FEDERAL JUDGE STRIKES BLOW IN MADEN'S LEGAL FIGHT AGAINST CITY OF LINCOLN OVER CORONAVIRUS DHMs

LINCOLN- A federal judge struck a blow to Madsen's Bowling & Billiards' legal fight against the city alleging its directed health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic were a violation of constitutional rights.

"The need to prevent the spread of COVID-19 was severe, and the DHMs provided legitimate ways to limit community spread," Chief United States District Judge Robert Rossiter Jr. said in his order striking down a substantial portion of the claims raised.

A number of state claims remain, alleging violations of the Nebraska Opening Meetings Act and abuse of power.

But the judge dismissed the federal constitutional claims against the City of Lincoln, Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Director Pat Lopez, and former Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister from the case, leaving only Lancaster County.

In his order, Smith said Madsen's spent considerable time alleging the DHMs issued by the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department were void because they exceeded the state's rules. The judge said he was skeptical there was support for a finding that they were illegal, given state statutes that give the health department its powers, but declined to make determinations then.

Not long after, the case moved to U.S. District Court.

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TAKE FIVE: DON BACON

LINCOLN — Don Bacon, Republican, acknowledges his brand of pragmatic politics that prizes compromise and decency may be a bit of a throwback in these aggressively partisan times. But in an interview last month with CQ Roll Call, the Nebraska Republican said that’s what voters — at least, swing voters in the suburbs — want.

When was asked why the pragmatic conservative brand appears to be disappearing, Bacon responded by saying that we have become more divided and pitted against each other in politics, to the point where compromising has become a bad thing. He said that he wants the country to not only remain competitive but to improve and be the strongest country in the world.

It is extremely difficult to achieve this when we are battling each other internally. The only way forward is by finding what we agree on and moving in that direction.

Bacon does not want to sacrifice his conservative values for this goal, but he is willing to find areas of agreement. He realized that they needed to start reaching across the aisle in the House when very few bills were passing through the Senate.

This is why he became a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus; he wants to be more effective. A recent example of this increased productivity is the infrastructure bill which started in the Problem Solvers. This led to the creation of the For Country Caucus that includes both Republicans and Democrats.

Bacon is one of nine Republicans who represents a district that voted for Joe Biden. He was asked what fellow Republicans should be doing, and what they shouldn't be doing, to reproduce his political success in similar districts. Bacon responded by saying that Republicans need to start winning the suburbs, which they started doing the last cycle, and focus on issues of education and security.

Bacon also noted that people want somebody who is polite and respectful. "You can get half of your votes on policy, but the other half really comes down to, do they like you as a person? We need to be what I call 'decency conservatives' if we want to win back the majority and compete in the suburbs," Bacon said.

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RECORDS SHOW STATE EMPLOYEES KNEW NEBRASKA WOULDN'T BE REIMBURSED FOR BOARD DEPLOYMENT

LINCOLN - When Nebraska sent state troopers to the Texas-Mexico border over the summer, spokespeople said the state may be reimbursed for the cost. But behind the scenes, there was an understanding among state employees that Nebraska would pay for the deployment, according to emails and text messages obtained by The World-Herald.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts was one of multiple Republican governors who responded to a call for help at the border from Texas and Arizona via the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, commonly referred to as EMAC, a mutual aid agreement among states. Ricketts said at the time that the state was “happy to step up” and that the federal government had fallen short in its response at the border.

The World-Herald reported in July that Nebraska had agreed not to seek reimbursement from Texas for costs, most recently estimated at $500,000.

The World-Herald has since reviewed dozens of pages of emails and text messages, obtained under the state’s public records law, between state officials and employees in the days leading up to the original deployment and the deployment’s extension. Some show that employees understood, even before the deployment was announced, that the state would not be reimbursed.

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NEBRASKA TO SPEND NEARLY $15 BILLION ON STATE HIGHWAYS OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS

LINCOLN- Nebraska transportation officials expect to spend nearly $15 million maintaining and improving the state’s highway system over the next 20 years, but it remains unclear how federal infrastructure money will factor into those plans.

John Selmer, who started as director of the Nebraska Department of Transportation in March, told state lawmakers that he is “pleased to find the agency and its current environment much more favorable” than in years past.

“The Nebraska Department of Transportation is more agile and resilient because of the lessons learned during the 2019 floods and the lingering COVID pandemic,” Selmer said.

The majority of the estimated $14.8 billion in spending over the next 20 years is expected for maintaining roads and bridges — patching, sealing cracks, resurfacing and more. That's projected to cost $9.5 billion.

According to the department’s analysis, about 82% of total highway miles in the state are rated at least “good,” which meets the department’s goal. For state-owned bridges, 58% are in “good” condition, about 39% are “fair” and about 3% are “poor."

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OMAHA NATIVE SYMONE SANDERS LEAVING WHITE HOUSE JOB

WASHINGTON D.C.- Omaha native Symone Sanders is stepping down from her role as a senior adviser and chief spokeswoman for Vice President Kamala Harris at the end of the year.

Multiple national news outlets reported Sanders' departure, including CNN and The Washington Post. It was first reported by Politico.

Sanders, a Black political strategist, grew up in North Omaha and graduated from Mercy High School and Creighton University.

She was Bernie Sanders' press secretary during his 2016 presidential campaign, and a senior adviser to President Joe Biden's successful 2020 campaign.

Prior to her role under Harris, observers had considered Sanders a top candidate to be press secretary for Biden.

Her mother, Terri Sanders, confirmed that her daughter will leave the role Dec. 31. She hasn't made any decisions about what's next, Sanders said, but her daughter won't be coming back to Nebraska.

"I am very proud of her work," she said. "She always acknowledges Omaha, Nebraska, as her home and North Omaha as where she was raised. And she is certainly a beacon to show people that you can make it.”

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EDITORIAL: NEBRASKANS SHOULD REJECT RADICAL OVERHAUL OF STATE EDUCATION BOARD, DEPARTMENT

NEBRASKA - Societies should hold fast to an important guiding principle for government: avoid a heavy centralizing of power. This is why our country’s founders emphasized the need for a separation of powers in the federal government. It’s why they insisted that state governments retain robust authority separate from federal control.

The latest Nebraska petition drive promotes changes that are in direct conflict with this principle. The petition organizers seek to centralize state education policy-making under the governor's authority. This would not be in the best interest of the public.

This move to centralize government authority is typically what conservatives combat, yet they are the ones making the push.

Under the proposal, Nebraska would create a new Office of Education accountable to the governor, replacing the State Board of Education, education commissioner, and Nebraska Department of Education. The governor would appoint the director of the office, subject to confirmation by a majority of state senators.

Amending the Nebraska Constitution would be necessary to make the change; an indication of how sweeping the move would be, and why Nebraskans should take a closer look at the proposal.

Only one other state, Oregon, designates the governor as its chief education officer which demonstrates the rarity of the potential move.

Instead, the sound and rational way to provide the needed accountability of public officials is to continue elections for the State Board of Education. Incumbent members are required to explain and defend how they have handled their responsibilities if they want to be re-elected. Voters then decide whether those answers and whether the job has been done well in the ballot box. This is a far better method to determine whether a member should be re-elected than by letting the governor make a unilateral decision.

The last thing that Nebraskans want is a governor making political decisions and not educational decisions regarding the State Board of Education that negatively impact their children. This is a real possibility given governors are term-limited and the policies could be subject to change every few years.

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TWO NEBRASKA COUNTY GOP ORGANIZATIONS CENSURE SEN. DEB FISCHER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE VOTE

NEBRASKA- The Dawes and Sheridan County Republican parties in northwestern Nebraska's Panhandle voted to censure Republican Sen. Deb Fischer for her vote to enact the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill.

The two-party organizations met in a joint session in Rushville in October and voted 23-2 to censure the senator.

"This vote was taken after (an earlier meeting in September) that included a conference call with Senator Fischer and her explanation of why she voted for this bill," the county organizations stated in a news release.

Fischer was one of 19 Senate Republicans who voted for the bill that was approved by the Senate on a 69-30 vote.

The bill, proposed by the Biden administration, included $2.5 billion in federal funding for Nebraska roads and bridges.

In Dawes County, 61.1% of the 5,324 registered voters are Republicans, according to the Nebraska Secretary of State's office. In Sheridan County, that figure is 72.1% of 3,641 registered voters.

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JAZARI KUAL WILL SEEK DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL NOMINATION

LINCOLN- Jazari Kual, a Lincolnite who became a familiar figure online when he livestreamed last year's protests in Lincoln and Omaha after George Floyd's murder, says he would like to turn a spotlight on the needs of "communities left behind" and the challenge of climate change as a candidate for Congress.

Kual, 26, will formally announce his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for eastern Nebraska's 1st District seat in the House of Representatives on Saturday with a 3 p.m. event scheduled at the Capitol.

"It is time we take the lead," Kual says in a posting on his Facebook page.

"The power comes from the people, and it is time we have younger and inclusive representation from Nebraska at the federal level."

During a telephone interview, Kual said he would be "very focused on human rights for everyone" along with the need for clean water and production of clean, renewable energy sources.

"The best way to create change is to get involved," he said.

Kual said he would "try to fundraise as best we can" in competing with far more generously funded candidates while he attempts to raise his profile by traveling into rural communities in the district.

"I'm running for climate action, housing rights, Medicare expansion, affordable higher education and veteran support." Kual, who was born in Missouri, has lived in Lincoln since he was 2. He is a graduate of Lincoln Northeast High School and the youngest of six siblings.

The 1st District includes Lincoln, Bellevue, Norfolk, Columbus and Fremont and is represented by Republican Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Lincoln.

Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the seat that Fortenberry has held since 2005.

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ST. ELIZABETH TRAUMA CENTER IMPROVES ACCESS TO CARE FOR LINCOLN AND BEYOND

LINCOLN - Since starting the program in spring 2020, CHI Health St. Elizabeth’s General Level Trauma Center has continued to grow and expand its reach for patients in Lincoln and surrounding communities. From April 2020 to August 2021, the hospital treated more than 2,400 patients who suffered from a traumatic injury — which is a nearly 50 percent increase from the previous year.

“CHI Health St. Elizabeth’s General Level Trauma Center has added another important layer of care to the Capital City,” said Rick Fermelia, MD, FACS, Trauma Program Medical Director. “Having a trauma center on the East side of Lincoln provides quicker and increased access for those on this side of the city and outside town, as well. It’s also another option for patients.”

Earning a "General Level Trauma Center" designation is not an easy process. CHI Health St. Elizabeth was required to care for trauma patients, educate staff, and coordinate with local EMS while tracking patient data.

With the new designation, CHI Health St. Elizabeth is now able to provide care for patients who have experienced traumatic injuries like car crashes, assaults, falls, and sports injuries.

“A large portion of the traumatic injuries we see are orthopedic in nature, like fractures and joint injuries to the hips, shoulders, elbows, knees, legs, ankles, and the spine,” DeWitt said. “We also admit many patients with head injuries. These types of injuries are often due to falls and balance issues among individuals - and occur much more often than we think. Part of our trauma center’s dedication to our community is education. Our greatest hope is that we can prevent someone from becoming a trauma patient in the future.”

In addition, CHI Health offers free balance assessments at various clinic locations with physical therapy care and works with Safe Kids Nebraska, Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska, and EMS companies on continued outreach and education.

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JURY ORDERS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL TO PAY $26.1 MILLION FOR FAILING TO TREAT INFANT'S SEIZURES

OMAHA- A jury awarded a record $26.1 million medical malpractice judgment against Children's Hospital & Medical Center for failing to properly treat a child who suffered seizures after a fall at a Sarpy County day care.

After a two-week trial and two days of deliberations, a jury ruled that Children's Hospital and Dr. Heidi Killefer improperly discharged Vivianne T. Marousek after the head trauma that resulted in the then-11-month-old suffering seizures at the hospital.

An earlier emergency room physician had properly treated Vivianne, said Patrick and Joseph Cullan, the Omaha attorneys who represented Vivianne and her parents, Andrea and Jacob Marousek. But when Killefer took over her care in January 2017, she concluded that the child had suffered a one-off seizure that wouldn't persist, Joe Cullan said. She released the child from the hospital.

Within 48 hours of her parents taking her home, the child suffered severe seizures and irreparable brain damage, Cullan said.

"Every expert we had said you never give a child a free pass — you treat the seizures," he said. "Our clients were told, 'Don't worry about it, she'll be OK.' She suffered profound seizures and will never be the same."

Jurors deliberated 10 hours before voting 10-2 to find Children's Hospital and Killefer responsible. While juries in criminal trials must be unanimous, civil juries are allowed to vote 10-2 after eight hours of deliberations.

The jury awarded $21.5 million for ongoing medical care and damages for Vivianne and $4.6 million to her parents. Cullan said the child's need for around-the-clock medical care will require many millions of dollars over her lifetime.

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BIDEN VACCINE RULE FOR HEALTH WORKERS BLOCKED IN NEBRASKA AND NINE OTHER STATES

JEFFERSON CITY, MO - A federal judge blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from enforcing a coronavirus vaccine mandate on thousands of health care workers in Nebraska and nine other states that had brought the first legal challenge against the requirement.

No clear authority from Congress was established when federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid enacted the vaccine mandate for providers participating in the two government health care programs for the elderly, disabled, and poor.

The court order applies just to the 10 state coalition of Nebraska, Iowa, Alaska, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

Similar lawsuits are also pending in other states.

Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson emphasized the significance for Nebraska health care workers and particularly those who work in rural hospitals.

"Today’s ruling immediately prevents enforcement of the mandate. While we do anticipate the federal government will seek immediate review by the Eighth Circuit, we are confident that the analysis by the trial court will be confirmed,” Peterson said.

The federal rule requires COVID-19 vaccinations for more than 17 million workers nationwide in about 76,000 health care facilities and home health care providers that get funding from the government health programs. Workers are to receive their first dose by Dec. 6 and their second shot by Jan. 4

The Biden administration argues that federal rules take precedence over state policies prohibiting vaccine mandates, and that vaccine mandates are essential to slowing the pandemic.

“CMS seeks to overtake an area of traditional state authority by imposing an unprecedented demand to federally dictate the private medical decisions of millions of Americans. Such action challenges traditional notions of federalism," U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp wrote in his order.

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NEW NEBRASKA LAW TAKES ACTION AGAINST CRYPTO-MINING COMPANY

NEBRASKA - State banking officials have issued a cease-and-desist order against a crypto-mining investment company after it took $725,000 from a Nebraska investor and her mother.

Satitech Mining and Machinery, an online company, would be barred from offering or selling securities in Nebraska until the securities are registered with the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance. Company officials will also need to be registered as broker-dealers or broker-dealer agents under state law according to the order that took effect on November 10th.

Cryptocurrencies are a form of unregulated digital money that can be used to buy goods and services. They use encryption technology to make them secure. The currencies have been compared to arcade tokens or casino chips because people exchange real money for cryptocurrency.

One way to attain these cryptocurrencies other than purchasing them from a crypto wallet is by mining them. This method rewards people with cryptocurrency for solving extremely difficult mathematical problems which verify the peer-to-peer payment process. Mining is most often done by computer programs. Mining corporations, such as Satitech Mining and Machinery, have employed large pools of computers to do more work and receive more cryptocurrency as a result.

A new state law aimed at protecting elderly Nebraskans from financial exploitation alerted department officials to the situation.

Claire McHenry, deputy director of the department's securities bureau, said this case was the first that has led to a cease-and-desist order.

“I am very pleased that financial firms are already using the tools provided by the Nebraska Protection of Vulnerable Adults from Financial Exploitation Act,” she said. “This case is an example of how the financial industry and regulators are working together to protect investors.”

State banking officials cautioned investors about doing business online with financial companies with whom they are unfamiliar. In many cases, the investor is told to wire money or send a prepaid card, often to a location outside the United States.

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TWO NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS CALL FOR RESIGNATION OF UNL CHANCELLOR RONNIE GREEN

LINCOLN - Two Nebraska senators called for the resignation of University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Ronnie Green, following the release of the university's diversity plan.

Five major themes are focused on in the Journey for Anti-Racism and Racial Equity plan:

Advancing diversity, positioning learning through diversity, promoting an inclusive community, building an anti-racist infrastructure, and acknowledging the impact of COVID-19 on minorities.

Senators Stever Erdman and Steve Halloran are in agreement that Nebraska's state colleges and universities are "devolving at an alarming rate" and "despite University President Ted Carter insisting critical race theory is not being taught on campus, they believe it's become normalized and standardized throughout the NU system."

Governor Pete Ricketts made similar remarks in the weeks prior while claiming that he felt misled by Green's plans. Despite Rickett's disappointment with the proposal, he did not call for Green to step down.

"This really makes it obvious why the administration was opposing Regent Jim Pillen's resolution to ban critical race theory on the campus of University of Nebraska because they were planning on doing it, which is really kind of shocking to me about this or one of the shocking things," Ricketts said.

Board of Regents Chair Paul Kenney shared the Governor's concern in a phone interview where he said he feels he wasn't informed of all aspects of the plan.

"I know some of the lawmakers are not happy and the governor is not happy, but I probably would fall into that category," Kenney said. "I was one of the last ones to know about the journey."

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RICKETTS URGES NEBRASKANS TO CONTACT REGENTS ABOUT UNL DIVERSITY PLAN

LINCOLN- Gov. Pete Ricketts early this week took another swipe at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's plan to address racial disparities and discrimination during his monthly call-in radio show and urged Nebraskans to contact members of the Board of Regents with their own concerns.

The regents, he noted, are scheduled to meet on December 3rd.

The plan designed to promote diversity and inclusion on campus is written in a way that is "anti-American," the governor said, by focusing on race rather than individual strengths. And that, he said, "undermines and betrays the whole civil rights movement."

"The university is not institutionally racist," Ricketts said. "I don't believe that."

What is needed, he said, is assurance that minority students have the same opportunities as other students, he said.

Ricketts had earlier said that the university plan released earlier this month would "pit people against each other by conditioning everyone to see others through the lens of race rather than as individuals with unique strengths."

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NEBRASKA LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL COULD ALLOW LEGAL ACTION AGAINST ABUSIVE PRIESTS, CHURCHES

NEBRASKA - His bill has yet to be written, but State Sen. Rich Pahls knows why he wants to change the statutes of limitation for sexual assault of children. He said he just needed to read the full report from Nebraska's Attorney General.

“I mean, you just cringe," Pahls said. "The number of people who they knew that we're doing wrong, and they allowed it; they allowed it.”

Attorney General Doug Peterson said the state would not bring any criminal charges towards the 258 reports of sexual abuse in Nebraska Catholic Churches due to statutes of limitations. He was doubtful that any civil lawsuits would come, either. Those statutes would need to change for any charges to be brought and that is exactly what he intends to do.

Despite knowing the difficulty of changing the statute of limitation laws, Pahls, a retired school administrator and former Omaha city councilman, said it is too important not to try.

“We must discuss this on the floor to make sure everybody understands because we have to look towards the future," he said. "Even though the Church has made changes, history has a tendency of repeating itself.”

Plenty of other states including California, Minnesota, Delaware, and Hawaii have changed their civil statutes to allow more time for civil suits. In Minnesota, for example, the Minneapolis archdiocese declared bankruptcy after the laws changed and lawsuits were settled.

Other states like Vermont have removed civil limitations completely – just like Pahls wants to do. For organizations like the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, the Vermont law is the gold standard.

If Pahls and supporters are successful, the priests could be prosecuted for the alleged crimes that took place decades ago.

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OMAHA AND LINCOLN NAACP CHAPTERS SUPPORT UNL'S RACIAL EQUITY PLAN

NEBRASKA- The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s plan to address racism and racial inequity, which has been the subject of intense criticism from conservative politicians, received a ringing endorsement from the Omaha and Lincoln chapters of the NAACP.

At a press conference in North Omaha, Omaha NAACP President the Rev. T. Michael Williams and Vice President Preston Love Jr. commended the university and Chancellor Ronnie Green for releasing the plan to, as the university wrote in a campus-wide email, foster “an environment where we better recruit, retain, and support the success of students, faculty and staff who identify as Black, Indigenous and persons of color.” (Preston Love Jr. is a regular community columnist for The World-Herald.)

“This is not political correctness. It is the right thing to do,” Williams said.

M. Dewayne Mays, president of the Lincoln NAACP chapter, also praised UNL’s plan and offered the chapter’s support. Local NAACP leaders said they were not involved in the creation of the plan, dubbed a “Commitment to Action,” but pledged to work with the university and Green now that it has been released.

“We want to do everything that we can to support it and to hopefully push it forward,” Mays told The World-Herald. “We feel like it would be good for the community as well as the state.”

The press conference came two days before the University of Nebraska Board of Regents is scheduled to meet for the first time since UNL released its plan on Nov. 17.

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FORMER STAFF MEMBER WILL RETURN TO LINCOLN TO LEAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

LINCOLN- A familiar face will be returning to lead the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber announced that Jason Ball, who worked for the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development for five years, will succeed Wendy Birdsall as chamber president in January.

Birdsall, who has led the chamber for the past 16 years and was its first female president, announced in June that she would be retiring at the end of the year.

Ball, who's 44, worked as director of business development at the partnership, which is an arm of the chamber, from early 2008 to the end of 2012, when he left to become head of the chamber of commerce in Hutchinson, Kansas, a city of 40,000 an hour north of Wichita.

He later was president and CEO of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce in South Dakota and for the past two years has led the chamber in Round Rock, Texas, a fast-growing suburb of Austin that is home to computer maker Dell.

"I could not be more thrilled to return to Lincoln. It is a community that has afforded me so much opportunity -- first as a student, then my career, which began at the Lincoln Chamber,” Ball said in a statement. “It is truly humbling to return there to do the work I love in the city we still consider home.”

Ball grew up in Sidney, graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University and got a Master of Business Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is a certified economic developer and also is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Organizational Management and the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute.

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TRUMP CALLS FOR GOP CHALLENGER TO TAKE ON NEBRASKA REP. DON BACON

NEBRASKA- Former President Donald Trump is calling for a "good and SMART America First Republican Patriot" to challenge Rep. Don Bacon in next year's primary election.

The former president issued the call in November, then highlighted coverage of the statement by promising to back like-minded GOP candidates who would take on any of the congressional Republicans he named.

The list included Bacon, along with 12 other representatives and one senator. All had either voted for the recently passed $1.2 billion infrastructure bill or voted for articles of impeachment against Trump in January.

Bacon, who represents the Omaha-area 2nd District, was one of 13 House Republicans who voted for the infrastructure bill.

"Saving America starts by saving the GOP from RINOs, sellouts, and known losers!" Trump said, using an acronym for “Republicans In Name Only.”

Bacon's campaign pushed back, saying the congressman "has a strong record of delivering results for the people of Nebraska's Second Congressional District. Through his work on the Armed Services and Agriculture Committees, Congressman Bacon was rated in the top 20% ineffectiveness for all members of Congress.

"While the former President is entitled to his views, our team will continue to meet with constituents and leaders from across the district and make our case for re-election. We look forward to helping Republicans take back the House and secure a majority in 2022," the campaign said.

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WHY IS 'EQUITY' RADIOACTIVE? NEBRASKA EDUCATORS PUSHING FOR IT, BUT CRITICS PUSHING BACK

NEBRASKA - Patsy Koch Johns didn’t know equity could be construed as a bad word until this year.

During Nebraska’s raging debate over proposed health education standards, critics charged that the Nebraska State Board of Education was trying to infuse the standards with equity.

“When I say ‘equity,’ I’ve even had people correct me and say ‘equality,’” said Koch Johns, the board’s vice president.

Equity has been a goal of educators for decades in the form of trying to close test score gaps by addressing challenges that impoverished students face.

But as race became the focus in a lot of American minds after the 2020 murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white police officer, many educators across the county and in Nebraska reaffirmed their commitment to racial equity.

Critics of this focus on race in education see it both as divisive and as a kind of Trojan horse that could be used to usher in bad, even un-American, ideas.

The topic has become a source of controversy with the latest example coming last week as Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts criticized an equity plan launched by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Ricketts cited the focus on racial equity would promote critical race theory on campus, despite the University's president's denial of the claim.

The state's K-12 educators have been increasing their focus on equity as Members of the Nebraska State Board of Education adopted an “equity lens,” Nebraska Commissioner of Education Matt Blomstedt hired an equity officer in his department, Grand Island Public Schools outlined a commitment to equity and to "disrupting" individual and districtwide biases, and Lincoln Public Schools created a student-led Equity Cadre that advises district leaders on how to overcome biases and barriers.

Advocates say equity is about giving kids what they need, when they need it, to ensure their success, regardless of a child’s personal circumstances, background or challenges. That can mean supporting some kids with extra resources.

Critics are concerned that this will be done in the form of dumbing down grading policies and eliminating gifted programs.

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AG PETERSON ANNOUNCES CONSUMER PROTECTION TEAM

LINCOLN — Nebraska consumers needing help dealing with scams, fraud or other unfair and deceptive business practices can turn to a team created within the Attorney General’s Office. Attorney General Doug Peterson’s office created the Consumer Affairs Response Team earlier this year and announced its formal launch on Thursday.

According to a statement from his office, the team was created to improve the dispute resolution process between consumers and businesses. The team provides people with one-on-one support in dealing with a broad range of consumer issues, including scams, fraud, identity theft and dispute resolution.

It also provides consumer protection kits, with education about common frauds and scams, ways to reduce unwanted calls and information about how consumers can protect themselves. Previously, calls from consumers were handled within the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. The division has been restructured, with attorneys now focusing on larger-scale consumer issues, such as the multistate tobacco settlement.

People can contact the team at: ProtectTheGoodLife.Nebraska.gov or by calling 402-471-2682 (toll-free: 800-727-6432). Complaint forms are also available by mail.

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