GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.

Just after 11:30p.m. Sunday, Geary County sheriff’s deputies booked a suspect identified as Jeremiah Tyrell Ballance, 24, of Jacksonville, North Carolina. into the Geary County Detention Center, according to online jail records.

Ballance is being held on requested charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a child; aggravated indecent solicitation of a child; and aggravated intimidation of a witness or victim.

He is being held on a $50,000 bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644254905584.png" alt="Ballance-photo Geary Co." />
 <figcaption>Ballance-photo Geary Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.Just after 11:30p.m. Sunday, Geary County sheriff’s deputies booked a suspect identified as Jeremiah Tyrell Ballance, 24, of Jacksonville, North Carolina. into the Geary County Detention Center, according to online jail records.Ballance is being held on requested charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a child; aggravated indecent solicitation of a child; and aggravated intimidation of a witness or victim.He is being held on a $50,000 bond, according to online jail records.

North Carolina man held for alleged child sex crimes in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a flurry of diplomacy across two continents, President Joe Biden emerged from a meeting with Germany’s new leader Monday vowing the crucial Nord Stream 2 Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline would be blocked if Russia further invades Ukraine. Russia's Vladimir Putin said the U.S. and its allies were the only ones talking about invasion.

Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron met for hours in Moscow at the same time Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke at the White House in efforts to defuse the crisis before armed conflict breaks out. Russia has massed thousands of troops at the Ukraine border, adding military might almost daily.

The White House has expressed increasing alarm about the prospects of a war, and Biden has been looking to solidify support among European allies for economy-jarring sanctions against Russia if it moves further with an invasion.

“We are jointly ready, and all of NATO is ready,” Biden said, referring to the powerful Western alliance, though Ukraine is not a member.

While Biden reiterated with certitude that the pipeline would not move forward, Scholz stressed the need to keep some ambiguity about sanctions in order to press Russia to de-escalate the crisis.

“It’s necessary for Russia to understand that a lot more could happen than they’ve perhaps calculated with themselves,.” Scholz said.

The buildup of over 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine has fueled Western worries of a possible offensive. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned Sunday that Russia could invade Ukraine “any day,” triggering a conflict that would come at an “enormous human cost.”

Putin described his lengthy talks with Macron at the Kremlin as businesslike. He noted that the U.S. and its NATO allies have ignored Moscow’s demands for security guarantees.

He said that NATO’s expansion eastward to Russia's border has violated the security principles of international agreements and scoffed at Western assurances that it is a defensive alliance that doesn’t threaten Russia.

“People of Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan have had learned it from their own experience,” the Russian leader said in a sarcastic reference to the U.S. allies' involvement in military campaigns in those countries. He also referenced NATO’s 1999 bombing campaign in the former Yugoslavia.

He derided the Western criticism of the Russian military buildup near Ukraine, saying that “NATO members consider it possible to lecture us about our troops movements on our own territory and cast them as a threat of Russian invasion in Ukraine.”

Russia has denied any plans to attack its neighbor but demands that the U.S. and its allies bar Ukraine and other former Soviet nations from joining NATO, halt weapons deployments there and roll back NATO forces from Eastern Europe. Washington and NATO reject those demands.

Unswayed, Biden on Monday said “it would be wise” for Americans other than essential diplomats to leave Ukraine amid the Russian military threat.

On a positive note, Putin said without elaboration that some of Macron’s proposals could serve as a basis for a settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, adding that they agreed to have a call after Macron’s visit to Kyiv Tuesday.

Likewise, Biden said when asked if there remained an “offramp” for Russia in the standoff: “The answer is yes.”

Macron said after his “substantial, deep” meeting with Putin: “The upcoming days will be crucial and deep discussions together will be needed ... to build new guarantees for peace and security” for the European continent.

Macron and Putin spent several hours in a meeting with a meal that included fish soup, the choice of sturgeon or reindeer with sweet potatoes and pear pie with vanilla ice cream.

Macron, who heads Tuesday to Ukraine, spoke by phone Sunday with Biden. Before the Putin meeting, Macron said: “I don’t believe in spontaneous miracles.”

“The security and sovereignty of Ukraine or any other European state cannot be a subject for compromise, while it is also legitimate for Russia to pose the question of its own security,” Macron told the French newspaper Journal du Dimanche.

The State Department has been warning American citizens to reconsider any plans to travel to Ukraine since last year due to the buildup of Russian forces near the border. In January, it upgraded that advice, urging U.S. citizens not to travel to Ukraine or to leave the country if they are already there. That stepped-up warning came as the department ordered the families of all American staffers at the U.S. embassy in Kyiv to depart and allowed non-essential diplomats there leave

Before meeting Biden, Scholz told German media that "there will be a very high price if Ukraine is attacked militarily. And we are preparing for this very precisely and have been talking about the details for a long time.” Scholz will travel to Kyiv and Moscow Feb. 14-15..

Separately German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said her country would add up to 350 troops within a few days to about 500 already a part of a NATO battlegroup in Lithuania. “With this, we are strengthening our contribution to forces on NATO’s eastern flank and sending a very clear signal of unity to our allies,” she said.

Biden already has deployed additional U.S. troops to Poland, Romania and Germany, and a few dozen elite U.S troops and equipment landed Sunday in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine, with hundreds more infantry troops of the 82nd Airborne Division set to arrive.

Britain said it was sending 350 troops to Poland to bolster NATO forces, joining 100 Royal Engineers already there.

At a news conference in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the U.S. and Europe defended the increasingly dire Western warnings that a Russian invasion may be imminent.

“This is not alarmism. This is simply the facts,” Blinken said. “And the facts are that we’ve seen over the last few months a massive amassing of Russian forces on Ukraine’s borders."

Borrell noted that “140,000 troops massed on the border is not to go to have tea.”

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance is weighing a more permanent military presence in southeast Europe in response to Russia’s “massive military deployment” near Ukraine.

“We are considering more longer-term adjustments to our posture, our presence in the eastern part of the alliance,” Stoltenberg said after talks in Brussels with Polish President Andrzej Duda. “If Russia really wants less NATO close to the borders, they get the opposite.”

Stoltenberg gave no details and said no final decision has been made, but the move could mirror NATO’s long-term military presence in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, where about 5,000 troops are stationed. It would see a similar force based in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.

That would mean NATO troops stationed long-term near Ukraine’s western border and in the Black Sea area. The aim would be only to bolster the defenses of NATO allies in the region and the troops would not cross into Ukraine should Russia invade.

In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal for eastern Ukraine in a bid to end the conflict between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists that erupted the previous year following the Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644271333333.png" alt="“We are jointly ready, and all of NATO is ready,” Biden said, referring to the powerful Western alliance, though Ukraine is not a member.-photo White House" />
 <figcaption>“We are jointly ready, and all of NATO is ready,” Biden said, referring to the powerful Western alliance, though Ukraine is not a member.-photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — In a flurry of diplomacy across two continents, President Joe Biden emerged from a meeting with Germany’s new leader Monday vowing the crucial Nord Stream 2 Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline would be blocked if Russia further invades Ukraine. Russia's Vladimir Putin said the U.S. and its allies were the only ones talking about invasion.Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron met for hours in Moscow at the same time Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke at the White House in efforts to defuse the crisis before armed conflict breaks out. Russia has massed thousands of troops at the Ukraine border, adding military might almost daily.The White House has expressed increasing alarm about the prospects of a war, and Biden has been looking to solidify support among European allies for economy-jarring sanctions against Russia if it moves further with an invasion.“We are jointly ready, and all of NATO is ready,” Biden said, referring to the powerful Western alliance, though Ukraine is not a member.While Biden reiterated with certitude that the pipeline would not move forward, Scholz stressed the need to keep some ambiguity about sanctions in order to press Russia to de-escalate the crisis.“It’s necessary for Russia to understand that a lot more could happen than they’ve perhaps calculated with themselves,.” Scholz said.The buildup of over 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine has fueled Western worries of a possible offensive. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned Sunday that Russia could invade Ukraine “any day,” triggering a conflict that would come at an “enormous human cost.”Putin described his lengthy talks with Macron at the Kremlin as businesslike. He noted that the U.S. and its NATO allies have ignored Moscow’s demands for security guarantees.He said that NATO’s expansion eastward to Russia's border has violated the security principles of international agreements and scoffed at Western assurances that it is a defensive alliance that doesn’t threaten Russia.“People of Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan have had learned it from their own experience,” the Russian leader said in a sarcastic reference to the U.S. allies' involvement in military campaigns in those countries. He also referenced NATO’s 1999 bombing campaign in the former Yugoslavia.He derided the Western criticism of the Russian military buildup near Ukraine, saying that “NATO members consider it possible to lecture us about our troops movements on our own territory and cast them as a threat of Russian invasion in Ukraine.”Russia has denied any plans to attack its neighbor but demands that the U.S. and its allies bar Ukraine and other former Soviet nations from joining NATO, halt weapons deployments there and roll back NATO forces from Eastern Europe. Washington and NATO reject those demands.Unswayed, Biden on Monday said “it would be wise” for Americans other than essential diplomats to leave Ukraine amid the Russian military threat.On a positive note, Putin said without elaboration that some of Macron’s proposals could serve as a basis for a settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, adding that they agreed to have a call after Macron’s visit to Kyiv Tuesday.Likewise, Biden said when asked if there remained an “offramp” for Russia in the standoff: “The answer is yes.”Macron said after his “substantial, deep” meeting with Putin: “The upcoming days will be crucial and deep discussions together will be needed ... to build new guarantees for peace and security” for the European continent.Macron and Putin spent several hours in a meeting with a meal that included fish soup, the choice of sturgeon or reindeer with sweet potatoes and pear pie with vanilla ice cream.Macron, who heads Tuesday to Ukraine, spoke by phone Sunday with Biden. Before the Putin meeting, Macron said: “I don’t believe in spontaneous miracles.”“The security and sovereignty of Ukraine or any other European state cannot be a subject for compromise, while it is also legitimate for Russia to pose the question of its own security,” Macron told the French newspaper Journal du Dimanche.The State Department has been warning American citizens to reconsider any plans to travel to Ukraine since last year due to the buildup of Russian forces near the border. In January, it upgraded that advice, urging U.S. citizens not to travel to Ukraine or to leave the country if they are already there. That stepped-up warning came as the department ordered the families of all American staffers at the U.S. embassy in Kyiv to depart and allowed non-essential diplomats there leaveBefore meeting Biden, Scholz told German media that "there will be a very high price if Ukraine is attacked militarily. And we are preparing for this very precisely and have been talking about the details for a long time.” Scholz will travel to Kyiv and Moscow Feb. 14-15..Separately German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said her country would add up to 350 troops within a few days to about 500 already a part of a NATO battlegroup in Lithuania. “With this, we are strengthening our contribution to forces on NATO’s eastern flank and sending a very clear signal of unity to our allies,” she said.Biden already has deployed additional U.S. troops to Poland, Romania and Germany, and a few dozen elite U.S troops and equipment landed Sunday in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine, with hundreds more infantry troops of the 82nd Airborne Division set to arrive.Britain said it was sending 350 troops to Poland to bolster NATO forces, joining 100 Royal Engineers already there.At a news conference in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the U.S. and Europe defended the increasingly dire Western warnings that a Russian invasion may be imminent.“This is not alarmism. This is simply the facts,” Blinken said. “And the facts are that we’ve seen over the last few months a massive amassing of Russian forces on Ukraine’s borders."Borrell noted that “140,000 troops massed on the border is not to go to have tea.”NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance is weighing a more permanent military presence in southeast Europe in response to Russia’s “massive military deployment” near Ukraine.“We are considering more longer-term adjustments to our posture, our presence in the eastern part of the alliance,” Stoltenberg said after talks in Brussels with Polish President Andrzej Duda. “If Russia really wants less NATO close to the borders, they get the opposite.”Stoltenberg gave no details and said no final decision has been made, but the move could mirror NATO’s long-term military presence in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, where about 5,000 troops are stationed. It would see a similar force based in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.That would mean NATO troops stationed long-term near Ukraine’s western border and in the Black Sea area. The aim would be only to bolster the defenses of NATO allies in the region and the troops would not cross into Ukraine should Russia invade.In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal for eastern Ukraine in a bid to end the conflict between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists that erupted the previous year following the Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.

Biden: It 'would be wise' for Americans to leave Ukraine

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The former owner of a failed multistate chain of nursing homes has pleaded not guilty to tax charges. 

Joseph Schwartz appeared via videoconference before a federal judge in Newark on Monday. 

Last month, Schwartz was charged with multiple counts of failing to pay nearly $30 million in payroll and unemployment taxes for about 15,000 employees. 

The Suffern, New York resident's New Jersey-based company, Skyline Health Care, at one time operated more than 100 health care and rehabilitation facilities in at least 10 states. He also faces Medicaid fraud charges in Arkansas and Nebraska.

 Schwartz has relinquished most of his nursing homes because of financial insolvency.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1559617270221.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The former owner of a failed multistate chain of nursing homes has pleaded not guilty to tax charges. Joseph Schwartz appeared via videoconference before a federal judge in Newark on Monday. Last month, Schwartz was charged with multiple counts of failing to pay nearly $30 million in payroll and unemployment taxes for about 15,000 employees. The Suffern, New York resident's New Jersey-based company, Skyline Health Care, at one time operated more than 100 health care and rehabilitation facilities in at least 10 states. He also faces Medicaid fraud charges in Arkansas and Nebraska. Schwartz has relinquished most of his nursing homes because of financial insolvency.

Former nursing homes operator pleads not guilty in tax case

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A suspect is in custody after a 41-year-old Oklahoma man died from injuries he suffered in an assault in Omaha.\

Police said Rodney Pettit, of Oklahoma City, died Monday at an Omaha hospital. He was found unconscious Saturday night inside the Parliament Pub in Omaha's Old Market district. 

Earlier Monday, police said they arrested 22-year-old Nolan King of Omaha on suspicion of first-degree assault with a weapon in connection with the assault in the bar. 

Officials have not said what prompted the assault.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1560859328345.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A suspect is in custody after a 41-year-old Oklahoma man died from injuries he suffered in an assault in Omaha.\Police said Rodney Pettit, of Oklahoma City, died Monday at an Omaha hospital. He was found unconscious Saturday night inside the Parliament Pub in Omaha's Old Market district. Earlier Monday, police said they arrested 22-year-old Nolan King of Omaha on suspicion of first-degree assault with a weapon in connection with the assault in the bar. Officials have not said what prompted the assault.

Suspect arrested after Oklahoma man dies from Omaha assault

By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/05/gop-primary-pillen-slams-herbster-for-basing-business-annual-meeting-out-of-state/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Two top Republicans running for governor&nbsp;are getting personal about each other’s businesses.

On
 Friday, northeast Nebraska hog producer Jim Pillen, the top fundraiser 
in the GOP primary, attacked southeast Nebraska bull breeder Charles 
Herbster, the race’s top spender, for locating his biggest business out 
of state.

“I chose to raise my family and build my business in this great state,” Pillen said in a statement.&nbsp;

On
 Saturday, Herbster called Pillen “desperate.” He warned Pillen not to 
criticize his business practices. And he repeated allegations that 
Pillen’s hog farm had hired workers who were in the country illegally.

“Just
 like a typical politician, Jim Pillen has once again gone negative in 
an attempt to make up for his failing candidacy,” Herbster said in a 
statement.&nbsp;

Herbster
 owns Conklin Co., a manufacturing, marketing and distribution company 
that makes a lot of its money on roofing. Minnesota is Conklin’s 
distribution hub. The company’s corporate leaders are based in Missouri.
 Herbster has a large home in Kansas City, Missouri, that he has 
previously described as a guest house. He resides in Falls City, 
Nebraska. He also owns a home in Omaha.&nbsp;

Conklin
 employs 104 people, based on its application for federal relief funds 
in 2020. Most work in Minnesota and Missouri, although the company has 
distributors in many states, including Nebraska.

Pillen’s
 campaign chose Friday to level the criticism because this weekend is 
when Herbster’s Conklin Co. hosts its annual meeting in Branson, Mo. 
Pillen’s campaign asked why Herbster wasn’t hosting the conference in 
Nebraska.

The
 Conklin event draws about 2,000 people and has a local economic impact 
of more than $1 million, Herbster told the Branson City Council during a
 public hearing on the city’s conventions. Hotel officials estimated the
 convention’s annual sales tax impact at $180,000.

Pillen
 said Herbster’s decision to host the convention in Branson instead of 
Kearney, Lincoln or Omaha should show he “isn’t cut out” to be 
Nebraska’s governor.

“Herbster
 made his fortune from Conklin Company, a company he chose to 
headquarter in Missouri, not Nebraska, just like his Kansas City home,” 
Pillen said. “I’ll fight each and every day against out-of-state 
business owners, like Charles W. Herbster, who want to steal our kids 
and accelerate our brain drain.”

Pillen
 owns Pillen Family Farms, which has employees in Nebraska and three 
other states. The business is headquartered in Columbus. His campaign 
says he employs more than 850 people in Nebraska, or more than 90% of 
the company’s workers. He’s a University of Nebraska regent.

Herbster,
 in a statement Saturday, said voters were “all getting a taste of the 
real Jim Pillen.” He said Nebraskans are tired of “establishment 
politicians” making “baseless and misleading attacks.”

“Here’s a message to our opponents: Make sure your house is in order before you go looking at someone else’s,” Herbster said.

Nebraska’s primary election is May 10. Early voting starts in April. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644251510623.png" alt="Nebraska gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster, left, responded to criticism this week from fellow GOP candidate Jim Pillen, right. They’re shown here at a candidate forum in Lincoln, flanking fellow Republican candidate State Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) " />
 <figcaption>Nebraska gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster, left, responded to criticism this week from fellow GOP candidate Jim Pillen, right. They’re shown here at a candidate forum in Lincoln, flanking fellow Republican candidate State Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) </figcaption>
 </figure>By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/05/gop-primary-pillen-slams-herbster-for-basing-business-annual-meeting-out-of-state/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Two top Republicans running for governor&nbsp;are getting personal about each other’s businesses.On
 Friday, northeast Nebraska hog producer Jim Pillen, the top fundraiser 
in the GOP primary, attacked southeast Nebraska bull breeder Charles 
Herbster, the race’s top spender, for locating his biggest business out 
of state.“I chose to raise my family and build my business in this great state,” Pillen said in a statement.&nbsp;On
 Saturday, Herbster called Pillen “desperate.” He warned Pillen not to 
criticize his business practices. And he repeated allegations that 
Pillen’s hog farm had hired workers who were in the country illegally.“Just
 like a typical politician, Jim Pillen has once again gone negative in 
an attempt to make up for his failing candidacy,” Herbster said in a 
statement.&nbsp;Herbster
 owns Conklin Co., a manufacturing, marketing and distribution company 
that makes a lot of its money on roofing. Minnesota is Conklin’s 
distribution hub. The company’s corporate leaders are based in Missouri.
 Herbster has a large home in Kansas City, Missouri, that he has 
previously described as a guest house. He resides in Falls City, 
Nebraska. He also owns a home in Omaha.&nbsp;Conklin
 employs 104 people, based on its application for federal relief funds 
in 2020. Most work in Minnesota and Missouri, although the company has 
distributors in many states, including Nebraska.Pillen’s
 campaign chose Friday to level the criticism because this weekend is 
when Herbster’s Conklin Co. hosts its annual meeting in Branson, Mo. 
Pillen’s campaign asked why Herbster wasn’t hosting the conference in 
Nebraska.The
 Conklin event draws about 2,000 people and has a local economic impact 
of more than $1 million, Herbster told the Branson City Council during a
 public hearing on the city’s conventions. Hotel officials estimated the
 convention’s annual sales tax impact at $180,000.Pillen
 said Herbster’s decision to host the convention in Branson instead of 
Kearney, Lincoln or Omaha should show he “isn’t cut out” to be 
Nebraska’s governor.“Herbster
 made his fortune from Conklin Company, a company he chose to 
headquarter in Missouri, not Nebraska, just like his Kansas City home,” 
Pillen said. “I’ll fight each and every day against out-of-state 
business owners, like Charles W. Herbster, who want to steal our kids 
and accelerate our brain drain.”Pillen
 owns Pillen Family Farms, which has employees in Nebraska and three 
other states. The business is headquartered in Columbus. His campaign 
says he employs more than 850 people in Nebraska, or more than 90% of 
the company’s workers. He’s a University of Nebraska regent.Herbster,
 in a statement Saturday, said voters were “all getting a taste of the 
real Jim Pillen.” He said Nebraskans are tired of “establishment 
politicians” making “baseless and misleading attacks.”“Here’s a message to our opponents: Make sure your house is in order before you go looking at someone else’s,” Herbster said.Nebraska’s primary election is May 10. Early voting starts in April.

Candidates for governor get personal about each other's business pactices

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/u-s-district-judge-john-gerrard-announces-his-retirement/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — U.S. District Judge John Gerrard has announced that he will transition to senior judge status by next year, creating a vacancy on the federal bench in Nebraska to be filled by President Joe Biden.

Gerrard,
 in a letter Monday to the President, wrote that he will continue to 
“render substantial judicial service” because of a heavy caseload in 
Nebraska and because there are only three active federal judges.

But he also urged the president to make a “timely appointment” of a successor.

“Nebraska has a long history of promptly filling vacancies on the federal bench,” Gerrard said in a press release.

He added that he was confident that 
Nebraska’s two Republican U.S. senators, Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse, with
 work with the Democratic president.

Gerrard, in an interview, declined to 
comment on whether the timing of his announcement had anything to do 
with the possibility that the U.S. Senate, which confirms federal 
judges might flip from Democratic control to Republican following the 
2022 elections.

Gerrard,
 68, was appointed to the bench by then-President Barack Obama and was 
confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2012 on a 74-16 vote.

The judge had served on the Nebraska Supreme Court from 1995 to 2012 after being appointed to that post by then-Gov. Ben Nelson.

Prior to becoming a judge, Gerrard was in private practice in Norfolk, Nebraska.

Monday, he said that he is “still healthy, 
alive, well and judging,” and that his transition was solely due to his 
age. Other judges, he said, have made the transition at about this age.

The U.S. District Court has two other senior
 judges, Richard Kopf and Joseph Bataillon. Such senior judges continue 
to hear cases, but with less of a caseload.

Gerrard said he will continue with his current caseload until February 2023, when he will make the transition.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644264833605.jpeg" alt="U.S. District Judge John Gerrard (Courtesy of Harry Weddington)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. District Judge John Gerrard (Courtesy of Harry Weddington)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/u-s-district-judge-john-gerrard-announces-his-retirement/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — U.S. District Judge John Gerrard has announced that he will transition to senior judge status by next year, creating a vacancy on the federal bench in Nebraska to be filled by President Joe Biden.Gerrard,
 in a letter Monday to the President, wrote that he will continue to 
“render substantial judicial service” because of a heavy caseload in 
Nebraska and because there are only three active federal judges.But he also urged the president to make a “timely appointment” of a successor.“Nebraska has a long history of promptly filling vacancies on the federal bench,” Gerrard said in a press release.He added that he was confident that 
Nebraska’s two Republican U.S. senators, Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse, with
 work with the Democratic president.Gerrard, in an interview, declined to 
comment on whether the timing of his announcement had anything to do 
with the possibility that the U.S. Senate, which confirms federal 
judges might flip from Democratic control to Republican following the 
2022 elections.Gerrard,
 68, was appointed to the bench by then-President Barack Obama and was 
confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2012 on a 74-16 vote.The judge had served on the Nebraska Supreme Court from 1995 to 2012 after being appointed to that post by then-Gov. Ben Nelson.Prior to becoming a judge, Gerrard was in private practice in Norfolk, Nebraska.Monday, he said that he is “still healthy, 
alive, well and judging,” and that his transition was solely due to his 
age. Other judges, he said, have made the transition at about this age.The U.S. District Court has two other senior
 judges, Richard Kopf and Joseph Bataillon. Such senior judges continue 
to hear cases, but with less of a caseload.Gerrard said he will continue with his current caseload until February 2023, when he will make the transition.

U.S. District Judge Gerrard announces his retirement

By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2022-02-07/salina-parents-want-lgbtq-memoir-removed-from-school-libraries">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA&nbsp;— Some parents in the Salina school 
district want a book removed from high school libraries, citing sexually
 explicit passages that they say are not appropriate for young readers.

The book “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” by nonbinary author and activist <a href="https://iamgmjohnson.com/" target="_blank">George M. Johnson</a>, bills itself as a “memoir-manifesto” intended for adolescent readers. It <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2021-10-12/shawnee-mission-weighs-policy-change-after-parents-raise-concerns-about-books-descriptions-of-sex" target="_blank">came under fire</a> in the Shawnee Mission school district last fall and has been <a href="https://flaglerlive.com/170745/books-returned-withheld/" target="_blank">removed from school libraries</a> or classrooms in several states.

Chad Farber, pastor of Central Baptist Church in Salina, submitted one of two requests to review the book on Jan. 25.

In
 his request to district officials, Farber says the book contains 
“pornographic, lude (sic), and obscene content described in great 
detail” and that “this material could be used by some to experiment 
w/anal sex on other students (and) groom some to be molested by 
predators.”

Another parent, Jessica A. Henton, filed a request the same day to review “All Boys Aren’t Blue.”

“While,
 to my understanding, there is great educational content in the rest of 
the book, the obscene (and) descriptive text about ‘sex’ has no place on
 school library shelves,” Henton wrote.

District officials say the
 book is being reviewed by a school-level committee that includes a 
principal, librarian, teachers and parents. The Salina school board is 
expected to hear from people on both sides of the debate during its 
meeting Tuesday.

The case reflects a national trend that has 
school districts trying to balance parental outrage with students’ 
access to certain books. In recent months, dozens of books have been <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-11-10/goddard-school-district-reverses-decision-to-pull-library-books" target="_blank">challenged by parents and community members</a> who contend that they’re sexually explicit or <a href="https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/calls-to-ban-books-by-black-authors-are-increasing-amid-critical-race-theory-debates/2021/09" target="_blank">promote critical race theory</a>.

<a href="https://pen.org/user/james-tager/" target="_blank">James Tager</a>,
 research director for the free expression group PEN America, has 
tracked book challenges since 2016 and says the number and intensity of 
challenges is increasing dramatically. But the targets are largely the 
same.

“Most of the books have to do with the presentation of 
diverse viewpoints, which is to say that they feature characters or 
they're written by people of color,” Tager said.

Challenges focused on obscenity tend to target books by LGBTQ authors, he said.

“Whenever
 these arguments are raised, I hardly ever see an effort to evaluate 
this against the literary and educational merit of the book,” he said. 
“There’s a focus on a few passages or a few parts rather than on the 
book in and of itself.”

In an author’s note at the start of “All 
Boys Aren’t Blue,” Johnson acknowledges that his book features 
provocative and potentially controversial material.

“As heavy as 
these subjects may be, it is necessary that they are not only told, but 
also read by teens who may have to navigate many of these same 
experiences in their own lives,” Johnson writes.

“This book will 
touch on sexual assault (including molestation), loss of virginity, 
homophobia, racism, and anti-Blackness. These discussions at times may 
be a bit graphic, but nonetheless they are experiences that many reading
 this book will encounter or have already encountered. And I want those 
readers to be seen and heard in these pages.”

Both people who 
filed complaints in Salina said they had not read “All Boys Aren’t 
Blue,” but saw portions of the book shared on social media.

Parent
 groups have raised issues about a four-page passage near the end of the
 book. In a chapter titled “Losing My Virginity Twice,” Johnson relates a
 consensual homosexual encounter in detail, including oral sex, 
masturbation and intercourse.

Rodney Penn, a Salina father and founder of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/990859254309004/" target="_blank">Kansas Parents Involved in Education</a>,
 said books containing explicit material should be removed from school 
libraries or labeled as explicit, like movies and music, and kept in a 
section that requires parental consent before students can check them 
out.

“We have statutes in the state of Kansas that talk about how a
 school district must monitor and protect kids from internet-based 
obscenities. But what about print obscenities?” Penn said.

Kansas law prohibits the <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2012/b2011_12/statute/021_000_0000_chapter/021_064_0000_article/021_064_0001_section/021_064_0001_k/#:~:text=2012%20Statute&amp;text=(b)%20Promoting%20obscenity%20to%20minors,the%20age%20of%2018%20years" target="_blank">promotion of obscenity to minors</a>.
 But the law exempts “institutions having scientific, educational or 
governmental justification,” such as schools, universities and public 
libraries.

A school district in North Kansas City, Mo., pulled 
“All Boys Aren’t Blue” and another LGBTQ-themed title, “Fun Home,” from 
high school shelves last October but <a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/education/north-kansas-city-school-district-returning-lgbtq-books-to-shelves-after-pushback/#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20North%20Kansas%20City%20School%20District,said%20it%20was%20sent%20Friday." target="_blank">returned them</a> after students petitioned to keep the books.

“All Boys Aren’t Blue” was on a list of books briefly <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-11-10/goddard-school-district-reverses-decision-to-pull-library-books" target="_blank">pulled from circulation</a> at school libraries in Goddard in November. The district <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-11-10/goddard-school-district-reverses-decision-to-pull-library-books" target="_blank">reversed its decision</a> after receiving national pushback from authors and free-speech advocates.

Chris
 Field, a former Salina teacher who ran unsuccessfully for school board 
in November, said he’s disturbed by challenges that target materials 
dealing with race, gender and sexuality. He said libraries need diverse 
materials to help students navigate real-life experiences.

“To be 
able to find books that they can identify with and know that other 
people in the world are struggling with these issues also. … That’s got 
to be comforting to these children,” he said.

“Ninety-nine percent
 of the books that are on these lists and being attacked are not harming
 children. They’re actually helping them get through life.”

Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644244121019.png" alt=""All Boys Aren't Blue," a memoir by LGBTQ author George M. Johnson, has been the target of book challenges nationwide. Suzanne Perez / KMUW" />
 <figcaption>"All Boys Aren't Blue," a memoir by LGBTQ author George M. Johnson, has been the target of book challenges nationwide. Suzanne Perez / KMUW</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2022-02-07/salina-parents-want-lgbtq-memoir-removed-from-school-libraries">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA&nbsp;— Some parents in the Salina school 
district want a book removed from high school libraries, citing sexually
 explicit passages that they say are not appropriate for young readers.The book “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” by nonbinary author and activist <a href="https://iamgmjohnson.com/" target="_blank">George M. Johnson</a>, bills itself as a “memoir-manifesto” intended for adolescent readers. It <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2021-10-12/shawnee-mission-weighs-policy-change-after-parents-raise-concerns-about-books-descriptions-of-sex" target="_blank">came under fire</a> in the Shawnee Mission school district last fall and has been <a href="https://flaglerlive.com/170745/books-returned-withheld/" target="_blank">removed from school libraries</a> or classrooms in several states.Chad Farber, pastor of Central Baptist Church in Salina, submitted one of two requests to review the book on Jan. 25.In
 his request to district officials, Farber says the book contains 
“pornographic, lude (sic), and obscene content described in great 
detail” and that “this material could be used by some to experiment 
w/anal sex on other students (and) groom some to be molested by 
predators.”Another parent, Jessica A. Henton, filed a request the same day to review “All Boys Aren’t Blue.”“While,
 to my understanding, there is great educational content in the rest of 
the book, the obscene (and) descriptive text about ‘sex’ has no place on
 school library shelves,” Henton wrote.District officials say the
 book is being reviewed by a school-level committee that includes a 
principal, librarian, teachers and parents. The Salina school board is 
expected to hear from people on both sides of the debate during its 
meeting Tuesday.The case reflects a national trend that has 
school districts trying to balance parental outrage with students’ 
access to certain books. In recent months, dozens of books have been <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-11-10/goddard-school-district-reverses-decision-to-pull-library-books" target="_blank">challenged by parents and community members</a> who contend that they’re sexually explicit or <a href="https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/calls-to-ban-books-by-black-authors-are-increasing-amid-critical-race-theory-debates/2021/09" target="_blank">promote critical race theory</a>.<a href="https://pen.org/user/james-tager/" target="_blank">James Tager</a>,
 research director for the free expression group PEN America, has 
tracked book challenges since 2016 and says the number and intensity of 
challenges is increasing dramatically. But the targets are largely the 
same.“Most of the books have to do with the presentation of 
diverse viewpoints, which is to say that they feature characters or 
they're written by people of color,” Tager said.Challenges focused on obscenity tend to target books by LGBTQ authors, he said.“Whenever
 these arguments are raised, I hardly ever see an effort to evaluate 
this against the literary and educational merit of the book,” he said. 
“There’s a focus on a few passages or a few parts rather than on the 
book in and of itself.”In an author’s note at the start of “All 
Boys Aren’t Blue,” Johnson acknowledges that his book features 
provocative and potentially controversial material.“As heavy as 
these subjects may be, it is necessary that they are not only told, but 
also read by teens who may have to navigate many of these same 
experiences in their own lives,” Johnson writes.“This book will 
touch on sexual assault (including molestation), loss of virginity, 
homophobia, racism, and anti-Blackness. These discussions at times may 
be a bit graphic, but nonetheless they are experiences that many reading
 this book will encounter or have already encountered. And I want those 
readers to be seen and heard in these pages.”Both people who 
filed complaints in Salina said they had not read “All Boys Aren’t 
Blue,” but saw portions of the book shared on social media.Parent
 groups have raised issues about a four-page passage near the end of the
 book. In a chapter titled “Losing My Virginity Twice,” Johnson relates a
 consensual homosexual encounter in detail, including oral sex, 
masturbation and intercourse.Rodney Penn, a Salina father and founder of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/990859254309004/" target="_blank">Kansas Parents Involved in Education</a>,
 said books containing explicit material should be removed from school 
libraries or labeled as explicit, like movies and music, and kept in a 
section that requires parental consent before students can check them 
out.“We have statutes in the state of Kansas that talk about how a
 school district must monitor and protect kids from internet-based 
obscenities. But what about print obscenities?” Penn said.Kansas law prohibits the <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2012/b2011_12/statute/021_000_0000_chapter/021_064_0000_article/021_064_0001_section/021_064_0001_k/#:~:text=2012%20Statute&amp;text=(b)%20Promoting%20obscenity%20to%20minors,the%20age%20of%2018%20years" target="_blank">promotion of obscenity to minors</a>.
 But the law exempts “institutions having scientific, educational or 
governmental justification,” such as schools, universities and public 
libraries.A school district in North Kansas City, Mo., pulled 
“All Boys Aren’t Blue” and another LGBTQ-themed title, “Fun Home,” from 
high school shelves last October but <a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/education/north-kansas-city-school-district-returning-lgbtq-books-to-shelves-after-pushback/#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20North%20Kansas%20City%20School%20District,said%20it%20was%20sent%20Friday." target="_blank">returned them</a> after students petitioned to keep the books.“All Boys Aren’t Blue” was on a list of books briefly <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-11-10/goddard-school-district-reverses-decision-to-pull-library-books" target="_blank">pulled from circulation</a> at school libraries in Goddard in November. The district <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-11-10/goddard-school-district-reverses-decision-to-pull-library-books" target="_blank">reversed its decision</a> after receiving national pushback from authors and free-speech advocates.Chris
 Field, a former Salina teacher who ran unsuccessfully for school board 
in November, said he’s disturbed by challenges that target materials 
dealing with race, gender and sexuality. He said libraries need diverse 
materials to help students navigate real-life experiences.“To be 
able to find books that they can identify with and know that other 
people in the world are struggling with these issues also. … That’s got 
to be comforting to these children,” he said.“Ninety-nine percent
 of the books that are on these lists and being attacked are not harming
 children. They’re actually helping them get through life.”Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

Kan. parents want LGBTQ memoir removed from school libraries

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police in Lincoln say a 23-year-old woman died in a crash over the weekend near the south end of the city. 

Police say the crash happened around 7 a.m. Monday on Nebraska Highway 2, when an eastbound car took the southbound ramp for 14th street, left the road and hit a railroad crossing arm. 

Police say the driver, 23-year-old Hortencia Hernandes, was taken to a Lincoln hospital, where she died of her injuries. Police continue to investigate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1559617385052.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police in Lincoln say a 23-year-old woman died in a crash over the weekend near the south end of the city. Police say the crash happened around 7 a.m. Monday on Nebraska Highway 2, when an eastbound car took the southbound ramp for 14th street, left the road and hit a railroad crossing arm. Police say the driver, 23-year-old Hortencia Hernandes, was taken to a Lincoln hospital, where she died of her injuries. Police continue to investigate.

Police say 23-year-old woman killed in Lincoln crash

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say two of four people who apparently overdosed on drugs at an Omaha apartment over the weekend have died. 

Police say first responders were called to Aksarben View Apartments on Sunday afternoon for a well-being check found two women dead and another woman and a man in dire condition who were taken to a hospital. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that one of the survivors told medical personnel that the group had ingested a powder they believed to be cocaine before the overdoses.

 Police have not yet released the names of the women who died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644258127230.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say two of four people who apparently overdosed on drugs at an Omaha apartment over the weekend have died. Police say first responders were called to Aksarben View Apartments on Sunday afternoon for a well-being check found two women dead and another woman and a man in dire condition who were taken to a hospital. The Omaha World-Herald reports that one of the survivors told medical personnel that the group had ingested a powder they believed to be cocaine before the overdoses. Police have not yet released the names of the women who died.

Police: 4 people overdose, 2 fatally, at Omaha apartment

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-trade-delegation-heads-to-the-middle-east/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A delegation from Nebraska will depart this week for the Middle East in hopes of increasing the trade of Nebraska products such as beef, grain and center-pivot irrigation systems.

Secretary
 of State Bob Evnen is leading the delegation that will visit Dubai and 
the United Arab Emirates, including a stop at the world’s largest annual
 food show, the Gulfood Show.&nbsp;

More
 than 150 countries participate in the food show, Evnen said, and it 
will be an opportunity to promote Nebraska branded beef.

Nearly
 20 representatives of commodity groups and businesses are traveling, 
along with several faculty members of the University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln.&nbsp;

Evnen
 said the trip will provide an opportunity for Nebraskans to increase 
trade with the Middle East and to exchange cultural and educational 
practices.&nbsp;

A
 side trip to Kuwait had to be cancelled because of COVID-19 
requirements in that country, he said, which include a quarantine period
 for visitors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644245366799.jpeg" alt="Secretary of State Robert Evnen (Courtesy of Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office)" />
 <figcaption>Secretary of State Robert Evnen (Courtesy of Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-trade-delegation-heads-to-the-middle-east/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — A delegation from Nebraska will depart this week for the Middle East in hopes of increasing the trade of Nebraska products such as beef, grain and center-pivot irrigation systems.Secretary
 of State Bob Evnen is leading the delegation that will visit Dubai and 
the United Arab Emirates, including a stop at the world’s largest annual
 food show, the Gulfood Show.&nbsp;More
 than 150 countries participate in the food show, Evnen said, and it 
will be an opportunity to promote Nebraska branded beef.Nearly
 20 representatives of commodity groups and businesses are traveling, 
along with several faculty members of the University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln.&nbsp;Evnen
 said the trip will provide an opportunity for Nebraskans to increase 
trade with the Middle East and to exchange cultural and educational 
practices.&nbsp;A
 side trip to Kuwait had to be cancelled because of COVID-19 
requirements in that country, he said, which include a quarantine period
 for visitors.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Nebraska trade delegation heads to the Middle East

WASHINGTON — The IRS announced it will transition away from using a 
third-party service for facial recognition to help authenticate people 
creating new online accounts. The transition will occur over the coming 
weeks in order to prevent larger disruptions to taxpayers during filing 
season.

During the transition, the IRS will quickly develop and bring online 
an additional authentication process that does not involve facial 
recognition. The IRS will also continue to work with its 
cross-government partners to develop authentication methods that protect
 taxpayer data and ensure broad access to online tools.

"The IRS takes taxpayer privacy and security seriously, and we 
understand the concerns that have been raised," said IRS Commissioner 
Chuck Rettig. "Everyone should feel comfortable with how their personal 
information is secured, and we are quickly pursuing short-term options 
that do not involve facial recognition."

The transition announced today does not interfere with the taxpayer's
 ability to file their return or pay taxes owed. During this period, the
 IRS will continue to accept tax filings, and it has no other impact on 
the current tax season. People should continue to file their taxes as 
they normally would.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The IRS announced it will transition away from using a 
third-party service for facial recognition to help authenticate people 
creating new online accounts. The transition will occur over the coming 
weeks in order to prevent larger disruptions to taxpayers during filing 
season.During the transition, the IRS will quickly develop and bring online 
an additional authentication process that does not involve facial 
recognition. The IRS will also continue to work with its 
cross-government partners to develop authentication methods that protect
 taxpayer data and ensure broad access to online tools."The IRS takes taxpayer privacy and security seriously, and we 
understand the concerns that have been raised," said IRS Commissioner 
Chuck Rettig. "Everyone should feel comfortable with how their personal 
information is secured, and we are quickly pursuing short-term options 
that do not involve facial recognition."The transition announced today does not interfere with the taxpayer's
 ability to file their return or pay taxes owed. During this period, the
 IRS will continue to accept tax filings, and it has no other impact on 
the current tax season. People should continue to file their taxes as 
they normally would.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644265319943.jpg" alt="Image courtesy Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>

IRS moving away from use of third-party facial recognition system

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/06/nebraska-secretary-of-state-pushes-back-against-claims-that-2020-vote-was-amiss/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 — Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, in a PowerPoint presentation 
sent Saturday to all 49 state senators, is pushing back against 
contentions of election fraud and irregularities during the 2020 
election.

The
 PowerPoint, entitled, “Fake vs. Fact,” rejects, one by one, allegations
 made by a group claiming to seek “accuracy” in elections.

The
 presentation, among other things, said some laws cited by critics don’t
 exist; allegations that some votes couldn’t be matched with registered 
voters were false; and claims that the state’s voting machines aren’t 
tested were not true.

“The
 Secretary of State’s Office is fully informed of the concerns and 
claims that have been raised and has fully investigated them,” the 
PowerPoint says.

Evnen,
 in an interview, said he sees “no justification” for a full, forensic 
audit or a hand recount of the 2020 election results in Nebraska, as 
called for by at least one group of critics.&nbsp;

The
 first-term Republican said his office doesn’t have the authority to 
take such steps without approval by the State Legislature.

“But if (the Legislature) wanted it, and was filling to pay for it, I’d do it,” Evnen added.

He
 said he produced the presentation for lawmakers and held two briefings 
with senators last week because it was important to provide a response 
to “people who are of a rational mind.”

Evnen
 said some people won’t be convinced no matter how much information he 
provides. “They’re not looking for information, they’re looking for 
confirmation” of conclusions they’ve already reached, he said.

But State Sen. John McCollister of Omaha, who has seen the PowerPoint, said some people’s opinions may be swayed by it.

“I
 thought he did a fairly good job of totally answering the points raised
 by those people who thought the election was unfair or badly managed,” 
McCollister, a Republican, said.

Gordon Sen. Tom Brewer, a Republican who 
chairs the Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs 
Committee, said he thought the PowerPoint did a good job of answering 
most of the criticism. But Brewer said he still thinks a face-to-face 
meeting between Evnen and the main group alleging irregularities, the 
Nebraska Voter Accuracy Project, would be helpful.

“I think you could put some closure to some of these things if they met,” Brewer said.

&nbsp;Many
 of the allegations about the 2020 election count — including one that 
4,001 votes cast could not be linked to registered voters — came out 
during a public hearing last week before the Government Committee on a 
bill to ensure security of election “drop boxes.”&nbsp;

Proponents
 of Legislative Bill 1263, which was introduced on behalf of the 
Secretary of State’s Office, said there are no current laws concerning 
how drop boxes should be secured or how often ballots should be 
collected. The bill seeks to provide security standards for drop boxes. 
It was supported by a major voter rights group, Civic Nebraska.

The
 hearing also featured testimony from a handful of members of the 
Nebraska Voter Accuracy Project group, who claimed there had been 
widespread fraud during voting in 2020 in the state.

Members
 of the group charged that Evnen’s office “wasn’t listening,” “wasn’t 
looking” for fraud and had “underestimated” the cunning of those 
committing the fraud they suspected had occurred.

That
 group also alleged that the state’s election counting machines aren’t 
tested for accuracy — a claim Evnen said was entirely false. In 2019, 
the state spent $7 million to update its ballot counting system, 
purchasing equipment from Omaha-based Election Systems and Software.

Evnen
 said the equipment, according to a state contract, is subject to 
“penetration and vulnerability scans” by an independent “tester,” either
 the Department of Homeland Security or a third party with expertise. 
The scans are not shared with the public, he said, because of security 
concerns that a “bad actor” could tamper with voting.

In
 addition, representatives of ES&amp;S recently came to Nebraska to 
demonstrate their equipment to state senators and answer questions.

&nbsp;“I don’t see any evidence that there’s problems with the machines of any kind,” Evnen said.

The
 4,001 votes allegation was false, the PowerPoint stated, and was based 
on a comparison of voter registrations on Election Day&nbsp; 2020 and on Jan.
 1, 2021.

Voter
 registration lists are updated almost daily across the state, Evnen 
said, and the difference in the votes cast on Election Day 2020 and the 
number of&nbsp;registered voters the following Jan. 1reflects that. For 
instance, 4,238 registered voters were reported to his office to have 
died in the two months after the 2020 election, which accounts for some 
of the difference, he said.

The accuracy group maintained that the 
Secretary of State’s Office had received “hundreds” of affidavits 
alleging voter fraud, while the PowerPoint said no affidavits had been 
received.

Another allegation was that there was an election-night “reduction” in the vote count for then-President Donald Trump.&nbsp;

That,
 the PowerPoint said, was a mistake by Edison Research, a third-party 
service associated with the New York Times, which erroneously reported 
results posted by the Secretary of State’s Office.

Brewer said after last week’s hearing on the
 drop box bill that he would arrange a meeting with the accuracy group 
and Evnen. On Sunday, Brewer said he would share the PowerPoint with 
that group but would also like to see a meeting happen.

Evnen, a Lincoln lawyer, was elected Secretary of State in 2018. During the campaign, he pledged to seek voter-ID laws. 

He is seeking re-election this year. One other GOP candidate has filed so far for the post, Rex Schroder of Palmyra.

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/06/nebraska-secretary-of-state-pushes-back-against-claims-that-2020-vote-was-amiss/">The complete PowerPoint can be found here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644245366799.jpeg" alt="Secretary of State Robert Evnen (Courtesy of Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office)" />
 <figcaption>Secretary of State Robert Evnen (Courtesy of Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/06/nebraska-secretary-of-state-pushes-back-against-claims-that-2020-vote-was-amiss/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, in a PowerPoint presentation 
sent Saturday to all 49 state senators, is pushing back against 
contentions of election fraud and irregularities during the 2020 
election.The
 PowerPoint, entitled, “Fake vs. Fact,” rejects, one by one, allegations
 made by a group claiming to seek “accuracy” in elections.The
 presentation, among other things, said some laws cited by critics don’t
 exist; allegations that some votes couldn’t be matched with registered 
voters were false; and claims that the state’s voting machines aren’t 
tested were not true.“The
 Secretary of State’s Office is fully informed of the concerns and 
claims that have been raised and has fully investigated them,” the 
PowerPoint says.Evnen,
 in an interview, said he sees “no justification” for a full, forensic 
audit or a hand recount of the 2020 election results in Nebraska, as 
called for by at least one group of critics.&nbsp;The
 first-term Republican said his office doesn’t have the authority to 
take such steps without approval by the State Legislature.“But if (the Legislature) wanted it, and was filling to pay for it, I’d do it,” Evnen added.He
 said he produced the presentation for lawmakers and held two briefings 
with senators last week because it was important to provide a response 
to “people who are of a rational mind.”<h2>Brewer wants to see a meeting</h2>Evnen
 said some people won’t be convinced no matter how much information he 
provides. “They’re not looking for information, they’re looking for 
confirmation” of conclusions they’ve already reached, he said.But State Sen. John McCollister of Omaha, who has seen the PowerPoint, said some people’s opinions may be swayed by it.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644245454566.jpeg" alt="State Sen. John McCollister of Omaha (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. John McCollister of Omaha (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>“I
 thought he did a fairly good job of totally answering the points raised
 by those people who thought the election was unfair or badly managed,” 
McCollister, a Republican, said.Gordon Sen. Tom Brewer, a Republican who 
chairs the Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs 
Committee, said he thought the PowerPoint did a good job of answering 
most of the criticism. But Brewer said he still thinks a face-to-face 
meeting between Evnen and the main group alleging irregularities, the 
Nebraska Voter Accuracy Project, would be helpful.“I think you could put some closure to some of these things if they met,” Brewer said.&nbsp;Many
 of the allegations about the 2020 election count — including one that 
4,001 votes cast could not be linked to registered voters — came out 
during a public hearing last week before the Government Committee on a 
bill to ensure security of election “drop boxes.”&nbsp;Proponents
 of Legislative Bill 1263, which was introduced on behalf of the 
Secretary of State’s Office, said there are no current laws concerning 
how drop boxes should be secured or how often ballots should be 
collected. The bill seeks to provide security standards for drop boxes. 
It was supported by a major voter rights group, Civic Nebraska.The
 hearing also featured testimony from a handful of members of the 
Nebraska Voter Accuracy Project group, who claimed there had been 
widespread fraud during voting in 2020 in the state.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644245487932.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Members
 of the group charged that Evnen’s office “wasn’t listening,” “wasn’t 
looking” for fraud and had “underestimated” the cunning of those 
committing the fraud they suspected had occurred.<h2>Equipment tested</h2>That
 group also alleged that the state’s election counting machines aren’t 
tested for accuracy — a claim Evnen said was entirely false. In 2019, 
the state spent $7 million to update its ballot counting system, 
purchasing equipment from Omaha-based Election Systems and Software.Evnen
 said the equipment, according to a state contract, is subject to 
“penetration and vulnerability scans” by an independent “tester,” either
 the Department of Homeland Security or a third party with expertise. 
The scans are not shared with the public, he said, because of security 
concerns that a “bad actor” could tamper with voting.In
 addition, representatives of ES&amp;S recently came to Nebraska to 
demonstrate their equipment to state senators and answer questions.&nbsp;“I don’t see any evidence that there’s problems with the machines of any kind,” Evnen said.The
 4,001 votes allegation was false, the PowerPoint stated, and was based 
on a comparison of voter registrations on Election Day&nbsp; 2020 and on Jan.
 1, 2021.Voter
 registration lists are updated almost daily across the state, Evnen 
said, and the difference in the votes cast on Election Day 2020 and the 
number of&nbsp;registered voters the following Jan. 1reflects that. For 
instance, 4,238 registered voters were reported to his office to have 
died in the two months after the 2020 election, which accounts for some 
of the difference, he said.<h2>No affidavits received</h2>The accuracy group maintained that the 
Secretary of State’s Office had received “hundreds” of affidavits 
alleging voter fraud, while the PowerPoint said no affidavits had been 
received.Another allegation was that there was an election-night “reduction” in the vote count for then-President Donald Trump.&nbsp;That,
 the PowerPoint said, was a mistake by Edison Research, a third-party 
service associated with the New York Times, which erroneously reported 
results posted by the Secretary of State’s Office.Brewer said after last week’s hearing on the
 drop box bill that he would arrange a meeting with the accuracy group 
and Evnen. On Sunday, Brewer said he would share the PowerPoint with 
that group but would also like to see a meeting happen.Evnen, a Lincoln lawyer, was elected Secretary of State in 2018. During the campaign, he pledged to seek voter-ID laws. He is seeking re-election this year. One other GOP candidate has filed so far for the post, Rex Schroder of Palmyra.<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/06/nebraska-secretary-of-state-pushes-back-against-claims-that-2020-vote-was-amiss/">The complete PowerPoint can be found here.</a>

Neb. secretary of state pushes back against claims 2020 vote was amiss

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/modern-375-million-soybean-crushing-plant-planned-near-norfolk/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

NORFOLK, Neb. — A $375-million soybean crushing plant is planned near this northeast Nebraska city.

The
 plant, planned by Norfolk Crush LLC, will be the “first modern soybean 
processing plant” in the state, according to a news release issued 
Friday.

Fifty
 to 55 jobs would be created, and 38.5 million bushels of soybeans would
 be crushed annually, or 110,000 bushels daily. Modern unloading 
facilities will speed deliveries from farmers, according to the release.

“A
 modern crush plant is a farmer’s dream,” said Craig Ebberson, who farms
 in the Belden area. “Our closest plant is an hour away, and it’s 
notorious for having 3- to 4- hour waits.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Groundbreaking
 on the 480-acre site is scheduled for this spring, according to Nick 
Bowdish, president and CEO of N Bowdish Company. Soybean meal is used as
 livestock feed, with soybean oil destined for use as bio-diesel and 
other products.&nbsp;

Bowdish’s
 firm is spearheading development of the Norfolk Crush plant, as well as
 one in Buena Vista, Iowa. Construction on that plant is scheduled to 
begin this month.

Norfolk Mayor Josh Moenning and Gov. Pete Ricketts&nbsp; both praised the announcement in the release. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644245059390.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/modern-375-million-soybean-crushing-plant-planned-near-norfolk/">Nebraska Examiner</a>NORFOLK, Neb. — A $375-million soybean crushing plant is planned near this northeast Nebraska city.The
 plant, planned by Norfolk Crush LLC, will be the “first modern soybean 
processing plant” in the state, according to a news release issued 
Friday.Fifty
 to 55 jobs would be created, and 38.5 million bushels of soybeans would
 be crushed annually, or 110,000 bushels daily. Modern unloading 
facilities will speed deliveries from farmers, according to the release.“A
 modern crush plant is a farmer’s dream,” said Craig Ebberson, who farms
 in the Belden area. “Our closest plant is an hour away, and it’s 
notorious for having 3- to 4- hour waits.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Groundbreaking
 on the 480-acre site is scheduled for this spring, according to Nick 
Bowdish, president and CEO of N Bowdish Company. Soybean meal is used as
 livestock feed, with soybean oil destined for use as bio-diesel and 
other products.&nbsp;Bowdish’s
 firm is spearheading development of the Norfolk Crush plant, as well as
 one in Buena Vista, Iowa. Construction on that plant is scheduled to 
begin this month.Norfolk Mayor Josh Moenning and Gov. Pete Ricketts&nbsp; both praised the announcement in the release.

‘Modern’ $375M soybean crushing plant planned in Nebraska

By Jennifer Schutt <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/house-advances-marijuana-banking-bill-but-final-passage-uncertain/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

Cannabis dispensaries throughout the country came one step closer to using banks the way many other businesses can when the U.S. House cleared a bill Friday with sweeping changes to banking regulations. 

Reps. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., and Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, co-sponsors of the legislation, said Friday their proposal would allow medical and recreational marijuana businesses in states that have legalized use to move away from the cash-only business model they must use under U.S. banking laws. 

“We need to bring some sense to what is really dangerous right now in this space that so many states allow for dispensaries, for grow operations,” Perlmutter said. “There’s just a lot of cash and that cash can really pose problems.” 

While the federal government has mostly left marijuana business regulation and oversight to the states that have legalized it, the nation’s banking system is controlled at the federal level. 

The federal government’s classification of marijuana as a Schedule I illegal substance, by definition something with no medical use and a high potential for abuse, means that it’s difficult for cannabis businesses to use banks. 

Some marijuana businesses have hired armored vehicles and armed guards to transfer cash to banks. Others operate as cash-only, which Perlmutter and Joyce said can lead to upticks in robberies and other crime.

The so-called SAFE Banking Act passed as part of a larger bill that is geared toward improving U.S. manufacturing and boosting competitiveness with China on several fronts, including semiconductors.

The sponsors were uncertain whether the measure will survive the conference process between the House of Representatives and the Senate.

They said if they are blocked in the Senate, they will keep advocating for the legislation, especially as an amendment to other must-pass bills.

“Every one of these cannabis industries are running according to the laws and regulations that were put in place by that state,” Joyce said. “So why shouldn’t the banking system treat them the same?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620155146441.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By Jennifer Schutt <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/house-advances-marijuana-banking-bill-but-final-passage-uncertain/">Nebraska Examiner</a>Cannabis dispensaries throughout the country came one step closer to using banks the way many other businesses can when the U.S. House cleared a bill Friday with sweeping changes to banking regulations. Reps. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., and Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, co-sponsors of the legislation, said Friday their proposal would allow medical and recreational marijuana businesses in states that have legalized use to move away from the cash-only business model they must use under U.S. banking laws. “We need to bring some sense to what is really dangerous right now in this space that so many states allow for dispensaries, for grow operations,” Perlmutter said. “There’s just a lot of cash and that cash can really pose problems.” While the federal government has mostly left marijuana business regulation and oversight to the states that have legalized it, the nation’s banking system is controlled at the federal level. The federal government’s classification of marijuana as a Schedule I illegal substance, by definition something with no medical use and a high potential for abuse, means that it’s difficult for cannabis businesses to use banks. Some marijuana businesses have hired armored vehicles and armed guards to transfer cash to banks. Others operate as cash-only, which Perlmutter and Joyce said can lead to upticks in robberies and other crime.The so-called SAFE Banking Act passed as part of a larger bill that is geared toward improving U.S. manufacturing and boosting competitiveness with China on several fronts, including semiconductors.The sponsors were uncertain whether the measure will survive the conference process between the House of Representatives and the Senate.They said if they are blocked in the Senate, they will keep advocating for the legislation, especially as an amendment to other must-pass bills.“Every one of these cannabis industries are running according to the laws and regulations that were put in place by that state,” Joyce said. “So why shouldn’t the banking system treat them the same?”

House advances marijuana banking bill, but final passage uncertain

NEW YORK (AP) — Any person convicted of a disruption on board a flight should be added to the national “no fly” list, Delta Air Lines told the U.S. Department of Justice.

In a letter to the Justice Department Attorney General Merrick Garland dated Thursday, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said there should be “zero tolerance” for any behavior that affects flight safety. Bastian noted that while such incidents of bad behavior represent a small fraction of overall flights on Delta, the rate of incidents on the airline has increased nearly 100% since 2019.

“This action will help prevent future incidents and serve as a strong symbol of the consequences of not complying with crew member instructions on commercial aircraft,” Bastian wrote in the letter furnished to The Associated Press by Delta Air Lines.

Delta has, along with its industry partner Airlines for America, been pushing since last year for heightened reporting, investigation and prosecution of those who interfere with on-board safety. The airlines, based in Atlanta, said it has put nearly 1,900 people on Delta’s “no-fly” list for refusing to comply with masking requirements and submitted more than 900 banned names to the Transportation Security Administration to pursue civil penalties.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640348737573.png" alt="Delta has, along with its industry partner Airlines for America, been pushing since last year for heightened reporting, investigation and prosecution of those who interfere with on-board safety-photo Eisenhower Wichita Airport&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Delta has, along with its industry partner Airlines for America, been pushing since last year for heightened reporting, investigation and prosecution of those who interfere with on-board safety-photo Eisenhower Wichita Airport&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Any person convicted of a disruption on board a flight should be added to the national “no fly” list, Delta Air Lines told the U.S. Department of Justice.In a letter to the Justice Department Attorney General Merrick Garland dated Thursday, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said there should be “zero tolerance” for any behavior that affects flight safety. Bastian noted that while such incidents of bad behavior represent a small fraction of overall flights on Delta, the rate of incidents on the airline has increased nearly 100% since 2019.“This action will help prevent future incidents and serve as a strong symbol of the consequences of not complying with crew member instructions on commercial aircraft,” Bastian wrote in the letter furnished to The Associated Press by Delta Air Lines.Delta has, along with its industry partner Airlines for America, been pushing since last year for heightened reporting, investigation and prosecution of those who interfere with on-board safety. The airlines, based in Atlanta, said it has put nearly 1,900 people on Delta’s “no-fly” list for refusing to comply with masking requirements and submitted more than 900 banned names to the Transportation Security Administration to pursue civil penalties.A spokesperson with TSA, which enforces the FBI “no fly” list of potential terrorist threats, referred a reporter to the FBI since that agency maintains the database. Both the FBI and the Justice Department declined to comment. The Federal Aviation Administration cited 4.9 reported unruly incidents per 10,000 flights the week ending Jan. 23, according to its website.In December, the TSA announced a new partnership with the FAA that would call for unruly airline passengers facing additional consequences for bad behavior under a new partnership. Under the alliance, the FAA will share information of passengers facing fines for unruly behavior with the TSA, which may remove the passenger from its pre-check screening eligibility, a privilege reserved for low-risk travelers.ADVERTISEMENTTrending on AP News<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-france-environment-and-nature-environment-fish-bfa019ef14e646ab14b215aba1311045">Mass swarm of dead fish in Atlantic prompts European inquiry</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-entertainment-health-business-race-and-ethnicity-cf03e3ec11422a155da59e998a11aa64">Joe Rogan apologizes for racial slur after video surfaces</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-new-york-new-york-city-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-d4996a1414bb014476a12df3a8a3b120">NYC Mayor Eric Adams apologizes for using racial slur</a><a href="https://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&amp;utm_source=associatedpress-apnews&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=organic-thumbnails-rr:Right%20Rail%20Thumbnails:" target="_blank">by Taboola</a>ADVERTISEMENT