President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump answered questions from the media prior to&nbsp;&nbsp;critical talks on Ukraine with European leaders at the White House on Monday.

A reported who was critical of Zelenskyy's appearance during a February meeting, praised what Zelenskyy was wearing for the Monday meeting and apologized for his earlier comments.

<p>President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump answered questions from the media prior to&nbsp;&nbsp;critical talks on Ukraine with European leaders at the White House on Monday.</p><p>A reported who was critical of Zelenskyy's appearance during a February meeting, praised what Zelenskyy was wearing for the Monday meeting and apologized for his earlier comments.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">REPORTER: &quot;You look fabulous in that suit!&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I said the same thing!&quot;<br><br>🤣🤣 <a href="https://t.co/aRQLIOYJJC">pic.twitter.com/aRQLIOYJJC</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1957495624531865910?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2025</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/brianglenntv?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@brianglenntv</a>: &quot;President Zelensky, you look fabulous in that suit.&quot;<br><br>President Trump: &quot;I said the same thing...that&#39;s the one that attacked you last time.&quot;<br><br>President Zelensky: &quot;I remember.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GqxHRzkVag">https://t.co/GqxHRzkVag</a> <a href="https://t.co/f6kty4fh7s">pic.twitter.com/f6kty4fh7s</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1957497115464085817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥President Zelensky wears a suit to White House meeting

Higher expenses over revenues could lead fund to run out by end of fiscal year 2027-28

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ebamer/">Erin Bamer</a><br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A fund marketed as a sustainable source of state aid to Nebraska’s K-12 schools is on track to be completely depleted within five years of its creation.

The Education Future Fund (EFF) was designed in 2023 to lower property taxes while supporting school districts by providing resources that weren’t covered under Nebraska’s existing school funding formula. It launched with an initial investment of $1 billion and a commitment from state lawmakers to add another $250 million each year thereafter to keep it stable.

At the time, Gov. Jim Pillen said he hoped to build the fund to approximately&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/17/nebraska-gov-pillen-wants-2-5-billion-in-new-funding-for-schools-property-tax-relief/">$2.5 billion by 2029-30</a>, but the state is spending money faster than it can grow. After that first $1 billion investment, expenses out of the fund have far exceeded revenue transfers into it by more than $150 million each year.

The Education Future Fund is now baked into Nebraska’s current school funding formula. Among other things, EFF offers per-pupil funding primarily to non-equalized school districts and assumes a higher level of state funding for special education.

Based on the fund’s projected ending balance in the state’s latest biennial budget and the trajectory of steadily increasing EFF expenses each year, if lawmakers only add the standard $250 million to the fund in fiscal year 2027-28, it will not have enough funds to cover its expenses by the end of that year, according to a Nebraska Examiner analysis.

This appears to be one of the worst-kept secrets among Nebraska state government and local education officials. Five school board members representing districts across the state told the Examiner that their boards had doubts about EFF’s lasting power when the fund was first introduced.

Barbara Baier, board member for Lincoln Public Schools, compared the state’s budgeting strategy of transferring revenues across different funds to “moving around deck chairs on the Titanic.”

Tim Royers, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, said lawmakers also know about this. When he approached Education Committee members in the Nebraska Legislature this session about adding resources to EFF, he said even his low-cost requests were rejected because lawmakers said there wasn’t enough money in the fund to support them.

Brad Wilkins, a board member for Ainsworth Community Schools, was on the task force that developed the idea for EFF. He said members of the governor’s staff claimed the fund would be sustainable for 10 years, but he said he questioned the estimate even then.

This touches on a longstanding lack of trust Nebraska’s education community has in the reliability of state government as a funding partner, Wilkins said. Lawmakers constantly ask school boards to lower their levy rates — and sometimes seek to cap them — while promising to take care of the districts if they comply, but they don’t always hold up their end of the bargain, Wilkins said.

“Some of those promises are hard to keep,” he said. “We need to keep this one.”

Despite the fiscal challenges, Pillen said he remains committed to ensuring the Education Future Fund remains alive. Lee Will, chief operating officer for Nebraska’s Department of Administrative Services, said the current plan is to increase the revenue transfers going into the fund.

“Fixing Nebraska’s property tax crisis while investing in our kids are my top goals as governor,” Pillen said in a statement. “We will ensure that the funding in the Education Future Fund is sustainable for generations to ensure we never give up on any kid in Nebraska.”

Where that additional revenue will come from, however, is a question that remains unanswered.

The two biggest expenses out of the fund also come with the biggest statewide impacts: foundation aid and special education reimbursements.

Foundation aid was pitched as a way to support the vast majority of Nebraska’s 244 school districts that don’t receive equalization aid, what many know as state aid to K-12 schools. Foundation aid is a per-pupil funding mechanism that offers districts $1,500 for each student, minus any equalization aid the district already receives. Foundation aid costs roughly $112 million each year out of the fund.

Foundation aid’s impact largely depends on the district. At Lincoln Public Schools, Baier said they didn’t get much of a funding boost from foundation aid because the district already received a high amount of equalization aid.

But for smaller school districts like Ainsworth and West Point Public Schools, foundation aid makes a huge difference. Steven Blocher, board member at West Point, said the only state aid the district received prior to EFF’s implementation was allocated income taxes, which brought the district roughly $140,000 per year.

Foundation aid alone boosted West Point’s state aid by $1 million, Blocher said, and state special education reimbursements added another $360,000. He said the extra support helped the board approve an increase to teacher salaries.

In Ainsworth, Wilkins said foundation aid brought his district’s state aid from roughly $40,000 per year to about $450,000. He said that money was used nearly dollar-for-dollar to reduce the amount of property tax funds sought to operate their schools.

Special education reimbursements make up an even larger chunk of the annual EFF payouts, ranging from $246 million in the fund’s first year to a projected $309 million in 2026-27. When the fund was created, lawmakers also approved increasing the state’s share of special ed costs covered from 40% to 80%. The program is largely split among federal and state funds, along with money from local school districts.

The demand for special ed services has been higher than both state and education officials expected, which is why the expenses have grown so much. Dave Welsch, board member for Milford Public Schools, said over the last decade his district’s special ed population has doubled.

Several other board members said their district’s special ed costs have increased much faster than they expected. This change is a factor in eroding the sustainability of the EFF in its current state, but it also brings the most consistent benefits from the fund to school districts, regardless of size.

Milford, for example, is “on the bubble” of Nebraska’s equalization formula, Welsch said, so the district can’t count on that support every year. But its reimbursements have raised the state aid the district receives by more than $600,000 each year.

LPS doesn’t receive much in foundation aid because of its equalization aid, but Baier said the special education funding has helped the district stabilize its budgets.

A big purpose of the EFF was to encourage school boards to lower local property tax asking — the amount of money sought from local property taxpayers to fund schools — by providing the additional state support. That strategy appears to have worked, to some degree.

All five board members who spoke with the Examiner said their local levy rates had either dropped or remained level since the EFF was created.

Will noted that since 2023, school district property taxes have risen 1.7% year-over-year. He argued this is a sign that the fund is working, because city and county property taxes have risen 5.5% and 4.7%, respectively.

Steve Koch, board member for Hershey Public Schools, said EFF aid helped his board lower the local levy rate by more than 15%, reducing Hershey’s overall tax asking by roughly $400,000.

At West Point, Blocher said the board was able to lower the district’s levy from over 69 cents in 2022-23 to 57 cents in 2024-25.

Milford’s levy rate has been rising over time from 84 cents in 2019-20 to 93 cents in 2024-25, Welsch said. He argued that due to rising property valuations and the district’s equalization aid dropping, Milford’s levy growth likely would have been much higher without EFF support.

At Omaha Public Schools, the largest school district in Nebraska, the district’s allocation of state aid remained relatively unchanged in the first year EFF was implemented in 2023-24. The following year, however, state aid to OPS jumped from roughly $285 million to more than $316 million, according to documents a district spokesperson sent the Examiner to review.

Over the same period, OPS also lowered its total levy rate from $1.21 to $1.10, the lowest it’s been in over a decade.

Multiple OPS board members either declined or ignored requests for comment in recent weeks.

If EFF were to suddenly dissolve, multiple board members said it would be “catastrophic” for their districts. Several board members said they would likely have no choice but to raise tax levies, though Wilkins noted that might be its own challenge due to levy caps state lawmakers also put in place that limit year-over-year increases.

Other board members said they may consider cuts to personnel costs, which consistently make up the biggest portion of school district budgets across Nebraska.

These worst case scenarios are unlikely, Will said, as he confirmed state officials remain committed to fueling the fund. At this point, he said the primary strategy is simply to increase the funds transferred into it.

While EFF was originally marketed as a largely self-sustaining system, Will argued it’s actually more sustainable for the state to control exactly how many dollars are going into it through transfers.

The only revenue source for EFF that isn’t a fund transfer is investment income, which is expected to drop from roughly $29 million in 2024-25 to about $16 million in 2025-26 and $11 million in 2026-27, according to state documents.

Many board members said they are nervous about the state having the money to make the fund whole, especially considering Nebraska’s current financial situation. This session, lawmakers grappled with a large projected deficit, which contributed to them reducing the amounts the state transferred into the EFF to $242 million for both years of the current biennium, rather than $250 million.

Nebraska is facing yet another projected deficit of about $95 million, according to the latest financial status, and Pillen has made clear his intention to cut the state budget an additional 10%, or roughly $500 million.

That prompts the question: If Nebraska is going to increase funding to EFF, where would that money come from?

Lou Ann Linehan, a former state senator from the Elkhorn area who helped develop the fund, had doubts that state revenues would actually be that bad when push comes to shove. She recalled during her first year in office in 2017 that revenue forecasts predicted a budget deficit of more than $1 billion.

This turned out to be an inaccurate reading, as lawmakers ended that year growing the state’s cash reserve, Linehan said. She said she feels Nebraska’s revenue forecasts are usually too conservative.

Will expressed confidence that raising the revenue transfers into EFF would be manageable. He said lawmakers have multiple years to figure this out and noted there are many outside factors that impact state revenues.

He further argued that on average, Nebraska’s tax receipts grow about 4.5% each year, although that hasn’t been the case so far in 2025.

“I don’t want to say that $100-$125 million isn’t a problem we [have] got to solve, but it’s definitely not our biggest one,” Will said.

Education officials, however, remain on edge. Royers, of the NSEA, said if lawmakers pull back on EFF aid, that would hardly be the first time that state officials have made lofty promises to schools they later rescinded.

Linehan pushed back on the lack of trust school officials have with the state. While in the Legislature, she said it was frustrating to hear school representatives say they don’t trust her or other lawmakers when they consistently increased education funding, including through EFF itself.

It’s worth noting, however, that there have been two years over the past decade that aggregate state funding to school districts has dropped, according to Legislative Fiscal Analyst Keisha Patent. However, the total amount of state aid to schools has continued its upward trajectory after those blips.

Trust issues aside, most people tend to agree that the biggest obstacle facing the fund is finding new revenues to support it. That is a challenge that will take time to overcome.

“The writing is on the wall if they don’t come up with new ways of raising income,” Koch said.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755520459125.jpeg" alt="Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood laugh after he signs a mock check signifying state investments in K-12 education. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood laugh after he signs a mock check signifying state investments in K-12 education. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>Higher expenses over revenues could lead fund to run out by end of fiscal year 2027-28</h2><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ebamer/">Erin Bamer</a><br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a></p><p>LINCOLN — A fund marketed as a sustainable source of state aid to Nebraska’s K-12 schools is on track to be completely depleted within five years of its creation.</p><p>The Education Future Fund (EFF) was designed in 2023 to lower property taxes while supporting school districts by providing resources that weren’t covered under Nebraska’s existing school funding formula. It launched with an initial investment of $1 billion and a commitment from state lawmakers to add another $250 million each year thereafter to keep it stable.</p><p>At the time, Gov. Jim Pillen said he hoped to build the fund to approximately&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/17/nebraska-gov-pillen-wants-2-5-billion-in-new-funding-for-schools-property-tax-relief/">$2.5 billion by 2029-30</a>, but the state is spending money faster than it can grow. After that first $1 billion investment, expenses out of the fund have far exceeded revenue transfers into it by more than $150 million each year.</p><p>The Education Future Fund is now baked into Nebraska’s current school funding formula. Among other things, EFF offers per-pupil funding primarily to non-equalized school districts and assumes a higher level of state funding for special education.</p><p>Based on the fund’s projected ending balance in the state’s latest biennial budget and the trajectory of steadily increasing EFF expenses each year, if lawmakers only add the standard $250 million to the fund in fiscal year 2027-28, it will not have enough funds to cover its expenses by the end of that year, according to a Nebraska Examiner analysis.</p><p>This appears to be one of the worst-kept secrets among Nebraska state government and local education officials. Five school board members representing districts across the state told the Examiner that their boards had doubts about EFF’s lasting power when the fund was first introduced.</p><p>Barbara Baier, board member for Lincoln Public Schools, compared the state’s budgeting strategy of transferring revenues across different funds to “moving around deck chairs on the Titanic.”</p><p>Tim Royers, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, said lawmakers also know about this. When he approached Education Committee members in the Nebraska Legislature this session about adding resources to EFF, he said even his low-cost requests were rejected because lawmakers said there wasn’t enough money in the fund to support them.</p><p>Brad Wilkins, a board member for Ainsworth Community Schools, was on the task force that developed the idea for EFF. He said members of the governor’s staff claimed the fund would be sustainable for 10 years, but he said he questioned the estimate even then.</p><p>This touches on a longstanding lack of trust Nebraska’s education community has in the reliability of state government as a funding partner, Wilkins said. Lawmakers constantly ask school boards to lower their levy rates — and sometimes seek to cap them — while promising to take care of the districts if they comply, but they don’t always hold up their end of the bargain, Wilkins said.</p><p>“Some of those promises are hard to keep,” he said. “We need to keep this one.”</p><p>Despite the fiscal challenges, Pillen said he remains committed to ensuring the Education Future Fund remains alive. Lee Will, chief operating officer for Nebraska’s Department of Administrative Services, said the current plan is to increase the revenue transfers going into the fund.</p><p>“Fixing Nebraska’s property tax crisis while investing in our kids are my top goals as governor,” Pillen said in a statement. “We will ensure that the funding in the Education Future Fund is sustainable for generations to ensure we never give up on any kid in Nebraska.”</p><p>Where that additional revenue will come from, however, is a question that remains unanswered.</p><h2>Foundation aid</h2><p>The two biggest expenses out of the fund also come with the biggest statewide impacts: foundation aid and special education reimbursements.</p><p>Foundation aid was pitched as a way to support the vast majority of Nebraska’s 244 school districts that don’t receive equalization aid, what many know as state aid to K-12 schools. Foundation aid is a per-pupil funding mechanism that offers districts $1,500 for each student, minus any equalization aid the district already receives. Foundation aid costs roughly $112 million each year out of the fund.</p><p>Foundation aid’s impact largely depends on the district. At Lincoln Public Schools, Baier said they didn’t get much of a funding boost from foundation aid because the district already received a high amount of equalization aid.</p><p>But for smaller school districts like Ainsworth and West Point Public Schools, foundation aid makes a huge difference. Steven Blocher, board member at West Point, said the only state aid the district received prior to EFF’s implementation was allocated income taxes, which brought the district roughly $140,000 per year.</p><p>Foundation aid alone boosted West Point’s state aid by $1 million, Blocher said, and state special education reimbursements added another $360,000. He said the extra support helped the board approve an increase to teacher salaries.</p><p>In Ainsworth, Wilkins said foundation aid brought his district’s state aid from roughly $40,000 per year to about $450,000. He said that money was used nearly dollar-for-dollar to reduce the amount of property tax funds sought to operate their schools.</p><h2>Special education reimbursements</h2><p>Special education reimbursements make up an even larger chunk of the annual EFF payouts, ranging from $246 million in the fund’s first year to a projected $309 million in 2026-27. When the fund was created, lawmakers also approved increasing the state’s share of special ed costs covered from 40% to 80%. The program is largely split among federal and state funds, along with money from local school districts.</p><p>The demand for special ed services has been higher than both state and education officials expected, which is why the expenses have grown so much. Dave Welsch, board member for Milford Public Schools, said over the last decade his district’s special ed population has doubled.</p><p>Several other board members said their district’s special ed costs have increased much faster than they expected. This change is a factor in eroding the sustainability of the EFF in its current state, but it also brings the most consistent benefits from the fund to school districts, regardless of size.</p><p>Milford, for example, is “on the bubble” of Nebraska’s equalization formula, Welsch said, so the district can’t count on that support every year. But its reimbursements have raised the state aid the district receives by more than $600,000 each year.</p><p>LPS doesn’t receive much in foundation aid because of its equalization aid, but Baier said the special education funding has helped the district stabilize its budgets.</p><h2>Levies</h2><p>A big purpose of the EFF was to encourage school boards to lower local property tax asking — the amount of money sought from local property taxpayers to fund schools — by providing the additional state support. That strategy appears to have worked, to some degree.</p><p>All five board members who spoke with the Examiner said their local levy rates had either dropped or remained level since the EFF was created.</p><p>Will noted that since 2023, school district property taxes have risen 1.7% year-over-year. He argued this is a sign that the fund is working, because city and county property taxes have risen 5.5% and 4.7%, respectively.</p><p>Steve Koch, board member for Hershey Public Schools, said EFF aid helped his board lower the local levy rate by more than 15%, reducing Hershey’s overall tax asking by roughly $400,000.</p><p>At West Point, Blocher said the board was able to lower the district’s levy from over 69 cents in 2022-23 to 57 cents in 2024-25.</p><p>Milford’s levy rate has been rising over time from 84 cents in 2019-20 to 93 cents in 2024-25, Welsch said. He argued that due to rising property valuations and the district’s equalization aid dropping, Milford’s levy growth likely would have been much higher without EFF support.</p><p>At Omaha Public Schools, the largest school district in Nebraska, the district’s allocation of state aid remained relatively unchanged in the first year EFF was implemented in 2023-24. The following year, however, state aid to OPS jumped from roughly $285 million to more than $316 million, according to documents a district spokesperson sent the Examiner to review.</p><p>Over the same period, OPS also lowered its total levy rate from $1.21 to $1.10, the lowest it’s been in over a decade.</p><p>Multiple OPS board members either declined or ignored requests for comment in recent weeks.</p><h2>What happens next?</h2><p>If EFF were to suddenly dissolve, multiple board members said it would be “catastrophic” for their districts. Several board members said they would likely have no choice but to raise tax levies, though Wilkins noted that might be its own challenge due to levy caps state lawmakers also put in place that limit year-over-year increases.</p><p>Other board members said they may consider cuts to personnel costs, which consistently make up the biggest portion of school district budgets across Nebraska.</p><p>These worst case scenarios are unlikely, Will said, as he confirmed state officials remain committed to fueling the fund. At this point, he said the primary strategy is simply to increase the funds transferred into it.</p><p>While EFF was originally marketed as a largely self-sustaining system, Will argued it’s actually more sustainable for the state to control exactly how many dollars are going into it through transfers.</p><p>The only revenue source for EFF that isn’t a fund transfer is investment income, which is expected to drop from roughly $29 million in 2024-25 to about $16 million in 2025-26 and $11 million in 2026-27, according to state documents.</p><p>Many board members said they are nervous about the state having the money to make the fund whole, especially considering Nebraska’s current financial situation. This session, lawmakers grappled with a large projected deficit, which contributed to them reducing the amounts the state transferred into the EFF to $242 million for both years of the current biennium, rather than $250 million.</p><p>Nebraska is facing yet another projected deficit of about $95 million, according to the latest financial status, and Pillen has made clear his intention to cut the state budget an additional 10%, or roughly $500 million.</p><p>That prompts the question: If Nebraska is going to increase funding to EFF, where would that money come from?</p><p>Lou Ann Linehan, a former state senator from the Elkhorn area who helped develop the fund, had doubts that state revenues would actually be that bad when push comes to shove. She recalled during her first year in office in 2017 that revenue forecasts predicted a budget deficit of more than $1 billion.</p><p>This turned out to be an inaccurate reading, as lawmakers ended that year growing the state’s cash reserve, Linehan said. She said she feels Nebraska’s revenue forecasts are usually too conservative.</p><p>Will expressed confidence that raising the revenue transfers into EFF would be manageable. He said lawmakers have multiple years to figure this out and noted there are many outside factors that impact state revenues.</p><p>He further argued that on average, Nebraska’s tax receipts grow about 4.5% each year, although that hasn’t been the case so far in 2025.</p><p>“I don’t want to say that $100-$125 million isn’t a problem we [have] got to solve, but it’s definitely not our biggest one,” Will said.</p><p>Education officials, however, remain on edge. Royers, of the NSEA, said if lawmakers pull back on EFF aid, that would hardly be the first time that state officials have made lofty promises to schools they later rescinded.</p><p>Linehan pushed back on the lack of trust school officials have with the state. While in the Legislature, she said it was frustrating to hear school representatives say they don’t trust her or other lawmakers when they consistently increased education funding, including through EFF itself.</p><p>It’s worth noting, however, that there have been two years over the past decade that aggregate state funding to school districts has dropped, according to Legislative Fiscal Analyst Keisha Patent. However, the total amount of state aid to schools has continued its upward trajectory after those blips.</p><p>Trust issues aside, most people tend to agree that the biggest obstacle facing the fund is finding new revenues to support it. That is a challenge that will take time to overcome.</p><p>“The writing is on the wall if they don’t come up with new ways of raising income,” Koch said.</p>

Nebraska’s Education Future Fund on track to depletion within five years

The U.S. Military had the opportunity to perform just before the start of the historic summit on Friday in Alaska. &nbsp;The performance lasted just a moment but certainly made an impression on those who saw it.

When President Donald Trump welcomed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, a B-2 bomber from Whiteman Air Force Base &nbsp;and four F35 fighter jets flew over the base.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The flyover was among the most successful portions of the historic meeting.&nbsp;Whiteman is located approximately 70 miles southeast of Kansas City.

<p>The U.S. Military had the opportunity to perform just before the start of the historic summit on Friday in Alaska. &nbsp;The performance lasted just a moment but certainly made an impression on those who saw it.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">HAPPENING NOW! <a href="https://t.co/5OBEWIttVv">https://t.co/5OBEWIttVv</a> <a href="https://t.co/s9KIftc3ZW">pic.twitter.com/s9KIftc3ZW</a></p>&mdash; Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1956435635818070211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</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">8/15/25 | Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska…<br><br>🇺🇸🦅 <a href="https://t.co/hjnYbfinLh">pic.twitter.com/hjnYbfinLh</a></p>&mdash; Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1956503820206489970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>When President Donald Trump welcomed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, a B-2 bomber from Whiteman Air Force Base &nbsp;and four F35 fighter jets flew over the base.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;The flyover was among the most successful portions of the historic meeting.&nbsp;Whiteman is located approximately 70 miles southeast of Kansas City.</p>

🎥B-2 stealth bomber flyover at Trump-Putin summit

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Our incredible First Lady ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/MELANIATRUMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MELANIATRUMP</a>⁩ shared this powerful, deeply moving letter with President Putin. She speaks from the heart of every American in calling for a world where children, regardless of where they are born, can live in peace. <a href="https://t.co/Soqrv1euAm">pic.twitter.com/Soqrv1euAm</a></p>&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1956829431831605620?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Read the letter the First Lady had the President deliver to Putin

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem used social media on Thursday to congratulate the men and women of the South Dakota Highway Patrol.

Troopers in South Dakota this week made &nbsp;the largest meth bust in state history — 207 pounds worth $12 Million. &nbsp;

Noem, who served as South Dakota governor from 2019-2025 wrote, "This criminal, an illegal alien from Mexico, is now in immigration proceedings. Justice will be served."

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755117198647.png" alt="Photo Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;" />
                        <figcaption>Photo Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem used social media on Thursday to congratulate the men and women of the South Dakota Highway Patrol.</p><p>Troopers in South Dakota this week made &nbsp;the largest meth bust in state history — 207 pounds worth $12 Million. &nbsp;</p><p>Noem, who served as South Dakota governor from 2019-2025 wrote, "This criminal, an illegal alien from Mexico, is now in immigration proceedings. Justice will be served."</p>

Patrol seized 207 pounds of meth worth $12 million

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I&#39;m going to start making a few phone calls and tell them what happened, but we had an extremely productive meeting and many points were agreed to. There are just a very few that are left.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/p9MAivEbB6">pic.twitter.com/p9MAivEbB6</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956493746414997647?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</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/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: I believe we had a very productive meeting. There were many, many points that we agreed on... There&#39;s no deal until there&#39;s a deal. I will call up NATO... I&#39;ll of course call up President Zelensky and tell him about today&#39;s meeting... We really made some great progress. <a href="https://t.co/qEnZHW5D9i">pic.twitter.com/qEnZHW5D9i</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956493139868369139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</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">“We had an extremely productive meeting.” President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> <a href="https://t.co/aIEWqkYYgN">pic.twitter.com/aIEWqkYYgN</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956493879953563767?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</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 and President Putin in Anchorage, Alaska. <a href="https://t.co/d9DKQ0OtPa">pic.twitter.com/d9DKQ0OtPa</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1956441780544516497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</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">B-2 Stealth Bomber flies over President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and President Putin <a href="https://t.co/HaAqyHLftx">pic.twitter.com/HaAqyHLftx</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956443298400510377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Putin having to deal with a free press for the first time in years and he doesn’t seem amused. <a href="https://t.co/CI8iwqAQJM">pic.twitter.com/CI8iwqAQJM</a></p>&mdash; OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) <a href="https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1956447061043527837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</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 meeting between President <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Putin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Putin</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> has begun in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Anchorage?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Anchorage</a>.<br><br>Also taking part in the talks are Russian FM Sergey <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lavrov?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lavrov</a>, Presidential Aide Yuri <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ushakov?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ushakov</a>, US Secretary of State <a href="https://twitter.com/marcorubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@marcorubio</a> &amp; US Presidential Special Envoy <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveWitkoff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SteveWitkoff</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RussiaUSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RussiaUSA</a> <a href="https://t.co/6jW6MmSrkr">pic.twitter.com/6jW6MmSrkr</a></p>&mdash; MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) <a href="https://twitter.com/mfa_russia/status/1956444614271103120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> sits down with President Putin 🇺🇸🇷🇺 <a href="https://t.co/PJfqsvXdkI">pic.twitter.com/PJfqsvXdkI</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956439512806207706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</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">Pursuing Peace. 🇺🇸🇷🇺 <a href="https://t.co/d9VqKzpF6g">pic.twitter.com/d9VqKzpF6g</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1956446335261175865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</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/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> begins his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin <a href="https://t.co/hpR641t8pJ">pic.twitter.com/hpR641t8pJ</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956441246513467393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</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">HAPPENING NOW! <a href="https://t.co/5OBEWIttVv">https://t.co/5OBEWIttVv</a> <a href="https://t.co/s9KIftc3ZW">pic.twitter.com/s9KIftc3ZW</a></p>&mdash; Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1956435635818070211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">🤝 <a href="https://t.co/Tru212XRcu">pic.twitter.com/Tru212XRcu</a></p>&mdash; MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) <a href="https://twitter.com/mfa_russia/status/1956450765121396775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</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/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and Russian President Vladimir Putin end the day&#39;s historic summit in Alaska <a href="https://t.co/80SsqP2Di8">pic.twitter.com/80SsqP2Di8</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956494156487856548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</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 Donald Trump: &quot;There&#39;s no deal until there&#39;s a deal. I will call up NATO in a little while. I will call up the various people that I think are appropriate and I&#39;ll of course call up President Zelensky and tell him about today&#39;s meeting. It&#39;s ultimately up to them.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ur3kxRIgM4">pic.twitter.com/ur3kxRIgM4</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1956496911503937682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</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">“Next time in Moscow” President Putin on the next meeting with President Trump <a href="https://t.co/Eomwp1zs7S">pic.twitter.com/Eomwp1zs7S</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956496289056653652?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Trump and Putin reach an 'understanding,' but offer no details 

United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that five people were charged by complaint for a range of federal violations that center around their alleged conspiracy to engage in labor trafficking, sex trafficking, and harboring of aliens at several hotel locations across the Omaha metro area and into central Nebraska, according to a media release.

The defendants own, operate and manage several hotels in the Omaha metro area located at the following locations where federal search warrants were executed in the early morning hours of August 12, 2025:

The five charged and arrested on August 12, 2025, are:

The redacted complaint affidavit contains a more complete summary of the allegations. Criminal Complaints are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners worked together today to safely execute search warrants at 14 business premises and two residential locations associated with the defendants.&nbsp; Four of those premises were either hotels or motels, and the remaining businesses were “Brow and Lash” salons located in the Westroads Mall and at other Omaha metro area locations.

During the operation, law enforcement officers rescued 10 minors from an alleged labor trafficking conspiracy that involved putting children under the age of twelve years old to work at the hotels for long hours with little to no pay.&nbsp; Seventeen adult victims were also rescued from the same conspiracy.&nbsp; The complaint affidavit details the allegedly exploitative conditions these victims were subjected to while being required to pay the defendants for their lodging at the hotels.&nbsp; The lodging accommodations were unclean, unsafe, and unhealthy.&nbsp;Online reviews for the hotel locations detail the firsthand accounts of travelers who occupied the same locations briefly.&nbsp; On one occasion, a source working with the federal government entered a hotel room where immigrant victims were sleeping on the floor of the room with cockroaches crawling on the victims as they slept.

Separately, the United States Attorney’s Office has alleged that one or more of the defendants were engaged in a sex trafficking conspiracy that allegedly victimized both minors and adults.&nbsp; Sex trafficking was not only allowed at the hotels according to complaint affidavit allegations but also encouraged, protected from law enforcement detection, and sex trafficking victims at the hotels were subjected not only to the traditional perpetrators of a sex trafficking scheme but also to hotel management and employees victimizing them as well.

Beyond these allegations, multiple defendants are alleged to have maintained these hotels as premises to conduct drug trafficking freely.&nbsp; &nbsp;Drug traffickers allegedly received protection from law enforcement in the same manner in which human traffickers were also shielded by the hotel owners and managers.&nbsp; Overdoses were a common problem, and at least one hotel had to keep Narcan at the front desk as a result.&nbsp; One source cited described a stairwell of one of the hotels as being littered with drug needles.&nbsp; Drug use was open and notorious in the parking lots according to eyewitnesses and to some online guest reviews.

At least one of the defendants is charged with a conspiracy to defraud the United States government by instigating a criminal scheme designed to obtain U visas under fraudulent circumstances. The U nonimmigrant status (U visa) is set aside for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.&nbsp; Allegations in the complaint affidavits reveal that one hotel owner hired a worker at a hotel to stage a fictitious robbery of one of the Brow and Lash salons in 2022.&nbsp;The goal was to secure a U visa for one of the other defendants by making her a “victim” of the robbery.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The complaint further alleges one of the defendants engaged in conversations involving questions about what it would cost to bring someone from India to America and negotiating various prices.&nbsp; A number of hotel employees crossed the Arizona border several years ago and reported to Customs and Border Patrol they would be residing at one or more of the defendant’s hotels, thereby indicating those arrangements were made prior to entering the country illegally.&nbsp;Furthermore, the complaint alleges that aliens were being transported by co-conspirators between the State of Nebraska and the State of Washington for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining Washington state driver’s licenses for around $1,000 per identification document.

The various alleged conspiracies generated significant illegal proceeds, and as part of today’s operation, significant cash assets were seized to include more than $565,000 in U.S. currency that are alleged to be involved in money laundering. The United States filed a notice of pending lawsuit on the hotel properties to prevent their sale or transfer while this investigation is ongoing.&nbsp; The United States Marshals Service is actively recovering assets in this investigation alleged to have been illegally acquired and hoarded by the defendants. Also, seized during this operation was an undetermined amount illicit drugs that will be quantified as this investigation progresses.

Several vigilant citizens made complaints to Human Trafficking Hotlines about child workers and sex trafficking issues at one or more of these hotels, and we commend the members of our community who help shine a light on these unspeakable crimes and give a voice to the voiceless.

Due to the number of victims already identified in this ongoing federal investigation and the breadth and combination of the alleged charges, the FBI has requested that anyone having additional information on the crimes occurring at these locations or other business locations in Nebraska where similar crimes occurred, please contact the Omaha FBI field office to report that information.&nbsp;&nbsp;

United States Attorney Lesley Woods said, “There is no evil greater than the evil that seeks to trap, oppress, and exploit human beings for profit or pleasure.&nbsp; Where that evil exists, Nebraska law enforcement working together at the federal, state, and local levels, as occurred in this case, will seek it, find it, root it out, and ensure every rescued victim has an opportunity to obtain justice and freedom from their captors.”

U.S. Attorney Woods commends the unparalleled investigative coordination and accomplishment of this case achieved by the combined efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office, the Omaha Police Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Branch, the United States Marshals Service, and the Nebraska State Attorney General’s Office.&nbsp; U.S. Attorney Woods added, “When so many law enforcement agencies come together as one team, united in their relentless pursuit of justice, there is no organized crime network operating within Nebraska’s borders that can escape identification and accountability.”

Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel, leader of the Omaha FBI Field Office, stated, “Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. This investigation revealed victims right here in the heart of the heartland forced into sexual activity, living and working in dangerous and filthy conditions, and extorted to work in grueling jobs with little to no pay. We will always stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners to aggressively identify and apprehend perpetrators of human trafficking, hold them accountable, and obtain justice for victims. Our approach to these horrific cases is always centered on the victims. We encourage anyone who may be a victim or have information about human trafficking to call us. We will continue to surge resources to arrest violent offenders in our community as part of the FBI’s Summer Heat Initiative.”

“There is nothing more reprehensible than exploiting human beings, particularly children, for sex, abusive labor conditions or deliberately violating U.S. immigration laws to profit from their suffering,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito of ICE HSI Kansas City, which covers Nebraska. “These criminals hide in the shadows, prey on the vulnerable and show no regard for the laws or values of our nation. Their crimes are calculated to be difficult to uncover but HSI and our federal partners have no intention of stopping until these predators are brought to justice and every victim is freed from their grip. ”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755127280104.png" alt="Roadway Inn of Bellevue, Nebraska was among the motels involved-Google image" />
                        <figcaption>Roadway Inn of Bellevue, Nebraska was among the motels involved-Google image</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that five people were charged by complaint for a range of federal violations that center around their alleged conspiracy to engage in labor trafficking, sex trafficking, and harboring of aliens at several hotel locations across the Omaha metro area and into central Nebraska, according to a media release.</p><p>The defendants own, operate and manage several hotels in the Omaha metro area located at the following locations where federal search warrants were executed in the early morning hours of August 12, 2025:</p><ul>
                        <li>The AmericInn, 2920 S 13 Ct., Omaha;</li><li>The Inn (formerly Super 8), 9305 S 145th St., Omaha;</li><li>The New Victorian, 10728 L St., Omaha; and</li><li>Roadway Inn, 1110 Fort Crook Rd S, Bellevue, NE.</li>
                    </ul><p>The five charged and arrested on August 12, 2025, are:</p><ul>
                        <li>Kentakumar Chaudhari, a/k/a Ken Chaudhari, age 36, of Elkhorn, NE;</li><li>Rashmi Ajit Samani, a/k/a Falguni Samani, age 42, of Elkhorn, NE;</li><li>Amit Prahladbhai Chaudhari, a/k/a Amit, age 32, of Omaha;</li><li>Amit Babubhai Chaudhari, a/k/a Matt, age 33, of Omaha; and</li><li>Maheshkumar Chaudhari, a/k/a Mahesh, age 38, of Norfolk, NE.</li>
                    </ul><p>The redacted complaint affidavit contains a more complete summary of the allegations. Criminal Complaints are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.</p><p>Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners worked together today to safely execute search warrants at 14 business premises and two residential locations associated with the defendants.&nbsp; Four of those premises were either hotels or motels, and the remaining businesses were “Brow and Lash” salons located in the Westroads Mall and at other Omaha metro area locations.</p><p>During the operation, law enforcement officers rescued 10 minors from an alleged labor trafficking conspiracy that involved putting children under the age of twelve years old to work at the hotels for long hours with little to no pay.&nbsp; Seventeen adult victims were also rescued from the same conspiracy.&nbsp; The complaint affidavit details the allegedly exploitative conditions these victims were subjected to while being required to pay the defendants for their lodging at the hotels.&nbsp; The lodging accommodations were unclean, unsafe, and unhealthy.&nbsp;Online reviews for the hotel locations detail the firsthand accounts of travelers who occupied the same locations briefly.&nbsp; On one occasion, a source working with the federal government entered a hotel room where immigrant victims were sleeping on the floor of the room with cockroaches crawling on the victims as they slept.</p><p>Separately, the United States Attorney’s Office has alleged that one or more of the defendants were engaged in a sex trafficking conspiracy that allegedly victimized both minors and adults.&nbsp; Sex trafficking was not only allowed at the hotels according to complaint affidavit allegations but also encouraged, protected from law enforcement detection, and sex trafficking victims at the hotels were subjected not only to the traditional perpetrators of a sex trafficking scheme but also to hotel management and employees victimizing them as well.</p><p>Beyond these allegations, multiple defendants are alleged to have maintained these hotels as premises to conduct drug trafficking freely.&nbsp; &nbsp;Drug traffickers allegedly received protection from law enforcement in the same manner in which human traffickers were also shielded by the hotel owners and managers.&nbsp; Overdoses were a common problem, and at least one hotel had to keep Narcan at the front desk as a result.&nbsp; One source cited described a stairwell of one of the hotels as being littered with drug needles.&nbsp; Drug use was open and notorious in the parking lots according to eyewitnesses and to some online guest reviews.</p><p>At least one of the defendants is charged with a conspiracy to defraud the United States government by instigating a criminal scheme designed to obtain U visas under fraudulent circumstances. The U nonimmigrant status (U visa) is set aside for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.&nbsp; Allegations in the complaint affidavits reveal that one hotel owner hired a worker at a hotel to stage a fictitious robbery of one of the Brow and Lash salons in 2022.&nbsp;The goal was to secure a U visa for one of the other defendants by making her a “victim” of the robbery.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p><p>The complaint further alleges one of the defendants engaged in conversations involving questions about what it would cost to bring someone from India to America and negotiating various prices.&nbsp; A number of hotel employees crossed the Arizona border several years ago and reported to Customs and Border Patrol they would be residing at one or more of the defendant’s hotels, thereby indicating those arrangements were made prior to entering the country illegally.&nbsp;Furthermore, the complaint alleges that aliens were being transported by co-conspirators between the State of Nebraska and the State of Washington for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining Washington state driver’s licenses for around $1,000 per identification document.</p><p>The various alleged conspiracies generated significant illegal proceeds, and as part of today’s operation, significant cash assets were seized to include more than $565,000 in U.S. currency that are alleged to be involved in money laundering. The United States filed a notice of pending lawsuit on the hotel properties to prevent their sale or transfer while this investigation is ongoing.&nbsp; The United States Marshals Service is actively recovering assets in this investigation alleged to have been illegally acquired and hoarded by the defendants. Also, seized during this operation was an undetermined amount illicit drugs that will be quantified as this investigation progresses.</p><p>Several vigilant citizens made complaints to Human Trafficking Hotlines about child workers and sex trafficking issues at one or more of these hotels, and we commend the members of our community who help shine a light on these unspeakable crimes and give a voice to the voiceless.</p><p>Due to the number of victims already identified in this ongoing federal investigation and the breadth and combination of the alleged charges, the FBI has requested that anyone having additional information on the crimes occurring at these locations or other business locations in Nebraska where similar crimes occurred, please contact the Omaha FBI field office to report that information.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>United States Attorney Lesley Woods said, “There is no evil greater than the evil that seeks to trap, oppress, and exploit human beings for profit or pleasure.&nbsp; Where that evil exists, Nebraska law enforcement working together at the federal, state, and local levels, as occurred in this case, will seek it, find it, root it out, and ensure every rescued victim has an opportunity to obtain justice and freedom from their captors.”</p><p>U.S. Attorney Woods commends the unparalleled investigative coordination and accomplishment of this case achieved by the combined efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office, the Omaha Police Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Branch, the United States Marshals Service, and the Nebraska State Attorney General’s Office.&nbsp; U.S. Attorney Woods added, “When so many law enforcement agencies come together as one team, united in their relentless pursuit of justice, there is no organized crime network operating within Nebraska’s borders that can escape identification and accountability.”</p><p>Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel, leader of the Omaha FBI Field Office, stated, “Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. This investigation revealed victims right here in the heart of the heartland forced into sexual activity, living and working in dangerous and filthy conditions, and extorted to work in grueling jobs with little to no pay. We will always stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners to aggressively identify and apprehend perpetrators of human trafficking, hold them accountable, and obtain justice for victims. Our approach to these horrific cases is always centered on the victims. We encourage anyone who may be a victim or have information about human trafficking to call us. We will continue to surge resources to arrest violent offenders in our community as part of the FBI’s Summer Heat Initiative.”</p><p>“There is nothing more reprehensible than exploiting human beings, particularly children, for sex, abusive labor conditions or deliberately violating U.S. immigration laws to profit from their suffering,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito of ICE HSI Kansas City, which covers Nebraska. “These criminals hide in the shadows, prey on the vulnerable and show no regard for the laws or values of our nation. Their crimes are calculated to be difficult to uncover but HSI and our federal partners have no intention of stopping until these predators are brought to justice and every victim is freed from their grip. ”</p>

10 minors, 17 adults rescued from sex trafficking at Nebraska motels

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Kennedy Center is proud to announce our incredible lineup of 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees:<br><br>•George Strait (<a href="https://twitter.com/GeorgeStrait?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GeorgeStrait</a>)<br>•Michael Crawford <br>•Sylvester Stallone (<a href="https://twitter.com/TheSlyStallone?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheSlyStallone</a>)<br>•Gloria Gaynor (<a href="https://twitter.com/gloriagaynor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GloriaGaynor</a>)<br>•Kiss (<a href="https://twitter.com/kiss?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Kiss</a>)<br><br>Congratulations to our 48th Class! <a href="https://t.co/y8iWt4U0Lq">pic.twitter.com/y8iWt4U0Lq</a></p>&mdash; The Kennedy Center (@kencen) <a href="https://twitter.com/kencen/status/1955665540208603319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2025</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/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces <a href="https://twitter.com/GeorgeStrait?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GeorgeStrait</a> as a 2025 Kennedy Center Honors nominee <a href="https://t.co/QWJ89jYXIE">pic.twitter.com/QWJ89jYXIE</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1955655797846732992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2025</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/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces Michael Crawford as a 2025 Kennedy Center Honors nominee. <a href="https://t.co/wDpNxgSrSG">pic.twitter.com/wDpNxgSrSG</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1955656852529889353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2025</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/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces <a href="https://twitter.com/kiss?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kiss</a> as a 2025 Kennedy Center Honors nominee <a href="https://t.co/2humQiLBio">pic.twitter.com/2humQiLBio</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1955658164130775127?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2025</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/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces legendary actor <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSlyStallone?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheSlyStallone</a> as a 2025 Kennedy Center Honors nominee <a href="https://t.co/wOro0slUCx">pic.twitter.com/wOro0slUCx</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1955658539453554690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2025</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/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces <a href="https://twitter.com/gloriagaynor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gloriagaynor</a> as a 2025 Kennedy Center Honors nominee <a href="https://t.co/YPztXwvCeZ">pic.twitter.com/YPztXwvCeZ</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1955658293734707559?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Country music legend among Kennedy Center honor nominees

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump: &quot;We&#39;re going to have a meeting with Vladimir Putin and at the end of that meeting, probably in the first two minutes, I&#39;ll know exactly whether or not a deal can be made.&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/edokeefe?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@edokeefe</a>: &quot;How will you know that?&quot;<br><br>Trump: &quot;Because that&#39;s what I do. I make deals.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/0zAtfgAxCT">pic.twitter.com/0zAtfgAxCT</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1954935746751615406?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Trump explains how he'll know if Putin wants a peace deal with Ukraine

The United States announced Tuesday that it has taken into custody 26 fugitives from Mexico facing a range of federal and state criminal charges from around the country, including charges relating to drug-trafficking, hostage-taking, kidnapping, illegal use of firearms, human smuggling, money laundering, the murder of a sheriffs’ deputy, and other crimes, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Among the fugitives taken into U.S. custody today are leaders and managers of dangerous drug cartels, such as those designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), and Cártel del Noreste (formerly Los Zetas). These fugitives are collectively alleged to have imported into the United States tonnage quantities of dangerous drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin.

“Today is the latest example of the Trump administration's historic efforts to dismantle cartels and foreign terrorist organizations,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “These 26 men have all played a role in bringing violence and drugs to American shores -- under this Department of Justice, they will face severe consequences for their crimes against this country. We are grateful to Mexico’s National Security team for their collaboration in this matter.” &nbsp;

Included in today’s transfer are the following fugitives:

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755050571697.png" alt="Image U.S. Dept. of Treasury" />
                        <figcaption>Image U.S. Dept. of Treasury</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The United States announced Tuesday that it has taken into custody 26 fugitives from Mexico facing a range of federal and state criminal charges from around the country, including charges relating to drug-trafficking, hostage-taking, kidnapping, illegal use of firearms, human smuggling, money laundering, the murder of a sheriffs’ deputy, and other crimes, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.</p><p>Among the fugitives taken into U.S. custody today are leaders and managers of dangerous drug cartels, such as those designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), and Cártel del Noreste (formerly Los Zetas). These fugitives are collectively alleged to have imported into the United States tonnage quantities of dangerous drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin.</p><p>“Today is the latest example of the Trump administration's historic efforts to dismantle cartels and foreign terrorist organizations,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “These 26 men have all played a role in bringing violence and drugs to American shores -- under this Department of Justice, they will face severe consequences for their crimes against this country. We are grateful to Mexico’s National Security team for their collaboration in this matter.” &nbsp;</p><p>Included in today’s transfer are the following fugitives:</p><ul>
                        <li><a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.justice.gov%2Fopa%2Fpr%2Fco-founder-los-cuinis-drug-cartel-sentenced-30-years-prison-high-ranking-cartel-de-jalisco%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/01000198a09d54ef-d2daa78c-60c7-4299-abbb-727e7a0412e1-000000/jnChD6bGv-P_wgqzI8ZG30wwB3ShKzdKOebhJ_UhW5g=418" target="_blank">Abigael Gonzalez Valencia</a>&nbsp;also known as “Cuini” – is one of the leaders of Los Cuinis, a major Mexican drug cartel responsible for trafficking multiple tons of cocaine from South America, through Mexico, into the United States.</li><li>Kevin Gil Acosta and Martin Zazueta Perez – According to court documents, Gil Acosta and Zazueta Perez are leaders of the security apparatus for the&nbsp;Chapitos, a powerful faction of the Sinaloa Cartel that engages in prolific fentanyl trafficking. Both men have led&nbsp;sicarios&nbsp;armed with military-style weapons – such as AK-47s, M-16s, AR-15s, and grenade launchers – in attacks on Mexican government and military officials. Gil Acosta leads&nbsp;sicarios&nbsp;tasked with protecting fentanyl labs and distribution routes while Zazueta Perez provides personal security for a leader of the&nbsp;Chapitos.</li><li><a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.justice.gov%2Farchives%2Fopa%2Fpr%2Falleged-transnational-human-smuggler-indicted-and-sanctioned-united-states-and-arrested%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/01000198a09d54ef-d2daa78c-60c7-4299-abbb-727e7a0412e1-000000/3Y2GsatlwL2_UTzpxQcoEQEJZQw0WNXy9jkTG_SsWUM=418" target="_blank">Abdul Karim Conteh</a>, a national of Sierra Leone, allegedly led a human smuggling organization that smuggled thousands of migrants to the United States through Mexico. These smuggled migrants originated from countries around the world, including Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Somalia, Cameroon, Senegal, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Egypt, and others. The migrants paid smuggling fees, often tens of thousands of dollars. Conteh allegedly oversaw the migrants’ unlawful entry into the United States by various surreptitious and unlawful means, including the use of ladders and tunnels.</li><li><a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.justice.gov%2Fd9%2Fpress-releases%2Fattachments%2F2023%2F04%2F14%2Fu.s._v._garcia_corrales_et_al_indictment_1.pdf%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/01000198a09d54ef-d2daa78c-60c7-4299-abbb-727e7a0412e1-000000/iZnZuVxRpjiifISSBnesYS6K3HS2hYsYHPpfMW7I29Y=418" target="_blank">Leobardo Garcia Corrales</a>&nbsp;is believed to be an important figure in the Sinaloa Cartel who has trafficked kilogram quantities of fentanyl into the United States, sometimes in exchange for military-grade weapons such as AK-47s, grenades, and submachine guns. He claims to be close friends and associates with Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera, aka “El Chapo.”</li><li><a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.justice.gov%2Fusao-de%2Fpr%2Fmexican-national-charged-holding-american-citizen-hostage-and-drug-trafficking%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/01000198a09d54ef-d2daa78c-60c7-4299-abbb-727e7a0412e1-000000/9tY8HP9jilOPS9CH8d4M2nsbEn7AunE8b7-f7aZoxVk=418" target="_blank">Luis Raul Castro Valenzuela</a>&nbsp;also known as “Chacho,” a member of the Sinaloa Cartel, has been charged with kidnapping and holding hostage a U.S. citizen.</li><li>Juan Carlos Felix Gastelum also known as “El Chavo Félix,” a major Sinaloa Cartel cell leader and son-in-law to former Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada,&nbsp;is alleged &nbsp;to be a principal operator of the Sinaloa Cartel’s clandestine methamphetamine manufacturing laboratories located in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Sinaloa and Durango, Mexico involved in the manufacturing and distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico into the United States.</li><li>Roberto Salazar is wanted in connection with the murder of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Juan Escalante, who was killed in 2008 when he was leaving his home during the early morning hours.</li><li>Pablo Edwin Huerta Nuno, also known as “Flaquito,” is a violent Tijuana Plaza boss who has operated with impunity during the last 15 years. Huerta-Nuno is alleged to have supplied thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine to distributors and cells located throughout San Diego and Los Angeles. And in return, millions of dollars in narcotics proceeds were delivered to him and his organization via shipments of bulk cash from San Diego into Tijuana.</li>
                    </ul>

Fugitives wanted for violent crimes returned to the U.S. from Mexico 

Another regent says of University of Nebraska Regent Elizabeth O’Connor, ‘Of all the people I know who deserve second chances, she tops the list’

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/zachwendling/">Zach Wendling</a><br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA —&nbsp;A University of Nebraska regent faces a felony charge for allegedly driving while under the influence of alcohol and crashing into another vehicle in mid-May, breaking the back and pelvis of a passenger in the other car.

NU Regent Elizabeth O’Connor of Omaha, 34, a former Douglas County deputy county attorney serving in her seventh year as a regent, is accused of a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=60-6,198#:~:text=60%2D6%2C198.,bodily%20injury%3B%20violation%3B%20penalty." target="_blank">DUI causing serious bodily injury</a>&nbsp;from the night of May 21 in Omaha’s Benson neighborhood, which is in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/media/images/maps/2021/regents/omaha.pdf" target="_blank">O’Connor’s district</a>. The Class IIIA felony charge carries a maximum of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=28-105" target="_blank">three years in prison and 18 months post-release supervision</a>.

The severity of the allegation could impact whether O’Connor can serve. The&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/articles.php?article=XV-2" target="_blank">Nebraska Constitution</a>&nbsp;bars felons from&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=29-112" target="_blank">holding public office</a>&nbsp;unless the person’s civil rights are restored by the Nebraska Board of Pardons, which consists of the governor, secretary of state and attorney general.

Neither O’Connor nor her attorney has yet addressed her future as a regent, a position to which she was reelected to a 6-year term in November.

According to police reports, O’Connor was driving her Subaru Outback east on Blondo Street about 8:33 p.m., when she crossed into the westbound lane and collided with a Ford Focus at the intersection of N 63rd and Blondo Streets.&nbsp;

Police said they found a half-empty bottle of Fireball Whisky in O’Connor’s vehicle and wrote that she was showing symptoms of intoxication, including bloodshot or watery eyes, slurred speech and alcohol on her breath.

Field sobriety tests confirmed her condition, the investigator wrote, and a blood test collected immediately after the crash indicated O’Connor had a blood alcohol concentration of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=60-6,196" target="_blank">four times the legal limit</a>: 0.321%.

Both vehicles were totaled, according to the accident report. The crash occurred minutes from O’Connor’s home.&nbsp;

The vehicle police say her car hit had five passengers in it, including three children. The driver and children sustained minor injuries, according to the police report. The woman seriously injured in the crash and O’Connor, who had minor injuries, were taken to the Nebraska Medical Center.

O’Connor declined to comment for this story, and her attorney could not be reached. The family involved in the crash also declined to comment when reached by the Nebraska Examiner. Two listed witnesses did not return calls seeking comment. A spokesperson for the University of Nebraska system said NU “does not comment on ongoing legal matters.”

It took two months to file charges, partly because of O’Connor’s employment as a civil attorney in the Douglas County Attorney’s Office until last Tuesday, when she resigned, the timing of which the County Attorney’s Office confirmed.

Omaha’s top prosecutors opted out of the case involving O’Connor, citing a potential conflict of interest. That left Omaha City Prosecutor Kevin Slimp to file the felony charge in Douglas County Court on July 30.&nbsp;

Slimp told the Examiner a key reason for the delay was waiting for the blood test to come back from the lab.&nbsp;The police report was amended July 22 to include the BAC results. Slimp said he also needed time to review the evidence.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/crime-courts/article_568415b8-8810-4e00-8a05-7310b78932f1.html" target="_blank">defended O’Connor a day before she resigned</a>, telling the Omaha World-Herald she had “been an exemplary employee for our office.” He also described what happened as “something that is terrible and needs to be addressed.”

O’Connor, a 2015 graduate from Notre Dame Law School, told the local paper through her attorney last week that she&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/crime-courts/article_9a8194de-a14b-4909-b722-acb3dc45d007.html" target="_blank">decided to resign</a>&nbsp;“after much reflection and support from trusted colleagues.”

“While I am proud of my work serving Douglas County, I do not want my pending legal matter to serve as a distraction from the fine work and service the Douglas County Attorney’s Office continues to provide our community,” she said in the statement.

O’Connor was booked into the Douglas County Department of Corrections at 9:31 p.m. on July 31. She appeared before a judge the following morning. A county official confirmed she was released after posting 10% of a $25,000 bond around 7 p.m. on Aug. 1.&nbsp;

As a condition of her release, O’Connor must participate in Douglas County’s&nbsp;<a href="https://corrections.dccorr.com/community-programs/24-7-sobriety-program" target="_blank">24/7 Sobriety Program</a>&nbsp;with daily monitoring and drug testing.

The Douglas County Court, with agreement from the prosecution and defense, waived a stipulation that O’Connor stay within 10 miles of the county. O’Connor’s next court date is Sept. 9 in Douglas County Court.

‘Everything she can to make it right’

NU Regent Paul Kenney, a Republican of Amherst and chair of the NU Board of Regents, said he would be as supportive as he could to O’Connor while not commenting on the criminal case.

“Just trying to be a friend and a colleague and do what I can to help,” Kenney said Monday.

Kenney and NU Regent Barbara Weitz of Omaha, who joined O’Connor on the board in 2019, told the Examiner that O’Connor has been through a tough time recently in her personal life, which Weitz described as a “year in hell.”

O’Connor was the youngest regent elected to the NU board in 2018, at 28 years old, and is one of just a handful of women to serve.

Weitz said the situation breaks her heart and that O’Connor “takes responsibility for making a bad choice, but she’s also doing everything she can to make it right.” Weitz said she remains supportive of O’Connor and that it is “imperative” that NU keep her as a regent.&nbsp;

Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican who served as a regent for 10 years before becoming governor in 2023, including four years with O’Connor, would get to appoint a successor in the event of a vacancy.

The board is officially nonpartisan, and regents are often unanimous in their votes, but the party breakdown on the board is 6 Republicans and 2 Democrats. O’Connor and Weitz are the two Democrats.&nbsp;

In seven years — across hundreds of votes — only once has the board split 6-2 along party lines. That was in April, when the regents amended NU bylaws to try to comply with an order from President Donald Trump’s administration against higher education diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Weitz and O’connor&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/04/11/university-of-nebraska-regents-amend-bylaws-to-comply-with-federal-anti-dei-mandate/">opposed the changes</a>.

O’Connor stands out among elected regents as having first served as a student body president and student regent for the University of Nebraska at Omaha, one of four students who serve in advisory roles to the board. She graduated from UNO in 2012.

Weitz described O’Connor as an “outstanding” regent, an “excellent” attorney and someone who has NU’s best interests in mind.

“Of all the people I know who deserve second chances, she tops the list,” Weitz said Monday. “We’d lose a great deal if we lose her.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755021731102.png" alt=" University of Nebraska Regent Elizabeth O’Connor of Omaha. June 22, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption> University of Nebraska Regent Elizabeth O’Connor of Omaha. June 22, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>Another regent says of University of Nebraska Regent Elizabeth O’Connor, ‘Of all the people I know who deserve second chances, she tops the list’</h2><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/zachwendling/">Zach Wendling</a><br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/">Nebraska Examiner</a></p><p>OMAHA —&nbsp;A University of Nebraska regent faces a felony charge for allegedly driving while under the influence of alcohol and crashing into another vehicle in mid-May, breaking the back and pelvis of a passenger in the other car.</p><p>NU Regent Elizabeth O’Connor of Omaha, 34, a former Douglas County deputy county attorney serving in her seventh year as a regent, is accused of a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=60-6,198#:~:text=60%2D6%2C198.,bodily%20injury%3B%20violation%3B%20penalty." target="_blank">DUI causing serious bodily injury</a>&nbsp;from the night of May 21 in Omaha’s Benson neighborhood, which is in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/media/images/maps/2021/regents/omaha.pdf" target="_blank">O’Connor’s district</a>. The Class IIIA felony charge carries a maximum of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=28-105" target="_blank">three years in prison and 18 months post-release supervision</a>.</p><p>The severity of the allegation could impact whether O’Connor can serve. The&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/articles.php?article=XV-2" target="_blank">Nebraska Constitution</a>&nbsp;bars felons from&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=29-112" target="_blank">holding public office</a>&nbsp;unless the person’s civil rights are restored by the Nebraska Board of Pardons, which consists of the governor, secretary of state and attorney general.</p><p>Neither O’Connor nor her attorney has yet addressed her future as a regent, a position to which she was reelected to a 6-year term in November.</p><h2>Alleged May 21 incident</h2><p>According to police reports, O’Connor was driving her Subaru Outback east on Blondo Street about 8:33 p.m., when she crossed into the westbound lane and collided with a Ford Focus at the intersection of N 63rd and Blondo Streets.&nbsp;</p><p>Police said they found a half-empty bottle of Fireball Whisky in O’Connor’s vehicle and wrote that she was showing symptoms of intoxication, including bloodshot or watery eyes, slurred speech and alcohol on her breath.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755021843318.png" alt="A police-drawn diagram of a crash on May 21 allegedly involving University of Nebraska Regent Elizabeth O’Connor, whose vehicle is meant to be illustrated in green. (Courtesy of Omaha Police Department)" />
                        <figcaption>A police-drawn diagram of a crash on May 21 allegedly involving University of Nebraska Regent Elizabeth O’Connor, whose vehicle is meant to be illustrated in green. (Courtesy of Omaha Police Department)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Field sobriety tests confirmed her condition, the investigator wrote, and a blood test collected immediately after the crash indicated O’Connor had a blood alcohol concentration of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=60-6,196" target="_blank">four times the legal limit</a>: 0.321%.</p><p>Both vehicles were totaled, according to the accident report. The crash occurred minutes from O’Connor’s home.&nbsp;</p><p>The vehicle police say her car hit had five passengers in it, including three children. The driver and children sustained minor injuries, according to the police report. The woman seriously injured in the crash and O’Connor, who had minor injuries, were taken to the Nebraska Medical Center.</p><p>O’Connor declined to comment for this story, and her attorney could not be reached. The family involved in the crash also declined to comment when reached by the Nebraska Examiner. Two listed witnesses did not return calls seeking comment. A spokesperson for the University of Nebraska system said NU “does not comment on ongoing legal matters.”</p><h2>Douglas County Attorney’s Office</h2><p>It took two months to file charges, partly because of O’Connor’s employment as a civil attorney in the Douglas County Attorney’s Office until last Tuesday, when she resigned, the timing of which the County Attorney’s Office confirmed.</p><p>Omaha’s top prosecutors opted out of the case involving O’Connor, citing a potential conflict of interest. That left Omaha City Prosecutor Kevin Slimp to file the felony charge in Douglas County Court on July 30.&nbsp;</p><p>Slimp told the Examiner a key reason for the delay was waiting for the blood test to come back from the lab.&nbsp;The police report was amended July 22 to include the BAC results. Slimp said he also needed time to review the evidence.</p><p>Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/crime-courts/article_568415b8-8810-4e00-8a05-7310b78932f1.html" target="_blank">defended O’Connor a day before she resigned</a>, telling the Omaha World-Herald she had “been an exemplary employee for our office.” He also described what happened as “something that is terrible and needs to be addressed.”</p><p>O’Connor, a 2015 graduate from Notre Dame Law School, told the local paper through her attorney last week that she&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/crime-courts/article_9a8194de-a14b-4909-b722-acb3dc45d007.html" target="_blank">decided to resign</a>&nbsp;“after much reflection and support from trusted colleagues.”</p><p>“While I am proud of my work serving Douglas County, I do not want my pending legal matter to serve as a distraction from the fine work and service the Douglas County Attorney’s Office continues to provide our community,” she said in the statement.</p><p>O’Connor was booked into the Douglas County Department of Corrections at 9:31 p.m. on July 31. She appeared before a judge the following morning. A county official confirmed she was released after posting 10% of a $25,000 bond around 7 p.m. on Aug. 1.&nbsp;</p><p>As a condition of her release, O’Connor must participate in Douglas County’s&nbsp;<a href="https://corrections.dccorr.com/community-programs/24-7-sobriety-program" target="_blank">24/7 Sobriety Program</a>&nbsp;with daily monitoring and drug testing.</p><p>The Douglas County Court, with agreement from the prosecution and defense, waived a stipulation that O’Connor stay within 10 miles of the county. O’Connor’s next court date is Sept. 9 in Douglas County Court.</p><h2>‘Everything she can to make it right’</h2><p>NU Regent Paul Kenney, a Republican of Amherst and chair of the NU Board of Regents, said he would be as supportive as he could to O’Connor while not commenting on the criminal case.</p><p>“Just trying to be a friend and a colleague and do what I can to help,” Kenney said Monday.</p><p>Kenney and NU Regent Barbara Weitz of Omaha, who joined O’Connor on the board in 2019, told the Examiner that O’Connor has been through a tough time recently in her personal life, which Weitz described as a “year in hell.”</p><p>O’Connor was the youngest regent elected to the NU board in 2018, at 28 years old, and is one of just a handful of women to serve.</p><p>Weitz said the situation breaks her heart and that O’Connor “takes responsibility for making a bad choice, but she’s also doing everything she can to make it right.” Weitz said she remains supportive of O’Connor and that it is “imperative” that NU keep her as a regent.&nbsp;</p><h2>Second chances</h2><p>Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican who served as a regent for 10 years before becoming governor in 2023, including four years with O’Connor, would get to appoint a successor in the event of a vacancy.</p><p>The board is officially nonpartisan, and regents are often unanimous in their votes, but the party breakdown on the board is 6 Republicans and 2 Democrats. O’Connor and Weitz are the two Democrats.&nbsp;</p><p>In seven years — across hundreds of votes — only once has the board split 6-2 along party lines. That was in April, when the regents amended NU bylaws to try to comply with an order from President Donald Trump’s administration against higher education diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Weitz and O’connor&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/04/11/university-of-nebraska-regents-amend-bylaws-to-comply-with-federal-anti-dei-mandate/">opposed the changes</a>.</p><p>O’Connor stands out among elected regents as having first served as a student body president and student regent for the University of Nebraska at Omaha, one of four students who serve in advisory roles to the board. She graduated from UNO in 2012.</p><p>Weitz described O’Connor as an “outstanding” regent, an “excellent” attorney and someone who has NU’s best interests in mind.</p><p>“Of all the people I know who deserve second chances, she tops the list,” Weitz said Monday. “We’d lose a great deal if we lose her.”</p>

NU regent faces felony DUI charge from crash that could jeopardize her office

<i>Story by North Platte Area Chamber of Development</i>

The 300-acre Hershey Rail Park in Hershey, Nebraska, has been officially designated as the first Union Pacific (UP) Focus Sites in the state.&nbsp;

Union Pacific Focus Sites are strategically selected to give businesses greater access to rail, reduce uncertainty in connecting to the rail network, and speeding time to market.

&nbsp;"Being a focus site means that Union Pacific is ready to come in whenever industry is ready to come to us," Said Darren Wisniski, Economic and Industrial Development Director for Union Pacific's northern region.&nbsp;

To qualify as a UP Focus Site, properties must meet the following criteria:&nbsp;

With more than 30 Focus Sites across Union Pacific's 32,000-mile network, Hershey Rail Park is proud to be part of this program.&nbsp;

"This is a significant step forward in our ongoing effort to develop an industrial rail park," said Gary Person, President and CEO of the North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corp. "We sincerely appreciate the partnership with Union Pacific and a big shout out to Darren Wisniski, who helped us attain this goal!"&nbsp;

Person notes that achieving the UP Focus Site designation was years in the making. "When we first started exploring the idea of an industrial rail park when we went through the NPPD Site Readiness Assistance Program (SRAP) back in 2020, we knew it would be a long-term goal with many challenges ahead, including the purchase of six parcels of land."&nbsp;

"Lincoln County has been restricted from industrial rail access for decades because of the huge presence of Bailey Yard at North Platte, but to the Union Pacific leadership's credit they stepped up and worked with the North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corp., to develop our rail park site near Hershey, NE, 10 miles west of North Platte. Our team has put a ton of work into this project, and we are excited about its future," Person said.

The Nebraska Legislature's funding commitment to the Nebraska Rural Projects Act made it financially feasible. Person credited strong local cooperation from Lincoln County, the City North Platte, the Village of Hershey, Dawson Public Power District and Nebraska Public Power District as key partners.&nbsp;

In addition to becoming a UP Focus Site, the Hershey Rail Park is also the first designated Inland Port Authority in Nebraska, through the creation of the Nebraska International Port of the Plains. A drop and pull yard and transload area are currently in the design phase and will soon be under construction. The first transload customer and the first industrial development project are close to being finalized. "Being a UP FOCUS site will greatly enhance our marketing capability and give us the credibility of a shovel ready site that embraces development," Person said. "Partnerships make developments successful!"

<p><i>Story by North Platte Area Chamber of Development</i></p><p>The 300-acre Hershey Rail Park in Hershey, Nebraska, has been officially designated as the first Union Pacific (UP) Focus Sites in the state.&nbsp;</p><p>Union Pacific Focus Sites are strategically selected to give businesses greater access to rail, reduce uncertainty in connecting to the rail network, and speeding time to market.</p><p>&nbsp;"Being a focus site means that Union Pacific is ready to come in whenever industry is ready to come to us," Said Darren Wisniski, Economic and Industrial Development Director for Union Pacific's northern region.&nbsp;</p><p>To qualify as a UP Focus Site, properties must meet the following criteria:&nbsp;</p><ul>
                        <li>Rail designed approved by Union Pacific&nbsp;</li><li>Large-scale development area (generally 125+ acres)&nbsp;</li><li>Utilities and roads accessible to site</li><li>Local development support&nbsp;</li><li>Single controlling landowner&nbsp;</li>
                    </ul><p>With more than 30 Focus Sites across Union Pacific's 32,000-mile network, Hershey Rail Park is proud to be part of this program.&nbsp;</p><p>"This is a significant step forward in our ongoing effort to develop an industrial rail park," said Gary Person, President and CEO of the North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corp. "We sincerely appreciate the partnership with Union Pacific and a big shout out to Darren Wisniski, who helped us attain this goal!"&nbsp;</p><p>Person notes that achieving the UP Focus Site designation was years in the making. "When we first started exploring the idea of an industrial rail park when we went through the NPPD Site Readiness Assistance Program (SRAP) back in 2020, we knew it would be a long-term goal with many challenges ahead, including the purchase of six parcels of land."&nbsp;</p><p>"Lincoln County has been restricted from industrial rail access for decades because of the huge presence of Bailey Yard at North Platte, but to the Union Pacific leadership's credit they stepped up and worked with the North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corp., to develop our rail park site near Hershey, NE, 10 miles west of North Platte. Our team has put a ton of work into this project, and we are excited about its future," Person said.</p><p>The Nebraska Legislature's funding commitment to the Nebraska Rural Projects Act made it financially feasible. Person credited strong local cooperation from Lincoln County, the City North Platte, the Village of Hershey, Dawson Public Power District and Nebraska Public Power District as key partners.&nbsp;</p><p>In addition to becoming a UP Focus Site, the Hershey Rail Park is also the first designated Inland Port Authority in Nebraska, through the creation of the Nebraska International Port of the Plains. A drop and pull yard and transload area are currently in the design phase and will soon be under construction. The first transload customer and the first industrial development project are close to being finalized. "Being a UP FOCUS site will greatly enhance our marketing capability and give us the credibility of a shovel ready site that embraces development," Person said. "Partnerships make developments successful!"</p>

Hershey Rail Park named "First Ever" Union Pacific Nebraska FOCUS Site

August 11, 2025 (Lincoln, Neb.) –&nbsp;The Nebraska State Patrol is building the next class of State Troopers. Applications are open now at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nebraskatroopers.com/">NebraskaTroopers.com</a>.

“Now is the perfect time to join the NSP team,” said Colonel Bryan Waugh, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “You bring the drive, and our team will equip you with the skills and knowledge to begin a rewarding career as a trooper. The opportunities are endless.”

Troopers can serve in many career paths including patrol,&nbsp;criminal investigator, K9 handler, crash investigator, pilot, tactical flight officer, crisis negotiator, drone operator, hazmat technician, and many more. Troopers can also serve in specialty units including the SWAT Team, Carrier Enforcement, Bomb Squad, Executive Protection, Training Academy, Mobile Field Force, and Husker Football Detail.

The next NSP training class is set to begin on January 5, with graduation scheduled for June 18, 2026. The application process is open until September 15.

Troopers earn a starting salary of $32.45 per hour ($67,496 annually) upon graduation from the NSP Training Academy. Recruits are paid $28.85 per hour during the academy process.&nbsp;Troopers also receive an excellent retirement plan, health, vision, dental, and life insurance, as well as free college tuition for you and your dependents at the University of Nebraska, state colleges, or community colleges.

Troopers also have opportunities for additional pay, including overtime hours at a pay rate of 1.5 times their base salary rate, shift differential pay of an additional $1.00 per hour if they are regularly assigned to the night shift, and a 2.5 percent pay increase for qualifying as bilingual.&nbsp;

The NSP Training Academy offers an extensive 24-week training program. Recruits go through numerous life-like scenarios and hundreds of hours of instruction to prepare them for a career serving Nebraska.

NSP offers the opportunity to serve in communities across the entire state of Nebraska. Each recruit will know their assigned duty station prior to starting camp, as NSP works to balance candidates’ duty station requests with the need to provide quality law enforcement coverage statewide. Applicants can get more information about the open duty stations and the duty station process at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskatroopers.com/dutystations/">NebraskaTroopers.com/DutyStations</a>.

Applicants must be a United States citizen and at least 21 years of age by graduation, when they take the oath of office. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED equivalence. Additional information about the hiring process, benefits, opportunities, and recruiter contacts can be found at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nebraskatroopers.com/">NebraskaTroopers.com.</a>

<p><i>Story by NSP Communications</i></p><p>August 11, 2025 (Lincoln, Neb.) –&nbsp;The Nebraska State Patrol is building the next class of State Troopers. Applications are open now at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nebraskatroopers.com/">NebraskaTroopers.com</a>.</p><p>“Now is the perfect time to join the NSP team,” said Colonel Bryan Waugh, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “You bring the drive, and our team will equip you with the skills and knowledge to begin a rewarding career as a trooper. The opportunities are endless.”</p><p>Troopers can serve in many career paths including patrol,&nbsp;criminal investigator, K9 handler, crash investigator, pilot, tactical flight officer, crisis negotiator, drone operator, hazmat technician, and many more. Troopers can also serve in specialty units including the SWAT Team, Carrier Enforcement, Bomb Squad, Executive Protection, Training Academy, Mobile Field Force, and Husker Football Detail.</p><p>The next NSP training class is set to begin on January 5, with graduation scheduled for June 18, 2026. The application process is open until September 15.</p><p>Troopers earn a starting salary of $32.45 per hour ($67,496 annually) upon graduation from the NSP Training Academy. Recruits are paid $28.85 per hour during the academy process.&nbsp;Troopers also receive an excellent retirement plan, health, vision, dental, and life insurance, as well as free college tuition for you and your dependents at the University of Nebraska, state colleges, or community colleges.</p><p>Troopers also have opportunities for additional pay, including overtime hours at a pay rate of 1.5 times their base salary rate, shift differential pay of an additional $1.00 per hour if they are regularly assigned to the night shift, and a 2.5 percent pay increase for qualifying as bilingual.&nbsp;</p><p>The NSP Training Academy offers an extensive 24-week training program. Recruits go through numerous life-like scenarios and hundreds of hours of instruction to prepare them for a career serving Nebraska.</p><p>NSP offers the opportunity to serve in communities across the entire state of Nebraska. Each recruit will know their assigned duty station prior to starting camp, as NSP works to balance candidates’ duty station requests with the need to provide quality law enforcement coverage statewide. Applicants can get more information about the open duty stations and the duty station process at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskatroopers.com/dutystations/">NebraskaTroopers.com/DutyStations</a>.</p><p>Applicants must be a United States citizen and at least 21 years of age by graduation, when they take the oath of office. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED equivalence. Additional information about the hiring process, benefits, opportunities, and recruiter contacts can be found at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nebraskatroopers.com/">NebraskaTroopers.com.</a></p>

Nebraska State Patrol now hiring Troopers 

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shalina-chatlani/">Shalina Chatlani</a>

At least 12 states have received federal approval to restrict recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, from using their benefits to purchase certain foods such as soda and candy.

The states receiving waivers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture are overwhelmingly Republican. Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia received approval last week. The feds granted waivers to Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and Utah earlier this year.

Missouri lawmakers have debated a similar ban for several years, but it has yet to win legislative approval.

SNAP&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research" target="_blank">served on average</a>&nbsp;nearly 42 million people a month in fiscal 2024, with about 12% of the U.S. population receiving benefits.

The trend is part of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s agenda to “make America healthy again” by inviting states to apply for waivers to change SNAP rules to limit what types of food recipients can buy.

Kennedy said in a statement that SNAP has used taxpayer dollars to “fuel America’s diabetes and chronic disease epidemics.”

“These waivers help put real food back at the center of the program and empower states to lead the charge in protecting public health,” the statement said.

Critics of these waivers say the policy could harm people in places such as food deserts, where healthy options are limited, and take away recipients’ power to make their own food choices.

Craig Gundersen, a professor in the Department of Economics at Baylor University, told Stateline that these changes could harm the integrity of the program.

“One of the main reasons why SNAP is such a successful program is because it gives dignity and autonomy to recipients. It gives dignity to recipients by allowing them to shop in the same manner as their neighbors, friends and family, and it gives autonomy to recipients by saying to families: You are the best ones to make decisions for your families about what to purchase,” Gundersen said.

Gundersen said he worries the restrictions could stigmatize SNAP, which he called one of the best programs for fighting food insecurity.

<a href="https://stateline.org/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754958706400.png" alt=" Sodas and chips are displayed at a convenience store in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens in New York. As of this month, 12 states, mostly Republican and in the South, have opted to limit SNAP recipients from purchasing foods such as soda and candy (Shalina Chatlani/ Stateline)." />
                        <figcaption> Sodas and chips are displayed at a convenience store in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens in New York. As of this month, 12 states, mostly Republican and in the South, have opted to limit SNAP recipients from purchasing foods such as soda and candy (Shalina Chatlani/ Stateline).</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shalina-chatlani/">Shalina Chatlani</a></p><p>At least 12 states have received federal approval to restrict recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, from using their benefits to purchase certain foods such as soda and candy.</p><p>The states receiving waivers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture are overwhelmingly Republican. Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia received approval last week. The feds granted waivers to Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and Utah earlier this year.</p><p>Missouri lawmakers have debated a similar ban for several years, but it has yet to win legislative approval.</p><p>SNAP&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research" target="_blank">served on average</a>&nbsp;nearly 42 million people a month in fiscal 2024, with about 12% of the U.S. population receiving benefits.</p><p>The trend is part of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s agenda to “make America healthy again” by inviting states to apply for waivers to change SNAP rules to limit what types of food recipients can buy.</p><p>Kennedy said in a statement that SNAP has used taxpayer dollars to “fuel America’s diabetes and chronic disease epidemics.”</p><p>“These waivers help put real food back at the center of the program and empower states to lead the charge in protecting public health,” the statement said.</p><p>Critics of these waivers say the policy could harm people in places such as food deserts, where healthy options are limited, and take away recipients’ power to make their own food choices.</p><p>Craig Gundersen, a professor in the Department of Economics at Baylor University, told Stateline that these changes could harm the integrity of the program.</p><p>“One of the main reasons why SNAP is such a successful program is because it gives dignity and autonomy to recipients. It gives dignity to recipients by allowing them to shop in the same manner as their neighbors, friends and family, and it gives autonomy to recipients by saying to families: You are the best ones to make decisions for your families about what to purchase,” Gundersen said.</p><p>Gundersen said he worries the restrictions could stigmatize SNAP, which he called one of the best programs for fighting food insecurity.</p><p><a href="https://stateline.org/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.&nbsp;</p>

A dozen states win approval to restrict soda, candy for SNAP recipients

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754924754534.png" alt="Image White House video" />
                        <figcaption>Image White House video</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨 President Trump announces he is invoking the D.C. Home Rule Act to place the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control and deploy the National Guard.<br><br>&quot;This is Liberation Day in D.C. — and we&#39;re going to take our capital BACK.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/aqov60mrCW">pic.twitter.com/aqov60mrCW</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1954916584176443592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</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/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;We&#39;re declaring a public safety emergency in the District of Columbia — and <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AGPamBondi</a> is taking command of the Metropolitan Police Department as of this moment.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/aXP0n5l0dX">pic.twitter.com/aXP0n5l0dX</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1954920633160331525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754924379692.png" alt="Image from White House video" />
                        <figcaption>Image from White House video</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump: &quot;I&#39;m announcing a historic action to rescue our nation&#39;s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor and worse. This is Liberation Day in DC and we&#39;re going to take our capital back. We&#39;re taking it back..&quot; <a href="https://t.co/JpoblecuoB">pic.twitter.com/JpoblecuoB</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1954920835887620252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</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/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Making D.C. Safe Again: &quot;We are going to be removing homeless encampments from all over our parks... We&#39;re getting rid of the people from underpasses and public spaces... We&#39;ll help them as much as you can help.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Gu7O1ySWFz">pic.twitter.com/Gu7O1ySWFz</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1954923844030074956?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Trump places D.C. police under federal control, deploys troops

<b>LINCOLN –&nbsp;</b>In a unanimous vote on August 7, 2025, the Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET) Board appointed Holly Adams as the agency’s new Executive Director.

Adams stated, “As Executive Director, I envision leading our agency with transparency and a renewed commitment to public engagement while adhering to NET’s updated laws, policies, and procedures. I am dedicated to our mission of conserving, enhancing, and restoring Nebraska’s natural environments. By maintaining open communication and consistency with our grantees, we will rebuild trust and increase our impact.”

After reviewing 54 applications, NET’s Executive Committee selected six candidates for the first round of interviews. Two candidates advanced to the second round, and Holly Adams was ultimately chosen as the finalist.

Holly Adams has served the State of Nebraska for the past twelve years. During the last five years, she has acquired valuable knowledge and experience in her role as the NET's Grant Administrator.

Adams holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fisheries and Wildlife with an emphasis on Conservation Biology.

<p><i>Story by NET Communication</i></p><p><b>LINCOLN –&nbsp;</b>In a unanimous vote on August 7, 2025, the Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET) Board appointed Holly Adams as the agency’s new Executive Director.</p><p>Adams stated, “As Executive Director, I envision leading our agency with transparency and a renewed commitment to public engagement while adhering to NET’s updated laws, policies, and procedures. I am dedicated to our mission of conserving, enhancing, and restoring Nebraska’s natural environments. By maintaining open communication and consistency with our grantees, we will rebuild trust and increase our impact.”</p><p>After reviewing 54 applications, NET’s Executive Committee selected six candidates for the first round of interviews. Two candidates advanced to the second round, and Holly Adams was ultimately chosen as the finalist.</p><p>Holly Adams has served the State of Nebraska for the past twelve years. During the last five years, she has acquired valuable knowledge and experience in her role as the NET's Grant Administrator.</p><p>Adams holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fisheries and Wildlife with an emphasis on Conservation Biology.</p>

Nebraska Environmental Trust announces New Executive Director

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754872804646.png" alt="&nbsp;President Trump seen on Sunday in the White House residence room  -image courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>&nbsp;President Trump seen on Sunday in the White House residence room  -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/Z9AfU5PVvW">pic.twitter.com/Z9AfU5PVvW</a></p>&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1954877370625823191?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/IpKXCkTbJ7">pic.twitter.com/IpKXCkTbJ7</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1954878435182235906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/mgqy6fCsIw">pic.twitter.com/mgqy6fCsIw</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1954560175941025915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</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 will hold a press conference at 10AM ET tomorrow in the Briefing Room. Tune in! <a href="https://t.co/MFQNX2yeW5">pic.twitter.com/MFQNX2yeW5</a></p>&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1954714380131533056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</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">Reactions on Day One of increased federal law enforcement in D.C.:<br><br>&quot;It&#39;s awesome that we have extra police presence to keep everybody safe and have them coming back.&quot;<br><br>&quot;If it&#39;s going to stop the crime, yeah — it&#39;s necessary.&quot;<br><br>MAKE D.C. SAFE AGAIN! <a href="https://t.co/ExZOaLxizM">pic.twitter.com/ExZOaLxizM</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1954287936318681233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

'No Mr. Nice Guy': Trump set to clean up Washington, D.C.

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/laurencross/">Lauren Cross</a>

If you live in a small town, you probably have fewer grocery stores than you did 30 years ago — and fewer choices inside them.

Independent grocers have disappeared, replaced by big national chains that now decide what’s on the shelves, how much it costs, and who gets to profit.

In 1990, the top four grocery chains controlled just 13% of nationwide sales. By 2019, the top four retailers — Walmart, Kroger, Costco, and Ahold Delhaize — controlled 34% of U.S. grocery sales,&nbsp;<a href="https://ers.usda.gov/sites/default/files/_laserfiche/publications/106795/EIB-256.pdf?v=40605" target="_blank">according to the USDA</a>.

That concentration hasn’t gone unnoticed. Just last year, the Federal Trade Commission and nine states&nbsp;<a href="https://hpj.com/2024/02/26/ftc-sues-to-block-supermarket-merger/" target="_blank">sued to block a $25 billion merger between grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons</a>, arguing that the deal would harm both shoppers and workers by reducing competition, increasing prices, and consolidating power into fewer hands. The merger has since unraveled, but only after a court battle and mounting public pressure.

In rural counties, market concentration more than doubled between 1990 and 2019, according to USDA data.

One way to measure concentration is the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), a tool used to track monopoly risk. In rural areas, HHI scores jumped from 3,104 to 5,584 — more than twice the threshold where federal antitrust regulators start to worry about competition. According to a 2023 USDA report, the USDA considers anything above 2,500 is considered highly concentrated.

Now that trend may speed up. The White House has proposed nearly $7 billion in USDA budget cuts, including $721 million from&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/05/14/trump-says-he-loves-farmers-hes-dismantlintheg-the-agency-helping-their-communities-survive/" target="_blank">Rural Development programs</a>&nbsp;— the ones that help small towns open grocery stores and other local businesses. One program on the chopping block is the Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Loan funding for community facilities and rural businesses would also drop by 45%, with no new grant dollars offered.

At the same time, the administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative discusses improving nutrition, but proposes cuts to the very programs that help people buy food, including Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), school meal equipment, and farm-to-school efforts.

The bottom line? Rural communities already hit hardest by grocery consolidation are now facing even more roadblocks.

This&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/06/18/usda-data-highlights-monopoly-risk-in-rural-grocery-markets/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/" target="_blank">Investigate Midwest</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750436100569.png" alt=" General Manager Brian Horak walks down an aisle at Post 60 Market in Emerson, Nebraska. Locals opened the market as a cooperative in 2022 after the tiny town lost its only grocery store (Kevin Hardy/Stateline)." />
                        <figcaption> General Manager Brian Horak walks down an aisle at Post 60 Market in Emerson, Nebraska. Locals opened the market as a cooperative in 2022 after the tiny town lost its only grocery store (Kevin Hardy/Stateline).</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/laurencross/">Lauren Cross</a></p><p>If you live in a small town, you probably have fewer grocery stores than you did 30 years ago — and fewer choices inside them.</p><p>Independent grocers have disappeared, replaced by big national chains that now decide what’s on the shelves, how much it costs, and who gets to profit.</p><p>In 1990, the top four grocery chains controlled just 13% of nationwide sales. By 2019, the top four retailers — Walmart, Kroger, Costco, and Ahold Delhaize — controlled 34% of U.S. grocery sales,&nbsp;<a href="https://ers.usda.gov/sites/default/files/_laserfiche/publications/106795/EIB-256.pdf?v=40605" target="_blank">according to the USDA</a>.</p><p>That concentration hasn’t gone unnoticed. Just last year, the Federal Trade Commission and nine states&nbsp;<a href="https://hpj.com/2024/02/26/ftc-sues-to-block-supermarket-merger/" target="_blank">sued to block a $25 billion merger between grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons</a>, arguing that the deal would harm both shoppers and workers by reducing competition, increasing prices, and consolidating power into fewer hands. The merger has since unraveled, but only after a court battle and mounting public pressure.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750436058104.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>In rural counties, market concentration more than doubled between 1990 and 2019, according to USDA data.</p><p>One way to measure concentration is the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), a tool used to track monopoly risk. In rural areas, HHI scores jumped from 3,104 to 5,584 — more than twice the threshold where federal antitrust regulators start to worry about competition. According to a 2023 USDA report, the USDA considers anything above 2,500 is considered highly concentrated.</p><p>Now that trend may speed up. The White House has proposed nearly $7 billion in USDA budget cuts, including $721 million from&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/05/14/trump-says-he-loves-farmers-hes-dismantlintheg-the-agency-helping-their-communities-survive/" target="_blank">Rural Development programs</a>&nbsp;— the ones that help small towns open grocery stores and other local businesses. One program on the chopping block is the Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Loan funding for community facilities and rural businesses would also drop by 45%, with no new grant dollars offered.</p><p>At the same time, the administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative discusses improving nutrition, but proposes cuts to the very programs that help people buy food, including Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), school meal equipment, and farm-to-school efforts.</p><p>The bottom line? Rural communities already hit hardest by grocery consolidation are now facing even more roadblocks.</p><p>This&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/06/18/usda-data-highlights-monopoly-risk-in-rural-grocery-markets/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/" target="_blank">Investigate Midwest</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://investigatemidwest.org/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=754059&amp;ga4=G-R9VE8P61LG" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure>