CANDIDATES BAR PRESS & REFUSE TO DEBATE DURING MIDTERM CAMPAIGNS

WASHINGTON- With two months left of the 2022 campaign season, a majority of Republican candidates are continuing to skirt away from not only talking to local and national media outlets about their policy issues, but their own constituents, leaving voters with little information on their policy positions.

In Iowa, Republicans such as Gov. Kim Reynolds, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley and U.S. Reps. Randy Feenstra, Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks skipped an Iowa State Fair tradition.

Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine refused to debate Republican challengers in the primary and now has said he will not debate his Democratic challenger.

In Nebraska, GOP governor candidate Jim Pillen also refuses to debate his Democratic challenger, State Sen. Carol Blood. If elected, Pillen would become Nebraska’s first governor since at least the 1970s to be elected without facing his opponents on a debate stage.

Rep. Don Bacon, on the other hand, will participate in two debates and recently tweeted “I love debates.”

When political candidates refuse to step on the debate stage to either defend or explain their policy position, it makes it difficult for voters to be informed on what their representatives are doing, multiple news outlets have said.

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BACON, VARGAS AGREE TO TWO DEBATES IN 2ND DISTRICT SHOWDOWN

OMAHA- Rep. Don Bacon and State Sen. Tony Vargas have agreed to two debates in October as the two compete to represent Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District.

Baco and Vargas will first meet on October 13 at a debate by WOWT and the League of Women Voters. The second debate, sponsored by KETV, will be on Oct. 16.

Bacon is seeking his fourth term in Congress. Vargas has served on the Omaha Public Schools board and has twice been elected to the Nebraska Legislature.

The 2nd District includes all of Douglas County, including Omaha, as well as Saunders County and western Sarpy County.

“Voters have a clear choice in this election, and I look forward to pointing out the stark differences between me and my opponent in the upcoming debates,” Vargas said in a statement.

In a press release, Bacon thanked the hosts for sponsoring the debates and said he looked forward to highlighting his accomplishments “and why I will fight for Nebraskans to keep more of their hard-earned money.”

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MINIMUM WAGE, VOTER ID PETITIONS QUALIFY FOR NEBRASKA'S NOVEMBER BALLOT

OMAHA- The Nebraska Secretary of State's Office announced Tuesday that two petitions have secured enough valid signatures to be placed on the November ballot. The first of these petitions seeks to raise the Nebraska minimum wage from $9 to $15 by 2026, while the second will allow voting stops to ID voters in future Nebraska elections. 

Raise the Wage, the campaign that worked to collect the signatures necessary to place their petition on the ballot, was ecstatic to hear the news. Ford years now, Raise the Wage and similar groups have been working to increase the minimum wage in Nebraska, arguing that inflation has been especially taxing on low-income Nebraskans. The group estimates that around 95,000 Nebraskans will be positively affected by the change. 

Nancy Williams, CEO of No More Empty Pots, stated, "The reality is that the cost of groceries, housing, and basics have gone up for years, and the minimum wage hasn't kept up." The minimum wage petition turned in over 97,000 signatures, including the required 5% from voters in at least 38 counties. 

The voter ID petition required signatures from 10% of voters in Nebraska since its aim is to change the state's constitution. Citizens for Voter ID collected over 136,000 signatures, far exceeding the required 5% in 76 counties. 

State Sen. Julie Slama, a voter ID proponent, stated, "It is very clear, as evidenced by the enthusiasm we countered as Nebraskans signed this petition, that voters care about election security and they want voter ID in Nebraska."

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DOUGLAS COUNTY PLANS TOWN HALL MEETINGS ABOUT POTENTIAL NEW MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY

OMAHA- The Douglas County Board announced it will be holding a string of town hall meetings pertaining to a new mental health facility in the area. The funding would come from COVID recovery money with a cap of $55 million.

At the meetings, the board will present findings from the first phase of a consultant’s study for such a facility, and ask for public input on those findings.

The board has not actually voted on building a facility, but they did vote to hire another consultant to begin phase 2 of the study.

“The board has agreed to move forward on to Phase Two to determine which option we want to potentially look at,” Douglas County Board Chair Mary Ann Borgeson said.

The initial phase of the study suggested the County Board could consider two options to address needs of the county’s Corrections Department and Community Mental Health Center.

One option is a combined mental health facility, with a secure area for jail inmates and an unsecured portion for people from the general public. The other option is two separate, stand-alone facilities: one for the Community Mental Health Center, and one for the Corrections Department. Both options would include outpatient treatment and other services.

The upcoming town hall meetings can be found above in the "Upcoming Important Dates and Events" section.

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'THIS NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED,': DOCTOR ALLEGES PHARMACY DENIED WOMAN MEDICATION FOR MISCARRIAGE

OMAHA- A doctor in Omaha claimed that a pharmacy denied one of her patients medication during a miscarriage. The medicine, according to Nebraska doctors, is prescribed to women who have experienced a miscarriage, but who have not passed all fetal tissue from their body. 

Dr. Meghan Oakes stated that women should never be denied the drug and that she wants other patients to be aware. "I would say that two to three times a week, I am offering this medication to a patient," Oakes stated. 

The drug, misoprostol, is used to help women pass remaining fetal tissue after a miscarriage. Oakes stated that the main problem is that the "medical term for miscarriage is spontaneous abortion." The patient was denied the medication when she miscarried during her third trimester, even though Oakes prescribed the drug for a "medical miscarriage."

Oakes went on to say that "the pharmacist refused to dispense that medication, subsequently coming back and telling the provider that there was a Nebraska statute that necessitated that the provider be present for this medication to be dispensed."

Oakes believes that the pharmacist saw the words "spontaneous abortion," and denied the request for that reason. "In that scenario, the misoprostol is not the medicine that ends a pregnancy, that's a different medication. That medication must be dispensed by a physician," Oakes stated. 

Walmart, where the pharmacy is located, denied to comment on the issue, claiming that they don't discuss specific patient information. 

Oakes believes more providers need to be educated on the issue of abortion and miscarriages.

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NEBRASKA CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS DOUBTFUL ON CHANCES FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM

ASHLAND- At last Thursday's Federal Legislative Summit, held at Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum, the topic of legal and illegal immigration was discussed by Nebraska Congress members. Reps. Don Bacon, Mike Flood, Adrian Smith, and Sen. Ben Sasse talked about business issues in Nebraska, including the democratic push to fill vacant positions with immigrant workers. 

The delegation of Congressmen stated that if businesses in Nebraska wanted to see any immigration reform to fill the thousands of vacant positions, they would have to take the lead in pushing for reform. However, the delegation also emphasized the difficulty in passing immigration reform, saying that legal immigration often gets lumped into illegal immigration when discussing the issue.

"I think it could be good for our constituents in our districts to hear what businesses are going through right now in trying to hire...I guarantee you, probably the No. 1 issue besides inflation right now is the southern border...If they knew your needs a little better and your hard work on it, I think that will help us do more," stated Rep. Don Bacon.

Despite this discussion of immigration reform, however, Rep. Mike Flood stated that he would prefer to "recruit from within," and emphasized the importance of sharing these opportunities first with Nebraska citizens. "There's a bigger national security issue wrapped around immigration. I do not see us making any major progress until we stop the flow of guns and drugs across the border," Flood stated. Rep. Flood will be visiting the U.S.-Mexico border on Monday this week. 

Sen. Sasse claimed that the past two presidents have done almost nothing to move legal immigration forward, and claimed it will take a large-scale push to obtain reform; much larger than has been done in the past. "We have had two administrations in a row that haven't in any serious way wanted to fix any of this. They wanted to maintain an issue they could use for politics rather than solving policy issues in front of the American people," Sasse stated. 

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NEBRASKA GETS $87.7 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR BROADBAND EXPANSION

LINCOLN- Nebraska is receiving an additional hefty sum of money for its Broadband Bridge Program, which seeks to improve high-speed internet and provide more access all over the state.

The U.S. Department of Treasury announced the award Tuesday, and the funds will come as part of the American Rescue Plan Act. The new funding is projected to provide high-speed internet to around 21,000 new households in Nebraska, or about 23% of households currently lacking broadband coverage.

Dan Watermeier, chairman of the Nebraska Public Service Commission, stated that work has already begun with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to administer the new funds. 

Watermeier stated that "this new funding along with what is currently in place will make a big impact on helping provide broadband to the unserved and underserved areas of our state."

The Broadband Bridge Program is seeking to provide at least 100Mbps upload speeds to underserved and unserved regions of the state.

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STATE TEACHER UNION LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO HIGHLIGHT PUBLIC EDUCATION, PUSH BACK ON EFFORT TO FUND PRIVATE SCHOOLS

LINCOLN- This fall, the Nebraska Teachers Union will organize a public relations campaign, titled "Public School Proud," to push back against efforts to divert public funds to private schools.

A grant from the National Education Association will fund the five-week campaign, allowing the Union to spread its message on television, radio, and through digital formats. 

In a press release, NSEA President Jenni Benson stated that the campaign's goal is to "advance a culture of racial and social justice by improving educational opportunities for all students and building respect for the worth, dignity and equality of every individual in our diverse society."

The campaign will mainly broadcast, 'success stories' from different public institutions and teachers. 

The NSEA claims that the campaign will be utilized to spread awareness about bills that seek to provide a state tax credit for 'opportunity scholarships,' which public school advocates see as a covert way to give public funds to private schools.

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NEBRASKA OFFICIALS DELAY SELECTION OF CONTRACTORS MANAGING $1.8 BILLION PROGRAM

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, Nebraska Medicaid officials stated their intentions to delay the selection of a new company to manage the state's $1.8 billion Medicaid program. Medicaid Director Kevin Bagley stated that the winning bid, of five applicant companies, will be announced on Sept. 23, instead of Wednesday. 

Bagley believes this delay will give Medicaid more time to interview each applicant and give out scores. "Our goal has been to do his right, even if it takes some time. We know stakeholders are eager to learn who will be chosen," said Bagley. 

The applicant who wins the bid will be in charge of physical and behavioral health care, pharmacy services, and dental benefits for almost all Medicaid patients in Nebraska. Overall, they will serve around 350,000 Nebraskans. Once a selection is made, the new contracts will begin in July 2023, and end in 2028. 

Bagley stated that all of the applicants provided quality bids, but wants to allow Medicaid to ask additional questions to each. The bidders include Community Care Plan of Nebraska, Nebraska Total Care, UnitedHealth Care of the Midlands, Medica Community Health Plan, and Molina Healthcare of Nebraska. 

Nebraska lawmakers have criticized certain bidders in the past, usually for failing to do the job as outlined in the contract. This includes the Kansas-based St. Francis Ministries, which failed to fulfill its contract with Nebraska. 

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CONSTITUENTS SAY INFLATION IS A KEY ISSUE, SEN. DEB FISCHER SAYS

SCOTTSBLUFF- On Tuesday, Sen. Deb Fischer held a roundtable discussion to discuss prominent issues in the area with local political, educational, and business leaders at the Bluffs Business Center. Fischer stated that "it's better to meet with people where they are."

Fischer stated that one of the biggest issues affecting businesses, whether they're hospitals, schools, or retailers, is a lack of employees. Hiring, or lack thereof, has been negatively affecting the area since the beginning of the pandemic. 

The lack of affordable housing in the area was also discussed between Fischer and community leaders, and the Senator stated that inflation is making it more difficult to build and maintain this housing. 

Fischer also emphasized high gas prices as a major problem affecting rural Nebraska, stating, "Government has to be responsible. I think it's important to be responsible to our constituents and prioritize their needs, but I also think it's important to be responsible to taxpayers and realize what we should be paying for as a government and what we should not."

Fischer believes that several bills she supports will be beneficial to rural Nebraskans, including the cattle market reform bill, which seeks to help owners of small feedlots make good financial and marketing decisions. 

In regards to the cattle market reform bill, Fischer stated that it's "going to have a huge impact on family farms and ranchers."

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OMAHA MAYOR STOTHERT HIRES NEW DEPUTY CHIEF OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

OMAHA- Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert announced the hiring of a second full-time economic developer Monday.

Marco Floreani will join the Mayor’s Office as a deputy chief of staff for economic development and development services according to the Mayor's Office.

Floreani has worked in economic and community development for more than 10 years in Nebraska and Iowa at both state and local levels. Most recently, he served as executive director of the Mills County Economic Development Foundation and senior director of business development for the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce.

“I look forward to joining the City of Omaha’s efforts to attract, retain and grow business opportunities in my hometown,” Floreani said. He replaces Troy Anderson, who recently accepted a position as assistant city manager in Wichita, Kansas.

Anderson’s departure was soon followed by the resignation of Kevin Andersen, who returned to the private sector after working in the Mayor’s Office since 2018. Andersen’s replacement, Jacquelyn Morrison, joined the Mayor’s Office earlier this month.

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LEGISLATIVE REPORT SAYS DAM COULD MITIGATE FLOODING ON THE LOWER PLATTE RIVER

LINCOLN- A recent legislative study into developing a huge recreational lake between Omaha and Lincoln was careful to reassure residents of Ashland that it wouldn’t include damming the Platte River and flooding the town of Ashland.

The report, issued in May after the Nebraska Legislature adjourned for the year, looked at how to mitigate flooding in the lower Platte River, from Columbus to where it flows into the Missouri River at Plattsmouth.

The consultant that prepared the report, Omaha-based HDR, homed in on 21 “potential sites” to build reservoirs on tributaries of the Platte River, such as the Loup and Elkhorn Rivers and Salt, Wahoo and Logan Creeks.

The bulk of the money was allocated for building new marinas at Lake McConaughy and Lewis & Clark Lake, a new lodge at Niobrara State Park and a flood-control levee near Schuyler. But $20 million was set aside for further study of building a huge sand-pit lake near Linoma Beach in Sarpy County, with $26 million designated for possible future construction.

HDR’s report says more study would be needed before any reservoir construction could happen on the tributaries of the Platte.

State Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln, the Speaker of the Legislature and head of the STAR WARS committee, made similar observations, adding that consideration of flood mitigation was part of the committee’s charge but that further work on the tributary dams was not funded.

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NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS GET ANOTHER OPTION TO COMPLETE COLLEGE DEGREES

LINCOLN- This week Gov. Pete Ricketts and others inked an agreement to make completing a college degree easier and more affordable for nontraditional, adult students who cannot travel, because of the demands of life or a rural location, to a brick-and-mortar school.

“This is about giving everyone access to a life-changing education,” said Paul Illich, president of Southeast Community College.

Under an agreement signed by Ricketts and Western Governors University, transferring credits from institutions such as Southeast will be easier, and Nebraska students will gain access to the state’s $21 million worth of “Opportunity Grant” scholarships for post-secondary studies.

Ricketts said Nebraskans who have some college studies but no degree are a pool of “untapped talent” in a world where about 71% of jobs require a post-secondary degree.

This spring, the Nebraska Legislature established a goal of getting 70% of the state’s workforce, ages 25-34, to have “a degree, certificate, diploma, or other postsecondary or industry-recognized credential with economic value by 2030.” Currently, about 58% of that group have degrees.

Ricketts said that making it easier, and more affordable, for Nebraskans to attend WGU is another step to address the state’s workforce shortage. Most recently, 52,000 jobs were unfilled in the state.

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SUSTAINABLE BEEF SIGNS PARTNERSHIP WITH WALMART FOR NORTH PLATTE MEATPACKING PLANT

NORTH PLATTE- Sustainable Beef LLC has signed a deal with Walmart to supply the national retailer with the majority of the beef it’ll process at its planned meatpacking plant in North Platte. 

Sustainable Beef LLC CEO David Briggs said construction will begin in September, with formal groundbreaking scheduled for Oct. 4 at the former city sewer lagoon.

The plant, with 875 employees, is expected to open by late 2024. 

Negotiations and plans for the plant first came about in March 2021. The city has granted Sustainable Beef $1 million in forgivable loans and $21.5 million in tax increment financing in addition to agreeing to sell the retired lagoon.

The beef-plant project also will receive $20 million toward its construction cost from the state of Nebraska’s share of federal COVID-19 aid. State senators approved that allocation in April. 

Tyler Lehr, Walmart’s senior U.S. vice president of merchandising for deli services, meat and seafood, said the retailer wants to provide “high-quality, affordable beef to our customers.” 

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THE LINCOLN WARHORSE CASINO ANNOUNCES OPENING DAY OF SEPTEMBER 19TH

LINCOLN- Nebraska's first casino slots are only days away as WarHorse Casino is slated to open on September 19th with over 400 slot machines available.

"It's unbelievable. I'm just I'm so grateful and excited. Absolutely can't wait for this to get started," said Lynne McNally of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.

They are partnering with Ho-Chunk Inc. at both the Lincoln and Omaha casinos.

"And this operation will continue while we're building the permanent facility, which will take approximately 20 months," McNally said. 

The casino still must obtain its gaming operator's license. At the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission's latest meeting, they indicated that the license will be provided. 

Commissioners said they wanted to make sure all of the background checks, operation and building concerns are met and games certified by an independent lab. 

The casino is also looking for over half of its staff still claiming they need around 100 more employees.

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PUBLIC HEARINGS SET TO EXPLORE NORTH, SOUTH OMAHA ARPA ALLOCATIONS

OMAHA- Nebraska State Sen. Justin Wayne has announced the public hearing schedule for his committee's exploration of the American Rescue Plan Act fund uses.

Senator Wayne's committee met earlier this month with Omaha consultant Olsson to discuss the best potential uses for the money.

A portion of the funds were allocated to specific projects, but a majority of the funds go toward the Qualified Census Tract Recovery Grant Program — also overseen by the Economic Recovery Special Committee of the Legislature.

The week of Sept. 19, this committee is holding joint hearings and public information sessions with Olsson, Inc. to explore uses for the funds in north and south Omaha.

Members of the public can testify at these hearings, and learn how to formally submit ideas for possible uses of the Economic Recovery Act funds.

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SPLIT APPEALS PANEL REJECTS NEBRASKA MARIJUANA INJUNCTION

OMAHA- On Wednesday, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a request to block one of Nebraska's ballot initiative parameters proposed to the Court by Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana and the ACLU of Nebraska. 

Nebraska's ballot initiative law requires petitioners to collect signatures from at least 5% of voters in 38 of the state's 93 counties. When the Medical Cannabis initiative was shot down earlier last month, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana and the ACLU sued, arguing that this specific parameter violates free speech and equal protection rights.

The groups stated that this parameter makes "one voter in Arthur County equal to that of 1.216 voters in Douglas County."

U.S. District Judge John Gerrard agreed with this sentiment, but stated that, while the state can legally require statewide voter support on an initiative, it "may not do so based on units of dramatically differing population, resulting in discrimination among voters." 

Gerrard issued an order temporarily blocking the '5%' parameter, but State Officials appealed and the 8th Circuit Court put a hold on it.

Neb. Secretary of State Bob Evnen stated that his office "will continue to enforce that Nebraska constitutional provision pending the final outcome of the case." 

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FRAKES, APPOINTED BY GOV. RICKETTS TO TURN AROUND TROUBLED NEBRASKA PRISON SYSTEM, IS LEAVING

LINCOLN- Nebraska Director of Corrections Scott Frakes announced Thursday that he will be leaving his $255,00-a-year post in October. Frakes was hired by Gov. Ricketts in 2015. At the time of his hiring, the Nebraska Department of Corrections was facing several large problems, including prison overcrowding, high turnover of staff, and the mistaken, early release of several inmates.

Before working in Nebraska, Frakes was employed at the Washington state prison system, where he worked to correct sentencing miscalculations and reform the state's solitary confinement policies. 

Frakes has been a key voice, alongside Gov. Ricketts, in the push to open a new $270 million, 1,500-bed prison. To solve the issue of rampant turnover, Frakes has increased staff salaries at prisons in Lincoln and Tecumseh. Despite his push to keep workers, however, staffing emergencies still occur at two Nebraska prisons. 

In a press release, Frakes stated that he was "proud of the many accomplishments the agency has achieved during my tenure. Seeing those things come to fruition, to the benefit of staff members and our inmate population, has been enormously satisfying."

Gov. Ricketts lauded Frakes, saying he was a "highly effective leader," and that he "guided the agency through the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic."

Since being hired in Nebraska, Frakes has automated the sentencing calculation function, raised salaries and improved working conditions for corrections staff, and merged two facilities into the Reception Treatment Center. 

In the past three years, the state's recidivism rate has fallen to 29.8%, and staff turnover is projected to drop to 16% this year from 30% in 2021. 

Alongside Frakes, State Fire Marshal Chris Cantrell will also be leaving his position in October. Cantrell has been influential in forming the state's first All-Hazards Incident Management Team, launched a mobile inspection process for pipeline inspections, and reintegrated Nebraska Forest Service Firefighters into the Wildland Incident Response Assistance Team. 

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BACON SLAMS STIMULUS PAYMENTS TO PRISONERS, CITING NUMBERS FROM IRS

OMAHA- Around $1.3 billion worth of stimulus payments for the Covid-19 pandemic were awarded to people in prison. Responding to a letter sent by Rep. Don Bacon, the IRS confirmed that over 1.1 million stimulus payments have been made to prisoners all over the county since October 2020. A judge ruled that these payments were allowed to be sent to prisoners after Congress failed to restrict them from receiving stimulus. 

Rep. Bacon, who voted against President Biden's attempts to send out stimulus, stated that prisoners receiving stimulus funds was "an example of the fiscal recklessness of Democrats."

Bacon previously voted in favor of Former President Trump's stimulus payments in late 2020, and when asked about them, Bacon said, "We didn't realize the first stimulus went to prisoners. When we did, we tried to do something about it."

State Sen. Terrell McKinney, an advocate for the incarcerated in Nebraska, stated that he believed those stimulus payments to prisoners were worth it. "A majority of them are not economically well-off. That helps them be able to talk with family, to be able to buy food and life essentials, to not burden their families," said McKinney. 

Bacon rebuked Sen. McKinney's words, stating that "people on death row shouldn't be getting a stimulus check. If you're going to do anything with that, give it to their victims...They are living off the taxpayer."

Sen. Tony Vargas, who is running against Bacon in the 2nd Congressional District race, declined to comment on both Bacon's words, and the inmate stimulus payments themselves. 

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KANSAS FOSTER CARE PROVIDER CRITICIZES COVERAGE WHILE NEBRASKA LAWMAKER ASKS FOR FRAUD INQUIRY

LINCOLN- Saint Francis Ministries provided an alternate description of its departure from Nebraska, where multiple investigations sounded alarms about the organization’s ability to comply with state law while providing foster care services for the Omaha area.

This week, State Senator Machaela Cavanaugh sent a letter to Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson in response to an Aug. 11 story about federal authorities moving to seize $10 million from the former Saint Francis IT director.

Alison Kossover, chief administration officer for Saint Francis, said in a 300-word response that the story leads readers to “an inaccurate understanding of the situation.”

The letter asks the attorney general to launch an investigation into Nebraska’s dealings with Saint Francis and its former leaders and to compel the parties to preserve any evidence relating to the contract with Nebraska.

In December, the organization announced it would leave Nebraska after investigations by the state’s inspector general and an oversight committee both concluded the state should end its relationship with Saint Francis.

“There was this picture of systematic failure on the part of Saint Francis Ministries to do what was statutorily required in child welfare in Nebraska,” Cavanaugh said.

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