Alliance, NE – Snow-Redfern Foundation is honored to announce that eight (8) High School Seniors have been selected as scholarship recipients for the Snow-Redfern Foundation managed scholarship funds.

Three young people were selected by the Snow-Redfern Foundation to receive the Hempel Family Scholarship in the fall of 2023. Carver Hauptman, of Alliance, will be attending Cornell University to study Environmental Sciences. Tegan Rice, of Bridgeport, will be attending the University of Nebraska at Lincoln for Political Science. Arielle Lawrence, of Marsland, will be attending the University of Nebraska at Kearney for Political Science.

Five students were selected for the K.M. Dahlstedt Scholarship, to be awarded for the fall of 2023. Tyler Cotton, of Alliance, will be attending Western Dakota Technical Institute to pursue a degree in Diesel Technology. Avery Davies, of Hemingford, will be pursuing a nursing degree at Western Nebraska Community College and then University of Nebraska Medical Center. Kason Loomis, of Alliance, will pursue a Fire Science degree from Casper College. Delaney Childers, of Alliance, will attend Laramie Community College to pursue an Animal Science degree. Cambree Schmaltz, of Bayard, will attend Kansas State College for a degree in Agri-Business.

Preference for these two scholarship programs is given to seniors that attend high school in Box Butte or Morrill Counties and plan to pursue careers in trades or careers related to agriculture, as well as students that will attend college in Nebraska, or return to Nebraska upon obtaining their degree.

“We are honored to offer this opportunity to students, such as Carver, Tegan, Arielle, Tyler, Avery, Kason, Delaney, and Cambree. The scholarship programs pay tribute to the memory of Edward M. and Eda S. Hempel and K.M. Dahlstedt and create opportunity for the recipients- all whom possess impressive qualities, including leadership, service, and dedication to academic studies,” commented Sara Nicholson, Executive Director of Snow-Redfern Foundation. “This year’s recipients demonstrated incredible commitment to their future’s, their families, and their communities.”

Though the scholarship awards are intended to pay homage to our roots as Nebraska Boys Ranch and the ranching values articulated through the 70 plus years of providing kids with the skills they need to be successful in their lives, the scholarship emphasis is on the simple concept of providing opportunity to kids that want to return to their rural communities to share their trade. “We want to invest in the future of our communities through kids that value them,” said Denise Harris, Snow-Redfern Foundation Board President. “We invite anyone sharing this desire to reach out to us and talk about the many ways in which they can create opportunities in their community and for kids.”

The Hempel Family Scholarship award has been an ongoing and generous gift honoring Mr. and Ms. Hempel, who were consistently generous contributors to Snow-Redfern Foundation, formerly the Nebraska Boys Ranch. Mr. Hempel was a long-time board member and he and his family supported the youth at Nebraska Boys Ranch through service and contributions intended to impact the lives of the youth placed at the Ranch. A new scholarship fund, the K.M. Dahlstedt Scholarship, was developed last year with the Dahlstedt family who desired to honor their father and husband through awards focusing on the future success of students pursuing trades in our community.

Snow-Redfern Foundation believes in the power of opportunity and invites those interested in creating impact for youth to Join them in investing in the good life for kids.

Join us by investing in the good life for kids - <a href="https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/snow-redfern-memorial-foundation/donor-campaign">https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/snow-redfern-memorial-foundation/donor-campaign</a>

Snow-Redfern Foundation provides financial support to nonprofit partners that offer programs and services that make a life-changing impact for kids in need. As the former Nebraska Boys Ranch, Snow-Redfern Foundation has a rich history in advocating for, protecting, and encouraging youth in need of hope and healing. Though we no longer provide direct care, our commitment to equipping young people with the skills they need to be successful and live a good life remains.

Alliance, NE – Snow-Redfern Foundation is honored to announce that eight (8) High School Seniors have been selected as scholarship recipients for the Snow-Redfern Foundation managed scholarship funds.Three young people were selected by the Snow-Redfern Foundation to receive the Hempel Family Scholarship in the fall of 2023. Carver Hauptman, of Alliance, will be attending Cornell University to study Environmental Sciences. Tegan Rice, of Bridgeport, will be attending the University of Nebraska at Lincoln for Political Science. Arielle Lawrence, of Marsland, will be attending the University of Nebraska at Kearney for Political Science.Five students were selected for the K.M. Dahlstedt Scholarship, to be awarded for the fall of 2023. Tyler Cotton, of Alliance, will be attending Western Dakota Technical Institute to pursue a degree in Diesel Technology. Avery Davies, of Hemingford, will be pursuing a nursing degree at Western Nebraska Community College and then University of Nebraska Medical Center. Kason Loomis, of Alliance, will pursue a Fire Science degree from Casper College. Delaney Childers, of Alliance, will attend Laramie Community College to pursue an Animal Science degree. Cambree Schmaltz, of Bayard, will attend Kansas State College for a degree in Agri-Business.Preference for these two scholarship programs is given to seniors that attend high school in Box Butte or Morrill Counties and plan to pursue careers in trades or careers related to agriculture, as well as students that will attend college in Nebraska, or return to Nebraska upon obtaining their degree.“We are honored to offer this opportunity to students, such as Carver, Tegan, Arielle, Tyler, Avery, Kason, Delaney, and Cambree. The scholarship programs pay tribute to the memory of Edward M. and Eda S. Hempel and K.M. Dahlstedt and create opportunity for the recipients- all whom possess impressive qualities, including leadership, service, and dedication to academic studies,” commented Sara Nicholson, Executive Director of Snow-Redfern Foundation. “This year’s recipients demonstrated incredible commitment to their future’s, their families, and their communities.”Though the scholarship awards are intended to pay homage to our roots as Nebraska Boys Ranch and the ranching values articulated through the 70 plus years of providing kids with the skills they need to be successful in their lives, the scholarship emphasis is on the simple concept of providing opportunity to kids that want to return to their rural communities to share their trade. “We want to invest in the future of our communities through kids that value them,” said Denise Harris, Snow-Redfern Foundation Board President. “We invite anyone sharing this desire to reach out to us and talk about the many ways in which they can create opportunities in their community and for kids.”The Hempel Family Scholarship award has been an ongoing and generous gift honoring Mr. and Ms. Hempel, who were consistently generous contributors to Snow-Redfern Foundation, formerly the Nebraska Boys Ranch. Mr. Hempel was a long-time board member and he and his family supported the youth at Nebraska Boys Ranch through service and contributions intended to impact the lives of the youth placed at the Ranch. A new scholarship fund, the K.M. Dahlstedt Scholarship, was developed last year with the Dahlstedt family who desired to honor their father and husband through awards focusing on the future success of students pursuing trades in our community.Snow-Redfern Foundation believes in the power of opportunity and invites those interested in creating impact for youth to Join them in investing in the good life for kids.Join us by investing in the good life for kids - <a href="https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/snow-redfern-memorial-foundation/donor-campaign">https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/snow-redfern-memorial-foundation/donor-campaign</a>Snow-Redfern Foundation provides financial support to nonprofit partners that offer programs and services that make a life-changing impact for kids in need. As the former Nebraska Boys Ranch, Snow-Redfern Foundation has a rich history in advocating for, protecting, and encouraging youth in need of hope and healing. Though we no longer provide direct care, our commitment to equipping young people with the skills they need to be successful and live a good life remains.

Snow Redfern Foundation announces Panhandle scholarship recipients 

Diplomas will be conferred on nearly 1,000 University of Nebraska Medical Center students total during ceremonies on May 4 in Lincoln, Norfolk and Kearney and May 6 in Omaha and Lincoln.

In addition, two honorary degrees will be awarded. Bob Bartee, a longtime employee with decades of service to his fellow Nebraskans, and Iftikher Mahmood, MD, a physician who works to better the lives of refugees and underserved women and children of Bangladesh, will be honored by UNMC during its 9 a.m. May 6 Omaha commencement ceremony at Baxter Arena.&nbsp;

Bartee, who retired from UNMC in January 2023 after more than four decades serving at the right hand of six chancellors, will be honored with the J.G. Elliott Award. Dr. Mahmood, founder and president of the Hope Foundation for Women and Children of Bangladesh and adjunct professor in UNMC’s Department of Health Services Research and Administration at the UNMC College of Public Health, will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree.

Though not a clinician or scientist, Bartee used his skills to impact Nebraska in the areas of health care, medical science research, educational opportunity, outreach to the underserved and community health. In his role as vice chancellor of external relations, his counsel and leadership were invaluable in directing UNMC’s governmental, alumni, public and community relations efforts. He worked closely with state legislators, governors, U.S. senators and congressmen, and with everyday Nebraskans who have boots on the ground in their communities, to improve lives and get things done.&nbsp;

Dr. Mahmood, who lives and practices in Florida, is a native of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, where it has become his life’s mission to serve the impoverished women and children of this region. UNMC has partnered with Dr. Mahmood and his Hope Foundation on multiple initiatives, including mental health, malnutrition among pregnant women and its effect on newborns, ante-natal care and its effect on APGAR score for newborns, gender-based violence, impact of a midwifery program on maternal and child health status, and prevalence of renal disease and cancer.&nbsp;

UNMC’s statewide commencement ceremonies will be held:

Photo captions:&nbsp;Bob Bartee and Iftikher Mahmood, MD

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ###

About UNMC and Nebraska Medicine

We are&nbsp;<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http*3A*2F*2Fwww.nebraskamed.com*2F&amp;data=05*7C01*7CCaryn.vincent*40nebraska.gov*7Ca7efdf66a096445aa3b108dafefd3577*7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1*7C0*7C0*7C638102660745615127*7CUnknown*7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0*3D*7C3000*7C*7C*7C&amp;sdata=TC20us4bGqdja8C7jA02zvx69nMKvEC1*2FioVIoB9UQw*3D&amp;reserved=0__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUl!!JkUDQA!KJfNok_rk75xCJy_eWZ-s4k5Rg-luQ5HOeak3t80miGIYvDcf00_xDBA9q7Z-t0RBJ2xWU-izPp-HO1KhqthYAFJKshiZdc$" target="_blank">Nebraska Medicine</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http*3A*2F*2Fwww.unmc.edu*2F&amp;data=05*7C01*7CCaryn.vincent*40nebraska.gov*7Ca7efdf66a096445aa3b108dafefd3577*7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1*7C0*7C0*7C638102660745615127*7CUnknown*7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0*3D*7C3000*7C*7C*7C&amp;sdata=HhJ91BcxmYSTL1keaPYlmpYsDwfHwfEi3RvvPaAFysE*3D&amp;reserved=0__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSU!!JkUDQA!KJfNok_rk75xCJy_eWZ-s4k5Rg-luQ5HOeak3t80miGIYvDcf00_xDBA9q7Z-t0RBJ2xWU-izPp-HO1KhqthYAFJ-wYVAVU$" target="_blank">UNMC</a>.&nbsp;Our mission is to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities through premier educational programs, innovative research and extraordinary patient care.

By UNMCDiplomas will be conferred on nearly 1,000 University of Nebraska Medical Center students total during ceremonies on May 4 in Lincoln, Norfolk and Kearney and May 6 in Omaha and Lincoln.In addition, two honorary degrees will be awarded. Bob Bartee, a longtime employee with decades of service to his fellow Nebraskans, and Iftikher Mahmood, MD, a physician who works to better the lives of refugees and underserved women and children of Bangladesh, will be honored by UNMC during its 9 a.m. May 6 Omaha commencement ceremony at Baxter Arena.&nbsp;Bartee, who retired from UNMC in January 2023 after more than four decades serving at the right hand of six chancellors, will be honored with the J.G. Elliott Award. Dr. Mahmood, founder and president of the Hope Foundation for Women and Children of Bangladesh and adjunct professor in UNMC’s Department of Health Services Research and Administration at the UNMC College of Public Health, will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree.Though not a clinician or scientist, Bartee used his skills to impact Nebraska in the areas of health care, medical science research, educational opportunity, outreach to the underserved and community health. In his role as vice chancellor of external relations, his counsel and leadership were invaluable in directing UNMC’s governmental, alumni, public and community relations efforts. He worked closely with state legislators, governors, U.S. senators and congressmen, and with everyday Nebraskans who have boots on the ground in their communities, to improve lives and get things done.&nbsp;Dr. Mahmood, who lives and practices in Florida, is a native of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, where it has become his life’s mission to serve the impoverished women and children of this region. UNMC has partnered with Dr. Mahmood and his Hope Foundation on multiple initiatives, including mental health, malnutrition among pregnant women and its effect on newborns, ante-natal care and its effect on APGAR score for newborns, gender-based violence, impact of a midwifery program on maternal and child health status, and prevalence of renal disease and cancer.&nbsp;UNMC’s statewide commencement ceremonies will be held:<ul>
 <li>May 4 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln at 9:30 a.m.;</li><li>May 4 at the Cox Activity Center on the Northeast Community College campus in Norfolk at 2 p.m.;</li><li>May 4 at the Health &amp; Sports Center on the University of Nebraska at Kearney campus at 7 p.m.;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>May 6 at Baxter Arena in&nbsp;Omaha at 9 a.m.; and</li><li>May 6 at Scottsbluff High School Auditorium in Scottsbluff at 3 p.m. MDT</li>
 </ul>Photo captions:&nbsp;Bob Bartee and Iftikher Mahmood, MD&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ###About UNMC and Nebraska MedicineWe are&nbsp;<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http*3A*2F*2Fwww.nebraskamed.com*2F&amp;data=05*7C01*7CCaryn.vincent*40nebraska.gov*7Ca7efdf66a096445aa3b108dafefd3577*7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1*7C0*7C0*7C638102660745615127*7CUnknown*7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0*3D*7C3000*7C*7C*7C&amp;sdata=TC20us4bGqdja8C7jA02zvx69nMKvEC1*2FioVIoB9UQw*3D&amp;reserved=0__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUl!!JkUDQA!KJfNok_rk75xCJy_eWZ-s4k5Rg-luQ5HOeak3t80miGIYvDcf00_xDBA9q7Z-t0RBJ2xWU-izPp-HO1KhqthYAFJKshiZdc$" target="_blank">Nebraska Medicine</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http*3A*2F*2Fwww.unmc.edu*2F&amp;data=05*7C01*7CCaryn.vincent*40nebraska.gov*7Ca7efdf66a096445aa3b108dafefd3577*7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1*7C0*7C0*7C638102660745615127*7CUnknown*7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0*3D*7C3000*7C*7C*7C&amp;sdata=HhJ91BcxmYSTL1keaPYlmpYsDwfHwfEi3RvvPaAFysE*3D&amp;reserved=0__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSU!!JkUDQA!KJfNok_rk75xCJy_eWZ-s4k5Rg-luQ5HOeak3t80miGIYvDcf00_xDBA9q7Z-t0RBJ2xWU-izPp-HO1KhqthYAFJ-wYVAVU$" target="_blank">UNMC</a>.&nbsp;Our mission is to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities through premier educational programs, innovative research and extraordinary patient care.

UNMC to confer nearly 1,000 degrees during May commencement ceremonies

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Federal regulators are warning railroads that the long trains they favor can cause all kinds of problems and contribute to derailments, so they want the railroads to ensure their training and operating procedures account for that.

The Federal Railroad Administration stopped short of recommending in its latest safety advisory issued Thursday that railroads limit the size of their trains, which can routinely stretch more than 2 miles long. However, they did suggest a number of precautions including making sure engineers know how to handle them and that locomotives don't lose communication with devices at the end of trains that can help trigger the brakes in an emergency.

Currently, there aren't any restrictions on train length but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derailment-ohio-safety-senate-legislation-brown-vance-82c55dc95aca9524d6ae8e6d01336dbe">members of Congress</a>&nbsp;and state lawmakers in at least six states have proposed establishing limits particularly in the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/hospitality-and-leisure-industry-children-parkinsons-disease-architecture-associated-press-a151cadb732e470091d9c186e189d3d4">fiery Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern derailment</a>&nbsp;in Ohio. The major freight railroads have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-congress-6288cdfb0b4381de4c9bfb05199b8ba6">pushed back</a>&nbsp;against that idea because they have increasingly come to rely on longer trains to help them move cargo with fewer crews and mechanics as they overhauled their operations over the past six years. Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/union-pacific-railroad-first-quarter-earnings-economy-bf63a5eeadb902e901b8aed4d8975ff9">said recently</a>&nbsp;that he doesn't think accident data shows that long trains are riskier.

But the Federal Railroad Administration cited three derailments involving trains longer than 12,250 feet (3,734 meters) where train length was a factor in its advisory. That agency and the National Academies of Sciences are both in the middle of studying the impact of long trains, and they expect to issue reports next year on whether they are a problem.

"FRA believes these incidents demonstrate the need for railroads and railroad employees to be particularly mindful of the complexities of operating longer trains," the agency said.

The derailments mentioned as examples of the problems that can accompany long trains were in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/norfolk-southern-springfield-train-derailment-1b08c84e0788082dd24a4f4ca447f459">Springfield, Ohio</a>, in March; in Ravenna, Ohio, last November; and in Rockwell, Iowa, in March 2022. In each of those cases, the way cars in different parts of the train pulled and pushed against each other contributed to the derailments.

The fiery February derailment that prompted evacuations in East Palestine, Ohio, and sparked a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-safety-derailments-tank-car-ohio-minnesota-c60f33b64e9c7dc05768a78ae20f3ce5">nationwide focus</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinian-territories-ohio-canada-business-accidents-d57651e17b2f9e0163c50298106950a3">rail safety</a>&nbsp;wasn't mentioned as an example. The National Transportation Safety Board&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-pete-buttigieg-evacuations-ohio-explosions-64908a6416662b5866809387f210aee5">has said</a>&nbsp;that an overheated bearing that caused an axle to fail on one of the railcars likely caused that derailment.

This latest advisory follows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-railroad-administration-freight-safety-derailments-53145452535c089190565ee43eceaafc">one earlier this month</a>&nbsp;that directed railroads to re-examine the way they assemble their trains to minimize those kind of forces that often come into play as a train goes over hills and around corners. Parts of a train can be pulling forward going up a hill while the middle or back of the train pushes against the rest of the cars while going down a hill.

Those forces make it challenging for engineers to control a train, so regulators said railroads need to adjust their training to make sure their engineers are prepared to handle the monster trains they are operating. The common practice of putting locomotives in the middle of long trains as well as in the front can help manage a long train, but having to control those additional locomotives also complicates the engineer's job.

“A locomotive engineer cannot be expected to safely operate in a more demanding service without proper additional training that covers the unique challenges and complexities those trains present,” regulators said in the advisory.

A spokeswoman for the Association of American Railroads trade group said railroads are already working to manage the challenges associated with long trains and looking for ways to improve safety.

“All stakeholders – the FRA, railroads, and elected officials – share the same goal of continuously enhancing rail safety, minimizing adverse impacts to surrounding communities and keeping the goods that power our economy flowing," AAR spokeswoman Jessica Kahanek said. "The recommendations within this advisory align closely with the prudent steps railroads already take to do just that.”

The Federal Railroad Administration said that in addition to the concerns about derailments, long trains can block crossings for extended periods of time. When crossings are blocked, firefighters, police and ambulance drivers may be delayed in getting someone the help that they need, and pedestrians may risk their lives by crawling under or across stopped trains that could start moving without warning.

The states proposing limits on train size this year include Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nevada and Washington.

By Associated Press<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682704044203.jpeg" alt="Multiple cars of a Norfolk Southern train lie toppled on one another after derailing at a train crossing near Springfield, Ohio, on March 4, 2023. Federal regulators are warning railroads Thursday, April 27, that the long trains they favor can cause all kinds of problems and contribute to derailments, so they want the railroads to ensure their training and operating procedures account for that. (Bill Lackey/Springfield-News Sun via AP, File)" />
 <figcaption>Multiple cars of a Norfolk Southern train lie toppled on one another after derailing at a train crossing near Springfield, Ohio, on March 4, 2023. Federal regulators are warning railroads Thursday, April 27, that the long trains they favor can cause all kinds of problems and contribute to derailments, so they want the railroads to ensure their training and operating procedures account for that. (Bill Lackey/Springfield-News Sun via AP, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Federal regulators are warning railroads that the long trains they favor can cause all kinds of problems and contribute to derailments, so they want the railroads to ensure their training and operating procedures account for that.The Federal Railroad Administration stopped short of recommending in its latest safety advisory issued Thursday that railroads limit the size of their trains, which can routinely stretch more than 2 miles long. However, they did suggest a number of precautions including making sure engineers know how to handle them and that locomotives don't lose communication with devices at the end of trains that can help trigger the brakes in an emergency.Currently, there aren't any restrictions on train length but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derailment-ohio-safety-senate-legislation-brown-vance-82c55dc95aca9524d6ae8e6d01336dbe">members of Congress</a>&nbsp;and state lawmakers in at least six states have proposed establishing limits particularly in the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/hospitality-and-leisure-industry-children-parkinsons-disease-architecture-associated-press-a151cadb732e470091d9c186e189d3d4">fiery Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern derailment</a>&nbsp;in Ohio. The major freight railroads have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-congress-6288cdfb0b4381de4c9bfb05199b8ba6">pushed back</a>&nbsp;against that idea because they have increasingly come to rely on longer trains to help them move cargo with fewer crews and mechanics as they overhauled their operations over the past six years. Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/union-pacific-railroad-first-quarter-earnings-economy-bf63a5eeadb902e901b8aed4d8975ff9">said recently</a>&nbsp;that he doesn't think accident data shows that long trains are riskier.But the Federal Railroad Administration cited three derailments involving trains longer than 12,250 feet (3,734 meters) where train length was a factor in its advisory. That agency and the National Academies of Sciences are both in the middle of studying the impact of long trains, and they expect to issue reports next year on whether they are a problem."FRA believes these incidents demonstrate the need for railroads and railroad employees to be particularly mindful of the complexities of operating longer trains," the agency said.The derailments mentioned as examples of the problems that can accompany long trains were in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/norfolk-southern-springfield-train-derailment-1b08c84e0788082dd24a4f4ca447f459">Springfield, Ohio</a>, in March; in Ravenna, Ohio, last November; and in Rockwell, Iowa, in March 2022. In each of those cases, the way cars in different parts of the train pulled and pushed against each other contributed to the derailments.The fiery February derailment that prompted evacuations in East Palestine, Ohio, and sparked a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-safety-derailments-tank-car-ohio-minnesota-c60f33b64e9c7dc05768a78ae20f3ce5">nationwide focus</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinian-territories-ohio-canada-business-accidents-d57651e17b2f9e0163c50298106950a3">rail safety</a>&nbsp;wasn't mentioned as an example. The National Transportation Safety Board&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-pete-buttigieg-evacuations-ohio-explosions-64908a6416662b5866809387f210aee5">has said</a>&nbsp;that an overheated bearing that caused an axle to fail on one of the railcars likely caused that derailment.This latest advisory follows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-railroad-administration-freight-safety-derailments-53145452535c089190565ee43eceaafc">one earlier this month</a>&nbsp;that directed railroads to re-examine the way they assemble their trains to minimize those kind of forces that often come into play as a train goes over hills and around corners. Parts of a train can be pulling forward going up a hill while the middle or back of the train pushes against the rest of the cars while going down a hill.Those forces make it challenging for engineers to control a train, so regulators said railroads need to adjust their training to make sure their engineers are prepared to handle the monster trains they are operating. The common practice of putting locomotives in the middle of long trains as well as in the front can help manage a long train, but having to control those additional locomotives also complicates the engineer's job.“A locomotive engineer cannot be expected to safely operate in a more demanding service without proper additional training that covers the unique challenges and complexities those trains present,” regulators said in the advisory.A spokeswoman for the Association of American Railroads trade group said railroads are already working to manage the challenges associated with long trains and looking for ways to improve safety.“All stakeholders – the FRA, railroads, and elected officials – share the same goal of continuously enhancing rail safety, minimizing adverse impacts to surrounding communities and keeping the goods that power our economy flowing," AAR spokeswoman Jessica Kahanek said. "The recommendations within this advisory align closely with the prudent steps railroads already take to do just that.”The Federal Railroad Administration said that in addition to the concerns about derailments, long trains can block crossings for extended periods of time. When crossings are blocked, firefighters, police and ambulance drivers may be delayed in getting someone the help that they need, and pedestrians may risk their lives by crawling under or across stopped trains that could start moving without warning.The states proposing limits on train size this year include Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nevada and Washington.

Railroads warned about the problems long trains can cause

Two federal grant programs administered by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission are accepting applications starting May 1 from communities across Nebraska for recreation improvements.

Applications for the Recreation Trails Program and Land and Water Conservation Fund are due Sept. 4, 2023. Grants recommended for approval will be announced at the January 2024 Commission meeting.

The Recreational Trails Program is a grant program through the Federal Highway Administration that reimburses political subdivisions — such as communities, counties and natural resources districts — up to $250,000 or 80% of project costs for trail acquisition, development, renovation and support facilities.

This funding source is for motorized and nonmotorized trail projects. It is divided by category: 30% for motorized projects, 30% for nonmotorized projects and 40% for diversified or shared-use trail projects.

Applicants must have the financial means to undertake and maintain the project and all funding should be on hand as this is a reimbursable grant program.

Apply at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vbmdwY2dyYW50cy5vdXRkb29ybmVicmFza2EuZ292LyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA0MjcuNzU4OTY2MTEifQ.D7XgXrp4Q22-vFocsU2d1jGSVpVGGhuRG4AWjrah-NE/s/497221906/br/166743907874-l" target="_blank">ngpcgrants.outdoornebraska.gov</a>. For more information on the Recreational Trails Program, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNDI3Ljc1ODk2NjExIn0.kEWcRfvCHZ-CWqkKqQCDF5bKsglPfSd0Pn4M6FvFplg/s/497221906/br/166743907874-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov</a>; search for “Recreational Trails Program.”

The Land and Water Conservation Fund, a program administered by the National Park Service, provides matching funds for outdoor recreation projects.

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, swimming pools, picnicking facilities, sports fields, playgrounds, pool renovations, splash pads, park acquisitions and development, wildlife viewing facilities, fishing access, adventure spots (such as ziplines and rock-climbing) and park-related support facilities.

All projects must encourage outdoor recreation. Project sponsors must be a political subdivision, such as cities, county governments or natural resource districts. The LWCF provides reimbursable matching grants for up to 50% of total project costs.

Grant applicants should have all funding on hand with documentation at the time of submission. The LWCF grant can reimburse between $75,000 and $600,000, equating to a $150,000 or $1.2 million total project cost.&nbsp;

To apply and get more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNDI3Ljc1ODk2NjExIn0.fOV0lcpILKkAQeoQhTg7yO8Qm-4aLxhQTFlp5AHgVzg/s/497221906/br/166743907874-l" target="_blank">ngpcgrants.outdoornebraska.gov</a>. To learn more, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNDI3Ljc1ODk2NjExIn0.z2CjIcYkrj7XNAtB2jVRaULA2YUQHP9piw6L5ztAgLI/s/497221906/br/166743907874-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;and search for “Land and Water Conservation.”

The LWCF was established by Congress in 1964 to ensure access to outdoor recreation resources for present and future generations and to provide money to governments to purchase land, water and wetlands to benefit all. The primary source of revenue for the LWCF is from federal oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf.

By Nebraska Game and ParksTwo federal grant programs administered by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission are accepting applications starting May 1 from communities across Nebraska for recreation improvements.Applications for the Recreation Trails Program and Land and Water Conservation Fund are due Sept. 4, 2023. Grants recommended for approval will be announced at the January 2024 Commission meeting.Recreational Trails ProgramThe Recreational Trails Program is a grant program through the Federal Highway Administration that reimburses political subdivisions — such as communities, counties and natural resources districts — up to $250,000 or 80% of project costs for trail acquisition, development, renovation and support facilities.This funding source is for motorized and nonmotorized trail projects. It is divided by category: 30% for motorized projects, 30% for nonmotorized projects and 40% for diversified or shared-use trail projects.Applicants must have the financial means to undertake and maintain the project and all funding should be on hand as this is a reimbursable grant program.Apply at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vbmdwY2dyYW50cy5vdXRkb29ybmVicmFza2EuZ292LyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA0MjcuNzU4OTY2MTEifQ.D7XgXrp4Q22-vFocsU2d1jGSVpVGGhuRG4AWjrah-NE/s/497221906/br/166743907874-l" target="_blank">ngpcgrants.outdoornebraska.gov</a>. For more information on the Recreational Trails Program, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNDI3Ljc1ODk2NjExIn0.kEWcRfvCHZ-CWqkKqQCDF5bKsglPfSd0Pn4M6FvFplg/s/497221906/br/166743907874-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov</a>; search for “Recreational Trails Program.”Land and Water Conservation FundThe Land and Water Conservation Fund, a program administered by the National Park Service, provides matching funds for outdoor recreation projects.Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, swimming pools, picnicking facilities, sports fields, playgrounds, pool renovations, splash pads, park acquisitions and development, wildlife viewing facilities, fishing access, adventure spots (such as ziplines and rock-climbing) and park-related support facilities.All projects must encourage outdoor recreation. Project sponsors must be a political subdivision, such as cities, county governments or natural resource districts. The LWCF provides reimbursable matching grants for up to 50% of total project costs.Grant applicants should have all funding on hand with documentation at the time of submission. The LWCF grant can reimburse between $75,000 and $600,000, equating to a $150,000 or $1.2 million total project cost.&nbsp;To apply and get more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNDI3Ljc1ODk2NjExIn0.fOV0lcpILKkAQeoQhTg7yO8Qm-4aLxhQTFlp5AHgVzg/s/497221906/br/166743907874-l" target="_blank">ngpcgrants.outdoornebraska.gov</a>. To learn more, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNDI3Ljc1ODk2NjExIn0.z2CjIcYkrj7XNAtB2jVRaULA2YUQHP9piw6L5ztAgLI/s/497221906/br/166743907874-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;and search for “Land and Water Conservation.”The LWCF was established by Congress in 1964 to ensure access to outdoor recreation resources for present and future generations and to provide money to governments to purchase land, water and wetlands to benefit all. The primary source of revenue for the LWCF is from federal oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf.

Outdoor recreation grants accepting applications

WASHINGTON DC - 2023’s first quarter economic report showed a decline in the U.S. GDP growth rate to 1.1 percent, making clear the lasting impact severe inflation has had on our economy. The damage done by reckless and wasteful spending emphasizes the importance of fiscal responsibility and pro-growth policies. This is especially true as our nation’s debt crisis remains unresolved and we barrel toward reaching our debt ceiling.

This week, the Limit, Save, Grow Act – a bill to bring some fiscal sanity back to Washington – passed the House with my support. While no one bill will solve our fiscal challenges, the Limit, Save, Grow Act is a starting point. I am hopeful the bill will lead to good faith negotiations between Congress and the president. In 2011, then Vice President Biden criticized those with a “my way or the highway approach” to these sorts of negotiations saying, “you have to compromise.” Unfortunately, President Biden has said he will not negotiate with Congress on the debt ceiling, an irresponsible approach that – if not abandoned – will lead to lasting damage to the full faith and credit of our country. Even Democrats are encouraging the president to come to the table to find a path forward.

The Limit, Save, Grow Act responsibly addresses the debt ceiling and includes significant savings—an estimated $3.6 trillion over 10 years – and puts our country on a better trajectory. We do this by cutting wasteful spending, reclaiming the IRS funding intended to increase audits on families and small businesses, stopping the Green New Deal, getting Americans back in the workforce, and ensuring we pay our debts without compromising our ability to compete and advance American energy dominance.

The American Enterprise Institute has estimated more than 40 percent of COVID relief payments ended up in fraudulent hands, and it concerns me greatly that more attention hasn’t been paid to these fraudulent payments. The Limit, Save, Grow Act would also reclaim unspent COVID relief funds, delivering on House Republicans’ commitment to a government that’s accountable.

With the support of many of my Midwestern colleagues, we were able to ensure the bill was amended to preserve important biofuels tax credits. Biofuels are an important part of our all-of-the-above energy portfolio and help lower costs for consumers and increase U.S. energy independence. Furthermore, the industry creates and supports good-paying jobs across the country, especially here in Nebraska.

The debt ceiling exists for a reason – as a lever to address spending – and addressing it requires good faith, bipartisan cooperation.

Washington must confront America’s debt crisis, and I’m grateful House Republicans were able to construct a plan to do so without compromising our ability to meet our financial obligations. The House is doing its part – now it’s time for President Biden to come to the negotiating table.

Sincerely, Adrian Smith (Member of Congress)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682859105310.jpeg" alt="Right: Rep Adian Smith - I enjoyed meeting with former National Rural Education Association President Jon Habben and State Director Jack Moles this week to discuss how federal policy can best support rural schools. It's never been more important to reinforce Nebraska's strong tradition of excellence in education" />
 <figcaption>Right: Rep Adian Smith - I enjoyed meeting with former National Rural Education Association President Jon Habben and State Director Jack Moles this week to discuss how federal policy can best support rural schools. It's never been more important to reinforce Nebraska's strong tradition of excellence in education</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON DC - 2023’s first quarter economic report showed a decline in the U.S. GDP growth rate to 1.1 percent, making clear the lasting impact severe inflation has had on our economy. The damage done by reckless and wasteful spending emphasizes the importance of fiscal responsibility and pro-growth policies. This is especially true as our nation’s debt crisis remains unresolved and we barrel toward reaching our debt ceiling.This week, the Limit, Save, Grow Act – a bill to bring some fiscal sanity back to Washington – passed the House with my support. While no one bill will solve our fiscal challenges, the Limit, Save, Grow Act is a starting point. I am hopeful the bill will lead to good faith negotiations between Congress and the president. In 2011, then Vice President Biden criticized those with a “my way or the highway approach” to these sorts of negotiations saying, “you have to compromise.” Unfortunately, President Biden has said he will not negotiate with Congress on the debt ceiling, an irresponsible approach that – if not abandoned – will lead to lasting damage to the full faith and credit of our country. Even Democrats are encouraging the president to come to the table to find a path forward.The Limit, Save, Grow Act responsibly addresses the debt ceiling and includes significant savings—an estimated $3.6 trillion over 10 years – and puts our country on a better trajectory. We do this by cutting wasteful spending, reclaiming the IRS funding intended to increase audits on families and small businesses, stopping the Green New Deal, getting Americans back in the workforce, and ensuring we pay our debts without compromising our ability to compete and advance American energy dominance.The American Enterprise Institute has estimated more than 40 percent of COVID relief payments ended up in fraudulent hands, and it concerns me greatly that more attention hasn’t been paid to these fraudulent payments. The Limit, Save, Grow Act would also reclaim unspent COVID relief funds, delivering on House Republicans’ commitment to a government that’s accountable.With the support of many of my Midwestern colleagues, we were able to ensure the bill was amended to preserve important biofuels tax credits. Biofuels are an important part of our all-of-the-above energy portfolio and help lower costs for consumers and increase U.S. energy independence. Furthermore, the industry creates and supports good-paying jobs across the country, especially here in Nebraska.The debt ceiling exists for a reason – as a lever to address spending – and addressing it requires good faith, bipartisan cooperation.Washington must confront America’s debt crisis, and I’m grateful House Republicans were able to construct a plan to do so without compromising our ability to meet our financial obligations. The House is doing its part – now it’s time for President Biden to come to the negotiating table.Sincerely, Adrian Smith (Member of Congress)

Letter to the 3rd District - Rep Adrian Smith (Limit, Save, Grow)

By CSC COLLEGE RELATIONS CHADRON – Chadron State College recognized employees for years of service, Teaching Excellence and retirement at an annual luncheon in the Student Center Ballroom.

<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/2023/keithly-selected-as-2023-nscs-teaching-excellence-award-recipient.html" target="_blank">Dr. Mary Keithly, Award Recipient</a>

Ainslie&nbsp;became a Chadron State College employee in 1993. He was on the custodial staff caring for the then-new Student Center in the mornings and the Burkhiser Technology Complex in the afternoons. Eventually, he worked solely in the Student Center.&nbsp;

“I like working in the Student Center. All the kids come through here,” he said.&nbsp;

Ainslie assists with room set-up and tear-down and trouble-shooting with the microphone system, in addition to cleaning the building and shoveling snow from the north entrance which cannot be accessed by plows.&nbsp;

He met his wife of 18 years, Linn, in the Student Center Pit. Linn earned her teaching degree from CSC. Her daughter, Catherine, a canine law officer in Powell, Wyoming, graduated from CSC with a criminal justice degree. The couple has five adult grandchildren.&nbsp;

The couple has been involved with international students for at least 15 years.&nbsp;

“We got started with the host parent program for incoming freshmen. When it ended, we switched over to hosting international students. We've learned a lot about their countries and hopefully, they’ve learned a little bit about ours from us,” Ainslie said.&nbsp;

Several years ago, the couple arranged to meet six of their former CSC international host students for a reunion in Paris.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“They came in from Germany, Jordan, and other countries. A lot of them have gone on and got their doctorates. Some of them keep in touch as they get married and have children. One of our host kids went back to Libya and we still hear from him every now and then. He's married with two kids. It's really amazing how much some of them have touched our lives and we have touched their lives,” Ainslie said.&nbsp;

Bolze&nbsp;taught for 10 years in the Rangeland Management department and calls the experience among the most fulfilling aspects of his career. He came to CSC on a one-year contract before becoming a full-time faculty member. His teaching assignments have included a variety of courses related to beef production, animal genetics, physiology and nutrition, and farm and ranch management.&nbsp;

Bolze grew up on a family-oriented dairy farm in Pennsylvania, and completed undergraduate studies in animal science at Pennsylvania State University. After graduation, he farmed with family before earning a doctorate in beef cattle reproductive physiology at Kansas State University.&nbsp;

He then spent more than a decade as a beef extension specialist and faculty member, first at Ohio State University and later at Kansas State University.&nbsp;

Leaving academic work in beef production for a time, he moved to the commercial aspects of the industry, serving as a development director for the Certified Angus Beef Program, executive secretary of the American Shorthorn Association, marketing director for the Red Angus Association of America, and marketing director for the largest Red Angus seedstock breeder in the United States.&nbsp;

Bolze said one of the best parts of working at CSC has been the ability to align students with internships and job opportunities. Other highlights include interaction with the Bill and Virginia Coffee Family Foundation, involvement with the Practitioner in Residence program, the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition road show, and the ruminant production travel study tour.&nbsp;

Kennedy&nbsp;was a Journalism Instructor at Chadron State College for 17 years. He is most proud of the achievements, awards, and recognition garnered by The Eagle, CSC’s student newspaper, and its staff members while he was the adviser for the student-led publication. During Kennedy’s tenure, The Eagle earned the Northern Plains Collegiate Media Association’s (NPCMA) Best Overall Newspaper award every year since 2010.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He started at CSC as an adjunct instructor in Communication Arts in 2006 and moved to Journalism and Adviser upon the retirement of Lavida Dickinson in 2008. In addition to journalism and publication design courses, he has taught essential studies classes in oral communications. He also served as executive director of the Nebraska Collegiate Media Association (now the NPCMA) for seven years.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He lived in France for four years as a child and graduated from high school in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Kennedy continued working for newspapers and wire services in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and completed a master’s degree in journalism at Marshall University in 1991.

Kennedy taught in Oklahoma, worked for the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association in Colorado Springs, and taught photojournalism at Pittsburg State University in Kansas.&nbsp;A job teaching journalism and publications took him to Zayed University in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2000. During his six years there he made several trips to Pakistan and Afghanistan as a photojournalist and developed friendships with local reporters and photographers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Pope&nbsp;had nearly a 30-year professional career with the Chadron State Foundation. She retired as the Director of Alumni and Development for the Chadron State Foundation in January,

Pope, who grew up in Bridgeport, Nebraska, graduated from CSC with a degree in social sciences in 1980. Once her children were old enough for school, Pope went back to work and became an Office Assistant in the Alumni and Foundation Office in 1995. Her title was changed to the Director of Alumni and Development in the early 2000s.

When she was hired, one of Pope’s responsibilities was to put together an alumni newsletter. Without much of a background in publications and graphic design, Pope reached out to Dewayne Gimeson, a CSC publications specialist to learn more.

The two continued to work together for more than 20 years on numerous projects, including all of the major Alumni and Foundation publications.

Another longtime colleague of Pope’s was former Alumni and Foundation CEO Connie Rasmussen.

“She is one of the most creative people I ever worked with,” Rasmussen said. “There isn’t anything she can’t do. She really brought the Foundation to the next level with the professional look of our publications. Her relationships with alums was genuine. She took an interest and loved working with them. They felt that and they loved working with her.”

In addition to organizing alumni events and handling publications, Pope assisted with the Fall Fund Drive and helped with the annual phonathon. Pope said she always understood her job was centered around people, something she enjoyed.

Rhine, who has served as President at Chadron State College since 2013, has worked at a college or university his entire professional career.

“I got involved with higher education at a young age and never wanted to get out of it,” he said. “I have had a rewarding career and to have the chance to lead CSC the past decade has been an honor. Chadron State is truly a unique institution and a special place. Our alums care deeply about it and our community does, too. The college makes a significant impact in our region and city and it's been a privilege and honor to have a role in that. It wasn’t a role I set out for in life, but it has been very rewarding on a lot of levels.”

Rhine first came to Chadron in 2005 at the behest of former President Janie Park. He was hired as the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services and helped the college reverse its enrollment decline. Rhine remained as the VP for Enrollment Management and Student Services until he was named Interim President in May 2012. Following a national search for the Presidency, he was officially named the college’s President in January 2013.

In a letter announcing his retirement, Rhine wrote: “Together we have achieved a great deal for Chadron State, and I am incredibly proud to see the positive changes that have occurred. I am leaving Chadron State at a time when the institution is poised to move into the future with new energy and opportunity. I cannot thank the faculty and staff of this wonderful institution enough for your efforts that make us a leader in higher education and service to our region and beyond.”

During Rhine’s time as president, CSC benefited from more than $70 million in capital improvements, including the Coffee Agriculture Pavilion, the Rangeland Complex, the Chicoine Center, the Eagle Ridge Housing Units, the renovated Elliott Field at Beebe Stadium, an outdoor track and field facility, and the Math Science Center of Innovative Learning addition and renovation.

Rhine was also an advocate for CSC supporting rural components of its mission and during his tenure both the Rural Business Leadership Initiative and the Rural Law Opportunities Program were created. Despite being based in different academic disciplines, both programs encourage their students to assume leadership roles and work in rural communities.&nbsp;

Waugh&nbsp;was employed at Chadron State College for 30 years before retiring in 2022. Waugh began as a Resident Hall Director in 1992. A year later, she began teaching in the Business Academy. She served as the Business Department Chair from 2017 to 2019 when she became Dean of the School of Business, Math and Science, and Graduate Program. Honors she received include the Teaching Excellence Award in 2009 and being selected as the 2016 Graduate Commencement speaker.

She has bachelor’s degrees in Management and Electronic Data Processing and Secondary Business Education from Wayne State College, a master’s in Education: Business Specialization from the University of Nebraska-Kearney, an MBA from CSC, and a doctorate from Capella University in Organization and Management.

Her articles were published in national journals and she made national presentations including one in 2022 about cultivating and maintaining positive working relationships between faculty and administration at the National Academic Chairpersons Conference with colleagues Dr. Shaunda French-Collins and Dr. James Koehn.

“All of my greatest accomplishments have been attributed to the support and contribution of others at Chadron State. This included people with whom I worked, looked up to, and who actively mentored me,” Waugh said.

Under Waugh’s leadership, the Rural Business Leadership Initiative was established to support business majors desiring to become professionals in rural areas. Additionally, CSC partnered with Nebraska Methodist College to allow students to earn a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from CSC while simultaneously earning an Associate of Science degree in Respiratory Care from Nebraska Methodist College, without leaving CSC. Also, Accounting, Digital Marketing, and Healthcare Management focus areas were added to the MBA program.

By CSC COLLEGE RELATIONS CHADRON – Chadron State College recognized employees for years of service, Teaching Excellence and retirement at an annual luncheon in the Student Center Ballroom.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682699609062.jpeg" alt="2023 Chadron State College retirees recognized at the annual luncheon April 13, 2023, in the Student Center Ballroom." />
 <figcaption>2023 Chadron State College retirees recognized at the annual luncheon April 13, 2023, in the Student Center Ballroom.</figcaption>
 </figure>Awards are as follows:NSCS Teaching Excellence<a href="https://www.csc.edu/news/2023/keithly-selected-as-2023-nscs-teaching-excellence-award-recipient.html" target="_blank">Dr. Mary Keithly, Award Recipient</a>Dr. Tara Wilson, Award NomineeRetireesMel AinslieDr. Michael BognerDr. Ron BolzeMike KennedyDr. Lisette LeeschKaren PopeDr. Randy RhineDr. Wendy Waugh40 YearsDr. Kim Madsen30 YearsMelvin AinslieDr. Don KingDr. Donna Ritzen<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682699700984.jpeg" alt="Chadron State College's recognition luncheon in the Student Center Ballroom April 13, 2023. Honorees recognized for 10 years of service. From left, Dr. Kurt Kinbacher, Ted Tewahade, Jason Blanford, Lona Downs, Heather barry, Becky Bolze, Dr. Ron Bolze, Dr. Jamie Hamaker, Dr. Anthony Perlinski, and Joel Smith. Not pictured: Barb Bohnenkamp. (Photo by Tena L. Cook/Chadron State College)" />
 <figcaption>Chadron State College's recognition luncheon in the Student Center Ballroom April 13, 2023. Honorees recognized for 10 years of service. From left, Dr. Kurt Kinbacher, Ted Tewahade, Jason Blanford, Lona Downs, Heather barry, Becky Bolze, Dr. Ron Bolze, Dr. Jamie Hamaker, Dr. Anthony Perlinski, and Joel Smith. Not pictured: Barb Bohnenkamp. (Photo by Tena L. Cook/Chadron State College)</figcaption>
 </figure>20 YearsDr. Mary Jo CarnotDr. Lorie HunnDeena KennellDr. Kathleen KirschDr. Joel Schreuder15 YearsDaniel BinkardDr. Mathew BrustDr. Teresa J. FrinkDr. William HoffmanCasey RobertsKarma Schefcik10 YearsHeather BarryJason BlanfordBarb BohnenkampRebecca BolzeDr. Ronald BolzeLona DownsDr. Jamie HamakerDr. Kurt KinbacherDr. Anthony PerlinskiJoel SmithTed TewahadeRetireesAinslie&nbsp;became a Chadron State College employee in 1993. He was on the custodial staff caring for the then-new Student Center in the mornings and the Burkhiser Technology Complex in the afternoons. Eventually, he worked solely in the Student Center.&nbsp;“I like working in the Student Center. All the kids come through here,” he said.&nbsp;Ainslie assists with room set-up and tear-down and trouble-shooting with the microphone system, in addition to cleaning the building and shoveling snow from the north entrance which cannot be accessed by plows.&nbsp;He met his wife of 18 years, Linn, in the Student Center Pit. Linn earned her teaching degree from CSC. Her daughter, Catherine, a canine law officer in Powell, Wyoming, graduated from CSC with a criminal justice degree. The couple has five adult grandchildren.&nbsp;The couple has been involved with international students for at least 15 years.&nbsp;“We got started with the host parent program for incoming freshmen. When it ended, we switched over to hosting international students. We've learned a lot about their countries and hopefully, they’ve learned a little bit about ours from us,” Ainslie said.&nbsp;Several years ago, the couple arranged to meet six of their former CSC international host students for a reunion in Paris.&nbsp;&nbsp;“They came in from Germany, Jordan, and other countries. A lot of them have gone on and got their doctorates. Some of them keep in touch as they get married and have children. One of our host kids went back to Libya and we still hear from him every now and then. He's married with two kids. It's really amazing how much some of them have touched our lives and we have touched their lives,” Ainslie said.&nbsp;Bolze&nbsp;taught for 10 years in the Rangeland Management department and calls the experience among the most fulfilling aspects of his career. He came to CSC on a one-year contract before becoming a full-time faculty member. His teaching assignments have included a variety of courses related to beef production, animal genetics, physiology and nutrition, and farm and ranch management.&nbsp;Bolze grew up on a family-oriented dairy farm in Pennsylvania, and completed undergraduate studies in animal science at Pennsylvania State University. After graduation, he farmed with family before earning a doctorate in beef cattle reproductive physiology at Kansas State University.&nbsp;He then spent more than a decade as a beef extension specialist and faculty member, first at Ohio State University and later at Kansas State University.&nbsp;Leaving academic work in beef production for a time, he moved to the commercial aspects of the industry, serving as a development director for the Certified Angus Beef Program, executive secretary of the American Shorthorn Association, marketing director for the Red Angus Association of America, and marketing director for the largest Red Angus seedstock breeder in the United States.&nbsp;Bolze said one of the best parts of working at CSC has been the ability to align students with internships and job opportunities. Other highlights include interaction with the Bill and Virginia Coffee Family Foundation, involvement with the Practitioner in Residence program, the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition road show, and the ruminant production travel study tour.&nbsp;Kennedy&nbsp;was a Journalism Instructor at Chadron State College for 17 years. He is most proud of the achievements, awards, and recognition garnered by The Eagle, CSC’s student newspaper, and its staff members while he was the adviser for the student-led publication. During Kennedy’s tenure, The Eagle earned the Northern Plains Collegiate Media Association’s (NPCMA) Best Overall Newspaper award every year since 2010.&nbsp;&nbsp;He started at CSC as an adjunct instructor in Communication Arts in 2006 and moved to Journalism and Adviser upon the retirement of Lavida Dickinson in 2008. In addition to journalism and publication design courses, he has taught essential studies classes in oral communications. He also served as executive director of the Nebraska Collegiate Media Association (now the NPCMA) for seven years.&nbsp;&nbsp;He lived in France for four years as a child and graduated from high school in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Kennedy continued working for newspapers and wire services in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and completed a master’s degree in journalism at Marshall University in 1991.Kennedy taught in Oklahoma, worked for the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association in Colorado Springs, and taught photojournalism at Pittsburg State University in Kansas.&nbsp;A job teaching journalism and publications took him to Zayed University in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2000. During his six years there he made several trips to Pakistan and Afghanistan as a photojournalist and developed friendships with local reporters and photographers.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pope&nbsp;had nearly a 30-year professional career with the Chadron State Foundation. She retired as the Director of Alumni and Development for the Chadron State Foundation in January,Pope, who grew up in Bridgeport, Nebraska, graduated from CSC with a degree in social sciences in 1980. Once her children were old enough for school, Pope went back to work and became an Office Assistant in the Alumni and Foundation Office in 1995. Her title was changed to the Director of Alumni and Development in the early 2000s.When she was hired, one of Pope’s responsibilities was to put together an alumni newsletter. Without much of a background in publications and graphic design, Pope reached out to Dewayne Gimeson, a CSC publications specialist to learn more.The two continued to work together for more than 20 years on numerous projects, including all of the major Alumni and Foundation publications.Another longtime colleague of Pope’s was former Alumni and Foundation CEO Connie Rasmussen.“She is one of the most creative people I ever worked with,” Rasmussen said. “There isn’t anything she can’t do. She really brought the Foundation to the next level with the professional look of our publications. Her relationships with alums was genuine. She took an interest and loved working with them. They felt that and they loved working with her.”In addition to organizing alumni events and handling publications, Pope assisted with the Fall Fund Drive and helped with the annual phonathon. Pope said she always understood her job was centered around people, something she enjoyed.Rhine, who has served as President at Chadron State College since 2013, has worked at a college or university his entire professional career.“I got involved with higher education at a young age and never wanted to get out of it,” he said. “I have had a rewarding career and to have the chance to lead CSC the past decade has been an honor. Chadron State is truly a unique institution and a special place. Our alums care deeply about it and our community does, too. The college makes a significant impact in our region and city and it's been a privilege and honor to have a role in that. It wasn’t a role I set out for in life, but it has been very rewarding on a lot of levels.”Rhine first came to Chadron in 2005 at the behest of former President Janie Park. He was hired as the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services and helped the college reverse its enrollment decline. Rhine remained as the VP for Enrollment Management and Student Services until he was named Interim President in May 2012. Following a national search for the Presidency, he was officially named the college’s President in January 2013.In a letter announcing his retirement, Rhine wrote: “Together we have achieved a great deal for Chadron State, and I am incredibly proud to see the positive changes that have occurred. I am leaving Chadron State at a time when the institution is poised to move into the future with new energy and opportunity. I cannot thank the faculty and staff of this wonderful institution enough for your efforts that make us a leader in higher education and service to our region and beyond.”During Rhine’s time as president, CSC benefited from more than $70 million in capital improvements, including the Coffee Agriculture Pavilion, the Rangeland Complex, the Chicoine Center, the Eagle Ridge Housing Units, the renovated Elliott Field at Beebe Stadium, an outdoor track and field facility, and the Math Science Center of Innovative Learning addition and renovation.Rhine was also an advocate for CSC supporting rural components of its mission and during his tenure both the Rural Business Leadership Initiative and the Rural Law Opportunities Program were created. Despite being based in different academic disciplines, both programs encourage their students to assume leadership roles and work in rural communities.&nbsp;Waugh&nbsp;was employed at Chadron State College for 30 years before retiring in 2022. Waugh began as a Resident Hall Director in 1992. A year later, she began teaching in the Business Academy. She served as the Business Department Chair from 2017 to 2019 when she became Dean of the School of Business, Math and Science, and Graduate Program. Honors she received include the Teaching Excellence Award in 2009 and being selected as the 2016 Graduate Commencement speaker.She has bachelor’s degrees in Management and Electronic Data Processing and Secondary Business Education from Wayne State College, a master’s in Education: Business Specialization from the University of Nebraska-Kearney, an MBA from CSC, and a doctorate from Capella University in Organization and Management.Her articles were published in national journals and she made national presentations including one in 2022 about cultivating and maintaining positive working relationships between faculty and administration at the National Academic Chairpersons Conference with colleagues Dr. Shaunda French-Collins and Dr. James Koehn.“All of my greatest accomplishments have been attributed to the support and contribution of others at Chadron State. This included people with whom I worked, looked up to, and who actively mentored me,” Waugh said.Under Waugh’s leadership, the Rural Business Leadership Initiative was established to support business majors desiring to become professionals in rural areas. Additionally, CSC partnered with Nebraska Methodist College to allow students to earn a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from CSC while simultaneously earning an Associate of Science degree in Respiratory Care from Nebraska Methodist College, without leaving CSC. Also, Accounting, Digital Marketing, and Healthcare Management focus areas were added to the MBA program.

Annual luncheon honors Chadron State College employees

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming’s first full-service abortion clinic in years defiantly opened Thursday nearly one year after an arson attack ravaged it and despite looming laws that could shut it down with some of the toughest abortion restrictions in the U.S.

The clinic in a small stucco building on a busy street in Wyoming's second-biggest city of Casper is less than a mile (1.6 kilometers) from Interstate 25, where the occasional anti-abortion billboard stands against the open, sparsely populated landscape.

Last May, a few weeks before the clinic was set to open, a fire tore through building, leaving soot-stained, smashed windows and police tape to mark the clinic site in downtown Casper. A woman who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-clinic-fire-wyoming-arrest-036bb71e1666465e7692e22fca603694">since been arrested</a>&nbsp;had broken a window, filled aluminum pans with gasoline and set it ablaze, authorities say. She told told investigators that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-abortion-clinic-fire-arrest-4524825ae149b37a677fbfe72ce76400">she opposes abortion</a>&nbsp;and was experiencing anxiety over the facility opening.

With its fire damage repaired, the Wellspring Health Access clinic will be able to provide both abortion-pill and surgical abortions — at least for now. The U.S. Supreme Court is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-mifepristone-abortion-drug-8457b38f7a4799778e894da1858c8aa2">expected to rule Friday</a>&nbsp;on federal approval that’s been disputed for one of two drugs used in pill abortions. Wyoming last month became the first state to pass an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-abortion-pill-ban-44fd421de8607b14df5f50534244c609">explicit ban on abortion pills</a>, which have become the predominant choice for abortion in the U.S. in recent years.

Until now, only one other clinic in Wyoming — a women’s health center in Jackson, some 250 miles (400 kilometers) away — has provided medication abortions. Surgical abortions haven’t been available in a dedicated Wyoming clinic in at least a decade, according to Wellspring.

Although Wyoming has had just one clinic providing abortions for at least a decade, access never fully ended. There were at least 88 medication abortions reported by state medical professionals in 2020; and 98 medication abortions were reported in 2021, according to the most recent data from the Wyoming Department of Health.

Still, that’s not the whole picture of abortion in Wyoming.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-health-5101ede97957cbf5f4f8aac1d5e5b4fa">Hundreds of women travel</a>&nbsp;each year to Colorado and other states for abortions and the numbers don’t include medication abortions conducted at home without medical supervision.

Wellspring Health Access will begin taking appointments for services not widely available to Wyoming women in years. The clinic opened immediately after receiving a city occupancy permit. Medical procedures are set to begin after a doctor arrives at the clinic next week, according to Wellspring.

“It’s been a long journey, filled with obstacles and challenges, but we at Wellspring Health Access refused to give up because we believe that Wyomingites deserve access to abortion care,” Wellspring President Julie Burkhart said in a statement.

Last year's fire caused almost $300,000 in damage to the building as it was being renovated, delaying the clinic's opening by about 10 months.

For months, police had no suspects. Then in March, an anonymous donor increased the reward for information in the case from $5,000 to $15,000, leading to several tips.

Within weeks they arrested Lorna Roxanne Green, a 22-year-old college student who allegedly told a U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent that the clinic was giving her anxiety and nightmares, so she decided to burn it. Charged with arson, Green has been released from jail while her case proceeds.

Wellspring has meanwhile faced multiple other obstacles.

The clinic was first set to open as the U.S. Supreme Court was preparing to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturn Roe v. Wade</a>, triggering a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-jackson-wyoming-constitutions-042d610059f51c11563b0df3e78a8dc6">new state abortion ban</a>&nbsp;that took effect July 27. Within hours that day, Teton County District Judge Melissa Owens blocked the ban pending a lawsuit filed by four women, including two obstetricians and two nonprofits — Wellspring among them.

The same women and nonprofits are now suing over two new state abortion laws — a first-in-the-nation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-abortion-pill-ban-44fd421de8607b14df5f50534244c609">abortion pill ban</a>&nbsp;and an overall abortion ban the state Legislature passed this winter to sidestep legal issues arising from the earlier law. The overall ban would prohibit abortion at all stages of pregnancy except in cases of rape or incest that are reported to police, or to save a woman’s life.

As before, three days after the new ban took effect March 19, Owens suspended it, ruling that the law may still violate a state constitutional amendment saying residents have the right to make their own health care decisions. Owens didn't rule on the pill ban but it doesn't take effect until July 1.

By Associated PressCHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming’s first full-service abortion clinic in years defiantly opened Thursday nearly one year after an arson attack ravaged it and despite looming laws that could shut it down with some of the toughest abortion restrictions in the U.S.The clinic in a small stucco building on a busy street in Wyoming's second-biggest city of Casper is less than a mile (1.6 kilometers) from Interstate 25, where the occasional anti-abortion billboard stands against the open, sparsely populated landscape.Last May, a few weeks before the clinic was set to open, a fire tore through building, leaving soot-stained, smashed windows and police tape to mark the clinic site in downtown Casper. A woman who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-clinic-fire-wyoming-arrest-036bb71e1666465e7692e22fca603694">since been arrested</a>&nbsp;had broken a window, filled aluminum pans with gasoline and set it ablaze, authorities say. She told told investigators that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-abortion-clinic-fire-arrest-4524825ae149b37a677fbfe72ce76400">she opposes abortion</a>&nbsp;and was experiencing anxiety over the facility opening.With its fire damage repaired, the Wellspring Health Access clinic will be able to provide both abortion-pill and surgical abortions — at least for now. The U.S. Supreme Court is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-mifepristone-abortion-drug-8457b38f7a4799778e894da1858c8aa2">expected to rule Friday</a>&nbsp;on federal approval that’s been disputed for one of two drugs used in pill abortions. Wyoming last month became the first state to pass an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-abortion-pill-ban-44fd421de8607b14df5f50534244c609">explicit ban on abortion pills</a>, which have become the predominant choice for abortion in the U.S. in recent years.Until now, only one other clinic in Wyoming — a women’s health center in Jackson, some 250 miles (400 kilometers) away — has provided medication abortions. Surgical abortions haven’t been available in a dedicated Wyoming clinic in at least a decade, according to Wellspring.Although Wyoming has had just one clinic providing abortions for at least a decade, access never fully ended. There were at least 88 medication abortions reported by state medical professionals in 2020; and 98 medication abortions were reported in 2021, according to the most recent data from the Wyoming Department of Health.Still, that’s not the whole picture of abortion in Wyoming.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-health-5101ede97957cbf5f4f8aac1d5e5b4fa">Hundreds of women travel</a>&nbsp;each year to Colorado and other states for abortions and the numbers don’t include medication abortions conducted at home without medical supervision.Wellspring Health Access will begin taking appointments for services not widely available to Wyoming women in years. The clinic opened immediately after receiving a city occupancy permit. Medical procedures are set to begin after a doctor arrives at the clinic next week, according to Wellspring.“It’s been a long journey, filled with obstacles and challenges, but we at Wellspring Health Access refused to give up because we believe that Wyomingites deserve access to abortion care,” Wellspring President Julie Burkhart said in a statement.Last year's fire caused almost $300,000 in damage to the building as it was being renovated, delaying the clinic's opening by about 10 months.For months, police had no suspects. Then in March, an anonymous donor increased the reward for information in the case from $5,000 to $15,000, leading to several tips.Within weeks they arrested Lorna Roxanne Green, a 22-year-old college student who allegedly told a U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent that the clinic was giving her anxiety and nightmares, so she decided to burn it. Charged with arson, Green has been released from jail while her case proceeds.Wellspring has meanwhile faced multiple other obstacles.The clinic was first set to open as the U.S. Supreme Court was preparing to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturn Roe v. Wade</a>, triggering a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-jackson-wyoming-constitutions-042d610059f51c11563b0df3e78a8dc6">new state abortion ban</a>&nbsp;that took effect July 27. Within hours that day, Teton County District Judge Melissa Owens blocked the ban pending a lawsuit filed by four women, including two obstetricians and two nonprofits — Wellspring among them.The same women and nonprofits are now suing over two new state abortion laws — a first-in-the-nation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-abortion-pill-ban-44fd421de8607b14df5f50534244c609">abortion pill ban</a>&nbsp;and an overall abortion ban the state Legislature passed this winter to sidestep legal issues arising from the earlier law. The overall ban would prohibit abortion at all stages of pregnancy except in cases of rape or incest that are reported to police, or to save a woman’s life.As before, three days after the new ban took effect March 19, Owens suspended it, ruling that the law may still violate a state constitutional amendment saying residents have the right to make their own health care decisions. Owens didn't rule on the pill ban but it doesn't take effect until July 1.

Wyoming abortion clinic opens despite arson, legal obstacles

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials released&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/std/statistics/2021/default.htm">data</a>&nbsp;Tuesday showing how chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis cases have been accelerating, but doctors are hoping an old drug will help fight the sexually transmitted infections.

Experts believe STDs have been rising because of declining condom use, inadequate sex education and reduced testing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Millions of Americans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monkeypox-science-health-covid-epidemics-aaac64591251293f45c225d3fe963d0c">are infected</a>&nbsp;each year. Rates are highest in men who have sex with men, and among Black and Hispanic Americans and Native Americans.

“Sexually transmitted infections are an enormous, low-priority public health problem. And they’ve been a low-priority problem for decades, in spite of the fact that they are the most commonly reported kind of infectious disease,” said Dr. John M. Douglas Jr., a retired health official who lectures at the Colorado School of Public Health.

To try to turn the tide, many doctors see promise in doxycycline, a cheap antibiotic that has been sold for more than 50 years.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is drafting recommendations for using it as a kind of morning-after pill for preventing STDs, said Dr. Leandro Mena, director of the agency's STD prevention division.

The drug is already used to treat a range of infections. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2211934">study</a>&nbsp;published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine showed its potential to prevent sexually transmitted infections.

In the study, about 500 gay men, bisexual men and transgender women in Seattle and San Francisco with previous STD infections took one doxycycline pill within 72 hours of unprotected sex. Those who took the pills were about 90% less likely to get chlamydia, about 80% less likely to get syphilis, and more than 50% less likely to get gonorrhea compared with people who did not take the pills after sex, the researchers found.

The study was led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and built on a similar French study that saw promise in the idea.

“We do need new approaches, new innovations” to help bring sexually transmitted infections under control, said Dr. Philip Andrew Chan, who is consulting with the CDC on the doxycycline recommendations.

Mena, of the CDC, said there is no sign the STD trend is slowing.

Mississippi had the highest rate of gonorrhea cases, according to 2021 CDC data released Tuesday. Alaska saw a sharp increase in its chlamydia case rate that allowed it to overtake Mississippi at the top of that list. South Dakota had the highest rate of early-stage syphilis.

And Arizona had the tragic distinction of having the highest rate of cases in which infected moms pass syphilis on to their babies, potentially leading to death of the child or health problems like deafness and blindness.

Using an antibiotic to prevent these kinds of infections won’t “be a magic bullet. but it will be another tool,” said Chan, who teaches at Brown University and is chief medical officer of Open Door Health, a health center for gay, lesbian and transgender patients in Providence, Rhode Island.

Experts noted the CDC will have many factors to weigh as it develops the recommendations.

Among them: The drug can cause side effects like stomach problems and rashes after sun exposure. Some research has found it ineffective in heterosexual women. And widespread use of doxycycline as a preventive measure could contribute to mutations that make bacteria impervious to the drug, as has happened with antibiotics before.

Nevertheless, the San Francisco Department of Public Health in October became the first U.S. health department to issue guidance about doxycycline as an infection-prevention measure. And some other clinics have been been recommending the antibiotic to patients who may be at higher risk.

Derrick Woods-Morrow, a 33-year-old artist and an assistant professor at the Rhode Island School of Design, is an early adopter. Woods-Morrow, said he isn't a fan of condoms — they can break and sometimes people slip them off during sex. But he wants to stay healthy.

About a decade ago, he started taking an anti-viral medication before sex to protect himself from HIV infection. Five years ago, a doctor told him about research into whether doxycycline might protect people from other diseases.

“I thought it was probably in my best interest to protect myself, and my partners as well,” he said. He said it’s been a positive experience and that he hasn’t tested positive for chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis while using it.

“I feel like it’s a tool to sort of take back the sexual freedoms that someone may have lost and to really enjoy sex and interactions with people with a piece of mind,” he said.

By Associated PressNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials released&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/std/statistics/2021/default.htm">data</a>&nbsp;Tuesday showing how chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis cases have been accelerating, but doctors are hoping an old drug will help fight the sexually transmitted infections.Experts believe STDs have been rising because of declining condom use, inadequate sex education and reduced testing during the COVID-19 pandemic.Millions of Americans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monkeypox-science-health-covid-epidemics-aaac64591251293f45c225d3fe963d0c">are infected</a>&nbsp;each year. Rates are highest in men who have sex with men, and among Black and Hispanic Americans and Native Americans.“Sexually transmitted infections are an enormous, low-priority public health problem. And they’ve been a low-priority problem for decades, in spite of the fact that they are the most commonly reported kind of infectious disease,” said Dr. John M. Douglas Jr., a retired health official who lectures at the Colorado School of Public Health.To try to turn the tide, many doctors see promise in doxycycline, a cheap antibiotic that has been sold for more than 50 years.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is drafting recommendations for using it as a kind of morning-after pill for preventing STDs, said Dr. Leandro Mena, director of the agency's STD prevention division.The drug is already used to treat a range of infections. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2211934">study</a>&nbsp;published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine showed its potential to prevent sexually transmitted infections.In the study, about 500 gay men, bisexual men and transgender women in Seattle and San Francisco with previous STD infections took one doxycycline pill within 72 hours of unprotected sex. Those who took the pills were about 90% less likely to get chlamydia, about 80% less likely to get syphilis, and more than 50% less likely to get gonorrhea compared with people who did not take the pills after sex, the researchers found.The study was led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and built on a similar French study that saw promise in the idea.“We do need new approaches, new innovations” to help bring sexually transmitted infections under control, said Dr. Philip Andrew Chan, who is consulting with the CDC on the doxycycline recommendations.Mena, of the CDC, said there is no sign the STD trend is slowing.Mississippi had the highest rate of gonorrhea cases, according to 2021 CDC data released Tuesday. Alaska saw a sharp increase in its chlamydia case rate that allowed it to overtake Mississippi at the top of that list. South Dakota had the highest rate of early-stage syphilis.And Arizona had the tragic distinction of having the highest rate of cases in which infected moms pass syphilis on to their babies, potentially leading to death of the child or health problems like deafness and blindness.Using an antibiotic to prevent these kinds of infections won’t “be a magic bullet. but it will be another tool,” said Chan, who teaches at Brown University and is chief medical officer of Open Door Health, a health center for gay, lesbian and transgender patients in Providence, Rhode Island.Experts noted the CDC will have many factors to weigh as it develops the recommendations.Among them: The drug can cause side effects like stomach problems and rashes after sun exposure. Some research has found it ineffective in heterosexual women. And widespread use of doxycycline as a preventive measure could contribute to mutations that make bacteria impervious to the drug, as has happened with antibiotics before.Nevertheless, the San Francisco Department of Public Health in October became the first U.S. health department to issue guidance about doxycycline as an infection-prevention measure. And some other clinics have been been recommending the antibiotic to patients who may be at higher risk.Derrick Woods-Morrow, a 33-year-old artist and an assistant professor at the Rhode Island School of Design, is an early adopter. Woods-Morrow, said he isn't a fan of condoms — they can break and sometimes people slip them off during sex. But he wants to stay healthy.About a decade ago, he started taking an anti-viral medication before sex to protect himself from HIV infection. Five years ago, a doctor told him about research into whether doxycycline might protect people from other diseases.“I thought it was probably in my best interest to protect myself, and my partners as well,” he said. He said it’s been a positive experience and that he hasn’t tested positive for chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis while using it.“I feel like it’s a tool to sort of take back the sexual freedoms that someone may have lost and to really enjoy sex and interactions with people with a piece of mind,” he said.

STDs are on the rise; morning-after-style pill may help

United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that&nbsp;Tiffany Davis, 40, of Alliance, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.&nbsp; Senior United States District Judge&nbsp;John M. Gerrard&nbsp;sentenced Davis to 51 months of imprisonment.&nbsp; There is no parole in the federal system.&nbsp; After her release from prison, Davis will begin a four-year term of supervised release.

On November 5, 2021, officers pulled over Davis’s car in Alliance.&nbsp; Officers executed a search warrant on the car and located approximately 44 grams of actual methamphetamine in Davis’s purse.&nbsp; Davis was intending to distribute the methamphetamine.&nbsp;

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Box Butte County Sheriff’s Office.

News Release&nbsp;United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that&nbsp;Tiffany Davis, 40, of Alliance, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.&nbsp; Senior United States District Judge&nbsp;John M. Gerrard&nbsp;sentenced Davis to 51 months of imprisonment.&nbsp; There is no parole in the federal system.&nbsp; After her release from prison, Davis will begin a four-year term of supervised release.On November 5, 2021, officers pulled over Davis’s car in Alliance.&nbsp; Officers executed a search warrant on the car and located approximately 44 grams of actual methamphetamine in Davis’s purse.&nbsp; Davis was intending to distribute the methamphetamine.&nbsp; This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Box Butte County Sheriff’s Office.

Alliance woman sentenced for drug crime

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OPEN MIC 4/28/23

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Abortion bans in deeply conservative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-heartbeat-bill-nebraska-78b861951e8cc0ca92fa320820e2cbee">Nebraska</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-carolina-abortion-ban-legislature-8a3d4c18db8aabfc869b9466aa4f76aa">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;both fell short of advancing in close legislative votes amid heated debates among Republicans, yet another sign that abortion is becoming a difficult issue for the GOP.

In Nebraska, where abortion is banned after 20 weeks of pregnancy, an effort to ban abortion about the sixth week of pregnancy fell one vote short of breaking a filibuster. Cheers erupted outside the legislative chamber as the last vote was cast, with opponents of the bill waving signs and chanting, “Whose house? Our house!”

In South Carolina, lawmakers voted 22-21 to shelve a proposed near-total abortion ban for the rest of the year. Republican Sen. Sandy Senn criticized Majority Leader Shane Massey for repeatedly “taking us off a cliff on abortion.”

“The only thing that we can do when you all, you men in the chamber, metaphorically keep slapping women by raising abortion again and again and again, is for us to slap you back with our words,” she said.

The Nebraska proposal, backed by Republican Gov. Jim Pillen, is unlikely to move forward this year. And in South Carolina, where abortion remains legal through 22 weeks of pregnancy, the vote marked the third time a near-total abortion ban has failed in the Republican-led Senate chamber since the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade last summer.

The state has increasingly served patients across a region where Republican officials have otherwise curtailed access to abortion. Six Republicans helped block motions to end debate and defeated any chance the bill will pass this year.

Fourteen other states have bans in place on abortion at all stages of pregnancy. They are Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Four other states have bans throughout pregnancy where enforcement is blocked by courts. The majority of those bans were adopted in anticipation of Roe being overturned, and most do not have exceptions for rape or incest.

In Utah, a judge on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-abortion-clinic-ban-b568ddfab7c9bd2c9fdbf9a36e03668f">will consider a request from Planned Parenthood</a>&nbsp;to delay implementing a statewide ban on abortion clinics set to take effect next week. Planned Parenthood argues a state law passed this year will effectively end access to abortion throughout the state when clinics stop being able to apply for the licenses they’ve historically relied on to operate.

In North Dakota,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-north-dakota-ban-exceptions-da5a7b70eb8757cb563529881f3c4b40">Gov. Doug Burgum signed a ban Monday</a>&nbsp;that has narrow exceptions: Abortion is legal in pregnancies caused by rape or incest, but only in the first six weeks of pregnancy. Abortion is allowed later in pregnancy only in specific medical emergencies.

The North Dakota law is intended to replace a previous ban that is not being enforced while a state court weighs its constitutionality.

Pat Neal, 72, of Lincoln, was among those cheering the Nebraska vote Thursday. She, like others in attendance, expressed shock at the bill's failure.

“This gives me hope for the future,” she said. “It gives me hope that the direction we’ve been seeing — across the country — could turn around.”

The bill failed to get the crucial 33rd vote when Sen. Merv Riepe, a former hospital administrator from Ralston, abstained. Riepe was a cosigner of the bill but expressed concern this year that a six-week ban might not give women enough time to know they were pregnant.

Riepe introduced a measure Thursday that would have extended the proposed ban to 12 weeks and add to the bill’s list of exceptions any fetal anomalies deemed incompatible with life.

When he received pushback from fellow Republicans, Riepe warned his conservative colleagues they should heed signs that abortion will galvanize women to vote them out of office.

“We must embrace the future of reproductive rights,” he said.

Independent South Carolina Sen. Mia McLeod criticized leaders who prioritized the near-total ban over efforts to make South Carolina the 49th state in the country with a law allowing harsher punishments for violent hate crimes.

McLeod, who shared during a previous abortion debate that she had been raped, said it is unfortunate that women must reveal intimate experiences to “enlighten and engage” men.

“Just as rape is about power and control, so is this total ban,” McLeod said Thursday. “Those who continue to push legislation like this are raping us again with their indifference, violating us again with their righteous indignation, taunting us again with their insatiable need to play God while they continue to pass laws that are ungodly.”

By Associated Press<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682703916625.jpeg" alt="Pat Neal, left, and Ann Fintell, both of Lincoln, celebrate in the Nebraska Capitol rotunda after the failure of a bill that would have banned abortion around the sixth week of pregnancy, Thursday, April 27, 2023 in Lincoln, Neb. The bill is now likely dead for the year, leaving in place a 2010 law that bans abortions at 20 weeks. (AP Photo/Margery Beck)" />
 <figcaption>Pat Neal, left, and Ann Fintell, both of Lincoln, celebrate in the Nebraska Capitol rotunda after the failure of a bill that would have banned abortion around the sixth week of pregnancy, Thursday, April 27, 2023 in Lincoln, Neb. The bill is now likely dead for the year, leaving in place a 2010 law that bans abortions at 20 weeks. (AP Photo/Margery Beck)</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Abortion bans in deeply conservative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-heartbeat-bill-nebraska-78b861951e8cc0ca92fa320820e2cbee">Nebraska</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-carolina-abortion-ban-legislature-8a3d4c18db8aabfc869b9466aa4f76aa">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;both fell short of advancing in close legislative votes amid heated debates among Republicans, yet another sign that abortion is becoming a difficult issue for the GOP.In Nebraska, where abortion is banned after 20 weeks of pregnancy, an effort to ban abortion about the sixth week of pregnancy fell one vote short of breaking a filibuster. Cheers erupted outside the legislative chamber as the last vote was cast, with opponents of the bill waving signs and chanting, “Whose house? Our house!”In South Carolina, lawmakers voted 22-21 to shelve a proposed near-total abortion ban for the rest of the year. Republican Sen. Sandy Senn criticized Majority Leader Shane Massey for repeatedly “taking us off a cliff on abortion.”“The only thing that we can do when you all, you men in the chamber, metaphorically keep slapping women by raising abortion again and again and again, is for us to slap you back with our words,” she said.The Nebraska proposal, backed by Republican Gov. Jim Pillen, is unlikely to move forward this year. And in South Carolina, where abortion remains legal through 22 weeks of pregnancy, the vote marked the third time a near-total abortion ban has failed in the Republican-led Senate chamber since the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade last summer.The state has increasingly served patients across a region where Republican officials have otherwise curtailed access to abortion. Six Republicans helped block motions to end debate and defeated any chance the bill will pass this year.Fourteen other states have bans in place on abortion at all stages of pregnancy. They are Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Four other states have bans throughout pregnancy where enforcement is blocked by courts. The majority of those bans were adopted in anticipation of Roe being overturned, and most do not have exceptions for rape or incest.In Utah, a judge on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-abortion-clinic-ban-b568ddfab7c9bd2c9fdbf9a36e03668f">will consider a request from Planned Parenthood</a>&nbsp;to delay implementing a statewide ban on abortion clinics set to take effect next week. Planned Parenthood argues a state law passed this year will effectively end access to abortion throughout the state when clinics stop being able to apply for the licenses they’ve historically relied on to operate.In North Dakota,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-north-dakota-ban-exceptions-da5a7b70eb8757cb563529881f3c4b40">Gov. Doug Burgum signed a ban Monday</a>&nbsp;that has narrow exceptions: Abortion is legal in pregnancies caused by rape or incest, but only in the first six weeks of pregnancy. Abortion is allowed later in pregnancy only in specific medical emergencies.The North Dakota law is intended to replace a previous ban that is not being enforced while a state court weighs its constitutionality.Pat Neal, 72, of Lincoln, was among those cheering the Nebraska vote Thursday. She, like others in attendance, expressed shock at the bill's failure.“This gives me hope for the future,” she said. “It gives me hope that the direction we’ve been seeing — across the country — could turn around.”The bill failed to get the crucial 33rd vote when Sen. Merv Riepe, a former hospital administrator from Ralston, abstained. Riepe was a cosigner of the bill but expressed concern this year that a six-week ban might not give women enough time to know they were pregnant.Riepe introduced a measure Thursday that would have extended the proposed ban to 12 weeks and add to the bill’s list of exceptions any fetal anomalies deemed incompatible with life.When he received pushback from fellow Republicans, Riepe warned his conservative colleagues they should heed signs that abortion will galvanize women to vote them out of office.“We must embrace the future of reproductive rights,” he said.Independent South Carolina Sen. Mia McLeod criticized leaders who prioritized the near-total ban over efforts to make South Carolina the 49th state in the country with a law allowing harsher punishments for violent hate crimes.McLeod, who shared during a previous abortion debate that she had been raped, said it is unfortunate that women must reveal intimate experiences to “enlighten and engage” men.“Just as rape is about power and control, so is this total ban,” McLeod said Thursday. “Those who continue to push legislation like this are raping us again with their indifference, violating us again with their righteous indignation, taunting us again with their insatiable need to play God while they continue to pass laws that are ungodly.”

Abortion bans fail in conservative Nebraska, South Carolina

This is the Post Podcast. Today we spoke with Kyren Armstrong about the Upper Niobrara White Natural Resources District photo contest.&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Upper Niobrara White NRD photo contest" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ufa5i-13f439f-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=2&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=5&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>This is the Post Podcast. Today we spoke with Kyren Armstrong about the Upper Niobrara White Natural Resources District photo contest.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1565801151254.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Post Podcast: Upper Niobrara White NRD photo contest 

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BREAKING: Nebraska QB Casey Thompson has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/mzenitz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mzenitz</a>. <a href="https://t.co/poUleEHGWC">https://t.co/poUleEHGWC</a> <a href="https://t.co/eCmna30v0e">pic.twitter.com/eCmna30v0e</a>&mdash; On3 (@On3sports) <a href="https://twitter.com/On3sports/status/1651961899427282945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Casey Thompson enters transfer portal opening the door for Jeff Sims to be starter in fall

By Patricia Jones, Alliance Community Task Force: Creating Opportunity

We recently received our invitation to the RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) banquet on May 6. Celebrating 50 years in Alliance, they are asking everyone to wear clothes from the 70s. The 70s was a decade when I was in high school, in college, and started my first teaching job at Alliance High School. I know all about the fashion of the decade. Just about everything was in style at some point.

The late 60s and early 70s were the mini skirt years. We were all skinny teenagers with great legs, so mid-thigh skirts were okay with us. Parents and schools were less supportive. Around 1970 culottes became the big fashion trend. They were a great cross between skirts and shorts, and a whole lot easier to sit in. Our parents gladly bought them when we did our back-to-school shopping.

However, they violated school dress codes. Girls had to wear dresses or skirts every day and got sent home to change when our clothes were unacceptable for any reason. The culotte wars were on. Culotte designs changed to look like pleated skirts. Still not okay. Then they had fabric flaps over the front and back so they looked like skirts. Still not okay. I had a favorite orange culotte dress. The back was seamed all the way down, but it was still a split skirt, pleated in front. I usually got by with that. There were days when a dozen girls in our high school of 200 were sent home.

While I think dress codes have their place in schools, they often go too far. They tend to discriminate against girls, minorities, marginalized kids, and kids who live in poverty. I had a student whose only coat advertised Marlboro, and he wore it not only to school but to classes as well. We teachers had enough sense to ignore it, knowing his family couldn't afford anything else. But another student pushed it to the principal, and the coat was banned. How humiliating.

Schools should ban clothing that is racist or profane, and they should be able to say, "Wear clothes that are appropriate." I know this puts an extra burden on principals, but it avoids nonsense like the culotte wars of my high school years.

What finally changed our school's dress code? The elementary teachers rebelled. They had recess duty. They sat on the floor with kids. One day they started wearing pantsuits. The superintendent gave in, so the women teaching higher grades demanded the same right. Eventually, my junior year, even we girls in high school got to wear dress slacks to classes. And culottes.

When I got my invitation for RSVP, I pulled out my box of old patterns, as I sewed a lot of my own clothes. The memories of the outfits I made brought many smiles. My culotte pattern was a Marlo Thomas design.

I wore a lot of dresses - bright colors, floral prints, geometric designs. Shirts had bell sleeves, embroidered designs, peasant or cowl necklines. They might be smock tops or halter tops or tied at the waist. We wore ponchos and crocheted vests. Pants and jeans were bell bottoms or high-waisted with wide legs. Plaids were huge. Elephant bells were obnoxiously hard to walk in, as they kept wrapping around ankles, so I never bought a second pair. Polyester ruled, and Disco brought shiny new fabrics like Qiana and fake suede.

Our shoes: knee-high boots, chunky heels, platform soles, Birkenstocks, Earth shoes, Chuck Taylors. My favorite was a pair of huaraches with wedge heels.

By the time I moved to Alliance, the dress length normalized at below the knee. Clothes were professional. I wore lots of dresses and pantsuits to work in the late 70s.

What wasn't ever in style? Tight pants. Anything that looked worn out, with holes or frayed edges. During that entire decade I owned nothing black.

I've hit the Mission Store and the Collection Basket. 70s clothes choices were pretty slim. I did find a couple of possibilities, but no culottes. It'll be great fun to see what everyone comes up with as we celebrate RSVP's 50th Anniversary!

By Patricia Jones, Alliance Community Task Force: Creating OpportunityWe recently received our invitation to the RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) banquet on May 6. Celebrating 50 years in Alliance, they are asking everyone to wear clothes from the 70s. The 70s was a decade when I was in high school, in college, and started my first teaching job at Alliance High School. I know all about the fashion of the decade. Just about everything was in style at some point.The late 60s and early 70s were the mini skirt years. We were all skinny teenagers with great legs, so mid-thigh skirts were okay with us. Parents and schools were less supportive. Around 1970 culottes became the big fashion trend. They were a great cross between skirts and shorts, and a whole lot easier to sit in. Our parents gladly bought them when we did our back-to-school shopping.However, they violated school dress codes. Girls had to wear dresses or skirts every day and got sent home to change when our clothes were unacceptable for any reason. The culotte wars were on. Culotte designs changed to look like pleated skirts. Still not okay. Then they had fabric flaps over the front and back so they looked like skirts. Still not okay. I had a favorite orange culotte dress. The back was seamed all the way down, but it was still a split skirt, pleated in front. I usually got by with that. There were days when a dozen girls in our high school of 200 were sent home.While I think dress codes have their place in schools, they often go too far. They tend to discriminate against girls, minorities, marginalized kids, and kids who live in poverty. I had a student whose only coat advertised Marlboro, and he wore it not only to school but to classes as well. We teachers had enough sense to ignore it, knowing his family couldn't afford anything else. But another student pushed it to the principal, and the coat was banned. How humiliating.Schools should ban clothing that is racist or profane, and they should be able to say, "Wear clothes that are appropriate." I know this puts an extra burden on principals, but it avoids nonsense like the culotte wars of my high school years.What finally changed our school's dress code? The elementary teachers rebelled. They had recess duty. They sat on the floor with kids. One day they started wearing pantsuits. The superintendent gave in, so the women teaching higher grades demanded the same right. Eventually, my junior year, even we girls in high school got to wear dress slacks to classes. And culottes.When I got my invitation for RSVP, I pulled out my box of old patterns, as I sewed a lot of my own clothes. The memories of the outfits I made brought many smiles. My culotte pattern was a Marlo Thomas design.I wore a lot of dresses - bright colors, floral prints, geometric designs. Shirts had bell sleeves, embroidered designs, peasant or cowl necklines. They might be smock tops or halter tops or tied at the waist. We wore ponchos and crocheted vests. Pants and jeans were bell bottoms or high-waisted with wide legs. Plaids were huge. Elephant bells were obnoxiously hard to walk in, as they kept wrapping around ankles, so I never bought a second pair. Polyester ruled, and Disco brought shiny new fabrics like Qiana and fake suede.Our shoes: knee-high boots, chunky heels, platform soles, Birkenstocks, Earth shoes, Chuck Taylors. My favorite was a pair of huaraches with wedge heels.By the time I moved to Alliance, the dress length normalized at below the knee. Clothes were professional. I wore lots of dresses and pantsuits to work in the late 70s.What wasn't ever in style? Tight pants. Anything that looked worn out, with holes or frayed edges. During that entire decade I owned nothing black.I've hit the Mission Store and the Collection Basket. 70s clothes choices were pretty slim. I did find a couple of possibilities, but no culottes. It'll be great fun to see what everyone comes up with as we celebrate RSVP's 50th Anniversary!

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