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Tag: Nebraska

  • Dreiling’s hit in 9th gives Vols 12-11 walk-off win over Seminoles in CWS

    Dreiling’s hit in 9th gives Vols 12-11 walk-off win over Seminoles in CWS

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    OMAHA, Neb. — Florida State will play to avoid elimination from the College World Series on Sunday night after dropping its opener to top-seeded Tennessee 12-11 on Friday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida State lost to Tennessee 12-11 in both teams’ first game at the College World Series

    • The Volunteers’ Dylan Dreiling punched in the winning run with a single in the bottom of the ninth inning

    • A check-swing call for Tennessee’s Blake Burke in the ninth kept the Vols in the game 

    • The Seminoles play Virginia in an elimination game on Sunday

    • The Vols’ Christian Moore became the first player to hit for the cycle at the tournament since 1956.

    Dylan Dreiling’s single into the left-center field gap drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the ninth inning as Tennessee rallied to beat Florida State, capping a night when Christian Moore became the first player in 68 years to hit for the cycle at the College World Series.

    Tennessee (56-12) will play North Carolina in a Bracket 1 winner’s game on Sunday night. Florida State (47-16) will meet Virginia in an elimination game in the afternoon.

    The Volunteers overcame sloppy defensive play and poor pitching, ratcheting up their high-powered offense another notch at the end to win their first CWS opener in five appearances since 2001.

    Moore went 5-for-6 for the Volunteers while becoming the first player to hit for the cycle at the CWS since Minnesota’s Jerry Kindall did it against Mississippi in 1956.

    Tennessee, which trailed 9-4 in the fifth inning, overcame its biggest deficit to win on the road or at a neutral site since coming from five runs down to win at UC Irvine in 2017.

    The Vols, in the CWS for a second straight year and third in the past four, trailed 11-8 entering the bottom of the ninth. Kavares Tears, who homered earlier, tripled leading off and scored on a sacrifice fly.

    Moore came to bat with two outs and a runner on base and was down to his last strike against Brennen Oxford (2-1) when he doubled into the left-field corner.

    “It was a fight, me against him, mano a mano,” Moore said. “I guess I won that.”

    That brought up Blake Burke, who delivered the tying single up the middle after he might have caught a break when third-base umpire Shawn Rakos signaled Burke checked his swing on a pitch with two strikes.

    “It was a check swing, and I didn’t go,” Burke said. “Just kept battling and that was the result.”

    FSU coach Link Jarrett’s body language in the dugout indicated he didn’t agree with the check-swing call. He did not directly address the play after the game. Had the call gone the other way, the game would have been over, and FSU would have won.

    “You guys saw the game,” he told reporters. “I need to watch every pitch of this game again. There’s factors in this that affect the outcome of the game, and I can’t tell from 90 feet away on the side what was going on with some of the things that occurred. Every pitch matters in these games, and you saw the result of this.”

    Burke moved to second on Billy Amick’s single off Oxford, and then Dreiling drove in the winning run on the second pitch from Connor Hults.

    Nate Snead (10-2), the sixth Tennessee pitcher, got the win after holding the Seminoles scoreless on one hit over the last 2-1/3 innings.

    The Seminoles took a 9-4 lead in the fourth inning when Jaime Ferrer hit a two-run home run, the first of the College World Series and his 20th of the season.

    After Tennessee scored off homers in fifth and sixth innings, Marco Dinges put FSU up 11-7 with a two-run double in the seventh inning. 

    Moore, the Vols’ leadoff man and a projected top-15 pick in the amateur draft next month, started his big night with a triple, his first since 2022, into the right-center gap in the first inning. He doubled in the second, singled in the fourth and drove the ball 440 feet to straight-away center for his 33rd homer of the season leading off the bottom of the sixth.

    “The whole game, I tried to get on base and set the tone,” Moore said. “I really, to be honest, didn’t know I did it (hit for the cycle).”

    The Vols’ first walk-off win of the season came after a grinding first half of the game. They committed three errors in a game for only the second time this season. The three errors also matched their most in 21 all-time CWS games. Tennessee pitchers combined to allow 13 hits, walk a season high-tying nine and hit a batter.

    The top-seeded Vols came to Omaha with a school-record 173 homers and averaging 9.2 runs per game for the season and 10.7 for the NCAA Tournament. Burke said it was only a matter of time before the offense cranked up.

    “We threw a bunch of jabs the whole game,” he said, “and landed the big punch in the ninth.”

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  • Nebraska sues TikTok for allegedly targeting minors with

    Nebraska sues TikTok for allegedly targeting minors with

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    Nebraska is suing social media giant TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, claiming the platform targets minors with “addictive design” and is “fueling a youth mental health crisis.”

    “TikTok has shown no regard for the wreckage its exploitative algorithm is leaving behind,” Attorney General Mike Hilgers said in a statement. 

    The lawsuit, filed in state court Wednesday, claims the platform engages in “deceptive and unfair trade practices” by claiming it is “family-friendly” and “safe for young users.” 

    The lawsuit alleges TikTok does not adhere to its own Community Guidelines, which states the platform does not allow “content that may put young people at risk.” The platform has also spent millions on advertising stating it’s suitable for young people, the complaint alleges, and representatives of TikTok have testified repeatedly the company monitors for harmful content and removes content that risks harm to minors or otherwise violates the Community Guidelines.

    But the lawsuit alleges the opposite is true and that teens and children are shown inappropriate content based on the platform’s algorithm and “addictive design.” 

    As part of its investigation, Nebraska created TikTok accounts for fictitious minor users registered as 13, 15, and 17 years old, the lawsuit said. Within minutes, the lawsuit claims, the teen users were directed to inappropriate content by the TikTok algorithm, including videos described in graphic detail in the lawsuit as simulating sexual acts and encouraging eating disorders. 

    Much of the content pushed to minors is encouraged by the “For You” feed, the lawsuit claims, which shows users the alleged inappropriate content without them searching for similar videos. Instead, the video just pops into minors’ feeds uninvited, the lawsuit claims. 

    Hilgers said kids are shown “inappropriate content, ranging from videos that encourage suicidal ideation and fuel depression, drive body image issues, and encourage eating disorders to those that encourage drug use and sexual content wildly inappropriate for young kids.”

    These interactions have fueled “a youth mental health crisis in Nebraska,” the lawsuit said. 

    TikTok refutes the allegations. 

    “TikTok has industry-leading safeguards to support teens’ well-being, including age-restricted features, parental controls, an automatic 60-minute time limit for people under 18, and more. We will continue working to address these industry-wide concerns,” a company spokesperson told CBS News in a statement.

    Nebraska’s lawsuit comes as TikTok battles the U.S. government over recent legislation requiring the platform to cut ties with its China-based owner within a year or be effectively banned from the United States. 

    TikTok said in a lawsuit filed earlier this month that banning the popular social media platform would violate the First Amendment rights of its users. Eight TikToker users — with millions of followers between them — filed a similar suit against the federal government last week. 

    More than 30 states and the federal government have banned the app on state- or government-issued devices. Montana became the first state to ban the app last May, a few months later a federal judge overturned the ruling, in part because the ban “infringes on the Constitutional rights of users and businesses.”

    — Melissa Quinn and C. Mandler contributed reporting.

    Cara Tabachnick

    Cara Tabachnick is a news editor at CBSNews.com. Cara began her career on the crime beat at Newsday. She has written for Marie Claire, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. She reports on justice and human rights issues. Contact her at cara.tabachnick@cbsinteractive.com

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  • GOP advances Senate candidates in West Virginia and Maryland who could flip Democratic seats

    GOP advances Senate candidates in West Virginia and Maryland who could flip Democratic seats

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    West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan won Republican Senate nominations on Tuesday as voters across neighboring states with antithetical politics decided contests with big implications for the Senate majority fight this fall.At the same time, Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump tried to project strength in low-stakes presidential primaries. Further down the ballot, two congressional candidates on opposite sides of the 2021 Capitol attack serve as a stark reminder that the nation remains deeply divided over the deadly insurrection.In all, three states hosted statewide primary elections on Tuesday — Maryland, Nebraska and West Virginia — as Republicans and Democrats pick their nominees for a slate of fall elections. None were more consequential than Senate primaries in deep-blue Maryland and deep-red West Virginia, where Republicans are eying pickup opportunities that could flip control of Congress’ upper chamber for at least two years.A Trump critic vies for Maryland’s GOP nomination In Maryland, Hogan claimed the GOP Senate nomination, giving Republicans a legitimate chance at picking up a Senate seat in the deep-blue state for the first time in more than four decades.Hogan overcame his years-long criticism of Trump, a position that put him at odds with many Republican primary voters but will undoubtedly help him in the general election this fall. Maryland voters gave Biden a 33-point victory over Trump four years ago.On the Democratic side, Rep. David Trone has been locked in a contentious — and expensive — battle with Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.Video below: Some Primary Election polling places in Maryland delay openingTrone, the co-founder of the Total Wine & More national liquor store chain, has put more than $61 million of his own money into the race. That’s just shy of the national record for self-funding a Senate campaign, with much of it going to a months-long TV ad blitz. The three-term congressman says he’s better positioned to beat Hogan in November as a progressive Democrat not beholden to special interests.Race has been an issue in the primary, with Alsobrooks working to become Maryland’s first Black U.S. senator. Trone apologized in March for what he said was the inadvertent use of a racial slur during a budget hearing.Alsobrooks has been endorsed by many of the state’s top officials, including Gov. Wes Moore, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. Steny Hoyer and a long list of state lawmakers. She has campaigned on growing economic opportunity, investing in education and protecting abortion rights.The West Virginia battle to replace Manchin Justice’s won his primary against U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney in the race to replace Sen. Joe Manchin. With Manchin gone, the seat is almost guaranteed to turn red come November.The Trump-endorsed Justice, a former billionaire with a folksy personality, is wildly popular in the state. He also earned Trump’s endorsement. A former Democrat, Justice switched to the Republican Party in 2017, announcing the change at a Trump rally.Mooney had tried to win over conservatives by labeling Justice a “RINO” — which stands for “Republican in name only” — who would support Democratic policies. Justice did support Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law, saying West Virginia couldn’t afford to turn away the money offered in the bill.At a polling place in West Virginia’s capital city, voter Steve Ervin said his votes Tuesday were directly related to Trump.“I really did an exhaustive study of the sample ballot of who I believe supported Trump and Trump supported them,” said Ervin, who works in the state’s unemployment office. “That’s what I made my whole decision on.”West Virginia is also deciding its candidates for governor. Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, the Republican nominee in the 2018 Senate race against Manchin, is running for the Republican nomination. He’s up against former state Rep. Moore Capito, whose mother is Sen. Shelley Moore Capito.Tests of strength in the presidential primary Biden and Trump have already amassed enough delegates to claim the presidential nominations at their respective national conventions this summer. Yet voters on both sides hope to register a significant protest vote Tuesday that will demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the Biden-Trump rematch.Both Biden and Trump won their primaries in West Virginia and Maryland.Still, Maryland progressives especially unhappy with the Biden administration’s support for Israel in its war against Hamas had encouraged voters to select “uncommitted to any presidential candidate” instead of Biden. There was no uncommitted option in West Virginia or Nebraska.Everett Bellamy, a Democrat who voted early in Annapolis, said he voted “uncommitted” instead of Biden as a protest against the killing of women and children and noncombatants in Gaza.“I wanted to send a message,” Bellamy, 74, said after leaving an early voting center.Meanwhile, Trump’s Republican critics cannot choose “uncommitted,” but they can choose his former GOP rival Nikki Haley, who will appear on the ballot in Maryland, Nebraska and West Virginia despite formally suspending her campaign more than two months ago.Derek Faux, an independent voter from Charleston, W.V., said he supported Haley, and in other Republican races, he said he voted for the candidates he believed were least like Trump.“I would rather see moderate, reasonable Republicans than some of the other folks,” said Faux, a librarian.Two sides of the insurrection Tuesday’s elections also include two candidates who were intimately involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.In West Virginia, a former member of the House of Delegates, Derrick Evans, is running for the Republican nomination in the 1st Congressional District. The 39-year-old Trump loyalist served a three-month jail sentence after livestreaming himself participating in the storming of the U.S. Capitol.Evans is trying to oust incumbent Republican Rep. Carol Miller.In Maryland, former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn is among nearly two dozen Democrats running in the state’s 3rd Congressional District. The 40-year-old Democrat was in the Capitol working to repel the violent mob on Jan. 6. Other key racesIn Nebraska, Republican Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts both face nominal opposition in their primaries, one of the rare occasions when both senators in a state are on the ballot at the same time. And in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon faces a challenge from his right flank.In North Carolina, voters finalized their pick of the Trump-endorsed Brad Knott in what had become a one-person Republican primary in the state’s 13th Congressional District.___This story has deleted an incorrect reference to a California election being Tuesday. The California election is next week.___Willingham reported from Charleston, West Virginia. Peoples reported from Washington.

    West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan won Republican Senate nominations on Tuesday as voters across neighboring states with antithetical politics decided contests with big implications for the Senate majority fight this fall.

    At the same time, Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump tried to project strength in low-stakes presidential primaries. Further down the ballot, two congressional candidates on opposite sides of the 2021 Capitol attack serve as a stark reminder that the nation remains deeply divided over the deadly insurrection.

    In all, three states hosted statewide primary elections on Tuesday — Maryland, Nebraska and West Virginia — as Republicans and Democrats pick their nominees for a slate of fall elections. None were more consequential than Senate primaries in deep-blue Maryland and deep-red West Virginia, where Republicans are eying pickup opportunities that could flip control of Congress’ upper chamber for at least two years.

    A Trump critic vies for Maryland’s GOP nomination

    In Maryland, Hogan claimed the GOP Senate nomination, giving Republicans a legitimate chance at picking up a Senate seat in the deep-blue state for the first time in more than four decades.

    Hogan overcame his years-long criticism of Trump, a position that put him at odds with many Republican primary voters but will undoubtedly help him in the general election this fall. Maryland voters gave Biden a 33-point victory over Trump four years ago.

    On the Democratic side, Rep. David Trone has been locked in a contentious — and expensive — battle with Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.

    Video below: Some Primary Election polling places in Maryland delay opening

    Trone, the co-founder of the Total Wine & More national liquor store chain, has put more than $61 million of his own money into the race. That’s just shy of the national record for self-funding a Senate campaign, with much of it going to a months-long TV ad blitz. The three-term congressman says he’s better positioned to beat Hogan in November as a progressive Democrat not beholden to special interests.

    Race has been an issue in the primary, with Alsobrooks working to become Maryland’s first Black U.S. senator. Trone apologized in March for what he said was the inadvertent use of a racial slur during a budget hearing.

    Alsobrooks has been endorsed by many of the state’s top officials, including Gov. Wes Moore, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. Steny Hoyer and a long list of state lawmakers. She has campaigned on growing economic opportunity, investing in education and protecting abortion rights.

    The West Virginia battle to replace Manchin

    Justice’s won his primary against U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney in the race to replace Sen. Joe Manchin. With Manchin gone, the seat is almost guaranteed to turn red come November.

    The Trump-endorsed Justice, a former billionaire with a folksy personality, is wildly popular in the state. He also earned Trump’s endorsement. A former Democrat, Justice switched to the Republican Party in 2017, announcing the change at a Trump rally.

    Mooney had tried to win over conservatives by labeling Justice a “RINO” — which stands for “Republican in name only” — who would support Democratic policies. Justice did support Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law, saying West Virginia couldn’t afford to turn away the money offered in the bill.

    At a polling place in West Virginia’s capital city, voter Steve Ervin said his votes Tuesday were directly related to Trump.

    “I really did an exhaustive study of the sample ballot of who I believe supported Trump and Trump supported them,” said Ervin, who works in the state’s unemployment office. “That’s what I made my whole decision on.”

    West Virginia is also deciding its candidates for governor. Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, the Republican nominee in the 2018 Senate race against Manchin, is running for the Republican nomination. He’s up against former state Rep. Moore Capito, whose mother is Sen. Shelley Moore Capito.

    Tests of strength in the presidential primary

    Biden and Trump have already amassed enough delegates to claim the presidential nominations at their respective national conventions this summer. Yet voters on both sides hope to register a significant protest vote Tuesday that will demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the Biden-Trump rematch.

    Both Biden and Trump won their primaries in West Virginia and Maryland.

    Still, Maryland progressives especially unhappy with the Biden administration’s support for Israel in its war against Hamas had encouraged voters to select “uncommitted to any presidential candidate” instead of Biden. There was no uncommitted option in West Virginia or Nebraska.

    Everett Bellamy, a Democrat who voted early in Annapolis, said he voted “uncommitted” instead of Biden as a protest against the killing of women and children and noncombatants in Gaza.

    “I wanted to send a message,” Bellamy, 74, said after leaving an early voting center.

    Meanwhile, Trump’s Republican critics cannot choose “uncommitted,” but they can choose his former GOP rival Nikki Haley, who will appear on the ballot in Maryland, Nebraska and West Virginia despite formally suspending her campaign more than two months ago.

    Derek Faux, an independent voter from Charleston, W.V., said he supported Haley, and in other Republican races, he said he voted for the candidates he believed were least like Trump.

    “I would rather see moderate, reasonable Republicans than some of the other folks,” said Faux, a librarian.

    Two sides of the insurrection

    Tuesday’s elections also include two candidates who were intimately involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

    In West Virginia, a former member of the House of Delegates, Derrick Evans, is running for the Republican nomination in the 1st Congressional District. The 39-year-old Trump loyalist served a three-month jail sentence after livestreaming himself participating in the storming of the U.S. Capitol.

    Evans is trying to oust incumbent Republican Rep. Carol Miller.

    In Maryland, former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn is among nearly two dozen Democrats running in the state’s 3rd Congressional District. The 40-year-old Democrat was in the Capitol working to repel the violent mob on Jan. 6.

    Other key races

    In Nebraska, Republican Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts both face nominal opposition in their primaries, one of the rare occasions when both senators in a state are on the ballot at the same time. And in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon faces a challenge from his right flank.

    In North Carolina, voters finalized their pick of the Trump-endorsed Brad Knott in what had become a one-person Republican primary in the state’s 13th Congressional District.

    ___

    This story has deleted an incorrect reference to a California election being Tuesday. The California election is next week.

    ___

    Willingham reported from Charleston, West Virginia. Peoples reported from Washington.

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  • Nebraska Supreme Court upholds woman’s murder conviction, life sentence in killing and dismemberment of Tinder date

    Nebraska Supreme Court upholds woman’s murder conviction, life sentence in killing and dismemberment of Tinder date

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    The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction and life sentence of a woman in the 2017 death and dismemberment of a Nebraska hardware store clerk.

    Bailey Boswell, 30, was convicted in 2020 of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and improper disposal of human remains in the death of 24-year-old Sydney Loofe. Boswell’s co-defendant and boyfriend at the time of the killing, 58-year-old Aubrey Trail, was convicted of the same charges in 2019 and sentenced to death in 2021.

    Prosecutors said Boswell and Trail had been planning to kill someone before Boswell met Loofe on the dating app Tinder. Boswell made plans for a date with Loofe, a cashier at a Menards store in Lincoln, to lure her to the apartment where she was strangled.

    Tinder Date Woman Killed
    In this Aug. 6, 2018, file photo, Bailey Boswell, right, sits with her attorney Todd Lancaster during Boswell’s murder trial at the Saline County Court in Wilbur, Neb. 

    Eric Gregory/Lincoln Journal Star via AP, Pool, File


    The FBI and other law enforcement spent three weeks searching for Loofe before her dismembered remains were found in December 2017. Loofe’s body was found cut into 14 pieces and left in garbage bags in ditches along rural roads in southeastern Nebraska.

    Loofe was still alive when Trail and Boswell were caught on store surveillance video buying the tools that police think they used to dismember her, prosecutors said in court documents.

    In her appeal, Boswell challenged the admission of evidence by prosecutors in her trial, including photographs of Loofe’s dismembered body, arguing the gruesome photos served only to turn the jury against her. Boswell also objected to the testimony of several women who said Trail and Boswell had talked of occult fantasies and had expressed a desire to sexually torture and kill women.

    During Boswell’s sentencing hearing, Doug Warner, the assistant attorney general, pointed to a photo of Loofe’s detached arm, with a tattoo that read “Everything will be wonderful someday,” CBS affiliate KMTV reported. Warner said some of the knife marks around the tattoo had nothing to do with the dismemberment.

    Warner cited the “apparent relishment of the murder by the defendant, needless mutilation of the victim, senselessness of the crime and helplessness of the victim.”

    loofe.jpg
    Sydney Loofe

    KMTV


    Boswell’s defense attorney argued at her trial that she was forced by Trail to go along with the killing and dismemberment of Loofe.

    Justice Stephanie Stacy wrote for the high court’s unanimous ruling Friday that “there is no merit to any of Boswell’s assigned errors regarding the trial court’s evidentiary rulings.”

    Shortly after Loofe’s disappearance, Boswell and Trail initially posted a Facebook video in which they maintained their innocence, KMTV reported. Boswell said in the video she and Loofe did drugs at her house before she dropped Loofe off at a friend’s house. Boswell said they had planned to go to a casino that weekend, but she hadn’t heard from Loofe since.

    The video was a deleted a few hours after it was posted to the “Finding Sydney Loofe” Facebook page.

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  • 4/26: CBS Evening News

    4/26: CBS Evening News

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    4/26: CBS Evening News – CBS News


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    More than a dozen tornadoes touch down across Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska; High schoolers organize benefit dinner for young cancer patients and families

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  • More than a dozen tornadoes touch down across Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska

    More than a dozen tornadoes touch down across Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska

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    More than a dozen tornadoes touch down across Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska – CBS News


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    More than a dozen tornadoes have touched down in three states – Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska. Video shows a massive twister tearing across the interstate north of Lincoln, Nebraska, as large pieces of debris flew through the air. Omar Villafranca reports from Ennis, Texas.

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  • Germany Deflates GOP’s Anti Marijuana Efforts

    Germany Deflates GOP’s Anti Marijuana Efforts

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    The GOP’s argument against marijuana took a body blow from Germany

    Running against the grain of public sentiment, some members of the GOP are fighting against cannabis rescheduling and trying to be clever.  The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is still having internal discussions about whether to reschedule cannabis from a schedule I to schedule III-controlled substance with some in the GOP wishing to stop the process.  But along comes Germany and they are deflating their efforts.

    Germany has the biggest economy in the EU and are a leader in the United Nations and NATO.  A practical country, they just legalized marijuana. Officials shared legalization would undermine criminal trade in the drug, guard against harmful impurities, and free police to pursue more serious crimes alongside providing medical benefits.

    RELATED: California or New York, Which Has The Biggest Marijuana Mess

    Republican Senators Jim Risch (R-), Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Pete Ricketts (R-NB) are unhappy with the the administration’s plan to reschedule marijuana. To stop or slow the process, these senators question if it violate US treaty obligations. Data shows 89% of citizens believe it should be legal in some form, so they are definitely swimming against the flow of public opinion. Additionally, science, data and the healthcare community have proven it has clear medical benefits.

    The United Nations’s (UN) drug control body reaffirmed legalizing marijuana for non-medical or non-scientific purposes a violation of international treaties.  But enforcement is non-existent.  While Uruguay was technical the first, Canada was the first to fully implement it and the UN has done nothing.  Since then Georgia, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, South Africa and Thailand have made the move without any issues.

    The Senators move has some support in the house, but Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has made it clear he wants progress on cannabis legalization.  Germany’s move severely undercuts the GOPs efforts.

    Andrew Cooper, partner at Falcon Rappaport & Berkman LLP, one of the top cannabis law firms believes “Consequently, if anything, the fact that Germany legalized adult-use cannabis despite all the hurdles (including not only the Single Convention, but the Schengen Convention of 1985, the EU Framework Decision 2004/757/JHA of 2004, and the Narcotic Drug Act (BtMG), when the U.S. only really needs to address (and likely ignore) the Single Convention, may provide some impetus to the DEA to follow suit”.

    RELATED: Americans Want It, Some Politicians Prefer a Nanny State

    Tom Zuber, Managing Partner of Zuber Lawler whose west coast firm has a robust cannabis division states “It’s exciting to see Germany making history by legalizing cannabis at the recreational level as the largest economy in the European Union. I hope that Germany’s leadership on this front will inspire other countries throughout the world to do the same, including the United States.

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    Terry Hacienda

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  • Iowa takes Big 10 Women’s Basketball title against Nebraska with several Minnesotans on the roster

    Iowa takes Big 10 Women’s Basketball title against Nebraska with several Minnesotans on the roster

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    MINNEAPOLIS — Iowa women’s basketball team is taking home their third back-to-back Big 10 National Championship. 

    On Sunday, the nail-biting battle between the Hawkeyes and Nebraska Cornhuskers ended in overtime with Iowa taking the win 94-89.

    This year’s tournament made history as the first-ever sold-out NCAA women’s tournament. A lot of that is in credit to Iowa’s superstar, Caitlin Clark. However, there was a lot of local support in the crowd for the three Minnesota players on the Nebraska roster: Kendall Coley, of Minneapolis; Annika Stewart, of Plymouth; and Callin Hake, of Victoria.

    “I couldn’t be more proud. That’s my best friend,” said Chase Coley, Kendall’s older sister.

    The two siblings bonded through basketball. Chase mastered the game at Washburn High School, and Kendall at St. Louis Park.

    Chase then went on to play for the Iowa Hawkeyes from 2014-2018, and on Sunday, she got to watch her little sister take on her former team on one of the biggest stages in college women’s basketball.

    Nebraska v Maryland
    Kendall Coley #32, Maddie Krull #42, Annika Stewart #21 and Darian White #0 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers celebrate a three-pointer against the Maryland Terrapins in the Semifinal Round of the Big Ten Tournament at Target Center on March 09, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

    Adam Bettcher / Getty Images


    “I’m so lucky I get to watch my two favorite teams in the Big 10 play against each other,” said Chase Coley.

    During the championship game, they got to watch Kendall sink a three-pointer in the first half to give the Cornhuskers a strong lead.

    “To see her step on the court and have some really impactful plays during this tournament to get them to the championship game is unreal,” said Chase Coley.

    Caitlin Clark may be the biggest reason why this arena is sold out, but she shares the bigger spotlight with all the other players, giving them their moment too.

    “How lucky are you to be a young lady playing on this platform in front of all these people?” said Tyler Coley, Kendall’s dad, “And that’s what [Kendall] strived to do — to perform, and it’s entertainment.”

    The Big 10 action returns later this week to the Target Center. The Men’s Basketball Tournament is set to kick off this Wednesday. 

    Marielle Mohs


    marielle-mohs.png

    Marielle Mohs is thrilled to be telling stories in her home state of Minnesota. She grew up in Eden Prairie and South Minneapolis.

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    Marielle Mohs

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  • Beyond the City: 9 Charming Small Towns in Nebraska

    Beyond the City: 9 Charming Small Towns in Nebraska

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    Nebraska, a state often celebrated for its vast prairies and rich agricultural heritage, also boasts a collection of small towns waiting to be discovered. In this Redfin article, we’ll take a closer look at 9 small towns in Nebraska, including Blair and Gering, which stand out for their distinctive character and welcoming atmosphere. Whether you’re considering buying a home in Nebraska or simply curious about what life is like in its quieter corners, join us as we explore the hidden gems that make the Cornhusker State truly special.

    1. Blair, NE

    Median Sale Price: $162,500
    Homes for sale in Blair | Apartments for rent in Blair

    Nestled along the Missouri River, Blair offers a serene living environment with a rich historical backdrop. Residents enjoy outdoor activities such as fishing and boating at nearby DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge. The town’s annual Arbor Day celebration highlights its commitment to community and environmental stewardship, making it a charming place for nature lovers.

    2. Gering, NE

    Median Sale Price: $315,000
    Homes for sale in Gering | Apartments for rent in Gering

    At the foot of the iconic Scotts Bluff National Monument, Gering captivates with its scenic beauty and outdoor adventures. The town’s Oregon Trail Days festival, a celebration of its pioneering history, attracts visitors from across the region. Gering’s community spirit is further shown in its farmers markets and the local high school’s spirited sporting events.

    3. Alliance, NE

    Median Sale Price: $229,000
    Homes for sale in Alliance | Apartments for rent in Alliance

    Alliance is home to the unique Carhenge, a must-see attraction that mirrors England’s Stonehenge with vintage cars. This quirky landmark epitomizes the town’s creative vibe. Alliance’s commitment to arts and culture is evident in its vibrant murals and the annual Heritage Days festival, celebrating the town’s rich history and tight-knit community.

    nebraska sunrise with trees_Getty

    4. Lexington, NE

    Median Sale Price: $238,000
    Homes for sale in Lexington | Apartments for rent in Lexington

    Lexington’s diverse cultural heritage is celebrated through its array of ethnic festivals, including a vibrant Cinco de Mayo celebration. The Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles is a local treasure, offering insights into the nation’s military history. Lexington’s community is bolstered by its agricultural roots, with local farms contributing to both the economy and the dining tables of residents.

    5. South Sioux City, NE

    Median Sale Price: $231,000
    Homes for sale in South Sioux City | Apartments for rent in South Sioux City

    With its picturesque location on the banks of the Missouri River, South Sioux City is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. The city’s Crystal Cove Park is a popular spot for hiking, biking, and fishing. The annual Cardinal Festival celebrates local culture and community, featuring live music, food, and fun activities.

    6. Beatrice, NE

    Median Sale Price: $155,000
    Homes for sale in Beatrice | Apartments for rent in Beatrice

    Beatrice is the gateway to the Homestead National Monument of America, where visitors can delve into the history of the Homestead Act. The town’s Chautauqua Park offers peaceful walking trails and picnic areas. Beatrice’s community life is highlighted during the annual Homestead Days festival, which features crafts, food, and historical reenactments, drawing together residents and visitors in celebration.

    7. Scottsbluff, NE

    Median Sale Price: $219,000
    Homes for sale in Scottsbluff | Apartments for rent in Scottsbluff

    Scottsbluff is a small town in Nebraska that serves as a haven for history buffs and nature lovers alike. The Scotts Bluff National Monument offers breathtaking views and hiking trails, while the West Nebraska Arts Center showcases local and regional artists. The town’s strong sense of community is evident in its support for the local farmers market and the annual Riverside Discovery Center Zoo’s Spooktacular event, offering fun for all ages.

    welcome to nebraska sign during the day_Getty

    8. Columbus, NE

    Median Sale Price: $305,000
    Homes for sale in Columbus | Apartments for rent in Columbus

    Columbus is known for its dynamic manufacturing sector and strong work ethic, but it’s also a place where community and leisure are highly valued. The Pawnee Plunge Water Park offers respite during hot summers, while the annual Columbus Days festival, with its parade and family activities, brings the community together. The town’s commitment to arts and culture is evident in the Columbus Arts Council’s regular events and exhibitions.

    9. North Platte, NE

    Median Sale Price: $141,000
    Homes for sale in North Platte | Apartments for rent in North Platte

    North Platte is famous for hosting Nebraska’s largest annual celebration, Nebraskaland Days, which includes concerts, a rodeo, and parades. The town’s spirit of adventure can be seen in the Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, offering a glimpse into the life of one of the most iconic figures of the American West. North Platte’s community is characterized by its hospitality and the warmth of its residents, making it a welcoming place for newcomers and visitors.

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  • Air Force employee charged with sharing classified info on Russia’s war with Ukraine on dating site

    Air Force employee charged with sharing classified info on Russia’s war with Ukraine on dating site

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    Air Force employee charged with sharing classified info on Russia’s war with Ukraine on dating site

    A civilian U.S. Air Force employee has been charged in federal court in Nebraska with transmitting classified information about Russia’s war with Ukraine on a foreign online dating platform, the Justice Department said Monday.Related video above: Russian forces ramp up assault in UkraineDavid Franklin Slater, 63, who authorities say retired as an Army lieutenant colonel and was assigned to the U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, was arrested Saturday on charges of illegally disclosing national defense information and conspiring to do so.Prosecutors say Slater attended briefings between February and April 2022 about Russia’s war with Ukraine and, despite having signed paperwork pledging not to disclose classified information, shared details about military targets and Russian capabilities on an online messaging platform with an unindicted co-conspirator who claimed to be a woman living in Ukraine.According to an indictment, that alleged co-conspirator, who is not identified by prosecutors, repeatedly asked Slater for information and described him as “my secret informant love.”It wasn’t immediately clear if Slater had a lawyer. He is due to make his first court appearance Tuesday.

    WASHINGTON —

    A civilian U.S. Air Force employee has been charged in federal court in Nebraska with transmitting classified information about Russia’s war with Ukraine on a foreign online dating platform, the Justice Department said Monday.

    Related video above: Russian forces ramp up assault in Ukraine

    David Franklin Slater, 63, who authorities say retired as an Army lieutenant colonel and was assigned to the U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, was arrested Saturday on charges of illegally disclosing national defense information and conspiring to do so.

    Prosecutors say Slater attended briefings between February and April 2022 about Russia’s war with Ukraine and, despite having signed paperwork pledging not to disclose classified information, shared details about military targets and Russian capabilities on an online messaging platform with an unindicted co-conspirator who claimed to be a woman living in Ukraine.

    According to an indictment, that alleged co-conspirator, who is not identified by prosecutors, repeatedly asked Slater for information and described him as “my secret informant love.”

    It wasn’t immediately clear if Slater had a lawyer. He is due to make his first court appearance Tuesday.

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  • 14 states are cutting individual income taxes in 2024. Here are where taxpayers are getting a break.

    14 states are cutting individual income taxes in 2024. Here are where taxpayers are getting a break.

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    Are you ready for 2024 tax season? Experts breaks down what you need to know before filing


    Are you ready for 2024 tax season? Experts breaks down what you need to know before filing

    05:47

    Taxpayers in 14 states could get some financial relief this year thanks to lower individual tax rates enacted in 2024, according to an analysis from the Tax Foundation, a think tank that focuses on taxes.

    The reductions represent a continuation of “tax cut fever,” as termed by the left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP). The drive to cut state taxes began during the pandemic when many states found themselves flush with tax revenue. With coffers fat, lawmakers sought to provide some relief to their constituents, typically through tax rebates or rate reductions.

    The states that are reducing taxes in 2024 tend to be controlled by Republican lawmakers, although there are some Democratic-controlled states that are also jumping on the tax cut bandwagon. Connecticut, for one, is reducing its tax rates for low- and middle-income residents, while keeping its highest marginal rate unchanged. 

    Lowering tax rates can help make a state more competitive, potentially drawing remote workers and businesses within their borders, noted Manish Bhatt, senior policy analyst with the Center for State Tax Policy at the Tax Foundation.

    “The last few years have been incredibly fast-paced in the world of tax rate cuts, and they are to find a competitive edge over either neighboring states or around the country,” Bhatt told CBS MoneyWatch. 

    That logic begs the question of whether people and businesses are incentivized to move in pursuit of lower tax rates. The evidence is mixed: While some researchers have found that Americans shifted to low-tax states in recent years, it could be that some of those taxpayers moved because they were in search of a new job, better weather or lower housing costs. 

    Other research has found little evidence that lower tax rates drive migration. For instance, even if people move to lower-tax states, they are often replaced in their higher-tax states by new people moving in, noted the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in a 2023 research paper. 

    Red state tax cuts

    Many of the tax cuts will benefit the states’ richest residents, with 12 of the 14 states reducing their top marginal rate, or the tax rate that impacts their highest earners.

    Take Arkansas, which is reducing its top marginal rate to 4.4% in 2024, from 4.7% last year. To be sure, the top marginal rate applies to any taxpayer earning more than $24,300, or about 1.1 million residents — a broad base of low-, middle- and high-income earners, according to the Arkansas Advocate. 

    But about 70% of the tax cut’s benefit will be enjoyed by the 20% richest households in the state, or those earning more than $264,000 annually, the newspaper noted, citing data from ITEP. 

    In the eyes of Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the cut will help draw people to the state. If you are “a young family looking for a new place to settle down, moving to Arkansas has never been better,” Sanders said when signing the bill to lower tax rates last year, the Arkansas Advocate reported.

    There are also longer-term issues that could tarnish the allure of tax cuts. For instance, these tax-cutting states could face a financial pinch when a recession hits — which could lead to hits to essential services, from education to road maintenance. 

    One such example of a tax cut that backfired occurred in Kansas over a decade ago. In 2012, state lawmakers cut income tax rates for top earners by almost one-third and reduced some business taxes to zero. The idea was that lower taxes would kickstart economic growth. 

    Instead, the state was forced to slash spending on services, including education, and the state actually underperformed neighboring states economically. Eventually, the tax cuts were reversed.

    Aimee Picchi

    Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

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  • Nation’s Midsize Cities Announce They Have No Idea Who Their Mayor Is

    Nation’s Midsize Cities Announce They Have No Idea Who Their Mayor Is

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    OMAHA, NE—Standing tall as they proclaimed their ignorance and confusion, citizens of the nation’s midsize cities announced Thursday that they have no idea who their mayor is. “Let me guess: Is it Pete Buttigieg?” said Kevin Warder, spokesperson for a coalition that represents hopelessly clueless residents of communities with less than 500,000 people, including the cities of Omaha, Cincinnati, Cedar Rapids, Rochester, Durham, and Colorado Springs. “Hmm, I’m not sure. He’s probably white or Black or something. Does he have little glasses, or is that the governor? I thought maybe he was the guy who extended the light rail? Wait, we don’t have a light rail, what am I talking about?” At press time, the residents of midsize cities were reportedly rattled after discovering the existence of a city council.

    Department Of Transportation Announces $1 Billion Investment In Horses

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  • Jane Fonda Reveals Why Her Father Once Slapped Her In The Face

    Jane Fonda Reveals Why Her Father Once Slapped Her In The Face

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    Opinion

    Source YouTube: Kerry Washington, On Golden Pond

    The radically liberal actress Jane Fonda is speaking out this week to reveal why her legendary Hollywood star father Henry Fonda once smacked her across the face.

    Jane’s Father Smacked Her

    While appearing on the former “Scandal” actress Kerry Washington’s “Street You Grew Up On” podcast, Jane recalled when her father married his second wife Susan Blanchard, a Jewish socialite and stepdaughter of musical theater director and composer Oscar Hammerstein II, after the suicide of her mother. When he married Susan, Henry moved to Greeenwich Village in New York City, across the country from where Jane and her younger brother Peter were raised in Los Angeles.

    “She (Susan) had African-American friends, and for the first time I got to know Geoffrey Holder, who I now realize — I always thought of him as a dancer — but someone just gave me a book … of his artwork. He was a great artist,” said Jane, 86.

    When asked by Kerry if she was exposed to black people in Los Angeles, Jane replied, “No, not at all. Not exposed to people of color at all.”

    “I didn’t know racism until I went to Greenwich,” she continued. “That was the first time I ever heard the N-word, and I repeated the N-word once, and [it was] the only time in his life that my dad whacked me across the face. He said, ‘Don’t you ever, ever say that word again.’”

    Jane went on to say that when Henry was a child, his father forced him to watch a Black man be hanged and his body be dragged around the town’s square in Omaha, Nebraska.

    “That had a huge impact on my father,” she explained, adding that it inspired him to make movies like The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), The Wrong Man (1956), and 12 Angry Men (1957).

    “He cared about justice and he hated racism, and, you know, with that slap taught me to pay attention,” Jane concluded.

    Related: Jane Fonda, 85, Announces She’s Leaving Acting Until 2024 Presidential Election To Focus On Political Activism

    Henry Was A Republican

    Though Jane has been known for decades for her radically liberal activism that earned her the nickname Hanoi Jane during the Vietnam War, her father was actually a registered Republican in his younger days, something that shocked both of his children when they found out.

    “Several years ago a friend of mine sent me a wallet that had belonged to my father,” her late brother Peter told AARP in 2013. “Inside was an uncashed check from my maternal grandmother and his first voter I.D.  And the card had him as a Republican!”

    “My sister could not and would not believe it,” he added with a laugh. “She had the worst time with that! I figured I’d wait until she really dug herself into a hole, and then I’d drop it on her, because I had the weapon in my hand.”

    Related: Jane Fonda Launches Vile Attack On ‘White Men’ – Blames Them For Climate Change

    Jane Slams Henry

    Last year, Jane spoke out to slam her father, who died in 1982, for the way he raised her.

    “He never brought joy home,” Jane said of Henry, according to Daily Mail. “I never felt that he got joy… it never manifested when he came home, so it was not like ‘oh my God, I want what he’s got.’”

    Jane said this as she spoke about why she decided to become an actress.

    “I’m not one of those who grew up wanting to perform, wanting to be an actor. I didn’t think that I had talent,” she explained. “I wish that somebody had said to me, ‘Don’t give up, keep going, it’ll get better,’ because I saw no future. I didn’t think that I would live past 30. That’s why…I don’t take anything for granted.”

    One can’t help but think that Henry would be very dismayed to see how his daughter turned out. What do you think of Jane’s latest comments? Let us know in the comments section.

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    James Conrad

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  • Storms hit South with tornadoes, dump heavy snow in Midwest

    Storms hit South with tornadoes, dump heavy snow in Midwest

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    A sprawling storm hit the South with strong thunderstorms and tornadoes that blew roofs off homes, flipped over campers and tossed about furniture in Florida on Tuesday. Another storm brought cities across the Midwest to a standstill with more than half a foot of snow, stranding people on highways as it headed to the Northeast.

    At least two deaths in the South were attributed to the storm, where 55 mph winds and hail moved through the Florida Panhandle and into parts of Alabama and Georgia by sunrise Tuesday, along with at least several reports of radar-confirmed tornadoes, the National Weather Service said. A wind gust of 106 mph was recorded before dawn near the coast in Walton County, Florida.

    In Jonesboro, Georgia, a tree fell on a car as it was going down a highway, killing the driver, police said. In North Carolina, one person died and two other people were in critical condition after a suspected tornado struck a mobile home park in the town of Claremont, which is north of Charlotte, according to Amy McCauley, a spokesperson for Catawba County.

    Storm-related injuries were reported in Florida, but no deaths. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters in Tallahassee at least four tornadoes touched down in the Panhandle. DeSantis issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency for 49 counties in North Florida. Multiple counties closed schools for Tuesday ahead of the storm, and some said they would reopen Wednesday.

    “This is obviously going to impact the state throughout the day,” DeSantis said.

    A section of Panama City Beach, Florida, showed parts of roofs blown away, furniture, fences and debris strewn about and a house that appeared to be tilted on its side, leaning on another home.

    A house is seen tilting in Panama City Beach, Florida, on Jan. 9, 2024, after a storm hit the area.
    A house is seen tilting in Panama City Beach, Florida, on Jan. 9, 2024, after a storm hit the area.

    WECP-TV


    Kevin Guthrie, executive director of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management, told reporters about a house in the Panama City area that was listing at an angle of 20-25 degrees, but it wasn’t clear if he was referring to the same house.

    “For it to have to pick that up off its foundation and move it like that, you may even be into EF3 status there,” Guthrie said, referring to the tornado’s strength, which will ultimately be determined by the weather service.

    In Panama City, about 10 miles away, police early Tuesday asked residents to stay indoors and off the roads “unless absolutely necessary” as officers checked on damage from the storms, including downed power lines and trees.

    The city is in Bay County, where there had been multiple reports of tornadoes on the ground, Sheriff Tommy Ford said in a brief Facebook Live post.

    “We’ve rescued people out of structures,” he said.

    The department urged people to stay home, posting photos of crumpled structures and debris and a message that those who have taken to the roads to see it are “making it very difficult for first responders who are rushing to help people who may be trapped in damaged homes and injured.”

    The Walton County Sheriff’s Office in the Florida Panhandle posted photos of power lines draped across a road, damage to a gas station and large pieces of building materials littering the area.

    The sheriff’s office posted a video of a severe storm hitting the area.

    Busch Gardens Tampa Bay announced it was closing early at 2 p.m. Tuesday due to the weather and would reopen Wednesday at 10 a.m.

    Heavy rain across Georgia stopped air traffic at Atlanta’s busy airport for a time Tuesday morning and caused flash flooding, blocking some lanes on freeways around Atlanta during the morning commute. More than 80 public school systems across Georgia called off classes entirely while others taught students online or delayed the start of in-person classes.

    More than 200,000 customers were without power in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia as of late Tuesday morning, according to the PowerOutage.us website.

    In North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency before the storm approached so weight and size restrictions on large and heavy trucks containing emergency supplies or agricultural goods would be waived. Some schools were canceled or shut down early to avoid the threats from high winds and flooding.

    Meanwhile, in the Midwest, where a snowstorm started Monday, up to 12 inches of snow could blanket a broad area stretching from southeastern Colorado all the way to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, including western Kansas, eastern Nebraska, large parts of Iowa, northern Missouri and northwestern Illinois, said Bob Oravec, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland.

    A person uses a snowblower to clear a sidewalk in Des Moines, Iowa, as a snowstorm dumps several inches of snow on the area Jan. 9, 2024.
    A person uses a snowblower to clear a sidewalk in Des Moines, Iowa, as a snowstorm dumps several inches of snow on the area Jan. 9, 2024.

    Joe Raedle/Getty Images


    The storm dumped around 8 to 12 inches of snow across Kansas, eastern Nebraska and South Dakota, western Iowa and southwestern Minnesota on Monday, with 15 inches at North Sioux City, South Dakota, the National Weather Service reported. Lower amounts fell over western Iowa, central Minnesota, Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

    It was the first major winter storm of the season for the Kansas City metro area in Kansas and Missouri, where the National Weather Service predicted 6 inches of snow by the time the storm moved on later Tuesday.

    From the Midwest, the storm was expected to head east, bringing a combination of snow, rain and strong winds to the Northeast by Tuesday night, as well as concerns about flooding in areas such as New England, parts of which got more than a foot of snow Sunday.

    New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy already declared a state of emergency ahead of what’s expected to be heavy rain and wind that will exacerbate the effects of bad weather conditions since December.

    “I would just say this is one I would strongly, strongly, strongly encourage folks to not underestimate,” he said at a news conference Monday.

    In New York, city officials began evacuating nearly 2,000 migrants who had been housed at a sprawling white tent complex at a former airport located in a remote corner of Brooklyn. An aide to New York City Mayor Eric pointed to predicted wind speeds of more than 70 mph Tuesday night.

    In western New York, an empty tractor trailer blew over on the state Thruway on Tuesday morning, temporarily blocking all westbound traffic, state police said. The state banned empty trucks and trailers on numerous major roadways.

    In Maine, Gov. Janet Mills has delayed the opening of all state offices until noon Wednesday due to the storm.

    The weather has already affected campaigning for Iowa’s Jan. 15 precinct caucuses, where the snow is expected to be followed by frigid temperatures that could drift below zero degrees.

    It forced former President Donald Trump‘s campaign to cancel multiple appearances by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders and her father, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who had been scheduled to court Iowa voters on Trump’s behalf Monday.

    Whiteout conditions in central Nebraska closed a long stretch of Interstate 80, while Kansas closed Interstate 70 from the central city of Russell all the way west to the Colorado border due to dangerous travel conditions. Several vehicles slid off I-70 in the northeastern part of the state, authorities said.

    Madison, Wisconsin, was under a winter storm warning until early Wednesday, with as much as 9 inches of snow and 40 mph winds on tap.

    Northwestern Illinois was also under a winter storm warning with forecasts calling for 7 to 12 inches of snow by early Wednesday. The Chicago area as well as Gary, Indiana, were under winter storm advisories, with forecasts calling for up to 6 inches of snow and wind gusts of up to 30 mph.

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  • Powerful winter storm brings blizzard conditions to the Plains

    Powerful winter storm brings blizzard conditions to the Plains

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    Powerful winter storm brings blizzard conditions to the Plains – CBS News


    Watch CBS News



    Thunderstorms slammed the south and knocked down trees in Texas while a blizzard rages in the plains. CBS News’ Dave Malkoff reports.

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  • Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana continue push to ballot – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

    Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana continue push to ballot – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

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    Group working to meet signature goal, get medical marijuana petitions on 2024 ballot

    NEBRASKA FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA WERE OUT GATHERING SIGNATURES. THIS MORNING AS PART OF THE LAST CHANCE TO SIGN IN 2023 EVENT. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I’M SARAH FILI ADVOCATES HOPE TO PUT THE ISSUE IN FRONT OF NEBRASKA VOTERS IN THE 2024 ELECTION, AND AS KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S KYLE LARSON REPORTS, THEY’VE ALREADY COLLECTED NEARLY. 60,000 SIGNATURES. ONE PROTECTS THE PATIENT. THE OTHER PROTECTS THE PROVIDER AND ESTABLISHES A REGULATORY COMMISSION FOR THE CANNABIS. CASS MOLLY SCOTT STANDS BEHIND HER POST SATURDAY MORNING IN HOPES OF FILLING THESE TWO SHEETS OF PAPER WITH SIGNATURES. NEBRASKANS FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA NEED 87,000 VALID SIGNATURES ON EACH PETITION RIGHT NOW, THEY’RE AT ABOUT 30,000 PER PETITION. IT’S AN ISSUE, SCOTT FEELS STRONGLY ABOUT. PATIENTS THAT NEED CANNABIS FOR SEIZURE DISORDERS OR PAIN. PAIN OR WHATEVER THEIR CONDITION MIGHT BE. THEY DESERVE TO HAVE THE THE RIGHT TO HAVE SAFE, REGULATED, CLEAN CANNABIS. IN A STATEMENT SENT TO KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN, JOHN KUHN WITH SMART APPROACHES TO MARIJUANA, NEBRASKA SAID, QUOTE, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS MEDICAL MARIJUANA, ONLY THE SAME HIGH POTENCY DRUG THAT IS ABUSED RECREATIONALLY. IT IS NOT PRESCRIBED BY A PHYSICIAN OR…

    Original Author Link click here to read complete story..

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  • Nebraska Governor Stands By Rejection Of Federal Funds To Feed Hungry Kids

    Nebraska Governor Stands By Rejection Of Federal Funds To Feed Hungry Kids

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    “I don’t believe in welfare,” Republican Gov. Jim Pillen said of declining a federal program that would feed food-insecure children in the summer of 2024.

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  • Videos show blizzard pummeling Nebraska, snarling Christmas traffic

    Videos show blizzard pummeling Nebraska, snarling Christmas traffic

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    As a winter storm with blizzard conditions pummels Nebraska and wreaks havoc on Christmas Day travel, state officials warn people to stay home.

    Videos and photos shared on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday show the wintry weather slamming York County, where whiteout conditions caused a crash involving “multiple jack-knifed” semis and snarled Christmas Day travel.

    On Monday morning, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued winter storm warnings, winter weather advisories and blizzard warnings for Nebraska and nine other states: Alaska, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota and Washington.

    NWS forecasters warned that a large storm system will bring heavy snow and blizzard conditions.

    A winter storm pummeling Nebraska caused numerous crashes on Christmas Day. Interstate 80 eastbound is closed in York County because of “multiple jack-knifed semis” at mile marker 353, state officials reported on December 25, 2023.
    Nebraska State Patrol

    Cody Thomas, a spokesman for the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP), told Newsweek in an email on Monday that “blowing snow and slick conditions” were a factor in the crash, which closed the eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 for more than three hours.

    “So far today, troopers have handled about 60 weather-related incidents, mostly between Lincoln and North Platte on Interstate 80,” Thomas said. “Most of the state has been affected by today’s storm.”

    Thomas said the NSP has not received any reports of injuries because of the weather-related incidents.

    The NSP said those who must venture out should check 511 for updated road conditions.

    “We’re urging all travelers to assess whether or not their travel is absolutely necessary before hitting the road,” Thomas said.

    Newsweek reached out to the NWS via email on Monday for comment.

    About 11 a.m. Monday, the NSP posted photos on X, formerly Twitter, showing multiple semis off the roadway.

    “The storm is causing issues on the roads on this Christmas morning,” NSP posted on X. “Slick driving conditions and blowing snow continue in many areas of the state. These photos are all from between Grand Island and Lincoln on I-80. Great day to stay inside if travel isn’t necessary.”

    An hour later, the NSP posted that the eastbound lanes of I-80 were closed in York County “due to multiple jack-knifed semis.”

    “Travel is not advised during blizzard conditions,” the NSP said.

    In an X post, meteorologist Nick Stewart shared an aerial image of the I-80 crash.

    “A large crash involving several semis has shut down I-80 East near York, Nebraska,” Stewart posted on X.

    Meteorologist Jessica Blum posted a video on X showing the whiteout conditions in Aurora.

    “We’ve got a camera in Aurora, within the blizzard-warned area,” Blum posted on X. “Winds are really picking up for them as is some of the snow, creating whiteout conditions just before noon. Good to stay indoors if you’re in the Blizzard Warning, avoiding travel unless necessary.”

    Weather Nation shared a clip on X of dogs in Columbus reacting to the weather.

    “Almost the entire state of Nebraska is under a Blizzard Warning, and these doggos are having none of it,” Weather Nation posted.

    X user Dirt_128 shared a video of cattle running through the snow.

    “Good, old-fashioned Christmas blizzard[.] Taking some cows up to shelter,” Dirt_128 posted.

    “While a White Christmas may be exciting for those nestled at home, the heavy snowfall rates and reduced visibilities due to blowing snow will make for hazardous, to even impossible, travel conditions,” the NWS said.

    Winter Storm Pummels Nebraska
    A winter storm is pummeling Nebraska and causing havoc for Christmas travelers. The Nebraska State Patrol reported closures on Interstate 80, including one in York County involving jack-knifed semis.
    Nebraska State Patrol