FIRST HEARING IN SLAMA-HERBSTER LEGAL FIGHT WILL WAIT UNTIL JUNE 14

OMAHA- The first court hearing in the legal action between State Sen. Julie Slama and businessman Charles Herbster is now scheduled for 2 p.m. on June 14.

The hearing, originally set for June 3, also has been moved from Tecumseh to Beatrice, home base of Johnson County District Court Judge Ricky Schreiner.

Lawyers for Slama and Herbster agreed to the date and location changes, based on a document filed late last week in Johnson County District Court.

This hearing will address a series of motions Herbster’s lawyers filed contesting parts of Slama’s counter-lawsuit, as well as Slama’s push to depose Herbster with little delay.

It will also address the Slama legal team’s objections to Herbster’s motions.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA GOP STATE CONVENTION RETURNING TO KEARNEY

KEARNEY- The Nebraska Republican Party is set to host its state convention in Kearney.

The NEGOP announced on Tuesday that it is hosting the convention at the Younes Conference Center South on July 8th and 9th. The convention happens in even-numbered years and serves as a chance for party leaders to discuss policy positions and pass resolutions. The event is attended by delegates and alternates who are elected by county parties. Republicans who are not delegates may apply to attend.

The list of featured speakers includes Gov. Pete Ricketts, gubernatorial candidate Jim Pillen, and Dist. 1 Representative Candidate Mike Flood.

The contention is returning to Kearney as the city also hosted the convention in 2020, prior to the pandemic.

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TURNOUT IN COUNTIES WITH ALL-MAIL ELECTIONS FAR EXCEEDS STATEWIDE AVERAGE

LINCOLN- Voter turnout in Nebraska counties that conduct elections exclusively by mail reached 55% during the May 10 primary, exceeding the overall voter participation rate of 33.3%, an analysis of the results shows.

Eleven of the ninety-three counties decide to go all mail ballots this year, in 2018 only four counties participated in this form.

For the 2022 primary, some 57.5% of voters in Knox County returned a ballot, a turnout 13% higher on average than its surrounding counties.

Other counties that deployed the vote-by-mail model this year also saw greater success, on average, than surrounding counties where voters still went to the polls.

Boone County (61.7% turnout) reported a turnout 21.6% higher, on average than the six counties that surround it, while Morrill County (54.7% turnout) in the Panhandle saw a turnout 20.4% higher than its surrounding counties.

Sarah Robinson, the county clerk and election commissioner in Boone County said the county gradually transitioned to mail-in elections beginning in 2008 when several precincts lost country schools and churches as polling places.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA SETS ALL-TIME RECORD FOR GAS PRICES

LINCOLN- Nebraska is witnessing the highest gas prices the state has ever seen. 

According to AAA, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gas hit $4.11 on May 17th, breaking the previous record set in July 2008. Gas in the state is 30 cents more expensive than it was a month ago and $1.22 higher than it was a year ago.

Both the state and local prices for diesel fuel had already set records earlier this month.

Experts say the high gas prices are largely due to the price of oil, which is hovering around $110 a barrel.

“The high cost of oil, the key ingredient in gasoline, is driving these high pump prices for consumers,” Andrew Gross, an AAA spokesperson, said in a Monday news release.

Gross said that the price is likely to continue increasing,  thanks to the switchover to summer fuel blends and the coming summer travel season. 

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RICKETTS SAYS HE WOULD SUPPORT ABORTION BAN, INCLUDING IN CASES OF RAPE OR INCEST

LINCOLN- Gov. Pete Ricketts voiced support for an abortion ban in Nebraska, including in cases of rape and incest, and repeated his intent to call a special legislative session to take up the matter if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. 

Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday morning, Ricketts said Nebraska would take “further steps to protect those preborn babies” if the court strikes down Roe, which the governor called “a horrible constitutional decision,” according to a transcript of the interview.

Host Dana Bash then asked the Nebraska governor if that would apply to cases of rape or incest.

“They’re still babies, too,” Ricketts said. “Yes, they’re still babies.”

Ricketts reaffirmed his commitment to work with Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers to call a special session on abortion if Roe is overturned.

“Nebraska is a pro-life state. I believe life begins at conception. And those are babies, too,” Ricketts said Sunday.

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'THE BIGGER PANDEMIC'- NEBRASKA IS IN A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, BUT MANY ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND CARE

LINCOLN- Many Nebraskans are struggling to reach mental health care due to a lack of providers and never before seen demand for the services. 

Nearly 1 in 5 Nebraskans has a diagnosable mental health or substance use disorder, a number some experts say may grow in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the illness, isolation, grief, and trauma it brought with it. Neurological problems linked to the coronavirus and "long COVID" have also raised concerns.

At Bryan Health, online behavioral health screenings were up 17% in 2021 compared to three years ago. Meanwhile, CenterPointe, which offers outpatient and inpatient addiction and mental health treatment programs in Lincoln and Omaha, served nearly 4,270 people in the 2020-21 fiscal year, a 26% increase from 2019-20. 

"It is the bigger pandemic," CenterPointe CEO Topher Hansen said. "It's a little quieter, but it's huge out there, and it's not necessarily resolving in the same way. You can't get a vaccine for that."

While the number of behavioral health providers has increased in the past decade, Nebraska's supply of workers is struggling to meet demand, especially in rural areas. 

For the full article click HERE

AWARDING $115 MILLION TO 'SHOVEL-READY PROJECTS' MAY TAKE SOME TIME

LINCOLN — The shovels are ready for more than $300 million worth of construction projects disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the state funding authorized for these so-called “shovel-ready” projects may take a while.

Some applicants are now wondering if recent changes in the program might mean they won't be getting funds. Final decisions about who gets ARPA grants will be made by DED Director Tony Goins.

As part of its allocation of $1 billion in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, the Nebraska Legislature set aside $100 million for qualified nonprofit groups whose planned museums, sports complexes, and other projects linked to arts, recreation, and the humanities were interrupted by the pandemic. 

The $100 million was in addition to $15 million in state funds approved a year earlier in Legislative Bill 566, the Shovel-Ready Capital Recovery and Investment Act.

But the main sponsor of the shovel-ready legislation, State Sen. Mike McDonnell, urged patience to those concerned applicants. In a recent interview, McDonnell said the Nebraska Department of Economic Development is still working through hiring staff and adopting rules.

“It’s not going to happen as quickly as some people expected,” McDonnell said, noting that the legislative session ended only a month ago. “We’re asking for patience.”

One thing is for sure — there won’t be enough money to meet all the requests.

Last summer, 125 applicants submitted proposals seeking a total of nearly $335 million in grants — well over the $15 million then available and nearly three times the $115 million now available through the shovel-ready program.

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GOLFING LEGEND JOINS UNMC OFFICIALS IN DECLARING 'WAR' ON PANCREATIC CANCER

OMAHA — Golf legend Gary Player joined officials of the University of Nebraska Medical Center on Tuesday, May 17 in “declaring war” on pancreatic cancer.

We’ve got to have perseverance. We can’t say ‘can’t.’ We have to believe we can do something,” said Player, who lost his mother to cancer at age 9 and lost his wife to pancreatic cancer.

Jeffrey Gold, UNMC Chancellor, said many diseases have been conquered but pancreatic cancer has eluded effective ways to detect it early and treat it effectively.

“We are officially declaring a state of open warfare today," Gold said. 

Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States and is among the most lethal and aggressive forms of cancer. Roughly 62,000 new cases are projected in 2022 with a five-year survival rate of 5.1%. The survival rate is 1.8% for patients whose cancer has spread to other organs.

Gold said UNMC will continue to focus on early detection, more effective treatments, and preventative measures for pancreatic cancer. These increased efforts include an additional $15 million in research funds for UNMC's pancreatic cancer program, an amount expected to be met by private donations. 

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKANS LAG COUNTRY IN USE OF SEAT BELTS, EVEN AS FATAL WRECKS INCREASE

LINCOLN — Nebraskans are lagging the nation in using seat belts while driving, which officials said Thursday has contributed to a 30% increase in highway fatalities.

Only 81% of Nebraskans buckle up, making the state 47th in the country in the use of safety belts. The national average is 90%.

“It’s a two-second action that can significantly increase your safety,” Col. John Bolduc, the superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, said about putting on a seat belt.

The Patrol announced a stepped-up enforcement effort, "Click It or Ticket," to increase seat belt usage on Thursday, May 19.

Due to the number of fatal accidents, Bolduc said the summer driving season is oftentimes referred to as "the 100 deadliest days."

According to John Selmer, director of the Nebraska Department of Transportation, Nebraska had fewer deaths in 2021 from highway crashes than in 2020, contrary to a national trend.  

But in 2022, fatalities are up more than 30%, Selmer said, mirroring the national trends. Through April, 84 people have died on Nebraska highways, compared with 61 traffic fatalities in the same period a year ago. 

Seat belt usage reduces the chances of dying in an accident by 45%, officials said.

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FINAL CONSIDERATION OF STATE'S LARGEST CATTLE FEEDLOT IN DUNDY COUNTY DELAYED AGAIN

LINCOLN — Consideration of what may become the state’s largest cattle feedlot has been postponed until June 6.

The final approval of the Blackshirt Feeders' 100,000-head feedlot was postponed by the Dundy County Board after discovering a public notice of the meeting hadn't been published in time to allow consideration during the board's meeting on Monday.

Blackshirt Feeders' proposal has been controversial due to its large size and potential impact on groundwater quantity and quality in Dundy County, located in the furthest southwest corner of Nebraska.

Eric Behlke, one developer of the feedlot, has assured local officials that the feedlot will meet all local environmental and water regulations. 

The $65 million Blackshirt project would employ 85 workers and require up to 10 million bushels of corn a year. 

Six nearby irrigation wells would have to be retired to obtain enough water for the feedlot. 

In February, the Dundy County Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the Blackshirt project- contingent on 13 conditions, including obtaining approval of water rights from the local natural resources district, devising a dust and fly mitigation plan and giving nearby residents 24-hour notice if manure is to be land applied. 

For the full article click HERE

CORRECTIONS OFFICIALS TOUT NEW PRISON ADDITION AS SAFER, MORE EFFICIENT

LINCOLN- State corrections officials showed off the newest addition to the state prison system, pitching it as safer for both inmates and staff and better able to rehabilitate prisoners and retain security staff. 

The $125 million addition to the Lincoln Correctional Center and Diagnostic and Evaluation Center includes two 32-bed units for inmates with acute mental illnesses and those needing medical care, as well as a 384-bed are to house the state’s most dangerous prisoners. 

“The bottom line is you’re going to see a great prison,” said State Corrections Director Scott Frakes.

The Nebraska Legislature declined this spring to give the final go-ahead for a $270 million prison, opting to wait for a new master plan for the state prison system expected before the end of the year. But state lawmakers did set aside $175 million for the ultimate construction of the massive facility if approved in the 2023 legislative session and by a new, incoming governor.

Frakes did say that some of the 10 state senators who toured the facility remarked that they had a clearer picture of what the larger, proposed prison would look like.

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WILDFIRE BURNING NERBASKA NATIONAL FOREST NEAR HALSEY

HALSEY- Multiple agencies and fire crews are battling a wildfire at the Nebraska National Forest.

District Ranger Julie Bain said five fires were started in the forest by lightning strikes earlier in the week. Crews were able to put out the fires. However, two of the fires re-ignited a day later. One is now under control, while the other is still in progress. 

So far, the fires have destroyed between 15 to 50 acres. The Whitetail Campground and the ATV trails are closed and it is believed that structures or private property are not currently at risk.

Bain said although the area recently received 3 inches of rain, it hasn’t been enough to recover from the ongoing dry conditions.

Forest officials say the smell of smoke could make its way into the surrounding areas pending the containment process. 

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TREVOR JONES, HEAD OF HISTORY NEBRASKA FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS, TO RESIGN JULY 1

LINCOLN — Trevor Jones, the executive director/CEO of History Nebraska, submitted his resignation Wednesday, effective July 1.

Jones, who served in the position for the past six years, was unsure about his future plans in a message shared with the staff at the state historical society.

After talking with his wife about what is "truly important," he said he decided to "leave my position while still doing my best work."

“I don’t know what will come next, but I look forward to finding out,” he wrote. “It has been my honor to serve the organization charged with preserving and interpreting Nebraska’s history. …  I have enjoyed the work immensely.” 

Jones, who previously managed the Historical Resources division of the Kentucky Historical Society, had made a number of changes at History Nebraska. He pushed hard for the digitization of the agency's historical archives and even won approval to change the name of the organization from the Nebraska State Historical Society to History Nebraska.

In his note, Jones said that he was proud of what History Nebraska has accomplished.

“We’ve digitized millions of records and seen the use of our collections increase exponentially. We have launched innovative new programs, increased our budget, staff size, attendance, and earned income dramatically,” Jones wrote.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA'S LONE ASTRONAUT RETURNS HOME TO HEAD SAC MUSEUM

ASHLAND - For 167 days of his life, Clayton Anderson floated far above the Earth. But it’s his hometown of Ashland that Nebraska’s only astronaut has always gravitated toward.

Anderson spent 30 years with NASA and the latter 15 years as an astronaut. Anderson’s 15 years as an astronaut include flying on two space shuttle missions and six spacewalks that totaled 38 hours and 28 minutes. Anderson describes being able to spacewalk as “the ultimate” milestone. 

After a decade of retirement, he landed the position of president and CEO of the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum. The museum is located near his hometown along Interstate 80 between Omaha and Lincoln.

“I’m just very excited,” he said in an interview. “There are special people here. There are dedicated, hardworking and amazing people that helped raise me … and made me the man I’ve become. It’s time for me to come home and give back.” 

Since his retirement from NASA, Anderson had been teaching intro to aerospace engineering to first-year students at Iowa State University. 

Anderson hopes to continue the SAC Museum's mission of educating, entertaining, and inspiring those who come through its doors. 

He envisions he and the 30 employees of the museum will implement more interactivity that "can bring the museum even to bigger life."

For the full article click HERE

UNO CHANCELLOR LI: PAID INTERNSHIPS WILL TURN THE TIDE IN NEBRASKA'S 'BRAIN DRAIN' FIGHT

OMAHA- While student academic achievement is the primary mission of every university, the importance of building connections between students and prospective employers — primarily through internships — is undeniable.

A recent study from the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that in 2021, students who worked paid internships were nearly twice as likely to receive a job offer than those who didn’t take on an internship at all.

Nebraska has lost 2,000 college-educated people per year to other states over the last 10 years. To make matters worse, 72% of those losses are from individuals between the ages of 20 to 29 years old. Added up over time, the lost economic potential is staggering.

Earlier this month UNO announced partnerships with nearly 50 Omaha-based companies and non-profits called UNO Career Connect to close this gap. Through this program, partner employers that include Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and nonprofits pledge a certain number of internship positions to UNO students.

For employers, it provides a new level of access to the talent they need to move their businesses forward. Most importantly, for our state, it keeps top talent in Nebraska, effectively turning the tide against brain drain.

For the full article click HERE

METRO LEARNING COMMUNITY CANDIDATE BRENDA BANKS INDICTED ON WIRE FRAUD CHARGES

OMAHA- Brenda Banks, the leading candidate for the District 1 seat on the Learning Community Council for Douglas and Sarpy counties, faces an eight-count federal indictment for wire fraud.

Federal prosecutors allege Banks "perpetrated a series of fraudulent schemes resulting in awards of over $464,000" to her nonprofit organization "Angels on Wheels" organization between April 2018, and June 2020 Investigators accuse her of repeatedly submitting altered documents to receive federal COVID-19 relief money.

The federal indictment alleges Banks, who is listed as the organization's executive director, provided altered check images and fictitious invoices to NET, the Nebraska Environmental Trust, totaling $220,334.

Banks, 60, advanced to the general election by finishing first in a field of four candidates in the May Primary race for the District 1 seat on the Learning Community Council.

For the full article click HERE

SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA MINE COULD BE NATION'S SECOND LARGEST RARE EARTH DEPOSIT, ACCORDING TO A GEOLOGICAL STUDY

ELK CREEK- The nation's second-largest deposit of rare-earth magnet material is sitting under the ground in southeast Nebraska.

At least that's what Colorado-based NioCorp estimated from a study they conducted.

The company references a 2022 feasibility study, with further research ongoing. It was already planning on pulling niobium, scandium, and titanium out of the ground south of Tecumseh.

"With the addition of the magnetic rare earths, the Elk Creek Project will stand out from virtually every other greenfield project in the U.S. in terms of its potential ability to produce multiple critical minerals that are essential to electrified transportation, renewable energy production, green mega-infrastructure projects, and many other applications that are in increasing demand around the world," Mark Smith, NioCorp chief executive, said in a statement.

NioCorp took the big step of buying the land in 2021, but it still needs to raise the money to start the mining project. The estimated lifespan of the mine, according to geological surveys, is 38 years.

For the full article click HERE

AMID CRITICISM, NERBASKA ENVIROMENTAL TRUST MOVES TO CLARIFY GRANT ELIGIBILITY RULES

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Environmental Trust Board responded to criticism of their eligibility requirements by reviewing the structure of those requirements this week.

State Sen. John McCollister of Omaha, in a recent op-ed in the Lincoln Journal Star, questioned the Trust Board for declaring that 34 of the 118 grants submitted to it last year were ineligible for funding.

There was a much higher rejection rate from the Board this year, affecting projects such as recycling operations in Omaha and Ogallala, that had received funding for years.

Former board members, state senators, and community advocates voiced their displeasure with the board's recent decisions.

In response, the Trust Board voted this week to set up an ad hoc committee of board members to review the rules and regulations of the agency, the so-called Title 137, which were last reviewed in 2017.

“The altered funding priorities have many people feeling that the Trust is failing to follow its original mandate and is becoming beholden to outside influences,” McCollister wrote in his recent op-ed.

For the full article click HERE

WHERE HERBSTER STUMBLED AND HOW PILLEN WON NEBRASKA'S GOP GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY

OMAHA — Nebraska’s GOP primary voters handed former President Donald Trump his first loss of 2022 when they chose Jim Pillen over Trump’s pick for governor, Charles Herbster.

"58-1. Charles W. Herbster came VERY close despite tremendous headwinds!" said the former President on his new social media app, Truth Social. 

Understanding why Herbster lost to Pillen is more complex than the assertion that Trump's hold on Republican politics is waning. Interviews with political scientists and reporting from the campaign trail have contributed to the following observations and analysis.

First, Herbster spent less time on the campaign trail than his Republican competitors. He was, however, the first candidate to run TV ads.

Only a handful of days were spent campaigning in person until March for the Herbster campaign. In fact, at least a third of Nebraska's counties show no record of Herbster attending a campaign event during this cycle. This was critically important in the 3rd Congressional District, 47% of the GOP's vote, where voters prefer meeting candidates face to face. 

Second, Herbster's attempts to focus his campaign on Trump's endorsement and national issues contributed to views that he did not have a clear plan for Nebraska. 

Third, too much time was spent criticizing Pillen, his top opponent, and not enough defining himself in a positive light. Nebraskans reportedly recoil from negative ads, said Paul Landow, a political scientist at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

For the full article click HERE

SLAMA LAWSUIT MOVES FORWARD WITH NEW GROPING DETAILS; HERBSTER DENIES

LINCOLN — State Sen. Julie Slama’s lawyers made clear in a new filing Monday that her counter-lawsuit alleging sexual battery by Charles Herbster will continue after Herbster’s loss last week in the GOP primary race for governor.

Slama’s lawyers asked that Herbster’s defamation lawsuit against her be thrown out as being “frivolous” and in “bad faith.” They added details to Slama’s counter-suit, including a new claim alleging that Herbster’s political defense cast Slama in a false light.

The new filing said: “Herbster and his counsel know, or should know, that Senator Slama’s statements in question are true or substantially true.” 

Slama, the filing said, is still coping with the mental and emotional toll of being groped and with how Herbster responded to her allegation in April. The filing said she is dealing with anxiety, depression, and feared loss of reputation. 

Slama’s new filing provides the most detailed account yet of what she said Herbster did to her during the Elephant Remembers fundraising dinner in Omaha in 2019. It said Slama, then 22, was walking to her table at the dinner. 

For the full article, including a detailed account of the allegations, click HERE.