NEBRASKA LAUNCHES $10 MILLION 'THE GOOD LIFE IS CALLING' CAMPAIGN TO LURE NEW RESIDENTS

LINCOLN — Gov. Pete Ricketts unveiled a $10 million marketing campaign this week aimed at recruiting new talent to the state.

He said the national “The Good Life is Calling” campaign targets Nebraskans who have left the state and other people who may be looking for a change of pace and a better quality of life.

“Our state has welcoming communities, affordable homes, and top-notch schools,” Ricketts said. “Nebraska is growing fast and creating plenty of great-paying jobs. For those looking for opportunity and a safer, friendlier place to put down roots, the Good Life is calling.”

The campaign, which expands on an existing website, was developed by Archrival, a Nebraska-based creative agency. It centers around a video showing 170 Nebraskans at work and play in a variety of locations across the state. Adam DeVine, an actor who grew up in Omaha, narrates.

Commercials will be placed in a variety of media in targeted markets. The focus will be on key cities within 500 miles of the state, including Minneapolis, Kansas City, Chicago, and Denver. The spots will be tested in other places, including Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas.

Clint Runge, CEO, and founder of Archrival said the effort will also involve extensive digital and social media, including Nebraska influencers. He said the plan is to do an initial wave of marketing, then follow up with a second wave in the most promising places.

Tony Goins, director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, said planning for the campaign began last summer after the first wave of the pandemic eased. The department is using federal COVID-19 relief dollars to pay for the campaign, which is part of the state’s economic recovery effort.

“We live in one of the best states in the country by almost any measure,” Goins said. “Our story has simply been undertold and undersold. Today, that changes.”

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COVID CASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS CONTINUE TO FALL SLOWLY IN NEBRASKA

NEBRASKA- New cases of COVID-19 and hospitalizations because of the virus continued to fall in Nebraska last week, marking the second week of declining cases in the state.

But those numbers are dropping slowly. In some parts of the state, both new cases and transmission levels are still so high — and vaccination rates are so low — that new surges are possible.

Nebraska posted 3,980 new cases in the week, down 12% from the previous week and 25% from a month ago, according to a World-Herald analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. The continued decline is a sign that the delta variant may have peaked in Nebraska.

As of October 18th, the state has reported a pandemic total of 276,817 COVID-19 cases.

Dr. Mark Rupp, chief of the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s infectious diseases division, said declining case counts are exactly what health officials want to see, although he would prefer to see a steeper decline.

“We could speed that up by having higher vaccination rates,” he said. “But it’s way too early for us to declare the game won and the pandemic over.”

It’s still possible to see a resurgence in cases, Rupp said. It’s also possible to see a new variant of the coronavirus emerge that could cause a new wave.

What health officials are worried about is a variant that can evade current defenses.

“Then, unfortunately, we’re kind of back to square one,” he said.

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Some SENATORS CALL FOR SPECIAL SESSION TO BAN COVID VACCINE MANDATES

LINCOLN — Two state senators have been circulating a petition asking lawmakers to call a special session to consider legislation prohibiting businesses from requiring that employees get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The special session, proposed by Sens. Ben Hansen of Blair and Rob Clements of Elmwood, would also consider prohibiting governments and schools from mandating COVID vaccines, according to an email shared with the Journal Star.

The move from state lawmakers comes a week after Gov. Pete Ricketts, who said he opposes vaccine mandates, said he would not call lawmakers back to Lincoln for a second special session this year unless there were 33 senators willing to vote for such a law. That’s the number needed to overcome a likely filibuster by opponents.

The Legislature met in September to redraw political district boundaries as part of the decennial redistricting process.

According to a press release, 26 senators signed a letter outlining the purpose of the special session to Secretary of State Bob Evnen.

“The people have spoken, in overwhelming fashion. We need to do what we can to protect the livelihoods of Nebraskans who are at risk of losing their jobs if they exercise their choice not to receive a COVID vaccination,” Hansen said.

Under state law, 10 senators can ask the secretary of state to poll the Legislature on whether to convene a special session to consider legislation outside of the normal lawmaking session.

If agreed to by 33 of the Legislature’s 49 members, Evnen would then submit the outline to Ricketts, who would use it as a basis to issue a proclamation that sets the start day and duration for the Legislature.

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WHISTLEBLOWER SPEAKS UP ON LACK OF AG DOG BREEDER ENFORCEMENT

LINCOLN- Rick Herchenbach said he had to speak up because the state wouldn't.

Herchenbach is the "whistleblower" at the center of a new report by the State Ombudsman.

The report found the Department of Agriculture repeatedly failed to act in cases of animal abuse and neglect.

In an interview with KETV Newswatch 7 investigates, Herchenbach showed us some of the photos from breeders and rescue operations he has investigated over the past 17 1/2 years.

"Dogs were emaciated, being starved, open wounds, self-mutilation. Extremely unsanitary conditions where the dogs could not escape their own feces," Herchenbach said.

He said some needed immediate attention. He wanted to report evidence of criminal abuse to local law enforcement. But he said over the past several years, he increasingly heard the same thing from his supervisors.

"No don't report it, or they'll take care of it," Herchenbach said.

He said that was not okay with him, legally or ethically.

He said he tried to get the state's AG Department leadership to do something about it. "I have come to the Department a number of times over the past 18 years," Herchenbach said.

He went to State Ombudsman in August 2019. That office did investigate. Leading to a new 199-page report.

In the Ombudsman said while it could find no criminal wrongdoing by department Director Steve Wellman or other staff it did list several incidents where the Department failed to act. And it expressed "deep concerns" about a "lack of zealously" enforcing the law.

The report also said the department violated the state's Whistleblower Act by trying to demote and discredit Herchebach.

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THERESA THIBODEAU RETURNING TO NEBRASKA GOVERNOR'S RACE

OMAHA- Add one more to the field of possible candidates planning to run for Governor of Nebraska.

Earlier this year, Theresa Thibodeau was introduced as the running mate for gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster, who announced his candidacy in April. But she stepped out in July, saying she didn’t have enough time for the campaign and had other issues to deal with.

“I have managed that and those are taken care of and finished; and at the same time, I have since then sold my business as well, and now I do have the time,” she told 6 News.

Now, she’s thinking about running for governor.

Thibodeau is no stranger to politics: Appointed to the state legislature by Gov. Pete Ricketts, she was also the chairwoman of the Douglas County GOP.

Thibodeau said she believe there are urgent issues that the next governor will have to deal with, like education: She said she thinks parents want to have a say on what their children are being taught in school, from critical race theory and health standards, or sex education.

She said she’s also concerned about illegal immigration and how it affects Nebraska, but her top priority is tax relief.

“The majority of Nebraskans want to see some actual tax reform as well as looking at our cost and where we can manage those expenditures as well,” she said.

“Other announced candidates include Regent Jim Pillen, businessman Charles Herbster, and State Senator Brett Lindstrom. Former Governor Dave Heineman is also exploring a run for his previous post”

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ATTORNEY FOR NU REGENT JACK STARK ATTACKS BASIS OF TEMPERING CASE, CALLS IT UNFOUNDED

OMAHA- The text between NU Regent Jack Stark and former Husker fullback Willie Miller was innocuous enough.

Stark had just learned that Miller might be testifying on behalf of an Omaha gym owner accused of sexually assaulting a teen weightlifter.

Stark, a sports psychologist, was on the opposite side, as a witness who had counseled the teen on sports performance.

“Just an FYI,” Stark wrote. “Not sure you know it but your name is listed as a character witness for a trial in two weeks on DOUG Anders. Do what you want but I will be testifying against him in the strongest language and if you want to know more let me know. Doubt if you are involved but just letting you know. Jack”

That — especially the “do what you want” part of the text — would not constitute tampering with a witness, an Omaha police investigator testified.

However, Sgt. Nicholas Yanez said, that text set up a phone call the next day between Stark and Miller. And Miller’s account of that phone call — which had Stark shaking his head in court — is the basis for the felony tampering charge. After a nearly hourlong preliminary hearing this week, Douglas County Judge Craig McDermott took the matter under advisement — a rarity for a hearing in which prosecutors have to establish only probable cause that a crime was committed.

Attorneys will file legal briefs on the matter, and McDermott will decide in a couple of weeks whether to bind Stark over for trial.

In an interview in October 2020, Miller told Yanez that the relationship between him and Stark went back 25 years. Miller was a fullback for Nebraska from 1996 to 2000; Stark, 75, is a well-known sports psychologist who worked with Nebraska athletes during that time period.

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GOVERNOR SAYS, FOR NOW, NO SPECIAL SESSION TO BAR VACCINE MANDATES IN NEBRASKA

LINCOLN — Gov. Pete Ricketts expressed sympathy Wednesday for the idea of calling a special legislative session to pass a law blocking vaccine mandates.

But the governor said he would not be willing to call such a session unless there were 33 senators willing to vote for such a law. That’s the number needed to overcome a likely filibuster by opponents.

“I don’t believe we have the votes to be able to pass something, so I’m not willing to call a special session,” Ricketts said when asked about the issue at an afternoon press conference.

As he has before, Ricketts promoted vaccination Wednesday as the best way to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. He got vaccinated himself as soon as the shots were offered to people in his age group. But he remains adamantly opposed to vaccine mandates

“It absolutely should be a voluntary decision,” he said Wednesday.

At least one Nebraska lawmaker wants a special session to address vaccine mandates. State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard said he called the governor last month to urge him to bring lawmakers back for another special session on the issue. The Legislature recently completed a special session on redistricting.

“No one in Nebraska should ever have to lose his or her job or be compelled to get a vaccination they do not want in order to feed their family and pay their bills,” Erdman said in an editorial column. “Biden’s vaccine mandate constitutes a declaration of war against personal liberty, and so the State Legislature is now compelled to act.”

Sen. Mike Hilgers, the speaker of the Legislature, said Wednesday that he agreed with Ricketts’ assessment.

“I do not think there are 33 votes to pass a ban,” Hilgers said in a text message.

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RICKETTS ISSUES ANOTHER ORDER AIMED AT EASING CAPACITY ISSUES AT NEBRAKS HOSPITALS

LINCOLN- Gov. Pete Ricketts has taken another step to try to ease the capacity issues at some of the state's hospitals.

Ricketts on Thursday announced he was issuing a new executive order aimed at providing more staffing for direct patient care.

The order temporarily suspends certain state statutes to allow health practitioners and administrators, including audiologists, alcohol and drug counselors, physical therapists, and speech pathologists to be able to care for COVID-19 and other patients.

The order also allows those professionals to practice without a state license if they have a license from another state that's in good standing, and it also temporarily suspends some of the requirements for getting an initial license and reinstating an expired or lapsed license.

Ricketts said the order takes effect immediately and will be effective through the end of the year unless he acts to rescind it.

The executive order comes on top of earlier moves by Ricketts, including an executive order issued in August that loosened some licensing and continuing education requirements for nurses and a directed health measure that suspends any inpatient elective surgeries that can safely be postponed anywhere from four to 12 weeks.

Doctors, hospital administrators, and others have said hospitals are often full, especially larger hospitals that provide specialized care, because of high patient numbers and difficulty finding enough staff.

As of Tuesday, there were 415 COVID-19 patients in the state's hospitals, including 111 in intensive care, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Overall, 23% of the state's regular hospital beds and 16% of ICU beds were open.

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OBSCURE STATE BOARD SEEKS MORE AUTHORITY OVER NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICTS

LINCOLN — A proposal by an obscure state board to obtain more authority over public power districts has created a firestorm of concern and confusion among those utilities and some environmental groups.

The Nebraska Power Review Board, at its meeting Friday morning, will discuss whether the five-member board, appointed by the governor, should have the final say over contracts reached between power districts and energy suppliers, such as wind farms, and be able to weigh in on whether existing power plants should be decommissioned.

A representative of the state’s public power utilities said she was puzzled about the purpose of such a change, and an official with the Sierra Club expressed concern that it could hinder the expanded use of renewable energy.

Shelley Sahling-Zart of the Nebraska Power Association, which represents the state’s public power districts, said that such changes could have unintended consequences, and take away local control now in the hands of elected utility boards, such as those at the Omaha Public Power District and Nebraska Public Power District.

“Let’s articulate clearly what problem you’re seeking to address. We’re just guessing on some things (now),” said Sahling-Zart, a vice president with the Lincoln Electric System.

But the executive director/general counsel of the Power Review Board said the proposal is only a preliminary draft intended to begin a discussion on whether the board needs to have a greater role in determining whether Nebraska has adequate power resources, and resilient sources of power, to avoid blackouts such as the one caused by a polar vortex in February.

While the proposal is labeled as a “draft” and for “discussion” only, opponents want more discussion of such a major change before any proposed legislation is presented to the Nebraska Legislature, which reconvenes in less than three months.

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NEBRASKA, ST. FRANCIS OFFICIALS SAY THEY WOULDN'T SIGN CHILD WELFARE CONTRACT NOW

LINCOLN — With the benefit of hindsight, neither state officials nor the embattled nonprofit that is managing child welfare cases in the Omaha area would sign the contract that binds them together.

That's what leaders of both the Department of Health and Human Services and St. Francis Ministries of Salina, Kansas, said Friday under intense questioning from a special legislative committee.

The committee is investigating how HHS and St. Francis ended up signing a $197 million contract in July 2019, as well as how St. Francis has carried out the contract.

HHS CEO Dannette Smith said there was extensive discussion within HHS about the feasibility of the St. Francis bid before recommending that the state sign the contract.

William Clark, the interim president and CEO of St. Francis, said there was staff within St. Francis who raised concerns about the bid, especially those working in programs and finance, and believed that it would lead to financial losses. But he attributed the problems to sloppy work, not bad intentions.

Several questions Friday focused on who was ultimately responsible for deciding to sign the contract. Smith pointed to the Department of Administrative Services, which handles procurement for the state. She said that HHS made the recommendation to contract with St. Francis but that the other agency ultimately made the decision.

A report issued last month by Jennifer Carter, inspector general of Nebraska child welfare, called for the state to terminate its contract with St. Francis and end its 12-year experiment with having private entities manage child welfare cases.

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WHY WERE NEBRASKAS SEX ED STANDARDS HALTED? EMAILS OFFER BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK

NEBRASKA- The human growth and development section of the new sex ed draft, which proposed teaching children about gender identity and sexual orientation, drew a “record level of feedback,” Education Commissioner Matt Blomstedt wrote in a March 27 email to Nebraska State Board of Education members, his cabinet and staff.

The public opposition, Blomstedt wrote, had left the board and employees “feeling a little back on our heels.”

He expressed optimism, however, that there was a path forward, reminding them that “the standards are intended to be a community consensus of what we teach children.”

The only consensus now is that the writing process failed to produce standards that all Nebraskans would accept.

Protect Nebraska Children Coalition alleges that emails and text messages they obtained via a public records request show that Neary overstepped her bounds as a policymaker and behaved behind the scenes as an advocate to influence the creation of the standards.

The emails show Neary urged the department to use an advocate of comprehensive sex education, employed by the Women’s Fund of Omaha, as an adviser in the standards process and also arranged to invite the standards writers and her board colleagues to an invitation-only workshop with a national sex-ed advocate.

Neary denies involvement in writing the standards and says her actions were appropriate for a board member. She said her aim was to create standards that would prepare “our students to be successful in the complex world that they will graduate into.”

Neary blames Ricketts, who she says “completely hijacked” the process.

The emails and texts, reviewed by The World-Herald, as well as interviews, provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the writing and review process that was initiated in 2019, as well as the firestorm that erupted after the first draft went public.

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NEBRASKA MARKS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY WITH SCULPTURE, FLAG DEDICATIONS

LINCOLN- Last year, the Legislature approved a bill by State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln establishing the holiday.

President Joe Biden on Friday issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, lending a significant boost to efforts to refocus the federal holiday celebrating Christopher Columbus toward an appreciation of Native peoples. The day will be observed on Monday, along with Columbus Day, which is established by Congress.

Several events were planned in Lincoln to mark the occasion. The day kicked off at 9 a.m. with a tribal flag dedication in the Nebraska State Capitol.

The flags of four federally recognized Nebraska tribes — Omaha, Ponca, Santee Sioux, and Winnebago —were placed in the Warner Chamber on the second floor of the Capitol building.

In addition, 27 flags from tribes with historic connections to Nebraska will be placed in the chamber on the 14th floor.

At 11 a.m., a sculpture of Susan La Flesche Picotte, the first Native American to earn a medical degree, was unveiled and dedicated on Heritage Plaza in Lincoln’s Centennial Mall.

Seeing the day of celebration come to fruition is bittersweet, Gaiashkibos a Nebraskan native and member of the Pona Tribe said. knowing that so many relatives and ancestors didn’t live to see it. But it’s a way to move forward and help with healing. For Gaiashkibos, the whole day was dedicated to those who lost their lives at the Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial School, a boarding school in Genoa, Nebraska.

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NEBRASKAS GOVERNORS'S OFFICE BLOCKS RELEASE OF NONPROFIT'S PRISON DATA ANALYSIS

LINCOLN- A nonprofit that’s been collecting and analyzing a trove of criminal justice data has made presentations to Nebraska officials who may use the information to shape solutions addressing critical issues in the state’s prison system. So far though, the content of those presentations, made in closed-door meetings, has not been made public despite requests, prompting concern from Nebraska’s leading civil liberties advocacy organization.

While participants have provided updates on the process when asked, their actual findings have not been disclosed.

The group of over a dozen officials — which spans branches of government and multiple levels of the justice system — is not considered a public body, according to Gov. Pete Ricketts’ spokesperson Taylor Gage.

This week, Ricketts called the current part of the process the “data collection stage.”

“If there’s any legislation that comes out of it, it will go to a hearing just like any other bill and the public will have a chance to weigh in on that,” he said. At some point, he said, data will be released in support of any prospective legislation.

The World-Herald formally requested the presentations under the state public records law from the Governor’s Office, which denied the request based on the presentations being in “draft” form, saying they’re “expected to be revised and amended.”

“Gov. Ricketts intends to release these documents and data after the information has been verified and is in its final form,” wrote administrative assistant Lana Gillming-Weber.

The presentations were “pretty heavily vetted” before CJI presented them, Engel said, but he was reluctant to comment on whether the presentations would be considered a draft.

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NEBRASKA LT. GOV. MIKE FOLEY TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID

LINCOLN- Nebraska Lt. Gov. Mike Foley has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a spokesperson.

“The Lt. Governor has tested positive for coronavirus,” Justin Pinkerman wrote in an email. “He has mild symptoms and is self-isolating as he recovers.”

Pinkerman said that a two-sentence statement was the only update the office would provide at this time, but he clarified that Gov. Pete Ricketts was not exposed. Pinkerman did not answer The World-Herald’s question regarding whether Foley was vaccinated.

Earlier Tuesday, Pinkerman had emailed an updated version of Foley’s public schedule to members of the media that showed all plans for the week had been canceled. A schedule sent last Friday showed Foley was planning to travel the state to offer remarks at “Excellence in State Service” recognition ceremonies in Kearney, North Platte, Scottsbluff, and Norfolk.

Foley has been Nebraska’s lieutenant governor since 2015 after he was elected to his position as Ricketts’ running mate. He had been a candidate for governor before Ricketts defeated him in the Republican primary that year. Before that, he was the Nebraska auditor of public accounts and a state senator.

Foley is far from the first prominent state official to test positive for the coronavirus. Toward the end of a special legislative session focused on redistricting, State Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk tested positive for COVID-19.

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BLACK NEBRASKANS JAILED AT NEARLY 9 TIMES RATE OF WHITE RESIDENTS, NATIONAL REPORT SAYS

NEBRASKA- Black Nebraskans are incarcerated at nearly nine times the per-capita rate of White residents, according to a study released Wednesday by a national research and advocacy group.

Iowa ranks slightly worse with Blacks incarcerated 9.3 times as often as Whites. That Black-White differential is tied for fifth among states. Nebraska ranks No. 8 on the list.

Both states have markedly higher rates of disparity among their incarcerated populations than the nation as a whole, where Black Americans are put in state prisons at almost five times the rate of White Americans.

The 25-page report was written by senior research analyst Ashley Nellis of The Sentencing Project, a nonprofit group that works on criminal justice advocacy.

The report has three policy recommendations: Eliminate mandatory minimum sentences, assess the racial impact of new crime legislation, and stop arrests and prosecutions in low-level drug offenses.

Ryan Spohn, the director of the Nebraska Center for Justice Research at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, said those suggestions are sound and what he and other researchers have recommended to Nebraska state legislators.

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SARPY COUNTY TO CONSIDER UPGRADES AT WERNER PARK TO MEET NEW MLB STANDARDS

SARPY COUNTY- Before the next time an umpire shouts “play ball” at Sarpy County’s Werner Park, the decade-old ballpark could be in line for some upgrades.

However, fans likely won’t notice the possible improvements, which are mainly targeted for player and staffing areas.

Per new standards outlined by Major League Baseball, all minor league ballparks must comply with a set of facility requirements. According to an article published on Ballpark Digest, those requirements include separate areas for female staffers, including umpires, upgraded nutrition areas, upgraded training facilities and upgraded field lights. Clubhouses for both the home and visiting teams also must be 1,000 square feet or larger.

Beyond the possibility of upgraded field lighting, Storm Chasers President Martie Cordaro said, “I don’t know if there’s any one thing that stands out that would be different from a fan’s perspective.”

The scale of the upgrades at Werner Park, located near Papillion, remains to be seen pending the completion of a $55,000 feasibility study being conducted by Omaha engineering firm DLR Group.

DLR Group is expected to present its study to the county — which owns the ballpark that the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers play in — by Oct. 31. Sarpy County entered into the contract with DLR in July after issuing a request for proposals in April.

Any upcoming renovations would be the latest in a ballpark that has seen its share of touch-ups since it opened in 2011.

In late 2019 and early 2020, the ballpark underwent a $2.4 million renovation so that it could be used as a soccer field by Union Omaha.

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US FARMERS REAP BIGGER CROP PROFITS AND BOOST STOCKPILES

MIDWEST- It turns out that 2021 was a pretty good year to be an American farmer.

After struggling through extreme weather, a trade war and tepid demand in recent years, things started to turn around this season as Chinese buying roared back.

What’s more, crops proved resilient against bouts of dryness that hit some parts of the Midwest, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture raised its estimates for domestic corn and soybean stockpiles in a key report out Tuesday in Washington.

Bumper production on the heels of record corn demand from China means farmers are finally reaping profits from what they’re growing and not having to rely as much on government subsidies, like those distributed by the Trump administration during the trade war. Bigger crops would also be welcome news to consumers that are struggling with higher grocery bills.

Still, it’s unclear how long the good times will last. Energy and fertilizer costs are going up, signaling thinner margins ahead. And meanwhile, corn and soybean prices are both down about 25% from this year’s peak in May. But for those farmers that managed to lock in sales at the start of the summer, this season is a welcome turnaround. U.S. farm income from crops is expected to jump 20% to $230.1 billion in 2021, the second-highest ever, trailing the record set in 2012, according to USDA estimates.

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NEW METRO-AREA LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT DRAWS CANDIDATE FROM GRETNA

LINCOLN — A former Gretna City Council member and small-business owner has thrown her hat in the ring for a legislative seat newly added to Sarpy County.

Angie Lauritsen announced plans Tuesday to run for Legislative District 36, which encompasses the rural southern and western parts of Sarpy County, including Gretna and a small section of Millard. The district was moved from central Nebraska to the metro area this year to accommodate the rapid population growth.

Lauritsen, a registered Democrat, said she would bring strong, balanced leadership to the position and ensure that district residents feel they have a voice in Lincoln. She was elected to the Gretna City Council in 2016. Instead of seeking reelection, she ran for mayor in 2020.

She worked in corporate banking for 13 years after earning a degree from Bellevue University. She now owns a small business with her husband. She started the Gretna Home Town Heroes program and has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Gretna Chamber of Commerce, Gretna KIDS Committee and Survivors Rising.

The district is currently represented by State Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg, who is term-limited. The redistricting change means that during his final year in the Legislature, Williams will not represent the people who elected him to office.

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CORRECTIONS DIRECTOR ADDRESSES STAFFING, SAFETY CONCERNS AT NEBRASKA PRISONS

LINCOLN- Nebraska’s top Corrections official on Wednesday spoke publicly about the worsening staffing shortage at state prisons for the first time since workers detailed its harrowing impacts on daily operations, safety and inmates’ well-being last month.

Scott Frakes, director of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, acknowledged the crisis, highlighted progress in union negotiations and answered a litany of questions from lawmakers on the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee.

Despite challenges, “I’m confident both short- and long-term solutions will be identified and will put NDCS on a sustainable path forward,” he said.

Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln proposed the study that led to Wednesday’s hearing. She’s on the Appropriations Committee, and said her goal was to understand what it will cost to adequately staff existing facilities. That’s needed, she believes, before considering additional facilities.

Gov. Pete Ricketts’ administration has proposed building a 1,600-bed, $230 million prison to replace the State Penitentiary in Lincoln.

A project already underway will add a 384-bed high-security unit and 32-bed mental health unit at the combined Lincoln facility and is expected to be complete in June 2022, according to Corrections spokesperson Laura Strimple.

If the staffing crisis does not improve enough by next summer, Corrections will close existing living units and shift to the new space at the combined Lincoln facility, Frakes said.

Staffing has been a problem since before his tenure, Frakes said, but has been especially difficult for the past few months.

He pointed to the same labor shortage faced in other industries. The state’s Inspector General for the corrections system previously said the economy has had an impact, but that the stage was set for the current crisis because of a lack of sufficient action over several years.

High turnover and a decrease in applicants have led to more than 625 staff vacancies, Frakes said. There are about 430 vacancies in protective services — security and custody staff — out of 1,300 total positions, according to Frakes. So about a third of those positions are unfilled.

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UNL SUSPENDS FIJI THROUGH 2026 FOR REPEATED ALCOHOL VIOLATIONS

LINCOLN — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln on Tuesday suspended Phi Gamma Delta through 2026 for violating the university’s rules on alcohol use, stripping the fraternity of its status as a recognized student organization.

The lengthy suspension was handed down by the University Conduct Board, a committee of students and faculty responsible for holding hearings on alleged violations of UNL’s Code of Conduct and recommending sanctions.

In a statement, UNL said the board determined Phi Gamma Delta — better known as Fiji — had broken university rules governing alcohol use at its chapter house at 1425 R St. while on probationary status for the same infraction.

A spokeswoman for UNL said Fiji was placed on probation earlier this year for an alcohol-related violation.

The conduct board’s recommended penalty was determined so as to outlast any current member of the fraternity, forcing Fiji to potentially start over in five years.

Fiji is no longer recognized as a fraternity or a student organization at UNL. As such, it cannot hold meetings or host functions on campus, nor can freshmen members live in the chapter house, which though directly across from the Nebraska Union is private property not controlled by UNL.

Furthermore, the international Phi Gamma Delta fraternity said it was closing the UNL chapter immediately following its own investigation, according to executive director Rob Caudill.

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