NEW YORK (AP) — Charles Osgood, who anchored “CBS Sunday Morning” for more than two decades, was host of the long-running radio program “The Osgood File” and was referred to as CBS News’ poet-in-residence, has died. He was 91.

CBS reported that Osgood died Tuesday at his home in New Jersey and that the cause was dementia, according to his family.

Osgood was a broadcaster who could write essays and light verse as well as report hard news, and he worked radio and television with equal facility. He often signed off by telling listeners: “I’ll see you on the radio.”

Osgood took over “Sunday Morning” after the beloved&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/almanac-charles-kuralt/">Charles Kuralt</a>&nbsp;retired in 1994. Osgood seemingly had an impossible act to follow, but with his folksy erudition and his slightly bookish, bow-tied style, he immediately clicked with viewers who continued to embrace the program as an unhurried TV magazine.

In 1967, he took a job as reporter on the CBS-owned New York news radio station. Then, one fateful weekend, he was summoned to fill in at the anchor desk for the TV network’s Saturday newscast. In 1971, he joined the CBS network.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706037411949.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Charles Osgood, who anchored “CBS Sunday Morning” for more than two decades, was host of the long-running radio program “The Osgood File” and was referred to as CBS News’ poet-in-residence, has died. He was 91.CBS reported that Osgood died Tuesday at his home in New Jersey and that the cause was dementia, according to his family.Osgood was a broadcaster who could write essays and light verse as well as report hard news, and he worked radio and television with equal facility. He often signed off by telling listeners: “I’ll see you on the radio.”Osgood took over “Sunday Morning” after the beloved&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/almanac-charles-kuralt/">Charles Kuralt</a>&nbsp;retired in 1994. Osgood seemingly had an impossible act to follow, but with his folksy erudition and his slightly bookish, bow-tied style, he immediately clicked with viewers who continued to embrace the program as an unhurried TV magazine.In 1967, he took a job as reporter on the CBS-owned New York news radio station. Then, one fateful weekend, he was summoned to fill in at the anchor desk for the TV network’s Saturday newscast. In 1971, he joined the CBS network.

Charles Osgood, CBS host on TV and radio has died at 91

Lincoln, January 23, 2024- The Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved anOrder (<a href="http://www.nebraska.gov/psc/orders/telecom/2024-01-23%20C-5529%20Order%20Setting%20Forth%20Grant%20Process%20and%20Procedural%20Schedule.pdf" target="_blank">C-5529</a>) issuing the 2023-2024 Precision Agriculture Infrastructure Grant (PRO-AG)program schedule and application materials.

The Order (<a href="http://www.nebraska.gov/psc/orders/telecom/2024-01-23%20C-5529%20Order%20Setting%20Forth%20Grant%20Process%20and%20Procedural%20Schedule.pdf" target="_blank">C-5529</a>) implements the Precision Agriculture Grant Act, Neb. Rev. Stat.§ 86-1401-86-1406 and paves the way for the awarding of nearly one million dollars in grants to acceleraterural economic development by helping to provide high-speed internet service to farm sites inunserved areas of Nebraska.

“This grant program is another opportunity to advance precision agriculture in our state withmuch needed connectivity and supporting technology,” said Commission Chair Dan Watermeier.“We look forward to seeing the innovative projects submitted through the application process.”

The PRO-AG program is divided into two distinct subprograms, Connectivity, and Devices andTechnology. Each subprogram is designed to fulfill a specific purpose. Applicants can submitmultiple project proposals but must apply separately for each subprogram. Applications will beassessed individually. Each application will be considered on its own merits within thesubprogram in which it is filed.

The available funding for the 2023-2024 fiscal year of $906,478 will be divided among the twosubprograms with $453,239 in grant funding available for Connectivity and $453,239 availablefor Devices and Technology grants.

Application materials and a detailed program guide can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://psc.nebraska.gov/precision-agriculture" target="_blank">Precision AgricultureInfrastructure Grant Program (PRO-AG)</a>&nbsp;page of the PSC website. Applications for the 2024program year are due on or before, February 23 at 5:00 p.m. (CT) and should be emailed to &lt;<a href="mailto:psc.broadband@nebraska.gov" target="_blank">psc.broadband@nebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;&gt;.&nbsp; Grants will be awarded by the end of April.

Lincoln, January 23, 2024- The Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved anOrder (<a href="http://www.nebraska.gov/psc/orders/telecom/2024-01-23%20C-5529%20Order%20Setting%20Forth%20Grant%20Process%20and%20Procedural%20Schedule.pdf" target="_blank">C-5529</a>) issuing the 2023-2024 Precision Agriculture Infrastructure Grant (PRO-AG)program schedule and application materials.The Order (<a href="http://www.nebraska.gov/psc/orders/telecom/2024-01-23%20C-5529%20Order%20Setting%20Forth%20Grant%20Process%20and%20Procedural%20Schedule.pdf" target="_blank">C-5529</a>) implements the Precision Agriculture Grant Act, Neb. Rev. Stat.§ 86-1401-86-1406 and paves the way for the awarding of nearly one million dollars in grants to acceleraterural economic development by helping to provide high-speed internet service to farm sites inunserved areas of Nebraska.“This grant program is another opportunity to advance precision agriculture in our state withmuch needed connectivity and supporting technology,” said Commission Chair Dan Watermeier.“We look forward to seeing the innovative projects submitted through the application process.”The PRO-AG program is divided into two distinct subprograms, Connectivity, and Devices andTechnology. Each subprogram is designed to fulfill a specific purpose. Applicants can submitmultiple project proposals but must apply separately for each subprogram. Applications will beassessed individually. Each application will be considered on its own merits within thesubprogram in which it is filed.The available funding for the 2023-2024 fiscal year of $906,478 will be divided among the twosubprograms with $453,239 in grant funding available for Connectivity and $453,239 availablefor Devices and Technology grants.Application materials and a detailed program guide can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://psc.nebraska.gov/precision-agriculture" target="_blank">Precision AgricultureInfrastructure Grant Program (PRO-AG)</a>&nbsp;page of the PSC website. Applications for the 2024program year are due on or before, February 23 at 5:00 p.m. (CT) and should be emailed to &lt;<a href="mailto:psc.broadband@nebraska.gov" target="_blank">psc.broadband@nebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;&gt;.&nbsp; Grants will be awarded by the end of April.

PSC ISSUES PRECISION AGRICULTURE GRANT APPLICATION AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Almost a year after Nebraska lawmakers drew national attention for a bitter feud that saw left-leaning senators filibuster nearly every bill, the speaker of the Legislature vowed Monday to do more to avoid another quagmire this session.

Speaker of the Legislature Sen. John Arch said he will still follow the timetable that allows several hours of debate over three rounds of voting, but if he determines a filibuster is “exceedingly obstructive,” he’ll allow a vote to end it sooner.

“I believe last year was an aberration, and we all need to hit the reset button for this session,” Arch said on the floor of the Legislature on the first full day of bill debate this session. “So far, I believe we have done that.”

Nebraska has the country’s only single-chamber, nonpartisan Legislature, although lawmakers self-identify as Republican, Democrat or independent. Currently 32 of the 49 lawmakers are Republicans, which is one less than the 33 votes needed to stop debate on a filibuster. That means that unless one of the body’s 15 Democrats or its lone independent defects, Republicans can’t get past the filibuster to pass a bill.

During the last session, Omaha state Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh led an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/filibuster-transgender-gender-affirming-therapy-bill-nebraska-cavanaugh-b9018fd1bf72112ca984ff58679eda6d">epic filibuster</a>&nbsp;of nearly every bill debated — even ones she supported — in an effort to derail a measure to ban gender-confirming medical care for minors. An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-transgender-ban-nebraska-filibuster-b0b88845d29f1aaadf7936b7304a0507">amended version</a>&nbsp;of that bill, which restricted care for transgender people under 19 in Nebraska and folded in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-health-nebraska-omaha-06b7febb41715e7e0b28ae3a2b62c6ca">12-week abortion ban</a>, eventually passed and was signed by the governor.

Filibusters are rare in most state legislatures, but it's a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-filibuster-nebraska-transgender-legislature-71fbda330ed7f1225475c614630b488d">common tactic</a>&nbsp;in Nebraska to force compromise on contested bills, which must survive three rounds of debate to pass. Even so, last year's streak of filibusters is the longest in the state’s history.

The division over the majority's push last year for conservative agenda issues — targeting LGBTQ+ rights and abortion access, as well as offering taxpayer money for private school tuition and banning some books in public schools — led to one of the Nebraska Legislature's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-legislature-filibuster-nonpartisan-814790373744b59cd1822f472f6ab3ec">most acrimonious sessions</a>&nbsp;on record. As the filibuster effort played out, lawmakers called each other “trash” and “garbage,” exchanged accusations of unethical behavior, and angrily swore retribution. That included a promise by Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman, chairman of the body's Rules Committee, to enact a slate of changes to weaken the filibuster.

While some rules changes were enacted last week, including one limiting lawmakers to 20 bill introductions each per session, Erdman’s proposal to loosen the number of votes needed to overcome a filibuster was not brought up before the time allotted for debate on the rules changes ended.

Cavanaugh said Monday that she's not planning a repeat of last year. She said she'll filibuster only those bills she opposes, including one that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-legislature-transgender-controversy-8c4f869b0e976042c4e900a421e5481a">restrict transgender student</a>&nbsp;participation in high school sports and limit trans students’ access to bathrooms and locker rooms.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Almost a year after Nebraska lawmakers drew national attention for a bitter feud that saw left-leaning senators filibuster nearly every bill, the speaker of the Legislature vowed Monday to do more to avoid another quagmire this session.Speaker of the Legislature Sen. John Arch said he will still follow the timetable that allows several hours of debate over three rounds of voting, but if he determines a filibuster is “exceedingly obstructive,” he’ll allow a vote to end it sooner.“I believe last year was an aberration, and we all need to hit the reset button for this session,” Arch said on the floor of the Legislature on the first full day of bill debate this session. “So far, I believe we have done that.”Nebraska has the country’s only single-chamber, nonpartisan Legislature, although lawmakers self-identify as Republican, Democrat or independent. Currently 32 of the 49 lawmakers are Republicans, which is one less than the 33 votes needed to stop debate on a filibuster. That means that unless one of the body’s 15 Democrats or its lone independent defects, Republicans can’t get past the filibuster to pass a bill.During the last session, Omaha state Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh led an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/filibuster-transgender-gender-affirming-therapy-bill-nebraska-cavanaugh-b9018fd1bf72112ca984ff58679eda6d">epic filibuster</a>&nbsp;of nearly every bill debated — even ones she supported — in an effort to derail a measure to ban gender-confirming medical care for minors. An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-transgender-ban-nebraska-filibuster-b0b88845d29f1aaadf7936b7304a0507">amended version</a>&nbsp;of that bill, which restricted care for transgender people under 19 in Nebraska and folded in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-health-nebraska-omaha-06b7febb41715e7e0b28ae3a2b62c6ca">12-week abortion ban</a>, eventually passed and was signed by the governor.Filibusters are rare in most state legislatures, but it's a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-filibuster-nebraska-transgender-legislature-71fbda330ed7f1225475c614630b488d">common tactic</a>&nbsp;in Nebraska to force compromise on contested bills, which must survive three rounds of debate to pass. Even so, last year's streak of filibusters is the longest in the state’s history.The division over the majority's push last year for conservative agenda issues — targeting LGBTQ+ rights and abortion access, as well as offering taxpayer money for private school tuition and banning some books in public schools — led to one of the Nebraska Legislature's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-legislature-filibuster-nonpartisan-814790373744b59cd1822f472f6ab3ec">most acrimonious sessions</a>&nbsp;on record. As the filibuster effort played out, lawmakers called each other “trash” and “garbage,” exchanged accusations of unethical behavior, and angrily swore retribution. That included a promise by Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman, chairman of the body's Rules Committee, to enact a slate of changes to weaken the filibuster.While some rules changes were enacted last week, including one limiting lawmakers to 20 bill introductions each per session, Erdman’s proposal to loosen the number of votes needed to overcome a filibuster was not brought up before the time allotted for debate on the rules changes ended.Cavanaugh said Monday that she's not planning a repeat of last year. She said she'll filibuster only those bills she opposes, including one that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-legislature-transgender-controversy-8c4f869b0e976042c4e900a421e5481a">restrict transgender student</a>&nbsp;participation in high school sports and limit trans students’ access to bathrooms and locker rooms.

Nebraska lawmakers should hit 'reset' button to avoid last year's rancor, legislative speaker says

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/apprenticeship-grant-act-aims-to-raise-nebraskans-out-of-public-assistance/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A workforce development proposal that would direct an annual $4 million in state funds to a new apprenticeship initiative received mostly positive feedback during a Monday legislative hearing.

State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner introduced Legislative Bill 993 to create the Apprenticeship Grant Act.

Under the program, a business would apply to the Department of Economic Development for reimbursement of wages or tuition for apprentices, who also must be in a public assistance program such as SNAP Next.

Ibach said the participating business, in turn, is to have a full-time job waiting for the apprentice that offers wages high enough to reduce the worker’s reliance on government economic aid.

Grants are limited to $37,000 per apprentice and 100 apprentices per business. The business must certify that the apprenticeship is part of a registered program.

The initiative is modeled after the Ignite Nebraska program launched at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska in 2022.

Joni Wheeler, Blue Cross’ executive vice president of talent and enterprise solutions, said 14 graduates of the program no longer are reliant on state assistance. They’re working at Blue Cross, Union Pacific Railroad or Boys Town.

“Our objective is to scale the program across the state of Nebraska,” said Wheeler, in rural and urban communities.

“This bill is a game changer in workforce development,” she said. She said the recipients get “power to lift up their families.”

A few who spoke during the legislative hearing before the Business and Labor Committee suggested tweaks to the bill, including raising the state’s annual contribution and providing more flexibility in the post-training hiring process.

The committee on Monday did not take any action on advancing the bill.

Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/apprenticeship-grant-act-aims-to-raise-nebraskans-out-of-public-assistance/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — A workforce development proposal that would direct an annual $4 million in state funds to a new apprenticeship initiative received mostly positive feedback during a Monday legislative hearing.State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner introduced Legislative Bill 993 to create the Apprenticeship Grant Act.Under the program, a business would apply to the Department of Economic Development for reimbursement of wages or tuition for apprentices, who also must be in a public assistance program such as SNAP Next.Ibach said the participating business, in turn, is to have a full-time job waiting for the apprentice that offers wages high enough to reduce the worker’s reliance on government economic aid.Grants are limited to $37,000 per apprentice and 100 apprentices per business. The business must certify that the apprenticeship is part of a registered program.The initiative is modeled after the Ignite Nebraska program launched at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska in 2022.Joni Wheeler, Blue Cross’ executive vice president of talent and enterprise solutions, said 14 graduates of the program no longer are reliant on state assistance. They’re working at Blue Cross, Union Pacific Railroad or Boys Town.“Our objective is to scale the program across the state of Nebraska,” said Wheeler, in rural and urban communities.“This bill is a game changer in workforce development,” she said. She said the recipients get “power to lift up their families.”A few who spoke during the legislative hearing before the Business and Labor Committee suggested tweaks to the bill, including raising the state’s annual contribution and providing more flexibility in the post-training hiring process.The committee on Monday did not take any action on advancing the bill.

‘Apprenticeship Grant Act’ aims to raise Nebraskans out of public assistance

NEW YORK (AP) — After a tumultuous movie year marred by strikes and work stoppages, the Academy Awards&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/oscar-nominations-2024">showered nominations</a>&nbsp;Tuesday on Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster biopic, “Oppenheimer,” which came away with a leading 13 nominations.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oppenheimer-box-office-success-christopher-nolan-imax-413bc36ac6ae68f422c06c9b1cc0ab0a">Nolan’s three-hour opus</a>, viewed as the best picture frontrunner, received nods for best picture; Nolan’s direction; acting nominations for Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt; and multiple honors for the sweeping craft of the J. Robert Oppenheimer drama. Though Nolan is regarded as the big-canvas auteur of his era, he’s never won an Academy Award, nor have any of his films won best picture. This, though, could be his year.

The year’s biggest hit, “Barbie,” came away with a nominations haul slightly less than its partner in Barbenheimer mania.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greta-gerwig-interview-barbie-ed61b918097f2fc43e024f4872a7225e">Greta Gerwig’s feminist comedy</a>, with more than $1.4 billion in ticket sales, was nominated for eight awards, including best picture; Ryan Gosling for best supporting actor; and two best-song candidates in “What Was I Made For” and “I’m Just Ken.”

Gerwig was surprisingly left out of the best director field. She was nominated for best director in 2018 for her solo directorial debut, “Lady Bird.” At the time, Gerwig was just the fifth woman nominated for the award.

Read the complete list of Oscar nominations below

“American Fiction”; “Anatomy of a Fall”; “Barbie”; “The Holdovers”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Maestro”; “Oppenheimer”; “Past Lives”; “Poor Things”; “The Zone of Interest”

Annette Bening, “Nyad”; Lily Gladstone, “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Sandra Hüller, “Anatomy of a Fall”; Carey Mulligan, “Maestro”; Emma Stone, “Poor Things”

Bradley Cooper, “Maestro”; Colman Domingo, “Rustin”; Paul Giamatti, “The Holdovers”; Jeffrey Wright, “American Fiction”; Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer.”

Sterling K. Brown, “American Fiction”; Robert De Niro, “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Robert Downey Jr., “Oppenheimer”; Ryan Gosling, “Barbie”; Mark Ruffalo, “Poor Things”

Emily Blunt, “Oppenheimer”; Danielle Brooks, “The Color Purple”; America Ferrera, “Barbie”; Jodie Foster, “Nyad”; Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers”

Justine Triet, “Anatomy of a Fall”; Yorgos Lanthimos, “Poor Things”; Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer”; Martin Scorsese, “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Jonathan Glazer, “The Zone of Interest”

“The Boy and the Heron”; “Elemental”; “Nimona”; “Robot Dreams”; “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

“Four Daughters”;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/20-days-mariupol-oscar-nominations-documentary-d1256ee3cd3bf1a69787108513a7a761" target="_blank">“20 Days in Mariupol”;</a>&nbsp;“Bobi Wine: The People’s President”; “The Eternal Memory”; “To Kill a Tiger.”

“Society of the Snow,” (Spain); “The Zone of Interest,” (United Kingdom); “The Teachers’ Lounge” (Germany); “Io Capitano” (Italy) ; “Perfect Days” (Japan)

“Barbie”; Killers of the Flower Moon; “Napoleon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”

“American Fiction”; “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”

“The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot”; “I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie”; “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie”; “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” from “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “It Never Went Away” from “American Symphony.

“Golda”; “Maestro”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”; “Society of the Snow”

“Barbie”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Napoleon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”

“Anatomy of a Fall”; “The Holdovers”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”

“Barbie”; “Poor Things”; “American Fiction”; “Oppenheimer”; “The Zone of Interest”

“Anatomy of a Fall”; “The Holdovers”; “Past Lives”; “May December”; “Maestro”

“Letter to a Pig”; “Ninety-Five Senses”; “WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John &amp; Yoko”; “Pachyderme”; “Our Uniform”

“The After”; “Invincible”; “Knight of Fortune”; “Red, White and Blue”; “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.”

“El Conde”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Maestro”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”

“Anatomy of a Fall”; “The Holdovers”; “Killers of the Flower Moon"; “Oppenheimer,"; “Poor Things.”

“The Creator”; “Godzilla Minus One”; “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”; “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”; “Napoleon”

“Oppenheimer”; “Maestro”; “The Zone of Interest”; “The Creator”; “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”

“The ABCs of Book Banning”; “The Barber of Little Rock”; “Island in Between”; “The Last Repair Shop”; “Nǎi Nai &amp; Wài Pó”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667851376804.jpeg" alt="Image Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Image Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — After a tumultuous movie year marred by strikes and work stoppages, the Academy Awards&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/oscar-nominations-2024">showered nominations</a>&nbsp;Tuesday on Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster biopic, “Oppenheimer,” which came away with a leading 13 nominations.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oppenheimer-box-office-success-christopher-nolan-imax-413bc36ac6ae68f422c06c9b1cc0ab0a">Nolan’s three-hour opus</a>, viewed as the best picture frontrunner, received nods for best picture; Nolan’s direction; acting nominations for Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt; and multiple honors for the sweeping craft of the J. Robert Oppenheimer drama. Though Nolan is regarded as the big-canvas auteur of his era, he’s never won an Academy Award, nor have any of his films won best picture. This, though, could be his year.The year’s biggest hit, “Barbie,” came away with a nominations haul slightly less than its partner in Barbenheimer mania.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greta-gerwig-interview-barbie-ed61b918097f2fc43e024f4872a7225e">Greta Gerwig’s feminist comedy</a>, with more than $1.4 billion in ticket sales, was nominated for eight awards, including best picture; Ryan Gosling for best supporting actor; and two best-song candidates in “What Was I Made For” and “I’m Just Ken.”Gerwig was surprisingly left out of the best director field. She was nominated for best director in 2018 for her solo directorial debut, “Lady Bird.” At the time, Gerwig was just the fifth woman nominated for the award.Read the complete list of Oscar nominations below<h2>BEST PICTURE</h2>“American Fiction”; “Anatomy of a Fall”; “Barbie”; “The Holdovers”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Maestro”; “Oppenheimer”; “Past Lives”; “Poor Things”; “The Zone of Interest”<h2>BEST ACTRESS</h2>Annette Bening, “Nyad”; Lily Gladstone, “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Sandra Hüller, “Anatomy of a Fall”; Carey Mulligan, “Maestro”; Emma Stone, “Poor Things”<h2>BEST ACTOR</h2>Bradley Cooper, “Maestro”; Colman Domingo, “Rustin”; Paul Giamatti, “The Holdovers”; Jeffrey Wright, “American Fiction”; Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer.”<h2>SUPPORTING ACTOR</h2>Sterling K. Brown, “American Fiction”; Robert De Niro, “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Robert Downey Jr., “Oppenheimer”; Ryan Gosling, “Barbie”; Mark Ruffalo, “Poor Things”<h2>SUPPORTING ACTRESS</h2>Emily Blunt, “Oppenheimer”; Danielle Brooks, “The Color Purple”; America Ferrera, “Barbie”; Jodie Foster, “Nyad”; Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers”<h2>DIRECTOR</h2>Justine Triet, “Anatomy of a Fall”; Yorgos Lanthimos, “Poor Things”; Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer”; Martin Scorsese, “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Jonathan Glazer, “The Zone of Interest”<h2>ANIMATED FILM</h2>“The Boy and the Heron”; “Elemental”; “Nimona”; “Robot Dreams”; “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”<h2>DOCUMENTARY FEATURE</h2>“Four Daughters”;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/20-days-mariupol-oscar-nominations-documentary-d1256ee3cd3bf1a69787108513a7a761" target="_blank">“20 Days in Mariupol”;</a>&nbsp;“Bobi Wine: The People’s President”; “The Eternal Memory”; “To Kill a Tiger.”<h2>INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM</h2>“Society of the Snow,” (Spain); “The Zone of Interest,” (United Kingdom); “The Teachers’ Lounge” (Germany); “Io Capitano” (Italy) ; “Perfect Days” (Japan)<h2>COSTUME DESIGN</h2>“Barbie”; Killers of the Flower Moon; “Napoleon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”<h2>ORIGINAL SCORE</h2>“American Fiction”; “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”<h2>ORIGINAL SONG</h2>“The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot”; “I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie”; “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie”; “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” from “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “It Never Went Away” from “American Symphony.<h2>MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING</h2>“Golda”; “Maestro”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”; “Society of the Snow”<h2>PRODUCTION DESIGN</h2>“Barbie”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Napoleon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”<h2>FILM EDITING</h2>“Anatomy of a Fall”; “The Holdovers”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”<h2>ADAPTED SCREENPLAY</h2>“Barbie”; “Poor Things”; “American Fiction”; “Oppenheimer”; “The Zone of Interest”<h2>ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY</h2>“Anatomy of a Fall”; “The Holdovers”; “Past Lives”; “May December”; “Maestro”<h2>ANIMATED SHORT FILM</h2>“Letter to a Pig”; “Ninety-Five Senses”; “WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John &amp; Yoko”; “Pachyderme”; “Our Uniform”<h2>LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM</h2>“The After”; “Invincible”; “Knight of Fortune”; “Red, White and Blue”; “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.”<h2>CINEMATOGRAPHY</h2>“El Conde”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Maestro”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”<h2>FILM EDITING</h2>“Anatomy of a Fall”; “The Holdovers”; “Killers of the Flower Moon"; “Oppenheimer,"; “Poor Things.”<h2>VISUAL EFFECTS</h2>“The Creator”; “Godzilla Minus One”; “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”; “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”; “Napoleon”<h2>SOUND</h2>“Oppenheimer”; “Maestro”; “The Zone of Interest”; “The Creator”; “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”<h2>DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM</h2>“The ABCs of Book Banning”; “The Barber of Little Rock”; “Island in Between”; “The Last Repair Shop”; “Nǎi Nai &amp; Wài Pó”

See the full list of nominees for the 2024 Oscars

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is aiming for a commanding victory Tuesday in New Hampshire, securing a sweep of the first two Republican primary races that would make a November rematch with President Joe Biden look more likely than ever.

The biggest question is whether Trump's last major rival, former U.N. Ambassador&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikki-haley">Nikki Haley</a>, will be able to eat into his margin — or pull off an upset outright. Haley has dedicated significant time and financial resources to New Hampshire, hoping to appeal to its famously independent-minded electorate.

In the first results released early Tuesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dixville-notch-primary-voting-new-hampshire-tuesday-0f7f420054403510364469ad52255270">all six registered voters of tiny Dixville Notch</a>&nbsp;cast their ballots for Haley over Trump. The resort town is the only one in New Hampshire this year that opted to vote at midnight.

Trump won New Hampshire's Republican primary big during his first run for president in 2016, but some of his allies lost key races during the midterms two years ago. Haley also has to contend with an opponent who has a deep bond with the GOP base and has concentrated on winning the state decisively enough that it would effectively end the competitive phase of the Republican primary.

If successful, Trump would be the first Republican presidential candidate to win open races in Iowa and New Hampshire since both states began leading the election calendar in 1976 — a clear sign of his continued grip on the party's most-loyal voters.

Trump’s allies are already pressuring Haley to leave the race and those calls will intensify if he wins New Hampshire easily. Were she to drop out, that would effectively decide the GOP primary on its second stop, well before the vast majority of Republican voters across the country have been able to vote.

Haley has been campaigning with New Hampshire’s popular Republican governor, Chris Sununu, a Trump critic. She insists she’s in the race for the long run, telling supporters at a VFW hall in Franklin on Monday that “America does not do coronations.”

“This is about, do you have more of the same, or do you want someone who’s going to take us forward with new solutions,” Haley told reporters, also saying that, “We can either do the whole thing that we’ve always done and live in that chaos world that we’ve had, or we can go forward with no drama, no vendettas and some results for the American people.”

“This is a two-person race,” she added.

Haley and Trump were both hoping to capitalize on high-profile recent departures from the race. Haley could get a lift from some supporters of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who campaigned around decrying Trump but ended his bid shortly before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iowa-caucus-haley-desantis-cold-voting-begins-0af10f1ba21d488af54776b2c8d4028c">Iowa's caucus</a>&nbsp;last week. Trump, meanwhile, may be able to consolidate support from conservative voters who were supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ron-desantis-250c8ed4b49843350e258f0c2754c8ba">who dropped his White House bid</a>&nbsp;on Sunday.

Trump, who appeared at a pre-primary rally in Laconia with one of his former primary rivals, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, was already looking ahead to being the race's last Republican candidate. Asked during a Monday interview with Newsmax about Haley possibly abandoning her campaign after New Hampshire, the former president said he’d never call on her to do that but added, “Maybe she’ll be dropping out Tuesday.”

Scot Stebbins Sr., who attended Trump's rally in a Make America Great Again baseball cap, called him “the greatest president we’ve had since Abraham Lincoln” adding that Trump “has done nothing but good for our nation.”

Stebbins said he thought the&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">four criminal cases</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">91 felony counts</a>&nbsp;Trump is facing constituted “a witch hunt” and said Trump would “get rid of all the corrupt politicians who have been in there too long that are getting paid off.”

“He can’t be bought,” Stebbins said. “He’s a true American. He always has been.”

Democrats were also holding a primary Tuesday, but it was unlike any in recent memory.

Biden championed new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-democrats-dnc-state-parties-ac8fba0ab1117ebf75cc16ebe0c735e4">Democratic National Committee</a>&nbsp;rules that have the party's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-georgia-2022-midterm-elections-south-carolina-83f6ea9bd64e567bb1ed55d734474b89">2024 primary process beginning on Feb. 3 in South Carolina</a>, rather than in Iowa or New Hampshire. He argued that Black voters, the party’s most reliable constituency and a critical part of his win in South Carolina that revived his 2020 primary campaign after three opening loses, should have a larger and earlier role in determining its nominee.

New Hampshire’s Democrats, citing state laws dictating that their state hold the nation’s first primary after Iowa’s caucus, defied the revamped order and pushed ahead with their primary as scheduled.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-hampshire-democratic-party-biden-writein-phillips-ba0e883caf8402e853a72d775bb22293">Biden didn’t campaign here</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-new-hampshire-primary-delegates-2024-election-d2bad477a8505d9ae953bb4772f2161b">his name won’t be on the ballot</a>, meaning the state’s Democrats can vote for the president’s two little-known major primary challengers, Minnesota Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/phillips-2024-presidential-campaign-biden-democratic-challenger-0f38b80ba00566014a4d59fdb516d52c">Dean Phillips</a>&nbsp;and self-help author&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marianne-williamson-president-2024-biden-democratic-primary-14e59754bed9e0c54dad4fdfbbc1fa6b">Marianne Williamson</a>. Still, many of New Hampshire’s top Democrats backed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-new-hampshire-ballot-primary-shakeup-1df2712ebf31ffecdaf2bceb4c74bb2f">write-in campaign that they expect Biden to handily win</a>.

Some voters who might otherwise back Democrats could also vote in the more-competitive Republican primary if they are undeclared.

Karen Padgett is an undeclared voter who saw Haley on Monday. She said she’d voted for Trump in the last two elections but didn’t plan to do so again but also is “really annoyed with Joe Biden that he kind of wrote New Hampshire off.”

“Her statement is everybody’s so old there, they’re so entrenched,” Padgett said of Haley’s promises to shake up Washington in ways that Trump pledged to, but never did. “Let’s get some new people in there.”

Instead of focusing on New Hampshire, Biden was joining Vice President Kamala in northern Virginia for a rally in defense of abortion rights, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-biden-abortion-reproductive-rights-election-3d184285cc6edbe733311b26445db2a0">Democrats see as a winning issue</a>&nbsp;for them across the country in November.

There's nonetheless a growing sense of inevitability around November being a reprisal of Biden versus Trump. Both men have been criticized by their opponents over age — Biden is 81, Trump 77 — and each has painted the other as woefully unfit for another White House term.

Public opinion polls suggest most Americans oppose a rematch. An AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll in December found that 56% of U.S. adults would be very or somewhat dissatisfied with Biden as the Democratic nominee — and 58% felt the same about Trump as the GOP pick.

Some New Hampshire voters expressed similar frustration.

Jeff Caira, 66, a Republican from Sanbornton, said he was undecided in the primary but that he wanted a candidate who will tackle “the issues, rather than address the baggage that the other two candidates seem to have.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705977175994.png" alt="In Oct. of 2018 Haley announced her resignation as UN Ambassador-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>In Oct. of 2018 Haley announced her resignation as UN Ambassador-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is aiming for a commanding victory Tuesday in New Hampshire, securing a sweep of the first two Republican primary races that would make a November rematch with President Joe Biden look more likely than ever.The biggest question is whether Trump's last major rival, former U.N. Ambassador&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikki-haley">Nikki Haley</a>, will be able to eat into his margin — or pull off an upset outright. Haley has dedicated significant time and financial resources to New Hampshire, hoping to appeal to its famously independent-minded electorate.In the first results released early Tuesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dixville-notch-primary-voting-new-hampshire-tuesday-0f7f420054403510364469ad52255270">all six registered voters of tiny Dixville Notch</a>&nbsp;cast their ballots for Haley over Trump. The resort town is the only one in New Hampshire this year that opted to vote at midnight.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705958478983.png" alt="It's an uphill battle for the former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina governor-photo courtesy Team Haley" />
 <figcaption>It's an uphill battle for the former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina governor-photo courtesy Team Haley</figcaption>
 </figure>Trump won New Hampshire's Republican primary big during his first run for president in 2016, but some of his allies lost key races during the midterms two years ago. Haley also has to contend with an opponent who has a deep bond with the GOP base and has concentrated on winning the state decisively enough that it would effectively end the competitive phase of the Republican primary.If successful, Trump would be the first Republican presidential candidate to win open races in Iowa and New Hampshire since both states began leading the election calendar in 1976 — a clear sign of his continued grip on the party's most-loyal voters.Trump’s allies are already pressuring Haley to leave the race and those calls will intensify if he wins New Hampshire easily. Were she to drop out, that would effectively decide the GOP primary on its second stop, well before the vast majority of Republican voters across the country have been able to vote.Haley has been campaigning with New Hampshire’s popular Republican governor, Chris Sununu, a Trump critic. She insists she’s in the race for the long run, telling supporters at a VFW hall in Franklin on Monday that “America does not do coronations.”“This is about, do you have more of the same, or do you want someone who’s going to take us forward with new solutions,” Haley told reporters, also saying that, “We can either do the whole thing that we’ve always done and live in that chaos world that we’ve had, or we can go forward with no drama, no vendettas and some results for the American people.”“This is a two-person race,” she added.Haley and Trump were both hoping to capitalize on high-profile recent departures from the race. Haley could get a lift from some supporters of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who campaigned around decrying Trump but ended his bid shortly before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iowa-caucus-haley-desantis-cold-voting-begins-0af10f1ba21d488af54776b2c8d4028c">Iowa's caucus</a>&nbsp;last week. Trump, meanwhile, may be able to consolidate support from conservative voters who were supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ron-desantis-250c8ed4b49843350e258f0c2754c8ba">who dropped his White House bid</a>&nbsp;on Sunday.Trump, who appeared at a pre-primary rally in Laconia with one of his former primary rivals, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, was already looking ahead to being the race's last Republican candidate. Asked during a Monday interview with Newsmax about Haley possibly abandoning her campaign after New Hampshire, the former president said he’d never call on her to do that but added, “Maybe she’ll be dropping out Tuesday.”Scot Stebbins Sr., who attended Trump's rally in a Make America Great Again baseball cap, called him “the greatest president we’ve had since Abraham Lincoln” adding that Trump “has done nothing but good for our nation.”Stebbins said he thought the&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">four criminal cases</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">91 felony counts</a>&nbsp;Trump is facing constituted “a witch hunt” and said Trump would “get rid of all the corrupt politicians who have been in there too long that are getting paid off.”“He can’t be bought,” Stebbins said. “He’s a true American. He always has been.”Democrats were also holding a primary Tuesday, but it was unlike any in recent memory.Biden championed new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-democrats-dnc-state-parties-ac8fba0ab1117ebf75cc16ebe0c735e4">Democratic National Committee</a>&nbsp;rules that have the party's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-georgia-2022-midterm-elections-south-carolina-83f6ea9bd64e567bb1ed55d734474b89">2024 primary process beginning on Feb. 3 in South Carolina</a>, rather than in Iowa or New Hampshire. He argued that Black voters, the party’s most reliable constituency and a critical part of his win in South Carolina that revived his 2020 primary campaign after three opening loses, should have a larger and earlier role in determining its nominee.New Hampshire’s Democrats, citing state laws dictating that their state hold the nation’s first primary after Iowa’s caucus, defied the revamped order and pushed ahead with their primary as scheduled.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-hampshire-democratic-party-biden-writein-phillips-ba0e883caf8402e853a72d775bb22293">Biden didn’t campaign here</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-new-hampshire-primary-delegates-2024-election-d2bad477a8505d9ae953bb4772f2161b">his name won’t be on the ballot</a>, meaning the state’s Democrats can vote for the president’s two little-known major primary challengers, Minnesota Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/phillips-2024-presidential-campaign-biden-democratic-challenger-0f38b80ba00566014a4d59fdb516d52c">Dean Phillips</a>&nbsp;and self-help author&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marianne-williamson-president-2024-biden-democratic-primary-14e59754bed9e0c54dad4fdfbbc1fa6b">Marianne Williamson</a>. Still, many of New Hampshire’s top Democrats backed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-new-hampshire-ballot-primary-shakeup-1df2712ebf31ffecdaf2bceb4c74bb2f">write-in campaign that they expect Biden to handily win</a>.Some voters who might otherwise back Democrats could also vote in the more-competitive Republican primary if they are undeclared.Karen Padgett is an undeclared voter who saw Haley on Monday. She said she’d voted for Trump in the last two elections but didn’t plan to do so again but also is “really annoyed with Joe Biden that he kind of wrote New Hampshire off.”“Her statement is everybody’s so old there, they’re so entrenched,” Padgett said of Haley’s promises to shake up Washington in ways that Trump pledged to, but never did. “Let’s get some new people in there.”Instead of focusing on New Hampshire, Biden was joining Vice President Kamala in northern Virginia for a rally in defense of abortion rights, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-biden-abortion-reproductive-rights-election-3d184285cc6edbe733311b26445db2a0">Democrats see as a winning issue</a>&nbsp;for them across the country in November.There's nonetheless a growing sense of inevitability around November being a reprisal of Biden versus Trump. Both men have been criticized by their opponents over age — Biden is 81, Trump 77 — and each has painted the other as woefully unfit for another White House term.Public opinion polls suggest most Americans oppose a rematch. An AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll in December found that 56% of U.S. adults would be very or somewhat dissatisfied with Biden as the Democratic nominee — and 58% felt the same about Trump as the GOP pick.Some New Hampshire voters expressed similar frustration.Jeff Caira, 66, a Republican from Sanbornton, said he was undecided in the primary but that he wanted a candidate who will tackle “the issues, rather than address the baggage that the other two candidates seem to have.”

Decision Day: Haley hopes to stop Trump's march to nomination 

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/01/22/nebraska-lawmakers-advance-proposal-to-consider-whether-bids-are-responsible-and-reasonable/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — State lawmakers quickly advanced a bill Monday designed to avoid future multimillion-dollar mistakes in awarding state contracts.

The proposal grew out of the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/10/state-aims-to-avoid-state-contract-mistakes-made-in-bad-bid-from-st-francis-ministries/">failed contract with Saint Francis Ministries,</a>&nbsp;which underbid its lone competitor by 40% in 2019 to obtain the contract to handle child welfare services in eastern Nebraska.

But the Kansas-based nonprofit ended up costing the state an additional $3.7 million more than the other bidder. Eventually, the contract was cancelled amid financial mismanagement and under-performance by Saint Francis.

State Sen. John Arch of La Vista, the speaker of the Legislature, said his Legislative Bill 461 would allow the state to discern whether a bid is “reasonable” and “responsible” and not just the lowest bid.

The bill advanced Monday from first-round debate on a 45-0 vote.

The experience with Saint Francis, Arch said, illustrated “a huge red flag” in the state contract procurement process, as did some other contracts that experienced cost overruns and failure to deliver services.

“This was a terrible, terrible, terrible lesson learned&nbsp;,” said Fremont Sen. Lynne Walz of the Saint Francis contract.

“There’s an old joke, no one wants to use a parachute built by the lowest bidder,” said Omaha Sen. Brad von Gillern.

Arch said that the state’s procurement statutes hadn’t been updated in 20 years and have placed too much emphasis on accepting the lowest bid.

LB 461, he said, allows the state to reject a bid if it is deemed not reasonable or realistic.

“I consider this bill to be an example of good government legislation,” Arch said.

Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, a leading critic of the Saint Francis contract, thanked the speaker for bringing LB 461. She added that it shows “what great things can happen” if lawmakers work together.

In the wake of the Saint Francis debacle, the state hired a contractor to review the state’s procurement process.

That, Arch said, led to 33 recommendations, of which 23 have already been adopted by the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services, the state agency that handles the bidding process.

The senator said LB 461 adopts more recommendations and clarifies who is responsible for the decision to award a bid.

In the case of Saint Francis, it wasn’t clear, according to Arch, who exactly was responsible for approving the bid. That referred to DAS, the Health and Human Services Department and the Governor’s Office.

Due to its financial troubles, Saint Francis was awarded an additional $158 million by the state on top of its original contracted price of $197 million.

In December 2021, a special investigative committee in the Legislature chaired by Arch cited other procurement disasters in recent years:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705958001381.jpeg" alt="“Huge red flags” were uncovered after awarding a contract to Saint Francis Ministries, a Salina, Kansas-based foster care provider. The operation’s bid was 40% lower than the previous provider, a bid that proved to be woefully inadequate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>“Huge red flags” were uncovered after awarding a contract to Saint Francis Ministries, a Salina, Kansas-based foster care provider. The operation’s bid was 40% lower than the previous provider, a bid that proved to be woefully inadequate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/01/22/nebraska-lawmakers-advance-proposal-to-consider-whether-bids-are-responsible-and-reasonable/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — State lawmakers quickly advanced a bill Monday designed to avoid future multimillion-dollar mistakes in awarding state contracts.The proposal grew out of the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/10/state-aims-to-avoid-state-contract-mistakes-made-in-bad-bid-from-st-francis-ministries/">failed contract with Saint Francis Ministries,</a>&nbsp;which underbid its lone competitor by 40% in 2019 to obtain the contract to handle child welfare services in eastern Nebraska.But the Kansas-based nonprofit ended up costing the state an additional $3.7 million more than the other bidder. Eventually, the contract was cancelled amid financial mismanagement and under-performance by Saint Francis.State Sen. John Arch of La Vista, the speaker of the Legislature, said his Legislative Bill 461 would allow the state to discern whether a bid is “reasonable” and “responsible” and not just the lowest bid.<h2>‘Huge red flag’</h2>The bill advanced Monday from first-round debate on a 45-0 vote.The experience with Saint Francis, Arch said, illustrated “a huge red flag” in the state contract procurement process, as did some other contracts that experienced cost overruns and failure to deliver services.“This was a terrible, terrible, terrible lesson learned&nbsp;,” said Fremont Sen. Lynne Walz of the Saint Francis contract.“There’s an old joke, no one wants to use a parachute built by the lowest bidder,” said Omaha Sen. Brad von Gillern.Arch said that the state’s procurement statutes hadn’t been updated in 20 years and have placed too much emphasis on accepting the lowest bid.<h2>‘Good government’ bill</h2>LB 461, he said, allows the state to reject a bid if it is deemed not reasonable or realistic.“I consider this bill to be an example of good government legislation,” Arch said.Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, a leading critic of the Saint Francis contract, thanked the speaker for bringing LB 461. She added that it shows “what great things can happen” if lawmakers work together.In the wake of the Saint Francis debacle, the state hired a contractor to review the state’s procurement process.That, Arch said, led to 33 recommendations, of which 23 have already been adopted by the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services, the state agency that handles the bidding process.The senator said LB 461 adopts more recommendations and clarifies who is responsible for the decision to award a bid.<h2>Not clear who was responsible</h2>In the case of Saint Francis, it wasn’t clear, according to Arch, who exactly was responsible for approving the bid. That referred to DAS, the Health and Human Services Department and the Governor’s Office.Due to its financial troubles, Saint Francis was awarded an additional $158 million by the state on top of its original contracted price of $197 million.In December 2021, a special investigative committee in the Legislature chaired by Arch cited other procurement disasters in recent years:<ul>
 <li>In 2007, the state awarded a $45 million contract, with an additional $25 million option, to provide a computer system to process claims in the Medicaid Managed Care program. But only 18 months into the contract, Arizona-based FourThought Group quit, saying it couldn’t deliver as promised.&nbsp;By then, the state had spent $6.8 million on the contract (90% were federal funds), and DHHS agreed to add another $4.75 million in a settlement with the company. The department’s CEO later admitted it had been a mistake to contract with FourThought because it was a “small company with little track record” and could not fulfill such a large task.</li><li>In 2014, the state awarded an $80 million contract for a modern Medicaid eligibility and enrollment system, replacing a 20-year-old system. But four years later, the state terminated that contract with India-based Wipro, saying there was no evidence any part of the contract had been completed. That was after the state had paid out $6 million and the federal government $54 million. Wipro filed a lawsuit against the state, which was settled out of court in July after the parties entered into mediation. The settlement terms were not disclosed. The state had maintained that Wipro underbid the contract, then sought to obtain additional funds and that the company lacked the capacity to fulfill the contract.</li>
 </ul>

Nebraska lawmakers advance proposal to consider whether bids are ‘responsible’ and ‘reasonable’

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and British militaries bombed eight locations used by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">the Iranian-backed Houthis</a>&nbsp;in Yemen on Monday night, the second time the two allies have conducted coordinated retaliatory strikes on an array of the rebels' missile-launching capabilities.

According to officials, the U.S. and U.K. used warship- and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets to take out Houthi missile storage sites and launchers. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a military operation, said Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands contributed to the mission, including with intelligence and surveillance.

In a joint statement, the six allied nations said the strikes specifically targeted a Houthi underground storage site and locations associated with the Houthis’ missile and air surveillance capabilities. They added, “Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats.”

Britain’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that four Royal Air Force Typhoon jets struck “multiple targets at two military sites in the vicinity of Sanaa airfield” with precision-guided bombs. The strikes, said Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, were “aimed at degrading Houthi capabilities” and would “deal another blow to their limited stockpiles and ability to threaten global trade.”

The joint operation comes about 10 days after U.S. and British warships and fighter jets struck more than 60 targets in 28 locations. That was the first U.S. military response to what has been a persistent campaign of Houthi drone and missile attacks on commercial ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October.

The Houthis' media office said in an online statement that raids targeted Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. And Jamal Hassan, a resident from south Sanaa, told The Associated Press that two strikes landed near his home, setting off car alarms in the street. An Associated Press journalist in Sanaa also heard aircraft flying above the skies of Sanaa overnight Monday.

Al-Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, said there were multiple air raids on three areas of Sanaa: al-Dailami Air Base just north of the capital, Sarif, northeast of the city center, and al-Hafa, which is south of Sanaa.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke with President Joe Biden earlier Monday. Sunak’s office said the two leaders agreed to take “as needed, targeted military action to degrade Houthi capabilities.”

The latest barrage of allied attacks marks the eighth time the U.S. has conducted strikes on Houthi sites since Jan. 12. And it follows an almost-daily assault on Houthi missile launchers by U.S. fighter jets and ship-based Tomahawks over the past week. The rapid response missions, which officials said go after launchers that are armed and ready to fire, demonstrate the military’s increasing ability to watch, detect and strike militant activities in Yemen.

The chaotic wave of attacks and reprisals involving the United States, its allies and foes suggests that the retaliatory strikes haven’t deterred the Houthis from their campaign against Red Sea shipping, and that the broader regional war that the U.S. has spent months trying to avoid is becoming closer to reality.

For months, the Houthis have attacked ships in the region’s waterways that they say are either linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports. They say their attacks aim to end the Israeli air-and-ground offensive in the Gaza Strip that was triggered by the Palestinian militant group Hamas’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel</a>. But any such links to the ships targeted in the rebel assaults have grown more tenuous as the attacks continue.

The U.S. and allies warned of retaliation for weeks, and the White House and a host of partner nations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-israel-hamas-houthis-red-sea-fef8d446852b6eae33d38ffd8f6b2d64">issued a final warning</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 3 to the Houthis to cease the attacks or face potential military action.

That threat, however, had little noticeable effect. The Houthis continued to attack ships in the region, including at times appearing to target U.S. Navy and U.S.-owned ships, in addition to the wide range of commercial vessels.

Of the eight strike missions on Yemen this month, all but the two with Britain were conducted by the U.S. military alone. Five of the latest strikes were labeled self-defense to take out missiles ready to fire. The most recent, on Saturday, struck and destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Gulf of Aden and was prepared to launch, according to Central Command.

The Biden administration has also put the Houthis back on its list of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.state.gov/executive-order-13224/">specially designated global terrorists</a>. The sanctions that come with the formal designation are meant to sever violent extremist groups from their sources of financing, while also allowing vital humanitarian aid to continue flowing to impoverished Yemenis.

U.S. defense officials have said they believe the strikes have degraded the Houthis’ weapons and strike capabilities. But Biden and others have acknowledged that the rebels are well-equipped by Iran and are likely to continue the attacks.

The Houthis, meanwhile, have made it clear that they have no intention of scaling back their assault. In the wake of the first U.S. and British joint attack, Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, said, “America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression.”

The continued harassment of the ships has driven the U.S. and international partners to take extraordinary steps to defend them through a joint mission named Operation Prosperity Guardian, in which they provide a protective umbrella for vessels traveling the critical waterway that runs from the Suez Canal down to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

About 400 commercial vessels transit the southern Red Sea at any given time. And the ongoing violence has prompted companies to reroute their ships, sending them around Africa through the Cape of Good Hope instead — a much longer and less efficient passage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705969554059.png" alt="U.S. Central Command image shows F/A-18E “Super Hornets” with Carrier Air Wing 3 aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) launching to conduct Airstrikes against the Houthi Terrorist Group in Yemen" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Central Command image shows F/A-18E “Super Hornets” with Carrier Air Wing 3 aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) launching to conduct Airstrikes against the Houthi Terrorist Group in Yemen</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and British militaries bombed eight locations used by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">the Iranian-backed Houthis</a>&nbsp;in Yemen on Monday night, the second time the two allies have conducted coordinated retaliatory strikes on an array of the rebels' missile-launching capabilities.According to officials, the U.S. and U.K. used warship- and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets to take out Houthi missile storage sites and launchers. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a military operation, said Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands contributed to the mission, including with intelligence and surveillance.In a joint statement, the six allied nations said the strikes specifically targeted a Houthi underground storage site and locations associated with the Houthis’ missile and air surveillance capabilities. They added, “Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats.”Britain’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that four Royal Air Force Typhoon jets struck “multiple targets at two military sites in the vicinity of Sanaa airfield” with precision-guided bombs. The strikes, said Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, were “aimed at degrading Houthi capabilities” and would “deal another blow to their limited stockpiles and ability to threaten global trade.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705969629635.png" alt="-U.S. Central Command image shows F/A-18E “Super Hornets” with Carrier Air Wing 3 aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) launching to conduct Airstrikes against the Houthi Terrorist Group in Yemen" />
 <figcaption>-U.S. Central Command image shows F/A-18E “Super Hornets” with Carrier Air Wing 3 aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) launching to conduct Airstrikes against the Houthi Terrorist Group in Yemen</figcaption>
 </figure>The joint operation comes about 10 days after U.S. and British warships and fighter jets struck more than 60 targets in 28 locations. That was the first U.S. military response to what has been a persistent campaign of Houthi drone and missile attacks on commercial ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October.The Houthis' media office said in an online statement that raids targeted Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. And Jamal Hassan, a resident from south Sanaa, told The Associated Press that two strikes landed near his home, setting off car alarms in the street. An Associated Press journalist in Sanaa also heard aircraft flying above the skies of Sanaa overnight Monday.Al-Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, said there were multiple air raids on three areas of Sanaa: al-Dailami Air Base just north of the capital, Sarif, northeast of the city center, and al-Hafa, which is south of Sanaa.British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke with President Joe Biden earlier Monday. Sunak’s office said the two leaders agreed to take “as needed, targeted military action to degrade Houthi capabilities.”The latest barrage of allied attacks marks the eighth time the U.S. has conducted strikes on Houthi sites since Jan. 12. And it follows an almost-daily assault on Houthi missile launchers by U.S. fighter jets and ship-based Tomahawks over the past week. The rapid response missions, which officials said go after launchers that are armed and ready to fire, demonstrate the military’s increasing ability to watch, detect and strike militant activities in Yemen.The chaotic wave of attacks and reprisals involving the United States, its allies and foes suggests that the retaliatory strikes haven’t deterred the Houthis from their campaign against Red Sea shipping, and that the broader regional war that the U.S. has spent months trying to avoid is becoming closer to reality.For months, the Houthis have attacked ships in the region’s waterways that they say are either linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports. They say their attacks aim to end the Israeli air-and-ground offensive in the Gaza Strip that was triggered by the Palestinian militant group Hamas’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel</a>. But any such links to the ships targeted in the rebel assaults have grown more tenuous as the attacks continue.The U.S. and allies warned of retaliation for weeks, and the White House and a host of partner nations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-israel-hamas-houthis-red-sea-fef8d446852b6eae33d38ffd8f6b2d64">issued a final warning</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 3 to the Houthis to cease the attacks or face potential military action.That threat, however, had little noticeable effect. The Houthis continued to attack ships in the region, including at times appearing to target U.S. Navy and U.S.-owned ships, in addition to the wide range of commercial vessels.Of the eight strike missions on Yemen this month, all but the two with Britain were conducted by the U.S. military alone. Five of the latest strikes were labeled self-defense to take out missiles ready to fire. The most recent, on Saturday, struck and destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Gulf of Aden and was prepared to launch, according to Central Command.The Biden administration has also put the Houthis back on its list of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.state.gov/executive-order-13224/">specially designated global terrorists</a>. The sanctions that come with the formal designation are meant to sever violent extremist groups from their sources of financing, while also allowing vital humanitarian aid to continue flowing to impoverished Yemenis.U.S. defense officials have said they believe the strikes have degraded the Houthis’ weapons and strike capabilities. But Biden and others have acknowledged that the rebels are well-equipped by Iran and are likely to continue the attacks.The Houthis, meanwhile, have made it clear that they have no intention of scaling back their assault. In the wake of the first U.S. and British joint attack, Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, said, “America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression.”The continued harassment of the ships has driven the U.S. and international partners to take extraordinary steps to defend them through a joint mission named Operation Prosperity Guardian, in which they provide a protective umbrella for vessels traveling the critical waterway that runs from the Suez Canal down to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.About 400 commercial vessels transit the southern Red Sea at any given time. And the ongoing violence has prompted companies to reroute their ships, sending them around Africa through the Cape of Good Hope instead — a much longer and less efficient passage.___

U.S.  bombed more Iranian-backed terrorist sites 

WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided Supreme Court on Monday allowed Border Patrol agents to cut&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-border-buoys-wire-abbott-5f138e354e88fc319f46c55344d7335c">razor wire that Texas installed</a>&nbsp;on the U.S.-Mexico border, while a lawsuit over the wire continues.

The justices, by a 5-4 vote, granted an emergency appeal from the Biden administration, which has been in an escalating standoff at the border with Texas and had objected to an appellate ruling in favor of the state.

The concertina wire along roughly 30 miles (48 kilometers) of the Rio Grande near the border city of Eagle Pass is part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's broader fight with the administration over immigration enforcement.

Abbott also has authorized installing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-buoys-border-immigration-12bc8abddef1c9384b25222b92d0840b">floating barriers in the Rio Grande</a>&nbsp;near Eagle Pass and allowed troopers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-texas-immigration-c33939110eff92670d1d2b5488181bb0">to arrest and jail thousands of migrants</a>&nbsp;on trespassing charges. The administration also is challenging those actions in federal court.

A federal appeals court last month forced federal agents to stop cutting the concertina wire.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-california-border-asylum-seekers-314698bfb5644be8f8f6085ebe9b9b98">Large numbers of migrants have crossed</a>&nbsp;at Eagle Pass in recent months.

In court papers, the administration said the wire impedes Border Patrol agents from reaching migrants as they cross the river and that, in any case, federal immigration law trumps Texas’ own efforts to stem the flow of migrants into the country.

Texas officials have argued that federal agents cut the wire to help groups crossing illegally through the river before taking them in for processing.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor sided with the administration. Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas voted with Texas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683770770241.png" alt="photo courtesy Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided Supreme Court on Monday allowed Border Patrol agents to cut&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-border-buoys-wire-abbott-5f138e354e88fc319f46c55344d7335c">razor wire that Texas installed</a>&nbsp;on the U.S.-Mexico border, while a lawsuit over the wire continues.The justices, by a 5-4 vote, granted an emergency appeal from the Biden administration, which has been in an escalating standoff at the border with Texas and had objected to an appellate ruling in favor of the state.The concertina wire along roughly 30 miles (48 kilometers) of the Rio Grande near the border city of Eagle Pass is part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's broader fight with the administration over immigration enforcement.Abbott also has authorized installing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-buoys-border-immigration-12bc8abddef1c9384b25222b92d0840b">floating barriers in the Rio Grande</a>&nbsp;near Eagle Pass and allowed troopers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-texas-immigration-c33939110eff92670d1d2b5488181bb0">to arrest and jail thousands of migrants</a>&nbsp;on trespassing charges. The administration also is challenging those actions in federal court.A federal appeals court last month forced federal agents to stop cutting the concertina wire.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-california-border-asylum-seekers-314698bfb5644be8f8f6085ebe9b9b98">Large numbers of migrants have crossed</a>&nbsp;at Eagle Pass in recent months.In court papers, the administration said the wire impedes Border Patrol agents from reaching migrants as they cross the river and that, in any case, federal immigration law trumps Texas’ own efforts to stem the flow of migrants into the country.Texas officials have argued that federal agents cut the wire to help groups crossing illegally through the river before taking them in for processing.Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor sided with the administration. Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas voted with Texas.

Supreme Court allows federal agents to cut razor wire at Texas border

Preventing spread of pathogen a challenge, especially in backyard poultry flocks

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Agriculture confirmed Monday the 15th case of avian influenza since Dec. 1 amid a national outbreak that began in 2022 and spread to all but three states and more than 450 commercial flocks across the country.

Agriculture Secretary Mike Beam said proliferation of the pathogen was concentrated in Kansas at egg-laying facilities in McPherson and Rice counties and in gamebird facilities in Mitchell County. The most recent case in Kansas was identified Friday, Beam said.

Unlike an outbreak in 2015 that was driven by farm-to-farm transmission, he said, this round of avian flu appeared to be transmitted primarily by wild birds interacting with flocks. In most cases, entire commercial and backyard flocks at an infected location must be euthanized.

“The industry has taken significant action to attempt to slow the ongoing spread of this disease to protect the rest of the nation’s flock,” Beam said. “Until this winter, Kansas hadn’t had any positive cases since the spring of 2023. The fall brought a resurgence nationwide, including in our neighboring states, so we expected to see positive cases in Kansas.”

Beam said the state Department of Agriculture had a role in euthanizing infected flocks through “approved, humane methods” and in the safe disposal of carcasses to curtail spread to other flocks. Pace of that slaughter was a key to reducing loss of animals and minimizing disruption of poultry farms, he said.

“Quickly eliminating infected birds reduces the amount of virus in the environment, minimizes the risk of the disease spreading to and killing other birds, and reduces amount of time that birds suffer the effects of the disease,” Beam said.

In testimony to the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, the agriculture secretary said a contributing factor in spread of avian influenza was the presence of backyard flocks in which birds were allowed to roam property and more easily came in contact with migratory birds.

Small residential operations were less likely to adopt biosecurity methods typical of commercial facilities invested in limiting movement of pathogens from farm to farm, Beam said.

“We’re most vulnerable in what we call backyard flocks,” he said. “There’s a lot of backyard flocks that we probably don’t know about that’s had the disease.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture characterized Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza, or PHAI, as a “serious disease and requires rapid response because it is highly contagious and often fatal to chickens.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705959960045.png" alt=" The Kansas Department of Agriculture confirmed the 15th case of avian influenza since Dec. 1 in a nationwide outbreak hitting 47 states and diminishing commercial and backyard flocks. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of image provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture)" />
 <figcaption> The Kansas Department of Agriculture confirmed the 15th case of avian influenza since Dec. 1 in a nationwide outbreak hitting 47 states and diminishing commercial and backyard flocks. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of image provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Preventing spread of pathogen a challenge, especially in backyard poultry flocks</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Agriculture confirmed Monday the 15th case of avian influenza since Dec. 1 amid a national outbreak that began in 2022 and spread to all but three states and more than 450 commercial flocks across the country.Agriculture Secretary Mike Beam said proliferation of the pathogen was concentrated in Kansas at egg-laying facilities in McPherson and Rice counties and in gamebird facilities in Mitchell County. The most recent case in Kansas was identified Friday, Beam said.Unlike an outbreak in 2015 that was driven by farm-to-farm transmission, he said, this round of avian flu appeared to be transmitted primarily by wild birds interacting with flocks. In most cases, entire commercial and backyard flocks at an infected location must be euthanized.“The industry has taken significant action to attempt to slow the ongoing spread of this disease to protect the rest of the nation’s flock,” Beam said. “Until this winter, Kansas hadn’t had any positive cases since the spring of 2023. The fall brought a resurgence nationwide, including in our neighboring states, so we expected to see positive cases in Kansas.”Beam said the state Department of Agriculture had a role in euthanizing infected flocks through “approved, humane methods” and in the safe disposal of carcasses to curtail spread to other flocks. Pace of that slaughter was a key to reducing loss of animals and minimizing disruption of poultry farms, he said.“Quickly eliminating infected birds reduces the amount of virus in the environment, minimizes the risk of the disease spreading to and killing other birds, and reduces amount of time that birds suffer the effects of the disease,” Beam said.In testimony to the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, the agriculture secretary said a contributing factor in spread of avian influenza was the presence of backyard flocks in which birds were allowed to roam property and more easily came in contact with migratory birds.Small residential operations were less likely to adopt biosecurity methods typical of commercial facilities invested in limiting movement of pathogens from farm to farm, Beam said.“We’re most vulnerable in what we call backyard flocks,” he said. “There’s a lot of backyard flocks that we probably don’t know about that’s had the disease.”The U.S. Department of Agriculture characterized Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza, or PHAI, as a “serious disease and requires rapid response because it is highly contagious and often fatal to chickens.”

Kansas ag secretary confirms state’s 15th case of deadly avian influenza since Dec. 1

OMAHA, NE&nbsp;— Today marks a pivotal moment for workforce development in Nebraska as LB 16, a groundbreaking bill championed by the Platte Institute, overwhelmingly passes from general file. This legislation, spearheaded by Senator Danielle Conrad and supported by a diverse coalition of legislators, represents a significant step towards expanding workforce licensing reform in Nebraska.LB 16 is designed to facilitate the recognition of professional licenses obtained outside of Nebraska and to provide a fair chance for individuals with discharged criminal records to pursue their professional aspirations.

Jim Vokal, Chief Executive Officer of the Platte Institute, emphasized the bill's importance, "LB 16 is more than legislation; it's throwing down the welcome mat for Nebraska and tacking our workforce shortages head on. It embodies our commitment to embracing skilled workers from across the nation and ensuring that past mistakes do not hinder future opportunities."

The passage of LB 16 would place Nebraska alongside other forward-thinking states that have already enacted similar legislation. It is a crucial step in welcoming skilled workers to Nebraska, thereby strengthening our communities and economy. As LB 16 advances, the Platte Institute remains dedicated to advocating for policies that foster growth, and opportunity for all who wish to contribute to Nebraska's prosperity.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Ryan Kopsa at (402) 366-4432 or via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>. The Platte Institute continues to advance policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. For more insights, visit PlatteInstitute.org.

OMAHA, NE&nbsp;— Today marks a pivotal moment for workforce development in Nebraska as LB 16, a groundbreaking bill championed by the Platte Institute, overwhelmingly passes from general file. This legislation, spearheaded by Senator Danielle Conrad and supported by a diverse coalition of legislators, represents a significant step towards expanding workforce licensing reform in Nebraska.LB 16 is designed to facilitate the recognition of professional licenses obtained outside of Nebraska and to provide a fair chance for individuals with discharged criminal records to pursue their professional aspirations.Jim Vokal, Chief Executive Officer of the Platte Institute, emphasized the bill's importance, "LB 16 is more than legislation; it's throwing down the welcome mat for Nebraska and tacking our workforce shortages head on. It embodies our commitment to embracing skilled workers from across the nation and ensuring that past mistakes do not hinder future opportunities."The passage of LB 16 would place Nebraska alongside other forward-thinking states that have already enacted similar legislation. It is a crucial step in welcoming skilled workers to Nebraska, thereby strengthening our communities and economy. As LB 16 advances, the Platte Institute remains dedicated to advocating for policies that foster growth, and opportunity for all who wish to contribute to Nebraska's prosperity.For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Ryan Kopsa at (402) 366-4432 or via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>. The Platte Institute continues to advance policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. For more insights, visit PlatteInstitute.org.

Platte Institute Applauds Advancement of LB 16, Championing Workforce Growth and Opportunity in Nebraska

Editors notes: Press release updated to include Governor Parson from Missouri

LINCOLN, NE –&nbsp;Governor Jim Pillen has taken the lead on a letter to President Joe Biden requesting reconsideration of an “unrealistic, costly and expensive” mandate requiring that two-thirds of all new vehicles be battery electric by 2032. Gov. Pillen was joined by 15 other Republican governors in urging the President to allow consumers and the marketplace to guide growth for electric vehicles.

“There are a number of reasons why consumers are leaving these cars on dealership lots – the cost, the infrastructure required, and the battery content requirements are untenable for today’s car buyers. Even if consumers determine over time that battery electric vehicles are appealing,&nbsp;the reality is that the lack of a strong, domestic marketplace makes electric vehicles prohibitively expensive for the American consumer. While battery electric vehicles are a promising technology, we believe it will take time to develop the marketplace, to address consumer access and concerns, and to build out the necessary infrastructure.”

Governors who signed onto the letter include:&nbsp;Sarah Sanders (Arkansas), Brad Little (Idaho), Kim Reynolds (Iowa), Jeff Landry (Louisiana),&nbsp;Mike Parson&nbsp;(Missouri), Greg Gianforte (Montana), Joe Lombardo (Nevada), Chris Sununu (New Hampshire), Doug Burgum (North Dakota), Kevin Stitt (Oklahoma), Kristi Noem (South Dakota), Greg Abbott (Texas), Spencer Cox (Utah), Glenn Youngkin (Virginia), and Mark Gordon (Wyoming).

<a href="https://governor.nebraska.gov/sites/governor.nebraska.gov/files/doc/press/Joint-Governors-Letter-on-Biden-EV-Mandates-1.22.24-2.pdf">Joint Governors Letter on Biden EV Mandates</a>

Editors notes: Press release updated to include Governor Parson from MissouriLINCOLN, NE –&nbsp;Governor Jim Pillen has taken the lead on a letter to President Joe Biden requesting reconsideration of an “unrealistic, costly and expensive” mandate requiring that two-thirds of all new vehicles be battery electric by 2032. Gov. Pillen was joined by 15 other Republican governors in urging the President to allow consumers and the marketplace to guide growth for electric vehicles.The letter reads in part:&nbsp;“There are a number of reasons why consumers are leaving these cars on dealership lots – the cost, the infrastructure required, and the battery content requirements are untenable for today’s car buyers. Even if consumers determine over time that battery electric vehicles are appealing,&nbsp;the reality is that the lack of a strong, domestic marketplace makes electric vehicles prohibitively expensive for the American consumer. While battery electric vehicles are a promising technology, we believe it will take time to develop the marketplace, to address consumer access and concerns, and to build out the necessary infrastructure.”Governors who signed onto the letter include:&nbsp;Sarah Sanders (Arkansas), Brad Little (Idaho), Kim Reynolds (Iowa), Jeff Landry (Louisiana),&nbsp;Mike Parson&nbsp;(Missouri), Greg Gianforte (Montana), Joe Lombardo (Nevada), Chris Sununu (New Hampshire), Doug Burgum (North Dakota), Kevin Stitt (Oklahoma), Kristi Noem (South Dakota), Greg Abbott (Texas), Spencer Cox (Utah), Glenn Youngkin (Virginia), and Mark Gordon (Wyoming).<a href="https://governor.nebraska.gov/sites/governor.nebraska.gov/files/doc/press/Joint-Governors-Letter-on-Biden-EV-Mandates-1.22.24-2.pdf">Joint Governors Letter on Biden EV Mandates</a>

Gov. Pillen Leads Letter to Biden Calling Out Federal EV Mandate

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration recommends that airlines inspect the door plugs on certain Boeing 737s that are older than the Max 9 jetliner that suffered a blowout of a similar panel during a flight this month.

The FAA said door plugs on one older version of the 737, called the 737-900ER, are identical in design to those on the Max 9, and some airlines “have noted findings with bolts during the maintenance inspections.”

The FAA issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.faa.gov/media/74751">safety alert</a>&nbsp;late Sunday. As soon as possible, airlines should visually inspect four places where a bolt, nut and pin secure the door plug to the plane, the agency said.

The door plugs are panels that seal holes left for extra doors when the number of seats is not enough to trigger a requirement for more emergency-evacuation exits. From inside the plane, they look like a regular window.

The FAA said that 737-900ERs have logged 3.9 million flights without any known issues involving the door plugs. By contrast, the Max 9 that suffered the blowout had made only 145 flights.

One of the two door plugs on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 flew off the plane in midflight on Jan. 5. Passengers and investigators have described a violent decompression as air rushed out of the pressured cabin at 16,000 feet over Oregon.

The plane made an emergency landing with a hole in its side, and no serious injuries were reported. On a mostly full plane, no one was sitting in the two seats nearest the panel that blew out.

The FAA has grounded all Max 9s with door plugs instead of regular doors in the back of the cabin. Alaska and United Airlines are the only U.S. carriers to use the plane.

Besides grounding 171 Max 9 jets, the FAA is investigating quality-control measures at Boeing and its suppliers and has increased its oversight of the aircraft maker. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the Oregon incident.

“We fully support the FAA and our customers in this action,” a Boeing spokeswoman said in a statement Monday.

Boeing delivered about 500 737-900ERs between 2007 and 2019 – mostly to three U.S. airlines -- and about 380 have door plugs instead of exits.

Alaska said Monday that it began inspecting its 737-900ERs “several days ago” and has turned up no issues. The Seattle-based airline, which has canceled hundreds of flights because of the Max 9 grounding, said it expects no disruption from the inspections of its 737-900ERs.

United said it began inspecting the earlier Boeing model last week and expects to finish the reviews this week with no disruptions for passengers.

Delta Air Lines did not respond to a request for comment about its 737-900ERs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705012450283.png" alt="This image taken Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, and released by the National Transportation Safety Board, shows a section of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that is missing panel on a Boeing 737-9 MAX in Portland, Ore. Federal officials are investigating Boeing's oversight of production of a panel that blew off a jetliner in midflight last week. (NTSB via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This image taken Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, and released by the National Transportation Safety Board, shows a section of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that is missing panel on a Boeing 737-9 MAX in Portland, Ore. Federal officials are investigating Boeing's oversight of production of a panel that blew off a jetliner in midflight last week. (NTSB via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration recommends that airlines inspect the door plugs on certain Boeing 737s that are older than the Max 9 jetliner that suffered a blowout of a similar panel during a flight this month.The FAA said door plugs on one older version of the 737, called the 737-900ER, are identical in design to those on the Max 9, and some airlines “have noted findings with bolts during the maintenance inspections.”The FAA issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.faa.gov/media/74751">safety alert</a>&nbsp;late Sunday. As soon as possible, airlines should visually inspect four places where a bolt, nut and pin secure the door plug to the plane, the agency said.The door plugs are panels that seal holes left for extra doors when the number of seats is not enough to trigger a requirement for more emergency-evacuation exits. From inside the plane, they look like a regular window.The FAA said that 737-900ERs have logged 3.9 million flights without any known issues involving the door plugs. By contrast, the Max 9 that suffered the blowout had made only 145 flights.One of the two door plugs on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 flew off the plane in midflight on Jan. 5. Passengers and investigators have described a violent decompression as air rushed out of the pressured cabin at 16,000 feet over Oregon.The plane made an emergency landing with a hole in its side, and no serious injuries were reported. On a mostly full plane, no one was sitting in the two seats nearest the panel that blew out.The FAA has grounded all Max 9s with door plugs instead of regular doors in the back of the cabin. Alaska and United Airlines are the only U.S. carriers to use the plane.Besides grounding 171 Max 9 jets, the FAA is investigating quality-control measures at Boeing and its suppliers and has increased its oversight of the aircraft maker. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the Oregon incident.“We fully support the FAA and our customers in this action,” a Boeing spokeswoman said in a statement Monday.Boeing delivered about 500 737-900ERs between 2007 and 2019 – mostly to three U.S. airlines -- and about 380 have door plugs instead of exits.Alaska said Monday that it began inspecting its 737-900ERs “several days ago” and has turned up no issues. The Seattle-based airline, which has canceled hundreds of flights because of the Max 9 grounding, said it expects no disruption from the inspections of its 737-900ERs.United said it began inspecting the earlier Boeing model last week and expects to finish the reviews this week with no disruptions for passengers.Delta Air Lines did not respond to a request for comment about its 737-900ERs.

FAA wants door plugs checked on more Boeing jets 

ATLANTA (AP) — Dexter Scott King, the younger son of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, died Monday after battling prostate cancer.

The King Center in Atlanta, which Dexter King served as chairman, said the 62-year-old son of the civil rights icon died at his home in Malibu, California. His wife, Leah Weber King, said in a statement that he died “peacefully in his sleep.”

The third of the Kings' four children, Dexter King was named for the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father first served as a pastor. He was just 7 years old when his father was assassinated in 1968.

As an adult, Dexter King became an attorney and focused on shepherding his father’s legacy and protecting the King family’s intellectual property. In addition to serving as chairman of the King Center, he was also president of the King estate.

Coretta Scott King died in 2006, followed by the Kings' oldest child Yolanda King in 2007.

“Words cannot express the heart break I feel from losing another sibling," the Rev. Bernice A. King, Dexter King's youngest sibling, said in a statement.

His older brother, Martin Luther King III, said: "The sudden shock is devastating. It is hard to have the right words at a moment like this. We ask for your prayers at this time for the entire King family“.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705949376786.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Dexter Scott King, the younger son of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, died Monday after battling prostate cancer.The King Center in Atlanta, which Dexter King served as chairman, said the 62-year-old son of the civil rights icon died at his home in Malibu, California. His wife, Leah Weber King, said in a statement that he died “peacefully in his sleep.”The third of the Kings' four children, Dexter King was named for the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father first served as a pastor. He was just 7 years old when his father was assassinated in 1968.As an adult, Dexter King became an attorney and focused on shepherding his father’s legacy and protecting the King family’s intellectual property. In addition to serving as chairman of the King Center, he was also president of the King estate.Coretta Scott King died in 2006, followed by the Kings' oldest child Yolanda King in 2007.“Words cannot express the heart break I feel from losing another sibling," the Rev. Bernice A. King, Dexter King's youngest sibling, said in a statement.His older brother, Martin Luther King III, said: "The sudden shock is devastating. It is hard to have the right words at a moment like this. We ask for your prayers at this time for the entire King family“.