United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that David Mark Platt, 58, formerly of Washington state, was sentenced on May 28, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of transporting a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Platt to 348 months (29 years) imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. He was further sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release following his release from prison. Additionally, Platt was ordered to pay $29,000 in restitution.

In Spring of 2022, Platt met a 15-year-old through social media website Quora where the minor victim was posting about wanting to run away from home. Platt made a plan to pick up the minor victim from California and travel across the country with the minor victim in his semi-truck. The minor victim told Platt their age throughout conversations with him on social media. On May 12, 2022, Platt picked up the minor victim and shortly thereafter the minor victim was reported missing by their family.

On May 15, 2022, Platt’s semi-truck was pulled over by law enforcement near Lexington, Nebraska, and the minor victim was identified as a passenger. During the stop, Platt admitted to touching the minor victim in a sexual manner. The minor victim was taken to a child advocacy center, where they disclosed that Platt had sexually assaulted them each day of the four-day trip. The minor victim told the same information to a medical examiner.

Search warrant results from the social media platform where Platt and minor victim communicated revealed that the minor victim did inform Platt of their age, that he expected the minor to have sexual intercourse with him, the plan for picking the minor victim up and travelling, and other various things he expected of the minor victim. The search warrant results additionally showed Platt’s sexual preference for preteen to teenage girls and his pattern in attempting to find a child to travel with him for sex and his preference for BDSM sexual relationships.

In 2012, Platt was found guilty of sexual assault in violation of Texas Penal Code § 22.011(a)(1) which is a felony in the second degree. He was on the sex offender registry at the time of the crime in this case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/" target="_blank">www.projectsafechildhood.gov</a>.

This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

United States AttorneyUnited States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that David Mark Platt, 58, formerly of Washington state, was sentenced on May 28, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of transporting a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Platt to 348 months (29 years) imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. He was further sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release following his release from prison. Additionally, Platt was ordered to pay $29,000 in restitution.In Spring of 2022, Platt met a 15-year-old through social media website Quora where the minor victim was posting about wanting to run away from home. Platt made a plan to pick up the minor victim from California and travel across the country with the minor victim in his semi-truck. The minor victim told Platt their age throughout conversations with him on social media. On May 12, 2022, Platt picked up the minor victim and shortly thereafter the minor victim was reported missing by their family.On May 15, 2022, Platt’s semi-truck was pulled over by law enforcement near Lexington, Nebraska, and the minor victim was identified as a passenger. During the stop, Platt admitted to touching the minor victim in a sexual manner. The minor victim was taken to a child advocacy center, where they disclosed that Platt had sexually assaulted them each day of the four-day trip. The minor victim told the same information to a medical examiner.Search warrant results from the social media platform where Platt and minor victim communicated revealed that the minor victim did inform Platt of their age, that he expected the minor to have sexual intercourse with him, the plan for picking the minor victim up and travelling, and other various things he expected of the minor victim. The search warrant results additionally showed Platt’s sexual preference for preteen to teenage girls and his pattern in attempting to find a child to travel with him for sex and his preference for BDSM sexual relationships.In 2012, Platt was found guilty of sexual assault in violation of Texas Penal Code § 22.011(a)(1) which is a felony in the second degree. He was on the sex offender registry at the time of the crime in this case.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/" target="_blank">www.projectsafechildhood.gov</a>.This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

 Truck Driver Pulled Over In Lexington Sentenced to 29 Years 

DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is urging the owners of about 84,000 older vehicles to stop driving them because their Takata air bag inflators have an increased risk of exploding in a crash and hurling dangerous metal fragments.

Wednesday's urgent request comes after one person in a Nissan was killed by an exploding front-passenger inflator, and as many as 58 people were injured since 2015.

“Due to the age of the vehicles equipped with defective Takata air bag inflators, there is an increased risk the inflator could explode during an air bag deployment, propelling sharp metal fragments which can cause serious injury or death,” Nissan said in a statement.

Nissan said the “do not drive” warning covers certain 2002 through 2006 Sentra small cars, as well as some 2002 through 2004 Pathfinder SUVs, and 2002 and 2003 Infiniti QX4 SUVs. Owners can find out if their vehicles are affected by going to&nbsp;<a href="file:///C:/Users/X780800/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/HSWBL88K/nissanusa.com/takata-airbag-recall">nissanusa.com/takata-airbag-recall</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="file:///C:/Users/X780800/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/HSWBL88K/infinitiusa.com/takata-airbag-recall">infinitiusa.com/takata-airbag-recall</a>&nbsp;and keying in their 17-digit vehicle identification number.

The company says owners should contact their dealer to set up an appointment to have inflators replaced for free. Nissan also is offering free towing to dealers, and in some locations mobile service and loaner cars are available.

“Even minor crashes can result in exploding Takata air bags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries," the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement. “Older model year vehicles put their occupants at higher risk, as the age of the air bag is one of the contributing factors.”

Nissan originally recalled 736,422 of the vehicles in 2020 to replace the Takata inflators. The company said around 84,000 remain unrepaired and are believed to still be in use.

Nissan said it has made numerous attempts to reach the owners with unrepaired Takata inflators.

The death was reported to NHTSA in 2018, the company said. The person killed was in a 2006 Sentra, according to Nissan.

The death is one of 27 in the U.S. caused by the faulty inflators,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/takata-air-bag-inflator-explosion-killed-ram-pickup-2003-571d22e2f6682f01f149f592d8c1c78b">which used volatile ammonium nitrate</a>&nbsp;to create a small explosion to inflate air bags in a crash. The chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel. More than 400 people in the U.S. have been hurt.

Worldwide at least 35 people have been killed by Takata inflators in Malaysia, Australia and the U.S.

Potential for a dangerous malfunction led to the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, with at least 67 million Takata inflators involved. The U.S. government says many have not been repaired. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide. The exploding air bags sent Takata&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4e456cf44b454cf581e4fc06dc8ad338">into bankruptcy</a>.

Honda, Ford, BMW, Toyota and Stellantis and Mazda&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/toyota-takata-air-bag-explode-shrapnel-3c03be0d9454856cf52e48aaa6bda711">have issued similar “do not drive”</a>&nbsp;warnings for some of their vehicles equipped with Takata inflators.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576782225717.png" alt="Photo&nbsp; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration" />
 <figcaption>Photo&nbsp; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is urging the owners of about 84,000 older vehicles to stop driving them because their Takata air bag inflators have an increased risk of exploding in a crash and hurling dangerous metal fragments.Wednesday's urgent request comes after one person in a Nissan was killed by an exploding front-passenger inflator, and as many as 58 people were injured since 2015.“Due to the age of the vehicles equipped with defective Takata air bag inflators, there is an increased risk the inflator could explode during an air bag deployment, propelling sharp metal fragments which can cause serious injury or death,” Nissan said in a statement.Nissan said the “do not drive” warning covers certain 2002 through 2006 Sentra small cars, as well as some 2002 through 2004 Pathfinder SUVs, and 2002 and 2003 Infiniti QX4 SUVs. Owners can find out if their vehicles are affected by going to&nbsp;<a href="file:///C:/Users/X780800/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/HSWBL88K/nissanusa.com/takata-airbag-recall">nissanusa.com/takata-airbag-recall</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="file:///C:/Users/X780800/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/HSWBL88K/infinitiusa.com/takata-airbag-recall">infinitiusa.com/takata-airbag-recall</a>&nbsp;and keying in their 17-digit vehicle identification number.The company says owners should contact their dealer to set up an appointment to have inflators replaced for free. Nissan also is offering free towing to dealers, and in some locations mobile service and loaner cars are available.“Even minor crashes can result in exploding Takata air bags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries," the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement. “Older model year vehicles put their occupants at higher risk, as the age of the air bag is one of the contributing factors.”Nissan originally recalled 736,422 of the vehicles in 2020 to replace the Takata inflators. The company said around 84,000 remain unrepaired and are believed to still be in use.Nissan said it has made numerous attempts to reach the owners with unrepaired Takata inflators.The death was reported to NHTSA in 2018, the company said. The person killed was in a 2006 Sentra, according to Nissan.The death is one of 27 in the U.S. caused by the faulty inflators,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/takata-air-bag-inflator-explosion-killed-ram-pickup-2003-571d22e2f6682f01f149f592d8c1c78b">which used volatile ammonium nitrate</a>&nbsp;to create a small explosion to inflate air bags in a crash. The chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel. More than 400 people in the U.S. have been hurt.Worldwide at least 35 people have been killed by Takata inflators in Malaysia, Australia and the U.S.Potential for a dangerous malfunction led to the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, with at least 67 million Takata inflators involved. The U.S. government says many have not been repaired. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide. The exploding air bags sent Takata&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4e456cf44b454cf581e4fc06dc8ad338">into bankruptcy</a>.Honda, Ford, BMW, Toyota and Stellantis and Mazda&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/toyota-takata-air-bag-explode-shrapnel-3c03be0d9454856cf52e48aaa6bda711">have issued similar “do not drive”</a>&nbsp;warnings for some of their vehicles equipped with Takata inflators.

Nissan warns owners of older vehicles of exploding air bag inflators

Phelps County Attorney and Holdrege Police Department joint press release

Holdrege, Neb. -&nbsp;Jason Remmenga, 24, of Holdrege, has been charged with intentional child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury.  Holdrege Police Department Officers were notified that Remmenga took his four-month-old daughter to the emergency room on May 20, 2024.  Medical staff later determined that the child had severe, nonaccidental, abusive head trauma. 

The child remains in critical condition at Children’s Hospital in Omaha.  The mother of the juvenile, Elaina Nietfeld, 21 of Holdrege, has also been charged with intentional child abuse.  The Holdrege Police Department’s investigation is currently ongoing.  

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716990813592.jpeg" alt="Jason Remmenga (Courtesy of Phelps County Jail)" />
 <figcaption>Jason Remmenga (Courtesy of Phelps County Jail)</figcaption>
 </figure>Phelps County Attorney and Holdrege Police Department joint press releaseHoldrege, Neb. -&nbsp;Jason Remmenga, 24, of Holdrege, has been charged with intentional child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury. Holdrege Police Department Officers were notified that Remmenga took his four-month-old daughter to the emergency room on May 20, 2024. Medical staff later determined that the child had severe, nonaccidental, abusive head trauma. The child remains in critical condition at Children’s Hospital in Omaha. The mother of the juvenile, Elaina Nietfeld, 21 of Holdrege, has also been charged with intentional child abuse. The Holdrege Police Department’s investigation is currently ongoing.

Two charged in South-Central Nebraska with intentional child abuse

The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office is issuing a&nbsp;Consumer Alert&nbsp;involving a text scam concerning toll roads that is circulating in Nebraska.&nbsp;

Nebraskans are receiving texts claiming they must pay an outstanding balance for a SunPass toll road to avoid a $50 penalty. The text contains a link to make a payment.&nbsp;Do not&nbsp;click on the link.

Please note that the Nebraska Department of Transportation verifies that there are no toll roads in Nebraska. There is only one toll bridge in Plattsmouth, Nebraska. Nebraskans may have traveled to other states for work or holidays where there are existing toll roads, but be alert to a&nbsp;false&nbsp;text message.

The technique is known as “smishing,” a combination of “SMS” (“short message service” or what is commonly known as text) and the scam technique known as “phishing”—smishing attempts to trick people into downloading malware, sharing sensitive information, or sending money to cybercriminals.

Contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Affairs Response Team at 402-471-2682 or visit our consumer website at&nbsp;<a href="https://protectthegoodlife.nebraska.gov/" target="_blank">ProtectTheGoodLife.Nebraska.gov</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716989303073.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Nebraska Attorney OfficeThe Nebraska Attorney General’s Office is issuing a&nbsp;Consumer Alert&nbsp;involving a text scam concerning toll roads that is circulating in Nebraska.&nbsp;Nebraskans are receiving texts claiming they must pay an outstanding balance for a SunPass toll road to avoid a $50 penalty. The text contains a link to make a payment.&nbsp;Do not&nbsp;click on the link.Please note that the Nebraska Department of Transportation verifies that there are no toll roads in Nebraska. There is only one toll bridge in Plattsmouth, Nebraska. Nebraskans may have traveled to other states for work or holidays where there are existing toll roads, but be alert to a&nbsp;false&nbsp;text message.To protect yourself:<ul>
 <li>Don’t click on links or download files provided in unsolicited messages.</li><li>Verify the source by contacting the organization directly through information provided on their website.</li><li>Do not provide personal or financial information in response to unsolicited messages, emails, or phone calls.</li><li>Block the number sending the text and delete the message.&nbsp;</li><li>If you clicked any link or provided personal information, make sure you dispute any unfamiliar charge and take efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://protectthegoodlife.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/Identity%20Theft%20June%202023.pdf" target="_blank">secure your financial accounts</a>.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>The technique is known as “smishing,” a combination of “SMS” (“short message service” or what is commonly known as text) and the scam technique known as “phishing”—smishing attempts to trick people into downloading malware, sharing sensitive information, or sending money to cybercriminals.Contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Affairs Response Team at 402-471-2682 or visit our consumer website at&nbsp;<a href="https://protectthegoodlife.nebraska.gov/" target="_blank">ProtectTheGoodLife.Nebraska.gov</a>.

Nebraska Attorney General's Office Issues Consumer Alert Regarding Scam Text Messages for SunPass Toll Roads

OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — A Nebraska girl&nbsp; advanced to the quarterfinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Tuesday.&nbsp; The quarterfinals and semifinals are Wednesday.

Sarah Grace Fernandes, 12,&nbsp; a 6th grader is representing St. Stephan the Martyr Catholic School, Omaha.

There are spellers from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Texas has the largest representation with 20 national competitors. California and Ohio are next with 17 each, followed by Florida, Illinois and New York with 13 each.&nbsp;

As the competition continues, spellers try to address weaknesses, including 'super short, tricky words.

Last year, a four-letter word sent Shradha Rachamreddy to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2023-spelling-bee-finals-updates-1b09d39ba7631d26f3a3c833f7aeefea">a third-place finish</a>&nbsp;in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

As the remaining spellers dwindled, Shradha was given “orle,” a heraldry term that means several small charges arranged to form a border within the edge of a field. It sounds exactly like “oral.” Shradha went with “orel” and heard the dreaded bell that signals a misspelled word.

“I overcomplicated it,” Shradha said nearly a year later. “It looks simple. It should have been simple, but I missed it.”

The good news for Shradha was that she nearly won it all as a seventh-grader, meaning she had one year of eligibility left. The 14-year-old from San Jose, California, returned as one of 245 spellers competing in this year's bee, which began with Tuesday's preliminary rounds at a convention center outside Washington, D.C.

Like other returning spellers, Shradha tried to learn from her mistake. She devoted part of her studying this year to the sorts of words she tends to miss.

“I did miss on a four-letter word, so my weakness tends to be those super short, tricky words, and I worked on compiling those into one list,” Shradha said. “I try to identify the words that seem likely to show up. If they're not spelled particularly the way they sound, then I'm like, ‘OK, it’s fair game,’ and I study that.”

Learning as many words as possible isn't a foolproof approach. No one in the nearly century-long history of the bee has been able to memorize the more than 500,000 words in Webster's Unabridged dictionary, any of which can be selected for inclusion by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-spelling-bee-word-list-6b67fd86e9008d3f61cc7f256dbad480">Scripps' word panel</a>&nbsp;of former bee champions, linguists and other experts.

Last year's champion, Dev Shah, wrote&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/11/28/dev-shah-spelling-bee-winner/">in a Washington Post op-ed</a>&nbsp;that to become a champion speller, you must accept that you'll be asked a word you don't know — and be calm enough to figure it out.

“The skill of guessing is everything,” he wrote.

Aryan Khedkhar, a 13-year-old from Rochester Hills, Michigan, who finished tied for fifth last year, breaks down tricky words into categories.

“There are words with roots and words without roots that you just have to memorize. The ones that you have to memorize, I use language patterns. That really helps. If it doesn't have language patterns, I just try to use the simplest way possible,” Aryan said. “That's what the spelling bee is about. It's not about knowing as many words as you can.”

Aditi Muthukumar said she tried to address her weaknesses on words derived from French or from the many languages of the Indian subcontinent. But the 13-year-old from Westminster, Colorado, expects she'll have to confront a word she doesn't know while competing in her final bee.

“I mean, probably,” she said, “and I hope I'll be OK with it.”

This year's three spellers from Ghana showed up in a uniform — black turtlenecks, white pants, shoes adorned with the Ghanian flag. The centerpiece: custom-designed jackets with sleeves made of woven kente fabric.

“We have to wear it,” speller Abena Kwaffo said with a laugh.

Spelling is an individual pursuit, but Team Ghana was unified by national pride. Ghana has sent a contingent of spellers for years, long enough that former competitor Darren Sackey is coaching this year's trio.

“It's teamwork. The spellers work very hard together,” said Salome Dzakpasu, the Ghanian program director. “Training together on weekends, on weekdays, sometimes evenings, learning how to combine schoolwork and preparing for the bee.”

While the past quarter-century of the bee has been dominated by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spelling-bee-indian-americans-immigration-b14ba87533dfcd8af813de568ee5958f">the offspring of Indian immigrants</a>, the only international champion was Jody-Anne Maxwell of Jamaica in 1998. Ghana's best finish was a tie for 18th by Afua Ansah in 2016.

N'Dom Darko-Asare, a Ghanian seventh-grader competing for the third time, is more comfortable than ever.

“You may be scared of standing on stage. Once you've been there before, it doesn't really intimidate you as much,” 13-year-old N'Dom said.

Spellers have been asked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-spelling-bees-198b3c72f86dc81954de8d344e838b18">multiple-choice vocabulary questions</a>&nbsp;onstage since 2021, and before that, vocabulary was part of a written test that determined which spellers made the semifinals.

Nonetheless, Scripps treated “vocabulary” like a dirty word, instead employing a euphemism: “word meaning.” That meant when introducing the vocabulary questions, pronouncers Jacques Bailly and the Rev. Brian Sietsema were forced to use the awkward construction, “Your word meaning word is ...”

In Tuesday's preliminary rounds, Sietsema handled pronunciation duties for the first batch of spellers. Those who spelled their first word correctly remained at the microphone while Sietsema told them, to cite one example, “Your vocabulary word is ‘terrarium.’” (Jordin Oremosu, a 14-year-old speller from Florida, giggled with relief when she was asked to define that word.)

“There were discussions about it,” Bailly said, adding though he wasn't responsible for the change, “I always thought it should be ‘vocabulary.’”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716913401526.png" alt="Sarah Grace Fernandes, 12, 6th grade, St. Stephan the Martyr Catholic School, Omaha-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Sarah Grace Fernandes, 12, 6th grade, St. Stephan the Martyr Catholic School, Omaha-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — A Nebraska girl&nbsp; advanced to the quarterfinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Tuesday.&nbsp; The quarterfinals and semifinals are Wednesday.Sarah Grace Fernandes, 12,&nbsp; a 6th grader is representing St. Stephan the Martyr Catholic School, Omaha.There are spellers from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Texas has the largest representation with 20 national competitors. California and Ohio are next with 17 each, followed by Florida, Illinois and New York with 13 each.&nbsp;As the competition continues, spellers try to address weaknesses, including 'super short, tricky words.Last year, a four-letter word sent Shradha Rachamreddy to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2023-spelling-bee-finals-updates-1b09d39ba7631d26f3a3c833f7aeefea">a third-place finish</a>&nbsp;in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.As the remaining spellers dwindled, Shradha was given “orle,” a heraldry term that means several small charges arranged to form a border within the edge of a field. It sounds exactly like “oral.” Shradha went with “orel” and heard the dreaded bell that signals a misspelled word.“I overcomplicated it,” Shradha said nearly a year later. “It looks simple. It should have been simple, but I missed it.”The good news for Shradha was that she nearly won it all as a seventh-grader, meaning she had one year of eligibility left. The 14-year-old from San Jose, California, returned as one of 245 spellers competing in this year's bee, which began with Tuesday's preliminary rounds at a convention center outside Washington, D.C.Like other returning spellers, Shradha tried to learn from her mistake. She devoted part of her studying this year to the sorts of words she tends to miss.“I did miss on a four-letter word, so my weakness tends to be those super short, tricky words, and I worked on compiling those into one list,” Shradha said. “I try to identify the words that seem likely to show up. If they're not spelled particularly the way they sound, then I'm like, ‘OK, it’s fair game,’ and I study that.”Learning as many words as possible isn't a foolproof approach. No one in the nearly century-long history of the bee has been able to memorize the more than 500,000 words in Webster's Unabridged dictionary, any of which can be selected for inclusion by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-spelling-bee-word-list-6b67fd86e9008d3f61cc7f256dbad480">Scripps' word panel</a>&nbsp;of former bee champions, linguists and other experts.Last year's champion, Dev Shah, wrote&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/11/28/dev-shah-spelling-bee-winner/">in a Washington Post op-ed</a>&nbsp;that to become a champion speller, you must accept that you'll be asked a word you don't know — and be calm enough to figure it out.“The skill of guessing is everything,” he wrote.Aryan Khedkhar, a 13-year-old from Rochester Hills, Michigan, who finished tied for fifth last year, breaks down tricky words into categories.“There are words with roots and words without roots that you just have to memorize. The ones that you have to memorize, I use language patterns. That really helps. If it doesn't have language patterns, I just try to use the simplest way possible,” Aryan said. “That's what the spelling bee is about. It's not about knowing as many words as you can.”Aditi Muthukumar said she tried to address her weaknesses on words derived from French or from the many languages of the Indian subcontinent. But the 13-year-old from Westminster, Colorado, expects she'll have to confront a word she doesn't know while competing in her final bee.“I mean, probably,” she said, “and I hope I'll be OK with it.”TEAM GHANAThis year's three spellers from Ghana showed up in a uniform — black turtlenecks, white pants, shoes adorned with the Ghanian flag. The centerpiece: custom-designed jackets with sleeves made of woven kente fabric.“We have to wear it,” speller Abena Kwaffo said with a laugh.Spelling is an individual pursuit, but Team Ghana was unified by national pride. Ghana has sent a contingent of spellers for years, long enough that former competitor Darren Sackey is coaching this year's trio.“It's teamwork. The spellers work very hard together,” said Salome Dzakpasu, the Ghanian program director. “Training together on weekends, on weekdays, sometimes evenings, learning how to combine schoolwork and preparing for the bee.”While the past quarter-century of the bee has been dominated by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spelling-bee-indian-americans-immigration-b14ba87533dfcd8af813de568ee5958f">the offspring of Indian immigrants</a>, the only international champion was Jody-Anne Maxwell of Jamaica in 1998. Ghana's best finish was a tie for 18th by Afua Ansah in 2016.N'Dom Darko-Asare, a Ghanian seventh-grader competing for the third time, is more comfortable than ever.“You may be scared of standing on stage. Once you've been there before, it doesn't really intimidate you as much,” 13-year-old N'Dom said.VOCABULARY, DEFINEDSpellers have been asked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-spelling-bees-198b3c72f86dc81954de8d344e838b18">multiple-choice vocabulary questions</a>&nbsp;onstage since 2021, and before that, vocabulary was part of a written test that determined which spellers made the semifinals.Nonetheless, Scripps treated “vocabulary” like a dirty word, instead employing a euphemism: “word meaning.” That meant when introducing the vocabulary questions, pronouncers Jacques Bailly and the Rev. Brian Sietsema were forced to use the awkward construction, “Your word meaning word is ...”In Tuesday's preliminary rounds, Sietsema handled pronunciation duties for the first batch of spellers. Those who spelled their first word correctly remained at the microphone while Sietsema told them, to cite one example, “Your vocabulary word is ‘terrarium.’” (Jordin Oremosu, a 14-year-old speller from Florida, giggled with relief when she was asked to define that word.)“There were discussions about it,” Bailly said, adding though he wasn't responsible for the change, “I always thought it should be ‘vocabulary.’”

Nebraska girl advanced to quarterfinals at Scripps National Spelling Bee

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Missile attacks twice damaged a Marshall Islands-flagged, Greek-owned ship Tuesday in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, with a private security firm saying radio traffic suggested the vessel took on water after being struck.

No group claimed responsibility, but suspicion fell on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>, who have launched a number of attacks targeting ships over Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The first attack on the bulk carrier Laax happened off the port city of Hodeida in the southern Red Sea, near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that links it to the Gulf of Aden, according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. The vessel “sustained damage” in the assault and later reported an “impact in the water in close proximity to the vessel,” the UKMTO said.

“The crew are reported safe and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call,” the center said.

The private security firm Ambrey said the vessel reported by radio of having “sustained damage to the cargo hold and was taking on water.”

Late Tuesday night, the UKMTO reported the Laax “sustained further damage” in a second missile attack near Mokha in the Bab el-Mandeb.

The U.S. military’s Central Command also identified the targeted ship as the Laax. The vessel reported being headed to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.

Grehel Ship Management of Piraeus, Greece, manages the Laax. A man who answered the phone at Grehel declined to answer questions about the attack and an emailed request for comment was not returned.

Central Command separately said it destroyed five Houthi drones over the Red Sea amid the attacks.

The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the attack, though it can take the rebels hours or even days to claim their assaults.

The Houthis have launched attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in recent months, demanding that Israel ends the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">war in Gaza</a>, which has killed more than 36,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostage.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-ship-attack-6e133626776f4264e66d9f1d0b58315f">rebels have launched more than 50 attacks</a>&nbsp;on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, according to the United States Maritime Administration.

Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat. In recent weeks, the tempo of Houthi attacks has dropped, though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-us-drone-war-gaza-7bbbcd1a1484baf581832da6f4d4dd18">the rebels have claimed shooting down U.S. surveillance drones</a>.

Yemen has been wracked by conflict since the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition entered the war on the side of Yemen's exiled government in 2015, but the conflict has remained at a stalemate for years as Riyadh tries to reach a peace deal with the Houthis.

Speaking Tuesday in Dubai, the prime minister of Yemen's exiled, internationally recognized government urged the world to see past the Houthis' claims of backing the Palestinians through their attacks.

“The Houthis’ exploitation of a very just cause such as the cause of our people in Palestine and what is happening in Gaza is to escape the benefits of peace and lead us to major complications that exist,” Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak told the Arab Media Forum. “Peace is a strategic choice. We must reach peace. The war must stop. This is a must. Our people need security and stability. The region itself needs stability.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703990687604.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Missile attacks twice damaged a Marshall Islands-flagged, Greek-owned ship Tuesday in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, with a private security firm saying radio traffic suggested the vessel took on water after being struck.No group claimed responsibility, but suspicion fell on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>, who have launched a number of attacks targeting ships over Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.The first attack on the bulk carrier Laax happened off the port city of Hodeida in the southern Red Sea, near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that links it to the Gulf of Aden, according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. The vessel “sustained damage” in the assault and later reported an “impact in the water in close proximity to the vessel,” the UKMTO said.“The crew are reported safe and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call,” the center said.The private security firm Ambrey said the vessel reported by radio of having “sustained damage to the cargo hold and was taking on water.”Late Tuesday night, the UKMTO reported the Laax “sustained further damage” in a second missile attack near Mokha in the Bab el-Mandeb.The U.S. military’s Central Command also identified the targeted ship as the Laax. The vessel reported being headed to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.Grehel Ship Management of Piraeus, Greece, manages the Laax. A man who answered the phone at Grehel declined to answer questions about the attack and an emailed request for comment was not returned.Central Command separately said it destroyed five Houthi drones over the Red Sea amid the attacks.The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the attack, though it can take the rebels hours or even days to claim their assaults.The Houthis have launched attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in recent months, demanding that Israel ends the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">war in Gaza</a>, which has killed more than 36,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostage.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-ship-attack-6e133626776f4264e66d9f1d0b58315f">rebels have launched more than 50 attacks</a>&nbsp;on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, according to the United States Maritime Administration.Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat. In recent weeks, the tempo of Houthi attacks has dropped, though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-us-drone-war-gaza-7bbbcd1a1484baf581832da6f4d4dd18">the rebels have claimed shooting down U.S. surveillance drones</a>.Yemen has been wracked by conflict since the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition entered the war on the side of Yemen's exiled government in 2015, but the conflict has remained at a stalemate for years as Riyadh tries to reach a peace deal with the Houthis.Speaking Tuesday in Dubai, the prime minister of Yemen's exiled, internationally recognized government urged the world to see past the Houthis' claims of backing the Palestinians through their attacks.“The Houthis’ exploitation of a very just cause such as the cause of our people in Palestine and what is happening in Gaza is to escape the benefits of peace and lead us to major complications that exist,” Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak told the Arab Media Forum. “Peace is a strategic choice. We must reach peace. The war must stop. This is a must. Our people need security and stability. The region itself needs stability.”

U.S. military: Missile attacks damage ship in the Red Sea 

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/24/gov-pillen-outlines-some-funding-levers-in-his-quest-to-lower-nebraska-property-taxes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

BEATRICE — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said Friday he hopes to trim state spending by at least $500 million in the next couple of years and capture more federal dollars for property tax relief.

Pillen made those commitments at the third of his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/03/pillens-property-tax-road-show-targets-possible-yes-votes/">property tax town halls</a>, echoing a previous plan for tax relief that failed to garner enough senators’ support this spring. The town halls are designed to drum up enough support so at least 33 lawmakers will support the governor during an expected special session for property tax relief.

“Some have said, ‘Well, you know we’ve been talking about property tax for 60 years and it’s the same old song,’” Pillen told the roughly three dozen people at the &nbsp;public library in Beatrice. “No, this song’s different.”

The Governor’s Office on Friday announced the second leg of Pillen’s property tax town halls for next Thursday and Friday:

When Pillen came into office, he said, he walked into a situation that “scared the bejesus” out of him, where the state’s revenue coffers were plentiful but agencies wanted to increase spending.&nbsp;

This set him on a path to reduce 40% in property taxes, or about $2 billion.

Lawmakers nearly took another major step in April, but State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, Revenue Committee chair,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/18/stunning-last-minute-defeat-for-pillen-tax-shift-bill-likely-ensures-special-session/">pulled</a>&nbsp;her&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=49980">Legislative Bill 388</a>&nbsp;after it appeared to have fewer than 33 senators in support. That’s the minimum number of votes required to end debate on heated measures.

“I’ve already told the Revenue Committee that we’re going to be working this summer,” she told the Nebraska Examiner&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/18/nebraska-lawmakers-adjourn-but-break-will-be-short-lived-as-special-session-looms-this-summer/">after that vote</a>.

The governor remained committed to calling for hard caps on local spending, at about 2% or 3%, and to front-load property tax credits, allowing taxpayers to capitalize immediately rather than applying later for credits based on how much income tax they pay.

To fund his ideas, Pillen wants to trim about $500 million in state funding in the next couple of years that he said would enhance but not reduce state services. The state contracted with a Utah-based firm seeking to find similar efficiencies.

“We’re just doing business practices of improving processes, streamlining, looking at things as a systems approach and making a difference,” Pillen told reporters.

Pillen is also looking at about&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/about/information-guides/nebraska-sales-tax-exemptions">120 sales tax exemptions</a>&nbsp;that “pick winners and losers” and reviewing which should be eliminated, such as exemptions on pop and candy that were part of the latest tax package.

State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth, who lives 10 miles east of Beatrice, gave his support for looking at sales tax exemptions, adding Nebraska leads nationwide in those carve-outs.

“The sky is not going to fall if we take this stuff,” Brandt said of the exemption on pop and candy.

Filling in for State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, who represents Beatrice but had a prior obligation, Brandt attended the town hall and said he trusts that the “49 personalities in the Legislature” will find a common sense solution for a governor who is “on the right track.”

“I’m fully in support of whatever we come up with, and I appreciate that the governor is asking you for input,” Brandt said.

In part, Pillen wants to reduce state government spending to what it was around 2012, during a deflationary period, and “correct those sins” when lawmakers increased obligations.

Another funding suggestion is a philosophical change away from what Pillen said is “goober politics” where some lawmakers believe they must curry political favors for reelection.

“There’s some senators who think their job is to take money to their community — that’s not Nebraska,” Pillen said. “That’s a different vision, different view.”

Federal funding, increased tax obligations

The governor is also seeking to increase how many federal dollars the state draws down, building off some successes in the past two years, including State Sens. Mike Jacobson of North Platte for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/16/health-care-proposals-will-top-nebraska-lawmakers-spending-in-2024/">hospital assessments</a>; Anna Wishart of Lincoln for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics; and Dorn for nursing home assessments.

“Green light, pedal to the metal,” Pillen recalled telling his cabinet members on securing such funding this week. “No strings attached, but we have to get more than our fair share.”

“Sin taxes” might be increased, such as those on tobacco, vaping products or alcohol, as well as on agriculture inputs, Pillen said.

The governor also suggested a future plan could be the state taking on more,&nbsp;or all,&nbsp;of local obligations to fund K-12 education, similar to what happened with community colleges in 2023.

One man in the audience, who said he lives close to the Kansas border, said he’s worried Pillen’s 40% reduction to property taxes still wouldn’t be enough.

“Yeah, that helps, but it’s still not in the range of being competitive with our next-door neighbors,” the man said.

Pillen responded that he overall wants to decrease state taxes, noting that for surrounding states with no income or property taxes, they might have higher sales taxes as a tradeoff.

“Operation Clean the Closets Out” is also on the table, which Pillen described as outlining what unfunded mandates exist for county and city governments and undoing those. Pillen said approximately 22% of county government costs come from unfunded mandates.

“We have to get the unfunded mandates out, and same for cities,” Pillen said. “We have to say no. We have to clean up government.”

State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue, who ran against Pillen for governor two years ago, has tried for years to tackle unfunded and underfunded mandates, proposing a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50026">constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;that would let Nebraskans vote on ending future obligations unless they come with funding.

Blood said Friday that Pillen hasn’t reached out to her on the mandates. She said a list of them already exists because of previous legislative studies.&nbsp;

At a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Transcripts/Government/2023-02-24.pdf">2023 hearing</a>, she pointed to many such mandates, including supervision and transportation of juvenile offenders, election ballot printing and autopsy or grand jury costs after a prisoner’s death.

“We know it’s a good idea, but nobody, nobody would listen to us,” Blood said.

She said the Legislature had a chance to act sooner but put good ideas “in the dumpster,” which is part of the reason she’s not willing to go into a special session.

“They say they want our ideas, but they don’t really,” Blood said. “I’m not going to have them shove something down my throat that I know is just going to make it harder for the middle class and people that are struggling financially.”

Special sessions cost thousands of dollars each day, which Blood said might be one reason to wait on proposals that might not be guaranteed to pass. Pillen dodged a question on special session costs, stating that “really good savings” could come from senators introducing fewer bills.

Asked why he thinks the town halls would change the spring outcome, Pillen told reporters he understands he faces a game of “33-17,” needing at least 33 votes but failing if 17 or more senators are opposed.

However, he said, he believes in the people of Nebraska and believes they must be part of a solution, which comes at the same time as an election year for some key senators who Pillen might need to support his tax proposals.

“If the citizens of Nebraska aren’t engaged with the members of the Unicameral, they can be rest assured special interest groups are, and they don’t have the citizens of Nebraska’s backs,” Pillen said.

Pillen said he expects to call a special session before school starts in August, scheduling around a summer trade mission to Indonesia.

“We will get it fixed, but we need your help,” Pillen told the Beatrice.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716904581882.jpeg" alt="Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen greets attendees at one of his property tax town halls Friday, May 24, 2024, in Beatrice. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen greets attendees at one of his property tax town halls Friday, May 24, 2024, in Beatrice. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/24/gov-pillen-outlines-some-funding-levers-in-his-quest-to-lower-nebraska-property-taxes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>BEATRICE — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said Friday he hopes to trim state spending by at least $500 million in the next couple of years and capture more federal dollars for property tax relief.Pillen made those commitments at the third of his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/03/pillens-property-tax-road-show-targets-possible-yes-votes/">property tax town halls</a>, echoing a previous plan for tax relief that failed to garner enough senators’ support this spring. The town halls are designed to drum up enough support so at least 33 lawmakers will support the governor during an expected special session for property tax relief.“Some have said, ‘Well, you know we’ve been talking about property tax for 60 years and it’s the same old song,’” Pillen told the roughly three dozen people at the &nbsp;public library in Beatrice. “No, this song’s different.”The Governor’s Office on Friday announced the second leg of Pillen’s property tax town halls for next Thursday and Friday:<ul>
 <li>May 30 at noon —&nbsp;SCC Learning Center, 537 Main St., Plattsmouth.</li><li>May 31 at 11:30 a.m. —&nbsp;Seward Memorial Library, 233 S. Fifth St., Seward.</li><li>May 31 at 2 p.m. —&nbsp;Holthus Convention Center, Room I, 3130 Holen Ave., York.</li>
 </ul><h2>Reduction goal: $2 billion</h2>When Pillen came into office, he said, he walked into a situation that “scared the bejesus” out of him, where the state’s revenue coffers were plentiful but agencies wanted to increase spending.&nbsp;This set him on a path to reduce 40% in property taxes, or about $2 billion.Lawmakers nearly took another major step in April, but State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, Revenue Committee chair,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/18/stunning-last-minute-defeat-for-pillen-tax-shift-bill-likely-ensures-special-session/">pulled</a>&nbsp;her&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=49980">Legislative Bill 388</a>&nbsp;after it appeared to have fewer than 33 senators in support. That’s the minimum number of votes required to end debate on heated measures.“I’ve already told the Revenue Committee that we’re going to be working this summer,” she told the Nebraska Examiner&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/18/nebraska-lawmakers-adjourn-but-break-will-be-short-lived-as-special-session-looms-this-summer/">after that vote</a>.The governor remained committed to calling for hard caps on local spending, at about 2% or 3%, and to front-load property tax credits, allowing taxpayers to capitalize immediately rather than applying later for credits based on how much income tax they pay.<h2>State spending and sales taxes</h2>To fund his ideas, Pillen wants to trim about $500 million in state funding in the next couple of years that he said would enhance but not reduce state services. The state contracted with a Utah-based firm seeking to find similar efficiencies.“We’re just doing business practices of improving processes, streamlining, looking at things as a systems approach and making a difference,” Pillen told reporters.Pillen is also looking at about&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/about/information-guides/nebraska-sales-tax-exemptions">120 sales tax exemptions</a>&nbsp;that “pick winners and losers” and reviewing which should be eliminated, such as exemptions on pop and candy that were part of the latest tax package.State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth, who lives 10 miles east of Beatrice, gave his support for looking at sales tax exemptions, adding Nebraska leads nationwide in those carve-outs.“The sky is not going to fall if we take this stuff,” Brandt said of the exemption on pop and candy.Filling in for State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, who represents Beatrice but had a prior obligation, Brandt attended the town hall and said he trusts that the “49 personalities in the Legislature” will find a common sense solution for a governor who is “on the right track.”“I’m fully in support of whatever we come up with, and I appreciate that the governor is asking you for input,” Brandt said.In part, Pillen wants to reduce state government spending to what it was around 2012, during a deflationary period, and “correct those sins” when lawmakers increased obligations.Another funding suggestion is a philosophical change away from what Pillen said is “goober politics” where some lawmakers believe they must curry political favors for reelection.“There’s some senators who think their job is to take money to their community — that’s not Nebraska,” Pillen said. “That’s a different vision, different view.”<h2>Federal funding, increased tax obligations</h2>The governor is also seeking to increase how many federal dollars the state draws down, building off some successes in the past two years, including State Sens. Mike Jacobson of North Platte for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/16/health-care-proposals-will-top-nebraska-lawmakers-spending-in-2024/">hospital assessments</a>; Anna Wishart of Lincoln for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics; and Dorn for nursing home assessments.“Green light, pedal to the metal,” Pillen recalled telling his cabinet members on securing such funding this week. “No strings attached, but we have to get more than our fair share.”“Sin taxes” might be increased, such as those on tobacco, vaping products or alcohol, as well as on agriculture inputs, Pillen said.The governor also suggested a future plan could be the state taking on more,&nbsp;or all,&nbsp;of local obligations to fund K-12 education, similar to what happened with community colleges in 2023.One man in the audience, who said he lives close to the Kansas border, said he’s worried Pillen’s 40% reduction to property taxes still wouldn’t be enough.“Yeah, that helps, but it’s still not in the range of being competitive with our next-door neighbors,” the man said.Pillen responded that he overall wants to decrease state taxes, noting that for surrounding states with no income or property taxes, they might have higher sales taxes as a tradeoff.<h2>Unfunded and underfunded mandates</h2>“Operation Clean the Closets Out” is also on the table, which Pillen described as outlining what unfunded mandates exist for county and city governments and undoing those. Pillen said approximately 22% of county government costs come from unfunded mandates.“We have to get the unfunded mandates out, and same for cities,” Pillen said. “We have to say no. We have to clean up government.”State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue, who ran against Pillen for governor two years ago, has tried for years to tackle unfunded and underfunded mandates, proposing a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50026">constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;that would let Nebraskans vote on ending future obligations unless they come with funding.Blood said Friday that Pillen hasn’t reached out to her on the mandates. She said a list of them already exists because of previous legislative studies.&nbsp;At a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Transcripts/Government/2023-02-24.pdf">2023 hearing</a>, she pointed to many such mandates, including supervision and transportation of juvenile offenders, election ballot printing and autopsy or grand jury costs after a prisoner’s death.“We know it’s a good idea, but nobody, nobody would listen to us,” Blood said.She said the Legislature had a chance to act sooner but put good ideas “in the dumpster,” which is part of the reason she’s not willing to go into a special session.“They say they want our ideas, but they don’t really,” Blood said. “I’m not going to have them shove something down my throat that I know is just going to make it harder for the middle class and people that are struggling financially.”<h2>Summer special session goal</h2>Special sessions cost thousands of dollars each day, which Blood said might be one reason to wait on proposals that might not be guaranteed to pass. Pillen dodged a question on special session costs, stating that “really good savings” could come from senators introducing fewer bills.Asked why he thinks the town halls would change the spring outcome, Pillen told reporters he understands he faces a game of “33-17,” needing at least 33 votes but failing if 17 or more senators are opposed.However, he said, he believes in the people of Nebraska and believes they must be part of a solution, which comes at the same time as an election year for some key senators who Pillen might need to support his tax proposals.“If the citizens of Nebraska aren’t engaged with the members of the Unicameral, they can be rest assured special interest groups are, and they don’t have the citizens of Nebraska’s backs,” Pillen said.Pillen said he expects to call a special session before school starts in August, scheduling around a summer trade mission to Indonesia.“We will get it fixed, but we need your help,” Pillen told the Beatrice.

Gov. Pillen outlines some funding levers in his quest to lower Nebraska property taxes

Drug Enforcement Administration - Omaha Division

<a>OMAHA, NE&nbsp;</a>–&nbsp;Overdose trends in Omaha have dropped nearly 40 percent since the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division Overdose Response Task Force (ODRTF) began making arrests in January 2023. For their efforts,&nbsp;the eight-person team&nbsp;was presented with the Midwest Region High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Overdose Reduction Award.

Since its inception, ODRTF investigations have led to 41 arrests for drug trafficking, including 19 federal charges for distribution resulting in death or serious bodily injury. These investigations resulted in the closure of more than 17 death investigations, several of which occurred years earlier. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska played a pivotal role in the success of the task force.

“We will leverage any tool necessary to spare families from suffering the devastating loss of life to a drug poisoning or overdose,” DEA Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Steven T. Bell said. “This task force has proven that the combined efforts of state, local and federal partners can make immediate and impactful results in our communities.”

<a>Omaha, like many other cities across the nation, faced a spiraling overdose trend, with Omaha Police Department (OPD) officers getting called to roughly five overdoses a week in the three years leading up to September 2022. Conversations began between DEA and OPD in September to form a task force assigned specifically to overdose investigations. Within weeks, an Omaha Overdose Response Task Force was formed combining investigators from the DEA, OPD, Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO).</a>

"Receiving national recognition from HIDTA is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the Overdose Response Task Force,” OPD Chief Todd Schmaderer said. “The collaborative efforts within the Omaha Metro Area have been crucial in addressing and mitigating the impact of the opioid crisis. This acknowledgment highlights the importance of our ongoing commitment to innovative strategies and partnerships aimed at saving lives and enhancing community safety."

<a></a><a>Since January 2023, the ODRTF has seized approximately 345 fake fentanyl pills and more than 1,000 grams of fentanyl powder. While these seizures may seem small, they combine for nearly 98,000 deadly doses seized in Omaha alone.</a>

Drug Enforcement Administration - Omaha Division<a>OMAHA, NE&nbsp;</a>–&nbsp;Overdose trends in Omaha have dropped nearly 40 percent since the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division Overdose Response Task Force (ODRTF) began making arrests in January 2023. For their efforts,&nbsp;the eight-person team&nbsp;was presented with the Midwest Region High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Overdose Reduction Award.Since its inception, ODRTF investigations have led to 41 arrests for drug trafficking, including 19 federal charges for distribution resulting in death or serious bodily injury. These investigations resulted in the closure of more than 17 death investigations, several of which occurred years earlier. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska played a pivotal role in the success of the task force.“We will leverage any tool necessary to spare families from suffering the devastating loss of life to a drug poisoning or overdose,” DEA Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Steven T. Bell said. “This task force has proven that the combined efforts of state, local and federal partners can make immediate and impactful results in our communities.”<a>Omaha, like many other cities across the nation, faced a spiraling overdose trend, with Omaha Police Department (OPD) officers getting called to roughly five overdoses a week in the three years leading up to September 2022. Conversations began between DEA and OPD in September to form a task force assigned specifically to overdose investigations. Within weeks, an Omaha Overdose Response Task Force was formed combining investigators from the DEA, OPD, Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO).</a>"Receiving national recognition from HIDTA is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the Overdose Response Task Force,” OPD Chief Todd Schmaderer said. “The collaborative efforts within the Omaha Metro Area have been crucial in addressing and mitigating the impact of the opioid crisis. This acknowledgment highlights the importance of our ongoing commitment to innovative strategies and partnerships aimed at saving lives and enhancing community safety."<a></a><a>Since January 2023, the ODRTF has seized approximately 345 fake fentanyl pills and more than 1,000 grams of fentanyl powder. While these seizures may seem small, they combine for nearly 98,000 deadly doses seized in Omaha alone.</a>

Overdoses Drop Nearly 40 Percent Since Formation of Omaha Task Force

LINCOLN, Neb. (May 28, 2024)&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen is declaring May 29, 2024, as National 529 Day in Nebraska. This proclamation calls attention to the opportunity families have to start investing in their&nbsp;loved ones’&nbsp;futures, helping Nebraska’s next generation&nbsp;soar&nbsp;toward their personal and career goals.

“The future of our great state and country is with our youth,” said Governor Pillen. “NEST 529 Education Savings Plans are proven to help these students reach their dreams, so I’m proud to declare May 29, 2024, as National 529 Day in Nebraska.”

Post-secondary education costs like tuition and books continue to rise at, and above, the rate of inflation, making it imperative for families to start saving earlier and more consistently. Once students are ready to pursue higher education,&nbsp;529 funds can be used toward technical and trade schools, junior colleges, or universities.

“National 529 Day is one of the many great ways we can highlight the importance of investing in our children,” Nebraska Treasurer Tom Briese said. “We appreciate Governor Pillen’s support and hope parents and guardians throughout the state will evaluate the opportunity to save money and help their loved ones soar.”

Launched in 2001, Nebraska’s 529 Education Savings Plans have nearly 300,000 accounts with more than $6.9 billion in assets, as of March 31, 2024. Today, there are more than 100,000 NEST 529 accounts owned by Nebraska residents.

A&nbsp;NEST 529&nbsp;plan is a&nbsp;tax-advantaged savings account for higher education expenses.&nbsp;Tax-advantaged savings include a Nebraska state tax deduction, tax-deferred growth, and tax-free qualified withdrawals.1&nbsp;Account Owners in Nebraska are eligible for an annual state income tax deduction of up to $10,000 for NEST 529 contributions or $5,000 if married filing separately.2&nbsp;NEST 529 College Savings Plans can be used for everything from four-year universities to two-year technical schools. Opening a NEST 529 account doesn’t require a minimum deposit to get started, and contributions can be managed online. NEST 529 plans give families the ability to start investing in their loved one’s future, so they can soar to their goals and become who they want to be as adults.

The Nebraska State Treasurer serves as the Program Trustee. All investments, including the portfolio structure offered through the NEST 529 program, are vetted and approved by the Nebraska Investment Council.

Nebraska State Treasurer OfficeLINCOLN, Neb. (May 28, 2024)&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen is declaring May 29, 2024, as National 529 Day in Nebraska. This proclamation calls attention to the opportunity families have to start investing in their&nbsp;loved ones’&nbsp;futures, helping Nebraska’s next generation&nbsp;soar&nbsp;toward their personal and career goals.“The future of our great state and country is with our youth,” said Governor Pillen. “NEST 529 Education Savings Plans are proven to help these students reach their dreams, so I’m proud to declare May 29, 2024, as National 529 Day in Nebraska.”Post-secondary education costs like tuition and books continue to rise at, and above, the rate of inflation, making it imperative for families to start saving earlier and more consistently. Once students are ready to pursue higher education,&nbsp;529 funds can be used toward technical and trade schools, junior colleges, or universities.“National 529 Day is one of the many great ways we can highlight the importance of investing in our children,” Nebraska Treasurer Tom Briese said. “We appreciate Governor Pillen’s support and hope parents and guardians throughout the state will evaluate the opportunity to save money and help their loved ones soar.”Launched in 2001, Nebraska’s 529 Education Savings Plans have nearly 300,000 accounts with more than $6.9 billion in assets, as of March 31, 2024. Today, there are more than 100,000 NEST 529 accounts owned by Nebraska residents.About NEST 529 PlansA&nbsp;NEST 529&nbsp;plan is a&nbsp;tax-advantaged savings account for higher education expenses.&nbsp;Tax-advantaged savings include a Nebraska state tax deduction, tax-deferred growth, and tax-free qualified withdrawals.1&nbsp;Account Owners in Nebraska are eligible for an annual state income tax deduction of up to $10,000 for NEST 529 contributions or $5,000 if married filing separately.2&nbsp;NEST 529 College Savings Plans can be used for everything from four-year universities to two-year technical schools. Opening a NEST 529 account doesn’t require a minimum deposit to get started, and contributions can be managed online. NEST 529 plans give families the ability to start investing in their loved one’s future, so they can soar to their goals and become who they want to be as adults.The Nebraska State Treasurer serves as the Program Trustee. All investments, including the portfolio structure offered through the NEST 529 program, are vetted and approved by the Nebraska Investment Council.

Nebraska Governor Pillen Declares National 529 Day

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s campaign on Tuesday showed up outside former President Donald Trump’s New York City&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-jury-hush-money-stormy-daniels-e262d1fe4a9ca624f2f983ca1000eb55">criminal hush money trial</a>&nbsp;with actor Robert De Niro and a pair of former police officers in an effort to refocus the presidential race on the former president’s role in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection</a>.

It was a sharp about-face for Biden’s team, which had largely ignored the trial since it began six weeks ago and is now looking to capitalize on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-stormy-daniels-cohen-a1984e2353de3df5d0520e4f0705f7f8">its drama-filled closing moments</a>, sending the “Goodfellas” actor and the first responders who were at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Biden’s campaign had been wary about feeding into Trump’s argument that his criminal trials were the result of politically motivated prosecutions, but ultimately it decided to engage because its message about the stakes of the election was struggling to break through the intense focus on the trial.

A top Biden adviser said they weren’t there to talk about the trial — and De Niro and the officers didn’t reference the sordid criminal case directly — rather to exploit the large media focus on the legal proceedings. But Trump advisers argued in a dueling press conference that the Biden team’s presence validated the Republican former president’s claims that his prosecutions are being driven by politics.

“We’re not here today because of what’s going on over there,” Biden campaign communication director Michael Tyler told reporters, gesturing toward the courthouse. “We’re here today because you all are here.”

The back-to-back press conferences were a side show to the main event playing out inside the courthouse, where closing arguments were under way in the only Trump trial likely to surface before the November election. There are two others directly related to the Republican’s efforts to undo his 2020 loss to Biden, a Democrat: A federal case in Washington is related to his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, and a state case in Georgia accuses him of election interference. He has pleaded not guilty in those cases.

The Biden campaign last week released a new ad that was narrated by De Niro sharply criticizing Trump’s presidency and plans if he’s reelected.

“I don’t mean to scare you. No, wait, maybe I do mean to scare you,” De Niro told reporters. “If Trump returns to the White House, you can kiss these freedoms goodbye that we all take for granted.”

The actor cast himself as the true New Yorker and mocked Trump’s history of sometimes-unsuccessful business ventures and self-promotion, saying Trump was looking to “destroy” the city.

“We New Yorkers used to tolerate him when he was just another crappy real estate hustler masquerading as a big shot,” De Niro said. “I love this city. I don’t want to destroy it. Donald Trump wants to destroy not only the city but the country, and, eventually, he could destroy the world.”

Former Washington, D.C., police officer Michael Fanone and former Capitol police officer Harry Dunn spoke of their personal experiences on Jan. 6, with Fanone describing his injuries suffered at the hands of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the mob of Trump supporters</a>&nbsp;seeking to halt Congress’ certification of Biden’s 2020 presidential victory.

“I came here today to remind Americans of what Donald Trump is capable of and the violence that he unleashed on all of Americans on Jan. 6, 2021,” Fanone said.

The two former officers were also witnesses during a congressional investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Hundreds of law enforcement officers were beaten and bloodied in the attack by Trump supporters, who descended after a rally and smashed into the Capitol while Trump remained silent for hours.

“Americans need to wake up. This is not a drill,” said Harry Dunn, a former Capitol police officer who ran unsuccessfully for office in Maryland.

“We can’t count on these institutions to stop Donald Trump,” he added. “It’s going to take us Americans at the ballot box to defeat him once and for all.”

Trump’s campaign staffers held their own news conference at the same spot outside the courthouse to respond to De Niro, the Jan. 6 officers and the Biden campaign.

Trump’s senior campaign adviser, Jason Miller, called De Niro — who won Oscars for his roles in “The Godfather: Part II” and “Raging Bull” — “a washed-up actor” and said the Biden news conference proved Trump’s arguments that the trial, like the others the former president is facing, was motivated by politics.

“After months of saying politics had nothing to do with this trial, they showed up and made a campaign event out of a lower Manhattan trial day for President Trump,” Miller said.

Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s press secretary, called the Biden campaign “desperate and failing” and “pathetic” and said its event outside the trial was “a full-blown concession that this trial is a witch hunt that comes from the top.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s campaign on Tuesday showed up outside former President Donald Trump’s New York City&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-jury-hush-money-stormy-daniels-e262d1fe4a9ca624f2f983ca1000eb55">criminal hush money trial</a>&nbsp;with actor Robert De Niro and a pair of former police officers in an effort to refocus the presidential race on the former president’s role in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Actor Robert De Niro in New York City: &quot;I love this city. I don&#39;t want to destroy it. Donald Trump wants to destroy not only the city, but the country and eventually he could destroy the world.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/FxiEdPeKHI">pic.twitter.com/FxiEdPeKHI</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1795479989799854330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It was a sharp about-face for Biden’s team, which had largely ignored the trial since it began six weeks ago and is now looking to capitalize on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-stormy-daniels-cohen-a1984e2353de3df5d0520e4f0705f7f8">its drama-filled closing moments</a>, sending the “Goodfellas” actor and the first responders who were at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Biden’s campaign had been wary about feeding into Trump’s argument that his criminal trials were the result of politically motivated prosecutions, but ultimately it decided to engage because its message about the stakes of the election was struggling to break through the intense focus on the trial.A top Biden adviser said they weren’t there to talk about the trial — and De Niro and the officers didn’t reference the sordid criminal case directly — rather to exploit the large media focus on the legal proceedings. But Trump advisers argued in a dueling press conference that the Biden team’s presence validated the Republican former president’s claims that his prosecutions are being driven by politics.“We’re not here today because of what’s going on over there,” Biden campaign communication director Michael Tyler told reporters, gesturing toward the courthouse. “We’re here today because you all are here.”The back-to-back press conferences were a side show to the main event playing out inside the courthouse, where closing arguments were under way in the only Trump trial likely to surface before the November election. There are two others directly related to the Republican’s efforts to undo his 2020 loss to Biden, a Democrat: A federal case in Washington is related to his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, and a state case in Georgia accuses him of election interference. He has pleaded not guilty in those cases.The Biden campaign last week released a new ad that was narrated by De Niro sharply criticizing Trump’s presidency and plans if he’s reelected.“I don’t mean to scare you. No, wait, maybe I do mean to scare you,” De Niro told reporters. “If Trump returns to the White House, you can kiss these freedoms goodbye that we all take for granted.”The actor cast himself as the true New Yorker and mocked Trump’s history of sometimes-unsuccessful business ventures and self-promotion, saying Trump was looking to “destroy” the city.“We New Yorkers used to tolerate him when he was just another crappy real estate hustler masquerading as a big shot,” De Niro said. “I love this city. I don’t want to destroy it. Donald Trump wants to destroy not only the city but the country, and, eventually, he could destroy the world.”Former Washington, D.C., police officer Michael Fanone and former Capitol police officer Harry Dunn spoke of their personal experiences on Jan. 6, with Fanone describing his injuries suffered at the hands of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the mob of Trump supporters</a>&nbsp;seeking to halt Congress’ certification of Biden’s 2020 presidential victory.“I came here today to remind Americans of what Donald Trump is capable of and the violence that he unleashed on all of Americans on Jan. 6, 2021,” Fanone said.The two former officers were also witnesses during a congressional investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Hundreds of law enforcement officers were beaten and bloodied in the attack by Trump supporters, who descended after a rally and smashed into the Capitol while Trump remained silent for hours.“Americans need to wake up. This is not a drill,” said Harry Dunn, a former Capitol police officer who ran unsuccessfully for office in Maryland.“We can’t count on these institutions to stop Donald Trump,” he added. “It’s going to take us Americans at the ballot box to defeat him once and for all.”Trump’s campaign staffers held their own news conference at the same spot outside the courthouse to respond to De Niro, the Jan. 6 officers and the Biden campaign.Trump’s senior campaign adviser, Jason Miller, called De Niro — who won Oscars for his roles in “The Godfather: Part II” and “Raging Bull” — “a washed-up actor” and said the Biden news conference proved Trump’s arguments that the trial, like the others the former president is facing, was motivated by politics.“After months of saying politics had nothing to do with this trial, they showed up and made a campaign event out of a lower Manhattan trial day for President Trump,” Miller said.Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s press secretary, called the Biden campaign “desperate and failing” and “pathetic” and said its event outside the trial was “a full-blown concession that this trial is a witch hunt that comes from the top.”

 🎥Biden campaign sends Robert De Niro to Trump's trial

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis apologized Tuesday after he was quoted using a vulgar and derogatory term about gay men to reaffirm the Catholic Church’s ban on gay priests.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni issued a statement acknowledging the media storm that erupted about Francis’ comments, which were delivered behind closed doors to Italian bishops on May 20.

Italian media on Monday had quoted unnamed Italian bishops in reporting that Francis jokingly used the term “faggotness” while speaking in Italian during the encounter. He had used the term in reaffirming the Vatican’s ban on allowing gay men to enter seminaries and be ordained priests.

Bruni said Francis was aware of the reports and recalled that the Argentine pope, who has made outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics a hallmark of his papacy, has long insisted there was “room for everyone” in the Catholic Church.

“The pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who were offended by the use of a term that was reported by others,” Bruni said.

With the statement, Bruni carefully avoided an outright confirmation that the pope had indeed used the term, in keeping with the Vatican's tradition of not revealing what the pope says behind closed doors. But Bruni also didn't deny that Francis had used the term and acknowledged that some people had been offended by it.

Francis was addressing an assembly of the Italian bishops conference, which recently approved a new document outlining training for Italian seminarians. The document, which hasn’t been published pending review by the Holy See, reportedly sought to open some wiggle room in the Vatican’s absolute ban on gay priests by introducing the issue of celibacy as the primary requirement for priests, gay or straight.

The Vatican ban was articulated in a 2005 document from the Congregation for Catholic Education, and later repeated in a subsequent document in 2016, which said the church cannot admit to seminaries or ordain men who “practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called gay culture.”

The position has long been criticized as homophobic and hypocritical for an institution that certainly counts gay priests in its ranks. The late psychotherapist Richard Sipe, a onetime Benedictine monk who taught in U.S. seminaries, estimated in the early 2000s that as many as 30% of the U.S. clergy was homosexually oriented.

The late Rev. Donald Cozzens, a seminary rector, said the percentage was even higher, and asserted in his book “The Changing Face of The Priesthood” that the U.S. priesthood was increasingly becoming a gay profession since so many heterosexual men had left the priesthood to marry and have families.

Priests in the Latin rite Catholic Church cannot marry, while those in eastern rite churches may.

Francis strongly reaffirmed the Vatican ban on gay priests in his May 20 meeting with the Italian bishops, joking that “there is already an air of faggotness” in seminaries, the Italian media reported, after initial reporting from gossip site Dagospia.

Italian is not Francis’ mother tongue language, and the Argentine pope has made linguistic gaffes in the past that raised eyebrows. The 87-year-old Argentine pope often speaks informally, jokes using slang and even curses in private.

He has been known for his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics, however, starting from his famous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-7b465b60945f40deb3a68b3de742f84a">“Who am I to judge</a>&nbsp;” comment in 2013 about a priest who purportedly had a gay lover in his past. He has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-transgender-lgbtq-b3d67868504ba701cce09da9ecc94de0">ministered to transgender Catholics</a>, allowed priests to bless same-sex couples and called for an end to anti-gay legislation, saying in a 2023 interview with The Associated Press that “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">Being homosexual is not a crime.</a>&nbsp;”

However, he has occasionally offended LGBTQ+ people and their advocates, including in that same interview where he implied that while homosexuality wasn't a crime, it was a sin. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-lgbtq-people-religion-marriage-862075728690d103bd99bbe8e1e65aba">later clarified</a>&nbsp;that he was referring to sexual activity, and that any sex outside marriage between a man and a woman was sinful in the eyes of the church.

And most recently, he signed off on a Vatican document asserting that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-gender-surrogacy-abortion-pope-3f84d8eb97f045b0cfb0ec1efa4e614e">gender-affirming surgery was a grave violation of human dignity.</a>

New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics, welcomed Francis' apology Tuesday and said it confirmed that the "use of the slur was a careless colloquialism." But the group's director Francis DeBernardo questioned the underlying content of the pope's comments and the overall ban on gays in the priesthood.

“Without a clarification, his words will be interpreted as a blanket ban on accepting any gay man to a seminary,” DeBernardo said in a release, asking for a clearer statement on Francis' views about gay priests “so many of whom faithfully serve the people of God each day.”

Francis strongly reaffirmed that position in his May 20 meeting with the Italian bishops, joking that “there is already an air of faggotness” in seminaries, the Italian media reported, after initial reporting from gossip site Dagospia.

He has been known for his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics, however, starting from his famous “Who am I to judge” comment in 2013 about a priest who purportedly had a gay lover in his past.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615845367722.png" alt="Italian media on Monday had quoted unnamed Italian bishops in reporting that Francis jokingly used the term “faggotness” while speaking in Italian during the encounter.-File photo CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Italian media on Monday had quoted unnamed Italian bishops in reporting that Francis jokingly used the term “faggotness” while speaking in Italian during the encounter.-File photo CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis apologized Tuesday after he was quoted using a vulgar and derogatory term about gay men to reaffirm the Catholic Church’s ban on gay priests.Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni issued a statement acknowledging the media storm that erupted about Francis’ comments, which were delivered behind closed doors to Italian bishops on May 20.Italian media on Monday had quoted unnamed Italian bishops in reporting that Francis jokingly used the term “faggotness” while speaking in Italian during the encounter. He had used the term in reaffirming the Vatican’s ban on allowing gay men to enter seminaries and be ordained priests.Bruni said Francis was aware of the reports and recalled that the Argentine pope, who has made outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics a hallmark of his papacy, has long insisted there was “room for everyone” in the Catholic Church.“The pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who were offended by the use of a term that was reported by others,” Bruni said.With the statement, Bruni carefully avoided an outright confirmation that the pope had indeed used the term, in keeping with the Vatican's tradition of not revealing what the pope says behind closed doors. But Bruni also didn't deny that Francis had used the term and acknowledged that some people had been offended by it.Francis was addressing an assembly of the Italian bishops conference, which recently approved a new document outlining training for Italian seminarians. The document, which hasn’t been published pending review by the Holy See, reportedly sought to open some wiggle room in the Vatican’s absolute ban on gay priests by introducing the issue of celibacy as the primary requirement for priests, gay or straight.The Vatican ban was articulated in a 2005 document from the Congregation for Catholic Education, and later repeated in a subsequent document in 2016, which said the church cannot admit to seminaries or ordain men who “practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called gay culture.”The position has long been criticized as homophobic and hypocritical for an institution that certainly counts gay priests in its ranks. The late psychotherapist Richard Sipe, a onetime Benedictine monk who taught in U.S. seminaries, estimated in the early 2000s that as many as 30% of the U.S. clergy was homosexually oriented.The late Rev. Donald Cozzens, a seminary rector, said the percentage was even higher, and asserted in his book “The Changing Face of The Priesthood” that the U.S. priesthood was increasingly becoming a gay profession since so many heterosexual men had left the priesthood to marry and have families.Priests in the Latin rite Catholic Church cannot marry, while those in eastern rite churches may.Francis strongly reaffirmed the Vatican ban on gay priests in his May 20 meeting with the Italian bishops, joking that “there is already an air of faggotness” in seminaries, the Italian media reported, after initial reporting from gossip site Dagospia.Italian is not Francis’ mother tongue language, and the Argentine pope has made linguistic gaffes in the past that raised eyebrows. The 87-year-old Argentine pope often speaks informally, jokes using slang and even curses in private.He has been known for his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics, however, starting from his famous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-7b465b60945f40deb3a68b3de742f84a">“Who am I to judge</a>&nbsp;” comment in 2013 about a priest who purportedly had a gay lover in his past. He has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-transgender-lgbtq-b3d67868504ba701cce09da9ecc94de0">ministered to transgender Catholics</a>, allowed priests to bless same-sex couples and called for an end to anti-gay legislation, saying in a 2023 interview with The Associated Press that “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">Being homosexual is not a crime.</a>&nbsp;”However, he has occasionally offended LGBTQ+ people and their advocates, including in that same interview where he implied that while homosexuality wasn't a crime, it was a sin. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-lgbtq-people-religion-marriage-862075728690d103bd99bbe8e1e65aba">later clarified</a>&nbsp;that he was referring to sexual activity, and that any sex outside marriage between a man and a woman was sinful in the eyes of the church.And most recently, he signed off on a Vatican document asserting that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-gender-surrogacy-abortion-pope-3f84d8eb97f045b0cfb0ec1efa4e614e">gender-affirming surgery was a grave violation of human dignity.</a>New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics, welcomed Francis' apology Tuesday and said it confirmed that the "use of the slur was a careless colloquialism." But the group's director Francis DeBernardo questioned the underlying content of the pope's comments and the overall ban on gays in the priesthood.“Without a clarification, his words will be interpreted as a blanket ban on accepting any gay man to a seminary,” DeBernardo said in a release, asking for a clearer statement on Francis' views about gay priests “so many of whom faithfully serve the people of God each day.”The Vatican ban was articulated in a 2005 document from the Congregation for Catholic Education, and later repeated in a subsequent document in 2016, which said the church cannot admit to seminaries or ordain men who “practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called gay culture.”Francis strongly reaffirmed that position in his May 20 meeting with the Italian bishops, joking that “there is already an air of faggotness” in seminaries, the Italian media reported, after initial reporting from gossip site Dagospia.Italian is not Francis’ mother tongue language, and the Argentine pope has made linguistic gaffes in the past that raised eyebrows. The 87-year-old Argentine pope often speaks informally, jokes using slang and even curses in private.He has been known for his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics, however, starting from his famous “Who am I to judge” comment in 2013 about a priest who purportedly had a gay lover in his past.

Pope Francis apologizes after quoted using homophobic slur

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AP) — Generations of American families have grown up not knowing exactly what happened to their loved ones who died while serving their country in World War II and other conflicts.

But a federal lab tucked away above the bowling alley at Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha and a sister lab in Hawaii are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f18def51817489a80ec461a84299604">steadily answering those lingering questions</a>, aiming to offer 200 families per year the chance to honor their relatives with a proper burial.

“They may not even have been alive when that service member was alive, but that story gets carried down through the generations," said Carrie Brown, a Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lab manager at Offutt. "They may have seen on the mantle a picture of that person when they were little and not really understood or known who they were.”

Memorial Day and the upcoming 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6 are reminders of the urgency of Brown's work. The forensic anthropologists, medical examiners and historians who work together to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medal-of-honor-remains-identified-korea-d27e7c4be23a29e48a63652a29b19202">identify lost soldiers</a>&nbsp;are in a race against time as remains buried on battlefields around the globe deteriorate.

But advances in DNA technology, combined with innovative techniques including comparing bones to chest X-rays taken by the military, mean the labs can identify more of the missing soldiers every year. Some 72,000 World War II soldiers remain unaccounted for, along with roughly 10,000 more from all the conflicts since. The experts believe about half of those are recoverable.

The agency identified 59 servicemembers in 2013, when the Offutt lab first opened. That number has steadily risen — 159 service members last year, up from 134 in 2022 — and the labs have a goal of 200 identifications annually.

The labs' work allowed Donna Kennedy to bury her cousin, Cpl. Charles Ray Patten, with full military honors this month in the same Lawson, Missouri, cemetery where his father and grandfather are buried. Patten died 74 years ago during the Korean War, but spent decades buried as an unknown in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.

“I just I ached. I mean, it hurt. You know, I just felt so bad. Even though I didn’t know him, I loved him,” Kennedy said.

Patten's funeral was a simple affair with just a few family members. But often when veterans who fought decades earlier are identified, people waving flags and holding signs line the streets of their hometowns to herald the return of their remains.

“This work is important first and foremost because these are individuals that gave their lives to protect our freedom, and they paid the ultimate sacrifice. So we’re here holding that promise that we’ll return them home to their families,” Brown said.

"It’s important for their families to show them that we’ll never stop, no matter what,” she said.

Often there are compelling details, Brown said.

One of her first cases involved the intact remains of a World War I Marine found in a forest in France with his wallet still in his pocket. The wallet, initialed G.H., contained a New York Times article describing plans for the offensive in which he ultimately died. He also had an infantryman badge with his name and the year he received it on the back.

Associated PressOFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AP) — Generations of American families have grown up not knowing exactly what happened to their loved ones who died while serving their country in World War II and other conflicts.But a federal lab tucked away above the bowling alley at Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha and a sister lab in Hawaii are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f18def51817489a80ec461a84299604">steadily answering those lingering questions</a>, aiming to offer 200 families per year the chance to honor their relatives with a proper burial.“They may not even have been alive when that service member was alive, but that story gets carried down through the generations," said Carrie Brown, a Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lab manager at Offutt. "They may have seen on the mantle a picture of that person when they were little and not really understood or known who they were.”Memorial Day and the upcoming 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6 are reminders of the urgency of Brown's work. The forensic anthropologists, medical examiners and historians who work together to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medal-of-honor-remains-identified-korea-d27e7c4be23a29e48a63652a29b19202">identify lost soldiers</a>&nbsp;are in a race against time as remains buried on battlefields around the globe deteriorate.But advances in DNA technology, combined with innovative techniques including comparing bones to chest X-rays taken by the military, mean the labs can identify more of the missing soldiers every year. Some 72,000 World War II soldiers remain unaccounted for, along with roughly 10,000 more from all the conflicts since. The experts believe about half of those are recoverable.The agency identified 59 servicemembers in 2013, when the Offutt lab first opened. That number has steadily risen — 159 service members last year, up from 134 in 2022 — and the labs have a goal of 200 identifications annually.The labs' work allowed Donna Kennedy to bury her cousin, Cpl. Charles Ray Patten, with full military honors this month in the same Lawson, Missouri, cemetery where his father and grandfather are buried. Patten died 74 years ago during the Korean War, but spent decades buried as an unknown in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.“I just I ached. I mean, it hurt. You know, I just felt so bad. Even though I didn’t know him, I loved him,” Kennedy said.Patten's funeral was a simple affair with just a few family members. But often when veterans who fought decades earlier are identified, people waving flags and holding signs line the streets of their hometowns to herald the return of their remains.“This work is important first and foremost because these are individuals that gave their lives to protect our freedom, and they paid the ultimate sacrifice. So we’re here holding that promise that we’ll return them home to their families,” Brown said."It’s important for their families to show them that we’ll never stop, no matter what,” she said.Often there are compelling details, Brown said.One of her first cases involved the intact remains of a World War I Marine found in a forest in France with his wallet still in his pocket. The wallet, initialed G.H., contained a New York Times article describing plans for the offensive in which he ultimately died. He also had an infantryman badge with his name and the year he received it on the back.Before leaving France with the remains, the team visited a local cemetery where other soldiers were buried and learned there were only two missing soldiers with the initials G.H.Brown had a fair idea who that soldier was before his remains even arrived in the lab. That veteran was buried in Arlington National Cemetery and Brown often visits his grave when she is in Washington D.C.Most cases aren’t that easy.The experts who work at the lab must piece together identities by looking at historical records about where the remains were found and which soldiers were in the area. They then consult the list of possible names and use the bones, objects found with them, military medical records and DNA to confirm their identities. They focus on battles and plane crashes where they have the greatest chance of success because of available information.But their work can be complicated if soldiers were buried in a temporary cemetery and moved when a unit was forced to retreat. And unidentified soldiers were often buried together.When remains are brought to the lab, they sometimes include an extra bone. Experts then spend months or even years matching the bones and waiting for DNA and other test results to confirm their identities.One test even can identify if the soldier grew up primarily eating rice or a corn-based diet.The lab also compares specific traits of collar bones to the chest X-rays the military routinely took of soldiers before they were deployed. It helps that the military keeps extensive records of all soldiers.Those clues help the experts put together the puzzle of someone's identity.“It’s not always easy. It’s certainly not instantaneous,” Brown said. “Some of the cases, we really have to fight to get to that spot, because some of them have been gone for 80 years.”