By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/evnen-fends-off-two-challengers-to-win-gop-primary-for-secretary-of-state/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 — Secretary of State Bob Evnen fended off two challengers in Tuesday’s 
Republican primary who claimed that widespread voter fraud cost Donald 
Trump the 2020 election.

Evnen claimed 44% of the vote in 
unofficial results late Tuesday night, outdistancing his GOP rivals, 
Robert Borer and Rex Schroder, who polled 32% and 24%, respectively.

The victory means that Evnen, a 
69-year-old attorney from Lincoln, likely will win a second term. No 
Democrats filed to run for the post this year.

“I
 am grateful to Nebraska Republicans for putting their trust in me,” 
Evnen said in a statement Tuesday night. “I will continue to work to 
secure our elections and to perform the many other responsibilities of 
the office.”&nbsp;

Both Borer, a retired Lincoln 
firefighter, and Schroder, a small business owner from Palmyra, had 
based their campaign largely on <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/06/evnen-faces-two-challengers-in-gop-primary-for-nebraska-secretary-of-state/">claims that the state’s vote-counting machines have been compromised</a>
 and that fraudulent voting had occurred under Evnen’s watch. Both 
questioned whether Joe Biden had truly won an electoral vote in 
Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, where he outpolled Trump by more 
than 22,000 votes.

But Evnen, a former general 
counsel for the Nebraska Republican Party, maintained that he had fully 
investigated all the claims by Borer, Schroder and a group called the 
Nebraska Voter Accuracy Project and found no validity to any of them.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652285531811.png" alt="Signs wait for pickup at the Nebraska Republican Party headquarters in Lincoln. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Signs wait for pickup at the Nebraska Republican Party headquarters in Lincoln. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/evnen-fends-off-two-challengers-to-win-gop-primary-for-secretary-of-state/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — Secretary of State Bob Evnen fended off two challengers in Tuesday’s 
Republican primary who claimed that widespread voter fraud cost Donald 
Trump the 2020 election.Evnen claimed 44% of the vote in 
unofficial results late Tuesday night, outdistancing his GOP rivals, 
Robert Borer and Rex Schroder, who polled 32% and 24%, respectively.The victory means that Evnen, a 
69-year-old attorney from Lincoln, likely will win a second term. No 
Democrats filed to run for the post this year.“I
 am grateful to Nebraska Republicans for putting their trust in me,” 
Evnen said in a statement Tuesday night. “I will continue to work to 
secure our elections and to perform the many other responsibilities of 
the office.”&nbsp;Both Borer, a retired Lincoln 
firefighter, and Schroder, a small business owner from Palmyra, had 
based their campaign largely on <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/06/evnen-faces-two-challengers-in-gop-primary-for-nebraska-secretary-of-state/">claims that the state’s vote-counting machines have been compromised</a>
 and that fraudulent voting had occurred under Evnen’s watch. Both 
questioned whether Joe Biden had truly won an electoral vote in 
Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, where he outpolled Trump by more 
than 22,000 votes.But Evnen, a former general 
counsel for the Nebraska Republican Party, maintained that he had fully 
investigated all the claims by Borer, Schroder and a group called the 
Nebraska Voter Accuracy Project and found no validity to any of them.

Evnen fends off two challengers to win GOP primary for secretary of state

WAVERLY, Neb. (AP) — Fire authorities say one person died and several others were left without a home in a fire that gutted a southeastern Nebraska apartment building. 

The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office says in a news release that firefighters and deputies were called late Tuesday night to Waverly for a fire at the Northland Apartments. 

Officials say the fire began in a single apartment and spread to other units in the building. 

Authorities said fire crews later found the body of 61-year-old Mark Umland in the unit where the fire originated.

 Fire officials said all eight units of the building suffered fire, smoke or water damage, displacing 20 people. 

The Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

By Associated PressWAVERLY, Neb. (AP) — Fire authorities say one person died and several others were left without a home in a fire that gutted a southeastern Nebraska apartment building. The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office says in a news release that firefighters and deputies were called late Tuesday night to Waverly for a fire at the Northland Apartments. Officials say the fire began in a single apartment and spread to other units in the building. Authorities said fire crews later found the body of 61-year-old Mark Umland in the unit where the fire originated. Fire officials said all eight units of the building suffered fire, smoke or water damage, displacing 20 people. The Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

1 dead, 8 households displaced in Nebraska apartment fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — Parents in Nebraska and across the U.S. are scrambling to find baby formula because supply disruptions and a massive safety recall have swept many leading brands off store shelves.

Months of spot shortages at pharmacies and supermarkets have been exacerbated by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-sturgis-a44d06262482d776ae465e0d22382d2d">the recall</a>&nbsp;at Abbott, which was forced to shutter its largest U.S. formula manufacturing plant in February due to contamination concerns.

On Monday, White House press secretary Jenn Psaki said the Food and Drug Administration was “working around the clock to address any possible shortages” and will try to expedite imports of foreign baby formula to increase supply.

For now, pediatricians and health workers are urging parents who can’t find formula to contact food banks or doctor’s offices. They warn against watering down formula to stretch supplies or using online DIY recipes.

“For babies who are not being breastfed, this is the only thing they eat,” said Dr. Steven Abrams, of the University of Texas, Austin. “So it has to have all of their nutrition and, furthermore, it needs to be properly prepared so that it’s safe for the smallest infants.”

Laura Stewart, a 52-year-old mother of three who lives just north of Springfield, Missouri, has been struggling for several weeks to find formula for her 10-month-old daughter, Riley.

Riley normally gets a brand of Abbott’s Similac designed for children with sensitive stomachs. Last month, she instead used four different brands.

“She spits up more. She’s just more cranky. She is typically a very happy girl,” Hughes said. “When she has the right formula, she doesn’t spit up. She’s perfectly fine.”

A small can costs $17 to $18 and lasts three to five days, Stewart said.

Like many Americans, Hughes relies on WIC — a federal program similar to food stamps that serves mothers and children — to afford formula for her daughter. Abbott’s recall wiped out many WIC-covered brands, though the program is now allowing substitutions.

Trying to keep formula in stock, retailers including CVS and Walgreens have begun limiting purchases to three containers per customer.

Nationwide about 40% of big box stores are out of stock, up from 31% in mid-April, according to Datasembly, a data analytics firm. More than half of U.S. states are seeing out-of-stock rates between 40% and 50%, according to the firm, which collects data from 11,000 locations.

Baby formula is particularly vulnerable to disruptions because just a handful of companies account for almost the entire U.S. supply.

Industry executives say the constraints began last year as the COVID-19 pandemic led to disruptions in ingredients, labor and transportation. Supplies were further squeezed by parents stockpiling during lockdowns.

Then in February, Abbott recalled several major brands and shut down its Sturgis, Michigan, factory when federal officials concluded four babies suffered bacterial infections after consuming formula from the facility. Two of the infants died.

When FDA inspectors visited the plant in March they found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-a4205025fc781b1fb902cdd9e1264b41">lax safety protocols&nbsp;</a>and traces of the bacteria on several surfaces. None of the bacterial strains matched those collected from the infants, however, and the FDA hasn’t offered an explanation for how the contamination occurred.

For its part, Abbott says its formula “is not likely the source of infection,” though the FDA says its investigation continues.

The shortages are especially dangerous for infants who require specialty formulas due to food allergies, digestive problems and other conditions.

“Unfortunately, many of those very specialized formulas are only made in the United States at the factory that had the recall, and that’s caused a huge problem for a relatively small number of infants,” Abrams said.

After hearing concerns from parents, the FDA said last month that Abbott could begin releasing some specialty formulas not affected by the recalls “on a case-by-case basis.” The company is providing them free of charge, in coordination with physicians and hospitals.

Food safety advocates say the FDA made the right call in releasing the formula, but that parents should talk to their pediatricians before using it.

“There’s still some risk from the formula because we know there are problems at the plant and FDA hasn’t identified a root cause,” said Sarah Sorscher of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. ”But it’s worth releasing because these infants might die without it.”

It’s unclear when the Abbott plant might reopen.

An FDA spokeswoman said the company is still working “to rectify findings related to the processes, procedures, and conditions.” The agency also is working with other manufacturers to consider options for increasing production.

Industry professionals say it will be hard to boost supply quickly, because the FDA requires extensive testing, labeling and inspections.

“It’s a long and rigorous process to bring any new manufacturers into this country,” said Ron Belldegrun, co-founder of ByHeart, a New York-based specialty formula maker that recently launched its first product after four years in development.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648164055231.png" alt="In February Abbott, one of the country’s largest infant formula makers announced a recall of Similac-FDA image" />
 <figcaption>In February Abbott, one of the country’s largest infant formula makers announced a recall of Similac-FDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Parents in Nebraska and across the U.S. are scrambling to find baby formula because supply disruptions and a massive safety recall have swept many leading brands off store shelves.Months of spot shortages at pharmacies and supermarkets have been exacerbated by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-sturgis-a44d06262482d776ae465e0d22382d2d">the recall</a>&nbsp;at Abbott, which was forced to shutter its largest U.S. formula manufacturing plant in February due to contamination concerns.On Monday, White House press secretary Jenn Psaki said the Food and Drug Administration was “working around the clock to address any possible shortages” and will try to expedite imports of foreign baby formula to increase supply.For now, pediatricians and health workers are urging parents who can’t find formula to contact food banks or doctor’s offices. They warn against watering down formula to stretch supplies or using online DIY recipes.“For babies who are not being breastfed, this is the only thing they eat,” said Dr. Steven Abrams, of the University of Texas, Austin. “So it has to have all of their nutrition and, furthermore, it needs to be properly prepared so that it’s safe for the smallest infants.”Laura Stewart, a 52-year-old mother of three who lives just north of Springfield, Missouri, has been struggling for several weeks to find formula for her 10-month-old daughter, Riley.Riley normally gets a brand of Abbott’s Similac designed for children with sensitive stomachs. Last month, she instead used four different brands.“She spits up more. She’s just more cranky. She is typically a very happy girl,” Hughes said. “When she has the right formula, she doesn’t spit up. She’s perfectly fine.”A small can costs $17 to $18 and lasts three to five days, Stewart said.Like many Americans, Hughes relies on WIC — a federal program similar to food stamps that serves mothers and children — to afford formula for her daughter. Abbott’s recall wiped out many WIC-covered brands, though the program is now allowing substitutions.Trying to keep formula in stock, retailers including CVS and Walgreens have begun limiting purchases to three containers per customer.Nationwide about 40% of big box stores are out of stock, up from 31% in mid-April, according to Datasembly, a data analytics firm. More than half of U.S. states are seeing out-of-stock rates between 40% and 50%, according to the firm, which collects data from 11,000 locations.Baby formula is particularly vulnerable to disruptions because just a handful of companies account for almost the entire U.S. supply.Industry executives say the constraints began last year as the COVID-19 pandemic led to disruptions in ingredients, labor and transportation. Supplies were further squeezed by parents stockpiling during lockdowns.Then in February, Abbott recalled several major brands and shut down its Sturgis, Michigan, factory when federal officials concluded four babies suffered bacterial infections after consuming formula from the facility. Two of the infants died.When FDA inspectors visited the plant in March they found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-a4205025fc781b1fb902cdd9e1264b41">lax safety protocols&nbsp;</a>and traces of the bacteria on several surfaces. None of the bacterial strains matched those collected from the infants, however, and the FDA hasn’t offered an explanation for how the contamination occurred.For its part, Abbott says its formula “is not likely the source of infection,” though the FDA says its investigation continues.The shortages are especially dangerous for infants who require specialty formulas due to food allergies, digestive problems and other conditions.“Unfortunately, many of those very specialized formulas are only made in the United States at the factory that had the recall, and that’s caused a huge problem for a relatively small number of infants,” Abrams said.After hearing concerns from parents, the FDA said last month that Abbott could begin releasing some specialty formulas not affected by the recalls “on a case-by-case basis.” The company is providing them free of charge, in coordination with physicians and hospitals.Food safety advocates say the FDA made the right call in releasing the formula, but that parents should talk to their pediatricians before using it.“There’s still some risk from the formula because we know there are problems at the plant and FDA hasn’t identified a root cause,” said Sarah Sorscher of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. ”But it’s worth releasing because these infants might die without it.”It’s unclear when the Abbott plant might reopen.An FDA spokeswoman said the company is still working “to rectify findings related to the processes, procedures, and conditions.” The agency also is working with other manufacturers to consider options for increasing production.Industry professionals say it will be hard to boost supply quickly, because the FDA requires extensive testing, labeling and inspections.“It’s a long and rigorous process to bring any new manufacturers into this country,” said Ron Belldegrun, co-founder of ByHeart, a New York-based specialty formula maker that recently launched its first product after four years in development.

Parents in Nebraska hunting for baby formula due to supply shortage 

LONDON (AP) — Elon Musk said he will reverse Twitter’s permanent ban of former President Donald Trump if the Tesla CEO follows through with his plan to buy the social media company.

Musk, speaking virtually at a Future of the Car summit hosted by the Financial Times, said Twitter’s Trump ban was a “morally bad decision” and “foolish in the extreme.” He said permanent bans of Twitter accounts should be rare and reserved for accounts that are scams or automated bots.

Twitter banned Trump’s account in January 2021 for “incitement of violence” following the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

“I think that was a mistake because it alienated a large part of the country and did not ultimately result in Donald Trump not having a voice,” Musk said. “So I think this may end up being frankly worse than having a single forum where everyone can debate. I guess the answer is that I would reverse the permanent ban.”

Musk added that his distaste for permanent bans is shared by Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey.

Trump had previously said that he had no intention of rejoining Twitter even if his account was reinstated, telling Fox News last month that he would instead focus on his own platform, Truth Social, which has been mired in problems since its launch earlier this year.

“I am not going on Twitter. I am going to stay on Truth,” Trump told the network. “I hope Elon buys Twitter because he’ll make improvements to it and he is a good man, but I am going to be staying on Truth.”

A Trump spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment in response to Musk’s remarks.

Twitter, Musk said, currently has a strong bias to the left, largely because it is located in San Francisco. This alleged bias prevents it from building trust in the rest of the U.S. and the world, he said.

Twitter should get rid of bots and scammers to be a better public forum to exchange ideas, Musk said. It also needs to be transparent when a human takes action against an account, explaining what was done and why, he added. “It’s far too random” at present, he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610197339702.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — Elon Musk said he will reverse Twitter’s permanent ban of former President Donald Trump if the Tesla CEO follows through with his plan to buy the social media company.Musk, speaking virtually at a Future of the Car summit hosted by the Financial Times, said Twitter’s Trump ban was a “morally bad decision” and “foolish in the extreme.” He said permanent bans of Twitter accounts should be rare and reserved for accounts that are scams or automated bots.Twitter banned Trump’s account in January 2021 for “incitement of violence” following the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.“I think that was a mistake because it alienated a large part of the country and did not ultimately result in Donald Trump not having a voice,” Musk said. “So I think this may end up being frankly worse than having a single forum where everyone can debate. I guess the answer is that I would reverse the permanent ban.”Musk added that his distaste for permanent bans is shared by Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey.Trump had previously said that he had no intention of rejoining Twitter even if his account was reinstated, telling Fox News last month that he would instead focus on his own platform, Truth Social, which has been mired in problems since its launch earlier this year.“I am not going on Twitter. I am going to stay on Truth,” Trump told the network. “I hope Elon buys Twitter because he’ll make improvements to it and he is a good man, but I am going to be staying on Truth.”A Trump spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment in response to Musk’s remarks.Twitter, Musk said, currently has a strong bias to the left, largely because it is located in San Francisco. This alleged bias prevents it from building trust in the rest of the U.S. and the world, he said.Twitter should get rid of bots and scammers to be a better public forum to exchange ideas, Musk said. It also needs to be transparent when a human takes action against an account, explaining what was done and why, he added. “It’s far too random” at present, he said.

Musk will reverse Twitter's ban of former President Trump

By MICHAEL POLAND <a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2022/05/10/short-drive-between-yellowstones-tower-canyon-junctions-showcases-millions-of-years-of-history/">Courtesy Idaho Capital Sun</a>

The road over Dunraven Pass between Tower and Canyon junctions in the
 northeast part of Yellowstone National Park exposes an outstanding 
sequence of geological history, much of which significantly predates 
recent Yellowstone volcanism.

Construction work closed the road during the summers of 2020 and 
2021, but the route is scheduled to open to park visitors on May 27.

The occasion provides an ideal opportunity to rediscover some of the 
most diverse geology and outstanding vistas in all of Yellowstone 
National Park. Let’s have a look, traveling south from Tower Junction to
 Canyon Junction.

The geology of the eastern portion of Yellowstone National Park, 
outside the boundaries on Yellowstone Caldera, is dominated by the 
Absarokas — a volcanic range that was active from about 53 to 43 million
 years ago. In contrast to the giant Yellowstone caldera now filled with
 hummocky hills of rhyolite lava flows, the Absaroka Range back then 
might have looked more like the Cascade Range does today — a chain of 
large, steep-sided stratovolcanoes that erupted lava and ash flows, and 
whose slopes failed on multiple occasions with large collapses that 
created mudflow events. The Absaroka volcanoes have a different rock 
chemistry, a different origin and evolution, and are distinct from the 
younger Yellowstone volcanism.

Even though the volcanoes have long since eroded way — the Absaroka 
Rage today only exposes the “guts” of these long-dead eruptive centers —
 debris from their eruptions is scattered across the region. In fact, 
petrified trees near Tower Junction were preserved because they were 
encased in ancient mudflow deposits from these volcanoes. The area is 
actually one of the largest deposits of petrified trees found anywhere 
in the world.

The road from Tower Junction (near Roosevelt Lodge) to Tower Fall — a
 magnificent waterfall that formed within the Absaroka volcanic rocks — 
follows the path of the Yellowstone River and provides numerous vistas 
into its spectacular canyon. The base of the canyon is made up of debris
 from the ancient Absaroka volcanic eruptions.

About halfway up the canyon walls of the Yellowstone River, and 
easily visible across the river from the road (especially from the 
Calcite Springs overlook), are a pair of dark, horizontal layers with a 
well-defined columnar structure (formed due to slow cooling of hot 
material). These are lava flows known as the basalt of the Narrows and 
that erupted about 1.3 million years ago — roughly the same time as the 
formation of second cycle caldera-forming eruption, the Henrys Fork 
caldera, southwest of Yellowstone National Park in eastern Idaho.

The two lava flows are separated by a thick accumulation of gravels, 
including from glacial deposits, and they are overlain by more glacial 
debris. Similar flows of columnar basaltic lava are also present along 
the road. Named the Junction Butte Basalt, this flow erupted about 2 
million years ago, after the formation of, and outside, the Huckleberry 
Ridge caldera — the first major caldera-forming eruption in the 
Yellowstone region 2.1 million years ago.

A curious non-volcanic feature is also present in the same area — oil seeps.

Deep beneath the surface in this area are sediments from an inland 
sea that are tens to hundreds of millions of years old. These sediments 
contain hydrocarbons formed from long-buried organic material. Perhaps 
aided by heat from Yellowstone’s magmatic system and fractures formed by
 circulating hydrothermal fluids, the hydrocarbons have made it to the 
surface as oil seeps at Calcite Springs and a few other areas in this 
part of Yellowstone National Park.

Continuing south from Tower Fall, the road climbs through Absaroka 
volcanic rocks to Mount Washburn. Roadcuts along the route expose mud 
flow deposits that dip away from the summit of Mount Washburn, a massive
 Absaroka volcano. The dipping rock units follow the slope of the 
ancient volcano.

If you have the time, be sure to take in the view from Mount Washburn
 — either from the trailhead, the parking area off Chittenden Road, or 
from the lookout atop the peak itself. Looking east, the rugged Absaroka
 Range is laid out before you. To the southwest is the Grand Canyon of 
the Yellowstone and Yellowstone caldera, 631,000 years old and largely 
filled by lava flows and glacial debris. In the distance is Yellowstone 
Lake and the southern rim of the Yellowstone Caldera at the base of 
Mount Sheridan and Flat Mountain.

As you descend from Dunraven Pass toward Canyon Junction, keep an eye
 out for Washburn Hot Springs to the east. Within about three miles of 
Canyon Junction, you will finally leave the steep slopes of the Absaroka
 Range and its diverse forests and cross into the lodgepole pine stands 
that grow on the soils of rhyolite lava flows that erupted after the 
formation of Yellowstone Caldera. After another mile or two, you have 
descended into the caldera itself, although much of its boundary is 
obscured by the rhyolite lava flows.

The geology of Canyon Junction is dominated by rhyolite lava flows 
that are several hundred thousand years old. Atop these flows are lake 
sediments and glacial debris, including some impressive boulders, known 
as erratics, that were transported at least tens of miles by ice that 
covered the Yellowstone region as recently as about 15,000 years ago.

The short drive between Tower and Canyon junctions showcases tens of 
millions of years of Earth history, from petrified trees encased in 
ancient mudflows, to relatively young glacial and lake deposits that sit
 atop thick rhyolite lava flows. If you happen to be in Yellowstone this
 summer, be sure to take advantage of the opening of the road over 
Dunraven Pass to explore some of the most diverse geology in all of 
Yellowstone National Park.

Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by 
scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. 
This week’s contribution is from Michael Poland, geophysicist with the 
U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone 
Volcano Observatory.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652206275857.png" alt="The two distinct, columnar-jointed, lava flows seen here in the Narrows of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River erupted about 1.3 million years ago at about the time of the second caldera-forming rhyolitic ash-flow eruption, which occurred west of Yellowstone National Park. Thick layers of stream-deposited gravels lie beneath and between the two lava flows visible in this photo. The cliffs eroded into pinnacles below the lower basalt are older volcanic rocks of the Absaroka volcanic field. (Courtesy of the Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles)" />
 <figcaption>The two distinct, columnar-jointed, lava flows seen here in the Narrows of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River erupted about 1.3 million years ago at about the time of the second caldera-forming rhyolitic ash-flow eruption, which occurred west of Yellowstone National Park. Thick layers of stream-deposited gravels lie beneath and between the two lava flows visible in this photo. The cliffs eroded into pinnacles below the lower basalt are older volcanic rocks of the Absaroka volcanic field. (Courtesy of the Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MICHAEL POLAND <a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2022/05/10/short-drive-between-yellowstones-tower-canyon-junctions-showcases-millions-of-years-of-history/">Courtesy Idaho Capital Sun</a>The road over Dunraven Pass between Tower and Canyon junctions in the
 northeast part of Yellowstone National Park exposes an outstanding 
sequence of geological history, much of which significantly predates 
recent Yellowstone volcanism.Construction work closed the road during the summers of 2020 and 
2021, but the route is scheduled to open to park visitors on May 27.The occasion provides an ideal opportunity to rediscover some of the 
most diverse geology and outstanding vistas in all of Yellowstone 
National Park. Let’s have a look, traveling south from Tower Junction to
 Canyon Junction.The geology of the eastern portion of Yellowstone National Park, 
outside the boundaries on Yellowstone Caldera, is dominated by the 
Absarokas — a volcanic range that was active from about 53 to 43 million
 years ago. In contrast to the giant Yellowstone caldera now filled with
 hummocky hills of rhyolite lava flows, the Absaroka Range back then 
might have looked more like the Cascade Range does today — a chain of 
large, steep-sided stratovolcanoes that erupted lava and ash flows, and 
whose slopes failed on multiple occasions with large collapses that 
created mudflow events. The Absaroka volcanoes have a different rock 
chemistry, a different origin and evolution, and are distinct from the 
younger Yellowstone volcanism.Even though the volcanoes have long since eroded way — the Absaroka 
Rage today only exposes the “guts” of these long-dead eruptive centers —
 debris from their eruptions is scattered across the region. In fact, 
petrified trees near Tower Junction were preserved because they were 
encased in ancient mudflow deposits from these volcanoes. The area is 
actually one of the largest deposits of petrified trees found anywhere 
in the world.The road from Tower Junction (near Roosevelt Lodge) to Tower Fall — a
 magnificent waterfall that formed within the Absaroka volcanic rocks — 
follows the path of the Yellowstone River and provides numerous vistas 
into its spectacular canyon. The base of the canyon is made up of debris
 from the ancient Absaroka volcanic eruptions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652206335103.png" alt=" View of the Yellowstone caldera from the Washburn Range. The caldera extends to the base of the Red Mountains in the upper right of the photo. The rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is in the foreground. (Jacob Frank/National Park Service)" />
 <figcaption> View of the Yellowstone caldera from the Washburn Range. The caldera extends to the base of the Red Mountains in the upper right of the photo. The rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is in the foreground. (Jacob Frank/National Park Service)</figcaption>
 </figure>About halfway up the canyon walls of the Yellowstone River, and 
easily visible across the river from the road (especially from the 
Calcite Springs overlook), are a pair of dark, horizontal layers with a 
well-defined columnar structure (formed due to slow cooling of hot 
material). These are lava flows known as the basalt of the Narrows and 
that erupted about 1.3 million years ago — roughly the same time as the 
formation of second cycle caldera-forming eruption, the Henrys Fork 
caldera, southwest of Yellowstone National Park in eastern Idaho.The two lava flows are separated by a thick accumulation of gravels, 
including from glacial deposits, and they are overlain by more glacial 
debris. Similar flows of columnar basaltic lava are also present along 
the road. Named the Junction Butte Basalt, this flow erupted about 2 
million years ago, after the formation of, and outside, the Huckleberry 
Ridge caldera — the first major caldera-forming eruption in the 
Yellowstone region 2.1 million years ago.A curious non-volcanic feature is also present in the same area — oil seeps.Deep beneath the surface in this area are sediments from an inland 
sea that are tens to hundreds of millions of years old. These sediments 
contain hydrocarbons formed from long-buried organic material. Perhaps 
aided by heat from Yellowstone’s magmatic system and fractures formed by
 circulating hydrothermal fluids, the hydrocarbons have made it to the 
surface as oil seeps at Calcite Springs and a few other areas in this 
part of Yellowstone National Park.Continuing south from Tower Fall, the road climbs through Absaroka 
volcanic rocks to Mount Washburn. Roadcuts along the route expose mud 
flow deposits that dip away from the summit of Mount Washburn, a massive
 Absaroka volcano. The dipping rock units follow the slope of the 
ancient volcano.If you have the time, be sure to take in the view from Mount Washburn
 — either from the trailhead, the parking area off Chittenden Road, or 
from the lookout atop the peak itself. Looking east, the rugged Absaroka
 Range is laid out before you. To the southwest is the Grand Canyon of 
the Yellowstone and Yellowstone caldera, 631,000 years old and largely 
filled by lava flows and glacial debris. In the distance is Yellowstone 
Lake and the southern rim of the Yellowstone Caldera at the base of 
Mount Sheridan and Flat Mountain.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652206376535.png" alt="This huge boulder was dropped by a retreating glacier on the north rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone in Yellowstone National Park — a testament to Yellowstone’s icy past. (Courtesy of the Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles)" />
 <figcaption>This huge boulder was dropped by a retreating glacier on the north rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone in Yellowstone National Park — a testament to Yellowstone’s icy past. (Courtesy of the Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles)</figcaption>
 </figure>As you descend from Dunraven Pass toward Canyon Junction, keep an eye
 out for Washburn Hot Springs to the east. Within about three miles of 
Canyon Junction, you will finally leave the steep slopes of the Absaroka
 Range and its diverse forests and cross into the lodgepole pine stands 
that grow on the soils of rhyolite lava flows that erupted after the 
formation of Yellowstone Caldera. After another mile or two, you have 
descended into the caldera itself, although much of its boundary is 
obscured by the rhyolite lava flows.The geology of Canyon Junction is dominated by rhyolite lava flows 
that are several hundred thousand years old. Atop these flows are lake 
sediments and glacial debris, including some impressive boulders, known 
as erratics, that were transported at least tens of miles by ice that 
covered the Yellowstone region as recently as about 15,000 years ago.The short drive between Tower and Canyon junctions showcases tens of 
millions of years of Earth history, from petrified trees encased in 
ancient mudflows, to relatively young glacial and lake deposits that sit
 atop thick rhyolite lava flows. If you happen to be in Yellowstone this
 summer, be sure to take advantage of the opening of the road over 
Dunraven Pass to explore some of the most diverse geology in all of 
Yellowstone National Park.Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by 
scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. 
This week’s contribution is from Michael Poland, geophysicist with the 
U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone 
Volcano Observatory.

Yellowstone path showcases millions of years of history in one short drive

WASHINGTON (AP) — As more doctors prescribe Pfizer’s powerful COVID-19 pill, new questions are emerging about its performance, including why a small number of patients appear to relapse after taking the drug.

Paxlovid has become the go-to option against COVID-19 because of its at-home convenience and impressive results in heading off severe disease. The U.S. government has spent more than $10 billion to purchase enough pills to treat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-business-health-medication-a5adf6c2e7894e479e795b5a6d1aeb84">20 million people.</a>

But experts say there is still much to be learned about the drug, which was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-pfizer-medication-f5f65e7e61d6aa9c7dfa193053e8878a">authorized in December</a>&nbsp;for adults at high risk of severe COVID-19 based on a study in which 1,000 adults received the medication.

Doctors have started reporting rare cases of patients whose symptoms return several days after completing Paxlovid’s five-day regimen of pills. That’s prompted questions about whether those patients are still contagious and should receive a second course of Paxlovid.

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration weighed in. It advised against a second round because there’s little risk of severe disease or hospitalization among patients who relapse.

Dr. Michael Charness&nbsp;<a href="https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-1588371/v1/48342d2c-b3ea-4228-b600-168fca1fded7.pdf?c=1650977883" target="_blank">reported&nbsp;</a>last month on a 71-year-old vaccinated patient who saw his symptoms subside but then return, along with a spike in virus levels nine days into his illness.

Charness says Paxlovid remains a highly effective drug, but he wonders if it might be less potent against the current omicron variant. The $500 drug treatment was tested and OK’d based on its performance against the delta version of the coronavirus.

“The ability to clear the virus after it’s suppressed may be different from omicron to delta, especially for vaccinated people,” said Charness, who works for Boston’s VA health system.

Could some people just be susceptible to a relapse? Both the FDA and Pfizer point out that 1% to 2% of people in Pfizer’s original study saw their virus levels rebound after 10 days. The rate was about the same among people taking the drug or dummy pills, “so it is unclear at this point that this is related to drug treatment,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/fda-updates-paxlovid-health-care-providers?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" target="_blank">FDA stated</a>.

Some experts point to another possibility: The Paxlovid dose isn’t strong enough to fully suppress the virus. Andy Pekosz of Johns Hopkins University worries that could spur mutations that are resistant to the drug.

“We should really make sure we’re dosing Paxlovid appropriately because I would hate to lose it right now,” said Pekosz, a virologist. “This is one of the essential tools we have to help us turn the corner on the pandemic.”

HOW WELL DOES PAXLOVID WORK IN VACCINATED PEOPLE?

Pfizer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-medication-eeea3c6a5f6428479e35bc1bcd7aec52">tested Paxlovid&nbsp;</a>in the highest-risk patients: unvaccinated adults with no prior COVID-19 infection and other health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes. The drug reduced their risk of hospitalization and death from 7% to 1%.

But that doesn’t reflect the vast majority of Americans today, where 89% of adults have had at least one shot. And roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7117e3.htm?s_cid=mm7117e3_w" target="_blank">60% of Americans</a>&nbsp;have been infected with the virus at some point.

“That’s the population I care about in 2022 because that’s who we’re seeing -- vaccinated people with COVID -- so do they benefit?” asked Dr. David Boulware, a University of Minnesota researcher and physician.

There’s no clear answer yet for vaccinated Americans, who already have a hospitalization rate far below 1%.

That may come from a large, ongoing Pfizer study that includes high-risk vaccinated people. No results have been published; the study is expected to wrap up in the fall.

Pfizer said last year that initial results showed Paxlovid failed to meet the study’s goals of significantly resolving symptoms and reducing hospitalizations. It recently stopped enrolling anyone who’s received a vaccination or booster in the past year, a change Boulware says suggests those patients aren’t benefitting.

At a minimum, the preliminary data should be released to federal officials, Boulware said. “If the U.S. government is spending billions of dollars on this medicine, what’s the obligation to release that data so that they can formulate a good policy?”

CAN PAXLOVID BE USED TO HELP PREVENT COVID-19 INFECTION?

Pfizer recently reported that proactively giving Paxlovid to family members of people infected with COVID-19 didn’t significantly reduce their chances of catching it. But that’s not the end of the story. Pfizer is studying several other potential benefits of early use, including whether Paxlovid reduces the length and severity of COVID-19 among households.

“It’s a high bar to protect against infection but I’d love to see data on how Paxlovid did against severe disease because it may be more effective there,” said Pekosz.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652144968838.png" alt="Photo courtesy Pfizer" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Pfizer</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — As more doctors prescribe Pfizer’s powerful COVID-19 pill, new questions are emerging about its performance, including why a small number of patients appear to relapse after taking the drug.Paxlovid has become the go-to option against COVID-19 because of its at-home convenience and impressive results in heading off severe disease. The U.S. government has spent more than $10 billion to purchase enough pills to treat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-business-health-medication-a5adf6c2e7894e479e795b5a6d1aeb84">20 million people.</a>But experts say there is still much to be learned about the drug, which was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-pfizer-medication-f5f65e7e61d6aa9c7dfa193053e8878a">authorized in December</a>&nbsp;for adults at high risk of severe COVID-19 based on a study in which 1,000 adults received the medication.WHY DO SOME PATIENTS SEEM TO RELAPSE?Doctors have started reporting rare cases of patients whose symptoms return several days after completing Paxlovid’s five-day regimen of pills. That’s prompted questions about whether those patients are still contagious and should receive a second course of Paxlovid.Last week, the Food and Drug Administration weighed in. It advised against a second round because there’s little risk of severe disease or hospitalization among patients who relapse.Dr. Michael Charness&nbsp;<a href="https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-1588371/v1/48342d2c-b3ea-4228-b600-168fca1fded7.pdf?c=1650977883" target="_blank">reported&nbsp;</a>last month on a 71-year-old vaccinated patient who saw his symptoms subside but then return, along with a spike in virus levels nine days into his illness.Charness says Paxlovid remains a highly effective drug, but he wonders if it might be less potent against the current omicron variant. The $500 drug treatment was tested and OK’d based on its performance against the delta version of the coronavirus.“The ability to clear the virus after it’s suppressed may be different from omicron to delta, especially for vaccinated people,” said Charness, who works for Boston’s VA health system.Could some people just be susceptible to a relapse? Both the FDA and Pfizer point out that 1% to 2% of people in Pfizer’s original study saw their virus levels rebound after 10 days. The rate was about the same among people taking the drug or dummy pills, “so it is unclear at this point that this is related to drug treatment,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/fda-updates-paxlovid-health-care-providers?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" target="_blank">FDA stated</a>.Some experts point to another possibility: The Paxlovid dose isn’t strong enough to fully suppress the virus. Andy Pekosz of Johns Hopkins University worries that could spur mutations that are resistant to the drug.“We should really make sure we’re dosing Paxlovid appropriately because I would hate to lose it right now,” said Pekosz, a virologist. “This is one of the essential tools we have to help us turn the corner on the pandemic.”HOW WELL DOES PAXLOVID WORK IN VACCINATED PEOPLE?Pfizer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-medication-eeea3c6a5f6428479e35bc1bcd7aec52">tested Paxlovid&nbsp;</a>in the highest-risk patients: unvaccinated adults with no prior COVID-19 infection and other health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes. The drug reduced their risk of hospitalization and death from 7% to 1%.But that doesn’t reflect the vast majority of Americans today, where 89% of adults have had at least one shot. And roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7117e3.htm?s_cid=mm7117e3_w" target="_blank">60% of Americans</a>&nbsp;have been infected with the virus at some point.“That’s the population I care about in 2022 because that’s who we’re seeing -- vaccinated people with COVID -- so do they benefit?” asked Dr. David Boulware, a University of Minnesota researcher and physician.There’s no clear answer yet for vaccinated Americans, who already have a hospitalization rate far below 1%.That may come from a large, ongoing Pfizer study that includes high-risk vaccinated people. No results have been published; the study is expected to wrap up in the fall.Pfizer said last year that initial results showed Paxlovid failed to meet the study’s goals of significantly resolving symptoms and reducing hospitalizations. It recently stopped enrolling anyone who’s received a vaccination or booster in the past year, a change Boulware says suggests those patients aren’t benefitting.At a minimum, the preliminary data should be released to federal officials, Boulware said. “If the U.S. government is spending billions of dollars on this medicine, what’s the obligation to release that data so that they can formulate a good policy?”CAN PAXLOVID BE USED TO HELP PREVENT COVID-19 INFECTION?Pfizer recently reported that proactively giving Paxlovid to family members of people infected with COVID-19 didn’t significantly reduce their chances of catching it. But that’s not the end of the story. Pfizer is studying several other potential benefits of early use, including whether Paxlovid reduces the length and severity of COVID-19 among households.“It’s a high bar to protect against infection but I’d love to see data on how Paxlovid did against severe disease because it may be more effective there,” said Pekosz.

Cases of COVID returning pose questions for Pfizer pill

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/09/25-million-bluestem-prairie-residential-pocket-ready-to-sprout-in-north-omaha/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA
 — A new $25 million neighborhood aimed at providing affordable 
homeownership opportunities is ready to sprout on a long-vacant North 
Omaha site once occupied by the neglected Wintergreen Apartments.

The
 previous rental complex was built under a different name in 1975 near 
52nd Street and Sorensen Parkway. Those units were condemned and 
eventually demolished in 2006.

Now, after sitting 16 years as an eyesore, the roughly 15 acres is to be transformed into the Bluestem Prairie neighborhood.

Leading
 the project — whose official groundbreaking was Monday — is nonprofit 
Habitat for Humanity Omaha. The project is scheduled to be completed in 
2025.

“We’re
 super excited,” said spokeswoman Tracie McPherson. “This is a 
development like no other that Habitat for Humanity Omaha has done 
before.”&nbsp;

Working closely with the City of Omaha, Habitat acquired the property for $1 from the city.

The
 overall price tag includes home construction, a community park and 
infrastructure. Streets must be built and reconfigured; sewers and power
 will be installed.&nbsp;

Habitat says the bulk of the funding is to be paid by donors and the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

In
 addition, city officials approved tax-increment financing of $3.4 
million. TIF is a tool created by the Nebraska Legislature to assist in 
economic development.

Under
 the public subsidy program, property tax revenue generated by new 
development goes to help pay eligible costs incurred by the developer. 
After the TIF payment period, typically 20 years, the property tax 
revenue starts to flow to traditional recipients such as public schools 
and city government.

Monday’s event, held as construction 
vehicles worked in the background, drew a few dozen business, community 
and other officials, including Habitat
 CEO Amanda Brewer, Mayor Jean Stothert, State Sen. Justin Wayne of 
North Omaha, State Sen. Tony Vargas of South Omaha, and Spencer Danner, a
 First National Bank vice president who lived at the site as a youth.

City Councilwoman Juanita Johnson, another 
speaker, reflected on the area’s past, which included fond memories but 
also crime and social ills as the apartments fell into disrepair.

She said she is reassured knowing what is to come.

“When we work together as a team, we can do mighty things,” Johnson said.

The residential Bluestem Prairie pocket is designed to draw families of various generations, sizes, composition and incomes.&nbsp;

Home
 styles are to include about 20 easy-to-access villas that target empty 
nesters. “We’ve never done that before,” McPherson said.

Houses will contain up to five bedrooms for bigger families. Some
 will come with accessory units, often called mother-in-law quarters, 
McPherson said, allowing independent yet elderly relatives to “age in 
place” with family.

In
 addition to the 85 Bluestem homes, 15 other dwellings are to be 
rehabilitated on a nearby area spanning about four acres, McPherson 
said. While not technically part of Bluestem, the homes will be in close
 proximity.

A
 highlight of the Bluestem project, officials agree, is homeownership 
opportunities to be afforded to people who lack access to traditional 
housing and lending markets.

Buyers
 must have a two-year employment track record, have a certain amount of 
savings and earn less than 80% of the area’s median income, said Habitat
 program director Lacey Studnicka.

Affordable homes ‘never as important’

Programs are available to help bridge affordability and down-payment gaps.

Habitat
 in general aims to provide creative ways to remove barriers to 
homeownership, Studnicka said. Residents also participate in training 
initiatives, for example, to help build up credit scores and savings 
accounts.

Today, Studnicka said, many Nebraskans pay rent way beyond the desired 30% or less of monthly household income.

Habitat
 officials pointed to a recent report involving multiple local 
organizations that said the Omaha metro area was short nearly 80,000 
affordable housing units. It said that gap could increase to more than 
100,000 over the next 20 years without significant intervention.

“The need for affordable home ownership has never been as important,” Studnicka said.



	A “No Outlet” sign still marks the entrance of the old Wintergreen 
apartments site —&nbsp; rekindling the sense of hopelessness that Spencer 
Danner equates with the complex he grew up in as a kid.

Now
 44 years old and a bank executive, Danner said there were plenty of 
fond memories early on, as many of his friends and family members also 
lived at what was built in the mid-1970s as Myott Park.

In its heyday, he said, many viewed the project as an “architectural marvel.”

Kids
 used ingenuity and resources to have fun, sliding down wooden 
staircases on top of mattresses and playing hide-and-seek between 
dwellings.

But
 fond memories turned darker as landlords neglected the campus and crime
 creeped in, Danner said. Sometimes, he recalled, the entire bowl was 
pitch black.

“It was a scary place at times,” he said. “Unsafe.”

Upon
 revisiting the neighborhood some six years ago, Danner said he felt a 
resurgence of anxiety. That’s being pushed aside now, he said, with a 
growing sense of anticipation of what’s next.

On
 Monday, Danner was among a small crowd celebrating the groundbreaking 
of the $25 million Bluestem Prairie neighborhood, which is poised to 
rise on the 15 acres once occupied by Myott Park, later renamed 
Wintergreen.

During
 an interview, Danner pointed out the “No Outlet” sign, which is 
intended to warn visitors and motorists that the street leading to the 
housing site has no other way out.

Danner said it was somewhat symbolic of the hopelessness that grew in the neighborhood.

But
 today, he said, he is excited to see the rebirth of the site not as 
rental units, but as 85 homes for families seeking to build generational
 wealth as homeowners. Roads are to be reconfigured, entrances and 
street lights added.

“We
 all say, ‘It’s about time,’” Danner told those who gathered, adding 
that he said he felt like he was winning an award. Before joining First 
National Bank of Omaha, Danner was the city’s director of human rights 
and economic inclusion.

Construction equipment roared behind him, as workers prepared the site for homebuilding.

“This is beautiful,” Danner said. “It’s a blessing.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652200682414.png" alt="Bluestem Prairie neighborhood near 52nd Street and Sorensen Parkway. (Courtesy of Straightline Design)" />
 <figcaption>Bluestem Prairie neighborhood near 52nd Street and Sorensen Parkway. (Courtesy of Straightline Design)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/09/25-million-bluestem-prairie-residential-pocket-ready-to-sprout-in-north-omaha/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA
 — A new $25 million neighborhood aimed at providing affordable 
homeownership opportunities is ready to sprout on a long-vacant North 
Omaha site once occupied by the neglected Wintergreen Apartments.The
 previous rental complex was built under a different name in 1975 near 
52nd Street and Sorensen Parkway. Those units were condemned and 
eventually demolished in 2006.Now, after sitting 16 years as an eyesore, the roughly 15 acres is to be transformed into the Bluestem Prairie neighborhood.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652200741361.jpeg" alt="Bird’s-eye view of area, in 2021, now being transformed to Bluestem Prairie (Courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Omaha)" />
 <figcaption>Bird’s-eye view of area, in 2021, now being transformed to Bluestem Prairie (Courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Omaha)</figcaption>
 </figure>Leading
 the project — whose official groundbreaking was Monday — is nonprofit 
Habitat for Humanity Omaha. The project is scheduled to be completed in 
2025.“We’re
 super excited,” said spokeswoman Tracie McPherson. “This is a 
development like no other that Habitat for Humanity Omaha has done 
before.”&nbsp;<h2>Fond memories faded with disrepair</h2>Working closely with the City of Omaha, Habitat acquired the property for $1 from the city.The
 overall price tag includes home construction, a community park and 
infrastructure. Streets must be built and reconfigured; sewers and power
 will be installed.&nbsp;Habitat says the bulk of the funding is to be paid by donors and the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652200771301.png" alt=" Bluestem Prairie neighborhood near 52nd Street and Sorensen Parkway. (Courtesy of Straightline Design)" />
 <figcaption> Bluestem Prairie neighborhood near 52nd Street and Sorensen Parkway. (Courtesy of Straightline Design)</figcaption>
 </figure>In
 addition, city officials approved tax-increment financing of $3.4 
million. TIF is a tool created by the Nebraska Legislature to assist in 
economic development.Under
 the public subsidy program, property tax revenue generated by new 
development goes to help pay eligible costs incurred by the developer. 
After the TIF payment period, typically 20 years, the property tax 
revenue starts to flow to traditional recipients such as public schools 
and city government.<h2>‘Mighty things’ </h2>Monday’s event, held as construction 
vehicles worked in the background, drew a few dozen business, community 
and other officials, including Habitat
 CEO Amanda Brewer, Mayor Jean Stothert, State Sen. Justin Wayne of 
North Omaha, State Sen. Tony Vargas of South Omaha, and Spencer Danner, a
 First National Bank vice president who lived at the site as a youth.City Councilwoman Juanita Johnson, another 
speaker, reflected on the area’s past, which included fond memories but 
also crime and social ills as the apartments fell into disrepair.She said she is reassured knowing what is to come.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652200798862.jpeg" alt="Juanita Johnson, City Councilwoman representing North Omaha, speaks at Bluestem groundbreaking. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Juanita Johnson, City Councilwoman representing North Omaha, speaks at Bluestem groundbreaking. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>“When we work together as a team, we can do mighty things,” Johnson said.The residential Bluestem Prairie pocket is designed to draw families of various generations, sizes, composition and incomes.&nbsp;Home
 styles are to include about 20 easy-to-access villas that target empty 
nesters. “We’ve never done that before,” McPherson said.<h2>‘Mother-in-law’ accessory quarters</h2>Houses will contain up to five bedrooms for bigger families. Some
 will come with accessory units, often called mother-in-law quarters, 
McPherson said, allowing independent yet elderly relatives to “age in 
place” with family.In
 addition to the 85 Bluestem homes, 15 other dwellings are to be 
rehabilitated on a nearby area spanning about four acres, McPherson 
said. While not technically part of Bluestem, the homes will be in close
 proximity.A
 highlight of the Bluestem project, officials agree, is homeownership 
opportunities to be afforded to people who lack access to traditional 
housing and lending markets.Buyers
 must have a two-year employment track record, have a certain amount of 
savings and earn less than 80% of the area’s median income, said Habitat
 program director Lacey Studnicka.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652200827662.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Affordable homes ‘never as important’</h2>Programs are available to help bridge affordability and down-payment gaps.Habitat
 in general aims to provide creative ways to remove barriers to 
homeownership, Studnicka said. Residents also participate in training 
initiatives, for example, to help build up credit scores and savings 
accounts.Today, Studnicka said, many Nebraskans pay rent way beyond the desired 30% or less of monthly household income.Habitat
 officials pointed to a recent report involving multiple local 
organizations that said the Omaha metro area was short nearly 80,000 
affordable housing units. It said that gap could increase to more than 
100,000 over the next 20 years without significant intervention.“The need for affordable home ownership has never been as important,” Studnicka said.<h2>‘No Outlet’</h2>

	A “No Outlet” sign still marks the entrance of the old Wintergreen 
apartments site —&nbsp; rekindling the sense of hopelessness that Spencer 
Danner equates with the complex he grew up in as a kid.Now
 44 years old and a bank executive, Danner said there were plenty of 
fond memories early on, as many of his friends and family members also 
lived at what was built in the mid-1970s as Myott Park.In its heyday, he said, many viewed the project as an “architectural marvel.”Kids
 used ingenuity and resources to have fun, sliding down wooden 
staircases on top of mattresses and playing hide-and-seek between 
dwellings.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652200875595.jpeg" alt=" Spencer Danner, of First National Bank of Omaha, spent part of his youth at an apartment site being transformed for homeownership opportunities. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Spencer Danner, of First National Bank of Omaha, spent part of his youth at an apartment site being transformed for homeownership opportunities. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>But
 fond memories turned darker as landlords neglected the campus and crime
 creeped in, Danner said. Sometimes, he recalled, the entire bowl was 
pitch black.“It was a scary place at times,” he said. “Unsafe.”Upon
 revisiting the neighborhood some six years ago, Danner said he felt a 
resurgence of anxiety. That’s being pushed aside now, he said, with a 
growing sense of anticipation of what’s next.On
 Monday, Danner was among a small crowd celebrating the groundbreaking 
of the $25 million Bluestem Prairie neighborhood, which is poised to 
rise on the 15 acres once occupied by Myott Park, later renamed 
Wintergreen.During
 an interview, Danner pointed out the “No Outlet” sign, which is 
intended to warn visitors and motorists that the street leading to the 
housing site has no other way out.Danner said it was somewhat symbolic of the hopelessness that grew in the neighborhood.But
 today, he said, he is excited to see the rebirth of the site not as 
rental units, but as 85 homes for families seeking to build generational
 wealth as homeowners. Roads are to be reconfigured, entrances and 
street lights added.“We
 all say, ‘It’s about time,’” Danner told those who gathered, adding 
that he said he felt like he was winning an award. Before joining First 
National Bank of Omaha, Danner was the city’s director of human rights 
and economic inclusion.Construction equipment roared behind him, as workers prepared the site for homebuilding.“This is beautiful,” Danner said. “It’s a blessing.”

$25M Bluestem Prairie residential pocket ready to sprout in North Omaha

OMAHA, Neb.-Scooter’s Coffee, one of the
fastest-growing specialty coffee drive-thru companies in the nation, announces
plans to open a second Omaha distribution center with Harvest Roasting, its vertically
integrated supply chain division. 

The newly constructed distribution
center, expected to open in May 2022, is located at 13564 Valley Ridge Drive in
La Vista, Neb., less than 5 miles from Scooter’s Coffee current headquarters
and distribution center at 10500 Sapp Brothers Drive. The new facility includes
46,000 square feet of warehouse space and 9,000 square feet of office space to
accommodate the organization’s unprecedented growth and meet the growing demand
for its best-in-class 
drive-thru specialty coffee model. The new distribution center will be dedicated
to storing, selecting and shipping world-class coffee, fresh bakery products and
other supplies to Scooter’s Coffee franchisees.

“To support the rapid expansion of the
Scooter’s Coffee brand, our new distribution center will allow us to ramp up
production and enhance the best-in-class support systems we provide to our
franchisees who ensure our loyal and new guests across the country have an
amazing drive-thru experience,” said Eric Rausch, Vice President of
Distribution at Scooter’s Coffee. “With the new distribution center handling
the bulk of our warehousing and delivery efforts, we can focus on our internal
roasting and bakery operations at our current distribution center facility.”

Scooter’s Coffee is approaching 500
stores in 24 states. By the end of 2022, the new Omaha distribution center is
expected to service more than 300 Scooter’s Coffee drive-thru kiosks across 10
states. Additional Scooter’s Coffee distribution centers are in Kansas City,
Mo., and Dallas. Another new Scooter’s Coffee distribution center in Atlanta,
scheduled to open in May 2022, will help accommodate Scooter’s Coffee entry
into new and growing markets in the South and Southeast.

Hiring opportunities at the new Omaha distribution
center and across Scooter’s Coffee footprint will be made available as the
company continues to grow. To view available Scooter’s Coffee careers, visit <a href="https://apply.jobappnetwork.com/scooters-coffee">Scooter’s Coffee website</a>, <a href="https://www.indeed.com/">Indeed</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/scooters-coffee/">LinkedIn</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652191884891.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release Scooter's CoffeeOMAHA, Neb.-Scooter’s Coffee, one of the
fastest-growing specialty coffee drive-thru companies in the nation, announces
plans to open a second Omaha distribution center with Harvest Roasting, its vertically
integrated supply chain division. The newly constructed distribution
center, expected to open in May 2022, is located at 13564 Valley Ridge Drive in
La Vista, Neb., less than 5 miles from Scooter’s Coffee current headquarters
and distribution center at 10500 Sapp Brothers Drive. The new facility includes
46,000 square feet of warehouse space and 9,000 square feet of office space to
accommodate the organization’s unprecedented growth and meet the growing demand
for its best-in-class 
drive-thru specialty coffee model. The new distribution center will be dedicated
to storing, selecting and shipping world-class coffee, fresh bakery products and
other supplies to Scooter’s Coffee franchisees.“To support the rapid expansion of the
Scooter’s Coffee brand, our new distribution center will allow us to ramp up
production and enhance the best-in-class support systems we provide to our
franchisees who ensure our loyal and new guests across the country have an
amazing drive-thru experience,” said Eric Rausch, Vice President of
Distribution at Scooter’s Coffee. “With the new distribution center handling
the bulk of our warehousing and delivery efforts, we can focus on our internal
roasting and bakery operations at our current distribution center facility.”Scooter’s Coffee is approaching 500
stores in 24 states. By the end of 2022, the new Omaha distribution center is
expected to service more than 300 Scooter’s Coffee drive-thru kiosks across 10
states. Additional Scooter’s Coffee distribution centers are in Kansas City,
Mo., and Dallas. Another new Scooter’s Coffee distribution center in Atlanta,
scheduled to open in May 2022, will help accommodate Scooter’s Coffee entry
into new and growing markets in the South and Southeast.Hiring opportunities at the new Omaha distribution
center and across Scooter’s Coffee footprint will be made available as the
company continues to grow. To view available Scooter’s Coffee careers, visit <a href="https://apply.jobappnetwork.com/scooters-coffee">Scooter’s Coffee website</a>, <a href="https://www.indeed.com/">Indeed</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/scooters-coffee/">LinkedIn</a>.

Scooter's Coffee to open second Omaha distribution center

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed legislation Monday to beef up security for Supreme Court justices, ensuring they and their families are protected as the court deliberates abortion access and whether to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.

The bipartisan bill, which passed by voice vote with no objections, did not provide additional funding, which could come later. But it aims to put the court on par with the executive and legislative branches, ensuring the nine justices are provided security as some protesters have gathered outside their homes. The bill now moves to the House for its consideration.

Protests have erupted in front of the Supreme Court and around the country after a leaked draft opinion suggested a majority of conservatives on the court are prepared to end the constitutional right to an abortion from the nearly 50-year-old Roe v. Wade ruling.

The legislation is a technical change that allows Supreme Court law enforcement to provide around-the-clock security to immediate family members, in line with protection for certain people in the executive and legislative branches. It was sponsored by Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and John Cornyn, R-Texas.

Cornyn said threats to Supreme Court justices and their families are “disgraceful” and attempts to intimidate the independence of the judiciary branch shouldn't be tolerated.

“The House must take up and pass it immediately,” Cornyn said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651754402764.jpeg" alt="Security fence placed around the U.S. Supreme Court last week-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Security fence placed around the U.S. Supreme Court last week-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARY CLARE JALONICK and LISA MASCAROWASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed legislation Monday to beef up security for Supreme Court justices, ensuring they and their families are protected as the court deliberates abortion access and whether to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.The bipartisan bill, which passed by voice vote with no objections, did not provide additional funding, which could come later. But it aims to put the court on par with the executive and legislative branches, ensuring the nine justices are provided security as some protesters have gathered outside their homes. The bill now moves to the House for its consideration.Protests have erupted in front of the Supreme Court and around the country after a leaked draft opinion suggested a majority of conservatives on the court are prepared to end the constitutional right to an abortion from the nearly 50-year-old Roe v. Wade ruling.The legislation is a technical change that allows Supreme Court law enforcement to provide around-the-clock security to immediate family members, in line with protection for certain people in the executive and legislative branches. It was sponsored by Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and John Cornyn, R-Texas.Cornyn said threats to Supreme Court justices and their families are “disgraceful” and attempts to intimidate the independence of the judiciary branch shouldn't be tolerated.“The House must take up and pass it immediately,” Cornyn said.

Senate passes bill to boost security for Supreme Court

You’ve been invited to check out one of your favorite retailers to 
secretly shop their store and evaluate the quality of service and 
product availability. The best part? You get to keep the items plus earn
 a paycheck as a mystery shopper.

If this sounds too good to be true, it very well could be. Many 
mystery shopper opportunities are scams. Here’s how to tell a real gig 
from this common con.

You receive an offer via email, text, or a social media network to 
become a secret shopper. In other cases, you may apply to a secret 
shopper job advertised online. Either way, the company offers you the 
job right away. You are so perfect for the position, they claim, you 
don't even need to interview.

In the most common version of this scam, the company mails you a 
check to cover your secret shopper purchases. You are asked to buy a few
 things and send back the remaining money. Unfortunately, the check is a
 fake. It will bounce, and you’ll be left footing the full bill and the 
bank fees associated with it

However, scammers are getting creative with secret shoppers cons. Be on the lookout for twists. For example, one victim told <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 about the following: “I saw a job posting on LinkedIn for a secret 
shopper position. I applied and shortly afterwards received a check in 
the mail. The check was for $2,470 and the business wanted me to go to 
local stores, purchase gift cards with $2,000, and keep the rest as pay.
 I was supposed to scratch off the security covers and send pictures.” 
In another version of this scam, con artists offer high paying 
assignments with one small catch: you need to pay a registration fee to 
participate.

How to avoid secret shopper scams

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBYou’ve been invited to check out one of your favorite retailers to 
secretly shop their store and evaluate the quality of service and 
product availability. The best part? You get to keep the items plus earn
 a paycheck as a mystery shopper.If this sounds too good to be true, it very well could be. Many 
mystery shopper opportunities are scams. Here’s how to tell a real gig 
from this common con.<h2>How mystery shopper scams work</h2>You receive an offer via email, text, or a social media network to 
become a secret shopper. In other cases, you may apply to a secret 
shopper job advertised online. Either way, the company offers you the 
job right away. You are so perfect for the position, they claim, you 
don't even need to interview.In the most common version of this scam, the company mails you a 
check to cover your secret shopper purchases. You are asked to buy a few
 things and send back the remaining money. Unfortunately, the check is a
 fake. It will bounce, and you’ll be left footing the full bill and the 
bank fees associated with itHowever, scammers are getting creative with secret shoppers cons. Be on the lookout for twists. For example, one victim told <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 about the following: “I saw a job posting on LinkedIn for a secret 
shopper position. I applied and shortly afterwards received a check in 
the mail. The check was for $2,470 and the business wanted me to go to 
local stores, purchase gift cards with $2,000, and keep the rest as pay.
 I was supposed to scratch off the security covers and send pictures.” 
In another version of this scam, con artists offer high paying 
assignments with one small catch: you need to pay a registration fee to 
participate.<h2>How to avoid secret shopper scams </h2><ul>
 <li>Research the secret shopper companies before applying.
 Before applying to a secret shopper job, make sure the company exists, 
has working contact information, and has good reviews and feedback from 
previous employees. Search online with the company name and the word 
“scam” to find other reports. </li><li>Check the Mystery Shopper Professionals Association database. Visit <a href="https://www.mspa-americas.org/">MSPA Americas</a>
 to search a database of MSPA members for legitimate mystery shopping 
providers. However, scammers do impersonate real companies and their job
 postings, so watch out for these other warning signs too. </li><li>Be wary of companies that hire on the spot. Real 
businesses will want to get to know you before they hire you. If a 
company reaches out to you out of the blue with a guaranteed position in
 their company, it’s probably a scam. </li><li>Beware of jobs that involve receiving and returning money. Legitimate
 companies don’t generally send money to new employees before work is 
done. They certainly don’t ask you to return funds that you’ve already 
been paid. </li><li>Never wire money or buy prepaid debit cards for strangers. Scammers
 love to ask people to wire money or send prepaid gift cards. Once 
you’ve wired money or sent the gift card information, there is no way to
 get your money back. Be very careful with <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/25956-bbb-tip-know-your-rights-and-responsibilities-when-it-comes-to-payment-types">these forms of payment</a>.</li>
 </ul>

BBB: Secret shopper job sounds cool, but it's really a scam

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — The first telephone call Jill Biden made from her black SUV after an unannounced meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart inside the embattled country was to her husband, President Joe Biden.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-jill-biden-migration-slovakia-d22b406bd735c1899a55ba656cbbc317">Biden and Olena Zelenska</a>, who had not been seen in public since President Vladimir Putin sent Russia’s military into her country nearly 11 weeks ago, had just spent about two hours together at a school in Uzhhorod in western Ukraine.

With her visit to the Ukraine war zone, the U.S. first lady was able to act as a second pair of eyes and ears for the president, who so far has been unable to visit the country himself.

“Sometimes the first lady is able to do things and get into places where the president can’t,” said Myra Gutin, author of “The President’s Partner: The First Lady in the Twentieth Century.”

Jill Biden wrapped up her four-day trip to Eastern Europe on Monday after meeting in Bratislava with Zuzana Caputova, Slovakia’s first female president. Her trip over the border on Sunday to meet with Zelenska and refugees from elsewhere in Ukraine was a highpoint of the visit.

Seated across from Caputova, Jill Biden said she told her husband in their phone call “just how much I saw the need to support the people of Ukraine” and about “the horrors and the brutality that the people I had met had experienced.”

Ever since Russia opened war on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been open about wanting Biden to visit him in Kyiv, just like many other world leaders have done, including Canada’s Justin Trudeau on Sunday.

The closest President Biden has been to Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-migration-europe-european-union-069f04d92a20f125a487fbb9bc121bd9">was a stop in Rzeszow, Poland</a>, in late March after he went to Brussels to discuss the war with other world leaders. At the time, he publicly lamented that he was not allowed to cross the Polish border and go into western Ukraine.

“Part of my disappointment is that I can’t see it firsthand ... they will not let me,” Biden said, likely speaking about the ever-present security concerns associated with presidential travel that are heightened by any talk of sending him to an active war zone.

The White House said as recently as last week that while the president “would love to visit” Ukraine there were no plans for him to do so at this time.

Security is a concern for the first lady, too. But when she travels solo, she flies on a smaller plane than the president’s Air Force One and with a significantly smaller “package” of Secret Service agents, Air Force crew members, White House staff and, sometimes, journalists.

The difference in the “footprint” makes it easier for a first lady to act as an emissary for the president and then tell him about what she picks up during her travels.

Jill Biden had wanted to visit Ukraine in March but settled on a Mother’s Day weekend trip to help buck up Ukrainian moms who fled with their children to “frontline” countries like Slovakia that border Ukraine and have been taking them in.

During multiple stops in Romania and Slovakia, refugees shared their heartbreaking stories with the first lady — but also their gratitude for her visit as a high-profile symbol of U.S. support.

While first ladies lack the power or authority to send money or fighter jets, what they can do is show people that they — and the United States — care, Gutin said.

A first lady is a presidential adviser without comparison.

On a trip like this, “she will be able to say to the refuges, ‘I’m going to tell the president what I saw, I’m going to tell the president what you told me,’” Gutin, a professor at Rider University in New Jersey, said in an interview before the trip.

The first lady was so eager to tell the president about her meeting with Zelenska that he was the first person she called from her vehicle after that portion of the trip had concluded.

The trip gave Jill Biden something else, too: a chance to practice the “soft diplomacy” that first ladies engage in while representing the United States abroad.

Her first stop in Europe was a military base near the Black Sea in Romania to meet U.S. troops deployed there by the president in the run-up to the Russia-Ukraine war. She brought them 50 gallons of ketchup after learning that base supplies of the condiment had run low.

She had the belly of her plane packed with seven trunks of supplies for refugees, including blankets, playing cards, coloring books and crayons, T-shirts, gardenia-scented candles, toiletry kits and other items. The White House logo or the Bidens’ signatures were on everything.

As she interacted with displaced Ukrainians and the volunteers helping them, the first lady sometimes turned the person she was face to face with around and asked them to tell their story to the journalists in the room.

“Come here so the press can hear you, then they know what you’re doing,” she said Sunday while repositioning a local volunteer working in one of the tents at a processing facility at the Slovak border crossing in Vysne Nemecke.

Jill Biden sported a large Ukraine flag pin on her lapel after she returned to the Kosice airport from Ukraine. It was a gift from the head of Zelenska’s security detail after the U.S. first lady presented him with one of her souvenir coins.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652118741146.png" alt="Jill Biden wrapped up her four-day trip to Eastern Europe on Monday after meeting in Bratislava with Zuzana Caputova, Slovakia’s first female president.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Jill Biden wrapped up her four-day trip to Eastern Europe on Monday after meeting in Bratislava with Zuzana Caputova, Slovakia’s first female president.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — The first telephone call Jill Biden made from her black SUV after an unannounced meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart inside the embattled country was to her husband, President Joe Biden.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-jill-biden-migration-slovakia-d22b406bd735c1899a55ba656cbbc317">Biden and Olena Zelenska</a>, who had not been seen in public since President Vladimir Putin sent Russia’s military into her country nearly 11 weeks ago, had just spent about two hours together at a school in Uzhhorod in western Ukraine.With her visit to the Ukraine war zone, the U.S. first lady was able to act as a second pair of eyes and ears for the president, who so far has been unable to visit the country himself.“Sometimes the first lady is able to do things and get into places where the president can’t,” said Myra Gutin, author of “The President’s Partner: The First Lady in the Twentieth Century.”Jill Biden wrapped up her four-day trip to Eastern Europe on Monday after meeting in Bratislava with Zuzana Caputova, Slovakia’s first female president. Her trip over the border on Sunday to meet with Zelenska and refugees from elsewhere in Ukraine was a highpoint of the visit.Seated across from Caputova, Jill Biden said she told her husband in their phone call “just how much I saw the need to support the people of Ukraine” and about “the horrors and the brutality that the people I had met had experienced.”Ever since Russia opened war on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been open about wanting Biden to visit him in Kyiv, just like many other world leaders have done, including Canada’s Justin Trudeau on Sunday.The closest President Biden has been to Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-migration-europe-european-union-069f04d92a20f125a487fbb9bc121bd9">was a stop in Rzeszow, Poland</a>, in late March after he went to Brussels to discuss the war with other world leaders. At the time, he publicly lamented that he was not allowed to cross the Polish border and go into western Ukraine.“Part of my disappointment is that I can’t see it firsthand ... they will not let me,” Biden said, likely speaking about the ever-present security concerns associated with presidential travel that are heightened by any talk of sending him to an active war zone.The White House said as recently as last week that while the president “would love to visit” Ukraine there were no plans for him to do so at this time.Security is a concern for the first lady, too. But when she travels solo, she flies on a smaller plane than the president’s Air Force One and with a significantly smaller “package” of Secret Service agents, Air Force crew members, White House staff and, sometimes, journalists.The difference in the “footprint” makes it easier for a first lady to act as an emissary for the president and then tell him about what she picks up during her travels.Jill Biden had wanted to visit Ukraine in March but settled on a Mother’s Day weekend trip to help buck up Ukrainian moms who fled with their children to “frontline” countries like Slovakia that border Ukraine and have been taking them in.During multiple stops in Romania and Slovakia, refugees shared their heartbreaking stories with the first lady — but also their gratitude for her visit as a high-profile symbol of U.S. support.While first ladies lack the power or authority to send money or fighter jets, what they can do is show people that they — and the United States — care, Gutin said.A first lady is a presidential adviser without comparison.On a trip like this, “she will be able to say to the refuges, ‘I’m going to tell the president what I saw, I’m going to tell the president what you told me,’” Gutin, a professor at Rider University in New Jersey, said in an interview before the trip.The first lady was so eager to tell the president about her meeting with Zelenska that he was the first person she called from her vehicle after that portion of the trip had concluded.The trip gave Jill Biden something else, too: a chance to practice the “soft diplomacy” that first ladies engage in while representing the United States abroad.Her first stop in Europe was a military base near the Black Sea in Romania to meet U.S. troops deployed there by the president in the run-up to the Russia-Ukraine war. She brought them 50 gallons of ketchup after learning that base supplies of the condiment had run low.She had the belly of her plane packed with seven trunks of supplies for refugees, including blankets, playing cards, coloring books and crayons, T-shirts, gardenia-scented candles, toiletry kits and other items. The White House logo or the Bidens’ signatures were on everything.As she interacted with displaced Ukrainians and the volunteers helping them, the first lady sometimes turned the person she was face to face with around and asked them to tell their story to the journalists in the room.“Come here so the press can hear you, then they know what you’re doing,” she said Sunday while repositioning a local volunteer working in one of the tents at a processing facility at the Slovak border crossing in Vysne Nemecke.Soft diplomacy works in reverse, too.Jill Biden sported a large Ukraine flag pin on her lapel after she returned to the Kosice airport from Ukraine. It was a gift from the head of Zelenska’s security detail after the U.S. first lady presented him with one of her souvenir coins.

Jill Biden was president's eyes, ears on trip to Ukraine

EVANSVILLE, Indiana (AP) –A former Alabama jail official on the run with a murder suspect she was accused of helping escape shot and killed herself Monday as authorities caught up with the pair after more than a week of searching, officials said. The man she fled with surrendered.

The death of Vicky White, 56, only deepened the mystery of why a respected jail official would leave everything to help free Casey White, 38, a hulking inmate with a violent and frightening history.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-escaped-inmate-missing-correctional-officer-6a15511d74faee827af19e0fae78fc6c">two fugitives</a>&nbsp;were caught — following a manhunt through three states — in Evansville, Indiana, when U.S. Marshals chasing them crashed into their vehicle, authorities said. Casey White gave himself up and Vicky White shot herself and was taken to a hospital, authorities said. Vanderburgh County Coroner Steve Lockyear said she died from her injuries.

Before Vicky White’s death, authorities celebrated the fugitives’ apprehension.

“We got a dangerous man off the street today. He is never going to see the light of day again. That is a good thing, for not just our community. That’s a good thing for our country,” Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton of Alabama said.

The manhunt began April 29 when Vicky White, the assistant director of corrections for the jail in Lauderdale County, allegedly helped engineer the escape of Casey White, who was awaiting trial in a capital murder case. Vicky White had told co-workers she was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-54e8920ec04985ffaf4e9d5d75c50e90">taking the inmate from the jail</a>&nbsp;for a mental health evaluation at the courthouse, but the two, who are not related, instead fled the area.

The car they took off in was later found abandoned in Tennessee, but there was no trace of the pair until U.S. Marshals received a tip Sunday that surveillance photos from an Evansville car wash showed a man who closely resembled Casey White exiting a 2006 Ford F-150 pickup truck, the Marshals Service said. White stands 6 feet, 9 inches (2.06 meters) tall and weighs about 260 pounds (118 kilograms).

On Monday, officials learned that the pair was spotted near the sheriff’s office, said Vanderburgh County Sheriff Dave Wedding in Indiana. As officers arrived, the pair fled in a vehicle and led police on a pursuit, he said. U.S. Marshals collided with them “to try to end the pursuit,” he said. Casey White was injured, not too seriously, in the crash and Vicky White then shot herself, causing “very serious” injuries, he said.

“We’re lucky that no law enforcement was injured, no innocent civilians were injured, the pursuit was short in nature and we have both people in custody,” Wedding said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652134811046.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>EVANSVILLE, Indiana (AP) –A former Alabama jail official on the run with a murder suspect she was accused of helping escape shot and killed herself Monday as authorities caught up with the pair after more than a week of searching, officials said. The man she fled with surrendered.The death of Vicky White, 56, only deepened the mystery of why a respected jail official would leave everything to help free Casey White, 38, a hulking inmate with a violent and frightening history.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-escaped-inmate-missing-correctional-officer-6a15511d74faee827af19e0fae78fc6c">two fugitives</a>&nbsp;were caught — following a manhunt through three states — in Evansville, Indiana, when U.S. Marshals chasing them crashed into their vehicle, authorities said. Casey White gave himself up and Vicky White shot herself and was taken to a hospital, authorities said. Vanderburgh County Coroner Steve Lockyear said she died from her injuries.Before Vicky White’s death, authorities celebrated the fugitives’ apprehension.“We got a dangerous man off the street today. He is never going to see the light of day again. That is a good thing, for not just our community. That’s a good thing for our country,” Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton of Alabama said.The manhunt began April 29 when Vicky White, the assistant director of corrections for the jail in Lauderdale County, allegedly helped engineer the escape of Casey White, who was awaiting trial in a capital murder case. Vicky White had told co-workers she was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-54e8920ec04985ffaf4e9d5d75c50e90">taking the inmate from the jail</a>&nbsp;for a mental health evaluation at the courthouse, but the two, who are not related, instead fled the area.The car they took off in was later found abandoned in Tennessee, but there was no trace of the pair until U.S. Marshals received a tip Sunday that surveillance photos from an Evansville car wash showed a man who closely resembled Casey White exiting a 2006 Ford F-150 pickup truck, the Marshals Service said. White stands 6 feet, 9 inches (2.06 meters) tall and weighs about 260 pounds (118 kilograms).On Monday, officials learned that the pair was spotted near the sheriff’s office, said Vanderburgh County Sheriff Dave Wedding in Indiana. As officers arrived, the pair fled in a vehicle and led police on a pursuit, he said. U.S. Marshals collided with them “to try to end the pursuit,” he said. Casey White was injured, not too seriously, in the crash and Vicky White then shot herself, causing “very serious” injuries, he said.“We’re lucky that no law enforcement was injured, no innocent civilians were injured, the pursuit was short in nature and we have both people in custody,” Wedding said.Casey White was serving a 75-year prison sentence for attempted murder and other charges at the time of his escape. He was awaiting trial in the stabbing of a 58-year-old woman during a burglary in 2015. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.Federal and local law enforcement officials have also learned Casey White threatened to kill his former girlfriend and his sister in 2015 and said “that he wanted police to kill him,” the Marshals Service said.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-florence-treatment-of-prisoners-69d5605872860d12e415e2bbe96092d1">warrant was issued on May 2</a>&nbsp;for Vicky Sue White charging her with permitting or facilitating escape in the first degree.Before her death was announced, the Alabama sheriff said he hoped to get answers from his once trusted jail employee about her actions but acknowledged those answers might not come. “I had every bit of trust in Vicky White. She has been an exemplary employee. What in the world provoked her, prompted her to pull a stunt like this? I don’t know. I don’t know if we’ll ever know,” Singleton said.Vicky White’s family members and co-workers said they were stunned by her involvement. Singleton said it appeared the plan had been in the works for some time. Jail inmates said the two had a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-florence-84a97f256406f02e8c2ee1f6a46f8c0d">special relationship</a>&nbsp;and she gave Casey White better treatment than other inmates.In the past several months, she bought a rifle and a shotgun and also was known to have a handgun, U.S. Marshal Marty Keely said.She sold her house for about half of market value and bought a 2007 orange Ford Edge that she stashed at a shopping center without license plates.“This escape was obviously well-planned and calculated. A lot of preparation went into this. They had plenty of resources, had cash, had vehicles,” Singleton said.The escape happened on what Vicky White said was going to be her last day at work. She told co-workers that Casey White had a mental health evaluation at the courthouse, but none was scheduled. She did not have a second officer accompany them, which was against jail policy.Video showed the pair went from the jail to the shopping center, where they picked up the Ford and left, Singleton said. Their flight was not discovered for much of the day.Investigators believe the pickup truck Casey White had at the car wash was stolen in Tennessee and then driven about 175 miles to Evansville, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.--------EVANSVILLE, Indiana (AP) –Escaped inmate Casey White and former jail official Vicky White were taken into custody Monday in Indiana, according to an Alabama sheriff.Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton said they two fugitives were caught near Evansville, Indiana, after a chase with U.S. Marshals. Marshals were pursuing a pickup driven by Casey White when the truck wrecked and he surrendered, the sheriff said. Vicky White was taken to a hospital.“Casey White and Vicky White are in custody,” Singleton said. “This has ended a very long and stressful and challenging week and a half. It ended the way that we knew it would. They are in custody.”The two had been the target of a nationwide manhunt since April 29 when Vicky White, the assistant director of corrections for the jail in Lauderdale County, helped engineer the escape of Casey White, who was awaiting trial in a capital murder case. Vicky White had told co-workers she was taking the inmate from the jail for a mental health evaluation at the courthouse, but the two instead fled the area.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652134478478.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The truck was found Monday in Evansville, Indiana, after U.S. Marshals received a tip Sunday that the 2006 Ford F-150 pickup was seen at a car wash in the town, the Marshals Service said. Surveillance photos showed a man who closely resembles Casey White exiting the vehicle at the car wash, officials said.Investigators believe the pickup truck was stolen in Tennessee and then driven about 175 miles to Evansville, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.A warrant was issued on May 2 for Vicky Sue White charging her with permitting or facilitating escape in the first degree.Federal and local law enforcement officials have also learned Casey White threatened to kill his former girlfriend and his sister in 2015 and said, “that he wanted police to kill him,” the Marshals Service said. Investigators said they have been in contact with them about the threats and are taking measures to ensure their safety.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.