MEDICAL MARIJUANA PETITION DRIVE MAKES URGENT PITCH FOR DONORS, VOLUTNEERS

LINCOLN - An initiative petition drive seeking to legalize medical cannabis in Nebraska has issued an urgent plea for donations and volunteers after reportedly losing a major contributor.

An email was sent to supporters of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana on Wednesday, March 23 that said, due to "personal and tragic circumstances," a "committed donor" is no longer able to fun its petition drive this year.

The email called supporters to "show our grit" by volunteering to help circulate petitions, or to raise $500,000 to finance paid petition circulators by May 1.

Despite the setback, State Sen. Adam Morfeld said on Thursday that Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana is confident they can raise the funds needed to "fill the gap." 

“Our campaign has an incredible amount of grassroots support,” Morfeld said. “We have hundreds of well-organized volunteers who are out gathering signatures, and more supporters sign up to help every day.” 

According to Morfeld, it is "possible, but very difficult" to qualify an initiative for the ballot without using paid circulators. However, Morfeld went on to say "if any campaign can do it solely with a grassroots signature drive, it's ours."

Two years ago the initiative collected more than 122,000 signatures but was kicked off by the Nebraska Supreme Court. They ruled that the initiative's language violated the state's "single-subject" rule, which requires a ballot issue to contain no more than one subject.

In the email sent Wednesday, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana said it has collected roughly 15,000 signatures so far in its attempt to qualify for the 2022 general election ballot. The group needs 87,000 signatures in the next 100 days. 

In addition to the lack of funding, the petition faces major pushback from Gov. Pete Ricketts, who claims that legalizing medical marijuana is a gateway towards legalizing marijuana for recreational use. 

Ricketts' position that cannabis has no medicinal value has been in stark contrast to the dozens of Nebraskans who have testified at the Capitol about its benefits in treating chronic pain and seizure disorders.

For more on this article click HERE

CONGRESSMAN'S WIFE TESTIFIES THAT HER HUSBAND WAS OFTEN DISTRACTED DURING FUND-RAISING CALLS

LOS ANGELES — The wife of U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry provided several explanations Thursday, March 24 about why her husband may not have heard or understood warnings in a June 2018 cell phone call — warnings repeated at least three times — that his re-election campaign had received illegal contributions during a fundraiser two years earlier.

Celeste Fortenberry testified that on June 4, 2018, both she and her husband were exhausted after a long flight home from Finland.

Not only were they exhausted, but they were also stressed out because one of their daughters was slated to have serious surgery in a couple of days.

The Representative's wife of 26 years also said the congressman "loathed" fund-raising calls, leaning him to do other chores like cooking, cleaning, yard work, or walking the dog while he was making such calls "on autopilot."

Background noises during the June 2018 call indicated to her that there was a "high degree of probability" that her husband was performing another task during the call.

Celeste also remarked that the couple has poor cell phone reception in their Lincoln home. "We live in Nebraska," the wife told jurors. "The state has kind of lousy cell phone service."

All of such testimony served to strengthen the defense's case that the congressman did not lie to federal investigators but instead, either didn't hear, didn't comprehend, or didn't recall what was said in the June 2018 phone call.

The 61–year-old Republican is charged with lying to agents in two interviews in 2019. He is also charged with attempting to conceal the L.A. donations by not amending his federal campaign reports. Fortenberry faces up to five years in prison on each felony count.

The congressman, on Thursday morning, informed the court that he would not be testifying on his own behalf.

For the full article click HERE

THE FIRST AND POSSIBLY ONLY DEBATE IN THE NEBRASKA GOP RACE GAVE CANDIDATES A PLATFORM

LINCOLN- Four Republicans running to be Nebraska’s next governor stood on a soundstage Thursday and answered questions from reporters for an hour on live television statewide.

That they did so is rarely news. But Thursday’s event, hosted by Nebraska Public Media, was the first and perhaps only debate of this GOP primary race. And University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen, one of the top three candidates, has refused to participate in any debates before the May 10 primary election.

The race's front runner, Charles Herbster was to be tested. On prisons and criminal justice reform, Herbster highlighted the need for better mental health care in Nebraska. He said nonviolent criminals need a path back to work. He also discussed building Nebraska’s next prison in a major city. On taxes, Herbster said he’d explore all options. 

Herbster said during the debate that he would help Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers protect agriculture, in part, by not allowing foreign nationals to buy farmland in Nebraska.

His top opponents on stage Thursday, State Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha and former Sen. Theresa Thibodeau, also of Omaha, said the law wouldn’t allow Herbster to do as he proposed. 

Lindstrom, who has staked his campaign on running a positive race, focused on the future. He avoided attacking his peers and emphasized his efforts to cut taxes, including state taxes on Social Security payments. He has proposed a bill this year to cut them faster. 

For the full article click HERE

U.S. REP. JEFF FORTENBERRY FOUND GUILTY OF THREE FELONIES

LOS ANGELES- In a nearly immediate decision, a California jury found U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry guilty Thursday of lying to federal investigators and trying to conceal illegal campaign donations. 

Jeff Fortenberry was found guilty on all three felony charges, each of which carries a possible 5 year jail time sentence. Sentencing was scheduled for June 28th according to judge Stanley Blumenfeld.

Afterward, Fortenberry promised an appeal and said he would review whether to continue his re-election campaign. He faces a formidable GOP challenger, State Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk, in the primary.

“We always thought it was going to be hard to have a fair process here,” Fortenberry told reporters, his family at his side, outside the courthouse. “We made our case.”

The most important piece of evidence was a 10-minute audio recording — done surreptitiously by the FBI — of a June 4, 2018, phone call the host of a Los Angeles fundraiser had with Fortenberry. 

During the trial, several of the jurors scribbled notes every time the recording of the phone call was played in court, which occurred at least four times during the trial.

Among the questions facing Fortenberry: Will he continue his re-election campaign while appealing the guilty verdicts? What kind of future does he have if he loses his seat in Congress?

For the full article click HERE

HERBSTER GOES OFF SCRIPT IN GOVERNOR DEBATE; LINDSTROM STAYS ON; THIBODEAU ATTACKS

LINCOLN — Four Republicans running to be Nebraska’s next governor stood on a soundstage Thursday and answered questions from reporters for an hour on live television statewide.

That they did so is hardly news. But Thursday’s event, hosted by Nebraska Public Media, was the first and perhaps only debate of this GOP primary race. And University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen, one of the top three candidates, has refused to participate in any debates before the May 10 primary election.

Political pundits said they were interested in observing how the frontrunner, Conklin Co. CEO Charles Herbster, handled questions in front of the camera.

Herbster pointed to the need for better mental health care when faced with questions about prisons and criminal justice reform in Nebraska. 

On taxes, Herbster said he'd explore all options.

Herbster also gave, and stood by, one of the most unexpected answers of the night. He said, without offering evidence, that China planned the COVID-19 pandemic to get rid of President Donald Trump.

“This is a planned pandemic,” Herbster said. “It was planned all along. I’ve said that from day one, and it was planned to be a part of taking America down and dividing America.” 

Former Sen. Theresa Thibodeau, who is currently fourth in polling behind Herbster, Pillen, and Lindstrom, landed the biggest blows of the evening. 

She said Herbster didn’t know what he was talking about and won’t locate his largest business in Nebraska.

And she said Lindstrom calls himself a tax cutter but voted for a significant gas tax increase that families feel at the pump.

For the full article click HERE

ATTEMPT TO CREATE SUPER-SIZED TAX BREAK BILL FALLS ONE VOTE SHORT IN LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN — An attempt to add a major package of income and property tax cuts to a bill providing a tax break on Social Security checks ran into a logjam Friday in the Nebraska Legislature.In the end, the attempt to create a super-sized collection of tax relief proposals failed, with a vote to stop a filibuster falling one vote short of the 33 necessary.

State Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha, who has made eliminating state income taxes on Social Security a priority, said his proposal is still very much alive, despite Friday’s development.

“We will regroup on Monday,” Lindstrom said, and work to attach provisions of Legislative Bill 825 onto another tax bill dealing with turnback taxes to support sports arenas, such as Omaha’s CHI Center.

That bill could also provide a vehicle for the whopper income/property tax relief proposal.

The Lindstrom bill — which had plenty of support to advance from second-round — would phase out all state taxes on Social Security by 2025. It would benefit an estimated 325,000 Nebraskans who rely on the federal retirement aid.But the state income tax cuts and an increase in property tax credits proposed in the larger tax bill, LB 939, ran into opposition from some senators who believe it helps mostly rich and not middle-class taxpayers. Because of the opposition, LB 939 was blocked from advancing on Tuesday. Thus, Elkhorn Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, who introduced LB 939, sought a way to advance her proposal by attaching it to the Social Security measure, which was headed for passage.

Opponents of the move, such as State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, said it was a brazen attempt to piggyback the less-popular income/property tax bill on the top of a very popular measure, cutting taxes on retirement income.

Read more to this story on our website by clicking HERE

PRELIMINARY PLANS FOR ARPA FUNDS RELEASED BY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

LINCOLN- With the ARPA funds tentatively set to be debated in the Legislature beginning next week, the Appropriations Committee released their preliminary plans for state's over $1billion in federal ARPA dollars.

The state was given $1.04 billion dollars thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act. The $1.9 trillion relief bill passed just over a year ago under the Biden administration. These funds are specifically provided to states to be used at the local level. ARPA can provide a wide variety of resources to Nebraska as the state works to address health and economic recovery. 

Governor Pete Ricketts announced his proposed plan for the ARPA dollars in January, with the committee having the final say in drafting the plan that will appear before the full legislature for consideration. The Appropriations Committee began to prioritize and work through ARPA proposals from the Governor, citizens, companies, and other legislative committees, wrapping this work over the last weekend resulting in the agreement on the preliminary plan that will be presented to the body.

The plan covers many areas that will affect the state. The number of asks for relief dollars was extremely high, totaling nearly six times the amount given to the state. The preliminary plan encompasses a wide range of subjects, organized into key areas including Public Health Response; Negative Economic Impacts; Premium Pay for some frontline workers; Water, Sewer and Broadband; and funding for administration of the dollars.

For the full preliminary spreadsheet released by the Appropriations Committee click HERE

For an in-depth description of bills included, requested dollar amounts in comparison to what was appropriated, and areas of focus, click HERE

LEGISLATURE GIVES FIRST NOD TO MAIN BUDGET AMID DISAGREEMENTS

LINCOLN — The Nebraska Legislature, flush with federal cash, gave first-round approval Thursday, March 17 to the Appropriations Committee’s $9.9 billion main budget bill for the two years that end in mid-2023.

The bill’s 40-6 passage papered over simmering divisions among senators about the best approach to state spending moving forward, which spilled into subsequent debate. One senator who voted in opposition to the budget, Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, said she has concerns with the lack of discussion about the potential repercussions of their decisions. 

“The majority, sometimes even if it’s a supermajority, makes a mistake,” Linehan said. 

Sen. John Stinner, who serves as the chairman of the budget-writing Appropriations Committee, defended the group's work and continued to do so well into the next bill's debate. In regard to the budget's $62 million in wage increases for state employees and $95 million for increased reimbursement rates for Medicaid providers, Stinner said, “Go home and find a nursing home and find out what’s happening. They don’t have staff. Go to Mullen, Nebraska, where they just lost their nursing home.”

Two of the six that voted no on the bill, Sens. Justin Wayne and Terrell McKinney, pointed out the hypocrisy of their colleagues who spoke in agreement with them about North and South Omaha's needs, yet spent budget money elsewhere. 

“If North and South Omaha was an investment area of our state, they clearly could’ve found a way just like they did here to invest,” Wayne said. “They chose not to.” 

Sen. Curt Friesen, who also voted against the budget, was frustrated with his colleagues voting to end first-round debate before they were able to change or amend the budget. 

“We’re spending on things I don’t think we should be spending on,” said Friesen, who also voted against the budget. “Somewhere down the line we’re going to have a compromise.” 

Sens. Machaela Cavanaugh and John Cavanaugh also voted against the budget advancing.

For the full article click HERE

ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF MAY BECOME PART OF COMPROMISE ON INCOME TAX BILL

LINCOLN — Additional property tax relief may be working its way into a bill designed to reduce state income taxes.

The development comes after the income tax proposal, Legislative Bill 939, advanced from first-round debate but only after the prime sponsor of the bill, State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, promised to amend the bill before second-round debate. Linehan declined to comment on what amendments are being considered, but other sources claim that at least one of such amendments being discussed would provide more property tax relief.

Roughly $200 million in additional income tax relief could be produced by increasing the state income tax credits that provide a refund for property taxes paid for K-12 education. Nebraska's business community has long lobbied to cut the state's income tax rate. Business groups argue that Nebraska's top income tax rate discourages businesses and workers from locating here. 

Currently, LB939 would reduce the state's top individual income tax rate from 6.84% to 5.84% after three years. Additionally, the state's corporate income tax rate would be reduced from 7.1% to 5.84% by the tax year 2026. The state's 6.84% top rate is the most among all neighboring states except for Iowa. However, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds recently signed a bill into law that establishes a flat tax of 3.9%.

Despite a 40-1 vote to advance from the first round of debate, there is strong opposition to LB939. Opposers voted "yes" on the condition that some compromises are made before it comes up for second-round debate.

Sen. Matt Hansen, who has led the opposition, has said his biggest issue with the bill is that it was claimed to be a "middle class" tax cut when in reality, most of the benefits go to the state's wealthiest taxpayers.

For the full article click HERE

BILL WOULD GIVE FIRST-YEAR NEBRASKA TEACHERS UP TO $5,000 TO MAKE UP FOR LOW PAY

LINCOLN- Nebraska lawmakers are looking to up the ante on a package of incentives meant to attract more teachers to Nebraska.

Legislative Bill 1218 would create the Teach in Nebraska Today Program, which would provide first-year educators up to $5,000 a year for up to five years. The bill is one of the Education Committee’s priorities this year, as lawmakers look to address the teacher shortage impacting Nebraska schools.

The program was added as an amendment to a bill that, as introduced, would strike the requirement for a basic skills test and provide other avenues for candidates to enter the teaching profession.

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, a member of the Education Committee, said the teaching crisis is “a long time coming.” Teaching vacancies have been increasing for years across the U.S., but the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the issue. Some educators left the profession due to burnout.

Linehan said one of the reasons for the shortage is the low pay most teachers earn early in their careers, which discourages many students from pursuing teaching jobs. She said many teachers don’t earn high pay until later in their careers.

“It’s not a 21st-century pay scale,” Linehan said.

For the full article click HERE

LAWMAKERS CONTINUE THE PUSH TO MAKE GOV. PETE RICKETTS APPLY FOR EMERGENCY RENT AID FOR NEBRASKANS

LINCOLN — A bill that attempts to force Gov. Pete Ricketts’ hand in applying for $120 million in emergency federal rental assistance is one step closer to being approved. The Nebraska Legislature advanced the measure to the final vote Wednesday, March 16 on a voice vote.

Ricketts has made it clear that he does not intend to apply for the second round of pandemic-related rent and utility funds, as "the storm has passed." He also said, "We must guard against becoming a welfare state."

Before the bill went to a vote on Wednesday, Ricketts tweeted a message asking his supporters to call their senators and "urge them to vote no."

Legislative Bill 1073 is a priority of Sen. Matt Hansen who commented that Nebraska is one of only two states that haven't applied for the already-earmarked rental and utility funds available under the American Rescue Plan Act. The $120 million would be dispersed to other states if Nebraska does not apply by the end of March. While the bill advanced to final reading with 29 votes of support, the body will need 30 votes to override a governor's veto. 

Hansen said the third vote will be scheduled so the Legislature can respond to a Ricketts veto. If this is necessary, Hansen said, "I feel optimistic."

Earlier in the legislative session, several rural nonprofit groups testified that rental assistance was needed in their areas. A concern among these nonprofit groups is that the application process could be too difficult to navigate and that it could be a reason why the first round of the funds had not yet been distributed. 

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA ABORTION BILLS HIT ROADBLOCK IN LEGISLATURE'S JUDICIARY COMMITTEE; PULL MOITON MEANS DEBATE NEXT WEEK

LINCOLN- Three bills that would heavily restrict or ban abortions in Nebraska hit a roadblock in the Legislature, but the journey isn't over for all of them just yet. Motions to advance all three bills out of the Judiciary Committee stalled Tuesday. Each would require a later vote by the committee or the full Legislature to move to the floor.

Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston quickly filed a pull motion to her bill (LB933), which is likely to be debated next week. If the motion to pull the measure is successful it will be placed on General File and will be eligible for first-round debate. Filibusters are expected during the pull motion and if the measure is considered further. Albrecht said she is confident she can get the 25 votes needed to pull the bill out of committee.

LB933 would ban all abortions in the state if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, or if the U.S. Constitution or federal law is amended to give control over abortions to individual states. Such measures are referred to as trigger bills.

Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha, chair of the Judiciary Committee, said he doubts that Roe v. Wade would be overturned, even with more conservative justices on the court.

"I just don't see that as an outcome," Lathrop said.

Albrecht, who is not on the Judiciary Committee, said she introduced LB933 so the Legislature could avoid a special session in the event that the Supreme Court rules prior to the next regular session. She said this will save Nebraskans money and ensure the ban takes effect instantly.

For the full article click HERE

TREASURY SHIFTS $377M AMONG STATES AS COVID HOUSING AID DRIES UP

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration has clawed back $377 million in federal emergency housing aid from states and counties, most of them controlled by Republicans, and redirected the cash to states that have been clamoring for more help, including New York, California, and New Jersey.

The $46 billion Emergency Rental Assistance Program, first enacted by Congress in 2020, succeeded in preventing a wave of evictions stemming from the downturn caused by the pandemic. But Treasury Department officials, increasingly concerned that evictions might rise after the program winds down, have tried to ensure that none of the remaining funding goes unspent while pushing states to find other funding sources to assist poor tenants.

In recent months, White House officials have pressured governors in states with unspent funds to turn over the money to local governments within their states. Now they are going one step further, pulling back cash from states with relatively few tenants — like Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming — or localities that failed to efficiently distribute the aid, including Alabama, Arkansas, and several counties in Texas.

The money, in turn, is being diverted to four states that burned through their allotted amounts — with $136 million in additional aid headed to California, $119 million to New York, $47 million to New Jersey, and $15 million to Illinois, according to a spreadsheet provided by a senior administration official. North Carolina, Washington, and other localities will be receiving smaller amounts.

For the full article click HERE

FOLEY ENDORSING HERBSTER; RICKETTS SAYS HE WOULD BE 'TERRIBLE GOVERNOR'

LINCOLN- A political rift between Gov. Pete Ricketts and Lt. Gov. Mike Foley broke into the open Tuesday after Foley told Ricketts he backs Charles Herbster for governor. 

The lieutenant governor’s decision appears to have motivated Ricketts to speak out more forcefully against Herbster. He said Herbster would be “a terrible governor.” Ricketts, who has endorsed and campaigned for University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen, said he told Foley that he was making a mistake and that he should rethink his choice. 

“I was very disappointed with the lieutenant governor’s choice,” Ricketts told the Nebraska Examiner. “I think it’s incredibly poor judgment on his part.”

The Herbster campaign plans to announce Foley’s endorsement during a press conference later Tuesday at the Capitol, the Examiner has learned. The campaign has promised a “HUGE announcement.”  Foley’s endorsement could carry added weight with GOP voters who oppose abortion. Some hold Foley in high regard from his work as a state senator. He was elected twice as state auditor. 

Ricketts on Tuesday ramped up his criticisms of Herbster. He reiterated his frustration that the Conklin Co. CEO bases his highest-paying jobs in Missouri and Minnesota. The governor also criticized Herbster’s late payment of property taxes. Herbster paid his personal and business property taxes late nearly 600 times. 

Pillen's campaign responded to the endorsement stating the endorsement was “disappointing but not surprising” since Foley was “pretty unhappy when I turned down his request to be my lieutenant governor."

Herbster was also endorsed by Senator Steve Halloran and former Nebraska State Patrol Superintendent Tom Nesbitt. 

For the full article click HERE

REPORT CALLS FOR REPLACING OMAHA VA HOSPITAL WITH NEW BUILDING

OMAHA- The city would get a new veterans hospital and Fremont and Council Bluffs would get new veterans clinics under proposals outlined in a Veterans Affairs report that calls for a massive, nationwide overhaul of its facilities.

The main losses for the state under the proposal would be eventual reductions in urgent care hours and nursing home beds at the Grand Island VA Medical Center and the closure of a small outpatient clinic in Sidney.

“It looks good for Nebraska veterans,” said Holden Armstrong, communications director for the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs.

The recommendations are, however, just a first step in what will be a long process, and one subject to change. The recommendations next will be reviewed by an independent commission, which has a year to review them. Members will seek public comment and likely will visit many of the communities listed in the proposals. The panel’s recommendations eventually would go to Congress and President Joe Biden. If they’re approved, it would take a decade or more to implement many of the recommendations.

“That is a long way of saying we are a long way from any action happening,” said Ron Woolery, a regional VA spokesman.

Overall, 35 VA medical centers in 21 states would be closed or rebuilt under the proposal as part of the nearly $2 trillion infrastructure overhaul, according to the Military Times.

For the full article click HERE

FEDERAL EARMARKS TO FUND PROGRAMS IN LA VISTA, SOUTH SARPY, OMAHA AND SOUTH SIOUX CITY

LA VISTA — Southern Sarpy County will get $3.5 million closer to completing a massive sewer project that opens the less developed part of the county to new housing, businesses, and jobs.

North Omaha and the people who visit, shop, and dine in its historic 24th Street corridor will see $3 million in improvements for new sidewalks, traffic signals, roundabouts, parking, bus stops, and bike lanes. La Vista walkers and cyclists near the site Walmart once occupied near 84th and Harrison Streets will get $5 million for two new trails and a path underneath 84th Street. The tunnel will connect both sides of La Vista Central Park, east and west of 84th Street, to the new $300 million La Vista City Centre redevelopment project. South Sioux City residents should be able to continue to flush toilets with confidence come June 2023 because the city’s planned new wastewater treatment plant is getting a $5 million infusion. And people hospitalized because of gang violence will get counseling from peers about services they might need to find a way out, through $527,000 in funds for a program of the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

These projects represent Nebraska’s $17 million slice of earmarked funds, secured as part of the $1.5 trillion spending bill Congress passed last week to keep the government running.

For the full article click HERE

NPPD AND ENTERGY AGREE TO END PARTNERSHIP ON NEBRASKA NUCLEAR PLANT

BROWNVILLE- NPPD is taking over full operation of Nebraska's sole nuclear plant, ending a nearly 20-year relationship with an outside company that had helped set the once-struggling reactor on a sound course.

On Monday, the Nebraska Public Power District and Louisiana-based Entergy jointly announced that they would end their collaboration at Cooper Nuclear Station near Brownville. NPPD owns the nuclear plant and Entergy has assisted in its management since 2003. 

At that time, NPPD had been contemplating shutting down Cooper due to costs, and federal regulators had given Cooper the lowest grade a nuclear plant can have while remaining open.

Tom Kent, president, and CEO at NPPD said Columbus-based utility plans to continue operating Cooper and can do so skillfully.

"Over the past two decades, we have built up a tremendous amount of experience and skill within our ranks," he said.

NPPD plans to tap outside companies such as Entergy on an as-needed basis, he said.

For the full article click HERE

L.A. JURY TO DECIDE IF FORTENBERRY LIED TO FEDERAL AGENTS OR WAS 'SET UP' BY THEM

LINCOLN— Until last fall, U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry was expected to easily breeze to re-election in 2022 in his Republican-dominated district spanning eastern Nebraska.

Instead, he’ll be fighting for his political life this week in a federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles.

Fortenberry, who has represented the 1st Congressional District since 2005, is charged with lying about, and then trying to conceal, his knowledge of $30,200 in illegal, “conduit” political campaign contributions.

Fortenberry’s trial begins Wednesday and is expected to continue through March 22. A campaign spokesman said it’s not certain that the 61-year-old congressman will testify in his own defense.

The outcome could be a decisive factor in whether the congressman is re-elected. He faces a formidable challenge in the May primary from State Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk, who has picked up endorsements from Gov. Pete Ricketts and former Gov. Dave Heineman, who said they fear losing the safe GOP seat to a Democrat because of Fortenberry’s legal issues.

How much politics will creep into the trial of a politician from a deeply red state in a blue stronghold remains to be seen. Fortenberry’s attorneys attempted, unsuccessfully, to get the trial moved to Nebraska, a request prosecutors slammed as “venue shopping.” 

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA CONTINUES TO SEE LOWER COVID CASE COUNTS AND HOSPITILIZATIONS

LINCOLN- More Nebraskans are returning to such activities as concerts, movies, and sporting events as the state’s COVID case counts continue their downward trend.

The state reported only 650 new COVID-19 cases last week, the lowest number in nearly eight months. Nebraska continues to have among the nation’s lowest case rates, last week trailing only Louisiana. Cases were down 98% from omicron peak levels seen seven weeks earlier. An average of 180 Nebraskans were hospitalized with the coronavirus last week, down 28% from the previous week. The 152 people hospitalized on Friday represented the lowest number since mid-July.

Dr. Mark Rupp, chief of the infectious diseases division at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said Monday that it’s now OK for residents to enjoy the easing of the pandemic.

“I think we do have this hiatus right now that I’m telling people they should be enjoying,” he said.

Rupp said Nebraskans need to realize that the situation can — and likely will — change. If it does, people will need to adapt to changing public health recommendations and return to such measures as masking and distancing. 

For the full article click HERE

CANAL, LAKE BILLS GET COMMITTEE APPROVAL; RICKETTS SAY ANY DELAY OF CANAL PROJECT HELPS COLORADO

LINCOLN - State officials, including Gov. Ricketts, have framed the canal as an urgent matter, crucial to protecting Nebraska’s water resources, and, in turn, protecting its economy as Colorado’s Front Range attracts more and more residents.

The project has support from agriculture groups, natural resources districts, the Nebraska Public Power District, and others.Questions over the bill include how and if it would truly affect drinking water in Lincoln and Omaha; whether Nebraska could actually exercise eminent domain in Colorado; how much the project would ultimately cost; and just how long the state could potentially spend in court fighting over it.

While LB 1015 doesn’t include funding, Ricketts proposed paying for it with a $400 million transfer from the state’s cash reserve fund and $100 million in federal COVID-19 relief money from the American Rescue Plan Act. The Appropriations Committee voted unanimously on Friday to allocate a much lower sum — $22.5 million — from the cash reserve.

“I think it’s important we do something to let Colorado know we’re coming,” Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard said. But Erdman, whose district would potentially be affected by the project, also said he wasn’t “overly enthused” about setting aside $500 million.

Sen. John Stinner, chair of Appropriations, has said he can't support earmarking a half-billion dollars in state funds to a project before a study has been done to determine whether it's feasible. Gov. Ricketts, however, has doubled down in his assessment of the canal, saying "Delay only benefits Colorado."

Tom Riley, the director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, echoed Gov. Ricketts comments and said any delay would just allow Colorado to move forward with more projects that consume Nebraska's allocation.Riley and Ricketts have both claimed the canal, which would begin in northeast Colorado, is the only way Nebraska can claim water from the South Platte. A spokesperson for Colorado Gov. Polis rebuked these statements, saying, "It is increasingly clear that this is an offensive, not defensive, effort by Governor Ricketts to go after Colorado’s rightful water resources, and take the private land of hard-working farmers and ranchers."

For the full article click HERE