OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Seventeen Nebraska lawmakers are voicing support for Kellogg’s cereal workers who are on strike at the company’s Omaha plant and others. 

The senators sent a letter to Kellogg’s CEO and the company’s labor contract negotiating team to show solidarity with the unionized workers.

 The letter asks Kellogg’s to continue to work in good faith to ensure that employees are compensated with wages and benefits that match their work and dedication to the company. 

The letter was signed by 14 Democrats and 17 Republicans in the officially nonpartisan Legislature and spearheaded by state Sen. Mike McDonnell, a former Omaha fire chief and firefighters’ union president.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Seventeen Nebraska lawmakers are voicing support for Kellogg’s cereal workers who are on strike at the company’s Omaha plant and others. The senators sent a letter to Kellogg’s CEO and the company’s labor contract negotiating team to show solidarity with the unionized workers. The letter asks Kellogg’s to continue to work in good faith to ensure that employees are compensated with wages and benefits that match their work and dedication to the company. The letter was signed by 14 Democrats and 17 Republicans in the officially nonpartisan Legislature and spearheaded by state Sen. Mike McDonnell, a former Omaha fire chief and firefighters’ union president.

Nebraska lawmakers voice support for Kellogg's worker

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation at the wholesale level rose 8.6% in September compared to a year ago, the largest advance since the 12-month change was first calculated in 2010.

The Labor Department reported Thursday that the monthly increase in its producer price index, which measures inflationary pressures before they reach consumers, was 0.5% for September compared to a 0.7% gain in August.

The 8.6% rise for the 12 months ending in September compared to an 8.3% increase for the 12 months ending in August, which had been the previous record 12-month gain.

On Wednesday, the government reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-consumer-prices-inflation-prices-e80c0c24a6ec5ca1c977eccd6294d01b">inflation at the retail level rose 0.4% in September with its consumer price index up 5.4% over the past 12 months</a>, matching the fastest pace since 2008.

The jump in inflation this year reflects higher prices for food and energy and a number of other items from furniture to autos as the pandemic has snarled supply chains and demand has outstripped supply.

The report on wholesale prices showed that core inflation at the wholesale level, excluding volatile energy and food, was up 0.2% in September from August and was 6.8% higher over the past 12 months.

Almost 80% of the overall increase in wholesale prices last month was attributed to a 1.3% rise in the price of goods, the largest increase since May. In September, 40% of the jump in goods prices reflected rising energy prices. Price increases for services rose a smaller 0.2%

Food costs at the wholesale level rose 2% in September while energy prices were up 2.8%, the biggest jump since a 5% surge in March.

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden took actions in an effort to address the supply chain problems including announcing that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-los-angeles-health-48ff262b882a37308e4a3f15934b2ee4">Port of Los Angeles would begin operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week to clear bottlenecks&nbsp;</a>at one of America’s largest ports.

Economists said that the jump in wholesale and retail prices reflected impacts of the pandemic as strong demand is running up against supply chain problems.

“The demand impact will fade further over coming months,” said Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics. “But there is a risk of more persistent headwinds from broken supply chains that could keep goods prices and inflation high for longer than expected.”

Minutes released Wednesday of the Federal Reserve’s September meeting provided further indications that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-inflation-economy-3137e678ed459364dd3e1bc3a909920a">the central bank is preparing to start pulling back on its $120 billion in monthly bond purchases</a>, possibly at its next meeting in November, as the first step in unwinding the extraordinary support the central bank has been providing the economy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587348963152.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation at the wholesale level rose 8.6% in September compared to a year ago, the largest advance since the 12-month change was first calculated in 2010.The Labor Department reported Thursday that the monthly increase in its producer price index, which measures inflationary pressures before they reach consumers, was 0.5% for September compared to a 0.7% gain in August.The 8.6% rise for the 12 months ending in September compared to an 8.3% increase for the 12 months ending in August, which had been the previous record 12-month gain.On Wednesday, the government reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-consumer-prices-inflation-prices-e80c0c24a6ec5ca1c977eccd6294d01b">inflation at the retail level rose 0.4% in September with its consumer price index up 5.4% over the past 12 months</a>, matching the fastest pace since 2008.The jump in inflation this year reflects higher prices for food and energy and a number of other items from furniture to autos as the pandemic has snarled supply chains and demand has outstripped supply.The report on wholesale prices showed that core inflation at the wholesale level, excluding volatile energy and food, was up 0.2% in September from August and was 6.8% higher over the past 12 months.Almost 80% of the overall increase in wholesale prices last month was attributed to a 1.3% rise in the price of goods, the largest increase since May. In September, 40% of the jump in goods prices reflected rising energy prices. Price increases for services rose a smaller 0.2%Food costs at the wholesale level rose 2% in September while energy prices were up 2.8%, the biggest jump since a 5% surge in March.On Wednesday, President Joe Biden took actions in an effort to address the supply chain problems including announcing that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-los-angeles-health-48ff262b882a37308e4a3f15934b2ee4">Port of Los Angeles would begin operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week to clear bottlenecks&nbsp;</a>at one of America’s largest ports.Economists said that the jump in wholesale and retail prices reflected impacts of the pandemic as strong demand is running up against supply chain problems.“The demand impact will fade further over coming months,” said Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics. “But there is a risk of more persistent headwinds from broken supply chains that could keep goods prices and inflation high for longer than expected.”Minutes released Wednesday of the Federal Reserve’s September meeting provided further indications that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-inflation-economy-3137e678ed459364dd3e1bc3a909920a">the central bank is preparing to start pulling back on its $120 billion in monthly bond purchases</a>, possibly at its next meeting in November, as the first step in unwinding the extraordinary support the central bank has been providing the economy.

Record: US wholesale prices rose 8.6% over past 12-months

WASHINGTON (AP) —U.S. health advisers said Thursday that some Americans who received Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine should get a half-dose booster to bolster protection against the virus.

The panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously to recommend a booster shot for seniors, adults with other health problems, jobs or living situations that put them at increased risk for COVID-19.

The recommendation is non-binding but it’s a key step toward expanding the U.S. booster campaign to millions more Americans. Many people who got their initial Pfizer shots at least six months ago are already getting a booster after the FDA authorized their use last month.

As for the dose, initial Moderna vaccination consists of two 100-microgram shots. But Moderna says a single 50-microgram shot should be enough for a booster.

The agency convened its experts Thursday and Friday to weigh-in on who should get boosters and when for people that received the Moderna and Johnson &amp; Johnson shots earlier this year.

The FDA will use its advisers’ recommendations in making final decisions for boosters from both companies. Assuming a positive decision, there’s still another hurdle: Next week, a panel convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will offer more specifics on who should get one.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613693226012.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —U.S. health advisers said Thursday that some Americans who received Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine should get a half-dose booster to bolster protection against the virus.The panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously to recommend a booster shot for seniors, adults with other health problems, jobs or living situations that put them at increased risk for COVID-19.The recommendation is non-binding but it’s a key step toward expanding the U.S. booster campaign to millions more Americans. Many people who got their initial Pfizer shots at least six months ago are already getting a booster after the FDA authorized their use last month.As for the dose, initial Moderna vaccination consists of two 100-microgram shots. But Moderna says a single 50-microgram shot should be enough for a booster.The agency convened its experts Thursday and Friday to weigh-in on who should get boosters and when for people that received the Moderna and Johnson &amp; Johnson shots earlier this year.The FDA will use its advisers’ recommendations in making final decisions for boosters from both companies. Assuming a positive decision, there’s still another hurdle: Next week, a panel convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will offer more specifics on who should get one.

FDA panel endorses lower-dose Moderna COVID shot for booster

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 79-year-old Omaha violin instructor has been sentenced to up five years in prison for sexually assaulting one of his students from the time she 7 until she was 10.

 The Omaha World-Herald reports that Michael Godfrey was sentenced Wednesday in Douglas County District Court after pleading no contest to sexual assault. 

Godfrey was arrested in 2019 after his victim, who is now 17, told investigators that Godfrey sexually abused her repeatedly during her violin lessons at his house from 2011 to 2014.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 79-year-old Omaha violin instructor has been sentenced to up five years in prison for sexually assaulting one of his students from the time she 7 until she was 10. The Omaha World-Herald reports that Michael Godfrey was sentenced Wednesday in Douglas County District Court after pleading no contest to sexual assault. Godfrey was arrested in 2019 after his victim, who is now 17, told investigators that Godfrey sexually abused her repeatedly during her violin lessons at his house from 2011 to 2014.

Omaha violin teacher gets prison for child sex assault

WASHINGTON (AP)— President Joe Biden on Thursday spoke out against misinformation surrounding COVID-19 vaccination mandates, encouraging the approximately 66 million unvaccinated Americans to get a shot.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?515337-1/president-biden-update-covid-19-response-vaccinations">Click here to watch </a>the President's statement

“School board members, religious leaders and doctors across the country are fighting misinformation and educating people about the importance of vaccines,” Biden said.

Speaking at the White House, Biden says employer requirements that their workers be vaccinated are effective. He added: “Vaccination requirements should not be another issue that divides us.”

Biden has issued a federal vaccine mandate on businesses with 100 or more employees that will be implemented in the coming weeks. He says the federal government, as well as businesses and community groups, must “continue to battle the misinformation that’s out there.”

He noted both Southwest Airlines and its pilots’ union dismissed claims that worker action over a pending vaccine mandate at the company was responsible for days of disruption at the airline.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634230982483.png" alt="Speaking at the White House, Biden says employer requirements that their workers be vaccinated are effective. He added: “Vaccination requirements should not be another issue that divides us.”" />
 <figcaption>Speaking at the White House, Biden says employer requirements that their workers be vaccinated are effective. He added: “Vaccination requirements should not be another issue that divides us.”</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP)— President Joe Biden on Thursday spoke out against misinformation surrounding COVID-19 vaccination mandates, encouraging the approximately 66 million unvaccinated Americans to get a shot.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?515337-1/president-biden-update-covid-19-response-vaccinations">Click here to watch </a>the President's statement“School board members, religious leaders and doctors across the country are fighting misinformation and educating people about the importance of vaccines,” Biden said.Speaking at the White House, Biden says employer requirements that their workers be vaccinated are effective. He added: “Vaccination requirements should not be another issue that divides us.”Biden has issued a federal vaccine mandate on businesses with 100 or more employees that will be implemented in the coming weeks. He says the federal government, as well as businesses and community groups, must “continue to battle the misinformation that’s out there.”He noted both Southwest Airlines and its pilots’ union dismissed claims that worker action over a pending vaccine mandate at the company was responsible for days of disruption at the airline.

🎥Biden: Vaccination mandates should not be an issue that divides us

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Federal court records show that a former University of Michigan violin professor is expected to plead guilty to charges that he transported female minors across state lines for sex.

 An Oct. 12 court filing says that Stephen Shipps will plead guilty to two felony counts of “coercion of enticement of a minor female” next month.

 Shipps was placed on paid leave at Michigan in 2018 after former students in Nebraska and North Carolina accused him of sexual misconduct. 

Last year he was indicted on charges that he transported a minor girl across state lines for the purposes of sex in 2002 while he was on the faculty at Michigan.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Federal court records show that a former University of Michigan violin professor is expected to plead guilty to charges that he transported female minors across state lines for sex. An Oct. 12 court filing says that Stephen Shipps will plead guilty to two felony counts of “coercion of enticement of a minor female” next month. Shipps was placed on paid leave at Michigan in 2018 after former students in Nebraska and North Carolina accused him of sexual misconduct. Last year he was indicted on charges that he transported a minor girl across state lines for the purposes of sex in 2002 while he was on the faculty at Michigan.

Ex-music professor expected to plead guilty to sex charges

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Police say a violent carjacking that injured a woman in Council Bluffs ended in a crash before the suspect could cross the Missouri River into Nebraska. 

Police say the incident began Wednesday night, when a man's vehicle was hit from behind. 

Police say when the man got out to inspect the damage, someone from the other vehicle jumped into his car and drove off. 

Police say the victim's wife was a passenger in the car and was seriously injured when she fell into the roadway as the carjacker sped off.

 Police say officers used a maneuver that caused the fleeing car to crash before it reached the Nebraska side of the bridge. 

The suspect was injured and taken to an Omaha, Nebraska, hospital.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Police say a violent carjacking that injured a woman in Council Bluffs ended in a crash before the suspect could cross the Missouri River into Nebraska. Police say the incident began Wednesday night, when a man's vehicle was hit from behind. Police say when the man got out to inspect the damage, someone from the other vehicle jumped into his car and drove off. Police say the victim's wife was a passenger in the car and was seriously injured when she fell into the roadway as the carjacker sped off. Police say officers used a maneuver that caused the fleeing car to crash before it reached the Nebraska side of the bridge. The suspect was injured and taken to an Omaha, Nebraska, hospital.

Carjacking in Council Bluffs injures woman; suspect stopped

WASHINGTON (AP) –Thousands of public servants who were rejected from a student loan forgiveness program will get their cases reviewed by the Education Department as part of a settlement in a lawsuit brought by one of the nation’s largest teachers unions.

The settlement announced Wednesday aims to resolve a 2019 suit accusing the department of mismanaging its Public Service Loan Forgiveness program — a troubled initiative that the agency is separately working to fix through an overhaul&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-congress-student-loans-education-cecef88ebeebe2f524022f603f22a83b">announced last week</a>.

The suit was brought by the American Federation of Teachers on behalf of eight members who said they were wrongly denied debt cancellation through the program.

Created in 2007, the program promises that college graduates who take jobs in public service can have their federal student debt forgiven after making 10 years of monthly payments. But the vast majority of applicants have been rejected, often for failing to meet complicated eligibility rules.

According to the lawsuit, the Education Department routinely made errors while processing applications yet offered no appeals process. It argued that borrowers were illegally being denied their right to due process. The suit targeted the department and former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

As part of the settlement, the department said it will automatically review applications for all borrowers who were rejected prior to Nov. 1, 2020, as long as they had made 10 years of payments. If the department finds that a rejection was justified, it will email borrowers to explain the decision and how they can become eligible.

It goes a step further than a temporary expansion announced last week, which allows some previously ineligible borrowers to get loan forgiveness if they submit an application by the end of October 2022.

A new appeals process also will be created by April 30, 2022, for anyone whose application is denied. All eight plaintiffs in the suit will also get their loan balances erased, estimated at nearly $400,000.

Randi Weingarten, president of the AFT, called it a “game-changing victory” for educators, nurses and other public workers who were wrongly rejected.

“We just ensured that a promise made is a promise kept,” Weingarten said in a call with reporters. “The settlement unravels the Gordian knot of PSLF’s botched implementation.”

Kelly Leon, a department spokesperson, said the Biden administration is committed to improving the program, which she said has failed to live up to its promise.

“We are pleased to settle this litigation and look forward to working with organizations including AFT to further improve the PSLF Program,” she said in a statement.

Among the plaintiffs is Debbie Baker, an Oklahoma teacher who made 10 years of payments before learning she had a type of loan that isn’t eligible under the program’s rules. She will now get more than $80,000 in student debt erased.

“This is just lifechanging — to be able to go to school and teach every day, and not have to deal with the anxiety and the anguish and the guilt and the feeling of just being trapped by debt,” she told reporters. “This is truly, truly lifechanging.”

Some other plaintiffs said their student loan servicers incorrectly told them they were eligible for the program, only to find out later that they had an ineligible loan or repayment plan. They also will see their loans cleared.

The department also agreed to email borrowers who may be eligible for loan forgiveness and explain how to submit the right paperwork.

The program has been a subject of debate for years amid criticism that it failed to deliver its promise to public servants. It was created to steer more college graduates into jobs that serve the public good but often have modest pay. It’s open to government workers at all levels and employees of nonprofit groups.

After finding that most applications were being rejected, Congress added $700 million to the program and temporarily expanded its rules in 2018. But even after that change, just 1% of applications were approved, according to a federal report a year later.

Thousands of applicants have been denied because they had loans through a now-defunct program that gave federally backed student loans through banks. Those loans are ineligible under the program’s original rules, as are some repayment plans.

Last week, the Education Department announced it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-student-loans-education-e7ddbd51e67e7e0ffb0f833f3ef02c42">temporarily lift some rules</a>&nbsp;to expand eligibility while it works on permanent improvements.

Under the change, past payments can be counted toward the required 10 years of payments even if they were made on loans or through payment plans that were previously ineligible. Borrowers have until Oct. 30, 2022, to get those payments counted.

The department is lifting the rules by invoking the HEROES Act of 2003, a federal law that allows the agency to waive certain rules during a national emergency. The move was applauded by Democrats and student advocates but blasted by Republicans, who say any changes should be made by Congress.

The Biden administration vowed to make permanent improvements through a federal rulemaking process. Hearings for that process started last week.

WASHINGTON (AP) –Thousands of public servants who were rejected from a student loan forgiveness program will get their cases reviewed by the Education Department as part of a settlement in a lawsuit brought by one of the nation’s largest teachers unions.The settlement announced Wednesday aims to resolve a 2019 suit accusing the department of mismanaging its Public Service Loan Forgiveness program — a troubled initiative that the agency is separately working to fix through an overhaul&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-congress-student-loans-education-cecef88ebeebe2f524022f603f22a83b">announced last week</a>.The suit was brought by the American Federation of Teachers on behalf of eight members who said they were wrongly denied debt cancellation through the program.Created in 2007, the program promises that college graduates who take jobs in public service can have their federal student debt forgiven after making 10 years of monthly payments. But the vast majority of applicants have been rejected, often for failing to meet complicated eligibility rules.According to the lawsuit, the Education Department routinely made errors while processing applications yet offered no appeals process. It argued that borrowers were illegally being denied their right to due process. The suit targeted the department and former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.As part of the settlement, the department said it will automatically review applications for all borrowers who were rejected prior to Nov. 1, 2020, as long as they had made 10 years of payments. If the department finds that a rejection was justified, it will email borrowers to explain the decision and how they can become eligible.It goes a step further than a temporary expansion announced last week, which allows some previously ineligible borrowers to get loan forgiveness if they submit an application by the end of October 2022.A new appeals process also will be created by April 30, 2022, for anyone whose application is denied. All eight plaintiffs in the suit will also get their loan balances erased, estimated at nearly $400,000.Randi Weingarten, president of the AFT, called it a “game-changing victory” for educators, nurses and other public workers who were wrongly rejected.“We just ensured that a promise made is a promise kept,” Weingarten said in a call with reporters. “The settlement unravels the Gordian knot of PSLF’s botched implementation.”Kelly Leon, a department spokesperson, said the Biden administration is committed to improving the program, which she said has failed to live up to its promise.“We are pleased to settle this litigation and look forward to working with organizations including AFT to further improve the PSLF Program,” she said in a statement.Among the plaintiffs is Debbie Baker, an Oklahoma teacher who made 10 years of payments before learning she had a type of loan that isn’t eligible under the program’s rules. She will now get more than $80,000 in student debt erased.“This is just lifechanging — to be able to go to school and teach every day, and not have to deal with the anxiety and the anguish and the guilt and the feeling of just being trapped by debt,” she told reporters. “This is truly, truly lifechanging.”Some other plaintiffs said their student loan servicers incorrectly told them they were eligible for the program, only to find out later that they had an ineligible loan or repayment plan. They also will see their loans cleared.The department also agreed to email borrowers who may be eligible for loan forgiveness and explain how to submit the right paperwork.The program has been a subject of debate for years amid criticism that it failed to deliver its promise to public servants. It was created to steer more college graduates into jobs that serve the public good but often have modest pay. It’s open to government workers at all levels and employees of nonprofit groups.After finding that most applications were being rejected, Congress added $700 million to the program and temporarily expanded its rules in 2018. But even after that change, just 1% of applications were approved, according to a federal report a year later.Thousands of applicants have been denied because they had loans through a now-defunct program that gave federally backed student loans through banks. Those loans are ineligible under the program’s original rules, as are some repayment plans.Last week, the Education Department announced it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-student-loans-education-e7ddbd51e67e7e0ffb0f833f3ef02c42">temporarily lift some rules</a>&nbsp;to expand eligibility while it works on permanent improvements.Under the change, past payments can be counted toward the required 10 years of payments even if they were made on loans or through payment plans that were previously ineligible. Borrowers have until Oct. 30, 2022, to get those payments counted.The department is lifting the rules by invoking the HEROES Act of 2003, a federal law that allows the agency to waive certain rules during a national emergency. The move was applauded by Democrats and student advocates but blasted by Republicans, who say any changes should be made by Congress.The Biden administration vowed to make permanent improvements through a federal rulemaking process. Hearings for that process started last week.

Borrowers denied student loan relief will get a 2nd look

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Officials at the Lincoln Children's Zoo say five big cats tested positive for COVID-19. Zoo officials announced Wednesday that two Sumatran tigers and three snow leopards were tested after they began showing symptoms of the virus during the weekend.

 Spokeswoman Sarah Wood said in a news release the cats are the first animals at the zoo to contract the virus.

 They are being treated with plans that have been successful at other zoos. Wood said it's unclear how the animals were infected.

 She said the public was not in danger because of the distance between the cats and zoo visitors. 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Officials at the Lincoln Children's Zoo say five big cats tested positive for COVID-19. Zoo officials announced Wednesday that two Sumatran tigers and three snow leopards were tested after they began showing symptoms of the virus during the weekend. Spokeswoman Sarah Wood said in a news release the cats are the first animals at the zoo to contract the virus. They are being treated with plans that have been successful at other zoos. Wood said it's unclear how the animals were infected. She said the public was not in danger because of the distance between the cats and zoo visitors. The animals are expected to recover.

Big cats at Lincoln Children's Zoo contract COVID-19

WASHINGTON (AP) — With many Americans who got Pfizer vaccinations already rolling up their sleeves for a booster shot, millions of others who received the Moderna or Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine wait anxiously to learn when it’s their turn.

Federal regulators begin tackling that question this week.

On Thursday and Friday, the Food and Drug Administration convenes its independent advisers for the first stage in the process of deciding whether extra doses of the two vaccines should be dispensed and, if so, who should get them and when. The final go-ahead is not expected for at least another week.

After the FDA advisers give their recommendation, the agency itself will make a decision on whether to authorize boosters. Then next week, a panel convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will offer more specifics on who should get them. Its decision is subject to approval by the CDC director.

The process is meant to bolster public confidence in the vaccines. But it has already led to conflicts among experts and agencies — and documents the FDA released Tuesday suggest this week’s decisions will be equally difficult.

In one earlier vaccine dispute, the CDC’s advisory panel last month backed Pfizer boosters at the six-month point for older Americans, nursing home residents and people with underlying health problems. But CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-science-health-coronavirus-vaccine-95b8d9a432b60fe0e9713adf75dde0ee">overruled her advisers</a>&nbsp;and decided boosters should also be offered to those with high-risk jobs such as teachers and health care workers, adding tens of millions more Americans to the list.

Some health experts fear the back-and-forth deliberations are muddling the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-science-health-coronavirus-vaccine-bd0d386c8a800e4d2c08fa7e3eef6f6e">public effort&nbsp;</a>to persuade the unvaccinated to get their first shots. They worry that the talk of boosters will lead people to wrongly doubt the effectiveness of the vaccines in the first place.

When the FDA’s panel meets to review the Moderna and J&amp;J vaccines, experts will discuss whether a third Moderna shot should contain just half the original dose and what’s the best timing for a second shot of the single-dose J&amp;J vaccine.

The panel will also look into the safety and effectiveness of mixing-and-matching different brands of vaccine, something regulators have not endorsed so far.

An estimated 103 million Americans are fully vaccinated with Pfizer’s formula, 69 million with Moderna’s and 15 million with J&amp;J’s, according to the CDC. Regulators took up the question of Pfizer boosters first because the company submitted its data ahead of the other vaccine makers.

Tim Anderson, a U.S. history teacher at a high school outside Louisville, Kentucky, already had his two Moderna shots months before he came down with COVID-19 in August. While his symptoms hit him “like a sledgehammer,” he is convinced that the inoculation saved him and his girlfriend from the more severe effects of the disease.

The two are now awaiting clearance of a Moderna booster shot.

“Until we can build up enough immunity within our own self and, you know, as a group of humans, I’m willing to do what I need to do,” Anderson, 58, said.

The FDA meetings come as U.S. vaccinations have climbed back above 1 million per day on average, an increase of more than 50% over the past two weeks. The rise has been driven mainly by Pfizer boosters and employer vaccine mandates.

While the FDA and CDC so far have endorsed Pfizer boosters for specific groups only, Biden administration officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, have suggested that extra shots will eventually be recommended for most Americans.

In a new review of Moderna’s data, the FDA did not indicate Tuesday if it was leaning toward clearing the company’s booster. It said vaccines used in the U.S. still provide protection, and it raised questions about some of Moderna’s data.

The two initial Moderna shots contain 100 micrograms of vaccine each. But the drugmaker says 50 micrograms ought to be enough for a booster for healthy people.

A company study of 344 people gave them a 50-microgram shot six months after their second dose, and levels of virus-fighting antibodies jumped. Moderna said the booster even triggered a 42-fold rise in antibodies able to target the extra-contagious delta variant.

Side effects were similar to the fevers and aches that Moderna recipients commonly experience after their second regular shot, the company said.

As for people who got the J&amp;J vaccine, the company submitted data to the FDA for different options: a booster shot at two months or at six months. The company said in its FDA submission that a six-month booster is recommended but that a second dose could be given at two months in some situations.

J&amp;J released data in September showing that a booster given at two months provided 94% protection against moderate-to-severe COVID-19 infection. The company has not disclosed patient data on a six-month booster, but early measures of virus-fighting antibodies suggest it provides even higher protection.

Even without a booster, J&amp;J says, its vaccine remains about 80% effective at preventing COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S.

Scientists emphasize that all three vaccines used in the U.S. still offer strong protection against severe disease and death from COVID-19. The issue is how quickly, and how much, protection against milder infection may wane.

In one recent study, researchers compared about 14,000 people who had gotten their first Moderna dose a year ago with 11,000 vaccinated eight months ago. As the delta variant surged in July and August, the more recently vaccinated group had a 36% lower rate of “breakthrough” infections compared with those vaccinated longer ago.

WASHINGTON (AP) — With many Americans who got Pfizer vaccinations already rolling up their sleeves for a booster shot, millions of others who received the Moderna or Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine wait anxiously to learn when it’s their turn.Federal regulators begin tackling that question this week.On Thursday and Friday, the Food and Drug Administration convenes its independent advisers for the first stage in the process of deciding whether extra doses of the two vaccines should be dispensed and, if so, who should get them and when. The final go-ahead is not expected for at least another week.After the FDA advisers give their recommendation, the agency itself will make a decision on whether to authorize boosters. Then next week, a panel convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will offer more specifics on who should get them. Its decision is subject to approval by the CDC director.The process is meant to bolster public confidence in the vaccines. But it has already led to conflicts among experts and agencies — and documents the FDA released Tuesday suggest this week’s decisions will be equally difficult.In one earlier vaccine dispute, the CDC’s advisory panel last month backed Pfizer boosters at the six-month point for older Americans, nursing home residents and people with underlying health problems. But CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-science-health-coronavirus-vaccine-95b8d9a432b60fe0e9713adf75dde0ee">overruled her advisers</a>&nbsp;and decided boosters should also be offered to those with high-risk jobs such as teachers and health care workers, adding tens of millions more Americans to the list.Some health experts fear the back-and-forth deliberations are muddling the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-science-health-coronavirus-vaccine-bd0d386c8a800e4d2c08fa7e3eef6f6e">public effort&nbsp;</a>to persuade the unvaccinated to get their first shots. They worry that the talk of boosters will lead people to wrongly doubt the effectiveness of the vaccines in the first place.When the FDA’s panel meets to review the Moderna and J&amp;J vaccines, experts will discuss whether a third Moderna shot should contain just half the original dose and what’s the best timing for a second shot of the single-dose J&amp;J vaccine.The panel will also look into the safety and effectiveness of mixing-and-matching different brands of vaccine, something regulators have not endorsed so far.An estimated 103 million Americans are fully vaccinated with Pfizer’s formula, 69 million with Moderna’s and 15 million with J&amp;J’s, according to the CDC. Regulators took up the question of Pfizer boosters first because the company submitted its data ahead of the other vaccine makers.Tim Anderson, a U.S. history teacher at a high school outside Louisville, Kentucky, already had his two Moderna shots months before he came down with COVID-19 in August. While his symptoms hit him “like a sledgehammer,” he is convinced that the inoculation saved him and his girlfriend from the more severe effects of the disease.The two are now awaiting clearance of a Moderna booster shot.“Until we can build up enough immunity within our own self and, you know, as a group of humans, I’m willing to do what I need to do,” Anderson, 58, said.The FDA meetings come as U.S. vaccinations have climbed back above 1 million per day on average, an increase of more than 50% over the past two weeks. The rise has been driven mainly by Pfizer boosters and employer vaccine mandates.While the FDA and CDC so far have endorsed Pfizer boosters for specific groups only, Biden administration officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, have suggested that extra shots will eventually be recommended for most Americans.In a new review of Moderna’s data, the FDA did not indicate Tuesday if it was leaning toward clearing the company’s booster. It said vaccines used in the U.S. still provide protection, and it raised questions about some of Moderna’s data.The two initial Moderna shots contain 100 micrograms of vaccine each. But the drugmaker says 50 micrograms ought to be enough for a booster for healthy people.A company study of 344 people gave them a 50-microgram shot six months after their second dose, and levels of virus-fighting antibodies jumped. Moderna said the booster even triggered a 42-fold rise in antibodies able to target the extra-contagious delta variant.Side effects were similar to the fevers and aches that Moderna recipients commonly experience after their second regular shot, the company said.As for people who got the J&amp;J vaccine, the company submitted data to the FDA for different options: a booster shot at two months or at six months. The company said in its FDA submission that a six-month booster is recommended but that a second dose could be given at two months in some situations.J&amp;J released data in September showing that a booster given at two months provided 94% protection against moderate-to-severe COVID-19 infection. The company has not disclosed patient data on a six-month booster, but early measures of virus-fighting antibodies suggest it provides even higher protection.Even without a booster, J&amp;J says, its vaccine remains about 80% effective at preventing COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S.Scientists emphasize that all three vaccines used in the U.S. still offer strong protection against severe disease and death from COVID-19. The issue is how quickly, and how much, protection against milder infection may wane.In one recent study, researchers compared about 14,000 people who had gotten their first Moderna dose a year ago with 11,000 vaccinated eight months ago. As the delta variant surged in July and August, the more recently vaccinated group had a 36% lower rate of “breakthrough” infections compared with those vaccinated longer ago.___

FDA begins work to approve booster shots of Moderna, J&J vaccines

MOLINE, Ill. (AP) — More than 10,000 Deere &amp; Co. workers went on strike Thursday at midnight after “the company failed to present an agreement that met our members’ demands and needs,” The United Auto Workers union said in statement.

The union had said its members would walk off the job if no deal has been reached by 11:59 p.m. The vast majority of the union rejected a contract offer earlier this week that would have delivered 5% raises to some workers and 6% raises to others.

UAW President Ray Curry, said “The almost one million UAW retirees and active members who stand in solidarity with the striking UAW members at John Deere.”

Thirty-five years have passed since the last major Deere strike, but workers were emboldened to demand more this year after working long hours throughout the pandemic and because companies are facing worker shortages.

“Our members at John Deere strike for the ability to earn a decent living, retire with dignity and establish fair work rules,” said Chuck Browning, vice president and director of the UAW’s Agricultural Implement Department. “We stay committed to bargaining until our members’ goals are achieved.”

Chris Laursen, who works as a painter at Deere, told the Des Moines Register that he thought a strike was imminent and could make a significant difference.

“The whole nation’s going to be watching us,” Laursen said to the newspaper. “If we take a stand here for ourselves, our families, for basic human prosperity, it’s going to make a difference for the whole manufacturing industry. Let’s do it. Let’s not be intimidated.”

Earlier this year, another group of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-strikes-17c318d1250ebfca9f597c5601af820b">UAW-represented workers went on strike at a Volvo Trucks plant in Virginia</a>&nbsp;and wound up with better pay and lower-cost health benefits after rejecting three tentative contract offers.

The contracts under negotiation covered 14 Deere plants across the United States, including seven in Iowa, four in Illinois and one each in Kansas, Colorado and Georgia.

The contract talks at the Moline, Illinois-based company were unfolding as Deere is expecting to report record profits between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion this year. The company has been reporting strong sales of its agricultural and construction equipment this year.

The Deere production plants are an important contributors to the economy, so local officials hope any strike will be short-lived.

“We definitely want to see our economy stabilize and grow after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati said to the Quad-Cities Times. “Hopefully, these parties can come to a resolution soon.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634208352309.png" alt="John Deere offices in Coffeyville, Kansas-Google image" />
 <figcaption>John Deere offices in Coffeyville, Kansas-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>MOLINE, Ill. (AP) — More than 10,000 Deere &amp; Co. workers went on strike Thursday at midnight after “the company failed to present an agreement that met our members’ demands and needs,” The United Auto Workers union said in statement.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FUAW450Members%2Fposts%2F10158858932068040&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="498" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The union had said its members would walk off the job if no deal has been reached by 11:59 p.m. The vast majority of the union rejected a contract offer earlier this week that would have delivered 5% raises to some workers and 6% raises to others.UAW President Ray Curry, said “The almost one million UAW retirees and active members who stand in solidarity with the striking UAW members at John Deere.”Thirty-five years have passed since the last major Deere strike, but workers were emboldened to demand more this year after working long hours throughout the pandemic and because companies are facing worker shortages.“Our members at John Deere strike for the ability to earn a decent living, retire with dignity and establish fair work rules,” said Chuck Browning, vice president and director of the UAW’s Agricultural Implement Department. “We stay committed to bargaining until our members’ goals are achieved.”Chris Laursen, who works as a painter at Deere, told the Des Moines Register that he thought a strike was imminent and could make a significant difference.“The whole nation’s going to be watching us,” Laursen said to the newspaper. “If we take a stand here for ourselves, our families, for basic human prosperity, it’s going to make a difference for the whole manufacturing industry. Let’s do it. Let’s not be intimidated.”Earlier this year, another group of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-strikes-17c318d1250ebfca9f597c5601af820b">UAW-represented workers went on strike at a Volvo Trucks plant in Virginia</a>&nbsp;and wound up with better pay and lower-cost health benefits after rejecting three tentative contract offers.The contracts under negotiation covered 14 Deere plants across the United States, including seven in Iowa, four in Illinois and one each in Kansas, Colorado and Georgia.The contract talks at the Moline, Illinois-based company were unfolding as Deere is expecting to report record profits between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion this year. The company has been reporting strong sales of its agricultural and construction equipment this year.The Deere production plants are an important contributors to the economy, so local officials hope any strike will be short-lived.“We definitely want to see our economy stabilize and grow after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati said to the Quad-Cities Times. “Hopefully, these parties can come to a resolution soon.”

John Deere: Workers in Kansas, 4 other states walk off the job

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden tried to reassure Americans on Wednesday that he can tame&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-consumer-prices-inflation-prices-e80c0c24a6ec5ca1c977eccd6294d01b">high inflation</a>, announcing a deal to expand operations at the Port of Los Angeles as prices keep climbing and container ships wait to dock in a traffic jam threatening the U.S. economy and holiday shopping.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?515317-1/president-biden-announces-steps-ease-global-supply-chain-bottlenecks-nations-ports">Click here to watch </a>the President's statement

Prices are jumping in large part because container ships are stranded at ports and because unloaded goods are waiting for trucks, leading to mass shortages and delays that have caused a longer than expected bout of inflation. The rising costs are eating into worker pay, creating a drag on growth and driving Republican criticism of Biden just as his multitrillion-dollar tax, economic, climate and infrastructure agenda is going through the crucible of congressional negotiations.

The White House responded to the backlog by finalizing an agreement for the Port of Los Angeles to become a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week operation. The hope is that nighttime operations will help to break the logjam and reduce shipping delays for toasters, sneakers, bicycles, cars and more.

“With holidays coming up, you might be wondering if the gifts you plan to buy will arrive on time,” Biden said at the White House. “Today we have some good news: We’re going to help speed up the delivery of goods all across America.”

But the expansion of port operations was also an unspoken recognition that inflation is lingering at higher levels long after the economy began to reopen from the coronavirus pandemic. Businesses were worrying about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-business-government-and-politics-2c2d811df7e2b07dd927778fb7944c3a">monthslong delays for shipping containers</a>&nbsp;in June, yet the administration only formed its supply chain task force that month and named a port envoy on Aug. 27 to address the challenge.

Ports are also just one piece of the puzzle, Biden said. The country needs more truck drivers, private retailers to step up and better infrastructure, as well as a supply chain that can less easily be disrupted by pandemics and extreme weather. The president is trying to use the predicament as a selling point for his policy plans that undergoing congressional scrutiny.

“We need to take a longer view and invest in building greater resiliency to withstand the kinds of shocks we’ve seen over and over, year in and year out, the risk of pandemic, extreme weather, climate change, cyberattacks, weather disruptions,” he said.

The sense of uncertainty is beginning to consume the attention of many Americans.

University of Michigan economist Betsey Stevenson noted on Twitter the “economy is in a very fragile and unprecedented place.” Prices are rising at more than 5%, trade in goods and services have slowed and more Americans are quitting their jobs while the delta variant has made the coronavirus pandemic a risk.

“No one really knows what’s going to happen,” wrote Stevenson, a former member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama.

Ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, account for 40% of all shipping containers entering the United States. As of Tuesday, there were 64 ships berthed at the two ports and 80 waiting to dock and unload, according to the Marine Exchange of Southern California.

Commitments by the Los Angeles port’s operator, longshoremen and several of the country’s largest retail and shipping companies are expected to help relieve the backlog.

Walmart, FedEx, UPS, Target, Samsung and The Home Depot committed to unloading during off-peak hours, making it easier for the Los Angeles port to operate nonstop. The Long Beach port has been operating 24 hours daily for seven days for roughly the past three weeks.

Biden also held a virtual roundtable with the heads of Walmart, FedEx Logistics, UPS, Target, Samsung Electronics North America, the Teamsters Union and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, among other groups, before his speech.

Republican lawmakers say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-coronavirus-relief-package-33f4902ca9a2aed4e76274af6bb2ea5c">Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package</a>&nbsp;has fueled higher prices. A recent analysis issued by the investment bank Goldman Sachs estimates that “supply-constrained goods” account for 80% of this year’s inflation overshoot, yet the political criticism continues to sting as housing and oil prices add to inflationary pressures.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has made inflation one of his central charges against Biden, a sign that getting prices under control could be essential for Democrats trying to hold onto congressional seats in next year’s elections.

“The Democrats’ inflation is so bad that even though the average American worker has gotten a multiple-percentage-point pay raise over the last year, their actual purchasing power has been cut,” McConnell said in a Senate speech last week. “Even dollar stores are having to raise their prices. Just ask any American family about their last few trips to the supermarket, the gas station or the toy store. Heaven forbid if they’ve had to participate in the housing market or the auto market anytime lately.”

The Biden administration has argued that higher inflation is temporary. Yet the supply chain issues have persisted months after the economy began to reopen and recover as vaccines lessened many of the risks from the pandemic.

Consumer prices climbed 5.4% from a year ago, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday. That is significantly above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Higher energy, food and shelter costs were prime drivers of price increases in September.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634172701291.png" alt="“With holidays coming up, you might be wondering if the gifts you plan to buy will arrive on time,” Biden said at the White House. “Today we have some good news: We’re going to help speed up the delivery of goods all across America.”" />
 <figcaption>“With holidays coming up, you might be wondering if the gifts you plan to buy will arrive on time,” Biden said at the White House. “Today we have some good news: We’re going to help speed up the delivery of goods all across America.”</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden tried to reassure Americans on Wednesday that he can tame&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-consumer-prices-inflation-prices-e80c0c24a6ec5ca1c977eccd6294d01b">high inflation</a>, announcing a deal to expand operations at the Port of Los Angeles as prices keep climbing and container ships wait to dock in a traffic jam threatening the U.S. economy and holiday shopping.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?515317-1/president-biden-announces-steps-ease-global-supply-chain-bottlenecks-nations-ports">Click here to watch </a>the President's statementPrices are jumping in large part because container ships are stranded at ports and because unloaded goods are waiting for trucks, leading to mass shortages and delays that have caused a longer than expected bout of inflation. The rising costs are eating into worker pay, creating a drag on growth and driving Republican criticism of Biden just as his multitrillion-dollar tax, economic, climate and infrastructure agenda is going through the crucible of congressional negotiations.The White House responded to the backlog by finalizing an agreement for the Port of Los Angeles to become a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week operation. The hope is that nighttime operations will help to break the logjam and reduce shipping delays for toasters, sneakers, bicycles, cars and more.“With holidays coming up, you might be wondering if the gifts you plan to buy will arrive on time,” Biden said at the White House. “Today we have some good news: We’re going to help speed up the delivery of goods all across America.”But the expansion of port operations was also an unspoken recognition that inflation is lingering at higher levels long after the economy began to reopen from the coronavirus pandemic. Businesses were worrying about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-business-government-and-politics-2c2d811df7e2b07dd927778fb7944c3a">monthslong delays for shipping containers</a>&nbsp;in June, yet the administration only formed its supply chain task force that month and named a port envoy on Aug. 27 to address the challenge.Ports are also just one piece of the puzzle, Biden said. The country needs more truck drivers, private retailers to step up and better infrastructure, as well as a supply chain that can less easily be disrupted by pandemics and extreme weather. The president is trying to use the predicament as a selling point for his policy plans that undergoing congressional scrutiny.“We need to take a longer view and invest in building greater resiliency to withstand the kinds of shocks we’ve seen over and over, year in and year out, the risk of pandemic, extreme weather, climate change, cyberattacks, weather disruptions,” he said.The sense of uncertainty is beginning to consume the attention of many Americans.University of Michigan economist Betsey Stevenson noted on Twitter the “economy is in a very fragile and unprecedented place.” Prices are rising at more than 5%, trade in goods and services have slowed and more Americans are quitting their jobs while the delta variant has made the coronavirus pandemic a risk.“No one really knows what’s going to happen,” wrote Stevenson, a former member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama.Ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, account for 40% of all shipping containers entering the United States. As of Tuesday, there were 64 ships berthed at the two ports and 80 waiting to dock and unload, according to the Marine Exchange of Southern California.Commitments by the Los Angeles port’s operator, longshoremen and several of the country’s largest retail and shipping companies are expected to help relieve the backlog.Walmart, FedEx, UPS, Target, Samsung and The Home Depot committed to unloading during off-peak hours, making it easier for the Los Angeles port to operate nonstop. The Long Beach port has been operating 24 hours daily for seven days for roughly the past three weeks.Biden also held a virtual roundtable with the heads of Walmart, FedEx Logistics, UPS, Target, Samsung Electronics North America, the Teamsters Union and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, among other groups, before his speech.Republican lawmakers say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-coronavirus-relief-package-33f4902ca9a2aed4e76274af6bb2ea5c">Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package</a>&nbsp;has fueled higher prices. A recent analysis issued by the investment bank Goldman Sachs estimates that “supply-constrained goods” account for 80% of this year’s inflation overshoot, yet the political criticism continues to sting as housing and oil prices add to inflationary pressures.Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has made inflation one of his central charges against Biden, a sign that getting prices under control could be essential for Democrats trying to hold onto congressional seats in next year’s elections.“The Democrats’ inflation is so bad that even though the average American worker has gotten a multiple-percentage-point pay raise over the last year, their actual purchasing power has been cut,” McConnell said in a Senate speech last week. “Even dollar stores are having to raise their prices. Just ask any American family about their last few trips to the supermarket, the gas station or the toy store. Heaven forbid if they’ve had to participate in the housing market or the auto market anytime lately.”The Biden administration has argued that higher inflation is temporary. Yet the supply chain issues have persisted months after the economy began to reopen and recover as vaccines lessened many of the risks from the pandemic.Consumer prices climbed 5.4% from a year ago, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday. That is significantly above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Higher energy, food and shelter costs were prime drivers of price increases in September.

🎥President Biden takes action to resolve global supply chain issues

YORK, Neb. (AP) — Investigators say a southeastern Nebraska teen has died after his pickup crashed into the back of semitrailer stopped at a rural intersection. 

The York News-Times reports that the crash happened Tuesday morning at the intersection of U.S. Highway 34 and Road O just northeast of York, killing 18-year-old Kain Verhage, of Fairmont. 

The York County Sheriff's Office says Verhage was westbound on the highway when he ran into the back of the semi. 

Verhage was flown by medical helicopter to a Lincoln hospital, where he died from his injuries.

 Deputies say no one else was hurt in the collision.

YORK, Neb. (AP) — Investigators say a southeastern Nebraska teen has died after his pickup crashed into the back of semitrailer stopped at a rural intersection. The York News-Times reports that the crash happened Tuesday morning at the intersection of U.S. Highway 34 and Road O just northeast of York, killing 18-year-old Kain Verhage, of Fairmont. The York County Sheriff's Office says Verhage was westbound on the highway when he ran into the back of the semi. Verhage was flown by medical helicopter to a Lincoln hospital, where he died from his injuries. Deputies say no one else was hurt in the collision.

Southeastern Nebraska teen killed in crash into back of semi

MOLINE, Ill. (AP) — More than 10,000 Deere &amp; Co. workers appear ready to go on strike if negotiators can't deliver a new agreement by the end of Wednesday.

The United Auto Workers union has said its members would walk off the job if no deal has been reached by 11:59 p.m. The vast majority of the union rejected a contract offer earlier this week that would have delivered 5% raises to some workers and 6% raises to others.

Thirty-five years have passed since the last major Deere strike, but workers are emboldened to demand more this year after working long hours throughout the pandemic and because companies are facing worker shortages.

Chris Laursen, who works as a painter at Deere, told the Des Moines Register that he thinks a strike is imminent and could make a significant difference.

Earlier this year, another group of UAW-represented workers went on strike at a Volvo Trucks plant in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/virginia">Virginia</a>&nbsp;and wound up with better pay and lower-cost health benefits after rejecting three tentative contract offers.

The contracts being under negotiation cover 14 Deere plants across the United States, including seven in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/iowa">Iowa</a>, four in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/illinois">Illinois</a>&nbsp;and one each in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas">Kansas</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/colorado">Colorado</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/georgia">Georgia</a>.

The contract talks at the Moline, Illinois-based company are unfolding as Deere is expecting to report record profits between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion this year. The company has been reporting strong sales of its agricultural and construction equipment this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634151279010.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>MOLINE, Ill. (AP) — More than 10,000 Deere &amp; Co. workers appear ready to go on strike if negotiators can't deliver a new agreement by the end of Wednesday.The United Auto Workers union has said its members would walk off the job if no deal has been reached by 11:59 p.m. The vast majority of the union rejected a contract offer earlier this week that would have delivered 5% raises to some workers and 6% raises to others.Thirty-five years have passed since the last major Deere strike, but workers are emboldened to demand more this year after working long hours throughout the pandemic and because companies are facing worker shortages.Chris Laursen, who works as a painter at Deere, told the Des Moines Register that he thinks a strike is imminent and could make a significant difference.“The whole nation’s going to be watching us,” Laursen said to the newspaper. “If we take a stand here for ourselves, our families, for basic human prosperity, it’s going to make a difference for the whole manufacturing industry. Let’s do it. Let’s not be intimidated.”Earlier this year, another group of UAW-represented workers went on strike at a Volvo Trucks plant in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/virginia">Virginia</a>&nbsp;and wound up with better pay and lower-cost health benefits after rejecting three tentative contract offers.The contracts being under negotiation cover 14 Deere plants across the United States, including seven in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/iowa">Iowa</a>, four in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/illinois">Illinois</a>&nbsp;and one each in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas">Kansas</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/colorado">Colorado</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/georgia">Georgia</a>.The contract talks at the Moline, Illinois-based company are unfolding as Deere is expecting to report record profits between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion this year. The company has been reporting strong sales of its agricultural and construction equipment this year.The Deere production plants are an important contributors to the economy, so local officials hope any strike will be short-lived.“We definitely want to see our economy stabilize and grow after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati said to the Quad-Cities Times. “Hopefully, these parties can come to a resolution soon.”

Deere workers in Kan., 4 other states prepare for strike after rejecting contract

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of retirees on Social Security will get&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-social-security-cost-of-living-adjustments-will-jump-8d4ad9b73a7e1b3091ba9c9a5a7ae955">a 5.9% boost in benefits for 2022</a>. The biggest cost-of-living adjustment in 39 years follows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-consumer-prices-inflation-prices-e80c0c24a6ec5ca1c977eccd6294d01b">a burst in inflation</a>&nbsp;as the economy struggles to shake off the drag of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>.

The COLA, as it’s commonly called, amounts to $92 a month for the average retired worker, according to estimates released Wednesday by the Social Security Administration. That marks an abrupt break from a long lull in inflation that saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-lifestyle-business-politics-b71b35f7cf238811342caeda8fd541ca">cost-of-living adjustments averaging just 1.65% a year</a>&nbsp;over the past 10 years.

With the increase, the estimated average Social Security payment for a retired worker will be $1,657 a month next year. A typical couple’s benefits would rise by $154 to $2,753 per month.

But that’s just to help make up for rising costs that recipients are already paying for food, gasoline and other goods and services.

“It goes pretty quickly,” retiree Cliff Rumsey said of the cost-of-living increases he’s seen. After a career in sales for a leading steel manufacturer, Rumsey lives near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. He cares at home for his wife of nearly 60 years, Judy, who has advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Since the coronavirus pandemic, Rumsey said he has also noted price increases for wages paid to caregivers who occasionally spell him and for personal care products for Judy.

The COLA affects household budgets for about 1 in 5 Americans. That includes Social Security recipients, disabled veterans and federal retirees, nearly 70 million people in all. For baby boomers who embarked on retirement within the past 15 years, it will be the biggest increase they’ve seen.

Among them is Kitty Ruderman of Queens in New York City, who retired from a career as an executive assistant and has been collecting Social Security for about 10 years. “We wait to hear every year what the increase is going to be, and every year it’s been so insignificant,” she said. “This year, thank goodness, it will make a difference.”

Ruderman says she times her grocery shopping to take advantage of midweek senior citizen discounts, but even so price hikes have been “extreme.” She says she doesn’t think she can afford a medication that her doctor has recommended.

AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins called the government payout increase “crucial for Social Security beneficiaries and their families as they try to keep up with rising costs.”

Policymakers say the COLA was designed as a safeguard to protect Social Security benefits against the loss of purchasing power, and not a pay bump for retirees. About half of seniors live in households where Social Security benefits provide at least 50% of their income, and one-quarter rely on their monthly payment for all or nearly all their income.

“Regardless of the size of the COLA, you never want to minimize the importance of the COLA,” said retirement policy expert Charles Blahous, a former public trustee helping to oversee Social Security and Medicare finances. “What people are able to purchase is very profoundly affected by the number that comes out. We are talking the necessities of living in many cases.”

This year’s Social Security trustees report amplified warnings about the long-range financial stability of the program, but there’s little talk about fixes in Congress with lawmakers’ attention consumed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-congress-government-overhaul-public-works-9438a78ba7c7865d75428e746d1de04d">President Joe Biden’s massive domestic&nbsp;</a>legislation and partisan machinations over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-bills-financial-markets-9abe4ef546f62521bcfe7dc3c9517eaf">the national debt</a>. Social Security cannot be addressed through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-financial-markets-nancy-pelosi-3b591443b048d2fbfb7a9f9b6f646f7a">the budget reconciliation process</a>&nbsp;Democrats are attempting to use to deliver Biden’s promises.

Social Security’s turn will come, said Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., chairman of the House Social Security subcommittee and author of legislation to tackle shortfalls that would leave the program unable to pay full benefits in less than 15 years. His bill would raise payroll taxes while also changing the COLA formula to give more weight to health care expenses and other costs that weigh more heavily on the elderly. Larson said he intends to press ahead next year.

“This one-time shot of COLA is not the antidote,” he said.

Although Biden’s domestic package includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-medicaid-medicare-1dda9033a7c4475ae82f679b7d964d72">a major expansion of Medicare</a>&nbsp;to cover dental, hearing and vision care, Larson said he hears from constituents that seniors are feeling neglected by the Democrats.

“In town halls and tele-town halls they’re saying, ‘We are really happy with what you did on the child tax credit, but what about us?’” Larson added. “In a midterm election, this is a very important constituency.”

The COLA is only one part of the annual financial equation for seniors. An announcement about Medicare’s Part B premium for outpatient care is expected soon. It’s usually an increase, so at least some of any Social Security raise goes for health care. The Part B premium is now $148.50 a month, and the Medicare trustees report estimated a $10 increase for 2022.

Economist Marilyn Moon, who also served as public trustee for Social Security and Medicare, said she believes the current spurt of inflation is an adjustment to highly unusual economic circumstances and the pattern of restraint on prices will reassert itself with time.

“I would think there is going to be an increase this year that you won’t see reproduced in the future,” Moon said.

Policymakers should not delay getting to work on retirement programs, she said.

“We’re at a point in time where people don’t react to policy needs until there is a sense of desperation, and both Social Security and Medicare are programs that benefit from long-range planning rather short-range machinations,” she said.

Social Security is financed by payroll taxes collected from workers and their employers. Each pays 6.2% on wages up to a cap, which is adjusted each year for inflation. Next year the maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes will increase to $147,000.

The financing scheme dates to the 1930s,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-medicare-business-elizabeth-warren-politics-e75a52c8a98846f3ab2fddd335915dd2">the brainchild of President Franklin D. Roosevelt,</a>&nbsp;who believed a payroll tax would foster among average Americans a sense of ownership that would protect the program from political interference.

That argument still resonates. “Social Security is my lifeline,” said Ruderman, the New York retiree. “It’s what we’ve worked for.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634133091707.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of retirees on Social Security will get&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-social-security-cost-of-living-adjustments-will-jump-8d4ad9b73a7e1b3091ba9c9a5a7ae955">a 5.9% boost in benefits for 2022</a>. The biggest cost-of-living adjustment in 39 years follows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-consumer-prices-inflation-prices-e80c0c24a6ec5ca1c977eccd6294d01b">a burst in inflation</a>&nbsp;as the economy struggles to shake off the drag of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>.The COLA, as it’s commonly called, amounts to $92 a month for the average retired worker, according to estimates released Wednesday by the Social Security Administration. That marks an abrupt break from a long lull in inflation that saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-lifestyle-business-politics-b71b35f7cf238811342caeda8fd541ca">cost-of-living adjustments averaging just 1.65% a year</a>&nbsp;over the past 10 years.With the increase, the estimated average Social Security payment for a retired worker will be $1,657 a month next year. A typical couple’s benefits would rise by $154 to $2,753 per month.But that’s just to help make up for rising costs that recipients are already paying for food, gasoline and other goods and services.—“It goes pretty quickly,” retiree Cliff Rumsey said of the cost-of-living increases he’s seen. After a career in sales for a leading steel manufacturer, Rumsey lives near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. He cares at home for his wife of nearly 60 years, Judy, who has advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Since the coronavirus pandemic, Rumsey said he has also noted price increases for wages paid to caregivers who occasionally spell him and for personal care products for Judy.The COLA affects household budgets for about 1 in 5 Americans. That includes Social Security recipients, disabled veterans and federal retirees, nearly 70 million people in all. For baby boomers who embarked on retirement within the past 15 years, it will be the biggest increase they’ve seen.Among them is Kitty Ruderman of Queens in New York City, who retired from a career as an executive assistant and has been collecting Social Security for about 10 years. “We wait to hear every year what the increase is going to be, and every year it’s been so insignificant,” she said. “This year, thank goodness, it will make a difference.”Ruderman says she times her grocery shopping to take advantage of midweek senior citizen discounts, but even so price hikes have been “extreme.” She says she doesn’t think she can afford a medication that her doctor has recommended.AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins called the government payout increase “crucial for Social Security beneficiaries and their families as they try to keep up with rising costs.”Policymakers say the COLA was designed as a safeguard to protect Social Security benefits against the loss of purchasing power, and not a pay bump for retirees. About half of seniors live in households where Social Security benefits provide at least 50% of their income, and one-quarter rely on their monthly payment for all or nearly all their income.“Regardless of the size of the COLA, you never want to minimize the importance of the COLA,” said retirement policy expert Charles Blahous, a former public trustee helping to oversee Social Security and Medicare finances. “What people are able to purchase is very profoundly affected by the number that comes out. We are talking the necessities of living in many cases.”This year’s Social Security trustees report amplified warnings about the long-range financial stability of the program, but there’s little talk about fixes in Congress with lawmakers’ attention consumed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-congress-government-overhaul-public-works-9438a78ba7c7865d75428e746d1de04d">President Joe Biden’s massive domestic&nbsp;</a>legislation and partisan machinations over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-bills-financial-markets-9abe4ef546f62521bcfe7dc3c9517eaf">the national debt</a>. Social Security cannot be addressed through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-financial-markets-nancy-pelosi-3b591443b048d2fbfb7a9f9b6f646f7a">the budget reconciliation process</a>&nbsp;Democrats are attempting to use to deliver Biden’s promises.Social Security’s turn will come, said Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., chairman of the House Social Security subcommittee and author of legislation to tackle shortfalls that would leave the program unable to pay full benefits in less than 15 years. His bill would raise payroll taxes while also changing the COLA formula to give more weight to health care expenses and other costs that weigh more heavily on the elderly. Larson said he intends to press ahead next year.“This one-time shot of COLA is not the antidote,” he said.Although Biden’s domestic package includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-medicaid-medicare-1dda9033a7c4475ae82f679b7d964d72">a major expansion of Medicare</a>&nbsp;to cover dental, hearing and vision care, Larson said he hears from constituents that seniors are feeling neglected by the Democrats.“In town halls and tele-town halls they’re saying, ‘We are really happy with what you did on the child tax credit, but what about us?’” Larson added. “In a midterm election, this is a very important constituency.”The COLA is only one part of the annual financial equation for seniors. An announcement about Medicare’s Part B premium for outpatient care is expected soon. It’s usually an increase, so at least some of any Social Security raise goes for health care. The Part B premium is now $148.50 a month, and the Medicare trustees report estimated a $10 increase for 2022.Economist Marilyn Moon, who also served as public trustee for Social Security and Medicare, said she believes the current spurt of inflation is an adjustment to highly unusual economic circumstances and the pattern of restraint on prices will reassert itself with time.“I would think there is going to be an increase this year that you won’t see reproduced in the future,” Moon said.Policymakers should not delay getting to work on retirement programs, she said.“We’re at a point in time where people don’t react to policy needs until there is a sense of desperation, and both Social Security and Medicare are programs that benefit from long-range planning rather short-range machinations,” she said.Social Security is financed by payroll taxes collected from workers and their employers. Each pays 6.2% on wages up to a cap, which is adjusted each year for inflation. Next year the maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes will increase to $147,000.The financing scheme dates to the 1930s,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-medicare-business-elizabeth-warren-politics-e75a52c8a98846f3ab2fddd335915dd2">the brainchild of President Franklin D. Roosevelt,</a>&nbsp;who believed a payroll tax would foster among average Americans a sense of ownership that would protect the program from political interference.That argument still resonates. “Social Security is my lifeline,” said Ruderman, the New York retiree. “It’s what we’ve worked for.”

Social Security cost-of-living adjustment largest in decades

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man accused of mispresenting himself as a financial adviser has been been arrested after police say he bilked four people out of more than $1 million. 

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that 65-year-old Douglas Cmelik turned himself in to police Tuesday and was arrested on suspicion of four counts of sale of securities by an unregistered investment adviser.

Investigators say the scheme dates back to 2013, when a Lincoln man reportedly invested $500,000 with Cmelik. 

Police say three other Lincoln residents together invested another $768,000 with Cmelik, who was charging fees for his services. 

Police say the four people reported significant losses due to Cmelik investing their money in high-risk stocks.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man accused of mispresenting himself as a financial adviser has been been arrested after police say he bilked four people out of more than $1 million. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that 65-year-old Douglas Cmelik turned himself in to police Tuesday and was arrested on suspicion of four counts of sale of securities by an unregistered investment adviser.Investigators say the scheme dates back to 2013, when a Lincoln man reportedly invested $500,000 with Cmelik. Police say three other Lincoln residents together invested another $768,000 with Cmelik, who was charging fees for his services. Police say the four people reported significant losses due to Cmelik investing their money in high-risk stocks.

Lincoln man arrested, accused of bilking investors of $1M

VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Hollywood’s Captain Kirk, 90-year-old William Shatner, has blasted into space and safely returned to Earth in a convergence of science fiction and science reality. He set out Wednesday morning for the final frontier aboard a ship built by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company. 

The “Star Trek” hero becomes the oldest person to ride a rocket. The fully automatic spacecraft reached an estimated altitude of 66 miles over the West Texas desert. The up-and-down flight lasted about 10 minutes, with Shatner and his three fellow passengers parachuting back to Earth in the capsule.

VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Hollywood’s Captain Kirk, 90-year-old William Shatner, has blasted into space in a convergence of science fiction and science reality. He set out Wednesday morning for the final frontier aboard a ship built by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company. 

The “Star Trek” hero becomes the oldest person to ride a rocket. The fully automatic spacecraft is set to reach an altitude of 66 miles over the West Texas desert. The up-and-down flight should last about 10 minutes, with Shatner and his three fellow passengers parachuting back to Earth in the capsule.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634138062297.png" alt="William Shatner as he emerged from the capsule after the flight-photo Blue Origin" />
 <figcaption>William Shatner as he emerged from the capsule after the flight-photo Blue Origin</figcaption>
 </figure>VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Hollywood’s Captain Kirk, 90-year-old William Shatner, has blasted into space and safely returned to Earth in a convergence of science fiction and science reality. He set out Wednesday morning for the final frontier aboard a ship built by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company. <div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uEhdlIor-do" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The “Star Trek” hero becomes the oldest person to ride a rocket. The fully automatic spacecraft reached an estimated altitude of 66 miles over the West Texas desert. The up-and-down flight lasted about 10 minutes, with Shatner and his three fellow passengers parachuting back to Earth in the capsule.--------VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Hollywood’s Captain Kirk, 90-year-old William Shatner, has blasted into space in a convergence of science fiction and science reality. He set out Wednesday morning for the final frontier aboard a ship built by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company. The “Star Trek” hero becomes the oldest person to ride a rocket. The fully automatic spacecraft is set to reach an altitude of 66 miles over the West Texas desert. The up-and-down flight should last about 10 minutes, with Shatner and his three fellow passengers parachuting back to Earth in the capsule.--------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634134056055.png" alt="Shatner in the final steps ahead of boarding the spacecraft Wednesday morning -photo Blue Origin" />
 <figcaption>Shatner in the final steps ahead of boarding the spacecraft Wednesday morning -photo Blue Origin</figcaption>
 </figure>VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Actor William Shatner is counting down to his wildest role yet: riding a rocket into space, courtesy of “Star Trek” fan Jeff Bezos. Best known for his role as Captain Kirk, the 90-year-old Shatner is joining three other passengers for Wednesday morning's launch from West Texas. He will become the oldest person in space. Bezos' space travel company, Blue Origin, invited Shatner on the brief jaunt to the fringes of the final frontier. It will be Blue Origin's second passenger flight and should last just 10 minutes, like Bezos' own spaceflight in July.----------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634134171505.png" alt="Special delivery: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NS18?src=hashtag_click">#NS18</a> astronauts put pen to postcard ahead of their flight. When they take to the skies, they’ll boldly go where no mail carrier has gone before.-photo Blue Origin" />
 <figcaption>Special delivery: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NS18?src=hashtag_click">#NS18</a> astronauts put pen to postcard ahead of their flight. When they take to the skies, they’ll boldly go where no mail carrier has gone before.-photo Blue Origin</figcaption>
 </figure>VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — As William Shatner prepares to be beamed up Wednesday for his first real-life spaceflight, and to become at 90 the oldest person ever to enter the final frontier, he’s bringing out the awe in the small handful of people around a rural Texas spaceport.Shatner’s 10-minute trip with three others on the second passenger flight from Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin will be more like the first space launches of the 1960s than the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shatner-blue-origin-2f300ec9fc37e5625d56bbc6de3f42b7">fictional galactic voyages of the Starship Enterprise</a>&nbsp;on “Star Trek,” but the very idea of him leaving the atmosphere is powerful.“It’s time Captain Kirk actually physically got up into space. I’m kind of excited about that,” said Becky Brewster, mayor of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-technology-travel-texas-space-tourism-da559b0b6f84606829c4e79163e602d8">Van Horn, a rural town of about 1,800 people</a>&nbsp;on what was once desolate desert ranchland in far West Texas that has been transformed by the presence of the Blue Origin spaceport facilities 25 miles away.The mayor, a lifelong “Star Trek” fan, said she was disappointed she wasn’t invited to the launch site but is savoring the moment anyway. She’s planning to watch from her backyard with the livestream playing.“He and Mr. Spock were the ones that got me interested in space and science fiction and and everything else,” Brewster said. “So, from junior high age up to now where William Shatner is actually in our town fixing to go up into space. You know, it’s kind of like the whole circle now for me.”Beyond his celebrity identity, Shatner being space-bound at his age is a kick for close observers.Joseph Barra, who works as a bartender for a Los Angeles catering company, heard only that he was getting an unusual gig at a remote Texas launch site.“I’m like stop. You had me at space. Had no clue what else,” Barra said. “And then all I heard was their gonna send some 90-year-old man into space. And I’m like, Dang, that sounds intense. Like, I wonder who that is. Then you get in site and I’m like, Oh, it’s William Shatner.”Barra said the experience of serving drinks to Shatner and his crew mates has been surreal and then some.“We’re seeing that the man who in a sense like made space popular or made or gave everybody dreams of going to space,” Barra said. “Now he’s the one going to space and he’s the one setting the bar. It’s inspiring. Some like here, this man is 90 years old, proving that no matter how old you are, you still have more to do and accomplish on this Earth, and you can still give people an inspiration and a source and something to aspire to.”Barra said he heard Shatner say he plans to just gaze out the window at Earth during his minutes of weightlessness.But he has a bit more planned apparently.A Twitter user asked Shatner, an avid tweeter, on Tuesday whether he will post from space.“I cannot bring my phone but I’ve prearranged a little something,”&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamShatner/status/1447906641823756288" target="_blank">Shatner replied</a>&nbsp;with a wink emoji.Earlier in the week he tweeted a photo of himself and his fellow crew members in blue flight suits that are far more futuristic than the yellow leotard-style uniform he wore on the original “Star Trek.”“Aren’t we all adorbs!”&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamShatner/status/1447367260473987074" target="_blank">Shatner said</a>.Bezos, who was on Blue Origin’s debut flight in July, is also a big “Star Trek” fan, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/william-shatner-star-trek-blue-origin-space-jeff-bezos-e10877d624a4cc0be9385585c2647cdd">invited Shatner to take the flight as a guest</a>.He’ll join three others — two of them paying customers in the burgeoning business of space tourism — aboard a Blue Origin capsule.The fully automated flight, delayed by a day due to weather, will take them no higher than about 66 miles (106 kilometers). The capsule will parachute back to the desert floor, not far from where it took off.Shatner plans to get right back to his work as Captain Kirk once he’s back down to Earth.“I’m doing Space, then Indiana Comic Con, &amp; then on Sunday Wizard World Chicago,”&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamShatner/status/1447759827577368578" target="_blank">he tweeted</a>.