Supreme Court nominee Sandra Day O’Connor is shown speaking before a Senate hearing on her nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court in a Sept. 9, 1981 file photo. O’Connor joined the Supreme Court in 1981 as the nation’s first female justice. (John Duricka / AP Photo) U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor is shown before administering the oath of office to members of the Texas Supreme Court, Jan. 6, 2003, in Austin, Texas. (Harry Cabluck / AP Photo) By  Nancy Maveety The Conversation When Sandra Day O’Connor stepped down from the U.S. Supreme Court in 2006, she was the last ju ..read more

(Shutterstock) By  Jeannine Bell The Conversation With hate crimes, context is everything, and events outside of the United States – like the war between Israel and Hamas – can have far-reaching and potentially tragic consequences. Vermont police arrested a man in Burlington on Nov. 27, 2023, for allegedly shooting three 20-year-old Palestinian American men, seriously wounding them. Two of the men wore Palestinian keffiyehs, a traditional scarf that has come to symbolize Palestinian identity. Jason James Eaton, the New York resident charged with the crime, has pleaded not guilty. A ..read more

(Jack Dura / AP Photo) By  Jared Strong Iowa Capital Dispatch A federal judge on Monday permanently barred two Iowa counties from enforcing their ordinances that restrict the placement of carbon dioxide pipelines. Shelby and Story Counties adopted restrictions after two companies proposed to build pipeline systems to transport captured carbon dioxide from ethanol plants and other facilities. The ordinances set minimum distances to locate the pipelines away from cities, homes, schools and other sites. They also have some requirements that pertain to emergency response plans in case ..read more

The report highlights that the denial rate for FHA loan applications surged to 12.4% in 2021. This stark divergence from the average raises critical inquiries into the distinct dynamics and considerations shaping the lending landscape for FHA-backed home acquisitions. (Shutterstock) (Matt Rourke / AP Photo) By  Amaka Chukwuma Wealth of Geeks Recent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) findings show that in 2021, the denial rate for home purchase applications declined, standing at 8.3%. This decline marked a significant drop from the preceding years’ figures of 9.3% in 2020 a ..read more

(Robin Scholz / The News-Gazette via AP) By  U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts Agriculture is the heart and soul of what we do in Nebraska. Our farmers and ranchers feed and fuel the world. Ensuring the strength of our agriculture sector is critical for Nebraska, but also our country. Food security is national security. Supply chain disruptions during the pandemic reinforced the need to prioritize food production at home. As Senator, I am working to ensure we pass a comprehensive Farm Bill that supports this. Congress is supposed to pass a new Farm Bill every five years. It is a crucial a ..read more

(Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle via AP) By  Sally French NerdWallet Once a niche market for frugal, globetrotting young people, hostels are becoming a popular form of alternative lodging. No longer just rows of bunk beds, some hostels now offer private rooms and amenities like rooftop pools and spas. Take the Selina Boquete hostel in Panama. Guests are served an evening welcome drink. While there's a shared option called a community room, the hostel offers hotel-style private rooms and the unique option of a pod-style room made from an "upcycled" concrete cylinder. Some nights, g ..read more

The darker portions of this map indicate areas where nitrate levels exceed 10 parts per million, the standard for public drinking water systems. (University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources) By  Paul Hammel Nebraska Examiner LINCOLN — As part of a statewide study of nitrate pollution in Nebraska aquifers, the state is asking owners of private drinking water wells to conduct a free test of their water. Widespread, public participation in the free sampling program is key to ensuring that the nitrate study accurately encompasses private drinking water ..read more

The library in the Timpanogos facility at Utah State Prison, in Lehi Utah. (Leah Hogsten / The Salt Lake Tribune via AP) By  Freedom Reads NEW HAVEN, Conn. —December 4, 2023 —  Freedom Reads, the National Book Foundation, and the Center for Justice Innovation announced the launch of the Inside Literary Prize, the first-ever US-based literary prize awarded exclusively by currently incarcerated people. The prize will be awarded in June 2024 to one exceptional book by a jury of 300 incarcerated individuals from a dozen prisons across the nation. This new initiative, which is also ..read more

Onstage, from left to right, are: Kimara Snipes, executive director of One Omaha; Clarice Dombeck, urban development coordinator at Spark CDI; Greg Paskach, housing director with the City of Omaha’s planning department; Charlie Wesche (on screen), chief of staff and real estate director for NeighborWorks Lincoln. (Courtesy of One Omaha) Attendees listen to speakers on Nov. 14, 2023 at One Omaha’s From the Ground Up speakers’ series. (Courtesy of One Omaha) By  Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter The Daily Record One Omaha concluded its From the Ground Up series on Nov. 14 at the Benson Thea ..read more

(AP Photo) By  Nicole Tommasulo Wealth of Geeks According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), 2/3 of adults report mood and behavior changes when the days get shorter, like fatigue or feelings of depression. 5% of adults, however, struggle with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Noah Kahan's "Northern Attitude" is an apology anthem for New Englanders. "Forgive my northern attitude," Kahan sings in the chorus, "I was raised on little light." He isn't being hyperbolic for the sake of songwriting. For anyone living at or above 33° latitude, sunlight is in short supply from ..read more