KEARNEY, NEB. –Abygail Streff of Pierce took top honors at the 2023 Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) Collegiate Discussion Meet. &nbsp;The award was announced Dec. 5 at the “We Love Our Members” luncheon at Nebraska Farm Bureau’s 106th&nbsp;Annual Convention in Kearney.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Streff’s earned the top score during the final round of Nebraska Farm Bureau’s Collegiate Discussion Meet held for the first time during the Nebraska Farm Bureau Annual Meeting and Convention. The contest aims to simulate a committee meeting rather than a debate where competitors offer solutions to timely problems facing agriculture.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Streff is currently a junior Agricultural Economics major at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), where she also serves as the UNL Collegiate Farm Bureau President. Streff currently is an intern to the Governor’s Agriculture Advisor. She anticipates finishing her bachelor’s degree in December 2024. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Farm Bureau student members can compete in the Collegiate Discussion Meet through their senior year of college. As the Nebraska winner, Streff will receive $250 and an all-expense paid trip to the 2024 American Farm Bureau Leadership Conference in Omaha in March to compete with other state winners at the national level.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. More than 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefb.org/" target="_blank">www.nefb.org</a>.

Nebraska Farm BureauKEARNEY, NEB. –Abygail Streff of Pierce took top honors at the 2023 Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) Collegiate Discussion Meet. &nbsp;The award was announced Dec. 5 at the “We Love Our Members” luncheon at Nebraska Farm Bureau’s 106th&nbsp;Annual Convention in Kearney.&nbsp;&nbsp;Streff’s earned the top score during the final round of Nebraska Farm Bureau’s Collegiate Discussion Meet held for the first time during the Nebraska Farm Bureau Annual Meeting and Convention. The contest aims to simulate a committee meeting rather than a debate where competitors offer solutions to timely problems facing agriculture.&nbsp;&nbsp;Streff is currently a junior Agricultural Economics major at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), where she also serves as the UNL Collegiate Farm Bureau President. Streff currently is an intern to the Governor’s Agriculture Advisor. She anticipates finishing her bachelor’s degree in December 2024. &nbsp;&nbsp;Farm Bureau student members can compete in the Collegiate Discussion Meet through their senior year of college. As the Nebraska winner, Streff will receive $250 and an all-expense paid trip to the 2024 American Farm Bureau Leadership Conference in Omaha in March to compete with other state winners at the national level.The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. More than 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefb.org/" target="_blank">www.nefb.org</a>.

Abygail Streff is Named Collegiate Discussion Meet Champion 

Lincoln, Nebraska, Dec. 6, 2023 — A new Meat Processing Management Training program offered by Nebraska Extension is designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of individuals in the meat processing industry over a yearlong intensive course that will begin in March.

The program is tailored for owners, managers and management-track employees of small meat processing plants, with custom-exempt and federally inspected plants encouraged to apply. It will offer a blend of virtual and in-person sessions to deepen participants’ understanding of critical aspects of the industry and assist them with working toward a successful and profitable future.

Focus areas will include business operations, using data, retail strategies, regulatory compliance, human resources and more. The course will consist of three in-person meetings, a site visit to each plant by course instructors and monthly online programs that will include typically recorded lectures, live review and a presentation with a producer.

The program is being produced by Nebraska Extension, the Center for Agricultural Profitability and the Department of Animal Science’s Meat Science program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "This initiative represents a significant step in supporting and advancing the meat processing sector, offering a platform for professionals to grow and excel in their field," said Elliott Dennis, assistant professor and livestock marketing specialist with the Center for Agricultural Profitability.

To ensure effective learning and personalized attention, Dennis said, there is a $2,500 enrollment fee per processing plant, which includes a $2,000 deposit that will be returned to those who complete the program without missing more than two activities or the site visit. Up to two individuals per plant may participate.

More details, a program schedule and requirements are posted on the Center for Agricultural Profitability’s website,&nbsp;<a href="https://unl233.lt.acemlnb.com/Prod/link-tracker?redirectUrl=aHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZjYXAudW5sLmVkdSUyRnByb2Nlc3NvcnMlM0Z1dG1fc291cmNlJTNEQWN0aXZlQ2FtcGFpZ24lMjZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtJTNEZW1haWwlMjZ1dG1fY29udGVudCUzRDElMkJJQU5SJTJCUmVsZWFzZSUyNTNBJTJCTmVicmFza2ElMkJFeHRlbnNpb24lMkJsYXVuY2hpbmclMkJuZXclMkJtYW5hZ2VtZW50JTJCdHJhaW5pbmclMkJwcm9ncmFtJTJCZm9yJTJCbWVhdCUyQnByb2Nlc3NvcnMlMjZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ24lM0QxJTJCSUFOUiUyQlJlbGVhc2UlMjUzQSUyQk5lYnJhc2thJTJCRXh0ZW5zaW9uJTJCbGF1bmNoaW5nJTJCbmV3JTJCbWFuYWdlbWVudCUyQnRyYWluaW5nJTJCcHJvZ3JhbSUyQmZvciUyQm1lYXQlMkJwcm9jZXNzb3Jz&amp;sig=ftA3uvbRrUmttb9Eqx1Nn1gG751BV74p3p8iWgzefZq&amp;iat=1701890773&amp;a=%7C%7C68108822%7C%7C&amp;account=unl233%2Eactivehosted%2Ecom&amp;email=Njd4QVCtXcteLzSw0on5EM2quKdDPg%2FHztugSgOJqiS1tePXqfKtMns%3D%3A%2FZtPPkxMafqmUn8tDk8UKiM9qv1wU9D%2B&amp;s=073f67d35943f6c01a66f2eac84e284e&amp;i=524A609A50A10695" target="_blank">https://cap.unl.edu/processors</a>. The application is open there until Jan. 20.This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2022-70419-38561.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nebraska ExtensionLincoln, Nebraska, Dec. 6, 2023 — A new Meat Processing Management Training program offered by Nebraska Extension is designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of individuals in the meat processing industry over a yearlong intensive course that will begin in March.The program is tailored for owners, managers and management-track employees of small meat processing plants, with custom-exempt and federally inspected plants encouraged to apply. It will offer a blend of virtual and in-person sessions to deepen participants’ understanding of critical aspects of the industry and assist them with working toward a successful and profitable future.Focus areas will include business operations, using data, retail strategies, regulatory compliance, human resources and more. The course will consist of three in-person meetings, a site visit to each plant by course instructors and monthly online programs that will include typically recorded lectures, live review and a presentation with a producer.The program is being produced by Nebraska Extension, the Center for Agricultural Profitability and the Department of Animal Science’s Meat Science program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "This initiative represents a significant step in supporting and advancing the meat processing sector, offering a platform for professionals to grow and excel in their field," said Elliott Dennis, assistant professor and livestock marketing specialist with the Center for Agricultural Profitability.To ensure effective learning and personalized attention, Dennis said, there is a $2,500 enrollment fee per processing plant, which includes a $2,000 deposit that will be returned to those who complete the program without missing more than two activities or the site visit. Up to two individuals per plant may participate.More details, a program schedule and requirements are posted on the Center for Agricultural Profitability’s website,&nbsp;<a href="https://unl233.lt.acemlnb.com/Prod/link-tracker?redirectUrl=aHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZjYXAudW5sLmVkdSUyRnByb2Nlc3NvcnMlM0Z1dG1fc291cmNlJTNEQWN0aXZlQ2FtcGFpZ24lMjZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtJTNEZW1haWwlMjZ1dG1fY29udGVudCUzRDElMkJJQU5SJTJCUmVsZWFzZSUyNTNBJTJCTmVicmFza2ElMkJFeHRlbnNpb24lMkJsYXVuY2hpbmclMkJuZXclMkJtYW5hZ2VtZW50JTJCdHJhaW5pbmclMkJwcm9ncmFtJTJCZm9yJTJCbWVhdCUyQnByb2Nlc3NvcnMlMjZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ24lM0QxJTJCSUFOUiUyQlJlbGVhc2UlMjUzQSUyQk5lYnJhc2thJTJCRXh0ZW5zaW9uJTJCbGF1bmNoaW5nJTJCbmV3JTJCbWFuYWdlbWVudCUyQnRyYWluaW5nJTJCcHJvZ3JhbSUyQmZvciUyQm1lYXQlMkJwcm9jZXNzb3Jz&amp;sig=ftA3uvbRrUmttb9Eqx1Nn1gG751BV74p3p8iWgzefZq&amp;iat=1701890773&amp;a=%7C%7C68108822%7C%7C&amp;account=unl233%2Eactivehosted%2Ecom&amp;email=Njd4QVCtXcteLzSw0on5EM2quKdDPg%2FHztugSgOJqiS1tePXqfKtMns%3D%3A%2FZtPPkxMafqmUn8tDk8UKiM9qv1wU9D%2B&amp;s=073f67d35943f6c01a66f2eac84e284e&amp;i=524A609A50A10695" target="_blank">https://cap.unl.edu/processors</a>. The application is open there until Jan. 20.This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2022-70419-38561.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nebraska Extension launching new management training program for meat processors

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two months after his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">historic ouster</a>&nbsp;as House speaker, Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy announced Wednesday that he is resigning from his congressional seat in California.

His announcement capped a stunning end for the one-time deli owner from Bakersfield, who ascended through state and national politics to become second in line to the presidency before a contingent of hard-right conservatives&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speaker-kevin-mccarthy-ousted-house-republicans-f93cbd2c7f6f8f32dbb9cddf7905efa3">engineered his removal</a>&nbsp;in October.

McCarthy is the only speaker in history to be voted out of the job.

“No matter the odds, or personal cost, we did the right thing," McCarthy wrote in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, announcing his decision.

“It is in this spirit that I have decided to depart the House at the end of this year to serve America in new ways,” he wrote.

His toppling from the chamber’s top post was fueled by grievances from his party’s hard-right flank, including over his decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8">to work with Democrats to keep the federal government open</a>&nbsp;rather than risk a shutdown.

McCarthy, 58, arrived in the House in January 2007 after a stint in the California Assembly, where he served as minority leader. In Congress, he maneuvered through his party’s hierarchy — serving as majority whip and Republican leader along the way — before being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-us-republican-party-0938c7358f41c83759246f8949ac7c15">elected speaker</a>&nbsp;in January 2023.

The dayslong floor fight that preceded his elevation to the House’s top job foreshadowed a stormy tenure, at a time when former President Donald Trump remained the de facto leader of the party and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-republican-party-donald-trump-united-states-government-2022-midterm-elections-77c6e337644955bc3e64e1f7e3a094e5">deep divisions</a>&nbsp;within the GOP raised serious questions about the party’s ability to govern.

It took a record 15 votes over four days for McCarthy to line up the support he needed to win the post he had long coveted, finally prevailing on a 216-212 vote with Democrats backing leader Hakeem Jeffries and six Republican holdouts voting present. Not since the Civil War era has a speaker’s vote dragged through so many rounds of counting.

McCarthy emerged from the fight weakened, especially considering Republicans held only a fragile margin in the chamber after a predicted “red wave” failed to materialize in the 2022 elections.

Once installed as speaker, his well-known savvy for fundraising and political glad-handing appeared ill-suited for corralling his party’s disputatious hard-right faction. And deals he cut to become speaker — including a rules change that allowed any single lawmaker to file a motion to remove him — left him vulnerable.

When he became speaker, “he faced new challenges that required a different skill set,” said Claremont McKenna College political scientist Jack Pitney, a one-time domestic policy analyst for House Republicans. And “the deals he made to become speaker made it almost impossible for him to succeed as speaker.”

McCarthy, the son of a firefighter and a homemaker, has long depicted himself as an unflagging battler. He is fond of quoting his father, who told him, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673356695369.png" alt="Rep. Kevin McCarthy on the night in January he was finally elected Speaker of the House" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Kevin McCarthy on the night in January he was finally elected Speaker of the House</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two months after his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">historic ouster</a>&nbsp;as House speaker, Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy announced Wednesday that he is resigning from his congressional seat in California.His announcement capped a stunning end for the one-time deli owner from Bakersfield, who ascended through state and national politics to become second in line to the presidency before a contingent of hard-right conservatives&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speaker-kevin-mccarthy-ousted-house-republicans-f93cbd2c7f6f8f32dbb9cddf7905efa3">engineered his removal</a>&nbsp;in October.McCarthy is the only speaker in history to be voted out of the job.“No matter the odds, or personal cost, we did the right thing," McCarthy wrote in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, announcing his decision.“It is in this spirit that I have decided to depart the House at the end of this year to serve America in new ways,” he wrote.His toppling from the chamber’s top post was fueled by grievances from his party’s hard-right flank, including over his decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8">to work with Democrats to keep the federal government open</a>&nbsp;rather than risk a shutdown.McCarthy, 58, arrived in the House in January 2007 after a stint in the California Assembly, where he served as minority leader. In Congress, he maneuvered through his party’s hierarchy — serving as majority whip and Republican leader along the way — before being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-us-republican-party-0938c7358f41c83759246f8949ac7c15">elected speaker</a>&nbsp;in January 2023.The dayslong floor fight that preceded his elevation to the House’s top job foreshadowed a stormy tenure, at a time when former President Donald Trump remained the de facto leader of the party and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-republican-party-donald-trump-united-states-government-2022-midterm-elections-77c6e337644955bc3e64e1f7e3a094e5">deep divisions</a>&nbsp;within the GOP raised serious questions about the party’s ability to govern.It took a record 15 votes over four days for McCarthy to line up the support he needed to win the post he had long coveted, finally prevailing on a 216-212 vote with Democrats backing leader Hakeem Jeffries and six Republican holdouts voting present. Not since the Civil War era has a speaker’s vote dragged through so many rounds of counting.McCarthy emerged from the fight weakened, especially considering Republicans held only a fragile margin in the chamber after a predicted “red wave” failed to materialize in the 2022 elections.Once installed as speaker, his well-known savvy for fundraising and political glad-handing appeared ill-suited for corralling his party’s disputatious hard-right faction. And deals he cut to become speaker — including a rules change that allowed any single lawmaker to file a motion to remove him — left him vulnerable.When he became speaker, “he faced new challenges that required a different skill set,” said Claremont McKenna College political scientist Jack Pitney, a one-time domestic policy analyst for House Republicans. And “the deals he made to become speaker made it almost impossible for him to succeed as speaker.”McCarthy, the son of a firefighter and a homemaker, has long depicted himself as an unflagging battler. He is fond of quoting his father, who told him, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”

Rep. Kevin McCarthy resigns 2 months after ouster as House Speaker

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/05/first-organizations-are-certified-to-provide-private-scholarships-to-nebraska-k-12-students/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;The Nebraska Department of Revenue on Tuesday publicized a list of the first organizations certified to provide scholarships for K-12 students to attend private schools beginning Jan. 1.

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/businesses/opportunity-scholarship-act/certified-scholarship-granting-organization-lists">list of certified scholarship granting organizations</a>&nbsp;includes Assistance for Individuals and Families without Borders in La Vista; Metro Area Christian Schools SGO in Omaha and Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska in Lincoln.

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, who tried for years to enact school choice legislation,&nbsp; introduced Legislative Bill 753 this year and ushered it to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/30/nebraska-gov-pillen-signs-opportunity-scholarships-proposal-into-law/">Gov. Jim Pillen for his approval</a>&nbsp;in May.&nbsp;

Linehan said Tuesday she was “thrilled” the organizations are off the ground.

“It’s very hopeful to me,” Linehan said. “I am very glad that there’s a group of people that know how important this is and they’ve been willing to go after it and help kids who need different choices than they currently have.”

For donors who give funds to a certified organization, the donation is eligible for a tax credit equal to the lesser of:

LB 753 will allow a total of $25 million in tax credits in its first three years and could grow to a total of $100 million annually, based on demand.

The Revenue Department will accept SGO applications year round. The nonprofits can accept contributions no earlier than Jan. 1 and must be certified before they can do so.&nbsp;

Opponents of LB 753, including the Nebraska State Education Association, argue taxpayer dollars should never be diverted to private schools. This summer, they formed Support Our Schools to gather signatures and let voters have the final say on the law.

Those efforts were successful, and LB 753 has&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/10/public-school-advocates-qualify-referendum-on-opportunity-scholarship-law-for-2024-election/">qualified for the 2024 ballot</a>.

“Nothing has changed,” said Tim Royers, president of the Millard Education Association and treasurer of Support Our Schools. “If there’s one thing I learned this past summer it’s that Nebraskans want their public dollars to go to public schools.”

Rebecca Firestone, executive director of OpenSky Policy Institute, said in a statement the $25 million could be spent in better ways, such as investing in education for all of Nebraska’s children. Instead, it will go in the form of tax credits to wealthy Nebraskans and businesses, she said.

The Revenue Department would stop issuing determinations of available tax credits for SGOs if voters reject the law from the date election results are certified, according to a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/about/frequently-asked-questions/opportunity-scholarship-act-faqs">department FAQ</a>.

Taxpayers who contribute to SGOs before that date could still claim the tax credit.

A counter organization, Keep Kids First, formed to stop Support Our Schools.&nbsp;

The $25 million limit in the law is 0.46% of all new state aid, Linehan added, and is 1% of all funding directed toward pre-K-12 education. Gov. Pillen, at the bill’s signing, described this as a “drop in the bucket” compared to new funding for public schools and the state’s overall budget.

“This money goes to kids for scholarships,” Linehan said. “There is no benefit to the wealthy.”

Linehan and the Nebraska Catholic Conference said this summer that once Nebraskans saw the impact of LB 753 for families in need, they would&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/30/support-our-schools-says-it-has-enough-signatures-to-reach-2024-nebraska-ballot/">embrace the law</a>.

Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska, led by familiar advocates who fought to keep LB 753 off the ballot, borrows its name from LB 753 — the Opportunity Scholarships Act.

Leading the SGO is Executive Director Jeremy Ekeler, the former associate director of education policy with the Nebraska Catholic Conference. He said the new organization is excited to engage families and accompany them through the scholarship application process.

“This transformational scholarship program is common sense, and education freedom is quickly becoming the standard across the country,” Ekeler said in a statement. “The reason is simple: every child learns differently.”

Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska is endorsed by Nebraska’s three Catholic dioceses and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod schools, among other private schools, according to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nebraskaopportunity.org/about-osn">organization’s website</a>.

Lauren Gage is its director of marketing and outreach. She previously served as state director of the American Federation for Children, which advocates for charter schools, vouchers and such tax credit scholarships to private schools.&nbsp;

Linehan’s daughter, Katie, is a spokesperson and registered Nebraska lobbyist for the state federation.&nbsp;

The American Federation for Children, along with its associated growth fund, contributed nearly half of the $1.4 million in total contributions to Keep Kids First —&nbsp;just over $661,000. Much of that went directly toward legal services, staff time and other expenses.

The co-chairs of the Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska board of directors, Rick Bettger of Omaha and Kim Schroll of North Platte, also financially contributed to Keep Kids First.

Bettger, who owns Omaha Car Care, donated $10,000. Schroll, executive vice president and chief operating officer of NebraskaLand Bank, donated $1,000.&nbsp;

Pillen also&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/03/governor-doubles-down-on-support-for-school-choice-with-100000-donation/">donated a sizable amount</a>&nbsp;to the Keep Kids First campaign: $100,000.

A website for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.aifsf.org/">AIF-without Borders</a>&nbsp;states the nonprofit began in April 2014 in Lincoln, intending to help those who are deprived or in need. Additional objectives are assisting the integration of immigrants in the country, ending poverty, fighting against hunger and ensuring access to various needs, including health, education, gender equality and peace.

Further information about people involved with AIF-without Borders was not available. A website or more information could not immediately be found for Metro Area Christian Schools SGO.

‘They’re just wrong’: Revenue chair reacts to projected reductions in state funds

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, chair of the Legislature’s Revenue Committee, said Tuesday she does not accept projections that state tax cuts could lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/04/new-report-says-states-tax-cutting-spree-endangers-health-care-education/">deep reductions in state revenues</a>.

Linehan’s comments come less than a week after a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/state-budget-and-tax/states-recent-tax-cut-spree-creates-big-risks-for-families-and">Center on Budget and Policy Priorities</a>, reported that the state’s latest “tax-cutting spree” could result in some of the steepest state funding reductions in the country.

According to the report, the tax cuts are projected to reduce state revenues by $3.1 billion over the next five years, a 7.6% decline in general fund revenue.

“These permanent cuts built on temporary budget surpluses over time will threaten the sustainability of current investments in schools, health care and public safety,” Rebecca Firestone, executive director of the OpenSky Policy Institute, said in a statement.

Linehan, who was a major player behind the tax cuts, rejected those projections and warnings from OpenSky, a nonprofit that focuses on fiscal research and analysis.

“They’ve never been right,” Linehan said.

Linehan argued that OpenSky and the state’s fiscal office are ignoring the state’s money that remains on hand and is accruing interest.&nbsp;

“They don’t even take that into account,” Linehan said.

“This idea that we’re in trouble or we’re not going to be able to afford our obligations, they’re just wrong,” Linehan continued. “They’ve been saying that since I’ve been there and they have been wrong every time.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701877993235.jpeg" alt=" State Sens. Lou Ann Linehan and Justin Wayne flank Gov. Jim Pillen after he signed LB 753, the Opportunity Scholarships Act, into law on May 30. (Courtesy of the Nebraska Governor’s Office)" />
 <figcaption> State Sens. Lou Ann Linehan and Justin Wayne flank Gov. Jim Pillen after he signed LB 753, the Opportunity Scholarships Act, into law on May 30. (Courtesy of the Nebraska Governor’s Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/05/first-organizations-are-certified-to-provide-private-scholarships-to-nebraska-k-12-students/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;The Nebraska Department of Revenue on Tuesday publicized a list of the first organizations certified to provide scholarships for K-12 students to attend private schools beginning Jan. 1.The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/businesses/opportunity-scholarship-act/certified-scholarship-granting-organization-lists">list of certified scholarship granting organizations</a>&nbsp;includes Assistance for Individuals and Families without Borders in La Vista; Metro Area Christian Schools SGO in Omaha and Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska in Lincoln.State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, who tried for years to enact school choice legislation,&nbsp; introduced Legislative Bill 753 this year and ushered it to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/30/nebraska-gov-pillen-signs-opportunity-scholarships-proposal-into-law/">Gov. Jim Pillen for his approval</a>&nbsp;in May.&nbsp;Linehan said Tuesday she was “thrilled” the organizations are off the ground.“It’s very hopeful to me,” Linehan said. “I am very glad that there’s a group of people that know how important this is and they’ve been willing to go after it and help kids who need different choices than they currently have.”For donors who give funds to a certified organization, the donation is eligible for a tax credit equal to the lesser of:<ul>
 <li>The total amount of contributions made to an SGO during the tax year.</li><li>50% of the income tax liability of the taxpayer for such year.</li><li>$100,000, or $1 million for estates and trusts.</li>
 </ul>LB 753 will allow a total of $25 million in tax credits in its first three years and could grow to a total of $100 million annually, based on demand.The Revenue Department will accept SGO applications year round. The nonprofits can accept contributions no earlier than Jan. 1 and must be certified before they can do so.&nbsp;<h2>Opponents say ‘nothing has changed’</h2>Opponents of LB 753, including the Nebraska State Education Association, argue taxpayer dollars should never be diverted to private schools. This summer, they formed Support Our Schools to gather signatures and let voters have the final say on the law.Those efforts were successful, and LB 753 has&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/10/public-school-advocates-qualify-referendum-on-opportunity-scholarship-law-for-2024-election/">qualified for the 2024 ballot</a>.“Nothing has changed,” said Tim Royers, president of the Millard Education Association and treasurer of Support Our Schools. “If there’s one thing I learned this past summer it’s that Nebraskans want their public dollars to go to public schools.”Rebecca Firestone, executive director of OpenSky Policy Institute, said in a statement the $25 million could be spent in better ways, such as investing in education for all of Nebraska’s children. Instead, it will go in the form of tax credits to wealthy Nebraskans and businesses, she said.The Revenue Department would stop issuing determinations of available tax credits for SGOs if voters reject the law from the date election results are certified, according to a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/about/frequently-asked-questions/opportunity-scholarship-act-faqs">department FAQ</a>.Taxpayers who contribute to SGOs before that date could still claim the tax credit.<h2>‘This money goes to kids’</h2>A counter organization, Keep Kids First, formed to stop Support Our Schools.&nbsp;The $25 million limit in the law is 0.46% of all new state aid, Linehan added, and is 1% of all funding directed toward pre-K-12 education. Gov. Pillen, at the bill’s signing, described this as a “drop in the bucket” compared to new funding for public schools and the state’s overall budget.“This money goes to kids for scholarships,” Linehan said. “There is no benefit to the wealthy.”Linehan and the Nebraska Catholic Conference said this summer that once Nebraskans saw the impact of LB 753 for families in need, they would&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/30/support-our-schools-says-it-has-enough-signatures-to-reach-2024-nebraska-ballot/">embrace the law</a>.<h2>Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska</h2>Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska, led by familiar advocates who fought to keep LB 753 off the ballot, borrows its name from LB 753 — the Opportunity Scholarships Act.Leading the SGO is Executive Director Jeremy Ekeler, the former associate director of education policy with the Nebraska Catholic Conference. He said the new organization is excited to engage families and accompany them through the scholarship application process.“This transformational scholarship program is common sense, and education freedom is quickly becoming the standard across the country,” Ekeler said in a statement. “The reason is simple: every child learns differently.”Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska is endorsed by Nebraska’s three Catholic dioceses and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod schools, among other private schools, according to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nebraskaopportunity.org/about-osn">organization’s website</a>.Lauren Gage is its director of marketing and outreach. She previously served as state director of the American Federation for Children, which advocates for charter schools, vouchers and such tax credit scholarships to private schools.&nbsp;Linehan’s daughter, Katie, is a spokesperson and registered Nebraska lobbyist for the state federation.&nbsp;The American Federation for Children, along with its associated growth fund, contributed nearly half of the $1.4 million in total contributions to Keep Kids First —&nbsp;just over $661,000. Much of that went directly toward legal services, staff time and other expenses.The co-chairs of the Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska board of directors, Rick Bettger of Omaha and Kim Schroll of North Platte, also financially contributed to Keep Kids First.Bettger, who owns Omaha Car Care, donated $10,000. Schroll, executive vice president and chief operating officer of NebraskaLand Bank, donated $1,000.&nbsp;Pillen also&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/03/governor-doubles-down-on-support-for-school-choice-with-100000-donation/">donated a sizable amount</a>&nbsp;to the Keep Kids First campaign: $100,000.A website for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.aifsf.org/">AIF-without Borders</a>&nbsp;states the nonprofit began in April 2014 in Lincoln, intending to help those who are deprived or in need. Additional objectives are assisting the integration of immigrants in the country, ending poverty, fighting against hunger and ensuring access to various needs, including health, education, gender equality and peace.Further information about people involved with AIF-without Borders was not available. A website or more information could not immediately be found for Metro Area Christian Schools SGO.<h2>‘They’re just wrong’: Revenue chair reacts to projected reductions in state funds</h2>State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, chair of the Legislature’s Revenue Committee, said Tuesday she does not accept projections that state tax cuts could lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/04/new-report-says-states-tax-cutting-spree-endangers-health-care-education/">deep reductions in state revenues</a>.Linehan’s comments come less than a week after a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/state-budget-and-tax/states-recent-tax-cut-spree-creates-big-risks-for-families-and">Center on Budget and Policy Priorities</a>, reported that the state’s latest “tax-cutting spree” could result in some of the steepest state funding reductions in the country.According to the report, the tax cuts are projected to reduce state revenues by $3.1 billion over the next five years, a 7.6% decline in general fund revenue.“These permanent cuts built on temporary budget surpluses over time will threaten the sustainability of current investments in schools, health care and public safety,” Rebecca Firestone, executive director of the OpenSky Policy Institute, said in a statement.Linehan, who was a major player behind the tax cuts, rejected those projections and warnings from OpenSky, a nonprofit that focuses on fiscal research and analysis.“They’ve never been right,” Linehan said.Linehan argued that OpenSky and the state’s fiscal office are ignoring the state’s money that remains on hand and is accruing interest.&nbsp;“They don’t even take that into account,” Linehan said.“This idea that we’re in trouble or we’re not going to be able to afford our obligations, they’re just wrong,” Linehan continued. “They’ve been saying that since I’ve been there and they have been wrong every time.”

First organizations are certified to provide private scholarships to Nebraska K-12 students

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/Christopher-Wray" target="_blank">Christopher Wray</a>&nbsp;called Tuesday for the reauthorization of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-congress-surveillance-terrorism-1c89e362e82aefc36e029f29d0ec5c7f" target="_blank">U.S. government surveillance tool</a>&nbsp;set to expire at the end of the year, warning Senate lawmakers that there would be “devastating” consequences for public safety if the program is allowed to lapse.

At issue is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the U.S. government to collect without a warrant the communications of targeted foreigners outside the United States. Law enforcement and intelligence officials see the program as vital to combating terror attacks, cyber intrusions, espionage and other foreign threats.

The program, created in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, is due to expire at the end of this month unless Congress votes to reauthorize it. But Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike have balked at renewing the program in its current form, recommending a slew of reforms in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-terrorism-congress-white-house-003e477ed7cc220b021084bd2210d472" target="_blank">competing legislative proposals</a>&nbsp;that are aimed at better safeguarding civil liberties and that are jockeying for support in the coming weeks.

The thorny path to reauthorization was laid bare during Tuesday’s hearing, when lawmakers from both parties questioned Wray, at times aggressively, over periodic misuse of the program by FBI employees seeking out information about Americans. Though the program enables surveillance only of foreigners located outside the U.S, it also can capture the communications of American citizens and others in the U.S. when those people are in contact with those targeted foreigners.

Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, said that during his 13 years on the committee, he’d pressed multiple FBI directors about civil liberties violations associated with the surveillance program and had repeatedly been given false reassurances about the reforms being put in place.

“Every darn one of them has told me the same thing: ‘Don’t worry about it, we’ve got this taken care of it, we’ve got new procedures, it’s going to be different now’,” Lee said. “It’s never different. You haven’t changed.”

He added: “We have no reason to trust you because you haven’t behaved in a manner that is trustworthy.”

The fact that Wray devoted a significant portion of his prepared remarks to the Senate Judiciary Committee to the issue underscores its importance to the FBI, particularly at a time when the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war" target="_blank">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;has drawn heightened concern about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-hamas-attack-isis-bb1ceb7ce51cfc05ed751d2ce7983fcd" target="_blank">possibility of extremist violence on U.S. soil</a>&nbsp;and contributed to threats being at a “whole other level” since the Oct. 7 attacks.

“I think blinding us through either allowing 702 to lapse or amending it in a way that guts its effectiveness would be reckless at best and dangerous and irresponsible at worst,” Wray said.

Calling the authority indispensable, he told the committee, “702 allows us to stay a step ahead of foreign actors located outside the United States who pose a threat to national security. And the expiration of our 702 authorities would be devastating to the FBI’s ability to protect Americans from those threats.”

Wray, who took over as director in 2017, said that what made the current climate unique is that “so many of the threats are all elevated at the same time.”

But the 702 program has come under scrutiny in the last year following revelations that FBI analysts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-foreign-surveillance-section-702-a804ea3ee688d8670aa19610e6fa8494" target="_blank">improperly searched</a>&nbsp;the database of intelligence, including for information about people tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol and the racial justice protests of 2020.

Those concerns have united longtime vocal champions of civil liberties, including Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, as well as Republican supporters of former President Donald Trump who are still angry over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/russia-probe-report-spurs-calls-for-fbi-surveillance-changes-9d79f3d1beb1e552d57e0a17d9cd8e28" target="_blank">surveillance missteps</a>&nbsp;made during the Russia investigation of 2016.

Wray and the White House have balked at the idea that the FBI should be required to get a warrant before searching the intelligence database for information about Americans and others inside the The FBI director said such a requirement would be both legally unnecessary and would hold up the bureau in trying to disrupt fast-moving national security threats.

If a warrant requirement is the path chosen, Wray said, “What if there were a terrorist attack that we had a shot to prevent, but couldn’t take it, because the FBI was deprived of the ability under 702 to look at key information already sitting in our holdings?”

One bipartisan proposal from Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, the two leaders of the Senate intelligence committee, would impose a more limited requirement, mandating a court order for when the FBI wants to conduct queries on Americans to find evidence of a crime but not for when the FBI is searching the intelligence database for foreign intelligence information.

Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat who said he had not yet made up his mind on how he’d vote, asked Wray whether that more narrow proposal might be more acceptable. The FBI director said that that proposal might provide a viable path forward, but noted that searches of the database for the sole purpose of finding evidence of a crime were very rare.

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, summed up the issue by telling Wray that though “there was no question” that Section 702 was a “critical tool for collecting foreign intelligence” he would encourage significant reforms to protect the privacy of “innocent Americans.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701820707420.png" alt="“I think blinding us through either allowing 702 to lapse or amending it in a way that guts its effectiveness would be reckless at best and dangerous and irresponsible at worst,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said.-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>“I think blinding us through either allowing 702 to lapse or amending it in a way that guts its effectiveness would be reckless at best and dangerous and irresponsible at worst,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said.-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/Christopher-Wray" target="_blank">Christopher Wray</a>&nbsp;called Tuesday for the reauthorization of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-congress-surveillance-terrorism-1c89e362e82aefc36e029f29d0ec5c7f" target="_blank">U.S. government surveillance tool</a>&nbsp;set to expire at the end of the year, warning Senate lawmakers that there would be “devastating” consequences for public safety if the program is allowed to lapse.At issue is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the U.S. government to collect without a warrant the communications of targeted foreigners outside the United States. Law enforcement and intelligence officials see the program as vital to combating terror attacks, cyber intrusions, espionage and other foreign threats.The program, created in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, is due to expire at the end of this month unless Congress votes to reauthorize it. But Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike have balked at renewing the program in its current form, recommending a slew of reforms in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-terrorism-congress-white-house-003e477ed7cc220b021084bd2210d472" target="_blank">competing legislative proposals</a>&nbsp;that are aimed at better safeguarding civil liberties and that are jockeying for support in the coming weeks.The thorny path to reauthorization was laid bare during Tuesday’s hearing, when lawmakers from both parties questioned Wray, at times aggressively, over periodic misuse of the program by FBI employees seeking out information about Americans. Though the program enables surveillance only of foreigners located outside the U.S, it also can capture the communications of American citizens and others in the U.S. when those people are in contact with those targeted foreigners.Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, said that during his 13 years on the committee, he’d pressed multiple FBI directors about civil liberties violations associated with the surveillance program and had repeatedly been given false reassurances about the reforms being put in place.“Every darn one of them has told me the same thing: ‘Don’t worry about it, we’ve got this taken care of it, we’ve got new procedures, it’s going to be different now’,” Lee said. “It’s never different. You haven’t changed.”He added: “We have no reason to trust you because you haven’t behaved in a manner that is trustworthy.”The fact that Wray devoted a significant portion of his prepared remarks to the Senate Judiciary Committee to the issue underscores its importance to the FBI, particularly at a time when the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war" target="_blank">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;has drawn heightened concern about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-hamas-attack-isis-bb1ceb7ce51cfc05ed751d2ce7983fcd" target="_blank">possibility of extremist violence on U.S. soil</a>&nbsp;and contributed to threats being at a “whole other level” since the Oct. 7 attacks.“I think blinding us through either allowing 702 to lapse or amending it in a way that guts its effectiveness would be reckless at best and dangerous and irresponsible at worst,” Wray said.Calling the authority indispensable, he told the committee, “702 allows us to stay a step ahead of foreign actors located outside the United States who pose a threat to national security. And the expiration of our 702 authorities would be devastating to the FBI’s ability to protect Americans from those threats.”Wray, who took over as director in 2017, said that what made the current climate unique is that “so many of the threats are all elevated at the same time.”But the 702 program has come under scrutiny in the last year following revelations that FBI analysts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-foreign-surveillance-section-702-a804ea3ee688d8670aa19610e6fa8494" target="_blank">improperly searched</a>&nbsp;the database of intelligence, including for information about people tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol and the racial justice protests of 2020.Those concerns have united longtime vocal champions of civil liberties, including Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, as well as Republican supporters of former President Donald Trump who are still angry over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/russia-probe-report-spurs-calls-for-fbi-surveillance-changes-9d79f3d1beb1e552d57e0a17d9cd8e28" target="_blank">surveillance missteps</a>&nbsp;made during the Russia investigation of 2016.Wray and the White House have balked at the idea that the FBI should be required to get a warrant before searching the intelligence database for information about Americans and others inside the The FBI director said such a requirement would be both legally unnecessary and would hold up the bureau in trying to disrupt fast-moving national security threats.If a warrant requirement is the path chosen, Wray said, “What if there were a terrorist attack that we had a shot to prevent, but couldn’t take it, because the FBI was deprived of the ability under 702 to look at key information already sitting in our holdings?”One bipartisan proposal from Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, the two leaders of the Senate intelligence committee, would impose a more limited requirement, mandating a court order for when the FBI wants to conduct queries on Americans to find evidence of a crime but not for when the FBI is searching the intelligence database for foreign intelligence information.Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat who said he had not yet made up his mind on how he’d vote, asked Wray whether that more narrow proposal might be more acceptable. The FBI director said that that proposal might provide a viable path forward, but noted that searches of the database for the sole purpose of finding evidence of a crime were very rare.Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, summed up the issue by telling Wray that though “there was no question” that Section 702 was a “critical tool for collecting foreign intelligence” he would encourage significant reforms to protect the privacy of “innocent Americans.”

Ominous warning: FBI chief wants renewal of controversial spy program 

KEARNEY, NEB. – Hall County Farm Bureau members, Josh and Jill England, earned the 2023 Young Farmers and Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture Award. The award was announced Dec. 5 at the “We Love Our Members” luncheon at the Nebraska Farm Bureau’s 106th&nbsp;Annual Convention in Kearney.

The Englands are the fourth generation to farm their family’s land near Doniphan&nbsp;and were recognized for their ongoing involvement and commitment to agriculture. Candidates for the award are judged on their involvement in agriculture, leadership ability, and involvement and participation in Farm Bureau and other civic, service, and community organizations.&nbsp;Josh grew up at the farm that was homesteaded by his family in 1920 and they continue to raise corn and soybeans. After completing his degree in Criminal Justice, Josh knew he belonged on the family operation.

Jill grew up on a diversified row crop and cattle operation near Pender. Her love of agriculture started early on as she was very involved in her FFA program, serving as a Nebraska State FFA officer. Jill works as a recruiter for a hospital system while supporting their operation on the farm.

Josh and Jill were married in 2021 and have a 1-year-old daughter, Logan. Today the Englands farm over 1500 irrigated acres of corn and soybeans in Hall County. In the coming year, they will begin to transition the farm as Josh’s dad starts to retire.

As active Hall County Farm Bureau board members, Josh and Jill stay engaged in Farm Bureau. Josh was elected to serve as the 2024 chair of the Young Farmers and Ranchers committee, where they both serve as the Central Region representatives. Jill also recently completed her 2023 Nebraska Farm Bureau Leadership Academy experience. The Englands are also involved in their community with Josh serving on the local fire department and both are involved in their community’s Legion.

Farm Bureau members ages 18 to 35 can apply for the Young Farmers and Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture Award. As the Nebraska winner, the Englands will receive $500 and an all-expense paid trip to the 2024 American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah in January to compete with other state winners at the national level.

Nebraska Farm BureauKEARNEY, NEB. – Hall County Farm Bureau members, Josh and Jill England, earned the 2023 Young Farmers and Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture Award. The award was announced Dec. 5 at the “We Love Our Members” luncheon at the Nebraska Farm Bureau’s 106th&nbsp;Annual Convention in Kearney.The Englands are the fourth generation to farm their family’s land near Doniphan&nbsp;and were recognized for their ongoing involvement and commitment to agriculture. Candidates for the award are judged on their involvement in agriculture, leadership ability, and involvement and participation in Farm Bureau and other civic, service, and community organizations.&nbsp;Josh grew up at the farm that was homesteaded by his family in 1920 and they continue to raise corn and soybeans. After completing his degree in Criminal Justice, Josh knew he belonged on the family operation.Jill grew up on a diversified row crop and cattle operation near Pender. Her love of agriculture started early on as she was very involved in her FFA program, serving as a Nebraska State FFA officer. Jill works as a recruiter for a hospital system while supporting their operation on the farm.Josh and Jill were married in 2021 and have a 1-year-old daughter, Logan. Today the Englands farm over 1500 irrigated acres of corn and soybeans in Hall County. In the coming year, they will begin to transition the farm as Josh’s dad starts to retire.As active Hall County Farm Bureau board members, Josh and Jill stay engaged in Farm Bureau. Josh was elected to serve as the 2024 chair of the Young Farmers and Ranchers committee, where they both serve as the Central Region representatives. Jill also recently completed her 2023 Nebraska Farm Bureau Leadership Academy experience. The Englands are also involved in their community with Josh serving on the local fire department and both are involved in their community’s Legion.Farm Bureau members ages 18 to 35 can apply for the Young Farmers and Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture Award. As the Nebraska winner, the Englands will receive $500 and an all-expense paid trip to the 2024 American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah in January to compete with other state winners at the national level.The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. More than 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefb.org/" target="_blank">www.nefb.org</a>.

Josh and Jill England Take Home Nebraska Farm Bureau’s Excellence in Agriculture Award

NEW YORK (AP) — Is the year of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Taylor Swift</a>&nbsp;over now? Not yet.

Time Magazine named Swift its person of the year on Wednesday, a week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spotify-2023-music-taylor-swift-bad-bunny-376192a822c7b1d38387a0f3b17e963f">Spotify announced</a>&nbsp;she was the most-played artist on the streaming platform.

Swift was picked from a group of nine finalists that included Barbie, King Charles III, and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, among others.

“While her popularity has grown across the decades, this is the year that Swift, 33, achieved a kind of nuclear fusion: shooting art and commerce together to release an energy of historic force,” Time said&nbsp;<a href="https://time.com/6342816/person-of-the-year-2023-taylor-swift-choice/">about her selection</a>.

Her year included the wildly popular Eras Tour and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-eras-tour-movie-review-2f409c638d2a9ea827f72c61b6b0d60a">concert movie</a>, the release of her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-a4002b50f70b5899a846baf3e20de5ab">reimagined ‘1989’ album</a>, and her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-packers-2a1a9e791afbf7a3cb86ec458b1aae67">closely watched relationship</a>&nbsp;with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. She's even the subject of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-rick-ross-law-school-courses-fd00b458405b36acf281a5ab586ad320">college courses</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695606865962.png" alt="File photo Taylor Swift inside Arrowhead Stadium during the first half of a game between the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Kansas City (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)" />
 <figcaption>File photo Taylor Swift inside Arrowhead Stadium during the first half of a game between the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Kansas City (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Is the year of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Taylor Swift</a>&nbsp;over now? Not yet.Time Magazine named Swift its person of the year on Wednesday, a week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spotify-2023-music-taylor-swift-bad-bunny-376192a822c7b1d38387a0f3b17e963f">Spotify announced</a>&nbsp;she was the most-played artist on the streaming platform.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Taylor Swift (<a href="https://twitter.com/taylorswift13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@taylorswift13</a>) is TIME&#39;s 2023 Person of the Year <a href="https://t.co/oyjR55azCZ">https://t.co/oyjR55azCZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/m2qbIbd5TX">pic.twitter.com/m2qbIbd5TX</a>&mdash; TIME (@TIME) <a href="https://twitter.com/TIME/status/1732379462644220275?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Swift was picked from a group of nine finalists that included Barbie, King Charles III, and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, among others.“While her popularity has grown across the decades, this is the year that Swift, 33, achieved a kind of nuclear fusion: shooting art and commerce together to release an energy of historic force,” Time said&nbsp;<a href="https://time.com/6342816/person-of-the-year-2023-taylor-swift-choice/">about her selection</a>.Her year included the wildly popular Eras Tour and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-eras-tour-movie-review-2f409c638d2a9ea827f72c61b6b0d60a">concert movie</a>, the release of her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-a4002b50f70b5899a846baf3e20de5ab">reimagined ‘1989’ album</a>, and her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-packers-2a1a9e791afbf7a3cb86ec458b1aae67">closely watched relationship</a>&nbsp;with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. She's even the subject of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-rick-ross-law-school-courses-fd00b458405b36acf281a5ab586ad320">college courses</a>.

Taylor Swift is named Time Magazine's person of the year

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Norman Lear, the writer, director and producer who revolutionized prime time television with such topical hits as "All in the Family" and “Maude” and propelled political and social turmoil into the once-insulated world of sitcoms, has died. He was 101.

Lear died Tuesday night in his sleep, surrounded by family at his home in Los Angeles, said Lara Bergthold, a spokesperson for his family.

A liberal activist with an eye for mainstream entertainment, Lear fashioned bold and controversial comedies that were embraced by TV sitcom viewers who long had to watch the evening news to find out what was going on in the world. His shows helped define prime time comedy in the 1970s and after, launched the careers of such young performers as Rob Reiner and Valerie Bertinelli and made Carroll O'Connor, Bea Arthur and Redd Foxx among others into middle-aged superstars.

His signature production was “All in the Family,” which was immersed in the headlines of the day, while also drawing upon Lear's childhood memories of his tempestuous father. Racism, feminism, and the Vietnam War were flashpoints in the sitcom featuring blue collar conservative Archie Bunker, played by O'Connor, and liberal son-in-law Mike Stivic (Reiner). Jean Stapleton co-starred as Archie’s befuddled, but good-hearted wife, Edith, and Sally Struthers played the Bunkers' daughter, Gloria, who often clashed with Archie on behalf of her husband.

At the start of the 1970s, top-rated shows still included such old-fashioned programs as “Here’s Lucy,” “Ironside” and “Gunsmoke,” although the industry was beginning to change. CBS, Lear’s primary network, would soon enact its “rural purge” and cancel such standbys as “The Beverly Hillbillies” and “Green Acres.” The groundbreaking sitcom “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” about a single career woman in Minneapolis, debuted on CBS in Sept. 1970, just months before “All in the Family” started.

But ABC passed on “All in the Family” twice and CBS was initially reluctant to take on the daring series, Lear would say. When the network finally aired “All in the Family,” it began with a disclaimer: “The program you are about to see is ‘All in the Family.’ It seeks to throw a humorous spotlight on our frailties, prejudices, and concerns. By making them a source of laughter we hope to show, in a mature fashion, just how absurd they are.”

By the end of 1971, “All In the Family” was No. 1 in the ratings and Archie Bunker was a pop culture fixture, with President Richard Nixon among his fans. Some of his putdowns became catchphrases, whether calling his son-in-law “Meathead,” or his wife “Dingbat.” He would also snap at anyone who dared occupy his faded orange-yellow wing chair, the centerpiece of the Bunker home in the New York City borough of Queens and eventually an artifact in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

Even the show’s opening segment was innovative: Instead of an off-screen theme song, Archie and Edith are seated at the piano in their living room, belting out a nostalgic number, “Those Were the Days,” with Edith screeching off-key and Archie crooning such lines “Didn’t need no welfare state” and “Girls were girls and men were men.”

“All in the Family,” based on the British sitcom, “Til Death Us Do Part,” was the No. 1-rated series for an unprecedented five years in a row and earned four Emmy Awards as best comedy series, finally eclipsed by five-time winner “Frasier” in 1998.

Hits continued for Lear and then-partner Bud Yorkin, including “Maude” and “The Jeffersons,” both spinoffs from “All in the Family” and both the same winning combination of one-liners and social conflict. In a 1972 two-part episode of “Maude,” the title character (played by Arthur) became the first on television to have an abortion, drawing a surge of protests along with the show’s high ratings. Nixon himself objected to an “All in the Family” episode about a close friend of Archie’s who turns out to be gay, privately fuming to White House aides that the show “glorified” same-sex relationships.

“Controversy suggests people are thinking about something. But there’d better be laughing first and foremost or it’s a dog,” Lear said in a 1994 interview with The Associated Press.

Lear and Yorkin also created “Good Times,” about a working class Black family in Chicago; “Sanford &amp; Son,” a showcase for Foxx as junkyard dealer Fred Sanford; and “One Day at a Time,” starring Bonnie Franklin as a single mother and Bertinelli and Mackenzie Phillips as her daughters. In the 1974-75 season, Lear and Yorkin produced five of the top 10 shows. Around the same time, “All in the Family” led off one of TV’s greatest evening lineups, a Saturday slate from CBS that also featured the non-Lear hits “M(asterisk)A(asterisk)S(asterisk)H,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “The Bob Newhart Show” and “The Carol Burnett Show.”

The late Paddy Chayefsky, a leading writer of television’s early “golden age,” once said that Lear “took television away from dopey wives and dumb fathers, from the pimps, hookers, hustlers, private eyes, junkies, cowboys and rustlers that constituted television chaos, and in their place he put the American people.”

Lear’s series reflected his ardent political beliefs, which his business success allowed him to express in grand fashion. In 2000, he and a partner bought a copy of the Declaration of Independence for $8.14 million and sent it on a cross-country tour.

He founded the nonprofit, liberal advocacy group People for the American Way in 1980 in response to the growing strength of conservative religious groups. In a 1992 interview with Commonweal magazine, Lear said he acted because he felt people such as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson were “abusing religion.”

“And I started to say, This is not my America. You don’t mix politics and religion this way,” Lear said. He also was an active donor to Democratic candidates.

With this wry smile and impish boat hat, Lear remained a youthful presence for much of life and continued creating television well into his 90s, rebooting “One Day at a Time” for Netflix in 2017 and exploring income inequality for the documentary series “America Divided” in 2016. He was also featured in two documentaries: 2016’s “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You,” and HBO’s 2017 look at active nonagenarians such as Lear and Rob Reiner’s father, Carl Reiner, “If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast.”

In 1984, he was lauded as the “innovative writer who brought realism to television” when he became one of the first seven people inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Hall of Fame. He later received a National Medal of Arts and was honored at the Kennedy Center. In 2020, he won an Emmy as executive producer of “Live In Front of a Studio Audience: ‘All In the Family’ and ‘Good Times’.’”

Lear managed to beat the tough TV odds to an astounding degree. At least one of his shows placed in prime-time’s top 10 for 11 consecutive years (1971-82). But Lear had flops as well.

Shows including “Hot L Baltimore,” “Palmerstown” and “a.k.a. Pablo,” a rare Hispanic series, drew critical favor but couldn’t find an audience; others, such as “All That Glitters” and “The Nancy Walker Show,” earned neither. He also faced resistance from cast members, including “Good Times” stars John Amos and Esther Rolle, who often objected to the scripts as racially insensitive, and endured a mid-season walkout by Foxx, who missed eight episodes in 1973-74 because of a contract dispute.

In the 1990s, the comedy “704 Hauser,” which returned to the Bunker house with a new family, and the political satire “The Powers that Be” were both short-lived.

Lear’s business moves, meanwhile, were almost consistently fruitful.

Lear started T.A.T. Communications in 1974 to be “sole creative captain of his ship,” his former business partner Jerry Perenchio told the Los Angeles Times in 1990. The company became a major TV producer with shows including “One Day at a Time” and the soap-opera spoof “Mary Hartman Mary Hartman,” which Lear distributed himself after it was rejected by the networks.

In 1982, Lear and Perenchio bought Avco-Embassy Pictures and formed Embassy Communications as T.A.T.’s successor, becoming successfully involved in movies, home video, pay TV and cable ownership. In 1985, Lear and Perenchio sold Embassy to Coca-Cola for $485 million. They had sold their cable holdings the year before, reportedly for a hefty profit.

By 1986, Lear was on Forbes magazine’s list of the 400 richest people in America, with an estimated net worth of $225 million. He didn’t make the cut the next year after a $112 million divorce settlement for his second wife, Frances. They had been married 29 years and had two daughters.

He married his third wife, psychologist Lyn Davis, in 1987 and the couple had three children. (Frances Lear, who went on to found the now-defunct Lear’s magazine with her settlement, died in 1996 at age 73.)

Lear was born in New Haven, Conn. on July 27, 1922, to Herman Lear, a securities broker who for a time went to prison for selling fake bonds, and Jeanette, a homemaker who helped inspire Edith Bunker. Norman Lear would remember family life as a kind of sitcom, full of quirks and grudges, “a group of people living at the ends of their nerves and the tops of their lungs,” he explained during a 2004 appearance at the John F. Kennedy Presidential LIbrary in Boston.

His political activism had deep roots. In a 1984 interview with The New York Times, Lear recalled how, at age 10, he went to live with his Russian immigrant grandfather for two years. His job was to mail Shia Seicol’s letters, which began “My dearest darling Mr. President,” to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Sometimes a reply came.

“That my grandfather mattered made me feel every citizen mattered,” he said. By age 15, Lear was sending his own messages to Congress via Western Union.

He dropped out of Emerson College 1942 to enlist in the Air Force and was awarded a Decorated Air Medal. He worked in public relations in New York after the war, then moved to California.

Lear began his writing career in the early 1950s on shows including “The Colgate Comedy Hour” and working for such comedians as Martha Raye and George Gobel. In 1959, Lear and Yorkin founded Tandem Productions, which produced films including “Come Blow Your Horn,” “Start the Revolution Without Me” and “Divorce American Style.” Lear also directed the satire “Cold Turkey,” a 1971 release starring Dick Van Dyke about a small town that takes on a tobacco company’s offer of $25 million to quit smoking for 30 days.

In his later years, Lear joined with Warren Buffett and James E. Burke to establish The Business Enterprise Trust, honoring businesses that take a long-term view of their effect on the country.

He also founded the Norman Lear Center, based at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication, which explores the relationship between entertainment, commerce and society. In 2014, he published the memoir “Even This I Get to Experience.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701872361012.png" alt="Lear" />
 <figcaption>Lear</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Norman Lear, the writer, director and producer who revolutionized prime time television with such topical hits as "All in the Family" and “Maude” and propelled political and social turmoil into the once-insulated world of sitcoms, has died. He was 101.Lear died Tuesday night in his sleep, surrounded by family at his home in Los Angeles, said Lara Bergthold, a spokesperson for his family.A liberal activist with an eye for mainstream entertainment, Lear fashioned bold and controversial comedies that were embraced by TV sitcom viewers who long had to watch the evening news to find out what was going on in the world. His shows helped define prime time comedy in the 1970s and after, launched the careers of such young performers as Rob Reiner and Valerie Bertinelli and made Carroll O'Connor, Bea Arthur and Redd Foxx among others into middle-aged superstars.His signature production was “All in the Family,” which was immersed in the headlines of the day, while also drawing upon Lear's childhood memories of his tempestuous father. Racism, feminism, and the Vietnam War were flashpoints in the sitcom featuring blue collar conservative Archie Bunker, played by O'Connor, and liberal son-in-law Mike Stivic (Reiner). Jean Stapleton co-starred as Archie’s befuddled, but good-hearted wife, Edith, and Sally Struthers played the Bunkers' daughter, Gloria, who often clashed with Archie on behalf of her husband.At the start of the 1970s, top-rated shows still included such old-fashioned programs as “Here’s Lucy,” “Ironside” and “Gunsmoke,” although the industry was beginning to change. CBS, Lear’s primary network, would soon enact its “rural purge” and cancel such standbys as “The Beverly Hillbillies” and “Green Acres.” The groundbreaking sitcom “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” about a single career woman in Minneapolis, debuted on CBS in Sept. 1970, just months before “All in the Family” started.But ABC passed on “All in the Family” twice and CBS was initially reluctant to take on the daring series, Lear would say. When the network finally aired “All in the Family,” it began with a disclaimer: “The program you are about to see is ‘All in the Family.’ It seeks to throw a humorous spotlight on our frailties, prejudices, and concerns. By making them a source of laughter we hope to show, in a mature fashion, just how absurd they are.”By the end of 1971, “All In the Family” was No. 1 in the ratings and Archie Bunker was a pop culture fixture, with President Richard Nixon among his fans. Some of his putdowns became catchphrases, whether calling his son-in-law “Meathead,” or his wife “Dingbat.” He would also snap at anyone who dared occupy his faded orange-yellow wing chair, the centerpiece of the Bunker home in the New York City borough of Queens and eventually an artifact in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.Even the show’s opening segment was innovative: Instead of an off-screen theme song, Archie and Edith are seated at the piano in their living room, belting out a nostalgic number, “Those Were the Days,” with Edith screeching off-key and Archie crooning such lines “Didn’t need no welfare state” and “Girls were girls and men were men.”“All in the Family,” based on the British sitcom, “Til Death Us Do Part,” was the No. 1-rated series for an unprecedented five years in a row and earned four Emmy Awards as best comedy series, finally eclipsed by five-time winner “Frasier” in 1998.Hits continued for Lear and then-partner Bud Yorkin, including “Maude” and “The Jeffersons,” both spinoffs from “All in the Family” and both the same winning combination of one-liners and social conflict. In a 1972 two-part episode of “Maude,” the title character (played by Arthur) became the first on television to have an abortion, drawing a surge of protests along with the show’s high ratings. Nixon himself objected to an “All in the Family” episode about a close friend of Archie’s who turns out to be gay, privately fuming to White House aides that the show “glorified” same-sex relationships.“Controversy suggests people are thinking about something. But there’d better be laughing first and foremost or it’s a dog,” Lear said in a 1994 interview with The Associated Press.Lear and Yorkin also created “Good Times,” about a working class Black family in Chicago; “Sanford &amp; Son,” a showcase for Foxx as junkyard dealer Fred Sanford; and “One Day at a Time,” starring Bonnie Franklin as a single mother and Bertinelli and Mackenzie Phillips as her daughters. In the 1974-75 season, Lear and Yorkin produced five of the top 10 shows. Around the same time, “All in the Family” led off one of TV’s greatest evening lineups, a Saturday slate from CBS that also featured the non-Lear hits “M(asterisk)A(asterisk)S(asterisk)H,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “The Bob Newhart Show” and “The Carol Burnett Show.”The late Paddy Chayefsky, a leading writer of television’s early “golden age,” once said that Lear “took television away from dopey wives and dumb fathers, from the pimps, hookers, hustlers, private eyes, junkies, cowboys and rustlers that constituted television chaos, and in their place he put the American people.”Lear’s series reflected his ardent political beliefs, which his business success allowed him to express in grand fashion. In 2000, he and a partner bought a copy of the Declaration of Independence for $8.14 million and sent it on a cross-country tour.He founded the nonprofit, liberal advocacy group People for the American Way in 1980 in response to the growing strength of conservative religious groups. In a 1992 interview with Commonweal magazine, Lear said he acted because he felt people such as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson were “abusing religion.”“And I started to say, This is not my America. You don’t mix politics and religion this way,” Lear said. He also was an active donor to Democratic candidates.With this wry smile and impish boat hat, Lear remained a youthful presence for much of life and continued creating television well into his 90s, rebooting “One Day at a Time” for Netflix in 2017 and exploring income inequality for the documentary series “America Divided” in 2016. He was also featured in two documentaries: 2016’s “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You,” and HBO’s 2017 look at active nonagenarians such as Lear and Rob Reiner’s father, Carl Reiner, “If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast.”In 1984, he was lauded as the “innovative writer who brought realism to television” when he became one of the first seven people inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Hall of Fame. He later received a National Medal of Arts and was honored at the Kennedy Center. In 2020, he won an Emmy as executive producer of “Live In Front of a Studio Audience: ‘All In the Family’ and ‘Good Times’.’”Lear managed to beat the tough TV odds to an astounding degree. At least one of his shows placed in prime-time’s top 10 for 11 consecutive years (1971-82). But Lear had flops as well.Shows including “Hot L Baltimore,” “Palmerstown” and “a.k.a. Pablo,” a rare Hispanic series, drew critical favor but couldn’t find an audience; others, such as “All That Glitters” and “The Nancy Walker Show,” earned neither. He also faced resistance from cast members, including “Good Times” stars John Amos and Esther Rolle, who often objected to the scripts as racially insensitive, and endured a mid-season walkout by Foxx, who missed eight episodes in 1973-74 because of a contract dispute.In the 1990s, the comedy “704 Hauser,” which returned to the Bunker house with a new family, and the political satire “The Powers that Be” were both short-lived.Lear’s business moves, meanwhile, were almost consistently fruitful.Lear started T.A.T. Communications in 1974 to be “sole creative captain of his ship,” his former business partner Jerry Perenchio told the Los Angeles Times in 1990. The company became a major TV producer with shows including “One Day at a Time” and the soap-opera spoof “Mary Hartman Mary Hartman,” which Lear distributed himself after it was rejected by the networks.In 1982, Lear and Perenchio bought Avco-Embassy Pictures and formed Embassy Communications as T.A.T.’s successor, becoming successfully involved in movies, home video, pay TV and cable ownership. In 1985, Lear and Perenchio sold Embassy to Coca-Cola for $485 million. They had sold their cable holdings the year before, reportedly for a hefty profit.By 1986, Lear was on Forbes magazine’s list of the 400 richest people in America, with an estimated net worth of $225 million. He didn’t make the cut the next year after a $112 million divorce settlement for his second wife, Frances. They had been married 29 years and had two daughters.He married his third wife, psychologist Lyn Davis, in 1987 and the couple had three children. (Frances Lear, who went on to found the now-defunct Lear’s magazine with her settlement, died in 1996 at age 73.)Lear was born in New Haven, Conn. on July 27, 1922, to Herman Lear, a securities broker who for a time went to prison for selling fake bonds, and Jeanette, a homemaker who helped inspire Edith Bunker. Norman Lear would remember family life as a kind of sitcom, full of quirks and grudges, “a group of people living at the ends of their nerves and the tops of their lungs,” he explained during a 2004 appearance at the John F. Kennedy Presidential LIbrary in Boston.His political activism had deep roots. In a 1984 interview with The New York Times, Lear recalled how, at age 10, he went to live with his Russian immigrant grandfather for two years. His job was to mail Shia Seicol’s letters, which began “My dearest darling Mr. President,” to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Sometimes a reply came.“That my grandfather mattered made me feel every citizen mattered,” he said. By age 15, Lear was sending his own messages to Congress via Western Union.He dropped out of Emerson College 1942 to enlist in the Air Force and was awarded a Decorated Air Medal. He worked in public relations in New York after the war, then moved to California.Lear began his writing career in the early 1950s on shows including “The Colgate Comedy Hour” and working for such comedians as Martha Raye and George Gobel. In 1959, Lear and Yorkin founded Tandem Productions, which produced films including “Come Blow Your Horn,” “Start the Revolution Without Me” and “Divorce American Style.” Lear also directed the satire “Cold Turkey,” a 1971 release starring Dick Van Dyke about a small town that takes on a tobacco company’s offer of $25 million to quit smoking for 30 days.In his later years, Lear joined with Warren Buffett and James E. Burke to establish The Business Enterprise Trust, honoring businesses that take a long-term view of their effect on the country.He also founded the Norman Lear Center, based at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication, which explores the relationship between entertainment, commerce and society. In 2014, he published the memoir “Even This I Get to Experience.”

Norman Lear, TV legend, dies at 101

&nbsp;By&nbsp;<a href="http://www.defense.gov/News/Author/42773/c-todd-lopez/">C. Todd Lopez</a>&nbsp;, Department of Defense

Following last week's CV-22A Osprey mishap off the shore of Yakushima Island, Japan, a search and rescue operation had been ongoing for any possible survivors. That operation has now transitioned to a search and recovery operation. At the same time, Air Force Special Operations Command has released the names of the eight deceased service members.

A news release explained that a change in mission from rescue to recovery happens when it's determined that it is unlikely there are any survivors.

"I am deeply saddened by the loss of eight American troops in a tragic aircraft crash off the coast of Japan," said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III in a statement released today. "The entire Department of Defense mourns alongside the families and the loved ones of those who lost their lives today in the service of their country. My heart also goes out to those who were serving alongside these brave men and women in Japan."

During a news briefing today Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said all families of those airmen have now been notified.

"Our deepest condolences go out to the families, friends, and colleagues of these eight American airmen who are impacted by this tragic mishap and the immeasurable loss of life," said Ryder. "We want to thank the government of Japan for all of their assistance."

Ryder said the remains of three of the eight have been recovered. The remains of another three airmen have been located and are in the process of being recovered.

"The recovery operation will now focus on locating and recovering the remaining two airmen and aircraft debris," Ryder said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701862251778.png" alt="A CV-22A Osprey assigned to the 352d Special Operations Wing flies overhead during an Agile Combat Employment exercise at RAF Fairford, England, Sept. 13, 2021. The exercise enables U.S. forces in Europe to operate from locations with varying levels of capacity and support.&nbsp;Photo By:Senior Airman Eugene Oliver" />
 <figcaption>A CV-22A Osprey assigned to the 352d Special Operations Wing flies overhead during an Agile Combat Employment exercise at RAF Fairford, England, Sept. 13, 2021. The exercise enables U.S. forces in Europe to operate from locations with varying levels of capacity and support.&nbsp;Photo By:Senior Airman Eugene Oliver</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;By&nbsp;<a href="http://www.defense.gov/News/Author/42773/c-todd-lopez/">C. Todd Lopez</a>&nbsp;, Department of DefenseFollowing last week's CV-22A Osprey mishap off the shore of Yakushima Island, Japan, a search and rescue operation had been ongoing for any possible survivors. That operation has now transitioned to a search and recovery operation. At the same time, Air Force Special Operations Command has released the names of the eight deceased service members.A news release explained that a change in mission from rescue to recovery happens when it's determined that it is unlikely there are any survivors."I am deeply saddened by the loss of eight American troops in a tragic aircraft crash off the coast of Japan," said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III in a statement released today. "The entire Department of Defense mourns alongside the families and the loved ones of those who lost their lives today in the service of their country. My heart also goes out to those who were serving alongside these brave men and women in Japan."During a news briefing today Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said all families of those airmen have now been notified."Our deepest condolences go out to the families, friends, and colleagues of these eight American airmen who are impacted by this tragic mishap and the immeasurable loss of life," said Ryder. "We want to thank the government of Japan for all of their assistance."The deceased airmen are:<ul>
 <li>Air Force Maj. Jeffrey T. Hoernemann, 32, of Andover, Minnesota, was a CV-22 Osprey instructor pilot and officer in charge of training. He was assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan.</li><li>Air Force Maj. Eric V. Spendlove, 36, of St. George, Utah, was a residency trained flight surgeon and medical operations flight commander. He was assigned to the 1st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan.</li><li>Air Force Maj. Luke A. Unrath, 34, of Riverside, California, was a CV-22 pilot and flight commander. He was assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan.</li><li>Air Force Capt. Terrell K. Brayman, 32, of Pittsford, New York, was a CV-22 pilot and flight commander. He was assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan.</li><li>Air Force Tech. Sgt. Zachary E. Lavoy, 33, of Oviedo, Florida, was a medical operations flight chief. He was assigned to the 1st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan.</li><li>Air Force Staff Sgt. Jake M. Turnage, 25, of Kennesaw, Georgia, was a flight engineer. He was assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan.</li><li>Air Force Staff Sgt. Jacob M. Galliher, 24, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, was a direct support operator. He was assigned to the 43rd Intelligence Squadron, 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan.</li><li>Air Force Senior Airman Brian K. Johnson, 32, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, was a flight engineer. He was assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan.​</li>
 </ul>Ryder said the remains of three of the eight have been recovered. The remains of another three airmen have been located and are in the process of being recovered."The recovery operation will now focus on locating and recovering the remaining two airmen and aircraft debris," Ryder said.

Air Force IDs 8 airmen who died in Osprey crash off Japan

BOSTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;told campaign donors Tuesday that he wasn’t sure he’d be running for reelection if Donald Trump wasn’t also in the race, warning that democracy is “more at risk in 2024” and that the former president and his allies are out to “destroy” democratic institutions.

The president was using a trio of fundraisers to caution against what might happen should his predecessor again claim control of the White House, noting that Trump has described himself as his supporters’ “retribution” and has vowed to root out “vermin” in the country.

“We’ve got to get it done, not because of me. ... If Trump wasn’t running I’m not sure I’d be running. We cannot let him win,” Biden said, hitting the last words slowly for emphasis.

Biden's forceful rhetoric came as Trump, the current GOP front-runner, who tried to overturn the 2020 election he lost and is facing criminal charges connected to those efforts,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-democracy-election-2024-f2f824f056ae9f81f4e688fe590f41b4">attempted over the weekend</a>&nbsp;to turn the tables by calling Biden the “destroyer of American democracy.”

Trump on Tuesday was asked by Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity to promise he "would never abuse power as retribution against anybody.”

“Except for day one,” Trump responded. “I want to close the border and I want to drill, drill, drill.”

"After that I’m not a dictator,” Trump added.

Biden, who said he is not alone in sounding the alarm over Trump, noted that Trump is the “only losing candidate” in U.S. history to not accept the results. Biden also said that on Jan. 6, 2021, as Trump supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol in a failed attempt to stop the certification of the election results, Trump sat in his dining room just off the Oval Office, “watching them threaten his own vice president.”

Biden also highlighted recent warnings about Trump from former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., calling her a “powerful voice.”

“American democracy, I give you my word as a Biden, is at stake,” the president said at the first of three campaign fundraisers in the Boston area. Drawing some laughter from donors, Biden also mused: “He didn’t even show up at my inauguration. I can’t say I was disappointed, but he didn’t even show up.”

The warnings by Biden are increasingly part of his pitch to donors: that democracy is at stake if Trump were to win again and he must be defeated. The president is pushing to raise money for his reelection effort before the end of the year, appearing at seven events through Monday — with more to come. The events in Boston on Tuesday benefit his campaign and the broader Democratic Party.

They included an evening event in the city’s theater district featuring a concert by singer-songwriter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/james-taylor">James Taylor</a>, who helped kick off a White House event in 2022 celebrating&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Inflation%20Reduction%20Act,">the Inflation Reduction Act</a>, a climate and health care bill that Biden signed into law.

Onstage, Biden joked to the packed theater audience that he wouldn't be long because he knew he was “the only thing standing” between the audience and the performance by Taylor.

“We’re always going to defend protect and fight for democracy," he said. "That’s why I’m running.”

November was the campaign's strongest grassroots fundraising month since Biden formally announced last April that he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">seeking a second term</a>, according to a campaign official who insisted on anonymity to discuss campaign finances before details are made public. The numbers will be released in January.

In October, Biden and the Democratic National Committee reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-election-2024-campaign-fundraising-trump-6d16c590a1f1fed055b6544e36c03b9a">raising more than $71 million for his reelection</a>&nbsp;in the three months ending Sept. 30, a sign that donors remained behind him going into the 2024 presidential race.

Biden had only political events on his public schedule for Tuesday, which is rare. Presidents who are running for reelection typically include an official event, like a policy speech, on the schedule to help defray costs for their campaign.

Biden will also attend a fundraiser Wednesday near the White House and another one Monday in Philadelphia. He’ll headline fundraisers in Washington, D.C., and in Maryland later in December.

On Friday, Biden will head to Los Angeles for a big-dollar event that will be his first since strikes by writers and actors effectively ground his fundraising to a halt in the heart of the entertainment industry, which has long served as a major source of campaign money for Democrats.

The event is slated to be at the home of Michael Smith, a celebrity interior designer who decorated the White House for President Barack Obama, and Smith's partner, James Costos, a former HBO executive who was Obama’s ambassador to Spain. It is expected to raise millions of dollars and draw a crowd of celebrities. Rocker Lenny Kravitz is slated to perform.

Film director Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, who starred in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” are among the hosts of the event, as are recording industry mogul David Geffen, “Scandal” showrunner Shonda Rhimes and “This is Spinal Tap” director Rob Reiner, according to an invitation obtained by the AP.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is also a co-host. Barbra Streisand is set to attend.

As of the last fundraising reporting deadline at the end of September, Biden and his party&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-election-2024-campaign-fundraising-trump-6d16c590a1f1fed055b6544e36c03b9a">reported $91 million cash on hand.</a>&nbsp;He is helped by the fact that as the party’s leader he has entered into a joint fundraising agreement with the Democratic National Committee, as well as state parties, which enables him to receive a check from a single donor that is in the range of $1 million.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701832018325.png" alt="“We’ve got to get it done, not because of me. ... If Trump wasn’t running I’m not sure I’d be running. We cannot let him win,” Biden said, hitting the last words slowly for emphasis.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>“We’ve got to get it done, not because of me. ... If Trump wasn’t running I’m not sure I’d be running. We cannot let him win,” Biden said, hitting the last words slowly for emphasis.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;told campaign donors Tuesday that he wasn’t sure he’d be running for reelection if Donald Trump wasn’t also in the race, warning that democracy is “more at risk in 2024” and that the former president and his allies are out to “destroy” democratic institutions.The president was using a trio of fundraisers to caution against what might happen should his predecessor again claim control of the White House, noting that Trump has described himself as his supporters’ “retribution” and has vowed to root out “vermin” in the country.“We’ve got to get it done, not because of me. ... If Trump wasn’t running I’m not sure I’d be running. We cannot let him win,” Biden said, hitting the last words slowly for emphasis.Biden's forceful rhetoric came as Trump, the current GOP front-runner, who tried to overturn the 2020 election he lost and is facing criminal charges connected to those efforts,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-democracy-election-2024-f2f824f056ae9f81f4e688fe590f41b4">attempted over the weekend</a>&nbsp;to turn the tables by calling Biden the “destroyer of American democracy.”Trump on Tuesday was asked by Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity to promise he "would never abuse power as retribution against anybody.”“Except for day one,” Trump responded. “I want to close the border and I want to drill, drill, drill.”"After that I’m not a dictator,” Trump added.Biden, who said he is not alone in sounding the alarm over Trump, noted that Trump is the “only losing candidate” in U.S. history to not accept the results. Biden also said that on Jan. 6, 2021, as Trump supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol in a failed attempt to stop the certification of the election results, Trump sat in his dining room just off the Oval Office, “watching them threaten his own vice president.”Biden also highlighted recent warnings about Trump from former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., calling her a “powerful voice.”“American democracy, I give you my word as a Biden, is at stake,” the president said at the first of three campaign fundraisers in the Boston area. Drawing some laughter from donors, Biden also mused: “He didn’t even show up at my inauguration. I can’t say I was disappointed, but he didn’t even show up.”The warnings by Biden are increasingly part of his pitch to donors: that democracy is at stake if Trump were to win again and he must be defeated. The president is pushing to raise money for his reelection effort before the end of the year, appearing at seven events through Monday — with more to come. The events in Boston on Tuesday benefit his campaign and the broader Democratic Party.They included an evening event in the city’s theater district featuring a concert by singer-songwriter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/james-taylor">James Taylor</a>, who helped kick off a White House event in 2022 celebrating&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Inflation%20Reduction%20Act,">the Inflation Reduction Act</a>, a climate and health care bill that Biden signed into law.Onstage, Biden joked to the packed theater audience that he wouldn't be long because he knew he was “the only thing standing” between the audience and the performance by Taylor.“We’re always going to defend protect and fight for democracy," he said. "That’s why I’m running.”November was the campaign's strongest grassroots fundraising month since Biden formally announced last April that he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">seeking a second term</a>, according to a campaign official who insisted on anonymity to discuss campaign finances before details are made public. The numbers will be released in January.In October, Biden and the Democratic National Committee reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-election-2024-campaign-fundraising-trump-6d16c590a1f1fed055b6544e36c03b9a">raising more than $71 million for his reelection</a>&nbsp;in the three months ending Sept. 30, a sign that donors remained behind him going into the 2024 presidential race.Biden had only political events on his public schedule for Tuesday, which is rare. Presidents who are running for reelection typically include an official event, like a policy speech, on the schedule to help defray costs for their campaign.Biden will also attend a fundraiser Wednesday near the White House and another one Monday in Philadelphia. He’ll headline fundraisers in Washington, D.C., and in Maryland later in December.On Friday, Biden will head to Los Angeles for a big-dollar event that will be his first since strikes by writers and actors effectively ground his fundraising to a halt in the heart of the entertainment industry, which has long served as a major source of campaign money for Democrats.The event is slated to be at the home of Michael Smith, a celebrity interior designer who decorated the White House for President Barack Obama, and Smith's partner, James Costos, a former HBO executive who was Obama’s ambassador to Spain. It is expected to raise millions of dollars and draw a crowd of celebrities. Rocker Lenny Kravitz is slated to perform.Film director Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, who starred in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” are among the hosts of the event, as are recording industry mogul David Geffen, “Scandal” showrunner Shonda Rhimes and “This is Spinal Tap” director Rob Reiner, according to an invitation obtained by the AP.Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is also a co-host. Barbra Streisand is set to attend.As of the last fundraising reporting deadline at the end of September, Biden and his party&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-election-2024-campaign-fundraising-trump-6d16c590a1f1fed055b6544e36c03b9a">reported $91 million cash on hand.</a>&nbsp;He is helped by the fact that as the party’s leader he has entered into a joint fundraising agreement with the Democratic National Committee, as well as state parties, which enables him to receive a check from a single donor that is in the range of $1 million.

Biden: 'If Trump wasn’t running I’m not sure I’d be running

NEW YORK (AP) — Denny Laine, a British singer, songwriter and guitarist who performed in an early, pop-oriented version of the Moody Blues and was later Paul McCartney's longtime sideman in the ex-Beatle's solo band Wings, has died at age 79.

Laine, inducted five years ago into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues, died Tuesday in Naples, Florida. The cause was interstitial lung disease, according to an announcement on Laine's Instagram page by his wife, Elizabeth Hines.

His death comes almost exactly 50 years after the release of McCartney's acclaimed “Band On the Run” album, on which Laine played guitar and provided backing vocals. On Tuesday, McCartney posted a tribute to Laine on Instagram, calling him a “great talent with a fine sense of humor.”

“We had drifted apart but in recent years managed to reestablish our friendship and share memories of our times together,” McCartney wrote.

Laine was born Brian Frederick Arthur Hines, and changed his professional name in his early teens, in part in homage to the singer Frankie Laine.

In 1964, around the time he turned 20, he joined Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder in forming the Moody Blues and sang lead on the group's breakthrough hit, “Go Now.” But the Moody Blues struggled to match their initial success, and by 1967 Laine had left, replaced by Justin Hayward. The Moody Blues then turned to the ambitious, classically influenced sounds of “Nights in White Satin" and other songs.

Laine worked as a solo artist and with such group's as Electric String Band and Ginger Baker's Air Force before he was brought into Wings by McCartney, whom he had known during his time with the Moody Blues.

Founded in 1971, the year after the Beatles broke up, Wings went through various personnel changes over the following decade, with Laine, McCartney and McCartney's wife, Linda. the only ones remaining throughout. The band's No. 1 singles, most of them written by McCartney, included “My Love,” “Listen to What the Man Said” and the title track to “Band On the Run.” Laine helped write the million-selling “Mull of Kintyre.”

McCartney disbanded Wings soon after Laine left in the early 1980s, but Laine contributed to McCartney's “Tug of War” and “Pipes of Peace” albums and added backing vocals to "All Those Years Ago," George Harrison's tribute to the late John Lennon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701821156907.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Denny Laine, a British singer, songwriter and guitarist who performed in an early, pop-oriented version of the Moody Blues and was later Paul McCartney's longtime sideman in the ex-Beatle's solo band Wings, has died at age 79.Laine, inducted five years ago into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues, died Tuesday in Naples, Florida. The cause was interstitial lung disease, according to an announcement on Laine's Instagram page by his wife, Elizabeth Hines.His death comes almost exactly 50 years after the release of McCartney's acclaimed “Band On the Run” album, on which Laine played guitar and provided backing vocals. On Tuesday, McCartney posted a tribute to Laine on Instagram, calling him a “great talent with a fine sense of humor.”“We had drifted apart but in recent years managed to reestablish our friendship and share memories of our times together,” McCartney wrote.Laine was born Brian Frederick Arthur Hines, and changed his professional name in his early teens, in part in homage to the singer Frankie Laine.In 1964, around the time he turned 20, he joined Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder in forming the Moody Blues and sang lead on the group's breakthrough hit, “Go Now.” But the Moody Blues struggled to match their initial success, and by 1967 Laine had left, replaced by Justin Hayward. The Moody Blues then turned to the ambitious, classically influenced sounds of “Nights in White Satin" and other songs.Laine worked as a solo artist and with such group's as Electric String Band and Ginger Baker's Air Force before he was brought into Wings by McCartney, whom he had known during his time with the Moody Blues.Founded in 1971, the year after the Beatles broke up, Wings went through various personnel changes over the following decade, with Laine, McCartney and McCartney's wife, Linda. the only ones remaining throughout. The band's No. 1 singles, most of them written by McCartney, included “My Love,” “Listen to What the Man Said” and the title track to “Band On the Run.” Laine helped write the million-selling “Mull of Kintyre.”McCartney disbanded Wings soon after Laine left in the early 1980s, but Laine contributed to McCartney's “Tug of War” and “Pipes of Peace” albums and added backing vocals to "All Those Years Ago," George Harrison's tribute to the late John Lennon.

Denny Laine, Wings and Moody Blues co-founder, dead at 79

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/04/governor-expresses-disappointment-that-most-school-districts-overrode-spending-cap/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen expressed disappointment Monday that despite an influx of $324 million in additional state aid to K-12 schools, property taxes for local education statewide still increased by $85 million.

“It’s unacceptable. … Year one is not where we want to be,” said Pillen, referring to the impact of his state aid plan, passed earlier this year, to lower local property taxes.

During his first year in office, the Republican governor was able to get a package of what he&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-k-12-education-funding-bill-moves-closer-to-passage/">called “transformative” changes in funding</a>&nbsp;of K-12 schools passed by the Nebraska Legislature.

Those changes included establishing a $1 billion “Education Future Fund” that will provide, for the first time, yearly foundation aid of $1,500 per K-12 student. In addition, the state increased funding of special education costs.

All told, Pillen said, the state increased aid to local schools by $324 million, which allowed 92 of the state’s 244 school districts to lower their collection of property taxes or keep them flat.

But 188 of the 244 districts voted to override the 3% revenue cap that was imposed as part of Legislative Bill 583, which helped lead to the overall increase in property taxes. (Some districts did both, so the two numbers don’t add up to 244.)

“The intent … was that overriding the 3% would be the exception to the rule,” Pillen said.

“We have to stop spending money,” he added later.

The 3% so-called “soft” cap on additional revenue, Pillen said, was a figure superintendents told him was a reasonable cap that school districts could handle.

The head of a Lincoln think tank that tracks state policies, however, said the “one-size-fits-all funding mechanism” promoted by Pillen is the wrong approach in meeting the educational needs of students across Nebraska at a time of rising costs.

“Locally elected school board members are best positioned to determine what resources are needed to provide the learning environment and support from teachers to prepare students for a bright future,” said Rebecca Firestone of the OpenSky Policy Institute.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701792563600.jpeg" alt="Gov. Jim Pillen, right, speaks at a Monday news conference on state aid to K-12 schools. Looking on is Elwood Schools Superintendent Daren Hatch (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Jim Pillen, right, speaks at a Monday news conference on state aid to K-12 schools. Looking on is Elwood Schools Superintendent Daren Hatch (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/04/governor-expresses-disappointment-that-most-school-districts-overrode-spending-cap/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen expressed disappointment Monday that despite an influx of $324 million in additional state aid to K-12 schools, property taxes for local education statewide still increased by $85 million.“It’s unacceptable. … Year one is not where we want to be,” said Pillen, referring to the impact of his state aid plan, passed earlier this year, to lower local property taxes.During his first year in office, the Republican governor was able to get a package of what he&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-k-12-education-funding-bill-moves-closer-to-passage/">called “transformative” changes in funding</a>&nbsp;of K-12 schools passed by the Nebraska Legislature.Those changes included establishing a $1 billion “Education Future Fund” that will provide, for the first time, yearly foundation aid of $1,500 per K-12 student. In addition, the state increased funding of special education costs.All told, Pillen said, the state increased aid to local schools by $324 million, which allowed 92 of the state’s 244 school districts to lower their collection of property taxes or keep them flat.<h2>Most districts overrode cap</h2>But 188 of the 244 districts voted to override the 3% revenue cap that was imposed as part of Legislative Bill 583, which helped lead to the overall increase in property taxes. (Some districts did both, so the two numbers don’t add up to 244.)“The intent … was that overriding the 3% would be the exception to the rule,” Pillen said.“We have to stop spending money,” he added later.The 3% so-called “soft” cap on additional revenue, Pillen said, was a figure superintendents told him was a reasonable cap that school districts could handle.The head of a Lincoln think tank that tracks state policies, however, said the “one-size-fits-all funding mechanism” promoted by Pillen is the wrong approach in meeting the educational needs of students across Nebraska at a time of rising costs.“Locally elected school board members are best positioned to determine what resources are needed to provide the learning environment and support from teachers to prepare students for a bright future,” said Rebecca Firestone of the OpenSky Policy Institute.Whether or not Pillen will seek a “harder” cap on revenue in the 2024 session — as at least&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/30/platte-institute-calls-for-another-leap-in-tax-relief-in-nebraska/">one other think tank has called for</a>&nbsp;— was unclear Monday.When asked, he said it wasn’t his intent to seek a tougher cap during the next session, but later Pillen said he planned to work with senators during the 2024 session to further reduce property taxes.<h2>Property taxes reduced, but not dollar for dollar</h2>Joining Pillen at Monday’s press conference were superintendents of the Elwood and Norris school districts, which were able to reduce property taxes due to the influx of new state money. The purpose of the event was to thank them for reducing taxes, as Pillen’s plan intended.But both superintendents, while thanking the governor for the influx of funding, said they were unable to produce a “dollar-for-dollar” decrease in property taxes as Pillen hoped because of the need to increase staff salaries and deal with inflated costs of fuel and other materials.At Norris, the state delivered an additional $2.1 million in aid, while the decrease in property taxes was about $626,000.Superintendent Brian Maschmann said the district needed to increase salaries and benefits, deal with enrollment growth and finance 30 bus routes that travel the sprawling district that covers nine communities south of Lincoln.“There’s a lot of inflation that school districts have to take care of,” Maschmann said.Yet, he said, the added state aid allowed his district to reduce its property tax rate from $1.15 per $100 of valuation to 93 cents.When asked what he’d tell the 188 school districts that overrode the 3% rate, Maschmann said every school district is different financially, with different needs.“I think we can live within the cap,” he said, adding that he couldn’t speak for other districts.<h2>Must cut ‘significant dollars’</h2>Pillen said LB 583 was a good first step, “but we need to do more.”“We have to cut significant dollars from our property tax payments,” he said. “We’re committed to doing it. We’ll work day and night to get it done. We’ll work very, very hard with our partners in the Legislature to get that done this session.”Pillen said property taxes are “so out of whack” that something needs to be done. He adding that repeal of the state’s inheritance tax — which he called “a slush fund” — is on his wish list.“We have to become more fiscally responsible everywhere,” he added. “We can’t say ‘yes’ to everything.”Pillen and his state budget director, Lee Will, both said they disagreed with a projection made last week that the Education Future Fund would be depleted faster than anticipated. The governor said school superintendents need to trust that the state will continue to provide the increased aid.Last week, the Legislative Fiscal Office released a projection that the $1 billion fund would diminish to near $500 million as soon as the 2025-26 fiscal year, about four years earlier that the Governor’s Office anticipated.Will said Monday that the projection failed to take into account investment income from the fund, which he said will easily sustain the fund, as originally expected.Firestone, of OpenSky, said there are serious questions about the sustainability of the Education Future Fund and whether the additional state aid it promises will continue into the future.“Ultimately, the sustainability of state aid for K-12 education is critical not just to addressing property tax reform but to ensuring that school funding is sufficient to improve student outcomes,” she said.