By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/21/residents-at-site-of-proposed-big-lake-near-gretna-have-plenty-of-questions/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

GRETNA,
 Nebraska — Nestled amid the cottonwoods and cedar trees along the 
Platte River, Riverside Acres offers a secluded refuge for a cluster of 
25 homes and cabins midway between Omaha and Lincoln.

There
 are lakes for fishing, trails for walkers and four-wheelers and scenic 
views of the river that settlers described as a mile wide and an inch 
deep. It’s only a short walk to prime deer-hunting spots and blinds for 
goose hunting.

But there’s turmoil in paradise these days.

State
 legislators are eyeing an expanse of Platte River floodplain, just east
 across a dusty gravel road from Riverside Acres, for a massive sandpit 
lake.&nbsp;

At
 4,000 acres and 7 miles long — the size of Iowa’s popular Lake Okoboji —
 the lake is projected to attract $1 billion in private investment and 
be big enough for boating, marinas and condos. In addition, boosters 
say, it might be impressive enough to help dissuade young people from 
moving away to places that offer mountains, beaches and big waterways, 
which are lacking near Nebraska’s largest cities.

While
 there seems to be momentum at the State Legislature to launch a 
public-private partnership for the project, the views are much more 
mixed when you talk to people who live on or near the preferred site of 
the big lake, just north and south of Linoma Beach in Sarpy County.

“I
 think it’s a joke,” said Don Brudny Jr., from his home in Riverside 
Acres. “It’s a way for real estate developers and people with money to 
try and make some more money.”

“I don’t want to find out that we have to move,” said Terry Newland, a neighbor of Brudny’s.

But
 just upriver, Jud Farrell, whose family has a home in the 29-lot Beacon
 View subdivision, said he’s probably OK with the big lake.

“I can see the positives,” Farrell said. “But I know a lot of landowners down here and I hope they’re treated fairly.”

Dan
 Bundy, whose family farm would be mostly inundated by the proposed lake
 site, said he’s still waiting for details that haven’t been provided.

“I
 have serious doubts that they can legitimately make it work,” Bundy 
said. “(But) how can you be for or against anything if you don’t know 
anything?”

The
 comments come as a Nebraska legislative committee appears poised, as 
early as this week, to advance the bill containing the big lake 
proposal.

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/10/big-sandpit-lake-proposal-hits-choppy-waters-one-landowner-says-hes-not-selling/">Legislative Bill 1023</a>, the Lake
 Development Act and the Water Recreation Enhancement Act, proposes to 
spend $20 million on a study of the lake idea and to place $26 million 
in a fund for costs of the lake.

That
 spending is part of $200 million in recreation enhancements proposed in
 LB&nbsp; 1023 by a special committee of the Legislature, the Statewide Tourism and Recreational Water Access and Resource Sustainability (STARWARS) Committee.&nbsp;

State
 Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln, who chaired the committee, had asked 
lawmakers to come up with “transformational” and “big swing” ideas to 
make Nebraska more attractive to new and existing residents. It’s time 
to think big, Hilgers, the Speaker of the Legislature has said, given 
that the state has millions in excess tax revenue and $1.04 billion from
 the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

Among
 the ideas are enhancements to popular Lake McConaughy, including a $34 
million marina, a $42 million lodge at Niobrara State Park and $42 
million in boating facilities at Lewis and Clark Lake.&nbsp;

Hilgers,
 in an interview Sunday, said a lot of landowner questions can’t be 
answered until a precise location for the lake is finalized and a study 
is done of the impacts on water supplies, flooding and the environment. 
That may take two to three years.

But he did say that to the extent possible, existing homes will not be taken, and land will be bought on a willing-seller basis.

“Our entire goal is to add to that area and not take any,” Hilgers said. “We want a win, win, win.”

While
 an exact location hasn’t been picked, he said, it will likely be in the
 general area just east of Linoma Beach because it is undeveloped, in 
the floodplain and involves only a handful of landowners.

Hilgers added that it “will not be a private lake for rich people.”

“This
 will be a place for all Nebraskans, of all economic backgrounds, to 
use,” he said, with public access that is “widespread.”

“It’s a piss-poor idea for flood control,” said Bundy, whose family has farmed the Platte River bottoms for 120 years.

He
 said the millions of dollars budgeted for the lake would be better 
spent on raising the existing flood-control levee, built in the 2000s.&nbsp;

Hilgers said Sunday that while the big lake 
is not “primarily” a flood control project, the study could show that it
 has some impact.

On
 Saturday, a trio of Beacon View residents gave a Nebraska Examiner 
reporter a tour around the proposed lake site. It took probably 45 
minutes to make the drive, on gravel roads. The flat location is between
 255th Street, which parallels the river, and 234th Street, which runs 
along Interstate 80 to just west of Gretna. It runs from about Schram 
Road on the north to the Platte River on the south.

As
 the group watched, a red fox slowly trotted across one field and a 
thousand geese or more roosted on a marsh near the river. A pair of bald
 eagles watched warily from a cottonwood.

More
 than a dozen pickup trucks and men donning orange vests gathered on one
 road, a prelude to a special hunt to thin out the deer population on 
land owned by the Lincoln Water System, the tour guides said. Lincoln 
has several wells in the area to draw drinking water, which is piped 30 
miles to the Capital City.

Along
 234th Street, the eastern boundary of the area, is a smattering of 
acreages that would have a commanding view of the big lake, if it’s 
built.

Hilgers
 has said the area provides “unique” advantages because of its location 
directly between Omaha and Lincoln, with access from U.S. Highway 6 and 
proximity to I-80.

Only four homes are in the 7-mile-long, 4,000-acre site, which is covered mostly corn and soybean fields.&nbsp;

And
 only a handful of landowners would have to be persuaded to sell. The 
Bundy family is one, along with Lyman Richey, a sand and gravel firm 
that has a couple of working sandpits in the area. A firm related to the
 Seldin Company, an Omaha real estate developer and property manager, 
also has land in the area.

Down at Riverside Acres, Newland said his main question is whether the state is going to take his home and his backyard lake.

“I
 don’t want to move,” said Newland, who was once forced to sell some 
farmland for an Iowa lake project, Lake Panorama. He said what he was 
paid through the eminent domain process wasn’t enough to replace the 
farmland he lost.

Upriver
 at Beacon View, Phil Young, whose father bought a cabin along the 
Platte 65 years ago, said hehas been assured that their small 
subdivision would be left alone.

Unlike
 most of those interviewed, Young has met with Hilgers and others 
promoting the project. Reportedly, meetings were held in Ashland and at 
Mahoney State Park, just across the river, but none of those interviewed
 Saturday said they had been aware of the meetings until after they had 
been held.

Young’s main concern is about future flooding.

He
 pointed to a spot a couple inches below the stop of the Platte River 
levee, where floodwaters rose during the epic flooding in 2019. Will 
construction of a big lake, with dozens of buildings around it and, 
presumably, a levee to protect it, funnel floodwaters through Beacon 
View?

He
 and other residents of the area, including Bundy, who lives just down 
the road, have vivid memories of the floods of 1993 and 1997 — before 
the levee was built — when springtime ice-jam floods inundated several 
homes and covered crop fields. The future holds more flooding, they say,
 asking whether that that would fill this big lake with silt and debris.

Bruce
 Kalchik, who owns a home at Beacon View, said he’ll probably never live
 to see the completion of the lake, but he’d like to see it built.&nbsp;

Still,
 he said, this quiet little corner of Sarpy County, along the Platte 
River, would never be the same if the big lake became their neighbor.

“This will be part of the city,” Kalchik said.&nbsp; 

Those
 who live on the Platte River bottoms that would be impacted by the big 
lake have a slew of questions, even though most agreed it would help 
tourism:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645462362841.png" alt="The site of a big lake for recreation, proposed by state legislators, already has a handful of sandpits and sits just west of Gretna, which is visible on the bluff in the distance. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The site of a big lake for recreation, proposed by state legislators, already has a handful of sandpits and sits just west of Gretna, which is visible on the bluff in the distance. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/21/residents-at-site-of-proposed-big-lake-near-gretna-have-plenty-of-questions/">Nebraska Examiner</a>GRETNA,
 Nebraska — Nestled amid the cottonwoods and cedar trees along the 
Platte River, Riverside Acres offers a secluded refuge for a cluster of 
25 homes and cabins midway between Omaha and Lincoln.There
 are lakes for fishing, trails for walkers and four-wheelers and scenic 
views of the river that settlers described as a mile wide and an inch 
deep. It’s only a short walk to prime deer-hunting spots and blinds for 
goose hunting.But there’s turmoil in paradise these days.State
 legislators are eyeing an expanse of Platte River floodplain, just east
 across a dusty gravel road from Riverside Acres, for a massive sandpit 
lake.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645462444324.jpeg" alt="Backers of a 4,000-acre lake proposed between Omaha and Lincoln are eyeing a location in Sarpy County, north and south of Linoma Beach. (Courtesy of PlanPreservePlayNE.com)" />
 <figcaption>Backers of a 4,000-acre lake proposed between Omaha and Lincoln are eyeing a location in Sarpy County, north and south of Linoma Beach. (Courtesy of PlanPreservePlayNE.com)</figcaption>
 </figure>At
 4,000 acres and 7 miles long — the size of Iowa’s popular Lake Okoboji —
 the lake is projected to attract $1 billion in private investment and 
be big enough for boating, marinas and condos. In addition, boosters 
say, it might be impressive enough to help dissuade young people from 
moving away to places that offer mountains, beaches and big waterways, 
which are lacking near Nebraska’s largest cities.<h2>Momentum in Legislature</h2>While
 there seems to be momentum at the State Legislature to launch a 
public-private partnership for the project, the views are much more 
mixed when you talk to people who live on or near the preferred site of 
the big lake, just north and south of Linoma Beach in Sarpy County.“I
 think it’s a joke,” said Don Brudny Jr., from his home in Riverside 
Acres. “It’s a way for real estate developers and people with money to 
try and make some more money.”“I don’t want to find out that we have to move,” said Terry Newland, a neighbor of Brudny’s.But
 just upriver, Jud Farrell, whose family has a home in the 29-lot Beacon
 View subdivision, said he’s probably OK with the big lake.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645462488715.jpeg" alt="Terry Newland wonders if the proposed big lake will mean he will lose his home along the Platte River. In the background is a well operated by the Lincoln Water System, in the middle of the river. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Terry Newland wonders if the proposed big lake will mean he will lose his home along the Platte River. In the background is a well operated by the Lincoln Water System, in the middle of the river. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>“I can see the positives,” Farrell said. “But I know a lot of landowners down here and I hope they’re treated fairly.”Dan
 Bundy, whose family farm would be mostly inundated by the proposed lake
 site, said he’s still waiting for details that haven’t been provided.<h2>‘Serious doubts’</h2>“I
 have serious doubts that they can legitimately make it work,” Bundy 
said. “(But) how can you be for or against anything if you don’t know 
anything?”The
 comments come as a Nebraska legislative committee appears poised, as 
early as this week, to advance the bill containing the big lake 
proposal.<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/10/big-sandpit-lake-proposal-hits-choppy-waters-one-landowner-says-hes-not-selling/">Legislative Bill 1023</a>, the Lake
 Development Act and the Water Recreation Enhancement Act, proposes to 
spend $20 million on a study of the lake idea and to place $26 million 
in a fund for costs of the lake.That
 spending is part of $200 million in recreation enhancements proposed in
 LB&nbsp; 1023 by a special committee of the Legislature, the Statewide Tourism and Recreational Water Access and Resource Sustainability (STARWARS) Committee.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645462517465.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln presents proposals recently to enhance state recreation and economic development. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln presents proposals recently to enhance state recreation and economic development. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>State
 Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln, who chaired the committee, had asked 
lawmakers to come up with “transformational” and “big swing” ideas to 
make Nebraska more attractive to new and existing residents. It’s time 
to think big, Hilgers, the Speaker of the Legislature has said, given 
that the state has millions in excess tax revenue and $1.04 billion from
 the federal American Rescue Plan Act.<h2>Other improvements</h2>Among
 the ideas are enhancements to popular Lake McConaughy, including a $34 
million marina, a $42 million lodge at Niobrara State Park and $42 
million in boating facilities at Lewis and Clark Lake.&nbsp;Hilgers,
 in an interview Sunday, said a lot of landowner questions can’t be 
answered until a precise location for the lake is finalized and a study 
is done of the impacts on water supplies, flooding and the environment. 
That may take two to three years.But he did say that to the extent possible, existing homes will not be taken, and land will be bought on a willing-seller basis.<h2>‘We want a win, win, win’</h2>“Our entire goal is to add to that area and not take any,” Hilgers said. “We want a win, win, win.”While
 an exact location hasn’t been picked, he said, it will likely be in the
 general area just east of Linoma Beach because it is undeveloped, in 
the floodplain and involves only a handful of landowners.Hilgers added that it “will not be a private lake for rich people.”“This
 will be a place for all Nebraskans, of all economic backgrounds, to 
use,” he said, with public access that is “widespread.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645462551071.jpeg" alt="Linoma Beach, a sandpit lake ringed by campers, sits midway between Lincoln and Omaha (thus the name) on U.S. Highway 6. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Linoma Beach, a sandpit lake ringed by campers, sits midway between Lincoln and Omaha (thus the name) on U.S. Highway 6. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Flood control benefits?</h2>“It’s a piss-poor idea for flood control,” said Bundy, whose family has farmed the Platte River bottoms for 120 years.He
 said the millions of dollars budgeted for the lake would be better 
spent on raising the existing flood-control levee, built in the 2000s.&nbsp;Hilgers said Sunday that while the big lake 
is not “primarily” a flood control project, the study could show that it
 has some impact.On
 Saturday, a trio of Beacon View residents gave a Nebraska Examiner 
reporter a tour around the proposed lake site. It took probably 45 
minutes to make the drive, on gravel roads. The flat location is between
 255th Street, which parallels the river, and 234th Street, which runs 
along Interstate 80 to just west of Gretna. It runs from about Schram 
Road on the north to the Platte River on the south.As
 the group watched, a red fox slowly trotted across one field and a 
thousand geese or more roosted on a marsh near the river. A pair of bald
 eagles watched warily from a cottonwood.More
 than a dozen pickup trucks and men donning orange vests gathered on one
 road, a prelude to a special hunt to thin out the deer population on 
land owned by the Lincoln Water System, the tour guides said. Lincoln 
has several wells in the area to draw drinking water, which is piped 30 
miles to the Capital City.<h2>‘Unique’ qualities</h2>Along
 234th Street, the eastern boundary of the area, is a smattering of 
acreages that would have a commanding view of the big lake, if it’s 
built.Hilgers
 has said the area provides “unique” advantages because of its location 
directly between Omaha and Lincoln, with access from U.S. Highway 6 and 
proximity to I-80.Only four homes are in the 7-mile-long, 4,000-acre site, which is covered mostly corn and soybean fields.&nbsp;And
 only a handful of landowners would have to be persuaded to sell. The 
Bundy family is one, along with Lyman Richey, a sand and gravel firm 
that has a couple of working sandpits in the area. A firm related to the
 Seldin Company, an Omaha real estate developer and property manager, 
also has land in the area.<h2>‘I don’t want to move’</h2>Down at Riverside Acres, Newland said his main question is whether the state is going to take his home and his backyard lake.“I
 don’t want to move,” said Newland, who was once forced to sell some 
farmland for an Iowa lake project, Lake Panorama. He said what he was 
paid through the eminent domain process wasn’t enough to replace the 
farmland he lost.Upriver
 at Beacon View, Phil Young, whose father bought a cabin along the 
Platte 65 years ago, said hehas been assured that their small 
subdivision would be left alone.Unlike
 most of those interviewed, Young has met with Hilgers and others 
promoting the project. Reportedly, meetings were held in Ashland and at 
Mahoney State Park, just across the river, but none of those interviewed
 Saturday said they had been aware of the meetings until after they had 
been held.Young’s main concern is about future flooding.He
 pointed to a spot a couple inches below the stop of the Platte River 
levee, where floodwaters rose during the epic flooding in 2019. Will 
construction of a big lake, with dozens of buildings around it and, 
presumably, a levee to protect it, funnel floodwaters through Beacon 
View?<h2>Memories of past floods</h2>He
 and other residents of the area, including Bundy, who lives just down 
the road, have vivid memories of the floods of 1993 and 1997 — before 
the levee was built — when springtime ice-jam floods inundated several 
homes and covered crop fields. The future holds more flooding, they say,
 asking whether that that would fill this big lake with silt and debris.Bruce
 Kalchik, who owns a home at Beacon View, said he’ll probably never live
 to see the completion of the lake, but he’d like to see it built.&nbsp;Still,
 he said, this quiet little corner of Sarpy County, along the Platte 
River, would never be the same if the big lake became their neighbor.“This will be part of the city,” Kalchik said.&nbsp; <h2>Lots of questions</h2>Those
 who live on the Platte River bottoms that would be impacted by the big 
lake have a slew of questions, even though most agreed it would help 
tourism:<ul>
 <li>Would it exacerbate flooding for existing homes and cabins?</li><li>Would it create 
congestion and crowding, things existing residents fled when choosing to
 live in the quiet, wooded enclaves along the Platte?</li><li>Would it increase property taxes? Many of those living in the area are retirees or nearing retirement.&nbsp;</li><li>What would be done 
with the glut of sand and gravel extracted to create a 30-foot-deep 
lake? Local sand pits, they say, typically mine 20 to 30 acres of sand 
and gravel a year, not 4,000 acres.</li><li>How would the project deal with the highway, railroad line and an electric transmission line that dissect the site?&nbsp;</li><li>Would it hurt or help the Lincoln and Omaha water systems, whose wells for drinking water dot the landscape along the Platte?</li>
 </ul>

Residents at site of proposed lake have plenty of questions

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/lincoln-group-wants-to-force-ballot-vote-on-citys-gender-identity-ordinance/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

A
 Lincoln organization has started a campaign to try to force a ballot 
vote on a newly adopted Lincoln City Council ordinance that prohibits 
discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The
 council’s “fairness ordinance,” which passed last week on a 5-0 vote, 
also broadens the city’s municipal code to add military personnel and 
veterans as a protected class, and it updates several other definitions.

In
 objecting to the sexual orientation and gender identity part, Lincoln’s
 Nebraska Family Alliance is seeking signatures for its “Let Us Vote” 
petition, which aims to collect 4,137 names in a 15-day time frame 
following the council action.&nbsp;

The
 group said if it succeeds in getting signatures equal to 4% of the last
 gubernatorial election, the fairness ordinance would be unenforceable 
and must be rescinded or placed on the ballot for a vote.

In
 2012, the Lincoln City Council — as well as the Omaha City Council — 
approved ordinances prohibiting discrimination based on sexual 
orientation and gender identity. But, in Lincoln, more than 10,000 
citizens signed a petition in opposition, and the Lincoln ordinance 
stalled.

The
 Alliance said in a news release that its “volunteers believe every 
person should be treated with dignity and respect, and are energized and
 motivated to halt this dangerous ordinance that would allow biological 
men in women’s showers, locker rooms and restrooms.”

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/lincoln-group-wants-to-force-ballot-vote-on-citys-gender-identity-ordinance/">Nebraska Examiner</a>A
 Lincoln organization has started a campaign to try to force a ballot 
vote on a newly adopted Lincoln City Council ordinance that prohibits 
discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.The
 council’s “fairness ordinance,” which passed last week on a 5-0 vote, 
also broadens the city’s municipal code to add military personnel and 
veterans as a protected class, and it updates several other definitions.In
 objecting to the sexual orientation and gender identity part, Lincoln’s
 Nebraska Family Alliance is seeking signatures for its “Let Us Vote” 
petition, which aims to collect 4,137 names in a 15-day time frame 
following the council action.&nbsp;The
 group said if it succeeds in getting signatures equal to 4% of the last
 gubernatorial election, the fairness ordinance would be unenforceable 
and must be rescinded or placed on the ballot for a vote.In
 2012, the Lincoln City Council — as well as the Omaha City Council — 
approved ordinances prohibiting discrimination based on sexual 
orientation and gender identity. But, in Lincoln, more than 10,000 
citizens signed a petition in opposition, and the Lincoln ordinance 
stalled.The
 Alliance said in a news release that its “volunteers believe every 
person should be treated with dignity and respect, and are energized and
 motivated to halt this dangerous ordinance that would allow biological 
men in women’s showers, locker rooms and restrooms.”

Lincoln group wants to force ballot vote on city’s gender identity ordinance

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police in Omaha say an arrest has been made a day after a man crossing a south Omaha street was hit by a car and killed.

 Police say the crash happened before 1:30 a.m. Saturday in southeast Omaha between Highland and Spring Lake parks. 

Police say the man, later identified as 43-year-old Tommy Tsosie, was crossing 24th Street when he was hit by a southbound vehicle, which fled without stopping. 

Tsosie was declared dead at the scene by paramedics. 

On Sunday, police arrested 20-year-old Santiago Paiz-Bautista, of Omaha, on suspicion of leaving the scene of a fatal crash.

By Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police in Omaha say an arrest has been made a day after a man crossing a south Omaha street was hit by a car and killed. Police say the crash happened before 1:30 a.m. Saturday in southeast Omaha between Highland and Spring Lake parks. Police say the man, later identified as 43-year-old Tommy Tsosie, was crossing 24th Street when he was hit by a southbound vehicle, which fled without stopping. Tsosie was declared dead at the scene by paramedics. On Sunday, police arrested 20-year-old Santiago Paiz-Bautista, of Omaha, on suspicion of leaving the scene of a fatal crash.

Police say man crossing Omaha street fatally hit; 1 arrested

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/18/help-coming-2-2-million-in-federal-funds-to-help-extinguish-nurse-burnout/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

As
 a sleep researcher and nursing instructor at the University of Nebraska
 Medical Center, Alyson Hanish saw plenty of colleagues and students 
burn out during the pandemic.

So
 when she saw an invite from the Biden administration, she seized the 
grant opportunity — and now will lead a $2.2 million project to promote 
resilience and mental health in the state’s nursing workforce.

The
 competitive award is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act and 
aimed at retaining and strengthening nurses of various levels, as well 
as students and employers, who work in rural and medically underserved 
areas.&nbsp;

“We’re
 in a complicated environment,” said Hanish, a pediatric nurse and sleep
 researcher who teaches in the College of Nursing. “We know burnout is 
increasing and about 25-30% of new nurses quit in their first year.”

Her
 “gut reaction” to do something has the mother of three now assembling a
 team involving the UNMC College of Medicine and College of Public 
Health, Nebraska Board of Nursing, Nebraska Center for Nursing, Nebraska
 Hospital Association and Critical Access Hospitals.

“The
 health of nurses has to be a priority,” Hanish said. She said the team 
will develop and implement wellness interventions so nurses, in turn, 
can provide the best care to patients.&nbsp;

The
 team will lean on a UNMC-developed stress management program called 
WHOLE (Wellness — How One Lives Effectively). It will be tailored to 
nurses whose traditional training is how to help others, not necessarily
 themselves, Hanish said.

Examples
 of stress-reducing techniques and strategies to be explored with nurses
 as a result of the grant include: meditation, diet, breathing through 
acute stress, decluttering physical and mental space, even the role 
humor can play.

Talking
 about each other’s stress and burnout is relatively new in the 
industry, yet it has been a pronounced need brought to light by the 
pandemic, Hanish said.

To
 be sure, she said, systematic conditions, including staff and equipment
 shortages, contribute to stress. The outreach afforded by the 
three-year grant will give nurses tools to reduce stress within their 
control.

“It’s part of the puzzle,” Hanish said. “An investment in nurses.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645453335560.jpeg" alt=" Alyson Hanish, PhD, MSN, RN (Courtesy of University of Nebraska Medical Center)" />
 <figcaption> Alyson Hanish, PhD, MSN, RN (Courtesy of University of Nebraska Medical Center)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/18/help-coming-2-2-million-in-federal-funds-to-help-extinguish-nurse-burnout/">Nebraska Examiner</a>As
 a sleep researcher and nursing instructor at the University of Nebraska
 Medical Center, Alyson Hanish saw plenty of colleagues and students 
burn out during the pandemic.So
 when she saw an invite from the Biden administration, she seized the 
grant opportunity — and now will lead a $2.2 million project to promote 
resilience and mental health in the state’s nursing workforce.The
 competitive award is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act and 
aimed at retaining and strengthening nurses of various levels, as well 
as students and employers, who work in rural and medically underserved 
areas.&nbsp;<h2>Nurses quitting in first year</h2>“We’re
 in a complicated environment,” said Hanish, a pediatric nurse and sleep
 researcher who teaches in the College of Nursing. “We know burnout is 
increasing and about 25-30% of new nurses quit in their first year.”Her
 “gut reaction” to do something has the mother of three now assembling a
 team involving the UNMC College of Medicine and College of Public 
Health, Nebraska Board of Nursing, Nebraska Center for Nursing, Nebraska
 Hospital Association and Critical Access Hospitals.“The
 health of nurses has to be a priority,” Hanish said. She said the team 
will develop and implement wellness interventions so nurses, in turn, 
can provide the best care to patients.&nbsp;The
 team will lean on a UNMC-developed stress management program called 
WHOLE (Wellness — How One Lives Effectively). It will be tailored to 
nurses whose traditional training is how to help others, not necessarily
 themselves, Hanish said.<h2>Declutter mind and physical space </h2>Examples
 of stress-reducing techniques and strategies to be explored with nurses
 as a result of the grant include: meditation, diet, breathing through 
acute stress, decluttering physical and mental space, even the role 
humor can play.Talking
 about each other’s stress and burnout is relatively new in the 
industry, yet it has been a pronounced need brought to light by the 
pandemic, Hanish said.To
 be sure, she said, systematic conditions, including staff and equipment
 shortages, contribute to stress. The outreach afforded by the 
three-year grant will give nurses tools to reduce stress within their 
control.“It’s part of the puzzle,” Hanish said. “An investment in nurses.”

$2.2M in federal funds to help extinguish nurse burnout in Neb.

If you are looking for new ways to save money on daily 
purchases, latest trend isn’t clipping coupons; it’s cashback apps. By 
using apps such as <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/san-francisco/profile/online-shopping/rakuten-1116-20543" target="_blank">Rakuten</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/co/denver/profile/mobile-apps/ibotta-inc-1296-90153015" target="_blank">Ibotta</a>
 (both BBB Accredited Businesses), shoppers can earn rewards, such as 
cash or gift cards, after making a purchase. &nbsp;But before you sign up for
 one or more of these apps, be sure to do your research.

Some cashback companies build relationships with stores and brands 
and receive a commission for purchases made through their apps and 
extensions. Then, they pass on a portion of the commission to the 
consumer. Other companies offer payouts based on accumulated points, 
which consumers can earn uploading receipts, purchasing specific 
products, or scanning products in store.

Many such apps and <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/select/browser-extensions-for-saving-money/" target="_blank">browser extensions</a> are legitimate, but, as always, exercise caution when any company promises big rewards for minimal effort.

To find and use cashback apps safely, BBB recommends the following tips:

Go to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/" target="_blank">BBB.org</a>&nbsp;to look up online marketplace business profiles, file a complaint, or write a customer review. &nbsp;Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>&nbsp;to research and report scams.

Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/bbb-accreditation-standards" target="_blank">BBB Accreditation Standards</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/standards-for-trust" target="_blank">BBB Standards for Trust</a>.&nbsp;Learn how to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/become-accredited" target="_blank">become a BBB Accredited Business</a>.

<a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/san-francisco/profile/online-shopping/rakuten-1116-20543" target="_blank">Rakuten</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/co/denver/profile/mobile-apps/ibotta-inc-1296-90153015" target="_blank">Ibotta</a> are BBB Accredited Businesses.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBIf you are looking for new ways to save money on daily 
purchases, latest trend isn’t clipping coupons; it’s cashback apps. By 
using apps such as <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/san-francisco/profile/online-shopping/rakuten-1116-20543" target="_blank">Rakuten</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/co/denver/profile/mobile-apps/ibotta-inc-1296-90153015" target="_blank">Ibotta</a>
 (both BBB Accredited Businesses), shoppers can earn rewards, such as 
cash or gift cards, after making a purchase. &nbsp;But before you sign up for
 one or more of these apps, be sure to do your research.<h2>How do cashback apps work? </h2>Some cashback companies build relationships with stores and brands 
and receive a commission for purchases made through their apps and 
extensions. Then, they pass on a portion of the commission to the 
consumer. Other companies offer payouts based on accumulated points, 
which consumers can earn uploading receipts, purchasing specific 
products, or scanning products in store.Many such apps and <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/select/browser-extensions-for-saving-money/" target="_blank">browser extensions</a> are legitimate, but, as always, exercise caution when any company promises big rewards for minimal effort.To find and use cashback apps safely, BBB recommends the following tips:<ul>
 <li>Get to know the company behind the app or browser extension. Before
 you install a cashback program on your phone or browser, find out more 
about the company that runs it. Look the company up on <a href="https://www.BBB.org" target="_blank">BBB.org</a> to see its business rating and read consumer reviews and complaints. </li><li>Choose an app that fits your shopping patterns. The way apps reward consumers can vary. Some offer coupons or price comparisons to help you find the best deal. <a href="https://www.techentice.com/how-cashback-apps-work/" target="_blank">Passive cashback apps</a>
 simply run in the background on your phone and track your purchases, 
giving you rebates when you shop at partner locations. Other apps reward
 you for shopping at specific retailers. Think about your shopping 
habits as you chose an app or extension to score the most savings. </li><li>Never pay a membership fee. You should never have 
to pay a fee to receive “free” money. Be wary of any app that claims to 
be free but asks you to pay a fee to receive a payout. Don’t agree – it 
could be a scam. </li><li>Read the fine print. Most apps require you sign up 
for a free membership before you can receive rebates. Read the fine 
print before you commit to make sure you understand what personal 
information you will need to share, how the app works, and how it 
tallies your purchases and rewards. </li><li>Protect your privacy. Keeping in mind that since 
many cashback apps ask you to connect your credit card, debit card or 
bank account to receive rebates and make purchases, keeping your data 
safe is critical. Before sharing your sensitive information with any 
company, FTC suggests <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0515-apps-help-you-shop-stores" target="_blank">reviewing the company’s privacy policy</a>. </li><li>Find out how payouts work. <a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/finance/what-to-know-cash-back-shopping-sites/" target="_blank">NerdWallet</a>
 reminds consumers that payout methods can vary from company to company.
 Do a little research to find out what the company’s payout frequency 
and threshold is, as well as their payout method and qualifications. </li><li>Avoid unnecessary spending. Take advantage of good 
deals on the products you need but remember that making unnecessary 
purchases just because you’ll receive points or modest cashback bonuses 
will not save you money in the long run. In addition, when taking 
advantage of a product-specific deal, <a href="https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/make-money/quick-money/cash-back-sites/" target="_blank">The Penny Hoarder</a>
 advises, “Read the offer’s fine print. Make sure you’re purchasing the 
correct brand and quantity.” If you purchase the wrong size or flavor 
product, for example, the offer may not be valid.</li>
 </ul><h2>For more infomation</h2>Go to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/" target="_blank">BBB.org</a>&nbsp;to look up online marketplace business profiles, file a complaint, or write a customer review. &nbsp;Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>&nbsp;to research and report scams.Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/bbb-accreditation-standards" target="_blank">BBB Accreditation Standards</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/standards-for-trust" target="_blank">BBB Standards for Trust</a>.&nbsp;Learn how to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/become-accredited" target="_blank">become a BBB Accredited Business</a>.<a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/san-francisco/profile/online-shopping/rakuten-1116-20543" target="_blank">Rakuten</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/co/denver/profile/mobile-apps/ibotta-inc-1296-90153015" target="_blank">Ibotta</a> are BBB Accredited Businesses.&nbsp;

Tip: What to know before downloading a cashback app

MOSCOW (AP) — The U.S. and Russian presidents have tentatively agreed to meet in a last-ditch diplomatic effort to stave off Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine as heavy shelling continued Monday in a conflict in eastern Ukraine that is feared will spark the Russian offensive.

French President Emmanuel Macron sought to broker a possible meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in a series of phone calls that dragged into the night.

Macron’s office said both leaders had “accepted the principle of such a summit,” to be followed by a broader summit meeting also involving other “relevant stakeholders to discuss security and strategic stability in Europe.” It added that the meetings “can only be held on the condition that Russia does not invade Ukraine.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki, said the administration has been clear that “we are committed to pursuing diplomacy until the moment an invasion begins.” She noted that “currently, Russia appears to be continuing preparations for a full-scale assault on Ukraine very soon.”

Macron’s office said that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are set to lay the groundwork for the summit when they meet Thursday.

It followed a flurry of calls by Macron to Putin, Biden and also British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that Putin and Biden could meet if they consider it necessary, but emphasized that “it’s premature to talk about specific plans for a summit.”

“The meeting is possible if the leaders consider it feasible,” he said in a conference call with reporters.

The prospective meeting offers new hope of averting a Russian invasion that U.S. officials said could begin any moment with an estimated 150,000 Russian troops amassed near Ukraine.

Adding to fears of an imminent attack, Russia and its ally Belarus announced Sunday that they were extending massive war games on Belarusian territory that offers a convenient bridgehead for an attack on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, located just 75 kilometers (less than 50 miles) south of the border with Belarus.

Starting Thursday, shelling also spiked along the tense line of contact between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatist rebels in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland, Donbas, where over 14,000 people have been killed since conflict erupted in 2014 shortly after Moscow’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.

Ukraine and the rebels have traded blame for massive cease-fire violations with hundreds of explosions recorded daily.

On Friday, separatist officials announced the evacuation of civilians and military mobilization in the face of what they described as an imminent Ukrainian offensive on the rebel regions. Ukrainian officials have strongly denied any plans to launch such an attack and described the evacuation order as part of Russian provocations intended to set the stage for an invasion.

The separatist authorities said Monday that at least four civilians were killed by Ukrainian shelling over the past 24 hours and several others were injured. Ukraine’s military said two Ukrainian soldiers were killed over the weekend, and another serviceman was wounded Monday.

Ukrainian military spokesman Pavlo Kovalchyuk said the Ukrainian positions were shelled 80 times Sunday and eight times early Monday, noting that the separatists were “cynically firing from residential areas using civilians as shields.” He insisted that Ukrainian forces weren’t returning fire.

In the village of Novognativka on the government-controlled side, 60-year-old Ekaterina Evseeva, said the shelling was worse than at the height of fighting early in the conflict.

“It’s worse than 2014,” she said, her voice trembling. “We are on the edge of nervous breakdowns. And there is nowhere to run.”

Evseeva said that residents were hunkering down in basements amid the renewed fighting: “Yesterday I saw my neighbor with her 2-month-old as she was running to the basement. It shouldn’t be like this.”

Amid the heightened invasion fears, the Kremlin reacted angrily to a New York Times report that the U.S. administration has sent a letter to the United Nations human rights chief claiming that Moscow has compiled a list of Ukrainians to be killed or sent to detention camps after the invasion. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said the claim was a lie and no such list exists.

Moscow denies any plans to invade Ukraine, but wants Western guarantees that NATO won’t allow Ukraine and other former Soviet countries to join as members. It also urges the alliance to halt weapons deployments to Ukraine and roll back its forces from Eastern Europe — demands flatly rejected by the West.

Russian officials have shrugged off Western calls to deescalate by pulling back troops, arguing that Moscow is free to deploy troops and conduct drills wherever it likes on its territory. Last week, Western officials dismissed Russian statements about some of the troops returning to their bases, saying that Moscow was actually beefing up its forces around Ukraine.

Despite Biden’s assertion last week that Putin has made the decision to roll Russian forces into Ukraine, Ukrainian officials sought to project calm, saying that they aren’t seeing invasion as imminent.

Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said Monday that Russia has amassed 147,000 troops around Ukraine, including 9,000 in Belarus, arguing that the number is clearly insufficient for an offensive on the Ukrainian capital from the north.

“The talk about an attack on Kyiv from the Belarusian side sounds ridiculous,” he said, charging that Russia is using the troops there as a scare.

Russia upped the ante Saturday with sweeping nuclear drills that included multiple practice launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles that Putin personally oversaw.

The European Union’s top diplomat, foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, welcomed the prospect of a Biden-Putin summit but said that should diplomacy fail the 27-nation bloc has finalized its package of sanctions for use if Putin orders an invasion.

“The work is done. We are ready,” said Borrell, who is chairing a meeting of EU foreign ministers and was tasked with drawing up a list of people in Russia to be hit with asset freezes and travel bans. He provided no details about who might be targeted.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock welcomed Macron’s summit initiative and warned Russia against any false flag action to provoke hostilities. “I appeal urgently to the Russian government, to the Russian president: Don’t play with human lives,” she said as she arrived at the EU top diplomats’ meeting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645441664062.png" alt="On Sunday President Biden convened a meeting of the National Security Council to discuss the latest developments regarding Russia’s military buildup on the borders of Ukraine-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>On Sunday President Biden convened a meeting of the National Security Council to discuss the latest developments regarding Russia’s military buildup on the borders of Ukraine-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>MOSCOW (AP) — The U.S. and Russian presidents have tentatively agreed to meet in a last-ditch diplomatic effort to stave off Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine as heavy shelling continued Monday in a conflict in eastern Ukraine that is feared will spark the Russian offensive.French President Emmanuel Macron sought to broker a possible meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in a series of phone calls that dragged into the night.Macron’s office said both leaders had “accepted the principle of such a summit,” to be followed by a broader summit meeting also involving other “relevant stakeholders to discuss security and strategic stability in Europe.” It added that the meetings “can only be held on the condition that Russia does not invade Ukraine.”White House press secretary Jen Psaki, said the administration has been clear that “we are committed to pursuing diplomacy until the moment an invasion begins.” She noted that “currently, Russia appears to be continuing preparations for a full-scale assault on Ukraine very soon.”Macron’s office said that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are set to lay the groundwork for the summit when they meet Thursday.It followed a flurry of calls by Macron to Putin, Biden and also British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that Putin and Biden could meet if they consider it necessary, but emphasized that “it’s premature to talk about specific plans for a summit.”“The meeting is possible if the leaders consider it feasible,” he said in a conference call with reporters.The prospective meeting offers new hope of averting a Russian invasion that U.S. officials said could begin any moment with an estimated 150,000 Russian troops amassed near Ukraine.Adding to fears of an imminent attack, Russia and its ally Belarus announced Sunday that they were extending massive war games on Belarusian territory that offers a convenient bridgehead for an attack on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, located just 75 kilometers (less than 50 miles) south of the border with Belarus.Starting Thursday, shelling also spiked along the tense line of contact between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatist rebels in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland, Donbas, where over 14,000 people have been killed since conflict erupted in 2014 shortly after Moscow’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.Ukraine and the rebels have traded blame for massive cease-fire violations with hundreds of explosions recorded daily.On Friday, separatist officials announced the evacuation of civilians and military mobilization in the face of what they described as an imminent Ukrainian offensive on the rebel regions. Ukrainian officials have strongly denied any plans to launch such an attack and described the evacuation order as part of Russian provocations intended to set the stage for an invasion.The separatist authorities said Monday that at least four civilians were killed by Ukrainian shelling over the past 24 hours and several others were injured. Ukraine’s military said two Ukrainian soldiers were killed over the weekend, and another serviceman was wounded Monday.Ukrainian military spokesman Pavlo Kovalchyuk said the Ukrainian positions were shelled 80 times Sunday and eight times early Monday, noting that the separatists were “cynically firing from residential areas using civilians as shields.” He insisted that Ukrainian forces weren’t returning fire.In the village of Novognativka on the government-controlled side, 60-year-old Ekaterina Evseeva, said the shelling was worse than at the height of fighting early in the conflict.“It’s worse than 2014,” she said, her voice trembling. “We are on the edge of nervous breakdowns. And there is nowhere to run.”Evseeva said that residents were hunkering down in basements amid the renewed fighting: “Yesterday I saw my neighbor with her 2-month-old as she was running to the basement. It shouldn’t be like this.”Amid the heightened invasion fears, the Kremlin reacted angrily to a New York Times report that the U.S. administration has sent a letter to the United Nations human rights chief claiming that Moscow has compiled a list of Ukrainians to be killed or sent to detention camps after the invasion. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said the claim was a lie and no such list exists.Moscow denies any plans to invade Ukraine, but wants Western guarantees that NATO won’t allow Ukraine and other former Soviet countries to join as members. It also urges the alliance to halt weapons deployments to Ukraine and roll back its forces from Eastern Europe — demands flatly rejected by the West.Russian officials have shrugged off Western calls to deescalate by pulling back troops, arguing that Moscow is free to deploy troops and conduct drills wherever it likes on its territory. Last week, Western officials dismissed Russian statements about some of the troops returning to their bases, saying that Moscow was actually beefing up its forces around Ukraine.Despite Biden’s assertion last week that Putin has made the decision to roll Russian forces into Ukraine, Ukrainian officials sought to project calm, saying that they aren’t seeing invasion as imminent.Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said Monday that Russia has amassed 147,000 troops around Ukraine, including 9,000 in Belarus, arguing that the number is clearly insufficient for an offensive on the Ukrainian capital from the north.“The talk about an attack on Kyiv from the Belarusian side sounds ridiculous,” he said, charging that Russia is using the troops there as a scare.Russia upped the ante Saturday with sweeping nuclear drills that included multiple practice launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles that Putin personally oversaw.The European Union’s top diplomat, foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, welcomed the prospect of a Biden-Putin summit but said that should diplomacy fail the 27-nation bloc has finalized its package of sanctions for use if Putin orders an invasion.“The work is done. We are ready,” said Borrell, who is chairing a meeting of EU foreign ministers and was tasked with drawing up a list of people in Russia to be hit with asset freezes and travel bans. He provided no details about who might be targeted.German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock welcomed Macron’s summit initiative and warned Russia against any false flag action to provoke hostilities. “I appeal urgently to the Russian government, to the Russian president: Don’t play with human lives,” she said as she arrived at the EU top diplomats’ meeting.___

Biden agrees to meet with Putin again as war fears loom

The
 IRS announced today that a new option in the agency’s authentication 
system is now available for taxpayers to sign up for IRS online accounts
 without the use of any biometric data, including facial recognition. 
This is consistent with the IRS’s commitment earlier this month to 
transition away from the requirement for taxpayers creating an IRS 
online account to provide a selfie to a third-party service to help 
authenticate their identity. Taxpayers will have the option of verifying
 their identity during a live, virtual interview with agents; no 
biometric data – including facial recognition – will be required if 
taxpayers choose to authenticate their identity through a virtual 
interview.

Taxpayers will still have the option to verify their identity 
automatically through the use of biometric verification through ID.me’s 
self-assistance tool if they choose. For taxpayers who select this 
option, new requirements are in place to ensure images provided by 
taxpayers are deleted for the account being created. Any existing 
biometric data from taxpayers who previously created an IRS Online 
Account that has already been collected will also be permanently deleted
 over the course of the next few weeks.

While this short-term solution is in place for this year’s filing 
season, the IRS will work closely with partners across government to 
roll out Login.Gov as an authentication tool. The General Services 
Administration is currently working with the IRS to achieve the security
 standards and scale required of Login.Gov, with the goal of moving 
toward introducing this option after the 2022 filing deadline.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSThe
 IRS announced today that a new option in the agency’s authentication 
system is now available for taxpayers to sign up for IRS online accounts
 without the use of any biometric data, including facial recognition. 
This is consistent with the IRS’s commitment earlier this month to 
transition away from the requirement for taxpayers creating an IRS 
online account to provide a selfie to a third-party service to help 
authenticate their identity. Taxpayers will have the option of verifying
 their identity during a live, virtual interview with agents; no 
biometric data – including facial recognition – will be required if 
taxpayers choose to authenticate their identity through a virtual 
interview.Taxpayers will still have the option to verify their identity 
automatically through the use of biometric verification through ID.me’s 
self-assistance tool if they choose. For taxpayers who select this 
option, new requirements are in place to ensure images provided by 
taxpayers are deleted for the account being created. Any existing 
biometric data from taxpayers who previously created an IRS Online 
Account that has already been collected will also be permanently deleted
 over the course of the next few weeks.While this short-term solution is in place for this year’s filing 
season, the IRS will work closely with partners across government to 
roll out Login.Gov as an authentication tool. The General Services 
Administration is currently working with the IRS to achieve the security
 standards and scale required of Login.Gov, with the goal of moving 
toward introducing this option after the 2022 filing deadline.

IRS: Online account signups available without facial recognition

GENOA, Neb. (AP) — An official leading the search for the remains of students who died at the Genoa U.S. Indian Boarding School said no graves were found during a search last year. 

But Judi gaiashkibos, executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, said the work will continue.

 Researchers finished their analysis of data from searches conducted late last year and found no evidence of graves. 

But evidence has clearly indicated children were buried on the school grounds, which operated from 1884 to 1934.

 She said former students and newspaper stories from the time remember student burials at the school, which once had a 640-acre campus.

GENOA, Neb. (AP) — An official leading the search for the remains of students who died at the Genoa U.S. Indian Boarding School said no graves were found during a search last year. But Judi gaiashkibos, executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, said the work will continue. Researchers finished their analysis of data from searches conducted late last year and found no evidence of graves. But evidence has clearly indicated children were buried on the school grounds, which operated from 1884 to 1934. She said former students and newspaper stories from the time remember student burials at the school, which once had a 640-acre campus.

No graves found at Genoa Indian School; search continues

LONDON (AP) — Queen Elizabeth II tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday and is experiencing mild, cold-like symptoms, Buckingham Palace said, adding that the famously stoic 95-year-old monarch still plans to carry on working. The diagnosis prompted concern and get-well wishes from across Britain’s political spectrum.

Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a fixture in the life of the nation, the queen reached the milestone of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-europe-arts-and-entertainment-prince-charles-85988dc8f2b109ded943169dfc18fa27">70 years on the throne on Feb. 6,</a>&nbsp;the anniversary of the 1952 death of her father, King George VI. She will turn 96 on April 21.

The palace said the queen, who has been fully vaccinated and had a booster shot, would continue with “light” duties at Windsor Castle over the coming week.

“She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines,” the palace said in a statement.

People in the U.K. who test positive for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">COVID-19</a>&nbsp;are required to self-isolate for at least five days, although the British government says it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boris-johnson-coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-pandemics-2a717a276b483431f30622f7fa7602cb">plans to lift that requirement for England</a>&nbsp;this week.

Both the queen’s eldest son&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-queen-elizabeth-ii-health-king-felipe-vi-british-museum-9cf9c919c194398968bdbee381c07a28">Prince Charles</a>, 73, and her 74-year-old daughter-in-law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-coronavirus-pandemic-health-arts-and-entertainment-europe-e8ffffb2dd3a0b2ca4631938dc89325d">Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall</a>&nbsp;contracted COVID-19 earlier this month. Charles has since returned to work. There are also thought to be several recent virus cases among staff at Windsor Castle, where the queen is staying.

A host of senior British politicians sent get-well messages. Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: “I’m sure I speak for everyone in wishing Her Majesty The Queen a swift recovery from COVID and a rapid return to vibrant good health.”

Health Secretary Sajid Javid wrote that he was “Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a quick recovery,” while opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer wished the queen “good health and a speedy recovery. Get well soon, Ma’am.”

Elizabeth has been in robust health for most of her reign and has been photographed riding a horse as recently as 2020. In the past year she has been seen using a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-entertainment-princess-anne-royalty-arts-and-entertainment-64794d87da24ab3f61675b523000ab97">walking stick</a>, and in October she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-entertainment-europe-london-royalty-c9e4d83169f38fcff329adc02f969704">spent a night in a London hospital</a>&nbsp;for unspecified tests.

The queen’s doctors ordered her to rest after that and she was forced to cancel appearances at several key events, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-back-spring-remembrance-day-3b90d882719307bcb0c815091ceb53f8">Remembrance Sunday</a>&nbsp;services and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-entertainment-europe-environment-and-nature-london-b00e0b26dd216974aa59fe957fc438c5">COP26 climate conference</a>&nbsp;in Glasgow, Scotland in November.

This month she returned to public duties and has held audiences both virtually and in person with diplomats, politicians and senior military officers. During one exchange caught on camera last week, she walked slowly with a stick and said “as you can see I can’t move” in apparent reference to her leg.

Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said members of the royal family would be very concerned by the COVID-19 diagnosis.

“I would guess that she will be matter-of-fact about the diagnosis in a way perhaps that the people around her are less matter-of-fact,” he said.

The queen has a busy schedule over the next few months of her Platinum Jubilee year, and is scheduled to attend in-person public engagements in the coming weeks, including a diplomatic reception at Windsor on March 2 and the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 14.

On March 29, she has a remembrance service at Westminster Abbey for her husband Prince Philip, who died in April 2021 at 99.

Public celebrations of the Platinum Jubilee are scheduled over a long weekend June 2-5, with festivities including a military parade, a day of horse racing and neighborhood parties.

The queen is the latest monarch from around the world to catch COVID-19. Queen Margrethe of Denmark, 82, and Spain’s King Felipe VI, 54,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-spain-europe-arts-and-entertainment-62f6dc8c38afc40b20d7059a910ddf0e">both tested positive</a>&nbsp;for the illness earlier in February and had mild symptoms.

Her diagnosis comes after a difficult week for Britain’s royal family.

On Tuesday the queen’s second son,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre-lawsuit-settlement-8b04c775aa46f761d81c05ef12e3a94f">Prince Andrew, settled a U.S. lawsuit</a>&nbsp;brought by a woman who claimed he had sexually abused with her when she was 17 and traveling with the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew strenuously denied the claim by Virginia Giuffre. He agreed in a settlement to make a substantial donation to his accuser’s charity.

On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-police-london-philanthropy-6573c05f26a12cebe15de1940536587c">London’s Metropolitan Police launched an investigation</a>&nbsp;into allegations that people associated with one of Prince Charles’ charities offered to help a Saudi billionaire secure honors and citizenship in return for donations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634738473421.png" alt="Queen Elizabeth at the G7 conference in June -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Queen Elizabeth at the G7 conference in June -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — Queen Elizabeth II tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday and is experiencing mild, cold-like symptoms, Buckingham Palace said, adding that the famously stoic 95-year-old monarch still plans to carry on working. The diagnosis prompted concern and get-well wishes from across Britain’s political spectrum.Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a fixture in the life of the nation, the queen reached the milestone of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-europe-arts-and-entertainment-prince-charles-85988dc8f2b109ded943169dfc18fa27">70 years on the throne on Feb. 6,</a>&nbsp;the anniversary of the 1952 death of her father, King George VI. She will turn 96 on April 21.The palace said the queen, who has been fully vaccinated and had a booster shot, would continue with “light” duties at Windsor Castle over the coming week.“She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines,” the palace said in a statement.People in the U.K. who test positive for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">COVID-19</a>&nbsp;are required to self-isolate for at least five days, although the British government says it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boris-johnson-coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-pandemics-2a717a276b483431f30622f7fa7602cb">plans to lift that requirement for England</a>&nbsp;this week.Both the queen’s eldest son&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-queen-elizabeth-ii-health-king-felipe-vi-british-museum-9cf9c919c194398968bdbee381c07a28">Prince Charles</a>, 73, and her 74-year-old daughter-in-law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-coronavirus-pandemic-health-arts-and-entertainment-europe-e8ffffb2dd3a0b2ca4631938dc89325d">Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall</a>&nbsp;contracted COVID-19 earlier this month. Charles has since returned to work. There are also thought to be several recent virus cases among staff at Windsor Castle, where the queen is staying.A host of senior British politicians sent get-well messages. Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: “I’m sure I speak for everyone in wishing Her Majesty The Queen a swift recovery from COVID and a rapid return to vibrant good health.”Health Secretary Sajid Javid wrote that he was “Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a quick recovery,” while opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer wished the queen “good health and a speedy recovery. Get well soon, Ma’am.”Elizabeth has been in robust health for most of her reign and has been photographed riding a horse as recently as 2020. In the past year she has been seen using a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-entertainment-princess-anne-royalty-arts-and-entertainment-64794d87da24ab3f61675b523000ab97">walking stick</a>, and in October she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-entertainment-europe-london-royalty-c9e4d83169f38fcff329adc02f969704">spent a night in a London hospital</a>&nbsp;for unspecified tests.The queen’s doctors ordered her to rest after that and she was forced to cancel appearances at several key events, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-back-spring-remembrance-day-3b90d882719307bcb0c815091ceb53f8">Remembrance Sunday</a>&nbsp;services and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-entertainment-europe-environment-and-nature-london-b00e0b26dd216974aa59fe957fc438c5">COP26 climate conference</a>&nbsp;in Glasgow, Scotland in November.This month she returned to public duties and has held audiences both virtually and in person with diplomats, politicians and senior military officers. During one exchange caught on camera last week, she walked slowly with a stick and said “as you can see I can’t move” in apparent reference to her leg.Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said members of the royal family would be very concerned by the COVID-19 diagnosis.“I would guess that she will be matter-of-fact about the diagnosis in a way perhaps that the people around her are less matter-of-fact,” he said.The queen has a busy schedule over the next few months of her Platinum Jubilee year, and is scheduled to attend in-person public engagements in the coming weeks, including a diplomatic reception at Windsor on March 2 and the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 14.On March 29, she has a remembrance service at Westminster Abbey for her husband Prince Philip, who died in April 2021 at 99.Public celebrations of the Platinum Jubilee are scheduled over a long weekend June 2-5, with festivities including a military parade, a day of horse racing and neighborhood parties.The queen is the latest monarch from around the world to catch COVID-19. Queen Margrethe of Denmark, 82, and Spain’s King Felipe VI, 54,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-spain-europe-arts-and-entertainment-62f6dc8c38afc40b20d7059a910ddf0e">both tested positive</a>&nbsp;for the illness earlier in February and had mild symptoms.Her diagnosis comes after a difficult week for Britain’s royal family.On Tuesday the queen’s second son,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre-lawsuit-settlement-8b04c775aa46f761d81c05ef12e3a94f">Prince Andrew, settled a U.S. lawsuit</a>&nbsp;brought by a woman who claimed he had sexually abused with her when she was 17 and traveling with the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew strenuously denied the claim by Virginia Giuffre. He agreed in a settlement to make a substantial donation to his accuser’s charity.On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-police-london-philanthropy-6573c05f26a12cebe15de1940536587c">London’s Metropolitan Police launched an investigation</a>&nbsp;into allegations that people associated with one of Prince Charles’ charities offered to help a Saudi billionaire secure honors and citizenship in return for donations.___

Fully vaccinated Queen Elizabeth II tests positive for COVID

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/18/additional-funding-urged-for-research-into-deadly-pancreatic-cancer/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The list of Nebraskans claimed by pancreatic cancer is a long one, a state legislative committee was told Thursday.

Former
 Creighton University President John Schlegel, former University of 
Nebraska Regent Bob Whitehouse and even baseball Hall of Famer Bob 
Gibson are among the widely-known victims of the rare but deadly cancer.

About 200 Nebraskans a year die from pancreatic cancer, which has a five-year survival rate of only 10%.

“I
 bet everyone here knows someone who has died from this disease,” said 
Jim Armitage, an oncologist at the University of Nebraska Medical 
Center, whose wife died from pancreatic cancer.

Armitage
 is now married to Shirley Young-Armitage, who lost her husband, Union 
Pacific President Jim Young, to the disease in 2014.

Jim
 and Shirley were among those urging support for a bill that would 
earmark $15 million of the state’s $1.04 billion in American Rescue Plan
 Act funds to expand research into pancreatic cancer at the University 
of Nebraska Medical Center. That money would be matched with $15 million
 in private donations under Legislative Bill 766.

It’s a “silent killer,” according to State Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward, who lost his wife to the disease.

Researchers
 are still working on an effective way to screen for pancreatic cancer 
and still looking for the best ways to treat it, the Legislature’s 
Appropriations Committee was told.

“My wife’s diagnosis came without warning,” Kolterman said. “She was the picture of health until she started showing symptoms.”

Because
 it’s so difficult to detect, the cancer has often spread to the point 
that surgery is pointless once it’s found, said Dr. Kelsey Klute, 
another UNMC oncologist. Most people die within a year, she said.

In
 recent years, the Buffett Cancer Institute has built a national 
reputation for its research into pancreatic cancer. In 2018, the 
University of Nebraska Board of Regents&nbsp;established the UNMC&nbsp;Pancreatic 
Cancer Center of Excellence, which increases its profile and chances for
 grant funding, Kolterman said.

UNMC
 researchers were the first in the country to launch a study of people 
whose families have a history of pancreatic cancer. That study, started 
in 2018, now takes regular blood samples from 500 people in hopes of 
developing an early detection test, Klute said.

In
 a couple of months, a top cancer researcher from Seattle, Dr. Sunil 
Hingorani, will become the director of the UNMC pancreatic cancer 
center.&nbsp;

But
 Klute and others said the program needs additional funding. Its current
 grant funding allows research into only about 20% of “our best ideas,” 
she said. More money would allow recruitment of more scientists and 
researchers.&nbsp;

“There’s no reason we in Nebraska can’t be the best at this,” Armitage said, in urging support for LB 766.

The
 Appropriations Committee took no action on the bill after Thursday’s 
hearing. The committee is expected to make its recommendations next 
month on how to spend the ARPA funds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645222001366.png" alt="State Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/18/additional-funding-urged-for-research-into-deadly-pancreatic-cancer/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The list of Nebraskans claimed by pancreatic cancer is a long one, a state legislative committee was told Thursday.Former
 Creighton University President John Schlegel, former University of 
Nebraska Regent Bob Whitehouse and even baseball Hall of Famer Bob 
Gibson are among the widely-known victims of the rare but deadly cancer.About 200 Nebraskans a year die from pancreatic cancer, which has a five-year survival rate of only 10%.“I
 bet everyone here knows someone who has died from this disease,” said 
Jim Armitage, an oncologist at the University of Nebraska Medical 
Center, whose wife died from pancreatic cancer.<h2>‘Silent killer’</h2>Armitage
 is now married to Shirley Young-Armitage, who lost her husband, Union 
Pacific President Jim Young, to the disease in 2014.Jim
 and Shirley were among those urging support for a bill that would 
earmark $15 million of the state’s $1.04 billion in American Rescue Plan
 Act funds to expand research into pancreatic cancer at the University 
of Nebraska Medical Center. That money would be matched with $15 million
 in private donations under Legislative Bill 766.It’s a “silent killer,” according to State Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward, who lost his wife to the disease.Researchers
 are still working on an effective way to screen for pancreatic cancer 
and still looking for the best ways to treat it, the Legislature’s 
Appropriations Committee was told.<h2>Difficult to detect</h2>“My wife’s diagnosis came without warning,” Kolterman said. “She was the picture of health until she started showing symptoms.”Because
 it’s so difficult to detect, the cancer has often spread to the point 
that surgery is pointless once it’s found, said Dr. Kelsey Klute, 
another UNMC oncologist. Most people die within a year, she said.In
 recent years, the Buffett Cancer Institute has built a national 
reputation for its research into pancreatic cancer. In 2018, the 
University of Nebraska Board of Regents&nbsp;established the UNMC&nbsp;Pancreatic 
Cancer Center of Excellence, which increases its profile and chances for
 grant funding, Kolterman said.<h2>First study of its kind</h2>UNMC
 researchers were the first in the country to launch a study of people 
whose families have a history of pancreatic cancer. That study, started 
in 2018, now takes regular blood samples from 500 people in hopes of 
developing an early detection test, Klute said.In
 a couple of months, a top cancer researcher from Seattle, Dr. Sunil 
Hingorani, will become the director of the UNMC pancreatic cancer 
center.&nbsp;But
 Klute and others said the program needs additional funding. Its current
 grant funding allows research into only about 20% of “our best ideas,” 
she said. More money would allow recruitment of more scientists and 
researchers.&nbsp;“There’s no reason we in Nebraska can’t be the best at this,” Armitage said, in urging support for LB 766.The
 Appropriations Committee took no action on the bill after Thursday’s 
hearing. The committee is expected to make its recommendations next 
month on how to spend the ARPA funds.

Additional funding urged for UNMC research into pancreatic cancer

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is hoping to use his upcoming State of the Union address to nudge the pandemic into the nation’s rear-view mirror. But it could turn into yet another disruptive display of national tensions and frustration over trying to move past COVID-19.

Biden’s March 1 address to Congress will play out against what Vice President Kamala Harris has called a “malaise” over the persistence of COVID and growing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-pandemics-f78e81ca7e93e03141250e78a7d70ebb">public impatience to get back to normal</a>&nbsp;after two years of pandemic restrictions. Even Democratic-run state and local governments are lifting restrictions&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/stories/details/e847a2d6099fe8ebe82d9eb5bd7f5111.1.3.json?type=tab" target="_blank">as cases, hospitalizations and deaths decline</a>.

However, the State of the Union setting — Capitol Hill — remains one of the most significantly disrupted workplaces in the country, something of a ground zero for culture wars over the lingering restrictions and security concerns from the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.

Proxy voting in the House allows lawmakers to work from home and skip going into the office, and has been extended through March. Tours and office visits are limited. GOP lawmakers have racked up thousands of dollars in fines for violating mask-wearing mandates on the House floor.

Seating for Biden’s first address to a joint session of Congress last April was capped at about 200 — about 20% of usual capacity for a presidential presentation. White House officials say the protocols for Biden’s next one will be determined by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Pelosi indicated last week that lawmakers are aiming for “fuller participation” than last year, including inviting every member of Congress. She said, “I think the people are ready to pivot in a way that shows to the American people we largely have been vaccinated here.”

But attendance, she added, will be “up to the Capitol physician.”

In an interview on the eve of the 1/6 anniversary last month, Pelosi said she hoped the Capitol, which remained closed in part for security concerns, would reopen soon.

Republicans, meanwhile, have grown increasingly vocal about rolling back restrictions at the Capitol. In the Senate, more than half of GOP lawmakers this week signed a resolution calling on Congress to lift all virus rules and reopen to visitors.

“From stores to venues and most workplaces and schools, the rest of the United States has reopened, and it’s time for the Senate to do the same,” said Sen. Bill Hagerty, author of the resolution.

Though the Capitol and other federal properties set their own rules, the District of Columbia’s indoor mask requirement for most indoor gatherings and businesses is to be lifted on the same day as Biden’s address, The White House, for its part, says it will set rules for the complex based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

There are no indications that Pelosi is prepared to lift the House chamber’s mask guidance, which she maintained last year even when the CDC eased indoor mask-wearing requirements for fully vaccinated individuals before the emergence of the delta variant.

The White House has taken extraordinary precautions to keep Biden from getting the virus, including requiring high-quality masks in his vicinity and limiting his travel and participation in large events.

In addition to members of Congress, the State of the Union audience traditionally includes Cabinet members, military leaders, Supreme Court justices, diplomats and other invited guests. It’s not yet clear if Pelosi has decided whether to send invitations to Washington’s diplomatic corps and other guests who normally fill the galleries for the address.

A speech to a full House chamber would be by far the densest audience of Biden’s presidency to date.

The debate over rules on wearing masks and getting vaccinated has become a major front in the nation’s culture wars, breaking down along regional and political lines. Scenes of mask-less celebrities enjoying the Super Bowl — when schoolchildren in some jurisdictions are required to wear masks even when outside at recess — have drawn criticism for unfairness.

Some Biden allies are fretting that the Capitol scene could add fuel to the fire, or that anti-mask conservative Republicans would use the speech for some stunt or protest.

More broadly, federal officials are racing to finalize new, more flexible national guidance on mask-wearing and other policies before Biden steps up to the rostrum in the House chamber at 9:01 p.m.

“We want to give people a break from things like mask-wearing, when these metrics are better, and then have the ability to reach for them again, should things worsen,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, said Wednesday.

She indicated the revised guidelines, to be coordinated with a broad administration plan for the “next phase” of the virus response, should come around the end of February.

Administration officials expect that new strategy and message to figure prominently in Biden’s speech as pandemic fatigue becomes more pronounced.

The White House sees his speech — in concert with the expected loosening of virus limits — as an opportunity to help stem an erosion of public confidence in his leadership. According to an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll last month, just 45% of Americans said they approved of Biden’s handling of COVID-19, down from 57% in December and 66% in July.

“This is an opportunity for the president to acknowledge the challenge that we faced over the last few years, but also acknowledge that we’re gonna have to learn how to live with COVID, and we know how to do that,” said Democratic Rep. Ami Bera, a California physician.

In an interview, Bera said he hoped Congress would roll back some of its limits, including its mask mandate, and that Biden could speak to an audience that would symbolize the emergency phase of the pandemic was over.

“It is a real bully pulpit and the president could take this opportunity to move the country to a more normal space,” he said.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell this week criticized the Democrats’ approach, saying they only recently changed their tune because of shifting public opinion.

“The only science that’s changed in the last two weeks is the political science,” he said. “The only data that’s changed in the last two weeks is Democrats’ polling data.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645100329185.png" alt="The White House has taken extraordinary precautions to keep Biden from getting the virus, including requiring high-quality masks in his vicinity and limiting his travel and participation in large events-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>The White House has taken extraordinary precautions to keep Biden from getting the virus, including requiring high-quality masks in his vicinity and limiting his travel and participation in large events-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is hoping to use his upcoming State of the Union address to nudge the pandemic into the nation’s rear-view mirror. But it could turn into yet another disruptive display of national tensions and frustration over trying to move past COVID-19.Biden’s March 1 address to Congress will play out against what Vice President Kamala Harris has called a “malaise” over the persistence of COVID and growing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-pandemics-f78e81ca7e93e03141250e78a7d70ebb">public impatience to get back to normal</a>&nbsp;after two years of pandemic restrictions. Even Democratic-run state and local governments are lifting restrictions&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/stories/details/e847a2d6099fe8ebe82d9eb5bd7f5111.1.3.json?type=tab" target="_blank">as cases, hospitalizations and deaths decline</a>.However, the State of the Union setting — Capitol Hill — remains one of the most significantly disrupted workplaces in the country, something of a ground zero for culture wars over the lingering restrictions and security concerns from the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.Proxy voting in the House allows lawmakers to work from home and skip going into the office, and has been extended through March. Tours and office visits are limited. GOP lawmakers have racked up thousands of dollars in fines for violating mask-wearing mandates on the House floor.Seating for Biden’s first address to a joint session of Congress last April was capped at about 200 — about 20% of usual capacity for a presidential presentation. White House officials say the protocols for Biden’s next one will be determined by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.Pelosi indicated last week that lawmakers are aiming for “fuller participation” than last year, including inviting every member of Congress. She said, “I think the people are ready to pivot in a way that shows to the American people we largely have been vaccinated here.”But attendance, she added, will be “up to the Capitol physician.”In an interview on the eve of the 1/6 anniversary last month, Pelosi said she hoped the Capitol, which remained closed in part for security concerns, would reopen soon.Republicans, meanwhile, have grown increasingly vocal about rolling back restrictions at the Capitol. In the Senate, more than half of GOP lawmakers this week signed a resolution calling on Congress to lift all virus rules and reopen to visitors.“From stores to venues and most workplaces and schools, the rest of the United States has reopened, and it’s time for the Senate to do the same,” said Sen. Bill Hagerty, author of the resolution.Though the Capitol and other federal properties set their own rules, the District of Columbia’s indoor mask requirement for most indoor gatherings and businesses is to be lifted on the same day as Biden’s address, The White House, for its part, says it will set rules for the complex based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.There are no indications that Pelosi is prepared to lift the House chamber’s mask guidance, which she maintained last year even when the CDC eased indoor mask-wearing requirements for fully vaccinated individuals before the emergence of the delta variant.The White House has taken extraordinary precautions to keep Biden from getting the virus, including requiring high-quality masks in his vicinity and limiting his travel and participation in large events.In addition to members of Congress, the State of the Union audience traditionally includes Cabinet members, military leaders, Supreme Court justices, diplomats and other invited guests. It’s not yet clear if Pelosi has decided whether to send invitations to Washington’s diplomatic corps and other guests who normally fill the galleries for the address.A speech to a full House chamber would be by far the densest audience of Biden’s presidency to date.The debate over rules on wearing masks and getting vaccinated has become a major front in the nation’s culture wars, breaking down along regional and political lines. Scenes of mask-less celebrities enjoying the Super Bowl — when schoolchildren in some jurisdictions are required to wear masks even when outside at recess — have drawn criticism for unfairness.Some Biden allies are fretting that the Capitol scene could add fuel to the fire, or that anti-mask conservative Republicans would use the speech for some stunt or protest.More broadly, federal officials are racing to finalize new, more flexible national guidance on mask-wearing and other policies before Biden steps up to the rostrum in the House chamber at 9:01 p.m.“We want to give people a break from things like mask-wearing, when these metrics are better, and then have the ability to reach for them again, should things worsen,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, said Wednesday.She indicated the revised guidelines, to be coordinated with a broad administration plan for the “next phase” of the virus response, should come around the end of February.Administration officials expect that new strategy and message to figure prominently in Biden’s speech as pandemic fatigue becomes more pronounced.The White House sees his speech — in concert with the expected loosening of virus limits — as an opportunity to help stem an erosion of public confidence in his leadership. According to an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll last month, just 45% of Americans said they approved of Biden’s handling of COVID-19, down from 57% in December and 66% in July.There is growing clamor in both parties.“This is an opportunity for the president to acknowledge the challenge that we faced over the last few years, but also acknowledge that we’re gonna have to learn how to live with COVID, and we know how to do that,” said Democratic Rep. Ami Bera, a California physician.In an interview, Bera said he hoped Congress would roll back some of its limits, including its mask mandate, and that Biden could speak to an audience that would symbolize the emergency phase of the pandemic was over.“It is a real bully pulpit and the president could take this opportunity to move the country to a more normal space,” he said.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell this week criticized the Democrats’ approach, saying they only recently changed their tune because of shifting public opinion.“The only science that’s changed in the last two weeks is the political science,” he said. “The only data that’s changed in the last two weeks is Democrats’ polling data.”

COVID a wildcard as Biden prepares for State of the Union

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAyMTguNTM2Nzk0ODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5mZGEuZ292L25ld3MtZXZlbnRzL3ByZXNzLWFubm91bmNlbWVudHMvZmRhLXdhcm5zLWNvbnN1bWVycy1ub3QtdXNlLWNlcnRhaW4tcG93ZGVyZWQtaW5mYW50LWZvcm11bGEtcHJvZHVjZWQtYWJib3R0LW51dHJpdGlvbnMtZmFjaWxpdHk_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.CAPF1nLUS0LjoQ3ASigV1TgOw3_ZPe6D50BWG-zhFZg/s/1305913448/br/126886855246-l" target="_blank">announced it is investigating complaints</a>&nbsp;of infant illness related to products from Abbott’s Nutrition’s Sturgis, Michigan facility, according to a media release from the KDHE.

Three brands of powdered infant&nbsp;formula&nbsp;were recalled for possible&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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._NF-CYmRtE7N24u_Ds9_BMnyCsKqMdPnTYN69MjJc5I/s/1305913448/br/126886855246-l" target="_blank">Cronobacter</a>&nbsp;contamination.&nbsp;As a result of the ongoing investigation,&nbsp;the&nbsp;FDA is alerting consumers to avoid purchasing or using certain powdered infant&nbsp;formula&nbsp;products produced at this facility.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The FDA is <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAyMTguNTM2Nzk0ODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5mZGEuZ292L2Zvb2Qvb3V0YnJlYWtzLWZvb2Rib3JuZS1pbGxuZXNzL2ZkYS1pbnZlc3RpZ2F0aW9uLWNyb25vYmFjdGVyLWFuZC1zYWxtb25lbGxhLWNvbXBsYWludHMtcG93ZGVyZWQtaW5mYW50LWZvcm11bGEtZmVicnVhcnktMjAyMj91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.TEnta1hVWkOgUmiTNvESkrlg3gT1KwttQcGCMeCCAeU/s/1305913448/br/126886855246-l" target="_blank">advising</a> consumers not to use Similac,&nbsp;Alimentum, or&nbsp;EleCare&nbsp;powdered infant&nbsp;formulas if:&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645299455131.png" alt="Photo FDA" />
 <figcaption>Photo FDA</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAyMTguNTM2Nzk0ODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5mZGEuZ292L25ld3MtZXZlbnRzL3ByZXNzLWFubm91bmNlbWVudHMvZmRhLXdhcm5zLWNvbnN1bWVycy1ub3QtdXNlLWNlcnRhaW4tcG93ZGVyZWQtaW5mYW50LWZvcm11bGEtcHJvZHVjZWQtYWJib3R0LW51dHJpdGlvbnMtZmFjaWxpdHk_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.CAPF1nLUS0LjoQ3ASigV1TgOw3_ZPe6D50BWG-zhFZg/s/1305913448/br/126886855246-l" target="_blank">announced it is investigating complaints</a>&nbsp;of infant illness related to products from Abbott’s Nutrition’s Sturgis, Michigan facility, according to a media release from the KDHE.Three brands of powdered infant&nbsp;formula&nbsp;were recalled for possible&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAyMTguNTM2Nzk0ODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jZGMuZ292L2Nyb25vYmFjdGVyL2luZmVjdGlvbi1hbmQtaW5mYW50cy5odG1sP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSM6fjp0ZXh0PVRocmVlJTIwYnJhbmRzJTIwb2YlMjBwb3dkZXJlZCUyMGluZmFudCwyMDIyJTJDJTIwZm9yJTIwcG9zc2libGUlMjBDcm9ub2JhY3RlciUyMGNvbnRhbWluYXRpb24uJnRleHQ9UmVjYWxsZWQlMjBwb3dkZXJlZCUyMGluZmFudCUyMGZvcm11bGElMjBpbmNsdWRlcyxTSCUyQyVFMiU4MCU5RCUyMG9yJTIwJUUyJTgwJTlDWjIlRTIlODAlOUQifQ._NF-CYmRtE7N24u_Ds9_BMnyCsKqMdPnTYN69MjJc5I/s/1305913448/br/126886855246-l" target="_blank">Cronobacter</a>&nbsp;contamination.&nbsp;As a result of the ongoing investigation,&nbsp;the&nbsp;FDA is alerting consumers to avoid purchasing or using certain powdered infant&nbsp;formula&nbsp;products produced at this facility.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645299498245.png" alt="Photo FDA" />
 <figcaption>Photo FDA</figcaption>
 </figure>The FDA is <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAyMTguNTM2Nzk0ODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5mZGEuZ292L2Zvb2Qvb3V0YnJlYWtzLWZvb2Rib3JuZS1pbGxuZXNzL2ZkYS1pbnZlc3RpZ2F0aW9uLWNyb25vYmFjdGVyLWFuZC1zYWxtb25lbGxhLWNvbXBsYWludHMtcG93ZGVyZWQtaW5mYW50LWZvcm11bGEtZmVicnVhcnktMjAyMj91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.TEnta1hVWkOgUmiTNvESkrlg3gT1KwttQcGCMeCCAeU/s/1305913448/br/126886855246-l" target="_blank">advising</a> consumers not to use Similac,&nbsp;Alimentum, or&nbsp;EleCare&nbsp;powdered infant&nbsp;formulas if:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>the first two digits of the code are 22 through 37; and &nbsp;</li><li>the code on the container contains K8, SH or Z2; and &nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>the expiration date is 4-1-2022 (APR 2022) or later.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Abbott has initiated a voluntary recall of certain powdered infant&nbsp;formulas. Products made at the Sturgis facility can be found across the United States. Individuals can find more information about&nbsp;returning&nbsp;the product directly to Abbott by using the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAyMTguNTM2Nzk0ODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zaW1pbGFjcmVjYWxsLmNvbS91cy9lbi9ob21lLmh0bWw_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.O4GnPwqAMhACFq4yRvKVpmNC2WWCQGkLXi0sJISoRlA/s/1305913448/br/126886855246-l" target="_blank">Product Recall tool</a>.&nbsp;Cronobacter infections are rare, but they can be deadly in newborns. Infections in infants usually occur in the first days or weeks of life. About two to four cases are reported to CDC every year, but this figure may not reflect the true number of illnesses because most hospitals and laboratories are not required to report Cronobacter infections to health departments.&nbsp;The first <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAyMTguNTM2Nzk0ODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jZGMuZ292L2Nyb25vYmFjdGVyL2RlZmluaXRpb24uaHRtbD91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.reQVI2eDYANx8V4NFdRueFRWlBm_WucB5dYV-LqXTtk/s/1305913448/br/126886855246-l" target="_blank">symptom of Cronobacter</a> infection in infants is usually a fever, accompanied by poor feeding, crying, or very low energy. Infants with these symptoms should be&nbsp;immediately evaluated&nbsp;by a health&nbsp;care provider.&nbsp;