A Special Initiative Roundtable on Catholic Principles, Human Costs, and Pastoral Challenges

This summer, the United States has witnessed families torn apart, communities full of fear, and people afraid to go to church and work because of the threats and realities of deportations on a wide scale. Catholic leaders have been on the frontlines speaking out and standing in solidarity with immigrants, united in a belief in the God-given dignity of all people, and faced with one of the most dramatic disruptions of the U.S. Church’s life in recent decades.

Pope Francis reminded the U.S. Catholic bishops in February 2025 that the “common good is promoted when society and government, with creativity and strict respect for the rights of all… welcomes, protects, promotes and integrates the most fragile, unprotected and vulnerable.”&nbsp;And in recent weeks, Pope Leo XIV has encouraged us to see migrants as “messengers of hope” in a world darkened by ongoing violence and war—a stark contrast to the rhetoric and fear stoked by many politicians.&nbsp;

As bishops and other Catholic leaders uphold these teachings through their public witness, policymakers and the rest of us must seek the common good, find paths to unity and solidarity, and remember that a just society defends the rights and interests of its most vulnerable members. This urgent dialogue brought together Catholic bishops, academic and policy experts, and community leaders to explore how the principles of Catholic social teaching can help us seek a better way forward.&nbsp;

Kim Daniels, director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, moderated the dialogue.

<p><i>Georgetown University</i></p><p>A Special Initiative Roundtable on Catholic Principles, Human Costs, and Pastoral Challenges</p><p>This summer, the United States has witnessed families torn apart, communities full of fear, and people afraid to go to church and work because of the threats and realities of deportations on a wide scale. Catholic leaders have been on the frontlines speaking out and standing in solidarity with immigrants, united in a belief in the God-given dignity of all people, and faced with one of the most dramatic disruptions of the U.S. Church’s life in recent decades.</p><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mt_J7S38sPU?si=PsgqLQbKSK3o3tan&amp;start=5" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><p>Pope Francis reminded the U.S. Catholic bishops in February 2025 that the “common good is promoted when society and government, with creativity and strict respect for the rights of all… welcomes, protects, promotes and integrates the most fragile, unprotected and vulnerable.”&nbsp;And in recent weeks, Pope Leo XIV has encouraged us to see migrants as “messengers of hope” in a world darkened by ongoing violence and war—a stark contrast to the rhetoric and fear stoked by many politicians.&nbsp;</p><p>As bishops and other Catholic leaders uphold these teachings through their public witness, policymakers and the rest of us must seek the common good, find paths to unity and solidarity, and remember that a just society defends the rights and interests of its most vulnerable members. This urgent dialogue brought together Catholic bishops, academic and policy experts, and community leaders to explore how the principles of Catholic social teaching can help us seek a better way forward.&nbsp;</p><p>Kim Daniels, director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, moderated the dialogue.</p>

🎥US Catholic bishops decry immigration raids upending church life

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/hrV8gVIacd">pic.twitter.com/hrV8gVIacd</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966905599847002299?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 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 LETTER SENT BY PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP TO ALL NATO NATIONS AND, THE WORLD: <a href="https://t.co/x5CrJjPgLr">pic.twitter.com/x5CrJjPgLr</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1966846399355732034?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Read Trump's letter to NATO nations on ‘major sanctions’ for Russia 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration announced sweeping reforms to rein in misleading direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertisements.

The FDA is sending thousands of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/188616/download?attachment">letters</a>&nbsp;warning pharmaceutical companies to remove misleading ads and issuing approximately 100 cease-and-desist letters to companies with deceptive ads.&nbsp;In addition to enforcing existing law, the FDA is initiating rulemaking to close the “adequate provision” loophole created in 1997, which drug companies have used to conceal critical safety risks in broadcast and digital ads, fueling inappropriate drug use and eroding public trust.&nbsp;“Pharmaceutical ads hooked this country on prescription drugs,”&nbsp;

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said.&nbsp;“We will shut down that pipeline of deception and require drug companies to disclose all critical safety facts in their advertising. Only radical transparency will break the cycle of overmedicalization that drives America’s chronic disease epidemic.”The FDA is concerned patients are not seeing a fair balance of information about drug products. This concern is magnified when serious risks are not clearly presented, or the information is too difficult for seniors to read or hear.&nbsp;

“For far too long, the FDA has permitted misleading drug advertisements, distorting the doctor-patient relationship and creating increased demand for medications regardless of clinical appropriateness,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H.&nbsp;“Drug companies spend up to 25% of their budget on advertising. Those billions of dollars would be better spent on lowering drug prices for everyday Americans.”

Americans also live in a new era of social media. An increasing reliance on digital and social media channels, including undisclosed paid influencer promotion, has blurred the lines among editorial content, user-generated media and pharmaceutical advertising, making it increasingly difficult for patients to distinguish between evidence-based information and promotional material.&nbsp;

A 2024 review in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research reveals that while 100% of pharmaceutical social media posts highlight drug benefits, only 33% mention potential harms. Moreover, 88% of advertisements for top-selling drugs are posted by individuals and organizations that fail to adhere to the FDA fair balance guidelines.

The stakes surrounding prescription drug ads are high. While these ads can raise awareness of disease states and beneficial therapies, they must also disclose important risks and limitations. Current law requires that advertisements present a fair balance between a product’s risks and benefits; avoid exaggerating benefits; not create a misleading overall impression; properly disclose financial relationships; and include information regarding major side effects and contraindications.&nbsp;

Despite widespread violations, the FDA has been increasingly lax and reactive in its enforcement approach over the last few decades. The FDA used to send more than a hundred warning letters each year, and misleading ads were rare. But over time, enforcement waned and the number of warning letters sent to pharmaceutical companies dropped to one in 2023 and zero in 2024.

The FDA will no longer tolerate such deceptive practices. Going forward, the agency will aggressively deploy its available enforcement tools. The FDA is already implementing AI and other tech-enabled tools to proactively surveil and review drug ads.

The Trump Administration and HHS Secretary Kennedy are committed to restoring transparency, accountability, and trust in health care. By closing loopholes and stepping up enforcement, the FDA will protect patients, safeguard public health and hold the pharmaceutical industry accountable.

<p>The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration announced sweeping reforms to rein in misleading direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertisements.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757549003301.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The FDA is sending thousands of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/188616/download?attachment">letters</a>&nbsp;warning pharmaceutical companies to remove misleading ads and issuing approximately 100 cease-and-desist letters to companies with deceptive ads.&nbsp;In addition to enforcing existing law, the FDA is initiating rulemaking to close the “adequate provision” loophole created in 1997, which drug companies have used to conceal critical safety risks in broadcast and digital ads, fueling inappropriate drug use and eroding public trust.&nbsp;“Pharmaceutical ads hooked this country on prescription drugs,”&nbsp;</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;The President just signed an executive order that&#39;s an historic change in the way that pharmaceutical advertising is done on television,&quot; says <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecKennedy</a>.<br><br>Watch him explain the historic order: <a href="https://t.co/e2VJwUFv3M">pic.twitter.com/e2VJwUFv3M</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1965551393726714155?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said.&nbsp;“We will shut down that pipeline of deception and require drug companies to disclose all critical safety facts in their advertising. Only radical transparency will break the cycle of overmedicalization that drives America’s chronic disease epidemic.”The FDA is concerned patients are not seeing a fair balance of information about drug products. This concern is magnified when serious risks are not clearly presented, or the information is too difficult for seniors to read or hear.&nbsp;</p><p>“For far too long, the FDA has permitted misleading drug advertisements, distorting the doctor-patient relationship and creating increased demand for medications regardless of clinical appropriateness,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H.&nbsp;“Drug companies spend up to 25% of their budget on advertising. Those billions of dollars would be better spent on lowering drug prices for everyday Americans.”</p><p>Americans also live in a new era of social media. An increasing reliance on digital and social media channels, including undisclosed paid influencer promotion, has blurred the lines among editorial content, user-generated media and pharmaceutical advertising, making it increasingly difficult for patients to distinguish between evidence-based information and promotional material.&nbsp;</p><p>A 2024 review in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research reveals that while 100% of pharmaceutical social media posts highlight drug benefits, only 33% mention potential harms. Moreover, 88% of advertisements for top-selling drugs are posted by individuals and organizations that fail to adhere to the FDA fair balance guidelines.</p><p>The stakes surrounding prescription drug ads are high. While these ads can raise awareness of disease states and beneficial therapies, they must also disclose important risks and limitations. Current law requires that advertisements present a fair balance between a product’s risks and benefits; avoid exaggerating benefits; not create a misleading overall impression; properly disclose financial relationships; and include information regarding major side effects and contraindications.&nbsp;</p><p>Despite widespread violations, the FDA has been increasingly lax and reactive in its enforcement approach over the last few decades. The FDA used to send more than a hundred warning letters each year, and misleading ads were rare. But over time, enforcement waned and the number of warning letters sent to pharmaceutical companies dropped to one in 2023 and zero in 2024.</p><p>The FDA will no longer tolerate such deceptive practices. Going forward, the agency will aggressively deploy its available enforcement tools. The FDA is already implementing AI and other tech-enabled tools to proactively surveil and review drug ads.</p><p>The Trump Administration and HHS Secretary Kennedy are committed to restoring transparency, accountability, and trust in health care. By closing loopholes and stepping up enforcement, the FDA will protect patients, safeguard public health and hold the pharmaceutical industry accountable.</p>

Read the warning letter FDA sent drugmakers on deceptive TV ads

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/camikoons/">Cami Koons</a>

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it had improved and expanded its Farm to School Grant program and would invest up to $18 million to connect locally grown food to child nutrition programs.&nbsp;

The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grants program was initiated in 2013, but according to a news release, the fiscal year 2026 investment represents the “largest total amount” the department has offered in a given year.&nbsp;

The Farm to School Grant announcement was made alongside U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s latest&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/09/repub/rfk-jr-lists-100-recommendations-to-make-america-healthy-again/" target="_blank">Make America Healthy Again report</a>, which called for more whole, unprocessed foods in children’s diets.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the grants are “one of the best ways we can deliver nutritious, high-quality meals to children, while also strengthening local agriculture.”&nbsp;

“These grants will open new doors for small family farms, expand access to healthy food in schools, and inspire the next generation of Great American Farmers,” Rollins said in the news release.&nbsp;

State agencies, tribal organizations, child nutrition programs, nonprofits, agricultural producers and groups of producers can apply for grants from $100,000 to $500,000 to support new and existing farm to school projects, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/grant/f2s/fy26?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" target="_blank">grant website</a>.&nbsp;

Eligible projects are those that: incorporate more unprocessed and locally produced foods in school meals, encourage the consumption of fresh foods, train producers on food safety and procurement requirements or educate students on agriculture and nutrition.

The release from USDA said updates to the program will also streamline the application process, remove barriers to innovation and emphasize partnerships.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, USDA is proud to streamline this program, so it works better for families, farmers, and communities across our nation,” Rollins said in the release. “Putting America’s Farmers First starts with putting our children first.”

According to USDA’s latest&nbsp;<a href="https://farmtoschoolcensus.fns.usda.gov/census-results/states/ia" target="_blank">Farm to School Census</a>, more than 440 Iowa school food authorities, the entities that manage school food service, have participated in the program.

The grants can also be used to support agriculture education at schools through things like ag and nutrition classes, or school gardening programs. According to the census, nearly 50% of Iowa school food authorities had classroom programs and slightly more than 15% of Iowa school food authorities had edible gardens.&nbsp;

According to USDA, Farm to School Grant awards totaled $100 million since 2013.&nbsp;

The millions in Farm to School Grant dollars are significantly less than the billions of dollars that schools and food banks used under a pandemic-era program to support local food purchases.&nbsp;

These programs, Local Food for Schools and Local Food Purchase Assistance, were&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/03/11/usda-cuts-programs-bringing-local-food-into-schools-food-banks/" target="_blank">canceled in March</a>&nbsp;after USDA announced in October 2024 over a $1 billion in funds to continue the programs across the country.&nbsp;

Tommy Hexter, the policy director for Iowa Farmers Union, said the new investment from USDA is positive, but said it doesn’t make up for the loss of programs that provided “vital government support” to food farmers and players in the local food system.

Hexter said the canceled programs created relationships between farmers, food hubs, the state department of agriculture, schools and community, that are “fundamental to our food system in Iowa.”

“The first and foremost thing with this announcement is like, yes, let’s see how we can take advantage of this new announcement and make these programs come to Iowa,” Hexter said. “But we also are acknowledging that this investment does not replace the major loss of funding that happened earlier this year.”

This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/11/usda-to-invest-up-to-18-m-in-farm-to-school-grants/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Kansas Reflector, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757765534936.png" alt="USDA announced funding for its Farm to School Grant program. (Photo by Brandon O’Connor, NRCS/USDA )" />
                        <figcaption>USDA announced funding for its Farm to School Grant program. (Photo by Brandon O’Connor, NRCS/USDA )</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/camikoons/">Cami Koons</a></p><p>The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it had improved and expanded its Farm to School Grant program and would invest up to $18 million to connect locally grown food to child nutrition programs.&nbsp;</p><p>The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grants program was initiated in 2013, but according to a news release, the fiscal year 2026 investment represents the “largest total amount” the department has offered in a given year.&nbsp;</p><p>The Farm to School Grant announcement was made alongside U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s latest&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/09/repub/rfk-jr-lists-100-recommendations-to-make-america-healthy-again/" target="_blank">Make America Healthy Again report</a>, which called for more whole, unprocessed foods in children’s diets.</p><p>USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the grants are “one of the best ways we can deliver nutritious, high-quality meals to children, while also strengthening local agriculture.”&nbsp;</p><p>“These grants will open new doors for small family farms, expand access to healthy food in schools, and inspire the next generation of Great American Farmers,” Rollins said in the news release.&nbsp;</p><p>State agencies, tribal organizations, child nutrition programs, nonprofits, agricultural producers and groups of producers can apply for grants from $100,000 to $500,000 to support new and existing farm to school projects, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/grant/f2s/fy26?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" target="_blank">grant website</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Eligible projects are those that: incorporate more unprocessed and locally produced foods in school meals, encourage the consumption of fresh foods, train producers on food safety and procurement requirements or educate students on agriculture and nutrition.</p><p>The release from USDA said updates to the program will also streamline the application process, remove barriers to innovation and emphasize partnerships.</p><p>“Under President Trump’s leadership, USDA is proud to streamline this program, so it works better for families, farmers, and communities across our nation,” Rollins said in the release. “Putting America’s Farmers First starts with putting our children first.”</p><p>According to USDA’s latest&nbsp;<a href="https://farmtoschoolcensus.fns.usda.gov/census-results/states/ia" target="_blank">Farm to School Census</a>, more than 440 Iowa school food authorities, the entities that manage school food service, have participated in the program.</p><p>The grants can also be used to support agriculture education at schools through things like ag and nutrition classes, or school gardening programs. According to the census, nearly 50% of Iowa school food authorities had classroom programs and slightly more than 15% of Iowa school food authorities had edible gardens.&nbsp;</p><p>According to USDA, Farm to School Grant awards totaled $100 million since 2013.&nbsp;</p><p>The millions in Farm to School Grant dollars are significantly less than the billions of dollars that schools and food banks used under a pandemic-era program to support local food purchases.&nbsp;</p><p>These programs, Local Food for Schools and Local Food Purchase Assistance, were&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/03/11/usda-cuts-programs-bringing-local-food-into-schools-food-banks/" target="_blank">canceled in March</a>&nbsp;after USDA announced in October 2024 over a $1 billion in funds to continue the programs across the country.&nbsp;</p><p>Tommy Hexter, the policy director for Iowa Farmers Union, said the new investment from USDA is positive, but said it doesn’t make up for the loss of programs that provided “vital government support” to food farmers and players in the local food system.</p><p>Hexter said the canceled programs created relationships between farmers, food hubs, the state department of agriculture, schools and community, that are “fundamental to our food system in Iowa.”</p><p>“The first and foremost thing with this announcement is like, yes, let’s see how we can take advantage of this new announcement and make these programs come to Iowa,” Hexter said. “But we also are acknowledging that this investment does not replace the major loss of funding that happened earlier this year.”</p><p>This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/11/usda-to-invest-up-to-18-m-in-farm-to-school-grants/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Kansas Reflector, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.</p>

USDA to invest up to $18 million in farm to school grants

‘It’s just an awful day for the University of Nebraska, no matter how you look at it,’ says John Shrader, president of UNL Faculty Senate

By:<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>

LINCOLN — University of Nebraska-Lincoln administrators mapped out $27.5 million in proposed cuts that faculty say will be “devastating” to a campus that has already endured $75 million in cuts over the past six years.

UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett<a href="https://budgetprocess.unl.edu/proposed-budget-reductions/" target="_blank">&nbsp;detailed the cuts</a>&nbsp;Friday, including $7.7 million from&nbsp;<a href="https://budgetprocess.unl.edu/faq/" target="_blank">eliminating six degree programs</a>, $5.5 million expected from buyouts for&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/08/08/nu-will-offer-tenured-faculty-buyout-program-to-help-close-budget-gaps/">long-term tenured faculty</a>, $4.6 million from a 1% reduction in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/offices-policies/business-finance/budget-and-planning" target="_blank">state-aided budgets</a>, $3.8 million in “efficiencies” from top administrative offices and four colleges, $2 million from merging four academic departments into two schools and $550,000 less for graduate assistantships.

The plan also seeks “targeted philanthropy” to backfill $2.5 million in mandated tuition remissions, a goal the university hopes to address over the long-term with state lawmakers.

John Shrader, president of UNL’s Faculty Senate, said the timeline to offer feedback on the cuts, by Oct. 10, is tight, and he said the damage could take years for the university to repair, “if ever.”

“The professors and the Extension and staff and students have not caused a $27.5 million deficit, but we’re paying for it,” Shrader told the Nebraska Examiner. “We’re the ones who are going to be deeply impacted.”

He added: “It’s just an awful day for the University of Nebraska, no matter how you look at it.”

Jessie Brophy, president of the UNL Staff Senate and director of external engagement and partnerships at the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said that while the Staff Senate recognizes the need for the reductions, staff are deeply concerned about the impact.

“We are committed to representing staff perspectives, supporting our colleagues, and maintaining open communication as the process moves forward,” Brophy said in a statement.

Student leaders for the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska and Graduate Student Assembly did not immediately respond to requests Friday for comment.

The academic programs proposed for elimination are:

In the case of the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, which includes geology and meteorology and climatology, “high-performing faculty” may qualify for rehire in other UNL units “to preserve educational pathways and research expertise.”

The Department of Statistics is a stand-alone department. Undergraduate data science degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Engineering would be retained.

The Departments of Entomology and Plant Pathology would be merged under the proposal, as would the Departments of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication (ALEC). If approved, faculty from the two units would devise a combined name and plan in the spring.

Additionally, there would be fewer graduate assistantships available in the College of Arts and Sciences ($325,000) and College of Engineering ($225,000).

University officials, keeping in line with a promise by NU President Jeffrey Gold, vowed that any students in eliminated programs —&nbsp;freshman or otherwise — would be able to complete their degrees, though making it happen might require compressed timelines or program modifications.

The cuts also would eliminate the remaining $850,000 in state-aided funding for UNL’s Office of Student Life, which a UNL spokesperson said would likely include a mix of programmatic reductions, operational efficiencies and salary impacts. That total is less than 1% of the office’s total budget, which includes student fees, housing and dining.

The Colleges of Business, Engineering, Fine and Performing Arts and Journalism and Mass Communications would need to find a combined $1.1 million in administrative and staff “efficiencies.”&nbsp;

Bennett’s office, as well as the top academic office and business and finance division, would need to find $2.69 million in unidentified “efficiencies.”

While it’s unclear what these “efficiencies” might look like, some deans have previewed the efforts.

Dean Shari Veil of the College of Journalism told her college that the “efficiencies” will mean fewer electives, some larger class sizes and additional course sections more dependent on demand and waitlists that might determine whether to offer more sections of courses.

While the journalism college faced no proposals to eliminate majors, Veil said the college will still look at revising its curriculum for “stronger connections” across majors and new courses.

“None of these changes will alter our core mission: to nurture curious and creative minds to thrive in the ever-changing media and communication professions,” Veil said in an email Friday.

Dean Andrew Belser of the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts told faculty and staff something Bennett’s announcement did not: that his college will look at combining its two performing arts schools — the Glenn Korff School of Music and Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film — to work more collaboratively under a shared director.

Belser said the reorganization brings new opportunities and the ability to “open the door to exciting new collaborations,” such as joint projects, shared production support and faster integration of emerging media arts.

“While this reorganization is, in part, a necessary response to budgetary realities, it is designed to make our college stronger and help us better prepare students for the 21st-century creative workforce they are entering,” Belser wrote.

Bennett, in a&nbsp;<a href="https://mediahub.unl.edu/media/25597" target="_blank">video message</a>&nbsp;Friday to the campus, said that while UNL and the broader NU system offer a significant return on investment —&nbsp;estimated at $10 for every $1 — UNL has faced declining revenues. That includes net tuition, fewer state funds than anticipated and sharply rising costs for utilities, health care, property and liability insurance.

He said UNL’s structural deficit has “compounded over time” with the latest plan meant to “help safeguard against repetitive budget reduction cycles” by eliminating the $21 million deficit but also finding $6.5 million more to trim.

Leslie Reed, UNL’s public affairs director, described the additional cuts as “proactive reductions to better position UNL for the future, so it can break out of this cycle of budget cutting.”

“I am hopeful this work will allow UNL more time to implement long-term strategies for financial sustainability,” Bennett said.

Reed said she was unaware how much of UNL’s cuts are meant to help NU with a systemwide $20 million deficit, which Gold has acknowledged would prove “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/09/04/nu-president-budget-cuts-incredibly-painful-but-necessary-for-university-survival/">incredibly painful</a>.”

Since late June 2020, UNL has weathered $75 million in cuts. Bennett joined UNL in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/22/university-of-nebraska-president-details-five-point-plan-to-get-nu-back-on-offense/">July 2023</a>.

Bennett said he appreciates the “sacrifices” many UNL community members have made, including repeatedly being asked to do more with less, which he acknowledged is unsustainable. But the chancellor, whose contract is currently slated to expire at the end of this fiscal year, said now is the time “to boldly reimagine our future.”

Top campus leaders evaluated programs and campus areas on quantitative and qualitative data, Bennett said. A university website says the data included program strengths, state needs and workforce alignment.

The metrics also had an eye toward a long-term goal to have UNL rejoin the prestigious Association of American Universities, Shrader said. UNL was voted out in 2011 after 100 years as a member.

The AAU particularly praises research and research funding, with campus leaders looking at awards, book publications, citations, unit growth and more.

Shrader, an associate professor in broadcasting and sports media and communications who joined UNL in 2017 said he worries for students and noted that while state leaders repeatedly say they want a Big Ten, Research 1 (R1), first-class university, investments have lagged behind, sometimes at the level of “uninvestment” or disinvestment, he explained.

“We need investment to make this a first-class university, and every year we don’t do that, we slip a little farther behind,” Shrader said.

Part of the budget deficit for NU as a whole also comes as state appropriations have slowed under Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, who took office in 2023 after serving as an NU regent for a decade.

Pillen has been harder on his alma mater, proposing this January to cut NU’s budget by 2% in the first year of a two-year budget cycle. The NU Board of Regents had requested a 3.5% budget increase in each of the two fiscal years.

In the end,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/04/08/legislative-committee-reverses-cuts-to-university-of-nebraska-budget/">negotiations</a>&nbsp;between Gold and Pillen and legislative will landed at a smaller 0.625% increase this current fiscal year and a 1.25% increase on top of that slower-growing total the following year.

Reed did not answer a reporter’s question on what steps Bennett has taken to engage with state leaders or philanthropic donors, endeavors Gold has been more public about.&nbsp;

Bennett told the Examiner in 2023 he had been accustomed to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/05/unl-chancellor-candidate-previews-research-economic-development-vision-for-nebraska/">being at the Mississippi Capitol</a>&nbsp;about three days a week during its legislative session while he led the University of Southern Mississippi. He had suggested he would do the same in Lincoln.

Reed did not directly answer the Examiner’s question of whether Bennett would seek a contract extension before his&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/-/media/projects/unca/docs/transparency/contracts/rodney-bennett-contract-of-employment.pdf" target="_blank">contract expires June 30</a>. She said Bennett is committed to leading UNL “toward new levels of excellence well into the future.”

“He expects to continue to serve as long as he is called upon,” Reed said.

Sarah Zuckerman, an associate professor of education administration and president of the UNL chapter of the American Association of University Professors, urged campus leaders and regents to reject Bennett’s plan, which she called “extremely short-sighted.”

“They don’t take into account the long-term consequences of closing programs and letting faculty go who are uniquely valuable to the state of Nebraska,” Zuckerman said.

Many faculty speaking to the Examiner also questioned what happens if fewer than expected tenured faculty take the voluntary separation package. Faculty aged 62 or older who have been with NU for at least 10 are eligible. The&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/offices-policies/business-finance/human-resources/2025-vsip" target="_blank">deadline to apply is Sept. 30</a>.

Most faculty and staff received no pay increases this year due to budget cuts and because UNL has no employee unions, unlike faculty in Omaha and Kearney.

Bennett encouraged the UNL community to offer feedback on the budget reduction plan to UNL’s Academic Planning Committee, an internal working group that includes faculty, staff and students. Feedback is due Oct. 10 and is expected to include public hearings.

The chair of that committee declined to comment Friday and directed questions to Reed.

“We have the opportunity to set the stage for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s next 155 years, and your voice in shaping our future matters,” Bennett said.

Shrader said that while UNL is not a big university, it has a “nice, hard-working community here that impacts the State of Nebraska as much as or more than any other institution in the state.”

“When you do things like this, it can be nothing but detrimental to all of us,” Shrader said. “It can be nothing but a negative impact on every single one of us.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757765849652.png" alt="University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Rodney Bennett speaks to Nebraska lawmakers on his campus. Dec. 7, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Rodney Bennett speaks to Nebraska lawmakers on his campus. Dec. 7, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>‘It’s just an awful day for the University of Nebraska, no matter how you look at it,’ says John Shrader, president of UNL Faculty Senate</h2><p>By:<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>LINCOLN — University of Nebraska-Lincoln administrators mapped out $27.5 million in proposed cuts that faculty say will be “devastating” to a campus that has already endured $75 million in cuts over the past six years.</p><p>UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett<a href="https://budgetprocess.unl.edu/proposed-budget-reductions/" target="_blank">&nbsp;detailed the cuts</a>&nbsp;Friday, including $7.7 million from&nbsp;<a href="https://budgetprocess.unl.edu/faq/" target="_blank">eliminating six degree programs</a>, $5.5 million expected from buyouts for&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/08/08/nu-will-offer-tenured-faculty-buyout-program-to-help-close-budget-gaps/">long-term tenured faculty</a>, $4.6 million from a 1% reduction in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/offices-policies/business-finance/budget-and-planning" target="_blank">state-aided budgets</a>, $3.8 million in “efficiencies” from top administrative offices and four colleges, $2 million from merging four academic departments into two schools and $550,000 less for graduate assistantships.</p><p>The plan also seeks “targeted philanthropy” to backfill $2.5 million in mandated tuition remissions, a goal the university hopes to address over the long-term with state lawmakers.</p><h2>‘An awful day’</h2><p>John Shrader, president of UNL’s Faculty Senate, said the timeline to offer feedback on the cuts, by Oct. 10, is tight, and he said the damage could take years for the university to repair, “if ever.”</p><p>“The professors and the Extension and staff and students have not caused a $27.5 million deficit, but we’re paying for it,” Shrader told the Nebraska Examiner. “We’re the ones who are going to be deeply impacted.”</p><p>He added: “It’s just an awful day for the University of Nebraska, no matter how you look at it.”</p><p>Jessie Brophy, president of the UNL Staff Senate and director of external engagement and partnerships at the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said that while the Staff Senate recognizes the need for the reductions, staff are deeply concerned about the impact.</p><p>“We are committed to representing staff perspectives, supporting our colleagues, and maintaining open communication as the process moves forward,” Brophy said in a statement.</p><p>Student leaders for the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska and Graduate Student Assembly did not immediately respond to requests Friday for comment.</p><h2>Proposed cuts</h2><p>The academic programs proposed for elimination are:</p><ul>
                        <li><a href="https://cehs.unl.edu/edad/home/" target="_blank">Department of Educational Administration</a>&nbsp;(<b>$1.95 million</b>, 17 positions)</li><li><a href="https://eas.unl.edu/" target="_blank">Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences</a>&nbsp;(<b>$1.85 million</b>, 12 positions)</li><li><a href="https://statistics.unl.edu/" target="_blank">Department of Statistics</a>&nbsp;(<b>$1.75 million</b>, 12 positions)</li><li><a href="https://cehs.unl.edu/tmfd/home/" target="_blank">Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design</a>&nbsp;(<b>$1.45 million</b>, 11 positions)</li><li><a href="https://architecture.unl.edu/degree-programs/community-regional-planning/" target="_blank">Community and Regional Planning degree programs</a>&nbsp;(<b>$475,000</b>, four positions)</li><li><a href="https://architecture.unl.edu/degree-programs/landscape-architecture/" target="_blank">Landscape Architecture degree programs</a>&nbsp;(<b>$225,000</b>, two positions)</li>
                    </ul><p>In the case of the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, which includes geology and meteorology and climatology, “high-performing faculty” may qualify for rehire in other UNL units “to preserve educational pathways and research expertise.”</p><p>The Department of Statistics is a stand-alone department. Undergraduate data science degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Engineering would be retained.</p><p>The Departments of Entomology and Plant Pathology would be merged under the proposal, as would the Departments of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication (ALEC). If approved, faculty from the two units would devise a combined name and plan in the spring.</p><p>Additionally, there would be fewer graduate assistantships available in the College of Arts and Sciences ($325,000) and College of Engineering ($225,000).</p><p>University officials, keeping in line with a promise by NU President Jeffrey Gold, vowed that any students in eliminated programs —&nbsp;freshman or otherwise — would be able to complete their degrees, though making it happen might require compressed timelines or program modifications.</p><p>The cuts also would eliminate the remaining $850,000 in state-aided funding for UNL’s Office of Student Life, which a UNL spokesperson said would likely include a mix of programmatic reductions, operational efficiencies and salary impacts. That total is less than 1% of the office’s total budget, which includes student fees, housing and dining.</p><p>The Colleges of Business, Engineering, Fine and Performing Arts and Journalism and Mass Communications would need to find a combined $1.1 million in administrative and staff “efficiencies.”&nbsp;</p><p>Bennett’s office, as well as the top academic office and business and finance division, would need to find $2.69 million in unidentified “efficiencies.”</p><h2>An eye toward ‘efficiencies’</h2><p>While it’s unclear what these “efficiencies” might look like, some deans have previewed the efforts.</p><p>Dean Shari Veil of the College of Journalism told her college that the “efficiencies” will mean fewer electives, some larger class sizes and additional course sections more dependent on demand and waitlists that might determine whether to offer more sections of courses.</p><p>While the journalism college faced no proposals to eliminate majors, Veil said the college will still look at revising its curriculum for “stronger connections” across majors and new courses.</p><p>“None of these changes will alter our core mission: to nurture curious and creative minds to thrive in the ever-changing media and communication professions,” Veil said in an email Friday.</p><p>Dean Andrew Belser of the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts told faculty and staff something Bennett’s announcement did not: that his college will look at combining its two performing arts schools — the Glenn Korff School of Music and Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film — to work more collaboratively under a shared director.</p><p>Belser said the reorganization brings new opportunities and the ability to “open the door to exciting new collaborations,” such as joint projects, shared production support and faster integration of emerging media arts.</p><p>“While this reorganization is, in part, a necessary response to budgetary realities, it is designed to make our college stronger and help us better prepare students for the 21st-century creative workforce they are entering,” Belser wrote.</p><h2>Long-term fix sought</h2><p>Bennett, in a&nbsp;<a href="https://mediahub.unl.edu/media/25597" target="_blank">video message</a>&nbsp;Friday to the campus, said that while UNL and the broader NU system offer a significant return on investment —&nbsp;estimated at $10 for every $1 — UNL has faced declining revenues. That includes net tuition, fewer state funds than anticipated and sharply rising costs for utilities, health care, property and liability insurance.</p><p>He said UNL’s structural deficit has “compounded over time” with the latest plan meant to “help safeguard against repetitive budget reduction cycles” by eliminating the $21 million deficit but also finding $6.5 million more to trim.</p><p>Leslie Reed, UNL’s public affairs director, described the additional cuts as “proactive reductions to better position UNL for the future, so it can break out of this cycle of budget cutting.”</p><p>“I am hopeful this work will allow UNL more time to implement long-term strategies for financial sustainability,” Bennett said.</p><p>Reed said she was unaware how much of UNL’s cuts are meant to help NU with a systemwide $20 million deficit, which Gold has acknowledged would prove “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/09/04/nu-president-budget-cuts-incredibly-painful-but-necessary-for-university-survival/">incredibly painful</a>.”</p><p>Since late June 2020, UNL has weathered $75 million in cuts. Bennett joined UNL in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/22/university-of-nebraska-president-details-five-point-plan-to-get-nu-back-on-offense/">July 2023</a>.</p><p>Bennett said he appreciates the “sacrifices” many UNL community members have made, including repeatedly being asked to do more with less, which he acknowledged is unsustainable. But the chancellor, whose contract is currently slated to expire at the end of this fiscal year, said now is the time “to boldly reimagine our future.”</p><h2>Future investment</h2><p>Top campus leaders evaluated programs and campus areas on quantitative and qualitative data, Bennett said. A university website says the data included program strengths, state needs and workforce alignment.</p><p>The metrics also had an eye toward a long-term goal to have UNL rejoin the prestigious Association of American Universities, Shrader said. UNL was voted out in 2011 after 100 years as a member.</p><p>The AAU particularly praises research and research funding, with campus leaders looking at awards, book publications, citations, unit growth and more.</p><p>Shrader, an associate professor in broadcasting and sports media and communications who joined UNL in 2017 said he worries for students and noted that while state leaders repeatedly say they want a Big Ten, Research 1 (R1), first-class university, investments have lagged behind, sometimes at the level of “uninvestment” or disinvestment, he explained.</p><p>“We need investment to make this a first-class university, and every year we don’t do that, we slip a little farther behind,” Shrader said.</p><h2>Executive, legislative fights</h2><p>Part of the budget deficit for NU as a whole also comes as state appropriations have slowed under Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, who took office in 2023 after serving as an NU regent for a decade.</p><p>Pillen has been harder on his alma mater, proposing this January to cut NU’s budget by 2% in the first year of a two-year budget cycle. The NU Board of Regents had requested a 3.5% budget increase in each of the two fiscal years.</p><p>In the end,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/04/08/legislative-committee-reverses-cuts-to-university-of-nebraska-budget/">negotiations</a>&nbsp;between Gold and Pillen and legislative will landed at a smaller 0.625% increase this current fiscal year and a 1.25% increase on top of that slower-growing total the following year.</p><p>Reed did not answer a reporter’s question on what steps Bennett has taken to engage with state leaders or philanthropic donors, endeavors Gold has been more public about.&nbsp;</p><p>Bennett told the Examiner in 2023 he had been accustomed to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/05/unl-chancellor-candidate-previews-research-economic-development-vision-for-nebraska/">being at the Mississippi Capitol</a>&nbsp;about three days a week during its legislative session while he led the University of Southern Mississippi. He had suggested he would do the same in Lincoln.</p><p>Reed did not directly answer the Examiner’s question of whether Bennett would seek a contract extension before his&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/-/media/projects/unca/docs/transparency/contracts/rodney-bennett-contract-of-employment.pdf" target="_blank">contract expires June 30</a>. She said Bennett is committed to leading UNL “toward new levels of excellence well into the future.”</p><p>“He expects to continue to serve as long as he is called upon,” Reed said.</p><h2>‘Long-term consequences’</h2><p>Sarah Zuckerman, an associate professor of education administration and president of the UNL chapter of the American Association of University Professors, urged campus leaders and regents to reject Bennett’s plan, which she called “extremely short-sighted.”</p><p>“They don’t take into account the long-term consequences of closing programs and letting faculty go who are uniquely valuable to the state of Nebraska,” Zuckerman said.</p><p>Many faculty speaking to the Examiner also questioned what happens if fewer than expected tenured faculty take the voluntary separation package. Faculty aged 62 or older who have been with NU for at least 10 are eligible. The&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/offices-policies/business-finance/human-resources/2025-vsip" target="_blank">deadline to apply is Sept. 30</a>.</p><p>Most faculty and staff received no pay increases this year due to budget cuts and because UNL has no employee unions, unlike faculty in Omaha and Kearney.</p><h2>‘Set the stage’</h2><p>Bennett encouraged the UNL community to offer feedback on the budget reduction plan to UNL’s Academic Planning Committee, an internal working group that includes faculty, staff and students. Feedback is due Oct. 10 and is expected to include public hearings.</p><p>The chair of that committee declined to comment Friday and directed questions to Reed.</p><p>“We have the opportunity to set the stage for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s next 155 years, and your voice in shaping our future matters,” Bennett said.</p><p>Shrader said that while UNL is not a big university, it has a “nice, hard-working community here that impacts the State of Nebraska as much as or more than any other institution in the state.”</p><p>“When you do things like this, it can be nothing but detrimental to all of us,” Shrader said. “It can be nothing but a negative impact on every single one of us.”</p>

UNL proposes $27.5 million in ‘devastating’ cuts, six program areas for elimination

EVERGREEN, Colo. — A tragic shooting at Evergreen High School on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, has left the local community in shock and mourning. Authorities say 16-year-old student Desmond Holly opened fire on campus, injuring two students and later taking his own life.

According to the <a href="https://www.cpr.org/2025/09/11/what-we-know-evergreen-high-school-shooting/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office</a>, Holly fired multiple shots both inside and outside the school. Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jacki Kelley said investigators believe Holly had been “radicalized by some extremist network,” though details on the group or motives have not been released. Officials confirmed there was no second shooter.

The two students injured in the attack suffered varying degrees of harm; one remains in critical condition while the other’s injuries are non-life-threatening. First responders were on campus within minutes, helping secure the scene and begin evacuations, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cpr.org/2025/09/11/what-we-know-evergreen-high-school-shooting/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">CPR News</a>&nbsp;.

Students who witnessed the shooting describe moments of panic and fear. Freshman Tye recounted hearing “popping noises” before realizing shots were being fired, reported&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/just-loud-pops-students-parents-describe-evergreen-high-school-shooting?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Denver7</a>. Another student described students in the cafeteria “springing up at once in a panic” as the intercom warned of danger.&nbsp;

Parents at the reunification center expressed anguish and disbelief. One told <a href="https://www.cpr.org/2025/09/12/colorado-parents-react-evergreen-high-school-shooting/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">CPR News</a>: “I tell my children they are safe. And I feel like a liar.”

The shooting comes nearly 26 years after the Columbine massacre in Jefferson County, intensifying fears and concerns about school safety in the region.&nbsp;<a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/evergreen-shooting-suspect-radicalized-by-extremist-network/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Colorado Newsline</a>&nbsp;said authorities are currently investigating Holly’s background, how he obtained the weapon, and other factors that may have contributed to the tragedy.

Evergreen High School has closed in the aftermath of the attack, providing trauma counseling and support to students and staff. Community leaders are urging residents to come together, support one another, and remain vigilant as the investigation continues.

The incident is a somber reminder of the ongoing challenges all schools face in keeping students safe. Local officials say they are reviewing security protocols and will work with mental health experts to provide resources for families affected by the tragedy.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757692213979.png" alt="Police tape blocks the way to Evergreen High School after a shooting on Sept. 10, 2025. (Photo&nbsp;

Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)" />
                        <figcaption>Police tape blocks the way to Evergreen High School after a shooting on Sept. 10, 2025. (Photo&nbsp;

Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>EVERGREEN, Colo. — A tragic shooting at Evergreen High School on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, has left the local community in shock and mourning. Authorities say 16-year-old student Desmond Holly opened fire on campus, injuring two students and later taking his own life.</p><p>According to the <a href="https://www.cpr.org/2025/09/11/what-we-know-evergreen-high-school-shooting/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office</a>, Holly fired multiple shots both inside and outside the school. Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jacki Kelley said investigators believe Holly had been “radicalized by some extremist network,” though details on the group or motives have not been released. Officials confirmed there was no second shooter.</p><p>The two students injured in the attack suffered varying degrees of harm; one remains in critical condition while the other’s injuries are non-life-threatening. First responders were on campus within minutes, helping secure the scene and begin evacuations, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cpr.org/2025/09/11/what-we-know-evergreen-high-school-shooting/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">CPR News</a>&nbsp;.</p><p>Students who witnessed the shooting describe moments of panic and fear. Freshman Tye recounted hearing “popping noises” before realizing shots were being fired, reported&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/just-loud-pops-students-parents-describe-evergreen-high-school-shooting?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Denver7</a>. Another student described students in the cafeteria “springing up at once in a panic” as the intercom warned of danger.&nbsp;</p><p>Parents at the reunification center expressed anguish and disbelief. One told <a href="https://www.cpr.org/2025/09/12/colorado-parents-react-evergreen-high-school-shooting/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">CPR News</a>: “I tell my children they are safe. And I feel like a liar.”</p><p>The shooting comes nearly 26 years after the Columbine massacre in Jefferson County, intensifying fears and concerns about school safety in the region.&nbsp;<a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/evergreen-shooting-suspect-radicalized-by-extremist-network/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Colorado Newsline</a>&nbsp;said authorities are currently investigating Holly’s background, how he obtained the weapon, and other factors that may have contributed to the tragedy.</p><p>Evergreen High School has closed in the aftermath of the attack, providing trauma counseling and support to students and staff. Community leaders are urging residents to come together, support one another, and remain vigilant as the investigation continues.</p><p>The incident is a somber reminder of the ongoing challenges all schools face in keeping students safe. Local officials say they are reviewing security protocols and will work with mental health experts to provide resources for families affected by the tragedy.</p>

Tragedy at Evergreen High School: 26 Years Post Columbine in Jefferson County Colorado

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757689066912.png" alt="Tyler Robinson-photo released by the Utah Governor's Office" />
                        <figcaption>Tyler Robinson-photo released by the Utah Governor's Office</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Utah <a href="https://twitter.com/GovCox?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovCox</a>: &quot;We got him. On the evening of September 11th, a family member of Tyler Robinson reached out to a family friend who contacted the Washington County Sheriff&#39;s office with information that Robinson had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/qULwsRRfBX">pic.twitter.com/qULwsRRfBX</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1966507038269137063?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 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">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Essentially, somebody that was very close to him turned him in.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/JB9H7yTs5C">https://t.co/JB9H7yTs5C</a> <a href="https://t.co/TMCwKbfH2m">pic.twitter.com/TMCwKbfH2m</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966474851809403193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 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">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I hope he gets the death penalty.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/JB9H7yTs5C">https://t.co/JB9H7yTs5C</a> <a href="https://t.co/iLXw6XXiAE">pic.twitter.com/iLXw6XXiAE</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966475601268601320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥New details on capture of Charlie Kirk murder suspect

Interactive map aims to help farmers make informed marketing decisions

LINCOLN, Neb.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;Sorghum unveiled a new interactive delivery map during its annual Field Day on Monday, providing farmers with an easy way to locate buyers, elevators and processors accepting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.morningagclips.com/tag/sorghum/">sorghum</a>&nbsp;across the state. In today’s challenging economic times, farmers need reliable tools to make informed marketing decisions.

This interactive map offers a clear and user-friendly way to view delivery points and access relevant information and addresses. It will be updated as new delivery points become available, and farmers who know of additional locations can easily share them through the website’s “Submit a Location” feature.

“As a sorghum grower, I know how important it is to have reliable market information,” said&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;Grain Sorghum Board Vice Chair Tyler Bose, a farmer from Arcadia, Neb. “This map puts delivery options at our fingertips and makes it easier for farmers across the state to connect with buyers and plan their marketing more effectively.”

Nebraska&nbsp;Sorghum Executive Director Kristine Dvoracek-Jameson emphasized the checkoff’s commitment to supporting growers statewide. “Our mission is to expand opportunities for sorghum producers, and this delivery map is one more way we’re helping. By providing a central, easy-to-use tool, we’re making it simpler for growers to find purchasers and make informed decisions for their operations.”

The interactive map is available now at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskasorghum.org/delivery-locations/">https://www.nebraskasorghum.org/delivery-locations/</a>.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757685570004.png" alt="This interactive map offers a clear and user-friendly way to view delivery points and access relevant information and addresses. (Courtesy image)" />
                        <figcaption>This interactive map offers a clear and user-friendly way to view delivery points and access relevant information and addresses. (Courtesy image)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By: Morning Ag Clips</p><h2>Interactive map aims to help farmers make informed marketing decisions</h2><p>LINCOLN, Neb.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;Sorghum unveiled a new interactive delivery map during its annual Field Day on Monday, providing farmers with an easy way to locate buyers, elevators and processors accepting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.morningagclips.com/tag/sorghum/">sorghum</a>&nbsp;across the state. In today’s challenging economic times, farmers need reliable tools to make informed marketing decisions.</p><p>This interactive map offers a clear and user-friendly way to view delivery points and access relevant information and addresses. It will be updated as new delivery points become available, and farmers who know of additional locations can easily share them through the website’s “Submit a Location” feature.</p><p>“As a sorghum grower, I know how important it is to have reliable market information,” said&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;Grain Sorghum Board Vice Chair Tyler Bose, a farmer from Arcadia, Neb. “This map puts delivery options at our fingertips and makes it easier for farmers across the state to connect with buyers and plan their marketing more effectively.”</p><p>Nebraska&nbsp;Sorghum Executive Director Kristine Dvoracek-Jameson emphasized the checkoff’s commitment to supporting growers statewide. “Our mission is to expand opportunities for sorghum producers, and this delivery map is one more way we’re helping. By providing a central, easy-to-use tool, we’re making it simpler for growers to find purchasers and make informed decisions for their operations.”</p><p>The interactive map is available now at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskasorghum.org/delivery-locations/">https://www.nebraskasorghum.org/delivery-locations/</a>.</p><p>— Nebraska Sorghum</p>

Nebraska Sorghum Launches Delivery Map to Support Growers

’Honestly, it’s not for everyone’ tagline earned awards but also detractors as a ‘mockery’

Paul Hammel<br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/04/07/wall-of-shame-still-used-by-nebraska-to-convince-delinquent-taxpayers-to-pay-up/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN – John Ricks, the state tourism director who deployed the edgy and controversial marketing pitch “Nebraska. Honestly, it’s not for everyone,” has resigned.

Ricks, who was paid $133,838-a-year, could not immediately be reached for comment. His resignation was accepted Thursday by the State Tourism Commission, which has since appointed Deputy Director Heather Hogue as interim executive director, as was reported first by the Nebraska Rural Radio Network.

While Ricks got mixed reviews on the tourism pitch, an official with the Nebraska Travel Association said he played a key role in helping increase tourism in the state, citing a 26.4% growth rate in state lodging taxes from 2019-2022 compared to only 2.5% nationally.

“Ricks is to be commended for putting Nebraska on the tourism map,” said Kerri Rempp, president of the state travel association.

Hired in 2016 by then Gov. Pete Ricketts, Ricks had worked as an associate director in Colorado’s state tourism office before taking the Nebraska job. His hiring was touted as bringing a fresh perspective to a state that had been rated by one group as the “least likely” for tourists to visit.

That led to the new “Nebraska: Honestly, it’s not for everyone” marketing pitch, which included advertising emphasizing off-beat adventures in Nebraska, from floating down a river in a horse tank to hop-scotching across Badlands-like formations in Toadstool Park.

The self-deprecating pitch grabbed national attention, and, in 2022, won a national award for best integrated marketing and messaging. According to the State Tourism Commission, it also raised Nebraska’s tourism profile from last to 45th.

But some state leaders, including Gov. Jim Pillen and then Nebraska Department of Economic Development Director Tony Goins, disliked the motto, which was coined by a marketing firm from Colorado. Goins said it “made a mockery” of the DED’s pitchline for new residents: “The Good Life is Calling.”

By 2024, the “not for everyone” tagline was dropped by the Tourism Commission and state legislators passed a bill seeking to better coordinate marketing pitches between the independent commission, also known as “Visit Nebraska” and state economic development officials.

The Nebraska Travel Association, in a press release this week, urged the State Tourism Commission to “act swiftly” to replace Ricks.

The tourism agency is funded by lodging taxes paid on motel and hotel bills. Its budget this year is $10.1 million to promote an industry that generates $4.5 billion in spending annually and supports over 41,000 jobs throughout Nebraska.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757679920780.png" alt="Nebraska tourism swag featured the now-dropped tagline, “Nebraska: Honestly, it’s not for everyone.”(Courtesy of Visit Nebraska)" />
                        <figcaption>Nebraska tourism swag featured the now-dropped tagline, “Nebraska: Honestly, it’s not for everyone.”(Courtesy of Visit Nebraska)</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>’Honestly, it’s not for everyone’ tagline earned awards but also detractors as a ‘mockery’</h2><p>Paul Hammel<br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/04/07/wall-of-shame-still-used-by-nebraska-to-convince-delinquent-taxpayers-to-pay-up/">Nebraska Examiner</a></p><p>LINCOLN – John Ricks, the state tourism director who deployed the edgy and controversial marketing pitch “Nebraska. Honestly, it’s not for everyone,” has resigned.</p><p>Ricks, who was paid $133,838-a-year, could not immediately be reached for comment. His resignation was accepted Thursday by the State Tourism Commission, which has since appointed Deputy Director Heather Hogue as interim executive director, as was reported first by the Nebraska Rural Radio Network.</p><p>While Ricks got mixed reviews on the tourism pitch, an official with the Nebraska Travel Association said he played a key role in helping increase tourism in the state, citing a 26.4% growth rate in state lodging taxes from 2019-2022 compared to only 2.5% nationally.</p><p>“Ricks is to be commended for putting Nebraska on the tourism map,” said Kerri Rempp, president of the state travel association.</p><p>Hired in 2016 by then Gov. Pete Ricketts, Ricks had worked as an associate director in Colorado’s state tourism office before taking the Nebraska job. His hiring was touted as bringing a fresh perspective to a state that had been rated by one group as the “least likely” for tourists to visit.</p><p>That led to the new “Nebraska: Honestly, it’s not for everyone” marketing pitch, which included advertising emphasizing off-beat adventures in Nebraska, from floating down a river in a horse tank to hop-scotching across Badlands-like formations in Toadstool Park.</p><p>The self-deprecating pitch grabbed national attention, and, in 2022, won a national award for best integrated marketing and messaging. According to the State Tourism Commission, it also raised Nebraska’s tourism profile from last to 45th.</p><p>But some state leaders, including Gov. Jim Pillen and then Nebraska Department of Economic Development Director Tony Goins, disliked the motto, which was coined by a marketing firm from Colorado. Goins said it “made a mockery” of the DED’s pitchline for new residents: “The Good Life is Calling.”</p><p>By 2024, the “not for everyone” tagline was dropped by the Tourism Commission and state legislators passed a bill seeking to better coordinate marketing pitches between the independent commission, also known as “Visit Nebraska” and state economic development officials.</p><p>The Nebraska Travel Association, in a press release this week, urged the State Tourism Commission to “act swiftly” to replace Ricks.</p><p>The tourism agency is funded by lodging taxes paid on motel and hotel bills. Its budget this year is $10.1 million to promote an industry that generates $4.5 billion in spending annually and supports over 41,000 jobs throughout Nebraska.</p>

Nebraska tourism director who deployed ‘not for everyone’ marketing pitch resigns

The search for the suspect in the Charlie Kirk assaassination continued early Friday.

On Thursday the FBI released ne photos and a video of the suspect&nbsp; believed responsible. for the crime.

The FBI reported they have receive more than 7,000 leads and tips in the search for a suspect.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757639423442.png" alt="Photos FBI" />
                        <figcaption>Photos FBI</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The search for the suspect in the Charlie Kirk assaassination continued early Friday.</p><p>On Thursday the FBI released ne photos and a video of the suspect&nbsp; believed responsible. for the crime.</p><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YrfHme9Yhc8?si=dR-yzqr3RQfEXOJT&amp;start=3" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are asking for the public&#39;s help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. <br>1-800-CALL-FBI<br>Digital media tips: <a href="https://t.co/K7maX81TjJ">https://t.co/K7maX81TjJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/ALuVkTXuDc">pic.twitter.com/ALuVkTXuDc</a></p>&mdash; FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBISaltLakeCity/status/1966169520403525760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 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/2025/9/1757634046735.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757639471242.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The FBI reported they have receive more than 7,000 leads and tips in the search for a suspect.</p>

FBI releases new video of suspect in Charlie Kirk assassination

<i>Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources</i>

LINCOLN, Neb. — The&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;Leadership Education/Action Development (LEAD) Program is pleased to announce the selection of 27 exceptional individuals as Fellows of&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Class 44. Chosen for their leadership potential, commitment to agriculture and dedication to their communities, these Fellows represent a wide range of backgrounds within&nbsp;Nebraska’s agricultural industry.

Starting this September and over the next two years, Class 44 Fellows will engage in a comprehensive curriculum designed to strengthen their leadership skills, expand their knowledge of state, national and global agricultural issues, all&nbsp;while preparing them to serve as leaders in their communities and industries.

“I am thrilled to welcome this outstanding group of individuals to&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Class 44,” said Kurtis Harms, Director of the&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Program. “Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Class 44 represents the next generation of leaders who will help guide our state forward. These individuals bring unique experiences, perspectives and energy to the program. I’m eager to see how they will grow through this journey and the positive impact they’ll make in their communities and across&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;agriculture.”

The&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Program, now in its 44th year, has a long-standing mission of developing agricultural leaders who are equipped to address the challenges and opportunities facing&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;and beyond. Through in-state seminars, a national study experience and an&nbsp;international study/travel seminar, the program provides Fellows with the skills and experiences necessary to lead effectively in an ever-changing agricultural landscape.

Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD 44 Fellows by city/town are:

<b>C</b><b>OLUMBUS:</b>&nbsp;Valerie Bohuslavsky

<b>KEARNEY:</b>&nbsp;Garrett Elfeldt, Chase Hoffschneider, Camille Koehn

<b>LINCOLN:</b>&nbsp;Jacob Schlick, Dillon Kuehn, Katelyn Leibhart

The mission of the&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Program is “to prepare and motivate men and women in agriculture for more effective leadership.” For more information on the program or its mission, visit&nbsp;<b><a href="http://lead.unl.edu/" target="_blank">lead.unl.edu</a></b>.

About the&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Program

The&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Program was established in 1981 with the mission of developing agriculture leaders from&nbsp;Nebraska’s farming, ranching and agribusiness sectors. Over the past four decades, the program has graduated nearly 1,200 fellows who have gone on to serve in leadership roles at the local, state, national and international levels. The two-year program offers participants a unique blend of education, travel and personal development opportunities, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to lead in a rapidly changing world.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757600705758.png" alt="Class 44 Fellows will engage in a comprehensive curriculum designed to strengthen their leadership skills, expand their knowledge of state, national and global agricultural issues, all while preparing them to serve as leaders in their communities and industries. (Courtesy image)" />
                        <figcaption>Class 44 Fellows will engage in a comprehensive curriculum designed to strengthen their leadership skills, expand their knowledge of state, national and global agricultural issues, all while preparing them to serve as leaders in their communities and industries. (Courtesy image)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><i>University of Nebraska-Lincoln</i></p><p><i>Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources</i></p><p>LINCOLN, Neb. — The&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;Leadership Education/Action Development (LEAD) Program is pleased to announce the selection of 27 exceptional individuals as Fellows of&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Class 44. Chosen for their leadership potential, commitment to agriculture and dedication to their communities, these Fellows represent a wide range of backgrounds within&nbsp;Nebraska’s agricultural industry.</p><p>Starting this September and over the next two years, Class 44 Fellows will engage in a comprehensive curriculum designed to strengthen their leadership skills, expand their knowledge of state, national and global agricultural issues, all&nbsp;while preparing them to serve as leaders in their communities and industries.</p><p>“I am thrilled to welcome this outstanding group of individuals to&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Class 44,” said Kurtis Harms, Director of the&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Program. “Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Class 44 represents the next generation of leaders who will help guide our state forward. These individuals bring unique experiences, perspectives and energy to the program. I’m eager to see how they will grow through this journey and the positive impact they’ll make in their communities and across&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;agriculture.”</p><p>The&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Program, now in its 44th year, has a long-standing mission of developing agricultural leaders who are equipped to address the challenges and opportunities facing&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;and beyond. Through in-state seminars, a national study experience and an&nbsp;international study/travel seminar, the program provides Fellows with the skills and experiences necessary to lead effectively in an ever-changing agricultural landscape.</p><h2>Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD 44 Fellows by city/town are:</h2><p><b>AINSWORTH</b>:&nbsp;Katie Steffen</p><p><b>ALBION:</b>&nbsp;Jaclyn Frey</p><p><b>AURORA:</b>&nbsp;Amanda Schultz</p><p><b>BASSETT:</b>&nbsp;Erika Coulter</p><p><b>BRIDGEPORT:</b>&nbsp;Alexis Corman</p><p><b>BUTTE:</b>&nbsp;Britanie Brewster</p><p><b>BYRON:</b>&nbsp;Jake Beam</p><p><b>CALLAWAY:</b>&nbsp;Stacey Guthard</p><p><b>CHAMPION:</b>&nbsp;Daniel Hogsett</p><p><b>CLARKS:</b>&nbsp;Tana Pankoke</p><p><b>C</b><b>OLUMBUS:</b>&nbsp;Valerie Bohuslavsky</p><p><b>FUNK:</b>&nbsp;Shane Wohlgemuth</p><p><b>GLENVIL:</b>&nbsp;Kelsey Scheer</p><p><b>HEMINGFORD:</b>&nbsp;Colt Foster</p><p><b>HOWELLS:</b>&nbsp;Justin Morton</p><p><b>KEARNEY:</b>&nbsp;Garrett Elfeldt, Chase Hoffschneider, Camille Koehn</p><p><b>LEIGH:</b>&nbsp;Matthew Cross</p><p><b>LINCOLN:</b>&nbsp;Jacob Schlick, Dillon Kuehn, Katelyn Leibhart</p><p><b>MASON CITY:</b>&nbsp;Sarah Zimmer</p><p><b>MERNA:</b>&nbsp;Brandon Miller</p><p><b>NORTH PLATTE:</b>&nbsp;Trey Bahler</p><p><b>OMAHA:</b>&nbsp;Peter Martin</p><p><b>RED CLOUD:</b>&nbsp;Erin Slieter</p><p>The mission of the&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Program is “to prepare and motivate men and women in agriculture for more effective leadership.” For more information on the program or its mission, visit&nbsp;<b><a href="http://lead.unl.edu/" target="_blank">lead.unl.edu</a></b>.</p><h2>About the&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Program</h2><p>The&nbsp;Nebraska&nbsp;LEAD Program was established in 1981 with the mission of developing agriculture leaders from&nbsp;Nebraska’s farming, ranching and agribusiness sectors. Over the past four decades, the program has graduated nearly 1,200 fellows who have gone on to serve in leadership roles at the local, state, national and international levels. The two-year program offers participants a unique blend of education, travel and personal development opportunities, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to lead in a rapidly changing world.</p>

Nebraska LEAD Program Announces Class 44 Fellows; One North Platte Native in Class

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans on Wednesday stopped a Democratic amendment to the annual defense authorization bill that would have compelled the release of the government’s investigative files on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In a procedural vote, senators voted 51-49 to table the amendment filed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, effectively stopping the chamber from considering the measure. Republicans Josh Hawley of Missouri and Rand Paul of Kentucky voted with all Democrats to advance the amendment.

The move by Schumer was the latest attempt in Congress to force Republicans on the record about the Trump administration’s announcement in July that it would not release any further materials from the federal sex trafficking case against Epstein.

“If Republicans vote no, they’ll be saying to the American people, you should not see the Epstein files,” Schumer said on the Senate floor ahead of the vote. “I asked my Republican colleagues, after all those years you spent calling for accountability, for transparency, for getting to the bottom of these awful crimes, ‘Why won’t you vote yes?’”

The financier, who for years surrounded himself with powerful and influential figures, died awaiting trial in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019. He and President Donald Trump had a well-documented social relationship that Trump says turned sour before allegations against Epstein surfaced.

A bipartisan effort in the U.S. House aimed at forcing the Department of Justice to release all investigative materials has not gained enough Republican support to bypass House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, for a floor vote.

The discharge petition filed by Reps. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, and California Democrat Ro Khanna has the signatures of all Democrats and four Republicans, including Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Nancy Mace of South Carolina. The petition, which needs a majority of House members to sign to force legislation to the floor, is short two signatures.

Massie, Khanna and Greene stood outside the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 3&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/congress-must-choose-epstein-survivors-demand-vote-release-case-files" target="_blank">alongside women</a>&nbsp;who shared stories of abuse inflicted by Epstein.

The GOP-led House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is conducting its own probe into the Epstein case. On Tuesday, committee Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democrats-share-alleged-trump-birthday-note-epstein" target="_blank">released</a>&nbsp;an image of a lewd birthday greeting allegedly created by Trump for Epstein’s 50th birthday.

Many lawmakers and members of the public, including some in Trump’s voter base, have zoned in on the release of what they refer to as the Epstein files since the FBI&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1407001/dl?inline" target="_blank">declared</a>&nbsp;in a July memo that no more information would be made public.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704330351229.png" alt="Jeffrey Epstein photo New York Sex offender registry" />
                        <figcaption>Jeffrey Epstein photo New York Sex offender registry</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a></p><p>WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans on Wednesday stopped a Democratic amendment to the annual defense authorization bill that would have compelled the release of the government’s investigative files on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.</p><p>In a procedural vote, senators voted 51-49 to table the amendment filed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, effectively stopping the chamber from considering the measure. Republicans Josh Hawley of Missouri and Rand Paul of Kentucky voted with all Democrats to advance the amendment.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING NEWS: I just filed an amendment on the Senate Floor to REQUIRE the Attorney General to release the Epstein files.<br><br>Republicans will HAVE TO vote on it. We’re going to keep fighting until these files are released. <a href="https://t.co/bHFGNnuk3T">pic.twitter.com/bHFGNnuk3T</a></p>&mdash; Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer/status/1965800573510574463?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The move by Schumer was the latest attempt in Congress to force Republicans on the record about the Trump administration’s announcement in July that it would not release any further materials from the federal sex trafficking case against Epstein.</p><p>“If Republicans vote no, they’ll be saying to the American people, you should not see the Epstein files,” Schumer said on the Senate floor ahead of the vote. “I asked my Republican colleagues, after all those years you spent calling for accountability, for transparency, for getting to the bottom of these awful crimes, ‘Why won’t you vote yes?’”</p><p>The financier, who for years surrounded himself with powerful and influential figures, died awaiting trial in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019. He and President Donald Trump had a well-documented social relationship that Trump says turned sour before allegations against Epstein surfaced.</p><p>A bipartisan effort in the U.S. House aimed at forcing the Department of Justice to release all investigative materials has not gained enough Republican support to bypass House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, for a floor vote.</p><p>The discharge petition filed by Reps. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, and California Democrat Ro Khanna has the signatures of all Democrats and four Republicans, including Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Nancy Mace of South Carolina. The petition, which needs a majority of House members to sign to force legislation to the floor, is short two signatures.</p><p>Massie, Khanna and Greene stood outside the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 3&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/congress-must-choose-epstein-survivors-demand-vote-release-case-files" target="_blank">alongside women</a>&nbsp;who shared stories of abuse inflicted by Epstein.</p><p>The GOP-led House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is conducting its own probe into the Epstein case. On Tuesday, committee Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democrats-share-alleged-trump-birthday-note-epstein" target="_blank">released</a>&nbsp;an image of a lewd birthday greeting allegedly created by Trump for Epstein’s 50th birthday.</p><p>Many lawmakers and members of the public, including some in Trump’s voter base, have zoned in on the release of what they refer to as the Epstein files since the FBI&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1407001/dl?inline" target="_blank">declared</a>&nbsp;in a July memo that no more information would be made public.</p><p>Trump campaigned on releasing the files.</p>

US Senate votes down measure to force release of Epstein files

<b>Contact:&nbsp;</b>John Keenan, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 402-690-8107,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:john.keenan@unmc.edu" target="_blank">john.keenan@unmc.edu</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

<i>Study author: Tracking emotions in early sobriety could help prevent relapse</i>

OMAHA, Nebraska — A recent study of more than 1,000 people in alcohol treatment found that nearly one in three never escape the crushing anxiety or depression that often accompanies early sobriety — a red flag that may predict relapse and signal the need for more targeted care.

Published in “Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research” this spring, the study tracked weekly anxiety and depression symptoms during the first six weeks of treatment. While most patients saw symptoms ease quickly, researchers identified three distinct recovery paths:

The sustained group was more likely to have severe PTSD symptoms and other mental health diagnoses. Women were more likely than men to fall into the high-symptom depression group, highlighting a possible sex-specific risk.

“Early abstinence is a make-or-break period,” said lead author Jennifer Blackford, PhD, of the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute. “If anxiety or depression doesn’t improve quickly, relapse risk may be much higher. The good news is, we can identify these patterns in the first few weeks and act before it’s too late.”

Alcohol use disorder affects millions of Americans and contributes to more than 140,000 deaths each year. Despite the availability of treatment, over half of patients relapse within a year. By recognizing sustained emotional distress early, clinicians may be able to tailor care — such as adding anxiety-focused psychotherapy or medication — to improve outcomes.

The researchers note that their findings come from de-identified patient data from a large community-based treatment program, making the results directly relevant to real-world clinical settings. They call for future studies to examine relapse rates in each subgroup and the impact of specific interventions.

This work was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757447050560.jpeg" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Sept. 9, 2025</p><p><b>Contact:&nbsp;</b>John Keenan, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 402-690-8107,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:john.keenan@unmc.edu" target="_blank">john.keenan@unmc.edu</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><i>Study author: Tracking emotions in early sobriety could help prevent relapse</i></p><p>OMAHA, Nebraska — A recent study of more than 1,000 people in alcohol treatment found that nearly one in three never escape the crushing anxiety or depression that often accompanies early sobriety — a red flag that may predict relapse and signal the need for more targeted care.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757447262440.jpeg" alt="Jennifer Blackford PhD" />
                        <figcaption>Jennifer Blackford PhD</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Published in “Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research” this spring, the study tracked weekly anxiety and depression symptoms during the first six weeks of treatment. While most patients saw symptoms ease quickly, researchers identified three distinct recovery paths:</p><ul>
                        <li>Low trajectory (70%) — Symptoms started low and resolved rapidly.</li><li>High trajectory (about 25%) — Symptoms started high but improved gradually.</li><li>Sustained trajectory (about 5%) — Symptoms stayed high with little change.</li>
                    </ul><p>The sustained group was more likely to have severe PTSD symptoms and other mental health diagnoses. Women were more likely than men to fall into the high-symptom depression group, highlighting a possible sex-specific risk.</p><p>“Early abstinence is a make-or-break period,” said lead author Jennifer Blackford, PhD, of the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute. “If anxiety or depression doesn’t improve quickly, relapse risk may be much higher. The good news is, we can identify these patterns in the first few weeks and act before it’s too late.”</p><p>Alcohol use disorder affects millions of Americans and contributes to more than 140,000 deaths each year. Despite the availability of treatment, over half of patients relapse within a year. By recognizing sustained emotional distress early, clinicians may be able to tailor care — such as adding anxiety-focused psychotherapy or medication — to improve outcomes.</p><p>The researchers note that their findings come from de-identified patient data from a large community-based treatment program, making the results directly relevant to real-world clinical settings. They call for future studies to examine relapse rates in each subgroup and the impact of specific interventions.</p><p>This work was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.</p>

One in three in alcohol treatment stay in ‘danger zone’ of anxiety and depression – and it may predict relapse

On Thursday morning, the FBI released photos of a person of interest in Charlie Kirk’s shooting investigation. If you can help call&nbsp; &nbsp;1-800-CALL-FBI

<p>On Thursday morning, the FBI released photos of a person of interest in Charlie Kirk’s shooting investigation. If you can help call&nbsp; &nbsp;1-800-CALL-FBI</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are asking for the public&#39;s help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. <br>1-800-CALL-FBI<br>Digital media tips: <a href="https://t.co/K7maX81TjJ">https://t.co/K7maX81TjJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/ALuVkTXuDc">pic.twitter.com/ALuVkTXuDc</a></p>&mdash; FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBISaltLakeCity/status/1966169520403525760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

FBI releases images of person of interest in Charlie Kirk assassination

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump pay respects at the Pentagon. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/September11?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#September11</a> <a href="https://t.co/YCQxPwTdd9">pic.twitter.com/YCQxPwTdd9</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1966156710516535597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 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">American flag unfurled at the Pentagon. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/September11?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#September11</a> <a href="https://t.co/LfRZnhj6jl">pic.twitter.com/LfRZnhj6jl</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1966094979928916467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 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/HGH3yQKdO7">https://t.co/HGH3yQKdO7</a></p>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1966125485894648215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 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> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> arrive at the Pentagon on the 24th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks <a href="https://t.co/OWMKaYbiFm">pic.twitter.com/OWMKaYbiFm</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966126089706611011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 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> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> stand for the National Anthem alongside <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> and the <a href="https://twitter.com/thejointstaff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thejointstaff</a> Chairman at the Pentagon 9/11 observance ceremony. <a href="https://t.co/9cBaXxPaIZ">pic.twitter.com/9cBaXxPaIZ</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966126949019038115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 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">Rudy Giuliani, Eric Adams, Michael Bloomberg -- 9/11 memorial ceremony NYC <a href="https://t.co/vzp8nK2H6Y">pic.twitter.com/vzp8nK2H6Y</a></p>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1966119847542272100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 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> honors the memory of Army Lieutenant Colonel Kip Taylor, a young father who was killed at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.<br><br>Kip&#39;s son, Luke, is now a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/qlmYXdP95t">pic.twitter.com/qlmYXdP95t</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966143280980312241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 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/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> &quot;Twenty-four years ago, Islamist terrorists massacred nearly three thousand innocent American lives in New York City, Shanksville, Pennsylvania and right here at the Pentagon.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Eii2fqH8JL">pic.twitter.com/Eii2fqH8JL</a></p>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1966138258553024803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 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/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> &quot;An entire generation of warriors step forward, willing to pay the ultimate price to exact retribution and secure our country.<br><br>Forged in the crucible of Afghanistan and Iraq, we stood watch in distant lands on dangerous missions, often in retrospect, nebulous missions.… <a href="https://t.co/jjp9e2f20h">pic.twitter.com/jjp9e2f20h</a></p>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1966139296345370630?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 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/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@secwar</a> &quot;Here today, we honor those 184 rings of the bell... souls lost at the Pentagon and on Flight 77. <br><br>Even as first responders were grossly outnumbered by the wounded. Many ran toward the chaos.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/K8HBtaM3ty">pic.twitter.com/K8HBtaM3ty</a></p>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1966140291758629333?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥US marks 24th anniversary of 9/11 terror attacks

Every September 11, the country stops—if only for a moment—to remember. For some, it’s the ringing of bells at ground zero. For others, it’s a flag hung on the front porch, or a name whispered in prayer. Patriot Day isn’t a day off work or school—it’s a day of carrying memory in the middle of everyday life.

Across Nebraska this morning, flags fly at half-staff. In small towns and city centers alike, sirens and church bells marked 8:46 a.m.—the moment the first plane struck the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. For many, the sound echoed not just across the nation’s history, but into personal memory.

What makes this year different, nearly a quarter-century later, is that an entire generation of Americans is growing up with no personal memory of 9/11. College students and young service members now were born after the attacks. For them, Patriot Day is history—something taught, not lived. And yet, across classrooms and communities, the remembrance endures. Teachers light candles, coaches ask for a moment of silence before practice, neighbors line their streets with flags. Memory has become ritual, and ritual has become tradition.

Patriot Day is about more than looking back. It’s about the responsibility to carry forward the lessons of unity, sacrifice, and resilience that came in the days after. It is a reminder that even in the darkest of hours, Americans leaned on each other—firefighters carried strangers down stairwells, volunteers lined up to give blood, and neighbors gathered on porches just to be together.

Two decades on, remembrance has softened from raw grief to a steadier kind of honoring: teaching our children what courage looks like, thanking a first responder, or simply pausing at 8:46 a.m. to take a breath and remember that ordinary people can rise to extraordinary moments.

Patriot Day is not only about the lives lost—it’s about the living promise to never forget. And in the quiet acts of remembrance happening in towns large and small today, that promise is still being kept.

Patriot Day is not a federal holiday. Work continues, schools remain open, life moves forward. But that may be the point. On September 11 each year, remembrance lives in the ordinary moments of daily life—an anthem sung, a bell tolled, a flag unfurled against the wide Nebraska sky.

It’s a reminder that even in the heartland, far from New York or Washington, the memory of 9/11 lives on—not just in history books, but in the ways communities come together, quietly but firmly, to honor the lives lost and the courage found.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757600107946.jpeg" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Every September 11, the country stops—if only for a moment—to remember. For some, it’s the ringing of bells at ground zero. For others, it’s a flag hung on the front porch, or a name whispered in prayer. Patriot Day isn’t a day off work or school—it’s a day of carrying memory in the middle of everyday life.</p><p>Across Nebraska this morning, flags fly at half-staff. In small towns and city centers alike, sirens and church bells marked 8:46 a.m.—the moment the first plane struck the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. For many, the sound echoed not just across the nation’s history, but into personal memory.</p><p>What makes this year different, nearly a quarter-century later, is that an entire generation of Americans is growing up with no personal memory of 9/11. College students and young service members now were born after the attacks. For them, Patriot Day is history—something taught, not lived. And yet, across classrooms and communities, the remembrance endures. Teachers light candles, coaches ask for a moment of silence before practice, neighbors line their streets with flags. Memory has become ritual, and ritual has become tradition.</p><p>Patriot Day is about more than looking back. It’s about the responsibility to carry forward the lessons of unity, sacrifice, and resilience that came in the days after. It is a reminder that even in the darkest of hours, Americans leaned on each other—firefighters carried strangers down stairwells, volunteers lined up to give blood, and neighbors gathered on porches just to be together.</p><p>Two decades on, remembrance has softened from raw grief to a steadier kind of honoring: teaching our children what courage looks like, thanking a first responder, or simply pausing at 8:46 a.m. to take a breath and remember that ordinary people can rise to extraordinary moments.</p><p>Patriot Day is not only about the lives lost—it’s about the living promise to never forget. And in the quiet acts of remembrance happening in towns large and small today, that promise is still being kept.</p><p>Patriot Day is not a federal holiday. Work continues, schools remain open, life moves forward. But that may be the point. On September 11 each year, remembrance lives in the ordinary moments of daily life—an anthem sung, a bell tolled, a flag unfurled against the wide Nebraska sky.</p><p>It’s a reminder that even in the heartland, far from New York or Washington, the memory of 9/11 lives on—not just in history books, but in the ways communities come together, quietly but firmly, to honor the lives lost and the courage found.</p>

Patriot Day: The Quiet Ways We Remember

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">FBI Special Agent In Charge Robert Bohls: &quot;We have recovered what we believe is the weapon that was used in yesterday&#39;s shooting. It is a high powered bolt action rifle.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/OQNPXBSmut">pic.twitter.com/OQNPXBSmut</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1966131586623004918?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 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">The FBI has created a digital media tip line seeking information regarding the shooting at Utah Valley University that took place on September 10, 2025: <a href="https://t.co/aNUqciEesp">https://t.co/aNUqciEesp</a></p>&mdash; FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBISaltLakeCity/status/1965906435054694671?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 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">The FBI has created a digital media tip line seeking information regarding the shooting at Utah Valley University that took place on September 10, 2025: <a href="https://t.co/aNUqciEesp">https://t.co/aNUqciEesp</a></p>&mdash; FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBISaltLakeCity/status/1965906435054694671?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥 FBI gives update on their work to ID Charlie Kirk's killer 

Nebraska DHHS and Gov. Jim Pillen’s budget team had decided not to renew contract despite legislative funding

LINCOLN — State officials will continue to fund Nebraska’s statewide drug disposal program, reversing a midsummer decision not to renew a contract despite legislative funding having been set aside for that purpose.

Lawmakers approved an annual $289,416 appropriation for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to continue contracting for such a program to properly dispose of prescription drugs. It’s the same process that’s been in place for a program the state has at least partially funded since 2015.&nbsp;

But state officials, as of July 1, refused to renew the contract until this week, effectively freezing the funds.

The state restored funding after the Nebraska Examiner asked DHHS about the cut last week and sought more information from the agency and the Governor’s Office, including why the state cut came without legislative approval and whether DHHS had made any other similar administrative cuts.

“This program is money well spent,” said Haley Pertzborn, CEO of the Nebraska Pharmacists Association, which helps oversee and run the program. “We know it’s heavily utilized by Nebraskans, by communities. It’s a program that honestly runs itself for the most part.”

One Hastings pharmacist who has participated in the program since 2016, Katie Trambly, said the state’s decision left her and others in a “holding pattern” and that she was “thrilled” by the reversal.

<h2>Nebraska DHHS and Gov. Jim Pillen’s budget team had decided not to renew contract despite legislative funding</h2><p>By:<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>LINCOLN — State officials will continue to fund Nebraska’s statewide drug disposal program, reversing a midsummer decision not to renew a contract despite legislative funding having been set aside for that purpose.</p><p>Lawmakers approved an annual $289,416 appropriation for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to continue contracting for such a program to properly dispose of prescription drugs. It’s the same process that’s been in place for a program the state has at least partially funded since 2015.&nbsp;</p><p>But state officials, as of July 1, refused to renew the contract until this week, effectively freezing the funds.</p><p>The state restored funding after the Nebraska Examiner asked DHHS about the cut last week and sought more information from the agency and the Governor’s Office, including why the state cut came without legislative approval and whether DHHS had made any other similar administrative cuts.</p><p>“This program is money well spent,” said Haley Pertzborn, CEO of the Nebraska Pharmacists Association, which helps oversee and run the program. “We know it’s heavily utilized by Nebraskans, by communities. It’s a program that honestly runs itself for the most part.”</p><h2>Elephant in the room</h2><p>One Hastings pharmacist who has participated in the program since 2016, Katie Trambly, said the state’s decision left her and others in a “holding pattern” and that she was “thrilled” by the reversal.</p><p>Trambly said the program had taken a difficult situation for patients who often don’t know what to do with expired or unused medications and made it simpler. She and Pertzborn said the program is particularly helpful to dispose of medications that, if left around, might be targeted for theft or would be particularly toxic to children or pets, including opioids.</p><p>Nearly 280,000 pounds of unused medication, or 140 tons, have been disposed of since the program became operational in 2016, according to Amy Holman, project coordinator with the Nebraska Pharmacists Association. That is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/blue-whale#:~:text=Appearance,are%20generally%20larger%20than%20males." target="_blank">roughly the size of a blue whale</a>, the largest animal in the world.</p><p>The association has also marketed the program’s success by saying the amount of disposed drugs would weigh as much as 16 male African elephants.</p><p>The Nebraska program allows people to drop off no longer needed prescription drugs at a participating local pharmacy at no cost to the person dropping off. Meds are then forwarded to Texas to be incinerated.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757595889920.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>A hiccup in the program</h2><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskameds.org/who-we-are" target="_blank">Nebraska MEDS Coalition</a>, which consists of community and state partners, including DHHS and the Nebraska State Patrol, helped establish the program in 2016. The effort formed in response to studies by the U.S. Geological Survey and others finding traces of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in U.S. drinking water supplies.</p><p>The program has also helped get opioids out of Nebraska homes, with DHHS&nbsp;<a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Make-Every-Day-a-Drug-Take-Back-Day-in-Nebraska-04282022.aspx" target="_blank">marketing the program</a>&nbsp;as “every day can be a take-back day in Nebraska.”</p><p>In addition to state dollars, the&nbsp;<a href="https://environmentaltrust.nebraska.gov/about/" target="_blank">Nebraska Environmental Trust</a>&nbsp;has awarded the program an additional $400,000 annual grant that requires a portion of matching funds. The Trust is funded by Nebraska Lottery proceeds with a goal of funding projects that “conserve, enhance and restore the natural environments of Nebraska.”</p><p>DHHS and state budget officials denied the association’s attempt to renew the contract when the new fiscal year began in July and informed the association of the decision in early August, one month into the fiscal year.&nbsp;That decision inadvertently cut off the Environmental Trust funds, too.</p><p>“Drug disposal program costs should be funded by the pharmaceutical and health care industries, not by taxpayers,” Laura Strimple, a spokesperson for Gov. Jim Pillen, had told the Nebraska Examiner. “The decision to not spend the appropriation was made after a review of the contract in consideration of an extension beyond the original term.”</p><p>Another reason state officials cited for not renewing the contract was the loss of access to federal funding for the program, despite the association having no record of using federal funds.</p><h2>‘You have to stop everything’</h2><p>Pertzborn said her team had been proactive in trying to see what would be needed for a contract extension as early as January or February, partly because of the program’s daily use.</p><p>Pillen had not targeted the funding for elimination in his&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/15/gov-pillen-proposes-his-answer-to-432-million-projected-budget-shortfall/">latest budget recommendations</a>&nbsp;and did not mention it as a possible cut while lawmakers worked to close a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/05/06/what-to-expect-as-debate-on-nebraskas-2025-27-budget-begins/">multi-hundred-million-dollar budget shortfall</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Pertzborn said DHHS officials also had repeatedly indicated to her organization that an expected contract renewal was “all good,” so pharmacists continued the program as normal in July.</p><p>About a month later, though, in early August, DHHS informed the association that the state budget administrator had denied the contract renewal, leaving Pertzborn and company “alarmed.”</p><p>Pertzborn said the association was not “at all” in a position to take on the immediate costs and worked with a network of 270 pharmacies to communicate that pharmacists could no longer order supplies to collect new medications and send them to Texas.</p><p>It also meant a pause in a contract between the pharmacists’ association and the local poison control center, which had operated an associated phone line as part of the program.</p><p>“You have to stop everything,” Pertzborn told pharmacies. “Use what you have, and we’ll provide you more information as we can.”</p><p>The DHHS notification to the association regarding the contract denial said there was a possible appeals process, yet Pertzborn said when her team inquired about how to do so, they learned there was no such process. She said her team was still waiting for documentation that the program had utilized federal funding, too.</p><h2>Funding restored, contract reconsidered</h2><p>Over the 10-year lifespan of the program, state lawmakers appropriated nearly $3 million from Nebraska taxpayers.&nbsp;</p><p>DHHS said it used federal funding to replace — not complement — state funding, such as through a targeted opioid drug disposal grant, a state opioid response drug disposal grant and a public health block grant.</p><p>A DHHS spokesperson said a total of $100,000 in federal funding had been used&nbsp;over the program’s existence&nbsp;to offset state funding. That federal investment amounts to about 3% of the state investment.</p><p>“I understand we have things to cut, I totally understand where they’re coming from,” Pertzborn said. “But I don’t understand cutting something that is so heavily utilized and that is doing a giant service to Nebraska.”</p><p>In response to Examiner questions, Strimple confirmed Tuesday afternoon that the state would, following engagement with stakeholders and policymakers, work to extend the contract for this fiscal year, through June 30, 2026.</p><p>“This extension will allow for further legislative consideration of this program,” Strimple said.</p><p>The move puts the program in the hot seat for the 2026 legislative session as lawmakers are set to address another projected budget shortfall in the middle of a two-year budgeting cycle. Without a change in law, the program would still have at least some dedicated funding through June 30, 2027.</p><p>Neither DHHS nor Strimple answered whether the Pillen administration had cut other programs administratively since lawmakers passed the 2025-27 budget in May.</p><h2>‘A world of difference’</h2><p>Trambly, director of pharmacy for B&amp;R Stores Inc., which includes Russ’s Market and Super Saver, now oversees 15 pharmacies, including 12 in Nebraska.&nbsp;</p><p>She explained that before the statewide program began, no pharmacy she had worked for had a solid system to dispose of such medications in a healthy way for the community.</p><p>Twice-a-year drug take-back programs through the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dea.gov/takebackday" target="_blank">U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration</a>&nbsp;are helpful, Trambly said. But, she said, that’s “if you catch wind that it’s happening and have the availability to get there that day.”&nbsp;</p><p>Pertzborn said the DEA take-back program is also not active in every county and likely misses many Nebraskans. With a daily program, Pertzborn and Tambly said, patients can come at any time a participating pharmacy is open.</p><p>“There’s no gray area, it’s black and white. We can take these medications back,” Trambly said.</p><p>Trambly said that while she can’t speak to groundwater impacts, she can reflect as a mom of three children on the risk of medications like hormones, narcotics or chemotherapy drugs ending up in the state’s soil or water.</p><p>“I’m just really uncomfortable knowing that we wouldn’t be doing anything to prevent that from happening,” Trambly said.</p><p>Pertzborn and Trambly said the program also helps grieving families who are sometimes left with medications after a loved one dies. One pharmacy once collected a full trash bag of medicines from one family in such a case, Pertzborn said.</p><p>“It makes a world of difference to them and has just been great to be able to provide that to those people,” Trambly said.</p><h2>Future funding</h2><p>Multiple lawmakers the Examiner contacted said they weren’t necessarily opposed to the executive branch’s suggestion that pharmaceutical companies pay all or part of the bill. But many said the decision needed to be hashed out, including in the legislative budgeting process.</p><p>State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward was among lawmakers hoping funding could be restored, citing groundwater concerns. She said she was happy to later learn funding would be reestablished.</p><p>“As far as who pays for it, that can be discussed, and I’m open to looking for other sources of funding,” Hughes said in a text.</p><p>Hughes had successfully worked with the Nebraska Pharmacists Association and Pillen’s team to establish a prescription drug donation program for unexpired medications with&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/08/19/all-systems-go-medicine-now-flows-in-nebraska-iowa-prescription-drug-donation-program/">Iowa’s SafeNetRx nonprofit</a>. That program launched July 1 despite its own&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/funding-restored-for-nebraska-iowa-prescription-drug-donation-program-partnership/">budgetary problems</a>&nbsp;this spring.</p><p>The drug disposal and donation programs will both be funded this year, Strimple said.</p><p>State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, chair of the Legislature’s budget-writing Appropriations Committee, said his understanding was that the state had replaced federal funding and that state funding was supposed to be temporary. He noted that it’s unusual for state dollars to replace federal dollars, but in this case, the reverse had happened.</p><p>Like Pillen’s team, Clements said he thought pharmaceutical companies profiting from the drugs could contribute to their disposal, similar to how tobacco companies help fund some tobacco prevention programs.</p><p>“‘Big Pharma’ could contribute, and they would get some good public relations where they have some negative right now,” Clements said.</p><p>While future funding remains an unanswered question, Trambly, Pertzborn and Holman said they are thrilled with the contract reconsideration.</p><p>“We are open to any conversations about funding sources and are happy to look at ways that we can adjust the budget for this program going forward,” Holman said Wednesday. “But I think everyone can now see that it is a very important program in Nebraska that people care about and has been very successful for 10 years now.”</p>