HEDVILLE — Law enforcement authorities are investigation two suspects from Minnesota after they allegedly attempted to steal car ramps from a rural Saline County residence.

On Saturday, deputies were sent to the 100 block of West Pennsylvania Street in Hedville, an unincorported community in northern Saline County, for the report of attempted theft. A witness reported that two people in a gray pickup had attempted to steal car ramps, but left the area before taking the ramps, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

Deputies located the pickup on North Hedville Road near Interstate 70 with two occupants, Dennis Murray, 38, Mankato, Minnesota and Amber Jacobsen, 35, Eagle Park, Minnesota.

The pickup, a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado valued at $10,000, was taken for a test drive several days prior and never returned to HG Auto in South Sioux City, Nebraska, according to Soldan.

Deputies also found methamphetamine in the pickup.

Deputies arrested Murray on requested charges of Possession of stolen property, Possession of methamphetamine, Driving while suspended and Attempted theft.

Deputies arrested Jacobsen on requested charges that included Possession of stolen property, Possession of methamphetamine and Driving while suspended.

The suspects will face additional charges in Nebraska.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605538294843.jpeg" alt="Murray photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Murray photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>HEDVILLE — Law enforcement authorities are investigation two suspects from Minnesota after they allegedly attempted to steal car ramps from a rural Saline County residence.On Saturday, deputies were sent to the 100 block of West Pennsylvania Street in Hedville, an unincorported community in northern Saline County, for the report of attempted theft. A witness reported that two people in a gray pickup had attempted to steal car ramps, but left the area before taking the ramps, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.Deputies located the pickup on North Hedville Road near Interstate 70 with two occupants, Dennis Murray, 38, Mankato, Minnesota and Amber Jacobsen, 35, Eagle Park, Minnesota.The pickup, a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado valued at $10,000, was taken for a test drive several days prior and never returned to HG Auto in South Sioux City, Nebraska, according to Soldan.Deputies also found methamphetamine in the pickup.Deputies arrested Murray on requested charges of Possession of stolen property, Possession of methamphetamine, Driving while suspended and Attempted theft.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605537939019.jpeg" alt="Jacobsen photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Jacobsen photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies arrested Jacobsen on requested charges that included Possession of stolen property, Possession of methamphetamine and Driving while suspended.The suspects will face additional charges in Nebraska.

2 in pickup taken for a test drive in Neb. captured in Kansas

EAGLE, Neb. (AP) — Authorities in southeastern Nebraska say a 17-year-old girl was killed and another teen injured in a crash in Cass County over the weekend. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that the crash happened Saturday night at the intersection of U.S. Highway 34 and Nebraska Highway 63, just east of Eagle. 

Investigators say the girls were in a car that failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection and collided with another car.

 Both girls, from Lincoln, were taken to hospitals, where one was pronounced dead.

 Their names have not yet been released. 

Two teens in the other car were not seriously injured.

EAGLE, Neb. (AP) — Authorities in southeastern Nebraska say a 17-year-old girl was killed and another teen injured in a crash in Cass County over the weekend. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the crash happened Saturday night at the intersection of U.S. Highway 34 and Nebraska Highway 63, just east of Eagle. Investigators say the girls were in a car that failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection and collided with another car. Both girls, from Lincoln, were taken to hospitals, where one was pronounced dead. Their names have not yet been released. Two teens in the other car were not seriously injured.

Teenage girl killed in southeast Nebraska crash

KEARNEY&nbsp; — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) and Buffalo County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a North Platte man Sunday evening following an incident at a truck stop in Elm Creek.

At approximately 6:20 p.m., NSP was notified that the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office was attempting to locate the suspect of a reported assault. The suspect was reportedly armed with a handgun. Approximately two hours later, a trooper was on another call at the Pilot truck stop in Elm Creek when he received information that the suspect being sought by Buffalo County deputies was possibly hiding in one of the shower stalls at the truck stop.

The trooper made contact with the subject. As the trooper attempted to place the subject into custody, the man resisted arrest and attempted to flee. A physical confrontation ensued, during which the trooper was able to place the suspect into custody. The suspect was not injured during the confrontation, but the trooper sustained a non-life-threatening injury. The trooper was treated at Kearney Regional Hospital and released last night.

The suspect, Matthew Taylor, 25, of North Platte, was turned over to Buffalo County Sheriff’s Deputies and lodged in Buffalo County Jail for resisting arrest, third degree assault, making terroristic threats, possession of a controlled substance, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office is the investigating agency for suspected assault reported earlier in the evening.

KEARNEY&nbsp; — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) and Buffalo County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a North Platte man Sunday evening following an incident at a truck stop in Elm Creek.At approximately 6:20 p.m., NSP was notified that the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office was attempting to locate the suspect of a reported assault. The suspect was reportedly armed with a handgun. Approximately two hours later, a trooper was on another call at the Pilot truck stop in Elm Creek when he received information that the suspect being sought by Buffalo County deputies was possibly hiding in one of the shower stalls at the truck stop.The trooper made contact with the subject. As the trooper attempted to place the subject into custody, the man resisted arrest and attempted to flee. A physical confrontation ensued, during which the trooper was able to place the suspect into custody. The suspect was not injured during the confrontation, but the trooper sustained a non-life-threatening injury. The trooper was treated at Kearney Regional Hospital and released last night.The suspect, Matthew Taylor, 25, of North Platte, was turned over to Buffalo County Sheriff’s Deputies and lodged in Buffalo County Jail for resisting arrest, third degree assault, making terroristic threats, possession of a controlled substance, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and possession of drug paraphernalia.The Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office is the investigating agency for suspected assault reported earlier in the evening.

Suspect arrested after confrontation with trooper

OMAHA-United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that on November 13, 2020, United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Victor Roman-Degante to 70 months in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Roman-Degante will serve a 2-year term of supervised release following his release from the Bureau of Prisons. Roman-Degante will be deported from the United States to Mexico after serving his prison term.

Roman-Degante, 29,&nbsp;was convicted of distribution of methamphetamine. On February 4, 2020, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted an enforcement operation during which they contacted a known Mexico-based methamphetamine supplier to request a pound of methamphetamine. The Mexican source of supply then coordinated the delivery of methamphetamine by Roman-Degante to an undercover officer in Omaha. The methamphetamine was tested for weight and purity, yielding a gross total weight of 421 grams at 95% purity.

The case was primarily investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Omaha Police Department.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

OMAHA-United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that on November 13, 2020, United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Victor Roman-Degante to 70 months in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Roman-Degante will serve a 2-year term of supervised release following his release from the Bureau of Prisons. Roman-Degante will be deported from the United States to Mexico after serving his prison term.Roman-Degante, 29,&nbsp;was convicted of distribution of methamphetamine. On February 4, 2020, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted an enforcement operation during which they contacted a known Mexico-based methamphetamine supplier to request a pound of methamphetamine. The Mexican source of supply then coordinated the delivery of methamphetamine by Roman-Degante to an undercover officer in Omaha. The methamphetamine was tested for weight and purity, yielding a gross total weight of 421 grams at 95% purity.The case was primarily investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Omaha Police Department.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

DEA nabs Mexican meth dealer in Omaha

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Fire Marshal's office says one person died in a house fire south of Omaha late last week. 

The office said in a news release that firefighters in nearby Bellevue were called to the fire in Sarpy County just after 4 a.m. Saturday. 

Arriving firefighters found the house fully engulfed in flames, and an occupant in the house was later found dead. 

Officials have not yet released the identity of the victim, and the Sarpy County Attorney has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death. 

Investigators determined the fire was accidental and caused by smoking materials, such as a discarded or unattended cigarette.

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Fire Marshal's office says one person died in a house fire south of Omaha late last week. The office said in a news release that firefighters in nearby Bellevue were called to the fire in Sarpy County just after 4 a.m. Saturday. Arriving firefighters found the house fully engulfed in flames, and an occupant in the house was later found dead. Officials have not yet released the identity of the victim, and the Sarpy County Attorney has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Investigators determined the fire was accidental and caused by smoking materials, such as a discarded or unattended cigarette.

Nebraska Fire Marshal: 1 dead following Bellevue house fire

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials are reporting 23 deaths due to the coronavirus in the last day, increasing the total number of fatalities to 219 in the last 15 days. 

The deaths included 11 women and 12 men. 

Seventeen of the fatalities were residents over 80 years old. Johns Hopkins University researchers say the death count is 21st highest per capita in the country at about 70 deaths per 100,000 people. 

South Dakota officials confirmed 1,199 new COVID-19 cases in the last day, lifting the total to 65,381 since the start of the pandemic. 

The COVID Tracking Project says there were nearly 2,062 new cases per 100,000 people in South Dakota over the past two weeks, which ranks second in the country behind North Dakota for new cases per capita.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials are reporting 23 deaths due to the coronavirus in the last day, increasing the total number of fatalities to 219 in the last 15 days. The deaths included 11 women and 12 men. Seventeen of the fatalities were residents over 80 years old. Johns Hopkins University researchers say the death count is 21st highest per capita in the country at about 70 deaths per 100,000 people. South Dakota officials confirmed 1,199 new COVID-19 cases in the last day, lifting the total to 65,381 since the start of the pandemic. The COVID Tracking Project says there were nearly 2,062 new cases per 100,000 people in South Dakota over the past two weeks, which ranks second in the country behind North Dakota for new cases per capita.

Deaths due to COVID-19 in South Dakota reach 219 in 15 days

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Despite painstaking efforts to keep election sites safe, some poll workers who came in contact with voters on Election Day have tested positive for the coronavirus, including more than two dozen in Missouri and others in New York, Iowa, Indiana and Virginia.

The infections cannot be tied definitively to polling places. Because COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in the U.S., there is no way to determine yet whether in-person voting on Election Day contributed to the surge, public health experts said.

Still, the infections among poll workers raise concerns because of how many people passed through voting sites, which implemented social-distancing rules, erected protective barriers and stocked sanitizer, masks, gloves and other safety gear. In most places, poll workers were required to wear masks.

The cases emerged while election workers continued counting thousands of ballots. As a hand tally of the presidential race began in Georgia, the state’s top election official placed himself under quarantine after his wife tested positive for the coronavirus.

In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which is in a county considered a national virus hot spot, an election official who worked an early voting site later tested positive.

“I’m actually surprised that we don’t have more cases,” said Linn County Election Commissioner Joel Miller, who noted that several county workers in his building tested positive in the last week. “It actually seems kind of far-fetched that we didn’t have more, but they might not be reporting it to us.”

Election workers in Jackson County, Missouri, which includes Kansas City, seem to be the hardest hit so far, with about 28 staffers testing positive in the past couple of weeks.

Tammy Brown, head of the Jackson County Election Board, said her staffers urged voters who felt ill to avoid coming inside, though she suspects not everyone listened. The board dealt with nearly 200,000 voters, including more than 60,000 who cast early ballots.

“We, as election officials, all knew we were at risk,” Brown said. “I don’t think this was shocking to any of us.”

With transmission rates high in Missouri, health officials are not ready to link the cases to polling places. They say the workers could have become infected anywhere.

The county offered drive-thru voting for people with COVID-19 or who were quarantining because of contact with someone who was infected. When part-time workers became ill, full-time election board staff worked the drive-thru line.

It’s difficult to trace cases back to polling places because the virus manifests in different ways, and some people never get symptoms. Infections also are spiking as people gather with extended family or friends and return to more crowded public settings.

The U.S. on Sunday surpassed 11 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, with the most recent million coming in less than a week, according to Johns Hopkins University. The virus has now killed more than 246,000 people in the United States, and the disease is spreading faster across the country than at any time since the pandemic started.

While that spread increases the likelihood poll workers may have contracted the disease elsewhere, there have been calls for their co-workers to quarantine and voters to be tested as a precaution.

In New York, more than 1,600 people who voted at a site in the Hudson Valley on Election Day have been advised to get tested after a poll worker tested positive. Officials said colleagues who had sustained contact with the worker will be tested, but they described the risk to voters as minimal because the person wore a mask, kept distance and followed other safety measures.

Similarly, officials in Virginia’s Carroll County said two poll workers in different precincts have tested positive. A health official said that because both were in their infectious periods on Election Day, testing has been offered to workers and voters.

Virginia officials statewide had masks, face shields, gloves, hand sanitizer and other supplies for polling places, and they trained people in safety practices, said Jessica Bowman, deputy commissioner of the Virginia Department of Elections.

It could be several weeks before the effect of in-person voting nationwide is known. Polling places that used safety measures could have greatly minimized transmission rates, perhaps making them less risky than going to a restaurant with friends, said M. Kumi Smith, an assistant professor with the epidemiology division at the University of Minnesota.

“A super-spreader event is a lot easier to identify when you’re still at an early stage of an epidemic or when there’s a really discrete event that’s really unlike anything else that anyone else is doing,” she said. “But given the real range of activities that are going on here, I would probably be a little bit more skeptical of someone who declares that this is definitively a super-spreading event.”

No major reports of safety lapses or risky voting conditions have emerged.

States had varying rules for masks. But even in places with mandates, officials balked at requiring face coverings while voting. Instead, they opted for a strong recommendation or offered options such as curbside voting or booths away from others.

In Indiana, a poll worker who later tested positive did not show symptoms, practiced social distancing and “wore a mask at all times” on Election Day, said Bartholomew County Clerk Jay Phelps. As a precaution, seven colleagues are quarantining for two weeks.

He said election officials spent a lot of time and money making polling places as safe as possible. Poll workers wore masks, and machines, tables and doorknobs were constantly sanitized.

“We worked really hard to make sure that every polling location had protocols in place,” Phelps said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605527673357.png" alt="Voters wait in line on November 3 in Johnson County, Kansas" />
 <figcaption>Voters wait in line on November 3 in Johnson County, Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —Despite painstaking efforts to keep election sites safe, some poll workers who came in contact with voters on Election Day have tested positive for the coronavirus, including more than two dozen in Missouri and others in New York, Iowa, Indiana and Virginia.The infections cannot be tied definitively to polling places. Because COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in the U.S., there is no way to determine yet whether in-person voting on Election Day contributed to the surge, public health experts said.Still, the infections among poll workers raise concerns because of how many people passed through voting sites, which implemented social-distancing rules, erected protective barriers and stocked sanitizer, masks, gloves and other safety gear. In most places, poll workers were required to wear masks.The cases emerged while election workers continued counting thousands of ballots. As a hand tally of the presidential race began in Georgia, the state’s top election official placed himself under quarantine after his wife tested positive for the coronavirus.In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which is in a county considered a national virus hot spot, an election official who worked an early voting site later tested positive.“I’m actually surprised that we don’t have more cases,” said Linn County Election Commissioner Joel Miller, who noted that several county workers in his building tested positive in the last week. “It actually seems kind of far-fetched that we didn’t have more, but they might not be reporting it to us.”Election workers in Jackson County, Missouri, which includes Kansas City, seem to be the hardest hit so far, with about 28 staffers testing positive in the past couple of weeks.Tammy Brown, head of the Jackson County Election Board, said her staffers urged voters who felt ill to avoid coming inside, though she suspects not everyone listened. The board dealt with nearly 200,000 voters, including more than 60,000 who cast early ballots.“We, as election officials, all knew we were at risk,” Brown said. “I don’t think this was shocking to any of us.”With transmission rates high in Missouri, health officials are not ready to link the cases to polling places. They say the workers could have become infected anywhere.The county offered drive-thru voting for people with COVID-19 or who were quarantining because of contact with someone who was infected. When part-time workers became ill, full-time election board staff worked the drive-thru line.It’s difficult to trace cases back to polling places because the virus manifests in different ways, and some people never get symptoms. Infections also are spiking as people gather with extended family or friends and return to more crowded public settings.The U.S. on Sunday surpassed 11 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, with the most recent million coming in less than a week, according to Johns Hopkins University. The virus has now killed more than 246,000 people in the United States, and the disease is spreading faster across the country than at any time since the pandemic started.While that spread increases the likelihood poll workers may have contracted the disease elsewhere, there have been calls for their co-workers to quarantine and voters to be tested as a precaution.In New York, more than 1,600 people who voted at a site in the Hudson Valley on Election Day have been advised to get tested after a poll worker tested positive. Officials said colleagues who had sustained contact with the worker will be tested, but they described the risk to voters as minimal because the person wore a mask, kept distance and followed other safety measures.Similarly, officials in Virginia’s Carroll County said two poll workers in different precincts have tested positive. A health official said that because both were in their infectious periods on Election Day, testing has been offered to workers and voters.Virginia officials statewide had masks, face shields, gloves, hand sanitizer and other supplies for polling places, and they trained people in safety practices, said Jessica Bowman, deputy commissioner of the Virginia Department of Elections.It could be several weeks before the effect of in-person voting nationwide is known. Polling places that used safety measures could have greatly minimized transmission rates, perhaps making them less risky than going to a restaurant with friends, said M. Kumi Smith, an assistant professor with the epidemiology division at the University of Minnesota.“A super-spreader event is a lot easier to identify when you’re still at an early stage of an epidemic or when there’s a really discrete event that’s really unlike anything else that anyone else is doing,” she said. “But given the real range of activities that are going on here, I would probably be a little bit more skeptical of someone who declares that this is definitively a super-spreading event.”No major reports of safety lapses or risky voting conditions have emerged.States had varying rules for masks. But even in places with mandates, officials balked at requiring face coverings while voting. Instead, they opted for a strong recommendation or offered options such as curbside voting or booths away from others.In Indiana, a poll worker who later tested positive did not show symptoms, practiced social distancing and “wore a mask at all times” on Election Day, said Bartholomew County Clerk Jay Phelps. As a precaution, seven colleagues are quarantining for two weeks.He said election officials spent a lot of time and money making polling places as safe as possible. Poll workers wore masks, and machines, tables and doorknobs were constantly sanitized.“We worked really hard to make sure that every polling location had protocols in place,” Phelps said.___

Poll workers contract virus, but Election Day link unclear

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The head of the World Food Program says the Nobel Peace Prize has given the U.N. agency a spotlight and megaphone to warn world leaders that next year is going to be worse than this year, and without billions of dollars “we are going to have famines of biblical proportions in 2021.”

David Beasley said in an interview with The Associated Press that the Norwegian Nobel Committee was looking at the work the agency does every day in conflicts, disasters and refugee camps, often putting staffers’ lives at risk to feed millions of hungry people -- but also to send “a message to the world that it’s getting worse out there ... (and) that our hardest work is yet to come.”

“It was so timely because we’ve been fighting to get above the choir,” Beasley said of last month’s award, pointing to the news being dominated by the U.S. elections and the COVID-19 pandemic, and the difficulty of getting global attention focused on “the travesty that we’re facing around the world.”

“So this was really a gift from above,” Beasley said, recalling the surprise and delight of WFP’s 20,000 staffers worldwide, and his own shock at being interrupted during a meeting in Niger in Africa’s Sahel region with the news.

Beasley recalled his warning to the U.N. Security Council in April that as the world was dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, it was also “on the brink of a hunger pandemic” that could lead to “multiple famines of biblical proportions” within a few months if immediate action wasn’t taken.

“We were able to avert it in 2020 ... because the world leaders responded with money, stimulus packages, deferral of debt,” he said.

Now, Beasley said, COVID-19 is surging again, economies are continuing to deteriorate particularly in low- and middle-income countries, and there is another wave of lockdowns and shutdowns.

But he said the money that was available in 2020 isn’t going to be available in 2021, so he has been using the Nobel to meet leaders virtually and in person, talk to parliaments, and give speeches to sensitize those with power to “this tragedy that we are facing -- crises that really are going to be extraordinary over the next, who knows, 12 to 18 months.”

“Everybody now wants to meet with the Nobel Peace Prize winner,” Beasley said, explaining he now gets 45 minutes instead of 15 minutes with leaders and is able to go into depth and explain how bad things are going to be next year and how leaders are going to have to prioritize programs. “And the response has really been good,” he said.

“I’m telling them you’re not going to have enough money to fund all the projects you historically fund,” he said.

“Those are important things,” Beasley said, but he likened the upcoming crisis to the Titanic saying “right now, we really need to focus on icebergs, and icebergs are famine, starvation, destabilization and migration.”

Beasley said WFP needs $15 billion next year -- $5 billion just to avert famine and $10 billion to carry out the agency’s global programs including for malnourished children and school lunches which are often the only meal youngsters get.

“If I could get that coupled with our normal money, then we avert famine around the world” and minimize destabilization as well as migration. he said.

In addition to raising extra money from governments, Beasley said, his other “great hope” is that billionaires that have made billions during the COVID-19 pandemic will step up on a one-time basis. He plans to start pushing this message probably in December or January.

In April, Beasley said 135 million people faced “crisis levels of hunger or worse.” A WFP analysis then showed that COVID=19 could push an additional 130 million people “to the brink of starvation by the end of 2020.”

He said in Wednesday’s virtual interview from Rome, where WFP is based, that while famine was averted this year, the number of people facing crisis levels of hunger is increasing toward 270 million.

“There’s about three dozen countries that could possibly enter the famine conditions if we don’t have the money we need,” Beasley said.

According to a joint analysis by WFP and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization in October, 20 countries “are likely to face potential spikes in high acute food insecurity” in the next three to six months, “and require urgent attention.”

Of those, Yemen, South Sudan, northeastern Nigeria and Burkina Faso have some areas that “have reached a critical hunger situation following years of conflict or other shocks,” the U.N. agencies said, and any further deterioration in coming months “could lead to a risk of famine.”

Other countries requiring “urgent attention” are Afghanistan, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Lebanon, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somali, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, they said.

Beasley said a COVID-19 vaccine “will create some optimism that hopefully will help jump the economies around the world, particularly the Western economies. But the WFP executive director said there’s already been $17 billion of economic stimulus this year “and we’re not going to have that globally.”

“We’re very, very, very concerned” that with deferred debt payments for low- and middle-income countries resuming in January, new lockdowns and the rippling economic impact, “2021’s going to be a very bad year,” Beasley said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605525867097.png" alt="World Food Program (WFP) Executive Director David Beasley during a zoom conference Saturday" />
 <figcaption>World Food Program (WFP) Executive Director David Beasley during a zoom conference Saturday</figcaption>
 </figure>UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The head of the World Food Program says the Nobel Peace Prize has given the U.N. agency a spotlight and megaphone to warn world leaders that next year is going to be worse than this year, and without billions of dollars “we are going to have famines of biblical proportions in 2021.”David Beasley said in an interview with The Associated Press that the Norwegian Nobel Committee was looking at the work the agency does every day in conflicts, disasters and refugee camps, often putting staffers’ lives at risk to feed millions of hungry people -- but also to send “a message to the world that it’s getting worse out there ... (and) that our hardest work is yet to come.”“It was so timely because we’ve been fighting to get above the choir,” Beasley said of last month’s award, pointing to the news being dominated by the U.S. elections and the COVID-19 pandemic, and the difficulty of getting global attention focused on “the travesty that we’re facing around the world.”“So this was really a gift from above,” Beasley said, recalling the surprise and delight of WFP’s 20,000 staffers worldwide, and his own shock at being interrupted during a meeting in Niger in Africa’s Sahel region with the news.Beasley recalled his warning to the U.N. Security Council in April that as the world was dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, it was also “on the brink of a hunger pandemic” that could lead to “multiple famines of biblical proportions” within a few months if immediate action wasn’t taken.“We were able to avert it in 2020 ... because the world leaders responded with money, stimulus packages, deferral of debt,” he said.Now, Beasley said, COVID-19 is surging again, economies are continuing to deteriorate particularly in low- and middle-income countries, and there is another wave of lockdowns and shutdowns.But he said the money that was available in 2020 isn’t going to be available in 2021, so he has been using the Nobel to meet leaders virtually and in person, talk to parliaments, and give speeches to sensitize those with power to “this tragedy that we are facing -- crises that really are going to be extraordinary over the next, who knows, 12 to 18 months.”“Everybody now wants to meet with the Nobel Peace Prize winner,” Beasley said, explaining he now gets 45 minutes instead of 15 minutes with leaders and is able to go into depth and explain how bad things are going to be next year and how leaders are going to have to prioritize programs. “And the response has really been good,” he said.“I’m telling them you’re not going to have enough money to fund all the projects you historically fund,” he said.“Those are important things,” Beasley said, but he likened the upcoming crisis to the Titanic saying “right now, we really need to focus on icebergs, and icebergs are famine, starvation, destabilization and migration.”Beasley said WFP needs $15 billion next year -- $5 billion just to avert famine and $10 billion to carry out the agency’s global programs including for malnourished children and school lunches which are often the only meal youngsters get.“If I could get that coupled with our normal money, then we avert famine around the world” and minimize destabilization as well as migration. he said.In addition to raising extra money from governments, Beasley said, his other “great hope” is that billionaires that have made billions during the COVID-19 pandemic will step up on a one-time basis. He plans to start pushing this message probably in December or January.In April, Beasley said 135 million people faced “crisis levels of hunger or worse.” A WFP analysis then showed that COVID=19 could push an additional 130 million people “to the brink of starvation by the end of 2020.”He said in Wednesday’s virtual interview from Rome, where WFP is based, that while famine was averted this year, the number of people facing crisis levels of hunger is increasing toward 270 million.“There’s about three dozen countries that could possibly enter the famine conditions if we don’t have the money we need,” Beasley said.According to a joint analysis by WFP and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization in October, 20 countries “are likely to face potential spikes in high acute food insecurity” in the next three to six months, “and require urgent attention.”Of those, Yemen, South Sudan, northeastern Nigeria and Burkina Faso have some areas that “have reached a critical hunger situation following years of conflict or other shocks,” the U.N. agencies said, and any further deterioration in coming months “could lead to a risk of famine.”Other countries requiring “urgent attention” are Afghanistan, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Lebanon, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somali, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, they said.Beasley said a COVID-19 vaccine “will create some optimism that hopefully will help jump the economies around the world, particularly the Western economies. But the WFP executive director said there’s already been $17 billion of economic stimulus this year “and we’re not going to have that globally.”“We’re very, very, very concerned” that with deferred debt payments for low- and middle-income countries resuming in January, new lockdowns and the rippling economic impact, “2021’s going to be a very bad year,” Beasley said.

Nobel UN food agency: 2021 will be worse than 2020

OMAHA&nbsp; — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) have arrested a North Carolina resident after she intentionally drove her vehicle into a trooper’s patrol unit during a prescription fraud investigation.

Saturday at approximately 2:20 p.m., a trooper responded to the Walgreens at East 23rd&nbsp;and Lincoln Avenue in Fremont upon receiving the report of a prescription fraud in progress. The suspect was in the pharmacy drive-thru lane when the trooper arrived on scene. The trooper parked his patrol unit directly in front of the suspect’s vehicle, a Jeep Renegade.

The trooper exited his cruiser and attempted to make contact with the suspect. At that point, the suspect drove her vehicle in reverse and struck the vehicle behind her vehicle. She then drove forward and struck the trooper’s cruiser. She again drove in reverse, striking the building, before attempting to drive between the building and the cruiser. In doing so, she struck the building again. That impact disabled the vehicle.

After the vehicle was disabled, the trooper was able to take the suspect into custody without further incident. The driver, Brandi Bolden, 25, of Asheville, North Carolina, was arrested for prescription fraud, assault on an officer using a motor vehicle, flight to avoid arrest, and criminal investigation. She was lodged in Dodge County Jail.

The Fremont Police Department is assisting in this investigation. No persons were injured.

OMAHA&nbsp; — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) have arrested a North Carolina resident after she intentionally drove her vehicle into a trooper’s patrol unit during a prescription fraud investigation.Saturday at approximately 2:20 p.m., a trooper responded to the Walgreens at East 23rd&nbsp;and Lincoln Avenue in Fremont upon receiving the report of a prescription fraud in progress. The suspect was in the pharmacy drive-thru lane when the trooper arrived on scene. The trooper parked his patrol unit directly in front of the suspect’s vehicle, a Jeep Renegade.The trooper exited his cruiser and attempted to make contact with the suspect. At that point, the suspect drove her vehicle in reverse and struck the vehicle behind her vehicle. She then drove forward and struck the trooper’s cruiser. She again drove in reverse, striking the building, before attempting to drive between the building and the cruiser. In doing so, she struck the building again. That impact disabled the vehicle.After the vehicle was disabled, the trooper was able to take the suspect into custody without further incident. The driver, Brandi Bolden, 25, of Asheville, North Carolina, was arrested for prescription fraud, assault on an officer using a motor vehicle, flight to avoid arrest, and criminal investigation. She was lodged in Dodge County Jail.The Fremont Police Department is assisting in this investigation. No persons were injured.

Prescription fraud suspect arrested after striking NSP patrol unit

LONDON (AP) — White collar staff reaping the financial benefits of working from home should be taxed to help other workers who aren’t getting the same advantages, experts at Deutsche Bank said in a new report.

In its report on how to rebuild the economy after COVID-19, the bank proposed a 5% daily tax on each employee that continues to work from home, which could raise tens of billions of dollars for governments. The money could be used to help lower income workers who have taken on greater risk because their jobs can’t be done remotely, it said.

The bank noted that the global pandemic has turbocharged the shift to remote work, a trend that looks set to last for the long term with many workers expecting to spend at least a few days of their work week at home even after the pandemic ends.

These workers benefit from more convenience and flexibility. They also save money directly because they don’t have to pay for commuting costs, takeout lunches, or buying and dry cleaning work clothes - but it means those businesses that have grown up to support office workers won’t be able to recover and “the economic malaise will be extended,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dbresearch.com/PROD/RPS_EN-PROD/PROD0000000000513730/Konzept_%23_19%3A_What_we_must_do_to_rebuild.PDF?&amp;&amp;undefined&amp;realload=YgWGDTMO0RTWSijsE61Mdd0nnN5gxulw~6ufRJOpOn6ZNFZzez6terB~PTV50WOSL62o8n5zAFhadgALTmXzlA==" target="_blank">report said.</a>

While it doesn’t make sense for the government to support, say, a downtown sandwich shop if it doesn’t have any more customers from nearby office towers, “it does make sense to support the mass of people who have been suddenly displaced by forces outside their control,” the bank said. “From a personal and economic point of view, it makes sense that these people should be given a helping hand.”

The tax would amount to just over $10 a day, assuming the average salary of an American working from home is $55,000. That’s roughly the amount the worker might spend on commuting, lunch and laundry, which would leave them no worse off than going into the office, the report said. It could raise up to $48 billion in the U.S. Deutsche Bank carried out similar calculations for Germany and the U.K.

But the proposals faced heavy skepticism.

Andrew Hunter, co-founder of job search engine Adzuna.co.uk said the idea was misguided and predicted it would be incredibly unpopular.

“It punishes progressive companies and those with kids or caring responsibilities, who were responsible during the pandemic, who are already taking on more costs and helping the environment by staying at home,” said Hunter. “Let’s be honest, there are many better ways to raise taxes!”

LONDON (AP) — White collar staff reaping the financial benefits of working from home should be taxed to help other workers who aren’t getting the same advantages, experts at Deutsche Bank said in a new report.In its report on how to rebuild the economy after COVID-19, the bank proposed a 5% daily tax on each employee that continues to work from home, which could raise tens of billions of dollars for governments. The money could be used to help lower income workers who have taken on greater risk because their jobs can’t be done remotely, it said.The bank noted that the global pandemic has turbocharged the shift to remote work, a trend that looks set to last for the long term with many workers expecting to spend at least a few days of their work week at home even after the pandemic ends.These workers benefit from more convenience and flexibility. They also save money directly because they don’t have to pay for commuting costs, takeout lunches, or buying and dry cleaning work clothes - but it means those businesses that have grown up to support office workers won’t be able to recover and “the economic malaise will be extended,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dbresearch.com/PROD/RPS_EN-PROD/PROD0000000000513730/Konzept_%23_19%3A_What_we_must_do_to_rebuild.PDF?&amp;&amp;undefined&amp;realload=YgWGDTMO0RTWSijsE61Mdd0nnN5gxulw~6ufRJOpOn6ZNFZzez6terB~PTV50WOSL62o8n5zAFhadgALTmXzlA==" target="_blank">report said.</a>While it doesn’t make sense for the government to support, say, a downtown sandwich shop if it doesn’t have any more customers from nearby office towers, “it does make sense to support the mass of people who have been suddenly displaced by forces outside their control,” the bank said. “From a personal and economic point of view, it makes sense that these people should be given a helping hand.”The tax would amount to just over $10 a day, assuming the average salary of an American working from home is $55,000. That’s roughly the amount the worker might spend on commuting, lunch and laundry, which would leave them no worse off than going into the office, the report said. It could raise up to $48 billion in the U.S. Deutsche Bank carried out similar calculations for Germany and the U.K.But the proposals faced heavy skepticism.Andrew Hunter, co-founder of job search engine Adzuna.co.uk said the idea was misguided and predicted it would be incredibly unpopular.“It punishes progressive companies and those with kids or caring responsibilities, who were responsible during the pandemic, who are already taking on more costs and helping the environment by staying at home,” said Hunter. “Let’s be honest, there are many better ways to raise taxes!”___

To help economy, bank proposes tax on working from home

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A group of about 35 people gathered outside a grocery store in southwest Omaha Saturday to protest against the city's mask mandate.

The group originally planned to stage a mask-less shopping trip at the Hy-Vee grocery store but the event turned into an outdoor march after the grocer worked with Omaha police to keep the protest out of the store. Omaha police said they would have officers at the store who would ticket people who tried to violate the city's indoor mask requirement.

Allie French said the group modified its plan after the backlash against it. French and other protesters gathered in front of the grocery store Saturday with signs and flags. Two police cars were parked among the group, and multiple officers stood at the entrance of the Hy-Vee along with several employees.

Grace Willett attended the protest with her husband and 2-year-old daughter to take a stand for individual freedom.

"It's about standing up for our medical freedom to choose whether or not we wear a mask," Grace Willett said. "I'm fine with other people wearing a mask if they want to, but I think that we should all have the choice."

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A group of about 35 people gathered outside a grocery store in southwest Omaha Saturday to protest against the city's mask mandate.The group originally planned to stage a mask-less shopping trip at the Hy-Vee grocery store but the event turned into an outdoor march after the grocer worked with Omaha police to keep the protest out of the store. Omaha police said they would have officers at the store who would ticket people who tried to violate the city's indoor mask requirement.Allie French said the group modified its plan after the backlash against it. French and other protesters gathered in front of the grocery store Saturday with signs and flags. Two police cars were parked among the group, and multiple officers stood at the entrance of the Hy-Vee along with several employees.Grace Willett attended the protest with her husband and 2-year-old daughter to take a stand for individual freedom."It's about standing up for our medical freedom to choose whether or not we wear a mask," Grace Willett said. "I'm fine with other people wearing a mask if they want to, but I think that we should all have the choice."

Small group protests against Omaha's mask requirement

GENEVA (AP) — A senior U.S. government official complained&nbsp; that the World Health Organization has not shared enough information about its planned mission to China to investigate the animal origins of the coronavirus.

Garrett Grisby of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services griped that the criteria for WHO’s China mission had not been shared with other nations. He spoke during a weeklong meeting of the U.H. health agency’s member countries.

“The (terms of reference) were not negotiated in a transparent way with all WHO member states,” he said via video conference, referring to the mission’s criteria. “Understanding the origins of COVID-19 through a transparent and inclusive investigation is what must be done.”

In recent months, a long-planned WHO-led team seeking to investigate the coronavirus’ animal origins in China has stalled. Although pandemic travel restrictions and the focus on stemming the overwhelming number of new coronavirus cases have complicated matters, some scientists worry that China has still not provided key details about what research is already ongoing.

The U.S. objections came as an independent panel commissioned by WHO to evaluate its management of the global COVID-19 response said it’s considering whether the U.N. health agency has enough power and financing to stop future pandemics.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who co-chairs the panel, said the group was especially interested in establishing an accurate chronology of the very first coronavirus alerts and what responses were taken.

“The Independent Panel will do its best to shed light on what has happened, is still happening and why,” Clark said. “We are asking whether WHO has the right mandate, the right powers, the right capacities and the right financing to deliver on pandemic preparedness and response.”

Critics, including President Donald Trump, have slammed WHO for allegedly “colluding” with China to hide the extent of the initial coronavirus outbreak. Earlier this year, The Associated Press reported that senior Chinese officials didn’t warn the public about the pandemic threat of coronavirus for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/68a9e1b91de4ffc166acd6012d82c2f9">six days&nbsp;</a>and that they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3c061794970661042b18d5aeaaed9fae">stalled on sharing</a>&nbsp;the virus’ genetic sequence and other key data with WHO experts.

Clark said the panel would also review “how well the World Health Organization and the international system at large have been able to deliver on country needs and expectations.”

On Monday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pleaded for more funds, saying the agency’s budget was the equivalent of what the world spends on tobacco every day.

Clark has shied away from criticizing WHO or member states like China for their COVID-19 efforts.

Last month, Germany and France led a call from European Union countries arguing that WHO should have more powers to independently investigate outbreaks in countries and that their funding should be boosted.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration halted U.S. funding for the WHO and vowed to pull the United States — its biggest single donor — out of the U.N. health agency by next summer. President-elect Joe Biden has said he plans to keep the United States in the organization.

The WHO meeting finished Saturday. So far the world has seen over 50 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 1.26 million deaths, but experts say all numbers understate the pandemic’s true toll.

GENEVA (AP) — A senior U.S. government official complained&nbsp; that the World Health Organization has not shared enough information about its planned mission to China to investigate the animal origins of the coronavirus.Garrett Grisby of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services griped that the criteria for WHO’s China mission had not been shared with other nations. He spoke during a weeklong meeting of the U.H. health agency’s member countries.“The (terms of reference) were not negotiated in a transparent way with all WHO member states,” he said via video conference, referring to the mission’s criteria. “Understanding the origins of COVID-19 through a transparent and inclusive investigation is what must be done.”In recent months, a long-planned WHO-led team seeking to investigate the coronavirus’ animal origins in China has stalled. Although pandemic travel restrictions and the focus on stemming the overwhelming number of new coronavirus cases have complicated matters, some scientists worry that China has still not provided key details about what research is already ongoing.The U.S. objections came as an independent panel commissioned by WHO to evaluate its management of the global COVID-19 response said it’s considering whether the U.N. health agency has enough power and financing to stop future pandemics.Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who co-chairs the panel, said the group was especially interested in establishing an accurate chronology of the very first coronavirus alerts and what responses were taken.“The Independent Panel will do its best to shed light on what has happened, is still happening and why,” Clark said. “We are asking whether WHO has the right mandate, the right powers, the right capacities and the right financing to deliver on pandemic preparedness and response.”Critics, including President Donald Trump, have slammed WHO for allegedly “colluding” with China to hide the extent of the initial coronavirus outbreak. Earlier this year, The Associated Press reported that senior Chinese officials didn’t warn the public about the pandemic threat of coronavirus for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/68a9e1b91de4ffc166acd6012d82c2f9">six days&nbsp;</a>and that they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3c061794970661042b18d5aeaaed9fae">stalled on sharing</a>&nbsp;the virus’ genetic sequence and other key data with WHO experts.Clark said the panel would also review “how well the World Health Organization and the international system at large have been able to deliver on country needs and expectations.”On Monday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pleaded for more funds, saying the agency’s budget was the equivalent of what the world spends on tobacco every day.Clark has shied away from criticizing WHO or member states like China for their COVID-19 efforts.Last month, Germany and France led a call from European Union countries arguing that WHO should have more powers to independently investigate outbreaks in countries and that their funding should be boosted.Earlier this year, the Trump administration halted U.S. funding for the WHO and vowed to pull the United States — its biggest single donor — out of the U.N. health agency by next summer. President-elect Joe Biden has said he plans to keep the United States in the organization.The WHO meeting finished Saturday. So far the world has seen over 50 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 1.26 million deaths, but experts say all numbers understate the pandemic’s true toll.

US: WHO not sharing enough info about China virus probe

BELLEVUE, Neb.-One person is dead after a house fire in Sarpy County.

According to the State Fire Marshal, at around 4:18 a.m. on November 14, the Bellevue Fire Department responded to reports of a house fire at 7402 S 53rd St. in Omaha. 

Upon arrival, firefighters found the house fully involved in fire. The individual occupying the house was found deceased at the scene.  

The identity of the victim is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The Sarpy County Attorney has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death of the deceased.

 State Fire Marshal Investigators, along with Bellevue Police and the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office, have determined the fire was accidental as a result of smoking materials.  

Responding agencies included Bellevue Fire Department, Papillion Fire Department, Offutt Fire and Rescue, Omaha Fire Department, Bellevue Police Department, and the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office. 

BELLEVUE, Neb.-One person is dead after a house fire in Sarpy County.According to the State Fire Marshal, at around 4:18 a.m. on November 14, the Bellevue Fire Department responded to reports of a house fire at 7402 S 53rd St. in Omaha. Upon arrival, firefighters found the house fully involved in fire. The individual occupying the house was found deceased at the scene. The identity of the victim is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The Sarpy County Attorney has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death of the deceased. State Fire Marshal Investigators, along with Bellevue Police and the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office, have determined the fire was accidental as a result of smoking materials. Responding agencies included Bellevue Fire Department, Papillion Fire Department, Offutt Fire and Rescue, Omaha Fire Department, Bellevue Police Department, and the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office.

Sarpy County house fire claims 1 life

LINCOLN-Myrna Strain of Genoa won $200,000 playing the Royal Riches Scratch game from the Nebraska Lottery.

Strain purchased her top-prize-winning ticket at AJ’s of Genoa at 221 Willard Ave. in Genoa.

As she does quite often, Strain went into AJ’s to buy a pop and a Scratch ticket. When she scratched off the Royal Riches ticket and saw how much she’d won, she was in shock.

Strain has won big before, including a $5,000 win on the $2,000,000 Explosion Scratch ticket back in 2019, but this was her biggest win by far.

A $20 Scratch game, Royal Riches offers players a chance to win prizes from a free $20 ticket to $200,000. The chances of winning $200,000 are one in 200,000, while the odds of winning any prize are one in 3.00.

The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $793 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605359238009.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN-Myrna Strain of Genoa won $200,000 playing the Royal Riches Scratch game from the Nebraska Lottery.Strain purchased her top-prize-winning ticket at AJ’s of Genoa at 221 Willard Ave. in Genoa.As she does quite often, Strain went into AJ’s to buy a pop and a Scratch ticket. When she scratched off the Royal Riches ticket and saw how much she’d won, she was in shock.“I couldn’t talk,” she said.Strain has won big before, including a $5,000 win on the $2,000,000 Explosion Scratch ticket back in 2019, but this was her biggest win by far.A $20 Scratch game, Royal Riches offers players a chance to win prizes from a free $20 ticket to $200,000. The chances of winning $200,000 are one in 200,000, while the odds of winning any prize are one in 3.00.The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $793 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.

Genoa woman wins $200,000 playing Nebraska Lottery scratch game

WASHINGTON (AP) — Gliding over significant challenges still to come, President Donald Trump on Friday offered a rosy update on the race for a vaccine for the resurgent coronavirus as he delivered his first public remarks since his defeat by President-elect Joe Biden. He still did not concede the election.

Trump spoke from the the Rose Garden as the nation sets records for confirmed cases of COVID-19, and as hospitalizations near critical levels and fatalities climb to the highest levels since the spring. He said a vaccine would ship in “a matter of weeks” to vulnerable populations, though the Food and Drug Administration has not yet been asked to grant the necessary emergency approvals.

Public health experts worry that Trump’s refusal to take aggressive action on the pandemic or to coordinate with the Biden team during the final two months of his presidency will only worsen the effects of the virus and hinder the nation’s ability to swiftly distribute a vaccine next year.

As states impose new restrictions in the face of rising caseloads, Trump asked all Americans to remain “vigilant.” But he ruled out a nationwide “lockdown” and appeared to acknowledge that the decision won’t be his much longer.

“This administration will not be going to a lockdown,” he said. “Hopefully whatever happens in the future, who knows, which administration it will be I guess time will tell, but I can tell you this administration will not go to a lockdown.”

Biden, for his part, has not endorsed a nationwide shutdown, but he appealed for Trump to take “urgent action” to curtail the spread of the virus. “The crisis does not respect dates on the calendar, it is accelerating right now,” he said in a statement Friday.

Trump said vaccines would “arrive within a few weeks,” saying they were ready and merely awaiting approval — and would be given “to high-risk individuals right away.” In fact, there’s no guarantee that Pfizer’s shot, the front-runner, will get rapid authorization for emergency use. Even if it does, there’s no information yet indicating if the vaccine works in older adults or just younger, healthier adults. Nor does Pfizer have a large commercial stockpile already poised to ship; initial batches of shots would be small and targeted to certain still-to-be-determined populations.

Trump took no questions Friday from reporters. He hasn’t answered questions since before Election Day.

Meanwhile, his campaign prediction that the U.S. was “rounding the turn” on the pandemic has met a harsh reality, with his own White House becoming the focus of yet another outbreak.

Trump’s aggressive travel despite the virus has taken its toll on his protectors as well. The U.S. Secret Service is experiencing a significant number of cases, many believed to be linked to his rallies in the closing days of the campaign, according to one official.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, meanwhile, said Trump is “not even at that point yet” when it comes to conceding to Biden. Trump has leveled baseless allegations of widespread voter fraud, even as his own administration has said there is no evidence to support the claims. His aides suggest he is merely trying to keep his base of supporters on his side in defeat.

Trump spoke with conservative media on Friday, including Fox News’ Geraldo Rivera, suggesting he would acknowledge the loss only after exhausting his legal options.

“You know, he told me he was a realist,” Rivera said. “He told me he would do the right thing.”

With more than 100,000 new confirmed U.S. cases reported daily for more than a week, Trump has been more focused on tracking the rollout of a vaccine, which won’t be widely available for months. He has fumed that Pfizer intentionally withheld an announcement about progress on its vaccine trial until after Election Day, according to a White House official who was not authorized to publicly comment and spoke on condition of anonymity. Pfizer itself did not receive the preliminary results from its independent study monitors until that group met five days after the election.

Dr. Moncef Slaoui, head of Operation Warp Speed, the effort to get a vaccine to market as speedily and safely as possible, vouched for the safety of the vaccines in development. “While we are not there yet, we are close to the objective” to having a vaccine ready for deployment by the end of the year, he said.

Trump, aiming to settle political scores, said he would not ship vaccines to hard-hit New York until Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo signs off, noting that the state has promised to do its own review to ensure their safety. “The governor will let us know when he’s ready,” Trump said.

Cuomo in a CNN interview pushed back, saying New York is one of several states that set up their own scientific panels to give residents greater confidence to take the vaccine if it is safe to use. He accused Trump of “politicizing the process.”

“As soon as they get us the drug, we are ready to distribute it,” Cuomo said.

The president has consistently played down the pandemic, which has killed more than 240,000 Americans and infected more than 10 million people in the U.S.

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows tested positive last week after attending an election night party at the White House. Others at the party also have tested positive, including White House political director Brian Jack, former White House aide Healy Baumgardner and Trump campaign advisers David Bossie and Corey Lewandowski. Lewandowski said Thursday that he believes he contracted the virus in Philadelphia while assisting the president’s election challenge there.

Biden, for his part, largely framed the election as a referendum on Trump’s handling of the pandemic. He has made addressing the virus his top priority as he moves forward with his transition. He spoke by phone Thursday with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer about the intensifying pandemic and prospects for passage of a COVID-19 relief bill in the lame duck session of Congress.

Incoming White House chief of staff Ron Klain said Biden will appoint a “COVID coordinator” who will lead the administration’s pandemic response. Klain, speaking on MSNBC Thursday night, said the individual will have “direct access” to the president and will brief him daily on the pandemic. A team of people underneath the coordinator will supervise vaccine distribution, address supply chain disruptions and improve access to testing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605302897188.png" alt="President&nbsp;Trump during a Rose Garden press conference on Friday spoke publicly for the first time since the election. He took no questions from reporters." />
 <figcaption>President&nbsp;Trump during a Rose Garden press conference on Friday spoke publicly for the first time since the election. He took no questions from reporters.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Gliding over significant challenges still to come, President Donald Trump on Friday offered a rosy update on the race for a vaccine for the resurgent coronavirus as he delivered his first public remarks since his defeat by President-elect Joe Biden. He still did not concede the election.Trump spoke from the the Rose Garden as the nation sets records for confirmed cases of COVID-19, and as hospitalizations near critical levels and fatalities climb to the highest levels since the spring. He said a vaccine would ship in “a matter of weeks” to vulnerable populations, though the Food and Drug Administration has not yet been asked to grant the necessary emergency approvals.Public health experts worry that Trump’s refusal to take aggressive action on the pandemic or to coordinate with the Biden team during the final two months of his presidency will only worsen the effects of the virus and hinder the nation’s ability to swiftly distribute a vaccine next year.As states impose new restrictions in the face of rising caseloads, Trump asked all Americans to remain “vigilant.” But he ruled out a nationwide “lockdown” and appeared to acknowledge that the decision won’t be his much longer.“This administration will not be going to a lockdown,” he said. “Hopefully whatever happens in the future, who knows, which administration it will be I guess time will tell, but I can tell you this administration will not go to a lockdown.”Biden, for his part, has not endorsed a nationwide shutdown, but he appealed for Trump to take “urgent action” to curtail the spread of the virus. “The crisis does not respect dates on the calendar, it is accelerating right now,” he said in a statement Friday.Trump said vaccines would “arrive within a few weeks,” saying they were ready and merely awaiting approval — and would be given “to high-risk individuals right away.” In fact, there’s no guarantee that Pfizer’s shot, the front-runner, will get rapid authorization for emergency use. Even if it does, there’s no information yet indicating if the vaccine works in older adults or just younger, healthier adults. Nor does Pfizer have a large commercial stockpile already poised to ship; initial batches of shots would be small and targeted to certain still-to-be-determined populations.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605305271418.png" alt="Vice President Mike Pence glances at President Trump during a Rose Garden Ceremony on the coronavirus vaccine Friday afternoon. Pence in an address to young Republican supporters on Friday said that President Trump remains committed to pursing legal challenges in the election.- photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Mike Pence glances at President Trump during a Rose Garden Ceremony on the coronavirus vaccine Friday afternoon. Pence in an address to young Republican supporters on Friday said that President Trump remains committed to pursing legal challenges in the election.- photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>Trump took no questions Friday from reporters. He hasn’t answered questions since before Election Day.Meanwhile, his campaign prediction that the U.S. was “rounding the turn” on the pandemic has met a harsh reality, with his own White House becoming the focus of yet another outbreak.Trump’s aggressive travel despite the virus has taken its toll on his protectors as well. The U.S. Secret Service is experiencing a significant number of cases, many believed to be linked to his rallies in the closing days of the campaign, according to one official.White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, meanwhile, said Trump is “not even at that point yet” when it comes to conceding to Biden. Trump has leveled baseless allegations of widespread voter fraud, even as his own administration has said there is no evidence to support the claims. His aides suggest he is merely trying to keep his base of supporters on his side in defeat.Trump spoke with conservative media on Friday, including Fox News’ Geraldo Rivera, suggesting he would acknowledge the loss only after exhausting his legal options.“You know, he told me he was a realist,” Rivera said. “He told me he would do the right thing.”With more than 100,000 new confirmed U.S. cases reported daily for more than a week, Trump has been more focused on tracking the rollout of a vaccine, which won’t be widely available for months. He has fumed that Pfizer intentionally withheld an announcement about progress on its vaccine trial until after Election Day, according to a White House official who was not authorized to publicly comment and spoke on condition of anonymity. Pfizer itself did not receive the preliminary results from its independent study monitors until that group met five days after the election.Dr. Moncef Slaoui, head of Operation Warp Speed, the effort to get a vaccine to market as speedily and safely as possible, vouched for the safety of the vaccines in development. “While we are not there yet, we are close to the objective” to having a vaccine ready for deployment by the end of the year, he said.Trump, aiming to settle political scores, said he would not ship vaccines to hard-hit New York until Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo signs off, noting that the state has promised to do its own review to ensure their safety. “The governor will let us know when he’s ready,” Trump said.Cuomo in a CNN interview pushed back, saying New York is one of several states that set up their own scientific panels to give residents greater confidence to take the vaccine if it is safe to use. He accused Trump of “politicizing the process.”“As soon as they get us the drug, we are ready to distribute it,” Cuomo said.The president has consistently played down the pandemic, which has killed more than 240,000 Americans and infected more than 10 million people in the U.S.White House chief of staff Mark Meadows tested positive last week after attending an election night party at the White House. Others at the party also have tested positive, including White House political director Brian Jack, former White House aide Healy Baumgardner and Trump campaign advisers David Bossie and Corey Lewandowski. Lewandowski said Thursday that he believes he contracted the virus in Philadelphia while assisting the president’s election challenge there.Biden, for his part, largely framed the election as a referendum on Trump’s handling of the pandemic. He has made addressing the virus his top priority as he moves forward with his transition. He spoke by phone Thursday with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer about the intensifying pandemic and prospects for passage of a COVID-19 relief bill in the lame duck session of Congress.Incoming White House chief of staff Ron Klain said Biden will appoint a “COVID coordinator” who will lead the administration’s pandemic response. Klain, speaking on MSNBC Thursday night, said the individual will have “direct access” to the president and will brief him daily on the pandemic. A team of people underneath the coordinator will supervise vaccine distribution, address supply chain disruptions and improve access to testing.______

President talks virus vaccine; committed to election legal fight

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A man has died in an accidental shooting at his Lincoln apartment, police there said.

The shooting happened Wednesday night, killing Ivan Messersmith, 21, of Grand Island, the Lincoln Journal Star&nbsp;<a href="https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/21-year-old-unl-student-died-in-accidental-shooting-police-say/article_e579a54a-dc7b-58b0-b8fd-4fffd47afe3a.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.

Police were called to Messersmith's apartment after his girlfriend found him unconscious and not breathing with a gunshot wound to his head, Officer Luke Bonkiewicz said.

An investigation showed Messersmith was filming a video and manipulating the handgun when he accidentally shot himself, police said.

Messersmith was a freshman civil engineering major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A man has died in an accidental shooting at his Lincoln apartment, police there said.The shooting happened Wednesday night, killing Ivan Messersmith, 21, of Grand Island, the Lincoln Journal Star&nbsp;<a href="https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/21-year-old-unl-student-died-in-accidental-shooting-police-say/article_e579a54a-dc7b-58b0-b8fd-4fffd47afe3a.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.Police were called to Messersmith's apartment after his girlfriend found him unconscious and not breathing with a gunshot wound to his head, Officer Luke Bonkiewicz said.An investigation showed Messersmith was filming a video and manipulating the handgun when he accidentally shot himself, police said.Messersmith was a freshman civil engineering major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Police in Lincoln: Man dies in accidental shooting at home

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is seeking input on potential changes to duck and goose season dates for the 2021-2022 hunting seasons.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved changes to duck zone and goose unit boundaries this fall, and Game and Parks is allowing hunters an opportunity to provide input regarding their preferences related to season dates within the approved units and zones.

Waterfowl hunters who had provided an email address when they completed their Harvest Information Program registration between 2017 and 2019 should receive an email invitation to participate in a season dates preference survey.

Hunters who only provided a postal address will receive a postcard directing them to the online survey. The postcards also will contain a unique five-digit username above the mailing address that must be entered to access the survey and may be used only once.

“It is equally important to provide your input if you are satisfied with the current duck zone or goose unit season dates, or if you would like to see changes made,” said Will Inselman, assistant Wildlife Division administrator for research.

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is seeking input on potential changes to duck and goose season dates for the 2021-2022 hunting seasons.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved changes to duck zone and goose unit boundaries this fall, and Game and Parks is allowing hunters an opportunity to provide input regarding their preferences related to season dates within the approved units and zones.Waterfowl hunters who had provided an email address when they completed their Harvest Information Program registration between 2017 and 2019 should receive an email invitation to participate in a season dates preference survey.Hunters who only provided a postal address will receive a postcard directing them to the online survey. The postcards also will contain a unique five-digit username above the mailing address that must be entered to access the survey and may be used only once.“It is equally important to provide your input if you are satisfied with the current duck zone or goose unit season dates, or if you would like to see changes made,” said Will Inselman, assistant Wildlife Division administrator for research.

Game and Parks Seeks Input On Duck and Goose Season Dates

OMAHA, NE– Federal COVID relief dollars helped to stabilize the Nebraska economy according to the Nebraska Economic Recovery Dashboard, a joint project of the Planning Committee of the Nebraska State Legislature and the UNO Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR).Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government offered a range of stimulus programs to bolster the economy, including direct cash payments to individuals and families, pandemic emergency unemployment assistance, and the Paycheck Protection Program for businesses.

Close to 65% of eligible small businesses in Nebraska received Paycheck Protection loans, resulting in an injection of more than $3 billion in federal relief dollars into the Nebraska economy. For comparison, 63% of eligible businesses received loans in Iowa, 49% in Missouri, and 65% in Kansas. While the funds helped to keep unemployment low in Nebraska compared to other states, there was still a dramatic spike in unemployment numbers that has not returned to pre-COVID levels locally or nationally.Those who did go on unemployment were offered expanded assistance from the CARES Act for a few months. When looking at data on income trends, the impact of these dollars becomes clear. Using data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the dashboard shows that total personal income increased in the 1st and 2nd quarters of 2020. However, overall earnings showed a downward trend, as did farm earnings and income received from dividends, interest, and rent. The driver of the increase in personal income was a category called current transfer receipts, which captures two of the federal stimulus programs: direct cash payments to individuals and unemployment benefits.

According to Josie Schafer, Director at CPAR, “It is clear that stimulus funds had the intended stabilizing effect on the Nebraska economy.” However, as the pandemic continues and current stimulus discussions at the federal level of government stall, the future of the Nebraska economy is uncertain.Senator Tony Vargas, who is the Chair of the Legislature’s Planning Committee, which works collaboratively with Dr. Schafer and CPAR, agrees. “We continue to experience a rise in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. It is critical that we take proactive steps to support businesses and working families as we prepare for a second wave of impact to our economy."

The dashboard can be accessed at&nbsp;<a href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/39yxcc/bwht1x/zm2hbg" target="_blank">cpar.unomaha.edu/policy</a>. All data is freely available for public, journalistic, and other uses with proper attribution.&nbsp;&nbsp;

OMAHA, NE– Federal COVID relief dollars helped to stabilize the Nebraska economy according to the Nebraska Economic Recovery Dashboard, a joint project of the Planning Committee of the Nebraska State Legislature and the UNO Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR).Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government offered a range of stimulus programs to bolster the economy, including direct cash payments to individuals and families, pandemic emergency unemployment assistance, and the Paycheck Protection Program for businesses.Close to 65% of eligible small businesses in Nebraska received Paycheck Protection loans, resulting in an injection of more than $3 billion in federal relief dollars into the Nebraska economy. For comparison, 63% of eligible businesses received loans in Iowa, 49% in Missouri, and 65% in Kansas. While the funds helped to keep unemployment low in Nebraska compared to other states, there was still a dramatic spike in unemployment numbers that has not returned to pre-COVID levels locally or nationally.Those who did go on unemployment were offered expanded assistance from the CARES Act for a few months. When looking at data on income trends, the impact of these dollars becomes clear. Using data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the dashboard shows that total personal income increased in the 1st and 2nd quarters of 2020. However, overall earnings showed a downward trend, as did farm earnings and income received from dividends, interest, and rent. The driver of the increase in personal income was a category called current transfer receipts, which captures two of the federal stimulus programs: direct cash payments to individuals and unemployment benefits.According to Josie Schafer, Director at CPAR, “It is clear that stimulus funds had the intended stabilizing effect on the Nebraska economy.” However, as the pandemic continues and current stimulus discussions at the federal level of government stall, the future of the Nebraska economy is uncertain.Senator Tony Vargas, who is the Chair of the Legislature’s Planning Committee, which works collaboratively with Dr. Schafer and CPAR, agrees. “We continue to experience a rise in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. It is critical that we take proactive steps to support businesses and working families as we prepare for a second wave of impact to our economy."The dashboard can be accessed at&nbsp;<a href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/39yxcc/bwht1x/zm2hbg" target="_blank">cpar.unomaha.edu/policy</a>. All data is freely available for public, journalistic, and other uses with proper attribution.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Federal Stimulus Dollars Help NE Economy

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials have reached an agreement with pharmacies across the U.S. to distribute free&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">coronavirus</a>&nbsp;vaccines after they are approved and become available to the public.

The goal eventually is to make getting a COVID-19 vaccine like getting a flu shot.

Thursday’s agreement with major chain drug stores, grocery market pharmacies and other chains and networks covers about 3 in 5 pharmacies in all 50 states and U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico. It looks ahead to a time next spring when yet-to-be-approved vaccines will start to become available beyond priority groups such as health care workers and nursing home residents.

“The vast majority of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, calling the agreement “a critical step toward making sure all Americans have access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines when they are available.”

The announcement comes as the nation is seeing its broadest virus surge of the pandemic and President Donald Trump has put the brakes on agency collaboration with President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team. New COVID-19 cases surpassed 127,000 on Wednesday, an increase of nearly 75% from two weeks ago. More than 60,000 Americans are hospitalized and deaths are rising.

A successful pandemic hand-off between the Trump and Biden administrations would rank as one of the biggest priorities for the nation. It’s on hold while Trump refuses to acknowledge Biden’s election victory, even though Biden has already appointed a coronavirus advisory panel to guide his transition team.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595431898330.png" alt="Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said, "this is a critical step toward making sure all Americans have access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines when they are available.”" />
 <figcaption>Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said, "this is a critical step toward making sure all Americans have access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines when they are available.”</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials have reached an agreement with pharmacies across the U.S. to distribute free&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">coronavirus</a>&nbsp;vaccines after they are approved and become available to the public.The goal eventually is to make getting a COVID-19 vaccine like getting a flu shot.Thursday’s agreement with major chain drug stores, grocery market pharmacies and other chains and networks covers about 3 in 5 pharmacies in all 50 states and U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico. It looks ahead to a time next spring when yet-to-be-approved vaccines will start to become available beyond priority groups such as health care workers and nursing home residents.“The vast majority of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, calling the agreement “a critical step toward making sure all Americans have access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines when they are available.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602590971875.png" alt="Photo courtesy Johnson &amp; Johnson" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Johnson &amp; Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>The announcement comes as the nation is seeing its broadest virus surge of the pandemic and President Donald Trump has put the brakes on agency collaboration with President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team. New COVID-19 cases surpassed 127,000 on Wednesday, an increase of nearly 75% from two weeks ago. More than 60,000 Americans are hospitalized and deaths are rising.A successful pandemic hand-off between the Trump and Biden administrations would rank as one of the biggest priorities for the nation. It’s on hold while Trump refuses to acknowledge Biden’s election victory, even though Biden has already appointed a coronavirus advisory panel to guide his transition team.The list of pharmacies joining the distribution partnership include retail chains like Rite Aid and Walgreens, supermarket drug stores like Albertsons and Publix, and big box stores like Costco and Walmart.The agreement follows a collaboration with CVS and Walgreens to deliver vaccines to nursing homes and administer shots.Optimism about a vaccine has grown since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pfizer-vaccine-effective-early-data-4f4ae2e3bad122d17742be22a2240ae8">pharmaceutical giant Pfizer</a>&nbsp;announced earlier this week preliminary data showed its vaccine to be 90% effective.Pfizer has pursued its own vaccine research and development, while other manufacturers have been operating within a White House-backed effort called “Operation Warp Speed,” which aims to deliver vaccines as soon as they are approved.But Pfizer also has ties with Operation Warp Speed, having signed a contract to deliver 100 million doses of its vaccine, with an option for the government to acquire 500 million more doses.Officials say initial supplies will be limited, and distributed to states for them to allocate to priority groups such as health care workers and first responders.Thursday’s agreement with pharmacies is intended to act as a bridge, facilitating vaccine distribution as supplies become more available but before there’s enough for the government to pull back and let the private market handle things.