WINDSTREAM AGREES TO MAKE $1M UPGRADES AS NEBRASKA DISMISSES 911 OUTAGE COMPLAINT

LINCOLN- One of the telecommunications providers responsible for a string of 911 outages in Nebraska over the last year has agreed to make more than $1 million worth of upgrades to its infrastructure and network, settling with state regulators who in turn agreed to dismiss a complaint they had filed against the company. Windstream, the Arkansas-based provider responsible for three 911 service outages in Nebraska between September 2023 and January, will avoid paying millions of dollars in fines or having its carrier designation revoked as a result of the settlement, which regulators unanimously approved Wednesday morning.

The settlement comes more than a year after a water leak at the provider's downtown Lincoln data center kicked off a chain of events that eventually led to 911 working either sporadically or not at all in Southeast Nebraska for several hours between Sept. 2 and 3 of 2023. That outage, along with two shorter disruptions in November and January, prompted an investigation that led to the State 911 Department filing a formal complaint in July against Windstream with the Public Service Commission, the state regulatory body that oversees numerous industries, including the telecommunications industry and the 911 department.

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COTTAGE-HEAVY RENTAL NEIGHBORHOOD ADDS DIFFERENT APPROACH TO TACKLING NEBRASKA HOUSING SHORTAGE

OMAHA- Sprouting along a fast-growing Elkhorn area corridor is a collection of what will be 327 market-rate residences with amenities including a clubhouse, pickleball courts, and a dog park. The former 40 acres of farmland is to be occupied largely by 109 stand-alone cottages. Also on the site, called Aerie Blue Sage, will be duplexes with garages, townhomes with private rooftop decks and a cluster of low-rise apartment buildings.

Developer Joe Slosburg says that while different for Nebraska, the build-to-rent “modern neighborhood” that his company will own and maintain represents a trend that’s been ramping up in other places. Slosburg is part of an Omaha-area family that has been active in commercial real estate for more than a century. He and his father, David, launched the separate Spruce Capital entity about five years ago and this is its first Omaha project.

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SUMMER FOOD AID PROGRAM GOV. JIM PILLEN AT FIRST SNUBBED IS DEEMED A 'SUCCESS'

LINCOLN- A federally funded summer food aid program for low-income youths, which Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen initially rejected but later accepted, wrapped up with greater-than-anticipated participation. “Lots of families we’ve talked to are saying they were able to stretch their dollars longer, buy healthier foods because of these benefits,” said Eric Savaiano, food and nutrition access for nonprofit Nebraska Appleseed. “We’re really proud of our state for getting it up and going.”

Early on, state officials estimated that 175,000 students, or 80,000 households, would be eligible to receive grocery assistance through the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program. According to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, the initiative across the state served 199,272 students or 121,855 families. The effort, administered by DHHS in partnership with the Nebraska Department of Education, is designed by the federal government to provide access to nutritious food during the summer when school is out.

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AVERAGE ACT SCORE DIPS SLIGHTLY AGAIN, BUT STUDENTS OUTPERFORM MOST PEER STATES

OMAHA – Nebraska's average ACT score has declined to 19.1, a slight drop from 19.2 in 2023, 19.4 in 2022, and 20.0 in 2021. This downward trend mirrors the national average, which fell from 19.5 to 19.4 over the same period. Despite the decrease, Nebraska's average remains among the highest in the nation, with only Montana (19.5) and Wisconsin (19.4) scoring higher.

All Nebraska public school juniors are required to take the ACT as part of the Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System. Overall, 95% of Nebraska's public and private school graduates participated in the exam, according to state education officials.

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GOV. JIM PILLEN APPROVES CASEY RICKETTS TO LEAD RACING AND GAMING COMMISSION

LINCOLN- Gov. Jim Pillen on Wednesday approved the selection of Casey Ricketts to lead the agency that regulates casino gambling and horse racing in the state. Ricketts, one of four finalists for the executive director job, had been serving as interim director of the agency. Members of the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission voted unanimously last week to submit her name to the governor for consideration.

Last January, the commission appointed Ricketts interim director after former Director Tom Sage announced his retirement. While serving as interim director, Ricketts also held the job of director of compliance, a role she has been in since 2022. Before that, she worked as a deputy sheriff within the commission and served in the Nebraska Department of Revenue and the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office.

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AFTER 22 MONTH SEARCH, NEBRASKA GOV. JIM PILLEN TABS NEW BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIRECTOR

LINCOLN- Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen picked a new director Tuesday to lead the Behavioral Health division within the state's Department of Health and Human Services, filling a vacancy that had been open since Pillen took office nearly two years ago. Pillen tabbed Dr. Thomas Janousek, who has been the deputy director of clinical excellence within HHS's Behavioral Health division since October 2022, to lead the division, the governor's office announced Tuesday.

Janousek, a former neuropsychologist at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln who previously served as the vice president of quality and compliance at Burrell Behavioral Health in Missouri, will take over the division on Monday. Janousek earned his doctorate in psychology from the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, which closed its campuses in Springfield and St. Louis, Missouri, amid financial difficulties in 2015, the year Janousek earned his doctorate.

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LAWMAKERS PROPOSE 2025 LEGISLATION TO FIX 'MISSING YEAR' OF PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

LINCOLN- A group of state lawmakers is rallying support for potential 2025 legislation aimed at plugging a ‘hole’ left in this tax year by a last-minute compromise during a summer special session focused on property tax relief. State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard is among the coalition’s leading voices. Though term-limited, he drafted legislation to address the “error” he first called out after the special session: a “missing year” of tax relief, because there will be no income tax credits next year for the property taxes paid in 2024.

Erdman and fellow term-limited State Sens. Justin Wayne of Omaha and Steve Halloran of Hastings were the only three lawmakers to oppose Legislative Bill 34 in this summer’s special session. All three sought more substantive policies. Erdman called the proposal he and five other lawmakers unveiled Thursday “a starting point.”

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NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE RELEASES GENERAL FUND RECEIPTS

LINCOLN- Tax Commissioner James R. Kamm reports that gross General Fund receipts for September were $861 million, which is 4.3% above the forecast of $826 million. The comparisons in the report are based on the estimates made by the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board (Board) on February 29, 2024.

This forecast was adjusted for legislation passed in 2024, divided into monthly estimates, and certified to the Clerk of the Legislature by the Tax Commissioner and Legislative Fiscal Analyst on July 12, 2024. It was then re-certified on August 29, 2024, to include adjustments from legislation passed in the Special Session. Previous monthly press releases are found at https://revenue.nebraska.gov/about/news-releases/general-fund-receipts-news-releases.

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WILL NEBRASKA GOP HOLD ON TO ITS SUPER MAJORITY IN THE LEGISLATURE? THESE RACES MAY DECIDE

LINCOLN - A few key races this fall will decide whether Nebraska Republicans can maintain their 33-vote majority in the Legislature, crucial for passing legislation as it is the minimum number of votes needed to overcome a filibuster. The GOP reached this threshold in April when Sen. Mike McDonnell switched from Democrat to Republican. However, observers are unsure if Republicans can keep their majority or unite on controversial issues.

The Nebraska Unicameral Legislature is officially nonpartisan, but party lines often influence voting. Races are heating up in Sarpy County, Omaha, and Grand Island, with some seats potentially flipping between parties. The outcome could significantly affect future legislation, including high-profile issues like abortion and education.

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US SEN. PETE RICKETTS FACES 'LONG-SHOT' OPPONENT IN NEBRASKA'S 2-YEAR SENATE RACE

LINCOLN- In a special election widely considered uncompetitive, incumbent U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts is favored over civil rights activist and 2020 Senate write-in candidate Preston Love Jr. The winning candidate will finish the term of former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, who left his position in 2022 for a brief tenure as the president of the University of Florida.

Ricketts, who Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen appointed to fill Sasse’s seat last year, has said he will seek a full six-year Senate term in 2026. Though Ricketts has been in Nebraska politics for more than a decade, the November election will be his first general election appearance since 2018, when he was reelected to a second term as governor.

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NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE, DISTRICT 13: ATTORNEY, NONPROFIT EXEC COMPETE FOR NORTHEAST OMAHA SEAT

OMAHA- Two Omaha natives with similar political views and long histories of community involvement are vying for northeast Douglas County's District 13 seat in the Nebraska Legislature. Attorney Nick Batter emerged at the top of a competitive primary election, making him the only nonpartisan candidate to win a legislative primary since veteran Omaha lawmaker, Ernie Chambers. Nonprofit executive Ashlei Spivey took second place, despite having the smallest campaign fund of the four primary candidates in the district.

The winner will replace State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who is barred by term limits from seeking reelection, in representing a district that stretches from the Missouri River west to North 132nd Street along the Washington County line and includes the Ponca Hills and Lake Cunningham areas. District 13 residents vary widely, both racially and economically, and the district includes rural and urban areas. When it comes to politics, Democrats are the majority. As of September, they accounted for about 48% of the district's registered voters, while nonpartisan voters accounted for nearly 27% and Republicans about 25%.

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NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE, DISTRICT 49: SARPY COUNTY DEMOCRAT FACES GOP CHALLENGER IN REELECTION BID

LINCOLN- In Sarpy County, a Democrat is seeking reelection to the Nebraska Legislature, but is facing a close race from a Republican challenger looking to unseat her. State Sen. Jen Day of Omaha was elected to serve District 49 in 2020. This year, she is running against defense contractor and retired U.S. Air Force veteran Bob Andersen. With a majority of the district's voters being registered Republicans, Andersen may have an edge this November, but Day has defeated a GOP candidate before.

In 2020, Day won when she ran against Republican incumbent Sen. Andrew LaGrone by less than 300 votes. The gap between registered Republicans to Democrats in the district has narrowed slightly since, but Republicans still outnumber Democratic voters 13,219 to 7,288, with an additional 7,959 nonpartisan voters, according to the latest voter registration records.

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NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE, DISTRICT 39: LAWYERS VIE TO SUCCEED LOU ANN LINEHAN ELKHORN RACE

ELKHORN- Two lawyers are competing to replace the term-limited Sen. Lou Ann Linehan in representing District 39, which includes Elkhorn, Waterloo, and part of west Omaha. Tony Sorrentino, 70, has a background in health insurance and finance, while Allison Heimes, 33, works on immigration.

Linehan has focused much of her legislative energy on untying the property tax overhaul and public school funding in Nebraska. Sorrentino sees himself as well positioned to pick up that mission. He has worked as a certified public accountant and attorney, advising businesses about employee benefits. He spent 32 years in leadership positions at SilverStone Group, a large insurance brokerage, and still runs a small consulting firm.

Heimes wants to create incentives for new college graduates in the mental health field to stay in Nebraska and ease licensing restrictions for those moving from out-of-state. She would also push for investment in crisis response programs and boost partnerships with nonprofits.

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NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE, DISTRICT 5: VOTERS HAVE STARK CHOICE IN SOUTH OMAHA LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT

OMAHA- Two candidates with starkly different political views but similarly low-budget campaigns are competing for South Omaha's District 5 legislative seat. Margo Juarez, a Democrat on the Omaha Public Schools board, won the three-way May primary. Gilbert Ayala, a frequent Republican candidate, came in second.

The winner in the general election will replace State Sen. Mike McDonnell, a Democrat turned Republican who is barred by term limits from seeking reelection. The district leans heavily Democratic, with more than 45% of voters registered to the party. Another 29% are registered as nonpartisan and 25% are Republicans.

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NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE, DISTRICT 45: VIEWS ON ABORTION, GENDER, 'SCHOOL CHOICE' OFFER CONTRAST

BELLEVUE- Voters of eastern Sarpy County's District 45 will pick between a Democrat and a Republican with sharply contrasting views on abortion, gender, and 'school choice.' Rita Sanders, a Republican businessperson and former mayor of Bellevue who is backed by a broad array of business interests, is seeking her second term in the Legislature. Democrat Sarah Centineo, an attorney who said she taps her nursing experience to advocate for people hurt by medical malpractice, is backed by trial attorneys and a couple of big labor unions.

Sanders said a top priority for her would be addressing the state's future energy needs, in particular exploring the possibilities of energy from spent nuclear fuel, what used to be called waste. Centineo said her healthcare background would set her apart from most state senators. The district covers the eastern quarter of Sarpy County, including parts of Bellevue.

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FORWARD PARTY LEADERS STUMP IN NEBRASKA FOR NONPARTISAN CANDIDATES

OMAHA- Forward Party leaders came to Omaha on Tuesday to discuss the need for independent voices in politics and to show support for local nonpartisan candidates running for office. Harold’s Koffee House in the Florence area was among the stops for Andrew Yang, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate who later started the Forward Party, and the party’s executive chair, former Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey.

The two had a bite to eat with and spoke on behalf of Nick Batter, a nonpartisan candidate for Legislative District 13 in the officially nonpartisan Nebraska Legislature. Yang and Healey said they were in town also to support Dan Osborn, a nonpartisan candidate for U.S. Senate running against incumbent Republican Deb Fischer.

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HEARINGS ON COMPETING NEBRASKA ABORTION INITIATIVES MIRROR CAMPAIGN

LINCOLN- Nebraska’s dueling ballot initiatives on abortion had separate hearings Tuesday at the Capitol, with the testimony largely echoing the campaign fight between the sponsors. Advocates for additional abortion restrictions spoke in support of Initiative 434, which would allow no abortions after the first trimester of pregnancy, with some exceptions. Critics of the restrictions amendment said it was designed to leave the Nebraska Legislature the option of limiting abortion more than the amendment calls for, up to and including a total ban.

Abortion-rights advocates supported Initiative 439, which would put a right to abortion in the Nebraska Constitution until fetal viability, as defined by a treating health care practitioner. Critics of the abortion-rights measure argued it would leave too much room for midwives and doulas to decide viability, decisions they said were best left to doctors.

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NEBRASKA SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS VOTING RIGHTS FOR FELONS

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Supreme Court ordered the secretary of state on Wednesday to allow people with felony convictions to vote after finishing their sentences, resolving confusion about who can participate in this year’s election and rejecting an argument by the state attorney general that lawmakers overstepped in extending voting rights to those with convictions.

The ruling will help shape the state’s electorate, which can carry special importance in presidential races because of the way Nebraska splits its Electoral College votes by congressional district rather than using the winner-takes-all approach of most states. Nebraska also has a competitive U.S. Senate race this year, as well as a tightly contested U.S. House race in the Omaha area. The debate in Nebraska played out at a time when Republican officials in several states were seeking to tighten voter registration rules or reconsidering when people with felony convictions should be eligible to cast ballots.

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THREE OF FOUR INCUMBENT NU REGENTS FACE CHALLENGERS THIS ELECTION

LINCOLN- Four seats are up for election this November on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, responsible for governance and oversight of the state's only public university system. Each of the four elections features a sitting incumbent, but only three of the races will be contested this fall.

The eight-member Board of Regents is responsible for hiring NU's president, setting tuition and room and board rates for students, approving annual operating budgets, and reviewing academic programs.

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BACON, VARGAS SPEND FINAL 2ND DISTRICT DEBATE SWINGING FOR UNDECIDEDS

OMAHA - State Senator Tony Vargas and U.S. Representative Don Bacon had their third and final debate before the November General Election. The highly contentious debate focused on support for law enforcement, taxes, abortion, and climate change. 

Bacon focused on his support of law enforcement and accused Vargas of “leading” protests against the police in 2020. Vargas denied the accusation and pointed Bacon to witness accounts of the protest. When given the chance to state what they liked about the other candidate, both attacked each other for “spreading misinformation” and being a “phony”.

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