GRAND ISLAND&nbsp; — One person involved in a crash that occurred Sunday morning in Hamilton County has died. The crash remains under investigation by the Nebraska State Patrol.

Preliminary investigation shows that at approximately 6:00 a.m. Sunday, an Aurora Police Officer was traveling eastbound on I-80 near mile marker 318. The officer observed a Toyota Corolla driving recklessly and unable to maintain its lane. After conferring with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, the officer attempted a traffic stop.

The driver of the Corolla then turned around and began traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes. The officer continued eastbound until finding a safe location to cross over to the westbound lanes of I-80. Shortly thereafter, the officer came upon a crash that had occurred in the eastbound lanes. The Corolla had struck a Lincoln Navigator head-on in the eastbound passing lane of I-80 near mile marker 317.

The driver of the Corolla, Angel Pojoy Domingo, 18, of Grand Island, was ejected during the crash. He was transported to St. Francis Hospital in Grand Island with life-threatening injuries and passed away Tuesday evening.

The driver of the Navigator, Jose Ulloa, 40, of Ponca City, Oklahoma, was flown to Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha where he is currently in stable condition with what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries. There were four passengers in the Navigator at the time of the crash. All were treated for minor injuries.

The Hamilton County Attorney’s Office has requested that NSP investigate the incident.

GRAND ISLAND&nbsp; — One person involved in a crash that occurred Sunday morning in Hamilton County has died. The crash remains under investigation by the Nebraska State Patrol.Preliminary investigation shows that at approximately 6:00 a.m. Sunday, an Aurora Police Officer was traveling eastbound on I-80 near mile marker 318. The officer observed a Toyota Corolla driving recklessly and unable to maintain its lane. After conferring with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, the officer attempted a traffic stop.The driver of the Corolla then turned around and began traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes. The officer continued eastbound until finding a safe location to cross over to the westbound lanes of I-80. Shortly thereafter, the officer came upon a crash that had occurred in the eastbound lanes. The Corolla had struck a Lincoln Navigator head-on in the eastbound passing lane of I-80 near mile marker 317.The driver of the Corolla, Angel Pojoy Domingo, 18, of Grand Island, was ejected during the crash. He was transported to St. Francis Hospital in Grand Island with life-threatening injuries and passed away Tuesday evening.The driver of the Navigator, Jose Ulloa, 40, of Ponca City, Oklahoma, was flown to Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha where he is currently in stable condition with what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries. There were four passengers in the Navigator at the time of the crash. All were treated for minor injuries.The Hamilton County Attorney’s Office has requested that NSP investigate the incident. That investigation is ongoing.

Grand Island man dies after crash in Hamilton County 

BRUSSELS (AP) — President Joe Biden is sending about 2,000 U.S.-based troops to Poland and Germany and shifting 1,000 soldiers from Germany to Romania as demonstrations of American commitments to allies on NATO’s eastern flank amid fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?517673-1/pentagon-announces-troop-deployments-europe-amid-rising-russia-ukraine-tensions">Click here to watch&nbsp;</a>the Pentagon briefing on the troop deployment

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said the soon-to-deploy U.S. forces are intended to temporarily bolster U.S. and allied defensive positions and will not enter Ukraine.

“These are not permanent moves,” he said, stressing that the purpose is to reassure allies at a time of heightened tension over Russia’s buildup of an estimated 100,000 troops along Ukraine’s borders. Kirby said the Russian buildup has continued, even in the last 24 hours, despite U.S. urgings that it deescalate.

The newly announced U.S. troop deployments are in line with expectations based on Biden administration efforts to reassure allies and demonstrate U.S. resolve without undermining efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis.

The U.S. already has several thousand troops in Poland, and Romania is host to a NATO missile defense system that Russia considers a threat to its security. Biden notably has not sent American military reinforcements to the three Baltic countries on NATO’s eastern flank — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — that are former states of the Soviet Union.

Of the 2,000 deploying from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, about 1,700 are members of the 82nd Airborne Division infantry brigade, who will go to Poland. The other 300 are with the 18th Airborne Corps and will deploy to Germany as what the Pentagon called a “joint task force-capable headquarters.”

Poland’s Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak wrote on Twitter that the U.S. deployment to his country is “a strong signal of solidarity in response to the situation in Ukraine.”

The 1,000 U.S. troops going to Romania are members of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment based at Vilseck, Germany. They will augment the approximately 900 U.S. troops already in Romania, Kirby said.

The cavalry deployment’s purpose is to “deter aggression and enhance our defensive capabilities in frontline allied states during this period of elevated risk,” the Pentagon said in a separate written statement.

“It’s important that we send a strong signal to Mr. Putin and to the world” of the U.S commitment to NATO, Kirby said.

He said France has decided it, too, will send troop reinforcements to Romania under NATO command, and he noted that a number of other European NATO countries are considering adding forces on NATO’s eastern flank.

NATO has been beefing up its defenses around allies in eastern Europe since late last year. Denmark, for example, said it was sending a frigate and F-16 warplanes to Lithuania, and Spain was sending four fighter jets to Bulgaria and three ships to the Black Sea to join NATO naval forces. The Netherlands plans to send two F-35 fighter aircraft to Bulgaria in April and is putting a ship and land-based units on standby for NATO’s Response Force.

Biden has said he will not put American troops in Ukraine to fight any Russian incursion, although the United States is supplying Ukraine with weapons to defend itself and seeking to reassure allies in Eastern Europe that Washington will fulfill its treaty obligation to defend them in the event they are attacked. Ukraine is not a NATO member and therefore the U.S. has no treaty obligation to come to its defense.

The military moves come amid stalled talks with Russia over its military buildup at Ukraine’s borders. And they underscore growing fears across Europe that Russian President Vladimir Putin is poised to invade Ukraine. Smaller NATO countries on the alliance’s eastern flank worry they could be next, although Russia has said it has no intention of initiating conflict and is willing to continue diplomatic efforts.

Biden had said recently that he intended to provide additional U.S. forces to NATO allies in Eastern Europe as reassurance of an American commitment to treaty allies.

The Pentagon also has put about 8,500 U.S.-based troops on higher alert for possible deployment to Europe as additional reassurance to allies, and officials have indicated the possibility that additional units could be placed on higher alert soon. The U.S. already has between 75,000 and 80,000 troops in Europe as permanently stationed forces and as part of regular rotations in places such as Poland.

Washington and Moscow have been at loggerheads over Ukraine, with little sign of a diplomatic path forward. Kirby on Wednesday confirmed the validity of a document reported by a Spanish newspaper that indicated the United States could be willing to enter into an agreement with Russia to ease tensions over missile deployments in Europe if Moscow steps back from the brink in Ukraine.

The daily El Pais published two documents that Kirby confirmed were written replies from the United States and NATO last week to Russia’s proposals for a new security arrangement in Europe. The U.S. State department declined to comment on them.

In reference to the second document, NATO said that it never comments on “alleged leaks.” But the text closely reflects statements made to the media last week by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg as he laid out the 30-nation military organization’s position on Russia’s demands.

The U.S. document, marked as a confidential “non-paper,” said the United States would be willing to discuss in consultation with its NATO partners “a transparency mechanism to confirm the absences of Tomahawk cruise missiles at Aegis Ashore sites in Romania and Poland.”

That would happen on condition that Russia “offers reciprocal transparency measures on two ground-launched missiles bases of our choosing in Russia.”

Full Coverage:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia-Ukraine</a>

Aegis Ashore is a system for defending against short- or intermediate-range missiles. Russia argues the site in Romania could be easily adapted to fire cruise missiles instead of interceptors, which ram their target and do not carry warheads, a claim that Washington has denied.

Putin again mentioned the possibility Tuesday, saying that “there are MK-41 launchers there that could be configured for firing Tomahawks.” He said they “are offensive systems that could reach thousands of kilometers into our territory. Isn’t that a threat to us?”

Fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine have mounted in recent months, after Putin deployed more than 100,000 troops to areas near Ukraine’s borders, including in neighboring Belarus, backed by tanks, artillery, helicopters and warplanes. Russian officials have insisted that Moscow has no intention of invading.

In his first public remarks on the standoff in more than a month, Putin on Tuesday accused the U.S. and its allies of ignoring Russia’s central security demands but he said that Moscow is willing to talk more to ease tensions over Ukraine.

His remarks suggested that a potential Russian invasion may not be imminent and that at least one more round of diplomacy is likely.

After talks in Kyiv Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte underlined that “it is essential for dialogue to continue.” If not, Rutte, said, “it is clear that further aggression against Ukraine will have serious consequences.”

At a NATO summit in 2008, NATO leaders said that they welcomed Ukraine’s and Georgia’s aspirations to join NATO but decided not to offer either country a formal path to eventual membership.

Russia invaded Georgia later that year and in 2014 annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. Around 14,000 people have been killed in the conflict that still simmers in eastern Ukraine. Their membership plans have been on hold for years, although NATO continues to support them and promote reforms.

BRUSSELS (AP) – President Joe Biden is sending approximately 2,000 troops from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Poland and Germany this week and sending part of an infantry Stryker squadron of roughly 1,000 troops based in Germany to Romania, a senior administration official said Wednesday.

<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Live-Events/fbclid/IwAR03WV9_Xdoy_GOgDxBSlHr-XU4qPKU0xZAfVImLwVWBfj4t_OXbWxu3O7w/#/?currentVideo=28044">Click here to watch </a>the Pentagon briefing on the troop deployment

The military moves come amid stalled talks with Russia over its military buildup at Ukraine’s borders. The move underscores growing fears across Europe that Russian President Vladimir Putin is poised to invade Ukraine – and smaller NATO countries on the eastern flank worry they could be next.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss military moves not yet announced.

NewsNation Now said The Pentagon is expected to announce that the troops will deploy “in the coming days,” U.S. officials&nbsp;told CNN.

It also said the Biden administration had previously announced&nbsp;8,500 troops would be on alert&nbsp;but did not commit to deploying them.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the U.S. has taken into account the risk that any troop movements could inflame the situation, but stressed the need for America to reassure its allies.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643813161501.png" alt="Pallets of ammunition, weapons and other equipment bound for Ukraine are processed at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware on Jan. 27.Photo By: Mauricio Campino, Air Force courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense " />
 <figcaption>Pallets of ammunition, weapons and other equipment bound for Ukraine are processed at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware on Jan. 27.Photo By: Mauricio Campino, Air Force courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense </figcaption>
 </figure>BRUSSELS (AP) — President Joe Biden is sending about 2,000 U.S.-based troops to Poland and Germany and shifting 1,000 soldiers from Germany to Romania as demonstrations of American commitments to allies on NATO’s eastern flank amid fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Pentagon said Wednesday.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?517673-1/pentagon-announces-troop-deployments-europe-amid-rising-russia-ukraine-tensions">Click here to watch&nbsp;</a>the Pentagon briefing on the troop deploymentPentagon press secretary John Kirby said the soon-to-deploy U.S. forces are intended to temporarily bolster U.S. and allied defensive positions and will not enter Ukraine.“These are not permanent moves,” he said, stressing that the purpose is to reassure allies at a time of heightened tension over Russia’s buildup of an estimated 100,000 troops along Ukraine’s borders. Kirby said the Russian buildup has continued, even in the last 24 hours, despite U.S. urgings that it deescalate.The newly announced U.S. troop deployments are in line with expectations based on Biden administration efforts to reassure allies and demonstrate U.S. resolve without undermining efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis.The U.S. already has several thousand troops in Poland, and Romania is host to a NATO missile defense system that Russia considers a threat to its security. Biden notably has not sent American military reinforcements to the three Baltic countries on NATO’s eastern flank — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — that are former states of the Soviet Union.Of the 2,000 deploying from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, about 1,700 are members of the 82nd Airborne Division infantry brigade, who will go to Poland. The other 300 are with the 18th Airborne Corps and will deploy to Germany as what the Pentagon called a “joint task force-capable headquarters.”Poland’s Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak wrote on Twitter that the U.S. deployment to his country is “a strong signal of solidarity in response to the situation in Ukraine.”The 1,000 U.S. troops going to Romania are members of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment based at Vilseck, Germany. They will augment the approximately 900 U.S. troops already in Romania, Kirby said.The cavalry deployment’s purpose is to “deter aggression and enhance our defensive capabilities in frontline allied states during this period of elevated risk,” the Pentagon said in a separate written statement.“It’s important that we send a strong signal to Mr. Putin and to the world” of the U.S commitment to NATO, Kirby said.He said France has decided it, too, will send troop reinforcements to Romania under NATO command, and he noted that a number of other European NATO countries are considering adding forces on NATO’s eastern flank.NATO has been beefing up its defenses around allies in eastern Europe since late last year. Denmark, for example, said it was sending a frigate and F-16 warplanes to Lithuania, and Spain was sending four fighter jets to Bulgaria and three ships to the Black Sea to join NATO naval forces. The Netherlands plans to send two F-35 fighter aircraft to Bulgaria in April and is putting a ship and land-based units on standby for NATO’s Response Force.Biden has said he will not put American troops in Ukraine to fight any Russian incursion, although the United States is supplying Ukraine with weapons to defend itself and seeking to reassure allies in Eastern Europe that Washington will fulfill its treaty obligation to defend them in the event they are attacked. Ukraine is not a NATO member and therefore the U.S. has no treaty obligation to come to its defense.The military moves come amid stalled talks with Russia over its military buildup at Ukraine’s borders. And they underscore growing fears across Europe that Russian President Vladimir Putin is poised to invade Ukraine. Smaller NATO countries on the alliance’s eastern flank worry they could be next, although Russia has said it has no intention of initiating conflict and is willing to continue diplomatic efforts.Biden had said recently that he intended to provide additional U.S. forces to NATO allies in Eastern Europe as reassurance of an American commitment to treaty allies.The Pentagon also has put about 8,500 U.S.-based troops on higher alert for possible deployment to Europe as additional reassurance to allies, and officials have indicated the possibility that additional units could be placed on higher alert soon. The U.S. already has between 75,000 and 80,000 troops in Europe as permanently stationed forces and as part of regular rotations in places such as Poland.Washington and Moscow have been at loggerheads over Ukraine, with little sign of a diplomatic path forward. Kirby on Wednesday confirmed the validity of a document reported by a Spanish newspaper that indicated the United States could be willing to enter into an agreement with Russia to ease tensions over missile deployments in Europe if Moscow steps back from the brink in Ukraine.The daily El Pais published two documents that Kirby confirmed were written replies from the United States and NATO last week to Russia’s proposals for a new security arrangement in Europe. The U.S. State department declined to comment on them.In reference to the second document, NATO said that it never comments on “alleged leaks.” But the text closely reflects statements made to the media last week by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg as he laid out the 30-nation military organization’s position on Russia’s demands.The U.S. document, marked as a confidential “non-paper,” said the United States would be willing to discuss in consultation with its NATO partners “a transparency mechanism to confirm the absences of Tomahawk cruise missiles at Aegis Ashore sites in Romania and Poland.”That would happen on condition that Russia “offers reciprocal transparency measures on two ground-launched missiles bases of our choosing in Russia.”Full Coverage:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia-Ukraine</a>Aegis Ashore is a system for defending against short- or intermediate-range missiles. Russia argues the site in Romania could be easily adapted to fire cruise missiles instead of interceptors, which ram their target and do not carry warheads, a claim that Washington has denied.Putin again mentioned the possibility Tuesday, saying that “there are MK-41 launchers there that could be configured for firing Tomahawks.” He said they “are offensive systems that could reach thousands of kilometers into our territory. Isn’t that a threat to us?”Fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine have mounted in recent months, after Putin deployed more than 100,000 troops to areas near Ukraine’s borders, including in neighboring Belarus, backed by tanks, artillery, helicopters and warplanes. Russian officials have insisted that Moscow has no intention of invading.In his first public remarks on the standoff in more than a month, Putin on Tuesday accused the U.S. and its allies of ignoring Russia’s central security demands but he said that Moscow is willing to talk more to ease tensions over Ukraine.His remarks suggested that a potential Russian invasion may not be imminent and that at least one more round of diplomacy is likely.After talks in Kyiv Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte underlined that “it is essential for dialogue to continue.” If not, Rutte, said, “it is clear that further aggression against Ukraine will have serious consequences.”At a NATO summit in 2008, NATO leaders said that they welcomed Ukraine’s and Georgia’s aspirations to join NATO but decided not to offer either country a formal path to eventual membership.Russia invaded Georgia later that year and in 2014 annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. Around 14,000 people have been killed in the conflict that still simmers in eastern Ukraine. Their membership plans have been on hold for years, although NATO continues to support them and promote reforms.___BRUSSELS (AP) – President Joe Biden is sending approximately 2,000 troops from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Poland and Germany this week and sending part of an infantry Stryker squadron of roughly 1,000 troops based in Germany to Romania, a senior administration official said Wednesday.<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Live-Events/fbclid/IwAR03WV9_Xdoy_GOgDxBSlHr-XU4qPKU0xZAfVImLwVWBfj4t_OXbWxu3O7w/#/?currentVideo=28044">Click here to watch </a>the Pentagon briefing on the troop deploymentThe military moves come amid stalled talks with Russia over its military buildup at Ukraine’s borders. The move underscores growing fears across Europe that Russian President Vladimir Putin is poised to invade Ukraine – and smaller NATO countries on the eastern flank worry they could be next.The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss military moves not yet announced.NewsNation Now said The Pentagon is expected to announce that the troops will deploy “in the coming days,” U.S. officials&nbsp;told CNN.It also said the Biden administration had previously announced&nbsp;8,500 troops would be on alert&nbsp;but did not commit to deploying them.Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the U.S. has taken into account the risk that any troop movements could inflame the situation, but stressed the need for America to reassure its allies.

🎥 Biden orders US troops to Europe amid Russia standoff

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new monthly report shows that a loss of manufacturing jobs combined with other factors to slow growth in the regional economy of nine Midwest and Plains states. 

The overall index in January for Creighton University's Mid-America Business Conditions survey released Tuesday fell to 56.2 from December’s 64.6. 

Any score above 50 on the survey’s indexes suggests growth. 

Creighton economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the monthly survey of business leaders, pointed to a loss of manufacturing jobs. 

The survey’s business confidence index, which looks ahead six months, plummeted to 36.2 — the lowest reading since the beginning of the pandemic. 

The monthly survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new monthly report shows that a loss of manufacturing jobs combined with other factors to slow growth in the regional economy of nine Midwest and Plains states. The overall index in January for Creighton University's Mid-America Business Conditions survey released Tuesday fell to 56.2 from December’s 64.6. Any score above 50 on the survey’s indexes suggests growth. Creighton economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the monthly survey of business leaders, pointed to a loss of manufacturing jobs. The survey’s business confidence index, which looks ahead six months, plummeted to 36.2 — the lowest reading since the beginning of the pandemic. The monthly survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Report: Loss of manufacturing jobs leads to index drop

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A major winter storm with millions of Americans in its path brought a mix of rain, freezing rain and snow to the middle section of the United States as airlines canceled hundreds of flights, governors urged residents to stay off roads and schools closed campuses.

 The blast of frigid weather, which began arriving Tuesday night, put a long stretch of states from New Mexico and Colorado to Maine under winter storm warnings and watches. 

Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan saw freezing rain, sleet and snow on Wednesday morning. 

The heaviest snow is expected in Missouri, Indiana and Illinois, while significant ice accumulation is expected in an area from Louisville, Kentucky, to Memphis, Tennessee.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A major winter storm with millions of Americans in its path brought a mix of rain, freezing rain and snow to the middle section of the United States as airlines canceled hundreds of flights, governors urged residents to stay off roads and schools closed campuses. The blast of frigid weather, which began arriving Tuesday night, put a long stretch of states from New Mexico and Colorado to Maine under winter storm warnings and watches. Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan saw freezing rain, sleet and snow on Wednesday morning. The heaviest snow is expected in Missouri, Indiana and Illinois, while significant ice accumulation is expected in an area from Louisville, Kentucky, to Memphis, Tennessee.

Winter storm packing snow, freezing rain moves across US

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/02/helping-pay-off-college-debts-touted-in-reducing-teacher-burnout-staff-shortages/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 — Early retirements, teacher burnout and fewer students entering 
teachers colleges: All are combining to create an unprecedented shortage
 of educators in Nebraska schools, a state legislative committee was 
told Tuesday.

&nbsp;“I
 have never seen the level of teacher shortages that schools are now 
facing,” said Carri Collins, who supervises principals in the Omaha 
Public Schools and has been an educator for 20 years.

Collins was among several supporters of two bills that would provide state help to teachers in paying off their student debts.

The
 proposals, Legislative Bill 1128 from State Sens. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha
 and LB 945 from Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, would provide income tax 
deductions of between $5,000 and $6,000 a year on payments on student 
loans. The deductions would last five years each and be capped at $5 
million a year.

Linehan
 withdrew a third bill, LB 1169. It would have provided “loan 
forgiveness” grants of $5,000 per year, for four years, for teachers in 
their first four years of teaching. A fiscal note prepared on the bill 
said it would cost up to $29 million a year, and the funding source of 
the bill, federal stimulus funds, had already been obligated.

DeBoer
 told the committee that she doesn’t have “all the answers” to the 
teacher shortage but said helping pay off a teacher’s college loan debt 
could help encourage more students to enter the field and more teachers 
to stay in the classroom.

The
 senator, who represents northwest Omaha, said she’s heard from her 
brother, an OPS teacher, about the lack of planning time for teachers 
and the resulting burnout and fatigue.

Sara
 Skretta, an administrator at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said 
enrollment has decreased 35% to 40% &nbsp;in teachers colleges nationwide in 
recent years. The decline, she said, began even before the pandemic hit.

The National Education Association recently reported that teachers’ average college debt was about $57,000.

A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nea.org/about-nea/media-center/press-releases/nea-survey-massive-staff-shortages-schools-leading-educator">nationwide poll</a> of 3,621 educators released by the NEA on Monday found that 67% of respondents said burnout was a “very serious issue.”

The top three responses on how to address burnout were to increase teacher pay, hire more teachers and hire more support staff.&nbsp;

The national survey mirrors many of the findings in a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nsea.org/sites/default/files/content_images/COVID19/Fall21Survey/News%20Release-NSEA%20Nov%202021%20Survey.pdf">poll</a>
 done by the Nebraska State Education Association, the state teachers’ 
union. It found that a significant increase in workload was increasing 
burnout concerns.

The Legislature’s Education Committee took no action on the two bills following a public hearing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643815170321.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/02/helping-pay-off-college-debts-touted-in-reducing-teacher-burnout-staff-shortages/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — Early retirements, teacher burnout and fewer students entering 
teachers colleges: All are combining to create an unprecedented shortage
 of educators in Nebraska schools, a state legislative committee was 
told Tuesday.&nbsp;“I
 have never seen the level of teacher shortages that schools are now 
facing,” said Carri Collins, who supervises principals in the Omaha 
Public Schools and has been an educator for 20 years.Collins was among several supporters of two bills that would provide state help to teachers in paying off their student debts.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643815257685.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha (Courtesy of the Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha (Courtesy of the Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>The
 proposals, Legislative Bill 1128 from State Sens. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha
 and LB 945 from Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, would provide income tax 
deductions of between $5,000 and $6,000 a year on payments on student 
loans. The deductions would last five years each and be capped at $5 
million a year.Linehan
 withdrew a third bill, LB 1169. It would have provided “loan 
forgiveness” grants of $5,000 per year, for four years, for teachers in 
their first four years of teaching. A fiscal note prepared on the bill 
said it would cost up to $29 million a year, and the funding source of 
the bill, federal stimulus funds, had already been obligated.DeBoer
 told the committee that she doesn’t have “all the answers” to the 
teacher shortage but said helping pay off a teacher’s college loan debt 
could help encourage more students to enter the field and more teachers 
to stay in the classroom.The
 senator, who represents northwest Omaha, said she’s heard from her 
brother, an OPS teacher, about the lack of planning time for teachers 
and the resulting burnout and fatigue.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643815283485.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn (Courtesy of the Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn (Courtesy of the Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Sara
 Skretta, an administrator at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said 
enrollment has decreased 35% to 40% &nbsp;in teachers colleges nationwide in 
recent years. The decline, she said, began even before the pandemic hit.The National Education Association recently reported that teachers’ average college debt was about $57,000.A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nea.org/about-nea/media-center/press-releases/nea-survey-massive-staff-shortages-schools-leading-educator">nationwide poll</a> of 3,621 educators released by the NEA on Monday found that 67% of respondents said burnout was a “very serious issue.”The top three responses on how to address burnout were to increase teacher pay, hire more teachers and hire more support staff.&nbsp;The national survey mirrors many of the findings in a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nsea.org/sites/default/files/content_images/COVID19/Fall21Survey/News%20Release-NSEA%20Nov%202021%20Survey.pdf">poll</a>
 done by the Nebraska State Education Association, the state teachers’ 
union. It found that a significant increase in workload was increasing 
burnout concerns.The Legislature’s Education Committee took no action on the two bills following a public hearing.

Helping pay off college debts touted to reduce teacher burnout, staff shortages

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — There will be six more weeks of winter. That's the prediction made Wednesday by Punxsutawney Phil after he emerged from his burrow in Pennsylvania to perform his Groundhog Day duties.

Thousands of people gathered at Gobbler’s Knob as members of Punxsutawney Phil’s “inner circle” summoned him from his tree stump at dawn to learn if he'd seen his shadow. 

After Phil’s prediction was announced, the crowd repeatedly chanted “six more weeks!” According to folklore, spring would come early if he didn’t see it.

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — There will be six more weeks of winter. That's the prediction made Wednesday by Punxsutawney Phil after he emerged from his burrow in Pennsylvania to perform his Groundhog Day duties.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aBGOfdx0Nuc?start=13" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Thousands of people gathered at Gobbler’s Knob as members of Punxsutawney Phil’s “inner circle” summoned him from his tree stump at dawn to learn if he'd seen his shadow. After Phil’s prediction was announced, the crowd repeatedly chanted “six more weeks!” According to folklore, spring would come early if he didn’t see it.

🎥 Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil predicts more winter

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer on Tuesday asked the U.S. to authorize extra-low doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5, potentially opening the way for the very youngest Americans to start receiving shots as early as March.

In an extraordinary move, the Food and Drug Administration had urged Pfizer and its partner BioNTech to apply earlier than the companies had planned.

The nation’s 19 million children under 5 are the only group not yet eligible for vaccination against the coronavirus. Many parents have been pushing for an expansion of shots to toddlers and preschoolers, especially as the omicron wave sent record numbers of youngsters to the hospital.

“I would say the parents in my office are desperate” to get their youngest kids vaccinated, said Dr. Dyan Hes, who runs a pediatrics practice in New York City where vaccination rates are high. For many, “that’s the first thing they ask when they walk through the door: ‘When do you think the shot is going to come out?’”

If the FDA agrees, Pfizer shots containing one-tenth of the dose given to adults could be dispensed to children as young as 6 months. Pfizer said Tuesday it had started submitting its data to the FDA and expects to complete the process in a few days.

An open question is how many shots those youngsters will need. Two of the extra-low doses turned out to be strong enough for babies but not for preschoolers. Pfizer is testing three shots, and the final data is expected in late March.

That means the FDA may consider whether to authorize two shots for now, with potentially a third shot being cleared later if the study supports it.

The FDA said Tuesday it will convene a panel of independent researchers and physicians in mid-February to help review the Pfizer data. The agency isn’t required to follow the panelists’ advice, but their input is a key step in publicly vetting vaccine safety and effectiveness.

The question of how long to wait for new vaccine data — and how much to require — is a concern for FDA regulators, who face pressure to be more proactive against a virus that has repeatedly confounded health experts.

The FDA asked Pfizer to begin submitting its application now due to omicron’s “greater toll on children,” an agency spokeswoman said, citing record cases among children under 5.

“In light of these new data and the rise in illnesses and hospitalization in this youngest age group, FDA believed that it was prudent to request that Pfizer submit the data it had available,” agency spokeswoman Stephanie Caccomo said in an emailed statement.

The FDA’s ultimate decision could come within the month but that isn’t the only hurdle. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has to sign off.

The Biden administration has been trying to speed the authorization of COVID-19 shots for children, contending vaccinations are critical for opening schools and day care centers and keeping them open, and for freeing up parents from child care duties so they can go back to work.

Yet vaccination rates have been lower among children than in other age groups. As of last week, just 20% of kids ages 5 to 11 and just over half of 12- to 17-year-olds were fully vaccinated, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Nearly three-quarters of adults are fully vaccinated.

While young children are far less likely than adults to get severely ill from the coronavirus, it can happen, and pediatric COVID-19 infections are higher than at any other point in the pandemic.

“What we’re seeing right now is still a lot of hospitalizations and unfortunately some deaths in this age group,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary of the University of Colorado, who is on the AAP’s infectious disease committee. If the FDA clears vaccinations for these youngsters, “that’s going to be really important because all of those hospitalizations and deaths essentially are preventable.”

For kids under 5, Pfizer’s study is giving participants two shots three weeks apart, followed by a third dose at least two months later. The company is testing whether the youngsters produce antibody levels similar to those known to protect teens and young adults.

In December, Pfizer announced that children under 2 looked to be protected but that the antibody response was too low in 2- to 4-year-olds. It’s not clear why, but one possibility is that the extra-low dose was a little too low for the preschoolers.

Since the preliminary results showed the shots were safe, Pfizer added a third dose to the testing in hopes of improving protection.

Chicago health officials have been trying to prepare parents for months for the day the shots are available, said Dr. Nimmi Rajagopal, a family medicine physician for Cook County Health, which oversees the public hospital system. Some parents wonder how rigorously the shots will be evaluated or have other questions that she said are critical to address.

Rajagopal is excited about getting her own 2-year-old son vaccinated if FDA clears the way, so it will be safer for him to play with other children.

“I have been waiting and waiting and waiting,” she said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer on Tuesday asked the U.S. to authorize extra-low doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5, potentially opening the way for the very youngest Americans to start receiving shots as early as March.In an extraordinary move, the Food and Drug Administration had urged Pfizer and its partner BioNTech to apply earlier than the companies had planned.The nation’s 19 million children under 5 are the only group not yet eligible for vaccination against the coronavirus. Many parents have been pushing for an expansion of shots to toddlers and preschoolers, especially as the omicron wave sent record numbers of youngsters to the hospital.“I would say the parents in my office are desperate” to get their youngest kids vaccinated, said Dr. Dyan Hes, who runs a pediatrics practice in New York City where vaccination rates are high. For many, “that’s the first thing they ask when they walk through the door: ‘When do you think the shot is going to come out?’”If the FDA agrees, Pfizer shots containing one-tenth of the dose given to adults could be dispensed to children as young as 6 months. Pfizer said Tuesday it had started submitting its data to the FDA and expects to complete the process in a few days.An open question is how many shots those youngsters will need. Two of the extra-low doses turned out to be strong enough for babies but not for preschoolers. Pfizer is testing three shots, and the final data is expected in late March.That means the FDA may consider whether to authorize two shots for now, with potentially a third shot being cleared later if the study supports it.The FDA said Tuesday it will convene a panel of independent researchers and physicians in mid-February to help review the Pfizer data. The agency isn’t required to follow the panelists’ advice, but their input is a key step in publicly vetting vaccine safety and effectiveness.The question of how long to wait for new vaccine data — and how much to require — is a concern for FDA regulators, who face pressure to be more proactive against a virus that has repeatedly confounded health experts.The FDA asked Pfizer to begin submitting its application now due to omicron’s “greater toll on children,” an agency spokeswoman said, citing record cases among children under 5.“In light of these new data and the rise in illnesses and hospitalization in this youngest age group, FDA believed that it was prudent to request that Pfizer submit the data it had available,” agency spokeswoman Stephanie Caccomo said in an emailed statement.The FDA’s ultimate decision could come within the month but that isn’t the only hurdle. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has to sign off.The Biden administration has been trying to speed the authorization of COVID-19 shots for children, contending vaccinations are critical for opening schools and day care centers and keeping them open, and for freeing up parents from child care duties so they can go back to work.Yet vaccination rates have been lower among children than in other age groups. As of last week, just 20% of kids ages 5 to 11 and just over half of 12- to 17-year-olds were fully vaccinated, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Nearly three-quarters of adults are fully vaccinated.While young children are far less likely than adults to get severely ill from the coronavirus, it can happen, and pediatric COVID-19 infections are higher than at any other point in the pandemic.“What we’re seeing right now is still a lot of hospitalizations and unfortunately some deaths in this age group,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary of the University of Colorado, who is on the AAP’s infectious disease committee. If the FDA clears vaccinations for these youngsters, “that’s going to be really important because all of those hospitalizations and deaths essentially are preventable.”For kids under 5, Pfizer’s study is giving participants two shots three weeks apart, followed by a third dose at least two months later. The company is testing whether the youngsters produce antibody levels similar to those known to protect teens and young adults.In December, Pfizer announced that children under 2 looked to be protected but that the antibody response was too low in 2- to 4-year-olds. It’s not clear why, but one possibility is that the extra-low dose was a little too low for the preschoolers.Since the preliminary results showed the shots were safe, Pfizer added a third dose to the testing in hopes of improving protection.Chicago health officials have been trying to prepare parents for months for the day the shots are available, said Dr. Nimmi Rajagopal, a family medicine physician for Cook County Health, which oversees the public hospital system. Some parents wonder how rigorously the shots will be evaluated or have other questions that she said are critical to address.Rajagopal is excited about getting her own 2-year-old son vaccinated if FDA clears the way, so it will be safer for him to play with other children.“I have been waiting and waiting and waiting,” she said.___

US could approve COVID vaccine for kids under 5 by next month

This new scam can seriously affect a business’ 
reputation. If you own a company, watch out for scammers trying to steal
 your Google Business Profile — along with all the good reviews you 
worked so hard to get.

When you search for a business in Google, information about that 
company will typically appear in the right sidebar. This is called a 
Google Business Profile. Alongside basic information, such as address, 
phone number, and operating hours, there’s a link enabling the business 
owner to claim and edit the profile. Unfortunately, it’s also an 
opportunity for scammers. &nbsp;

Scammers click the “Own this business?” link, which sends a request 
email to the current owner. If you or someone in your company approves 
this request, thinking it is legitimate, the scammer can take over your 
profile. They will likely change the name of your business and lock you out of the account.

Scammers then use this new business profile, with all of your reviews, to fool consumers into contacting them. <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22797-bbb-scam-alert-locked-out-dont-fall-for-a-locksmith-cons" target="_blank">Scam locksmiths</a>
 commonly use this technique. If your business profile is stolen, you’ll
 need to go through a process with Google support to reclaim your 
profile. In the meantime, your profile may have received bad reviews or 
been altered by scammers.

How to protect your Google Business Profile

Read up on the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/business/23063-better-business-briefing-the-power-of-customer-reviews-on-small-businesses" target="_blank">power of customer reviews</a>. Learn more about <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/19932-bbb-warning-businesses-dont-fall-for-that-scam" target="_blank">scams targeting small businesses</a>.

If you’ve spotted a scam, report it to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>, even if you didn’t fall victim or lose any money. Your report can help others avoid common scam tactics.

Stay up to date on the latest scams by subscribing to&nbsp;<a href="https://signup.e2ma.net/signup/1900156/1902645/" target="_blank">BBB’s weekly Scam Alerts email</a>. Learn how to spot a scam at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam" target="_blank">BBB.org/SpotaScam</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBThis new scam can seriously affect a business’ 
reputation. If you own a company, watch out for scammers trying to steal
 your Google Business Profile — along with all the good reviews you 
worked so hard to get.<h2>How the scam works</h2>When you search for a business in Google, information about that 
company will typically appear in the right sidebar. This is called a 
Google Business Profile. Alongside basic information, such as address, 
phone number, and operating hours, there’s a link enabling the business 
owner to claim and edit the profile. Unfortunately, it’s also an 
opportunity for scammers. &nbsp;Scammers click the “Own this business?” link, which sends a request 
email to the current owner. If you or someone in your company approves 
this request, thinking it is legitimate, the scammer can take over your 
profile. They will likely change the name of your business and lock you out of the account.Scammers then use this new business profile, with all of your reviews, to fool consumers into contacting them. <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22797-bbb-scam-alert-locked-out-dont-fall-for-a-locksmith-cons" target="_blank">Scam locksmiths</a>
 commonly use this technique. If your business profile is stolen, you’ll
 need to go through a process with Google support to reclaim your 
profile. In the meantime, your profile may have received bad reviews or 
been altered by scammers.<h2>How to protect your Google Business Profile </h2><ul>
 <li>Reject suspicious ownership requests. Stop scammers
 in their tracks by rejecting unauthorized attempts to claim your 
business profile immediately. If you aren’t sure if a member of your 
staff is behind the request, find out before you accept it. </li><li>Check your email and any alerts you receive from Google in a timely fashion. Scammers are counting on you not noticing strange activity on your profile. When initially verifying your account, be sure to use an email that you check regularly. </li><li>Contact Google support if your account gets hijacked. Regain control of your stolen account through Google’s support team. Fill out <a href="https://support.google.com/business/contact/gmb_3p_complaints" target="_blank">this form on Google</a> to start the reclaiming process. </li><li>Always report fraudulent activity. <a href="https://support.google.com/business/contact/gmb_3p_complaints" target="_blank">Report any problems</a> to Google immediately. You can also report your experience at <a href="https://www.BBB.org/ScamTracker">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>. Your report will help other businesses stay alert to similar threats.</li>
 </ul><h2>For more information</h2>Read up on the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/business/23063-better-business-briefing-the-power-of-customer-reviews-on-small-businesses" target="_blank">power of customer reviews</a>. Learn more about <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/19932-bbb-warning-businesses-dont-fall-for-that-scam" target="_blank">scams targeting small businesses</a>.If you’ve spotted a scam, report it to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>, even if you didn’t fall victim or lose any money. Your report can help others avoid common scam tactics.Stay up to date on the latest scams by subscribing to&nbsp;<a href="https://signup.e2ma.net/signup/1900156/1902645/" target="_blank">BBB’s weekly Scam Alerts email</a>. Learn how to spot a scam at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam" target="_blank">BBB.org/SpotaScam</a>.

Scam alert: Scammers targeting Google Business Profiles

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An unfinished stretch of bicycle trail that would connect Omaha and Lincoln could get a financial boost from the state under a proposal presented to Nebraska lawmakers. 

Trail advocates are asking members of the Appropriations Committee to approve state funding to bridge the 8-mile gap between the existing MoPac trails in rural Cass County. They’re also seeking financial assistance for work on the Cowboy Trail, a scenic pathway through northern Nebraska that’s used by bikers, hikers and horse riders. 

The projects are part of the larger Great American Rail-Trail initiative, an effort to connect existing trails into one nation-spanning, 3,700-mile route from Washington state to Washington, D.C.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643763723814.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An unfinished stretch of bicycle trail that would connect Omaha and Lincoln could get a financial boost from the state under a proposal presented to Nebraska lawmakers. Trail advocates are asking members of the Appropriations Committee to approve state funding to bridge the 8-mile gap between the existing MoPac trails in rural Cass County. They’re also seeking financial assistance for work on the Cowboy Trail, a scenic pathway through northern Nebraska that’s used by bikers, hikers and horse riders. The projects are part of the larger Great American Rail-Trail initiative, an effort to connect existing trails into one nation-spanning, 3,700-mile route from Washington state to Washington, D.C.

Bike advocates ask for aid to finish Lincoln-to-Omaha trail

DONIPHAN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating alleged child sex crimes have arrested a suspect.

On January 12, the U.S. Marshals Service in Omaha arrested 37-year-old Christopher Jimeson on a Doniphan County warrant, according to a media release from Highland Police.

This week, Jimeson of Nemaha County Nebraska was extradited to Doniphan County Kansas to face requested charges including aggravated criminal sodomy of a child; aggravated indecent liberties of a child; criminal threat; and aggravated endangerment of a child.

He has a previous drug conviction in Nebraska, according to online jail records. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643734138066.png" alt="Jimeson-photo Doniphan County" />
 <figcaption>Jimeson-photo Doniphan County</figcaption>
 </figure>DONIPHAN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating alleged child sex crimes have arrested a suspect.On January 12, the U.S. Marshals Service in Omaha arrested 37-year-old Christopher Jimeson on a Doniphan County warrant, according to a media release from Highland Police.This week, Jimeson of Nemaha County Nebraska was extradited to Doniphan County Kansas to face requested charges including aggravated criminal sodomy of a child; aggravated indecent liberties of a child; criminal threat; and aggravated endangerment of a child.He has a previous drug conviction in Nebraska, according to online jail records. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.

Kansas child sex crime suspect arrested in Nebraska

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A major winter storm was expected to affect a huge swath of the United States, with heavy snow starting in the Rockies and freezing rain as far south as Texas before it drops snow and ice on the Midwest. 

The forecast comes nearly a year after a catastrophic winter storm devastated Texas’ power grid, causing hundreds of deaths. Winter storm watches and warnings covered a wide swath of the country from El Paso, Texas, through the Midwest and parts of the Northeast to Burlington, Vermont. 

During the multiday storm, some areas may see a mix of rain and freezing rain before it changes to snow. 

More than a foot of snow is forecast in places.

 Airlines had canceled more than 1,000 flights in the U.S. scheduled for Wednesday.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A major winter storm was expected to affect a huge swath of the United States, with heavy snow starting in the Rockies and freezing rain as far south as Texas before it drops snow and ice on the Midwest. The forecast comes nearly a year after a catastrophic winter storm devastated Texas’ power grid, causing hundreds of deaths. Winter storm watches and warnings covered a wide swath of the country from El Paso, Texas, through the Midwest and parts of the Northeast to Burlington, Vermont. During the multiday storm, some areas may see a mix of rain and freezing rain before it changes to snow. More than a foot of snow is forecast in places. Airlines had canceled more than 1,000 flights in the U.S. scheduled for Wednesday.

Flights canceled as wide swath of US braces for winter storm

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/state-moves-to-make-new-tax-credit-easier-for-taxpayers-to-claim/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 — A state tax official said Tuesday that Nebraskans should find it 
easier this year to claim a new and growing state tax credit — one that 
many taxpayers didn’t claim last year.

&nbsp;About $78.5 million
 out of the $125 million in credits available through Legislative Bill 
1107 had been claimed by property owners through Jan. 21, according to 
state tax officials.

&nbsp;The fact that so much remained unclaimed led to some criticism. &nbsp;The credit, <a target="_blank" href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/about/nebraska-income-tax-credit-school-district-taxes-paid-nebraska-property-tax-incentive-act">which provides an income tax refund for a portion of property taxes that support K-12 school districts</a>, the main beneficiary of property taxes. The credit was passed as part of a compromise in the Nebraska Legislature.

One critic was the <a target="_blank" href="https://platteinstitute.org/50-million-in-nebraska-property-tax-relief-goes-unclaimed-total-may-rise/">Platte Institute,</a>
 an Omaha-based, free market think tank, which said the credit under LB 
1107 did nothing to stop the growth of property taxes and was not a 
permanent solution. A state association that represents accountants also
 maintained that the credit was difficult to calculate for some 
taxpayers.

&nbsp;On Tuesday, the Nebraska Department of Revenue unveiled <a target="_blank" href="https://ndr-1107parcel.ne.gov/parcellookup/faces/search.xhtml">a new, “enhanced” lookup tool</a> for taxpayers to calculate their credit, which State Tax Commissioner Tony Fulton billed as a “super-sized” credit this year.

A
 spokeswoman for the Revenue Department, former State Sen. Lydia Brasch,
 said officials took suggestions from several sources, including a state
 senator, to “enhance” the lookup tool on the department’s website that 
helps taxpayers calculate their credit.

“We believe that it will be easier to use,” Brasch said.

Last year, the credit amounted to about 6% of Nebraskans’ payments in property taxes to support K-12 schools. This
 year, because of the state’s strong tax collections and growing cash 
reserves, about $548 million will be available through the credit. That 
would amount to a 25.3% refund.

&nbsp;“This
 puts dollars back into the pockets of the people who paid soaring 
property taxes across the entire state,” Fulton said in a press release.

Brasch
 said many tax returns from last year have yet to be processed, so more 
people might claim the $125 million available last year.&nbsp;

To claim the income tax credit, taxpayers
 should file the Nebraska Property Tax Incentive Act Credit Computation,
 Form PTC, with their income tax or franchise tax returns. 

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/state-moves-to-make-new-tax-credit-easier-for-taxpayers-to-claim/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — A state tax official said Tuesday that Nebraskans should find it 
easier this year to claim a new and growing state tax credit — one that 
many taxpayers didn’t claim last year.&nbsp;About $78.5 million
 out of the $125 million in credits available through Legislative Bill 
1107 had been claimed by property owners through Jan. 21, according to 
state tax officials.&nbsp;The fact that so much remained unclaimed led to some criticism. &nbsp;The credit, <a target="_blank" href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/about/nebraska-income-tax-credit-school-district-taxes-paid-nebraska-property-tax-incentive-act">which provides an income tax refund for a portion of property taxes that support K-12 school districts</a>, the main beneficiary of property taxes. The credit was passed as part of a compromise in the Nebraska Legislature.<h2>Enhanced look-up tool</h2>One critic was the <a target="_blank" href="https://platteinstitute.org/50-million-in-nebraska-property-tax-relief-goes-unclaimed-total-may-rise/">Platte Institute,</a>
 an Omaha-based, free market think tank, which said the credit under LB 
1107 did nothing to stop the growth of property taxes and was not a 
permanent solution. A state association that represents accountants also
 maintained that the credit was difficult to calculate for some 
taxpayers.&nbsp;On Tuesday, the Nebraska Department of Revenue unveiled <a target="_blank" href="https://ndr-1107parcel.ne.gov/parcellookup/faces/search.xhtml">a new, “enhanced” lookup tool</a> for taxpayers to calculate their credit, which State Tax Commissioner Tony Fulton billed as a “super-sized” credit this year.A
 spokeswoman for the Revenue Department, former State Sen. Lydia Brasch,
 said officials took suggestions from several sources, including a state
 senator, to “enhance” the lookup tool on the department’s website that 
helps taxpayers calculate their credit.“We believe that it will be easier to use,” Brasch said.<h2>$548 million now available</h2>Last year, the credit amounted to about 6% of Nebraskans’ payments in property taxes to support K-12 schools. This
 year, because of the state’s strong tax collections and growing cash 
reserves, about $548 million will be available through the credit. That 
would amount to a 25.3% refund.&nbsp;“This
 puts dollars back into the pockets of the people who paid soaring 
property taxes across the entire state,” Fulton said in a press release.Brasch
 said many tax returns from last year have yet to be processed, so more 
people might claim the $125 million available last year.&nbsp;To claim the income tax credit, taxpayers
 should file the Nebraska Property Tax Incentive Act Credit Computation,
 Form PTC, with their income tax or franchise tax returns.

Nebraska moves to make new tax credit easier for taxpayers to claim

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says companies in Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri will pay fines for tampering with emission controls in vehicles. 

The EPA on Tuesday named the companies as Banghart Diesel Performance of Wahoo, Nebraska, and Black Widow Diesel of Center Point, Iowa, both diesel repair shops; and Voodoo Diesel, an online retailer based in Raymore, Missouri. 

The EPA said the companies sold devices that rendered emissions controls in vehicles inoperative. 

As part of the settlements, all three companies agreed to demolish their inventories of the devices and agreed to stop selling or installing them.

 The companies will also pay civil penalties of $86,000.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says companies in Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri will pay fines for tampering with emission controls in vehicles. The EPA on Tuesday named the companies as Banghart Diesel Performance of Wahoo, Nebraska, and Black Widow Diesel of Center Point, Iowa, both diesel repair shops; and Voodoo Diesel, an online retailer based in Raymore, Missouri. The EPA said the companies sold devices that rendered emissions controls in vehicles inoperative. As part of the settlements, all three companies agreed to demolish their inventories of the devices and agreed to stop selling or installing them. The companies will also pay civil penalties of $86,000.

Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa companies cited in emissions case

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in letters to seven governors, is reaffirming the need for members of their states' Army and Air National Guards to get the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine or lose their Guard status. 

In nearly identical letters signed late last week, Austin tells the governors that the virus “takes our Service members out of the fight, temporarily or permanently, and jeopardizes our ability to meet mission requirements.”

 The Associated Press obtained copies of the letters. 

Nearly 600 Marines, airmen and sailors have been thrown out of the military or dismissed from entry-level training at boot camps as of last week.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in letters to seven governors, is reaffirming the need for members of their states' Army and Air National Guards to get the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine or lose their Guard status. In nearly identical letters signed late last week, Austin tells the governors that the virus “takes our Service members out of the fight, temporarily or permanently, and jeopardizes our ability to meet mission requirements.” The Associated Press obtained copies of the letters. Nearly 600 Marines, airmen and sailors have been thrown out of the military or dismissed from entry-level training at boot camps as of last week.

Austin to governors: Guard troops must get COVID-19 vaccine

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/01/nebraska-senators-want-to-create-a-new-state-housing-agency/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

House
 prices on the Nebraska homefront have jumped: The average sale price 
across the Omaha and Lincoln areas went up more than 11% in the last 
year and about 25% since 2018.

Looking
 farther back, over a decade, the Great Plains Regional MLS shows also 
that the average Omaha-area sale price of new and existing houses rose a
 whopping 80% —&nbsp; to about $293,000.&nbsp;

Industry
 leaders say the data reveals an alarming scenario for house-seeking 
Huskers, one driven largely by high construction costs and fierce 
competition for a dwindling supply of for-sale houses.

Be
 they newly constructed or already lived in, the houses that did go on 
the market in or around Lincoln and Omaha in 2021 were snatched up in 
less than half the time it took to sell a house two years earlier.

Now
 multiple efforts are underway to put more housing within the reach of 
more Nebraskans. Among those is a legislative proposal to create a new 
Nebraska housing department, which would be dedicated to housing.

Legislative
 Bill 1073 would establish a Housing and Urban Development Department to
 manage housing programs now scattered among multiple state agencies, 
including the Department of Economic Development, Department of Human 
Services and Nebraska Investment Finance Agency.

The
 bill’s sponsors — Sens. Justin Wayne and Megan Hunt of Omaha, along 
with Bennington Sen. Wendy DeBoer and Lincoln Sen. Matt Hansen — said 
Nebraska should follow the lead of at least 20 other states and 
establish a state housing agency or division.

“Housing
 has been repeatedly identified as the No. 1 economic development issue 
facing Nebraska,” said Wayne. “We have nobody that has taken ownership 
of tackling that issue on a state level. With that, there’s no direct 
accountability.”

Indeed,
 he said, homeownership is one of the greatest ways to pass wealth to 
the next generation. It helps build equity and a sense of financial 
security and provides families with more of a stake and control in their
 community.

The
 group of senators foresees the proposed department focusing on 
affordability, making both homeownership and rental housing more 
accessible. That ultimately would help respond to the state’s need to 
lure more workers.&nbsp;

With
 the sizable amount of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds eyed for 
housing-related programs, the proposed Nebraska HUD department could be 
the coordinator and clearinghouse.

Gov. Pete Ricketts, for example, has proposed investing <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/01/31/new-funding-for-…a-lifetime-boost/">$75 million</a> of ARPA funds into state affordable housing programs, most of that for rural areas.

Wayne
 and Sen. Terrell McKinney want to direct roughly half of a proposed 
nearly $440 million North Omaha Recovery Plan toward housing.

Hansen, Sen. Tony Vargas and Sen. Matt Williams are among other lawmakers who have proposed funding for housing development.&nbsp;

Justin
 Brady of Radcliffe &amp; Associates lobbies on behalf of various state 
real estate entities, including the Nebraska Realtors Association and 
builders groups in Lincoln and Omaha.

He
 said his efforts focus on ensuring that ARPA funds are indeed set aside
 for housing and that they’re divided appropriately to be spent in the 
four years allowed.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity,” he said. “But when you’re short of labor and short of supplies … is that doable?”

High
 housing costs have become a growing concern across the state. There’s 
been a push in some circles for legislation to require private 
developers to allot a portion of lower-rent dwellings in projects 
awarded a public subsidy, such as tax-increment financing.

The
 City of Lincoln has tapped the nonprofit Community Development 
Resources to coordinate an effort aimed at easing the financial burden 
of owning a home.

In
 Omaha, the new Welcome Home coalition of business and real estate 
professionals is hoping to nudge policymakers into changing zoning and 
other regulations they contend impede starter-home construction.

Front Porch Investments is another organization devoted to affordable housing, as is the Omaha Missing Middle Campaign.

DeBoer,
 whose legislative district in the Bennington area has seen a boom of 
high-priced residential construction, said housing is a statewide issue 
that warrants a dedicated agency.

She called it “an idea whose time has come.”

Meanwhile,
 Andy Alloway of Nebraska Realty, whose agents cover much of the state 
and parts of Iowa, expects housing costs to continue to rise and sales 
activity to stay strong in coming months.

“We
 just have had a lot of people in the market. Real estate is an 
attractive thing,” said Alloway, past president of the Nebraska 
Association of Realtors.

Millennials
 have been competing with out-of-state investors seeking to buy local 
residential property, he said, all while “continued, unprecedented, 
ridiculously low interest rates fueled demand.”&nbsp;

Consider conditions reported by the Great Plains MLS for the combined Lincoln and Omaha market:&nbsp;

Senior Reporter Cindy Gonzalez, an Omaha native, has more than 35 years of experience, largely at the Omaha World-Herald.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643731279132.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/01/nebraska-senators-want-to-create-a-new-state-housing-agency/">Nebraska Examiner</a>House
 prices on the Nebraska homefront have jumped: The average sale price 
across the Omaha and Lincoln areas went up more than 11% in the last 
year and about 25% since 2018.Looking
 farther back, over a decade, the Great Plains Regional MLS shows also 
that the average Omaha-area sale price of new and existing houses rose a
 whopping 80% —&nbsp; to about $293,000.&nbsp;Industry
 leaders say the data reveals an alarming scenario for house-seeking 
Huskers, one driven largely by high construction costs and fierce 
competition for a dwindling supply of for-sale houses.Be
 they newly constructed or already lived in, the houses that did go on 
the market in or around Lincoln and Omaha in 2021 were snatched up in 
less than half the time it took to sell a house two years earlier.Now
 multiple efforts are underway to put more housing within the reach of 
more Nebraskans. Among those is a legislative proposal to create a new 
Nebraska housing department, which would be dedicated to housing.<h2>Like 20 other states</h2>Legislative
 Bill 1073 would establish a Housing and Urban Development Department to
 manage housing programs now scattered among multiple state agencies, 
including the Department of Economic Development, Department of Human 
Services and Nebraska Investment Finance Agency.The
 bill’s sponsors — Sens. Justin Wayne and Megan Hunt of Omaha, along 
with Bennington Sen. Wendy DeBoer and Lincoln Sen. Matt Hansen — said 
Nebraska should follow the lead of at least 20 other states and 
establish a state housing agency or division.“Housing
 has been repeatedly identified as the No. 1 economic development issue 
facing Nebraska,” said Wayne. “We have nobody that has taken ownership 
of tackling that issue on a state level. With that, there’s no direct 
accountability.”Indeed,
 he said, homeownership is one of the greatest ways to pass wealth to 
the next generation. It helps build equity and a sense of financial 
security and provides families with more of a stake and control in their
 community.The
 group of senators foresees the proposed department focusing on 
affordability, making both homeownership and rental housing more 
accessible. That ultimately would help respond to the state’s need to 
lure more workers.&nbsp;With
 the sizable amount of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds eyed for 
housing-related programs, the proposed Nebraska HUD department could be 
the coordinator and clearinghouse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643732333753.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Gov. Pete Ricketts, for example, has proposed investing <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/01/31/new-funding-for-…a-lifetime-boost/">$75 million</a> of ARPA funds into state affordable housing programs, most of that for rural areas.Wayne
 and Sen. Terrell McKinney want to direct roughly half of a proposed 
nearly $440 million North Omaha Recovery Plan toward housing.Hansen, Sen. Tony Vargas and Sen. Matt Williams are among other lawmakers who have proposed funding for housing development.&nbsp;<h2>‘Tremendous opportunity’</h2>Justin
 Brady of Radcliffe &amp; Associates lobbies on behalf of various state 
real estate entities, including the Nebraska Realtors Association and 
builders groups in Lincoln and Omaha.He
 said his efforts focus on ensuring that ARPA funds are indeed set aside
 for housing and that they’re divided appropriately to be spent in the 
four years allowed.“It’s a tremendous opportunity,” he said. “But when you’re short of labor and short of supplies … is that doable?”High
 housing costs have become a growing concern across the state. There’s 
been a push in some circles for legislation to require private 
developers to allot a portion of lower-rent dwellings in projects 
awarded a public subsidy, such as tax-increment financing.The
 City of Lincoln has tapped the nonprofit Community Development 
Resources to coordinate an effort aimed at easing the financial burden 
of owning a home.In
 Omaha, the new Welcome Home coalition of business and real estate 
professionals is hoping to nudge policymakers into changing zoning and 
other regulations they contend impede starter-home construction.Front Porch Investments is another organization devoted to affordable housing, as is the Omaha Missing Middle Campaign.DeBoer,
 whose legislative district in the Bennington area has seen a boom of 
high-priced residential construction, said housing is a statewide issue 
that warrants a dedicated agency.She called it “an idea whose time has come.”<h2>Millennials, investors compete</h2>Meanwhile,
 Andy Alloway of Nebraska Realty, whose agents cover much of the state 
and parts of Iowa, expects housing costs to continue to rise and sales 
activity to stay strong in coming months.“We
 just have had a lot of people in the market. Real estate is an 
attractive thing,” said Alloway, past president of the Nebraska 
Association of Realtors.Millennials
 have been competing with out-of-state investors seeking to buy local 
residential property, he said, all while “continued, unprecedented, 
ridiculously low interest rates fueled demand.”&nbsp;Consider conditions reported by the Great Plains MLS for the combined Lincoln and Omaha market:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>The
 number of home sales was up 2.5% in 2021 compared to the year before 
and 13% compared to two years ago. Alloway said sales likely would have 
been higher had there been more homes on the market and available to 
sell.</li><li>A
 newly built home in 2021, on average, was on the market 38 days before 
it sold — compared with 73 days two years earlier. Existing homes stayed
 on the market 11 days in 2021, compared with 22 days two years earlier.</li><li>In
 an average month in 2021, there were about half the number of houses to
 sell than there were two years earlier. “Low inventory is an obvious 
challenge, a broken record that leads to multiple offer situations on 
most properties under $250,000 or $300,000,” said Alloway.</li>
 </ul>Senior Reporter Cindy Gonzalez, an Omaha native, has more than 35 years of experience, largely at the Omaha World-Herald.&nbsp;

Neb. senators want to create a new state housing agency

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators are urging drugmaker Pfizer to apply for emergency authorization for a two-dose regimen of its COVID-19 vaccine for children 6 months to 5 years old while awaiting data on a three-dose course, aiming to clear the way for the shots as soon as late February, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press Monday.

The company’s application was expected to be submitted as soon as Tuesday.

Early Pfizer data has shown the vaccine — which is administered to younger kids at one-tenth the strength of the adult shot — is safe and produces an immune response. But last year Pfizer announced the two-dose shot proved to be less effective at preventing COVID-19 in kids ages 2-5, and regulators encouraged the company to add a third dose to the study on the belief that another dose would boost the vaccine’s effectiveness much like booster doses do in adults.

Now, the Food and Drug Administration is pushing the company to submit its application based on the two-dose data for potential approval in February, and then to return for additional authorization once it has the data from the third dose study, which is expected in March, the person familiar with the matter said. The two-step authorization process could mean that young children could be vaccinated more than a month earlier than previous estimates, assuming the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention greenlight the shots.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive regulatory issues. The person said the decreased effectiveness of the two-dose vaccine was not unexpected given the emergence of the highly transmissible omicron variant of COVID-19. Allowing young kids to be vaccinated with a two-dose shot earlier would ultimately accelerate when they could get the expected stronger protection from a third dose.

That would be welcome news for parents of young children, the last remaining age group without approval of COVID-19 shots.

Young children are far less likely than adults to develop serious complications or to die from COVID-19, but incidences of illness among the age group have risen amid the nationwide spike in cases from the omicron variant. Most cases and deaths occur among older people, especially those who are unvaccinated.

Speeding the authorization of pediatric vaccines against COVID-19 has been a priority for more than a year of the Biden administration, which believes them critical to reopening and keeping open schools and day care centers — and for freeing up parents occupied by childcare responsibilities to return to the workforce.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635537216378.png" alt="&nbsp;Pfizer's application was expected to be submitted as soon as Tuesday-photo courtesy Pfizer" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Pfizer's application was expected to be submitted as soon as Tuesday-photo courtesy Pfizer</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators are urging drugmaker Pfizer to apply for emergency authorization for a two-dose regimen of its COVID-19 vaccine for children 6 months to 5 years old while awaiting data on a three-dose course, aiming to clear the way for the shots as soon as late February, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press Monday.The company’s application was expected to be submitted as soon as Tuesday.Early Pfizer data has shown the vaccine — which is administered to younger kids at one-tenth the strength of the adult shot — is safe and produces an immune response. But last year Pfizer announced the two-dose shot proved to be less effective at preventing COVID-19 in kids ages 2-5, and regulators encouraged the company to add a third dose to the study on the belief that another dose would boost the vaccine’s effectiveness much like booster doses do in adults.Now, the Food and Drug Administration is pushing the company to submit its application based on the two-dose data for potential approval in February, and then to return for additional authorization once it has the data from the third dose study, which is expected in March, the person familiar with the matter said. The two-step authorization process could mean that young children could be vaccinated more than a month earlier than previous estimates, assuming the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention greenlight the shots.The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive regulatory issues. The person said the decreased effectiveness of the two-dose vaccine was not unexpected given the emergence of the highly transmissible omicron variant of COVID-19. Allowing young kids to be vaccinated with a two-dose shot earlier would ultimately accelerate when they could get the expected stronger protection from a third dose.That would be welcome news for parents of young children, the last remaining age group without approval of COVID-19 shots.Young children are far less likely than adults to develop serious complications or to die from COVID-19, but incidences of illness among the age group have risen amid the nationwide spike in cases from the omicron variant. Most cases and deaths occur among older people, especially those who are unvaccinated.Speeding the authorization of pediatric vaccines against COVID-19 has been a priority for more than a year of the Biden administration, which believes them critical to reopening and keeping open schools and day care centers — and for freeing up parents occupied by childcare responsibilities to return to the workforce.Vaccines for kids ages 5-12 were approved by U.S. regulators in November, though uptake of shots has been slower than U.S. officials hoped.Pfizer’s primary series is administered three weeks apart. The third dose for young kids is being studied for administration at least two months after the second dose.News of the earlier regulatory review was first reported by The Washington Post.