OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A man who fired several shots at an Omaha grocery in what his attorney said was his plan to die at the hands of police has been sentenced to decades in prison. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that 23-year-old Jacob Muhle was sentenced Thursday to between 42 and 64 years and must serve more than 26 years before he's eligible for parole. 

Police say Muhle fired shots into two occupied vehicles in a Hy-Vee grocery parking lot on March 17, 2020, then walked into the store's pharmacy and fired another shot before a man tackled him and an off-duty police officer wrestled his gun away. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647040147708.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A man who fired several shots at an Omaha grocery in what his attorney said was his plan to die at the hands of police has been sentenced to decades in prison. The Omaha World-Herald reports that 23-year-old Jacob Muhle was sentenced Thursday to between 42 and 64 years and must serve more than 26 years before he's eligible for parole. Police say Muhle fired shots into two occupied vehicles in a Hy-Vee grocery parking lot on March 17, 2020, then walked into the store's pharmacy and fired another shot before a man tackled him and an off-duty police officer wrestled his gun away. No one was hit by the gunfire.

Man who fired shots in Omaha grocery sentenced to prison

Culture in Unicameral has ‘gone to hell,’ says one senator after another lawmaker walks out

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/11/after-emotional-vote-constitutional-carry-gun-bill-advances-to-second-round-debate/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 — In a dramatic vote Friday, state lawmakers advanced a bill that would
 allow Nebraskans to carry a concealed weapon without obtaining a $100 
state permit, undergoing a criminal background check or passing a gun 
safety class.

Legislative
 Bill 773 still faces two more rounds of debate, and at least one 
supporter indicated he would oppose the bill if an amendment sought by 
the Omaha police is added to the legislation.

State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha provided the 33rd vote to invoke cloture and halt a filibuster against the bill.

But
 during floor debate, Wayne indicated that he would oppose LB 773 if the
 Omaha police amendment is added to the bill during second-round 
debate.&nbsp;

The
 primary sponsor of the bill, Gordon Sen. Tom Brewer, rejected the idea 
that Wayne’s stance could complicate the ability to overcome filibusters
 ahead and get the measure passed.

“We will get there,” Brewer said after the vote.

Meanwhile,
 Lincoln Sen. Adam Morfeld said he will continue to oppose the bill, 
which he sees as a public safety risk because it does away with the 
requirement of a gun safety course to carry a concealed weapon.

“I don’t know what the solution to gun violence is, but I know what it’s not,” Morfeld said.

After
 Wayne provided the 33rd vote to invoke cloture, three other senators — 
Carol Blood, John McCollister and Jen Day — switched from “present and 
not voting” to “yes.” Thus, the final vote on cloture was 36-9.

LB 773 later passed on a 35-9 vote, two more than needed for cloture.&nbsp;

On Thursday, Alabama became the 22nd state 
to allow carrying a concealed weapon without a state permit when Alabama
 Gov. Kay Ivey signed a similar bill into law.

Brewer
 drafted an amendment to the bill with the Omaha police department and 
its union to turn them from opponents to “neutral” on the so-called 
“constitutional carry” proposal. But debate on that amendment won’t come
 up until second-round debate.

The
 amendment would keep in place the Omaha ordinance that requires 
registration of handguns. It would also allow for the continued 
prosecution of the crime of “carrying a concealed handgun” if a 
concealed gun was used in a long list of “covered offenses,” from 
robbery and kidnapping to cockfighting and disorderly conduct.

The
 Omaha Police Officers Association had testified against LB 773 earlier 
this year, saying that as originally drafted, it would harm police 
efforts to combat street gangs.

Meanwhile, the Lincoln Police Department remains opposed to the bill, as does a state police chiefs’ association.

Omaha Sen. Wendy DeBoer said she opposed the
 bill because of the amendment. She said she may be legally carrying a 
concealed weapon, but under the amendment, she would face a much more 
serious crime if she wrote a bad check.

The
 debate over the gun bill got emotional at times, with one senator 
storming out of the chamber and another saying that the “culture” of not
 getting personal with colleagues during floor debate had “gone to 
hell.”

Omaha
 Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh accused Brewer of “belittling” her over her 
concerns about gun-rights advocates openly carrying guns in the State 
Capitol.

&nbsp;While
 that is not prohibited, she said that the clear intent was to 
“intimidate” her at a legislative hearing two years ago. Cavanaugh 
pointed out that people can’t carry a sign into a hearing, but they can 
carry a gun.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brewer had said yesterday that senators needed a “gut check” if they couldn’t take the pressures of being a legislator.

Cavanaugh
 stormed out of the chamber after a gun-rights supporter, Sen. Julie 
Slama of Sterling, accused her of disrespecting Sen. Brewer, a decorated
 military veteran, and of invoking the “cancel culture” against 
conservative senators.

Cavanaugh
 asked for a “point of order” to address the charge but wasn’t 
recognized for comment by the chair, which led her to walk out.

The
 incident prompted Lincoln Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks to call on her 
colleagues to be “kinder” and question why “the adults” in the 
Legislature hadn’t stepped in during the exchange between Slama and 
Cavanaugh.

Omaha
 Sen. Steve Lathrop, who has served 12 years in the Legislature, said it
 wasn’t acceptable for debate to become personal. He added that 
political discourse had changed since he first was elected in 2006, 
becoming more like Washington, D.C.

“It’s gone to hell,” Lathrop said, of the culture in the one-house Unicameral.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647013505823.png" alt="Gun rights advocates turned out in force in January to testify in support of a bill introduced in the Nebraska Legislature that would do away with the state license and training requirements to carry a concealed handgun. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Gun rights advocates turned out in force in January to testify in support of a bill introduced in the Nebraska Legislature that would do away with the state license and training requirements to carry a concealed handgun. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Culture in Unicameral has ‘gone to hell,’ says one senator after another lawmaker walks out</h2>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/11/after-emotional-vote-constitutional-carry-gun-bill-advances-to-second-round-debate/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — In a dramatic vote Friday, state lawmakers advanced a bill that would
 allow Nebraskans to carry a concealed weapon without obtaining a $100 
state permit, undergoing a criminal background check or passing a gun 
safety class.Legislative
 Bill 773 still faces two more rounds of debate, and at least one 
supporter indicated he would oppose the bill if an amendment sought by 
the Omaha police is added to the legislation.State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha provided the 33rd vote to invoke cloture and halt a filibuster against the bill.<h2>Omaha amendment</h2>But
 during floor debate, Wayne indicated that he would oppose LB 773 if the
 Omaha police amendment is added to the bill during second-round 
debate.&nbsp;The
 primary sponsor of the bill, Gordon Sen. Tom Brewer, rejected the idea 
that Wayne’s stance could complicate the ability to overcome filibusters
 ahead and get the measure passed.“We will get there,” Brewer said after the vote.Meanwhile,
 Lincoln Sen. Adam Morfeld said he will continue to oppose the bill, 
which he sees as a public safety risk because it does away with the 
requirement of a gun safety course to carry a concealed weapon.<h2>‘Not a solution’</h2>“I don’t know what the solution to gun violence is, but I know what it’s not,” Morfeld said.After
 Wayne provided the 33rd vote to invoke cloture, three other senators — 
Carol Blood, John McCollister and Jen Day — switched from “present and 
not voting” to “yes.” Thus, the final vote on cloture was 36-9.LB 773 later passed on a 35-9 vote, two more than needed for cloture.&nbsp;On Thursday, Alabama became the 22nd state 
to allow carrying a concealed weapon without a state permit when Alabama
 Gov. Kay Ivey signed a similar bill into law.Brewer
 drafted an amendment to the bill with the Omaha police department and 
its union to turn them from opponents to “neutral” on the so-called 
“constitutional carry” proposal. But debate on that amendment won’t come
 up until second-round debate.<h2>‘Covered offenses’</h2>The
 amendment would keep in place the Omaha ordinance that requires 
registration of handguns. It would also allow for the continued 
prosecution of the crime of “carrying a concealed handgun” if a 
concealed gun was used in a long list of “covered offenses,” from 
robbery and kidnapping to cockfighting and disorderly conduct.The
 Omaha Police Officers Association had testified against LB 773 earlier 
this year, saying that as originally drafted, it would harm police 
efforts to combat street gangs.Meanwhile, the Lincoln Police Department remains opposed to the bill, as does a state police chiefs’ association.Omaha Sen. Wendy DeBoer said she opposed the
 bill because of the amendment. She said she may be legally carrying a 
concealed weapon, but under the amendment, she would face a much more 
serious crime if she wrote a bad check.<h2>Debate got emotional</h2>The
 debate over the gun bill got emotional at times, with one senator 
storming out of the chamber and another saying that the “culture” of not
 getting personal with colleagues during floor debate had “gone to 
hell.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647037065847.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Omaha
 Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh accused Brewer of “belittling” her over her 
concerns about gun-rights advocates openly carrying guns in the State 
Capitol.&nbsp;While
 that is not prohibited, she said that the clear intent was to 
“intimidate” her at a legislative hearing two years ago. Cavanaugh 
pointed out that people can’t carry a sign into a hearing, but they can 
carry a gun.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brewer had said yesterday that senators needed a “gut check” if they couldn’t take the pressures of being a legislator.Cavanaugh
 stormed out of the chamber after a gun-rights supporter, Sen. Julie 
Slama of Sterling, accused her of disrespecting Sen. Brewer, a decorated
 military veteran, and of invoking the “cancel culture” against 
conservative senators.<h2>‘Gone to hell’</h2>Cavanaugh
 asked for a “point of order” to address the charge but wasn’t 
recognized for comment by the chair, which led her to walk out.The
 incident prompted Lincoln Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks to call on her 
colleagues to be “kinder” and question why “the adults” in the 
Legislature hadn’t stepped in during the exchange between Slama and 
Cavanaugh.Omaha
 Sen. Steve Lathrop, who has served 12 years in the Legislature, said it
 wasn’t acceptable for debate to become personal. He added that 
political discourse had changed since he first was elected in 2006, 
becoming more like Washington, D.C.“It’s gone to hell,” Lathrop said, of the culture in the one-house Unicameral.

After emotional vote, Neb. gun bill advances to second-round debate

JACKSON COUNTY —A Kansas man avoided serious injury after an accident just after 11:30a.m. Friday in Jackson County.

&nbsp;According to Sheriff Tim Morse,a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 driven by&nbsp;&nbsp;85-year-old Delmer Klahr, of Holton was eastbound on 238th just west of T Road. The driver lost control and the pickup slid off the roadway and down into a creek.

 Members of the Holton Fire Department, Jackson County Sheriff's Office and nearby citizens helped to rescue Klahr from the vehicle. 

&nbsp;Jackson County EMS evaluated Klahr at the scene. He refused further treatment and transport, according to Morse.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647029696758.png" alt="Photo courtesy Jackson County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Jackson County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —A Kansas man avoided serious injury after an accident just after 11:30a.m. Friday in Jackson County.&nbsp;According to Sheriff Tim Morse,a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 driven by&nbsp;&nbsp;85-year-old Delmer Klahr, of Holton was eastbound on 238th just west of T Road. The driver lost control and the pickup slid off the roadway and down into a creek. Members of the Holton Fire Department, Jackson County Sheriff's Office and nearby citizens helped to rescue Klahr from the vehicle. &nbsp;Jackson County EMS evaluated Klahr at the scene. He refused further treatment and transport, according to Morse.&nbsp;

85-year-old Kan. man rescued after pickup lands in creek

Comparing how the caldera in Yellowstone compares with others around the world

By MICHAEL POLAND <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2022/03/11/wait-so-the-volcano-in-yellowstone-is-sinking/">For the Daily Montanan</a>

Yellowstone is a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/news/personal-commentary-why-i-dislike-term-supervolcano-and-what-we-should-be-saying-instead">caldera system</a>—a
 large volcanic area that was never home to a single towering volcano, 
but that has experienced eruptions so large that the ground collapsed 
into the emptied&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">magma</a>&nbsp;chamber.&nbsp;
 While these caldera-forming eruptions grab most of the attention, it is
 far more common that caldera systems see smaller eruptions.&nbsp; Between 
eruptions,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/battle-giants-how-yellowstone-fits-world-moving-mountains">the ground deforms</a>—rising and falling—as magma, water, and gas accumulate and withdraw from storage areas beneath the surface.

At Yellowstone, ground deformation was first documented in the 1970s.&nbsp; An initial&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/leveling-surveys-and-discovery-uplift-yellowstone">leveling survey</a>—a
 method of measuring surface elevation—was completed in 1923 and 
repeated in the mid-1970s. The results indicated that the ground had 
uplifted by a maximum of 72 centimeters (28 inches) in the 50-plus years
 between surveys—a rate of about 1.4 cm (0.5 inches) per year.

Since the 1970s, leveling surveys, and later&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/one-scientists-best-tools-tracking-ground-deformation-was-designed-do">GPS data</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/insar-magic-deformation-camera-no-one-saw-coming">satellite radar imagery</a>,
 showed that Yellowstone did not just go up, but at times it also 
subsided.&nbsp; Whether going up or down, the rate was always a few 
centimeters (about 1 inch) per year.

This sounds impressive, and it is—that huge areas of ground rise and 
fall by an inch per year is a testament to the powerful forces acting 
beneath the surface at Yellowstone.&nbsp; But how does this compare to 
deformation measured at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/news/caldera-systems-worldwide-family-more-just-yellowstone">other calderas</a>?

A logical comparison would be with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/long-valley-caldera">Long Valley</a>,
 a caldera system located in eastern California.&nbsp; Uplift there was first
 documented starting in the late 1970s.&nbsp; During the nearly 50 years 
between 1975 and 2022, the overall maximum uplift of Long Valley caldera
 was 66 centimeters (26 inches), similar in terms of rate to 
Yellowstone.

But Long Valley and Yellowstone pale in comparison to deformation 
measured at Campi Flegrei—a caldera system near Naples, in Italy.&nbsp; 
Leveling surveys started at Campi Flegrei in 1905 and were repeated 
frequently to assess how the ground moved, since deformation was a 
well-known phenomenon in the region.&nbsp; Between 1905 and 1950, the caldera
 subsided by more than 1 meter (3 feet).&nbsp; The sense of movement then 
reversed, and several episodes of uplift occurred.&nbsp; The largest were in 
1969–1972 and 1982–1984, when the ground rose by 1.75 meters (nearly 6 
feet) during each episode!&nbsp; These uplift crises were accompanied by 
strong <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">seismicity</a>
 that prompted evacuations due to building damage.&nbsp; When you plot the 
vertical deformation at Campi Flegrei at the same scale as that from 
Long Valley and Yellowstone, the lines for the calderas in the USA look 
almost flat.

But that doesn’t even tell the full story of Campi Flegrei 
deformation.&nbsp; Near the center of the caldera is a 2000-year-old Roman 
ruin that has three columns, all of which have evidence of mollusk 
borings 7 meters (23 feet) above their bases.&nbsp; The columns are above sea
 level now, and they were built above sea level.&nbsp; But between the time 
they were built and now, the ground subsided below sea level by several 
meters (tens of feet) and then rose out of the sea once again.&nbsp; It was 
study of this site in the 1820s that convinced geologists that the 
ground at volcanoes could move up and down by dramatic amounts due to 
subsurface magmatic activity.

The long-term record at Yellowstone also includes impressive amounts of surface movement.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/thousands-years-caldera-inflation-and-deflation-recorded-shoreline">Studies of wave-cut terraces on the north shore of Yellowstone Lake</a>&nbsp;have
 shown that the central part of the caldera today is about 30 meters 
(100 feet) feet lower than it was at the end of the last ice age 13,000 
years ago—even in spite of overall uplift during the past century.

At Campi Flegrei, extreme rates of deformation are known to have 
occurred prior to the most recent eruption, which occurred in 1538 when 
a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">cinder cone</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">lava</a>
 flow formed.&nbsp; In the decades before that eruption, the ground uplifted 
so much that royal pronouncements were needed to establish ownership of 
the new land that had risen out of the sea.&nbsp; And in the hours before the
 start of the eruption in 1538, the shoreline rose so quickly that fish 
were trapped, and the coastline moved seaward by about 370 meters (1,200
 feet)!

Similar rapid changes have been observed at other caldera systems 
prior to eruptions.&nbsp; For example, at Rabaul, in Papua New Guinea, a tide
 gauge was lifted completely out of the water in the hours before the 
start of a mild&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">explosive eruption</a>&nbsp;in 1994.

Deformation at Yellowstone is certainly impressive, but it pales in 
comparison to what has occurred at Campi Flegrei—not just over the past 
century, but over the past two millennia.

Michael Poland is a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647024155381.png" alt="Serapeum, a Roman Marketplace in Pozzuoli, Italy, records deformation of Campi Flegrei caldera over two millennia. It was built above sea level about 2000 years ago, but mollusk borings on the large marble columns indicate that it subsided by 7 meters (23 feet) below sea level before being uplifted above sea level once more in the past several hundred years. (Photo by Emily Montgomery-Brown, USGS.)" />
 <figcaption>Serapeum, a Roman Marketplace in Pozzuoli, Italy, records deformation of Campi Flegrei caldera over two millennia. It was built above sea level about 2000 years ago, but mollusk borings on the large marble columns indicate that it subsided by 7 meters (23 feet) below sea level before being uplifted above sea level once more in the past several hundred years. (Photo by Emily Montgomery-Brown, USGS.)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Comparing how the caldera in Yellowstone compares with others around the world</h2>By MICHAEL POLAND <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2022/03/11/wait-so-the-volcano-in-yellowstone-is-sinking/">For the Daily Montanan</a>Yellowstone is a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/news/personal-commentary-why-i-dislike-term-supervolcano-and-what-we-should-be-saying-instead">caldera system</a>—a
 large volcanic area that was never home to a single towering volcano, 
but that has experienced eruptions so large that the ground collapsed 
into the emptied&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">magma</a>&nbsp;chamber.&nbsp;
 While these caldera-forming eruptions grab most of the attention, it is
 far more common that caldera systems see smaller eruptions.&nbsp; Between 
eruptions,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/battle-giants-how-yellowstone-fits-world-moving-mountains">the ground deforms</a>—rising and falling—as magma, water, and gas accumulate and withdraw from storage areas beneath the surface.At Yellowstone, ground deformation was first documented in the 1970s.&nbsp; An initial&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/leveling-surveys-and-discovery-uplift-yellowstone">leveling survey</a>—a
 method of measuring surface elevation—was completed in 1923 and 
repeated in the mid-1970s. The results indicated that the ground had 
uplifted by a maximum of 72 centimeters (28 inches) in the 50-plus years
 between surveys—a rate of about 1.4 cm (0.5 inches) per year.Since the 1970s, leveling surveys, and later&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/one-scientists-best-tools-tracking-ground-deformation-was-designed-do">GPS data</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/insar-magic-deformation-camera-no-one-saw-coming">satellite radar imagery</a>,
 showed that Yellowstone did not just go up, but at times it also 
subsided.&nbsp; Whether going up or down, the rate was always a few 
centimeters (about 1 inch) per year.This sounds impressive, and it is—that huge areas of ground rise and 
fall by an inch per year is a testament to the powerful forces acting 
beneath the surface at Yellowstone.&nbsp; But how does this compare to 
deformation measured at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/news/caldera-systems-worldwide-family-more-just-yellowstone">other calderas</a>?A logical comparison would be with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/long-valley-caldera">Long Valley</a>,
 a caldera system located in eastern California.&nbsp; Uplift there was first
 documented starting in the late 1970s.&nbsp; During the nearly 50 years 
between 1975 and 2022, the overall maximum uplift of Long Valley caldera
 was 66 centimeters (26 inches), similar in terms of rate to 
Yellowstone.But Long Valley and Yellowstone pale in comparison to deformation 
measured at Campi Flegrei—a caldera system near Naples, in Italy.&nbsp; 
Leveling surveys started at Campi Flegrei in 1905 and were repeated 
frequently to assess how the ground moved, since deformation was a 
well-known phenomenon in the region.&nbsp; Between 1905 and 1950, the caldera
 subsided by more than 1 meter (3 feet).&nbsp; The sense of movement then 
reversed, and several episodes of uplift occurred.&nbsp; The largest were in 
1969–1972 and 1982–1984, when the ground rose by 1.75 meters (nearly 6 
feet) during each episode!&nbsp; These uplift crises were accompanied by 
strong <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">seismicity</a>
 that prompted evacuations due to building damage.&nbsp; When you plot the 
vertical deformation at Campi Flegrei at the same scale as that from 
Long Valley and Yellowstone, the lines for the calderas in the USA look 
almost flat.But that doesn’t even tell the full story of Campi Flegrei 
deformation.&nbsp; Near the center of the caldera is a 2000-year-old Roman 
ruin that has three columns, all of which have evidence of mollusk 
borings 7 meters (23 feet) above their bases.&nbsp; The columns are above sea
 level now, and they were built above sea level.&nbsp; But between the time 
they were built and now, the ground subsided below sea level by several 
meters (tens of feet) and then rose out of the sea once again.&nbsp; It was 
study of this site in the 1820s that convinced geologists that the 
ground at volcanoes could move up and down by dramatic amounts due to 
subsurface magmatic activity.The long-term record at Yellowstone also includes impressive amounts of surface movement.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/thousands-years-caldera-inflation-and-deflation-recorded-shoreline">Studies of wave-cut terraces on the north shore of Yellowstone Lake</a>&nbsp;have
 shown that the central part of the caldera today is about 30 meters 
(100 feet) feet lower than it was at the end of the last ice age 13,000 
years ago—even in spite of overall uplift during the past century.At Campi Flegrei, extreme rates of deformation are known to have 
occurred prior to the most recent eruption, which occurred in 1538 when 
a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">cinder cone</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">lava</a>
 flow formed.&nbsp; In the decades before that eruption, the ground uplifted 
so much that royal pronouncements were needed to establish ownership of 
the new land that had risen out of the sea.&nbsp; And in the hours before the
 start of the eruption in 1538, the shoreline rose so quickly that fish 
were trapped, and the coastline moved seaward by about 370 meters (1,200
 feet)!Similar rapid changes have been observed at other caldera systems 
prior to eruptions.&nbsp; For example, at Rabaul, in Papua New Guinea, a tide
 gauge was lifted completely out of the water in the hours before the 
start of a mild&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary">explosive eruption</a>&nbsp;in 1994.Deformation at Yellowstone is certainly impressive, but it pales in 
comparison to what has occurred at Campi Flegrei—not just over the past 
century, but over the past two millennia.Michael Poland is a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.

Wait, so the volcano in Yellowstone is sinking?

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers they may 
be able to claim a deduction on their 2021 tax return for contributions 
to their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/individual-retirement-arrangements-iras">Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA)</a> made through April 18, 2022.

An IRA is a personal savings plan that lets employees and the 
self-employed set money aside for retirement and can have tax 
advantages. Contributions for 2021 can be made to a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/traditional-iras">traditional</a> or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/roth-iras">Roth</a> IRA until the filing due date, April 18, but must be designated for 2021 to the financial institution.

Generally, eligible taxpayers can <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-ira-contribution-limits">contribute</a>
 up to $6,000 to an IRA for 2021. For those 50 years of age or older at 
the end of 2021, the limit is increased to $7,000. Qualified 
contributions to one or more traditional IRAs may be deductible up to 
the contribution limit or 100% of the taxpayer's compensation, whichever
 is less. There is no longer a maximum age for making IRA contributions.

Those who make contributions to certain employer retirement plans, 
such as a 401k or 403(b), an IRA, or an Achieving a Better Life 
Experience (ABLE) account, may be able to claim the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-savings-contributions-savers-credit">Saver's Credit</a>.
 Also known as the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit, the amount 
of the credit is generally based on the amount of contributions, the 
adjusted gross income and the taxpayer's filing status. The lower the 
taxpayer's income (or joint income, if applicable), the higher the 
amount of the tax credit. Dependents and full-time students are not 
eligible for the credit. For more information on annual contributions to
 an ABLE account, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p907.pdf">Publication 907, Tax Highlights for Persons With Disabilities.</a>&nbsp;PDF

While contributions to a Roth IRA are not tax deductible, qualified 
distributions are tax-free. Roth IRA contributions may be limited based 
on filing status and income. Contributions can also be made to a 
traditional and/or Roth IRA even if participating in an 
employer-sponsored retirement plan (including a SEP or SIMPLE IRA-based 
plan).

Taxpayers can find answers to questions, forms and instructions and 
easy-to-use tools at IRS.gov. This news release is part of a series 
called the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-time-guide">Tax Time Guide</a>, a resource to help taxpayers file an accurate tax return. Additional help is available in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf">Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax (For Individuals)</a>&nbsp;PDF.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers they may 
be able to claim a deduction on their 2021 tax return for contributions 
to their <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/individual-retirement-arrangements-iras">Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA)</a> made through April 18, 2022.An IRA is a personal savings plan that lets employees and the 
self-employed set money aside for retirement and can have tax 
advantages. Contributions for 2021 can be made to a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/traditional-iras">traditional</a> or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/roth-iras">Roth</a> IRA until the filing due date, April 18, but must be designated for 2021 to the financial institution.Generally, eligible taxpayers can <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-ira-contribution-limits">contribute</a>
 up to $6,000 to an IRA for 2021. For those 50 years of age or older at 
the end of 2021, the limit is increased to $7,000. Qualified 
contributions to one or more traditional IRAs may be deductible up to 
the contribution limit or 100% of the taxpayer's compensation, whichever
 is less. There is no longer a maximum age for making IRA contributions.Those who make contributions to certain employer retirement plans, 
such as a 401k or 403(b), an IRA, or an Achieving a Better Life 
Experience (ABLE) account, may be able to claim the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-savings-contributions-savers-credit">Saver's Credit</a>.
 Also known as the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit, the amount 
of the credit is generally based on the amount of contributions, the 
adjusted gross income and the taxpayer's filing status. The lower the 
taxpayer's income (or joint income, if applicable), the higher the 
amount of the tax credit. Dependents and full-time students are not 
eligible for the credit. For more information on annual contributions to
 an ABLE account, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p907.pdf">Publication 907, Tax Highlights for Persons With Disabilities.</a>&nbsp;PDFWhile contributions to a Roth IRA are not tax deductible, qualified 
distributions are tax-free. Roth IRA contributions may be limited based 
on filing status and income. Contributions can also be made to a 
traditional and/or Roth IRA even if participating in an 
employer-sponsored retirement plan (including a SEP or SIMPLE IRA-based 
plan).Taxpayers can find answers to questions, forms and instructions and 
easy-to-use tools at IRS.gov. This news release is part of a series 
called the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-time-guide">Tax Time Guide</a>, a resource to help taxpayers file an accurate tax return. Additional help is available in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf">Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax (For Individuals)</a>&nbsp;PDF.

IRS: IRA contributions for 2021 can be made until April 18

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/10/constitutional-carry-bill-debates-focuses-on-meaning-of-2nd-amendment/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 — After day-long debate Thursday over whether or not the 2nd Amendment 
entitles Nebraskans to carry concealed weapons, it remained uncertain 
whether a “constitutional carry” bill had the support to advance.

State
 Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, who has worked for six years to allow the 
carrying of concealed weapons without a state permit or criminal 
background check, said he still wasn’t sure if he had the 33 votes to 
invoke cloture and advance his proposal.

State
 lawmakers have another 90 minutes to debate Legislative Bill 773 on 
Friday before a cloture vote — to halt a filibuster — could be held.

In
 the 49-member Unicameral Legislature, it takes 25 votes normally to 
advance or pass a bill. But it has become the norm on controversial 
issues, such as tax bills and gun rights legislation, to require 33 
votes to defeat a filibuster and move a bill forward.

Much
 of the debate Thursday dealt with whether the 2nd Amendment of the U.S.
 Constitution — specifically, the clause that grants the right to “keep 
and bear arms” — also means that citizens should not face “barriers” in 
carrying a concealed weapon.

&nbsp;To carry a concealed handgun in Nebraska, residents ages 21 and over must:

“This
 is for law-abiding citizens so they don’t have to jump through hoops” 
to carry a concealed weapon, Brewer told his colleagues Thursday.

Twenty-one
 states — including the bordering states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, 
South Dakota and Wyoming — currently allow “constitutional carry,” so 
called out of the belief that the Constitution already permits it. In 
four other states, Brewer said, laws have been passed and await approval
 by the governor.

Opponents
 of LB 773, led by Lincoln Sen. Adam Morfeld, himself a concealed carry 
license holder, argued that constitutional rights are not absolute 
rights. He and others said that requiring people to pass a safety course
 and background check were reasonable measures before being permitted to
 carry a concealed, deadly weapon.&nbsp;

He cited a 2008 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that upheld reasonable regulation and prohibitions to the right to bear arms.&nbsp;

“The
 first thing they tell you in constitutional law (class) is that rights 
are not unlimited,” said Morfeld, who is an attorney.

Currently,
 Nebraska law allows people to openly carry firearms in locations where 
they aren’t barred. Reportedly, one person was wearing a sidearm 
Thursday at the State Capitol.

State
 law also provides an “affirmative defense” to someone who carries a 
concealed weapon without a state permit. They must prove that they had a
 legitimate reason to do so because of their business or for 
self-protection. But that would require a person to go to court to prove
 that, and gun rights advocates say that places a restriction on their 
rights.

On
 Friday, lawmakers are expected to debate an amendment Brewer drafted 
that has flipped the Omaha Police Officers Association from opposing LB 
773 to being neutral.

The amendment would leave in place Omaha’s handgun registration ordinance, but
 there would be fewer reasons to reject a permit. The amendment would 
also allow prosecutions for the crime of “carrying a concealed handgun” 
if a concealed gun was used in a long list of “covered offenses,” from 
robbery and kidnapping to cockfighting and some drug offenses.

The
 Police Officers Association had testified against LB 773 earlier this 
year, saying that as originally drafted, it limited prosecution and 
penalties against criminals who shouldn’t have guns. The Lincoln police 
and a state police chiefs’ association remain opposed to the bill.

Sen.
 Terrell McKinney, who represents North Omaha, said he has become an 
opponent of LB 773 because of the amendment that was worked out with the
 Omaha police. He said Omaha police “target” the African-American 
residents of his district, which has resulted in a prison incarceration 
rate in his district that is 10th highest in the nation.

The proposed amendment, McKinney said, “still allows the Omaha police to discriminate.”

Norfolk
 Sen. Mike Flood argued that legislators thought the “sky would fall” 
when the state passed its concealed carry law in 2006, but that hasn’t 
happened. Allowing concealed carry without a permit is not that big of a
 change, he said.

“The pilot program is over,” Flood said.&nbsp;

But
 opponents to LB 773 said it is in the state’s interest to ensure that 
those carrying concealed handguns know how to handle them safely and 
aren’t convicted criminals.&nbsp;

“I don’t want to pass laws that make our communities or our kids less safe,” said Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647013505823.png" alt="Gun rights advocates turned out in force in January to testify in support of a bill introduced in the Nebraska Legislature that would do away with the state license and training requirements to carry a concealed handgun. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Gun rights advocates turned out in force in January to testify in support of a bill introduced in the Nebraska Legislature that would do away with the state license and training requirements to carry a concealed handgun. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/10/constitutional-carry-bill-debates-focuses-on-meaning-of-2nd-amendment/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — After day-long debate Thursday over whether or not the 2nd Amendment 
entitles Nebraskans to carry concealed weapons, it remained uncertain 
whether a “constitutional carry” bill had the support to advance.State
 Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, who has worked for six years to allow the 
carrying of concealed weapons without a state permit or criminal 
background check, said he still wasn’t sure if he had the 33 votes to 
invoke cloture and advance his proposal.State
 lawmakers have another 90 minutes to debate Legislative Bill 773 on 
Friday before a cloture vote — to halt a filibuster — could be held.<h2>Needs 33 votes</h2>In
 the 49-member Unicameral Legislature, it takes 25 votes normally to 
advance or pass a bill. But it has become the norm on controversial 
issues, such as tax bills and gun rights legislation, to require 33 
votes to defeat a filibuster and move a bill forward.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647013571222.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon (photo courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon (photo courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Much
 of the debate Thursday dealt with whether the 2nd Amendment of the U.S.
 Constitution — specifically, the clause that grants the right to “keep 
and bear arms” — also means that citizens should not face “barriers” in 
carrying a concealed weapon.&nbsp;To carry a concealed handgun in Nebraska, residents ages 21 and over must:<ul>
 <li>Obtain a $100 state concealed handgun permit.</li><li>Undergo a criminal 
background check to ensure they’re not barred from carrying a gun 
because of a conviction for a felony or other serious offense.</li><li>Pass a certified gun-safety training course.</li>
 </ul>“This
 is for law-abiding citizens so they don’t have to jump through hoops” 
to carry a concealed weapon, Brewer told his colleagues Thursday.<h2>Passed in 21 states</h2>Twenty-one
 states — including the bordering states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, 
South Dakota and Wyoming — currently allow “constitutional carry,” so 
called out of the belief that the Constitution already permits it. In 
four other states, Brewer said, laws have been passed and await approval
 by the governor.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647013599285.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Opponents
 of LB 773, led by Lincoln Sen. Adam Morfeld, himself a concealed carry 
license holder, argued that constitutional rights are not absolute 
rights. He and others said that requiring people to pass a safety course
 and background check were reasonable measures before being permitted to
 carry a concealed, deadly weapon.&nbsp;He cited a 2008 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that upheld reasonable regulation and prohibitions to the right to bear arms.&nbsp;<h2>Rights are limited</h2>“The
 first thing they tell you in constitutional law (class) is that rights 
are not unlimited,” said Morfeld, who is an attorney.Currently,
 Nebraska law allows people to openly carry firearms in locations where 
they aren’t barred. Reportedly, one person was wearing a sidearm 
Thursday at the State Capitol.State
 law also provides an “affirmative defense” to someone who carries a 
concealed weapon without a state permit. They must prove that they had a
 legitimate reason to do so because of their business or for 
self-protection. But that would require a person to go to court to prove
 that, and gun rights advocates say that places a restriction on their 
rights.<h2>Omaha amendment</h2>On
 Friday, lawmakers are expected to debate an amendment Brewer drafted 
that has flipped the Omaha Police Officers Association from opposing LB 
773 to being neutral.The amendment would leave in place Omaha’s handgun registration ordinance, but
 there would be fewer reasons to reject a permit. The amendment would 
also allow prosecutions for the crime of “carrying a concealed handgun” 
if a concealed gun was used in a long list of “covered offenses,” from 
robbery and kidnapping to cockfighting and some drug offenses.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646235303360.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha (Courtesy of Craig Chandler, University Communication)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha (Courtesy of Craig Chandler, University Communication)</figcaption>
 </figure>The
 Police Officers Association had testified against LB 773 earlier this 
year, saying that as originally drafted, it limited prosecution and 
penalties against criminals who shouldn’t have guns. The Lincoln police 
and a state police chiefs’ association remain opposed to the bill.Sen.
 Terrell McKinney, who represents North Omaha, said he has become an 
opponent of LB 773 because of the amendment that was worked out with the
 Omaha police. He said Omaha police “target” the African-American 
residents of his district, which has resulted in a prison incarceration 
rate in his district that is 10th highest in the nation.The proposed amendment, McKinney said, “still allows the Omaha police to discriminate.”<h2>‘Pilot program over’</h2>Norfolk
 Sen. Mike Flood argued that legislators thought the “sky would fall” 
when the state passed its concealed carry law in 2006, but that hasn’t 
happened. Allowing concealed carry without a permit is not that big of a
 change, he said.“The pilot program is over,” Flood said.&nbsp;But
 opponents to LB 773 said it is in the state’s interest to ensure that 
those carrying concealed handguns know how to handle them safely and 
aren’t convicted criminals.&nbsp;“I don’t want to pass laws that make our communities or our kids less safe,” said Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha.

‘Constitutional carry’ bill debate focuses on meaning of 2nd Amendment

HOUSTON (AP) — State officials say employees at a foster care center under a state contract to shelter children who have been trafficked for sex have been trafficking those children themselves. 

The Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News report the matter arose at a Thursday hearing before a federal judge about a Bastrop facility called The Refuge.

U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack has been presiding over a 2011 class-action lawsuit against the state Department of Family and Protective Services that alleged that children were held in unsafe conditions. 

During the Thursday hearing, she told state officials that the foster-care system “remains broken.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647001348178.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSHOUSTON (AP) — State officials say employees at a foster care center under a state contract to shelter children who have been trafficked for sex have been trafficking those children themselves. The Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News report the matter arose at a Thursday hearing before a federal judge about a Bastrop facility called The Refuge.U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack has been presiding over a 2011 class-action lawsuit against the state Department of Family and Protective Services that alleged that children were held in unsafe conditions. During the Thursday hearing, she told state officials that the foster-care system “remains broken.”

Officials: Texas foster care center sex-trafficked minors

DENVER (AP) — Majorities of Americans in both major parties think voting rules in their states are appropriate and support a voter identification law, but Democrats are increasingly worried about progress in voting rights for Black Americans. 

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed fewer Americans now than four years ago said African Americans had achieved significant progress since the civil rights era. 

Concern about a lack of progress is much higher for Democrats. Eighty-six percent of Democrats believe more must be done to secure racial equality in voting rights, compared with 40% of Republicans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647000983639.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSDENVER (AP) — Majorities of Americans in both major parties think voting rules in their states are appropriate and support a voter identification law, but Democrats are increasingly worried about progress in voting rights for Black Americans. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed fewer Americans now than four years ago said African Americans had achieved significant progress since the civil rights era. Concern about a lack of progress is much higher for Democrats. Eighty-six percent of Democrats believe more must be done to secure racial equality in voting rights, compared with 40% of Republicans.

Poll: Equality concerns rise, but few say voting is too hard

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County District Attorney's office charged Wichita Police Department (WPD) Administrative Secretary Mia Turner with one felony count of unlawful use of a computer, according to police department spokesman Officer Trevor Macy.

The charges stem from an investigation into the unauthorized release of classified information related to a criminal case in January of this year.

Turner has been employed by the Wichita Police Department for 14 years in a nonsworn administrative role within the department. She has been placed on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal case and an internal investigation conducted by the Wichita Police Department.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County District Attorney's office charged Wichita Police Department (WPD) Administrative Secretary Mia Turner with one felony count of unlawful use of a computer, according to police department spokesman Officer Trevor Macy.The charges stem from an investigation into the unauthorized release of classified information related to a criminal case in January of this year.Turner has been employed by the Wichita Police Department for 14 years in a nonsworn administrative role within the department. She has been placed on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal case and an internal investigation conducted by the Wichita Police Department.

Wichita police dept. secretary charged with felony computer crime

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Black, Hispanic and American Indian residents were missed at higher rates than a decade ago during the 2020 census, according to a report released Thursday that evaluated how well the once-a-decade head count tallied every U.S. resident.

Even though the 2020 census missed an unexpectedly small percentage of the total U.S. population given the unprecedented challenges it faced, the increase in undercounts among some minority groups prompted an outcry from civil rights leaders who blamed political interference by the Trump administration, which tried unsuccessfully to add a citizenship question to the census form and cut field operations short.

“These numbers are devastating. Once again, we see an overcount of white Americans and an undercount of Black and Hispanic Americans,” National Urban League CEO Marc Morial said on a call with reporters. “I want to express in the strongest possible terms our outrage.”

The results of U.S. Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey showed that most racial and ethnic minorities were overlooked at statistically significant higher rates than a decade ago, with the Asian population being an exception. The survey measures whether certain populations were undercounted or overrepresented in the census. Overcounts take place, for example, if someone owns a vacation home and is counted there as well as at a permanent home address.

The Black population in the 2020 census had a net undercount of 3.3%, while it was almost 5% for Hispanics and 5.6% for American Indians and Native Alaskans living on reservations. Those identifying as some other race had a net undercount of 4.3%. The non-Hispanic white population had a net overcount of 1.6%, and Asians had a net overcount of 2.6%, according to the results.

In the 2010 census, by comparison, the Black population had a net undercount of more than 2%, while it was 1.5% for the Hispanic population. There was almost a 4.9% undercount for American Indian and Alaskan Natives living on reservations, and it was 1.6% for people identifying as some other race and 0.08% for Asians. The non-Hispanic white population had a net overcount of 0.8%.

The 2020 census missed 0.24% of the entire U.S. population, a rate that wasn’t statistically significant, while it missed 0.01% in the 2010 census.

The census figures help determine the distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal spending each year as well as how many congressional seats each state gets. Any undercounts in various populations can shortchange the amount of funding and political representation they get over the next decade.

In the years leading up to the 2020 census, advocates worried that a failed attempt by the Trump administration to add a citizenship question to the census questionnaire would scare off Hispanics and immigrants from participating, whether they were in the country legally or not. The Trump administration also unsuccessfully tried to get the Census Bureau to to exclude people in the country illegally from numbers used for divvying up congressional seats among the states and cut short the schedule for field operations that had been extended because of the pandemic.

During a conference call Thursday, Census Bureau Director Robert Santos said many Latino communities throughout the U.S. suffered during the pandemic from joblessness and housing insecurity, and that played a role in the undercount. But he added that the Trump administration’s actions also may have had an impact.

“I’m personally not surprised to see the results we see today,” said Santos, who was sworn into the position at the beginning of the year.

The severe undercount of the Hispanic population helps explain why three states with large Latino populations underperformed in the 2020 census, with Arizona failing to gain an extra seat, Florida gaining only a single seat and Texas getting only two seats, said Arturo Vargas, CEO of NALEO Educational Fund.

“It was startling to me, the level of undercount,” Vargas said. “We knew there was going to be an undercount, but the extent of it took me by surprise.”

About 70% of Native Americans live on reservations. James Tucker, the chairman of a Census Bureau advisory committee, estimated the undercount translates to at least 100,000 Native Americans on reservations not counted and more than a $300 million loss in federal funding for Indian Country annually.

“This undercount is not new — it is a continuous cycle of erasure of Native people from society,” said Lycia Maddocks, a citizen of the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe in Arizona who is political director of NDN Collective, a South Dakota-based advocacy group. “In a practical sense, an undercount means that Native people are not looked at as a significant voting block when in reality, our population has proven itself to be the margin of victory in key states such as Arizona.”

The pandemic disrupted census operations and schedules, and it made residents wary of opening their doors to answer questions from census takers. Wildfires in the West and hurricanes in the Gulf Coast during the door-knocking phase of the head count sent residents fleeing from their homes.

The Post-Enumeration showed that 18.8 million people weren’t counted correctly in the 2020 census. Although some of them may have been missed, others were counted using a statistical technique that fills in missing data.

After the results of the Post-Enumeration Survey were released, dozens of members of the Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter to the Census Bureau asking how it planned to investigate the undercount.

“A Census that does not accurately represent Black communities robs them of their equal share of federal resources in education, health care, housing, nutrition assistance, and many other areas — perpetuating systemic racism,” the letter said.

By MIKE SCHNEIDERKANSAS CITY (AP) —Black, Hispanic and American Indian residents were missed at higher rates than a decade ago during the 2020 census, according to a report released Thursday that evaluated how well the once-a-decade head count tallied every U.S. resident.Even though the 2020 census missed an unexpectedly small percentage of the total U.S. population given the unprecedented challenges it faced, the increase in undercounts among some minority groups prompted an outcry from civil rights leaders who blamed political interference by the Trump administration, which tried unsuccessfully to add a citizenship question to the census form and cut field operations short.“These numbers are devastating. Once again, we see an overcount of white Americans and an undercount of Black and Hispanic Americans,” National Urban League CEO Marc Morial said on a call with reporters. “I want to express in the strongest possible terms our outrage.”The results of U.S. Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey showed that most racial and ethnic minorities were overlooked at statistically significant higher rates than a decade ago, with the Asian population being an exception. The survey measures whether certain populations were undercounted or overrepresented in the census. Overcounts take place, for example, if someone owns a vacation home and is counted there as well as at a permanent home address.The Black population in the 2020 census had a net undercount of 3.3%, while it was almost 5% for Hispanics and 5.6% for American Indians and Native Alaskans living on reservations. Those identifying as some other race had a net undercount of 4.3%. The non-Hispanic white population had a net overcount of 1.6%, and Asians had a net overcount of 2.6%, according to the results.In the 2010 census, by comparison, the Black population had a net undercount of more than 2%, while it was 1.5% for the Hispanic population. There was almost a 4.9% undercount for American Indian and Alaskan Natives living on reservations, and it was 1.6% for people identifying as some other race and 0.08% for Asians. The non-Hispanic white population had a net overcount of 0.8%.The 2020 census missed 0.24% of the entire U.S. population, a rate that wasn’t statistically significant, while it missed 0.01% in the 2010 census.The census figures help determine the distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal spending each year as well as how many congressional seats each state gets. Any undercounts in various populations can shortchange the amount of funding and political representation they get over the next decade.In the years leading up to the 2020 census, advocates worried that a failed attempt by the Trump administration to add a citizenship question to the census questionnaire would scare off Hispanics and immigrants from participating, whether they were in the country legally or not. The Trump administration also unsuccessfully tried to get the Census Bureau to to exclude people in the country illegally from numbers used for divvying up congressional seats among the states and cut short the schedule for field operations that had been extended because of the pandemic.During a conference call Thursday, Census Bureau Director Robert Santos said many Latino communities throughout the U.S. suffered during the pandemic from joblessness and housing insecurity, and that played a role in the undercount. But he added that the Trump administration’s actions also may have had an impact.“I’m personally not surprised to see the results we see today,” said Santos, who was sworn into the position at the beginning of the year.The severe undercount of the Hispanic population helps explain why three states with large Latino populations underperformed in the 2020 census, with Arizona failing to gain an extra seat, Florida gaining only a single seat and Texas getting only two seats, said Arturo Vargas, CEO of NALEO Educational Fund.“It was startling to me, the level of undercount,” Vargas said. “We knew there was going to be an undercount, but the extent of it took me by surprise.”About 70% of Native Americans live on reservations. James Tucker, the chairman of a Census Bureau advisory committee, estimated the undercount translates to at least 100,000 Native Americans on reservations not counted and more than a $300 million loss in federal funding for Indian Country annually.“This undercount is not new — it is a continuous cycle of erasure of Native people from society,” said Lycia Maddocks, a citizen of the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe in Arizona who is political director of NDN Collective, a South Dakota-based advocacy group. “In a practical sense, an undercount means that Native people are not looked at as a significant voting block when in reality, our population has proven itself to be the margin of victory in key states such as Arizona.”The pandemic disrupted census operations and schedules, and it made residents wary of opening their doors to answer questions from census takers. Wildfires in the West and hurricanes in the Gulf Coast during the door-knocking phase of the head count sent residents fleeing from their homes.The Post-Enumeration showed that 18.8 million people weren’t counted correctly in the 2020 census. Although some of them may have been missed, others were counted using a statistical technique that fills in missing data.After the results of the Post-Enumeration Survey were released, dozens of members of the Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter to the Census Bureau asking how it planned to investigate the undercount.“A Census that does not accurately represent Black communities robs them of their equal share of federal resources in education, health care, housing, nutrition assistance, and many other areas — perpetuating systemic racism,” the letter said.___

2020 census undercounted U.S. minority groups 

In this clever new scam, con artists are getting greedy. Not only are
 they trying to steal your Instagram password, they also are phishing 
for your email log-in. Follow these tips for spotting this tricky scam and protecting your passwords. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

You receive an official-seeming email from Instagram. &nbsp;According to the message, you have violated copyright laws, and your account will be deleted within 24 hours.
 But don’t worry! If you think that Instagram has made a mistake, all 
you need to do is click the button and “verify” your account. Then, you 
are taken to a website that prompts you to input your Instagram 
credentials. Most scams would end there, but not this one!

Immediately, another message appears. This pop-up claims that you must also verify your email address. You’ll
 see a list of e-mail providers. Choose yours, and you’ll be urged to 
enter your email address and password. As a final touch, the scam site 
redirects to the real Instagram website, a trick that “lends additional 
credibility to the scam,” <a href="https://usa.kaspersky.com/blog/instagram-hijack-new-wave/17354/" target="_blank">explains Kaspersky</a>.

On BBB.org, read our tips for spotting scams on <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam/how-to-spot-a-scam-email" target="_blank">email</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23460-bbb-tip-how-to-spot-a-fake-social-media-account" target="_blank">social media</a>. &nbsp;Read more about how to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16758-bbb-tip-phishing-scams" target="_blank">protect yourself from phishing cons</a>. If you’ve been the victim of this or a similar scam, report it to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>. Your report can help educate other consumers by raising awareness of scammers’ tactics.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBIn this clever new scam, con artists are getting greedy. Not only are
 they trying to steal your Instagram password, they also are phishing 
for your email log-in. Follow these tips for spotting this tricky scam and protecting your passwords. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>How the scam works</h2>You receive an official-seeming email from Instagram. &nbsp;According to the message, you have violated copyright laws, and your account will be deleted within 24 hours.
 But don’t worry! If you think that Instagram has made a mistake, all 
you need to do is click the button and “verify” your account. Then, you 
are taken to a website that prompts you to input your Instagram 
credentials. Most scams would end there, but not this one!Immediately, another message appears. This pop-up claims that you must also verify your email address. You’ll
 see a list of e-mail providers. Choose yours, and you’ll be urged to 
enter your email address and password. As a final touch, the scam site 
redirects to the real Instagram website, a trick that “lends additional 
credibility to the scam,” <a href="https://usa.kaspersky.com/blog/instagram-hijack-new-wave/17354/" target="_blank">explains Kaspersky</a>.<h2>How to spot these scams:&nbsp;</h2><ul>
 <li>Double check the “from” email address and link destinations. Hover over any links in an email you receive to see where the link really leads.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.varonis.com/blog/spot-phishing-scam/" target="_blank">Suspicious links</a>
 are one of the main giveaways of email scams.&nbsp;Also, make sure the 
“from” address is actually from the business it claims to be. &nbsp; </li><li>Understand how businesses handle communications. If
 you know how a company handles disputes and suspicious activity with 
your account, it will be easier to spot a scam. Will they email you? 
Call? Send a text message? </li><li>Look into the claims. Don’t act without first 
verifying the claims. Log into your account or look up the company’s 
official phone number (check your bill or welcome email) and call them 
to confirm that there really is a case of suspicious activity associated
 with your account before you decide what to do. </li><li>Don’t panic and don’t feel intimidated. Scammers 
want you to panic. They may use intimidation tactics, such as claiming 
your account will be shut down in 24 hours, to pressure you into giving 
up your personal information or making payments. Legitimate businesses 
will not intimidate you in this way. Stay calm and think things through 
before you act. </li>
 </ul><h2>For more information</h2>On BBB.org, read our tips for spotting scams on <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam/how-to-spot-a-scam-email" target="_blank">email</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23460-bbb-tip-how-to-spot-a-fake-social-media-account" target="_blank">social media</a>. &nbsp;Read more about how to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16758-bbb-tip-phishing-scams" target="_blank">protect yourself from phishing cons</a>. If you’ve been the victim of this or a similar scam, report it to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>. Your report can help educate other consumers by raising awareness of scammers’ tactics.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Fake copyright email scares Instagram users into sharing passwords

News Release United States Attorney-Omaha

United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Enrique Steven Abarca, 26, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 27 years for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture with two prior serious drug felonies by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard. Following his release from prison, Abarca will serve 10 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

Abarca was convicted of the conspiracy charge by a federal jury in December of 2021 after a four-day trial.&nbsp; He was held responsible for the distribution of more than 10 kilograms (11 pounds) of methamphetamine mixture in the Lincoln area between May and August of 2019.&nbsp;

Abarca had prior felony convictions for delivery of methamphetamine for which he received a sentence of one to three years from Platte County, Nebraska in 2016 and conspiracy to deliver cocaine for which he was sentenced to two years in prison from Dodge County, Nebraska in 2017.&nbsp; As a result of these two prior convictions for serious drug felonies, he faced a statutory minimum sentence of 25 years.

This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force with assistance from the Saline County Sheriff’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/10/1571398574177.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release United States Attorney-OmahaUnited States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Enrique Steven Abarca, 26, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 27 years for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture with two prior serious drug felonies by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard. Following his release from prison, Abarca will serve 10 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.Abarca was convicted of the conspiracy charge by a federal jury in December of 2021 after a four-day trial.&nbsp; He was held responsible for the distribution of more than 10 kilograms (11 pounds) of methamphetamine mixture in the Lincoln area between May and August of 2019.&nbsp;Abarca had prior felony convictions for delivery of methamphetamine for which he received a sentence of one to three years from Platte County, Nebraska in 2016 and conspiracy to deliver cocaine for which he was sentenced to two years in prison from Dodge County, Nebraska in 2017.&nbsp; As a result of these two prior convictions for serious drug felonies, he faced a statutory minimum sentence of 25 years.This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force with assistance from the Saline County Sheriff’s Office.

Lincoln man sentenced to 27 years for selling meth

By DOUGLAS SCHULER and LAURA MARIE EDINGER-SCHONS <a href="https://www.nevadacurrent.com/2022/03/10/why-hundreds-of-western-companies-are-abandoning-russia-with-barely-a-shrug/">Courtesy States Newsroom</a>

Many companies in the U.S. and elsewhere have been quick to sever ties to Russia – going well beyond applying the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-28/sanctions-imposed-so-far-on-russia-from-the-u-s-eu-and-u-k">sanctions ordered by their governments</a>.

IKEA, Nike and H&amp;M are <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/03/business/ikea-h-and-m-russia/index.html">temporarily closing their Russian stores</a>. Disney, Sony and Warner Bros. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/01/disney-and-warner-bros-pause-film-releases-in-russia-over-ukraine-invasion">paused the release of new films</a> in Russia. Apple, Samsung and Microsoft <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-microsoft-and-other-tech-companies-stop-sales-in-russia/">stopped selling their products there</a>. McKinsey, Ernst &amp; Young and many other top <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/big-auditors-to-leave-russia-amid-invasion-of-ukraine-11646666419?mod=djemCFO">accounting</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/6c412673-d65e-4e75-adbb-08146c42387c">consulting firms</a> said they are leaving the Russian market – possibly for good.

In all, <a target="_blank" href="https://som.yale.edu/story/2022/over-200-companies-have-withdrawn-russia-some-remain">over 300 companies have announced plans</a>
 to close stores, reassign staff or stop selling products in Russia 
since the invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, according to a running tally 
by Yale management professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld. Most recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/08/business/mcdonalds-pepsi-coke-russia/index.html">McDonald’s</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/08/business/stocks-economy-inflation-ukraine">Starbucks</a> and Coca-Cola joined the list on March 8, 2022, announcing they would close stores and cease sales.

In some ways, these decisions fit in with a <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/how-corporate-ceos-found-their-political-voice-83127">recent trend in which companies have increasingly staked out</a>
 public positions on often controversial social and political issues, 
such as restrictions on trans rights and ability to vote. As <a target="_blank" href="https://business.rice.edu/person/douglas-schuler">business professors</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=k7slUggAAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=ao">who study why</a> companies engage in activism, we feel the same factors that have driven those decisions to speak out are at work over Ukraine.

But we also believe Ukraine stands out for one important reason: For 
many of these companies, it may have been one of the easiest stands 
they’ve ever taken – even if there is a financial cost.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.doi.org/10.1177/0022242920937000">Corporate sociopolitical activism</a>
 – the technical term we use – entails companies making public 
declarations or taking actions about significant social or political 
issues that extend beyond their core business.

Until relatively recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/how-corporate-ceos-found-their-political-voice-83127">companies rarely took stands</a> on social or political issues.

That didn’t really change until the 2000s, when LBGTQ rights were under attack and major companies such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-walmart-arkansas-analysis-idUSKBN0MT13E20150402">Walmart spoke out</a> against bills that would have allowed discrimination.

Since then, there’s been a <a target="_blank" href="https://qz.com/work/1797058/2020-is-the-year-corporate-activism-and-global-political-risk-converge/">surge in companies taking proactive stands</a> on issues ranging from climate activism and racism to abortion and voting rights.

For example, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis in 2020, hundreds of CEOs <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/11/ceos-unveil-plans-against-racial-inequality-after-george-floyd-death.html">signed a pledge</a> against racial discrimination and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ceoaction.com/purpose/">created an organization dedicated</a> to diversity, equity and inclusion. In 2021, the CEOs of Dell, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and AT&amp;T <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/04/02/983709091/these-are-the-businesses-speaking-out-against-texass-newly-proposed-election-law">spoke out against a Texas bill</a> aimed at making it more difficult for citizens to vote.

Others have taken more decisive action. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/09/08/1035045952/lyft-uber-will-pay-drivers-legal-fees-if-theyre-sued-under-texas-abortion-law">Uber and Lyft</a>
 said they would pay to defend their drivers if they got sued under a 
Texas law that allows anyone to sue a person who helps someone get an 
abortion. And in 2016, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/27/bathroom-bill-to-cost-north-carolina-376-billion.html">PayPal and the NCAA pulled business</a> from North Carolina after the state passed a bill limiting LGBTQ protections.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/great-expectations-navigating-challenging-stakeholder-expectations-of-brandsexpectations-of-brands">Surveys show</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/publication/documents/2021-11/ipsos-global-trends-2021-report.pdf">today’s consumers expect</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.5wpr.com/new/wp-content/uploads/pdf/5W_consumer_culture_report_2020final.pdf">companies to live up</a> to the <a target="_blank" href="https://certusinsights.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Markstein-Social-Responsibility-_-Certus-Insights-Research-_.pdf">values they espouse</a> in their press releases, and big corporate groups such as the Business Roundtable even began <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessroundtable.org/business-roundtable-redefines-the-purpose-of-a-corporation-to-promote-an-economy-that-serves-all-americans">urging companies</a> to focus on creating value for everyone – not just shareholders.

More specifically, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.econbiz.de/Record/don-t-mix-business-with-politics-understanding-stakeholder-reactions-to-corporate-political-activism-appels-moritz/10012303252">research</a> has identified <a target="_blank" href="https://www.doi.org/10.5465/amr.2018.0084">three major factors</a> that typically drive a company’s decision to pursue corporate activism: employee beliefs, consumer pressure and the <a target="_blank" href="https://hbr.org/2018/01/the-new-ceo-activists">CEO’s personal involvement</a> or conviction.

It’s not always clear what is driving corporate decisions to suspend 
operations in Russia, but it seems as if all three factors are at play.

IKEA, for example, <a target="_blank" href="https://about.ikea.com/en/newsroom/2022/03/03/ikea-pauses-operations-in-russia-and-belarus">cited the support and security</a>
 of its workforce in announcing its “pause” in Russia and a donation of 
20 million euros for humanitarian assistance for those displaced by the 
war. After a #BoycottMcDonald’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mashed.com/789748/heres-why-boycott-mcdonalds-is-trending-on-twitter/">began trending on Twitter</a>
 to protest its presence in Russia, the fast-food chain said it was 
temporarily closing its stores there. And Tesla CEO Elon Musk <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vox.com/recode/22958373/ukraine-russia-starlink-spacex-elon-musk">agreed to provide Ukraine</a> with free satellite internet after a Ukrainian official requested it on Twitter.

But ultimately, the decision whether or not to sever a relationship 
with a country – even if temporarily – is very different from taking a 
stand on an anti-trans measure.

Even so, the speed with which U.S. and other Western companies have 
abandoned Russia is something we’ve never seen in our lifetimes. And it 
suggests the decision was likely a no-brainer.

For one thing, Russia’s invasion has been met with widespread 
revulsion in the West. And even before the war, the public’s perception 
of Russia in Western countries <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/02/07/russia-and-putin-receive-low-ratings-globally">was very low</a>.

One post-invasion poll found that 86% of Americans <a target="_blank" href="https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3837">saw the invasion as unjustified</a> – with broad bipartisan agreement – and another showed that half of the respondents would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.live5news.com/2022/03/07/poll-finds-majority-want-russian-oil-ban-divided-biden/">compare the actions of Vladimir Putin</a> with those of Adolf Hitler.

And governments including those like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dw.com/en/german-chancellor-olaf-scholz-announces-paradigm-change-in-response-to-ukraine-invasion/a-60932652">Germany</a>
 that have close commercial ties to Russia have strongly condemned its 
actions and joined unprecedented sanctions. About 80% of Germans said 
they approved of their government’s decision to sanction Russia and 
export weapons to Ukraine – or said it didn’t go far enough.

Ultimately, the Russian market is just not that big for companies in the U.S, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/03/04/what-apple-risks-by-stopping-all-sales-operations-in-russia">Apple</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://deadline.com/2022/03/disney-ukraine-theme-parks-disneyplus-1234973007/">Disney</a>. For others, such as McDonald’s, which has been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-08/mcdonald-s-faces-tough-questions-with-large-exposure-to-russia?sref=Hjm5biAW">in Russia since 1990 and has about 850 locations there</a>, days of pressure finally persuaded company officials they had to pull out.

On many hot-button social issues like <a target="_blank" href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/350174/mixed-views-among-americans-transgender-issues.aspx">trans rights</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/09/13/key-facts-about-americans-and-guns/">gun control</a>, the general public is split almost right down the middle, meaning taking a stand could alienate a lot of consumers.

But on the issue of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many companies likely were more worried about the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/mcdonalds-us-brands-pressure-stop-business-russia-rcna18990">risks to their reputation</a>
 were they to do nothing. With so many other companies pulling out, it 
likely seemed better to explain to shareholders and customers back home <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/02/business/companies-pulling-back-russia-ukraine-war-intl-hnk/index.html">why they’re leaving</a> than <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60660006">why they’re staying</a>.

This article is republished from <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/why-apple-disney-ikea-and-hundreds-of-other-western-companies-are-abandoning-russia-with-barely-a-shrug-178516">original article</a>.

Associate Professor of Business and Public Policy, Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University

Professor of Sustainable Business, University of Mannheim

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646948339628.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By DOUGLAS SCHULER and LAURA MARIE EDINGER-SCHONS <a href="https://www.nevadacurrent.com/2022/03/10/why-hundreds-of-western-companies-are-abandoning-russia-with-barely-a-shrug/">Courtesy States Newsroom</a>Many companies in the U.S. and elsewhere have been quick to sever ties to Russia – going well beyond applying the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-28/sanctions-imposed-so-far-on-russia-from-the-u-s-eu-and-u-k">sanctions ordered by their governments</a>.IKEA, Nike and H&amp;M are <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/03/business/ikea-h-and-m-russia/index.html">temporarily closing their Russian stores</a>. Disney, Sony and Warner Bros. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/01/disney-and-warner-bros-pause-film-releases-in-russia-over-ukraine-invasion">paused the release of new films</a> in Russia. Apple, Samsung and Microsoft <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-microsoft-and-other-tech-companies-stop-sales-in-russia/">stopped selling their products there</a>. McKinsey, Ernst &amp; Young and many other top <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/big-auditors-to-leave-russia-amid-invasion-of-ukraine-11646666419?mod=djemCFO">accounting</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/6c412673-d65e-4e75-adbb-08146c42387c">consulting firms</a> said they are leaving the Russian market – possibly for good.In all, <a target="_blank" href="https://som.yale.edu/story/2022/over-200-companies-have-withdrawn-russia-some-remain">over 300 companies have announced plans</a>
 to close stores, reassign staff or stop selling products in Russia 
since the invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, according to a running tally 
by Yale management professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld. Most recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/08/business/mcdonalds-pepsi-coke-russia/index.html">McDonald’s</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/08/business/stocks-economy-inflation-ukraine">Starbucks</a> and Coca-Cola joined the list on March 8, 2022, announcing they would close stores and cease sales.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In some ways, these decisions fit in with a <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/how-corporate-ceos-found-their-political-voice-83127">recent trend in which companies have increasingly staked out</a>
 public positions on often controversial social and political issues, 
such as restrictions on trans rights and ability to vote. As <a target="_blank" href="https://business.rice.edu/person/douglas-schuler">business professors</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=k7slUggAAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=ao">who study why</a> companies engage in activism, we feel the same factors that have driven those decisions to speak out are at work over Ukraine.But we also believe Ukraine stands out for one important reason: For 
many of these companies, it may have been one of the easiest stands 
they’ve ever taken – even if there is a financial cost.<h2>Taking a stand</h2><a target="_blank" href="https://www.doi.org/10.1177/0022242920937000">Corporate sociopolitical activism</a>
 – the technical term we use – entails companies making public 
declarations or taking actions about significant social or political 
issues that extend beyond their core business.Until relatively recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/how-corporate-ceos-found-their-political-voice-83127">companies rarely took stands</a> on social or political issues.That didn’t really change until the 2000s, when LBGTQ rights were under attack and major companies such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-walmart-arkansas-analysis-idUSKBN0MT13E20150402">Walmart spoke out</a> against bills that would have allowed discrimination.Since then, there’s been a <a target="_blank" href="https://qz.com/work/1797058/2020-is-the-year-corporate-activism-and-global-political-risk-converge/">surge in companies taking proactive stands</a> on issues ranging from climate activism and racism to abortion and voting rights.For example, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis in 2020, hundreds of CEOs <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/11/ceos-unveil-plans-against-racial-inequality-after-george-floyd-death.html">signed a pledge</a> against racial discrimination and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ceoaction.com/purpose/">created an organization dedicated</a> to diversity, equity and inclusion. In 2021, the CEOs of Dell, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and AT&amp;T <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/04/02/983709091/these-are-the-businesses-speaking-out-against-texass-newly-proposed-election-law">spoke out against a Texas bill</a> aimed at making it more difficult for citizens to vote.Others have taken more decisive action. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/09/08/1035045952/lyft-uber-will-pay-drivers-legal-fees-if-theyre-sued-under-texas-abortion-law">Uber and Lyft</a>
 said they would pay to defend their drivers if they got sued under a 
Texas law that allows anyone to sue a person who helps someone get an 
abortion. And in 2016, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/27/bathroom-bill-to-cost-north-carolina-376-billion.html">PayPal and the NCAA pulled business</a> from North Carolina after the state passed a bill limiting LGBTQ protections.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/great-expectations-navigating-challenging-stakeholder-expectations-of-brandsexpectations-of-brands">Surveys show</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/publication/documents/2021-11/ipsos-global-trends-2021-report.pdf">today’s consumers expect</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.5wpr.com/new/wp-content/uploads/pdf/5W_consumer_culture_report_2020final.pdf">companies to live up</a> to the <a target="_blank" href="https://certusinsights.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Markstein-Social-Responsibility-_-Certus-Insights-Research-_.pdf">values they espouse</a> in their press releases, and big corporate groups such as the Business Roundtable even began <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessroundtable.org/business-roundtable-redefines-the-purpose-of-a-corporation-to-promote-an-economy-that-serves-all-americans">urging companies</a> to focus on creating value for everyone – not just shareholders.<h2>Why companies speak out</h2>More specifically, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.econbiz.de/Record/don-t-mix-business-with-politics-understanding-stakeholder-reactions-to-corporate-political-activism-appels-moritz/10012303252">research</a> has identified <a target="_blank" href="https://www.doi.org/10.5465/amr.2018.0084">three major factors</a> that typically drive a company’s decision to pursue corporate activism: employee beliefs, consumer pressure and the <a target="_blank" href="https://hbr.org/2018/01/the-new-ceo-activists">CEO’s personal involvement</a> or conviction.It’s not always clear what is driving corporate decisions to suspend 
operations in Russia, but it seems as if all three factors are at play.IKEA, for example, <a target="_blank" href="https://about.ikea.com/en/newsroom/2022/03/03/ikea-pauses-operations-in-russia-and-belarus">cited the support and security</a>
 of its workforce in announcing its “pause” in Russia and a donation of 
20 million euros for humanitarian assistance for those displaced by the 
war. After a #BoycottMcDonald’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mashed.com/789748/heres-why-boycott-mcdonalds-is-trending-on-twitter/">began trending on Twitter</a>
 to protest its presence in Russia, the fast-food chain said it was 
temporarily closing its stores there. And Tesla CEO Elon Musk <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vox.com/recode/22958373/ukraine-russia-starlink-spacex-elon-musk">agreed to provide Ukraine</a> with free satellite internet after a Ukrainian official requested it on Twitter.<h2>A corporate no-brainer</h2>But ultimately, the decision whether or not to sever a relationship 
with a country – even if temporarily – is very different from taking a 
stand on an anti-trans measure.Even so, the speed with which U.S. and other Western companies have 
abandoned Russia is something we’ve never seen in our lifetimes. And it 
suggests the decision was likely a no-brainer.For one thing, Russia’s invasion has been met with widespread 
revulsion in the West. And even before the war, the public’s perception 
of Russia in Western countries <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/02/07/russia-and-putin-receive-low-ratings-globally">was very low</a>.One post-invasion poll found that 86% of Americans <a target="_blank" href="https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3837">saw the invasion as unjustified</a> – with broad bipartisan agreement – and another showed that half of the respondents would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.live5news.com/2022/03/07/poll-finds-majority-want-russian-oil-ban-divided-biden/">compare the actions of Vladimir Putin</a> with those of Adolf Hitler.And governments including those like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dw.com/en/german-chancellor-olaf-scholz-announces-paradigm-change-in-response-to-ukraine-invasion/a-60932652">Germany</a>
 that have close commercial ties to Russia have strongly condemned its 
actions and joined unprecedented sanctions. About 80% of Germans said 
they approved of their government’s decision to sanction Russia and 
export weapons to Ukraine – or said it didn’t go far enough.Ultimately, the Russian market is just not that big for companies in the U.S, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/03/04/what-apple-risks-by-stopping-all-sales-operations-in-russia">Apple</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://deadline.com/2022/03/disney-ukraine-theme-parks-disneyplus-1234973007/">Disney</a>. For others, such as McDonald’s, which has been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-08/mcdonald-s-faces-tough-questions-with-large-exposure-to-russia?sref=Hjm5biAW">in Russia since 1990 and has about 850 locations there</a>, days of pressure finally persuaded company officials they had to pull out.On many hot-button social issues like <a target="_blank" href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/350174/mixed-views-among-americans-transgender-issues.aspx">trans rights</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/09/13/key-facts-about-americans-and-guns/">gun control</a>, the general public is split almost right down the middle, meaning taking a stand could alienate a lot of consumers.But on the issue of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many companies likely were more worried about the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/mcdonalds-us-brands-pressure-stop-business-russia-rcna18990">risks to their reputation</a>
 were they to do nothing. With so many other companies pulling out, it 
likely seemed better to explain to shareholders and customers back home <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/02/business/companies-pulling-back-russia-ukraine-war-intl-hnk/index.html">why they’re leaving</a> than <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60660006">why they’re staying</a>.This article is republished from <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/why-apple-disney-ikea-and-hundreds-of-other-western-companies-are-abandoning-russia-with-barely-a-shrug-178516">original article</a>.<h2>Douglas Schuler</h2>Associate Professor of Business and Public Policy, Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University<h2>Laura Marie Edinger-Schons</h2>Professor of Sustainable Business, University of Mannheim

OPINION: Western companies abandoning Russia with barely a shrug

BENNINGTON, Neb. (AP) — Douglas County officials say one person was killed and another seriously injured when an attempt to cut down a tree at a construction site northwest of Omaha went wrong.

 Deputies and firefighters were called Wednesday afternoon to the scene just south of the Omaha suburb of Bennington. 

A person called 911 to say a tree that was being cut down fell the wrong way, crushing one worker to death. 

The injured worker was taken to an Omaha hospital with severe leg injuries.

 Authorities have not released the names of the person killed or the man injured.

By Associated PressBENNINGTON, Neb. (AP) — Douglas County officials say one person was killed and another seriously injured when an attempt to cut down a tree at a construction site northwest of Omaha went wrong. Deputies and firefighters were called Wednesday afternoon to the scene just south of the Omaha suburb of Bennington. A person called 911 to say a tree that was being cut down fell the wrong way, crushing one worker to death. The injured worker was taken to an Omaha hospital with severe leg injuries. Authorities have not released the names of the person killed or the man injured.

Officials: 1 killed, 1 injured when tree cutting goes wrong

LA VISTA, Neb. (AP) — Police in suburban Omaha have identified two people killed in a seven-vehicle crash at a busy intersection southwest of Omaha. 

Police say 76-year-old Dale Starry and 28-year-old Marina Krol, both of La Vista, died in the pileup at a La Vista intersection. 

Police Chief Bob Lausten tells station WOWT that Starry was speeding northbound on 72nd Street when he slammed into the back of another vehicle, causing a chain reaction. 

Krol was in one of the other vehicles hit. Lausten says investigators have obtained video evidence from the area in the minutes before the crash and have interviewed witnesses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646937972742.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSLA VISTA, Neb. (AP) — Police in suburban Omaha have identified two people killed in a seven-vehicle crash at a busy intersection southwest of Omaha. Police say 76-year-old Dale Starry and 28-year-old Marina Krol, both of La Vista, died in the pileup at a La Vista intersection. Police Chief Bob Lausten tells station WOWT that Starry was speeding northbound on 72nd Street when he slammed into the back of another vehicle, causing a chain reaction. Krol was in one of the other vehicles hit. Lausten says investigators have obtained video evidence from the area in the minutes before the crash and have interviewed witnesses.

Police identify 2 killed in 7-car crash southwest of Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Three directors at newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises have been reelected over the objections of the hedge fund that has been trying to buy the company since last fall. 

Lee says its chairman, CEO and lead independent director were all reelected as expected at its annual meeting Thursday, with each receiving support from more than 70% of the votes cast. 

Alden Global Capital had urged shareholders to vote against two of those directors after a judge blocked its effort to nominate its own directors.

 Alden, which already owns more than 200 newspapers, probably won’t abandon its effort to buy Lee after this latest setback, but it wasn’t immediately clear what the New York-based hedge fund might try next.

By Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Three directors at newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises have been reelected over the objections of the hedge fund that has been trying to buy the company since last fall. Lee says its chairman, CEO and lead independent director were all reelected as expected at its annual meeting Thursday, with each receiving support from more than 70% of the votes cast. Alden Global Capital had urged shareholders to vote against two of those directors after a judge blocked its effort to nominate its own directors. Alden, which already owns more than 200 newspapers, probably won’t abandon its effort to buy Lee after this latest setback, but it wasn’t immediately clear what the New York-based hedge fund might try next.

Lee Enterprises directors reelected despite hedge fund fight

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is developing guidance that will ease the nationwide mask mandate on airplanes, buses and other mass transit next month, according to a U.S. official, but the existing face covering requirement will be extended through April 18.

The requirement, which is enforced by the Transportation Security Administration, had been set to expire on March 18, but was extended by a month to allow the public health agency time to develop new, more targeted policies. The requirement extends to planes, buses, trains and transit hubs.

According to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the announcement head of time, the CDC is developing a “revised policy framework” for when masks should be required on transit systems based off its newly released “COVID-19 community levels” metric.

As of March 3 more than 90% of the U.S. population is in a location with low or medium COVID-19 Community Levels, where public face-masking is no longer recommended in indoor settings.

“We have to look not only at the science with regard to transmission in masks but also the epidemiology and the frequency that we may encounter a variant of concern or a variant of interest in our travel corridors,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said on March 2, explaining why the agency was delaying removing the requirement for transit but allowed people to gather maskless in movie theaters and sports arenas.

News of the extension and policy review was first reported by Reuters.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is developing guidance that will ease the nationwide mask mandate on airplanes, buses and other mass transit next month, according to a U.S. official, but the existing face covering requirement will be extended through April 18.The requirement, which is enforced by the Transportation Security Administration, had been set to expire on March 18, but was extended by a month to allow the public health agency time to develop new, more targeted policies. The requirement extends to planes, buses, trains and transit hubs.According to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the announcement head of time, the CDC is developing a “revised policy framework” for when masks should be required on transit systems based off its newly released “COVID-19 community levels” metric.As of March 3 more than 90% of the U.S. population is in a location with low or medium COVID-19 Community Levels, where public face-masking is no longer recommended in indoor settings.“We have to look not only at the science with regard to transmission in masks but also the epidemiology and the frequency that we may encounter a variant of concern or a variant of interest in our travel corridors,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said on March 2, explaining why the agency was delaying removing the requirement for transit but allowed people to gather maskless in movie theaters and sports arenas.News of the extension and policy review was first reported by Reuters.

CDC extends mask mandate on public transportation

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/perkins-county-canal-project-moves-forward-amid-questions-about-final-cost/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 — After an afternoon-long debate, state lawmakers advanced a 
controversial proposal to begin designing a $500-million canal to divert
 water from the South Platte River.

Legislative Bill 1015, introduced on behalf of Gov. Pete Ricketts, advanced from first-round debate on a 36-3 vote. 

But
 there were questions about why the long-forgotten Perkins County Canal,
 which was abandoned in the 1920s, had now become a state priority.

“This thing’s one hundred years old. All of a sudden, we have this urgency,” said State Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha.

Ricketts
 and other supporters have resurrected the canal project, saying that 
unless it is built, Colorado will suck up the flows of the South Platte 
River for development on the Front Range. That would reduce flows for 
irrigation and wildlife in Nebraska.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646924133522.png" alt="Work on the Perkins County Canal near Ovid, Colorado began in 1894, but the project halted after running out of money. (Courtesy of the Perkins County Historical Society)" />
 <figcaption>Work on the Perkins County Canal near Ovid, Colorado began in 1894, but the project halted after running out of money. (Courtesy of the Perkins County Historical Society)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/perkins-county-canal-project-moves-forward-amid-questions-about-final-cost/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — After an afternoon-long debate, state lawmakers advanced a 
controversial proposal to begin designing a $500-million canal to divert
 water from the South Platte River.Legislative Bill 1015, introduced on behalf of Gov. Pete Ricketts, advanced from first-round debate on a 36-3 vote. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646924202283.png" alt="Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>But
 there were questions about why the long-forgotten Perkins County Canal,
 which was abandoned in the 1920s, had now become a state priority.“This thing’s one hundred years old. All of a sudden, we have this urgency,” said State Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha.<h2>Compact granted flows</h2>Ricketts
 and other supporters have resurrected the canal project, saying that 
unless it is built, Colorado will suck up the flows of the South Platte 
River for development on the Front Range. That would reduce flows for 
irrigation and wildlife in Nebraska.Supporters
 of the canal, which would begin in Colorado, maintain that the only way
 to capture the off-season flows Nebraska was granted via a 1923 water 
compact with Colorado is to build the Perkins County Canal, which is 
enshrined in the compact.<h2>$53 million proposed</h2>But
 the Appropriations Committee, which writes the state budget, has 
recommended only about $53 million to do design work on the canal 
project. State Sen. John Stinner of Gering, the chairman of that 
committee, said it would be fiscally irresponsible to commit $500 
million to the canal — one of the most expensive construction projects 
in state history — without more study.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646924229718.png" alt="State Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Lathrop
 also questioned whether $500 million would be enough to complete the 
canal and whether lawmakers would be abandoning other state priorities, 
such as tax cuts, in favor of the canal.Sen.
 Mike Flood of Norfolk defended the project, saying water is the 
lifeblood of the state. He said passing the bill would signal to 
Colorado “how serious we are about water.”Venango
 Sen. Dan Hughes, who chose LB 1023 as his priority bill, said that 
unless Nebraska exercises its right to the waters of the South Platte, 
it will be soaked up by Colorado. The Front Range, he said, is projected
 to double in population in the next 30 years.&nbsp;“If we don’t build this canal, that water will go away. It will be lost to use forever,” Hughes said.The bill faces two more rounds of debate. The issue could also come up when the Legislature debates the state budget.Nebraska Examiner senior reporter Paul Hammel contributed to this report.