By U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

Across our country, heroin and prescription painkiller abuse are ripping families apart. In Nebraska, arrests and overdoses associated with these drugs are on the rise. Far from an occasional headline, this has become a serious problem. According to Nebraska’s Vital Statistics Department, last year, 54 people in our state died from opioid-related overdoses.

Elsewhere, this epidemic is even more advanced. In states like Ohio, New Hampshire, and West Virginia, medical professionals and law enforcement personnel are struggling to keep up.

Opioids are highly potent drugs typically used to treat severe pain. Without careful monitoring and appropriate dosing, they can become extremely addictive. This addiction discriminates against no one. It devastates families.

The crisis is advanced and very real. This summer, Congress took action.

Last month, Congress passed significant, bipartisan legislation to stem the opioid epidemic sweeping America. The bill, known as the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), expands drug abuse education and prevention. It also empowers states and local communities to lead the response. Specifically, CARA provides them with important resources to help health care professionals and first responders fight this tide of addiction and save lives.

Families, first responders, law enforcement, and local health care providers are on the front lines of this epidemic and know best how to halt its progress in their communities. CARA provides them with resources they desperately need.

Among other things, CARA brings together government and private stakeholders to find the best ways to safely prescribe opioids and treat addiction. It ensures funding to train first responders in the use of overdose drugs like naloxone (also known as Narcan) which can reverse the effects of an overdose if administered quickly. The bill also provides grants for state-administered, electronic prescription monitoring systems. By tracking how often opioids are prescribed, health care providers can identify patients at risk for addiction. In this way, CARA can help prevent addiction before it occurs.

CARA is a comprehensive response to America’s opioid epidemic, and it comes not a moment too soon. Medical professionals across our state support this bill, including the Nebraska Medical Association and the Nebraska Hospital Association. So too does Columbus Community Hospital president and CEO Michael Hansen. CARA also has the backing of Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson and members of our state’s law enforcement community.

I joined my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote for this bipartisan legislation and was pleased to see it pass the Senate by a vote of 92 to 2. Last month, President Obama signed it into law.

Families will always be the first line of defense against drug abuse and addiction. At the same time, initiatives like CARA can help slow a dangerous trend and empower local communities and law enforcement to save lives through better resources, education, and treatment.

Thank you for taking part in our democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.

The Butler County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a missing juvenile from the Gans Lake area in Butler County. Alicia Micek, age 15 was last seen July 27, 2016 in the Columbus area.

Though her picture shows a girl with long blonde hair, it is believed that she may have dyed her hair dark brown. Alicia may have a nose ring, and a pink Nike bag. She is 5’4, 120 lbs, with blonde or dark brown hair and blue eyes. It is believed that Alicia is in the Columbus or Schuyler area.

If you have any information as to the whereabouts of this missing juvenile, you are asked to contact your local law enforcement, Butler County Sheriff’s Office at 402-367-7400, or Butler County Crimestoppers at 402-367-4555.

We would like to locate Alicia and ensure her safety. Any assistance is appreciated.

Lincoln – Today, Governor Pete Ricketts announced that he would hold town halls in Columbus and Norfolk on Thursday, August 11, 2016.  The Governor invites the public to attend the town halls.

“Nebraskans are invited to join Governor Ricketts at his upcoming town halls in Columbus and Norfolk,” said Taylor Gage, the Governor’s Public Relations Director.  “This is a great opportunity to hear an update on how our state is growing, and also to make your voice heard.  The Governor looks forward to hearing your thoughts on how we can move our state forward together.”

Full details for the town halls to be held on Thursday, August 11, 2016:

9:30 a.m.      Columbus Town Hall, Columbus Community Center, 3111 19th St., COLUMBUS

4:00 p.m.      Norfolk Town Hall, Faith Regional Health Services (Nebraska Room), 2700 W Norfolk Ave., NORFOLK

Questions should be directed to the Governor’s Office at 402-471-2244.

(Ogallala, Neb.)- A sixth person has died as a result of a multiple vehicle crash on I-80 in Keith County on Sunday, July 31.

The Jefferson County Colorado Coroner’s Office has notified the Nebraska State Patrol that the legal death of Terry Sullivan, 56, Denver, occurred on August 1, at 1:02 p.m.(MDT). He remains on life support to facilitate donation of organs.

Sullivan, was the driver of a 1994 Plymouth Voyager minivan that was among four vehicles and a semi involved in the crash which occurred just before 11:30 a.m.(MDT), Sunday, on westbound I-80 approximately four miles west of Brule. He was transported to Ogallala Community Hospital and then flown by medical helicopter to St. Anthony Hospital.

The crash also claimed the lives of five members of a Minnesota family.

The driver of the semi, Tony A. Weekly, 53, Baker, Florida, is facing charges of felony motor vehicle homicide in connection with the crash.

Lincoln, NE—U.S. Senator Ben Sasse issued the following statement after The Wall Street Journal reported that senior Department of Justice officials were overruled by the State Department when the Obama Administration paid Tehran $400 million in cash as Iran freed four American hostages. 

“With the news that the Department of Justice raised alarms about a $400 million cash ransom, the only way this gets worse is if Air Force One made the drop-off. It’s not hard to figure out why the DOJ sounded the alarm because President Obama said it himself: paying ransoms puts American lives at risk and bankrolls terrorism.”  

Background:

On June 24, 2015, President Obama said: “I firmly believe that the United States government paying ransom to terrorists risks endangering more Americans and funding the very terrorism that we’re trying to stop.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Wednesday morning, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) convened a Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee field hearing titled “Examining Access to Capital and Other Headwinds to Entrepreneurship” in Lincoln, Nebraska. In this morning’s hearing, Senator Fischer heard testimony from individuals representing various parts of Nebraska’s entrepreneurial community about the roadblocks to innovation and ways to increase access to capital for small businesses. Senator Fischer released the following statement after concluding today’s hearing:

“At today’s Small Business Committee field hearing in Lincoln, we heard valuable feedback from Nebraska entrepreneurs on the regulatory roadblocks that make it harder to start and grow businesses in our state. This was my fourth Senate field hearing in Nebraska, and it further demonstrated that the best ideas come from outside of Washington. I’m eager to take this input to the Senate in order to create effective policy and work with these innovators so that we can continue to sow the seeds of our Silicon Prairie and allow Nebraska’s small business economy to thrive.”

Today’s hearing took place at Nebraska Innovation Campus (NIC). Witnesses included Eric Dinger, co-founder and CEO of Powderhook; Dan Hoffman, CEO of Invest Nebraska Corporation; Julia Parker, Executive Director of Omaha Small Business Network; T.J. Casady, Vice President of Commercial Loans at Union Bank and Trust; and Jon Anderson, Manager of Advanced R&D at LI-COR.

During her opening remarks, Senator Fischer highlighted legislation she has introduced known as the Microloan Program Modernization Act. This legislation aims to help those entrepreneurs with limited resources by increasing flexibility and creating more opportunities for them to start their own businesses. The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) microloan program was introduced in 1992 as a pilot program and has loaned more than $55 million to nearly 4,000 small businesses across the country. Many of the original provisions of the pilot program remain in effect today, even though the program has grown in size, scope, and success. Currently, these intermediaries face unnecessary restraints on how and when they can provide technical assistance to applicants. Fischer’s bill would eliminate these restraints and give these intermediaries the flexibility they need to provide better assistance to the entrepreneur, increase odds of long-term business success, and keep default rates low.

This was the fourth U.S. Senate field hearing hosted by Senator Fischer in Nebraska. In March 2015, she hosted a hearing in Lincoln where Nebraskans testified about the impact of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “Waters of the United States” rule. In September 2015, another field hearing in Columbus heard testimony on the EPA’s proposed rule to lower the ground level ozone standard. Most recently, Senator Fischer chaired a Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security Subcommittee hearing in Scottsbluff that focused on the implementation of the long-term highway bill, which was signed into law last December.

(Norfolk, Neb.)- The Nebraska State Patrol, with the assistance from the Norfolk Police Department, conducted surprise commercial vehicle inspections today, Thursday, August 11, in Norfolk. The surprise inspections target commercial vehicles that might not travel outside the city or pass through weigh stations as part of their regular routes.

During the special enforcement effort, the Metropolitan Aggressive and Prevention Selective (MAPS) Teams conducted 57 inspections, discovered 129 violations, and took 17 vehicles out of service (not allowed to continue on the road). Vehicles are placed out of service for a variety of reasons relating to bad brakes or tires, or other problems that pose immediate safety risks. In addition, one driver was taken out of service (not allowed to continue driving) for No Commercial Driver’s License. Officers issued a total of $1,500 in fines.

“The MAPS Team ensures truck operators who rarely leave the city limits are maintaining their vehicles and abiding by safety regulations,” said Colonel Bradley Rice, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “While most truck owners and operators share our concern for safety, we know some think they can ignore safety standards as long as they avoid the weigh stations. The MAPS Team extends our reach into cities and towns across the state.”

This was the 10^th MAPS Team event of 2016. Inspections have also been conducted in Lincoln, Sarpy County, Omaha, Grand Island, Kearney, North Platte, Dawson County, Fremont, and Columbus this year. Surprise inspections are planned from spring through fall in cities and towns across Nebraska.

The MAPS Team is funded largely by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Troopers check for compliance with federal safety regulations and enforce laws pertaining to weight, size, registration, dyed fuels, and permits associated with commercial vehicles. The MAPS Team was implemented in 1998 and consists of troopers from the Nebraska State Patrol Carrier Enforcement Division. On average, 20-24 troopers work each MAPS event.

Grand Island, Neb. – The member utilities of the Nebraska Power Association (NPA) will once again be sponsoring the public power booth at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island August 26 through September 5.

Over the past several years, the booth has highlighted how public power has been a great benefit to Nebraskans.  This year’s theme of “Public Power Works 4U” will emphasize the industry’s dedication to providing exceptional service, highly reliable energy at affordable, cost-of-service rates to the customers they serve. Hands-on activities and educational displays will demonstrate the value of getting electricity from a local, costumer-controlled utility.

The popular “hot line show” or safety demonstration trailer will be in operation to provide a first-hand illustration of the dangers of live high-voltage electricity.  The demonstration, operated by various line crews from across the state, shows the dangers of 7,500 volts of electricity and educates the public on how to react in an electrical emergency. For a schedule of the high-voltage safety demonstrations, please visit www.nepower.org/statefair.

The Edgerton Explorit Center is back as a booth partner and has developed a number of fun hands-on activities that will allow fairgoers to learn more about electricity.  Individuals visiting the booth can expect to engage in the “Know Your Power” spinning trivia wheel, the Nebraska 811 “Do You Know the Color Code?” activity, the Wind Turbine Simulator, or watch young fairgoers participate in the “Little Lineworkers Rodeo.”

In addition to the many booth activities, lineworkers will display their skills during the Nebraska Lineworkers Rodeo on Saturday, August 27.  Lineworkers often work in severe weather, climbing utility poles, carrying heavy equipment and working around energized wires. The “Rodeo” is their opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skill while putting on an exciting display for the public.  The opening ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m. with a flag ceremony at the fair’s Motor Sports Track.  Competition will be 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  For more details, visit www.nelinerodeo.com. You don’t want to miss this event!

For more information regarding booth activities, please visit the NPA fair booth website at www.nepower.org/statefair.

By U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

It’s that time of year again. Pencils are sharpened. Backpacks are filled with books. Soon, rows of yellow buses will make the morning rounds. Nebraskans are going back to school.

At night around the dinner table, parents will ask about new classes and friends, how strong this year’s team will be, and whether that homework will be done on time. Like their parents years before, they ask out of love and genuine desire to see their children succeed.

In these conversations, parents and students should keep in mind the many resources my office has to help young people prepare for their career and gain valuable experience.

For example, my High School Youth Advisory Council is a fantastic way to participate in and learn about our system of government. Organized by my staff, these councils offer high school students a chance to share their views with me directly through listening sessions held in Lincoln and Omaha. I highly value the feedback I receive, and I am always encouraged by the enthusiasm of our council members. Interested students should ask a teacher or school administrator about the selection process. Selections are made every fall.

For high school students seeking to serve our nation in uniform, my office also handles nominations to our military service academies. Admittance to a service academy is among our country’s highest honors. Through this highly competitive process, we choose our next generation of military leaders. Students interested in attending the United States Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy in Annapolis, the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut, or the Merchant Marine Academy in New York should visit my website at www.fischer.senate.gov. Applications for academy nominations are due in October.

A Senate internship is another excellent opportunity to gain firsthand experience in our government and the political process. Positions are available in my Omaha, Lincoln, and Washington, D.C. offices. Internship responsibilities may include: leading U.S. Capitol tours, processing constituent correspondence, attending briefings and committee hearings, tracking legislation, monitoring Senate floor proceedings, drafting correspondence, assisting constituents with federal casework, and conducting legislative research. I encourage interested students to apply on my website and be mindful of fall, spring, and summer deadlines. Please keep in mind that internship positions are only available to college students and college graduates.

With these opportunities, as with any job application, competition is tough. Applicants are carefully vetted. Young people and parents should know a social media profile is every bit as important to employers as a resume. In today’s digital age, it is unrealistic to think that only “friends” on social media can view or access posts.

This is an important message that must be stressed to our young people. There are so many opportunities before them, but a careless Tweet or Instagram post, an inappropriate photo on Facebook, or a foolish video on Snapchat could cost them an amazing opportunity. As parents have these conversations, I encourage them to emphasize prudence and safety in the digital world.

The start of school is always an exciting time. For students coming into senior year of high school or heading off to college, it is a time of transition. They may even be a little nervous. That’s quite all right. The opportunities before our students are many, and the boundaries are few. I encourage all of our Nebraska students to take full advantage of these resources, and I hope to see them soon.

Thank you for taking part in our democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.

Lincoln, NE—U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, who published a sobering report on the Affordable Care Act’s lack of competition on the 2016 exchanges, issued the following statement regarding news that Aetna, the nation’s third largest insurer, is abandoning the ACA’s exchanges in all but four states next year.

“Aetna’s exit isn’t the beginning and it won’t be the end, but it is another unmistakable sign of Obamacare’s slow-motion death spiral. With ugly withdraws, painful co-op failures, and rotten choices and costs, Obamacare’s collapse is crushing American families.”

On Monday, Aetna announced that, due to financial losses thanks to the Affordable Care Act, it would pull out of the ACA’s exchanges in all but four states. This follows exits by Humana and United Health.

Lincoln, NE — Today, U.S. Senator Ben Sasse responded to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s reflexive and anti-fact defense of Obamacare following the mass exit of Aetna, Humana, and United Health from the exchanges.

“Nancy Pelosi is Obamacare’s Baghdad Bob. Big insurance companies are scrambling to the exit. More than half of Obamacare’s co-ops have already collapsed. The same families saddled with crummy choices and horrible premiums this year are likely to face an even worse situation next year. Despite these facts, House Minority Leader Pelosi claims that ‘the Affordable Care Act is working’ and that ‘insurers are continuing to adapt’ to a ‘competitive market.’ Her nonsense defense would be hilarious but for two reasons: first, she might actually believe it; and, second, this isn’t a joke to families who were sold Obamacare’s empty promises.”

Background:

On Monday, Aetna cited an expected $300 million loss in 2016 due to Obamacare as its reason to largely abandon Obamacare’s individual market. That decision follows exits from two other large insurers, Humana and United Health. To date, 16 of the 23 Obamacare created CO-OPs have failed.

Even before this year’s mass exit, consumers lacked choice and competition. At the beginning of 2016, Americans in 63 percent of the nation’s counties were able to choose from just three or fewer insurers on Obamacare’s individual market. With some of the largest insurance companies abandoning those markets, choice will likely diminish.

Grand Island, Ne. – Electric lineworkers from across Nebraska will take center stage as they compete in the 5th annual Nebraska Lineworkers Rodeo Aug. 27 at the Nebraska State Fair’s Motor Sports Track in Grand Island. The event is an opportunity for spectators to see lineworkers perform tasks they complete on a daily basis.

The community is invited to watch more than 45 public power apprentice and journeyman lineworkers compete for trophies in a safe environment. Some of the events take place 40 feet atop utility poles. The event is the ultimate venue for public power lineworkers to demonstrate their skill and knowledge while competing for professional recognition.

“Nebraska’s electric lineworkers will compete in timed events that imitate real-life situations,” said Terri Dier, chairperson of the lineworkers’ rodeo committee. “The rodeo encourages teamwork and provides a better understanding of utility work for families and other spectators.”

The opening ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m. with a flag ceremony. Competition will be 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

All of the hosting utilities are members of the Nebraska Power Association, the state-wide organization of 166 locally owned electric utilities providing electric service across Nebraska. For more details, visit nelinerodeo.com.

The public is also invited to visit the Nebraska Power Association’s public power station. Hands-on activities and safety demonstrations will help fair attendees learn more about the electric industry, Aug. 27 through Sept. 5. For more information regarding booth activities, please visit the NPA fair booth website at nepower.org/statefair.

LINCOLN – Today, Governor Pete Ricketts, Crime Commission Director Darrell Fisher, Nebraska State Patrol Colonel Brad Rice, and Nebraska law enforcement agencies announced that the state’s law enforcement training agencies are working to implement Blue Courage, a training grant awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance.  At the news conference, law enforcement leaders said the Blue Courage initiative will support law enforcement agencies’ efforts to increase the professionalism of their officers and improve relationships between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.

“National events have highlighted the importance of supporting good relationships between our communities and the courageous men and women who help protect public safety,” said Governor Ricketts.  “Nebraska is blessed to have good relationships between our law enforcement agencies and communities.  The Blue Courage initiative will help our law enforcement training agencies build on this strong foundation.”

In 2015, Nebraska was selected by the Bureau of Justice Assistance to pilot Blue Courage.   Following the pilot, Nebraska received additional resources toward complete state immersion, which will allow the agencies to provide this training to existing law enforcement personnel.

“We are excited and honored that many of Nebraska’s law enforcement partners have adopted the Blue Courage training,” said Nebraska Crime Commission Director Fisher.  “Blue Courage aims to improve the growth and development, as well as the emotional, physical, and general well-being of our law enforcement officers.  We are truly grateful not only to our law enforcement partners, but also to the Blue Courage organization, the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards & Training, and the Bureau of Justice Assistance for their help in launching this important initiative.”

The Blue Courage program aims for three main goals:

• Increased professionalism by law enforcement officers, both on and off duty, by reigniting their sense of passion, purpose, and commitment.
• Improved physical, psychological, and emotional well-being.
• Improved relationships between police and the communities they serve.

Three Nebraska law enforcement agencies joined the Governor at the news conference including the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP), the Omaha Police Department, and the Lincoln Police Department.  At the news conference NSP said that the agency’s 444 sworn officers had received a two hour block of Blue Courage training during annual in service.  Additionally NSP’s 19 new troopers, who graduated last week, received Blue Courage training during camp.

“The members of our agency are grateful to live in a state where citizens respect and appreciate law enforcement, and we are thankful for their allegiance and value the trust they place in us,” said Nebraska State Patrol Colonel Rice.  “The Blue Courage Initiative, is just one more way we can instill in our troopers the importance of character, good judgment, and the value of building trust and showing respect for all people.”

LYONS, Neb. (AP) – The Nebraska State Patrol says a 54-year-old motorcyclist has died after a collision with a pickup.

The patrol says the collision occurred just before noon Saturday on U.S. Highway 77 on the east side of Lyons in Burt County. The patrol says the northbound pickup was turning west when it collided with the southbound motorcycle.

The patrol says the motorcyclist was pronounced dead at a hospital in Oakland. He was identified as Bruce Dannelly, who lived in Bellwood. The pickup driver was treated at the hospital and released. The patrol identified her as 63-year-old Elaine Climer, who lives in Lyons.

COLUMBUS- Authorities say four people in a pickup were treated at a hospital after the truck was struck by a school bus.

The accident occurred around 4 p.m. Monday on a county road about three miles north of Columbus. Platte County Sheriff’s Lt. Kevin Schuller says the westbound bus was full of students from Shell Creek Elementary when their driver didn’t stop in time to avoid hitting the pickup. The truck driver had stopped and was waiting to turn south. Schuller says none of the students or their driver was injured.

Four of the five people in the pickup were sent to a hospital.

Lincoln, NE – For the week ending August 28, 2016, temperatures averaged two to four degrees below normal, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Precipitation of an inch or more was limited to the southern border counties and portions of the extreme east. Much of the State remained dry. The cooler temperatures reduced crop moisture demands. In western counties, producers continued preparing summer fallow for winter wheat planting. There were 5.6 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 8 percent very short, 32 short, 57 adequate, and 3 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 7 percent very short, 30 short, 61 adequate, and 2 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 19 fair, 59 good, and 16 excellent. Corn dough was 95 percent, ahead of 89 last year, and near the five-year average of 92. Dented was 61 percent, ahead of 53 last year and 56 average. Mature was 5 percent, near 1 last year and 7 average.

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 0 poor, 17 fair, 64 good, and 19 excellent. Sorghum coloring was 74 percent, well ahead of 39 last year and 36 average. Mature was 2 percent.

Soybeans condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 19 fair, 61 good, and 16 excellent. Soybeans setting pods was 96 percent, near 95 last year, and equal to average. Dropping leaves was 8 percent, near 9 last year and 4 average.

Winter wheat planted was 1 percent, equal to average.

Alfalfa condition rated 4 percent very poor, 4 poor, 18 fair, 62 good, and 12 excellent. Alfalfa third cutting was 93 percent, near 92 last year, and ahead of 86 average. Fourth cutting was 37 percent, ahead of 27 last year, and well ahead of 17 average.

Dry edible beans condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 33 fair, 52 good, and 10 excellent. Dry edible beans blooming was 93 percent. Setting pods was 88 percent, behind 98 last year and 97 average. Dropping leaves was 19 percent, behind 26 last year, but near 16 average.

Proso millet harvested was 6 percent, near 2 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 9 poor, 23 fair, 55 good, and 10 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 1 percent very short, 12 short, 86 adequate, and 1 surplus.

Prairie du Sac, WI –  Culver’s restaurants announced the chain has enhanced its ‘Thank You Farmers’ campaign by sponsoring 19 corn maze’s across the United States including a location in Nebraska.  The Culver’s Thank you corn maze will be near Camp Fontanelle in Nebraska.

Culver’s says the program recognizes the hard work and commitment of farmers who produce food to feed our nation. To date, the Thank You Farmers initiative has raised nearly $1,000,000 in support of the National FFA Organization and Foundation, local FFA chapters and a variety of local agriculture organizations. Each maze design includes the ‘Thank You Farmers’ message, and a variety of farm scene elements like cows and tractors.

The corn mazes are located across the nation from Arizona to Florida. Find a complete list of the locations online at Culver’s dot com (www.Culvers.com).

COLUMBUS- Some City of Columbus departments will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day.

Those closed include Animal Control, Columbus Area Transit, the Yard Waste Site, Columbus Public Library, and all departments located in City Hall. The Columbus Transfer Station will be open to licensed garbage haulers only from 8 a.m. to 12 Noon on Monday. The Yard Waste Site will be open Saturday and Sunday during their normal hours, but will be closed Monday.

The Street Department, Wastewater, Water Production and Water Utility Service will be on call for emergencies.