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The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing . But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin , gold and other investments also drove higher. Here’s a look at some of the numbers that defined the year. All are as of Dec. 20. Remember when President Bill Clinton got impeached or when baseball’s Mark McGwire hit his 70th home run against the Montreal Expos? That was the last time the U.S. stock market closed out a second straight year with a leap of at least 20%, something the S&P 500 is on track to do again this year. The index has climbed 24.3% so far this year, not including dividends, following last year’s spurt of 24.2%. The number of all-time highs the S&P 500 has set so far this year. The first came early, on Jan. 19, when the index capped a two-year comeback from the swoon caused by high inflation and worries that high interest rates instituted by the Federal Reserve to combat it would create a recession. But the index was methodical through the rest of the year, setting a record in every month outside of April and August, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices. The latest came on Dec. 6. The number of times the Federal Reserve has cut its main interest rate this year from a two-decade high, offering some relief to the economy. Expectations for those cuts, along with hopes for more in 2025, were a big reason the U.S. stock market has been so successful this year. The 1 percentage point of cuts, though, is still short of the 1.5 percentage points that many traders were forecasting for 2024 at the start of the year. The Fed disappointed investors in December when it said it may cut rates just two more times in 2025, fewer than it had earlier expected. That’s how many points the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by the day after Election Day, as investors made bets on what Donald Trump’s return to the White House will mean for the economy and the world . The more widely followed S&P 500 soared 2.5% for its best day in nearly two years. Aside from bitcoin, stocks of banks and smaller winners were also perceived to be big winners. The bump has since diminished amid worries that Trump’s policies could also send inflation higher. Related Articles Economy | Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices Economy | Federal hostility could delay offshore wind projects, derailing state climate goals Economy | US applications for unemployment benefits hold steady, but continuing claims rise to 3-year high Economy | A million taxpayers will soon receive up to $1,400 from the IRS. Who are they and why now? Economy | An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump The level that bitcoin topped to set a record above $108,000 this past month. It’s been climbing as interest rates come down, and it got a particularly big boost following Trump’s election. He’s turned around and become a fan of crypto, and he’s named a former regulator who’s seen as friendly to digital currencies as the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, replacing someone who critics said was overly aggressive in his oversight. Bitcoin was below $17,000 just two years ago following the collapse of crypto exchange FTX. Gold’s rise for the year, as it also hit records and had as strong a run as U.S. stocks. Wars around the world have helped drive demand for investments seen as safe, such as gold. It’s also benefited from the Fed’s cut to interest rates. When bonds are paying less in interest, they pull away fewer potential buyers from gold, which pays investors nothing. It’s a favorite number of Elon Musk, and it’s also a threshold that Tesla’s stock price passed in December as it set a record. The number has a long history among marijuana devotees, and Musk famously said in 2018 that he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share . Tesla soared this year, up from less than $250 at the start, in part because of expectations that Musk’s close relationship with Trump could benefit the company. That’s how much revenue Nvidia made in the nine months through Oct. 27, showing how the artificial-intelligence frenzy is creating mountains of cash. Nvidia’s chips are driving much of the move into AI, and its revenue through the last nine months catapulted from less than $39 billion the year before. Such growth has boosted Nvidia’s worth to more than $3 trillion in total. GameStop’s gain on May 13 after Keith Gill, better known as “Roaring Kitty,” appeared online for the first time in three years to support the video game retailer’s stock, which he helped rocket to unimaginable heights during the “ meme stock craze ” in 2021. Several other meme stocks also jumped following his post in May on the social platform X, including AMC Entertainment. Gill later disclosed a sizeable stake in the online pet products retailer Chewy, but he sold all of his holdings by late October . That’s how much the U.S. economy grew, at annualized seasonally adjusted rates, in each of the three first quarters of this year. Such growth blew past what many pessimists were expecting when inflation was topping 9% in the summer of 2022. The fear was that the medicine prescribed by the Fed to beat high inflation — high interest rates — would create a recession. Households at the lower end of the income spectrum in particular are feeling pain now, as they contend with still-high prices. But the overall economy has remained remarkably resilient. This is the vacancy rate for U.S. office buildings — an all-time high — through the first three quarters of 2024, according to data from Moody’s. The fact the rate held steady for most of the year was something of a win for office building owners, given that it had marched up steadily from 16.8% in the fourth quarter of 2019. Demand for office space weakened as the pandemic led to the popularization of remote work. That’s the total number of previously occupied homes sold nationally through the first 11 months of 2024. Sales would have to surge 20% year-over-year in December for 2024’s home sales to match the 4.09 million existing homes sold in 2023, a nearly 30-year low. The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. A shortage of homes for sale and elevated mortgage rates have discouraged many would-be homebuyers. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular Get healthier in the new year with these resources in the Williamsburg area Get healthier in the new year with these resources in the Williamsburg area ‘We’re buddies now’: William & Mary students work with dementia patients as part of new program 'We're buddies now': William & Mary students work with dementia patients as part of new program Williamsburg leaders to prioritize funding for regional Trail757 project Williamsburg leaders to prioritize funding for regional Trail757 project How to dispose of natural Christmas trees in Hampton Roads How to dispose of natural Christmas trees in Hampton Roads Hitman who killed Navy officer in Newport News among 37 death row inmates commuted by Biden Hitman who killed Navy officer in Newport News among 37 death row inmates commuted by Biden Festival of Lights begins Wednesday to celebrate Hanukkah Festival of Lights begins Wednesday to celebrate Hanukkah A Santa by any other name still spells Christmas A Santa by any other name still spells Christmas New Kent administrator’s capital improvement plan has some big ticket items New Kent administrator's capital improvement plan has some big ticket items 50 years later, Christmas card still in the family as Virginia Beach man keeps tradition alive 50 years later, Christmas card still in the family as Virginia Beach man keeps tradition alive Where you can find restaurants with igloos in Hampton Roads Where you can find restaurants with igloos in Hampton Roads Trending Nationally 1 dead, 5 injured in boat explosion and fire at Florida marina California wharf partially collapses; 3 rescued from water Nordstrom family to take chain private in $6.25 billion deal A million taxpayers will soon receive up to $1,400 from the IRS. Who are they and why now? Need a cuddle? Check out America’s first CuppaPug caféDelaware judge strikes down Elon Musk's Tesla pay package for 2nd timeFor 36-year-old Farhan Pauzi, who spent time in prison for drug charges, securing a job was tough when he was released. SINGAPORE – More employers are giving former offenders a chance in the workplace, but social stigma remains a hindrance for some in their reintegration journey. The number of employers that have hired former offenders in partnership with Yellow Ribbon Singapore (YRSG) rose from 5,603 in 2019 to 6,516 in 2023. Close to 700 employers also benefited from a government scheme that was rolled out in April 2023, to offer firms that hire former offenders wage offsets for their first nine months on the job. Between April and December 2023, about $2 million was disbursed to these employers for hiring more than 1,500 former offenders as part of the Uplifting Employment Credit scheme, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in response to queries from The Straits Times. While there seem to be more opportunities now for former offenders to gain employment after their release, other issues such as social stigma and personal challenges can affect how long they stay on. The career retention rate among former offenders who got a job with the help of YRSG has dropped over the years. The percentage of former offenders who remained employed for three months dropped from 87 per cent in 2020 to 79 per cent in 2023. Those who remained employed for six months also dipped from 70 per cent in 2020 to 60 per cent in 2023. YRSG told ST it does not have sufficient data to accurately identify the specific reasons behind the lower retention rates among employed former offenders. Challenges in gaining and retaining employment YRSG career coach Ashish Ben said former offenders may need more time to relearn old skills, which have become rusty, or learn new skills when returning to work after a long time in prison. Some employers may not have the capacity to give them time to gain proficiency due to operational and industry demands. Ingeus Singapore, an agency that offers career retention support to former offenders, said they may need a longer learning curve than a typical three-month adjustment period. The agency has eight career coaches dedicated to supporting former offenders, each managing an average caseload of 65 people. Mr Ashish said some former offenders may also have difficulty expressing themselves, and employers may mistake that for a lack of commitment or suitability for a role. They are also subject to more scrutiny, which may lead to quick assumptions. In one incident, a former offender was seen taking a white tablet when he arrived at work. During the day, he overheard a senior colleague commenting that he looked “stoned”. The company’s management, which heard about the incident, jumped to the conclusion that he might be using drugs. It was later discovered that the white pill was Panadol, recounted Mr Ashish. The former offender had taken it as he had been dealing with family issues that disrupted his sleep, and he wanted to alleviate a headache when he arrived at work. “A released ex-offender will leave the first physical prison and find himself entering a second social prison,” Mr Ashish said. “The stigma of incarceration might mean they are looked upon with suspicion.” For 36-year-old Farhan Pauzi, who spent time in prison for drug offences, securing a job was tough when he was released, as employers would turn him away when they learnt he was still under a supervision order, which requires former drug abusers to report for regular urine tests. One pest control company also rejected him as it was afraid his criminal record would affect his access to government offices that may hire its services. He managed to land a job months later with a carpark management company. “It gave me its trust and we had mutual respect. I finally felt like I met people who didn’t just judge me for my mistakes,” he said. “Having a stable job helped me to stay on the right track and not go back to prison.” The Industrial and Services Co-operative Society, a group that helps former offenders, said they may feel inherently “flawed” or “unworthy”, which creates a mental barrier when applying for jobs or prevents them from interacting with colleagues. For 35-year-old Hirzi (not his real name), being very careful about what he shares with colleagues is important to him. He was previously jailed for 10 months on drug-related charges, and considered lying about his past to secure a job. He decided to be honest with his managers about his history, but refrained from telling his colleagues. “One day, I asked some of them about what they thought of ex-offenders generally and got a negative response. I immediately knew I couldn’t tell them about my past as I felt some of them were not ready to work with an ex-offender.” Singapore After-Care Association director Prem Kumar said that despite the significant progress made in terms of societal acceptance, many former offenders will always be worried about how they are viewed by colleagues. “The desire to keep as low a profile as possible and hope that no one at work finds out about their past continues to hold true to this day,” he said. Overcoming negative perceptions For John (not his real name), his view of former offenders changed only after he himself was jailed for criminal breach of trust. “Before I went to prison, I was also someone who had a negative opinion of ex-offenders. I doubted that they could really be trusted,” said the 54-year-old. “But when I was inside (prison), you get to see how life is there, what their stories are, and that changed my perception a lot.” For John (not his real name), his view of ex-offenders shifted only after he himself was jailed for criminal breach of trust. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Chia & Thai Food Supplies director Samuel Koh said his company started employing former offenders in 2006 owing to a tight labour market. Hiring from traditional sources had been challenging, so it decided to tap the pool of candidates among former offenders, he said. “We were concerned about theft, violence, poor attitude and performance at work, but we recognised that these issues are not specific to ex-offenders,” he said. The company made efforts to ensure harmony between the former offenders and other employees, which included not mentioning the former offenders’ background at work. After 18 years, the company went from hiring two to three former offenders a year to hiring 12 to 15 now. Sociologist Julia Wong from the Singapore Institute of Technology said it can be challenging for the public to accept that society needs to help former offenders, and this includes taking personal action. “It is common to hear people saying, ‘Yes, we should help ex-offenders’, but when asked whether they would be willing to work or live with an ex-offender, the answer may be less encouraging,” she said. Among the small gestures one can make are treating former offenders like any other new colleague instead of prying into their past, and getting back in touch with them after their incarceration, she noted. “Society needs to recognise that ex-offenders have already paid their dues and served their punishment,” she said. “You’ll be surprised how such small acts can make a difference to another person’s life.” Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads. 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By ROB GILLIES, Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Donald Trump that Americans would also suffer if the president-elect follows through on a plan to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products , a Canadian minister who attended their recent dinner said Monday. Trump threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if they don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders with the United States. He said on social media last week that he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders. Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, whose responsibilities include border security, attended a dinner with Trump and Trudeau at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club on Friday. Trudeau requested the meeting in a bid to avoid the tariffs by convincing Trump that the northern border is nothing like the U.S. southern border with Mexico . “The prime minister of course spoke about the importance of protecting the Canadian economy and Canadian workers from tariffs, but we also discussed with our American friends the negative impact that those tariffs could have on their economy, on affordability in the United States as well,” LeBlanc said in Parliament. If Trump makes good on his threat to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, the price increases that could follow will collide with his campaign promise to give American families a break from inflation. Economists say companies would have little choice but to pass along the added costs, dramatically raising prices for food, clothing, automobiles, alcohol and other goods. The Produce Distributors Association, a Washington trade group, said last week that tariffs will raise prices for fresh fruit and vegetables and hurt U.S. farmers when the countries retaliate. Canada is already examining possible retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the U.S. should Trump follow through on the threat. After his dinner with Trump, Trudeau returned home without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. “The idea that we came back empty handed is completely false,” LeBlanc said. “We had a very productive discussion with Mr. Trump and his future Cabinet secretaries. ... The commitment from Mr. Trump to continue to work with us was far from empty handed.” Joining Trump and Trudeau at dinner were Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department, and Mike Waltz, Trump’s choice to be his national security adviser. Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, told The Associated Press on Sunday that “the message that our border is so vastly different than the Mexican border was really understood.” Hillman, who sat at an adjacent table to Trudeau and Trump, said Canada is not the problem when it comes to drugs and migrants. On Monday, Mexico’s president rejected those comments. “Mexico must be respected, especially by its trading partners,” President Claudia Sheinbaum said. She said Canada had its own problems with fentanyl consumption and “could only wish they had the cultural riches Mexico has.” Related Articles Flows of migrants and seizures of drugs at the two countries’ border are vastly different. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. Most of the fentanyl reaching the U.S. — where it causes about 70,000 overdose deaths annually — is made by Mexican drug cartels using precursor chemicals smuggled from Asia. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol reported 1.53 million encounters with migrants at the southwest border with Mexico between October 2023 and September 2024. That compares to 23,721 encounters at the Canadian border during that time. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports as well. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing for national security.

NoneArticle content In the days after her absence from a vigil one year after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, Mayor Olivia Chow got an earful, emails released to the Toronto Sun show. Recommended Videos A freedom-of-information request yielded 135 pages worth of emails to and from Chow and her staff. Most of them are fully redacted – essentially just blank pages – but 44 of them contain emails regarding the Oct. 7 vigil and its organizers, the United Jewish Appeal and Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs. Of those, most are emails from irate Torontonians sent after Chow’s absence. Chow has since apologized and has cited fatigue, a scheduling conflict with a meeting on bike lanes , an issue with her email account and a decision to instead wear black as reasons for not attending. In a recent emailed statement to the Sun , Chow did not address the complaints but again apologized, saying she “should have been there to show the Jewish community how much I care about their safety and well-being in this city.” The vigil was held one year after the attack on Israel to honour the 1,200 people who were slain. Some of the emails were sent the night of the vigil. “You ... chose not to attend the UJA memorial tonight,” one email read. “Nor have you posted a statement on social media to honour families who lost loved ones in the most horrific attack last Oct. 7... You are a disgrace and you should continue hiding until you are finally voted out of office. You owe the Toronto Jewish community an apology. Shame on you!” (Any information that could identify someone who made a complaint, such as a name or email address, was redacted by city staff.) Another email sent Oct. 9 began: “I am a Jewish man who has lived in Toronto all of my life. Never have I, and so many other Toronto Jews, ever felt more uncomfortable and threatened in our lives.” “There seems to be ample time for you to have press conferences in opening Woodbine toilets early, time for you to tweak at Caribana, a photo opportunity at Nuit Blanche, all of the really important and relevant things you were elected to do,” the man added. A parent, who also emailed on Oct. 9, expressed “frustration” with Chow’s apparent inaction. “My daughters who attend a Jewish high school have had three bomb threats made to their school just for being Jewish,” reads that message. “I am shocked that you have not played a more active role in combating this blatant anti-Semitism!” Another Oct. 9 email from an “appalled” resident stated: “A meeting on bike lanes? That was more important than being there to show support for all those who were killed, raped or taken hostage? You did not get my vote in the last election and your absence and then your terrible excuse have made sure you will never get my vote. I am embarrassed to be a Torontonian because of you.” Another person wrote on Oct. 10: “It is shocking that someone in your esteemed position could not exercise the moral clarity to prioritize standing alongside the Jewish community, but instead chose to remain at a meeting about bike lanes. Mayor Chow – only one word comes to mind: egregious.” An Oct. 8 email accused Chow of being “conspicuously un-empathetic to the Jewish population of Toronto.” “Please comment in a meaningful way so I am able to comprehend your absence in this matter.” (It does not appear Chow replied to this or any other of the emails from constituents.) “Regardless of the mayor’s personal politics,” a constituent wrote on Oct. 10, “she is the mayor of all the people... The mayor should know that she can support one side and still have empathy and compassion for the other. The latter in this case sorely lacking.” A brief Oct. 10 email, sent to both Chow and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, stated Chow “should be kicked out of Toronto” and called the Mayor a “pathetic weasel.” On the afternoon of Oct. 9, a self-professed lifelong Jewish resident of Toronto claimed to be “astounded” that Chow wasn’t at the vigil. “The event was attended by Premier Ford and several MPPs, former mayor John Tory and several members of Toronto council and several MPs. Prime Minister Trudeau attended the event in Ottawa. Your absence is inexcusable ... I have seen you on television at several Palestinian events.” “Are we really supposed to believe that a seasoned politician and the mayor of a world-class city like Toronto was unable to attend because of an alleged email mishap?” reads another email from Oct. 10. “This explanation is as flimsy as it is offensive. ... And now, rather than acknowledging the growing fear and alienation in the Jewish community, you offer a half-hearted ‘regret’ through a statement sent to the media.” An Oct. 8 email from a voter reads: “As a Jew in Toronto – who voted for you – I feel unseen, unheard, unacknowledged, uncared-for.” In another email, sent Oct. 9, the writer admitted feeling “lost” since the no-show and brought up the memory of Chow’s late husband. “You should have been fighting to be there, to stand up for those tragically slain innocents, to support your constituents who mourn. Jack would have been there,” the email said. “My disappointment stems from your lack of concern. It deepens to disgust when I imagine the reason for your non-attendance was to please that part of your constituents to whom you pander.” An Oct. 9 email expressed “profound dissatisfaction” in the email subject line. “You are a disgrace to the office of mayor – supposedly mayor for all the people of this diverse city. You attend street festivals and smile your way to all – except the Jewish community,” the email accused. “The Jewish community will never forget nor forgive your absence and failure to acknowledge our pain. Shame on you!” A talk radio listener wrote on Oct. 9: “I heard you this morning on the John Moore show (on) CFRB with your incredibly ridiculous excuses, none of which will fly with anyone with even one synapse firing in their heads.” An Oct. 10 email with “Disappointed” in the subject line accused Chow of failing to do her job. “You know that Oct 7, 2023, was the most horrific day in the lives of humanity since the Holocaust... A resignation from you would please many,” the person wrote. An Oct. 9 email ended: “Apology is just a word. Your actions have conveyed a hateful message to all Torontonians.” An email from the morning of Oct. 8, with the subject line “Your silence speaks volumes,” reads: “When the Jewish community comes together they do not block streets, do not cover their faces and do not shout hate.” Another email from that same day ended: “I will be volunteering to help anyone who will put their name forward to run against you in the next election.” An email writer on Oct. 9 signed off: “You are a terrible and nasty mayor.” And another email sent on the evening of Oct. 8 stated: “The mayor should be completely ashamed of herself, and is unfit to lead a diverse city like Toronto. The sooner she resigns, the better.” jholmes@postmedia.comAP Trending SummaryBrief at 2:08 p.m. ESTWhen state senators gather in Lincoln next month for the start of the 109th Nebraska Legislature, nearly two-thirds of those lawmakers will have two years of experience or less in the Capitol. Thirteen senators will be forced out next year due to term limits, while four others either chose not to seek reelection or lost their race this fall. In their place will be 16 newly minted senators, along with once and future Sen. Dan Quick of Grand Island, who returns to the Legislature after a four-year break. But the transition will come with a cost. The outgoing lawmakers will take with them a combined 127 years of experience. The remaining senators will have a combined 131 years of experience. On an individual basis, the average time tenure of a Nebraska state senator will drop from 4.6 years to 2.6 years. Leadership will also be affected, with the Legislature losing the chairpersons of 8 of its 14 standing committees, as well as the leaders of four special committees beginning in January. Speaker John Arch, who will begin his seventh year in 2025 representing La Vista, said watching legislative skill and know-how walk out of the Capitol every two years has become one of the only constants in the nation's only unicameral. “It’s the reality of term limits,” Arch said. To stem the loss of institutional knowledge, as well as ease the transition of new senators, Arch and other lawmakers and legislative staff have sought to expand and deepen the orientation process, relying on former members to bring the "freshmen" up to speed. Call it senator school. Before Thanksgiving, the incoming state senators convened at the Capitol for several days of seminars and hands-on practice that gave them a peek at what they can expect when the gavel strikes at 10 a.m. on Jan. 8. "There's so many different pieces a new senator has to learn," Arch said. "They have to learn the process, which is unique, but also policy, politics, and the people." The new senators heard from predecessors like Sens. Steve Lathrop of Omaha, Mark Kolterman of Seward and Matt Williams of Gothenburg, who along with former Clerk Patrick O'Donnell spoke about the Legislature as an institution and co-equal branch of government. Along with other senators, including former Omaha Sen. Sara Howard and Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango, Williams said he also gave incoming senators an overview of "the nuts and bolts" of the day-to-day job. Williams said that included setting expectations, giving advice on how to help constituents and build constructive relationships with lobbyists, as well as hiring staff. There were many questions asked, he said. "They are not a bashful group, which is good," Williams said of the new class. The incoming class also heard from former Lincoln Sen. Dave Landis, who lectured on the importance of negotiation within the uniquely nonpartisan institution, and Frank Daley, the former head of the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission, about the rules senators must abide by with lobbyists and others. The freshman senators also had the chance to meet the leaders of different legislative divisions, including Fiscal Analyst Keisha Patent, who analyzes the impact of each bill on the state's budget, and Revisor of Statutes Marcia McClurg, who oversees bill drafting. The orientation also included mock committee hearings, which gave the incoming lawmakers a chance to hear a bill being introduced, question testifiers and practice advancing legislation to the floor. And, they also practiced a floor debate, the procedure by which senators are called to speak, how to introduce floor amendments and other actions in line with the oft-referred-to Rules of the Legislature. During that exercise, former Sen. Laura Ebke of Crete played the role of a lobbyist, who are hired to represent various interest groups and who pass notes to senators via the sergeant-at-arms asking to speak with them in the Rotunda. Ebke, whose role was to acclimate senators to engaging with the lobby, said she also answered some practical questions from the newbies. "One of the senators came up and asked: Is there a restroom?" she said. "We also wanted to help them with the logistics of finding things in the Capitol." New senators who participated in the exercise said they found it worthwhile, adding it will help smooth some of the transition of moving into the Capitol next month. Sen.-elect Jason Prokop, a registered Democrat who will replace the term-limited Sen. Anna Wishart representing southwest Lincoln, said sitting behind the dais or standing on the floor helped him better understand the legislative process. "It's different when you're there versus watching it on Nebraska Public Media," Prokop said. Another incoming lawmaker, Sen.-elect Dan Lonowski, a registered Republican who won election to District 33 in Hastings and the surrounding area, called the exercise "much-needed." "It was entirely worth it," Lonowski said. "We talked about writing bills, the committee hearing process, and took a spot on the floor to learn about when to speak and how to speak." Lonowski and Prokop both said the orientation also gave them a chance to meet the senators in their class — the lawmakers they'll be serving alongside for the next four years, and possibly beyond. Brandon Metzler, the clerk of the Legislature, said orientation for new senators has been around since about 1980, when O'Donnell and other legislative staff began working to "professionalize" Nebraska's lawmaking branch. The orientation has taken on increased importance in the term limits era, however, as the turnover among both elected officials and their staff has increased. Instead of calling new senators to Lincoln shortly after the election and once more in December, Metzler said the decision was made to immerse the senators over several days in preparation for the upcoming session. "There's a lot that hits you," Metzler said. "We try to repeat stuff the best we can and give them that experience, so when they are actually doing it, they have that 'aha' moment." Former lawmakers said the expanded orientation will serve new senators — as well as the Legislature itself — well. Ebke, a Republican turned Libertarian, said the program will help senators move away from campaign mode to governance mode, putting an eye on enacting policy that benefits all Nebraskans. "My comment to most of the senators was just because you disagree with someone on one bill doesn't mean you won't need their vote on the next bill," Ebke said. "It's important to follow the process. Fight as hard as you want on the bill you're on but in an appropriate way, and be prepared to join forces with your previous enemy, if you will, on the next one." Williams, a registered Republican who along with others often exhibited an independent streak in the Legislature, said he encouraged incoming senators to set aside partisanship and think about "doing the right thing for Nebraska." There will still be disagreements, Williams added, but senators should work on the areas where they can build consensus, which he said would engender confidence in the Legislature and its work. "It sets a tone for the state because that's what people will see," he said. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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