RICKETTS: NEBRASKA MUST BUILD PERKINS COUNTY CANAL OR RISK $1B ECONOMIC HIT

LINCOLN - If Nebraska stands pat, the Cornhusker State’s portion of the Platte River could run dry, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts told a legislative committee Wednesday.

Colorado, he said, is investing nearly $10 billion to keep more of the South Platte River’s water inside its borders rather than letting it flow east into Nebraska. He said building his $500 million canal would be “a bargain.”

“Colorado is looking to take our water,” Ricketts said, pointing to massive population growth in Denver and on the Front Range.

Ricketts said in order to claim the water promised to the state in a 1932 compact with Colorado, we must build the Perkins County Canal and a series of storage reservoirs.

The compact promised Nebraska flows of 500 cubic feet per second from the South Platte River outside irrigation season.

Other Nebraska state officials have echoed Ricketts' concerns. They say the water agreement with Colorado is only promised if Nebraska builds a canal to divert flows from northeast Colorado.

“As an attorney, I can tell you how important it is that Nebraska maintain its legal rights under the compact,” said State Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln, who introduced the canal proposal on behalf of the governor. Hilgers has announced a run for Nebraska attorney general.

The Platte River's importance has been strongly emphasized by those in favor of building the canal as they note it provides water not only for irrigation and wildlife but also for water systems like Omaha's and Lincoln's which supply more than half of the state's population.

Senators on the Legislature's Natural Resources District have raised questions as to whether the project could be built for less than $500 million or if there is an option to renegotiate its compact with Colorado to capture river flows.

Tom Riley, director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, estimated it would take up to three years to design the canal system and five to seven years to build.

Nebraska has been able to capture the water in the past but we are now at threat of losing it as Colorado's population increases, Ricketts said.

“It’s a huge hedge against future droughts,” Ricketts said.

Officials estimate a potential economic hit of $1 billion if the canal isn't built.

For the full article click HERE

LATHROP ANNOUNCES THAT HE WON'T SEEK RE-ELECTION; CANDIDATES BEGIN TO FILE TO REPLACE HIM

LINCOLN- A leading Democrat in the Nebraska Legislature, State Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha, confirmed Monday that he isn’t running for re-election. Lathrop, a 64-year-old attorney, has served 12 years in the Legislature, returning to the Unicameral in 2018 after sitting out four years because of term limits.

On Monday, he said it was time to “let someone else step in and have an opportunity.”

“It’s a very personal decision,” Lathrop said. “I’ve been doing it for 12 years. That is a long time. It’s a lot of sacrifices to come down here...I’m looking forward to going back to the office, maybe taking a few more trips and spending some more time on my pastimes,” he said.

Lathrop, who chairs the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, has been a lead senator on issues surrounding the state’s overcrowded state prison system. He has been involved in several of the major compromises struck in the Legislature and has several times been mentioned as a candidate for higher office.

The senator, who represents a district that includes the Ralston and Millard areas, has also expressed frustration about the growing partisan divide in the 49-seat Unicameral Legislature, compared to his first eight years in office, from 2006 to 2014. Lathrop is part of a group of moderates, both Republicans and Democrats, who have worked across the aisle on issues.

The day after Lathrop's announcement, Former State Sen. Merv Riepe, 79, made his intentions known that he would seek his old seat again. Riepe, a Republican, previously served in the Nebraska Legislature from 2014 to 2018 but lost to Sen. Lathrop. Robin Richards, a fellow Ralston Board of Education member along with Riepe announced her candidacy, as did current union leader Bob Borgeson.

For the full article click HERE

INHERITANCE TAX CUT PASSED BY LEGISLATURE, APPROVED BY GOVERNOR

LINCOLN- Those who inherit property in Nebraska would pay less in taxes under a bill given final approval Friday by the State Legislature.

Legislative Bill 310, introduced by State Sen. Robert Clements of Elmwood, would increase what is exempt from state inheritance taxes and reduce the rates paid by more distant relatives and nonrelatives.

The proposal was amended after Nebraska’s counties, which collect about $70 million a year in inheritance taxes, complained that they would be hurt by the senator’s original proposal, which would have made deeper cuts in the tax.

Only six states levy an inheritance tax, and Iowa will soon eliminate its inheritance tax. The changes passed by the Nebraska Legislature apply to estates of individuals who died on or after Jan. 1.

Under the amended LB 310, which Gov. Pete Ricketts is expected to sign into law:

Immediate relatives, such as children, would continue to pay a 1% inheritance tax, but the amount of property that is exempt rises from $40,000 to $100,000.

More remote relatives would pay an 11% tax, down from the current 13%, and get an exemption of $40,000, up from $15,000.

Nonrelatives who inherit property would pay a 15% tax, down from 18%, and their exemption would rise to $25,000 from the current $10,000.

Douglas County, the state’s largest county, estimated it would lose $2 million a year in revenue from inheritance taxes, according to a state legislative fiscal note. A survey of 14 counties, excluding Douglas and Lancaster Counties, estimated the average loss at $90,000 a year.

For the full article click HERE

APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR VOICES DOUBT ABOUT PERKINS COUNTY CANAL PROJECT

LINCOLN — A leading state senator is expressing opposition to one of Gov. Pete Ricketts’ top priorities: setting aside $500 million to build a canal off the South Platte River. State Sen. John Stinner of Gering, who chairs the powerful Appropriations Committee, said he cannot agree with earmarking that much in state funds for the Perkins County Canal.

On Wednesday, February 16, Stinner said he would, however, support spending a smaller amount on a feasibility study for the project.

“This canal is a complicated, long-term project that deserves to be looked at,” the senator said.

He went on to say the allotted $500 million - $400 million in cash reserve funds and $100 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) - could be used in better ways now.

Ricketts and his administration have attempted to portray the canal as the lone method for Nebraska to get all the water promised under the 99-year-old compact with the State of Colorado regarding the South Platte's flows. But a spokesman for Colorado's governor said the Perkins County Canal was a "canal to nowhere" and a "boondoggle" that would never be built. Senator Stinner's hesitancy seems to indicate he also does not believe this to be the only way for Nebraska to get the necessary water.

The governor, however, said the project is urgent given the increase in population that Colorado is seeing. Gov. Ricketts claims the water development plans in Colorado will consume 90% of the South Platte's flows. Officials have also said the canal could take up to a decade to be designed and built, however.

The Appropriations Committee is finalizing its budget recommendations, as well as its suggestions on how to spend Nebraska's $1.04 billion allocation from ARPA. Proposals for spending the funds will be debated by the full State Legislature later in this year's 60-day session.

For the full article click HERE

SOUTH OMAHA LEADERS TELL LAWMAKERS THEY'RE FED UP WITH BEING LEFT OUT

OMAHA - Dozens of South Omaha advocates converged Monday, February 14 at the Nebraska State Capitol to ask the government to stop sidestepping their community and invest now in jobs, housing, and education programs that can lift it from pandemic “horrors.”

Data was laid out by Armando Salgado of the Latino Economic Development Council showing the overrepresentation of Latinos hospitalized in local COVID wards.

Cristian Dona-Reveco of the University of Nebraska at Omaha talked of the higher proportion of Latino students dropping out of college due to family pandemic-related demands.

“I call for equity. I call for inclusion,” said Diana Rogel, diversity outreach and engagement coordinator at Live On Nebraska: “Ignored is simply not just.”

These comments are representative of the 25 testifiers in support of Legislative Bill 1238, which would direct $50 million of Nebraska's COVID-related emergency relief dollars to a fund intended to fuel economic development in South Omaha.

The idea of a South Omaha Recovery Grant Program was pushed by the new Latino Economic Development Council and put forward in the bill introduced by State Sens. Tony Vargas and Mike McDonnell of Omaha. The bill is also co-sponsored by Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt.

Despite the outpouring of testifiers, the Appropriations Committee took no action Monday on the bill.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA LAWMAKER RENEWS EFFORT TO LET CITIES PROVIDE BROADBAND SERVICE

LINCOLN- State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha brought his latest effort before the Legislature's Transportation and Telecommunications Committee on Tuesday.

Legislative Bill 916 would create a process allowing first- and second-class cities, as well as villages, to provide municipal broadband services if the city or village is in an underserved or unserved area.

Last year, Wayne attempted to add a similar proposal into a larger package that provided $40 million over two years to expand high-speed internet services. Wayne's proposal, which did not make it into the final package approved by the Legislature, would have allowed cities and towns to enter the broadband services market. That effort came after a bill Wayne introduced — which would have struck language in a state law barring municipalities from providing broadband — failed to gain necessary support and was indefinitely postponed.

At the time, Wayne said that broadband should be considered a critical infrastructure need and that private telecommunications companies have not stepped up to serve the whole state.

In Tuesday's hearing, Wayne said this is a bill he will continue to bring back every year. The broadband network, he said, is nowhere close to being completed.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA SENATORS ADVANCE COVID VACCINE EXEMPTION BILL TO FINAL ROUND OF CONSIDERATION

LINCOLN- Nebraska lawmakers gave second-round approval Wednesday to a bill that would allow employees to claim medical and religious exemptions from workplace COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

Legislative Bill 906 advanced to the final stage of consideration on a 36-2 vote, despite complaints from some senators that it had become “more symbolic than functional.” The bill, introduced by State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, spells out how employees can be exempted from workplace requirements to get the COVID vaccine. The proposal advanced based on a carefully crafted compromise that removed opposition from business and health care groups.

Under the compromise, employees can claim an exemption by filling out a state-produced form and declaring that the vaccine conflicts with their “sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance.” The forms could be used to claim a medical exemption, as well, as long as the claims were accompanied by a written statement from a doctor or other health care provider.

The bill makes clear that employers could require unvaccinated workers to be tested regularly and to wear masks or other protective equipment.

It also states that federal requirements would take precedence for federal contractors and for hospitals and other entities covered by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services standards.

The debate about the bill frequently veered into arguments about the value of COVID-19 vaccines and masking, as well as discussion about the role of government and comparisons with other employee protection measures.

For the full article click HERE

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER WON'T SEEK REELECTION

LINCOLN- Maureen Nickels said Tuesday she won’t seek reelection to the Nebraska State Board of Education.

Nickels, a Chapman, Nebraska, resident who was first elected in 2014 in District 6, said she always planned to leave the board after two terms. She said the controversy over the proposed health education standards for Nebraska schools didn’t influence her decision. She said it’s time for “fresh blood” on the board.

“If you had talked to anybody four years ago, after I went my second round, I always said, ‘Two terms and I’m done.’ I always wanted two terms, and I’ve stuck with it.”

Nickels, as board president last year, presided over the meetings that drew large and passionate crowds for hours of testimony about draft standards proposed by the Nebraska Department of Education. Facing overwhelming public opposition to the drafts, the board voted last September to postpone their development indefinitely.

“I hope that the health standards will come back,” she said. “I hope that they do. I don’t want to see them thrown out.”

For the full article click HERE

FAUCI, CRT, IMMIGRATION- NATIONAL ISSUES COMMAND SOME ADS IN NEBRASKA GOVERNOR'S RACE

LINCOLN- You’ve probably seen the ad by now: A shotgun-wielding, hunting vest-wearing Jim Pillen addresses the camera with a series of lines, including “Biden is as lost as last year’s Easter egg. And Fauci? Don’t get me started,” over a twangy country-style instrumental.

Then the gubernatorial candidate introduces himself, pumps the shotgun, and pledges to keep Nebraska safe as governor. In another recent ad, the University of Nebraska regent and livestock producer says “the radical left and liberal media have lost their minds” and touts his opposition to critical race theory.

The other perceived front-runner in the May 10 Republican primary, Charles W. Herbster, has also aired ads that lean heavily into national hot-button political issues. One features Herbster’s visit to the U.S.-Mexico border. It also shows footage of people apparently rushing the border, and he states what he claims is the number of undocumented immigrants living in Nebraska and how much illegal immigration costs the state per year.

“If Joe Biden refuses to do his job, then it’s up to governors to do theirs,” he says.

“The Trump/Herbster team believes in fighting for our borders, elections, guns, the unborn, and our Nebraska way of life,” another of his ads says.

Former Gov. Dave Heineman, who explored jumping into the primary himself, said the two, who are perceived as front-runners because of endorsements and flush campaign coffers, need to focus on the issues that actually impact Nebraskans’ lives.

For the full article click HERE

OMAHA'S MASK MANDATE IS LIFTED BY HEALTH DIRECTOR HUSE

OMAHA- Masks are no longer mandated in Omaha.

Dr. Lindsay Huse, health director for the City of Omaha and for the Douglas County Health Department, lifted the mask mandate Wednesday for certain indoor spaces in Omaha.

Huse, in her role as city health director, announced the change by a press release from the county health department, shortly after people at City Hall were notified that the change was coming.

Mayor Jean Stothert is home this week after being diagnosed with COVID-19, but her staff said she was asymptomatic.

There was no immediate word on how or whether the elimination of the mandate might impact the State of Nebraska’s lawsuit against Huse and the city regarding the mask mandate. Huse enacted the mask requirement on Jan. 12.

Huse encouraged people to get vaccinated for COVID-19 and said it offers the best protection from serious illness and death from the disease. She declined to be interviewed, citing the state’s lawsuit. The City of Lincoln’s indoor mask mandate remains in place through Feb. 25.

For the full article click HERE

REFUGEES SEEN AS PARTIAL SOLUTION TO WORKFORCE SHORTAGE IF HOUSING AVAILABLE

LINCOLN - An Afghan refugee who is living a version of the American dream urged Nebraska state lawmakers Tuesday, February 15, to help others fleeing violence and wars to find a “landing place” in the United States.

Shafiq Jahish, a former interpreter for the U.S. military, said that when refugees arrive, they often can’t find immediate housing, in part because they don’t have any money, a job, or a rental history needed to lease an apartment.

One cannot obtain a driver's license or enroll kids in school with a permanent address, Jahish said.

Jahish was testifying in favor of a bill that would designate $10 million of the state's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to discounted housing for low-income individuals, including refugees.

Jahish has been able to overcome the obstacles that he laid out and has worked his way from a truck driver up to a supervisor before earning a college degree, and now works as an IT professional for an Omaha bank. The 34-year-old now has his own home to raise his family of seven.

The committee is currently considering a multitude of ideas on how to spend the state's $1.04 billion in ARPA funds. Tuesday they solicited testimony regarding a few proposals to use some of the funds to provide low-income and "workforce" housing in the state.

The lack of decent housing has been identified as a major impediment in filling the state’s estimated 60,000 unfilled jobs, the committee was told.

For the full article click HERE

CONCERNS RAISED OVER BILL TO ALLOW COUNTIES TO SET HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE

LINCOLN - A representative of Nebraska’s counties told a legislative committee Monday that more study is needed before granting the power to set a minimum wage county by county.

“We typically don’t get involved in these main street business decisions,” said Jon Cannon, executive director of the Nebraska Association of County Officials. “This isn’t a power we’ve asked for.”

Legislative Bill 935, proposed by State Sen. Eliot Bostar, would allow a county board to set their own minimum wage which could be higher than the $9 an hour state minimum.

Bostar remarked that it makes little sense for the minimum wage to be the same "in the middle of Omaha and in the middle of Alliance."

American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) representatives and Center for Rural Affairs representatives spoke positively of the bill. They mentioned that county officials were best situated to determine the local minimum wage. They also said that raising wages helps families escape poverty.

The Nebraska state minimum wage hasn't been raised since 2014 and the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour was last raised in 2009.

Susan Martin of the AFL-CIO said the federal minimum wage took account of inflation up until 1968. If it continued, she said, it would be at $21.36 an hour now.

Cannon said he was only aware of two other counties in the nation, Montgomery County, Maryland, and Sonoma County, California that have established higher minimum wages than their respective states.

Representatives of business groups, including the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, came out against the bill due to the negative impact it has on small businesses.

For the full article click HERE

GOV. RICKETTS URGES FEWER RESTRICTIONS AS COVID CASES FALL

LINCOLN - Gov. Pete Ricketts said Nebraskans should be allowed to “return to normal” as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to fall in the state.

“Our case counts and hospitalization rates are dropping with each passing day," Ricketts said in a statement Thursday, February 17. "It’s a promising sign that we are moving to the endemic stage of COVID. It’s important that we pursue policies that let Nebraskans return to normal while continuing to live with the virus.”

Ricketts' comments followed the elimination of a temporary mask mandate in Omaha that was put in place last month in the midst of increased COVID-19 cases.

The seven-day rolling average of daily cases in Nebraska continued to fall sharply over the last two weeks. As of February 15, the number was 364.43. From mid-January until January 26, that figure was consistently above 4,000.

In addition, the number of statewide hospitalizations due to coronavirus fell this week to numbers not seen since early November.

Peak hospitalization numbers came on January 28 with 767. As of Tuesday, February 15 that number was 436.

While hospital officials are pleased with the falling number of cases, they remain extremely busy with non-COVID patients due to ongoing staff shortages.

Surgeries that were not deemed "necessary" were backlogged during the early and peak stages of the pandemic. Understaffed hospitals are now beginning to pick these back up as well.

For the full article click HERE

BILL ADVANCED TO PROVIDE 'ECONOMIC RECOVERY' GRANTS IN NORTH, SOUTH OMAHA

LINCOLN - A legislative committee advanced an amended bill Thursday, February 17 aimed at providing “economic recovery” grants to areas of Omaha disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and generations of poverty.

Legislative Bill 1024 drew support from a long line of leaders from North Omaha earlier in the 2022 session. They described it as providing a “steroid shot” in spurring development.The bill was amended to include parts of South Omaha as well. A hearing on Monday, February 14 garnered interest and testimony from leaders in the area.

LB1024 seeks to prioritize grants in North and South Omaha for housing projects, job training programs, and business envelopment. The bill would create a new "Economic Recovery Division" within the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to award the grants as well.In addition, an advisory committee would be created to review the requests for funding.

“This is our canal project,” said State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who is the main sponsor of LB 1024. The "canal project" referenced by Sen. Wayne is Gov. Pete Rickett's proposal to allocate $500 million for the construction of Perkins county Canal to draw water from the South Platte River. “If we are going to recover and save North and South Omaha, we need a project like this,” the senator said.

LB1024 advanced from the Legislature's Urban Affairs Committee on a 6-1 vote. Sen. Wayne is the chair of this committee.

For the full article click HERE

SENATOR MIKE GROENE, ACCUSED OF TAKING LEWD PHOTOS OF STAFF MEMBER, RESIGNS FROM LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN — AS REPORTED BY THE NEBRASKA EXAMINER: “State Sen. Mike Groene submitted his resignation Friday afternoon, just a couple of hours after denying accusations that he took sexually inappropriate photographs of a female legislative aide.

Groene confirmed that he had submitted his resignation to Gov. Pete Ricketts and that the governor had accepted it. Groene, an often outspoken lawmaker, was completing his second term in the Nebraska Legislature.

“I am not going to drag my wife, family and friends through the fight it would take to defend myself,” the senator said in a text. “I am resigning and dropping out of politics completely. Life is too short.”

That means, Groene said, that he is dropping out of the race for University of Nebraska Board of Regents, a campaign he announced only two days ago.

The resignation comes after the Nebraska Sunrise News reported that Kristina Konecko, who had worked on and off for Groene for six years, had lodged a complaint over photos of herself that she had discovered on Groene’s laptop computer. Konecko, according to the website, considered the photos inappropriate.  

“The pictures appeared to have been taken by Groene and then emailed from him to other parties with email captions of a sexual nature,” the website reported. Konecko described the photos as “objectifying and demeaning.” The Sunrise News story said some were “zoom-close-ups of provocative body parts with explicit subject lines.”

This is a breaking story. To read continuing news coverage please click HERE

CORPS SEEK FUNDING OF CONTENTIOUS $144 MILLION FLOOD PLAN FOR OMAHA AREA

OMAHA- The Army Corps of Engineers on Thursday said it will recommend that Congress approve $144 million in projects to reduce flood damage along creeks in the Omaha metro area.

Included are two dams, construction of a levee/floodwall along the Little Papillion Creek in central Omaha, elevating or flood-proofing some homes and businesses, and erecting floodgates at several creek crossings.

The corps’ decision is the latest chapter in battles over flood control in the metro area dating to the 1970s.

The plan has been promoted by the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, local governments including the Omaha City Council, and some businesses whose property is at risk along creeks, notably the Nebraska Furniture Mart.

Those opposed include the Washington County Board and landowners who would lose homes and see their property values drop because of one of the dams.

John Winkler, general manager of the NRD, said there is an urgent need for better flood protection in the area.

For the full article click HERE

SENATORS QUESTION GOV. RICKETT'S DECISION TO TURN DOWN $120 MILLION IN RENTAL ASSISSTANCE

LINCOLN- Gov. Pete Ricketts' decision to reject $120 million from the federal government for rent and utilities assistance prompted criticism Friday from some Omaha-area senators.

State budget director Lee Will fielded questions from legislators and explained Ricketts' rationale in rejecting the American Rescue Plan Act money during a hearing before the Appropriations Committee. Will noted that Nebraska hasn't spent its first installment of emergency rental assistance and said there are concerns about potential fraud.

That contrasted with the message from advocates, who said there is a dire need for help. They would like the governor to reconsider his decision — which, according to Will, puts Nebraska alongside Arkansas as the only two states to leave the money on the table.

That fact did not sit well with some on Friday.

Through the state's current program, struggling renters have been able to get up to a year's worth of back-rent, plus three additional months. Money is sent directly to landlords and utility providers on renters' behalf. The state, Omaha, Lincoln, Douglas County and Lancaster County were all allotted money through the program.

Nebraska received $200 million from the U.S. Treasury for the first round, according to Will: $22.2 million to the City of Omaha, $13.5 million to the City of Lincoln, $4.3 million to Douglas County, $1.4 million to Lancaster County and $158.6 million to the state for aid in the rest of Nebraska.

The state used marketing efforts and other outreach measures to promote the program, Will said. With $44 million still available to Nebraskans outside those four other jurisdictions, the state opted not to take the additional $120 million.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA EYES LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM FOR TEACHER SHORTAGE

LINCOLN- Nebraska education leaders asked state lawmakers Tuesday to create a student-loan forgiveness program to help nudge more people into the profession, which has suffered major losses during the pandemic.

Members of the Legislature's Education Committee reviewed multiple bills that would forgive up to $30,000 in student loans for teachers who agree to work in a Nebraska school. Like many states, Nebraska saw many experienced teachers retire early during the pandemic amid the stress of remote learning and possible in-class exposure to the coronavirus.

“This has been a problem before the pandemic, but the pandemic exacerbated it,” said Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Bennington, who sponsored a measure that would forgive up to $6,000 a year, with a $30,000, five-year maximum.

DeBoer said the measure would encourage education students to stay in Nebraska after finishing college and help offset low starting salaries for new teachers. She said the proposal was intended to help both public and private school teachers. She noted that Nebraska already has a similar forgiveness program for rural doctors.

Education officials said the shortage in Nebraska is especially severe in rural schools and argued that the low pay makes it more difficult for new teachers.

“You're really entering a field that, starting out, doesn't pay very well," said Kyle McGowan, the superintendent of Crete Public Schools and a spokesman for Nebraska school administrators and teachers.

Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn said a loan forgiveness program would take the state “a step in the right direction” to address the chronic shortage.

“It's only going to become worse if we don't do something,” Linehan said.

For the full article click HERE

AG DOUG PETERSON ENDORSES SEN. MIKE HILGERS AS HIS SUCCESSOR

LINCOLN- Attorney General Doug Peterson on Tuesday announced his support for Sen. Mike Hilgers' candidacy to succeed him.

Hilgers, a Lincoln senator and speaker of the Legislature, is seeking the Republican nomination for attorney general.

Peterson earlier announced his decision not to be a candidate for reelection to a third term.

"Mike has the temperament, skills, and principles to be an outstanding attorney general," Peterson said. "I am proud to endorse him and he has my full support."

Peterson's endorsement follows on the heels of earlier endorsements from Gov. Pete Ricketts, Lt. Gov. Mike Foley, Sen. Deb Fischer, Rep. Don Bacon, Rep. Adrian Smith, and former Govs. Dave Heineman and Kay Orr.

Hilgers was reelected to a four-year term in Lancaster County's District 21 in 2020; if elected attorney general, his successor in the Legislature presumably would be chosen by Ricketts before he leaves office next January.

For the full article click HERE

FARM BUREAU ENDORSES PILLEN IN GOP GUBERNATORIAL RACE

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Farm Bureau on Tuesday endorsed Jim Pillen in the hotly contested Republican gubernatorial primary election, handing the Columbus hog producer a rich prize in his contest with agribusinessman Charles Herbster of Falls City and a field of other GOP candidates.

The Farm Bureau counts 55,000 member families and is a major voice in Republican politics, with its endorsement playing an outsized role in statewide GOP primary races that often are dominated by rural voters.

Results from polling all its members "resoundingly said Jim Pillen's the guy," Nebraska Farm Bureau President Mark McHargue of Central City said during a news conference in the Capitol Rotunda.

"Wow!" Pillen responded. "This is a big deal for our campaign."

Herbster will be able to counter with his earlier endorsement from former President Donald Trump, with whom he worked as an agricultural adviser, relying on the popularity of Trump in rural Nebraska to help deliver votes in the May 10 primary.

McHargue said he also sat down with Pillen for "a couple of hours over supper" prior to the decision and engaged in "quite a conversation about rural communities."

McHargue said Pillen "understands we have a broken tax system and that there is overreliance on property taxes (and) he understands that if agriculture does well, our state does well."

Pillen, who already has campaigned in all 93 counties, said it's important "not just that we survive, but that we thrive."

"It's important that the next governor defend agriculture," McHargue responded.

For the full article click HERE