By Scott Carlson-North Platte Post

GRAND ISLAND, Neb.-A Grand Island man has been arrested on multiple felony charges following a shooting on Saturday night.

According to police, at around 7:37 p.m., officers responded to the report of shots fired near West 15th and North Broadwell Streets.

Upon arrival, officers found a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

Police said the shots also struck a nearby vehicle that was occupied by two men.

Witnesses told police the shots had been fired by Tyler Manka, 26.

Police located Manka who fled on foot and entered a garage, refusing officers' orders to come out.

Police said as officers approached him, Manka brandished a knife, however, he was eventually taken into custody.

Police said Manka was arrested on suspicion of attempted 2nd-degree murder, 1st-degree assault, two counts of use of a weapon to commit a felony, two counts of possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person (felony convictions), unlawful discharge of a firearm, 1st-degree criminal trespassing, attempted 2nd-degree assault, terroristic threats, obstructing the police, resisting arrest, tampering with physical evident and criminal mischief.

Manka was jailed at the Hall County Jail.

The victim was transported to a Grand Island hospital with serious injuries. His condition is unknown.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626106134592.png" alt="Manka" />
 <figcaption>Manka</figcaption>
 </figure>By Scott Carlson-North Platte PostGRAND ISLAND, Neb.-A Grand Island man has been arrested on multiple felony charges following a shooting on Saturday night.According to police, at around 7:37 p.m., officers responded to the report of shots fired near West 15th and North Broadwell Streets.Upon arrival, officers found a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen.Police said the shots also struck a nearby vehicle that was occupied by two men.Witnesses told police the shots had been fired by Tyler Manka, 26.Police located Manka who fled on foot and entered a garage, refusing officers' orders to come out.Police said as officers approached him, Manka brandished a knife, however, he was eventually taken into custody.Police said Manka was arrested on suspicion of attempted 2nd-degree murder, 1st-degree assault, two counts of use of a weapon to commit a felony, two counts of possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person (felony convictions), unlawful discharge of a firearm, 1st-degree criminal trespassing, attempted 2nd-degree assault, terroristic threats, obstructing the police, resisting arrest, tampering with physical evident and criminal mischief.Manka was jailed at the Hall County Jail.The victim was transported to a Grand Island hospital with serious injuries. His condition is unknown.

Grand Island man arrested for attempted murder following weekend shooting

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say the driver of a pickup truck was killed and his wife who was a passenger was injured in a rollover crash on an interstate in eastern Omaha. 

Police say in a news release that the crash happened late Sunday night, when the northbound pickup on Interstate 480 left the roadway, hit a tree and rolled. 

The driver, 73-year-old Michael Childers of Fort Calhoun, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

His wife, 69-year-old Linda Childers of Fort Calhoun, was rushed to an Omaha hospital with serious injuries, including a fractured leg and lacerations to her head.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say the driver of a pickup truck was killed and his wife who was a passenger was injured in a rollover crash on an interstate in eastern Omaha. Police say in a news release that the crash happened late Sunday night, when the northbound pickup on Interstate 480 left the roadway, hit a tree and rolled. The driver, 73-year-old Michael Childers of Fort Calhoun, was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife, 69-year-old Linda Childers of Fort Calhoun, was rushed to an Omaha hospital with serious injuries, including a fractured leg and lacerations to her head.

Police say driver killed, woman injured in east Omaha crash

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett’s company is abandoning its purchase of a natural gas pipeline from Dominion Energy because of uncertainty about whether the deal could get regulatory approval.

 Berkshire Hathaway Inc. will receive a $1.3 billion refund on the proposed purchase of Questar Pipelines that was also supposed to include $430 million of Dominion’s debt when it was announced a year ago. 

The Richmond, Virginia-based energy company said it still plans to sell Questar and will work to find another buyer by the end of the year.

 Dominion also said the decision won’t affect its financial outlook.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett’s company is abandoning its purchase of a natural gas pipeline from Dominion Energy because of uncertainty about whether the deal could get regulatory approval. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. will receive a $1.3 billion refund on the proposed purchase of Questar Pipelines that was also supposed to include $430 million of Dominion’s debt when it was announced a year ago. The Richmond, Virginia-based energy company said it still plans to sell Questar and will work to find another buyer by the end of the year. Dominion also said the decision won’t affect its financial outlook.

Buffett's company abandons $1.3B natural gas pipeline deal

DENVER (AP) — Four people have been arrested and more than a dozen weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition have been seized at a downtown Denver hotel that is close to several events planned in conjunction with this week's Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Officers responding to a tip searched two rooms at the Maven Hotel, a block from Coors Field, on Friday night. Three men and a woman in their 40s were arrested, and two vehicles were impounded to be searched for evidence.

The recovered weapons included several rifles, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.

So far, investigators have not found any evidence to suggest the group was plotting a mass shooting or other similar attack, the official said, while cautioning that the investigation is still in its early stages. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Authorities were called after an employee found the guns in a hotel room, the official said.

The men who were arrested are being investigated for possession of a weapon by a previous offender, and the woman, who has a separate warrant, is being investigated on a drug charge.

“We have no reason to believe this incident was connected to terrorism or a threat directed at the All-Star Game,” the FBI said in a statement released Sunday. “We are not aware of any threat to the All-Star Game events, venues, players or the community at this time.”

Meanwhile, Mayor Michael Hancock and police Chief Paul Pazen praised the hotel’s staff for alerting authorities and sought to ease any concerns that the area around the ballpark is unsafe. They declined to say what, if anything, the suspects were planning to do with the firearms.

“We don’t know what we don’t know. That’s what the investigation is all about,” Pazen said during a news conference. “We need to identify exactly, to the extent possible, why (the) individuals were here in the first place, why (the) proximity to downtown. We don’t have those answers.”

Coors Field will host the All-Star Game on Tuesday, but festivities have been underway in and around the ballpark and downtown for the past several days.

Police said in a statement that visitors should always be aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious or illegal behavior.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626087575274.png" alt="The Maven Hotel is a block from Coors Field -Google image" />
 <figcaption>The Maven Hotel is a block from Coors Field -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — Four people have been arrested and more than a dozen weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition have been seized at a downtown Denver hotel that is close to several events planned in conjunction with this week's Major League Baseball All-Star Game.Officers responding to a tip searched two rooms at the Maven Hotel, a block from Coors Field, on Friday night. Three men and a woman in their 40s were arrested, and two vehicles were impounded to be searched for evidence.The recovered weapons included several rifles, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.So far, investigators have not found any evidence to suggest the group was plotting a mass shooting or other similar attack, the official said, while cautioning that the investigation is still in its early stages. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.Authorities were called after an employee found the guns in a hotel room, the official said.The men who were arrested are being investigated for possession of a weapon by a previous offender, and the woman, who has a separate warrant, is being investigated on a drug charge.“We have no reason to believe this incident was connected to terrorism or a threat directed at the All-Star Game,” the FBI said in a statement released Sunday. “We are not aware of any threat to the All-Star Game events, venues, players or the community at this time.”Meanwhile, Mayor Michael Hancock and police Chief Paul Pazen praised the hotel’s staff for alerting authorities and sought to ease any concerns that the area around the ballpark is unsafe. They declined to say what, if anything, the suspects were planning to do with the firearms.“We don’t know what we don’t know. That’s what the investigation is all about,” Pazen said during a news conference. “We need to identify exactly, to the extent possible, why (the) individuals were here in the first place, why (the) proximity to downtown. We don’t have those answers.”Coors Field will host the All-Star Game on Tuesday, but festivities have been underway in and around the ballpark and downtown for the past several days.Police said in a statement that visitors should always be aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious or illegal behavior.___

Report: Hotel maid finds guns, ammo near MLB All-Star game

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer says it plans to meet with top U.S. health officials Monday to discuss the drugmaker’s request for federal authorization of a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine as President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser acknowledged that “it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely” that booster shots will be needed.

The company said it was scheduled to have the meeting with the Food and Drug Administration and other officials Monday, days after Pfizer asserted that booster shots would be needed within 12 months.

Pfizer’s Dr. Mikael Dolsten&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-34c3f2536747a7c08980d7359a8de70c">told The Associated Press&nbsp;</a>last week that early data from the company’s booster study suggests people’s antibody levels jump five- to 10-fold after a third dose, compared to their second dose months earlier — evidence it believes supports the need for a booster.

On Sunday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/director" target="_blank">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>&nbsp;didn’t rule out the possibility but said it was too soon for the government to recommend another shot. He said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA did the right thing last week by pushing back against Pfizer’s assertion with their statement that they did not view booster shots as necessary “at this time.”

Fauci said clinical studies and laboratory data have yet to fully bear out the need for a booster to the current two-shot Pfizer and Moderna vaccines or the one-shot Johnson &amp; Johnson regimen.

“Right now, given the data and the information we have, we do not need to give people a third shot,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we stop there. ... There are studies being done now ongoing as we speak about looking at the feasibility about if and when we should be boosting people.”

He said it was quite possible in the coming months “as data evolves” that the government may urge a booster based on such factors as age and underlying medical conditions. “Certainly it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely at some time, we will need a boost,″ Fauci said.

Monday’s planned meeting between Pfizer and U.S. health officials was first reported by The Washington Post.

Currently only about 48% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated. Some parts of the country have far lower immunization rates, and in those places the delta variant is surging. Last week, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said that’s leading to “two truths” — highly immunized swaths of America are getting back to normal while hospitalizations are rising in other places.

Fauci said it was inexplicable that some Americans are so resistant to getting a vaccine when scientific data show how effective it is in staving off COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, and he was dismayed by efforts to block making vaccinations more accessible, such as Biden’s suggestion of door-to-door outreach.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark., agreed Sunday that there is a vaccine resistance in Southern and rural states like his because “you have that more conservative approach, skepticism about government.”

Describing his efforts to boost vaccinations in his state, which is seeing rising infections, Hutchinson said “no one wants an agent knocking on a door,” but “we do want those that do not have access otherwise to make sure they know about it.”

The grassroots component of the federal vaccination campaign has been in operation since April, when supplies of shots began outpacing demand. It was outlined and funded by Congress in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill passed in March and overwhelmingly is carried out by local officials and private sector workers and volunteers.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., blasted opposition to vaccination efforts from some GOP lawmakers as “absolute insanity.” He said House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California and others in the party need to speak out against “these absolute clown politicians playing on your vaccine fears for their own selfish gain.”

Fauci appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union,” ABC’s “This Week” and CBS’ “Face the Nation”; Hutchinson spoke on ABC, and Kinzinger was on CNN.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer says it plans to meet with top U.S. health officials Monday to discuss the drugmaker’s request for federal authorization of a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine as President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser acknowledged that “it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely” that booster shots will be needed.The company said it was scheduled to have the meeting with the Food and Drug Administration and other officials Monday, days after Pfizer asserted that booster shots would be needed within 12 months.Pfizer’s Dr. Mikael Dolsten&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-34c3f2536747a7c08980d7359a8de70c">told The Associated Press&nbsp;</a>last week that early data from the company’s booster study suggests people’s antibody levels jump five- to 10-fold after a third dose, compared to their second dose months earlier — evidence it believes supports the need for a booster.On Sunday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/director" target="_blank">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>&nbsp;didn’t rule out the possibility but said it was too soon for the government to recommend another shot. He said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA did the right thing last week by pushing back against Pfizer’s assertion with their statement that they did not view booster shots as necessary “at this time.”Fauci said clinical studies and laboratory data have yet to fully bear out the need for a booster to the current two-shot Pfizer and Moderna vaccines or the one-shot Johnson &amp; Johnson regimen.“Right now, given the data and the information we have, we do not need to give people a third shot,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we stop there. ... There are studies being done now ongoing as we speak about looking at the feasibility about if and when we should be boosting people.”He said it was quite possible in the coming months “as data evolves” that the government may urge a booster based on such factors as age and underlying medical conditions. “Certainly it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely at some time, we will need a boost,″ Fauci said.Monday’s planned meeting between Pfizer and U.S. health officials was first reported by The Washington Post.Currently only about 48% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated. Some parts of the country have far lower immunization rates, and in those places the delta variant is surging. Last week, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said that’s leading to “two truths” — highly immunized swaths of America are getting back to normal while hospitalizations are rising in other places.Fauci said it was inexplicable that some Americans are so resistant to getting a vaccine when scientific data show how effective it is in staving off COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, and he was dismayed by efforts to block making vaccinations more accessible, such as Biden’s suggestion of door-to-door outreach.Gov. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark., agreed Sunday that there is a vaccine resistance in Southern and rural states like his because “you have that more conservative approach, skepticism about government.”Describing his efforts to boost vaccinations in his state, which is seeing rising infections, Hutchinson said “no one wants an agent knocking on a door,” but “we do want those that do not have access otherwise to make sure they know about it.”The grassroots component of the federal vaccination campaign has been in operation since April, when supplies of shots began outpacing demand. It was outlined and funded by Congress in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill passed in March and overwhelmingly is carried out by local officials and private sector workers and volunteers.Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., blasted opposition to vaccination efforts from some GOP lawmakers as “absolute insanity.” He said House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California and others in the party need to speak out against “these absolute clown politicians playing on your vaccine fears for their own selfish gain.”Fauci appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union,” ABC’s “This Week” and CBS’ “Face the Nation”; Hutchinson spoke on ABC, and Kinzinger was on CNN.

Fauci: Too soon to say if you may need vaccine booster

CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline rose a nickel over the past two weeks to $3.21 per gallon. 

Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday that gas prices will likely hold steady now that crude oil costs have stopped rising. 

The price at the pump is 97 cents higher than it was a year ago. 

Nationwide, the highest average price for regular-grade gas is in the San Francisco Bay Area, at $4.39 per gallon. The lowest average is in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at $2.65 per gallon. 

The average price of diesel was $3.30 a gallon, up 3 cents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626037727000.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline rose a nickel over the past two weeks to $3.21 per gallon. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday that gas prices will likely hold steady now that crude oil costs have stopped rising. The price at the pump is 97 cents higher than it was a year ago. Nationwide, the highest average price for regular-grade gas is in the San Francisco Bay Area, at $4.39 per gallon. The lowest average is in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at $2.65 per gallon. The average price of diesel was $3.30 a gallon, up 3 cents.

Average US price of gas rises 5 cents per gallon to $3.21

News Release Unites States Attorney's Office-Omaha

Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Marcus Dunn, 27, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Omaha by Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon to 10 years’ imprisonment for Possession of Child Pornography after a Prior Conviction. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from custody, Dunn will have to serve a lifetime term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. Dunn was also ordered to pay $1,100 in assessments.

On November 15, 2019, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force executed a search warrant at Dunn’s residence in Omaha. During the search warrant, law enforcement collected electronic devices to include 2 phones and 1 tablet. An additional phone was later found on Dunn’s person. Dunn confirmed with officers that&nbsp;he controlled and used two Gmail accounts. Searches were conducted pursuant to search warrants on Dunn’s electronic devices, five Gmail accounts, and a Dropbox account. A review of Dunn’s devices and accounts located 378 images of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, of which 141 were unique (meaning that there were multiple images of the same image) and 20 videos of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, of which 16 were unique. These images and videos included minors under the age of 12 years old engaging in sexually explicit conduct. One example found in a Gmail account belonging to Dunn was a toddler being subjected to penile-vaginal penetration by an adult male. Dunn was on probation in Douglas County in two separate cases when he was found in possession of these images and videos. Specifically, Dunn was on probation for two counts of Attempted Possession of Child Pornography and for Possession of Child Pornography.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/" target="_blank">www.projectsafechildhood.gov</a>.

This case was investigated the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office as part of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1559617734930.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release Unites States Attorney's Office-OmahaActing United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Marcus Dunn, 27, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Omaha by Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon to 10 years’ imprisonment for Possession of Child Pornography after a Prior Conviction. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from custody, Dunn will have to serve a lifetime term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. Dunn was also ordered to pay $1,100 in assessments.On November 15, 2019, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force executed a search warrant at Dunn’s residence in Omaha. During the search warrant, law enforcement collected electronic devices to include 2 phones and 1 tablet. An additional phone was later found on Dunn’s person. Dunn confirmed with officers that&nbsp;he controlled and used two Gmail accounts. Searches were conducted pursuant to search warrants on Dunn’s electronic devices, five Gmail accounts, and a Dropbox account. A review of Dunn’s devices and accounts located 378 images of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, of which 141 were unique (meaning that there were multiple images of the same image) and 20 videos of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, of which 16 were unique. These images and videos included minors under the age of 12 years old engaging in sexually explicit conduct. One example found in a Gmail account belonging to Dunn was a toddler being subjected to penile-vaginal penetration by an adult male. Dunn was on probation in Douglas County in two separate cases when he was found in possession of these images and videos. Specifically, Dunn was on probation for two counts of Attempted Possession of Child Pornography and for Possession of Child Pornography.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/" target="_blank">www.projectsafechildhood.gov</a>.This case was investigated the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office as part of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

Repeat Omaha offender gets 10 years for child pornography

KANSAS CITY (AP) — People used to go to Valley View Farms to buy five tomato plants and end up with $5,000 in patio furniture.

This year is different. After a record burst of sales in March, the showroom floor is almost empty of outdoor chairs, tables and chaises for people to buy.

The garden supply store in suburban Baltimore has been waiting six months for a shipping container from Vietnam full of $100,000 worth of wicker and aluminum furniture. Half of the container has already been sold by showing customers photographs. The container should have arrived in February, but it reached U.S. waters on June 3 and has just docked in Long Beach, California.

“Everyone is just so far behind,” said John Hessler, 62, the patio section manager. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The Biden economy faces the unusual challenge of possibly being too strong for its own good.

There is the paradox of the fastest growth in generations at more than 6% yet also persistent delays for anyone trying to buy furniture, autos and a wide mix of other goods. It’s almost the mirror opposite of the recovery from the Great Recession of 2007-2009, which was marred by slow growth but also the near-instant delivery of almost every imaginable product.

What ultimately matters is that demand stay strong enough for companies to catch up and shorten the long waits.

“This is a very good problem for the economy to have,” said Gus Faucher, chief economist for PNC Financial Services. “You’re much better off having too much demand than too little, because too little demand is the recipe for an extended recession.”

Republicans have held out the shortages and price increases as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-health-coronavirus-pandemic-inflation-business-8d4f2830ec505756f4dae7ce4435c709">sign of economic weakness</a>, while Biden can counter that wages are climbing at a speed that helps the middle and working classes. But the real challenge goes far beyond the blunt talking points of politicians to an economy being steered by a mix of market forces, tensions with China, setbacks from natural disasters and the unique nature of restarting an economy after a pandemic.

As America hurtles out of the July 4th weekend into the heart of summer, the outdoor furniture industry provides a snapshot of the dilemmas confronting the economy. A series of shortages has left warehouses depleted and prices rising at more than 11% annually as Americans resume BBQs and parties after more than a year of isolation. The industry cannot find workers, truckers and raw materials — a consequence of not just government spending but crowded ports, an explosion at an Ohio chemical plant and the devastating snowstorm that hit Texas in February.

Patio furniture makers interviewed by The Associated Press say they expect the supply squeeze to end in 2022 or 2023 — meaning it could remain a political flashpoint even if the broader risk of inflation fades as expected by many Federal Reserve officials and Wall Street analysts. The shortages reflect both the stranded shipping containers, a dearth of truckers and the compounded effect of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-columbus-fires-ohio-explosions-4326bfa033e1c62f83887635982555c3">fatal explosion in April at the Yenkin-Majestic Paints and OPC polymer plant</a>&nbsp;in Columbus, Ohio that depleted the domestic supply of furniture pieces.

The Biden administration, well aware aware of the challenge, has made fixing supply chains a priority. It’s also trying to direct more money to making the U.S. power grid and other infrastructure more resilient against extreme weather events as part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-government-and-politics-0c4009959710686e29f5eaef259e1f18">a bipartisan deal reached with Senate Republicans</a>.

“You saw what happened in Texas this winter: The entire system in the state collapsed,” Biden said in a recent Wisconsin speech. “That’s why we have to act.”

Administration officials expect the supply chain issues to self-correct, though they’re cautious about asserting a specific timeframe because of the unprecedented nature of the recovery from the pandemic.

They noted that a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-lifestyle-business-us-news-ap-top-news-1b73aa024354791ec26b48f1e73e1b9a">shortage of toilet paper when the pandemic started</a>&nbsp;was fixed within weeks because factories could ramp up production. But in this case, Biden’s White House views the problem in global terms, with many of the challenges being in Asian ports, rather than a problem that is solely domestic in nature.

Republican lawmakers have placed the blame exclusively on Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package, saying the shortages are causing inflation that behaves like a tax by eating into workers’ salaries and savings. Outdoor furniture companies do say that finding workers has become more of a challenge in part because of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobless-claims-pandemics-health-coronavirus-pandemic-business-e2c64443a924bcaa428bb3a9b36a71a2">greater unemployment benefits</a>, but they don’t buy fully into the Republican line that government dollars have caused a lasting price bump.

“The Biden inflation agenda of too much money chasing too few goods is causing major harm to hard-working families,” House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana said at a June hearing.

The reality is not so simple for William Bew White III, who founded Summer Classics, an Alabama-based furnisher whose outdoor products look like they belong next to a Gilded Age mansion or terraced hotel along the Italian Riviera. He summarizes his problems as the three F’s: foam, fabric and freight.

“The freeze in Texas closed down two of the plants that make the chemicals that make foam,” he said. “These plants were not able to reopen until mid to late March. And supply dried up. I’m not sure how someone that’s in the upholstery business makes it on 40% to 60% of the needed products.”

His company can produce as many as 3,500 outdoor cushions a day, but for most of the year he was not getting the supplies he needed largely because of snow shutting down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houston-football-storms-coronavirus-pandemic-hurricanes-5fd491ed5bfd9aa0ae08426c6078539e">the Texas power grid</a>. He’s having revenue growth of between 40% and 60% on an annual basis and it’s hard to judge how much to increase production to meet that demand and whether that demand can last.

He is more concerned with what his Chinese furniture suppliers are charging than prices at home. His prices in China have jumped as much as 26.5% since January, sometimes retroactively on orders that were already in shipping containers.

“This is not sustainable,” White said.

In many cases, companies are simply trying to absorb the higher costs. Erik Mueller, CEO of the Cincinnati-based outdoor furniture and home recreation chain Watson’s, said he wants to protect his store’s reputation as providing value. He doesn’t see the situation as paralleling the 1970s mix of stagnation and inflation that helped to drive Jimmy Carter out of the presidency after one term.

“This isn’t the 70s,” he said. “We still have goods that are reasonably priced.”

While he believes that generous unemployment benefits have stunted hiring because people can earn more by not working, Mueller also sees the inflation as a spillover from the pandemic. Some people could not work because of the disease or their shifts were cut. The rush for supplies as economies reopened occurred too fast for factories and shipping firms not yet able to return to their previous capacity. All of that was coupled with a United States that after a brutal year simply welcomed the relief of lounging by the pool with friends.

The problem is one of market forces that are beyond anyone individual’s authority, even the U.S. president’s.

“You have just this exorbitant amount of demand due to a unique situation that was out of everyone’s control,” Mueller said.

By JOSH BOAKKANSAS CITY (AP) — People used to go to Valley View Farms to buy five tomato plants and end up with $5,000 in patio furniture.This year is different. After a record burst of sales in March, the showroom floor is almost empty of outdoor chairs, tables and chaises for people to buy.The garden supply store in suburban Baltimore has been waiting six months for a shipping container from Vietnam full of $100,000 worth of wicker and aluminum furniture. Half of the container has already been sold by showing customers photographs. The container should have arrived in February, but it reached U.S. waters on June 3 and has just docked in Long Beach, California.“Everyone is just so far behind,” said John Hessler, 62, the patio section manager. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”The Biden economy faces the unusual challenge of possibly being too strong for its own good.There is the paradox of the fastest growth in generations at more than 6% yet also persistent delays for anyone trying to buy furniture, autos and a wide mix of other goods. It’s almost the mirror opposite of the recovery from the Great Recession of 2007-2009, which was marred by slow growth but also the near-instant delivery of almost every imaginable product.What ultimately matters is that demand stay strong enough for companies to catch up and shorten the long waits.“This is a very good problem for the economy to have,” said Gus Faucher, chief economist for PNC Financial Services. “You’re much better off having too much demand than too little, because too little demand is the recipe for an extended recession.”Republicans have held out the shortages and price increases as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-health-coronavirus-pandemic-inflation-business-8d4f2830ec505756f4dae7ce4435c709">sign of economic weakness</a>, while Biden can counter that wages are climbing at a speed that helps the middle and working classes. But the real challenge goes far beyond the blunt talking points of politicians to an economy being steered by a mix of market forces, tensions with China, setbacks from natural disasters and the unique nature of restarting an economy after a pandemic.As America hurtles out of the July 4th weekend into the heart of summer, the outdoor furniture industry provides a snapshot of the dilemmas confronting the economy. A series of shortages has left warehouses depleted and prices rising at more than 11% annually as Americans resume BBQs and parties after more than a year of isolation. The industry cannot find workers, truckers and raw materials — a consequence of not just government spending but crowded ports, an explosion at an Ohio chemical plant and the devastating snowstorm that hit Texas in February.ADVERTISEMENTPatio furniture makers interviewed by The Associated Press say they expect the supply squeeze to end in 2022 or 2023 — meaning it could remain a political flashpoint even if the broader risk of inflation fades as expected by many Federal Reserve officials and Wall Street analysts. The shortages reflect both the stranded shipping containers, a dearth of truckers and the compounded effect of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-columbus-fires-ohio-explosions-4326bfa033e1c62f83887635982555c3">fatal explosion in April at the Yenkin-Majestic Paints and OPC polymer plant</a>&nbsp;in Columbus, Ohio that depleted the domestic supply of furniture pieces.The Biden administration, well aware aware of the challenge, has made fixing supply chains a priority. It’s also trying to direct more money to making the U.S. power grid and other infrastructure more resilient against extreme weather events as part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-government-and-politics-0c4009959710686e29f5eaef259e1f18">a bipartisan deal reached with Senate Republicans</a>.“You saw what happened in Texas this winter: The entire system in the state collapsed,” Biden said in a recent Wisconsin speech. “That’s why we have to act.”Administration officials expect the supply chain issues to self-correct, though they’re cautious about asserting a specific timeframe because of the unprecedented nature of the recovery from the pandemic.They noted that a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-lifestyle-business-us-news-ap-top-news-1b73aa024354791ec26b48f1e73e1b9a">shortage of toilet paper when the pandemic started</a>&nbsp;was fixed within weeks because factories could ramp up production. But in this case, Biden’s White House views the problem in global terms, with many of the challenges being in Asian ports, rather than a problem that is solely domestic in nature.Republican lawmakers have placed the blame exclusively on Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package, saying the shortages are causing inflation that behaves like a tax by eating into workers’ salaries and savings. Outdoor furniture companies do say that finding workers has become more of a challenge in part because of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobless-claims-pandemics-health-coronavirus-pandemic-business-e2c64443a924bcaa428bb3a9b36a71a2">greater unemployment benefits</a>, but they don’t buy fully into the Republican line that government dollars have caused a lasting price bump.“The Biden inflation agenda of too much money chasing too few goods is causing major harm to hard-working families,” House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana said at a June hearing.The reality is not so simple for William Bew White III, who founded Summer Classics, an Alabama-based furnisher whose outdoor products look like they belong next to a Gilded Age mansion or terraced hotel along the Italian Riviera. He summarizes his problems as the three F’s: foam, fabric and freight.“The freeze in Texas closed down two of the plants that make the chemicals that make foam,” he said. “These plants were not able to reopen until mid to late March. And supply dried up. I’m not sure how someone that’s in the upholstery business makes it on 40% to 60% of the needed products.”His company can produce as many as 3,500 outdoor cushions a day, but for most of the year he was not getting the supplies he needed largely because of snow shutting down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houston-football-storms-coronavirus-pandemic-hurricanes-5fd491ed5bfd9aa0ae08426c6078539e">the Texas power grid</a>. He’s having revenue growth of between 40% and 60% on an annual basis and it’s hard to judge how much to increase production to meet that demand and whether that demand can last.He is more concerned with what his Chinese furniture suppliers are charging than prices at home. His prices in China have jumped as much as 26.5% since January, sometimes retroactively on orders that were already in shipping containers.“This is not sustainable,” White said.In many cases, companies are simply trying to absorb the higher costs. Erik Mueller, CEO of the Cincinnati-based outdoor furniture and home recreation chain Watson’s, said he wants to protect his store’s reputation as providing value. He doesn’t see the situation as paralleling the 1970s mix of stagnation and inflation that helped to drive Jimmy Carter out of the presidency after one term.“This isn’t the 70s,” he said. “We still have goods that are reasonably priced.”While he believes that generous unemployment benefits have stunted hiring because people can earn more by not working, Mueller also sees the inflation as a spillover from the pandemic. Some people could not work because of the disease or their shifts were cut. The rush for supplies as economies reopened occurred too fast for factories and shipping firms not yet able to return to their previous capacity. All of that was coupled with a United States that after a brutal year simply welcomed the relief of lounging by the pool with friends.The problem is one of market forces that are beyond anyone individual’s authority, even the U.S. president’s.“You have just this exorbitant amount of demand due to a unique situation that was out of everyone’s control,” Mueller said.

Have a seat: Patio furniture shortage tells US economic tale

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. (AP) — Thrill-seeking billionaire Richard Branson has reached space aboard his own winged rocket ship in his boldest adventure yet. The feat vaults the nearly 71-year-old Branson past fellow billionaire and rival Jeff Bezos, who is planning to fly to space in a craft of his own nine days from now.

With about 500 people watching, including Branson’s wife, children and grandchildren, a twin-fuselage aircraft with his space plane attached underneath took off in the first stage of the flight. 

Aboard were Branson and five crewmates from his Virgin Galactic space-tourism company. The space plane then detached from the mother ship at an altitude of about 8 1/2 miles and fired its engine, reaching the edge of space at about 53 miles up.

The space ship then made a safe landing .

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. (AP) — Thrill-seeking billionaire Richard Branson strapped in and set off Sunday on his boldest adventure yet — a bid to reach space aboard his own winged rocket ship.

A successful flight would vault the nearly 71-year-old Branson past fellow billionaire and rival Jeff Bezos, who is planning to fly to space in a craft of his own nine days from now.

With a crowd of more than 500 people watching, a twin-fuselage aircraft with Branson’s space plane attached underneath took off in the first stage of the flight. Aboard were Branson and five crewmates from his Virgin Galactic space-tourism company.

The plan was for the space plane to detach from the mother ship at an altitude of about 8 miles (13 kilometers), fire its rocket engine and then pierce the edge of space at about 55 miles (88 kilometers) up. After a few minutes of weightlessness for the crew, the space plane was supposed to glide to a runway landing.

The flight was intended as a confidence-boosting plug for Virgin Galactic, which plans to start taking paying customers on joyrides next year.

“It’s a beautiful day to go to space,” Branson tweeted in the morning, posting a photo of himself with fellow billionaire and space-tourism rival Elon Musk.

Branson, the flamboyant, London-born founder of Virgin Atlantic Airways, wasn’t supposed to fly until later this summer. But he assigned himself to an earlier flight after Bezos announced plans to ride his own rocket ship into space from Texas on July 20.

More than 600 people have already made reservations for a ride into space with Virgin Galactic, founded in 2004.

Bezos’ Blue Origin has yet to open ticket sales or even announce prices, but late last week boasted via Twitter that it would take clients higher and offer bigger windows.

Unlike Blue Origin and Musk’s SpaceX both launch capsules atop rockets.

Virgin Galactic made three previous test flights into space with a crew.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626017756153.png" alt="Branson aboard Space Ship Unity Sunday-image courtesy Virgin Galactic" />
 <figcaption>Branson aboard Space Ship Unity Sunday-image courtesy Virgin Galactic</figcaption>
 </figure>TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. (AP) — Thrill-seeking billionaire Richard Branson has reached space aboard his own winged rocket ship in his boldest adventure yet. The feat vaults the nearly 71-year-old Branson past fellow billionaire and rival Jeff Bezos, who is planning to fly to space in a craft of his own nine days from now.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH LIVE: <a href="https://twitter.com/richardbranson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RichardBranson</a> and crew of mission specialists fly to space on <a href="https://twitter.com/virgingalactic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VirginGalactic</a>’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Unity22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Unity22</a>. A new space age is here... <a href="https://t.co/kLI6mGCUro">https://t.co/kLI6mGCUro</a>&mdash; Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) <a href="https://twitter.com/virgingalactic/status/1414229297267503107?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>With about 500 people watching, including Branson’s wife, children and grandchildren, a twin-fuselage aircraft with his space plane attached underneath took off in the first stage of the flight. Aboard were Branson and five crewmates from his Virgin Galactic space-tourism company. The space plane then detached from the mother ship at an altitude of about 8 1/2 miles and fired its engine, reaching the edge of space at about 53 miles up.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626018332404.png" alt="Unity 22 space craft following the safe landing just after 10:30 a.m CDT -image courtesy Virgin Galactic" />
 <figcaption>Unity 22 space craft following the safe landing just after 10:30 a.m CDT -image courtesy Virgin Galactic</figcaption>
 </figure>The space ship then made a safe landing .------TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. (AP) — Thrill-seeking billionaire Richard Branson strapped in and set off Sunday on his boldest adventure yet — a bid to reach space aboard his own winged rocket ship.A successful flight would vault the nearly 71-year-old Branson past fellow billionaire and rival Jeff Bezos, who is planning to fly to space in a craft of his own nine days from now.With a crowd of more than 500 people watching, a twin-fuselage aircraft with Branson’s space plane attached underneath took off in the first stage of the flight. Aboard were Branson and five crewmates from his Virgin Galactic space-tourism company.The plan was for the space plane to detach from the mother ship at an altitude of about 8 miles (13 kilometers), fire its rocket engine and then pierce the edge of space at about 55 miles (88 kilometers) up. After a few minutes of weightlessness for the crew, the space plane was supposed to glide to a runway landing.The flight was intended as a confidence-boosting plug for Virgin Galactic, which plans to start taking paying customers on joyrides next year.“It’s a beautiful day to go to space,” Branson tweeted in the morning, posting a photo of himself with fellow billionaire and space-tourism rival Elon Musk.Branson, the flamboyant, London-born founder of Virgin Atlantic Airways, wasn’t supposed to fly until later this summer. But he assigned himself to an earlier flight after Bezos announced plans to ride his own rocket ship into space from Texas on July 20.More than 600 people have already made reservations for a ride into space with Virgin Galactic, founded in 2004.Bezos’ Blue Origin has yet to open ticket sales or even announce prices, but late last week boasted via Twitter that it would take clients higher and offer bigger windows.Unlike Blue Origin and Musk’s SpaceX both launch capsules atop rockets.Virgin Galactic made three previous test flights into space with a crew.___

Billionaire Richard Branson reaches space in his own ship

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Firefighters struggled to contain an exploding Northern California wildfire under blazing temperatures as another heat wave blanketed the West, prompting an excessive heat warning for inland and desert areas.

Death Valley in southeastern California’s Mojave Desert reached 128 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service’s reading at Furnace Creek. The shockingly high temperature was actually lower than the previous day, when the location reached 130 F.

If confirmed as accurate, the 130-degree reading would be the hottest high recorded there since July 1913, when Furnace Creek desert hit 134 F, considered the highest measured temperature on Earth.

About 300 miles northwest of the sizzling desert, the largest wildfire of the year in California was raging along the border with Nevada. The Beckwourth Complex Fire — a combination of two lightning-caused fires burning 45 miles north of Lake Tahoe — showed no sign of slowing its rush northeast from the Sierra Nevada forest region after doubling in size between Friday and Saturday.

The blaze, which was only 8% contained, increased dramatically to 86 square miles as firefighters sweltered in 100-degree temperatures.

It was one of several threatening homes across Western states that were expected to see triple-digit heat through the weekend as a high-pressure zone blankets the region.

Pushed by strong winds, a wildfire in southern Oregon doubled in size to 120 square miles Saturday as it raced through heavy timber in the Fremont-Winema National Forest near the Klamath County town of Sprague River.

The National Weather Service warned the dangerous conditions could cause heat-related illnesses, while California’s power grid operator issued a statewide Flex Alert from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday to avoid disruptions and rolling blackouts.

The California Independent System Operator warned of potential power shortage, not only because of mounting heat but because a wildfire in southern Oregon was threatening transmission lines that carry imported power to California.

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an emergency proclamation on Friday suspending rules to allow for more power capacity, and the ISO requested emergency assistance from other states. On Saturday, Newsom issued another proclamation allowing the emergency use of auxiliary ship engines to relieve pressure on the electric grid.

Palm Springs in Southern California hit a record high temperature of 120 F Saturday. It was the fourth time temperatures have reached 120 degrees so far this year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2021/07/10/palm-springs-area-weather-highs-saturday-sunday-could-hit-120/7925476002/" target="_blank">the Desert Sun reported.</a>

In California’s agricultural Central Valley, 100-degree temperatures blanketed the region, with Fresno reaching 111 degrees F, just one degree short of the all-time high for the date,

Las Vegas late Saturday afternoon tied the all-time record high of 117 F, the National Weather Service said. The city has recorded that record-high temperature four other times, most recently in June 2017.

NV Energy, Nevada’s largest power provider, also urged customers to conserve electricity Saturday and Sunday evenings because of the heatwave and wildfires affecting transmission lines throughout the region.

In Southern California, a brush fire sparked by a burning big rig in eastern San Diego County forced evacuations of two Native American reservations Saturday.

In north-central Arizona, Yavapai County on Saturday lifted an evacuation warning for Black Canyon City, an unincorporated town 43 miles north of Phoenix, after a fire in nearby mountains no longer posed a threat. In Mohave County, Arizona, two firefighters died Saturday after an aircraft they were in to respond to a small wildfire crashed, local media reported.

A wildfire in southeast Washington grew to almost 60 square miles as it blackened grass and timber while it moved into the Umatilla National Forest.

In Idaho, Gov. Brad Little declared a wildfire emergency Friday and mobilized the state’s National Guard to help fight fires sparked after lightning storms swept across the drought-stricken region.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626011064864.jpeg" alt="Beckwourth Fire Complex. Photo courtesy of Mark Hooper." />
 <figcaption>Beckwourth Fire Complex. Photo courtesy of Mark Hooper.</figcaption>
 </figure>SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Firefighters struggled to contain an exploding Northern California wildfire under blazing temperatures as another heat wave blanketed the West, prompting an excessive heat warning for inland and desert areas.Death Valley in southeastern California’s Mojave Desert reached 128 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service’s reading at Furnace Creek. The shockingly high temperature was actually lower than the previous day, when the location reached 130 F.If confirmed as accurate, the 130-degree reading would be the hottest high recorded there since July 1913, when Furnace Creek desert hit 134 F, considered the highest measured temperature on Earth.About 300 miles northwest of the sizzling desert, the largest wildfire of the year in California was raging along the border with Nevada. The Beckwourth Complex Fire — a combination of two lightning-caused fires burning 45 miles north of Lake Tahoe — showed no sign of slowing its rush northeast from the Sierra Nevada forest region after doubling in size between Friday and Saturday.The blaze, which was only 8% contained, increased dramatically to 86 square miles as firefighters sweltered in 100-degree temperatures.It was one of several threatening homes across Western states that were expected to see triple-digit heat through the weekend as a high-pressure zone blankets the region.Pushed by strong winds, a wildfire in southern Oregon doubled in size to 120 square miles Saturday as it raced through heavy timber in the Fremont-Winema National Forest near the Klamath County town of Sprague River.The National Weather Service warned the dangerous conditions could cause heat-related illnesses, while California’s power grid operator issued a statewide Flex Alert from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday to avoid disruptions and rolling blackouts.The California Independent System Operator warned of potential power shortage, not only because of mounting heat but because a wildfire in southern Oregon was threatening transmission lines that carry imported power to California.Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an emergency proclamation on Friday suspending rules to allow for more power capacity, and the ISO requested emergency assistance from other states. On Saturday, Newsom issued another proclamation allowing the emergency use of auxiliary ship engines to relieve pressure on the electric grid.Palm Springs in Southern California hit a record high temperature of 120 F Saturday. It was the fourth time temperatures have reached 120 degrees so far this year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2021/07/10/palm-springs-area-weather-highs-saturday-sunday-could-hit-120/7925476002/" target="_blank">the Desert Sun reported.</a>In California’s agricultural Central Valley, 100-degree temperatures blanketed the region, with Fresno reaching 111 degrees F, just one degree short of the all-time high for the date,Las Vegas late Saturday afternoon tied the all-time record high of 117 F, the National Weather Service said. The city has recorded that record-high temperature four other times, most recently in June 2017.NV Energy, Nevada’s largest power provider, also urged customers to conserve electricity Saturday and Sunday evenings because of the heatwave and wildfires affecting transmission lines throughout the region.In Southern California, a brush fire sparked by a burning big rig in eastern San Diego County forced evacuations of two Native American reservations Saturday.In north-central Arizona, Yavapai County on Saturday lifted an evacuation warning for Black Canyon City, an unincorporated town 43 miles north of Phoenix, after a fire in nearby mountains no longer posed a threat. In Mohave County, Arizona, two firefighters died Saturday after an aircraft they were in to respond to a small wildfire crashed, local media reported.A wildfire in southeast Washington grew to almost 60 square miles as it blackened grass and timber while it moved into the Umatilla National Forest.In Idaho, Gov. Brad Little declared a wildfire emergency Friday and mobilized the state’s National Guard to help fight fires sparked after lightning storms swept across the drought-stricken region.

Heat wave blankets US West as fires rage in several states

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha zoo says roughly 200 people were possibly exposed to a rabid bat. 

Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium on Friday said it's paying for rabies shots for 186 campers who stayed overnight at the aquarium in recent weeks. 

A camper woke up to a wild bat flying around her head July 4. No scratches or bites were found on her. 

The zoo euthanized seven wild bats found in the aquarium. One tested positive for rabies. 

The zoo's animal health director says people who visited the aquarium during the day shouldn't be worried because bats are nocturnal.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625959654669.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha zoo says roughly 200 people were possibly exposed to a rabid bat. Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium on Friday said it's paying for rabies shots for 186 campers who stayed overnight at the aquarium in recent weeks. A camper woke up to a wild bat flying around her head July 4. No scratches or bites were found on her. The zoo euthanized seven wild bats found in the aquarium. One tested positive for rabies. The zoo's animal health director says people who visited the aquarium during the day shouldn't be worried because bats are nocturnal.

Henry Doorly Zoo says 200 people possibly exposed to rabid bat

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Severe storms have led to power outages throughout Nebraska. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports at least 188,000 Omaha Public Power District customers lost power overnight, and 100,000 still were without power Saturday morning. 

A utility spokeswoman says outages could last days. 

The utility recorded hurricane-force wind gusts of more than 90 mph. 

A downed transmission line off Interstate 80 near Aurora also slowed traffic to a crawl. 

Another downed transmission line fell across Union Pacific tracks and is stalling train traffic.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625951952009.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Severe storms have led to power outages throughout Nebraska. The Omaha World-Herald reports at least 188,000 Omaha Public Power District customers lost power overnight, and 100,000 still were without power Saturday morning. A utility spokeswoman says outages could last days. The utility recorded hurricane-force wind gusts of more than 90 mph. A downed transmission line off Interstate 80 near Aurora also slowed traffic to a crawl. Another downed transmission line fell across Union Pacific tracks and is stalling train traffic.

Nebraska storm causes major power outages, traffic delays

WASHINGTON (AP) — “A disservice to the country.” “Inaccurate disinformation.” “Literally killing people.”

For months, the Biden White House refrained from criticizing Republican officials who played down the importance of coronavirus vaccinations or sought to make political hay of the federal government’s all-out effort to drive shots into arms. Not any longer.

With the COVID-19 vaccination rate plateauing across the country, the White House is returning fire at those they see as spreading harmful misinformation or fear about the shots.

When South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster tried this week to block door-to-door efforts to drive up the vaccination rate in his state, White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not mince words in her reaction.

“The failure to provide accurate public health information, including the efficacy of vaccines and the accessibility of them to people across the country, including South Carolina, is literally killing people, so maybe they should consider that,” she said Friday.

While 67% of American adults have gotten at least one dose, officials are increasingly worried about vast geographic disparity in vaccination rates, and the emergence of what some experts warn could be two dramatically different realities for the country in the coming months: High vaccine uptake and lower caseloads in more Democratic-leaning parts of the country, and fresh hot spots and the development of dangerous variants in more GOP-leaning areas.

In the early months of the administration, the White House largely declined to criticize state and local officials’ handling of their vaccination programs, eager to maintain their buy-in and to prevent the politicization of the lifesaving campaign.

The recent change in tone comes after some GOP officials criticized President Joe Biden for calling for a door-to-door campaign to spread information about the safety and efficacy of vaccines in hopes it would encourage more people to get vaccinated.

“Now we need to go to community-by-community, neighborhood-by-neighborhood, and oftentimes, door-to-door — literally knocking on doors — to get help to the remaining people” who need to be vaccinated, Biden said Tuesday.

The grassroots component of the vaccination campaign has been in operation since April, when supplies of shots began outpacing demand. It was outlined and funded by Congress in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill passed in March and overwhelmingly is carried out by local officials and private sector workers and volunteers.

But some in the GOP saw a political opening, catering to the party’s small-government roots and libertarian wing.

“The Biden Administration wants to knock on your door to see if you’re vaccinated,” tweeted Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan. “What’s next? Knocking on your door to see if you own a gun?”

McMaster asked his state’s health department to bar state and local health groups from “the use of the Biden Administration’s ‘targeted’ ‘door to door’ tactics.”

“A South Carolinian’s decision to get vaccinated is a personal one for them to make and not the government’s,” McMaster wrote in a letter to the department. “Enticing, coercing, intimidating, mandating, or pressuring anyone to take the vaccine is a bad policy which will deteriorate the public’s trust and confidence in the State’s vaccination efforts.”

In Missouri, meanwhile, GOP Gov. Mike Parson tweeted: “I have directed our health department to let the federal government know that sending government employees or agents door-to-door to compel vaccination would NOT be an effective OR a welcome strategy in Missouri!”

Earlier in the week, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich sent a letter to Biden condemning the new strategy.

For the usually reserved Biden White House, which has long harbored private frustrations about some states’ laggard vaccination programs but refused to condemn them publicly for fear of playing up political divides in public health, it was a bridge too far.

“For those individuals, organizations that are feeding misinformation and trying to mischaracterize this type of trusted-messenger work, I believe you are doing a disservice to the country and to the doctors, the faith leaders, community leaders and others who are working to get people vaccinated, save lives and help end this pandemic,” White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said Thursday.

Months ago, the Biden White House refrained from responding when officials criticized its vaccine allocation strategy of sending more doses directly to pharmacies instead of through state health departments after the former strategy proved more effective. It largely kept quiet as it watched officials sow fears of vaccine “passports” and assiduously avoided engaging publicly with fringe lawmakers who promoted vaccine skepticism.

The new public expression of frustration comes amid lingering disbelief that tens of millions of Americans continue to refuse to get vaccinated, needlessly extending the pandemic and costing lives, as government health officials emphasize that nearly all serious cases and deaths are now preventable.

White House officials are quick to point out that their criticism is not related to the officials’ political affiliation but to their rhetoric. They credit effective communication and leadership on the vaccines by GOP officials including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. But they continue to be concerned that some GOP officials are seeking to boost their own fortunes by feeding into doubts about the vaccination.

Psaki on Thursday rebutted some allegations about the door-knocking program, noting that in most cases: “They are not members of the government. They are not federal government employees. They are volunteers. They are clergy. They are trusted voices in communities who are playing this role and door knocking.”

Acknowledging the rhetoric has been “a bit frustrating to us,” she also noted that there are indications the door-knocking has helped promote shots in areas lagging behind the rest of the country. “Alabama: The adult vaccination rate increased by 3.9%; 149,000 additional adults got their first dose in June,” she said, adding that Florida saw an increase of 4.4% and Georgia of 3.5%.

“This is important work that’s leading to more vaccinations,” said Zients, “and it’s done by people who care about the health of their family, friends and neighbors.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625745471990.png" alt="In Missouri, GOP Gov. Mike Parson tweeted: “I have directed our health department to let the federal government know that sending government employees or agents door-to-door to compel vaccination would NOT be an effective OR a welcome strategy in Missouri!”" />
 <figcaption>In Missouri, GOP Gov. Mike Parson tweeted: “I have directed our health department to let the federal government know that sending government employees or agents door-to-door to compel vaccination would NOT be an effective OR a welcome strategy in Missouri!”</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — “A disservice to the country.” “Inaccurate disinformation.” “Literally killing people.”For months, the Biden White House refrained from criticizing Republican officials who played down the importance of coronavirus vaccinations or sought to make political hay of the federal government’s all-out effort to drive shots into arms. Not any longer.With the COVID-19 vaccination rate plateauing across the country, the White House is returning fire at those they see as spreading harmful misinformation or fear about the shots.When South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster tried this week to block door-to-door efforts to drive up the vaccination rate in his state, White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not mince words in her reaction.“The failure to provide accurate public health information, including the efficacy of vaccines and the accessibility of them to people across the country, including South Carolina, is literally killing people, so maybe they should consider that,” she said Friday.While 67% of American adults have gotten at least one dose, officials are increasingly worried about vast geographic disparity in vaccination rates, and the emergence of what some experts warn could be two dramatically different realities for the country in the coming months: High vaccine uptake and lower caseloads in more Democratic-leaning parts of the country, and fresh hot spots and the development of dangerous variants in more GOP-leaning areas.In the early months of the administration, the White House largely declined to criticize state and local officials’ handling of their vaccination programs, eager to maintain their buy-in and to prevent the politicization of the lifesaving campaign.The recent change in tone comes after some GOP officials criticized President Joe Biden for calling for a door-to-door campaign to spread information about the safety and efficacy of vaccines in hopes it would encourage more people to get vaccinated.“Now we need to go to community-by-community, neighborhood-by-neighborhood, and oftentimes, door-to-door — literally knocking on doors — to get help to the remaining people” who need to be vaccinated, Biden said Tuesday.The grassroots component of the vaccination campaign has been in operation since April, when supplies of shots began outpacing demand. It was outlined and funded by Congress in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill passed in March and overwhelmingly is carried out by local officials and private sector workers and volunteers.But some in the GOP saw a political opening, catering to the party’s small-government roots and libertarian wing.“The Biden Administration wants to knock on your door to see if you’re vaccinated,” tweeted Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan. “What’s next? Knocking on your door to see if you own a gun?”McMaster asked his state’s health department to bar state and local health groups from “the use of the Biden Administration’s ‘targeted’ ‘door to door’ tactics.”“A South Carolinian’s decision to get vaccinated is a personal one for them to make and not the government’s,” McMaster wrote in a letter to the department. “Enticing, coercing, intimidating, mandating, or pressuring anyone to take the vaccine is a bad policy which will deteriorate the public’s trust and confidence in the State’s vaccination efforts.”In Missouri, meanwhile, GOP Gov. Mike Parson tweeted: “I have directed our health department to let the federal government know that sending government employees or agents door-to-door to compel vaccination would NOT be an effective OR a welcome strategy in Missouri!”Earlier in the week, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich sent a letter to Biden condemning the new strategy.For the usually reserved Biden White House, which has long harbored private frustrations about some states’ laggard vaccination programs but refused to condemn them publicly for fear of playing up political divides in public health, it was a bridge too far.“For those individuals, organizations that are feeding misinformation and trying to mischaracterize this type of trusted-messenger work, I believe you are doing a disservice to the country and to the doctors, the faith leaders, community leaders and others who are working to get people vaccinated, save lives and help end this pandemic,” White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said Thursday.Months ago, the Biden White House refrained from responding when officials criticized its vaccine allocation strategy of sending more doses directly to pharmacies instead of through state health departments after the former strategy proved more effective. It largely kept quiet as it watched officials sow fears of vaccine “passports” and assiduously avoided engaging publicly with fringe lawmakers who promoted vaccine skepticism.The new public expression of frustration comes amid lingering disbelief that tens of millions of Americans continue to refuse to get vaccinated, needlessly extending the pandemic and costing lives, as government health officials emphasize that nearly all serious cases and deaths are now preventable.White House officials are quick to point out that their criticism is not related to the officials’ political affiliation but to their rhetoric. They credit effective communication and leadership on the vaccines by GOP officials including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. But they continue to be concerned that some GOP officials are seeking to boost their own fortunes by feeding into doubts about the vaccination.Psaki on Thursday rebutted some allegations about the door-knocking program, noting that in most cases: “They are not members of the government. They are not federal government employees. They are volunteers. They are clergy. They are trusted voices in communities who are playing this role and door knocking.”Acknowledging the rhetoric has been “a bit frustrating to us,” she also noted that there are indications the door-knocking has helped promote shots in areas lagging behind the rest of the country. “Alabama: The adult vaccination rate increased by 3.9%; 149,000 additional adults got their first dose in June,” she said, adding that Florida saw an increase of 4.4% and Georgia of 3.5%.“This is important work that’s leading to more vaccinations,” said Zients, “and it’s done by people who care about the health of their family, friends and neighbors.”

White House calling out critics of door-to-door vaccine push

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call that he must “take action” against cybercriminals acting in his country and that the U.S. reserves the right to “defend its people and its critical infrastructure” from future attacks. the White House said.

The warning to Putin on Friday was largely a repetition of the tough rhetoric Biden had used during their meeting in Geneva last month, when he warned that there would be consequences for continuing cyberattacks emanating from Russia. Since then, a new ransomware attack linked to the Russia-based REvil hacking group has caused widespread disruption, placing Biden under growing pressure to this time marry the warning with actions — though none were immediately announced.

“I made it very clear to him that the United States expects when a ransomware operation is coming from his soil even though it’s not sponsored by the state, we expect them to act if we give them enough information to act on who that is,” Biden said, speaking to reporters at an event on economic competitiveness. Asked whether there will be consequences, he said, “Yes.”

The call with Putin underscored the extent to which the ransomware threat from criminal hacker gangs has mushroomed into an urgent national security challenge for the White House, and it suggested a possible concession by the administration that earlier warnings to the Russian leader had failed to curb a criminal activity that has taken aim at businesses across the globe.

A White House statement announcing the hourlong call also highlighted a U.S.-Russian agreement that will allow humanitarian aid to flow into Syria. The dual prongs of the agenda show how even as Biden pledges to get tough on Russia over hacking, there’s an inherent desire to avoid aggravating tensions as the administration looks for Russia to cooperate, or at least not interfere, with U.S. actions in other areas, including Syria, the Afghanistan withdrawal and climate change.

In his call with Putin, besides reiterating the need for Russia to take action and that the U.S. stands ready to act in response, Biden also “emphasized that he is committed to continued engagement on the broader threat posed by ransomware,” the White House said.

Biden told reporters that the U.S. and Russia have “set up a means of communication now on a regular basis to be able to communicate with one another when each of us thinks something is happening in another country that affects the home country. And so it went well. I’m optimistic.”

In its own summary of the call, the Kremlin said “Putin noted that despite the Russian side’s readiness to jointly stop criminal activities in the information sphere, U.S. agencies haven’t made any requests during the past month.”

The Kremlin said the two leaders emphasized the need for cooperation on cybersecurity, which it said “must be permanent, professional and non-politicized and should be conducted via special communication channels ... and with respect to international law.”

The Kremlin statement also noted that Biden and Putin touched on the situation in Syria “with a special emphasis on humanitarian aspects“ and “gave a positive assessment of coordination of Russian and U.S. efforts on the issue, including in the U.N. Security Council.”

The White House declined to discuss the tone of Biden’s call, though press secretary Jen Psaki said it did focus significantly on the latest breach, which cybersecurity researchers have said infected victims in at least 17 countries, largely through firms that remotely manage IT infrastructure for multiple customers.

Though Biden had previously said the attack had caused “minimal damage,” and it did not appear to target vital infrastructure, the sheer global scale and the fact that it occurred so soon after the Geneva meeting put immediate pressure on the administration to have some sort of response.

Officials did not immediately announce any specific actions they were taking or would consider taking. There are few easy options to resolve the threat without risking a conflict that could spiral out of control beyond the cybersecurity realm.

The Biden administration took office on the heels of a massive cyberespionage campaign known as SolarWinds that U.S. officials have linked to Russian intelligence operatives. But ransomware attacks, perpetrated generally by criminal hacker gangs rather than state-sponsored hackers, appear to have eclipsed old-fashioned spying as a potent threat.

A May attack on a pipeline that supplies roughly half the fuel consumed on the East Coast caused the company to temporarily halt operations. Colonial Pipeline paid roughly $4.4 million in ransom, although U.S. authorities were able to claw back a large portion of that sum in a law enforcement operation last month.

Hackers also recently extorted an $11 million ransom payment from JBS SA, the world’s largest meat processor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623845475995.png" alt="Russian President Putin and President Biden before their meeting last month" />
 <figcaption>Russian President Putin and President Biden before their meeting last month</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call that he must “take action” against cybercriminals acting in his country and that the U.S. reserves the right to “defend its people and its critical infrastructure” from future attacks. the White House said.The warning to Putin on Friday was largely a repetition of the tough rhetoric Biden had used during their meeting in Geneva last month, when he warned that there would be consequences for continuing cyberattacks emanating from Russia. Since then, a new ransomware attack linked to the Russia-based REvil hacking group has caused widespread disruption, placing Biden under growing pressure to this time marry the warning with actions — though none were immediately announced.“I made it very clear to him that the United States expects when a ransomware operation is coming from his soil even though it’s not sponsored by the state, we expect them to act if we give them enough information to act on who that is,” Biden said, speaking to reporters at an event on economic competitiveness. Asked whether there will be consequences, he said, “Yes.”The call with Putin underscored the extent to which the ransomware threat from criminal hacker gangs has mushroomed into an urgent national security challenge for the White House, and it suggested a possible concession by the administration that earlier warnings to the Russian leader had failed to curb a criminal activity that has taken aim at businesses across the globe.A White House statement announcing the hourlong call also highlighted a U.S.-Russian agreement that will allow humanitarian aid to flow into Syria. The dual prongs of the agenda show how even as Biden pledges to get tough on Russia over hacking, there’s an inherent desire to avoid aggravating tensions as the administration looks for Russia to cooperate, or at least not interfere, with U.S. actions in other areas, including Syria, the Afghanistan withdrawal and climate change.In his call with Putin, besides reiterating the need for Russia to take action and that the U.S. stands ready to act in response, Biden also “emphasized that he is committed to continued engagement on the broader threat posed by ransomware,” the White House said.Biden told reporters that the U.S. and Russia have “set up a means of communication now on a regular basis to be able to communicate with one another when each of us thinks something is happening in another country that affects the home country. And so it went well. I’m optimistic.”In its own summary of the call, the Kremlin said “Putin noted that despite the Russian side’s readiness to jointly stop criminal activities in the information sphere, U.S. agencies haven’t made any requests during the past month.”The Kremlin said the two leaders emphasized the need for cooperation on cybersecurity, which it said “must be permanent, professional and non-politicized and should be conducted via special communication channels ... and with respect to international law.”The Kremlin statement also noted that Biden and Putin touched on the situation in Syria “with a special emphasis on humanitarian aspects“ and “gave a positive assessment of coordination of Russian and U.S. efforts on the issue, including in the U.N. Security Council.”The White House declined to discuss the tone of Biden’s call, though press secretary Jen Psaki said it did focus significantly on the latest breach, which cybersecurity researchers have said infected victims in at least 17 countries, largely through firms that remotely manage IT infrastructure for multiple customers.Though Biden had previously said the attack had caused “minimal damage,” and it did not appear to target vital infrastructure, the sheer global scale and the fact that it occurred so soon after the Geneva meeting put immediate pressure on the administration to have some sort of response.Officials did not immediately announce any specific actions they were taking or would consider taking. There are few easy options to resolve the threat without risking a conflict that could spiral out of control beyond the cybersecurity realm.The Biden administration took office on the heels of a massive cyberespionage campaign known as SolarWinds that U.S. officials have linked to Russian intelligence operatives. But ransomware attacks, perpetrated generally by criminal hacker gangs rather than state-sponsored hackers, appear to have eclipsed old-fashioned spying as a potent threat.A May attack on a pipeline that supplies roughly half the fuel consumed on the East Coast caused the company to temporarily halt operations. Colonial Pipeline paid roughly $4.4 million in ransom, although U.S. authorities were able to claw back a large portion of that sum in a law enforcement operation last month.Hackers also recently extorted an $11 million ransom payment from JBS SA, the world’s largest meat processor.

Biden reminds Putin Russia must crack down on cybercriminals

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The founder of the Omaha Sports Academy is charged with taking almost $400,000 from the group for his personal use. 

Forty-eight-year-old Bob Franzese faces two counts of theft by unlawful taken. He was charged Thursday and given a $25,000 bond. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports he was no longer listed as being in jail on Thursday. 

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine says authorities suspect Franzese was using the money for gambling.

 Franzese founded the sports academy in 2007 and was its co-owner and general manager until he was removed in April.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The founder of the Omaha Sports Academy is charged with taking almost $400,000 from the group for his personal use. Forty-eight-year-old Bob Franzese faces two counts of theft by unlawful taken. He was charged Thursday and given a $25,000 bond. The Omaha World-Herald reports he was no longer listed as being in jail on Thursday. Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine says authorities suspect Franzese was using the money for gambling. Franzese founded the sports academy in 2007 and was its co-owner and general manager until he was removed in April.