HERBSTER, THEOBALD MULL U.S. SENATE BIDS AGAINST PETE RICKETTS

LINCOLN- Nebraska’s rare double-feature of U.S. Senate races in 2024 already stars two Republican incumbents, with U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts having said they plan to run. Two potential challengers confirmed they are considering Senate bids after being asked about new filings this month with the Federal Election Commission and the international registry for website domain names. Leader of the Nebraska Democratic Party, Jane Kleeb, has also said the party will have candidates.

Former gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster, a multi-state agribusinessman who lost the 2022 GOP primary race to Gov. Jim Pillen, had already acknowledged interest in a 2024 bid. Now a Democrat has filed paperwork to raise money for a Senate run. He is Paul Theobald, a former Wayne State College dean of Education and Counseling and high school teacher. “I am considering a run,” said Theobald, who lost a 2018 race to U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith in Nebraska’s sprawling, largely rural 3rd Congressional District.

In early June, someone paid to reserve four potential website domain names, www.herbster4senate.com, www.herbsterforsenate.com, www.herbster4senator.com, and www.herbsterforsenator.com. Theobald declined to discuss the potential bid but said he would announce a decision in July. His family had run a hog farm in Pierce County and he still teaches college classes.

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NEBRASKA DMV NOW ALLOWING UKRAINIANS TO APPLY FOR DRIVER'S LICENSES, ID CARDS

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles officially announced that Ukrainian nationals can now apply for driver's licenses and state identification cards. Thanks to LB138, a bill passed in this previous spring's Nebraska Legislature. The bill directed the DMV to issue credentials to people with parolee immigration status by November 1st at the latest.

“The DMV recognizes the importance of moving quickly to make driver licenses available to those Ukrainians who have been displaced from their home country,” Director Rhonda Lahm said in a news release. “I am pleased we are able to issue these documents less than a month after the legislation was signed into law, and well ahead of the statutory mandate.”

The bill allows all immigrants with a parolee immigration status, not just Ukrainians, to apply for licenses and ID cards. Applicants will need to meet the same identification, verification and testing requirements as all others who apply for either licenses or state ID cards, and they are subject to all laws regarding issuance of those documents. The cards will carry a distinguishing mark that indicates they are “not for federal identification."

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MATT RAY TO BEGIN OPS INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT ROLE JULY 1: 'WE'RE PREPARED FOR NEXT YEAR'

OMAHA- An Omaha Public Schools veteran, Matt Ray, has spent the past 27 years exploring each level of the district. From student teaching and then subbing throughout the district, to managing the school board and eventually becoming second in command, Ray has seen what it takes to run a school district. Ray will now enter a new stage of his career as interim superintendent of Omaha Public Schools.

Ray has been working on the transition process with the current superintendent Dr. Cheryl Logan. “I don’t anticipate any hiccups or anything with our transition. I’ve been in the role as deputy superintendent. I’ve been in the role as the board secretary for 10 years. This is my 27th year in the district. I have a pretty good feeling about what happens big picture in the district — we’re prepared for next year," said Ray. He was appointed by the board on February 22nd, citing his experience and various roles within the district.

“We see Mr. Ray’s leadership, experience, expertise and care for the Omaha Public Schools every day,” said Spencer Head, board president. “Mr. Ray was key to the team that developed the strategic plan of action with input from students, staff and families. We’re excited to work with Mr. Ray in this new role.”

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MORE ALLOCATED WATER USAGE DURING DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA

NORFOLK- Farmers in northeast Nebraska will have more allocated water usage amid extreme drought conditions. During a recent Lower Elkhorn Natural Resource District meeting, the body considered a change to its water allocations set upon the district. Back in the fall of 2022, the board of directors set up a 15-acre-inch allocation. Many farmers have been calling for an increase to the allocation citing that it has been devastating to their yields.

“I think we need to be very thoughtful here...what kind of message we're sending here to the public,” said Brian Bruckner, interim general manager. “We’re starting to get calls from folks who are very concerned about water supplies in their areas.” In recent months, the LENRD and a majority of eastern Nebraska has been plagued with extreme and exceptional levels of drought.

A packed audience of farmers spoke out in favor of changing the allocation. Director Jerry Allemann made a proposal to increase the allocation from 15-acre inches to 20-acre inches. Two directors attempted to table the vote to gather additional information but largely failed. The proposal to increase the allocation to 20-acre inches did pass on a 9-3 vote.

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NEBRASKA GOV. JIM PILLEN SAYS HE WON'T STOP ON ABORTION, SEEKS TOTAL BAN

HOLDREGE- During a recent barnstorming stop in Holdrege, Gov. Jim Pillen told a sizeable crowd that he and his fellow state lawmakers will not stop with the recently-passed 12-week abortion ban, and will instead push to outlaw the procedure statewide in the coming years. Pillen, without naming him, criticized Sen. Merv Riepe for withholding the pivotal 33rd vote for cloture on LB626, which would have prohibited abortions in the state after 6 weeks.

Pillen said that he "thought we had the heartbeat bill (LB626)," but "got nicked by one person caving in to pressure." Following the failed vote on LB626, a 12-week abortion ban was amended into LB574, which passed within the final days of the most recent legislative session. "We didn't give up," Pillen told the crowd, "We were able to combine them and get it at the last hour to get it down to 12 weeks. I can assure you as long as I'm the governor, that's unacceptable. I pushed hard to get us to 12, but we're going to end abortion."

When asked about the governor's comments, Andi Curry Grubb, of Planned Parenthood of Nebraska, said she was "not surprised" to hear him say he wanted a total ban. During the event, Pillen touched on several other subjects as well, including opportunity scholarships, gender-affirming care, and gun control. One attendee asked Pillen how he squared his Christian faith with signing into law LB77, which allowed for the permitless concealed carry of handguns, and whether or not this will lead to more gun-related deaths. "I'm a believer that where there's guns there's not violence," responded the governor, "so that's why I signed it...we need the constitutional freedom to protect ourselves."

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KLEEB ON 2024 SENATE RACES: "WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF CANDIDATES"

LINCOLN- In previous years, the Nebraska Democratic Party has faced criticism for their lack of solid candidates in major statewide races such as the Senate. The head of the states Democratic Party, Jane Kleeb, has now confirmed there will be two candidates in next year's Senate races. Kleeb has not named the candidates and expects the announcements to come in the late fall.

Kleeb said, "We do have a couple of candidates and several others who are talking about it. So, you'll start to see those announcements I think in late fall, but we will absolutely have a Democrat challenging Ricketts who was appointed, and we will have a Democrat challenging Fischer as well.” The upcoming Senate elections mark the first election cycle without former Sen. Ben Sasse since 2015.

Sen. Deb Fischer is now seeking her third term in the seat. She has won her two previous races by double-digit landslides. Senator Pete Ricketts, who was elected as governor twice - both by double digits, is making his first Senate bid. Rickett was appointed by Governor Pillen shortly after leaving office.

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ALMOST $3 MILLION IN ARPA GRANTS NEWLY AWARDED TO BOLSTER NEBRASKA'S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES

OMAHA- On Thursday, it was announced that 27 Nebraska-based behavioral health projects would be receiving disbursements from a second round of ARPA funding, which is expected to help the state expand and train behavioral health services and workers. The funds, which come from the final cycle of American Rescue Plan Act dollars, will be distributed by the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska. Previously, the Center had doled out nearly $20 million in ARPA funds to 83 behavioral health projects.

The Behavioral Health Center received around 150 applications requesting more than $25 million across four different categories, and selected 27 that they saw as the most beneficial to Nebraska. "We are excited to support these amazing projects that will help address our state's critical shortage of behavioral health workers," said Dr. Marley Doyle, director of the BHECN. Around 40% of the selected projects are based in rural parts of the state.

Jessica Buche, the Center's ARPA award director, said that the BHECN will offer training and assistance to awardees that have limited experience in awarding grants. Several of the organizations granted awards include: the Siena Francis House, $72,000; the Health Center Association of Nebraska, $800,000; the University of Nebraska at Omaha, $50,000; and the UNMC Wellness Center, $50,000.

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'VESTIGES OF DYSFUNCTION': HOW PARTISAN DIVISION ADDED TO A RANCOROUS NEBRASKA LEGISLATIVE SESSION

LINCOLN- Less than a year after his departure from Nebraska's Unicameral Legislature, former state Sen. John McCollister said he "couldn't bear to watch" much of this year's divisive and heated legislative session. McCollister cited the extreme levels of partisanship in the officially nonpartisan body as his reason for avoiding live or in-person viewings of proceedings, and even claimed this divisiveness as the reason for the widespread dysfunction seen this year by many Nebraskans.

McCollister, a registered Republican, came into the Legislature in 2015, and described his experience over the years as far more moderate than it is today. Another former Senator, Laura Ebke, who also entered the Legislature in 2015, echoed a similar sentiment. "We kind of charted our own course," she said, claiming that, in recent years, there has been a growing demand for Republican lawmakers to unite and be more disciplined in the Legislature. Ebke, prior to leaving the body, switched her party registration from Republican to Libertarian to avoid these demands.

Sen. Danielle Conrad, who returned to the Legislature last year after being term-limited in 2015, said the body has changed greatly since her last tenure. While Conrad recognizes that the body was almost always "right of center," she claimed her first two terms saw lawmakers acting as "independent contractors" rather than party representatives. Indeed, Sen. McCollister saw these growing "vestiges of dysfunction" over the years as well, and contributes them to overfunded campaigns, gerrymandering, and increased polarization in national politics.

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A GROWING NUMBER OF NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS SEEK TO AVOID ANOTHER FIGHT ON TRANS YOUTH IN 2024

LINCOLN- After passing a bill this year to prohibit certain health care for transgender youth, some Nebraska lawmakers may not have the appetite for a similar fight in 2024 over school bathrooms and sporting teams. State Sens. Merv Riepe, Jana Hughes, Teresa Ibach and Mike Jacobson are among those who voted for the health care restrictions but have said that their support for local control could provide a different avenue next year to address LB575, the Sports and Spaces Act.

LB 575 would define group bathrooms, locker rooms and sporting teams as either male or female, still allowing coed or mixed teams. It would also ditch the Nebraska School Activities Association’s Gender Participation Policy, which currently governs trans student-athletes. State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, a freshman senator, introduced both bills and has argued both are necessary to protect children, women’s sports and safe spaces.

The group of lawmakers has set out to strike a new tone after the rancorous 2023 session largely defined by LB 575’s sister bill, LB 574. In a memo to senators, Riepe wrote “The greatest victory is that which requires no battle,” quoting Sun Tzu, a Chinese general. He followed this by stating, “It is my recommendation that we amend LB 575 to stipulate our expectations to the State Board of Education, and require the State Board of Education to address the issue, not the state Legislature."

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NEBRASKA UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DIPS TO THREE-WAY TIE FOR LOWEST IN NATION

LINCOLN- As announced Friday by Nebraska's Labor Commissioner John Albin, it seems that Nebraska now sits right alongside South Dakota and New Hampshire as one of the states with the lowest unemployment rates, with a recent dip to just 1.9% of the population unemployed. May's preliminary rate, released Friday, sits just a pinch lower than April's 2%, as well as May 2022's 2.1%.

Albin noted just how many nonfarm jobs had been filled so far this year, saying it's "at a historical high at 1,044,702, surpassing the prior high count of filled jobs in November 2022 by 1,009." However, this isn't to say that nonfarm jobs didn't also see a substantial rise. Indeed, nonfarm employment was up by 1,985 jobs over the past month, and up a staggering 18,549 jobs over last year as well.

The data was provided to Nebraska by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which adjusts employment data seasonally and provides occasional, preliminary reports. Albin and his office reported that private industries in the state saw the most growth, which includes the education and healthcare sectors, which were up around 6,400 jobs, as well as leisure and hospitality, up around 5,000 jobs, and mining and construction, up about 4,000 jobs.

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'OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP' SUPPORTERS TO FIGHT PETITION DRIVE OPPOSING THE TAX CREDITS

LINCOLN- On Friday, supporters of Nebraska's new 'School Choice' law, including Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, who introduced the now-signed bill, announced the creation of a campaign that seeks to stifle a petition drive that hopes to place the issue on the state's 2024 general election ballot, allowing voters to decide the fate of the law. The campaign was revealed to be formally titled "Keep Kids First," and encourages registered voters to "decline to sign" the petition to place the issue on the ballot.

Sen. Linehan defended the new law, arguing that it does not, despite oppositional claims, divert public funding away from public schools. Linehan also called out the Nebraska State Education Association, which is leading the charge to place the issue on the ballot, claiming that the organization will "say anything for their own self-interest, but not for Nebraska kids."

Critics of the new law, including Support Our Schools Nebraska and the aforementioned public education union, argue that LB753, the 'School Choice' bill, and the tax credits it provides are a way for lawmakers to get around a state constitutional provision that disallows public funding from going towards private or parochial schools. Linehan finished by stating that it's unfair to single out her bill, which offers tax credits, since many more passed this year do the same.

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STIMULUS MONEY ALLOWING LINCOLN WATER PROJECTS TO PROCEED FASTER

LINCOLN- Nearly $200 million in federal funding appropriated to the City of Lincoln by the Nebraska Legislature this year is already being put to use, including more than $120 million for projects that expand and upgrade the city's current water system. At least five other water-related projects, which had been previously identified by the city's Capital Improvement Program, were bumped to the top of a list of potential improvements following the appropriation of federal dollars to the city.

Last year, the Legislature had appropriated around $20 million of ARPA funding to the city, but upped that number to a substantial $177.5 million this year, allowing Lincoln to begin work on a long-planned project to create a second water source for the city. To do this, Lincoln will build water transmission lines from the city to wells situated close to the Missouri River, which will be used to fill up reservoirs already supplied by rivers from around Ashland.

According to Donna Garden, assistant director of Lincoln Transportation and Utilities, the second water source will give the city a backup plan should the rivers and wells surrounding Ashland dry up. "It connects the large transmission mains from Ashland to the Missouri together so we can move water between the two sources," said Garden, "The point is it gives us the ability to make sure water is available to all of Lincoln all the time once the Missouri is introduced."

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DROUGHT CONDITIONS PERSIST IN EASTERN NEBRASKA, BUT RELIEF MAY BE ON THE WAY

LINCOLN- Nearly half of Nebraska, but especially the eastern side of the state, has been left parched following a Spring season with very little rain. In fact, according to a report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, east-central Nebraska is experiencing a 1 in 50-year drought event, which is classified as an "exceptional drought."

Thankfully, however, help may be on the way. According to Eric Hunt, a climatologist at the Unversity of Nebraska, El Nino, a warm climate pattern that affects the Pacific Ocean, might push more precipitation towards the state later in the Summer and during Fall. On top of that, the National Weather Service predicts that Nebraska will experience above-average rainfall in July, August, and September.

Lincoln saw its eighth driest April and second driest May in over 137 years, according to the Lincoln Department of Transportation and Utilities, and is experiencing water retention issues in its nearby aquifers, prompting the implementation of a city-wide, voluntary Water Management Plan. If conditions deteriorate in the city, the Water Management Plan could become compulsory for Lincoln, and perhaps even surrounding towns.

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HASTINGS RESIDENT LOOKING TO REPLACE SENATOR HALLORAN

HASTINGS- Over the weekend, Hastings resident Michelle Smith announced that she would enter the running to replace Sen. Steve Halloran, who will be term-limited in 2024, for the District 33 legislative seat. Smith is a mental health practitioner and a lifelong Hastings resident. Thus far, she is also the first candidate to announce that they would be running for the seat.

Smith intends to run on the Democratic ticket in 2024, and says she made the decision to run for the Nebraska Legislature after becoming disheartened by the body's recent passage of bills like the "Let Them Grow Act." Being a mental health practitioner, Smith said such bills personally impacted her, since some of her clients were affected.

"I had to sit with clients who feel like Nebraska doesn't want them, that they don't belong here," said Smith, "and that was extremely hard to sit with." Smith also indicated that she was against the abortion ban provision attached to the "Let Them Grow Act," saying that such decisions should be made between doctors and patients. According to Smith, her biggest goal, if elected, would be to expand mental health services across the state.

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OMAHA TRIBE GETS $38 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT TO STRENGTHEN HIGH-SPEED INTERNET

OMAHA- The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska announced Friday that it would be receiving a $38 million boost from the federal government to expand high-speed internet access, a service severely and historically underfunded and under-expanded in the region. The funding will come from the Biden administration's Internet For All initiative, which seeks to bolster internet infrastructure and connect underserved regions to national internet networks.

The Omaha Tribe, through Quick Current LLC, plans to deploy a fiber-based network that will, once finished, establish a network that serves the Omaha and Winnebago Tribes of Nebraska and Iowa. The network is planned to consist of 272 miles of new fiber, as well as 146 miles of IRU dark fiber. The project is one of 35 announced Friday, all of which will receive a chink of the $930 million Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program.

U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts lauded the announcement. "Nebraskans depend on high-speed internet for education, telehealth, entertainment, commerce, and more," he said, "This grant will move us one step closer to achieving our goal of ensuring that every Nebraska community has a chance to thrive." The Middle Mile program is run by the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, from which the funding will be distributed.

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FEDERAL JUDGE STRIKES DOWN ARKANSAS BAN ON GENDER-AFFIRMING HEALTH CARE FOR TRANSGENDER YOUTH

ARKANSAS- A federal judge struck down Arkansas’ ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth, nearly 2 years after the bill's passage. Act 626 of 2021, known as the Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act, prohibited physicians from providing “gender transition” treatments like hormones, puberty blockers and surgeries to those under age 18. The SAFE Act became law in May 2021 when the Arkansas Legislature overrode then-Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s veto.

Four transgender Arkansas minors, their parents and two physicians who have treated those minors filed suit just days later, represented by attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union. A judge had originally granted an injunction stating the argument, “failed to provide sufficient evidence that the banned treatments are ineffective or experimental.”

Holly Dickson, executive director of the ACLU of Arkansas, said in a news release that the organization is “relieved and grateful” that Moody ruled to protect “life-saving care that should be available to all trans youth.” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders expressed support for an appeal via Twitter and called gender-affirming care “a political agenda at the expense of our kids.” The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will have jurisdiction over further legal proceedings.

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LINCOLN CASINO TO OFFER SPORTS BETTING STARTING THIS WEEK

LINCOLN- The long-awaited debut of sports betting in Nebraska is finally here. On Monday, WarHorse Casino in Lincoln announced that its new sportsbooks will officially open for business on Thursday, allowing customers to place wagers at in-person windows or through electronic kiosks placed throughout the facility. To adequately run this endeavor, WarHorse partnered with Kambi Group to provide the sportsbook and hired Jason Johnston, who had managed the sportsbook at BetMGM, to operate its sports betting sector.

"Nebraskans have been asking for the opportunity to wager on sports since the ballot initiatives were passed in 2022," said Lance Morgan, CEO of Ho-Chunk Inc., the parent company of WarHorse Gaming LLC, "We're thrilled to be the first casino in the state to offer sports betting." Local gambling regulations require bets to be placed onsite at the casino, but gamblers will also be able to use WarHorse's app to build out wagers, making it easier and faster to place them when at the physical location.

Morgan went on to note that bettors will have the chance to bet not only on major sports like baseball and football, but also sports like golf, tennis, bull riding, rodeo, and motorsports. A full catalog of sports was approved last month by the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission. The debut of sports wagering is expected to greatly boost gambling tax revenue in the state. As of right now, both of the new Grand Island and Columbus casinos are also planning to add sports betting in the future, but that will likely take several months.

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OPS' REVISED CODE OF CONDUCT WOULD PROHIBIT SUSPENSION OF PRE-K TO SECOND GRADE STUDENTS

OMAHA- Under a newly-proposed student code of conduct, the youngest of students in the Omaha Public Schools system would no longer be suspended in most cases. The school board is set to consider the second reading of the proposal this week. If it's approved, no child in pre-kindergarten to second grade would be able to be suspended by administrators unless they bring a weapon onto school grounds.

"Young children need to be taught and then practice self-regulation to develop memory, attention, and self-control skills necessary for the learning environment," the proposed code reads, "If a pre-K through second grade student must be removed from the classroom, they will work in the school with staff and resources to practice and develop skills to support a return-to-the-classroom environment." Under the current code, first and second grade students are only allowed to be suspended from their school for a maximum of two days.

The revision to OPS's code comes right after the passage of Sen. Terrell McKinney's LB632, which was included in a large package of education bills and prohibits any school residing in a city of the metropolitan class from suspending students from pre-K to second grade. McKinney, during the debate of his bill, argued that school districts need to use alternatives to suspension more often to keep students from poor outcomes like substandard academics or involvement in the criminal justice system. "Suspension from school sets children up for failure," said Connie Edmond, a representative from the Nebraska Commission on African American Affairs, "There are no second chances."

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NEBRASKA MEDICINE ADDS FOURTH BUILDING TO ITS VILLAGE POINTE HEALTH CAMPUS IN WEST OMAHA

OMAHA- Nebraska Medicine has opened a 90,000-square-foot facility at its Village Pointe Health Center campus in west Omaha. The latest addition is now the fourth building at the site near 175th and Burke Streets. Each building offers its own unique care, but the new addition adds services including heart and vascular, orthopedics, pre-surgical screening pulmonology and an on-site pharmacy.

Dr. Michael Ash, executive vice president and Nebraska Medicine’s chief operating officer, said the new building provides greater access to specialists. “While patients have come to recognize this location for its ease of access and comprehensive list of services, this completed expansion will improve even more upon the full spectrum of care being provided there.”

Officials celebrated a grand opening on Wednesday of this week. Kiewit Construction began work on the new facility in 2021. The Outpatient Pharmacy opens, the Orthopaedics Clinic opens Monday, July 10th, and the Heart and Vascular Clinic opens Monday, July 17th. Other specialties will continue to expand over the coming weeks as additional clinic moves are being finalized.

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WESTERN NEBRASKA CASINO POSSIBLE AS PLANS ANNOUNCED FOR A RACING LICENSE IN OGALLALA

OGALLALA- Western Nebraska may soon be able to offer casino gambling thanks to a transfer of a racing license from Hastings to Ogallala. Hastings Exposition and Racing, Inc., which possesses the racing license, announced it has submitted an application to the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission surrounding the move. Brian Jorde, a spokesman for the Hastings group, said he is excited for the committee to approve the application so they can hit the ground running.

The Hastings company said it plans to establish a multi-track quarter horse racing circuit and partner with Elite Casino Resorts. Elite Casino owns the Grand Island Casino resort and would invest $100 million in the racetrack and casino — also known as ”racinos.” The 174-acre site would be called the Lake Mac Casino Resort and Racetrack, potentially capitalizing on tourism to Lake McConaughy.

The casino would move away from the Grand Island casino and stretch the new sites out to the panhandle. “Western Nebraska always gets shut out,” Jorde said. “Our plan is to get this up and going in Ogallala and then get up and going in Gering and have a Quarter Horse circuit between the two locations.” The Chickasaw Nation was expected to be the partner for the Hastings casino, a new partner has yet to be determined.

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