By ABIGAIL SWANSON, COLLEGE RELATIONS

CHADRON – Chadron State College Digital Graphic Designer Daniel Binkard opened the 2022 Graves Lecture Series with 10 Years of CSC Live, a presentation detailing the origin, growth, technology, and continued presence of the college’s live event broadcasting team.

“CSC Live, as we see it today, started in 2012,” Binkard said. “Randy Rhine had started as the college president, and he wanted to expand what we were doing with live streaming coverage. So, Dewayne Gimeson (Publications Specialist) and I prepared a list of equipment to purchase and that would enable us to add multiple angles to athletic broadcasts and just generally improve the product.”

Binkard configured the equipment for the first home football game of the semester in September 2012. The opening broadcast featured three cameras, a fixed wide angle shot, a microphone for ambient audio, and a student commentator.

“The game was a little choppy here and there, but we got it out to the public successfully. Over the next few years, I spent time working out what our camera coverage options needed to be for a given game, and where could I make improvements, whether they're in large or small ways,” Binkard said.

He described the different technologies involved in a broadcast, including audio sources like ambient sound and commentators, video from cameras, computer-generated graphics, and replay which are combined, encoded, and sent to the livestream.

“Running the full broadcast doesn't happen with just me. My role as the overall director is to make sure each broadcast goes out in some way. That's where the student workers come in. Without student workers, it's down to just me running a single camera,” Binkard said.

Binkard explained how the number of student workers available for an event impacts the coverage and how the positions of cameras change based on the sport.

“The ideal crew is seven student workers,” Binkard said. “I get one person on commentary and, as more workers are available, fill in the camera, replay, and switching operations.”

He concluded his presentation by answering audience questions about how student workers learn, the technology used in the broadcasts, notable stories, and his greatest triumphs over the years.

“A general triumph is when I've got enough student workers and we're covering a football game and firing on all cylinders. I really like seeing that action. You get the play live and then the replay. Boom, you're showing that on closeup camera. The camera operators are following the action cleanly. It just looks good,” Binkard said.

By ABIGAIL SWANSON, COLLEGE RELATIONSCHADRON – Chadron State College Digital Graphic Designer Daniel Binkard opened the 2022 Graves Lecture Series with 10 Years of CSC Live, a presentation detailing the origin, growth, technology, and continued presence of the college’s live event broadcasting team.“CSC Live, as we see it today, started in 2012,” Binkard said. “Randy Rhine had started as the college president, and he wanted to expand what we were doing with live streaming coverage. So, Dewayne Gimeson (Publications Specialist) and I prepared a list of equipment to purchase and that would enable us to add multiple angles to athletic broadcasts and just generally improve the product.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1667228109399.jpeg" alt="Chadron State College Digital Graphic Designer Daniel Binkard presents for the Graves Lecture series Oct. 18, 2022. Binkard described how CSC Live began and how he uses technology and student workers to provide quality coverage of campus events both for viewers during live events and as a record for years to come. (Photo by Abigail Swanson/Chadron State College)" />
 <figcaption>Chadron State College Digital Graphic Designer Daniel Binkard presents for the Graves Lecture series Oct. 18, 2022. Binkard described how CSC Live began and how he uses technology and student workers to provide quality coverage of campus events both for viewers during live events and as a record for years to come. (Photo by Abigail Swanson/Chadron State College)</figcaption>
 </figure>Binkard configured the equipment for the first home football game of the semester in September 2012. The opening broadcast featured three cameras, a fixed wide angle shot, a microphone for ambient audio, and a student commentator.“The game was a little choppy here and there, but we got it out to the public successfully. Over the next few years, I spent time working out what our camera coverage options needed to be for a given game, and where could I make improvements, whether they're in large or small ways,” Binkard said.He described the different technologies involved in a broadcast, including audio sources like ambient sound and commentators, video from cameras, computer-generated graphics, and replay which are combined, encoded, and sent to the livestream.“Running the full broadcast doesn't happen with just me. My role as the overall director is to make sure each broadcast goes out in some way. That's where the student workers come in. Without student workers, it's down to just me running a single camera,” Binkard said.Binkard explained how the number of student workers available for an event impacts the coverage and how the positions of cameras change based on the sport.“The ideal crew is seven student workers,” Binkard said. “I get one person on commentary and, as more workers are available, fill in the camera, replay, and switching operations.”He concluded his presentation by answering audience questions about how student workers learn, the technology used in the broadcasts, notable stories, and his greatest triumphs over the years.“A general triumph is when I've got enough student workers and we're covering a football game and firing on all cylinders. I really like seeing that action. You get the play live and then the replay. Boom, you're showing that on closeup camera. The camera operators are following the action cleanly. It just looks good,” Binkard said.

Binkard shares history of CSC Live

News Release University of Nebraska Medical Center

UNMC’s Omaha campus will be one of more than 60 sites nationally for STOMP, which will test the safety and efficacy of the drug tecovirimat.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center will be among more than 60 institutions nationwide participating in STOMP (Study of Tecovirimat for Human Monkeypox Virus), a phase 3 trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of the drug tecovirimat for the treatment of human monkeypox.

“As we learned in the COVID-19 pandemic, oftentimes the best way to proceed in times of clinical ambiguity is to as quickly as possible conduct a well-designed randomized, controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of promising therapeutics,” said Mark Rupp, MD, chief of the UNMC Division of Infectious Diseases. “I am very pleased and proud of the work being done by the ID faculty and staff at the Nebraska Medicine Specialty Care Center to get this clinical trial up and running. It is but another example of how UNMC ID is on the forefront of treating new and emerging infections.”

STOMP, which is being led by the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG), has been designed to learn as much as possible in a broad population of people with monkeypox.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stomptpoxx.org/main" target="_blank">See information about enrollment in the study</a>.

“UNMC has been caring for patients with monkeypox, and we are thrilled to have been selected as a site for this trial,” said Sara Bares, MD, associate professor in the UNMC Division of Infectious Diseases. “Our expertise in treating highly infectious diseases and in conducting clinical trials will help ensure the success of this trial.”

Tecovirimat is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat smallpox, but it is not yet known if it can effectively or safely treat monkeypox.

This multi-center trial will enroll more than 500 adults with monkeypox virus infection. Importantly, this trial will include people with severe disease and those at high risk of severe disease, including pregnant and breastfeeding people, children and individuals with underlying immune deficiency and active inflammatory skin conditions who will receive open-label tecovirimat.

<a>“The ACTG has designed this study to give us the greatest possible insights into whether and how tecovirimat works against monkeypox, including whether the virus develops resistance to the treatment,” said ACTG chair Judith Currier, MD, University of California, Los Angeles. “An important part of that design is the inclusion of children and pregnant people. The study will also evaluate markers that may tell us that the drug is working so we can identify future promising drugs. Beyond addressing the current outbreak, this study has the potential to profoundly&nbsp;inform the treatment of individuals who acquire monkeypox virus in endemic countries.”</a>

STOMP is sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which also funds the ACTG. A list of participating sites in the United States can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://actgnetwork.org/studies/a5418-study-of-tecovirimat-for-human-monkeypox-virus-stomp/" target="_blank">here</a>.

STOMP is led by Timothy Wilkin, MD, Weill Cornell Medicine, William Fischer, MD, University of North Carolina (UNC) and Jason Zucker, MD, Columbia University (vice-chairs), and is supported by Dr. Currier and Joseph J. Eron, MD, UNC (ACTG co-chair).

For more information about STOMP, please visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://actgnetwork.org/studies/a5418-study-of-tecovirimat-for-human-monkeypox-virus-stomp/" target="_blank">ACTG website</a>.

For information about participating at UNMC, please contact: Maureen Kubat,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:mo.kubat@unmc.edu" target="_blank">mo.kubat@unmc.edu</a>, 402-559-4408; or Jennifer O’Neill,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jloneill@unmc.edu" target="_blank">jloneill@unmc.edu</a>, 402-559-4312.

<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1667223407738.jpeg" alt="Sara Bares, MD" />
 <figcaption>Sara Bares, MD</figcaption>
 </figure>News Release University of Nebraska Medical CenterUNMC’s Omaha campus will be one of more than 60 sites nationally for STOMP, which will test the safety and efficacy of the drug tecovirimat.The University of Nebraska Medical Center will be among more than 60 institutions nationwide participating in STOMP (Study of Tecovirimat for Human Monkeypox Virus), a phase 3 trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of the drug tecovirimat for the treatment of human monkeypox.“As we learned in the COVID-19 pandemic, oftentimes the best way to proceed in times of clinical ambiguity is to as quickly as possible conduct a well-designed randomized, controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of promising therapeutics,” said Mark Rupp, MD, chief of the UNMC Division of Infectious Diseases. “I am very pleased and proud of the work being done by the ID faculty and staff at the Nebraska Medicine Specialty Care Center to get this clinical trial up and running. It is but another example of how UNMC ID is on the forefront of treating new and emerging infections.”STOMP, which is being led by the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG), has been designed to learn as much as possible in a broad population of people with monkeypox.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stomptpoxx.org/main" target="_blank">See information about enrollment in the study</a>.“UNMC has been caring for patients with monkeypox, and we are thrilled to have been selected as a site for this trial,” said Sara Bares, MD, associate professor in the UNMC Division of Infectious Diseases. “Our expertise in treating highly infectious diseases and in conducting clinical trials will help ensure the success of this trial.”Tecovirimat is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat smallpox, but it is not yet known if it can effectively or safely treat monkeypox.This multi-center trial will enroll more than 500 adults with monkeypox virus infection. Importantly, this trial will include people with severe disease and those at high risk of severe disease, including pregnant and breastfeeding people, children and individuals with underlying immune deficiency and active inflammatory skin conditions who will receive open-label tecovirimat.<a>“The ACTG has designed this study to give us the greatest possible insights into whether and how tecovirimat works against monkeypox, including whether the virus develops resistance to the treatment,” said ACTG chair Judith Currier, MD, University of California, Los Angeles. “An important part of that design is the inclusion of children and pregnant people. The study will also evaluate markers that may tell us that the drug is working so we can identify future promising drugs. Beyond addressing the current outbreak, this study has the potential to profoundly&nbsp;inform the treatment of individuals who acquire monkeypox virus in endemic countries.”</a>STOMP is sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which also funds the ACTG. A list of participating sites in the United States can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://actgnetwork.org/studies/a5418-study-of-tecovirimat-for-human-monkeypox-virus-stomp/" target="_blank">here</a>.STOMP is led by Timothy Wilkin, MD, Weill Cornell Medicine, William Fischer, MD, University of North Carolina (UNC) and Jason Zucker, MD, Columbia University (vice-chairs), and is supported by Dr. Currier and Joseph J. Eron, MD, UNC (ACTG co-chair).For more information about STOMP, please visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://actgnetwork.org/studies/a5418-study-of-tecovirimat-for-human-monkeypox-virus-stomp/" target="_blank">ACTG website</a>.For information about participating at UNMC, please contact: Maureen Kubat,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:mo.kubat@unmc.edu" target="_blank">mo.kubat@unmc.edu</a>, 402-559-4408; or Jennifer O’Neill,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jloneill@unmc.edu" target="_blank">jloneill@unmc.edu</a>, 402-559-4312.<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a><figure>
 <img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/awgg2UVTnX9xgRV5-FDHX-RN0It1jgPHKc3zqiEzlK0JPsOq2Qyi25MK1xM5faNx_HCyaBBwXWbmek5Si4PMzG0TSa5k3O4fO_j7zmTqXQpGEHqildQ5js6PQUSweErpFH57hfoIVqjetl34ajM7PLln2KQ0Gvfi2IQuxcYdSABreDAe82t1z7qppYqc" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

UNMC to participate in trial of possible monkeypox treatment

Alliance – Special events for children and youth at the Alliance Public Library include Story Time for ages 3-6 with music, puppets, crafts and more offered on Tuesdays at 10:00 am and Thursdays at 1:00 pm Themes consist of “Amazing Authors &amp; Illustrators” November 1 and 3, “tribute to Veterans” November 7 and 9, and “Thankful Hearts” November 15 and 17. There will be no Story Time during Thanksgiving week but will resume on November 29.

Preschool through second grade are invited to search for “Butterball the Turkey” during library hours from November 1 through November 23 and receive a prize once found. Butterball will hide once per day during this time frame.

For those who preregistered for LEGO Club K-12, the club will meet on November 1 and 15 from 4-5 pm in the Community Room.

For more information, please contact Cynthia Horn, Children’s and Youth Services Librarian at 762-1387.

By City of AllianceAlliance – Special events for children and youth at the Alliance Public Library include Story Time for ages 3-6 with music, puppets, crafts and more offered on Tuesdays at 10:00 am and Thursdays at 1:00 pm Themes consist of “Amazing Authors &amp; Illustrators” November 1 and 3, “tribute to Veterans” November 7 and 9, and “Thankful Hearts” November 15 and 17. There will be no Story Time during Thanksgiving week but will resume on November 29.Preschool through second grade are invited to search for “Butterball the Turkey” during library hours from November 1 through November 23 and receive a prize once found. Butterball will hide once per day during this time frame.For those who preregistered for LEGO Club K-12, the club will meet on November 1 and 15 from 4-5 pm in the Community Room.For more information, please contact Cynthia Horn, Children’s and Youth Services Librarian at 762-1387.

Alliance library to hold special children, youth events 

LINCOLN, NEB. — As the NSAA high school football playoffs get underway for all classes, Nebraska State Troopers are closing out another season of sharing safety messages under the Friday night lights.

“Friday Night Lights” is part of NSP’s community service effort, which includes troopers throughout the entire state. Troopers give public safety presentations in many venues throughout the year, including school programs and community events. Those efforts are made possible thanks in part to grant funding from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office.

Troopers utilize demonstration tools such as the NSP Persuader, Seat Belt Convincer, and Rollover Simulator in safety programs. Troopers also discuss the dangers of distracted driving, impaired driving, and other general safety topics.

To request a public safety demonstration, contact your local Nebraska State Patrol Troop Area Headquarters. Contact information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://statepatrol.nebraska.gov/divisions/field-services/community-policing-safety-programs" target="_blank">NSP website.</a>

By Nebraska State Patrol&nbsp;LINCOLN, NEB. — As the NSAA high school football playoffs get underway for all classes, Nebraska State Troopers are closing out another season of sharing safety messages under the Friday night lights.“Friday Night Lights” is part of NSP’s community service effort, which includes troopers throughout the entire state. Troopers give public safety presentations in many venues throughout the year, including school programs and community events. Those efforts are made possible thanks in part to grant funding from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office.Troopers utilize demonstration tools such as the NSP Persuader, Seat Belt Convincer, and Rollover Simulator in safety programs. Troopers also discuss the dangers of distracted driving, impaired driving, and other general safety topics.To request a public safety demonstration, contact your local Nebraska State Patrol Troop Area Headquarters. Contact information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://statepatrol.nebraska.gov/divisions/field-services/community-policing-safety-programs" target="_blank">NSP website.</a>

Troopers wrap-up season of Friday Night Lights   

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Powerball jackpot keeps getting larger because players keep losing.

It happened again Saturday night as no one matched all six numbers and won the estimated $825 million grand prize. That means the next drawing Monday night will be for a massive $1 billion, according to a statement by Powerball.

The winning numbers Saturday night were: white balls 19, 31, 40, 46, 57 and the red power ball 23.

The increased jackpot will be the second-largest in U.S. history. The biggest prize was a $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot won by three ticketholders in 2016.

Although the advertised top prize will be an estimated $1 billion, that is for winners who receive their winnings through an annuity paid over 29 years. Winners almost always opt for cash, which for Monday’s drawing will be an estimated $497.3 million.

The $825 million jackpot for Saturday's draw increased from $800 million on Friday as a result of strong ticket sales, Powerball said.

Players who missed out on the latest grand prize in the 30-year-old lottery shouldn't immediately toss away their receipts.

A Florida ticket holder matched all five white balls in Saturday's drawing and increased the prize to $2 million by including the game’s “Power Play” feature. Six tickets won a $1 million prize by matching five white balls, including two in California, two in Michigan, one in Maryland and one in Texas.

Another 17 tickets won a $150,000 prize while there were 80 winners of $50,000 each. More than 3.8 million tickets won cash prizes totaling above $38 million, Powerball said.

It has been nearly three months since anyone hit all six numbers and took the lottery’s top prize, with a $206.9 million jackpot win in Pennsylvania on Aug. 3. Thanks to Powerball’s long odds of one in 292.2 million, there have now been 37 consecutive draws without a jackpot winner.

Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1667129832405.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSDES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Powerball jackpot keeps getting larger because players keep losing.It happened again Saturday night as no one matched all six numbers and won the estimated $825 million grand prize. That means the next drawing Monday night will be for a massive $1 billion, according to a statement by Powerball.The winning numbers Saturday night were: white balls 19, 31, 40, 46, 57 and the red power ball 23.The increased jackpot will be the second-largest in U.S. history. The biggest prize was a $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot won by three ticketholders in 2016.Although the advertised top prize will be an estimated $1 billion, that is for winners who receive their winnings through an annuity paid over 29 years. Winners almost always opt for cash, which for Monday’s drawing will be an estimated $497.3 million.The $825 million jackpot for Saturday's draw increased from $800 million on Friday as a result of strong ticket sales, Powerball said.Players who missed out on the latest grand prize in the 30-year-old lottery shouldn't immediately toss away their receipts.A Florida ticket holder matched all five white balls in Saturday's drawing and increased the prize to $2 million by including the game’s “Power Play” feature. Six tickets won a $1 million prize by matching five white balls, including two in California, two in Michigan, one in Maryland and one in Texas.Another 17 tickets won a $150,000 prize while there were 80 winners of $50,000 each. More than 3.8 million tickets won cash prizes totaling above $38 million, Powerball said.It has been nearly three months since anyone hit all six numbers and took the lottery’s top prize, with a $206.9 million jackpot win in Pennsylvania on Aug. 3. Thanks to Powerball’s long odds of one in 292.2 million, there have now been 37 consecutive draws without a jackpot winner.Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a><figure>
 <img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/z6aRo_gO39CbdB2RFxQYHxfeeHn1xiW6gtv1uB1lhJHX1A4pxqyu638dX5jrMeDwyY9LroGuYbry6FX9uE1S53bKTtL8ShFFvZtR6SOqRqaRNyeuoxqfTwKsLeQGQJWuT3aGqCGSFEtO0ImOudXfRV5ERu7ZC5V2AwlCxSkxKJnpKm0iVnbt1YkAFqAl" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Powerball grand prize climbs to $1B without a jackpot winner

Alliance High School English teacher Roxie Smith discusses the "8 To Great" program, which has been in use in classes.

<div><iframe title="POST PODCAST: AHS Eight To Great Program" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=evp7h-12fc9fd-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=2&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=5"></iframe></div>Alliance High School English teacher Roxie Smith discusses the "8 To Great" program, which has been in use in classes.

POST PODCAST: AHS Eight To Great Program

POST PODCAST: Coffee Talk 10/28/22

POST PODCAST: Coffee Talk 10/27/22

As the days become colder, food insecurity rates are continuing to rise across Western Nebraska, with more than 18% of Nebraska Children living in food insecure homes.   

To help tackle the growing epidemic, local PepsiCo Beverages North America Western Nebraska bottler LinPepCo, partnered with United Way of Western Nebraska to host a meal packing event in Alliance, NE.  Volunteers will pack more than 1,000 meals to reach families facing food insecurity through school meal backpack programs across Alliance, Chadron, Hemingford, Scottsbluff, Gering and Sidney.  

On Wednesday October 26 volunteers from PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA), LinPepCo, United Way of Western Nebraska and Cooperative Ministries teamed up to pack 1,000 meals to reach families through school meal backpack programs in Alliance, Chadron, Hemingford, Scottsbluff, Gering and Sidney. These meals are made possible through PepsiCo’s Food for Good program to help advance food security in communities across the US and around the world. The 1,000 meals packed at LinPepCo’s Alliance location meet or exceed USDA nutritional standards and contain: 2 apple sauces, 2 pouches chili/beans, 2 6 oz juice boxes, 2 shelf stable milk, 2 1 oz packs of cereal. 

In celebration of the partnership between PBNA and its franchise business partner LinPepCo, together they will donate $14,000 to support the continuation of United Way of Western Nebraska and Cooperative Ministries’ services to neighbors, organizations that LinPepCo have supported for more than 10 years.   

Backpack program donations can be made online at www.uwwn.org/backpack.  

Press ReleaseAs the days become colder, food insecurity rates are continuing to rise across Western Nebraska, with more than 18% of Nebraska Children living in food insecure homes. To help tackle the growing epidemic, local PepsiCo Beverages North America Western Nebraska bottler LinPepCo, partnered with United Way of Western Nebraska to host a meal packing event in Alliance, NE. Volunteers will pack more than 1,000 meals to reach families facing food insecurity through school meal backpack programs across Alliance, Chadron, Hemingford, Scottsbluff, Gering and Sidney. On Wednesday October 26 volunteers from PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA), LinPepCo, United Way of Western Nebraska and Cooperative Ministries teamed up to pack 1,000 meals to reach families through school meal backpack programs in Alliance, Chadron, Hemingford, Scottsbluff, Gering and Sidney. These meals are made possible through PepsiCo’s Food for Good program to help advance food security in communities across the US and around the world. The 1,000 meals packed at LinPepCo’s Alliance location meet or exceed USDA nutritional standards and contain: 2 apple sauces, 2 pouches chili/beans, 2 6 oz juice boxes, 2 shelf stable milk, 2 1 oz packs of cereal. In celebration of the partnership between PBNA and its franchise business partner LinPepCo, together they will donate $14,000 to support the continuation of United Way of Western Nebraska and Cooperative Ministries’ services to neighbors, organizations that LinPepCo have supported for more than 10 years. Backpack program donations can be made online at www.uwwn.org/backpack.

LinPepCo and United Way of Western Nebraska Support Local Backpack Programs

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A second railroad union rejected its deal with the major U.S. freight railroads on Wednesday, reflecting workers’ increasing frustration with the lack of paid sick time in the industry and adding to concerns about the possibility of a strike next month that could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-strike-impact-5eb6747b3e4b4e39d764644d6377121d">cripple the economy</a>.

The Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen said nearly 61% of the workers who voted opposed the five-year contract even though it included 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses. It is the second rail union to reject a deal this month.

Union President Michael Baldwin said the “lack of good-faith bargaining” by the railroads and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-strikes-a83dffef79d38e36dc25588b19bf54b4">recommendations</a>&nbsp;of a board of arbitrators that President Joe Biden appointed this summer denied workers the “basic right of paid time off for illness.”

The unions say the railroads, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/csx-corp-florida-business-earnings-99976c3154d2939f544c2bdfecc77330">a couple</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-omaha-economy-business-483f55c699a94c29f579883e6b87fa85">reported more</a>&nbsp;than $1 billion profit in the third quarter, can easily afford to offer paid sick time. The negotiations included CSX, Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, BNSF and Kansas City Southern railroads.

The railroads maintain that the unions have agreed during decades of negotiations to forego paid sick leave in favor of higher wages and more generous short-term disability benefits that kick in after four days of absences and continue up to a year. They have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-business-strikes-940da8fc519f8c526ca614e201d01216">rejected all demands</a>&nbsp;for paid sick time although they did offer the unions that represent engineers and conductors three days of unpaid leave to tend to medical appointments as long as workers give 30 days notice.

The railroads have refused to offer workers much more than what the Presidential Emergency Board of arbitrators recommended, and they say that board rejected unions' requests for paid sick time in favor of recommending the largest wage increases in more than four decades.

Workers have been fighting in these negotiations for ways to improve their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality of life</a>&nbsp;and demanding that railroads ease the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-5123fda3d039543700b23d939e0bdda2">strict attendance policies</a>&nbsp;that keep some of them on call 24-7.

Six smaller unions have approved their deals with the railroads, but earlier this month the large Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union that represents track maintenance workers also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-0744cffe919f0d48fcc02d16c8a298b3">rejected</a>&nbsp;its proposed contract because workers were concerned about the lack of paid sick time. And the two biggest unions that represent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-government-and-politics-6172442e20ccf3295b39c2f3184e03cf">conductors and engineers</a>, who are most affected by the railroads' demanding schedules, won't release their votes until mid November.

All 12 rail unions that together represent 115,000 workers nationwide have to approve contracts with the railroads to prevent a strike although there is no immediate threat of a walkout because the unions that rejected their deals agreed to return to the bargaining table and continue talks at least through Nov. 19.

If both sides can't agree on new contracts, Congress may step in to block a strike and impose terms on workers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666818491559.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A second railroad union rejected its deal with the major U.S. freight railroads on Wednesday, reflecting workers’ increasing frustration with the lack of paid sick time in the industry and adding to concerns about the possibility of a strike next month that could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-strike-impact-5eb6747b3e4b4e39d764644d6377121d">cripple the economy</a>.The Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen said nearly 61% of the workers who voted opposed the five-year contract even though it included 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses. It is the second rail union to reject a deal this month.Union President Michael Baldwin said the “lack of good-faith bargaining” by the railroads and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-strikes-a83dffef79d38e36dc25588b19bf54b4">recommendations</a>&nbsp;of a board of arbitrators that President Joe Biden appointed this summer denied workers the “basic right of paid time off for illness.”The unions say the railroads, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/csx-corp-florida-business-earnings-99976c3154d2939f544c2bdfecc77330">a couple</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-omaha-economy-business-483f55c699a94c29f579883e6b87fa85">reported more</a>&nbsp;than $1 billion profit in the third quarter, can easily afford to offer paid sick time. The negotiations included CSX, Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, BNSF and Kansas City Southern railroads.The railroads maintain that the unions have agreed during decades of negotiations to forego paid sick leave in favor of higher wages and more generous short-term disability benefits that kick in after four days of absences and continue up to a year. They have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-business-strikes-940da8fc519f8c526ca614e201d01216">rejected all demands</a>&nbsp;for paid sick time although they did offer the unions that represent engineers and conductors three days of unpaid leave to tend to medical appointments as long as workers give 30 days notice.The railroads have refused to offer workers much more than what the Presidential Emergency Board of arbitrators recommended, and they say that board rejected unions' requests for paid sick time in favor of recommending the largest wage increases in more than four decades.Workers have been fighting in these negotiations for ways to improve their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality of life</a>&nbsp;and demanding that railroads ease the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-5123fda3d039543700b23d939e0bdda2">strict attendance policies</a>&nbsp;that keep some of them on call 24-7.Six smaller unions have approved their deals with the railroads, but earlier this month the large Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union that represents track maintenance workers also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-0744cffe919f0d48fcc02d16c8a298b3">rejected</a>&nbsp;its proposed contract because workers were concerned about the lack of paid sick time. And the two biggest unions that represent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-government-and-politics-6172442e20ccf3295b39c2f3184e03cf">conductors and engineers</a>, who are most affected by the railroads' demanding schedules, won't release their votes until mid November.All 12 rail unions that together represent 115,000 workers nationwide have to approve contracts with the railroads to prevent a strike although there is no immediate threat of a walkout because the unions that rejected their deals agreed to return to the bargaining table and continue talks at least through Nov. 19.If both sides can't agree on new contracts, Congress may step in to block a strike and impose terms on workers.<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a><figure>
 <img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/BPzusTmSO4RDisvu5tUIPpTrdeJQUq4gEs9ICBCRiZ1_63VP2BUPOCL_98yXkhFFxICPVTvLL0lNLYcZYE4BWXTJA1OjDrrkPV0mxd8F_K-YrVXwe6uatpNURsO5zEPga4x-zAHVFvf3_tx8Ve7oXH6N0fgO7Qixnd9px84DUZe6zug6E8dpTQqN" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Second railroad union rejects deal, adding to strike worries

By: Mike Glesinger&nbsp; Panhandle Post

The Alliance Chamber of Commerce will sponsor the Annual Trick/Trunk or Treat on&nbsp; Monday October 31,&nbsp; in downtown Alliance.&nbsp; Children are welcome to come trick or treating in the 200, 300, 400 and 500 Blocks of Box Butte Avenue and also some side streets,&nbsp; from 3:30 to 5 pm Halloween Day.

Groups or individuals are asked to decorate the back of their car,&nbsp; trunk or pickup to hand out candy and are encouraged to dress in costumes.&nbsp; Those wishing to take part need to sign up at the Chamber Office at 305 Box Butte or email&nbsp; to&nbsp; chamber@alliancechamber.com&nbsp; &nbsp;Set up time will begin at 2:30 pm and the street will be blocked to allow children to Trick or Treat.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666816024453.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Mike Glesinger&nbsp; Panhandle PostThe Alliance Chamber of Commerce will sponsor the Annual Trick/Trunk or Treat on&nbsp; Monday October 31,&nbsp; in downtown Alliance.&nbsp; Children are welcome to come trick or treating in the 200, 300, 400 and 500 Blocks of Box Butte Avenue and also some side streets,&nbsp; from 3:30 to 5 pm Halloween Day.Groups or individuals are asked to decorate the back of their car,&nbsp; trunk or pickup to hand out candy and are encouraged to dress in costumes.&nbsp; Those wishing to take part need to sign up at the Chamber Office at 305 Box Butte or email&nbsp; to&nbsp; chamber@alliancechamber.com&nbsp; &nbsp;Set up time will begin at 2:30 pm and the street will be blocked to allow children to Trick or Treat.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635435644570.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Trick, Trunk or Treat in Downtown Alliance Oct. 31

By: Mike Glesinger&nbsp; Panhandle Post

Saturday, October 29, is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, sponsored by the&nbsp; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).&nbsp; The DEA will have 4000 local drop off sites for people to safely dispose of old, unused unneeded&nbsp; or expired medications.&nbsp; The DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other forms of prescription drugs.  Collection sites will not accept syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs.&nbsp; &nbsp;Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container.&nbsp; The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage.  The event will also continue to accept vaping devices and cartridges provided lithium batteries are removed.

Local residents may being their items to the Regional Law Enforcement Center at 512 Niobrara Ave in Alliance, Saturday October 29, from 10 am to 2 pm,&nbsp; for safe disposal.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666814392126.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Mike Glesinger&nbsp; Panhandle PostSaturday, October 29, is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, sponsored by the&nbsp; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).&nbsp; The DEA will have 4000 local drop off sites for people to safely dispose of old, unused unneeded&nbsp; or expired medications.&nbsp; The DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other forms of prescription drugs. Collection sites will not accept syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs.&nbsp; &nbsp;Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container.&nbsp; The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage. The event will also continue to accept vaping devices and cartridges provided lithium batteries are removed.Local residents may being their items to the Regional Law Enforcement Center at 512 Niobrara Ave in Alliance, Saturday October 29, from 10 am to 2 pm,&nbsp; for safe disposal.&nbsp;&nbsp;

DEA National Drug Take Back Day Oct. 29

By: Mike Glesinger&nbsp; Panhandle Post

Alliance American Legion Post #7 along with the Box Butte County Veteran's Service Office will sponsor a Veteran's Day Parade Saturday, November 5 in Alliance.&nbsp; The parade will begin at&nbsp; 11 am,&nbsp; at 14th and Box Butte Avenue,&nbsp; near Alliance High School and proceed south along Box Butte Ave.&nbsp; to 4th Street.&nbsp;

All veteran's are encouraged to walk or ride in the parade and any local businesses, groups, organizations or individuals are welcome to show their support for our vteran's , by entering the parade.&nbsp; Entries should be in by November 1, but will be taken up to 9 am the day of the parade.&nbsp; To enter contact the Box Butte County Veteran Service Office&nbsp; at 524 Box Butte Ave. or call 308-762-4154.&nbsp; &nbsp;No candy may be thrown from floats, but may be handed out.&nbsp; 

Citizens are welcome to line both sides of Box Butte Ave.&nbsp; A public address announcer will be located near the Veteran's Memorial at the courthouse.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660915379151.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Mike Glesinger&nbsp; Panhandle PostAlliance American Legion Post #7 along with the Box Butte County Veteran's Service Office will sponsor a Veteran's Day Parade Saturday, November 5 in Alliance.&nbsp; The parade will begin at&nbsp; 11 am,&nbsp; at 14th and Box Butte Avenue,&nbsp; near Alliance High School and proceed south along Box Butte Ave.&nbsp; to 4th Street.&nbsp;All veteran's are encouraged to walk or ride in the parade and any local businesses, groups, organizations or individuals are welcome to show their support for our vteran's , by entering the parade.&nbsp; Entries should be in by November 1, but will be taken up to 9 am the day of the parade.&nbsp; To enter contact the Box Butte County Veteran Service Office&nbsp; at 524 Box Butte Ave. or call 308-762-4154.&nbsp; &nbsp;No candy may be thrown from floats, but may be handed out.&nbsp; Citizens are welcome to line both sides of Box Butte Ave.&nbsp; A public address announcer will be located near the Veteran's Memorial at the courthouse.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573487929788.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Alliance Veteran's Day Parade set for November 5

POST PODCAST: Coffee Talk 10/26/22

by Patricia Jones, Alliance Community Task Force: Creating Opportunity

The United States Department of Education is currently offering Federal Student Loan Debt Relief. The program provides eligible borrowers with full or partial discharge of loans up to $20,000 to Federal Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 to non-Pell Grant recipients. Pell Grants are offered to low-income students based on their FAFSA.

Applications can be filled out at studentaid.gov/debt-relief. The application takes about five minutes to complete. This is one-time debt relief. Applications opened earlier in October and will close December 31, 2023. You do not need to provide any documents when you apply, but the Department of Education may contact you for more information.

Not everyone qualifies for the student loan forgiveness. First, there is an income limit. An individual must have made less than $125,000 in 2021 or 2022, from your IRS Form 1040. For families, the maximum income limit is $250,000 in 2021 or 2020.

Private loans (from financial institutions and not the federal government) are not eligible for debt relief.

The debt relief applies only to loan balances you had before June 30, 2022. This includes Direct Loans (William D. Ford), FFEL loans (Federal Family Education Loans), Perkins loans, and parent or graduate PLUS loans. The loans could be subsidized or unsubsidized by the government.

Any new loans disbursed (when loan funds were received) on or after July 1, 2022, aren’t eligible for debt relief.

Federal loans in default (behind in payments) are also eligible.

Consolidation loans are a little more complicated. This means multiple loans have been combined, so a person only has to make one monthly payment. Federal student loan consolidation combines multiple federal loans into a single federal loan through the Department of Education. These loans are eligible for the debt relief program.

Private lenders offer private student loan consolidation, also called student loan refinancing. It is a good idea to consolidate private loans into one of these programs to reduce interest rates and to switch to one monthly payment. These loans are NOT eligible for the debt relief program.

Private loans cannot be transferred to the federal government, but federal and private loans can be consolidated with a private lender. If you did this, you lost the ability to get debt relief on the federal loan. The Department of Education is still negotiating with private lenders to see if this can be changed, so people who have this type of consolidated loan should pay attention to whether this gets resolved.

Another complication relates to the fact that there was a payment pause during the COVID pandemic. From March 13, 2020, to December 31, 2022, borrowers did not have to make student loan payments. If you made payments on your federal student loans during this time, the government will refund what you paid and cancel your loan up to the maximum debt relief amount.

StudentAid.gov can provide help filling out the form online or answering questions related to a specific borrower situation. Reach out to the agency at 1-833-932-3439.

The Department of Education has issued several warnings about scams from companies offering to help you deal with your loans or application for a fee. You NEVER have to pay for help with your federal student aid. As is true with all scams, you would be asked for personal information and passwords. DON'T! If the government is trying to contact a borrower, they'll send an email from noreply@studentaid.gov, noreply@debtrelief.studentaid.gov, or ed.gov@public.govdelivery.com.

by Patricia Jones, Alliance Community Task Force: Creating OpportunityThe United States Department of Education is currently offering Federal Student Loan Debt Relief. The program provides eligible borrowers with full or partial discharge of loans up to $20,000 to Federal Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 to non-Pell Grant recipients. Pell Grants are offered to low-income students based on their FAFSA.Applications can be filled out at studentaid.gov/debt-relief. The application takes about five minutes to complete. This is one-time debt relief. Applications opened earlier in October and will close December 31, 2023. You do not need to provide any documents when you apply, but the Department of Education may contact you for more information.Not everyone qualifies for the student loan forgiveness. First, there is an income limit. An individual must have made less than $125,000 in 2021 or 2022, from your IRS Form 1040. For families, the maximum income limit is $250,000 in 2021 or 2020.Private loans (from financial institutions and not the federal government) are not eligible for debt relief.The debt relief applies only to loan balances you had before June 30, 2022. This includes Direct Loans (William D. Ford), FFEL loans (Federal Family Education Loans), Perkins loans, and parent or graduate PLUS loans. The loans could be subsidized or unsubsidized by the government.Any new loans disbursed (when loan funds were received) on or after July 1, 2022, aren’t eligible for debt relief.Federal loans in default (behind in payments) are also eligible.Consolidation loans are a little more complicated. This means multiple loans have been combined, so a person only has to make one monthly payment. Federal student loan consolidation combines multiple federal loans into a single federal loan through the Department of Education. These loans are eligible for the debt relief program.Private lenders offer private student loan consolidation, also called student loan refinancing. It is a good idea to consolidate private loans into one of these programs to reduce interest rates and to switch to one monthly payment. These loans are NOT eligible for the debt relief program.Private loans cannot be transferred to the federal government, but federal and private loans can be consolidated with a private lender. If you did this, you lost the ability to get debt relief on the federal loan. The Department of Education is still negotiating with private lenders to see if this can be changed, so people who have this type of consolidated loan should pay attention to whether this gets resolved.Another complication relates to the fact that there was a payment pause during the COVID pandemic. From March 13, 2020, to December 31, 2022, borrowers did not have to make student loan payments. If you made payments on your federal student loans during this time, the government will refund what you paid and cancel your loan up to the maximum debt relief amount.StudentAid.gov can provide help filling out the form online or answering questions related to a specific borrower situation. Reach out to the agency at 1-833-932-3439.The Department of Education has issued several warnings about scams from companies offering to help you deal with your loans or application for a fee. You NEVER have to pay for help with your federal student aid. As is true with all scams, you would be asked for personal information and passwords. DON'T! If the government is trying to contact a borrower, they'll send an email from noreply@studentaid.gov, noreply@debtrelief.studentaid.gov, or ed.gov@public.govdelivery.com.

Getting Ahead: Student Loan Debt Relief

By RON FIELDS <a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/post-news-network">Post News Network</a>

As <a href="https://nextlinkinternet.com/">Nextlink Internet</a> prepares to expand its network across Kansas and Nebraska, legacy broadband companies are questioning the Dallas-based company's strategy to deploy mostly fixed wireless connectivity to rural residents.

On Aug. 31, Nextlink was awarded almost a half-billion dollars from the Federal Communications Commission to expand its service. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/90364494-09e3-468a-8103-8425c695fa4b">In both Kansas and Nebraska, more than $25 million</a> was dedicated to deploying a mix of fiber and fixed wireless connections to about 40,000 customers deemed to have substandard connectivity. The funding is part of the FCC's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund —&nbsp;RDOF.

Jimmy Todd, CEO of Lenora, Kan.-based <a href="https://www.nex-tech.com/">Nex-Tech</a>, contends the fixed wireless solution — which pipes a signal to customers via an access point on a tower or other high point —&nbsp;is not the solution.

"Fixed wireless is by no means the best option for them," he said. "The pandemic has taught us more than anything else how important it is to be connected. They're not going to get the same kind of service if those funds had gone to fiber providers."

Nextlink, which began a decade ago serving communities around the Dallas-Fort Worth area, also was awarded $281 million&nbsp;in 2018 as part of the FCC's Connect America Fund Phase II —&nbsp;CAF II —&nbsp;which fueled its expansion into five additional states. In the RDOF grant, Nextlink proposed expanding that footprint to 11 states.

The latest grant, Todd said, was a "quick reaction to an outgoing FCC leadership. With CAF II, before there was never any proof of whether or not that was good or not, they rolled out the first round of RDOF."

Both grant programs have percentage-completion milestones that must be met. Todd said several of those milestones were "punted during the pandemic."

Nextlink's Chief Strategy Officer Claude Aiken said the CAF II builds are ahead of the FCC's schedule — but Todd claimed in the more rural parts of Kansas, that is not the case.

"The completion percentages likely are based on population centers further east," he said. "When you're looking at numbers, it's easier to show a higher number of people connected versus a less densely populated area. Out where we're at, we haven't seen a lot of activity."

Aiken said recently the company actually is ahead of its 2022 milestone of 40 percent completion in Kansas, with that state's CAF II work actually 60 percent completed.

Todd admitted Nex-Tech saw strategic areas to expand its network, which currently serves over 30,000 customers and has in recent years expanded into Salina, Great Bend and Moundridge. At least some future fiber expansions could be off the table with Nextlink's plans.

"We'd hoped that we've have the opportunity to build fiber in these rural areas. (Nextlink) hasn't even built out to their CAF II obligations," he said. "Will customers even, four years from now, have any kind of coverage?

"Their arrival keeps you from being able to take fiber to those customers," he added. "The operational costs are so much less. It costs more to deploy, but the operational cost is going to be less."

Todd said, depending upon terrain, population density and other factors, fibers costs between $20,000 and $40,000 per mile to deploy. That's in addition to the approximately $3,000 per customer installation costs. 

Daniel Friesen, co-founder and chief innovation officer of Buhler, Kan.-based <a href="https://ideatek.com/">Ideatek</a>, also said fiber is the best long-term solution.

"While IdeaTek also operates a fixed-wireless network to provide internet to remote, rural areas, fiber is the only real future-proof solution for Kansas," he said. "Investing more in fiber means there would be less state or federal spending on technology that has the tendency to become quickly outdated. Fiber is the only technology proven to serve the state's needs for decades to come."

Kansas and Nebraska have their own pools of dollars to help connect the unconnected — more than 80,000 in both Kansas and Nebraska lack broadband speeds of 25MB download/3MB upload.

"Nextlink does already offer service in parts of Nebraska, so any expansion of its services at least improves options for people, and in many cases, might be an option for service that was never available before," said Deb Collins, public information officer with the Nebraska Public Service Commission.

Nextlink's Aiken said the Kansas pool of money to fund broadband projects is "significantly oversubscribed."

"There are way more applications for funding than money to go around," he said. "Is the contention we should be double-funding these areas to do the same thing? ... This is going to enable people who might have otherwise not have had service to receive it."

But the fixed wireless technology — and the promise it can deliver reliable 100MB-by-20MB speeds at minimum — leaves Todd dubious, especially when it comes to the radio spectrum the wireless signals travel on from tower to home.

"They just don't have the licensed spectrum to do it. They own some, but they're not going to get to gigabit speeds through that. It's subject to too much noise," he said. 

And distance from the source signal makes a difference, he said, noting the similarities to a stronger signal while being near a home router.

"The radios are going to have to be in such close proximity. (You can) use higher spectrum radio signals ... but the higher the spectrum, the shorter the distance it travels," Todd said. "Technology has come a long way to improve this, but only to a point."

Aiken said the company is doing a trial run of speed tests for submission to the FCC, noting Nextlink has thousands of customers already using fixed wireless — and getting promised high-speed rates.

"Our chief technology officer has the next-generation gear that we've been deploying in areas that offer up to 500-by-100," Aiken said. "I would certainly hope if our chief technology officer is getting higher than 100-by-20 at his residence, we can certainly do that for other folks."

While Friesen said he disagreed with Nextlink's reliance upon fixed wireless, he said the ambitious deployment plan is well-intentioned.

"How can you not be impressed by the enormous plans companies like NextLink have? They've made a huge commitment to underserved Kansans," he said. "Their wireless plans are highly ambitious, something not yet seen at scale in the market, but we respect any innovation and creativity in the broadband space if it accomplishes the mission of serving the underserved.

"We can support any mission that serves underserved Kansans, even if we disagree on the technological path forward."

Aiken is confident Nextlink's plan of a mix of fiber and fixed wireless will provide the promised high-speed connectivity.

"We do our best to educate the rest of the world on what we can do, regardless of the technology," he said. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662136805159.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RON FIELDS <a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/post-news-network">Post News Network</a>As <a href="https://nextlinkinternet.com/">Nextlink Internet</a> prepares to expand its network across Kansas and Nebraska, legacy broadband companies are questioning the Dallas-based company's strategy to deploy mostly fixed wireless connectivity to rural residents.On Aug. 31, Nextlink was awarded almost a half-billion dollars from the Federal Communications Commission to expand its service. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/90364494-09e3-468a-8103-8425c695fa4b">In both Kansas and Nebraska, more than $25 million</a> was dedicated to deploying a mix of fiber and fixed wireless connections to about 40,000 customers deemed to have substandard connectivity. The funding is part of the FCC's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund —&nbsp;RDOF.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iBphp1RILuA"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Jimmy Todd, CEO of Lenora, Kan.-based <a href="https://www.nex-tech.com/">Nex-Tech</a>, contends the fixed wireless solution — which pipes a signal to customers via an access point on a tower or other high point —&nbsp;is not the solution."Fixed wireless is by no means the best option for them," he said. "The pandemic has taught us more than anything else how important it is to be connected. They're not going to get the same kind of service if those funds had gone to fiber providers."Nextlink, which began a decade ago serving communities around the Dallas-Fort Worth area, also was awarded $281 million&nbsp;in 2018 as part of the FCC's Connect America Fund Phase II —&nbsp;CAF II —&nbsp;which fueled its expansion into five additional states. In the RDOF grant, Nextlink proposed expanding that footprint to 11 states.The latest grant, Todd said, was a "quick reaction to an outgoing FCC leadership. With CAF II, before there was never any proof of whether or not that was good or not, they rolled out the first round of RDOF."Both grant programs have percentage-completion milestones that must be met. Todd said several of those milestones were "punted during the pandemic."Nextlink's Chief Strategy Officer Claude Aiken said the CAF II builds are ahead of the FCC's schedule — but Todd claimed in the more rural parts of Kansas, that is not the case."The completion percentages likely are based on population centers further east," he said. "When you're looking at numbers, it's easier to show a higher number of people connected versus a less densely populated area. Out where we're at, we haven't seen a lot of activity."Aiken said recently the company actually is ahead of its 2022 milestone of 40 percent completion in Kansas, with that state's CAF II work actually 60 percent completed.Todd admitted Nex-Tech saw strategic areas to expand its network, which currently serves over 30,000 customers and has in recent years expanded into Salina, Great Bend and Moundridge. At least some future fiber expansions could be off the table with Nextlink's plans."We'd hoped that we've have the opportunity to build fiber in these rural areas. (Nextlink) hasn't even built out to their CAF II obligations," he said. "Will customers even, four years from now, have any kind of coverage?"Their arrival keeps you from being able to take fiber to those customers," he added. "The operational costs are so much less. It costs more to deploy, but the operational cost is going to be less."Todd said, depending upon terrain, population density and other factors, fibers costs between $20,000 and $40,000 per mile to deploy. That's in addition to the approximately $3,000 per customer installation costs. Daniel Friesen, co-founder and chief innovation officer of Buhler, Kan.-based <a href="https://ideatek.com/">Ideatek</a>, also said fiber is the best long-term solution."While IdeaTek also operates a fixed-wireless network to provide internet to remote, rural areas, fiber is the only real future-proof solution for Kansas," he said. "Investing more in fiber means there would be less state or federal spending on technology that has the tendency to become quickly outdated. Fiber is the only technology proven to serve the state's needs for decades to come."Kansas and Nebraska have their own pools of dollars to help connect the unconnected — more than 80,000 in both Kansas and Nebraska lack broadband speeds of 25MB download/3MB upload."Nextlink does already offer service in parts of Nebraska, so any expansion of its services at least improves options for people, and in many cases, might be an option for service that was never available before," said Deb Collins, public information officer with the Nebraska Public Service Commission.Nextlink's Aiken said the Kansas pool of money to fund broadband projects is "significantly oversubscribed.""There are way more applications for funding than money to go around," he said. "Is the contention we should be double-funding these areas to do the same thing? ... This is going to enable people who might have otherwise not have had service to receive it."But the fixed wireless technology — and the promise it can deliver reliable 100MB-by-20MB speeds at minimum — leaves Todd dubious, especially when it comes to the radio spectrum the wireless signals travel on from tower to home."They just don't have the licensed spectrum to do it. They own some, but they're not going to get to gigabit speeds through that. It's subject to too much noise," he said. And distance from the source signal makes a difference, he said, noting the similarities to a stronger signal while being near a home router."The radios are going to have to be in such close proximity. (You can) use higher spectrum radio signals ... but the higher the spectrum, the shorter the distance it travels," Todd said. "Technology has come a long way to improve this, but only to a point."Aiken said the company is doing a trial run of speed tests for submission to the FCC, noting Nextlink has thousands of customers already using fixed wireless — and getting promised high-speed rates."Our chief technology officer has the next-generation gear that we've been deploying in areas that offer up to 500-by-100," Aiken said. "I would certainly hope if our chief technology officer is getting higher than 100-by-20 at his residence, we can certainly do that for other folks."While Friesen said he disagreed with Nextlink's reliance upon fixed wireless, he said the ambitious deployment plan is well-intentioned."How can you not be impressed by the enormous plans companies like NextLink have? They've made a huge commitment to underserved Kansans," he said. "Their wireless plans are highly ambitious, something not yet seen at scale in the market, but we respect any innovation and creativity in the broadband space if it accomplishes the mission of serving the underserved."We can support any mission that serves underserved Kansans, even if we disagree on the technological path forward."Aiken is confident Nextlink's plan of a mix of fiber and fixed wireless will provide the promised high-speed connectivity."We do our best to educate the rest of the world on what we can do, regardless of the technology," he said. Cover image courtesy Pixabay

🎥 Legacy providers: Fiber, not fixed wireless, the broadband solution

By: Tena Cook,&nbsp; CSC&nbsp;Marketing Coordinator

Dr. Josh Calkin will be featured in an Oct. 28 tuba recital at 7 p.m. in the Mari Sandoz Center Chicoine Atrium.

The program will include a sonata about Hades and a piece entitled Apocalyptic Voices.&nbsp; The music will journey into the sound world of low brass.

This music event is free and open to the public.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666723829011.jpeg" alt="courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By: Tena Cook,&nbsp; CSC&nbsp;Marketing CoordinatorDr. Josh Calkin will be featured in an Oct. 28 tuba recital at 7 p.m. in the Mari Sandoz Center Chicoine Atrium.The program will include a sonata about Hades and a piece entitled Apocalyptic Voices.&nbsp; The music will journey into the sound world of low brass.This music event is free and open to the public.

Music Event Friday at CSC

WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK, S.D. – Firefighters from several agencies assisted Wind Cave National Park with a 1,037-acre prescribed fire the week of October 16. The fire bordered the park’s headquarters, including the Elk Mountain Campground, and was conducted Sunday and Monday, October 16 and 17, with mop-up operations Tuesday. Firefighters will continue to patrol the fire until it is declared out.&nbsp;

“We are very appreciative of the assistance we received from outside agencies to conduct this fire,” said Park Superintendent Leigh Welling. “The fire reduced the fuel load, and the chance of a catastrophic wildfire, in a critical area adjacent to our developed area." &nbsp;

Efforts Sunday to initiate the fire were hampered by fog and high humidity levels in the grass and forested areas. A warmer and sunnier Monday dried out the fuels leading to a productive fire. Fire Ecologists will monitor preestablished plots to judge the effectiveness of the fire in the coming years, but signs point to the fire achieving many of the project objectives.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Assisting with fire operations were National Park Service employees from Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota, and Buffalo National River in Arkansas. Firefighters from the Bureau of Indian Affairs out of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from Crescent Lake, Nebraska, the Black Hills National Forest, and an engine out of Oelrichs, South Dakota, helped with the fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Objectives for the fire included reducing the fuel load, restoring the balance between forested areas and prairie, and allowing more moisture to seep into the cave, which was located under parts of the burn.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

There is still some smoke in the area and motorist are urged to use caution when driving through the park. &nbsp;

For more information, visit:&nbsp;[www.nps.gov/wica]www.nps.gov/wica&nbsp;and click on Management.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666722386387.jpeg" alt="HQ Fire Photo." />
 <figcaption>HQ Fire Photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By: Thomas FarrellWIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK, S.D. – Firefighters from several agencies assisted Wind Cave National Park with a 1,037-acre prescribed fire the week of October 16. The fire bordered the park’s headquarters, including the Elk Mountain Campground, and was conducted Sunday and Monday, October 16 and 17, with mop-up operations Tuesday. Firefighters will continue to patrol the fire until it is declared out.&nbsp;“We are very appreciative of the assistance we received from outside agencies to conduct this fire,” said Park Superintendent Leigh Welling. “The fire reduced the fuel load, and the chance of a catastrophic wildfire, in a critical area adjacent to our developed area." &nbsp;Efforts Sunday to initiate the fire were hampered by fog and high humidity levels in the grass and forested areas. A warmer and sunnier Monday dried out the fuels leading to a productive fire. Fire Ecologists will monitor preestablished plots to judge the effectiveness of the fire in the coming years, but signs point to the fire achieving many of the project objectives.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Assisting with fire operations were National Park Service employees from Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota, and Buffalo National River in Arkansas. Firefighters from the Bureau of Indian Affairs out of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from Crescent Lake, Nebraska, the Black Hills National Forest, and an engine out of Oelrichs, South Dakota, helped with the fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Objectives for the fire included reducing the fuel load, restoring the balance between forested areas and prairie, and allowing more moisture to seep into the cave, which was located under parts of the burn.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There is still some smoke in the area and motorist are urged to use caution when driving through the park. &nbsp;For more information, visit:&nbsp;[www.nps.gov/wica]www.nps.gov/wica&nbsp;and click on Management.&nbsp;

Prescribed Fire at Wind Cave National Park

By: Justin Haag,&nbsp;&nbsp;Public Information Officer

Fort Robinson State Park’s historical Christmas dinner is roaring back with a theme from the Roaring ’20s. The dinner is set to return Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. after a two-year hiatus because of COVID concerns.

The event’s theme is that of 100 years prior: 1922, not long after the fort transformed from its original role as a cavalry post for military training to that of a remount depot. In the latter role, which lasted from 1919 into the mid-1940s, the fort prepared horses and mules for the U.S. Army, with upwards to 12,000 of the animals at the base at any given time.

The dinner’s program, annually enhanced by many attendees who dress in period attire to match the theme, includes live music and historical commentary. This will be the 26th&nbsp;year of the event.

Tickets, which usually sell out in short time, become available for in-person purchases at 8 a.m. Nov. 7. They will be sold for $30 each at the park’s headquarters, D&amp;S Market at 195 Main St. in Harrison, and the Visitors Center-Chamber of Commerce at 706 West Third St. in Chadron. There is a limit of four tickets per household.

The meal includes turkey, pork roast, dressing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and much more.

The event’s festive atmosphere will be complemented once again by Christmas lights installed on park buildings with help from businesses and community members. The lights will turn on at 5 p.m. the night of the dinner and will shine each evening through December.

Groups interested in decorating a building at the park may contact the office at 308-665-2900 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ngpc.fort.robinson@nebraska.gov" target="_blank">ngpc.fort.robinson@nebraska.gov</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1572881120812.jpeg" alt="Fort Robinson Christmas Dinner" />
 <figcaption>Fort Robinson Christmas Dinner</figcaption>
 </figure>By: Justin Haag,&nbsp;&nbsp;Public Information OfficerFort Robinson State Park’s historical Christmas dinner is roaring back with a theme from the Roaring ’20s. The dinner is set to return Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. after a two-year hiatus because of COVID concerns.The event’s theme is that of 100 years prior: 1922, not long after the fort transformed from its original role as a cavalry post for military training to that of a remount depot. In the latter role, which lasted from 1919 into the mid-1940s, the fort prepared horses and mules for the U.S. Army, with upwards to 12,000 of the animals at the base at any given time.The dinner’s program, annually enhanced by many attendees who dress in period attire to match the theme, includes live music and historical commentary. This will be the 26th&nbsp;year of the event.Tickets, which usually sell out in short time, become available for in-person purchases at 8 a.m. Nov. 7. They will be sold for $30 each at the park’s headquarters, D&amp;S Market at 195 Main St. in Harrison, and the Visitors Center-Chamber of Commerce at 706 West Third St. in Chadron. There is a limit of four tickets per household.The meal includes turkey, pork roast, dressing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and much more.The event’s festive atmosphere will be complemented once again by Christmas lights installed on park buildings with help from businesses and community members. The lights will turn on at 5 p.m. the night of the dinner and will shine each evening through December.Groups interested in decorating a building at the park may contact the office at 308-665-2900 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ngpc.fort.robinson@nebraska.gov" target="_blank">ngpc.fort.robinson@nebraska.gov</a>.

Fort Robinson Christmas Dinner will return in 2022

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Republicans are expected to dominate as usual at the polls in November and retain control of the officially nonpartisan Legislature. They face a far tougher challenge flipping enough seats to push through a statewide abortion ban.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;overturning the constitutional right to abortion has injected a degree of uncertainty into elections, even in some of the nation's most reliably red states. Abortion opponents in Nebraska are hoping to avoid a repeat of what happened this summer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">in neighboring Kansas</a>, where voters overwhelming rejected a ballot measure that would have paved the way for an abortion ban there.

“Whether we like it or not, Nebraska is now a destination state for abortion,” said David Zebolsky, chairman of Nebraskans Embracing Life. “We’re supporting strong pro-life legislative candidates in the November election to change that.”

Even with Republicans considered a lock to maintain control of Nebraska's unique one-chamber Legislature, they need to gain at least two seats to end the state's status as the nation's most unlikely harborage for abortion services. Under legislative rules, some measures — including an abortion ban — can be blocked by the minority if supporters don't get at least 33 votes in the 49-member Senate.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;enabled other conservative states to quickly outlaw most abortions, but the Nebraska ban received only 31 votes —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-us-supreme-court-health-nebraska-legislature-0b8e1e93be48c9e3fd7264c94da7b786">two short of the number needed to avoid a filibuster.</a>

Nebraska Republicans' hopes to outlaw abortions were thwarted again weeks later, when Gov. Pete Ricketts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-legislature-nebraska-omaha-pete-ricketts-8e4be716151ac772c608ea2ad80e3130">opted not to call a special session</a>&nbsp;to enact a ban because backers were, at that time, three votes short.

Such setbacks are odd given Nebraska’s history as a leader in abortion restrictions. It enacted the country’s first law banning abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy based on the disputed theory that a fetus at that point can feel pain.

The upcoming election could give supporters the votes they need for a ban, or it could leave Nebraska as a rare state where Republicans control nearly all aspects of government but allow abortions to continue.

Nebraska’s tug-of-war over abortion comes at a time when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-us-supreme-court-health-constitutions-bf26bfca47ceedc09f63adf8e31a6a82">the issue has roiled politics across the country</a>. Besides Kansas, voters in Kentucky will decide next month the fate of a proposed constitutional amendment that would eliminate the right to abortion in the state. The red state of Montana will have a “born alive” measure on the ballot there, requiring health care providers to take “all medically appropriate and reasonable actions to preserve the life” of an infant born alive, including after an attempted abortion. Doctors have warned that the measure would force them to prolong the suffering of infants born with fatal deformities.

And in Georgia, which could decide control of the U.S. Senate, abortion has taken an outsized role in the neck-and-neck race between Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and his Republican challenger, former football star Herschel Walker. Walker, a staunch anti-abortion proponent,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-entertainment-florida-campaigns-94e4496d4f3d40acaca0895018bab909">has been plagued by recent claims</a>&nbsp;that he paid for a woman’s 2009 abortion and later fathered a child with her.

Republicans who have historically championed anti-abortion causes appeared to be caught flat-footed in the the wake of the judicial branch overturning Roe, a move that was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-nancy-pelosi-womens-rights-government-and-politics-c410dbe9a8321b35a4e779b2fb226de5">unpopular with a majority of Americans according to polls</a>&nbsp;taken ahead of the decision. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/projects/more-americans-disapprove-than-approve-of-the-supreme-courts-decision-to-overturn-roe-v-wade/">poll conducted after the ruling</a>&nbsp;revealed a majority of Americans want Congress to pass a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.

That polling has led Republican candidates who would normally tout their anti-abortion credentials to back away from the issue this election cycle. In Nebraska, some Republican candidates in and around Omaha and Lincoln, which are less conservative than the state’s more rural reaches, are tailoring their messages on abortion with that in mind. Conversely, Democrats who would normally avoid the issue of abortion so as not to rile voters in a conservative state are now putting the issue front-and-center of their campaigns.

President Joe Biden promised during a speech last week in Washington to push&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-biden-health-congress-f3ffadd1d55625a4af7b87f6b691fbbc">a bill that codifies Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;if Democrats control enough seats in Congress to pass it.

Omaha state Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, one of the most vocal opponents of a failed “trigger bill” backed by Republicans last session that would have outlawed nearly all abortions, has placed her support for abortion access at the top of her campaign website. She cited an ACLU-commissioned poll in March that showed Nebraskans opposed to a total abortion ban by a 20-point margin.

Her opponent, Christian Mirch, had until recently been just as vocal about his support for banning abortion. He has attended anti-abortion rallies and stated in the Nebraska Catholic Voter Guide his support for an abortion ban “from the moment of conception.” But he seems to have backpedaled on that stance in the wake of blowback from the the overturning of Roe.

“We’ve gotten away from that representative form of government in recent years,” he said. “We can’t be constituencies of one.”

Asked about polling that shows most Americans opposing the overturning of Roe, Mirch countered that “we haven’t done that polling in this district.”

Cavanaugh said Mirch has been knocking on doors in the district and telling some voters that he and Cavanaugh have essentially the same views on abortion. Mirch said he simply has assured voters that he would not do anything that would endanger invitro fertilization treatments.

“You don’t lie about your position unless you know it’s going to cost you votes," she said.

Of the 15 Nebraska lawmakers who voted to block the abortion ban bill, eight are facing reelection challenges or not running.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln political science professor John Hibbing said he expects Nebraska Republicans will pick up the seats they need to ban abortions, but he notes the Supreme Court ruling “has put pressure on Republicans that they haven't felt before.”

Since the ruling, Planned Parenthood clinics in Lincoln and Omaha — two of the three in Nebraska that provide abortion services — have seen an increase in the number of people from outside the state seeking them. Andi Curry Grubb, the executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska, said many of the women the clinics are seeing have few resources to allow them to travel hundreds of miles from their homes.

“I know we had one patient who drove a U-Haul from Texas to Nebraska to get to one of our clinics, because it was the only vehicle they could rent within a reasonable price range,” Grubb said. “You get that sense that the burden in on people who need access to care the most.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666717756113.jpeg" alt="The office of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, one of Nebraska's few abortion clinics, is seen in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)" />
 <figcaption>The office of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, one of Nebraska's few abortion clinics, is seen in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)</figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Republicans are expected to dominate as usual at the polls in November and retain control of the officially nonpartisan Legislature. They face a far tougher challenge flipping enough seats to push through a statewide abortion ban.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;overturning the constitutional right to abortion has injected a degree of uncertainty into elections, even in some of the nation's most reliably red states. Abortion opponents in Nebraska are hoping to avoid a repeat of what happened this summer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">in neighboring Kansas</a>, where voters overwhelming rejected a ballot measure that would have paved the way for an abortion ban there.“Whether we like it or not, Nebraska is now a destination state for abortion,” said David Zebolsky, chairman of Nebraskans Embracing Life. “We’re supporting strong pro-life legislative candidates in the November election to change that.”Even with Republicans considered a lock to maintain control of Nebraska's unique one-chamber Legislature, they need to gain at least two seats to end the state's status as the nation's most unlikely harborage for abortion services. Under legislative rules, some measures — including an abortion ban — can be blocked by the minority if supporters don't get at least 33 votes in the 49-member Senate.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;enabled other conservative states to quickly outlaw most abortions, but the Nebraska ban received only 31 votes —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-us-supreme-court-health-nebraska-legislature-0b8e1e93be48c9e3fd7264c94da7b786">two short of the number needed to avoid a filibuster.</a>Nebraska Republicans' hopes to outlaw abortions were thwarted again weeks later, when Gov. Pete Ricketts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-legislature-nebraska-omaha-pete-ricketts-8e4be716151ac772c608ea2ad80e3130">opted not to call a special session</a>&nbsp;to enact a ban because backers were, at that time, three votes short.Such setbacks are odd given Nebraska’s history as a leader in abortion restrictions. It enacted the country’s first law banning abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy based on the disputed theory that a fetus at that point can feel pain.The upcoming election could give supporters the votes they need for a ban, or it could leave Nebraska as a rare state where Republicans control nearly all aspects of government but allow abortions to continue.Nebraska’s tug-of-war over abortion comes at a time when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-us-supreme-court-health-constitutions-bf26bfca47ceedc09f63adf8e31a6a82">the issue has roiled politics across the country</a>. Besides Kansas, voters in Kentucky will decide next month the fate of a proposed constitutional amendment that would eliminate the right to abortion in the state. The red state of Montana will have a “born alive” measure on the ballot there, requiring health care providers to take “all medically appropriate and reasonable actions to preserve the life” of an infant born alive, including after an attempted abortion. Doctors have warned that the measure would force them to prolong the suffering of infants born with fatal deformities.And in Georgia, which could decide control of the U.S. Senate, abortion has taken an outsized role in the neck-and-neck race between Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and his Republican challenger, former football star Herschel Walker. Walker, a staunch anti-abortion proponent,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-entertainment-florida-campaigns-94e4496d4f3d40acaca0895018bab909">has been plagued by recent claims</a>&nbsp;that he paid for a woman’s 2009 abortion and later fathered a child with her.Republicans who have historically championed anti-abortion causes appeared to be caught flat-footed in the the wake of the judicial branch overturning Roe, a move that was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-nancy-pelosi-womens-rights-government-and-politics-c410dbe9a8321b35a4e779b2fb226de5">unpopular with a majority of Americans according to polls</a>&nbsp;taken ahead of the decision. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/projects/more-americans-disapprove-than-approve-of-the-supreme-courts-decision-to-overturn-roe-v-wade/">poll conducted after the ruling</a>&nbsp;revealed a majority of Americans want Congress to pass a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.That polling has led Republican candidates who would normally tout their anti-abortion credentials to back away from the issue this election cycle. In Nebraska, some Republican candidates in and around Omaha and Lincoln, which are less conservative than the state’s more rural reaches, are tailoring their messages on abortion with that in mind. Conversely, Democrats who would normally avoid the issue of abortion so as not to rile voters in a conservative state are now putting the issue front-and-center of their campaigns.President Joe Biden promised during a speech last week in Washington to push&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-biden-health-congress-f3ffadd1d55625a4af7b87f6b691fbbc">a bill that codifies Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;if Democrats control enough seats in Congress to pass it.Omaha state Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, one of the most vocal opponents of a failed “trigger bill” backed by Republicans last session that would have outlawed nearly all abortions, has placed her support for abortion access at the top of her campaign website. She cited an ACLU-commissioned poll in March that showed Nebraskans opposed to a total abortion ban by a 20-point margin.Her opponent, Christian Mirch, had until recently been just as vocal about his support for banning abortion. He has attended anti-abortion rallies and stated in the Nebraska Catholic Voter Guide his support for an abortion ban “from the moment of conception.” But he seems to have backpedaled on that stance in the wake of blowback from the the overturning of Roe.“We’ve gotten away from that representative form of government in recent years,” he said. “We can’t be constituencies of one.”Asked about polling that shows most Americans opposing the overturning of Roe, Mirch countered that “we haven’t done that polling in this district.”Cavanaugh said Mirch has been knocking on doors in the district and telling some voters that he and Cavanaugh have essentially the same views on abortion. Mirch said he simply has assured voters that he would not do anything that would endanger invitro fertilization treatments.Cavanaugh isn’t buying it.“You don’t lie about your position unless you know it’s going to cost you votes," she said.Of the 15 Nebraska lawmakers who voted to block the abortion ban bill, eight are facing reelection challenges or not running.University of Nebraska-Lincoln political science professor John Hibbing said he expects Nebraska Republicans will pick up the seats they need to ban abortions, but he notes the Supreme Court ruling “has put pressure on Republicans that they haven't felt before.”Since the ruling, Planned Parenthood clinics in Lincoln and Omaha — two of the three in Nebraska that provide abortion services — have seen an increase in the number of people from outside the state seeking them. Andi Curry Grubb, the executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska, said many of the women the clinics are seeing have few resources to allow them to travel hundreds of miles from their homes.“I know we had one patient who drove a U-Haul from Texas to Nebraska to get to one of our clinics, because it was the only vehicle they could rent within a reasonable price range,” Grubb said. “You get that sense that the burden in on people who need access to care the most.”<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a><figure>
 <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7qM0af3RgV8QomY0VxZPdAOBVkRI8ohKInFyFmFbKjPo45_0K2Q1Tvl54WrKTOwr37u-kolbt4agB1NSVmQCGuRQw8zQyPYUQ6eMbQfBo5W9zmvCj6ivOar-LOsn28eMukshwjQeW-N3L47EH-LfJEcjgEwm2R0NE38zzxbMKatnZeGUC731JjK-" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Nebraska struggling to OK ban despite anti-abortion history

POST PODCAST: Coffee Talk 10/25/22

Karen Benzel discusses signups for Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets.

<div><iframe title="POST PODCAST: United Way of Western Nebraska" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=asdv6-12f849b-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=2&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=5"></iframe></div>Karen Benzel discusses signups for Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets.