CHANGES MADE TO PROPOSED PRISON SITE, WILL NOW BE NORTH OF I-80

LINCOLN- Less than two weeks after announcing a decision to construct Nebraska's new prison in northeast Lincoln, state and city officials reached an agreement this week to move the site just north of I-80. On Thursday, Gov. Pillen and Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, after a week of confusion and frustration from northeast Lincoln residents, announced in a press conference that the new site will be located on a city-owned property just east of 70th Street and McKelvie Road, right next to Lincoln's landfill.

Earlier this month, Pillen, alongside Nebraska Corrections Director Rob Jeffreys, announced that they had purchased a $17 million, 300-acre plot of land near 112th and Adams Street, northeast of the city of Lincoln. Sitting roughly one mile outside of city limits, the announcement took city and county officials, as well as residents in the area, by surprise.

The decision generated intense backlash from city residents, who voiced their concerns about the proposed location at the most recent Lincoln City Council meeting. In response to this, Mayor Gaylor Baird requested a meeting with Pillen, at which they were able to decide on a new location. Despite the change, construction is still expected to begin in 2024.

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SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS SAY IT HAS ENOUGH SIGNATURES TO REACH 2024 NEBRASKA BALLOT, TURNS IN PETITIONS

LINCOLN- At a press conference held on Wednesday, representatives from Support Our Schools Nebraska, a group formed recently to oppose LB753, a school choice law, announced that it had gathered 117,000 signatures, nearly double the 60,000 required, to place the initiative on the 2024 general election ballot. The group also confirmed that it had gathered signatures from more than 5% of registered Nebraska voters in two-thirds of the state's 93 counties, surpassing the 38-county requirement.

Jenni Benson, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, the union representing most of the state's public educators, said Nebraskans are sending "a powerful message to elected officials" through this initiative. "LB753 will divert public funds to private schools, and this bill needs to be repealed," Benson continued, "Calling this tax scheme an opportunity scholarship is putting lipstick on a pig." The numerous petitions were loaded into the Nebraska Secretary of State's office.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, as well as Keep Kids First, a pro-school choice group that formed in reaction to Support our Schools, said that they would, despite the immense amount of signatures gathered, continue to fight against placing the issue on the ballot. "If this initiative makes it onto the 2024 ballot, I can promise you the fight will not be over," said Pillen, "I have confidence in education both public and private. I will continue to make sure each student in Nebraska has the educational freedom to choose where they want to attend school."

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LINCOLN UNIONS SAY IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW PAID PARENTAL LEAVE BENEFITS UNFAIR

LINCOLN- Representatives of at least three Lincoln unions contend that the new parental leave policies enacted by the city earlier this year have unfairly excluded many union employees. The sticking points are different for each union: For the Public Association of Government Employees, it is largely about pay. Firefighters wanted a path forward to discuss cost of living increases on their pensions and wanted to institute different rules regarding shifts for paramedics.

But both unions took issue with the way the city has handled a new paid parental leave benefit. The benefit was extended to non-union employees effective at the end of June, but Lincoln-Lancaster County Human Resources Director Barb McIntyre said national labor rules require that any benefit — even one considered a gift — needs to be negotiated through the union.

The effect has been that many union employees still do not have paid parental leave. The union that represents county corrections employees filed a lawsuit over the issue with the Commission of Industrial Relations last month, alleging that excluding union employees from the benefit is a prohibited practice and asked that corrections employees be given the benefit retroactive to June.

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NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LAUNCHES NEXT PHASE OF OMAHA RECOVERY EFFORT

OMAHA- The Nebraska Department of Economic Development is looking to narrow down over 300 applications for various Omaha revitalization projects that were submitted last year. Department officials met with prospective applicants in downtown Omaha to discuss new guidelines for the proposals. A set of eight categories were announced at the meeting, outlining what projects officials are looking for.

Over the course of two sessions, the Nebraska Legislature approved more than $400 million of combined federal and state dollars to go toward economic recovery projects in underserved areas of the state, primarily within North and South Omaha. Much of that funding has yet to be allocated to specific projects.

The eight categories of projects DED are looking consists of small businesses and entrepreneurs, nonprofits, housing, youth and workforce development programs, sports, and arts programs and other public space developments. The department launched a website available at opportunity.nebraska.gov/programs/recovery. Applications will be available soon, but a specific deadline has yet to be solidified.

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KEARNEY MAYOR ANNOUNCES RUN FOR NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

KEARNEY- The man who has been Kearney’s mayor for the past 17 years will seek a Nebraska Unicameral seat. “We need to have a good candidate from this area,” Stan Clouse said while announcing plans to campaign for the 37th District Nebraska Legislature seat now occupied by state Sen. John Lowe of Kearney.

“Over the years I’ve spent a lot of time in the Capitol and on statewide committees,” Clouse said. ”Being a state senator is one of the ultimate things you can do to serve Nebraska, and the timing is perfect for me.” Clouse, 66, is in his fifth term on the Kearney City Council. His current term and that of Lowe will end in 2024.

Current State Senator Jonn Lowe is barred from running for the seat again due to term limits. Clouse is the second person to declare as a legislative candidate from Kearney. In mid-June, Lana Peister announced her intent to succeed Lowe in representing the 37th District. This marks the fourth district with a to-be term-limited senator seat being sought by multiple candidates.

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RICKETTS SAYS NEBRASKA, OTHER RURAL STATES WON'T BE READY FOR EPA ELECTRIC VEHICLE PUSH BY 2032

OMAHA- U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, reapplied his criticism of a proposed Biden administration regulation requiring automakers selling vehicles in the U.S. to cut new vehicles’ tailpipe emissions by two-thirds by 2032. He and others backing the fossil fuels and biofuels industry, including corn-based ethanol and soybean-based biodiesel, have argued that the U.S. won’t be ready to shift to electric vehicles as aggressively as the green-energy advocates want.

Ricketts said people in rural and far-flung states like Nebraska won’t have the money to replace gas and diesel-fueled vehicles with electric vehicles despite the Environmental Protection Agency’s push to slow a changing climate. During a session with the Nebraska Trucking Association, Ricketts stressed that Americans won’t have the charging infrastructure needed by the agricultural, transportation, and logistics sectors, which drive Nebraska’s economy.

The Biden administration has failed to do their homework on the reckless impact of these emission mandates … in just eight years,” Ricketts said. Climate change experts argue that the world must act to slow the pace at which fossil fuel-related pollution from factories, vehicles and farms contributes to slight temperature shifts, fueling extreme weather events such as wildfires and floods.

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LINCOLN, BROADER NEBRASKA, SEEING RISE IN COVID-19 CASES

LINCOLN- Just as in past years, local Covid-19 cases are on the rise as schools across the state welcome students for a new fall semester. Lancaster County reported 163 official cases last week, which is more than double the previous week and four times higher than the start of last month.

While the official number is certainly lower than this same time last year, officials believe this may be due to more people testing at home or not testing at all. On top of that, wastewater analysis has shown a steady rise in viral particles detected. While the level of particles detected hit a pandemic-low in July, with only 35,600 viral particles per liter of wastewater, that number jumped significantly to 412,900 last week.

"We know Covid-19 remains a risk for many people, and the shift we're seeing in our local situation is concerning," said Pat Lopez, Nebraska's Health Director, "We're working with the long-term care facilities to reduce transmission. We're also in communication with our hospital partners as we determine how the increase in Covid-19 activity may further impact the community."

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NU COLLEGE OF LAW TO ESTABLISH CLINIC TO DEFEND FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS

LINCOLN- On Monday, the University of Nebraska College of Law announced that it would be establishing a law clinic, staffed by law students and supervised by practicing attorneys, to take on cases involving free speech, public records, and public meetings. "We will defend the First Amendment rights of our clients while at the same time educating students on the intricacies of the First Amendment law," said Daniel Gutman, an Omaha attorney who will direct the clinic.

Sydney Hayes, a former associate of Husch Blackwell, will act as assistant director. Eight third-year law students will be chosen to run the clinic, which, according to Gutman, is already seeking cases. The launch of the clinic was made possible by a recent $1 million grant from the Stanton Foundation, owned by Frank Stanton, a longtime president of CBS News. For now, however, the NU clinic will focus on local and regional cases involving freedom of speech, press, assembly, and petition, and will also help to educate the students running it.

"Our clinical programs help students develop skills as they work on real cases and are a highlight in many students' law school careers," said Richard Moberly, dean of the NU College of Law. The College currently runs several other clinics, including ones focused on justice for children, immigrants, and debtors. The stated goal of the Stanton Foundation in awarding NU with the grants is to "advance First Amendment and democratic values through an informed citizenry."

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PILLEN ALLOWS HOTTER WATER DISCHARGE FROM POWER PLANTS DUE TO 'EXTREME' DEMAND, THANKS FEDERAL AG DEPARTMENT

LINCOLN- On Friday, Gov. Jim Pillen signed an emergency order allowing power plants, which are facing higher demand due to last week's heat wave, to discharge hotter water from their facilities. In a press release, Pillen said the order is meant to allow Nebraska's power plants to "safely" exceed temperature limits while also allowing them to meet more "extreme" demands for power.

The order will remain in effect through September 15th. In another heat-related announcement, Pillen recently thanked U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack for answering Nebraska's call for higher reimbursements for local cattle producers who lost animals due to the hot, humid weather present in the state this month.

Vilsack informed Pillen last week that the USDA would increase payments through the Livestock Indemnity Program from $1,244 per head to $1,618. Following this, Pillen urged cattle producers to report, in detail, their losses to their respective Farm Services Agency offices. While one Nebraska-based FSA office reported that official losses were estimated at about 1% per local feedlot, rumors have been swirling that some cattle producers lost closer to one hundred animals during the heatwave.

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NU FOCUSED ON PICKING SEARCH FIRM AND COMMITTEE TO HELP FIND NEXT PRESIDENT

LINCOLN- At its most recent meeting on Friday, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents sketched out a process for regrouping after last week's unexpected announcement that NU President Ted Carter would be leaving the University System. Board Chairman Tim Clare said that the board has begun mapping out the "first few steps" toward finding a replacement for Carter. "We talked about engaging the search," Clare said of the meeting, "We're going to start right away on the search."

For now, the first steps in the process will mean finding search firms willing to help identify potential NU President candidates to lead the system's four campuses. Clare said that this firm will very likely be selected at the next Board of Regents meeting, which has yet to be scheduled. The second step in the process involves forming a search advisory committee, which will be made up of NU system employees.

Clare, in an email to NU students and faculty, said the Board hopes to review search committee nominations in September, with a goal of establishing a committee that represents a broad swath of university constituencies. "We're going to be methodical," he said, "We're not going to rush this." Fortunately, Carter, who will soon become Ohio State's 17th President, confirmed that he intends to serve the remainder of the calendar year in his position.

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STATE LAWMAKER CHALLENGES GOV. PILLEN TO ACT ON 'DANGER' LURKING AT STATE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL

LINCOLN- State Sen. Carol Blood has recently stepped in on behalf of workers and patients at the Lincoln Regional Center, saying that the rise in assaults, equipment needs, and mandatory overtime at the facility all add up to unsafe conditions. The Bellevue-based senator challenged Gov. Jim Pillen to act swiftly in alleviating these concerns, claiming that it's "getting very dangerous."

On Monday, Pillen's office received a letter from Blood detailing all of the issues at the facility, which acts as the state's psychiatric hospital. A spokeswoman from the governor's office acknowledged the issues, and said that a "response will be provided to [Blood's] office in due course." Blood cited a recent correspondence between her office and the mental health specialists at the facility as reason for sending the letter to the governor. The specialists, or 'techs' as they are called, told Blood that conditions at the facility were less than sufficient.

A union representative for the mental health specialists at the Regional Center described the facility as a "corrections facility meets hospital," and said different and better training is necessary if the techs are to defend themselves from potentially violent patients. Mike Chipman, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 88, which represents the techs, said he's seen a substantial uptick in techs seeking hospital attention as a result of poor working conditions. "Nobody should have to be a punching bag," said Chipman.

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INSPECTORS GENERAL LIMITED IN THEIR ACCESS TO INFO AFTER NEBRASKA AG'S OPINION

LINCOLN- Quickly after the Nebraska Attorney General Office offered its opinion that the offices responsible for investigating the state's child welfare and prison systems are unconstitutional, inspectors general's access to those agencies' case management systems ended abruptly. It is the first time the office's have lost access to the system in over a decade of the systems use.

The Office of the Inspectors General, as well as the state's ombudsman office, were shut out of the online systems that track incidents, disciplinary actions, grievances and other reports for inmates, children in the care of the state, as well as employees who work with what officials describe as vulnerable populations.

The change in how the offices of the inspector general can access information from the agencies they are charged with performing oversight on comes on the heels of an opinion written by AG Mike Hilgers at the request of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Correctional Services. Hilgers, in the 38-page opinion, said the inspectors general's "untrammeled power to impede, control and access" information from other government branches violated the separation of powers clause in the Nebraska State Constitution.

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U.S. REP. DON BACON, A CONSERVATIVE WHO SPEAKS BIPARTISAN, LAUNCHES 2024 HOUSE BID

OMAHA- U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, a four-term Republican representing the Omaha area in Congress, announced his re-election bid at a fire union hall flanked by a pair of Nebraska governors and a fellow member of the House. The retired Air Force brigadier general faces the state’s closest federal races and routinely draws credible Democratic Party foes in Nebraska’s most politically divided congressional district.

Gov. Jim Pillen spoke at the rally, touting Bacon’s conservative beliefs and describing him as a man he trusts. Former Gov. Dave Heineman also spoke, lauding Bacon’s daily work in a district that needs someone who can win close races. U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, a former Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature, said Bacon has helped show him the ropes in the House. Bacon’s campaign estimated that more than 400 people attended the event.

Democratic State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha, who is running for Bacon's seat again, has criticized the duality of Bacon’s public persona. Vargas says Bacon is less centrist than he portrays himself. Vargas called Bacon “out of touch with hardworking Nebraskans.” In 2022, Bacon beat Vargas by 2.7 percentage points. Abortion and the economy are now expected to be major factors in the upcoming race.

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NEBRASKA STATE AUDITOR TO EXPLORE $3 MILLION GRANT FOR RED WAY AIRLINES FOLLOWING THEIR DEPARTURE

LINCOLN- Citing concerns expressed to his office, State Auditor Mike Foley announced that his office will begin examining a $3 million grant given to Red Way Airlines earlier this year after the company announced, after just a short three months, that it would be ending service at the Lincoln Airport.

Foley, in a letter to the Lincoln Airport Authority, said his office has received numerous concerns about the substantial funding given to Red Way by the state. An audit of how the money was spent and used, Foley wrote, would provide "accurate information to taxpayers" and might clear up "misperceptions about government." Continuing, Foley said, "We will try to do so in a timely manner, believing this to be a valuable service to the state's citizens." Before it came to Lincoln, Red Way had received $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars.

Red Way announced last week that it would be ceasing operations in Lincoln, citing concerns that it had not been able to attract enough passengers. One official described Red Way, following their departure, as a "failed experiment." Foley, in his letter, pointed that state law will require the Lincoln Airport Authority to pay the costs of the audit.

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BIG NAMES INTERESTED IN BECOMING NEXT NEBRASKA STATE TREASURER

LINCOLN- Following the recently announced departure of Nebraska State Treasurer John Murante, who will now lead the state's Retirement Agency, rumours swirled about who will assume the role of the next state treasurer. In a press release announcing Murante's resignation, Governor Jim Pillen's office indicated that it would "announce an application process to find a well-qualified new treasurer." While this application process has yet to be formally enacted, several big names in the state have already shown interest in the role.

First and foremost, State Sen. Julie Slama, chair of the Banking, Commerce, and Insurance Committee flagged her interest, saying she is "interested and will be applying." Next, Sen. Theresa Thibodeau, a business owner who finished fourth in the 2022 GOP gubernatorial primary, also indicated that she would be throwing her hat into the race. "I think I could do the job well," she said. Sen. Ben Hansen, chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, also indicated his interest, but seemed reluctant. "I'm not saying yes, and I'm not saying no," Hansen said.

Taylor Royal, Murante's GOP primary election opponent in 2018 and an Omaha financial adviser thinks she's qualified for the job too, having said that she's "considering it." Finally, Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg, who received substantial praise for helping the city grow, said he's "heard from people" about the role, but is still mulling it over. Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb announced that she does not expect any high-profile members of her party to apply "because there is "no chance Pillen would pick one."

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'SPIRITUAL WARFARE': FORMER KENTUCKY SWIMMER ENCOURAGES NEBRASKA TO RESTRICT TRANS ATHLETES

LA VISTA- On Sunday, Riley Gaines, a now-infamous college swimmer who tied for fifth at the 2022 NCAA championship against Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer, told a large crowd Sunday to consider pushing for further transgender sports bans in Nebraska. Gaines has testified before Congress and various state legislatures, describing women's sports as one issue in a fight against what she called "textbook Marxism."

"Me, myself, as a Christian, what I see this as is entirely spiritual warfare," Gaines told the crowd of Nebraskans, "This really is no longer right versus wrong or good versus bad. This is moral versus evil." Other attendees at the event included state Sens. Barry DeKay, Carolyn Bosn, Tom Brewer, Rob Clements, Loren Lippincott, Myron Dorn, and Brad von Gillern, as well state Board of Education member Kirk Penner, former gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbseter, and multiple candidates for office next year.

Bill and Evonne Williams, owners of the nonprofit Patriot Productions, hosted the event, saying that it was "not about hating transgenders," but about a "common sense" topic. While Gaines' story centered around college athletics, Sen. Kauth's LB575, which is expected to be taken up next year in the Legislature, would define school sports as either male of female based on sex assigned at birth for K-12 Nebraska students.

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SEVERAL NEW NEBRASKA LAWS TAKE EFFECT SATURDAY

LINCOLN- During this year's tumultuous legislative session, a large handful of bills were passed and signed by Gov. Pillen. Many of these lacked emergency clauses, which means that they would go into effect come Saturday, including Sen. Tom Brewer's long-sought permitless concealed carry bill. Described by Brewer and supporters as a "constitutional carry" law, the now-passed bill will allow any Nebraskans over the age of 21 to carry concealed firearms without a state permit, which usually costs $100.

Beginning Saturday, however, firearm dealers will also be required to distribute information on suicide prevention, a change prompted by Sen. John Fredrickson's amendment contained within the now-passed LB50. LB77, the concealed carry bill, and LB50 are just two of a dozen laws taking effect over the weekend. Many 'Christmas tree' bills, including LB50, which provides for broad criminal justice reform, will take effect. Sen. Blood's LB157, which allows for the inclusion of household pets in domestic abuse protection orders, also begins on Saturday.

The killing of certain damage-causing predators by landowners will now also become legal over the weekend, as per Sen. Bruce Bostelman's LB565. Finally, Sen. McKinney's LB705 and Sen. Lou Ann Linehan's LB298 will also begin Saturday, disallowing the suspension of pre-K through second-grade students and requiring Nebraska school districts to report information relating to dyslexia, respectively. Many more bills don't go into effect until later this year or sometime in 2024, with a small handful only taking effect in 2025.

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LINCOLN TO END VOLUNTARY WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, Lincoln city officials announced plans to end the long-running voluntary water conservation efforts, which have been in effect all summer. The original plan encouraged residents and businesses to only water their lawns on designated days based on their address.

Put in place on June 2nd in response to extreme drought conditions detected earlier in the summer, the efforts will be officially canceled on Thursday. At the height of the drought, Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Director Liz Elliott said the city's aquifers were only at 65% capacity. This was further exacerbated by a lack of substantial rainfall, causing Lancaster County to experience its first bout of exceptional drought conditions in the 23-year history of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Drought Monitor.

Thankfully, conditions in the city have improved significantly since then. While roughly 60% of Lancaster County is still facing severe drought, the area received above-average rainfall in June, July, and August, which has helped greatly to restore the city's water supply to levels typically seen last year. "Lincoln is in a good place right now thanks to the water conservation efforts our community put forth the last three months," said Steve Owen, Lincoln Water System Superintendent.

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MAYOR NOMINATES WOMAN TO FILL LINCOLN AIRPORT AUTHORITY SEAT

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird announced that Vanessa Emlich will fill an open seat on the Lincoln Airport Authority, which was vacated after Nick Cusick resigned amid disagreements over the airport's budget. Emlich will still need to be approved by the Lincoln City Council.

"Vanessa's desire to support strategic innovations and good governance of the airport, coupled with her commitment to public service, make her the best candidate for this vacancy," said Gaylor Baird in a news release. Emlich, who currently serves as the director of pharmacy audit for Prime Therapeutics, and previously worked for Lufthansa Airlines, ran for one of two seats on the Lincoln Airport Authority in May, but finished third.

"I look forward to applying my experience in the airline industry and operations to service on the Lincoln Airport Authority Board," said Emlich, "I hope to use my unique background and skillset to expand opportunities for Lincoln and surrounding area residents to travel to other parts of the country and world." Cusick, the Board member who resigned, said he has met with Emlich and was impressed with the skills she will bring to the table. "I believe she will make a great addition to the Lincoln Airport Authority Board," he said.

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DIPLOMATS FROM SOUTH OF THE U.S. BORDER OPEN TO NEW CONSULATES IN OMAHA TO SERVE NEBRASKA MIGRANTS

OMAHA- In the coming weeks, a new Consulate of Guatemala will officially open its doors in Omaha, joining the nearby Consulate of El Salvador, which was established earlier this year, in serving migrants from those two nations. Once the Guatemalan Consulate officially opens, that will increase Nebraska's number to three diplomatic offices, as a Mexican Consulate has existed in the state since 2000. While they operate as separate entities, the three embassy-like satellites collectively reflect the growing influence of Latino immigrants in Nebraska, who account for half of the state's estimated 150,000 foreign-born residents.

"We know that Nebraska is an important state for our people," said Javier Prudencio, the interim Salvadoran Consul, "It looks like they've discovered the life you have here, the good life." Consulates, which are headed by government-appointed consuls, serve as a link for expatriates, providing them with official documents such as passports and IDs. According to several familiar with Omaha's Consulates, they are believed to open doors to business, academics, and labor markets for those coming from abroad as well as those already living in the state.

"It's going to be easier for us to approach the consuls and learn from them and to understand the challenges, say, of the entrepreneur from El Salvador," said Yesenia Peck, leader of the Nebraska Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. According to Billy Munoz, the Guatemalan Consul, the new Consulate in Omaha will help strengthen the existing embassies' outreach and advocacy efforts, and help more immigrants move to the state, a move that may argue will help the workforce shortage.

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