By&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/zachwendling/">ZACH WENDLING</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/19/nebraska-gives-final-passage-to-concealed-carry-of-handguns-without-permit-or-training/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;The University of Nebraska Board of Regents next week will consider a proposed bylaw change that could shift the direction and oversight of Husker Athletics to the NU president.

Regents Tim Clare of Lincoln and Rob Schafer of Beatrice have&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.edu/-/media/projects/unca/docs/board-of-regents/agendas-and-minutes/2023/may-board-meeting/agenda-5-21-23-with-materials.pdf">proposed</a>&nbsp;shifting authority of Husker Athletics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln chancellor to NU President Ted Carter. Clare and Schafer are the respective chair and vice chair of the board.

The change would be put forward “for information only” at the May 31 meeting and brought for a vote at a June 22 meeting. If passed, the change would be effective July 1.

“Especially at the Power 5 level, today’s college athletics programs are large and highly complex entities, with enormous financial, legal and reputational implications for their entire institutions,” the regents said in a statement. “We’re in the midst of the most intense period of change in our lifetimes for college athletics. Nebraska needs to stay on the leading edge of this new normal.”

Currently, the NU president hires the UNL chancellor, who is then charged with making hiring decisions within the athletic department. That individual also serves on the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors, overseeing Big Ten policies, budget and operations.

The council also is charged with hiring the Big Ten commissioner.

Clare told the Examiner on Tuesday that intercollegiate athletics is “changing daily,” including in the NCAA and the transfer portal. So, shifting authority to Carter seemed a “natural” fit.

“I think intercollegiate athletics is in search of a leader who can help them navigate these issues,” Clare said.

The proposed bylaw change would not affect NU’s athletic departments at its Omaha or Kearney campuses. It comes as UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green plans to&nbsp; retire at the end of June.

Clare and Schafer noted that “Husker Athletics is the single most iconic brand to the state of Nebraska.”

“It makes sense for the president of the university system, with a direct line to the Board of Regents, to have oversight of the program that serves as the front door to the university for so many Nebraskans,” the regents said.

On Monday, Carter announced&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/priority-candidate-for-unl-chancellor-is-30-year-veteran-of-higher-ed-and-would-be-first-person-of-color-in-the-role/">Rodney Bennett</a>&nbsp;as the priority candidate to succeed Green as chancellor at NU’s largest campus. Bennett’s candidacy would also be subject to approval at the board’s June 22 meeting. Bennett is a&nbsp;30-year veteran of higher education and former president of the University of Southern Mississippi.

Clare said Bennett will be able to hit the ground running with budgetary, enrollment, research and legislative priorities as Carter steps up as a national leader.

Next week’s special meeting will also feature an update on NU’s current fiscal status, budget planning strategies and future outlooks.

Clare said in a statement that Carter has, for the past few months, “accurately [described] the fiscal challenges facing all of higher education.”

“We want to make sure — and we want all Nebraskans to understand through our transparency — that as a university, we not only recognize the fiscal realities before us, but that we are proactively planning to get ahead of them,” Clare said. “We can’t wait until next year’s operating budget is before us to have a full, frank public discussion about the opportunities and challenges ahead.”

The May 31 meeting will begin at 9 a.m. in Varner Hall, 3835 Holdrege St. in Lincoln, and will be livestreamed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nebraska.edu/">here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684926127456.png" alt=" University of Nebraska President Ted Carter speaks at a news conference in March 2022 in the Nebraska State Capitol. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska News Service)" />
 <figcaption> University of Nebraska President Ted Carter speaks at a news conference in March 2022 in the Nebraska State Capitol. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska News Service)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/zachwendling/">ZACH WENDLING</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/19/nebraska-gives-final-passage-to-concealed-carry-of-handguns-without-permit-or-training/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;The University of Nebraska Board of Regents next week will consider a proposed bylaw change that could shift the direction and oversight of Husker Athletics to the NU president.Regents Tim Clare of Lincoln and Rob Schafer of Beatrice have&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.edu/-/media/projects/unca/docs/board-of-regents/agendas-and-minutes/2023/may-board-meeting/agenda-5-21-23-with-materials.pdf">proposed</a>&nbsp;shifting authority of Husker Athletics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln chancellor to NU President Ted Carter. Clare and Schafer are the respective chair and vice chair of the board.The change would be put forward “for information only” at the May 31 meeting and brought for a vote at a June 22 meeting. If passed, the change would be effective July 1.“Especially at the Power 5 level, today’s college athletics programs are large and highly complex entities, with enormous financial, legal and reputational implications for their entire institutions,” the regents said in a statement. “We’re in the midst of the most intense period of change in our lifetimes for college athletics. Nebraska needs to stay on the leading edge of this new normal.”Currently, the NU president hires the UNL chancellor, who is then charged with making hiring decisions within the athletic department. That individual also serves on the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors, overseeing Big Ten policies, budget and operations.The council also is charged with hiring the Big Ten commissioner.Clare told the Examiner on Tuesday that intercollegiate athletics is “changing daily,” including in the NCAA and the transfer portal. So, shifting authority to Carter seemed a “natural” fit.“I think intercollegiate athletics is in search of a leader who can help them navigate these issues,” Clare said.The proposed bylaw change would not affect NU’s athletic departments at its Omaha or Kearney campuses. It comes as UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green plans to&nbsp; retire at the end of June.Clare and Schafer noted that “Husker Athletics is the single most iconic brand to the state of Nebraska.”“It makes sense for the president of the university system, with a direct line to the Board of Regents, to have oversight of the program that serves as the front door to the university for so many Nebraskans,” the regents said.On Monday, Carter announced&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/priority-candidate-for-unl-chancellor-is-30-year-veteran-of-higher-ed-and-would-be-first-person-of-color-in-the-role/">Rodney Bennett</a>&nbsp;as the priority candidate to succeed Green as chancellor at NU’s largest campus. Bennett’s candidacy would also be subject to approval at the board’s June 22 meeting. Bennett is a&nbsp;30-year veteran of higher education and former president of the University of Southern Mississippi.Clare said Bennett will be able to hit the ground running with budgetary, enrollment, research and legislative priorities as Carter steps up as a national leader.Next week’s special meeting will also feature an update on NU’s current fiscal status, budget planning strategies and future outlooks.Clare said in a statement that Carter has, for the past few months, “accurately [described] the fiscal challenges facing all of higher education.”“We want to make sure — and we want all Nebraskans to understand through our transparency — that as a university, we not only recognize the fiscal realities before us, but that we are proactively planning to get ahead of them,” Clare said. “We can’t wait until next year’s operating budget is before us to have a full, frank public discussion about the opportunities and challenges ahead.”The May 31 meeting will begin at 9 a.m. in Varner Hall, 3835 Holdrege St. in Lincoln, and will be livestreamed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nebraska.edu/">here</a>.

Regents to consider shifting Husker Athletics authority to NU president

SEATTLE (AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with state and federal agencies, are investigating reports of 18 salmonella infections in at least half a dozen states that may have come from raw cookie dough sold at Papa Murphy's.

People have been sickened in Missouri, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and California <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/enteritidis-05-23/index.html">the CDC said Tuesday.</a> Illnesses were reported from Feb. 27-May 2.

Interviews with sick people show that raw cookie dough sold at Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake pizza stores may be contaminated. People reported eating the cookie dough raw, the CDC said.

Six people in Washington, four in Idaho and four in Oregon have become sick, according to the CDC’s website. Utah says two people have become ill there. California and Missouri have each reported one sick person linked to the outbreak.

Two people have been hospitalized, although their location was unclear. No deaths have been reported.

The number of sick people is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak could extend to other states, CDC officials said.

The take-and-bake pizza company — based in Vancouver, Washington — has temporarily stopped selling their raw chocolate chip cookie dough and s’more bars dough. Although a picture of desserts, including cookies and s'more bars, could be seen on their website Tuesday, those items were not available to order.

People who have the dough in their homes should throw it away, and items and surfaces that may have touched the dough should be washed in the dishwasher or with hot, soapy water, according to the CDC.

Investigators are working to identify the contaminated ingredient in the raw cookie dough.

Most people infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps six hours to six days after being exposed to the bacteria. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment, according to the CDC.

Children under 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe illness.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684925536975.png" alt="Two people have been hospitalized, although their location was unclear. No deaths have been reported.-CDC image" />
 <figcaption>Two people have been hospitalized, although their location was unclear. No deaths have been reported.-CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>SEATTLE (AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with state and federal agencies, are investigating reports of 18 salmonella infections in at least half a dozen states that may have come from raw cookie dough sold at Papa Murphy's.People have been sickened in Missouri, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and California <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/enteritidis-05-23/index.html">the CDC said Tuesday.</a> Illnesses were reported from Feb. 27-May 2.Interviews with sick people show that raw cookie dough sold at Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake pizza stores may be contaminated. People reported eating the cookie dough raw, the CDC said.Six people in Washington, four in Idaho and four in Oregon have become sick, according to the CDC’s website. Utah says two people have become ill there. California and Missouri have each reported one sick person linked to the outbreak.Two people have been hospitalized, although their location was unclear. No deaths have been reported.The number of sick people is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak could extend to other states, CDC officials said.The take-and-bake pizza company — based in Vancouver, Washington — has temporarily stopped selling their raw chocolate chip cookie dough and s’more bars dough. Although a picture of desserts, including cookies and s'more bars, could be seen on their website Tuesday, those items were not available to order.People who have the dough in their homes should throw it away, and items and surfaces that may have touched the dough should be washed in the dishwasher or with hot, soapy water, according to the CDC.Investigators are working to identify the contaminated ingredient in the raw cookie dough.Most people infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps six hours to six days after being exposed to the bacteria. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment, according to the CDC.Children under 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe illness.

CDC: Salmonella outbreak linked to Papa Murphy's cookie dough

NEW YORK (AP) — Target is removing certain items from its stores and making other changes to its LGBTQ+ merchandise nationwide ahead of Pride month, after an intense backlash from some customers including violent confrontations with its workers.

“Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work," Target said in a statement Tuesday. ”Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior."

Target declined to say which items it was removing but among the ones that garnered the most attention were “tuck friendly” women’s swimsuits that allow trans women who have not had gender-affirming operations to conceal their private parts. Designs by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.abprallen.co.uk/">Abprallen</a>, a London-based company that designs and sells occult- and satanic-themed LGBTQ+ clothing and accessories, have also created backlash.

The Pride merchandise has been on sale since early May. Pride month is held in June.

Target confirmed that it has moved its Pride merchandise from the front of the stores to the back in some Southern stores after confrontations and backlash from shoppers in those areas.

Target’s Pride month collection has also been the subject of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-target-swimsuits-transgender-pride-collection-892500330955?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&amp;utm_medium=APFactCheck&amp;utm_source=Twitter">several misleading videos</a>&nbsp;in recent weeks, with social media users falsely claiming the retailer is selling “tuck-friendly” bathing suits designed for kids or in kids’ sizes.

The moves come as beer brand Bud Light is still grappling with a backlash from customers angered by its attempt to&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Target%20declined%20to%20confirm%20which%20items%20it%20was%20removing%20but%20among%20the%20ones%20that%20garnered%20attention%20were%20adult%20women%E2%80%99s%20swimsuits%20that%20can%20be%20used%20to%20tuck%20%E2%80%9Cmale%20genitalia.%E2%80%9D%20A%20group%20of%20designs%20by%20British%20designer%20Eric%20Cullen%20whose%20T-shirts%20referred%20to%20Satan%20also%20were%20targets%20of%20intense%20outcry.%20The%20merchandise%20hit%20stores%20and%20online%20in%20early%20May.%20Target%20confirmed%20that%20it%20had%20already%20relocated%20its%20section%20of%20Pride%20merchandise%20from%20the%20front%20of%20the%20stores%20to%20the%20back%20in%20some%20Southern%20stores%20after%20confrontations%20and%20backlash%20from%20shoppers%20in%20those%20areas.">broaden its customer base</a>&nbsp;by partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Bud Light's parent company said it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bud-light-beer-dylan-mulvaney-transgender-d489fb60d04ebd02486f80169cfc4474">triple its marketing</a>&nbsp;spending in the U.S. this summer as it tries to restore sales it lost after the brand partnered with the transgender influencer.

Target and other retailers including Walmart and H&amp;M have been expanding their LGBTQ+ displays to celebrate Pride month for roughly a decade. This year transgender issues — including gender-affirming health care and participation in sports — have been a divisive topic in state legislatures and the backlash has turned hostile.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634846135017.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Target is removing certain items from its stores and making other changes to its LGBTQ+ merchandise nationwide ahead of Pride month, after an intense backlash from some customers including violent confrontations with its workers.“Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work," Target said in a statement Tuesday. ”Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior."Target declined to say which items it was removing but among the ones that garnered the most attention were “tuck friendly” women’s swimsuits that allow trans women who have not had gender-affirming operations to conceal their private parts. Designs by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.abprallen.co.uk/">Abprallen</a>, a London-based company that designs and sells occult- and satanic-themed LGBTQ+ clothing and accessories, have also created backlash.The Pride merchandise has been on sale since early May. Pride month is held in June.Target confirmed that it has moved its Pride merchandise from the front of the stores to the back in some Southern stores after confrontations and backlash from shoppers in those areas.Target’s Pride month collection has also been the subject of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-target-swimsuits-transgender-pride-collection-892500330955?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&amp;utm_medium=APFactCheck&amp;utm_source=Twitter">several misleading videos</a>&nbsp;in recent weeks, with social media users falsely claiming the retailer is selling “tuck-friendly” bathing suits designed for kids or in kids’ sizes.The moves come as beer brand Bud Light is still grappling with a backlash from customers angered by its attempt to&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Target%20declined%20to%20confirm%20which%20items%20it%20was%20removing%20but%20among%20the%20ones%20that%20garnered%20attention%20were%20adult%20women%E2%80%99s%20swimsuits%20that%20can%20be%20used%20to%20tuck%20%E2%80%9Cmale%20genitalia.%E2%80%9D%20A%20group%20of%20designs%20by%20British%20designer%20Eric%20Cullen%20whose%20T-shirts%20referred%20to%20Satan%20also%20were%20targets%20of%20intense%20outcry.%20The%20merchandise%20hit%20stores%20and%20online%20in%20early%20May.%20Target%20confirmed%20that%20it%20had%20already%20relocated%20its%20section%20of%20Pride%20merchandise%20from%20the%20front%20of%20the%20stores%20to%20the%20back%20in%20some%20Southern%20stores%20after%20confrontations%20and%20backlash%20from%20shoppers%20in%20those%20areas.">broaden its customer base</a>&nbsp;by partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Bud Light's parent company said it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bud-light-beer-dylan-mulvaney-transgender-d489fb60d04ebd02486f80169cfc4474">triple its marketing</a>&nbsp;spending in the U.S. this summer as it tries to restore sales it lost after the brand partnered with the transgender influencer.Target and other retailers including Walmart and H&amp;M have been expanding their LGBTQ+ displays to celebrate Pride month for roughly a decade. This year transgender issues — including gender-affirming health care and participation in sports — have been a divisive topic in state legislatures and the backlash has turned hostile.______

Target removes some LGBTQ+ merchandise ahead of June Pride month after threats

WEST GLACIER, Mont. (AP) — A 28-year-old woman from Kansas has died after falling into a creek in Glacier National Park and being swept into a gorge, park officials said.

The woman fell from a rocky overhang into Avalanche Creek on Monday afternoon, spokesperson Gina Kerzman said.

Bystanders waded into the creek and pulled the woman out. They performed CPR and called 911. Emergency responders declared her dead at the scene, park officials said.

Her name and hometown have not been released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684887440830.png" alt="Glacier National Park-photo courtesy National Park Service" />
 <figcaption>Glacier National Park-photo courtesy National Park Service</figcaption>
 </figure>WEST GLACIER, Mont. (AP) — A 28-year-old woman from Kansas has died after falling into a creek in Glacier National Park and being swept into a gorge, park officials said.The woman fell from a rocky overhang into Avalanche Creek on Monday afternoon, spokesperson Gina Kerzman said.Bystanders waded into the creek and pulled the woman out. They performed CPR and called 911. Emergency responders declared her dead at the scene, park officials said.Her name and hometown have not been released.

Kansas woman dies after falling into creek in Glacier National Park

CHICAGO (AP) — More than 450 Catholic clergy in Illinois sexually abused nearly 2,000 children since 1950, the state’s attorney general found in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23822110-illinois-ag-report-on-clergy-sexual-abuse">investigation released Tuesday,</a>&nbsp;revealing that the problem was far worse than the church had let on.

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23822110-illinois-ag-report-on-clergy-sexual-abuse">Click here to read</a> the full report

Attorney General Kwame Raoul said at a news conference that investigators found that 451 Catholic clergy abused 1,997 children in Illinois between 1950 and 2019, though he acknowledged that the statute of limitations has expired in many cases and that those abusers “will never see justice in a legal sense.”

“It is my hope that this report will shine light both on those who violated their positions of power and trust to abuse innocent children, and on the men in church leadership who covered up that abuse,” Raoul said, crediting the accusers for making the review possible. “These perpetrators may never be held accountable in a court of law, but by naming them here, the intention is to provide a public accountability and a measure of healing to survivors who have long suffered in silence.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-chicago-mn-state-wire-0a9997be667842ecb7dabe553cb989d2">review began in 2018 under Raoul's predecessor</a>, Lisa Madigan, who released a blistering report as she prepared to leave office.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/343d656d7f034d58bcc4c0acceada7bc">Raoul continued</a>&nbsp;the investigation, and he said Tuesday that 25 staff members reviewed more than 100,000 pages of diocesan documents and engaged in more than 600 confidential interactions with contacts.

The lengthy report describes Illinois church leaders as woefully slow to acknowledge the extent of the abuse. It also accuses them of frequently dragging their feet to confront accused clergy and of failing to warn parishioners about possible abusers in their midst, sometimes even decades after allegations emerged.

In a joint statement issued Friday ahead of Raoul’s announcement, the state’s Catholic dioceses said the attorney general’s investigation prompted a yearslong review of their policies and unspecified changes. Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, on Monday called abuse “repugnant” but said the church in 1992 began overhauling its policies and programs and cooperated fully with the state’s review.

“My hope is that the release of this report will be an occasion for the attorney general to issue a rallying cry to all adults to join in the work of safeguarding children, lest this moment be a lost opportunity,” Cupich said. “I stand ready to continue to do my part.”

Much of the report is dedicated to individual accounts of sexual abuse and lists of clergy and religious brothers in each diocese accused of child sexual abuse. Some of those named have become infamous due to criminal proceedings or lawsuits, including Father Daniel McCormack, who was the subject of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sexual-abuse-by-clergy-lawsuits-chicago-sexual-abuse-947432acea3ced1e5bf13c3d0d4bed00">more than 100 abuse claims</a>&nbsp;in the decades before his 2006 arrest for abusing five boys in Chicago.

He later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in prison.

Even after McCormack's first arrest in 2005 for sexual abuse, the Chicago archdiocese did not remove him from the ministry since those charges were dropped for a lack of evidence, the report says. An archdiocese review board recommended McCormack's removal that year, but then-Cardinal Francis George declined.

According to the report, the mother of one of McCormack’s victims later said: “If Cardinal George (had) done the right thing, these other boys would not have been molested. (Instead), he just opened the door for (McCormack) to take advantage of other Black children.”

Many of the accounts contained in the report have remained private for decades. It includes the account of Bob Corcoran, who reported that Father Thomas Considine, who was a teacher at a high school in Elgin, repeatedly sexually abused Corcoran in the 1970s. Considine was removed from ministry in 1980 for undetermined reasons and died in 1988, the report states.

Corcoran told state investigators that he reported the abuse to the Rockford diocese in 2011 and that the church eventually determined his claims couldn't be proven or disproven. He asked that Raoul's office include his name in its final report and said the document's release provided a sense of relief.

“To see the light at the end of the tunnel, and there is no longer a freight train racing towards me, is freeing,” Corcoran said in a statement released by his attorneys. "We all need to do our part in bringing resolution to the most vulnerable – children like you and me.”

In a statement released Tuesday, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/639041db648c1f1214b957d126af6708">Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests</a>&nbsp;called the report “stunning” but emphasized that the numbers of victims and abusers cited by Raoul are likely undercounted. The group also called on state and local officials to conduct similar reviews.

“There is no questioning the facts of the report — until 2018 when the investigation began, hierarchs in every Illinois diocese kept known abusers under wraps, declined to include them on their accused lists, and refused to acknowledge the truth that survivors of abuse who came forward to make a report shared with them,” the group said.

Similar government-led investigations detailing reports of clergy sexual abuse and church leaders’ failure to hold perpetrators accountable have rocked archdioceses in other states, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-pennsylvania-pa-state-wire-301822e3d7a04b0b88a1c40738c4a513">Pennsylvania</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baltimore-archdiocese-sex-abuse-report-7d5d3af098da59a1c9313a246566638c">Maryland</a>.

The Catholic Conference of Illinois says 3.5 million Catholics make up approximately 27% of Illinois’ total population, and that the Church maintains 949 parishes and has 2,215 priests, 1,372 deacons, and 260 religious brothers.

Accusers and activists for years have complained that abusers belonging to orders have often been able to avoid the scrutiny other clergy received because of their semi-autonomy from archdioceses. The new report, however, officially names some former clergy tied to such orders.

Among those listed is Bruce Wellems, a former priest with the Claretians missionaries assigned for years to Hispanic neighborhoods in Chicago. His accuser says Wellems sexually abused him more than a dozen times starting in 1973 when they were neighbors in New Mexico. The accuser was in the second grade and Wellems was in high school. Wellems admitted in a 2014&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/state/2016/09/27/chicago-based-religious-order-sued/25310411007/">interview with The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;that he had inappropriately touched the boy, but he said he never again abused a child.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684866400478.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — More than 450 Catholic clergy in Illinois sexually abused nearly 2,000 children since 1950, the state’s attorney general found in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23822110-illinois-ag-report-on-clergy-sexual-abuse">investigation released Tuesday,</a>&nbsp;revealing that the problem was far worse than the church had let on.<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23822110-illinois-ag-report-on-clergy-sexual-abuse">Click here to read</a> the full reportAttorney General Kwame Raoul said at a news conference that investigators found that 451 Catholic clergy abused 1,997 children in Illinois between 1950 and 2019, though he acknowledged that the statute of limitations has expired in many cases and that those abusers “will never see justice in a legal sense.”“It is my hope that this report will shine light both on those who violated their positions of power and trust to abuse innocent children, and on the men in church leadership who covered up that abuse,” Raoul said, crediting the accusers for making the review possible. “These perpetrators may never be held accountable in a court of law, but by naming them here, the intention is to provide a public accountability and a measure of healing to survivors who have long suffered in silence.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-chicago-mn-state-wire-0a9997be667842ecb7dabe553cb989d2">review began in 2018 under Raoul's predecessor</a>, Lisa Madigan, who released a blistering report as she prepared to leave office.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/343d656d7f034d58bcc4c0acceada7bc">Raoul continued</a>&nbsp;the investigation, and he said Tuesday that 25 staff members reviewed more than 100,000 pages of diocesan documents and engaged in more than 600 confidential interactions with contacts.The lengthy report describes Illinois church leaders as woefully slow to acknowledge the extent of the abuse. It also accuses them of frequently dragging their feet to confront accused clergy and of failing to warn parishioners about possible abusers in their midst, sometimes even decades after allegations emerged.In a joint statement issued Friday ahead of Raoul’s announcement, the state’s Catholic dioceses said the attorney general’s investigation prompted a yearslong review of their policies and unspecified changes. Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, on Monday called abuse “repugnant” but said the church in 1992 began overhauling its policies and programs and cooperated fully with the state’s review.“My hope is that the release of this report will be an occasion for the attorney general to issue a rallying cry to all adults to join in the work of safeguarding children, lest this moment be a lost opportunity,” Cupich said. “I stand ready to continue to do my part.”Much of the report is dedicated to individual accounts of sexual abuse and lists of clergy and religious brothers in each diocese accused of child sexual abuse. Some of those named have become infamous due to criminal proceedings or lawsuits, including Father Daniel McCormack, who was the subject of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sexual-abuse-by-clergy-lawsuits-chicago-sexual-abuse-947432acea3ced1e5bf13c3d0d4bed00">more than 100 abuse claims</a>&nbsp;in the decades before his 2006 arrest for abusing five boys in Chicago.He later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in prison.Even after McCormack's first arrest in 2005 for sexual abuse, the Chicago archdiocese did not remove him from the ministry since those charges were dropped for a lack of evidence, the report says. An archdiocese review board recommended McCormack's removal that year, but then-Cardinal Francis George declined.According to the report, the mother of one of McCormack’s victims later said: “If Cardinal George (had) done the right thing, these other boys would not have been molested. (Instead), he just opened the door for (McCormack) to take advantage of other Black children.”Many of the accounts contained in the report have remained private for decades. It includes the account of Bob Corcoran, who reported that Father Thomas Considine, who was a teacher at a high school in Elgin, repeatedly sexually abused Corcoran in the 1970s. Considine was removed from ministry in 1980 for undetermined reasons and died in 1988, the report states.Corcoran told state investigators that he reported the abuse to the Rockford diocese in 2011 and that the church eventually determined his claims couldn't be proven or disproven. He asked that Raoul's office include his name in its final report and said the document's release provided a sense of relief.“To see the light at the end of the tunnel, and there is no longer a freight train racing towards me, is freeing,” Corcoran said in a statement released by his attorneys. "We all need to do our part in bringing resolution to the most vulnerable – children like you and me.”In a statement released Tuesday, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/639041db648c1f1214b957d126af6708">Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests</a>&nbsp;called the report “stunning” but emphasized that the numbers of victims and abusers cited by Raoul are likely undercounted. The group also called on state and local officials to conduct similar reviews.“There is no questioning the facts of the report — until 2018 when the investigation began, hierarchs in every Illinois diocese kept known abusers under wraps, declined to include them on their accused lists, and refused to acknowledge the truth that survivors of abuse who came forward to make a report shared with them,” the group said.Similar government-led investigations detailing reports of clergy sexual abuse and church leaders’ failure to hold perpetrators accountable have rocked archdioceses in other states, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-pennsylvania-pa-state-wire-301822e3d7a04b0b88a1c40738c4a513">Pennsylvania</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baltimore-archdiocese-sex-abuse-report-7d5d3af098da59a1c9313a246566638c">Maryland</a>.The Catholic Conference of Illinois says 3.5 million Catholics make up approximately 27% of Illinois’ total population, and that the Church maintains 949 parishes and has 2,215 priests, 1,372 deacons, and 260 religious brothers.Accusers and activists for years have complained that abusers belonging to orders have often been able to avoid the scrutiny other clergy received because of their semi-autonomy from archdioceses. The new report, however, officially names some former clergy tied to such orders.Among those listed is Bruce Wellems, a former priest with the Claretians missionaries assigned for years to Hispanic neighborhoods in Chicago. His accuser says Wellems sexually abused him more than a dozen times starting in 1973 when they were neighbors in New Mexico. The accuser was in the second grade and Wellems was in high school. Wellems admitted in a 2014&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/state/2016/09/27/chicago-based-religious-order-sued/25310411007/">interview with The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;that he had inappropriately touched the boy, but he said he never again abused a child.

Read the new report of 'staggering' Catholic Church child sex abuse

WASHINGTON (AP) —Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. surgeon general, is calling for “immediate action” by tech companies and lawmakers to protect kids' and adolescents' mental health on social media.

But after years of middling and insufficient action by both social media platforms and policymakers, parents and young people still bear most of the burden in navigating the fast-changing, often harmful world of secretive algorithms, addictive apps and extreme and inappropriate content found on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

So what can parents and young people do now? The surgeon general has some tips.

“Our children and adolescents don’t have the luxury of waiting years until we know the full extent of social media’s impact,” Murthy said in an advisory released on Tuesday. “Their childhoods and development are happening now."

— Reach out for help: If you or someone you know is being negatively affected by social media, reach out to a trusted friend or adult for help. Check the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aap.org/socialmedia">American Academy of Pediatrics' guidance</a>&nbsp;on social media.

— Create boundaries: Limit the use of phones, tablets, and computers for at least one hour before bedtime and through the night to make sure you get enough sleep. Keep mealtimes and in-person gatherings device‑free to help build social bonds and engage in two‑way conversations with others. Connect with people in person and make unplugged interactions a daily priority.

— Be cautious about what you share: Personal information about you has value. Be selective with what you post and share online and with whom, as it is often public and can be stored permanently. If you aren’t sure if you should post something, it’s usually best if you don’t.

— Don’t keep harassment or abuse a secret: Reach out to at least one person you trust, such as a close friend, family member, counselor, or teacher, who can give you the help and support you deserve. Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/how-to-report">stopbullying.gov</a>&nbsp;for tips on how to report cyberbullying. If you have experienced online harassment and abuse by a dating partner, contact an expert at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.loveisrespect.org/">Love is Respect</a>&nbsp;for support. If your private images have been taken and shared online without your permission, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/">Take It Down</a>&nbsp;to help get them removed.

— Create a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.healthychildren.org/MediaUsePlan">family media plan</a>: Agreed-upon expectations can help establish healthy technology boundaries at home – including social media use. A family media plan can promote open family discussion and rules about media use and include topics such as balancing screen/online time, content boundaries, and not disclosing personal information

— Create tech-free zones: Restrict the use of electronics at least one hour before bedtime and through the night. Keep meal times and other in-person gatherings tech-free. Help children develop social skills and nurture their in‑person relationships by encouraging unstructured and offline connections with others.

— Model responsible behavior: Parents can set a good example of what responsible and healthy social media use looks like by limiting their own use, being mindful of social media habits (including when and how parents share information or content about their child), and modeling positive behavior on your social media accounts.

— Empower kids: Teach kids about technology and empower them to be responsible online participants at the appropriate age. Discuss with children the benefits and risks of social media as well as the importance of respecting privacy and protecting personal information in age-appropriate ways. Have conversations with children about who they are connecting with, their privacy settings, their online experiences, and how they are spending their time online.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684860574731.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By BARBARA ORTUTAY&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) —Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. surgeon general, is calling for “immediate action” by tech companies and lawmakers to protect kids' and adolescents' mental health on social media.But after years of middling and insufficient action by both social media platforms and policymakers, parents and young people still bear most of the burden in navigating the fast-changing, often harmful world of secretive algorithms, addictive apps and extreme and inappropriate content found on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Learn more about the immediate actions we can and must take to make social media safer for our kids: <a href="https://t.co/6JadYlxORy">https://t.co/6JadYlxORy</a> 7/7&mdash; Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) <a href="https://twitter.com/Surgeon_General/status/1660948740251762688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>So what can parents and young people do now? The surgeon general has some tips.“Our children and adolescents don’t have the luxury of waiting years until we know the full extent of social media’s impact,” Murthy said in an advisory released on Tuesday. “Their childhoods and development are happening now."TIPS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE— Reach out for help: If you or someone you know is being negatively affected by social media, reach out to a trusted friend or adult for help. Check the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aap.org/socialmedia">American Academy of Pediatrics' guidance</a>&nbsp;on social media.— Create boundaries: Limit the use of phones, tablets, and computers for at least one hour before bedtime and through the night to make sure you get enough sleep. Keep mealtimes and in-person gatherings device‑free to help build social bonds and engage in two‑way conversations with others. Connect with people in person and make unplugged interactions a daily priority.— Be cautious about what you share: Personal information about you has value. Be selective with what you post and share online and with whom, as it is often public and can be stored permanently. If you aren’t sure if you should post something, it’s usually best if you don’t.— Don’t keep harassment or abuse a secret: Reach out to at least one person you trust, such as a close friend, family member, counselor, or teacher, who can give you the help and support you deserve. Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/how-to-report">stopbullying.gov</a>&nbsp;for tips on how to report cyberbullying. If you have experienced online harassment and abuse by a dating partner, contact an expert at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.loveisrespect.org/">Love is Respect</a>&nbsp;for support. If your private images have been taken and shared online without your permission, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/">Take It Down</a>&nbsp;to help get them removed.TIPS FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS— Create a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.healthychildren.org/MediaUsePlan">family media plan</a>: Agreed-upon expectations can help establish healthy technology boundaries at home – including social media use. A family media plan can promote open family discussion and rules about media use and include topics such as balancing screen/online time, content boundaries, and not disclosing personal information— Create tech-free zones: Restrict the use of electronics at least one hour before bedtime and through the night. Keep meal times and other in-person gatherings tech-free. Help children develop social skills and nurture their in‑person relationships by encouraging unstructured and offline connections with others.— Model responsible behavior: Parents can set a good example of what responsible and healthy social media use looks like by limiting their own use, being mindful of social media habits (including when and how parents share information or content about their child), and modeling positive behavior on your social media accounts.— Empower kids: Teach kids about technology and empower them to be responsible online participants at the appropriate age. Discuss with children the benefits and risks of social media as well as the importance of respecting privacy and protecting personal information in age-appropriate ways. Have conversations with children about who they are connecting with, their privacy settings, their online experiences, and how they are spending their time online.

U.S. Surgeon general: The defining public health issue of our time

DETROIT (AP) — Owners of new Ford vehicles will be able to tune in to AM radio in their cars, trucks and SUVs after all.

CEO Jim Farley wrote in social media postings Tuesday that the company is reversing a decision to scrub the band after speaking with government policy leaders who are concerned about keeping emergency alerts that often are sounded on AM stations.

“We've decided to include it on all 2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles," Farley wrote on Twitter. "For any owners of Ford's EVs without AM broadcast capability, we'll offer a software update” to restore it, Farley wrote.

The move comes after a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers introduced a bill Wednesday calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require AM in new vehicles at no additional cost.

Sponsors of the “AM for Every Vehicle Act” cited public safety concerns, noting AM's historic role in transmitting vital information during emergencies, such as natural disasters, especially to rural areas.

Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., one of the bill’s sponsors, said eight of 20 major automakers including Ford, BMW and Tesla have pulled the band from new vehicles.

Ford removed AM from the 2023 Mustang Mach-e and F-150 Lightning electric pickups after data collected from vehicles showed that less than 5% of customers listened to it, spokesman Alan Hall said. Electrical interference and reducing cost and manufacturing complexity also played a role.

The company also took it out of the 2024 gasoline-powered Mustang, but will add it back in before any of the muscle cars are delivered, Hall said.

The EVs will get an online software update to put AM back into the vehicles, and Ford will keep including it in future vehicles as it looks at innovative ways to deliver emergency alerts, Hall said.

Ford and others also suggested that internet radio or other communication tools could replace AM radio. But Markey and others pointed to situations where drivers might not have internet access.

The Federal Communications Commission and National Association of Broadcasters praised the legislation, which is also backed by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., Rep. Tom Kean, Jr., R-N.J., Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., among others.

But the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a U.S. trade group that represents major automakers including Ford and BMW, criticized the bill, calling the AM radio mandate unnecessary.

The trade group pointed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Integrated Public Alerts and Warning System, which can distribute safety warnings across AM, FM, internet-based and satellite radios — as well as over cellular networks.

The alliance said the bill gives preference to a technology that's competing with other communications options.

Messages were left Tuesday seeking comment from BMW and Tesla.

According to the National Association of Broadcasters and Nielsen data, more than 80 million people in the U.S. listen to AM radio every month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684855234628.png" alt="The move comes after a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers introduced a bill Wednesday calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require AM in new vehicles at no additional cost.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The move comes after a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers introduced a bill Wednesday calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require AM in new vehicles at no additional cost.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) — Owners of new Ford vehicles will be able to tune in to AM radio in their cars, trucks and SUVs after all.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">After speaking with policy leaders about the importance of AM broadcast radio as a part of the emergency alert system, we&#39;ve decided to include it on all 2024 <a href="https://twitter.com/Ford?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Ford</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/LincolnMotorCo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LincolnMotorCo</a> vehicles. For any owners of Ford EVs without AM broadcast capability, we’ll offer a software…&mdash; Jim Farley (@jimfarley98) <a href="https://twitter.com/jimfarley98/status/1661024295110463491?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>CEO Jim Farley wrote in social media postings Tuesday that the company is reversing a decision to scrub the band after speaking with government policy leaders who are concerned about keeping emergency alerts that often are sounded on AM stations.“We've decided to include it on all 2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles," Farley wrote on Twitter. "For any owners of Ford's EVs without AM broadcast capability, we'll offer a software update” to restore it, Farley wrote.The move comes after a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers introduced a bill Wednesday calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require AM in new vehicles at no additional cost.Sponsors of the “AM for Every Vehicle Act” cited public safety concerns, noting AM's historic role in transmitting vital information during emergencies, such as natural disasters, especially to rural areas.Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., one of the bill’s sponsors, said eight of 20 major automakers including Ford, BMW and Tesla have pulled the band from new vehicles.Ford removed AM from the 2023 Mustang Mach-e and F-150 Lightning electric pickups after data collected from vehicles showed that less than 5% of customers listened to it, spokesman Alan Hall said. Electrical interference and reducing cost and manufacturing complexity also played a role.The company also took it out of the 2024 gasoline-powered Mustang, but will add it back in before any of the muscle cars are delivered, Hall said.The EVs will get an online software update to put AM back into the vehicles, and Ford will keep including it in future vehicles as it looks at innovative ways to deliver emergency alerts, Hall said.Ford and others also suggested that internet radio or other communication tools could replace AM radio. But Markey and others pointed to situations where drivers might not have internet access.The Federal Communications Commission and National Association of Broadcasters praised the legislation, which is also backed by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., Rep. Tom Kean, Jr., R-N.J., Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., among others.But the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a U.S. trade group that represents major automakers including Ford and BMW, criticized the bill, calling the AM radio mandate unnecessary.The trade group pointed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Integrated Public Alerts and Warning System, which can distribute safety warnings across AM, FM, internet-based and satellite radios — as well as over cellular networks.The alliance said the bill gives preference to a technology that's competing with other communications options.Messages were left Tuesday seeking comment from BMW and Tesla.According to the National Association of Broadcasters and Nielsen data, more than 80 million people in the U.S. listen to AM radio every month.

Ford decides to keep AM radio on 2024 models

WASHINGTON (AP) — Police have arrested a Missouri man they believe intentionally crashed a U-Haul truck into a security barrier at a park across from the White House.

The box truck's driver smashed into the barrier near the north side of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-dc-wire-george-floyd-death-of-george-floyd-politics-682994b83e9d37e32879528aedc5da7b">Lafayette Square</a>&nbsp;on Monday at around 10 p.m., Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. He was identified as a 19-year-old from Chesterfield, a St. Louis suburb.

Officers from the Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department searched the truck after the crash. Video&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/u-haul-crash-lafayette-square-white-house/65-b4e28344-567c-45e6-a390-1d504d1466ff">posted by WUSA-TV</a>&nbsp;shows a police officer at the scene picking up and inventorying several pieces of evidence from the truck, including a Nazi flag.

Based on a preliminary investigation, investigators believe the driver "may have intentionally struck the security barriers at Lafayette Square,” Guglielmi said. Authorities offered no additional details about the possible motive.

The U.S. Park Police said the man was arrested on multiple charges, including threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict harm on a president, vice president or member of their family; assault with a dangerous weapon; reckless driving; destruction of federal property; and trespassing.

Lafayette Square, which offers perhaps the best view of the White House available to the public, has long been one of the nation’s most prominent venues for demonstrations. The park was closed for nearly a year after federal authorities fenced off the area at the height of nationwide protests over policing following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, but it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-floyd-donald-trump-death-of-george-floyd-government-and-politics-67492b52d542145d559a9f45ddd5f866">reopened in May 2021</a>.

U-Haul is a moving truck, trailer and self-storage rental company based in Phoenix.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684847745876.png" alt="Police have arrested a man they believe intentionally crashed a U-Haul truck into a security barrier at a park across from the White House-photo courtesy WJLA TV" />
 <figcaption>Police have arrested a man they believe intentionally crashed a U-Haul truck into a security barrier at a park across from the White House-photo courtesy WJLA TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Police have arrested a Missouri man they believe intentionally crashed a U-Haul truck into a security barrier at a park across from the White House.The box truck's driver smashed into the barrier near the north side of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-dc-wire-george-floyd-death-of-george-floyd-politics-682994b83e9d37e32879528aedc5da7b">Lafayette Square</a>&nbsp;on Monday at around 10 p.m., Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. He was identified as a 19-year-old from Chesterfield, a St. Louis suburb.No one was injured in the crash.Officers from the Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department searched the truck after the crash. Video&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/u-haul-crash-lafayette-square-white-house/65-b4e28344-567c-45e6-a390-1d504d1466ff">posted by WUSA-TV</a>&nbsp;shows a police officer at the scene picking up and inventorying several pieces of evidence from the truck, including a Nazi flag.Based on a preliminary investigation, investigators believe the driver "may have intentionally struck the security barriers at Lafayette Square,” Guglielmi said. Authorities offered no additional details about the possible motive.The U.S. Park Police said the man was arrested on multiple charges, including threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict harm on a president, vice president or member of their family; assault with a dangerous weapon; reckless driving; destruction of federal property; and trespassing.Lafayette Square, which offers perhaps the best view of the White House available to the public, has long been one of the nation’s most prominent venues for demonstrations. The park was closed for nearly a year after federal authorities fenced off the area at the height of nationwide protests over policing following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, but it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-floyd-donald-trump-death-of-george-floyd-government-and-politics-67492b52d542145d559a9f45ddd5f866">reopened in May 2021</a>.U-Haul is a moving truck, trailer and self-storage rental company based in Phoenix.

Police ID man arrested after crash into security barrier near White House

By CASEY QUINLAN <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/19/rural-hospitals-gird-for-unwinding-of-pandemic-medicaid-coverage/">States Newsroom</a>

Congressional Republicans’ efforts to slash federal spending by tying work requirements to Medicaid and SNAP would have far-reaching consequences for people with mental health issues, chronic health problems, and some people with disabilities if enacted, policy experts on anti-poverty programs say.&nbsp;

They say the work requirements as laid out by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s “Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023” — the Republican plan to raise the country’s debt ceiling —&nbsp; would be devastating for many Americans and hard for states to implement, especially in the thick of the pandemic public health emergency ending. The bill narrowly passed the House in April,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023199">217 to 211 with four Republicans joining Democrats</a>&nbsp;in voting against it. If a deal isn’t reached, the U.S. will default on its debt as early as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-default-could-begin-june-8-without-agreement-top-economist-tells-congress">June 1</a>.

Democrats have pushed back on the work requirements, but McCarthy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4006319-mccarthy-says-work-requirements-a-red-line-in-debt-ceiling-talks/">has said</a>&nbsp;they are non-negotiable. Reports that Biden is showing some flexibility on the issue have&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2023/05/19/1176938636/debt-limit-14th-amendment">upset</a>&nbsp;some Democrats. The House Freedom Caucus has also&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/18/republicans-debt-ceiling-negotiations/">pushed</a>&nbsp;for McCarthy to stop the discussions with the White House until the Senate passes the bill.

Ten million Medicaid expansion enrollees are at risk under the bill,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/mccarthy-medicaid-proposal-puts-millions-of-people-in-expansion-states-at-risk-of">according to</a>&nbsp;the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. The Health and Human Services Department estimated that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/04/25/new-hhs-analysis-congressional-republicans-medicaid-red-tape-would-jeopardize-health-coverage-access-care-21-million-americans-if-implemented.html#:~:text=Today%2C%20the%20U.S.%20Department%20of,by%20Congressional%20Republicans%20were%20implemented.">21 million</a>&nbsp;people are vulnerable to the work reporting requirements. The Congressional Budget Office found that 1.5 million people would lose coverage and 600,000 would become uninsured. It’s possible that the CBO could be&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ccf.georgetown.edu/2023/04/27/taking-a-closer-look-at-the-cbo-estimates-of-speaker-mccarthys-damaging-medicaid-work-reporting-requirement/">underestimating</a>&nbsp;how many people would lose their coverage, some experts say. Although the requirements apply to every state, the CBPP explained in its analysis of the bill that “it would heavily impact people covered by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion.”

“People with mental health issues, people with substance use disorders, people with chronic health conditions and even forms of disability could be encompassed within the expansion population and would need to navigate an entirely new system that’s really not well-specified in the bill to get an exemption and we know that that sets up a massive coverage loss potential,” Allison Orris, senior fellow at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, told States Newsroom.

The bill includes work-reporting requirements for Medicaid that are even more severe than a 2018&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00538#:~:text=In%20June%202018%20Arkansas%20became,an%20exemption%20to%20maintain%20coverage.">Arkansas law</a>that has since been blocked by the courts, said Edwin Park, a research professor at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy. Unlike other work requirement proposals, the bill would&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ccf.georgetown.edu/2023/05/01/mccarthy-bill-would-radically-change-disability-standards-for-medicaid-and-reduce-coverage-for-persons-with-disabilities/">not exempt</a>&nbsp;people during their pregnancy and into their postpartum period and there isn’t an automatic exemption for people receiving Supplemental Security Income because they have a disability or Social Security Disability Insurance. It would undercut gains made by Medicaid expansion because even people eligible could lose coverage because of the complexity of the “red tape” they would be forced to navigate, Park said. The unwinding of pandemic policies adds to the potential complications.

“You have all the coverage losses where some people are going to be inappropriately disenrolled, particularly for procedural reasons. They won’t return in the mail. They never got their renewal packet. … And then you have on top of that, this onerous work-reporting requirement with red tape and because states are so overwhelmed with unwinding over the next year or so, it’s hard to see how they could implement a work-reporting requirement that implements the exemptions,” he said.

Park added that House Republicans who characterize this provision of the bill, which requires recipients to work 80 hours per month, do community service or be involved in an employment program, as only affecting able-bodied adults without children is inaccurate.

“… Based on how this proposal has been designed, you know, it’s not targeted to that group at all,” he said.

He explained, “We know that many people who are disabled who are receiving disability benefits do work to a limited extent and they aren’t necessarily unfit for employment. There’s limits on how much they can work to maintain their benefits. But federal policy, up to this point, has been encouraging those with disabilities to work to increase their employment hours while being able to maintain their health coverage.”

The SNAP work requirements are equally concerning to advocates. Currently 18- to 49-year-olds without children at home can only receive benefits for three months in any three-year-period unless they prove they’ve worked a 20-hour week. Under McCarthy’s bill, those work requirements would be expanded to include people up to age 55.

Craig Gundersen, an economics professor at Baylor University whose research focuses on food insecurity and food assistance, said it may look like that the work requirements are successful because cases will fall, but the reality will be different.

“What’s going to happen is if you impose work requirements you’re going to have an increase in food insecurity in our country,” he said.

He said the bill’s provision on SNAP doesn’t make sense.

“SNAP doesn’t discourage work. So why would you want to impose work requirements? The second thing is that SNAP is an anti-hunger program full stop,” he said. “That’s what it was designed to do. If that’s its main goal, why would we ever want to say to people that you have to work to get these benefits.”

Nine-hundred thousand people in the U.S. aged 50 to 55 are at risk of losing SNAP,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbpp.org/blog/speaker-mccarthys-snap-proposal-would-take-food-away-from-older-adults-for-not-meeting-work">according to</a>&nbsp;CBPP.

The SNAP restrictions also make it harder for states to provide support for SNAP recipients dealing with unique circumstances that would exempt them from the three-month time limit to receive benefits. The number of exemptions states can use are currently tied to their caseloads and if they aren’t used, states can roll them over into the next year. McCarthy’s bill wouldn’t let states carry over unused exemptions.

​​Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) would also be affected by the stricter work requirements in the House debt ceiling legislation. Families subject to work requirements — 540,000 families — could potentially lose their cash benefits, the CBPP&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/income-security/tanf-provisions-in-house-republicans-debt-ceiling-and-cuts-bill-would-harm">estimated</a>, worsening child poverty.

Housing assistance, student loan forgiveness targeted

In addition to these effects on anti-poverty programs, many other services and benefits in housing and education would likely suffer from the huge cuts proposed in the bill. The CBPP’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/how-house-republicans-harsh-funding-caps-would-affect-different-vital">analysis</a>&nbsp;of this bill shows average cuts of 13% in 2024 even if cuts were evenly spread across discretionary programs.

The legislation would also kill Biden’s student loan forgiveness plans regardless of the outcome in the courts and nix student loan repayment plans that were designed to be more affordable for people with student debt. It would “likely eliminate Pell Grants altogether for 80,000 students,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/fact-sheet-house-republican-proposals-hurt-children-students-and-borrowers-and-undermine-education">according to</a>&nbsp;the Department of Education.

“Here you are cutting one of the premier programs that serves low-income students who are trying to access this level of education, who have long been marginalized in the labor market,” said Katherine Gallagher Robbins, senior fellow at the National Partnership for Women &amp; Families. “And what you’re saying to them is, ‘Oh, hey, by the way, we’re not even going to give you the support that will pay dividends for years to come in your own earnings.”

Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nlihc.org/resource/house-republicans-pass-disastrous-budget-proposal-gutting-hud-affordable-housing-and-0">estimated</a>&nbsp;that nearly 1 million people could lose housing assistance and that nearly 120,000 people may be cut off from homelessness services.

“Stable housing is such an essential part of any family’s economic security,” Gallagher Robbins said. “ … The cuts that they’re talking about here …, you’re going to end up eliminating almost 300,000 families’ support for their housing. Not all of those families will end up being unhoused, but some of them will. It creates this downward spiral that is very challenging to recover from, especially as other benefits are cut …”

The ending of the pandemic public health emergency has already resulted in the loss of financial support for some families, and now with these potential cuts, the people who benefited most from the recovery would be hurt the most from this bill, Gallagher Robbins said.

“We’re already seeing things like less access to school lunch, less access to the child tax credit,” she said. “So families are already struggling with what that looks like and that has been mitigated to an extent, obviously not fully, by the current strength of the economy. Everything is up for grabs here, basically, in terms of harming families who are already absorbing this most recent kind of cut in support.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684802104463.png" alt="President Biden met with Speaker McCarthy&nbsp; Monday night on the Debt Limit. Republicans want work requirements on the Medicaid health care program, though the Biden administration has countered that millions of people could lose coverage. The GOP additionally introduced new cuts to food aid by restricting states’ ability to waive work requirements in places with high joblessness. But Democrats have said any changes to work requirements for government aid recipients are nonstarters.- image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Biden met with Speaker McCarthy&nbsp; Monday night on the Debt Limit. Republicans want work requirements on the Medicaid health care program, though the Biden administration has countered that millions of people could lose coverage. The GOP additionally introduced new cuts to food aid by restricting states’ ability to waive work requirements in places with high joblessness. But Democrats have said any changes to work requirements for government aid recipients are nonstarters.- image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By CASEY QUINLAN <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/19/rural-hospitals-gird-for-unwinding-of-pandemic-medicaid-coverage/">States Newsroom</a> Congressional Republicans’ efforts to slash federal spending by tying work requirements to Medicaid and SNAP would have far-reaching consequences for people with mental health issues, chronic health problems, and some people with disabilities if enacted, policy experts on anti-poverty programs say.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Just finished meeting with President Biden at the White House. <a href="https://t.co/5P4LTLvbVG">https://t.co/5P4LTLvbVG</a>&mdash; Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerMcCarthy/status/1660783402700935169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684800636031.png" alt="Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned Congress in a letter Monday" />
 <figcaption>Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned Congress in a letter Monday</figcaption>
 </figure>They say the work requirements as laid out by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s “Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023” — the Republican plan to raise the country’s debt ceiling —&nbsp; would be devastating for many Americans and hard for states to implement, especially in the thick of the pandemic public health emergency ending. The bill narrowly passed the House in April,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023199">217 to 211 with four Republicans joining Democrats</a>&nbsp;in voting against it. If a deal isn’t reached, the U.S. will default on its debt as early as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-default-could-begin-june-8-without-agreement-top-economist-tells-congress">June 1</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I just concluded a productive meeting with Speaker McCarthy about the need to prevent default and avoid a catastrophe for our economy. We reiterated once again that default is off the table and the only way to move forward is in good faith toward a bipartisan agreement. While…&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1660798439171538945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Democrats have pushed back on the work requirements, but McCarthy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4006319-mccarthy-says-work-requirements-a-red-line-in-debt-ceiling-talks/">has said</a>&nbsp;they are non-negotiable. Reports that Biden is showing some flexibility on the issue have&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2023/05/19/1176938636/debt-limit-14th-amendment">upset</a>&nbsp;some Democrats. The House Freedom Caucus has also&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/18/republicans-debt-ceiling-negotiations/">pushed</a>&nbsp;for McCarthy to stop the discussions with the White House until the Senate passes the bill.Ten million Medicaid expansion enrollees are at risk under the bill,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/mccarthy-medicaid-proposal-puts-millions-of-people-in-expansion-states-at-risk-of">according to</a>&nbsp;the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. The Health and Human Services Department estimated that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/04/25/new-hhs-analysis-congressional-republicans-medicaid-red-tape-would-jeopardize-health-coverage-access-care-21-million-americans-if-implemented.html#:~:text=Today%2C%20the%20U.S.%20Department%20of,by%20Congressional%20Republicans%20were%20implemented.">21 million</a>&nbsp;people are vulnerable to the work reporting requirements. The Congressional Budget Office found that 1.5 million people would lose coverage and 600,000 would become uninsured. It’s possible that the CBO could be&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ccf.georgetown.edu/2023/04/27/taking-a-closer-look-at-the-cbo-estimates-of-speaker-mccarthys-damaging-medicaid-work-reporting-requirement/">underestimating</a>&nbsp;how many people would lose their coverage, some experts say. Although the requirements apply to every state, the CBPP explained in its analysis of the bill that “it would heavily impact people covered by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion.”“People with mental health issues, people with substance use disorders, people with chronic health conditions and even forms of disability could be encompassed within the expansion population and would need to navigate an entirely new system that’s really not well-specified in the bill to get an exemption and we know that that sets up a massive coverage loss potential,” Allison Orris, senior fellow at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, told States Newsroom.The bill includes work-reporting requirements for Medicaid that are even more severe than a 2018&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00538#:~:text=In%20June%202018%20Arkansas%20became,an%20exemption%20to%20maintain%20coverage.">Arkansas law</a>that has since been blocked by the courts, said Edwin Park, a research professor at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy. Unlike other work requirement proposals, the bill would&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ccf.georgetown.edu/2023/05/01/mccarthy-bill-would-radically-change-disability-standards-for-medicaid-and-reduce-coverage-for-persons-with-disabilities/">not exempt</a>&nbsp;people during their pregnancy and into their postpartum period and there isn’t an automatic exemption for people receiving Supplemental Security Income because they have a disability or Social Security Disability Insurance. It would undercut gains made by Medicaid expansion because even people eligible could lose coverage because of the complexity of the “red tape” they would be forced to navigate, Park said. The unwinding of pandemic policies adds to the potential complications.“You have all the coverage losses where some people are going to be inappropriately disenrolled, particularly for procedural reasons. They won’t return in the mail. They never got their renewal packet. … And then you have on top of that, this onerous work-reporting requirement with red tape and because states are so overwhelmed with unwinding over the next year or so, it’s hard to see how they could implement a work-reporting requirement that implements the exemptions,” he said.Park added that House Republicans who characterize this provision of the bill, which requires recipients to work 80 hours per month, do community service or be involved in an employment program, as only affecting able-bodied adults without children is inaccurate.“… Based on how this proposal has been designed, you know, it’s not targeted to that group at all,” he said.He explained, “We know that many people who are disabled who are receiving disability benefits do work to a limited extent and they aren’t necessarily unfit for employment. There’s limits on how much they can work to maintain their benefits. But federal policy, up to this point, has been encouraging those with disabilities to work to increase their employment hours while being able to maintain their health coverage.”<h2>Expanding SNAP work requirements</h2>The SNAP work requirements are equally concerning to advocates. Currently 18- to 49-year-olds without children at home can only receive benefits for three months in any three-year-period unless they prove they’ve worked a 20-hour week. Under McCarthy’s bill, those work requirements would be expanded to include people up to age 55.Craig Gundersen, an economics professor at Baylor University whose research focuses on food insecurity and food assistance, said it may look like that the work requirements are successful because cases will fall, but the reality will be different.“What’s going to happen is if you impose work requirements you’re going to have an increase in food insecurity in our country,” he said.He said the bill’s provision on SNAP doesn’t make sense.“SNAP doesn’t discourage work. So why would you want to impose work requirements? The second thing is that SNAP is an anti-hunger program full stop,” he said. “That’s what it was designed to do. If that’s its main goal, why would we ever want to say to people that you have to work to get these benefits.”Nine-hundred thousand people in the U.S. aged 50 to 55 are at risk of losing SNAP,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbpp.org/blog/speaker-mccarthys-snap-proposal-would-take-food-away-from-older-adults-for-not-meeting-work">according to</a>&nbsp;CBPP.The SNAP restrictions also make it harder for states to provide support for SNAP recipients dealing with unique circumstances that would exempt them from the three-month time limit to receive benefits. The number of exemptions states can use are currently tied to their caseloads and if they aren’t used, states can roll them over into the next year. McCarthy’s bill wouldn’t let states carry over unused exemptions.​​Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) would also be affected by the stricter work requirements in the House debt ceiling legislation. Families subject to work requirements — 540,000 families — could potentially lose their cash benefits, the CBPP&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/income-security/tanf-provisions-in-house-republicans-debt-ceiling-and-cuts-bill-would-harm">estimated</a>, worsening child poverty.<h2>Housing assistance, student loan forgiveness targeted</h2>In addition to these effects on anti-poverty programs, many other services and benefits in housing and education would likely suffer from the huge cuts proposed in the bill. The CBPP’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/how-house-republicans-harsh-funding-caps-would-affect-different-vital">analysis</a>&nbsp;of this bill shows average cuts of 13% in 2024 even if cuts were evenly spread across discretionary programs.The legislation would also kill Biden’s student loan forgiveness plans regardless of the outcome in the courts and nix student loan repayment plans that were designed to be more affordable for people with student debt. It would “likely eliminate Pell Grants altogether for 80,000 students,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/fact-sheet-house-republican-proposals-hurt-children-students-and-borrowers-and-undermine-education">according to</a>&nbsp;the Department of Education.“Here you are cutting one of the premier programs that serves low-income students who are trying to access this level of education, who have long been marginalized in the labor market,” said Katherine Gallagher Robbins, senior fellow at the National Partnership for Women &amp; Families. “And what you’re saying to them is, ‘Oh, hey, by the way, we’re not even going to give you the support that will pay dividends for years to come in your own earnings.”Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nlihc.org/resource/house-republicans-pass-disastrous-budget-proposal-gutting-hud-affordable-housing-and-0">estimated</a>&nbsp;that nearly 1 million people could lose housing assistance and that nearly 120,000 people may be cut off from homelessness services.“Stable housing is such an essential part of any family’s economic security,” Gallagher Robbins said. “ … The cuts that they’re talking about here …, you’re going to end up eliminating almost 300,000 families’ support for their housing. Not all of those families will end up being unhoused, but some of them will. It creates this downward spiral that is very challenging to recover from, especially as other benefits are cut …”The ending of the pandemic public health emergency has already resulted in the loss of financial support for some families, and now with these potential cuts, the people who benefited most from the recovery would be hurt the most from this bill, Gallagher Robbins said.“We’re already seeing things like less access to school lunch, less access to the child tax credit,” she said. “So families are already struggling with what that looks like and that has been mitigated to an extent, obviously not fully, by the current strength of the economy. Everything is up for grabs here, basically, in terms of harming families who are already absorbing this most recent kind of cut in support.”

GOP work requirements for federal aid holding up debt limit deal

LINCOLN, Neb - University of Nebraska System President Ted Carter announced today that following a national search, he has named Rodney D. Bennett, Ed.D., a 30-year veteran of higher education with a track record of growing research, student success and impactful partnerships, as the priority candidate for the next chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Bennett most recently served for nearly a decade as president of the University of Southern Mississippi, a comprehensive public research institution that enrolls 14,000 students across multiple campuses. During his presidency, Bennett brought Southern Miss into the top tier of research institutions, delivered improved student outcomes, invested in faculty and high-growth academic programs, and stabilized the budget through fiscally conservative management – all qualities that Carter said made Bennett the right person at the right time to take the helm at UNL.

“We launched this search with a goal of finding the right leader who could articulate an ambitious vision for Nebraska’s flagship university. Dr. Rodney Bennett is that leader,” Carter said.

“At every turn during his impressive career, Dr. Bennett has made his institution stronger than when he arrived. He is a proven and gifted leader, an exceptional relationship-builder, and he knows from personal experience that higher education is nothing less than a transformative force in a student’s life. Rodney recognizes that Nebraska and our world need UNL to be a leading driver of opportunity, discovery and economic growth, and I believe he will chart the path to get us there.”

Carter thanked the search committee, chaired by College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Dean Tiffany Heng-Moss, for its diligent work, as well as the many Nebraskans who offered input on the qualities they wanted to see in the next chancellor.

Bennett said: “The more I learn about the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the more excited I get about the opportunities for this university to help shape the future of higher education. As I have heard President Carter say, our industry is at a crucial juncture. The challenges we face are real, but with unapologetically bold leadership, the right teams in place, and an unwavering focus on our foundational priorities of teaching, research and service, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln can set a new standard of excellence among flagship universities.

“I am humbled by this opportunity, and I look forward to listening to and learning from UNL students, faculty, staff and stakeholders in the weeks ahead.”

As Southern Mississippi’s president from 2013 to 2022, Bennett led the university’s reclassification from a Carnegie R2 to an R1 university, signaling its growth in research prestige and funding. That designation made USM one of only 14 R1 institutions in the country that also compete at the NCAA Division I level and maintain accreditation in all four major areas of the arts. Bennett also brought a conservative approach to USM’s budget management, meeting or exceeding all new budgetary metrics set by its Board.

Additionally, Bennett improved the academic quality of the student body during his tenure; expanded high-demand programs in engineering, ocean science, business, cybersecurity, nursing and other areas; and elevated technology transfer efforts.

Recognizing that communities are stronger and economic growth is more prosperous when all individuals have affordable access to quality education, Bennett invested in programs to support student recruitment, retention and outcomes, including for the 30 percent of USM students who are first-generation. His efforts led to declines among students who earned D’s, F’s or withdrawals in science and history courses, and USM’s overall six-year graduation rate improved.

Bennett invested in new faculty positions in high-growth areas and increased the average salary for full-time faculty, oversaw $300 million in facilities work, and launched the largest fundraising campaign in USM’s history in 2022. He was a strong champion of USM’s Division I athletics program, investing in new facilities and programs to support student-athletes, including a dedicated mental health counselor to serve student-athletes. During Bennett’s tenure, USM student-athletes earned their highest overall grade point average in recorded history, a 3.1 across all sports.

Prior to his role at Southern Mississippi, Bennett served at the University of Georgia for over a decade, ultimately as an associate professor and vice president for student affairs. In that role, he was the senior administrator for student programs and services for Georgia’s 34,000-plus students. He oversaw $150 million in capital projects and made key staff and programmatic investments in extracurriculars, mental health programs and other areas to better support students from all walks of life.

Previously, Bennett was the dean of students at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and associate dean of student life at Middle Tennessee State University.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, a master’s degree in educational administration and a specialist in educational administration from Middle Tennessee State. He earned his Doctor of Education from Tennessee State University.

Bennett and his wife, Temple, are the parents of two adult daughters, Colby and Logan.

As required by state law, Bennett’s candidacy now undergoes a 30-day vetting period, beginning today, that will include a series of public sessions during which members of the UNL community and the news media can meet Bennett and ask questions. The schedule for the open forums is being finalized now and will be released in the coming days. Members of the public are invited to submit feedback about Bennett’s candidacy anytime during the 30-day period at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nebraska.edu/unl-chancellor-search">www.nebraska.edu/unl-chancellor-search</a>.

At the conclusion of the vetting period, if Carter deems appropriate, he will bring Bennett’s candidacy to the Board of Regents at its June 22 meeting for consideration.

If approved by the Board, Bennett would become the first person of color to become UNL chancellor.

The next chancellor will succeed current Chancellor Ronnie Green, who is retiring after seven years in the role.

About the University of Nebraska System

The University of Nebraska is the state’s only public university system, made up of four campuses – UNL, UNO, UNK and UNMC – each with a distinct role and mission. Together the campuses enroll nearly 50,000 students and employ 16,000 faculty and staff who serve the state, nation and world through education, research and outreach.

For more information and news from the University of Nebraska, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nebraska.edu/news">www.nebraska.edu/news</a>.

LINCOLN, Neb - University of Nebraska System President Ted Carter announced today that following a national search, he has named Rodney D. Bennett, Ed.D., a 30-year veteran of higher education with a track record of growing research, student success and impactful partnerships, as the priority candidate for the next chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684788052085.jpeg" alt="Rodney D. Bennett, priority candidate for UNL Chancellor. If approved by the Board of Regents, Bennett would replace current Chancellor Ronnie Green, who is retiring after seven years in the role." />
 <figcaption>Rodney D. Bennett, priority candidate for UNL Chancellor. If approved by the Board of Regents, Bennett would replace current Chancellor Ronnie Green, who is retiring after seven years in the role.</figcaption>
 </figure>Bennett most recently served for nearly a decade as president of the University of Southern Mississippi, a comprehensive public research institution that enrolls 14,000 students across multiple campuses. During his presidency, Bennett brought Southern Miss into the top tier of research institutions, delivered improved student outcomes, invested in faculty and high-growth academic programs, and stabilized the budget through fiscally conservative management – all qualities that Carter said made Bennett the right person at the right time to take the helm at UNL.“We launched this search with a goal of finding the right leader who could articulate an ambitious vision for Nebraska’s flagship university. Dr. Rodney Bennett is that leader,” Carter said.“At every turn during his impressive career, Dr. Bennett has made his institution stronger than when he arrived. He is a proven and gifted leader, an exceptional relationship-builder, and he knows from personal experience that higher education is nothing less than a transformative force in a student’s life. Rodney recognizes that Nebraska and our world need UNL to be a leading driver of opportunity, discovery and economic growth, and I believe he will chart the path to get us there.”Carter thanked the search committee, chaired by College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Dean Tiffany Heng-Moss, for its diligent work, as well as the many Nebraskans who offered input on the qualities they wanted to see in the next chancellor.Bennett said: “The more I learn about the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the more excited I get about the opportunities for this university to help shape the future of higher education. As I have heard President Carter say, our industry is at a crucial juncture. The challenges we face are real, but with unapologetically bold leadership, the right teams in place, and an unwavering focus on our foundational priorities of teaching, research and service, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln can set a new standard of excellence among flagship universities.“I am humbled by this opportunity, and I look forward to listening to and learning from UNL students, faculty, staff and stakeholders in the weeks ahead.”As Southern Mississippi’s president from 2013 to 2022, Bennett led the university’s reclassification from a Carnegie R2 to an R1 university, signaling its growth in research prestige and funding. That designation made USM one of only 14 R1 institutions in the country that also compete at the NCAA Division I level and maintain accreditation in all four major areas of the arts. Bennett also brought a conservative approach to USM’s budget management, meeting or exceeding all new budgetary metrics set by its Board.Additionally, Bennett improved the academic quality of the student body during his tenure; expanded high-demand programs in engineering, ocean science, business, cybersecurity, nursing and other areas; and elevated technology transfer efforts.Recognizing that communities are stronger and economic growth is more prosperous when all individuals have affordable access to quality education, Bennett invested in programs to support student recruitment, retention and outcomes, including for the 30 percent of USM students who are first-generation. His efforts led to declines among students who earned D’s, F’s or withdrawals in science and history courses, and USM’s overall six-year graduation rate improved.Bennett invested in new faculty positions in high-growth areas and increased the average salary for full-time faculty, oversaw $300 million in facilities work, and launched the largest fundraising campaign in USM’s history in 2022. He was a strong champion of USM’s Division I athletics program, investing in new facilities and programs to support student-athletes, including a dedicated mental health counselor to serve student-athletes. During Bennett’s tenure, USM student-athletes earned their highest overall grade point average in recorded history, a 3.1 across all sports.Prior to his role at Southern Mississippi, Bennett served at the University of Georgia for over a decade, ultimately as an associate professor and vice president for student affairs. In that role, he was the senior administrator for student programs and services for Georgia’s 34,000-plus students. He oversaw $150 million in capital projects and made key staff and programmatic investments in extracurriculars, mental health programs and other areas to better support students from all walks of life.Previously, Bennett was the dean of students at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and associate dean of student life at Middle Tennessee State University.He earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, a master’s degree in educational administration and a specialist in educational administration from Middle Tennessee State. He earned his Doctor of Education from Tennessee State University.Bennett and his wife, Temple, are the parents of two adult daughters, Colby and Logan.As required by state law, Bennett’s candidacy now undergoes a 30-day vetting period, beginning today, that will include a series of public sessions during which members of the UNL community and the news media can meet Bennett and ask questions. The schedule for the open forums is being finalized now and will be released in the coming days. Members of the public are invited to submit feedback about Bennett’s candidacy anytime during the 30-day period at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nebraska.edu/unl-chancellor-search">www.nebraska.edu/unl-chancellor-search</a>.At the conclusion of the vetting period, if Carter deems appropriate, he will bring Bennett’s candidacy to the Board of Regents at its June 22 meeting for consideration.If approved by the Board, Bennett would become the first person of color to become UNL chancellor.The next chancellor will succeed current Chancellor Ronnie Green, who is retiring after seven years in the role.About the University of Nebraska SystemThe University of Nebraska is the state’s only public university system, made up of four campuses – UNL, UNO, UNK and UNMC – each with a distinct role and mission. Together the campuses enroll nearly 50,000 students and employ 16,000 faculty and staff who serve the state, nation and world through education, research and outreach.For more information and news from the University of Nebraska, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nebraska.edu/news">www.nebraska.edu/news</a>.

‘A new standard among flagships’: Rodney Bennett, Ed.D., named priority candidate for UNL chancellor

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A judge entered not guilty pleas Monday for a man&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-students-stabbed-kohberger-e7be2c178c315d0d8307ae5180558153">charged in the stabbing deaths</a>&nbsp;of four University of Idaho students, setting the stage for a trial in which he could potentially face the death penalty.

The Nov. 13, 2022, killings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moscow-idaho-spokane-university-of-fdbabdb55c38409cd567a7332db4dae5">stunned the rural community of Moscow, Idaho,</a>&nbsp;and prompted many students to leave campus early, switching to remote learning for the remainder of the semester.

<a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23564673/122922-affidavit-exhibit-a-statement-of-brett-payne_redacted.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the full&nbsp;unsealed affidavit, which explains the basis for Kohberger's arrest.

Bryan Kohberger, 28, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/university-of-idaho-students-killings-arrest-b3b1ffd8138827f0bdad16d20e17cf83">arrested late last year</a>&nbsp;and charged with burglary and four counts of first-degree murder in connection with with the slayings of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin at a rental home near the University of Idaho campus.

Kohberger declined to enter pleas in Latah County District Court, with his defense attorney Anne Taylor telling the judge that they were going to “stand silent” at this time. In response, 2nd District Judge John Judge entered not guilty pleas on Kohberger's behalf.

It's uncommon but not unheard of for defendants to “stand silent” in criminal cases. Sometimes it is done because defendants and their attorneys feel they need more time to weigh the ramifications of entering a plea of guilty or not guilty; other times it can be part of a broader legal strategy or simply a defendant's personal choice.

Kohberger declined to waive his right to a speedy trial, so the judge scheduled it to begin Oct. 2. It's still possible that the trial, expected to last six weeks, could be delayed or moved to a different location.

Kohberger was a graduate student studying criminology at nearby Washington State University when the University of Idaho students were killed, but prosecutors have not released any information about how they believe he may have chosen the victims or whether he had met any of them previously.

Police released few details about the investigation until after Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ home in eastern Pennsylvania early Dec. 30, 2022. Court documents detailed how police pieced together DNA evidence, cellphone data and surveillance video that they say links Kohberger to the slayings.

Investigators said traces of DNA found on a knife sheath inside the home where the students were killed matches Kohberger, and that a cellphone belonging to Kohberger was near the victims’ home on a dozen occasions prior to the killings. A white sedan allegedly matching one owned by Kohberger was caught on surveillance footage repeatedly cruising past the rental home around the time of the killings.

Kernodle, Chapin, Mogen and Goncalves were friends and members of the university’s Greek system, and the three women lived together in the rental home just across the street from campus. Chapin — Kernodle’s boyfriend — was there visiting on the night of the attack.

Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson now has 60 days to inform the court whether he will seek the death penalty in the case.

The small courtroom was packed for the arraignment, with some members of the news media and other onlookers lining up outside three hours before the proceeding was set to begin, Boise television station KTVB reported. Family members of Goncalves were among those who attended, one of them weeping as the charges were read.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672924870681.png" alt="Kohberger" />
 <figcaption>Kohberger</figcaption>
 </figure>BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A judge entered not guilty pleas Monday for a man&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-students-stabbed-kohberger-e7be2c178c315d0d8307ae5180558153">charged in the stabbing deaths</a>&nbsp;of four University of Idaho students, setting the stage for a trial in which he could potentially face the death penalty.The Nov. 13, 2022, killings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moscow-idaho-spokane-university-of-fdbabdb55c38409cd567a7332db4dae5">stunned the rural community of Moscow, Idaho,</a>&nbsp;and prompted many students to leave campus early, switching to remote learning for the remainder of the semester.<a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23564673/122922-affidavit-exhibit-a-statement-of-brett-payne_redacted.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the full&nbsp;unsealed affidavit, which explains the basis for Kohberger's arrest.Bryan Kohberger, 28, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/university-of-idaho-students-killings-arrest-b3b1ffd8138827f0bdad16d20e17cf83">arrested late last year</a>&nbsp;and charged with burglary and four counts of first-degree murder in connection with with the slayings of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin at a rental home near the University of Idaho campus.Kohberger declined to enter pleas in Latah County District Court, with his defense attorney Anne Taylor telling the judge that they were going to “stand silent” at this time. In response, 2nd District Judge John Judge entered not guilty pleas on Kohberger's behalf.It's uncommon but not unheard of for defendants to “stand silent” in criminal cases. Sometimes it is done because defendants and their attorneys feel they need more time to weigh the ramifications of entering a plea of guilty or not guilty; other times it can be part of a broader legal strategy or simply a defendant's personal choice.Kohberger declined to waive his right to a speedy trial, so the judge scheduled it to begin Oct. 2. It's still possible that the trial, expected to last six weeks, could be delayed or moved to a different location.Kohberger was a graduate student studying criminology at nearby Washington State University when the University of Idaho students were killed, but prosecutors have not released any information about how they believe he may have chosen the victims or whether he had met any of them previously.Police released few details about the investigation until after Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ home in eastern Pennsylvania early Dec. 30, 2022. Court documents detailed how police pieced together DNA evidence, cellphone data and surveillance video that they say links Kohberger to the slayings.Investigators said traces of DNA found on a knife sheath inside the home where the students were killed matches Kohberger, and that a cellphone belonging to Kohberger was near the victims’ home on a dozen occasions prior to the killings. A white sedan allegedly matching one owned by Kohberger was caught on surveillance footage repeatedly cruising past the rental home around the time of the killings.Kernodle, Chapin, Mogen and Goncalves were friends and members of the university’s Greek system, and the three women lived together in the rental home just across the street from campus. Chapin — Kernodle’s boyfriend — was there visiting on the night of the attack.Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson now has 60 days to inform the court whether he will seek the death penalty in the case.The small courtroom was packed for the arraignment, with some members of the news media and other onlookers lining up outside three hours before the proceeding was set to begin, Boise television station KTVB reported. Family members of Goncalves were among those who attended, one of them weeping as the charges were read.

Suspect in murder of 4 Univ. of Idaho students declines to enter plea

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska woman pleaded guilty Monday to burning and concealing a fetus after she took medication to end her pregnancy, while prosecutors move forward with a criminal case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-nebraska-government-and-politics-b94abeeed9a8c486cf479d6ae78c62aa">accusing her mother</a>&nbsp;of illegally helping with the abortion.

Prosecutors said Celeste Burgess gave birth to the stillborn fetus about 29 weeks and five days into her pregnancy. She was 17 at the time, but prosecutors charged her as an adult.

Burgess, now 18, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of concealing or abandoning a dead body and prosecutors dropped two misdemeanor charges. The fetus was found buried in a field north of Norfolk in northeast Nebraska.

Her mother, Jessica Burgess, 42, is accused of illegally helping with the abortion last spring. The prosecutor involved has said he had never before charged anyone with violating Nebraska’s 20-week abortion limit that was passed in 2010. On Monday, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-abortion-ban-nebraska-1a88067bf403559116df7c09e004e472">signed a 12-week abortion ban</a>&nbsp;into law. It took effect immediately.

The case against the mother and daughter is based partly on Facebook messages the two women exchanged about their plan to obtain the medication to induce an abortion and then to burn the fetus.

Jessica Burgess has pleaded not guilty and is due back in court on July 7 for a pretrial hearing. Her lawyer didn’t immediately respond to a message Monday.

Celeste Burgess is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20. She faces up to two years in prison. Prosecutors agreed not to make a sentencing recommendation.

The case against Jessica Burgess is unusual. The prosecutor involved has said he had never before charged anyone with violating Nebraska’s 20-week abortion limit that was passed in 2010.

According to court documents, the daughter talked in the messages she exchanged with her mom “about how she can't wait to get the ‘thing’ out of her body.” She also said “I will finally be able to wear jeans” in one of the messages investigators obtained with a search warrant.

In one message, Jessica Burgess told her daughter she obtained the pills and gave her instructions on how to end her pregnancy.

Last summer, a man pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for helping the women bury the fetus.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska woman pleaded guilty Monday to burning and concealing a fetus after she took medication to end her pregnancy, while prosecutors move forward with a criminal case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-nebraska-government-and-politics-b94abeeed9a8c486cf479d6ae78c62aa">accusing her mother</a>&nbsp;of illegally helping with the abortion.Prosecutors said Celeste Burgess gave birth to the stillborn fetus about 29 weeks and five days into her pregnancy. She was 17 at the time, but prosecutors charged her as an adult.Burgess, now 18, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of concealing or abandoning a dead body and prosecutors dropped two misdemeanor charges. The fetus was found buried in a field north of Norfolk in northeast Nebraska.Her mother, Jessica Burgess, 42, is accused of illegally helping with the abortion last spring. The prosecutor involved has said he had never before charged anyone with violating Nebraska’s 20-week abortion limit that was passed in 2010. On Monday, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-abortion-ban-nebraska-1a88067bf403559116df7c09e004e472">signed a 12-week abortion ban</a>&nbsp;into law. It took effect immediately.The case against the mother and daughter is based partly on Facebook messages the two women exchanged about their plan to obtain the medication to induce an abortion and then to burn the fetus.Jessica Burgess has pleaded not guilty and is due back in court on July 7 for a pretrial hearing. Her lawyer didn’t immediately respond to a message Monday.Celeste Burgess is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20. She faces up to two years in prison. Prosecutors agreed not to make a sentencing recommendation.The case against Jessica Burgess is unusual. The prosecutor involved has said he had never before charged anyone with violating Nebraska’s 20-week abortion limit that was passed in 2010.According to court documents, the daughter talked in the messages she exchanged with her mom “about how she can't wait to get the ‘thing’ out of her body.” She also said “I will finally be able to wear jeans” in one of the messages investigators obtained with a search warrant.In one message, Jessica Burgess told her daughter she obtained the pills and gave her instructions on how to end her pregnancy.Last summer, a man pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for helping the women bury the fetus.

Nebraska woman pleads guilty to burning fetus after abortion

LINCOLN, NE –&nbsp;Today, Governor Jim Pillen, joined by over 30 senators, signed LB574 into law. The bill includes a 12-week abortion ban, which takes effect immediately, and includes regulation of puberty blockers for minors and a ban on gender-altering surgeries for minors, which both take effect on October 1.

Senator Joni Albrecht spoke about the 12-week abortion ban that was included in the legislation.

"Every human being has a right to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness," said Sen. Albrecht. "I look forward to the day when every child is protected from conception from elective abortions in the State of Nebraska."

Senator Kathleen Kauth discussed her efforts to stop the unregulated use of puberty blockers and ban gender-altering surgeries for minors.

"I was very pleased and proud to introduce LB574, the Let Them Grow Act, and I am so grateful to all the senators who worked with me to shape and improve the bill," said Senator Kauth. "Let Them Grow is all about protecting children. It was an honor to be able to use it to also protect preborn children."

Senator Ben Hansen talked about how senators compromised and came together to get LB574 across the finish line.

"LB574 was a great culmination of legislative teamwork, compromise, and courage to protect the children of Nebraska from abortion and irreversible physical harm," said Senator Hansen. "I am proud to have played a part in the passing of this bill and want to thank my colleagues, the Governor and his office, and the people of Nebraska for all of their prayers and support."

LINCOLN, NE –&nbsp;Today, Governor Jim Pillen, joined by over 30 senators, signed LB574 into law. The bill includes a 12-week abortion ban, which takes effect immediately, and includes regulation of puberty blockers for minors and a ban on gender-altering surgeries for minors, which both take effect on October 1.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684787134945.png" alt="Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen Signs LB574 into law:&nbsp;

"Today is a historic day in the State of Nebraska. It is a day where we are standing up and protecting our kids so that they can have a better and brighter future," said&nbsp;Governor Pillen. "LB574 is the most significant win for social conservatives in a generation, and is part of what has been a historic legislative session with senators voting for policies that protect our kids, cut taxes, grow agriculture, and defend our Nebraska values."&nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen Signs LB574 into law:&nbsp;

"Today is a historic day in the State of Nebraska. It is a day where we are standing up and protecting our kids so that they can have a better and brighter future," said&nbsp;Governor Pillen. "LB574 is the most significant win for social conservatives in a generation, and is part of what has been a historic legislative session with senators voting for policies that protect our kids, cut taxes, grow agriculture, and defend our Nebraska values."&nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Senator Joni Albrecht spoke about the 12-week abortion ban that was included in the legislation."Every human being has a right to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness," said Sen. Albrecht. "I look forward to the day when every child is protected from conception from elective abortions in the State of Nebraska."Senator Kathleen Kauth discussed her efforts to stop the unregulated use of puberty blockers and ban gender-altering surgeries for minors."I was very pleased and proud to introduce LB574, the Let Them Grow Act, and I am so grateful to all the senators who worked with me to shape and improve the bill," said Senator Kauth. "Let Them Grow is all about protecting children. It was an honor to be able to use it to also protect preborn children."Senator Ben Hansen talked about how senators compromised and came together to get LB574 across the finish line."LB574 was a great culmination of legislative teamwork, compromise, and courage to protect the children of Nebraska from abortion and irreversible physical harm," said Senator Hansen. "I am proud to have played a part in the passing of this bill and want to thank my colleagues, the Governor and his office, and the people of Nebraska for all of their prayers and support."<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/43e17c24-e343-4a57-9137-c60a53b6ae00">For more on this story, click here</a>