LANCASTER COUNTY OPENS APPLICATIONS FOR ELECTION DAY BOARD WORKERS

LINCOLN- Lancaster County Election Commissioner Todd Wiltgen is encouraging residents to apply for the 2024 Election Day Board, which allows them to earn the same civil leave on Election Day as those chosen for jury duty do. To be eligible, workers must be registered to vote and be able to work on Election Day from 7:00 A.M. to shortly after 8:00 P.M..

They are also required to have good eyesight, hearing, and the ability to sit for extended periods of time. "There is nothing more fundamental in America than our right to vote," said Wiltgen, "We are grateful for the hundreds of election workers who serve on Election Day, ensuring we continue having safe and secure elections."

The updated application is available on the election commission's website, and training will be available online prior to each election. Election Board workers will also be paid for their hours worked. Lancaster County is home to nearly 200 precincts, and requires more than 1,100 Election Day Board workers to function efficiently.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA BOARD OF REGENTS CHAIR 'NOT CONCERNED' AMID MULTIPLE LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS

LINCOLN- The chair of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents said last week that he was not concerned amid the transition of several high-ranking leaders across the NU System. Regent and Chair Tim Clare stated this after University of Nebraska at Kearney Chancellor Doug Kristensen announced he plans to retire at the end of the academic year after 22 years of service.

Clare said that there is always a "next chapter" for the University System, and that NU will find a successful replacement for Kristensen who will move the university forward. "He has been a public servant and not a backbencher guy," said Clare of Kristensen, "I think we as a state, we as a university, are better, in part, because of Doug."

"I'm not concerned about it whatsoever," finished Clare. Kristensen's departure will mark the third high-ranking administrator to leave the University System in just under a year, joining a national trend of higher education administrator's shrinking tenures. NU's "next chapter," as Clare described it, could bring a different lens to NU as regents eye longevity in finding successors.

For the full article click HERE

NIFA WARNS OF SCAM ASSOCIATED WITH NEBRASKA'S EMERGENCY RENT AID PROGRAM

LINCOLN- Nebraskans are being warned of scam artists using social media platforms to purportedly help applicants get emergency rental assistance. The Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, which is currently managing the federally funded ERA program for the State of Nebraska, is alerting people to be cautious of fake website links and fraudulent offers related to the program.

One Facebook post, for example, asks for personal information as well as a fee to help get rental aid applications approved. Robin Ambroz, NIFA spokeswoman, said she is unaware of anyone in Nebraska who has been taken advantage of or fallen prey to such offers. But she said NIFA has seen suspicious social media activity and felt compelled to be proactive. It has issued guidance to avoid scams.

The NIFA-managed Nebraska ERA program provides help for past-due rent, utility and internet payments to income-qualified Nebraskans outside of Douglas and Lancaster Counties who experienced financial hardship during the pandemic. Applicants must have experienced a financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic; have an income at or below 80% of the area median income; rent their primary home in Nebraska; and be a legal resident.

For the full article click HERE

STATE AUDITOR WARNS RURAL FIRE DISTRICTS AGAINST USING DISTRICT FUNDS FOR ALCOHOL

LINCOLN- State Auditor Mike Foley is warning two rural fire districts that they’re violating state law when they use district funds to purchase alcohol. In separate letters to the Cedar Bluffs Suburban Fire District and the Franklin Rural Fire District, the Auditor’s Office pointed out that a state statute prohibits the use of district funds for any beverages other than non-alcoholic.

The letters indicated that the Cedar Bluffs district spent $745 on liquor for an annual banquet for volunteers and their spouses, while the Franklin district showed a $534 bill for alcohol for a similar event. Foley said he has “tremendous respect” for such volunteer agencies and had been assured that the districts would discontinue such purchases.

Cedar Bluffs was also advised by the Auditor’s Office that it was exceeding a $50-per-plate statutory limit on recognition dinner spending — the district spent $139 each — and that spending $1,040 to hire a comedian for the event was probably also disallowed. In its official response, the Cedar Bluffs district said it would ensure that liquor was not purchased with district funds in the future.

For the full article click HERE

STATE TREASURER TO CLOSE OFF-THE-BEATEN-PATH 'OUTREACH' OFFICE IN WEST OMAHA

LINCOLN- Nebraska’s s recently appointed state treasurer announced Monday that he is closing a satellite “outreach” office in Omaha, criticized as hard-to-find for the public. State Treasurer Tom Briese, a former state senator appointed to the post in September, issued a press release announcing the closing in the spring of an unclaimed property outreach office at 111 S. 181st St. in the Elkhorn area.

Briese said technology will allow his staff to handle claims for unclaimed property more efficiently, and without the $66,000-a-year lease required of the Omaha office, located in an upper hallway of the United Republic Bank building. “I aim to be a good steward of taxpayer money, and this closure reflects this commitment,” Briese said. The office was opened by then-State Treasurer John Murante in 2019.

Critics panned the little-known, out-of-the-way office as ineffective in reaching the public, and probably more about allowing Omaha-area workers, like Murante, to avoid commuting to the Treasurer’s Office at the State Capitol. The Treasurer’s Office has operated a public outreach office in the Haymarket, which includes a storage vault, for several years. That office, in a high pedestrian traffic area, is unaffected by the announcement.

For the full article click HERE

NOVEMBER A RECORD MONTH FOR NEBRASKA GAMING TAXES

LINCOLN- November was a big month for casino gambling in Nebraska. Collectively, the state's racetrack casinos brought in just more than $1.6 million in gaming tax, making it the best month ever for tax collections. The previous record was set in September. WarHorse Casino in Lincoln and the Grand Island Casino resort both had strong months.

WarHorse produced nearly $880,000 in gaming taxes, its most productive month since March, while the Grand Island casino brought in nearly $523,000 in taxes, its best month since April. Harrah’s Columbus produced about $211,000, which was actually down from October. November also marked the first time WarHorse's Omaha casino location produced gambling taxes.

For the year, gaming taxes have now topped $16 million, with the Lincoln casino contributing nearly $9.4 million. Because the gaming tax is 20% of gross revenue, that means the state's casinos have brought in more than $80 million in gross revenue through the first 11 months.

For the full article click HERE

SEN. JANA HUGHES LOOKS TO PARTNER WITH IOWA'S PRESCRIPTION DRUG DONATION PROGRAM

LINCOLN- Freshman State Sen. Jana Hughes announced this week that she is looking to join forces with Iowa nonprofit SafeNetRx, an organization that collects, inspects, and distributes non-expired medications for patients at or below 200% of the federal poverty line. SafeNetRx receives donations from more than 200 facilities and individuals in all 50 states, and has one pharmacy located in Gretna, Nebraska.

"The more options they have to get it back out the door, the better," said Hughes. According to CEO Jon Rosmann, the organization has been looking to expand medication distribution into other states, and said that the Cornhusker state is a "logical partner" due to proximity and similarities in geography and demographics.

Hughes said that she was encouraged to look into SafeNetRx by her constituents in York, Nebraska, and that she and her staff were able to get the ball rolling after the end of the last legislative session. Hughes, her legislative aides, Sen. Merv Riepe, and representatives from the Nebraska Pharmacists Association toured SafeNetRx's headquarters in Grimes, Iowa in late October.

For the full article click HERE

GAME AND PARKS RECEIVES GRANT TO STUDY WILDLIFE HIGHWAY CROSSINGS IN WESTERN NEBRASKA

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Department of Transportation and Nebraska Game and Parks announced Tuesday that they had been awarded a $400,000 federal grant to explore ways to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions in western Nebraska along Nebraska 71. The funding, according to the two agencies, will be utilized to conduct a study to explore the feasibility of designated bighorn sheep crossings in the Wildcat Hills region, where 18 of the 26 bighorn sheep collisions were recorded over the past 10 years.

"Because of the geography of this area, bighorn sheep regularly cross the highway here, an area near the entrance of the Wildlife Estates housing area," said Todd Nordeen, a big-game researcher and program manager with Game and Parks, "With the Heartland Expressway's continued development, traffic between Rapid City, South Dakota and Denver will continue to increase, as will the risk of crashes."

Part of the grant funding will also be used to purchase 10 new radio tracking collars, which will be placed on bighorn sheep to track movement patterns. If the study concludes that a wildlife crossing is feasible in the area, Game and Parks believes that other wildlife in the Wildcat Hills will benefit from its construction as well. And, should the crossing be warranted, it would be the first of its kind in Nebraska.

For the full article click HERE

NORTH OMAHA LAWMAKERS ADVOCATE FOR CITY TO ESTABLISH INLAND PORT AUTHORITY

OMAHA- State Sens. Terrell McKinney and Justin Wayne shared their support on Tuesday for city officials to establish an inland port authority, arguing that it would help coordinate economic development efforts in their districts. In 2021, the Nebraska Legislature passed a bill Wayne had introduced allowing up to five inland port authorities to be set up in the state, with a handful of those already established.

An inland port authority is an area controlled by an independent board that can engage in marketing, issue and sell bonds, and acquire property. Both lawmakers said that such a board would help to ensure that appropriated funds meant for underserved areas of Omaha are utilized for that purpose.

In a press release, Wayne and McKinney urged the state's executive branch to support the City of Omaha in pursuing this endeavor, and expressed their support for future legislation that would reappropriate funds from the Department of Economic Development to the authority, should it be established.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA MEDICAID DEPARTMENT'S FALL LISTENING TOUR CONCLUDES

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services's Medicaid and Long-Term Care Division concluded its Fall 2023 Medicaid Listening Tour this week, having completed 12 meetings in 10 different communities across the state. "I want to thank everyone who attending this year's fall Listening Tour meetings," said Interim Medicaid Director Matthew Ahern.

"It is crucial for our team to receive engagement and feedback from stakeholders to ensure that we are continuously making improvements to the program that positively impacts those it serves," finished Ahern. Throughout October and November, the Medicaid Division held the listening sessions to gather feedback from providers, members, and advocates about the changes DHHS expects to make to Medicaid in 2024.

The tour centered specifically around the new managed care contract with Molina Healthcare, policy updates to postpartum coverage, continuous eligibility for children, and dental updates. During these meetings, those in attendance were also made aware of the Medicaid Division's new integrated application portal, iServe.

For the full article click HERE

NEW NETWORK HIGHLIGHTS CLINICAL HEALTH TRIALS IN NEBRASKA

OMAHA- Be Well was one of several organizations highlighted Tuesday during the launch of the Nebraska Clinical Trials Network, a collaboration intended to bring together groups working on clinical trials and highlight the impact of clinical research on the health of Nebraska patients and the state's economy. The event was held at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

The new network also released a Research in Your Back Yard report, which indicated that clinical research groups currently have around 400 trials open in Nebraska. "Nebraska should be proud of what is taking place in the clinical research ecosystem here," said Rob Own, executive director of Bio Nebraska, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting biosciences in the state.

Dr. Russell McCulloh, associate vice chancellor for clinical research at UNMC, said efforts to increase collaboration among research groups in the state are in line with a national push to make these trials available to 90% of Americans. "It's going to be important that we in Nebraska put our heads together and have a seat at the table, because we can do really amazing things," he said.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA JEWISH COMMUNITY PRAYS FOR PEACE IN ISRAEL AT CAPITOL MENORAH LIGHTING

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, Gov. Pillen joined with the Chabad of Nebraska, Rabbi Mendel Katzman, in lighting the Capitol's menorah and celebrating Hanukkah. Katzman says such events are more important than ever now, as they help to shine light in the darkness. During the event, Katzman also focused on the war between Israel and Hamas, saying it's begun to affect Nebraska's Jewish communities.

"You're talking about a situation where the worst atrocities have been executed by people in our time," he said, "It's very hard to believe that in 2023 we would live to see that." He added that it's difficult watching the events in the Levant unfold from so far away, and that the collateral damage of the war has left many innocent people affected.

"That's why the story of Hanukkah is one that helps us understand that time and distance is not a division," he said, "It's really amazing how people are coming together for one another from all over the world, despite all the challenges." Katzman finished by saying that people need to learn more about the conflict and realize that everyone is part of the solution.

For the full article click HERE

FOREIGN COMPANIES DEEPLY INVOLVED IN NEBRASKA FARMLAND, BUT NOT HOW MANY THINK

LINCOLN- While foreign nations like China, Italy, and Canada have deep connections to modern Nebraska agriculture, their involvement rarely extends to actual foreign ownership of agricultural land, according to an analysis of data gathered by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In fact, according to the analysis, most foreign ownership of ag land has been barred by law in Nebraska.

Despite this, nearly 795,000 acres of Nebraska farmland were registered as having "foreign interest" in 2021. "I think sometimes the perception of the public and sometimes the way it's reported by the press is people see that number and say, 'Oh my gosh, foreigners own 700,000 acres!'" said Rick Leonard, a researcher for the Nebraska Legislature's Agriculture Committee.

According to Leonard, very few of the interests reported are true ownership interests, with most actually being leases or easements, meaning the farmer still owns the land. Canada and Italy together make up around 93% of the total acres under foreign interest in Nebraska, with the vast majority of disclosed foreign projects relating to renewable energy, like turbines and solar panels.

For the full article click HERE

LIZ DAVIDS ANNOUNCES BID FOR LINCOLN-AREA SEAT ON STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

LINCOLN- Liz Davids, founder of the nonprofit Empower Nebraska, has thrown her name into the hat for the seat on the Nebraska State Board of Education that encompasses Lincoln and northwest Lancaster County. Davids considers herself an educator, but does not hold a teaching certificate.

"I'm a home educator," she said, "I do not have a teacher certification, but I have educated my own children as well as others in a micro-school setting. So, I'm an educator and educational advocate and an advocate for children." Davids frequently attends both State and Lincoln Board of Education meetings, and has, during periods of public comment, testified against proposed statewide comprehensive sex education standards.

By participating in these meetings, Davids said that she has had the opportunity to hear from community members about their thoughts on the actions of the State Board of Education, and therefore feels better prepared for the leadership position. The District 1 seat Davids seeks has long been held by Patsy Koch Johns, a Democrat, who announced in August that she would not seek another term on the board.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA STATE EMPLOYEES UNION FILES PETITION AGAINST EXECUTIVE ORDER ENDING REMOTE WORK

LINCOLN- On Wednesday, the Nebraska Association of Public Employees, a union that represents more than 8,000 state employees, filed a petition with the Nebraska Commission of Industrial Relations demanding that the state negotiates with its employees after its renewed demands to negotiaite Gov. Pillen's new executive order requiring employees to work in-person were rebuffed last week.

Justin Hubly, executive director of the union, said NAPE filed the petition to protect the rights of its members and the public interest. "We remain critically short staffed and any action that would prompt us to lose any state employees will confound the problem," Hubly said in a statement released Wednesday.

Jacy Shafer, deputy director of communications for Gov. Jim Pillen, responded to last week's union demands by arguing that Nebraskans expect taxpayer-funded workers to "deliver maximum value and productivity, and that is only possible by ensuring our state public servants are, as a general rule, working full-time schedules in the office." The petition contends that Dan Birdsall, the state's chief negotiator, repeatedly declined the union's requests for negotiations.

For the full article click HERE

STATE OMBUDSMAN'S OFFICE SAYS HEALTH AGENCY IS BLOCKING IT FROM LAW-REQUIRED INSPECTIONS

LINCOLN- The Ombudsman’s Office says it’s being blocked from performing inspections of state facilities required by law, making it impossible to check into citizen complaints about institutions. State Ombudsman Julie Rogers said the “limited contact or communication” from the Nebraska DHHS has blocked her legislatively created agency from providing an annual report on the status and conditions at such institutions.

“For the first time, this information was not provided,” said Rogers. A spokesman with the DHHS said that an August legal opinion by the State Attorney General’s Office that served to block access to information by Inspectors General (IG) for child welfare and Corrections also applied to the Ombudsman’s Office, which oversees the IGs. DHHS said, “transparency, serving residents in our care, and finding resolutions to their issues" are still issues they are committed to.

The department will only share individual information with the Ombudsman’s Office “at the request of and with the appropriate informed voluntary consent of the individual, as allowed by law.” State Sen. Danielle Conrad, who is a lawyer, said that a report by DHHS on its own facilities isn’t close to good enough and that it was akin to a “big government entity” telling the public to “trust us.”

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA LAWMAKER AND SPOUSE CREATE UNL SCHOLARSHIP FOR 'LGBTQA+ CHAMPIONS'

LINCOLN- A Nebraska lawmaker and his husband have created an annual endowed scholarship to support “LGBTQA+ champions” at the UNL. State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha and Jeff Formanek announced the Fredrickson-Formanek Scholars Fund. The fund will provide permanent financial support to first-year UNL students who are champions and supporters of LGBTQA+ causes and rights.

The couple created the scholarship in an effort to combat divisive rhetoric surrounding LGBTQ issues, according to a news release.

“Nebraska’s state motto is ‘Equality before the law,’” Fredrickson said in a video announcing the scholarship. “We feel so fortunate that this new program will have a real impact on building a brighter future for Nebraska and Nebraskans.”

A $2,000 scholarship — split evenly over a fall and spring semester — will be awarded to a student beginning in fall 2024 through UNL’s Gender and Sexuality Center. The scholarship is available through the annual scholarship application process. Recipients must carry at least 12 credit hours per semester while the scholarship is provided. Preference may be shown to those who demonstrate financial need.

For the full article click HERE

JUDGE DECLINES TO APPROVE NEBRASKA VOTING RIGHTS SETTLEMENT, CITES 'WRENCH' IN WORKS

LINCOLN- A federal judge declined to approve a settlement of a voting rights lawsuit involving the Omaha and Winnebago tribes, saying a recent appeals court ruling has potentially “thrown a wrench into the works.” The two tribes had recently reached a tentative settlement with the Thurston County Board to redraw the voting districts for the seven-member governing board.

The tribe sued the county this year, alleging that the seven-county supervisor districts drawn up by the county violated the federal Voting Rights Act by effectively denying Native Americans, who make up a majority of the voting-age population in Thurston County, a majority of the seats on the board.

U.S. District Judge Richard Rossiter Jr. said he could not approve the out-of-court settlement until he heard from the parties’ attorneys about whether the deal was impacted by a recent ruling from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In that ruling, the Appeals Court ruled that Congress did not give “private plaintiffs” the ability to sue to enforce voting rights. Supplemental briefs are to be submitted by Dec. 27.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA'S 2023 GROWTH STRONG FOR JOBS, INCOME; FUTURE GAINS PROJECTED TO BE MORE MODEST

LINCOLN- After surprisingly strong growth in both jobs and income during 2023, growth should continue at more modest levels over the next several years, a team of state economists projects. Nebraska appears headed for 1.7% job growth in 2023, according to the forecast report from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Bureau of Business Research.

A number of factors drove that growth — including a bounce-back in the restaurant and leisure industry and more-normal levels of immigration — and higher interest rates did not deter growth as much as expected. In all, it appears Nebraska will add 18,000 nonfarm jobs this year. That's almost equal to the 19,000 added in 2022, when the state finally recovered most of the jobs lost during the pandemic job crunch.

Likewise, it appears nonfarm personal income will finish the year with a solid 6.7% growth, well above projections and outpacing the 4% growth in inflation. That means real income growth for many Nebraskans this year. Indeed, the forecast for the next few years calls for more moderate growth, with job numbers rising less than 1% in each of the next three years.

For the full article click HERE

STATE AUDITOR SLAMS 'RIVERBOAT GAMBLE' WITH DEFUNCT RED WAY AIRLINE

LINCOLN- State Auditor Mike Foley, in a forensic audit, slammed a “riverboat gamble” Lincoln officials made with the now-defunct start-up airline, saying it squandered $3.7 million in federal and local funds, and that dozens of ticket holders still haven’t been reimbursed for canceled flights. The Lincoln Airport Authority had contracted with Red Way Airlines to provide new flights from the Lincoln Airport.

But the Colorado-based startup shut down in August after only three months of operation, after flights drew far fewer passengers than projected, despite offering one-way tickets for as little as $9. Foley, in an 84-page report, said that Red Way “clearly violated” federal regulations by draining a $1.5 million escrow account intended to refund customers for tickets on canceled flights.

Overall, Foley said that the Lincoln Airport Authority provided more than $700,000 in local public funds under its control to assist Red Way, as well as waiving tens of thousands of dollars in fees that the airline would have been obligated to pay. “In the final analysis, Red Way was a failed riverboat gamble bankrolled by taxpayers,” the auditor said in a press release.

For the full article click HERE