Briefs
UNMC gets high rankings in national report
The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s primary care program was ranked seventh out of 124 institutions nationwide, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report best graduate schools rankings. Primary care is considered family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics or internal medicine pediatrics, said a media release from the UNMC. UNMC also tied […]
Time runs out on Nebraska proposal to increase penalties for assaulting a bus driver
LINCOLN — Omaha bus driver Joe Boncordo told state lawmakers in February that while behind the wheel he’s been hit, spit on and threatened with a knife. One woman came at him with a Taser while was driving but “didn’t get me,” he said, though she threatened to kill him or have “my boys” kill […]
Governor would get ‘quick action fund’ to close deals under bill advanced Thursday
LINCOLN — A Nebraska governor would have a “quick action” fund to help close deals on new “high impact” businesses or expansions of companies under a bill given narrow, first-round approval Thursday. State Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha sponsored the idea, telling colleagues that in Oklahoma, the governor has used its “quick action closing fund” […]
More than $600,000 in “impact” grants go to boost area housing and small-business efforts
More than $600,000 in grants from First National Bank of Omaha will help boost affordable housing, neighborhood stability and small-business development in Nebraska and western Iowa. The funds are to go to 28 area organizations devoted to those efforts. They’re part of First National’s broader disbursement of $880,000 in “impact grants” to 44 organizations in […]
AG says state will drop lawsuit against Omaha, health director on mask mandate ordinance
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to add the mayor’s comments after signing the revised ordinance. OMAHA — Omaha is adding a new layer of elected oversight to the final decision on any future mask mandates, which is enough to get the State of Nebraska to drop its lawsuit against the city and its […]
Pansing Brooks picked by Democrats for special election to fill Fortenberry term
LINCOLN — As expected, State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln was named Tuesday as the Democratic Party’s candidate for the special election to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry. A special election will be held June 28 to fill out Fortenberry’s remaining term. He resigned March 31 after […]
Nebraska turnback tax grants decline in 2022 due to pandemic
LINCOLN — The COVID-19 pandemic was not kind to the state’s Civic and Community Center Financing Fund, which awarded far fewer grants in 2022 than prior to the onset of the pandemic in 2019. The Nebraska Department of Economic Development announced Friday that it was awarding $1.2 million in grants this year from the fund, […]
Progressive group launches campaign to ‘unrig’ the economy, targeting U.S. Rep. Don Bacon
A group called Unrig the Economy Nebraska launched Saturday to target votes taken by U.S. Rep. Don Bacon
Thibodeau picks bombastic rural voice, podcaster Loos as running mate in Nebraska governor’s race
Former State Sen. Theresa Thibodeau of Omaha announced her running mate Thursday in the Republican primary race for governor. She picked a name familiar to many in Nebraska’s sprawling, largely rural 3rd Congressional District. Thibodeau tapped Trent Loos, a bombastic central Nebraska rancher known for his rural radio show and conservative political podcast. “A one-size-fits-all […]
More bird flu found in Buena Vista County, Iowa, and Holt County, Nebraska
A deadly and highly contagious avian influenza was found in a commercial flock of about 35,500 turkeys in Buena Vista County, the fourth such detection in that county, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship said Wednesday. The rate of detection of the virus in Iowa has accelerated. So far there have been 10 […]
Study of Nebraska’s AltEn health, environmental impacts gets $1 million boost
LINCOLN — A last-minute amendment adopted Thursday will devote $1 million toward continuing research into the health, environmental and ecological impacts of contamination caused by the AltEn ethanol plant. A team of scientists, doctors and an engineer, volunteering their time and using donated funds for tests, has been studying the impacts of the pesticide-laced seed […]
Senate advances bill to name Benson post office bill after WWII hero Charles Jackson French
OMAHA — The Senate bill to rename the Benson branch post office after World War II hero Charles Jackson French cleared a key committee vote Wednesday and appears headed to passage as early as next week. The Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee sent the bill to the Senate floor, where Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., and […]