WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service recently issued <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-wd/202237010.pdf">guidance addressing improper forgiveness of a Paycheck Protection Program loan (PPP loan)</a>PDF.

The guidance confirms that, when a taxpayer's loan is forgiven based 
upon misrepresentations or omissions, the taxpayer is not eligible to 
exclude the forgiveness from income and must include in income the 
portion of the loan proceeds that were forgiven based upon 
misrepresentations or omissions. Taxpayers who inappropriately received 
forgiveness of their PPP loans are encouraged to take steps to come into
 compliance by, for example, filing amended returns that include 
forgiven loan proceed amounts in income.

"This action underscores the Internal Revenue Service's commitment to
 ensuring that all taxpayers are paying their fair share of taxes," said
 IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "We want to make sure that those who are
 abusing such programs are held accountable, and we will be considering 
all available treatment and penalty streams to address the abuses."

Many PPP loan recipients who received loan forgiveness were qualified
 and used the loan proceeds properly to pay eligible expenses. However, 
the IRS has discovered that some recipients who received loan 
forgiveness did not meet one or more eligibility conditions. These 
recipients received forgiveness of their PPP loan through 
misrepresentation or omission and either did not qualify to receive a 
PPP loan or misused the loan proceeds.

The PPP loan program was established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief 
and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to assist small US businesses that
 were adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in paying certain 
expenses. The PPP loan program was further extended by the Economic Aid 
to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act.

Under the terms of the PPP loan program, lenders can forgive the full
 amount of the loan if the loan recipient meets three conditions.

If the 3 conditions above are met, then under the PPP loan 
program the forgiven portion is excluded from income. If the conditions 
are not met, then the amount of the loan proceeds that were forgiven but
 do not meet the conditions must be included in income and any 
additional income tax must be paid.

To report tax-related illegal activities relating to PPP loans, submit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f3949a.pdf">Form 3949-A, Information Referral</a>PDF. You should also report instances of&nbsp;IRS-related phishing attempts and fraud to the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ustreas.gov/tigta">Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration</a>&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="tel:800-366-4484">800-366-4484</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRS\WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service recently issued <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-wd/202237010.pdf">guidance addressing improper forgiveness of a Paycheck Protection Program loan (PPP loan)</a>PDF.The guidance confirms that, when a taxpayer's loan is forgiven based 
upon misrepresentations or omissions, the taxpayer is not eligible to 
exclude the forgiveness from income and must include in income the 
portion of the loan proceeds that were forgiven based upon 
misrepresentations or omissions. Taxpayers who inappropriately received 
forgiveness of their PPP loans are encouraged to take steps to come into
 compliance by, for example, filing amended returns that include 
forgiven loan proceed amounts in income."This action underscores the Internal Revenue Service's commitment to
 ensuring that all taxpayers are paying their fair share of taxes," said
 IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "We want to make sure that those who are
 abusing such programs are held accountable, and we will be considering 
all available treatment and penalty streams to address the abuses."Many PPP loan recipients who received loan forgiveness were qualified
 and used the loan proceeds properly to pay eligible expenses. However, 
the IRS has discovered that some recipients who received loan 
forgiveness did not meet one or more eligibility conditions. These 
recipients received forgiveness of their PPP loan through 
misrepresentation or omission and either did not qualify to receive a 
PPP loan or misused the loan proceeds.The PPP loan program was established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief 
and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to assist small US businesses that
 were adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in paying certain 
expenses. The PPP loan program was further extended by the Economic Aid 
to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act.Under the terms of the PPP loan program, lenders can forgive the full
 amount of the loan if the loan recipient meets three conditions.<ol>
 <li>The loan recipient was eligible to receive the PPP loan. An eligible loan recipient:
	• is a small business concern, independent contractor, eligible 
self-employed individual, sole proprietor, business concern, or a 
certain type of tax-exempt entity;&nbsp;• was in business on or before February 15, 2020; and• had employees or independent contractors who were paid for their 
services, or was a self-employed individual, sole proprietor or 
independent contractor. 
		&nbsp;</li><li>is a small business concern, independent contractor, eligible 
self-employed individual, sole proprietor, business concern, or a 
certain type of tax-exempt entity;&nbsp;</li><li>was in business on or before February 15, 2020; and</li><li>had employees or independent contractors who were paid for their 
services, or was a self-employed individual, sole proprietor or 
independent contractor. 
		&nbsp;</li><li>The loan proceeds had to be used to pay eligible expenses, such as 
payroll costs, rent, interest on the business' mortgage, and utilities. 
	&nbsp;</li><li>The loan recipient had to apply for loan forgiveness. The loan 
forgiveness application required a loan recipient to attest to 
eligibility, verify certain financial information, and meet other legal 
qualifications.</li>
 </ol>If the 3 conditions above are met, then under the PPP loan 
program the forgiven portion is excluded from income. If the conditions 
are not met, then the amount of the loan proceeds that were forgiven but
 do not meet the conditions must be included in income and any 
additional income tax must be paid.To report tax-related illegal activities relating to PPP loans, submit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f3949a.pdf">Form 3949-A, Information Referral</a>PDF. You should also report instances of&nbsp;IRS-related phishing attempts and fraud to the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ustreas.gov/tigta">Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration</a>&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="tel:800-366-4484">800-366-4484</a>

IRS: Improperly forgiven Paycheck Protection loans are taxable

By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/19/group-says-voter-id-would-block-thousands-of-nebraskans-from-voting/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Voting rights advocates 
argued Monday that Nebraska’s Voter ID initiative on the November ballot
 is a blunt-force proposal aimed at fixing a nonexistent problem.

Omaha civil rights activist Preston 
Love Jr. spoke on a panel of people this week opposing Initiative 432. 
The ballot measure would require Nebraskans to show a valid photo ID to 
vote.

The anti-ID panelists — Love, ACLU 
Nebraska’s Jane Seu and Civic Nebraska’s Heather Engdahl — said voter ID
 laws reduce voting by people in communities of color and by people in 
poverty.

Seu cited studies from states that 
now require a form of ID to vote that indicated a 2-3 percentage point 
decline in turnout after requiring ID. That’s thousands of people shut 
out, Seu said.

Voter ID adds more complications and 
confusion to in-person voting and voting by mail, she said. People face 
longer lines and longer waits to vote, and more mailed-in ballots are 
rejected.

Gov. Pete Ricketts and backers of 
voter ID, including State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, said Monday that 
requiring ID is a “common sense” way to make sure elections remain 
secure.&nbsp;

“Voter ID is something that will help
 people know that elections are secure,” Ricketts said. “An ID is not 
something that’s too high a bar for people to have.”&nbsp;

Panelists said they feared what the 
Legislature would require for identification with mail-in ballots if 
Initiative 432 is passed. The initiative leaves implementation specifics
 up to state lawmakers.

Senators could require a photograph 
or copy of a person’s ID to cast a vote by mail, the panelists said. But
 not everybody has access to photocopiers or printers, they said.

One of the panelists’ key questions: 
Which photo IDs will qualify as valid? Nebraska’s petition effort is 
stricter than in some states and might require IDs with matching 
addresses.

That gets tricky for people who move around, panelists said, including those who rent apartments or houses.

Love, who runs the Nebraska group 
Black Votes Matter, said voter ID hits hardest in places like his 
neighborhood in North Omaha, where voter turnout already runs 7-10 
percentage points lower on average.&nbsp;

“As a Black man, I have fought for 
voting rights my entire life,” he said. “I’m turning weary talking about
 voter restrictions. I’m tired of having this conversation.”

Engdahl said voter ID&nbsp; would also 
make it harder for those who live in rural areas, where people often 
have to drive or ride long distances to reach a Department of Motor 
Vehicles office in a county seat to update records or obtain a new ID 
card.

She acknowledged that voter ID 
initiatives enjoy broad public support but said groups organizing 
against Initiative 432 would help explain what’s at stake and why the 
change isn’t needed.

Said Engdahl: “They could be denied the right to vote because of the technicality of a plastic card.”

Members of a group organized to 
oppose voter ID, Nebraskans for Free and Fair Elections, said they had 
identified 54,500 to 70,000 Nebraskans who lack valid IDs, using census 
information.

Such restrictions tend to favor 
Republicans over Democrats in elections, political observers said. But 
in some states, voters of both parties have been blocked from voting, 
including seniors and teens.&nbsp;

The governor has said the state would
 work to make sure people who need photo IDs to vote can get them. IDs 
can cost $20 to $45, panelists said.

A 2018 version of a voter ID bill in the Legislature set
 aside some money to help. It would have cost taxpayers about $3 million
 in the first year and $1 million a year after to carry out, based on 
estimates in the bill’s fiscal note.

Slama said 35 states have implemented
 voter ID requirements. She said Nebraska voters can see through the 
arguments of “liberal activists” and will approve requiring an ID to 
vote.

Asked why voter ID was needed in 
Nebraska, Ricketts acknowledged that Nebraska sees and prosecutes very 
few instances of voter fraud. But he said the state should not wait to 
see fraud to stop it.

“You want to take steps proactively so you don’t have any of those issues,” he said.

Examiner senior reporter Paul Hammel contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663702026607.png" alt="Civil rights activist Preston Love Jr. of Omaha speaks in Lincoln during a panel discussion about reasons he opposes Initiative 432 in Nebraska, the voter ID initiative. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Civil rights activist Preston Love Jr. of Omaha speaks in Lincoln during a panel discussion about reasons he opposes Initiative 432 in Nebraska, the voter ID initiative. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/19/group-says-voter-id-would-block-thousands-of-nebraskans-from-voting/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Voting rights advocates 
argued Monday that Nebraska’s Voter ID initiative on the November ballot
 is a blunt-force proposal aimed at fixing a nonexistent problem.Omaha civil rights activist Preston 
Love Jr. spoke on a panel of people this week opposing Initiative 432. 
The ballot measure would require Nebraskans to show a valid photo ID to 
vote.The anti-ID panelists — Love, ACLU 
Nebraska’s Jane Seu and Civic Nebraska’s Heather Engdahl — said voter ID
 laws reduce voting by people in communities of color and by people in 
poverty.Seu cited studies from states that 
now require a form of ID to vote that indicated a 2-3 percentage point 
decline in turnout after requiring ID. That’s thousands of people shut 
out, Seu said.Voter ID adds more complications and 
confusion to in-person voting and voting by mail, she said. People face 
longer lines and longer waits to vote, and more mailed-in ballots are 
rejected.Gov. Pete Ricketts and backers of 
voter ID, including State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, said Monday that 
requiring ID is a “common sense” way to make sure elections remain 
secure.&nbsp;“Voter ID is something that will help
 people know that elections are secure,” Ricketts said. “An ID is not 
something that’s too high a bar for people to have.”&nbsp;Panelists said they feared what the 
Legislature would require for identification with mail-in ballots if 
Initiative 432 is passed. The initiative leaves implementation specifics
 up to state lawmakers.Senators could require a photograph 
or copy of a person’s ID to cast a vote by mail, the panelists said. But
 not everybody has access to photocopiers or printers, they said.One of the panelists’ key questions: 
Which photo IDs will qualify as valid? Nebraska’s petition effort is 
stricter than in some states and might require IDs with matching 
addresses.That gets tricky for people who move around, panelists said, including those who rent apartments or houses.Love, who runs the Nebraska group 
Black Votes Matter, said voter ID hits hardest in places like his 
neighborhood in North Omaha, where voter turnout already runs 7-10 
percentage points lower on average.&nbsp;“As a Black man, I have fought for 
voting rights my entire life,” he said. “I’m turning weary talking about
 voter restrictions. I’m tired of having this conversation.”Engdahl said voter ID&nbsp; would also 
make it harder for those who live in rural areas, where people often 
have to drive or ride long distances to reach a Department of Motor 
Vehicles office in a county seat to update records or obtain a new ID 
card.She acknowledged that voter ID 
initiatives enjoy broad public support but said groups organizing 
against Initiative 432 would help explain what’s at stake and why the 
change isn’t needed.Said Engdahl: “They could be denied the right to vote because of the technicality of a plastic card.”Members of a group organized to 
oppose voter ID, Nebraskans for Free and Fair Elections, said they had 
identified 54,500 to 70,000 Nebraskans who lack valid IDs, using census 
information.Such restrictions tend to favor 
Republicans over Democrats in elections, political observers said. But 
in some states, voters of both parties have been blocked from voting, 
including seniors and teens.&nbsp;The governor has said the state would
 work to make sure people who need photo IDs to vote can get them. IDs 
can cost $20 to $45, panelists said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663702099630.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Julie Slama (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Julie Slama (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>A 2018 version of a voter ID bill in the Legislature set
 aside some money to help. It would have cost taxpayers about $3 million
 in the first year and $1 million a year after to carry out, based on 
estimates in the bill’s fiscal note.Slama said 35 states have implemented
 voter ID requirements. She said Nebraska voters can see through the 
arguments of “liberal activists” and will approve requiring an ID to 
vote.Asked why voter ID was needed in 
Nebraska, Ricketts acknowledged that Nebraska sees and prosecutes very 
few instances of voter fraud. But he said the state should not wait to 
see fraud to stop it.“You want to take steps proactively so you don’t have any of those issues,” he said.Examiner senior reporter Paul Hammel contributed to this report.

Group: Voter ID would block thousands of Nebraskans from voting

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/19/nebraska-board-of-pardons-rejects-earnest-jacksons-commutation-request/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Without comment until long after a throng of supporters had
 departed, the Nebraska Board of Pardons on Monday rejected the 
commutation request of Earnest Jackson.

Jackson’s supporters maintain that he has spent 22 years in prison 
for a murder he didn’t commit, that he wasn’t present when it happened 
and that he is victim of a horrible injustice.

“I’ve never seen such disrespect,” one of Jackson’s supporters, Jason
 Witmer of Lincoln, said after the board didn’t take or make comments 
prior to the 3-0 vote.

Both the son and girlfriend of the man killed in 1999 <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/15/ernest-jackson-gains-more-allies-in-quest-to-be-freed-from-prison/">were supportive of Jackson’s release</a>
 in letters to the Pardons Board, which consists of Gov. Pete Ricketts, 
Attorney General Doug Peterson and Secretary of State Bob Evnen.

Another man charged with Jackson confessed to the killing but was 
acquitted due to self-defense. During his trial, he testified that 
Jackson was not present during the fatal confrontation. The third person charged was acquitted because of the second man’s confession.

But Jackson’s trial preceded the other trials, and he was found 
guilty without the benefit of the testimony of the other co-defendants, 
who are now both dead.

After the afternoon-long Pardons Board meeting, Ricketts and Peterson
 responded to questions from the Examiner about why they rejected 
Jackson’s request.

Peterson said the man killed in the 1999 confrontation, Larry Perry, 
was shot six times in the back with three different guns — a 
.22-caliber, a .40-caliber and a 9 mm — and that other eyewitnesses had 
placed Jackson at the scene of the shooting. The jury that convicted 
Jackson heard that evidence, he said.

“There was more to the story,” Peterson said. “And we don’t retry cases on the Pardons Board.”

Jackson also has a poor disciplinary record in prison, Ricketts 
added, saying he’s been cited 275 times for disciplinary problems.

“Do you know him? He’s a decent human being,” interjected Lorene 
Ludy, a Lincoln prison volunteer who works with Jackson on presentations
 to other inmates about alternatives to violence. “I see him every 
Saturday.”

“Two hundred and seventy five violations is not the type of behavior 
we’re expecting from inmates who want a pardon,” Ricketts said.

“I was hoping that you’d err on the side of mercy,” said Ludy, who 
followed the governor down a State Capitol hallway after the meeting to 
continue to plead her case.

When asked about the reasons cited by Peterson and Ricketts, 
supporters of Jackson said that the disciplinary records have been 
distorted and that jury verdicts in the co-defendants’ cases back up 
Jackson’s innocence.

Megan Rollag, one of three managers of the “Send Ernest Home” 
campaign, said most of Jackson’s disciplinary write-ups were for 
mouthing off shortly after entering prison as a teenager.

She said that only four of the incidents occurred in the past seven 
years and that the most serious, being caught with a large amount of 
drug contraband, was not Jackson’s fault — another inmate later 
admitted, in a letter, to stashing the contraband.

Rollag said the Pardons Board failed to note that Jackson received a 
positive write-up in 2021 for preventing a fight in the prison yard.

Jackson’s attorney, Daniel Gutman of Omaha, said that a jury 
acquitted his client of possession of a deadly weapon, so he didn’t fire
 any shots at Perry, and that jury verdicts for the other two men 
charged with murder led to acquittals and that it’s legally impossible 
to be found guilty of being an accessory to self-defense.

“We would love for the public to look at the jury verdicts,” Gutman said.

Just three minutes after Monday’s meeting began, the Pardons Board 
rejected Jackson’s request, without comment, to commute his sentence, 
lumping his request with those of three other convicted felons.

Just prior to the board’s 3-0 vote, Ricketts told the hearing room 
filled with Jackson supporters that the board can reject requests en 
masse and without comment based on the “gravity of the facts.”

That was the only mention that hinted at why Jackson’s request was rejected, until after the meeting.

Both Jackson’s attorney, Gutman, and the son of Larry Perry had 
sought to address the Pardons Board on Monday. But Gutman said the board
 was within its rules to make a decision without taking testimony.

Gutman said he was unsure what steps can be taken next to earn 
Jackson’s release from he called a “legally impossible verdict” — guilty
 of being an accomplice to a self-defense slaying.

Jackson, Gutman said, is first eligible for parole in 2029. Ricketts said the inmate will be able to plead his case then.

“But I don’t think people are going to be willing to sit back and wait until 2029,” said Gutman.

After court challenges have failed to free Jackson, his supporters 
turned to the Board of Pardons in hopes it could take action to free 
him.

Witmer said he wasn’t optimistic, given the past injustices faced by Jackson.

Jackson, in a phone call to supporters before the brief Pardons Board
 hearing, had urged his supporters not to be destructive in response to 
the board’s decision and to remain hopeful, he said.

“It’s not a gray area,” Witmer said of Jackson’s innocence. “But it is a gray area politically.”

The 3-0 vote denying Jackson’s request served to clear most of the 
seats in the State Capitol hearing room at the beginning of the 3 
1/2-hour long meeting, except for two rows in front, occupied by members
 of the American Legion, wearing their signature caps.

They stayed to show their support for a former Marine, John Arias, 
who was seeking a pardon from a 1993 conviction for first-degree sexual 
assault.

Every member of the board said they respected that the American 
Legion was backing Arias before voting 2-1 (Evnen voted “no”) to grant 
the pardon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663691626263.png" alt="Earnest Jackson’s mother, Brenda Jackson (in orange shirt) and supporters, lock arms in silence after the denial of Earnest Jackson’s commutation. (Jazari Kual/Nebraska Examiner) " />
 <figcaption>Earnest Jackson’s mother, Brenda Jackson (in orange shirt) and supporters, lock arms in silence after the denial of Earnest Jackson’s commutation. (Jazari Kual/Nebraska Examiner) </figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/19/nebraska-board-of-pardons-rejects-earnest-jacksons-commutation-request/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Without comment until long after a throng of supporters had
 departed, the Nebraska Board of Pardons on Monday rejected the 
commutation request of Earnest Jackson.Jackson’s supporters maintain that he has spent 22 years in prison 
for a murder he didn’t commit, that he wasn’t present when it happened 
and that he is victim of a horrible injustice.<h2>‘Such disrespect’</h2>“I’ve never seen such disrespect,” one of Jackson’s supporters, Jason
 Witmer of Lincoln, said after the board didn’t take or make comments 
prior to the 3-0 vote.Both the son and girlfriend of the man killed in 1999 <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/15/ernest-jackson-gains-more-allies-in-quest-to-be-freed-from-prison/">were supportive of Jackson’s release</a>
 in letters to the Pardons Board, which consists of Gov. Pete Ricketts, 
Attorney General Doug Peterson and Secretary of State Bob Evnen.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663691700001.png" alt=" Earnest Jackson at his graduation ceremony. He has obtained his GED while in prison. (Courtesy of the Jackson family)" />
 <figcaption> Earnest Jackson at his graduation ceremony. He has obtained his GED while in prison. (Courtesy of the Jackson family)</figcaption>
 </figure>Another man charged with Jackson confessed to the killing but was 
acquitted due to self-defense. During his trial, he testified that 
Jackson was not present during the fatal confrontation. The third person charged was acquitted because of the second man’s confession.But Jackson’s trial preceded the other trials, and he was found 
guilty without the benefit of the testimony of the other co-defendants, 
who are now both dead.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oCr5A7FgHOY"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘More to story’</h2>After the afternoon-long Pardons Board meeting, Ricketts and Peterson
 responded to questions from the Examiner about why they rejected 
Jackson’s request.Peterson said the man killed in the 1999 confrontation, Larry Perry, 
was shot six times in the back with three different guns — a 
.22-caliber, a .40-caliber and a 9 mm — and that other eyewitnesses had 
placed Jackson at the scene of the shooting. The jury that convicted 
Jackson heard that evidence, he said.“There was more to the story,” Peterson said. “And we don’t retry cases on the Pardons Board.”Jackson also has a poor disciplinary record in prison, Ricketts 
added, saying he’s been cited 275 times for disciplinary problems.<h2>‘Do you know him?’</h2>“Do you know him? He’s a decent human being,” interjected Lorene 
Ludy, a Lincoln prison volunteer who works with Jackson on presentations
 to other inmates about alternatives to violence. “I see him every 
Saturday.”“Two hundred and seventy five violations is not the type of behavior 
we’re expecting from inmates who want a pardon,” Ricketts said.“I was hoping that you’d err on the side of mercy,” said Ludy, who 
followed the governor down a State Capitol hallway after the meeting to 
continue to plead her case.<h2>Few writeups in recent years</h2>When asked about the reasons cited by Peterson and Ricketts, 
supporters of Jackson said that the disciplinary records have been 
distorted and that jury verdicts in the co-defendants’ cases back up 
Jackson’s innocence.Megan Rollag, one of three managers of the “Send Ernest Home” 
campaign, said most of Jackson’s disciplinary write-ups were for 
mouthing off shortly after entering prison as a teenager.She said that only four of the incidents occurred in the past seven 
years and that the most serious, being caught with a large amount of 
drug contraband, was not Jackson’s fault — another inmate later 
admitted, in a letter, to stashing the contraband.Rollag said the Pardons Board failed to note that Jackson received a 
positive write-up in 2021 for preventing a fight in the prison yard.Jackson’s attorney, Daniel Gutman of Omaha, said that a jury 
acquitted his client of possession of a deadly weapon, so he didn’t fire
 any shots at Perry, and that jury verdicts for the other two men 
charged with murder led to acquittals and that it’s legally impossible 
to be found guilty of being an accessory to self-defense.“We would love for the public to look at the jury verdicts,” Gutman said.Just three minutes after Monday’s meeting began, the Pardons Board 
rejected Jackson’s request, without comment, to commute his sentence, 
lumping his request with those of three other convicted felons.<h2>Attorney, son had hoped to speak</h2>Just prior to the board’s 3-0 vote, Ricketts told the hearing room 
filled with Jackson supporters that the board can reject requests en 
masse and without comment based on the “gravity of the facts.”That was the only mention that hinted at why Jackson’s request was rejected, until after the meeting.Both Jackson’s attorney, Gutman, and the son of Larry Perry had 
sought to address the Pardons Board on Monday. But Gutman said the board
 was within its rules to make a decision without taking testimony.Gutman said he was unsure what steps can be taken next to earn 
Jackson’s release from he called a “legally impossible verdict” — guilty
 of being an accomplice to a self-defense slaying.Jackson, Gutman said, is first eligible for parole in 2029. Ricketts said the inmate will be able to plead his case then.<h2>Parole eligible</h2>“But I don’t think people are going to be willing to sit back and wait until 2029,” said Gutman.After court challenges have failed to free Jackson, his supporters 
turned to the Board of Pardons in hopes it could take action to free 
him.Witmer said he wasn’t optimistic, given the past injustices faced by Jackson.Jackson, in a phone call to supporters before the brief Pardons Board
 hearing, had urged his supporters not to be destructive in response to 
the board’s decision and to remain hopeful, he said.“It’s not a gray area,” Witmer said of Jackson’s innocence. “But it is a gray area politically.”<h2>Former Marine pardoned</h2>The 3-0 vote denying Jackson’s request served to clear most of the 
seats in the State Capitol hearing room at the beginning of the 3 
1/2-hour long meeting, except for two rows in front, occupied by members
 of the American Legion, wearing their signature caps.They stayed to show their support for a former Marine, John Arias, 
who was seeking a pardon from a 1993 conviction for first-degree sexual 
assault.Every member of the board said they respected that the American 
Legion was backing Arias before voting 2-1 (Evnen voted “no”) to grant 
the pardon.

🎥 Nebraska board rejects Jackson’s commutation request

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — JBS has agreed to pay $20 million to settle a lawsuit with consumers that accused the giant meat producer of conspiring with other meat companies to inflate the price of pork.

The latest meat-industry settlement will likely reinforce concerns that the White House, members of Congress and trade groups have raised about how the lack of competition in the industry affects prices.

A federal judge in Minnesota approved the settlement of the price-fixing lawsuit last week. But the judge also ruled that nearly $7 million of the settlement will go to the plaintiffs' lawyers for their work in the case.

The pork lawsuit is one of several price-fixing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-lawsuits-sysco-corp-6010a49a323bf63260d7eeae4f88e2f8">lawsuits</a>&nbsp;making their way through the courts. Meat producers have also been accused of inflating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-prices-beef-markets-394112b62cb6301ff740e3247971eb3d">beef</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-fa91f3a79e4eb9aa5e3d0046e4f16d85">chicken prices</a>, and several multimillion-dollar settlements have been announced in those cases.

Previously, JBS agreed to pay restaurants and caterers $12.75 million as part of a different settlement in this pork lawsuit, and Smithfield Foods&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-c8f79cbf9a104d5801b3eb5aa4f2685e">agreed to pay</a>&nbsp;two different groups of pork purchasers $83 million and $42 million in two different settlements in the case.

Despite the settlements, meat companies have defended their pricing practices.

Officials at the Brazilian company’s U.S. headquarters in Greeley, Colorado, didn’t immediately respond to questions about the latest settlement on Monday, but JBS didn’t admit any wrongdoing as part of the deal.

The lead attorneys for the plaintiffs said it's not clear how much individual consumers who bought pork between 2009 and last year might receive, partly because money from additional settlements may be added to the fund before any payments are sent out. More details about the settlement are available&nbsp;<a href="https://overchargedforpork.com/">online</a>.

The pork lawsuit remains pending against other major producers including Hormel, Tyson Foods and the Agri Stats database company they allegedly used to share confidential information about price, capacity and demand. JBS agreed to cooperate with the case against those other companies as part of the settlement.

The lawsuit accuses the major meat processors, who together control more than 70% of pork production nationwide, of working cooperatively to limit the supply of hogs and inflate prices.

The White House, several agricultural trade groups and a number of prominent members of Congress have all&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-lifestyle-business-prices-inflation-78335dba9802d7eb727744301d4489df">questioned</a>&nbsp;the industry's pricing practices although the meat producers argue that supply and demand factors, not anticompetitive behavior, drive prices.

The Justice Department has been looking into allegations of price fixing in the industry at least since 2020, but it hasn’t provided updates on its investigation.

The Biden administration has announced several efforts to increase competition in the meat industry to help reduce prices including a $1 billion program to help establish and expand&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ranchers-look-to-build-their-own-meat-plants-d95ef3d2aee8e80aa5aca6d06ffa50a4">independent slaughterhouses</a>. And the White House has tweaked administrative rules to make it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-c899e1c834f1d7ba272d7c524c5a8e09">easier</a>&nbsp;for farmers and ranchers to report concerns or sue over anticompetitive behavior.

The judge who approved the settlement last Wednesday said awarding the lawyers involved 33% of the proceeds, as he did here, was in line with other similar class action lawsuits.

By Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — JBS has agreed to pay $20 million to settle a lawsuit with consumers that accused the giant meat producer of conspiring with other meat companies to inflate the price of pork.The latest meat-industry settlement will likely reinforce concerns that the White House, members of Congress and trade groups have raised about how the lack of competition in the industry affects prices.A federal judge in Minnesota approved the settlement of the price-fixing lawsuit last week. But the judge also ruled that nearly $7 million of the settlement will go to the plaintiffs' lawyers for their work in the case.The pork lawsuit is one of several price-fixing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-lawsuits-sysco-corp-6010a49a323bf63260d7eeae4f88e2f8">lawsuits</a>&nbsp;making their way through the courts. Meat producers have also been accused of inflating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-prices-beef-markets-394112b62cb6301ff740e3247971eb3d">beef</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-fa91f3a79e4eb9aa5e3d0046e4f16d85">chicken prices</a>, and several multimillion-dollar settlements have been announced in those cases.Previously, JBS agreed to pay restaurants and caterers $12.75 million as part of a different settlement in this pork lawsuit, and Smithfield Foods&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-c8f79cbf9a104d5801b3eb5aa4f2685e">agreed to pay</a>&nbsp;two different groups of pork purchasers $83 million and $42 million in two different settlements in the case.Despite the settlements, meat companies have defended their pricing practices.Officials at the Brazilian company’s U.S. headquarters in Greeley, Colorado, didn’t immediately respond to questions about the latest settlement on Monday, but JBS didn’t admit any wrongdoing as part of the deal.The lead attorneys for the plaintiffs said it's not clear how much individual consumers who bought pork between 2009 and last year might receive, partly because money from additional settlements may be added to the fund before any payments are sent out. More details about the settlement are available&nbsp;<a href="https://overchargedforpork.com/">online</a>.The pork lawsuit remains pending against other major producers including Hormel, Tyson Foods and the Agri Stats database company they allegedly used to share confidential information about price, capacity and demand. JBS agreed to cooperate with the case against those other companies as part of the settlement.The lawsuit accuses the major meat processors, who together control more than 70% of pork production nationwide, of working cooperatively to limit the supply of hogs and inflate prices.The White House, several agricultural trade groups and a number of prominent members of Congress have all&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-lifestyle-business-prices-inflation-78335dba9802d7eb727744301d4489df">questioned</a>&nbsp;the industry's pricing practices although the meat producers argue that supply and demand factors, not anticompetitive behavior, drive prices.The Justice Department has been looking into allegations of price fixing in the industry at least since 2020, but it hasn’t provided updates on its investigation.The Biden administration has announced several efforts to increase competition in the meat industry to help reduce prices including a $1 billion program to help establish and expand&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ranchers-look-to-build-their-own-meat-plants-d95ef3d2aee8e80aa5aca6d06ffa50a4">independent slaughterhouses</a>. And the White House has tweaked administrative rules to make it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-c899e1c834f1d7ba272d7c524c5a8e09">easier</a>&nbsp;for farmers and ranchers to report concerns or sue over anticompetitive behavior.The judge who approved the settlement last Wednesday said awarding the lawyers involved 33% of the proceeds, as he did here, was in line with other similar class action lawsuits.

JBS to pay $20 million in pork price-fixing settlement

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska man who maintains he wasn't even at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e8887af5576c4eacbd35bdaeb559555a">fatal 1999 shooting</a>&nbsp;he was convicted of being involved in was denied a pardon Monday despite having the support of the victim's family.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-nebraska-omaha-082b196b6323484382d6ba3516e9844b">Earnest Jackson</a>&nbsp;asked the state Pardons Board in intervene in his case because two other men who were charged in the shooting of Larry Perry in Omaha were both acquitted, and one of those men took responsibility for the shooting and testified that Jackson wasn't there. That man claimed he shot Perry in self defense and was found not guilty. The third man was acquitted because of the second man's confession.

But Jackson, 40, had already been convicted before those other two trials were held and his court appeals have failed, so he has spent the last 22 years in prison.

Nebraska's top three elected officials — all Republicans — who serve on the board rarely approve any pardons. Gov. Pete Ricketts, Attorney General Doug Peterson and Secretary of State Bob Evnen didn't even discuss Jackson's case before voting to reject his application Monday along with three others.

Jackson won't be eligible for parole until 2029 on his 60-to-80-year sentence, but his lawyer, Daniel Gutman of Omaha, told the Nebraska Examiner online news site that it shouldn't even be legally possible for Jackson to be guilty of being an accomplice to a shooting done in self defense.

Jackson's supporters, like Jason Witmer of Lincoln who attended Monday's hearing, believe politics is playing a role in keeping him behind bars even with all the evidence in his favor.

“It’s not a gray area,” Witmer said to the Nebraska Examiner about whether Jackson is innocent. “But it is a gray area politically.”

As part of his application for a pardon, Jackson submitted letters of support from Perry's son and his girlfriend at the time of the shooting.

“I am speaking up and asking for a commutation of Earnest’s sentence because it is the right thing to do,” Perry's son, Mike Hatcher, said in a letter. “As a Christian, I believe in forgiveness and mercy. This will help me find healing even though I can’t change the past and meet my father. I hope that these words reach your hearts and lead each of you to grant Earnest a second chance at life to do impactful things in his community.”

Before Monday's hearing, Jackson told KOLN-TV in Lincoln that he hoped the Pardons Board would free him.

“A lot of people on the outside you know believe in our system,” Jackson said. “I’m a person that understands and believes in our system, but I also understand no system is perfect.”

By Associated PressLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska man who maintains he wasn't even at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e8887af5576c4eacbd35bdaeb559555a">fatal 1999 shooting</a>&nbsp;he was convicted of being involved in was denied a pardon Monday despite having the support of the victim's family.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-nebraska-omaha-082b196b6323484382d6ba3516e9844b">Earnest Jackson</a>&nbsp;asked the state Pardons Board in intervene in his case because two other men who were charged in the shooting of Larry Perry in Omaha were both acquitted, and one of those men took responsibility for the shooting and testified that Jackson wasn't there. That man claimed he shot Perry in self defense and was found not guilty. The third man was acquitted because of the second man's confession.But Jackson, 40, had already been convicted before those other two trials were held and his court appeals have failed, so he has spent the last 22 years in prison.Nebraska's top three elected officials — all Republicans — who serve on the board rarely approve any pardons. Gov. Pete Ricketts, Attorney General Doug Peterson and Secretary of State Bob Evnen didn't even discuss Jackson's case before voting to reject his application Monday along with three others.Jackson won't be eligible for parole until 2029 on his 60-to-80-year sentence, but his lawyer, Daniel Gutman of Omaha, told the Nebraska Examiner online news site that it shouldn't even be legally possible for Jackson to be guilty of being an accomplice to a shooting done in self defense.Jackson's supporters, like Jason Witmer of Lincoln who attended Monday's hearing, believe politics is playing a role in keeping him behind bars even with all the evidence in his favor.“It’s not a gray area,” Witmer said to the Nebraska Examiner about whether Jackson is innocent. “But it is a gray area politically.”As part of his application for a pardon, Jackson submitted letters of support from Perry's son and his girlfriend at the time of the shooting.“I am speaking up and asking for a commutation of Earnest’s sentence because it is the right thing to do,” Perry's son, Mike Hatcher, said in a letter. “As a Christian, I believe in forgiveness and mercy. This will help me find healing even though I can’t change the past and meet my father. I hope that these words reach your hearts and lead each of you to grant Earnest a second chance at life to do impactful things in his community.”Before Monday's hearing, Jackson told KOLN-TV in Lincoln that he hoped the Pardons Board would free him.“A lot of people on the outside you know believe in our system,” Jackson said. “I’m a person that understands and believes in our system, but I also understand no system is perfect.”

Nebraska man who maintains his innocence is denied a pardon

By SCOTT CARLSON North Platte Post

CRETE, Neb.-A Florida man has died following a skydiving accident in Crete.

According to Crete police, the accident happened last Thursday at the Crete airport when a parachute malfunctioned after William Seale, 34, of St. Petersburg, Florida, exited a plane owned by Skydive Atlas LLC in a tandem jump with employee Romulo Suarez, 56, of Crete.

Police said the pair's parachute did not properly deploy, and they made contact with the ground while traveling at a high rate of speed.

Police said Seale and Suarez were both transported to the hospital, where Seale was pronounced dead. Suarez sustained life-threatening injuries. His condition is unknown.

Skydive Atlas released the following statement:

The Skydive Atlas Family is grieving today after the tragic loss of a novice skydiver and serious injury to an experienced tandem master. The incident took place on Thursday, Sept. 15 during the final descent of a typical skydive, but at this time it’s not possible to precisely know what the cause of the accident, so we won’t speculate.

Safety has been and must be our top priority, every day, and every jump. Each skydiver and each Skydive Atlas team member receives thorough training and counseling. Skydive Atlas, a member of the U.S. Parachute Association Group, has performed nearly 20,000 safe jumps since starting business in 2005. The tandem master involved has more than 1,800 jumps alone.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1565275830792.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By SCOTT CARLSON North Platte PostCRETE, Neb.-A Florida man has died following a skydiving accident in Crete.According to Crete police, the accident happened last Thursday at the Crete airport when a parachute malfunctioned after William Seale, 34, of St. Petersburg, Florida, exited a plane owned by Skydive Atlas LLC in a tandem jump with employee Romulo Suarez, 56, of Crete.Police said the pair's parachute did not properly deploy, and they made contact with the ground while traveling at a high rate of speed.Police said Seale and Suarez were both transported to the hospital, where Seale was pronounced dead. Suarez sustained life-threatening injuries. His condition is unknown.Skydive Atlas released the following statement:The Skydive Atlas Family is grieving today after the tragic loss of a novice skydiver and serious injury to an experienced tandem master. The incident took place on Thursday, Sept. 15 during the final descent of a typical skydive, but at this time it’s not possible to precisely know what the cause of the accident, so we won’t speculate.An investigation is underway.Safety has been and must be our top priority, every day, and every jump. Each skydiver and each Skydive Atlas team member receives thorough training and counseling. Skydive Atlas, a member of the U.S. Parachute Association Group, has performed nearly 20,000 safe jumps since starting business in 2005. The tandem master involved has more than 1,800 jumps alone.<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a><figure>
 <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TUC7USL2s_yMjZXb77YjfkcCgNQB6T0r3yAcJEte6yWzK0iAQafg01ui5aV9GFF6x26CEguqFkRmmWkkM_r8nPhj3JxKSv6Bwq9xqKU-9hFRufJjZMyfHO2WGnHwGXpVRpvpZ7JTVE9LFaq1U6s5NtR6e9UNQfpwTka_DJupz_MTVVXVYq08Pafd" alt="" />
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 </figure>

Florida man dies in Nebraska skydiving accident

BEIJING (AP) — China's government on Monday criticized President Joe Biden's statement that American forces would defend Taiwan if Beijing tries to invade as a violation of U.S. commitments about the self-ruled island, but gave no indication of possible retaliation.

Biden said “yes” when asked during an interview broadcast Sunday on CBS News’s “60 Minutes” program whether “U.S. forces, U.S. men and women, would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.”

The comment added to displays of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-taiwan-china-congress-government-and-politics-dcf024b471e40d3d966fdf4c9aaf76be">official American support</a>&nbsp;for the island democracy in the face of growing shows of force by the mainland's ruling Communist Party, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory.

Without citing Biden by name, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said the “U.S. remarks” violate Washington's commitment not to support formal independence for Taiwan, a step Beijing has said would lead to war.

“China strongly deplores and rejects it and has made solemn complaints with the U.S. side,” said the spokeswoman, Mao Ning.

CBS News reported the White House said after the interview&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-china-united-states-government-and-politics-d4d09deac1527f34efebef5729cbfa58">U.S. policy hasn’t changed.</a>&nbsp;That policy says Washington wants to see Taiwan’s status resolved peacefully but doesn’t say whether U.S. forces might be sent in response to a Chinese attack.

Tension is rising following efforts by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s government to intimidate Taiwan by firing missiles into the nearby sea and flying fighter jets toward the island after visits to Taipei by political figures including U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Mao called on Washington to “handle Taiwan-related issues prudently” and “not to send any wrong signals” to supporters of Taiwan independence “to to avoid further damage to China-U.S. relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”

Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war that ended with the Communist Party in control of the mainland. The two governments say they are one country but dispute which is entitled to be the national leader.

“We will do our utmost to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity, while we will not tolerate any activities aimed at splitting China and reserve the option to take all necessary measures,” Mao said.

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry expressed “sincere gratitude” to Biden for “affirming the U.S. government’s rock-solid promise of security to Taiwan.”

Taiwan will “resist authoritarian expansion and aggression” and “deepen the close security partnership” with Washington and other governments “with similar thinking” to protect regional stability, the statement said.

Washington is obligated by federal law to see that Taiwan has the means to defend itself but doesn’t say whether U.S. forces would be sent. The United States has no formal relations with the island but maintains informal diplomatic ties.

The Communist Party has persuaded most foreign governments to switch official recognition to Beijing, though many maintain informal ties have extensive trade and investment relations with Taiwan. The island's official diplomatic partners are mostly small, poor nations in Africa and Latin America.

"Taiwan is an inalienable part of China," Mao said. “The government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legal government representing the whole of China.”

Washington says it doesn't support formal independence for Taiwan, a stance Biden repeated in the interview broadcast Sunday.

“Taiwan makes their own judgments about their independence,” the president said. “We’re not encouraging their being independent.”

In May, Biden said “yes” when asked at a news conference in Tokyo whether he was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if China invaded.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663610969995.png" alt="President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden wave before boarding Air Force One&nbsp; at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Saturday." />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden wave before boarding Air Force One&nbsp; at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Saturday.</figcaption>
 </figure>BEIJING (AP) — China's government on Monday criticized President Joe Biden's statement that American forces would defend Taiwan if Beijing tries to invade as a violation of U.S. commitments about the self-ruled island, but gave no indication of possible retaliation.Biden said “yes” when asked during an interview broadcast Sunday on CBS News’s “60 Minutes” program whether “U.S. forces, U.S. men and women, would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.”The comment added to displays of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-taiwan-china-congress-government-and-politics-dcf024b471e40d3d966fdf4c9aaf76be">official American support</a>&nbsp;for the island democracy in the face of growing shows of force by the mainland's ruling Communist Party, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory.Without citing Biden by name, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said the “U.S. remarks” violate Washington's commitment not to support formal independence for Taiwan, a step Beijing has said would lead to war.“China strongly deplores and rejects it and has made solemn complaints with the U.S. side,” said the spokeswoman, Mao Ning.CBS News reported the White House said after the interview&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-china-united-states-government-and-politics-d4d09deac1527f34efebef5729cbfa58">U.S. policy hasn’t changed.</a>&nbsp;That policy says Washington wants to see Taiwan’s status resolved peacefully but doesn’t say whether U.S. forces might be sent in response to a Chinese attack.Tension is rising following efforts by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s government to intimidate Taiwan by firing missiles into the nearby sea and flying fighter jets toward the island after visits to Taipei by political figures including U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.Mao called on Washington to “handle Taiwan-related issues prudently” and “not to send any wrong signals” to supporters of Taiwan independence “to to avoid further damage to China-U.S. relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war that ended with the Communist Party in control of the mainland. The two governments say they are one country but dispute which is entitled to be the national leader.“We will do our utmost to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity, while we will not tolerate any activities aimed at splitting China and reserve the option to take all necessary measures,” Mao said.Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry expressed “sincere gratitude” to Biden for “affirming the U.S. government’s rock-solid promise of security to Taiwan.”Taiwan will “resist authoritarian expansion and aggression” and “deepen the close security partnership” with Washington and other governments “with similar thinking” to protect regional stability, the statement said.Washington is obligated by federal law to see that Taiwan has the means to defend itself but doesn’t say whether U.S. forces would be sent. The United States has no formal relations with the island but maintains informal diplomatic ties.The Communist Party has persuaded most foreign governments to switch official recognition to Beijing, though many maintain informal ties have extensive trade and investment relations with Taiwan. The island's official diplomatic partners are mostly small, poor nations in Africa and Latin America."Taiwan is an inalienable part of China," Mao said. “The government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legal government representing the whole of China.”Washington says it doesn't support formal independence for Taiwan, a stance Biden repeated in the interview broadcast Sunday.“Taiwan makes their own judgments about their independence,” the president said. “We’re not encouraging their being independent.”In May, Biden said “yes” when asked at a news conference in Tokyo whether he was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if China invaded.

China condemns Biden's comments on defending Taiwan

Natural disasters like storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, and 
wildfires often bring out the best in people, as strangers reach out to 
help others in need. Unfortunately, the aftermath of a crisis also 
brings out contractors taking advantage of those who have already been 
victimized. <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/natural-disasters/thunderstorms-and-tornadoes">Better Business Bureau</a>
 is warning homeowners affected by natural disasters to beware of “storm
 chasers” and out-of-town contractors soliciting business. Although not 
all storm chasers are scammers, they may lack the proper licensing for 
your area, offer quick fixes, or make big promises they can’t deliver.

There are some things you should do when hiring any contractor (such 
as getting three estimates, getting everything in writing, and paying 
with a credit card). Read&nbsp; <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/14081-bbb-tip-hiring-a-contractor">BBB's tips on hiring a contractor</a>.

BBB also has these specific tips for victims of natural disasters:

Contact your insurance company. Ask about your 
policy coverage and specific filing requirements. Save all receipts, 
including those for food, temporary lodging, or other expenses that may 
be covered under your policy. Your insurance company may also have 
recommended contractors.

Do your research.&nbsp;Find businesses you can trust on <a href="https://www.bbb.org/search">BBB.org</a>.
 Check your state or provincial government agency responsible for 
registering and/or licensing contractors. Get references from friends 
and relatives.&nbsp;

Resist high-pressure sales. Some storm chasers use 
tactics such as the “good deal” you’ll get only if you hire the 
contractor on the spot. Be proactive in selecting a contractor and not 
reactive to sales calls on the phone or door-to-door pitches. Disaster 
victims should never feel forced to make a hasty decision or to choose 
an unknown contractor.

Be especially careful of door-to-door contractors.&nbsp;Many
 municipalities require a solicitation permit if salespeople go 
door-to-door. Ask for identification. Check their vehicle for a business
 name, phone number, and license plates for your state or province.

Don’t sign over insurance checks to contractors. Get
 an invoice from the contractor and pay them directly (preferably with a
 credit card, which offers additional fraud protection over other forms 
of payment). Don’t sign any documents that give the contractor any 
rights to your insurance claims. If you have questions, contact your 
insurance company or agent.

Be wary regarding places you can’t see.&nbsp;While most 
contractors abide by the law, be careful allowing someone you do not 
know to inspect your roof and other areas of your house. An unethical 
contractor may actually create damage to get work. The same goes for 
attics, crawl spaces, ducts, and other places you cannot easily access 
or see for yourself.

BBB is also warning contractors to beware of storm chasers who offer 
to pay local construction companies substantial amounts of money to use 
the business’s established name, reputation, and phone. They masquerade 
as a local business, collect the insurance money and then move on, 
leaving the real business to deal with unsatisfied customers due to bad 
workmanship, unfinished work, or unfulfilled warranties.

<a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/natural-disasters/thunderstorms-and-tornadoes">BBB storm resources</a>

<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/18640-bbb-tip-tree-service-company-you-can-trust">Tips to help you find a reputable tree service company you can trust.</a>

Find a <a href="https://www.bbb.org/near-me/general-contractor">contractor near you</a> and read BBB's <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/14081-bbb-tip-hiring-a-contractor">tips on hiring a contractor</a>.

Report scams to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker">BBB ScamTracker</a>.

Go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/">BBB.org</a> to look up business profiles, file a complaint, or write a customer review.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663771521625.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>BBBNatural disasters like storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, and 
wildfires often bring out the best in people, as strangers reach out to 
help others in need. Unfortunately, the aftermath of a crisis also 
brings out contractors taking advantage of those who have already been 
victimized. <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/natural-disasters/thunderstorms-and-tornadoes">Better Business Bureau</a>
 is warning homeowners affected by natural disasters to beware of “storm
 chasers” and out-of-town contractors soliciting business. Although not 
all storm chasers are scammers, they may lack the proper licensing for 
your area, offer quick fixes, or make big promises they can’t deliver.There are some things you should do when hiring any contractor (such 
as getting three estimates, getting everything in writing, and paying 
with a credit card). Read&nbsp; <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/14081-bbb-tip-hiring-a-contractor">BBB's tips on hiring a contractor</a>.BBB also has these specific tips for victims of natural disasters:Contact your insurance company. Ask about your 
policy coverage and specific filing requirements. Save all receipts, 
including those for food, temporary lodging, or other expenses that may 
be covered under your policy. Your insurance company may also have 
recommended contractors.Do your research.&nbsp;Find businesses you can trust on <a href="https://www.bbb.org/search">BBB.org</a>.
 Check your state or provincial government agency responsible for 
registering and/or licensing contractors. Get references from friends 
and relatives.&nbsp;Resist high-pressure sales. Some storm chasers use 
tactics such as the “good deal” you’ll get only if you hire the 
contractor on the spot. Be proactive in selecting a contractor and not 
reactive to sales calls on the phone or door-to-door pitches. Disaster 
victims should never feel forced to make a hasty decision or to choose 
an unknown contractor.Be especially careful of door-to-door contractors.&nbsp;Many
 municipalities require a solicitation permit if salespeople go 
door-to-door. Ask for identification. Check their vehicle for a business
 name, phone number, and license plates for your state or province.Don’t sign over insurance checks to contractors. Get
 an invoice from the contractor and pay them directly (preferably with a
 credit card, which offers additional fraud protection over other forms 
of payment). Don’t sign any documents that give the contractor any 
rights to your insurance claims. If you have questions, contact your 
insurance company or agent.Be wary regarding places you can’t see.&nbsp;While most 
contractors abide by the law, be careful allowing someone you do not 
know to inspect your roof and other areas of your house. An unethical 
contractor may actually create damage to get work. The same goes for 
attics, crawl spaces, ducts, and other places you cannot easily access 
or see for yourself.BBB is also warning contractors to beware of storm chasers who offer 
to pay local construction companies substantial amounts of money to use 
the business’s established name, reputation, and phone. They masquerade 
as a local business, collect the insurance money and then move on, 
leaving the real business to deal with unsatisfied customers due to bad 
workmanship, unfinished work, or unfulfilled warranties.Additional resources:<a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/natural-disasters/thunderstorms-and-tornadoes">BBB storm resources</a><a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/18640-bbb-tip-tree-service-company-you-can-trust">Tips to help you find a reputable tree service company you can trust.</a>Find a <a href="https://www.bbb.org/near-me/general-contractor">contractor near you</a> and read BBB's <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/14081-bbb-tip-hiring-a-contractor">tips on hiring a contractor</a>.Report scams to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker">BBB ScamTracker</a>.Go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/">BBB.org</a> to look up business profiles, file a complaint, or write a customer review.&nbsp;

BBB: Protect yourself from 'storm chasers' after a natural disaster

WASHINGTON (AP) — An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-government-and-politics-afghanistan-39287d3289c79f6d4244cbb4969846c5">American contractor held hostage in Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;for more than two years has been released in exchange for a convicted Taliban drug lord jailed in the United States, the White House said Monday, announcing a rare success in U.S.-Taliban talks since the militant group took power a little more than a year ago

Mark Frerichs, a Navy veteran who had spent more than a decade in Afghanistan as a civilian contractor, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-9692b889f281caca38344fb5e925953c">abducted in January 2020</a>&nbsp;and is believed to have been held since then by the Taliban-linked Haqqani network. He was traded for Bashir Noorzai, a Taliban associate convicted of heroin trafficking conspiracy who had spent 17 years behind bars before his release Monday.

The exchange is one of the most significant prisoner swaps to take place under the Biden administration,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-united-states-prisoner-exchange-8fd1e58e690350019c7aab55af41bbbf">coming five months after a deal with Russia</a>&nbsp;that resulted in the release of Marine veteran Trevor Reed. Though his case has received less public attention than those of other Americans held abroad, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-sports-john-kirby-automated-insights-earnings-paul-whelan-a74999ffe7c4953706dad09931bbec05">WNBA star Brittney Griner and corporate security executive Paul Whelan —</a>&nbsp;who are both held in Russia and whose relatives met with President Joe Biden on Friday — U.S. officials said the deal for Frerichs was the culmination of months of quiet negotiations.

Those discussions gained new momentum in June when Biden granted Noorzai relief from his life sentence, setting the stage for what one administration official described as a “very narrow window of opportunity this month" to carry out the deal.

Biden said in a statement released by the White House, “Bringing the negotiations that led to Mark’s freedom to a successful resolution required difficult decisions, which I did not take lightly."

Frerichs, 60, had been working on civil engineering projects at the time of his Jan. 31, 2020, abduction in Kabul. He’s believed to have been lured into a meeting to discuss a new project and then transported to Khost, a stronghold of the Taliban-linked Haqqani network near the border with Pakistan.

He was last seen in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taliban-3248c76f48619fb03bc4020c19908e28">video posted last spring by The New Yorker</a>&nbsp;in which he appeared in traditional Afghan clothing and pleaded for his release. He was accompanied Monday by the administration’s special presidential envoy for hostage affairs and was in stable health, a U.S. official said. His ultimate destination was not immediately clear.

A sister of Frerichs, who is from Lombard, Illinois, thanked U.S. officials who helped secure her brother's release.

“I am so happy to hear that my brother is safe and on his way home to us. Our family has prayed for this each day of the more than 31 months he has been a hostage. We never gave up hope that he would survive and come home safely to us," said a statement from the sister, Charlene Cakora.

Noorzai, at the time of his 2005 arrest, hardly seemed an ideal recipient for presidential clemency. He'd been designated on a list reserved for some of the world's most prolific drug traffickers, and was prosecuted in federal court in New York on charges that accused him of owning opium fields in Kandahar province and relying on a network of distributors who sold the heroin.

When he was sentenced to life imprisonment, the then-top federal prosecutor in Manhattan said Noorzai's "worldwide narcotics network supported a Taliban regime that made Afghanistan a breeding ground for international terrorism."

The deal underscored the two sides to the Taliban’s approach to illegal drugs. In April, they announced a ban on harvesting the poppies that produce opium for making heroin -- an order that also outlawed the manufacture and transportation of narcotics. However, during the years-long Taliban insurgency, they reportedly made millions of dollars taxing farmers and middle men who moved their drugs outside Afghanistan.

A senior administration official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the administration said that the U.S. government had now determined that Noorzai's release would “not materially change any risk to Americans or fundamentally alter the contours of the drug trade there." Officials also took into account that Noorzai had spent 17 years in prison, and said that it became clear from negotiations that releasing him was the key to getting Frerichs home.

At a press conference Monday, Noorzai expressed gratitude at seeing his “mujahedeen brothers” — a reference to the Taliban — in Kabul.

“I pray for more success of the Taliban,” he added. “I hope this exchange can lead to peace between Afghanistan and America, because an American was released and I am also free now.”

Even before their takeover of Afghanistan in August last year, the Taliban had demanded the U.S. release Noorzai in exchange for Frerichs. But there had been little public indication of Washington proceeding along those lines.

Eric Lebson, a former U.S. government national security official who had been advising Frerichs family, said in a statement that “everything about this case has been an uphill fight.” He criticized the Trump administration for having given away "our leverage to get Mark home quickly by signing a peace accord with the Taliban without ever having asked them to return Mark first.''

“Mark’s family then had to navigate two administrations, where many people viewed Mark’s safe return as an impediment to their plans for Afghanistan,” the statement said.

The collapse of the Western-backed Afghan government and takeover by the Taliban in August 2021 raised additional concern that any progress in negotiations could be undone or that Frerichs could be forgotten. But his name was invoked last month when Biden was said by his advisers to have pressed officials to consider any risk posed to Frerichs by the drone strike in Afghanistan that killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri.

The Taliban-appointed foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, hailed the exchange Monday as the start of a “new era" in U.S.-Taliban relations and the opening of a “new door for talks.”

U.S. officials were more circumspect. Though it does not recognize the Taliban government, the U.S. does have interests at stake in Afghanistan and will continue to engage with the Taliban in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-switzerland-taliban-5393b05f911d4eeba6d75ae74ea3fd13">addressing the hunger and humanitarian crisis gripping the country</a>, administration officials said Monday.

But officials say they remain concerned about whether the Taliban are committed to fighting terrorism&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-poverty-united-nations-taliban-d342ae0c186e4c243a87f2cd4c745040">and by the exclusion of girls from high schools there,</a>&nbsp;an issue that drew a United Nations reprimand on Sunday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-government-and-politics-afghanistan-39287d3289c79f6d4244cbb4969846c5">American contractor held hostage in Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;for more than two years by the Taliban has been released, his family said Monday, as a Taliban drug lord jailed by the United States was also freed and returned to Kabul.

Mark Frerichs, a Navy veteran who had spent more than a decade in Afghanistan as a civilian contractor, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-9692b889f281caca38344fb5e925953c">abducted in January 2020</a>&nbsp;and was believed to have been held since then by the Taliban-linked Haqqani network.

Negotiations for his release had centered on a deal that would also involve the release of Bashir Noorzai, a notorious drug lord and member of the Taliban who told reporters in Kabul on Monday that he had spent 17 years and six months in U.S. captivity before being released.

The exchange is one of the most significant prisoner swaps to take place under the Biden administration,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-united-states-prisoner-exchange-8fd1e58e690350019c7aab55af41bbbf">coming five months after a separate deal with Russia</a>&nbsp;that resulted in the release of Marine veteran Trevor Reed. It took place despite concerns from his family and other advocates that the U.S. military departure from Afghanistan, and the collapse of the government there, could make it harder to bring him home and could deflect attention away from his imprisonment.

President Joe Biden, who is in the U.K. to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, called Frerichs’s family on Monday morning to share the “good news” that his administration was able to secure his release, according to a senior administration official.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, called the decision to grant Noorzai clemency a “difficult decision” but necessary in order to reunite a U.S. citizen with his family.

A sister of Frerichs, who is from Lombard, Illinois, thanked U.S. government officials who helped secure her brother's release.

In Afghanistan, Noorzai told reporters at a press conference that he had been released from an unspecified U.S. prison and handed over earlier in the day to the Taliban in Kabul, in exchange for an American prisoner held in Afghanistan whom he did not identify. Frerichs’ family subsequently confirmed that it was him.

Frerichs, 60, had been working on civil engineering projects at the time of his Jan. 31, 2020 abduction in Kabul. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taliban-3248c76f48619fb03bc4020c19908e28">last seen in a video posted last spring by The New Yorker i</a>&nbsp;n which he appeared in traditional Afghan clothing and pleaded for his release. The publication said it obtained the clip from an unidentified individual in Afghanistan.

Until Monday, U.S. officials across two presidential administrations had tried unsuccessfully to get him home. Even before their takeover of Afghanistan in August last year, the Taliban had demanded the U.S. release Noorzai in exchange for Frerichs. But there had been no public sign of Washington proceeding with any sort of trade or exchange along those lines.

Eric Lebson, a former U.S. government national security official who had been advising Frerichs' family, said in a statement that “everything about this case has been an uphill fight.” He criticized the Trump administration for having given away "our leverage to get Mark home quickly by signing a peace accord with the Taliban without ever having asked them to return Mark first.

“Mark’s family then had to navigate two Administrations, where many people viewed Mark’s safe return as an impediment to their plans for Afghanistan,” the statement said.

The collapse of the Western-backed Afghan government and takeover by the Taliban in August 2021, raised additional concern that any progress in negotiations could be undone or that Frerichs could be forgotten.

But his name surfaced last month when President Joe Biden, who had publicly called for Frerichs' release, was said by his advisers to have pressed officials to consider any risk posed to Frerichs by the drone strike in Afghanistan that killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri.

The Taliban-appointed foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, also spoke at the Kabul press conference alongside Noorzai and welcomed the exchange, saying it marked the start of a “new era" in U.S.-Taliban relations.

“This can be a new chapter between Afghanistan and the United States, this can open a new door for talks between both countries,” Muttaqi said at the presser.

“This act shows us that all problems can be solved through talks and I thank both sides' teams who worked so hard for this to happen,” he added.

The Taliban also posted a brief video Monday on social media showing Noorzai’s arrival at the Kabul airport where he was welcomed by top Taliban officials, including Muttaqi.

At the press conference, Noorzai expressed thankfulness at seeing his “mujahedeen brothers" — a reference to the Taliban — in Kabul.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-government-and-politics-afghanistan-39287d3289c79f6d4244cbb4969846c5">American contractor held hostage in Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;for more than two years has been released in exchange for a convicted Taliban drug lord jailed in the United States, the White House said Monday, announcing a rare success in U.S.-Taliban talks since the militant group took power a little more than a year agoMark Frerichs, a Navy veteran who had spent more than a decade in Afghanistan as a civilian contractor, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-9692b889f281caca38344fb5e925953c">abducted in January 2020</a>&nbsp;and is believed to have been held since then by the Taliban-linked Haqqani network. He was traded for Bashir Noorzai, a Taliban associate convicted of heroin trafficking conspiracy who had spent 17 years behind bars before his release Monday.The exchange is one of the most significant prisoner swaps to take place under the Biden administration,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-united-states-prisoner-exchange-8fd1e58e690350019c7aab55af41bbbf">coming five months after a deal with Russia</a>&nbsp;that resulted in the release of Marine veteran Trevor Reed. Though his case has received less public attention than those of other Americans held abroad, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-sports-john-kirby-automated-insights-earnings-paul-whelan-a74999ffe7c4953706dad09931bbec05">WNBA star Brittney Griner and corporate security executive Paul Whelan —</a>&nbsp;who are both held in Russia and whose relatives met with President Joe Biden on Friday — U.S. officials said the deal for Frerichs was the culmination of months of quiet negotiations.Those discussions gained new momentum in June when Biden granted Noorzai relief from his life sentence, setting the stage for what one administration official described as a “very narrow window of opportunity this month" to carry out the deal.Biden said in a statement released by the White House, “Bringing the negotiations that led to Mark’s freedom to a successful resolution required difficult decisions, which I did not take lightly."Frerichs, 60, had been working on civil engineering projects at the time of his Jan. 31, 2020, abduction in Kabul. He’s believed to have been lured into a meeting to discuss a new project and then transported to Khost, a stronghold of the Taliban-linked Haqqani network near the border with Pakistan.He was last seen in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taliban-3248c76f48619fb03bc4020c19908e28">video posted last spring by The New Yorker</a>&nbsp;in which he appeared in traditional Afghan clothing and pleaded for his release. He was accompanied Monday by the administration’s special presidential envoy for hostage affairs and was in stable health, a U.S. official said. His ultimate destination was not immediately clear.A sister of Frerichs, who is from Lombard, Illinois, thanked U.S. officials who helped secure her brother's release.“I am so happy to hear that my brother is safe and on his way home to us. Our family has prayed for this each day of the more than 31 months he has been a hostage. We never gave up hope that he would survive and come home safely to us," said a statement from the sister, Charlene Cakora.Noorzai, at the time of his 2005 arrest, hardly seemed an ideal recipient for presidential clemency. He'd been designated on a list reserved for some of the world's most prolific drug traffickers, and was prosecuted in federal court in New York on charges that accused him of owning opium fields in Kandahar province and relying on a network of distributors who sold the heroin.When he was sentenced to life imprisonment, the then-top federal prosecutor in Manhattan said Noorzai's "worldwide narcotics network supported a Taliban regime that made Afghanistan a breeding ground for international terrorism."The deal underscored the two sides to the Taliban’s approach to illegal drugs. In April, they announced a ban on harvesting the poppies that produce opium for making heroin -- an order that also outlawed the manufacture and transportation of narcotics. However, during the years-long Taliban insurgency, they reportedly made millions of dollars taxing farmers and middle men who moved their drugs outside Afghanistan.A senior administration official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the administration said that the U.S. government had now determined that Noorzai's release would “not materially change any risk to Americans or fundamentally alter the contours of the drug trade there." Officials also took into account that Noorzai had spent 17 years in prison, and said that it became clear from negotiations that releasing him was the key to getting Frerichs home.At a press conference Monday, Noorzai expressed gratitude at seeing his “mujahedeen brothers” — a reference to the Taliban — in Kabul.“I pray for more success of the Taliban,” he added. “I hope this exchange can lead to peace between Afghanistan and America, because an American was released and I am also free now.”Even before their takeover of Afghanistan in August last year, the Taliban had demanded the U.S. release Noorzai in exchange for Frerichs. But there had been little public indication of Washington proceeding along those lines.Eric Lebson, a former U.S. government national security official who had been advising Frerichs family, said in a statement that “everything about this case has been an uphill fight.” He criticized the Trump administration for having given away "our leverage to get Mark home quickly by signing a peace accord with the Taliban without ever having asked them to return Mark first.''“Mark’s family then had to navigate two administrations, where many people viewed Mark’s safe return as an impediment to their plans for Afghanistan,” the statement said.The collapse of the Western-backed Afghan government and takeover by the Taliban in August 2021 raised additional concern that any progress in negotiations could be undone or that Frerichs could be forgotten. But his name was invoked last month when Biden was said by his advisers to have pressed officials to consider any risk posed to Frerichs by the drone strike in Afghanistan that killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri.The Taliban-appointed foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, hailed the exchange Monday as the start of a “new era" in U.S.-Taliban relations and the opening of a “new door for talks.”U.S. officials were more circumspect. Though it does not recognize the Taliban government, the U.S. does have interests at stake in Afghanistan and will continue to engage with the Taliban in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-switzerland-taliban-5393b05f911d4eeba6d75ae74ea3fd13">addressing the hunger and humanitarian crisis gripping the country</a>, administration officials said Monday.But officials say they remain concerned about whether the Taliban are committed to fighting terrorism&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-poverty-united-nations-taliban-d342ae0c186e4c243a87f2cd4c745040">and by the exclusion of girls from high schools there,</a>&nbsp;an issue that drew a United Nations reprimand on Sunday.___WASHINGTON (AP) — An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-government-and-politics-afghanistan-39287d3289c79f6d4244cbb4969846c5">American contractor held hostage in Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;for more than two years by the Taliban has been released, his family said Monday, as a Taliban drug lord jailed by the United States was also freed and returned to Kabul.Mark Frerichs, a Navy veteran who had spent more than a decade in Afghanistan as a civilian contractor, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-9692b889f281caca38344fb5e925953c">abducted in January 2020</a>&nbsp;and was believed to have been held since then by the Taliban-linked Haqqani network.Negotiations for his release had centered on a deal that would also involve the release of Bashir Noorzai, a notorious drug lord and member of the Taliban who told reporters in Kabul on Monday that he had spent 17 years and six months in U.S. captivity before being released.The exchange is one of the most significant prisoner swaps to take place under the Biden administration,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-united-states-prisoner-exchange-8fd1e58e690350019c7aab55af41bbbf">coming five months after a separate deal with Russia</a>&nbsp;that resulted in the release of Marine veteran Trevor Reed. It took place despite concerns from his family and other advocates that the U.S. military departure from Afghanistan, and the collapse of the government there, could make it harder to bring him home and could deflect attention away from his imprisonment.President Joe Biden, who is in the U.K. to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, called Frerichs’s family on Monday morning to share the “good news” that his administration was able to secure his release, according to a senior administration official.The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, called the decision to grant Noorzai clemency a “difficult decision” but necessary in order to reunite a U.S. citizen with his family.A sister of Frerichs, who is from Lombard, Illinois, thanked U.S. government officials who helped secure her brother's release.“I am so happy to hear that my brother is safe and on his way home to us. Our family has prayed for this each day of the more than 31 months he has been a hostage. We never gave up hope that he would survive and come home safely to us," said a statement from the sister, Charlene Cakora.In Afghanistan, Noorzai told reporters at a press conference that he had been released from an unspecified U.S. prison and handed over earlier in the day to the Taliban in Kabul, in exchange for an American prisoner held in Afghanistan whom he did not identify. Frerichs’ family subsequently confirmed that it was him.Frerichs, 60, had been working on civil engineering projects at the time of his Jan. 31, 2020 abduction in Kabul. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taliban-3248c76f48619fb03bc4020c19908e28">last seen in a video posted last spring by The New Yorker i</a>&nbsp;n which he appeared in traditional Afghan clothing and pleaded for his release. The publication said it obtained the clip from an unidentified individual in Afghanistan.Until Monday, U.S. officials across two presidential administrations had tried unsuccessfully to get him home. Even before their takeover of Afghanistan in August last year, the Taliban had demanded the U.S. release Noorzai in exchange for Frerichs. But there had been no public sign of Washington proceeding with any sort of trade or exchange along those lines.Eric Lebson, a former U.S. government national security official who had been advising Frerichs' family, said in a statement that “everything about this case has been an uphill fight.” He criticized the Trump administration for having given away "our leverage to get Mark home quickly by signing a peace accord with the Taliban without ever having asked them to return Mark first.“Mark’s family then had to navigate two Administrations, where many people viewed Mark’s safe return as an impediment to their plans for Afghanistan,” the statement said.The collapse of the Western-backed Afghan government and takeover by the Taliban in August 2021, raised additional concern that any progress in negotiations could be undone or that Frerichs could be forgotten.But his name surfaced last month when President Joe Biden, who had publicly called for Frerichs' release, was said by his advisers to have pressed officials to consider any risk posed to Frerichs by the drone strike in Afghanistan that killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri.The Taliban-appointed foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, also spoke at the Kabul press conference alongside Noorzai and welcomed the exchange, saying it marked the start of a “new era" in U.S.-Taliban relations.“This can be a new chapter between Afghanistan and the United States, this can open a new door for talks between both countries,” Muttaqi said at the presser.“This act shows us that all problems can be solved through talks and I thank both sides' teams who worked so hard for this to happen,” he added.The Taliban also posted a brief video Monday on social media showing Noorzai’s arrival at the Kabul airport where he was welcomed by top Taliban officials, including Muttaqi.At the press conference, Noorzai expressed thankfulness at seeing his “mujahedeen brothers" — a reference to the Taliban — in Kabul.“I pray for more success of the Taliban,” he added. “I hope this exchange can lead to peace between Afghanistan and America, because an American was released and I am also free now.”

Last American held by Taliban freed in swap for drug trafficker

By ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/17/topsoil-protection-should-be-stressed-in-the-next-farm-bill-u-s-house-ag-panel-told/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Farmers and academics at
 a hearing this week stressed the need for members of the U.S. House 
Agriculture Committee to support regenerative agriculture farming 
practices in the upcoming farm bill in order to protect topsoil.

U.S. House Agriculture Committee 
Chair David Scott said he held the hearing Wednesday to discuss ways 
policymakers and the Department of Agriculture could help farmers 
incorporate regenerative agriculture practices. That investment in soil 
health would curb climate change and prevent a food shortage, the 
Georgia Democrat said.

Regenerative agriculture occurs in 
farming and grazing practices that focus on rebuilding organic matter in
 topsoil, restoring degraded soil biodiversity and improving the water 
cycle. All of these mitigate climate change by growing plants that 
capture carbon dioxide and move it into the soil.&nbsp;

“Conventional agriculture models are 
degrading American soil,” Jeff Moyer, the chief executive officer of 
Rodale Institute in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, said. Rodale was a pioneer 
in organic farming.

About 95% of food is grown from 
topsoil, which is the most important component to food systems. If soil 
cannot filter water and adsorb carbon, it will hinder farmers’ ability 
to grow food to feed people, creating a food crisis. Around the world, 
soil is eroding 10<a target="_blank" href="https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2006/03/slow-insidious-soil-erosion-threatens-human-health-and-welfare"> to 40 times faster than it can be replaced.&nbsp;</a>

Moyer said that a third of the 
world’s soil has already degraded, and if “the current rate of soil 
degradation continues, all of the world’s topsoil could be lost within 
60 years.”

“The very start of our food supply 
chain is the Earth, and we are losing the viable component of carbon,” 
Scott said, adding that it’s important to get carbon back into the soil.
 Carbon is the primary energy source for plants.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663608069576.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/17/topsoil-protection-should-be-stressed-in-the-next-farm-bill-u-s-house-ag-panel-told/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Farmers and academics at
 a hearing this week stressed the need for members of the U.S. House 
Agriculture Committee to support regenerative agriculture farming 
practices in the upcoming farm bill in order to protect topsoil.U.S. House Agriculture Committee 
Chair David Scott said he held the hearing Wednesday to discuss ways 
policymakers and the Department of Agriculture could help farmers 
incorporate regenerative agriculture practices. That investment in soil 
health would curb climate change and prevent a food shortage, the 
Georgia Democrat said.Regenerative agriculture occurs in 
farming and grazing practices that focus on rebuilding organic matter in
 topsoil, restoring degraded soil biodiversity and improving the water 
cycle. All of these mitigate climate change by growing plants that 
capture carbon dioxide and move it into the soil.&nbsp;“Conventional agriculture models are 
degrading American soil,” Jeff Moyer, the chief executive officer of 
Rodale Institute in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, said. Rodale was a pioneer 
in organic farming.About 95% of food is grown from 
topsoil, which is the most important component to food systems. If soil 
cannot filter water and adsorb carbon, it will hinder farmers’ ability 
to grow food to feed people, creating a food crisis. Around the world, 
soil is eroding 10<a target="_blank" href="https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2006/03/slow-insidious-soil-erosion-threatens-human-health-and-welfare"> to 40 times faster than it can be replaced.&nbsp;</a>Moyer said that a third of the 
world’s soil has already degraded, and if “the current rate of soil 
degradation continues, all of the world’s topsoil could be lost within 
60 years.”“The very start of our food supply 
chain is the Earth, and we are losing the viable component of carbon,” 
Scott said, adding that it’s important to get carbon back into the soil.
 Carbon is the primary energy source for plants.<a target="_blank" href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021EF002396">A study</a>
 by the University of Massachusetts Amherst in February found that “the 
Midwest has lost approximately 57.6 billion metric tons of topsoil since
 farmers began tilling the soil, 160 years ago.”&nbsp;“The historical erosion rates exceed 
predictions of present-day erosion rates from national soil erosion 
assessments and levels considered tolerable by the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture,” according to the report.<h2>USDA project funding</h2>The Biden administration has funneled
 as much as $3 billion to projects that will reduce greenhouse gas 
emissions and sequester carbon in agriculture. On Wednesday, <a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/09/14/usda-more-than-triples-funding-for-climate-smart-agriculture/">USDA announced</a> an expansion of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program to fund conservation programs.Scott said a documentary, titled “<a target="_blank" href="https://kissthegroundmovie.com">Kiss the Ground</a>,” helped open his eyes to the need to invest in regenerative agriculture.“That is the way that we make sure that we have food security,” he said.Republicans on the committee stressed
 that USDA programs based around regenerative agriculture should not 
become mandatory, and the top GOP lawmaker, Glenn Thompson, of 
Pennsylvania, argued that “tying food policy to climate policy is 
harmful.”&nbsp;“Small farmers can’t always take on 
the risks that large farms can when adopting new practices, and I 
certainly don’t want to be the person that walks on to one of their 
farms and tells them the federal government mandates that they uphold 
your economic viability of their operations and livelihoods for the sake
 of climate change,” Thompson said.He added that inflation was also more of an issue to farmers and that many farmers in his state <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/100551/eib-222.pdf">already practice regenerative agriculture</a> such as cover crops, which help prevent soil erosion and keep nutrients in the soil.&nbsp;Rep. Jim Baird, an Indiana 
Republican, also questioned whether organic food was more nutritious 
than that produced by standard farming practices.&nbsp;Rebecca Larson, the vice president of
 the Western Sugar Cooperative in Denver, said there’s no substantial 
research that organic food has more nutrients and much of that rhetoric 
is “fear-based marketing.”<a target="_blank" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26878105/">A study from 2019</a> has found that organic production can boost some key nutrients in foods, but most of those increases are moderate.<h2>Rebuilding soil health</h2>Rick Clark, a farmer from 
Williamsport, Indiana, said he adopted regenerative farming practices 
for his 7,000-acre cattle farm to rebuild the soil health over the past 
decade.&nbsp;“We need to preserve our soil, ’cause that is going to be the future of our farming,” he said.Rep. Shontel Brown, an Ohio Democrat, asked Clark how Congress can support regenerative farming efforts.&nbsp;&nbsp;Clark, a representative from 
Regenerate America, urged lawmakers to consider bolstering education and
 technical assistance to farmers wanting to start using those practices,
 such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program from USDA. 
Regenerate America is a coalition of farmers and business partners that 
lobby for regenerative farming practices in the upcoming farm bill.&nbsp;“Teaching and a support group is so critical here,” he said.Clark said that he believes these 
programs should remain voluntary but that the government should consider
 giving farmers who implement these practices the biggest share of 
federal subsidiary benefits. He also urged lawmakers to bolster crop 
insurance to help reduce the risk farmers have when implementing 
regenerative farming practices.&nbsp;“This means bolstering crop insurance
 by removing outdated barriers and creating incentives that recognize 
the risk-reduction benefits of soil health and conservation practices 
and reward farmers implementing those practices — like a ‘good driver’ 
discount on your car insurance,” he said.Moyer also pushed for lawmakers to 
reform crop insurance because current policies “create disincentives for
 American farmers seeking to transition and operate under a regenerative
 organic model.”Clark added that USDA should consider
 defining what regenerative agriculture means and those practices should
 be added to labels for consumers. Clark added that many of the 
practices used in regenerative farming originated from Indigenous 
farming practices, and said those voices need to be heard by the 
committee.<h2>Economic benefits</h2>&nbsp;Rep. Alma Adams, a North Carolina 
Democrat, asked one of the witnesses, Steve Nygren from Chattahoochee 
Hills, Georgia, how regenerative agriculture can help build local 
economies.Nygren is the founder and chief 
executive officer of Serenbe, which is an urban village within the city 
limits of Chattahoochee Hills that he and his wife <a target="_blank" href="https://www.asla.org/ContentDetail.aspx?id=47383">created</a> with the vision of a sustainable community.&nbsp;“Soil health leads to economic vitality,” he said.He said the shrinking of family farms
 has an economic impact on the local community. Industrial agriculture 
is not going to support the local economy the way local farmers do, he 
said.&nbsp;“Think of soil health as a way to bring small towns back to life,” Nygren said.He pointed to his state as an 
example. In 1950, nearly half of Georgia’s food came from the state, and
 today that number is nearly a quarter. In Serenbe, 70 percent of the 
40,000 acres is reserved for agriculture and each week 75 families pay 
$34 for their weekly produce.&nbsp;“If we bring small farms back into 
rural communities across the United States we’ll not only have a local 
food system that doesn’t depend on fossil fuels to get it to the shelf, 
but it can go directly from the farms to the consumer … it will really 
stimulate the local economy,” he said.&nbsp;