LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen announced that Tom Riley, director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be leaving his position with the state and transitioning back to the private sector. Riley’s last day with the agency will be Aug. 2.

“I appreciate Director Riley’s public service to the state, and I wish him the best in all future endeavors,” said Gov. Pillen. Riley was appointed director of DNR in November 2020.

Further determinations about interim leadership and the pending appointment of an agency director will be announced at a future date.

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen announced that Tom Riley, director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be leaving his position with the state and transitioning back to the private sector. Riley’s last day with the agency will be Aug. 2.“I appreciate Director Riley’s public service to the state, and I wish him the best in all future endeavors,” said Gov. Pillen. Riley was appointed director of DNR in November 2020.Further determinations about interim leadership and the pending appointment of an agency director will be announced at a future date.

DNR Director Riley Announces Departure from State Government

Office of U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE)&nbsp;urged eligible&nbsp;Nebraskans to apply for FEMA disaster assistance&nbsp;before the&nbsp;deadline July 15, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.

“I urge all eligible Nebraskans affected by April’s storm to apply for federal financial assistance before the deadline next week,”&nbsp;said Senator Ricketts.&nbsp;“My team and I are here to offer any necessary assistance as our communities recover and rebuild from the severe storms.”

Nebraskans in Douglas and Washington counties who were affected by the severe storms and tornadoes that occurred on April 25-27, 2024 are eligible to apply for FEMA disaster assistance.

Office of U.S. Senator Pete RickettsWASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE)&nbsp;urged eligible&nbsp;Nebraskans to apply for FEMA disaster assistance&nbsp;before the&nbsp;deadline July 15, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.“I urge all eligible Nebraskans affected by April’s storm to apply for federal financial assistance before the deadline next week,”&nbsp;said Senator Ricketts.&nbsp;“My team and I are here to offer any necessary assistance as our communities recover and rebuild from the severe storms.”Nebraskans in Douglas and Washington counties who were affected by the severe storms and tornadoes that occurred on April 25-27, 2024 are eligible to apply for FEMA disaster assistance.To apply, individuals can:<ul>
 <li>Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.disasterassistance.gov/">DisasterAssistance.gov</a></li><li>Call FEMA directly at 800-621-FEMA (3362)</li><li>Download and use the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/mobile-products">FEMA app</a></li><li>Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. For an accessible video on three ways to apply for FEMA assistance, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU7wzRjByhI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU7wzRjByhI</a></li>
 </ul>

Ricketts Urges Nebraskans Impacted by April Tornadoes to Apply for FEMA Relief Before Deadline

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/state-files-complaint-against-windstream-after-investigating-nebraska-911-outages/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The 911 outages that slammed eastern Nebraska in late 2023 and early 2024 led the Nebraska Public Service Commission this month to file a formal complaint against Windstream, the telecommunications company whose systems failed.&nbsp;

The commission’s monthslong investigation, which included testimony from 911 center directors, Windstream representatives and state emergency responders, found that the company might have violated state regulations, Chairman Dan Watermeier said.

“The complaint provides the commission the ability to hold the carrier accountable through punitive actions,” Watermeier said in a statement issued Tuesday about three major disruptions of 911 service over the past year.

Those disruptions, which occurred on Sept. 2-3, Nov. 28 and Jan. 13, spurred calls from the PSC&nbsp;and state lawmakers for possible changes, including&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/20/legislative-committee-considers-bills-to-boost-nebraskas-911-system-add-transparency/">proposed legislation</a>&nbsp;aimed at speeding up the state’s public hearings on 911 outages.

The PSC is Nebraska’s catch-all regulator. Its duties include regulating emergency communications, including 911 service, and helping first responders communicate across radio systems.

Windstream’s troubles in providing stable 911 service in Nebraska trace to Aug. 28, when a contractor working for a third party accidentally&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/06/agency-assures-state-senators-that-finding-the-cause-of-911-outages-is-top-priority/">struck a City of Lincoln sprinkler line</a>&nbsp;buried along Centennial Mall, the commission’s documents show.

A resulting leak into a transformer room at Windstream’s Lincoln facility at 1440 M St. sparked a fire and “small explosion” that shorted out a grounding wire. This killed the power and forced systems used by the 911 centers onto a backup generator.&nbsp;

But much of&nbsp;<a href="https://psc.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/Department%20Complaint%20911-078%20DC-104%20C-5596.pdf" target="_blank">the commission’s complaint</a>&nbsp;focused on what happened 13 hours later, when the company’s backup generator failed and ate through six hours of battery backup. That stranded 911 callers in roughly 17 of 20 911 centers in southeast Nebraska.

Then in November and January, separate problems with internet network instability isolated Windstream’s Lincoln office and required a restart that left Lincoln’s 911 center down for nearly an hour and several others out for up to two hours.

At one point during testimony, David Sankey, director of the PSC division that handles emergency communications, said the outages left 911 calls disrupted across much of southeast Nebraska. He called it a critical failure.

Sankey also said Windstream failed to notify the state of the November outage within 14 days, as regulations require.

The PSC found that Windstream had not done enough work to prepare, including proper testing of backup systems for power, network switching, redundancy and more, according to the complaint that identified possible regulatory violations.

Windstream’s representative who testified before the PSC, Brad Hedrick, oversees operations in a five-state area that includes Nebraska. He said Windstream has since contracted out for backup services, including generators and power and network switches.

The company said it has also redesigned its network to reduce the chances of single points of failure, boost the system’s redundancies and improve its reliability. It’s also worked to boost the number of “selective routers” handling 911 traffic, Hedrick said.

Scott Morris, a spokesman for Windstream, shared a statement Tuesday with the Examiner saying, “Windstream is committed to being a reliable communications provider to Nebraskans, and we will continue to work with the commission on this matter.”&nbsp;

The PSC complaint has been served to Windstream. A public hearing will follow, and Windstream can respond. The PSC will issue a decision after.

Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/state-files-complaint-against-windstream-after-investigating-nebraska-911-outages/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The 911 outages that slammed eastern Nebraska in late 2023 and early 2024 led the Nebraska Public Service Commission this month to file a formal complaint against Windstream, the telecommunications company whose systems failed.&nbsp;The commission’s monthslong investigation, which included testimony from 911 center directors, Windstream representatives and state emergency responders, found that the company might have violated state regulations, Chairman Dan Watermeier said.“The complaint provides the commission the ability to hold the carrier accountable through punitive actions,” Watermeier said in a statement issued Tuesday about three major disruptions of 911 service over the past year.<h2>Outages fueled response</h2>Those disruptions, which occurred on Sept. 2-3, Nov. 28 and Jan. 13, spurred calls from the PSC&nbsp;and state lawmakers for possible changes, including&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/20/legislative-committee-considers-bills-to-boost-nebraskas-911-system-add-transparency/">proposed legislation</a>&nbsp;aimed at speeding up the state’s public hearings on 911 outages.The PSC is Nebraska’s catch-all regulator. Its duties include regulating emergency communications, including 911 service, and helping first responders communicate across radio systems.Windstream’s troubles in providing stable 911 service in Nebraska trace to Aug. 28, when a contractor working for a third party accidentally&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/06/agency-assures-state-senators-that-finding-the-cause-of-911-outages-is-top-priority/">struck a City of Lincoln sprinkler line</a>&nbsp;buried along Centennial Mall, the commission’s documents show.A resulting leak into a transformer room at Windstream’s Lincoln facility at 1440 M St. sparked a fire and “small explosion” that shorted out a grounding wire. This killed the power and forced systems used by the 911 centers onto a backup generator.&nbsp;<h2>What happened after leak is key</h2>But much of&nbsp;<a href="https://psc.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/Department%20Complaint%20911-078%20DC-104%20C-5596.pdf" target="_blank">the commission’s complaint</a>&nbsp;focused on what happened 13 hours later, when the company’s backup generator failed and ate through six hours of battery backup. That stranded 911 callers in roughly 17 of 20 911 centers in southeast Nebraska.Then in November and January, separate problems with internet network instability isolated Windstream’s Lincoln office and required a restart that left Lincoln’s 911 center down for nearly an hour and several others out for up to two hours.At one point during testimony, David Sankey, director of the PSC division that handles emergency communications, said the outages left 911 calls disrupted across much of southeast Nebraska. He called it a critical failure.Sankey also said Windstream failed to notify the state of the November outage within 14 days, as regulations require.The PSC found that Windstream had not done enough work to prepare, including proper testing of backup systems for power, network switching, redundancy and more, according to the complaint that identified possible regulatory violations.<h2>Company responds</h2>Windstream’s representative who testified before the PSC, Brad Hedrick, oversees operations in a five-state area that includes Nebraska. He said Windstream has since contracted out for backup services, including generators and power and network switches.The company said it has also redesigned its network to reduce the chances of single points of failure, boost the system’s redundancies and improve its reliability. It’s also worked to boost the number of “selective routers” handling 911 traffic, Hedrick said.Scott Morris, a spokesman for Windstream, shared a statement Tuesday with the Examiner saying, “Windstream is committed to being a reliable communications provider to Nebraskans, and we will continue to work with the commission on this matter.”&nbsp;The PSC complaint has been served to Windstream. A public hearing will follow, and Windstream can respond. The PSC will issue a decision after.

State files complaint against Windstream after investigating Nebraska 911 outages

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said NATO “is more powerful than ever” in remarks Tuesday to honor the 75th anniversary of the alliance and reaffirm allied support for Ukraine one day after Russian missile strikes on a children’s hospital&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/07/08/nx-s1-5033075/russia-ukraine-war-missile-strike-childrens-hospital-kyiv" target="_blank">killed</a>&nbsp;dozens in Kyiv.

Biden spoke at the annual North American Treaty Organization’s summit happening this week in Washington, D.C., where the 12 original member nations signed the Washington Treaty in 1949.

Heads of state fanned out across Washington, visiting lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson Wednesday afternoon. Ukraine is not one of the 32 NATO member nations, but the country is in discussions to join and the alliance has sided with Ukraine in its war with Russia.

“It’s a pleasure to host you all in this milestone year, to look back with pride on all we’ve achieved and look ahead to our shared future with strength and resolve,” Biden said during the opening ceremony.

Biden’s 15-minute address came after a dozen days of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/texas-us-house-member-calls-biden-withdraw-amid-debate-fallout" target="_blank">near</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/congressional-dems-urge-more-robust-biden-campaign-trail-few-openly-revolt" target="_blank">constant</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/united-their-objections-trump-congressional-dems-largely-close-ranks-behind-biden" target="_blank">focus</a>&nbsp;on his health and mental acuity after he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/golf-abortion-jan-6-and-felonies-biden-and-trumps-memorable-debate-moments" target="_blank">flubbed</a>&nbsp;his June 27 presidential debate performance against former President Donald Trump, whose criticism of NATO is well documented.

Biden spoke forcefully about the alliance’s history from the stage in the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, where world leaders and hundreds of dignitaries from NATO’s 32 member nations gathered, joined by other partner nations.

“Together we rebuilt Europe from the ruins of war, held high the torch of liberty during long decades of the Cold War. When former adversaries became fellow democracies, we welcomed them into the alliance,” Biden said.

“When war broke out in the Balkans, we intervened to restore peace and stop ethnic cleansing,” Bidden added. “When the United States was attacked on September 11, our NATO allies, all of you, stood with us, invoking Article Five for the first time in NATO history, treating an attack on us as an attack on all of us. A breathtaking display of friendship that the American people will never, ever, ever forget.”

Biden used the remarks to announce a joint package of air defense systems for Ukraine in conjunction with Germany, Romania, the Netherlands and Italy. The package is expected to include donations of advanced missile launching systems known as Patriot batteries as well as other equipment, according to a joint statement issued by the White House shortly after Biden’s speech.

Biden described Russian President Vladimir Putin as NATO’s primary antagonist.

He praised the alliance for moving “swiftly” after Putin further invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and said “the war will end with Ukraine remaining a free and independent country.” Putin previously annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula by force in 2014.

“Before this war, Putin thought NATO was going to break. Today, NATO is stronger than it’s ever been in its history,” Biden declared.

Biden concluded the ceremony by honoring NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said NATO “is more powerful than ever” in remarks Tuesday to honor the 75th anniversary of the alliance and reaffirm allied support for Ukraine one day after Russian missile strikes on a children’s hospital&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/07/08/nx-s1-5033075/russia-ukraine-war-missile-strike-childrens-hospital-kyiv" target="_blank">killed</a>&nbsp;dozens in Kyiv.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;Today, NATO is stronger than it&#39;s ever been in its history.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/EhgUZP5x1V">pic.twitter.com/EhgUZP5x1V</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1810803125348958208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden spoke at the annual North American Treaty Organization’s summit happening this week in Washington, D.C., where the 12 original member nations signed the Washington Treaty in 1949.Heads of state fanned out across Washington, visiting lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson Wednesday afternoon. Ukraine is not one of the 32 NATO member nations, but the country is in discussions to join and the alliance has sided with Ukraine in its war with Russia.“It’s a pleasure to host you all in this milestone year, to look back with pride on all we’ve achieved and look ahead to our shared future with strength and resolve,” Biden said during the opening ceremony.Biden’s 15-minute address came after a dozen days of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/texas-us-house-member-calls-biden-withdraw-amid-debate-fallout" target="_blank">near</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/congressional-dems-urge-more-robust-biden-campaign-trail-few-openly-revolt" target="_blank">constant</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/united-their-objections-trump-congressional-dems-largely-close-ranks-behind-biden" target="_blank">focus</a>&nbsp;on his health and mental acuity after he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/golf-abortion-jan-6-and-felonies-biden-and-trumps-memorable-debate-moments" target="_blank">flubbed</a>&nbsp;his June 27 presidential debate performance against former President Donald Trump, whose criticism of NATO is well documented.Biden spoke forcefully about the alliance’s history from the stage in the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, where world leaders and hundreds of dignitaries from NATO’s 32 member nations gathered, joined by other partner nations.“Together we rebuilt Europe from the ruins of war, held high the torch of liberty during long decades of the Cold War. When former adversaries became fellow democracies, we welcomed them into the alliance,” Biden said.“When war broke out in the Balkans, we intervened to restore peace and stop ethnic cleansing,” Bidden added. “When the United States was attacked on September 11, our NATO allies, all of you, stood with us, invoking Article Five for the first time in NATO history, treating an attack on us as an attack on all of us. A breathtaking display of friendship that the American people will never, ever, ever forget.”<h2>Military aid</h2>Biden used the remarks to announce a joint package of air defense systems for Ukraine in conjunction with Germany, Romania, the Netherlands and Italy. The package is expected to include donations of advanced missile launching systems known as Patriot batteries as well as other equipment, according to a joint statement issued by the White House shortly after Biden’s speech.Biden described Russian President Vladimir Putin as NATO’s primary antagonist.He praised the alliance for moving “swiftly” after Putin further invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and said “the war will end with Ukraine remaining a free and independent country.” Putin previously annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula by force in 2014.“Before this war, Putin thought NATO was going to break. Today, NATO is stronger than it’s ever been in its history,” Biden declared.Biden concluded the ceremony by honoring NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S.

🎥Biden commends NATO strength, pledges more aid for Ukraine 

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/ne-audit-of-dhhs-child-care-subsidy-program-exposes-as-much-as-12-8m-in-improper-payments/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;A new probe of Nebraska’s child care assistance program has uncovered what the state auditor calls rampant abuses that led to as much as $12.8 million in improper payments to child care providers.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2024/SA2514-07082024-July_1_2023_Through_March_31_2024_Attestation_Report.pdf" target="_blank">33-page audit</a>&nbsp;released Tuesday looked at a sample of nearly $93 million in federal and state funds spent by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services on child care subsidies during a nine-month period starting in July 2023.

State Auditor Mike Foley said his team found that some providers took advantage of the state’s “lax oversight” of billings submitted through the Nebraska Family Online Client User System (NFOCUS).&nbsp;

He said offending providers were “startlingly successful” in bilking DHHS out of payments in excess of those to which they were entitled. The public agency subsidizes child care centers and home care providers on a sliding scale basis for the care of children from low-income families.

“Some of the spurious billings were so wildly excessive that one wonders whether anyone at DHHS took even the most cursory glance at them before authorizing their payment,” Foley said.&nbsp;

Millions in billings were at least “inordinately inflated” by various providers, he said, and may be “outright fraudulent.”

Overall, Foley said, it appeared that invoices to the NFOCUS system were routinely processed and paid with little, if any, meaningful oversight. Foley said the audit reflects a “classic problem” in cases of financial abuse.

“People tiptoe a little, fudge the number and nobody says anything. Then it gets bigger and bigger and bigger,” he said.

Among examples of improper billing cited by the audit team:

The audit covers July 2023 through March 2024, and the sampling of cases reviewed found $328,997 in questionable costs due to various regulation violations, including claims not agreeing with attendance records and parents’ employment that did not appear to meet a requirement for economic self-sufficiency.&nbsp;

With the dollar error rate for the random sample being 13.85%, the team estimated potential dollars at risk, or loss, for the audit period to be $12.87 million.

The auditing team provided DHHS managers opportunity to review and respond to its comments and recommendations, and an agency response is included in the report.&nbsp;

DHHS also released a media statement, saying it agrees with the audit findings and has started processes to recoup funds questioned in the audit.&nbsp;

‘Tireless efforts’ appreciated, CEO says

It also said that an investigation already is underway for one of the providers noted in the audit.&nbsp;

DHHS said that its practices include “internal targeted high-risk reviews” of provider invoices. When a review identifies billed units that exceed authorization, the agency can refer the matter to its fraud unit and can recover full or partial payments. Child care providers also are trained, and refreshed, on billing procedures.

CEO Steve Corsi said that he appreciated Foley’s “tireless efforts to safeguard taxpayer dollars.”

Corsi said that since being appointed as DHHS’ top administrator less than a year ago, the agency’s primary focus has been to put in place effective guards to ensure taxpayer dollars are allocated properly.

“These efforts will be continued aggressively,” Corsi said. “We look forward to the ongoing collaboration with the State Auditor’s Office.”

Foley said that discussions with Corsi left him confident that problems would be fixed.

That is where they’re dropping the ball. They go in after the fact and spot check — but not very thoroughly.

– Mike Foley, Nebraska state auditor

As noted in the audit, Nebraska’s child care subsidy program uses state and federal funds to assist qualified families with the cost of child care. Applicants must meet requirements, including income eligibility, outlined in federal Child Care and Development Block Grant regulations.

Financial help is available on a sliding fee scale to eligible families according to a child’s age and special needs. If a family requests a child care subsidy to facilitate a parent’s employment, the family is required to document that the subsidy helps them retain a job that leads to economic self-sufficiency.

Wrong rates, overlapping times, no attendance logs

The audit released Tuesday delved into payments made to providers who submitted billings through the NFOCUS system.

Providers are supposed to keep detailed attendance logs for children, and the government subsidy is generally granted on a partial- or full-day basis up to a maximum of 60 hours a week.

Among other examples of improper billings that Foley and the audit team said violated administrative requirements that are to be enforced by DHHS:

Foley said in an interview the crux of the problem is that DHHS “spot checks” cases after providers plug the billing information into the online system used for the child care subsidy program.&nbsp;

He said the NFOCUS system is not set up to audit and relies on human oversight.

“That is where they’re dropping the ball,” Foley said of DHHS workers. “They go in after the fact and spot check — but not very thoroughly.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720554973170.jpeg" alt="Mike Foley, Nebraska state auditor. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Mike Foley, Nebraska state auditor. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/ne-audit-of-dhhs-child-care-subsidy-program-exposes-as-much-as-12-8m-in-improper-payments/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;A new probe of Nebraska’s child care assistance program has uncovered what the state auditor calls rampant abuses that led to as much as $12.8 million in improper payments to child care providers.A&nbsp;<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2024/SA2514-07082024-July_1_2023_Through_March_31_2024_Attestation_Report.pdf" target="_blank">33-page audit</a>&nbsp;released Tuesday looked at a sample of nearly $93 million in federal and state funds spent by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services on child care subsidies during a nine-month period starting in July 2023.State Auditor Mike Foley said his team found that some providers took advantage of the state’s “lax oversight” of billings submitted through the Nebraska Family Online Client User System (NFOCUS).&nbsp;He said offending providers were “startlingly successful” in bilking DHHS out of payments in excess of those to which they were entitled. The public agency subsidizes child care centers and home care providers on a sliding scale basis for the care of children from low-income families.“Some of the spurious billings were so wildly excessive that one wonders whether anyone at DHHS took even the most cursory glance at them before authorizing their payment,” Foley said.&nbsp;Millions in billings were at least “inordinately inflated” by various providers, he said, and may be “outright fraudulent.”<h2>‘People tiptoe a little’</h2>Overall, Foley said, it appeared that invoices to the NFOCUS system were routinely processed and paid with little, if any, meaningful oversight. Foley said the audit reflects a “classic problem” in cases of financial abuse.“People tiptoe a little, fudge the number and nobody says anything. Then it gets bigger and bigger and bigger,” he said.Among examples of improper billing cited by the audit team:<ul>
 <li>DHHS at times paid double and triple billings for the same child during the same period of service. In one instance, a provider billed and was paid by the agency a “toddler” rate for a child and then again, for that same child, a preschool rate for the same two weeks during February. The audit team cited another child care provider for 13 instances of similar multiple billings.</li><li>Billings were processed and paid for child care services supposedly provided to 210 children on Thanksgiving Day 2023, when the child care centers were not even open for business.</li><li>Some child care providers billed for more days than were in the month covered. For instance, Foley said in a news release, one provider billed DHHS and was paid for 168 partial days of service during February, yet only 29 partial days would have been possible. Another provider billed DHHS and was paid for 120 partial days of service during January when only 31 billing days would have been possible. In another situation, the provider billed and was paid for 40 full days of service and 78 partial days in a single month.</li>
 </ul>The audit covers July 2023 through March 2024, and the sampling of cases reviewed found $328,997 in questionable costs due to various regulation violations, including claims not agreeing with attendance records and parents’ employment that did not appear to meet a requirement for economic self-sufficiency.&nbsp;With the dollar error rate for the random sample being 13.85%, the team estimated potential dollars at risk, or loss, for the audit period to be $12.87 million.The auditing team provided DHHS managers opportunity to review and respond to its comments and recommendations, and an agency response is included in the report.&nbsp;DHHS also released a media statement, saying it agrees with the audit findings and has started processes to recoup funds questioned in the audit.&nbsp;<h2>‘Tireless efforts’ appreciated, CEO says</h2>It also said that an investigation already is underway for one of the providers noted in the audit.&nbsp;DHHS said that its practices include “internal targeted high-risk reviews” of provider invoices. When a review identifies billed units that exceed authorization, the agency can refer the matter to its fraud unit and can recover full or partial payments. Child care providers also are trained, and refreshed, on billing procedures.CEO Steve Corsi said that he appreciated Foley’s “tireless efforts to safeguard taxpayer dollars.”Corsi said that since being appointed as DHHS’ top administrator less than a year ago, the agency’s primary focus has been to put in place effective guards to ensure taxpayer dollars are allocated properly.“These efforts will be continued aggressively,” Corsi said. “We look forward to the ongoing collaboration with the State Auditor’s Office.”Foley said that discussions with Corsi left him confident that problems would be fixed.That is where they’re dropping the ball. They go in after the fact and spot check — but not very thoroughly.– Mike Foley, Nebraska state auditorAs noted in the audit, Nebraska’s child care subsidy program uses state and federal funds to assist qualified families with the cost of child care. Applicants must meet requirements, including income eligibility, outlined in federal Child Care and Development Block Grant regulations.Financial help is available on a sliding fee scale to eligible families according to a child’s age and special needs. If a family requests a child care subsidy to facilitate a parent’s employment, the family is required to document that the subsidy helps them retain a job that leads to economic self-sufficiency.<h2>Wrong rates, overlapping times, no attendance logs</h2>The audit released Tuesday delved into payments made to providers who submitted billings through the NFOCUS system.Providers are supposed to keep detailed attendance logs for children, and the government subsidy is generally granted on a partial- or full-day basis up to a maximum of 60 hours a week.Among other examples of improper billings that Foley and the audit team said violated administrative requirements that are to be enforced by DHHS:<ul>
 <li>Numerous provider billings exceeded the allowable rate for the child. Generally, child care rates for infants and toddlers are higher than those for older, preschool-aged kids. The audit team found 690 instances of DHHS paying rates that exceeded what was allowed based on age.</li><li>Some providers failed to reduce billings by the amounts of the co-payments made by families served, resulting in overpayments by DHHS.</li><li>Provider billings were found to overlap with times when the child already was being cared for by another provider.</li><li>Billings were made for times with little or no attendance log information to document the presence of the child.&nbsp;</li><li>Providers billed for families whose low work pay, according to the audit team, could not have given the family the self-sufficiency required to receive subsidies for employment purposes.</li><li>Billings were paid to providers that had exceeded their licensed capacity.&nbsp;</li><li>One owner operating two separate centers under two different licenses billed DHHS for a partial day of service for six children at each location, even though less than five hours of service in total was provided. Of the six kids, one received only a single hour of service at each location, but the owner billed and was paid for two partial days of service.</li>
 </ul>Foley said in an interview the crux of the problem is that DHHS “spot checks” cases after providers plug the billing information into the online system used for the child care subsidy program.&nbsp;He said the NFOCUS system is not set up to audit and relies on human oversight.“That is where they’re dropping the ball,” Foley said of DHHS workers. “They go in after the fact and spot check — but not very thoroughly.”

NE audit of DHHS child care subsidy program exposes as much as $12.8M in improper payments

Updates to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Chronic Wasting Disease Management Plan are the focus of a virtual public meeting at 7 p.m. Central time July 16.

Staff will present the plan’s content, including recent disease data and testing results, hunter survey results regarding CWD, strategies and protocols for documenting and reducing spread, and protocols for informing stakeholders about the disease’s status.

Chronic wasting disease is a contagious neurological disease affecting deer and elk in Nebraska and other states. It is characterized by degeneration of the brain in infected animals resulting in loss of bodily functions, abnormal behavior, emaciation and eventually death.

Game and Parks first identified CWD in Nebraska in wild deer in 2000. It developed a CWD Management Plan in 2002, with the goal of developing detection methods identifying CWD occurrence, tracking changes in prevalence, and creating strategies that reduce further spread. Since 2002, several updates to the surveillance portion of the plan have occurred; the most recent implemented in 2015.

Now, Game and Parks staff are seeking public input on the most recent revisions to the plan, which includes updated occurrence and prevalence data, results of a hunter survey, and updated strategies and protocols for documenting the disease and informing stakeholders.

To register for this public meeting, view the CWD Management Plan, and share feedback on it, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://outdoornebraska.gov/conservation/wildlife-management/wildlife-management-plans/cwd-plan/">OutdoorNebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;and search for “CWD plan.”

Comments on the revisions will be accepted online until Aug. 2 but are preferred by July 24.

For those unable to attend, the meeting will be recorded and available on Game and Parks’ YouTube channel.

For more information on CWD in Nebraska, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://outdoornebraska.gov/">OutdoorNebraska.gov</a>.

Jerry KaneNebraska Game and ParksUpdates to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Chronic Wasting Disease Management Plan are the focus of a virtual public meeting at 7 p.m. Central time July 16.Staff will present the plan’s content, including recent disease data and testing results, hunter survey results regarding CWD, strategies and protocols for documenting and reducing spread, and protocols for informing stakeholders about the disease’s status.Chronic wasting disease is a contagious neurological disease affecting deer and elk in Nebraska and other states. It is characterized by degeneration of the brain in infected animals resulting in loss of bodily functions, abnormal behavior, emaciation and eventually death.Game and Parks first identified CWD in Nebraska in wild deer in 2000. It developed a CWD Management Plan in 2002, with the goal of developing detection methods identifying CWD occurrence, tracking changes in prevalence, and creating strategies that reduce further spread. Since 2002, several updates to the surveillance portion of the plan have occurred; the most recent implemented in 2015.Now, Game and Parks staff are seeking public input on the most recent revisions to the plan, which includes updated occurrence and prevalence data, results of a hunter survey, and updated strategies and protocols for documenting the disease and informing stakeholders.To register for this public meeting, view the CWD Management Plan, and share feedback on it, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://outdoornebraska.gov/conservation/wildlife-management/wildlife-management-plans/cwd-plan/">OutdoorNebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;and search for “CWD plan.”Comments on the revisions will be accepted online until Aug. 2 but are preferred by July 24.For those unable to attend, the meeting will be recorded and available on Game and Parks’ YouTube channel.For more information on CWD in Nebraska, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://outdoornebraska.gov/">OutdoorNebraska.gov</a>.

CWD is focus of virtual meeting July 16

Lincoln, July 9, 2024- The Nebraska Public Service Commission has issued an Order (<a href="https://psc.nebraska.gov/state-911/911076pi-249-windstream-911-outage-investigation" target="_blank">911-076/PI-249</a>) closing its investigation into three separate 911 outages involving Windstream and opening a new department complaint (<a href="https://psc.nebraska.gov/state-911/911076pi-249-windstream-911-outage-investigation" target="_blank">911-078/DC-104/C-5596</a>) against the telecommunications carrier.

“Through our investigation we have determined that violations of Commission regulations may have occurred,” said Commission Chair Dan Watermeier. “The complaint, provides the Commission the ability to hold the carrier accountable through punitive actions.”

The investigation involved three separate Windstream service disruptions which occurred on September 2 &amp; 3, November 28, 2023, and January 13, 2024.&nbsp; As a part of its investigation the Commission conducted data requests, held a public hearing, and sought analysis from an outside expert on network infrastructure specifically in the area of 911 network requirements. The process led the Commission to determine there is sufficient information to consider whether violations of 291 Neb. Admin. Code §§ 5-002.02D, 5-002.03A have occurred.

“Our investigation confirmed that during the outages the ESInet and Core Services which are key components of the Next Generation 911 system remained fully functional,” said Dave Sankey, PSC911 Department Director. “It was the ability of the carrier to deliver the calls to the interconnection points that was impacted.”

The department complaint process allows the Commission the opportunity to asserts its authority under Nebraska law to issue punitive sanctions which may include assessing administrative fines for violation of Commission regulations. A hearing date on the Windstream complaint has been scheduled for August 27 &amp; 28.

Commissioner Watermeier said, “The Commission and the public must have accountability from our telecommunications carriers in providing a redundant system capable of delivering 911 calls no matter the situation.”&nbsp;

Deb CollinsLincoln, July 9, 2024- The Nebraska Public Service Commission has issued an Order (<a href="https://psc.nebraska.gov/state-911/911076pi-249-windstream-911-outage-investigation" target="_blank">911-076/PI-249</a>) closing its investigation into three separate 911 outages involving Windstream and opening a new department complaint (<a href="https://psc.nebraska.gov/state-911/911076pi-249-windstream-911-outage-investigation" target="_blank">911-078/DC-104/C-5596</a>) against the telecommunications carrier.“Through our investigation we have determined that violations of Commission regulations may have occurred,” said Commission Chair Dan Watermeier. “The complaint, provides the Commission the ability to hold the carrier accountable through punitive actions.”The investigation involved three separate Windstream service disruptions which occurred on September 2 &amp; 3, November 28, 2023, and January 13, 2024.&nbsp; As a part of its investigation the Commission conducted data requests, held a public hearing, and sought analysis from an outside expert on network infrastructure specifically in the area of 911 network requirements. The process led the Commission to determine there is sufficient information to consider whether violations of 291 Neb. Admin. Code §§ 5-002.02D, 5-002.03A have occurred.“Our investigation confirmed that during the outages the ESInet and Core Services which are key components of the Next Generation 911 system remained fully functional,” said Dave Sankey, PSC911 Department Director. “It was the ability of the carrier to deliver the calls to the interconnection points that was impacted.”The department complaint process allows the Commission the opportunity to asserts its authority under Nebraska law to issue punitive sanctions which may include assessing administrative fines for violation of Commission regulations. A hearing date on the Windstream complaint has been scheduled for August 27 &amp; 28.Commissioner Watermeier said, “The Commission and the public must have accountability from our telecommunications carriers in providing a redundant system capable of delivering 911 calls no matter the situation.”&nbsp;

PSC Closes 911 Windstream Investigation, Opens New Complaint

Omaha, Neb. – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) recently donated 210 computer desktops and 240 monitors, which will be used to lay the groundwork for cybersecurity programs in 196 high schools across Nebraska.&nbsp;

BCBSNE collaborated with Nebraska Cybersecurity Network for Education (NCNE) to make the donation to the schools. NCNE works to reduce cyber risk and enhance cyber resilience for its school district&nbsp; members.&nbsp;

“At NCNE, one of our goals is to establish cybersecurity programs statewide to address the growing&nbsp; opportunities in this field of work,” said Andy Boell, cybersecurity director at NCNE. “Nebraska has a lot of&nbsp; very talented students, but not enough resources to educate them on cybersecurity. We want to keep&nbsp; these students in Nebraska and educate them as much as we can. Thanks to Blue Cross, we’re able to&nbsp; keep working toward that goal.”&nbsp;

According to Cyber Seek, Nebraska has seen a 69% increase in cybersecurity job openings since 2010.&nbsp;

BCBSNE sees this donation as an opportunity to provide more than just health insurance; it's a chance to&nbsp; empower Nebraska's students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the growing field of&nbsp; cybersecurity, contributing to their personal growth and the state's economy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Our cybersecurity program is always looking for ways to train and engage with the next generation of&nbsp; cybersecurity professionals,” said Terrance Steinhart, cybersecurity manager at BCBSNE. "We've had the&nbsp; privilege of training multiple college students in cybersecurity through our strong internship program. We’re honored to extend this education to high school students and look forward to seeing the impact it&nbsp; will have on the future of the cybersecurity field in Nebraska.”&nbsp;

Following closely behind BCBSNE’s Healthy Home Team launch, a new community initiative awarding&nbsp; grants to Nebraska high schools, this donation further exemplifies BCBSNE's commitment to supporting&nbsp; local education and community health and well-being.&nbsp;

Learn more about BCBSNE’s community impact at NebraskaBlue.com.&nbsp;

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska&nbsp;

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska is part of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield system, a national association of&nbsp; 34 independent, community-based and locally operated companies. Blue Cross and Blue Shield represents the&nbsp; nation’s largest and most experienced health insurance brands, collectively covering one in three Americans. Blue&nbsp; Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska has been providing security and peace of mind to its members since 1939.&nbsp;

Learn more about BCBSNE at NebraskaBlue.com.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720549968317.png" alt="BCBSNE Computer Donation (Courtesy Photo)" />
 <figcaption>BCBSNE Computer Donation (Courtesy Photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Omaha, Neb. – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) recently donated 210 computer desktops and 240 monitors, which will be used to lay the groundwork for cybersecurity programs in 196 high schools across Nebraska.&nbsp;BCBSNE collaborated with Nebraska Cybersecurity Network for Education (NCNE) to make the donation to the schools. NCNE works to reduce cyber risk and enhance cyber resilience for its school district&nbsp; members.&nbsp;“At NCNE, one of our goals is to establish cybersecurity programs statewide to address the growing&nbsp; opportunities in this field of work,” said Andy Boell, cybersecurity director at NCNE. “Nebraska has a lot of&nbsp; very talented students, but not enough resources to educate them on cybersecurity. We want to keep&nbsp; these students in Nebraska and educate them as much as we can. Thanks to Blue Cross, we’re able to&nbsp; keep working toward that goal.”&nbsp;According to Cyber Seek, Nebraska has seen a 69% increase in cybersecurity job openings since 2010.&nbsp;BCBSNE sees this donation as an opportunity to provide more than just health insurance; it's a chance to&nbsp; empower Nebraska's students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the growing field of&nbsp; cybersecurity, contributing to their personal growth and the state's economy.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Our cybersecurity program is always looking for ways to train and engage with the next generation of&nbsp; cybersecurity professionals,” said Terrance Steinhart, cybersecurity manager at BCBSNE. "We've had the&nbsp; privilege of training multiple college students in cybersecurity through our strong internship program. We’re honored to extend this education to high school students and look forward to seeing the impact it&nbsp; will have on the future of the cybersecurity field in Nebraska.”&nbsp;Following closely behind BCBSNE’s Healthy Home Team launch, a new community initiative awarding&nbsp; grants to Nebraska high schools, this donation further exemplifies BCBSNE's commitment to supporting&nbsp; local education and community health and well-being.&nbsp;Learn more about BCBSNE’s community impact at NebraskaBlue.com.&nbsp;About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska&nbsp;Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska is part of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield system, a national association of&nbsp; 34 independent, community-based and locally operated companies. Blue Cross and Blue Shield represents the&nbsp; nation’s largest and most experienced health insurance brands, collectively covering one in three Americans. Blue&nbsp; Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska has been providing security and peace of mind to its members since 1939.&nbsp;Learn more about BCBSNE at NebraskaBlue.com.&nbsp;

BCBSNE donates 450 pieces of computer equipment to kickstart cybersecurity programs in 196 Nebraska high schools 

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. - Joseph S. Bonsall, 76, of Hendersonville, Tennessee passed on to Glory on July 9, 2024, from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, according to a media release.

He leaves behind his precious wife, Mary Ann, daughters Jennifer and Sabrina, granddaughter Breanne, grandson Luke, two great grandsons, Chance and Grey, and a sister, Nancy. He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph S. Bonsall Sr. and Lillie Bonsall.

As a 50-year member of the American music group The Oak Ridge Boys, Joe was a member of the Grand Ole Opry and inducted into the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and the prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame.

Joseph is also the author of 11 books including his latest, a memoir entitled I See Myself, which releases in November. Joe loved to sing. He loved to read. He loved to write. He loved to play banjo. He loved working on the farm. And he loved the Philadelphia Phillies. But Jesus and his family always came first—and we will see him again on the Promised Day.

At the request of Joe, there will be no funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to <a href="https://www.als.org/support" target="_blank">The ALS Association</a> or to the <a href="https://www.vumc.org/neurology/vanderbilt-als-research-center" target="_blank">Vanderbilt Medical Center ALS and Neuroscience Research Center</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720544130790.png" alt="Bonsall, lower right, was 50-year member of the The Oak Ridge Boys" />
 <figcaption>Bonsall, lower right, was 50-year member of the The Oak Ridge Boys</figcaption>
 </figure>HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. - Joseph S. Bonsall, 76, of Hendersonville, Tennessee passed on to Glory on July 9, 2024, from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, according to a media release.He leaves behind his precious wife, Mary Ann, daughters Jennifer and Sabrina, granddaughter Breanne, grandson Luke, two great grandsons, Chance and Grey, and a sister, Nancy. He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph S. Bonsall Sr. and Lillie Bonsall.As a 50-year member of the American music group The Oak Ridge Boys, Joe was a member of the Grand Ole Opry and inducted into the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and the prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame.Joseph is also the author of 11 books including his latest, a memoir entitled I See Myself, which releases in November. Joe loved to sing. He loved to read. He loved to write. He loved to play banjo. He loved working on the farm. And he loved the Philadelphia Phillies. But Jesus and his family always came first—and we will see him again on the Promised Day.At the request of Joe, there will be no funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to <a href="https://www.als.org/support" target="_blank">The ALS Association</a> or to the <a href="https://www.vumc.org/neurology/vanderbilt-als-research-center" target="_blank">Vanderbilt Medical Center ALS and Neuroscience Research Center</a>.The family is requesting privacy.

Joe Bonsall, Oak Ridge Boys singer, dies from ALS complications

Omaha, Neb&nbsp;– Nebraska Medicine CEO James Linder, MD, has been named the chair of the Nebraska Medicine Board of Directors, replacing Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, who was recently chosen to be president of the University of Nebraska system. The board unanimously voted to make Dr. Linder its next chair. He begins this new role immediately in addition to continuing his duties as CEO. Dr. Linder’s new title is Nebraska Medicine CEO and chair of the board.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Dr. Gold provided outstanding leadership since Nebraska Medicine was organized 10 years ago. He can now bring transformative leadership to the University of Nebraska system,” Dr. Linder says. “I am immensely pleased to work with the Nebraska Medicine Board members.  The Board and its subcommittees include some of the best business minds and community leaders. Their contributions are unmatched as we meet our missions as an academic medical center and provider of the best health care to Nebraska.”&nbsp;

Nebraska Medicine is an independent, non-profit organization and its board is solely responsible for the governance of the health system. It’s made up of leaders in business, health care and academics – including leaders with deep ties to UNMC and Clarkson College. Dele Davies, MD, who was named interim UNMC chancellor last week, also becomes a voting member of the board.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“It’s difficult to think of someone better suited to serve as board chair than Dr. Linder,” said Mogens Bay, chairman of Valmont Industries and vice-chair of the Nebraska Medicine Board of Directors. “He brings experience in leading clinical care, research and education, as well as years of work in the business and philanthropy communities. The board also recognizes Dr. Linder’s skill as a mentor and someone who will develop the leaders of the future.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dr. Linder has been Nebraska Medicine CEO since 2018 and part of the UNMC faculty for more than 40 years. His past leadership roles include interim roles as president of the University of Nebraska system and Dean of the UNMC College of Medicine. His research efforts led to new screening technologies that reduced the incidence of cervical cancer, as well as the development of a hematology instrument which enabled the rapid diagnosis of blood disorders. 

Dr. Linder and his wife, Karen, co-lead Linseed Capital and co-chair the&nbsp;<a href="https://onlyinnebraska.org/" target="_blank">University of Nebraska Foundation’s “Only in Nebraska” campaign</a>, which is in the process of raising $1 billion in charitable support for Nebraska Medicine and UNMC.&nbsp;

UNMCOmaha, Neb&nbsp;– Nebraska Medicine CEO James Linder, MD, has been named the chair of the Nebraska Medicine Board of Directors, replacing Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, who was recently chosen to be president of the University of Nebraska system. The board unanimously voted to make Dr. Linder its next chair. He begins this new role immediately in addition to continuing his duties as CEO. Dr. Linder’s new title is Nebraska Medicine CEO and chair of the board.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Dr. Gold provided outstanding leadership since Nebraska Medicine was organized 10 years ago. He can now bring transformative leadership to the University of Nebraska system,” Dr. Linder says. “I am immensely pleased to work with the Nebraska Medicine Board members.  The Board and its subcommittees include some of the best business minds and community leaders. Their contributions are unmatched as we meet our missions as an academic medical center and provider of the best health care to Nebraska.”&nbsp;Nebraska Medicine is an independent, non-profit organization and its board is solely responsible for the governance of the health system. It’s made up of leaders in business, health care and academics – including leaders with deep ties to UNMC and Clarkson College. Dele Davies, MD, who was named interim UNMC chancellor last week, also becomes a voting member of the board.&nbsp;&nbsp;“It’s difficult to think of someone better suited to serve as board chair than Dr. Linder,” said Mogens Bay, chairman of Valmont Industries and vice-chair of the Nebraska Medicine Board of Directors. “He brings experience in leading clinical care, research and education, as well as years of work in the business and philanthropy communities. The board also recognizes Dr. Linder’s skill as a mentor and someone who will develop the leaders of the future.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Dr. Linder has been Nebraska Medicine CEO since 2018 and part of the UNMC faculty for more than 40 years. His past leadership roles include interim roles as president of the University of Nebraska system and Dean of the UNMC College of Medicine. His research efforts led to new screening technologies that reduced the incidence of cervical cancer, as well as the development of a hematology instrument which enabled the rapid diagnosis of blood disorders. Dr. Linder and his wife, Karen, co-lead Linseed Capital and co-chair the&nbsp;<a href="https://onlyinnebraska.org/" target="_blank">University of Nebraska Foundation’s “Only in Nebraska” campaign</a>, which is in the process of raising $1 billion in charitable support for Nebraska Medicine and UNMC.&nbsp;

Nebraska Medicine CEO named chair of Nebraska Medicine Board of Directors 

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden's performance during the debate last month&nbsp;raised concerns&nbsp;about his age and health. Late Monday, the White House released a letter from President Biden’s doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor on the multiple visits to the White House by Dr. Kevin Cannard, who is an expert on Parkinson’s.

The letter from the doctor came hours after White House press secretary had no answers about why the neurologist has visited numerous times over the past year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720133821321.png" alt="White House file photo" />
 <figcaption>White House file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden's performance during the debate last month&nbsp;raised concerns&nbsp;about his age and health. Late Monday, the White House released a letter from President Biden’s doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor on the multiple visits to the White House by Dr. Kevin Cannard, who is an expert on Parkinson’s.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720526697169.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720526734368.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> Karine Jean-Pierre to <a href="https://twitter.com/edokeefe?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@edokeefe</a>: &quot;It doesn&#39;t matter how hard you push me. It doesn&#39;t matter how angry you get with me. I&#39;m not going to confirm a name...What I can say share with you is that the president has seen a neurologist for his physical three times.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/oZQjMiIOPv">pic.twitter.com/oZQjMiIOPv</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1810397009150619756?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The letter from the doctor came hours after White House press secretary had no answers about why the neurologist has visited numerous times over the past year.

Read new note from President Biden's doctor explaining neurologist's visits

MILWAUKEE —The Trump campaign and Republican National Committee announced the program themes for next week's GOP convention in Milwaukee and released their 2024 Platform.

<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/be/beb1a388-1d88-4389-a67d-c1e2d7f8bedf/2024-gop-platform-july-7-final.pdf?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=ncl_amplify&amp;utm_campaign=240708-2024_gop_platform_make_america_great_again&amp;utm_content=ncl-4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nlid=4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nhids=Nog6f1V6">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the full 16-page platform document

The points of the platform are listed below

&nbsp;The platform will be voted on in full at the GOP convention next week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718556066582.png" alt="File photo -Former President Trump during a campaign stop last month -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo -Former President Trump during a campaign stop last month -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>MILWAUKEE —The Trump campaign and Republican National Committee announced the program themes for next week's GOP convention in Milwaukee and released their 2024 Platform.<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/be/beb1a388-1d88-4389-a67d-c1e2d7f8bedf/2024-gop-platform-july-7-final.pdf?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=ncl_amplify&amp;utm_campaign=240708-2024_gop_platform_make_america_great_again&amp;utm_content=ncl-4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nlid=4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nhids=Nog6f1V6">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the full 16-page platform document<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720521521992.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The points of the platform are listed below<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720484913719.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;The platform will be voted on in full at the GOP convention next week.

Read the Trump inspired Republican Party 2024 platform document

H. Dele Davies, MD, interim chancellor of UNMC, announced on Monday the appointments of interim leaders in the UNMC Office of Academic Affairs and in Graduate Studies.

“I am excited to welcome this team,” Dr. Davies said.

“Throughout her career at UNMC, Dr. Meza has proven an innovative, inspirational and thoughtful leader,” Dr. Davies said. “She has played an integral role on many fronts, including helping to lead the campus through the COVID pandemic and expanding UNMC’s global presence. She has worked with colleges and institutes across the university, and she brings a proven record of leadership success.

“Dr. Schmid also has been an innovator and has been an impactful voice for UNMC accreditations and student enrollment efforts, and Dr. Gould has been a strong voice for educational programs, including&nbsp;leading important new efforts in mentorship for graduate faculty and student wellness,” he said.

“This is a strong team of leaders, who each has a demonstrated record of academic innovation and achievement. They have played valuable roles in such recent successes as our threefold increase in applicants, 62% increase in enrollment at the graduate college and a 12% reduction in student attrition. These are just a few of their many successes -- and I am certain there are more to come.”

Dr. Meza, who was named associate vice chancellor for academic affairs in 2023, said she was excited for the new role.

“I am excited and honored to be the interim vice chancellor for academic affairs,” Dr. Meza said. “I look forward to working with our UNMC community to further create enriching learning experiences for students and trainees and to cultivate the ongoing professional growth of faculty.”

In her new role, Dr. Meza will continue her work in global engagement and strategic planning at UNMC. She previously has held positions that included the interim executive director for health security, created as part of the UNMC response to COVID;&nbsp;interim dean of the UNMC College of Public Health;&nbsp;chair of the UNMC Department of Biostatistics; and senior associate dean of the UNMC College of Public Health.

Dr. Schmid has served as assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs since&nbsp;2020.&nbsp;She was named executive associate dean of graduate studies in 2022. She currently is a professor in the UNMC Department of Biostatistics, where she has served as interim chair, and serves as UNMC’s academic liaison to the Higher Learning Commission.

“I’m looking forward to this new role and continuing the strong course set for Graduate Studies under Dr. Davies’ leadership to ensure&nbsp;our&nbsp;students are supported and well-positioned for success,” Dr. Schmid said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to support UNMC, colleagues and students during this time of transition.”

Dr. Gould was named assistant dean for graduate student success and campus-wide director of assessment in 2022. She also is deputy research integrity officer. She is a professor and vice-chair for faculty development in the UNMC Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy.

“I look forward to the opportunity to continue to support academic affairs and graduate studies at UNMC by serving in these interim roles,” Dr. Gould said. “Our team is committed to providing stability through this period of change.”

“Students are the heart of UNMC,” Dr. Davies said. “As the interim chancellor, I know that, with Drs. Meza, Schmid and Gould in these important roles, our students’ success will continue to be at the forefront of everything we do.”

UNMCH. Dele Davies, MD, interim chancellor of UNMC, announced on Monday the appointments of interim leaders in the UNMC Office of Academic Affairs and in Graduate Studies.Effective immediately:<ul>
 <li>Jane Meza, PhD, will become interim vice chancellor for academic affairs.</li><li>Kendra Schmid, PhD, will become interim dean of graduate studies and interim associate vice chancellor for academic affairs.</li><li>Karen Gould, PhD, will become interim executive associate dean of graduate studies and interim assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs.</li>
 </ul>“I am excited to welcome this team,” Dr. Davies said.“Throughout her career at UNMC, Dr. Meza has proven an innovative, inspirational and thoughtful leader,” Dr. Davies said. “She has played an integral role on many fronts, including helping to lead the campus through the COVID pandemic and expanding UNMC’s global presence. She has worked with colleges and institutes across the university, and she brings a proven record of leadership success.“Dr. Schmid also has been an innovator and has been an impactful voice for UNMC accreditations and student enrollment efforts, and Dr. Gould has been a strong voice for educational programs, including&nbsp;leading important new efforts in mentorship for graduate faculty and student wellness,” he said.“This is a strong team of leaders, who each has a demonstrated record of academic innovation and achievement. They have played valuable roles in such recent successes as our threefold increase in applicants, 62% increase in enrollment at the graduate college and a 12% reduction in student attrition. These are just a few of their many successes -- and I am certain there are more to come.”Dr. Meza, who was named associate vice chancellor for academic affairs in 2023, said she was excited for the new role.“I am excited and honored to be the interim vice chancellor for academic affairs,” Dr. Meza said. “I look forward to working with our UNMC community to further create enriching learning experiences for students and trainees and to cultivate the ongoing professional growth of faculty.”In her new role, Dr. Meza will continue her work in global engagement and strategic planning at UNMC. She previously has held positions that included the interim executive director for health security, created as part of the UNMC response to COVID;&nbsp;interim dean of the UNMC College of Public Health;&nbsp;chair of the UNMC Department of Biostatistics; and senior associate dean of the UNMC College of Public Health.Dr. Schmid has served as assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs since&nbsp;2020.&nbsp;She was named executive associate dean of graduate studies in 2022. She currently is a professor in the UNMC Department of Biostatistics, where she has served as interim chair, and serves as UNMC’s academic liaison to the Higher Learning Commission.“I’m looking forward to this new role and continuing the strong course set for Graduate Studies under Dr. Davies’ leadership to ensure&nbsp;our&nbsp;students are supported and well-positioned for success,” Dr. Schmid said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to support UNMC, colleagues and students during this time of transition.”Dr. Gould was named assistant dean for graduate student success and campus-wide director of assessment in 2022. She also is deputy research integrity officer. She is a professor and vice-chair for faculty development in the UNMC Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy.“I look forward to the opportunity to continue to support academic affairs and graduate studies at UNMC by serving in these interim roles,” Dr. Gould said. “Our team is committed to providing stability through this period of change.”“Students are the heart of UNMC,” Dr. Davies said. “As the interim chancellor, I know that, with Drs. Meza, Schmid and Gould in these important roles, our students’ success will continue to be at the forefront of everything we do.”

UNMC Interim Chancellor Davies names interim academic leaders

JULY 8, 2024 (GRAND ISLAND, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— The next class of recruits has started their journey to becoming a Nebraska State Trooper. The recruits of the 70th&nbsp;Basic Recruit Class of the Nebraska State Patrol began training today at the Nebraska State Patrol Training Academy in Grand Island.

“Today is a milestone day for the Nebraska State Patrol as we begin the 70th&nbsp;class in NSP history,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “We are proud to have these recruits join our team. Over the next six months, our troopers at the NSP Training Academy will provide the expert training they’ll need to serve Nebraska throughout their careers.”

Justin Beaird – Battle Creek&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Daniela Cuevas – South Sioux City&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Tyson Guzman – Omaha&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Zachariah Johnson – Grand Island&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Isaac Scharff – Lexington&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

“The next six months will be challenging, but a career of unlimited opportunities awaits these new recruits,” said Captain Andy Ecklund, NSP Director of Training. “By the time they graduate, these eleven recruits will come together as a team as they acquire the skills and abilities necessary to continue the proud tradition of service of the Nebraska State Patrol.”

The Nebraska State Patrol basic recruit camp consists of hundreds of hours of classroom and practical instruction, including life-like scenarios designed to simulate situations troopers encounter while serving Nebraska. Camp 70 is scheduled to graduate on December 20, 2024.

Applications to join the next NSP class will open in August. Interested candidates can get information about the hiring process and connect with a trooper recruiter at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nebraskatroopers.com/" target="_blank">NebraskaTroopers.com</a>.

Cody ThomasNebraska State PatrolJULY 8, 2024 (GRAND ISLAND, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— The next class of recruits has started their journey to becoming a Nebraska State Trooper. The recruits of the 70th&nbsp;Basic Recruit Class of the Nebraska State Patrol began training today at the Nebraska State Patrol Training Academy in Grand Island.“Today is a milestone day for the Nebraska State Patrol as we begin the 70th&nbsp;class in NSP history,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “We are proud to have these recruits join our team. Over the next six months, our troopers at the NSP Training Academy will provide the expert training they’ll need to serve Nebraska throughout their careers.”The recruits of Camp 70 are:Justin Beaird – Battle Creek&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Kelsee Colgrove – Spearfish, SDDaniela Cuevas – South Sioux City&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jamie Garrison – AldaTyson Guzman – Omaha&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ryan Hilliard – WausaZachariah Johnson – Grand Island&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jordan Orduno – PoncaIsaac Scharff – Lexington&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jared Weber – SidneyMatthew Walker – Milford“The next six months will be challenging, but a career of unlimited opportunities awaits these new recruits,” said Captain Andy Ecklund, NSP Director of Training. “By the time they graduate, these eleven recruits will come together as a team as they acquire the skills and abilities necessary to continue the proud tradition of service of the Nebraska State Patrol.”The Nebraska State Patrol basic recruit camp consists of hundreds of hours of classroom and practical instruction, including life-like scenarios designed to simulate situations troopers encounter while serving Nebraska. Camp 70 is scheduled to graduate on December 20, 2024.Applications to join the next NSP class will open in August. Interested candidates can get information about the hiring process and connect with a trooper recruiter at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nebraskatroopers.com/" target="_blank">NebraskaTroopers.com</a>.

State Patrol Begins 70th Basic Recruit Camp

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/08/nebraska-abortion-fight-fuels-record-filings-to-remove-signatures-from-petitions/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s midsummer flurry of citizen initiatives seeking the ballot in November, including competing campaigns on abortion, spurred hundreds of requests to remove people’s signatures from petitions. &nbsp;

At least 348 people had signed state affidavits claiming they mistakenly signed a petition, according to unofficial numbers obtained by the Examiner late last week. More than 300 asked to pull signatures from the Protect Women and Children petition, which is backed by abortion opponents and would limit how long into a pregnancy abortion is legal.

Affidavits in 2024 to remove signatures by ballot initiative, to date

Nebraska Human Life Protection (stopped collecting), 10

Consumption tax exemption for groceries, 4

Those 304 would be the most filed against a single ballot initiative with the Secretary of State’s Office. The previous high was set in 2023, when nearly 200 were filed against an effort to repeal a tax credit for funding private school scholarships.&nbsp;

Back then, school choice supporters organized a “Decline to Sign” campaign. This year, an abortion-rights campaign encouraged supporters to sign a signature-removal affidavit if they were concerned they might have signed the wrong petition.

State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha, a supporter of the abortion-rights campaign, Protect Our Rights, has criticized circulators with the competing Protect Women and Children petition. She said some purposely sowed confusion among people who support abortion rights.

She told the Nebraska Examiner on Friday that hundreds, if not thousands, of signers thought they were supporting abortion rights. She said people “were misled about the purpose of the petition and tricked into signing something they don’t actually support.”

She shared allegations from one supporter who said her sister had been told she could sign for an entire family. Nebraska law requires people to sign for themselves. At least seven formal complaints were filed against circulators for each effort. More were still being reviewed.

“This is what happens when petitions pay per signature,” Hunt said. “Many of them said they were flown in from other states for the final push… This only incentivizes gatherers to get as many signatures as possible, by any means.”

Opponents label removal push ‘spectacle’

Protect Women and Children organizers said the signature-removal push by the Protect Our Rights campaign reflects concern from abortion-rights advocates that most voters in a red state like Nebraska prefer leaving the Legislature’s laws and authority on abortion in place.

The group said it had more than 1,200 volunteers along with paid petition circulators and nonprofit backers who gathered more than 205,000 signatures. The Protect Our Rights campaign also used paid petition circulators, volunteers and nonprofits.

“The activists organizing their followers to ‘remove their names’ is a mere media spectacle,” Brenna Grasz said. “Protect Women and Children garnered more than 205,000 signatures in a record number of days, and has an unprecedented volunteer army going into November.”

Protect Women and Children seeks to restrict abortions after the first trimester to no more than 12 to 14 weeks gestational age. But the way the measure is written, the proposed constitutional amendment would let state lawmakers pass stricter bans.&nbsp;

Its language contains exceptions for the life of the mother, but opponents argue the exceptions were written to be difficult to access. Supporters say it would maintain legal protections for the unborn, including parental notification requirements.

Nebraska currently restricts abortion to 12 weeks gestational age, or about 10 weeks after fertilization. State lawmakers tightened restrictions most recently in 2023. The state had previously allowed abortion up to 20 weeks after conception.

Social conservatives fell a single vote short of passing a bill that would have banned abortion after an ultrasound can detect embryonic cardiac activity, at about six weeks. Gov. Jim Pillen and others have said their goal is an outright ban.

The Protect Our Rights petition would cement the right to an abortion in the state constitution. It would allow abortions until the point of fetal viability, as defined by a person’s medical provider, typically between 22 and 24 weeks gestation.&nbsp;

Its organizers said they turned in more than 207,000 signatures. Both needed 123,000 valid signatures from registered Nebraska voters to approve a constitutional amendment, along with a baseline of 5% from voters in 38 counties.

Critics have said Protect Our Rights’ language leaves too much room for medical providers to allow late-term abortions. Supporters say the proposal addresses fetal anomalies and health risks and values the relationships between women and doctors.

Political observers expect both abortion petitions to make the fall ballot, which would be the first time competing abortion amendments made the same ballot in the same election since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

The stakes of both amendments reaching the November ballot could be significant. Both campaigns reported raising more than $2 million apiece. Both have ties to national donors. And if both pass, the one with the most votes gets into the constitution.

Since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision in 2022, voters in California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Vermont have either adopted protections for abortion rights or rejected new restrictions or bans.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Six more states have abortion already on the ballot this fall — Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, New York and South Dakota. Another five appear poised to add it — Arizona, Arkansas, Missouri, Montana and Nebraska.&nbsp;

Nebraska and county election officials are in the early stages of verifying signatures. They have 40 days, plus a little time to transport signatures for verification. Then the final tussles over ballot language begin, and will include the attorney general.

A dozen filed to remove signatures from the competing Protect Our Rights petition. People also filed 11 removal requests against a third abortion-related petition that fell short, Choose Life Now.&nbsp;

That one would have granted legal “personhood” to fetuses and embryos. Critics said it would have caused problems in civil and criminal law. Defenders said it offered the clearest path to ending legal abortions.&nbsp;

Voters filed a handful of affidavits to remove signatures from the other petitions circulating as well.

Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/08/nebraska-abortion-fight-fuels-record-filings-to-remove-signatures-from-petitions/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska’s midsummer flurry of citizen initiatives seeking the ballot in November, including competing campaigns on abortion, spurred hundreds of requests to remove people’s signatures from petitions. &nbsp;At least 348 people had signed state affidavits claiming they mistakenly signed a petition, according to unofficial numbers obtained by the Examiner late last week. More than 300 asked to pull signatures from the Protect Women and Children petition, which is backed by abortion opponents and would limit how long into a pregnancy abortion is legal.<h2>Affidavits in 2024 to remove signatures by ballot initiative, to date</h2>Protect Women and Children, 304Protect Our Rights, 12Choose Life Now, 11Nebraska Human Life Protection (stopped collecting), 10EPIC Option consumption tax, 4Consumption tax exemption for groceries, 4Paid sick leave, 3Total, 348Those 304 would be the most filed against a single ballot initiative with the Secretary of State’s Office. The previous high was set in 2023, when nearly 200 were filed against an effort to repeal a tax credit for funding private school scholarships.&nbsp;Back then, school choice supporters organized a “Decline to Sign” campaign. This year, an abortion-rights campaign encouraged supporters to sign a signature-removal affidavit if they were concerned they might have signed the wrong petition.<h2>Organized effort to remove signatures</h2>State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha, a supporter of the abortion-rights campaign, Protect Our Rights, has criticized circulators with the competing Protect Women and Children petition. She said some purposely sowed confusion among people who support abortion rights.She told the Nebraska Examiner on Friday that hundreds, if not thousands, of signers thought they were supporting abortion rights. She said people “were misled about the purpose of the petition and tricked into signing something they don’t actually support.”She shared allegations from one supporter who said her sister had been told she could sign for an entire family. Nebraska law requires people to sign for themselves. At least seven formal complaints were filed against circulators for each effort. More were still being reviewed.“This is what happens when petitions pay per signature,” Hunt said. “Many of them said they were flown in from other states for the final push… This only incentivizes gatherers to get as many signatures as possible, by any means.”<h2>Opponents label removal push ‘spectacle’</h2>Protect Women and Children organizers said the signature-removal push by the Protect Our Rights campaign reflects concern from abortion-rights advocates that most voters in a red state like Nebraska prefer leaving the Legislature’s laws and authority on abortion in place.The group said it had more than 1,200 volunteers along with paid petition circulators and nonprofit backers who gathered more than 205,000 signatures. The Protect Our Rights campaign also used paid petition circulators, volunteers and nonprofits.“The activists organizing their followers to ‘remove their names’ is a mere media spectacle,” Brenna Grasz said. “Protect Women and Children garnered more than 205,000 signatures in a record number of days, and has an unprecedented volunteer army going into November.”Protect Women and Children seeks to restrict abortions after the first trimester to no more than 12 to 14 weeks gestational age. But the way the measure is written, the proposed constitutional amendment would let state lawmakers pass stricter bans.&nbsp;Its language contains exceptions for the life of the mother, but opponents argue the exceptions were written to be difficult to access. Supporters say it would maintain legal protections for the unborn, including parental notification requirements.<h2>Abortion law in Nebraska</h2>Nebraska currently restricts abortion to 12 weeks gestational age, or about 10 weeks after fertilization. State lawmakers tightened restrictions most recently in 2023. The state had previously allowed abortion up to 20 weeks after conception.Social conservatives fell a single vote short of passing a bill that would have banned abortion after an ultrasound can detect embryonic cardiac activity, at about six weeks. Gov. Jim Pillen and others have said their goal is an outright ban.The Protect Our Rights petition would cement the right to an abortion in the state constitution. It would allow abortions until the point of fetal viability, as defined by a person’s medical provider, typically between 22 and 24 weeks gestation.&nbsp;Its organizers said they turned in more than 207,000 signatures. Both needed 123,000 valid signatures from registered Nebraska voters to approve a constitutional amendment, along with a baseline of 5% from voters in 38 counties.Critics have said Protect Our Rights’ language leaves too much room for medical providers to allow late-term abortions. Supporters say the proposal addresses fetal anomalies and health risks and values the relationships between women and doctors.<h2>Both likely to make ballot</h2>Political observers expect both abortion petitions to make the fall ballot, which would be the first time competing abortion amendments made the same ballot in the same election since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.The stakes of both amendments reaching the November ballot could be significant. Both campaigns reported raising more than $2 million apiece. Both have ties to national donors. And if both pass, the one with the most votes gets into the constitution.Since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision in 2022, voters in California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Vermont have either adopted protections for abortion rights or rejected new restrictions or bans.&nbsp;&nbsp;Six more states have abortion already on the ballot this fall — Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, New York and South Dakota. Another five appear poised to add it — Arizona, Arkansas, Missouri, Montana and Nebraska.&nbsp;<h2>Signature checks underway</h2>Nebraska and county election officials are in the early stages of verifying signatures. They have 40 days, plus a little time to transport signatures for verification. Then the final tussles over ballot language begin, and will include the attorney general.A dozen filed to remove signatures from the competing Protect Our Rights petition. People also filed 11 removal requests against a third abortion-related petition that fell short, Choose Life Now.&nbsp;That one would have granted legal “personhood” to fetuses and embryos. Critics said it would have caused problems in civil and criminal law. Defenders said it offered the clearest path to ending legal abortions.&nbsp;Voters filed a handful of affidavits to remove signatures from the other petitions circulating as well.

Nebraska abortion fight fuels record filings to remove signatures from petitions

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacob-fischler/">JACOB FISCHLER</a>

President Joe Biden pledged Monday to stay in his race for reelection, even after a weekend in which a growing number of Democrats asked for him to withdraw and a key U.S. House Republican called for an investigation into the president’s doctor.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24794331-bidenletterjuly8" target="_blank">a letter</a>&nbsp;to congressional Democrats, Biden argued that the calls for him to drop out of the presidential race — with just 119 days until Election Day — ignored the results of Democratic primaries and caucuses that he handily won and said he remained the best candidate to defeat former President Donald Trump.

The two-page letter ended with a call for party unity and an end to the public back-and-forth among Democrats over whether Biden should leave the race, after a June 27 debate performance that shook some high-ranking Democrats’ confidence in his ability to overcome his polling deficit against Trump.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720316947280.png" alt="President Joe Biden raises the hand of Vice President Kamala Harris as they view the Independence Day firework display over the National Mall from the balcony of the White House -image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden raises the hand of Vice President Kamala Harris as they view the Independence Day firework display over the National Mall from the balcony of the White House -image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacob-fischler/">JACOB FISCHLER</a>President Joe Biden pledged Monday to stay in his race for reelection, even after a weekend in which a growing number of Democrats asked for him to withdraw and a key U.S. House Republican called for an investigation into the president’s doctor.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This morning, I sent a letter to my fellow Democrats on Capitol Hill. In it, I shared my thoughts about this moment in our campaign. It’s time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump. <a href="https://t.co/ABtAaJrr0n">pic.twitter.com/ABtAaJrr0n</a>&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1810301614965604827?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24794331-bidenletterjuly8" target="_blank">a letter</a>&nbsp;to congressional Democrats, Biden argued that the calls for him to drop out of the presidential race — with just 119 days until Election Day — ignored the results of Democratic primaries and caucuses that he handily won and said he remained the best candidate to defeat former President Donald Trump.The two-page letter ended with a call for party unity and an end to the public back-and-forth among Democrats over whether Biden should leave the race, after a June 27 debate performance that shook some high-ranking Democrats’ confidence in his ability to overcome his polling deficit against Trump.“The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now,” Biden wrote. “And it’s time for it to end. We have one job. And that is to beat Donald Trump.”<h2>Comer seeks interview with Biden doctor</h2>Congress returns Monday from a weeklong July Fourth recess after several days in which members of both parties continued to press the issue of Biden’s fitness for office.Republicans also began pressing for more details. House Oversight and Accountability Chair James Comer&nbsp;<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Letter-to-OConnor-070724.pdf" target="_blank">on Sunday called</a>&nbsp;for Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, to submit to a transcribed interview about his assessments of Biden and O’Connor’s business dealings with James Biden, the president’s brother.The Kentucky Republican said Biden and the White House had sent mixed messages about recent medical examinations of the president.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters last week that Biden had not been examined by a doctor since his regular checkup in February.But Biden told a group of Democratic governors the same day that he was “checked out by a doctor” following the debate, Comer wrote.Following the debate, Biden, attempting to explain a low, raspy voice, said he’d had a cold.Comer also questioned if O’Connor could accurately report Biden’s health, or if he was compromised by a conflict of interest because of his involvement with James Biden’s rural health care company, Americore. James Biden has testified to the committee that he sought O’Connor’s counsel for the business.The White House did not respond to a message seeking comment about Comer’s request.<h2>More Democrats call for withdrawal</h2>The holiday weekend also saw more U.S. House Democrats join a list of those asking Biden to step aside rather than seek reelection.In&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/AngieCraigMN/status/1809577054062432688" target="_blank">a written statement</a>&nbsp;on Saturday, Minnesota’s Angie Craig became the first member from a competitive district to call on the president to quit the race. Craig is the fifth member to publicly call for the president’s withdrawal.Additional members are making private calls, according to media reports.Four Democrats who lead House committees — Jerry Nadler of New York on the Judiciary Committee, Adam Smith of Washington on the Armed Services Committee, Mark Takano of California on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee and Joe Morelle of New York on the House Administration Committee — said during a caucus leadership call on Sunday that Biden should withdraw,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/07/jerry-nadler-adam-smith-congress-biden-00166733" target="_blank">according to reports</a>.Other&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/07/politics/house-democrats-biden-out/index.html" target="_blank">accounts reported</a>&nbsp;more members on the call, including Susan Wild of Pennsylvania and Jim Himes of Connecticut, also opposed Biden’s continued candidacy. Wild&nbsp;<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/briefs/susan-wild-pennsylvania-expressed-concern-biden-electability-during-call-house-democrats/" target="_blank">later told</a>&nbsp;the Pennsylvania Capital-Star she expressed concerns about Biden’s electability.In an impromptu call in to the MSNBC show “Morning Joe” on Monday, Biden insisted again he was staying in the race and called for any opponents he had to “challenge” him at the party’s convention in Chicago next month.Biden, who has secured enough pledged delegates through primary and caucus wins to clinch the nomination, would be heavily favored in a contested convention.&nbsp;<a href="https://democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2024-Call-for-Convention.pdf" target="_blank">Democratic Party rules</a>&nbsp;mandate pledged delegates “shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them,” but are not legally required to cast their convention vote for their pledged candidate.