Hidden in Plain Sight

Imagine if at the height of the last Cold War, the Soviet Union had control over the largest television network in the United States. Imagine if its surveillance network tracked the opinions, interests, and movements of millions of Americans.

Religion

ALAN’S ANECDOTES People say that you shouldn’t talk about politics and religion because it is too divisive, but I don’t shy away from these topics. I don’t bring them up to fight with people. I think we can learn a lot talking about what we believe and listening to others.

Community Connection

Call Annie Jeffrey Health Center at (402) 747-2031 for more information March is Rosacea Awareness Month Rosacea is a common disorder of the facial skin that affects approximately 14 million Americans, and most of them don’t know it.

Electric Vehicle Mandates Increase

REPRESENTING YOU On April 17, 2021, firefighters raced to extinguish a blaze in a suburb of Houston, Texas. A Tesla Model S crashed, killing two people, and burst into flames. The Woodlands Township Fire Department extinguished the fire. But shortly after, flames erupted again.

Distractions

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK My name is Rick and I get distracted easily. It does not matter if the distraction comes from a phone call, a text message, a carrier pigeon or a smoke signal . . . Sorry a shaggy dog just walked past my office window. ...Distractions come in all forms.

Expanding Broadband

REPRESENTING YOU In 2021, as part of the Infrastructure Investment and JobsAct, Congress created the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program to improve broadband access across the country.

Cats & Sports

BETH’S BITS We have been looking for a cat, well, two of us have. We might even consider two cats, but that’s where I draw the line. The male members of my household draw the line at one cat, and would draw it at zero if they could.

Community Connection

Call Annie Jeffrey Health Center at (402) 747-2031 for more information March is Kidney Month – More than 20 million Americans – one in nine adults – have chronic kidney disease and most don’t even know it. More than 20 million others are at increased risk for kidney disease.

Who’s Right?

ALAN’S ANECDOTES When I met my wife, we had a lot in common. We had both lost a parent to cancer. We both were into electronics, and even compared pocket PC’s on our first date. We both enjoyed watching the TV show “Alias.” I could go on, but I think the differences were also important.

State of the Union

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK Last week, President Joe Biden went to Congress and delivered his State of the Union speech. Well, at least that was what was supposed to happen. At some point in the two mile drive from the White House and the Capitol, some plucky campaign worker must have switched the speech.