DEB SCHORR NAMED AS REP. MIKE FLOOD'S DISTRICT DIRECTOR

LINCOLN- Newly elected Mike Flood has appointed Deb Schorr as his District Director.

Schorr currently serves as a Lancaster County Commissioner and will remain in that role through the end of this year when her term ends. Schorr has served as Lancaster County commissioner since 2002.

In a news release, Flood pointed to Schorr's experience in dealing with issues ranging from infrastructure funding to economic development and tax policy.

"As district director, my highest priority will be providing unmatched constituent customer service," Schorr said.

"With so many issues impacting families and communities across this district, Nebraskans need someone fighting for them both in Washington and back home."

Schorr previously was an executive assistant to former Gov. Kay Orr.

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NORFOLK TO BREAK GROUND AUGUST 2ND ON $14 MILLION NORTH FORK RIVERFRONT PROJECT

NORFOLK- The City of Norfolk is set to break ground Aug. 2 on a $14 million riverfront project that aims to bring more recreation to the north fork of the Elkhorn River. The changes aim to make the river more accessible to the public.

Changes will provide more ways to enjoy the water, whether by kayak or at a beach being created. Norfolk’s Parks and Recreation director, Nate Powell, said the city wants to create a “great place” for residents and “a new destination” for visitors.

Norfolk’s North Fork Riverfront Project, much like Omaha’s Missouri River effort, includes plans for an amphitheater with a permanent stage, festival space and entertainment spaces for young people, including playground-style equipment.

“I am excited to see the efforts of so many come together and bring this project forward to the Norfolk community,” Powell said. “These are exciting times for Norfolk, and I am happy to be a small part of the project.”

Federal highway funds will cover about $3.8 million of the riverfront project’s costs, for bridge work. Private donors and funds will cover about $3.5 million. Federal coronavirus relief funds will cover about $1.4 million.

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FACEBOOK PARENT COMPANY, META, CONTINUES GROWTH IN NEBRASKA'S SARPY COUNTY

SARPY COUNTY- The Sarpy County campus of social media giant Meta has been on continuous growth since it broke ground five years ago on two buildings in Papillion.

This week, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and other apps announced yet another expansion plan to add a ninth structure in Sarpy County. That will increase the facility’s sprawl to beyond 4 million square feet of data center space in Papillion and Springfield.

“This has continued largely unabated since 2017,” said Matt Sexton, the company’s community development manager. “It’s Meta’s only data center in the world that includes two municipalities.”

Collectively, he said, the total investment into the “Sarpy Data Center” is expected to exceed $1.5 billion.

Currently, more than 150 full-time employees work among the six operational buildings that all are in Papillion, Sexton said. When the three Springfield structures are fully constructed and operational (including the most recent one announced), that employee count is expected to double, he said.

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OMAHA CITY EMPLOYEES TO EARN PREMIUM PAY FOR WORK DURING PANDEMIC

OMAHA- Omaha city employees will get up to $3,000 in premium pay for working during the coronavirus pandemic.

Funding for the premium pay comes from more than $112 million the city received through the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA.

Full-time employees — police, fire and civilian — are eligible for up to $3,000, payable over several pay periods starting July 24, 2022, and ending Nov. 12, 2022. Part-time and seasonal workers are eligible for up to $1,500 maximum.

City officials estimate spending no more than $9.5 million for full-time employees and a max of $1.5 million for part-time and seasonal workers.

City officials intend to pay each employee up to $10 per hour premium pay for work done during regularly scheduled hours up to the max amount of $1,500 per part-time and seasonal employee and $3,000 per full-time employee.

Although, employees will not receive premium pay for any hours worked from home.

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NEBRASKA QUIRK USED NEW MAP TO FILL HOUSE VACANCY LAST MONTH

LINCOLN- The June special election in which Mike Flood was victorious used the updated redistricting maps from 2021 rather than the 2020 maps. This means that some voters from this special election won't be represented by Flood until January, pending another Flood victory in November.

State law calls for the use of the new redistricting maps, but congressional rules define constituents based on the maps that were used in 2020.

If Flood loses in November, some of the people in his district won’t ever have him be the person who represents their voice in Washington.

State legislators moved roughly 10% of Don Bacon's old district into the district conducting the special election. This shift created confusion for some constituents and disallows Flood from doing mailing or robocalls in the newly moved portion.

Deputy secretary of state for elections, Wayne Bena, said, "Both the campaigns and everyone was in the know about what we were doing,” he said. “And everybody was in agreement that this was what we had to do based upon our laws.”

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PANSING BROOKS ATTACKS FLOOD'S VOTE AGAINST GAY AND RACIAL MARRIAGE GUARANTEES

LINCOLN- Patty Pansing Brooks described Republican Rep. Mike Flood's vote against a bill designed to protect the continued legality of same-sex and interracial marriages as "highly alarming."

And that "tells us how much he is willing to march lockstep to follow his party leaders," Pansing Brooks said.

Forty-seven Republican House members voted for the bill, the Lincoln state senator noted. Republican Don Bacon of Omaha, who represents Nebraska's 2nd District, was among those who broke with his party's majority and supported the measure. Rep. Adrian Smith, the 3rd District GOP congressman, voted no.

The bill was approved on a 267-157 vote, with the top two Republican leaders in the House voting no.

Pansing Brooks described the bill as "a simple acknowledgment of the current law of the land."

In a statement responding to the criticism, Flood said the proposal was rushed to the floor and is "just a political ploy."

"The Supreme Court has made clear that nobody's marriage is under threat, and to insinuate otherwise isn't just inaccurate — it's cruel, hateful fearmongering," he said.

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CHANGE COMING TO THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE- 16 NEW SENATORS AND COUNTING

LINCOLN- Next January the Nebraska Legislature will see substantial changes in terms of new faces in Lincoln.

Whether it is going to be significant in terms of policy decisions or partisan inclinations will remain uncertain until senators begin to tackle legislation and relate to a new governor who will be elected in November.

Eleven current senators will be term-limited, two decided to not seek reelection, two may be selected to other offices, and Sen. Rich Pahls passing brings in new Sen. Kathleen Kauth.

That equates to one-third of the forty-nine senators, a number that could increase based off of three incumbents with challenging races in November.

Mike Flood and Mike Hilgers have called their time in the legislature with Flood heading to Washington and Hilgers soon to win the attorney general race in November.

Although Nebraska's Legislature is nonpartisan, party affiliation helps forecast legislative voting patterns that not only are important in relation to issues that matter to both parties. Major changes may be inbound for the Nebraska Legislature to pair with the change of leadership in the Governor's office.

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BACON HAS MORE MONEY IN THE BANK, BUT VARGAS RAISED MORE IN RECENT MONTHS

OMAHA- As November approaches Rep. Don Bacon and State Sen. Tony Vargas continue the campaign parade as each focuses on funding.

Rep. Don Bacon ended the second quarter on June 30 with nearly $1.17 million in the bank, compared with Vargas’ $532,526.

Bacon has held the advantage when it comes to fundraising and spending, with $2.7 million raised and $1.7 million spent since January 2021. Vargas has raised a total of $1.6 million and spent $1.1 million since launching his campaign in July 2021.

Bacon acknowledged the importance of the race saying, "Nebraska’s 2nd District is one of the tightest in the nation and remains ground zero in the battle for control of the House.”

In the previous quarter, Tony Vargas outraised Bacon. Vargas raised nearly $144,000 more than Bacon. However, Bacon still outspent Vargas by about $51,000.

Vargas still has time to raise funds and has a strong showing at $532,526, but UNO political science professor Randall Adkins says that number will have to continue to increase to beat Incumbent Don Bacon.

Adkins said the fact that Vargas raised more money than Bacon this quarter shows Vargas is a viable candidate.

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MISSOURI MEGA-DONOR, NEBRASKA GOV. PETE RICKETTS BANKROLLING PAC ATTACKING ERIC GREITENS

LINCOLN- Governor Pete Ricketts has joined forces with Missouri's largest Republican donor to work at defeating former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens in his GOP Senate primary.

Greitens once headlined an event for Ricketts, who now donated $250,000 to a PAC devoted to defeating Greitens.

Gov. Ricketts said the former Missouri Governor was unfit for the governor's office and would be unfit to be a senator.

Show Me Values, a political action committee formed June 2, is the biggest spender in the Missouri Senate race that has now cost almost $34 million. Its first full disclosure report, covering June, shows it raised $1.35 million during the month.

Rex Sinquefield, who has contributed more than $41 million to Missouri candidates over the past decade, contributed $1 million, with Ricketts giving $250,000. The remaining $100,000 was contributed by August A. Busch III, former CEO of Anheuser-Busch.

The PAC has spent $3.6 million on television ads hammering Greitens by highlighting child and spousal abuse allegations made by Greitens’ ex-wife, Sheena Greitens, and accusing him of being too cozy with China.

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JUNE ELECTION POWERS FUNDRAISING IN NEBRASKA'S 1ST DISTRICT U.S. HOUSE RACE

OMAHA- The unique special election that occurred in late June sparked fundraising in Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District, making the race for dollars almost as important as the votes.

In the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District race, donations hint that the Bacon-Vargas race remains the most competitive race heading into November.

In the 2nd District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., outraised State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha by June 30, $2.72 million to $1.64 million, campaign finance reports show.

Bacon reported spending $1.64 million through June. Vargas reported having spent $1.11 million over the same span.

Bacon has already seen more than $800,000 in outside money from police and firefighter SuperPACs come his way.

A progressive outside group, Unrig Our Economy, has pledged more than $1 million in outside spending against Bacon.

Vargas has also been identified by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for its “Red-to-Blue” program, targeted at GOP-held swing districts that Democrats want to gain.

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GOVERNOR RICKETTS HAS DONATED MORE THAN $1.2 MILLION IN FEDERAL RACES THIS CYCLE

LINCOLN- Governor Ricketts has made headlines in the past for his campaign donations, most recently the Missouri Senate race comes to mind, but that is only the tip of the iceberg for Gov. Ricketts' spending.

During the 2021-22 election cycle, Ricketts has given more than $1.2 million to more than 20 federal races and committees, including to candidates in contested primaries.

Ricketts’ largest federal donation this cycle was the $266,300 he gave to a political action committee run by U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, who represents the sprawling 3rd Congressional District.

Ricketts’ next largest donations were a pair of $109,500 gifts to the NRCC. He also gave $63,500 to the Republican National Committee.

He donated $55,000 to the Big Red Leadership PAC for newly elected U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, followed by $47,300 to 2nd Congressional District candidate Rep. Don Bacon.

Ricketts out of state donations includes $50,000 to the Carolina Senate Fund, $30,000 to Ohio GOP candidate Josh Mandel, $10,000 to the Illinois GOP, $5,800 to Illinois House nominee Esther Joy King and Arizona GOP candidate Juan Ciscomani.

Another $5,800 was donated to each Georgia nominee, Nevada nominee Adam Laxalt, Washington candidate Tiffany Smiley, and New Hampshire candidate Vikram Mansharamani.

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NO CHARGES AGAINST GROENE OVER LAPTOP PHOTOS

LINCOLN — Attorney General Doug Peterson will not file criminal charges against former State Sen. Mike Groene over photographs of a female staffer found on his laptop. 

According to a spokeswoman on Thursday, July 21, prosecutors in the office had reviewed the results of a Nebraska State Patrol investigation into allegations that Groene took inappropriate photos of his staffer without her knowledge and shared them with others. 

"It has been determined that there is insufficient information to warrant a criminal prosecution," said Suzanne Gage, the spokeswoman. 

Groene resigned in February of 2022 after admitting he had taken photos of the staffer, Kristina Konecko. After she discovered the photos of herself, she alerted the media and law enforcement, causing Groene to step down.

Tara Paulson, an attorney hired as part of the legislative investigation, reached conclusions similar to those of the attorney general. 

In a report released in April, she said Groene's actions were inappropriate and would have warranted him being disciplined or even fired in a private sector job. If he had not resigned, she said, he likely would have faced consequences "such as reprimand, censure or expulsion." 

She did, however, describe his actions as "Boorish, brainless, and bizarre, especially for the workplace."

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DOUGLAS COUNTY TREASURER IS SUED OVER MILLIONS OF 'IN-LIEU-OF-TAX' ERRORS

LINCOLN — Douglas County Treasurer John Ewing has joined his Sarpy County counterpart in getting sued over the mistaken distribution of millions of dollars of in-lieu-of-tax revenue.

In a lawsuit filed July 1, the Westside Community School District is seeking at least $11 million in tax revenue. The district maintains that money was wrongly distributed to other school districts in Douglas County during 2019-2021.

A similar lawsuit was filed last year in Sarpy County by four school districts: Omaha, Millard, Gretna, and Springfield Platteview. They allege they were underpaid by about $6.5 million during those three years because of mistaken calculations by the Sarpy County treasurer.

Both lawsuits concern in-lieu-of-taxes funds from the Omaha Public Power District. The utility pays the tax based on a percentage of its electric sales instead of local property taxes.

OPPD paid roughly $26 million of in-lieu-of-taxes in Douglas County last year which was then distributed to the school districts, cities, and the county. 

The Nebraska State Auditor's Office alerted Sarpy County in 2021, however, of incorrect distribution of the tax payments. A similar alert was sent to the Douglas County Treasurer's Office in May.

It stated that the Westside, Elkhorn, Millard, and Ralston school districts had been underpaid by amounts ranging from $800,000 in one year to $4.2 million. Meanwhile, the Omaha School District, the City of Omaha, and Douglas County had been overpaid by up to $5.6 million. 

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OKLAHOMA GROUP SAYS IT'S OUT AS PARTNER IN WOULD-BE NORTH PLATTE, GERING 'RACINOS'

NORTH PLATTE- A new horsetrack-casino combination in North Platte and Gering has lost its primary partner in proposing both.

Global Gaming Solutions LLC, a subsidiary of the Chickasaw Tribe of Oklahoma, told the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission it’s no longer involved in the two “racino” projects.

Executive Director Tom Sage said that Global Gaming told the commission as much in an email that was read into the record at the panel’s previous meeting.

The email included, "Global Gaming was no longer interested (in) or a party to the applications for Scottsbluff Expedition and Racing and North Platte Exposition and Racing.” 

Global Gaming was partnering with quarter horse owner Brian Becker who operates a one-day horse meet in Hastings.

Both Global Gaming and the Becker family have yet to comment on the termination of the plans.

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OMAHA CITY COUNCIL PREPARES TO SELL FORMER CIVIC AUDITORIUM SITE FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

OMAHA- Development proposals for the site of Omaha's former Civic Auditorium have for years come and gone, but city officials at a previous meeting aimed to further solidify a plan that would bring hundreds of housing units into the city's urban core. 

Under the proposal, the seven acres of land would be sold for about $1.5 million.

Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert more than a year ago announced that the city had signed an agreement to sell the property to a development group called Civic Corner. It's being led by White Lotus Group, an Omaha company with a history of developing large-scale projects. 

While redevelopment plans have not yet been finalized, housing is a key focus for the property. Civic Corner plans to build a mix of 268 market-rate apartment units, about 120 affordable units, and about 25 townhouses that will be for sale.

Jay Kline, a representative for White Lotus said, "Due to the more recent announcements regarding the significant reinvestment in the urban core, mostly the streetcar, we are looking at potentially increasing the scale of our plans to make it even larger."

The space has been empty for nearly five years.

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SARPY COUNTY TAKES STEPS TO RENOVATE WERNER PARK TO MEET NEW MLB STANDARDS

SARPY COUNTY- The Sarpy County Board took the first steps toward complying with new standards being imposed by Major League Baseball for bringing the 11-year-old Werner Park up to par.

The board voted 4-0 to enter into a $76,000 contract with DLR Group Inc. to come up with designs for the renovation of existing areas. Those renovations will include locker rooms for female staff members, an expanded weight room and a players lounge, among other improvements. 

The total anticipated construction cost for the park to meet MLB’s standards is $500,000. Construction is expected to begin in October and span through March 15th.

The total anticipated construction cost for the park to meet MLB’s standards is $500,000.

In addition to the MLB-required improvements, the county will undertake three capital improvements projects that are estimated to cost $184,000. These projects include a new paved entrance, concrete repair, and carpet replacement within administrative offices.

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PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED FOR LATEST NOMINEES TO NEBRASKA HALL OF FAME

LINCOLN- Two meetings have occurred and one remains to gather testimony about the new nominees to the Nebraska Hall of Fame.

Each of the state's three congressional districts has either already held or is holding a meeting to decide this year's nominees. 

This year's nominees are:

• Grover Cleveland Alexander

• Calvin Chapman

• Elzada Urseba Clover

• Howard Hanson

• Ernst H. Herminghaus

• The Rev. Hiram Hisanori Kano

• Malcolm X

• Emma Louise Pound

The first public hearing took place at the Nebraska History Museum on Monday, July 18th. Those considered were Alexander, Clover, Hanson, and Pound.

The second public hearing took place in Omaha on Wednesday, July 20th. Those considered were Chapman and Malcolm X.

The third and final public meeting is Monday, July 25th at 6 P.M. at the Phelps County Historical Society in Holdrege. Those to be considered at this meeting are Alexander, Herminghaus, and Kano.

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GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS OPENS FOR SMALL NEBRASKA MEAT PROCESSORS AND $10 MILLION IN FEDERAL RESCUE FUNDS

OMAHA- The Nebraska Department of Agriculture has started to accept applications for nearly $10 million in grant money available for projects aimed at enhancing small meat processing facilities.

The Independent Processor Assistance Program grants come from Nebraska’s share of more than $1 billion in federal ARPA funds.

Qualifications to apply for the grant include existing sales revenue less than $2.5 million, fewer than 25 employees, and submission by August 12th.

“Nebraska is a leader in meat production and processing, which is a vital part of our nation’s food supply,” said Steve Wellman, director of the state Department of Agriculture. “Our livestock producers and meat processors have already faced many unique challenges created by the pandemic, and yet they continue to find solutions to keep the food chain operating.” 

State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth, who sponsored the legislation, has said the COVID-19 pandemic illustrated how easily the food chain can be disrupted, particularly when it comes to fresh beef and pork.

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LPS LOOKED TO OTHER DISTRICTS WHEN REVISING PUBLIC COMMENT POLICY, BUT RULES VARY ACROSS STATE

LINCOLN - When the Lincoln Board of Education revised its public comment rules last May, board members said the change would bring Lincoln Public Schools more in line with other school districts in the state. 

The most significant changes include reducing speakers' time from five minutes to three and setting limits on when speakers could sign up.

However, the ways that school boards in the state approach public participation at meetings are almost as varied as the number of state districts. These meetings have become an outlet for parents and patrons to voice concerns over a variety of issues. 

"There's a whole slew of ways of doing it," said David Jespersen, public information officer with the Nebraska Department of Education. 

LPS officials say the revisions to the policy and regulations that govern public comment flesh out practices already in existence, such as defining what people can bring to meetings.

Additionally, they argue the reduction in speakers' time allows for more speakers in the first public comment period while allowing the board to get to its business.

LPS board member Bob Rauner, who serves on the Nebraska Association of School Boards Board of Directors, said the changes were, in part, the result of conversations he had with board members from other districts and how they run public comment. 

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FARMLAND PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE IN NEBRASKA, HITTING RECORD LEVEL

LINCOLN- Farmland sales have historically been the most active after harvest and before planting season, generally October or November to April. 

Chris Scow of United Farm and Ranch Management said he has seen a noticeable change in the past couple of years.

"We've kind of had an active sales market all through the year," said Scow. 

The demand for farmland that's driving year-round sales also is pushing prices to heights not seen in Nebraska history.

According to final results from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Nebraska Farm Real Estate Report, overall farm prices in the state rose 16% this year to $3,360 an acre, an all-time record. Values were strongest in the northeast part of the state, up 21%, while the northern region had the smallest increase of 11%.

A report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City estimated Nebraska's fourth-quarter land prices were up 31% for non-irrigated cropland, 21% for irrigated land and 23% for ranchland compared with a year ago.

There are a number of reasons driving both demand and prices, including higher crop prices, political and economic instability, increased interest from investors and historically low interest rates.

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