News
History foundation reaches agreement with state over $270,000 in misdirected COVID-19 funds
LINCOLN — The History Nebraska Foundation has reached a financial settlement with the state over $270,000 in COVID-19 relief that was re-directed away from that purpose. The re-direction of the money led to the filing of a felony theft by deception charge against the now former director of History Nebraska, Trevor Jones. The episode has […]
Minnesota governor says Democrats need to ‘focus on what improves people’s lives’
OMAHA — The Democratic governor of Minnesota, a state that has passed progressive policies on abortion and education, urged Nebraska Democrats on Friday to emphasize grass-roots efforts, and “skate to where the puck is going to be.” “Don’t wait for a savior candidate to come along and be fantastic in a debate and run these […]
No interruption for now to DHHS services for Nebraska ‘Women, Infants and Children’ program
LINCOLN — Nebraska families receiving benefits from the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program should not be affected by the pending federal government shutdown, at least not for now, the state Department of Health and Human Services said Friday. In Nebraska, WIC each month provides healthy food, breastfeeding support, nutrition information and referrals to about […]
Women workers could bear economic brunt as federal child care funding ends
A huge chunk of pandemic relief funding that kept child care programs afloat for the past few years is set to run out Saturday, and policy advocates say the economic impact will be profound, with the ripple effect hurting labor force participation and consumer spending at a time when the country is still trying to […]
Government shutdown nears: U.S. House GOP fails to pass one-month spending plan
WASHINGTON — A sweeping government shutdown appeared inevitable on Friday, with the U.S. Senate stuck in a procedural holding pattern on its bipartisan stopgap bill and divided U.S. House Republicans unable to pass their short-term spending bill. Both chambers of Congress must approve and President Joe Biden must sign government funding legislation before midnight on […]
Shutdown would mean even more delays in overwhelmed U.S. immigration courts
WASHINGTON — A looming partial government shutdown will put added pressure on an already strained system — U.S. immigration courts. Canceling or rescheduling court cases that many immigrants have awaited for years will cause even more backlogs, immigration attorneys and judges have warned. “Where we’ll really kind of see the backlog continue to build will […]
Award-winning magazine seeks award-winning photos of Nebraska wildlife, scenes
LINCOLN — A magazine known for its award-winning photography is seeking to honor the best of pictures of Nebraska wildlife, scenery and outdoor recreation. Nebraskaland Magazine will begin accepting submissions for its 2023 photography contest on Sunday. The annual contest honors the best photographs of Nebraska wildlife, outdoor activities and landscapes in the Cornhusker State. […]
Former COVID-19 czar: The virus ‘new normal’ points to larger public health mission
With COVID-19 still a public health reality but no longer considered a public health emergency, it’s time for policymakers, health care systems and the public to think more broadly about public health, a former White House COVID-19 czar said Thursday. There is a new normal, said Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the school of public […]
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California dies at 90
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with more comments from senators and others. WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein died Thursday night in her home in Washington, D.C. The California Democrat was 90 and had announced in February she would not run for reelection in 2024. “She left a legacy that is undeniable and […]
Senators studying how to make Nebraska more inviting to military veterans
LINCOLN — Officials from several veterans groups plan to testify Friday at an interim hearing looking at how to make Nebraska more inviting to military retirees. State Sen. Jen Day of Gretna introduced the interim study resolution, which states that making Nebraska a more appealing destination for retired service members “can be part of the […]
Nearly all national park sites to close during government shutdown
Almost all National Park Service sites will be inaccessible during a partial federal government shutdown likely to start this weekend, the U.S. Interior Department said Friday.
Nebraska gender care restrictions take effect Sunday with little guidance, no regulations
LINCOLN — Restrictions on health care for transgender minors in Nebraska are set to take effect Sunday, but they’ll come with little guidance and without a timeline for future rules and regulations. The state’s chief medical officer, Dr. Timothy Tesmer, has been charged with drafting rules and regulations around puberty blockers and cross-sex hormone therapies […]