NEW YORK (AP)—Student protests over the Israel-Hamas war have popped up on an increasing number of college campuses following last week's arrest of more than 100 demonstrators at Columbia University.

The students are calling for universities to separate themselves from any companies that are advancing Israel’s military efforts in Gaza — and in some cases from Israel itself.

Protests on many campuses have been orchestrated by coalitions of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-college-protests-c94bb0cd246bcc692de86b76b9b2a8cf">student groups</a>. The groups largely act independently, though students say they’re inspired by peers at other universities.

A look at protests on campuses in recent days:

Pro-Palestinian student protesters set up a tent encampment at the Ivy League university in New York last week. Police first tried to clear the encampment on April 18, when they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-protests-israel-palestinian-hirsi-cd80372939c7c08a40346e8b7d546da1">arrested more than 100 protesters</a>. But the move backfired, inspiring students across the country and motivating protesters at Columbia to regroup.

Earlier this week, the Ivy League school, where Monday is set to be the last day of classes, switched to hybrid learning. Commencement is set for May 15.

Students said Friday afternoon that they had reached an impasse with administrators and intended to continue their encampment until their demands are met. Columbia officials had earlier said that negotiations were showing progress. Despite dozens of journalists on campus and scores of police officers outside the gates, an unassuming spring day unfolded Friday with students sitting on the library's steps or grabbing a quick bite while soon-to-be-graduates posed for photos in their powder-blue gowns.

Columbia’s president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-president-minouche-shafik-protests-30a231f01f8a900ec9585dcf92337ec4">Minouche Shafik</a>, faced a significant — but largely symbolic — rebuke from faculty Friday but retains the support of trustees, who have the power to hire or fire the president. A report by the university senate’s executive committee, which represents faculty, found Shafik and her administration took “many actions and decisions that have harmed Columbia University," including calling in police. Following the report, the senate passed a resolution that included a task force to monitor how the administration would make changes going forward.

Hundreds of counterprotesters gathered on the streets outside Columbia on Friday morning, many holding Israeli flags and chanting for the hostages&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-hostage-video-1284f257698ea5e9c9cc9ac86a849948">being held by Hamas</a>&nbsp;and other militants to be released.

Police in riot gear cleared an encampment on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston as several dozen students shouted and booed at them from a distance. Otherwise, the scene was nonconfrontational.

The school said that the demonstration, which began two days ago, had become “infiltrated by professional organizers” with no affiliation to the school.

Antisemitic slurs, including “Kill the Jews,” were used, the school said in a statement posted on social media.

“We cannot tolerate this kind of hate on our campus,” said the statement.

About 100 people were detained, and students who produced a valid ID were released. They will face “disciplinary action," the university said, but not legal action. People who refused to disclose their affiliation were arrested.

The University of Southern California canceled its main stage graduation ceremony set for May 10 after its campus was roiled by protests. The university already canceled a commencement speech by the school’s pro-Palestinian valedictorian, citing safety concerns. The Los Angeles Police Department said more than 90 people were arrested Wednesday night on charges of trespassing during a protest at the university. One person was arrested on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon. There were no reports of injuries. The university said Wednesday that it had closed campus and police would arrest people who did not leave. Friday was the last day of classes.

Police clashed with protesters at Ohio State University in Columbus, just hours after they gathered Thursday evening. Those who refused to leave after warnings were arrested and charged with criminal trespass, said university spokesperson Benjamin Johnson, citing rules barring overnight events. Of 36 people arrested, Johnson said Friday that 16 were students and 20 were not affiliated with the university. The school's commencement is set for May 5.

About 50 students at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., set up a tent encampment on the school’s University Yard on Thursday. Later in the day, a group of Georgetown University students and professors staged their own protest walkout and marched to the George Washington campus to join them. The protesters are demanding that the university divest from Israel and lift a suspension against a prominent pro-Palestinian student group.

The university's last day of classes before final exams is set for Monday and commencement is scheduled for May 19. Because of the noise generated by the protests, the university said it would move&nbsp;<a href="https://vimeo.com/939155545">law school finals</a>&nbsp;to another building from the one where they had originally been scheduled.

The university said the protesters must remove tents and disperse by 7 p.m.

CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, HUMBOLDT

University officials extended the closure of the campus until May 10 — the end of the semester — saying instruction would continue to be remote, after protesters at the university in northern California used furniture, tents, chains and zip ties to block entrances to an academic and administrative building on Monday. Commencement is scheduled for May 11.

Officials said in a statement Tuesday that students had occupied a second building and three students had been arrested. On Wednesday, officials said some unidentified people who were not students were also inside one of the occupied buildings. On Thursday, the university said protesters continued to occupy the two buildings.

A dean at the school, Jeff Crane, suggested during the meeting that the university form a committee that would include students to do a deep dive into the school’s investments. Crane also suggested faculty and students continue meeting every 24 hours to keep an open line of communication. The sides have yet to announce an agreement.

The school’s senate of faculty and staff demanded the university’s president resign in a no-confidence vote Thursday, citing the decision to call police in to remove the barricaded students Monday.

On Friday, the university released a statement responding to questions from those occupying the buildings. The statement said there will be consequences for actions that violate policy or law, but officials would take into account actions by any students who choose to evacuate the occupied buildings and support efforts to clear them. It did not say the charges faced by those arrested would be dropped.

The administration also offered protesters a 5 p.m. deadline to leave and “not be immediately arrested.” But that deadline passed and the university did not immediately respond to a message seeking an update or provide information on what they planned to do next.

An encampment set up by students at NYU swelled to hundreds of protesters earlier this week. Police on Wednesday said that 133 protesters had been taken into custody. They said all were released with summonses to appear in court on disorderly conduct charges. Commencement is set for May 15.

At Emory University in Atlanta, where Atlanta police and Georgia state troopers had dismantled a camp on the school's quadrangle, the school president on Friday said in an email that some of the videos of a clash between police and people on the campus “are shocking” and that he is “horrified that members of our community had to experience and witness such interactions.”

School officials said 20 of the 28 people arrested were “Emory community members."

Video circulated widely on social media shows two women who identified themselves as professors being detained, with one of them slammed to the ground by one officer as a second officer then pushes her chest and face onto a concrete sidewalk. In a separate incident Thursday evening, some protesters pinned police officers against the glass doors of the Candler School of Theology on the campus and threw objects at the officers, Emory’s president said.

Northwestern University changed its student code of conduct Thursday morning to bar tents on its suburban Chicago campus as student activists set up an encampment.

University President Michael Schill issued an email saying the university had enacted an “interim addendum” to its student code to bar tents, among other things, and warned of disciplinary actions including suspension, expulsion and criminal charges.

“The goal of this addendum is to balance the right to peacefully demonstrate with our goal to protect our community, to avoid disruptions to instruction and to ensure university operations can continue unabated,” Schilling said.

The university’s commencement is scheduled for June 9.

A few dozen protesters set up tents and occupied a building Thursday at the Fashion Institute of Technology, part of the public State University of New York system. Protesters sat on the floor or milled around, many wearing face masks and kaffiyehs. Other protesters outside the building held signs and Palestinian flags. They refused to speak to a reporter. Around a dozen protesters spent the night in tents and sleeping bags inside a campus building. The institute’s museum, which is located in the building where the demonstrators set up camp, was closed Friday.

The school's commencement was still scheduled for May 22 and May 23.

After an encampment was set up at Indiana University Bloomington, police with shields and batons shoved into a line of protesters linked arm-in-arm Thursday afternoon. Videos posted to social media appear to show the protest continuing after law enforcement stopped making arrests.

In an update Friday, the university police said 34 people were arrested. Public information officer Hannah Skibba said charges include trespassing, resisting law enforcement and battery on a public safety official. One officer sustained “minor injuries." Protests continued Friday, one day before the last day of classes. The university’s commencement is scheduled for May 4.

Jeffrey Kehr, chief deputy prosecutor for Monroe County, said in an email that those arrested were released on their own recognizance and the office will “examine all the reports we receive and any relevant footage to determine what, if any, charges are appropriate.”

A small but growing protest encampment remained in place early Friday on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. A statement issued by the school said officials were “closely monitoring” the encampment, which had started on Thursday, and had not received any reports of threatening or violent behavior by the protesters. However, they warned that protests or speech that violates the university’s policies, disrupts its business, or causes an “intimidating, hostile, or violent environment” would not be tolerated. The school's commencement is scheduled to take place between May 18 and 20.

In Gainesville, Florida, home to the University of Florida, protesters were warned Friday that students could face suspension and banishment for three years, and employees could be fired, if they violated rules including camping, using bullhorns, protesting inside buildings or possessing weapons. Around 50 people have been protesting on campus since Wednesday.

Earlier this year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis directed the state’s universities to make it easier for out-of-state students facing antisemitism and other religious harassment in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war to transfer to Florida campuses.

The Republican governor’s administration last fall also ordered state universities to ban a pro-Palestinian student organization, Students for Justice in Palestine, from campuses, saying it illegally backs Hamas militants who attacked Israel. The group has challenged that decision in federal court.

Protesters at Arizona State University pitched tents, including some that police dismantled, and at least three people were arrested Friday. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.azfamily.com/2024/04/26/live-pro-palestine-supporters-gather-old-main-lawn-asu-protest-israel-hamas-war/">television news report</a>&nbsp;put the number of protesters in the dozens and video showed people waving flags and holding signs reading “Free Palestine."

University and Tempe city police representatives did not immediately answer emails asking about arrests, injuries or the size of the crowd.

A university spokesperson, Elena Bras, issued a statement that said “unapproved encampments” were prohibited on campus, and failure to comply would be grounds for arrest for trespassing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713893853332.jpeg" alt="The New School students and pro-Palestinian supporters rally outside The New School University Center building, Monday, April 22, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)" />
 <figcaption>The New School students and pro-Palestinian supporters rally outside The New School University Center building, Monday, April 22, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP)—Student protests over the Israel-Hamas war have popped up on an increasing number of college campuses following last week's arrest of more than 100 demonstrators at Columbia University.The students are calling for universities to separate themselves from any companies that are advancing Israel’s military efforts in Gaza — and in some cases from Israel itself.Protests on many campuses have been orchestrated by coalitions of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-college-protests-c94bb0cd246bcc692de86b76b9b2a8cf">student groups</a>. The groups largely act independently, though students say they’re inspired by peers at other universities.A look at protests on campuses in recent days:COLUMBIA UNIVERSITYPro-Palestinian student protesters set up a tent encampment at the Ivy League university in New York last week. Police first tried to clear the encampment on April 18, when they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-protests-israel-palestinian-hirsi-cd80372939c7c08a40346e8b7d546da1">arrested more than 100 protesters</a>. But the move backfired, inspiring students across the country and motivating protesters at Columbia to regroup.Earlier this week, the Ivy League school, where Monday is set to be the last day of classes, switched to hybrid learning. Commencement is set for May 15.Students said Friday afternoon that they had reached an impasse with administrators and intended to continue their encampment until their demands are met. Columbia officials had earlier said that negotiations were showing progress. Despite dozens of journalists on campus and scores of police officers outside the gates, an unassuming spring day unfolded Friday with students sitting on the library's steps or grabbing a quick bite while soon-to-be-graduates posed for photos in their powder-blue gowns.Columbia’s president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-president-minouche-shafik-protests-30a231f01f8a900ec9585dcf92337ec4">Minouche Shafik</a>, faced a significant — but largely symbolic — rebuke from faculty Friday but retains the support of trustees, who have the power to hire or fire the president. A report by the university senate’s executive committee, which represents faculty, found Shafik and her administration took “many actions and decisions that have harmed Columbia University," including calling in police. Following the report, the senate passed a resolution that included a task force to monitor how the administration would make changes going forward.Hundreds of counterprotesters gathered on the streets outside Columbia on Friday morning, many holding Israeli flags and chanting for the hostages&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-hostage-video-1284f257698ea5e9c9cc9ac86a849948">being held by Hamas</a>&nbsp;and other militants to be released.NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITYPolice in riot gear cleared an encampment on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston as several dozen students shouted and booed at them from a distance. Otherwise, the scene was nonconfrontational.The school said that the demonstration, which began two days ago, had become “infiltrated by professional organizers” with no affiliation to the school.Antisemitic slurs, including “Kill the Jews,” were used, the school said in a statement posted on social media.“We cannot tolerate this kind of hate on our campus,” said the statement.About 100 people were detained, and students who produced a valid ID were released. They will face “disciplinary action," the university said, but not legal action. People who refused to disclose their affiliation were arrested.UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAThe University of Southern California canceled its main stage graduation ceremony set for May 10 after its campus was roiled by protests. The university already canceled a commencement speech by the school’s pro-Palestinian valedictorian, citing safety concerns. The Los Angeles Police Department said more than 90 people were arrested Wednesday night on charges of trespassing during a protest at the university. One person was arrested on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon. There were no reports of injuries. The university said Wednesday that it had closed campus and police would arrest people who did not leave. Friday was the last day of classes.THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITYPolice clashed with protesters at Ohio State University in Columbus, just hours after they gathered Thursday evening. Those who refused to leave after warnings were arrested and charged with criminal trespass, said university spokesperson Benjamin Johnson, citing rules barring overnight events. Of 36 people arrested, Johnson said Friday that 16 were students and 20 were not affiliated with the university. The school's commencement is set for May 5.GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITYAbout 50 students at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., set up a tent encampment on the school’s University Yard on Thursday. Later in the day, a group of Georgetown University students and professors staged their own protest walkout and marched to the George Washington campus to join them. The protesters are demanding that the university divest from Israel and lift a suspension against a prominent pro-Palestinian student group.The university's last day of classes before final exams is set for Monday and commencement is scheduled for May 19. Because of the noise generated by the protests, the university said it would move&nbsp;<a href="https://vimeo.com/939155545">law school finals</a>&nbsp;to another building from the one where they had originally been scheduled.The university said the protesters must remove tents and disperse by 7 p.m.CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, HUMBOLDTUniversity officials extended the closure of the campus until May 10 — the end of the semester — saying instruction would continue to be remote, after protesters at the university in northern California used furniture, tents, chains and zip ties to block entrances to an academic and administrative building on Monday. Commencement is scheduled for May 11.Officials said in a statement Tuesday that students had occupied a second building and three students had been arrested. On Wednesday, officials said some unidentified people who were not students were also inside one of the occupied buildings. On Thursday, the university said protesters continued to occupy the two buildings.A dean at the school, Jeff Crane, suggested during the meeting that the university form a committee that would include students to do a deep dive into the school’s investments. Crane also suggested faculty and students continue meeting every 24 hours to keep an open line of communication. The sides have yet to announce an agreement.The school’s senate of faculty and staff demanded the university’s president resign in a no-confidence vote Thursday, citing the decision to call police in to remove the barricaded students Monday.On Friday, the university released a statement responding to questions from those occupying the buildings. The statement said there will be consequences for actions that violate policy or law, but officials would take into account actions by any students who choose to evacuate the occupied buildings and support efforts to clear them. It did not say the charges faced by those arrested would be dropped.The administration also offered protesters a 5 p.m. deadline to leave and “not be immediately arrested.” But that deadline passed and the university did not immediately respond to a message seeking an update or provide information on what they planned to do next.NEW YORK UNIVERSITYAn encampment set up by students at NYU swelled to hundreds of protesters earlier this week. Police on Wednesday said that 133 protesters had been taken into custody. They said all were released with summonses to appear in court on disorderly conduct charges. Commencement is set for May 15.EMORY UNIVERSITYAt Emory University in Atlanta, where Atlanta police and Georgia state troopers had dismantled a camp on the school's quadrangle, the school president on Friday said in an email that some of the videos of a clash between police and people on the campus “are shocking” and that he is “horrified that members of our community had to experience and witness such interactions.”School officials said 20 of the 28 people arrested were “Emory community members."Video circulated widely on social media shows two women who identified themselves as professors being detained, with one of them slammed to the ground by one officer as a second officer then pushes her chest and face onto a concrete sidewalk. In a separate incident Thursday evening, some protesters pinned police officers against the glass doors of the Candler School of Theology on the campus and threw objects at the officers, Emory’s president said.NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITYNorthwestern University changed its student code of conduct Thursday morning to bar tents on its suburban Chicago campus as student activists set up an encampment.University President Michael Schill issued an email saying the university had enacted an “interim addendum” to its student code to bar tents, among other things, and warned of disciplinary actions including suspension, expulsion and criminal charges.“The goal of this addendum is to balance the right to peacefully demonstrate with our goal to protect our community, to avoid disruptions to instruction and to ensure university operations can continue unabated,” Schilling said.The university’s commencement is scheduled for June 9.FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYA few dozen protesters set up tents and occupied a building Thursday at the Fashion Institute of Technology, part of the public State University of New York system. Protesters sat on the floor or milled around, many wearing face masks and kaffiyehs. Other protesters outside the building held signs and Palestinian flags. They refused to speak to a reporter. Around a dozen protesters spent the night in tents and sleeping bags inside a campus building. The institute’s museum, which is located in the building where the demonstrators set up camp, was closed Friday.The school's commencement was still scheduled for May 22 and May 23.INDIANA UNIVERSITY BLOOMINGTONAfter an encampment was set up at Indiana University Bloomington, police with shields and batons shoved into a line of protesters linked arm-in-arm Thursday afternoon. Videos posted to social media appear to show the protest continuing after law enforcement stopped making arrests.In an update Friday, the university police said 34 people were arrested. Public information officer Hannah Skibba said charges include trespassing, resisting law enforcement and battery on a public safety official. One officer sustained “minor injuries." Protests continued Friday, one day before the last day of classes. The university’s commencement is scheduled for May 4.Jeffrey Kehr, chief deputy prosecutor for Monroe County, said in an email that those arrested were released on their own recognizance and the office will “examine all the reports we receive and any relevant footage to determine what, if any, charges are appropriate.”UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIAA small but growing protest encampment remained in place early Friday on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. A statement issued by the school said officials were “closely monitoring” the encampment, which had started on Thursday, and had not received any reports of threatening or violent behavior by the protesters. However, they warned that protests or speech that violates the university’s policies, disrupts its business, or causes an “intimidating, hostile, or violent environment” would not be tolerated. The school's commencement is scheduled to take place between May 18 and 20.UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDAIn Gainesville, Florida, home to the University of Florida, protesters were warned Friday that students could face suspension and banishment for three years, and employees could be fired, if they violated rules including camping, using bullhorns, protesting inside buildings or possessing weapons. Around 50 people have been protesting on campus since Wednesday.Earlier this year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis directed the state’s universities to make it easier for out-of-state students facing antisemitism and other religious harassment in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war to transfer to Florida campuses.The Republican governor’s administration last fall also ordered state universities to ban a pro-Palestinian student organization, Students for Justice in Palestine, from campuses, saying it illegally backs Hamas militants who attacked Israel. The group has challenged that decision in federal court.ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITYProtesters at Arizona State University pitched tents, including some that police dismantled, and at least three people were arrested Friday. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.azfamily.com/2024/04/26/live-pro-palestine-supporters-gather-old-main-lawn-asu-protest-israel-hamas-war/">television news report</a>&nbsp;put the number of protesters in the dozens and video showed people waving flags and holding signs reading “Free Palestine."University and Tempe city police representatives did not immediately answer emails asking about arrests, injuries or the size of the crowd.A university spokesperson, Elena Bras, issued a statement that said “unapproved encampments” were prohibited on campus, and failure to comply would be grounds for arrest for trespassing.

Protests of the Israel-Hamas war continue at universities across U.S.

UNL&nbsp;Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources

&nbsp; Lincoln, Neb. —&nbsp;Kurtis Harms, an experienced agricultural industry leader and communicator, has been selected as the next director of the Nebraska LEAD Program.

Harms will begin his appointment June 1. He succeeds Terry Hejny, who is retiring after serving 17 years as the program’s director.

LEAD is a leadership development program for adults tailored toward preparing the next generation of agricultural leaders in Nebraska. The program, founded more than 42 years ago, has prepared hundreds of leaders who have held local, county and statewide office. The Nebraska LEAD Program is housed within the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“The LEAD Program has a very strong foundation, and LEAD fellows have had an incredible impact on Nebraska,” said Harms, who took part in the 40th&nbsp;class of the program. “I’m excited to continue that legacy.”

Harms is interested in pursuing avenues to connect LEAD to younger Nebraskans through partnerships with 4-H, FFA and other youth leadership development programs. He is also interested in expanding opportunities for graduates of LEAD to remain involved and engaged.

“I think there is an opportunity to connect the dots before and after the Nebraska LEAD Program,” he said.

For the past two years, Harms has served as the director of marketing for Pillen Family Farms and DNA Genetics, overseeing marketing strategy, internal and external communications for both entities. Prior to that, he served as the director of communications for the Nebraska Corn Board. Before that, he spent 10 years with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as the executive director of Market Journal, UNL’s weekly agricultural television program.

He has also taught courses for students in UNL’s Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Communications program.

“Kurtis has spent his entire career advocating for Nebraska agriculture, its future and, most importantly, its people,” said Mike Boehm NU vice president and Harlan Vice Chancellor for IANR. “He brings energy, fresh ideas and incredible passion to this position, and I am confident LEAD will flourish under his leadership.”

The Nebraska LEAD Program is currently accepting applications for its 43rd&nbsp;class. The application deadline is June 15. To learn more about Nebraska LEAD or apply, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://lead.unl.edu/" target="_blank">LEAD.unl.edu</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714159301038.png" alt="Kurtis Harms, an experienced agricultural industry leader and communicator, has been selected as the next director of the Nebraska LEAD Program. (Courtesy of UNL)" />
 <figcaption>Kurtis Harms, an experienced agricultural industry leader and communicator, has been selected as the next director of the Nebraska LEAD Program. (Courtesy of UNL)</figcaption>
 </figure>UNL&nbsp;Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources&nbsp; Lincoln, Neb. —&nbsp;Kurtis Harms, an experienced agricultural industry leader and communicator, has been selected as the next director of the Nebraska LEAD Program.Harms will begin his appointment June 1. He succeeds Terry Hejny, who is retiring after serving 17 years as the program’s director.LEAD is a leadership development program for adults tailored toward preparing the next generation of agricultural leaders in Nebraska. The program, founded more than 42 years ago, has prepared hundreds of leaders who have held local, county and statewide office. The Nebraska LEAD Program is housed within the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.“The LEAD Program has a very strong foundation, and LEAD fellows have had an incredible impact on Nebraska,” said Harms, who took part in the 40th&nbsp;class of the program. “I’m excited to continue that legacy.”Harms is interested in pursuing avenues to connect LEAD to younger Nebraskans through partnerships with 4-H, FFA and other youth leadership development programs. He is also interested in expanding opportunities for graduates of LEAD to remain involved and engaged.“I think there is an opportunity to connect the dots before and after the Nebraska LEAD Program,” he said.For the past two years, Harms has served as the director of marketing for Pillen Family Farms and DNA Genetics, overseeing marketing strategy, internal and external communications for both entities. Prior to that, he served as the director of communications for the Nebraska Corn Board. Before that, he spent 10 years with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as the executive director of Market Journal, UNL’s weekly agricultural television program.He has also taught courses for students in UNL’s Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Communications program.“Kurtis has spent his entire career advocating for Nebraska agriculture, its future and, most importantly, its people,” said Mike Boehm NU vice president and Harlan Vice Chancellor for IANR. “He brings energy, fresh ideas and incredible passion to this position, and I am confident LEAD will flourish under his leadership.”The Nebraska LEAD Program is currently accepting applications for its 43rd&nbsp;class. The application deadline is June 15. To learn more about Nebraska LEAD or apply, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://lead.unl.edu/" target="_blank">LEAD.unl.edu</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Harms named next director of Nebraska LEAD Program

NEW YORK (AP) — Relentlessly rising auto insurance rates are squeezing car owners and stoking inflation.

Auto insurance rates rose 2.6% in March and are up 22% from a year ago. Premium costs have been marching steadily higher since 2022, even as inflation at the consumer level steadily cooled from its 9.1% peak in the middle of that year. Consumers have had some relief as the rate of cost increases for food and energy, two key components of most budgets, has eased greatly.

But auto insurance and car ownership costs have become a sticking point for consumers and the Federal Reserve in its battle to rein inflation back to its goal of 2%.

Typically, individuals would see a noticeable increase in their premiums because of speeding tickets and other moving violations. Adding new drivers or a general increase in claims in the area were other reasons.

But the persistent rise in rates over the last two years has been far more sweeping. New vehicle prices starting spiking during the pandemic, mainly because of a worldwide shortage of computer chips amid production cuts and supply chain bottlenecks. Dealers spent much of 2021 with few or no cars in stock.

Car price increases eased heading into 2024, with the average at $47,338 in January, down from a peak of $48,516 in late 2022, according to Edmunds.com.

Higher value for cars, along with more advanced technology and intricate parts, has raised the overall cost of repairs. Overall maintenance and repair costs jumped 8.2% in March from a year ago, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s eased a bit over the last year. The rate of increase was as high as 14.2% in early 2023.

“The severity is really the thing that has influenced rates more over the last two years than anything,” said Greg Smolan, vice president of insurance operations at AAA Northeast. “A fender bender in the past didn’t have all the sensors and cameras.”

Higher overall auto prices and auto repair costs prompted insurers to start raising premiums as overall car values jumped. Price increases for insurance rates, like many other increases from food to clothing, have been sticky and are less likely to drop at the same rate as broader inflation, if at all.

That has been beneficial for insurers who have seen profits surge. Wall Street is expecting bigger leaps in 2024.

“Our sole concentration last year was to get the right rate,” said Progressive CEO Tricia Griffith, during a fourth-quarter earnings conference call. “We feel like we’re in a really great position now.”

Progressive’s profit jumped 50% and its revenue surged nearly 18% to $62.1 billion in 2023. Wall Street expects its profit to skyrocket nearly 80% in 2024 on a 14% jump in revenue.

Allstate reported a modest profit in 2023 after reporting a loss a year earlier. Wall Street expects its profit to surge 13-fold as revenue rises 10% to $62.9 billion in 2024.

“Companies are getting a lot closer to rate adequacy now,” Smolan said. “I think you’ll see some flattening out of the real large increases.”

The process of obtaining auto insurance can be confusing and overwhelming, considering the differing mix of requirements in each state, extra options and the confusing industry and legal jargon used by insurers. The first step for many should be gaining a better&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iii.org/article/what-auto-insurance" target="_blank">understanding about auto insurance</a>, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Consumers should shop around by getting at least three different quotes and from different types of insurance companies. Also, comparing costs before buying a car could help give consumers a better sense of the true cost of owning a specific car. Premiums are based in part on a car’s price, along with prospective repair costs and safety data.

<a href="https://www.iii.org/article/understanding-your-insurance-deductibles" target="_blank">Deductibles</a>&nbsp;could be a major factor in determining monthly premium costs. That’s the amount of money that a driver is responsible for paying toward a claim. Higher deductibles usually mean lower premiums.

Bundling multiple policies under one insurer could come with a discount. This is common for homeowners using the same company for their home and auto policies. There may also be discounts for insuring more than one vehicle under the same company.

Defensive driving courses also help give drivers discounts on insurance. The timing and standards vary by state, but courses are usually offered in-person and online. Companies including Progressive and Geico often offer multi-year discounts for taking such a course. They can usually steer policy holders toward reputable companies offering the course and certificate.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713985395984.png" alt="Image Lawrence, Kansas traffic camera" />
 <figcaption>Image Lawrence, Kansas traffic camera</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Relentlessly rising auto insurance rates are squeezing car owners and stoking inflation.Auto insurance rates rose 2.6% in March and are up 22% from a year ago. Premium costs have been marching steadily higher since 2022, even as inflation at the consumer level steadily cooled from its 9.1% peak in the middle of that year. Consumers have had some relief as the rate of cost increases for food and energy, two key components of most budgets, has eased greatly.But auto insurance and car ownership costs have become a sticking point for consumers and the Federal Reserve in its battle to rein inflation back to its goal of 2%.Typically, individuals would see a noticeable increase in their premiums because of speeding tickets and other moving violations. Adding new drivers or a general increase in claims in the area were other reasons.But the persistent rise in rates over the last two years has been far more sweeping. New vehicle prices starting spiking during the pandemic, mainly because of a worldwide shortage of computer chips amid production cuts and supply chain bottlenecks. Dealers spent much of 2021 with few or no cars in stock.Car price increases eased heading into 2024, with the average at $47,338 in January, down from a peak of $48,516 in late 2022, according to Edmunds.com.Higher value for cars, along with more advanced technology and intricate parts, has raised the overall cost of repairs. Overall maintenance and repair costs jumped 8.2% in March from a year ago, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s eased a bit over the last year. The rate of increase was as high as 14.2% in early 2023.“The severity is really the thing that has influenced rates more over the last two years than anything,” said Greg Smolan, vice president of insurance operations at AAA Northeast. “A fender bender in the past didn’t have all the sensors and cameras.”Higher overall auto prices and auto repair costs prompted insurers to start raising premiums as overall car values jumped. Price increases for insurance rates, like many other increases from food to clothing, have been sticky and are less likely to drop at the same rate as broader inflation, if at all.That has been beneficial for insurers who have seen profits surge. Wall Street is expecting bigger leaps in 2024.“Our sole concentration last year was to get the right rate,” said Progressive CEO Tricia Griffith, during a fourth-quarter earnings conference call. “We feel like we’re in a really great position now.”Progressive’s profit jumped 50% and its revenue surged nearly 18% to $62.1 billion in 2023. Wall Street expects its profit to skyrocket nearly 80% in 2024 on a 14% jump in revenue.Allstate reported a modest profit in 2023 after reporting a loss a year earlier. Wall Street expects its profit to surge 13-fold as revenue rises 10% to $62.9 billion in 2024.“Companies are getting a lot closer to rate adequacy now,” Smolan said. “I think you’ll see some flattening out of the real large increases.”The process of obtaining auto insurance can be confusing and overwhelming, considering the differing mix of requirements in each state, extra options and the confusing industry and legal jargon used by insurers. The first step for many should be gaining a better&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iii.org/article/what-auto-insurance" target="_blank">understanding about auto insurance</a>, according to the Insurance Information Institute.Consumers should shop around by getting at least three different quotes and from different types of insurance companies. Also, comparing costs before buying a car could help give consumers a better sense of the true cost of owning a specific car. Premiums are based in part on a car’s price, along with prospective repair costs and safety data.<a href="https://www.iii.org/article/understanding-your-insurance-deductibles" target="_blank">Deductibles</a>&nbsp;could be a major factor in determining monthly premium costs. That’s the amount of money that a driver is responsible for paying toward a claim. Higher deductibles usually mean lower premiums.Bundling multiple policies under one insurer could come with a discount. This is common for homeowners using the same company for their home and auto policies. There may also be discounts for insuring more than one vehicle under the same company.Defensive driving courses also help give drivers discounts on insurance. The timing and standards vary by state, but courses are usually offered in-person and online. Companies including Progressive and Geico often offer multi-year discounts for taking such a course. They can usually steer policy holders toward reputable companies offering the course and certificate.

Surging auto insurance rates squeeze drivers, fuel inflation

WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. will provide Ukraine additional Patriot missiles for its air defense systems as part of a massive $6 billion additional aid package, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Friday.

The missiles will be used to replenish previously supplied Patriot systems. The package also includes more munitions for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, or NASAMS, and additional gear to integrate Western air defense launchers, missiles and radars into Ukraine's existing weaponry, much of which still dates back to the Soviet era.

Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;discussed the need for Patriots early Friday with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a coalition of about 50 countries gathering virtually in a Pentagon-led meeting. The meeting fell on the second anniversary of the group, which Austin said has “moved heaven and earth” since April 2022 to source millions of rounds of ammunition, rocket systems, armored vehicles and even jets to help Ukraine rebuff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia's invasion</a>.

Zelenskyy said at least seven Patriot systems are needed to protect Ukrainian cities. “We urgently need Patriot systems and missiles for them,” Zelenskyy said. “This is what can and should save lives right now.”

At a Pentagon press conference following the meeting, Austin said the U.S. was working with allies to resource additional Patriot systems but did not commit to sending more U.S. versions. He said he has been speaking one-on-one with a number of his European counterparts in recent days to hash out this issue and others.

“It's not just Patriots that they need, they need other types of systems and interceptors as well,” Austin said. “I would caution us all in terms of making Patriot the silver bullet.”

Austin said he is asking allied nations to “accept a little bit more risk” as they consider what weapons to send to Ukraine. A number of nations have expressed some reluctance to send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine because most don’t have very many and they belieive they need them for their own defense.

U.S. officials said the aid package will be funded through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which pays for longer-term contracts with the defense industry and means that it could take many months or years for the weapons to arrive. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.

The new funding — the largest tranche of USAI aid sent to date — also includes High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, as well as Switchblade and Puma drones, counter drone systems and artillery.

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group has been meeting about monthly for the past two years and is the primary forum for weapons contributions to Kyiv for the war.

Friday's meeting follows the White House decision earlier this week to approve the delivery of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-mike-johnson-ukraine-israel-b72aed9b195818735d24363f2bc34ea4">$1 billion in weapons and equipment</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine. Those weapons include a variety of ammunition, such as air defense munitions and large amounts of artillery rounds that are much in demand by Ukrainian forces, as well as armored vehicles and other weapons.

That aid, however, will get to Ukraine quickly because it is being pulled off Pentagon shelves, including in warehouses in Europe.

Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the $1 billion weapons package will have a key benefit.

“There's some near-term effects,” said Brown, who stood alongside Austin at the Pentagon briefing. “Now the Ukrainians don't necessarily have to ration what they have because they know things are coming out of this package and there will be follow-on packages.”

The large back-to-back aid approvals are the result of a new infusion of about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-mike-johnson-ukraine-israel-b72aed9b195818735d24363f2bc34ea4">$61 billion in funding for Ukraine</a>&nbsp;that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on Wednesday. And they provide weapons Kyiv desperately needs to stall gains being made by Russian forces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">in the war</a>.

Bitterly divided members of Congress deadlocked over the funding for months, forcing House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to cobble together a bipartisan coalition to pass the bill. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-israel-gaza-taiwan-c0645ad3f47f9d919c8988a98593e887">$95 billion foreign aid</a>&nbsp;package, which also included billions of dollars for Israel and Taiwan, passed the House on Saturday, and the Senate approved it Tuesday.

Senior U.S. officials have described dire battlefield conditions in Ukraine, as troops run low on munitions and Russian forces make gains.

Since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">Russia’s February 2022 invasion</a>, the U.S. has sent more than $44 billion worth of weapons, maintenance, training and spare parts to Ukraine.

Among the weapons provided to Ukraine were Abrams M1A1 battle tanks. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-abrams-tanks-19d71475d427875653a2130063a8fb7a">Ukraine has now sidelined them</a>&nbsp;in part because Russian drone warfare has made it too difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under attack, two U.S. military officials told The Associated Press.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714164025275.png" alt="Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during a Pentagon press briefing Friday-image Defense Department" />
 <figcaption>Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during a Pentagon press briefing Friday-image Defense Department</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. will provide Ukraine additional Patriot missiles for its air defense systems as part of a massive $6 billion additional aid package, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Friday.The missiles will be used to replenish previously supplied Patriot systems. The package also includes more munitions for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, or NASAMS, and additional gear to integrate Western air defense launchers, missiles and radars into Ukraine's existing weaponry, much of which still dates back to the Soviet era.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714164230975.png" alt="File photo The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command launch a missile target at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., Feb. 8, 2023, while testing new Patriot missile software.-U.S. Army photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command launch a missile target at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., Feb. 8, 2023, while testing new Patriot missile software.-U.S. Army photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;discussed the need for Patriots early Friday with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a coalition of about 50 countries gathering virtually in a Pentagon-led meeting. The meeting fell on the second anniversary of the group, which Austin said has “moved heaven and earth” since April 2022 to source millions of rounds of ammunition, rocket systems, armored vehicles and even jets to help Ukraine rebuff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia's invasion</a>.Zelenskyy said at least seven Patriot systems are needed to protect Ukrainian cities. “We urgently need Patriot systems and missiles for them,” Zelenskyy said. “This is what can and should save lives right now.”At a Pentagon press conference following the meeting, Austin said the U.S. was working with allies to resource additional Patriot systems but did not commit to sending more U.S. versions. He said he has been speaking one-on-one with a number of his European counterparts in recent days to hash out this issue and others.“It's not just Patriots that they need, they need other types of systems and interceptors as well,” Austin said. “I would caution us all in terms of making Patriot the silver bullet.”Austin said he is asking allied nations to “accept a little bit more risk” as they consider what weapons to send to Ukraine. A number of nations have expressed some reluctance to send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine because most don’t have very many and they belieive they need them for their own defense.U.S. officials said the aid package will be funded through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which pays for longer-term contracts with the defense industry and means that it could take many months or years for the weapons to arrive. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.The new funding — the largest tranche of USAI aid sent to date — also includes High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, as well as Switchblade and Puma drones, counter drone systems and artillery.The Ukraine Defense Contact Group has been meeting about monthly for the past two years and is the primary forum for weapons contributions to Kyiv for the war.Friday's meeting follows the White House decision earlier this week to approve the delivery of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-mike-johnson-ukraine-israel-b72aed9b195818735d24363f2bc34ea4">$1 billion in weapons and equipment</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine. Those weapons include a variety of ammunition, such as air defense munitions and large amounts of artillery rounds that are much in demand by Ukrainian forces, as well as armored vehicles and other weapons.That aid, however, will get to Ukraine quickly because it is being pulled off Pentagon shelves, including in warehouses in Europe.Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the $1 billion weapons package will have a key benefit.“There's some near-term effects,” said Brown, who stood alongside Austin at the Pentagon briefing. “Now the Ukrainians don't necessarily have to ration what they have because they know things are coming out of this package and there will be follow-on packages.”The large back-to-back aid approvals are the result of a new infusion of about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-mike-johnson-ukraine-israel-b72aed9b195818735d24363f2bc34ea4">$61 billion in funding for Ukraine</a>&nbsp;that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on Wednesday. And they provide weapons Kyiv desperately needs to stall gains being made by Russian forces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">in the war</a>.Bitterly divided members of Congress deadlocked over the funding for months, forcing House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to cobble together a bipartisan coalition to pass the bill. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-israel-gaza-taiwan-c0645ad3f47f9d919c8988a98593e887">$95 billion foreign aid</a>&nbsp;package, which also included billions of dollars for Israel and Taiwan, passed the House on Saturday, and the Senate approved it Tuesday.Senior U.S. officials have described dire battlefield conditions in Ukraine, as troops run low on munitions and Russian forces make gains.Since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">Russia’s February 2022 invasion</a>, the U.S. has sent more than $44 billion worth of weapons, maintenance, training and spare parts to Ukraine.Among the weapons provided to Ukraine were Abrams M1A1 battle tanks. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-abrams-tanks-19d71475d427875653a2130063a8fb7a">Ukraine has now sidelined them</a>&nbsp;in part because Russian drone warfare has made it too difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under attack, two U.S. military officials told The Associated Press.

U.S. to rush  Patriot missiles to Ukraine in $6 Billion package

By JOSH FUNK and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH&nbsp;

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Tornadoes wreaked havoc Friday in the Midwest, causing a building to collapse with dozens of people inside and destroying and damaging hundreds of homes, many around Omaha, Nebraska.

As of Friday night, there were several reports of injuries but no immediate deaths reported. Tornado warnings continued to be issued into the night in Iowa.

Three people were hurt in Nebraska’s Lancaster County when a tornado hit an industrial building, causing it to collapse with 70 people inside. Several were trapped, but everyone was evacuated and the injuries were not life-threatening, authorities said.

One of the most destructive tornadoes moved for miles Friday through mostly rural farmland before chewing up homes and other structures in the suburbs of Omaha, a city of 485,000 people with a metropolitan area population of about 1 million.

Photos on social media showed the small town of Minden, Iowa, about 30 miles (48.3 kilometers) northeast of Omaha also sustained heavy damage.

Jeff Theulen, chief deputy of the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, said at a late Friday briefing that 40 to 50 homes had been completely destroyed. Two injuries were reported but none was life-threatening.

School buses have been brought in to give residents a ride out of town if they need one, he said. He asked others to stay away, as it’s a very dangerous area with power lines down and piles of debris where homes used to be.

“It’s heartbreaking to see these people who have lost houses, cars, essentially their life until they have to rebuild it,” he said.

The forecast for Saturday was ominous. The National Weather Service issued tornado watches across parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Forecasters warned that large hail and strong wind gusts were possible.

“It does look like a big outbreak again tomorrow,” said Becky Kern, the warning coordination meteorologist in the National Weather Service’s Omaha office. “Maybe slightly farther south.”

Hundreds of houses sustained damage in Omaha on Friday, mostly in the Elkhorn area in the western part of the city, Omaha police Lt. Neal Bonacci said.

“You definitely see the path of the tornado,” Bonacci said, adding that many of the homes were destroyed or severely damaged.

Police and firefighters went door-to-door to help people, going to the “hardest hit area” with a plan to search anywhere someone could be trapped, Omaha Fire Chief Kathy Bossman said.

“We'll be looking throughout properties in debris piles, we'll be looking in basements, trying to find any victims and make sure everybody is rescued who needs assistance,” Bossman said.

In one area of Elkhorn, dozens of newly built, large homes were damaged. At least six were wrecked, including one that was leveled, while others had their top halves ripped off. Dozens of emergency vehicles responded to the area.

“We watched it touch down like 200 yards over there and then we took shelter,” said Pat Woods, who lives in Elkhorn. "We could hear it coming through. When we came up our fence was gone and we looked to the northwest and the whole neighborhood's gone.”

Kim Woods, his wife, added, “The whole neighborhood just to the north of us is pretty flattened.”

Three people, including a child, were in the basement of the leveled home when the tornado hit but got out safely, according to Dhaval Naik, who said he works with home's owner.

KETV-TV video showed one woman being removed from a demolished home on a stretcher in Blair, a city just north of Omaha.

Two people were transported for treatment, both with minor injuries, Bonacci said.

Crews were doing a second search of homes. Fire crews would work throughout the night to check all the unsafe structures and make sure no one is inside, Bonacci said.

“People had warnings of this and that saved lives," Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said of the few serious injuries.

The tornado warning was issued in the Omaha area on Friday afternoon just as children were due to be released from school. Many schools had students shelter in place until the storm passed. Hours later, buses were still transporting children home.

“Was it one long track tornado or was it several tornadoes?” Kern of the National Weather Service said.

The agency planned to send out multiple crews over the next several days to determine the number of tornadoes and their strength, which could take up to two weeks, she said.

“Some appeared to be violent tornadoes,” Kern continued. “There were tornadoes in different areas. And so it’s like forensic meteorology, we call it, like piecing together, all the damage indicators.”

Another tornado hit an area on the eastern edge of Omaha, passing directly through parts of Eppley Airfield, the city's airport. Officials halted aircraft operations to access damage but then reopened the facility, Omaha Airport Authority Chief Strategy Officer Steve McCoy said.

The passenger terminal wasn't hit by the tornado but people rushed to storm shelters until the twister passed, McCoy said.

After passing through the airport, the tornado crossed the Missouri River and into Iowa, north of Council Bluffs.

Nebraska Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Katrina Sperl said Friday afternoon that damage reports were just starting to come in. Taylor Wilson, a spokesperson for the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said they hadn’t seen any injuries yet.

In Lancaster County, where three people were injured when an industrial building collapsed, sheriff's officials also said they had reports of a tipped-over train near Waverly, Nebraska.

Two people who were injured in the county were being treated at the trauma center at Bryan Medical Center West Campus in Lincoln, the facility said in a news release. The hospital said the patients were in triage and no details were released on their condition.

The Omaha Public Power District reported nearly 10,000 customers were without power in the Omaha area. The number had dropped to about 7,300 by Friday night.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen posted on the social platform X that he had ordered state resources to be made available to help with the emergency response and to support first responders as they assess the damage.

“Nebraskans are no strangers to severe weather and, as they have countless times before, Nebraskans will help Nebraskans to rebuild,” Pillen said.

Daniel Fienhold, manager of the Pink Poodle Steakhouse in Crescent, Iowa, said he was outside watching the weather with his daughter and restaurant employees, recalling “it looked like a pretty big tornado was forming” northeast of town.

“It started raining, and then it started hailing, and then all the clouds started to kind of swirl and come together, and as soon as the wind started to pick up, that’s when I headed for the basement, but we never saw it,” Fienhold said.

Photos on social media showed the small city of Minden, Iowa, about 30 miles (48.3 kilometers) northeast of Omaha also sustained heavy damage.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A tornado plowed through suburban Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday afternoon, damaging hundreds of homes and other structures as the twister tore for miles along farmland and into subdivisions. Some injuries were reported but there were no immediate reports that anyone was killed.

Multiple tornadoes were reported in Nebraska but the most destructive storm moved from a largely rural area into suburbs northwest of Omaha, a city of 485,000 people.

Photos on social media showed ravaged homes and shredded trees. Video showed homes with roofs stripped of shingles, in a rural area near Omaha. Law enforcement were blocking off roads in the area.

Hundreds of houses sustained damage in Omaha, mostly in the Elkhorn area in the western part of the city, Omaha police Lt. Neal Bonacci said.

Police and firefighters are now going door-to-door helping people who are trapped.

Omaha Fire Chief Kathy Bossman said crews had gone to the “hardest hit area” and had a plan to search anywhere someone could be trapped.

“They're going to be putting together a strategic plan for a detailed search of the area, starting with the properties with most damage,” Bossman said. “We'll be looking throughout properties in debris piles, we'll be looking in basements, trying to find any victims and make sure everybody is rescued who needs assistance.”

Bonacci said many homes were destroyed or severely damaged.

"You definitely see the path of the tornado,” Bonacci said.

In one area of Elkhorn, dozens of newly built, large homes were damaged. At least six were wrecked, including one that was leveled, while others had the top half ripped off.

There were dozens of emergency vehicles in the area.

His wife, Kim Woods added, “The whole neighborhood just to the north of us is pretty flattened.”

Dhaval Naik, who said he works with the man whose house was demolished, said three people, including a child, were in the basement when the tornado hit. They got out safely.

KETV-TV video showed one woman being removed from a wrecked home on a stretcher in Blair, a city just north of Omaha.

Bonacci said only two people have been transported for treatment, both with minor injuries.

He said crews are now doing a second search of homes. He said fire crews would work throughout the night to check all the unsafe structures and make sure no one is inside.

“People had warnings of this and that saved lives," Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said, of the few serious injuries.

The tornado warning was issued in the Omaha area on Friday afternoon just as children were due to be released from school. Many schools had students shelter in place until the storm passed. Hours later, buses were still transporting students home.

“Was it one long track tornado or was it several tornadoes?” said Becky Kern, the warning coordination meteorologist in the National Weather Service’s Omaha office.

She said the agency planned to send out multiple crews over the next several days to determine the number of tornadoes and their strength, and that it could take up to two weeks to finish the evaluation.

“Some appeared to be violent tornadoes,” she continued. “There were tornadoes in different areas. And so it’s like forensic meteorology, we call it, like piecing together, all the damage indicators.”

Another tornado hit an area on the eastern edge of Omaha, passing directly through parts of Eppley Airfield, the city's airport. Officials closed the airport to aircraft operations to access damage but then reopened the facility, Omaha Airport Authority Chief Strategy Officer Steve McCoy said.

Flight delays are expected Friday evening.

Tornadoes collapse buildings and level homes in Nebraska and Iowa

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump's defense team attacked the credibility of prosecutors' first witness in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">hush money case</a>&nbsp;on Friday, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.

<a href="https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/transcripts/4-25-2024/">Click here to read transcript</a> of day 3 of the historic trial&nbsp;(-The court system is posting the daily transcripts of the trial proceedings. The transcript for each day is available before the end of the following business day.)

On the witness stand for a fourth day, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker was grilled about his memory and past statements as the defense tried to poke holes in potentially crucial testimony in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-cohen-stormy-daniels-e40532d3bce7768e296fdaf9591ef05b">first criminal trial of a former American president.</a>

Two other witnesses followed Pecker as prosecutors built the foundation of their case involving a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, who claimed she had a sexual encounter with Trump. Trump's longtime executive assistant told jurors she recalled seeing Daniels in a reception area of Trump Tower, though the date of the visit wasn’t clear.

Pecker’s testimony provided jurors with a stunning inside look at the supermarket tabloid’s “catch-and-kill” practice of purchasing the rights to stories so they never see the light of day. He's believed to be a key witness to bolster prosecutors' theory that Trump sought to illegally influence the 2016 race by suppressing negative stories about his personal life.

Trump, who denies any wrongdoing, slammed the prosecution as he left the courthouse Friday after spending most of the week in his role as criminal defendant instead of political candidate. Trump seized on President Joe Biden's remarks Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-debates-97c527d59bac59c06d2ee0e1edb81d9b">that he's willing to debate Trump</a>. Trump told reporters he's up for it anytime, anywhere.

Under cross-examination, Trump’s lawyers appeared to be laying the groundwork to make the argument that any dealings Trump had with Pecker were intended to protect Trump, his reputation and his family — not his campaign. The defense also sought to show that the National Enquirer was publishing negative stories about Trump’s 2016 rival, Hillary Clinton, long before an August 2015 meeting that is central to the case.

During that meeting, Pecker said he told Trump and then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen he would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-national-enquirer-d44d4a7ce66cc08edb5981b3afb882ba">“eyes and ears” of the campaign</a>, and would notify Cohen if he heard negative stories about Trump so they could be killed.

Under questioning by Trump lawyer Emil Bove, Pecker acknowledged there was no mention at that meeting of the term “catch-and-kill." Nor was there discussion at the meeting of any “financial dimension,” such as the National Enquirer paying people on Trump’s behalf for the rights to their stories, Pecker said.

Bove also confronted Pecker with statements he made to federal prosecutors in 2018 that the defense lawyer said were “inconsistent” with the former publisher’s testimony.

Pecker told jurors that Trump thanked him during a White House visit in 2017 for his help burying two stories. But according to notes Bove read in court, Pecker told federal authorities that Trump did not express any gratitude to him during the meeting.

“Was that another mistake?” Bove asked Pecker.

Pecker stuck to the account that he gave in court, adding, “I know what the truth is."

Prosecutors challenged the defense’s contention that Trump's arrangement with the National Enquirer wasn't unique. Under questioning from a prosecutor, Pecker acknowledged he had not previously sought out stories and worked the company’s sources on behalf of a presidential candidate or allowed political fixers close access to internal decision-making.

The second witness called to the stand was Rhona Graff, Trump’s longtime executive assistant. Graff, who started working for Trump in 1987 and left the Trump Organization in April 2021, has been described as his gatekeeper and right hand.

Graff testified that she believed she was the one who added contact information for Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal to the Trump Organization’s computer system. The women’s listings were shown in court, with Daniels named in the system simply as “Stormy.” Graff later noted that Trump never used computers.

Trump spoke briefly to Graff as she left the witness stand. He appeared to reach out to her with his hand as an officer guided her away from the witness stand past the defense table. Trump’s lawyers were at the bench, talking with Judge Juan Merchan, when Trump stood up and engaged with Graff.

The case will resume Tuesday with the third prosecution witness, Gary Farro, a banker. Farro testified Friday about helping Cohen form a bank account for the limited liability company he used to facilitate the Daniels payment. Farro said Cohen led him to believe the firm, Essential Consultants LLC, would be involved in real estate consulting.

Friday’s testimony caps a consequential week in the&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">criminal cases the former president faces</a>&nbsp;as he vies to reclaim the White House in November.

At the same time jurors listened to testimony in Manhattan, the Supreme Court on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-capitol-riot-prosecution-immunity-72c885c07c77970d4380206f87b2d8ca">signaled it was likely to reject</a>&nbsp;Trump's sweeping claims that he is immune from prosecution in his 2020 election interference case in Washington. But the conservative-majority high court seemed inclined to limit when former presidents could be prosecuted — a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-immunity-jan-6-riot-4813fceb6bc8b0ea2f47bf9315bf7991">ruling that could benefit Trump</a>&nbsp;by delaying that trial, potentially until after the November election.

In New York — the first of Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">four criminal cases to go to trial</a>&nbsp;— the presumptive Republican presidential nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records</a>&nbsp;in connection with the hush money payments.

The charges center on $130,000 that Trump’s company paid to Cohen on Trump’s behalf to keep&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-stormy-daniels-karen-mcdougal-26f0b7e7cf464f5fc0681e04efe5fe9b">Daniels</a>&nbsp;from going public with her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier. Trump has denied the encounter ever happened.

Over several days on the witness stand, Pecker described how the tabloid parlayed rumor-mongering into splashy stories that smeared Trump’s opponents and, just as crucially, leveraged his connections to suppress seamy stories about Trump.

Trump's attorney zeroed in on a nonprosecution agreement in 2018 between the federal government and American Media Inc., the parent company of the National Enquirer.

The company admitted to engaging in the “catch-and-kill” practice to help Trump's campaign, and prosecutors agreed to not prosecute the company for paying $150,000 to McDougal for the rights to her story about an alleged affair with Trump. Trump denies the affair.

Trump's attorney repeatedly suggested that Pecker may have felt pressured to accept an agreement in order to finalize a deal to sell his company to the newsstand operator Hudson News Group for a proposed $100 million.

“To consummate that deal, you knew you had to clear up the investigations,” Bove said.

After pausing for several seconds, Pecker replied in the affirmative. But Pecker also said he felt “no pressure” to finalize the nonprosecution agreement to complete the transaction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714184700078.png" alt="One piece of evidence from Trump's civil trial on Tuesday -provided by New York State Court System" />
 <figcaption>One piece of evidence from Trump's civil trial on Tuesday -provided by New York State Court System</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump's defense team attacked the credibility of prosecutors' first witness in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">hush money case</a>&nbsp;on Friday, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.<a href="https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/transcripts/4-25-2024/">Click here to read transcript</a> of day 3 of the historic trial&nbsp;(-The court system is posting the daily transcripts of the trial proceedings. The transcript for each day is available before the end of the following business day.)On the witness stand for a fourth day, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker was grilled about his memory and past statements as the defense tried to poke holes in potentially crucial testimony in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-cohen-stormy-daniels-e40532d3bce7768e296fdaf9591ef05b">first criminal trial of a former American president.</a>Two other witnesses followed Pecker as prosecutors built the foundation of their case involving a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, who claimed she had a sexual encounter with Trump. Trump's longtime executive assistant told jurors she recalled seeing Daniels in a reception area of Trump Tower, though the date of the visit wasn’t clear.Pecker’s testimony provided jurors with a stunning inside look at the supermarket tabloid’s “catch-and-kill” practice of purchasing the rights to stories so they never see the light of day. He's believed to be a key witness to bolster prosecutors' theory that Trump sought to illegally influence the 2016 race by suppressing negative stories about his personal life.Trump, who denies any wrongdoing, slammed the prosecution as he left the courthouse Friday after spending most of the week in his role as criminal defendant instead of political candidate. Trump seized on President Joe Biden's remarks Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-debates-97c527d59bac59c06d2ee0e1edb81d9b">that he's willing to debate Trump</a>. Trump told reporters he's up for it anytime, anywhere.Under cross-examination, Trump’s lawyers appeared to be laying the groundwork to make the argument that any dealings Trump had with Pecker were intended to protect Trump, his reputation and his family — not his campaign. The defense also sought to show that the National Enquirer was publishing negative stories about Trump’s 2016 rival, Hillary Clinton, long before an August 2015 meeting that is central to the case.During that meeting, Pecker said he told Trump and then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen he would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-national-enquirer-d44d4a7ce66cc08edb5981b3afb882ba">“eyes and ears” of the campaign</a>, and would notify Cohen if he heard negative stories about Trump so they could be killed.Under questioning by Trump lawyer Emil Bove, Pecker acknowledged there was no mention at that meeting of the term “catch-and-kill." Nor was there discussion at the meeting of any “financial dimension,” such as the National Enquirer paying people on Trump’s behalf for the rights to their stories, Pecker said.Bove also confronted Pecker with statements he made to federal prosecutors in 2018 that the defense lawyer said were “inconsistent” with the former publisher’s testimony.Pecker told jurors that Trump thanked him during a White House visit in 2017 for his help burying two stories. But according to notes Bove read in court, Pecker told federal authorities that Trump did not express any gratitude to him during the meeting.“Was that another mistake?” Bove asked Pecker.Pecker stuck to the account that he gave in court, adding, “I know what the truth is."Prosecutors challenged the defense’s contention that Trump's arrangement with the National Enquirer wasn't unique. Under questioning from a prosecutor, Pecker acknowledged he had not previously sought out stories and worked the company’s sources on behalf of a presidential candidate or allowed political fixers close access to internal decision-making.“It’s the only one,” Pecker said.The second witness called to the stand was Rhona Graff, Trump’s longtime executive assistant. Graff, who started working for Trump in 1987 and left the Trump Organization in April 2021, has been described as his gatekeeper and right hand.Graff testified that she believed she was the one who added contact information for Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal to the Trump Organization’s computer system. The women’s listings were shown in court, with Daniels named in the system simply as “Stormy.” Graff later noted that Trump never used computers.Trump spoke briefly to Graff as she left the witness stand. He appeared to reach out to her with his hand as an officer guided her away from the witness stand past the defense table. Trump’s lawyers were at the bench, talking with Judge Juan Merchan, when Trump stood up and engaged with Graff.The case will resume Tuesday with the third prosecution witness, Gary Farro, a banker. Farro testified Friday about helping Cohen form a bank account for the limited liability company he used to facilitate the Daniels payment. Farro said Cohen led him to believe the firm, Essential Consultants LLC, would be involved in real estate consulting.Friday’s testimony caps a consequential week in the&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">criminal cases the former president faces</a>&nbsp;as he vies to reclaim the White House in November.At the same time jurors listened to testimony in Manhattan, the Supreme Court on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-capitol-riot-prosecution-immunity-72c885c07c77970d4380206f87b2d8ca">signaled it was likely to reject</a>&nbsp;Trump's sweeping claims that he is immune from prosecution in his 2020 election interference case in Washington. But the conservative-majority high court seemed inclined to limit when former presidents could be prosecuted — a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-immunity-jan-6-riot-4813fceb6bc8b0ea2f47bf9315bf7991">ruling that could benefit Trump</a>&nbsp;by delaying that trial, potentially until after the November election.In New York — the first of Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">four criminal cases to go to trial</a>&nbsp;— the presumptive Republican presidential nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records</a>&nbsp;in connection with the hush money payments.The charges center on $130,000 that Trump’s company paid to Cohen on Trump’s behalf to keep&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-stormy-daniels-karen-mcdougal-26f0b7e7cf464f5fc0681e04efe5fe9b">Daniels</a>&nbsp;from going public with her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier. Trump has denied the encounter ever happened.Over several days on the witness stand, Pecker described how the tabloid parlayed rumor-mongering into splashy stories that smeared Trump’s opponents and, just as crucially, leveraged his connections to suppress seamy stories about Trump.Trump's attorney zeroed in on a nonprosecution agreement in 2018 between the federal government and American Media Inc., the parent company of the National Enquirer.The company admitted to engaging in the “catch-and-kill” practice to help Trump's campaign, and prosecutors agreed to not prosecute the company for paying $150,000 to McDougal for the rights to her story about an alleged affair with Trump. Trump denies the affair.Trump's attorney repeatedly suggested that Pecker may have felt pressured to accept an agreement in order to finalize a deal to sell his company to the newsstand operator Hudson News Group for a proposed $100 million.“To consummate that deal, you knew you had to clear up the investigations,” Bove said.After pausing for several seconds, Pecker replied in the affirmative. But Pecker also said he felt “no pressure” to finalize the nonprosecution agreement to complete the transaction.In the end, the deal didn't go through.

Read transcript: Day 3 of historic Trump civil trial

LINCOLN, Nebraska&nbsp;– Joined by esteemed guests including Lt. Governor Joe Kelly and representatives from the Nebraska Forest Service, Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, Arbor Day Foundation, and Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) celebrated Arbor Day by planting a Concolor Fir on the southeast lawn of the Nebraska State Capitol.

“Arbor Day is an exciting time of year, because planting trees is a commitment to the future,” said Tom Green, Nebraska Association of Resources Districts director. “Each sapling is the start of added protection, habitat and beauty for generations to come.”

Green was joined by Steve Glenn, Executive Travel chairman. In December 2021, Executive Travel announced a partnership with Nebraska’s NRDs to plant 1 million trees through the ETGreen campaign. In 2022 and 2023, the campaign funded more than 111,000 trees. And in 2024, Executive Travel committed an additional $65,000 for tree planting. This partnership gives Executive Travel the opportunity to assist local landowners in planting all 1 million trees in Nebraska.

“When Executive Travel was building the&nbsp;ETGreen initiative, we wanted to partner with a local organization dedicated to a sustainable future and a beautiful Nebraska,” said Glenn. “The NRDs work with a great network of local landowners who plant hundreds of thousands of trees annually.”

The choice of the Concolor Fir aligns seamlessly with the original landscape plans developed by Ernst Herminghaus, Nebraska’s first professionally trained landscape architect, who designed the capitol landscape plan to enhance the character of the building as viewed from the site and beyond. Over the past 27 years, the Capitol Commission has diligently replanted the same species in their designated locations, in accordance with the landscape blueprint established nearly 90 years ago.

NRDLINCOLN, Nebraska&nbsp;– Joined by esteemed guests including Lt. Governor Joe Kelly and representatives from the Nebraska Forest Service, Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, Arbor Day Foundation, and Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) celebrated Arbor Day by planting a Concolor Fir on the southeast lawn of the Nebraska State Capitol.“Arbor Day is an exciting time of year, because planting trees is a commitment to the future,” said Tom Green, Nebraska Association of Resources Districts director. “Each sapling is the start of added protection, habitat and beauty for generations to come.”Green was joined by Steve Glenn, Executive Travel chairman. In December 2021, Executive Travel announced a partnership with Nebraska’s NRDs to plant 1 million trees through the ETGreen campaign. In 2022 and 2023, the campaign funded more than 111,000 trees. And in 2024, Executive Travel committed an additional $65,000 for tree planting. This partnership gives Executive Travel the opportunity to assist local landowners in planting all 1 million trees in Nebraska.“When Executive Travel was building the&nbsp;ETGreen initiative, we wanted to partner with a local organization dedicated to a sustainable future and a beautiful Nebraska,” said Glenn. “The NRDs work with a great network of local landowners who plant hundreds of thousands of trees annually.”The choice of the Concolor Fir aligns seamlessly with the original landscape plans developed by Ernst Herminghaus, Nebraska’s first professionally trained landscape architect, who designed the capitol landscape plan to enhance the character of the building as viewed from the site and beyond. Over the past 27 years, the Capitol Commission has diligently replanted the same species in their designated locations, in accordance with the landscape blueprint established nearly 90 years ago.Green noted that extreme weather events, diseases and invasive insects have impacted Nebraska’s tree population, making it vitally important to plant and maintain a diverse mix of tree species.Since their inception in 1972, Nebraska’s NRDs have been planting conservation trees and shrubs for windbreaks, erosion control, wildlife habitat and other conservation purposes. In the past 52 years, Nebraska’s NRDs have planted more than 100 million trees.Each NRD program varies, but possible tree program services include planting, weed barrier installation or weed control, and drip irrigation. For more information on cost share availability, designing a plan or ordering trees, contact your local NRD or visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nrdtrees.org/" target="_blank">www.nrdtrees.org</a>.The Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD), the trade association for Nebraska's 23 Natural Resources Districts (NRD), works with individual districts to protect lives, property and the future of Nebraska’s natural resources. NRDs are unique to Nebraska, and act as local government entities with broad responsibilities to protect Nebraska’s natural resources. Major Nebraska river basins form the boundaries of the 23 NRDs, enabling districts to respond to local conservation and resource management needs. Learn more about Nebraska’s NRDs at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nrdnet.org/" target="_blank">www.nrdnet.org</a>.