DATA SHARING BETWEEN NEBRASKA HOSPITALS, UNMC, EXPECTED TO SPUR NEW RESEARCH

OMAHA- A new data sharing agreement has been made between Nebraska's 92 hospitals and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, allowing patients to receive better-tailored care and doctors to know which treatments work best with certain patients.

Leaders with the Nebraska Hospital Association stated that the data is extracted from every health claim that hospitals submit to insurers, and not from medical records, so no names or addresses will be revealed to doctors.

The records, and the data contained within them, could help UNMC researchers improve health care and lower cost. According to Jeremy Nordquist, Hospital Association President, the data UNMC receives will contain ZIP codes, diagnoses, treatments, and readmissions. 

One UNMC researcher gave an example of what this new data would allow them to do. The researcher stated that, by using ZIP code data, they could locate a cluster of pediatric cancer patients, determine the causes, and find ways to prevent more cases.

Dr. Jeffrey Gold, chancellor of UNMC, is happy that the University got the chance to work with the new data. "The value is huge," said Dr. Gold, "Having access to administrative data, real-time data, allows us to monitor the outcomes and the distribution of access to health care across the State of Nebraska."

One of the most important reasons why the Hospital Association decided to release the data was to study the disparities between rural and urban Nebraskans, and Nebraskans of color and white Nebraskans. "The goal of all of this is to improve access, improve quality, and improve value," Gold stated, "It's very exciting. It's a very forward-thinking relationship, and we're very grateful."

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RICKETTS VISITS SOUTHERN BORDER TO THANK NEBRASKA GUARD PERSONNEL AND TAKE A SWIPE AT FEDERAL BORDER POLICIES

LINCOLN- Gov. Pete Ricketts took an unannounced visit to the Southern U.S. border to thank Nebraska National Guard personnel deployed there and to criticize “failed” current border policy.

“I saw firsthand that you are undermanned and under-resourced,” Ricketts said in a press release. “America urgently needs to change course at the national level to fix this ongoing emergency.”

Jane Kleeb, the executive director of the Nebraska Democratic Party, called the trip a “political stunt.”

The Guard members are providing mission-enhancing support to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection security operations.

Nebraska’s 376th Aviation Battalion, a helicopter unit based in Grand Island, has been assisting border patrols since at least June by providing aviation support. The mission is under the direction of U.S. Northern Command and Joint Task Force North.

“By strengthening border enforcement, you’re helping to keep dangerous drugs like meth and fentanyl off of our streets,” he said.

Ricketts also met with U.S. Customs and Border Protection leaders to discuss their mission and the challenges they face.

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PROBLEM-SOLVING COURTS BROADLY POPULAR, BUT HOW TO EXPAND THEM REMAINS UNCLEAR

LINCOLN- A very low number of accused felons in Nebraska — just over 4% — can access a problem-solving court, touted by officials as a more effective way to turn lives of crime around and a much less costly alternative than prison. 

Last year, about 1,100 individuals were able to get into problem-solving courts across the state, which is 4.2% of those charged with felonies.

“There’s obviously some huge room for improvement,” Nebraska Supreme Court Judge Jeffrey Funke told members of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee.

32 such courts are spread across the state in which a district judge, utilizing tough love and highly supervised requirements such as taking a job and remaining drug-free, seeks to turn around the lives of “high-risk, high-need” offenders. 

Funke said a new study found that the cost of problem-solving court supervision was $5,387 a year and that the recidivism rate for those completing the program was 19%.

That is about one-third the cost, or less, of housing someone in a state prison, where the most recent recidivism rate — the percentage of inmates returning to prison within three years — was about 29.8%.

Webb Bancroft, a public defender in Lancaster County whose primary job is working with problem-solving courts, said offenders regularly say that the most important factor in their success was the time they spent with a judge. 

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NEBRASKA GETS $30 MILLION TO INSTALL CHARGING STATIONS FOR ELECTRICAL VEHICLES

LINCOLN- Nebraska was recently approved for $6 million in federal funding, and the state is planning to use it to build several charging stations along Interstate 80 and two Omaha highways.

Funding for the charging stations is coming from President Biden's infrastructure bill which was passed in November. The state also has the option to apply for more funding, this time from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program.

The Nebraska Department of Transportation the first installations, which feature four charging stations apiece, will be built along Interstate 80 by Omaha, Kearney, Gothenburg, York, Kimball, Sidney, Big Springs, and along Highways 31 and 6 in the Omaha area.

The charging stations will be publicly accessible. The Federal Highway Administration is seeking to create "alternative fuel corridors" all over the country, and Nebraska is next in line since receiving the new funding.

John Selmer, Director of the Nebraska Department of Transportation, is looking forward to the changes. "These funds will allow us to move forward with plans to make EV charging stations available to Nebraskans across the state," he stated.

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OPS SUPERINTENDENT CHERYL LOGAN WINS AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP DURING PANDEMIC

OMAHA- Dr. Cheryl Logan, Omaha Public Schools superintendent, was recognized last week by the University of Pennsylvania and McGraw Family Foundation for her leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Logan received the 2022 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education. According to a media release, Logan enabled "Omaha to be one of the first large, urban school districts in the nation to return to in-person learning in 2020."

Logan's partnership with the University of Nebraska Medical Center for a Covid-19 testing study also bolstered her case for the award, and showed her dedication to the students of OPS.

Shavonna Holman, school board president, praised Logan for her work in Omaha. "Omaha Public Schools is stronger because of Dr. Logan's student-centered service and leadership. We are proud to share our heartfelt congratulations."

The McGraw prize, which was established in 1988, seeks to recognize educators who empower students and enhance society.

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EPPLEY AIRFIELD LEADERS LINK LOW SURVEY RANKING TO ONGOING CONSTRUCTION

OMAHA- A new report released last weekend found that customer satisfaction at Omaha's Eppley Airfield ranked fifth from the bottom among 18 medium-sized North American airports.

Despite this, officials at Eppley Airfield are confident that ongoing construction projects, once completed, will change how customers feel when using Eppley to travel.

In the annual report, which was conducted by J.D. Power, Eppley Airfield scored 791 out of a possible 1,000 points. Michael Taylor, J.D. Power executive, stated that this number is two points shy of last year's. With COVID restrictions being lifted, and heavy inflation increasing the cost to fly, airports all over the country have experienced depressions in their customer satisfaction scores.

Taylor also stated that the many construction projects at Eppley Airfield may be the cause of the airport's sinking scores. "Construction has probably the second-biggest effect on satisfaction," sid Taylor, adding that passenger volume is the largest factor.

One project currently being worked on at Eppley is a $20.3 million roadway and entrance expansion, with a new $600 million effort to "modernize" the airports main terminal slated to begin next year.

Steve McCoy, chief information and development officer for the Omaha Airport Authority, agreed that the factors examined by J.D. Power are important to flyers. "We appreciate the patience of travelers at Eppley Airfield while we work to improve the customer experience," wrote McCoy.

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SENATOR BEN SASSE ON PATH TO RESIGN FROM U.S. SENATE TO LEAD UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

LINCOLN- The University of Florida's presidential search committee announced their unanimous recommendation for the next president: Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse.

“This is right for the University of Florida, right for the state of Florida and right for the Sasse family,” said Rahul Patel, chair of the search committee.

In the same announcement, Sasse said he was “thrilled about the opportunity to work alongside one of the nation’s most outstanding faculties.”

Sasse will interview on November 1st. If Sasse is hired at the university, he will resign from the senate allowing Governor Pete Ricketts to select who fills his seat.

The chosen individual would serve through 2025. An election would be held in 2024 to fill the seat for the remaining two years of the term, and the person appointed by the governor would be eligible to run at that time.

With Sasse still in office, Governor Ricketts's office has yet to comment on who or how candidates will be chosen.

The Governor did offer a statement thanking Sasse for his service to the nation and the state of Nebraska. He went on to wish him luck as the University of Florida makes its final decision.

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SASSE EXPECTED TO RESIGN FROM SENATE

WASHINGTON- According to two sources close to Sen. Ben Sasse, and KFAB talk show host Ian Swanson, the Senator is expected to resign his seat in the coming months to assume the role of president at the University of Florida.

In the case of a Sasse resignation, Governor Ricketts would fill the empty seat with a person of his choosing. This appointed Senator would serve in the seat until 2024, causing both Nebraska Senate seats to be up for grabs during a presidential election year. Afterward, in 2026, the seats would resume their normal rotation. 

Sen. Sasse is currently serving his second term in the seat, and has made a name for himself in the Senate as a Trump-critic and unwavering Conservative vote-caster. 

Sasse played a sizable role in former President Trump's second impeachment trial, denouncing the ex-President's claims that he had won the election "by a landslide." 

Sasse stated during an impeachment hearing that "First, President Trump lied that he 'won the election by a landslide.' He lied about widespread voter fraud, spreading conspiracy theories despite losing 60 straight court challenges, many of his losses handed down by great judges he nominated. He tried to intimidate the Georgia secretary of state to 'find votes' and overturn that state’s election."

The University of Florida, who will be hiring Sasse as president, announced today that Sasse emerged as the sole finalist among several applicants for the position. Officials with the university, in an attempt to ally any doubts, claimed the selection process was "exhaustive."

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DOUGLAS COUNTY ATTORNEY CANDIDATE'S AFFAIR, PROMOTION OF WOMAN LED TO HIS OUSTER FROM FIRM

OMAHA- Douglas County Attorney Candidate Dave Pantos, who is attempting to unseat current Attorney Don Kleine, has become embroiled in controversy after it was revealed that Pantos had an affair while working at one of Nebraska's largest non-profits: Legal Aid of Nebraska.

Pantos, who has very little trial and prosecutorial experience, has pointed to his time at Legal Aid as experience enough, and has been running on that message.

It was revealed this weekend that Pantos was ousted from Legal Aid in 2014 after promoting the woman with whom the candidate was having an affair. The woman was the wife of a lawyer working under Pantos at Legal Aid, and reportedly had little to no legal credentials.

When asked about the alleged affair and promotion, Dave Pantos was quick to deny it. "Who said that?" Pantos asked,

I don't know what you're talking about."

Later, Pantos sent an email to reporters acknolowding the affair, but claimed that the promotion happened before the extended affair took place.

Pantos stated, "This consensual situation was a lapse in professional judgment and I regret it. However, all parties have moved on since this happened over eight years ago. I want to specifically note that there were no improper hiring or promotion decisions made at the time. Any suggestions otherwise are patently false."

Attorneys from Legal Aid dispute these claims, stating that the woman did not have a law degree and that she assumed an "outsized" role in the firm, often appearing alongside then-director Pantos' side at agency leadership events.

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REP. DON BACON RECOVERING FROM EMERGENCY APPENDECTOMY

OMAHA- U.S. Rep. Don Bacon had an emergency appendectomy last week after being rushed to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland.

Bacon was released the following day, saying that he was "All good. An appendix can go north to south so quickly. I thought it was food poisoning. But as the day went on I realized it was more serious. I could hardly walk last night. Surgery worked magic!"

Bacon, a retired Air Force brigadier general, went to Walter Reed after feeling pain in his abdomen during a meeting. Doctors at Walter Reed claimed his appendix was three times the normal size.

Bacon's office has not put out word on how long he will take to recover. However, they stated that they are working on plans to make sure the congressman can vote by proxy if needed.

Sen. Tony Vargas, against whom Bacon is running for Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, offered Bacon "prayers for a speedy recovery, and stated that he was glad the surgery was successful.

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SPARKS FLY IN FINAL 1ST DISTRICT HOUSE DEBATE BETWEEN FLOOD, PANSING BROOKS

LINCOLN- Sen. Pansing Brooks and Rep. Mike Flood held a debate on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus to discuss the pressing issues they'll support in Congress. For Pansing Brooks, it's reproductive women's rights. For Flood, inflation and crime.

Sen. Pansing Brooks urged voters during the debate to trust her political consistency in supporting and upholding women's rights, citing the years of work she did in the Legislature.

Rep. Flood used his party's record on inflation and tax reduction to garner support during the debate, claiming that Pansing Brooks would do nothing to solve these problems. "Inflation, crime is increasing," said Flood, "Who do we have to thank for this mess? It's the Democrats."

Besides the issues above, the candidates for Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District also debated birth control, gun control, and student debt forgiveness.

The candidates also traded ad hominem jabs, with Sen. Pansing Brooks warning the audience that she would be fact-checking everything Flood said with what she calls "Flood alerts," and Rep. Flood calling her at one point "Patty Pansing Pelosi."

However, the candidates did find some even ground during the debate, with both of them agreeing that the nation's southern border had to be secure. But that's where their agreement ended. Flood stated that former President Trump's border wall should be expanded and improved, while Pansing Brooks just thinks more law enforcement should be stationed on the border.

After this, the question of gay marriage came up, with Pansing Brooks pointing out the possibility that the Dobbs decision could be repealed by the Supreme Court. Flood argued against this, stating that Dobbs is not at risk, but Pansing Brooks responded by bringing up Flood's no-vote on codifying gay marriage in the House.

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24 LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES PLEDGE TO SEND SECRET VOTES FOR COMMITTEE CHAIRS

LINCOLN- Former gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster and his PAC announced that they have had 24 legislative candidates pledge to end Nebraska's system for electing chairs of legislative committees.

That is 24 of 46 candidates who have pledged to end the secret ballot votes for committee chairs. This group is a mix of incumbents and challengers.

The pledges are the latest step in a two-decade conservative push to change legislative rules to require recorded votes on leadership.

Gov. Pete Ricketts, former Gov. Dave Heineman and the Nebraska Republican Party have pressed potential legislative appointees and candidates for years on their willingness to step away from the longtime practice of the officially nonpartisan body.

They have said that the change would add transparency for the voting public.

Those who have signed on include: Senator Rob Clements, Brad Von Gillern, Christian Mirch, Marilyn Asher, Lou Ann Goding, Merv Reipe, Senator John Arch, Senator Ben Hansen, Connie Peterson, Christy Armendariz, Russ Barger, Roy Christensen, Loren Lippincott, Rick Holdcroft, Senator Dave Murman, Tyler Cappel, Barry DeKay, Keith Kube, Senator Mike Jacobson, Chris Bruns, Theresea Ibach, Don Lease II, and Brian Hardin

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FIRST EARLY FALL BALLOTS BY MAIL GET SENT OUT THIS WEEK IN NEBRASKA

LINCOLN- Nebraskans who requested early mail ballots should be checking their mailbox this week, as early voting ballots were sent out on October 2nd.

For those looking to vote in person, county election offices are set to open early in-person voting as early as October 11th, next Tuesday.

However, early in-person voting will only be held at the Election Commission Office, located off of West Center Road in Omaha. Voting will be available there from 8:30am-5:00pm on weekdays until the election, and Saturday, October 29th and November 5th from 9am-1pm.

October 28th is the final day to register to vote in this election, and for those sending in voter registration forms by mail, they must be postmarked no later than October 21st.

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'MISLEADING AND DECEITFUL'- MAILER USES SUGGESTIVE PHOTOS TO ATTACK LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATE; AND FORMER LINCOLN MAN DEPICTED IN PHOTOS SAYS HE'S BEEN DRAGGED INTO POLITICAL SMEAR

LINCOLN- A flyer that landed in northeast Lincoln mailboxes last week accusing a legislative candidate of trying to “radically transform” the state itself radically transformed the person it was attacking.

So much so that the mailer attacking George Dungan, who will square off against Russ Barger for the District 26 seat in November, features two black-and-white photos of shirtless men who are not Dungan.

The public defender who ran second in the primary said the mailer, which states it was paid for by Nebraska Federation for Children, was "misleading and deceitful" in several ways.

While it features a photo of the actual Dungan on one side, it also takes aim at Dungan for attending American University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a law degree after graduating from the University of Kansas.

And it states he supports an environmental policy that would purportedly raise taxes and drive up energy costs, as well as prohibiting businesses from asking about criminal history when hiring.

“It is clear that they do not know my position on any issue, considering they do not even know who I am or what I look like,” Dungan said.

Barger, reached by phone, called the mailer “super tacky” and said he was not involved in its creation, nor did he give it his approval.

Dustin Rymph, the shirtless man depicted on one side of the mailer, was shocked to discover himself on the mailer. Rymph, a former Lincoln resident, is an old friend of Dungan's. "My reaction was," said Rymph, "That's not George, that's me."

The mailer was paid for by Nebraska Federation for Children, a Nebraska affiliate of the larger American Federation for Children founded by former education secretary Betsy DeVos. 

Lauren Garcia, Nebraska state director for American Federation for Children, responded to the incident by claiming the photos, which were pulled from Dungan's personal account, appeared "without indication that it was someone else."

"It is reasonable to conclude the photos posted by Mr. Dungan are of himself," Garcia went on to say.

Rymph confirmed that the photos of him were in no way inappropriate, and were instead taken in front of the Nebraska plaque on the World War II Memorial on the National Mall. "It was over 100 degress out," stated Rymph.

The second photo, which depicts Rymph sitting upon a toy horse, was meant to be a "goofy photo."

"Everybody has goofy photos," stated Rymph, "that they took when they were in their early 20's."

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LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS TO DETERMINE FATE OF ABORTION BILLS

LINCOLN- This year’s elections for the Nebraska Legislature could determine what changes – if any – will be made next year to laws governing abortion in Nebraska.

State Senator Rob Clements said, "There will be an abortion restriction bill coming. It’s being worked on – we haven’t got something final. The letter that went to the governor asking for a special session was a 12-week ban. And I would expect something like that, or maybe more restrictive. It really depends on who gets elected in November – how conservative and how many pro-life senators are elected.”

At a rally of abortion rights supporters in Omaha, legislative candidate John Frederickson made a similar point.

“We are at such a pivotal point in our state. The outcome of our elections this November are going to have significant impact on what Nebraska looks like in five years, in ten years and fifteen years. And you better believe that reproductive freedom is on the ballot,” Frederickson said.

Twenty five seats in the 49-member Legislature are up for grabs in November. And about half those races, all in the Lincoln and Omaha areas, pit abortion opponents against abortion rights supporters, judging by endorsements and public statements of the candidates.

After voters have their say, and the new lineup of senators is in place, strategists on both sides of the issue will determine how to proceed.

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ACLU OF NEBRASKA: SCHOOL DRESS CODES FAILING CHILDREN

OMAHA- On Wednesday, the ACLU of Nebraska issued a 'report card' evaluating the dress code of 15 Nebraska school districts, and the grades weren't good. 

The ACLU evaluated district-wide, grade-level, and individual school policies on dress code by looking at several school districts in Omaha, Lincoln, Millard, Papillion La Vista, and many more strewn throughout Nebraska. 

Rated on 5 categories, the schools were given a total of three 'D's' and two 'F's'. 

The ACLU of Nebraska said in a statement that the reason for these bad grades was because the dress codes were found to be "rooted in stereotypes," aimed more intentionally at girls, and "often enforced disproportionately against Black girls and other students of color."

"Gendered language in dress codes," they continued, "and unequal enforcement subject girls discipline, humiliation, and anxiety."

Some of the dress code policies that were evaluated were also found to be quite vague in both clarity and the way violations were handled. The ACLU used an example that claimed students in violation of dress code policy could be subject to expulsion, but contained vague language allowing for a very subjective interpretation. 

The ACLU also said in their report that strict or gendered dress codes could "damage [student's] sense of belonging in school" and that "gendered dress codes also invite biased enforcement against nonbinary, transgender, and gender-nonconforming students."

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OFFUTT PLANES TO RETURN AS $170 MILLION RUNWAY REBUILD WRAPS UP

BELLEVUE- After an 18-month hiatus at the Lincoln Airport, planes will return to Offut Air Force Base. 

They will land on a brand-new runway, fully reconstructed for the first time since the airfield was built in 1941.

It brings to a close an 18-month construction project that was years in the making, executed at a cost of $200 million to the Air Force: $169 million for the new runway and apron and $31 million for the temporary facilities at Lincoln.

That’s within budget and on time, said Rob Hufford, chief of construction management for the project.

“This has been a large part of my professional life for the last four years,” Hufford said. “It’s nice to see it coming to an end.”

At 150 feet wide, the new concrete runway is the same width as the old one. But the 25-foot shoulders on either side are a third as wide as before, consistent with modern safety standards. This change will help with snow removal in the winter.

The new surface is 19 inches thick, a combination of concrete and asphalt he said will be easier to maintain than the old one.

For years, the old surface had been crumbling. Offutt airmen had to be especially watchful for loose chunks of asphalt and other debris, which are dangerous if ingested into a jet engine.

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LONG-DELAYED NIOCORP MINE ANNOUNCES DEALS THAT COULD BRING MORE INVESTMENT

LINCOLN- A long-delayed mining project in southeast Nebraska announced that it was entering into agreements that could lead to an additional $366 million of investment in its $1.1 billion project. 

NioCorp has raised about $80 million toward opening of its proposed “critical minerals” mine, a company spokesman said. The mine would be located near Elk Creek, a farm town south of Tecumseh and about 80 miles south of Omaha. 

Recently the Colorado-based company announced that it is planning to acquire GX Acquisition Corp. and intends that the merged firm will be listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange after the acquisition closes, which is expected in the first quarter of 2023. 

The acquisition, according to NioCorp, “could” result in access to an additional $285 million toward NioCorp’s Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project, depending on the redemption rate of current GXII stockholders.

NioCorp also announced letters of intent with Yorkville Advisors Global on two loans to realize an additional $81 million for the project.

In a press release, NioCorp CEO and Executive Chairman Mark A. Smith said the combination of developments on Monday “have the potential to significantly accelerate our efforts” to make the Elk Creek project a reality. 

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STATE MAKING PROGRESS IN HIRING CHILD WELFARE WORKERS BUT STILL HAS 49 VACANCIES AND CASELOAD CHALLENGES

LINCOLN- Wage increases have helped Nebraska retain child welfare workers, and around 105 new employees have been hired this year, but a multitude of vacancies are still hurting the state.

The state recently took over case management from Saint Francis Ministries, but only around 40% of Omaha caseworkers have caseloads that comply with statutory requirements. 

Gov. Ricketts stated that noncompliance with caseload requirements is what prompted Nebraska to cut ties with Saint Francis Ministries. 

St. Francis was awarded a five-year contract with the state in 2019, and despite being given an additional $110 million in emergency state funds, still failed to meet the requirements expected of them by Nebraska.

Both Gov. Ricketts and Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh urged Attorney General Doug Peterson and his office to investigate whether the state was a victim of fraud by Saint Francis.

Stephanie Beasley, director of children and family services for DHHS, stated that the 105 new employees are in various stages of the required 14-week training, but that once they pass, it will help alleviate caseload noncompliance. 

Since 2019, child welfare cases in Nebraska have increased by about 29%, which has made it a real challenge for the state to keep up.

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PLUG PULLED ON MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR "INTERSECTIONS" PROJECT FOR SOUTH OMAHA

OMAHA- A spokesperson for Community Health Development Partners, who were on track to transform a 25-acre tract of industrial land into a new wellness and sports complex, stated that the project has been scrapped.

"We swung for the fences with this one and it didn't work out," said Attorney David Lutz, who held a managing partner position with the company.

The project's estimated cost was around $100 million, but as that number tripled, Community Health Development Partners just couldn't cover it. Most of the increased cost came from site preparation. The land on which the complex was to be built was reported quite unruly, and would require more time and more funds to tame.

Community Health Development Partners planned on demolishing nearly 20 houses and lots that were bought up prior to the attempted development, but nearly all of them are still standing. 

Lutz stated that the team was working with certain groups to decide what to do with the dilapidated houses, and may work to restore them so people can move back in. "The neighborhood will be left in as good, probably better, shape than when we got there," confirmed Lutz, "We always had good intentions."

Jenny Synowiecki, who grew up around where the project was to be built, is concerned about the timeline to resell the houses, and hopes Community Health will keep the rest of the neighborhood "in the loop." 

City Councilman Vinny Palermo of South Omaha stated that he's been monitoring the neighborhood, and recently walked around the area with Synowiecki. 

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