BLOOD FIGHTING 'US VERSUS THEM' RHETORIC

BELLEVUE- Carol Blood hopes to bring everyone back to the table to have collaborative government and put an end to “us versus them” rhetoric.

Blood’s campaign platforms include “Prosperity for all Nebraskans” addressing property taxes and attracting and retaining talent — especially those in the age 18-to-34 demographic; maintaining public safety and improving public health; investing in Nebraska’s infrastructure; and encouraging education.

Blood said she has canvassed well over 270,000 people through door knocking and phone banking. That doesn’t include town halls or social media.

Often, campaigns focus on rhetoric, telling voters what they should be scared of or angry about.

“I’m very pragmatic in my approach. I like to give explanations from Point A to Point B, which is not everybody’s cup of tea, but you don’t leave my events going ‘Well, I didn’t learn anything.’ You leave my events saying ‘I learned a lot. I learned things I didn’t know before.’ What more could you want from a town hall than people being enthusiastic about policy? It’s actually been really exciting.”

If elected, Blood plans to travel all over Nebraska, like she’s doing now, meet with constituents, hear their priorities and assemble a strategic plan.

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'TREMENDOUS INTEREST' IN OUTCOME OF NEBRASKA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION RACES

LINCOLN- The public’s radar is locked on the four seats up for grabs on the Nebraska State Board of Education in the Nov. 8 election.

The races are among the hottest in the state, fueled by disagreements over what and when kids should be taught about sexuality and race, what books belong in school libraries, equity versus equality and the boundaries of the board’s authority.

Four Republicans hope to make inroads on the board with a “back-to-basics” message. They face two Democrats, an independent and a Republican — all endorsed by the Nebraska state teachers union.

Republican Kirk Penner of Aurora, appointed by Gov. Pete Ricketts, faces independent Helen Raikes of Ashland, a retired professor of education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in District 5.

Republican Sherry Jones and Democrat Danielle Helzer, both of Grand Island, are running in District 6, where incumbent Maureen Nickels declined to run again.

In District 7, Republican Elizabeth Tegtmeier of North Platte faces incumbent Republican Robin Stevens of Gothenburg. Stevens received the teachers union nod.

In the Omaha metro area, Republican Marni Hodgen is trying to unseat incumbent Democrat Deborah Neary in District 8.

In the last 11 such elections,16 candidates sailed into office with no opponent. This year is a completely different environment.

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DORNAN AND FREDRICKSON FACING OFF TO SERVE VOTERS OF DISTRICT 20

OMAHA- The former seat of State Senator John McCollister will be filled by either Stu Dornan or John Fredrickson.

The two will face off on November 8th to see who will serve the people of District 20.

When it comes to addressing mental health in Nebraska, Fredrickson and Dornan have similar views.

"Mental health is such an important thing to take seriously as a state, and our legislative body doesn't currently have any subject matter experts in mental health. And that is a perspective that is extraordinarily valuable as it pertains to your obviously mental health-related policy," Fredrickson said.

"We need to normalize those conversations, you know, mental health is as important or more important than physical health. And we need to be sure that it just doesn't go under the radar. You know, we have to break the silence with respect to that," Dornan said.

The candidates both agree that the state should not seek or implement any new abortion laws.

John Fredrickson said if elected, his focus will be on education, tax relief and inflation. Stu Dornan said if elected, he vows to tackle property taxes, education and public safety.

Both candidates made it clear that they are ready to serve the people of their district and Nebraska by finding common ground with others.

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NEBRASKA VOTER ID BALLOT MEASURE WOULD BE AMONG NATION'S TOUGHEST

LINCOLN- If Nebraska voters approve Initiative 432 next month, the state could be implementing the strictest voter ID laws in the country. The proposed constitutional amendment would require voters to present a "valid photographic" ID before casting a ballot in any and all state elections.

The initiative would apply to mail-in ballots and in-person ballots, and does not provide any specific exceptions. 35 states currently employ similar voter ID laws, but only 18 of them request or require a photographic ID. Twelve of these states also allow for certain alternatives if the person voting does not own a valid ID.

Mike Forsythe, a representative of Civic Nebraska, believes the new voting ID measure would make Nebraska one of the most restrictive voting states in the country. "Nebraska would become one of the most narrow and restrictive states in the nation in terms of the kind of ID that would allow you to vote," said Forsythe, "For thousands of Nebraska voters, voter ID would be a hindrance and impediment to freely cast a ballot."

Supporters of the new measure describe it as being "very simple," and claim that it will increase election integrity and boost Nebraskan's confidence in state elections. Bob Evnen, Nebraska Secretary of State, said that the new measure "provides an additional layer of security for our voting processes. No one will be foreclosed from voting because of this requirement. I don't think that it's going to impede voting in any way."

Evnen acknowledged the fact that Nebraska has not had any substantial occurrences of voter fraud, and that the state has never seen any instances of someone trying to impersonate another person when trying to vote.

Despite this, Doug Kagan of Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom believes that the new requirements, if implemented, will act as a preventative measure. "We don't want any vote fraud," said Kagan, "even if it's minuscule."

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BACON AND VARGAS TACKLE NATIONAL SECURITY, SOCIAL SECURITY, ABORTION, TAXES IN SECOND DEBATE

OMAHA- Candidates for Nebraska 2nd Congressional District, Sen. Tony Vargas and U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, debated Sunday at KETV's Omaha Studio.

At the debate, Sen. Vargas painted Bacon as a threat to Social Security, women's health care, and Medicare. Vargas pointed out Bacon's support for constitutional amendment H.R. 1011, which would have banned abortion with no exceptions.

Vargas also alleged that Bacon had considered changes to Social Security and Medicare that would essentially "gut" the programs, but Bacon denied this. Rather, Bacon stated that he wanted to "fix" these two social programs so that they last for the people who depend on them.

Bacon also affirmed his support for a federal abortion ban, but claimed that he would be fine with there being exceptions for the life and health of the mother. The congressman went on to say that he understands why an abortion ban wouldn't pass in Congress, but that he would like to support a federal ban after 15 weeks.

Bacon fired back at Vargas for the Senator's vote of support for Nebraska's largest-ever tax relief package, which passed earlier this year. Bacon claimed that Vargas stalled his vote until he knew the package would pass, and then took credit for its passage.

However, Vargas touted his support of a bill reducing taxes on Social Security income, and claimed that Bacon was "upset" because of the Senator's record of balancing budgets and cutting taxes."This is the reason Congressman Bacon is scared," stated Vargas, "I've fought on behalf working families."

Bacon responded, saying, "Tony, I don't get scared or threatened...I served my country for 30 years, while you were in New York City."

Despite their bickering, the candidates found some points of agreement when questions turned to national security. Both candidates believe that there is a great need to invest in helping businesses fend off cyber-attacks. Bacon pointed out his experience in cyber-defense while working in the Air Force, and Vargas claimed that he would make sure Congress adequately funds training and recruitment to protect American computers and networks from ransomware and spying.

When it came to pandemic relief, Bacon said that his earlier support for packages like ARPA was "too much." He stated, "We were coming out of COVID, out of the recession, the economy was firing on all cylinders at that point." Bacon also reiterated his stance that federal spending has increased inflation.

Vargas stated that he believed ARPA helped families and communities in need, and gave Senators Terrell McKinney and Justin Wayne the chance to steer relief funds to North and South Omaha.

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CAROL BLOOD DOUBLES HER FUNDRAISING FOR NEBRASKA GOVERNOR BUT STILL TRAILS JIM PILLEN'S

LINCOLN- Sen. Carol Blood, who is running against Jim Pillen for Nebraska Governor, raised around $262,000 in the third quarter, but still trails Pillen by a substantial amount.

By October, Blood had raised a total of $404,000 and spent around $370,000. Jim Pillen raised around $1.16 million between June and October, with $909,000 coming from political action committees.

Pillen has, in total, raised around $10.6 million and has spent $10 million. Political observers expect Pillen to win the race, especially since the state has almost 260,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats, and since a Republican has held the governorship since 1999. However, those same observers believe that a lack of endorsement from primary opponent Charles Herbster may negatively impact Pillen's chances.

Blood, at a recent town hall in Omaha, claimed that she feels new energy statewide, and said that people see that they need to vote differently come election time. "We are within striking distance," said Blood, "and we are going to win." At the town hall, Blood cited polls that showed that the gubernatorial race could be much closer than people expect.

Pillen, at a Rotary lunch in Omaha this week, stated that his race is going particularly well, despite the fact that he hasn't agreed to any debates with his opponent. "We feel really, really good that we brought people together across the state," said the candidate, "The people of Nebraska have been really gracious and are excited about the future."

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RICKETTS GIVES $314K TO NEW PAC TARGETING GOP LAWMAKER RUNNING FOR NEBRASKA REGENT

LINCOLN- Last month, Governor Ricketts gave $314,000 to the Nebraska Future Action Fund, a new political action committee that seeks to stop outgoing State Sen. Matt Williams from winning a seat on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

Very little is known about the new PAC, and its website hasn't even officially launched yet. Gov. Ricketts and the PAC itself denied questions about its goals, and both Sen. Williams and his opponent Kathy Wilmot knew nothing about it.

However, we do know that the Nebraska Future Action Fund spent $51,000 to oppose Sen. Williams, but this is the only campaign filing the new PAC has made to date.

Wilmot herself has only received around $50,000 in campaign contributions for the Regent seat, with around $10,000 of that coming from Gov. Ricketts. Wilmot currently has the support of former Gov. Kay Orr and former gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster.

Sen. Williams believes that the $51,000 the PAC spent was used to air radio ads attacking him. The ads paint the Senator as a "liberal RINO," but Williams claimed that his history in Legislature proves that he has supported conservative policies.

However, Sen. Williams and Gov. Ricketts have disagreed on several issues, with Williams voting to override the Governor's vetoes on bills raising the gas tax to fund highway construction, repealing the death penalty, and granting driver's licenses to DACA recipients.

Williams stated that what he believed was best for his constituents sometimes differed from Rickett's views, but he thought his actions were justified. He also said that it's "discouraging" to see attack ads becoming increasingly common in Nebraska elections.

Gov. Ricketts has used his wealth to influence several political races, and donated nearly $1.3 million to the Conservative Nebraska PAC, which ran advertisements opposing Charles Herbster and Sen. Brett Lindstrom.

Williams called this trend "disturbing," and encourages voters to do their own research.

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NEBRASKA STUDENT SCORES ON ACT DROPPED SLIGHTLY, BUT RANK WELL AMONG PEER STATES

LINCOLN- Average ACT composite scores by Nebraska students dropped slightly this year, from 20.0 in 2021, to 19.4 in 2022. Despite this, and according to the Nebraska Department of Education, Nebraska still ranks high among states where more than 90% of all high school students take the ACT.

In 2022, 94% of Nebraska public school graduates took the ACT, compared to 36% nationwide. Among the 14 states which had test-taking rates over 90%, only Utah scored higher than Nebraska with an ACT average of 19.9.

Nationally, the average ACT score fell from 20.3 to 19.8 over the past year. Each individual test average, which includes the subjects math, reading, English, and science, was lower in Nebraska compared to national test scores. 

According to the Nebraska Department of Education, states that test a high percentage of students tend to have lower average ACT scores since this might include students who are not on a college course-taking track.

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NEW ASSISTANT CHANCELLOR POSITION AT UNL WILL LEAD ONLINE EDUCATION EFFORTS

LINCOLN- Two years after the movement of classes to zoom due to Covid-19, 9 out of 10 UNL students still enroll in at least one online course.

Online courses have allowed students to increase credit hours and has fueled 4-year graduation rates to their highest levels in a decade.

UNL will aim to build on those successes by creating a new administrative position to work with faculty, staff and administrators to develop credit and non-credit programs, identify new market areas and grow enrollment. 

That means creating online courses for high school students seeking to earn college credit, ensuring the online course catalog is robust enough to meet the needs of UNL's students seeking to earn credit over the summer, and developing offerings for individuals in the workforce seeking to acquire new skills.

UNL had an online program before called NU online. NU Online enrolled 5,500 Nebraskans and 8,000 others from every state in the U.S. during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As other schools saw the need for online courses, NU online began losing students and spending more many than was needed. 

This prompted UNL to end NU online and begin to focus on this new program that is focused on Nebraska online education rather then national.

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HISTORICAL MARKER UNVEILED AT SITE OF 1891 LYNCHING AT OMAHA COURTHOUSE

OMAHA- People entering the Douglas County Courthouse will now notice two monuments commemorating two lynchings that took place between 1891 and 1919.

One historical marker, unveiled in a ceremony, tells the story of the lynching of George Smith by a White mob outside the courthouse in 1891. The marker also relates the context of the killing: From 1865 to 1950, thousands of Black people were victims of racial terror and lynching. The lynchings were “intended to intimidate Black people and enforce racial hierarchy and segregation.”

The other plaque, unveiled last year, memorializes the lynching of Will Brown outside the courthouse in 1919.

The metal plaques bracket the sidewalk leading to the courthouse’s main entrance at 17th and Farnam Streets.

Their prominent placement “speaks to the importance of reconciliation,” said Brenda Council, a former Omaha City Council member and Nebraska state senator, after the Smith marker was unveiled.

“It contains a tragic but real story of the role that racial injustice played in the City of Omaha,” Council said. “It’s a new day, and we need to move forward — not ignore the wounds, but acknowledge them and seek to heal from them.” 

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SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS TO JUMP BY 8.7% NEXT YEAR

WASHINGTON- Millions of Social Security recipients will get an 8.7% boost in their benefits in 2023.

That’s a historic increase and welcome news for American retirees and others — but it’s tempered by the fact that it’s fueled by record high inflation that’s raised the cost of everyday living.

The cost-of living adjustment means the average recipient will receive more than $140 extra a month beginning in January, according to estimates released by the Social Security Administration.

The boost in benefits will be coupled with a 3% drop in Medicare Part B premiums, meaning retirees will get the full impact of the jump in Social Security benefits.

The Social Security Administration's Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi said combined with Medicare premiums going down in 2023, the Social Security benefit increase, “will give seniors more peace of mind and breathing room.”

"This year’s substantial Social Security cost-of-living adjustment is the first time in over a decade that Medicare premiums are not rising and shows that we can provide more support to older Americans who count on the benefits they have earned,” she said. 

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NEBRASKA'S COVID CASE NUMBERS DOWN FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT WEEK

LINCOLN- A positive sign for Nebraska continues to grow as Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations decline for the fifth straight week.

Nebraska recorded 1,028 new cases last week, down 16% from 1,224 the previous week, according to data compiled by the CDC.

Case numbers have dropped more than 75% since the end of July and are now at their lowest level since late May.

Nebraska’s case trends mirror those nationally, as the majority of states have seen declining numbers since July. U.S. cases are at their lowest levels since April. Nebraska’s overall case levels are a number to take pride in, being the 11th lowest among the states.

What the virus will do next, however, isn't entirely clear. Fall and winter brought surges in both 2020 and 2021 as people retreated indoors and new variants took over.

Health officials are urging Americans to get the new bivalent booster shots, which cover both the original strain of COVID-19 and the omicron variants now circulating.

An average of 137 Nebraskans were hospitalized with COVID from October 2nd-8th, down from 142 the previous week. That's the lowest level since early June, similar to the national trend.  

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DROUGHT-PLAGUED YEAR CONTINUES INTO FALL

SCOTTSBLUFF- Fall has entered the state with a break in the high temperatures and offered scattered clouds and some rain, but that is not nearly enough to get out of the Nebraska drought.

Scotts Bluff County moved into 100% severe drought from 99.19% the previous week and 17.6% three months ago. The southwest corner of the county changed to 8.7% extreme drought from 8.66% the previous week. It is worth noting that 31.36% of the county was in extreme drought in October 2021. 

Gary Stone, water and integrated cropping specialist at the Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center, said the recent showers will not stop harvest. 

“It is slowing it down but it isn’t going to bring it to a halt, unless we get an inch or more somewhere,” he said.

“Possibly some of the corn will be a little late,” Stone said. “That little extra moisture might give it a boost to get it finished. We haven’t had the hot days and higher wind speeds, it’s been cooler and the winds have dropped off so the corn plants aren’t going to dry out as fast.”

According to the National Weather Service extended forecast on Oct. 6, the  Scottsbluff valley will continue to experience mild conditions with no significant moisture impacts on the immediate horizon.

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$35 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT TO EXPAND INTERNET ACCESS FOR WINNEBAGO TRIBE OF NEBRASKA

OMAHA- The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska has received a $35 million federal grant to expand high-speed internet access on its land.

The award from the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration is funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

 It is expected to install fiber connecting about 600 unserved tribal households, 40 businesses and 16 community anchor institutions.

“We’re making an historic investment in tribal communities to ensure reliable affordable high-speed internet for all,” said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. 

Winnebago Tribe Chairwoman Victoria Kitcheyan said in a statement that the tribe was thrilled and looked forward to the grant “leveling the playing field of opportunity.”

“Throughout the pandemic we saw firsthand the importance of internet access and how critical it is for our tribal members to participate in remote education, telehealth and economic development opportunities,” she said.

The award was among 23 grants amounting to $601 million announced Tuesday. That brings the total awarded to 94 tribal entities to $1.35 billion.

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MCCONNELL TELLS CNN HE WANTS RICKETTS TO REPLACE SEN. SASSE

WASHINGTON- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told CNN on Tuesday that he would like Nebraska Gov. Ricketts to replace the now-resigning Sen. Sasse. McConnell told CNN that he has urged Ricketts to run for the seat.

"I've talked to Governor Ricketts," said McConnell, "We're hoping that he ends up in the Senate. Exactly how that happens under Nebraska law is yet to be determined."

According to a writer at the Nebraska Examiner, McConnell and the National Republican Senatorial Committee "like when wealthy, well-known candidates run in red states because they typically need less national fundraising help."

Sen. Sasse is leaving his Senate seat to reside as president at the University of Florida. The Senator visited the school this week to hold discussion sessions with students and staff, but was met with a barrage of protests. 

Ricketts stated publicly after the news of Sasse's resignation that he does not plan on appointing himself to the vacant Senate seat, and will instead allow the next governor to decide. 

Whoever is appointed to the seat will serve in the Senate until at least 2024, when primary and general elections will be held to fill the remaining two years of Sasse's term.

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NEBRASKA PRISON WATCHDOG SAYS DEATH OF INMATE MIGHT HAVE BEEN PREVENTED WITH REGULAR HEALTH EXAMS

LINCOLN- According to a Nebraska state prison watchdog, the death of inmate Niccole Wetherell from cervical cancer might have been preventable if she had received regular health check-ups.

Nebraska's Inspector General for the state's Correctional System stated Thursday that the Nebraska Department of Corrections is currently out of compliance with a 2015 law that requires the agency to implement an electronic health record system that would help prison medical staff keep track of patient check-ups.

The Inspector General's report revealed that current inmate health records are just a "jumble" of paper with handwritten nurse and physician notes. These notes are allegedly often barely legible.

Wetherell went almost nine years without a pap smear test before a 2019 prison-administered exam revealed that her cancer had spread to her brain, kidneys, and lungs. The cancer was deemed inoperable. Wetherell died on Feb. 26th, 2021, in the medical unit of the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women in York. She was 40.

The Nebraska Legislature will be holding hearings to address healthcare issues in the state's vast prison system. The Department of Corrections, after the Inspector General's report, stated that it will have an electronic monitoring system running by the end of the year. 

The Inspector General's report claimed that the type of cervical cancer Wetherell was suffering from is "highly survivable if detected early." The forensic pathologist assigned to the inmate's case stated that "more frequent surveillance" very well may have saved her life. 

Since the death of Wetherell, the nurse practitioner at the facility has begun using an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of patient check-ups, but this is far from what's required by Nebraska law. 

In October 2018, the Department of Corrections held a bid to elicit information about health tracking systems, but abandoned that approach and instead turned its focus to an in-house system. 

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NEBRASKA TO GET $64 MILLION FROM FEDS FOR SMALL BUSINESS

LINCOLN- The U.S. Treasury Department announced that Nebraska is one of eleven states that will be getting a share of $1 billion in funding for the State Small Business Credit Initiative. 

The state's cut is $64 million, to be split equally between a loan participation program and a venture capital program.

The loan program will provide companion loans for up to 50% of the principal loan amount through the Nebraska Growth Loan Fund. The venture capital program will provide direct investments through seed and Series A investment rounds distributed by the Nebraska Seed and Development Fund.

“This is an historic investment in entrepreneurship, small business growth and innovation through the American Rescue Plan that will help reduce barriers to capital access for traditionally underserved communities,” Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen said in a news release. 

The latest grants to Nebraska and the other states bring the total to $4.8 billion in funding to 31 states. 

With the $64 million, Nebraska has now gotten $177 million in federal grants in just the past two months. $88 million was awarded to expand rural broadband, and $25 million was awarded to establish a robotics cluster.

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PROTESTORS DISRUPTED SENATOR SASSE'S PUBLIC APPEARANCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

GAINESVILLE- Hundreds of student protesters disrupted campus forums Monday with the U.S. senator from Nebraska who is the sole presidential finalist at the University of Florida.

His question-and-answer session with students was cut short by 15 minutes, and a session with staff ended 30 minutes early, both due to rooms being flooded with protestors.

Sasse finished the staff meeting via videoconference from a remote location.

Some of about 300 protesters told the Tampa Bay Times they were upset about his opposition to same-sex marriage and concerned about his willingness to protect LGBTQ student rights. 

Florida professors peppered Sasse with questions about his push as president of Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska, to remove tenure from Midland professors.

Sasse told faculty he would defend tenure in Florida because he sees the need to retain it as a recruitment tool. He also said he supported and affirmed people in the LGBTQ community. His next interview on campus is Nov. 1, with the Board of Trustees.

Sasse, a Republican, has told people in his orbit that he plans to resign his seat in late November or early December if he is chosen by the Florida Board of Trustees as the university’s next president. 

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FRAKES SAYS HE'S LEAVING THE NEBRASKA PRISON SYSTEM IN A BETTER PLACE

LINCOLN- Later this month, Director of Corrections Scott Frakes is leaving his $255,000-a-year position to retire after 40 years in corrections.

During his tenure, the Nebraska prison system was rocked by two deadly riots at Tecumseh, and prisoner overcrowding in the state has risen to the highest in the nation.

However, Nebraska's prison system has also seen a few positives. Wages for security staff have increased since Frakes joined on, easing fears of "staffing emergencies." Around 808 new beds have also been added in Nebraska, and upgraded sentence calculations have been put in place to ensure that every inmate serves the correct amount of time.

As Frakes prepares to leave, the state is preparing to approve a new 1,500-bed prison in eastern Nebraska to replace the derelict State Penitentiary. 

Gov. Ricketts, who hired Frakes in 2015, called the director a "highly effective leader," and applauded the work Frakes has done since joining the Nebraska prison system.

Despite this, some in Nebraska have argued that Frakes did not work fast enough to solve some of the most pressing issues in the Nebraska prison system. The prison overcrowding problem is still haunting Nebraska, and sentencing reforms recommended by experts went unheeded by Frakes. These same experts argued that the building of the 1,500-bed prison will do nothing to allay the overcrowding problem. 

Frakes, in response to these critiques, still believes he's leaving the prison system in better shape than when he arrived, especially in regard to staffing and morale. However, Frakes pointed out that the Nebraska prison system still has a long way to go, pointing out that mental-health experts must still be hired to treat the state's 5,500 inmates. 

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GOV. RICKETTS ANNOUNCES KEY CABINET MEMBER'S TRANSITION TO ROLE OUTSIDE STATE GOVERNMENT

LINCOLN- Today, Gov. Ricketts announced in a press release that Lauren Hill Kintner, a key member of his cabinet, will be transitioning to a role outside state government. Kintner has served in the Governor's cabinet as Director of the Governor's Policy and Research Office for 24 years.

Throughout her time in the position, Kintner has served three Governors: Gov. Ricketts and former Governors Dave Heineman and Mike Johanns. Before serving as a cabinet member, Kintner held the position of Assistant Attorney in former Attorney General Don Stenberg's Office, where she served for 5 years.

Gov. Ricketts, in the press release, praised Kintner's work and commitment to Nebraska. "Thank you to Lauren for her extensive service to the state of Nebraska," stated the Governor, "She has helped the Executive Branch advocate for sound policy through three administrations, and her contributions have left a positive impact in Nebraska that will be felt for generations to come."

During Kintner's tenure as Director of the Policy Research Office, Kintner advanced several key policy initiatives, including one that allowed for billions of dollars in tax relief, one that curbed Nebraska government expenditures, and another that expanded services for Nebraska veterans and law enforcement. 

Kintner worked tirelessly with the Governor to help him communicate with the Legislative Branch and members of the public. She garnered a reputation as a strong coalition builder and tactical strategist. 

"It has been an immense honor and privilege to hold this position of public trust and responsibility," stated Kintner, "I will always value the many special people with whom I've had the opportunity to work in the Nebraska State Capitol."

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