CAIRO (AP) — The U.S. military said Sunday its forces destroyed one unmanned aerial vehicle in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Houthi</a>&nbsp;rebel-held area of war-ravaged&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/yemen">Yemen</a>&nbsp;and another over a crucial shipping route in the Red Sea. It was the latest development in months of tension between the Iran-backed rebels and the U.S.

The drones, which were destroyed Saturday morning, posed a threat to U.S. and coalition forces and merchant vessels in the region, said the U.S. Central Command.

It said that one done was destroyed over the Red Sea, while the second was destroyed on the ground as it was prepared to launch.

“These actions are necessary to protect our forces, ensure freedom of navigation, and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels,” CENTCOM said.

There was no comment from the Houthi rebels, which control much of Yemen’s north and west.

The rebels launched a campaign of drone and missile attacks on shipping in the Red Sea in November. They have also fired missiles toward Israel, although those have largely fallen short or been intercepted.

The rebels have described their campaign as an effort to pressure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel to end its war on Hamas</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip. The ships targeted by the Houthis, however, largely have had little or no connection to Israel, the U.S. or other nations involved in the war.

The Houthis have kept up their campaign of attacks despite more than two months of U.S.-led airstrikes.

Earlier this month, CENTCOM said its forces also destroyed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-yemen-airstrikes-military-red-sea-0f9ec3c7f85340f9b7f627b9c863f201">four unmanned aerial vehicles</a>&nbsp;in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. It also said Houthis fired four anti-ship ballistic missiles toward the Red Sea, but no injuries or damages were reported by U.S., coalition or commercial ships.

The escalation in the Red Sea and the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza impacted the U.N.-led efforts to relaunch political talks to end Yemen’s yearslong conflict, according to the U.N. envoy for Yemen.

Hans Grundberg told the U.N. Security Council in mid-March that he had hoped to reach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-yemen-houthi-gaza-war-red-sea-1dcc903129785cf9f49a88d4135af260">an agreement on a nationwide cease-fire</a>&nbsp;in Yemen by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began early in March.

He warned that Yemen could be propelled back into war, saying that “the longer the escalatory environment (in the region) continues, the more challenging Yemen’s mediation space will become.”

The war between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/yemen-dirty-war">the Houthis and pro-government forces</a>&nbsp;backed by a coalition of Gulf Arab states has raged since 2014, when the Houthis swept down from the mountains, seized much of northern Yemen and the country’s capital, Sanaa, and forced the internationally recognized government to flee into exile to Saudi Arabia.

Since then, more than 150,000 people have been killed by the violence and 3 million have been displaced.

Fighting has decreased markedly in Yemen since a truce in April 2022, but there are still hotspots in the country.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703990687604.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>CAIRO (AP) — The U.S. military said Sunday its forces destroyed one unmanned aerial vehicle in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Houthi</a>&nbsp;rebel-held area of war-ravaged&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/yemen">Yemen</a>&nbsp;and another over a crucial shipping route in the Red Sea. It was the latest development in months of tension between the Iran-backed rebels and the U.S.The drones, which were destroyed Saturday morning, posed a threat to U.S. and coalition forces and merchant vessels in the region, said the U.S. Central Command.It said that one done was destroyed over the Red Sea, while the second was destroyed on the ground as it was prepared to launch.“These actions are necessary to protect our forces, ensure freedom of navigation, and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels,” CENTCOM said.There was no comment from the Houthi rebels, which control much of Yemen’s north and west.The rebels launched a campaign of drone and missile attacks on shipping in the Red Sea in November. They have also fired missiles toward Israel, although those have largely fallen short or been intercepted.The rebels have described their campaign as an effort to pressure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel to end its war on Hamas</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip. The ships targeted by the Houthis, however, largely have had little or no connection to Israel, the U.S. or other nations involved in the war.The Houthis have kept up their campaign of attacks despite more than two months of U.S.-led airstrikes.Earlier this month, CENTCOM said its forces also destroyed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-yemen-airstrikes-military-red-sea-0f9ec3c7f85340f9b7f627b9c863f201">four unmanned aerial vehicles</a>&nbsp;in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. It also said Houthis fired four anti-ship ballistic missiles toward the Red Sea, but no injuries or damages were reported by U.S., coalition or commercial ships.The escalation in the Red Sea and the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza impacted the U.N.-led efforts to relaunch political talks to end Yemen’s yearslong conflict, according to the U.N. envoy for Yemen.Hans Grundberg told the U.N. Security Council in mid-March that he had hoped to reach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-yemen-houthi-gaza-war-red-sea-1dcc903129785cf9f49a88d4135af260">an agreement on a nationwide cease-fire</a>&nbsp;in Yemen by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began early in March.He warned that Yemen could be propelled back into war, saying that “the longer the escalatory environment (in the region) continues, the more challenging Yemen’s mediation space will become.”The war between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/yemen-dirty-war">the Houthis and pro-government forces</a>&nbsp;backed by a coalition of Gulf Arab states has raged since 2014, when the Houthis swept down from the mountains, seized much of northern Yemen and the country’s capital, Sanaa, and forced the internationally recognized government to flee into exile to Saudi Arabia.Since then, more than 150,000 people have been killed by the violence and 3 million have been displaced.Fighting has decreased markedly in Yemen since a truce in April 2022, but there are still hotspots in the country.

US military destroyed more terrorist drones over the Red Sea 

NEW YORK (AP) — The theft of sensitive information belonging to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/att-data-breach-dark-web-passcodes-fbef4afe0c1deec9ffb470f2ec134f41">millions of AT&amp;T's current and former customers</a>&nbsp;has been recently discovered online, the telecommunications giant said this weekend.

In a Saturday announcement addressing the data breach, AT&amp;T said that a dataset found on the “dark web” contains information including some Social Security numbers and passcodes for about 7.6 million current account holders and 65.4 million former account holders.

Whether the data “originated from AT&amp;T or one of its vendors" is still unknown, the Dallas-based company noted — adding that it had launched an investigation into the incident. AT&amp;T has also begun notifying customers whose personal information was compromised.

WHAT INFORMATION WAS COMPROMISED IN THIS BREACH?

Although varying by each customer and account, AT&amp;T says that information involved in this breach included Social Security numbers and passcodes — which, unlike passwords, are numerical PINS that are typically four digits long.

Full names, email addresses, mailing address, phone numbers, dates of birth and AT&amp;T account numbers may have also been compromised. The impacted data is from 2019 or earlier and does not appear to include financial information or call history, the company said.

Consumers impacted by this breach should be receiving an email or letter directly from AT&amp;T about the incident. The email notices began going out on Saturday, an AT&amp;T spokesperson confirmed to The Associated Press.

Beyond these notifications, AT&amp;T said that it had already reset the passcodes of current users. The company added that it would pay for credit monitoring services where applicable.

AT&amp;T also said that it “launched a robust investigation” with internal and external cybersecurity experts to investigate the situation further.

HAS AT&amp;T SEEN DATA BREACHES LIKE THIS BEFORE?

AT&amp;T has seen several data breaches that range in size and impact&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/at-t-employee-improperly-viewed-customer-accounts-d67d2f088d7c4edbb4a79a5f20445b41">over the years</a>.

While the company says the data in this latest breach surfaced on a hacking forum nearly two weeks ago, it closely resembles a similar breach that surfaced in 2021 but which AT&amp;T never acknowledged,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/739a98e040034eb79be4f951e72d52f8">cybersecurity researcher Troy Hunt</a>&nbsp;told the AP Saturday.

“If they assess this and they made the wrong call on it, and we’ve had a course of years pass without them being able to notify impacted customers,” then it’s likely the company will soon face class action lawsuits, said Hunt, founder of an Australia-based website that warns people when their personal information has been exposed.

A spokesperson for AT&amp;T declined to comment further when asked about these similarities Sunday.

Avoiding data breaches entirely can be tricky in our ever-digitized world, but consumers can take some steps to help protect themselves going forward.

The basics include creating hard-to-guess passwords and using&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-inc-technology-software-mobile-phones-b9110ad02f8d5e17d130b259fa19d852">multifactor authentication</a>&nbsp;when possible. If you receive a notice about a breach, it's good idea to change your password and monitor account activity for any suspicious transactions. You'll also want to visit a company's official website for reliable contact information — as scammers sometimes try to take advantage of news like data breaches to gain your trust through look-alike phishing emails or phone calls.

In addition, the Federal Trade Commission&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-credit-freezes-fraud-alerts">notes</a>&nbsp;that nationwide credit bureaus — such as Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — offer free credit freezes and fraud alerts that consumers can set up to help protect themselves from identity theft and other malicious activity.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711934822314.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The theft of sensitive information belonging to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/att-data-breach-dark-web-passcodes-fbef4afe0c1deec9ffb470f2ec134f41">millions of AT&amp;T's current and former customers</a>&nbsp;has been recently discovered online, the telecommunications giant said this weekend.In a Saturday announcement addressing the data breach, AT&amp;T said that a dataset found on the “dark web” contains information including some Social Security numbers and passcodes for about 7.6 million current account holders and 65.4 million former account holders.Whether the data “originated from AT&amp;T or one of its vendors" is still unknown, the Dallas-based company noted — adding that it had launched an investigation into the incident. AT&amp;T has also begun notifying customers whose personal information was compromised.Here's what you need to know.WHAT INFORMATION WAS COMPROMISED IN THIS BREACH?Although varying by each customer and account, AT&amp;T says that information involved in this breach included Social Security numbers and passcodes — which, unlike passwords, are numerical PINS that are typically four digits long.Full names, email addresses, mailing address, phone numbers, dates of birth and AT&amp;T account numbers may have also been compromised. The impacted data is from 2019 or earlier and does not appear to include financial information or call history, the company said.HOW DO I KNOW IF I WAS AFFECTED?Consumers impacted by this breach should be receiving an email or letter directly from AT&amp;T about the incident. The email notices began going out on Saturday, an AT&amp;T spokesperson confirmed to The Associated Press.WHAT ACTION HAS AT&amp;T TAKEN?Beyond these notifications, AT&amp;T said that it had already reset the passcodes of current users. The company added that it would pay for credit monitoring services where applicable.AT&amp;T also said that it “launched a robust investigation” with internal and external cybersecurity experts to investigate the situation further.HAS AT&amp;T SEEN DATA BREACHES LIKE THIS BEFORE?AT&amp;T has seen several data breaches that range in size and impact&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/at-t-employee-improperly-viewed-customer-accounts-d67d2f088d7c4edbb4a79a5f20445b41">over the years</a>.While the company says the data in this latest breach surfaced on a hacking forum nearly two weeks ago, it closely resembles a similar breach that surfaced in 2021 but which AT&amp;T never acknowledged,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/739a98e040034eb79be4f951e72d52f8">cybersecurity researcher Troy Hunt</a>&nbsp;told the AP Saturday.“If they assess this and they made the wrong call on it, and we’ve had a course of years pass without them being able to notify impacted customers,” then it’s likely the company will soon face class action lawsuits, said Hunt, founder of an Australia-based website that warns people when their personal information has been exposed.A spokesperson for AT&amp;T declined to comment further when asked about these similarities Sunday.HOW CAN I PROTECT MYSELF GOING FORWARD?Avoiding data breaches entirely can be tricky in our ever-digitized world, but consumers can take some steps to help protect themselves going forward.The basics include creating hard-to-guess passwords and using&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-inc-technology-software-mobile-phones-b9110ad02f8d5e17d130b259fa19d852">multifactor authentication</a>&nbsp;when possible. If you receive a notice about a breach, it's good idea to change your password and monitor account activity for any suspicious transactions. You'll also want to visit a company's official website for reliable contact information — as scammers sometimes try to take advantage of news like data breaches to gain your trust through look-alike phishing emails or phone calls.In addition, the Federal Trade Commission&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-credit-freezes-fraud-alerts">notes</a>&nbsp;that nationwide credit bureaus — such as Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — offer free credit freezes and fraud alerts that consumers can set up to help protect themselves from identity theft and other malicious activity.

AT&T: Data breach leaked millions of customers' information online

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/endangered-species-biden-trump-rollbacks-9791aaaa955d26b599ba802d7c931e7c">on Thursday restored</a>&nbsp;rules to protect imperiled plants and animals that had been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/david-bernhardt-animals-ap-top-news-politics-donald-trump-9bf4541d89e6444783814e53302ce479">rolled back</a>&nbsp;under former President Donald Trump.

Among the changes, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will reinstate a decades-old regulation that mandates blanket protections for species newly classified as threatened. That means officials won't have to craft time-intensive plans to shield each individual species while protections are pending, as has been done recently with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wolverine-species-endangered-climate-change-024ec09a032851a26a248fab93ad7d0e">North American wolverines</a>&nbsp;in the Rocky Mountains,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/environment-and-nature-lakes-wildlife-turtles-alligators-bd236f66da0ffd11fd46aa42ccc505d3">alligator snapping turtles</a>&nbsp;in the southeastern U.S. and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-us-fish-and-wildlife-service-california-climate-environment-owls-fe794372cf1650407ef60f12da663958">spotted owls in California</a>.

The restoration of more protective regulations rankled Republicans who said the Endangered Species Act was being wielded too broadly and to the detriment of economic growth. Meanwhile, wildlife advocates were only partially satisfied, saying some potentially harmful changes under Trump were untouched.

The blanket protections rule had been dropped in 2019 as part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/david-bernhardt-animals-ap-top-news-politics-donald-trump-9bf4541d89e6444783814e53302ce479">a suite of changes to the application of the species law</a>&nbsp;under Trump that were encouraged by industry. Those changes came as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-science-aaf1091c5aae40b0a110daaf04950672">extinctions accelerate</a>&nbsp;globally due to habitat loss and other pressures.

Another rule Thursday said officials will not&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ms-state-wire-mt-state-wire-ap-top-news-tx-state-wire-la-state-wire-643be5ec34895c008809a9ab4cfcd518">consider economic impacts</a>&nbsp;when deciding if animals and plants need protection. The rules from the wildlife service and National Marine Fisheries Service make it easier to designate areas as critical for a species’ survival, even if it is no longer found in those locations.

Species that could benefit from the rules include imperiled fish and freshwater mussels in the Southeast, where the aquatic animals in many cases are absent from portions of their historical range, officials have said.

Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams said in a statement that the rule changes underscored the agency's commitment to using the best available science to halt population declines as “climate change, degraded and fragmented habitat, invasive species, and wildlife disease” threaten many species.

Details on the rules were obtained by The Associated Press in advance of their public release. Officials said almost a half-million public comments were submitted on the three rules.

Environmentalists expressed frustration that it took years for Democratic President Joe Biden to act on some of the Trump-era rollbacks. Stoking their urgency is the prospect of a new Republican administration following the 2024 election that could yet again ease protections.

Jamie Rappaport Clark, a former Fish and Wildlife Service director and now president at Defenders of Wildlife, characterized Thursday's announcement as a “marginal win” that restores essential protections for wildlife, but leaves in place some of the changes made in 2019 under Trump. The environmental group said the retained provisions would open the door to the destruction of habitat critical for some species to survive.

The rules have gotten strong pushback from Republican lawmakers, who say Biden's Democratic administration has hampered oil, gas and coal development, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-lands-conservation-leases-biden-c96bb20ed80e2b5f459bb7afc366f651">favors conservation over development</a>.

“We know the Endangered Species Act is an outdated piece of legislation that has repeatedly failed its primary goal of recovering listed species, yet Biden is now undoing crucial reforms and issuing new regulations that will not benefit listed species,” said House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman, a Republican from Arkansas.

Many energy companies, ranchers, developers and representatives of other industries have long viewed the 1973 Endangered Species Act as an impediment. Under Trump, they successfully lobbied to weaken the law’s regulations as part of a broad dismantling of environmental safeguards.

Trump officials also rolled back endangered species rules and protections for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wildlife-washington-oregon-environment-7b9c53a88608054d521ac7d6025461fa">northern spotted owl</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-white-environment-and-nature-wildlife-wolves-0961f3065ab154ee693936295c18a5a0">gray wolves</a>&nbsp;and other species.

The spotted owl decision was reversed in 2021 after officials said Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-california-forests-oregon-48c1dc3a59bda47c178437d6b1e538bd">political appointees used faulty science</a>&nbsp;to justify opening millions of acres of West Coast forest to potential logging. Protections for wolves across most of the U.S. were restored by a federal court in 2021.

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/endangered-species-biden-trump-rollbacks-9791aaaa955d26b599ba802d7c931e7c">on Thursday restored</a>&nbsp;rules to protect imperiled plants and animals that had been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/david-bernhardt-animals-ap-top-news-politics-donald-trump-9bf4541d89e6444783814e53302ce479">rolled back</a>&nbsp;under former President Donald Trump.Among the changes, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will reinstate a decades-old regulation that mandates blanket protections for species newly classified as threatened. That means officials won't have to craft time-intensive plans to shield each individual species while protections are pending, as has been done recently with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wolverine-species-endangered-climate-change-024ec09a032851a26a248fab93ad7d0e">North American wolverines</a>&nbsp;in the Rocky Mountains,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/environment-and-nature-lakes-wildlife-turtles-alligators-bd236f66da0ffd11fd46aa42ccc505d3">alligator snapping turtles</a>&nbsp;in the southeastern U.S. and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-us-fish-and-wildlife-service-california-climate-environment-owls-fe794372cf1650407ef60f12da663958">spotted owls in California</a>.The restoration of more protective regulations rankled Republicans who said the Endangered Species Act was being wielded too broadly and to the detriment of economic growth. Meanwhile, wildlife advocates were only partially satisfied, saying some potentially harmful changes under Trump were untouched.The blanket protections rule had been dropped in 2019 as part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/david-bernhardt-animals-ap-top-news-politics-donald-trump-9bf4541d89e6444783814e53302ce479">a suite of changes to the application of the species law</a>&nbsp;under Trump that were encouraged by industry. Those changes came as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-science-aaf1091c5aae40b0a110daaf04950672">extinctions accelerate</a>&nbsp;globally due to habitat loss and other pressures.Another rule Thursday said officials will not&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ms-state-wire-mt-state-wire-ap-top-news-tx-state-wire-la-state-wire-643be5ec34895c008809a9ab4cfcd518">consider economic impacts</a>&nbsp;when deciding if animals and plants need protection. The rules from the wildlife service and National Marine Fisheries Service make it easier to designate areas as critical for a species’ survival, even if it is no longer found in those locations.Species that could benefit from the rules include imperiled fish and freshwater mussels in the Southeast, where the aquatic animals in many cases are absent from portions of their historical range, officials have said.Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams said in a statement that the rule changes underscored the agency's commitment to using the best available science to halt population declines as “climate change, degraded and fragmented habitat, invasive species, and wildlife disease” threaten many species.Details on the rules were obtained by The Associated Press in advance of their public release. Officials said almost a half-million public comments were submitted on the three rules.Environmentalists expressed frustration that it took years for Democratic President Joe Biden to act on some of the Trump-era rollbacks. Stoking their urgency is the prospect of a new Republican administration following the 2024 election that could yet again ease protections.Jamie Rappaport Clark, a former Fish and Wildlife Service director and now president at Defenders of Wildlife, characterized Thursday's announcement as a “marginal win” that restores essential protections for wildlife, but leaves in place some of the changes made in 2019 under Trump. The environmental group said the retained provisions would open the door to the destruction of habitat critical for some species to survive.The rules have gotten strong pushback from Republican lawmakers, who say Biden's Democratic administration has hampered oil, gas and coal development, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-lands-conservation-leases-biden-c96bb20ed80e2b5f459bb7afc366f651">favors conservation over development</a>.“We know the Endangered Species Act is an outdated piece of legislation that has repeatedly failed its primary goal of recovering listed species, yet Biden is now undoing crucial reforms and issuing new regulations that will not benefit listed species,” said House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman, a Republican from Arkansas.Many energy companies, ranchers, developers and representatives of other industries have long viewed the 1973 Endangered Species Act as an impediment. Under Trump, they successfully lobbied to weaken the law’s regulations as part of a broad dismantling of environmental safeguards.Trump officials also rolled back endangered species rules and protections for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wildlife-washington-oregon-environment-7b9c53a88608054d521ac7d6025461fa">northern spotted owl</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-white-environment-and-nature-wildlife-wolves-0961f3065ab154ee693936295c18a5a0">gray wolves</a>&nbsp;and other species.The spotted owl decision was reversed in 2021 after officials said Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-california-forests-oregon-48c1dc3a59bda47c178437d6b1e538bd">political appointees used faulty science</a>&nbsp;to justify opening millions of acres of West Coast forest to potential logging. Protections for wolves across most of the U.S. were restored by a federal court in 2021.

Biden restores threatened species protections dropped by Trump

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Stock up on groceries. Print off driving directions. And be very, very patient.

Small towns and rural enclaves along the path of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/total-solar-eclipse-april-2024-83164668ee08b0a0c92e1d2ac41e91aa">April's total solar eclipse</a>&nbsp;are steeling for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/total-solar-eclipse-travel-14b52646d918184922d651bf8c8daab2">huge crowds of sun chasers</a>&nbsp;who plan to catch a glimpse of day turning into dusk in North America.

Tourism and community leaders in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7rpUg8NkM0">path of totality from Texas to Maine</a>&nbsp;have trucked in extra fuel and port-a-potties, and urged residents and visitors to be prepared. Some counties have issued disaster declarations to get extra help with policing and other aid, similar to the aftermath of severe storms. And in Oklahoma, the National Guard will help.

Because of expected heavy traffic and other disruptions, hundreds of schools are closing or switching to remote learning in states including Texas, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont.

Look no further back than the last U.S. total solar eclipse in 2017 to understand the concern, said Tom Traub, who is part of NASA's eclipse ambassador program.

That year, he traveled to Beatrice, Nebraska, where the normal population of around 12,000 swelled to around 40,000 as eclipse watchers arrived.

“You had gas stations running out of gas," said Traub, who also serves on the board that runs the Martz-Kohl Observatory near Frewsburg, New York. “You had restaurants running out of food. You had restrooms that were full and closed.”

This time around, top viewing locations want to avoid a repeat.

“They are preparing for mostly a worst-case scenario," he said. "And hopefully that won’t be the case.”

In central Texas, emergency officials in Hays County recommend a "solar eclipse survival bag” stocked with items including a mobile phone and charger.

The bag, the instructions advise, also should contain a hard copy of maps and a compass — “goin’ old school!”

The reminder to bring a fully charged phone — but to expect possible jammed signals — is widespread in prime viewing spots. In 2017, drivers using their cellphones to share photos and navigate through traffic overwhelmed towers.

“Write down key phone numbers just in case,” advised the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Austin.

Don't wait until the last minute to buy groceries is common advice from several Texas counties that have issued disaster declarations so they can get get extra help with the crowds.

Among them is Kerr County, located about 65 miles (105 kilometers) northwest of San Antonio in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, where the normal population of 53,000 is expected to double or triple.

“Make sure your vehicles are tanked up, that you have sufficient grocery supplies, that your prescriptions are filled and that you are stocked up on provisions for any animals in your care,” Rob Kelly, the county's top official who signed the disaster declaration, said in an online post.

In Ohio, where Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order this month to assure the state was well prepared, emergency management officials are urging residents to top off their gas tanks or fully charge their electric vehicles before heading out.

Traub suggests people treat the eclipse like a snowstorm: “Stock up, get ready, prepare to hunker down.”

At Serafin’s Food Market in Erie, Pennsylvania, owner Dan Serafin is ordering extra milk, eggs, water and batteries in preparation. “This is nuts,” he said.

Even smaller regional airports are getting ready. In Cape Girardeau, Missouri, extra fuel is being hauled in, said airport manager Katrina Amos.

The airport was caught off guard in 2017, when the city of around 40,000 along the Mississippi River also was in the path of totality.

Between 40 to 50 extra planes landed that day. ‘We didn’t expect this,’” said Amos.

This year, volunteers have signed up to help park all the extra planes that are expected. There also will be hamburgers and hot dogs, Amos said.

Offshore, the Coast Guard will have boats patrolling in Lake Erie; it's along the path and some boaters plan to watch from the water.

It will be all hands on deck at fire departments in the path of the eclipse, said Dr. Brad Raetzke, an emergency room doctor in Columbus, Ohio, who also is a medical director for several fire departments in the area.

He's concerned about eye injuries if people stare at the sun without protective glasses. And with all the extra traffic, there also will likely be more crash injuries, said Raetzke.

In 2017, he went with his family to Nashville, Tennessee, to watch the eclipse. The return trip took 15 hours, instead of the typical six. “So I can understand the importance of planning,” he said.

In Erie, where hotels are nearing capacity, residents are urged to leave the interstates to visitors, with signs posted more than 150 miles (241 kilometers) outside the city limits warning of delays.

Traffic will be "just almost nightmarish once totality ends,” said Chris Temple, the VisitErie spokesperson, who has been in meetings for more than a year planning for an onslaught of visitors that could double the size of the city of 94,000.

Despite the hassles, the city's tourism slogan to get eclipse-ready — SHINE — ends with a reminder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711653070657.png" alt="Employees and visitors at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory stopped to watch the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. Credit: NASA/Josh Krohn" />
 <figcaption>Employees and visitors at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory stopped to watch the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. Credit: NASA/Josh Krohn</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Stock up on groceries. Print off driving directions. And be very, very patient.Small towns and rural enclaves along the path of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/total-solar-eclipse-april-2024-83164668ee08b0a0c92e1d2ac41e91aa">April's total solar eclipse</a>&nbsp;are steeling for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/total-solar-eclipse-travel-14b52646d918184922d651bf8c8daab2">huge crowds of sun chasers</a>&nbsp;who plan to catch a glimpse of day turning into dusk in North America.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711653160174.png" alt="You can wear eclipse glasses to safely view the Sun during the partial eclipse phases of a solar eclipse, before and after totality. NASA/Mamta Patel Nagaraja" />
 <figcaption>You can wear eclipse glasses to safely view the Sun during the partial eclipse phases of a solar eclipse, before and after totality. NASA/Mamta Patel Nagaraja</figcaption>
 </figure>Tourism and community leaders in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7rpUg8NkM0">path of totality from Texas to Maine</a>&nbsp;have trucked in extra fuel and port-a-potties, and urged residents and visitors to be prepared. Some counties have issued disaster declarations to get extra help with policing and other aid, similar to the aftermath of severe storms. And in Oklahoma, the National Guard will help.Because of expected heavy traffic and other disruptions, hundreds of schools are closing or switching to remote learning in states including Texas, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont.WHY ALL THE WARNINGS?Look no further back than the last U.S. total solar eclipse in 2017 to understand the concern, said Tom Traub, who is part of NASA's eclipse ambassador program.That year, he traveled to Beatrice, Nebraska, where the normal population of around 12,000 swelled to around 40,000 as eclipse watchers arrived.“You had gas stations running out of gas," said Traub, who also serves on the board that runs the Martz-Kohl Observatory near Frewsburg, New York. “You had restaurants running out of food. You had restrooms that were full and closed.”This time around, top viewing locations want to avoid a repeat.“They are preparing for mostly a worst-case scenario," he said. "And hopefully that won’t be the case.”CELLPHONES MIGHT NOT WORKIn central Texas, emergency officials in Hays County recommend a "solar eclipse survival bag” stocked with items including a mobile phone and charger.The bag, the instructions advise, also should contain a hard copy of maps and a compass — “goin’ old school!”The reminder to bring a fully charged phone — but to expect possible jammed signals — is widespread in prime viewing spots. In 2017, drivers using their cellphones to share photos and navigate through traffic overwhelmed towers.“Write down key phone numbers just in case,” advised the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Austin.STOCK UP ON FUEL AND FOODDon't wait until the last minute to buy groceries is common advice from several Texas counties that have issued disaster declarations so they can get get extra help with the crowds.Among them is Kerr County, located about 65 miles (105 kilometers) northwest of San Antonio in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, where the normal population of 53,000 is expected to double or triple.“Make sure your vehicles are tanked up, that you have sufficient grocery supplies, that your prescriptions are filled and that you are stocked up on provisions for any animals in your care,” Rob Kelly, the county's top official who signed the disaster declaration, said in an online post.In Ohio, where Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order this month to assure the state was well prepared, emergency management officials are urging residents to top off their gas tanks or fully charge their electric vehicles before heading out.Traub suggests people treat the eclipse like a snowstorm: “Stock up, get ready, prepare to hunker down.”At Serafin’s Food Market in Erie, Pennsylvania, owner Dan Serafin is ordering extra milk, eggs, water and batteries in preparation. “This is nuts,” he said.PREPARATIONS IN THE AIR AND AT SEAEven smaller regional airports are getting ready. In Cape Girardeau, Missouri, extra fuel is being hauled in, said airport manager Katrina Amos.The airport was caught off guard in 2017, when the city of around 40,000 along the Mississippi River also was in the path of totality.Between 40 to 50 extra planes landed that day. ‘We didn’t expect this,’” said Amos.This year, volunteers have signed up to help park all the extra planes that are expected. There also will be hamburgers and hot dogs, Amos said.Offshore, the Coast Guard will have boats patrolling in Lake Erie; it's along the path and some boaters plan to watch from the water.BRACE FOR TRAFFIC HASSLEIt will be all hands on deck at fire departments in the path of the eclipse, said Dr. Brad Raetzke, an emergency room doctor in Columbus, Ohio, who also is a medical director for several fire departments in the area.He's concerned about eye injuries if people stare at the sun without protective glasses. And with all the extra traffic, there also will likely be more crash injuries, said Raetzke.In 2017, he went with his family to Nashville, Tennessee, to watch the eclipse. The return trip took 15 hours, instead of the typical six. “So I can understand the importance of planning,” he said.In Erie, where hotels are nearing capacity, residents are urged to leave the interstates to visitors, with signs posted more than 150 miles (241 kilometers) outside the city limits warning of delays.Traffic will be "just almost nightmarish once totality ends,” said Chris Temple, the VisitErie spokesperson, who has been in meetings for more than a year planning for an onslaught of visitors that could double the size of the city of 94,000.Despite the hassles, the city's tourism slogan to get eclipse-ready — SHINE — ends with a reminder.“Enjoy the moment," said Temple

 Some tips to prepare for April's total solar eclipse

By CASEY QUINLAN,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/19/rural-hospitals-gird-for-unwinding-of-pandemic-medicaid-coverage/">States Newsroom</a>

Americans are still worried about their financial stability even as their recession fears lessen.

High prices at the grocery store and consumers’ memories of their pre-pandemic budgets may be playing a role. Here’s what financial and economic experts have to say about what this week’s economic indicators tell us about people’s perception of the economy.

The Consumer Confidence Index,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.conference-board.org/topics/consumer-confidence">released</a>&nbsp;by the business nonprofit and research organization the Conference Board, is a survey indicating how optimistic or pessimistic consumers feel about their financial well-being and the economy.

The Consumer Confidence Index fell slightly in March from 104.8 to 104.7, well below some economist expectations of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.barrons.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-032624/card/consumer-confidence-dips-on-growing-economic-worries-pDVBQ69ULE3gKM0XJyge#:~:text=Confidence%20has%20improved%20considerably%20since,147.6%20in%20the%20prior%20month.">106.5</a>. Although consumers’ perception of the likelihood of a recession fell this month, consumers were less confident about their family’s financial situation in the next six months. The percentage of consumers who expected their incomes to fall rose from 11.9% in February to 13.8% in March.

Elizabeth Pancotti, director of special initiatives for the Roosevelt Institute, said that consumers’ experience of the economy and their financial situation may come down to crises they’re feeling that may not show up at a macro level but may strike their budgets particularly hard.

“When egg prices finally come down and chicken prices finally come down, but orange juice is high because of some random citrus greening disease or some other shocking food item, your total grocery bill doesn’t come down and that really highlights it,” she said.&nbsp; “There’s one crisis after another at a micro level, which I think is really why we’re not seeing that divergence between overall economic strength and at a very micro level, the feelings of average consumers.”

Pancotti acknowledged that housing is also one of the highest expenses for consumers right now, and those prices aren’t showing as much movement as other areas of consumers’ budgets.

“For most families, it is the largest purchase they make every month,” she said.

Consumer sentiment, a smaller survey conducted by the University of Michigan, also gauges people’s sense of the economy overall, the labor market, and how they see inflation. On Thursday, U.S. consumer sentiment jumped to 79.4 from 76.9 in February and 62 a year earlier, making this its highest level since July 2021.

Joanne Hsu, director of the survey, said in the report that this number is an indication that consumers believe the economy is “holding steady.”

“As the election season progresses and debates over economic policy become more salient for consumers, their outlook for the economy could become more volatile in the months ahead,” she added.”

Kevin Kliesen, business economist and research officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, said consumer confidence and consumer sentiment are still far below pre-pandemic levels and that it’s a puzzle as to why when the economy has “been growing fairly strongly” in the past year and a half. But like Pancotti, he added that high prices at the store compared to pre-pandemic prices may be playing a role in those measures.

“If you’re like me, you look at something, and you go, ‘Oh my gosh. I remember when it was so much less before the pandemic.’ So I think that calls into question, probably, a lot of people’s perceptions of the overall state of the economy and importantly their consumer finances,” he said.

What can we expect from inflation and the Fed?

As the Federal Reserve looks to its favorite inflation measure, the personal consumption expenditures price index, economists are watching the PCE closely for signs the Fed will cut rates in the coming months. This policy change is expected to have effects on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2024/03/20/fed-declines-to-cut-interest-rates-saying-its-not-clear-inflation-has-slowed-enough-yet/">housing market</a>&nbsp;as well as the growth of businesses.

The PCE rose 0.3% from January to February and 2.5% over the past year,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bea.gov/news/2024/personal-income-and-outlays-february-2024">according to</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp; Bureau of Economic Analysis’s Friday release. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell responded to the news when he spoke at the San Francisco Fed and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-29/powell-says-latest-inflation-data-in-line-with-expectations?utm_medium=social&amp;cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amp;utm_content=business">said</a>&nbsp;the numbers were “in line with expectations” but not as reassuring as the numbers Fed officials saw last year.

Despite this reception from Powell, some financial experts believe inflation will ease up soon. Cristian Tiu, associate professor of finance at the University at Buffalo, said that although the economy is adding jobs, he doesn’t believe the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ubwp.buffalo.edu/job-quality-index-jqi/">quality of those jobs</a>&nbsp;is high enough to sustain this price growth for much longer.

“Prices basically on consumer goods can’t be driven up forever just by the very top of the wage distribution. The rest of the wage distribution actually looks pretty modest. So I don’t think these price increases can actually be sustained,” Tiu said.

For this reason, he doesn’t think the Fed should continue to put brakes on the economy through restrictive monetary policy. Tiu added that he sees inflation as driven partly by corporate profit-seeking, with companies&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2024/03/20/fed-declines-to-cut-interest-rates-saying-its-not-clear-inflation-has-slowed-enough-yet/">taking advantage of inflation</a>&nbsp;to continue to keep prices higher than they can justify for the American consumer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642689710083.jpeg" alt="-High prices at the grocery store and consumers’ memories of their pre-pandemic budgets may be playing&nbsp;a role in how Americans feel about their finances as recession fears recede. " />
 <figcaption>-High prices at the grocery store and consumers’ memories of their pre-pandemic budgets may be playing&nbsp;a role in how Americans feel about their finances as recession fears recede. </figcaption>
 </figure>By CASEY QUINLAN,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/19/rural-hospitals-gird-for-unwinding-of-pandemic-medicaid-coverage/">States Newsroom</a>Americans are still worried about their financial stability even as their recession fears lessen.High prices at the grocery store and consumers’ memories of their pre-pandemic budgets may be playing a role. Here’s what financial and economic experts have to say about what this week’s economic indicators tell us about people’s perception of the economy.<h2>What is driving consumer confidence?</h2>The Consumer Confidence Index,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.conference-board.org/topics/consumer-confidence">released</a>&nbsp;by the business nonprofit and research organization the Conference Board, is a survey indicating how optimistic or pessimistic consumers feel about their financial well-being and the economy.The Consumer Confidence Index fell slightly in March from 104.8 to 104.7, well below some economist expectations of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.barrons.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-032624/card/consumer-confidence-dips-on-growing-economic-worries-pDVBQ69ULE3gKM0XJyge#:~:text=Confidence%20has%20improved%20considerably%20since,147.6%20in%20the%20prior%20month.">106.5</a>. Although consumers’ perception of the likelihood of a recession fell this month, consumers were less confident about their family’s financial situation in the next six months. The percentage of consumers who expected their incomes to fall rose from 11.9% in February to 13.8% in March.Elizabeth Pancotti, director of special initiatives for the Roosevelt Institute, said that consumers’ experience of the economy and their financial situation may come down to crises they’re feeling that may not show up at a macro level but may strike their budgets particularly hard.“When egg prices finally come down and chicken prices finally come down, but orange juice is high because of some random citrus greening disease or some other shocking food item, your total grocery bill doesn’t come down and that really highlights it,” she said.&nbsp; “There’s one crisis after another at a micro level, which I think is really why we’re not seeing that divergence between overall economic strength and at a very micro level, the feelings of average consumers.”Pancotti acknowledged that housing is also one of the highest expenses for consumers right now, and those prices aren’t showing as much movement as other areas of consumers’ budgets.“For most families, it is the largest purchase they make every month,” she said.<h2>Why isn’t consumer sentiment higher?</h2>Consumer sentiment, a smaller survey conducted by the University of Michigan, also gauges people’s sense of the economy overall, the labor market, and how they see inflation. On Thursday, U.S. consumer sentiment jumped to 79.4 from 76.9 in February and 62 a year earlier, making this its highest level since July 2021.Joanne Hsu, director of the survey, said in the report that this number is an indication that consumers believe the economy is “holding steady.”“As the election season progresses and debates over economic policy become more salient for consumers, their outlook for the economy could become more volatile in the months ahead,” she added.”Kevin Kliesen, business economist and research officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, said consumer confidence and consumer sentiment are still far below pre-pandemic levels and that it’s a puzzle as to why when the economy has “been growing fairly strongly” in the past year and a half. But like Pancotti, he added that high prices at the store compared to pre-pandemic prices may be playing a role in those measures.“If you’re like me, you look at something, and you go, ‘Oh my gosh. I remember when it was so much less before the pandemic.’ So I think that calls into question, probably, a lot of people’s perceptions of the overall state of the economy and importantly their consumer finances,” he said.<h2>What can we expect from inflation and the Fed?</h2>As the Federal Reserve looks to its favorite inflation measure, the personal consumption expenditures price index, economists are watching the PCE closely for signs the Fed will cut rates in the coming months. This policy change is expected to have effects on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2024/03/20/fed-declines-to-cut-interest-rates-saying-its-not-clear-inflation-has-slowed-enough-yet/">housing market</a>&nbsp;as well as the growth of businesses.The PCE rose 0.3% from January to February and 2.5% over the past year,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bea.gov/news/2024/personal-income-and-outlays-february-2024">according to</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp; Bureau of Economic Analysis’s Friday release. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell responded to the news when he spoke at the San Francisco Fed and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-29/powell-says-latest-inflation-data-in-line-with-expectations?utm_medium=social&amp;cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amp;utm_content=business">said</a>&nbsp;the numbers were “in line with expectations” but not as reassuring as the numbers Fed officials saw last year.Despite this reception from Powell, some financial experts believe inflation will ease up soon. Cristian Tiu, associate professor of finance at the University at Buffalo, said that although the economy is adding jobs, he doesn’t believe the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ubwp.buffalo.edu/job-quality-index-jqi/">quality of those jobs</a>&nbsp;is high enough to sustain this price growth for much longer.“Prices basically on consumer goods can’t be driven up forever just by the very top of the wage distribution. The rest of the wage distribution actually looks pretty modest. So I don’t think these price increases can actually be sustained,” Tiu said.For this reason, he doesn’t think the Fed should continue to put brakes on the economy through restrictive monetary policy. Tiu added that he sees inflation as driven partly by corporate profit-seeking, with companies&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2024/03/20/fed-declines-to-cut-interest-rates-saying-its-not-clear-inflation-has-slowed-enough-yet/">taking advantage of inflation</a>&nbsp;to continue to keep prices higher than they can justify for the American consumer.

Experts say the economy is getting better, but consumers don’t feel that way

ROME (AP) — Rallying from a winter-long bout of respiratory problems, Pope Francis led some 30,000 people in Easter celebrations Sunday, making a strong appeal for a cease-fire in Gaza and a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine.

Francis presided over Easter Sunday Mass in a flower-decked St. Peter’s Square and then delivered a heartfelt prayer for peace in his annual roundup of global crises delivered from the loggia overlooking the piazza. In between, he made several loops around the piazza in his popemobile, greeting well-wishers.

“Peace is never made with weapons, but with outstretched hands and open hearts,” Francis said, to applause from the wind-swept crowd below.

Francis appeared in good form, despite having celebrated the 2½-hour nighttime Easter Vigil just hours before. The pontiff, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-health-hospital-vatican-1b743492e19762ac4a71cefb556967d0">battling respiratory problems</a>&nbsp;all winter.

The Vatican said some 30,000 people attended the Mass, with more packing the Via della Conciliazione boulevard leading to the piazza. At the start of the service, a gust of wind knocked over a large religious icon on the altar just a few feet from the pope; ushers quickly righted it.

Easter Mass is one of the most important dates on the liturgical calendar, celebrating what the faithful believe was Jesus’ resurrection after his crucifixion. The Mass precedes the pope’s “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) blessing, in which the pope traditionally offers a laundry list of the threats afflicting humanity.

This year, Francis said his thoughts went particularly to people in Ukraine and Gaza and all those facing war, particularly the children who he said had “forgotten how to smile.”

“In calling for respect for the principles of international law, I express my hope for a general exchange of all prisoners between Russia and Ukraine: all for the sake of all!” he said.

He called for the “prompt” release of prisoners taken from Israel on Oct. 7, an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and for humanitarian access to reach Palestinians.

“Let us not allow the current hostilities to continue to have grave repercussions on the civil population, by now at the limit of its endurance, and above all on the children,” he said in a speech that also touched on the plight of Haitians, the Rohingya and victims of human trafficking.

For the past few weeks, Francis has generally avoided delivering long speeches to avoid the strain on his breathing. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-palm-sunday-ukraine-gaza-ab758834cb0f99887b6f58a2c771fcc5">ditched his Palm Sunday homily</a>&nbsp;last week and decided at the last minute to stay home from the Good Friday procession at the Colosseum.

The Vatican said in a brief explanation that the decision was made to “conserve his health.”

The decision clearly paid off, as Francis was able to recite the prayers of the lengthy Saturday night Easter Vigil service, including administering the sacraments of baptism and First Communion to eight new Catholics, and preside over Easter Sunday Mass and deliver his speech.

After a busy Holy Week, Francis should have some time to recover as there are no major foreign trips scheduled for several months.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711361555231.png" alt="File photo Pope Francis at the Vatican, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)" />
 <figcaption>File photo Pope Francis at the Vatican, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — Rallying from a winter-long bout of respiratory problems, Pope Francis led some 30,000 people in Easter celebrations Sunday, making a strong appeal for a cease-fire in Gaza and a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine.Francis presided over Easter Sunday Mass in a flower-decked St. Peter’s Square and then delivered a heartfelt prayer for peace in his annual roundup of global crises delivered from the loggia overlooking the piazza. In between, he made several loops around the piazza in his popemobile, greeting well-wishers.“Peace is never made with weapons, but with outstretched hands and open hearts,” Francis said, to applause from the wind-swept crowd below.Francis appeared in good form, despite having celebrated the 2½-hour nighttime Easter Vigil just hours before. The pontiff, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-health-hospital-vatican-1b743492e19762ac4a71cefb556967d0">battling respiratory problems</a>&nbsp;all winter.The Vatican said some 30,000 people attended the Mass, with more packing the Via della Conciliazione boulevard leading to the piazza. At the start of the service, a gust of wind knocked over a large religious icon on the altar just a few feet from the pope; ushers quickly righted it.Easter Mass is one of the most important dates on the liturgical calendar, celebrating what the faithful believe was Jesus’ resurrection after his crucifixion. The Mass precedes the pope’s “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) blessing, in which the pope traditionally offers a laundry list of the threats afflicting humanity.This year, Francis said his thoughts went particularly to people in Ukraine and Gaza and all those facing war, particularly the children who he said had “forgotten how to smile.”“In calling for respect for the principles of international law, I express my hope for a general exchange of all prisoners between Russia and Ukraine: all for the sake of all!” he said.He called for the “prompt” release of prisoners taken from Israel on Oct. 7, an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and for humanitarian access to reach Palestinians.“Let us not allow the current hostilities to continue to have grave repercussions on the civil population, by now at the limit of its endurance, and above all on the children,” he said in a speech that also touched on the plight of Haitians, the Rohingya and victims of human trafficking.For the past few weeks, Francis has generally avoided delivering long speeches to avoid the strain on his breathing. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-palm-sunday-ukraine-gaza-ab758834cb0f99887b6f58a2c771fcc5">ditched his Palm Sunday homily</a>&nbsp;last week and decided at the last minute to stay home from the Good Friday procession at the Colosseum.The Vatican said in a brief explanation that the decision was made to “conserve his health.”The decision clearly paid off, as Francis was able to recite the prayers of the lengthy Saturday night Easter Vigil service, including administering the sacraments of baptism and First Communion to eight new Catholics, and preside over Easter Sunday Mass and deliver his speech.After a busy Holy Week, Francis should have some time to recover as there are no major foreign trips scheduled for several months.

Pope overcomes health concerns to preside over Easter Sunday Mass

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-80fcb836622ba8e18883ce778786c1cc">Powerball jackpot climbed</a>&nbsp;to an estimated $975 million after no one matched the six numbers drawn Saturday night, continuing a nearly three-month stretch without a big winner.

The winning numbers drawn were: 12, 13, 33, 50, 52 and the red Powerball 23.

No one has won Powerball’s top prize since New Year’s Day when a ticket in Michigan hit for $842.4 million, bringing the number of consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner to 38. That winless streak nears the record of 41 consecutive drawings, set twice in 2022 and 2021.

The $975 million prize is for a sole winner who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">chooses an annuity</a>&nbsp;paid over 30 years. A winner opting for cash would be paid $471.7 million. The prizes would be subject to federal taxes, and many states also tax lottery winnings.

As the prizes grow, the drawings attract more ticket sales and the jackpots subsequently become harder to hit. The game’s long odds for Saturday’s drawing were 1 in 292.2 million.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-80fcb836622ba8e18883ce778786c1cc">Powerball jackpot climbed</a>&nbsp;to an estimated $975 million after no one matched the six numbers drawn Saturday night, continuing a nearly three-month stretch without a big winner.The winning numbers drawn were: 12, 13, 33, 50, 52 and the red Powerball 23.No one has won Powerball’s top prize since New Year’s Day when a ticket in Michigan hit for $842.4 million, bringing the number of consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner to 38. That winless streak nears the record of 41 consecutive drawings, set twice in 2022 and 2021.The $975 million prize is for a sole winner who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">chooses an annuity</a>&nbsp;paid over 30 years. A winner opting for cash would be paid $471.7 million. The prizes would be subject to federal taxes, and many states also tax lottery winnings.As the prizes grow, the drawings attract more ticket sales and the jackpots subsequently become harder to hit. The game’s long odds for Saturday’s drawing were 1 in 292.2 million.

Powerball jackpot jumps to $975 million; no big winner Saturday

JERUSALEM - U.S. military crews conducted another air drop of humanitarian assistance into Northern Gaza on Friday to provide essential relief to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command. However not all the bundles are reaching those in need.&nbsp;

During the Friday mission, approximately 26 bundles landed in the sea. U.S. Central Command does not assess civilian harm or damage to infrastructure at this time but continues to monitor the situation.

The U.S. military confirmed March 9, that humanitarian airdrops into the Gaza Strip carried out by other countries into the Gaza Strip killed civilians. Officials did not identify the countries involved.

“We are aware of reports of civilians killed as a result of humanitarian airdrops,” the statement read. “We express sympathies to the families of those who were killed. Contrary to some reports, this was not the result of U.S. airdrops.”

The joint operation Friday included two C-17 U.S. Air Force aircraft, and U.S. Army Soldiers specialized in aerial delivery of U.S humanitarian assistance supplies.&nbsp;

U.S. C-17s dropped over 46,000 U.S. meal equivalents into Northern Gaza, an area of great need, allowing for civilian access to the critical aid.&nbsp;It was the third air drop in the past seven days.

The U.S. Department of Defense humanitarian airdrops contribute to ongoing U.S. and partner-nation government efforts to alleviate human suffering. These airdrops are part of a sustained effort, and we continue to plan follow-on aerial deliveries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711804894408.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM - U.S. military crews conducted another air drop of humanitarian assistance into Northern Gaza on Friday to provide essential relief to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command. However not all the bundles are reaching those in need.&nbsp;During the Friday mission, approximately 26 bundles landed in the sea. U.S. Central Command does not assess civilian harm or damage to infrastructure at this time but continues to monitor the situation.The U.S. military confirmed March 9, that humanitarian airdrops into the Gaza Strip carried out by other countries into the Gaza Strip killed civilians. Officials did not identify the countries involved.“We are aware of reports of civilians killed as a result of humanitarian airdrops,” the statement read. “We express sympathies to the families of those who were killed. Contrary to some reports, this was not the result of U.S. airdrops.”The joint operation Friday included two C-17 U.S. Air Force aircraft, and U.S. Army Soldiers specialized in aerial delivery of U.S humanitarian assistance supplies.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711805183312.png" alt="File photo from the airdrop on March 21-U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo from the airdrop on March 21-U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>U.S. C-17s dropped over 46,000 U.S. meal equivalents into Northern Gaza, an area of great need, allowing for civilian access to the critical aid.&nbsp;It was the third air drop in the past seven days.The U.S. Department of Defense humanitarian airdrops contribute to ongoing U.S. and partner-nation government efforts to alleviate human suffering. These airdrops are part of a sustained effort, and we continue to plan follow-on aerial deliveries.

Not all U.S airdrops of food, supplies into Gaza reaching those in need

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen, state senators, and the Nebraska Hospital Association (NHA) held a ceremonial bill signing at Methodist Fremont Health to celebrate a new law that will qualify the state’s hospitals for approximately $1 billion of additional federal Medicaid funds each year.

“Our state’s hospitals provide outstanding health care to Nebraskans,” said Gov. Pillen. “I’m grateful to our state senators for passing legislation to maximize the federal resources available to our hospitals. These much-needed funds will strengthen the quality and accessibility of health care statewide.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Senator Mike Jacobson of North Platte proposed the new legislation (LB 1087), and Senator Christy Armendariz of Omaha prioritized the bill. Senators voted to pass the bill 45-0. Governor Pillen signed LB 1087 into law on March 27.

“LB1087 is one of the most impactful and transformative pieces of legislation that we passed this session,” said Sen. Jacobson. “This program allows our state to dramatically increase reimbursement rates to hospitals without costing our state general fund any additional dollars. It will have a dramatic impact on reimbursement rates, hospital services, and ultimately on the availability of health care across the state.”

With the passage of LB 1087, Nebraska is implementing a funding mechanism to tap into additional federal dollars. Nebraska’s hospitals will pay an assessment to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) of up to six percent of net patient revenues. DHHS will then use money from the assessments as matching dollars to qualify the state’s hospital systems for more federal Medicaid funding.

It is estimated that this legislation will provide for nearly $1 billion annually in additional net federal funding to hospitals.

“LB1087 will have a positive and significant impact on our hospitals’ finances and will make it possible to continue to provide needed services to Nebraska’s Medicaid population,” remarked NHA President Jeremy Nordquist. “We’re so very appreciative of the Governor’s support as well as the many state senators who sponsored and advocated for this important legislation.”

LB 1087 is anticipated to benefit every single hospital system in Nebraska. Additionally, the bill includes $50 million per year for scholarships to support the development of Nebraska’s nursing workforce. The scholarships will be funded through private investments.

“This is a real game-changer for Nebraska and Nebraska hospitals, especially those serving rural communities and a high percentage of Medicaid patients,” commented Brett Richmond, President &amp; CEO of Methodist Fremont Health.

Since LB 1087 was passed with an emergency clause, it has already taken effect as law.

Office Of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen, state senators, and the Nebraska Hospital Association (NHA) held a ceremonial bill signing at Methodist Fremont Health to celebrate a new law that will qualify the state’s hospitals for approximately $1 billion of additional federal Medicaid funds each year.“Our state’s hospitals provide outstanding health care to Nebraskans,” said Gov. Pillen. “I’m grateful to our state senators for passing legislation to maximize the federal resources available to our hospitals. These much-needed funds will strengthen the quality and accessibility of health care statewide.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Senator Mike Jacobson of North Platte proposed the new legislation (LB 1087), and Senator Christy Armendariz of Omaha prioritized the bill. Senators voted to pass the bill 45-0. Governor Pillen signed LB 1087 into law on March 27.“LB1087 is one of the most impactful and transformative pieces of legislation that we passed this session,” said Sen. Jacobson. “This program allows our state to dramatically increase reimbursement rates to hospitals without costing our state general fund any additional dollars. It will have a dramatic impact on reimbursement rates, hospital services, and ultimately on the availability of health care across the state.”With the passage of LB 1087, Nebraska is implementing a funding mechanism to tap into additional federal dollars. Nebraska’s hospitals will pay an assessment to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) of up to six percent of net patient revenues. DHHS will then use money from the assessments as matching dollars to qualify the state’s hospital systems for more federal Medicaid funding.It is estimated that this legislation will provide for nearly $1 billion annually in additional net federal funding to hospitals.“LB1087 will have a positive and significant impact on our hospitals’ finances and will make it possible to continue to provide needed services to Nebraska’s Medicaid population,” remarked NHA President Jeremy Nordquist. “We’re so very appreciative of the Governor’s support as well as the many state senators who sponsored and advocated for this important legislation.”LB 1087 is anticipated to benefit every single hospital system in Nebraska. Additionally, the bill includes $50 million per year for scholarships to support the development of Nebraska’s nursing workforce. The scholarships will be funded through private investments.“This is a real game-changer for Nebraska and Nebraska hospitals, especially those serving rural communities and a high percentage of Medicaid patients,” commented Brett Richmond, President &amp; CEO of Methodist Fremont Health.Since LB 1087 was passed with an emergency clause, it has already taken effect as law.

Gov. Pillen, State Senators, and Healthcare Leaders Celebrate Legislation to Provide $1 Billion Annual Boost to Nebraska’s Hospitals

WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS is warning taxpayers that they may be leaving more than $1 billion on the table.

The federal tax collector said Monday that roughly 940,000 people in the U.S. have until May 17 to submit tax returns for unclaimed refunds for tax year 2020, which total more than $1 billion nationwide.

The average median refund is $932 for 2020. Texas (93,400), California (88,200), Florida (53,200) and New York (51,400) have the largest amount of people potentially eligible for these refunds.

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement: "We want taxpayers to claim these refunds, but time is running out for people who may have overlooked or forgotten about these refunds. There’s a May 17 deadline to file these returns so taxpayers should start soon to make sure they don’t miss out.”

For people who need to file a return, the IRS advises taxpayers to request their W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 from their employer or bank — or order a free wage and income transcript using the “Get Transcript Online” tool at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/">IRS.gov</a>.

Taxpayers typically have three years to file and claim tax refunds, otherwise the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury.

Generally the deadline to claim old refunds falls around the April 15 tax deadline, but this year the three-year window for 2020 unfiled returns was postponed to May 17, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But if taxpayers haven't filed a return for tax year 2021 and 2022, any 2020 refunds would be withheld until they file for those years as well to make sure they don't owe.

Werfel said "some people may not realize they may be owed a refund. We encourage people to review their files and start gathering records now, so they don’t run the risk of missing the May deadline.”

Tax season officially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-tax-season-treasury-filing-7b318296e34315a4dd584dc2b221bc54">began on January 29</a>.

According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-season-statistics-for-week-ending-march-15-2024">latest tax season statistics</a>, more than 71.5 million individual tax filings have been submitted to the IRS this season.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS is warning taxpayers that they may be leaving more than $1 billion on the table.The federal tax collector said Monday that roughly 940,000 people in the U.S. have until May 17 to submit tax returns for unclaimed refunds for tax year 2020, which total more than $1 billion nationwide.The average median refund is $932 for 2020. Texas (93,400), California (88,200), Florida (53,200) and New York (51,400) have the largest amount of people potentially eligible for these refunds.IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement: "We want taxpayers to claim these refunds, but time is running out for people who may have overlooked or forgotten about these refunds. There’s a May 17 deadline to file these returns so taxpayers should start soon to make sure they don’t miss out.”For people who need to file a return, the IRS advises taxpayers to request their W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 from their employer or bank — or order a free wage and income transcript using the “Get Transcript Online” tool at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/">IRS.gov</a>.Taxpayers typically have three years to file and claim tax refunds, otherwise the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury.Generally the deadline to claim old refunds falls around the April 15 tax deadline, but this year the three-year window for 2020 unfiled returns was postponed to May 17, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But if taxpayers haven't filed a return for tax year 2021 and 2022, any 2020 refunds would be withheld until they file for those years as well to make sure they don't owe.Werfel said "some people may not realize they may be owed a refund. We encourage people to review their files and start gathering records now, so they don’t run the risk of missing the May deadline.”Tax season officially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-tax-season-treasury-filing-7b318296e34315a4dd584dc2b221bc54">began on January 29</a>.According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-season-statistics-for-week-ending-march-15-2024">latest tax season statistics</a>, more than 71.5 million individual tax filings have been submitted to the IRS this season.

IRS has 940,000 unclaimed tax refunds about to expire

MARCH 29, 2024 — The Nebraska State Patrol Special Investigations Team has been activated to investigate a Chadron Police Department officer-involved shooting. The incident occurred yesterday morning in Chadron.

Preliminary investigation shows that the Chadron Police Department contacted the driver of a stolen vehicle at the gas pump area of a business near the intersection of Highway 385 and Highway 20. During that interaction, an officer-involved shooting occurred.

The subject was transported to Chadron Community Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The name of the deceased is being withheld at this time pending family notification.

The Chadron Police Department requested that the Nebraska State Patrol conduct the investigation. The investigation is in the early stages and remains ongoing.

Cody ThomasNebraska State PatrolMARCH 29, 2024 — The Nebraska State Patrol Special Investigations Team has been activated to investigate a Chadron Police Department officer-involved shooting. The incident occurred yesterday morning in Chadron.Preliminary investigation shows that the Chadron Police Department contacted the driver of a stolen vehicle at the gas pump area of a business near the intersection of Highway 385 and Highway 20. During that interaction, an officer-involved shooting occurred.The subject was transported to Chadron Community Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The name of the deceased is being withheld at this time pending family notification.The Chadron Police Department requested that the Nebraska State Patrol conduct the investigation. The investigation is in the early stages and remains ongoing.There is no danger to the public.

Nebraska State Patrol Investigating Chadron PD Officer-Involved Shooting

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/03/28/new-kids-count-report-focuses-on-child-care-crisis-in-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Something stood out to Voices for Children in Nebraska while diving into the latest trends related to the well-being of youths. They call it the “child care crisis.”

In its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://voicesforchildren.com/data-research/kids-count/">annual Kids Count</a>&nbsp;report, released Thursday, the group that for 37 years has been advocating for the youngest Huskers examined data for areas pertaining to health, economic stability, education and juvenile justice.

After doing so, leaders chose to highlight the rising cost and challenge of finding child care and the effect that has on workforce woes.

Saying there is “no one silver bullet,” the team also offered recommendations that include state tax credits and grants to help open child care operations in areas of greatest need.

“This is a nuanced policy conversation that impacts not only family budgets, but the very fabric of our society,” said the research team led by executive director Juliet Summers and research coordinator Josh Shirk.

The report notes a 17% decline in the number of licensed child care facilities statewide from 2020 to 2022.

When looking at Nebraska’s current conditions for children and families, “a harsher reality was uncovered,” the 31st annual Kids Count report said.

That reality, the group said, is one of disparity and lack of equitable chance of success and opportunity for racial and ethnic minority groups.

The group has created an “Index of Race &amp; Opportunity for Nebraska Children,” which offers an overall score for each racial and ethnic group as well as a score for more specific areas.

Black youths scored the lowest, 20 out of a possible 100, followed by American Indians, 24; Hispanics, 59; multiracial youths, 64; Asian Pacific Islanders, 73; Whites, 94.

Factors driving the lower scores include median family income and share living in low poverty areas.&nbsp;

As of 2022, the last year of available data, nine of the state’s 93 counties had zero licensed child care facilities, and 23 counties failed to meet the licensed child care needs for at least half their young children.

In its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://voicesforchildren.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KC2023_FullDocument_FINAL.pdf">83-page report,</a>&nbsp;Voices for Children cited a meeting in central Nebraska where staff members fielded fears from participants that their towns would not survive unless they gained better access to child care.

Even when care was available, the group said, the expense strained budgets. The report contained research showing: The average annual price of center-based child care for one infant in 2021 was $11,068, which absorbed 10% of the median income of a married Nebraska couple and 33% of a single mother’s income.

To punctuate that cost, the group pointed out how a year of center-based child care could surpass a year’s worth of tuition and fees at public universities in Nebraska.&nbsp;

“A full year of tuition and fees (this year) at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln was cheaper than sending an infant to center-based care in 2021,” the report said, offering a price comparison chart.

Shirk said that while all areas of child well-being were affected by COVID-19 shutdowns, the early child care and education system took a particularly tough hit and hasn’t fully recovered.&nbsp;

He said there was a 30% turnover rate among Nebraska’s child care workers from 2022 to 2023.

“This is one of the lowest paying jobs in Nebraska, yet a very high stress job,” he said.

To get child care on track will take investments and policy improvements, he said.

The report notes progress in recent years. In 2023, for example, Nebraska passed the Child Care Tax Credit Act, which offers families a refundable credit of up to $2,000 per child enrolled in care. Tiered according to household income, the credit is offered to parents or caregivers with household incomes up to $150,000 and is capped at $15 million statewide per fiscal year.

Stable care at a young age sets kids up for success, the researchers said. In a well-oiled system, parents would be able to access care at an affordable price, providers could operate businesses and child care employees would receive pay enabling them to support their own families.

“Unfortunately, Nebraska’s early child care and education system is falling short on all these standards,” the report said.

It said that nationally, the number of employed persons who missed work due to child care problems doubled in 202o and remained “well above” pre-pandemic levels as of 2022.

“If parents can not find affordable care, then labor participation becomes harder for them to justify,” the report said.

Among recommendations for state policy-makers:

The research for the Kids Count report is funded in part by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and numerous local foundations and entities.

Voices for Children describes itself as an independent, nonpartisan advocate for youth that is not funded by state, federal city or county dollars, “which allows us to speak loud and clear” when shining light on needs of children.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711728770058.jpeg" alt=" Members of Congress unveiled a bipartisan plan on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024 that would again expand the child tax credit for families as well as provide business incentives. Shown are children at the Downtown Children’s Center in St. Louis. (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption> Members of Congress unveiled a bipartisan plan on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024 that would again expand the child tax credit for families as well as provide business incentives. Shown are children at the Downtown Children’s Center in St. Louis. (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/03/28/new-kids-count-report-focuses-on-child-care-crisis-in-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Something stood out to Voices for Children in Nebraska while diving into the latest trends related to the well-being of youths. They call it the “child care crisis.”In its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://voicesforchildren.com/data-research/kids-count/">annual Kids Count</a>&nbsp;report, released Thursday, the group that for 37 years has been advocating for the youngest Huskers examined data for areas pertaining to health, economic stability, education and juvenile justice.After doing so, leaders chose to highlight the rising cost and challenge of finding child care and the effect that has on workforce woes.<h2>No silver bullet</h2>Saying there is “no one silver bullet,” the team also offered recommendations that include state tax credits and grants to help open child care operations in areas of greatest need.“This is a nuanced policy conversation that impacts not only family budgets, but the very fabric of our society,” said the research team led by executive director Juliet Summers and research coordinator Josh Shirk.The report notes a 17% decline in the number of licensed child care facilities statewide from 2020 to 2022.<h2>‘Harsher reality’</h2>When looking at Nebraska’s current conditions for children and families, “a harsher reality was uncovered,” the 31st annual Kids Count report said.That reality, the group said, is one of disparity and lack of equitable chance of success and opportunity for racial and ethnic minority groups.The group has created an “Index of Race &amp; Opportunity for Nebraska Children,” which offers an overall score for each racial and ethnic group as well as a score for more specific areas.Black youths scored the lowest, 20 out of a possible 100, followed by American Indians, 24; Hispanics, 59; multiracial youths, 64; Asian Pacific Islanders, 73; Whites, 94.Factors driving the lower scores include median family income and share living in low poverty areas.&nbsp;As of 2022, the last year of available data, nine of the state’s 93 counties had zero licensed child care facilities, and 23 counties failed to meet the licensed child care needs for at least half their young children.<h2>Child care surpasses college tuition</h2>In its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://voicesforchildren.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KC2023_FullDocument_FINAL.pdf">83-page report,</a>&nbsp;Voices for Children cited a meeting in central Nebraska where staff members fielded fears from participants that their towns would not survive unless they gained better access to child care.Even when care was available, the group said, the expense strained budgets. The report contained research showing: The average annual price of center-based child care for one infant in 2021 was $11,068, which absorbed 10% of the median income of a married Nebraska couple and 33% of a single mother’s income.To punctuate that cost, the group pointed out how a year of center-based child care could surpass a year’s worth of tuition and fees at public universities in Nebraska.&nbsp;“A full year of tuition and fees (this year) at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln was cheaper than sending an infant to center-based care in 2021,” the report said, offering a price comparison chart.<h2>Pandemic woes linger</h2>Shirk said that while all areas of child well-being were affected by COVID-19 shutdowns, the early child care and education system took a particularly tough hit and hasn’t fully recovered.&nbsp;He said there was a 30% turnover rate among Nebraska’s child care workers from 2022 to 2023.“This is one of the lowest paying jobs in Nebraska, yet a very high stress job,” he said.To get child care on track will take investments and policy improvements, he said.The report notes progress in recent years. In 2023, for example, Nebraska passed the Child Care Tax Credit Act, which offers families a refundable credit of up to $2,000 per child enrolled in care. Tiered according to household income, the credit is offered to parents or caregivers with household incomes up to $150,000 and is capped at $15 million statewide per fiscal year.<h2>‘Falling short’</h2>Stable care at a young age sets kids up for success, the researchers said. In a well-oiled system, parents would be able to access care at an affordable price, providers could operate businesses and child care employees would receive pay enabling them to support their own families.“Unfortunately, Nebraska’s early child care and education system is falling short on all these standards,” the report said.It said that nationally, the number of employed persons who missed work due to child care problems doubled in 202o and remained “well above” pre-pandemic levels as of 2022.“If parents can not find affordable care, then labor participation becomes harder for them to justify,” the report said.<h2>Recommendations</h2>Among recommendations for state policy-makers:<ul>
 <li>Promote incentives for providers to start child care operations in “child care deserts.”</li><li>Ensure that subsidy payments reflect providers’ true costs of operation. That includes updating the public subsidy program to pay providers based on enrollment rather than daily attendance.</li><li>&nbsp;Keep or increase current gross income eligibility for the state child care subsidy. Currently, the subsidy is available for families with household incomes of up to 185% of the federal poverty level. That eligibility level is set to sunset in 2026, and Voices for Children recommends eliminating that sunset date so that eligibility won’t return to 130% of the federal poverty level.</li>
 </ul>The research for the Kids Count report is funded in part by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and numerous local foundations and entities.Voices for Children describes itself as an independent, nonpartisan advocate for youth that is not funded by state, federal city or county dollars, “which allows us to speak loud and clear” when shining light on needs of children.

New Kids Count report focuses on child care ‘crisis’ in Nebraska

Donors from across the country came together for the 2024&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatergoodgivingday.org/" target="_blank">For the Greater Good</a>, making a record-setting 2,062 gifts to raise $767,919 to support the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine.

UNMCDonors from across the country came together for the 2024&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatergoodgivingday.org/" target="_blank">For the Greater Good</a>, making a record-setting 2,062 gifts to raise $767,919 to support the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine.The giving day began at noon March 27 and concluded at noon March 28. Only in its second year, the 2024 event surpassed last year’s 1,542 gifts and this year’s increased target of 1,800 gifts.<a>Nebraska Medicine CEO James Linder, MD, and UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, thanked donors for their generosity.</a>&nbsp;“Transformation on the medical center campus is driven by philanthropy,” Dr. Linder said. “For the Greater Good is an opportunity for all UNMC and Nebraska Medicine supporters to give to campus causes that they support allowing us to grow our education, research and patient care missions.”Dr. Gold said: “UNMC would like to thank the many donors who helped us make our second annual giving day so successful. We are humbled by the support shown to UNMC and its many colleges, divisions, institutes and programs. Again, the citizens of Nebraska have shown their commitment to philanthropy and to supporting the vital work of UNMC and Nebraska Medicine.”<a></a><a href="https://www.greatergoodgivingday.org/matches" target="_blank">More than 70 matches and challenge gifts</a>&nbsp;totaling $571,000 were established as part of For the Greater Good to encourage alumni, friends and grateful patients to support their favorite college or area. Drs. Linder and Gold were among the generous donors to establish challenges, with Dr. Linder supporting the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatergoodgivingday.org/organizations/college-of-nursing-unmc" target="_blank">College of Nursing</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatergoodgivingday.org/campaigns/encompass-omaha" target="_blank">Encompass Omaha</a>, a hospital-based violence intervention program. Dr. Gold established a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatergoodgivingday.org/organizations/unmc-student-scholarships" target="_blank">challenge gift for student scholarships</a>&nbsp;in memory of Omaha philanthropist Bill Scott, a longtime University of Nebraska supporter who died Feb. 27.College of Nursing Dean Lepaine Sharp-McHenry, DNP, RN, FACDONA, said to receive a nursing scholarship is “life changing for many of our students.“Their ability to enter into our nursing program is directly linked to their ability to pay,” she said. “As scholarship recipients, our students are able to shift their thinking from cost to critical thinking.”She noted that the Nebraska Center for Nursing Excellence predicts a need for 5,436 new nurses by 2025.“The need for nurses is not going away,” Sharp-McHenry said. “We are so appreciative for our donors who support the College of Nursing in educating the next generation of nurses. Your gift is making an impact not only on the lives of our students but on the future of healthcare delivery and access in Nebraska.”For the Greater Good also provided fundraising opportunities for the 43 student organizations registered to participate. One of those groups is the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatergoodgivingday.org/campaigns/sarh" target="_blank">Student Association for Rural Health</a>, which seeks to empower students interested in practicing health care in a rural area. Kelsey Green, a fourth-year medical student from Neligh, Nebraska, said she appreciates the opportunity to travel to Nebraska communities to see rural health care in action.“Personally, it has done a lot for me,” she said of the group. “I’ve learned a lot about rural health disparities that I wasn’t even aware of.”Green said she has also been able to develop leadership skills as she prepares to become a general surgeon. “It feels good to be giving back,” she said, adding that she would like to practice medicine in a rural area, ideally in northeast Nebraska near her hometown, after she finishes her medical training.Austin Fernau, first-year occupational therapy student at UNMC, said he hopes For the Greater Good can help expand the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatergoodgivingday.org/campaigns/sota-student-org" target="_blank">Student Occupational Therapy Association</a>. Fernau, the student organization’s president, said the group is focused on connecting students and bringing more knowledge to the field of occupational therapy.&nbsp;“We really want to try to recruit more professionals of occupational therapy and help our students gauge what they want to do once they graduate,” he said.