ATMORE, Ala. (AP) — A man&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nitrogen-execution-death-penalty-alabama-699896815486f019f804a8afb7032900">put to death using nitrogen gas</a>&nbsp;shook and convulsed for minutes on the gurney as Alabama carried out the first-of-its-kind execution that has ignited debate over the humaneness of the method.

Breathing through a nitrogen-filled face mask that deprived him of oxygen, 58-year-old convicted killer Kenneth Eugene Smith convulsed in seizurelike spasms for at least two minutes of the 22-minute execution by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nitrogen-gas-execution-alabama-c3c813841bcebdf0f77371fc7f1da3d9">nitrogen hypoxia</a>&nbsp;Thursday. The force of his movements at times caused the gurney to visibly shake. That was followed by several minutes of gasping breathing until his breath was no longer perceptible.

Smith's supporters expressed alarm at how the execution played out, saying it was the antithesis of the state's promise of a quick and painless death. But Alabama's attorney general characterized the execution as “textbook” during a Friday news conference.

“As of last night, nitrogen hypoxia as a means of execution is no longer an untested method. It is a proven one," Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said, extending an offer of help for states considering adopting the method.

Asked about Smith’s shaking and convulsing on the gurney, Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Q. Hamm said they appeared to be involuntary movements.

“That was all expected and was in the side effects that we’ve seen or researched on nitrogen hypoxia,” Hamm said. “Nothing was out of the ordinary from what we were expecting."

Marshall said he anticipated Alabama "will definitely have more nitrogen hypoxia executions.” More than 40 death row inmates have selected nitrogen as their preferred execution method over lethal injection but did so at a time when the state hadn’t developed nitrogen procedures.

Attorneys for those inmates have asked the court to order Alabama to turn over records and information about Smith’s execution. Litigation will almost certainly focus on Smith’s convulsions and movements during the execution.

“The State promised the world the most humane method of execution known to man. Instead, Mr. Smith writhed and thrashed before he died. No further executions should take place by this method until the events of this evening are examined by an independent body,” Assistant Federal Defender John Palombi, who represents death row inmates who requested nitrogen, said in a statement.

Smith’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-execution-nitrogen-gas-5a96360ceddb8335c37cce608f815b30">spiritual adviser</a>, the Rev. Jeff Hood, agreed that the execution did not match the state attorney general’s prediction that Smith would lose consciousness in seconds followed by death within minutes.

“We didn’t see somebody go unconscious in 30 seconds. What we saw was minutes of someone struggling for their life,” said Hood, who attended the execution.

Dr. Philip Nitschke, a euthanasia expert who designed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-993202650845">suicide pod using nitrogen gas</a>&nbsp;and appeared as an expert witness for Smith, said the description of Smith's thrashing matches what he would expect to happen when nitrogen gas is used in a mask and someone holds their breath or takes the smallest possible breaths.

“I think this outcome is inevitable if the nitrogen gas is to be used in execution where people do not want to die and will not cooperate,” Nitschke said.

Outside the country, the European Union and the U.N. Human Rights Office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-death-penalty-nitrogen-eu-un-c7bf79cbd8b12f8da99fee24db64694c">expressed regret Friday</a>&nbsp;over the execution. The 27-nation EU and the Geneva-based U.N. rights office say the death penalty violates the right to life and does not deter crime.

Smith, who was paid $1,000 to kill an Alabama woman more than 30 years ago, said in a final statement: “Tonight Alabama causes humanity to take a step backwards. I’m leaving with love, peace and light.”

He made the “I love you sign” with his hands toward family members who were witnesses. “Thank you for supporting me. Love, love all of you,” Smith said.

Smith ate a last meal of T-bone steak, hash browns, toast and eggs slathered in A1 steak sauce.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said the execution was justice for the murder-for-hire killing of 45-year-old Elizabeth Sennett in 1988.

“After more than 30 years and attempt after attempt to game the system, Mr. Smith has answered for his horrendous crimes,” Ivey said in a statement. “I pray that Elizabeth Sennett’s family can receive closure after all these years dealing with that great loss.”

Mike Sennett, the victim’s son, said Thursday night that Smith “had been incarcerated almost twice as long as I knew my mom.”

“Nothing happened here today is going to bring Mom back. It’s kind of a bittersweet day. We are not going to be jumping around, whooping and holler, hooray and all that,” he said. “I’ll end by saying Elizabeth Dorlene Sennett got her justice tonight.”

Alabama had previously attempted to execute Smith in 2022, but the lethal injection was called off at the last minute because authorities couldn’t connect an IV line.

The execution came after a last-minute legal battle in which his attorneys contended the state was making him the test subject for an experimental execution method that could violate the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Federal courts rejected Smith’s bid to block it, with the final ruling coming Thursday night from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.

“Having failed to kill Smith on its first attempt, Alabama has selected him as its ‘guinea pig’ to test a method of execution never attempted before. The world is watching,” Sotomayor wrote.

The White House also expressed concern over the execution method, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying during a media briefing Friday that reports about Smith and his death were “very troubling.”

Sennett was found dead in her home March 18, 1988, with eight stab wounds in the chest and one on each side of her neck. Smith was one of two men convicted in the killing. The other, John Forrest Parker, was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.andalusiastarnews.com/2010/06/10/alabama-man-executed-in-1988-contract-killing/">executed</a>&nbsp;in 2010.

Prosecutors said they were each paid $1,000 to kill Sennett on behalf of her pastor husband, who was deeply in debt and wanted to collect on insurance. The husband, Charles Sennett Sr., killed himself when the investigation focused on him as a suspect, according to court documents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706276540123.png" alt="Smith photo Alabama Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Smith photo Alabama Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>ATMORE, Ala. (AP) — A man&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nitrogen-execution-death-penalty-alabama-699896815486f019f804a8afb7032900">put to death using nitrogen gas</a>&nbsp;shook and convulsed for minutes on the gurney as Alabama carried out the first-of-its-kind execution that has ignited debate over the humaneness of the method.Breathing through a nitrogen-filled face mask that deprived him of oxygen, 58-year-old convicted killer Kenneth Eugene Smith convulsed in seizurelike spasms for at least two minutes of the 22-minute execution by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nitrogen-gas-execution-alabama-c3c813841bcebdf0f77371fc7f1da3d9">nitrogen hypoxia</a>&nbsp;Thursday. The force of his movements at times caused the gurney to visibly shake. That was followed by several minutes of gasping breathing until his breath was no longer perceptible.Smith's supporters expressed alarm at how the execution played out, saying it was the antithesis of the state's promise of a quick and painless death. But Alabama's attorney general characterized the execution as “textbook” during a Friday news conference.“As of last night, nitrogen hypoxia as a means of execution is no longer an untested method. It is a proven one," Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said, extending an offer of help for states considering adopting the method.Asked about Smith’s shaking and convulsing on the gurney, Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Q. Hamm said they appeared to be involuntary movements.“That was all expected and was in the side effects that we’ve seen or researched on nitrogen hypoxia,” Hamm said. “Nothing was out of the ordinary from what we were expecting."Marshall said he anticipated Alabama "will definitely have more nitrogen hypoxia executions.” More than 40 death row inmates have selected nitrogen as their preferred execution method over lethal injection but did so at a time when the state hadn’t developed nitrogen procedures.Attorneys for those inmates have asked the court to order Alabama to turn over records and information about Smith’s execution. Litigation will almost certainly focus on Smith’s convulsions and movements during the execution.“The State promised the world the most humane method of execution known to man. Instead, Mr. Smith writhed and thrashed before he died. No further executions should take place by this method until the events of this evening are examined by an independent body,” Assistant Federal Defender John Palombi, who represents death row inmates who requested nitrogen, said in a statement.Smith’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-execution-nitrogen-gas-5a96360ceddb8335c37cce608f815b30">spiritual adviser</a>, the Rev. Jeff Hood, agreed that the execution did not match the state attorney general’s prediction that Smith would lose consciousness in seconds followed by death within minutes.“We didn’t see somebody go unconscious in 30 seconds. What we saw was minutes of someone struggling for their life,” said Hood, who attended the execution.Dr. Philip Nitschke, a euthanasia expert who designed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-993202650845">suicide pod using nitrogen gas</a>&nbsp;and appeared as an expert witness for Smith, said the description of Smith's thrashing matches what he would expect to happen when nitrogen gas is used in a mask and someone holds their breath or takes the smallest possible breaths.“I think this outcome is inevitable if the nitrogen gas is to be used in execution where people do not want to die and will not cooperate,” Nitschke said.Outside the country, the European Union and the U.N. Human Rights Office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-death-penalty-nitrogen-eu-un-c7bf79cbd8b12f8da99fee24db64694c">expressed regret Friday</a>&nbsp;over the execution. The 27-nation EU and the Geneva-based U.N. rights office say the death penalty violates the right to life and does not deter crime.Smith, who was paid $1,000 to kill an Alabama woman more than 30 years ago, said in a final statement: “Tonight Alabama causes humanity to take a step backwards. I’m leaving with love, peace and light.”He made the “I love you sign” with his hands toward family members who were witnesses. “Thank you for supporting me. Love, love all of you,” Smith said.Smith ate a last meal of T-bone steak, hash browns, toast and eggs slathered in A1 steak sauce.Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said the execution was justice for the murder-for-hire killing of 45-year-old Elizabeth Sennett in 1988.“After more than 30 years and attempt after attempt to game the system, Mr. Smith has answered for his horrendous crimes,” Ivey said in a statement. “I pray that Elizabeth Sennett’s family can receive closure after all these years dealing with that great loss.”Mike Sennett, the victim’s son, said Thursday night that Smith “had been incarcerated almost twice as long as I knew my mom.”“Nothing happened here today is going to bring Mom back. It’s kind of a bittersweet day. We are not going to be jumping around, whooping and holler, hooray and all that,” he said. “I’ll end by saying Elizabeth Dorlene Sennett got her justice tonight.”Alabama had previously attempted to execute Smith in 2022, but the lethal injection was called off at the last minute because authorities couldn’t connect an IV line.The execution came after a last-minute legal battle in which his attorneys contended the state was making him the test subject for an experimental execution method that could violate the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Federal courts rejected Smith’s bid to block it, with the final ruling coming Thursday night from the U.S. Supreme Court.Liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.“Having failed to kill Smith on its first attempt, Alabama has selected him as its ‘guinea pig’ to test a method of execution never attempted before. The world is watching,” Sotomayor wrote.The White House also expressed concern over the execution method, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying during a media briefing Friday that reports about Smith and his death were “very troubling.”Sennett was found dead in her home March 18, 1988, with eight stab wounds in the chest and one on each side of her neck. Smith was one of two men convicted in the killing. The other, John Forrest Parker, was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.andalusiastarnews.com/2010/06/10/alabama-man-executed-in-1988-contract-killing/">executed</a>&nbsp;in 2010.Prosecutors said they were each paid $1,000 to kill Sennett on behalf of her pastor husband, who was deeply in debt and wanted to collect on insurance. The husband, Charles Sennett Sr., killed himself when the investigation focused on him as a suspect, according to court documents.------------------------

What witnesses saw in nation's first nitrogen gas execution

NEW YORK (AP) — A jury awarded $83.3 million in huge additional damages on Friday to longtime advice columnist E. Jean Carroll from former President Donald Trump, who she says shattered her reputation and opened her to threats by calling her a liar who only accused him of sexual assault to sell a memoir.

The award, when coupled with a $5 million sexual assault and defamation verdict last year from another jury in a case brought by Carroll, raised to $88.3 million what Trump must pay her. Protesting vigorously, he said he would appeal.

Carroll clutched her lawyers’ hands and smiled as the seven-man, two-woman jury delivered its verdict. Emotional afterward, she shared a three-way hug with her attorneys. She declined comment as she left the Manhattan federal courthouse.

Trump had left the courthouse about a half hour before the verdict was read. He had remained for more than two hours while the jury deliberated.

“Absolutely ridiculous!” he said in a statement shortly afterward. “Our Legal System is out of control, and being used as a Political Weapon.”

Jurors deliberated less than three hours after the two-week trial.

It was the second time in nine months that a civil jury returned a verdict related to Carroll's claim that a flirtatious, chance encounter with Trump in 1996 at Bergdorf Goodman's Fifth Avenue store ended violently. She said Trump slammed her against a dressing room wall, pulled down her tights and forced himself on her.

In May, a different jury awarded Carroll $5 million. It found Trump not liable for rape, but responsible for sexually abusing Carroll and then defaming her by claiming she made it up. He is appealing that award, too.

Trump is also awaiting a verdict in a New York civil fraud trial, where state lawyers are seeking the return of $370 million in what they say were ill-gotten gains from loans and deals made using financial statements that exaggerated his wealth.

As for Trump’s ability to pay, he reported having about $294 million in cash or cash equivalents on his most recent annual financial statement, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021. Testifying at his civil fraud trial last November, he Trump boasted: “I have very little debt, and I have a lot of cash.”

Trump skipped the first Carroll trial. He later expressed regret for not attending and insisted on testifying in the second trial, though the judge limited what he could say, ruling he had missed his chance to argue that he was innocent. He spent only a few minutes on the witness stand Thursday, during which he denied attacking Carroll, then left court grumbling “this is not America.”

This new jury was only asked how much Trump, 77, should pay Carroll, 80, for two statements he made as president when he answered reporters’ questions after excerpts of Carroll’s memoir were published in a magazine — damages that couldn’t be decided earlier because of legal appeals. Jurors were not asked to re-decide the issue of whether the sex attack actually happened.

Carroll’s attorneys had requested $24 million in compensatory damages and “an unusually high punitive award.” The jury awarded $18.3 million in compensatory damages and another $65 million in punitive damages — meant to deter future behavior.

Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, urged jurors in her closing argument Friday to punish Trump enough that he would stop a steady stream of public statements smearing Carroll as a liar and a “whack job.”

Trump shook his head vigorously as Kaplan spoke, then suddenly stood and walked out, taking Secret Service agents with him. His exit came only minutes after the judge, without the jury present, threatened to send Trump attorney Alina Habba to jail for continuing to talk when he told her she was finished.

“You are on the verge of spending some time in the lockup. Now sit down,” the judge told Habba, who immediately complied.

The trial reached its conclusion as Trump marches toward winning the Republican presidential nomination a third consecutive time. He has sought to turn his various trials and legal vulnerabilities into an advantage, portraying them as evidence of a weaponized political system.

Though there’s no evidence that President Joe Biden or anyone in the White House has influenced any of the legal cases against him, Trump’s line of argument has resonated with his most loyal supporters who view the proceedings with skepticism.

Carroll testified early in the trial that Trump’s public statements had led to death threats.

“He shattered my reputation,” she said. “I am here to get my reputation back and to stop him from telling lies about me.”

She said she’d had an electronic fence installed around the cabin in upstate New York where she lives, warned neighbors of the threats and bought bullets for a gun she keeps by her bed.

“Previously, I was known as simply as a journalist and had a column, and now I’m known as the liar, the fraud, and the whack job,” Carroll testified.

Trump’s lawyer, Habba, told jurors that Carroll had been enriched by her accusations against Trump and achieved fame she had craved. She said no damages were warranted.

To support Carroll’s request for millions in damages, Northwestern University sociologist Ashlee Humphreys told the jury that Trump’s 2019 statements had caused between $7.2 million and $12.1 million in harm to Carroll’s reputation.

When Trump finally testified, Kaplan gave him little room to maneuver, because Trump could not be permitted to try to revive issues settled in the first trial.

“It is a very well-established legal principle in this country that prevents do-overs by disappointed litigants,” Kaplan said.

“He lost it and he is bound. And the jury will be instructed that, regardless of what he says in court here today, he did it, as far as they’re concerned. That is the law,” Kaplan said shortly before Trump testified.

After he swore to tell the truth, Trump was asked if he stood by a deposition in which he called Carroll a “liar” and a “whack job.” He answered: “100 percent. Yes.”

Asked if he denied the allegation because Carroll made an accusation, he responded: “That’s exactly right. She said something, I consider it a false accusation.” Asked if he ever instructed anyone to hurt Carroll, he said: “No. I just wanted to defend myself, my family, and frankly, the presidency.”

The judge ordered the jury to disregard the “false accusation” comment and everything Trump said after “No” to the last question.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706306535436.png" alt="&nbsp;E. Jean Carroll E.&nbsp;leaves court in New York City after a jury awarded her $83.3 million in damages in her defamation suit against former&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?20967/DonaldJTrump">President Donald Trump</a>.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;E. Jean Carroll E.&nbsp;leaves court in New York City after a jury awarded her $83.3 million in damages in her defamation suit against former&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?20967/DonaldJTrump">President Donald Trump</a>.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — A jury awarded $83.3 million in huge additional damages on Friday to longtime advice columnist E. Jean Carroll from former President Donald Trump, who she says shattered her reputation and opened her to threats by calling her a liar who only accused him of sexual assault to sell a memoir.The award, when coupled with a $5 million sexual assault and defamation verdict last year from another jury in a case brought by Carroll, raised to $88.3 million what Trump must pay her. Protesting vigorously, he said he would appeal.Carroll clutched her lawyers’ hands and smiled as the seven-man, two-woman jury delivered its verdict. Emotional afterward, she shared a three-way hug with her attorneys. She declined comment as she left the Manhattan federal courthouse.Trump had left the courthouse about a half hour before the verdict was read. He had remained for more than two hours while the jury deliberated.“Absolutely ridiculous!” he said in a statement shortly afterward. “Our Legal System is out of control, and being used as a Political Weapon.”Jurors deliberated less than three hours after the two-week trial.It was the second time in nine months that a civil jury returned a verdict related to Carroll's claim that a flirtatious, chance encounter with Trump in 1996 at Bergdorf Goodman's Fifth Avenue store ended violently. She said Trump slammed her against a dressing room wall, pulled down her tights and forced himself on her.In May, a different jury awarded Carroll $5 million. It found Trump not liable for rape, but responsible for sexually abusing Carroll and then defaming her by claiming she made it up. He is appealing that award, too.Trump is also awaiting a verdict in a New York civil fraud trial, where state lawyers are seeking the return of $370 million in what they say were ill-gotten gains from loans and deals made using financial statements that exaggerated his wealth.As for Trump’s ability to pay, he reported having about $294 million in cash or cash equivalents on his most recent annual financial statement, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021. Testifying at his civil fraud trial last November, he Trump boasted: “I have very little debt, and I have a lot of cash.”Trump skipped the first Carroll trial. He later expressed regret for not attending and insisted on testifying in the second trial, though the judge limited what he could say, ruling he had missed his chance to argue that he was innocent. He spent only a few minutes on the witness stand Thursday, during which he denied attacking Carroll, then left court grumbling “this is not America.”This new jury was only asked how much Trump, 77, should pay Carroll, 80, for two statements he made as president when he answered reporters’ questions after excerpts of Carroll’s memoir were published in a magazine — damages that couldn’t be decided earlier because of legal appeals. Jurors were not asked to re-decide the issue of whether the sex attack actually happened.Carroll’s attorneys had requested $24 million in compensatory damages and “an unusually high punitive award.” The jury awarded $18.3 million in compensatory damages and another $65 million in punitive damages — meant to deter future behavior.Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, urged jurors in her closing argument Friday to punish Trump enough that he would stop a steady stream of public statements smearing Carroll as a liar and a “whack job.”Trump shook his head vigorously as Kaplan spoke, then suddenly stood and walked out, taking Secret Service agents with him. His exit came only minutes after the judge, without the jury present, threatened to send Trump attorney Alina Habba to jail for continuing to talk when he told her she was finished.“You are on the verge of spending some time in the lockup. Now sit down,” the judge told Habba, who immediately complied.The trial reached its conclusion as Trump marches toward winning the Republican presidential nomination a third consecutive time. He has sought to turn his various trials and legal vulnerabilities into an advantage, portraying them as evidence of a weaponized political system.Though there’s no evidence that President Joe Biden or anyone in the White House has influenced any of the legal cases against him, Trump’s line of argument has resonated with his most loyal supporters who view the proceedings with skepticism.Carroll testified early in the trial that Trump’s public statements had led to death threats.“He shattered my reputation,” she said. “I am here to get my reputation back and to stop him from telling lies about me.”She said she’d had an electronic fence installed around the cabin in upstate New York where she lives, warned neighbors of the threats and bought bullets for a gun she keeps by her bed.“Previously, I was known as simply as a journalist and had a column, and now I’m known as the liar, the fraud, and the whack job,” Carroll testified.Trump’s lawyer, Habba, told jurors that Carroll had been enriched by her accusations against Trump and achieved fame she had craved. She said no damages were warranted.To support Carroll’s request for millions in damages, Northwestern University sociologist Ashlee Humphreys told the jury that Trump’s 2019 statements had caused between $7.2 million and $12.1 million in harm to Carroll’s reputation.When Trump finally testified, Kaplan gave him little room to maneuver, because Trump could not be permitted to try to revive issues settled in the first trial.“It is a very well-established legal principle in this country that prevents do-overs by disappointed litigants,” Kaplan said.“He lost it and he is bound. And the jury will be instructed that, regardless of what he says in court here today, he did it, as far as they’re concerned. That is the law,” Kaplan said shortly before Trump testified.After he swore to tell the truth, Trump was asked if he stood by a deposition in which he called Carroll a “liar” and a “whack job.” He answered: “100 percent. Yes.”Asked if he denied the allegation because Carroll made an accusation, he responded: “That’s exactly right. She said something, I consider it a false accusation.” Asked if he ever instructed anyone to hurt Carroll, he said: “No. I just wanted to defend myself, my family, and frankly, the presidency.”The judge ordered the jury to disregard the “false accusation” comment and everything Trump said after “No” to the last question.

Jury: Trump must pay $83.3 million in damages for defamation

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;-- Governor Jim Pillen is touting the receipt of a $21.2 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant for a construction project on Interstate 80 (I-80) in Buffalo County between Odessa and Kearney.

“The $21 million INFRA grant will help maximize state funds to get this project going in an area with vital manufacturing and agricultural industries,” said Gov. Pillen. “I-80 is the busiest freight corridor in Nebraska, and freight traffic is only going up. When this project is completed, it will bolster our economy in the central part of the state by helping ensure our transportation system provides good, ample access to major cities and distribution centers.”

The award to the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) follows positive and productive interactions with Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the U.S. Department of Transportation. In September, Gov. Pillen met with Sec. Buttigieg to discuss the need for additional federal dollars to complete transportation projects in Nebraska. Then, Lt. Governor Joe Kelly joined the Secretary in Grand Island, highlighting the impact of more than $15 million in railroad funding for the state.

I-80 is a main freight corridor, with the section in Buffalo County supporting over 22,000 vehicles a day, 38% of which are heavy trucks. By 2045, it’s anticipated the section will see a 39% increase in daily traffic volume, making the replacement project crucial to the area’s freight economy.

This Odessa to Kearney project is estimated to cost $35.3 million, with the remaining 40 percent of the project being funded by a 50/50 split between National Highway Performance Program funding through the Federal Highway Administration and state transportation funds. It will entail the complete removal of nine miles of existing pavement and replacement with a new, durable concrete surface and shoulders, designed to withstand heavy traffic loads and extreme weather conditions. The project will also include the removal and replacement of a rural two-lane bridge over I-80, needed for local connectivity and farm-to-market accessibility. Construction is anticipated to begin in spring of 2026 and be completed by the end of 2027.

“This grant award is a big win for Nebraska,” said Vicki Kramer, NDOT Director. “It’s part of the state’s larger efforts to bring more discretionary money to support agricultural and manufacturing economies by investing in our infrastructure. Nebraska’s interstate and highway systems are essential to the vitality and wellbeing of our rural communities’ economies.”

Currently, the state highway system carries 63% of all vehicle miles traveled in the state and 83% of heavy truck traffic. It is projected that by 2045, Nebraska’s transportation system will carry more than 623 million tons of freight annually, valued at $404 billion.

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;-- Governor Jim Pillen is touting the receipt of a $21.2 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant for a construction project on Interstate 80 (I-80) in Buffalo County between Odessa and Kearney.“The $21 million INFRA grant will help maximize state funds to get this project going in an area with vital manufacturing and agricultural industries,” said Gov. Pillen. “I-80 is the busiest freight corridor in Nebraska, and freight traffic is only going up. When this project is completed, it will bolster our economy in the central part of the state by helping ensure our transportation system provides good, ample access to major cities and distribution centers.”The award to the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) follows positive and productive interactions with Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the U.S. Department of Transportation. In September, Gov. Pillen met with Sec. Buttigieg to discuss the need for additional federal dollars to complete transportation projects in Nebraska. Then, Lt. Governor Joe Kelly joined the Secretary in Grand Island, highlighting the impact of more than $15 million in railroad funding for the state.I-80 is a main freight corridor, with the section in Buffalo County supporting over 22,000 vehicles a day, 38% of which are heavy trucks. By 2045, it’s anticipated the section will see a 39% increase in daily traffic volume, making the replacement project crucial to the area’s freight economy.This Odessa to Kearney project is estimated to cost $35.3 million, with the remaining 40 percent of the project being funded by a 50/50 split between National Highway Performance Program funding through the Federal Highway Administration and state transportation funds. It will entail the complete removal of nine miles of existing pavement and replacement with a new, durable concrete surface and shoulders, designed to withstand heavy traffic loads and extreme weather conditions. The project will also include the removal and replacement of a rural two-lane bridge over I-80, needed for local connectivity and farm-to-market accessibility. Construction is anticipated to begin in spring of 2026 and be completed by the end of 2027.“This grant award is a big win for Nebraska,” said Vicki Kramer, NDOT Director. “It’s part of the state’s larger efforts to bring more discretionary money to support agricultural and manufacturing economies by investing in our infrastructure. Nebraska’s interstate and highway systems are essential to the vitality and wellbeing of our rural communities’ economies.”Currently, the state highway system carries 63% of all vehicle miles traveled in the state and 83% of heavy truck traffic. It is projected that by 2045, Nebraska’s transportation system will carry more than 623 million tons of freight annually, valued at $404 billion.

Gov. Pillen Touts $21 Million in Federal Funding for I-80 Construction Project in Central Nebraska 

JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a U.S. warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, and struck a British vessel as their aggressive attacks on maritime traffic continue.

The attack on the U.S. warship, the destroyer USS Carney, marked a further escalation in the biggest confrontation at sea the U.S. Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades, as Houthi missile fire set another commercial vessel ablaze Friday night.

The Carney attack represents the first time the Houthis directly targeted a U.S. warship since the rebels began their assaults on shipping in October, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity because no authorization had been given to discuss the incident.

Later Friday, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Operations, which oversees Mideast waterways, acknowledged a vessel had been struck by a missile and was on fire in the Gulf of Aden.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed the missile attack on the commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda.

A U.S. military official confirmed the vessel was struck by a single anti-ship ballistic missile fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen. The Carney was sailing toward the stricken ship to provide assistance but had not reached it as of Friday evening.

The Houthi's now direct attacks on U.S. warships are the most aggressive escalation of it's campaign in the Red Sea since the Israel-Hamas war broke out. The U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the Houthi's strikes, and said it is difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis are trying to hit in part try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.

The U.S. and allies had also held off for weeks on striking Houthi weapons sites in Yemen, but they are now taking regular action, often destroying launch sites that are armed but have not fired, and are deemed an imminent threat.

Despite the Carney being directly targeted, a statement by the U.S. military's Central Command Friday said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney.

Acknowledging Friday’s assault as a direct attack on a U.S. warship is important, said Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

“They’re now finally calling a spade a spade, and saying that, yeah, they’re trying to attack our forces, they’re trying to kill us,” he said.

Tempering the language and response, while aimed at preventing a wider war, has had the opposite effect of further emboldening the Houthis, Bowman said.

In Friday’s attack, an anti-ship ballistic missile came near the USS Carney, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer that’s been involved in American operations to try to stop the Houthi campaign since November, Central Command said.

“The missile was successfully shot down by USS Carney,” it said. “There were no injuries or damage reported.”

The attacks were the latest assaults by the rebels in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.

The U.S. and Britain have launched multiple rounds of airstrikes since the Houthi attacks began targeting Houthi missile depots and launcher sites in Yemen, a country that's been wracked by conflict since the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.

Since the airstrike campaign began, the rebels now say they’ll target American and British ships as well. On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">two American-flagged ships carrying cargo for the U.S. Defense and State departments came under attack by the Houthis</a>, forcing an escorting U.S. Navy warship to shoot some of the projectiles down.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-houthi-attacks-red-sea-shipping-iran-8e55669e4d18cbc7007654640fa5fdc1">The U.S. Navy’s top Mideast commander told the AP</a>&nbsp;on Monday that the Houthi attacks were the worst since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ceb6e7a86bf14a9a8d8ecf81c9dcc7ef">the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s</a>. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran, and also saw the U.S. Navy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de425ed9833b4bdaa03306f37182995f">accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet</a>, killing 290 people in 1988.

JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a U.S. warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, the U.S. military said Friday.

The attack on the destroyer USS Carney marked a further escalation in the biggest confrontation at sea the U.S. Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades, as Houthi missile fire set another commercial vessel ablaze Friday night.

That contradicted a statement by the U.S. military's Central Command, which said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney. As it has in previous strikes, the Pentagon said it was difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis were trying to hit.

Ever since the Israel-Hamas war broke out, the U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the strikes targeting its bases and warships to try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.

Acknowledging Friday's assault as a direct attack on a U.S. warship is important, said Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

Tempering the language, while aimed at preventing a wider war, has had the opposite effect of further enabling the Houthis, he said.

In Friday’s attack, an anti-ship ballistic missile came near the USS Carney, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer that’s been involved in American operations to try and stop the Houthi campaign since November, Central Command said.

The attack was the latest assault by the rebels in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed a missile attack on a commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda. The Associated Press could not immediately reach the ship's British managers.

The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Operations, which oversees Mideast waterways, acknowledged a vessel had been struck by a missile and was on fire in the Gulf of Aden. It wasn't immediately clear if anyone had been hurt.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip surpassed 26,000 on Friday as the International Court of Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-genocide-court-south-africa-27cf84e16082cde798395a95e9143c06">ordered Israel</a>&nbsp;to limit deaths and damage but stopped short of demanding a cease-fire in the Palestinian territory.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry</a>&nbsp;in Hamas-ruled Gaza said that 26,083 people have been killed and more than 64,400 wounded since Oct. 7, the day militants from the territory launched a surprise attack in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.

South Africa has accused Israel of genocide and asked the world court in The Hague, Netherlands, to impose interim measures as the case proceeds. The requested measures included ordering Israel to stop its offensive, to allow Gaza residents access to aid and to take “reasonable measures” to prevent genocide.

Israel has denied committing genocide and asked the court to throw out the case, which the panel of 17 judges refused to do.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697765298614.png" alt="U.S. Carney -photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Carney -photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a U.S. warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, and struck a British vessel as their aggressive attacks on maritime traffic continue.The attack on the U.S. warship, the destroyer USS Carney, marked a further escalation in the biggest confrontation at sea the U.S. Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades, as Houthi missile fire set another commercial vessel ablaze Friday night.The Carney attack represents the first time the Houthis directly targeted a U.S. warship since the rebels began their assaults on shipping in October, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity because no authorization had been given to discuss the incident.Later Friday, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Operations, which oversees Mideast waterways, acknowledged a vessel had been struck by a missile and was on fire in the Gulf of Aden.Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed the missile attack on the commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda.A U.S. military official confirmed the vessel was struck by a single anti-ship ballistic missile fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen. The Carney was sailing toward the stricken ship to provide assistance but had not reached it as of Friday evening.The Houthi's now direct attacks on U.S. warships are the most aggressive escalation of it's campaign in the Red Sea since the Israel-Hamas war broke out. The U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the Houthi's strikes, and said it is difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis are trying to hit in part try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.The U.S. and allies had also held off for weeks on striking Houthi weapons sites in Yemen, but they are now taking regular action, often destroying launch sites that are armed but have not fired, and are deemed an imminent threat.Despite the Carney being directly targeted, a statement by the U.S. military's Central Command Friday said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney.Acknowledging Friday’s assault as a direct attack on a U.S. warship is important, said Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.“They’re now finally calling a spade a spade, and saying that, yeah, they’re trying to attack our forces, they’re trying to kill us,” he said.Tempering the language and response, while aimed at preventing a wider war, has had the opposite effect of further emboldening the Houthis, Bowman said.In Friday’s attack, an anti-ship ballistic missile came near the USS Carney, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer that’s been involved in American operations to try to stop the Houthi campaign since November, Central Command said.“The missile was successfully shot down by USS Carney,” it said. “There were no injuries or damage reported.”The attacks were the latest assaults by the rebels in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.The U.S. and Britain have launched multiple rounds of airstrikes since the Houthi attacks began targeting Houthi missile depots and launcher sites in Yemen, a country that's been wracked by conflict since the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.Since the airstrike campaign began, the rebels now say they’ll target American and British ships as well. On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">two American-flagged ships carrying cargo for the U.S. Defense and State departments came under attack by the Houthis</a>, forcing an escorting U.S. Navy warship to shoot some of the projectiles down.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-houthi-attacks-red-sea-shipping-iran-8e55669e4d18cbc7007654640fa5fdc1">The U.S. Navy’s top Mideast commander told the AP</a>&nbsp;on Monday that the Houthi attacks were the worst since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ceb6e7a86bf14a9a8d8ecf81c9dcc7ef">the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s</a>. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran, and also saw the U.S. Navy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de425ed9833b4bdaa03306f37182995f">accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet</a>, killing 290 people in 1988.----------------JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a U.S. warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, the U.S. military said Friday.The attack on the destroyer USS Carney marked a further escalation in the biggest confrontation at sea the U.S. Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades, as Houthi missile fire set another commercial vessel ablaze Friday night.The Carney attack represents the first time the Houthis directly targeted a U.S. warship since the rebels began their assaults on shipping in October, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity because no authorization had been given to discuss the incident.That contradicted a statement by the U.S. military's Central Command, which said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney. As it has in previous strikes, the Pentagon said it was difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis were trying to hit.Ever since the Israel-Hamas war broke out, the U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the strikes targeting its bases and warships to try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.Acknowledging Friday's assault as a direct attack on a U.S. warship is important, said Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.“They’re now finally calling a spade a spade, and saying that, yeah, they’re trying to attack our forces, they’re trying to kill us,” he said.Tempering the language, while aimed at preventing a wider war, has had the opposite effect of further enabling the Houthis, he said.In Friday’s attack, an anti-ship ballistic missile came near the USS Carney, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer that’s been involved in American operations to try and stop the Houthi campaign since November, Central Command said.“The missile was successfully shot down by USS Carney,” it said. “There were no injuries or damage reported.”The attack was the latest assault by the rebels in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed a missile attack on a commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda. The Associated Press could not immediately reach the ship's British managers.The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Operations, which oversees Mideast waterways, acknowledged a vessel had been struck by a missile and was on fire in the Gulf of Aden. It wasn't immediately clear if anyone had been hurt.The U.S. and Britain have launched multiple rounds of airstrikes since the Houthi attacks began targeting Houthi missile depots and launcher sites in Yemen, a country that's been wracked by conflict since the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.Since the airstrike campaign began, the rebels now say they’ll target American and British ships as well. On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">two American-flagged ships carrying cargo for the U.S. Defense and State departments came under attack by the Houthis</a>, forcing an escorting U.S. Navy warship to shoot some of the projectiles down.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-houthi-attacks-red-sea-shipping-iran-8e55669e4d18cbc7007654640fa5fdc1">The U.S. Navy’s top Mideast commander told the AP</a>&nbsp;on Monday that the Houthi attacks were the worst since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ceb6e7a86bf14a9a8d8ecf81c9dcc7ef">the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s</a>. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran, and also saw the U.S. Navy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de425ed9833b4bdaa03306f37182995f">accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet</a>, killing 290 people in 1988.Meanwhile, the death toll from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip surpassed 26,000 on Friday as the International Court of Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-genocide-court-south-africa-27cf84e16082cde798395a95e9143c06">ordered Israel</a>&nbsp;to limit deaths and damage but stopped short of demanding a cease-fire in the Palestinian territory.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry</a>&nbsp;in Hamas-ruled Gaza said that 26,083 people have been killed and more than 64,400 wounded since Oct. 7, the day militants from the territory launched a surprise attack in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.South Africa has accused Israel of genocide and asked the world court in The Hague, Netherlands, to impose interim measures as the case proceeds. The requested measures included ordering Israel to stop its offensive, to allow Gaza residents access to aid and to take “reasonable measures” to prevent genocide.Israel has denied committing genocide and asked the court to throw out the case, which the panel of 17 judges refused to do.

Terrorists fire missile at a US warship, escalating Mideast sea conflict 

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The Republican National Committee has pulled a resolution to consider declaring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;the party’s “presumptive 2024 nominee" before he formally clinches the requisite number of delegates, a person familiar with the decision said Thursday.

News of the withdrawal came shortly after Trump posted on his Truth Social site that, while he “greatly” appreciated the notion, he felt, “for the sake of PARTY UNITY, that they should NOT go forward with this plan, but that I should do it the ‘Old Fashioned’ way, and finish the process off AT THE BALLOT BOX.”

The measure, according to a draft obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, had said it “declares President Trump as our presumptive 2024 nominee for the office of President of the United States and from this moment forward moves into full general election mode welcoming supporters of all candidates as valued members of Team Trump 2024.”

The withdrawal was confirmed by a person familiar with the decision who was not authorized to publicly discuss the proposal and spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday night.

If approved, the measure would have further solidified Trump's control of the party and its operation at a time when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haley-new-hampshire-south-carolina-trump-sfa-inc-0a76fb3e5064b0ed1b9bb4c2fd36dee1">former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley is still competing</a>&nbsp;against Trump for the GOP nomination.

RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel had earlier signaled her approval for the resolution. On Tuesday, after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-hampshire-primary-two-candidate-race-72a59c4133879eaeec63d6ed30e91e01">Haley finished second to Trump in New Hampshire</a>, McDaniel said that while she felt the former ambassador had “run a great campaign,” Republicans “need to unite around our eventual nominee, which is going to be Donald Trump.”

The resolution had been expected to be discussed at the RNC's winter meeting in Las Vegas next week, even though only two states have voted and the former president had nowhere near the requisite number of delegates to secure the nomination.

Haley’s camp said Thursday that it wasn’t up to the RNC to decide who the GOP nominee would be.

“Who cares what the RNC says? We’ll let millions of Republican voters across the country decide who should be our party’s nominee, not a bunch of Washington insiders,” said campaign spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas.

The AP has a policy to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-new-hampshire-nominee-election-29c4164ee0071ebe1205fdc900bd601a">not refer to any candidate as the “presumptive nominee”</a>&nbsp;until he or she has captured the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-election-2024-delegate-tracker">delegates needed</a>&nbsp;to win a majority vote at the national party conventions this summer. The earliest that could happen is March.

But there were no party rules prohibiting the RNC from making such a move. If it had been adopted, it could have given the Republican Party a jump-start on planning a general election matchup with Democratic President Joe Biden, who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-general-election-new-hampshire-democrats-bee6a99475f9fa68e2cf57d6fca0d705">begun framing his reelection campaign</a>&nbsp;as a 2020 rematch against Trump.

There was also precedent for the committee to declare a candidate the presumptive nominee before winning the 1,215 requisite delegates to clinch the nomination. Then-RNC Chair Reince Priebus did so with Trump in May 2016.

Despite losing both the Iowa and New Hampshire contests to Trump, Haley has argued that her performance — outlasting all the other Trump rivals — shows the strength of her candidacy.

Trump currently has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-election-2024-delegate-tracker">32 delegates to Haley's 17</a>. There is one delegate left to be assigned after the New Hampshire contest.

During a rally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haley-new-hampshire-south-carolina-trump-sfa-inc-0a76fb3e5064b0ed1b9bb4c2fd36dee1">Wednesday night</a>&nbsp;in her home state of South Carolina, Haley — the former governor — noted that her campaign had brought in more than $1 million since her second-place finish in New Hampshire. Trump followed up with a remark that appeared aimed at intimidating her donors.

“Anybody that makes a ‘Contribution’ to Birdbrain, from this moment forth, will be permanently barred from the MAGA camp,” Trump wrote, using the nickname he has crafted for Haley and the abbreviation for his “Make America Great Again” slogan. “We don’t want them, and will not accept them, because we Put America First, and ALWAYS WILL!”

Haley's campaign said Thursday that it raised an additional $1.2 million “after Trump’s unhinged pledge to ‘permanently bar’ any individual who contributed to Haley’s campaign.”

“Donald Trump’s threats highlight the stark choice in this election: personal vendettas or real conservative leadership,” said Haley spokesperson AnnMarie Graham-Barnes. “Trump’s scheme blew up in his face. The contributions to the Haley campaign are pouring in — proof that people are sick of the drama and are rallying behind Nikki’s vision for a strong and proud America.”

Trump’s dismissal of any Haley donors had no effect on T.J. Petrizzo, a former top Capitol Hill staffer and now lobbyist who supports Haley.

“That’s something out of a ‘Godfather’ movie. Never betray the family? Come on,” he added. “You’ve got to play this through.”

Petrizzo said he understands that some Republicans may be ready to pivot to a head-to-head contest between Trump and Biden, but he notes that there is a lot of time left before a general election.

“I’ve heard a lot of elected officials in the Republican Party, including the RNC chair, say, ‘We need to rally around a candidate.’ That this is going to be our candidate. ‘It was chosen by Iowa and New Hampshire, so we must go ahead and rally around Trump,’” Petrizzo said. “Well, there’s 285 days until the election. There’s plenty of time on the clock.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706097331546.png" alt="Trump currently has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-election-2024-delegate-tracker">32 delegates to Haley's 17</a>. There is one delegate left to be assigned after the New Hampshire contest. photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Trump currently has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-election-2024-delegate-tracker">32 delegates to Haley's 17</a>. There is one delegate left to be assigned after the New Hampshire contest. photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The Republican National Committee has pulled a resolution to consider declaring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;the party’s “presumptive 2024 nominee" before he formally clinches the requisite number of delegates, a person familiar with the decision said Thursday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706266786900.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News of the withdrawal came shortly after Trump posted on his Truth Social site that, while he “greatly” appreciated the notion, he felt, “for the sake of PARTY UNITY, that they should NOT go forward with this plan, but that I should do it the ‘Old Fashioned’ way, and finish the process off AT THE BALLOT BOX.”The measure, according to a draft obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, had said it “declares President Trump as our presumptive 2024 nominee for the office of President of the United States and from this moment forward moves into full general election mode welcoming supporters of all candidates as valued members of Team Trump 2024.”The withdrawal was confirmed by a person familiar with the decision who was not authorized to publicly discuss the proposal and spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday night.If approved, the measure would have further solidified Trump's control of the party and its operation at a time when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haley-new-hampshire-south-carolina-trump-sfa-inc-0a76fb3e5064b0ed1b9bb4c2fd36dee1">former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley is still competing</a>&nbsp;against Trump for the GOP nomination.RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel had earlier signaled her approval for the resolution. On Tuesday, after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-hampshire-primary-two-candidate-race-72a59c4133879eaeec63d6ed30e91e01">Haley finished second to Trump in New Hampshire</a>, McDaniel said that while she felt the former ambassador had “run a great campaign,” Republicans “need to unite around our eventual nominee, which is going to be Donald Trump.”The resolution had been expected to be discussed at the RNC's winter meeting in Las Vegas next week, even though only two states have voted and the former president had nowhere near the requisite number of delegates to secure the nomination.Haley’s camp said Thursday that it wasn’t up to the RNC to decide who the GOP nominee would be.“Who cares what the RNC says? We’ll let millions of Republican voters across the country decide who should be our party’s nominee, not a bunch of Washington insiders,” said campaign spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas.The AP has a policy to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-new-hampshire-nominee-election-29c4164ee0071ebe1205fdc900bd601a">not refer to any candidate as the “presumptive nominee”</a>&nbsp;until he or she has captured the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-election-2024-delegate-tracker">delegates needed</a>&nbsp;to win a majority vote at the national party conventions this summer. The earliest that could happen is March.But there were no party rules prohibiting the RNC from making such a move. If it had been adopted, it could have given the Republican Party a jump-start on planning a general election matchup with Democratic President Joe Biden, who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-general-election-new-hampshire-democrats-bee6a99475f9fa68e2cf57d6fca0d705">begun framing his reelection campaign</a>&nbsp;as a 2020 rematch against Trump.There was also precedent for the committee to declare a candidate the presumptive nominee before winning the 1,215 requisite delegates to clinch the nomination. Then-RNC Chair Reince Priebus did so with Trump in May 2016.Despite losing both the Iowa and New Hampshire contests to Trump, Haley has argued that her performance — outlasting all the other Trump rivals — shows the strength of her candidacy.Trump currently has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-election-2024-delegate-tracker">32 delegates to Haley's 17</a>. There is one delegate left to be assigned after the New Hampshire contest.During a rally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haley-new-hampshire-south-carolina-trump-sfa-inc-0a76fb3e5064b0ed1b9bb4c2fd36dee1">Wednesday night</a>&nbsp;in her home state of South Carolina, Haley — the former governor — noted that her campaign had brought in more than $1 million since her second-place finish in New Hampshire. Trump followed up with a remark that appeared aimed at intimidating her donors.“Anybody that makes a ‘Contribution’ to Birdbrain, from this moment forth, will be permanently barred from the MAGA camp,” Trump wrote, using the nickname he has crafted for Haley and the abbreviation for his “Make America Great Again” slogan. “We don’t want them, and will not accept them, because we Put America First, and ALWAYS WILL!”Haley's campaign said Thursday that it raised an additional $1.2 million “after Trump’s unhinged pledge to ‘permanently bar’ any individual who contributed to Haley’s campaign.”“Donald Trump’s threats highlight the stark choice in this election: personal vendettas or real conservative leadership,” said Haley spokesperson AnnMarie Graham-Barnes. “Trump’s scheme blew up in his face. The contributions to the Haley campaign are pouring in — proof that people are sick of the drama and are rallying behind Nikki’s vision for a strong and proud America.”Trump’s dismissal of any Haley donors had no effect on T.J. Petrizzo, a former top Capitol Hill staffer and now lobbyist who supports Haley.“That’s something out of a ‘Godfather’ movie. Never betray the family? Come on,” he added. “You’ve got to play this through.”Petrizzo said he understands that some Republicans may be ready to pivot to a head-to-head contest between Trump and Biden, but he notes that there is a lot of time left before a general election.“I’ve heard a lot of elected officials in the Republican Party, including the RNC chair, say, ‘We need to rally around a candidate.’ That this is going to be our candidate. ‘It was chosen by Iowa and New Hampshire, so we must go ahead and rally around Trump,’” Petrizzo said. “Well, there’s 285 days until the election. There’s plenty of time on the clock.”

RNC pulls resolution declaring Trump as the 'presumptive 2024 nominee'

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/chief-justice-calls-for-more-problem-solving-courts-and-juvenile-detention-centers-improved-case-management-system/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The chief justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court used an annual speech Thursday to highlight a shortage of problem-solving courts and juvenile detention centers, and an outdated case management system “held together with baling wire and bubble gum.”

Chief Justice Mike Heavican, in his annual “State of the Judiciary” address to state lawmakers, said that despite an increase in drug courts and other problem-solving courts, a survey indicated that only 5% of eligible accused offenders are being served.

Nebraska now has 33 problem-solving courts in every judicial district in the state, which served almost 1,600 individuals during the last fiscal year.&nbsp;Participation has expanded 27% since 2020, but the judge says the state could do more for what is a “viable” and lower-cost alternative to incarceration.

The cost of the intense supervision in a drug court is about $4,400 a year, Heavican said, compared to $41,000 for the yearly cost of imprisonment.

“Like probation, each problem-solving court is the taxpayers’ friend,” the judge said.

A year under probation supervision costs about $3,500, Heavican said.

One success story he pointed out was in Douglas County, where an “employment coordinator” was hired to help find jobs for juveniles participating in a “Youth Adult Problem Solving Court.”

The move decreased unemployment among participants by 13%, Heavican said, and prompted one court graduate to write a note of thanks for giving “young people like myself the chance to do something better.”

No juvenile detention centers west of Lincoln

Because of a post-pandemic increase in delinquency filings, the number of juveniles placed on probation rose 25% during the fiscal year that ended in July, he said.

Yet, the judge added, the state has only four juvenile detention centers, and they are located in the eastern Nebraska counties of Sarpy, Douglas, Lancaster and Madison.&nbsp;

“There are no juvenile detention facilities west of this building, and counties have no incentive to fund them,” Heavican said at the State Capitol.

Because of that, he added, Nebraska pays Iowa, Kansas, and Wyoming for juvenile detention.

Another issue, he said, is an outdated, in-house-produced judicial case management system that was launched in 1993 using COBAL programming code and an AS400 operating system.

“The system is held together with baling wire and bubble gum,” Heavican told lawmakers, and needs to be replaced because of a growth in court services.

&nbsp;He added that it’s also a cybersecurity issue. Last year in Kansas, a&nbsp;foreign cyberattack shut down the state’s electronic management system for months, requiring a return to paper filing for a time and costing millions of dollars.

“Kansas serves as a warning for the rest of us,” Heavican said. “Without needed upgrades we must consider ourselves equally vulnerable.”

Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/chief-justice-calls-for-more-problem-solving-courts-and-juvenile-detention-centers-improved-case-management-system/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The chief justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court used an annual speech Thursday to highlight a shortage of problem-solving courts and juvenile detention centers, and an outdated case management system “held together with baling wire and bubble gum.”Chief Justice Mike Heavican, in his annual “State of the Judiciary” address to state lawmakers, said that despite an increase in drug courts and other problem-solving courts, a survey indicated that only 5% of eligible accused offenders are being served.Nebraska now has 33 problem-solving courts in every judicial district in the state, which served almost 1,600 individuals during the last fiscal year.&nbsp;Participation has expanded 27% since 2020, but the judge says the state could do more for what is a “viable” and lower-cost alternative to incarceration.<h2>The ‘taxpayers’ friend’</h2>The cost of the intense supervision in a drug court is about $4,400 a year, Heavican said, compared to $41,000 for the yearly cost of imprisonment.“Like probation, each problem-solving court is the taxpayers’ friend,” the judge said.A year under probation supervision costs about $3,500, Heavican said.One success story he pointed out was in Douglas County, where an “employment coordinator” was hired to help find jobs for juveniles participating in a “Youth Adult Problem Solving Court.”The move decreased unemployment among participants by 13%, Heavican said, and prompted one court graduate to write a note of thanks for giving “young people like myself the chance to do something better.”<h2>No juvenile detention centers west of Lincoln</h2>Because of a post-pandemic increase in delinquency filings, the number of juveniles placed on probation rose 25% during the fiscal year that ended in July, he said.Yet, the judge added, the state has only four juvenile detention centers, and they are located in the eastern Nebraska counties of Sarpy, Douglas, Lancaster and Madison.&nbsp;“There are no juvenile detention facilities west of this building, and counties have no incentive to fund them,” Heavican said at the State Capitol.Because of that, he added, Nebraska pays Iowa, Kansas, and Wyoming for juvenile detention.Another issue, he said, is an outdated, in-house-produced judicial case management system that was launched in 1993 using COBAL programming code and an AS400 operating system.<h2>‘Baling wire and bubble gum’</h2>“The system is held together with baling wire and bubble gum,” Heavican told lawmakers, and needs to be replaced because of a growth in court services.&nbsp;He added that it’s also a cybersecurity issue. Last year in Kansas, a&nbsp;foreign cyberattack shut down the state’s electronic management system for months, requiring a return to paper filing for a time and costing millions of dollars.“Kansas serves as a warning for the rest of us,” Heavican said. “Without needed upgrades we must consider ourselves equally vulnerable.”

Chief justice calls for more problem-solving courts and juvenile detention centers, improved case management system

NEW YORK (AP) — A Seattle man who police say has been stalking and harassing Taylor Swift was ordered held without bail Thursday after he was arrested three times in recent days in front of the pop star's home in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood.

David Crowe, 33, was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on a misdemeanor charge of second-degree criminal contempt, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office. He was also ordered to undergo a psychiatric exam.

Prosecutors said Crowe violated a protective order issued Wednesday mandating he stay away from Swift and her home and refrain from any communication with her.

Crowe was arrested Wednesday by officers responding to complaints of an emotionally disturbed man acting erratically near Swift’s townhouse. He was arraigned and issued the protection order, but a short time later he was arrested again near Swift’s residence.

Court documents say an unidentified security worker had spotted Crowe near the singer’s home about 30 times since Nov. 25. Crowe was asked about 10 times not to approach the building or to leave, according to prosecutors.

New York County Defender Services, which is representing Crowe, declined to comment Thursday. “We have no additional statement," spokesperson Lupe Todd-Medina wrote in an email. "We rely on the statements made in court today.”

Swift’s Manhattan townhouse has been the scene of several break-ins when Swift wasn’t there, including by some who were identified as stalkers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706236308205.png" alt="FILE - Taylor Swift enters Arrowhead Stadium before the start of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals, Dec. 31, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. David Crowe, a Seattle man who police say has been stalking and harassing Swift, was ordered held without bail Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024, after he was arrested three times in recent days in front of the pop star's home in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Taylor Swift enters Arrowhead Stadium before the start of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals, Dec. 31, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. David Crowe, a Seattle man who police say has been stalking and harassing Swift, was ordered held without bail Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024, after he was arrested three times in recent days in front of the pop star's home in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — A Seattle man who police say has been stalking and harassing Taylor Swift was ordered held without bail Thursday after he was arrested three times in recent days in front of the pop star's home in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood.David Crowe, 33, was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on a misdemeanor charge of second-degree criminal contempt, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office. He was also ordered to undergo a psychiatric exam.Prosecutors said Crowe violated a protective order issued Wednesday mandating he stay away from Swift and her home and refrain from any communication with her.Crowe was arrested Wednesday by officers responding to complaints of an emotionally disturbed man acting erratically near Swift’s townhouse. He was arraigned and issued the protection order, but a short time later he was arrested again near Swift’s residence.Court documents say an unidentified security worker had spotted Crowe near the singer’s home about 30 times since Nov. 25. Crowe was asked about 10 times not to approach the building or to leave, according to prosecutors.New York County Defender Services, which is representing Crowe, declined to comment Thursday. “We have no additional statement," spokesperson Lupe Todd-Medina wrote in an email. "We rely on the statements made in court today.”Swift’s Manhattan townhouse has been the scene of several break-ins when Swift wasn’t there, including by some who were identified as stalkers.

After 3rd arrest Taylor Swift stalker held without bail

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon-owned Ring will stop allowing police departments to request doorbell camera footage from users, marking an end to a feature that has drawn criticism from privacy advocates.

In a blog post on Wednesday, Ring said it will sunset the “Request for Assistance” tool, which allows police departments and other public safety agencies to request and receive video captured by the doorbell cameras through Ring’s Neighbors app.

The company did not provide a reason for the change, which will be effective starting this week.

Eric Kuhn, the head of Neighbors, said in the announcement that law enforcement agencies will still be able to make public posts in the Neighbors app. Police and other agencies can also still use the app to “share helpful safety tips, updates, and community events,” Kuhn said.

The update is the latest restriction Ring has made to police activity on the Neighbors app following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-9371972bf7bf4f28949a6167a75b3c85">concerns raised by privacy watchdogs</a>&nbsp;about the company’s relationship with police departments across the country.

Critics have stressed the proliferation of these relationships – and users’ ability to report what they see as suspicious behavior - can change neighborhoods into a place of constant surveillance and lead to more instances of racial profiling.

In a bid to increase transparency, Ring changed its policy in 2021 to make police requests publicly visible through its Neighbors app. Previously, law enforcement agencies were able to send Ring owners who lived near an area of an active investigation private emails requesting video footage.

“Now, Ring hopefully will altogether be out of the business of platforming casual and warrantless police requests for footage to its users,” Matthew Guariglia, a senior policy analyst at the digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation, said in a statement on Wednesday.

Law enforcement agencies can still access videos using a search warrant. Ring also maintains the right to share footage without user consent in limited circumstances.

In mid-2022, Ring disclosed it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-edward-markey-congress-government-and-politics-244f59188ee3414495452c955c11b89b">handed over 11 videos to police without notifying users</a>&nbsp;that year due to “exigent or emergency” circumstances, one of the categories that allow it to share videos without permission from owners. However, Guariglia, of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said the group remains skeptical about the ability of police and the company to determine what is or is not an emergency.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672512292412.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon-owned Ring will stop allowing police departments to request doorbell camera footage from users, marking an end to a feature that has drawn criticism from privacy advocates.In a blog post on Wednesday, Ring said it will sunset the “Request for Assistance” tool, which allows police departments and other public safety agencies to request and receive video captured by the doorbell cameras through Ring’s Neighbors app.The company did not provide a reason for the change, which will be effective starting this week.Eric Kuhn, the head of Neighbors, said in the announcement that law enforcement agencies will still be able to make public posts in the Neighbors app. Police and other agencies can also still use the app to “share helpful safety tips, updates, and community events,” Kuhn said.The update is the latest restriction Ring has made to police activity on the Neighbors app following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-9371972bf7bf4f28949a6167a75b3c85">concerns raised by privacy watchdogs</a>&nbsp;about the company’s relationship with police departments across the country.Critics have stressed the proliferation of these relationships – and users’ ability to report what they see as suspicious behavior - can change neighborhoods into a place of constant surveillance and lead to more instances of racial profiling.In a bid to increase transparency, Ring changed its policy in 2021 to make police requests publicly visible through its Neighbors app. Previously, law enforcement agencies were able to send Ring owners who lived near an area of an active investigation private emails requesting video footage.“Now, Ring hopefully will altogether be out of the business of platforming casual and warrantless police requests for footage to its users,” Matthew Guariglia, a senior policy analyst at the digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation, said in a statement on Wednesday.Law enforcement agencies can still access videos using a search warrant. Ring also maintains the right to share footage without user consent in limited circumstances.In mid-2022, Ring disclosed it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-edward-markey-congress-government-and-politics-244f59188ee3414495452c955c11b89b">handed over 11 videos to police without notifying users</a>&nbsp;that year due to “exigent or emergency” circumstances, one of the categories that allow it to share videos without permission from owners. However, Guariglia, of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said the group remains skeptical about the ability of police and the company to determine what is or is not an emergency.

Ring will no longer allow police to request doorbell camera footage 

By Office of Senator Pete Ricketts

WASHINGTON, D.C. –&nbsp;Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) joined Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and other Republican colleagues at a press conference to introduce the&nbsp;Equal Representation Act.&nbsp;The bill would add a citizenship question to the census and ensure only legal citizens are factored into the count for Congressional districts and the Electoral College map that determines presidential elections. The current method of counting illegal immigrants for purposes of representation serves as an incentive for open borders and sanctuary policies that would inflate population counts for political purposes.

The legislation comes after video revealed Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY) openly calling for more illegal immigration to her New York congressional district because she “need more people in [her] district for redistricting purposes.”

“Since 1820, the federal government has routinely utilized the Census to ask questions about citizenship status,”&nbsp;said Senator Ricketts.&nbsp;“This current policy rewards sanctuary cities and sanctuary states with outsized population because it's counting people who came here illegally, people who broke the law. And it's fundamentally unfair to states like mine in Nebraska, or states who are following the law, to reward folks in states who are breaking the law… Only citizens can vote in elections and that's the way it needs to remain. It makes sense that only citizens should be counted for the purposes of Congressional representation and Electoral College votes. This bill will make the data and policy changes to make sure we implement that.”

Co-sponsors of the bill include Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Steve Daines (R-MT), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), John Thune (R-SD), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and J.D. Vance (R-OH).

By Office of Senator Pete RickettsWASHINGTON, D.C. –&nbsp;Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) joined Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and other Republican colleagues at a press conference to introduce the&nbsp;Equal Representation Act.&nbsp;The bill would add a citizenship question to the census and ensure only legal citizens are factored into the count for Congressional districts and the Electoral College map that determines presidential elections. The current method of counting illegal immigrants for purposes of representation serves as an incentive for open borders and sanctuary policies that would inflate population counts for political purposes.The legislation comes after video revealed Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY) openly calling for more illegal immigration to her New York congressional district because she “need more people in [her] district for redistricting purposes.”“Since 1820, the federal government has routinely utilized the Census to ask questions about citizenship status,”&nbsp;said Senator Ricketts.&nbsp;“This current policy rewards sanctuary cities and sanctuary states with outsized population because it's counting people who came here illegally, people who broke the law. And it's fundamentally unfair to states like mine in Nebraska, or states who are following the law, to reward folks in states who are breaking the law… Only citizens can vote in elections and that's the way it needs to remain. It makes sense that only citizens should be counted for the purposes of Congressional representation and Electoral College votes. This bill will make the data and policy changes to make sure we implement that.”Co-sponsors of the bill include Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Steve Daines (R-MT), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), John Thune (R-SD), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and J.D. Vance (R-OH).

Ricketts, Hagerty, Colleagues Introduce Bill to End Counting Illegal Aliens for Electoral College Votes

Lincoln – Supporters of the effort to repeal LB753 say Nebraska’s Constitution gives voters the right to repeal “any act” of the legislature and that the measure must stay on the ballot for voters to decide.

Support Our Schools Nebraska gathered 117,415 signatures in fewer than 90 days last summer to let voters decide the fate of LB753’s plan to divert tax dollars to private schools. The petition was certified as meeting all legal requirements to put the issue on the ballot by Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen on October 10. On January 9, State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan sent a letter to Evnen asking him to reverse the certification.

“Sen. Linehan and the billionaires pushing this tax scheme are afraid to let Nebraskans vote on whether they want tax dollars diverted to private schools,” said Tim Royers, a sponsor of Support Our Schools Nebraska and president of the Millard Education Association. “Linehan and her lemmings failed miserably in their attempt to derail the petition drive so now they’re pushing a bogus legal claim in their desperation to deny Nebraskans their right to vote on the issue.”

In a letter to Evnen, Support Our Schools Nebraska attorneys write that Evnen should reject Linehan’s request for “at least two separate and independent reasons.”

“First, Senator Linehan’s objections exceed the scope of your pre-election review. As discussed below, a legal sufficiency determination is procedural in nature, limited only to the form of the petition and the technical requirements of the sponsors. Senator Linehan’s request is substantive in nature, raising substantive constitutional challenges that are not ripe for review. Because substantive ballot challenges cannot be decided before an election, Senator Linehan’s request should be denied.

Second, Senator Linehan’s arguments fail as a matter of law. Her attempt to limit the referendum right is foreclosed by the plain text of the Constitution, which reserves to the people the right to repeal “any act” of the Legislature. Further, the Senator’s reliance on revenue generating provisions is misplaced because LB 753 reduces the state’s revenue through corporate and individual tax breaks. Senator Linehan’s arguments are without merit, and you should reject them as a matter of law.”

“Nebraska is the only state in the nation with a one-house legislature. The people of Nebraska, through our initiative and referendum process, serve as the second house,” said Royers. “The referendum is a right and a power reserved for the voters. Sen. Linehan’s attempt to infringe on that right undermines our democracy, stifles public participation, and removes a check on elected officials that is a hallmark of Nebraska’s unicameral system.”

Royers said Support Our Schools Nebraska will continue its work to protect the right of Nebraskans to vote on the repeal of L753. For more information on the effort, visit: Website: https://supportourschoolsnebraska.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SOSNebraska Twitter: https://twitter.com/SOSNebraska Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sosnebraska/

Karen KilgarinSupport Our SchoolsLincoln – Supporters of the effort to repeal LB753 say Nebraska’s Constitution gives voters the right to repeal “any act” of the legislature and that the measure must stay on the ballot for voters to decide.Support Our Schools Nebraska gathered 117,415 signatures in fewer than 90 days last summer to let voters decide the fate of LB753’s plan to divert tax dollars to private schools. The petition was certified as meeting all legal requirements to put the issue on the ballot by Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen on October 10. On January 9, State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan sent a letter to Evnen asking him to reverse the certification.“Sen. Linehan and the billionaires pushing this tax scheme are afraid to let Nebraskans vote on whether they want tax dollars diverted to private schools,” said Tim Royers, a sponsor of Support Our Schools Nebraska and president of the Millard Education Association. “Linehan and her lemmings failed miserably in their attempt to derail the petition drive so now they’re pushing a bogus legal claim in their desperation to deny Nebraskans their right to vote on the issue.”In a letter to Evnen, Support Our Schools Nebraska attorneys write that Evnen should reject Linehan’s request for “at least two separate and independent reasons.”“First, Senator Linehan’s objections exceed the scope of your pre-election review. As discussed below, a legal sufficiency determination is procedural in nature, limited only to the form of the petition and the technical requirements of the sponsors. Senator Linehan’s request is substantive in nature, raising substantive constitutional challenges that are not ripe for review. Because substantive ballot challenges cannot be decided before an election, Senator Linehan’s request should be denied.Second, Senator Linehan’s arguments fail as a matter of law. Her attempt to limit the referendum right is foreclosed by the plain text of the Constitution, which reserves to the people the right to repeal “any act” of the Legislature. Further, the Senator’s reliance on revenue generating provisions is misplaced because LB 753 reduces the state’s revenue through corporate and individual tax breaks. Senator Linehan’s arguments are without merit, and you should reject them as a matter of law.”“Nebraska is the only state in the nation with a one-house legislature. The people of Nebraska, through our initiative and referendum process, serve as the second house,” said Royers. “The referendum is a right and a power reserved for the voters. Sen. Linehan’s attempt to infringe on that right undermines our democracy, stifles public participation, and removes a check on elected officials that is a hallmark of Nebraska’s unicameral system.”Royers said Support Our Schools Nebraska will continue its work to protect the right of Nebraskans to vote on the repeal of L753. For more information on the effort, visit: Website: https://supportourschoolsnebraska.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SOSNebraska Twitter: https://twitter.com/SOSNebraska Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sosnebraska/

Voters can repeal “any act” of the Legislature, LB753 must remain on ballot

WASHINGTON (AP) — The maker of Robitussin cough syrup is recalling several lots of products containing honey due to contamination that could pose a serious risk to people with weakened immune systems.

<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/haleon-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-robitussin-honey-cf-max-day-adult-and-robitussin-honey-cf">Click here </a>to read the USDA advisory

Haleon’s recall covers eight lots of Robitussin Honey CF Max Day Adult and Robitussin Honey CF Max Nighttime Adult, which were distributed to stores and pharmacy suppliers. The Food and Drug Administration posted the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/haleon-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-robitussin-honey-cf-max-day-adult-and-robitussin-honey-cf">company's announcement</a>&nbsp;to its website Wednesday.

The products may contain dangerously high levels of yeast, the company said in an emailed message Thursday. Yeast is a natural component of honey, but the levels detected by the company were “beyond allowed measurements,” Haleon said.

Ingestion of the contaminated syrup could result in severe fungal infections that would be potentially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, such as organ transplant recipients or those with HIV. Several million people in the U.S. have conditions that impair the immune system’s ability to fight off infections.

For most healthy individuals, any infections resulting from the products are unlikely to be serious, said the company, which is based in the U.K. and has its U.S. headquarters in New Jersey.

Haleon said it has not received any reports of injury or infection linked to the products, which have expiration dates ranging from October 2025 to June 2026.

People who have used the product should contact a health provider if they think they're experiencing any problem related to the recall. They can also report the problem to the FDA's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch-fda-safety-information-and-adverse-event-reporting-program/reporting-serious-problems-fda">online system</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706209128138.png" alt="FDA image" />
 <figcaption>FDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The maker of Robitussin cough syrup is recalling several lots of products containing honey due to contamination that could pose a serious risk to people with weakened immune systems.<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/haleon-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-robitussin-honey-cf-max-day-adult-and-robitussin-honey-cf">Click here </a>to read the USDA advisoryHaleon’s recall covers eight lots of Robitussin Honey CF Max Day Adult and Robitussin Honey CF Max Nighttime Adult, which were distributed to stores and pharmacy suppliers. The Food and Drug Administration posted the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/haleon-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-robitussin-honey-cf-max-day-adult-and-robitussin-honey-cf">company's announcement</a>&nbsp;to its website Wednesday.The products may contain dangerously high levels of yeast, the company said in an emailed message Thursday. Yeast is a natural component of honey, but the levels detected by the company were “beyond allowed measurements,” Haleon said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706209168223.png" alt="Location of Lot/Expiration -FDA image" />
 <figcaption>Location of Lot/Expiration -FDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>Ingestion of the contaminated syrup could result in severe fungal infections that would be potentially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, such as organ transplant recipients or those with HIV. Several million people in the U.S. have conditions that impair the immune system’s ability to fight off infections.For most healthy individuals, any infections resulting from the products are unlikely to be serious, said the company, which is based in the U.K. and has its U.S. headquarters in New Jersey.Haleon said it has not received any reports of injury or infection linked to the products, which have expiration dates ranging from October 2025 to June 2026.People who have used the product should contact a health provider if they think they're experiencing any problem related to the recall. They can also report the problem to the FDA's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch-fda-safety-information-and-adverse-event-reporting-program/reporting-serious-problems-fda">online system</a>.

Robitussin maker recalls several lots of cough syrup

WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump White House official&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/peter-navarro">Peter Navarro</a>, who was convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-5a1ad57112fde21084f028913b9fdc94">the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. Capitol, was sentenced on Thursday to four months behind bars.

He was the second Trump aide convicted of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-bannon-donald-trump-congress-mark-meadows-subpoenas-70fcf59323df874b4a0def1f4c1222cc">contempt of Congress charges</a>. Former White House adviser Steve Bannon previously received&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-steve-bannon-congress-donald-trump-sentencing-36d412eba9e1609a030859852378ae3d">a four-month sentence</a>&nbsp;but is free pending appeal.

Navarro was found guilty of defying a subpoena for documents and a deposition from the House Jan. 6 committee. He served as a White House trade adviser under then-President Donald Trump and later promoted the Republican’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">baseless claims</a>&nbsp;of mass voter fraud in the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706205024532.png" alt="File photo -In September, Peter Navarro reacted to a jury finding him guilty of contempt of Congress-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo -In September, Peter Navarro reacted to a jury finding him guilty of contempt of Congress-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump White House official&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/peter-navarro">Peter Navarro</a>, who was convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-5a1ad57112fde21084f028913b9fdc94">the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. Capitol, was sentenced on Thursday to four months behind bars.He was the second Trump aide convicted of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-bannon-donald-trump-congress-mark-meadows-subpoenas-70fcf59323df874b4a0def1f4c1222cc">contempt of Congress charges</a>. Former White House adviser Steve Bannon previously received&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-steve-bannon-congress-donald-trump-sentencing-36d412eba9e1609a030859852378ae3d">a four-month sentence</a>&nbsp;but is free pending appeal.Navarro was found guilty of defying a subpoena for documents and a deposition from the House Jan. 6 committee. He served as a White House trade adviser under then-President Donald Trump and later promoted the Republican’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">baseless claims</a>&nbsp;of mass voter fraud in the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta told Navarro that it took “chutzpah” for him to assert that he accepted responsibility for his actions while also suggesting that his prosecution was politically motivated.“You are not a victim. You are not the object of a political prosecution,” the judge said. “These are circumstances of your own making."Navarro's attorneys filed a notice that he is appealing his conviction and sentence.Navarro has said he couldn’t cooperate with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-committee-final-report-trump-bcfea6162fe9cfa0d120e86d069af0e4">the committee</a>&nbsp;because Trump had invoked executive privilege. The judge barred him from making that argument at trial, however, finding that he didn’t show Trump had actually invoked it.Navarro said in court before his sentencing Thursday that the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack had led him to believe that it accepted his invocation of executive privilege.“Nobody in my position should be put in conflict between the legislative branch and the executive branch,” he told the judge.Mehta said that asserting executive privilege is not “magic dust to avoid a duty."“It's not a get-out-of-jail-free card,” the judge added.A federal prosecutor, John Crabb Jr., told the judge that the Justice Department enforces the law “without fear, favor or political influence.”“This is a righteous prosecution,” Crabb said.More than 1,200 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. More than 100 police officers were injured during clashes with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the mob of Trump supporters</a>&nbsp;who disrupted the joint session of Congress for certifying Biden's victory over Trump.The House committee spent 18 months investigating the insurrection, interviewing over 1,000 witnesses, holding 10 hearings and obtaining more than 1 million pages of documents.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-committee-final-report-trump-bcfea6162fe9cfa0d120e86d069af0e4">In its final report</a>, the panel ultimately concluded that Trump criminally engaged in a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the election results and failed to act to stop his supporters from storming the Capitol.Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has denied doing anything wrong.Navarro’s lawyers had advised him not to address the judge on Thursday, but he said he wanted to speak after hearing the judge express disappointment in him. Responding to a question about why he didn’t initially seek a lawyer’s counsel, he told the judge, “I didn’t know what to do, sir.”The judge said Navarro should have known how to respond to a subpoena from the House committee because he received one several weeks after Bannon was charged with criminal contempt of Congress.“I know you think it's a political hatchet job,” Mehta told Navarro. "(The House committee) had a job to do, and you made it harder. It's really that simple."The judge is allowing Navarro’s defense to submit a written brief on the question of allowing him to remain free pending appeal.Justice Department prosecutors said Navarro tried to “hide behind claims of privilege” even before he knew what the committee wanted, showing a “disdain” for the committee that should warrant a longer sentence. Prosecutors had asked a judge to sentence him to six months behind bars and impose a $200,000 fine.Defense attorneys said Trump did claim&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1890f544201941b490a8fd165c63203e">executive privilege</a>, putting Navarro in an “untenable position,” and they had asked for a sentence of probation and a $100 fine.The judge ordered Navarro to pay a $9,500 fine.Defense attorney Stanley Woodward said Navarro believed that he was “duty bound” to assert executive privilege.“He need not be punished to prove a point,” Woodward told the judge.Bannon, who also made executive-privilege arguments, was convicted of two counts.Navarro’s sentencing comes after a judge rejected his bid for a new trial. His attorneys had argued that jurors may have been improperly influenced by political protesters outside the courthouse when they took a break from deliberations. Shortly after their break, the jurors found Navarro guilty of two misdemeanor counts of contempt of Congress.