FocusV3I28

YOUR

FREE

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 28 | JULY 10 - JULY 16 | 2019 ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, HEALTH, PERSONAL FINANCE, & MUSIC NEWSWEEKLY

LOCAL

Bazile Mills

REVIEWS

Miley Cyrus, “She Is Coming EP”

REAL ESTATE

Why are so many people involved?

HEALTH Crypto

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOCUS ON THIS WEEK!

JULY 16 | 2019

YOUR

LY 28 | JULY 10 MUSIC NEWSWEEK VOLUME 3 ISSUE NAL FINANCE, & MENT, HEALTH, PERSO FREE ARTS, ENTERTAIN

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THE ARTS

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OUTDOORS

Japanese Beetles—They’re Colorful, They’re Hungry and They’re HereLOCAL

Bazile Mills

TE REAL ESTAlved ?

ple Why are so any peo

REVIEWS

Is Coming EP” Miley Cyrus, “She

invo

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BENSON

By Kathleen Cue

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FAMILY

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HEALTH

Crypto

FINANCE

Federal Student Loan Interest Rates Decrease for 2019-2020

By Michael Herek Sponsored By Blue Capitol Wealth

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EVENTS

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ON TEN

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THIS WEEKS FEATURE

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RENEWABLE ENERGY

The Future of Our Nation May Hang in the Balance By Kat Carroll, Solar Heat and Electric

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REVIEWS

Miley Cyrus, “She Is Coming EP” By Tatiana Ballinger

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REAL ESTATE Why are so many people involved in a real estate transaction? By Eric Cano 16

LOCAL Bazile Mills By Focus Omaha 18

HEALTH

Cryptosporidium (also known as “Crypto”) By Focus Omaha

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COUNCIL BLUFFS

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LINCOLN

HAPPY HOUR

We gathered up some of the BEST Happy Hour spots in and around the Omaha metro!

Focus is your FREE Arts, Entertainment, Health, Personal Finance, & Music Newsweekly.

We’ve brought all of these elements together for the first time, all in one weekly format. Our goal is to provide you, the customer, with the best possible publication to suit all of your needs.

Focus

7914 W Dodge Rd. # 413 Omaha, NE 68114 (402) 208-6545 focusomaha@gmail.com www.focusomaha.com

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Focus | July 10 - July 16 | Volume 3 Issue 28

events/2267508546901161/

+Joining our Tailgate parrrrtay this month:

event information, art walk maps, BFF SWAG,

with ZTrip Cab Company Nebraska to get

Food vendors, featuring Hype Coffee, Table Grace Cafe AND pop up new American food tent

Wiesn in a Box, a mobile beer garden!

BFFzz, and more!

between Benson and Old Market first Fridays!

Tips are highly encouraged ;) From 6 - 9pm on July 5th, zTrip vans will be

+

Don’t forget to stop by BFF’s tailgate booth for Back for another month! Hop in a FREE ride

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FRIDAY, JULY 12 COWBOY MOUNTED SHOOTING EVENT July 12 – July 14, 2019 all-day Fort Robinson State Park 3200 Hwy. 20, Crawford, NE 69339 Contestants from Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming will participate in a mounted shooting contest will be held in the Arena each day. Park entry permit required.

-----------------------------------------------------FRIDAY, JULY 12 6p-7p FAMILIES ON TARGET Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center 4703 N. 44th Street, Lincoln, NE 402-471-6141 Families on Target is a fun and perfect fit for beginners of any ability wanting to get started in the sport of archery.

If your family is fairly new to archery and looking for a full introductory program, Families on Target has everything you need – bows, arrows, and enthusiastic instructors! You’ll learn range safety, fundamentals of archery shooting, and parts of a bow and arrow – plus receive skill-building coaching and play exciting games.

JULY 26-27 INDIAN CAVE’S CAMPFIRE CHRISTMAS IN JULY Celebrate Christmas in July and bring the family to Indian Cave State Park on July 2627 for the 6th Annual Campfire Christmas in July.

Traditional holiday activities include visits with Santa, a lighted Polar Express hayrack ride, a Yule log quest, holiday crafts, and Cristmas movies.

Other activities throughout the weekend include a campground decorating competition, kids’ pony rides, a waterslide, face painter, bounce house, and a half-price youth lifetime permit drawing. Visitors on July 27 also may enjoy browsing the Jingle Bell Junk & Craft Market. For a full schedule, visit Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov or call the park at 402-883-2575 for more details. A park entry permit is required for each vehicle entering the park Park entry permit required.

A parent/guardian must participate in the shoot.

Ages 8 and over.

-----------------------------------------------------SATURDAY, JULY 13 TRY ARCHERY Want to see what archery is all about?

Never held a bow before? Not sure where to begin?

Try Archery is your place to start!

This easy-going program covers basic range rules and procedures, along with simple form. Students get to fling arrows on their very first session! And whether archery turns out to be your thing or not, students walk away with the ability to be safe and have fun wherever adventure takes them next.

All equipment provided. Open to both kids (8 and up) and adults – ideal for families.

Weekly 1-hour class, meets for three weeks.

Looking to take the next step in this family-friendly lifelong sport? Be sure to check out our Explore Archery classes!

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WEDNESDAY JULY 10 Happy Hippie Hour with Carrie Jean The Down Under Lounge, 3p ----------------------------------------------Farmers Maret Rockbrook Village, 4p ----------------------------------------------Dr. Webb Music The Down Under Lounge, 4:20p ----------------------------------------------Pete Fucinaro, The Jewell, 6:30p ----------------------------------------------Keystone Center Show and Shine Keystone Center, 5p ----------------------------------------------Aaron Bressman Acoustic Wednesdays Jams Legacy, 5:30p ----------------------------------------------Open Acoustic Jam, Vino Mas, 6p --------------------------------------------The 70’s Band Ozone Lounge, 6:30p ----------------------------------------------Ray’s Piano Party Mr. Toad, 7p ----------------------------------------------Ladies Night, Rednecks, 7p --------------------------------------------Trivia, Stocks n Bonds, 7p ----------------------------------------------Acoustic Open Mic Night The New Frontier Bar, 7p ----------------------------------------------Soul Tree Duo The Omaha Lounge, 7:30p ----------------------------------------------Comedy Open Mic, Barley Street Tavern, 8p

Thursday Night Trivia, Nifty Bar, 8p --------------------------------------------Deerhunter w/ Moon Diagrams Slowdown, 8p --------------------------------------------Sweet 98.5 Presents: Dean Lewis Unplugged with Alyssa Siebken The Waiting Room, 8p --------------------------------------------Frances Wheel Thunderhead Brewery Downtown, 9 --------------------------------------------Karaoke w/ Host Adam Flohr Brokedown Palace, 9p ----------------------------------------------Open Mic Night (Hosted by Stathi) The B. Bar, 9:30p ----------------------------------------------Wednesday Night Karaoke with Brixz Brokedown Palace, 10p ----------------------------------------------Karaoke The Down Under Lounge, 10p

THURSDAY JULY 11 JOTG: Big Sam’s Funky Nation Thu 5 PM · Midtown Crossing at Turner Park ----------------------------------------------Throttle Thursday!

Dillon Brothers Motor Sports, 5p ----------------------------------------------Selwyn Birchwood Chrome Lounge, 6p The Redwoods, Surfside Club, 6p Scott Evans and Friends Ozone Lounge, 6:30p ----------------------------------------------Vibes at Village Pointe w/ Joystick, 6:30p Village Pointe,, 6:30p ----------------------------------------------Bike Night with Last Minute Band Dr. Jack’s Drinkery, 7p ----------------------------------------------Stand Up Science with Shane Mauss w/ Mik Slowdwn, 7:30p ----------------------------------------------Open Stage/ Jam Night American Dream, Hangout, 8p ----------------------------------------------Thirsty Thursday Nifty Bar, 8p ----------------------------------------------Chase Atlantic with Lauren Sanderson The Waiting Room, 8p ----------------------------------------------Durrrrty Thursday Bar 415, 9p ----------------------------------------------Thirsty Thursday Karaoke Forte Music Hall, 9p ----------------------------------------------Ladies Night Parliament Pub Downtown, 10p

Tempo Twilight Lauritzen Gardens, 6p

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TUESDAY JULY 16 --------------------------------------------eNVy Acoustic Lombardo’s, 6:30p --------------------------------------------Open Jam, Barley Street Tavern, 7p --------------------------------------------The Aristocrats w/ Travis Larso Slowdown, 7p ----------------------------------------------Acoustic Open Mic Night The New Frontier Bar, 7p ----------------------------------------------Open Mic & Jam, Therapy Bar, 7p --------------------------------------------The Blues w/Héctor Anchondo

The Omaha Lounge, 7:30p -------------------------------------------Andy Black w/ The Real Zebos & Lonely Estates, The Waiting Room, 7:30p -------------------------------------------Spencer’s Trivia Dojo The Down Under Lounge, 8p --------------------------------------------Open Mic (Standup), The Backline, 9p --------------------------------------------Brendan Fraser’s “The Mummy” Double Feature, The Down Under Lounge 9p --------------------------------------------Industry Night w/ DJ Sam EC Parliament Pub West, 9p --------------------------------------------Off to Broadway- Karaoke Style The Down Under Lounge, 10p

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THURSDAY JULY 11

Anniversary Week w/ Polka Police DOWN UNDER

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SATURDAY JULY 13

Anniversary Week w/ DOMESTIC BLEND DOWN UNDER

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THURSDAY JULY 11

The Iguanas JEWELL

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SATURDAY JULY 13

Dana Murray and Manifesto JEWELL

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FRIDAY JULY 12

Anniversary Week w/ Gallivant DOWN UNDER

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SATURDAY JULY 13

RIVER JAM 2019 RIVERWEST

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FRIDAY JULY 12

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FRIDAY JULY 12 Iration’s Live From Paradise! Summer Tour Logan Richardson, With with Pepper, Fortunate Ryan J. Lee & Mitch Towne Youth, and Katastro JEWELL SLOWDOWN

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TUESDAY JULY 16

JASON MRAZ STIR COVE

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Walter Trout WAITING ROOM

WHAT’S YOUR FOCUS? Focus | July 10 - July 16 | Volume 3 Issue 28 11

‘Babylon by Bus’ and ten times platinum album ‘Legend’.

The Orignal Wailers received their own Grammy nomination in 2013 for their album ‘Miracle’ making it Andersons’ second Grammy Nomination. Al Anderson is the sole member of the Bob Marley & The Wailers mid - 1970’s lineup in the Original Wailers.

For those who are so far unfamiliar, Focus will them to replace items of their choosing that were lost. bring its latest event, Rebuilding After the Flood w/ The Original Wailers to center stage Bailey Counseling Services will also be on on July 27. hand to talk to families who are facing the strain on relationships, depression, and other Our goal is to invite 100 families who were affected by the flood to enjoy a day of stress- problems related to the mental aspect assofree music at no cost. We also plan on helping ciated with stress and sudden loss. They will also be providing ongoing services to those in need.

Here’s a little background on The Original Wailers, who are headlining the event.

In 1974 when Bob Marley went solo, on the brink of international stardom, he surprised the music community by choosing as American born lead guitarist, Al Anderson. It was Anderson’s stunning lead work on such classics as No Woman, No Cry, & Three O’clock Road Block, that first alerted rock fans to the Wailer’s music.

Andersons’ musical achievements with Bob Marley & The Wailers include the platinum award-winning albums, ‘Live at the Lyceum’,

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Focus | July 10 - July 16 | Volume 3 Issue 28

The Original Wailers also include Chet Samuel (Lead Vocals / Guitar), Omar Lopez (Bass Guitar), Paapa Nyarkoh (Drums), and Adrian AK Cisneros (Keyboards and Organ) who continue the legacy of Bob Marley & The Wailers’ music.

Please help us help others by attending this event! It will be held from 12-11pm on July 27 at River West Park 233rdand West Maple Rd. There will also be great local appearances by Ragged Company, Monkey Funk, Bazile Mills, Leo and the Lion’s Mane and more!! Tickets are available at Habitz, Star Deli, Homer’s, and on etix.com.

Camping spaces are almost gone and only available on etix. com so get them now!!

Focus | July 10 - July 16 | Volume 3 Issue 28 13

Why are so many people involved in a real estate transaction?

By Eric Cano

any home, be it on the market with whichever company, a new build, or even homes that are not on the market. Their job is to get their buyers the deal for the house they want. Experienced agents can also tell you how easy or difficult it would be to later sell your purchase depending on design and amenities, if the home is in an area of high sale activity, and if its in an area of low or high appreciation. Your agent is the person with the greatest responsibility.

On the loan side, there is a loan officer, processor, underwriter, and appraiser. The loan officer is the person you meet and that asks for paperwork from you. His processor is the person that puts the file together. The underwriter is the person that decides if the paperwork is satisfactory, that your income and credit qualify for the loan, and releases the funds. Having a great loan officer and processor can sometimes make the differThere are many people and companies ence if you qualify or not because, along involved in a real estate transaction. Most with the underwriter, they are looking at the of us only know their agent, a lender, and a same rules and depending on how organized title company leaving many to wonder who and clear the file is will make the difference are all these other people and why are they on if you get the loan or not. If it sounds like involved. all the banks ask for very similar paperwork it’s because these rules are not asked for First, there’s the agent. Most of the time by the bank but the secondary market. The there will be two agents. One representing secondary market is where the banks sell the the seller and one representing the buyer.

Both agents have duties toward their clients. loans to. This means that the underwriter has determined the file is complete and qualifies Many buyers may decide to call the number on the for sale sign and soon find out they are to be sold to this market so the bank can have not represented correctly and that’s because funds to loan more mortgages. Banks will also require an appraisal and home owners the other agent is required to get his seller insurance. The appraiser is the person that the most amount of money and least hassle.

A seller’s agent is supposed to calculate what determines the home value based upon would be a price the property can sell for and current sales of like properties. The insurance can come from your current provider make sure the transaction goes smoothly. A or a suggested one from your agent or loan buyers agent can represent their client on

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Focus | July 10 - July 16 | Volume 3 Issue 28

officer.

Most homes will have a termite inspection.

FHA requires this on most to all loans and Title and escrow completes the transfer and if you have a conventional loan the decision provides a clean title. Since all ownership is left up to you. The fee is paid at closing information and property liens are public and set on the buyer side of costs. If the information, they investigate that all previous inspector determines treatment is needed, owners have transferred their interest in the the seller usually pays for it. There are other property and any loans or liens that may be inspections which are optional. There are against it so you get a clear title. Liens can whole house inspections, which is when a include property tax delinquency, unpaid professional does a general inspection and work to a contractor for the property, code looks to see if electrical, plumbing, HVAC, violations, judgments, federal and state and even kitchen and laundry appliances are income tax delinquency, etc. Once they have working as intended, and are up to code. If determined the title is clear, they give you they seem damaged, they may refer the item insurance of clean title. They are also the being reviewed by a specialist. They also look ones that receive all the monies including the for deterioration in roofs, siding, foundation, earnest deposit and bank loan funds. They windows, and flooring. There are also inspecmake sure everything gets paid at closing tions for radon gas, structural by a structural so you don’t have to pay anything afterward engineer, mold, and well or septic if applicaincluding the real estate commission. They ble. The optional inspections are usually paid then compare numbers with the lender to when performed by the buyer and they have make sure all amounts are accounted for. a chance to see results with the inspector at Once the buyer signs at the title company, the time of inspection at the house. the exchange is complete. The seller may sign before but the title company holds the You may have a warranty company involved. documents until funds are secure and the These range in coverage but most do cover buyer has signed.

HVAC, electrical, and plumbing for one year. For an item to be covered the warran-

ty company determines if the item failure happened at the time of coverage or before.

Having them check items before coverage may be recommended to determine eligibility and some do offer that service. This cost is negotiated and can be paid by either buyer or seller.

Finally, you may want a plot plan or a full survey done to the property. This determines where your property line is. It can be as simple as a piece of paper with the layout of the property lines and the distance to the walls of the house so you can measure yourself to find where the line should be. You can pay for a full survey where they go out and put stakes at the corners if you want to be sure. There should be pins in the ground at the time the home was built, and they look for those to find the corners.

contract and have any questions feel free to call me. If you are under contract, your agent should be able to answer your questions.

Eric Cano 402-659-9549

GET YOUR FOCUS ON! www.focusomaha.com ONLINE or in PRINT DOWNLOAD the App Today!

There can be others involved but these are the most common. If you are not under a

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Focus | July 10 - July 16 | Volume 3 Issue 28

Bazile Mills – Living the Singles Life Bazile Mills the band seemingly is doing better than Bazile Mills the (mostly) ghost town.

The town, founded in the 1880s as a milling center, is home to around 30 people while the Americana outfit continues to record and build a following, although Dave Mainelli says the band may be more of an indie rock outfit these days.

Mainelli handles lead vocals, guitars, piano, mandolin; Jessica Errett has joined on vocals and guitar; lead guitar continues to be handled

by Tim Rozmazjl; Sam Vetter does some lead vocals, plus rhythm guitar and bass; Dan Stein is on bass and lap steel; the drummer is Dave Siebels; and Cambreezy plays trumpet.

Laura Streeter continues to provide vocals on the new recordings while Avery Thomas adds strings on the studio work as the Bazile Mills sound continues to evolve.Bazile Mills will perform on July 27 during the Rebuilding After the Flood benefit concert presented by Focus at Riverwest Park in Elkhorn.

The band has released numerous recordings since its 2014 formation and Bazile Mills was a 2015 Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards Finalist for New Artist of the Year. Last year, due to the nature of the market for recorded music, they decided to focus less on the album format.

“We’ve been releasing singles and we think it just kind of gets us out there,” Mainelli said.

“We try to do it every other month.”

They haven’t quite been able to maintain that pace, but Bazile Mills has been working with various studios. “Flying at Night,” and “Song for Maria” are among the most recent singles

by Mainelli and Vetter has contributed “Let it Be Known.” They are getting exposure on SoundCloud, iTunes, Amazon and other online sources with a couple additional singles now being mastered.

“Maybe at the end of the year we can put out a compilation,” Mainelli offered.

Going into the studio every few months has been “a blast,” he said. “It (releasing singles) refreshes the band, I think.”

With multiple songwriters and the refreshing has come an evolution in the sound of the band.

“It’s gone a little away from what we used to call . . . Americana,” Mainelli said. “I think it’s more indie rock.”

The lap steel has been a growing element and Siebels drumming also has shaped the band.

“I think we’ve kind of come here and landed here,” Mainelli suggested. “We’re definitely not bound by any genre.

“They (songs) kind of have their own life . . . We can go all over the place.”

A few songs have gathered a little TV exposure and Mainelli is hoping more of that comes along. “I’d like to see a couple songs do a couple things. I think they’re worthy of that,” he stated.

Bazile Mills has not been performing a lot lately but Mainelli looks for that to change after the show with The Wailers. They will play another festival coming up in Fremont and Mainelli would like to get in front of a big festival audience.

Regardless of what happens and how quickly, the musical journey continues to be a positive experience.

“We enjoy adding to the conversation,” Mainelli stated. “We put them (songs) out and people like them enough to buy them.”

For more on Bazile Mills: https://www.facebook.com/bazilemills/

GET YOUR FOCUS ON! Focus | July 10 - July 16 | Volume 3 Issue 28 17

Cryptosporidium

(also known as “Crypto”) Outbreaks of Cryptosporidium (Crypto) in the United States increased an average 13% each year from 2009-2017, according to a report published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

easily cause outbreaks because it only takes a few germs to make someone sick, and there can be millions of Crypto germs in poop.

Someone sick with Crypto can have diarrhea for up to three weeks.

Crypto, a parasite, is spread through the poop of infected humans or animals. People can get sick after they swallow the parasite in contaminated water or food or after contact with infected people or animals. Crypto is the leading cause of disease outbreaks in the United States linked to water, specifically outbreaks linked to pools or water playgrounds.

Protect yourself and family from getting sick Outbreaks caused by Crypto occur most commonly in the summer. Follow these effective steps to protect yourself and others this summer and year-round: •

• Hundreds of outbreaks caused by Crypto The report describes 444 outbreaks reported from 2009 through 2017, resulting in 7,465 • people becoming sick, 287 hospitalizations, • and one death.

• 35% of the outbreaks were linked to treated swimming water in places like pools and water playgrounds.

15% were linked to contact with cattle, particularly calves who were still nursing.

13% were linked to contact with infected • people in childcare settings.

3% were linked to drinking raw (unpasteurized) milk or apple cider.

• Improvements in testing patients for Crypto in recent years might be contributing to • increased detection of outbreaks.

Michele Hlavsa, R.N., M.P.H., chief of CDC’s Healthy Swimming Program “Young children can get seriously sick and easily spread Crypto. They don’t know how to use the toilet and wash their hands, or are just learning how. But we as parents can take steps to help keep our kids healthy in the water, around animals, and in childcare.”

Crypto is a challenging parasite Crypto is protected by an outer shell that makes it tough to kill. For example, it can survive for days in chlorinated water in pools and water playgrounds or on surfaces disinfected with chlorine bleach. Crypto can

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Do not swim or let kids swim if they have diarrhea.

If diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis, do not swim until two weeks after diarrhea completely stops.

Do not swallow the water you swim in.

Keep kids sick with diarrhea at home and away from childcare.

Wash your hands with soap and water after coming in contact with animals or anything in their environment, especially animal poop. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not work effectively on Crypto.

Remove shoes worn in the animal environments (for example, in barns) before going inside your home.

If you drink milk or apple cider, only buy if it has been pasteurized.

National surveillance system can help detect outbreaks

CryptoNet is the first U.S. national tracking system for a parasitic disease that is based on DNA fingerprinting. Crypto DNA fingerprinting can help determine how the parasite spreads and help detect and investigate outbreaks.

For more information on Crypto, visit https:// www.cdc.gov/parasites/crypto/gen_info/ prevention-general-public.html.

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Japanese Beetles—They’re Colorful, They’re Hungry and They’re Here

By Nebraska Extension Horticulture Educator Kathleen Cue The most important thing to understand about Japanese beetles is their feeding doesn’t kill trees, shrubs and flowers. Granted, it isn’t fun to see the lacy leaves they’ve created, but pesticide management options require thought and planning before you set out for revenge.

Systemic insecticides, for instance, those containing the active ingredient imidacloprid, are taken in by plant tissues. Systemics may have a label for application to trees and shrubs but before these are used, the applicator should make sure the plant is past its flowering stage in order to protect pollinators. Also, a systemic product can never be used on linden trees.

Topical insecticides with the active ingredient bifenthrin or carbaryl are those that coat plant tissues so Japanese beetles ingest the toxin when they eat. As you would guess, topical insecticides can wash off in a rainstorm, so using a product called a spreader sticker will help. Again, it’s important that topical insecticides are not sprayed on flowers in order to keep pollinators like bees and butterflies healthy.

Remember that Japanese beetle traps are too good at what they do—attracting Japanese beetles. Research indicates there is more Japanese beetle damage in yards with traps

than those without.

While Japanese beetles are accomplished at eating, they are

uncoordinated at flying. Any beetles that bumble past the traps will be diverted to nearby plants where they begin feeding.

Japanese beetles love fruit, so keeping them away from your prized peaches is a problem.

There are fruit bags, made of fabric, mesh or nylon, that individually protect fruits from any bug onslaught. Kaolin clays can also be sprayed on fruits and act as deterrents to insect feeding.

Where practical, picking Japanese beetles off plants is very effective and doesn’t cause harm to pollinators. The best time of day to do this is at 7:00 in the evening. Instinctively, Japanese beetles drop when the plant they are on is disturbed. You can use this instinct to your advantage by holding a small bucket of soapy water beneath a branch, giving it a light tap and watching as the beetles drop into the bucket. Satisfaction and clean-up in one step!

More information can be found here: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/douglas-sarpy/ pdfs/ce/resources/ce-dealing-with-japanese-beetle.pdf

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Federal Student Loan Interest Rates Decrease for 2019-2020

By Michael Herek

For the first time in three years, the interest rates on Federal student loans will decrease anywhere from seven to ten percent depending on the loan type. This will take effect for new Federal student loan borrowers after July 1, 2019.

Federal student loans are typically the lowest cost borrowing option for students, and these interest rate decreases will make paying for college slightly more affordable for many.

New Federal Student Loan Rates For 2019 - 2020 From July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020, the rates on Federal student loans will be: Undergraduate Subsidized and Unsubsidized Direct Loans: 4.53% Graduate Direct Loans: 6.08% Graduate and Parent PLUS Loans: 7.08% These represent a sizable decrease in interest rates.

Previously for 2018 - 2019, the rates were: Undergraduate Subsidized and Unsubsidized Direct Loans: 5.05% Graduate Direct Loans: 6.6% Graduate and Parent PLUS Loans: 7.6%

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Focus | July 10 - July 16 | Volume 3 Issue 28

Rate changes only occur for new borrowers, and the interest rates are announced once a year. Given that these rates are fixed for the life of the loans, a decrease can be beneficial for a long period of time.

Focus | July 10 - July 16 | Volume 3 Issue 28 25

The Future of Our Nation May Hang in the Balance

By Kat Carroll, Solar Heat and Electric It might be late to the game to say this, but we’re happy to join the crowd: it’s rare for a freshman senator to have built the kind of audience base that Alexandra OcasioCortes has built in the months since she became elected. What’s rarer, however, is the audacity of her proposals. They’re wide-ranging, demanding solutions to the devastation that climate change is beginning to wreak on the whole of human society.

These proposals require restructuring the whole of society, from the way we approach work to the way we budget revenue for federal infrastructure. They’re drastic, they’re expensive, and if you look at them clearly, they require the remodeling of our entire economic infrastructure. We’re here to provide a sensible argument that those proposals are exactly what we need to stave off the worst effects of climate change. Let us explain why in this first part of a two-part article.

Let’s start here. Climate change exists, and it’s dangerous. Due to an incredibly rapid rise within the last three years, the first part of that statement is something seven in ten Americans now agree with, according to the Associated Press. After a fierce campaign by the fossil fuel industry to confuse the issue, statistics from the Yale Climate Communications publication “Climate Change in the American Mind: December 2018” indicate the age of U.S. climate denial is ending. While the fight isn’t over, the effectiveness of climate denial tactics are dwindling in the face of the drastic shifts in weather that Americans take as visible, clear evidence of climate change. It certainly helps that the U.S. is beginning to bow to international consensus on the science of climate change, and that cities have begun to take steps towards the Paris Accords even without federal assistance. Climate change exists, and seven out of ten Americans agree

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that our government has a responsibility to start addressing it.

decide how that movement should be led, and society need to move forward. Fleshing out who is responsible for reducing greenhouse the Green New Deal, which so far is simply an gases. outline taken directly from climate scientists, economists and activists, is what is necessary The difficulty here is an idea interwoven to secure our national future. The intensity into that framework: the idea that the of this moment is no less than the intensity transformation of a fossil fuel economy to a of the WWII war boom that transformed our renewable energy economy will damage our entire economy. Let’s take advantage of it. overall profitability. That’s only true in the short-term. One of the key parts of the Green Next Week: we’ll be breaking down the actual New Deal is the assurance that sustainable document, evaluating how each proposal affects transformation can be profitable and benefit the American people, and filtering the message almost every group within society. The of this new deal through the noise of outside investments put into the proposals of the commentary. deal could ensure the creation of thousands of well-paying jobs, the protection of civil society, an increase in public health, and the assurance of strong international trade relationships and national security.

In order to make a case for the Green New Deal, we have to point out its necessity. The past five years have each, consecutively, become the hottest years in this planets’ Regardless of how difficult or expensive, recorded history. It indicates deadly avoiding the issue is more costly. We as a heat waves, distinct changes in wind and precipitation patterns, droughts, wildfires, and destruction of crop growing zones. We’ve started to see this in intense, raging California wildfires, five years of Central American droughts, increased hurricane frequency and intensity, and Midwestern floods.

This affects our entire world. Climate change has the power to destroy entire regions of farmland, decreasing crop production and increasing starvation. It leaves hundreds of thousands of people without access to clean water for drinking or irrigation. It forces migrants to leave their homes and countries behind in search for the chance to survive.

Millions of people in the biggest and most prosperous cities in the world will be forced to move as seas rise. Some of these things have already begun, while others leave a looming threat in the next few decades. This is us dipping our toes into the pond- it’s barely a fraction of the whole story. The economic impacts of climate change rank in the trillions of dollars. More importantly, the societal impacts of climate change rank in billions of lives changed.

That’s why the Green New Deal is so crucial.

Every single dollar of mitigation (in which we spend money to avoid the dangers of climate change by reducing the amount of carbon put into the air) is worth twenty dollars in adaptation (in which we scramble to put an end to disasters that have become unavoidable). We have to move forward, but the international community is struggling to

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Miley Cyrus, “She Is Coming EP”

By Tatiana Ballinger The new EP from America’s favorite girlnext-door type was released May 31, 2019, to free streaming services. Miley seems to have the support of most people for various reasons. She is simultaneously an ally to Disney and to the revolution; she

capitalize on it: the American Dream. She is everyone’s daughter, not just her mother’s, as per the opening track “Mother’s Daughter,” on the six-track assemblage. She is coming to speakers near you soon enough with catchy songs you think you have already heard. A ventriloquist throwing her voice.

The trials of Miley Cyrus have been documented in the news yet she remains contagiously bright-eyed and bushy tailed. Her latest music release is proof that she can do no wrong in the judgemental eyes of consumers as she alludes to her responsible party days with cutting edge hangover cures in the spotlight. Generation X stays jealous.

has husky croons and confident feminism. She is a filthy rich anarchist and speaks for the unheard. Miley Cyrus is a walking contradiction with every right to say everything that has already been said and to

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“She Is Coming,” is a nineteen-minute message that beat Taylor Swift to the punch of satirical self-deprecation. The lyrics in the EP are a slightly outdated response to Trump’s timeless hurtful stances. Enjoy a well-produced look into Southern hospitable conversation.

Focus | July 10 - July 16 | Volume 3 Issue 28

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Focus | July 10 - July 16 | Volume 3 Issue 28

Focus | July 10 - July 16 | Volume 3 Issue 28 31