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Google confirms Lincoln’s $600M data center, touts this year’s $1.2B spend on NE infrastructure
PAPILLION — For years in Nebraska’s capital city, it was known by code name Agate. On Tuesday, the gem officially was out of the bag — as Google officials confirmed publicly that it is behind the $600 million Lincoln data center poised to rise on roughly 580 acres near Interstate 80 and North 56th Street. […]
Gov. Pillen assembles a group to help solve Nebraska’s workforce shortage
LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen has assembled a new group — representing state government, chambers of commerce, education and private businesses — to examine the oft-discussed state workforce shortage. “We need to solve this problem if we are to continue growing Nebraska,” Pillen said in a statement. He pointed out the state’s low unemployment rate, […]
‘Historic’ gift to Creighton University aims to help Nebraska’s nursing shortage
OMAHA — A $5.2 million gift to Creighton University, from a family whose name is known also for growing ConAgra Foods, will create a new scholarship fund to help meet a critical need for Nebraska nursing leaders. The Harper Family Foundation gift was described as historic based on its size, being one of the largest […]
The rest of ‘The RiverFront’ project now open in Omaha, finally offering a ‘return to the river’
OMAHA — Toes were wiggling Friday in the sand of downtown Omaha’s new urban beach. Kids climbed slide towers; people checked out the skating rink. And in one of the more dramatic changes to Omaha’s riverfront, a newly built pier extended Farnam Street to overlook the Missouri River, allowing the public an up-close look at […]
Omaha FBI warns of scheme that uses teen ‘money mules’ to distribute online child sexual abuse material
OMAHA — Teen-agers reportedly are being used as online “money mules” in what local FBI officials are calling a disturbing new way that perpetrators are profiting from child sexual abuse material. The Omaha FBI office called a media conference Thursday to alert Nebraskans and bring attention to the scheme. The agents said that producers of […]
Nebraska ranks 37th for rate of labor force that works from home
OMAHA — Nebraska ranks 37th among states for the share of those who work from home — a low-end showing fueled by the high number of low-wage jobs that don’t allow for the flexibility of remote working. That’s according to a report by the Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Nebraska at […]
Eight Nebraska communities to share about $7 million for flood recovery projects
LINCOLN — Eight Nebraska communities will share about $7 million in grants to assist with long-term disaster recovery projects. The awards, announced by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, come from the federal Community Development Block Grant program. They provide a local 25% match, or gap funding, required for federal funding allocated earlier to Nebraska […]
Labor trafficking in Nebraska, how prevalent is it? UNO research team aims to find out.
OMAHA — Local university researchers are embarking on a two-year probe into how widespread illegal labor trafficking is in Nebraska. Boosted by a roughly $500,000 grant from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the project is led by Teresa Kulig and Sadaf Hashimi, both assistant professors of criminal justice at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. […]
Students within the University of Nebraska system save some bucks on books
OMAHA — The University of Nebraska system has saved students an estimated $16.7 million in textbook and course material costs over the last five years through its “Open Nebraska” initiative, which is aimed at making school more affordable. That surpasses a goal to hit $10 million in savings through that effort by the end of […]
A ‘big catch’ fish story: How the channel catfish became a Nebraska symbol
OMAHA — It’s not often a fourth-grader probes deep into state history with a query like: Why doesn’t Nebraska have an official state fish? Or so thought Valley Elementary teacher Sandy Perry back in late 1996, when Robby Brokaw posed the question to his class of 9- and 10-year-olds. “Wonderful,” Perry said, recalling the moment. […]
Nebraska Diplomats group recognizes boosters of economic vitality
LINCOLN — The Nebraska Diplomats announced their annual awards this week, including shout-outs to a popcorn plant, a window business and the home of the newly renovated Canteen District. The group presented its awards during its annual banquet Tuesday in Kearney. Presenters at the event, which organizers said drew about 500 people, were Gov. Jim […]
MUD says its payout to plaintiffs in 2016 Old Market fire totals $3.15 million
OMAHA — The publicly owned Metropolitan Utilities District has agreed to pay the last claim left in the 2016 Old Market explosion case — bringing MUD’s combined plaintiffs’ payout to $3.15 million. The $975,000 settlement with M’s Pub was approved Aug. 2 by the MUD Board, said M’s attorney, Tom White. It follows more than […]