Gale said Thursday the state now has 1,219,644 registered voters, a number that exceeds the previous record set in the 2016 general election.

Gale says the number of registration is especially impressive given that the upcoming election is a midterm, which generally have lower turnout than presidential election years.

Gale says nearly 213,791 voters have requested to vote early by mail or in person, or they reside in an all-mail district. But he cautioned voters not to get complacent, noting that 71,311 ballots issued have yet to be returned.

Tonja McNeal contacted local police on Wednesday after her oldest son went to bite into the Snickers bar and discovered the nail. McNeal says it was sticking out of the top, and she posted a photo of it on Facebook to warn other parents.

Scottsbluff Police Capt. Tony Straub says authorities are investigating the incident, but didn’t provide other details. He reminds parents to always check their children’s candy for abnormalities.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A vandalized campaign sign that pokes fun at U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry has triggered a public spat between the Nebraska congressman’s chief of staff and a professor who found it amusing.

University of Nebraska Associate Political Science Professor Ari Kohen filed an ethics complaint against Dr. William “Reyn” Archer III, alleging Archer threatened him for “liking” a photograph of the sign on Facebook.

The vandalized sign shows Fortenberry with cartoonish, googly eyes, and his name was changed to “Fartenberry.”

Kohen says Archer called him after he “liked” the post. He released a recording in which Archer suggests he might publicize that a professor at a public university had “liked” an image of vandalism.

Archer says he did not intend to threaten or intimidate Cohen. He says the conversation ended amicably.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts says he’s willing to send more Nebraska National Guard troops to the United States-Mexican border to supplement the ones that are already there.

Nebraska has 48 soldiers who were already deployed to work along the border in August and October at President Donald Trump’s request. Ricketts made the comments on Friday as four migrant caravans make their way toward the U.S.

Nebraska has deployed troops to the border over the years to help support the federal government’s security missions. Their deployment wasn’t related to Trump’s recent request to add more troops along the border. They aren’t participating in any federal enforcement operations in the field.

Ricketts says the state is “ready to send additional troops to aid this mission if called upon.”

Scott Frakes announced Friday that Laura Strimple began the job earlier this week. Strimple previously served as the department’s communications director and an assistant Nebraska secretary of state under Secretary John Gale.

Strimple began her career in broadcasting and worked in both Lincoln and Omaha for more than 15 years as a news producer.

She fills a vacancy left by Dawn-Renee Smith, who was recently promoted from chief of staff to deputy director for programs at the Department of Correctional Services.

The accident occurred Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning on the northwest side of Chadron. Dawes County Attorney Vance Haug says the wreckage was found about 7 a.m. Wednesday. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the crash.

Haug says 21-year-old Megan Campbell died at the scene and her brother, 32-year-old Donald Nelson, was pronounced dead later at Chadron Community Hospital. They both lived in Chadron.

The Mid-America Business Conditions Index slumped to 54.9 in October, from 57.5 in September, the report said. The October reading was the lowest since January 2017, but it also was the 23rd month in a row that the index has remained above growth neutral 50.0.

“The regional economy continues to expand at a healthy pace,” said Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey. “However, as in recent months, shortages of skilled workers remain an impediment to even stronger growth. Furthermore, supply managers are reporting mounting negative impacts from tariffs and trade skirmishes,” he said.

Trade restrictions, expanding tariffs and rising short-term interest rates are likely to slow regional growth in the months ahead, Goss said.

The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth. A score below that suggests decline. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Survey results cast a shadow on the October employment index, which dropped to 52.2 from 56.2 in September and 58.5 in August.

“Overall manufacturing employment growth in the region over the past 12 months has been very healthy at 2.4 percent, compared to a lower 2.2 percent for the U.S.,” Goss said. “I expect this gap to close in the months ahead as regional job growth slows faster than national manufacturing job growth.”

Economic optimism, as reflected by the October index, plummeted to a still strong 59.6 from September’s 68.0.

“In terms of business confidence, rising trade tensions, tariffs, and interest rates have reduced economic optimism among supply managers in the region,” Goss said.