FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND REPORT ON DYSLEXIA, READING UNVEILED AT NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

LINCOLN- A first-of-its-kind statewide report related to reading and dyslexia for Nebraska K-12 students shows strides in addressing literacy as policymakers see room for improvement. The Nebraska Department of Education submitted its first report to the Legislature on Sept. 3 as required under Legislative Bill 298.

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn shepherded that legislation in 2023 as a next step from 2018 legislation that began assessing K-3 students three times a year to get them on individualized reading improvement plans and supports earlier if needed. The data indicates that of 10,225 public K-12 students ages 3 to 21 who were tested last year for a specific learning disability in the area of reading, 4,747 students (46.43%) were eligible for special education services.

However, the department cautions that the term “specific learning disability” is broad and consists of various distinct areas in which a child might need additional support to meet state standards: oral expression, written expression, basic reading skills, reading fluency, reading comprehension, mathematics calculation, and mathematics problem-solving. “In sum, there is currently not a clean and clear way to fully identify the number of students with a specific learning disability in reading,” the report states.

For the full article click HERE

NE EDUCATION OFFICIALS WEIGH IN ON SCHOOL DISTRICT'S USE OF NUTRITION FUND FOR GYM SCOREBOARDS

LINCOLN- Two big digital scoreboards that a Nebraska school district purchased with funds from a student nutrition fund and installed in a school gym were not an appropriate spend, a Nebraska Department of Education spokesman said Monday. Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley last week issued a scathing letter to the Chase County public school district in southwest Nebraska, calling out its use of about $125,000 from a nonprofit school food account for the pair of “massive video scoreboards.”

The school district, in response, said that it was confident that it “appropriately and transparently” bought the video display boards after consulting with the Nebraska Department of Education. A law firm representing the district told Foley’s audit team in a letter that while the boards are used for sports, they also display nutritional information.

For the full article click HERE

OMAHA INLAND PORT AUTHORITY TURNS ATTENTION TO 'INNOVATION DISTRICT' SET FOR $30M

OMAHA- The Omaha Inland Port Authority opened the door Thursday to seeking a consultant to lay a framework for how such an urban hotbed of leading-edge institutions, businesses, and entrepreneurs could operate within its 300-acre jurisdiction. A state law passed this year directed $30 million to the Omaha port authority to fuel the creation of an innovation district.

During the port authority’s monthly meeting, board members ultimately delayed the effort to seek requests for consulting services for the innovation district. Members said they wanted to further review verbiage. According to public records, the consultant would, among other things, recommend strategic and financial approaches to shaping the innovation district. It would involve community members, local businesses, and governmental entities to develop a shared vision.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA REGENTS APPROVE ALCOHOL SALES AT HUSKER FOOTBALL, VOLLEYBALL GAMES

LINCOLN – The University of Nebraska Board of Regents has voted to allow alcohol sales at Husker football and volleyball games, starting in Fall 2025. This decision marks a significant change, as Nebraska was the only school in the Big Ten to prohibit alcohol sales during football games.

Previously, the Regents had approved alcohol sales at basketball, baseball, and softball events. NU President Gold stated that a portion of the revenue generated from alcohol sales will be reinvested into university-sponsored “alcohol safety programs,” aiming to promote responsible consumption on campus.

For the full article click HERE

AS DROUGHT WORSENS IN NEBRASKA, SO DOES FIRE DANGER

NEBRASKA- Drought is continuing to get worse in Nebraska thanks to unseasonably warm and dry weather, leading to high fire danger in many places. According to the latest Drought Monitor released Thursday by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, almost half of the state is now in at least a moderate drought.

The dry conditions are widespread across the state. Omaha, Norfolk, and Sidney all saw their driest Septembers ever. Kearney saw its second-driest September, Hastings and Valentine both had their third-driest, Chadron had its fourth-driest, and Grand Island had its fifth-driest. The dry conditions have led to both red flag warnings and fire weather watches across large portions of western, central, and northeast Nebraska, as dry vegetation along with hot and windy conditions has increased the danger of wildfires.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA HOSPITALS URGE SENIORS TO EXAMINE MEDICARE OPTIONS, BE CAUTIOUS OF MEDICARE ADVANTAGE

LINCOLN- With just under two weeks before the Medicare open enrollment period begins, Nebraska hospital officials urged seniors to look carefully and make sure they know what they’re signing up for when they select a plan. During open enrollment, seniors can choose between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, which are administered by private health insurers. A shift has been underway in recent years, with about 54% of the eligible Medicare population now enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans.

The plans can look appealing when compared with traditional Medicare, Jeremy Nordquist, president of the Nebraska Hospital Association, said. They may offer lower out-of-pocket expenses and additional benefits including dental, vision, and hearing coverage, as well as perks such as free groceries and gym memberships. But Nordquist added during a media call Tuesday that some Medicare Advantage plans restrict access to health services by inappropriately denying covered services that are medically necessary and by requiring extensive documentation to demonstrate that necessity.

For the full article click HERE

SURVEY SHOWS NEBRASKA RURAL YOUTHS LIKE THEIR SMALL-TOWN LIVING

LINCOLN- Five years of data from a student survey coordinated by the Nebraska Community Foundation is in and the consensus shows that rural youths like their small-town living. The foundation released cumulative results of an annual youth survey conducted since 2020 in partnership with the Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Respondents are about 4,000 middle and high school students from 43 schools in cities and towns as small as Diller, population less than 250, and as large as Norfolk, which has nearly 26,000 residents. With a network that stretches across 270 Nebraska communities, foundation officials said the survey was designed to better understand the priorities and perspectives of young people growing up in rural areas as well as their expectations for the future.

Brain drain, or educated professionals leaving the state, has been a persistent concern, noted Josie Schafer, who heads CPAR at UNO, but the exodus of Nebraskans of all ages and education levels combined has slowed down according to the most recent U.S. Census data for 2023. That suggests that perhaps younger people may not be fleeing in the same way and as fast as in the past, Schafer said. Specific and updated brain drain census data won’t be available until later this year.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA AG JOINS CONTINUED FIGHT AGAINST MASSACHUSETTS ANIMAL CONFINEMENT LAW

LINCOLN- Twenty-two pork-production states are pushing for an appeal of a federal district court ruling that upheld a 2016 ballot measure in Massachusetts to prohibit the sale of pork, poultry, and veal from livestock that was “confined in a cruel manner.” The 2016 measure, known as Question 3, has been challenged multiple times by hog farmers and pork coalitions with the support of a coalition of pork producers in 2023.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird headed an amici curiae, or an informational brief in support of one side of a case, with 21 additional states to voice opposition to laws that impose “unworkable restrictions” on hog producers. Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers was one of those who signed on.

The law is similar to California’s Proposition 12 in that both restrict the sale of meat from pigs, calves raised for veal, or egg-laying hens that were raised in a confining manner, “that prevents the animal from lying down, standing up, fully extending its limbs, or turning around freely.”

For the full article click HERE

GRETNA LANDING WILL BE THE SITE OF NEW FACILITY FOR OMAHA PRO VOLLEYBALL TEAM

GRETNA- The professional League One Volleyball organization announced Tuesday it would break ground on a 66,000-square-foot training center at Gretna Landing. "Omaha is the center of women's volleyball and our new five-star facility embodies our commitment to providing players, youth to pro, with an unprecedented edge," League One Volleyball President Mike Bufano said in a press release.

The volleyball facility will be located near the intersection of 192nd Street and Nebraska 370. Plans for the center include 10 courts, locker rooms, a pro shop, a cafe, and development and strength training rooms.

For the full article click HERE

AUTOPSY FOR 17-YEAR-OLD WHO DIED AT PILLEN FAMILY FARM LOCATION PROVIDES MORE DETAILS ON DEATH

BOONE COUNTY- The autopsy report for the 17-year-old who was found dead in April at a Pillen Family Farms property in central Nebraska could not determine an exact cause of death, but a Douglas County pathologist said the boy's lungs showed signs of a possible allergic reaction, including mucus congestion and fluids.

Zachary Panther was seen in video footage blowing his nose multiple times before being found unresponsive in a mechanical room at Beaver Valley Pork Company in Boone County at about 11:30 a.m. April 1. The Beaver Valley Pork Company is a part of Pillen Family Farms owned in part by Gov. Jim Pillen.

The company raised concerns about potential air quality issues in the room where Panther was located. Douglas County pathologist Dr. Erin Linde spoke with an OSHA representative after Panther's death and said the building had a high air exchange rate. OSHA did not perform air quality measurements during its investigation. The autopsy showed Panther had no evidence of head injury or internal injuries, but pointed to a reaction to hydrogen sulfide as what likely killed him.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA'S DISTRICT 1 CANDIDATES TOUT DIFFERING EXPERIENCES IN RACE TO REPLACE SLAMA

LINCOLN- The race to succeed outgoing Senator Slama in the Nebraska Legislature has drawn two contenders who recently shared their visions with the Lincoln Journal Star. Dennis Schaardt, a local business owner, and Bob Hallstrom, a former lobbyist, entered the contest in February following Senator Slama's unexpected announcement not to seek reelection.

Both candidates share a commitment to enhancing economic development in rural Nebraska, but they aim to distinguish themselves through their unique perspectives and experiences. Schaardt is prioritizing initiatives like expanded broadband access and improved childcare options, which he believes are crucial for job retention and growth.

In contrast, Hallstrom is leveraging his four decades of experience as a lobbyist in Lincoln, asserting that his extensive background equips him to be an influential senator. Meanwhile, Schaardt highlights his tenure as mayor of Table Rock and as a Pawnee County commissioner, emphasizing that these roles have kept him deeply connected to the needs and concerns of the district's residents.

For the full article click HERE

Read more about the LD1 race on our Election Guide by clicking HERE

FIRST BALLOTS MAILED TO NEBRASKA RESIDENTS FOR 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

OMAHA- The first ballots for Nebraska's 2024 presidential general election are now being mailed out. The Douglas County Election Commission said about 85,000 early voting ballots were being sent Monday and Tuesday. In Sarpy County, about 6,750 voters have requested an early ballot, officials said.

Ballots come in Kraft-colored envelopes, 6 inches by 9 inches, with a return envelope, the Douglas County Election Commission said. If household members don’t receive their ballots together, wait two days before contacting the office. The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is Oct. 25 at 6 p.m.

For the full article click HERE

DISTRICT COURT JUDGE DISMISSES SOME BUT NOT ALL CHARGES IN NEBRASKA MEDICAL CANNABIS LAWSUIT

LINCOLN- A Lancaster County District Court judge Friday allowed a lawsuit against the state’s active medical cannabis petitions to proceed. In a 14-page ruling, Judge Susan Strong determined that the lawsuit from John Kuehn, a veterinarian, rancher, former state senator and former member of the Nebraska State Board of Health, should proceed on two counts related to voter signatures. The judge dismissed the other complaints on a ballot sponsor statement and the Nebraska Constitution’s “single subject” rule.

Kuehn has alleged there are more than enough improperly counted valid signatures that the two medical cannabis petitions should be withheld from the Nov. 5 ballot. The campaign needs 86,499 valid signatures on its two petitions to regulate and legalize the drug. Secretary of State Bob Evnen, who is also named in the lawsuit, validated nearly 90,000 signatures on both petitions on Sept. 13, the final day to do so.

For the full article click HERE

NOTARY CHARGED IN ONGOING INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGED FRAUD ON NEBRASKA MEDICAL CANNABIS PETITIONS

LINCOLN- A notary public has been charged with two dozen counts of “official misconduct” in an ongoing statewide investigation into alleged fraud on two Nebraska medical cannabis petitions. Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Hall County Attorney Marty Klein announced the charges Wednesday against Jacy C. Todd, a 53-year-old man from York. Todd is a co-owner of Herban Pulse, a CBD health and wellness shop in Grand Island.

Law enforcement alleges Todd illegally notarized multiple petitions in Grand Island outside the presence of at least one petition circulator. The 24 counts are specific dates on which Todd allegedly “knowingly” violated the law while performing his official duties, between Jan. 29 and July 2. “Election integrity is the bedrock of our democratic republic, and the public expects that those seeking to put an issue on the ballot follow the law,” Hilgers said in a statement.

For the full article click HERE

POLL WORKERS CAN BE HARD TO FIND; IN NEBRASKA, ELECTION OFFICIALS CAN DRAFT THEM

OMAHA- Finding poll workers is a regular challenge for election officials. However, Nebraska has a unique solution: It allows counties to draft workers to fill needs like jury duty. The secretary of state’s office says it’s only aware of two Nebraska counties using a poll worker draft this election cycle: Omaha’s Douglas County and just south of it, Sarpy County.

In Douglas County, any registered voter is eligible and may receive a letter in the mail requiring them to serve. Even though it’s been used for years, Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse said many voters aren’t familiar with the draft and are skeptical when they receive the letter. Voters here can’t get out of the draft unless they’re over 70 years old, don’t speak English, or they take themselves off the voter rolls.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER SUBMITS RESIGNATION

LINCOLN- Board member Jacquelyn Morrison of Omaha submitted her resignation on Sept. 6, after the board’s most recent meeting. She was elected to the board in 2020. The eight-member board oversees the Nebraska Department of Education and educational policy in the state, primarily over public K-12 schools and school districts.

Should the board accept Morrison’s resignation, as it is expected to do, Gov. Jim Pillen would appoint a successor. That must be done within 45 days, or by mid-November. Pillen’s appointee would serve the remainder of Morrison’s term, through early January. The board meets just once more this year, on Dec. 6 in Lincoln. None of the four board members whose seats are up for election this fall, including Morrison, filed to seek reelection.

The two candidates vying for Morrison’s seat on Nov. 5 are Liz Renner, a documentary filmmaker and communications professional, and LeDonna White Griffin, a former teacher and principal in Omaha Public Schools who founded and is the CEO of Leaders to Legends Academy, which supports families in private and homeschool settings.

For the full article click HERE

GWEN WALZ TO VISIT NEBRASKA ON SATURDAY FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS BUS TOUR

OMAHA- Former Nebraska teacher and Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz is making a stop Saturday in Omaha, on the first weekend after her husband’s vice presidential debate. The Democratic campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced that Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz is making a stop Saturday in Omaha, hours before Gov. Walz was to face off with Republican U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, former President Donald Trump’s running mate.

Gwen Walz previously joined Tim at a Nebraska rally on Aug. 17 in La Vista. She is one of many campaign surrogates and supporters visiting the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District. The Saturday event is one of about 60 planned stops nationally to highlight the differences between Harris and Trump on abortion rights and other forms of reproductive care, including contraception.

For the full article click HERE

WAR OF WORDS IN FISCHER-OSBORN U.S. SENATE RACE IN NEBRASKA

LINCOLN– Dan Osborn, an independent candidate for the Senate, has issued a cease-and-desist letter to a Super PAC associated with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, claiming that the PAC's advertisements contain false and defamatory statements about him.

The letter contends that the ads misrepresent Osborn's position, specifically citing an inaccurate quote attributed to him. The complaint further asserts that the ads were created with “actual malice.”

In the controversial campaign materials, Osborn is depicted as a liberal Democrat, alongside a mischaracterized statement suggesting he supports providing social security benefits to immigrants. Osborn’s campaign clarifies that he was specifically referring to immigrants who have contributed to social security through payroll deductions and argues that they are entitled to the benefits they have earned.

For the full article click HERE

DEMOCRAT ANN ASHFORD ENDORSES GOP U.S. REP. DON BACON IN 2ND DISTRICT

OMAHA- Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon secured the endorsement Monday of Ann Ashford, a former Democratic candidate for his House seat and widow of former Rep. Brad Ashford, whom Bacon defeated in 2016. Ashford said she supported Bacon partly because outside groups advertising in congressional campaigns keep trying to label candidates like Bacon and her late husband as extreme when she says they are centrists.

Her decision disappointed some Democrats who said it might help Bacon amplify congressional ratings crediting his work across party lines. Nebraska Democrats have long argued that Bacon is more partisan than he portrays himself. Bacon said he was grateful to have her support and that his relationship with the Ashfords is based on years of “respect.”

For the full article click HERE

RICKETTS TOUTS LAW ENFORCEMENT ENDORSEMENTS IN NEBRASKA U.S. SENATE RACE

OMAHA- Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, running to fill out the remainder of his first term in federal office, rolled out some law enforcement union endorsements recently. The former Nebraska governor received endorsements from the Omaha Police Officers Association and the Nebraska Fraternal Order of Police in his race against Democratic nominee Preston Love Jr.

Ricketts, who was appointed to former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse’s seat, was flanked Tuesday by Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine. Both unions and prosecutors described Ricketts as the best choice for public safety, pointing to his support for state and federal funding to boost recruiting and retention of law enforcement officers.

For the full article click HERE