Lincoln, NE – May 1, 2024 – A $200,000 Nebraska Pick 5 prize from December 2023 is about to expire.

For the December 3, 2023, drawing, a $200,000 Nebraska Pick 5 winning ticket was sold at Kwik Shop #648, 1403 Harlan Street in Falls City. The ticket matched all five winning numbers (03, 10, 11, 17, 28) for the jackpot prize.

Winning Nebraska Lottery Lotto tickets expire 180 days after the drawing. Players are encouraged to check their tickets and claim any prizes as soon as possible.

Prizes of $20,000 or more must be claimed at Nebraska Lottery Headquarters, 137 NW 17th Street in Lincoln. The $200,000 Pick 5 prize will expire Friday, May 31. Visit the Nebraska Lottery website,&nbsp;<a href="http://nelottery.com/" target="_blank">nelottery.com</a>, for more information on claiming prizes.

Nebraska Pick 5 is Nebraska’s unique Lottery game: all the proceeds from Nebraska Pick 5 stay in Nebraska, and all the winning tickets are sold in Nebraska at Nebraska Lottery Lotto game retailers. The odds of winning the Nebraska Pick 5 jackpot, which starts at $50,000 and grows by $10,000 each drawing that is not won, are 1 in 658,008 while the overall odds of winning a prize in the game, which has drawings seven nights a week, are 1 in 9.2.

The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $978 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.

Neil WatsonNebraska LotteryLincoln, NE – May 1, 2024 – A $200,000 Nebraska Pick 5 prize from December 2023 is about to expire.For the December 3, 2023, drawing, a $200,000 Nebraska Pick 5 winning ticket was sold at Kwik Shop #648, 1403 Harlan Street in Falls City. The ticket matched all five winning numbers (03, 10, 11, 17, 28) for the jackpot prize.Winning Nebraska Lottery Lotto tickets expire 180 days after the drawing. Players are encouraged to check their tickets and claim any prizes as soon as possible.Prizes of $20,000 or more must be claimed at Nebraska Lottery Headquarters, 137 NW 17th Street in Lincoln. The $200,000 Pick 5 prize will expire Friday, May 31. Visit the Nebraska Lottery website,&nbsp;<a href="http://nelottery.com/" target="_blank">nelottery.com</a>, for more information on claiming prizes.Nebraska Pick 5 is Nebraska’s unique Lottery game: all the proceeds from Nebraska Pick 5 stay in Nebraska, and all the winning tickets are sold in Nebraska at Nebraska Lottery Lotto game retailers. The odds of winning the Nebraska Pick 5 jackpot, which starts at $50,000 and grows by $10,000 each drawing that is not won, are 1 in 658,008 while the overall odds of winning a prize in the game, which has drawings seven nights a week, are 1 in 9.2.The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $978 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.

Nebraska Pick 5 Jackpot Winning Ticket Sold in Falls City Expires Soon

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve on Wednesday emphasized that inflation has remained stubbornly high in recent months and said it doesn’t plan to cut interest rates until it has “greater confidence” that price increases are slowing sustainably to its 2% target.

The Fed issued its decision in a statement after its latest meeting, at which it kept its key rate at a two-decade high of roughly 5.3%. Several hotter-than-expected reports on prices and economic growth have recently undercut the Fed’s belief that inflation was steadily easing. The combination of high interest rates and persistent inflation has also emerged as a potential threat to President Joe Biden’s re-election bid.

“In recent months," Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference, “inflation has shown a lack of further progress toward our 2% objective."

“It is likely that gaining greater confidence,” Powell added, "will take longer than previously expected.”

The central bank’s latest message reflects an abrupt shift in its timetable on interest rates. As recently as their last meeting on March 20, the Fed’s policymakers had projected three rate reductions in 2024, likely starting in June. Rate cuts by the Fed would lead, over time, to lower borrowing costs for consumers and businesses, including for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards.

But given the persistence of elevated inflation, financial markets now expect just one rate cut this year, in November, according to futures prices tracked by CME FedWatch.

The Fed’s more cautious outlook stems from three months of data that pointed to chronic inflation pressures and robust consumer spending. Inflation has cooled from a peak of 7.1%, according to the Fed’s preferred measure, to 2.7%, as supply chains have eased and the cost of some goods has actually declined.

Average prices, though, remain well above their pre-pandemic levels, and the costs of services ranging from apartment rents and health care to restaurant meals and auto insurance continue to surge. With the presidential election six months away, many Americans have expressed discontent with the economy, notably over the pace of price increases.

On Wednesday, the Fed also said it would slow the pace at which it’s unwinding one of its biggest COVID-era policies: Its purchase of several trillion dollars in Treasury securities and mortgage-backed bonds, an effort to stabilize financial markets and keep longer-term rates low.

The Fed is now allowing $95 billion of those securities to mature each month, without replacing them. Its holdings have fallen to about $7.4 trillion, down from $8.9 trillion in June 2022, when it began reducing them. On Wednesday, the Fed said it would, in June, reduce its holdings at a slower pace, and allow a total of $60 billion of bonds to run off each month.

By cutting back its holdings, the Fed could contribute to keeping longer-term rates, including mortgage rates, higher than they would be otherwise. That’s because as it reduces its bond holdings, other buyers will have to buy the securities instead, and rates might have to rise to attract the needed buyers.

The U.S. economy is healthier and hiring stronger than most economists thought it would be at this point. The unemployment rate has remained&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-unemployment-economy-inflation-federal-reserve-1e456b8df0e11b218ed50f1ead6f6797">below 4% for more than two years</a>, the longest such streak since the 1960s. And while economic growth reached just a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-growth-inflation-gdp-consumers-federal-reserve-5a64d255a09313dabe54954060a09530">1.6% annual pace</a>&nbsp;in the first three months of this year, consumer spending grew at a robust pace, a sign that the economy will keep expanding.

That economic strength has caused some Fed officials to speculate that the current level of interest rates might not be high enough to have the cooling effect on the economy and inflation that they need. If so, the Fed might even decide to switch back to rate increases at some point.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve on Wednesday emphasized that inflation has remained stubbornly high in recent months and said it doesn’t plan to cut interest rates until it has “greater confidence” that price increases are slowing sustainably to its 2% target.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Powel: &quot;Today, the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FOMC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FOMC</a> decided to leave our policy interest rate unchanged and to continue to reduce our securities holdings, though at a slower pace.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/i8R4v5dxY2">pic.twitter.com/i8R4v5dxY2</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1785747678443323646?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Fed issued its decision in a statement after its latest meeting, at which it kept its key rate at a two-decade high of roughly 5.3%. Several hotter-than-expected reports on prices and economic growth have recently undercut the Fed’s belief that inflation was steadily easing. The combination of high interest rates and persistent inflation has also emerged as a potential threat to President Joe Biden’s re-election bid.“In recent months," Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference, “inflation has shown a lack of further progress toward our 2% objective."“It is likely that gaining greater confidence,” Powell added, "will take longer than previously expected.”The central bank’s latest message reflects an abrupt shift in its timetable on interest rates. As recently as their last meeting on March 20, the Fed’s policymakers had projected three rate reductions in 2024, likely starting in June. Rate cuts by the Fed would lead, over time, to lower borrowing costs for consumers and businesses, including for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards.But given the persistence of elevated inflation, financial markets now expect just one rate cut this year, in November, according to futures prices tracked by CME FedWatch.The Fed’s more cautious outlook stems from three months of data that pointed to chronic inflation pressures and robust consumer spending. Inflation has cooled from a peak of 7.1%, according to the Fed’s preferred measure, to 2.7%, as supply chains have eased and the cost of some goods has actually declined.Average prices, though, remain well above their pre-pandemic levels, and the costs of services ranging from apartment rents and health care to restaurant meals and auto insurance continue to surge. With the presidential election six months away, many Americans have expressed discontent with the economy, notably over the pace of price increases.On Wednesday, the Fed also said it would slow the pace at which it’s unwinding one of its biggest COVID-era policies: Its purchase of several trillion dollars in Treasury securities and mortgage-backed bonds, an effort to stabilize financial markets and keep longer-term rates low.The Fed is now allowing $95 billion of those securities to mature each month, without replacing them. Its holdings have fallen to about $7.4 trillion, down from $8.9 trillion in June 2022, when it began reducing them. On Wednesday, the Fed said it would, in June, reduce its holdings at a slower pace, and allow a total of $60 billion of bonds to run off each month.By cutting back its holdings, the Fed could contribute to keeping longer-term rates, including mortgage rates, higher than they would be otherwise. That’s because as it reduces its bond holdings, other buyers will have to buy the securities instead, and rates might have to rise to attract the needed buyers.The U.S. economy is healthier and hiring stronger than most economists thought it would be at this point. The unemployment rate has remained&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-unemployment-economy-inflation-federal-reserve-1e456b8df0e11b218ed50f1ead6f6797">below 4% for more than two years</a>, the longest such streak since the 1960s. And while economic growth reached just a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-growth-inflation-gdp-consumers-federal-reserve-5a64d255a09313dabe54954060a09530">1.6% annual pace</a>&nbsp;in the first three months of this year, consumer spending grew at a robust pace, a sign that the economy will keep expanding.That economic strength has caused some Fed officials to speculate that the current level of interest rates might not be high enough to have the cooling effect on the economy and inflation that they need. If so, the Fed might even decide to switch back to rate increases at some point.

Bad news for borrowers: Interest rates stay at 23-year high

Chadron, Neb., May 1, 2024—On August 9th, Smokey Bear will turn 80 years old. There will be opportunities to see Smokey at Forest, Grassland and community events all over the footprint of Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands (NNFG).&nbsp;&nbsp;

The celebration starts today with a coloring contest open to area students, with categories for&nbsp;&nbsp;

ages 3-6, 7-11, and 12-15. Students can print coloring pages from the 80th celebration’s website,&nbsp; or pick them up at local NNFG office and visitor center locations. The coloring pages must be&nbsp;&nbsp;

turned in by July 31st, either to a local NNFG US Forest Service office location, mailed via US&nbsp;&nbsp;

Postal Service: Smokey Bear Coloring Contest c/o Supervisor's Office, 125 N. Main Street,&nbsp;&nbsp;

Chadron, NE 69337 - or emailed to SM.FS.nnf_info@usda.gov. There will be a winner selected&nbsp; from each category and they will receive a tree from NNFG’s own Bessey Nursery, in Halsey, NE.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The celebration website will also have a running list of events happening throughout the&nbsp;&nbsp;

summer, and events will be announced on NNFG’s social media sites. We post notification of&nbsp;&nbsp;

operations on our Facebook page; (https://www.facebook.com/NebraskaForestsGrasslands/),&nbsp; and on X @USFSNebraska. Events currently planned are as follows:&nbsp;&nbsp;

• Smokey Bear will greet students from Burwell, NE, May 2nd, students from Mullen,&nbsp;

NE, on May 3rd, and Stapleton &amp; Halsey, NE on May 13th at Bessey Ranger District&nbsp;

• Smokey Bear appearance at Broken Bow Library May 22nd&nbsp;

• Smokey Bear appearance at Chadron Public Library May 25th&nbsp;

We look forward to seeing you out there, celebrating 80 years of Smokey’s lessons about how to avoid human caused wildfire.&nbsp;

U.S. Forest ServiceChadron, Neb., May 1, 2024—On August 9th, Smokey Bear will turn 80 years old. There will be opportunities to see Smokey at Forest, Grassland and community events all over the footprint of Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands (NNFG).&nbsp;&nbsp;The celebration starts today with a coloring contest open to area students, with categories for&nbsp;&nbsp;ages 3-6, 7-11, and 12-15. Students can print coloring pages from the 80th celebration’s website,&nbsp; or pick them up at local NNFG office and visitor center locations. The coloring pages must be&nbsp;&nbsp;turned in by July 31st, either to a local NNFG US Forest Service office location, mailed via US&nbsp;&nbsp;Postal Service: Smokey Bear Coloring Contest c/o Supervisor's Office, 125 N. Main Street,&nbsp;&nbsp;Chadron, NE 69337 - or emailed to SM.FS.nnf_info@usda.gov. There will be a winner selected&nbsp; from each category and they will receive a tree from NNFG’s own Bessey Nursery, in Halsey, NE.&nbsp;&nbsp;The celebration website will also have a running list of events happening throughout the&nbsp;&nbsp;summer, and events will be announced on NNFG’s social media sites. We post notification of&nbsp;&nbsp;operations on our Facebook page; (https://www.facebook.com/NebraskaForestsGrasslands/),&nbsp; and on X @USFSNebraska. Events currently planned are as follows:&nbsp;&nbsp;• Smokey Bear will greet students from Burwell, NE, May 2nd, students from Mullen,&nbsp;NE, on May 3rd, and Stapleton &amp; Halsey, NE on May 13th at Bessey Ranger District&nbsp;• Smokey Bear appearance at Broken Bow Library May 22nd&nbsp;• Smokey Bear appearance at Chadron Public Library May 25th&nbsp;We look forward to seeing you out there, celebrating 80 years of Smokey’s lessons about how to avoid human caused wildfire.&nbsp;

Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands to Celebrate  Smokey Bear’s 80th Birthday

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-church-lgbtq-policies-general-conference-fa9a335a74bdd58d138163401cd51b54">United Methodist</a>&nbsp;delegates repealed their church’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy with no debate on Wednesday, removing a rule forbidding “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from being ordained or appointed as ministers.

Delegates voted 692-51 at their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodists-schism-lgbtq-samesex-marriage-8b428597c86901b2d5886afeca5069c8">General Conference</a>&nbsp;— the first such legislative gathering in five years. That overwhelming margin contrasts sharply with the decades of controversy around the issue. Past General Conferences of the United Methodist Church had steadily reinforced the ban and related penalties amid debate and protests, but many of the conservatives who had previously upheld the ban have left the denomination in recent years, and this General Conference has moved in a solidly progressive direction.

Applause broke out in parts of the convention hall Wednesday after the vote. A group of observers from LGBTQ advocacy groups embraced, some in tears. “Thanks be to God,” said one.

The change doesn’t mandate or even explicitly affirm LGBTQ clergy, but it means the church no longer forbids them. It’s possible that the change will mainly apply to U.S. churches, since United Methodist bodies in other countries, such as in Africa, have the right to impose the rules for their own regions. The measure takes effect immediately upon the conclusion of General Conference, scheduled for Friday.

The consensus was so overwhelmingly that it was rolled into a “consent calendar,” a package of normally non-controversial measures that are bundled into a single vote to save time.

Also approved was a measure that forbids district superintendents — a regional administrator — from penalizing clergy for either performing a same-sex wedding or for refraining from performing one. It also forbids superintendents from forbidding or requiring a church from hosting a same-sex wedding.

That measure further removes scaffolding around the various LGBTQ bans that have been embedded various parts of official church law and policy. On Tuesday, delegates had begun taking steps to dismantle such policies.

Delegates are also expected to vote as soon as today on whether to replace their existing official Social Principles with a new document that no longer calls the “practice of homosexuality … incompatible with Christian teaching” and that now defines marriage as between “two people of faith” rather than between a man and a woman.

The changes are historic in a denomination that has debated LGBTQ issues for more than half a century at its General Conferences, which typically meet every four years. On Tuesday, delegates voted to remove mandatory penalties for conducting same-sex marriages and to remove their denomination’s bans on considering LGBTQ candidates for ministry and on funding for gay-friendly ministries.

About 100 LGBTQ people and allies gathered outside the Charlotte Convention Center after the vote — many with rainbow-colored scarves and umbrellas — to celebrate, pray and sing praise songs accompanied by a drum.

Bishop Karen Oliveto, the first openly lesbian bishop in the United Methodist Church, was among those celebrating.

“It seemed like such a simple vote, but it carried so much weight and power, as 50 years of restricting the Holy Spirit’s call on people’s lives has been lifted,” said Oliveto, of the Mountain Sky Episcopal Area, which includes Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. “People can live fully into their call without fear. The church we’ve loved has found a home for us.”

Angie Cox, an observer at the meeting from Ohio, said she has gone before her conference’s board of ordained ministry six times but was “told no just because of the prohibition on LGBTQ clergy.” She said Wednesday’s vote “means I might be able finally to live fully into my calling.”

Tracy Merrick, a delegate from Pittsburgh who has advocated for LGBTQ inclusion at several previous conferences, said with emotion that there were “many times when I thought we would never see this day.”

The vote, he said, enables the church to become “the denomination that many of us had envisioned for years.”

At the same time, the vote comes following the departure of one-quarter of the U.S. churches within the UMC. And it could also prompt departures of some international churches, particularly in Africa, where more conservative sexual values prevail and where same-sex activity is criminalized in some countries.

Last week, the conference&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-disaffiliation-lgbtq-regionalization-samesex-marriage-d429bb838c31f1899dbc48fbddb03197">endorsed a regionalization plan</a>&nbsp;that essentially would allow the churches of the United States the same autonomy as other regions of the global church. That change — which still requires local ratification — could create a scenario where LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage are allowed in the United States but not in other regions.

More than 7,600 mostly conservative congregations in the United States disaffiliated between 2019 and 2023 reflecting dismay over the denomination not enforcing its bans on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ ordination.

The conference last week also approved the departure of a small group of conservative churches in the former Soviet Union.

The church's 1972 General Conference approved a statement in its non-binding Social Principles that homosexuality is “incompatible with Christian teaching" — a phrase omitted in a revision to the Social Principles that is also headed for a conference vote this week.

The now-repealed ban on clergy who are "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" was originally enacted in 1984, when the conference also voted to require “fidelity in marriage and celibacy in singleness.”

The denomination had until recently been the third largest in the United States, present in almost every county. But its 5.4 million U.S. membership in 2022 is expected to drop once the 2023 departures are factored in.

The denomination also counts 4.6 million members in other countries, mainly in Africa, though earlier estimates have been higher.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714584867565.png" alt="Bishop Karen Oliveto (right) and her wife, Robin Ridenour, react on May 1 after the United Methodist General Conference, meeting in Charlotte, N.C., voted to remove the denomination's ban on the ordination of clergy who are “self-avowed practicing homosexuals.” Photo by Paul Jeffrey, courtesy UM News" />
 <figcaption>Bishop Karen Oliveto (right) and her wife, Robin Ridenour, react on May 1 after the United Methodist General Conference, meeting in Charlotte, N.C., voted to remove the denomination's ban on the ordination of clergy who are “self-avowed practicing homosexuals.” Photo by Paul Jeffrey, courtesy UM News</figcaption>
 </figure>CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-church-lgbtq-policies-general-conference-fa9a335a74bdd58d138163401cd51b54">United Methodist</a>&nbsp;delegates repealed their church’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy with no debate on Wednesday, removing a rule forbidding “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from being ordained or appointed as ministers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714576518780.png" alt="Image from the General Conference livestream" />
 <figcaption>Image from the General Conference livestream</figcaption>
 </figure>Delegates voted 692-51 at their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodists-schism-lgbtq-samesex-marriage-8b428597c86901b2d5886afeca5069c8">General Conference</a>&nbsp;— the first such legislative gathering in five years. That overwhelming margin contrasts sharply with the decades of controversy around the issue. Past General Conferences of the United Methodist Church had steadily reinforced the ban and related penalties amid debate and protests, but many of the conservatives who had previously upheld the ban have left the denomination in recent years, and this General Conference has moved in a solidly progressive direction.Applause broke out in parts of the convention hall Wednesday after the vote. A group of observers from LGBTQ advocacy groups embraced, some in tears. “Thanks be to God,” said one.The change doesn’t mandate or even explicitly affirm LGBTQ clergy, but it means the church no longer forbids them. It’s possible that the change will mainly apply to U.S. churches, since United Methodist bodies in other countries, such as in Africa, have the right to impose the rules for their own regions. The measure takes effect immediately upon the conclusion of General Conference, scheduled for Friday.The consensus was so overwhelmingly that it was rolled into a “consent calendar,” a package of normally non-controversial measures that are bundled into a single vote to save time.Also approved was a measure that forbids district superintendents — a regional administrator — from penalizing clergy for either performing a same-sex wedding or for refraining from performing one. It also forbids superintendents from forbidding or requiring a church from hosting a same-sex wedding.That measure further removes scaffolding around the various LGBTQ bans that have been embedded various parts of official church law and policy. On Tuesday, delegates had begun taking steps to dismantle such policies.Delegates are also expected to vote as soon as today on whether to replace their existing official Social Principles with a new document that no longer calls the “practice of homosexuality … incompatible with Christian teaching” and that now defines marriage as between “two people of faith” rather than between a man and a woman.The changes are historic in a denomination that has debated LGBTQ issues for more than half a century at its General Conferences, which typically meet every four years. On Tuesday, delegates voted to remove mandatory penalties for conducting same-sex marriages and to remove their denomination’s bans on considering LGBTQ candidates for ministry and on funding for gay-friendly ministries.About 100 LGBTQ people and allies gathered outside the Charlotte Convention Center after the vote — many with rainbow-colored scarves and umbrellas — to celebrate, pray and sing praise songs accompanied by a drum.Bishop Karen Oliveto, the first openly lesbian bishop in the United Methodist Church, was among those celebrating.“It seemed like such a simple vote, but it carried so much weight and power, as 50 years of restricting the Holy Spirit’s call on people’s lives has been lifted,” said Oliveto, of the Mountain Sky Episcopal Area, which includes Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. “People can live fully into their call without fear. The church we’ve loved has found a home for us.”Angie Cox, an observer at the meeting from Ohio, said she has gone before her conference’s board of ordained ministry six times but was “told no just because of the prohibition on LGBTQ clergy.” She said Wednesday’s vote “means I might be able finally to live fully into my calling.”Tracy Merrick, a delegate from Pittsburgh who has advocated for LGBTQ inclusion at several previous conferences, said with emotion that there were “many times when I thought we would never see this day.”The vote, he said, enables the church to become “the denomination that many of us had envisioned for years.”At the same time, the vote comes following the departure of one-quarter of the U.S. churches within the UMC. And it could also prompt departures of some international churches, particularly in Africa, where more conservative sexual values prevail and where same-sex activity is criminalized in some countries.Last week, the conference&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-disaffiliation-lgbtq-regionalization-samesex-marriage-d429bb838c31f1899dbc48fbddb03197">endorsed a regionalization plan</a>&nbsp;that essentially would allow the churches of the United States the same autonomy as other regions of the global church. That change — which still requires local ratification — could create a scenario where LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage are allowed in the United States but not in other regions.More than 7,600 mostly conservative congregations in the United States disaffiliated between 2019 and 2023 reflecting dismay over the denomination not enforcing its bans on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ ordination.The conference last week also approved the departure of a small group of conservative churches in the former Soviet Union.The church's 1972 General Conference approved a statement in its non-binding Social Principles that homosexuality is “incompatible with Christian teaching" — a phrase omitted in a revision to the Social Principles that is also headed for a conference vote this week.The now-repealed ban on clergy who are "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" was originally enacted in 1984, when the conference also voted to require “fidelity in marriage and celibacy in singleness.”The denomination had until recently been the third largest in the United States, present in almost every county. But its 5.4 million U.S. membership in 2022 is expected to drop once the 2023 departures are factored in.The denomination also counts 4.6 million members in other countries, mainly in Africa, though earlier estimates have been higher.

General Conference: United Methodists end ban on gay clergy 

Nebraska Department of Veterans' Affairs

NEBRASKA (MAY 1, 2024)&nbsp;— The Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs (NDVA) is now accepting applications for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Grant Assistance Program. Grant funds are meant to support&nbsp;qualifying postsecondary institutions in assisting DPAA with accounting for United States servicemembers and civilians missing from designated past conflicts.

Grant applicants must be Nebraska postsecondary institutions that have received NDVA’s Veteran and Active Duty Supportive designation and have a partnership or service agreement with DPAA to establish or expand undergraduate and graduate student internships. NDVA will begin reviewing applications on May 20, 2024, and will award funds on a rolling basis from that date forward until all funds have been committed.

Full details on the fund, including eligibility, requirements, application, and more can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://veterans.nebraska.gov/dpaagrant" target="_blank">veterans.nebraska.gov/dpaagrant</a>. For questions regarding the grant application or funding process, please contact Jessica Forch at 402-853-4023 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Jessica.forch@nebraska.gov">Jessica.forch@nebraska.gov</a>.

The&nbsp;Veteran and Active Duty Supportive designation was launched in 2019 and recognizes postsecondary institutions that meet certain criteria such as having personnel dedicated to working with military and veteran students, giving college credit for certain types of military training, and offering military leave-of-absence, among other things.&nbsp;Information on the&nbsp;designation, including currently designated postsecondary institutions and how to apply for the designation, can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://veterans.nebraska.gov/postsecondary" target="_blank">veterans.nebraska.gov/postsecondary</a>.

NDVA’s mission is to honor Nebraska veterans and their families by providing excellent service, assistance, and care. This includes providing services to help veterans identify and access federal and state benefits. These benefits include disability compensation, pensions, and healthcare available through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, assistance through the Nebraska Veterans Aid fund, tuition waivers, and other state services. To learn more about NDVA’s veteran services or Nebraska state benefits, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://veterans.nebraska.gov/" target="_blank">veterans.nebraska.gov</a>.

Nebraska Department of Veterans' AffairsNEBRASKA (MAY 1, 2024)&nbsp;— The Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs (NDVA) is now accepting applications for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Grant Assistance Program. Grant funds are meant to support&nbsp;qualifying postsecondary institutions in assisting DPAA with accounting for United States servicemembers and civilians missing from designated past conflicts.Grant applicants must be Nebraska postsecondary institutions that have received NDVA’s Veteran and Active Duty Supportive designation and have a partnership or service agreement with DPAA to establish or expand undergraduate and graduate student internships. NDVA will begin reviewing applications on May 20, 2024, and will award funds on a rolling basis from that date forward until all funds have been committed.Full details on the fund, including eligibility, requirements, application, and more can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://veterans.nebraska.gov/dpaagrant" target="_blank">veterans.nebraska.gov/dpaagrant</a>. For questions regarding the grant application or funding process, please contact Jessica Forch at 402-853-4023 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Jessica.forch@nebraska.gov">Jessica.forch@nebraska.gov</a>.The&nbsp;Veteran and Active Duty Supportive designation was launched in 2019 and recognizes postsecondary institutions that meet certain criteria such as having personnel dedicated to working with military and veteran students, giving college credit for certain types of military training, and offering military leave-of-absence, among other things.&nbsp;Information on the&nbsp;designation, including currently designated postsecondary institutions and how to apply for the designation, can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://veterans.nebraska.gov/postsecondary" target="_blank">veterans.nebraska.gov/postsecondary</a>.NDVA’s mission is to honor Nebraska veterans and their families by providing excellent service, assistance, and care. This includes providing services to help veterans identify and access federal and state benefits. These benefits include disability compensation, pensions, and healthcare available through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, assistance through the Nebraska Veterans Aid fund, tuition waivers, and other state services. To learn more about NDVA’s veteran services or Nebraska state benefits, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://veterans.nebraska.gov/" target="_blank">veterans.nebraska.gov</a>.

NDVA Accepting Applications for DPAA Grant Assistance Program

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marjorie-taylor-greene">Marjorie Taylor Greene</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday she would call a vote next week on ousting House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>, forcing her colleagues to choose sides in a difficult showdown after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speaker-mike-johnson-marjorie-taylor-greene-motion-to-vacate-552169f3e831ab8fb3baacfdf76c2d82">Democratic leaders announced</a>&nbsp;they would provide the votes to save the Republican speaker's job.

Speaking outside the Capitol, Greene ranted against Republican Party leaders at the highest levels and pushed back against their public entreaties, including from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-speaker-johnson-maralago-congress-c6eaace204882df054795cf70a5fe60a">Donald Trump</a>, to avoid another messy political fight so close to the November election. With her was Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., one of the few lawmakers who have joined her effort.

“We need leaders in the House of Representatives that are going to get this done,” said Greene, R-Ga., holding up a red “MAGA” hat from Trump's “Make America Great Again” campaign movement.

“Mike Johnson is not capable of that job,” she said.

In pressing ahead next week, she said that "every member of Congress needs to take that vote."

The standoff with Greene, one of Trump's most enthusiastic supporters, risks throwing Republican control of the House into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-ukraine-aid-speaker-ouster-c525efc953d532242d6d441c55724992">fresh round of chaos</a>&nbsp;as rank-and-file lawmakers will have to choose between ousting Johnson, R-La., as speaker or joining with Democrats to keep him on the job.

Democrats see in Johnson a potential partner, a hard-line conservative who nevertheless is willing to lead his Republican Party away from the far-right voices obstructing the routine business of governing, including funding the government and, more recently,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-israel-tiktok-congress-a8910452e623413bf1da1e491d1d94ba">supporting Ukraine</a>&nbsp;and other U.S. allies overseas.

The Democratic leader, New York Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-hakeem-jeffries-congress-government-and-politics-f898cc1a7c59c8f42f669b5f0f167385">Hakeem Jeffries</a>, and his team issued a joint statement this week saying it was time to “turn the page” on the GOP chaos, announcing that the Democrats would vote to table Greene’s motion to vacate the speaker’s office, essentially ensuring Johnson is not evicted from office.

“Are you going to embrace Hakeem Jeffries?” said Massie, before a poster-photo of Jeffries handing Johnson the gavel when the Republican first became speaker last fall.

Johnson's opponents are few, at this point, and less than the eight that it took to oust now-former Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., last fall in the first ever removal of sitting speaker from the powerful office that is second in the line of succession to the president. Just one other Republican, Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, has Greene's joined the effort.

Greene and Massie said they were giving their colleagues the weekend to weigh their options before calling for the vote on her motion to vacate next week. Or, they said, Johnson could simply resign.

The turmoil has gripped a House already essentially at a standstill. Johnson has been unable to command his razor-thin majority to work together on party priorities and has been forced him into the arms of Democrats for the votes needed to approve most big bills — and now, to keep his job.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714577209426.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marjorie-taylor-greene">Marjorie Taylor Greene</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday she would call a vote next week on ousting House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>, forcing her colleagues to choose sides in a difficult showdown after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speaker-mike-johnson-marjorie-taylor-greene-motion-to-vacate-552169f3e831ab8fb3baacfdf76c2d82">Democratic leaders announced</a>&nbsp;they would provide the votes to save the Republican speaker's job.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (<a href="https://twitter.com/RepMTG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepMTG</a> ): &quot;I think the American people need to see a recorded vote...So next week, I am going to be calling this motion to vacate. Absolutely calling it.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/P4Xnno13gV">pic.twitter.com/P4Xnno13gV</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1785687879445791060?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaking outside the Capitol, Greene ranted against Republican Party leaders at the highest levels and pushed back against their public entreaties, including from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-speaker-johnson-maralago-congress-c6eaace204882df054795cf70a5fe60a">Donald Trump</a>, to avoid another messy political fight so close to the November election. With her was Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., one of the few lawmakers who have joined her effort.“We need leaders in the House of Representatives that are going to get this done,” said Greene, R-Ga., holding up a red “MAGA” hat from Trump's “Make America Great Again” campaign movement.“Mike Johnson is not capable of that job,” she said.In pressing ahead next week, she said that "every member of Congress needs to take that vote."The standoff with Greene, one of Trump's most enthusiastic supporters, risks throwing Republican control of the House into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-ukraine-aid-speaker-ouster-c525efc953d532242d6d441c55724992">fresh round of chaos</a>&nbsp;as rank-and-file lawmakers will have to choose between ousting Johnson, R-La., as speaker or joining with Democrats to keep him on the job.Democrats see in Johnson a potential partner, a hard-line conservative who nevertheless is willing to lead his Republican Party away from the far-right voices obstructing the routine business of governing, including funding the government and, more recently,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-israel-tiktok-congress-a8910452e623413bf1da1e491d1d94ba">supporting Ukraine</a>&nbsp;and other U.S. allies overseas.The Democratic leader, New York Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-hakeem-jeffries-congress-government-and-politics-f898cc1a7c59c8f42f669b5f0f167385">Hakeem Jeffries</a>, and his team issued a joint statement this week saying it was time to “turn the page” on the GOP chaos, announcing that the Democrats would vote to table Greene’s motion to vacate the speaker’s office, essentially ensuring Johnson is not evicted from office.“Are you going to embrace Hakeem Jeffries?” said Massie, before a poster-photo of Jeffries handing Johnson the gavel when the Republican first became speaker last fall.Johnson's opponents are few, at this point, and less than the eight that it took to oust now-former Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., last fall in the first ever removal of sitting speaker from the powerful office that is second in the line of succession to the president. Just one other Republican, Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, has Greene's joined the effort.Greene and Massie said they were giving their colleagues the weekend to weigh their options before calling for the vote on her motion to vacate next week. Or, they said, Johnson could simply resign.The turmoil has gripped a House already essentially at a standstill. Johnson has been unable to command his razor-thin majority to work together on party priorities and has been forced him into the arms of Democrats for the votes needed to approve most big bills — and now, to keep his job.

🎥Battle on over vote to oust another House Speaker

Omaha, NE: The Nebraska Broadcasters Association has made a $25,000 contribution to the United Way of the Midlands Nebraska &amp; Iowa Tornado Relief Fund.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

NBA Chairperson of the Board Shannon Booth, vice president/general manager of the Gray Media Group, Inc., television stations in Lincoln, Hastings and North Platte, said: “Our hearts ache for the families directly in the path of the devastating storms. These funds will stay local and benefit our neighbors and friends in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa as they begin to rebuild their lives.&nbsp;

Local broadcasters care deeply about the communities we serve.”&nbsp;

Nebraska Broadcasters AssociationOmaha, NE: The Nebraska Broadcasters Association has made a $25,000 contribution to the United Way of the Midlands Nebraska &amp; Iowa Tornado Relief Fund.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;NBA Chairperson of the Board Shannon Booth, vice president/general manager of the Gray Media Group, Inc., television stations in Lincoln, Hastings and North Platte, said: “Our hearts ache for the families directly in the path of the devastating storms. These funds will stay local and benefit our neighbors and friends in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa as they begin to rebuild their lives.&nbsp;Local broadcasters care deeply about the communities we serve.”&nbsp;

Nebraska Broadcasters Association Donates $25,000 for Tornado Relief 

CHICAGO (AP) — Former President Donald Trump says in a new interview it should be left to the states whether to prosecute women for abortions or whether to monitor women's pregnancies. He declined to comment on access to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/supreme-court-abortion-pill-mifepristone-updates">abortion pill mifepristone</a>, which has been embroiled in an intense legal battle.

In an interview published Tuesday by&nbsp;<a href="https://time.com/6972022/donald-trump-transcript-2024-election/">Time</a>&nbsp;magazine, Trump responded to questions about how he would handle various abortion questions if elected by repeatedly saying it should be left up to the states.

“You don’t need a federal ban,” the presumptive Republican presidential nominee said. “Roe v. Wade ... wasn’t about abortion so much as bringing it back to the states. So the states would negotiate deals. Florida is going to be different from Georgia and Georgia is going to be different from other places.”

When asked if he would veto a bill that would impose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-abortion-2024-ban-7bf06e0856b88a710c79a6eb85cffa6a">a federal ban</a>, he reiterated “it’s about states rights” and said “there will never be that chance” because Republicans, even if they take back the Senate in November, would not have the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster and bring the bill to a vote.

Trump repeated his catchall states-rights response when asked if states should monitor women’s pregnancies so the government would know if they had an abortion. Amid debates about criminalizing women for getting abortions, including those who self-manage with medication, experts have raised alarm over how&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-states-surveillance-apps-ads-wyden-87b5d36620c85ca9f6da4409755358f0">modern surveillance technologies</a>&nbsp;could help law enforcement agencies track and investigate abortions.

Trump also deferred to the states when asked if a woman should be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-miscarriage-prosecution-brittany-watts-b8090abfb5994b8a23457b80cf3f27ce">punished</a>&nbsp;for getting an abortion after a state has banned or restricted the procedure.

“The states are going to make that decision,” Trump said. “The states are going to have to be comfortable or uncomfortable, not me.”

Democrats have recently&nbsp;<a href="https://democrats.org/news/in-trumps-own-words-there-has-to-be-some-form-of-punishment-for-women-who-have-an-abortion-and-for-their-doctors-too/">seized on</a>&nbsp;comments Trump made in 2016, saying “there has to be some form of punishment” for women who have abortions.

Abortion is a central campaign issue in the 2024 presidential election as Trump seeks a more cautious stance on the issue, which has become a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-republican-desantis-politics-1280a04a2ba1011c3be8300cf7be4908">vulnerability for Republicans</a>&nbsp;and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ohio-constitutional-amendments-voters-turnout-election-65381bfc596ab5e34c830f67cef05fc2">driven turnout</a>&nbsp;for Democrats. Trump’s deferring to individual states has drawn criticism from Democrats as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-trump-republican-presidential-election-2024-585faf025a1416d13d2fbc23da8d8637">conservatives and anti-abortion groups</a>&nbsp;seeking a federal ban.

The national anti-abortion group SBA Pro-Life America said in a statement that it was "disappointed in President Trump’s position of relegating a human rights issue to the states.” The organization also claimed Democrats would scrap the filibuster in order to “impose their agenda of abortion without limit on the entire country.”

SBA advocates for a national ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for rape, incest and saving the life of the mother, but the organization has voiced support for states with stricter bans.

As president, Trump appointed three justices to the U.S. Supreme Court who helped form the majority that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned</a>&nbsp;the constitutional right to abortion, and he has taken credit for that during his campaign. Earlier this month, he said he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-abortion-2024-ban-7bf06e0856b88a710c79a6eb85cffa6a">“proudly the person responsible for the ending”</a>&nbsp;of the 50-year-old ruling, Roe v. Wade.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has blamed Trump for a deluge of state abortion restrictions put into effect since the ruling two years ago. His campaign also has warned that a second Trump term could lead to nationwide abortion restrictions. Most recently, Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-florida-donald-trump-abortion-6b069fd8c14c4c65236d708b347697f0">blamed Trump</a>&nbsp;for Florida’s six-week abortion ban during campaign events in the state last week.

“Donald Trump’s latest comments leave little doubt: If elected he’ll sign a national abortion ban, allow women who have an abortion to be prosecuted and punished, allow the government to invade women’s privacy to monitor their pregnancies, and put IVF and contraception in jeopardy nationwide,” Biden’s campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, said in a statement responding to the Time interview.

Mini Timmaraju, president of Reproductive Freedom for All, also expressed doubts about Trump’s emphasis on moderation by leaving the issue up to the states.

“There is zero doubt in my mind that Trump will choose anti-abortion extremists and their horrifying agenda over American families every single chance he gets," she said.

Trump declined to speak with Time about mifepristone as access to the abortion pill has been thrown into uncertainty amid a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-pill-arguments-highlights-7fe897ec4f5b3121dc73d5b74b5a0d6d">legal battle</a>&nbsp;that’s made its way to the Supreme Court.

Advocates on both sides of the abortion debate also have long pressed Trump to make clear his views on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/comstock-act-abortion-pills-dbf61e25f6f23cd3772c597dd6d4e337">Comstock Act</a>, a 19th Century law that has been revived by anti-abortion groups seeking to block the mailing of mifepristone. Trump declined to comment on the act, saying only that he has “pretty strong views” on the matter and would make a statement on it over the next 14 days.

“In Trump’s America, people will be punished for having abortions, the government will monitor women’s pregnancies, and he’ll weaponize and misuse the 19th-Century Comstock laws to try and criminalize doctors and outlaw abortion nationwide,” Jenny Lawson, executive director, Planned Parenthood Votes, said in a statement.

Trump's comments were consistent with his recent strategy to show more moderation on abortion rights as he seeks to appeal to a general electorate. Trump has previously voiced disagreement with abortion restrictions in individual states, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-abortion-ban-women-19th-century-1864-cf6598d4384fa35a4e073dfae3a844f2">Arizona's Civil War-era ban</a>&nbsp;and Florida's six-week ban. In the Time interview, Trump repeated that he “thought six weeks is too severe.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714517455009.png" alt="Former President Donald Trump outside the courtroom Tuesday afternoon-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Former President Donald Trump outside the courtroom Tuesday afternoon-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — Former President Donald Trump says in a new interview it should be left to the states whether to prosecute women for abortions or whether to monitor women's pregnancies. He declined to comment on access to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/supreme-court-abortion-pill-mifepristone-updates">abortion pill mifepristone</a>, which has been embroiled in an intense legal battle.In an interview published Tuesday by&nbsp;<a href="https://time.com/6972022/donald-trump-transcript-2024-election/">Time</a>&nbsp;magazine, Trump responded to questions about how he would handle various abortion questions if elected by repeatedly saying it should be left up to the states.“You don’t need a federal ban,” the presumptive Republican presidential nominee said. “Roe v. Wade ... wasn’t about abortion so much as bringing it back to the states. So the states would negotiate deals. Florida is going to be different from Georgia and Georgia is going to be different from other places.”When asked if he would veto a bill that would impose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-abortion-2024-ban-7bf06e0856b88a710c79a6eb85cffa6a">a federal ban</a>, he reiterated “it’s about states rights” and said “there will never be that chance” because Republicans, even if they take back the Senate in November, would not have the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster and bring the bill to a vote.Trump repeated his catchall states-rights response when asked if states should monitor women’s pregnancies so the government would know if they had an abortion. Amid debates about criminalizing women for getting abortions, including those who self-manage with medication, experts have raised alarm over how&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-states-surveillance-apps-ads-wyden-87b5d36620c85ca9f6da4409755358f0">modern surveillance technologies</a>&nbsp;could help law enforcement agencies track and investigate abortions.Trump also deferred to the states when asked if a woman should be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-miscarriage-prosecution-brittany-watts-b8090abfb5994b8a23457b80cf3f27ce">punished</a>&nbsp;for getting an abortion after a state has banned or restricted the procedure.“The states are going to make that decision,” Trump said. “The states are going to have to be comfortable or uncomfortable, not me.”Democrats have recently&nbsp;<a href="https://democrats.org/news/in-trumps-own-words-there-has-to-be-some-form-of-punishment-for-women-who-have-an-abortion-and-for-their-doctors-too/">seized on</a>&nbsp;comments Trump made in 2016, saying “there has to be some form of punishment” for women who have abortions.Abortion is a central campaign issue in the 2024 presidential election as Trump seeks a more cautious stance on the issue, which has become a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-republican-desantis-politics-1280a04a2ba1011c3be8300cf7be4908">vulnerability for Republicans</a>&nbsp;and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ohio-constitutional-amendments-voters-turnout-election-65381bfc596ab5e34c830f67cef05fc2">driven turnout</a>&nbsp;for Democrats. Trump’s deferring to individual states has drawn criticism from Democrats as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-trump-republican-presidential-election-2024-585faf025a1416d13d2fbc23da8d8637">conservatives and anti-abortion groups</a>&nbsp;seeking a federal ban.The national anti-abortion group SBA Pro-Life America said in a statement that it was "disappointed in President Trump’s position of relegating a human rights issue to the states.” The organization also claimed Democrats would scrap the filibuster in order to “impose their agenda of abortion without limit on the entire country.”SBA advocates for a national ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for rape, incest and saving the life of the mother, but the organization has voiced support for states with stricter bans.As president, Trump appointed three justices to the U.S. Supreme Court who helped form the majority that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned</a>&nbsp;the constitutional right to abortion, and he has taken credit for that during his campaign. Earlier this month, he said he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-abortion-2024-ban-7bf06e0856b88a710c79a6eb85cffa6a">“proudly the person responsible for the ending”</a>&nbsp;of the 50-year-old ruling, Roe v. Wade.Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has blamed Trump for a deluge of state abortion restrictions put into effect since the ruling two years ago. His campaign also has warned that a second Trump term could lead to nationwide abortion restrictions. Most recently, Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-florida-donald-trump-abortion-6b069fd8c14c4c65236d708b347697f0">blamed Trump</a>&nbsp;for Florida’s six-week abortion ban during campaign events in the state last week.“Donald Trump’s latest comments leave little doubt: If elected he’ll sign a national abortion ban, allow women who have an abortion to be prosecuted and punished, allow the government to invade women’s privacy to monitor their pregnancies, and put IVF and contraception in jeopardy nationwide,” Biden’s campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, said in a statement responding to the Time interview.Mini Timmaraju, president of Reproductive Freedom for All, also expressed doubts about Trump’s emphasis on moderation by leaving the issue up to the states.“There is zero doubt in my mind that Trump will choose anti-abortion extremists and their horrifying agenda over American families every single chance he gets," she said.Trump declined to speak with Time about mifepristone as access to the abortion pill has been thrown into uncertainty amid a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-pill-arguments-highlights-7fe897ec4f5b3121dc73d5b74b5a0d6d">legal battle</a>&nbsp;that’s made its way to the Supreme Court.Advocates on both sides of the abortion debate also have long pressed Trump to make clear his views on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/comstock-act-abortion-pills-dbf61e25f6f23cd3772c597dd6d4e337">Comstock Act</a>, a 19th Century law that has been revived by anti-abortion groups seeking to block the mailing of mifepristone. Trump declined to comment on the act, saying only that he has “pretty strong views” on the matter and would make a statement on it over the next 14 days.“In Trump’s America, people will be punished for having abortions, the government will monitor women’s pregnancies, and he’ll weaponize and misuse the 19th-Century Comstock laws to try and criminalize doctors and outlaw abortion nationwide,” Jenny Lawson, executive director, Planned Parenthood Votes, said in a statement.Trump's comments were consistent with his recent strategy to show more moderation on abortion rights as he seeks to appeal to a general electorate. Trump has previously voiced disagreement with abortion restrictions in individual states, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-abortion-ban-women-19th-century-1864-cf6598d4384fa35a4e073dfae3a844f2">Arizona's Civil War-era ban</a>&nbsp;and Florida's six-week ban. In the Time interview, Trump repeated that he “thought six weeks is too severe.”

Trump: States should decide whether to monitor pregnancies

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — United Methodist delegates began making historic changes in their policies on sexuality on Tuesday — voting without debate to reverse a series of anti-LGBTQ policies.

The delegates voted to delete mandatory penalties for conducting same-sex marriages and to remove their denomination's bans on considering LGBTQ candidates for ministry and on funding for gay-friendly ministries.

The 667-54 vote, coming during their legislative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodists-schism-lgbtq-samesex-marriage-8b428597c86901b2d5886afeca5069c8">General Conference</a>, removes some of the scaffolding around the United Methodist Church's longstanding bans on LGBTQ-affirming policies regarding ordination, marriage and funding.

Still to come later this week are votes on the core of the bans on LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage in church law and policy, which may draw more debate. However, the large majority achieved by Tuesday's votes indicate the tenor of the General Conference. The consensus was so overwhelming that these items were rolled into the legislative “consent calendar," normally reserved for non-controversial measures.

The actions follow a historic schism in what was long the third-largest denomination in the United States. About&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congregations-leaving-united-methodist-church-lgbtq-bans-70b8c89ea49174597f4548c249bab24f">one-quarter of U.S. congregations</a>&nbsp;left between 2019 and 2023, mostly conservative churches dismayed that the denomination wasn't enforcing its longstanding LGBTQ bans. With the absence of many conservative delegates, who had been in the solid majority in previous general conferences and had steadily reinforced such bans over the decades, progressive delegates are moving quickly to reverse such policies.

Such actions could also prompt departures of some international churches, particularly in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/methodists-lgbtq-samesex-marriage-conservatives-africa-1319aea6e1d2ad8755a905a8c4b1bf79">Africa</a>, where more conservative sexual values prevail and where same-sex activity is criminalized in some countries.

United Methodist Church law still bans the ordination of “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” into ministry — a decades-old rule that will come up for a vote later this week.

However, on Tuesday, the General Conference voted to remove a related ban — on church officials considering someone for ordination who fits that category. It removed bans on bishops ordaining LGBTQ people as clergy or consecrating them as bishops.

It also removed mandatory penalties — imposed by a 2019 General Conference — on clergy who conduct ceremonies celebrating same-sex weddings or unions.

And it imposed a moratorium on any church judicial processes seeking to discipline any clergy for violating LGBTQ-related rules.

In addition, the General Conference took actions toward being openly LGBTQ-affirming.

It repealed a longstanding ban on any United Methodist entity using funds “to promote the acceptance of homosexuality.” That previous ban also forbade the funding of any effort to "reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends" and expressly supported the funding of responses to the anti-HIV epidemic. However, the mixed wording of the old rule has been replaced with a ban on funding any effort to “reject any LGBTQIA+ person or openly discriminate against LGBTQIA+ people.”

“It’s a very liberating day for United Methodists who are actively involved with LGBTQ people,” said the Rev. David Meredith, board chair for the Reconciling Ministries Network, a group that has long advocated for LGBTQ inclusion in the church.

Compared with past, contentious general conferences, this one is "much more upbeat," added Jan Lawrence, executive director of the network. “Yes, we’re going to have things we disagree on. But the vitriol that we saw in 2019, that is not evident at all.”

Other rule changes called for considering of LGBTQ people along with other demographic categories for appointments in an effort to have diversity on various church boards and entities.

The General Conference is the UMC’s first legislative gathering since 2019, one that features its most progressive slate of delegates in recent memory following the departure of more than 7,600 mostly conservative congregations in the United States because it essentially stopped enforcing its bans on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ ordination.

Those departures came during a window between 2019 and 2023 allowing U.S. congregations to leave with their properties, held in trust for the denomination, under friendlier than normal terms. Conservatives are advocating that such terms be extended for international and U.S. churches that don't agree with the General Conference's actions.

“We get it, the United Methodist Church wants to be done with disaffiliation," said the Rev. Rob Renfroe, president of the conservative advocacy group Good News. “They want to step into this new day. We do not want to keep them from that. But how can disaffiliation be over when it never began for the majority of United Methodists?”

Still to come this week are final votes on whether to remove the bans on LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage, and whether to whether to replace a longstanding document that had called the “practice of homosexuality … incompatible with Christian teaching.”

All of those proposals had overwhelming support in committee votes last week.

The changes would be historic in a denomination that has debated LGBTQ issues for more than half a century at its General Conferences, which typically meet every four years.

Last week, the conference endorsed a regionalization plan that essentially would allow the churches of the United States the same autonomy as other regions of the global church. That change – which still requires local ratification -- could create a scenario where LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage are allowed in the United States but not in other regions. Delegates on Tuesday approved a related measure related to regionalization.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714509026540.png" alt="View from the livestream of the General Conference on Tuesday" />
 <figcaption>View from the livestream of the General Conference on Tuesday</figcaption>
 </figure>CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — United Methodist delegates began making historic changes in their policies on sexuality on Tuesday — voting without debate to reverse a series of anti-LGBTQ policies.The delegates voted to delete mandatory penalties for conducting same-sex marriages and to remove their denomination's bans on considering LGBTQ candidates for ministry and on funding for gay-friendly ministries.The 667-54 vote, coming during their legislative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodists-schism-lgbtq-samesex-marriage-8b428597c86901b2d5886afeca5069c8">General Conference</a>, removes some of the scaffolding around the United Methodist Church's longstanding bans on LGBTQ-affirming policies regarding ordination, marriage and funding.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714509299729.png" alt="Delegate from the New England region Effie McLain of spoke during the Tuesday session as shown on the livestream" />
 <figcaption>Delegate from the New England region Effie McLain of spoke during the Tuesday session as shown on the livestream</figcaption>
 </figure>Still to come later this week are votes on the core of the bans on LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage in church law and policy, which may draw more debate. However, the large majority achieved by Tuesday's votes indicate the tenor of the General Conference. The consensus was so overwhelming that these items were rolled into the legislative “consent calendar," normally reserved for non-controversial measures.The actions follow a historic schism in what was long the third-largest denomination in the United States. About&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congregations-leaving-united-methodist-church-lgbtq-bans-70b8c89ea49174597f4548c249bab24f">one-quarter of U.S. congregations</a>&nbsp;left between 2019 and 2023, mostly conservative churches dismayed that the denomination wasn't enforcing its longstanding LGBTQ bans. With the absence of many conservative delegates, who had been in the solid majority in previous general conferences and had steadily reinforced such bans over the decades, progressive delegates are moving quickly to reverse such policies.Such actions could also prompt departures of some international churches, particularly in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/methodists-lgbtq-samesex-marriage-conservatives-africa-1319aea6e1d2ad8755a905a8c4b1bf79">Africa</a>, where more conservative sexual values prevail and where same-sex activity is criminalized in some countries.United Methodist Church law still bans the ordination of “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” into ministry — a decades-old rule that will come up for a vote later this week.However, on Tuesday, the General Conference voted to remove a related ban — on church officials considering someone for ordination who fits that category. It removed bans on bishops ordaining LGBTQ people as clergy or consecrating them as bishops.It also removed mandatory penalties — imposed by a 2019 General Conference — on clergy who conduct ceremonies celebrating same-sex weddings or unions.And it imposed a moratorium on any church judicial processes seeking to discipline any clergy for violating LGBTQ-related rules.In addition, the General Conference took actions toward being openly LGBTQ-affirming.It repealed a longstanding ban on any United Methodist entity using funds “to promote the acceptance of homosexuality.” That previous ban also forbade the funding of any effort to "reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends" and expressly supported the funding of responses to the anti-HIV epidemic. However, the mixed wording of the old rule has been replaced with a ban on funding any effort to “reject any LGBTQIA+ person or openly discriminate against LGBTQIA+ people.”“It’s a very liberating day for United Methodists who are actively involved with LGBTQ people,” said the Rev. David Meredith, board chair for the Reconciling Ministries Network, a group that has long advocated for LGBTQ inclusion in the church.Compared with past, contentious general conferences, this one is "much more upbeat," added Jan Lawrence, executive director of the network. “Yes, we’re going to have things we disagree on. But the vitriol that we saw in 2019, that is not evident at all.”Other rule changes called for considering of LGBTQ people along with other demographic categories for appointments in an effort to have diversity on various church boards and entities.The General Conference is the UMC’s first legislative gathering since 2019, one that features its most progressive slate of delegates in recent memory following the departure of more than 7,600 mostly conservative congregations in the United States because it essentially stopped enforcing its bans on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ ordination.Those departures came during a window between 2019 and 2023 allowing U.S. congregations to leave with their properties, held in trust for the denomination, under friendlier than normal terms. Conservatives are advocating that such terms be extended for international and U.S. churches that don't agree with the General Conference's actions.“We get it, the United Methodist Church wants to be done with disaffiliation," said the Rev. Rob Renfroe, president of the conservative advocacy group Good News. “They want to step into this new day. We do not want to keep them from that. But how can disaffiliation be over when it never began for the majority of United Methodists?”Still to come this week are final votes on whether to remove the bans on LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage, and whether to whether to replace a longstanding document that had called the “practice of homosexuality … incompatible with Christian teaching.”All of those proposals had overwhelming support in committee votes last week.The changes would be historic in a denomination that has debated LGBTQ issues for more than half a century at its General Conferences, which typically meet every four years.Last week, the conference endorsed a regionalization plan that essentially would allow the churches of the United States the same autonomy as other regions of the global church. That change – which still requires local ratification -- could create a scenario where LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage are allowed in the United States but not in other regions. Delegates on Tuesday approved a related measure related to regionalization.The conference last week also approved the departure of a small group of conservative churches in the former Soviet Union.The denomination had until recently been the third largest in the United States, present in almost every county. But its 5.4 million U.S. membership in 2022 is expected to drop once the 2023 departures are factored in.The denomination also counts 4.6 million members in other countries, mainly in Africa, though earlier estimates have been higher.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

United Methodists begin to reverse longstanding anti-LGBTQ policies

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday it has finalized a ban on consumer uses of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/risk-management-methylene-chloride">methylene chloride</a>, a chemical that is widely used as a paint stripper but is known to cause liver cancer and other health problems.

The EPA said its action will protect Americans from health risks while allowing certain commercial uses to continue with robust worker protections.

The rule banning methylene chloride is the second risk management rule to be finalized by President Joe Biden's administration under landmark&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-congress-united-states-government-f6eb1fbdbaab4560aff3609cfcd457f4">2016 amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act</a>. The first was an action last month to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-asbestos-cancer-brakes-biden-72b0fa8b36adedaff6000034d35c2acd">ban asbestos</a>, a carcinogen that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year but is still used in some chlorine bleach, brake pads and other products.

“Exposure to methylene chloride has devastated families across this country for too long, including some who saw loved ones go to work and never come home,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-s-regan">EPA Administrator Michael Regan</a>&nbsp;said in a statement. The new rule , he said, “brings an end to unsafe methylene chloride practices and implements the strongest worker protections possible for the few remaining industrial uses, ensuring no one in this country is put in harm’s way by this dangerous chemical."

Methylene chloride, also called dichloromethane, is a colorless liquid that emits a toxic vapor that has killed at least 88 workers since 1980, the EPA said. Long-term health effects include a variety of cancers, including liver cancer and lung cancer, and damage to the nervous, immune and reproductive systems.

The EPA rule would ban all consumer uses but allow certain “critical” uses in the military and industrial processing, with worker protections in place, said Michal Freedhoff, assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.

Methylene chloride will continue to be allowed to make refrigerants as an alternative to other chemicals that produce greenhouse gases and contribute to climate change, Freedhoff said. It also will be allowed for use in electric vehicle batteries and for critical military functions.

“The uses we think can safely continue (all) happen in sophisticated industrial settings, and in some cases there are no real substitutes available,'' Freedhoff said.

The chemical industry has argued that the EPA is overstating the risks of methylene chloride and that adequate protections have mitigated health risks.

The American Chemistry Council, the industry's top lobbying group, called methylene chloride “an essential compound" used to make many products and goods Americans rely on every day, including paint stripping, pharmaceutical manufacturing and metal cleaning and degreasing.

An EPA proposal last year could introduce “regulatory uncertainty and confusion" with existing exposure limits set by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the group said.

The chemical council also said it was concerned that the EPA had not fully evaluated the rule's impacts on the domestic supply chain and could end up prohibiting up to half of all end uses subject to regulation under the Toxic Substances Control Act.

While the EPA banned one consumer use of methylene chloride in 2019, use of the chemical has remained widespread and continues to pose significant and sometimes fatal danger to workers, the agency said. The EPA’s final risk management rule requires companies to rapidly phase down manufacturing, processing and distribution of methylene chloride for all consumer uses and most industrial and commercial uses, including in home renovations.

Consumer use will be phased out within a year, and most industrial and commercial uses will be prohibited within two years.

Liz Hitchcock, director of a safer chemicals program for the advocacy group Toxic-Free Future, praised the new rule but added: “As glad as we are to see today’s rule banning all consumer and most commercial uses, we are concerned that limits to its scope will allow continued exposure for too many workers to methylene chloride’s dangerous and deadly effects.”

Wendy Hartley, whose son Kevin died from methylene chloride poisoning after refinishing a bathtub at work, called the new rule "a huge step that will protect vulnerable workers.”

Kevin Hartley, 21, of Tennessee, died in 2017. He was an organ donor, Wendy Hartley said, adding that because of the EPA's actions, “Kevin’s death will continue to save lives."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714487791856.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday it has finalized a ban on consumer uses of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/risk-management-methylene-chloride">methylene chloride</a>, a chemical that is widely used as a paint stripper but is known to cause liver cancer and other health problems.The EPA said its action will protect Americans from health risks while allowing certain commercial uses to continue with robust worker protections.The rule banning methylene chloride is the second risk management rule to be finalized by President Joe Biden's administration under landmark&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-congress-united-states-government-f6eb1fbdbaab4560aff3609cfcd457f4">2016 amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act</a>. The first was an action last month to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-asbestos-cancer-brakes-biden-72b0fa8b36adedaff6000034d35c2acd">ban asbestos</a>, a carcinogen that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year but is still used in some chlorine bleach, brake pads and other products.“Exposure to methylene chloride has devastated families across this country for too long, including some who saw loved ones go to work and never come home,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-s-regan">EPA Administrator Michael Regan</a>&nbsp;said in a statement. The new rule , he said, “brings an end to unsafe methylene chloride practices and implements the strongest worker protections possible for the few remaining industrial uses, ensuring no one in this country is put in harm’s way by this dangerous chemical."Methylene chloride, also called dichloromethane, is a colorless liquid that emits a toxic vapor that has killed at least 88 workers since 1980, the EPA said. Long-term health effects include a variety of cancers, including liver cancer and lung cancer, and damage to the nervous, immune and reproductive systems.The EPA rule would ban all consumer uses but allow certain “critical” uses in the military and industrial processing, with worker protections in place, said Michal Freedhoff, assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.Methylene chloride will continue to be allowed to make refrigerants as an alternative to other chemicals that produce greenhouse gases and contribute to climate change, Freedhoff said. It also will be allowed for use in electric vehicle batteries and for critical military functions.“The uses we think can safely continue (all) happen in sophisticated industrial settings, and in some cases there are no real substitutes available,'' Freedhoff said.The chemical industry has argued that the EPA is overstating the risks of methylene chloride and that adequate protections have mitigated health risks.The American Chemistry Council, the industry's top lobbying group, called methylene chloride “an essential compound" used to make many products and goods Americans rely on every day, including paint stripping, pharmaceutical manufacturing and metal cleaning and degreasing.An EPA proposal last year could introduce “regulatory uncertainty and confusion" with existing exposure limits set by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the group said.The chemical council also said it was concerned that the EPA had not fully evaluated the rule's impacts on the domestic supply chain and could end up prohibiting up to half of all end uses subject to regulation under the Toxic Substances Control Act.While the EPA banned one consumer use of methylene chloride in 2019, use of the chemical has remained widespread and continues to pose significant and sometimes fatal danger to workers, the agency said. The EPA’s final risk management rule requires companies to rapidly phase down manufacturing, processing and distribution of methylene chloride for all consumer uses and most industrial and commercial uses, including in home renovations.Consumer use will be phased out within a year, and most industrial and commercial uses will be prohibited within two years.Liz Hitchcock, director of a safer chemicals program for the advocacy group Toxic-Free Future, praised the new rule but added: “As glad as we are to see today’s rule banning all consumer and most commercial uses, we are concerned that limits to its scope will allow continued exposure for too many workers to methylene chloride’s dangerous and deadly effects.”Wendy Hartley, whose son Kevin died from methylene chloride poisoning after refinishing a bathtub at work, called the new rule "a huge step that will protect vulnerable workers.”Kevin Hartley, 21, of Tennessee, died in 2017. He was an organ donor, Wendy Hartley said, adding that because of the EPA's actions, “Kevin’s death will continue to save lives."

EPA bans consumer use of a toxic chemical widely used as a paint stripper

WEST YELLOWSTONE, Montana—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man on multiple allegations after a Bison at Yellowstone National Park injured him.

According to the National Park Service, on April 21, a 40-year-old man identified as Clarence Yoder of Idaho Falls, Idaho, approached a bison too closely (within 25 yards) and was injured by the bison.

The incident occurred on the West Entrance Road near the Seven Mile Bridge, located 7 miles east of the park’s West Entrance.

Park Rangers responded to the area after receiving a report of an individual who harassed a herd of bison and kicked a bison in the leg. They located the suspect's vehicle near the West Entrance and stopped it in the town of West Yellowstone, Montana.

Rangers arrested Yoder on requested charges of being under the influence of alcohol to a degree that may endanger oneself, disorderly conduct as to create or maintain a hazardous condition and approaching wildlife and disturbing wildlife.

The driver of the vehicle Yoder traveled in, 37-year-old McKenna Bass, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, was also arrested and on requested charges of driving under the influence, interference for failure to yield to emergency light activation and disturbing wildlife.

Rangers transported Yoder to a nearby medical facility where he was medically evaluated, treated for minor injuries and released from medical care. He then was transported to the Gallatin County Detention Center.

Yoder and Bass appeared in court on April 22 and pleaded not guilty to the charges.&nbsp; Each violation can result in fines up to $5,000 and six months in jail. This incident, the first reported incident of a visitor being injured by a bison in 2024, remains under investigation.

The park reminded visitors: It’s your responsibility to respect safety regulations and view wildlife from a safe distance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714504661549.png" alt="Photo National Park Service Jacob W. Frank" />
 <figcaption>Photo National Park Service Jacob W. Frank</figcaption>
 </figure>WEST YELLOWSTONE, Montana—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man on multiple allegations after a Bison at Yellowstone National Park injured him.According to the National Park Service, on April 21, a 40-year-old man identified as Clarence Yoder of Idaho Falls, Idaho, approached a bison too closely (within 25 yards) and was injured by the bison.The incident occurred on the West Entrance Road near the Seven Mile Bridge, located 7 miles east of the park’s West Entrance.Park Rangers responded to the area after receiving a report of an individual who harassed a herd of bison and kicked a bison in the leg. They located the suspect's vehicle near the West Entrance and stopped it in the town of West Yellowstone, Montana.Rangers arrested Yoder on requested charges of being under the influence of alcohol to a degree that may endanger oneself, disorderly conduct as to create or maintain a hazardous condition and approaching wildlife and disturbing wildlife.The driver of the vehicle Yoder traveled in, 37-year-old McKenna Bass, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, was also arrested and on requested charges of driving under the influence, interference for failure to yield to emergency light activation and disturbing wildlife.Rangers transported Yoder to a nearby medical facility where he was medically evaluated, treated for minor injuries and released from medical care. He then was transported to the Gallatin County Detention Center.Yoder and Bass appeared in court on April 22 and pleaded not guilty to the charges.&nbsp; Each violation can result in fines up to $5,000 and six months in jail. This incident, the first reported incident of a visitor being injured by a bison in 2024, remains under investigation.The park reminded visitors: It’s your responsibility to respect safety regulations and view wildlife from a safe distance.

Man injured, charged with harassing bison in Yellowstone

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/29/gov-pillen-outlines-nebraskas-local-federal-next-steps-following-war-zone-tornadoes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;Days after a wave of tornadoes hit Nebraska, Gov. Jim Pillen on Monday thanked neighbors for stepping up for one another alongside various local, state and federal supporters.

Pillen said that as of Monday morning, power had been restored to nearly every home in the most heavily affected parts of eastern Nebraska, including the Elkhorn, Bennington and Washington County areas. This excludes about 450 homes, the governor said, which do not have power because they’re totally destroyed.

“I don’t know that anybody can find the right words to use it, but it’s a war zone,” Pillen said of what he saw in Douglas and Washington Counties. “The longer it (the tornado) went, the bigger it got and the wider it was.”

The governor said he has been on ground zero in both places —&nbsp;touring with local State Sens. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn and Ben Hansen of Blair, among other leaders. He said it was “extraordinarily sobering” to see areas that had been “totally obliterated.”

Pillen said he saw what was probably too many volunteers in Elkhorn but that it demonstrates Nebraskans’ willingness to help.

He said it will be a “long, long marathon” and “years before the scars are healed.”

“My assessment would be that it’s going to take every single weekend and every opportunity between now and the snow flying to be able to have a chance to get those communities cleaned up and be able to start rebuilding,” Pillen said.

Nebraskans who suffered damage should report such to their county emergency management agencies so the agency can keep track and document the issues, Pillen said. This will help Nebraska tap into state and federal resources as President Joe Biden and FEMA have offered federal support.

“This is not normal for Nebraskans to ask for help,” Pillen said. “If you don’t ask for help, we actually harm our neighbor because we need everybody to get to the level so that we can get the federal assistance.”

Those wishing to volunteer for recovery efforts should also contact local emergency management agencies to coordinate such help, Pillen said, also pointing to nonprofits and other local organizations that have stepped up their support.

“By the grace of God,” Pillen added, no Nebraskans were killed in the storm. However, officials confirmed Sunday the death of a western Iowa&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2024/04/28/authorities-injured-minden-iowa-man-dies-after-april-26-tornado/73493079007/">man injured in Friday’s storm</a>&nbsp;when it hit Minden, Iowa.

Capt. Greg Miller of the Nebraska State Patrol said troopers are providing “around the clock” security in affected areas to ensure Nebraskans’ lives are not devastated further by property theft.

“We want to make sure that if you don’t have business in the area to please stay away,” Miller said.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office announced two looting-related arrests Sunday as it has also stepped up security in affected areas.

Pillen said that he spent much of Sunday afternoon with Nebraska National Guard Adj. Gen. Craig Strong and that they have had conversations about whether to mobilize the Guard to assist with recovery of public property. As of Monday, Strong and Pillen were still assessing damages and had not reached a decision.

As far as preliminary assessments of those damages, Pillen said it’s still premature to say though it will be millions, at least. Four public hangars were destroyed at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, which Pillen said each cost about $1.5 million.&nbsp;

Pillen said the damages will likely exceed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/gov-pillen-issues-post-storm-declaration-that-allows-use-of-state-emergency-fund/">available state resources</a>, which he noted underscores a need for accurate assessments as Nebraska partners with FEMA.

The governor said he was busy both Saturday and Sunday and missed a phone call from President Joe Biden, who left a message that the federal government was “keeping a very close eye” on Nebraska and would do everything to help the state.

“Same way with the FEMA director, that I told her we were very grateful for their outreach,” Pillen said. “We Nebraskans are learning that we need to ask for help.”

The National Weather Service Omaha in a Monday statement issued preliminary findings of the Friday, April 26, tornado outbreak that injured six people and killed one Iowa man. The outbreak included nine confirmed tornadoes in the NWS Omaha coverage area:

“Historically speaking, these are the strongest tornadoes in eastern Nebraska or western Iowa (the NWS Omaha/Valley coverage area) in nearly 10 years,” the statement reads.

The previous strongest was an Ef-3 tornado in Coleridge, Nebraska, on June 17, 2014, which was one day after four EF-4 tornadoes hit northeast Nebraska, including Pilger.

The Arbor Day tornadoes stretched from central Nebraska into central Iowa, across 162.5 miles (one was on the ground for 40.9 miles straight in Iowa). Two tornadoes were 1 mile wide each with one of the nine twisters reaching at least 165 mph. The twisters were on the ground for 4 hours and 51 minutes combined.

NWS Omaha reported that one of the more notable damage paths was just northeast of Lincoln, from Waterloo to Elkhorn to near Soldier, Iowa.

Soure:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?issuedby=OAX&amp;product=PNS&amp;site=oax">National Weather Service Omaha</a>;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.weather.gov/oax/april262024">National Weather Service</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714500385272.jpeg" alt=" Gov. Jim Pillen provides an update on a tornado outbreak that swept through Nebraska and Iowa in the past week. April 29, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Jim Pillen provides an update on a tornado outbreak that swept through Nebraska and Iowa in the past week. April 29, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/29/gov-pillen-outlines-nebraskas-local-federal-next-steps-following-war-zone-tornadoes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;Days after a wave of tornadoes hit Nebraska, Gov. Jim Pillen on Monday thanked neighbors for stepping up for one another alongside various local, state and federal supporters.Pillen said that as of Monday morning, power had been restored to nearly every home in the most heavily affected parts of eastern Nebraska, including the Elkhorn, Bennington and Washington County areas. This excludes about 450 homes, the governor said, which do not have power because they’re totally destroyed.“I don’t know that anybody can find the right words to use it, but it’s a war zone,” Pillen said of what he saw in Douglas and Washington Counties. “The longer it (the tornado) went, the bigger it got and the wider it was.”<h2>Months of cleanup ahead</h2>The governor said he has been on ground zero in both places —&nbsp;touring with local State Sens. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn and Ben Hansen of Blair, among other leaders. He said it was “extraordinarily sobering” to see areas that had been “totally obliterated.”Pillen said he saw what was probably too many volunteers in Elkhorn but that it demonstrates Nebraskans’ willingness to help.He said it will be a “long, long marathon” and “years before the scars are healed.”“My assessment would be that it’s going to take every single weekend and every opportunity between now and the snow flying to be able to have a chance to get those communities cleaned up and be able to start rebuilding,” Pillen said.Nebraskans who suffered damage should report such to their county emergency management agencies so the agency can keep track and document the issues, Pillen said. This will help Nebraska tap into state and federal resources as President Joe Biden and FEMA have offered federal support.“This is not normal for Nebraskans to ask for help,” Pillen said. “If you don’t ask for help, we actually harm our neighbor because we need everybody to get to the level so that we can get the federal assistance.”<h2>Security in affected areas</h2>Those wishing to volunteer for recovery efforts should also contact local emergency management agencies to coordinate such help, Pillen said, also pointing to nonprofits and other local organizations that have stepped up their support.“By the grace of God,” Pillen added, no Nebraskans were killed in the storm. However, officials confirmed Sunday the death of a western Iowa&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2024/04/28/authorities-injured-minden-iowa-man-dies-after-april-26-tornado/73493079007/">man injured in Friday’s storm</a>&nbsp;when it hit Minden, Iowa.Capt. Greg Miller of the Nebraska State Patrol said troopers are providing “around the clock” security in affected areas to ensure Nebraskans’ lives are not devastated further by property theft.“We want to make sure that if you don’t have business in the area to please stay away,” Miller said.The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office announced two looting-related arrests Sunday as it has also stepped up security in affected areas.<h2>Damage assessments ongoing</h2>Pillen said that he spent much of Sunday afternoon with Nebraska National Guard Adj. Gen. Craig Strong and that they have had conversations about whether to mobilize the Guard to assist with recovery of public property. As of Monday, Strong and Pillen were still assessing damages and had not reached a decision.As far as preliminary assessments of those damages, Pillen said it’s still premature to say though it will be millions, at least. Four public hangars were destroyed at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, which Pillen said each cost about $1.5 million.&nbsp;Pillen said the damages will likely exceed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/gov-pillen-issues-post-storm-declaration-that-allows-use-of-state-emergency-fund/">available state resources</a>, which he noted underscores a need for accurate assessments as Nebraska partners with FEMA.The governor said he was busy both Saturday and Sunday and missed a phone call from President Joe Biden, who left a message that the federal government was “keeping a very close eye” on Nebraska and would do everything to help the state.“Same way with the FEMA director, that I told her we were very grateful for their outreach,” Pillen said. “We Nebraskans are learning that we need to ask for help.”<h2>Overview of Friday’s storm</h2>The National Weather Service Omaha in a Monday statement issued preliminary findings of the Friday, April 26, tornado outbreak that injured six people and killed one Iowa man. The outbreak included nine confirmed tornadoes in the NWS Omaha coverage area:<ul>
 <li>Five EF-3 tornadoes (strong, 136 to 165 mph).</li><li>Two EF-2 tornadoes (strong, 111 to 135 mph).</li><li>Two EF-1 tornadoes (weak, 86 to 110 mph).</li>
 </ul>“Historically speaking, these are the strongest tornadoes in eastern Nebraska or western Iowa (the NWS Omaha/Valley coverage area) in nearly 10 years,” the statement reads.The previous strongest was an Ef-3 tornado in Coleridge, Nebraska, on June 17, 2014, which was one day after four EF-4 tornadoes hit northeast Nebraska, including Pilger.The Arbor Day tornadoes stretched from central Nebraska into central Iowa, across 162.5 miles (one was on the ground for 40.9 miles straight in Iowa). Two tornadoes were 1 mile wide each with one of the nine twisters reaching at least 165 mph. The twisters were on the ground for 4 hours and 51 minutes combined.NWS Omaha reported that one of the more notable damage paths was just northeast of Lincoln, from Waterloo to Elkhorn to near Soldier, Iowa.Soure:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?issuedby=OAX&amp;product=PNS&amp;site=oax">National Weather Service Omaha</a>;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.weather.gov/oax/april262024">National Weather Service</a>

Gov. Pillen outlines Nebraska’s local, federal next steps following ‘war zone’ tornadoes

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-drug-enforcement-administration">The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration</a>&nbsp;will move to reclassify&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marijuana">marijuana</a>&nbsp;as a less dangerous drug, The Associated Press has learned, a historic shift to generations of American drug policy that could have wide ripple effects across the country.

The DEA’s proposal, which still must be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget, would recognize&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-health-schumer-becerra-dea-c00db5dabbeb9efd94cf17baff241e85">the medical uses of cannabis</a>&nbsp;and acknowledge it has less potential for abuse than some of the nation’s most dangerous drugs. However, it would not legalize marijuana outright for recreational use.

The agency’s move, confirmed to the AP on Tuesday by five people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive regulatory review, clears the last significant regulatory hurdle before the agency’s biggest policy change in more than 50 years can take effect.

Once OMB signs off, the DEA will take public comment on the plan to move marijuana from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD. It moves pot to Schedule III, alongside ketamine and some anabolic steroids,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-federal-regulation-reclassifying-health-b0b5fc3d34a83d2c95db1665f8149d42">following a recommendation</a>&nbsp;from the federal Health and Human Services Department. After the public-comment period the agency would publish the final rule.

It comes after President Joe Biden called for a review of federal marijuana law in October 2022 and moved to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-marijuana-government-and-politics-2d5e3d9e2cfbbbe3ee114536738894a8">pardon thousands of Americans</a>&nbsp;convicted federally of simple possession of the drug. He has also called on governors and local leaders to take similar steps to erase marijuana convictions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698531124512.png" alt="Once OMB signs off, the DEA will take public comment on the plan to move marijuana from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD. file photo by Rebecca Rivas" />
 <figcaption>Once OMB signs off, the DEA will take public comment on the plan to move marijuana from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD. file photo by Rebecca Rivas</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-drug-enforcement-administration">The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration</a>&nbsp;will move to reclassify&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marijuana">marijuana</a>&nbsp;as a less dangerous drug, The Associated Press has learned, a historic shift to generations of American drug policy that could have wide ripple effects across the country.The DEA’s proposal, which still must be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget, would recognize&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-health-schumer-becerra-dea-c00db5dabbeb9efd94cf17baff241e85">the medical uses of cannabis</a>&nbsp;and acknowledge it has less potential for abuse than some of the nation’s most dangerous drugs. However, it would not legalize marijuana outright for recreational use.The agency’s move, confirmed to the AP on Tuesday by five people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive regulatory review, clears the last significant regulatory hurdle before the agency’s biggest policy change in more than 50 years can take effect.Once OMB signs off, the DEA will take public comment on the plan to move marijuana from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD. It moves pot to Schedule III, alongside ketamine and some anabolic steroids,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-federal-regulation-reclassifying-health-b0b5fc3d34a83d2c95db1665f8149d42">following a recommendation</a>&nbsp;from the federal Health and Human Services Department. After the public-comment period the agency would publish the final rule.It comes after President Joe Biden called for a review of federal marijuana law in October 2022 and moved to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-marijuana-government-and-politics-2d5e3d9e2cfbbbe3ee114536738894a8">pardon thousands of Americans</a>&nbsp;convicted federally of simple possession of the drug. He has also called on governors and local leaders to take similar steps to erase marijuana convictions.“Criminal records for marijuana use and possession have imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities,” Biden said in December. “Too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana. It’s time that we right these wrongs.”The election year announcement could help Biden, a Democrat, boost flagging support, particularly among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-campaign-oldest-president-young-voters-152d11d3090518a2e5eee63b9a596673">younger voters</a>.Schedule III drugs are still controlled substances and subject to rules and regulations, and people who traffic in them without permission could still face federal criminal prosecution.Some critics argue the DEA shouldn’t change course on marijuana, saying rescheduling isn’t necessary and could lead to harmful side effects.Jack Riley, a former deputy administrator of the DEA, said he had concerns about the proposed change because he thinks marijuana remains a possible “gateway drug," one that may lead to the use of other drugs.“But in terms of us getting clear to use our resources to combat other major drugs, that’s a positive,” Riley said, noting that fentanyl alone accounts for more than 100,000 deaths in the U.S. a year.On the other end of the spectrum, others argue marijuana should be treated the way alcohol is.Last week, 21 Democrats led by Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York sent a letter to DEA Administrator Anne Milgram and Attorney General Merrick Garland arguing marijuana should be dropped from the controlled-substances list and instead regulated like alcohol.“It is time for the DEA to act,” the lawmakers wrote. “Right now, the Administration has the opportunity to resolve more than 50 years of failed, racially discriminatory marijuana policy.”Federal drug policy has lagged behind many states in recent years, with 38 having already legalized medical marijuana and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-marijuana-legalization-election-2023-6d15efb27fdcd41e7364f2b7cd3177f4">24 legalizing its recreational use</a>.That’s helped fuel fast growth in the marijuana industry, with an estimated worth of nearly $30 billion. Easing federal regulations could reduce the tax burden that can be 70% or more for businesses, according to industry groups. It could also make it easier to research marijuana, since it’s very difficult to conduct authorized clinical studies on Schedule I substances.The immediate effect of rescheduling on the nation’s criminal justice system would likely be more muted, since federal prosecutions for simple possession have been fairly rare in recent years.But loosening restrictions could carry a host of unintended consequences in the drug war and beyond.Critics point out that as a Schedule III drug, marijuana would remain regulated by the DEA. That means the roughly 15,000 cannabis dispensaries in the U.S. would have to register with the DEA like regular pharmacies and fulfill strict reporting requirements, something that they are loath to do and that the DEA is ill equipped to handleThen there’s the United States' international treaty obligations, chief among them the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which requires the criminalization of cannabis. In 2016, during the Obama administration, the DEA cited the U.S.’ international obligations and the findings of a federal court of appeals in Washington in denying a similar request to reschedule marijuana.___