FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — A jury has ruled in favor of Johnny Depp in his libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard, vindicating his stance that Heard fabricated claims that she was abused by Heard before and during their brief marriage. 

The jury also found in favor of Heard, who said she was defamed by Depp’s lawyer when he called her abuse allegations a hoax. Jury members found Depp should be awarded $15 million in damages, while Heard should receive $2 million. 

Depp sued Heard for libel in Virginia over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” His lawyers said he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654111819095.png" alt="Outside the Fairfax, Virginia County courthouse as the jury released the verdict&nbsp; -photo courtesy WJLA TV" />
 <figcaption>Outside the Fairfax, Virginia County courthouse as the jury released the verdict&nbsp; -photo courtesy WJLA TV</figcaption>
 </figure>FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — A jury has ruled in favor of Johnny Depp in his libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard, vindicating his stance that Heard fabricated claims that she was abused by Heard before and during their brief marriage. The jury also found in favor of Heard, who said she was defamed by Depp’s lawyer when he called her abuse allegations a hoax. Jury members found Depp should be awarded $15 million in damages, while Heard should receive $2 million. Depp sued Heard for libel in Virginia over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” His lawyers said he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name.

Johnny Depp wins libel lawsuit against ex-wife; $15M in damages

By ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/gun-control-bills-to-be-taken-up-by-u-s-house-panel-in-emergency-meeting/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Following mass 
shootings in New York and Texas, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee is 
holding an emergency meeting on Thursday to mark up gun control 
legislation — though it’s likely doomed.

The package includes eight gun-related bills, known as the “<a target="_blank" href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU00/20220602/114852/BILLS-117HRih.pdf">Protecting Our Kids Act</a>,”
 and they are expected to pass the Democratic-controlled House. But the 
legislation has little chance of making it through the evenly divided 
Senate, where 60 votes would be required for any bill to advance. 
Assuming every Democrat was in favor, they would need 10 Republicans to 
join.

The House package would raise the age of purchasing semiautomatic 
rifles from 18 to 21, create new requirements for storing guns in a home
 with children, prevent gun trafficking, require all firearms to be 
traceable, and close the loophole on bump stocks, among other things.

The meeting was scheduled by Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, a New 
York Democrat, after a white supremacist killed 10 Black people at a 
supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York, 
on May 14. Ten days later, an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, was 
attacked by an 18-year-old man&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2022/05/26/what-gun-used-texas-school-shooting-ar-15/9940849002/">armed with a rifle</a>, and 19 children and two teachers were killed.

Meanwhile, with both the House and Senate in recess this week, a 
small bipartisan group of senators is also holding virtual talks to see 
if it is possible to develop any legislation on guns.

Last week, hours after the Uvalde slaughter,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/05/25/frustrated-democrats-call-for-gop-help-on-federal-gun-laws-after-mass-school-shooting/">Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, did not commit</a>&nbsp;to working on any gun control legislation with Democrats.

However, a few Senate Republicans seemed open to the idea of red flag
 laws, which&nbsp;allow the courts or law enforcement to temporarily remove a
 firearm from an individual who is distressed.

Over the Memorial Day weekend, Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut 
Democrat who’s worked for years to attempt to pass gun reform laws, 
tweeted that he’s been talking with senators of both parties about 
putting together a bipartisan gun violence bill.

“Senator Schumer has given us just over a week to find a compromise,” he wrote. “This time, failure cannot be an option.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said that 
if Republicans do not work with Democrats to come to an agreement, the 
Senate will still hold a vote on gun control legislation, even if it 
fails, when the chamber returns from recess.

After the Uvalde massacre, the nation’s second-deadliest mass school 
shooting since Sandy Hook Elementary a decade ago, Schumer took a 
procedural step to begin debate on two background check bills, with the 
possibility of calling for votes on them.

The House-passed bills are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8">H.R. 8</a>, which “establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties,” and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1446">H.R. 1446</a>,
 which “increases the amount of time… that a federal firearms’ licensee 
must wait to receive a completed background check prior to transferring a
 firearm to an unlicensed person.”

On Sunday, President Joe Biden visited Uvalde and called on Congress 
to stand up against the gun lobby and send a bill to his desk.

Gun rights groups, such as the National Rifle Association and Gun 
Owners of America, spent a record of nearly $16 million in lobbying in 
2021, campaign finance records show.

“I will meet with Congress on guns, I promise you,” Biden told reporters Tuesday.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to hold a hearing on gun violence June 15.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654108949705.png" alt="On Sunday, President Joe Biden visited Uvalde and called on Congress to stand up against the gun lobby and send a bill to his desk.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>On Sunday, President Joe Biden visited Uvalde and called on Congress to stand up against the gun lobby and send a bill to his desk.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/gun-control-bills-to-be-taken-up-by-u-s-house-panel-in-emergency-meeting/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Following mass 
shootings in New York and Texas, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee is 
holding an emergency meeting on Thursday to mark up gun control 
legislation — though it’s likely doomed.The package includes eight gun-related bills, known as the “<a target="_blank" href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU00/20220602/114852/BILLS-117HRih.pdf">Protecting Our Kids Act</a>,”
 and they are expected to pass the Democratic-controlled House. But the 
legislation has little chance of making it through the evenly divided 
Senate, where 60 votes would be required for any bill to advance. 
Assuming every Democrat was in favor, they would need 10 Republicans to 
join.The House package would raise the age of purchasing semiautomatic 
rifles from 18 to 21, create new requirements for storing guns in a home
 with children, prevent gun trafficking, require all firearms to be 
traceable, and close the loophole on bump stocks, among other things.The meeting was scheduled by Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, a New 
York Democrat, after a white supremacist killed 10 Black people at a 
supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York, 
on May 14. Ten days later, an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, was 
attacked by an 18-year-old man&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2022/05/26/what-gun-used-texas-school-shooting-ar-15/9940849002/">armed with a rifle</a>, and 19 children and two teachers were killed.Meanwhile, with both the House and Senate in recess this week, a 
small bipartisan group of senators is also holding virtual talks to see 
if it is possible to develop any legislation on guns.Last week, hours after the Uvalde slaughter,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/05/25/frustrated-democrats-call-for-gop-help-on-federal-gun-laws-after-mass-school-shooting/">Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, did not commit</a>&nbsp;to working on any gun control legislation with Democrats.However, a few Senate Republicans seemed open to the idea of red flag
 laws, which&nbsp;allow the courts or law enforcement to temporarily remove a
 firearm from an individual who is distressed.Over the Memorial Day weekend, Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut 
Democrat who’s worked for years to attempt to pass gun reform laws, 
tweeted that he’s been talking with senators of both parties about 
putting together a bipartisan gun violence bill.“Senator Schumer has given us just over a week to find a compromise,” he wrote. “This time, failure cannot be an option.”Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said that 
if Republicans do not work with Democrats to come to an agreement, the 
Senate will still hold a vote on gun control legislation, even if it 
fails, when the chamber returns from recess.After the Uvalde massacre, the nation’s second-deadliest mass school 
shooting since Sandy Hook Elementary a decade ago, Schumer took a 
procedural step to begin debate on two background check bills, with the 
possibility of calling for votes on them.The House-passed bills are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8">H.R. 8</a>, which “establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties,” and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1446">H.R. 1446</a>,
 which “increases the amount of time… that a federal firearms’ licensee 
must wait to receive a completed background check prior to transferring a
 firearm to an unlicensed person.”On Sunday, President Joe Biden visited Uvalde and called on Congress 
to stand up against the gun lobby and send a bill to his desk.Gun rights groups, such as the National Rifle Association and Gun 
Owners of America, spent a record of nearly $16 million in lobbying in 
2021, campaign finance records show.“I will meet with Congress on guns, I promise you,” Biden told reporters Tuesday.The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to hold a hearing on gun violence June 15.

Gun control bills to be taken up by U.S. House panel in emergency meeting

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police say one of the drivers in the Nebraska crash that killed two women and injured 20 bystanders watching classic cars cruise down the street has tested positive for marijuana.

 A Lincoln police report said the 18-year-old Omaha man who was driving the Ford Taurus that smashed into a Toyota Corolla Sunday night tested positive for drug use after the crash, but a breathalyzer test for alcohol use was negative. 

 The impact killed both women in the Toyota and sent both cars onto the sidewalk where they struck a crowd of onlookers watching the Memorial Day weekend cruising event.

By Associated PressLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police say one of the drivers in the Nebraska crash that killed two women and injured 20 bystanders watching classic cars cruise down the street has tested positive for marijuana. A Lincoln police report said the 18-year-old Omaha man who was driving the Ford Taurus that smashed into a Toyota Corolla Sunday night tested positive for drug use after the crash, but a breathalyzer test for alcohol use was negative. He had not been ticketed as of Tuesday. The impact killed both women in the Toyota and sent both cars onto the sidewalk where they struck a crowd of onlookers watching the Memorial Day weekend cruising event.

Police: Driver in fatal Nebraska crash had used marijuana

<a href="https://dailymontanan.com/briefs/yellowstone-park-tourist-gored-by-bison-after-getting-too-close/">Daily Montanan</a>

A 25-year-old female from Grove City,
 Ohio, was gored and treated for injuries after she approached a bison 
to within 10 feet on the morning of May 30, 2022, Yellowstone National 
Park said Tuesday in a news release.

Park regulations require visitors to 
stay 25 yards away from bison. But the woman and two others got closer 
to the animal, and the bison gored her and tossed her 10 feet into the 
air near a boardwalk at Black Sand Basin north of Old Faithful, the park
 said.

The woman sustained other injuries, 
the park said, and she was transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical
 Center after being treated by park emergency medical providers.

The park reminded people that bison can run three times faster than humans.

“The incident remains under investigation, and there is no additional information to share,” the park said in the news release.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654097982204.png" alt=""Warning: Many visitors have been gored."" />
 <figcaption>"Warning: Many visitors have been gored."</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://dailymontanan.com/briefs/yellowstone-park-tourist-gored-by-bison-after-getting-too-close/">Daily Montanan</a>A 25-year-old female from Grove City,
 Ohio, was gored and treated for injuries after she approached a bison 
to within 10 feet on the morning of May 30, 2022, Yellowstone National 
Park said Tuesday in a news release.Park regulations require visitors to 
stay 25 yards away from bison. But the woman and two others got closer 
to the animal, and the bison gored her and tossed her 10 feet into the 
air near a boardwalk at Black Sand Basin north of Old Faithful, the park
 said.The woman sustained other injuries, 
the park said, and she was transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical
 Center after being treated by park emergency medical providers.The park reminded people that bison can run three times faster than humans.“The incident remains under investigation, and there is no additional information to share,” the park said in the news release.The park also said the following:<ul>
 <li>Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild and can be dangerous when approached.
 When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in
 a developed area, give it space. Stay more than 25 yards (23 m) away 
from all large animals — bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and 
coyotes and at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves. If 
need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a 
wild animal in close proximity.</li><li>This
 is the first reported incident in 2022 of a visitor threatening a bison
 (getting too close to the animal) and the bison responding to the 
threat by goring the individual.</li><li>Bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal.</li><li>Read more about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/safety.htm">safety in the park</a>, including how to behave around wildlife.</li><li>Visitors: This year marks 150 Years of Yellowstone. Protect the park today and for future generations. Take the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/yellowstonepledge.htm">Yellowstone Pledge</a>!</li>
 </ul>

Yellowstone: Tourist gored by bison after getting too close

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police have identified the two women killed over the weekend when two cars crashed during an annual Memorial Day “cruise” night and injured 20 people when the cars struck a crowd of bystanders in Nebraska’s capital city. 

Lincoln Police said Tuesday that 20-year-old Emily Siebenhor and 22-year-old Edith Hermosillo died in the Sunday night crash on O Street in Lincoln after a Ford Taurus smashed into the Toyota Corolla they were in. 

Of the people who were injured, only two remained hospitalized Tuesday, with one in improving to serious condition and the other improving to fair condition.

By Associated PressLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police have identified the two women killed over the weekend when two cars crashed during an annual Memorial Day “cruise” night and injured 20 people when the cars struck a crowd of bystanders in Nebraska’s capital city. Lincoln Police said Tuesday that 20-year-old Emily Siebenhor and 22-year-old Edith Hermosillo died in the Sunday night crash on O Street in Lincoln after a Ford Taurus smashed into the Toyota Corolla they were in. Of the people who were injured, only two remained hospitalized Tuesday, with one in improving to serious condition and the other improving to fair condition.

Police ID 2 women killed in Nebraska crash that injured 20

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/31/ricketts-says-absolutely-18-year-olds-in-nebraska-should-be-able-to-buy-ar-15s/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Should an 18-year-old be allowed to buy an AR-15?

“I
 would say that in the state of Nebraska, the answer is&nbsp; ‘absolutely 
yes,’” replied Gov. Pete Ricketts when asked at a Tuesday press 
conference.

Banning
 those under 21 from buying military-style rifles emerged as a major 
issue after a teenager in Texas, just after his 18th birthday, purchased
 two AR-15s. He used one of them to kill 21 people — 19 of them 4th 
graders — inside an elementary school last week in Uvalde, Texas.

Ricketts,
 a staunch supporter of gun rights who advocated this year for an end to
 Nebraska’s concealed handgun carry training and registration 
requirements, told reporters Tuesday that the focus after such mass 
shootings should be on the person “pulling the trigger” and not the 
weapon used.

“That’s
 where the real problem lies,” he said, mentioning that the “root cause”
 is mental health care. A number of steps have been taken recently to 
address that cause, the Republican governor said, including the 
allocation of $40 million this year from the state’s American Rescue 
Plan Act (ARPA) funds for new mental health care facilities.

He
 added that a study last year by Stanford University found that 28 of 35
 recent gunmen in mass shootings had some psychiatric diagnosis. That 
study looked only at assailants who survived.&nbsp;

AR-15s
 and their variants, which have been billed as “America’s rifle” by the 
National Rifle Association, are lightweight, self-loading, 
semi-automatic rifles that gun control groups define as “assault 
weapons.” They can be fitted with high-capacity ammunition magazines 
allowing them to fire more than 10 rounds before reloading.&nbsp;

“They
 are generally capable of firing far more bullets, far faster than 
manual-action hunting rifles,” says the website for Everytown for Gun 
Safety, adding that the “muzzle energy” of an AR-15 can be four times 
greater than a handgun, thus inflicting more damage.

&nbsp;That
 national gun control group was formed after 20 schoolchildren and six 
teachers were gunned down in 2012 in Sandy Hook Elementary School in 
Everytown, Connecticut. It maintains that banning sales of such 
“excessively dangerous” weapons will prevent mass shooting injuries and 
deaths.&nbsp;

Assault rifles, which were banned federally from public sale in the U.S. from 1994-2004, have accounted
 for 25% of the deaths and 76% of nonfatal injuries in mass shootings 
between 2009 and 2018, assault weapons, according to Everytown for Gun 
Safety.

USA
 Today reported that AR-15s, or variants of the gun, have been used in 
11 mass shootings since 2012, including at Sandy Hook Elementary School,
 an Aurora, Colorado, theater and a Parkland, Florida, high school.

Ricketts,
 who often tweets about successful turkey, deer and goose hunts that he 
enjoys, used the more generic term “rifle” in answering the question 
about AR-15s.

Later,
 when asked if sales specifically of military-style weapons should be 
banned, Ricketts said it would be impossible to define what a 
“military-style” weapon is.

“What
 are the qualifications for that? … You can’t tell what that is,” he 
said. “The military buys handguns. Does that mean they’re assault rifles
 now?”

“You
 throw up all these red herrings about how to restrict people’s gun 
rights. But we actually have to focus on what is really the root cause,”
 Ricketts said, “and that gets back to a person who was disturbed and 
does terrible things, like we saw down in Texas.”

“We have to focus on, ‘How do we have better interventions? How do we get to the people who need that help?’” he said.

He
 said that Cook County, Illinois, which includes the city of Chicago, 
has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country, but also one 
of the nation’s highest murder rates.

“Chicago has proven there’s no rationale” for additional gun laws, Ricketts said.

When
 asked if a “red-flag law” — which allows a judge to order the temporary
 confiscation of weapons from someone suffering a mental-health crisis —
 would help prevent someone with mental health issues from using a gun 
in a mass shooting, Ricketts disagreed.

He
 said that firearm possession is a constitutional right, which is “a 
high bar,” and that to take such a right away requires due process.

Nineteen states, as well as the District of Columbia, have enacted red-flag laws.

One
 was proposed in Nebraska in 2020 by State Sen Adam Morfeld of Lincoln. 
But it prompted a backlash from gun-rights advocates and a threat 
against Morfeld.

Ricketts
 did say Tuesday that he was supportive of an effort launched by State 
Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont, after the Uvalde shootings, to form a 
committee to study how to make school more secure and safer for 
students.

Ricketts
 spoke at a National Rifle Association national convention in 2018. That
 same year, during his last re-election campaign, he received a $2,500 
donation from the NRA and $5,000 from Hornady Industries of Grand 
Island, which makes ammunition.&nbsp;

The NRA gave Ricketts $1,000 in 2014, the first year he was elected governor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654093976500.jpeg" alt="Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts in the State Capitol Rotunda. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts in the State Capitol Rotunda. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/31/ricketts-says-absolutely-18-year-olds-in-nebraska-should-be-able-to-buy-ar-15s/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Should an 18-year-old be allowed to buy an AR-15?“I
 would say that in the state of Nebraska, the answer is&nbsp; ‘absolutely 
yes,’” replied Gov. Pete Ricketts when asked at a Tuesday press 
conference.Banning
 those under 21 from buying military-style rifles emerged as a major 
issue after a teenager in Texas, just after his 18th birthday, purchased
 two AR-15s. He used one of them to kill 21 people — 19 of them 4th 
graders — inside an elementary school last week in Uvalde, Texas.<h2>‘Root cause’</h2>Ricketts,
 a staunch supporter of gun rights who advocated this year for an end to
 Nebraska’s concealed handgun carry training and registration 
requirements, told reporters Tuesday that the focus after such mass 
shootings should be on the person “pulling the trigger” and not the 
weapon used.“That’s
 where the real problem lies,” he said, mentioning that the “root cause”
 is mental health care. A number of steps have been taken recently to 
address that cause, the Republican governor said, including the 
allocation of $40 million this year from the state’s American Rescue 
Plan Act (ARPA) funds for new mental health care facilities.He
 added that a study last year by Stanford University found that 28 of 35
 recent gunmen in mass shootings had some psychiatric diagnosis. That 
study looked only at assailants who survived.&nbsp;AR-15s
 and their variants, which have been billed as “America’s rifle” by the 
National Rifle Association, are lightweight, self-loading, 
semi-automatic rifles that gun control groups define as “assault 
weapons.” They can be fitted with high-capacity ammunition magazines 
allowing them to fire more than 10 rounds before reloading.&nbsp;“They
 are generally capable of firing far more bullets, far faster than 
manual-action hunting rifles,” says the website for Everytown for Gun 
Safety, adding that the “muzzle energy” of an AR-15 can be four times 
greater than a handgun, thus inflicting more damage.&nbsp;That
 national gun control group was formed after 20 schoolchildren and six 
teachers were gunned down in 2012 in Sandy Hook Elementary School in 
Everytown, Connecticut. It maintains that banning sales of such 
“excessively dangerous” weapons will prevent mass shooting injuries and 
deaths.&nbsp;Assault rifles, which were banned federally from public sale in the U.S. from 1994-2004, have accounted
 for 25% of the deaths and 76% of nonfatal injuries in mass shootings 
between 2009 and 2018, assault weapons, according to Everytown for Gun 
Safety.USA
 Today reported that AR-15s, or variants of the gun, have been used in 
11 mass shootings since 2012, including at Sandy Hook Elementary School,
 an Aurora, Colorado, theater and a Parkland, Florida, high school.Ricketts,
 who often tweets about successful turkey, deer and goose hunts that he 
enjoys, used the more generic term “rifle” in answering the question 
about AR-15s.Later,
 when asked if sales specifically of military-style weapons should be 
banned, Ricketts said it would be impossible to define what a 
“military-style” weapon is.<h2>‘Red herrings’</h2>“What
 are the qualifications for that? … You can’t tell what that is,” he 
said. “The military buys handguns. Does that mean they’re assault rifles
 now?”“You
 throw up all these red herrings about how to restrict people’s gun 
rights. But we actually have to focus on what is really the root cause,”
 Ricketts said, “and that gets back to a person who was disturbed and 
does terrible things, like we saw down in Texas.”“We have to focus on, ‘How do we have better interventions? How do we get to the people who need that help?’” he said.He
 said that Cook County, Illinois, which includes the city of Chicago, 
has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country, but also one 
of the nation’s highest murder rates.“Chicago has proven there’s no rationale” for additional gun laws, Ricketts said.When
 asked if a “red-flag law” — which allows a judge to order the temporary
 confiscation of weapons from someone suffering a mental-health crisis —
 would help prevent someone with mental health issues from using a gun 
in a mass shooting, Ricketts disagreed.<h2>Red-flag laws</h2>He
 said that firearm possession is a constitutional right, which is “a 
high bar,” and that to take such a right away requires due process.Nineteen states, as well as the District of Columbia, have enacted red-flag laws.One
 was proposed in Nebraska in 2020 by State Sen Adam Morfeld of Lincoln. 
But it prompted a backlash from gun-rights advocates and a threat 
against Morfeld.Ricketts
 did say Tuesday that he was supportive of an effort launched by State 
Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont, after the Uvalde shootings, to form a 
committee to study how to make school more secure and safer for 
students.Ricketts
 spoke at a National Rifle Association national convention in 2018. That
 same year, during his last re-election campaign, he received a $2,500 
donation from the NRA and $5,000 from Hornady Industries of Grand 
Island, which makes ammunition.&nbsp;The NRA gave Ricketts $1,000 in 2014, the first year he was elected governor.

Ricketts: 18-year-olds in Neb. should 'absolutely' be able to buy AR-15s

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to meet with infant formula manufacturers as his administration works to ease&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">nationwide shortages</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">importing foreign supplies</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-df586c2e52b5e5865ea9f8091d4d1f80">using the Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to speed domestic production.

The White House said Biden would host a roundtable Wednesday with leaders of manufacturers ByHeart, Bubs Australia, Reckitt, Perrigo Co. and Gerber. The list is notable for who isn’t on it: Abbott Nutrition, the company whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-a4205025fc781b1fb902cdd9e1264b41">Michigan plant was shut down</a>&nbsp;in February over safety concerns, sparking the shortage in the United States.

Biden will be joined by Heath and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. The meeting is expected to provide an update on what the administration has dubbed Operation Fly Formula to import formula from overseas into the U.S. and deploy the Korean War-era production law to require suppliers of the formula manufacturers to prioritize their orders in a bid to ease any production bottlenecks.

Those measures will help but won’t immediately bring an end to formula supply shortages that have left&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-d3e32ba9e2381f77c299391e762abe21">people who depend on formula</a>&nbsp;facing empty shelves or limits on purchases.

The Food and Drug Administration began honing in on Abbott’s plant last fall while tracking several bacterial infections in infants who had consumed formula from the facility. The four cases occurred between September and January, causing hospitalizations and two deaths.

After detecting positive samples of rare but dangerous bacteria in multiple parts of the plant, the FDA closed the facility and Abbott announced a massive recall of its formula on Feb. 17.

U.S. regulators and Abbott announced an agreement last month that would help pave the way for reopening the plant, though production has not restarted.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on why Abbott was not included from Wednesday’s meeting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652447550275.png" alt="On May 12, President Biden spoke with retailers and manufacturers to discuss ways to do more to help families access infant formula." />
 <figcaption>On May 12, President Biden spoke with retailers and manufacturers to discuss ways to do more to help families access infant formula.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to meet with infant formula manufacturers as his administration works to ease&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">nationwide shortages</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">importing foreign supplies</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-df586c2e52b5e5865ea9f8091d4d1f80">using the Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to speed domestic production.The White House said Biden would host a roundtable Wednesday with leaders of manufacturers ByHeart, Bubs Australia, Reckitt, Perrigo Co. and Gerber. The list is notable for who isn’t on it: Abbott Nutrition, the company whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-a4205025fc781b1fb902cdd9e1264b41">Michigan plant was shut down</a>&nbsp;in February over safety concerns, sparking the shortage in the United States.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My Administration is invoking the Defense Production Act for the third time in less than a week to help Cargill deliver the materials needed to maximize production of infant formula. We’re using the full power of the federal government to ramp up production and increase supply.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1530543942424576000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden will be joined by Heath and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. The meeting is expected to provide an update on what the administration has dubbed Operation Fly Formula to import formula from overseas into the U.S. and deploy the Korean War-era production law to require suppliers of the formula manufacturers to prioritize their orders in a bid to ease any production bottlenecks.Those measures will help but won’t immediately bring an end to formula supply shortages that have left&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-d3e32ba9e2381f77c299391e762abe21">people who depend on formula</a>&nbsp;facing empty shelves or limits on purchases.The Food and Drug Administration began honing in on Abbott’s plant last fall while tracking several bacterial infections in infants who had consumed formula from the facility. The four cases occurred between September and January, causing hospitalizations and two deaths.After detecting positive samples of rare but dangerous bacteria in multiple parts of the plant, the FDA closed the facility and Abbott announced a massive recall of its formula on Feb. 17.U.S. regulators and Abbott announced an agreement last month that would help pave the way for reopening the plant, though production has not restarted.The White House did not respond to a request for comment on why Abbott was not included from Wednesday’s meeting.

Biden to meet with baby formula makers on easing shortage

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration says it will send Ukraine a small number of high-tech, medium-range rocket systems, a critical weapon that Ukrainian leaders have been begging for as they struggle to stall Russian progress in the Donbas region.

The rocket systems are part of a new $700 million tranche of security assistance for Ukraine from the U.S. that will include helicopters, Javelin anti-tank weapon systems, tactical vehicles, spare parts and more, two senior administration officials said Tuesday. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the weapons package that will be formally unveiled on Wednesday.

The U.S. decision to provide the advance rocket systems tries to strike a balance between the desire to help Ukraine battle ferocious Russian artillery barrages while not providing arms that could allow Ukraine to hit targets deep inside Russia and trigger an escalation in the war.

In a guest essay published Tuesday evening in The New York Times, President Joe Biden confirmed that he’s decided to “provide the Ukrainians with more advanced rocket systems and munitions that will enable them to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine.”

Biden had said Monday that the U.S. would not send Ukraine “rocket systems that can strike into Russia.” Any weapons system can shoot into Russia if it’s close enough to the border. The aid package expected to be unveiled Wednesday would send what the U.S. considers medium-range rockets — they generally can travel about 45 miles (70 kilometers), the officials said.

The Ukrainians have assured U.S. officials that they will not fire rockets into Russian territory, according to the senior administration officials. One official noted that the advanced rocket systems will give Ukrainian forces greater precision in targeting Russian assets inside Ukraine.

The expectation is that Ukraine could use the rockets in the eastern Donbas region, where they could both intercept Russian artillery and take out Russian positions in towns where fighting is intense, such as Sievierodonetsk.

Sievierodonetsk is important to Russian efforts to capture the Donbas before more Western arms arrive to bolster Ukraine’s defense. The city, which is 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of the Russian border, is in an area that is the last pocket under Ukrainian government control in the Luhansk region of the Donbas.

Biden in his New York Times’ essay added: “We are not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders. We do not want to prolong the war just to inflict pain on Russia.”

It’s the 11th package approved so far, and will be the first to tap the $40 billion in security and economic assistance recently passed by Congress. The rocket systems would be part of Pentagon drawdown authority, so would involve taking weapons from U.S. inventory and getting them into Ukraine quickly. Ukrainian troops would also need training on the new systems, which could take at least a week or two.

Officials said the plan is to send Ukraine the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, which is mounted on a truck and can carry a container with six rockets. The system can launch a medium-range rocket, which is the current plan, but is also capable of firing a longer-range missile, the Army Tactical Missile System, which has a range of about 190 miles (300 kilometers) and is not part of the plan.

Since the war began in February, the U.S. and its allies have tried to walk a narrow line: send Ukraine weapons needed to fight off Russia, but stop short of providing aid that will inflame Russian President Vladimir Putin and trigger a broader conflict that could spill over into other parts of Europe.

Over time, however, the U.S. and allies have amped up the weaponry going into Ukraine, as the fight has shifted from Russia’s broader campaign to take the capital, Kyiv, and other areas, to more close-contact skirmishes for small pieces of land in the east and south.

To that end, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pleading with the West to send multiple launch rocket systems to Ukraine as soon as possible to help stop Russia’s destruction of towns in the Donbas. The rockets have a longer range than the howitzer artillery systems that the U.S. has provided Ukraine. They would allow Ukrainian forces to strike Russian troops from a distance outside the range of Russia’s artillery systems.

“We are fighting for Ukraine to be provided with all the weapons needed to change the nature of the fighting and start moving faster and more confidently toward the expulsion of the occupiers,” Zelenskyy said in a recent address.

Ukraine needs multiple launch rocket systems, said Philip Breedlove, a retired U.S. Air Force general who was NATO’s top commander from 2013 to 2016.

“These are very important capabilities that we have not gotten them yet. And they not only need them, but they have been very vociferous in explaining they want them,” said Breedlove. “We need to get serious about supplying this army so that it can do what the world is asking it to do: fight a world superpower alone on the battlefield.”

U.S. and White House officials had no public comment on the specifics of the aid package.

“We continue to consider a range of systems that have the potential to be effective on the battlefield for our Ukrainian partners. But the point the president made is that we won’t be sending long-range rockets for use beyond the battlefield in Ukraine,” State Department Ned Price said Tuesday. “As the battle has shifted its dynamics, we have also shifted the type of security assistance that we are providing to them, in large part because they have asked us for the various systems that are going to be more effective in places like the Donbas.”

Russia has been making incremental progress in the Donbas, as it tries to take the remaining sections of the region not already controlled by Russian-backed separatists.

Putin has repeatedly warned the West against sending greater firepower to Ukraine. The Kremlin said Putin held an 80-minute telephone call Saturday with the leaders of France and Germany in which he warned against the continued transfers of Western weapons.

Overall, the United States has committed approximately $5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration, including approximately $4.5 billion since the Russia invaded on Feb. 24.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647393225414.png" alt="Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy-photo CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy-photo CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration says it will send Ukraine a small number of high-tech, medium-range rocket systems, a critical weapon that Ukrainian leaders have been begging for as they struggle to stall Russian progress in the Donbas region.The rocket systems are part of a new $700 million tranche of security assistance for Ukraine from the U.S. that will include helicopters, Javelin anti-tank weapon systems, tactical vehicles, spare parts and more, two senior administration officials said Tuesday. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the weapons package that will be formally unveiled on Wednesday.The U.S. decision to provide the advance rocket systems tries to strike a balance between the desire to help Ukraine battle ferocious Russian artillery barrages while not providing arms that could allow Ukraine to hit targets deep inside Russia and trigger an escalation in the war.In a guest essay published Tuesday evening in The New York Times, President Joe Biden confirmed that he’s decided to “provide the Ukrainians with more advanced rocket systems and munitions that will enable them to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine.”Biden had said Monday that the U.S. would not send Ukraine “rocket systems that can strike into Russia.” Any weapons system can shoot into Russia if it’s close enough to the border. The aid package expected to be unveiled Wednesday would send what the U.S. considers medium-range rockets — they generally can travel about 45 miles (70 kilometers), the officials said.The Ukrainians have assured U.S. officials that they will not fire rockets into Russian territory, according to the senior administration officials. One official noted that the advanced rocket systems will give Ukrainian forces greater precision in targeting Russian assets inside Ukraine.The expectation is that Ukraine could use the rockets in the eastern Donbas region, where they could both intercept Russian artillery and take out Russian positions in towns where fighting is intense, such as Sievierodonetsk.Sievierodonetsk is important to Russian efforts to capture the Donbas before more Western arms arrive to bolster Ukraine’s defense. The city, which is 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of the Russian border, is in an area that is the last pocket under Ukrainian government control in the Luhansk region of the Donbas.Biden in his New York Times’ essay added: “We are not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders. We do not want to prolong the war just to inflict pain on Russia.”It’s the 11th package approved so far, and will be the first to tap the $40 billion in security and economic assistance recently passed by Congress. The rocket systems would be part of Pentagon drawdown authority, so would involve taking weapons from U.S. inventory and getting them into Ukraine quickly. Ukrainian troops would also need training on the new systems, which could take at least a week or two.Officials said the plan is to send Ukraine the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, which is mounted on a truck and can carry a container with six rockets. The system can launch a medium-range rocket, which is the current plan, but is also capable of firing a longer-range missile, the Army Tactical Missile System, which has a range of about 190 miles (300 kilometers) and is not part of the plan.Since the war began in February, the U.S. and its allies have tried to walk a narrow line: send Ukraine weapons needed to fight off Russia, but stop short of providing aid that will inflame Russian President Vladimir Putin and trigger a broader conflict that could spill over into other parts of Europe.Over time, however, the U.S. and allies have amped up the weaponry going into Ukraine, as the fight has shifted from Russia’s broader campaign to take the capital, Kyiv, and other areas, to more close-contact skirmishes for small pieces of land in the east and south.To that end, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pleading with the West to send multiple launch rocket systems to Ukraine as soon as possible to help stop Russia’s destruction of towns in the Donbas. The rockets have a longer range than the howitzer artillery systems that the U.S. has provided Ukraine. They would allow Ukrainian forces to strike Russian troops from a distance outside the range of Russia’s artillery systems.“We are fighting for Ukraine to be provided with all the weapons needed to change the nature of the fighting and start moving faster and more confidently toward the expulsion of the occupiers,” Zelenskyy said in a recent address.Ukraine needs multiple launch rocket systems, said Philip Breedlove, a retired U.S. Air Force general who was NATO’s top commander from 2013 to 2016.“These are very important capabilities that we have not gotten them yet. And they not only need them, but they have been very vociferous in explaining they want them,” said Breedlove. “We need to get serious about supplying this army so that it can do what the world is asking it to do: fight a world superpower alone on the battlefield.”U.S. and White House officials had no public comment on the specifics of the aid package.“We continue to consider a range of systems that have the potential to be effective on the battlefield for our Ukrainian partners. But the point the president made is that we won’t be sending long-range rockets for use beyond the battlefield in Ukraine,” State Department Ned Price said Tuesday. “As the battle has shifted its dynamics, we have also shifted the type of security assistance that we are providing to them, in large part because they have asked us for the various systems that are going to be more effective in places like the Donbas.”Russia has been making incremental progress in the Donbas, as it tries to take the remaining sections of the region not already controlled by Russian-backed separatists.Putin has repeatedly warned the West against sending greater firepower to Ukraine. The Kremlin said Putin held an 80-minute telephone call Saturday with the leaders of France and Germany in which he warned against the continued transfers of Western weapons.Overall, the United States has committed approximately $5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration, including approximately $4.5 billion since the Russia invaded on Feb. 24.

Ukraine promises not to fire new U.S. rocket systems into Russia

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is encouraging taxpayers 
who have yet to file their 2021 tax return – including those who 
requested an extension of time – to file a complete and accurate return 
electronically as early as possible once they have all their information
 together. There's no need to wait until the October deadline.

Taxpayers who requested an extension have until October 17 this year 
to file their tax return. However, if a taxpayer has all the necessary 
information to file an accurate return, filing before summer vacation 
can be a win-win.

"IRS employees continue working hard to process tax returns and 
address our inventory issues," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "We 
continue to urge people to file electronically and do it as soon as 
possible. Even if people have an extension to file until October, 
sending the tax return as soon as possible can either help get them a 
refund quicker or it can save them money if they owe by avoiding 
additional interest and penalties."

Filing electronically as soon as possible can also help taxpayers who
 did not file an extension and missed the April deadline to avoid 
further penalties and interest if they owe taxes.

File electronically and choose direct deposit

Generally, people who choose not to file a tax return because they 
didn't earn enough money to be required to file won't receive a penalty 
if they are owed a refund. But they may miss out on receiving a refund 
if they don't file. The IRS advises individuals who still need to file a
 2021 tax return to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">file electronically</a> and, if due a refund, to choose <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>.

Filing electronically is fast, accurate and secure, and when an 
individual chooses direct deposit, their refund goes directly from the 
IRS into their bank or financial account getting them their refund in 
the fastest time possible. If they have a prepaid debit card, they may 
be able to have their refund applied to the card by providing the 
account and routing numbers to the IRS. The IRS processes most e-filed 
returns and issues direct deposit refunds in less than three weeks.

Here's a tip to help with e-filing a 2021 tax return for those still waiting on their 2020 tax return to be processed: To <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/electronic-filing-pin-request">validate and successfully submit an electronically filed tax return to the IRS</a>,
 taxpayers need their Adjusted Gross Income, or AGI, from their most 
recent tax return. Those waiting on their 2020 tax return can still file
 their 2021 return by entering $0 for their 2020 AGI on their 2021 tax 
return. Remember, if using the same tax preparation software as last 
year, this field will auto-populate.

Taxpayers who haven't filed a 2021 tax return yet – including 
extension filers – can file electronically any time before the October 
deadline and avoid the last-minute rush to file.

People may be waiting to file because they need help or more 
information, have a more complicated tax situation, or owe taxes. The 
IRS has resources to help taxpayers get the answers they need so they 
can file an accurate return. Take the time to file an accurate tax 
return, but don't wait until the last minute and risk missing the 
October deadline.

Tools on the IRS website are easy to use and available 24 hours a 
day. Millions of people use them to find information about their 
accounts, get answers to tax questions or file and pay taxes. The online
 tools include important, special steps related to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Economic Impact Payments</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">advance Child Tax Credit payments</a>.

IRS.gov has many <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/telephone-assistance">online tools and resources</a> ranging from tax preparation and refund tracking tools, to tax law research tools like the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita">Interactive Tax Assistant</a> and answers for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/faqs">Frequently Asked Questions</a> on dozens of subjects.

Submitting a tax return and paying any amount owed as soon as possible can help taxpayers avoid further interest and penalties.

Taxpayers who owe taxes can review all <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">payment options online</a>. These include paying taxes through an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a> with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">IRS Direct Pay</a> or paying by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-your-taxes-by-debit-or-credit-card">debit card, credit card or digital wallet</a>. The IRS has <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/what-if-i-cant-pay-my-taxes">options for people who can't pay their taxes</a>, including <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-payment-agreement-application">applying for a payment plan</a> on IRS.gov.

Eligible individuals – including those who requested an extension to file – can use the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File program</a>
 to prepare and file their federal tax return for free. The program 
offers 70% of all taxpayers the choice of several brand-name tax 
preparation software packages to use at no cost. Those who earned less 
than $73,000 in 2021 can choose which package is best for them. Some 
even offer free state tax return preparation. Those that earned more 
have the option to use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms">IRS Free File Fillable Forms</a>.

<a href="https://www.militaryonesource.mil/miltax-software/">MilTax online software</a>
 is also available for members of the military and certain veterans, 
regardless of income. This software is offered through the Department of
 Defense. Eligible taxpayers can use MilTax to prepare and 
electronically file their federal tax returns and up to three state 
returns, for free.

The IRS's <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)</a>
 program still offers face-to-face help preparing taxes in some 
locations in communities across the country. It offers free basic tax 
return preparation to people who generally make $58,000 or less and 
people with disabilities or limited English-speaking taxpayers.

The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">VITA/TCE Site Locator</a>
 can help eligible taxpayers find the nearest community-based site 
staffed by IRS-trained and certified volunteers. Taxpayers can use the 
locator tool to see if there's an available site still open near them.

Many people use a trusted tax professional to help guide them through the process of doing their taxes and avoiding errors.

There are various types of tax return preparers, including certified 
public accountants, enrolled agents, attorneys and many others who don't
 have a professional credential.

Because tax professionals have access to an individual's personal and financial information, it's important to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tips-to-help-people-choose-a-reputable-tax-preparer">choose a tax preparer</a> wisely.

For taxpayers who want help with their taxes, this <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">online directory</a> can help them find a tax professional in their area.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is encouraging taxpayers 
who have yet to file their 2021 tax return – including those who 
requested an extension of time – to file a complete and accurate return 
electronically as early as possible once they have all their information
 together. There's no need to wait until the October deadline.Taxpayers who requested an extension have until October 17 this year 
to file their tax return. However, if a taxpayer has all the necessary 
information to file an accurate return, filing before summer vacation 
can be a win-win."IRS employees continue working hard to process tax returns and 
address our inventory issues," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "We 
continue to urge people to file electronically and do it as soon as 
possible. Even if people have an extension to file until October, 
sending the tax return as soon as possible can either help get them a 
refund quicker or it can save them money if they owe by avoiding 
additional interest and penalties."Filing electronically as soon as possible can also help taxpayers who
 did not file an extension and missed the April deadline to avoid 
further penalties and interest if they owe taxes.<h2>File electronically and choose direct deposit</h2>Generally, people who choose not to file a tax return because they 
didn't earn enough money to be required to file won't receive a penalty 
if they are owed a refund. But they may miss out on receiving a refund 
if they don't file. The IRS advises individuals who still need to file a
 2021 tax return to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">file electronically</a> and, if due a refund, to choose <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>.Filing electronically is fast, accurate and secure, and when an 
individual chooses direct deposit, their refund goes directly from the 
IRS into their bank or financial account getting them their refund in 
the fastest time possible. If they have a prepaid debit card, they may 
be able to have their refund applied to the card by providing the 
account and routing numbers to the IRS. The IRS processes most e-filed 
returns and issues direct deposit refunds in less than three weeks.Here's a tip to help with e-filing a 2021 tax return for those still waiting on their 2020 tax return to be processed: To <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/electronic-filing-pin-request">validate and successfully submit an electronically filed tax return to the IRS</a>,
 taxpayers need their Adjusted Gross Income, or AGI, from their most 
recent tax return. Those waiting on their 2020 tax return can still file
 their 2021 return by entering $0 for their 2020 AGI on their 2021 tax 
return. Remember, if using the same tax preparation software as last 
year, this field will auto-populate.Taxpayers who haven't filed a 2021 tax return yet – including 
extension filers – can file electronically any time before the October 
deadline and avoid the last-minute rush to file.<h2>Find help on IRS.gov</h2>People may be waiting to file because they need help or more 
information, have a more complicated tax situation, or owe taxes. The 
IRS has resources to help taxpayers get the answers they need so they 
can file an accurate return. Take the time to file an accurate tax 
return, but don't wait until the last minute and risk missing the 
October deadline.Tools on the IRS website are easy to use and available 24 hours a 
day. Millions of people use them to find information about their 
accounts, get answers to tax questions or file and pay taxes. The online
 tools include important, special steps related to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Economic Impact Payments</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">advance Child Tax Credit payments</a>.IRS.gov has many <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/telephone-assistance">online tools and resources</a> ranging from tax preparation and refund tracking tools, to tax law research tools like the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita">Interactive Tax Assistant</a> and answers for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/faqs">Frequently Asked Questions</a> on dozens of subjects.<h2>Payment options</h2>Submitting a tax return and paying any amount owed as soon as possible can help taxpayers avoid further interest and penalties.Taxpayers who owe taxes can review all <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">payment options online</a>. These include paying taxes through an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a> with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">IRS Direct Pay</a> or paying by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-your-taxes-by-debit-or-credit-card">debit card, credit card or digital wallet</a>. The IRS has <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/what-if-i-cant-pay-my-taxes">options for people who can't pay their taxes</a>, including <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-payment-agreement-application">applying for a payment plan</a> on IRS.gov.<h2>IRS Free File</h2>Eligible individuals – including those who requested an extension to file – can use the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File program</a>
 to prepare and file their federal tax return for free. The program 
offers 70% of all taxpayers the choice of several brand-name tax 
preparation software packages to use at no cost. Those who earned less 
than $73,000 in 2021 can choose which package is best for them. Some 
even offer free state tax return preparation. Those that earned more 
have the option to use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms">IRS Free File Fillable Forms</a>.<a href="https://www.militaryonesource.mil/miltax-software/">MilTax online software</a>
 is also available for members of the military and certain veterans, 
regardless of income. This software is offered through the Department of
 Defense. Eligible taxpayers can use MilTax to prepare and 
electronically file their federal tax returns and up to three state 
returns, for free.<h2>Volunteer Income Tax Assistance</h2>The IRS's <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)</a>
 program still offers face-to-face help preparing taxes in some 
locations in communities across the country. It offers free basic tax 
return preparation to people who generally make $58,000 or less and 
people with disabilities or limited English-speaking taxpayers.The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">VITA/TCE Site Locator</a>
 can help eligible taxpayers find the nearest community-based site 
staffed by IRS-trained and certified volunteers. Taxpayers can use the 
locator tool to see if there's an available site still open near them.<h2>Tax professionals</h2>Many people use a trusted tax professional to help guide them through the process of doing their taxes and avoiding errors.There are various types of tax return preparers, including certified 
public accountants, enrolled agents, attorneys and many others who don't
 have a professional credential.Because tax professionals have access to an individual's personal and financial information, it's important to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tips-to-help-people-choose-a-reputable-tax-preparer">choose a tax preparer</a> wisely.For taxpayers who want help with their taxes, this <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">online directory</a> can help them find a tax professional in their area.

Haven't filed your taxes yet? Don't wait, warns IRS

WASHINGTON — To boost its workforce and better help taxpayers and 
businesses, the Internal Revenue Service announced today that it's 
looking to hire over 4,000 contact representative positions at several 
IRS offices nationwide this summer.

A contact representative provides administrative and technical 
assistance to individuals and businesses primarily over the phone, 
through written correspondence or in person. These full-time positions 
fall under a special hiring condition called <a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/#url=Fact-Sheet">direct-hire authority</a>. Full-time, bilingual (Spanish) positions are also available. No prior tax experience is required.

"The IRS continues to increase its workforce in 2022 to improve the 
taxpayer experience," said IRS Taxpayer Experience Officer and Wage and 
Investment Commissioner Ken Corbin. "We have a variety of jobs available
 all over the country. Contact representatives, among other things, deal
 directly with taxpayers by helping them with their tax obligations."

The IRS offers competitive pay and benefits, on-the-job training, and
 opportunities for advancement. The pay range for these positions begin 
at a <a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2022/general-schedule/">GS-05</a>
 level. Shift availabilities vary by location but there are openings for
 day shift, (hours between 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.) mid shift (10 a.m. – 10 
p.m.) and swing shift (2 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.) in 22 cities nationwide, 
including Puerto Rico.

The agency is hosting virtual information sharing events in June 
where the IRS will explain the required qualifications and job duties 
for the contact representative position and provide tips for navigating 
the application process. Participants will also hear from employees who 
will provide insights about the work they do day-to-day.

In-person events will be held mostly in June, are open to the public 
and will be held in the following cities: Andover, Mass.; Atlanta, Ga.; 
Philadelphia, Pa.; Fresno and Oakland, Calif.; Brookhaven, N.Y.; 
Cincinnati, Ohio; Memphis, Tenn.; and Caguas, Puerto Rico. Registration 
for these and more can be found on the <a href="https://www.jobs.irs.gov/find-job/irs-events">IRS careers page</a>.

Interested job seekers are encouraged to bring their resumé and two 
forms of identification (i.e., state driver's license and/or state 
identification card, birth certificate, U.S. passport, military ID or 
Social Security card). Qualified applicants will receive tentative job 
offers at the in-person events.

Preregistration is recommended and social-distancing is required to 
attend the in-person job fairs. Per Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) guidelines, mask wear is optional for these job fair 
sites. For complete details on the virtual events and to register to 
attend one of the in-person events, visit: <a href="https://www.jobs.irs.gov/find-job/irs-events">jobs.irs.gov/events</a>.

The IRS is an equal opportunity employer. All employees must be U.S. 
citizens, pass an FBI fingerprint check and tax compliance verification,
 and meet the mandatory education, training, and experience 
qualification requirements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — To boost its workforce and better help taxpayers and 
businesses, the Internal Revenue Service announced today that it's 
looking to hire over 4,000 contact representative positions at several 
IRS offices nationwide this summer.A contact representative provides administrative and technical 
assistance to individuals and businesses primarily over the phone, 
through written correspondence or in person. These full-time positions 
fall under a special hiring condition called <a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/#url=Fact-Sheet">direct-hire authority</a>. Full-time, bilingual (Spanish) positions are also available. No prior tax experience is required."The IRS continues to increase its workforce in 2022 to improve the 
taxpayer experience," said IRS Taxpayer Experience Officer and Wage and 
Investment Commissioner Ken Corbin. "We have a variety of jobs available
 all over the country. Contact representatives, among other things, deal
 directly with taxpayers by helping them with their tax obligations."The IRS offers competitive pay and benefits, on-the-job training, and
 opportunities for advancement. The pay range for these positions begin 
at a <a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2022/general-schedule/">GS-05</a>
 level. Shift availabilities vary by location but there are openings for
 day shift, (hours between 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.) mid shift (10 a.m. – 10 
p.m.) and swing shift (2 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.) in 22 cities nationwide, 
including Puerto Rico.<h2>Virtual information-sharing events</h2>The agency is hosting virtual information sharing events in June 
where the IRS will explain the required qualifications and job duties 
for the contact representative position and provide tips for navigating 
the application process. Participants will also hear from employees who 
will provide insights about the work they do day-to-day.<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/349126194847">Register&nbsp;for&nbsp;Friday, June 3rd at 12 p.m. EST</a></li><li><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/349169223547">Register&nbsp;for&nbsp;Tuesday, June 7th at 3 p.m. EST</a>&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/349196976557">Register&nbsp;for&nbsp;Friday, June 10th at 6 p.m. EST</a></li><li><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/349270305887">Register&nbsp;for&nbsp;Tuesday, June 14th at 12 p.m. EST</a></li><li><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/350549120857">Register&nbsp;for&nbsp;Tuesday, June 21st at 3 p.m. EST</a></li><li><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/350579852777">Register&nbsp;for&nbsp;Friday, June 24th at 6 p.m. EST</a></li>
 </ul><h2>In-person events</h2>In-person events will be held mostly in June, are open to the public 
and will be held in the following cities: Andover, Mass.; Atlanta, Ga.; 
Philadelphia, Pa.; Fresno and Oakland, Calif.; Brookhaven, N.Y.; 
Cincinnati, Ohio; Memphis, Tenn.; and Caguas, Puerto Rico. Registration 
for these and more can be found on the <a href="https://www.jobs.irs.gov/find-job/irs-events">IRS careers page</a>.Interested job seekers are encouraged to bring their resumé and two 
forms of identification (i.e., state driver's license and/or state 
identification card, birth certificate, U.S. passport, military ID or 
Social Security card). Qualified applicants will receive tentative job 
offers at the in-person events.Preregistration is recommended and social-distancing is required to 
attend the in-person job fairs. Per Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) guidelines, mask wear is optional for these job fair 
sites. For complete details on the virtual events and to register to 
attend one of the in-person events, visit: <a href="https://www.jobs.irs.gov/find-job/irs-events">jobs.irs.gov/events</a>.The IRS is an equal opportunity employer. All employees must be U.S. 
citizens, pass an FBI fingerprint check and tax compliance verification,
 and meet the mandatory education, training, and experience 
qualification requirements.

IRS hiring thousands of workers this summer

Capitol mosaic chosen as license background

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/31/new-license-plate-evokes-creative-use-of-nebraskas-natural-resources/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A mosaic depicting a Roman chariot
 driver with flowing hair and ripped muscles was unveiled Tuesday as the
 background for the new state license plate, to be issued in 2023.

First Lady Susanne Shore, who led 
development of the new plate, joined her husband, Gov. Pete Ricketts, 
and others in saying the mosaic, which is the first one&nbsp;visitors see on 
tours of the State Capitol, will show Nebraska as more than cattle, 
windmills and sunsets — the traditional icons used on state plates.

“It’s a great piece of Nebraska fine art,” said Bob Ripley, the administrator of the State Capitol.

“It’s like the crown jewel of all the 
pieces” of art in the State Capitol, said Drew Davies, an Omaha brand 
and design consultant, who helped select the artwork.

The mosaic, entitled “The Genius of Creative
 Energy,” is one of several on the second floor of the State Capitol 
done by artist Hildreth Meière to depict the story of Nebraska.

By state law, the state license plate must 
be changed every six years.&nbsp; Ricketts said he selected his wife for the 
project because she had a “passion” for the project — and because she 
picks out the wall colors in their home.

While it’s not a traditional design, the 
governor said it’s “kind of a cool thing” that it will depict something 
different and showcase the kind of artwork found all over the State 
Capitol, a unique, tower capitol building recognized for its 
architectural mastery.

Ripley described the building as “a huge, three-dimensional, walking history book of Nebraska.”

The Genius of Creative Energy depicts the 
chariot driver harnessing the powers of wind, Earth, fire and water, and
 Ricketts said it illustrates the creativity of Nebraskans in developing
 businesses and creating inventions such as the center-pivot irrigation 
system.

Shore acknowledged that criticizing the 
state license plate design is somewhat of a “state sport in every 
state,” including here and in her native Oklahoma.

“We have complete confidence in this design because it’s incredibly unique,” Shore said. “I’m willing to stand behind it.”

“I think time will show that this will become a very beloved license plate,” she added. “It is a winner.”

Shore said she consulted with several 
designers over 18 months, seeking a plate that represented the entire 
state and embodied the “spirit” of Nebraska. The “Genius” won out over 
about a dozen other proposals.

She said it was a much more complex task 
than she anticipated because there are so many rules involving colors, 
size of lettering, readability and placement of numbers and letters.

Blue was chosen for the color of the plate, 
Shore said, because the mosaic has a blue-gray color and because blue is
 a state color.

Rhonda Lahm, director of the Nebraska 
Department of Motor Vehicles, said the new plates will be issued 
beginning in January. About 3 million plates will be needed in 2023, she
 said, and about 9 million will eventually be produced.

State prison inmates, as required in state law, produce the license plates, Lahm said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654024269649.png" alt="“The Genius of Creative Thinking,” a mosaic at the Nebraska State Capitol, was unveiled as the backdrop for the new state license plate. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>“The Genius of Creative Thinking,” a mosaic at the Nebraska State Capitol, was unveiled as the backdrop for the new state license plate. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Capitol mosaic chosen as license background</h2>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/31/new-license-plate-evokes-creative-use-of-nebraskas-natural-resources/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — A mosaic depicting a Roman chariot
 driver with flowing hair and ripped muscles was unveiled Tuesday as the
 background for the new state license plate, to be issued in 2023.First Lady Susanne Shore, who led 
development of the new plate, joined her husband, Gov. Pete Ricketts, 
and others in saying the mosaic, which is the first one&nbsp;visitors see on 
tours of the State Capitol, will show Nebraska as more than cattle, 
windmills and sunsets — the traditional icons used on state plates.“It’s a great piece of Nebraska fine art,” said Bob Ripley, the administrator of the State Capitol.<h2>‘Crown jewel’ of Capitol artwork</h2>“It’s like the crown jewel of all the 
pieces” of art in the State Capitol, said Drew Davies, an Omaha brand 
and design consultant, who helped select the artwork.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654024330092.jpeg" alt=" The mosaic, “Genius of Creative Energy,” as it appears on the floor of the State Capitol (including reflections). Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner" />
 <figcaption> The mosaic, “Genius of Creative Energy,” as it appears on the floor of the State Capitol (including reflections). Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner</figcaption>
 </figure>The mosaic, entitled “The Genius of Creative
 Energy,” is one of several on the second floor of the State Capitol 
done by artist Hildreth Meière to depict the story of Nebraska.By state law, the state license plate must 
be changed every six years.&nbsp; Ricketts said he selected his wife for the 
project because she had a “passion” for the project — and because she 
picks out the wall colors in their home.While it’s not a traditional design, the 
governor said it’s “kind of a cool thing” that it will depict something 
different and showcase the kind of artwork found all over the State 
Capitol, a unique, tower capitol building recognized for its 
architectural mastery.<h2>‘Walking history book’</h2>Ripley described the building as “a huge, three-dimensional, walking history book of Nebraska.”The Genius of Creative Energy depicts the 
chariot driver harnessing the powers of wind, Earth, fire and water, and
 Ricketts said it illustrates the creativity of Nebraskans in developing
 businesses and creating inventions such as the center-pivot irrigation 
system.Shore acknowledged that criticizing the 
state license plate design is somewhat of a “state sport in every 
state,” including here and in her native Oklahoma.“We have complete confidence in this design because it’s incredibly unique,” Shore said. “I’m willing to stand behind it.”“I think time will show that this will become a very beloved license plate,” she added. “It is a winner.”<h2>A dozen designs considered</h2>Shore said she consulted with several 
designers over 18 months, seeking a plate that represented the entire 
state and embodied the “spirit” of Nebraska. The “Genius” won out over 
about a dozen other proposals.She said it was a much more complex task 
than she anticipated because there are so many rules involving colors, 
size of lettering, readability and placement of numbers and letters.Blue was chosen for the color of the plate, 
Shore said, because the mosaic has a blue-gray color and because blue is
 a state color.Rhonda Lahm, director of the Nebraska 
Department of Motor Vehicles, said the new plates will be issued 
beginning in January. About 3 million plates will be needed in 2023, she
 said, and about 9 million will eventually be produced.State prison inmates, as required in state law, produce the license plates, Lahm said.

New license plate evokes creative use of Neb. natural resources

Total value of building permits climbed last year beyond $1.15B

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/31/omaha-hits-new-strides-in-construction-activity-2/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — The signs are plentiful: newly framed houses around town, freshly bulldozed land, tower cranes dotting the skyline.

Now
 a recently released report reinforces that construction activity in 
Nebraska’s largest city has reached new heights in several ways.

According
 to the City of Omaha’s latest annual “Building and Development 
Summary,” the total estimated value of building permits issued by the 
Planning Department last year climbed to roughly $1.15 billion — the 
highest yearly tally on record for the city and second highest when 
accounting for inflation.

That
 price tag reflects construction ranging from houses and apartments to 
converted structures to new, altered or expanded properties containing 
office, retail, educational and other operations.&nbsp;

In
 all of last year, about 1,349 acres of land got the official green 
light for final platting, which meant the area was to be divided, 
parceled or otherwise prepared for new development. Not since 2005 had 
Omaha city leaders okayed that much ground to be platted, the report 
noted.

“Obviously
 people are investing in the community,” said City Planning Director 
Dave Fanslau. “It was a busy year, a historic year, just a lot of 
activity for the development and construction industries.”

City
 officials expect 2022 to finish with as much or more permit activity, 
especially if the skyline-changing $600 million Mutual of Omaha downtown
 office tower gets out of the ground yet this year. 

Because
 building permits and plat approvals are granted in early stages of a 
project, they’re good indicators of investment and economic growth to 
come. Many of the projects that got the go-ahead last year are now 
noticeable and changing the landscape of today.&nbsp;

Indeed,
 2021 ushered in a burst of building that included downtown student dorm
 rooms, a riverfront science museum, senior apartments, hotels, schools,
 banks and an Amazon warehouse.

The
 60-page report, packed with data and punctuated with graphics and 
charts, was posted on the city’s website without any&nbsp; fanfare. It covers
 building activity within the city limits and three miles beyond.

City
 planners noted in their analysis that Omaha’s housing market was 
strong, even though the total estimated value of residences issued 
building permits in 2021 dipped compared to the year before (from $461 
million to nearly $431 million).

The
 permit activity showed that housing projects launched last year were 
more heavily concentrated in suburban Omaha: Twice as many residential 
permits were issued west and outside of the Interstate 680 loop than 
inside of it. That stands in contrast with the unprecedented year of 
2017, when for the first time in modern history, more building permits 
were issued in urban areas closer to the core of the city than its 
outskirts.

Remarkable,
 however, is the data showing that new housing campuses overall are 
getting more dense, even in suburban Omaha. Over the past five years, 
the average number of dwellings per acre of final platted residential 
development was about three. That has doubled to about six.&nbsp;

City
 planners attributed much of the shift to projects such as Heartwood 
Preserve, the mixed-use redevelopment that offers a variety of housing 
and a good concentration of apartments in a campus setting near 144th 
Street and West Dodge Road.

It’s a movement policymakers like to see, as
 developable land in Omaha is growing more scarce. Fanslau said building
 up instead of out — fitting more housing and population on less ground —
 helps build the city’s property tax base and generally saves on the 
cost of public services.

“We hope that trend continues, no doubt,” he
 said. “We don’t promote density just for density’s sake. It has to be 
designed appropriately. But it’s very important and takes advantage of 
existing infrastructure, sewers, water and roads.”

With its 237-unit rental housing project 
rising near the relatively new Flanagan Lake, Woodsonia Real Estate 
launched the city’s largest apartment project of last year, according to
 permit records.

Woodsonia’s Carson Stratman said he and his 
team actually started planning for Westline at Flanagan Lake before the 
pandemic struck and prompted them to pause. The group didn’t foresee a 
“housing boom” to follow so soon, he said. Now, in addition to moving 
forward with the first 237-unit phase, Woodsonia envisions upping the 
count in that northwest Omaha pocket eventually to about 500 apartments,
 he said.

“We’re bullish on the multifamily market 
right now,” Stratman said. He believes demand will continue for rentals,
 largely because he said the cost of single-family homes has 
“skyrocketed.”

In both the Omaha and Lincoln areas, the 
median price of a house, counting both new and existing home sales, went
 up about 13% in just a year’s time. The jump from about $236,000 to 
$268,000 compares sales so far this year with the same time frame last 
year.

City
 planners said in the report that activity related to the 
non-residential side of building permits&nbsp; — which would be commercial, 
office industrial and mixed-use — moved at a strong pace.

Ranking among the most giant of those 
projects, in terms of square footage, were the Douglas County justice 
center office tower and youth center, a few schools and the Amazon 
warehouse.

The
 estimated $721 million total value of nonresidential development 
permits represented a banner year. In contrast, as measured by physical 
building space, 2021’s 1.73 million square feet of total construction 
and renovation work fell about 13% short of the previous 10-year 
average.

Meanwhile, the city’s population density has
 been slowly rising from a low of 4.8 people per acre in 2008 to today’s
 5.2. The report shows that since 1960, Omaha’s land area has more than 
doubled, growing 175% while city population has grown by only about 59%.
 That resulted in a long-term decline of population density — from about
 8.9 people per acre in 1960 to today’s 5.2.

Fanslau reiterated the city’s call for 
greater density and infill development efforts to beef up the people 
count and to help offset fiscal implications.

“It’s very important,” he said. “We like density.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654012535290.png" alt="A crane lifts building material to top of an apartment complex under construction for GreenSlate Development along midtown Omaha’s Turner Boulevard near Dewey Park. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>A crane lifts building material to top of an apartment complex under construction for GreenSlate Development along midtown Omaha’s Turner Boulevard near Dewey Park. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Total value of building permits climbed last year beyond $1.15B</h2>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/31/omaha-hits-new-strides-in-construction-activity-2/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — The signs are plentiful: newly framed houses around town, freshly bulldozed land, tower cranes dotting the skyline.Now
 a recently released report reinforces that construction activity in 
Nebraska’s largest city has reached new heights in several ways.According
 to the City of Omaha’s latest annual “Building and Development 
Summary,” the total estimated value of building permits issued by the 
Planning Department last year climbed to roughly $1.15 billion — the 
highest yearly tally on record for the city and second highest when 
accounting for inflation.<h2>2022 could finish even stronger</h2>That
 price tag reflects construction ranging from houses and apartments to 
converted structures to new, altered or expanded properties containing 
office, retail, educational and other operations.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654012610303.jpeg" alt="Westline at Flanagan Lake, rendering (Courtesy of Simonson &amp; Associates Inc.)" />
 <figcaption>Westline at Flanagan Lake, rendering (Courtesy of Simonson &amp; Associates Inc.)</figcaption>
 </figure>In
 all of last year, about 1,349 acres of land got the official green 
light for final platting, which meant the area was to be divided, 
parceled or otherwise prepared for new development. Not since 2005 had 
Omaha city leaders okayed that much ground to be platted, the report 
noted.“Obviously
 people are investing in the community,” said City Planning Director 
Dave Fanslau. “It was a busy year, a historic year, just a lot of 
activity for the development and construction industries.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654012639204.jpeg" alt="Rendering shows southeast corner of 12 &amp; William apartments in Little Bohemia neighborhood south of Omaha’s downtown. (Courtesy of BVH Architecture)" />
 <figcaption>Rendering shows southeast corner of 12 &amp; William apartments in Little Bohemia neighborhood south of Omaha’s downtown. (Courtesy of BVH Architecture)</figcaption>
 </figure>City
 officials expect 2022 to finish with as much or more permit activity, 
especially if the skyline-changing $600 million Mutual of Omaha downtown
 office tower gets out of the ground yet this year. Because
 building permits and plat approvals are granted in early stages of a 
project, they’re good indicators of investment and economic growth to 
come. Many of the projects that got the go-ahead last year are now 
noticeable and changing the landscape of today.&nbsp;Indeed,
 2021 ushered in a burst of building that included downtown student dorm
 rooms, a riverfront science museum, senior apartments, hotels, schools,
 banks and an Amazon warehouse.<h2>Development, by the numbers</h2>Consider other highlights of the report:<ul>
 <li>The
 number of permits issued last year to build 3,170 residential dwellings
 (that’s houses and apartments combined) was slightly less than the 
previous year but above the annual average of about 2,800 during the 
previous 10 years. The 2021 residential permit count is the third 
highest since 2005.</li><li>Of
 the 3,170 homes, about half were single-family houses and duplexes and 
the other half were apartments and townhomes. That essentially even 
split reflected the same basic pattern over the past decade.</li><li>Platting
 activity for nonresidential-type construction projects — that would 
include commercial, office, industrial and mixed-use ventures — hit a 
13-year high, with 476 acres receiving final plat approval last year. 
For perspective, Omaha’s annual average during the previous decade was 
159 acres.</li><li>The
 total valuation of that nonresidential development, according to 
permits, rose to $721 million last year, the highest on record for the 
city.</li>
 </ul><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654012669608.jpeg" alt="Construction ongoing at one of biggest Omaha residential projects issued permits last year, Clarity Development’s 107 Little Bohemia apartments near 12th and William Streets, south of downtown. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Construction ongoing at one of biggest Omaha residential projects issued permits last year, Clarity Development’s 107 Little Bohemia apartments near 12th and William Streets, south of downtown. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>The
 60-page report, packed with data and punctuated with graphics and 
charts, was posted on the city’s website without any&nbsp; fanfare. It covers
 building activity within the city limits and three miles beyond.City
 planners noted in their analysis that Omaha’s housing market was 
strong, even though the total estimated value of residences issued 
building permits in 2021 dipped compared to the year before (from $461 
million to nearly $431 million).<h2>Dense is good, say urban planners</h2>The
 permit activity showed that housing projects launched last year were 
more heavily concentrated in suburban Omaha: Twice as many residential 
permits were issued west and outside of the Interstate 680 loop than 
inside of it. That stands in contrast with the unprecedented year of 
2017, when for the first time in modern history, more building permits 
were issued in urban areas closer to the core of the city than its 
outskirts.Remarkable,
 however, is the data showing that new housing campuses overall are 
getting more dense, even in suburban Omaha. Over the past five years, 
the average number of dwellings per acre of final platted residential 
development was about three. That has doubled to about six.&nbsp;City
 planners attributed much of the shift to projects such as Heartwood 
Preserve, the mixed-use redevelopment that offers a variety of housing 
and a good concentration of apartments in a campus setting near 144th 
Street and West Dodge Road.<h2>‘Bullish’ on apartments</h2>It’s a movement policymakers like to see, as
 developable land in Omaha is growing more scarce. Fanslau said building
 up instead of out — fitting more housing and population on less ground —
 helps build the city’s property tax base and generally saves on the 
cost of public services.“We hope that trend continues, no doubt,” he
 said. “We don’t promote density just for density’s sake. It has to be 
designed appropriately. But it’s very important and takes advantage of 
existing infrastructure, sewers, water and roads.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654012708844.jpeg" alt="Westline at Flanagan Lake, view looking east over lake (Courtesy of Simonson &amp; Associates Inc.)" />
 <figcaption>Westline at Flanagan Lake, view looking east over lake (Courtesy of Simonson &amp; Associates Inc.)</figcaption>
 </figure>With its 237-unit rental housing project 
rising near the relatively new Flanagan Lake, Woodsonia Real Estate 
launched the city’s largest apartment project of last year, according to
 permit records.Woodsonia’s Carson Stratman said he and his 
team actually started planning for Westline at Flanagan Lake before the 
pandemic struck and prompted them to pause. The group didn’t foresee a 
“housing boom” to follow so soon, he said. Now, in addition to moving 
forward with the first 237-unit phase, Woodsonia envisions upping the 
count in that northwest Omaha pocket eventually to about 500 apartments,
 he said.“We’re bullish on the multifamily market 
right now,” Stratman said. He believes demand will continue for rentals,
 largely because he said the cost of single-family homes has 
“skyrocketed.”In both the Omaha and Lincoln areas, the 
median price of a house, counting both new and existing home sales, went
 up about 13% in just a year’s time. The jump from about $236,000 to 
$268,000 compares sales so far this year with the same time frame last 
year.<h2>Population density only slowly rising</h2>City
 planners said in the report that activity related to the 
non-residential side of building permits&nbsp; — which would be commercial, 
office industrial and mixed-use — moved at a strong pace.Ranking among the most giant of those 
projects, in terms of square footage, were the Douglas County justice 
center office tower and youth center, a few schools and the Amazon 
warehouse.The
 estimated $721 million total value of nonresidential development 
permits represented a banner year. In contrast, as measured by physical 
building space, 2021’s 1.73 million square feet of total construction 
and renovation work fell about 13% short of the previous 10-year 
average.Meanwhile, the city’s population density has
 been slowly rising from a low of 4.8 people per acre in 2008 to today’s
 5.2. The report shows that since 1960, Omaha’s land area has more than 
doubled, growing 175% while city population has grown by only about 59%.
 That resulted in a long-term decline of population density — from about
 8.9 people per acre in 1960 to today’s 5.2.Fanslau reiterated the city’s call for 
greater density and infill development efforts to beef up the people 
count and to help offset fiscal implications.“It’s very important,” he said. “We like density.”

Omaha hits new strides in construction activity

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a three-alarm fire that raged through a Nebraska chemical plant was extinguished and nearby residents who were initially evacuated were allowed to return to their homes. 

Thick smoke billowed from the Nox-Crete facility just southwest of downtown Omaha that could be seen as far away Monday evening.

 Battalion Chief Scott Fitzpatrick said the first call for help came shortly before 7 p.m. Monday, and firefighters who initially entered the building found a much bigger fire than they had anticipated, forcing them to retreat. 

Officials say the smoke posed no major toxicity risks to the public. 

The cause of the fire wasn’t immediately known.

By Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a three-alarm fire that raged through a Nebraska chemical plant was extinguished and nearby residents who were initially evacuated were allowed to return to their homes. Thick smoke billowed from the Nox-Crete facility just southwest of downtown Omaha that could be seen as far away Monday evening. Battalion Chief Scott Fitzpatrick said the first call for help came shortly before 7 p.m. Monday, and firefighters who initially entered the building found a much bigger fire than they had anticipated, forcing them to retreat. No injuries were reported. Officials say the smoke posed no major toxicity risks to the public. The cause of the fire wasn’t immediately known.

Fire at Omaha chemical company prompts temporary evacuation

By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/early-voting-starts-tuesday-in-nebraskas-1st-district-special-election/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA
 — Nebraska voters can start casting in-person early ballots Tuesday for the June 28 special election, which will determine who will 
finish the final six months of former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry’s term, 
following his resignation in March.&nbsp;

Voters
 in all of Butler, Cass, Colfax, Cuming, Dodge, Lancaster, Madison, 
Platte, Seward and Stanton Counties, along with voters in parts of Polk 
and Sarpy Counties, make up Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District.

Those <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/30/timing-and-abortion-decision-could-influence-june-28-house-race-between-flood-pansing-brooks/">running to replace Fortenberry</a>
 are State Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk, a Republican and former speaker 
of the Legislature, and State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln, a 
Democrat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654006724996.png" alt=" A Lancaster County early voting drop box sits outside of the Lancaster County Election Commission in Lincoln. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> A Lancaster County early voting drop box sits outside of the Lancaster County Election Commission in Lincoln. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/early-voting-starts-tuesday-in-nebraskas-1st-district-special-election/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA
 — Nebraska voters can start casting in-person early ballots Tuesday for the June 28 special election, which will determine who will 
finish the final six months of former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry’s term, 
following his resignation in March.&nbsp;Voters
 in all of Butler, Cass, Colfax, Cuming, Dodge, Lancaster, Madison, 
Platte, Seward and Stanton Counties, along with voters in parts of Polk 
and Sarpy Counties, make up Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District.Those <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/30/timing-and-abortion-decision-could-influence-june-28-house-race-between-flood-pansing-brooks/">running to replace Fortenberry</a>
 are State Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk, a Republican and former speaker 
of the Legislature, and State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln, a 
Democrat.County
 election officials will start mailing out already-requested early 
voting ballots Tuesday, according to the Nebraska Secretary of State’s 
Office. June 17 is the last day to request a ballot by mail for the 
special election. Get the <a target="_blank" href="https://sos.nebraska.gov/elections/2022-special-election-us-congressional-district-1">form to request a ballot here</a>.