LINCOLN, NEB.&nbsp; — The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an officer-involved shooting that involved an investigator from the Lincoln Police Department and an investigator from the Nebraska State Patrol.

At approximately 2:45 p.m. Monday, investigators with the Lincoln Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force were conducting an investigation in the area of NW 27th&nbsp;and West O streets in Lincoln.

Preliminary details show that during the investigation, a confrontation occurred between the investigators and a suspect. During the confrontation, an investigator observed the suspect to be in possession of a firearm. A Lincoln Police Department investigator and a Nebraska State Patrol investigator each fired their duty weapon. The suspect was struck.

The investigators immediately rendered medical aid and called for an ambulance. The suspect was transported by Lincoln Fire and Rescue to Bryan Health Center West Campus with critical injuries. A firearm was recovered at the scene. No officers were injured during the incident.

LPD and NSP have requested the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office to conduct the investigation into the incident. Both involved investigators have been placed on administrative leave in accordance with each agency’s policy.

The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office will hold a news conference to provide any updates possible Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. at the LSO Headquarters at 575 S. 10th&nbsp;Street.

By NSPLINCOLN, NEB.&nbsp; — The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an officer-involved shooting that involved an investigator from the Lincoln Police Department and an investigator from the Nebraska State Patrol.At approximately 2:45 p.m. Monday, investigators with the Lincoln Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force were conducting an investigation in the area of NW 27th&nbsp;and West O streets in Lincoln.Preliminary details show that during the investigation, a confrontation occurred between the investigators and a suspect. During the confrontation, an investigator observed the suspect to be in possession of a firearm. A Lincoln Police Department investigator and a Nebraska State Patrol investigator each fired their duty weapon. The suspect was struck.The investigators immediately rendered medical aid and called for an ambulance. The suspect was transported by Lincoln Fire and Rescue to Bryan Health Center West Campus with critical injuries. A firearm was recovered at the scene. No officers were injured during the incident.LPD and NSP have requested the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office to conduct the investigation into the incident. Both involved investigators have been placed on administrative leave in accordance with each agency’s policy.The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office will hold a news conference to provide any updates possible Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. at the LSO Headquarters at 575 S. 10th&nbsp;Street.

Officer-involved shooting in Lincoln

NORTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects for alleged hunting violations.

Game Wardens encountered two individuals hunting for turkey in Norton County, according to a social media report from Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens.&nbsp;

Upon noticing the game warden, one individual attempted to fill out a Nebraska turkey tag for a turkey they previously killed in Kansas. The wardens seized three turkeys in connection with violations in Kansas and Nebraska.  Charges are Pending.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682963388345.png" alt="Photo courtesy KDW&amp;P Game Wardens" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KDW&amp;P Game Wardens</figcaption>
 </figure>NORTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects for alleged hunting violations.Game Wardens encountered two individuals hunting for turkey in Norton County, according to a social media report from Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens.&nbsp;Upon noticing the game warden, one individual attempted to fill out a Nebraska turkey tag for a turkey they previously killed in Kansas. The wardens seized three turkeys in connection with violations in Kansas and Nebraska. Charges are Pending.

Kan. Game Warden: Hunter attempted to falsify turkey tag

NEW YORK (AP) — Regulators seized troubled First Republic Bank early Monday, making it the second-largest bank failure in U.S. history, and promptly sold all of its deposits and most of its assets to JPMorgan Chase in a bid to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-fed-supervision-review-30f56061bf5d103cef7e9445d50fd759">end the turmoil</a>&nbsp;that has raised questions about the health of the U.S. banking system.

It's the third midsize bank to fail in less than two months. The only larger bank failure in U.S. history was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-failure-fdic-tech-vc-f343cdc6a8adee4a3635b756cec1f787">Washington Mutual</a>, which collapsed at the height of the 2008 financial crisis and was also taken over by JPMorgan in a similar government-orchestrated deal.

“Our government invited us and others to step up, and we did,” said Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase.

First Republic's 84 branches opened on Monday as branches of JPMorgan Chase, which acquired the bank's $92 billion in deposits and $203 billion in loans and other securities. The bank's shareholders are likely to be wiped out as part of the deal.

Dimon said in a conference call with both reporters and investors that he believed “this part of this (banking) crisis is over.” Other midsize banks reported their results last week and the vast majority of them showed deposits had stabilized and profits remained relatively healthy. The outlier was First Republic.

Once the envy of the banking industry, First Republic has struggled since the March&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf">collapses of Silicon Valley Bank</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/signature-fdic-failure-new-york-community-bank-3c820646cc6574439fa158095594505e">Signature Bank</a>. The bank catered to wealthy clients and had taken on a large amount of uninsured deposits — that is, deposits above the $250,000 limit set by the FDIC.

As was the case with Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, those clients with large accounts at First Republic were quick to pull their money at the first sign of trouble.

“Too many (First Republic) customers showed their true loyalties were to their own fears,” wrote Timothy Coffey, an analyst with Janney Montgomery Scott, in a note to investors.

A coalition of a dozen banks pulled together&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/first-republic-bank-deposits-rescue-9daaea0e7133007d5e7f8257030d1b1c">a $30 billion funding package</a>&nbsp;for First Republic last month that, for awhile, seemed to stanch the bleeding of deposits. But it became increasingly clear that First Republic was on borrowed time: it needed to find a buyer, or find new forms of funding to replace the deposits that had left the bank.

First Republic planned to sell off unprofitable assets, including low interest mortgages that it provided to wealthy clients. It also announced plans to lay off up to a quarter of its workforce, which totaled about 7,200 employees in late 2022. But it was seen as too little, too late, by analysts.

The $30 billion package “bought time when time was needed” for First Republic, said Jeremy Barnum, JPMorgan’s chief financial officer, in a call with reporters.

Last Monday, First Republic reported its first-quarter results and stunned analysts and investors when it revealed that $100 billion in deposits had flowed out of the bank, most in mid-March immediately after the failure of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. Its executives took no questions from analysts on an earning conference call. First Republic's stock plunged more than 50% the day after the report.

By mid last week, it became clear government intervention in First Republic was necessary. Treasury officials asked banks to submit bids for First Republic, and bankers and regulators worked through the weekend to find a way forward.

Once again JPMorgan Chase, the nation’s biggest bank with a reputation as a dealmaker during times of crisis, became the government's go-to bank. Treasury officials had enlisted JPMorgan last month to lead the $30 billion rescue package. Back in 2008, Dimon was the go-to banker for Washington to find private solutions for that banking crisis and JPMorgan acquired both Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual.

The Federal Reserve and FDIC, which regulate the banking industry along with the Office of Comptroller of the Currency, could face renewed criticism over their handling of First Republic. Both acknowledged Friday in separate reports that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-fed-supervision-review-30f56061bf5d103cef7e9445d50fd759">lax supervision had contributed</a>&nbsp;to the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.

As First Republic grew its deposits, it used them to fund more and more low interest rate loans to customers. When the Fed rapidly increased interest rates last year, the value of those loans decreased.

“These banks were allowed to get too big too quickly when interest rates were low,” Coffey said in an interview.

There could also now be questions about the size of JPMorgan Chase, which has more than $3 trillion in assets and is by far the biggest of the “too big to fail” institutions around the world.

Regulators "permitted the country’s biggest bank to get even bigger. We expect this will be a Democratic focus for months,” said Jaret Seiberg, banking analyst at TD Cowen.

JPMorgan is so big that by law it would not be allowed to buy First Republic because no one bank can have more than a 10% market share of deposits in the U.S. It is only because First Republic failed that JPMorgan was able to step in.

In a statement, JPMorgan portrayed the First Republic deal as beneficial both to the financial system and the company. As part of the agreement, the FDIC will share losses with JPMorgan on First Republic’s loans.

JPMorgan expects the addition of First Republic to add $500 million to its net income per year, although it expects to incur $2 billion in costs integrating First Republic into its operations over the next 18 months.

NEW YORK (AP) — Regulators seized troubled First Republic Bank early Monday and sold all of its deposits and most of its assets to JPMorgan Chase Bank in a bid to head off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-fed-supervision-review-30f56061bf5d103cef7e9445d50fd759">further banking turmoil</a>&nbsp;in the U.S.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/first-republic-bank-silicon-valley-fdic-7a3aba1a94652d2d21f5a10d73894d4d">San Francisco-based First Republic</a>&nbsp;is the third midsize bank to fail in two months. It is the second-biggest bank failure in U.S. history, behind only&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-failure-fdic-tech-vc-f343cdc6a8adee4a3635b756cec1f787">Washington Mutual</a>, which collapsed at the height of the 2008 financial crisis and was also taken over by JPMorgan.

First Republic has struggled since the March&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf">collapses of Silicon Valley Bank</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/signature-fdic-failure-new-york-community-bank-3c820646cc6574439fa158095594505e">Signature Bank</a>&nbsp;and investors and depositors had grown increasingly worried it might not survive because of its high amount of uninsured deposits and exposure to low interest rate loans.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation said early Monday that First Republic Bank’s 84 branches in eight states will reopen as branches of JPMorgan Chase Bank and depositors will have full access to all of their deposits.

Regulators worked through the weekend to find a way forward before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-banks-rates-first-republic-b77be6738745b1dc394a6dbcf374b9a2">U.S. stock markets</a>&nbsp;opened. Markets in many parts of the world were closed for May 1 holidays Monday. The two markets in Asia that were open, in Tokyo and Sydney, rose.

As of April 13, First Republic had approximately $229 billion in total assets and $104 billion in total deposits, the FDIC said.

At the end of last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/lbr/current/">the Federal Reserve ranked it 14th in size</a>&nbsp;among U.S. commercial banks. The FDIC estimated its deposit insurance fund would take a $13 billion hit from taking First Republic into receivership. Its rescue of Silicon Valley Bank cost the fund a record $20 billion.

Before Silicon Valley Bank failed, First Republic had a banking franchise that was the envy of most of the industry. Its clients — mostly the rich and powerful — rarely defaulted on their loans. The bank has made much of its money making low-cost loans to the wealthy, which reportedly included Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Flush with deposits from the well-heeled, First Republic saw total assets more than double from $102 billion at the end of 2019’s first quarter, when its full-time workforce was 4,600.

But the vast majority of its deposits, like those in Silicon Valley and Signature Bank, were uninsured — that is, above the $250,000 limit set by the FDIC. And that worried analysts and investors. If First Republic were to fail, its depositors might not get all their money back.

Those fears were crystalized in the bank’s recent quarterly results. First Republic experienced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-bank-run-twitter-fdic-fdbfc08ed00fcbdb9d83897b1b9f42ae">modern day bank run</a>&nbsp;as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/first-republic-bank-silicon-valley-federal-reserve-fdic-dimon-a6a5de4b82708573a846f24006b9f4c1">customers rushed to pull out more than $100 billion in deposits</a>&nbsp;following the failure of Silicon Valley and Signature Bank. Unlike bank runs throughout history, First Republic's demise was fueled by the speed of social media and digital withdrawals that can be made in seconds from a cell phone.

San Francisco-based First Republic said that it was only able to stanch the bleeding after a group of large banks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/first-republic-bank-deposits-rescue-9daaea0e7133007d5e7f8257030d1b1c">stepped in to save it with $30 billion</a>&nbsp;in uninsured deposits.

First Republic had been looking for a way to quickly turn itself around. The bank planned to sell off unprofitable assets, including the low interest mortgages that it provided to wealthy clients. It also announced plans to lay off up to a quarter of its workforce, which totaled about 7,200 employees in late 2022.

Investors were skeptical, and the devastating quarterly report sent them running for the exits. First Republic shares fell 75% last week and closed Friday at $3.51. Any remaining shareholders are likely to get wiped out. The shares traded at $115 on March 8, right before Silicon Valley Bank failed.

The Fed and FDIC, which regulate the banking industry along with the Office of Comptroller of the Currency, could face renewed criticism over their handling of First Republic. Both acknowledged Friday in separate reports that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-fed-supervision-review-30f56061bf5d103cef7e9445d50fd759">lax supervision had contributed</a>&nbsp;to the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.

For Dimon and JPMorgan, there may be a sense of déjà vu: Back in 2008, Dimon was the go-to banker for Washington to find private solutions for that banking crisis and JPMorgan acquired both Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual.

In a statement, JPMorgan portrayed the First Republic deal as beneficial both to the financial system and the company. As part of the agreement, the FDIC will share losses with JPMorgan on First Republic’s loans. JPMorgan expects the addition of First Republic to add $500 million to its net income per year, although it expects to incur $2 billion in costs integrating First Republic into its operations over the next 18 months. .

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682936523768.png" alt="photo courtesy First Republic Bank" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy First Republic Bank</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Regulators seized troubled First Republic Bank early Monday, making it the second-largest bank failure in U.S. history, and promptly sold all of its deposits and most of its assets to JPMorgan Chase in a bid to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-fed-supervision-review-30f56061bf5d103cef7e9445d50fd759">end the turmoil</a>&nbsp;that has raised questions about the health of the U.S. banking system.It's the third midsize bank to fail in less than two months. The only larger bank failure in U.S. history was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-failure-fdic-tech-vc-f343cdc6a8adee4a3635b756cec1f787">Washington Mutual</a>, which collapsed at the height of the 2008 financial crisis and was also taken over by JPMorgan in a similar government-orchestrated deal.“Our government invited us and others to step up, and we did,” said Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase.First Republic's 84 branches opened on Monday as branches of JPMorgan Chase, which acquired the bank's $92 billion in deposits and $203 billion in loans and other securities. The bank's shareholders are likely to be wiped out as part of the deal.Dimon said in a conference call with both reporters and investors that he believed “this part of this (banking) crisis is over.” Other midsize banks reported their results last week and the vast majority of them showed deposits had stabilized and profits remained relatively healthy. The outlier was First Republic.Once the envy of the banking industry, First Republic has struggled since the March&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf">collapses of Silicon Valley Bank</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/signature-fdic-failure-new-york-community-bank-3c820646cc6574439fa158095594505e">Signature Bank</a>. The bank catered to wealthy clients and had taken on a large amount of uninsured deposits — that is, deposits above the $250,000 limit set by the FDIC.As was the case with Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, those clients with large accounts at First Republic were quick to pull their money at the first sign of trouble.“Too many (First Republic) customers showed their true loyalties were to their own fears,” wrote Timothy Coffey, an analyst with Janney Montgomery Scott, in a note to investors.A coalition of a dozen banks pulled together&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/first-republic-bank-deposits-rescue-9daaea0e7133007d5e7f8257030d1b1c">a $30 billion funding package</a>&nbsp;for First Republic last month that, for awhile, seemed to stanch the bleeding of deposits. But it became increasingly clear that First Republic was on borrowed time: it needed to find a buyer, or find new forms of funding to replace the deposits that had left the bank.First Republic planned to sell off unprofitable assets, including low interest mortgages that it provided to wealthy clients. It also announced plans to lay off up to a quarter of its workforce, which totaled about 7,200 employees in late 2022. But it was seen as too little, too late, by analysts.The $30 billion package “bought time when time was needed” for First Republic, said Jeremy Barnum, JPMorgan’s chief financial officer, in a call with reporters.Last Monday, First Republic reported its first-quarter results and stunned analysts and investors when it revealed that $100 billion in deposits had flowed out of the bank, most in mid-March immediately after the failure of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. Its executives took no questions from analysts on an earning conference call. First Republic's stock plunged more than 50% the day after the report.By mid last week, it became clear government intervention in First Republic was necessary. Treasury officials asked banks to submit bids for First Republic, and bankers and regulators worked through the weekend to find a way forward.Once again JPMorgan Chase, the nation’s biggest bank with a reputation as a dealmaker during times of crisis, became the government's go-to bank. Treasury officials had enlisted JPMorgan last month to lead the $30 billion rescue package. Back in 2008, Dimon was the go-to banker for Washington to find private solutions for that banking crisis and JPMorgan acquired both Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual.The Federal Reserve and FDIC, which regulate the banking industry along with the Office of Comptroller of the Currency, could face renewed criticism over their handling of First Republic. Both acknowledged Friday in separate reports that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-fed-supervision-review-30f56061bf5d103cef7e9445d50fd759">lax supervision had contributed</a>&nbsp;to the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.As First Republic grew its deposits, it used them to fund more and more low interest rate loans to customers. When the Fed rapidly increased interest rates last year, the value of those loans decreased.“These banks were allowed to get too big too quickly when interest rates were low,” Coffey said in an interview.There could also now be questions about the size of JPMorgan Chase, which has more than $3 trillion in assets and is by far the biggest of the “too big to fail” institutions around the world.Regulators "permitted the country’s biggest bank to get even bigger. We expect this will be a Democratic focus for months,” said Jaret Seiberg, banking analyst at TD Cowen.JPMorgan is so big that by law it would not be allowed to buy First Republic because no one bank can have more than a 10% market share of deposits in the U.S. It is only because First Republic failed that JPMorgan was able to step in.In a statement, JPMorgan portrayed the First Republic deal as beneficial both to the financial system and the company. As part of the agreement, the FDIC will share losses with JPMorgan on First Republic’s loans.JPMorgan expects the addition of First Republic to add $500 million to its net income per year, although it expects to incur $2 billion in costs integrating First Republic into its operations over the next 18 months.---------------NEW YORK (AP) — Regulators seized troubled First Republic Bank early Monday and sold all of its deposits and most of its assets to JPMorgan Chase Bank in a bid to head off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-fed-supervision-review-30f56061bf5d103cef7e9445d50fd759">further banking turmoil</a>&nbsp;in the U.S.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/first-republic-bank-silicon-valley-fdic-7a3aba1a94652d2d21f5a10d73894d4d">San Francisco-based First Republic</a>&nbsp;is the third midsize bank to fail in two months. It is the second-biggest bank failure in U.S. history, behind only&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-failure-fdic-tech-vc-f343cdc6a8adee4a3635b756cec1f787">Washington Mutual</a>, which collapsed at the height of the 2008 financial crisis and was also taken over by JPMorgan.First Republic has struggled since the March&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf">collapses of Silicon Valley Bank</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/signature-fdic-failure-new-york-community-bank-3c820646cc6574439fa158095594505e">Signature Bank</a>&nbsp;and investors and depositors had grown increasingly worried it might not survive because of its high amount of uninsured deposits and exposure to low interest rate loans.The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation said early Monday that First Republic Bank’s 84 branches in eight states will reopen as branches of JPMorgan Chase Bank and depositors will have full access to all of their deposits.Regulators worked through the weekend to find a way forward before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-banks-rates-first-republic-b77be6738745b1dc394a6dbcf374b9a2">U.S. stock markets</a>&nbsp;opened. Markets in many parts of the world were closed for May 1 holidays Monday. The two markets in Asia that were open, in Tokyo and Sydney, rose.“Our government invited us and others to step up, and we did,” said Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase.As of April 13, First Republic had approximately $229 billion in total assets and $104 billion in total deposits, the FDIC said.At the end of last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/lbr/current/">the Federal Reserve ranked it 14th in size</a>&nbsp;among U.S. commercial banks. The FDIC estimated its deposit insurance fund would take a $13 billion hit from taking First Republic into receivership. Its rescue of Silicon Valley Bank cost the fund a record $20 billion.Before Silicon Valley Bank failed, First Republic had a banking franchise that was the envy of most of the industry. Its clients — mostly the rich and powerful — rarely defaulted on their loans. The bank has made much of its money making low-cost loans to the wealthy, which reportedly included Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg.Flush with deposits from the well-heeled, First Republic saw total assets more than double from $102 billion at the end of 2019’s first quarter, when its full-time workforce was 4,600.But the vast majority of its deposits, like those in Silicon Valley and Signature Bank, were uninsured — that is, above the $250,000 limit set by the FDIC. And that worried analysts and investors. If First Republic were to fail, its depositors might not get all their money back.Those fears were crystalized in the bank’s recent quarterly results. First Republic experienced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-bank-run-twitter-fdic-fdbfc08ed00fcbdb9d83897b1b9f42ae">modern day bank run</a>&nbsp;as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/first-republic-bank-silicon-valley-federal-reserve-fdic-dimon-a6a5de4b82708573a846f24006b9f4c1">customers rushed to pull out more than $100 billion in deposits</a>&nbsp;following the failure of Silicon Valley and Signature Bank. Unlike bank runs throughout history, First Republic's demise was fueled by the speed of social media and digital withdrawals that can be made in seconds from a cell phone.San Francisco-based First Republic said that it was only able to stanch the bleeding after a group of large banks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/first-republic-bank-deposits-rescue-9daaea0e7133007d5e7f8257030d1b1c">stepped in to save it with $30 billion</a>&nbsp;in uninsured deposits.First Republic had been looking for a way to quickly turn itself around. The bank planned to sell off unprofitable assets, including the low interest mortgages that it provided to wealthy clients. It also announced plans to lay off up to a quarter of its workforce, which totaled about 7,200 employees in late 2022.Investors were skeptical, and the devastating quarterly report sent them running for the exits. First Republic shares fell 75% last week and closed Friday at $3.51. Any remaining shareholders are likely to get wiped out. The shares traded at $115 on March 8, right before Silicon Valley Bank failed.The Fed and FDIC, which regulate the banking industry along with the Office of Comptroller of the Currency, could face renewed criticism over their handling of First Republic. Both acknowledged Friday in separate reports that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-fed-supervision-review-30f56061bf5d103cef7e9445d50fd759">lax supervision had contributed</a>&nbsp;to the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.For Dimon and JPMorgan, there may be a sense of déjà vu: Back in 2008, Dimon was the go-to banker for Washington to find private solutions for that banking crisis and JPMorgan acquired both Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual.In a statement, JPMorgan portrayed the First Republic deal as beneficial both to the financial system and the company. As part of the agreement, the FDIC will share losses with JPMorgan on First Republic’s loans. JPMorgan expects the addition of First Republic to add $500 million to its net income per year, although it expects to incur $2 billion in costs integrating First Republic into its operations over the next 18 months. .

First Republic Bank: Second-largest bank failure in U.S. history

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (AP) — A backcountry skier was buried and killed by an avalanche near Colorado's Breckenridge ski resort, authorities said Sunday.

The spring avalanche was on Bald Mountain, a popular destination for ski touring, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center said. It happened at about 13,000 feet elevation, according to the center, which said the slide was “small but long running.”

The center said the avalanche is believed to have happened on Saturday, but it had no further information.

The death marks the 11th avalanche fatality this year in Colorado and the 24th nationwide.

The winter of 2021-2022 had the most avalanche deaths on record, with 37 across the U.S.

By Associated PressBRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (AP) — A backcountry skier was buried and killed by an avalanche near Colorado's Breckenridge ski resort, authorities said Sunday.The spring avalanche was on Bald Mountain, a popular destination for ski touring, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center said. It happened at about 13,000 feet elevation, according to the center, which said the slide was “small but long running.”The center said the avalanche is believed to have happened on Saturday, but it had no further information.The death marks the 11th avalanche fatality this year in Colorado and the 24th nationwide.The winter of 2021-2022 had the most avalanche deaths on record, with 37 across the U.S.

Backcountry skier killed in Colorado avalanche

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hundreds of Americans fleeing two weeks of deadly fighting in Sudan reached the east African nation’s port Saturday in the first U.S.-run evacuation, completing a dangerous land journey under escort of armed drones.

American unmanned aircraft, which have been keeping an eye on overland evacuation routes for days, provided armed overwatch for a bus convoy carrying 200 to 300 Americans over 500 miles, or 800 kilometers, to Port Sudan, a place of relative safety, U.S. officials said.

The U.S., which had none of its officials on the ground for the evacuation, has been criticized by families of trapped Americans in Sudan for initially ruling out any U.S.-run evacuation for Americans who wanted out, calling it too dangerous.

U.S. special operations troops briefly flew to the capital, Khartoum, on April 22 to airlift out American staffers at the embassy and other American government personnel. Several thousand U.S. citizens were left behind, many of them dual-nationals.

More than a dozen other nations had already been carrying out evacuations for their citizens, using a mix of military planes, navy vessels and on the ground personnel.

A wide-ranging group of international mediators — including African and Arab nations, the United Nations and the United States — has only managed to achieve a series of fragile temporary cease-fires that failed to stop clashes but created enough of a lull for tens of thousands of Sudanese to flee to safer areas and for foreign nations to evacuate thousands of their citizens by land, air and sea.

Since the conflict between two rival generals broke out April 15, the U.S. has warned its citizens that they needed to find their own way out of the country, though U.S. officials have tried to link up Americans with other nations’ evacuation efforts. But that changed as U.S. officials exploited a relative lull in the fighting and, from afar, organized their own convoy for Americans, officials said.

Without the evacuation flights near the capital that other countries have been offering their citizens, many U.S. citizens have been left to make the dangerous overland journey from Khartoum to the country’s main Red Sea port, Port Sudan. One Sudanese-American family that made the trip earlier described passing through numerous checkpoints manned by armed men and passing bodies lying in the street and vehicles of other fleeing families who had been killed along the way.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the convoy carried U.S. citizens, local people employed by the U.S. and citizens of allied countries. “We reiterate our warning to Americans not to travel to Sudan,” he said.

From Port Sudan, away from the fighting, the Americans in the convoy can seek spots on vessels crossing the Red Sea to the Saudi port city of Jeddah. U.S. officials also are working with Saudi Arabia to see if one of the kingdom’s naval vessels can carry a larger number of Americans to Jeddah.

U.S. consular officials will be waiting for the Americans once they reach the dock in Jeddah, but there are no U.S. personnel in Port Sudan, officials said.

Two Americans are confirmed killed in the fighting that erupted April 15. One was a U.S. civilian whom officials said was caught in crossfire. The other was an Iowa City, Iowa, doctor, who was stabbed to death in front of his house and family in Khartoum, in the lawless violence that has accompanied the fighting.

In all, the fighting in the east African country has killed more than 500 people.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hundreds of Americans fleeing two weeks of deadly fighting in Sudan reached the east African nation’s port Saturday in the first U.S.-run evacuation, completing a dangerous land journey under escort of armed drones.American unmanned aircraft, which have been keeping an eye on overland evacuation routes for days, provided armed overwatch for a bus convoy carrying 200 to 300 Americans over 500 miles, or 800 kilometers, to Port Sudan, a place of relative safety, U.S. officials said.The U.S., which had none of its officials on the ground for the evacuation, has been criticized by families of trapped Americans in Sudan for initially ruling out any U.S.-run evacuation for Americans who wanted out, calling it too dangerous.U.S. special operations troops briefly flew to the capital, Khartoum, on April 22 to airlift out American staffers at the embassy and other American government personnel. Several thousand U.S. citizens were left behind, many of them dual-nationals.More than a dozen other nations had already been carrying out evacuations for their citizens, using a mix of military planes, navy vessels and on the ground personnel.A wide-ranging group of international mediators — including African and Arab nations, the United Nations and the United States — has only managed to achieve a series of fragile temporary cease-fires that failed to stop clashes but created enough of a lull for tens of thousands of Sudanese to flee to safer areas and for foreign nations to evacuate thousands of their citizens by land, air and sea.Since the conflict between two rival generals broke out April 15, the U.S. has warned its citizens that they needed to find their own way out of the country, though U.S. officials have tried to link up Americans with other nations’ evacuation efforts. But that changed as U.S. officials exploited a relative lull in the fighting and, from afar, organized their own convoy for Americans, officials said.Without the evacuation flights near the capital that other countries have been offering their citizens, many U.S. citizens have been left to make the dangerous overland journey from Khartoum to the country’s main Red Sea port, Port Sudan. One Sudanese-American family that made the trip earlier described passing through numerous checkpoints manned by armed men and passing bodies lying in the street and vehicles of other fleeing families who had been killed along the way.State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the convoy carried U.S. citizens, local people employed by the U.S. and citizens of allied countries. “We reiterate our warning to Americans not to travel to Sudan,” he said.From Port Sudan, away from the fighting, the Americans in the convoy can seek spots on vessels crossing the Red Sea to the Saudi port city of Jeddah. U.S. officials also are working with Saudi Arabia to see if one of the kingdom’s naval vessels can carry a larger number of Americans to Jeddah.U.S. consular officials will be waiting for the Americans once they reach the dock in Jeddah, but there are no U.S. personnel in Port Sudan, officials said.Two Americans are confirmed killed in the fighting that erupted April 15. One was a U.S. civilian whom officials said was caught in crossfire. The other was an Iowa City, Iowa, doctor, who was stabbed to death in front of his house and family in Khartoum, in the lawless violence that has accompanied the fighting.In all, the fighting in the east African country has killed more than 500 people.

US conducts 1st evacuation of Americans from Sudan war

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) — General Mills has issued a nationwide recall of its bleached and unbleached flour after discovering salmonella during a sampling of a 5-pound (2.3-kilogram) bag.

The company is recalling 2-, 5- and 10-pound (0.9-, 2.3- and 4.5-kilogram) bags of its Gold Medal Unbleached and Bleached All Purpose Flour with a “better if used by” date of March 27, 2024, and March 28, 2024, according to a notice <a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/general-mills-recalls-four-gold-medal-unbleached-and-bleached-all-purpose-flour-varieties-dated">posted on its website.</a>

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say people should not consume raw products made with flour. Salmonella is killed by heat through baking, frying or boiling products made with flour.

General Mills is encouraging customers to check their pantries and dispose of any product affected by the recall. Customers who had to throw out products may contact General Mills Consumer Relations at 1-800-230-8103.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682945009373.png" alt="Image FDA" />
 <figcaption>Image FDA</figcaption>
 </figure>MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) — General Mills has issued a nationwide recall of its bleached and unbleached flour after discovering salmonella during a sampling of a 5-pound (2.3-kilogram) bag.The company is recalling 2-, 5- and 10-pound (0.9-, 2.3- and 4.5-kilogram) bags of its Gold Medal Unbleached and Bleached All Purpose Flour with a “better if used by” date of March 27, 2024, and March 28, 2024, according to a notice <a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/general-mills-recalls-four-gold-medal-unbleached-and-bleached-all-purpose-flour-varieties-dated">posted on its website.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682944992154.png" alt="Image FDA" />
 <figcaption>Image FDA</figcaption>
 </figure>The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say people should not consume raw products made with flour. Salmonella is killed by heat through baking, frying or boiling products made with flour.General Mills is encouraging customers to check their pantries and dispose of any product affected by the recall. Customers who had to throw out products may contact General Mills Consumer Relations at 1-800-230-8103.

General Mills issues flour recall after salmonella discovery

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis on Sunday revealed that a secret peace “mission” in Russia's war in Ukraine was under way, though he gave no details, and said the Vatican is willing to help facilitate the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia during the war.

“I’m available to do anything,” Francis said during an airborne press conference en route home from Hungary. “There’s a mission that’s not public that’s underway; when it’s public I’ll talk about it.”

Francis gave no details when asked whether he spoke about peace initiatives during his talks in Budapest this weekend with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban or the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Hungary.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukrainian-children-russia-7493cb22c9086c6293c1ac7986d85ef6">Deportations of Ukrainian children</a>&nbsp;have been a concern since Russia invaded Ukraine last year. Francis said the Holy See had already helped mediate some prisoner exchanges and would do “all that is humanly possible” to reunite families.

“All human gestures help. Gestures of cruelty don’t help,” Francis said.

The International Criminal Court in March&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/icc-putin-war-crimes-ukraine-9857eb68d827340394960eccf0589253">issued an arrest warrant</a>&nbsp;for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s children’s commissioner, accusing them of war crimes for abducting children from Ukraine. Russia has denied any wrongdoing, contending the children were moved for their safety.

Last week Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met with Francis at the Vatican and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-pope-francis-russia-abducted-children-c2dedb2e8440aa458bfe3532d42a73b4">asked him to help return Ukrainian children</a>&nbsp;taken following the Russian invasion.

“I asked His Holiness to help us return home Ukrainians, Ukrainian children who are detained, arrested, and criminally deported to Russia,″ Shmyhal told the Foreign Press Association after the audience.

Francis recalled that the Holy See had facilitated some prisoner exchanges, working through embassies, and was open to Ukraine’s request to reunite Ukrainian children with their families.

The prisoner exchanges “went well. I think it could go well also for this. It’s important,” he said of the family reunifications. “The Holy See is available to do it because it’s the right thing,” he added. “We have to do all that is humanly possible.” ___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615845367722.png" alt="Pope Francis gave no details when asked whether he spoke about peace initiatives during his talks in Budapest this weekend with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban or the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Hungary-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Pope Francis gave no details when asked whether he spoke about peace initiatives during his talks in Budapest this weekend with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban or the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Hungary-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — Pope Francis on Sunday revealed that a secret peace “mission” in Russia's war in Ukraine was under way, though he gave no details, and said the Vatican is willing to help facilitate the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia during the war.“I’m available to do anything,” Francis said during an airborne press conference en route home from Hungary. “There’s a mission that’s not public that’s underway; when it’s public I’ll talk about it.”Francis gave no details when asked whether he spoke about peace initiatives during his talks in Budapest this weekend with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban or the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Hungary.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukrainian-children-russia-7493cb22c9086c6293c1ac7986d85ef6">Deportations of Ukrainian children</a>&nbsp;have been a concern since Russia invaded Ukraine last year. Francis said the Holy See had already helped mediate some prisoner exchanges and would do “all that is humanly possible” to reunite families.“All human gestures help. Gestures of cruelty don’t help,” Francis said.The International Criminal Court in March&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/icc-putin-war-crimes-ukraine-9857eb68d827340394960eccf0589253">issued an arrest warrant</a>&nbsp;for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s children’s commissioner, accusing them of war crimes for abducting children from Ukraine. Russia has denied any wrongdoing, contending the children were moved for their safety.Last week Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met with Francis at the Vatican and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-pope-francis-russia-abducted-children-c2dedb2e8440aa458bfe3532d42a73b4">asked him to help return Ukrainian children</a>&nbsp;taken following the Russian invasion.“I asked His Holiness to help us return home Ukrainians, Ukrainian children who are detained, arrested, and criminally deported to Russia,″ Shmyhal told the Foreign Press Association after the audience.Francis recalled that the Holy See had facilitated some prisoner exchanges, working through embassies, and was open to Ukraine’s request to reunite Ukrainian children with their families.The prisoner exchanges “went well. I think it could go well also for this. It’s important,” he said of the family reunifications. “The Holy See is available to do it because it’s the right thing,” he added. “We have to do all that is humanly possible.” ___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Pope speaks of secret peace 'mission' in Ukraine 

GRAND ISLAND&nbsp; — The Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Nebraska State Patrol are investigating a stabbing death that occurred in Harvard Saturday evening.

At approximately 8:00 p.m. Saturday, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a stabbing that had occurred at the residence of 503 4th&nbsp;Avenue in Harvard. The Sheriff’s Office responded and located one person with multiple stab wounds. The person, identified as Kristaff Gonzalez, 30, of Harvard, was transported to Mary Lanning Hospital in Hastings, but passed away on the way to the hospital.

Preliminary investigation shows that Gonzalez had been involved in a fight with another person when a third person intervened and stabbed Gonzalez. The third party, a 24-year-old male, remained on scene and was taken into custody by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office then requested assistance from the Nebraska State Patrol for the investigation.

No charges have been filed as the investigation remains ongoing. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigating agency.

By NSP&nbsp;GRAND ISLAND&nbsp; — The Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Nebraska State Patrol are investigating a stabbing death that occurred in Harvard Saturday evening.At approximately 8:00 p.m. Saturday, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a stabbing that had occurred at the residence of 503 4th&nbsp;Avenue in Harvard. The Sheriff’s Office responded and located one person with multiple stab wounds. The person, identified as Kristaff Gonzalez, 30, of Harvard, was transported to Mary Lanning Hospital in Hastings, but passed away on the way to the hospital.Preliminary investigation shows that Gonzalez had been involved in a fight with another person when a third person intervened and stabbed Gonzalez. The third party, a 24-year-old male, remained on scene and was taken into custody by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office then requested assistance from the Nebraska State Patrol for the investigation.No charges have been filed as the investigation remains ongoing. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigating agency.

Stabbing investigation in Clay County ongoing

Kansas among states proposing limits on long trains

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kansas among states proposing limits on long trains<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663119327130.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Federal regulators are warning railroads that the long trains they favor can cause all kinds of problems and contribute to derailments, so they want the railroads to ensure their training and operating procedures account for that.The Federal Railroad Administration stopped short of recommending in its latest safety advisory issued Thursday that railroads limit the size of their trains, which can routinely stretch more than 2 miles long. However, they did suggest a number of precautions including making sure engineers know how to handle them and that locomotives don't lose communication with devices at the end of trains that can help trigger the brakes in an emergency.Currently, there aren't any restrictions on train length but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derailment-ohio-safety-senate-legislation-brown-vance-82c55dc95aca9524d6ae8e6d01336dbe">members of Congress</a>&nbsp;and state lawmakers in at least six states have proposed establishing limits particularly in the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/hospitality-and-leisure-industry-children-parkinsons-disease-architecture-associated-press-a151cadb732e470091d9c186e189d3d4">fiery Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern derailment</a>&nbsp;in Ohio. The major freight railroads have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-congress-6288cdfb0b4381de4c9bfb05199b8ba6">pushed back</a>&nbsp;against that idea because they have increasingly come to rely on longer trains to help them move cargo with fewer crews and mechanics as they overhauled their operations over the past six years. Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/union-pacific-railroad-first-quarter-earnings-economy-bf63a5eeadb902e901b8aed4d8975ff9">said recently</a>&nbsp;that he doesn't think accident data shows that long trains are riskier.But the Federal Railroad Administration cited three derailments involving trains longer than 12,250 feet (3,734 meters) where train length was a factor in its advisory. That agency and the National Academies of Sciences are both in the middle of studying the impact of long trains, and they expect to issue reports next year on whether they are a problem."FRA believes these incidents demonstrate the need for railroads and railroad employees to be particularly mindful of the complexities of operating longer trains," the agency said.The derailments mentioned as examples of the problems that can accompany long trains were in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/norfolk-southern-springfield-train-derailment-1b08c84e0788082dd24a4f4ca447f459">Springfield, Ohio</a>, in March; in Ravenna, Ohio, last November; and in Rockwell, Iowa, in March 2022. In each of those cases, the way cars in different parts of the train pulled and pushed against each other contributed to the derailments.The fiery February derailment that prompted evacuations in East Palestine, Ohio, and sparked a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-safety-derailments-tank-car-ohio-minnesota-c60f33b64e9c7dc05768a78ae20f3ce5">nationwide focus</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinian-territories-ohio-canada-business-accidents-d57651e17b2f9e0163c50298106950a3">rail safety</a>&nbsp;wasn't mentioned as an example. The National Transportation Safety Board&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-pete-buttigieg-evacuations-ohio-explosions-64908a6416662b5866809387f210aee5">has said</a>&nbsp;that an overheated bearing that caused an axle to fail on one of the railcars likely caused that derailment.This latest advisory follows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-railroad-administration-freight-safety-derailments-53145452535c089190565ee43eceaafc">one earlier this month</a>&nbsp;that directed railroads to re-examine the way they assemble their trains to minimize those kind of forces that often come into play as a train goes over hills and around corners. Parts of a train can be pulling forward going up a hill while the middle or back of the train pushes against the rest of the cars while going down a hill.Those forces make it challenging for engineers to control a train, so regulators said railroads need to adjust their training to make sure their engineers are prepared to handle the monster trains they are operating. The common practice of putting locomotives in the middle of long trains as well as in the front can help manage a long train, but having to control those additional locomotives also complicates the engineer's job.“A locomotive engineer cannot be expected to safely operate in a more demanding service without proper additional training that covers the unique challenges and complexities those trains present,” regulators said in the advisory.A spokeswoman for the Association of American Railroads trade group said railroads are already working to manage the challenges associated with long trains and looking for ways to improve safety.“All stakeholders – the FRA, railroads, and elected officials – share the same goal of continuously enhancing rail safety, minimizing adverse impacts to surrounding communities and keeping the goods that power our economy flowing," AAR spokeswoman Jessica Kahanek said. "The recommendations within this advisory align closely with the prudent steps railroads already take to do just that.”The Federal Railroad Administration said that in addition to the concerns about derailments, long trains can block crossings for extended periods of time. When crossings are blocked, firefighters, police and ambulance drivers may be delayed in getting someone the help that they need, and pedestrians may risk their lives by crawling under or across stopped trains that could start moving without warning.The states proposing limits on train size this year include Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nevada and Washington.

Railroads warned about the problems long trains can cause

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 31 people convicted of nonviolent drug crimes who were serving time in home confinement, the White House announced Friday.

Many would have gotten a lower sentence if they were charged today with the same offense&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-prisons-donald-trump-police-reform-069bac28c0c05869faf15e2e879e2732">because of changes in the laws</a>. A commuted sentence means they’ll spend less time in home confinement.

The commutations came as the White House announced a set of policy actions across 20 different agencies meant to improve the criminal justice system,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-crime-massachusetts-courts-gun-politics-6349ecf90445bca896b33ae77f841538">which disproportionately affects</a>&nbsp;Black and other non-white communities. The president announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20President%20Joe,president%20for%20another%20four%20years.">his reelection campaign this week</a>, and must keep Black voters in his coalition if he wants to win in 2024.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/04/28/clemency-recipient-list-3/" target="_blank">Those whose sentences were commuted included</a>&nbsp;men and women convicted of drug possession in Iowa, Indiana, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Hawaii and Texas, and they will all finish serving time June 30. If any are in prison, they will finish out their terms in home confinement, and won’t have to pay the rest of their fines which range from $5,000 to $20,000.

Kathy Alexander&nbsp;– Kennett, Missouri Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Western District of Missouri). Sentence: 84 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (March 13, 2019). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Chiquita Acker&nbsp;– Pearlington, Mississippi Offense:&nbsp;Possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Southern District of Mississippi).&nbsp; Sentence:&nbsp;120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release, $5,000 fine (March 16, 2017). Commutation Grant:&nbsp;Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release and the unpaid remainder, if any, of the $5,000 fine.

Camille Diane Armstrong&nbsp;– Corpus Christi, Texas Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 84 grams of actual methamphetamine (Southern District of Texas). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (January 5, 2017). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Connie Avalos&nbsp;– Menifee, California Offense: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine (Eastern District of Kentucky). Sentence: Life imprisonment (November 30, 2009); commuted to 235 months of imprisonment (January 19, 2017). Commutation Grant:&nbsp;Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement.

Lori Broadway&nbsp;– Winnfield, Louisiana Offense: Possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin (Eastern District of Louisiana). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (September 8, 2016). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Kevin Lee Burdock&nbsp;– Keswick, Iowa Offense: Conspiracy to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute marijuana (Southern District of Iowa). Sentence: Life imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (February 2, 2009); amended to 240 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (June 24, 2010). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.

Bongani Charles Calhoun&nbsp;– Houston, Texas Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; attempt to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime (Western District of Texas) Sentence: 180 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (June 21, 2011). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Jennifer Marie Chastain&nbsp;– Delhi, Iowa Offense: Conspiracy to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine (Northern District of Iowa). Sentence: 121 months of imprisonment, three-year term of supervised release (June 13, 2017). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the three-year term of supervised release.

Aaron Courter&nbsp;– Evansville, Indiana Offense: Conspiracy with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Southern District of Indiana). Sentence: 87 months of imprisonment, three-year term of supervised release (October 20, 2017). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the three-year term of supervised release.

Catherine Crotts&nbsp;– Mulberry, Florida Offense: Distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine (Middle District of Florida). Sentence:&nbsp;120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (September 20, 2016). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Scottie Ladon Dixon&nbsp;– Atmore, Alabama Offense:

Commutation Grant: Total sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.

Samuel Gemple&nbsp;– Fort Wayne, Indiana Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana (Northern District of Indiana). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, eight-year term of supervised release (February 2, 2018). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the eight-year term of supervised release.

Mario Francisco Gomez, Jr.&nbsp;– Laredo, Texas Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, aiding and abetting (Eastern District of Michigan). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (January 30, 2017). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Daniel Graap&nbsp;– Wausau, Wisconsin Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Western District of Wisconsin). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (June 30, 2017). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Lisa Gribble&nbsp;– La Fayette, Georgia Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Eastern District of Tennessee). Sentence: 150 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (March 19, 2015). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Andre Richard Harris&nbsp;– Detroit, Michigan Offense: Possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine (Northern District of Alabama). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (October 10, 2017). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Bart Hyde&nbsp;– Clinton, Iowa Offense: Conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine (Southern District of Iowa). Sentence: 235 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (November 4, 2011); amended to 188 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (September 18, 2015). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Rebecca Lawrence&nbsp;– Omega, Georgia Offense:&nbsp;Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine (Middle District of Georgia). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (October 26, 2018). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Rogelio Murillo&nbsp;– Riverview, Florida

Offense: Possession with intent to distribute a quantity exceeding 100 kilograms, that is, approximately 194 kilograms of marijuana (Southern District of Texas). Sentence: 108 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release, $5,000 fine (June 20, 2016). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release and the unpaid remainder, if any, of the $5,000 fine.

Ricky Lee Newton&nbsp;– Otisville, Michigan Offense: Conspiracy to possess more than 100 kilograms but less than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana (with intent to distribute) (Eastern District of Michigan) Sentence: 360 months of imprisonment, eight-year term of supervised release, $20,000 fine (December 19, 2002). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release and the unpaid remainder, if any, of the $20,000 fine.

Shawn Paaaina&nbsp;– Ewa Beach, Hawaii Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and to possess 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine with intent to distribute (District of Hawaii). Sentence: 78 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (September 24, 2019). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Robert Raymond Palmer&nbsp;– Waynesboro, Mississippi Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine (Southern District of Alabama). Sentence: 89 months and 23 days of imprisonment, four-year term of supervised release (July 28, 2017). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the four-year term of supervised release.

Gregory Todd Peasley&nbsp;– Onawa, Iowa Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine (Northern District of Iowa). Sentence: 150 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (May 11, 2015). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Maria Peterson&nbsp;– New York, New York Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin; distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin (District of New Jersey). Sentence: 60 months of imprisonment, three-year term of supervised release (March 20, 2019). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the three-year term of supervised release.

Samuel Rivera&nbsp;– Utica, New York Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine (Northern District of New York). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (April 5, 2018). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

German Roman-Oliver&nbsp;– Grove City, Ohio Offense: Conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine (Southern District of Ohio). Sentence: 192 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (March 8, 2012). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Vickie Sanders&nbsp;– Olney, Illinois Offense: Conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine; attempt to manufacture methamphetamine; possession of pseudoephedrine knowing it would be used to manufacture a controlled substance – methamphetamine (four counts) (Southern District of Illinois). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, eight-year term of supervised release, $300 fine (May 9, 2018). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the eight-year term of supervised release and the unpaid remainder, if any, of the $300 fine.

Phillip Steely&nbsp;– Morris Chapel, Tennessee Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine (Western District of Tennessee). Sentence: 121 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (June 18, 2018). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Ryan Vick&nbsp;– Cedar Rapids, Iowa Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine or 500 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine after having been previously convicted of a felony drug offense (Northern District of Iowa). Sentence: 235 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (March 1, 2012); amended to 211 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (September 20, 2012). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.

Gregory Warrick&nbsp;– Capital Heights, Maryland

Commutation Grant: Total sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.

Raymond Washington&nbsp;– Corinth, Texas Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine (Eastern District of Texas). Sentence: 276 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (October 19, 2011); amended to 240 months, 10-year term of supervised release (May 25, 2016). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 31 people convicted of nonviolent drug crimes who were serving time in home confinement, the White House announced Friday.Many would have gotten a lower sentence if they were charged today with the same offense&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-prisons-donald-trump-police-reform-069bac28c0c05869faf15e2e879e2732">because of changes in the laws</a>. A commuted sentence means they’ll spend less time in home confinement.The commutations came as the White House announced a set of policy actions across 20 different agencies meant to improve the criminal justice system,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-crime-massachusetts-courts-gun-politics-6349ecf90445bca896b33ae77f841538">which disproportionately affects</a>&nbsp;Black and other non-white communities. The president announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20President%20Joe,president%20for%20another%20four%20years.">his reelection campaign this week</a>, and must keep Black voters in his coalition if he wants to win in 2024.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/04/28/clemency-recipient-list-3/" target="_blank">Those whose sentences were commuted included</a>&nbsp;men and women convicted of drug possession in Iowa, Indiana, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Hawaii and Texas, and they will all finish serving time June 30. If any are in prison, they will finish out their terms in home confinement, and won’t have to pay the rest of their fines which range from $5,000 to $20,000.The complete list is belowKathy Alexander&nbsp;– Kennett, Missouri Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Western District of Missouri). Sentence: 84 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (March 13, 2019). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Chiquita Acker&nbsp;– Pearlington, Mississippi Offense:&nbsp;Possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Southern District of Mississippi).&nbsp; Sentence:&nbsp;120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release, $5,000 fine (March 16, 2017). Commutation Grant:&nbsp;Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release and the unpaid remainder, if any, of the $5,000 fine.Camille Diane Armstrong&nbsp;– Corpus Christi, Texas Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 84 grams of actual methamphetamine (Southern District of Texas). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (January 5, 2017). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Connie Avalos&nbsp;– Menifee, California Offense: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine (Eastern District of Kentucky). Sentence: Life imprisonment (November 30, 2009); commuted to 235 months of imprisonment (January 19, 2017). Commutation Grant:&nbsp;Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement.Lori Broadway&nbsp;– Winnfield, Louisiana Offense: Possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin (Eastern District of Louisiana). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (September 8, 2016). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Kevin Lee Burdock&nbsp;– Keswick, Iowa Offense: Conspiracy to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute marijuana (Southern District of Iowa). Sentence: Life imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (February 2, 2009); amended to 240 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (June 24, 2010). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.Bongani Charles Calhoun&nbsp;– Houston, Texas Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; attempt to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime (Western District of Texas) Sentence: 180 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (June 21, 2011). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Jennifer Marie Chastain&nbsp;– Delhi, Iowa Offense: Conspiracy to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine (Northern District of Iowa). Sentence: 121 months of imprisonment, three-year term of supervised release (June 13, 2017). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the three-year term of supervised release.Aaron Courter&nbsp;– Evansville, Indiana Offense: Conspiracy with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Southern District of Indiana). Sentence: 87 months of imprisonment, three-year term of supervised release (October 20, 2017). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the three-year term of supervised release.Catherine Crotts&nbsp;– Mulberry, Florida Offense: Distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine (Middle District of Florida). Sentence:&nbsp;120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (September 20, 2016). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Scottie Ladon Dixon&nbsp;– Atmore, Alabama Offense:<ol>
 <li>Supervised release violation (conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine);</li><li>Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine (Southern District of Alabama).</li>
 </ol>Sentence:<ol>
 <li>33 months of imprisonment (concurrent) (May 18, 2010);</li><li>Life imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (May 18, 2010); commuted to 221 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (August 3, 2016).</li>
 </ol>Commutation Grant: Total sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.Samuel Gemple&nbsp;– Fort Wayne, Indiana Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana (Northern District of Indiana). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, eight-year term of supervised release (February 2, 2018). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the eight-year term of supervised release.Mario Francisco Gomez, Jr.&nbsp;– Laredo, Texas Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, aiding and abetting (Eastern District of Michigan). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (January 30, 2017). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Daniel Graap&nbsp;– Wausau, Wisconsin Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Western District of Wisconsin). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (June 30, 2017). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Lisa Gribble&nbsp;– La Fayette, Georgia Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Eastern District of Tennessee). Sentence: 150 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (March 19, 2015). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Andre Richard Harris&nbsp;– Detroit, Michigan Offense: Possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine (Northern District of Alabama). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (October 10, 2017). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Bart Hyde&nbsp;– Clinton, Iowa Offense: Conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine (Southern District of Iowa). Sentence: 235 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (November 4, 2011); amended to 188 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (September 18, 2015). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Rebecca Lawrence&nbsp;– Omega, Georgia Offense:&nbsp;Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine (Middle District of Georgia). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (October 26, 2018). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Rogelio Murillo&nbsp;– Riverview, FloridaOffense: Possession with intent to distribute a quantity exceeding 100 kilograms, that is, approximately 194 kilograms of marijuana (Southern District of Texas). Sentence: 108 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release, $5,000 fine (June 20, 2016). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release and the unpaid remainder, if any, of the $5,000 fine.Ricky Lee Newton&nbsp;– Otisville, Michigan Offense: Conspiracy to possess more than 100 kilograms but less than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana (with intent to distribute) (Eastern District of Michigan) Sentence: 360 months of imprisonment, eight-year term of supervised release, $20,000 fine (December 19, 2002). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release and the unpaid remainder, if any, of the $20,000 fine.Shawn Paaaina&nbsp;– Ewa Beach, Hawaii Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and to possess 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine with intent to distribute (District of Hawaii). Sentence: 78 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (September 24, 2019). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Robert Raymond Palmer&nbsp;– Waynesboro, Mississippi Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine (Southern District of Alabama). Sentence: 89 months and 23 days of imprisonment, four-year term of supervised release (July 28, 2017). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the four-year term of supervised release.Gregory Todd Peasley&nbsp;– Onawa, Iowa Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine (Northern District of Iowa). Sentence: 150 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (May 11, 2015). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Maria Peterson&nbsp;– New York, New York Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin; distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin (District of New Jersey). Sentence: 60 months of imprisonment, three-year term of supervised release (March 20, 2019). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the three-year term of supervised release.Samuel Rivera&nbsp;– Utica, New York Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine (Northern District of New York). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (April 5, 2018). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.German Roman-Oliver&nbsp;– Grove City, Ohio Offense: Conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine (Southern District of Ohio). Sentence: 192 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (March 8, 2012). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Vickie Sanders&nbsp;– Olney, Illinois Offense: Conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine; attempt to manufacture methamphetamine; possession of pseudoephedrine knowing it would be used to manufacture a controlled substance – methamphetamine (four counts) (Southern District of Illinois). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, eight-year term of supervised release, $300 fine (May 9, 2018). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the eight-year term of supervised release and the unpaid remainder, if any, of the $300 fine.Phillip Steely&nbsp;– Morris Chapel, Tennessee Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine (Western District of Tennessee). Sentence: 121 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (June 18, 2018). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Ryan Vick&nbsp;– Cedar Rapids, Iowa Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine or 500 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine after having been previously convicted of a felony drug offense (Northern District of Iowa). Sentence: 235 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (March 1, 2012); amended to 211 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (September 20, 2012). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.Gregory Warrick&nbsp;– Capital Heights, MarylandOffense:<ol>
 <li>Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine (District of Maryland);</li><li>Attempted possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (cocaine) (District of Columbia Superior Court).</li>
 </ol>Sentence:<ol>
 <li>168 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (April 28, 2014);</li><li>18 months of imprisonment (concurrent), five-year term of supervised release (June 13, 2014).</li>
 </ol>Commutation Grant: Total sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Raymond Washington&nbsp;– Corinth, Texas Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine (Eastern District of Texas). Sentence: 276 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (October 19, 2011); amended to 240 months, 10-year term of supervised release (May 25, 2016). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.

Biden commutes sentences of 31 convicted of drug crimes

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)

SEATTLE (AP) — The U.S. Army identified on Saturday the three soldiers who were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-helicopters-crashes-ca1fd876ca7908a35aef224b8cae4f1a">killed when two helicopters collided</a>&nbsp;in Alaska while returning from a training mission.

The helicopters were headed to Fort Wainwright from a mission in the Donnelly Training Area when they crashed at 1:39 p.m. Thursday, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Healy.

The U.S. Army announced Friday that it has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-army-helicopter-crash-alaska-fb1bac08c2392f6ada33a0e4c1958f1b">grounded aviation units for training</a>&nbsp;after 12 soldiers died within the last month in helicopter crashes in Alaska and Kentucky.

“The move grounds all Army aviators, except those participating in critical missions, until they complete the required training,” the Army said in a statement.

Killed in Thursday's crash were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Christopher Robert Eramo, 39, of Oneonta, New York; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kyle D. McKenna, 28, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Warrant Officer 1 Stewart Duane Wayment, 32, of North Logan, Utah.

A fourth soldier was injured and was taken to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital and was listed in stable condition. He was not identified Saturday.

“The battalion is devastated and mourning the loss of three of our best,” said Lt. Col. Matthew C. Carlsen, the 1-25th AB commander. Their loss can't be compared to the suffering felt by the soldiers' families, he said.

“The entire team has come together to focus our thoughts, prayers, and actions to provide and sustain them with whatever comfort and support they need at this time, and I promise that this will continue long into the future,” he said.

A Safety Investigation Team from the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center, based at Fort Novosel, Alabama, is leading the safety investigation, officials said in an email.

Department of Defense instructions and Army regulations prohibit the investigators from releasing any information to the public concerning the causes, analysis or internal recommendations, the statement said.

“The loss of these Soldiers is devastating and is being felt by family, friends and military communities across Alaska,” said Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler, commanding general of the 11th Airborne Division. “The families of Fort Wainwright and 1-25 are as strong a team as I’ve ever seen. Our hearts are heavy, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and loved ones of the fallen.”

SEATTLE (AP) — The U.S. Army identified on Saturday the three soldiers who were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-helicopters-crashes-ca1fd876ca7908a35aef224b8cae4f1a">killed when two helicopters collided</a>&nbsp;in Alaska while returning from a training mission.The helicopters were headed to Fort Wainwright from a mission in the Donnelly Training Area when they crashed at 1:39 p.m. Thursday, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Healy.The U.S. Army announced Friday that it has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-army-helicopter-crash-alaska-fb1bac08c2392f6ada33a0e4c1958f1b">grounded aviation units for training</a>&nbsp;after 12 soldiers died within the last month in helicopter crashes in Alaska and Kentucky.“The move grounds all Army aviators, except those participating in critical missions, until they complete the required training,” the Army said in a statement.Killed in Thursday's crash were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Christopher Robert Eramo, 39, of Oneonta, New York; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kyle D. McKenna, 28, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Warrant Officer 1 Stewart Duane Wayment, 32, of North Logan, Utah.A fourth soldier was injured and was taken to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital and was listed in stable condition. He was not identified Saturday.“The battalion is devastated and mourning the loss of three of our best,” said Lt. Col. Matthew C. Carlsen, the 1-25th AB commander. Their loss can't be compared to the suffering felt by the soldiers' families, he said.“The entire team has come together to focus our thoughts, prayers, and actions to provide and sustain them with whatever comfort and support they need at this time, and I promise that this will continue long into the future,” he said.A Safety Investigation Team from the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center, based at Fort Novosel, Alabama, is leading the safety investigation, officials said in an email.Department of Defense instructions and Army regulations prohibit the investigators from releasing any information to the public concerning the causes, analysis or internal recommendations, the statement said.“The loss of these Soldiers is devastating and is being felt by family, friends and military communities across Alaska,” said Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler, commanding general of the 11th Airborne Division. “The families of Fort Wainwright and 1-25 are as strong a team as I’ve ever seen. Our hearts are heavy, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and loved ones of the fallen.”

Army identifies 3 soldiers killed in helicopter crash

WASHINGTON (AP) —As a growing number of overweight Americans clamor for Ozempic and Wegovy — drugs touted by celebrities and on TikTok to pare pounds — an even more powerful obesity medicine is poised to upend treatment.

Tirzepatide, an Eli Lilly and Co. drug approved to treat type 2 diabetes under the brand name Mounjaro, helped people with the disease who were overweight or had obesity lose up to 16% of their body weight, or more than 34 pounds, over nearly 17 months, the company said on Thursday.

The late-stage study of the drug for weight loss adds to earlier evidence that similar participants without diabetes lost up to 22% of their body weight over that period with weekly injections of the drug. For a typical patient on the highest dose, that meant shedding more than 50 pounds.

Having diabetes makes it notoriously difficult to lose weight, said Dr. Nadia Ahmad, Lilly’s medical director of obesity clinical development, which means the recent results are especially significant. “We have not seen this degree of weight reduction,” she said.

Based on the new results, which have not yet been published in full, company officials said they will finalize an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for fast-track approval to sell tirzepatide for chronic weight management. A decision could come later this year. A company spokeswoman would not confirm whether the drug would be marketed for weight loss in the U.S. under a different brand name.

If approved for weight loss, tirzepatide could become the most effective drug to date in an arsenal of medications that are transforming the treatment of obesity, which affects more than 4 in 10 American adults and is linked to dozens of diseases that can lead to disability or death.

“If everybody who had obesity in this country lost 20% of their body weight, we would be taking patients off all of these medications for reflux, for diabetes, for hypertension,” said Dr. Caroline Apovian, a director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at Brigham and Women's Hospital. “We would not be sending patients for stent replacement.”

Industry analysts predict that tirzepatide could become one of the top-selling drugs ever, with annual sales topping $50 billion. It is expected to outpace Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic — a diabetes drug used so commonly to shed pounds that comedian Jimmy Kimmel joked about it at the Oscars — and Wegovy, a version of the drug also known as semaglutide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-obesity-lifestyle-business-health-c6f992d717c6461ef20f40e6d4ee9d25">approved for weight loss in 2021</a>. Together, those drugs made nearly $10 billion in 2022, with prescriptions continuing to soar, company reports show.

In separate trials, tirzepatide has resulted in greater weight loss than semaglutide, whose users shed about 15% of their body weight over 16 months. A head-to-head trial comparing the two drugs is planned.

Mounjaro was first approved to treat diabetes last year. Since then, thousands of patients have obtained the drug from doctors and telehealth providers who prescribed it “off-label" to help them slim down.

In California, Matthew Barlow, a 48-year-old health technology executive, said he has lost more than 100 pounds since November by using Mounjaro and changing his diet.

“Psychologically, you don’t want to eat,” said Barlow. “Now I can eat two bites of a dessert and be satisfied.”

Rather than relying solely on diet, exercise and willpower to reduce weight, tirzepatide and other new drugs target the digestive and chemical pathways that underlie obesity, suppressing appetite and blunting cravings for food.

“They have entirely changed the landscape,” said Dr. Amy Rothberg, a University of Michigan endocrinologist who directs a virtual weight loss and diabetes program.

Research has shown that with diet and exercise alone, about a third of people will lose 5% or more of their body weight, said Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine. In the latest tirzepatide trial, more than 86% of patients using the highest dose of the drug lost at least 5% of their body weight. More than half on that dose lost at least 15%, the company said.

The obesity medications help overcome a biological mechanism that kicks in when people diet, triggering a coordinated effort by the body to prevent weight loss.

“That is a real physical phenomenon,” Aronne said. “There are a number of hormones that respond to reduced calorie intake.”

Ozempic and Wegovy are two versions of semaglutide. That drug mimics a key gut hormone, known as GLP-1, that is activated after people eat, boosting the release of insulin and slowing release of sugar from the liver. It delays digestion and reduces appetite, making people feel full longer.

Tirzepatide is the first drug that uses the action of two hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, for greater effects. It also targets the chemical signals sent from the gut to the brain, curbing cravings and thoughts of food.

Though the drugs appear safe, they can cause side effects, some serious. Most common reactions include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, constipation and stomach pain. Some users have developed pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas, others have had gallbladder problems. Mounjaro’s product description warns that it could cause thyroid tumors, including cancer.

WASHINGTON (AP) —As a growing number of overweight Americans clamor for Ozempic and Wegovy — drugs touted by celebrities and on TikTok to pare pounds — an even more powerful obesity medicine is poised to upend treatment.Tirzepatide, an Eli Lilly and Co. drug approved to treat type 2 diabetes under the brand name Mounjaro, helped people with the disease who were overweight or had obesity lose up to 16% of their body weight, or more than 34 pounds, over nearly 17 months, the company said on Thursday.The late-stage study of the drug for weight loss adds to earlier evidence that similar participants without diabetes lost up to 22% of their body weight over that period with weekly injections of the drug. For a typical patient on the highest dose, that meant shedding more than 50 pounds.Having diabetes makes it notoriously difficult to lose weight, said Dr. Nadia Ahmad, Lilly’s medical director of obesity clinical development, which means the recent results are especially significant. “We have not seen this degree of weight reduction,” she said.Based on the new results, which have not yet been published in full, company officials said they will finalize an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for fast-track approval to sell tirzepatide for chronic weight management. A decision could come later this year. A company spokeswoman would not confirm whether the drug would be marketed for weight loss in the U.S. under a different brand name.If approved for weight loss, tirzepatide could become the most effective drug to date in an arsenal of medications that are transforming the treatment of obesity, which affects more than 4 in 10 American adults and is linked to dozens of diseases that can lead to disability or death.“If everybody who had obesity in this country lost 20% of their body weight, we would be taking patients off all of these medications for reflux, for diabetes, for hypertension,” said Dr. Caroline Apovian, a director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at Brigham and Women's Hospital. “We would not be sending patients for stent replacement.”Industry analysts predict that tirzepatide could become one of the top-selling drugs ever, with annual sales topping $50 billion. It is expected to outpace Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic — a diabetes drug used so commonly to shed pounds that comedian Jimmy Kimmel joked about it at the Oscars — and Wegovy, a version of the drug also known as semaglutide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-obesity-lifestyle-business-health-c6f992d717c6461ef20f40e6d4ee9d25">approved for weight loss in 2021</a>. Together, those drugs made nearly $10 billion in 2022, with prescriptions continuing to soar, company reports show.In separate trials, tirzepatide has resulted in greater weight loss than semaglutide, whose users shed about 15% of their body weight over 16 months. A head-to-head trial comparing the two drugs is planned.Mounjaro was first approved to treat diabetes last year. Since then, thousands of patients have obtained the drug from doctors and telehealth providers who prescribed it “off-label" to help them slim down.In California, Matthew Barlow, a 48-year-old health technology executive, said he has lost more than 100 pounds since November by using Mounjaro and changing his diet.“Psychologically, you don’t want to eat,” said Barlow. “Now I can eat two bites of a dessert and be satisfied.”Rather than relying solely on diet, exercise and willpower to reduce weight, tirzepatide and other new drugs target the digestive and chemical pathways that underlie obesity, suppressing appetite and blunting cravings for food.“They have entirely changed the landscape,” said Dr. Amy Rothberg, a University of Michigan endocrinologist who directs a virtual weight loss and diabetes program.Research has shown that with diet and exercise alone, about a third of people will lose 5% or more of their body weight, said Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine. In the latest tirzepatide trial, more than 86% of patients using the highest dose of the drug lost at least 5% of their body weight. More than half on that dose lost at least 15%, the company said.The obesity medications help overcome a biological mechanism that kicks in when people diet, triggering a coordinated effort by the body to prevent weight loss.“That is a real physical phenomenon,” Aronne said. “There are a number of hormones that respond to reduced calorie intake.”Ozempic and Wegovy are two versions of semaglutide. That drug mimics a key gut hormone, known as GLP-1, that is activated after people eat, boosting the release of insulin and slowing release of sugar from the liver. It delays digestion and reduces appetite, making people feel full longer.Tirzepatide is the first drug that uses the action of two hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, for greater effects. It also targets the chemical signals sent from the gut to the brain, curbing cravings and thoughts of food.Though the drugs appear safe, they can cause side effects, some serious. Most common reactions include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, constipation and stomach pain. Some users have developed pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas, others have had gallbladder problems. Mounjaro’s product description warns that it could cause thyroid tumors, including cancer.There are other downsides: Versions of semaglutide have been on the market for several years, but the long-term effects of taking drugs that override human metabolism are not yet clear. Early evidence suggests that when people stop taking the medications, they gain the weight back.Plus, the medications are expensive — and in recent months, hard to get because of intermittent shortages. Wegovy is priced at about $1,300 a month. Mounjaro used for diabetes starts at about $1,000 per month.Apovian said that only about 20% to 30% of patients with private insurance in her practice find the medications are covered. Some insurers who previously paid for the drugs are enacting new rules, requiring six months of documented lifestyle changes or a certain amount of weight loss for continued coverage. Medicare is largely prohibited from paying for weight-loss drugs, though there have been efforts by drugmakers and advocates for Congress to change that.Still, experts say that the striking effects of tirzepatide — along with Ozempic, Wegovy and other drugs — underscore that losing weight is not merely a matter of willpower. Like high blood pressure, which affects about half of U.S. adults and is managed with medication, obesity should be viewed as a chronic disease, not a character flaw, Aronne emphasized.It remains to be seen what effect new drug treatments will have on pervasive bias against people with obesity, said Rebecca Puhl, a professor in the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, who studies weight stigma. U.S. culture has “deep-rooted beliefs about body weight and physical appearance” that are hard to change, she said.“Weight stigma could persist or worsen if taking medication is equated with ‘taking the easy way out’ or ‘not trying hard enough,’” she said.—-