P202300293 03:53 JUV : JUVENILE Report of physical altercation on Richard Circle. During investigation contacted 16 year under the influence of alcohol Closed - Charges Recommended

P202300294 08:19 SHOPLIFT : Alcohol bottle shoplifted from Safeway Inactive - Case Suspended

P202300300 13:17 THEFT : THEFT REPORT OF IDENTITY THEFT / SSN WAS USED BY A RELATIVE Open - Under Investigation

P202300296 13:35 INFO : INFORMATIONAL Officers were requested to conduct a welfare check on an individual in the A row of Meadows Trailer Ct due to suicidal concerns. The individual was assisted into BBGH for behavioral help. Closed - Resolved

P202300295 14:33 SHOPLIFT : OVER $500 OF MERCHANDISE SHOPLIFTED FROM DOLLAR GENERAL ON FLACK AVE Open - Under Investigation

P202300297 14:50 FOUND : FOUND Officers were informed that an abandoned bike had been located in the 800 block of West 6th Street. Bike was placed in storage until owner is located. Inactive - Case Suspended

P202300298 16:30 10-45 : MVA INJURY Officers responded to a motor vehicle accident between two vehicles. One driver and one passenger complained of injury and were transported to BBGH. One driver was issued a citation for running the traffic light. Closed - Charges Recommended

P202300299 16:57 10-45 : MVA INJURY ONE VEHICLE ACCIDENT INVOLVING A BUILDING 500 BLOCK OF BOX BUTTE Closed - Resolved

P202300302 23:11 WARRANT : ARREST 600 block of East 3rd// officers responded to a report of an intoxicated adult male// it was discovered the male had an active out of county arrest warrant// males was placed under arrest and taken into custody for said warrant// Closed - Resolved

P202300304 08:35 SRO : SRO Hate instagram page created bullying a student / Subpoena submitted / case active Open - Under Investigation

P202300305 16:57 WARRANT : ARREST Closed - Charges Recommended

P202300306 08:50 10-44 : MVA NON INJURY1200 Missouri Avenue/ City utility truck impacted natural meter/ City loss notification made/ Case resolved Closed - Resolved

By Alliance Police Department04/30/23P202300293 03:53 JUV : JUVENILE Report of physical altercation on Richard Circle. During investigation contacted 16 year under the influence of alcohol Closed - Charges Recommended04/30/23 Total: 105/01/23P202300294 08:19 SHOPLIFT : Alcohol bottle shoplifted from Safeway Inactive - Case SuspendedP202300300 13:17 THEFT : THEFT REPORT OF IDENTITY THEFT / SSN WAS USED BY A RELATIVE Open - Under InvestigationP202300296 13:35 INFO : INFORMATIONAL Officers were requested to conduct a welfare check on an individual in the A row of Meadows Trailer Ct due to suicidal concerns. The individual was assisted into BBGH for behavioral help. Closed - ResolvedP202300295 14:33 SHOPLIFT : OVER $500 OF MERCHANDISE SHOPLIFTED FROM DOLLAR GENERAL ON FLACK AVE Open - Under InvestigationP202300297 14:50 FOUND : FOUND Officers were informed that an abandoned bike had been located in the 800 block of West 6th Street. Bike was placed in storage until owner is located. Inactive - Case SuspendedP202300298 16:30 10-45 : MVA INJURY Officers responded to a motor vehicle accident between two vehicles. One driver and one passenger complained of injury and were transported to BBGH. One driver was issued a citation for running the traffic light. Closed - Charges RecommendedP202300299 16:57 10-45 : MVA INJURY ONE VEHICLE ACCIDENT INVOLVING A BUILDING 500 BLOCK OF BOX BUTTE Closed - Resolved05/01/23 Total: 705/02/23P202300302 23:11 WARRANT : ARREST 600 block of East 3rd// officers responded to a report of an intoxicated adult male// it was discovered the male had an active out of county arrest warrant// males was placed under arrest and taken into custody for said warrant// Closed - Resolved05/02/23 Total: 105/03/23P202300304 08:35 SRO : SRO Hate instagram page created bullying a student / Subpoena submitted / case active Open - Under Investigation05/03/23 Total: 105/04/23P202300305 16:57 WARRANT : ARREST Closed - Charges Recommended05/04/23 Total: 105/05/23P202300306 08:50 10-44 : MVA NON INJURY1200 Missouri Avenue/ City utility truck impacted natural meter/ City loss notification made/ Case resolved Closed - Resolved05/05/23 Total: 1Total Records: 12

Alliance Police Department: The media report 

POST PODCAST: United Way of Western Nebraska

&nbsp; BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/paulhammel/">PAUL HAMMEL</a>

LINCOLN — The Environmental Protection Agency is currently reviewing a new plan for restoring a Sandhills stream damaged by an unauthorized deluge of sand three years ago.

More than 1.6 million tons of sand and sediment — enough to cover a football field to a depth of about 540 feet — was unleashed when a local rancher, with the help of Cherry County, drained a flooded hay meadow into the Snake River, south of Merriman.

After the county dug a drainage ditch along a county road, rancher Dick Minor extended the ditch an additional 2.5 miles to the spring-fed creek.

The new flow and heavy rains eroded a mountain of sand into the stream, turning a normally narrow waterway into a flat, sandy plain — similar to the Platte River — for about three miles downstream. New sediment was noticed about 30 miles downstream, where the Snake empties into Merritt Reservoir.

The Snake is one of the state’s few trout streams, and it hosts a small number of canoe trips through a remote area of the Sandhills.

Last month, Cherry County approved a contract with Mainelli Wagner &amp; Associates of Lincoln to halt the flow of water into the Snake from the drainage ditch and then to provide a plan, and oversight, of the construction of “detention structures” and replanting of grass and trees.

The three-phase contract calls for spending of $66,900, to be shared by the county and the &nbsp;rancher, as well as an estimate of construction costs.

Both the county and Minor have been cited by the EPA for violating the federal Clean Water Act by not obtaining permission for the discharge into the waterway.

The county and rancher signed an agreement in June 2021 to provide a plan within 60 days to remediate the damage, restore — to the extent possible — the previous flow in the Snake River, and mitigate for “lost river functions.”

But in February 2022, the<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/06/epa-violation-filed-over-slow-response-to-mitigate-damage-to-sandhills-stream/">&nbsp;EPA issued a “notice of violation”</a>&nbsp;against the two parties for failing to promptly comply with the order.

In November, the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/new-consultant-hired-to-review-plan-to-mitigate-damage-to-sandhills-stream/">EPA indicated that it had enlisted a contractor</a>&nbsp;“with the expertise” to review a proposed work plan for damage it termed complex and severe.

At that time, an EPA spokesman said the agency hoped to have a work plan soon and would share the plan once approved.

Last week, the spokesman, Ben Washburn, said the agency and consultants it hired are currently reviewing the latest work plan.

When asked what happened to past proposals, Washburn said that the project involves “complicated hydrological issues” and that consultants had to be hired.

The Mainelli group, in a February letter to the county, indicated that it would submit a new work plan by a March 24 deadline, and then have a estimate in late April of construction costs to install pipes and detention structures and conduct other mitigation work.

Cherry County Attorney Eric Scott, when reached by the Examiner, declined to comment other than to say that the county was in full compliance with the EPA’s directives.

Calls to Dick Minor and Martin DeNaeyer, the chairman of the Cherry County Board, were not returned.

&nbsp; BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/paulhammel/">PAUL HAMMEL</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683555994085.jpeg" alt="More than a million tons of sand washed into the Snake River after a rancher dug a ditch in the fragile Sandhills in 2021 to drain a flooded pasture. This photo was taken in October. (Courtesy of John Sidle)" />
 <figcaption>More than a million tons of sand washed into the Snake River after a rancher dug a ditch in the fragile Sandhills in 2021 to drain a flooded pasture. This photo was taken in October. (Courtesy of John Sidle)</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN — The Environmental Protection Agency is currently reviewing a new plan for restoring a Sandhills stream damaged by an unauthorized deluge of sand three years ago.More than 1.6 million tons of sand and sediment — enough to cover a football field to a depth of about 540 feet — was unleashed when a local rancher, with the help of Cherry County, drained a flooded hay meadow into the Snake River, south of Merriman.After the county dug a drainage ditch along a county road, rancher Dick Minor extended the ditch an additional 2.5 miles to the spring-fed creek.The new flow and heavy rains eroded a mountain of sand into the stream, turning a normally narrow waterway into a flat, sandy plain — similar to the Platte River — for about three miles downstream. New sediment was noticed about 30 miles downstream, where the Snake empties into Merritt Reservoir.The Snake is one of the state’s few trout streams, and it hosts a small number of canoe trips through a remote area of the Sandhills.Last month, Cherry County approved a contract with Mainelli Wagner &amp; Associates of Lincoln to halt the flow of water into the Snake from the drainage ditch and then to provide a plan, and oversight, of the construction of “detention structures” and replanting of grass and trees.<h2>$66,900 contract</h2>The three-phase contract calls for spending of $66,900, to be shared by the county and the &nbsp;rancher, as well as an estimate of construction costs.Both the county and Minor have been cited by the EPA for violating the federal Clean Water Act by not obtaining permission for the discharge into the waterway.The county and rancher signed an agreement in June 2021 to provide a plan within 60 days to remediate the damage, restore — to the extent possible — the previous flow in the Snake River, and mitigate for “lost river functions.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683556059864.png" alt="The Snake River, running south of Merriman in Cherry County, was a narrow stream that sustained trout, but after hit by a deluge of sand, became wider and shallower (courtesy of John Sidle)" />
 <figcaption>The Snake River, running south of Merriman in Cherry County, was a narrow stream that sustained trout, but after hit by a deluge of sand, became wider and shallower (courtesy of John Sidle)</figcaption>
 </figure>But in February 2022, the<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/06/epa-violation-filed-over-slow-response-to-mitigate-damage-to-sandhills-stream/">&nbsp;EPA issued a “notice of violation”</a>&nbsp;against the two parties for failing to promptly comply with the order.In November, the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/new-consultant-hired-to-review-plan-to-mitigate-damage-to-sandhills-stream/">EPA indicated that it had enlisted a contractor</a>&nbsp;“with the expertise” to review a proposed work plan for damage it termed complex and severe.At that time, an EPA spokesman said the agency hoped to have a work plan soon and would share the plan once approved.<h2>‘Complicated hydrological issues’</h2>Last week, the spokesman, Ben Washburn, said the agency and consultants it hired are currently reviewing the latest work plan.When asked what happened to past proposals, Washburn said that the project involves “complicated hydrological issues” and that consultants had to be hired.The Mainelli group, in a February letter to the county, indicated that it would submit a new work plan by a March 24 deadline, and then have a estimate in late April of construction costs to install pipes and detention structures and conduct other mitigation work.Cherry County Attorney Eric Scott, when reached by the Examiner, declined to comment other than to say that the county was in full compliance with the EPA’s directives.Calls to Dick Minor and Martin DeNaeyer, the chairman of the Cherry County Board, were not returned.

EPA reviewing new plan for restoring sand-choked Sandhills stream

In the early morning hours of May 7 Chadron Police Sergeant Patrick Young performed a traffic stop on a vehicle for not having license plates. While contacting the driver, Sergeant Young detected the odor of burning marijuana from the interior of the vehicle. He also noticed a glass marijuana pipe inside the vehicle.

Sgt. Young conducted a search of the vehicle, which resulted in locating various forms of drug paraphernalia including 5.5 grams of suspected marijuana, two glass pipes suspected of being used for ingesting methamphetamine, and residue amounts of suspected methamphetamine.

The driver, 34-year-old Nicolas King, was armed with a handgun at the time of the traffic stop. 

King was subsequently arrested for Possession of methamphetamine, a Class IV felony, Possession of a firearm while committing a felony, a Class II Felony, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Possession of marijuana, both infractions. 

A female passenger was also issued a citation for possession of marijuana.

By KALIN KROHE Panhandle PostIn the early morning hours of May 7 Chadron Police Sergeant Patrick Young performed a traffic stop on a vehicle for not having license plates. While contacting the driver, Sergeant Young detected the odor of burning marijuana from the interior of the vehicle. He also noticed a glass marijuana pipe inside the vehicle.Sgt. Young conducted a search of the vehicle, which resulted in locating various forms of drug paraphernalia including 5.5 grams of suspected marijuana, two glass pipes suspected of being used for ingesting methamphetamine, and residue amounts of suspected methamphetamine.The driver, 34-year-old Nicolas King, was armed with a handgun at the time of the traffic stop. King was subsequently arrested for Possession of methamphetamine, a Class IV felony, Possession of a firearm while committing a felony, a Class II Felony, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Possession of marijuana, both infractions. A female passenger was also issued a citation for possession of marijuana.

Chadron man arrested on methamphetamine, weapon charges

Runners – and walkers – across the state still have time to register for the annual Tyler Vanderheiden Memorial Run set for May 20, 2023, at Cody Park in North Platte.

The annual race is aimed at raising awareness and understanding of mental health and is a fundraiser for Nebraska Game and Parks state park trails.

With just a couple of weeks to go until race time, organizers are still hoping to see at least one person register from every Nebraska county and every state in the nation. As of early May, there were 72 counties and 18 states left to go.

People can participate in-person or virtually and can run or walk either a 2-mile or 5-mile distance. People can register at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnBsYXR0ZXJpdmVyZml0bmVzcy5jb20vUHVibGljSGVhbHRoIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDUwNC43NjI1NTI2MSJ9.H4P7XRRKEw1qs6FULRmEZI3Efs7Od9--eJm2hwvMt6M/s/497221906/br/176910592876-l" target="_blank">PlatteRiverFitness.com/PublicHealth</a>.

The race on Cody Park’s flat course begins at 8:30 a.m. Central time, with race-day registration and packet pickup from 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. at the park pavilion.

Those choosing to do the run virtually must register by 4 p.m. Central time May 19 and may complete their race anytime between May 19-21.

The run is organized by the Platte River Fitness Series with support by West Central District Health Department. Proceeds are donated to the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation for the creation, maintenance or upgrade of trails at the 76 state park areas.

This year, funds raised from the race will help support the construction and upgrade of the Smith Falls State Park trail and walkway that leads to Nebraska’s highest waterfall. Improvements are aimed at replacing the aging wooden walkway with a more durable composite decking with steel framing. The new walkway will be Americans with Disabilities Act compliant.

To learn more about the trail project, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNTA0Ljc2MjU1MjYxIn0.ahbjn9iS73c1Ie7uBDHrwTCPfg7BQRLu52-z8c4Ux98/s/497221906/br/176910592876-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov</a>. To donate to the fundraiser, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnR5bGVydmFuZGVyaGVpZGVubWVtb3JpYWwuY29tLyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA1MDQuNzYyNTUyNjEifQ.jBBxTD9PYcaLNkow6NUvVOCbVepspIqLJovMq6GERAY/s/497221906/br/176910592876-l" target="_blank">TylerVanderheidenMemorial.com</a>.

By Nebraska Game and ParksRunners – and walkers – across the state still have time to register for the annual Tyler Vanderheiden Memorial Run set for May 20, 2023, at Cody Park in North Platte.The annual race is aimed at raising awareness and understanding of mental health and is a fundraiser for Nebraska Game and Parks state park trails.With just a couple of weeks to go until race time, organizers are still hoping to see at least one person register from every Nebraska county and every state in the nation. As of early May, there were 72 counties and 18 states left to go.People can participate in-person or virtually and can run or walk either a 2-mile or 5-mile distance. People can register at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnBsYXR0ZXJpdmVyZml0bmVzcy5jb20vUHVibGljSGVhbHRoIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDUwNC43NjI1NTI2MSJ9.H4P7XRRKEw1qs6FULRmEZI3Efs7Od9--eJm2hwvMt6M/s/497221906/br/176910592876-l" target="_blank">PlatteRiverFitness.com/PublicHealth</a>.The race on Cody Park’s flat course begins at 8:30 a.m. Central time, with race-day registration and packet pickup from 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. at the park pavilion.Those choosing to do the run virtually must register by 4 p.m. Central time May 19 and may complete their race anytime between May 19-21.The run is organized by the Platte River Fitness Series with support by West Central District Health Department. Proceeds are donated to the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation for the creation, maintenance or upgrade of trails at the 76 state park areas.This year, funds raised from the race will help support the construction and upgrade of the Smith Falls State Park trail and walkway that leads to Nebraska’s highest waterfall. Improvements are aimed at replacing the aging wooden walkway with a more durable composite decking with steel framing. The new walkway will be Americans with Disabilities Act compliant.To learn more about the trail project, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNTA0Ljc2MjU1MjYxIn0.ahbjn9iS73c1Ie7uBDHrwTCPfg7BQRLu52-z8c4Ux98/s/497221906/br/176910592876-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov</a>. To donate to the fundraiser, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnR5bGVydmFuZGVyaGVpZGVubWVtb3JpYWwuY29tLyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA1MDQuNzYyNTUyNjEifQ.jBBxTD9PYcaLNkow6NUvVOCbVepspIqLJovMq6GERAY/s/497221906/br/176910592876-l" target="_blank">TylerVanderheidenMemorial.com</a>.

Neb. Game and Parks: Still time to register for Memorial Run

WASHINGTON D.C - Every day, events around the world, such as the recent outbreak of violence in Sudan, emphasize how fragile peace can be. As an internal power struggle between rival military leaders erupted into lethal clashes, American diplomats have been evacuated and hundreds of thousands of refugees have been displaced. Sadly, this – along with the ongoing war in Ukraine – brings into sharp focus the importance and challenge of achieving security through peaceful means on the international stage.&nbsp;

I was encouraged by my recent meeting with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen. There is strong bipartisan support across the U.S. government for ensuring longstanding freedom and security in Taiwan, as well as their role in regional security, and I thank Speaker McCarthy for spearheading the meeting.&nbsp;

Security, both in East Asia and around the world, relies heavily on effective cooperation among friends and allies. I was pleased to attend South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s address to a joint session of Congress on April 27. His calls to increase cooperation, stand up to the forces of totalitarianism, and shed light on the humanitarian crisis in North Korea were met with bipartisan applause. The threat of nuclear aggression from multiple adversaries including North Korea, China, Russia, and Iran has never been greater, which makes clear the need for the United States to stand up for freedom from a position of strength and resolve.&nbsp;

I’m pleased the House is acting in a strategic and bipartisan way to address the ongoing threat posed by China. In the House Ways and Means Committee, we are partnering with the Select Committee on China, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and other committees to put forward a strong domestic and foreign policy agenda. Recently, the House passed a resolution calling on China to release American Mark Swidan who has been held by the Chinese Communist Party since 2012 and was sentenced to death in 2019 under unjust charges.&nbsp;

The House also passed a bipartisan resolution to block President Biden’s moratorium on solar panels imported from several Southeast Asian countries through companies owned by China. The Senate has since passed this resolution as well. I am disappointed the president has refused to support it.&nbsp;

Supply chain issues are integral to homeland security and combatting China, especially when it comes to energy, and American energy dominance remains one of my number top concerns in Congress. As the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Trade, I see enormous potential for the U.S. and other nations to step up and fill many of the gaps left by rogue states. This is why we must be proactive to strengthen ties and trade relationships as we build our own domestic manufacturing capabilities.&nbsp;

As we think about our allies around the world, we cannot ignore one of our most important relationships – our partnership with Israel. The House recently passed a resolution commemorating May 14, 2023, as the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel and affirming support for the advancement in Middle Eastern regional security achieved by the historic Abraham Accords. Mediated by the Trump administration, the accords were ratified September 15, 2020, and signed as a commitment to strengthen peace and prosperity between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. We have no greater friend to freedom in the Middle East than Israel, and we must make our support clear to those who wish to destroy them.&nbsp;

While recent actions by our adversaries and antagonists of our allies have raised serious concerns, promoting global security is of critical importance. Armed conflict and the use of nuclear weapons is an outcome we must work hard to prevent. Through determined leadership, global security can be advanced as we strengthen freedom around the world through robust support for our allies and like-minded nations. It’s more important than ever the United States to unite with our allies in support of freedom around the world.&nbsp;

WASHINGTON D.C - Every day, events around the world, such as the recent outbreak of violence in Sudan, emphasize how fragile peace can be. As an internal power struggle between rival military leaders erupted into lethal clashes, American diplomats have been evacuated and hundreds of thousands of refugees have been displaced. Sadly, this – along with the ongoing war in Ukraine – brings into sharp focus the importance and challenge of achieving security through peaceful means on the international stage.&nbsp;I was encouraged by my recent meeting with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen. There is strong bipartisan support across the U.S. government for ensuring longstanding freedom and security in Taiwan, as well as their role in regional security, and I thank Speaker McCarthy for spearheading the meeting.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683495102285.jpeg" alt="I am always looking for opportunities to hear the priorities and concerns of Nebraskans. Thanks to the South Sioux City Area Chamber of Commerce &amp; Tourism and the City of South Sioux City for the invitation to engage with leaders of the Siouxland community." />
 <figcaption>I am always looking for opportunities to hear the priorities and concerns of Nebraskans. Thanks to the South Sioux City Area Chamber of Commerce &amp; Tourism and the City of South Sioux City for the invitation to engage with leaders of the Siouxland community.</figcaption>
 </figure>Security, both in East Asia and around the world, relies heavily on effective cooperation among friends and allies. I was pleased to attend South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s address to a joint session of Congress on April 27. His calls to increase cooperation, stand up to the forces of totalitarianism, and shed light on the humanitarian crisis in North Korea were met with bipartisan applause. The threat of nuclear aggression from multiple adversaries including North Korea, China, Russia, and Iran has never been greater, which makes clear the need for the United States to stand up for freedom from a position of strength and resolve.&nbsp;I’m pleased the House is acting in a strategic and bipartisan way to address the ongoing threat posed by China. In the House Ways and Means Committee, we are partnering with the Select Committee on China, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and other committees to put forward a strong domestic and foreign policy agenda. Recently, the House passed a resolution calling on China to release American Mark Swidan who has been held by the Chinese Communist Party since 2012 and was sentenced to death in 2019 under unjust charges.&nbsp;The House also passed a bipartisan resolution to block President Biden’s moratorium on solar panels imported from several Southeast Asian countries through companies owned by China. The Senate has since passed this resolution as well. I am disappointed the president has refused to support it.&nbsp;Supply chain issues are integral to homeland security and combatting China, especially when it comes to energy, and American energy dominance remains one of my number top concerns in Congress. As the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Trade, I see enormous potential for the U.S. and other nations to step up and fill many of the gaps left by rogue states. This is why we must be proactive to strengthen ties and trade relationships as we build our own domestic manufacturing capabilities.&nbsp;As we think about our allies around the world, we cannot ignore one of our most important relationships – our partnership with Israel. The House recently passed a resolution commemorating May 14, 2023, as the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel and affirming support for the advancement in Middle Eastern regional security achieved by the historic Abraham Accords. Mediated by the Trump administration, the accords were ratified September 15, 2020, and signed as a commitment to strengthen peace and prosperity between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. We have no greater friend to freedom in the Middle East than Israel, and we must make our support clear to those who wish to destroy them.&nbsp;While recent actions by our adversaries and antagonists of our allies have raised serious concerns, promoting global security is of critical importance. Armed conflict and the use of nuclear weapons is an outcome we must work hard to prevent. Through determined leadership, global security can be advanced as we strengthen freedom around the world through robust support for our allies and like-minded nations. It’s more important than ever the United States to unite with our allies in support of freedom around the world.&nbsp;Sincerely, Adrian Smith

United for Freedom, A Letter from Congressmen Adrian Smith

In&nbsp;May&nbsp;we celebrate&nbsp;Renewable Fuels Month&nbsp;and&nbsp;highlight the importance of biofuels. Nebraska farmers and ranchers fuel the world through the production of biofuels like ethanol. Our state is the second largest producer of ethanol, representing 2.3 billion gallons per year. Nebraska’s 24 ethanol plants boost our state’s economy by $5.7&nbsp;billion per year. E15, gasoline with ethanol blends of 10.5%-15%, is a win for Nebraska and a win for our country. It saves drivers money, is good for the environment, and creates jobs here in America.

First, especially as high costs of living continue to cost Nebraska families, ethanol saves consumers money at the pump. One study showed consumers have been able to save up to 30 cents a gallon during the summer months, leading to total savings of $84 million in gasoline costs. These savings will only increase as more stations offer higher blends like E15 through the summer months.

Second, ethanol helps clean our environment. According to the USDA, ethanol&nbsp;<a href="https://ethanol.nebraska.gov/impact/environment/" target="_blank">reduces greenhouse gas emissions</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/articles/ethanol-vs-petroleum-based-fuel-carbon-emissions" target="_blank">52%</a>&nbsp;compared to gasoline. E15 reduces emissions of particulate matter by 18%, carbon monoxide by 17%, and NOx by 3% compared to E10. The use of ethanol blended fuels led to a reduction of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/press-releases/ricketts-highlights-economic-benefit-of-ethanol-blended-fuels-risk-of-prioritizing-electric-vehicles/" target="_blank">nearly 1 billion metric tons</a>&nbsp;of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas emissions between 2008 and 2020.

Third, ethanol creates jobs here in America and promotes our energy security. In addition to the 1,400 jobs directly created by Nebraska’s 24 ethanol plants, ethanol production generates demand for locally grown corn and increases the price farmers are paid for their harvest.&nbsp;<a href="https://renewablefuels.sharepoint.com/Pub/Forms/AllItems.aspx?ga=1&amp;id=%2FPub%2FResearch%2FEcon%2FState%20One%2DPagers%2F2023%20State%20Infographics%2F2023%20States%2DPDF%2F2023%20Infographic%5FNE%2Epdf&amp;parent=%2FPub%2FResearch%2FEcon%2FState%20One%2DPagers%2F2023%20State%20Infographics%2F2023%20States%2DPDF" target="_blank">Forty-six percent</a>&nbsp;of corn grown in Nebraska is used to make ethanol, and one study estimated that farmers in the immediate vicinity of ethanol facilities received about 21.3 cents more per bushel for their corn.

Ethanol also promotes our domestic energy security. The use of ethanol reduced crude oil imports by over 600 million barrels in 2022. Without biofuels, America would be more heavily reliant on foreign energy sources.&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20221101183238/https:/governor.nebraska.gov/press/leading-way-cleaner-more-affordable-american-made-fuel" target="_blank">There’s no reason</a>&nbsp;why the United States should be reliant on authoritarian regimes like Iran, Russia, and Venezuela for fuel when we have home-grown solutions in our own Heartland.

Despite&nbsp;all these benefits, regulatory uncertainty has prevented the year-round sale of E15 from becoming permanent. Thankfully, the EPA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-issues-emergency-fuel-waiver-e15-sales-0#:~:text=EPA's%20emergency%20fuel%20waiver%20will,statutory%20maximum%20of%2020%20days." target="_blank">recently announced</a>&nbsp;an emergency waiver that will allow for the nationwide sale of E15 during the 2023 summer driving season. They also approved a request I made with other Midwestern governors last year to allow for the&nbsp;sale of E15&nbsp;in several states&nbsp;during the summer of 2024. These recent announcements are good news, but our producers deserve a more permanent solution than bureaucratic waivers. That’s why I proudly co-sponsored&nbsp;Senator Deb Fischer’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/f884cd05-8768-4c35-8c86-d60d3854f5fe/consumer-and-fuel-retailer-choice-act-of-2023.pdf" target="_blank">Consumer Fuel Retailer Choice Act</a>. This bipartisan, bicameral bill would eliminate the need for waivers by allowing year-round, nationwide sale of higher ethanol blends like E15.

E15 is a win for everyone. That’s why it enjoys bipartisan support. It is exactly the kind of proven Nebraska solution that is ready for America. The Senate needs to pass Senator Fischer’s bill and unleash nationwide, year-round E15 for good.

Along with Senator Fischer and the rest of my colleagues in the Nebraska delegation, my team and I are here to serve you.&nbsp;Contact my team and I anytime&nbsp;by phone at&nbsp;202-224-4224, on my website&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ricketts.senate.gov/" target="_blank">www.ricketts.senate.gov</a>, or via email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:contactricke@ricketts.senate.gov" target="_blank">contactricke@ricketts.senate.gov</a>.&nbsp;I am honored to serve our great state and will continue&nbsp;to&nbsp;work to protect the Good Life from Washington overreach.

By Office of Sen. Pete RickettsIn&nbsp;May&nbsp;we celebrate&nbsp;Renewable Fuels Month&nbsp;and&nbsp;highlight the importance of biofuels. Nebraska farmers and ranchers fuel the world through the production of biofuels like ethanol. Our state is the second largest producer of ethanol, representing 2.3 billion gallons per year. Nebraska’s 24 ethanol plants boost our state’s economy by $5.7&nbsp;billion per year. E15, gasoline with ethanol blends of 10.5%-15%, is a win for Nebraska and a win for our country. It saves drivers money, is good for the environment, and creates jobs here in America.First, especially as high costs of living continue to cost Nebraska families, ethanol saves consumers money at the pump. One study showed consumers have been able to save up to 30 cents a gallon during the summer months, leading to total savings of $84 million in gasoline costs. These savings will only increase as more stations offer higher blends like E15 through the summer months.Second, ethanol helps clean our environment. According to the USDA, ethanol&nbsp;<a href="https://ethanol.nebraska.gov/impact/environment/" target="_blank">reduces greenhouse gas emissions</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/articles/ethanol-vs-petroleum-based-fuel-carbon-emissions" target="_blank">52%</a>&nbsp;compared to gasoline. E15 reduces emissions of particulate matter by 18%, carbon monoxide by 17%, and NOx by 3% compared to E10. The use of ethanol blended fuels led to a reduction of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/press-releases/ricketts-highlights-economic-benefit-of-ethanol-blended-fuels-risk-of-prioritizing-electric-vehicles/" target="_blank">nearly 1 billion metric tons</a>&nbsp;of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas emissions between 2008 and 2020.Third, ethanol creates jobs here in America and promotes our energy security. In addition to the 1,400 jobs directly created by Nebraska’s 24 ethanol plants, ethanol production generates demand for locally grown corn and increases the price farmers are paid for their harvest.&nbsp;<a href="https://renewablefuels.sharepoint.com/Pub/Forms/AllItems.aspx?ga=1&amp;id=%2FPub%2FResearch%2FEcon%2FState%20One%2DPagers%2F2023%20State%20Infographics%2F2023%20States%2DPDF%2F2023%20Infographic%5FNE%2Epdf&amp;parent=%2FPub%2FResearch%2FEcon%2FState%20One%2DPagers%2F2023%20State%20Infographics%2F2023%20States%2DPDF" target="_blank">Forty-six percent</a>&nbsp;of corn grown in Nebraska is used to make ethanol, and one study estimated that farmers in the immediate vicinity of ethanol facilities received about 21.3 cents more per bushel for their corn.Ethanol also promotes our domestic energy security. The use of ethanol reduced crude oil imports by over 600 million barrels in 2022. Without biofuels, America would be more heavily reliant on foreign energy sources.&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20221101183238/https:/governor.nebraska.gov/press/leading-way-cleaner-more-affordable-american-made-fuel" target="_blank">There’s no reason</a>&nbsp;why the United States should be reliant on authoritarian regimes like Iran, Russia, and Venezuela for fuel when we have home-grown solutions in our own Heartland.Despite&nbsp;all these benefits, regulatory uncertainty has prevented the year-round sale of E15 from becoming permanent. Thankfully, the EPA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-issues-emergency-fuel-waiver-e15-sales-0#:~:text=EPA's%20emergency%20fuel%20waiver%20will,statutory%20maximum%20of%2020%20days." target="_blank">recently announced</a>&nbsp;an emergency waiver that will allow for the nationwide sale of E15 during the 2023 summer driving season. They also approved a request I made with other Midwestern governors last year to allow for the&nbsp;sale of E15&nbsp;in several states&nbsp;during the summer of 2024. These recent announcements are good news, but our producers deserve a more permanent solution than bureaucratic waivers. That’s why I proudly co-sponsored&nbsp;Senator Deb Fischer’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/f884cd05-8768-4c35-8c86-d60d3854f5fe/consumer-and-fuel-retailer-choice-act-of-2023.pdf" target="_blank">Consumer Fuel Retailer Choice Act</a>. This bipartisan, bicameral bill would eliminate the need for waivers by allowing year-round, nationwide sale of higher ethanol blends like E15.E15 is a win for everyone. That’s why it enjoys bipartisan support. It is exactly the kind of proven Nebraska solution that is ready for America. The Senate needs to pass Senator Fischer’s bill and unleash nationwide, year-round E15 for good.Along with Senator Fischer and the rest of my colleagues in the Nebraska delegation, my team and I are here to serve you.&nbsp;Contact my team and I anytime&nbsp;by phone at&nbsp;202-224-4224, on my website&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ricketts.senate.gov/" target="_blank">www.ricketts.senate.gov</a>, or via email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:contactricke@ricketts.senate.gov" target="_blank">contactricke@ricketts.senate.gov</a>.&nbsp;I am honored to serve our great state and will continue&nbsp;to&nbsp;work to protect the Good Life from Washington overreach.

Sen. Ricketts: Supporting Year-Round E15

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Investors shouldn't expect a change of leadership at the top of Berkshire Hathaway anytime soon, even though Chairman Warren Buffett is 92 and his partner Charlie Munger is 99, one longtime board member said Thursday.

Ron Olson told a group of investors gathered ahead of Saturday's annual meeting that after spending a lot of time with both legendary investors, he doesn't think a transition to Greg Abel as CEO is imminent. Buffett has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-d2f5c2d7ddf636c26c4c7db7e27a3a56">Abel will one day take over</a>&nbsp;Berkshire and Abel already oversees all of the conglomerate's non-insurance businesses, but Buffett has no plans to retire.

“Charlie at 99? That brain is as good as it ever was,” Olson said. “Warren is the same way. His energy is amazing. So don't count on Greg taking over tomorrow.”

The longevity of the two men who have led Berkshire for nearly six decades is always in the back of mind of the shareholders who will pack an Omaha arena to listen to Buffett and Munger&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-earnings-omaha-warren-buffett-16d017b2579b9d7bb1cbff7f821e7578">spend hours answering questions.</a>&nbsp;Many wonder how the company will fare&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-successor-bank-failures-2e6146a64b0d196b9ceea904c5af37df">once those two are no longer at the helm.</a>

Olson has been on Berkshire's board since 1997 and has been part of countless conversations over the years about how to eventually replace Buffett. He said the board has total confidence in Abel, who led Berkshire's massive utility unit starting in 2008 before taking his current vice chairman role in 2018.

Olson said Abel has had the advantage of spending many years working closely with Buffett and is steeped in Berkshire's unusual culture of letting companies it owns largely run themselves. Olson said he thinks preserving that culture of trust will be the most important part of Abel's job running the company.

“He has had a lot of what I would call grooming and practice,” Olson said.

Berkshire has said for years that Buffett's job as chairman, CEO and chief investment officer will be split into several parts when he is gone. Berkshire finally designated Abel as the CEO successor two years ago after Munger hinted at it during an offhand comment at the annual meeting.

Buffett has said he believes his oldest son, Howard, who already serves on Berkshire's board, would make an ideal chairman to help protect the company's culture.

Berkshire has hired two other investment managers who oversee a small part of the company's portfolio now. Olson said Abel will have to decide how big a role those two will play in managing Berkshire's investments in the future.

Berkshire owns an eclectic assortment of businesses including Geico and other major insurers, a number of large utilities, BNSF railroad and a range of retail and manufacturing businesses. Berkshire also holds major stakes in companies like Apple, Bank of America, American Express, Coca-Cola and Chinese electric car maker BYD.

By Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Investors shouldn't expect a change of leadership at the top of Berkshire Hathaway anytime soon, even though Chairman Warren Buffett is 92 and his partner Charlie Munger is 99, one longtime board member said Thursday.Ron Olson told a group of investors gathered ahead of Saturday's annual meeting that after spending a lot of time with both legendary investors, he doesn't think a transition to Greg Abel as CEO is imminent. Buffett has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-d2f5c2d7ddf636c26c4c7db7e27a3a56">Abel will one day take over</a>&nbsp;Berkshire and Abel already oversees all of the conglomerate's non-insurance businesses, but Buffett has no plans to retire.“Charlie at 99? That brain is as good as it ever was,” Olson said. “Warren is the same way. His energy is amazing. So don't count on Greg taking over tomorrow.”The longevity of the two men who have led Berkshire for nearly six decades is always in the back of mind of the shareholders who will pack an Omaha arena to listen to Buffett and Munger&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-earnings-omaha-warren-buffett-16d017b2579b9d7bb1cbff7f821e7578">spend hours answering questions.</a>&nbsp;Many wonder how the company will fare&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-successor-bank-failures-2e6146a64b0d196b9ceea904c5af37df">once those two are no longer at the helm.</a>Olson has been on Berkshire's board since 1997 and has been part of countless conversations over the years about how to eventually replace Buffett. He said the board has total confidence in Abel, who led Berkshire's massive utility unit starting in 2008 before taking his current vice chairman role in 2018.Olson said Abel has had the advantage of spending many years working closely with Buffett and is steeped in Berkshire's unusual culture of letting companies it owns largely run themselves. Olson said he thinks preserving that culture of trust will be the most important part of Abel's job running the company.“He has had a lot of what I would call grooming and practice,” Olson said.Berkshire has said for years that Buffett's job as chairman, CEO and chief investment officer will be split into several parts when he is gone. Berkshire finally designated Abel as the CEO successor two years ago after Munger hinted at it during an offhand comment at the annual meeting.Buffett has said he believes his oldest son, Howard, who already serves on Berkshire's board, would make an ideal chairman to help protect the company's culture.Berkshire has hired two other investment managers who oversee a small part of the company's portfolio now. Olson said Abel will have to decide how big a role those two will play in managing Berkshire's investments in the future.Berkshire owns an eclectic assortment of businesses including Geico and other major insurers, a number of large utilities, BNSF railroad and a range of retail and manufacturing businesses. Berkshire also holds major stakes in companies like Apple, Bank of America, American Express, Coca-Cola and Chinese electric car maker BYD.

Board member: 92-year-old Buffett won't be replaced soon

WASHINGTON (AP) — A review of a Montana nuclear missile base where an unusual number of troops have been diagnosed with blood cancer has found no current risk factors that could explain it, the Air Force says.

The service has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-health-lymphoma-083f43ac696c313526487d4dc93c11db">investigating the issue</a>&nbsp;since reports surfaced in January of at least nine missileers who had served at Malmstrom Air Force Base who were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In the months since, more than 30 cancer cases at Malmstrom and the nation's other nuclear missile facilities, including F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California have come to light.

But the medical review found that “overall, there were no factors identified that would be considered immediate concerns for acute cancer risks,” the Air Force’s 711th Human Performance Wing said in a report obtained by the Associated Press.

“Additionally, there was nothing specifically noted at Malmstrom’s main base or operational missile sites that would indicate a specific reason for increased cancer," the report said.

The findings by the Air Force — which do not mean it will stop investigating the issue — are bringing both frustration and renewed grief to the families whose service members are fighting cancer, or have already died.

But some also hope a spotlight on the issue will at least result in the Air Force carrying out a full cancer study of all the men and women who have worked with the nation's nuclear warheads, and hopefully an easier path to medical care.

Rhonda Wesolowski’s son Air Force Capt. Jason Jenness was a senior missile launch officer in the 1990s with the now-deactivated 564th missile squadron at Malmstrom. He died from non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2001 at the age of 31.

Even back then, his mother says, she was concerned his cancer had to do with his service, “and his friends were concerned, because there were rumors." But when she reached out to the Air Force, “I got a form letter," she said. To her, the letter left her feeling that the cancers were "being swept under the rug.”

Her son, Jason Jenness, died five months after his diagnosis.

“I knew it was too big. Too big a fight,” she said of trying to push the Air Force to figure out why her son and other missileers were getting sick. “I still think its too big a fight. I’m very happy that there’s some spotlight being put on it, because then it will make people more aware, and kids who are going into the service may ask more questions, and it may help in that regard."

Jeff Fawcett Jr.’s father also served with 564th missile squadron at Malmstrom, from 1988 to 1992. He died in 2016 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, both types of blood cancers. He was 56.

Jeff Fawcett Sr. served for 25 years — and if he was alive now, “would never be able to bring himself to the conclusion” that his missileer service might have been connected to his cancer, his son said. “He loved the military,” Fawcett Jr. said.

But the son is hoping the Air Force will do more to look for possible causes. Because the elder Fawcett served a 20-year military career, he received lifetime military medical care. Walter Reed doctors said his six-month battle could have cost more than $1 million if the family had to go through a private hospital and insurance, Fawcett Jr. said.

“His care didn’t bankrupt my family,” the son said. “But what if you’re a young lieutenant who did four years and got out, and 15 years later you have an awful blood cancer and you are paying God knows how much?”

Missileers are young military officers who monitor, operate and stand ready to fire the nation's nuclear warheads — sitting alert in underground launch control centers for shifts that can last from 24 to 48 hours.

But both the launch control centers and the missile silos they oversee were built more than 60 years ago. In the decades since, as the facilities have aged, former and current missileers have worried about asbestos in the hardened facilities, about ventilation of the air they have breathed from old duct systems while underground, about the water they have drunk and emissions from equipment they used.

The review did make recommendations to address some of those concerns, including that the Air Force consider a deep clean of each launch control center, that it clearly mark safe boundaries for radio frequency sources, and to cease the practice of burning classified documents while locked inside the launch control center.

The Air Force is committed to continuing to investigate the issue and will conduct an epidemiological study of cancers within the missile community, the service said.

To conduct the initial review, the Air Force sent medical teams to Malmstrom, to F.E. Warren and to Minot from Feb. 27 to March 7 to talk to crews and assess each facility.

Dean Shockley was a young enlisted man at Malmstrom serving in the base's 341st maintenance group, where he worked on the missile silos from 1987 to 1989 — the same time frame that Fawcett Sr. was an officer there. In 2022, also at the age of 56, Shockley was diagnosed with an inoperable glioblastoma, a brain tumor.

Shockley, like most enlisted members, did not serve a full 20-year military career. He left after five years of military service.

It took his wife Garlanda Shockley “a month of constant calls daily, several times a day” to get the Department of Veterans Affairs to cover some of the medical costs, she said. Their insurance to date has covered most of the rest. But the potential that the coverage could stop, and the costs that would create, weighs on her.

“I have so much to worry about, I would like to know that he is cared for,” Garlanda Shockley said.

By Associated Press<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683303355773.jpeg" alt="In this image provided by the U.S. Air Force, Airman 1st Class Jackson Ligon, left, and Senior Airman Jonathan Marinaccio, 341st Missile Maintenance Squadron technicians, connect a re-entry system to a spacer on an intercontinental ballistic missile during a Simulated Electronic Launch-Minuteman test Sept. 22, 2020, at a launch facility near Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Mont. The Air Force says a review of a Montana nuclear missile base where an unusual number of troops have reported being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has found no immediate risk factors. The same was true at two other bases that could launch ground-based warheads, the service said in a report obtained by the Associated Press. (Senior Airman Daniel Brosam/U.S. Air Force via AP, File)" />
 <figcaption>In this image provided by the U.S. Air Force, Airman 1st Class Jackson Ligon, left, and Senior Airman Jonathan Marinaccio, 341st Missile Maintenance Squadron technicians, connect a re-entry system to a spacer on an intercontinental ballistic missile during a Simulated Electronic Launch-Minuteman test Sept. 22, 2020, at a launch facility near Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Mont. The Air Force says a review of a Montana nuclear missile base where an unusual number of troops have reported being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has found no immediate risk factors. The same was true at two other bases that could launch ground-based warheads, the service said in a report obtained by the Associated Press. (Senior Airman Daniel Brosam/U.S. Air Force via AP, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A review of a Montana nuclear missile base where an unusual number of troops have been diagnosed with blood cancer has found no current risk factors that could explain it, the Air Force says.The service has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-health-lymphoma-083f43ac696c313526487d4dc93c11db">investigating the issue</a>&nbsp;since reports surfaced in January of at least nine missileers who had served at Malmstrom Air Force Base who were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In the months since, more than 30 cancer cases at Malmstrom and the nation's other nuclear missile facilities, including F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California have come to light.But the medical review found that “overall, there were no factors identified that would be considered immediate concerns for acute cancer risks,” the Air Force’s 711th Human Performance Wing said in a report obtained by the Associated Press.“Additionally, there was nothing specifically noted at Malmstrom’s main base or operational missile sites that would indicate a specific reason for increased cancer," the report said.The findings by the Air Force — which do not mean it will stop investigating the issue — are bringing both frustration and renewed grief to the families whose service members are fighting cancer, or have already died.But some also hope a spotlight on the issue will at least result in the Air Force carrying out a full cancer study of all the men and women who have worked with the nation's nuclear warheads, and hopefully an easier path to medical care.Rhonda Wesolowski’s son Air Force Capt. Jason Jenness was a senior missile launch officer in the 1990s with the now-deactivated 564th missile squadron at Malmstrom. He died from non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2001 at the age of 31.Even back then, his mother says, she was concerned his cancer had to do with his service, “and his friends were concerned, because there were rumors." But when she reached out to the Air Force, “I got a form letter," she said. To her, the letter left her feeling that the cancers were "being swept under the rug.”Her son, Jason Jenness, died five months after his diagnosis.“I knew it was too big. Too big a fight,” she said of trying to push the Air Force to figure out why her son and other missileers were getting sick. “I still think its too big a fight. I’m very happy that there’s some spotlight being put on it, because then it will make people more aware, and kids who are going into the service may ask more questions, and it may help in that regard."Jeff Fawcett Jr.’s father also served with 564th missile squadron at Malmstrom, from 1988 to 1992. He died in 2016 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, both types of blood cancers. He was 56.Jeff Fawcett Sr. served for 25 years — and if he was alive now, “would never be able to bring himself to the conclusion” that his missileer service might have been connected to his cancer, his son said. “He loved the military,” Fawcett Jr. said.But the son is hoping the Air Force will do more to look for possible causes. Because the elder Fawcett served a 20-year military career, he received lifetime military medical care. Walter Reed doctors said his six-month battle could have cost more than $1 million if the family had to go through a private hospital and insurance, Fawcett Jr. said.“His care didn’t bankrupt my family,” the son said. “But what if you’re a young lieutenant who did four years and got out, and 15 years later you have an awful blood cancer and you are paying God knows how much?”Missileers are young military officers who monitor, operate and stand ready to fire the nation's nuclear warheads — sitting alert in underground launch control centers for shifts that can last from 24 to 48 hours.But both the launch control centers and the missile silos they oversee were built more than 60 years ago. In the decades since, as the facilities have aged, former and current missileers have worried about asbestos in the hardened facilities, about ventilation of the air they have breathed from old duct systems while underground, about the water they have drunk and emissions from equipment they used.The review did make recommendations to address some of those concerns, including that the Air Force consider a deep clean of each launch control center, that it clearly mark safe boundaries for radio frequency sources, and to cease the practice of burning classified documents while locked inside the launch control center.The Air Force is committed to continuing to investigate the issue and will conduct an epidemiological study of cancers within the missile community, the service said.To conduct the initial review, the Air Force sent medical teams to Malmstrom, to F.E. Warren and to Minot from Feb. 27 to March 7 to talk to crews and assess each facility.Dean Shockley was a young enlisted man at Malmstrom serving in the base's 341st maintenance group, where he worked on the missile silos from 1987 to 1989 — the same time frame that Fawcett Sr. was an officer there. In 2022, also at the age of 56, Shockley was diagnosed with an inoperable glioblastoma, a brain tumor.Shockley, like most enlisted members, did not serve a full 20-year military career. He left after five years of military service.It took his wife Garlanda Shockley “a month of constant calls daily, several times a day” to get the Department of Veterans Affairs to cover some of the medical costs, she said. Their insurance to date has covered most of the rest. But the potential that the coverage could stop, and the costs that would create, weighs on her.“I have so much to worry about, I would like to know that he is cared for,” Garlanda Shockley said.

No cancer risk found at nuclear bases so far, Air Force says

By Nebraska Game and Parks Commission&nbsp;

Free Fishing and Park Entry Day in Nebraska is May 20. Enjoy a Saturday of fishing or state park activities without the need to purchase a fishing or park entry permit for the day.

Free Fishing and Park Entry Day, held annually in Nebraska on the Saturday preceding Memorial Day weekend, means anyone can explore outdoor opportunities at any Nebraska state park, state recreation area or state historical park. Anglers must observe all fishing regulations. Camping, lodging and all other user fees still apply at state park areas. Entrance fees for museums at state historical parks and the entrance fee at the Schramm Education Center remain in effect.

Several family-friendly activities are scheduled in state park areas across the state to celebrate Free Fishing and Park Entry Day. Some of them include:

A Kids’ Fishing Derby is set for 9-11 a.m. for ages 12 and under at Grable Ponds.&nbsp;A barbecue, which includes hamburger, salad and drink, will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the west lawn of the lodge. The cost is $11; kids 12 and under are&nbsp;$5.50.

A Beginner Fishing Program will be held from 9-11 a.m. at Platte River State Park’s Owen Landing and from 1-3 p.m. at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park’s CenturyLink Lake.

Join the parks’ naturalists at the lake to give fishing a try. Bait a hook, cast a line and catch a fish. All equipment will be provided.

At the Schramm Education Center, a Fun with Fishing Program is set for 11 a.m. at the new shelter with the green roof between the hatchery ponds and the parking area. This will be an opportunity to make a fish print, design a fishing lure and play fish-themed games.

Ponca will host the Bill Morris Fishing Derby for anglers of all ages. There also will be a youth casting competition, fish cleaning demonstrations, and more.

Fremont Lakes State Recreation Area

Lake No. 16 will host the Bob Bruner Memorial Fishing Derby from 9 a.m. to noon. There also will be food, other activities and prizes. Bait will be available while supplies last.

Children under age 18 are invited to come out and fish Ash Hollow’s pond. A free hot dog lunch will be served from noon to 2 p.m. Mountain time.

Participate in the Northwest Nebraska Volksmarch at Chadron State Park, walking a 5k or 10k route. For just a $3 fee, enjoy the park’s scenery and trails while getting some exercise. Walkers can begin from the start table between 8 and 11 a.m. Children in strollers are free. All children under 12 will receive an award. Visit the Northwest Nebraska Facebook page for a registration link. For more information, contact Brittany Helmbrecht at 308-432-6374 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:bhelmbrecht@csc.edu" target="_blank">bhelmbrecht@csc.edu</a>.

Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area

The park, from 9 a.m. to noon, will host Wildlands Day, which will include a bird hike, wildflower walk, children’s crafts and more.

Rock Creek Station State Historical Park

A free activity, Birding for Everybody and Every Body, will take place from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. It includes an accessible and inclusive guided birding outing for all ages and experience levels.

Fort Hartsuff State Historical Park

Experience life at Fort Hartsuff in the 1800s while reenactors make candles, forge items in the blacksmith shop, and answer questions about their life at the fort. Visitors are encouraged to talk to reenactors and ask questions.

Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly9jYWxlbmRhci5vdXRkb29ybmVicmFza2EuZ292IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDUwNS43NjI4Nzk3MSJ9.NAMZiCTwDmiAa9IcL-8GBzuCBhXMPhsW7NjsBF7iPoo/s/497221906/br/177696018977-l" target="_blank">calendar.outdoornebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;for more information. Get more information on parks at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cub3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNTA1Ljc2Mjg3OTcxIn0.HnqSAsEJAqXo3J_-8o_503wlfO02ob1iBYQ4yxKq_Ro/s/497221906/br/177696018977-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov</a>.

By Nebraska Game and Parks Commission&nbsp;Free Fishing and Park Entry Day in Nebraska is May 20. Enjoy a Saturday of fishing or state park activities without the need to purchase a fishing or park entry permit for the day.Free Fishing and Park Entry Day, held annually in Nebraska on the Saturday preceding Memorial Day weekend, means anyone can explore outdoor opportunities at any Nebraska state park, state recreation area or state historical park. Anglers must observe all fishing regulations. Camping, lodging and all other user fees still apply at state park areas. Entrance fees for museums at state historical parks and the entrance fee at the Schramm Education Center remain in effect.Several family-friendly activities are scheduled in state park areas across the state to celebrate Free Fishing and Park Entry Day. Some of them include:Fort Robinson State ParkA Kids’ Fishing Derby is set for 9-11 a.m. for ages 12 and under at Grable Ponds.&nbsp;A barbecue, which includes hamburger, salad and drink, will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the west lawn of the lodge. The cost is $11; kids 12 and under are&nbsp;$5.50.Venture ParksA Beginner Fishing Program will be held from 9-11 a.m. at Platte River State Park’s Owen Landing and from 1-3 p.m. at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park’s CenturyLink Lake.Join the parks’ naturalists at the lake to give fishing a try. Bait a hook, cast a line and catch a fish. All equipment will be provided.At the Schramm Education Center, a Fun with Fishing Program is set for 11 a.m. at the new shelter with the green roof between the hatchery ponds and the parking area. This will be an opportunity to make a fish print, design a fishing lure and play fish-themed games.Ponca State ParkPonca will host the Bill Morris Fishing Derby for anglers of all ages. There also will be a youth casting competition, fish cleaning demonstrations, and more.Fremont Lakes State Recreation AreaLake No. 16 will host the Bob Bruner Memorial Fishing Derby from 9 a.m. to noon. There also will be food, other activities and prizes. Bait will be available while supplies last.Ash Hollow State Historical ParkChildren under age 18 are invited to come out and fish Ash Hollow’s pond. A free hot dog lunch will be served from noon to 2 p.m. Mountain time.Chadron State ParkParticipate in the Northwest Nebraska Volksmarch at Chadron State Park, walking a 5k or 10k route. For just a $3 fee, enjoy the park’s scenery and trails while getting some exercise. Walkers can begin from the start table between 8 and 11 a.m. Children in strollers are free. All children under 12 will receive an award. Visit the Northwest Nebraska Facebook page for a registration link. For more information, contact Brittany Helmbrecht at 308-432-6374 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:bhelmbrecht@csc.edu" target="_blank">bhelmbrecht@csc.edu</a>.Wildcat Hills State Recreation AreaThe park, from 9 a.m. to noon, will host Wildlands Day, which will include a bird hike, wildflower walk, children’s crafts and more.Rock Creek Station State Historical ParkA free activity, Birding for Everybody and Every Body, will take place from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. It includes an accessible and inclusive guided birding outing for all ages and experience levels.Fort Hartsuff State Historical ParkExperience life at Fort Hartsuff in the 1800s while reenactors make candles, forge items in the blacksmith shop, and answer questions about their life at the fort. Visitors are encouraged to talk to reenactors and ask questions.Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly9jYWxlbmRhci5vdXRkb29ybmVicmFza2EuZ292IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDUwNS43NjI4Nzk3MSJ9.NAMZiCTwDmiAa9IcL-8GBzuCBhXMPhsW7NjsBF7iPoo/s/497221906/br/177696018977-l" target="_blank">calendar.outdoornebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;for more information. Get more information on parks at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cub3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNTA1Ljc2Mjg3OTcxIn0.HnqSAsEJAqXo3J_-8o_503wlfO02ob1iBYQ4yxKq_Ro/s/497221906/br/177696018977-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov</a>.

Free Fishing and Park Entry Day is May 20 throughout Panhandle lakes 

LINCOLN, Neb - Lawmakers gave first-round approval this week to three components of the state’s $12.975 billion budget package. The state budget is structured on a two-year basis, with the budget enacted during legislative sessions held in odd-numbered years.

As introduced, the&nbsp;<a href="http://news.legislature.ne.gov/app" target="_blank">Appropriations Committee</a>&nbsp;budget proposal would result in a projected ending balance of almost $715 million above the 3 percent required minimum reserve. This amount would be available to fund proposals pending before the Legislature this session.

The state’s Cash Reserve Fund — often referred to as the “rainy day” fund — would have a balance of almost $990 million.

Elmwood&nbsp;<a href="http://news.legislature.ne.gov/dist02" target="_blank">Sen. Robert Clements</a>, chairperson of the committee, said the budget package reflects a two-year average spending growth rate of 2.3 percent and would leave approximately 16 percent — or two months’ worth — of the state’s annual expenditures in the Cash Reserve Fund as a buffer against potential future economic downturns.

Lincoln Sen. Anna Wishart, committee vice-chairperson, expressed pride in the priorities chosen by the committee, including focusing on key infrastructure projects to support a second water source for Lincoln, a water project in northeast Nebraska and a sewer project in Sarpy County.

“We prioritized water,” Wishart said. “I don’t know if there’s anything more basic in terms of needs than access to water.”

Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn also spoke in support of the overall budget package, pointing to the inclusion of $1 billion in state general funds to provide foundation aid and additional special education funding for K-12 students through creation of the Education Future Fund.

“We funded a lot of good programs,” Linehan said, including hundreds of millions of dollars for economic development aid to east Omaha and increases in Medicaid provider rates.

“I’m tired of hearing that we don’t take care of people here,” Linehan said. “The largest part of our budget is aid — by far and away.”

<a href="http://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/search_by_number.php?DocumentNumber=LB814&amp;Legislature=108th" target="_blank">LB814</a>, introduced by Speaker John Arch on behalf of Gov. Jim Pillen, is the mainline budget bill. An Appropriations Committee amendment, adopted 37-4, replaced the bill and contains recommendations for state operations and aid programs.

Among the measures included in the committee amendment were provisions of the following bills brought by lawmakers: • LB80, sponsored by Grand Island Sen. Raymond Aguilar, which would authorize transfers of $4 million in each of the next two fiscal years from the Veterans’ Aid Fund to fund construction and improvements to a state veterans’ cemetery in Grand Island; • LB609, sponsored by Omaha Sen. Mike McDonnell, which would appropriate $2.5 million in general funds in FY2023-24 to the state Department of Veterans’ Affairs to award a grant to a nonprofit to help complete a memorial to the nearly 400 Nebraskans who died in the Vietnam War; • LB712, sponsored by Gering Sen. Brian Hardin, which would transfer $10 million from the Cash Reserve Fund to the Site and Building Development Fund in FY2024-25 to fund grants to aid panhandle communities as they prepare for an influx of contractors to upgrade the area’s aging ICBM missile system; • LB741, introduced by Omaha Sen. Tony Vargas, which would transfer $20 million in FY2023-24 and FY2024-25 from the Cash Reserve Fund to the Rural Workforce Housing Investment Fund and the Middle Income Housing Investment Fund; and • LB817, introduced by Arch on behalf of the governor, which would appropriate funds for reaffirmed and new capital construction projects.

Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha offered an amendment during general file debate May 3 that would strike $14 million in transfers from the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund to the Water Resources Cash Fund over the next two fiscal years.

Cavanaugh noted that the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund was created in 1992 and receives 44.5 percent of the state’s lottery proceeds under a constitutional amendment approved by Nebraska voters in 2004. He said the state constitution does not authorize the Legislature to transfer those funds or to appropriate the money for other purposes.

“The environmental trust is not a pass-through for agencies to use in lieu of general funds” Cavanaugh said, calling the provision “likely unconstitutional.”

Clements opposed the amendment, saying LB814 includes intent language to restrict the department’s use of the transfer to water projects that would be authorized uses of the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund.

In addition, there is precedent for such transfers, Clements said, and the trust fund currently has a surplus, which ensures that a one-time transfer would not jeopardize the fund’s long-term sustainability.

“With the increase in revenue from the Nebraska lottery, the fund is on track to continue to grow,” he said.

The Cavanaugh amendment failed on a vote of 12-28.

Senators adopted an amendment brought by Omaha Sen. Mike McDonnell, which would appropriate $10 million in general funds to conduct a required actuarial study regarding changes to the Nebraska State Patrol retirement plan. The amendment was adopted 28-0.

Several amendments to LB814 focused on issues with the state’s corrections system and $335 million in proposed funding for a new prison to replace the aging Nebraska State Penitentiary.

Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne said the state’s focus on building a new facility without a comparable focus on programming for incarcerated individuals or assistance with their reentry into society is not fiscally responsible.

“Our prison system is overcrowded,” he said. “We are going to spend over $300 million to build a new prison and nobody in this body can find me any data point that says that prison will not be full the first day it is open.”

He brought an amendment, adopted 28-3, to add provisions originally outlined in his LB792, which would create a pilot program in a metropolitan class city to assess and treat post-traumatic stress disorder related to gun violence.

As introduced, the bill would have appropriated $25 million in general funds to carry out the study, but Wayne said he would work with senators before the second round of debate to ensure that funding for the current biennium is $5 million per year from the Nebraska Health Care Cash Fund.

Wayne said he believed that research into and subsequent assistance for PTSD in North and South Omaha could benefit those communities as much as any economic development effort and would be a necessary step in curbing the cycle of violence and incarceration experienced by many area residents.

Lincoln Sen. George Dungan supported the amendment, calling PTSD one of the major root causes of involvement in the state’s criminal justice system. A person who experiences numerous traumatic events as a child often is further traumatized by being incarcerated, he said, leading to a spiral of mental health issues.

“One of the things about PTSD is that it compounds upon itself,” Dungan said.

Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha brought an amendment, adopted 29-8, to address the current grant reimbursement process for nonprofits that provide reentry services for individuals transitioning back to communities from the state’s correctional system.

McKinney explained that many such organizations operate on tight margins and cannot afford to provide extensive services upfront and then wait to be reimbursed by the state. The amendment would require that grants not be funded through a reimbursement process.

Another amendment offered by McKinney to strike funding for a new state prison failed on a 14-24 vote.

Dungan brought an amendment, adopted 31-1, to provide $200,000 in general funds in FY2023-24 and FY2024-25 to increase payments for court interpreter services for deaf and hard of hearing individuals and those who are unable to communicate in English.

After eight hours of debate, Arch offered a motion to invoke cloture, which ceases debate and forces a vote on the bill and any pending amendment. The motion was adopted on a 38-3 vote and senators advanced LB814 to select file 36-4.

LB818, also introduced by Arch at the request of the governor, would provide for fund transfers and change and eliminate provisions regarding fund transfers. A committee amendment, adopted 39-0, replaced the bill.

Debate focused on proposed funding for the Perkins County Canal Project, which would divert South Platte River water from Colorado to Nebraska in accordance with a 1923 interstate compact. The state Department of Natural Resources originally requested $449 million for a 500 cubic feet per second canal. The committee increased that request to $574.5 million for a 1,000 cfs canal.

Senators rejected an amendment offered by Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh to revert to the original funding outlined by the department.

Cavanaugh said the expanded project could jeopardize the state’s ability to exert its rights under the compact by provoking backlash from Colorado over expanded eminent domain claims. Additionally, the department has failed to explain why the larger canal is necessary, he said, and building it likely would result in extensive legal battles.

“I remain skeptical whether the canal is worth the cost to the state, both in terms of construction and the inevitable litigation it will bring,” Cavanaugh said.

Clements opposed the amendment, saying the larger canal would result in Nebraska obtaining 100 percent more water capacity for only 28 percent more cost. He said the expanded canal also would send a message to Colorado that Nebraska is serious about exerting its water rights under the compact.

Dunbar Sen. Julie Slama said Nebraska is “wholly dependent” on flows from others in order to irrigate land and provide drinking water across the entire state. Speaking in opposition to the amendment, she said the expanded canal is necessary to preserve agriculture and secure the state’s prosperity.

“Water is the gold of the future,” Slama said.

The Cavanaugh amendment failed on a vote of 11-32.

Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney offered an amendment to require that $70 million of any transfers from the Cash Reserve for a new state prison must first go into the Nebraska Prison Overcrowding Contingency Fund, to be released only on completion of several studies regarding classification, staffing requirements and programming needs and efficacy.

McKinney said funding for the prison should not be approved without some level of oversight and accountability for the state Department of Correctional Services, which has yet to complete a classification study required by the Legislature in 2021.

Wishart said she understood the frustration expressed by several lawmakers that the Legislature has not passed meaningful criminal justice reform in recent years and agreed that, without such reform, the state’s prison overcrowding crisis will continue even after construction of a new prison.

She said she was committed to working on an amendment for the next round of debate that would build in greater accountability for the department.

McKinney’s amendment failed on a 16-16 vote.

Columbus Sen. Mike Moser offered an amendment, adopted 36-0, to remove a $40 million transfer from the Nebraska Telecommunications Universal Service Fund to the Cash Reserve Fund. Moser said the current fund balance of roughly $120 million is dedicated to a number of ongoing projects and should not be used to bolster the state’s “rainy day” fund.

Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad supported the amendment, saying the state’s robust fiscal position means there is no need to “shake the couch cushions” and “raid” cash funds looking for money in order to avoid cutting state services or raising taxes.

“If and when we face an economic downturn — and there’s a great deal of economic uncertainty on the horizon — if we utilize and sweep those cash funds today, in a time of unprecedented economic prosperity, we have no place to go in the future,” Conrad said.

Following a successful cloture motion adopted 36-2, lawmakers advanced LB818 to select file on a 35-0 vote May 4.

LB813, the final component of the budget package, would make adjustments to funding for state operations, aid and construction programs in the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh offered a series of amendments to extend debate on the measure, none of which were adopted.

Following a successful cloture motion from Arch, lawmakers adopted a committee amendment May 5 on a 38-0 vote. LB813 then advanced to select file 36-2.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683334849742.jpeg" alt="Sen. Robert Clements" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Robert Clements</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb - Lawmakers gave first-round approval this week to three components of the state’s $12.975 billion budget package. The state budget is structured on a two-year basis, with the budget enacted during legislative sessions held in odd-numbered years.As introduced, the&nbsp;<a href="http://news.legislature.ne.gov/app" target="_blank">Appropriations Committee</a>&nbsp;budget proposal would result in a projected ending balance of almost $715 million above the 3 percent required minimum reserve. This amount would be available to fund proposals pending before the Legislature this session.The state’s Cash Reserve Fund — often referred to as the “rainy day” fund — would have a balance of almost $990 million.Elmwood&nbsp;<a href="http://news.legislature.ne.gov/dist02" target="_blank">Sen. Robert Clements</a>, chairperson of the committee, said the budget package reflects a two-year average spending growth rate of 2.3 percent and would leave approximately 16 percent — or two months’ worth — of the state’s annual expenditures in the Cash Reserve Fund as a buffer against potential future economic downturns.Lincoln Sen. Anna Wishart, committee vice-chairperson, expressed pride in the priorities chosen by the committee, including focusing on key infrastructure projects to support a second water source for Lincoln, a water project in northeast Nebraska and a sewer project in Sarpy County.“We prioritized water,” Wishart said. “I don’t know if there’s anything more basic in terms of needs than access to water.”Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn also spoke in support of the overall budget package, pointing to the inclusion of $1 billion in state general funds to provide foundation aid and additional special education funding for K-12 students through creation of the Education Future Fund.“We funded a lot of good programs,” Linehan said, including hundreds of millions of dollars for economic development aid to east Omaha and increases in Medicaid provider rates.“I’m tired of hearing that we don’t take care of people here,” Linehan said. “The largest part of our budget is aid — by far and away.”Mainline budget<a href="http://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/search_by_number.php?DocumentNumber=LB814&amp;Legislature=108th" target="_blank">LB814</a>, introduced by Speaker John Arch on behalf of Gov. Jim Pillen, is the mainline budget bill. An Appropriations Committee amendment, adopted 37-4, replaced the bill and contains recommendations for state operations and aid programs.Among the measures included in the committee amendment were provisions of the following bills brought by lawmakers: • LB80, sponsored by Grand Island Sen. Raymond Aguilar, which would authorize transfers of $4 million in each of the next two fiscal years from the Veterans’ Aid Fund to fund construction and improvements to a state veterans’ cemetery in Grand Island; • LB609, sponsored by Omaha Sen. Mike McDonnell, which would appropriate $2.5 million in general funds in FY2023-24 to the state Department of Veterans’ Affairs to award a grant to a nonprofit to help complete a memorial to the nearly 400 Nebraskans who died in the Vietnam War; • LB712, sponsored by Gering Sen. Brian Hardin, which would transfer $10 million from the Cash Reserve Fund to the Site and Building Development Fund in FY2024-25 to fund grants to aid panhandle communities as they prepare for an influx of contractors to upgrade the area’s aging ICBM missile system; • LB741, introduced by Omaha Sen. Tony Vargas, which would transfer $20 million in FY2023-24 and FY2024-25 from the Cash Reserve Fund to the Rural Workforce Housing Investment Fund and the Middle Income Housing Investment Fund; and • LB817, introduced by Arch on behalf of the governor, which would appropriate funds for reaffirmed and new capital construction projects.Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha offered an amendment during general file debate May 3 that would strike $14 million in transfers from the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund to the Water Resources Cash Fund over the next two fiscal years.Cavanaugh noted that the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund was created in 1992 and receives 44.5 percent of the state’s lottery proceeds under a constitutional amendment approved by Nebraska voters in 2004. He said the state constitution does not authorize the Legislature to transfer those funds or to appropriate the money for other purposes.“The environmental trust is not a pass-through for agencies to use in lieu of general funds” Cavanaugh said, calling the provision “likely unconstitutional.”Clements opposed the amendment, saying LB814 includes intent language to restrict the department’s use of the transfer to water projects that would be authorized uses of the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund.In addition, there is precedent for such transfers, Clements said, and the trust fund currently has a surplus, which ensures that a one-time transfer would not jeopardize the fund’s long-term sustainability.“With the increase in revenue from the Nebraska lottery, the fund is on track to continue to grow,” he said.The Cavanaugh amendment failed on a vote of 12-28.Senators adopted an amendment brought by Omaha Sen. Mike McDonnell, which would appropriate $10 million in general funds to conduct a required actuarial study regarding changes to the Nebraska State Patrol retirement plan. The amendment was adopted 28-0.Corrections proposalsSeveral amendments to LB814 focused on issues with the state’s corrections system and $335 million in proposed funding for a new prison to replace the aging Nebraska State Penitentiary.Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne said the state’s focus on building a new facility without a comparable focus on programming for incarcerated individuals or assistance with their reentry into society is not fiscally responsible.“Our prison system is overcrowded,” he said. “We are going to spend over $300 million to build a new prison and nobody in this body can find me any data point that says that prison will not be full the first day it is open.”He brought an amendment, adopted 28-3, to add provisions originally outlined in his LB792, which would create a pilot program in a metropolitan class city to assess and treat post-traumatic stress disorder related to gun violence.As introduced, the bill would have appropriated $25 million in general funds to carry out the study, but Wayne said he would work with senators before the second round of debate to ensure that funding for the current biennium is $5 million per year from the Nebraska Health Care Cash Fund.Wayne said he believed that research into and subsequent assistance for PTSD in North and South Omaha could benefit those communities as much as any economic development effort and would be a necessary step in curbing the cycle of violence and incarceration experienced by many area residents.Lincoln Sen. George Dungan supported the amendment, calling PTSD one of the major root causes of involvement in the state’s criminal justice system. A person who experiences numerous traumatic events as a child often is further traumatized by being incarcerated, he said, leading to a spiral of mental health issues.“One of the things about PTSD is that it compounds upon itself,” Dungan said.Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha brought an amendment, adopted 29-8, to address the current grant reimbursement process for nonprofits that provide reentry services for individuals transitioning back to communities from the state’s correctional system.McKinney explained that many such organizations operate on tight margins and cannot afford to provide extensive services upfront and then wait to be reimbursed by the state. The amendment would require that grants not be funded through a reimbursement process.Another amendment offered by McKinney to strike funding for a new state prison failed on a 14-24 vote.Dungan brought an amendment, adopted 31-1, to provide $200,000 in general funds in FY2023-24 and FY2024-25 to increase payments for court interpreter services for deaf and hard of hearing individuals and those who are unable to communicate in English.After eight hours of debate, Arch offered a motion to invoke cloture, which ceases debate and forces a vote on the bill and any pending amendment. The motion was adopted on a 38-3 vote and senators advanced LB814 to select file 36-4.Fund transfersLB818, also introduced by Arch at the request of the governor, would provide for fund transfers and change and eliminate provisions regarding fund transfers. A committee amendment, adopted 39-0, replaced the bill.Debate focused on proposed funding for the Perkins County Canal Project, which would divert South Platte River water from Colorado to Nebraska in accordance with a 1923 interstate compact. The state Department of Natural Resources originally requested $449 million for a 500 cubic feet per second canal. The committee increased that request to $574.5 million for a 1,000 cfs canal.Senators rejected an amendment offered by Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh to revert to the original funding outlined by the department.Cavanaugh said the expanded project could jeopardize the state’s ability to exert its rights under the compact by provoking backlash from Colorado over expanded eminent domain claims. Additionally, the department has failed to explain why the larger canal is necessary, he said, and building it likely would result in extensive legal battles.“I remain skeptical whether the canal is worth the cost to the state, both in terms of construction and the inevitable litigation it will bring,” Cavanaugh said.Clements opposed the amendment, saying the larger canal would result in Nebraska obtaining 100 percent more water capacity for only 28 percent more cost. He said the expanded canal also would send a message to Colorado that Nebraska is serious about exerting its water rights under the compact.Dunbar Sen. Julie Slama said Nebraska is “wholly dependent” on flows from others in order to irrigate land and provide drinking water across the entire state. Speaking in opposition to the amendment, she said the expanded canal is necessary to preserve agriculture and secure the state’s prosperity.“Water is the gold of the future,” Slama said.The Cavanaugh amendment failed on a vote of 11-32.Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney offered an amendment to require that $70 million of any transfers from the Cash Reserve for a new state prison must first go into the Nebraska Prison Overcrowding Contingency Fund, to be released only on completion of several studies regarding classification, staffing requirements and programming needs and efficacy.McKinney said funding for the prison should not be approved without some level of oversight and accountability for the state Department of Correctional Services, which has yet to complete a classification study required by the Legislature in 2021.Wishart said she understood the frustration expressed by several lawmakers that the Legislature has not passed meaningful criminal justice reform in recent years and agreed that, without such reform, the state’s prison overcrowding crisis will continue even after construction of a new prison.She said she was committed to working on an amendment for the next round of debate that would build in greater accountability for the department.McKinney’s amendment failed on a 16-16 vote.Columbus Sen. Mike Moser offered an amendment, adopted 36-0, to remove a $40 million transfer from the Nebraska Telecommunications Universal Service Fund to the Cash Reserve Fund. Moser said the current fund balance of roughly $120 million is dedicated to a number of ongoing projects and should not be used to bolster the state’s “rainy day” fund.Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad supported the amendment, saying the state’s robust fiscal position means there is no need to “shake the couch cushions” and “raid” cash funds looking for money in order to avoid cutting state services or raising taxes.“If and when we face an economic downturn — and there’s a great deal of economic uncertainty on the horizon — if we utilize and sweep those cash funds today, in a time of unprecedented economic prosperity, we have no place to go in the future,” Conrad said.Following a successful cloture motion adopted 36-2, lawmakers advanced LB818 to select file on a 35-0 vote May 4.LB813, the final component of the budget package, would make adjustments to funding for state operations, aid and construction programs in the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh offered a series of amendments to extend debate on the measure, none of which were adopted.Following a successful cloture motion from Arch, lawmakers adopted a committee amendment May 5 on a 38-0 vote. LB813 then advanced to select file 36-2.

State budget package clears first round

KEARNEY, NEB. —Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a Kimball woman following a pursuit on Interstate 80 Thursday evening.

At approximately 9:10 p.m. Thursday, a trooper observed an westbound Infiniti G37 traveling at 117 miles per hour on I-80 near mile marker 264. The trooper attempted a traffic stop. The driver refused to yield and accelerated. The trooper initiated a pursuit.

The suspect vehicle reached speeds above 140 miles per hour as it fled westbound. Another trooper was able to successfully deploy stop sticks to slow the vehicle. It then drove into the north ditch and came to a stop near mile marker 237. The driver then refused to exit the vehicle for several minutes.

After approximately seven minutes, the driver, identified as Rebecca Brown, 46, of Kimball, exited the vehicle and was taken into custody. She was arrested for flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, obstructing a peace officer, possession of drug paraphernalia, and several traffic violations. She was lodged in Dawson County Jail.

The Lexington Police Department and Dawson County Sheriff’s Office assisted in this incident.

By NSPKEARNEY, NEB. —Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a Kimball woman following a pursuit on Interstate 80 Thursday evening.At approximately 9:10 p.m. Thursday, a trooper observed an westbound Infiniti G37 traveling at 117 miles per hour on I-80 near mile marker 264. The trooper attempted a traffic stop. The driver refused to yield and accelerated. The trooper initiated a pursuit.The suspect vehicle reached speeds above 140 miles per hour as it fled westbound. Another trooper was able to successfully deploy stop sticks to slow the vehicle. It then drove into the north ditch and came to a stop near mile marker 237. The driver then refused to exit the vehicle for several minutes.After approximately seven minutes, the driver, identified as Rebecca Brown, 46, of Kimball, exited the vehicle and was taken into custody. She was arrested for flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, obstructing a peace officer, possession of drug paraphernalia, and several traffic violations. She was lodged in Dawson County Jail.The Lexington Police Department and Dawson County Sheriff’s Office assisted in this incident.

Troopers arrest Panhandle woman following 140 MPH pursuit

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