AS FARMERS FACE TRADE WARS AND INFLATION, CALLS TO MENTAL HEALTH HOTLINES RISE

LINCOLN - As farmers face historic headwinds and market hardships, calls to the national Farm Aid hotline and the Iowa Concern hotline — where farmers can get support in times of mental health crisis or need — are increasing. This fall, the Iowa Concern hotline saw four to five times the number of calls it had in the same months last year, said Tammy Jacobs, the hotline’s manager.

The Farm Aid hotline is also seeing a change in the urgency of calls. “We’re seeing more established farmers calling in — people who know how to play the game and how to access programs. They’re calling more often now, because even with all that institutional knowledge, they’re still running into issues for the first time that are more complex and difficult to solve,” said Lori Mercer, a Farm Aid hotline operator. “The system that’s in place is simply letting them down. There’s just no further safety net.” 

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MCKEON’S ARRAIGNMENT DELAYED AS CHARGE DOWNGRADED TO DISTURBING THE PEACE

LINCOLN — The State of Nebraska has charged State Sen. Dan McKeon of Amherst with “disturbing the peace,” a slight downgrade in criminal allegation from the public indecency citation he received in October. Court documents filed late Monday show the freshman senator now faces a Class III misdemeanor charge, with McKeon’s arraignment originally scheduled Wednesday in Lancaster County Court. However, the hearing was postponed to Dec. 17 after the judge refused McKeon’s attempt to enter a no contest plea by waiver without appearing in person.

McKeon’s attorney Perry Pirsch said McKeon will likely plead no contest, which would allow him to accept any coming penalties without admitting guilt, and would waive his right to a trial.

The Nebraska State Patrol cited McKeon for misdemeanor public indecency in late October after investigating an allegation by a legislative staffer attending an end-of-session party this spring in Lincoln. The Patrol received a report in early September that McKeon allegedly “made inappropriate contact with her buttocks with his hand, over the top of her clothing,” Patrol spokesman Cody Thomas said at the time.

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VOTING BY MAIL AND VOTER PURGE POWERS UNDER SCRUTINY AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS

WASHINGTON - As the 2026 midterm elections approach, multiple aspects of U.S. voting practices and election administration are drawing intense debate and proposed changes. One major area of uncertainty surrounds voting by mail, a once-widespread practice that now faces challenges in several states. In Oregon — a longtime mail-ballot state — local election officials defend the system’s convenience and security, but lawmakers and grassroots organizers in some places have pushed legislation and ballot campaigns to roll back or restrict mail-in voting. Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that could eliminate “grace periods” that allow ballots arriving after Election Day to still be counted, a decision that could reshape mail-in voting rules in as many as 16 states and the District of Columbia. Former President Donald Trump has publicly criticized mail ballots, asserting without evidence that they are linked to fraud, signaling broader national conflict over the practice.

At the same time, Republican lawmakers in Congress are pursuing changes to how voter rolls are managed. During a House hearing, GOP members discussed proposals to amend the National Voter Registration Act to allow states more authority to remove voters from registration lists — including those who may have moved, died, or were never eligible in the first place. Supporters argue such changes would help states keep voter rolls accurate and up to date, while critics warn that broader removal authority could lead to overzealous purges and risk disenfranchising eligible voters. The effort reflects continued debate over federal versus state roles in election administration, but major voting legislation faces significant obstacles in Congress ahead of the 2026 midterms.

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DEMOCRAT CHRIS BACKEMEYER RAISES SIX FIGURES IN NEBRASKA’S 1ST DISTRICT

LINCOLN — A Democratic candidate in eastern Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District brought in a six-figure fundraising haul in the first 30 days of the campaign, Chris Backemeyer’s campaign announced Tuesday.

The $120,000 haul is $8,547 less than former State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue raised for her 2024 bid against incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Flood. Blood raised $29,203 in her first fundraising quarter during that race.

The former U.S. State Department diplomat, who now lives in Lincoln, entered the race last month. He is in a Democratic primary with Lincoln resident and renewable energy advocate Eric Moyer. The winner likely faces Flood in November. Flood hasn’t drawn a GOP challenger.  “Nebraskans are ready for new leadership, and this early response shows we have the team, the momentum, and the pathway to flip this seat,” Backemeyer said in a statement. 

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UNK CHANCELLOR NEAL SCHNOOR RELEASES DRAFT BUDGET CUTS TO ADDRESS $4.5M DEFICIT

KEARNEY - University of Nebraska at Kearney Chancellor Neal Schnoor presented draft recommendations Tuesday to address a $4.5 million structural deficit across UNK's two-year budget cycle.

He shared the recommendations in an email to campus. The recommendations were informed by campus Faculty and Budget Advisory Committees that reviewed UNK’s finances in collaboration with campus leaders, work units, faculty and staff. Schnoor is accepting feedback in person and by email to inform final decisions, which will be announced Dec. 22, according to a UNK news release.

“Our shared governance process is essential to making thoughtful decisions in this challenging time. I am deeply grateful to all who contributed time, ideas and expertise throughout this process,” Schnoor said in his letter to campus. “Your involvement has helped us forge a collaborative path forward. I know the weight of these changes is felt differently across our community, and I appreciate the care and resilience you continue to show.”

UNK has identified $4.8 million in reductions for the current biennium ending in fiscal year 2027. The university’s current total budget for the year is $170 million, including $80.3 million in state funds.

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PILLEN TOUTS ALTEN CLEANUP PROGRESS IN MEAD AFTER FEDERAL LAWSUIT SETTLED

MEAD, Neb. — Years of private efforts to clean up wet cake pollution from a Nebraska ethanol plant that turned pesticide-coated seed corn into fuel inched in recent weeks toward resolution.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen on Tuesday visited with Mead residents to tout the state’s progress in working with six seed companies now running the former AltEn ethanol plant’s cleanup, the AltEn Facility Response Group.

Pillen told locals who have fought for state attention that he is proud of the work that removed a roughly 165,000-ton “mountain” of mixed material that included about 84,000 tons of contaminated byproduct. Work continues to clear polluted lagoons and groundwater. Nebraska tried regulating AltEn into compliance but eventually shut it down in February 2021, filing a separate state-led lawsuit that year against the plant that is still being negotiated for settlement. A wastewater spill followed days later. Seed companies that had been working with the company took over cleanup.

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DAN OSBORN SAYS TYSON MANIPULATED BEEF MARKET WITH NEBRASKA PLANT CLOSURE

LEXINGTON, Neb. — Across the street from a Tyson beef plant set to close at the end of January, Nebraska U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn accused the company of breaking a century-old law aimed at preventing anti-competitive behavior by meatpackers.

Osborn, a registered nonpartisan running against U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., in 2026, pointed to his time as a former labor leader in an Omaha Kellogg’s plant to say he knows “what it feels like” to give a company “complete loyalty” and said workers feel betrayed. He said Tyson’s quarterly earnings report won’t feel the ripple effects that the town will face.

He said Tyson is trying to maximize profits at the expense of producers and customers in violation of the Packers and Stockyards Act, a federal law passed in 1921. That law was meant to promote competitiveness and fair practices in the livestock, meat and poultry industries and ensure payment protection. The law also prohibits deception and fraud in those markets. 

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TRUMP TO SEND $12 BILLION IN ONE-TIME PAYMENTS TO FARMERS TO OFFSET AG LOSSES

WASHINGTON - The federal government will provide $12 billion to U.S. farmers who have been hurt by “unfair market disruption,” President Donald Trump said at a White House roundtable event Monday.

Trump said repeatedly the funding was available thanks to tariff revenues, framing his aggressive trade policy as a boon to farmers rather than a drag on their global market share as critics of the policy suggest. “I’m delighted to announce this afternoon that the United States will be taking a small portion of the hundreds of billions of dollars we receive in tariffs…  and we’re going to be giving and providing it to the farmers in economic assistance,” Trump said.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, though, told reporters following the event that the money came from the department’s Commodity Credit Corporation, which is funded through regular appropriations from Congress, according to a White House pool report.

The money, which the administration officials described as “bridge payments,” would be in farmers’ hands by the end of February, Rollins said. 

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LAWMAKERS INVITED TO TOUR STATE-RUN ICE JAIL AS GROUP AFTER CAVANAUGH COMPLAINT

LINCOLN — Two days after a Democratic Nebraska lawmaker publicly criticized Republican Gov. Jim Pillen’s administration for denying her entrance to a controversial state-run ICE detention facility, all 49 officially nonpartisan state senators received an invite to a group “walkthrough” next week.

Notice of the Dec. 15 group tour of the former McCook Work Ethic Camp, which recently was converted to a jail for migrants awaiting deportation by the federal government, came via email Wednesday from State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, who heads the Legislature’s Oversight Committee.

Dorn told the Nebraska Examiner that conversations about a tour had been ongoing with State Sen. John Arch, speaker of the Legislature, and Pillen’s team since State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha notified him in mid-November that she was turned away from the McCook detention center. Dorn, a Republican, said all senators were notified late Wednesday afternoon after details had been solidified.

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EVENT MARKS ‘MILESTONE’ IN PUSH FOR ‘AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP’ IN NEBRASKA’S LARGEST CITY

OMAHA — In the making for five years, the first phase of the “affordable” Bluestem Prairie neighborhood has wrapped up, and Habitat for Humanity of Omaha on Tuesday celebrated what it calls a “milestone” occasion.

Nonprofit Habitat said its $29 million Bluestem Prairie — built on the site of the former and notoriously troubled Wintergreen apartments — is the largest development in its 40-year history. Typically a builder of 10 or fewer home clusters, Habitat believes the venture to be the largest nonprofit affordable homeownership project in Nebraska’s largest city.The first wave of newly constructed homes at the roughly 15-acre North Omaha site near 52nd Street and Sorenson Parkway connects 85 families to homeownership. Another 15 homes in the area were renovated.

Ground preparation and infrastructure for the second Bluestem phase is underway. Construction of those 64 homes is expected to begin next year. Habitat CEO Amanda Brewer said it’s widely known that homeownership makes a difference in a family’s quality of life, health and education. She said it was unimaginable early on that a homeownership project of that scale could materialize.

“This land that was out of commission for so long, vacant, abandoned and overrun with weeds, trees and dumping — it seemed impossible,” she said. “But what seemed impossible, not just difficult but impossible, happened. It gives you renewed faith.”

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NATIONAL DEMOCRATS INVEST IN NEBRASKA 2026 STATEHOUSE RACES

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s officially nonpartisan Unicameral is in the crosshairs of the national Democrats for 2026.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the party’s national arm that targets legislative races, announced this week that the Nebraska Legislature is part of its efforts to expand the map of where it helps Democrats compete during the upcoming midterm elections. The group’s increased effort in Nebraska will be part of a $50 million political investment across 27 states. The announcement came after Democrats overperformed in this year’s election across the country, including in gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia and most recently in flipping a mayoral seat in Miami. 

For Nebraska, the DLCC aims to help Nebraska Democrats break the 33-vote Republican supermajority in the 49-member one-house Legislature, according to its strategy memo. The DLCC wants to help Nebraska Democrats gain at least one seat, which would help preserve the filibuster. The Nebraska Democratic Party has also focused staff time and resources on legislative races.

In theory, the GOP majority could pass legislation without Democratic input and overcome any filibuster. In practice, some moderate Republican senators have sided with Democrats on central issues that have stopped a handful of more controversial proposals. 

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PILLEN WILL AGAIN PROPOSE STATE TAKEOVER OF SCHOOL OPERATING COSTS

LINCOLN - Gov. Jim Pillen signaled Wednesday he will once again propose the state take over paying to run schools in Nebraska in an effort to reduce property taxes.

Pillen discussed the school funding takeover in an interview with Nebraska Public Media News about his priorities for the upcoming legislative session. Pillen said local school districts would still use property taxes to pay for the cost of buildings, but under his plan, “We, the state, pay for educating the children. Pay for the operations. That would take a little over a billion dollars, maybe $1.2 billion.”

Pillen said he would get the money by broadening the sales tax base, and by using those funds to offset property taxes, the net result would be a tax decrease. He said his team was still working on what changes to the sales tax he would propose. He added the sales tax currently brings in about $2.3 billion per year, but if all exemptions were removed, it would bring in $7 billion.

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SENATOR JACOBSEN: ‘HOW TO DEAL WITH THE $400 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECTED BUDGET DEFICIT’

SENATOR JACOBSEN WEEKLY COLUMN - Nebraska faces a tough challenge this legislative session: balancing a budget with a projected $400 million deficit. 

Many ideas have been suggested to address the shortfall, including delaying the final income tax reduction and redirecting funds from the Perkins County Canal project, but these are not viable solutions. Lawmakers must find a combination of revenue measures and spending cuts that can gain support from at least 33 of 49 senators. Proposals to expand the sales tax base have so far failed, meaning difficult decisions on spending—including agency budgets and tax relief—will be necessary.

Income and property taxes in Nebraska remain high compared to neighboring states, pushing some residents to relocate to avoid taxes. Ensuring tax competitiveness is essential to retain current residents and attract new ones, rather than incentivizing people to leave after decades in the state. Attempts to tax the wealthy often fail because those with resources can legally avoid taxes, underscoring the need for broader fiscal strategies.

Property taxes also continue to rise unsustainably, especially affecting retirees. While the state has tried to reduce local reliance on property taxes and provide credits or subsidies, the impact on actual tax relief has been limited. Nebraska must find more effective ways to balance the budget without forcing residents out or undermining the state’s competitiveness.

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‘BRAIN DRAIN’ ALARM ESCALATES: OMAHA AND BUSINESS LEADERS FLAG JOB LAG

OMAHA —Nebraska business and civic leaders are sounding the alarm over “brain drain” as Omaha’s job and talent growth lags behind peer cities. 

City officials and researchers at a recent Omaha forum highlighted concerns that more than half of the state’s out-migration of educated workers originates in the Omaha metro, with tens of thousands of degree-holders leaving since 2019. Efforts to better understand and counter this trend are underway, including public surveys and input for the city’s new 20-year comprehensive plan. Leaders and attendees pointed to the need for higher-paying jobs, affordable housing, improved transit, inclusive community spaces, and responsive political leadership to retain and attract talent. 

Local business organizations like the Greater Omaha Chamber and the Aksarben Foundation are backing deeper studies and initiatives, noting that the region has lagged peers in job creation, wage growth, and investment—a dynamic tied to the broader “brain drain” issue. The discussions reflect growing urgency to develop strategies that strengthen the metro’s economic competitiveness and keep skilled workers from leaving Nebraska. 

For the full article, click HERE.

NEBRASKA AUDITOR FEARS DHHS OVERSIGHT FAILURES RISK ‘MIND BOGGLING IMPROPRIETRIES’

LINCOLN — Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley has called out a state agency for allowing “outrageous” dysfunction in a publicly funded program that provides personal assistance to people with disabilities.

In an 11-page letter Monday to Steve Corsi, chief executive of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Foley’s team alleged “ongoing financial abuse” in the personal assistance services (PAS) program that helps Medicaid-eligible Nebraskans with mobility, hygiene and housekeeping. “Numerous PAS caregivers continue to milk the program with false, inflated and duplicate billings,” Foley said, adding that the alarm to DHHS was his office’s third since February 2024.

He said DHHS “oversight failures may, in fact, be feeding the problem — effectively setting the stage for some truly mind-boggling improprieties, financial and otherwise.” Information uncovered by the audit team was forwarded to law enforcement for review of possible legal violations.

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NEBRASKA’S TOP COURT: CHIEF JUSTICE JEFFREY FUNKE REFLECTS ON FIRST YEAR AS LEADER OF A UNANIMOUS-CALLING NEBRASKA SUPREME COURT

LINCOLN — In his first year as chief justice, Jeffrey Funke says he’s worked hard to “keep the ship afloat,” navigating court budgets, outreach efforts, and administrative duties — all while leading a Supreme Court that last year issued unanimous decisions in all but one of its 105 written opinions.

Funke describes the court as more than just a group of judges making decisions behind closed doors: the justices strive for unanimity to provide clear, binding guidance for lower courts and litigants across Nebraska.

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NEBRASKA OFFERING LIFELINE TO HELP TYSON PLANT WORKERS LOSING THEIR JOBS

LEXINGTON - Gov. Jim Pillen announced Saturday a "rapid response layoff services event" Wednesday and Thursday for workers who will be affected by the closure of Tyson Foods' plant in Lexington in January.

At the Dawson County Fairgrounds event, state agencies will link those affected to resources such as unemployment insurance benefits, job search resources and economic support programs, according to a news release from the governor's office. Tyson will convey timing for the event to workers, the release said.

“The whole state is behind the community of Lexington as they face this tough transition,” Pillen said. “Our state agencies are working together to provide the support this community deserves.” The state departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Economic Development and Agriculture will partner with local Lexington organizations to connect Tyson’s workers and their families with various assistance programs and support.

For the full article, click HERE.

MORE NUCLEAR ENERGY IN NEBRASKA? POWER UTILITIES ARE EXPLORING OPTIONS.

LINCOLN - Nebraska’s largest power utilities are launching an effort to explore new sources of nuclear energy in the Cornhusker State.

The Great Plains New Nuclear Consortium will explore the feasibility of building new reactors in the state to deploy 1,000 and 2,000 megawatts of new nuclear energy.

Lincoln Electric System, Nebraska Public Power District, Omaha Public Power District and the Grand River Authority in Oklahoma have signed on to the effort, according to a joint news release. Emeka Anyanwu, CEO of Lincoln Electric System, said in the news release that the partnership shows local utilities working together for the long-term good of communities. 

“We’re committed to thoughtful planning that puts people first and ensures our customers benefit from innovation, resilience and shared value,” Anyanwu said.

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CHRISTMAS TREE-LIGHTING CEREMONY MOVES TIMING, REQUIRES TICKETS

LINCOLN — The Nebraska Capitol’s annual Christmas tree-lighting event that has been marked in recent years by singing children and sometimes interrupted by protests focusing attention elsewhere is getting more private in a public place.

Gov. Jim Pillen moved this year’s event to 6 p.m., after the Capitol’s public hours, and required tickets obtained from state senators to attend. The Governor’s Office said it was an effort to keep the event focused on the season’s meaning. 

The move spurred some criticism from lawmakers, including State Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, who argued in a Facebook post that the people’s event in the people’s house should be open to the public and questioned why lawmakers needed to handle tickets. Pillen spokeswoman Laura Strimple said the program was moved partly to make sure the lighting happened after the sun had gone down and that ticketing was required to host an event in the Capitol after regular business hours. 

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FORMER STATE SEN. LYNNE WALZ DETAILS STATEWIDE LISTENING TOUR FOR LIKELY 2026 GOVERNOR BID

LINCOLN — Former State Sen. Lynne Walz announced a statewide listening tour as she mulls a Democratic bid for governor in 2026.  The 10 town halls will happen over four days next week, starting Dec. 10 with one in Scottsbluff, and the goal for the former state lawmaker is to hear what people want leaders to focus on.

“I’m hitting the road to get out into communities … so I can hear directly from Nebraskans about the issues they’re struggling with and talk about how we can move forward together,” Walz said in a statement. Last week, she launched an exploratory committee, saying the state’s political system and economy are “broken.” If Walz runs, as expected, she would face the winner of the Republican gubernatorial primary. 

For the full article, click HERE.