STATE HEADED FOR ANOTHER SHOWDOWN OVER WAGES PAID FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

LINCOLN — The state is headed for another battle over adequate pay for law enforcement officers.

The union representing Nebraska State Troopers will begin bargaining with the state in September over a new labor contract. They maintain that troopers' salaries are far behind the pay for police officers and county deputies in the state.

According to authorities, the pandemic and the negative impressions of police following the in-custody death of George Floyd in 2020 have led to what some label a "crisis" in recruiting new officers. The union representing the troopers cites the lack of a new talent pool as another reason to increase pay.

Starting pay for Nebraska state troopers is $51,105 a year, or $24.57 an hour. That is about $6 an hour less than what new police officers are paid in Lincoln and Papillion and $5 an hour less than the pay for new Omaha police officers.

Altogether, at least 14 law enforcement agencies in Nebraska have higher starting pay than the State Patrol, according to the State Law Enforcement Bargaining Council.

Even state corrections officers earn higher starting salaries than state troopers: $58,240 a year.

“Our starting wage is not competitive with the labor market in Nebraska that they need to be competitive with. Not even close,” said Gary Young, the attorney for the bargaining council.

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DOWNED TREES, DEEP RAVINES AMONG OBSTACLES FOR HIKE-BIKE TRAIL LINKING OMAHA AND LINCOLN

ELMWOOD- Some eyebrows shot up this spring in the Nebraska Legislature when lawmakers approved $8.3 million to complete eight miles of crushed-limestone, bike-hike trail to link recreation trails coming from Omaha and Lincoln.

A recent drive down the proposed route for the trail proved that installing the trail is going to be no easy feat.

Huge downed trees blocked the route at one point, as did head-high weeds. Nearby is an old bridge from the abandoned Rock Island Railroad line. A proposed trail would either have to go under it or on it, or the timber bridge would have to be removed.

Deep ravines and high dirt banks rimmed other portions of the trail.

The link would realize a longtime dream of trail enthusiasts — a continuous trail between the state’s largest cities — and give Nebraska another completed segment on a cross-country bike trail, the Great American Rail Trail.

“We’re finally going to get it done,” said Marie Gregoire of Murdock, a member of the Mo-Pac Alliance, a group of Cass County residents and trail enthusiasts promoting the trail.

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS DOUBT LIKELIHOOD OF SPECIAL SESSION TO DEBATE ABORTION RESTRICTIONS

LINCOLN - One month after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Gov. Pete Ricketts has yet to give any indication that he will call for a special session to debate further abortion restrictions in Nebraska, leading some lawmakers to doubt it will happen at all.

Following a leaked draft opinion indicating the high court was prepared to strike down the 1973 ruling that established nationwide abortion rights, Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers said he would work with the governor to call a special session.

Ricketts, however, said he would wait for the court's official opinion before making a decision. Following the June 24 final ruling, the governor announced he would speak with Hilgers about what abortion policies could pass in the Legislature.

Since then, Ricketts has kept quiet and held back from commenting on the probability of a special session.

Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, an abortion rights supporter who opposes a special session, said she was surprised that one was not immediately called upon the official announcement.

Cavanaugh now believes that a special session is "less likely than not," but she is "prepared to go at any time," she said.

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LPS WILL NOT REQUIRE MASKS TO BEGIN SCHOOL YEAR, BUT WILL USE 'TARGETED' PHILOSOPHY

LINCOLN - As it stands now, there will be no universal masking requirements at Lincoln Public Schools when students return next month.

Instead, a "targeted model" will be used to start the school year, according to Superintendent Paul Gausman on Tuesday, July 26. This entails making decisions on a building-by-building basis.

Officials do not have a specific number of COVID-19 cases in a classroom, program, or building that triggers mask requirements according to the Director of Communications Mindy Burbach.

Instead, LPS works with the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department to examine each outbreak individually.

Gausman said the masking question is the issue he hears most often from parents and staff. He says the district's goal is to keep schools open while following the science and data.

"This is not something that should be political," he said. "I want you to know that we have guiding priorities for this challenge. We aren't going to make a decision based on the passion of an email."

LPS is expected to release more details on its pandemic procedures for the 2022-23 school year later this week.

August 15 is the first day of school for LPS students.

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NEBRASKA'S AG JOINS SUIT OVER LGBTQ SCHOOL GUIDANCE

LINCOLN- More than 20 Republican attorneys general, including Nebraska's Doug Peterson, filed a lawsuit against President Joe Biden's administration over a Department of Agriculture school meal program that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The challenge, led by Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery, claims that the federal government is attempting to force states and schools to follow antidiscrimination requirements that “misconstrue the law.”

The coalition of attorneys general are hoping for a similar result to a separate challenge from earlier this month when a Tennessee judge temporarily barred two federal agencies from enforcing directives issued by Biden's administration that extended protections for LGBTQ people in schools and workplaces.

The judge sided with the attorneys general, ruling that the directives infringed on states’ right to enact laws, such as banning students from participating in sports based on their gender identity or requiring schools and businesses to provide bathrooms and showers to accommodate transgender people.

“This case is, yet again, about a federal agency trying to change law, which is Congress’ exclusive prerogative,” Slatery said in a statement.

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BLOMSTEDT: AS PANDEMIC WANES, NEBRASKA SCHOOLS SHOULD AVOID SLIPPING INTO OLD NORMAL

LINCOLN- With the pandemic waning, it’s time for Nebraska schools to “restore normal,” but that doesn’t mean just returning to the old ways of doing things, Commissioner of Education Matt Blomstedt told a gathering of state education leaders.

In his message to leaders, Blomstedt said that before the pandemic, schools were experiencing unacceptable achievement gaps based on race, ethnicity, poverty and special needs.

He said he doesn’t want to return to that point and re-establish the practices that entrench that as normal. Blomstedt said that when floods, fires and tornadoes strike, people don’t just rebuild but try to rebuild better.

“We have to be unusual and, quite frankly, we just have to figure out a way that we’re going to grow and get better together.”

Blomstedt said he is excited that Legislative Resolution 335, passed in the last session, set a target for postsecondary education and training goals for young Nebraskans.

In the resolution, state lawmakers set a state goal of having at least 70% of 25- to 34-year-old Nebraskans having a degree, certificate, diploma, or other postsecondary or industry-recognized credential with economic value by 2030.

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15 STATES BACK NEBRASKA AG'S EFFORT TO PROTECT PETITION PROCESS FROM FEDERAL COURTS

LINCOLN- Attorneys general from 15 conservative-led states filed a brief this week backing Nebraska’s legal fight to save a state constitutional requirement that people petitioning a measure onto the ballot must gather signatures from much of the state.

The brief was filed in a federal civil rights lawsuit brought May 16 by Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana and ACLU Nebraska against Secretary of State Bob Evnen, arguing that the state’s geographic requirement dilutes the “one man, one vote” value of signatures of urban Nebraskans by giving more weight to signatures from rural Nebraskans.

The 15 states argue that federal judges have a limited role in reviewing “state-created systems” governing elections. States make similar arguments to defend gerrymandering, the ability of states to draw political boundaries to political advantage.

The states in the brief argue that Nebraska’s requirement can be met legally. The brief questions whether a lower court had the legal right to enjoin the requirement without showing practical difficulties that the requirement created for the initiative process.

The states backing Nebraska’s case are Arkansas, Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah and West Virginia.

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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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