NEBRASKA ALCOHOL REGULATOR HONORED WITH NATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARD

Chicago, IL – The Center for Alcohol Policy is pleased to announce it has awarded two veteran alcohol regulators with its 2025 Leadership in Alcohol Regulation Award.

LeAnna Prange, Deputy Director of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission (NLCC)

Thomas Kirby, Chief Operating Officer, Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Authority (Virginia ABC)

Throughout her career, LeAnna Prange has demonstrated an unwavering passion for elevating the field of alcohol regulation. Her generosity in knowledge-sharing has fostered a spirit of collaboration across the regulatory landscape.

LeAnna led the NLCC in its groundbreaking Centralized Alcohol Management Program (CAMP) project, translating complex regulatory goals into actionable, measurable outcomes. This project transformed and modernized the way the NLCC processes liquor license applications, handles complaints, conducts inspections, performs audits, and collects regulatory reports and excise tax payments.

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NEBRASKA EDUCATION COMMISSIONER BRIAN MAHER DROPS OUT OF NU REGENTS RACE

Nebraska Commissioner of Education Brian Maher ended his campaign for the District 1 seat on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents on Thursday. The announcement comes a little more than a month after Maher, a lifelong educator and alumnus of NU, entered the race for the District 1 seat on July 10.

Maher said he was ending his campaign for family and professional obligations. “After careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that now is not the right time for me to pursue an elected office,” Maher said in a statement. “As a result, I will not pursue a seat on the Board of Regents in the 2026 election.

For the full article, click HERE. 

WEATHER SERVICE IS HIRING BACK HUNDREDS AFTER NEBRASKA U.S. REP. MIKE FLOOD HIGHLIGHTED NEED

LINCOLN – The National Weather Service announced this month that it would hire back 450 meteorologists, hydrologists, and radar technicians after making sweeping cuts earlier in the year. 

The announcement came as the agency tries to recoup losses from the Department of Government Efficiency’s effort to reshape the federal bureaucracy. While the Weather Service faced staffing issues long before President Donald Trump’s second term, recent cuts required “urgent action,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Nebraska U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., touted the news as “a message that they’re focused on strengthening the NWS for years to come.”

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‘ALL SYSTEMS GO’: MEDICINE NOW FLOWS IN NEBRASKA-IOWA PRESCRIPTION DRUG DONATION PROGRAM

LINCOLN — Donated medicine collected by Iowa’s SafeNetRx nonprofit is finally flowing back across its border with Nebraska in the nation’s first multi-state prescription drug donation program, years in the making.

SafeNetRx CEO Jon Rosmann confirmed the Nebraska-Iowa partnership has been operational since July 1. The initial two-year contract between the nonprofit and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, at $475,000 per year, follows Nebraska laws passed in 2024 and 2025 that allow unexpired, pharmacist-inspected medicine to flow back to Nebraska patients. The program serves patients at or below 200% of the federal poverty line. For a family of four, that would be an annual household income up to $64,300.

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WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT NEBRASKA-ICE PLAN TO RETOOL MCCOOK WORK ETHIC CAMP

LINCOLN — State lawmakers are “learning on the go” about Nebraska’s plan to transform its McCook-based Work Ethic Camp from a rehabilitative center to a migrant detention facility over the next couple of months.

Among major still-unanswered questions: What will the immediate impacts be of shoehorning more inmates from the McCook center into other placements in an already overcrowded prison system?Confirmed information from Nebraska Department of Correctional Services Rob Jeffreys includes comments Tuesday to reporters that his department would continue to ensure safety and provide care to anyone housed in state facilities. The repurposed Work Ethic Camp would still be state-owned and operated — “because homeland security starts at home.” 

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CELL PHONES ARE NOW BANNED IN NEBRASKA SCHOOLS: MOST STUDENTS WON'T NOTICE A CHANGE

D.J. Weddle didn’t think twice about Nebraska's new law requiring school districts to restrict cell phone use during the school day. It doesn't affect the district he oversees because West Point Public Schools has had one in place for over 22 years. “I appreciate the Legislature realizing that this is an issue, but I think you would be hard pressed in today's age to find any school that doesn’t have some type of cell phone policy,” the superintendent said. 

Weddle, according to reporting done by a University of Nebraska-Lincoln data journalism class, is half right. For more than 90 percent of public school students in Nebraska, nothing will change come the start of school in August in spite of Gov. Jim Pillen signing LB 140 into law this May. Phones were already banned from class. 

For the full article, click HERE. 

'ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL' IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR NEBRASKA'S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

I was born and raised in Omaha and got my start in health care when I was just 16, working as a Certified Nursing Assistant at Methodist Hospital.

Back then, I didn’t fully grasp how special Nebraska’s health care system was. Our state is built on people looking out for one another.  Whether it’s a big hospital in Omaha or a small clinic in a town of 200, we’ve always believed that everyone deserves good, reliable care — no matter where they live.

That belief is now under serious threat. The newly passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act has a name that sounds cheerful — yet its effects on Nebraska’s health care system are anything but. Over the next decade, this bill will cut about $6.5 billion in federal Medicaid funding to our state.

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PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP HELPS EXPAND INTERNET ACCESS INTO RURAL SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA

A partnership between service providers Diode and Diller Telephone Company and county governments in Jefferson and Gage Counties has helped dozens of people in rural Southeast Nebraska gain access to more reliable internet.

JEFFERSON COUNTY - A partnership between service providers and county governments has helped dozens of people in rural Southeast Nebraska gain access to more reliable internet, even as funding for future projects and technologies like this grows increasingly uncertain. 

Alongside elected officials from the local and state levels, this month Diode Communications and Diller Telephone Company, Southeast Nebraska-based internet service providers, celebrated the culmination of a project that has expanded access to fiber internet to nearly a hundred people in rural Jefferson County via a public-private partnership that was made possible through funding from the Nebraska Bridge Program. 

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AUTISM SERVICES EXPAND WEST OF OMAHA TO ADDRESS RESOURCE GAP AND MEDICAID CUTS

Nebraskans on Medicaid recently faced a rate cut for the autism services including applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy. On top of that, the state lacks access to the clinics that provide these services, especially areas outside of the state’s largest cities. The new rates decrease ABA services by as much as 48%.

One mother of a son with autism said the cut is devastating for families like hers. “As parents who are coming into this with a new autism diagnosis, there's not going to be services available. That's really scary,” Taisa Brumagen previously told Nebraska Public Media News. “We're just going to be left to figure it out on our own. I did that for six years before my son's diagnosis, and it's a very alone place to feel as a parent.”

That’s why one clinic is opening a location that can serve rural areas on the outskirts of Omaha as well as accept current Medicaid rates. Lacey Smithers, the clinical director at Accel Therapies, is leading the team in opening a new location in West Omaha on Wednesday.

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SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUELS CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS NEW USE FOR NEBRASKA'S CORN AND SOYBEANS

As Nebraska’s row crop production continues to grow, farmers are looking for new markets for their corn and soybeans. Jet fuel made from biomass could be the answer they are looking for.

At Friday’s Sustainable Aviation Fuels Conference in Ashland, political and business leaders alike said the state is well-positioned to become a major player in the burgeoning industry. Jacki Fee, a biofuels specialist with Cargill, explained why.

“Nebraska is uniquely advantaged, not only with the rail infrastructure, but also we have blending terminals, and we have pipelines, and we have just infrastructure in general that is going to be very supportive of having a new fuel market come into the state,” she said.

Jan tenBensel, who chairs the Nebraska Ethanol Board, said he’s working to market the state’s biofuels potential to the aviation industry.

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NEBRASKA'S EDUCATION FUTURE FUND ON TRACK TO DEPLETION WITHIN FIVE YEARS

LINCOLN — A fund marketed as a sustainable source of state aid to Nebraska’s K-12 schools is on track to be completely depleted within five years of its creation.

The Education Future Fund (EFF) was designed in 2023 to lower property taxes while supporting school districts by providing resources that weren’t covered under Nebraska’s existing school funding formula. It launched with an initial investment of $1 billion and a commitment from state lawmakers to add another $250 million each year thereafter to keep it stable.

At the time, Gov. Jim Pillen said he hoped to build the fund to approximately $2.5 billion by 2029-30, but the state is spending money faster than it can grow. After that first $1 billion investment, expenses out of the fund have far exceeded revenue transfers into it by more than $150 million each year.

The Education Future Fund is now baked into Nebraska’s current school funding formula. Among other things, EFF offers per-pupil funding primarily to non-equalized school districts and assumes a higher level of state funding for special education.

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NEBRASKA STATE TREASURER SHARES GOALS OF NEW SCHOOL FINANCING REVIEW COMMISSION

OMAHA — In July, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced appointments to the newly created School Financing Review Commission. State Treasurer Tom Briese is one of the commission's five at-large members and joined FirstNews to speak about the board's purpose and goals.

"The goal of the commission is to provide recommendations to the legislature to improve upon and modernize our school funding formula in Nebraska," said Briese.

The treasurer says the root of Nebraska's property tax crisis is the state's failure to properly fund K-12 education.

"For far too long, the state has dumped off the burden of K-12 funding to the property taxpayers," said Briese. "I think the goal of this commission should be to think big; let's solve this problem."

For the full article, click HERE.

NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS REFLECT ON 2025 SESSION, LOOK AHEAD TO 2026

LINCOLN — After a labor-dominated 89-day legislative session, Nebraska lawmakers are looking ahead to a little time off to reset before coming back for a 60-day session in January.

The Nebraska Examiner invited all 49 senators to review the most recent legislative session, and 48 have responded so far. The collection of reflections, in lawmakers’ own words, is available below or see the full project in its own tab here.

Among the responses, lawmakers described the 2025 session as a “mixed bag,” “very successful,” “deeply disappointing,” “highly productive” or “decent.” Some early priorities identified for 2026 include the state budget, property taxes and economic development.

While the Legislature will conduct interim studies and hold hearings this summer and fall, official action is on pause — at least for a while — after state lawmakers adjourned June 2. No plans have been announced for a special session. Some laws took effect immediately during the session. Others will be enacted this fall, most on Sept. 3, or later on.

For the full article, click HERE.

NEBRASKA AUDITOR TARGETS PROBATION SERVICES, QUESTIONS ‘MILLIONS’ IN STATE PAYMENTS

LINCOLN — The Nebraska State Auditor is taking aim at the state office that manages probation services for lawbreakers — alleging that an “extraordinary” spike in state costs was at least partly spurred by scant oversight.

Released Monday, a 41-page report by Auditor Mike Foley examined the Nebraska Administrative Office of Probation. A division of the Nebraska Supreme Court, the probation office supervises roughly 16,000 Nebraskans who broke the law, including about 5,500 youths and adults who receive specific court-ordered services.

According to Foley, expenses of probation services jumped to roughly $62 million last calendar year — an increase of about $19.5 million from two years earlier. 

The “cost explosion,” he said, was driven by programming for juveniles convicted of crimes. Such services include psychiatric and substance abuse treatment, family support, transportation and community youth coaching.

For the full article, click HERE.

NEARLY 2,000 AFFORDABLE HOMES SEEN FOR NEBRASKA’S LARGEST CITY UNDER NEW PLAN TIED TO STREETCAR

OMAHA — Nebraska’s largest city would add an estimated 1,900 affordable homes to its urban core with a $40 million boost tied to the property tax growth expected from Omaha’s controversial streetcar project. 

The dwellings would be a mix of rental, for-sale and rehabbed properties in a 770-block area around the streetcar’s initial downtown-midtown route, which is set to be up and running in 2027.

They’re to be targeted to people making under a certain income. And they’ll be built by developers selected by Front Porch Investments, the nonprofit partner the city chose to distribute the millions in the form of grants and low-interest loans.

For the full article, click HERE.

NEBRASKA MIGHT JOIN NATIONAL ‘WILDFIRE’ OF MID-DECADE REDISTRICTING

LINCOLN — Nebraska could join the national mid-decade redistricting fight that Texas and President Donald Trump started. 

Retiring Nebraska Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon confirmed to the Examiner that national and state conversations are happening about Cornhusker State legislators potentially redrawing the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District — though he emphasized that, to him, it was “nothing serious.” Yet.

Much depends on how national Democrats react to Texas Republicans’ efforts to consider a new map designed to give the GOP up to five additional seats in the U.S. House in 2026, a mid-term election when the party out of federal power, the Democrats, typically gains seats and perhaps control of Congress. 

For the full article, click HERE.

CENTRAL NEBRASKA'S SEN. LIPPINCOTT TO SEEK ANOTHER TERM IN LEGISLATURE

Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City announced Monday he’ll seek a second term in 2026 representing District 34 in the Nebraska Legislature.

Lippincott, a registered Republican, said he wants to continue to be a strong voice for rural Nebraska and traditional values.

“It’s been the honor of my life to represent the people of District 34, and I’m running for re-election to continue the fight for lower taxes, fewer regulations, and Nebraska values,” Lippincott said in a press release.

“We’ve made progress, but there’s more work to do to support agriculture, protect innocent life, uphold the Second Amendment, and ensure our elections are secure and transparent,” he added.

For the full article, click HERE.

RALSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMPLETE 3-YEAR BOND PROJECT AHEAD OF NEW SCHOOL YEAR

RALSTON — Ralston Public Schools has completed its multi-year bond project a full year ahead of schedule, finishing upgrades across eight schools in the district. Originally set for completion in 2026, the work wrapped early thanks to a partnership with Westside Schools. The improvements include new technology, renovated hallways, classrooms, and gyms, as well as refreshed exteriors. Superintendent Jason Buckingham said the renovations were necessary and have produced “phenomenal” results, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to enhance student learning environments.

Teachers, like Ralston High School English teacher Melanie Peltz, are excited to start the school year without the disruptions of ongoing construction. Peltz highlighted new sound systems and interactive boards, noting that students can now fully engage from anywhere in the classroom. Over the past three years, staff and students had adapted to temporary spaces and borrowed classrooms during renovations. With the work complete, educators are eager to welcome students back into updated, technology-rich learning spaces designed to improve the overall classroom experience.

This article is based on a live TV segment. A full transcript is included in the article.

For the full article, click HERE.

NEBRASKA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION PRAISES ‘ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL’ AMID SIGNS OF ECONOMIC DOWNTURN

ASHLAND — Nebraska’s congressional delegates spoke optimistically about federal policies helping the state’s economic future, despite some warning signs that Nebraska’s agricultural industry is struggling.

Three of Nebraska’s federal representatives — U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, Sen. Pete Ricketts and Rep. Mike Flood — shared their thoughts Tuesday at a summit hosted by a collaboration of three of Nebraska’s largest chambers of commerce. Reps. Don Bacon and Adrian Smith did not attend. Bacon was out of town, and Smith’s flight was delayed out of Scottsbluff, though both sent video messages.

All five said good things about the federal budget reconciliation bill that passed in early July, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Ricketts said the bill is “fantastic for families,” because it prevents potential tax increases. He estimated the changes would increase families’ average annual income between $4,000 and $7,000 over the next three years.

For the full article, click HERE.

NEBRASKA AG EXTENDS ANTI-THC, DELTA-8 FIGHT TO NATIONAL MANUFACTURER AND DISTRIBUTOR

LINCOLN — Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers’ efforts to crack down on delta-8, marijuana and other THC products crossed state lines Friday with a new lawsuit against a nationwide manufacturer and distributor.

Hilgers and his office filed a lawsuit in Lancaster County District Court against Savage Enterprises, a Wyoming corporation based in California. The lawsuit accuses Savage of falling “woefully short” on Nebraska labeling and safety laws and argues that it aims to “entice and ultimately ensnare” children and teenagers.

A Nebraska consumer alerted the Attorney General’s Office to Savage Enterprises, leading to the investigation, according to the lawsuit. 

The investigation included the testing of at least seven vape, gummy or edible products that purported to include certain types or levels of THC that were ultimately inaccurate. The lawsuit alleges the corporation also “recklessly ignored” health warning signs against delta-8 and other tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products and did not appropriately warn consumers.

For the full article, click HERE.