NEBRASKA STRUGGLING TO OK BAN DESPITE ANTI-ABORTION HISTORY

LINCOLN- Nebraska Republicans are expected to dominate the polls in November and retain control of the officially nonpartisan Legislature. However, they may have trouble flipping enough seats to push for a statewide abortion ban.

Abortion opponents are hoping to avoid a repeat of what happened in Kansas this summer, where voters overwhelmingly rejected a ballot measure that would have banned abortion. However, the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe V. Wade has injected a lot of uncertainty into this year's election, so it could go either way.

David Zebolsky, chairman of Nebraskans Embracing Life, wants to see change in Nebraska. "Whether we like it or not, Nebraska is now a destination state for abortion," said Zebolsky, "We're supporting strong pro-life legislative candidates om the November election to change that."

Republicans need to gain at least two seats to even have the chance to end Nebraska's status as the nation's most unlikely harborage for abortion services, especially since the minority party can block a measure if it doesn't receive 33 votes. 

The proposed ban in Nebraska only received 31 votes, and Republicans' hopes were thwarted once again when Gov. Ricketts decided not to call for a special session to enact an abortion ban. 

These setbacks are odd considering Nebraska's history. The state was the first in the nation to enact an abortion ban after 20 weeks. 

For the full article click HERE

OVERTIME AT THREE NEBRASKA AGENCIES COSTS STATE $28 MILLION

LINCOLN- A total of $28 million worth of overtime was paid out during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2020.

That number does not include the $28 million and $23 million of overtime that the Department of Correctional Services and Health and Human Services, and Transportation racked up in the the two years prior.

The Nebraska Legislature’s Performance Audit Committee issued a report this week looking at overtime trends in the three agencies with the largest amount of overtime spending.

Overtime spending accounted for up to 10% of the agencies’ personnel budgets.

The Corrections Department, which operates nine prisons in five communities across Nebraska, relied the most heavily on overtime by a majority of the measures studied in the report. 

HHS, the largest state agency, operates seven 24-hour facilities, including psychiatric hospitals, facilities for juvenile offenders and a center for people with developmental disabilities. Those facilities accounted for the bulk of the agency’s overtime spending. 

Transportation employees, who plan, build and maintain state roads and bridges, accumulated overtime largely because of seasonal work demands, such as construction projects, snow removal and responding to weather-related damage to the state’s highway system. 

For the full article click HERE

NATIONAL GUARD BREAKS GROUND ON NEW $36 MILLION FACILITY NEAR OFFUTT

BELLEVUE- The Nebraska National Guard’s newest and biggest armory is under construction.

Senior Guard and political leaders turned ceremonial shovels of dirt the afternoon of Oct. 25 for the Bellevue Readiness Center, the future home of five Guard units and about 380 soldiers and airmen.

U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, who worked with U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer to secure federal funds for the project, called the groundbreaking an “important milestone.” It is expected to open in 2024.

“Once it’s built, it’ll make a difference in the lives of thousands and thousands of National Guard members, for decades and decades to come,” he said.

The new center is west of Offutt Air Force Base, on South 25th Street, adjacent to the Willow Lakes Golf Course. The 40-acre site is owned by the Air Force, with a sweeping view across the Papillion Creek watershed.

With their slots on the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, Fischer and Bacon got $29 million for the project in fiscal year 2020. 

The plant was supposed to be built in Mead in 2008, before being switched to Bellevue in 2013, which has been stalled ever since.

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FRIESEN ADDRESSES QUANDT'S LICENSE PLATES CONCERNS

GRAND ISLAND- A statewide aluminum shortage may mean specific residents may not be able to retain their same license plate numbers come January.

Hall County Commissioner Gary Quandt invited State Senator Curt Friesen to the Hall County Commissioner Meeting to address the problem which will affect a total of 13 counties. Senator Friesen is the chair of the Transportation and Telecommunication Committee. 

Quandt voiced concerns from constituents who prefer to keep their current license plate numbers upon the switch. Senator Friesen called the issue "unforeseen."

“It’s unfortunate that these counties have this problem. I recognize that. But there’s really nothing legislatively that can be done, even if they wanted to,” he said. “I just don’t see a path unless we really want to pony up a lot of dollars to try to fix this, but I don’t see it happening.” 

Quandt made a motion to send a letter describing the situation and the concerns to Governor Ricketts, but was not backed by any other commissioners and died.

Friesen refuted the idea that people could get a personalized license plate, costing $40, with their current license plate number on it.

“You can order personalized license plates but you cannot choose the same number you would have gotten otherwise,” he said. “Because if you could do that, I could suddenly choose to have a personalized plate with your number on it and that’s not possible.”

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BRAD STEWART, AIDE TO SENATOR ROBERT HILKEMANN, DIES

LINCOLN- Brad Stewart, Senator Robert Hilkemann's Administrative Aide and local comedy legend, has passed away at the age of 48 after losing his battle to cancer. 

He was the former opening act for the late Joan Rivers and organized countless comedy shows at the Zoo Bar in Lincoln. 

Stewart produced and promoted Zoolariuous, a Lincoln comedy show that picked up national attention and brought in acts such as Derek Sheen, Eddie Pepitone, and Alonzo Bodden. 

“Brad Stewart created Nebraska's hippest comedy show to date,” said Pepitone, the New Yorker also known as "The Bitter Buddha" who headlined a Zoolarious showcase in July. 

In February he began working at the Capitol under Senator Hilkemann for a change of pace. 

"I've always been interested in local politics," Stewart said at the time. “… And it’s a nice change from the other industries.”

Stewart will be remembered all around Lincoln as someone who cared for and developed his community in a plethora of ways. It is uncertain as to how his comedy show and culture will carry on, but it certainly will. 

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA DHHS ANNOUNCES STATE-WIDE "LET'S TALK" LISENTING TOUR LED BY TONY GREEN

LINCOLN- Tony Green, Director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities with the Department of Health and Human Services has announced his annual statewide “Let’s Talk” Town Hall Listening Tour starting in November. He plans to visit seven locations throughout the state of Nebraska. This tour is designed to gain stakeholder input on services provided by the Division and provide updates on future initiatives. 

“Nearly 12,000 Nebraskans who are aging and/or experiencing a disability are receiving long-term support through one of our Waiver programs”, Director Green said, “This is an opportunity to hear what’s working well, and where there are opportunities for enhancements to our services and supports.”

Any individual who would like to learn more about the Home and Community-Based Service Waivers for the developmentally disabled, aged and disabled, traumatic brain injury, or pending family support waiver, is encouraged to attend.

The in-person town halls include:

• Monday, November 7, 2022, Scottsbluff: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. MT. John Harms Center, Room A108C/D, 2620 College Park, Scottsbluff, NE 69361

• Tuesday, November 8, 2022, North Platte: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Mid Plains Community College – North Campus, Room 202, 1101 Halligan Dr., North Platte, NE 69101

• Wednesday, November 9, 2022, Kearney: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.Holiday Inn Hotel and Convention Center – Stateroom F, 110 Second Ave, Kearney, NE 68848

• Thursday, November 10, 2022, Norfolk: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. DHHS Building – Norfolk, Conference Room 110, 209 North 5th St, Norfolk, NE 68701

• Tuesday, November 15, 2022, Papillion: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Sump Memorial Library, South Meeting Room, 222 N. Jefferson St., Papillion, NE 68406

• Thursday, November 17, 2022, Lincoln: 6:00 – 7:45 p.m. Eiseley Branch Library, 1530 Superior St, Lincoln, NE 68521

• Tuesday, November 29, 2022, Omaha: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Omaha State Office Building, Douglas Conference Center, 1313 Farnam St., Omaha, NE 68102

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA STUDENTS LOST GROUND IN MATH, READING DURING PANDEMIC, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS PEERS

LINCOLN- According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress that was released this week, Nebraska and the rest of the nation declined in math and reading proficiency over the pandemic.

Nebraska’s eighth-grade math score was the lowest since 2000. Its fourth-grade math score was the lowest since 2011.

And in reading, fourth and eighth-grade scores were the lowest since 2002.

These disappointing results can be remedied by looking at the rest of the nation. 

Nebraska's fourth-grade math score was seven points higher than the rest of the nation. For eighth graders, the math score came in six points above the national average. 

In reading, Nebraska’s average score for fourth grade was 3 points higher than the national average. In eighth grade, both Nebraska and the nation had an average score of 259.

When comparing it to pre-pandemic levels, Nebraska slid backward in progress, but still less than the majority of the nation. Nationally, the declines in math scores were the largest since NAEP assessments began in 1990.

Nebraska Commissioner of Education Matt Blomstedt said it’s reasonable to think that getting Nebraska kids back into classrooms during the pandemic kept scores from falling further.

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$3 MILLION UNMC GRANT INTENDS TO STRENGTHEN LINKAGE BETWEEN COMMUNITY AND HEALTH CARE

OMAHA- A new, nearly $3 million federal grant opens the door for the University of Nebraska Medical Center to recruit and train 240 “community health workers” as frontline soldiers seeking to eradicate health disparities across the state.

The funding, over a three-year period, comes from the Health Resources and Services Administration to the UNMC College of Public Health.

The grant will significantly expands the states community health worker program, which has seen an increasing need.

Dejun Su, Associate professor at UNMC aside, “Community health workers are uniquely positioned to help us address social determinants of health and bridge the gap between the health care system and underserved communities."

He said participants of the program will work with health care providers and community organizations to improve patient access to care. They’ll help families and individuals with translation, enrollment in medical services and connections to community-based agencies.

Enrolled trainees at first will undergo 10 weeks of learning core competencies, followed by individualized, on-the-job training for eight weeks to earn a certification.

A team of faculty, training site managers and community health workers are to create the curriculum for the program.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA UNEMPLOYMENT RATE UP SLIGHTLY

LINCOLN- Nebraska has dropped in a national ranking of states for low unemployment, dipping to a three-way tie for fourth place with a 2.2% unemployment rate.

At times around the start of the year and more recently, Nebraska’s unemployment rate was the lowest or tied for the lowest on record for any state. 

Nebraska is only beaten by Minnesota, Utah, and Vermont. Nebraska shares the tie for fourth with New Hampshire and North Dakota.

Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 3.5%. Nebraska's 2.2% compares with 2.1% a month ago and 2.5% a year ago. Six months ago, it was 1.9%. 

Nebraska Labor Director John Albin said Friday that workforce participation is up over last year and that over 1 million Nebraskans have been employed consistently since August 2020.

“The number of unemployed workers is down 2,000 compared to a year ago, and we continue to see an uptick in people re-entering the labor force,” said Albin.

Local labor officials report that nonfarm employment, a count of filled jobs, was 1,034,979 in September, up 6,803 compared to August and up 26,650 compared to last September.

Private industries with the most growth since last September were education and health services (up 5,229); professional and business services (up 5,150); and trade, transportation and utilities (up 5,137). 

For the full article click HERE

SMALL NEBRASKA TOWNS GET SPIFFED UP WITH FEDERAL FUNDING BOOST

LINCOLN- Five Nebraska towns, including two with only 100 or so residents apiece, have been awarded a total of about $2 million to develop projects ranging from sprucing up Main Street to building a center for seniors.

The funds announced by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development come from the federal U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program. 

Leaders in Wood River, Nebraska — population about 1,300 — plan to use their $433,000 award to further redevelop an old nursing home facility. 

In the city of Ainsworth, population about 1,600, a $433,000 award aims to improve Main Street from where it intersects with Nebraska Highway 20 north to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. 

In Bartlett, which has just over 100 residents, $420,479 will go to improve Randolph Street from Fourth to Fifth Streets.

In Filley, which has 120 or so residents, a $315,000 is to improve infrastructure on Livingston, Gage, Lancaster and Johnson Streets.

Wayne, population of about 6,000, is to receive $433,000 to expand its trail system from residential areas to a major retail corridor. 

The projects aim to enhance public health and economic vitality of the communities.

For the full article click HERE

NEARLY 5 MILLION DOMESTIC BIRDS AFFECTED BY DEADLY AVIAN FLU IN NEBRASKA THIS YEAR

OMAHA- Twelve cases of a highly contagious and deadly avian flu have now been confirmed in Nebraska this year.

The disease has affected nearly 5 million chickens, gamebirds and other poultry in the state, in both commercial and backyard flocks.

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture, working with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, announced the most recent case Oct. 21, affecting a commercial flock of 33,500 gamebirds in York County. 

HPAI, or highly pathogenic avian influenza, is a virus that spreads easily among birds through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure. It can spread in different ways from flock to flock, including by wild birds, through contact with infected poultry, equipment or the clothing and shoes of caretakers. 

The infections have occurred in two waves this year. The first began in mid-March and lasted until late April. 

The second began in mid-September and has affected two commercial flocks and two backyard flocks since then, as recently as last week.

Before this year, Nebraska hadn’t seen a confirmed HPAI case since 2015. 

For the full article click HERE

DEPARTING CLERK SAYS LEGISLATURE HAS CHANGED, AND NOT ALL FOR THE BETTER

LINCOLN- Departing Clerk of the Legislature Patrick O'Donnell, who has acted in that position for 45 years, says the Capitol has changed a lot since he joined almost 5 decades ago. "It's a different environment," said O'Donnell.

O'Donnell believes that immense polarization has changed the Legislature substantially. "The nature of the members has changed. Some of that may be due to term limits, some because of money and politics. There are people who are more engaged in political theater now than the hard work of being a good senator," stated the retiring clerk. 

However, O'Donnell made clear that it isn't all bad. "We still have dedicated people," he said, "just fewer of those people. That's what made it fun."

It's speculated that O'Donnell's departure decision may have been exacerbated in 2017 when the nonpartisan Legislature's choice of committee leadership took on a very partisan tone, with Republicans ousting Democrat committee chairs and taking leadership of all but one committee. "The first place some of them want to go is partisanship now, and that started in 2017," stated O'Donnell.

And now, unfortunately, these partisan attitudes are back according to O'Donnell. The retiring clerk believes that the effort to eliminate secret ballot selections for legislative leaders would "destroy the culture and nature of this place."

With a large influx of new senators joining the Legislature in 2023, O'Donnell stated that although he'll be gone, "I'm going to pay attention."

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO ALLOWING SPORTS BETTING AT RACETRACK CASINOS

LINCOLN- Last Friday, the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission voted unanimously to approve rules for wagering on sporting events, but it's still unclear when Nebraska citizens will be able to do so.

Before being implemented, the rules must be vetted by the Nebraska Attorney General's Office, then finally approved by the Governor. The whole process is expected to take several months.

Commission Chairman Dennis Lee is setting expectations early on. "If any of you think...you're going to be able to do some sports wagering in the relatively near future," said Lee, "that's not really accurate--nothing further could be from the truth."

The rules approved on Friday mirror almost entirely those adopted by the Nebraska Legislature earlier this year. Most importantly, they require that all sports betting take place in person and at casinos or horse racing tracks housed within the state. They also explicitly prohibit wagering on games involving teams when they are competing within the state.

By the time the rules are approved by the Governor, some predict that the state will see one to three new casinos built in Nebraska. The state's one and only casino, WarHorse Casino, plans to offer sports betting as soon as the rules are finalized. 

Lynne McNally, CEO of the Nebraska Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, believes the rules are "a solid start," but sees them becoming "a living document" that will be amended over time.

The Racing and Gaming Commission also approved horse racing dates for 2023, including eight which will be held at the Lincoln Race Course. 

For the full article click HERE

SPENDING ON NEBRASKA ELECTIONS IS SURGING, WITH NO END IN SIGHT

OMAHA- Every election cycle, Nebraskans are met with a deluge of political ads, mailers, and texts from candidates. However, this year it's changed. Now, Nebraskans are being reached out to for races up and down almost the entire ballot, including schools boards.

By the mid-June filing deadline, Nebraska candidates had raised a record $51 million for state and local races. Two years ago, that number was $23 million. 

The Republican gubernatorial race in Lincoln saw record highs as well. Among the three top candidates, $28 million was raised, with Herbseter garnering $13 million, Pillen raising $10 million, and Sen. Lindstrom getting $3 million.

The Ricketts family gave nearly $2 million to Conservative Nebraska, an outside group that pushed heavily against Pillen's two GOP opponents. The Governor also funded groups like the Nebraska Future Action Fund, which is aimed primarily at the University of Nebraska regent's race. 

Fundraising is reportedly up quite a bit compared to past years, with the Nebraska Federation for Children garnering around $735,000. The State Board of Education races are also seeing record fundraising numbers after the Board proposed, and later withdrew, new health standards. 

Almost 20 candidates for the Nebraska Legislature have raised over $100,000 this cycle, and other important Douglas and Lancaster County races have been seeing similar numbers.

Nebraska Public Service Commissioner Crystal Rhoades said she's seen expensive races before, but nothing on this level. "There are many groups participating and forming, and the existing groups are spending much more money," said Rhoades, "Some of these legislative races are going to get to $400,000 or $500,000 when you include independent expenditures."

Gavin Geis, of Common Cause Nebraska, a political action committee that seeks to limit campaign contributions, said the rising cost of running is discouraging candidates without connections to wealth. "We've seen this nationally," said Geis, "There is more of a focus on local races. There is way more giving at the local level. It's not surprising, but it's still shocking."

For the full article click HERE

THE NEBRASKA ECONMIC FORECASTING BOARD UPDATES NEBRASKA'S REVENUE FORECAST

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Economic Forecasting Board (NEFAB) met at 1:00 PM on October 28th in Lincoln to update the predicted economic forecast for the state over the current and coming fiscal years.

The board was presented with impressive figures by the Legislative Fiscal Analyst of the Legislature, which include major increases over previous forecasts. The board voted to raise revenue projections as follows:

• For FY2022-23, the forecast is +$621m above the previous NEFAB forecast.

• For FY2023-24, the forecast is +$809.5m above the previous NEFAB forecast.

• For FY2024-25, the forecast is +$1.05B above the previous NEFAB forecast.

The Department of Revenue representative says high corporate tax receipts are a key reason state tax receipts have come in above projections in recent months. The department, which presents its own projections, closely mirrored the numbers given by the Fiscal Analyst. 

The board’s projections for fiscal year 2022-23 were raised based on anticipated increases in revenue receipts across all categories, including projected increases of $405 million in individual income tax and $113 million in corporate income tax.

The Legislative Fiscal Analyst recognized that the state is in an unusual time where revenues have not just exceeded projections, but significantly exceeded projections. The forecasting board discussed the uptake of the LB1107 income tax credit for property taxes paid. One member raised concerns about the difficulty of claiming the credit for average taxpayers. A significant portion of the credit has gone unclaimed.

For the full article click HERE

LARGE NUMBERS OF CONTESTED RACES SPICE 2022 ELECTIONS FOR NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- This election season, Nebraska has seen a higher-than-usual number of highly contested races, and contribution and donation amounts not often seen.

Because of large, prevalent issues like abortion and concealed carry, Nebraska Republicans are pursuing a 33-plus member 'supermajority,' which would allow the party to overcome Democrat filibusters. "For far too long, conservative bills haven't been passed in the Legislature because we haven't been able to overcome the 33-vote threshold," read a post on the Douglas County GOP's Facebook.

Jane Kleeb, Democratic Party state chair, doesn't believe Republicans will reach their goal of 33 members in the Legislature, but understands just how contentious these races will be. "More and more voters, particularly in the Douglas, Lancaster and Sarpy County area, aren't buying into their extremist agenda," stated Kleeb.

Pere Neilan, a political consultant, stated that chances for a Republican supermajority are "possible but difficult." Currently, the Nebraska Legislature is split 32-17, so only one previously Democratic or Independent seat would need to flip.

Neilan believes that abortion will not be the issue that determines the election, but rather inflation and taxes. However, Kleeb stated that she sees abortion as one of the most pressing issues in the state.

The races for Omaha-area seats are expected to remain firmly in control of the incumbents--Sens. Hunt, Cavanaugh, and DeBoer--but Lincoln is a different story. Early polling shows Republican attorney Russ Barger narrowly passing Democrat George Dungan III by around 300 votes.

Other races all over the state are as contentious, if not more, than those in the metropolitan areas.

For the full article click HERE

LAWMAKERS' ROAD TRIP PUSHES AIRPORT-RELATED CHANGE TO NEBRASKA CONSTITUTION

LINCOLN- A bipartisan trio of Nebraska lawmakers, including state Sens. Eliot Bostar and Lou Ann Linehan and U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, traveled around the state today in an attempt to find support for an amendment to the Nebraska constitution.

Amendment 1, which seeks to allow cities and counties to spend public funds to expand commercial flights, will be voted upon this November. Sen. Bostar stated that the change would initially affect nine airports in the state, allowing governing boards to guarantee a minimum amount of revenue to incent airlines to bring in new commercial services.

Sen. Bostar believes Nebraska has been falling behind other states when it comes to commercial flights, and that it's in the state's interest to 'level the playing field.' "This is a common-sense solution," said the Senator, "It affects the quality of life in a region."

The proposed amendment drew almost no criticism earlier this year when it was proposed during a public hearing held by the Legislature's Revenue Committee. It advanced very swiftly, passing unanimously before landing a spot on November's ballot.

Last week, the trio stopped in Scottsbluff, North Platte, Grand Island, Kearney, Norfolk, and Omaha for media appearances. At each of these locations, the lawmakers drew in several local supporters.

Bryan Slone, president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, believes the amendment will increase opportunity for Nebraska communities. "The potential impact is monumental," said Slone, "It's hard to know how we will continue to attract and retain exactly those people who drive our economy, those jobs and those companies, without having competitive commercial air service."

Sen. Linehan compared air travel today to what roads were to communities in the early to mid-1900s. "This is infrastructure," said the Senator, "We take care of roads, we take care of bridges...If you don't have airports, if you don't have air travel, you are not going to be able to grow."

For the full article click HERE

SUPPORTERS SAY NEBRASKA MINIMUM WAGE HIKE WOULD LIFT THOUSANDS OUT OF POVERTY

LINCOLN- Last week, Karen Anthony, who has worked as a home health care provider for 40 years, testified at the Nebraska State Capitol during a hearing for a ballot initiative to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour.

At the hearing, Anthony said that her current wage doesn't allow her to afford everyday essentials like gas or groceries. Anthony, who supports the amendment, believes the change will help Nebraskans, but also said that it only "scratches the surface." "I don't want a raise just for me, even though I definitely deserve it," said Anthony, "I want a raise for everyone like me."

The ballot initiative, if passed, would raise the state's minimum wage incrementally over the next five years, until it eventually caps at $15 an hour.

Since 2014, 30 states have increased their minimum wages. If the new initiative passes, and no other states raise their wages by 2026, Nebraska will have one of the highest minimum wages in the country, tied with California and just below Washington, D.C.

Proponents and opponents of the wage hike disagree on the expected economic impact, with supporters saying it will be a boon while critics say the opposite.

Gov. Pete Ricketts opposes the initiative, stating that wages should be dictated by the market and not by the government. Laura Ebke, a former state lawmaker, agreed with Rickett's sentiment, arguing that a wage hike would negatively impact rural Nebraskans. "That's the demographic in Nebraska that gets hurt the most," said Ebke.

On the contrary, supporters of the initiative, including Open Sky Insitute policy director Joey Adler Ruane, believe that the wage increase will lift over 10,000 Nebraskans out of poverty. During the hearing, Ruane stated that "arguing that the minimum wage should only be raised after the current inflationary outbreak is far in the past is arguing that low-wage workers should have no serious protection against the damage to living standards being done."

Supporters also argue that raising the wage would encourage workers to put more money into the economy, and believe that Nebraskans will be more likely to spend money at their place of employment and surrounding businesses.

For the full article click HERE

CONRAD, BOWERS SAY PRIOR EXPERIENCES PREPARING THEM FOR DISTRICT 46 SEAT

LINCOLN- The candidates for Sen. Morfeld's almost-vacant seat, Danielle Conrad and James Michael Bowers, have a lot in common on paper, but have been attempting to distinguish themselves since May's primary, where Conrad beat Bowers by a narrow hundred or so votes.

Conrad previously held the District 46 seat in 2006 and 2010, and is running on the idea that she will be one of the most experienced state senators if she wins a third term. If she does, Conrad's experience will be matched only by sitting Senator Ray Aguilar.

When in the Legislature, Conrad was a member of the budget-setting Appropriations Committee, and also served on the Redistricting Committee in 2010--two experiences that forced Conrad to find common ground with Senators of different views.

"It takes at least a full term to really get up to speed on the issues and process, the rules, and building rich relationships across the state and political spectrum," said Conrad, "I not only have the experience and knowledge, I have those relationships with existing state senators."

Bowers, who works as a therapist, school social worker, and business owner, says his experience in schools during the pandemic has put him "on the front lines" of understanding how policies created at the state level can impact Nebraska families.

If elected, Bowers said he would bring the experiences of his clients to the committee hearing rooms. "I understand the reality and practicality of many of these policies," stated Bowers, "of how a good policy can lift people out of poverty and strengthen families, and how bad lawmaking can hurt children and tear families apart..."

Bowers has also served on the Lincoln City Council since 2019, and he says the experience of leading the city through the pandemic and the aftermath of George Floyd's killing has prepared him for the Capitol.

For the full article click HERE

FLOOD ATTACKS PANSING BROOKS RECORD AS 'SOFT ON CRIME'

LINCOLN- U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, at a time when crime rates are rising in Lincoln, says that his opponent Sen. Pansing Brooks is too 'soft on crime.'

Flood described Pansing Brooks' past policies as "good for criminals, bad for police, and bad for public safety" during a news media event outside a Lincoln police station.

More specifically, Flood pointed out several bills that Pansing Brooks supported in the Legislature, including one that Flood said would provide an early release for criminals, and another that would eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for drug dealers.

During the event, Flood also stated that murders in Lincoln have increased by 100%, auto thefts by 40%, and arson by 37% over the last year.

However, the information cited by the Congressman, which was provided to him by the Lincoln Police Department, does not match reporting of city homicides.

Flood stated that lighter sentences and early releases for inmates "send a loud message to criminals and police officers." He went on to say also that "[he] back[s] the blue," and that "they need to know it.

Responding to Flood's criticism, Pansing Brooks claimed that Flood had "voted against law enforcement multiple times" while serving in the House of Representatives.

"In the Legislature earlier this year," said Pansing Brooks, "Flood voted against police, to create permit-less carry for handguns and to remove training requirements."

For the full article click HERE