Hey parents! Ever wonder why playing with your child is so important? Well, let’s dive in and find out why having fun together is a big deal and how you can make the most of it. Building Bonds: Playing isn’t just about having a blast—it’s about making your bond with your child stronger. Whether you’re playing hide-and-seek, reading stories, or dancing in the living room, it’s all about connecting. Plus, it helps your child learn how to talk, share feelings, and understand others.

Pain in your mouth is diffi cult to ignore, especially when it affects everyday activities like speaking, eating, or sleeping. Here are some of the most common reasons to visit your dentist. The first sign to visit your dentist is a persistent toothache. Sometimes our teeth can hurt temporarily due to things like teeth whitening or sinus issues. However, if a toothache does not go away, or goes away and then comes back, this is a good sign to visit your dentist to identify the source of pain.

With summer temperatures heating up and gardens producing an abundance of great produce, you may be wondering how to keep the produce that you are not able to eat right away or share with others. Nebraska Extension can help says Kayla Hinrichs, Food, Nutrition and Health Extension Educator! Food.unl.edu/food-preservation is a great resource for all of your food preservation needs. You can learn about canning vegetables, fruits, tomatoes and tomato products, as well as pickles, jams and jellies, and meat, poultry and seafood. The website also has information on refrigerator and freezer storage, and drying food.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently came to Washington to address Congress. The Prime Minister’s remarks were an important reminder of the mutual interests our nations share. Supporting Israel means an end to the barbaric terrorist group Hamas. Supporting Israel is the best way to secure the release of the remaining hostages, including American citizens. Supporting Israel is also the best way to stop Iran’s dream of imposing radical Islam on the world. “For Iran, Israel is first, America is next,” the Prime Minister said. He’s right, and it’s one reason why I will always stand with Israel.

For more than a decade, video games have been little more than an annoying, quarrel-inducing, raucous-raising, occasionally-headset-shattering, sometimes-necessary- distraction of a nuisance. That’s a word salad to say they’re a pain in the backside, but we tolerate them because, well, everybody does.

Many brave Americans lost in World War II have yet to return home, and their remains rest far away from the homeland for which they gave their lives. U.S. Army Air Force Sergeant White S. Goings Jr. is an exception. Thanks to modern technology and ongoing efforts by the U.S. government, more and more American servicemen and women are at last returning to our shores and their families.

Mental health treatment within the criminal justice system plays a pivotal yet often overlooked role in both the well-being and rehabilitation of incarcerated individuals. This is often overlooked by the general population due to attitudes against the incarcerated and the lack of overall media attention. It is my belief that change needs to take place.

In 1970, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) seized land belonging to the Native American Winnebago Tribe. Unfortunately, this turn of events was nothing new. The tribe had long suffered at the hands of the U.S. government.

Like most Americans, I was horrified by the recent assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. I’m grateful that President Trump survived the attack. Our nation prays for the innocent victims. Corey Comperatore was murdered while using his body to shield his loved ones from gunfire.

On Thursday, July 25th, Governor Pillen will bring the Nebraska Legislature back to Lincoln for a special session with the important goal of taking on Nebraska’s out-of-control property taxes. From the farmer to the homeowner alike, property taxes are frequently referred to as a top, if not the top, issue that they are facing. And while we have been able to pass some relief, with each year comes skyrocketing valuations which turn the relief into only a small decrease in the increase of property taxes. For true foundational tax reform, the Legislature will need to examine each leg of Nebraska’s “threelegged stool” or the three primary sources of tax revenue, income, sales, and property taxes. Key to this reform and two important fixes: cutting wasteful spending and broadening the sales tax base. To identify wasteful spending, Nebraska recently contracted the consulting group Epiphany to identify ways to make government agencies more efficient and spend less. When the group was hired in Utah, the State saw an estimated 35% increase in efficiency across executive agencies. Based on Nebraska’s initial report, Nebraska is looking at over $530 million in potential savings. Cleaning up spending while safeguarding our most important priorities like education and agriculture would be great progress. But cutting spending is still only a piece of the puzzle. Compared to many of our neighbors, Nebraska offers a rather long laundry list of sales taxexempt products and services. While everyone may enjoy a tax-free service initially, every time the state makes one item tax-exempt while another remains taxed, the Legislature is ultimately picking favorites or even picking winners and losers. And when the list of sales tax exemptions grows longer and longer, the State must of course make up funds elsewhere and the biggest loser ends up being the Nebraska property owner.