The U.S. Embassy in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/trinidad-and-tobago">Trinidad and Tobago</a>&nbsp;issued a State of Emergency in Effect for Trinidad and Tobago as tensions grow between the United States and Venezuela over&nbsp;deadly U.S. strikes targeting suspected drug traffickers.

On July 18th, 2025, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (GOTT) declared a nationwide State of Emergency (SOE).&nbsp;On July 28th, Parliament extended the SOE for three months.&nbsp;The SOE is based on the emergence of a highly threatening criminal network that is operational both within and outside of Trinidad and Tobago’s correctional facilities.&nbsp;This network is believed to be targeting senior government officials and national institutions. &nbsp;U.S. citizens in Trinidad and Tobago should expect an increased police and military presence.

During the SOE, the GOTT will impose the following measures:

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago will monitor the SOE daily, and restrictions may change.

As a reminder, U.S. government personnel are prohibited from traveling to the following areas: Laventille (including Picadilly Street and Charlotte Street between Oxford Street and Park Street), Beetham, Sea Lots, Cocorite, and the interior of Queens’ Park Savannah and must avoid the following places after dark:

Please see the State Department’s complete country information page&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%2FCL0%2Fhttps%3A%252F%252Ftravel.state.gov%252Fcontent%252Ftravel%252Fen%252Finternational-travel%252FInternational-Travel-Country-Information-Pages%252FTrinidadandTobago.html%2F1%2F0101019861dee222-80357d63-8a1e-4c25-bf1f-d8656b3336bc-000000%2Fnv7zN4-9QIviVX7MD4InzQh-4BtAJhm-o4YhFdxvaz8%3D416&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cacspos%40state.gov%7C4ca03cc8ba0649b83fbc08ddd0650d35%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638895854638808459%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=4MyZn8g%2FaDkHTjMoCb9pgJWXrfaVZu%2Bgqk8jyU4PUIo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here&nbsp;</a>.

Please tell your U.S. citizen friends and family to sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%2FCL0%2Fhttps%3A%252F%252Fgbc-word-edit.officeapps.live.com%252Fwe%252Fstep.state.gov%2F1%2F0101019861dee222-80357d63-8a1e-4c25-bf1f-d8656b3336bc-000000%2Fnsz8sJ094PoodchhZkVJn_E3OwA6eZdIUlkU1IgUfcc%3D416&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cacspos%40state.gov%7C4ca03cc8ba0649b83fbc08ddd0650d35%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638895854638833333%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=PlmItsBotCXacCiKHbKu09Rgs1xLR5pht8qsDVEuKLc%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">step.state.gov&nbsp;</a>) so that they may receive these alerts and updates too.

C/O Consular Section- American Citizens Services

Emergencies: +1 (868) 622-6371, then press 1

Non-Emergency inquiries:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:TrinidadandTobago.ACS@gdit-gss.com">TrinidadandTobago.ACS@gdit-gss.com</a>

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Contact the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs:

1-888-407-4747 toll-free from the United States and Canada

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<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%2FCL0%2Fhttps%3A%252F%252Ftravel.state.gov%252Fcontent%252Ftravel%252Fen%252Finternational-travel%252FInternational-Travel-Country-Information-Pages%252FTrinidadandTobago.html%2F2%2F0101019861dee222-80357d63-8a1e-4c25-bf1f-d8656b3336bc-000000%2FJB4faL3Mxsbz6kmdAf-k5ah5l5bA1yU83KmJbqIDxqE%3D416&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cacspos%40state.gov%7C4ca03cc8ba0649b83fbc08ddd0650d35%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638895854638913499%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=CWtzUB8%2BPB4XrB4JgsPu2fRdGuQ3SGOv79lqs%2BL%2BzDo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Trinidad and Tobago Country Information&nbsp;</a>

The U.S. Embassy in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/trinidad-and-tobago">Trinidad and Tobago</a>&nbsp;issued a State of Emergency in Effect for Trinidad and Tobago as tensions grow between the United States and Venezuela over&nbsp;deadly U.S. strikes targeting suspected drug traffickers.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Due to a heightened state of alert, please avoid and refrain from visiting all U.S. Government facilities in Trinidad and Tobago through the holiday weekend. Actions to take: Avoid all U.S. government facilities in Trinidad and Tobago. Be aware of your surroundings. Monitor… <a href="https://t.co/9iCqOkF1vy">pic.twitter.com/9iCqOkF1vy</a>&mdash; U.S. Embassy Port of Spain (@USinTT) <a href="https://twitter.com/USinTT/status/1979552663395045747?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On July 18th, 2025, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (GOTT) declared a nationwide State of Emergency (SOE).&nbsp;On July 28th, Parliament extended the SOE for three months.&nbsp;The SOE is based on the emergence of a highly threatening criminal network that is operational both within and outside of Trinidad and Tobago’s correctional facilities.&nbsp;This network is believed to be targeting senior government officials and national institutions. &nbsp;U.S. citizens in Trinidad and Tobago should expect an increased police and military presence.During the SOE, the GOTT will impose the following measures:<ul>
 <li>The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) will have the authority to:Arrest individuals on suspicion of involvement in illegal activities;Search and enter public and private premises as necessary;</li><li>Arrest individuals on suspicion of involvement in illegal activities;</li><li>Search and enter public and private premises as necessary;</li><li>Bail provisions are suspended for those suspected of committing a crime;</li><li>Members of the Defense Force will operate under similar regulations to the TTPS;</li><li>At this time, no curfew or restrictions on public assemblies are in effect.</li>
 </ul>The Government of Trinidad and Tobago will monitor the SOE daily, and restrictions may change.As a reminder, U.S. government personnel are prohibited from traveling to the following areas: Laventille (including Picadilly Street and Charlotte Street between Oxford Street and Park Street), Beetham, Sea Lots, Cocorite, and the interior of Queens’ Park Savannah and must avoid the following places after dark:<ul>
 <li>Beaches</li><li>Downtown Port of Spain</li><li>Fort George</li><li>Queen’s Park Savannah</li>
 </ul>Please see the State Department’s complete country information page&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%2FCL0%2Fhttps%3A%252F%252Ftravel.state.gov%252Fcontent%252Ftravel%252Fen%252Finternational-travel%252FInternational-Travel-Country-Information-Pages%252FTrinidadandTobago.html%2F1%2F0101019861dee222-80357d63-8a1e-4c25-bf1f-d8656b3336bc-000000%2Fnv7zN4-9QIviVX7MD4InzQh-4BtAJhm-o4YhFdxvaz8%3D416&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cacspos%40state.gov%7C4ca03cc8ba0649b83fbc08ddd0650d35%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638895854638808459%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=4MyZn8g%2FaDkHTjMoCb9pgJWXrfaVZu%2Bgqk8jyU4PUIo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here&nbsp;</a>.Actions to take:<ul>
 <li>Carry your ID at all times.</li><li>Cooperate with local authorities during their SOE-mandated activities.</li><li>Monitor reputable news outlets and official Trinidad and Tobago government updates.</li><li>U.S. Citizens seeking travel to the United States must have a valid U.S. passport.</li><li>Report any suspicious activity to local authorities.</li>
 </ul>Please tell your U.S. citizen friends and family to sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%2FCL0%2Fhttps%3A%252F%252Fgbc-word-edit.officeapps.live.com%252Fwe%252Fstep.state.gov%2F1%2F0101019861dee222-80357d63-8a1e-4c25-bf1f-d8656b3336bc-000000%2Fnsz8sJ094PoodchhZkVJn_E3OwA6eZdIUlkU1IgUfcc%3D416&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cacspos%40state.gov%7C4ca03cc8ba0649b83fbc08ddd0650d35%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638895854638833333%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=PlmItsBotCXacCiKHbKu09Rgs1xLR5pht8qsDVEuKLc%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">step.state.gov&nbsp;</a>) so that they may receive these alerts and updates too.Assistance:U.S. Embassy Port of SpainC/O Consular Section- American Citizens Services2 Marli Street, Newtown 190203Trinidad and TobagoRoutine inquiries: +1 (868) 235-4500Emergencies: +1 (868) 622-6371, then press 1Non-Emergency inquiries:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:TrinidadandTobago.ACS@gdit-gss.com">TrinidadandTobago.ACS@gdit-gss.com</a>Website:&nbsp;<a 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US Embassy issues warning to Americans in Trinidad and Tobago

15 Nebraska protests are a part of national pushback against the Trump administration

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — More than 1,000 protesters gathered around the Nebraska Capitol this weekend to protest against the Trump administration.

Saturday wasn’t the first crop of No Kings protests in the state; there were a dozen similar protests in June. This time around, there are 15. The protesters held anti-Trump signs criticizing the callousness of the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts and cuts to federal services. Some chanted for President Donald Trump “to go.”&nbsp;

Some protesters, who did not give their names, said they were happy with the turnout, citing frustrations over the president’s deployment of the National Guard to Democratic-led cities and attacks on transgender rights as frustrations.&nbsp;

The Nebraska protests were part of an estimated 1,900 protests nationally on Saturday, No Kings officials estimated. Organizers said people wanted to speak out against “authoritarian policies” and “reaffirm that America has No Kings, and the power belongs to the people.”&nbsp;

State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln told the Examiner that the protests are “what Democracy looks like.”&nbsp;

“[Democracy] was on my mind as I joined my mom, my son and my neighbors at a peaceful protest … to show love and support for our country and dissent for the current attacks on working families, civil rights, and basic democracy,” she said.&nbsp;

Gov. Jim Pillen shared no details this time around about security preparations, unlike June, when he publicized having activated the National Guard ahead of the first No Kings protests.

“Demonstrations will be actively monitored as they are held across the state and responded to appropriately to ensure the safety and security of the public,” said Laura Strimple, a spokesperson for Pillen.

Much like the midsummer protests, the one outside the Capitol was peaceful, with protesters holding signs by the side of the road as cars passed. Some cars honked in support, while one drove by with “Trump” flags.&nbsp;

One counter-protester carried a sign that read “no queens” with a picture of former Vice President Kamala Harris. The Nebraska Republican Party called the protests across the state “an&nbsp;imagined, astro-turfed performance by Democrats trying to resuscitate a party in chaos through fear and theatrics.”

“Republicans will keep rallying behind a President who actually puts America first and negotiates peace deals in his spare time,” Nebraska GOP chair Mary Jane Truemper said in a statement.

Democratic and Democratic-aligned groups used the protests to reach potential voters. The Lancaster County Democrats, Stand Up Nebraska and the&nbsp;Democratic Socialists of America held booths.

Local organizers booked musical performances and speakers.&nbsp;Speakers emphasized the importance of next year’s midterm elections.&nbsp;One of them was State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln, a Democrat in the officially nonpartisan Legislature.&nbsp;A musician sang “This Land Is Your Land.”

&nbsp;“I know it’s a dark time in our country right now, and in a state like Nebraska it can sometimes feel impossible to beat billionaires, but I want to offer you some hope,” Dungan told the crowd. “I’m talking with people in their communities … and let me tell you. They’re pissed off, too.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760837418867.png" alt=" No Kings protesters at the Nebraska Capitol on Oct. 18, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> No Kings protesters at the Nebraska Capitol on Oct. 18, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>15 Nebraska protests are a part of national pushback against the Trump administration</h2>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — More than 1,000 protesters gathered around the Nebraska Capitol this weekend to protest against the Trump administration.Saturday wasn’t the first crop of No Kings protests in the state; there were a dozen similar protests in June. This time around, there are 15. The protesters held anti-Trump signs criticizing the callousness of the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts and cuts to federal services. Some chanted for President Donald Trump “to go.”&nbsp;Some protesters, who did not give their names, said they were happy with the turnout, citing frustrations over the president’s deployment of the National Guard to Democratic-led cities and attacks on transgender rights as frustrations.&nbsp;The Nebraska protests were part of an estimated 1,900 protests nationally on Saturday, No Kings officials estimated. Organizers said people wanted to speak out against “authoritarian policies” and “reaffirm that America has No Kings, and the power belongs to the people.”&nbsp;State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln told the Examiner that the protests are “what Democracy looks like.”&nbsp;“[Democracy] was on my mind as I joined my mom, my son and my neighbors at a peaceful protest … to show love and support for our country and dissent for the current attacks on working families, civil rights, and basic democracy,” she said.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760837374451.png" alt="State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln at the No Kings protest at the Nebraska Capitol on Oct. 18, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln at the No Kings protest at the Nebraska Capitol on Oct. 18, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Gov. Jim Pillen shared no details this time around about security preparations, unlike June, when he publicized having activated the National Guard ahead of the first No Kings protests.“Demonstrations will be actively monitored as they are held across the state and responded to appropriately to ensure the safety and security of the public,” said Laura Strimple, a spokesperson for Pillen.Much like the midsummer protests, the one outside the Capitol was peaceful, with protesters holding signs by the side of the road as cars passed. Some cars honked in support, while one drove by with “Trump” flags.&nbsp;One counter-protester carried a sign that read “no queens” with a picture of former Vice President Kamala Harris. The Nebraska Republican Party called the protests across the state “an&nbsp;imagined, astro-turfed performance by Democrats trying to resuscitate a party in chaos through fear and theatrics.”“Republicans will keep rallying behind a President who actually puts America first and negotiates peace deals in his spare time,” Nebraska GOP chair Mary Jane Truemper said in a statement.Democratic and Democratic-aligned groups used the protests to reach potential voters. The Lancaster County Democrats, Stand Up Nebraska and the&nbsp;Democratic Socialists of America held booths.Local organizers booked musical performances and speakers.&nbsp;Speakers emphasized the importance of next year’s midterm elections.&nbsp;One of them was State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln, a Democrat in the officially nonpartisan Legislature.&nbsp;A musician sang “This Land Is Your Land.”&nbsp;“I know it’s a dark time in our country right now, and in a state like Nebraska it can sometimes feel impossible to beat billionaires, but I want to offer you some hope,” Dungan told the crowd. “I’m talking with people in their communities … and let me tell you. They’re pissed off, too.”

Protesters gather around Nebraska Capitol for No Kings protest

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/3oRyqbFY0X">pic.twitter.com/3oRyqbFY0X</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1979621169629155743?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Trump releases video of US drone strike on ‘drug-carrying submarine’

Lincoln, Neb. - The Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) is pleased to honor Carrie Gans, Assistant Director Telecommunications, and Robert Leigh, Senior Grain Inspector, as its 2025 State of Nebraska Excellence in Leadership Award recipients.

Gans joined the Commission staff in 2019 as an analyst in the Telecommunications/NUSF department. With a focus on improving the quality of the commission’s work product, she took on the role of assistant director of the department in 2022. An exceptional supervisor, Gans is diligent, accountable and thoughtful in everything she does.

“Carrie has taken on a large volume of additional work over the past year,” said PSC Executive Director Greg Walklin. “A consummate professional, her versatility, focus and desire to see everyone around her succeed makes her an incredible asset to the Commission. She leads by example every day.”

In his role as Senior Grain Inspector, Robert Leigh has proactively and consistently improved processes within the PSC Grain Department. Patient, and understanding, Leigh is mentor to the department’s field staff.

Walklin said, “Robert’s deep institutional knowledge, combined with this calm demeanor, makes him an invaluable resource. By fostering strong working relationships, he brings out the best in everyone around him and helps the PSC complete this critical function for the state.”

A reception honoring the 2025 Nebraska Excellence in Leadership Award recipients was held on October 17, at the Governor’s residence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760727116961.png" alt="Carrie Gans, Assistant Director Telecommunications, and Robert Leigh, Senior Grain Inspector (Courtesy Nebraska Public Service Commission)" />
 <figcaption>Carrie Gans, Assistant Director Telecommunications, and Robert Leigh, Senior Grain Inspector (Courtesy Nebraska Public Service Commission)</figcaption>
 </figure>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASELincoln, Neb. - The Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) is pleased to honor Carrie Gans, Assistant Director Telecommunications, and Robert Leigh, Senior Grain Inspector, as its 2025 State of Nebraska Excellence in Leadership Award recipients.Gans joined the Commission staff in 2019 as an analyst in the Telecommunications/NUSF department. With a focus on improving the quality of the commission’s work product, she took on the role of assistant director of the department in 2022. An exceptional supervisor, Gans is diligent, accountable and thoughtful in everything she does.“Carrie has taken on a large volume of additional work over the past year,” said PSC Executive Director Greg Walklin. “A consummate professional, her versatility, focus and desire to see everyone around her succeed makes her an incredible asset to the Commission. She leads by example every day.”In his role as Senior Grain Inspector, Robert Leigh has proactively and consistently improved processes within the PSC Grain Department. Patient, and understanding, Leigh is mentor to the department’s field staff.Walklin said, “Robert’s deep institutional knowledge, combined with this calm demeanor, makes him an invaluable resource. By fostering strong working relationships, he brings out the best in everyone around him and helps the PSC complete this critical function for the state.”A reception honoring the 2025 Nebraska Excellence in Leadership Award recipients was held on October 17, at the Governor’s residence.

PSC Excellence In Leadership Recipients Honored

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a>- <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s two largest airports aren’t airing a video by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democrats for the government shutdown.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Officials with the biggest airport in the state — Omaha-based airport&nbsp;Eppley Airfield — aren’t playing the video because DHS and the Transportation Security Administration have not requested to show the video at the Omaha airport or on its screens or systems, an Eppley Airfield spokesperson said. The airport in Lincoln lacks video monitors in its TSA screening area, so the video can’t be played.&nbsp;

Omaha and Lincoln join&nbsp;airports in&nbsp;Atlanta, Buffalo, N.Y., Charlotte, Chicago, Las Vegas, New Jersey, Phoenix, Portland, Ore., and Seattle that have confirmed not playing the Noem video. Airport officials in those states point to local policies and state laws restricting politicking in those spaces for the reason,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/14/nx-s1-5574162/kristi-noem-tsa-video-hatch-act-ethics-violation" target="_blank">according to NPR</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/10/14/texas-airports-kristi-noem-tsa-video-government-shutdown/" target="_blank">Texas airports</a>&nbsp;are refusing to play the video for similar reasons.

Airports typically run most videos from the Homeland Security head on screens at&nbsp;Transportation Security Administration checkpoints,&nbsp;but these generally relate to&nbsp;safety information and don’t get political.&nbsp;

<a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1976668787467514316" target="_blank">The video posted</a>&nbsp;by White House shows Noem saying it’s “​​TSA’s top priority to make sure that you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible while we keep you safe,” but “Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay.”

With the federal government shut down and no end in sight, the Trump administration has used government websites and agencies&nbsp; — which are supposed to avoid politicking — in a messaging battle over who is to blame for Congress not funding the federal government, for the shutdown.&nbsp;

For example, websites for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Housing and Urban Development posted messages blaming the “Radical Left” in Congress. The Trump administration is also&nbsp;inserting language&nbsp;in some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/05/nx-s1-5563182/shutdown-lawsuit-education-department-partisan-messages" target="_blank">automated email responses</a>&nbsp;blaming Democrats for the impasse.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.krem.com/article/news/local/washington/senator-cantwell-demands-investigation-dhs-airport-video/293-dd34ea47-1d74-4d7a-85e1-7d844ae0bec4" target="_blank">Democratic senators now allege</a>&nbsp;that the Department of Homeland Security violated the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fosc.gov%2FServices%2Fpages%2Fhatchact.aspx&amp;data=05%7C02%7Caaron.cooper%40cnn.com%7Cddc529cbb9a040d796c408de0c04674b%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638961410209641536%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=DrU1nDUhPWz%2BP9hRE6Uv7C45GhZp5uLvBL2kaERf71k%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Hatch Act</a>, a 1939 law that prohibits&nbsp;political activities of federal employees to ensure government programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion,&nbsp;by asking airports to play the video blaming Democrats for the shutdown. It’s unlikely Noem would face any&nbsp;consequences,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/14/nx-s1-5574162/kristi-noem-tsa-video-hatch-act-ethics-violation" target="_blank">according to legal experts</a>.

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a>- <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska’s two largest airports aren’t airing a video by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democrats for the government shutdown.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Currently playing at every public airport in America:<a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a>: &quot;We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact you — and it is our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hwVfwLxVJR">pic.twitter.com/hwVfwLxVJR</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1976668787467514316?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Officials with the biggest airport in the state — Omaha-based airport&nbsp;Eppley Airfield — aren’t playing the video because DHS and the Transportation Security Administration have not requested to show the video at the Omaha airport or on its screens or systems, an Eppley Airfield spokesperson said. The airport in Lincoln lacks video monitors in its TSA screening area, so the video can’t be played.&nbsp;Omaha and Lincoln join&nbsp;airports in&nbsp;Atlanta, Buffalo, N.Y., Charlotte, Chicago, Las Vegas, New Jersey, Phoenix, Portland, Ore., and Seattle that have confirmed not playing the Noem video. Airport officials in those states point to local policies and state laws restricting politicking in those spaces for the reason,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/14/nx-s1-5574162/kristi-noem-tsa-video-hatch-act-ethics-violation" target="_blank">according to NPR</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/10/14/texas-airports-kristi-noem-tsa-video-government-shutdown/" target="_blank">Texas airports</a>&nbsp;are refusing to play the video for similar reasons.Airports typically run most videos from the Homeland Security head on screens at&nbsp;Transportation Security Administration checkpoints,&nbsp;but these generally relate to&nbsp;safety information and don’t get political.&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1976668787467514316" target="_blank">The video posted</a>&nbsp;by White House shows Noem saying it’s “​​TSA’s top priority to make sure that you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible while we keep you safe,” but “Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay.”With the federal government shut down and no end in sight, the Trump administration has used government websites and agencies&nbsp; — which are supposed to avoid politicking — in a messaging battle over who is to blame for Congress not funding the federal government, for the shutdown.&nbsp;For example, websites for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Housing and Urban Development posted messages blaming the “Radical Left” in Congress. The Trump administration is also&nbsp;inserting language&nbsp;in some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/05/nx-s1-5563182/shutdown-lawsuit-education-department-partisan-messages" target="_blank">automated email responses</a>&nbsp;blaming Democrats for the impasse.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.krem.com/article/news/local/washington/senator-cantwell-demands-investigation-dhs-airport-video/293-dd34ea47-1d74-4d7a-85e1-7d844ae0bec4" target="_blank">Democratic senators now allege</a>&nbsp;that the Department of Homeland Security violated the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fosc.gov%2FServices%2Fpages%2Fhatchact.aspx&amp;data=05%7C02%7Caaron.cooper%40cnn.com%7Cddc529cbb9a040d796c408de0c04674b%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638961410209641536%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=DrU1nDUhPWz%2BP9hRE6Uv7C45GhZp5uLvBL2kaERf71k%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Hatch Act</a>, a 1939 law that prohibits&nbsp;political activities of federal employees to ensure government programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion,&nbsp;by asking airports to play the video blaming Democrats for the shutdown. It’s unlikely Noem would face any&nbsp;consequences,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/14/nx-s1-5574162/kristi-noem-tsa-video-hatch-act-ethics-violation" target="_blank">according to legal experts</a>.

Nebraska airports aren’t playing video from DHS’s Noem blaming Dems for government shutdown

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — More than 2,600 nonviolent demonstrations against President Donald Trump’s administration are slated Saturday as part of No Kings day.

The includes in Missouri, where rallies are expected to take place in communities all across the state and at the Capitol in Jefferson City.

The second No Kings day, following another in June, is in response to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nokings.org/host-toolkit" target="_blank">what a broad coalition</a>&nbsp;of liberal advocacy and labor organizations say is “the increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption of the Trump administration, which they have doubled down on since June.”

Organizers expect millions of Americans to join in peaceful events in Washington, D.C., across the country and internationally. Locations are pinpointed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nokings.org/#map" target="_blank">a map</a>&nbsp;on the organization’s website.

“No Kings is back,” said Eunic Epstein-Ortiz, a national spokesperson, at a press conference Thursday. “And over the past few months, thousands of people have organized once again in their communities, on the ground locally, volunteering to bring their neighbors, families and friends together to say, unequivocally, we have no kings. Together, they’re the ones making this Saturday’s mobilization the largest single-day protest in modern history.”

Shutdown, Trump crackdown since June protests

The demonstrations build off the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/army-parade-trump-birthday-take-over-dc-no-kings-protests-erupt-across-nation" target="_blank">No Kings protests in June</a>, which coincided with Trump’s massive military parade on his 79th birthday.

Four months later, the federal government is mired in an ongoing shutdown that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-government-shutdown-begins-no-easy-exit-sight" target="_blank">began Oct. 1</a>&nbsp;with no clear end in sight. The administration has also cracked down on U.S. cities, deploying&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/former-governors-state-ags-weigh-trumps-deployment-national-guard-troops" target="_blank">National Guard troops</a>&nbsp;and partaking in sweeping immigration raids.

Leading voices from labor and advocacy groups that are part of the broad No Kings coalition amplified their message ahead of the planned protests during the Thursday press conference, underscoring a peaceful day of action on Saturday.

“We’re going to vigorously exercise our democratic rights peacefully and nonviolently, and against this tyrannical threat of Donald Trump and his administration, we are going to protect American democracy,” said Robert Weissman, co-president of Public Citizen.

House speaker criticizes No Kings day&nbsp;

National leaders from the coalition also pushed back against U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s depiction of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/10/no-kings-protest-mike-johnson-00602705" target="_blank">the demonstrations</a>&nbsp;as the “hate America rally.”

The Louisiana Republican claimed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srnZYkzSFXM" target="_blank">Fox News Oct. 10 that</a>&nbsp;“it’s all the pro-Hamas wing and the antifa people — they’re all coming out,” adding: “Some of the House Democrats are selling T-shirts for the event, and it’s being told to us that they won’t be able to reopen the government until after that rally because they can’t face their rabid base.”

Leah Greenberg, co-founder of Indivisible, said “there is nothing more American than saying that we don’t have kings and exercising our right to peaceful protest,” adding: “America doesn’t have kings. That’s our entire point.”

Greenberg said: “I also want to be clear: it is ridiculous, it’s also sinister, because it is part of a broader effort to create a permission structure to crack down on organized opposition and peaceful dissent in this country.

“They are sending the National Guard into American cities, they are terrorizing our immigrant friends and neighbors with their secret police, they are prosecuting political opponents, and now they are trying to smear millions of Americans who are coming out to protest so that they can justify a crackdown on peaceful dissent.”

Katie Bethell, executive director of MoveOn, said “let’s be crystal clear about who is peacefully taking the streets on Saturday — it’s teachers, federal workers, nurses, families, our neighbors and our friends.

“All of our leaders, Republicans and Democrats alike, should listen to what these patriotic Americans have to say,” Bethell said.

“The millions of people protesting are centered around a fierce love of our country, a country that we believe is worth fighting for,” she said. “This is the reality across cities and towns, large and small, rural and suburban, in red areas, blue areas — millions of us are peacefully coming together on Saturday to send a clear and unmistakable message: The power belongs to the people.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760736482929.jpeg" alt="Participants joined the No Kings rally in Fargo, North Dakota, on June 14 (Erin Hemme Froslie/North Dakota Monitor)." />
 <figcaption>Participants joined the No Kings rally in Fargo, North Dakota, on June 14 (Erin Hemme Froslie/North Dakota Monitor).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>WASHINGTON — More than 2,600 nonviolent demonstrations against President Donald Trump’s administration are slated Saturday as part of No Kings day.The includes in Missouri, where rallies are expected to take place in communities all across the state and at the Capitol in Jefferson City.The second No Kings day, following another in June, is in response to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nokings.org/host-toolkit" target="_blank">what a broad coalition</a>&nbsp;of liberal advocacy and labor organizations say is “the increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption of the Trump administration, which they have doubled down on since June.”Organizers expect millions of Americans to join in peaceful events in Washington, D.C., across the country and internationally. Locations are pinpointed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nokings.org/#map" target="_blank">a map</a>&nbsp;on the organization’s website.“No Kings is back,” said Eunic Epstein-Ortiz, a national spokesperson, at a press conference Thursday. “And over the past few months, thousands of people have organized once again in their communities, on the ground locally, volunteering to bring their neighbors, families and friends together to say, unequivocally, we have no kings. Together, they’re the ones making this Saturday’s mobilization the largest single-day protest in modern history.”<h2>Shutdown, Trump crackdown since June protests</h2>The demonstrations build off the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/army-parade-trump-birthday-take-over-dc-no-kings-protests-erupt-across-nation" target="_blank">No Kings protests in June</a>, which coincided with Trump’s massive military parade on his 79th birthday.Four months later, the federal government is mired in an ongoing shutdown that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-government-shutdown-begins-no-easy-exit-sight" target="_blank">began Oct. 1</a>&nbsp;with no clear end in sight. The administration has also cracked down on U.S. cities, deploying&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/former-governors-state-ags-weigh-trumps-deployment-national-guard-troops" target="_blank">National Guard troops</a>&nbsp;and partaking in sweeping immigration raids.Leading voices from labor and advocacy groups that are part of the broad No Kings coalition amplified their message ahead of the planned protests during the Thursday press conference, underscoring a peaceful day of action on Saturday.“We’re going to vigorously exercise our democratic rights peacefully and nonviolently, and against this tyrannical threat of Donald Trump and his administration, we are going to protect American democracy,” said Robert Weissman, co-president of Public Citizen.<h2>House speaker criticizes No Kings day&nbsp;</h2>National leaders from the coalition also pushed back against U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s depiction of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/10/no-kings-protest-mike-johnson-00602705" target="_blank">the demonstrations</a>&nbsp;as the “hate America rally.”The Louisiana Republican claimed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srnZYkzSFXM" target="_blank">Fox News Oct. 10 that</a>&nbsp;“it’s all the pro-Hamas wing and the antifa people — they’re all coming out,” adding: “Some of the House Democrats are selling T-shirts for the event, and it’s being told to us that they won’t be able to reopen the government until after that rally because they can’t face their rabid base.”Leah Greenberg, co-founder of Indivisible, said “there is nothing more American than saying that we don’t have kings and exercising our right to peaceful protest,” adding: “America doesn’t have kings. That’s our entire point.”Greenberg said: “I also want to be clear: it is ridiculous, it’s also sinister, because it is part of a broader effort to create a permission structure to crack down on organized opposition and peaceful dissent in this country.“They are sending the National Guard into American cities, they are terrorizing our immigrant friends and neighbors with their secret police, they are prosecuting political opponents, and now they are trying to smear millions of Americans who are coming out to protest so that they can justify a crackdown on peaceful dissent.”Katie Bethell, executive director of MoveOn, said “let’s be crystal clear about who is peacefully taking the streets on Saturday — it’s teachers, federal workers, nurses, families, our neighbors and our friends.“All of our leaders, Republicans and Democrats alike, should listen to what these patriotic Americans have to say,” Bethell said.“The millions of people protesting are centered around a fierce love of our country, a country that we believe is worth fighting for,” she said. “This is the reality across cities and towns, large and small, rural and suburban, in red areas, blue areas — millions of us are peacefully coming together on Saturday to send a clear and unmistakable message: The power belongs to the people.”

No Kings day expected to draw millions for anti-Trump mass protests

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673636785376.png" alt="File photo Former Rep. George Santos" />
 <figcaption>File photo Former Rep. George Santos</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/RsKT1qVuOr">pic.twitter.com/RsKT1qVuOr</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1979307772563820927?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Trump commutes former Rep. George Santos' 7-year fraud sentence

Lincoln, Neb. - (October 17, 2025) - Visit Nebraska’s application cycle is now open for both the Marketing Grant Program and Community Impact Grant Program. The programs offer funding opportunities to communities and organizations to promote all Nebraska has to see and do to travelers.

The Visit Nebraska Marketing Grant Program encourages applicants to request funding for a variety of marketing activities to promote their destination, business, or event to the traveling public. The promotions might include the development of professional photography, participation in tourism industry seminars, strategic digital storytelling through influencer services, advertising through media sources and more!&nbsp;

Through the Community Impact Grant program, communities hosting large-scale events can apply for marketing assistance to attract a significant percentage of out-of-state visitors in an effort to generate favorable national and/or international press coverage for the state.&nbsp;The grant cycle is open until December 18, 2025. Grant recipients will be announced February 17, 2026.&nbsp;

<a href="https://visitnebraska.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=30cc1cad235a879fac111c22b&amp;id=5f5d396150&amp;e=65d6a9d786" target="_blank">Click here to view the grant guidelines.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760726401842.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASELincoln, Neb. - (October 17, 2025) - Visit Nebraska’s application cycle is now open for both the Marketing Grant Program and Community Impact Grant Program. The programs offer funding opportunities to communities and organizations to promote all Nebraska has to see and do to travelers.The Visit Nebraska Marketing Grant Program encourages applicants to request funding for a variety of marketing activities to promote their destination, business, or event to the traveling public. The promotions might include the development of professional photography, participation in tourism industry seminars, strategic digital storytelling through influencer services, advertising through media sources and more!&nbsp;Through the Community Impact Grant program, communities hosting large-scale events can apply for marketing assistance to attract a significant percentage of out-of-state visitors in an effort to generate favorable national and/or international press coverage for the state.&nbsp;The grant cycle is open until December 18, 2025. Grant recipients will be announced February 17, 2026.&nbsp;<a href="https://visitnebraska.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=30cc1cad235a879fac111c22b&amp;id=5f5d396150&amp;e=65d6a9d786" target="_blank">Click here to view the grant guidelines.</a>

Visit Nebraska Marketing and Community Impact Grant Programs Open to Applicants

MCCOOK, Neb. — A lawsuit filed on October 15, 2025, in Red Willow County District Court aims to prevent the conversion of Nebraska's Work Ethic Camp in McCook into a federal immigration detention facility. The plaintiffs include former State Senator DiAnna Schimek and 13 McCook residents: Catherine McDowell, Dale Dueland, Jon Graff, Linda Graff, Matt Sehnert, Mary Dueland, Peter Mark Graff, Ronda Graff, Will Branham, Bruce Hoffman, Kaye Beick, Connie Haller, and Bruce McDowell.

Filed by Nebraska Appleseed, the 24-page complaint argues that Governor Jim Pillen’s plan oversteps constitutional authority by bypassing the Nebraska Legislature. The lawsuit names Governor Pillen and Nebraska Department of Correctional Services Director Rob Jeffreys as defendants. The plaintiffs contend that only the Legislature has the power to manage and repurpose state-owned penal institutions.

“Nebraska state law is clear: The governor does not have the unilateral authority to change the purpose of any public building. That’s the Legislature’s job,” said Robert McEwen, Legal Director of Nebraska Appleseed. “Our clients have expressed concern about the lack of transparency in making this decision and the many ways that replacing the Work Ethic Camp will cause harm to their community, including the loss of valuable services carried out by incarcerated men in the Work Ethic Camp.”

The Work Ethic Camp, established in 2001, is Nebraska’s only minimum-security rehabilitation facility of its kind. Inmates participate in community-based programs and work projects designed to teach job skills, foster rehabilitation, and maintain ties to the community. The lawsuit argues that converting the facility into an ICE detention center would disrupt these programs and negatively affect McCook residents who benefit from inmate labor and community services.

Governor Pillen announced the plan in August 2025, with the Trump administration branding it the “Cornhusker Clink.” The facility is expected to house up to 280 low- to medium-risk ICE detainees and to begin operations on November 1, 2025. Nebraska will continue to own and operate the facility, while the federal government reimburses the state for housing costs. According to information confirmed by a family member of a Work Ethic Camp employee, staff are continuing to work and train to meet ICE standards, remaining on payroll during the ongoing lawsuit and facility transition.

A hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for October 24, 2025. The plaintiffs are seeking both a temporary restraining order and a permanent injunction to halt the conversion. Depending on the outcome, the McCook ICE facility could face delays, operational restrictions, or cancellation, leaving questions about the future of the Work Ethic Camp and its programs unresolved.

As the November 1 opening date approaches, the facility remains at the center of a legal, political, and community debate, highlighting the tension between state and federal priorities, local input, and the enforcement of immigration policy in Nebraska.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737601384869.jpg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>MCCOOK, Neb. — A lawsuit filed on October 15, 2025, in Red Willow County District Court aims to prevent the conversion of Nebraska's Work Ethic Camp in McCook into a federal immigration detention facility. The plaintiffs include former State Senator DiAnna Schimek and 13 McCook residents: Catherine McDowell, Dale Dueland, Jon Graff, Linda Graff, Matt Sehnert, Mary Dueland, Peter Mark Graff, Ronda Graff, Will Branham, Bruce Hoffman, Kaye Beick, Connie Haller, and Bruce McDowell.Filed by Nebraska Appleseed, the 24-page complaint argues that Governor Jim Pillen’s plan oversteps constitutional authority by bypassing the Nebraska Legislature. The lawsuit names Governor Pillen and Nebraska Department of Correctional Services Director Rob Jeffreys as defendants. The plaintiffs contend that only the Legislature has the power to manage and repurpose state-owned penal institutions.“Nebraska state law is clear: The governor does not have the unilateral authority to change the purpose of any public building. That’s the Legislature’s job,” said Robert McEwen, Legal Director of Nebraska Appleseed. “Our clients have expressed concern about the lack of transparency in making this decision and the many ways that replacing the Work Ethic Camp will cause harm to their community, including the loss of valuable services carried out by incarcerated men in the Work Ethic Camp.”The Work Ethic Camp, established in 2001, is Nebraska’s only minimum-security rehabilitation facility of its kind. Inmates participate in community-based programs and work projects designed to teach job skills, foster rehabilitation, and maintain ties to the community. The lawsuit argues that converting the facility into an ICE detention center would disrupt these programs and negatively affect McCook residents who benefit from inmate labor and community services.Governor Pillen announced the plan in August 2025, with the Trump administration branding it the “Cornhusker Clink.” The facility is expected to house up to 280 low- to medium-risk ICE detainees and to begin operations on November 1, 2025. Nebraska will continue to own and operate the facility, while the federal government reimburses the state for housing costs. According to information confirmed by a family member of a Work Ethic Camp employee, staff are continuing to work and train to meet ICE standards, remaining on payroll during the ongoing lawsuit and facility transition.A hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for October 24, 2025. The plaintiffs are seeking both a temporary restraining order and a permanent injunction to halt the conversion. Depending on the outcome, the McCook ICE facility could face delays, operational restrictions, or cancellation, leaving questions about the future of the Work Ethic Camp and its programs unresolved.As the November 1 opening date approaches, the facility remains at the center of a legal, political, and community debate, highlighting the tension between state and federal priorities, local input, and the enforcement of immigration policy in Nebraska.

Lawsuit Seeks to Halt McCook ICE Facility Plan

by Chabella Guzman |<a href="https://preec.unl.edu/news/fifth-graders-explore-waters-uses-and-effects-annual-wet-event/"> PREEC Communications</a>

Scottsbluff, Neb. — The annual Water Education for Tomorrow (WET) event welcomed more than 300 fifth-graders Oct. 7-8 to the North Platte Natural Resources District (NPNRD) Campus in Scottsbluff. The two-day event featured nine stations where fifth graders rotated to learn about water and its many aspects through educational talks and hands-on activities. The event is a collaboration between the Educational Service Unit (ESU) 13 and the NPNRD.&nbsp;

“It’s just a chance for area 5th-grade students to come and learn about an important natural resource, ‘water,’ from experts from around the area,” said Dave Griess, ESU 13 professional learning coordinator. The event is a team effort as both the NPNRD and ESU 13 go over evaluations and tweak aspects of the event. They develop nine different stations and get presenters who are very informative and hands-on. “I think the kids love to learn about science, social studies, and natural resources, in different ways than in the classroom.”

Among the returning stations was “Water Safety,” run by the Scottsbluff Rural Fire Department.&nbsp;

“We’re telling them about fire and water safety,” said Carissa Schank-Grubbs, Scottsbluff Rural Fire Department fire chief. “They go to the pool, and go to the lake, and we do have lots of bodies of water around here, and it’s important for kids to know about life jackets and how to use them.” The highlight for the students was at the end of the session, when they would get to spray the fire department's firehose.&nbsp;

Each station had something the students enjoyed and dealt with water. “We have a fantastic campus where we can have nine different stations and 200 kids all spread out. The topic also fits well with our purpose, water resources,” said Kyle Ann Hopkins, NPNRD data management and outreach coordinator.&nbsp;

Many of the children note their favorite part involves the animals the Riverside Discovery Zoo brings out to the event. This year, a short-tailed python visited with the students on Tuesday. The presenter explained to the students how water can make it easier or harder for snakes to burrow in the ground, where they build homes or wait to attack prey.&nbsp;

“It’s a fun field trip. So interactive, hands-on, and an enhancement for science time,” said Rebecca Wenger, fifth-grade teacher at Lincoln Heights. “They like to talk about their favorite station, and later on in the year, they remember the interaction here and how it applies to their textbook learning.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://preec.unl.edu/sites/unl.edu.ianr.extension.panhandle/files/styles/16_9_720x405/public/media/image/wet%2010-7-25%20np12nrd.jpg?itok=lbrirAbm" alt="Lake Minatare Elementary students Addison (left) and Allison Engelhaupt line up to ask questions and pet the short-tailed python at the Effects of Water Erosion water station. (Chabella Guzman | PREEC Communicatoins)" />
 <figcaption>Lake Minatare Elementary students Addison (left) and Allison Engelhaupt line up to ask questions and pet the short-tailed python at the Effects of Water Erosion water station. (Chabella Guzman | PREEC Communicatoins)</figcaption>
 </figure>by Chabella Guzman |<a href="https://preec.unl.edu/news/fifth-graders-explore-waters-uses-and-effects-annual-wet-event/"> PREEC Communications</a>Scottsbluff, Neb. — The annual Water Education for Tomorrow (WET) event welcomed more than 300 fifth-graders Oct. 7-8 to the North Platte Natural Resources District (NPNRD) Campus in Scottsbluff. The two-day event featured nine stations where fifth graders rotated to learn about water and its many aspects through educational talks and hands-on activities. The event is a collaboration between the Educational Service Unit (ESU) 13 and the NPNRD.&nbsp;“It’s just a chance for area 5th-grade students to come and learn about an important natural resource, ‘water,’ from experts from around the area,” said Dave Griess, ESU 13 professional learning coordinator. The event is a team effort as both the NPNRD and ESU 13 go over evaluations and tweak aspects of the event. They develop nine different stations and get presenters who are very informative and hands-on. “I think the kids love to learn about science, social studies, and natural resources, in different ways than in the classroom.”Among the returning stations was “Water Safety,” run by the Scottsbluff Rural Fire Department.&nbsp;“We’re telling them about fire and water safety,” said Carissa Schank-Grubbs, Scottsbluff Rural Fire Department fire chief. “They go to the pool, and go to the lake, and we do have lots of bodies of water around here, and it’s important for kids to know about life jackets and how to use them.” The highlight for the students was at the end of the session, when they would get to spray the fire department's firehose.&nbsp;Each station had something the students enjoyed and dealt with water. “We have a fantastic campus where we can have nine different stations and 200 kids all spread out. The topic also fits well with our purpose, water resources,” said Kyle Ann Hopkins, NPNRD data management and outreach coordinator.&nbsp;Many of the children note their favorite part involves the animals the Riverside Discovery Zoo brings out to the event. This year, a short-tailed python visited with the students on Tuesday. The presenter explained to the students how water can make it easier or harder for snakes to burrow in the ground, where they build homes or wait to attack prey.&nbsp;“It’s a fun field trip. So interactive, hands-on, and an enhancement for science time,” said Rebecca Wenger, fifth-grade teacher at Lincoln Heights. “They like to talk about their favorite station, and later on in the year, they remember the interaction here and how it applies to their textbook learning.”

Fifth graders explore water’s uses and effects at annual WET event

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenKatieBritt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenKatieBritt</a>: &quot;President Trump very clearly said where he was on this, and he said &#39;I&#39;m going to make sure that [IVF] is more accessible and more affordable for families coast to coast&#39; ... President Trump wants to actually make things happen, that’s exactly what he did here.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/8WA3zdR3EN">pic.twitter.com/8WA3zdR3EN</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1978925718516949428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump on expanding IVF Access: &quot;Today I&#39;m pleased to announce that after extensive negotiations, EMD Serono the largest fertility drug manufacturer in the world, has agreed to provide massive discounts to all fertility drugs they sell in the United States.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/8QHzjOtxN8">pic.twitter.com/8QHzjOtxN8</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1978914304381387193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Trump deal will  lower the cost of a common IVF drug

GERING, Neb. — Human remains found on the north side of Scotts Bluff National Monument have been sent to Omaha for forensic testing, as investigators work to determine whether there may be a connection to the 2019 disappearance of Chance Englebert.

Officials have not identified the remains or released information regarding cause of death. The discovery was made over the weekend, prompting a coordinated response from local agencies.

Family members confirmed they were notified early Saturday morning following the discovery. Items recovered at the scene have been reported by the family to be consistent with belongings previously associated with Englebert.

Englebert, originally from Wyoming, went missing in 2019 after visiting family in Gering, Nebraska. The case has drawn attention in both states over the years, as family members and volunteers have continued to search for answers.

The remains are being transported to Omaha for examination through the Douglas County Coroner’s Office. Local and state law enforcement continue to coordinate on the investigation.

This is a developing story. Further updates will be provided as additional information becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575556211800.png" alt="Chance Englebert" />
 <figcaption>Chance Englebert</figcaption>
 </figure>GERING, Neb. — Human remains found on the north side of Scotts Bluff National Monument have been sent to Omaha for forensic testing, as investigators work to determine whether there may be a connection to the 2019 disappearance of Chance Englebert.Officials have not identified the remains or released information regarding cause of death. The discovery was made over the weekend, prompting a coordinated response from local agencies.Family members confirmed they were notified early Saturday morning following the discovery. Items recovered at the scene have been reported by the family to be consistent with belongings previously associated with Englebert.Englebert, originally from Wyoming, went missing in 2019 after visiting family in Gering, Nebraska. The case has drawn attention in both states over the years, as family members and volunteers have continued to search for answers.The remains are being transported to Omaha for examination through the Douglas County Coroner’s Office. Local and state law enforcement continue to coordinate on the investigation.This is a developing story. Further updates will be provided as additional information becomes available.

Remains Found Near Scotts Bluff National Monument Could Be Linked to Missing Man Chance Englebert

Nebraska high school students are once again setting the bar when it comes to the ACT.

According to the Nebraska Department of Education, the state’s class of 2025 earned an average composite score of 19.2 — slightly higher than last year’s 19.1 — and the highest in the nation among states that require all students to take the test.

The ACT measures college readiness in English, math, reading, and science. Nebraska is one of just a handful of states that require every high school junior to take the exam as part of the Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System. Because every student participates — not just those planning to go to college — Nebraska’s average score gives a more complete picture of how students are performing statewide.

Nationally, the average ACT score stayed flat this year at 19.4. But that number can be misleading — only about a third of U.S. students actually take the test. In states where the ACT is optional, scores often skew higher because they mostly reflect college-bound students.

When looking just at states with 100% participation, Nebraska stands out. The average among those states was 18.2, a full point below Nebraska’s score.

State officials say the results show that Nebraska students continue to outperform their peers in similar testing programs across the country.

Nebraska’s students posted solid results across every subject area:

Those numbers mark small but steady gains in most subjects compared to last year.

Education leaders say the consistent performance reflects both the strength of Nebraska schools and the state’s commitment to preparing all students for life after high school — whether that’s college, career training, or entering the workforce.

However, the state has seen a gradual decline in ACT scores over the past few years, mirroring national trends. In 2021, Nebraska’s average was around 20.0 before dipping below 19.5 in recent years.

Experts point out that students who complete a full college-prep curriculum — courses like four years of English and three or more years each of math, science, and social studies — score several points higher on average than those who do not. That gap highlights the importance of making rigorous coursework accessible to every student.

While Nebraska’s scores may not top every state nationwide, they do lead among the group that tests every student — a strong showing that speaks to the state’s overall academic performance.

As Nebraska Education Commissioner Brian Maher said in a statement, “Our students continue to show resilience and achievement that make Nebraska proud.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760639248526.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Nebraska high school students are once again setting the bar when it comes to the ACT.According to the Nebraska Department of Education, the state’s class of 2025 earned an average composite score of 19.2 — slightly higher than last year’s 19.1 — and the highest in the nation among states that require all students to take the test.The ACT measures college readiness in English, math, reading, and science. Nebraska is one of just a handful of states that require every high school junior to take the exam as part of the Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System. Because every student participates — not just those planning to go to college — Nebraska’s average score gives a more complete picture of how students are performing statewide.<h2>How Nebraska Compares</h2>Nationally, the average ACT score stayed flat this year at 19.4. But that number can be misleading — only about a third of U.S. students actually take the test. In states where the ACT is optional, scores often skew higher because they mostly reflect college-bound students.When looking just at states with 100% participation, Nebraska stands out. The average among those states was 18.2, a full point below Nebraska’s score.State officials say the results show that Nebraska students continue to outperform their peers in similar testing programs across the country.<h2>Breaking Down the Numbers</h2>Nebraska’s students posted solid results across every subject area:<ul>
 <li>English: 18.2
</li><li>Math: 18.9
</li><li>Reading: 19.6
</li><li>Science: 19.4
</li>
 </ul>Those numbers mark small but steady gains in most subjects compared to last year.<h2>What It Means</h2>Education leaders say the consistent performance reflects both the strength of Nebraska schools and the state’s commitment to preparing all students for life after high school — whether that’s college, career training, or entering the workforce.However, the state has seen a gradual decline in ACT scores over the past few years, mirroring national trends. In 2021, Nebraska’s average was around 20.0 before dipping below 19.5 in recent years.Experts point out that students who complete a full college-prep curriculum — courses like four years of English and three or more years each of math, science, and social studies — score several points higher on average than those who do not. That gap highlights the importance of making rigorous coursework accessible to every student.<h2>The Big Picture</h2>While Nebraska’s scores may not top every state nationwide, they do lead among the group that tests every student — a strong showing that speaks to the state’s overall academic performance.As Nebraska Education Commissioner Brian Maher said in a statement, “Our students continue to show resilience and achievement that make Nebraska proud.”

Nebraska Students Lead Nation Among States That Test All Students on ACT

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>

WASHINGTON — A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Wednesday, blocking the Trump administration from moving forward with the thousands of layoffs it initiated after the government shutdown began Oct. 1, as well as any others that officials might want to carry out.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The hearing in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California took place at the same time White House budget director Russ Vought appeared on the conservative Charlie Kirk podcast to preview his next steps.

Vought warned the initial Reductions in Force, the technical term for a layoff notice, were just “a snapshot” and that as many as 10,000 federal workers would lose their jobs if the shutdown drags on.

“We’re going to keep those RIFs rolling throughout this shutdown because we think it’s important to stay on offense for the American taxpayer and the American people,” Vought said. “We want to be very aggressive where we can be in shuttering the bureaucracy, not just the funding, but the bureaucracy.”

Judge Susan Illston said during the hearing that she granted the temporary restraining order because Trump administration officials had “taken advantage of the lapse in government spending, government functioning to assume that all bets are off, that the laws don’t apply to them anymore and that they can impose the structures that they like on the government situation that they don’t like.”&nbsp;

Illston said laws and regulations still apply during a shutdown and that, by all appearances, the Trump administration’s actions in the case are politically motivated.&nbsp;

“Things are being done before they’re thought through — very much ready, fire, aim,” Illston said.

The ruling will put the approximately 4,000 layoffs noticed during the shutdown on hold as the court case proceeds.&nbsp;

DOJ unprepared to speak on merits of case

Elizabeth Hedges, a Justice Department attorney arguing the case on behalf of the Trump administration, said several times during the brief hearing she wasn’t prepared to speak about the merits of the case — a position that confounded the judge, who gave Hedges several chances to reverse course.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We may be able to address the merits at the next stage,” Hedges said, after telling Illston she would need to check with others before making any statements about why the administration believes its actions are legal.&nbsp;

Danielle Leonard, an attorney representing the labor unions that brought the lawsuit, urged the judge to grant a temporary restraining order for all the departments and agencies that make up the executive branch, not just those that have announced RIFs.

Leonard said she believes Trump administration officials have decided how many additional federal employees to lay off during the shutdown, but have opted not to share that information with the court.

“The decision has been made, it’s just a question of implementation and timing,” Leonard said, around the same time Vought was giving his podcast interview.&nbsp;

Illston, who was nominated by former President Bill Clinton, said at the end of the hearing she expected the attorneys to find a day in the coming weeks when they can attend a hearing on the next stage, which would be a preliminary injunction.

On the other side of the country, Republicans and Democrats continued to spar on Capitol Hill over the reasons for the shutdown, as the Senate failed for a ninth time to advance a short-term government spending bill.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00572.htm" target="_blank">51-44 vote</a>&nbsp;was nearly identical to the others that have taken place since mid-September, and neither side appeared inclined to make concessions or even try to negotiate.&nbsp;

Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, both Democrats, and Maine independent Sen. Angus King voted with Republicans to advance the bill. Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul voted no.

Democrats maintain there must be a bipartisan deal to extend the enhanced tax credits that are set to expire at the end of this year for people who get their health insurance from the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.&nbsp;

GOP leaders said they are willing to begin negotiations on that issue, but only after Democrats vote to advance the stopgap bill that would fund government through Nov. 21.&nbsp;

The House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/chance-government-shutdown-rises-us-senate-fails-advance-spending-bill" target="_blank">voted mostly along party</a>&nbsp;lines to approve the legislation in mid-September, but it has remained stalled in the Senate ever since, unable to garner the 60 votes needed to advance toward final passage. Republicans control the chamber with 53 seats.

Congress needs to approve the stopgap bill since it, once again, failed to approve all 12 of the full-year government funding bills by the Oct. 1 start of the new fiscal year.

The only other way to end the funding lapse would be for both chambers to reach a broadly bipartisan consensus on all of those appropriations bills.&nbsp;

The layoffs initiated by the Trump administration during the shutdown were detailed further on Tuesday in court filings from the labor unions’ attorneys as well as Trump administration officials.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Stephen Billy, senior adviser at the Office of Management and Budget, wrote the number of layoff notices had changed since Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/substantial-layoffs-federal-workers-launched-trump-administration-amid-shutdown" target="_blank">when he outlined</a>&nbsp;the Reductions in Force to the court.

The numbers have fluctuated significantly for some departments, but not for all.&nbsp;

Federal workers at those departments have 60 days between when the notice was sent and when they will no longer have jobs, though a different standard is in place at the Energy Department and the Environmental Protection Agency.&nbsp;

Energy officials, the document says, “issued a general RIF notice informing 179 employees that they may receive a specific notice in the future if it is determined they will be part of any RIF. If so, that notice would provide the relevant notice period.”

But a spokesperson for the Energy Department emailed States Newsroom on Tuesday evening to confirm officials had issued RIF notices to workers in the Offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Clean Energy Demonstrations, State and Community Energy Programs and Minority Economic Impact.

“All these offices played a major role in the Biden administration’s war on American Energy,” the spokesperson wrote. “They oversaw billions of dollars in wasteful spending and massive regulatory overreach, resulting in more expensive and less reliable energy. These offices are being realigned to reflect the Trump administration’s commitment to advancing affordable, reliable, and secure energy for the American people and a more responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.”

Further confusing the situation at the Energy Department, a footnote in the court document filed by Billy said that particular agency isn’t actually experiencing a lapse in funding.&nbsp;

The Billy court document said EPA officials sent 28 employees “intent to RIF” notices and will send formal RIF notices “to any affected employees at least 60 days prior to the effective date.”&nbsp;

A separate document, filed by Thomas J. Nagy Jr., deputy assistant secretary for Human Resources at HHS, said “data discrepancies and processing errors” led to 1,760 employees receiving layoff notices instead of the intended 982.

“Employees have been working since October 10, 2025, to rescind the notices that had been issued in error,” Nagy wrote.&nbsp;

Yolanda Jacobs, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 2883, wrote in a brief to the court that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “issued RIF notices to approximately 1,300 employees, eliminating entire offices at the agency. Then, within 24 hours, the CDC rescinded approximately 700 of those RIF notices.”&nbsp;

Jacobs wrote the 600 CDC workers who received RIFs will officially lose their jobs on Dec. 8, even though they have already lost access to work email and computers.&nbsp;

“Many Union members have told me that they are experiencing serious mental health problems and have found it very difficult to get their work done, given all of the turmoil that they have experienced this year,” Jacobs wrote, referencing previous RIF notices and reinstatements. “Members have told me that they worry on a day-to-day basis about whether they will have a job the next day. They said that they have felt like the Trump Administration has been using them as bargaining chips this year.”

Jacobs wrote that the Trump administration has decided to lay off many human resources workers, which had blocked other workers who received RIFs from being able to get information about how to roll over their health insurance coverage.&nbsp;

During past RIFs, she wrote, workers had “access to the employment records, including paystubs and performance records, that they need for processing their separations,” but cannot since they are locked out of computer systems.&nbsp;

Rachel Gittleman, president of AFGE Local 252, which represents nearly 3,000 Education Department workers, wrote in a separate filing the layoffs will impact numerous programs, including civil rights, communications and outreach, elementary and secondary education, post secondary education, and special education and rehabilitative services.

“Receiving RIF notices has caused many employees enormous stress. A father of two young boys contacted me—he just moved into a new home and relies on his job to support his family,” Gittleman wrote. “He told me (he) doesn’t know what he will do next.”

Workers on maternity or disability leave also received layoff notices, “forcing them to job-hunt and face financial insecurity while managing newborns or health conditions,” she wrote.&nbsp;

Following past RIF notices, the department provided “career transitioning and counseling, benefits and retirement training, and access to other human resources and employee assistance programs.” But Gittleman wrote that isn’t happening this time.&nbsp;

Ashaki Robinson, regional vice president for AFGE Council 222, which represents nearly 5,000 HUD workers, said the layoff notices for that department will impact employees in Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, Texas and Washington, D.C., who manage a variety of programs.&nbsp;

“They are devastated that the RIF is happening and are very concerned about losing their incomes, health insurance coverage for themselves and dependents, and other employment benefits in 60 days, when they will be separated from employment,” Robinson wrote.&nbsp;

The hundreds of HUD workers who have received RIF notices, she wrote, were “targeted for termination not because of anything they did themselves, but because of decisions made by elected officials that may have been driven by politics.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759315687610.png" alt="Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>WASHINGTON — A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Wednesday, blocking the Trump administration from moving forward with the thousands of layoffs it initiated after the government shutdown began Oct. 1, as well as any others that officials might want to carry out.&nbsp;&nbsp;The hearing in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California took place at the same time White House budget director Russ Vought appeared on the conservative Charlie Kirk podcast to preview his next steps.Vought warned the initial Reductions in Force, the technical term for a layoff notice, were just “a snapshot” and that as many as 10,000 federal workers would lose their jobs if the shutdown drags on.“We’re going to keep those RIFs rolling throughout this shutdown because we think it’s important to stay on offense for the American taxpayer and the American people,” Vought said. “We want to be very aggressive where we can be in shuttering the bureaucracy, not just the funding, but the bureaucracy.”Judge Susan Illston said during the hearing that she granted the temporary restraining order because Trump administration officials had “taken advantage of the lapse in government spending, government functioning to assume that all bets are off, that the laws don’t apply to them anymore and that they can impose the structures that they like on the government situation that they don’t like.”&nbsp;Illston said laws and regulations still apply during a shutdown and that, by all appearances, the Trump administration’s actions in the case are politically motivated.&nbsp;“Things are being done before they’re thought through — very much ready, fire, aim,” Illston said.The ruling will put the approximately 4,000 layoffs noticed during the shutdown on hold as the court case proceeds.&nbsp;<h2>DOJ unprepared to speak on merits of case</h2>Elizabeth Hedges, a Justice Department attorney arguing the case on behalf of the Trump administration, said several times during the brief hearing she wasn’t prepared to speak about the merits of the case — a position that confounded the judge, who gave Hedges several chances to reverse course.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We may be able to address the merits at the next stage,” Hedges said, after telling Illston she would need to check with others before making any statements about why the administration believes its actions are legal.&nbsp;Danielle Leonard, an attorney representing the labor unions that brought the lawsuit, urged the judge to grant a temporary restraining order for all the departments and agencies that make up the executive branch, not just those that have announced RIFs.Leonard said she believes Trump administration officials have decided how many additional federal employees to lay off during the shutdown, but have opted not to share that information with the court.“The decision has been made, it’s just a question of implementation and timing,” Leonard said, around the same time Vought was giving his podcast interview.&nbsp;Illston, who was nominated by former President Bill Clinton, said at the end of the hearing she expected the attorneys to find a day in the coming weeks when they can attend a hearing on the next stage, which would be a preliminary injunction.<h2>Senate deadlocks for ninth time</h2>On the other side of the country, Republicans and Democrats continued to spar on Capitol Hill over the reasons for the shutdown, as the Senate failed for a ninth time to advance a short-term government spending bill.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00572.htm" target="_blank">51-44 vote</a>&nbsp;was nearly identical to the others that have taken place since mid-September, and neither side appeared inclined to make concessions or even try to negotiate.&nbsp;Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, both Democrats, and Maine independent Sen. Angus King voted with Republicans to advance the bill. Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul voted no.Democrats maintain there must be a bipartisan deal to extend the enhanced tax credits that are set to expire at the end of this year for people who get their health insurance from the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.&nbsp;GOP leaders said they are willing to begin negotiations on that issue, but only after Democrats vote to advance the stopgap bill that would fund government through Nov. 21.&nbsp;The House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/chance-government-shutdown-rises-us-senate-fails-advance-spending-bill" target="_blank">voted mostly along party</a>&nbsp;lines to approve the legislation in mid-September, but it has remained stalled in the Senate ever since, unable to garner the 60 votes needed to advance toward final passage. Republicans control the chamber with 53 seats.Congress needs to approve the stopgap bill since it, once again, failed to approve all 12 of the full-year government funding bills by the Oct. 1 start of the new fiscal year.The only other way to end the funding lapse would be for both chambers to reach a broadly bipartisan consensus on all of those appropriations bills.&nbsp;<h2>Layoffs across agencies</h2>The layoffs initiated by the Trump administration during the shutdown were detailed further on Tuesday in court filings from the labor unions’ attorneys as well as Trump administration officials.&nbsp;&nbsp;Stephen Billy, senior adviser at the Office of Management and Budget, wrote the number of layoff notices had changed since Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/substantial-layoffs-federal-workers-launched-trump-administration-amid-shutdown" target="_blank">when he outlined</a>&nbsp;the Reductions in Force to the court.The numbers have fluctuated significantly for some departments, but not for all.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Commerce: Approximately 600 employees, up from 315</li><li>Education: Remained at 466 employees</li><li>Health and Human Services: 982 employees, down from a range of 1,100 to 1,200</li><li>Housing and Urban Development: Stayed at 442 employees</li><li>Homeland Security: Decreased to 54 from 176 employees</li><li>Treasury: Reduced somewhat to 1,377 employees, from 1,446&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><h2>Energy, EPA layoffs</h2>Federal workers at those departments have 60 days between when the notice was sent and when they will no longer have jobs, though a different standard is in place at the Energy Department and the Environmental Protection Agency.&nbsp;Energy officials, the document says, “issued a general RIF notice informing 179 employees that they may receive a specific notice in the future if it is determined they will be part of any RIF. If so, that notice would provide the relevant notice period.”But a spokesperson for the Energy Department emailed States Newsroom on Tuesday evening to confirm officials had issued RIF notices to workers in the Offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Clean Energy Demonstrations, State and Community Energy Programs and Minority Economic Impact.“All these offices played a major role in the Biden administration’s war on American Energy,” the spokesperson wrote. “They oversaw billions of dollars in wasteful spending and massive regulatory overreach, resulting in more expensive and less reliable energy. These offices are being realigned to reflect the Trump administration’s commitment to advancing affordable, reliable, and secure energy for the American people and a more responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.”Further confusing the situation at the Energy Department, a footnote in the court document filed by Billy said that particular agency isn’t actually experiencing a lapse in funding.&nbsp;The Billy court document said EPA officials sent 28 employees “intent to RIF” notices and will send formal RIF notices “to any affected employees at least 60 days prior to the effective date.”&nbsp;A separate document, filed by Thomas J. Nagy Jr., deputy assistant secretary for Human Resources at HHS, said “data discrepancies and processing errors” led to 1,760 employees receiving layoff notices instead of the intended 982.“Employees have been working since October 10, 2025, to rescind the notices that had been issued in error,” Nagy wrote.&nbsp;<h2>At CDC, ‘eliminating entire offices’</h2>Yolanda Jacobs, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 2883, wrote in a brief to the court that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “issued RIF notices to approximately 1,300 employees, eliminating entire offices at the agency. Then, within 24 hours, the CDC rescinded approximately 700 of those RIF notices.”&nbsp;Jacobs wrote the 600 CDC workers who received RIFs will officially lose their jobs on Dec. 8, even though they have already lost access to work email and computers.&nbsp;“Many Union members have told me that they are experiencing serious mental health problems and have found it very difficult to get their work done, given all of the turmoil that they have experienced this year,” Jacobs wrote, referencing previous RIF notices and reinstatements. “Members have told me that they worry on a day-to-day basis about whether they will have a job the next day. They said that they have felt like the Trump Administration has been using them as bargaining chips this year.”Jacobs wrote that the Trump administration has decided to lay off many human resources workers, which had blocked other workers who received RIFs from being able to get information about how to roll over their health insurance coverage.&nbsp;During past RIFs, she wrote, workers had “access to the employment records, including paystubs and performance records, that they need for processing their separations,” but cannot since they are locked out of computer systems.&nbsp;<h2>Layoffs hit Department of Education</h2>Rachel Gittleman, president of AFGE Local 252, which represents nearly 3,000 Education Department workers, wrote in a separate filing the layoffs will impact numerous programs, including civil rights, communications and outreach, elementary and secondary education, post secondary education, and special education and rehabilitative services.“Receiving RIF notices has caused many employees enormous stress. A father of two young boys contacted me—he just moved into a new home and relies on his job to support his family,” Gittleman wrote. “He told me (he) doesn’t know what he will do next.”Workers on maternity or disability leave also received layoff notices, “forcing them to job-hunt and face financial insecurity while managing newborns or health conditions,” she wrote.&nbsp;Following past RIF notices, the department provided “career transitioning and counseling, benefits and retirement training, and access to other human resources and employee assistance programs.” But Gittleman wrote that isn’t happening this time.&nbsp;<h2>‘Devastated’ HUD employees</h2>Ashaki Robinson, regional vice president for AFGE Council 222, which represents nearly 5,000 HUD workers, said the layoff notices for that department will impact employees in Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, Texas and Washington, D.C., who manage a variety of programs.&nbsp;“They are devastated that the RIF is happening and are very concerned about losing their incomes, health insurance coverage for themselves and dependents, and other employment benefits in 60 days, when they will be separated from employment,” Robinson wrote.&nbsp;The hundreds of HUD workers who have received RIF notices, she wrote, were “targeted for termination not because of anything they did themselves, but because of decisions made by elected officials that may have been driven by politics.”

Federal judge blocks Trump from carrying out thousands of layoffs during shutdown

BROWN COUNTY, Kan.—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 10 p.m. October 13, a Brown County deputy on routine patrol initiated a traffic stop on U.S. 75 highway near 160th in rural Brown County, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

The deputy made contact with the driver identified as 39-year-old Diego Juarez of Lincoln, Nebraska.&nbsp; The deputy discovered that he did not possess a&nbsp; valid drivers license.&nbsp; Juarez was arrested on a charge of Driving While Cancelled, Restricted or Revoked. While in the Brown County jail it was learned that Department of Homeland Security had a detainer on Juarez and he was&nbsp; released to DHS the next morning.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760559426211.png" alt="Juarez photo Brown County" />
 <figcaption>Juarez photo Brown County</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY, Kan.—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just after 10 p.m. October 13, a Brown County deputy on routine patrol initiated a traffic stop on U.S. 75 highway near 160th in rural Brown County, according to Sheriff John Merchant.The deputy made contact with the driver identified as 39-year-old Diego Juarez of Lincoln, Nebraska.&nbsp; The deputy discovered that he did not possess a&nbsp; valid drivers license.&nbsp; Juarez was arrested on a charge of Driving While Cancelled, Restricted or Revoked. While in the Brown County jail it was learned that Department of Homeland Security had a detainer on Juarez and he was&nbsp; released to DHS the next morning.

Sheriff: Nebraska man deported after Kansas traffic stop arrest

WASHINGTON– The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has obtained credible intelligence indicating that Mexican criminals, in coordination with domestic extremist groups have placed targeted bounties on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel, according to a statement from the agency.

These criminal networks have issued explicit instructions to U.S.-based sympathetics, including street gangs in Chicago, to monitor, harass, and assassinate federal agents. Specific details from ongoing investigations include:&nbsp;

In Portland and Chicago, Antifa groups have provided logistical support such as pre-staged protest supplies, doxxing of agent identities, and on-the-ground interference to shield cartel-linked individuals from deportation.&nbsp;

“These criminal networks are not just resisting the rule of law, they are waging an organized campaign of terror against the brave men and women who protect our borders and communities,”&nbsp;said Secretary Kristi Noem. “Our agents are facing ambushes, drone surveillance, and death threats, all because they dare to enforce the laws passed by Congress. We will not back down from these threats, and every criminal, terrorist, and illegal alien will face American justice.”

DHS will not be deterred by these threats and calls on sanctuary state and local leaders to cease policies that embolden criminals. The public is urged to report suspicious activities—such as rooftop surveillance or organized protests blocking federal operations—to the DHS Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or via the ICE website.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740147958319.png" alt="File photo Miami ICE Enforcement &amp; Removal Operations office" />
 <figcaption>File photo Miami ICE Enforcement &amp; Removal Operations office</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON– The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has obtained credible intelligence indicating that Mexican criminals, in coordination with domestic extremist groups have placed targeted bounties on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel, according to a statement from the agency.These criminal networks have issued explicit instructions to U.S.-based sympathetics, including street gangs in Chicago, to monitor, harass, and assassinate federal agents. Specific details from ongoing investigations include:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Spotter Networks: In neighborhoods like Chicago's Pilsen and Little Village, gang members affiliated with groups such as the Latin Kings have deployed "spotters" on rooftops equipped with firearms and radio communications. These individuals track ICE and CBP movements in real-time, relaying coordinates. This surveillance has enabled ambushes and disruptions during routine enforcement actions, including recent raids under Operation Midway Blitz.</li><li>Tiered Bounty System: Cartels have disseminated a structured bounty program to incentivize violence against federal personnel, with payouts escalating based on rank and action taken:$2,000 for gathering intelligence or doxxing agents (including photos and family details).$5,000–$10,000 for kidnapping or non-lethal assaults on standard ICE/CBP officers.Up to $50,000 for the assassination of high-ranking officials.</li><li>$2,000 for gathering intelligence or doxxing agents (including photos and family details).</li><li>$5,000–$10,000 for kidnapping or non-lethal assaults on standard ICE/CBP officers.</li><li>Up to $50,000 for the assassination of high-ranking officials.</li>
 </ul>In Portland and Chicago, Antifa groups have provided logistical support such as pre-staged protest supplies, doxxing of agent identities, and on-the-ground interference to shield cartel-linked individuals from deportation.&nbsp;“These criminal networks are not just resisting the rule of law, they are waging an organized campaign of terror against the brave men and women who protect our borders and communities,”&nbsp;said Secretary Kristi Noem. “Our agents are facing ambushes, drone surveillance, and death threats, all because they dare to enforce the laws passed by Congress. We will not back down from these threats, and every criminal, terrorist, and illegal alien will face American justice.”DHS will not be deterred by these threats and calls on sanctuary state and local leaders to cease policies that embolden criminals. The public is urged to report suspicious activities—such as rooftop surveillance or organized protests blocking federal operations—to the DHS Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or via the ICE website.&nbsp;

DHS: Mexican gangs offering bounties for ICE agent assassinations

<a href="https://www.nebeef.org/resources/newsroom/news/details/44364/bridging-agriculture-and-nutrition-nebraska-beef-council-engages-future-dietitians">By: Madison Doeschot - Nebraska Beef Council&nbsp;</a>

Kearney, Ne - Mitch Rippe, Nebraska Beef Council Director of Nutrition and Education, has been busy connecting the worlds of agriculture and dietetics through two impactful learning experiences for dietetic interns from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.&nbsp;

In an effort to bridge the gap between dietetic programs and the agricultural industry, the Nebraska Beef Council recently hosted a comprehensive farm tour offering future dietitians’ firsthand exposure to the beef production cycle.&nbsp;

Stops included Lienetics Ranch, Weber &amp; Sons Co., and McLean Beef’s retail and processing facility, where students learned about sustainability, animal care, and food safety. Nebraska Beef Council Board Member Mark Goes led an interactive meat science session utilizing carcasses donated from the Cattlemen’s Ball, including Angus, Hereford, Beef x Dairy, and Piedmontese breeds. Students used tools and data to calculate ribeye area and quality grade, connecting classroom knowledge to real-world applications.&nbsp;

UNMC intern Kennedy Jones reflected on the experience:&nbsp;

“Seeing how feed is designed to promote healthy growth helped me better understand the link between animal nutrition and the quality of beef people eat. Watching the steps of portioning, packaging, and labeling made me think differently about food safety. It made food systems feel much more personal.”&nbsp;

Media &amp; Communications Workshop&nbsp;

Following the tour, the Nebraska Beef Council also hosted a Media and Communications Workshop, designed to help dietetic interns strengthen their communication skills and build confidence when sharing nutrition information with the public. Sessions were led by expert partners, including Hannah Guenther, Food, Nutrition, and Health Extension Educator with Nebraska Extension, who led Communicating Health with Impact: Tailoring Health Messages for Every Community, and Melissa Joy Dobbins, MS, RDN, CDCES, host of the nationally recognized Sound Bites® Podcast, who presented Messaging, Bridging, and Beyond. These sessions equipped interns with tools for message consistency, consumer trust, and effectively navigating complex food conversations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760539687945.jpeg" alt="Dietetic interns attend the communications &amp; media workshop presented by the Nebraska Beef Council. (Courtesy Photo Nebraska Beef Council)" />
 <figcaption>Dietetic interns attend the communications &amp; media workshop presented by the Nebraska Beef Council. (Courtesy Photo Nebraska Beef Council)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.nebeef.org/resources/newsroom/news/details/44364/bridging-agriculture-and-nutrition-nebraska-beef-council-engages-future-dietitians">By: Madison Doeschot - Nebraska Beef Council&nbsp;</a>Kearney, Ne - Mitch Rippe, Nebraska Beef Council Director of Nutrition and Education, has been busy connecting the worlds of agriculture and dietetics through two impactful learning experiences for dietetic interns from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.&nbsp;Beef Industry Farm Tour&nbsp;In an effort to bridge the gap between dietetic programs and the agricultural industry, the Nebraska Beef Council recently hosted a comprehensive farm tour offering future dietitians’ firsthand exposure to the beef production cycle.&nbsp;Stops included Lienetics Ranch, Weber &amp; Sons Co., and McLean Beef’s retail and processing facility, where students learned about sustainability, animal care, and food safety. Nebraska Beef Council Board Member Mark Goes led an interactive meat science session utilizing carcasses donated from the Cattlemen’s Ball, including Angus, Hereford, Beef x Dairy, and Piedmontese breeds. Students used tools and data to calculate ribeye area and quality grade, connecting classroom knowledge to real-world applications.&nbsp;UNMC intern Kennedy Jones reflected on the experience:&nbsp;“Seeing how feed is designed to promote healthy growth helped me better understand the link between animal nutrition and the quality of beef people eat. Watching the steps of portioning, packaging, and labeling made me think differently about food safety. It made food systems feel much more personal.”&nbsp;Media &amp; Communications Workshop&nbsp;Following the tour, the Nebraska Beef Council also hosted a Media and Communications Workshop, designed to help dietetic interns strengthen their communication skills and build confidence when sharing nutrition information with the public. Sessions were led by expert partners, including Hannah Guenther, Food, Nutrition, and Health Extension Educator with Nebraska Extension, who led Communicating Health with Impact: Tailoring Health Messages for Every Community, and Melissa Joy Dobbins, MS, RDN, CDCES, host of the nationally recognized Sound Bites® Podcast, who presented Messaging, Bridging, and Beyond. These sessions equipped interns with tools for message consistency, consumer trust, and effectively navigating complex food conversations.