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Nebraska governor candidates talk taxes, attracting talent and helping entrepreneurs
LINCOLN — Nebraska’s top candidates for governor tussled Thursday over taxes, attracting talent to the state and helping local entrepreneurs innovate. The most interesting exchanges at a forum hosted by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry addressed how the candidates would persuade more young people to live in the state. Republican Charles Herbster, the […]
Herbster gave himself 96% of his $4.9 million in fundraising last year
LINCOLN — Charles Herbster personally bankrolled $4.7 million of the $4.9 million he raised last year in his bid for the GOP governor’s nomination. His top primary opponent, Jim Pillen, gave his own campaign $1 million. But Pillen raised another $4.4 million from individual donors, for a total of $5.4 million. Herbster’s self-funding puts him […]
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem endorses Herbster in his run for Nebraska gov
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a fixture on conservative television and radio for her state’s relaxed-regulation approach to COVID-19, on Wednesday endorsed Nebraska gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster. Herbster, an early favorite in the Republican primary race, announced the endorsement by press release a day after his top opponent, Jim Pillen, got the support of the […]
Nebraska offers homeowners help after Ricketts turns down more aid for renters
LINCOLN — Days after rejecting extended federal help for renters, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts announced a plan Tuesday to help homeowners who have gotten behind on their mortgage and property tax payments during the pandemic. The new Nebraska Homeowner Assistance Fund will use $50 million in federal coronavirus relief funds to pay past due mortgage […]
Farm Bureau takes side in GOP primary, backs Pillen for governor
LINCOLN — The last time the Nebraska Farm Bureau endorsed a candidate in a competitive Republican primary for governor, in 2006, the group helped Gov. Dave Heineman beat U.S. Rep. Tom Osborne. On Tuesday, the Farm Bureau again chose sides, endorsing University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen in the GOP primary. They cited Pillen’s work […]
Bacon leads the Omaha-area pack in 2nd District House fundraising
U.S. Rep. Don Bacon heads into the 2022 re-election year with nearly $1 million in the bank and a pair of Democrats raising enough money to wage a competitive primary to face him. Bacon raised about $728,000 in the final quarter of 2021, based on year-end fundraising reports filed by Monday’s deadline. His fundraising rebounded […]
Flood’s fundraising surges, Fortenberry’s sputters
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 9:30 p.m. Monday. LINCOLN — U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry’s campaign fundraising took a hit after he was indicted last October, accused of lying to federal investigators. Fortenberry, a nine-term Republican, raised just $70,000 from donors during the last three months of 2021. By comparison, he raised more than […]
Ricketts says no to second round of rental assistance for Nebraska
Nebraskans behind on their rent might miss out on a $120 million pot of money Congress set aside to help them. Gov. Pete Ricketts said Thursday that Nebraska will not apply for a second round of federal emergency rental aid. “The federal government has said that you no longer need any impact of COVID to […]
Omaha aims for revamped urban core with streetcar, new downtown Mutual HQ
Editor’s note: This story has been updated. OMAHA — A long-discussed streetcar, free to ride and running three miles from 10th Street to midtown, was the key to Mutual of Omaha’s decision to build a skyscraper on the property that houses the city’s main library. The Nebraska Examiner broke the news of both new projects […]
Mutual of Omaha HQ headed for downtown Omaha library site
Mutual of Omaha — a corporate icon that’s been planted in midtown Omaha for decades — is poised to build a new headquarters where the city’s downtown public library stands, according to sources familiar with the project. The relocation of the Fortune 500 company, now based at 33rd and Dodge Streets, answers part of the […]
Omaha mask mandate still in place after judge’s ruling
OMAHA — Don’t put away those masks yet. The indoor mask mandate in Nebraska’s largest city on Tuesday survived the first round in the state’s lawsuit to stop it. Douglas County District Judge Shelly Stratman denied Attorney General Doug Peterson’s request to pause the Omaha mandate with a temporary injunction. Stratman sided with Douglas County […]
Herbster and Pillen squabble over the importance of a governor having children
Two top Republicans running for governor squabbled Monday over University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen’s recent comments on parenthood and public service. Pillen, asked last week what separated him from fellow GOP competitors, said having children gave him perspective and focused him on the next generation. “If you don’t have a family, it doesn’t make […]