By: Everett Kelley,&nbsp;AFGE National President

This week, Congress pushed our nation into the fourth week of a full government shutdown – an avoidable crisis that is harming families, communities, and the very institutions that hold our country together. Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight.&nbsp;

Today I’m making mine: it’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship. Put every single federal worker back on the job with full back pay — today.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As president of the American Federation of Government Employees, I represent over 800,000 federal and D.C. government workers who serve with pride and professionalism.&nbsp;

They ensure our skies are safe, our veterans receive care, our borders are protected, and our food is inspected. They come from every political background and every corner of this nation. What unites them is a simple belief: that service to country is honorable work.&nbsp;

Today, that belief is being tested. The Army nurse in San Antonio, the TSA officer in Atlanta, the USDA food safety inspector in Iowa, and hundreds of thousands more like them are being asked to keep our country running without the paychecks that keep their own households afloat.&nbsp;

These are patriotic Americans – parents, caregivers, and veterans – forced to work without pay while struggling to cover rent, groceries, gas and medicine because of political disagreements in Washington. That is unacceptable.&nbsp;

Unfortunately, shutdowns have become a recurring tactic in Washington. But there is no “winning” a government shutdown. They cost taxpayers billions, hurt small businesses, and erode confidence in government itself. And the American people know this. That’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/projects/most-see-the-federal-shutdown-as-a-problem-and-think-there-is-plenty-of-blame-to-go-around/" target="_blank">why 9 out of 10 Americans think this government shutdown is a problem</a>.&nbsp;

It’s time for our leaders to start focusing on how to solve problems for the American people, rather than on who is going to get the blame for a shutdown that Americans dislike.&nbsp;

Because when the folks who serve this country are standing in line for food banks after missing a second paycheck because of this shutdown, they aren’t looking for partisan spin. They’re looking for the wages they earned. The fact that they’re being cheated out of it is a national disgrace.&nbsp;

It’s long past time for our leaders to put aside partisan politics and embrace responsible government. A strong America requires a functioning government — one that pays its bills, honors its commitments, and treats its workforce with respect by paying them on time.&nbsp;

The path forward for Congress is clear:&nbsp;

Reopen the government immediately under a clean continuing resolution that allows continued debate on larger issues.&nbsp;

Ensure back pay for every single employee who has served or been forced to stay home through no fault of their own.&nbsp;

Work together on a bipartisan basis to address important policy matters like addressing rising costs and fixing the broken appropriations process.&nbsp;

None of these steps favor one political side over another. They favor the American people – who expect stability from their government and responsibility from their leaders.&nbsp;

The national interest requires Congress to act immediately to bring every federal employee back to work, pay them for the work they’ve already done (or been locked out from doing), and continue having the debates and disagreements that are the hallmark of a strong democracy – without punishing the people who keep our nation running.&nbsp;

The government belongs to all of us. Let’s open it back up and keep America moving forward.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759315687610.png" alt="Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By: Everett Kelley,&nbsp;AFGE National PresidentThis week, Congress pushed our nation into the fourth week of a full government shutdown – an avoidable crisis that is harming families, communities, and the very institutions that hold our country together. Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight.&nbsp;Today I’m making mine: it’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship. Put every single federal worker back on the job with full back pay — today.&nbsp;&nbsp;As president of the American Federation of Government Employees, I represent over 800,000 federal and D.C. government workers who serve with pride and professionalism.&nbsp;They ensure our skies are safe, our veterans receive care, our borders are protected, and our food is inspected. They come from every political background and every corner of this nation. What unites them is a simple belief: that service to country is honorable work.&nbsp;Today, that belief is being tested. The Army nurse in San Antonio, the TSA officer in Atlanta, the USDA food safety inspector in Iowa, and hundreds of thousands more like them are being asked to keep our country running without the paychecks that keep their own households afloat.&nbsp;These are patriotic Americans – parents, caregivers, and veterans – forced to work without pay while struggling to cover rent, groceries, gas and medicine because of political disagreements in Washington. That is unacceptable.&nbsp;Unfortunately, shutdowns have become a recurring tactic in Washington. But there is no “winning” a government shutdown. They cost taxpayers billions, hurt small businesses, and erode confidence in government itself. And the American people know this. That’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/projects/most-see-the-federal-shutdown-as-a-problem-and-think-there-is-plenty-of-blame-to-go-around/" target="_blank">why 9 out of 10 Americans think this government shutdown is a problem</a>.&nbsp;It’s time for our leaders to start focusing on how to solve problems for the American people, rather than on who is going to get the blame for a shutdown that Americans dislike.&nbsp;Because when the folks who serve this country are standing in line for food banks after missing a second paycheck because of this shutdown, they aren’t looking for partisan spin. They’re looking for the wages they earned. The fact that they’re being cheated out of it is a national disgrace.&nbsp;It’s long past time for our leaders to put aside partisan politics and embrace responsible government. A strong America requires a functioning government — one that pays its bills, honors its commitments, and treats its workforce with respect by paying them on time.&nbsp;The path forward for Congress is clear:&nbsp;Reopen the government immediately under a clean continuing resolution that allows continued debate on larger issues.&nbsp;Ensure back pay for every single employee who has served or been forced to stay home through no fault of their own.&nbsp;Work together on a bipartisan basis to address important policy matters like addressing rising costs and fixing the broken appropriations process.&nbsp;None of these steps favor one political side over another. They favor the American people – who expect stability from their government and responsibility from their leaders.&nbsp;The national interest requires Congress to act immediately to bring every federal employee back to work, pay them for the work they’ve already done (or been locked out from doing), and continue having the debates and disagreements that are the hallmark of a strong democracy – without punishing the people who keep our nation running.&nbsp;The government belongs to all of us. Let’s open it back up and keep America moving forward.

Largest federal worker union calls on Congress to end shutdown

KANSAS CITY —Matthew Johnson, a former Kansas City area credit union employee, received a two-year prison sentence for aggravated identity theft for orchestrating a financial scheme involving Kansas City Chiefs tickets., according to the FBI office in Kansas City.

&nbsp;In his plea deal, Johnson admitted to using his position to misappropriate game tickets and submit fraudulent expense reports. 

After the credit union bought tickets, Johnson transferred them into his own ticketing accounts for resell or personal use without his employer’s knowledge or consent, defrauding the credit union of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

KANSAS CITY —Matthew Johnson, a former Kansas City area credit union employee, received a two-year prison sentence for aggravated identity theft for orchestrating a financial scheme involving Kansas City Chiefs tickets., according to the FBI office in Kansas City.&nbsp;In his plea deal, Johnson admitted to using his position to misappropriate game tickets and submit fraudulent expense reports. After the credit union bought tickets, Johnson transferred them into his own ticketing accounts for resell or personal use without his employer’s knowledge or consent, defrauding the credit union of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Prison for man in financial scheme involving Chiefs tickets

Audrey Eckert of Nebraska was crowned Miss USA 2025 during the 74th annual pageant held October 24 at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. The 23-year-old University of Nebraska–Lincoln graduate made history as she brought the national crown home to the Cornhusker State.

Eckert’s road to the Miss USA title began earlier this year when she was crowned Miss Nebraska USA 2025, earning her spot on the national stage. She’s no stranger to pageantry—Eckert previously held the title of Miss Nebraska Teen USA 2020 and went on to place as third runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2020. Her steady rise through the ranks highlights her dedication and experience in the world of competition and community representation.

A graduate of UNL with a degree in business administration and a focus on marketing, Eckert also served as captain of the Husker cheer squad. She now works as a social media and marketing coordinator for a Thai handbag brand, combining her business background with her passion for fashion and global connection. Those experiences, she says, helped shape her confidence, leadership, and advocacy—qualities that stood out on the Miss USA stage.

During the final question round, Eckert was asked what she hopes future generations will say about today’s young people. Her answer centered on adaptability and digital responsibility. “Our generation is, without a doubt, adaptable,” she said. “We have learned to grow and change through so many things. I work in digital media every single day, and I teach 500 athletes on a weekly basis how to stay safe online. Being safe online, and learning to grow up in a digital world, requires you to be adaptable.” Her response drew praise from judges and audience members alike, underscoring her commitment to teaching young people how to use social media responsibly.

This year’s Miss USA competition also marked a new chapter for the organization. Under new leadership, the judging process was overhauled, with final results determined entirely by the judges and a stronger focus on intellect, advocacy, and current events. The shift comes as the pageant works to rebuild its image and highlight empowerment, confidence, and authenticity over glamour alone.

Following her win, Eckert will represent the United States at the Miss Universe 2025 competition in Thailand this November. Organizers say she’ll have a busy year ahead filled with travel, public appearances, and community outreach, serving as what they call “the new face of a modern Miss USA.”

For Nebraska, Eckert’s victory is a moment of pride and inspiration—proof that confidence, perseverance, and heart can shine just as brightly as any crown.

Sources: Business Insider, People, 10/11 Now, Pageant Update

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761369235841.jpeg" alt="Audrey Eckert (Photo Miss USA)" />
 <figcaption>Audrey Eckert (Photo Miss USA)</figcaption>
 </figure>Audrey Eckert of Nebraska was crowned Miss USA 2025 during the 74th annual pageant held October 24 at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. The 23-year-old University of Nebraska–Lincoln graduate made history as she brought the national crown home to the Cornhusker State.Eckert’s road to the Miss USA title began earlier this year when she was crowned Miss Nebraska USA 2025, earning her spot on the national stage. She’s no stranger to pageantry—Eckert previously held the title of Miss Nebraska Teen USA 2020 and went on to place as third runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2020. Her steady rise through the ranks highlights her dedication and experience in the world of competition and community representation.A graduate of UNL with a degree in business administration and a focus on marketing, Eckert also served as captain of the Husker cheer squad. She now works as a social media and marketing coordinator for a Thai handbag brand, combining her business background with her passion for fashion and global connection. Those experiences, she says, helped shape her confidence, leadership, and advocacy—qualities that stood out on the Miss USA stage.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F25371268212466601%2F&show_text=true&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="591" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>During the final question round, Eckert was asked what she hopes future generations will say about today’s young people. Her answer centered on adaptability and digital responsibility. “Our generation is, without a doubt, adaptable,” she said. “We have learned to grow and change through so many things. I work in digital media every single day, and I teach 500 athletes on a weekly basis how to stay safe online. Being safe online, and learning to grow up in a digital world, requires you to be adaptable.” Her response drew praise from judges and audience members alike, underscoring her commitment to teaching young people how to use social media responsibly.This year’s Miss USA competition also marked a new chapter for the organization. Under new leadership, the judging process was overhauled, with final results determined entirely by the judges and a stronger focus on intellect, advocacy, and current events. The shift comes as the pageant works to rebuild its image and highlight empowerment, confidence, and authenticity over glamour alone.Following her win, Eckert will represent the United States at the Miss Universe 2025 competition in Thailand this November. Organizers say she’ll have a busy year ahead filled with travel, public appearances, and community outreach, serving as what they call “the new face of a modern Miss USA.”For Nebraska, Eckert’s victory is a moment of pride and inspiration—proof that confidence, perseverance, and heart can shine just as brightly as any crown.Sources: Business Insider, People, 10/11 Now, Pageant Update

From Miss Nebraska USA to Miss USA: Audrey Eckert Brings the Crown Home

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26196837-usda-memo-102425/" target="_blank">a memo</a>&nbsp;Friday the agency’s contingency fund cannot legally be used to provide food assistance benefits for more than 42 million people in November, as the government shutdown drags on.

The position is a reversal from the department’s earlier stance, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26196921-fy2026-usda-lapse-plan-sept30/" target="_blank">a since-deleted copy</a>&nbsp;of the USDA’s Sept. 30 shutdown plan that said the department would use its multi-year contingency fund to continue paying&nbsp;Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,&nbsp;or SNAP, benefits during the ongoing shutdown.&nbsp;

SNAP&nbsp;has about $6 billion in the contingency fund — short of the roughly $9 billion needed to cover a full month of the program, putting November benefits in jeopardy.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/pay-trump-and-congress-continues-shutdown-unless-they-ask-it-be-held" target="_blank">Because of a stalemate</a>&nbsp;in Congress over a stopgap spending bill, the government shut down on Oct. 1 without new SNAP funding enacted.

The memo, which was first&nbsp;<a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/24/gov-shutdown-snap-payments-emergency-funds" target="_blank">reported by Axios</a>&nbsp;on Friday, said states would not be reimbursed if they use their own funds to cover the cost of the benefits.

“There is no provision or allowance under current law for States to cover the cost of benefits and be reimbursed,” the memo says, while also noting that “the best way for SNAP to continue is for the shutdown to end.”

The memo also says the contingency fund is meant for natural disasters and similar emergencies, not for a lack of appropriations.

But USDA’s Sept. 30 contingency plan contradicts that and appears to greenlight the use of SNAP’s contingency fund during a lapse in funding.

“Congressional intent is evident that SNAP’s operations should continue since the program has been provided with multi-year contingency funds that can be used for State Administrative Expenses to ensure that the State can also continue operations during a Federal Government shutdown,” according to the plan. “These multi-year contingency funds are also available to fund participant benefits in the event that a lapse occurs in the middle of the fiscal year.”

USDA’s contingency plan is no longer online, but is accessible through an internet archive.

After providing States Newsroom with the memo Friday afternoon, USDA did not immediately respond to a follow-up inquiry about the discrepancy between Friday’s memo and its contingency plan.

In the memo, USDA said transferring money toward SNAP from other sources “would pull away funding for school meals and infant formula.”&nbsp;

The agency said it has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/nutrition-program-women-infants-and-children-stay-afloat-through-end-month" target="_blank">shuffled funds to cover</a>&nbsp;several nutrition programs during the shutdown, including the&nbsp;Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, as well as the&nbsp;National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program.&nbsp;

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said last week the government would run out of funds to deliver November&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecRollins/status/1978984208975478809" target="_blank">SNAP benefits</a>&nbsp;as a result of the ongoing shutdown.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Friday morning, U.S. House Democrats, like nearly all of their Senate counterparts and the Republican chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, urged Rollins to not only use the contingency fund, but to reprogram other money to cover a $3 billion shortfall.&nbsp;

“A potential lapse in benefits would be felt by Americans of all ages and affect every corner and congressional district in the country,” according to the letter from more than&nbsp;<a href="https://democrats-agriculture.house.gov/uploadedfiles/251024_-_letter_-_house_dems_to_usda_on_snap_shutdown.pdf?utm_campaign=2270-520" target="_blank">200 House Democrats.</a>

In a separate letter, 46 Senate Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://www.booker.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/letter_to_release_funding_to_continue_snap_into_novemberp.pdf" target="_blank">sent</a>&nbsp;to Rollins on Wednesday, voicing concerns that USDA told states to hold off on sending in SNAP benefits to be processed for November.&nbsp;

“We were deeply disturbed to hear that the USDA has instructed states to stop processing SNAP benefits for November and were surprised by your recent comments that the program will ‘run out of money in two weeks,’” according to the letter. “In fact, the USDA has several tools available which would enable SNAP benefits to be paid through or close to the end of November.”&nbsp;

The chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Republican Susan Collins of Maine, also urged Rollins in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.collins.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/102325mainesnaplettercollins.pdf" target="_blank">Thursday letter</a>&nbsp;to “consider all available options in accordance with federal law to ensure that this vital nutrition assistance continues, including the use of contingency funds and looking at the viability of partial payments or any transfer authority you may have.”&nbsp;

Benefits could be slow even if a deal reached

States have been told by the agency to hold off on submitting SNAP benefit requests to processing centers. Food banks and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/rhode-island-food-pantries-slammed-snap-beneficiaries-brace-funding-run-dry" target="_blank">pantries</a>&nbsp;are already bracing for the increased need, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/food-banks-prepare-lapse-snap-funding-unprecedented-need-due-government-shutdown" target="_blank">in Iowa</a>, where more than 270,000 Iowans rely on SNAP each month.

However, even if Congress immediately reached a deal to end the shutdown, the time needed to process the payments and make them available for recipients means SNAP benefits would likely be delayed. State officials have warned SNAP recipients of the possibility of delays.

In West Virginia,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/im-very-scared-snap-benefits-delay-worries-wv-elderly-who-use-it-feed-themselves-grandkids" target="_blank">officials said delays are expected</a>&nbsp;and told residents to seek assistance at local food pantries. Roughly 1 in 6 West Virginia residents rely on SNAP each month.&nbsp;

Sharon Parrott,&nbsp;a White House Office of Management and Budget official during the Obama administration who now leads a left-leaning think tank,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbpp.org/press/statements/trump-administration-is-legally-required-to-provide-snap-in-shutdown-contrary-to" target="_blank">said in a Thursday statement</a>&nbsp;that USDA is legally required to use its SNAP contingency funds.

Parrott, the president of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said the multi-year contingency fund is “billions of dollars that Congress provided for use when SNAP funding is inadequate that remain available during the shutdown — to fund November benefits for the 1 in 8 Americans who need SNAP to afford their grocery bill.”

Parrott said the Trump administration could use its legal transfer authority, just as it did with WIC funding, to “supplement the contingency reserves, which by themselves are not enough to fund families’ full benefits.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689674819900.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26196837-usda-memo-102425/" target="_blank">a memo</a>&nbsp;Friday the agency’s contingency fund cannot legally be used to provide food assistance benefits for more than 42 million people in November, as the government shutdown drags on.The position is a reversal from the department’s earlier stance, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26196921-fy2026-usda-lapse-plan-sept30/" target="_blank">a since-deleted copy</a>&nbsp;of the USDA’s Sept. 30 shutdown plan that said the department would use its multi-year contingency fund to continue paying&nbsp;Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,&nbsp;or SNAP, benefits during the ongoing shutdown.&nbsp;SNAP&nbsp;has about $6 billion in the contingency fund — short of the roughly $9 billion needed to cover a full month of the program, putting November benefits in jeopardy.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/pay-trump-and-congress-continues-shutdown-unless-they-ask-it-be-held" target="_blank">Because of a stalemate</a>&nbsp;in Congress over a stopgap spending bill, the government shut down on Oct. 1 without new SNAP funding enacted.The memo, which was first&nbsp;<a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/24/gov-shutdown-snap-payments-emergency-funds" target="_blank">reported by Axios</a>&nbsp;on Friday, said states would not be reimbursed if they use their own funds to cover the cost of the benefits.“There is no provision or allowance under current law for States to cover the cost of benefits and be reimbursed,” the memo says, while also noting that “the best way for SNAP to continue is for the shutdown to end.”<h2>Discrepancy with shutdown plan</h2>The memo also says the contingency fund is meant for natural disasters and similar emergencies, not for a lack of appropriations.But USDA’s Sept. 30 contingency plan contradicts that and appears to greenlight the use of SNAP’s contingency fund during a lapse in funding.“Congressional intent is evident that SNAP’s operations should continue since the program has been provided with multi-year contingency funds that can be used for State Administrative Expenses to ensure that the State can also continue operations during a Federal Government shutdown,” according to the plan. “These multi-year contingency funds are also available to fund participant benefits in the event that a lapse occurs in the middle of the fiscal year.”USDA’s contingency plan is no longer online, but is accessible through an internet archive.After providing States Newsroom with the memo Friday afternoon, USDA did not immediately respond to a follow-up inquiry about the discrepancy between Friday’s memo and its contingency plan.In the memo, USDA said transferring money toward SNAP from other sources “would pull away funding for school meals and infant formula.”&nbsp;The agency said it has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/nutrition-program-women-infants-and-children-stay-afloat-through-end-month" target="_blank">shuffled funds to cover</a>&nbsp;several nutrition programs during the shutdown, including the&nbsp;Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, as well as the&nbsp;National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program.&nbsp;<h2>Dems call on Rollins to tap into fund</h2>U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said last week the government would run out of funds to deliver November&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecRollins/status/1978984208975478809" target="_blank">SNAP benefits</a>&nbsp;as a result of the ongoing shutdown.&nbsp;&nbsp;Friday morning, U.S. House Democrats, like nearly all of their Senate counterparts and the Republican chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, urged Rollins to not only use the contingency fund, but to reprogram other money to cover a $3 billion shortfall.&nbsp;“A potential lapse in benefits would be felt by Americans of all ages and affect every corner and congressional district in the country,” according to the letter from more than&nbsp;<a href="https://democrats-agriculture.house.gov/uploadedfiles/251024_-_letter_-_house_dems_to_usda_on_snap_shutdown.pdf?utm_campaign=2270-520" target="_blank">200 House Democrats.</a>In a separate letter, 46 Senate Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://www.booker.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/letter_to_release_funding_to_continue_snap_into_novemberp.pdf" target="_blank">sent</a>&nbsp;to Rollins on Wednesday, voicing concerns that USDA told states to hold off on sending in SNAP benefits to be processed for November.&nbsp;“We were deeply disturbed to hear that the USDA has instructed states to stop processing SNAP benefits for November and were surprised by your recent comments that the program will ‘run out of money in two weeks,’” according to the letter. “In fact, the USDA has several tools available which would enable SNAP benefits to be paid through or close to the end of November.”&nbsp;The chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Republican Susan Collins of Maine, also urged Rollins in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.collins.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/102325mainesnaplettercollins.pdf" target="_blank">Thursday letter</a>&nbsp;to “consider all available options in accordance with federal law to ensure that this vital nutrition assistance continues, including the use of contingency funds and looking at the viability of partial payments or any transfer authority you may have.”&nbsp;<h2>Benefits could be slow even if a deal reached</h2>States have been told by the agency to hold off on submitting SNAP benefit requests to processing centers. Food banks and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/rhode-island-food-pantries-slammed-snap-beneficiaries-brace-funding-run-dry" target="_blank">pantries</a>&nbsp;are already bracing for the increased need, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/food-banks-prepare-lapse-snap-funding-unprecedented-need-due-government-shutdown" target="_blank">in Iowa</a>, where more than 270,000 Iowans rely on SNAP each month.However, even if Congress immediately reached a deal to end the shutdown, the time needed to process the payments and make them available for recipients means SNAP benefits would likely be delayed. State officials have warned SNAP recipients of the possibility of delays.In West Virginia,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/im-very-scared-snap-benefits-delay-worries-wv-elderly-who-use-it-feed-themselves-grandkids" target="_blank">officials said delays are expected</a>&nbsp;and told residents to seek assistance at local food pantries. Roughly 1 in 6 West Virginia residents rely on SNAP each month.&nbsp;<h2>Legal requirement cited</h2>Sharon Parrott,&nbsp;a White House Office of Management and Budget official during the Obama administration who now leads a left-leaning think tank,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbpp.org/press/statements/trump-administration-is-legally-required-to-provide-snap-in-shutdown-contrary-to" target="_blank">said in a Thursday statement</a>&nbsp;that USDA is legally required to use its SNAP contingency funds.Parrott, the president of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said the multi-year contingency fund is “billions of dollars that Congress provided for use when SNAP funding is inadequate that remain available during the shutdown — to fund November benefits for the 1 in 8 Americans who need SNAP to afford their grocery bill.”Parrott said the Trump administration could use its legal transfer authority, just as it did with WIC funding, to “supplement the contingency reserves, which by themselves are not enough to fund families’ full benefits.”

USDA won’t shuffle funds to extend SNAP during shutdown, in about-face from earlier plan

WASHINGTON —In support of the President’s directive to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and counter narco-terrorism in defense of the Homeland, the Secretary of War has directed the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and embarked carrier air wing to the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of responsibility (AOR), according to a statement from the Department of War.

'The enhanced U.S. force presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere. These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle TCOs."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696803172229.png" alt="File photo The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October 2024-photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October 2024-photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —In support of the President’s directive to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and counter narco-terrorism in defense of the Homeland, the Secretary of War has directed the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and embarked carrier air wing to the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of responsibility (AOR), according to a statement from the Department of War.'The enhanced U.S. force presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere. These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle TCOs."

Drug war: US sending aircraft carrier to Latin America 

Overnight, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO), trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean Sea, according to a social media report from the Seretary of War.

The vessel was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics. Six male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the strike, which was conducted in international waters—and was the first strike at night. All six terrorists were killed and no U.S. forces were harmed in this strike.

If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda. Day or NIGHT, we will map your networks, track your people, hunt you down, and kill you.

(Click below to watch President Trump's answer on a possible declaration of war for the drug boat attacks)

Overnight, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO), trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean Sea, according to a social media report from the Seretary of War.The vessel was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics. Six male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the strike, which was conducted in international waters—and was the first strike at night. All six terrorists were killed and no U.S. forces were harmed in this strike.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Overnight, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO), trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean Sea. The vessel was known by our… <a href="https://t.co/lVlw0FLBv4">pic.twitter.com/lVlw0FLBv4</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1981706596972372446?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda. Day or NIGHT, we will map your networks, track your people, hunt you down, and kill you.(Click below to watch President Trump's answer on a possible declaration of war for the drug boat attacks)<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Drugs = Dead <a href="https://t.co/rbM8IgsOFU">pic.twitter.com/rbM8IgsOFU</a>&mdash; Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/1981553144099147809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Trump: They're going to be like, dead; U.S. strikes another drug boat 

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>

WASHINGTON — The Senate Thursday failed to advance a Republican measure and rejected unanimous agreements on two related bills from Democrats that would have paid federal employees and contractors who have continued to work amid the government shutdown, which entered day 23.&nbsp;

The stalemate constituted the latest example of how dug in to their arguments both parties are as the shutdown that began Oct. 1 drags out, as well as the heightened political tensions in the upper chamber when it comes to striking a deal to resume government funding.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Most federal employees will miss their first full paycheck on Friday or early next week. More than 42 million Americans, some 40% under the age of 17, are also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-likely-halt-food-benefits-42-million-just-days" target="_blank">at risk of delayed food assistance</a>&nbsp;if Congress doesn’t address a funding shortfall expected by Nov. 1 in the&nbsp;Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.&nbsp;

Senate Democrats Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.booker.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/letter_to_release_funding_to_continue_snap_into_novemberp.pdf" target="_blank">sent a letter</a>&nbsp;to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins over concerns that the agency has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-likely-halt-food-benefits-42-million-just-days" target="_blank">warned states to hold off on processing SNAP benefits.</a>&nbsp;They contended the agency has the resources to keep payments flowing.

“We were deeply disturbed to hear that the USDA has instructed states to stop processing SNAP benefits for November and were surprised by your recent comments that the program will ‘run out of money in two weeks,’” according to the letter. “In fact, the USDA has several tools available which would enable SNAP benefits to be paid through or close to the end of November.”

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.,<a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Keep-SNAP-Funded-Act.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;introduced a bill</a>&nbsp;Wednesday to continue SNAP funding through the shutdown. During Thursday’s briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration would “absolutely support” the legislation.

In the Senate, a measure from Wisconsin GOP Sen. Ron Johnson on a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00585.htm" target="_blank">54-45 vote</a>&nbsp;did not reach the 60-vote threshold needed to advance in the chamber. Its failure means that federal employees who have continued to work will not be paid until the shutdown ends.

Democratic senators who agreed to the measure included Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman and Georgia’s Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota changed his vote in order to reconsider the measure.&nbsp;

“I don’t think it makes sense to hold these federal workers hostage,” Warnock told States Newsroom in an interview on his vote Thursday. “If I could have a path to give some of these folks relief while fighting for health care, that’s what I decided to do.”

A separate measure from Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen also failed to move forward after Johnson objected. Van Hollen requested unanimous consent to approve his bill that would have also protected federal workers from mass Reductions in Force, or RIFs, that President Donald Trump has attempted during the shutdown.&nbsp;

A second Democratic bill, from Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., was narrower, only including pay for federal workers. But when he requested unanimous approval for his measure, it was also blocked by Johnson.

Senators then left Capitol Hill for the weekend. On Wednesday, the Senate took&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-day-22-sets-record-second-longest-us-history-no-sign-deal" target="_blank">a failed 12th vote</a>&nbsp;to provide the federal government and its services with flat funding through Nov. 21.

Senate Republicans have pressed Senate Democrats to approve the GOP-written stopgap measure. But Democrats have maintained that they will not support the House measure because it does not extend tax credits that will expire at the end of the year for people who buy their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.

Van Hollen argued his bill would protect workers from the president’s targeting of certain federal agencies and programs.

“We certainly shouldn’t set up a system where the president of the United States gets to decide what agencies to shut down, what they can open, who to pay and who not to pay, who to punish and who not to punish,” Van Hollen said on the Senate floor before asking for unanimous consent to move the bill forward.

Johnson objected to including Van Hollen’s provision to ban federal worker layoffs during a shutdown.&nbsp;President Donald Trump’s efforts to lay off thousands of federal workers during the shutdown have been on hold since last week, after a federal judge&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-judge-blocks-trump-carrying-out-thousands-layoffs-during-shutdown" target="_blank">issued a temporary restraining order</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-judge-broadens-order-blocking-trump-administration-layoffs-during-shutdown" target="_blank">was later expanded</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

However, Johnson said he was willing to add into his own bill the provision from Van Hollen to pay furloughed workers.

“I’m more than happy to sit down with you. Maybe we should do that later today,” Van Hollen told Johnson during their debate on the floor.

Shortly after, Peters introduced a near-mirror version of Van Hollen’s bill, except that his measure would not prohibit layoffs — essentially what Johnson told Van Hollen he would agree to.

“We all say we agree on this, so let’s just pass this bill now,” the Michigan Democrat said before asking for unanimous consent to advance the legislation.

“It only solves a problem temporarily. We’re going to be right back in the same position,” Johnson said in an interview with States Newsroom about why he rejected Peters’ proposal.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Johnson said he talked with Peters and Van Hollen after the vote and “we’ll be talking beyond this.”

Even if the Senate passed the bill sponsored by Johnson or Van Hollen, it’s unlikely the House, which has been in recess since last month, would return to vote on either measure.

At a Thursday morning press conference, House Speaker Mike Johnson argued that Republicans already passed a stopgap measure to pay federal workers and that Senate Democrats should support that legislation.&nbsp;

Johnson said bringing back the House would be a “waste of time,” noting that Democrats would not vote on the Republican proposal.&nbsp;

“If I brought everybody back right now and we voted on a measure to do this, to pay essential workers, it would be spiked in the Senate,” said the Louisiana Republican. “So it would be a waste of our time.”

Duffy warns of flight delays due to shutdown

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy joined Johnson and House Republicans during their press conference.&nbsp;

He said that flight delays have increased due to staffing shortages.

More than 50,000 TSA agents and more than 13,000 air traffic controllers have continued to work without pay during the government shutdown.&nbsp;

“They’re angry,” Duffy said of air traffic controllers. “I’ve gone to a number of different towers over the course of the last week to 10 days. They’re frustrated.”

Next Tuesday, air traffic controllers will not receive their full paycheck for their work in October, Duffy said.

He added that the agency is already short-staffed — by up to 3,000 air traffic controllers.

“When we have lower staffing, what happens is, you’ll see delays or cancellations,” Duffy said.&nbsp;

The FlightAware tracker said there were 2,132 delays within, into or out of the United States of unspecified length reported by Thursday afternoon, compared to 4,175 on Wednesday, 3,846 on Tuesday and 6,792 on Monday.

A shortage of air traffic controllers helped play a role in ending the 2019 government shutdown, which lasted 35 days, after thousands of commercial flights were ground to a halt.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761249362665.png" alt="Counting votes Thursday in the U.S. Senate -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Counting votes Thursday in the U.S. Senate -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>WASHINGTON — The Senate Thursday failed to advance a Republican measure and rejected unanimous agreements on two related bills from Democrats that would have paid federal employees and contractors who have continued to work amid the government shutdown, which entered day 23.&nbsp;The stalemate constituted the latest example of how dug in to their arguments both parties are as the shutdown that began Oct. 1 drags out, as well as the heightened political tensions in the upper chamber when it comes to striking a deal to resume government funding.&nbsp;&nbsp;Most federal employees will miss their first full paycheck on Friday or early next week. More than 42 million Americans, some 40% under the age of 17, are also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-likely-halt-food-benefits-42-million-just-days" target="_blank">at risk of delayed food assistance</a>&nbsp;if Congress doesn’t address a funding shortfall expected by Nov. 1 in the&nbsp;Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.&nbsp;Senate Democrats Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.booker.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/letter_to_release_funding_to_continue_snap_into_novemberp.pdf" target="_blank">sent a letter</a>&nbsp;to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins over concerns that the agency has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-likely-halt-food-benefits-42-million-just-days" target="_blank">warned states to hold off on processing SNAP benefits.</a>&nbsp;They contended the agency has the resources to keep payments flowing.“We were deeply disturbed to hear that the USDA has instructed states to stop processing SNAP benefits for November and were surprised by your recent comments that the program will ‘run out of money in two weeks,’” according to the letter. “In fact, the USDA has several tools available which would enable SNAP benefits to be paid through or close to the end of November.”Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.,<a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Keep-SNAP-Funded-Act.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;introduced a bill</a>&nbsp;Wednesday to continue SNAP funding through the shutdown. During Thursday’s briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration would “absolutely support” the legislation.<h2>Deadlock on federal worker pay</h2>In the Senate, a measure from Wisconsin GOP Sen. Ron Johnson on a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00585.htm" target="_blank">54-45 vote</a>&nbsp;did not reach the 60-vote threshold needed to advance in the chamber. Its failure means that federal employees who have continued to work will not be paid until the shutdown ends.Democratic senators who agreed to the measure included Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman and Georgia’s Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota changed his vote in order to reconsider the measure.&nbsp;“I don’t think it makes sense to hold these federal workers hostage,” Warnock told States Newsroom in an interview on his vote Thursday. “If I could have a path to give some of these folks relief while fighting for health care, that’s what I decided to do.”A separate measure from Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen also failed to move forward after Johnson objected. Van Hollen requested unanimous consent to approve his bill that would have also protected federal workers from mass Reductions in Force, or RIFs, that President Donald Trump has attempted during the shutdown.&nbsp;A second Democratic bill, from Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., was narrower, only including pay for federal workers. But when he requested unanimous approval for his measure, it was also blocked by Johnson.Senators then left Capitol Hill for the weekend. On Wednesday, the Senate took&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-day-22-sets-record-second-longest-us-history-no-sign-deal" target="_blank">a failed 12th vote</a>&nbsp;to provide the federal government and its services with flat funding through Nov. 21.Senate Republicans have pressed Senate Democrats to approve the GOP-written stopgap measure. But Democrats have maintained that they will not support the House measure because it does not extend tax credits that will expire at the end of the year for people who buy their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.<h2>Layoffs cited by Van Hollen</h2>Van Hollen argued his bill would protect workers from the president’s targeting of certain federal agencies and programs.“We certainly shouldn’t set up a system where the president of the United States gets to decide what agencies to shut down, what they can open, who to pay and who not to pay, who to punish and who not to punish,” Van Hollen said on the Senate floor before asking for unanimous consent to move the bill forward.Johnson objected to including Van Hollen’s provision to ban federal worker layoffs during a shutdown.&nbsp;President Donald Trump’s efforts to lay off thousands of federal workers during the shutdown have been on hold since last week, after a federal judge&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-judge-blocks-trump-carrying-out-thousands-layoffs-during-shutdown" target="_blank">issued a temporary restraining order</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-judge-broadens-order-blocking-trump-administration-layoffs-during-shutdown" target="_blank">was later expanded</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, Johnson said he was willing to add into his own bill the provision from Van Hollen to pay furloughed workers.“I’m more than happy to sit down with you. Maybe we should do that later today,” Van Hollen told Johnson during their debate on the floor.Shortly after, Peters introduced a near-mirror version of Van Hollen’s bill, except that his measure would not prohibit layoffs — essentially what Johnson told Van Hollen he would agree to.“We all say we agree on this, so let’s just pass this bill now,” the Michigan Democrat said before asking for unanimous consent to advance the legislation.Johnson also objected to that proposal.“It only solves a problem temporarily. We’re going to be right back in the same position,” Johnson said in an interview with States Newsroom about why he rejected Peters’ proposal.&nbsp;&nbsp;Johnson said he talked with Peters and Van Hollen after the vote and “we’ll be talking beyond this.”<h2>‘Waste of time’ for House to meet</h2>Even if the Senate passed the bill sponsored by Johnson or Van Hollen, it’s unlikely the House, which has been in recess since last month, would return to vote on either measure.At a Thursday morning press conference, House Speaker Mike Johnson argued that Republicans already passed a stopgap measure to pay federal workers and that Senate Democrats should support that legislation.&nbsp;Johnson said bringing back the House would be a “waste of time,” noting that Democrats would not vote on the Republican proposal.&nbsp;“If I brought everybody back right now and we voted on a measure to do this, to pay essential workers, it would be spiked in the Senate,” said the Louisiana Republican. “So it would be a waste of our time.”<h2>Duffy warns of flight delays due to shutdown</h2>Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy joined Johnson and House Republicans during their press conference.&nbsp;He said that flight delays have increased due to staffing shortages.More than 50,000 TSA agents and more than 13,000 air traffic controllers have continued to work without pay during the government shutdown.&nbsp;“They’re angry,” Duffy said of air traffic controllers. “I’ve gone to a number of different towers over the course of the last week to 10 days. They’re frustrated.”Next Tuesday, air traffic controllers will not receive their full paycheck for their work in October, Duffy said.He added that the agency is already short-staffed — by up to 3,000 air traffic controllers.“When we have lower staffing, what happens is, you’ll see delays or cancellations,” Duffy said.&nbsp;The FlightAware tracker said there were 2,132 delays within, into or out of the United States of unspecified length reported by Thursday afternoon, compared to 4,175 on Wednesday, 3,846 on Tuesday and 6,792 on Monday.A shortage of air traffic controllers helped play a role in ending the 2019 government shutdown, which lasted 35 days, after thousands of commercial flights were ground to a halt.&nbsp;

US Senate fails to move ahead on bills extending pay to federal workers during shutdown

Update comes as district judge considers Friday whether to pause contract, which state attorneys say could harm Nebraska

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/zachwendling/">Zach Wendling</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen announced Thursday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement inspectors have certified a Nebraska state prison to begin receiving federal detainees as it becomes a migrant detention facility.

Pillen said ICE inspectors completed a final walkthrough of the former McCook&nbsp;<a href="https://corrections.nebraska.gov/facilities/work-ethic-camp" target="_blank">Work Ethic Camp</a>&nbsp;this week, and the timeline for the first detainees to come to Nebraska is still being coordinated. Pillen said getting the final pieces together had been “a moving target” with the federal shutdown now on day 23.

“Given the many tasks that had to be completed, including the transfer of remaining inmates, building modifications, training of staff and other components, we have made significant progress,” Pillen said in a statement.

Final security upgrades will continue in McCook “over the next day or so,” Pillen said, and additional modifications will allow the facility to house up to 300 detainees, from a maximum of about 200.

Pillen’s update comes less than 24 hours before a Red Willow County District Court judge will hear arguments on a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/schimek-v-pillen_CI25137.pdf">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;seeking to temporarily stop the Nebraska-ICE partnership. The lawsuit is from 13 McCook residents and former State Sen. DiAnna Schimek of Lincoln. It argues the&nbsp;<a href="https://corrections.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/Contract-NDCS-Department-of-Homeland-Security-ICE.pdf" target="_blank">Nebraska-ICE contract</a>&nbsp;is unconstitutional without legislative approval because of language they say&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/articles.php?article=IV-19" target="_blank">delegates management</a>&nbsp;of the state’s prisons to the Legislature.

The lawsuit also argues that lawmakers had specified and&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=72-801" target="_blank">funded</a>&nbsp;the purpose of the McCook facility in law. The detention center remains state-owned and operated.

Pillen and Rob Jeffreys, director of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, are named in the lawsuit.

The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, on behalf of Pillen and Jeffreys in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/schimek-v-pillen_MTD-state-brief.pdf">court filings</a>&nbsp;this week, asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed and all but said the train has left the station.&nbsp;

“Should the court void the state’s contract with the federal government, that would release the federal government from its obligations to compensate the state for this work. Taxpayers would therefore suffer a greater injury from preliminary relief than without it,” the brief states. “Not to mention the damage that preliminary relief would do to the state’s relationship with the federal government.”

Under the contract, ICE plans to pay Nebraska around $2.5 million monthly. Pillen’s office estimates the deal could net Nebraska $14.25 million annually. The contract was&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/10/23/pillens-office-defends-17-day-delay-in-releasing-nebraska-ice-detention-contract/">not publicly available until Oct. 17</a>. It was&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/10/17/nebraska-signed-contract-with-ice-on-sept-30-to-turn-state-prison-into-migrant-detention-center/">signed Sept. 30</a>. Pillen&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/08/21/what-we-know-about-nebraska-ice-plan-to-retool-mccook-work-ethic-camp-lawmaker-reactions/">announced the initial plan Aug. 19</a>. The lawsuit was&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/10/16/13-mccook-residents-former-lawmaker-sue-to-stop-nebraska-ice-detention-center/">filed Oct. 15</a>.

The AG’s Office said the Legislature “broadly” delegated the day-to-day operations of state facilities to the executive branch and said the contract doesn’t change McCook’s “overarching purpose” as a detention center, so “any change is one of degree, not kind.”

State attorneys said the McCook residents and Schimek are not best-suited to challenge the facility, suggesting a more proper lawsuit could come instead from the Legislature,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/10/16/ags-office-all-inmates-moved-from-nebraskas-mccook-prison-planned-ice-detention-center/">state inmates transferred from the Work Ethic Camp</a>&nbsp;to other state facilities or federal detainees. The AG’s Office said a better “check” on separation of powers concerns is the Legislature and the political process, not by going through the courts or by “random taxpayers.”

“Taxpayers who object to the defendants’ actions have the same remedy as any other Nebraskan: the ballot box,” the AG’s Office wrote.

Nick Grandgenett, an attorney for the McCook residents and Schimek, framed the case last week as “not about immigration” but “our constitutional republican form of government.”

The AG’s Office criticized the lawsuit for not including all “indispensable parties” —&nbsp;the U.S. government, as well as a fencing company contracted to build a razor wire around the facility.

“Plaintiffs cannot use purportedly illegal expenditures related to the McCook facility — costs that the federal government will reimburse — as a bootstrap to obtain the standing necessary to present their real challenge, which is aimed at the entire cooperative agreements and federal immigration enforcement activity,” the state’s attorneys wrote.

Jeffreys, in a Thursday statement, said his department’s “attention to detail” at the Work Ethic Camp and a strong partnership and cooperation with ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security made certification possible.

“Passing these inspections is a testament to our team’s commitment to safety, security and professionalism,” Jeffreys said. He signed the initial two-year Nebraska-ICE contract Sept. 30 for the state.

Pillen said that once operational, the rebranded “Cornhusker Clink” will regionally support ICE officials “who are working tirelessly to identify illegal criminals and get them off our streets.”

“Every state is a border state,” Pillen said. “Nebraska is going to do its part to make sure that our nation and Nebraskans are safe and secure.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761252952549.png" alt="The state’s Work Ethic Camp in McCook, Neb., is set to become a detention center for migrants facing deportation proceedings. State Sen. Margo Juarez of Omaha, a vocal opponent, drove more than four hours from her home district to learn more about the facility than has been shared with Democratic lawmakers. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The state’s Work Ethic Camp in McCook, Neb., is set to become a detention center for migrants facing deportation proceedings. State Sen. Margo Juarez of Omaha, a vocal opponent, drove more than four hours from her home district to learn more about the facility than has been shared with Democratic lawmakers. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Update comes as district judge considers Friday whether to pause contract, which state attorneys say could harm Nebraska</h2>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/zachwendling/">Zach Wendling</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen announced Thursday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement inspectors have certified a Nebraska state prison to begin receiving federal detainees as it becomes a migrant detention facility.Pillen said ICE inspectors completed a final walkthrough of the former McCook&nbsp;<a href="https://corrections.nebraska.gov/facilities/work-ethic-camp" target="_blank">Work Ethic Camp</a>&nbsp;this week, and the timeline for the first detainees to come to Nebraska is still being coordinated. Pillen said getting the final pieces together had been “a moving target” with the federal shutdown now on day 23.“Given the many tasks that had to be completed, including the transfer of remaining inmates, building modifications, training of staff and other components, we have made significant progress,” Pillen said in a statement.Final security upgrades will continue in McCook “over the next day or so,” Pillen said, and additional modifications will allow the facility to house up to 300 detainees, from a maximum of about 200.Pillen’s update comes less than 24 hours before a Red Willow County District Court judge will hear arguments on a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/schimek-v-pillen_CI25137.pdf">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;seeking to temporarily stop the Nebraska-ICE partnership. The lawsuit is from 13 McCook residents and former State Sen. DiAnna Schimek of Lincoln. It argues the&nbsp;<a href="https://corrections.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/Contract-NDCS-Department-of-Homeland-Security-ICE.pdf" target="_blank">Nebraska-ICE contract</a>&nbsp;is unconstitutional without legislative approval because of language they say&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/articles.php?article=IV-19" target="_blank">delegates management</a>&nbsp;of the state’s prisons to the Legislature.The lawsuit also argues that lawmakers had specified and&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=72-801" target="_blank">funded</a>&nbsp;the purpose of the McCook facility in law. The detention center remains state-owned and operated.Pillen and Rob Jeffreys, director of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, are named in the lawsuit.<h2>Attorney General’s Office arguments</h2>The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, on behalf of Pillen and Jeffreys in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/schimek-v-pillen_MTD-state-brief.pdf">court filings</a>&nbsp;this week, asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed and all but said the train has left the station.&nbsp;“Should the court void the state’s contract with the federal government, that would release the federal government from its obligations to compensate the state for this work. Taxpayers would therefore suffer a greater injury from preliminary relief than without it,” the brief states. “Not to mention the damage that preliminary relief would do to the state’s relationship with the federal government.”Under the contract, ICE plans to pay Nebraska around $2.5 million monthly. Pillen’s office estimates the deal could net Nebraska $14.25 million annually. The contract was&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/10/23/pillens-office-defends-17-day-delay-in-releasing-nebraska-ice-detention-contract/">not publicly available until Oct. 17</a>. It was&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/10/17/nebraska-signed-contract-with-ice-on-sept-30-to-turn-state-prison-into-migrant-detention-center/">signed Sept. 30</a>. Pillen&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/08/21/what-we-know-about-nebraska-ice-plan-to-retool-mccook-work-ethic-camp-lawmaker-reactions/">announced the initial plan Aug. 19</a>. The lawsuit was&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/10/16/13-mccook-residents-former-lawmaker-sue-to-stop-nebraska-ice-detention-center/">filed Oct. 15</a>.The AG’s Office said the Legislature “broadly” delegated the day-to-day operations of state facilities to the executive branch and said the contract doesn’t change McCook’s “overarching purpose” as a detention center, so “any change is one of degree, not kind.”State attorneys said the McCook residents and Schimek are not best-suited to challenge the facility, suggesting a more proper lawsuit could come instead from the Legislature,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/10/16/ags-office-all-inmates-moved-from-nebraskas-mccook-prison-planned-ice-detention-center/">state inmates transferred from the Work Ethic Camp</a>&nbsp;to other state facilities or federal detainees. The AG’s Office said a better “check” on separation of powers concerns is the Legislature and the political process, not by going through the courts or by “random taxpayers.”“Taxpayers who object to the defendants’ actions have the same remedy as any other Nebraskan: the ballot box,” the AG’s Office wrote.<h2>‘Every state is a border state’</h2>Nick Grandgenett, an attorney for the McCook residents and Schimek, framed the case last week as “not about immigration” but “our constitutional republican form of government.”The AG’s Office criticized the lawsuit for not including all “indispensable parties” —&nbsp;the U.S. government, as well as a fencing company contracted to build a razor wire around the facility.“Plaintiffs cannot use purportedly illegal expenditures related to the McCook facility — costs that the federal government will reimburse — as a bootstrap to obtain the standing necessary to present their real challenge, which is aimed at the entire cooperative agreements and federal immigration enforcement activity,” the state’s attorneys wrote.Jeffreys, in a Thursday statement, said his department’s “attention to detail” at the Work Ethic Camp and a strong partnership and cooperation with ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security made certification possible.“Passing these inspections is a testament to our team’s commitment to safety, security and professionalism,” Jeffreys said. He signed the initial two-year Nebraska-ICE contract Sept. 30 for the state.Pillen said that once operational, the rebranded “Cornhusker Clink” will regionally support ICE officials “who are working tirelessly to identify illegal criminals and get them off our streets.”“Every state is a border state,” Pillen said. “Nebraska is going to do its part to make sure that our nation and Nebraskans are safe and secure.”

ICE certifies Nebraska state prison to begin housing immigration detainees

On Thursday, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging six defendants — Eric Earnest, also known as “Spook,” Marves Fairley, also known as “Vez,” “Vezino,” and “Vezino Locks”, Shane Hennen, also known as “Sugar,” Damon Jones, also known as “D Jones,” and “Dee Jones,” Deniro Laster, also known as “Niro,” “Payso,” and “Peso,” and Terry Rozier, also known as “Scary Terry” and “Chum” — with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy for their alleged roles in a scheme to use inside information from National Basketball Association (NBA) players and coaches to profit from illegal betting activity, according to the United State's Attorney.

The defendants, who are located across the country, will be arraigned at a future date in the Eastern District of New York.

Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Kash Patel, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, FBI, New York Field Office; and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the charges.

“As alleged, the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation, using private locker room and medical information to enrich themselves and cheat legitimate sportsbooks,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.&nbsp;“This was a sophisticated conspiracy involving athletes, coaches, and intermediaries who exploited confidential information for profit.&nbsp; Insider betting schemes erode the integrity of American sports, and this Office will continue in its strong tradition of holding accountable anyone who seeks to corrupt sports through illegal means.”

Mr. Nocella thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office for their invaluable assistance in the investigation.

“Today the FBI arrested six people, including current and former NBA players, for their alleged role in illegal sports betting and money laundering conspiracy – the result of a sweeping investigation conducted by outstanding FBI professionals and partners. Using private information and positions of power to rig sports gambling outcomes is not only illegal, but destroys the integrity of the game and will never be tolerated. We will continue following the money to ensure gambling operations of all kinds stay within the law and bring to justice those who take advantage of innocent victims,” stated FBI Director Patel.

“Former and current NBA players and coaches, including Terry Rozier, Damon Jones and additional co-conspirators, allegedly informed the defendants and others of confidential information relating to upcoming NBA games and player performances, such as pre-release medical information and a player’s intention to alter their upcoming game performance, which favored certain bettors within their inner social circle,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.&nbsp; “This alleged collusion resulted in the defendants secretly pocketing their lavish winnings and corrupting NBA games. The FBI will never turn a blind eye to any insider betting scheme within sporting industries – regardless of title or professional affiliation – to protect its integrity and afford all participants a fair chance to win big.

“Rigging a professional basketball game for personal profit is as immoral as it is illegal,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.&nbsp; “This investigation exposed a gambling ring built around the NBA, where players and associates allegedly used inside information and even faked injuries to fraudulently manipulate bets on games.&nbsp; The fact that some players altered their performance or took themselves out of games to ensure these bets paid out is an offense to every player and fan. Thanks to the incredible work of the NYPD detectives and our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, this illegal sports betting operation has been benched for good.”

As set forth in the indictment, between December 2022 and March 2024, the defendants and their associates obtained and misused non-public information about upcoming NBA games to place fraudulent sports wagers for profit and then laundered the proceeds.

The conspirators allegedly obtained insider information from several NBA players and coaches, including Rozier and Jones, and distributed that information through a network of bettors.&nbsp; These bettors placed wagers through online sportsbooks and retail betting outlets, falsely representing that their wagers complied with the betting companies’ rules—which included, as relevant here, not betting on non-public information or using straw bettors—while concealing that their wagers were based on confidential team information.&nbsp; Some of the co-conspirators’ activities alleged in the indictment are described below:&nbsp;March 23, 2023 – Charlotte Hornets Game

As alleged, Rozier, then an active player for the Hornets, tipped off longtime friend Laster that Rozier planned to leave the game early due to a purported injury.&nbsp;Rozier provided this information to Laster for the purpose of enabling Laster to place wagers based on this information.&nbsp; Laster, Fairley, and Hennen, among others, used that confidential information to place and direct more than $200,000 in wagers predicting Rozier’s “under” statistics (i.e., that Rozier would underperform).&nbsp; Rozier exited the game after nine minutes, and many of the bets paid off, generating tens of thousands of dollars in profits.&nbsp; Laster collected the cash and drove through the night to Rozier’s house, where together they counted the profits together.

March 24, 2023 – Portland Trail Blazers Game

As alleged, Earnest received, and then passed on, insider information from a longtime friend, an NBA coach at the time, that several of the Blazers’ top players would sit out a game against the Chicago Bulls.&nbsp; Before that information became public, Fairley and his associates wagered over $100,000 against the Blazers. When the lineup change was later confirmed, betting lines shifted dramatically and the group’s early bets yielded major winnings.

As alleged, Fairley profited from a tip obtained through an inside connection to a then Orlando Magic player.&nbsp; A co-conspirator leveraged a relationship with the Magic player to learn that several of the team’s top players would sit out a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers—information that had not yet been made public.&nbsp; The co-conspirator relayed the tip to Fairley, who placed an approximately $11,000 bet that the Cavaliers would outperform the point spread.&nbsp; When the lineup change was later confirmed and the Cavaliers went on to beat the Magic by 24 points, Fairley and the co-conspirator pocketed the winnings.

February 9, 2023 and January 15, 2024 – Los Angeles Lakers Games

As alleged, former NBA player and coach Jones shared and sold insider information on numerous occasions about undisclosed information relating to NBA games, such as lineup decisions and pre-release medical information, to his co-conspirators, who then placed significant wagers based on the tips.&nbsp; For example, on February 9, 2023 and January 15, 2024, respectively, Jones provided insider information to co-conspirators about pre-release medical information concerning star players on the Los Angeles Lakers for the purpose of enabling the co-conspirators to place wagers based on this information.

January 26, 2024 and March 20, 2024 – Toronto Raptors Games

As alleged, Jontay Porter, who was then an NBA player with the Toronto Raptors, informed co-conspirator Long Phi Pham and others that he would prematurely exit the games he was scheduled to play on January 26, 2024 and March 20, 2024,&nbsp;due to purported injuries.&nbsp; Porter agreed to exit the games early so that Pham and others could place bets on this non-public information.&nbsp; Pham, in turn, provided this information to Hennen, who also provided the information to Fairley.&nbsp; Subsequently, Hennen placed bets on Porter’s unders, or underperformance, in connection with the games through a network of straw bettors.&nbsp; When Porter exited both games early, numerous of the fraudulent wagers were successful.

Porter and Pham, among others, have previously pleaded guilty in connection with their participation in the scheme related to these two games.

ERIC EARNEST (also known as “Spook”)Age: 35Missouri

MARVES FAIRLEY (also known as “Vez,” “Vezino,” and “Vezino Locks”)Age: 33Mississippi

SHANE HENNEN (also known as “Sugar”)Age: 31NevadaDAMON JONES (also known as “D Jones” and “Dee Jones”)Age: 49California

DENIRO LASTER (also known as “Niro,” “Payso,” and “Peso”)Age: 30Ohio

TERRY ROZIER (also known as “Scary Terry” and “Chum”)Age: 31Florida

On Thursday, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging six defendants — Eric Earnest, also known as “Spook,” Marves Fairley, also known as “Vez,” “Vezino,” and “Vezino Locks”, Shane Hennen, also known as “Sugar,” Damon Jones, also known as “D Jones,” and “Dee Jones,” Deniro Laster, also known as “Niro,” “Payso,” and “Peso,” and Terry Rozier, also known as “Scary Terry” and “Chum” — with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy for their alleged roles in a scheme to use inside information from National Basketball Association (NBA) players and coaches to profit from illegal betting activity, according to the United State's Attorney.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">FBI Director Patel: &quot;Individuals such as Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones and Terry Rozier were taking into custody today, former,current NBA players and coaches...this is an illegal gambling operation and sports rigging operation that spanned the course of years.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/L5vLj1XtvM">pic.twitter.com/L5vLj1XtvM</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1981367790025027918?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The defendants, who are located across the country, will be arraigned at a future date in the Eastern District of New York.Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Kash Patel, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, FBI, New York Field Office; and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the charges.“As alleged, the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation, using private locker room and medical information to enrich themselves and cheat legitimate sportsbooks,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.&nbsp;“This was a sophisticated conspiracy involving athletes, coaches, and intermediaries who exploited confidential information for profit.&nbsp; Insider betting schemes erode the integrity of American sports, and this Office will continue in its strong tradition of holding accountable anyone who seeks to corrupt sports through illegal means.”Mr. Nocella thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office for their invaluable assistance in the investigation.“Today the FBI arrested six people, including current and former NBA players, for their alleged role in illegal sports betting and money laundering conspiracy – the result of a sweeping investigation conducted by outstanding FBI professionals and partners. Using private information and positions of power to rig sports gambling outcomes is not only illegal, but destroys the integrity of the game and will never be tolerated. We will continue following the money to ensure gambling operations of all kinds stay within the law and bring to justice those who take advantage of innocent victims,” stated FBI Director Patel.“Former and current NBA players and coaches, including Terry Rozier, Damon Jones and additional co-conspirators, allegedly informed the defendants and others of confidential information relating to upcoming NBA games and player performances, such as pre-release medical information and a player’s intention to alter their upcoming game performance, which favored certain bettors within their inner social circle,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.&nbsp; “This alleged collusion resulted in the defendants secretly pocketing their lavish winnings and corrupting NBA games. The FBI will never turn a blind eye to any insider betting scheme within sporting industries – regardless of title or professional affiliation – to protect its integrity and afford all participants a fair chance to win big.“Rigging a professional basketball game for personal profit is as immoral as it is illegal,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.&nbsp; “This investigation exposed a gambling ring built around the NBA, where players and associates allegedly used inside information and even faked injuries to fraudulently manipulate bets on games.&nbsp; The fact that some players altered their performance or took themselves out of games to ensure these bets paid out is an offense to every player and fan. Thanks to the incredible work of the NYPD detectives and our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, this illegal sports betting operation has been benched for good.”As set forth in the indictment, between December 2022 and March 2024, the defendants and their associates obtained and misused non-public information about upcoming NBA games to place fraudulent sports wagers for profit and then laundered the proceeds.The conspirators allegedly obtained insider information from several NBA players and coaches, including Rozier and Jones, and distributed that information through a network of bettors.&nbsp; These bettors placed wagers through online sportsbooks and retail betting outlets, falsely representing that their wagers complied with the betting companies’ rules—which included, as relevant here, not betting on non-public information or using straw bettors—while concealing that their wagers were based on confidential team information.&nbsp; Some of the co-conspirators’ activities alleged in the indictment are described below:&nbsp;March 23, 2023 – Charlotte Hornets GameAs alleged, Rozier, then an active player for the Hornets, tipped off longtime friend Laster that Rozier planned to leave the game early due to a purported injury.&nbsp;Rozier provided this information to Laster for the purpose of enabling Laster to place wagers based on this information.&nbsp; Laster, Fairley, and Hennen, among others, used that confidential information to place and direct more than $200,000 in wagers predicting Rozier’s “under” statistics (i.e., that Rozier would underperform).&nbsp; Rozier exited the game after nine minutes, and many of the bets paid off, generating tens of thousands of dollars in profits.&nbsp; Laster collected the cash and drove through the night to Rozier’s house, where together they counted the profits together.March 24, 2023 – Portland Trail Blazers GameAs alleged, Earnest received, and then passed on, insider information from a longtime friend, an NBA coach at the time, that several of the Blazers’ top players would sit out a game against the Chicago Bulls.&nbsp; Before that information became public, Fairley and his associates wagered over $100,000 against the Blazers. When the lineup change was later confirmed, betting lines shifted dramatically and the group’s early bets yielded major winnings.April 6, 2023 – Orlando Magic GameAs alleged, Fairley profited from a tip obtained through an inside connection to a then Orlando Magic player.&nbsp; A co-conspirator leveraged a relationship with the Magic player to learn that several of the team’s top players would sit out a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers—information that had not yet been made public.&nbsp; The co-conspirator relayed the tip to Fairley, who placed an approximately $11,000 bet that the Cavaliers would outperform the point spread.&nbsp; When the lineup change was later confirmed and the Cavaliers went on to beat the Magic by 24 points, Fairley and the co-conspirator pocketed the winnings.February 9, 2023 and January 15, 2024 – Los Angeles Lakers GamesAs alleged, former NBA player and coach Jones shared and sold insider information on numerous occasions about undisclosed information relating to NBA games, such as lineup decisions and pre-release medical information, to his co-conspirators, who then placed significant wagers based on the tips.&nbsp; For example, on February 9, 2023 and January 15, 2024, respectively, Jones provided insider information to co-conspirators about pre-release medical information concerning star players on the Los Angeles Lakers for the purpose of enabling the co-conspirators to place wagers based on this information.January 26, 2024 and March 20, 2024 – Toronto Raptors GamesAs alleged, Jontay Porter, who was then an NBA player with the Toronto Raptors, informed co-conspirator Long Phi Pham and others that he would prematurely exit the games he was scheduled to play on January 26, 2024 and March 20, 2024,&nbsp;due to purported injuries.&nbsp; Porter agreed to exit the games early so that Pham and others could place bets on this non-public information.&nbsp; Pham, in turn, provided this information to Hennen, who also provided the information to Fairley.&nbsp; Subsequently, Hennen placed bets on Porter’s unders, or underperformance, in connection with the games through a network of straw bettors.&nbsp; When Porter exited both games early, numerous of the fraudulent wagers were successful.Porter and Pham, among others, have previously pleaded guilty in connection with their participation in the scheme related to these two games.* * * * *The Defendants:ERIC EARNEST (also known as “Spook”)Age: 35MissouriMARVES FAIRLEY (also known as “Vez,” “Vezino,” and “Vezino Locks”)Age: 33MississippiSHANE HENNEN (also known as “Sugar”)Age: 31NevadaDAMON JONES (also known as “D Jones” and “Dee Jones”)Age: 49CaliforniaDENIRO LASTER (also known as “Niro,” “Payso,” and “Peso”)Age: 30OhioTERRY ROZIER (also known as “Scary Terry” and “Chum”)Age: 31FloridaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-323 (LDH)

🎥Current and former players arrested in NBA, Mafia-linked gambling scandal

WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp; U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hawley-vows-hold-democrats-feet-fire-new-government-shutdown-funding-bills">introduced</a>&nbsp;two bills to reinstate Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and critical farm programs during the government shutdown, according to a statement from his office.

“Since the Democrats refuse to fund the government, I’m introducing legislation to reinstate food stamps and farm programs immediately,”&nbsp;said Senator Hawley.“Missourians shouldn’t go hungry because of the Left’s incompetence. Our kids deserve to eat.”

More than 650,000 Missourians, 188,000 Kansans and 155,000 Nebraskans stand to lose their access to food benefits next month because Democrats refuse to fund the government. The vast majority of those Missourians are families with children.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;Keep SNAP Funded Act&nbsp;would ensure full funding for the SNAP program during the government shutdown. Under the bill, Congress would appropriate the necessary funding to provide uninterrupted SNAP benefits, retroactive to the start of the shutdown.

The&nbsp;Fund Farm Programs Act&nbsp;would reopen all Farm Service Agency (FSA) Offices and&nbsp;ensure resumed services for all FSA programs that farmers rely on. The USDA will be appropriated the necessary funding to provide resumed services for farmers through FSA offices, retroactive to the start of the shutdown.

Read the full bill text for the&nbsp;Keep SNAP Funded Act&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=15365.11191843.8917142.8424141&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2025%2f10%2fKeep-SNAP-Funded-Act.pdf&amp;redir_log=707316794103533" target="_blank">here.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Read the full bill text for the&nbsp;Fund Farm Programs Act&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=15365.11191843.8917142.8424141&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2025%2f10%2fFund-Our-Farmers-Act.pdf&amp;redir_log=996771207702541" target="_blank">here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750772403338.png" alt="Photo by Lance Cheung/USDA" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Lance Cheung/USDA</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp; U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hawley-vows-hold-democrats-feet-fire-new-government-shutdown-funding-bills">introduced</a>&nbsp;two bills to reinstate Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and critical farm programs during the government shutdown, according to a statement from his office.“Since the Democrats refuse to fund the government, I’m introducing legislation to reinstate food stamps and farm programs immediately,”&nbsp;said Senator Hawley.“Missourians shouldn’t go hungry because of the Left’s incompetence. Our kids deserve to eat.”More than 650,000 Missourians, 188,000 Kansans and 155,000 Nebraskans stand to lose their access to food benefits next month because Democrats refuse to fund the government. The vast majority of those Missourians are families with children.&nbsp;The&nbsp;Keep SNAP Funded Act&nbsp;would ensure full funding for the SNAP program during the government shutdown. Under the bill, Congress would appropriate the necessary funding to provide uninterrupted SNAP benefits, retroactive to the start of the shutdown.The&nbsp;Fund Farm Programs Act&nbsp;would reopen all Farm Service Agency (FSA) Offices and&nbsp;ensure resumed services for all FSA programs that farmers rely on. The USDA will be appropriated the necessary funding to provide resumed services for farmers through FSA offices, retroactive to the start of the shutdown.Read the full bill text for the&nbsp;Keep SNAP Funded Act&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=15365.11191843.8917142.8424141&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2025%2f10%2fKeep-SNAP-Funded-Act.pdf&amp;redir_log=707316794103533" target="_blank">here.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;Read the full bill text for the&nbsp;Fund Farm Programs Act&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=15365.11191843.8917142.8424141&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2025%2f10%2fFund-Our-Farmers-Act.pdf&amp;redir_log=996771207702541" target="_blank">here.</a>

Bill would fund SNAP and farm programs during government shutdown

Auditor’s report comes as state lawmakers push for legislation to legalize online sports betting

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ebamer/">Erin Bamer</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A more than 16% drop in Nebraska Lottery ticket sales over the last fiscal year meant various state cash funds missed out on just under $10 million in revenue.

State Auditor Mike Foley revealed as much in a report this week, which shared that lottery ticket sales fell by $36 million in 2025. Foley attributed the drop to the expansion of casino gambling after Nebraska voters legalized the activity in 2020.

“The longer-term impact of new forms of gaming on future lottery proceeds seems ominous,” Foley said in the report. “The protracted course of lottery ticket sales is what matters most, and only time will tell if it experiences a significant ongoing decline.”

The decline in sales meant that roughly $9.6 million did not go to support various state cash funds that benefit from lottery revenues, including the Nebraska State Fair Fund, the Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund and a collection of 10 education-related funds.

The Nebraska Environmental Trust took the biggest hit, however. In 2024, the fund received about $24.3 million in lottery funds. It received about $20.1 million in 2025, per Foley’s report.

Back in 2023, lottery officials said they were warned of a possible double-digit percentage decline in ticket sales due to the expansion of casino gambling.

The drop concerns State Sen. Jason Prokop of Lincoln, who sits on the Nebraska Legislature’s Appropriations Committee. Earlier this year, he opposed pressure to cut funding from the Environmental Trust to make space in the broader budget, arguing the fund is critical to conservation projects across the state. Ultimately, lawmakers approved three one-time funding transfers out of the fund to support other initiatives the Pillen administration and others sought, siphoning off $13 million from the fund.

Prokop has also co-sponsored two-part legislation that remains pending in the Legislature to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/25/measure-to-let-nebraskans-vote-on-legalizing-online-sports-betting-in-2026-advances-from-committee/">legalize online sports betting</a>. He prioritized Legislative Resolution 20CA from State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, which if passed would put the legalization of online sports betting on the ballot.

The second piece, Legislative Bill 421 from State Sen. Stan Clouse of Kearney, would establish the regulatory framework for the activity under state law.

Prokop said he “wasn’t surprised” that Foley blamed the decline in lottery sales on casino gambling, as Foley was vocally opposed to its legalization. He said he hasn’t seen any data to prove that casino gambling detracts from lottery sales. He argued other factors could contribute to the drop.

Prokop and Lynne McNally — director of government relations for WarHorse casino — argued the proliferation of skill games available at convenience stores might play a larger role in declining lottery sales. McNally noted that many skill games are located in close proximity to where lottery tickets are sold at the counter.

“They are a direct competitor to (the) lottery, and that’s what’s been impacting their revenue,” McNally said.

It’s worth noting that between January to August of this year, Nebraska’s five casinos have generated roughly $24.7 million in revenue for the state through gaming taxes. That revenue supports the state’s general fund, the Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund and the Property Tax Credit Cash Fund, according to documents from Nebraska’s Racing and Gaming Commission.

Bostar previously estimated that legalizing online sports betting would generate an additional $32 million in revenue. Prokop argued Nebraska is actively missing out on this money, because Nebraskans who want to gamble online will still do so in other states where it’s legal.

“We’ve got the busiest corn field in the country … right across the river in Iowa because people are going over and making wagers,” Prokop said.

In Foley’s report, he cautions that the spread of online gambling could further hinder lottery funds.

“If I were a betting man, I’d lay odds that the increasing popularity of such online activities, some of which occur outside of the State of Nebraska’s authority, will result in ever more gambling dollars being siphoned away from the lottery and its intended beneficiary funds,” Foley said.

Prokop said he doesn’t think Foley’s report will make much of an impact on the fate of the online sports betting proposals in the Legislature. He said he believes lawmakers will pay more attention to the initiative’s revenue benefits and favor the opportunity to give voters a chance to weigh in on the issue.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761222694485.png" alt=" A player holds Nebraska Lottery tickets in his car. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> A player holds Nebraska Lottery tickets in his car. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Auditor’s report comes as state lawmakers push for legislation to legalize online sports betting</h2>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ebamer/">Erin Bamer</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — A more than 16% drop in Nebraska Lottery ticket sales over the last fiscal year meant various state cash funds missed out on just under $10 million in revenue.State Auditor Mike Foley revealed as much in a report this week, which shared that lottery ticket sales fell by $36 million in 2025. Foley attributed the drop to the expansion of casino gambling after Nebraska voters legalized the activity in 2020.“The longer-term impact of new forms of gaming on future lottery proceeds seems ominous,” Foley said in the report. “The protracted course of lottery ticket sales is what matters most, and only time will tell if it experiences a significant ongoing decline.”The decline in sales meant that roughly $9.6 million did not go to support various state cash funds that benefit from lottery revenues, including the Nebraska State Fair Fund, the Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund and a collection of 10 education-related funds.The Nebraska Environmental Trust took the biggest hit, however. In 2024, the fund received about $24.3 million in lottery funds. It received about $20.1 million in 2025, per Foley’s report.Back in 2023, lottery officials said they were warned of a possible double-digit percentage decline in ticket sales due to the expansion of casino gambling.The drop concerns State Sen. Jason Prokop of Lincoln, who sits on the Nebraska Legislature’s Appropriations Committee. Earlier this year, he opposed pressure to cut funding from the Environmental Trust to make space in the broader budget, arguing the fund is critical to conservation projects across the state. Ultimately, lawmakers approved three one-time funding transfers out of the fund to support other initiatives the Pillen administration and others sought, siphoning off $13 million from the fund.Prokop has also co-sponsored two-part legislation that remains pending in the Legislature to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/25/measure-to-let-nebraskans-vote-on-legalizing-online-sports-betting-in-2026-advances-from-committee/">legalize online sports betting</a>. He prioritized Legislative Resolution 20CA from State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, which if passed would put the legalization of online sports betting on the ballot.The second piece, Legislative Bill 421 from State Sen. Stan Clouse of Kearney, would establish the regulatory framework for the activity under state law.Prokop said he “wasn’t surprised” that Foley blamed the decline in lottery sales on casino gambling, as Foley was vocally opposed to its legalization. He said he hasn’t seen any data to prove that casino gambling detracts from lottery sales. He argued other factors could contribute to the drop.Prokop and Lynne McNally — director of government relations for WarHorse casino — argued the proliferation of skill games available at convenience stores might play a larger role in declining lottery sales. McNally noted that many skill games are located in close proximity to where lottery tickets are sold at the counter.“They are a direct competitor to (the) lottery, and that’s what’s been impacting their revenue,” McNally said.It’s worth noting that between January to August of this year, Nebraska’s five casinos have generated roughly $24.7 million in revenue for the state through gaming taxes. That revenue supports the state’s general fund, the Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund and the Property Tax Credit Cash Fund, according to documents from Nebraska’s Racing and Gaming Commission.Bostar previously estimated that legalizing online sports betting would generate an additional $32 million in revenue. Prokop argued Nebraska is actively missing out on this money, because Nebraskans who want to gamble online will still do so in other states where it’s legal.“We’ve got the busiest corn field in the country … right across the river in Iowa because people are going over and making wagers,” Prokop said.In Foley’s report, he cautions that the spread of online gambling could further hinder lottery funds.“If I were a betting man, I’d lay odds that the increasing popularity of such online activities, some of which occur outside of the State of Nebraska’s authority, will result in ever more gambling dollars being siphoned away from the lottery and its intended beneficiary funds,” Foley said.Prokop said he doesn’t think Foley’s report will make much of an impact on the fate of the online sports betting proposals in the Legislature. He said he believes lawmakers will pay more attention to the initiative’s revenue benefits and favor the opportunity to give voters a chance to weigh in on the issue.

Declining lottery ticket sales lower state revenues by $10 million, auditor says

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/8thUt7ACZC">pic.twitter.com/8thUt7ACZC</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1981087835680645144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Trump approves $15M for recovery after storms in Nebraska

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out yet another lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO). Yet again, the now-deceased terrorists were engaged in narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific. The… <a href="https://t.co/PEaKmakivD">pic.twitter.com/PEaKmakivD</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1981167670989926902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel being operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization and conducting narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific. The vessel was known by our intelligence to be… <a href="https://t.co/BayDhUZ4Ac">pic.twitter.com/BayDhUZ4Ac</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1981049943306752361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on strikes against narcoterrorists: &quot;This is a national security problem... They killed 300,000 Americans last year.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/eKwaKMgGnT">pic.twitter.com/eKwaKMgGnT</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1981109926526132687?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a>: &quot;These are drug boats. If people want to stop seeing drug boats blown up, stop sending drugs to the United States.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/qACz92D54g">pic.twitter.com/qACz92D54g</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1981109821031272738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

US strikes two alleged drug boats, expanding attacks to Pacific

Lincoln– As a result of new federal requirements, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has rolled out several changes to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility requirements, according to a media release from the agency.

The required changes listed below will go into effect on October 20, 2025, immediately for new applicants, and households with active benefits will be reviewed at their next recertification, when a household member is added, or when other updates are addressed. Due to the federal government shutdown, DHHS is currently waiting for additional federal guidance on these changes and will provide updates once more information is received. The department will work to implement these federal requirements as smoothly as possible. The changes include:

For those who may lose benefits, other resources are available. Residents can call 211 or visit 211 Nebraska's website at&nbsp;<a href="https://uwm211.org/nebraska-programs" target="_blank">https://uwm211.org/nebraska-programs&nbsp;</a>. 211 is a one-stop source of information for people in need of assistance. When reaching out to 211, they'll assess the situation and then utilize an extensive, up-to-date database to find the best resource(s) to meet needs. They act as a single point of contact for thousands of programs, community services, disaster services and governmental programs.

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 </figure>Lincoln– As a result of new federal requirements, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has rolled out several changes to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility requirements, according to a media release from the agency.The required changes listed below will go into effect on October 20, 2025, immediately for new applicants, and households with active benefits will be reviewed at their next recertification, when a household member is added, or when other updates are addressed. Due to the federal government shutdown, DHHS is currently waiting for additional federal guidance on these changes and will provide updates once more information is received. The department will work to implement these federal requirements as smoothly as possible. The changes include:<ul>
 <li>Expanded Work Requirements for Able-Bodied Adults:&nbsp;Individuals between ages 18 and 64 (previously 18 to 54) are now subject to the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) work requirements. This means that these SNAP recipients must either work, participate in an employment or training activity, or volunteer in the community at least 20 hours per week or 80 hours per month. There are some exceptions to this requirement that have changed for some individuals:</li><li>Able-Bodied parents must now meet these work requirements once their youngest child turns 14, rather than 18.</li><li>Some individuals who were formerly exempt from these work requirements are now subject to them, including veterans, homeless individuals, and young adults who aged out of foster care.</li><li>Indians, Urban Indians, California Indians, and other Indians who are eligible for Indian Health Services were formerly subject to these work requirements and are now exempt from them.</li><li>LIHEAP Payments:&nbsp;Households receiving a qualifying Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) payment must now contain an elderly or disabled member to have the Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) automatically applied to their case.Households no longer eligible for SUA may be entitled to another utility allowance based on their utility expenses.</li><li>Eligibility for Aliens:&nbsp;SNAP eligibility has been limited to those who reside in the United States and are: a citizen; lawfully admitted for permanent residence with no intention of abandoning their residence in a foreign country; Cuban and Haitian entrants; or allowed to live and work in the U.S. under the Compacts of Free Association (COFA).Eligibility has been removed for refugees, those granted asylum, and any others not explicitly listed above.</li>
 </ul>For those who may lose benefits, other resources are available. Residents can call 211 or visit 211 Nebraska's website at&nbsp;<a href="https://uwm211.org/nebraska-programs" target="_blank">https://uwm211.org/nebraska-programs&nbsp;</a>. 211 is a one-stop source of information for people in need of assistance. When reaching out to 211, they'll assess the situation and then utilize an extensive, up-to-date database to find the best resource(s) to meet needs. They act as a single point of contact for thousands of programs, community services, disaster services and governmental programs.Please see our website&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Documents/OBBB-SNAP-Changes-FAQ.pdf" target="_blank">FAQ p​age&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;for additional information about these changes at&nbsp;<a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/SNAP">https://dh​hs.ne.gov/SNAP</a>.