By CASSIE MILLER <a href="https://www.penncapital-star.com/education/a-look-at-student-loan-debt-in-the-u-s-the-numbers-racket/">Pennsylvania Capital-Star</a>

Student loan debt is now the second-highest consumer debt in the United States, second only to mortgages. 

According to the most recent data from the Education Data Initiative, a research organization studying the U.S. education system, Americans owe more than $1.7 trillion in student loan debt.

The average federal student loan debt balance is $37,014 as of May 2022, EDI reports, noting that public university attendees borrow an average of $30,030 to attain a bachelor’s degree.

Nationally, 43 percent of college attendees report that they incurred some type of educational debt. Similarly, 65 percent of college students graduate with student debt. 

EDI reports that between 39 percent and 50 percent of student borrowers have loans from both undergraduate and postgraduate education.

Here’s a breakdown of student debt by education attainment level: 

37 … the percentage of graduate students who borrow from federal student loans.

60 … the percentage of undergraduate certificate recipients who owe an average of $16,940 each in federal loans.

42 .. the percentage of associate’s degree recipients who owe an average of $21,890 each in federal loans.

63 … the percentage of bachelor’s degree holders who owe an average of $31,790 in federal loans.

54 … the percentage of master’s degree holders who owe an average of $70,070 in federal loans.

45 … the percentage of doctoral degree recipients who owe an average of $118,360.

71 … the percentage of professional degree holders who owe an average of $199,540.

EDI Breakdown of Federal Loan Debt

    52.8 percent of federal student loan debt is in Stafford loans.

    18.6 percent of federal debt is in subsidized Stafford loans.

    34.2 percent is in unsubsidized Stafford loans.

    35.5 percent of federal student loan debt is in direct consolidated loans.

    6.4 percent of student loan debt is from Parent PLUS loans, borrowed by parents on behalf of their children.

    5 percent of student loan debt is from Grad PLUS loans going to graduate or professional students.

    0.4 percent of student loan debt is from Perkins loans.

By CASSIE MILLER <a href="https://www.penncapital-star.com/education/a-look-at-student-loan-debt-in-the-u-s-the-numbers-racket/">Pennsylvania Capital-Star</a>Student loan debt is now the second-highest consumer debt in the United States, second only to mortgages. According to the most recent data from the Education Data Initiative, a research organization studying the U.S. education system, Americans owe more than $1.7 trillion in student loan debt.The average federal student loan debt balance is $37,014 as of May 2022, EDI reports, noting that public university attendees borrow an average of $30,030 to attain a bachelor’s degree.Nationally, 43 percent of college attendees report that they incurred some type of educational debt. Similarly, 65 percent of college students graduate with student debt. EDI reports that between 39 percent and 50 percent of student borrowers have loans from both undergraduate and postgraduate education.Here’s a breakdown of student debt by education attainment level: 37 … the percentage of graduate students who borrow from federal student loans. 60 … the percentage of undergraduate certificate recipients who owe an average of $16,940 each in federal loans. 42 .. the percentage of associate’s degree recipients who owe an average of $21,890 each in federal loans. 63 … the percentage of bachelor’s degree holders who owe an average of $31,790 in federal loans. 54 … the percentage of master’s degree holders who owe an average of $70,070 in federal loans. 45 … the percentage of doctoral degree recipients who owe an average of $118,360. 71 … the percentage of professional degree holders who owe an average of $199,540.EDI Breakdown of Federal Loan Debt 52.8 percent of federal student loan debt is in Stafford loans. 18.6 percent of federal debt is in subsidized Stafford loans. 34.2 percent is in unsubsidized Stafford loans. 35.5 percent of federal student loan debt is in direct consolidated loans. 6.4 percent of student loan debt is from Parent PLUS loans, borrowed by parents on behalf of their children. 5 percent of student loan debt is from Grad PLUS loans going to graduate or professional students. 0.4 percent of student loan debt is from Perkins loans.

Numbers racket: A look at student loan debt in the U.S. 

By: Hailey Glarrow,&nbsp;Natural Resource Specialist, Bureau of Reclamation

MILLS, Wyo. — The Bureau of Reclamation has prepared the June forecast and operating plans for the North Platte River Basin.

The June forecasts indicate the spring snowmelt runoff will be below average. Total April through July runoff in the North Platte River Basin above Glendo Dam is expected to be 545,000 acre-feet (af), which is 72% of the 30-year average. This forecast includes the 302,000 af of runoff accumulated in April and May. The total conservation storage capacity of the North Platte Reservoir System is approximately 2,815,800 af.&nbsp; As of May 31, 2022, the combined storage content in the North Platte Reservoirs was 1,775,600 af, which is 89% of the 30-year average.

Current releases are 1,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) from Seminoe Reservoir through the Miracle Mile.&nbsp; Releases out of Gray Reef Reservoir will increase to 2,000 cfs between June 9-10, 2022.&nbsp; Releases out of Glendo Reservoir are 950 cfs. Releases out of Guernsey Reservoir are 950 cfs and will vary depending on downstream requirements. Based on current projections for the months of May, June, and July, the releases out of Seminoe Reservoir are expected to peak at around 1,500 cfs, while flows out of Gray Reef are expected to peak at 3,000 cfs by the end of June.&nbsp; Releases from Guernsey are expected to peak near 4,600 cfs. Based on our current forecasts, there may be a need for an allocation for our North Platte Project contractors.

Reclamation’s Wyoming Area Office operates seven reservoirs on the North Platte River with Seminoe Reservoir farthest upstream and Guernsey Reservoir farthest downstream. This system provides irrigation supply to hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland and produces power generation from 6 power plants which supply power to tens of thousands of homes. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655150327609.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Hailey Glarrow,&nbsp;Natural Resource Specialist, Bureau of ReclamationMILLS, Wyo. — The Bureau of Reclamation has prepared the June forecast and operating plans for the North Platte River Basin.The June forecasts indicate the spring snowmelt runoff will be below average. Total April through July runoff in the North Platte River Basin above Glendo Dam is expected to be 545,000 acre-feet (af), which is 72% of the 30-year average. This forecast includes the 302,000 af of runoff accumulated in April and May. The total conservation storage capacity of the North Platte Reservoir System is approximately 2,815,800 af.&nbsp; As of May 31, 2022, the combined storage content in the North Platte Reservoirs was 1,775,600 af, which is 89% of the 30-year average.Current releases are 1,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) from Seminoe Reservoir through the Miracle Mile.&nbsp; Releases out of Gray Reef Reservoir will increase to 2,000 cfs between June 9-10, 2022.&nbsp; Releases out of Glendo Reservoir are 950 cfs. Releases out of Guernsey Reservoir are 950 cfs and will vary depending on downstream requirements. Based on current projections for the months of May, June, and July, the releases out of Seminoe Reservoir are expected to peak at around 1,500 cfs, while flows out of Gray Reef are expected to peak at 3,000 cfs by the end of June.&nbsp; Releases from Guernsey are expected to peak near 4,600 cfs. Based on our current forecasts, there may be a need for an allocation for our North Platte Project contractors.Reclamation’s Wyoming Area Office operates seven reservoirs on the North Platte River with Seminoe Reservoir farthest upstream and Guernsey Reservoir farthest downstream. This system provides irrigation supply to hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland and produces power generation from 6 power plants which supply power to tens of thousands of homes.

Reclamation issues snowmelt forecasts for North Platte River Basin 

For more than two years, scientists have been working around the clock to find ways to prevent severe illness and deaths from COVID-19.&nbsp;

A recent international study co-led by University of Nebraska Medical Center Physician/Scientist Andre Kalil, MD, MPH, compared the effectiveness of two different drugs being used to treat COVID. Results of the study were recently published in the Lancet journal.&nbsp;

The study compared the combination of baricitinib plus remdesivir versus dexamethasone plus remdesivir in preventing progression to mechanical ventilation or death in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The treatments baricitinib and dexamethasone have been studied in separate studies and support the treatment of patients with COVID-19. However, they have not been compared to each other in the same study.&nbsp;

In this new randomized, double-blind, double placebo-controlled trial, patients were enrolled at 67 trial sites (60 in the U.S.) with COVID-19 who required supplemental oxygen, high-flow, or non-invasive ventilation.&nbsp;

Dr. Kalil said in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 requiring supplemental oxygen, high-flow, or non-invasive ventilation, baricitinib plus remdesivir and dexamethasone plus remdesivir resulted in similar mechanical ventilation-free survival by day 29.&nbsp;

“But dexamethasone was associated with significantly more adverse events, treatment-related adverse events, and severe or life-threatening adverse events,” he said. “A more individually tailored choice of immunomodulation now appears possible, where side-effect profile, ease of administration, cost, and patient comorbidities can all be considered.”&nbsp;

Dr. Kalil said the study was important because it was the first study during the pandemic that compared head-to-head two different drugs (dexamethasone versus baricitinib) that act by modulating the immune system, also called immunomodulatory therapies.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dr. Kalil and his colleagues have seen the worst of what COVID does to people. Considering current rising hospitalization and infection rates, his advice for the public?&nbsp;

“Completing the vaccination schedule remains essential to prevent to worst consequences of COVID-19, that is, hospitalization and death,” Dr. Kalil said. “COVID-19 infections without the need for hospitalization and long COVID are also decreased by vaccination, but they can still occur, thus the appropriate use of effective masks in addition to vaccination continues important to prevent new infections.”&nbsp;

The study, funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is the fourth iteration of the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial (ACTT). The trial is a public-private partnership to develop an international coordinated research strategy for prioritizing and speeding development of the most promising treatments.&nbsp;

“Our ACTT-4 study demonstrates that a rigorous clinical trial not only brings relevant progress to science, but most importantly, it directly improves the care of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 worldwide,” Dr. Kalil said.&nbsp;

The effort to find new and better treatments for COVID continues. He and his team currently are evaluating new immunomodulatory treatments with different mechanisms of action.&nbsp;

We are&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nebraskamed.com/" target="_blank">Nebraska Medicine</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.unmc.edu/" target="_blank">UNMC</a>.&nbsp;Our mission is to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities through premier educational programs, innovative research and extraordinary patient care.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655148304166.jpeg" alt="Dr. Andre Kalil&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Andre Kalil&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>UNMC News ReleaseFor more than two years, scientists have been working around the clock to find ways to prevent severe illness and deaths from COVID-19.&nbsp;A recent international study co-led by University of Nebraska Medical Center Physician/Scientist Andre Kalil, MD, MPH, compared the effectiveness of two different drugs being used to treat COVID. Results of the study were recently published in the Lancet journal.&nbsp;The study compared the combination of baricitinib plus remdesivir versus dexamethasone plus remdesivir in preventing progression to mechanical ventilation or death in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.&nbsp;&nbsp;The treatments baricitinib and dexamethasone have been studied in separate studies and support the treatment of patients with COVID-19. However, they have not been compared to each other in the same study.&nbsp;In this new randomized, double-blind, double placebo-controlled trial, patients were enrolled at 67 trial sites (60 in the U.S.) with COVID-19 who required supplemental oxygen, high-flow, or non-invasive ventilation.&nbsp;Dr. Kalil said in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 requiring supplemental oxygen, high-flow, or non-invasive ventilation, baricitinib plus remdesivir and dexamethasone plus remdesivir resulted in similar mechanical ventilation-free survival by day 29.&nbsp;“But dexamethasone was associated with significantly more adverse events, treatment-related adverse events, and severe or life-threatening adverse events,” he said. “A more individually tailored choice of immunomodulation now appears possible, where side-effect profile, ease of administration, cost, and patient comorbidities can all be considered.”&nbsp;Dr. Kalil said the study was important because it was the first study during the pandemic that compared head-to-head two different drugs (dexamethasone versus baricitinib) that act by modulating the immune system, also called immunomodulatory therapies.&nbsp;&nbsp;Dr. Kalil and his colleagues have seen the worst of what COVID does to people. Considering current rising hospitalization and infection rates, his advice for the public?&nbsp;“Completing the vaccination schedule remains essential to prevent to worst consequences of COVID-19, that is, hospitalization and death,” Dr. Kalil said. “COVID-19 infections without the need for hospitalization and long COVID are also decreased by vaccination, but they can still occur, thus the appropriate use of effective masks in addition to vaccination continues important to prevent new infections.”&nbsp;The study, funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is the fourth iteration of the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial (ACTT). The trial is a public-private partnership to develop an international coordinated research strategy for prioritizing and speeding development of the most promising treatments.&nbsp;“Our ACTT-4 study demonstrates that a rigorous clinical trial not only brings relevant progress to science, but most importantly, it directly improves the care of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 worldwide,” Dr. Kalil said.&nbsp;The effort to find new and better treatments for COVID continues. He and his team currently are evaluating new immunomodulatory treatments with different mechanisms of action.&nbsp;We are&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nebraskamed.com/" target="_blank">Nebraska Medicine</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.unmc.edu/" target="_blank">UNMC</a>.&nbsp;Our mission is to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities through premier educational programs, innovative research and extraordinary patient care.&nbsp;

UNMC physician/researcher led latest COVID study that finds superior treatment 

KANSAS CITY (AP) —A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baptist-religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-southern-convention-bfdbe64389790630488f854c3dae3fd5">withering report on sexual abuse</a>&nbsp;and cover-up in the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-warsaw-religion-5d407c1309e3654a5678a3fa369ba159">viral video</a>&nbsp;in which a woman confronts her pastor at an independent Christian church for sexually preying on her when she was a teen.

A TV documentary exposing sex abuse of children in Amish and Mennonite communities.

Survivors of sexual assault in church settings and their advocates have been calling on churches for years to admit the extent of abuse in their midst and to implement reforms. In 2017 that movement acquired the hashtag&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sexual-misconduct-ap-top-news-us-news-north-america-metoo-b768d035ed8443ad97d193a5c36e240c">#ChurchToo</a>, derived from the wider #MeToo movement, which called out sexual predators in many sectors of society.

In recent weeks #ChurchToo has seen an especially intense set of revelations across denominations and ministries, reaching vast audiences in headlines and on screen with a message that activists have long struggled to get across.

“For us it’s just confirmation of what we’ve been saying all these years,” said Jimmy Hinton, an advocate for abuse survivors and a Church of Christ minister in Somerset, Pennsylvania. “There is an absolute epidemic of abuse in the church, in religious spaces.”

Calls for reform will be prominent this week in Anaheim, California, when the Southern Baptist Convention holds its annual meeting following an outside report that concluded its leaders mishandled abuse cases and stonewalled victims.

The May 22 report came out the same day an independent church in Indiana was facing its own reckoning.

Moments after its pastor, John B. Lowe II,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warsaw-indiana-922d63cd92d092117b5cd5f60f7e73af">confessed</a>&nbsp;to years of “adultery,” longtime member Bobi Gephart took the microphone to tell the rest of the story: She was just 16 when it started, she said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/maisey.cook.9/videos/325339683012147/" target="_blank">video of the confrontation</a>&nbsp;has drawn nearly 1 million views on Facebook. Lowe subsequently resigned from New Life Christian Church &amp; World Outreach in Warsaw.

In an interview, Gephart said she’s not surprised that so many cases are now coming out. She has received words of encouragement from all over the world, with people sharing their own “heartbreaking” stories of abuse.

“Things are shaking loose,” Gephart said. “I really feel like God is trying to make things right.”

For many churches, she said, “It’s all about covering up, ‘Let’s keep the show going.’ There are hurting people, and that’s not right. I still don’t think a lot of the church gets it.”

Hinton — who turned in his own father, a former minister now imprisoned for aggravated indecent assault — said the viral video demonstrates the potency of survivors telling their own stories.

“Survivors have far more power than they ever think imaginable,” he said on his “Speaking Out on Sex Abuse” podcast.

#ChurchToo revelations have emerged in all kinds of church groups, including liberal denominations that preach gender equality and depict clergy sexual misconduct as an abuse of power. The Episcopal Church aired stories from survivors at its 2018 General Convention, and an archbishop in the Anglican Church of Canada resigned in April amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

But many recent reckonings are occurring in conservative Protestant settings where a “purity culture” has been prominent in recent decades — emphasizing male authority and female modesty and discouraging dating in favor of traditional courtship leading to marriage.

On May 25 reality TV personality Josh Duggar was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-entertainment-arkansas-music-f00cacdbe17801f838ba6234c04a2fc7">sentenced in Arkansas to more than 12 years in prison</a>&nbsp;for receiving child pornography. Duggar was a former lobbyist for a conservative Christian organization and appeared on TLC’s since-canceled “19 Kids and Counting,” featuring a homeschooling family that stressed chastity and traditional courtship. Prosecutors said Duggar had a “deep-seated, pervasive and violent sexual interest in children.”

On May 26 the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2022/05/26/kanakuk-kamps-abuse-unreported-decades-victims-say-missouri-pete-newman/9803409002/" target="_blank">Springfield (Missouri) News-Leader</a>&nbsp;reported on a spate of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/branson-lawsuits-michael-brown-sexual-abuse-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-312fe4d360d5de77412eee9b35f92427">sex abuse cases</a>&nbsp;involving workers at Kanakuk Kamps, a large evangelical camp ministry.

Emily Joy Allison, whose abuse story&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/emilyjoypoetry/status/1065027221654511616?lang=en" target="_blank">launched the #ChurchToo movement</a>, said the sexual ethic preached in many conservative churches — and the shame and silence it breeds — are part of the problem. She argues that in her book, “#ChurchToo: How Purity Culture Upholds Abuse and How to Find Healing.”

Allison told The Associated Press that addressing abuse requires both a change in church policy and theology. But she knows the latter is unlikely in the SBC.

“They need to undergo a transformation so radical they would be unrecognizable at the end. And that will not happen,” Allison said. Reform work focused on “harm reduction” is a more realistic approach, she said.

Some advocates hope the front-burner focus on abuse could lead to lasting reforms — if not in churches, then in the law.

Misty Griffin, an advocate for fellow survivors of sexual assault in Amish communities, recently launched a petition drive seeking a congressional “Child’s Rights Act.” As of early June, it had drawn more than 5,000 signatures.

It would require that all teachers, including those in religious schools and homeschool settings, be trained about child abuse and neglect and subject to reporting mandates, and would also require age-appropriate instruction on abuse prevention for students. Griffin said such legislation is crucial because in authoritarian religious systems, victims often don’t know help is available or how to get it.

“Without that, nothing’s going to change,” said Griffin, a consulting producer on the documentary “Sins of the Amish.”

The two-episode&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQVglFZ-HZ0" target="_blank">documentary</a>, which premiered on Peacock TV in May, examines endemic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-pennsylvania-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-assault-lancaster-0e97364f986c9b9fffaed44520fc2b1f">abuse in Amish and Mennonite communities</a>, saying it is enabled by a patriarchal authority structure, an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-mennonite-3000fa23351b4d28b1e49c439d0063e9">emphasis on forgiving offenders</a>&nbsp;and reluctance to report wrongdoing to law enforcement.

The Southern Baptist Convention, whose doctrine also calls for male leadership in churches and families, has been particularly shaken by the #ChurchToo movement after years of complaints that leadership has failed to care for survivors and hold their abusers accountable.

At its annual meeting, the SBC will consider proposals to create a task force that would oversee a listing of clergy credibly accused of abuse. But survivors criticized that proposal and are calling for a more powerful and independent commission to perform that task and also review allegations of abuse and cover-up. They’re also seeking a “survivor restoration fund” and memorial dedicated to survivors.

Momentum for change grew as survivors such as Jules Woodson, who went public in 2018 with a sexual assault accusation against her former youth pastor, were emboldened to tell their stories.

“I felt like, ‘Thank God there’s a space where we can tell these stories,’” Woodson said.

Such accounts led to the independent investigation, whose 288-page report detailed how the SBC’s Executive Committee prioritized protecting the institution over victims’ well-being and preventing abuse.

The committee has apologized and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-baptist-southern-convention-ade6d177368e6b7bc0981a6097a3bdc6">made public a long-secret list of ministers</a>&nbsp;accused of abuse.

Woodson said seeing her abuser’s name on it felt like a double-edged sword.

“It was in some ways validating that my abuser was on there, but it was also devastating to see that they knew and yet nobody in the SBC spoke up to warn others,” she said.

Woodson added that she is still waiting for meaningful change: “They have offered minimal words acknowledging the problem, but they have offered zero reform and true action which would show genuine repentance or care and concern for survivors or the vulnerable people who have yet to be abused.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655069123674.png" alt="Calls for reform will be prominent this week in Anaheim, California, when the Southern Baptist Convention holds its annual meeting following an outside report that concluded its leaders mishandled abuse cases and stonewalled victims.-google image" />
 <figcaption>Calls for reform will be prominent this week in Anaheim, California, when the Southern Baptist Convention holds its annual meeting following an outside report that concluded its leaders mishandled abuse cases and stonewalled victims.-google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baptist-religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-southern-convention-bfdbe64389790630488f854c3dae3fd5">withering report on sexual abuse</a>&nbsp;and cover-up in the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-warsaw-religion-5d407c1309e3654a5678a3fa369ba159">viral video</a>&nbsp;in which a woman confronts her pastor at an independent Christian church for sexually preying on her when she was a teen.A TV documentary exposing sex abuse of children in Amish and Mennonite communities.You might call it #ChurchToo 2.0.Survivors of sexual assault in church settings and their advocates have been calling on churches for years to admit the extent of abuse in their midst and to implement reforms. In 2017 that movement acquired the hashtag&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sexual-misconduct-ap-top-news-us-news-north-america-metoo-b768d035ed8443ad97d193a5c36e240c">#ChurchToo</a>, derived from the wider #MeToo movement, which called out sexual predators in many sectors of society.In recent weeks #ChurchToo has seen an especially intense set of revelations across denominations and ministries, reaching vast audiences in headlines and on screen with a message that activists have long struggled to get across.“For us it’s just confirmation of what we’ve been saying all these years,” said Jimmy Hinton, an advocate for abuse survivors and a Church of Christ minister in Somerset, Pennsylvania. “There is an absolute epidemic of abuse in the church, in religious spaces.”Calls for reform will be prominent this week in Anaheim, California, when the Southern Baptist Convention holds its annual meeting following an outside report that concluded its leaders mishandled abuse cases and stonewalled victims.The May 22 report came out the same day an independent church in Indiana was facing its own reckoning.Moments after its pastor, John B. Lowe II,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warsaw-indiana-922d63cd92d092117b5cd5f60f7e73af">confessed</a>&nbsp;to years of “adultery,” longtime member Bobi Gephart took the microphone to tell the rest of the story: She was just 16 when it started, she said.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/maisey.cook.9/videos/325339683012147/" target="_blank">video of the confrontation</a>&nbsp;has drawn nearly 1 million views on Facebook. Lowe subsequently resigned from New Life Christian Church &amp; World Outreach in Warsaw.In an interview, Gephart said she’s not surprised that so many cases are now coming out. She has received words of encouragement from all over the world, with people sharing their own “heartbreaking” stories of abuse.“Things are shaking loose,” Gephart said. “I really feel like God is trying to make things right.”For many churches, she said, “It’s all about covering up, ‘Let’s keep the show going.’ There are hurting people, and that’s not right. I still don’t think a lot of the church gets it.”Hinton — who turned in his own father, a former minister now imprisoned for aggravated indecent assault — said the viral video demonstrates the potency of survivors telling their own stories.“Survivors have far more power than they ever think imaginable,” he said on his “Speaking Out on Sex Abuse” podcast.#ChurchToo revelations have emerged in all kinds of church groups, including liberal denominations that preach gender equality and depict clergy sexual misconduct as an abuse of power. The Episcopal Church aired stories from survivors at its 2018 General Convention, and an archbishop in the Anglican Church of Canada resigned in April amid allegations of sexual misconduct.But many recent reckonings are occurring in conservative Protestant settings where a “purity culture” has been prominent in recent decades — emphasizing male authority and female modesty and discouraging dating in favor of traditional courtship leading to marriage.On May 25 reality TV personality Josh Duggar was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-entertainment-arkansas-music-f00cacdbe17801f838ba6234c04a2fc7">sentenced in Arkansas to more than 12 years in prison</a>&nbsp;for receiving child pornography. Duggar was a former lobbyist for a conservative Christian organization and appeared on TLC’s since-canceled “19 Kids and Counting,” featuring a homeschooling family that stressed chastity and traditional courtship. Prosecutors said Duggar had a “deep-seated, pervasive and violent sexual interest in children.”On May 26 the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2022/05/26/kanakuk-kamps-abuse-unreported-decades-victims-say-missouri-pete-newman/9803409002/" target="_blank">Springfield (Missouri) News-Leader</a>&nbsp;reported on a spate of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/branson-lawsuits-michael-brown-sexual-abuse-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-312fe4d360d5de77412eee9b35f92427">sex abuse cases</a>&nbsp;involving workers at Kanakuk Kamps, a large evangelical camp ministry.Emily Joy Allison, whose abuse story&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/emilyjoypoetry/status/1065027221654511616?lang=en" target="_blank">launched the #ChurchToo movement</a>, said the sexual ethic preached in many conservative churches — and the shame and silence it breeds — are part of the problem. She argues that in her book, “#ChurchToo: How Purity Culture Upholds Abuse and How to Find Healing.”Allison told The Associated Press that addressing abuse requires both a change in church policy and theology. But she knows the latter is unlikely in the SBC.“They need to undergo a transformation so radical they would be unrecognizable at the end. And that will not happen,” Allison said. Reform work focused on “harm reduction” is a more realistic approach, she said.Some advocates hope the front-burner focus on abuse could lead to lasting reforms — if not in churches, then in the law.Misty Griffin, an advocate for fellow survivors of sexual assault in Amish communities, recently launched a petition drive seeking a congressional “Child’s Rights Act.” As of early June, it had drawn more than 5,000 signatures.It would require that all teachers, including those in religious schools and homeschool settings, be trained about child abuse and neglect and subject to reporting mandates, and would also require age-appropriate instruction on abuse prevention for students. Griffin said such legislation is crucial because in authoritarian religious systems, victims often don’t know help is available or how to get it.“Without that, nothing’s going to change,” said Griffin, a consulting producer on the documentary “Sins of the Amish.”The two-episode&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQVglFZ-HZ0" target="_blank">documentary</a>, which premiered on Peacock TV in May, examines endemic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-pennsylvania-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-assault-lancaster-0e97364f986c9b9fffaed44520fc2b1f">abuse in Amish and Mennonite communities</a>, saying it is enabled by a patriarchal authority structure, an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-mennonite-3000fa23351b4d28b1e49c439d0063e9">emphasis on forgiving offenders</a>&nbsp;and reluctance to report wrongdoing to law enforcement.The Southern Baptist Convention, whose doctrine also calls for male leadership in churches and families, has been particularly shaken by the #ChurchToo movement after years of complaints that leadership has failed to care for survivors and hold their abusers accountable.At its annual meeting, the SBC will consider proposals to create a task force that would oversee a listing of clergy credibly accused of abuse. But survivors criticized that proposal and are calling for a more powerful and independent commission to perform that task and also review allegations of abuse and cover-up. They’re also seeking a “survivor restoration fund” and memorial dedicated to survivors.Momentum for change grew as survivors such as Jules Woodson, who went public in 2018 with a sexual assault accusation against her former youth pastor, were emboldened to tell their stories.“I felt like, ‘Thank God there’s a space where we can tell these stories,’” Woodson said.Such accounts led to the independent investigation, whose 288-page report detailed how the SBC’s Executive Committee prioritized protecting the institution over victims’ well-being and preventing abuse.The committee has apologized and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-baptist-southern-convention-ade6d177368e6b7bc0981a6097a3bdc6">made public a long-secret list of ministers</a>&nbsp;accused of abuse.Woodson said seeing her abuser’s name on it felt like a double-edged sword.“It was in some ways validating that my abuser was on there, but it was also devastating to see that they knew and yet nobody in the SBC spoke up to warn others,” she said.Woodson added that she is still waiting for meaningful change: “They have offered minimal words acknowledging the problem, but they have offered zero reform and true action which would show genuine repentance or care and concern for survivors or the vulnerable people who have yet to be abused.”___

#ChurchToo revelations growing, years after movement began

News Release Wyoming Highway Patrol

POWELL, Wyo.-Authorities in Wyoming are investigating a crash that killed a motorcyclist.

On June 12, 2022, a fatal crash occurred at milepost 17 on Wyoming 294 north of Powell, Wyoming.  Around 12:20 a.m., Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers were notified of a collision involving a motorcycle.

A 2006 Harley Davidson was south on Wyoming 294 when the motorcycle collided with a cow in the roadway. The Harley exited the right side of the road before the driver corrected to the left. The motorcycle re-entered and exited the highway a second time before stopping at the bottom of an embankment. The crash location is designated as an open range area for livestock. 

The driver of the Harley has been identified as 45-year-old Powell, Wyoming resident Russell V. Hiatt. Hiatt succumbed to his injuries at the crash scene. The passenger has been identified as 64-year-old Powell, Wyoming resident Debra M. Martin. Martin was transported to St. Vincent Hospital in Billings, Montana, by medical helicopter for injuries sustained in the crash.  

Alcohol use is being investigated as a possible contributing factor.

This is the 39th fatality on Wyoming's roadways in 2022 compared to 39 in 2021, 39 in 2020, and 70 in 2019 to date.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655141814179.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>News Release Wyoming Highway PatrolPOWELL, Wyo.-Authorities in Wyoming are investigating a crash that killed a motorcyclist.On June 12, 2022, a fatal crash occurred at milepost 17 on Wyoming 294 north of Powell, Wyoming. Around 12:20 a.m., Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers were notified of a collision involving a motorcycle.A 2006 Harley Davidson was south on Wyoming 294 when the motorcycle collided with a cow in the roadway. The Harley exited the right side of the road before the driver corrected to the left. The motorcycle re-entered and exited the highway a second time before stopping at the bottom of an embankment. The crash location is designated as an open range area for livestock. The driver of the Harley has been identified as 45-year-old Powell, Wyoming resident Russell V. Hiatt. Hiatt succumbed to his injuries at the crash scene. The passenger has been identified as 64-year-old Powell, Wyoming resident Debra M. Martin. Martin was transported to St. Vincent Hospital in Billings, Montana, by medical helicopter for injuries sustained in the crash. Alcohol use is being investigated as a possible contributing factor.This is the 39th fatality on Wyoming's roadways in 2022 compared to 39 in 2021, 39 in 2020, and 70 in 2019 to date.

Wyoming motorcyclist killed in crash near Powell

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Bidding for a final, private lunch with Warren Buffett, an event that has raised tens of millions for a California charity, has already reached $2.3 million.

It will be the first private lunch offered by the billionaire since a record-setting bid in 2019. The past two auctions were called off due to the pandemic, and Buffett said this will be the last.

The online auction that raises money to support the Glide Foundation’s work to help the homeless in San Francisco began Sunday and continues through Friday night.

So far, only two bidders have participated, but the biggest bids don’t usually come until closer to the end of the eBay auction. Bidding during the last event reached an unprecedented $4,567,888.

Buffett has raised nearly $34.5 million for Glide since the auction began in 2000. Many of the past winners paid high prices for the chance to pick Buffett’s brain about investing and talk about life lessons with the 91-year-old.

Glide earned Buffett’s support when his first wife, Susie, introduced him to the charity after she started volunteering there. He has said Glide impressed him with the way it helps people in difficult situations find hope again in life. Glide provides meals, health care, job training, rehabilitation and housing support to the poor and homeless.

Buffett’s Omaha, Nebraska, conglomerate, Berkshire Hathaway, owns an eclectic assortment of more than 90 companies including BNSF railroad, Geico insurance, several major utilities and a number of manufacturing and retail businesses. Berkshire also holds major stock investments in Apple, Bank of America, Chevron, Coca-Cola and other companies.

<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a>

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 </figure>By ASSOCIATED PRESSOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Bidding for a final, private lunch with Warren Buffett, an event that has raised tens of millions for a California charity, has already reached $2.3 million.It will be the first private lunch offered by the billionaire since a record-setting bid in 2019. The past two auctions were called off due to the pandemic, and Buffett said this will be the last.The online auction that raises money to support the Glide Foundation’s work to help the homeless in San Francisco began Sunday and continues through Friday night.So far, only two bidders have participated, but the biggest bids don’t usually come until closer to the end of the eBay auction. Bidding during the last event reached an unprecedented $4,567,888.Buffett has raised nearly $34.5 million for Glide since the auction began in 2000. Many of the past winners paid high prices for the chance to pick Buffett’s brain about investing and talk about life lessons with the 91-year-old.Glide earned Buffett’s support when his first wife, Susie, introduced him to the charity after she started volunteering there. He has said Glide impressed him with the way it helps people in difficult situations find hope again in life. Glide provides meals, health care, job training, rehabilitation and housing support to the poor and homeless.Buffett’s Omaha, Nebraska, conglomerate, Berkshire Hathaway, owns an eclectic assortment of more than 90 companies including BNSF railroad, Geico insurance, several major utilities and a number of manufacturing and retail businesses. Berkshire also holds major stock investments in Apple, Bank of America, Chevron, Coca-Cola and other companies.<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a><figure>
 <img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Rl_HrHnoJPHQVu2KpseEVBXAeYRCSmiOIYF0ibSex_Qy6OksRKdSSenal5arIkygJ9PaAwsoBdpb6i_QtLfgQ4r26xzfYVX5JZ1yMT8sli77LfcongmQsgbQgivZpi6f6GcHg81tf9Tom462aA" alt="" />
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Early bids for final charity lunch with Buffett top $2.3M

By SCOTT CARLSON North Platte Post

LINCOLN, Neb.-Authorities have identified the man killed in a crash on Saturday night.

Lincoln police said at around 9:47 p.m., a black 2015 Yamaha YZFR6 motorcycle was northbound on South 48th St. when it struck a white 2020 Jeep Renegade that was southbound on South 84th St. and attempting to turn eastbound onto Glenoaks Dr.

Police said the driver of the motorcycle, Keith Doering, 24, of Lincoln, was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;

Police said the crash remains under investigation and are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact them at 402-441-6000 or Crime Stoppers at 402-475-3600.

Police did not report any injuries to the occupants of the Jeep.

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 </figure>By SCOTT CARLSON North Platte PostLINCOLN, Neb.-Authorities have identified the man killed in a crash on Saturday night.Lincoln police said at around 9:47 p.m., a black 2015 Yamaha YZFR6 motorcycle was northbound on South 48th St. when it struck a white 2020 Jeep Renegade that was southbound on South 84th St. and attempting to turn eastbound onto Glenoaks Dr.Police said the driver of the motorcycle, Keith Doering, 24, of Lincoln, was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;Police said the crash remains under investigation and are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact them at 402-441-6000 or Crime Stoppers at 402-475-3600.Police did not report any injuries to the occupants of the Jeep.<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a><figure>
 <img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Rl_HrHnoJPHQVu2KpseEVBXAeYRCSmiOIYF0ibSex_Qy6OksRKdSSenal5arIkygJ9PaAwsoBdpb6i_QtLfgQ4r26xzfYVX5JZ1yMT8sli77LfcongmQsgbQgivZpi6f6GcHg81tf9Tom462aA" alt="" />
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Lincoln police ID motorcyclist killed in crash

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol, with assistance from the TRIDENT Drug Task Force, have arrested a Hastings man after locating more than a pound of methamphetamine during a traffic stop.

The stop occurred at approximately 12:45 p.m. Friday near the intersection of Highway 281 and 33rd&nbsp;Street in Hastings. During the traffic stop, an NSP K-9 detected the odor of a controlled substance inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed 17 ounces of methamphetamine.

The driver, Robert Williams, 52, of Hastings, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and no drug tax stamp. He was lodged in Adams County Jail.

The TRIDENT task force includes the FBI, Nebraska State Patrol, Grand Island PD, Hastings PD, Kearney PD, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, and Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office.

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 </figure>By NEBRASKA STATE PATROLTroopers with the Nebraska State Patrol, with assistance from the TRIDENT Drug Task Force, have arrested a Hastings man after locating more than a pound of methamphetamine during a traffic stop.The stop occurred at approximately 12:45 p.m. Friday near the intersection of Highway 281 and 33rd&nbsp;Street in Hastings. During the traffic stop, an NSP K-9 detected the odor of a controlled substance inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed 17 ounces of methamphetamine.The driver, Robert Williams, 52, of Hastings, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and no drug tax stamp. He was lodged in Adams County Jail.The TRIDENT task force includes the FBI, Nebraska State Patrol, Grand Island PD, Hastings PD, Kearney PD, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, and Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office.<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a><figure>
 <img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Rl_HrHnoJPHQVu2KpseEVBXAeYRCSmiOIYF0ibSex_Qy6OksRKdSSenal5arIkygJ9PaAwsoBdpb6i_QtLfgQ4r26xzfYVX5JZ1yMT8sli77LfcongmQsgbQgivZpi6f6GcHg81tf9Tom462aA" alt="" />
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Neb. troopers, drug task force seize one pound of meth in Hastings

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate bargainers announced a bipartisan framework Sunday responding to last month’s mass shootings, a modest breakthrough offering measured gun curbs and bolstered efforts to improve school safety and mental health programs.

The proposal falls far short of tougher steps long sought by President Joe Biden and many Democrats. Even so, if the accord leads to the enactment of legislation, it would signal a turn from years of gun massacres that have yielded little but stalemate in Congress.

Leaders hope to push any agreement into law quickly — they hope this month — before the political momentum fades that has been stirred by the recent mass shootings in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-442c6d97a073f39f99d006dbba40f64b">Buffalo, New York</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings">Uvalde, Texas</a>.

In a significant development, 20 senators, including 10 Republicans, released a statement calling for passage. That is potentially crucial because the biggest obstacle to enacting the measure is probably in the 50-50 Senate, where at least 10 GOP votes will be needed to attain the usual 60-vote threshold for approval.

“Families are scared, and it is our duty to come together and get something done that will help restore their sense of safety and security in their communities,” the lawmakers said.

The compromise would make the juvenile records of gun buyers under age 21 available when they undergo background checks. The suspects who killed 10 people at a grocery store in Buffalo and 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde were both 18, and many of the attackers who have committed mass shootings in recent years have been young.

The agreement would offer money to states to implement “red flag” laws that make it easier to temporarily take guns from people considered potentially violent, and to bolster school safety and mental health programs.

And it would take other steps, including requiring more people who sell guns obtain federal dealers’ licenses, which means they would have to conduct background checks of purchasers.

Biden said in a statement that the framework “does not do everything that I think is needed, but it reflects important steps in the right direction, and would be the most significant gun safety legislation to pass Congress in decades.”

Given the bipartisan support, “there are no excuses for delay, and no reason why it should not quickly move through the Senate and the House,” he said.

The announcement underscored the election-year pressure both parties have felt since 10 Black people were killed at a grocery store in Buffalo and 19 students and two teachers were killed at an elementary school in Uvalde. Those massacres prompted two weeks of closed door talks among groups of senators led by Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., John Cornyn, R-Texas, Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Krysten Sinema, D-Ariz.

The agreement represents a lowest common denominator compromise on gun violence, not a complete sea change in Congress. It comes with lawmakers determined to show they are responding to voters’ revulsion over Buffalo and Uvalde, but with Republicans still blocking more sweeping steps Democrats want.

These include banning assault-style firearms such as the AR-15 style rifles used in Buffalo and Uvalde, or raising the legal age for buying them. AR-15s are popular and powerful semi-automatic weapons that can fire high-capacity magazines and have been used in many of the nation’s highest-profile slaughters in recent years. One of them, the killing of 49 people at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, occurred six years ago Sunday.

Democrats have also wanted to ban high capacity magazines and to expand required background checks to far more gun purchases. None of those proposals has a chance in Congress.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652568426409.png" alt="Investigators at the scene of the mass shooting in Buffalo last month. -photo courtesy WKBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Investigators at the scene of the mass shooting in Buffalo last month. -photo courtesy WKBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate bargainers announced a bipartisan framework Sunday responding to last month’s mass shootings, a modest breakthrough offering measured gun curbs and bolstered efforts to improve school safety and mental health programs.The proposal falls far short of tougher steps long sought by President Joe Biden and many Democrats. Even so, if the accord leads to the enactment of legislation, it would signal a turn from years of gun massacres that have yielded little but stalemate in Congress.Leaders hope to push any agreement into law quickly — they hope this month — before the political momentum fades that has been stirred by the recent mass shootings in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-442c6d97a073f39f99d006dbba40f64b">Buffalo, New York</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings">Uvalde, Texas</a>.In a significant development, 20 senators, including 10 Republicans, released a statement calling for passage. That is potentially crucial because the biggest obstacle to enacting the measure is probably in the 50-50 Senate, where at least 10 GOP votes will be needed to attain the usual 60-vote threshold for approval.“Families are scared, and it is our duty to come together and get something done that will help restore their sense of safety and security in their communities,” the lawmakers said.The compromise would make the juvenile records of gun buyers under age 21 available when they undergo background checks. The suspects who killed 10 people at a grocery store in Buffalo and 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde were both 18, and many of the attackers who have committed mass shootings in recent years have been young.The agreement would offer money to states to implement “red flag” laws that make it easier to temporarily take guns from people considered potentially violent, and to bolster school safety and mental health programs.And it would take other steps, including requiring more people who sell guns obtain federal dealers’ licenses, which means they would have to conduct background checks of purchasers.Biden said in a statement that the framework “does not do everything that I think is needed, but it reflects important steps in the right direction, and would be the most significant gun safety legislation to pass Congress in decades.”Given the bipartisan support, “there are no excuses for delay, and no reason why it should not quickly move through the Senate and the House,” he said.The announcement underscored the election-year pressure both parties have felt since 10 Black people were killed at a grocery store in Buffalo and 19 students and two teachers were killed at an elementary school in Uvalde. Those massacres prompted two weeks of closed door talks among groups of senators led by Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., John Cornyn, R-Texas, Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Krysten Sinema, D-Ariz.The agreement represents a lowest common denominator compromise on gun violence, not a complete sea change in Congress. It comes with lawmakers determined to show they are responding to voters’ revulsion over Buffalo and Uvalde, but with Republicans still blocking more sweeping steps Democrats want.These include banning assault-style firearms such as the AR-15 style rifles used in Buffalo and Uvalde, or raising the legal age for buying them. AR-15s are popular and powerful semi-automatic weapons that can fire high-capacity magazines and have been used in many of the nation’s highest-profile slaughters in recent years. One of them, the killing of 49 people at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, occurred six years ago Sunday.Democrats have also wanted to ban high capacity magazines and to expand required background checks to far more gun purchases. None of those proposals has a chance in Congress.

Senate bargainers announce outline of gun violence agreement

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of people rallied on the National Mall and across the United States on Saturday in a renewed push for gun control measures after recent deadly mass shootings from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">Uvalde, Texas</a>, to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-442c6d97a073f39f99d006dbba40f64b">Buffalo, New York</a>, that activists say should compel Congress to act.

“Enough is enough,” District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser told the second March for Our Lives rally in her city. “I speak as a mayor, a mom, and I speak for millions of Americans and America’s mayors who are demanding that Congress do its job. And its job is to protect us, to protect our children from gun violence.”

Speaker after speaker in Washington called on senators, who are seen as a major impediment to legislation, to act or face being voted out of office, especially given the shock to the nation’s conscience after 19 children and two teachers were killed May 24 at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.

“If our government can’t do anything to stop 19 kids from being killed and slaughtered in their own school, and decapitated, it’s time to change who is in government,” said David Hogg, a survivor of the 2018 shooting that killed 17 students and staff at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-shootings-shootings-florida-ap-top-news-fl-state-wire-49734418df1e477681cf36b29faca7da">Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida</a>.

A co-founder of the March For Our Lives organization that was created after that shooting and held its first rally in Washington not long afterward, Hogg led the crowd in chants of “Vote them out.”

Another Parkland survivor and group co-founder, X Gonzalez, delivered an impassioned, profanity-laced plea to Congress for change. “We are being murdered,” they screamed and implored Congress to “act your age, not your shoe size.”

Added Yolanda King, granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr.: “This time is different because this isn’t about politics. It’s about morality. Not right and left, but right and wrong, and that doesn’t just mean thoughts and prayers. That means courage and action.”

Manuel Oliver, whose son, Joaquin, was killed in the Parkland shooting, called on students “to avoid going back to school until our elected leaders stop avoiding the crisis of gun violence in America and start acting to save our lives.”

Hundreds gathered at an amphitheater in Parkland, where Debra Hixon, whose husband, high school athletic director Chris Hixon, died in the shooting, said it is “all too easy” for young men to walk into stores and buy weapons.

“Going home to an empty bed and an empty seat at the table is a constant reminder that he is gone,” said Hixon, who now serves as a school board member. “We weren’t done making memories, sharing dreams and living life together. Gun violence ripped that away from my family.”

In San Antonio, about 85 miles east of Uvalde, marchers chanted “Hey, hey, ho, ho, the NRA has got to go.” A man who said he helped to organize the rally, Frank Ruiz, called for gun reform laws similar to those enacted in Florida after the Parkland shooting that focused on raising the age for purchasing certain firearms and flagging those with mental health issues.

The U.S. House has passed bills to raise the age limit to buy semi-automatic weapons and establish federal “red flag” laws. A bipartisan group of senators had hoped to reach agreement this week on a framework for addressing the issue and held talks Friday, but no deal was announced.

President Joe Biden, who was in California when the Washington rally began, said his message to demonstrators was “keep marching” and added that he is “mildly optimistic” about legislative negotiations to address gun violence. Biden recently delivered an impassioned address to the nation in which he called for several steps, including raising the age limit for buying assault-style weapons.

In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams, who campaigned on reining in violence in the nation’s largest city, joined state Attorney General Letitia James,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-new-york-manhattan-national-rifle-association-gun-a8067cfd9a6bfe03edd3c0f2efa9e3a2">who is suing the National Rifle Association</a>, in leading activists across the Brooklyn Bridge.

“Nothing happens in this country until young people stand up — not politicians,” James said.

Joining the call for change were hundreds of people who rallied in a park outside the courthouse in Portland, Maine, before they marched through the Old Port and gathered outside of City Hall. At one point, they chanted, “Hey, hey, hey, NRA. How many kids did you kill today.”

John Wuesthoff, a retired lawyer in Portland, said he was waving an American flag during the rally as a reminder that gun control is “not un-American.”

“It’s very American to have reasonable regulations to save the lives of our children,” he said.

Hundreds of protesters in Milwaukee marched from the county courthouse to the city’s Deer District, where last month 21 people were injured in shootings on the night of an NBA playoff game. Organizer Tatiana Washington, whose aunt was killed by gun violence in 2017, said this year’s march is particularly significant to Milwaukee residents.

“A lot of us are still very heavily thinking about the mass shooting that occurred after the Bucks game,” Washington said. “We shouldn’t be scared to go watch our team in the playoffs and live in fear that we’re going to be shot at.”

The passion that the issue stirs was clear in Washington when a young man jumped the barricade and tried to rush the stage before being intercepted by security. The incident caused a brief panic as people began to scatter.

Organizers hoped the second March for Our Lives rally would draw as many as 50,000 people to the Washington Monument, though the crowd seemed closer to 30,000. The 2018 event attracted more than 200,000 people, but the focus this time was on smaller marches at an estimated 300 locations.

The youth-led movement created after the Parkland shooting successfully pressured the Republican-dominated Florida state government to enact sweeping gun control changes. The group did not match that at the national level, but has persisted in advocating for gun restrictions since then, as well as participating in voter registration drives.

Survivors of mass shootings and other incidents of gun violence have lobbied legislators and testified on Capitol Hill this week. Among them was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-texas-violence-gun-government-and-politics-4e9fd73d179e2448d80271abbe016fd4">Miah Cerrillo, an 11-year-old girl who survived the shooting</a>&nbsp;at Robb Elementary. She described for lawmakers how she covered herself with a dead classmate’s blood to avoid being shot.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654991563265.png" alt="Rally at at the National Mall on Saturday photo courtesy March for our Lives" />
 <figcaption>Rally at at the National Mall on Saturday photo courtesy March for our Lives</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of people rallied on the National Mall and across the United States on Saturday in a renewed push for gun control measures after recent deadly mass shootings from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">Uvalde, Texas</a>, to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-442c6d97a073f39f99d006dbba40f64b">Buffalo, New York</a>, that activists say should compel Congress to act.“Enough is enough,” District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser told the second March for Our Lives rally in her city. “I speak as a mayor, a mom, and I speak for millions of Americans and America’s mayors who are demanding that Congress do its job. And its job is to protect us, to protect our children from gun violence.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">So proud to stand with my sister resisters at the Omaha March for Our Lives event. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WearOrange?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WearOrange</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DontLookAway?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DontLookAway</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EndGunViolence?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EndGunViolence</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MomsDemand?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MomsDemand</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Everytown?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Everytown</a> <a href="https://t.co/BL3mcWBJyU">pic.twitter.com/BL3mcWBJyU</a>&mdash; Fed Up Mom (@StevieMack1) <a href="https://twitter.com/StevieMack1/status/1535750937540808706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaker after speaker in Washington called on senators, who are seen as a major impediment to legislation, to act or face being voted out of office, especially given the shock to the nation’s conscience after 19 children and two teachers were killed May 24 at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.“If our government can’t do anything to stop 19 kids from being killed and slaughtered in their own school, and decapitated, it’s time to change who is in government,” said David Hogg, a survivor of the 2018 shooting that killed 17 students and staff at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-shootings-shootings-florida-ap-top-news-fl-state-wire-49734418df1e477681cf36b29faca7da">Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida</a>.A co-founder of the March For Our Lives organization that was created after that shooting and held its first rally in Washington not long afterward, Hogg led the crowd in chants of “Vote them out.”Another Parkland survivor and group co-founder, X Gonzalez, delivered an impassioned, profanity-laced plea to Congress for change. “We are being murdered,” they screamed and implored Congress to “act your age, not your shoe size.”Added Yolanda King, granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr.: “This time is different because this isn’t about politics. It’s about morality. Not right and left, but right and wrong, and that doesn’t just mean thoughts and prayers. That means courage and action.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654991535181.png" alt="Photo courtesy AFT Union" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy AFT Union</figcaption>
 </figure>Manuel Oliver, whose son, Joaquin, was killed in the Parkland shooting, called on students “to avoid going back to school until our elected leaders stop avoiding the crisis of gun violence in America and start acting to save our lives.”Hundreds gathered at an amphitheater in Parkland, where Debra Hixon, whose husband, high school athletic director Chris Hixon, died in the shooting, said it is “all too easy” for young men to walk into stores and buy weapons.“Going home to an empty bed and an empty seat at the table is a constant reminder that he is gone,” said Hixon, who now serves as a school board member. “We weren’t done making memories, sharing dreams and living life together. Gun violence ripped that away from my family.”In San Antonio, about 85 miles east of Uvalde, marchers chanted “Hey, hey, ho, ho, the NRA has got to go.” A man who said he helped to organize the rally, Frank Ruiz, called for gun reform laws similar to those enacted in Florida after the Parkland shooting that focused on raising the age for purchasing certain firearms and flagging those with mental health issues.The U.S. House has passed bills to raise the age limit to buy semi-automatic weapons and establish federal “red flag” laws. A bipartisan group of senators had hoped to reach agreement this week on a framework for addressing the issue and held talks Friday, but no deal was announced.President Joe Biden, who was in California when the Washington rally began, said his message to demonstrators was “keep marching” and added that he is “mildly optimistic” about legislative negotiations to address gun violence. Biden recently delivered an impassioned address to the nation in which he called for several steps, including raising the age limit for buying assault-style weapons.In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams, who campaigned on reining in violence in the nation’s largest city, joined state Attorney General Letitia James,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-new-york-manhattan-national-rifle-association-gun-a8067cfd9a6bfe03edd3c0f2efa9e3a2">who is suing the National Rifle Association</a>, in leading activists across the Brooklyn Bridge.“Nothing happens in this country until young people stand up — not politicians,” James said.Joining the call for change were hundreds of people who rallied in a park outside the courthouse in Portland, Maine, before they marched through the Old Port and gathered outside of City Hall. At one point, they chanted, “Hey, hey, hey, NRA. How many kids did you kill today.”John Wuesthoff, a retired lawyer in Portland, said he was waving an American flag during the rally as a reminder that gun control is “not un-American.”“It’s very American to have reasonable regulations to save the lives of our children,” he said.Hundreds of protesters in Milwaukee marched from the county courthouse to the city’s Deer District, where last month 21 people were injured in shootings on the night of an NBA playoff game. Organizer Tatiana Washington, whose aunt was killed by gun violence in 2017, said this year’s march is particularly significant to Milwaukee residents.“A lot of us are still very heavily thinking about the mass shooting that occurred after the Bucks game,” Washington said. “We shouldn’t be scared to go watch our team in the playoffs and live in fear that we’re going to be shot at.”The passion that the issue stirs was clear in Washington when a young man jumped the barricade and tried to rush the stage before being intercepted by security. The incident caused a brief panic as people began to scatter.Organizers hoped the second March for Our Lives rally would draw as many as 50,000 people to the Washington Monument, though the crowd seemed closer to 30,000. The 2018 event attracted more than 200,000 people, but the focus this time was on smaller marches at an estimated 300 locations.The youth-led movement created after the Parkland shooting successfully pressured the Republican-dominated Florida state government to enact sweeping gun control changes. The group did not match that at the national level, but has persisted in advocating for gun restrictions since then, as well as participating in voter registration drives.Survivors of mass shootings and other incidents of gun violence have lobbied legislators and testified on Capitol Hill this week. Among them was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-texas-violence-gun-government-and-politics-4e9fd73d179e2448d80271abbe016fd4">Miah Cerrillo, an 11-year-old girl who survived the shooting</a>&nbsp;at Robb Elementary. She described for lawmakers how she covered herself with a dead classmate’s blood to avoid being shot.

Protesters in Nebraska, across US demand action on gun laws

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — As the nation awaits a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding a Mississippi law that calls for banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, LGBTQ advocates are pushing to codify protections for same-sex marriage in states throughout the country.

Since the leak of a draft opinion alluded to the court potentially overturning abortion rights, concerns have grown over whether justices could next move to reverse other decisions that rely on the “right to privacy” that the court outlined in the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide nearly 50 years ago.

The leaked opinion authored by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the court’s 6-3 conservative majority, explicitly says the decision concerns abortion and no other rights.

But legal experts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-right-to-privacy-6e1d7ee2a6d26bef09392971fd4948b5">have speculated</a>&nbsp;that similar logic could be used to reverse other decisions, including Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 case in which the court ruled same-sex marriage bans unconstitutional.

“We need states across this country to say, ‘We see you. You exist. You deserve respect. And you deserve protections, because your relationship is no different than any other,’” said Jim Obergefell, the plaintiff in the landmark case, who is now a Democratic candidate trying to become an Ohio state lawmaker.

Before the Supreme Court struck down bans and legalized same-sex marriage, 31 states had enacted laws banning same-sex couples from marrying. The laws have not been in effect since courts ruled them unconstitutional, but they remain on the books in most of those states.

For years they were considered defunct and attracted little attention, but the shifting composition of the Supreme Court has led several states to remove them from their statutes and constitutions. Virginia and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/couples-weddings-elections-reno-us-supreme-court-967b5c868e4f3ec91a3a66115eb8e556">Nevada</a>&nbsp;repealed their defunct bans in 2020 and New Jersey codified marriage rights for same-sex couples in 2021.

“We should all be worried about our other fundamental rights that have been obtained through the courts over the last decade or so,” said Utah state Sen. Derek Kitchen, a Democrat and the state’s only LGBTQ lawmaker said on the steps of the statehouse on Tuesday.

Kitchen and New Jersey Assemblyman Don Guardian, a Republican, want more states to remove the same-sex marriage bans from their laws and codify rights for LGBTQ couples to prepare for a worst-case scenario in which the Supreme Court decides to overturn the 2015 same-sex marriage decision.

“I would very concerned for any state that doesn’t take up the same type of legislation now before the court rules (on abortion) so they can protect their LGBTQ+ residents that have gotten married,” said Guardian, who is gay.

Though the New Jersey law passed with bipartisan support, similar moves to codify same-sex marriage rights could face uphill battles in Republican-led legislatures that have begun to revisit LGBTQ issues with newfound zeal.

Some have moved to limit LGBTQ subject matter from school curriculums and regulate healthcare for transgender youth. At least a dozen, including Utah, have passed laws limiting participation in sports for transgender youth.

Kitchen likened the state same-sex marriage bans to “trigger laws” that many Republican-led states have enacted to prepare for a scenario in which Roe v. Wade is overturned and states can resume limiting abortions.

Kitchen hasn’t talked to the Republicans who lead the Utah Legislature, but said he’s optimistic same-sex marriage has been embraced widely enough in Utah that codifying protections for LGBTQ couples will win widespread support.

“Utah is a family friendly state. We support families we know how important it is to provide stable units for children to grow,” he said.

Kitchen added: “We have already decided as a community that marriage equality is a value that we care about. So yes, this is something that does have a chance of passing in Utah.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654779398677.png" alt="Photo courtesy&nbsp;Utah Sen. Derek Kitchen" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy&nbsp;Utah Sen. Derek Kitchen</figcaption>
 </figure>SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — As the nation awaits a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding a Mississippi law that calls for banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, LGBTQ advocates are pushing to codify protections for same-sex marriage in states throughout the country.Since the leak of a draft opinion alluded to the court potentially overturning abortion rights, concerns have grown over whether justices could next move to reverse other decisions that rely on the “right to privacy” that the court outlined in the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide nearly 50 years ago.The leaked opinion authored by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the court’s 6-3 conservative majority, explicitly says the decision concerns abortion and no other rights.But legal experts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-right-to-privacy-6e1d7ee2a6d26bef09392971fd4948b5">have speculated</a>&nbsp;that similar logic could be used to reverse other decisions, including Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 case in which the court ruled same-sex marriage bans unconstitutional.“We need states across this country to say, ‘We see you. You exist. You deserve respect. And you deserve protections, because your relationship is no different than any other,’” said Jim Obergefell, the plaintiff in the landmark case, who is now a Democratic candidate trying to become an Ohio state lawmaker.Before the Supreme Court struck down bans and legalized same-sex marriage, 31 states had enacted laws banning same-sex couples from marrying. The laws have not been in effect since courts ruled them unconstitutional, but they remain on the books in most of those states.For years they were considered defunct and attracted little attention, but the shifting composition of the Supreme Court has led several states to remove them from their statutes and constitutions. Virginia and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/couples-weddings-elections-reno-us-supreme-court-967b5c868e4f3ec91a3a66115eb8e556">Nevada</a>&nbsp;repealed their defunct bans in 2020 and New Jersey codified marriage rights for same-sex couples in 2021.“We should all be worried about our other fundamental rights that have been obtained through the courts over the last decade or so,” said Utah state Sen. Derek Kitchen, a Democrat and the state’s only LGBTQ lawmaker said on the steps of the statehouse on Tuesday.Kitchen and New Jersey Assemblyman Don Guardian, a Republican, want more states to remove the same-sex marriage bans from their laws and codify rights for LGBTQ couples to prepare for a worst-case scenario in which the Supreme Court decides to overturn the 2015 same-sex marriage decision.“I would very concerned for any state that doesn’t take up the same type of legislation now before the court rules (on abortion) so they can protect their LGBTQ+ residents that have gotten married,” said Guardian, who is gay.Though the New Jersey law passed with bipartisan support, similar moves to codify same-sex marriage rights could face uphill battles in Republican-led legislatures that have begun to revisit LGBTQ issues with newfound zeal.Some have moved to limit LGBTQ subject matter from school curriculums and regulate healthcare for transgender youth. At least a dozen, including Utah, have passed laws limiting participation in sports for transgender youth.Kitchen likened the state same-sex marriage bans to “trigger laws” that many Republican-led states have enacted to prepare for a scenario in which Roe v. Wade is overturned and states can resume limiting abortions.Kitchen hasn’t talked to the Republicans who lead the Utah Legislature, but said he’s optimistic same-sex marriage has been embraced widely enough in Utah that codifying protections for LGBTQ couples will win widespread support.“Utah is a family friendly state. We support families we know how important it is to provide stable units for children to grow,” he said.Kitchen added: “We have already decided as a community that marriage equality is a value that we care about. So yes, this is something that does have a chance of passing in Utah.”

Same-sex marriage advocates push for post-Roe protections

NEW YORK (AP) — The nationwide average price for a gallon of gasoline has topped $5 for the first time ever.

Auto club AAA said the average price on Saturday was $5.00. Motorists in some parts of the country, especially California, are paying far above that.

The national average price has jumped 19 cents in just the past week, and it’s up $1.93 from this time last year.

There are several reasons for the surge in gasoline prices.

Americans typically drive more starting around Memorial Day, so demand is up. Global oil prices are rising, compounded by sanctions against Russia, a leading oil producer, because of its war against Ukraine. And there are limits on refining capacity in the United States because some refineries shut down during the pandemic.

Add it all up, and the cost of filling up is draining money from Americans who are facing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/key-inflation-report-highest-level-in-four-decades-c0248c5b5705cd1523d3dab3771983b4">highest rate of inflation in 40 years</a>.

California has the highest average price, at $6.43, according to AAA. The lowest average is Mississippi, at $4.52.

While this is the first time breaking the $5 barrier, it’s still not a record when inflation is taken into account. Gas peaked at $4.11 a gallon in July 2008, which would be equal to about $5.40 a gallon today.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654949375429.png" alt="The national average price has jumped 19 cents in just the past week, and it’s up $1.93 from this time last year.-Google image" />
 <figcaption>The national average price has jumped 19 cents in just the past week, and it’s up $1.93 from this time last year.-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The nationwide average price for a gallon of gasoline has topped $5 for the first time ever.Auto club AAA said the average price on Saturday was $5.00. Motorists in some parts of the country, especially California, are paying far above that.The national average price has jumped 19 cents in just the past week, and it’s up $1.93 from this time last year.There are several reasons for the surge in gasoline prices.Americans typically drive more starting around Memorial Day, so demand is up. Global oil prices are rising, compounded by sanctions against Russia, a leading oil producer, because of its war against Ukraine. And there are limits on refining capacity in the United States because some refineries shut down during the pandemic.Add it all up, and the cost of filling up is draining money from Americans who are facing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/key-inflation-report-highest-level-in-four-decades-c0248c5b5705cd1523d3dab3771983b4">highest rate of inflation in 40 years</a>.California has the highest average price, at $6.43, according to AAA. The lowest average is Mississippi, at $4.52.While this is the first time breaking the $5 barrier, it’s still not a record when inflation is taken into account. Gas peaked at $4.11 a gallon in July 2008, which would be equal to about $5.40 a gallon today.

$5 gas is here: AAA says nationwide average hits new high

NEW YORK (AP) — An estimated 20 million people watched Thursday night’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-riot-hearing-67ec5f32b1dd050a24c3312570fa6c67">hearing of the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection</a>&nbsp;at the U.S. Capitol.

The figures released Friday by the Nielsen Company include viewers from 12 television networks that aired the rare primetime hearing, including ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, and FOX Business Network.

The numbers do not include online viewers or those who watched on PBS.

The hearing, which aired from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the U.S. East Coast, made many elements of the ongoing investigation public for the first time, including a never-before-seen 12-minute video of extremist groups leading the deadly siege, and startling testimony from President Donald Trump’s inner circle.

By comparison, the opening day of each of the Trump impeachment trials drew about 11 million viewers. Those aired during the day on fewer networks, but the far higher figures from Thursday suggest that the primetime experiment succeeded in capturing national attention in a way usually reserved for live sporting events.

Fox News, which did not air the hearings, drew nearly 3 million viewers for the same two hours.

Last week’s highest rated television shows, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-golden-state-warriors-boston-celtics-nba-entertainment-291d392d21615ed5f089f0dc8926de21">first two games of the NBA finals</a>&nbsp;on ABC, each had between 11 million and 12 million viewers.

The hearing promised: New footage. New testimony. New and damning revelations designed to eliminate all doubt. Hired to package it all for the airwaves: A former network news president. 

The time slot: 8 p.m. on the East Coast, once a plum spot for the most significant television programming in the land.

Presented in prime time and carefully calibrated for a TV-viewing audience (itself increasingly an anachronism),&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-capitol-riot-hearings-live-updates-eefb79f2cffb705f04bf43ea164db20f">the debut of the Jan. 6 hearings</a>&nbsp;was, in essence, a summer rerun. Designed as a riveting legislative docudrama about an event that most of the country saw live 18 months ago, it tried mightily to break new narrative ground in a nation of short attention spans and endless distractions.

But did it? Can it? Even with gripping, violent video and the integrity of American democracy potentially at stake, can a shiny, weeks-long production that prosecutes with yesterday’s news — news that has been watched, processed and argued over ad nauseam — punch through the static and make a difference today?

“The idea of a televised investigative proceeding maybe feels a little obsolete when so many people already had so much access to what happened,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://mcs.umbc.edu/rebecca-adelman/" target="_blank">Rebecca Adelman,</a>&nbsp;professor and chair of media and communication studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. “This is a population that by all evidence is fatigued by a lot of things. I’m not sure how much sustained attention anyone has left at this point.”

That’s why the hearings needed one key thing most legislative committees lack: a professional TV executive — someone who could arrange and curate violent amateur and surveillance video, 3D motion graphics, eyewitness testimony and depositions into a storyline built to echo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654827329216.jpeg" alt="In Thursday's prime-time hearing, lawmakers said the siege was no accident but an “attempted coup."" />
 <figcaption>In Thursday's prime-time hearing, lawmakers said the siege was no accident but an “attempted coup."</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — An estimated 20 million people watched Thursday night’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-riot-hearing-67ec5f32b1dd050a24c3312570fa6c67">hearing of the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection</a>&nbsp;at the U.S. Capitol.The figures released Friday by the Nielsen Company include viewers from 12 television networks that aired the rare primetime hearing, including ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, and FOX Business Network.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hZ0yNe3cFx4?start=857" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The numbers do not include online viewers or those who watched on PBS.The hearing, which aired from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the U.S. East Coast, made many elements of the ongoing investigation public for the first time, including a never-before-seen 12-minute video of extremist groups leading the deadly siege, and startling testimony from President Donald Trump’s inner circle.By comparison, the opening day of each of the Trump impeachment trials drew about 11 million viewers. Those aired during the day on fewer networks, but the far higher figures from Thursday suggest that the primetime experiment succeeded in capturing national attention in a way usually reserved for live sporting events.Fox News, which did not air the hearings, drew nearly 3 million viewers for the same two hours.Last week’s highest rated television shows, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-golden-state-warriors-boston-celtics-nba-entertainment-291d392d21615ed5f089f0dc8926de21">first two games of the NBA finals</a>&nbsp;on ABC, each had between 11 million and 12 million viewers.The hearing promised: New footage. New testimony. New and damning revelations designed to eliminate all doubt. Hired to package it all for the airwaves: A former network news president. The time slot: 8 p.m. on the East Coast, once a plum spot for the most significant television programming in the land.Presented in prime time and carefully calibrated for a TV-viewing audience (itself increasingly an anachronism),&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-capitol-riot-hearings-live-updates-eefb79f2cffb705f04bf43ea164db20f">the debut of the Jan. 6 hearings</a>&nbsp;was, in essence, a summer rerun. Designed as a riveting legislative docudrama about an event that most of the country saw live 18 months ago, it tried mightily to break new narrative ground in a nation of short attention spans and endless distractions.But did it? Can it? Even with gripping, violent video and the integrity of American democracy potentially at stake, can a shiny, weeks-long production that prosecutes with yesterday’s news — news that has been watched, processed and argued over ad nauseam — punch through the static and make a difference today?“The idea of a televised investigative proceeding maybe feels a little obsolete when so many people already had so much access to what happened,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://mcs.umbc.edu/rebecca-adelman/" target="_blank">Rebecca Adelman,</a>&nbsp;professor and chair of media and communication studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. “This is a population that by all evidence is fatigued by a lot of things. I’m not sure how much sustained attention anyone has left at this point.”That’s why the hearings needed one key thing most legislative committees lack: a professional TV executive — someone who could arrange and curate violent amateur and surveillance video, 3D motion graphics, eyewitness testimony and depositions into a storyline built to echo.Enter James Goldston, the former president of ABC News. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/06/jan-6-committee-adviser-james-goldston" target="_blank">language Axios used in reporting his involvement</a>&nbsp;was instructive. Goldston, it said, would approach Thursday night’s hearing “as if it were a blockbuster investigative special” with “the makings of a national event.”Those are not often words you hear about a committee hearing. They’re the words of showmanship — something politics has always had, actual governance less so.During the media-savvy (for its era) Kennedy administration, the historian&nbsp;<a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Daniel-J-Boorstin" target="_blank">Daniel J. Boorstin</a>&nbsp;famously coined the term&nbsp;<a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/pseudo-event" target="_blank">“pseudo-event”</a>&nbsp;— an event conducted expressly for the purpose of being noticed. While that isn’t the case with the Jan. 6 hearings — actual governance is taking place — the buildup and presentation makes it easy to conclude otherwise.Could it be that this is the only way to grab the public’s attention? After all, since Jan. 6, 2021, much of America has moved on to fresh worries.Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, seized on some of those in a series of tweets attacking the committee. “When’s the prime-time hearing,” he asked in six tweets, followed by “on $5 per gallon gas,” “on baby formula shortages,” “on record crime in Democrat-run cities,” “on the left’s 2020 riots,” “on record high grocery prices,” “on Democrats attacking parental rights at school board meetings” and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Jim_Jordan/status/1535043984342515720" target="_blank">“on threats against Supreme Court Justices and their families.”</a>By many appearances, the country is operating as it was before the insurrection.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-michael-pence-coronavirus-pandemic-united-states-fd23e8bf43a035689e6a3d3f3bd06e58">Joe Biden was inaugurated as scheduled</a>&nbsp;14 days after the insurrection. No evidence of election fraud surfaced. The pandemic ebbed. People are talking about guns and gas prices and Russia — not its interference in U.S. elections, but its invasion of Ukraine.All of this, of course, belies the fact that the Capitol riot undermined the sanctity and security of the democratic process. After more than 200 years in which the peaceful transfer of power was taken for granted in America, it suddenly and very violently wasn’t.And yet, in this meme-soaked era when loud events fade from the consciousness and are replaced by other loud events within days, it apparently takes what is essentially a Very Special Episode of Congress, packaged up like a documentary brimming with video clips and text-message screengrabs, to get the public’s attention.And that public is ... who, exactly?The masses of Donald Trump supporters and opponents who have dug in their heels on both sides — those who think this is ridiculous political posturing and those who insist that day represented an existential threat to democracy — may not be the target audience. More likely, it is Americans who retain an open mind and have kind of moved on; who could use a reminder in the most American way possible: by being presented with an on-screen drama to consume. (Unless you watch Fox News prime time, which vociferously&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1535052658780024832" target="_blank">refused to air it,</a>&nbsp;though other Fox platforms did).High-profile public legislative hearings about the workings of government — from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/army-mccarthy-hearings" target="_blank">Army-McCarthy hearings</a>&nbsp;in 1954 to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/12/arts/television/impeachment-watergate.html" target="_blank">Watergate hearings</a>&nbsp;in 1973 to the Iran-Contra hearings in 1987 — have a history of drawing the nation’s attention and being their era’s version of must-see government TV.But all those came in the days when a “phone” was something that made calls and was plugged into the wall — well before the era of media fragmentation produced by the internet and, a decade later, the rise of social media and content creation in your pocket.The raw material presented Thursday night was at times banal and procedural (depositions, speeches). But at times (the violent and profane video montage, the eyewitness testimony of Capitol police officer Caroline Edwards), it felt compelling, terrifying and immediate.“We’ve lost the line! We’ve lost the line!” viewers heard one Capitol police officer shout as he was being attacked by rioters. Yelled another, terror in his voice: “Officer down!” And this chilling shout, from the background of one scene of chaos: “We’re coming!”Then the production values took center stage — a perfectly timed voiceover of Trump saying, “They were peaceful people” and “the love in the air, I’ve never seen anything like it” before the sequence fades out.These are surely the moments that will be cannibalized on social in coming hours and days. So much of political discourse happens online these days, and what was once must-see TV is now on your phone, on demand. Content producers on TikTok and Twitter and Instagram are driving the moments to remember. And if this was a produced TV show, those will be its tiny offspring.“People will be making their own spinoffs, a few seconds at a time,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://newhouse.syr.edu/people/robert-thompson" target="_blank">Robert Thompson,</a>&nbsp;director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University. “Now ... we’re in the age of developing stories as an interactive video game, where you take the coverage of that day and you turn it into a meme and get 30 million viewers. I think that’s how a lot of people are going to experience these hearings.”So check out your social media feeds, 2022-style, for the next phase of this drama — political and entertaining and unsettling all at once, and aggressively, messily American.“We watched the preseason. We watched the season. And now this is behind the scenes in `American Politics: The Sport,’” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www1.wne.edu/arts-and-sciences/faculty.cfm?uid=46" target="_blank">John Baick,</a>&nbsp;a historian at Western New England University. “I don’t think anyone’s going to remember where they were when they watched the Capitol investigations.”