Lincoln, NE – Colleen McKeon of Ravenna is the first winner of a 2024 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCrew truck in the 29th edition of the Nebraska Lottery’s $2 Truck$ &amp; Buck$ Scratch game.

McKeon purchased her winning Truck$ &amp; Buck$ ticket at Fill-N-Chill #04 at 401 Grand Ave. in Ravenna. She was presented with her new truck at Fill-N-Chill on Monday, May 6 by Nebraska Lottery officials.

It was a quick stop for snacks on her way to see her dad that netted McKeon her big win.

“He loves chocolate stars and the only place I can get them is here,” she said. “So I grabbed two bags of chocolate stars and five Truck$ &amp; Buck$.”

She held off on scratching the tickets for a little bit, finally scratching them off while having coffee out on her back deck.

The shock of winning was so big McKeon said she started having technical difficulties with her phone.

“When I hit the truck I was shaking,” she said. “I have the [Nebraska Lottery] app and I couldn’t even open it to check.”

The 29th edition of the Nebraska Lottery’s popular $2 Truck$ &amp; Buck$ Scratch game features the 2024 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCrew truck as its top prize. Players have the opportunity to win one of eight Ford F-150 trucks as well as thousands of cash prizes. The truck prize is valued at $81,500, which includes $976 for costs associated with ownership and state and federal withholding paid by the Nebraska Lottery of $4,075 and $19,560, respectively. The odds of winning the top prize in Truck$ &amp; Buck$ are 1 in 336,000, while the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 3.69.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715096996633.jpeg" alt="Colleen McKeon of Ravenna won the first Ford F-150 truck prize in the 2024 edition of the Nebraska Lottery's $2 Truck$ &amp; Buck$ Scratch game. She was presented with her new truck at an event at Fill-N-Chill, 401 Grand Avenue in Ravenna on May 6, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Colleen McKeon of Ravenna won the first Ford F-150 truck prize in the 2024 edition of the Nebraska Lottery's $2 Truck$ &amp; Buck$ Scratch game. She was presented with her new truck at an event at Fill-N-Chill, 401 Grand Avenue in Ravenna on May 6, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure>Neil WatsonNebraska LotteryLincoln, NE – Colleen McKeon of Ravenna is the first winner of a 2024 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCrew truck in the 29th edition of the Nebraska Lottery’s $2 Truck$ &amp; Buck$ Scratch game.McKeon purchased her winning Truck$ &amp; Buck$ ticket at Fill-N-Chill #04 at 401 Grand Ave. in Ravenna. She was presented with her new truck at Fill-N-Chill on Monday, May 6 by Nebraska Lottery officials.It was a quick stop for snacks on her way to see her dad that netted McKeon her big win.“He loves chocolate stars and the only place I can get them is here,” she said. “So I grabbed two bags of chocolate stars and five Truck$ &amp; Buck$.”She held off on scratching the tickets for a little bit, finally scratching them off while having coffee out on her back deck.The shock of winning was so big McKeon said she started having technical difficulties with her phone.“When I hit the truck I was shaking,” she said. “I have the [Nebraska Lottery] app and I couldn’t even open it to check.”The 29th edition of the Nebraska Lottery’s popular $2 Truck$ &amp; Buck$ Scratch game features the 2024 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCrew truck as its top prize. Players have the opportunity to win one of eight Ford F-150 trucks as well as thousands of cash prizes. The truck prize is valued at $81,500, which includes $976 for costs associated with ownership and state and federal withholding paid by the Nebraska Lottery of $4,075 and $19,560, respectively. The odds of winning the top prize in Truck$ &amp; Buck$ are 1 in 336,000, while the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 3.69.The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $978 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.

Central Nebraska Woman Claims First Truck$ & Buck$ Truck

IRVING, Texas (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/boy-scouts-of-america">Boy Scouts of America</a>&nbsp;is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.

The organization steeped in tradition has made seismic changes after decades of turmoil, from finally allowing gay youth to welcoming girls throughout its ranks. With an eye on increasing flagging membership numbers, the Irving, Texas-based organization announced the name change Tuesday at its annual meeting in Florida.

“In the next 100 years we want any youth in America to feel very, very welcome to come into our programs,” Roger Krone,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boys-scouts-new-president-bankruptcy-516869e181513c073ac7edc139ad48d3">who took over last fall as president and chief executive officer,</a>&nbsp;said in an interview before the announcement.

The organization began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/47bac00392fb4ba7a89d06946607bf34">allowing gay youth in 2013</a>&nbsp;and ended a blanket ban on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c4795353c1904ca1ab56691cb0a356e6">gay adult leaders in 2015.</a>&nbsp;In 2017, it made the historic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7f690adec7ad45d2a9469baac8e90ac7">announcement that girls</a>&nbsp;would be accepted as Cub Scouts as of 2018 and into the flagship Boy Scout program —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d3efeda8ffb74b79b367fce426780d6f">renamed Scouts BSA</a>&nbsp;— in 2019.

There were nearly 1,000 young women in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-minneapolis-8018efd354ba18713b128776b3fda085">inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts</a>&nbsp;in 2021, including Selby Chipman. The all-girls troop she was a founding member of in her hometown of Oak Ridge, North Carolina, has grown from five girls to nearly 50, and she thinks the name change will encourage even more girls to realize they can join.

“Girls were like: ‘You can join Boy Scouts of America?’” said Chipman, now a 20-year-old college student and assistant scoutmaster of her troop.

Within days of the announcement that girls would be allowed, Bob Brady went to work. A father of two girls and a proud Eagle Scout himself, the New Jersey attorney eagerly formed an all-girls troop. At their first weekend gathering with other troops, the boys were happy to have the girls involved but some adult leaders seemed concerned, he recalled. Their worries seemed to melt away as soon as the girls led a traditional cheer around the campfire.

“You could see a change in the attitude of some of the doubters who weren’t sure and they realized, wait, these kids are exactly the same, they just happen to have ponytails,” said Brady. His daughters are among the 13 girls in his troop and 6,000 girls nationwide who have achieved the vaunted Eagle Scout rank.

Like other organizations, the scouts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/only-on-ap-health-coronavirus-pandemic-7afeb2667df0a391de3be67b38495972">lost members during the pandemic,</a>&nbsp;when participation was difficult. After a highpoint over the last decade of over 2 million members in 2018, the organization currently services just over 1 million youths, including more than 176,000 girls and young women. Membership peaked in 1972 at almost 5 million.

The move by the Boy Scouts to accept girls throughout their ranks strained a bond with the Girl Scouts of the USA, which sued, saying it created marketplace confusion and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-00ed4641c60828eefca1c14d57faada3">damaged their recruitment efforts</a>. They reached a settlement agreement after a judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boy-scouts-of-america-new-york-united-states-manhattan-lifestyle-d97b9453aaf6c8b6385e45d81b954f24">rejected those claims</a>, saying both groups are free to use words like “scouts” and “scouting.”

While camping remains an integral activity for the Boy Scouts, the organization offers something for everyone today, from high adventures to merit badges for robotics and digital technology, Krone said: “About anything kids want to do today, they can do in a structured way within the scouting program."

The Boy Scouts’ $2.4 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boy-scouts-bankruptcy-child-sexual-abuse-02d3a401645f337e483f9fd844d9a809">bankruptcy reorganization plan</a>&nbsp;took effect last year, allowing the organization to keep operating while compensating the more than 80,000 men who say they were sexually abused as children while scouting.

Angelique Minett, the first woman chairperson of Scouts BSA, gets excited about the future of scouting when she sees the about 20-person youth council from across the United States help guide the program by raising issues important to them, like sustainability, and things that they'd like to see changed, like the fit on some of the uniforms.

“When we think scouts we think knots and camping, but those are a means to an end," Minett said. “We are actually teaching kids a much bigger thing. We are teaching them how to have grit, and we’re teaching them life skills and we’re teaching them how to be good leaders.”

The organization won't officially become Scouting America until Feb. 8, 2025, the organization's 115th birthday. But Krone said he expects people will start immediately using the name.

IRVING, Texas (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/boy-scouts-of-america">Boy Scouts of America</a>&nbsp;is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.The organization steeped in tradition has made seismic changes after decades of turmoil, from finally allowing gay youth to welcoming girls throughout its ranks. With an eye on increasing flagging membership numbers, the Irving, Texas-based organization announced the name change Tuesday at its annual meeting in Florida.“In the next 100 years we want any youth in America to feel very, very welcome to come into our programs,” Roger Krone,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boys-scouts-new-president-bankruptcy-516869e181513c073ac7edc139ad48d3">who took over last fall as president and chief executive officer,</a>&nbsp;said in an interview before the announcement.The organization began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/47bac00392fb4ba7a89d06946607bf34">allowing gay youth in 2013</a>&nbsp;and ended a blanket ban on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c4795353c1904ca1ab56691cb0a356e6">gay adult leaders in 2015.</a>&nbsp;In 2017, it made the historic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7f690adec7ad45d2a9469baac8e90ac7">announcement that girls</a>&nbsp;would be accepted as Cub Scouts as of 2018 and into the flagship Boy Scout program —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d3efeda8ffb74b79b367fce426780d6f">renamed Scouts BSA</a>&nbsp;— in 2019.There were nearly 1,000 young women in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-minneapolis-8018efd354ba18713b128776b3fda085">inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts</a>&nbsp;in 2021, including Selby Chipman. The all-girls troop she was a founding member of in her hometown of Oak Ridge, North Carolina, has grown from five girls to nearly 50, and she thinks the name change will encourage even more girls to realize they can join.“Girls were like: ‘You can join Boy Scouts of America?’” said Chipman, now a 20-year-old college student and assistant scoutmaster of her troop.Within days of the announcement that girls would be allowed, Bob Brady went to work. A father of two girls and a proud Eagle Scout himself, the New Jersey attorney eagerly formed an all-girls troop. At their first weekend gathering with other troops, the boys were happy to have the girls involved but some adult leaders seemed concerned, he recalled. Their worries seemed to melt away as soon as the girls led a traditional cheer around the campfire.“You could see a change in the attitude of some of the doubters who weren’t sure and they realized, wait, these kids are exactly the same, they just happen to have ponytails,” said Brady. His daughters are among the 13 girls in his troop and 6,000 girls nationwide who have achieved the vaunted Eagle Scout rank.Like other organizations, the scouts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/only-on-ap-health-coronavirus-pandemic-7afeb2667df0a391de3be67b38495972">lost members during the pandemic,</a>&nbsp;when participation was difficult. After a highpoint over the last decade of over 2 million members in 2018, the organization currently services just over 1 million youths, including more than 176,000 girls and young women. Membership peaked in 1972 at almost 5 million.The move by the Boy Scouts to accept girls throughout their ranks strained a bond with the Girl Scouts of the USA, which sued, saying it created marketplace confusion and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-00ed4641c60828eefca1c14d57faada3">damaged their recruitment efforts</a>. They reached a settlement agreement after a judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boy-scouts-of-america-new-york-united-states-manhattan-lifestyle-d97b9453aaf6c8b6385e45d81b954f24">rejected those claims</a>, saying both groups are free to use words like “scouts” and “scouting.”While camping remains an integral activity for the Boy Scouts, the organization offers something for everyone today, from high adventures to merit badges for robotics and digital technology, Krone said: “About anything kids want to do today, they can do in a structured way within the scouting program."The Boy Scouts’ $2.4 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boy-scouts-bankruptcy-child-sexual-abuse-02d3a401645f337e483f9fd844d9a809">bankruptcy reorganization plan</a>&nbsp;took effect last year, allowing the organization to keep operating while compensating the more than 80,000 men who say they were sexually abused as children while scouting.Angelique Minett, the first woman chairperson of Scouts BSA, gets excited about the future of scouting when she sees the about 20-person youth council from across the United States help guide the program by raising issues important to them, like sustainability, and things that they'd like to see changed, like the fit on some of the uniforms.“When we think scouts we think knots and camping, but those are a means to an end," Minett said. “We are actually teaching kids a much bigger thing. We are teaching them how to have grit, and we’re teaching them life skills and we’re teaching them how to be good leaders.”The organization won't officially become Scouting America until Feb. 8, 2025, the organization's 115th birthday. But Krone said he expects people will start immediately using the name.

Boy Scouts of America changing name to be more inclusive 

United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Leopoldo Ramirez, 25, of Lexington, Nebraska, was sentenced May 2, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Ramirez to 132 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Ramirez’ release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.

Operating from at least June 2021 until October 2022, Ramirez and others were responsible for trafficking meth into the state. Officers from a variety of local, state, and federal agencies pieced the conspiracy together using electronic evidence, surveillance, and search warrants.

Together, the conspirators distributed over 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing meth. As part of the investigation into this conspiracy, Ramirez’s cell phone was seized and searched. Multiple text messages were located between Ramirez and other co-conspirators discussing drugs and narcotic distribution. In addition, Ramirez kept a list of pay/owe status for drugs he distributed. His records indicated approximately 50 additional grams of meth that he had personally distributed in the course of the conspiracy.

This case was investigated by the CODE Drug Task Force, Lexington Police Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, &nbsp;&nbsp;the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

United States AttorneyUnited States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Leopoldo Ramirez, 25, of Lexington, Nebraska, was sentenced May 2, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Ramirez to 132 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Ramirez’ release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.Operating from at least June 2021 until October 2022, Ramirez and others were responsible for trafficking meth into the state. Officers from a variety of local, state, and federal agencies pieced the conspiracy together using electronic evidence, surveillance, and search warrants.Together, the conspirators distributed over 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing meth. As part of the investigation into this conspiracy, Ramirez’s cell phone was seized and searched. Multiple text messages were located between Ramirez and other co-conspirators discussing drugs and narcotic distribution. In addition, Ramirez kept a list of pay/owe status for drugs he distributed. His records indicated approximately 50 additional grams of meth that he had personally distributed in the course of the conspiracy.This case was investigated by the CODE Drug Task Force, Lexington Police Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, &nbsp;&nbsp;the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Central Nebraska Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Conspiracy

Office of Nebraska State Treasurer Tom Briese

(LINCOLN, Neb., May 7, 2024) – Nebraska children born in 2023 will receive a one-time $50 seed contribution this spring to a Meadowlark savings account, as directed by the Meadowlark Act.

Families will receive a letter from the State Treasurer announcing their qualification for the&nbsp;<a href="https://nest529.com/meadowlark/" target="_blank">Meadowlark Savings Pledge</a>, a program designed to help children and families start saving for higher education. The starter contribution has the potential to grow over time. When it’s time to continue their education after high school, students can use the funds toward education expenses. In addition to Nebraska colleges and universities, funds can be used for technical, trade, and vocational schools.

Nebraska babies born in 2020, 2021, 2022, or 2023 are eligible to receive this one-time Meadowlark seed contribution. It is an automatic enrollment that does not require families to pay extra costs or complete any paperwork.

The Meadowlark Program is the beginning of a child’s educational savings journey, setting them up to soar.&nbsp;Close to 70,000 children have received Meadowlark contributions since its inception in 2020.&nbsp;It is important for families to start saving sooner rather than later, and&nbsp;Meadowlark, combined with a NEST 529 account, is an easy way to help loved ones take flight toward their dreams.

Meadowlark is an important beginning on your savings path. But families should also open a NEST 529 account to start building for their loved ones’ futures today. A NEST 529 account gives families the ability to make routine contributions that can be put to work helping their loved one achieve their aspirations.

Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://nest529.com/" target="_blank">NEST529.com</a>&nbsp;to learn more about the benefits of a NEST 529 College Savings Plan.&nbsp;For more information on the Meadowlark Program, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nest529.com/meadowlark" target="_blank">NEST529.com/Meadowlark</a>.

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

Office of Nebraska State Treasurer Tom Briese(LINCOLN, Neb., May 7, 2024) – Nebraska children born in 2023 will receive a one-time $50 seed contribution this spring to a Meadowlark savings account, as directed by the Meadowlark Act.Families will receive a letter from the State Treasurer announcing their qualification for the&nbsp;<a href="https://nest529.com/meadowlark/" target="_blank">Meadowlark Savings Pledge</a>, a program designed to help children and families start saving for higher education. The starter contribution has the potential to grow over time. When it’s time to continue their education after high school, students can use the funds toward education expenses. In addition to Nebraska colleges and universities, funds can be used for technical, trade, and vocational schools.Nebraska babies born in 2020, 2021, 2022, or 2023 are eligible to receive this one-time Meadowlark seed contribution. It is an automatic enrollment that does not require families to pay extra costs or complete any paperwork.The Meadowlark Program is the beginning of a child’s educational savings journey, setting them up to soar.&nbsp;Close to 70,000 children have received Meadowlark contributions since its inception in 2020.&nbsp;It is important for families to start saving sooner rather than later, and&nbsp;Meadowlark, combined with a NEST 529 account, is an easy way to help loved ones take flight toward their dreams.NEST 529 College Saving PlanMeadowlark is an important beginning on your savings path. But families should also open a NEST 529 account to start building for their loved ones’ futures today. A NEST 529 account gives families the ability to make routine contributions that can be put to work helping their loved one achieve their aspirations.Key features include:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Flexibility—A NEST 529 account can be opened in just 10 minutes. Families can manage everything easily online, from contributing and reallocating funds to making their investment selections.</li><li>Tax Benefits—Tax-advantaged savings include a Nebraska state tax deduction, tax-deferred growth, and tax-free qualified withdrawals.1&nbsp;Account Owners in Nebraska are eligible for an annual state income tax deduction of up to $10,000 for NEST 529 contributions, or $5,000 if married filing separately.2&nbsp;</li><li>Investment Options—Families can customize their investment portfolio to fit risk tolerance, time frame, and savings goals. Saving is made even easier with automatic contributions from bank accounts or paychecks.</li><li>Diverse Fund Families—NEST offers quality funds from multiple fund families including Vanguard, T. Rowe Price, and others.</li>
 </ul>Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://nest529.com/" target="_blank">NEST529.com</a>&nbsp;to learn more about the benefits of a NEST 529 College Savings Plan.&nbsp;For more information on the Meadowlark Program, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nest529.com/meadowlark" target="_blank">NEST529.com/Meadowlark</a>.The State Treasurer serves as the Program Trustee. All investments, including the portfolio structure offered through the NEST 529 Plan, are vetted&nbsp;and approved by the Nebraska Investment Council.

Nebraska Babies Born in 2023 to Be Given Meadowlark Savings Pledge Funds

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/06/once-controversial-summer-ebt-food-program-for-low-income-ne-kids-set-for-rollout/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s plan to carry out the once-controversial Summer EBT food program for low-income youths has been given the green light from the federal government.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the state’s planned rollout of the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program, which include details such as “touchpoints” that local officials designed to improve outreach, according to a media release Monday from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

So-called touchpoints include providing Nebraska parents with information on types of nutritious foods to buy and follow-up surveys to identify additional needs or concerns.

State officials expect the Summer EBT program to serve about 175,000 students, or 80,000 households that meet certain criteria, including an income that makes them eligible for free or reduced-price lunch during the school year.

That count is up from an earlier estimate of about 150,000 children anticipated to benefit at a state cost of about $400,000 per year to administer the federally-funded program.

Each qualified child is to receive a card loaded with a total of $120 in grocery-buying benefits. The program is designed to allow access to nutritious food during summer months when school is out.

Modeled after pilot projects and a nationwide pandemic-era initiative that ended, Congress authorized the more permanent summer program through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.

State Sen. Jen Day of Gretna during the past legislative session<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/01/proposal-to-force-ne-to-accept-18m-in-federal-food-funds-for-kids-draws-no-opponents-at-hearing/">&nbsp;introduced Legislative Bill 952,</a>&nbsp;which stalled but had been&nbsp; prioritized by Sen. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island to push the state to implement the federal program.

Gov. Jim Pillen&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/20/gov-pillen-decides-ne-wont-opt-into-new-18-million-child-nutrition-program/">had balked</a>&nbsp;at opting in, describing the program as a leftover from the pandemic that had ended.

He later added that he didn’t believe in “welfare,” which brought more criticism because the governor, a hog producer and co-owner of a pork processing plant, has accepted federal assistance.

Already, Pillen had been&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/29/advocates-issue-final-plea-to-governor-to-participate-in-new-summer-lunch-program/">flooded by pleas</a>&nbsp;from food banks, advocates of the poor and protesters.

Ultimately the governor reversed his stand, attributing the change of heart to a visit with Aguilar, a Republican, and discussions he had with students at Boys Town and during a youth legislative day.&nbsp;

Day, who had led a letter-writing effort supported by 15 state lawmakers, said Monday that although Nebraska was one of the last states to opt in to the new summer program, it was the fourth in the nation to have its plan approved.

“I’m glad that we’ll be able to feed 175,000 Nebraska kids this summer and relieve some of the economic stress that many families are feeling right now,” Day said.

She praised the work of the DHHS and Department of Education in crafting the plan.

“These programs are crucial for making sure that kids in our state receive nutritious meals during the months they are not in school,” DHHS CEO Steve Corsi said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for the USDA said the agency is pleased Nebraska chose to participate.

“We are impressed that the state’s plan includes a range of services to reach kids and also robust outreach to the community,” said Cheryl Kennedy, regional administrator for the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. “This will be a great benefit to the children of Nebraska.”

Eric Savaiano, food and access manager for Nebraska Appleseed, a nonprofit that fought early on for participation in the program, said federal approval of Nebraska’s plan is a big step. Now, he said, there is contact information and other detail available for families.

“This puts details behind the program that means it is actually going to happen,” Savaiano said.

In addition to the Summer EBT program, the State Department of Education said it also is administering the Summer Food Service Program, which provides no-cost meals to kids from age 1 to 18 at about 300 sites across Nebraska.

No applications or paperwork are required to receive meals from approved Summer Food Service Program sites, most of which begin providing meals the first week of June.

School-age, income-qualified youths are eligible for Summer EBT cards.

According to DHHS, kids already approved for free and reduced-priced school lunches, or who participate in state-administered public assistance, should receive their cards by mail and don’t have to formally apply.

If in doubt, or for more information on eligibility and application, the state offers a website for the Summer EBT program and the Summer Food Service Program:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Summer-EBT.aspx">https://dhhs.ne.gov/SummerEBT.&nbsp;</a>

Once a Summer EBT card is received and activated, it can be used like any other EBT card.

Cards are accepted at approved SNAP retailers, supermarkets and grocery stores. For a list, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailer-locator">https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailer-locator</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715087389051.jpeg" alt="Alyssa Schukar for Feeding America)" />
 <figcaption>Alyssa Schukar for Feeding America)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/06/once-controversial-summer-ebt-food-program-for-low-income-ne-kids-set-for-rollout/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska’s plan to carry out the once-controversial Summer EBT food program for low-income youths has been given the green light from the federal government.The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the state’s planned rollout of the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program, which include details such as “touchpoints” that local officials designed to improve outreach, according to a media release Monday from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.So-called touchpoints include providing Nebraska parents with information on types of nutritious foods to buy and follow-up surveys to identify additional needs or concerns.<h2>175,000 students</h2>State officials expect the Summer EBT program to serve about 175,000 students, or 80,000 households that meet certain criteria, including an income that makes them eligible for free or reduced-price lunch during the school year.That count is up from an earlier estimate of about 150,000 children anticipated to benefit at a state cost of about $400,000 per year to administer the federally-funded program.Each qualified child is to receive a card loaded with a total of $120 in grocery-buying benefits. The program is designed to allow access to nutritious food during summer months when school is out.Modeled after pilot projects and a nationwide pandemic-era initiative that ended, Congress authorized the more permanent summer program through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.State Sen. Jen Day of Gretna during the past legislative session<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/01/proposal-to-force-ne-to-accept-18m-in-federal-food-funds-for-kids-draws-no-opponents-at-hearing/">&nbsp;introduced Legislative Bill 952,</a>&nbsp;which stalled but had been&nbsp; prioritized by Sen. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island to push the state to implement the federal program.Gov. Jim Pillen&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/20/gov-pillen-decides-ne-wont-opt-into-new-18-million-child-nutrition-program/">had balked</a>&nbsp;at opting in, describing the program as a leftover from the pandemic that had ended.He later added that he didn’t believe in “welfare,” which brought more criticism because the governor, a hog producer and co-owner of a pork processing plant, has accepted federal assistance.Already, Pillen had been&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/29/advocates-issue-final-plea-to-governor-to-participate-in-new-summer-lunch-program/">flooded by pleas</a>&nbsp;from food banks, advocates of the poor and protesters.Ultimately the governor reversed his stand, attributing the change of heart to a visit with Aguilar, a Republican, and discussions he had with students at Boys Town and during a youth legislative day.&nbsp;<h2>Big step</h2>Day, who had led a letter-writing effort supported by 15 state lawmakers, said Monday that although Nebraska was one of the last states to opt in to the new summer program, it was the fourth in the nation to have its plan approved.“I’m glad that we’ll be able to feed 175,000 Nebraska kids this summer and relieve some of the economic stress that many families are feeling right now,” Day said.She praised the work of the DHHS and Department of Education in crafting the plan.“These programs are crucial for making sure that kids in our state receive nutritious meals during the months they are not in school,” DHHS CEO Steve Corsi said in a statement.A spokeswoman for the USDA said the agency is pleased Nebraska chose to participate.“We are impressed that the state’s plan includes a range of services to reach kids and also robust outreach to the community,” said Cheryl Kennedy, regional administrator for the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. “This will be a great benefit to the children of Nebraska.”Eric Savaiano, food and access manager for Nebraska Appleseed, a nonprofit that fought early on for participation in the program, said federal approval of Nebraska’s plan is a big step. Now, he said, there is contact information and other detail available for families.“This puts details behind the program that means it is actually going to happen,” Savaiano said.In addition to the Summer EBT program, the State Department of Education said it also is administering the Summer Food Service Program, which provides no-cost meals to kids from age 1 to 18 at about 300 sites across Nebraska.No applications or paperwork are required to receive meals from approved Summer Food Service Program sites, most of which begin providing meals the first week of June.<h2>Summer EBT eligibility</h2>School-age, income-qualified youths are eligible for Summer EBT cards.According to DHHS, kids already approved for free and reduced-priced school lunches, or who participate in state-administered public assistance, should receive their cards by mail and don’t have to formally apply.If in doubt, or for more information on eligibility and application, the state offers a website for the Summer EBT program and the Summer Food Service Program:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Summer-EBT.aspx">https://dhhs.ne.gov/SummerEBT.&nbsp;</a>Once a Summer EBT card is received and activated, it can be used like any other EBT card.Cards are accepted at approved SNAP retailers, supermarkets and grocery stores. For a list, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailer-locator">https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailer-locator</a>

Once-controversial Summer EBT food program for low-income NE kids set for rollout

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Times and The Washington Post were awarded three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pulitzer-prize-awards">Pulitzer Prizes</a>&nbsp;apiece on Monday for work in 2023 that dealt with everything from the war in Gaza to gun violence, and The Associated Press won in the feature photography category for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-pulitzer-award-journalism-23aeee7cc4a770e8a2e4be5ae1a82277">coverage of global migration</a>&nbsp;to the U.S.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-year/2024">Click here to see the list</a> or watch the announcement video below

Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and its aftermath produced work that resulted in two Pulitzers and a special citation. The Times won for text coverage that the Pulitzer board described as “wide-ranging and revelatory,” while the Reuters news service won for its photography. The citation went to journalists and other writers covering the war in Gaza.

The prestigious public service award went to ProPublica for reporting that “pierced the thick wall of secrecy” around the U.S. Supreme Court to show how billionaires gave expensive gifts to justices and paid for luxury travel. Reporters Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott, Brett Murphy, Alex Mierjeski and Kirsten Berg were honored for their work.

The Pulitzers honored the best in journalism from 2023 in 15 categories, as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pulitzer-prizes-night-watch-jayne-anne-phillips-c1639c1c9574616a03ebc4074b494e18">eight arts categories</a>&nbsp;focused on books, music and theater. The public service winner receives a gold medal. All other winners receive $15,000.

The 15 photos in AP’s winning entry were taken across Latin America and along the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas and California in a year when immigration was one of the world’s biggest stories. They were shot by AP staffers Greg Bull, Eric Gay, Fernando Llano, Marco Ugarte and Eduardo Verdugo, and longtime AP freelancers Christian Chavez, Felix Marquez and Ivan Valencia.

“These raw and emotional images came about through day-to-day coverage of a historic moment in multiple countries documenting migrants at every step of their treacherous journeys,” said Julie Pace, the AP’s senior vice president and executive editor.

The United States has seen more than 10 million border arrivals in the last five years, with migrants arriving from a wide range of new locations like Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador, Haiti and Africa, in contrast with earlier eras.

The AP has won 59 Pulitzer Prizes, including 36 for photography. The news cooperative was named a finalist for the national reporting Pulitzer on Monday for its coverage of hundreds of thousands of children who&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/missing-children/index.html">disappeared from public schools during the pandemic</a>.

In citing the Times for its work in Israel and Gaza, the Pulitzer board mentioned its coverage of the country’s intelligence failures, along with the attack and Israel’s military response.

The award comes even as The Times has faced some controversy about its coverage; last month a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2024/04/29/new-york-times-oct-7-journalism-professors-letter/">group of journalism professors</a>&nbsp;called on the publication to address questions about an investigation into gender-based violence during the Hamas attack on Israel.

The Times’ Hannah Dreier won a Pulitzer in investigative reporting for her stories on migrant child labor across the United States. Contributing writer Katie Engelhart won the newspaper’s third Pulitzer, in feature writing, for her portrait of a family struggling with a matriarch’s dementia.

“Every one of the winners and finalists showcases a drive for original, revelatory reporting that underpins so much of what we produce, from the biggest storylines in the news to feature writing as well as classic investigations,” said Joe Kahn, the Times' executive editor.

The Washington Post staff won in national reporting for its “sobering examination” of the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, which came with some gut-wrenching photos. “We were eager to find a way to cover it differently and change the conversation about mass shootings,” Peter Walstein, the Post’s senior national enterprise editor, said in the newspaper.

The Post’s David E. Hoffman won in editorial writing for a “compelling and well-researched” series on how authoritarian regimes repress dissent in the digital age. Its third award went to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-prisoner-vladimir-kara-murza-vladimir-putin-72fa647534d743c22fceef9fe4a78dc4">contributor Vladimir Kara-Murza</a>, for commentaries written from a Russian prison cell.

The New Yorker magazine won two Pulitzers. Sarah Stillman won in explanatory reporting for her report on the legal system’s reliance on felony murder charges. Contributor Medar de la Cruz won in illustrated reporting and commentary for his story humanizing inmates in the Rikers Island jail in New York City.

The staff of Lookout Santa Cruz in California won in the breaking news category for what the prize board called “nimble community-minded coverage” of flooding and mudslides. On its website Monday, Lookout Santa Cruz said that it made its coverage free at a time of crisis in the community, and also used text messages to reach people without power.

“In short, we did our jobs,” the staff said in an unsigned article, “and we heard so many thanks for it. The Pulitzer is icing on that cake.”

The Pulitzers gave a second award in national reporting to the Reuters staff for an “eye-opening” series that probed Elon Musk’s automobile and aerospace businesses.

In local reporting, Sarah Conway of City Bureau and Trina Reynolds-Tyler of the Invisible Institute won for an investigative series on missing Black girls and women in Chicago, which showed how racism and the police contributed to the problem.

The Pulitzer in criticism went to Justin Chang of The Los Angeles Times for evocative and genre-spanning coverage of movies. The Pulitzer board's second special citation went to the late hip-hop critic Greg Tate.

The awards are administered by Columbia University in New York, which itself has been in the news for student demonstrations against the war in Gaza. The Pulitzer board met away from Columbia this past weekend to deliberate on its winners.

The Pulitzers announced that five of the 45 finalists this year&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/five-of-this-years-pulitzer-finalists-are-ai-powered,248629">used artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;in research and reporting of their submissions. It was the first time the board required applicants for the award to disclose use of AI.

The prizes were established in the will of newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer and first awarded in 1917.

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Times and The Washington Post were awarded three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pulitzer-prize-awards">Pulitzer Prizes</a>&nbsp;apiece on Monday for work in 2023 that dealt with everything from the war in Gaza to gun violence, and The Associated Press won in the feature photography category for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-pulitzer-award-journalism-23aeee7cc4a770e8a2e4be5ae1a82277">coverage of global migration</a>&nbsp;to the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-year/2024">Click here to see the list</a> or watch the announcement video below<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1k3v4rB1BhY?si=Y0rKa0mAS4L5CQqK" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and its aftermath produced work that resulted in two Pulitzers and a special citation. The Times won for text coverage that the Pulitzer board described as “wide-ranging and revelatory,” while the Reuters news service won for its photography. The citation went to journalists and other writers covering the war in Gaza.The prestigious public service award went to ProPublica for reporting that “pierced the thick wall of secrecy” around the U.S. Supreme Court to show how billionaires gave expensive gifts to justices and paid for luxury travel. Reporters Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott, Brett Murphy, Alex Mierjeski and Kirsten Berg were honored for their work.The Pulitzers honored the best in journalism from 2023 in 15 categories, as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pulitzer-prizes-night-watch-jayne-anne-phillips-c1639c1c9574616a03ebc4074b494e18">eight arts categories</a>&nbsp;focused on books, music and theater. The public service winner receives a gold medal. All other winners receive $15,000.The 15 photos in AP’s winning entry were taken across Latin America and along the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas and California in a year when immigration was one of the world’s biggest stories. They were shot by AP staffers Greg Bull, Eric Gay, Fernando Llano, Marco Ugarte and Eduardo Verdugo, and longtime AP freelancers Christian Chavez, Felix Marquez and Ivan Valencia.“These raw and emotional images came about through day-to-day coverage of a historic moment in multiple countries documenting migrants at every step of their treacherous journeys,” said Julie Pace, the AP’s senior vice president and executive editor.The United States has seen more than 10 million border arrivals in the last five years, with migrants arriving from a wide range of new locations like Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador, Haiti and Africa, in contrast with earlier eras.The AP has won 59 Pulitzer Prizes, including 36 for photography. The news cooperative was named a finalist for the national reporting Pulitzer on Monday for its coverage of hundreds of thousands of children who&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/missing-children/index.html">disappeared from public schools during the pandemic</a>.In citing the Times for its work in Israel and Gaza, the Pulitzer board mentioned its coverage of the country’s intelligence failures, along with the attack and Israel’s military response.The award comes even as The Times has faced some controversy about its coverage; last month a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2024/04/29/new-york-times-oct-7-journalism-professors-letter/">group of journalism professors</a>&nbsp;called on the publication to address questions about an investigation into gender-based violence during the Hamas attack on Israel.The Times’ Hannah Dreier won a Pulitzer in investigative reporting for her stories on migrant child labor across the United States. Contributing writer Katie Engelhart won the newspaper’s third Pulitzer, in feature writing, for her portrait of a family struggling with a matriarch’s dementia.“Every one of the winners and finalists showcases a drive for original, revelatory reporting that underpins so much of what we produce, from the biggest storylines in the news to feature writing as well as classic investigations,” said Joe Kahn, the Times' executive editor.The Washington Post staff won in national reporting for its “sobering examination” of the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, which came with some gut-wrenching photos. “We were eager to find a way to cover it differently and change the conversation about mass shootings,” Peter Walstein, the Post’s senior national enterprise editor, said in the newspaper.The Post’s David E. Hoffman won in editorial writing for a “compelling and well-researched” series on how authoritarian regimes repress dissent in the digital age. Its third award went to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-prisoner-vladimir-kara-murza-vladimir-putin-72fa647534d743c22fceef9fe4a78dc4">contributor Vladimir Kara-Murza</a>, for commentaries written from a Russian prison cell.The New Yorker magazine won two Pulitzers. Sarah Stillman won in explanatory reporting for her report on the legal system’s reliance on felony murder charges. Contributor Medar de la Cruz won in illustrated reporting and commentary for his story humanizing inmates in the Rikers Island jail in New York City.The staff of Lookout Santa Cruz in California won in the breaking news category for what the prize board called “nimble community-minded coverage” of flooding and mudslides. On its website Monday, Lookout Santa Cruz said that it made its coverage free at a time of crisis in the community, and also used text messages to reach people without power.“In short, we did our jobs,” the staff said in an unsigned article, “and we heard so many thanks for it. The Pulitzer is icing on that cake.”The Pulitzers gave a second award in national reporting to the Reuters staff for an “eye-opening” series that probed Elon Musk’s automobile and aerospace businesses.In local reporting, Sarah Conway of City Bureau and Trina Reynolds-Tyler of the Invisible Institute won for an investigative series on missing Black girls and women in Chicago, which showed how racism and the police contributed to the problem.The Pulitzer in criticism went to Justin Chang of The Los Angeles Times for evocative and genre-spanning coverage of movies. The Pulitzer board's second special citation went to the late hip-hop critic Greg Tate.The awards are administered by Columbia University in New York, which itself has been in the news for student demonstrations against the war in Gaza. The Pulitzer board met away from Columbia this past weekend to deliberate on its winners.The Pulitzers announced that five of the 45 finalists this year&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/five-of-this-years-pulitzer-finalists-are-ai-powered,248629">used artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;in research and reporting of their submissions. It was the first time the board required applicants for the award to disclose use of AI.The prizes were established in the will of newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer and first awarded in 1917.

🎥See the complete list of 2024 Pulitzer Prize winners

WASHINGTON (AP) — An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to two U.S. officials.

U.S. officials said the soldier, Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, 34, was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to Fort Cavazos in Texas. Instead, officials said he traveled to Russia.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel details.

Cynthia Smith, Army spokeswoman, confirmed that a soldier was detained on Thursday in Vladivostok, a major military and commercial Pacific port, on charges of criminal misconduct. She said Russia notified the U.S. and the Army told the soldier's family.

“The U.S. Department of State is providing appropriate consular support to the soldier in Russia,” Smith said.

It was unclear Monday if the soldier is considered absent without leave, or AWOL.

The arrest comes less than a year after American soldier Travis King&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-us-citizen-crossed-border-e4aaa883901052e65f5c400c8279438b">sprinted into North Korea</a>&nbsp;across the heavily fortified border between the Koreas. North Korea&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-travis-king-quick-release-analysis-e0e1a2e3a90097c0d666cb385b185071">later announced</a>&nbsp;that it would expel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/travis-king/">King</a>, who was returned to the U.S. He was eventually charged with desertion.

Russia is known to be holding a number of Americans in its jails, including corporate security executive Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, The U.S. government has designated both as wrongfully detained and has been trying to negotiate for their release.

Others detained include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-musician-arrested-drug-trafficking-3d32c6e75660d17f993dd6afe396eea7">Travis Leake</a>, a musician who had been living in Russia for years and was arrested last year on drug-related charges; Marc Fogel, a teacher in Moscow, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison, also on drug charges; and dual nationals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-american-journalist-radio-free-europe-alsu-kurmasheva-0bd25c4f04201eed5b3a9aa871e1f6ad">Alsu Kurmasheva</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-woman-arrest-russia-ukraine-3a121981719ed1904c0bbdbdb38f14ab">Ksenia Khavana</a>.

The soldier's arrest in Russia was first reported by NBC News.

The soldier, who is not being identified, was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to the United States. Instead, officials said he traveled to Russia.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to two U.S. officials.U.S. officials said the soldier, Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, 34, was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to Fort Cavazos in Texas. Instead, officials said he traveled to Russia.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel details.Cynthia Smith, Army spokeswoman, confirmed that a soldier was detained on Thursday in Vladivostok, a major military and commercial Pacific port, on charges of criminal misconduct. She said Russia notified the U.S. and the Army told the soldier's family.“The U.S. Department of State is providing appropriate consular support to the soldier in Russia,” Smith said.It was unclear Monday if the soldier is considered absent without leave, or AWOL.The arrest comes less than a year after American soldier Travis King&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-us-citizen-crossed-border-e4aaa883901052e65f5c400c8279438b">sprinted into North Korea</a>&nbsp;across the heavily fortified border between the Koreas. North Korea&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-travis-king-quick-release-analysis-e0e1a2e3a90097c0d666cb385b185071">later announced</a>&nbsp;that it would expel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/travis-king/">King</a>, who was returned to the U.S. He was eventually charged with desertion.Russia is known to be holding a number of Americans in its jails, including corporate security executive Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, The U.S. government has designated both as wrongfully detained and has been trying to negotiate for their release.Others detained include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-musician-arrested-drug-trafficking-3d32c6e75660d17f993dd6afe396eea7">Travis Leake</a>, a musician who had been living in Russia for years and was arrested last year on drug-related charges; Marc Fogel, a teacher in Moscow, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison, also on drug charges; and dual nationals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-american-journalist-radio-free-europe-alsu-kurmasheva-0bd25c4f04201eed5b3a9aa871e1f6ad">Alsu Kurmasheva</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-woman-arrest-russia-ukraine-3a121981719ed1904c0bbdbdb38f14ab">Ksenia Khavana</a>.The soldier's arrest in Russia was first reported by NBC News.-----------------WASHINGTON (AP) — An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to two U.S. officials.The soldier, who is not being identified, was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to the United States. Instead, officials said he traveled to Russia.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel details.Cynthia Smith, Army spokeswoman, confirmed that a soldier was detained on Thursday in Vladivostok, a major military and commercial Pacific port, on charges of criminal misconduct. She said Russia notified the U.S. and the Army told the soldier's family.“The U.S. Department of State is providing appropriate consular support to the soldier in Russia,” Smith said.It was unclear Monday if the soldier is considered absent without leave, or AWOL.The arrest comes less than a year after American soldier Travis King&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-us-citizen-crossed-border-e4aaa883901052e65f5c400c8279438b">sprinted into North Korea</a>&nbsp;across the heavily fortified border between the Koreas. North Korea&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-travis-king-quick-release-analysis-e0e1a2e3a90097c0d666cb385b185071">later announced</a>&nbsp;that it would expel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/travis-king/">King</a>, who was returned to the U.S. He was eventually charged with desertion.Russia is known to be holding a number of Americans in its jails, including corporate security executive Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, The U.S. government has designated both as wrongfully detained and has been trying to negotiate for their release.Others detained include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-musician-arrested-drug-trafficking-3d32c6e75660d17f993dd6afe396eea7">Travis Leake</a>, a musician who had been living in Russia for years and was arrested last year on drug-related charges; Marc Fogel, a teacher in Moscow, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison, also on drug charges; and dual nationals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-american-journalist-radio-free-europe-alsu-kurmasheva-0bd25c4f04201eed5b3a9aa871e1f6ad">Alsu Kurmasheva</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-woman-arrest-russia-ukraine-3a121981719ed1904c0bbdbdb38f14ab">Ksenia Khavana</a>.

Officials ID U.S. Army soldier arrested in Russia

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/06/nebraska-supreme-court-dismisses-foster-care-abuse-case-against-dhhs-expands-immunity/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;A new Nebraska Supreme Court decision added fuel to some lawmakers’ desire to try again, as early as this year, to increase accountability for child sexual assault and abuse.

An unsigned majority of the state’s highest court,&nbsp;in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/N00010954PUB.pdf">4-1 opinion in Joshua v. State</a>, issued Friday, upheld certain immunity for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services after three siblings alleged negligence after more than a decade of sexual and physical abuse in foster care. The opinion built upon the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/N00007360PUB.pdf">2020 decision Moser v. State</a>&nbsp;and overruled related cases, too.

Justices Jeffrey Funke and John Freudenberg did not participate in the decision.

State lawmakers passed legislation to change the underlying state law before Gov. Jim Pillen&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/24/pillen-vetoes-nebraska-child-sexual-assault-and-abuse-proposal/">vetoed those revisions</a>&nbsp;last month. Leading senators said they might try to call for a special session this summer on their own if the governor does not.

“We need a special session immediately to address this issue,” State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who helped lead legislative efforts this spring, said in a Friday text.

‘Public policy’ or ‘statutory construction’

At hand is the Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act, which forbids certain lawsuits against political subdivisions, upholding “sovereign immunity.” This includes cases of assault or battery, which the majority said could be changed by the Legislature “as a matter of public policy.”

“This court is required by settled principles of strict construction to read that exemption broadly in order to preserve the state’s immunity,” the majority wrote.

A penned dissent from the court’s longest serving member, Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman, said the court “overlooked an opportunity” to limit the 2020 decision and differentiate between immune child assault and nonimmune child abuse.

Miller-Lerman said even under the Moser decision, “the actions of DHHS are nonliable.” She also dissented on the Moser decision, stating then that it diverted from the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/1987/87-626">U.S. Supreme Court</a>.&nbsp;

The senior justice would have returned the decision to a lower court to consider allegations of non-assault claims, including emotional abuse and domestic violence involving the foster family’s dogs.

“The problematic outcome in this case is the result of the application by the majority of its statutory interpretation in Moser and the progeny thereof with which, as I have repeatedly written, I respectfully disagree,” Miller-Lerman wrote.

“In my view, this issue is one of statutory construction, not public policy, and the solution is within the majority’s grasp,” Miller-Lerman continued. “In the absence of ambiguity, statutory interpretation is not a matter of public policy.”

In January 1996, three siblings (Joshua, Sydnie and Abigail) became wards of the state after a serious car accident left their mother severely disabled and unable to care for them. Their biological father was deemed an unfit parent due to active alcoholism and instability in employment and housing.

The siblings were placed in a foster home with Miles Ruch Sr. and Carol Ruch during which it is “generally undisputed” that the siblings were subjected to frequent physical and sexual abuse.

In August 2004, Sydnie and Abigail each told their foster mother that her husband had been sexually abusing them, and Miles Ruch was arrested, charged and convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault of a child.

The siblings remained in Carol Ruch’s custody for several months until reports indicated Carol Ruch had physically assaulted and injured Joshua.

In July 2005, the siblings were returned to their biological father’s custody, based in part on DHHS recommendations. Several months later, he was arrested for sexually assaulting Sydnie and Abigail.

A decade later, in December 2015, the siblings alleged DHHS failed to properly screen and monitor their foster home placement and later remove them from their home. The agency also failed to protect the children, they alleged, when they were reunited with their biological father.

The district court issued $2.9 million in damages against Miles Ruch — but it concluded “that the siblings had adduced no evidence suggesting DHHS had any reason to foresee that he [the biological father] would sexually abuse the siblings.”

DHHS had argued it had immunity, which the lower court said was “somewhat compelling,” though it ultimately ruled a 1977 state case precluded immunity.

The Nebraska Supreme Court disagreed, stating the facts of the case were “undeniably tragic” and abuse of a child entrusted in the state’s foster court system “is deplorable.”

“But it is not the proper role of this court, even when faced with tragic and compelling facts, to pick and choose which tort claims arising out of an assault or battery should be permitted under the [laws] and which should not,” the court wrote.

Miller-Lerman said DHHS received multiple reports of abuse, yet the court’s reluctance means the majority has “effectively ruled that once there is an assault in the picture rendering the State immune, the State is also immune from suit resulting from cruel emotional child abuse.”

“I do not think this holding is supported by statute or the record,” she said.

Friday’s decision does not affect the $2.9 million award against Miles Ruch.

State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, an attorney, said the court’s decision to explicitly overrule a handful of other related cases, while it had done so “implicitly” before, was “breathtaking.”

For four years, lawmakers have sought to amend the act and expand lawsuits against political subdivisions —&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/25/we-were-so-close-nebraska-mother-responds-to-veto-of-child-sexual-assault-and-abuse-bill/">such as schools</a>&nbsp;and state agencies.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50137">In the latest case</a>, it would have been if subdivisions failed to use “reasonable care” to control or protect a child in their care in cases of sexual assault or abuse. Damages could have been awarded up to $1 million.

Lawmakers passed that measure 28-17 last month, but Pillen said it was “overly broad” and would “substantially erode” sovereign immunity protections, passing off costs to taxpayers.

“We must hold perpetrators accountable and protect children from abuse by enforcing the criminal laws that exist and by targeting the wrongdoer,” Pillen said in his April 24 veto letter. “Taxpayers should not bear this burden.”

The “callous veto” along with the court’s bad decision, Conrad said, was “yet another example of why the Legislature must act to reset the scales of justice and ensure that big government is held accountable when their actions or inactions hurt or harm its citizens.”

“You don’t need to be a legal scholar to understand that this is the wrong outcome,” Conrad said. “This shouldn’t be a political issue — this is a common sense issue.”

In Nebraska, a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/articles.php?article=IV-8">special session</a>&nbsp;can only be called through a governor’s proclamation, which the governor or&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=50-125">33 senators can initiate</a>.

In the case of the Legislature itself — which has not happened in Unicameral history —&nbsp;10 or more senators must formally declare the purpose or purposes of the session to the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office. Within 10 days, the secretary must poll the body; if 33 or more agree, the governor has five days after receiving notice to convene the special session.

Special sessions are not limited to one topic, and a consideration of such legislation could come at the same time as an expected session on property taxes this summer.

“Make no mistake: whether it’s through a special session, which I think is the best remedy, or in next year’s regular session, this issue is not going away,” Conrad said. “We need Nebraskans to join us, to call for change to right this wrong, to say, ‘Not in our name.’”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715018704594.jpeg" alt="Judges of the Nebraska Supreme Court (and when they were appointed), front row from left: Lindsey Miller-Lerman (1998), Chief Justice Michael Heavican (2006), William Cassel (2012). Back row, from left: Jonathan Papik (2018), Stephanie Stacy (2015), Jeffrey Funke (2016) and John Freudenberg (2018). (Courtesy of the court)" />
 <figcaption>Judges of the Nebraska Supreme Court (and when they were appointed), front row from left: Lindsey Miller-Lerman (1998), Chief Justice Michael Heavican (2006), William Cassel (2012). Back row, from left: Jonathan Papik (2018), Stephanie Stacy (2015), Jeffrey Funke (2016) and John Freudenberg (2018). (Courtesy of the court)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/06/nebraska-supreme-court-dismisses-foster-care-abuse-case-against-dhhs-expands-immunity/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;A new Nebraska Supreme Court decision added fuel to some lawmakers’ desire to try again, as early as this year, to increase accountability for child sexual assault and abuse.An unsigned majority of the state’s highest court,&nbsp;in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/N00010954PUB.pdf">4-1 opinion in Joshua v. State</a>, issued Friday, upheld certain immunity for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services after three siblings alleged negligence after more than a decade of sexual and physical abuse in foster care. The opinion built upon the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/N00007360PUB.pdf">2020 decision Moser v. State</a>&nbsp;and overruled related cases, too.Justices Jeffrey Funke and John Freudenberg did not participate in the decision.State lawmakers passed legislation to change the underlying state law before Gov. Jim Pillen&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/24/pillen-vetoes-nebraska-child-sexual-assault-and-abuse-proposal/">vetoed those revisions</a>&nbsp;last month. Leading senators said they might try to call for a special session this summer on their own if the governor does not.“We need a special session immediately to address this issue,” State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who helped lead legislative efforts this spring, said in a Friday text.<h2>‘Public policy’ or ‘statutory construction’</h2>At hand is the Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act, which forbids certain lawsuits against political subdivisions, upholding “sovereign immunity.” This includes cases of assault or battery, which the majority said could be changed by the Legislature “as a matter of public policy.”“This court is required by settled principles of strict construction to read that exemption broadly in order to preserve the state’s immunity,” the majority wrote.A penned dissent from the court’s longest serving member, Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman, said the court “overlooked an opportunity” to limit the 2020 decision and differentiate between immune child assault and nonimmune child abuse.Miller-Lerman said even under the Moser decision, “the actions of DHHS are nonliable.” She also dissented on the Moser decision, stating then that it diverted from the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/1987/87-626">U.S. Supreme Court</a>.&nbsp;The senior justice would have returned the decision to a lower court to consider allegations of non-assault claims, including emotional abuse and domestic violence involving the foster family’s dogs.“The problematic outcome in this case is the result of the application by the majority of its statutory interpretation in Moser and the progeny thereof with which, as I have repeatedly written, I respectfully disagree,” Miller-Lerman wrote.“In my view, this issue is one of statutory construction, not public policy, and the solution is within the majority’s grasp,” Miller-Lerman continued. “In the absence of ambiguity, statutory interpretation is not a matter of public policy.”<h2>Timeline of abuse</h2>In January 1996, three siblings (Joshua, Sydnie and Abigail) became wards of the state after a serious car accident left their mother severely disabled and unable to care for them. Their biological father was deemed an unfit parent due to active alcoholism and instability in employment and housing.The siblings were placed in a foster home with Miles Ruch Sr. and Carol Ruch during which it is “generally undisputed” that the siblings were subjected to frequent physical and sexual abuse.In August 2004, Sydnie and Abigail each told their foster mother that her husband had been sexually abusing them, and Miles Ruch was arrested, charged and convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault of a child.The siblings remained in Carol Ruch’s custody for several months until reports indicated Carol Ruch had physically assaulted and injured Joshua.In July 2005, the siblings were returned to their biological father’s custody, based in part on DHHS recommendations. Several months later, he was arrested for sexually assaulting Sydnie and Abigail.A decade later, in December 2015, the siblings alleged DHHS failed to properly screen and monitor their foster home placement and later remove them from their home. The agency also failed to protect the children, they alleged, when they were reunited with their biological father.<h2>Trial court passed on immunity</h2>The district court issued $2.9 million in damages against Miles Ruch — but it concluded “that the siblings had adduced no evidence suggesting DHHS had any reason to foresee that he [the biological father] would sexually abuse the siblings.”DHHS had argued it had immunity, which the lower court said was “somewhat compelling,” though it ultimately ruled a 1977 state case precluded immunity.The Nebraska Supreme Court disagreed, stating the facts of the case were “undeniably tragic” and abuse of a child entrusted in the state’s foster court system “is deplorable.”“But it is not the proper role of this court, even when faced with tragic and compelling facts, to pick and choose which tort claims arising out of an assault or battery should be permitted under the [laws] and which should not,” the court wrote.Miller-Lerman said DHHS received multiple reports of abuse, yet the court’s reluctance means the majority has “effectively ruled that once there is an assault in the picture rendering the State immune, the State is also immune from suit resulting from cruel emotional child abuse.”“I do not think this holding is supported by statute or the record,” she said.Friday’s decision does not affect the $2.9 million award against Miles Ruch.<h2>‘This is the wrong outcome’</h2>State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, an attorney, said the court’s decision to explicitly overrule a handful of other related cases, while it had done so “implicitly” before, was “breathtaking.”For four years, lawmakers have sought to amend the act and expand lawsuits against political subdivisions —&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/25/we-were-so-close-nebraska-mother-responds-to-veto-of-child-sexual-assault-and-abuse-bill/">such as schools</a>&nbsp;and state agencies.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50137">In the latest case</a>, it would have been if subdivisions failed to use “reasonable care” to control or protect a child in their care in cases of sexual assault or abuse. Damages could have been awarded up to $1 million.Lawmakers passed that measure 28-17 last month, but Pillen said it was “overly broad” and would “substantially erode” sovereign immunity protections, passing off costs to taxpayers.“We must hold perpetrators accountable and protect children from abuse by enforcing the criminal laws that exist and by targeting the wrongdoer,” Pillen said in his April 24 veto letter. “Taxpayers should not bear this burden.”The “callous veto” along with the court’s bad decision, Conrad said, was “yet another example of why the Legislature must act to reset the scales of justice and ensure that big government is held accountable when their actions or inactions hurt or harm its citizens.”“You don’t need to be a legal scholar to understand that this is the wrong outcome,” Conrad said. “This shouldn’t be a political issue — this is a common sense issue.”<h2>Special session could be next step</h2>In Nebraska, a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/articles.php?article=IV-8">special session</a>&nbsp;can only be called through a governor’s proclamation, which the governor or&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=50-125">33 senators can initiate</a>.In the case of the Legislature itself — which has not happened in Unicameral history —&nbsp;10 or more senators must formally declare the purpose or purposes of the session to the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office. Within 10 days, the secretary must poll the body; if 33 or more agree, the governor has five days after receiving notice to convene the special session.Special sessions are not limited to one topic, and a consideration of such legislation could come at the same time as an expected session on property taxes this summer.“Make no mistake: whether it’s through a special session, which I think is the best remedy, or in next year’s regular session, this issue is not going away,” Conrad said. “We need Nebraskans to join us, to call for change to right this wrong, to say, ‘Not in our name.’”

Nebraska Supreme Court dismisses foster care abuse case against DHHS, expands immunity

This year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/berkshire-hathaway-warren-buffett-shareholders-meeting-b345638b402f5ef2f9f9d7080eff0978">Berkshire Hathaway meeting</a>&nbsp;gave shareholders their best chance yet to hear from the man who will one day take over as CEO when Warren Buffett is gone, but Buffett said for the first time Saturday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-successor-74ec95bf0acfd43fdd1f2284ee9f0e89">Greg Abel</a>&nbsp;should also take responsibility for the company's investments after he takes over, raising new questions about the succession plan.

Abel put his encyclopedic knowledge of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-pacificorp-liability-warren-buffett-lawsuits-2313403237cb663487daf1953fe952a9">utility business</a>&nbsp;that he led directly for years on display and delved into railroad operations and potential acquisitions that Berkshire pursued while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/brklive/">sharing the stage with Buffett all day</a>. For his part, the 93-year-old billionaire showed investors he is still sharp.

Abel pointed out that it required a major culture shift to get workers at PacifiCorp and the other utilities, who have long focused all their energy on keeping the lights on, to think about shutting the power down at times when the risk that their power lines could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-brown-fires-us-news-wa-state-wire-ca-state-wire-8e4e0818146a72c713de625e902f9962">spark wildfires</a>&nbsp;is too great. He also said BNSF railroad is working on getting “our cost structure right” after delivering disappointing results.

Succession was clearly top of mind for many of the thousands of people who filled an Omaha arena to listen to the two men after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-munger-dead-warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-96b8e7a7b096339cb57ff72df915567a">last fall's death</a>&nbsp;of Vice Chairman Charlie Munger. Buffett, Abel and Ajit Jain, Berkshire's other top executive who oversees the company's insurers, reassured investors that Berkshire's board spends plenty of time focused on “what would happen to the operation if I get hit by a truck,” as Jain put it. Finding the right replacement for any of the three of them will be important.

Previously, Buffett had said that when Abel becomes CEO, investment managers Ted Weschler and Todd Combs, who's also taken on the responsibility of being Geico's CEO, would handle Berkshire's massive portfolio. But Buffett said Saturday that his thinking has evolved, and that “I would probably, knowing Greg, I would leave the capital allocation to Greg."

And Buffett said because Abel understands businesses so well, he also understands stocks.

But Edward Jones analyst James Shanahan said a good business doesn't always make a good stock unless you get the timing and position size right, and there is an art to that.

"I think stock picking is hard. I don’t think it’s something you can just start doing and be good at it," Shanahan said.

Abel does have a history of making multibillion-dollar deals when he was the head of Berkshire's utility unit for a decade, including the acquisitions of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/41a0d2fb98e64e18aec6c8525886a34d">NV Energy</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bafaf7f961f44fbab6f07287812cca0b">AltaLink</a>, but he's never been a stock picker. Weschler and Combs might be able to help Abel get the timing right and find opportunities in the stock market, but Buffett didn't say that Saturday.

Abel just reassured shareholders that "the capital allocation principles that we use today will be maintained.”

“Does that give you more or less confidence post-Buffett? I would say it’s got to give you less — not because it’s a worse circumstance — but because it hasn’t been very transparent and communicated that clearly. You’ve got to start asking, well, what else is going to change?” said Cole Smead with Smead Capital Management.

Abel definitely has the confidence of the CEOs at all of Berkshire's many varied noninsurance businesses who report to him and ask his advice on any challenges they are facing.

“Greg sees so much more than I do on a daily basis. So his perspective is valued, and his wisdom is something that is such a luxury for all of us to be able to tap into,” said Dan Sheridan, who just became CEO of Brooks Running this year after his predecessor retired. He said Abel is always humble and curious about the business, even while asking challenging questions.

See's Candies CEO Pat Egan added that Abel reflects all of Berkshire's core values, with the company's emphasis on integrity, taking care of customers and strengthening brands, while still giving Berkshire's subsidiaries the freedom to operate independently.

“He really expects us to know our business, understand the parameters, and to run our business on a day to day basis,” said Tim Baucom, CEO of flooring giant Shaw Industries. “So I feel like I have all the freedom of the world, but with freedom comes responsibility.”

The shareholders who attended the meeting and spent hours shopping and talking with executives at the booths Berkshire subsidiaries set up when they weren't listening to Buffett and Abel remain confident. Some of them even got the chance to take selfies with Abel, though Buffett no longer tours the exhibit hall in public.

“I think they'll be fine,” said Michael Grizzard, who made the trip to Omaha from Richmond, Virginia, for the second time. “They're in good hands, and I think they have a good culture.”

Smead said even Buffett, who is easily one of the greatest investors the world has ever seen, has been having a hard time lately finding good investments big enough to make a difference at Berkshire except for the $135 billion Apple stake that remains its largest investment even after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/berkshire-hathaway-warren-buffett-profit-0a1c9e939d18f4ff78fc64a6ad9fd941">some trimming</a>&nbsp;this year.

So no matter how good an investor Abel is, he will have a hard time finding deals big enough to provide a meaningful boost to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/berkshire-hathaway-warren-buffett-profit-0a1c9e939d18f4ff78fc64a6ad9fd941">Berkshire's earnings</a>&nbsp;that approached $13 billion in a down first quarter. That challenge is a big part of why&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-letter-charlie-munger-41d58fcfe54fa1eba8f5492aac0542a2">Buffett has warned</a>&nbsp;investors not to expect any of the "eye-popping performance" of Berkshire's past.

But for now, Buffett showed that Abel may not need to take over anytime soon because he looked good and he has long said he has no plans to retire, even if he acknowledged Saturday that he doesn't have the same energy he used to. CFRA Research analyst Cathy Seifert came away impressed with his stamina.

“There wasn’t anything in that performance that I found worrisome or troubling,” Seifert said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715018594509.jpeg" alt="Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Greg Abel poses for pictures with shareholders while touring the booths Berkshires companies set up, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. Abel will succeed Warren Buffett as CEO one day. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)" />
 <figcaption>Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Greg Abel poses for pictures with shareholders while touring the booths Berkshires companies set up, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. Abel will succeed Warren Buffett as CEO one day. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)</figcaption>
 </figure>Associated PressThis year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/berkshire-hathaway-warren-buffett-shareholders-meeting-b345638b402f5ef2f9f9d7080eff0978">Berkshire Hathaway meeting</a>&nbsp;gave shareholders their best chance yet to hear from the man who will one day take over as CEO when Warren Buffett is gone, but Buffett said for the first time Saturday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-successor-74ec95bf0acfd43fdd1f2284ee9f0e89">Greg Abel</a>&nbsp;should also take responsibility for the company's investments after he takes over, raising new questions about the succession plan.Abel put his encyclopedic knowledge of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-pacificorp-liability-warren-buffett-lawsuits-2313403237cb663487daf1953fe952a9">utility business</a>&nbsp;that he led directly for years on display and delved into railroad operations and potential acquisitions that Berkshire pursued while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/brklive/">sharing the stage with Buffett all day</a>. For his part, the 93-year-old billionaire showed investors he is still sharp.Abel pointed out that it required a major culture shift to get workers at PacifiCorp and the other utilities, who have long focused all their energy on keeping the lights on, to think about shutting the power down at times when the risk that their power lines could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-brown-fires-us-news-wa-state-wire-ca-state-wire-8e4e0818146a72c713de625e902f9962">spark wildfires</a>&nbsp;is too great. He also said BNSF railroad is working on getting “our cost structure right” after delivering disappointing results.Succession was clearly top of mind for many of the thousands of people who filled an Omaha arena to listen to the two men after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-munger-dead-warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-96b8e7a7b096339cb57ff72df915567a">last fall's death</a>&nbsp;of Vice Chairman Charlie Munger. Buffett, Abel and Ajit Jain, Berkshire's other top executive who oversees the company's insurers, reassured investors that Berkshire's board spends plenty of time focused on “what would happen to the operation if I get hit by a truck,” as Jain put it. Finding the right replacement for any of the three of them will be important.Previously, Buffett had said that when Abel becomes CEO, investment managers Ted Weschler and Todd Combs, who's also taken on the responsibility of being Geico's CEO, would handle Berkshire's massive portfolio. But Buffett said Saturday that his thinking has evolved, and that “I would probably, knowing Greg, I would leave the capital allocation to Greg."And Buffett said because Abel understands businesses so well, he also understands stocks.But Edward Jones analyst James Shanahan said a good business doesn't always make a good stock unless you get the timing and position size right, and there is an art to that."I think stock picking is hard. I don’t think it’s something you can just start doing and be good at it," Shanahan said.Abel does have a history of making multibillion-dollar deals when he was the head of Berkshire's utility unit for a decade, including the acquisitions of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/41a0d2fb98e64e18aec6c8525886a34d">NV Energy</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bafaf7f961f44fbab6f07287812cca0b">AltaLink</a>, but he's never been a stock picker. Weschler and Combs might be able to help Abel get the timing right and find opportunities in the stock market, but Buffett didn't say that Saturday.Abel just reassured shareholders that "the capital allocation principles that we use today will be maintained.”“Does that give you more or less confidence post-Buffett? I would say it’s got to give you less — not because it’s a worse circumstance — but because it hasn’t been very transparent and communicated that clearly. You’ve got to start asking, well, what else is going to change?” said Cole Smead with Smead Capital Management.Abel definitely has the confidence of the CEOs at all of Berkshire's many varied noninsurance businesses who report to him and ask his advice on any challenges they are facing.“Greg sees so much more than I do on a daily basis. So his perspective is valued, and his wisdom is something that is such a luxury for all of us to be able to tap into,” said Dan Sheridan, who just became CEO of Brooks Running this year after his predecessor retired. He said Abel is always humble and curious about the business, even while asking challenging questions.See's Candies CEO Pat Egan added that Abel reflects all of Berkshire's core values, with the company's emphasis on integrity, taking care of customers and strengthening brands, while still giving Berkshire's subsidiaries the freedom to operate independently.“He really expects us to know our business, understand the parameters, and to run our business on a day to day basis,” said Tim Baucom, CEO of flooring giant Shaw Industries. “So I feel like I have all the freedom of the world, but with freedom comes responsibility.”The shareholders who attended the meeting and spent hours shopping and talking with executives at the booths Berkshire subsidiaries set up when they weren't listening to Buffett and Abel remain confident. Some of them even got the chance to take selfies with Abel, though Buffett no longer tours the exhibit hall in public.“I think they'll be fine,” said Michael Grizzard, who made the trip to Omaha from Richmond, Virginia, for the second time. “They're in good hands, and I think they have a good culture.”Smead said even Buffett, who is easily one of the greatest investors the world has ever seen, has been having a hard time lately finding good investments big enough to make a difference at Berkshire except for the $135 billion Apple stake that remains its largest investment even after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/berkshire-hathaway-warren-buffett-profit-0a1c9e939d18f4ff78fc64a6ad9fd941">some trimming</a>&nbsp;this year.So no matter how good an investor Abel is, he will have a hard time finding deals big enough to provide a meaningful boost to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/berkshire-hathaway-warren-buffett-profit-0a1c9e939d18f4ff78fc64a6ad9fd941">Berkshire's earnings</a>&nbsp;that approached $13 billion in a down first quarter. That challenge is a big part of why&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-letter-charlie-munger-41d58fcfe54fa1eba8f5492aac0542a2">Buffett has warned</a>&nbsp;investors not to expect any of the "eye-popping performance" of Berkshire's past.But for now, Buffett showed that Abel may not need to take over anytime soon because he looked good and he has long said he has no plans to retire, even if he acknowledged Saturday that he doesn't have the same energy he used to. CFRA Research analyst Cathy Seifert came away impressed with his stamina.“There wasn’t anything in that performance that I found worrisome or troubling,” Seifert said.

Berkshire Hathaway event gives good view of Warren Buffett's successor but also raises new questions

&nbsp; Scottsbluff, NE-On Saturday May the fourth 2024 @ 9:31 PM Scottsbluff Police Officers, Scottsbluff Fire Fighters, and Regional West emergency medical services were dispatched to the intersection of East 15th Street and 10th Ave to investigate a traffic crash between a vehicle and a house. 

Investigation revealed that Braulio Cruz, age 60 of Scottsbluff, was west bound on East 15th Street driving a 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe at a high rate of speed when he ran the stop sign at 11th Ave.  After crossing 11th Ave the vehicle ran off the road to the left and drove across an empty lot. The vehicle crossed 10th Ave, drove through a fence, and into the home at 1420 10th Ave. The home was occupied but no one inside was injured. The home received significant damage and the vehicle was totaled. 

Cruz and a passenger, Alberto Areas, age 38 of Scottsbluff, received minor injuries. Cruz and Areas were treated at the scene and not transported to the hospital by EMS. Cruz was arrested and booked in at the Scotts Bluff County Detention Center for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Willful Reckless Driving, a Stop Sign violation, and No Proof of Insurance. 

Scottsbluff Police were assisted at the scene by Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Deputies.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Scottsbluff Police Department&nbsp; Scottsbluff, NE-On Saturday May the fourth 2024 @ 9:31 PM Scottsbluff Police Officers, Scottsbluff Fire Fighters, and Regional West emergency medical services were dispatched to the intersection of East 15th Street and 10th Ave to investigate a traffic crash between a vehicle and a house. Investigation revealed that Braulio Cruz, age 60 of Scottsbluff, was west bound on East 15th Street driving a 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe at a high rate of speed when he ran the stop sign at 11th Ave. After crossing 11th Ave the vehicle ran off the road to the left and drove across an empty lot. The vehicle crossed 10th Ave, drove through a fence, and into the home at 1420 10th Ave. The home was occupied but no one inside was injured. The home received significant damage and the vehicle was totaled. Cruz and a passenger, Alberto Areas, age 38 of Scottsbluff, received minor injuries. Cruz and Areas were treated at the scene and not transported to the hospital by EMS. Cruz was arrested and booked in at the Scotts Bluff County Detention Center for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Willful Reckless Driving, a Stop Sign violation, and No Proof of Insurance. Scottsbluff Police were assisted at the scene by Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Deputies.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Drunk driver arrested in Scottsbluff after hitting a house over the weekend

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;–&nbsp;At the request of Governor Jim Pillen, President Joe Biden granted a major disaster declaration for the state, triggering the release of federal funds to help Nebraska residents and communities recover from severe storms, straight line winds and tornadoes that occurred April 25-27. The action comes just one day following Gov. Pillen’s request for federal assistance to help those who were impacted by severe storms in Douglas and Washington counties. Gov. Pillen expressed his appreciation for the expedited federal declaration. &nbsp;

“This approval will allow Nebraskans affected by the Arbor Day tornadoes to get back on their feet as quickly as possible,” said Gov. Pillen. “We know that the road to recovery will be a long one, but this declaration will help expedite processes and funding provided through FEMA, to help people take care of both immediate and long-term needs.”

Assistance includes cost-sharing funds, which will help in the removal of debris and emergency protective measures, as well as the reimbursement for repairs to public infrastructure and property. It also includes individual assistance to renters, homeowners and business owners who have sustained losses. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) will soon provide information to assist storm victims with the necessary application processes. &nbsp;

Those who sustained damage or losses in Douglas and Washington counties can begin applying for assistance right away at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.disasterassistance.gov%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7Caf2f034d32b940be39c308dc6bb4a2cc%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C638503670763396273%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Is3OzULqEWkDTaEe9C6D%2B4qukF6E53xJq9zmqPE28Fo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.DisasterAssistance.gov</a>&nbsp;or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362). There is also a FEMA mobile app, available through Google Play and the Apple App Store.

In the coming days and in coordination with the state and local governments, FEMA will have staff visiting affected neighborhoods. Those individuals will be carrying identification, so residents know who they are. They will be assessing damage and providing information to impacted individuals.

Damage assessments are continuing in other areas. Additional counties, as well as requests for assistance resulting from the severe weather may be declared at a later date.

In a separate, but additional update today, Gov. Pillen has ordered additional Nebraska State troopers and members of the Nebraska National Guard to assist with security, and deter looting in affected neighborhoods in both Douglas and Washington counties.

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE&nbsp;–&nbsp;At the request of Governor Jim Pillen, President Joe Biden granted a major disaster declaration for the state, triggering the release of federal funds to help Nebraska residents and communities recover from severe storms, straight line winds and tornadoes that occurred April 25-27. The action comes just one day following Gov. Pillen’s request for federal assistance to help those who were impacted by severe storms in Douglas and Washington counties. Gov. Pillen expressed his appreciation for the expedited federal declaration. &nbsp;“This approval will allow Nebraskans affected by the Arbor Day tornadoes to get back on their feet as quickly as possible,” said Gov. Pillen. “We know that the road to recovery will be a long one, but this declaration will help expedite processes and funding provided through FEMA, to help people take care of both immediate and long-term needs.”Assistance includes cost-sharing funds, which will help in the removal of debris and emergency protective measures, as well as the reimbursement for repairs to public infrastructure and property. It also includes individual assistance to renters, homeowners and business owners who have sustained losses. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) will soon provide information to assist storm victims with the necessary application processes. &nbsp;Those who sustained damage or losses in Douglas and Washington counties can begin applying for assistance right away at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.disasterassistance.gov%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7Caf2f034d32b940be39c308dc6bb4a2cc%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C638503670763396273%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Is3OzULqEWkDTaEe9C6D%2B4qukF6E53xJq9zmqPE28Fo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.DisasterAssistance.gov</a>&nbsp;or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362). There is also a FEMA mobile app, available through Google Play and the Apple App Store.In the coming days and in coordination with the state and local governments, FEMA will have staff visiting affected neighborhoods. Those individuals will be carrying identification, so residents know who they are. They will be assessing damage and providing information to impacted individuals.Damage assessments are continuing in other areas. Additional counties, as well as requests for assistance resulting from the severe weather may be declared at a later date.In a separate, but additional update today, Gov. Pillen has ordered additional Nebraska State troopers and members of the Nebraska National Guard to assist with security, and deter looting in affected neighborhoods in both Douglas and Washington counties.

Gov. Pillen Responds to Expedited Federal Disaster Declaration

WASHINGTON&nbsp;-- FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Nebraska to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes from April 25 – 27, 2024.

The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Douglas and Washington counties. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding is also available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal and emergency work by the severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes in Douglas and Washington counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Andrew P. Meyer has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of damage assessments.

WASHINGTON&nbsp;-- FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Nebraska to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes from April 25 – 27, 2024.The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Douglas and Washington counties. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.Federal funding is also available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal and emergency work by the severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes in Douglas and Washington counties.Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.Andrew P. Meyer has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of damage assessments.

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Nebraska

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;–&nbsp;Today, Governor Jim Pillen announced that Nebraska will not comply with the Biden administration’s new rules for Title IX.&nbsp;

Title IX is the law that prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs that receive funding from the federal government.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“The Biden administration’s rewrite of Title IX is an affront to the commonsense idea that men do not belong in women’s only spaces,” said Gov. Pillen. “It’s also a direct attack on the Women’s Bill of Rights, established by my executive order last August.”&nbsp;

Gov. Pillen’s executive order declares the biological definition of male and female and protects women’s sports and the privacy of women-only spaces.&nbsp;

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE&nbsp;–&nbsp;Today, Governor Jim Pillen announced that Nebraska will not comply with the Biden administration’s new rules for Title IX.&nbsp;Title IX is the law that prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs that receive funding from the federal government.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The Biden administration’s rewrite of Title IX is an affront to the commonsense idea that men do not belong in women’s only spaces,” said Gov. Pillen. “It’s also a direct attack on the Women’s Bill of Rights, established by my executive order last August.”&nbsp;Gov. Pillen’s executive order declares the biological definition of male and female and protects women’s sports and the privacy of women-only spaces.&nbsp;"Protecting our kids and women’s athletics is my duty," said Gov. Pillen. "The President's new rules threaten the safety of women and their right to participate in women’s sports. Nebraska will not comply. We must fight against radical gender ideology and vigorously protect the rights of Nebraska women and girls.”&nbsp;The revised Title IX guidelines, approved by the federal Department of Education, are scheduled to go into effect Aug. 1.&nbsp;Gov. Pillen’s Executive Order No. 23-16 establishing the Women’s Bill of Rights is attached.<a href="https://governor.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/press/EO-No-23-16-Establishing-a-Women%27s-Bill-of-Rights.pdf">EO No. 23-16 - Establishing a Women's Bill of Rights.pdf</a>