By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/18/corrections-officials-tout-new-prison-addition-as-safer-more-efficient/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 — State corrections officials showed off the newest addition to the 
state prison system Wednesday, touting it as safer for both inmates and 
staff and better able to rehabilitate prisoners and retain security 
staff.&nbsp;

The
 $125 million addition to the Lincoln Correctional Center and Diagnostic
 and Evaluation Center includes two 32-bed units for inmates with acute 
mental illnesses and those needing medical care, as well as a 384-bed 
are to house the state’s most dangerous prisoners.&nbsp;

“The
 bottom line is you’re going to see a great prison,” said State 
Corrections Director Scott Frakes, prior to a tour for news media and 
state officials, including Gov. Pete Ricketts.

Frakes
 said many of the design features in the maximum security wing of the 
recently renamed Reception and Treatment Center &nbsp;will be similar to 
those envisioned in a 1,500-bed prison being planned by the Ricketts 
administration to replace the aging State Penitentiary in Lincoln.

The
 Nebraska Legislature declined this spring to give the final go-ahead 
for a $270 million prison, opting to wait for a new master plan for the 
state prison system expected before the end of the year. But state 
lawmakers did set aside $175 million for the ultimate construction of 
the massive facility, if approved in the 2023 legislative session and by
 a new, incoming governor.

Frakes
 did say that some of the 10 state senators who toured the RTC on Monday
 remarked that they had a clearer picture of what the larger, proposed 
prison would look like.

“They said, ‘Now I can visualize it,’” the corrections director said.

The
 idea behind the new RTC prison addition, built on Lincoln’s western 
edge, was to provide more secure and modern maximum-security housing for
 the state’s most dangerous inmates and to expand and enhance mental 
health facilities and health care.

Among
 the added security features are sliding cell doors, which are less 
dangerous than the swinging doors now used in maximum security units 
across the state.

The
 new addition includes a modern kitchen capable of feeding 1,350 
inmates, an improved dental clinic and new amenities for staff, 
including a locker, separate lunch room and weight room.&nbsp;

Frakes
 said the RTC addition provides more room for inmates to safely move 
around and congregate, and more space for rehabilitation classes.&nbsp;

The
 expansion will slightly reduce overcrowding in the state’s most 
overcrowded prison and the nation’s most overcrowded prison system.

During
 the first quarter of 2022, the RTC held an average of 1,077 inmates, 
which was more than double the design capacity of 468. Overall, the 
state prison system was holding about 900 more inmates than its nine 
prisons were designed to hold and was at 152% of capacity.

Overcrowding at the RTC is expected to drop from the current 230% as the design capacity increases to 884 beds.

Recent
 pay raises for corrections corporals, sergeants and caseworkers, Frakes
 said, has significantly reduced staff vacancies among those ranks. He 
said the state has hired 200 security staffers from 36 states since 
December and hired 472 new protective services employees all together.

The
 RTC, state penetentiary and state prison in Tecumseh still remain on 
“staffing emergency” status, which means longer shifts for employees, 
fewer visiting hours and restrictions on yard time for inmates to four 
days a week instead of seven. Prison officials had predicted those 
emergencies would be lifted in April, but Frakes said Wednesday that 
officials are now working on phasing out the emergencies in upcoming 
weeks.

Overall,
 protective services now has 160 vacancies, he said, a major improvement
 compared to 427 vacancies in November. Most vacant positions in Lincoln
 and Omaha have been filled, he said, with more work needed at Tecumseh,
 a rural prison that has a history of staff shortages, high turnover and
 high staff overtime costs.

Frakes said if current trends continue, turnover for staff will be about 16% this year. It was above 30% a couple of years ago.

Doug
 Koebernick, the inspector general for corrections for the Nebraska 
Legislature, said Wednesday that while there has been significant 
improvement in staffing for security positions, the prison system still 
struggles to hire enough nurses and food-service personnel to staff its 
facilities.&nbsp;

“They were in a really big hole, so it’s going to take some time,” Koebernick said.

State
 Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha, who has criticized the state for 
investing in new prisons instead of jobs and programs to avoid sending 
people to prison, said the key to the success of the RTC, as well as the
 proposed, 1,500-bed prison, will be properly staffing the facilities.

“We’re over-incarcerating people,” McKinney said. “That’s the problem.”

During
 Wednesday’s tour for the news media, RTC Warden Taggart Boyd said the 
addition of a dialysis machine in the medical clinic will avoid trips to
 Lincoln hospitals for the procedure. An MRI machine also will be added 
at the prison, he said.&nbsp;

The
 housing units have sound-deadening ceiling tiles, Boyd said, which 
translates into less shouting, fewer confrontations and a calmer 
atmosphere. The new, larger visiting rooms include a play area for 
children of inmates,which helps inmates better connect with their 
families, he said.

“If you create safer living conditions, you get safer working conditions and safer prisons,” Boyd said.

More
 space for rehab sessions means more opportunity to help inmates finish 
required programs sooner, before being released on parole, he added.&nbsp;

Ricketts
 pointed out that 93% of all inmates in state prisons eventually return 
to society, so better programming and preparation is important.

Another
 new addition to the RTC is a $150,000 full-body scanner, like those 
seen in airports. Frakes said. The scanner, a first for a Nebraska 
prison, will be used for staff and prison visitors to reduce the flow of
 contraband, such as drugs, into the prison.&nbsp;

Frakes
 was evasive when asked whether he would be around for the debate over 
the new prison. Ricketts hired him shorter after taking office. There 
have been some rumors that the corrections director would leave when 
Ricketts leaves office.

“I’ve got to see what happens,” Frakes said. “I’m very particular about who I work for. I’ve been spoiled.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652978320040.png" alt="Work is not expected to be completed for another month or so on a 384-bed, maximum security wing on the RTC. The cells will house some of the state’s most disruptive inmates. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Work is not expected to be completed for another month or so on a 384-bed, maximum security wing on the RTC. The cells will house some of the state’s most disruptive inmates. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/18/corrections-officials-tout-new-prison-addition-as-safer-more-efficient/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — State corrections officials showed off the newest addition to the 
state prison system Wednesday, touting it as safer for both inmates and 
staff and better able to rehabilitate prisoners and retain security 
staff.&nbsp;The
 $125 million addition to the Lincoln Correctional Center and Diagnostic
 and Evaluation Center includes two 32-bed units for inmates with acute 
mental illnesses and those needing medical care, as well as a 384-bed 
are to house the state’s most dangerous prisoners.&nbsp;“The
 bottom line is you’re going to see a great prison,” said State 
Corrections Director Scott Frakes, prior to a tour for news media and 
state officials, including Gov. Pete Ricketts.<h2>Addition similar to proposed prison</h2>Frakes
 said many of the design features in the maximum security wing of the 
recently renamed Reception and Treatment Center &nbsp;will be similar to 
those envisioned in a 1,500-bed prison being planned by the Ricketts 
administration to replace the aging State Penitentiary in Lincoln.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652978391048.jpeg" alt="The new entrance to the Reception and Treatment Center, which merges the old Lincoln Corrections Center and Diagnostic and Evaluation Center into one, 1,350-bed facility. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The new entrance to the Reception and Treatment Center, which merges the old Lincoln Corrections Center and Diagnostic and Evaluation Center into one, 1,350-bed facility. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>The
 Nebraska Legislature declined this spring to give the final go-ahead 
for a $270 million prison, opting to wait for a new master plan for the 
state prison system expected before the end of the year. But state 
lawmakers did set aside $175 million for the ultimate construction of 
the massive facility, if approved in the 2023 legislative session and by
 a new, incoming governor.Frakes
 did say that some of the 10 state senators who toured the RTC on Monday
 remarked that they had a clearer picture of what the larger, proposed 
prison would look like.“They said, ‘Now I can visualize it,’” the corrections director said.The
 idea behind the new RTC prison addition, built on Lincoln’s western 
edge, was to provide more secure and modern maximum-security housing for
 the state’s most dangerous inmates and to expand and enhance mental 
health facilities and health care.<h2>Sliding cell doors</h2>Among
 the added security features are sliding cell doors, which are less 
dangerous than the swinging doors now used in maximum security units 
across the state.The
 new addition includes a modern kitchen capable of feeding 1,350 
inmates, an improved dental clinic and new amenities for staff, 
including a locker, separate lunch room and weight room.&nbsp;Frakes
 said the RTC addition provides more room for inmates to safely move 
around and congregate, and more space for rehabilitation classes.&nbsp;The
 expansion will slightly reduce overcrowding in the state’s most 
overcrowded prison and the nation’s most overcrowded prison system.<h2>Design capacity increase</h2>During
 the first quarter of 2022, the RTC held an average of 1,077 inmates, 
which was more than double the design capacity of 468. Overall, the 
state prison system was holding about 900 more inmates than its nine 
prisons were designed to hold and was at 152% of capacity.Overcrowding at the RTC is expected to drop from the current 230% as the design capacity increases to 884 beds.Recent
 pay raises for corrections corporals, sergeants and caseworkers, Frakes
 said, has significantly reduced staff vacancies among those ranks. He 
said the state has hired 200 security staffers from 36 states since 
December and hired 472 new protective services employees all together.<h2>Staffing emergencies</h2>The
 RTC, state penetentiary and state prison in Tecumseh still remain on 
“staffing emergency” status, which means longer shifts for employees, 
fewer visiting hours and restrictions on yard time for inmates to four 
days a week instead of seven. Prison officials had predicted those 
emergencies would be lifted in April, but Frakes said Wednesday that 
officials are now working on phasing out the emergencies in upcoming 
weeks.Overall,
 protective services now has 160 vacancies, he said, a major improvement
 compared to 427 vacancies in November. Most vacant positions in Lincoln
 and Omaha have been filled, he said, with more work needed at Tecumseh,
 a rural prison that has a history of staff shortages, high turnover and
 high staff overtime costs.Frakes said if current trends continue, turnover for staff will be about 16% this year. It was above 30% a couple of years ago.Doug
 Koebernick, the inspector general for corrections for the Nebraska 
Legislature, said Wednesday that while there has been significant 
improvement in staffing for security positions, the prison system still 
struggles to hire enough nurses and food-service personnel to staff its 
facilities.&nbsp;“They were in a really big hole, so it’s going to take some time,” Koebernick said.<h2>Over-incarceration</h2>State
 Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha, who has criticized the state for 
investing in new prisons instead of jobs and programs to avoid sending 
people to prison, said the key to the success of the RTC, as well as the
 proposed, 1,500-bed prison, will be properly staffing the facilities.“We’re over-incarcerating people,” McKinney said. “That’s the problem.”During
 Wednesday’s tour for the news media, RTC Warden Taggart Boyd said the 
addition of a dialysis machine in the medical clinic will avoid trips to
 Lincoln hospitals for the procedure. An MRI machine also will be added 
at the prison, he said.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652978421505.jpeg" alt="A single-occupancy prison cell in the new addition about to be opened at the Reception and Treatment Center in Lincoln. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>A single-occupancy prison cell in the new addition about to be opened at the Reception and Treatment Center in Lincoln. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>The
 housing units have sound-deadening ceiling tiles, Boyd said, which 
translates into less shouting, fewer confrontations and a calmer 
atmosphere. The new, larger visiting rooms include a play area for 
children of inmates,which helps inmates better connect with their 
families, he said.“If you create safer living conditions, you get safer working conditions and safer prisons,” Boyd said.More
 space for rehab sessions means more opportunity to help inmates finish 
required programs sooner, before being released on parole, he added.&nbsp;Ricketts
 pointed out that 93% of all inmates in state prisons eventually return 
to society, so better programming and preparation is important.Another
 new addition to the RTC is a $150,000 full-body scanner, like those 
seen in airports. Frakes said. The scanner, a first for a Nebraska 
prison, will be used for staff and prison visitors to reduce the flow of
 contraband, such as drugs, into the prison.&nbsp;Frakes
 was evasive when asked whether he would be around for the debate over 
the new prison. Ricketts hired him shorter after taking office. There 
have been some rumors that the corrections director would leave when 
Ricketts leaves office.“I’ve got to see what happens,” Frakes said. “I’m very particular about who I work for. I’ve been spoiled.”

Neb. corrections officials tout new Lincoln prison addition

WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Food and Drug Administration faces congressional lawmakers for the first time Thursday over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">the shortage of baby formula</a>&nbsp;that has rattled American parents and become a growing political liability for President Joe Biden.

FDA Commissioner&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-califf">Robert Califf’s</a>&nbsp;appearance before a House subcommittee comes just hours after Biden announced a stepped-up response to the issue:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-df586c2e52b5e5865ea9f8091d4d1f80">invoking the Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to speed domestic manufacturing and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">authorizing flights to import formula from overseas</a>.

Califf is the first administration official to testify before Congress on the issue, which has left some parents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-d3e32ba9e2381f77c299391e762abe21">hunting for formula</a>&nbsp;and become a talking point for Republicans. Behind the shortage are several distinct issues, including supply disruptions caused by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-a4205025fc781b1fb902cdd9e1264b41">the recent shutdown of the largest U.S. formula factory</a>.

Earlier this week, the FDA announced several steps to address the problem, including a preliminary agreement with formula maker Abbott Nutrition to reopen its plant, which has been shuttered since February due to contamination. The agency is also streamlining the process for international manufacturers to import more formula.

Members of a House Appropriations subcommittee have signaled that they will ask Califf why the FDA didn’t act sooner to help head off the supply challenges. Lawmakers have also suggested the FDA missed opportunities to catch the problems at Abbott’s plant as early as last fall.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., recently released a whistleblower complaint alleging numerous safety violations at Abbott’s plant, including employees falsifying records and failing to properly test formula before releasing it. She said the former Abbott employee alerted the FDA to the situation in October but was not interviewed by agency staff until late December.

And there are other questions about the FDA’s timeline for dealing with Abbott. The company shut its Michigan plant in February after FDA inspectors began investigating four bacterial infections in infants who had consumed formula from the plant. The first of those cases was reported to the FDA in September though agency staff didn’t begin inspecting the facility until late January. Califf said earlier this week the agency’s investigation is ongoing and it hasn’t yet reached a conclusion on whether bacteria from the plant caused the infant infections.

Abbott says there is no direct evidence linking its products to the illnesses.

The baby formula shortage is the first major crisis for Califf since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-barack-obama-robert-califf-7602db3a1196dda90d6745d0b1002c9c">returning to the FDA in February</a>. He briefly led the agency under President Barack Obama and was tapped for the job again based on his past experience leading the sprawling agency, which regulates food, drugs, medical technology and tobacco.

While the baby formula shortage is certain to take center stage, Thursday’s hearing was originally scheduled to review the FDA’s budget request for next year. Califf is expected to ask lawmakers for $76 million in new funding for food safety and nutrition, according to prepared remarks. The request comes amid longstanding concerns that the FDA’s food program — which oversees most U.S. foods except meat, poultry and eggs — has been underfunded compared with the agency’s drug and medical divisions.

On Wednesday evening, House Democrats passed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-government-and-politics-united-states-appropriations-5989791660bc0b86ce6b51620bbd826b">a $28 million spending bill</a>&nbsp;that would boost FDA funding to inspect domestic and international formula producers. It’s fate in the Senate is uncertain.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652968626222.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By ASSOCIATED PRESSWASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Food and Drug Administration faces congressional lawmakers for the first time Thursday over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">the shortage of baby formula</a>&nbsp;that has rattled American parents and become a growing political liability for President Joe Biden.FDA Commissioner&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-califf">Robert Califf’s</a>&nbsp;appearance before a House subcommittee comes just hours after Biden announced a stepped-up response to the issue:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-df586c2e52b5e5865ea9f8091d4d1f80">invoking the Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to speed domestic manufacturing and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">authorizing flights to import formula from overseas</a>.Califf is the first administration official to testify before Congress on the issue, which has left some parents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-d3e32ba9e2381f77c299391e762abe21">hunting for formula</a>&nbsp;and become a talking point for Republicans. Behind the shortage are several distinct issues, including supply disruptions caused by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-a4205025fc781b1fb902cdd9e1264b41">the recent shutdown of the largest U.S. formula factory</a>.Earlier this week, the FDA announced several steps to address the problem, including a preliminary agreement with formula maker Abbott Nutrition to reopen its plant, which has been shuttered since February due to contamination. The agency is also streamlining the process for international manufacturers to import more formula.Members of a House Appropriations subcommittee have signaled that they will ask Califf why the FDA didn’t act sooner to help head off the supply challenges. Lawmakers have also suggested the FDA missed opportunities to catch the problems at Abbott’s plant as early as last fall.Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., recently released a whistleblower complaint alleging numerous safety violations at Abbott’s plant, including employees falsifying records and failing to properly test formula before releasing it. She said the former Abbott employee alerted the FDA to the situation in October but was not interviewed by agency staff until late December.And there are other questions about the FDA’s timeline for dealing with Abbott. The company shut its Michigan plant in February after FDA inspectors began investigating four bacterial infections in infants who had consumed formula from the plant. The first of those cases was reported to the FDA in September though agency staff didn’t begin inspecting the facility until late January. Califf said earlier this week the agency’s investigation is ongoing and it hasn’t yet reached a conclusion on whether bacteria from the plant caused the infant infections.Abbott says there is no direct evidence linking its products to the illnesses.The baby formula shortage is the first major crisis for Califf since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-barack-obama-robert-califf-7602db3a1196dda90d6745d0b1002c9c">returning to the FDA in February</a>. He briefly led the agency under President Barack Obama and was tapped for the job again based on his past experience leading the sprawling agency, which regulates food, drugs, medical technology and tobacco.While the baby formula shortage is certain to take center stage, Thursday’s hearing was originally scheduled to review the FDA’s budget request for next year. Califf is expected to ask lawmakers for $76 million in new funding for food safety and nutrition, according to prepared remarks. The request comes amid longstanding concerns that the FDA’s food program — which oversees most U.S. foods except meat, poultry and eggs — has been underfunded compared with the agency’s drug and medical divisions.On Wednesday evening, House Democrats passed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-government-and-politics-united-states-appropriations-5989791660bc0b86ce6b51620bbd826b">a $28 million spending bill</a>&nbsp;that would boost FDA funding to inspect domestic and international formula producers. It’s fate in the Senate is uncertain.

Baby formula shortage leads to congressional scrutiny of FDA

News Release Nebraska Attorney General

Doug Janssen, 50, appeared before Judge Mark Johnson in Madison County District Court on May 17 for sentencing relating to financially exploiting his father. Janssen, of Jackson, NE, was ordered to pay more than $20,000 in restitution, serve 90 days in jail, and was placed on probation for two years. He had earlier pled guilty to one count of Unauthorized Use of a Financial Transaction Device, a Class IV felony. Janssen faced a maximum of two years in the penitentiary. Janssen’s jail time could be waived if he successfully completes the terms of his probation.

Janssen had served as the conservator of his father’s property while his father had been a resident of the Eastern Nebraska Veterans Home in Norfolk. Between September 2015 and December 2018, Janssen converted $20,252.94 of his father’s money and credit for his own use. Janssen has repaid the money, which will go toward his father’s last expenses.&nbsp;

The matter was investigated by the Medicaid Fraud and Patient Abuse Unit of the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Mark Collins.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1559617270221.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release Nebraska Attorney GeneralDoug Janssen, 50, appeared before Judge Mark Johnson in Madison County District Court on May 17 for sentencing relating to financially exploiting his father. Janssen, of Jackson, NE, was ordered to pay more than $20,000 in restitution, serve 90 days in jail, and was placed on probation for two years. He had earlier pled guilty to one count of Unauthorized Use of a Financial Transaction Device, a Class IV felony. Janssen faced a maximum of two years in the penitentiary. Janssen’s jail time could be waived if he successfully completes the terms of his probation.Janssen had served as the conservator of his father’s property while his father had been a resident of the Eastern Nebraska Veterans Home in Norfolk. Between September 2015 and December 2018, Janssen converted $20,252.94 of his father’s money and credit for his own use. Janssen has repaid the money, which will go toward his father’s last expenses.&nbsp;The matter was investigated by the Medicaid Fraud and Patient Abuse Unit of the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Mark Collins.&nbsp;

Nebraska man sentenced for financially exploiting father

A Ukrainian agricultural education organizer is touring the
United States, raising money to rebuild rural villages ravaged by the war.

Roman Grynyshyn has worked with his partners throughout the
West to create the fundraising project:&nbsp;
World to Rebuild Rural Ukraine.

“We are trying to replace what was ruthlessly damaged or stolen
from the least protected stratum of rural society,” Grynyshyn tells host Barry
Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.

Grynyshyn says Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been
devastating to rural Ukraine and its farms, cutting off agricultural production
and preventing grain shipments. While the war rages and ruins much of his home
country, Grynyshyn expresses confidence in the ultimate outcome.

“And there is not doubt that we will win,” Grynyshyn says. “The
only thing is how long will it take us to return to this beauty as it was
before.”

Grynyshyn says he has been impressed and encouraged by the
reception he has received while touring the United States, especially with the
reception he receives from cities with ties to agriculture such as St. Joseph.

Grynshyn spoke to the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce while in
town. He has been speaking to several groups in the United States, making
addresses to groups in Washington, D.C., Ohio State University, Michigan State
University, the University of Nebraska, among others. He is speaking to Missouri
and Kansas groups now before traveling to the state of Washington.

Grynyshyn has been coordinating tours and conferences for Ukrainian
farmers the past 13 years. He had a conference set up for Costa Rica in late
February, but as he prepared to leave the next day, the bombs started falling.
Over the next two days, February 23rd and 24th, he
gathered friends and family to flee the country. Grynyshyn says his large
contingent waited for 34 hours to cross over into Poland, eventually taking
refuge at a friend’s farm in Germany.

Then began the speaking tour in the United States.

Grynyshyn is also keeping those he speaks with abreast of the
latest news from the war front.

“My information that I’m getting is not coming from some sources
of media that can be biased or something like that,” Grynyshyn says. “I talk to
the actual farmers, to actual agricultural business representatives and they
say what they see, almost first hand.”

Grynyshyn charges that the Russian army has been ruthless in
devastating rural Ukraine, both to intimidate Ukrainians and destroy the
country’s agricultural industry.

Grynyshyn says many with ties to both Ukraine and Russia never
suspected Russia would follow through with its threats against Ukraine.

“I had a lot of clients, Russian speaking clients, who said
Roman, come on, they will never attack. They are our comrades,” Grynshyn says “And
when the war started, I called them. They were literally speechless.”

Grynyshyn says a saying by his father doesn’t seem as humorous
as it once did.

“My father always told me you need to learn as a priority two
subjects at school. First, is the military, to be able to shoot, to know how to
shoot and second is history, to know who to shoot.”

Despite the devastation of the war, Grynyshyn remains
optimistic Ukraine will prevail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652908707392.jpeg" alt="Roman Grynyshyn/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Roman Grynyshyn/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA Ukrainian agricultural education organizer is touring the
United States, raising money to rebuild rural villages ravaged by the war.Roman Grynyshyn has worked with his partners throughout the
West to create the fundraising project:&nbsp;
World to Rebuild Rural Ukraine.“We are trying to replace what was ruthlessly damaged or stolen
from the least protected stratum of rural society,” Grynyshyn tells host Barry
Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.Grynyshyn says Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been
devastating to rural Ukraine and its farms, cutting off agricultural production
and preventing grain shipments. While the war rages and ruins much of his home
country, Grynyshyn expresses confidence in the ultimate outcome.“And there is not doubt that we will win,” Grynyshyn says. “The
only thing is how long will it take us to return to this beauty as it was
before.”Grynyshyn says he has been impressed and encouraged by the
reception he has received while touring the United States, especially with the
reception he receives from cities with ties to agriculture such as St. Joseph.Grynshyn spoke to the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce while in
town. He has been speaking to several groups in the United States, making
addresses to groups in Washington, D.C., Ohio State University, Michigan State
University, the University of Nebraska, among others. He is speaking to Missouri
and Kansas groups now before traveling to the state of Washington.Grynyshyn has been coordinating tours and conferences for Ukrainian
farmers the past 13 years. He had a conference set up for Costa Rica in late
February, but as he prepared to leave the next day, the bombs started falling.
Over the next two days, February 23rd and 24th, he
gathered friends and family to flee the country. Grynyshyn says his large
contingent waited for 34 hours to cross over into Poland, eventually taking
refuge at a friend’s farm in Germany.Then began the speaking tour in the United States.Grynyshyn is also keeping those he speaks with abreast of the
latest news from the war front.“My information that I’m getting is not coming from some sources
of media that can be biased or something like that,” Grynyshyn says. “I talk to
the actual farmers, to actual agricultural business representatives and they
say what they see, almost first hand.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652908749523.jpeg" alt="Grynyshyn speaks with host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Grynyshyn speaks with host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>Grynyshyn charges that the Russian army has been ruthless in
devastating rural Ukraine, both to intimidate Ukrainians and destroy the
country’s agricultural industry.Grynyshyn says many with ties to both Ukraine and Russia never
suspected Russia would follow through with its threats against Ukraine.“I had a lot of clients, Russian speaking clients, who said
Roman, come on, they will never attack. They are our comrades,” Grynshyn says “And
when the war started, I called them. They were literally speechless.”Grynyshyn says a saying by his father doesn’t seem as humorous
as it once did.“My father always told me you need to learn as a priority two
subjects at school. First, is the military, to be able to shoot, to know how to
shoot and second is history, to know who to shoot.”Despite the devastation of the war, Grynyshyn remains
optimistic Ukraine will prevail.

Ukrainian farmer tours US, raising money to rebuild villages devastated by war

By ZEKE MILLER and MIKE STOBBE, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — COVID-19 cases are increasing in the United States – and could get even worse over the coming months, federal health officials warned Wednesday in urging areas hardest hit to consider reissuing calls for indoor masking.

Increasing numbers of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">COVID-19</a>&nbsp;infections and hospitalizations are putting more of the country under guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that call for masking and other infection precautions.

Right now, about a third of the U.S. population lives in areas that are considered at higher risk — mostly in the Northeast and Midwest. Those are areas where people should already be considering wearing masks indoors — but Americans elsewhere should also take notice, officials said.

“Prior increases of infections, in different waves of infection, have demonstrated that this travels across the country,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said at a White House briefing with reporters.

For an increasing number of areas, “we urge local leaders to encourage use of prevention strategies like masks in public indoor settings and increasing access to testing and treatment,” she said.

However, officials were cautious about making concrete predictions, saying how much worse the pandemic gets will depend on several factors, including to what degree previous infections will protect against new variants.

Last week, White House COVID-19 coordinator&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-congress-a05afb7ebfa102992c354c99619fa944">Dr. Ashish Jha warned</a>&nbsp;in an interview with The Associated Press the U.S. will be increasingly vulnerable to the coronavirus this fall and winter if Congress doesn’t swiftly approve new funding for more vaccines and treatments.

Jha warned that without additional funding from Congress for the virus would cause “unnecessary loss of life” in the fall and winter, when the U.S. runs out of treatments.

He added the U.S. was already falling behind other nations in securing supplies of the next generation of COVID-19 vaccines and said that the domestic manufacturing base of at-home tests is already drying up as demand drops off.

Jha said domestic test manufactures have started shuttering lines and laying off workers, and in the coming weeks will begin to sell off equipment and prepare to exit the business of producing tests entirely unless the U.S. government has money to purchase more tests, like the hundreds of millions it has sent out for free to requesting households this year.

That would leave the U.S. reliant on other countries for testing supplies, risking shortages during a surge, Jha warned. About 8.5 million households placed orders for the latest tranche of 8 free tests since ordering opened on Monday, Jha added.

The pandemic is now 2 1/2 years old. And the U.S. has seen — depending how you count them — five waves of COVID-19 during that time, with the later surges driven by mutated versions of the coronavirus. A fifth wave occurred mainly in December and January, caused by the omicron variant.

The omicron variant spread much more easily than earlier versions.

Some experts are worried the country now is seeing signs of a sixth wave, driven by an omicron subvariant. On Wednesday, Walensky noted a steady increase in COVID-19 cases in the past five weeks, including a 26% increase nationally in the last week.

Hospitalizations also are rising, up 19% in the past week, though they remain much lower than during the omicron wave, she said.

In late February, as that wave was ebbing, the CDC released a new set of measures for communities where COVID-19 was easing its grip, with less of a focus on positive test results and more on what’s happening at hospitals.

Walensky said more than 32% of the country currently live in an area with medium or high COVID-19 community levels, including more than 9% in the highest level, where CDC recommends that masks and other mitigation efforts be used.

In the last week, an additional 8% of Americans were living in a county in medium or high COVID-19 community levels.

Officials said they are concerned that waning immunity and relaxed mitigation measures across the country may contribute to a continued rise in infections and illnesses across the country. They encouraged people — particularly older adults — to get boosters.

Some health experts say the government should be taking clearer and bolder steps.

The CDC community level guidelines are confusing to the public, and don’t give a clear picture of how much virus transmission is occurring in a community, said Dr. Lakshmi Ganapathi, an infectious diseases specialist at Harvard University.

When the government officials make recommendations but do not set rules, “it ultimately rests on every single individual picking and choosing the public health that works for them. But that’s not what is effective. If you’re talking about stemming hospitalizations and even deaths, all of these interventions work better when people do it collectively,” she said.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — The COVID-19 pandemic could get worse in the U.S. in the weeks ahead, officials said Wednesday, and more people could be advised to again wear masks indoors.

Increasing numbers of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are putting more of the country under guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that call for masking and other infection precautions.

For an increasing number of areas "we urge local leaders to encourage use of prevention strategies like masks in public indoor settings and increasing access to testing and treatment,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said at a White House briefing with reporters.

Last week, White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha warned in an interview with The Associated Press the U.S. will be increasingly vulnerable to the coronavirus this fall and winter if Congress doesn’t swiftly approve new funding for more vaccines and treatments..

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652901529032.png" alt="For an increasing number of areas, “we urge local leaders to encourage use of prevention strategies like masks in public indoor settings and increasing access to testing and treatment,” said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>For an increasing number of areas, “we urge local leaders to encourage use of prevention strategies like masks in public indoor settings and increasing access to testing and treatment,” said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By ZEKE MILLER and MIKE STOBBE, Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — COVID-19 cases are increasing in the United States – and could get even worse over the coming months, federal health officials warned Wednesday in urging areas hardest hit to consider reissuing calls for indoor masking.Increasing numbers of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">COVID-19</a>&nbsp;infections and hospitalizations are putting more of the country under guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that call for masking and other infection precautions.Right now, about a third of the U.S. population lives in areas that are considered at higher risk — mostly in the Northeast and Midwest. Those are areas where people should already be considering wearing masks indoors — but Americans elsewhere should also take notice, officials said.“Prior increases of infections, in different waves of infection, have demonstrated that this travels across the country,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said at a White House briefing with reporters.For an increasing number of areas, “we urge local leaders to encourage use of prevention strategies like masks in public indoor settings and increasing access to testing and treatment,” she said.However, officials were cautious about making concrete predictions, saying how much worse the pandemic gets will depend on several factors, including to what degree previous infections will protect against new variants.Last week, White House COVID-19 coordinator&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-congress-a05afb7ebfa102992c354c99619fa944">Dr. Ashish Jha warned</a>&nbsp;in an interview with The Associated Press the U.S. will be increasingly vulnerable to the coronavirus this fall and winter if Congress doesn’t swiftly approve new funding for more vaccines and treatments.Jha warned that without additional funding from Congress for the virus would cause “unnecessary loss of life” in the fall and winter, when the U.S. runs out of treatments.He added the U.S. was already falling behind other nations in securing supplies of the next generation of COVID-19 vaccines and said that the domestic manufacturing base of at-home tests is already drying up as demand drops off.Jha said domestic test manufactures have started shuttering lines and laying off workers, and in the coming weeks will begin to sell off equipment and prepare to exit the business of producing tests entirely unless the U.S. government has money to purchase more tests, like the hundreds of millions it has sent out for free to requesting households this year.That would leave the U.S. reliant on other countries for testing supplies, risking shortages during a surge, Jha warned. About 8.5 million households placed orders for the latest tranche of 8 free tests since ordering opened on Monday, Jha added.The pandemic is now 2 1/2 years old. And the U.S. has seen — depending how you count them — five waves of COVID-19 during that time, with the later surges driven by mutated versions of the coronavirus. A fifth wave occurred mainly in December and January, caused by the omicron variant.The omicron variant spread much more easily than earlier versions.Some experts are worried the country now is seeing signs of a sixth wave, driven by an omicron subvariant. On Wednesday, Walensky noted a steady increase in COVID-19 cases in the past five weeks, including a 26% increase nationally in the last week.Hospitalizations also are rising, up 19% in the past week, though they remain much lower than during the omicron wave, she said.In late February, as that wave was ebbing, the CDC released a new set of measures for communities where COVID-19 was easing its grip, with less of a focus on positive test results and more on what’s happening at hospitals.Walensky said more than 32% of the country currently live in an area with medium or high COVID-19 community levels, including more than 9% in the highest level, where CDC recommends that masks and other mitigation efforts be used.In the last week, an additional 8% of Americans were living in a county in medium or high COVID-19 community levels.Officials said they are concerned that waning immunity and relaxed mitigation measures across the country may contribute to a continued rise in infections and illnesses across the country. They encouraged people — particularly older adults — to get boosters.Some health experts say the government should be taking clearer and bolder steps.The CDC community level guidelines are confusing to the public, and don’t give a clear picture of how much virus transmission is occurring in a community, said Dr. Lakshmi Ganapathi, an infectious diseases specialist at Harvard University.When the government officials make recommendations but do not set rules, “it ultimately rests on every single individual picking and choosing the public health that works for them. But that’s not what is effective. If you’re talking about stemming hospitalizations and even deaths, all of these interventions work better when people do it collectively,” she said.___-------WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — The COVID-19 pandemic could get worse in the U.S. in the weeks ahead, officials said Wednesday, and more people could be advised to again wear masks indoors.Increasing numbers of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are putting more of the country under guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that call for masking and other infection precautions.For an increasing number of areas "we urge local leaders to encourage use of prevention strategies like masks in public indoor settings and increasing access to testing and treatment,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said at a White House briefing with reporters.However, officials were cautious about making concrete predictions, saying how much worse the pandemic gets will depend on several factors, including to what degree previous infections will protect against new variants.Last week, White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha warned in an interview with The Associated Press the U.S. will be increasingly vulnerable to the coronavirus this fall and winter if Congress doesn’t swiftly approve new funding for more vaccines and treatments..The pandemic is now 2 1/2 years old. And the U.S. has seen — depending how you count them — five waves of COVID-19 during that time, with the later surges driven by mutated versions of the coronavirus. A fifth wave occurred mainly in December and January, caused by the omicron variant.The omicron variant spread much more easily than earlier versions.Some experts are worried the country now is seeing signs of a sixth wave, driven by an omicron subvariant. On Wednesday, Walensky noted a steady increase in COVID-19 cases in the past five weeks, including a 26% increase nationally in the last week.Hospitalizations also are rising, up 19% in the past week, though they remain much lower than during the omicron wave, she said.In late February, as that wave was ebbing, the CDC released a new set of measures for communities where COVID-19 was easing its grip, with less of a focus on positive test results and more on what’s happening at hospitals.Walensky said more than 32% of the country currently live in an area with medium or high COVID-19 community levels, including more than 9% in the highest level, where CDC recommends that masks and other mitigation efforts be used.In the last week, an additional 8% of Americans were living in a county in medium or high COVID-19 community levels.Officials said they are concerned that waning immunity and relaxed mitigation measures across the country may contribute to a continued rise in infections and illnesses across the country. They encouraged people — particularly older adults — to get boosters.___

Feds call for indoor masks as COVID cases increase across U.S.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend hit and run accident reported Monday they have located a vehicle in the Kansas City area they suspect to be the transit van involved in the crash, according to a media release from the Douglas County Sheriff's office.

Investigators are working to identify the driver of the vehicle and asking anyone who might have information to contact law enforcement. The vehicle would have been eastbound on Kansas 10 highway just after 5p.m. on Saturday.

Brooklyn Brouhard, 9, of Eudora died from injuries suffered in the crash. She was passenger on a motorcycle driven by her grandfather 54-year-old Barry Larson who was also injured.

Larson was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with Brooklyn as a passenger. As the motorcycle approached the overpass, the transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection and struck the motorcycle.

Witnesses reported that after the collision, the driver of the white van proceeded down the ramp leaving its black front bumper cover behind and returned to eastbound K-10.&nbsp;

EMS transported Larson and his granddaughter to an area hospital.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit and run accident and asking the public for help to locate a van and driver that fled the scene.

Just after 5p.m. Saturday, police responded to a two-vehicle crash in the 1300 Block of East 1900 Road on the ramp over Kansas 10 Highway between Lawrence and Eudora, according to the Douglas County Sheriff.

According to a preliminary investigation, a 54-year-old man was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with a 9-year-old girl as passenger. As the approached the overpass, an unknown possibly a 2013-19 white Ford Transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection.

The van struck the motorcycle which overturned. EMS transported the man and the girl to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. He had serious but non life threatening injuries. The girl, who was wearing a helmet suffered critical injuries and died Sunday morning, according the sheriff's department.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Douglas Co. Sheriff.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652731134056.png" alt="Image Douglas Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Image Douglas Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend hit and run accident reported Monday they have located a vehicle in the Kansas City area they suspect to be the transit van involved in the crash, according to a media release from the Douglas County Sheriff's office.Investigators are working to identify the driver of the vehicle and asking anyone who might have information to contact law enforcement. The vehicle would have been eastbound on Kansas 10 highway just after 5p.m. on Saturday.Brooklyn Brouhard, 9, of Eudora died from injuries suffered in the crash. She was passenger on a motorcycle driven by her grandfather 54-year-old Barry Larson who was also injured.Larson was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with Brooklyn as a passenger. As the motorcycle approached the overpass, the transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection and struck the motorcycle.Witnesses reported that after the collision, the driver of the white van proceeded down the ramp leaving its black front bumper cover behind and returned to eastbound K-10.&nbsp;EMS transported Larson and his granddaughter to an area hospital.-------------DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit and run accident and asking the public for help to locate a van and driver that fled the scene.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">EAST 1900 Road Fatality Accident After further investigation, Sheriff&#39;s Office detectives now believe the vehicle that left the scene yesterday was a Ford Transit Connect XL Model 2013-2019, more likely a 2018-19. Anyone with info is asked to call the DGSO, 785-843-0250. <a href="https://t.co/NazzZWkS2O">pic.twitter.com/NazzZWkS2O</a>&mdash; Douglas Co. Sheriff (@DGSOSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/DGSOSheriff/status/1525963802629505037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Just after 5p.m. Saturday, police responded to a two-vehicle crash in the 1300 Block of East 1900 Road on the ramp over Kansas 10 Highway between Lawrence and Eudora, according to the Douglas County Sheriff.According to a preliminary investigation, a 54-year-old man was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with a 9-year-old girl as passenger. As the approached the overpass, an unknown possibly a 2013-19 white Ford Transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection.The van struck the motorcycle which overturned. EMS transported the man and the girl to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. He had serious but non life threatening injuries. The girl, who was wearing a helmet suffered critical injuries and died Sunday morning, according the sheriff's department.Witnesses reported that after the collision, the driver of the white van proceeded down the ramp leaving its black front bumper cover behind and returned to eastbound K-10.&nbsp;Anyone with information is asked to contact the Douglas Co. Sheriff.

Sheriff still working to ID driver in crash that killed 9-year-old Kan. girl

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday invoked the Defense Production Act to speed production of infant formula and authorized flights to import supply from overseas, as he faces mounting political pressure over a domestic shortage caused by the safety-related closure of the country's largest formula manufacturing plant.

The Defense Production Act order requires suppliers of formula manufacturers to fulfill those orders before other customers. Biden is also authorizing the Defense Department to use commercial aircraft to fly overseas formula supplies that meet federal standards to the U.S., in what the White House is calling “Operation Fly Formula.”

Supplies of baby formula across the country have been severely curtailed in recent weeks after a February recall by Abbott Nutrition exacerbated ongoing supply chain disruptions among formula makers, leaving fewer options on store shelves and increasingly anxious parents struggling to find nutrition for their children.

The announcement comes two days after the Food and Drug Administration said it was streamlining its review process to make it easier for foreign manufacturers to begin shipping more formula into the U.S. Regulators also said Monday that they’d reached a deal to allow Abbott Nutrition to restart its Sturgis, Michigan, plant, the nation's largest formula plant, which has been closed since February due to contamination issues. The company must overhaul its safety protocols and procedures before resuming production.

After getting the FDA’s OK, Abbott said it will take eight to ten weeks before new products begin arriving in stores. The company didn’t set a timeline to restart manufacturing.

By ZEKE MILLER, Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday invoked the Defense Production Act to speed production of infant formula and authorized flights to import supply from overseas, as he faces mounting political pressure over a domestic shortage caused by the safety-related closure of the country's largest formula manufacturing plant.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m taking two new steps to increase baby formula supply: - Invoking the Defense Production Act to increase domestic production - Launching Operation Fly Formula to use federal planes to fly formula in from abroad We&#39;re making sure safe formula gets to all who need it. <a href="https://t.co/lnkxsaCY6T">pic.twitter.com/lnkxsaCY6T</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1527047326476410880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Defense Production Act order requires suppliers of formula manufacturers to fulfill those orders before other customers. Biden is also authorizing the Defense Department to use commercial aircraft to fly overseas formula supplies that meet federal standards to the U.S., in what the White House is calling “Operation Fly Formula.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Just now, President Biden announced two additional actions – invoking the Defense Production Act and launching Operation Fly Formula – to speed up the import of infant formula and get more formula to stores as soon as possible. <a href="https://t.co/4Ss9H2T7BO">pic.twitter.com/4Ss9H2T7BO</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1527047301537079301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Supplies of baby formula across the country have been severely curtailed in recent weeks after a February recall by Abbott Nutrition exacerbated ongoing supply chain disruptions among formula makers, leaving fewer options on store shelves and increasingly anxious parents struggling to find nutrition for their children.The announcement comes two days after the Food and Drug Administration said it was streamlining its review process to make it easier for foreign manufacturers to begin shipping more formula into the U.S. Regulators also said Monday that they’d reached a deal to allow Abbott Nutrition to restart its Sturgis, Michigan, plant, the nation's largest formula plant, which has been closed since February due to contamination issues. The company must overhaul its safety protocols and procedures before resuming production.After getting the FDA’s OK, Abbott said it will take eight to ten weeks before new products begin arriving in stores. The company didn’t set a timeline to restart manufacturing.

🎥Biden invokes Defense Production Act for baby formula shortage

Board member invokes Bible verse to seek ouster of ‘Hate U Give’

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/17/shawnee-heights-school-board-votes-against-banning-five-challenged-books/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Shawnee Heights 
school board voted to accept recommendations of a district review 
committee and continue making available to students five books targeted 
for removal by community members.

The books about racism, gender and personal relationships were 
brought into question because individuals outside the district, 
including a Republican state senator from Topeka, thought the content 
was inappropriate for students in the public school. Some of the books 
were on Shawnee Heights’ library shelves, while others were part of the 
district’s classroom curriculum.

Three of the five books challenged in Shawnee Heights were among the 
top 10 censored school books in the United States in 2021, according to 
the American Library Association’s office of intellectual freedom.

Shawnee Heights board member Christina Flaming took exception to “The
 Hate U Give,” the 2017 young adult novel by Angie Thomas inspired by 
the Black Lives Matter movement. The narrator is Starr Carter, a 
16-year-old Black girl from a poor neighborhood who attended a 
predominantly white private school. The story involved Carter’s reaction
 to shooting of her childhood friend by a white police officer.

During the school board meeting Tuesday night, Flaming questioned 
legitimacy of the book’s depiction of a white officer shooting a Black 
boy. She said statistics proved there was more Black-on-Black violence 
than white-on-Black violence in the United States.

She also registered opposition to the book because the central 
character’s father failed as a role model. She said he didn’t possess 
family leadership skills necessary to move his wife and children to a 
more affluent neighborhood.

“I’m a biblical person. There’s a verse that talks about the dog 
returns to its vomit,” Flaming said. “To me, the overall theme was that 
dad could not leave the negative culture that he had in that 
neighborhood to get his family off to a better culture.”

The school board voted 6-1 to retain “Hate U Give” on the high school
 library’s shelf and to keep it as a reading option in a ninth-grade 
class.

Board member Jason Schulz defended retention of the book despite his 
personal challenge with the subject matter and a writing style that he 
viewed as harsh.

“It’s meant to make you think,” he said. “It’s meant to challenge what you think you know.”

In other action, the school board accepted the review committee’s 
recommendation to continue use in the district of “Not My Idea: A Book 
About Whiteness.” The novel by Anastasia Higginbotham is about white 
supremacy in the United States.

The board unanimously agreed to keep on school shelves “Beyond the 
Gender Binary” written by Alok Vaid-Menon, a gender-nonconforming artist
 who defined gender as a malleable form of expression.

Board members likewise retained for student consumption “All Boys 
Aren’t Blue” by journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George Johnson. This 
young-adult memoir weaved together disappointments and triumphs faced by
 Black queer boys.

Rocky Busenitz, the school board’s president, said he was convinced 
the district ought to place “All Boys Aren’t Blue” beyond reach of 
Shawnee Heights students. He lost the vote 5-2.

Busenitz said the initial 200 pages of Johnson’s book was 
well-written, but subsequent sections undermined the book by 
inappropriately addressing explicit touching, oral sex and pornography 
He was particularly disturbed by an example of sexting.

“That’s not an activity or behavior we want to model or encourage,” Busenitz said. “We have an issue with that already.”

The school board voted 4-3 to continue making available the 
autobiography “Gender Queer: A Memoir.” It’s a 2019 book by Maia Kobabe.
 The district’s review committee split three ways, with two members 
voting to retain it, two urging it be restricted to students in 11th 
grade or higher and two members proposing it be removed.

Only four students in the district have checked out Kobabe’s book since it was acquired by the district in November 2019.

In April, Kansas state Sen. Rick Kloos, R-Topeka, insisted the 
Shawnee Heights superintendent unilaterally block access to “Gender 
Queer.” Kloos, who operates a Topeka thrift store and church known as 
God’s Storehouse, said he prayed the district would promptly withdraw 
the book chronicling a journey of self-identity, adolescent crushes, 
coming out to family and bonding with friends over erotic fiction.

Flaming, a board member opposed to retention of “Gender Queer,” said 
exploration of intercourse, sodomy, masturbation and other behaviors 
could be a violation of state law given Shawnee Heights’ community 
standards of what defined as patently offensive. Busenitz, the school 
board’s president, agreed with her, because he considered graphic 
illustrations in the book were obscene.

“It just seems to me this pushes even our Kansas state law. With that in mind, I will say remove the book,” Flaming said.

School board member Lauren Tice Miller, a graduate of Shawnee Heights
 High School, said she was convinced the book had educational merit and 
would offer valuable information to students interested in the subject. 
She said it would be wrong to restrict access to students in 11th or 
12th grades.

In the book, she said, the characters went to a library to seek 
answers to their questions. The Shawnee Heights library ought to be such
 a reservoir of insight, she said.

“I found it to be a very emotional read. This young woman went 
through a lot in trying to find herself,” Tice Miller said. “All I could
 think about was, I’m sure there’s at least one student who is having 
this struggle. If this becomes the first one that we move to the side 
and restrict to 11th and 12th graders only, where does it stop?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652892406788.png" alt="The Shawnee Heights school board voted against requests to block student access to “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas, “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe and three other books subject to formal challenges on Tuesday. (Clay Wirestone/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Shawnee Heights school board voted against requests to block student access to “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas, “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe and three other books subject to formal challenges on Tuesday. (Clay Wirestone/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Board member invokes Bible verse to seek ouster of ‘Hate U Give’</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/17/shawnee-heights-school-board-votes-against-banning-five-challenged-books/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Shawnee Heights 
school board voted to accept recommendations of a district review 
committee and continue making available to students five books targeted 
for removal by community members.The books about racism, gender and personal relationships were 
brought into question because individuals outside the district, 
including a Republican state senator from Topeka, thought the content 
was inappropriate for students in the public school. Some of the books 
were on Shawnee Heights’ library shelves, while others were part of the 
district’s classroom curriculum.Three of the five books challenged in Shawnee Heights were among the 
top 10 censored school books in the United States in 2021, according to 
the American Library Association’s office of intellectual freedom.Shawnee Heights board member Christina Flaming took exception to “The
 Hate U Give,” the 2017 young adult novel by Angie Thomas inspired by 
the Black Lives Matter movement. The narrator is Starr Carter, a 
16-year-old Black girl from a poor neighborhood who attended a 
predominantly white private school. The story involved Carter’s reaction
 to shooting of her childhood friend by a white police officer.During the school board meeting Tuesday night, Flaming questioned 
legitimacy of the book’s depiction of a white officer shooting a Black 
boy. She said statistics proved there was more Black-on-Black violence 
than white-on-Black violence in the United States.She also registered opposition to the book because the central 
character’s father failed as a role model. She said he didn’t possess 
family leadership skills necessary to move his wife and children to a 
more affluent neighborhood.“I’m a biblical person. There’s a verse that talks about the dog 
returns to its vomit,” Flaming said. “To me, the overall theme was that 
dad could not leave the negative culture that he had in that 
neighborhood to get his family off to a better culture.”The school board voted 6-1 to retain “Hate U Give” on the high school
 library’s shelf and to keep it as a reading option in a ninth-grade 
class.Board member Jason Schulz defended retention of the book despite his 
personal challenge with the subject matter and a writing style that he 
viewed as harsh.“It’s meant to make you think,” he said. “It’s meant to challenge what you think you know.”In other action, the school board accepted the review committee’s 
recommendation to continue use in the district of “Not My Idea: A Book 
About Whiteness.” The novel by Anastasia Higginbotham is about white 
supremacy in the United States.The board unanimously agreed to keep on school shelves “Beyond the 
Gender Binary” written by Alok Vaid-Menon, a gender-nonconforming artist
 who defined gender as a malleable form of expression.Board members likewise retained for student consumption “All Boys 
Aren’t Blue” by journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George Johnson. This 
young-adult memoir weaved together disappointments and triumphs faced by
 Black queer boys.Rocky Busenitz, the school board’s president, said he was convinced 
the district ought to place “All Boys Aren’t Blue” beyond reach of 
Shawnee Heights students. He lost the vote 5-2.Busenitz said the initial 200 pages of Johnson’s book was 
well-written, but subsequent sections undermined the book by 
inappropriately addressing explicit touching, oral sex and pornography 
He was particularly disturbed by an example of sexting.“That’s not an activity or behavior we want to model or encourage,” Busenitz said. “We have an issue with that already.”The school board voted 4-3 to continue making available the 
autobiography “Gender Queer: A Memoir.” It’s a 2019 book by Maia Kobabe.
 The district’s review committee split three ways, with two members 
voting to retain it, two urging it be restricted to students in 11th 
grade or higher and two members proposing it be removed.Only four students in the district have checked out Kobabe’s book since it was acquired by the district in November 2019.In April, Kansas state Sen. Rick Kloos, R-Topeka, insisted the 
Shawnee Heights superintendent unilaterally block access to “Gender 
Queer.” Kloos, who operates a Topeka thrift store and church known as 
God’s Storehouse, said he prayed the district would promptly withdraw 
the book chronicling a journey of self-identity, adolescent crushes, 
coming out to family and bonding with friends over erotic fiction.Flaming, a board member opposed to retention of “Gender Queer,” said 
exploration of intercourse, sodomy, masturbation and other behaviors 
could be a violation of state law given Shawnee Heights’ community 
standards of what defined as patently offensive. Busenitz, the school 
board’s president, agreed with her, because he considered graphic 
illustrations in the book were obscene.“It just seems to me this pushes even our Kansas state law. With that in mind, I will say remove the book,” Flaming said.School board member Lauren Tice Miller, a graduate of Shawnee Heights
 High School, said she was convinced the book had educational merit and 
would offer valuable information to students interested in the subject. 
She said it would be wrong to restrict access to students in 11th or 
12th grades.In the book, she said, the characters went to a library to seek 
answers to their questions. The Shawnee Heights library ought to be such
 a reservoir of insight, she said.“I found it to be a very emotional read. This young woman went 
through a lot in trying to find herself,” Tice Miller said. “All I could
 think about was, I’m sure there’s at least one student who is having 
this struggle. If this becomes the first one that we move to the side 
and restrict to 11th and 12th graders only, where does it stop?”

Kan. school board votes against banning five challenged books

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/malcolm-x-memorial-foundation-hosts-four-day-celebration-marking-the-omaha-natives-may-19-birthday/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

The North Omaha-based Malcolm X Memorial Foundation is hosting a four-day birthday celebration starting May 19 to pay tribute to the legacy of the African-American Muslim minister and human rights activist, who was born in Omaha in 1925.

Events
 are centered at 3448 Evans St., the foundation site that marks the 
childhood home of the powerful and controversial orator. Malcolm X was 
assassinated in 1965.

Rowena
 Moore created the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation in 1971. A recent 
foundation newsletter&nbsp;said that, historically, area residents recognized
 Malcolm X’s May 19 birthday with parades, dinners and special lectures.
 It noted a few years of ignored efforts, especially in the 1990s and 
early 2000s.

This year, the group is hosting the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.malcolmxfoundation.org/events/2022-malcolm-x-birthday-celebration">series of events</a>
 and is to display special images from the Omaha Star archives that 
document the Malcolm X legacy. Born Malcolm Little, he joined the Nation
 of Islam and dropped his surname for “X,” to symbolize the family name 
lost to slavery.

Kicking
 off the 2022 celebration is a luncheon with special guests Karen Wells,
 mother of Amir Locke; Bobby Seale, co-founder of the Black Panther 
Party; and Gus Newport, a close friend of Malcolm X. (The luncheon 
requires registration and a fee. A virtual option is also available at 
no cost.)

Free and open to the public are guided tours and the legacy photo exhibition.

Friday,
 starting at 6 p.m. young poets are to portray words from historical 
figures and orators including Malcolm X and Frederick Douglass.

Saturday features dance group performances beginning at 2 p.m.

Sunday features food trucks and the last day of the silent auction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652902763558.png" alt="Malcolm X / Library of Congress" />
 <figcaption>Malcolm X / Library of Congress</figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/malcolm-x-memorial-foundation-hosts-four-day-celebration-marking-the-omaha-natives-may-19-birthday/">Nebraska Examiner</a>The North Omaha-based Malcolm X Memorial Foundation is hosting a four-day birthday celebration starting May 19 to pay tribute to the legacy of the African-American Muslim minister and human rights activist, who was born in Omaha in 1925.Events
 are centered at 3448 Evans St., the foundation site that marks the 
childhood home of the powerful and controversial orator. Malcolm X was 
assassinated in 1965.Rowena
 Moore created the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation in 1971. A recent 
foundation newsletter&nbsp;said that, historically, area residents recognized
 Malcolm X’s May 19 birthday with parades, dinners and special lectures.
 It noted a few years of ignored efforts, especially in the 1990s and 
early 2000s.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652902856181.jpeg" alt="(Courtesy of Malcolm X Memorial Foundation)" />
 <figcaption>(Courtesy of Malcolm X Memorial Foundation)</figcaption>
 </figure>This year, the group is hosting the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.malcolmxfoundation.org/events/2022-malcolm-x-birthday-celebration">series of events</a>
 and is to display special images from the Omaha Star archives that 
document the Malcolm X legacy. Born Malcolm Little, he joined the Nation
 of Islam and dropped his surname for “X,” to symbolize the family name 
lost to slavery.Kicking
 off the 2022 celebration is a luncheon with special guests Karen Wells,
 mother of Amir Locke; Bobby Seale, co-founder of the Black Panther 
Party; and Gus Newport, a close friend of Malcolm X. (The luncheon 
requires registration and a fee. A virtual option is also available at 
no cost.)Free and open to the public are guided tours and the legacy photo exhibition.Friday,
 starting at 6 p.m. young poets are to portray words from historical 
figures and orators including Malcolm X and Frederick Douglass.Saturday features dance group performances beginning at 2 p.m.Sunday features food trucks and the last day of the silent auction.

Omaha native Malcolm X will be honored with four-day celebration

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats unveiled a $28 million emergency spending bill Tuesday to address the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">shortage of infant formula</a>&nbsp;in the United States.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the Democratic chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said the money would increase Food and Drug Administration staffing to boost inspections of domestic and international suppliers, prevent fraudulent products from getting onto store shelves and acquire better data on the marketplace.

(Click below to watch the press conference)

The shortage stems from a February recall by Abbott Nutrition that exacerbated ongoing supply chain disruptions among formula makers, leaving fewer options on stores shelves across much of the country. DeLauro has also been critical of the FDA for a failure to address “with any sense of urgency” the safety concerns at Abbott’s plant in Michigan that prompted the shortage.

The legislation gives Democrats a chance to show they are trying to address a frightening scenario for young families across the country scrambling to ensure they have an adequate supply of food for their babies. Some Republicans have placed responsibility for the shortage squarely on President Joe Biden’s administration while Democrats Tuesday blamed “corporate greed and consolidation.”

“Mothers across the country are looking to us for help and we will not force them to face this crisis on their own,” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md. “We’re on their side. We’ll see who is on their side when we vote on this legislation.”

Abbott is one of only a handful of companies that produce the vast majority of the U.S. formula supply, so their recall wiped out a large segment of the market. Federal regulators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">reached a deal</a>&nbsp;this week to allow the company to restart the Michigan plant, but Abbott said it will take eight to ten weeks before new products begin arriving in stores.

The House Appropriations Committee will hear from FDA Commissioner Robert Califf on Thursday to discuss the agency’s budget. Lawmakers are expected to focus much of the discussion on the formula shortage. A panel is also expected to have a second hearing featuring experts who will discuss the recall of infant formula produced at the Abbott facility and the FDA’s handling of the recall.

The House is expected to take up the emergency spending measure later this week before lawmakers head back to their congressional districts for the next two weeks. It’s unclear where Republicans stand on the bill. Rep. Kay Granger, the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, said they need more details.

“We want to do something,” Granger said. “We want to put more meat on the bone, more specifics on what needs to be done.”

“Too little too late,” added Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. “They should have seen this coming months ago.”

The bill would also need approval in an evenly divided Senate, where it will need support from at least 10 Republicans before it could be signed into law. GOP senators panned the effort but didn’t dismiss it outright.

“Obviously it’s a big problem. We need to help families solve it,” said Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., a member of GOP leadership.

Blunt said the administration should have months ago considered eliminating tariffs on baby formula made in Europe that meets U.S. standards.

“Whether it’s $28 million or $228 million, it won’t make any difference tomorrow. It probably won’t make any difference a week from tomorrow,” Blunt said.

DeLauro said much of the money would go to inspections of facilities making baby formula.

“FDA does not have the adequate inspection force to be able to do that, and to do it in a timely way,” she said.

She said speed was of the essence, and then lawmakers would focus on accountability for the shortage.

“And I’m talking about accountability at the FDA as well, because they dragged their feet for several months before there was a recall,” DeLauro said.

Democrats introduced a second bill Tuesday that the House is also expected to vote on this week. That bill, sponsored by Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., would in extenuating circumstances give participants in an assistance program commonly known as WIC the ability to use vouchers to purchase formula from any producer rather than be limited to one brand that may be unavailable.

Meanwhile, the FDA is looking to boost imports by streamlining its review process to make it easier for foreign manufacturers to begin shipping more formula into the U.S.

Swiss conglomerate Nestlé said Tuesday it had already increased production and moved up planned shipments to the U.S. to alleviate the shortages. Nestlé is also rushing the shipments via air.

Nestlé said it prioritized the shipment of two products that it was already importing — Gerber Good Start Extensive HA from the Netherlands and Alfamino from Switzerland — because they serve a critical need. The products are made for babies who are allergic to cow’s milk.

Nestlé said it is reviewing the new guidance from the FDA, which temporarily relaxes import restrictions on baby formula, and it might start importing more varieties.

“We are reviewing the guidance and assessing where we may be able to tap into the Nestlé global nutrition network to help,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652882702059.png" alt="Rep. Rosa DeLauro during Tuesday's news conference" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Rosa DeLauro during Tuesday's news conference</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats unveiled a $28 million emergency spending bill Tuesday to address the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">shortage of infant formula</a>&nbsp;in the United States.Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the Democratic chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said the money would increase Food and Drug Administration staffing to boost inspections of domestic and international suppliers, prevent fraudulent products from getting onto store shelves and acquire better data on the marketplace.(Click below to watch the press conference)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l6S4JjLl3mE?start=1213" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The shortage stems from a February recall by Abbott Nutrition that exacerbated ongoing supply chain disruptions among formula makers, leaving fewer options on stores shelves across much of the country. DeLauro has also been critical of the FDA for a failure to address “with any sense of urgency” the safety concerns at Abbott’s plant in Michigan that prompted the shortage.The legislation gives Democrats a chance to show they are trying to address a frightening scenario for young families across the country scrambling to ensure they have an adequate supply of food for their babies. Some Republicans have placed responsibility for the shortage squarely on President Joe Biden’s administration while Democrats Tuesday blamed “corporate greed and consolidation.”“Mothers across the country are looking to us for help and we will not force them to face this crisis on their own,” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md. “We’re on their side. We’ll see who is on their side when we vote on this legislation.”Abbott is one of only a handful of companies that produce the vast majority of the U.S. formula supply, so their recall wiped out a large segment of the market. Federal regulators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">reached a deal</a>&nbsp;this week to allow the company to restart the Michigan plant, but Abbott said it will take eight to ten weeks before new products begin arriving in stores.The House Appropriations Committee will hear from FDA Commissioner Robert Califf on Thursday to discuss the agency’s budget. Lawmakers are expected to focus much of the discussion on the formula shortage. A panel is also expected to have a second hearing featuring experts who will discuss the recall of infant formula produced at the Abbott facility and the FDA’s handling of the recall.The House is expected to take up the emergency spending measure later this week before lawmakers head back to their congressional districts for the next two weeks. It’s unclear where Republicans stand on the bill. Rep. Kay Granger, the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, said they need more details.“We want to do something,” Granger said. “We want to put more meat on the bone, more specifics on what needs to be done.”“Too little too late,” added Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. “They should have seen this coming months ago.”The bill would also need approval in an evenly divided Senate, where it will need support from at least 10 Republicans before it could be signed into law. GOP senators panned the effort but didn’t dismiss it outright.“Obviously it’s a big problem. We need to help families solve it,” said Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., a member of GOP leadership.Blunt said the administration should have months ago considered eliminating tariffs on baby formula made in Europe that meets U.S. standards.“Whether it’s $28 million or $228 million, it won’t make any difference tomorrow. It probably won’t make any difference a week from tomorrow,” Blunt said.DeLauro said much of the money would go to inspections of facilities making baby formula.“FDA does not have the adequate inspection force to be able to do that, and to do it in a timely way,” she said.She said speed was of the essence, and then lawmakers would focus on accountability for the shortage.“And I’m talking about accountability at the FDA as well, because they dragged their feet for several months before there was a recall,” DeLauro said.Democrats introduced a second bill Tuesday that the House is also expected to vote on this week. That bill, sponsored by Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., would in extenuating circumstances give participants in an assistance program commonly known as WIC the ability to use vouchers to purchase formula from any producer rather than be limited to one brand that may be unavailable.Meanwhile, the FDA is looking to boost imports by streamlining its review process to make it easier for foreign manufacturers to begin shipping more formula into the U.S.Swiss conglomerate Nestlé said Tuesday it had already increased production and moved up planned shipments to the U.S. to alleviate the shortages. Nestlé is also rushing the shipments via air.Nestlé said it prioritized the shipment of two products that it was already importing — Gerber Good Start Extensive HA from the Netherlands and Alfamino from Switzerland — because they serve a critical need. The products are made for babies who are allergic to cow’s milk.Nestlé said it is reviewing the new guidance from the FDA, which temporarily relaxes import restrictions on baby formula, and it might start importing more varieties.“We are reviewing the guidance and assessing where we may be able to tap into the Nestlé global nutrition network to help,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.

🎥Congress divided on $28M to address baby formula shortage

GOODLAND, Kan. (AP) — The National Weather Service has confirmed a series of weak tornadoes across rural parts of northwestern Kansas and a county in southwestern Nebraska along the Kansas line. 

The tornadoes hit Tuesday afternoon as a line of storms moved across the Plains. National Weather Service meteorologist Ed Holicky out of Goodland, Kansas, says spotters and video confirmed separate tornadoes in Decatur, Norton and Gove counties in Kansas and an one in Red Willow County in Nebraska. 

Holicky says there were no reports of injuries or damage from the tornadoes. The system brought gusty winds, heavy rain and some hail, leading to downed tree limbs some roof damage across the region.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652885436586.png" alt="National Weather Service Goodland" />
 <figcaption>National Weather Service Goodland</figcaption>
 </figure>GOODLAND, Kan. (AP) — The National Weather Service has confirmed a series of weak tornadoes across rural parts of northwestern Kansas and a county in southwestern Nebraska along the Kansas line. The tornadoes hit Tuesday afternoon as a line of storms moved across the Plains. National Weather Service meteorologist Ed Holicky out of Goodland, Kansas, says spotters and video confirmed separate tornadoes in Decatur, Norton and Gove counties in Kansas and an one in Red Willow County in Nebraska. Holicky says there were no reports of injuries or damage from the tornadoes. The system brought gusty winds, heavy rain and some hail, leading to downed tree limbs some roof damage across the region.

Weather service confirms weak tornadoes in Kansas, Nebraska

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress held its first hearing in half a century Tuesday on unidentified flying objects. And no, there is still no government confirmation of extraterrestrial life.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?520133-1/hearing-government-investigation-ufos">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the hearing

Testifying before a House Intelligence subcommittee, Pentagon officials did not disclose additional information from their ongoing investigation of hundreds of unexplained sightings in the sky. But they said they had picked a director for a new task force to coordinate data collection efforts on what the government has officially labeled “unidentified aerial phenomena.”

Ronald Moultrie, the undersecretary of defense for intelligence, said the Pentagon was also trying to destigmatize the issue and encourage pilots and other military personnel to report anything unusual they see.

“We want to know what’s out there as much as you want to know what’s out there,” Moultrie told lawmakers, adding that he was a fan of science fiction himself. “We get the questions not just from you. We get it from family and we get them night and day.”

Lawmakers from both parties say UFOs are a national security concern. Sightings of what appear to be aircraft flying without discernible means of propulsion have been reported near military bases and coastlines, raising the prospect that witnesses have spotted undiscovered or secret Chinese or Russian technology.

But the sightings are usually fleeting. Some appear for no more than an instant on camera — and then sometimes end up distorted by the camera lens. The U.S. government is believed to hold additional technical information on the sightings that it has not disclosed publicly.

An interim report&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-government-and-politics-f5f24502d97072fd4bef34b6fe36c81d">released by intelligence officials last year</a>&nbsp;counted 144 sightings of aircraft or other devices apparently flying at mysterious speeds or trajectories. In all but one of the sightings investigated, there was too little information for investigators to even broadly characterize the nature of the incident.

A top Pentagon official on Tuesday briefly demonstrated the challenge. Scott Bray, deputy director of naval intelligence, stood next to a television to show a short video taken from an F-18 military plane. The video shows a blue sky with passing clouds. In a single frame — which it took several minutes for staff in the room to queue up — there is an image of one balloon-like shape.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652802167906.png" alt="Scott Bray, deputy director of naval intelligence, stood next to a television to show a short video taken from an F-18 military plane. The video shows a blue sky with passing clouds. In a single frame — which it took several minutes for staff in the room to queue up — there is an image of one balloon-like shape-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Scott Bray, deputy director of naval intelligence, stood next to a television to show a short video taken from an F-18 military plane. The video shows a blue sky with passing clouds. In a single frame — which it took several minutes for staff in the room to queue up — there is an image of one balloon-like shape-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress held its first hearing in half a century Tuesday on unidentified flying objects. And no, there is still no government confirmation of extraterrestrial life.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?520133-1/hearing-government-investigation-ufos">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the hearingTestifying before a House Intelligence subcommittee, Pentagon officials did not disclose additional information from their ongoing investigation of hundreds of unexplained sightings in the sky. But they said they had picked a director for a new task force to coordinate data collection efforts on what the government has officially labeled “unidentified aerial phenomena.”Ronald Moultrie, the undersecretary of defense for intelligence, said the Pentagon was also trying to destigmatize the issue and encourage pilots and other military personnel to report anything unusual they see.“We want to know what’s out there as much as you want to know what’s out there,” Moultrie told lawmakers, adding that he was a fan of science fiction himself. “We get the questions not just from you. We get it from family and we get them night and day.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622822273014.png" alt="UFO image courtesy U.S. Department of Defense Naval Air System Command" />
 <figcaption>UFO image courtesy U.S. Department of Defense Naval Air System Command</figcaption>
 </figure>Lawmakers from both parties say UFOs are a national security concern. Sightings of what appear to be aircraft flying without discernible means of propulsion have been reported near military bases and coastlines, raising the prospect that witnesses have spotted undiscovered or secret Chinese or Russian technology.But the sightings are usually fleeting. Some appear for no more than an instant on camera — and then sometimes end up distorted by the camera lens. The U.S. government is believed to hold additional technical information on the sightings that it has not disclosed publicly.An interim report&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-government-and-politics-f5f24502d97072fd4bef34b6fe36c81d">released by intelligence officials last year</a>&nbsp;counted 144 sightings of aircraft or other devices apparently flying at mysterious speeds or trajectories. In all but one of the sightings investigated, there was too little information for investigators to even broadly characterize the nature of the incident.A top Pentagon official on Tuesday briefly demonstrated the challenge. Scott Bray, deputy director of naval intelligence, stood next to a television to show a short video taken from an F-18 military plane. The video shows a blue sky with passing clouds. In a single frame — which it took several minutes for staff in the room to queue up — there is an image of one balloon-like shape.“As you can see, finding UAP is harder than you may think,” Bray said, using the acronym for “unidentified aerial phenomena.”Rep. André Carson, an Indiana Democrat who chaired the hearing, called on investigators to show they “are willing to follow the facts where they lead.”Rep. Rick Crawford, an Arkansas Republican, noted that the investigations were not “about finding alien spacecraft but about delivering dominant intelligence.”“The inability to understand objects in our sensitive operating areas is tantamount to intelligence failure that we certainly want to avoid,” he said.