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NoneWith the prosecutor calling the case one of the most depraved of his career, Maurice Thomas was sentenced to 205 years to 252 years in prison Thursday. "In short, judge, Mr. Thomas is evil in the purest and simplest biblical sense of that word," Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Jason Cooper said first, calling for a life sentence. Maurice Thomas' attorney, Jon Braaten, stood on his denial of the allegations, opting not to say anything at sentencing. Thomas, 44, had faced a mandatory minimum term of 70 years on five felony charges for the sexual abuse of three young girls under the age of 10. Thomas Last month, a Lancaster County jury found him guilty of two counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child, one count of third-degree sexual assault of a child, generation and possession of visual depictions of child sexual abuse. People are also reading... Cooper, the prosecutor, said while Thomas, an eight-time convicted felon out of jail on bond for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, sexually assaulted 7-, 8- and 9-year-old girls multiple times over the course of a year just after being released for an 18- to 30-year prison sentence on theft and forgery charges. "These assaults were as cruel as they were relentless," he said. In court records, Lincoln police said that on May 30, 2023, an officer was flagged down in the street by the mother of three girls wanting to report the abuse. In an interview that followed at the BraveBe Child Advocacy Center, the oldest of the girls said the abuse had started a year earlier when Thomas asked her to kiss him and threatened to shoot her if she said no. In separate interviews, the girls described multiple incidents of sexual abuse at the hands of Thomas, a friend of the family. On Thursday, Cooper said Thomas offered some of the girls drugs or threatened them with violence and was found with hundreds of severely graphic images of sexual abuse on his phone. "And that's just trial," he said. Then there were the uncharged allegations. Thomas was accused of forcibly raping an 18-year-old woman, recording her while she cried and begged him to stop, and a 15-year-old runaway. He said one of Thomas's victims cried in a conference room months before trial, feeling the weight of the responsibility to protect her sisters. Another froze at the courtroom door at the thought of being in the same room with Thomas, "but bravely told the jury what happened." Cooper said, despite a jury finding Thomas guilty on all counts and Thomas being clearly depicted in videos committing several of the acts, Thomas takes no responsibility. In a presentence interview, Thomas said: "It's all lies." "I'm getting life for some s*** I didn't do," he reportedly said. Cooper called Thomas a serial child rapist and said he "did more damage in a year than most criminals can do in a lifetime." "He deserves much more than to spend the rest of his life in prison, so please don't give him anything less," he told Lancaster County District Judge Matthew Mellor. Mellor said there isn't much more nefarious than what Thomas has done. "What's even more signaling to this court ... is that you have never and will never take control of your sexual urges," the judge said, referring to Thomas making sexual advances on the female probation officer during his presentence interview. He said he is under no impression it would ever stop. "What weighs heaviest though is you've taken something from these victims that they'll never get back, and that's immeasurable," Mellor said, handing down the sentence. A woman in the front row clapped as guards moved to escort Thomas out. Top Journal Star photos for November 2024 Lincoln firefighter Andrew Brenner sprays water from the top of a ladder truck on to the roof of a former Village Inn at 29th and O streets Wednesday morning. Luca Gustafson, 6, rides to school Tuesday with the bike bus at Riley Elementary School. Each Tuesday, students can bike to school with adult chaperones along a specific route. Wahoo's Braylon Iversen celebrates with Warrior players after they defeated Auburn in a Class C-1 state semifinal game Friday in Wahoo. Lincoln Fire Fighters Association member Andy Evans works to assemble a headboard during a bed-building day hosted by Sleep in Heavenly Peace on Saturday at Hampton Enterprises. Volunteers helped build 20 beds for children in need. Second-time mother giraffe Allie nuzzles her new calf in the giraffe experience enclosure on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at the Lincoln Children's Zoo. Nebraska celebrates during the first set of the match against Minnesota on Thursday at the Devaney Sports Center. Iris Gonnerman, 8 (from right), her brother Oliver, 6, and cousin Noreen Milana, 9, wave flags while watching Veterans Parade outside the state Capitol on Sunday. Nebraska's Connor Essegian scores against Bethune-Cookma on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Covered by a canopy of changing leaves, a car cruises along A street in a neighborhood north of Downtown Lincoln on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. Mild temperatures continue into the mid weeks of November. Wednesday calls for a chance of rain showers before noon with gusty winds. Most days this week are expected to be accompanied by mostly sunny skies and consistent breezes. Norris' Anna Jelinek (left) lifts the the Class B championship trophy alongside Rya Borer on Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center. Lincoln Lutheran players embrace one another as threy celebrate defeating Thayer Central in four sets to win the Class C-2 championship match Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center. Superior players celebrate their three set win over EMF during the Class D-1 championship match Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center. Reflected in a ceiling beam, Leyton takes on Shelton in the first set of the Class D-2 championship match Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center. Omaha Skutt's Nicole Ott (left) and Addison West react after a point in the second set during a Class B semifinal match Friday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Hasan Khalil, owner of Golden Scissors, trims the beard of Vitaliy Martynyuk on Friday at his barbershop in Lincoln. Southwest fans Kylea Stritt (from left), Peg Rice, and Stacey Wilson cheer on their team as the "horsemen" during a Class D-1 first-round match Thursday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Millard West players dogpile on the floor after defeating Lincoln Southwest in five set match during a Class A first-round match Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Lincoln Southwest's Shelby Harding dives to save the ball from hitting the ground in the first set during a Class A first-round match Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Second graders Eli Gonzalez (left) and Shrutoshome Datta look at drawings that first and second grade students made at the Monster Jam Art Show on Wednesday at Elliott Elementary School. The elementary school students made drawings of monsters to be turned into different types of art by Lincoln High School students. Norris players celebrate a point against Lincoln Pius X in a Class B state volleyball tournament match, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (right) talks with supporters, including Darlene Starman of Lincoln, at her campaign office on Tuesday in Lincoln. A cutout of Jesus watches over voters on Tuesday at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lincoln. Abigail Webb votes on Tuesday at F Street Community Center. Nebraska's Rollie Worster (24) shoots a layup while defended by Texas Rio Grande Valley's Marshal Destremau (left) and Trey Miller (right) on Nov. 4 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Allison Weidner (left) autographs a poster for Freeman Public Schools student Godwil Muthiani, 12 (center), after the game against UNO on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Muthiani's sign says, "#3 Allison Weinder is the GOAT! Sorry I'm only 12." Nebraska Head Coach Matt Rhule speaks to an official after a targeting call on Nebraska during the first quarter of the game against UCLA on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. The call was overturned after review. Nebraska's Dante Dowdell scores against UCLA in the fourth quarter on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Cadet Elena Burgwald (left) and Cadet Mason Beck look up as a B-1B Lancer flies over Memorial Stadium before the UCLA game against Nebraska on Saturday. UCLA's K.J. Wallace (7) defends Nebraska's Jacory Barney (17) as he makes a diving 40-yard catch in the second quarter on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Lincoln Southeast quarterback Tre Bollen (left) and Tate Sandman react after losing a Class A football playoff game against Millard North on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Seacrest Field. Millard North won 10-3. After the field clears, Norris' Jarrett Behrends (17) kicks his helmet after the Titans fell to Waverly 16-17 in a Class B football playoff game on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Waverly High School. A line of people waiting to vote has been normal at the Lancaster County Election Commission Office at 601 N. 46th St., as it was Friday afternoon. The office will be open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to allow voters to cast an early ballot. If they wait until Election Day, they will need to go to their precinct or drop off their ballots at one of five drop boxes across the city. For more stories about about Tuesday's election, go to Journalstar.com . Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Courts reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Quinton Morton-Robertson's 16 points helped Purdue Fort Wayne defeat Green Bay 83-67 on Sunday night. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Quinton Morton-Robertson's 16 points helped Purdue Fort Wayne defeat Green Bay 83-67 on Sunday night. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Quinton Morton-Robertson’s 16 points helped Purdue Fort Wayne defeat Green Bay 83-67 on Sunday night. Morton-Robertson had three steals for the Mastodons (10-5, 3-1 Horizon League). Jalen Jackson added 15 points while going 6 of 11 from the field and had five assists. Trey Lewis shot 3 for 6 (3 for 5 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line to finish with 12 points. The Phoenix (2-13, 0-4) were led in scoring by Preston Ruedinger, who finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Green Bay also got 11 points from Ryan Wade. The loss is the 10th in a row for the Phoenix. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. AdvertisementLouisiana Tech 85, S. Illinois 79, OT

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, said today that Dubai remains committed to continuously enhancing its services, facilities, and infrastructure to consolidate its position as one of the world’s best cities to live, work, and visit. Speaking during a visit to Hatta, His Highness also emphasised the vital role of youth in driving sustainable development. "Our projects empower people, create opportunities, and ensure prosperity. Our objective is to make Hatta a global model for harmony between humans and nature, driven by innovation in sustainable development," he added. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid reviewed the progress of key development projects aligned with Dubai’s Vision 2030, the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, and the Dubai Social Agenda 33. Upon arrival, His Highness was welcomed by Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Chairman of the Supreme Committee to Oversee the Development of Hatta; Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA); and other senior officials. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed was briefed by Mattar Al Tayer on the progress of 65 initiatives in Hatta, featuring a total value of AED3.6 billion, 41 of which have been completed. The projects are part of the Hatta Master Development Plan, aimed at improving quality of life, enhancing services for residents and visitors, and accelerating the region’s social, economic, and educational development. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and his entourage visited the Hatta Winter Festival, one of the five festivals that form part of Hatta Winter 2024. Launched earlier this month by H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, Hatta Winter, running until 22nd January, 2025, spotlights Hatta’s growing profile as a must-visit winter destination, combining cultural, entertainment, educational and sports activities catering to people of all ages. Shaima Al Suwaidi, Director of Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office, briefed His Highness about the initiative, which includes four other festivals: Hatta Cultural Nights organised by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Hatta Honey Festival and Hatta Agricultural Festival, both organised by Dubai Municipality, and Hatta x DSF organised by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed was briefed on the initiative’s focus on promoting local projects, creating opportunities for the private sector and entrepreneurs based in Hatta, and highlighting the offerings of members of Brand Dubai’s Proudly From Dubai network. His Highness commended Brand Dubai's efforts to support tourism and commercial development in the area through the Hatta Winter initiative. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed unveiled the Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls project, implemented by DEWA as part of the Hatta Master Development Plan. The project features a stunning waterfall descending from the Hatta Dam, and the world’s largest mosaic panel on the waterfall’s slope, recognised by Guinness World Records. Covering 2,200 square metres and crafted from 1.2 million pieces of natural marble, the mosaic pays tribute to the UAE’s founding fathers, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. The Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls project aims to boost tourism and investment in the region, with retail stores and F&B outlets offered free of charge to local Emirati citizens. His Highness was also briefed on DEWA’s projects in Hatta, including the 250 MW pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant, the 30 million imperial gallon water reservoir, the strategic water interconnection projects with other emirates, and the Shams Dubai Initiative, which encourages residents and businesses to install photovoltaic panels on rooftops to generate solar energy and connect to DEWA’s electricity grid. During the tour, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed visited successful projects launched by Khalifa and Ahmed Al Bedwawi, two young engineers from Hatta. Their GoGravity project, launched in 2018, manufactures electric bikes for mountainous areas and rugged terrain. Embodying the ‘Made in the UAE’ spirit, the project has now expanded to include international exports. His Highness was briefed on the project and saw a model of their four-wheeled electric bikes.His Highness also visited the Al Bedwawi Honey project, where he learned about its beekeeping and honey production activities from Emirati entrepreneur Mohammed bin Ham Al Bedwawi. During the visit, His Highness engaged with Hatta's citizens and discussed ongoing development efforts. Sheikh Mohammed listened to their ideas and suggestions for further developing Hatta's potential, leveraging its natural and heritage resources. His Highness was briefed on three ongoing projects in Hatta being implemented in partnership with the private sector. The Hatta Beach project, covering 53,000 square metres, aims to transform the area into a year-round tourist destination. It features a 10,000-square-metre beach, an artificial ‘Crystal Lagoon’, service facilities, rest areas, pedestrian pathways, cycling tracks, restaurants, food trucks, and an outdoor cinema, in addition to offering swimming and water sports activities. The other two projects include the development of hotels and resorts and the Hatta Downtown project. His Highness also reviewed 24 ongoing projects in Hatta, including a world class model school for 700-1,000 students. He also reviewed the Hatta Majlis project, a community gathering space for 100 people. Other projects include a 1,000-guest wedding hall, the Hatta Dam Amphitheatre, the Hatta Service Centre, 200 homes for Emirati citizens, and a model residential neighbourhood. The project portfolio also includes expansion of cycling and mountain biking trails, the first-of-its-kind hydroelectric power station in the GCC region with a capacity of 250 MW and 1,500 MWh storage, and the Dubai Mountain Peak cable car. The 5.4-kilometre cable car will transport tourists from Hatta Dam to the summit of Um Al Nesoor Peak, the highest natural summit in Dubai, passing over the Hatta Lake, the hydroelectric power station, and the surrounding mountains. Other projects include the development of the Hatta Hospital, enhancements to the Hatta Sports Club, and the maintenance of dams across the region. Follow Emirates 24|7 on

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – , Mike McDaniel and the may be peaking at the right time. Just in time to make the Thanksgiving night game entertaining later this week. Tagovailoa threw three of his four touchdown passes in the first half, and the at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. After beginning this season losing 6 of 8 games, Miami is riding a three-game winning streak. The are now 5-6 and staring down .500, heading into their primetime Thanksgiving Day matchup at the on Thursday night. Can Tagovailoa and the Dolphins win a cold-weather game? The Hawaiian native surely has that knock again him during his five-year career. And the temperature could be in the teens by primetime. Can the Dolphins beat a team with a winning record? They were close against the and , losing by three points or less, before they rattled off this recent win streak. The Dolphins are 2-14 in their last 16 games against opponents with a .500 record or better. The Packers were 7-3 in this season ahead of Sunday's game against the . “I’m excited to kill narratives, so let’s go,” Tagovailoa said after the game. “Bring it on.” The will do the heavy lifting against in the 12:30 p.m. game. The tryptophan from Thanksgiving lunch should settle in by time the lowly and just-as-lowly kick off at 4:30 p.m. But, Tagovailoa and the Dolphins bring enough intrigue against the Packers to save the NFL’s holiday tripleheader from an entertainment standpoint. “Our record now is 5-6, and the Packers aren’t going to care about our three-game win streak,” McDaniel said. “The Packers are going to want to make us the team that can’t win in the cold or beat a good team. And we’ll have an opportunity on Thursday to either prove them right or wrong, as well as everybody else, in front of a bunch of families that are digesting and judgmental.” Could Miami upset Green Bay on Thursday? They’ll need to capitalize on what’s made them successful in their recent streak if they hope to make the playoffs in the final six weeks of the season. Tagovailoa finished 29 of 40 for 317 yards against New England, improving to 7-0 all-time against his AFC East rivals from Foxborough. Tagovailoa is 82 of 105 (78%) with eight touchdown passes in his last three games during Miami’s winning streak. Overall, he’s completed 130 of 170 passes (76.4%) since his return in Week 8. The Dolphins have converted 18 of their 34 third-down attempts (52.9%) in the last three games – before Tagovailoa was pulled with 11:01 left in the fourth quarter Sunday. Tagovailoa threw his first touchdown pass to tight end Jonnu Smith, and his second of two touchdowns to running back De’Von Achane on third down against the . “We’re still below the .500 threshold and it’s a long way to where we want to get to,” Tagovailoa said. “We’ll enjoy this win, but this next one is going to be big for us.” McDaniel has also identified a third receiving target to open the passing game. Teams are focusing on Dolphins receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, leaving windows open for others. It’s become Smith, the former Titans tight end who has three touchdowns in the last two weeks. At times, it’s also Odell Beckham Jr., who draws the attention of secondary defenders despite missing all three of his targets against the . Smith finished with nine catches for 87 yards against the Patriots, one week after he had six catches for 101 yards against the Las Vegas Raiders. His performance Sunday opened the window for Waddle’s best game of the season with eight catches for 144 yards and a touchdown against New England. Achane had 48 total yards, and two touchdown catches in the victory. Hill finished with five catches for 48 yards. “When you have a lot of playmakers on the team, it’s hard to stop us,” Achane said. Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to tight end Austin Hooper, and New England’s Christian Gonzalez returned a fumble 63 yards for another score within a 3:33 stretch early in the fourth quarter. The Dolphins did their work early in this one. Now, they have three days of rest before their holiday game this week. “We have a tough task ahead of us. Short week, on the road, night game, cold weather. All that stuff is really going to test our mental toughness,” Dolphins edge rusher Calais Campbell said. “We’re going to see what kind of team we are.” Added Tagovailoa: “We’re excited to go down to Green Bay and show everybody on primetime what we can do.”Officials have positively identified the remains of a girl whose body was found hidden in brush under a plastic tarp in 1973, Pennsylvania authorities said this week. The remains belong to Ruth Elizabeth Brenneman, 14, Pennsylvania State Police Sgt. Josh Lacey told reporters at a news conference Wednesday. Two game wardens found the decomposed remains of a young girl in a wooded area of Lebanon County on Oct. 10, 1973, approximately 47 miles from Brenneman's home in York County, Lacey said. It couldn't be determined how she died. Officials have spent the last 50 years attempting to identify the girl, Lacey said. In another effort to identify her, officials, with the help of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, exhumed the girl's body from Mount Lebanon Cemetery in May 2016. Finally, the positive identification was made last month after her remains were examined at Lehigh Valley Hospital. Lacey said she was identified using genealogy. "As a result of their efforts, this young female will no longer be known as Jane Doe," Lacey said. Identifying the body is a "huge step in this investigation," State Trooper Ian Keck said. "We have to know about the victim and their everyday life, who they associated with and their different activities." Brenneman was last seen "after she left for school and never returned home," Lacey said. Officials are looking into whether she made it to school that day. They are also trying to determine whether Brenneman was considered missing and on what day she went missing, Keck said. "Just because we identified her today that doesn't end our investigation," Keck said. "We're going to do our best and put our best foot forward here to come to a conclusion." Anyone who knew Brenneman or knows anything about her is asked to contact Pennsylvania State Police. Lacey declined to say whether there is a person of interest in the case and couldn't say for sure whether it was a homicide, as that is still "pending" with the coroner's office. He did say there was "some level of suspicion" to Brenneman's death "given the fact she was found underneath a tarp in some brush." Brenneman's family, in a statement read by Lacey, said her identification "has provided us with some closure on questions that have lingered for the past 51 years."

YORK — Dale Sweek took a job at the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services because it paid well. He only stayed there, though, because he thought he could help people. But after six years of working at the women’s prison in York, Sweek said, he had been through so much physical and mental stress that he was “broken down.” He thought of the coworker who had a heart attack shortly after retiring. He read research that indicated correctional staff have higher rates of heart disease and higher blood pressure than even other law enforcement officers. Another major reason Sweek said he left his position in 2023 was the way things were run at the women’s prison. Guards like Sweek are more than just security. During his time at the prison, Sweek provided emergency medical care, took care of individuals experiencing mental health episodes and inspected buildings for safety and sanitation. The way the prison handled issues in those areas worried Sweek and was echoed in the stories of a handful of incarcerated individuals at the prison interviewed by the York News-Times. People are also reading... 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Driver of car dead after crash in downtown Lincoln; part of O Street closed Nebraska medical marijuana petitions ruled valid; law set to go into effect Dec. 12 One incarcerated woman said she was locked in a shower cell for 20 hours with no food or bedding after refusing to go to the mental health unit. Another individual provided records suggesting the prison’s administration willingly ignored over 20 complaints about ventilation and air conditioning in one of the facility’s buildings. Sweek did not speak to the specific concerns detailed by the incarcerated individuals for this story, but he shared the incarcerated individuals’ frustration about the prison’s available mental health resources and the sanitation and safety of the facility. Warden Angela Folts-Oberle declined an interview request, but a spokesperson for the prison answered questions over email. “NCCW has a mental health department that supports the needs of individuals in all areas of the facility, including individual therapy, group therapy and clinical programming. NDCS policy also establishes specific timeframes for mental health professionals to meet with certain individuals,” wrote the department’s spokesperson, Dayne Urbanovsky. “The NCCW safety and sanitation officer completes rounds and inspections consistently throughout the facility and holds quarterly meetings with facility leadership to review data and recommendations,” she said. Urbanovsky said the facility is accredited by the American Correctional Association, most recently in February 2024. She said the accreditation process involves “file reviews, evaluations and an on-site inspection of the facility by ACA auditors.” Locked in a shower cell for 20 hours Maya Shields, 24, said she was locked in a shower cell with no bedding or food for 20 hours in September of this year. Shields is currently housed in the prison’s Behavior Intervention and Programming Unit, or, BIPU, which is women’s prison’s highest security unit. BIPU consists of a series of secure, single-person cells along a hallway. The showers in BIPU are also secure, individual cells, Shields said. Shields said she went into the shower cell and refused to come out after guards said they were taking her to a different unit at the prison, a unit focused on mental health that she said is for individuals who are incapable of taking care of themselves. Eventually, Shields said, the guards decided to leave her in the shower cell. But when she then asked to leave or at least be given food or bedding, she said, she was given nothing and had to stay there for almost a full day. They told her to use the shower water to drink and the drain to relieve herself, she said. Urbanovsky did not directly respond to a question about Shields’ situation but said BIPU is “mission-specific housing that addresses an individual’s behavior and risk posed to others.” She said individuals incarcerated in BIPU get six hours outside their room each day, time that may be spent with other people. Shields said the prison uses both BIPU and the mental health unit to put away people who have mental health or behavioral issues. “They don’t know what to do with people that have behavioral issues so they just lock them away,” Shields said during a phone interview. Carol Wilkins, who has been incarcerated in York since 2010, said in an in-person interview that she has spent time in both BIPU and the mental health unit. She said she struggled with isolation in BIPU but said the mental health unit, which has unit-specific programming, was actually “a really good program” for her — the first time she was there. She said going through the programming again hasn’t helped her. Sweek said that as a guard one of the hardest things about working at the women’s prison was working with people struggling with mental health issues, especially people in the mental health unit. “Seeing those inmates — they’ve committed crimes, but you know they shouldn’t be there because their mental health is so bad. They should be in a mental health facility,” Sweek said. That’s something that Shields has argued in an essay for the Nebraska Criminal Justice Review about the use of segregation on people with mental health issues, writing, “I feel people with severe mental health issues should reside in a facility with actual proper medical care & treatment.” “This prison has potential,” Wilkins said, praising some staff members, including the warden, but felt like more resources needed to go toward it, as opposed to the men’s prisons. She said this was especially true of BIPU and the mental health unit. For one thing, Wilkins said, the mental health unit needs a new coat of paint and a new intercom system. ‘It starts at the top’: Air quality in the A+B wings of North Hall For over two years, Sweek said, he was in charge of doing safety and sanitation inspections at one of the prison’s buildings. He said it felt like the administration never listened to the suggestions he made – whether it was about rusty metal bunks, mold on the ceiling or issues with the prison’s water. “You are supposed to report these things, and then you go to the top and then it’s supposed to trickle down into maintenance and things are supposed to get fixed or replaced and they don’t want to listen to you,” Sweek recalled. In April and May of 2022, Chris Henderson, a transgender man incarcerated at the prison, and 20 other individuals incarcerated at the women’s prison wrote grievances to Folts-Oberle about problems with the exhaust system and air conditioning in the A+B wings of the prison’s North Hall. Sweek said the air in North Hall was a regular issue when he was there. “They usually get it fixed as soon as they can, but they usually put a Band-Aid on it,” he recalled. Each of the grievances, copies of which Henderson shared with the News-Times, received the same response, saying there were no issues with the air temperature and that a contractor had been contacted to service the exhaust system. At the bottom of each grievance appears to be a signature from the prison’s warden, Folts-Oberle. Henderson also wrote to the Office of the Ombudsman, which investigates civilian complaints against state agencies and employees, about the heating and cooling systems in the A+B wings of North Hall. The ombudsman office’s reply in July 2022, Henderson said, disappointed him. “I addressed your concerns with Warden Folts-Oberle, and she stated that the facility has not received any complaints about the air conditioning not working in North Hall,” an assistant ombudsman wrote to Henderson, according to a copy of the letter Henderson shared with the News-Times. The warden’s claim to the ombudsman that she had received no complaints appears to contradict the more than 20 responses to grievances about air conditioning with her signature. But over email, Urbanovsky doubled down on Folts-Oberle’s assertion that there were no grievances filed about the air conditioning in North Hall during that time. “We completed a search of our grievance records and there were no grievances located regarding a non-working air conditioner in North Hall A & B wings from March 1, 2022, to July 31, 2022,” Urbanovsky wrote. Henderson was disappointed by what the warden told the ombudsman’s office. “If the warden is doing this, what does that mean for people under her? She sets the standard,” Henderson said. The ombudsman’s response also bothered him. “I was pissed, but I wasn’t surprised by it. The people who are supposed to help us didn’t go past the warden,” Henderson said, referring to the ombudsman’s response. Ombudsman Julie Rogers said her office encourages incarcerated individuals to use the grievance process on any issues to see if they can get issues handled themselves. If that’s not working, then her office intervenes. They are mainly focused on seeing if the agency is going to solve the problem — whatever the problem is, she said. Rogers said her office does not currently have any complaints about heating or air at the women’s prison. Sweek suggested cases like this weren’t uncommon — things regularly didn’t get fixed. Eventually, for Sweek, trying to improve prison conditions and help incarcerated individuals suffering with mental health issues caused his own health to suffer. That’s why he felt like he ultimately had to leave. He blamed prison leadership for not taking the suggestions of the people under them seriously enough. While he felt that a lot needed to change, Sweek said, “It starts at the top. It starts at the warden, and that trickles down.”

Amanda Serrano appeared on CBS Mornings today in New York to talk about her rematch against Katie Taylor and it turning out to be such a big platform for women’s boxing. Serrano tries to keep it gracious when asked about her thoughts on the official outcome, but says she still looks forward to making a trilogy fight with Taylor going forward. Serrano on knowing her rematch with Katie Taylor was the most-watched women’s sporting event in history “It’s truly an honor. You know, I’ve been in this game for so long. Being part of a great team, MVP, Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, to put me on this platform on Netflix. Who knew one day we’d be fighting on Netflix and to have that many people watching me, now people who never seen boxing or never knew women fight know women can fight.” On if she thought the close decision loss was fair “Listen, I didn’t know — there was a lot of headbutting going on and a lot of holding going on. But listen, I’m just happy that we were able to perform on this platform and millions of people saw what they saw and I believe I won the fight which means we have to go for the third fight. “I’m 100% interested (in a third fight), she said she is. The only way I feel like it will be fair is if we go under the men’s rules which is three minutes and 12 rounds, and she agreed to it so let’s see if she’ll take the fight.” On how her big ugly cut is healing “I want to apologize to everybody for that gruesome cut, it wasn’t my fault. But no, it’s great. The doctor did a great job on stitching it up. It’s still in pain, the swelling and everything else is going down but I feel great, I feel like I can go to the gym today — but I won’t.” On if she thinks more should have been done in the fight to prevent Taylor’s illicit tactics “Yeah because it was excessive from headbutting and excessive holding. We had warned the referee beforehand when we was in the locker room that that’s what she does. We fought her before and we knew that’s what she does. She likes to come in with her head. I’m not saying it was done intentionally but knowing the way Katie fights, that’s how she fights. “So we just warned the referee beforehand and he said don’t worry, he’ll handle it, and obviously he didn’t handle it as good as he was supposed to.”‘Not Invited’: BJP MLA Storms Venue At Deputy CM’s Event