COVID-19 VACCINATION PACE SLOWING DOWN IN LINCOLN, STATEWIDE

LINCOLN- The pace of local COVID-19 vaccinations has slowed considerably since the peak a couple of weeks ago. 5,500 Lancaster County residents got a first vaccine dose last week as compared to 15,000 the week prior. For second doses, the number was at 11,500 down from 24,600 a week earlier. Lancaster County is no different from the rest of the state as 93,284 vaccines were given last week and 211,057 were given the week before. 

This past week also noted the first time less than 100,000 doses were administered. Now, 46% of Lancaster County residents over 16 are fully vaccinated and 66% have received a first dose. Many places are also now switching from mass clinics to smaller, more-targeted clinics as well. In the upcoming weeks, vaccination plans will lead vaccinations to parochial and high schools. The goal is to have elementary school students begin vaccinations before the fall school semester. 

"The best way to get back to normal, as many people hope and wish for, is to get vaccinated," LPS superintendent said.

There has not been a COVID-19 related death in the county since April 19. 

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NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE ADVANCES AIR POLLUTION STUDY IN STATE'S CLASSROOMS

LINCOLN- LB630 introduced by Sen. Eliot Bostar is legislation designed to launch a study of the impact that installation of commercial air filters would have on both academic and behavioral performance in Nebraska classrooms. The measure gained 41-2 first-round approval Tuesday. Sen. Bostar says there is evidence that air pollution has a detrimental effect on the development of children's brains along with damage to lungs which leads to an overall negative impact on classroom performance. 

The bill saw little opposition from both sides of the aisle, with many noting that this is a pilot project that could lead to new solutions to problems. 

Air pollution in classrooms is “stunting our children’s brains and damages our children’s lung functions,” Bostar said.

A committee amendment that would require the Department of Education to include the University of Nebraska in the study as a consultant is being considered as well. 

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PLAN TO SPEND $40 MILLION ON BROADBAND EXPANSION IN NEBRASKA ADVANCES

LINCOLN- Lawmakers gave a thumbs-up Tuesday to Gov. Pete Ricketts' plan to spend $40 million on expanding high-speed rural internet services. LB388 advanced on a 44-0 vote after an amendment that would have allowed cities and towns to enter the broadband services market was rejected. Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha had introduced the amendment, saying that broadband should be considered a critical need that broadband companies have not stepped up to serve the entire state. Proponents of the amendment said that these companies continue to be allowed to not serve the entire state because of federal and state money collected from cellphones and landlines. Large parts of the state lack broadband service which only hurts the state's economic development. 

80,000 Nebraskans lack internet that delivers adequate service placing the state 48th in terms of access, price and speed.

LB388 would put $20 million per year into grans for projects that will help increase access to broadband. Projects in areas with less than 25/3 speeds that have no projects planned or projects that will take over 24 months to complete will be prioritized. The bill would also direct the federal Rescue Act into the program which enacted $7 billion nationwide for the effort. 

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US SUPREME COURT HEARS HIGH-STAKES ARGUMENTS IN BIOFUELS CASE AFFECTING IOWA, NEBRASKA

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Hollyfrontier Cheyenne Refining LLC v. Renewable Fuels Association was heard in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday and will hold large implications for Iowa and Nebraska. The case addresses questions over whether small refineries can request exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard. 

Iowa and Nebraska are the top producers of ethanol made with corn. Iowa is the top producer of biodiesel, made with soy beans. The standard sets the amount of biofuels that must be blended into gasoline and diesel. 

Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson and Iowa Attorney General led an effort of eight states to file an amicus brief with the Supreme Court supporting the Renewable Fuels Association. The association argues that exemptions should not be granted in cases where they haven't been in place continuously. In 2020, The Court of Appeals ruled that the EPA issued exemptions to refineries that did not qualify. These same refineries are arguing that they will face financial ruin if they are forced to buy ethanol and biodiesel at the levels demanded by Congress. 

“Simply put, if Congress wanted to adopt the generally available exemption petitioners advocate, it would not have enacted the scheme it did here,” Christopher Michel, Department of Justice said. “That scheme does not doom small refineries to failure. The vast majority of small refineries, including the petitioners’, have successfully complied with the RFS in many prior years.”

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KAY ORR ENDORSES JIM PILLEN FOR NEBRASKA GOVERNOR

LINCOLN- Former Gov. Kay Orr (1987-1991) is endorsing Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Pillen. She described him as, "a principled conservative who will preserve our values and defend our way of life." She announced her endorsement in a TV advertisement mounted by the Pillen campaign. 

Jim Pillen is a Columbus pig farmer and University of Nebraska regent. Charles Herbster, farmer and owner of Conklin Co. has also announced his entry into the race.

"Jim has what it takes to keep our state moving in the right direction," Orr said. "Nobody will fight harder for Nebraska."

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SEN. ELIOT BOSTAR DIGGING IN DEEP AS LINCOLN'S NEWEST SENATOR

LINCOLN- Lincoln's newest senator, Eliot Bostar, has found himself at the center of the property tax debate. Sen. Bostar is succeeding Sen. Kate Bolz, who has term-limited out of office. As a member of the Revenue Committee, he is uniquely positioned to give Lincoln a voice in the decades-old debate. He is the sole Democrat on the Revenue Committee and the other committee he serves on, Banking, Commerce and Insurance. 

"You always have to be willing to work to find common ground," Bostar said, while recognizing that "sometimes that may be a frustrating journey."

Years in which redistricting comes around creates a different environment in the legislature in which party affiliation becomes particularly strong. Bostar's priorities include health care, economic development, education and environmental issues.

"Every bill gets a hearing, everyone can come and share their thoughts, the ability to bring forward an idea that will be heard in a public forum is incredible," Bostar said. "We should really be proud of this."

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS WON’T SEND RESOLUTION ON FEDERAL OVERREACH TO DIFFERENT COMMITTEE

LINCOLN — State lawmakers on Thursday rejected a motion from Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha to reassign a resolution objecting to federal government overreach to the Legislature's Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee

Hunt sought to rereference LR107, introduced by Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte, from the Executive Board, saying the subject matter of the document was the responsibility of the government panel. The resolution, co-signed by 30 senators, objects to incursions by the federal government into everything from religious freedom and Second Amendment rights to elections, land usage and vaccinations.

Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha said the Executive Board, under the rules of the Legislature, doesn't have purview over the issues raised in Groene's resolution and warned that lawmakers were diminishing the integrity of the institution.

What we're doing here now is trying to pick a committee where this particular resolution will receive favorable treatment," Lathrop said. "This isn't how we ought to operate in this body."

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PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, AT THE COST OF GROWTH ACROSS NEBRASKA, BLOCKED BY FILIBUSTER

LINCOLN- LB408, the proposal to place a 3% annual limit on local property tax increases was trapped by a filibuster Thursday night and disappeared from this year's legislative agenda after eight hours of intense debate. The 29-8 roll call vote to end the filibuster fell four senators short of the 33 required to free the bill for further consideration.

A last-ditch effort to gain sufficient votes to invoke cloture, the legislative motion to end debate, was built upon a promise to try to negotiate an alternative compromise property tax plan that could attract 33 votes before any effort would be made to try to advance the bill.

"Park the bill and try to find a way to move forward," Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk urged.

Sen. John Stinner of Gering, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, said "property tax relief is my No. 1 priority" and his committee and the Legislature already are delivering relief in a variety of ways. The state's fiscal 2021-23 budget contains $1.45 billion in property tax relief over two years. Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg expressed concern that the premise of the bill was that local government spending needed to be limited because it was too high when the evidence in his legislative district shows school district spending increases below the rate of inflation.

"Our constituents elected local leaders to make those decisions," Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln said. "This would take control away from local governments when you say you support local control." 

In response to the vote, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer, a former two-term state senator, said that when she was in the Legislature "we stood up and we took a stand...We voted. We did not pass on votes. We were accountable to our constituents," she said. "We didn't hide behind this seemingly now acceptable practice of 'present, not voting.'

"I have refrained from publicly stating positions on state Legislature activities since I left the Unicameral," Fischer said, "but this must be said...This must change.... Know this — the 'present, not voting' is in reality casting a No on their vote."

Fischer announced that after considering a run for governor in 2022, she would not seek the seat and instead stay in the United States Senate. 

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NEBRASKA BUDGET HEADS TO RICKETTS' DESK AS FOCUS TURNS TO OTHER TAX, SPENDING IDEAS

LINCOLN- As passed, the legislature's $9.7 billion, two-year state budget package was sent to the governor's office with just over $205 million for other legislative priorities. Gov. Ricketts' decision to sign the budget or veto specific provisions will tell the legislators how much is available for other spending or tax cut measures. He has until Monday to approve or veto the budget bills as a whole or issue line-item vetoes targeting specific items. 

"We're always hopeful that the governor will sign the budget without vetoes," said Sen. John Stinner of Gering, the Appropriations Committee chairman. "It's a good budget that covers a lot of ground. I think it checks off a lot of boxes."

The package would build up the state's 'rainy day' fund to about 14% of annual revenues while capping spending growth at a two-year average of 1.7%. It also increases payment rates for health and human services and educational endeavors. The budget also includes the $230 million prison. That figure is the only budgetary decision that garnered debate and was the only bill to receive 'no' votes on the budget package.

In the upcoming weeks, the legislature will be debating more tax cut and spending measures. Many priority bills are also coming up that would combine to cost more than twice the available funds, with the cost increasing in the future. Please see our Speaker's Weekly Announcement story to see which bills can be expected to be considered during debate in the legislature over the next two weeks.

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EDITORIAL: STATE SENATORS ARE EAGER TO CUT TAXES AND SPEND MONEY; DON'T OVERDO IT

LINCOLN- For the first time in years, revenue projections are providing the Legislature with considerable room for tax cuts and spending projects-- about $210 million. The coming days of debate in the legislature will bring scenes of tax-cut and spending proposals. The lawmakers are not obligated to spend the cash, but it does not seem there will be any restraint on spending. The body may even exceed the $210 million.The projected tax-cut proposals add up to much more than $210 million. 

Senators should have the responsible sense of balance that will ensure individual bills do not add to the total. After the past years of tight budgets, lawmakers are eager to spend but have already placed more revenue-affecting proposals for consideration than the upcoming budget can sustain. Two bills that highlight the spending disconnect are LB64 and LR11CA. 

"This situation shows how the legislative process is harmed when lawmakers casually indulge in so much vote-trading that faulty legislation is irresponsibly voted out of committee. Serving in the Legislature is a privilege, and it must be taken seriously."

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FORTENBERRY, CAPITOL POLICE IN SNAFU OVER EMERGENCY CALLS

LINCOLN- Rep. Jeff Fortenberry made two calls to Capitol Police in Washington with his emergency office button last week to see how long it would take officers to arrive. Fortenberry had told the police that he would be doing the test. Officers expressed annoyance with this 'drill' as it took them away from their regular duties.

The officers believed Fortenberry just wanted to push the button to see if it worked and did not respond to the call until he called again. Capitol police say this is infuriating, especially after the Capitol Riot in the past few months. 

The congressman repeatedly said to the police: 'I know you have better things to do than this.' But, given the violent mob insurrection at the Capitol, we thought it wise to test our systems.’

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RICKETTS, OTHER GOP GOVERNORS ATTACK BIDEN CLIMATE INITIATIVE

LINCOLN- Ricketts and 14 other governors submitted a letter to President Joe Biden showing their opposition to his executive order pleading to put the United States on the path to protecting 30% of land and ocean waters by 2030 to combat climate change. 

"Nowhere in the laws of our nation is the authority delegated by Congress to the president or executive agencies to unilaterally change the policies governing land use in America," the governors wrote.

The letter signed by the governors went on to say Biden's plan would violate property rights and would damage the economy. 

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RADIO PERSONALITY CHRIS BAKER FIRED AFTER OFFENSIVE TWEET, CALLS IT A 'BOOMER TWITTER MOMENT'

OMAHA- Omaha conservative radio personality Chris Baker was fired after posting an offensive tweet about the Derek Chauvin verdict. The tweet showed a GIF of Black men with body paint and dancing, with spears in front of them. Above the picture he tweeted, "Guilty!" Baker tweeted this just one hour after the verdict was read. 

When asked about the tweet, Baker said it was a "boomer Twitter moment" following with "That’s not me, that’s not who I really am". He further noted that he knows it was horrible and said his intentions were not to be racist. 

The calls for Baker to be fired and for his advertisers to pull away rolled in immediately and continued after the tweet was deleted. A long time guest of the show, local activist, Preston Love Jr. said all he felt was disgust. He was also shocked to see Baker be fired so swiftly. 

Sen. John McCollister, a frequent critic of members of his own Republican Party, tweeted a screenshot of Baker's post saying, "Racism like this is a FEATURE of conservative talk radio but they usually mask it with dog whistles. But not this time.”

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GOV. RICKETTS CALLS NEW PRESS CREDENTIALING SYSTEM 'PROCESS IMPROVEMENT'

LINCOLN- Gov. Ricketts described his new application process for credentialing news organizations as "process improvement". He had no further comments after the news entities present asked about the application. Media of Nebraska which represents the state's print and broadcast news organizations responded to the governor and called the process a 'red flag' for First Amendment rights. 

A pair of reporters from NOISE Omaha, the news outlet recently barred from the governor's press conferences, asked Ricketts a handful of questions after a horseback ride with NU President Ted Carter. NOISE was reportedly banned because it is “an advocacy organization funded by liberal donors” and not a mainstream news outlet."

Similar credentialing processes exist in Congress, the Wisconsin's Governor's Office and the Texas Legislature. A lawsuit was made against the Wisconsin Governor's Office but the court ruled that the media-access criteria are reasonable and do not suppress expression. 

The form for credentialing includes a variety of questions including things such as asking if the outlet is engaged in lobbying, paid advocacy or a member of a trade organization. 

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MORE THAN HALF OF ADULT NEBRASKANS HAVE GOTTEN AT LEAST ONE DOSE OF COVID VACCINE

OMAHA- A significant milestone has been reached in the fight against COVID-19 as half of adult Nebraskans, 774,000 people, have received at least one dose of a vaccine. In addition to that, some 531,000 people in the state are now fully vaccinated. Nebraska's rollout is on par with the nation at large. 

More than 129 million people in the nation have received at least one shot as well. Health departments are changing how they reach people as traffic at vaccination clinics has slowed. Many clinics have started to offer walk-ins as no shows for appointments have also been on the rise. Officials are working to create Zoom meetings to reach people who are reluctant to take the vaccine as well. 

“The door is always open for someone who said they didn’t want to be vaccinated and (who) turns around and changes their mind," said Susan Bockrath. 

The state is also down by 13% in cases after being on the rise for the past couple weeks. 

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OUTLOOK FOR CROPS STRONGEST IN A DECADE, ECONOMIST SAYS

AMES, IA-  There is some reason to believe the present strong demand for both corn and soybeans will continue, says Iowa State University Extension ag economist Chad Hart. Right now the export market is great, Hart says. The feed market is good. Ethanol demand is still weak, although it holds some promise.

The overall demand for corn and soybeans is very strong, Hart says, and with more people getting vaccinated for COVID-19 it is likely that more will also be wanting to get out and travel this summer. Cruises and flights anywhere don’t look especially attractive yet, but national parks and car vacations look pretty inviting, he says. The soybean outlook is somewhat similar to that of corn.

There were weather problems in numerous grain-producing regions of the world, but the biggest reason for the surge in prices was strong demand. Corn prices at the ethanol plant down the road from Albers’ farm dropped down to $2.99 per bushel at the end of July of last year. Today they are in the $6 range. Weather and exports remain the biggest market concerns. But the supply is tight and the demand remains strong.

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REP. ADRIAN SMITH SEEKS LEADING GOP SLOT ON POWERFUL TAX-WRITING COMMITTEE

OMAHA- Rep. Adrian Smith is seeking the lead Republican position on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee after the current GOP committee leader, Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas. Smith is serving his eighth term in the House and is well-positioned to win again in the overwhelmingly Republican district next year. If Republicans take control of the House in 2022, the leader of the Ways and Means Committee would hold jurisdiction over tax policy, Social Security, Medicare, trade and labor issues. 

There are currently two other representatives in the race to succeed Brady. Smith once served in the legislature and has been a member of the house since 2007. 

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STATE FINDS BIG DROP IN EVICTIONS IN NEBRASKA IN 2020, BUT THOUSANDS STILL LOST HOUSING

OMAHA- Moratoriums helped cut evictions in Nebraska by almost half during the pandemic, but thousands of Nebraskans still lost their rental homes. This includes about 60 people who should have been protected by federal pandemic law. 

“We found at least 60 cases where a property should have been covered by the CARES Act,” said Pierce Greenberg, a Creighton assistant professor. “That’s important because the purpose of that moratorium was to prevent that sort of thing from happening. ... It underscores some of the imbalances within eviction court.’”

There has been a 45% decrease in evictions in the state. This can be attributed to the federal restrictions on evictions and assistance from the government and nonprofit groups. However, the researchers warn that there could be a significant rise in evictions could occur when federal restrictions expire June 30. Eviction filings peaked in August after the federal moratorium expired and before the CDC imposed restrictions. 

The study of 2020 evictions also found that 74% of evictions occurred in Douglas and Lancaster Counties. 1/5 of all eviction filings in the state were in North Omaha while renters in North Omaha are still more likely to be evicted than anyone else in the state. Researchers in this study hope the studies will inform the Legislature and urge them to pass bills such as LB419. LB419 would create a right to publicly supported counsel for people facing eviction, paid for by county governments with a $50 filing fee. 

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS VENT ABOUT HIGH PROPERTY TAXES; ADVANCE INCREASED CHILD-CARE AID

LINCOLN- The Legislature debated minor tax proposals on Tuesday while also speaking about the state's historically high taxes on property. 

LB2, discussed on Tuesday, would give farmers and ranchers a small property tax break when funding school bond issues and would increase the state's property tax credit program by 3% a year. The bill paved way for a larger debate over the fairness of property tax credits, especially about whether the state is just putting 'Band-Aids' on the issue. Rural senators argued that it is unfair for people in rural towns to approve a school bond issue that requires farmers and ranchers to pay most of the bill. Rural Nebraskans already pay the bulk of property taxes in rural school districts and are in a voting minority. Urban senators say it is unfair to give farmers a break but not those who live in cities. 

"Structurally, nothing is changing, because we are scared to do it," said Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne.

Nebraska currently ranks 48th in the nation for increasing state aid to fund local schools by replacing property tax. 

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WARREN BUFFETT ENDORSES JEAN STOTHERT FOR THIRD TERM AS OMAHA MAYOR

OMAHA- Warren Buffett signed a check for $10,000 to Mayor Jean Stothert’s campaign Thursday, but his words will mean a lot more to her than those dollars. The longtime Democrat offered a strong endorsement for the Republican’s election to a third term as Omaha’s mayor.

“I think it’s important that Omaha have a terrific mayor,” said the iconic investor, who is arguably the city’s most well-known citizen. “It’s an important job, and we have someone very good in that job.”

The Berkshire Hathaway chairman said in an interview that his endorsement was in part based on the positive trajectory of the city, which he said he’s proud to show off to the rest of the world during his shareholders meeting each year. He said Stothert has also helped the city keep moving forward during the past year despite the pandemic.

“I think Omaha has so much going for it — it’s got momentum in terms of business activity and civic engagement,” he said. “Omaha is doing well and is going to do better. ... (Stothert) is a proven quantity under testing circumstances.”

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