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!

Getting Ahead: The Culote Wars 

All county Republicans are invited to attend a Box Butte&nbsp;&nbsp;County Republican Party meeting tomorrow, April 29 at 10:30 a.m. at the Knight Museum &amp; Sandhills Center in Alliance. Past NEGOP District 3 Chairman Ron Schmidt will be the main speaker.

Also attending is Dr. Josh McConkey. The Alliance native was an RHOP student at Chadron, is currently an ER doctor in North Carolina, and a military veteran. Josh is running for Congress to represent North Carolina.

Coffee &amp; Cookies will be Provided.&nbsp;

By Panhandle PostAll county Republicans are invited to attend a Box Butte&nbsp;&nbsp;County Republican Party meeting tomorrow, April 29 at 10:30 a.m. at the Knight Museum &amp; Sandhills Center in Alliance. Past NEGOP District 3 Chairman Ron Schmidt will be the main speaker.Also attending is Dr. Josh McConkey. The Alliance native was an RHOP student at Chadron, is currently an ER doctor in North Carolina, and a military veteran. Josh is running for Congress to represent North Carolina.Coffee &amp; Cookies will be Provided.&nbsp;

Box Butte Co. Republican Party meeting to be held in Alliance 

By JOHN E. WEARE, Keep Alliance Beautiful

Blake is an Alliance native who is enjoying retirement after decades as a hostler at BNSF Railway. Jenn is originally from Scottsbluff and currently provides daycare.

Q: How long have you been on curbside, and why did you sign up?

Blake: From the beginning because it was convenient for them to come get it. You’d go to one (of KAB’s trailers) and it was full and you’d go to another one.

Blake: Newspaper, paperboard, all types of plastic – plastic wrap, plastic bottles and toys, I did the frame for a toy lawn mower once; (also) glass, tin, aluminum, anything and everything you’ll take from me. I keep scrap iron and have people take it.

Q: How has this service influenced your opinion of recycling?

Blake: Makes me research what can and can’t be recycled. I try to give you guys what I can every time. (Before signing up for curbside) I was loading the car with 200-300 pounds every two to three weeks.

Q: Newest thing you’ve added to the bag?

Blake: Any type of plastic wraps, not just bags, styrofoam, anything – for the longest time I didn’t think I could recycle it.

Q: Why do you feel it is important to recycle?

Blake: Because humans are the worst thing that could happen to the planet Earth . . . if you took away humans it would thrive. I started (recycling) 25 years ago because Boy Scouts had a newspaper drive.

Q: Other “green” practices at your home?

The couple recently added a used compost barrel to their backyard. Blake asked a local man if he could take it off his hands after seeing the horizontal cylinder idle for months. He also repurposed a stock tank as a swimming pool for their grandchildren, and employed bricks from a demolished bar as pavers. Blake: I recycle and reuse whenever I can. We take clothing to the Mission Store or Goodwill.

Blake has collected numerous panes of glass he’d like to make into a greenhouse. Composting is also something new for the Weisgerbers this spring, which will eventually provide organic material for their container garden – sourced from spent feed totes. Blake: I want to reduce what I throw away (even) further.

By JOHN E. WEARE, Keep Alliance Beautiful<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682640408648.jpeg" alt="A sample of the plastic Blake and Jenn Weisgerber gather for the Hefty Energy Bag program. " />
 <figcaption>A sample of the plastic Blake and Jenn Weisgerber gather for the Hefty Energy Bag program. </figcaption>
 </figure>Blake and Jenn WeisgerberBlake is an Alliance native who is enjoying retirement after decades as a hostler at BNSF Railway. Jenn is originally from Scottsbluff and currently provides daycare.Q: How long have you been on curbside, and why did you sign up?Blake: From the beginning because it was convenient for them to come get it. You’d go to one (of KAB’s trailers) and it was full and you’d go to another one.Q: What do you recycle?Blake: Newspaper, paperboard, all types of plastic – plastic wrap, plastic bottles and toys, I did the frame for a toy lawn mower once; (also) glass, tin, aluminum, anything and everything you’ll take from me. I keep scrap iron and have people take it.Q: How has this service influenced your opinion of recycling?Blake: Makes me research what can and can’t be recycled. I try to give you guys what I can every time. (Before signing up for curbside) I was loading the car with 200-300 pounds every two to three weeks.Q: Newest thing you’ve added to the bag?Blake: Any type of plastic wraps, not just bags, styrofoam, anything – for the longest time I didn’t think I could recycle it.Q: Why do you feel it is important to recycle?Blake: Because humans are the worst thing that could happen to the planet Earth . . . if you took away humans it would thrive. I started (recycling) 25 years ago because Boy Scouts had a newspaper drive.Q: Other “green” practices at your home?The couple recently added a used compost barrel to their backyard. Blake asked a local man if he could take it off his hands after seeing the horizontal cylinder idle for months. He also repurposed a stock tank as a swimming pool for their grandchildren, and employed bricks from a demolished bar as pavers. Blake: I recycle and reuse whenever I can. We take clothing to the Mission Store or Goodwill.Q: Future plans?Blake has collected numerous panes of glass he’d like to make into a greenhouse. Composting is also something new for the Weisgerbers this spring, which will eventually provide organic material for their container garden – sourced from spent feed totes. Blake: I want to reduce what I throw away (even) further.

KAB Curbside: Weisgerber's of Alliance, Scottsbluff 

CHADRON – The first years of the Nebraska Territory will be the subject of historian Jeff Barnes’s presentation at the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center Tuesday, May 2. The 6:30 p.m. talk is sponsored by Humanities Nebraska.

According to Barnes, Nebraska’s approach to establishing a territory was unusual.

“We actually had a territory where an Indian chief was proclaimed as its first governor, where banks printed and passed their own money, and where women nearly first won the right to vote,” he said. “We went through a time when governors were seemingly switched every few months, and where the battle for the capital was a constant.”

The steps taken during the 1850s set the path Nebraska followed for generations to come, according to Barnes. He will share rare images, maps, and stories of the unconventional first years of Nebraska, a territory that newspapers of the day called the Queen of the Prairies.

Barnes, a former newspaper reporter and editor, lives in Omaha. He is a two-time recipient of the Nebraska Book Award, a former board trustee with the Nebraska State Historical Society, past chair of the Nebraska Hall of Fame Commission, and a speaker with Humanities Nebraska.

By CSC COLLEGE RELATIONSCHADRON – The first years of the Nebraska Territory will be the subject of historian Jeff Barnes’s presentation at the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center Tuesday, May 2. The 6:30 p.m. talk is sponsored by Humanities Nebraska.According to Barnes, Nebraska’s approach to establishing a territory was unusual.“We actually had a territory where an Indian chief was proclaimed as its first governor, where banks printed and passed their own money, and where women nearly first won the right to vote,” he said. “We went through a time when governors were seemingly switched every few months, and where the battle for the capital was a constant.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682640299500.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The steps taken during the 1850s set the path Nebraska followed for generations to come, according to Barnes. He will share rare images, maps, and stories of the unconventional first years of Nebraska, a territory that newspapers of the day called the Queen of the Prairies.Barnes, a former newspaper reporter and editor, lives in Omaha. He is a two-time recipient of the Nebraska Book Award, a former board trustee with the Nebraska State Historical Society, past chair of the Nebraska Hall of Fame Commission, and a speaker with Humanities Nebraska.

Barnes to speak about first years of Nebraska in Chadron 

LINCOLN, Ne - The Volleyball Day in Nebraska outdoor event in Memorial Stadium sold out on Thursday morning, the third day tickets were on sale to the public. Approximately 82,900 tickets were claimed between the season-ticket holder on-sale on Tuesday and the general public on-sale on Wednesday and Thursday. Approximately 17,900 of the tickets were claimed in the season-ticket holder on-sale on Tuesday and the rest on Wednesday and Thursday. That number does not include field-level seating or indoor club seating. Nebraska will host Omaha at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 30 in a regular-season match in Memorial Stadium. As part of a local doubleheader celebrating the impact of volleyball on the state, Nebraska-Kearney will play Wayne State in an exhibition match at 4:30 p.m. "Nebraska fans never cease to amaze me," Nebraska Vice Chancellor, Director of Athletics Trev Alberts said. "We knew the interest in this match would be extremely high, but to sell out Memorial Stadium is truly remarkable. I've heard lots of talk about breaking the NCAA volleyball attendance record, but given the incredible demand for this event we want to explore every avenue to see if it's possible to challenge the record for the most attended women's sporting event in this country. We are truly grateful!" "There is No Place Like Nebraska. What more can you say?" Nebraska Head Coach&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/coaches/john-cook/8418">John Cook</a>&nbsp;said. "We knew there was a lot of interest in this event based on the reaction we've had the last couple of months traveling around the state and the country. But to sell out more than 80,000 tickets already? It's unreal. Our team was already pumped up about Volleyball Day in Nebraska, but now I can't even imagine how excited they are going to be for this. It's epic."

The record crowd for any NCAA volleyball match is 18,755 when Nebraska played Wisconsin on Dec. 18, 2021, in the NCAA Championship at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The largest NCAA volleyball regular-season crowd is 16,833 when Wisconsin hosted Florida at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., on Sept. 16, 2022. The largest crowd to attend a women's sporting event in the USA was 90,185 for the 1999 Women's World Cup Final between USA and China at Rose Bowl Stadium. That remained as a world record until 91,553 surpassed it when Barcelona played Real Madrid in Spain in a UEFA Women's Champions League match on March 30, 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Huskers.comLINCOLN, Ne - The Volleyball Day in Nebraska outdoor event in Memorial Stadium sold out on Thursday morning, the third day tickets were on sale to the public. Approximately 82,900 tickets were claimed between the season-ticket holder on-sale on Tuesday and the general public on-sale on Wednesday and Thursday. Approximately 17,900 of the tickets were claimed in the season-ticket holder on-sale on Tuesday and the rest on Wednesday and Thursday. That number does not include field-level seating or indoor club seating. Nebraska will host Omaha at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 30 in a regular-season match in Memorial Stadium. As part of a local doubleheader celebrating the impact of volleyball on the state, Nebraska-Kearney will play Wayne State in an exhibition match at 4:30 p.m. "Nebraska fans never cease to amaze me," Nebraska Vice Chancellor, Director of Athletics Trev Alberts said. "We knew the interest in this match would be extremely high, but to sell out Memorial Stadium is truly remarkable. I've heard lots of talk about breaking the NCAA volleyball attendance record, but given the incredible demand for this event we want to explore every avenue to see if it's possible to challenge the record for the most attended women's sporting event in this country. We are truly grateful!" "There is No Place Like Nebraska. What more can you say?" Nebraska Head Coach&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/coaches/john-cook/8418">John Cook</a>&nbsp;said. "We knew there was a lot of interest in this event based on the reaction we've had the last couple of months traveling around the state and the country. But to sell out more than 80,000 tickets already? It's unreal. Our team was already pumped up about Volleyball Day in Nebraska, but now I can't even imagine how excited they are going to be for this. It's epic."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682619354166.png" alt="Volleyball Day at Memorial Stadium planned for August 30, 2023" />
 <figcaption>Volleyball Day at Memorial Stadium planned for August 30, 2023</figcaption>
 </figure> The record crowd for any NCAA volleyball match is 18,755 when Nebraska played Wisconsin on Dec. 18, 2021, in the NCAA Championship at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The largest NCAA volleyball regular-season crowd is 16,833 when Wisconsin hosted Florida at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., on Sept. 16, 2022. The largest crowd to attend a women's sporting event in the USA was 90,185 for the 1999 Women's World Cup Final between USA and China at Rose Bowl Stadium. That remained as a world record until 91,553 surpassed it when Barcelona played Real Madrid in Spain in a UEFA Women's Champions League match on March 30, 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Volleyball Day in Nebraska Tickets Sold Out

By&nbsp;&nbsp;Terry Grosz -&nbsp;Alliance Christian Ministerial Association (ACMA)&nbsp;– Secretary

The National Day of Prayer (NDP) is Thursday, May 4.&nbsp;

 Our local NDP event is a Mayor’s Prayer Luncheon that will be held at the Evangelical Free Church in Alliance on Thursday, May 4 beginning at 12 noon.&nbsp; 

A meal will be served for a $5 donation followed by the Prayer portion of the program.&nbsp; Prayer will be offered over seven key areas:

The general public is invited to attend the Mayor’s Prayer Luncheon on Thursday, May 4 at the Evangelical Free Church in Alliance (611 Cody Ave) at 12 noon.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;Terry Grosz -&nbsp;Alliance Christian Ministerial Association (ACMA)&nbsp;– SecretaryThe National Day of Prayer (NDP) is Thursday, May 4.&nbsp; Our local NDP event is a Mayor’s Prayer Luncheon that will be held at the Evangelical Free Church in Alliance on Thursday, May 4 beginning at 12 noon.&nbsp; A meal will be served for a $5 donation followed by the Prayer portion of the program.&nbsp; Prayer will be offered over seven key areas:<ul>
 <li>Government/Military</li><li>Family</li><li>Religion</li><li>Businesses</li><li>Arts/Entertainment</li><li>Media</li><li>Education</li>
 </ul>The general public is invited to attend the Mayor’s Prayer Luncheon on Thursday, May 4 at the Evangelical Free Church in Alliance (611 Cody Ave) at 12 noon.

National Day of Prayer set in Alliance 

By TOMMY REZAC St. Joseph Post

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The city of St. 
Joseph opened its search for a new police chief on Feb 24. 
Soon, the public will have its chance to meet the top candidates for the
 job.

Philip Lukens (Alliance police chief), Paul Luster
 (Kansas City, Mo., Police major) Stephenie Price (deputy police chief at 
Beauford, S.C.) and Rance Quinn (acting deputy chief at Kansas
 City, Kan.) are the four finalists. No current employees of the 
St.&nbsp;Joseph Police Department applied for the position.

The finalists have been selected from a pool of 23 applicants.

St. Joseph City Manager Bryan Carter said the candidates will come to the city on May 10 and 11.

"They'll come to town on the 10th and we'll do a community tour," Carter said on the KFEQ Hotline. "We'll
 take them around St. Joseph and introduce them to some of the areas in 
town. They'll have an opportunity, as a group, to meet with police 
department staff."

During that time, the candidates will have final interviews and have meet-and-greet opportunities for the public.

"We'll
 have a series of three-panel interviews," Carter said. "We'll have
 a panel of community members, city leadership staff and police 
department employees."

There's a community meet-and greet -event 
set for May 11 from 6:30 to 8:00pm in Spratt Hall, Rooms 214 and 216, on
 the Missouri Western campus. The public is invited to attend.

The
 city hired Public Sector Search &amp; Consulting, a firm specializing 
in national level recruitment for police executives.&nbsp;Carter says the 
city hopes to have a new police chief announced by the end of May.

"Once
 we get one of these candidates selected, assuming we select one of 
these candidates and I anticipate we will, we'll start working with that
 candidate to negotiate terms of employment and they'll have to go 
through a police background check."

Carter says the community will
 have a chance to meet these police chief candidates here soon and see 
for themselves how much work went into this process.

"This will be the part we all see," he said. "There's been a lot going on behind the scenes to get to this point."

Chris
 Connally retired as St. Joseph's police chief last September after 
serving 17 years. Dave Hart has served as interim chief in the meantime.

By TOMMY REZAC St. Joseph PostST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The city of St. 
Joseph opened its search for a new police chief on Feb 24. 
Soon, the public will have its chance to meet the top candidates for the
 job.Philip Lukens (Alliance police chief), Paul Luster
 (Kansas City, Mo., Police major) Stephenie Price (deputy police chief at 
Beauford, S.C.) and Rance Quinn (acting deputy chief at Kansas
 City, Kan.) are the four finalists. No current employees of the 
St.&nbsp;Joseph Police Department applied for the position.The finalists have been selected from a pool of 23 applicants.St. Joseph City Manager Bryan Carter said the candidates will come to the city on May 10 and 11."They'll come to town on the 10th and we'll do a community tour," Carter said on the KFEQ Hotline. "We'll
 take them around St. Joseph and introduce them to some of the areas in 
town. They'll have an opportunity, as a group, to meet with police 
department staff."During that time, the candidates will have final interviews and have meet-and-greet opportunities for the public."We'll
 have a series of three-panel interviews," Carter said. "We'll have
 a panel of community members, city leadership staff and police 
department employees."There's a community meet-and greet -event 
set for May 11 from 6:30 to 8:00pm in Spratt Hall, Rooms 214 and 216, on
 the Missouri Western campus. The public is invited to attend.The
 city hired Public Sector Search &amp; Consulting, a firm specializing 
in national level recruitment for police executives.&nbsp;Carter says the 
city hopes to have a new police chief announced by the end of May."Once
 we get one of these candidates selected, assuming we select one of 
these candidates and I anticipate we will, we'll start working with that
 candidate to negotiate terms of employment and they'll have to go 
through a police background check."Carter says the community will
 have a chance to meet these police chief candidates here soon and see 
for themselves how much work went into this process."This will be the part we all see," he said. "There's been a lot going on behind the scenes to get to this point."Chris
 Connally retired as St. Joseph's police chief last September after 
serving 17 years. Dave Hart has served as interim chief in the meantime.

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