In late 2021, a hidden national security problem ______________________ The Fufeng Group, a Chinese agribusiness, bought up 300 acres of farmland in east North Dakota. But it wasn’t just any farmland.

Summer is winding down which means many things are changing and a new routine is beginning. The start of a new academic year can be stressful which _______________________________________ students without having a plan. Changing a few habits and incorporating some helpful tips will increase the likelihood of a healthy start to the school year. Stress can be reduced by getting back to a daily routine which will create habits and reduce the time needed to think and plan everything out.

As summer wraps up, so have many county fairs. As you read the results of local youth, reminisce through pictures shared, and prepare those special recognition projects for the Nebraska State Fair, it is essential to highlight the importance of recognition for all the hard work our young people have put into their projects. One of the main goals of the 4-H program is to provide a positive environment in which youth can grow and develop confidence, a sense of accomplishment, and a greater level of competence.

Buried in a flurry of news stories last week was another bad decision by the Biden-Harris administration— a shameful one. They attempted to strike a plea deal with the engineers of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on America.

Our country faces a safety, drug, and humanitarian catastrophe at the southern border. Yet the impacts of it are felt much closer to home. Since 2021, the Biden Harris administration’s open borders policy has encouraged more than 10 million people to try to cross the border illegally. Violent criminals, suspected terrorists, and deadly drugs like fentanyl have poured in.

True food allergic reactions cause anaphylaxis. Eating even a tiny bit of the allergenic food causes the patient to quickly develop symptoms that can include shortness of breath, hives, vomiting, diarrhea, throat swelling, passing out, and at times it can be fatal.

In June, the Wall Street Journal published a sobering review of social media outlets’ content protections for teens. Studies found that Instagram pushed adult content on teen accounts within minutes of their creation. After less than 20 minutes clicking on Instagram Reels with adult themes, account feeds were “dominated” by explicit content.

Everyone we know, meet, or pass in the grocery store has their own set of personal life experiences that are unique from our own. We all come from different places, have our own set of genetics, and have different parents or families, which is part of what makes us unique from each other. We can even have different experiences than our siblings who grow up in the same home as us.

Since their creation, social media platforms have connected people and communities. That connectivity is often positive. High school friends can reconnect after decades. Grandparents can see photos of loved ones who live far away. Yet we can’t ignore the dangers of these platforms, especially to our young people. When it comes to kids, safety should be the default. This week, my Senate colleagues and I passed two bills to better protect children and teenagers from these dangers online. We’ve seen the horror stories. Predators use social media to target kids online. Videos go viral that promote self-harm and eating disorders. Bullies spew hateful comments, destroying the mental health of our children. We must do better.

Dear Citizens of Cambridge, “Life is Good” I call upon you for action. Our elected city officials are in a legal battle with a local retail plant store over a simple zoning issue. We say a simply zoning issue because the city officials have the power and abilities to help resolve the issues but are instead choosing the most costly avenue of spending our tax dollars to fight this issue in court. Our beloved city will not thrive based on housing alone. We need local businesses and our city truly lacks opportunity for said business because of the lack of commercial property available. It is proven that we can in fact rezone areas to fit the needs of our citizens and prospective business owners. We ask you, citizens of Cambridge to take a drive to 42503 Wheatridge Drive in Cambridge and see for yourself the business that the city is currently opposing. Make the decision for yourself if this is of harm to our community or if it is a positive influence to our community. Then, voice your opinion to our city officials. “Life is Good” should apply to all our citizens and all of our businesses. Make your voice heard.