– U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commenced Operation Epic Fury, Feb. 28, at the direction of the President of the United States.

U.S. and partner forces began striking targets at 1:15 am ET to dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus, prioritizing locations that posed an imminent threat. Targets included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.

“The President ordered bold action, and our brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, and Coast Guardsmen are answering the call,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM.

Following the initial wave of U.S. and partner strikes, CENTCOM forces successfully defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks. There have been no reports of U.S. casualties or combat-related injuries. Damage to U.S. installations was minimal and has not impacted operations.

The first hours of the operation included precision munitions launched from air, land, and sea. Additionally, CENTCOM’s Task Force Scorpion Strike employed low-cost one-way attack drones for the first time in combat.

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Donald J. Trump on the United States military combat operations in Iran: <a href="https://t.co/LimJmpLkgZ">pic.twitter.com/LimJmpLkgZ</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2027654336138924410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump monitored the situation overnight at Mar a Lago alongside members of his national security team. The President spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu by phone. <br><br>Prior to the attacks, Secretary Rubio called all members of the gang of eight to provide congressional…</p>&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/2027777973319766251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>– U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commenced Operation Epic Fury, Feb. 28, at the direction of the President of the United States.</p><p>U.S. and partner forces began striking targets at 1:15 am ET to dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus, prioritizing locations that posed an imminent threat. Targets included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.</p><p>“The President ordered bold action, and our brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, and Coast Guardsmen are answering the call,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM.</p><p>Following the initial wave of U.S. and partner strikes, CENTCOM forces successfully defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks. There have been no reports of U.S. casualties or combat-related injuries. Damage to U.S. installations was minimal and has not impacted operations.</p><p>The first hours of the operation included precision munitions launched from air, land, and sea. Additionally, CENTCOM’s Task Force Scorpion Strike employed low-cost one-way attack drones for the first time in combat.</p>

President Trump announces U.S. combat operations in Iran

René Arzate-García and his brother Alfonso Arzate-García have jointly controlled the Tijuana Plaza for the Sinaloa Cartel for the past 15 years, maintaining authority through violence, strategic alliances, and deep local influence, including political and police corruption. &nbsp;Despite ongoing conflicts, they continue to manage the plaza, making them key figures in sustaining cartel operations.

As controllers of a critical trafficking node in Tijuana at the U.S. border, the Arzate-García brothers have become key essential components of the cartel’s command-and-control structure. Their control of the Tijuana Plaza offers the Sinaloa Cartel a tactical advantage in maintaining dominance over rival organizations, ensuring no interruption to the busiest border crossing in the Western Hemisphere. &nbsp;Last year, the Trump Administration designated the Sinaloa Cartel as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).&nbsp;

In 2014, the Arzate-García brothers were charged in the Southern District of California with drug trafficking offenses in separate indictments and have been fugitives since that time. &nbsp;On August 9, 2023, both brothers were designated by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Financial Assets Control under Executive Order 14059, “Imposing Sanctions on Foreign Persons Involved in the Global Illicit Drug Trade.”

In February 2026, the Department of Justice announced a superseding indictment against René Arzate-García, charging him with narcoterrorism, conducting a continuing criminal enterprise, material support to a foreign terrorist organization, international conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana, and money laundering.&nbsp;

The U.S. Department of State is offering a&nbsp;REWARD OF UP TO $5 MILLION&nbsp;EACH&nbsp;for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions of the Arzate-García brothers.

If you have information, please contact the DEA by phone (WhatsApp and Signal) at +1-858-298-5670, at Threema ID: PTJ4HS3J, or by email at MFSinaloaTipLine@dea.gov.&nbsp; If you are located outside of the United States, you may also contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.&nbsp; If you are located in the United States, you may also contact the local DEA field office.

ALL IDENTITIES ARE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.&nbsp;

Government officials and employees are not eligible for rewards.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772206701839.png" alt="Dept. of Justice" />
                        <figcaption>Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>René Arzate-García and his brother Alfonso Arzate-García have jointly controlled the Tijuana Plaza for the Sinaloa Cartel for the past 15 years, maintaining authority through violence, strategic alliances, and deep local influence, including political and police corruption. &nbsp;Despite ongoing conflicts, they continue to manage the plaza, making them key figures in sustaining cartel operations.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772206803627.png" alt="Dept. of Justice" />
                        <figcaption>Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>As controllers of a critical trafficking node in Tijuana at the U.S. border, the Arzate-García brothers have become key essential components of the cartel’s command-and-control structure. Their control of the Tijuana Plaza offers the Sinaloa Cartel a tactical advantage in maintaining dominance over rival organizations, ensuring no interruption to the busiest border crossing in the Western Hemisphere. &nbsp;Last year, the Trump Administration designated the Sinaloa Cartel as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).&nbsp;</p><p>In 2014, the Arzate-García brothers were charged in the Southern District of California with drug trafficking offenses in separate indictments and have been fugitives since that time. &nbsp;On August 9, 2023, both brothers were designated by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Financial Assets Control under Executive Order 14059, “Imposing Sanctions on Foreign Persons Involved in the Global Illicit Drug Trade.”</p><p>In February 2026, the Department of Justice announced a superseding indictment against René Arzate-García, charging him with narcoterrorism, conducting a continuing criminal enterprise, material support to a foreign terrorist organization, international conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana, and money laundering.&nbsp;</p><p>The U.S. Department of State is offering a&nbsp;REWARD OF UP TO $5 MILLION&nbsp;EACH&nbsp;for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions of the Arzate-García brothers.</p><p>If you have information, please contact the DEA by phone (WhatsApp and Signal) at +1-858-298-5670, at Threema ID: PTJ4HS3J, or by email at MFSinaloaTipLine@dea.gov.&nbsp; If you are located outside of the United States, you may also contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.&nbsp; If you are located in the United States, you may also contact the local DEA field office.</p><p>ALL IDENTITIES ARE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.&nbsp;</p><p>Government officials and employees are not eligible for rewards.</p>

US offers reward for capture of brothers said to lead Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel

Former President&nbsp;Bill Clinton&nbsp;is testifying Friday before members of Congress who are investigating convicted sex offender&nbsp;Jeffrey Epstein. Below is his opening statement.

Watch below, the first minutes of President Bill Clinton testifying under oath, via videotape, before a Federal Grand Jury about his relationship with former White House Intern Monica Lewinsky - before the Independent Counsel, held at White House, beginning at 1:03 pm., Monday, August 17, 1998.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772215538027.png" alt="From his 1998 testimony courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
                        <figcaption>From his 1998 testimony courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Former President&nbsp;Bill Clinton&nbsp;is testifying Friday before members of Congress who are investigating convicted sex offender&nbsp;Jeffrey Epstein. Below is his opening statement.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">As someone who grew up in a home with domestic abuse, not only would I not have flown on his plane if I had any inkling of what he was doing—I would have turned him in myself and led the call for justice for his crimes, not sweetheart deals. <a href="https://t.co/0rX8cat5Pu">pic.twitter.com/0rX8cat5Pu</a></p>&mdash; Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillClinton/status/2027424128559452573?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Watch below, the first minutes of President Bill Clinton testifying under oath, via videotape, before a Federal Grand Jury about his relationship with former White House Intern Monica Lewinsky - before the Independent Counsel, held at White House, beginning at 1:03 pm., Monday, August 17, 1998.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">First 2 minutes of President Bill Clinton testifying under oath, via videotape, before a Federal Grand Jury about his relationship with former White House Intern Monica Lewinsky - before the Independent Counsel, held at White House, beginning at 1:03 pm., Monday, August 17, 1998 <a href="https://t.co/S3qGTo8S5i">pic.twitter.com/S3qGTo8S5i</a></p>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/2027437955472601577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥 Former President Bill Clinton's opening statement to House Oversight Committee

Attorney for longtime marijuana opponent requests Nebraska Supreme Court note Grand Island criminal case

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/zachwendling/">Zach Wendling</a><i><br></i><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/17/breaking-down-unls-final-27-5-million-budget-cut-proposal/"><i>Nebraska Examiner</i></a>

LINCOLN — Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana stood behind its 2024 campaign to legalize and regulate medical cannabis, a day after a Hall County jury convicted one of the campaign’s volunteer notaries on 24 misdemeanor criminal charges.

A six-person jury&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/02/25/notary-for-nebraska-medical-cannabis-petitions-found-guilty-of-all-24-criminal-charges/">convicted Jacy C. Todd</a>&nbsp;of York, 55, on Wednesday of 23 counts of “official misconduct” as a result of 23 days of improper notarizations involving Michael K. Egbert of Grand Island, 67, a petition circulator. Todd also was found guilty of lying in an October 2024 deposition as part of a separate trial over whether the campaign had enough valid petition signatures.

Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong, a few weeks after the 2024 election, issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/kuehn-v-evnen-decision.pdf">57-page order</a>&nbsp;siding with the campaign in a separate case, saying the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/26/district-judge-sides-with-nebraska-medical-cannabis-ballot-sponsors-in-legal-challenge/">measures had been properly placed on the ballot</a>.

Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, told reporters on Thursday that Strong’s ruling came after a four-day trial with many witnesses and experts.&nbsp;

“We stand, I stand, my organization stands and I believe the voters stand behind that these were absolutely legally on the ballot,” Eggers said. “Voters went forward and voted, and it is time to start moving forward and doing something with this issue, rather than trying to stand in the way at every single opportunity.”

In November 2024, Nebraskans overwhelmingly voted to legalize and regulate medical cannabis. The laws took effect Dec. 12, 2024.

The campaign needed at least 86,499 valid signatures on each of its separate measures. Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen certified&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/KzQPQ/?v=4" target="_blank">89,962 valid signatures for the one legalizing medical cannabis</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/YwTJX/?v=4" target="_blank">89,856 for the one regulating it</a>. The case did not address&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/23/breaking-down-petition-signatures-for-nebraska-2024-ballot-measures/">county-specific signature requirements</a>.

Strong upheld the presumptive validity of the more than 4,000 signatures Todd notarized across the two measures but said the more than 1,000 validated signatures Egbert had collected —&nbsp;all but a dozen or so notarized by Todd —&nbsp;had lost the presumption of validity.&nbsp;

Egbert admitted to forging signatures using a phone book and pleaded guilty in November 2024 to a Class I misdemeanor of an “attempt” to falsify his circulator’s oath on the petitions.

Former State Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell, a longtime marijuana opponent who brought the Lancaster County civil case, has&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/supreme-court/supreme-court-call/kuehn-v-evnen" target="_blank">appealed</a>&nbsp;Strong’s decision to the Nebraska Supreme Court. Evnen and Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, who advanced similar arguments as Kuehn against the campaign, also appealed.&nbsp;

The case&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/12/03/nebraska-supreme-court-hears-appeal-in-medical-cannabis-election-notary-case/">went before the Supreme Court on Dec. 3</a>. A decision has not yet been issued.

Hilgers, whose office coordinated with Hall County Attorney Marty Klein on Todd’s criminal case, said Todd’s case offered evidence of a “systematic scheme in which the law was routinely violated.”

“As we have said all along, the medical marijuana petition campaign was built on fraud and malfeasance and ultimately should never have been on the ballot in the first place,” Hilgers said Wednesday.

The campaign has denied allegations of widespread wrongdoing but acknowledged that some mistakes occurred. Strong addressed some of those mistakes in her ruling.

Shortly after Todd’s conviction Wednesday, Kuehn’s attorneys filed a motion with the Supreme Court requesting that the justices take notice of Todd’s conviction and other trial materials.&nbsp;

In the filing, attorneys said the conviction is in “direct contrast” to Strong’s ruling regarding Todd.

Todd, in the Lancaster County case and again this week, denied wrongdoing. Egbert also testified in both trials, where he said he has a neurological condition that affects his memory. Egbert said he never signed his petitions in front of Todd, which is an improper notarization.

At the time of the civil trial, Strong said “Egbert’s credibility problems are more serious” than Todd and that Kuehn and Evnen had not shown “by a preponderance of evidence” that any other petitions that Todd notarized should lose a “presumption of validity.”

The “presumption of validity” means signatures verified by local county officials and assumed to have been legitimately collected because of a notarized circulator’s affidavit.

If a signature loses its presumption of validity, the campaign could have a chance to rehabilitate the signature in a second phase of trial. Invalidating either petition would require nearly 3,500 signatures to lose the presumption of validity.

Even if all of Todd’s notarized signatures lost the presumption of validity, the campaign would still have met its threshold for the ballot.

This week, a central Nebraska jury sided with the version of events described by Egbert and state and local prosecutors. Todd’s attorney said Todd would appeal after his 9 a.m. April 22 sentencing hearing.

Eggers did not say whether she was concerned Todd’s conviction might impact the appeal but said the campaign is looking forward to the Supreme Court’s decision.

“I believe that the Supreme Court is a body that is going to rule fairly on this issue,” Eggers said. “They are going to take into consideration the things that they need to, and the appeal that was presented to them, but I believe they’re still well within their time of getting a decision.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772201621418.png" alt=" Supporters of medical cannabis helped two measures reach the 2024 general election ballot, Initiatives 437 and 438. Some spoke during a public hearing at the University of Nebraska at Omaha on Oct. 25, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption> Supporters of medical cannabis helped two measures reach the 2024 general election ballot, Initiatives 437 and 438. Some spoke during a public hearing at the University of Nebraska at Omaha on Oct. 25, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>Attorney for longtime marijuana opponent requests Nebraska Supreme Court note Grand Island criminal case</h2><p>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/zachwendling/">Zach Wendling</a><i><br></i><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/17/breaking-down-unls-final-27-5-million-budget-cut-proposal/"><i>Nebraska Examiner</i></a></p><p>LINCOLN — Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana stood behind its 2024 campaign to legalize and regulate medical cannabis, a day after a Hall County jury convicted one of the campaign’s volunteer notaries on 24 misdemeanor criminal charges.</p><p>A six-person jury&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/02/25/notary-for-nebraska-medical-cannabis-petitions-found-guilty-of-all-24-criminal-charges/">convicted Jacy C. Todd</a>&nbsp;of York, 55, on Wednesday of 23 counts of “official misconduct” as a result of 23 days of improper notarizations involving Michael K. Egbert of Grand Island, 67, a petition circulator. Todd also was found guilty of lying in an October 2024 deposition as part of a separate trial over whether the campaign had enough valid petition signatures.</p><p>Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong, a few weeks after the 2024 election, issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/kuehn-v-evnen-decision.pdf">57-page order</a>&nbsp;siding with the campaign in a separate case, saying the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/26/district-judge-sides-with-nebraska-medical-cannabis-ballot-sponsors-in-legal-challenge/">measures had been properly placed on the ballot</a>.</p><p>Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, told reporters on Thursday that Strong’s ruling came after a four-day trial with many witnesses and experts.&nbsp;</p><p>“We stand, I stand, my organization stands and I believe the voters stand behind that these were absolutely legally on the ballot,” Eggers said. “Voters went forward and voted, and it is time to start moving forward and doing something with this issue, rather than trying to stand in the way at every single opportunity.”</p><p>In November 2024, Nebraskans overwhelmingly voted to legalize and regulate medical cannabis. The laws took effect Dec. 12, 2024.</p><h2>86,499 valid signatures needed</h2><p>The campaign needed at least 86,499 valid signatures on each of its separate measures. Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen certified&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/KzQPQ/?v=4" target="_blank">89,962 valid signatures for the one legalizing medical cannabis</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/YwTJX/?v=4" target="_blank">89,856 for the one regulating it</a>. The case did not address&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/23/breaking-down-petition-signatures-for-nebraska-2024-ballot-measures/">county-specific signature requirements</a>.</p><p>Strong upheld the presumptive validity of the more than 4,000 signatures Todd notarized across the two measures but said the more than 1,000 validated signatures Egbert had collected —&nbsp;all but a dozen or so notarized by Todd —&nbsp;had lost the presumption of validity.&nbsp;</p><p>Egbert admitted to forging signatures using a phone book and pleaded guilty in November 2024 to a Class I misdemeanor of an “attempt” to falsify his circulator’s oath on the petitions.</p><p>Former State Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell, a longtime marijuana opponent who brought the Lancaster County civil case, has&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/supreme-court/supreme-court-call/kuehn-v-evnen" target="_blank">appealed</a>&nbsp;Strong’s decision to the Nebraska Supreme Court. Evnen and Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, who advanced similar arguments as Kuehn against the campaign, also appealed.&nbsp;</p><p>The case&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/12/03/nebraska-supreme-court-hears-appeal-in-medical-cannabis-election-notary-case/">went before the Supreme Court on Dec. 3</a>. A decision has not yet been issued.</p><p>Hilgers, whose office coordinated with Hall County Attorney Marty Klein on Todd’s criminal case, said Todd’s case offered evidence of a “systematic scheme in which the law was routinely violated.”</p><p>“As we have said all along, the medical marijuana petition campaign was built on fraud and malfeasance and ultimately should never have been on the ballot in the first place,” Hilgers said Wednesday.</p><p>The campaign has denied allegations of widespread wrongdoing but acknowledged that some mistakes occurred. Strong addressed some of those mistakes in her ruling.</p><h2>Supreme Court appeal</h2><p>Shortly after Todd’s conviction Wednesday, Kuehn’s attorneys filed a motion with the Supreme Court requesting that the justices take notice of Todd’s conviction and other trial materials.&nbsp;</p><p>In the filing, attorneys said the conviction is in “direct contrast” to Strong’s ruling regarding Todd.</p><p>Todd, in the Lancaster County case and again this week, denied wrongdoing. Egbert also testified in both trials, where he said he has a neurological condition that affects his memory. Egbert said he never signed his petitions in front of Todd, which is an improper notarization.</p><p>At the time of the civil trial, Strong said “Egbert’s credibility problems are more serious” than Todd and that Kuehn and Evnen had not shown “by a preponderance of evidence” that any other petitions that Todd notarized should lose a “presumption of validity.”</p><p>The “presumption of validity” means signatures verified by local county officials and assumed to have been legitimately collected because of a notarized circulator’s affidavit.</p><p>If a signature loses its presumption of validity, the campaign could have a chance to rehabilitate the signature in a second phase of trial. Invalidating either petition would require nearly 3,500 signatures to lose the presumption of validity.</p><p>Even if all of Todd’s notarized signatures lost the presumption of validity, the campaign would still have met its threshold for the ballot.</p><p>This week, a central Nebraska jury sided with the version of events described by Egbert and state and local prosecutors. Todd’s attorney said Todd would appeal after his 9 a.m. April 22 sentencing hearing.</p><p>Eggers did not say whether she was concerned Todd’s conviction might impact the appeal but said the campaign is looking forward to the Supreme Court’s decision.</p><p>“I believe that the Supreme Court is a body that is going to rule fairly on this issue,” Eggers said. “They are going to take into consideration the things that they need to, and the appeal that was presented to them, but I believe they’re still well within their time of getting a decision.”</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772201578819.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772201556938.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure>

Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana stands behind 2024 campaign after notary’s conviction

On February 27, the Department of State authorized the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members of U.S. government personnel from Mission Israel due to safety risks.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In response to security incidents and without advance notice, the U.S. Embassy may further restrict or prohibit U.S. government employees and their family members from traveling to certain areas of Israel, the Old City of Jerusalem, and the West Bank. Persons may wish to consider leaving Israel while commercial flights are available.

<b>Country Summary:</b>&nbsp;Terrorist groups, lone-actor terrorists and other violent extremists continue plotting possible attacks in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Terrorists and violent extremists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities. The security environment is complex and can change quickly, and violence can occur in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza without warning. Increased regional tensions can cause airlines to cancel and/or curtail flights into and out of Israel.

Some areas have increased risk. Read the&nbsp;<a href="https://mcas-proxyweb.mcas-gov.ms/certificate-checker?login=false&amp;originalUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fgcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com.mcas-gov.ms%2F%3Furl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%252FCL0%252Fhttps%253A%25252F%25252Ftravel.state.gov%25252Fcontent%25252Ftravel%25252Fen%25252Finternational-travel%25252FInternational-Travel-Country-Information-Pages%25252FIsraeltheWestBankandGaza.html%252F1%252F0101019c9e328878-f8614486-ee74-479c-a2d5-30d64660914e-000000%252FAh2FYzHTLzqz7nPsda0poqOfEdN6BpRzR5XGiLnZW3c%253D446%26data%3D05%257C02%257CAlbelbeisiE%2540state.gov%257Ca5ffb6cc3a7a42802cc708de75dcfdce%257C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%257C0%257C0%257C639077789170603338%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%253D%253D%257C0%257C%257C%257C%26sdata%3Dyx1o17QzmpCQFyVTI%252FRkC2M6JBm7WumzEwrlhONt4NA%253D%26reserved%3D0%26McasTsid%3D20893&amp;McasCSRF=af70f2d6e5704a15882d352f35afde4c9eb324eb761bcdec8771c8624f62e229" target="_blank">country information page&nbsp;<i></i></a>&nbsp;for additional information on travel to Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.

Visit the CDC page for the latest&nbsp;<a href="https://mcas-proxyweb.mcas-gov.ms/certificate-checker?login=false&amp;originalUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fgcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com.mcas-gov.ms%2F%3Furl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%252FCL0%252Fhttps%253A%25252F%25252Fwwwnc.cdc.gov%25252Ftravel%25252Fdestinations%25252Ftraveler%25252Fnone%25252Fisrael%25253Fs_cid%253Dncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001%252F1%252F0101019c9e328878-f8614486-ee74-479c-a2d5-30d64660914e-000000%252FZkzxZMKzbhGrklHD4F4l6vPBvgKxOnBxzqtS8v-moDQ%253D446%26data%3D05%257C02%257CAlbelbeisiE%2540state.gov%257Ca5ffb6cc3a7a42802cc708de75dcfdce%257C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%257C0%257C0%257C639077789170615806%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%253D%253D%257C0%257C%257C%257C%26sdata%3DVCXcsKAmRUhojPQaQuN8wkY3Bnn4mor3Saxy93WPsBw%253D%26reserved%3D0%26McasTsid%3D20893&amp;McasCSRF=af70f2d6e5704a15882d352f35afde4c9eb324eb761bcdec8771c8624f62e229" target="_blank">Travel Health Information&nbsp;<i></i></a>&nbsp;related to your travel.

If you decide to travel to Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza:

<b>Israel – Reconsider Travel (see below for additional information regarding areas near the Lebanese and Syrian borders)</b>

Reconsider travel due to&nbsp;<b>terrorism, and civil unrest.</b>

The security situation in Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem is unpredictable, and U.S. citizens are reminded to remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness as security incidents, including mortar and rocket fire and armed UAV intrusions and missiles, can take place without warning.

U.S. government employees in Israel under Chief of Mission security responsibility are currently restricted from personal travel to the following locations:

Any official travel of U.S. government personnel within these areas requires approval from the Embassy’s security office.

Additional travel restrictions may be imposed on U.S. government employees under Chief of Mission security responsibility, with little to no notice due to increased security issues or threats.

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Reconsider Travel due to&nbsp;<b>terrorism&nbsp;</b>and&nbsp;<b>civil unrest</b>.

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Additional travel restrictions may be imposed on U.S. government employees working in Israel with little to no notice due to increased security issues or threats.

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Visit our website for&nbsp;<a href="https://mcas-proxyweb.mcas-gov.ms/certificate-checker?login=false&amp;originalUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fgcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com.mcas-gov.ms%2F%3Furl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%252FCL0%252Fhttps%253A%25252F%25252Ftravel.state.gov%25252Fcontent%25252Fpassports%25252Fen%25252Fgo%25252FTraveltoHighRiskAreas.html%252F2%252F0101019c9e328878-f8614486-ee74-479c-a2d5-30d64660914e-000000%252FKoAb07NTRIkz6QptK3rtrEY0e-fcZBXRW82fROpDKOw%253D446%26data%3D05%257C02%257CAlbelbeisiE%2540state.gov%257Ca5ffb6cc3a7a42802cc708de75dcfdce%257C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%257C0%257C0%257C639077789170743530%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%253D%253D%257C0%257C%257C%257C%26sdata%3DMtGfsOYHxbSdxpMkAsLg9JcAkw418SqIsYbeN5XLYeg%253D%26reserved%3D0%26McasTsid%3D20893&amp;McasCSRF=af70f2d6e5704a15882d352f35afde4c9eb324eb761bcdec8771c8624f62e229" target="_blank">Travel to High Risk Areas&nbsp;<i></i></a>.

Please be sure to visit our website for&nbsp;<a href="https://mcas-proxyweb.mcas-gov.ms/certificate-checker?login=false&amp;originalUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fgcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com.mcas-gov.ms%2F%3Furl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%252FCL0%252Fhttps%253A%25252F%25252Ftravel.state.gov%25252Fcontent%25252Ftravel%25252Fen%25252Finternational-travel%25252Fbefore-you-go%25252Fcrisis_and_disaster_abroad_be_ready.html%252F1%252F0101019c9e328878-f8614486-ee74-479c-a2d5-30d64660914e-000000%252FmRStECkANzALK9cVshh6K4v_9vZHcVXDimtLlArNw_c%253D446%26data%3D05%257C02%257CAlbelbeisiE%2540state.gov%257Ca5ffb6cc3a7a42802cc708de75dcfdce%257C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%257C0%257C0%257C639077789170756531%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%253D%253D%257C0%257C%257C%257C%26sdata%3DAajaGEH0mjZt2ZoSlRppHpZo%252BKlGDLUjmDpbYQ%252FbutQ%253D%26reserved%3D0%26McasTsid%3D20893&amp;McasCSRF=af70f2d6e5704a15882d352f35afde4c9eb324eb761bcdec8771c8624f62e229" target="_blank">Crisis and Disaster Abroad&nbsp;<i></i></a>: Be Ready&nbsp;for information that may be helpful.

U.S. updates travel advisory to Israel amid Iran strike fears

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hillary Clinton: &quot;I just finished testifying. I answered every one of their questions as fully as I could...I never met Jeffrey Epstein, never had any connection or communication with him...I knew Ghislaine Maxwell casually, as an acquaintance…&quot; <a href="https://t.co/q1An5XIjlN">pic.twitter.com/q1An5XIjlN</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2027159353069916378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here is my opening statement to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee today. <a href="https://t.co/NZSF2epcI5">pic.twitter.com/NZSF2epcI5</a></p>&mdash; Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) <a href="https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/2027053057100693779?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepRobertGarcia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepRobertGarcia</a> on leaked photo from Hillary Clinton deposition: &quot;That was completely against the rules. We&#39;re grateful the Secretary continued the deposition, but not acceptable.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/R5IW9OtufY">pic.twitter.com/R5IW9OtufY</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2027115397585985852?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Advisors to Hillary Clinton say the House Oversight Committee&#39;s deposition hearing has been paused due an unauthorized photo from the hearing shared on social media: &quot;It came from Benny Johnson, he said Lauren Boebert gave it to him.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/DAOMZmuSkn">pic.twitter.com/DAOMZmuSkn</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2027080264195731639?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Q: &quot;Can you talk to us about why you sent that picture?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/RepBoebert?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepBoebert</a>: “I just returned to my hotel room and installed the BleachBit software…So, I guess in regards to taking photos, I do not recall.” <a href="https://t.co/A8WctEnaAQ">pic.twitter.com/A8WctEnaAQ</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2027132240019276138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥What Hillary Clinton told members of Congress about Jeffrey Epstein

<i>By Cindy Gonzalez | Nebraska Examiner</i>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;Despite a recent kerfuffle over alleged flaws in Nebraska’s business incentives, a new tax incentives package aimed at keeping and attracting high-paying jobs drew no resistance Wednesday during a legislative hearing.

Eleven speakers largely representing Chambers of Commerce and cities testified in favor of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=63187&amp;docnum=LB1165&amp;leg=109" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 1165</a>, introduced by Omaha State Sen. Brad von Gillern on behalf of Gov. Jim Pillen.&nbsp;

No one spoke in opposition of the so-called “Grow the Good Life Act,” which modifies three existing incentives laws and adds a new grant program.&nbsp;

While the proposed legislation never mentions Union Pacific Railroad, von Gillern told the Legislature’s Revenue Committee it’s no secret that key perks of LB 1165 aim to keep the Fortune 500 company’s headquarters in Omaha and workforce growth in the Cornhusker State as a merger progresses with Georgia-based Norfolk Southern Railroad.&nbsp;

If federal officials approve the union, the combined workforce would reach about 50,000 employees across 43 states. Just five years ago, Northern Southern opened a modern headquarters in Atlanta that’s home to more than 3,000 of its workers. More than 5,500 of Union Pacific’s workers live in Nebraska.&nbsp;

Anticipating critics, von Gillern called his priority bill a “pay-for-performance” measure that contains clawbacks. He said it was “not about corporate welfare, as some will try to say.”

“What would the fallout of those folks leaving look like?” von Gillern asked, citing what he called “painful” corporate relocations or reorganizations over the last decade including Conagra in Omaha, Cabela’s in Sidney, and the more recent closure of the 3,200-employee<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/24/state-hunts-way-forward-after-nebraska-got-butts-kicked-by-tyson-plant-closure/">&nbsp;Tyson Foods plant</a>&nbsp;in Lexington.

Said von Gillern: “We can’t afford to sit around and wait for the next headline that reads: Company X let 2,000 people go or Company Y reorganized and 3,000 jobs left the state.”

A Union Pacific senior vice president, Josh Perkes, appeared in support of the corporate tax incentives bill.&nbsp;

“We intend for Omaha to remain the company’s headquarters,” Perkes said, though von Gillern quipped earlier that he’d wager Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp already has paid a visit to U.P. with a “checkbook in his pocket.”&nbsp;

Perkes said U.P. contributes to Nebraska communities through an annual payroll of over $800 million and in the past five years invested over $1.5 billion in Nebraska infrastructure. He said LB 1165 would enhance the state’s competitive edge.

What would the fallout of those folks leaving look like?

<b>– State Sen. Brad von Gillern, chair of the Legislature's Revenue Committee</b>

“With hundreds of jobs paying over $100,000 relocating to the state — if our merger is approved — the economic impact on Nebraska will be realized in the near and long term,” Perkes said. He said relocated employees could bring to the state new families, homebuyers, shoppers and diners.

According to a fiscal analysis, the Nebraska Department of Revenue estimates the proposal would create an $8.7 million loss to the state’s general fund in 2026-27 and a $4.58 million loss the following year. Von Gillern said he expects those estimates to change with recent modifications.

Parts of LB 1165 only apply to big companies undergoing a merger. Among highlights:

LB 1165 responds to pressure from Nebraska business leaders who have been releasing studies showing the state falling behind peers in job growth and economic development and urging more tax incentives to be competitive with other states.

It comes also in the wake of a&nbsp;<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2026/SA100-02132026-July_1_2024_through_June_30_2025_Revenue_ACFR_Management_Letter.pdf" target="_blank">report from Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley</a>&nbsp;that pointed out shortfalls in state business incentive programs. The findings by Foley’s audit team were met with criticism from state chamber leaders and von Gillern who said Foley and his team neglected to look at the broader benefits of incentives.

Foley, in his Feb. 13 letter to the Department of Revenue, called out “serious unintended consequences” of two tax incentive programs: the 2005 Nebraska Advantage Act and its 2021 successor, the ImagiNE Nebraska Act.

He called for more scrutiny from Revenue Department officials and lawmakers, saying a result was nearly $1.2 billion in “lost revenue” over the past four fiscal years.

Among issues Foley found<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2026/SA100-02172026-Revenue_ACFR_Management_Letter_Press_Release.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;“most striking”</a>&nbsp;was the ability of participating companies to “uninvest” in Nebraska but continue to receive incentive payments. He said that because tax filings are confidential, the identities of suspect companies could not be publicly disclosed.&nbsp;

But he described one business whose qualifying project was acquired by another. After closing the project site in Nebraska and eliminating those jobs here, the acquiring company continued to receive millions of dollars in tax incentive refunds, Foley said.

Another business declared bankruptcy and eliminated its qualifying projects over a period of years, Foley said. “Since then, the state has paid the bankruptcy estate millions of dollars in refunds under the Act,” he said.

Said Foley in a media release: “It’s almost as if we are begging companies to take unfair advantage of us.”&nbsp;

In an earlier 2025&nbsp;<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2025/SA16-04142025-April_14_2025_Tax_Incentives_Letter_to_Senators.pdf" target="_blank">letter to the Legislature,</a>&nbsp;Foley said that when carried out properly, tax incentive programs are practical tools for growing Nebraska’s economy and can support an expanding tax base that makes better public services possible. In that review, he noted that apparent “operational inadequacies” in state tax incentive programs can become an economic “drain” as opposed to a “boon.”

Heath Mello, president and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber and former state lawmaker, quickly responded to the more recent Revenue Department letter. He said in a statement that the chamber “strongly” disagreed with the auditor’s “one-sided assessment on business incentives.”&nbsp;

Mello also spoke Wednesday in favor of LB 1165.

Von Gillern said he found Foley’s comments “unnecessarily inflammatory.” He pointed to findings of an<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/pdf/reports/committee/revenue/2025_lr126.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;interim study last year&nbsp;</a>by the Legislature’s Revenue Committee on tax incentive programs, which said the Advantage Act had generated $27.3 billion in investment and created more than 33,000 jobs since 2005. The report described that as nearly 10 times the state’s return on investment.

Of the newer ImagiNE Nebraska program, the report said that as of last June, 112 signed agreements projected 3,719 new jobs and $4.3 billion in investment. Two years of qualified activity reflected $32.2 million tax credits earned, with $5.2 million being used,&nbsp;leaving $27 million in outstanding credits.&nbsp;

“Overall, Nebraska’s incentive programs have generated substantial private investment and employment relative to their fiscal cost,” the report said.

At Wednesday’s hearing, von Gillern addressed the state’s $471 million projected deficit, anticipating the question: “Isn’t it hard to do this at a time when we’re upside down in our state budget?”

Himself a businessman, he echoed chamber leaders who said they expect the long-term payoff to outshine any cost.

“We don’t want to die as a state,” von Gillern said. “We don’t want to just slow the decline and head into the certain demise of the state by not investing in the future.”

Several speakers said they see the bill benefiting economic development beyond U.P.&nbsp;

State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte, a member of the Revenue Committee, said he believes job growth in the state’s biggest cities will raise tax revenues that could help the state as a whole.&nbsp;

“A rising tide does lift all boats,” he said.

Von Gillern said the committee received written submissions from six proponents and two opponents. The committee took no immediate action on the bill.

<p><i>By Cindy Gonzalez | Nebraska Examiner</i></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772126005898.jpeg" alt=" The Union Pacific glassy corporate headquarters in downtown Omaha is left of the white building labeled the Omaha World-Herald. That 19-story U.P. downtown facility opened in 2004, though U.P. has had its operational base in Omaha for more than 160 years. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption> The Union Pacific glassy corporate headquarters in downtown Omaha is left of the white building labeled the Omaha World-Herald. That 19-story U.P. downtown facility opened in 2004, though U.P. has had its operational base in Omaha for more than 160 years. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>LINCOLN —&nbsp;Despite a recent kerfuffle over alleged flaws in Nebraska’s business incentives, a new tax incentives package aimed at keeping and attracting high-paying jobs drew no resistance Wednesday during a legislative hearing.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772126038778.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn. Aug. 8, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>State Sen. Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn. Aug. 8, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Eleven speakers largely representing Chambers of Commerce and cities testified in favor of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=63187&amp;docnum=LB1165&amp;leg=109" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 1165</a>, introduced by Omaha State Sen. Brad von Gillern on behalf of Gov. Jim Pillen.&nbsp;</p><p>No one spoke in opposition of the so-called “Grow the Good Life Act,” which modifies three existing incentives laws and adds a new grant program.&nbsp;</p><p>While the proposed legislation never mentions Union Pacific Railroad, von Gillern told the Legislature’s Revenue Committee it’s no secret that key perks of LB 1165 aim to keep the Fortune 500 company’s headquarters in Omaha and workforce growth in the Cornhusker State as a merger progresses with Georgia-based Norfolk Southern Railroad.&nbsp;</p><p>If federal officials approve the union, the combined workforce would reach about 50,000 employees across 43 states. Just five years ago, Northern Southern opened a modern headquarters in Atlanta that’s home to more than 3,000 of its workers. More than 5,500 of Union Pacific’s workers live in Nebraska.&nbsp;</p><h2>‘Pay-for-performance’</h2><p>Anticipating critics, von Gillern called his priority bill a “pay-for-performance” measure that contains clawbacks. He said it was “not about corporate welfare, as some will try to say.”</p><p>“What would the fallout of those folks leaving look like?” von Gillern asked, citing what he called “painful” corporate relocations or reorganizations over the last decade including Conagra in Omaha, Cabela’s in Sidney, and the more recent closure of the 3,200-employee<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/24/state-hunts-way-forward-after-nebraska-got-butts-kicked-by-tyson-plant-closure/">&nbsp;Tyson Foods plant</a>&nbsp;in Lexington.</p><p>Said von Gillern: “We can’t afford to sit around and wait for the next headline that reads: Company X let 2,000 people go or Company Y reorganized and 3,000 jobs left the state.”</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769376691208.png" alt="The Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Railroads announce plans to create the first transcontinental railroad. (Courtesy of Norfolk Southern)" />
                        <figcaption>The Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Railroads announce plans to create the first transcontinental railroad. (Courtesy of Norfolk Southern)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>A Union Pacific senior vice president, Josh Perkes, appeared in support of the corporate tax incentives bill.&nbsp;</p><p>“We intend for Omaha to remain the company’s headquarters,” Perkes said, though von Gillern quipped earlier that he’d wager Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp already has paid a visit to U.P. with a “checkbook in his pocket.”&nbsp;</p><p>Perkes said U.P. contributes to Nebraska communities through an annual payroll of over $800 million and in the past five years invested over $1.5 billion in Nebraska infrastructure. He said LB 1165 would enhance the state’s competitive edge.</p><p>What would the fallout of those folks leaving look like?</p><p><b>– State Sen. Brad von Gillern, chair of the Legislature's Revenue Committee</b></p><p>“With hundreds of jobs paying over $100,000 relocating to the state — if our merger is approved — the economic impact on Nebraska will be realized in the near and long term,” Perkes said. He said relocated employees could bring to the state new families, homebuyers, shoppers and diners.</p><p>According to a fiscal analysis, the Nebraska Department of Revenue estimates the proposal would create an $8.7 million loss to the state’s general fund in 2026-27 and a $4.58 million loss the following year. Von Gillern said he expects those estimates to change with recent modifications.</p><p>Parts of LB 1165 only apply to big companies undergoing a merger. Among highlights:</p><ul>
                        <li>Expands the cap for eligible employers on wage credits available under the “Key Employer and Jobs Retention Act” from $4 million to $5 million per year starting in 2030.</li><li>Increases tax credits available under the “ImagiNE Nebraska Act” for wages paid to new employees by one percentage point if the average wage is at least $150% of the statewide average.&nbsp;</li><li>Increases the investment credit for eligible manufacturing projects by one percentage point if investment surpasses a certain amount.</li><li>Increases allowable wage and investment credits by one percentage point to applicants that have 3,000-plus Nebraska employees and within seven years of a merger add another 1,000 employees with salaries of at least $90,000.</li><li>Transfers $5 million transfer from the state’s general fund to support site and building development grants to employers for projects, following a change of ownership, that relate to employee retention and recruitment.&nbsp;</li><li>Creates a grant, not to exceed $300,000 a year per employer undergoing an ownership change, if used to support retention and recruitment of employees during the transition.</li>
                    </ul><h2>Under pressure</h2><p>LB 1165 responds to pressure from Nebraska business leaders who have been releasing studies showing the state falling behind peers in job growth and economic development and urging more tax incentives to be competitive with other states.</p><p>It comes also in the wake of a&nbsp;<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2026/SA100-02132026-July_1_2024_through_June_30_2025_Revenue_ACFR_Management_Letter.pdf" target="_blank">report from Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley</a>&nbsp;that pointed out shortfalls in state business incentive programs. The findings by Foley’s audit team were met with criticism from state chamber leaders and von Gillern who said Foley and his team neglected to look at the broader benefits of incentives.</p><p>Foley, in his Feb. 13 letter to the Department of Revenue, called out “serious unintended consequences” of two tax incentive programs: the 2005 Nebraska Advantage Act and its 2021 successor, the ImagiNE Nebraska Act.</p><p>He called for more scrutiny from Revenue Department officials and lawmakers, saying a result was nearly $1.2 billion in “lost revenue” over the past four fiscal years.</p><p>Among issues Foley found<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2026/SA100-02172026-Revenue_ACFR_Management_Letter_Press_Release.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;“most striking”</a>&nbsp;was the ability of participating companies to “uninvest” in Nebraska but continue to receive incentive payments. He said that because tax filings are confidential, the identities of suspect companies could not be publicly disclosed.&nbsp;</p><p>But he described one business whose qualifying project was acquired by another. After closing the project site in Nebraska and eliminating those jobs here, the acquiring company continued to receive millions of dollars in tax incentive refunds, Foley said.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771555883570.jpeg" alt="Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts Mike Foley. Feb. 5, 2026. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts Mike Foley. Feb. 5, 2026. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Another business declared bankruptcy and eliminated its qualifying projects over a period of years, Foley said. “Since then, the state has paid the bankruptcy estate millions of dollars in refunds under the Act,” he said.</p><p>Said Foley in a media release: “It’s almost as if we are begging companies to take unfair advantage of us.”&nbsp;</p><p>In an earlier 2025&nbsp;<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2025/SA16-04142025-April_14_2025_Tax_Incentives_Letter_to_Senators.pdf" target="_blank">letter to the Legislature,</a>&nbsp;Foley said that when carried out properly, tax incentive programs are practical tools for growing Nebraska’s economy and can support an expanding tax base that makes better public services possible. In that review, he noted that apparent “operational inadequacies” in state tax incentive programs can become an economic “drain” as opposed to a “boon.”</p><p>Heath Mello, president and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber and former state lawmaker, quickly responded to the more recent Revenue Department letter. He said in a statement that the chamber “strongly” disagreed with the auditor’s “one-sided assessment on business incentives.”&nbsp;</p><p>Mello also spoke Wednesday in favor of LB 1165.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772126113529.jpeg" alt="Gov. Jim Pillen speaks about LB 1165 at a news conference with Union Pacific vintage railroad cars as a backdrop. Those attending included State Sen. Brad von Gillern and, far right, Heath Mello, CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>Gov. Jim Pillen speaks about LB 1165 at a news conference with Union Pacific vintage railroad cars as a backdrop. Those attending included State Sen. Brad von Gillern and, far right, Heath Mello, CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Von Gillern said he found Foley’s comments “unnecessarily inflammatory.” He pointed to findings of an<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/pdf/reports/committee/revenue/2025_lr126.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;interim study last year&nbsp;</a>by the Legislature’s Revenue Committee on tax incentive programs, which said the Advantage Act had generated $27.3 billion in investment and created more than 33,000 jobs since 2005. The report described that as nearly 10 times the state’s return on investment.</p><p>Of the newer ImagiNE Nebraska program, the report said that as of last June, 112 signed agreements projected 3,719 new jobs and $4.3 billion in investment. Two years of qualified activity reflected $32.2 million tax credits earned, with $5.2 million being used,&nbsp;leaving $27 million in outstanding credits.&nbsp;</p><p>“Overall, Nebraska’s incentive programs have generated substantial private investment and employment relative to their fiscal cost,” the report said.</p><h2>Upside down budget</h2><p>At Wednesday’s hearing, von Gillern addressed the state’s $471 million projected deficit, anticipating the question: “Isn’t it hard to do this at a time when we’re upside down in our state budget?”</p><p>Himself a businessman, he echoed chamber leaders who said they expect the long-term payoff to outshine any cost.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772126155184.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte speaks with colleagues off the legislative floor. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte speaks with colleagues off the legislative floor. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>“We don’t want to die as a state,” von Gillern said. “We don’t want to just slow the decline and head into the certain demise of the state by not investing in the future.”</p><p>Several speakers said they see the bill benefiting economic development beyond U.P.&nbsp;</p><p>State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte, a member of the Revenue Committee, said he believes job growth in the state’s biggest cities will raise tax revenues that could help the state as a whole.&nbsp;</p><p>“A rising tide does lift all boats,” he said.</p><p>Von Gillern said the committee received written submissions from six proponents and two opponents. The committee took no immediate action on the bill.</p>

Union Pacific-centric tax incentives measure sees no opposition during hearing

Lincoln, Neb. — The Nebraska State Patrol is pleased to announce the promotion of two long-time leaders to the rank of Major.

Major Michael Grummert will serve as the commander for Western Operations, including Troop Areas C, D, and E of the Patrol Division, as well as the Carrier Enforcement Division. Major Greg Miller will serve as the commander for NSP Support Services, which consists of Investigative Services for the entire state and Special Operations.

“Major Grummert and Major Miller each have a long track record of excellent leadership for our team,” said Colonel Bryan Waugh, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “The work they have put in throughout the careers and the integrity they have shown at every stage of the career journey has prepared them for these new roles. Our team is proud to have them serve in these command positions and our troopers will benefit greatly from their expertise.”

Major Grummert is a 25-year veteran of the Nebraska State Patrol. He most recently served as the Commander of the Capitol Security Division.&nbsp;Throughout his career, he has served in Carrier Enforcement, Patrol, and as a Drug Recognition Expert. Major Grummert is also a proud veteran of the Army National Guard and is a graduate of the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command.&nbsp;

Major Greg Miller is a 26-year veteran of the Nebraska State Patrol, most recently serving as Troop Area Commander of Troop A – Omaha. Major Miller has held previous roles in Carrier Enforcement, Patrol, Internal Affairs, and as the NSP Director of Training. Major Miller is a graduate of the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command.

<p><i>Press Release</i></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772125706556.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Lincoln, Neb. — The Nebraska State Patrol is pleased to announce the promotion of two long-time leaders to the rank of Major.</p><p>Major Michael Grummert will serve as the commander for Western Operations, including Troop Areas C, D, and E of the Patrol Division, as well as the Carrier Enforcement Division. Major Greg Miller will serve as the commander for NSP Support Services, which consists of Investigative Services for the entire state and Special Operations.</p><p>“Major Grummert and Major Miller each have a long track record of excellent leadership for our team,” said Colonel Bryan Waugh, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “The work they have put in throughout the careers and the integrity they have shown at every stage of the career journey has prepared them for these new roles. Our team is proud to have them serve in these command positions and our troopers will benefit greatly from their expertise.”</p><p>Major Grummert is a 25-year veteran of the Nebraska State Patrol. He most recently served as the Commander of the Capitol Security Division.&nbsp;Throughout his career, he has served in Carrier Enforcement, Patrol, and as a Drug Recognition Expert. Major Grummert is also a proud veteran of the Army National Guard and is a graduate of the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command.&nbsp;</p><p>Major Greg Miller is a 26-year veteran of the Nebraska State Patrol, most recently serving as Troop Area Commander of Troop A – Omaha. Major Miller has held previous roles in Carrier Enforcement, Patrol, Internal Affairs, and as the NSP Director of Training. Major Miller is a graduate of the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command.</p>

NSP Promotes Two Leaders to the Rank of Major

(Lincoln, Neb.) EducationQuest Foundation has awarded 15 Nebraskans $89,000 in Reaching Your Potential Scholarship funds.

The Reaching Your Potential Scholarship Program provides renewable scholarships to low-income Nebraska students who face obstacles to college. Recipients who attend a two-year college receive $3,600 annually, and those who attend a four-year college receive $7,100 annually. Applicants are referred by community agencies, colleges, and select high schools across the state.

Since the program began in 2000, EducationQuest has awarded more than $9.9 million in scholarships to 724 Nebraskans. Of these, 81 percent are either enrolled in college or have graduated.Omaha’s Abdulmalik Abakar, who attends Metro Community College, was named this year’s&nbsp;Tammi J. Preston Scholar, an award honoring EducationQuest’s former director of Outreach Services. The recognition honors the top-qualifying Reaching Your Potential recipient in each scholarship cycle.

Vice President of Grants and Scholarships Eric Drumheller said, “These students have demonstrated perseverance, courage, and a strong commitment to their education. We’re honored to invest in their futures through the Reaching Your Potential Scholarship and to support them as they build work to create brighter futures for themselves, their families, and their communities.”

Scholarship recipients are listed below in alphabetical order by hometown. One student chose to remain anonymous.

<b></b>Ushena Lanyuy, Nebraska Methodist College

Noah Gormley, Metro Community College&nbsp;

 Jackie Abdul Kabir, Southeast Community College, Lincoln&nbsp;

 Natalia Montes, University of Nebraska at Omaha

Abdulmalik Abakar, Metro Community College

Rafiullah Ahmadi, University of Nebraska at Omaha

Uriah Hatten, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Edajah Mustafa, Nebraska Methodist College

Masodab Wandi, Nebraska Methodist College

Papillion: Zakreya Abughalyoon, CHI Health School of Radiologic Technology

For more information about the&nbsp;Reaching Your Potential Scholarship&nbsp;program,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://educationquestfoundation.cmail19.com/t/d-l-gduwjd-hlcduudli-y/">click here</a>.

<p><i>For Immediate Release</i></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772039216795.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>(Lincoln, Neb.) EducationQuest Foundation has awarded 15 Nebraskans $89,000 in Reaching Your Potential Scholarship funds.</p><p>The Reaching Your Potential Scholarship Program provides renewable scholarships to low-income Nebraska students who face obstacles to college. Recipients who attend a two-year college receive $3,600 annually, and those who attend a four-year college receive $7,100 annually. Applicants are referred by community agencies, colleges, and select high schools across the state.</p><p>Since the program began in 2000, EducationQuest has awarded more than $9.9 million in scholarships to 724 Nebraskans. Of these, 81 percent are either enrolled in college or have graduated.Omaha’s Abdulmalik Abakar, who attends Metro Community College, was named this year’s&nbsp;Tammi J. Preston Scholar, an award honoring EducationQuest’s former director of Outreach Services. The recognition honors the top-qualifying Reaching Your Potential recipient in each scholarship cycle.</p><p>Vice President of Grants and Scholarships Eric Drumheller said, “These students have demonstrated perseverance, courage, and a strong commitment to their education. We’re honored to invest in their futures through the Reaching Your Potential Scholarship and to support them as they build work to create brighter futures for themselves, their families, and their communities.”</p><p>Scholarship recipients are listed below in alphabetical order by hometown. One student chose to remain anonymous.</p><p><b>Bellevue: </b></p><p><b></b>Ushena Lanyuy, Nebraska Methodist College</p><p><b>Hastings:</b> </p><p>Tre'Quan Henley, Hastings College</p><p><b>Lincoln</b>: </p><p>Noah Gormley, Metro Community College&nbsp;</p><p> Jackie Abdul Kabir, Southeast Community College, Lincoln&nbsp;</p><p> Natalia Montes, University of Nebraska at Omaha</p><p><b>Omaha:</b>&nbsp;</p><p>Abdulmalik Abakar, Metro Community College</p><p>Manizha Ahmadi, Metro Community College</p><p>Rafiullah Ahmadi, University of Nebraska at Omaha</p><p>Uriah Hatten, University of Nebraska - Lincoln</p><p>Edajah Mustafa, Nebraska Methodist College</p><p>Dontania Petrie, Metro Community College</p><p>Masodab Wandi, Nebraska Methodist College</p><p>Alayshia White, College of Saint Mary</p><p>Papillion: Zakreya Abughalyoon, CHI Health School of Radiologic Technology</p><p>For more information about the&nbsp;Reaching Your Potential Scholarship&nbsp;program,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://educationquestfoundation.cmail19.com/t/d-l-gduwjd-hlcduudli-y/">click here</a>.</p>

15 Nebraskans awarded $89,000 in Reaching Your Potential Scholarship funds

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: &quot;Far too many people have gotten rich by taking what is best of the American spirit and getting rich off of it instead of providing services to kids who need it. That is stopping today.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh">https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh</a> <a href="https://t.co/LXJQzhrN0Z">pic.twitter.com/LXJQzhrN0Z</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026779392609825065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DrOzCMS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrOzCMS</a>: &quot;I&#39;m proud to announce the largest anti-fraud effort of its kind in CMS history... We&#39;re not going to let fraudsters steal it from you.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh">https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh</a> <a href="https://t.co/jtAOpFKEDf">pic.twitter.com/jtAOpFKEDf</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026780012490154251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: &quot;What we want to see from the Governor of Minnesota, from the entire administration there in Minnesota, is some affirmative steps to make sure that the people who are billing us for Medicaid services, are actually providing those Medicaid services.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/sId7NY8H0e">pic.twitter.com/sId7NY8H0e</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026783283938275471?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DrOzCMS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrOzCMS</a>: &quot;If Minnesota fails to clean up the systems, the state will rack up $1 billion of deferred payments this year. <a href="https://twitter.com/GovTimWalz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovTimWalz</a> has 60 days to respond... We have more announcements of other states coming soon.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh">https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh</a> <a href="https://t.co/nw18bsv64z">pic.twitter.com/nw18bsv64z</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026781835179565155?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: &quot;The problem is not going after the fraud, the problem is the fact that these programs are being defrauded to begin with. They WILL NOT EXIST. Our social safety net with disappear unless we take fraud more seriously.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh">https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh</a> <a href="https://t.co/PpMASU5vYs">pic.twitter.com/PpMASU5vYs</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026784685171339363?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DrOzCMS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrOzCMS</a> details just a fraction of the fraud in Minnesota: One scheme involved criminals paying moms $1,000 to enroll their children — falsely — as autistic, then billed Medicaid millions of dollars for services that were never rendered. <a href="https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh">https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh</a> <a href="https://t.co/7AKMGSKwPj">pic.twitter.com/7AKMGSKwPj</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026781360266830026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

VP: Largest anti-fraud effort of its kind in Medicaid history

&nbsp;On&nbsp;Wednesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall introduced&nbsp;Dr. Casey Means at her confirmation hearing.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772039816667.png" alt="Dr. Casey Means and Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, MD" />
                        <figcaption>Dr. Casey Means and Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, MD</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>&nbsp;On&nbsp;Wednesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall introduced&nbsp;Dr. Casey Means at her confirmation hearing.</p><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9yAhR8jeFGg?si=_LQGmGejRSLZCRau&amp;start=7" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenBillCassidy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenBillCassidy</a> presses Surgeon General nominee Dr. Casey Means to explain childhood vaccine views: &quot;I&#39;m not sure I know what you&#39;re advocating for, which of course gives pause.&quot;<br><br>Means: &quot;I am very supportive of what&#39;s been laid out by this administration, in terms of vaccines.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/lOI3SLa2lX">pic.twitter.com/lOI3SLa2lX</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2026726295384592777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorCollins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenatorCollins</a> to Surgeon General nominee Dr. Casey Means: &quot;In your book…you urge readers to consider psilocybin-assisted therapy…Do you stand by what you said?&quot;<br> <br>Means: &quot;The science is still emerging…There is exciting work being done in this area that needs to continue.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/1XyebRxSyV">pic.twitter.com/1XyebRxSyV</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2026719454407668125?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenTimKaine?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenTimKaine</a> to Surgeon General nominee Dr. Casey Means: &quot;Do you believe that there is evidence that the flu vaccine prevents serious disease and…deaths in children?&quot;<br> <br>Means: &quot;I believe all patients should talk to their doctors—&quot;<br> <br>Kaine: &quot;That&#39;s not what I&#39;m asking.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/dj0RhA5CIw">pic.twitter.com/dj0RhA5CIw</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2026754211501817896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Surgeon general nominee questioned about vaccines, birth control

WASHINGTON — Nebraska’s federal delegation reacted Tuesday night following President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on February 24, 2026.

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer said the president outlined what she described as the success of his policy agenda.

“Tonight, President Trump articulated the success of his policies to rebuild our military, keep our communities safe, lower energy costs, and realize the American dream for all U.S. citizens,” Fischer said in a statement. “I was pleased to hear the president renew his commitment to securing our borders, strengthening our economy, and cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. I look forward to continuing to partner with him to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”

Congressman Adrian Smith also issued a statement following the address, pointing to recent legislative efforts and economic indicators.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, Republicans passed the Working Families Tax Cuts, delivering meaningful tax relief for hardworking Americans across the country,” Smith said. “We have seen robust engagement with key trading partners, helping to level the playing field for American farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and workers.”

Smith added, “Americans have seen lower gas prices, decreased inflation, secure borders, and mortgage rates reach a three-year low. While our work is far from over, I am encouraged by the progress we have made and the direction our nation is headed.

“I remain committed to working in Congress to build on this progress and ensure that Nebraska’s families, small businesses, and agricultural producers can continue to thrive. Together, we can make the Good Life even better for all Nebraskans.”

The president’s annual address outlined administration priorities on national security, border enforcement, tax policy, energy production, and economic growth, themes echoed in statements from Nebraska’s Republican delegation.

<p><i>By Allison Peck</i></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772034237241.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON — Nebraska’s federal delegation reacted Tuesday night following President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on February 24, 2026.</p><p>U.S. Senator Deb Fischer said the president outlined what she described as the success of his policy agenda.</p><p>“Tonight, President Trump articulated the success of his policies to rebuild our military, keep our communities safe, lower energy costs, and realize the American dream for all U.S. citizens,” Fischer said in a statement. “I was pleased to hear the president renew his commitment to securing our borders, strengthening our economy, and cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. I look forward to continuing to partner with him to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”</p><p>Congressman Adrian Smith also issued a statement following the address, pointing to recent legislative efforts and economic indicators.</p><p>“Under President Trump’s leadership, Republicans passed the Working Families Tax Cuts, delivering meaningful tax relief for hardworking Americans across the country,” Smith said. “We have seen robust engagement with key trading partners, helping to level the playing field for American farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and workers.”</p><p>Smith added, “Americans have seen lower gas prices, decreased inflation, secure borders, and mortgage rates reach a three-year low. While our work is far from over, I am encouraged by the progress we have made and the direction our nation is headed.</p><p>“I remain committed to working in Congress to build on this progress and ensure that Nebraska’s families, small businesses, and agricultural producers can continue to thrive. Together, we can make the Good Life even better for all Nebraskans.”</p><p>The president’s annual address outlined administration priorities on national security, border enforcement, tax policy, energy production, and economic growth, themes echoed in statements from Nebraska’s Republican delegation.</p>

Nebraska Lawmakers Respond to President Trump’s State of the Union Address

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump delivers the State of the Union address followed by Democratic Response by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA)– LIVE on C-SPAN <a href="https://t.co/DApNgV5M16">https://t.co/DApNgV5M16</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2026450145991159994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771983502857.png" alt="The President and First lady leave the White House prior to the State of the Union-image courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>The President and First lady leave the White House prior to the State of the Union-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771983937423.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (center) enteres the House Chamber ahead of the State of the Union-image courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (center) enteres the House Chamber ahead of the State of the Union-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771984850293.png" alt="First Lady Melania Trump enters the House Chamber-image from White House video." />
                        <figcaption>First Lady Melania Trump enters the House Chamber-image from White House video.</figcaption>
                    </figure><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771985786112.png" alt="Taking a selfie with a member of Congress-Image courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>Taking a selfie with a member of Congress-Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771984888960.png" alt="Ivanka and Barron Trump image from White House video" />
                        <figcaption>Ivanka and Barron Trump image from White House video</figcaption>
                    </figure><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771985705524.png" alt="President Trump greets Chief Justice John Roberts-image from White House video" />
                        <figcaption>President Trump greets Chief Justice John Roberts-image from White House video</figcaption>
                    </figure><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771986025877.png" alt="-The House Sergeant at Arms approached and escorted Texas Congressman Al Green, who stood as Trump began speaking with a sign reading “Black People Aren’t Apes!” from the chamber barely two minutes into the address.&nbsp;Two Trump allies, Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas and Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, had approached the area where Green was sitting before Capitol Police escorted him out.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>-The House Sergeant at Arms approached and escorted Texas Congressman Al Green, who stood as Trump began speaking with a sign reading “Black People Aren’t Apes!” from the chamber barely two minutes into the address.&nbsp;Two Trump allies, Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas and Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, had approached the area where Green was sitting before Capitol Police escorted him out.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772026424425.png" alt="In the background, Rep. Al Green holds up a sign that reads: "Black People Aren't Apes"-image courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>In the background, Rep. Al Green holds up a sign that reads: "Black People Aren't Apes"-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepAlGreen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepAlGreen</a> speaks to the media following his removal from the State of the Union address: &quot;Tonight, I wanted him to have a person confront him and let him know that Black people aren&#39;t apes.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/MYbBVsAwpF">pic.twitter.com/MYbBVsAwpF</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2026492623985242114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771986189330.png" alt="Image from White House video" />
                        <figcaption>Image from White House video</figcaption>
                    </figure><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771986702680.png" alt="-In a rare display of bipartisanship, members of the Men’s Olympic Hockey team received a standing ovation as they entered the House chamber after a shoutout from Trump.&nbsp;Members of the team stood in the gallery seats overlooking the House floor after Trump praised them. Several smiled and waved at the crowd.&nbsp;Trump then gave a shoutout to the women’s team, who also received a standing ovation despite not being in attendance. Both teams won gold at the Winter Olympics in Milan. Image from White House video" />
                        <figcaption>-In a rare display of bipartisanship, members of the Men’s Olympic Hockey team received a standing ovation as they entered the House chamber after a shoutout from Trump.&nbsp;Members of the team stood in the gallery seats overlooking the House floor after Trump praised them. Several smiled and waved at the crowd.&nbsp;Trump then gave a shoutout to the women’s team, who also received a standing ovation despite not being in attendance. Both teams won gold at the Winter Olympics in Milan. Image from White House video</figcaption>
                    </figure><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771986834280.png" alt="Trump announced that he will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Team USA hockey goalie&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/connor-hellebuyck-team-usa-goalie-443ee4a3f28807aa7c4028ed489ecbd4">Connor Hellebuyck</a>. Trump said the award has been given to “many athletes over the years.” Image from CSPAN video" />
                        <figcaption>Trump announced that he will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Team USA hockey goalie&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/connor-hellebuyck-team-usa-goalie-443ee4a3f28807aa7c4028ed489ecbd4">Connor Hellebuyck</a>. Trump said the award has been given to “many athletes over the years.” Image from CSPAN video</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Gold medal winning Team USA men&#39;s hockey team at the State of the Union.<br><br>President Trump announces goalie Connor Hellebuyck will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU2026?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU2026</a> <a href="https://t.co/nsxOgWYJLL">pic.twitter.com/nsxOgWYJLL</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2026488449721675809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771988604102.png" alt="Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib of Michigan wearing a button critical of ICE-image from CSPAN video" />
                        <figcaption>Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib of Michigan wearing a button critical of ICE-image from CSPAN video</figcaption>
                    </figure><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771989049837.png" alt="Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota shouts at the President during the address-image from CSPAN video-" />
                        <figcaption>Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota shouts at the President during the address-image from CSPAN video-</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump: &quot;You should be ashamed of yourself.&quot;<br><br>Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN): &quot;You have killed Americans.&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU2026?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU2026</a> <a href="https://t.co/K1ggMjaGSU">pic.twitter.com/K1ggMjaGSU</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2026495922394349593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">America 250: George Washington’s gavel is in the House chamber for the State of the Union. It was used in a 1793 ceremony to lay the U.S. Capitol cornerstone. <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a> is the first House Speaker in history to display Washington’s gavel during the President’s State of the… <a href="https://t.co/ybfYQgRsc8">pic.twitter.com/ybfYQgRsc8</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2026474063535706464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump criticizes Supreme Court on tariffs: &quot;So despite the disappointing ruling, these powerful, country-saving...peace-protecting...will remain in place under fully approved and tested alternative legal statutes...&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU2026?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU2026</a> <a href="https://t.co/Xq4aB1DTQg">pic.twitter.com/Xq4aB1DTQg</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2026491348124107074?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771991422220.png" alt="Andrew Wolfe Awarded Purple Heart during State of the Union.-image from CSPAN video" />
                        <figcaption>Andrew Wolfe Awarded Purple Heart during State of the Union.-image from CSPAN video</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Andrew Wolfe and late Sarah Beckstrom Awarded Purple Heart during State of the Union.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU2026?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU2026</a> <a href="https://t.co/xyFzHxDXYM">pic.twitter.com/xyFzHxDXYM</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2026502118140485883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771991582456.png" alt="Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover received the Congressional Medal of Honor-image from CSPAN video" />
                        <figcaption>Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover received the Congressional Medal of Honor-image from CSPAN video</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/USArmy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USArmy</a> Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover receives the Congressional Medal of Honor at the State of the Union address. <a href="https://t.co/V0sHuDQcS7">pic.twitter.com/V0sHuDQcS7</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2026509552661700891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">World War II <a href="https://twitter.com/USNavy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USNavy</a> Pilot Captain Royce Williams receives the Congressional Medal of Honor at the State of the Union address. <a href="https://t.co/ZMidsnuB6R">pic.twitter.com/ZMidsnuB6R</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2026509581019381982?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771991789955.png" alt="WWII Navy Pilot Royce Williams received the Congressional Medal of Honor image from CSPAN video" />
                        <figcaption>WWII Navy Pilot Royce Williams received the Congressional Medal of Honor image from CSPAN video</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump concludes his State of the Union address. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU26?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU26</a> <a href="https://t.co/F83NAmrzcu">pic.twitter.com/F83NAmrzcu</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2026511856542605480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Highlights of President Trump's State of the Union address

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Matthew Tkachuk has <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> put on his gold medal! <br><br>“I’m not giving it back” 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/QAR03fOzoe">pic.twitter.com/QAR03fOzoe</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2026413306160844935?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Team USA in the Oval Office! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/Nq3OURxK5k">pic.twitter.com/Nq3OURxK5k</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2026400446626005133?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The USA Men’s Hockey Team tours the White House colonnade as Free Bird plays 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/tJxwh9sI2s">pic.twitter.com/tJxwh9sI2s</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2026381439898415506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Team USA arrives at the White House!!! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/Iv6XS5q6In">pic.twitter.com/Iv6XS5q6In</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2026376820166205601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

US hockey team members meet President in the Oval Office

Someone knows how to find our mom and bring her home. Call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) — you can remain anonymous — or find a way to reach out to me.NOTE: Family reward of up to $1 million will be paid only for recovery of Nancy Guthrie, consistent with FBI criteria for payment of its reward in this case: <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/nancy-guthrie">Click here for details</a>

There is also a $100,000 reward in the case.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770749564250.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The family of missing Tucson woman Nancy Guthrie is offering a private $1 million reward for credible information that directly leads to her return.<br><br>If you have firsthand knowledge of Nancy’s whereabouts or any information about where she may be located, please contact the FBI… <a href="https://t.co/FgeWFDizcJ">pic.twitter.com/FgeWFDizcJ</a></p>&mdash; FBI Phoenix (@FBIPhoenix) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIPhoenix/status/2026296993211994352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVJKU2wADV3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); 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transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVJKU2wADV3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Savannah Guthrie (@savannahguthrie)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div><p>Someone knows how to find our mom and bring her home. Call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) — you can remain anonymous — or find a way to reach out to me.NOTE: Family reward of up to $1 million will be paid only for recovery of Nancy Guthrie, consistent with FBI criteria for payment of its reward in this case: <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/nancy-guthrie">Click here for details</a></p><p>There is also a $100,000 reward in the case.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today, the FBI is increasing its reward up to $100,000 for information leading to the location of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.<br><br>New identifying details about the suspect in the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie have been… <a href="https://t.co/GJcx4ra6wX">pic.twitter.com/GJcx4ra6wX</a></p>&mdash; FBI Phoenix (@FBIPhoenix) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIPhoenix/status/2022084453699350981?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Family offering $1 million reward for tip in Nancy Guthrie mystery

On Monday, at the direction of U.S. Southern commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations, according to a social media report from the U.S. Southern Command.

 Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed.&nbsp;

Monday’s attack raises the death toll from the Trump administration’s strikes on drug boats to at least 151people in at least 44 attacks carried out since early September in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771878383612.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>On Monday, at the direction of U.S. Southern commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations, according to a social media report from the U.S. Southern Command.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">On Feb. 23, at the direction of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOUTHCOM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOUTHCOM</a> commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known… <a href="https://t.co/XUHImPAZik">pic.twitter.com/XUHImPAZik</a></p>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2026006115428016257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p> Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed.&nbsp;</p><p>Monday’s attack raises the death toll from the Trump administration’s strikes on drug boats to at least 151people in at least 44 attacks carried out since early September in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.</p>

🎥 3 more dead in latest U.S. attack on drug boat in the Caribbean 

<i>Listen to the full interview on our Kubota Podcast</i>

An Ogallala man traveling in Mexico to celebrate his grandmother’s 103rd birthday is now stuck under shelter-in-place conditions as cartel-related violence and widespread road blockades disrupt daily life and travel across parts of the country.

Joey Isenbart arrived in Mexico Thursday, flying into Guadalajara before traveling with family to his grandmother’s home about three hours away. What began as a routine family trip shifted dramatically over the weekend. Joey said that Saturday night, after a birthday celebration, he and his family saw vehicles on fire along the road — something he’d seen before on previous trips and didn’t think twice about.

But by Sunday morning, everything had changed. Joey said his cousin knocked on the door and told them, “You guys ain’t going nowhere. They just killed the big cartel guy. Roads are blocked off. They’re blowing up cars that block the roads off.”

The violence that followed commemorates one of the most significant developments in Mexico’s ongoing drug war: the killing of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes — widely known as “El Mencho” — leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). El Mencho, considered one of Mexico’s most wanted criminals and a major figure in international drug trafficking, was killed in a military operation by Mexican forces on Feb. 22, according to government statements. He headed one of the country’s most violent and expansive criminal organizations, implicated in trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as extortion, fuel theft, and other rackets. 

The Mexican government reported that his death sparked immediate retaliatory violence across multiple states. Roads were blocked with burning vehicles, fires broke out, and clashes between cartel members and security forces erupted in at least 20 of Mexico’s 31 states.  The unrest has led authorities, including the U.S. Embassy, to advise shelter-in-place guidance for U.S. citizens in affected areas due to “ongoing security operations and related criminal activity.” 

For Joey and his family, the shift from celebration to crisis was stark. “We woke up yesterday to check in for our flight to leave this morning,” he said. “My cousin’s knocking on the door saying, ‘You ain’t going nowhere.’” He described a town that went eerily quiet as people fled the streets and shops shut their doors. “I’ve been coming here for 30 some years every year and I have never heard flies or mosquitoes. I heard them all day yesterday. This town was dead.”

Local authorities later drove through town with sirens and loudspeakers urging residents to remain indoors for safety. Within hours, family members received mass text alerts reinforcing shelter-in-place orders and instructions for American citizens to contact the U.S. Embassy. Joey said cell service has been “hit and miss” in recent days, complicating contact with loved ones back home.

Joey and his family attempted to leave early Monday for a scheduled 8 a.m. flight from Guadalajara, setting out around midnight. But about an hour from town, at the border between Michoacán and Jalisco, they encountered burning semitrailers blocking the highway. “It was blocked off by semis on fire… and no, you’re not passing,” Joey said. As they turned back, he said they heard gunshots in the distance.

Although Guadalajara’s airport remains operational and flights continue to be scheduled and canceled, Joey said the challenge is reaching it safely. “That’s the problem — getting there,” he said.

Joey emphasized that his experience staying with family in a smaller community is different from what many resort visitors are seeing in major coastal tourist areas. While some flights have been canceled or diverted in places like Puerto Vallarta, the situation for locals — especially outside resort districts — reflects deeper concern. Many residents have been told by family members familiar with the area to stay cautious, avoid going out alone, and avoid identifying themselves as Americans in public.

Locals have also interpreted symbolic signs of the unrest in ways that underscore their fear: Joey shared that in his town, people believe the half-mast flag hung over the central plaza was placed there by cartels as a message that, “he might be dead, but we’re still here.” While it cannot be independently verified, that interpretation reflects how deeply cartel influence is perceived among residents.

For Joey personally, the experience has been surreal and sobering. He said although he feels relatively safe staying within town limits, his family is on edge. “If you go out in the country, that’s where the most risk would be,” he said. “If you stay here in town, we’re safe for the most part.”

Officials and analysts warn that the death of a powerful cartel leader like El Mencho can create violent power vacuums as rival factions fight for control, leading to unpredictable and extended periods of unrest. That dynamic helps explain the scale and intensity of the road blockades, fires, and clashes unfolding across the region.

As of now, Joey and his family plan to wait a few more days to see whether roads reopen and travel routes become safer before attempting another departure. “Our main concern right now is can we even get to the airport?” he said.

In the meantime, he urges other Americans in Mexico to follow guidance from the U.S. Embassy and stay in contact with authorities. “Listen to what the embassy says — that’s a big deal for your safety,” he said.

<p><i>By Allison Peck</i></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771877426093.jpeg" alt="Mexico flag half-mast following death of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). (Courtesy Joey Isenbart)" />
                        <figcaption>Mexico flag half-mast following death of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). (Courtesy Joey Isenbart)</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><iframe title="Mexico Under Cartel Retaliation: A Nebraska Voice from Inside" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=h4eww-1a53547-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Times%20New%20Roman&skin=666666&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b" loading="lazy"></iframe></div><p><i>Listen to the full interview on our Kubota Podcast</i></p><p>An Ogallala man traveling in Mexico to celebrate his grandmother’s 103rd birthday is now stuck under shelter-in-place conditions as cartel-related violence and widespread road blockades disrupt daily life and travel across parts of the country.</p><p>Joey Isenbart arrived in Mexico Thursday, flying into Guadalajara before traveling with family to his grandmother’s home about three hours away. What began as a routine family trip shifted dramatically over the weekend. Joey said that Saturday night, after a birthday celebration, he and his family saw vehicles on fire along the road — something he’d seen before on previous trips and didn’t think twice about.</p><p>But by Sunday morning, everything had changed. Joey said his cousin knocked on the door and told them, “You guys ain’t going nowhere. They just killed the big cartel guy. Roads are blocked off. They’re blowing up cars that block the roads off.”</p><p>The violence that followed commemorates one of the most significant developments in Mexico’s ongoing drug war: the killing of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes — widely known as “El Mencho” — leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). El Mencho, considered one of Mexico’s most wanted criminals and a major figure in international drug trafficking, was killed in a military operation by Mexican forces on Feb. 22, according to government statements. He headed one of the country’s most violent and expansive criminal organizations, implicated in trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as extortion, fuel theft, and other rackets. </p><p>The Mexican government reported that his death sparked immediate retaliatory violence across multiple states. Roads were blocked with burning vehicles, fires broke out, and clashes between cartel members and security forces erupted in at least 20 of Mexico’s 31 states.  The unrest has led authorities, including the U.S. Embassy, to advise shelter-in-place guidance for U.S. citizens in affected areas due to “ongoing security operations and related criminal activity.” </p><p>For Joey and his family, the shift from celebration to crisis was stark. “We woke up yesterday to check in for our flight to leave this morning,” he said. “My cousin’s knocking on the door saying, ‘You ain’t going nowhere.’” He described a town that went eerily quiet as people fled the streets and shops shut their doors. “I’ve been coming here for 30 some years every year and I have never heard flies or mosquitoes. I heard them all day yesterday. This town was dead.”</p><p>Local authorities later drove through town with sirens and loudspeakers urging residents to remain indoors for safety. Within hours, family members received mass text alerts reinforcing shelter-in-place orders and instructions for American citizens to contact the U.S. Embassy. Joey said cell service has been “hit and miss” in recent days, complicating contact with loved ones back home.</p><p>Joey and his family attempted to leave early Monday for a scheduled 8 a.m. flight from Guadalajara, setting out around midnight. But about an hour from town, at the border between Michoacán and Jalisco, they encountered burning semitrailers blocking the highway. “It was blocked off by semis on fire… and no, you’re not passing,” Joey said. As they turned back, he said they heard gunshots in the distance.</p><p>Although Guadalajara’s airport remains operational and flights continue to be scheduled and canceled, Joey said the challenge is reaching it safely. “That’s the problem — getting there,” he said.</p><p>Joey emphasized that his experience staying with family in a smaller community is different from what many resort visitors are seeing in major coastal tourist areas. While some flights have been canceled or diverted in places like Puerto Vallarta, the situation for locals — especially outside resort districts — reflects deeper concern. Many residents have been told by family members familiar with the area to stay cautious, avoid going out alone, and avoid identifying themselves as Americans in public.</p><p>Locals have also interpreted symbolic signs of the unrest in ways that underscore their fear: Joey shared that in his town, people believe the half-mast flag hung over the central plaza was placed there by cartels as a message that, “he might be dead, but we’re still here.” While it cannot be independently verified, that interpretation reflects how deeply cartel influence is perceived among residents.</p><p>For Joey personally, the experience has been surreal and sobering. He said although he feels relatively safe staying within town limits, his family is on edge. “If you go out in the country, that’s where the most risk would be,” he said. “If you stay here in town, we’re safe for the most part.”</p><p>Officials and analysts warn that the death of a powerful cartel leader like El Mencho can create violent power vacuums as rival factions fight for control, leading to unpredictable and extended periods of unrest. That dynamic helps explain the scale and intensity of the road blockades, fires, and clashes unfolding across the region.</p><p>As of now, Joey and his family plan to wait a few more days to see whether roads reopen and travel routes become safer before attempting another departure. “Our main concern right now is can we even get to the airport?” he said.</p><p>In the meantime, he urges other Americans in Mexico to follow guidance from the U.S. Embassy and stay in contact with authorities. “Listen to what the embassy says — that’s a big deal for your safety,” he said.</p>

🎙️Ogallala Man Inside Mexico's Cartel Lockdown: Flaming Roadblocks and Gunshots

WASHINGTON —The Mexican army killed the leader of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-jalisco-cartel-us-sanctions-8e40e7da8ce88c4feb45e61f3a2e00a3">Jalisco New Generation Cartel</a>, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, "El Mencho," on Sunday, decapitating what had become Mexico's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-mencho-justice-department-drug-cartels-cjng-73b539b8029c793fbd995a357b57f25f">most powerful drug cartel</a>&nbsp;and thrusting swaths of the nation into chaos.

According to a social media report late Sunday from White House spokesperson Karaoline Leavitt, " The United States provided intelligence support to the Mexican government in order to assist with an operation in Talpalpa, Jalisco, Mexico, in which Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Oseguera Cervantes, an infamous drug lord and leader within the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was eliminated. 

‘El Mencho’ was a was a top target for the Mexican and United States government as one of the top traffickers of fentanyl into our homeland. Last year, President Trump rightfully designated the Jalisco New Generation Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization — because that’s exactly what it is. In this operation, three additional cartel members were killed, three were wounded, and two were arrested.

"President Trump has been very clear — the United States will ensure narcoterrorists sending deadly drugs to our homeland are forced to face the wrath of justice they have long deserved."

"The Trump Administration also commends and thanks the Mexican military for their cooperation and successful execution of this operation."

The drug lord was the Mexican government's biggest prize yet to show the Trump administration in its efforts to crack down on the cartels, and his death was met with a forceful reaction from the cartel, known by its Spanish initials CJNG.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771795992010.png" alt="Image U.S. Dept. of Justice" />
                        <figcaption>Image U.S. Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON —The Mexican army killed the leader of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-jalisco-cartel-us-sanctions-8e40e7da8ce88c4feb45e61f3a2e00a3">Jalisco New Generation Cartel</a>, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, "El Mencho," on Sunday, decapitating what had become Mexico's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-mencho-justice-department-drug-cartels-cjng-73b539b8029c793fbd995a357b57f25f">most powerful drug cartel</a>&nbsp;and thrusting swaths of the nation into chaos.</p><p>According to a social media report late Sunday from White House spokesperson Karaoline Leavitt, " The United States provided intelligence support to the Mexican government in order to assist with an operation in Talpalpa, Jalisco, Mexico, in which Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Oseguera Cervantes, an infamous drug lord and leader within the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was eliminated. </p><p>‘El Mencho’ was a was a top target for the Mexican and United States government as one of the top traffickers of fentanyl into our homeland. Last year, President Trump rightfully designated the Jalisco New Generation Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization — because that’s exactly what it is. In this operation, three additional cartel members were killed, three were wounded, and two were arrested.</p><p>"President Trump has been very clear — the United States will ensure narcoterrorists sending deadly drugs to our homeland are forced to face the wrath of justice they have long deserved."</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mexico: UPDATE - Due to ongoing, widespread security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity in many areas of Mexico, U.S. citizens should shelter in place until further notice. Roadblocks have impacted airline operations, with some domestic &amp; int’l flights… <a href="https://t.co/SIxMGKwGny">pic.twitter.com/SIxMGKwGny</a></p>&mdash; TravelGov (@TravelGov) <a href="https://twitter.com/TravelGov/status/2025690556953714887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>"The Trump Administration also commends and thanks the Mexican military for their cooperation and successful execution of this operation."</p><p>The drug lord was the Mexican government's biggest prize yet to show the Trump administration in its efforts to crack down on the cartels, and his death was met with a forceful reaction from the cartel, known by its Spanish initials CJNG.</p>

White House: U.S. helped Mexican army kill powerful drug lord

Click below to listen to the Palm Beach County Sheriff and Secret Service update on the fatal shooting at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago club.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771803623092.png" alt="Suspect had gas can and a shotgun- image from Palm Beach Co. Sheriff" />
                        <figcaption>Suspect had gas can and a shotgun- image from Palm Beach Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Click below to listen to the Palm Beach County Sheriff and Secret Service update on the fatal shooting at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago club.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=315&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F901846472775014%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>

New details: Armed man shot, killed at Mar-a-Lago 

<b>Locations</b>:&nbsp;Widespread, including&nbsp;Jalisco&nbsp;State (including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara), Baja California State (including Tijuana, Tecate, and Ensenada), Quintana Roo State (including Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum), and areas of Guanajuato, Guerrero, Michoacan, Oaxaca, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas States

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771795992010.png" alt="On Sunday, troops targeted Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” in the western state of Jalisco. and killed him, according to the Mexican Army. - Photo U.S. Department of State" />
                        <figcaption>On Sunday, troops targeted Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” in the western state of Jalisco. and killed him, according to the Mexican Army. - Photo U.S. Department of State</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><b>Locations</b>:&nbsp;Widespread, including&nbsp;Jalisco&nbsp;State (including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara), Baja California State (including Tijuana, Tecate, and Ensenada), Quintana Roo State (including Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum), and areas of Guanajuato, Guerrero, Michoacan, Oaxaca, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas States</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mexico: UPDATE - Due to ongoing, widespread security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity in many areas of Mexico, U.S. citizens should shelter in place until further notice. Roadblocks have impacted airline operations, with some domestic &amp; int’l flights… <a href="https://t.co/SIxMGKwGny">pic.twitter.com/SIxMGKwGny</a></p>&mdash; TravelGov (@TravelGov) <a href="https://twitter.com/TravelGov/status/2025690556953714887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Security Alert – Update: Ongoing Security Operations - U.S. Mission Mexico (February 22, 2026) <br><br>Locations: Widespread, including Jalisco State (including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara), Baja California State (including Tijuana, Tecate, and Ensenada), Quintana Roo… <a href="https://t.co/GlF1wAhm2J">pic.twitter.com/GlF1wAhm2J</a></p>&mdash; U.S. Consulate Tijuana (@ConsuladoUSATJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/ConsuladoUSATJ/status/2025697223850565982?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p><b>Event</b>:&nbsp;Due to ongoing security&nbsp;operations and&nbsp;related&nbsp;road blockages and criminal activity,&nbsp;U.S. citizens&nbsp;in the named locations&nbsp;should shelter in&nbsp;place&nbsp;until further notice.</p><p>All U.S. government staff at Consulate General Tijuana and all U.S. government staff in Guerrero, Michoacan, and Quintana Roo states have been directed to shelter in place.&nbsp; All U.S. government staff at Consulate General Monterrey have been directed to remain in the Monterrey metropolitan area.</p><p>While no airports have been closed, roadblocks have impacted airline operations, with some domestic and international flights cancelled in both Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta.&nbsp; All taxis and ride shares are suspended in Puerto Vallarta. &nbsp;Some businesses have suspended operations.</p><p><b>Actions to Take</b>:</p><ul>
                        <li>Seek shelter and minimize unnecessary movements.&nbsp;&nbsp;Remain in your residences or hotels.</li><li>Avoid areas around law enforcement activity.</li><li>Be aware of your surroundings.</li><li>Monitor local media for updates.</li><li>Follow the directions of local authorities and in case of emergency, call 911.</li><li>Avoid crowds.</li><li>Keep family and friends advised of your location and well-being via phone, text, and social media.</li>
                    </ul><p><b>Assistance:</b></p><p><a href="https://mx.usembassy.gov/contact/" target="_blank">Contact Form</a><a href="https://mx.usembassy.gov/" target="_blank">U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico</a>From Mexico: (55) 8526 2561From the United States: &nbsp;+1-844-528-6611Department of State – Consular Affairs:  +1-888-407-4747 or +1-202-501-4444</p><p><b>Links:</b><a href="https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/mexico.html" target="_blank">Mexico International Travel information&nbsp;<i></i></a><a href="https://mx.usembassy.gov/receive-embassy-alerts-on-whatsapp/" target="_blank">U.S. Citizens in Mexico WhatsApp Channel</a><a href="https://mx.usembassy.gov/passports/" target="_blank">U.S. Passports</a><a href="https://mytravel.state.gov/s/step" target="_blank">Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)&nbsp;<i></i></a>Department of State on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/travelgov" target="_blank">Facebook&nbsp;<i></i></a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/travelgov" target="_blank">X&nbsp;<i></i></a></p>