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Schools provide ‘kindling’ for COVID outbreaks in the community, officials say
LINCOLN — Schools provide the “kindling” for viral outbreaks, and schoolchildren are getting infected at higher rates right now, making it essential that more kids get vaccinated for COVID-19, two health experts said Sunday. Only 18.5% of children 5-11 years old in Nebraska have been vaccinated so far, and 51.1% of youths 12-19 have gotten […]
New funding for rural housing programs seen as ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ boost
AURORA, Nebraska — This city has a problem shared by lots of rural communities across the state: plenty of jobs but a shortage of housing for local workers. Local real estate agents relate stories of prospective buyers waiting months before they find the right house. One family, they say, lived in a trailer for several […]
Nebraska utilities say Bostelman plan to avoid rolling blackouts is unnecessary
LINCOLN — Representatives of the state’s public utilities lined up last week to oppose a bill that was portrayed as a way to avoid the rolling blackouts of last year’s polar vortex. No one testified in favor of a proposal presented Thursday to the Legislature’s Natural Resources Committee by State Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard, […]
Republican Lindstrom touts teamwork, ‘new generation leadership’ in first ad
The first television ad from Republican gubernatorial candidate Brett Lindstrom emphasizes his “teamwork” as a Nebraska football player and says he would bring “a new generation of leadership” to the state. The ad launched Friday. Lindstrom, a state senator and Omaha financial adviser, faces an uphill battle to match the spending of the two most […]
Nebraska lawmakers overcome filibuster, pass ‘Convention of States’ resolution
LINCOLN — Nebraska became the 17th state on Friday to pass a resolution calling for a “Convention of States” to draft proposed constitutional amendments to limit federal spending, impose term limits on U.S. senators and representatives and reduce the size of federal government. State Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings and 18 co-sponsors, all Republican, proposed […]
Fortenberry, Flood trade charges as 1st District race heats up
The race for the Republican nomination in Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District heated up Friday, with incumbent U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry attacking State Sen. Mike Flood as having a “history” of not following conservative principles, particularly on immigration issues. Flood, in a response from a campaign spokesman, later accused the congressman of “desperately lying” to divert […]
State plans to distribute free, at-home COVID-19 tests, open up hospital beds
LINCOLN — The state plans to distribute 200,000 free, at-home tests for COVID-19 and is working to open up more acute hospital beds in the state as a surge in coronavirus cases continues. The so-called “Hospital Decompression Program” would allow the move of up to 98 patients out of hospitals when they no longer require acute […]
Utilities decry proposal to appoint, rather than elect, board members
LINCOLN — A proposal to have the governor appoint the majority of board members for the state’s two largest public utilities — instead of having them elected by voters — would “take the ‘public’ out of public power,” a legislative committee was told Thursday. “One of the founding principles of public power is that citizens […]
Deja vu: Prosecutors and law enforcement again oppose some sentencing reforms
LINCOLN — Just as they did in 2015, prosecutors and law enforcement officials are criticizing criminal sentencing reforms recommended to reduce Nebraska’s nation-leading prison overcrowding as going too far. While opponents said they support some steps, such as expansion of drug courts and increasing prison rehabilitation programs, they attacked suggestions to reduce minimum sentences and […]
Meth is now Nebraska’s No. 1 drug threat, new enforcement coalition says
Citing a surge in methamphetamine seizures, a coalition of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies announced Wednesday that they are joining together to fight what the called the state’s No. 1 drug threat. Seizures of meth grew by 293% in the last five years, according to the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office. Seizures by law […]
A half-dozen training officers still waiting for their July 2021 raises
LINCOLN – Six instructors at the state’s Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island will soon get 13% raises — seven months after they were approved by state lawmakers. The case of the delayed salary increases came up Tuesday during a hearing before the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee. The committee’s chairman, State Sen. John Stinner of […]
Some question $500 million plan to resurrect irrigation canal on South Platte
LINCOLN – People lined up at the State Capitol Tuesday to support proposals by Gov. Pete Ricketts to spend the state’s allocation of $1.04 billion in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Mental health providers praised his idea of setting aside $40 million for new treatment facilities. Sports and arts groups supported the $100 million […]