WASHINGTON (AP) — The last thing standing between Ashnaelle Bijoux and her college dream is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fafsa-financial-aid-college-education-faf16cf14fb69a20e373d3ada1b63dca">FAFSA form</a>&nbsp;— a financial aid application that's supposed to help students go to college, but is blocking her instead. She has tried to submit it over and over. Every time, it fails to go through.

“I feel overwhelmed and stressed out,” said Bijoux, 19. She came close to tears the last time she tried the form. “I feel like I'm being held back."

Normally a time of celebration for high school seniors, this spring has been marred by the federal government's botched rollout of the&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa">new FAFSA application</a>. By May 1, students usually know where they're headed to college in the fall. This year, most still haven't received financial aid offers. Three months before the start of fall classes, many don't know where they're going to college, or how they're going to pay for it.

“We’re asking them to make probably one of the biggest financial decisions — and decisions that will have the biggest implications on their lives going forward — without all of the information,” said Justin Draeger, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, went through a massive overhaul that was supposed to make it simpler and shorter. But a series of blunders by the Education Department made it harder than ever, delaying college decisions by months and raising fears that hundreds of thousands of students will forgo college entirely.

Across the United States, the number of students who have successfully submitted the FAFSA is down 29% from this time last year, and it’s even worse at schools with more low-income students, according to the National College Attainment Network.

The group's CEO, Kim Cook, warned members of Congress this month about a potentially “catastrophic” drop in college enrollments that would make the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-race-and-ethnicity-coronavirus-pandemic-phoenix-b2e2ec55b3ed43c4b64c192b0eced089">decreases of the pandemic</a>&nbsp;seem mild.

For Bijoux, of Norwich, Connecticut, the FAFSA problems threaten to undermine the promise of higher education.

To her, college is a chance to seize the opportunities that weren't available to her mother, who immigrated from Haiti to the U.S. as an adult. Bijoux hopes to become a therapist and set a positive example for her three younger brothers.

If her FAFSA goes through, she should be eligible for enough financial aid to help with the $ 13,000-a-year tuition at Southern Connecticut State University. If not, she might go to a local community college, but even that would require loans if she can't complete the FAFSA.

“That’s why it hurts, because it’s like you work so hard to go somewhere and do something and make something of yourself,” Bijoux said. “I thought I would start at a four-year (college) and then work hard continuously, like I’ve been doing basically my whole life. But that’s not the case.”

The updated FAFSA form has one section filled out by students and another by their parents. But when Bijoux finishes her part, nothing shows up on her mom's online account. She keeps trying, but nothing seems to change.

Similar problems have been reported across the country, along with numerous other bugs that the Education Department has scrambled to fix. Families who call for customer service have faced long wait times or say the call center hung up on them.

It “drains all the momentum” from families working to send their children to college, especially those navigating the process for the first time, said Anne Zinn, a counselor at Norwich Free Academy, where Bijoux goes to school.

“I can only say so many times, ‘Just be patient, just be patient,’ before they throw their hands up and they’re like, ‘Why am I doing this? I’m just gonna&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/skipping-college-student-loans-trade-jobs-efc1f6d6067ab770f6e512b3f7719cc0">go get a job</a>,'" she said.

The rollout has attracted bipartisan criticism in Congress, and it's being investigated at the request of Republicans. Last week, Richard Cordray, the federal student loan chief who oversaw the FAFSA update, announced he's stepping down at the end of June.

For colleges, too, the delays pose a major threat.

Enrollment decreases like those being projected now could put many small colleges out of business, or necessitate deep cuts in staff. Some colleges are pushing for emergency relief just to stay afloat, said Angel Pérez, CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

“If they don’t get checks from the federal government to basically get them through next year, they will not survive,” Pérez said.

The FAFSA has been the linchpin of student financial aid for decades. It's used to determine eligibility for the federal Pell grant, a scholarship for low-income students, and it's required to receive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/student-loans">federal student loans</a>. Colleges and states also use FAFSA to distribute their own scholarships.

FAFSA had long been maligned for being tedious, difficult and intimidating to families without college experience. Congress passed legislation in 2020 meant to simplify the form. The Education Department was ordered to reduce the number of questions from more than 100 to about 40, and change the formula to expand aid to more students.

Problems started piling up as soon as the new form went online in December, already months overdue.

The first applications were incorrectly processed using an outdated calculation for inflation. Later, a federal contractor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fafsa-aid-college-admissions-miscalculation-delay-6edb28219068fd19428b786635f09282">miscalculated</a>&nbsp;a different formula on more than 200,000 applications. Each mistake added to delays, leaving students waiting longer to hear anything about financial aid.

Even more worrisome is a misstep that blocked students from finishing the form if they have a parent without a Social Security number. Advocates say the system locked out hundreds of thousands of students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents but whose parents are not.

The Education Department on Tuesday said it's giving those parents a new way to enter their tax information manually. But as recently as this week, some students said they were still blocked from submitting the form.

Federal education officials say they're addressing lingering bugs but making progress. More than 8 million student applications have now been processed and sent to colleges, the agency said, and new applications are being processed within three days.

Still, the wait is far from over. It usually takes weeks for schools to prepare financial aid offers. Some colleges have extended decision deadlines to give students more time to weigh their options. But some stuck to May 1, forcing students to choose a college — and make a nonrefundable payment to hold their spot — without knowing all their scholarship options.

In West Virginia, Gov. Jim Justice on Tuesday declared a state of emergency that allows students to receive state scholarships without having their FAFSA processed by the federal government. West Virginia has the lowest number of college graduates in the nation, and the state’s high school FAFSA completion rates are currently down nearly 40%, said Justice, a Republican.

"Really and truly, a lot of kids are sitting on the sidelines ... wondering, ‘Am I going to be able to go to college?’ ” he said during a news briefing.

In Baltimore, Camryn Carter is waiting to find out if he'll get a full ride to the University of Maryland or face tens of thousands of dollars in student loans.

A top student and captain of his baseball and wrestling teams, Carter sees college as a step up in life. He thinks back to the times in the grocery store line when he had to put items back on the shelf because his mom couldn't afford the bill. A college degree would give him the stability he didn't always have, the 18-year-old said.

But when he looks at tuition,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-costs-elite-wellesley-harvard-tuition-aid-16dc3cb23d713a206d050da8594b998c">it's intimidating</a>. Along with Maryland, he's also considering McDaniel College, a private school in Maryland. If he enrolls there, he expects to borrow almost $30,000 a year.

“I try to make the best decisions now so I can have a good future,” he said. “I'm a little nervous that things won't work out. But I'm faithful.”

Leah Willingham contributed reporting from Charleston, West Virginia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700516528497.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The last thing standing between Ashnaelle Bijoux and her college dream is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fafsa-financial-aid-college-education-faf16cf14fb69a20e373d3ada1b63dca">FAFSA form</a>&nbsp;— a financial aid application that's supposed to help students go to college, but is blocking her instead. She has tried to submit it over and over. Every time, it fails to go through.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">What is supposed to be an exciting day for millions of high-school students across America is instead a day of uncertainty because of this Administration’s disastrous FAFSA rollout, leaving their future in limbo. <a href="https://t.co/0mm7S07rXR">pic.twitter.com/0mm7S07rXR</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1785789719139192850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I feel overwhelmed and stressed out,” said Bijoux, 19. She came close to tears the last time she tried the form. “I feel like I'm being held back."Normally a time of celebration for high school seniors, this spring has been marred by the federal government's botched rollout of the&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa">new FAFSA application</a>. By May 1, students usually know where they're headed to college in the fall. This year, most still haven't received financial aid offers. Three months before the start of fall classes, many don't know where they're going to college, or how they're going to pay for it.“We’re asking them to make probably one of the biggest financial decisions — and decisions that will have the biggest implications on their lives going forward — without all of the information,” said Justin Draeger, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, went through a massive overhaul that was supposed to make it simpler and shorter. But a series of blunders by the Education Department made it harder than ever, delaying college decisions by months and raising fears that hundreds of thousands of students will forgo college entirely.Across the United States, the number of students who have successfully submitted the FAFSA is down 29% from this time last year, and it’s even worse at schools with more low-income students, according to the National College Attainment Network.The group's CEO, Kim Cook, warned members of Congress this month about a potentially “catastrophic” drop in college enrollments that would make the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-race-and-ethnicity-coronavirus-pandemic-phoenix-b2e2ec55b3ed43c4b64c192b0eced089">decreases of the pandemic</a>&nbsp;seem mild.For Bijoux, of Norwich, Connecticut, the FAFSA problems threaten to undermine the promise of higher education.To her, college is a chance to seize the opportunities that weren't available to her mother, who immigrated from Haiti to the U.S. as an adult. Bijoux hopes to become a therapist and set a positive example for her three younger brothers.If her FAFSA goes through, she should be eligible for enough financial aid to help with the $ 13,000-a-year tuition at Southern Connecticut State University. If not, she might go to a local community college, but even that would require loans if she can't complete the FAFSA.“That’s why it hurts, because it’s like you work so hard to go somewhere and do something and make something of yourself,” Bijoux said. “I thought I would start at a four-year (college) and then work hard continuously, like I’ve been doing basically my whole life. But that’s not the case.”The updated FAFSA form has one section filled out by students and another by their parents. But when Bijoux finishes her part, nothing shows up on her mom's online account. She keeps trying, but nothing seems to change.Similar problems have been reported across the country, along with numerous other bugs that the Education Department has scrambled to fix. Families who call for customer service have faced long wait times or say the call center hung up on them.It “drains all the momentum” from families working to send their children to college, especially those navigating the process for the first time, said Anne Zinn, a counselor at Norwich Free Academy, where Bijoux goes to school.“I can only say so many times, ‘Just be patient, just be patient,’ before they throw their hands up and they’re like, ‘Why am I doing this? I’m just gonna&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/skipping-college-student-loans-trade-jobs-efc1f6d6067ab770f6e512b3f7719cc0">go get a job</a>,'" she said.The rollout has attracted bipartisan criticism in Congress, and it's being investigated at the request of Republicans. Last week, Richard Cordray, the federal student loan chief who oversaw the FAFSA update, announced he's stepping down at the end of June.For colleges, too, the delays pose a major threat.Enrollment decreases like those being projected now could put many small colleges out of business, or necessitate deep cuts in staff. Some colleges are pushing for emergency relief just to stay afloat, said Angel Pérez, CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling.“If they don’t get checks from the federal government to basically get them through next year, they will not survive,” Pérez said.The FAFSA has been the linchpin of student financial aid for decades. It's used to determine eligibility for the federal Pell grant, a scholarship for low-income students, and it's required to receive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/student-loans">federal student loans</a>. Colleges and states also use FAFSA to distribute their own scholarships.FAFSA had long been maligned for being tedious, difficult and intimidating to families without college experience. Congress passed legislation in 2020 meant to simplify the form. The Education Department was ordered to reduce the number of questions from more than 100 to about 40, and change the formula to expand aid to more students.Problems started piling up as soon as the new form went online in December, already months overdue.The first applications were incorrectly processed using an outdated calculation for inflation. Later, a federal contractor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fafsa-aid-college-admissions-miscalculation-delay-6edb28219068fd19428b786635f09282">miscalculated</a>&nbsp;a different formula on more than 200,000 applications. Each mistake added to delays, leaving students waiting longer to hear anything about financial aid.Even more worrisome is a misstep that blocked students from finishing the form if they have a parent without a Social Security number. Advocates say the system locked out hundreds of thousands of students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents but whose parents are not.The Education Department on Tuesday said it's giving those parents a new way to enter their tax information manually. But as recently as this week, some students said they were still blocked from submitting the form.Federal education officials say they're addressing lingering bugs but making progress. More than 8 million student applications have now been processed and sent to colleges, the agency said, and new applications are being processed within three days.Still, the wait is far from over. It usually takes weeks for schools to prepare financial aid offers. Some colleges have extended decision deadlines to give students more time to weigh their options. But some stuck to May 1, forcing students to choose a college — and make a nonrefundable payment to hold their spot — without knowing all their scholarship options.In West Virginia, Gov. Jim Justice on Tuesday declared a state of emergency that allows students to receive state scholarships without having their FAFSA processed by the federal government. West Virginia has the lowest number of college graduates in the nation, and the state’s high school FAFSA completion rates are currently down nearly 40%, said Justice, a Republican."Really and truly, a lot of kids are sitting on the sidelines ... wondering, ‘Am I going to be able to go to college?’ ” he said during a news briefing.In Baltimore, Camryn Carter is waiting to find out if he'll get a full ride to the University of Maryland or face tens of thousands of dollars in student loans.A top student and captain of his baseball and wrestling teams, Carter sees college as a step up in life. He thinks back to the times in the grocery store line when he had to put items back on the shelf because his mom couldn't afford the bill. A college degree would give him the stability he didn't always have, the 18-year-old said.But when he looks at tuition,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-costs-elite-wellesley-harvard-tuition-aid-16dc3cb23d713a206d050da8594b998c">it's intimidating</a>. Along with Maryland, he's also considering McDaniel College, a private school in Maryland. If he enrolls there, he expects to borrow almost $30,000 a year.“I try to make the best decisions now so I can have a good future,” he said. “I'm a little nervous that things won't work out. But I'm faithful.”__Leah Willingham contributed reporting from Charleston, West Virginia.

Experts fear 'catastrophic' college declines thanks to botched FAFSA rollout

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — It was the music that changed first. Or maybe that’s just when many people at the pale brick Catholic church in the quiet Wisconsin neighborhood finally began to realize what was happening.

The choir director, a fixture at St. Maria Goretti for nearly 40 years, was suddenly gone. Contemporary hymns were replaced by music rooted in medieval Europe.

So much was changing. Sermons were focusing more on sin and confession. Priests were rarely seen without cassocks. Altar girls, for a time, were banned.

At the parish elementary school, students began hearing about abortion and hell.

“It was like a step back in time,” said one former parishioner, still so dazed by the tumultuous changes that began in 2021 with a new pastor that he only spoke on condition of anonymity.

Across the U.S., the Catholic Church is undergoing an immense shift. Generations of Catholics who embraced the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-7033b0291ddeea9d5a5facc0d53ece0e">modernizing tide sparked in the 1960s by Vatican II</a>&nbsp;are increasingly giving way to religious conservatives who believe the church has been twisted by change, with the promise of salvation replaced by casual indifference to doctrine.

The shift, molded by plummeting church attendance, increasingly traditional priests and growing numbers of young Catholics searching for more orthodoxy, has reshaped parishes across the country, leaving them&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-bishops-unity-baltimore-meeting-bb937e3e22f2034c20184954cc9df5d6">sometimes at odds</a>&nbsp;with Pope Francis and much of the Catholic world.

The changes are not happening everywhere. There are still plenty of liberal parishes, plenty that see themselves as middle-of-the-road. Despite their growing influence, conservative Catholics remain a minority.

Yet the changes they have brought are impossible to miss.

The progressive priests who dominated the U.S. church in the years after Vatican II are now in their 70s and 80s. Many are retired. Some are dead. Younger priests, surveys show, are far more conservative.

At St. Maria Goretti, once steeped in the ethos of Vatican II, many parishioners saw the changes as a requiem.

“I don’t want my daughter to be Catholic,” said Christine Hammond, whose family left the parish when the new outlook spilled into the church’s school and her daughter’s classroom. “Not if this is the Roman Catholic Church that is coming.”

But this is not a simple story. Because there are many who welcome this new, old church.

They often stand out in the pews, with the men in ties and the women sometimes with the lace head coverings that all but disappeared from American churches more than 50 years ago. Large families signal adherence to the church’s contraception ban, which most Americans have casually ignored.

Many yearn for Masses that echo with medieval traditions – more Latin, more incense, more Gregorian chants.

“We want this ethereal experience that is different from everything else in our lives,” said Ben Rouleau, who until recently led St. Maria Goretti’s young adult group, which saw membership skyrocket even as the parish shrank amid the turmoil.

If this movement emerged from anywhere, it might be a now-demolished Denver football stadium.

Some 500,000 people descended on Denver in 1993 for the Catholic festival World Youth Day.

<a href="https://apnews.com/18f1705cf56b44f199f1183fb46e6af6">Pope John Paul II</a>, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-0885152155e64cf59209d4f77b828560">beloved</a>&nbsp;both for his kindness and his sternness, confronted an American church shaped by decades of progressive change.

The church had grown increasingly liberal since Vatican II. Confession was rarely mentioned, Latin largely abandoned. Catholic social teaching on poverty suffused churches.

On some issues, John Paul II agreed with liberal-minded Catholics, speaking against capital punishment and for workers’ rights. He preached relentlessly about forgiveness.

Catholics “are in danger of losing their faith,” he said in Denver, decrying abortion, drug abuse, and what he called “sexual disorders.”

Across the nation, fervent young Catholics listened.

Yet even today, surveys show most American Catholics are far from orthodox. Most support abortion rights. The vast majority use birth control.

But increasingly, those&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/the-nones/the-nones-us.html">Catholics</a>&nbsp;are not in church.

In 1970, more than half of America’s Catholics said they went to Mass at least once a week. By 2022, that had fallen to 17%, according to CARA, a research center affiliated with Georgetown University. Among millennials, it’s just 9%.

As a result, those who remain in the church have outsized influence.

On the national level, conservatives increasingly dominate the U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference and the Catholic intellectual world. They include everyone from the philanthropist founder of Domino’s Pizza to six of the nine U.S. Supreme Court justices.

Young priests driven by liberal politics and progressive theology, so common in the 1960s and 70s, have all but vanished.

In churches from Minnesota to California, liberal parishioners have protested changes introduced by new conservative priests. Each can seem like one more skirmish in the cultural and political battles tearing at America.

Looming above the American divide is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-birthday-trial-21da45380cf0890dd2bd5ce6c33f0fcf">Pope</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-trial-pope-critique-becciu-3cee6a7f78070e590c5e90f31d56d52d">Francis</a>, who has pushed the global church to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">inclusive</a>, even as he stands firm on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-women-still-cant-be-priest-3bdcad94325be16ee2993f61eb17c5a0">dogma</a>.

The orthodox movement has watched him nervously, angered by his more liberal views on issues like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-pope-bfa5b71fa79055626e362936e739d1d8">gay relationships</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-43eeaafd67e2429a8fb617e4261db5a4">divorce</a>. Some reject him entirely.

And the pope&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-cardinal-burke-conservatives-strickland-163f2d3522a80fa5f908421cc812cfc9">worries</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-us-bishops-lgbtq-women-pope-francis-81a602274dd604b7cc532425a289b00c">about</a>&nbsp;America.

The U.S. church has “a very strong reactionary attitude,” he said last year.

St. Maria Goretti is a well-kept island of Catholicism tucked into one of America’s most liberal cities.

In 2021, a new priest, the Rev. Scott Emerson, was named pastor.

Parishioners watched the changes - some pleased, some uneasily. Emerson’s sermons are not all fire-and-brimstone. He speaks often about forgiveness and compassion. But his tone shocked many longtime parishioners.

Protection is needed, he said in a 2023 service, from “the spiritual corruption of worldly vices.” He has warned against critics – “the atheists, journalists, politicians, the fallen-away Catholics” – he said were undermining the church.

But those critics, he says, will be proven wrong.

“How many have laughed at the church, announcing that she was passe, that her days were over and that they would bury her?” he said in a 2021 Mass.

“The church,” he said, “has buried every one of her undertakers.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714878214376.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM SULLIVANMADISON, Wis. (AP) — It was the music that changed first. Or maybe that’s just when many people at the pale brick Catholic church in the quiet Wisconsin neighborhood finally began to realize what was happening.The choir director, a fixture at St. Maria Goretti for nearly 40 years, was suddenly gone. Contemporary hymns were replaced by music rooted in medieval Europe.So much was changing. Sermons were focusing more on sin and confession. Priests were rarely seen without cassocks. Altar girls, for a time, were banned.At the parish elementary school, students began hearing about abortion and hell.“It was like a step back in time,” said one former parishioner, still so dazed by the tumultuous changes that began in 2021 with a new pastor that he only spoke on condition of anonymity.It’s not just St. Maria Goretti.Across the U.S., the Catholic Church is undergoing an immense shift. Generations of Catholics who embraced the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-7033b0291ddeea9d5a5facc0d53ece0e">modernizing tide sparked in the 1960s by Vatican II</a>&nbsp;are increasingly giving way to religious conservatives who believe the church has been twisted by change, with the promise of salvation replaced by casual indifference to doctrine.The shift, molded by plummeting church attendance, increasingly traditional priests and growing numbers of young Catholics searching for more orthodoxy, has reshaped parishes across the country, leaving them&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-bishops-unity-baltimore-meeting-bb937e3e22f2034c20184954cc9df5d6">sometimes at odds</a>&nbsp;with Pope Francis and much of the Catholic world.The changes are not happening everywhere. There are still plenty of liberal parishes, plenty that see themselves as middle-of-the-road. Despite their growing influence, conservative Catholics remain a minority.Yet the changes they have brought are impossible to miss.The progressive priests who dominated the U.S. church in the years after Vatican II are now in their 70s and 80s. Many are retired. Some are dead. Younger priests, surveys show, are far more conservative.At St. Maria Goretti, once steeped in the ethos of Vatican II, many parishioners saw the changes as a requiem.“I don’t want my daughter to be Catholic,” said Christine Hammond, whose family left the parish when the new outlook spilled into the church’s school and her daughter’s classroom. “Not if this is the Roman Catholic Church that is coming.”But this is not a simple story. Because there are many who welcome this new, old church.They often stand out in the pews, with the men in ties and the women sometimes with the lace head coverings that all but disappeared from American churches more than 50 years ago. Large families signal adherence to the church’s contraception ban, which most Americans have casually ignored.Many yearn for Masses that echo with medieval traditions – more Latin, more incense, more Gregorian chants.“We want this ethereal experience that is different from everything else in our lives,” said Ben Rouleau, who until recently led St. Maria Goretti’s young adult group, which saw membership skyrocket even as the parish shrank amid the turmoil.___If this movement emerged from anywhere, it might be a now-demolished Denver football stadium.Some 500,000 people descended on Denver in 1993 for the Catholic festival World Youth Day.<a href="https://apnews.com/18f1705cf56b44f199f1183fb46e6af6">Pope John Paul II</a>, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-0885152155e64cf59209d4f77b828560">beloved</a>&nbsp;both for his kindness and his sternness, confronted an American church shaped by decades of progressive change.The church had grown increasingly liberal since Vatican II. Confession was rarely mentioned, Latin largely abandoned. Catholic social teaching on poverty suffused churches.On some issues, John Paul II agreed with liberal-minded Catholics, speaking against capital punishment and for workers’ rights. He preached relentlessly about forgiveness.But he was uncompromising on dogma.Catholics “are in danger of losing their faith,” he said in Denver, decrying abortion, drug abuse, and what he called “sexual disorders.”Across the nation, fervent young Catholics listened.Yet even today, surveys show most American Catholics are far from orthodox. Most support abortion rights. The vast majority use birth control.But increasingly, those&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/the-nones/the-nones-us.html">Catholics</a>&nbsp;are not in church.In 1970, more than half of America’s Catholics said they went to Mass at least once a week. By 2022, that had fallen to 17%, according to CARA, a research center affiliated with Georgetown University. Among millennials, it’s just 9%.As a result, those who remain in the church have outsized influence.On the national level, conservatives increasingly dominate the U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference and the Catholic intellectual world. They include everyone from the philanthropist founder of Domino’s Pizza to six of the nine U.S. Supreme Court justices.Then there’s the priesthood.Young priests driven by liberal politics and progressive theology, so common in the 1960s and 70s, have all but vanished.In churches from Minnesota to California, liberal parishioners have protested changes introduced by new conservative priests. Each can seem like one more skirmish in the cultural and political battles tearing at America.Looming above the American divide is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-birthday-trial-21da45380cf0890dd2bd5ce6c33f0fcf">Pope</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-trial-pope-critique-becciu-3cee6a7f78070e590c5e90f31d56d52d">Francis</a>, who has pushed the global church to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">inclusive</a>, even as he stands firm on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-women-still-cant-be-priest-3bdcad94325be16ee2993f61eb17c5a0">dogma</a>.The orthodox movement has watched him nervously, angered by his more liberal views on issues like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-pope-bfa5b71fa79055626e362936e739d1d8">gay relationships</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-43eeaafd67e2429a8fb617e4261db5a4">divorce</a>. Some reject him entirely.And the pope&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-cardinal-burke-conservatives-strickland-163f2d3522a80fa5f908421cc812cfc9">worries</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-us-bishops-lgbtq-women-pope-francis-81a602274dd604b7cc532425a289b00c">about</a>&nbsp;America.The U.S. church has “a very strong reactionary attitude,” he said last year.St. Maria Goretti is a well-kept island of Catholicism tucked into one of America’s most liberal cities.In 2021, a new priest, the Rev. Scott Emerson, was named pastor.Parishioners watched the changes - some pleased, some uneasily. Emerson’s sermons are not all fire-and-brimstone. He speaks often about forgiveness and compassion. But his tone shocked many longtime parishioners.Protection is needed, he said in a 2023 service, from “the spiritual corruption of worldly vices.” He has warned against critics – “the atheists, journalists, politicians, the fallen-away Catholics” – he said were undermining the church.But those critics, he says, will be proven wrong.“How many have laughed at the church, announcing that she was passe, that her days were over and that they would bury her?” he said in a 2021 Mass.“The church,” he said, “has buried every one of her undertakers.”

Step back in time: America's Catholic Church sees shift toward the old ways

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of senators including Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall is pushing for restrictions on the use of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/factsheets/facial-recognition-technology">facial recognition technology</a>&nbsp;by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tsa.gov/">Transportation Security Administration</a>, saying they are concerned about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/facial-recognition-airport-screening-tsa-d8b6397c02afe16602c8d34409d1451f">travelers' privacy and civil liberties</a>.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.merkley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024_05_02_LTR-TSA-Freeze-to-Leadership.pdf">a letter</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, the group of 14 lawmakers called on Senate leaders to use the upcoming reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration as a vehicle to limit TSA's use of the technology so Congress can put in place some oversight.

"This technology poses significant threats to our privacy and civil liberties, and Congress should prohibit TSA’s development and deployment of facial recognition tools until rigorous congressional oversight occurs," the senators wrote.

The effort, led by Marshall and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeff-merkley">Sens. Jeff Merkley</a>&nbsp;D-Oregon and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-kennedy">John Kennedy</a>, R-Louisiana "would halt facial recognition technology at security checkpoints, which has proven to improve security effectiveness, efficiency, and the passenger experience,” TSA said in a statement.

The technology is currently in use at 84 airports around the country and is planned to expand in the coming years to the roughly 430 covered by TSA.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-aviation-safety-bill-faa-3bed07b5384105e1c168afb10a369eed">The FAA reauthorization</a>&nbsp;is one of the last must-pass bills of this Congress. The agency regulates airlines and aircraft manufacturers and manages the nation’s airspace.

TSA, which is part of the Homeland Security Department, has been rolling out the facial recognition technology at select airports in a pilot project. Travelers put their driver’s license into a slot that reads the card or they place their passport photo against a card reader. Then they look at a camera on a screen about the size of an iPad that captures their image and compares it to their ID. The technology is checking to make sure that travelers at the airport match the ID they present and that the identification is real. A TSA officer signs off on the screening.

The agency says the system improves accuracy of identity verification without slowing passenger speeds at checkpoints.

Passengers can opt out, although David Pekoske, the TSA administrator,&nbsp;<a href="https://schedule.sxsw.com/2023/events/PP1143589">said last year</a>&nbsp;that eventually biometrics would be required because they are more effective and efficient. He gave no timeline.

Critics have raised questions about how the data is collected, who has access to it, and what happens if there is a hack. Privacy advocates are concerned about possible bias in the algorithms and say it is not clear enough to passengers that they do not have to submit to facial recognition.

“It is clear that we are at a critical juncture," the senators wrote. “The scope of the government’s use of facial recognition on Americans will expand exponentially under TSA’s plans with little to no public discourse or congressional oversight.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714667791318.png" alt="Photo Transportation Security Administration" />
 <figcaption>Photo Transportation Security Administration</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of senators including Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall is pushing for restrictions on the use of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/factsheets/facial-recognition-technology">facial recognition technology</a>&nbsp;by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tsa.gov/">Transportation Security Administration</a>, saying they are concerned about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/facial-recognition-airport-screening-tsa-d8b6397c02afe16602c8d34409d1451f">travelers' privacy and civil liberties</a>.In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.merkley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024_05_02_LTR-TSA-Freeze-to-Leadership.pdf">a letter</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, the group of 14 lawmakers called on Senate leaders to use the upcoming reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration as a vehicle to limit TSA's use of the technology so Congress can put in place some oversight."This technology poses significant threats to our privacy and civil liberties, and Congress should prohibit TSA’s development and deployment of facial recognition tools until rigorous congressional oversight occurs," the senators wrote.The effort, led by Marshall and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeff-merkley">Sens. Jeff Merkley</a>&nbsp;D-Oregon and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-kennedy">John Kennedy</a>, R-Louisiana "would halt facial recognition technology at security checkpoints, which has proven to improve security effectiveness, efficiency, and the passenger experience,” TSA said in a statement.The technology is currently in use at 84 airports around the country and is planned to expand in the coming years to the roughly 430 covered by TSA.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-aviation-safety-bill-faa-3bed07b5384105e1c168afb10a369eed">The FAA reauthorization</a>&nbsp;is one of the last must-pass bills of this Congress. The agency regulates airlines and aircraft manufacturers and manages the nation’s airspace.TSA, which is part of the Homeland Security Department, has been rolling out the facial recognition technology at select airports in a pilot project. Travelers put their driver’s license into a slot that reads the card or they place their passport photo against a card reader. Then they look at a camera on a screen about the size of an iPad that captures their image and compares it to their ID. The technology is checking to make sure that travelers at the airport match the ID they present and that the identification is real. A TSA officer signs off on the screening.The agency says the system improves accuracy of identity verification without slowing passenger speeds at checkpoints.Passengers can opt out, although David Pekoske, the TSA administrator,&nbsp;<a href="https://schedule.sxsw.com/2023/events/PP1143589">said last year</a>&nbsp;that eventually biometrics would be required because they are more effective and efficient. He gave no timeline.Critics have raised questions about how the data is collected, who has access to it, and what happens if there is a hack. Privacy advocates are concerned about possible bias in the algorithms and say it is not clear enough to passengers that they do not have to submit to facial recognition.“It is clear that we are at a critical juncture," the senators wrote. “The scope of the government’s use of facial recognition on Americans will expand exponentially under TSA’s plans with little to no public discourse or congressional oversight.”

Kan. Senator wants to limit facial recognition technology for airport screening

WASHINGTON (AP) — A driver died after a vehicle crashed into an outer perimeter gate of the White House complex, and the incident late Saturday was being investigated as a traffic crash, police said. President Joe Biden was spending the weekend in Delaware, and the Secret Service said there was no threat to the White House.

The male driver, who was not immediately identified, was found dead in the vehicle following the crash shortly before 10:30 p.m., according to a Secret Service statement.

The Metropolitan Police Department said the vehicle crashed into a security barrier at the intersection of 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Police were called to the scene at 10:46 p.m. and said one adult male was pronounced dead from the crash into a security barrier around the complex.

The Secret Service said security protocols were put in place and that there was no threat to the White House. The Secret Service and police will continue to investigate.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A driver died after a vehicle crashed into an outer perimeter gate of the White House complex, and the incident late Saturday was being investigated as a traffic crash, police said. President Joe Biden was spending the weekend in Delaware, and the Secret Service said there was no threat to the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Limited traffic closures remain in effect as Secret Service teams, <a href="https://twitter.com/dcfireems?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dcfireems</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/DCPoliceDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DCPoliceDept</a> investigate a fatal vehicle crash that occurred at an exterior perimeter gate by the White House. There is no threat or public safety implications and our preliminary statement is below <a href="https://t.co/zGTVDuZV5E">pic.twitter.com/zGTVDuZV5E</a>&mdash; Anthony Guglielmi (@SecretSvcSpox) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecretSvcSpox/status/1786972886915309885?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The male driver, who was not immediately identified, was found dead in the vehicle following the crash shortly before 10:30 p.m., according to a Secret Service statement.The Metropolitan Police Department said the vehicle crashed into a security barrier at the intersection of 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Police were called to the scene at 10:46 p.m. and said one adult male was pronounced dead from the crash into a security barrier around the complex.The Secret Service said security protocols were put in place and that there was no threat to the White House. The Secret Service and police will continue to investigate.-------------

Driver dies after crash into a security barrier around the White House complex

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — `United Methodist delegates on Friday repealed their church’s longstanding ban on the celebrations of same-sex marriages or unions by its clergy and in its churches.

The action marked the final major reversal of a collection of LGBTQ bans and disapprovals that have been embedded throughout the laws and social teachings of the United Methodist Church over the previous half-century.

The 447-233 vote by the UMC's General Conference came one day after delegates overwhelmingly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/methodists-lgbtq-samesex-marriage-gay-rights-e3a7677a3b025b07211153179727c255">voted to repeal</a>&nbsp;a 52-year-old declaration that the practice of homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian teaching” and two days after they repealed the denomination's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-lgbtq-clergy-general-conference-acabe18fe22b6838e3005ad8895534fa">ban on LGBTQ clergy</a>.

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

The delegates voted to repeal a section in their Book of Discipline, or church law, that states: “Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches.”

Clergy will neither be required nor prohibited from performing any marriage, according to existing law that the conference affirmed with minor revisions Friday.

On Thursday, delegates approved Revised Social Principles, or statements of the church's values. In addition to removing the language about homosexuality being “incompatible with Christian teaching," that revision also defined marriage as a covenant between two adults, without limiting it to heterosexual couples, as the previous version had done.

But while Social Principles are non-binding, the clause removed on Friday had the force of law.

Regional conferences outside the United States have the ability to set their own rules, however, so churches in Africa and elsewhere with more conservative views on sexuality could retain bans on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy. A pending amendment to the church constitution would also enable the U.S. region to make such adaptations.

The change doesn’t mandate or even explicitly affirm same-sex marriages. But it removes their prohibition. It takes effect Saturday following the close of General Conference.

The Rev. Rebecca Girrell of Vermont told fellow delegates that she regretted having initially declined a request to perform a same-sex marriage because of church rules. “I promised I would never betray my heart or my call to offer ministry and grace to all persons again,” she said.

Later, she said she did defy church rules and performed the same-sex wedding for two military servicemen before their deployment. “You will never convince me that that was wrong,” she said.

But Samuel Cole from Liberia urged the conference not to approve the measure, saying it would not be accepted in other parts of the world and adding that only a man and a woman can produce children.

A temporary window opened in 2019 that enabled American churches to leave with their properties, normally held by the denomination, under more favorable than normal terms. While the conference voted against extending that window to international churches, the conference votes could still prompt departures of some international churches through different means — particularly in Africa, where conservative sexual values prevail and where same-sex activity is criminalized in some countries.

Separately, the General Conference on Friday removed language making it a chargeable offense for clergy to be a “self-avowed practicing homosexual” or perform same-sex marriages — similar to previous repeals but affecting a different part of church law. There was some debate because the measure also removed other chargeable offenses, such as being unfaithful in marriage, but proponents said there are other parts of the Book of Discipline that allow the church to discipline ministers for immorality.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714773005712.png" alt="Amanda Mountain (left) and Bridget Cabrera celebrate outside the Charlotte Convention Center during the United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, N.C., after delegates eliminated the longtime assertion in the denomination’s Social Principles that “the practice of homosexuality… is incompatible with Christian teaching.” Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News." />
 <figcaption>Amanda Mountain (left) and Bridget Cabrera celebrate outside the Charlotte Convention Center during the United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, N.C., after delegates eliminated the longtime assertion in the denomination’s Social Principles that “the practice of homosexuality… is incompatible with Christian teaching.” Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.</figcaption>
 </figure>CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — `United Methodist delegates on Friday repealed their church’s longstanding ban on the celebrations of same-sex marriages or unions by its clergy and in its churches.The action marked the final major reversal of a collection of LGBTQ bans and disapprovals that have been embedded throughout the laws and social teachings of the United Methodist Church over the previous half-century.The 447-233 vote by the UMC's General Conference came one day after delegates overwhelmingly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/methodists-lgbtq-samesex-marriage-gay-rights-e3a7677a3b025b07211153179727c255">voted to repeal</a>&nbsp;a 52-year-old declaration that the practice of homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian teaching” and two days after they repealed the denomination's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-lgbtq-clergy-general-conference-acabe18fe22b6838e3005ad8895534fa">ban on LGBTQ clergy</a>.It’s the UMC’s first legislative gathering since 2019, one that featured its most progressive slate of delegates in memory following the departure of more than 7,600 mostly conservative congregations in the United States because it essentially stopped enforcing its bans on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ ordination.The delegates voted to repeal a section in their Book of Discipline, or church law, that states: “Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches.”Clergy will neither be required nor prohibited from performing any marriage, according to existing law that the conference affirmed with minor revisions Friday.On Thursday, delegates approved Revised Social Principles, or statements of the church's values. In addition to removing the language about homosexuality being “incompatible with Christian teaching," that revision also defined marriage as a covenant between two adults, without limiting it to heterosexual couples, as the previous version had done.But while Social Principles are non-binding, the clause removed on Friday had the force of law.Regional conferences outside the United States have the ability to set their own rules, however, so churches in Africa and elsewhere with more conservative views on sexuality could retain bans on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy. A pending amendment to the church constitution would also enable the U.S. region to make such adaptations.The change doesn’t mandate or even explicitly affirm same-sex marriages. But it removes their prohibition. It takes effect Saturday following the close of General Conference.The Rev. Rebecca Girrell of Vermont told fellow delegates that she regretted having initially declined a request to perform a same-sex marriage because of church rules. “I promised I would never betray my heart or my call to offer ministry and grace to all persons again,” she said.Later, she said she did defy church rules and performed the same-sex wedding for two military servicemen before their deployment. “You will never convince me that that was wrong,” she said.But Samuel Cole from Liberia urged the conference not to approve the measure, saying it would not be accepted in other parts of the world and adding that only a man and a woman can produce children.A temporary window opened in 2019 that enabled American churches to leave with their properties, normally held by the denomination, under more favorable than normal terms. While the conference voted against extending that window to international churches, the conference votes could still prompt departures of some international churches through different means — particularly in Africa, where conservative sexual values prevail and where same-sex activity is criminalized in some countries.Separately, the General Conference on Friday removed language making it a chargeable offense for clergy to be a “self-avowed practicing homosexual” or perform same-sex marriages — similar to previous repeals but affecting a different part of church law. There was some debate because the measure also removed other chargeable offenses, such as being unfaithful in marriage, but proponents said there are other parts of the Book of Discipline that allow the church to discipline ministers for immorality.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

United Methodists repeal church ban on clergy celebrating same-sex marriages

WASHINGTON (AP) — “Star Wars” actor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-star-wars-luke-hamill-app-08ec03bf1a2c9c0378857090079f00f9">Mark Hamill dropped by the White House</a>&nbsp;on Friday for a visit with President Joe Biden and walked away with a pair of the president's aviator sunglasses and a greater respect for the office.

(click below to watch Hamill's fun during the press briefing)

“I love the merch," he said, taking off the glasses during a quick appearance at the White House daily press briefing following his visit with Biden. Hamill, 72, famous for playing Luke Skywalker, kidded with reporters that he'd take a few questions — as long as they weren't about “Star Wars.”

“I was honored to be asked to come to the White House to meet the president,” he said. He's been to the White House before, during the Carter and Obama administrations, but he'd never checked out the Oval Office, and that was quite something, he said. Biden showed off photographs and other Oval Office items, Hamill said.

Hamill said Biden told him to call him “Joe,” to which Hamill offered an alternative suggestion: “Can I call you Joe-bi-Wan Kenobi?”

“He liked that,” said Hamill, who also voiced the Joker in “Batman: The Animated Series.”

Both Hamill and the White House were vague about his reason for visiting. But Hamill, a Democrat and Biden supporter with a huge social media following, has been posting about the president's reelection campaign this week.

“May The First Not Quench Your Thirst For Biden’s Re-election!” he wrote on May 1.

On Friday he posted, “May The Third Be Absurd That The Guy Who Tried To Steal A Fair Election Is Allowed To Run Again," a reference to Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

May 4th is unofficially “Star Wars” Day, in part because of the famous Jedi phrase “May the force be with you." The pun goes, “May the fourth be with you.”

Hamill also lent his voice to “Air Alert” — a downloadable app linked to Ukraine’s air defense system. His voice urges people to take cover whenever Russia unleashes another aerial bombardment on Ukraine.

WASHINGTON (AP) — “Star Wars” actor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-star-wars-luke-hamill-app-08ec03bf1a2c9c0378857090079f00f9">Mark Hamill dropped by the White House</a>&nbsp;on Friday for a visit with President Joe Biden and walked away with a pair of the president's aviator sunglasses and a greater respect for the office.(click below to watch Hamill's fun during the press briefing)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F280489755135170%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=150" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>“I love the merch," he said, taking off the glasses during a quick appearance at the White House daily press briefing following his visit with Biden. Hamill, 72, famous for playing Luke Skywalker, kidded with reporters that he'd take a few questions — as long as they weren't about “Star Wars.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">May The Fourth Be The Day A Make-Believe Defender Of The Galaxy Met A Real-Life Defender Of Democracy<a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> <a href="https://t.co/yXPlW7W7Y7">pic.twitter.com/yXPlW7W7Y7</a>&mdash; Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkHamill/status/1786720218443641299?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I was honored to be asked to come to the White House to meet the president,” he said. He's been to the White House before, during the Carter and Obama administrations, but he'd never checked out the Oval Office, and that was quite something, he said. Biden showed off photographs and other Oval Office items, Hamill said.Hamill said Biden told him to call him “Joe,” to which Hamill offered an alternative suggestion: “Can I call you Joe-bi-Wan Kenobi?”“He liked that,” said Hamill, who also voiced the Joker in “Batman: The Animated Series.”Both Hamill and the White House were vague about his reason for visiting. But Hamill, a Democrat and Biden supporter with a huge social media following, has been posting about the president's reelection campaign this week.“May The First Not Quench Your Thirst For Biden’s Re-election!” he wrote on May 1.On Friday he posted, “May The Third Be Absurd That The Guy Who Tried To Steal A Fair Election Is Allowed To Run Again," a reference to Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.May 4th is unofficially “Star Wars” Day, in part because of the famous Jedi phrase “May the force be with you." The pun goes, “May the fourth be with you.”Hamill also lent his voice to “Air Alert” — a downloadable app linked to Ukraine’s air defense system. His voice urges people to take cover whenever Russia unleashes another aerial bombardment on Ukraine.

🎥'Star Wars' actor drops by White House for a visit with 'Joe-bi-Wan Kenobi'

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Everyone knows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/warren-buffett">Warren Buffett</a>&nbsp;'s successor won't be able to match the legendary investor, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/berkshire-hathaway-inc">Berkshire Hathaway</a>&nbsp;'s board remains confident Greg Abel is the right guy to one day lead the conglomerate into the future.

Longtime Berkshire board member Ron Olson told investors gathered Thursday at a conference two days ahead of the company's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-shareholders-meeting-munger-125f7fd2fc2830d74fb8f246727fedcd">annual shareholders meeting</a>&nbsp;that Abel understands all the fundamental principles that guided Buffett, like letting Berkshire's companies largely run themselves. And Abel will be committed to running Berkshire in a conservative way that will protect the company that's known for it financial strength, he said.

“Greg is not somebody who is going to be as likely to create the kind of following in the press that I think Warren has had,” Olson said. “On the other hand. I have every reason to believe that he will run the companies that we have the responsibility for in the same way that Warren ran them.”

Olson said he's confident business owners will still be willing to sell their companies to Berkshire once the Canadian utility executive takes over after the 93-year-old Buffett is gone.

Olson said he doesn't think last year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haslam-warren-buffett-pilot-truck-stops-berkshire-hathaway-10abae4ac96c3d0466d2fc7e8c4c805c">public legal fight</a>&nbsp;with the billionaire Haslam family over how much Berkshire would ultimately pay for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-letter-charlie-munger-41d58fcfe54fa1eba8f5492aac0542a2">last 20%</a>&nbsp;of the Pilot truck stop chain the family agreed to sell to Buffett will be a deterrent to future deals either. Both the Haslams and Berkshire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-haslam-pilot-truck-stops-lawsuit-11f34a6f0494e53c80ea8b13635eb21e">accused</a>&nbsp;each other of trying to manipulate Pilot's earnings to affect the final $2.6 billion price.

Business owners considering selling can see all the positive and respectful relationships Berkshire has with its dozens of other subsidiaries on display in the 200,000-square-foot exhibit hall adjoining the arena where Saturday's meeting will be held, Olson said.

In fact the legal battle gave Olson, who is a partner at Berkshire's primary law firm, the chance to work closely with Abel, giving him even more confidence in the board's chosen successor.

“I could tell you that his preparation and thinking was impressive. He is strategic in his thinking. And he is decisive in his judgement,” Olson said.

Plus, Berkshire is sitting on more than $167 billion cash, so it has ample resources to do deals and, Olson said, “people generally like to be paid in cash.”

Abel, who keeps a low profile and doesn't typically grant interviews, will be answering questions alongside Buffett for hours Saturday, trying to help fill the role Buffett's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-munger-dead-warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-96b8e7a7b096339cb57ff72df915567a">longtime partner Charlie Munger</a>&nbsp;held for decades before he died last fall. Abel has been overseeing all of Berkshire's varied non-insurance businesses for several years while another vice chairman, Ajit Jain, oversees the insurance businesses, including Geico and General Reinsurance.

Olson said Abel is a numbers guy who can dissect a business' balance sheet as quickly and well as Buffett, and he's also a great listener that people like to work with.

But, Olson said, “Greg is not going to be as entertaining as Warren and Charlie have been through the years.”

So Munger's absence will be felt acutely on Saturday by all the thousands of people attending the meeting. There simply is no way to replace the expertise, advice and friendship Munger offered to Buffett for more than six decades.

Professor Lawrence Cunningham, who has written several books about Berkshire, said he thinks even with the profound loss of Munger the company he helped build will endure.

“The chair is empty. There’s no way to fill it. But I’m also confident that Warren — and especially Greg and Ajit — will carry on the torch,” Cunningham said.

Berkshire has been grappling with succession questions for decades, but Cunningham said he thinks Buffett and Munger built an organization bigger than themselves that will endure.

Olson said Berkshire's board knows there just isn't another Warren Buffett or Charlie Munger out there to replace those two men.

After Buffett dies, Berkshire will face pressure as the shareholder base evolves to include more index and activist investors. One of the things investors may demand is that Berkshire change its longstanding policy and start paying a dividend if it can't find a good use for all that cash.

Olson said the board hasn't ruled out paying a dividend at some point in the future, but it also hasn't seriously considering approving one now with Buffett still at the helm.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714754047412.jpeg" alt="Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Greg Abel is seen at the CenturyLink Center, May 5, 2018, in Omaha, Neb. Everyone knows Warren Buffett's successor won't be able to match the legendary investor, but Berkshire Hathaway's board remains confident that Abel is the right guy to one day lead the conglomerate into the future. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)" />
 <figcaption>Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Greg Abel is seen at the CenturyLink Center, May 5, 2018, in Omaha, Neb. Everyone knows Warren Buffett's successor won't be able to match the legendary investor, but Berkshire Hathaway's board remains confident that Abel is the right guy to one day lead the conglomerate into the future. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Everyone knows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/warren-buffett">Warren Buffett</a>&nbsp;'s successor won't be able to match the legendary investor, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/berkshire-hathaway-inc">Berkshire Hathaway</a>&nbsp;'s board remains confident Greg Abel is the right guy to one day lead the conglomerate into the future.Longtime Berkshire board member Ron Olson told investors gathered Thursday at a conference two days ahead of the company's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-shareholders-meeting-munger-125f7fd2fc2830d74fb8f246727fedcd">annual shareholders meeting</a>&nbsp;that Abel understands all the fundamental principles that guided Buffett, like letting Berkshire's companies largely run themselves. And Abel will be committed to running Berkshire in a conservative way that will protect the company that's known for it financial strength, he said.“Greg is not somebody who is going to be as likely to create the kind of following in the press that I think Warren has had,” Olson said. “On the other hand. I have every reason to believe that he will run the companies that we have the responsibility for in the same way that Warren ran them.”Olson said he's confident business owners will still be willing to sell their companies to Berkshire once the Canadian utility executive takes over after the 93-year-old Buffett is gone.Olson said he doesn't think last year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haslam-warren-buffett-pilot-truck-stops-berkshire-hathaway-10abae4ac96c3d0466d2fc7e8c4c805c">public legal fight</a>&nbsp;with the billionaire Haslam family over how much Berkshire would ultimately pay for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-letter-charlie-munger-41d58fcfe54fa1eba8f5492aac0542a2">last 20%</a>&nbsp;of the Pilot truck stop chain the family agreed to sell to Buffett will be a deterrent to future deals either. Both the Haslams and Berkshire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-haslam-pilot-truck-stops-lawsuit-11f34a6f0494e53c80ea8b13635eb21e">accused</a>&nbsp;each other of trying to manipulate Pilot's earnings to affect the final $2.6 billion price.Business owners considering selling can see all the positive and respectful relationships Berkshire has with its dozens of other subsidiaries on display in the 200,000-square-foot exhibit hall adjoining the arena where Saturday's meeting will be held, Olson said.In fact the legal battle gave Olson, who is a partner at Berkshire's primary law firm, the chance to work closely with Abel, giving him even more confidence in the board's chosen successor.“I could tell you that his preparation and thinking was impressive. He is strategic in his thinking. And he is decisive in his judgement,” Olson said.Plus, Berkshire is sitting on more than $167 billion cash, so it has ample resources to do deals and, Olson said, “people generally like to be paid in cash.”Abel, who keeps a low profile and doesn't typically grant interviews, will be answering questions alongside Buffett for hours Saturday, trying to help fill the role Buffett's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-munger-dead-warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-96b8e7a7b096339cb57ff72df915567a">longtime partner Charlie Munger</a>&nbsp;held for decades before he died last fall. Abel has been overseeing all of Berkshire's varied non-insurance businesses for several years while another vice chairman, Ajit Jain, oversees the insurance businesses, including Geico and General Reinsurance.Olson said Abel is a numbers guy who can dissect a business' balance sheet as quickly and well as Buffett, and he's also a great listener that people like to work with.But, Olson said, “Greg is not going to be as entertaining as Warren and Charlie have been through the years.”So Munger's absence will be felt acutely on Saturday by all the thousands of people attending the meeting. There simply is no way to replace the expertise, advice and friendship Munger offered to Buffett for more than six decades.Professor Lawrence Cunningham, who has written several books about Berkshire, said he thinks even with the profound loss of Munger the company he helped build will endure.“The chair is empty. There’s no way to fill it. But I’m also confident that Warren — and especially Greg and Ajit — will carry on the torch,” Cunningham said.Berkshire has been grappling with succession questions for decades, but Cunningham said he thinks Buffett and Munger built an organization bigger than themselves that will endure.Olson said Berkshire's board knows there just isn't another Warren Buffett or Charlie Munger out there to replace those two men.After Buffett dies, Berkshire will face pressure as the shareholder base evolves to include more index and activist investors. One of the things investors may demand is that Berkshire change its longstanding policy and start paying a dividend if it can't find a good use for all that cash.Olson said the board hasn't ruled out paying a dividend at some point in the future, but it also hasn't seriously considering approving one now with Buffett still at the helm.

Berkshire Hathaway board feels sure Greg Abel is the man to eventually replace Warren Buffett

The historic tornadoes which pummeled the eastern and central portion of our state last week were devastating, and supporting the ongoing recovery efforts for Nebraskans remains top of mind. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reported damage to homes, farm equipment and buildings, power lines, other infrastructure, vehicles, and trees across many counties in the Third District. Fortunately, despite the destruction of hundreds of homes, no Nebraskans lost their lives. We owe such great thanks to the hard work of meteorologists, broadcasters, emergency responders, and countless volunteers who have donated time and resources to those affected.

Less than 24 hours after the tornadoes went through, Kearney-based Hot Meals USA—founded by in 2019 by Dick Cochran—mobilized to serve thousands of meals to emergency workers, volunteers, and storm victims in Elkhorn, Bennington, Blair and elsewhere. Nebraskans are keenly aware we are in this together and consider it a hallowed opportunity to lend a hand.

Yet the recovery efforts will continue for months to come, so we must continue providing necessary support and coordination. I’m grateful Governor Pillen’s dedication of state resources has been prompt. Throughout damage assessments, my team has been in touch with the governor’s team, and I have been working with our full congressional delegation, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to facilitate federal response and claims for disaster relief.

My offices in Nebraska City, Grand Island, and Scottsbluff stand ready to assist individuals, families, and businesses who need help navigating government agencies or other relief resources. In addition, I am pleased to offer support to Nebraska’s county and local officials.

To ensure damage estimates reflect the needs in the Third District, it is necessary to get an accurate valuation of the cost. Nebraskans who suffered damage are urged to report it to their county emergency management agencies and utilize available federal assistance through Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Rural Development programs.

Nebraskans have substantial experience with severe weather, and our geography indicates we will continue to deal with the associated risks. While we cannot control when storms come, what matters is our preparedness and response. I encourage Third District Nebraskans to remain prepared and maintain access to emergency alerts. Taking appropriate precautions can help us be prepared for the event of extreme weather.

Thanks to modern communication tools, there are many ways to remain informed about approaching severe weather today such as television, radio, online alerts, weather radios, and early warning systems. Additionally, it’s wise to maintain an emergency kit, including essentials such as water, a flashlight with extra batteries, a battery-operated radio, non-perishable food, and a first aid kit. It is also important to make sure you store copies of important documents, such as property deeds and personal medical records in a secure, waterproof location. The disaster preparedness checklists and information at&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskabroadcastersassociation.growthzoneapp.com/ap/r/fbad07a1c14d4b0985599cbb4d96305c" target="_blank">www.Ready.gov</a>&nbsp;are helpful resources assembled by the Department of Homeland Security.

While Arbor Day 2024 was marked by the violent storms which hit communities in Nebraska and other states, it has been wonderfully encouraging to witness the fast-acting kindness of Americans to care for one another. By coming together, we demonstrate the Nebraska value of looking out for our neighbors and gain the strength to overcome whatever comes our way.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680539471542.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By Adrian SmithThe historic tornadoes which pummeled the eastern and central portion of our state last week were devastating, and supporting the ongoing recovery efforts for Nebraskans remains top of mind. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reported damage to homes, farm equipment and buildings, power lines, other infrastructure, vehicles, and trees across many counties in the Third District. Fortunately, despite the destruction of hundreds of homes, no Nebraskans lost their lives. We owe such great thanks to the hard work of meteorologists, broadcasters, emergency responders, and countless volunteers who have donated time and resources to those affected.Less than 24 hours after the tornadoes went through, Kearney-based Hot Meals USA—founded by in 2019 by Dick Cochran—mobilized to serve thousands of meals to emergency workers, volunteers, and storm victims in Elkhorn, Bennington, Blair and elsewhere. Nebraskans are keenly aware we are in this together and consider it a hallowed opportunity to lend a hand.Yet the recovery efforts will continue for months to come, so we must continue providing necessary support and coordination. I’m grateful Governor Pillen’s dedication of state resources has been prompt. Throughout damage assessments, my team has been in touch with the governor’s team, and I have been working with our full congressional delegation, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to facilitate federal response and claims for disaster relief.My offices in Nebraska City, Grand Island, and Scottsbluff stand ready to assist individuals, families, and businesses who need help navigating government agencies or other relief resources. In addition, I am pleased to offer support to Nebraska’s county and local officials.To ensure damage estimates reflect the needs in the Third District, it is necessary to get an accurate valuation of the cost. Nebraskans who suffered damage are urged to report it to their county emergency management agencies and utilize available federal assistance through Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Rural Development programs.Nebraskans have substantial experience with severe weather, and our geography indicates we will continue to deal with the associated risks. While we cannot control when storms come, what matters is our preparedness and response. I encourage Third District Nebraskans to remain prepared and maintain access to emergency alerts. Taking appropriate precautions can help us be prepared for the event of extreme weather.Thanks to modern communication tools, there are many ways to remain informed about approaching severe weather today such as television, radio, online alerts, weather radios, and early warning systems. Additionally, it’s wise to maintain an emergency kit, including essentials such as water, a flashlight with extra batteries, a battery-operated radio, non-perishable food, and a first aid kit. It is also important to make sure you store copies of important documents, such as property deeds and personal medical records in a secure, waterproof location. The disaster preparedness checklists and information at&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskabroadcastersassociation.growthzoneapp.com/ap/r/fbad07a1c14d4b0985599cbb4d96305c" target="_blank">www.Ready.gov</a>&nbsp;are helpful resources assembled by the Department of Homeland Security.While Arbor Day 2024 was marked by the violent storms which hit communities in Nebraska and other states, it has been wonderfully encouraging to witness the fast-acting kindness of Americans to care for one another. By coming together, we demonstrate the Nebraska value of looking out for our neighbors and gain the strength to overcome whatever comes our way.

Overcoming Disaster

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nearly-80-more-nebraska-national-guard-members-deploying-to-assist-with-storm-recovery/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN&nbsp;— The Nebraska National Guard is stepping up to fulfill more requests Thursday to assist Douglas County in the wake of last week’s tornado outbreak — up to about additional 80 Guard members.

At the request of Douglas County officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Guard announced Thursday that Guard soldiers and airmen are preparing to deploy across Douglas County neighborhoods impacted by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?issuedby=OAX&amp;product=PNS&amp;site=oax">last Friday’s severe weather</a>. They will work in shifts managing traffic and conducting roving patrols to maintain safety and well-being.

Most of the Guard members are set to receive initial briefs and instruction Thursday, one day after Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly and officials from FEMA and the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency flew over damaged areas in one of the Guard’s UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.

“The Nebraska National Guard remains always ready with a robust team of professionals who are fully trained and equipped to accomplish all missions — including supporting local, state, and national partners whenever requested to aid our fellow citizens in need,” Maj. Gen. Craig Strong, Nebraska adjutant general and NEMA director, said in a statement.

Gov. Jim Pillen, who described the affected areas as a “war zone,” deployed about&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/pillen-deploys-nebraska-national-guard-to-assist-with-storm-recovery-security/">two dozen Guard members to Elkhorn</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday to assist with security at the request of Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer.

The governor also signed an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/gov-pillen-issues-post-storm-declaration-that-allows-use-of-state-emergency-fund/">emergency proclamation</a>&nbsp;Sunday that will allow communities in Lancaster, Douglas and Washington Counties to access emergency state recovery funds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714744459043.jpeg" alt="Nebraska Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly (right), along with both Federal Emergency Management Agency and Nebraska Emergency Management Agency officials, flew on a Nebraska Army National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, May 1, 2024, to conduct damage surveillance and assessment over areas affected by April 24, 2024 storms and tornadoes. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Lisa Crawford)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly (right), along with both Federal Emergency Management Agency and Nebraska Emergency Management Agency officials, flew on a Nebraska Army National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, May 1, 2024, to conduct damage surveillance and assessment over areas affected by April 24, 2024 storms and tornadoes. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Lisa Crawford)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nearly-80-more-nebraska-national-guard-members-deploying-to-assist-with-storm-recovery/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN&nbsp;— The Nebraska National Guard is stepping up to fulfill more requests Thursday to assist Douglas County in the wake of last week’s tornado outbreak — up to about additional 80 Guard members.At the request of Douglas County officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Guard announced Thursday that Guard soldiers and airmen are preparing to deploy across Douglas County neighborhoods impacted by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?issuedby=OAX&amp;product=PNS&amp;site=oax">last Friday’s severe weather</a>. They will work in shifts managing traffic and conducting roving patrols to maintain safety and well-being.Most of the Guard members are set to receive initial briefs and instruction Thursday, one day after Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly and officials from FEMA and the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency flew over damaged areas in one of the Guard’s UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.“The Nebraska National Guard remains always ready with a robust team of professionals who are fully trained and equipped to accomplish all missions — including supporting local, state, and national partners whenever requested to aid our fellow citizens in need,” Maj. Gen. Craig Strong, Nebraska adjutant general and NEMA director, said in a statement.Gov. Jim Pillen, who described the affected areas as a “war zone,” deployed about&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/pillen-deploys-nebraska-national-guard-to-assist-with-storm-recovery-security/">two dozen Guard members to Elkhorn</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday to assist with security at the request of Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer.The governor also signed an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/gov-pillen-issues-post-storm-declaration-that-allows-use-of-state-emergency-fund/">emergency proclamation</a>&nbsp;Sunday that will allow communities in Lancaster, Douglas and Washington Counties to access emergency state recovery funds.

Nearly 80 more Nebraska National Guard members deploying to assist with storm recovery

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/gov-pillen-requests-federal-disaster-declaration-with-storm-damage-to-public-infrastructure-estimated-at-11-5-million/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;Gov. Jim Pillen has officially submitted a request to President Joe Biden for a federal disaster declaration, estimating $11.5 million for public infrastructure damage.

The Thursday request comes nearly one week after last week’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?issuedby=OAX&amp;product=PNS&amp;site=oax">destructive Friday storms</a>&nbsp;in eastern Nebraska. This includes Lancaster, Douglas and Washington Counties, for which Pillen has already issued an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/gov-pillen-issues-post-storm-declaration-that-allows-use-of-state-emergency-fund/">emergency proclamation</a>, unlocking emergency state funds.

Relief costs include debris removal, emergency protective measures and individual assistance.

“This is not normal for Nebraskans to ask for help,” Pillen said at a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/29/gov-pillen-outlines-nebraskas-local-federal-next-steps-following-war-zone-tornadoes/">Monday news conference</a>. “If you don’t ask for help, we actually harm our neighbor because we need everybody to get to the level so that we can get the federal assistance.”

The federal request comes in coordination between the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Nebraska’s state counterpart, which have conducted multiple damage assessments, including flyovers of damaged areas.

Preliminary public infrastructure damage assessments total $11.5 million, of which more than $8 million is for damage in Douglas and Washington Counties.&nbsp;

The request states the cost will increase as damage assessments continue.

Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert on Thursday night announced a call to the Omaha City Council to approve $100,000 to assist families affected by the Arbor Day tornadoes.

Stothert requested that the council forgo the annual Neighborhood Grants program awards and instead reallocate the funds to organizations providing direct and immediate aid to families.

“Omaha is a community of caring and we all want to help,” Stothert said in a statement. “That has been very apparent in the last week.”&nbsp;

Under two nearly identical proposed resolutions, the relief funds would be divided between&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cityclerk.cityofomaha.org/wp-content/uploads/images/RES-2024-0580">Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cityclerk.cityofomaha.org/wp-content/uploads/images/RES-2024-0581">Relevant Community Church</a>, which Stothert said have helped to alleviate suffering and help the community heal from the storms.

“While those who have applied for the neighborhood grants have worthy causes and projects, I cannot overlook the generosity and comfort [of the organizations assisting with storm recovery],” Stothert wrote to the council.

The resolution will be considered at the May 7 City Council meeting.

FEMA has validated that nearly 400 homes were impacted in Douglas and Washington Counties, including almost 160 homes that were destroyed.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nearly-80-more-nebraska-national-guard-members-deploying-to-assist-with-storm-recovery/">Nebraska National Guard members</a>&nbsp;are assisting with security and recovery efforts in Douglas County at Pillen’s deployment.

Pillen has said it could take “every single weekend” and opportunity “between now the snow flying” to get communities able to start rebuilding. Full recovery, he added, will take years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714742750151.jpeg" alt="Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (center) joins State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn in her district, visiting people in Douglas County who had homes damaged by the tornadoes that hit the area April 26, 2024. (Courtesy of the Governor’s Office)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (center) joins State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn in her district, visiting people in Douglas County who had homes damaged by the tornadoes that hit the area April 26, 2024. (Courtesy of the Governor’s Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/gov-pillen-requests-federal-disaster-declaration-with-storm-damage-to-public-infrastructure-estimated-at-11-5-million/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;Gov. Jim Pillen has officially submitted a request to President Joe Biden for a federal disaster declaration, estimating $11.5 million for public infrastructure damage.The Thursday request comes nearly one week after last week’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?issuedby=OAX&amp;product=PNS&amp;site=oax">destructive Friday storms</a>&nbsp;in eastern Nebraska. This includes Lancaster, Douglas and Washington Counties, for which Pillen has already issued an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/gov-pillen-issues-post-storm-declaration-that-allows-use-of-state-emergency-fund/">emergency proclamation</a>, unlocking emergency state funds.Relief costs include debris removal, emergency protective measures and individual assistance.“This is not normal for Nebraskans to ask for help,” Pillen said at a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/29/gov-pillen-outlines-nebraskas-local-federal-next-steps-following-war-zone-tornadoes/">Monday news conference</a>. “If you don’t ask for help, we actually harm our neighbor because we need everybody to get to the level so that we can get the federal assistance.”The federal request comes in coordination between the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Nebraska’s state counterpart, which have conducted multiple damage assessments, including flyovers of damaged areas.Preliminary public infrastructure damage assessments total $11.5 million, of which more than $8 million is for damage in Douglas and Washington Counties.&nbsp;The request states the cost will increase as damage assessments continue.Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert on Thursday night announced a call to the Omaha City Council to approve $100,000 to assist families affected by the Arbor Day tornadoes.Stothert requested that the council forgo the annual Neighborhood Grants program awards and instead reallocate the funds to organizations providing direct and immediate aid to families.“Omaha is a community of caring and we all want to help,” Stothert said in a statement. “That has been very apparent in the last week.”&nbsp;Under two nearly identical proposed resolutions, the relief funds would be divided between&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cityclerk.cityofomaha.org/wp-content/uploads/images/RES-2024-0580">Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cityclerk.cityofomaha.org/wp-content/uploads/images/RES-2024-0581">Relevant Community Church</a>, which Stothert said have helped to alleviate suffering and help the community heal from the storms.“While those who have applied for the neighborhood grants have worthy causes and projects, I cannot overlook the generosity and comfort [of the organizations assisting with storm recovery],” Stothert wrote to the council.The resolution will be considered at the May 7 City Council meeting.FEMA has validated that nearly 400 homes were impacted in Douglas and Washington Counties, including almost 160 homes that were destroyed.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nearly-80-more-nebraska-national-guard-members-deploying-to-assist-with-storm-recovery/">Nebraska National Guard members</a>&nbsp;are assisting with security and recovery efforts in Douglas County at Pillen’s deployment.Pillen has said it could take “every single weekend” and opportunity “between now the snow flying” to get communities able to start rebuilding. Full recovery, he added, will take years.

Gov. Pillen requests federal disaster declaration, with estimated $11.5 million in storm damage

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — United Methodist delegates on Thursday removed a 52-year-old declaration from their official social teachings that deemed “the practice of homosexuality ... incompatible with Christian teaching” — part of a wider series of historic reversals of the denomination’s longstanding disapproval of LGBTQ activity.

The historic vote came as delegates also approved a new definition of marriage as a covenant between “two people of faith” while recognizing the couple may or may not involve a man and a woman. That replaces an exclusively heterosexual definition of marriage and followed a debate that exposed tensions between some U.S. and international delegates.

The 523-161 vote to approve a section of the church's Revised Social Principles took place at the General Conference of the United Methodist Church in the penultimate day of their 11-day legislative gathering in Charlotte.

It came a day after the General Conference&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-lgbtq-clergy-general-conference-acabe18fe22b6838e3005ad8895534fa">removed its longstanding ban</a>&nbsp;on "self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from being ordained or appointed as ministers. Step by step, delegates have been removing anti-LGBTQ language throughout their official documents.

But the marriage definition was approved only after debate and a compromise amendment — one of the few instances of open debate during this otherwise overwhelmingly progressive conference.

“God designed marriage to be between a man and a woman,” said Nimia Peralta from the Northwest Philippines. While the conference earlier approved a regionalization plan enabling different parts of the global church to adapt rules to their local contexts, “God’s Word can never be regionalized,” she said.

But the Rev. James Howell of Western North Carolina applauded the new language.

“Cynics and young adults will not listen to us talk about Jesus if we say we do not condone people they love and care about,” Howell said. “Friends, it’s time.”

The Rev. Kalaba Chali, based in Kansas, said the principles are general enough without forcing people in different cultural contexts “to do things the same way.”

The approval came only after an amendment offered by lay delegate Molly Mwayera of East Zimbabwe, who noted that many African countries do not allow for same-sex marriage. After extended wordsmithing, the assembly settled on an amendment with a parenthetical clause that affirmed marriage as a sacred covenant bringing “two people of faith (adult man and woman of consenting age or two adult persons of consenting age) into union."

It’s the UMC’s first legislative gathering since 2019, one that features its most progressive slate of delegates in memory due to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congregations-leaving-united-methodist-church-lgbtq-bans-70b8c89ea49174597f4548c249bab24f">departure of many conservatives</a>&nbsp;from the denomination. More than 7,600 mostly conservative congregations in the United States — one quarter of the denomination's American total — disaffiliated because the UMC essentially stopped enforcing its bans on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ ordination.

A temporary window enabled American churches to leave with their properties, normally held by the denomination, under more favorable than normal terms. While the conference voted against extending that window to international churches, the conference votes could still prompt departures of some international churches through different means — particularly in Africa, where conservative sexual values prevail and where same-sex activity is criminalized in some countries.

After the vote, contrasting gatherings were held nearby outside the Charlotte Convention Center — a celebratory gathering of LGBTQ people and their allies at one end of a long courtyard, a defiant gathering of prayer and song by dozens of African delegates who opposed the changes.

“We are deeply devastated now to be part of a denomination that will contradict the Bible ’s teaching on marriage and sexual morality,” said the Rev. Jerry Kulah, of the conservative advocacy group Africa Initiative. He said African conferences will have to decide their future, but he contended the denomination was “willing to lose Africans and Africa to fulfill this progressive agenda.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714692325534.png" alt="Kaleigh Corbett and Thomas Lank of the Greater New Jersey Conference embrace after General Conference delegates voted on May 2 to eliminate the longtime assertion in the denomination’s Social Principles that “the practice of homosexuality… is incompatible with Christian teaching.” The legislative assembly is meeting in Charlotte, N.C., through May 3. Photo by Larry McCormack, courtesy UM News." />
 <figcaption>Kaleigh Corbett and Thomas Lank of the Greater New Jersey Conference embrace after General Conference delegates voted on May 2 to eliminate the longtime assertion in the denomination’s Social Principles that “the practice of homosexuality… is incompatible with Christian teaching.” The legislative assembly is meeting in Charlotte, N.C., through May 3. Photo by Larry McCormack, courtesy UM News.</figcaption>
 </figure>CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — United Methodist delegates on Thursday removed a 52-year-old declaration from their official social teachings that deemed “the practice of homosexuality ... incompatible with Christian teaching” — part of a wider series of historic reversals of the denomination’s longstanding disapproval of LGBTQ activity.The historic vote came as delegates also approved a new definition of marriage as a covenant between “two people of faith” while recognizing the couple may or may not involve a man and a woman. That replaces an exclusively heterosexual definition of marriage and followed a debate that exposed tensions between some U.S. and international delegates.The 523-161 vote to approve a section of the church's Revised Social Principles took place at the General Conference of the United Methodist Church in the penultimate day of their 11-day legislative gathering in Charlotte.It came a day after the General Conference&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-lgbtq-clergy-general-conference-acabe18fe22b6838e3005ad8895534fa">removed its longstanding ban</a>&nbsp;on "self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from being ordained or appointed as ministers. Step by step, delegates have been removing anti-LGBTQ language throughout their official documents.But the marriage definition was approved only after debate and a compromise amendment — one of the few instances of open debate during this otherwise overwhelmingly progressive conference.“God designed marriage to be between a man and a woman,” said Nimia Peralta from the Northwest Philippines. While the conference earlier approved a regionalization plan enabling different parts of the global church to adapt rules to their local contexts, “God’s Word can never be regionalized,” she said.But the Rev. James Howell of Western North Carolina applauded the new language.“Cynics and young adults will not listen to us talk about Jesus if we say we do not condone people they love and care about,” Howell said. “Friends, it’s time.”The Rev. Kalaba Chali, based in Kansas, said the principles are general enough without forcing people in different cultural contexts “to do things the same way.”The approval came only after an amendment offered by lay delegate Molly Mwayera of East Zimbabwe, who noted that many African countries do not allow for same-sex marriage. After extended wordsmithing, the assembly settled on an amendment with a parenthetical clause that affirmed marriage as a sacred covenant bringing “two people of faith (adult man and woman of consenting age or two adult persons of consenting age) into union."It’s the UMC’s first legislative gathering since 2019, one that features its most progressive slate of delegates in memory due to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congregations-leaving-united-methodist-church-lgbtq-bans-70b8c89ea49174597f4548c249bab24f">departure of many conservatives</a>&nbsp;from the denomination. More than 7,600 mostly conservative congregations in the United States — one quarter of the denomination's American total — disaffiliated because the UMC essentially stopped enforcing its bans on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ ordination.A temporary window enabled American churches to leave with their properties, normally held by the denomination, under more favorable than normal terms. While the conference voted against extending that window to international churches, the conference votes could still prompt departures of some international churches through different means — particularly in Africa, where conservative sexual values prevail and where same-sex activity is criminalized in some countries.After the vote, contrasting gatherings were held nearby outside the Charlotte Convention Center — a celebratory gathering of LGBTQ people and their allies at one end of a long courtyard, a defiant gathering of prayer and song by dozens of African delegates who opposed the changes.“We are deeply devastated now to be part of a denomination that will contradict the Bible ’s teaching on marriage and sexual morality,” said the Rev. Jerry Kulah, of the conservative advocacy group Africa Initiative. He said African conferences will have to decide their future, but he contended the denomination was “willing to lose Africans and Africa to fulfill this progressive agenda.”Some African delegates have spoken in support of the regionalization proposal, which can allow church regions to maintain their bans on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ ordination even as American churches go without them.The progressive momentum of the General Conference was evident from the vote Thursday. They voted on the last of a series of approvals of a wholesale rewrite of the denomination’s Social Principles — a non-binding but influential compendium of the denomination’s social stances on everything from war and peace to the environment and family relations.The new version no longer includes the clause: “The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching." It had also urged members not to condemn gays and lesbians.The old version said sexual relations are "affirmed only with the covenant of monogamous, heterosexual marriage."The new version omits this phrase and describes “human sexuality as a sacred gift” and a “healthy and natural part of life that is expressed in wonderfully diverse ways.” It doesn't say anything about restricting sexual activity to marriage. It does say people have the right to consent to sex and condemns sexual harassment and exploitation and opposes pornography as “destructive.”The new version calls for human rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and other racial, ethnic and gender categories.Thursday’s change is particularly significant because the “incompatible” clause dates back to the beginning of the 52-year-old debate on LGBTQ issues within one of the nation’s largest Protestant denominations. The phrasing was adopted on the floor of the 1972 General Conference via an amendment proposed by a delegate, added to the original draft statement that had said “persons of homosexual orientation are persons of sacred worth.”The denomination had been revising and adding to the Social Principles for decades; this amounts to the first wholesale rewrite in many years. Other revisions were approved earlier this week.The drafters chose general language because the denomination spans countries and cultures, said John Hill, interim general secretary at the Board of Church and Society, at a news conference earlier this week.