, from exposing their 
developing brains to nicotine.”Advertising and Promotion.
 Finally, the report provides detailed information on advertising and 
promotional expenditures by domestic e-cigarettes manufacturers between 
2015 and 2018. The Commission found that spending on advertising and 
promotion more than tripled in three years, from $197.8 million in 2015 
to $643.6 million in 2018. The Commission stated that “the increased 
advertising and promotion raise public health concerns,” as public 
health authorities have concluded that e-cigarette advertising exposure 
is one of several factors that has contributed to the recent surge in 
youth e-cigarette use. The report finds that spending on 
free or deeply discounted e-cigarette products more than doubled between
 2015 and 2018, with some companies evading the FDA’s 2016 ban on free 
e-cigarette samples by offering products for $1 or a similar amount. The report also states that price 
discounts paid to retailers or wholesalers to reduce the price of 
e-cigarettes to consumers increased 14-fold between 2015 and 2018, and 
spending on celebrity endorsers, social media influencers, brand 
ambassadors, and others to promote e-cigarettes products increased even 
more – nearly 15-fold during those three years. The Commission vote approving issuance of the FTC’s E-Cigarette Report was 4-0.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

FTC: Disturbing trends surround vape sales, advertising on youngsters

News Release United States Attorney's Office-Omaha

United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Shaquille A. Thornhill, 28, formerly of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced today for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Thornhill to 10 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Thornhill will begin a five-year term of supervised release.

On April 15, 2021, Thornhill responded to an online advertisement on&nbsp;<a href="http://skipthegames.com/" target="_blank">skipthegames.com</a>&nbsp;offering sex in exchange for money.&nbsp; The ad was posted by law enforcement officers. Between April 15, 2021, and May 11, 2021, Thornhill engaged in text messaging conversations and phone calls with undercover law enforcement.&nbsp; Thornhill was seeking to pay for sex.&nbsp; The undercover agent interacting with Thornhill stated she was 15 years old, and Thornhill recognized that the female (who was an undercover agent) was purportedly 15 years old.&nbsp;

On May 11, 2021, Thornhill agreed with the undercover agent (who he believed to be a 15-year-old female) to meet at a hotel in Omaha, Nebraska, to have sex.&nbsp; Thornhill arrived at the designated hotel room to meet with who he believed to be the 15-year-old female.&nbsp; When officers answered the door of the hotel room, Thornhill ran away.&nbsp; After a foot pursuit, Thornhill was detained.&nbsp; Thornhill had on his possession the $200.00 cash he brought to pay for sex, the phone he used to communicate with the female he believed to be 15 years old, a 3-pack of condoms, and an orange Gatorade that he had agreed to provide to the female.&nbsp; Thornhill admitted to officers that he had agreed to pay $200 for sex with the female he believed to be 15 years old.&nbsp;

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

This case was investigated by&nbsp;the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

News Release United States Attorney's Office-OmahaUnited States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Shaquille A. Thornhill, 28, formerly of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced today for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Thornhill to 10 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Thornhill will begin a five-year term of supervised release.On April 15, 2021, Thornhill responded to an online advertisement on&nbsp;<a href="http://skipthegames.com/" target="_blank">skipthegames.com</a>&nbsp;offering sex in exchange for money.&nbsp; The ad was posted by law enforcement officers. Between April 15, 2021, and May 11, 2021, Thornhill engaged in text messaging conversations and phone calls with undercover law enforcement.&nbsp; Thornhill was seeking to pay for sex.&nbsp; The undercover agent interacting with Thornhill stated she was 15 years old, and Thornhill recognized that the female (who was an undercover agent) was purportedly 15 years old.&nbsp;On May 11, 2021, Thornhill agreed with the undercover agent (who he believed to be a 15-year-old female) to meet at a hotel in Omaha, Nebraska, to have sex.&nbsp; Thornhill arrived at the designated hotel room to meet with who he believed to be the 15-year-old female.&nbsp; When officers answered the door of the hotel room, Thornhill ran away.&nbsp; After a foot pursuit, Thornhill was detained.&nbsp; Thornhill had on his possession the $200.00 cash he brought to pay for sex, the phone he used to communicate with the female he believed to be 15 years old, a 3-pack of condoms, and an orange Gatorade that he had agreed to provide to the female.&nbsp; Thornhill admitted to officers that he had agreed to pay $200 for sex with the female he believed to be 15 years old.&nbsp;This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/" target="_blank">www.projectsafechildhood.gov</a>.This case was investigated by&nbsp;the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

New York man sentenced to prison in Nebraska for enticing minor

United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that John Allen Belot, 28, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal&nbsp;court in Lincoln to a total of 224 months in prison after pleading guilty to gun and drug charges.&nbsp; United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Belot to: 140 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, 60 months in prison for use of a firearm during and in relation to and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and 24 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine while on pretrial release. Those sentences will run consecutively.&nbsp; After serving his sentence, Belot will be placed on supervised release for 5 years.&nbsp; There is no parole in the federal system.&nbsp;

On August 4, 2020, law enforcement contacted Belot and two others in a vehicle in Lincoln.&nbsp; Belot was searched and investigators found a loaded Taurus PT111 Millennium G2 9mm pistol in his front waistband.&nbsp; The vehicle was searched, and officers found suspected methamphetamine, various pills, methamphetamine pipes, and a black digital scale.&nbsp; The suspected methamphetamine was sent to a lab for testing.&nbsp; The lab confirmed that the substance was about 54 grams of methamphetamine, of which at least 52 grams was actual methamphetamine.&nbsp; Belot had also been found in possession of methamphetamine and a firearm on February 17, 2020 and October 12, 2020 in the Lincoln area.

On July 16, 2021, while on pretrial release, law enforcement arrested Belot on a federal warrant in Lincoln.&nbsp; During the apprehension, officers located a loaded black Berretta .22 caliber handgun, 8.8 grams of suspected methamphetamine, a black digital scale, methamphetamine pipes, and ammunition in his backpack.&nbsp; Officers also recovered 1.4 grams of suspected methamphetamine and $510 in currency from Belot’s person.

This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.

News Release United States Attorney's Office-OmahaUnited States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that John Allen Belot, 28, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal&nbsp;court in Lincoln to a total of 224 months in prison after pleading guilty to gun and drug charges.&nbsp; United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Belot to: 140 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, 60 months in prison for use of a firearm during and in relation to and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and 24 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine while on pretrial release. Those sentences will run consecutively.&nbsp; After serving his sentence, Belot will be placed on supervised release for 5 years.&nbsp; There is no parole in the federal system.&nbsp;On August 4, 2020, law enforcement contacted Belot and two others in a vehicle in Lincoln.&nbsp; Belot was searched and investigators found a loaded Taurus PT111 Millennium G2 9mm pistol in his front waistband.&nbsp; The vehicle was searched, and officers found suspected methamphetamine, various pills, methamphetamine pipes, and a black digital scale.&nbsp; The suspected methamphetamine was sent to a lab for testing.&nbsp; The lab confirmed that the substance was about 54 grams of methamphetamine, of which at least 52 grams was actual methamphetamine.&nbsp; Belot had also been found in possession of methamphetamine and a firearm on February 17, 2020 and October 12, 2020 in the Lincoln area.On July 16, 2021, while on pretrial release, law enforcement arrested Belot on a federal warrant in Lincoln.&nbsp; During the apprehension, officers located a loaded black Berretta .22 caliber handgun, 8.8 grams of suspected methamphetamine, a black digital scale, methamphetamine pipes, and ammunition in his backpack.&nbsp; Officers also recovered 1.4 grams of suspected methamphetamine and $510 in currency from Belot’s person.This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.

Lincoln man sentenced to over 18 year on meth, gun charges

I was blessed to grow up in a home where my siblings and I were taught wise money habits (would you really expect anything else from Dave Ramsey’s family?). And even though I didn’t always&nbsp;lovethe lessons on saving and budgeting as a kid, that knowledge set me up for success as an adult.

Sadly, way too many kids today miss out on the value of financial education, and way too many adults still struggle with money basics. But the good news is, you can start teaching your kids about money today with these five simple tips.

It’s so important to teach your kids the value of hard work at an early age. Work is good for them and helps them develop so many important skills, like responsibility and teamwork. And it’s key for them to learn money isn’t free—you have to earn it.&nbsp;

So, instead of offering them an allowance for just existing, try paying them a commission for each chore they do around the house. If you&nbsp;really&nbsp;want to teach patience, you could give them their “paycheck” once a week or every other week, just like in the real world. This way, they’re still getting rewarded, but they’ve worked hard for it and learned about delayed gratification in the process. And of course, these jobs should be age-appropriate (we don’t need any 5-year-olds trying to iron their own clothes here).

Kids will learn a ton about handling money just by watching you. When you and your spouse make generosity a habit, your kids will too. Whether that’s tithing at church, giving money to the homeless community, or buying groceries for a neighbor who’s having a hard time, let your kids see—and even participate in—these acts of generosity. This will build character and a healthy attitude toward money that will stick with them into adulthood.

An easy way to help your kids practice saving is by starting them on the envelope system. All you need is three envelopes labeled Give, Save and Spend. Every time they earn or are given money, have them divide it up and put part of it into their Give envelope first. Then part of it goes into their Save envelope, and the rest can go into their Spend envelope so they can use it to buy the things they want.

4. Invite them to your budget meeting

This one depends on what works for you and your family, but if your kids are a little bit older and able to understand what’s going on, think about letting them sit in on your monthly budget meeting with your spouse. It’s a great way for them to see how budgeting works and learn that everything they have (including food and electricity) comes with a price tag that you have to plan for in advance.

And if you and your spouse don’t currently have a regular budget meeting where you make time to plan out where every dollar of your income is going each month, there’s no shame here—it’s never too late to start! Budgeting really is the best way to take control of your money.

Kids are kids, and that means they’re going to make mistakes. And sometimes, you just have to let them so they can learn from it. I’ll never forget the time I went to a theme park with my family when I was young and spent all my own money on one carnival game that I kept playing over and over, hoping to win (I lost every time). I begged my dad for more money so I could keep playing, but he kindly and firmly said, “Rachel, when the money’s gone, it’s gone.”

I didn’t love it at the time, but that taught me an important lesson about how things work in the real world. Your kids might make similar mistakes with money, but when you let them experience the consequences—within reason—they’ll learn and grow a lot more than if you fix everything for them.

I hope these tips help you set your kids up for long-term success with money. You’ve got this! For more tips on showing your kids the value of money and hard work, check out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/relationships/why-kids-need-value-hard-work?int_cmpgn=no_campaign&amp;int_dept=dr_blog_bu&amp;int_lctn=Blog-Text_Link&amp;int_fmt=text&amp;int_dscpn=ways_to_teach_kids_about_money_blog-inline_link_why_kids_need_value_hard_work">this article</a>.

Rachel Cruze&nbsp;is a two-time #1 national best-selling author, financial expert and host of&nbsp;The Rachel Cruze Show.&nbsp;She has appeared on Good Morning America, TODAY Show and Live! With Kelly &amp; Ryan, among others. Since 2010, Rachel has served at Ramsey Solutions, where she teaches people to avoid debt, save money, budget and how to win with money at any stage in life. Follow Rachel on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/rachelcruze" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/rachelcruze/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/rachelramseycruze" target="_blank">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/rachelcruze" target="_blank">YouTube</a>or online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rachelcruze.com/" target="_blank">rachelcruze.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647459953343.jpeg" alt="Cruze" />
 <figcaption>Cruze</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL CRUZEI was blessed to grow up in a home where my siblings and I were taught wise money habits (would you really expect anything else from Dave Ramsey’s family?). And even though I didn’t always&nbsp;lovethe lessons on saving and budgeting as a kid, that knowledge set me up for success as an adult.Sadly, way too many kids today miss out on the value of financial education, and way too many adults still struggle with money basics. But the good news is, you can start teaching your kids about money today with these five simple tips.1. Give them a jobIt’s so important to teach your kids the value of hard work at an early age. Work is good for them and helps them develop so many important skills, like responsibility and teamwork. And it’s key for them to learn money isn’t free—you have to earn it.&nbsp;So, instead of offering them an allowance for just existing, try paying them a commission for each chore they do around the house. If you&nbsp;really&nbsp;want to teach patience, you could give them their “paycheck” once a week or every other week, just like in the real world. This way, they’re still getting rewarded, but they’ve worked hard for it and learned about delayed gratification in the process. And of course, these jobs should be age-appropriate (we don’t need any 5-year-olds trying to iron their own clothes here).2. Make giving a priority&nbsp;Kids will learn a ton about handling money just by watching you. When you and your spouse make generosity a habit, your kids will too. Whether that’s tithing at church, giving money to the homeless community, or buying groceries for a neighbor who’s having a hard time, let your kids see—and even participate in—these acts of generosity. This will build character and a healthy attitude toward money that will stick with them into adulthood.3. Show them how to saveAn easy way to help your kids practice saving is by starting them on the envelope system. All you need is three envelopes labeled Give, Save and Spend. Every time they earn or are given money, have them divide it up and put part of it into their Give envelope first. Then part of it goes into their Save envelope, and the rest can go into their Spend envelope so they can use it to buy the things they want.4. Invite them to your budget meetingThis one depends on what works for you and your family, but if your kids are a little bit older and able to understand what’s going on, think about letting them sit in on your monthly budget meeting with your spouse. It’s a great way for them to see how budgeting works and learn that everything they have (including food and electricity) comes with a price tag that you have to plan for in advance.And if you and your spouse don’t currently have a regular budget meeting where you make time to plan out where every dollar of your income is going each month, there’s no shame here—it’s never too late to start! Budgeting really is the best way to take control of your money.5. Let them make mistakesKids are kids, and that means they’re going to make mistakes. And sometimes, you just have to let them so they can learn from it. I’ll never forget the time I went to a theme park with my family when I was young and spent all my own money on one carnival game that I kept playing over and over, hoping to win (I lost every time). I begged my dad for more money so I could keep playing, but he kindly and firmly said, “Rachel, when the money’s gone, it’s gone.”I didn’t love it at the time, but that taught me an important lesson about how things work in the real world. Your kids might make similar mistakes with money, but when you let them experience the consequences—within reason—they’ll learn and grow a lot more than if you fix everything for them.I hope these tips help you set your kids up for long-term success with money. You’ve got this! For more tips on showing your kids the value of money and hard work, check out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/relationships/why-kids-need-value-hard-work?int_cmpgn=no_campaign&amp;int_dept=dr_blog_bu&amp;int_lctn=Blog-Text_Link&amp;int_fmt=text&amp;int_dscpn=ways_to_teach_kids_about_money_blog-inline_link_why_kids_need_value_hard_work">this article</a>.Rachel Cruze&nbsp;is a two-time #1 national best-selling author, financial expert and host of&nbsp;The Rachel Cruze Show.&nbsp;She has appeared on Good Morning America, TODAY Show and Live! With Kelly &amp; Ryan, among others. Since 2010, Rachel has served at Ramsey Solutions, where she teaches people to avoid debt, save money, budget and how to win with money at any stage in life. Follow Rachel on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/rachelcruze" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/rachelcruze/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/rachelramseycruze" target="_blank">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/rachelcruze" target="_blank">YouTube</a>or online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rachelcruze.com/" target="_blank">rachelcruze.com</a>.

CRUZE: 5 simple ways to teach kids about money     

Company expects to hire ‘hundreds’ to run Omaha operation

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/15/san-francisco-based-unison-chooses-transforming-downtown-omaha-for-office-site/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

A
 San Francisco-based company on Wednesday will open new offices 
overlooking Omaha’s Gene Leahy Mall — bringing a pioneering fintech 
product and an anticipated hundreds of jobs to a transforming downtown.

Unison,
 which specializes in home equity agreements, has leased about half of 
the ninth floor in the newly renovated, 15-story Landmark Center at 13th
 and Farnam Streets.

The
 handful of people launching the financial technology company’s second 
U.S. site want to hire&nbsp; “hundreds” of workers, said Holly Danko, chief 
people officer. She declined to be more specific on the total target but
 said the company’s growth pace has accelerated.

“We
 expect by the end of this year to outgrow that office space,” Danko 
told the Nebraska Examiner. The initial space fits about 100 people in 
the company’s hybrid work style. “This is a starting place.”

Unison
 is seeking local workers ranging from sales to technology and customer 
service jobs, and at skill levels varying from entry to managerial.

With
 its office ribbon-cutting set for Wednesday, Unison’s Omaha opening 
comes on the heels of other downtown developments. Mutual of Omaha has 
announced it will build a new <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/25/mutual-of-omahas-proposed-skyscraper-carries-433-million-price-tag/">$443 million skyscraper</a> kitty-corner to the Landmark building, filling the former public library site with about 4,000 workers.

A newly proposed $306 million downtown-to-midtown <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/01/25/mutual-of-omaha-hq-headed-for-downtown-omaha-library-site/">streetcar system</a>
 was pivotal to the Mutual decision to build the facility just west of 
the ongoing $400 million riverfront parks and science museum project.

What
 stands out about the Unison venture, business leaders say, is that it 
may be the largest new-to-Omaha company opening an office site in 
downtown since Boston-based Toast, which launched its downtown operation
 in 2018 with a plan to hire “hundreds” of employees to grow its techie 
system of taking customer payments and managing restaurant inventory.

Mark
 Norman of the Greater Omaha Chamber said Unison adds to the deep ranks 
of the local finance and insurance industry, which in 2019 contributed 
$10.6 billion to the Omaha region’s gross domestic product.&nbsp;

He cited as other industry examples Fiserv, First National Bank, PayPal and D3 Banking.&nbsp;

“Omaha is a No. 1 ranked up-and-coming tech hotspot for a reason,” said chamber president and CEO David Brown.&nbsp;

Unison is expected to access public incentives under the ImagiNE Nebraska Act, Norman said, though details were not disclosed.

Helping
 to launch and lead the Omaha office as Unison president is Nebraska 
native Ryan Downs, who also helped scale locally grown companies such as
 PayPal and Proxibid.

Lynette Ryan, an Omaha area native and former PayPal manager, will oversee growth as vice president of operations.

While
 that hometown management presence is a plus, Omaha’s attributes — 
including a fintech-friendly workforce, quality of life and 
affordability — clinched the Omaha selection, both Danko and Downs said.

Unison’s search began last year, with the team weighing various factors in more than 100 metro areas.&nbsp;

“The data always pointed to Omaha,” Danko said. “Regardless of how we cut the data, Omaha was in the Top 10.”

She pointed to Nebraska’s universities and Fortune 500 companies that produce and nurture a workforce Unison wants.

With
 a business model tied to the housing industry, Danko said, Unison 
sought to open its new offices in an area where employees would be able 
to buy a home.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.unison.com/"> The company,</a>
 founded in 2016 and reaching customers in about 30 states, describes 
itself as a company “pioneering a smarter, better way to own your home.”

Through
 its residential equity agreements, Unison helps homeowners access their
 equity for improvements or other projects with no monthly payments or 
interest.&nbsp;

“Unison
 helps unlock a home’s equity in exchange for a portion of your home’s 
appreciation when you sell,” its website says. “No extra debt, no 
interest, no monthly payments. Plus we share in the upside and the 
down.”



	The company gets involved in the homebuying process, as well, by paying
 part of a down payment in exchange for some of the appreciation on the 
home at the time the client sells or refinances.&nbsp;

Jason
 Fisher, co-owner of the Landmark Center, said Unison’s arrival signals 
an uptick in occupancy of the tower as well as an overall office market 
momentum he hasn’t seen downtown in a while.

“The last 10 years it’s been like pulling teeth to get tenants downtown,” he said.

Indeed,
 it was the sluggish market that nudged Fisher’s team to repurpose 
vacant or underused floors of the Landmark office tower into an upscale 
boutique hotel and restaurants that opened last year.

Recent
 downtown improvements and worker infusion give Fisher, who also is 
president of the Lund real estate company, reason for optimism.

&nbsp;“We
 feel good about the momentum,” he said. “It feels like 12 months from 
now we might look back and say this was a tipping point.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647458833393.png" alt="Unison office in the downtown Omaha Landmark Center, which overlooks the Gene Leahy Mall. From left, Ryan Downs, Helene Ton Anderson, Lynette Ryan and Holly Danko (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Unison office in the downtown Omaha Landmark Center, which overlooks the Gene Leahy Mall. From left, Ryan Downs, Helene Ton Anderson, Lynette Ryan and Holly Danko (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Company expects to hire ‘hundreds’ to run Omaha operation</h2>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/15/san-francisco-based-unison-chooses-transforming-downtown-omaha-for-office-site/">Nebraska Examiner</a>A
 San Francisco-based company on Wednesday will open new offices 
overlooking Omaha’s Gene Leahy Mall — bringing a pioneering fintech 
product and an anticipated hundreds of jobs to a transforming downtown.Unison,
 which specializes in home equity agreements, has leased about half of 
the ninth floor in the newly renovated, 15-story Landmark Center at 13th
 and Farnam Streets.The
 handful of people launching the financial technology company’s second 
U.S. site want to hire&nbsp; “hundreds” of workers, said Holly Danko, chief 
people officer. She declined to be more specific on the total target but
 said the company’s growth pace has accelerated.“We
 expect by the end of this year to outgrow that office space,” Danko 
told the Nebraska Examiner. The initial space fits about 100 people in 
the company’s hybrid work style. “This is a starting place.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647458913897.jpeg" alt="The Landmark Center and Farnam hotel (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The Landmark Center and Farnam hotel (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A range of jobs</h2>Unison
 is seeking local workers ranging from sales to technology and customer 
service jobs, and at skill levels varying from entry to managerial.With
 its office ribbon-cutting set for Wednesday, Unison’s Omaha opening 
comes on the heels of other downtown developments. Mutual of Omaha has 
announced it will build a new <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/25/mutual-of-omahas-proposed-skyscraper-carries-433-million-price-tag/">$443 million skyscraper</a> kitty-corner to the Landmark building, filling the former public library site with about 4,000 workers.A newly proposed $306 million downtown-to-midtown <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/01/25/mutual-of-omaha-hq-headed-for-downtown-omaha-library-site/">streetcar system</a>
 was pivotal to the Mutual decision to build the facility just west of 
the ongoing $400 million riverfront parks and science museum project.What
 stands out about the Unison venture, business leaders say, is that it 
may be the largest new-to-Omaha company opening an office site in 
downtown since Boston-based Toast, which launched its downtown operation
 in 2018 with a plan to hire “hundreds” of employees to grow its techie 
system of taking customer payments and managing restaurant inventory.<h2>‘Hotspot’ for techies</h2>Mark
 Norman of the Greater Omaha Chamber said Unison adds to the deep ranks 
of the local finance and insurance industry, which in 2019 contributed 
$10.6 billion to the Omaha region’s gross domestic product.&nbsp;He cited as other industry examples Fiserv, First National Bank, PayPal and D3 Banking.&nbsp;“Omaha is a No. 1 ranked up-and-coming tech hotspot for a reason,” said chamber president and CEO David Brown.&nbsp;Unison is expected to access public incentives under the ImagiNE Nebraska Act, Norman said, though details were not disclosed.Helping
 to launch and lead the Omaha office as Unison president is Nebraska 
native Ryan Downs, who also helped scale locally grown companies such as
 PayPal and Proxibid.Lynette Ryan, an Omaha area native and former PayPal manager, will oversee growth as vice president of operations.While
 that hometown management presence is a plus, Omaha’s attributes — 
including a fintech-friendly workforce, quality of life and 
affordability — clinched the Omaha selection, both Danko and Downs said.<h2>Omaha kept rising to the top</h2>Unison’s search began last year, with the team weighing various factors in more than 100 metro areas.&nbsp;“The data always pointed to Omaha,” Danko said. “Regardless of how we cut the data, Omaha was in the Top 10.”She pointed to Nebraska’s universities and Fortune 500 companies that produce and nurture a workforce Unison wants.With
 a business model tied to the housing industry, Danko said, Unison 
sought to open its new offices in an area where employees would be able 
to buy a home.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.unison.com/"> The company,</a>
 founded in 2016 and reaching customers in about 30 states, describes 
itself as a company “pioneering a smarter, better way to own your home.”Through
 its residential equity agreements, Unison helps homeowners access their
 equity for improvements or other projects with no monthly payments or 
interest.&nbsp;“Unison
 helps unlock a home’s equity in exchange for a portion of your home’s 
appreciation when you sell,” its website says. “No extra debt, no 
interest, no monthly payments. Plus we share in the upside and the 
down.”<h2>Uptick in office clients</h2>

	The company gets involved in the homebuying process, as well, by paying
 part of a down payment in exchange for some of the appreciation on the 
home at the time the client sells or refinances.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647458966846.jpeg" alt="Lobby of the Farnam hotel that opened last year in the Landmark (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Lobby of the Farnam hotel that opened last year in the Landmark (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Jason
 Fisher, co-owner of the Landmark Center, said Unison’s arrival signals 
an uptick in occupancy of the tower as well as an overall office market 
momentum he hasn’t seen downtown in a while.“The last 10 years it’s been like pulling teeth to get tenants downtown,” he said.Indeed,
 it was the sluggish market that nudged Fisher’s team to repurpose 
vacant or underused floors of the Landmark office tower into an upscale 
boutique hotel and restaurants that opened last year.Recent
 downtown improvements and worker infusion give Fisher, who also is 
president of the Lund real estate company, reason for optimism.&nbsp;“We
 feel good about the momentum,” he said. “It feels like 12 months from 
now we might look back and say this was a tipping point.”

San Fran company chooses downtown Omaha for office site

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve launched a high-risk effort Wednesday to tame the worst inflation since the 1970s, raising its benchmark short-term interest rate and signaling potentially up to seven rate hikes this year.

The Fed's quarter-point hike in its key rate, which it had pinned near zero since the pandemic recession struck two years ago, marks the start of its effort to curb the high inflation that has followed the recovery from the recession. The rate hikes will eventually mean higher loan rates for many consumers and businesses.

The central bank's policymakers expect inflation to remain elevated and to end 2022 at 4.3%, according to updated quarterly projections they released Wednesday. That's far above the Fed's 2% annual target. The officials also now forecast much slower economic growth this year, of 2.8%, down from its 4% estimate in December.

Chair Jerome Powell is steering the Fed into a sharp U-turn. Officials had kept rates ultra-low to support growth and hiring during the recession and its aftermath. As recently as December, Fed officials had expected to raise rates just three times this year. Now, its projected seven hikes would raise its short-term rate to 1.875% at the end of 2022. It could increase rates by a half-point at future meetings.

Fed officials also forecast four additional hikes in 2023, boosting its benchmark rate to 2.8%. That would be the highest level since March 2008. Borrowing costs for mortgage loans, credit cards and auto loans will likely rise as a result.

Powell is hoping that the rate hikes will achieve a difficult and narrow objective: Raising borrowing costs enough to slow growth and tame high inflation, yet not so much as to topple the economy into recession.

Yet many economists worry that with inflation already so high — it reached 7.9% in February, the worst in four decades — and with Russia's invasion of Ukraine driving up gas prices, the Fed may have to raise rates even higher than it now expects and potentially tip the economy into recession.

By its own admission, the central bank underestimated the breadth and persistence of high inflation after the pandemic struck. Many economists say the Fed made its task riskier by waiting too long to begin raising rates.

Since its last meeting in January, the challenges and uncertainties for the Fed have escalated. Russia’s invasion has magnified the cost of oil, gas, wheat and other commodities. China has closed ports and factories again to try to contain a new outbreak of COVID, which will worsen supply chain disruptions and likely further fuel price pressures.

In the meantime, the sharp rise in average gas prices since the invasion, up more than 60 cents to $4.31 a gallon nationally, will send inflation higher while also probably slowing growth — two conflicting trends that are notoriously difficult for the Fed to manage simultaneously.

The economy’s steady expansion does provide some cushion against higher rates and more expensive gas. Consumers are spending at a healthy pace, and employers keep rapidly hiring. There are still a near-record 11.3 million job openings, far outnumbering the number of unemployed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647457048932.png" alt="Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is hoping that the rate hikes will achieve a difficult and narrow objective: Raising borrowing costs enough to slow growth and tame high inflation-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is hoping that the rate hikes will achieve a difficult and narrow objective: Raising borrowing costs enough to slow growth and tame high inflation-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, AP Economics WriterWASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve launched a high-risk effort Wednesday to tame the worst inflation since the 1970s, raising its benchmark short-term interest rate and signaling potentially up to seven rate hikes this year.The Fed's quarter-point hike in its key rate, which it had pinned near zero since the pandemic recession struck two years ago, marks the start of its effort to curb the high inflation that has followed the recovery from the recession. The rate hikes will eventually mean higher loan rates for many consumers and businesses.The central bank's policymakers expect inflation to remain elevated and to end 2022 at 4.3%, according to updated quarterly projections they released Wednesday. That's far above the Fed's 2% annual target. The officials also now forecast much slower economic growth this year, of 2.8%, down from its 4% estimate in December.Chair Jerome Powell is steering the Fed into a sharp U-turn. Officials had kept rates ultra-low to support growth and hiring during the recession and its aftermath. As recently as December, Fed officials had expected to raise rates just three times this year. Now, its projected seven hikes would raise its short-term rate to 1.875% at the end of 2022. It could increase rates by a half-point at future meetings.Fed officials also forecast four additional hikes in 2023, boosting its benchmark rate to 2.8%. That would be the highest level since March 2008. Borrowing costs for mortgage loans, credit cards and auto loans will likely rise as a result.Powell is hoping that the rate hikes will achieve a difficult and narrow objective: Raising borrowing costs enough to slow growth and tame high inflation, yet not so much as to topple the economy into recession.Yet many economists worry that with inflation already so high — it reached 7.9% in February, the worst in four decades — and with Russia's invasion of Ukraine driving up gas prices, the Fed may have to raise rates even higher than it now expects and potentially tip the economy into recession.By its own admission, the central bank underestimated the breadth and persistence of high inflation after the pandemic struck. Many economists say the Fed made its task riskier by waiting too long to begin raising rates.Since its last meeting in January, the challenges and uncertainties for the Fed have escalated. Russia’s invasion has magnified the cost of oil, gas, wheat and other commodities. China has closed ports and factories again to try to contain a new outbreak of COVID, which will worsen supply chain disruptions and likely further fuel price pressures.In the meantime, the sharp rise in average gas prices since the invasion, up more than 60 cents to $4.31 a gallon nationally, will send inflation higher while also probably slowing growth — two conflicting trends that are notoriously difficult for the Fed to manage simultaneously.The economy’s steady expansion does provide some cushion against higher rates and more expensive gas. Consumers are spending at a healthy pace, and employers keep rapidly hiring. There are still a near-record 11.3 million job openings, far outnumbering the number of unemployed.

Inflation fight: Fed approves first interest rate hike in 3-years

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha teen has been charged with manslaughter in the rifle death of his friend over the weekend. 

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said he charged Blake Miller, 18, in the death of his friend, Tanner Farrell, 18. 

Kleine had previously said Farrell was killed Saturday night as a group of teens handled a rifle inside a southwest Omaha. 

On Tuesday, Kleine told the Omaha World-Herald that the group was in Miller's house when Miller pulled out his .22-caliber rifle and pointed it at Farrell. 

Kleine said Miller pulled the trigger, thinking it was unloaded, and shot Farrell in the chest. Farrell died at an Omaha hospital.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647446831466.png" alt="Miller" />
 <figcaption>Miller</figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha teen has been charged with manslaughter in the rifle death of his friend over the weekend. Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said he charged Blake Miller, 18, in the death of his friend, Tanner Farrell, 18. Kleine had previously said Farrell was killed Saturday night as a group of teens handled a rifle inside a southwest Omaha. On Tuesday, Kleine told the Omaha World-Herald that the group was in Miller's house when Miller pulled out his .22-caliber rifle and pointed it at Farrell. Kleine said Miller pulled the trigger, thinking it was unloaded, and shot Farrell in the chest. Farrell died at an Omaha hospital.

Omaha teen charged with manslaughter in gun death

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/16/additional-property-tax-relief-may-become-part-of-compromise-on-income-tax-bill/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Additional property tax relief may be working its way into a bill designed to reduce state income taxes.

The
 development comes after the income tax proposal, Legislative Bill 939, 
advanced from first-round debate but only after the prime sponsor of the
 bill, State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, promised to amend the bill before 
second-round debate.

Linehan declined to comment on what amendments are being considered, saying only that negotiations are ongoing.

But
 other legislative sources told the Nebraska Examiner that at least one 
of the amendments to the bill being discussed would provide more 
property tax relief, perhaps $200 million more, by increasing the state 
income tax credits that provides a refund for property taxes paid for 
K-12 education.

That
 amendment would conceivably bring more support from rural senators, who
 place property tax relief, and not cuts in income taxes, as their No. 1
 priority.

Cutting
 the state’s top income tax rate has been a long-time goal of another 
major lobbying force at the State Capitol: the state’s business 
community.

As
 now written, LB 939 would reduce the state’s top individual income tax 
rate of 6.84% to 5.84% after three years. The bill would also reduce the
 state’s corporate income tax rate to 5.84% by tax year 2026, from the 
current 7.1%.

Business
 groups argue that Nebraska’s top income tax rate discourages businesses
 and workers from locating in the state.&nbsp; The state’s 6.84% top rate is 
the highest among neighboring states, with the exception of Iowa.

But Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds recently signed into law a bill that establishes a flat tax of 3.9% in the Hawkeye State.

Bryan
 Slone, the president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 
told members of the Revenue Committee that the Cornhusker State is 
falling behind and must reduce its top income tax rate or risk losing 
out on growth opportunities.

Linehan, who chairs the Revenue Committee, has made the same argument, as has fellow Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts.

The
 state income tax credit on property taxes paid was part of a major tax 
cut/reform package passed in 2020 as LB 1107. This year, it’s expected 
to provide a 25% refund on those taxes.

The idea of working in some property tax relief as part of LB 939 gained momentum after the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board raised its prediction of state tax revenue by $370 million for the current fiscal year and $405 million for fiscal year 2022-23.

LB
 939 could use some more support. The bill had to overcome a filibuster 
to advance from first-round debate on Feb. 24. The 40-1 vote was 
deceptive because several senators provided a “yes” vote on the 
condition that some compromises would be made before it came up for 
second-round debate.

Lincoln
 Sen. Matt Hansen, who led the opposition to LB 939 during first round 
debate, said additional property tax relief won’t make him a supporter 
of the bill.

He
 said his biggest problem with the LB 939 was that it was billed as a 
“middle class” tax cut, when most of the benefits go to the state’s 
wealthiest taxpayers.

“All these people who don’t fall in the highest bracket don’t get anything,” he said.

The Lincoln-based Open Sky Policy Institute 
has also opposed LB 939, arguing that 83% of the corporate income tax 
cut would benefit out-of-state entities and that it won’t serve to 
encourage companies to move to Nebraska.

Farm groups have long made the argument that income, sales and property taxes paid in Nebraska should be roughly the same.&nbsp;

But
 the “three-legged stool” is not in alignment. An analysis of taxes paid
 in 2020 by University of Nebraska ag economist David Aiken indicates 
that property 
taxes account for 38% of the state’s total tax payments, with sales 
taxes amounting to 29% of the total, and income taxes 26%.

Additional
 property tax reductions, rural senators argue, are needed to keep the 
taxes somewhat balanced if income tax cuts are to pass.

It’s unclear when
 the income tax proposal will come up again for debate. The Legislature 
is scheduled over the next two weeks to debate the state budget and 
proposals for spending its $1 billion allocation from the American 
Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/16/additional-property-tax-relief-may-become-part-of-compromise-on-income-tax-bill/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Additional property tax relief may be working its way into a bill designed to reduce state income taxes.The
 development comes after the income tax proposal, Legislative Bill 939, 
advanced from first-round debate but only after the prime sponsor of the
 bill, State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, promised to amend the bill before 
second-round debate.Linehan declined to comment on what amendments are being considered, saying only that negotiations are ongoing.But
 other legislative sources told the Nebraska Examiner that at least one 
of the amendments to the bill being discussed would provide more 
property tax relief, perhaps $200 million more, by increasing the state 
income tax credits that provides a refund for property taxes paid for 
K-12 education.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647445948463.jpeg" alt="Bryan Slone, president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Bryan Slone, president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>That
 amendment would conceivably bring more support from rural senators, who
 place property tax relief, and not cuts in income taxes, as their No. 1
 priority.<h2>State chamber seeks cut</h2>Cutting
 the state’s top income tax rate has been a long-time goal of another 
major lobbying force at the State Capitol: the state’s business 
community.As
 now written, LB 939 would reduce the state’s top individual income tax 
rate of 6.84% to 5.84% after three years. The bill would also reduce the
 state’s corporate income tax rate to 5.84% by tax year 2026, from the 
current 7.1%.Business
 groups argue that Nebraska’s top income tax rate discourages businesses
 and workers from locating in the state.&nbsp; The state’s 6.84% top rate is 
the highest among neighboring states, with the exception of Iowa.But Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds recently signed into law a bill that establishes a flat tax of 3.9% in the Hawkeye State.<h2>Said to be falling behind</h2>Bryan
 Slone, the president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 
told members of the Revenue Committee that the Cornhusker State is 
falling behind and must reduce its top income tax rate or risk losing 
out on growth opportunities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647445976129.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Linehan, who chairs the Revenue Committee, has made the same argument, as has fellow Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts.The
 state income tax credit on property taxes paid was part of a major tax 
cut/reform package passed in 2020 as LB 1107. This year, it’s expected 
to provide a 25% refund on those taxes.<h2>Economic forecast</h2>The idea of working in some property tax relief as part of LB 939 gained momentum after the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board raised its prediction of state tax revenue by $370 million for the current fiscal year and $405 million for fiscal year 2022-23.LB
 939 could use some more support. The bill had to overcome a filibuster 
to advance from first-round debate on Feb. 24. The 40-1 vote was 
deceptive because several senators provided a “yes” vote on the 
condition that some compromises would be made before it came up for 
second-round debate.Lincoln
 Sen. Matt Hansen, who led the opposition to LB 939 during first round 
debate, said additional property tax relief won’t make him a supporter 
of the bill.He
 said his biggest problem with the LB 939 was that it was billed as a 
“middle class” tax cut, when most of the benefits go to the state’s 
wealthiest taxpayers.“All these people who don’t fall in the highest bracket don’t get anything,” he said.<h2>Out-of-state entities</h2>The Lincoln-based Open Sky Policy Institute 
has also opposed LB 939, arguing that 83% of the corporate income tax 
cut would benefit out-of-state entities and that it won’t serve to 
encourage companies to move to Nebraska.Farm groups have long made the argument that income, sales and property taxes paid in Nebraska should be roughly the same.&nbsp;But
 the “three-legged stool” is not in alignment. An analysis of taxes paid
 in 2020 by University of Nebraska ag economist David Aiken indicates 
that property 
taxes account for 38% of the state’s total tax payments, with sales 
taxes amounting to 29% of the total, and income taxes 26%.Additional
 property tax reductions, rural senators argue, are needed to keep the 
taxes somewhat balanced if income tax cuts are to pass.It’s unclear when
 the income tax proposal will come up again for debate. The Legislature 
is scheduled over the next two weeks to debate the state budget and 
proposals for spending its $1 billion allocation from the American 
Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Property tax relief may become part of Neb. tax compromise

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cited Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11 terror attacks on Wednesday as he appealed to the U.S. Congress to do more to help Ukraine’s fight against Russia, but acknowledged the no-fly zone he has sought to “close the sky” over his country may not happen.

(Caution, the video shown during the address is very graphic)

Livestreamed into the Capitol complex, Zelenskyy said the U.S. must sanction Russian lawmakers and block imports. He showed a packed auditorium of lawmakers a graphic video of the destruction and devastation his country has suffered in the war, along with heartbreaking scenes of civilian casualties.

“We need you right now,” Zelenskyy said, adding, “I call on you to do more.” In urging a steeper economic hit to the Russians, he said: “Peace is more important than income.”

Lawmakers gave him a standing ovation, before and after his short remarks, which Zelenskyy began in Ukrainian through an interpreter but then switched to English in a heartfelt appeal to help end the bloodshed.

“I see no sense in life if it cannot stop the deaths,” he told them.

Wearing a short-sleeved army T-shirt, Zelinskyy began his remarks by invoking the destruction the U.S. suffered in 1941 when Japan bombed the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, and the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon by militants who commandeered passenger airplanes to crash into the symbols of Western democracy and economy.

“Remember Pearl Harbor? Remember September 11?” Zelenzkyy asked. “Our countries experience the same every day right now.”

Nearing the three-week mark in an ever-escalating war, Zelenskyy has been imploring allied leaders to stop the Russian airstrikes. President Joe Biden’s administration has stopped short of providing a no-fly zone or the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-poland-united-states-europe-warsaw-534cd345f7bcb5a08a21fc2244efb04f">transfer of military jets from neighboring Poland</a>&nbsp;as the U.S. seeks to avoid a direct confrontation with Russia.

Biden is set to deliver his own address following Zelenskyy’s speech, in which he is expected to announce an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine, according to a White House official. That would bring the total announced in the last week alone to $1 billion. It includes money for anti-armor and air-defense weapons, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Zelenskyy has emerged as a heroic figure at the center of what many view as the biggest security threat to Europe since World War II.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-business-poland-nato-86980020366ace4e8e5caa0d4ac1b7d6">Almost 3 million refugees have fled Ukraine,</a>&nbsp;the fastest exodus in modern times.

The U.S. Congress has remain remarkably unified in its support of Ukraine and Sen. Angus King, the Maine independent. said there was a “collective holding of the breath” in the room during Zelenskyy’s address. Outside the Capitol a group of protesters held a large sign lawmakers saw as they walked back to their offices. “No Fly Zone=World War 3.”

Majority Whip Dick Durbin called the address heartbreaking and pledged to take on any action to stop the aggression on the Ukrainian people. “I’m on board with a blank check on sanctions, just whatever we can do to stop this Russian advance,” he said.

The Ukrainian president is no stranger to Congress, having played a central role in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-elections-international-news-politics-0756fda2b5143891c5da1c6897001cee">Donald Trump’s first impeachment</a>. As president, Trump was accused of withholding security aid to Ukraine as he pressured Zelenskyy to dig up dirt on political rival Biden. Zelensky spoke on the giant screen to many of the same Republican lawmakers who declined to impeach or convict Trump, but are among the bipartisan groundswell in Congress now clamoring for military aid to Ukraine.

He thanked the American people saying Ukraine is “grateful” for the outpouring of support, even as he urged Biden to use his office to do more.

“You are the leader of the nation. I wish you be the leader of the world,” he sad “Being the leader of the world means being the leader of peace.”

Invoking Shakespeare’s hero last week, Zelenskyy asked the British House of Commons whether Ukraine is “to be or not to be.” On Tuesday, he appealed to “Dear Justin” as he addressed the Canadian Parliament and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Zelenskyy called on European Union leaders at the start of the war to do the politically unthinkable and fast-track Ukraine’s membership — and he has continued to push for more help to save his young democracy than world leaders have so far pledged to do.

To Congress, he drew on U.S. history and the faces of past presidents on Mount Rushmore in telling the lawmakers that people in his country want to live their our national dream, just like the you have,” he said. “Democracy, independence, freedom.”

Biden has insisted there will be no U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine and has resisted Zelenskyy’s relentless pleas for warplanes as too risky, potentially escalating into a direct confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia.

“Direct conflict between NATO and Russia is World War III,” Biden has said.

Zelenskyy appeared to acknowledge the political reality of his request to “close the sky” as he seeks other military aid from the U.S.

“Is this to too much to ask to create a no fly zone over Ukraine?” he asked, answering his own question. “If this is too much to ask, we offer an alternative,” calling for weapons systems that would help fight Russian aircraft.

Already the Biden administration has sent Ukraine more than 600 Stinger missiles, 2,600 Javelin anti-armor systems, unmanned aerial system tracking radars; grenade launchers, 200 shotguns, 200 machine guns and nearly 40 million rounds of small arms ammunition, along with helicopters, patrol boats, satellite imagery and body armor, helmets, and other tactical gear, the official said.

This wasn’t the first time he Zelenskyy has appealed directly to Congress. Nearly two weeks ago, he delivered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-volodymyr-zelenskyy-kyiv-business-europe-a0f619604ad19c50484e6a41eb02880c">desperate plea&nbsp;</a>to some 300 lawmakers and staff on a private call that if they could not enforce a no-fly zone, at least send more planes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647435977643.png" alt="Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he addressed Congress Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he addressed Congress Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cited Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11 terror attacks on Wednesday as he appealed to the U.S. Congress to do more to help Ukraine’s fight against Russia, but acknowledged the no-fly zone he has sought to “close the sky” over his country may not happen.(Caution, the video shown during the address is very graphic)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6YF0qfAj8IY?start=2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Livestreamed into the Capitol complex, Zelenskyy said the U.S. must sanction Russian lawmakers and block imports. He showed a packed auditorium of lawmakers a graphic video of the destruction and devastation his country has suffered in the war, along with heartbreaking scenes of civilian casualties.“We need you right now,” Zelenskyy said, adding, “I call on you to do more.” In urging a steeper economic hit to the Russians, he said: “Peace is more important than income.”Lawmakers gave him a standing ovation, before and after his short remarks, which Zelenskyy began in Ukrainian through an interpreter but then switched to English in a heartfelt appeal to help end the bloodshed.“I see no sense in life if it cannot stop the deaths,” he told them.Wearing a short-sleeved army T-shirt, Zelinskyy began his remarks by invoking the destruction the U.S. suffered in 1941 when Japan bombed the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, and the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon by militants who commandeered passenger airplanes to crash into the symbols of Western democracy and economy.“Remember Pearl Harbor? Remember September 11?” Zelenzkyy asked. “Our countries experience the same every day right now.”Nearing the three-week mark in an ever-escalating war, Zelenskyy has been imploring allied leaders to stop the Russian airstrikes. President Joe Biden’s administration has stopped short of providing a no-fly zone or the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-poland-united-states-europe-warsaw-534cd345f7bcb5a08a21fc2244efb04f">transfer of military jets from neighboring Poland</a>&nbsp;as the U.S. seeks to avoid a direct confrontation with Russia.Biden is set to deliver his own address following Zelenskyy’s speech, in which he is expected to announce an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine, according to a White House official. That would bring the total announced in the last week alone to $1 billion. It includes money for anti-armor and air-defense weapons, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.Zelenskyy has emerged as a heroic figure at the center of what many view as the biggest security threat to Europe since World War II.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-business-poland-nato-86980020366ace4e8e5caa0d4ac1b7d6">Almost 3 million refugees have fled Ukraine,</a>&nbsp;the fastest exodus in modern times.The U.S. Congress has remain remarkably unified in its support of Ukraine and Sen. Angus King, the Maine independent. said there was a “collective holding of the breath” in the room during Zelenskyy’s address. Outside the Capitol a group of protesters held a large sign lawmakers saw as they walked back to their offices. “No Fly Zone=World War 3.”Majority Whip Dick Durbin called the address heartbreaking and pledged to take on any action to stop the aggression on the Ukrainian people. “I’m on board with a blank check on sanctions, just whatever we can do to stop this Russian advance,” he said.The Ukrainian president is no stranger to Congress, having played a central role in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-elections-international-news-politics-0756fda2b5143891c5da1c6897001cee">Donald Trump’s first impeachment</a>. As president, Trump was accused of withholding security aid to Ukraine as he pressured Zelenskyy to dig up dirt on political rival Biden. Zelensky spoke on the giant screen to many of the same Republican lawmakers who declined to impeach or convict Trump, but are among the bipartisan groundswell in Congress now clamoring for military aid to Ukraine.He thanked the American people saying Ukraine is “grateful” for the outpouring of support, even as he urged Biden to use his office to do more.“You are the leader of the nation. I wish you be the leader of the world,” he sad “Being the leader of the world means being the leader of peace.”Invoking Shakespeare’s hero last week, Zelenskyy asked the British House of Commons whether Ukraine is “to be or not to be.” On Tuesday, he appealed to “Dear Justin” as he addressed the Canadian Parliament and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Zelenskyy called on European Union leaders at the start of the war to do the politically unthinkable and fast-track Ukraine’s membership — and he has continued to push for more help to save his young democracy than world leaders have so far pledged to do.To Congress, he drew on U.S. history and the faces of past presidents on Mount Rushmore in telling the lawmakers that people in his country want to live their our national dream, just like the you have,” he said. “Democracy, independence, freedom.”Biden has insisted there will be no U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine and has resisted Zelenskyy’s relentless pleas for warplanes as too risky, potentially escalating into a direct confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia.“Direct conflict between NATO and Russia is World War III,” Biden has said.Zelenskyy appeared to acknowledge the political reality of his request to “close the sky” as he seeks other military aid from the U.S.“Is this to too much to ask to create a no fly zone over Ukraine?” he asked, answering his own question. “If this is too much to ask, we offer an alternative,” calling for weapons systems that would help fight Russian aircraft.Already the Biden administration has sent Ukraine more than 600 Stinger missiles, 2,600 Javelin anti-armor systems, unmanned aerial system tracking radars; grenade launchers, 200 shotguns, 200 machine guns and nearly 40 million rounds of small arms ammunition, along with helicopters, patrol boats, satellite imagery and body armor, helmets, and other tactical gear, the official said.This wasn’t the first time he Zelenskyy has appealed directly to Congress. Nearly two weeks ago, he delivered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-volodymyr-zelenskyy-kyiv-business-europe-a0f619604ad19c50484e6a41eb02880c">desperate plea&nbsp;</a>to some 300 lawmakers and staff on a private call that if they could not enforce a no-fly zone, at least send more planes.Congress has already approved $13.6 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, and the newly announced security aid will come from that allotment, which is part of a broader bill that Biden signed into law Tuesday.___WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;will address the U.S. Congress, the actor-turned-wartime leader’s latest video speech as he uses the West’s great legislative bodies as a global stage to orchestrate support against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s crushing invasion</a>.Zelenskyy’s livestreamed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukrriane-volodymyr-zelensky-congress-address-babf66809eec5138482d14cee7f32221">address Wednesday into the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;will be among the most important in a unique and very public strategy in which he has invoked Winston Churchill, Hamlet and the power of world opinion in his fight to stop Russia.Nearing the three-week mark in an ever-escalating war, Zelenskyy has used his campaign to implore allied leaders to “close the sky” to prevent the Russian airstrikes that are devastating his country. It’s a singular request and now a rallying cry in popular culture. It has also put Zelenskyy at odds with President Joe Biden, whose administration has stopped short of providing a no-fly zone or the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-poland-united-states-europe-warsaw-534cd345f7bcb5a08a21fc2244efb04f">transfer of military jets from neighboring Poland</a>&nbsp;as the U.S. seeks to avoid a direct confrontation with Russia.Instead, Biden will deliver his own address following Zelenskyy’s speech, in which he is expected to announce an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine, according to a White House official familiar with the matter. That would bring the total announced in the last week alone to $1 billion. It includes money for anti-armor and air-defense weapons, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity.Click below to watch Zelenskyy's address to the Canadian Parliament&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpresident.gov.ua%2Fvideos%2F330422952396185%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=2" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Appearing in his now trademark army green T-shirt as he appeals to world leaders, the boyish but unshaven Zelenskyy has emerged as a heroic figure at the center of what many view as the biggest security threat to Europe since World War II.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-business-poland-nato-86980020366ace4e8e5caa0d4ac1b7d6">Almost 3 million refugees have fled Ukraine,</a>&nbsp;the fastest exodus in modern times.Invoking Shakespeare’s hero last week, he asked the British House of Commons whether Ukraine is “to be or not to be.” On Tuesday, he appealed to “Dear Justin” as he addressed the Canadian Parliament and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Zelenskyy called on European Union leaders at the start of the war to do the politically unthinkable and fast-track Ukraine’s membership — and he has continued to push for more help to save his young democracy than world leaders have so far pledged to do.”I know he will ask for more help,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.Biden has insisted there will be no U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine and has resisted Zelenskyy’s relentless pleas for warplanes as too risky, potentially escalating into a direct confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia.“Direct conflict between NATO and Russia is World War III,” Biden has said.U.S. defense officials, for their part, say they are puzzled by Zelenskyy’s demand for more warplanes. They say Ukraine isn’t often flying the planes it has now, while making good use of other weapons the West is providing, including Stinger missiles for shooting down helicopters and other aircraft.While officials are anticipating that Zelenskyy may once again call on the U.S. and the West for fighter jets or help establishing a no-fly zone, the Biden administration is looking to send Ukraine “more of what’s been working well,” according to an official who was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity.Already the Biden administration has sent Ukraine more than 600 Stinger missiles, 2,600 Javelin anti-armor systems, unmanned aerial system tracking radars; grenade launchers, 200 shotguns, 200 machine guns and nearly 40 million rounds of small arms ammunition, along with helicopters, patrol boats, satellite imagery and body armor, helmets, and other tactical gear, the official said.Even though Zelenskyy and Biden speak almost daily by phone, the Ukrainian president has found a potentially more receptive audience in Congress.This won’t be the first time he has appealed directly to members of the House and Senate, who have remained remarkably unified in their support of Ukraine with some feeling they have made a commitment to do as much as they can in the fight against Russia. Nearly two weeks ago, Zelenskyy delivered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-volodymyr-zelenskyy-kyiv-business-europe-a0f619604ad19c50484e6a41eb02880c">desperate plea&nbsp;</a>to some 300 lawmakers and staff on a private call that if they could not enforce a no-fly zone, at least send more planes.“We think the United States needs to do more,” said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., returning from a weekend visit with other lawmakers to Poland.Congress has already approved $13.6 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, and the newly announced security aid will come from that allotment, which is part of a broader bill that Biden signed into law Tuesday. But lawmakers expect more aid will be needed.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Zelenskyy asked for help in rebuilding his country when they spoke last week.It was in that call that Zelenskyy asked for the opportunity to address the U.S. Congress, something the Democratic leader readily agreed to.“The Congress, our country and the world are in awe of the people of Ukraine,” said Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in a statement Monday announcing the address.They said Congress “remains unwavering in our commitment to supporting Ukraine as they face Putin’s cruel and diabolical aggression.”Zelenskyy’s next stop could be Spain. The speaker of Spain’s Congress of Deputies has invited the Ukrainian president to address Spanish lawmakers via videolink.In a letter to Zelenskyy, Speaker Meritxell Batet wrote that the address “will be a magnificent opportunity for the chamber, all Spanish people and the thousands of Ukrainians living in Spain to listen to your message and express our firmest support.”___