FORMER SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER JOINS RACE FOR LD2 SEAT

LINCOLN - A former special education teacher from Lincoln will run for a seat in Nebraska's Legislature next year representing Cass County and a slice of eastern Lancaster County — including the east Lincoln neighborhood she grew up in.

Caitlin Knutson, a Democrat, is the third candidate to enter the race to replace Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, a Republican banker who will be term-limited in 2026.

A Lincoln native who holds master's degrees in education and special education from Creighton and the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Knutson is a former educator who taught high school in Omaha and system-involved youths in the Hastings area before she and her husband returned to Lincoln following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the full story by clicking HERE

NEW NEBRASKA PROPERTY TAX RELIEF PETITION ADDS PUSH FOR $50K BASE SALARY FOR TEACHERS

LINCOLN — A group of advocates who launched a petition drive last month aiming to cut property valuations in half are now also asking that voters approve the state pay all of Nebraska’s public school teachers at least $50,000 per year.

The new nonprofit “Advocates for All Nebraskans” launched two petitions in August, one intending to amend state law to halve the percentage of a property’s valuation subject to property taxes after 2026 and another to revise the Nebraska Constitution to add a cap on property valuation increases at no more than 3% or the growth level of the state’s general fund receipts, whichever is less.

On Monday, the group announced a third petition focused on guaranteeing a competitive base salary for all of Nebraska’s public school teachers. The proposal for a state-funded $50,000 base teacher salary was dubbed “The APPLE plan” by members, which stands for “Assist Property Payers through Legislative Education support.”

“This plan is not a dream,” said Eric Underwood, the former chair of the Nebraska Republican Party and a leader of the petition drive. “It’s a blueprint for Nebraska.”The three petitions will now gather signatures in hopes of making it onto Nebraska’s 2026 general election ballot. The two petitions seeking to change state law require just over 88,000 signatures — representing 7% of registered Nebraska voters — while the one seeking to amend the state constitution needs roughly 125,000 signatures — representing 10% of voters.

For the full article, click HERE. 

OMAHA SENATOR CHRISTY ARMENDARIZ WILL NOT SEEK REELECTION; TWO CANDIDATES JUMP TO FILL SEAT

OMAHA — State Sen. Christy Armendariz plans not to seek reelection to her northwest Omaha seat in 2026, a decision she confirmed and said is rooted in finances for a $12,000-a-year position.

Armendariz, 58, said she signed up knowing about the legislative pay before the 2022 election for an open Legislative District 18 seat. She thought she could juggle both her legislative duties and her full-time job as a strategic sourcing specialist at Nebraska Methodist Health System. She gave up her job at the beginning of this year.

“I just need to go make money,” Armendariz told the Nebraska Examiner on Monday. “I can’t afford to serve a second time.”

A financial planner who previously ran for Omaha mayor, Taylor Royal, announced his candidacy following the news. Royal, 35, is a partner at Royal Wealth Partners, serving clients in 47 states and managing more than $1.5 billion in assets

Jess Goldoni is also seeking the seat, 42, said she has spent the past 20 years building businesses as a marketer who has dipped her toes in many industries, including legal, financial, health care, nonprofit, travel, international, agriculture, innovation, water, and artificial intelligence. She is also the co-founder of Nebrask.ai, a firm that seeks to teach and empower businesses not to be afraid of AI.

For the full article, click HERE. 

ETHANOL PLANT FOR YEARS POLLUTED A NEBRASKA TOWN. THE HEALTH IMPACTS STILL AREN'T FULLY KNOWN

MEAD — Jody Weible sat on her couch, pulled out her phone and scrolled past photos of her grandchildren before landing on a picture taken a few years ago of her neighbor’s adult daughter. Pus leaked from the woman’s eyes.

Weible kept scrolling. There were photos of a massive contaminated dirt pile, screenshots of complaints sent to environmental regulatory agencies, and a video of her German shepherd, which one day developed allergies — seemingly out of the blue.

Less than a mile from her home, a facility called AltEn spent years in the business of turning pesticide-coated seeds into ethanol. The method created 85,000 tons of contaminated byproducts that polluted the neighboring village of Mead, and spurred widespread fear for the health and safety of thousands of people.

For the full article, click HERE.

GERMAN AG MANUFACTURER TO MOVE WORK OUT OF OMAHA DUE TO TARIFFS

OMAHA - A German-based farm equipment manufacturer has confirmed plans to move some of the work done at its Omaha plant overseas to avoid American tariffs on steel and aluminum.

CLAAS, which manufactures its Lexion combine in Omaha, said it will move production of the 2026 model year Lexion 8000 back to Germany. The combines are mostly sold in the Canadian market, and moving the production to Germany will allow the company to avoid 50% reciprocal Canadian tariffs on steel and aluminum.

A CLAAS spokesman said the company is not planning any layoffs at its Omaha plant, where it employs more than 250 people and just last month held a groundbreaking for a new 45,000-square-foot R&D center.

For the full article on our website, click HERE. 

NEBRASKA RANKS NEAR TOP OF U.S. IN PRISON OVERCROWDING, OIG OF CORRECTIONS REPORTS

LINCOLN — Nebraska has the country’s most or second most overcrowded prison system, depending on who you ask. Inspector General of the Nebraska Correctional System Doug Koebernick confirmed the rankings in his 2025 annual report released in September. In it, he wrote that Nebraska ranks first in prison overcrowding when measured by operational capacity, second behind Alabama where the crowding is measured by design capacity.

Nebraska formally entered a prison overcrowding emergency in 2020 when the system surpassed 140% of its design capacity, as determined by the available bed space across all prison system facilities. Though the way the state measures such emergencies has broadened under state law, Koebernick said the system hasn’t officially resolved its existing crisis, so the emergency remains in effect.

Several factors have heightened the problem in the short-term. The system is currently in the process of transitioning its McCook Work Ethic Camp to an ICE detention facility, which will require the relocation of some 140 inmates, and the state is continuing to repair storm damage at the Nebraska State Penitentiary that relocated another 380 inmates.

For the full article on our website, click HERE. 

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE FURLOUGHS MORE THAN 2,000 CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES AMID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. — The government shutdown has led to the furlough of nearly 2,300 civilian employees at Offutt Air Force Base, affecting those living paycheck to paycheck and leaving them uncertain about the shutdown's duration. 

Kris Pierce, chief of public affairs for Offutt Air Force Base 55th wing, said this is the first time in several years that the installation has felt the impact of a government shutdown. "The furlough in President Trump's first term in late '18, early '19, for 35 days, really, the DoD was exempted from that furlough. So we didn't feel the effects then, but we are now," Pierce said.

Pierce explained that nearly 2,300 civilian employees have been furloughed, and efforts are underway to ensure they have access to various support options. "Whether it be through the Air Force, society, the Red Cross, there actually is the ability to file for unemployment during this time, with the caveat that that is paid back. It's not free money," Pierce said. "But, if they need that option because of financial restraints, there is that, and we provide that information for them. So they could do that, and then once they get their back pay, which they will get when we come back to work, they just repay that money."

For the full article, click HERE.

NEBRASKA GETS A PRIVATE SCHOOL TAX CREDIT

LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and U.S. Reps. Adrian Smith and Mike Flood took a political victory lap Monday with a group of K-12 students at the capital city’s St. Teresa Catholic School. The group marked the day Pillen opted Nebraska into a federal school choice tax credit program that both GOP members of Congress helped make sure was included in President Donald Trump’s tax and budget bill that passed earlier this summer.

Nebraska is one of the first states nationally to join the federal voucher program, and other states are likely to follow suit. 

“Let me just make it really clear … I am not opting this in … I am cannonballing it into the state of Nebraska,” Pillen said to claps from kids and parents. Pillen and other supporters of school choice in Nebraska needed the assistance of the Trump administration after the state’s voters overturned legislative efforts to create a voucher program of the state’s own. Pillen and state lawmakers have pledged to keep trying to pass a state replacement.

For the full article on our website, click HERE. 

DEMOCRAT BECKY STILLE RUNS IN NEBRASKA'S MOST CONSERVATIVE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

LINCOLN — Democrat Becky Stille is running for Congress against a 10-term incumbent House Republican in one of the nation’s most conservative districts. 

Nebraska’s 3rd Congressional District includes central and western Nebraska and much of the state’s northeastern and southeastern edges. The district is currently represented by U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith of Gering, who, as is typical in Nebraska’s reddest red district, faces a GOP challenger to his right.  Stille, who lives in South Sioux City, said she decided to run after one of her farmer neighbors had to put up one of his plots of land for auction. While she doesn’t know precisely why that triggered her bid, she felt it “was enough.” 

Another reason, she said, is that she knows President Donald Trump’s budget and tax bill that passed earlier this summer will hurt friends and family members. Stille said she feels the district hasn’t had effective representation in D.C. for a “long time.”

For the full article, click HERE. 

CITY OF OMAHA THREATENS TO PULL DEVELOPERS FROM CIVIC SQUARE, AS ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

OMAHA, Neb. — The city of Omaha says they are planning to buy back the Civic Square lot from developers if they do not fulfill their contract requirements by Nov. 7. The city sold the former Civic Square Auditorium lot to White Lotus Group, officially signing off on the project on Sept. 8, 2023. Developers announced plans to build a mixed-use space, including affordable housing, retail, office space, and a highly desired downtown grocery store.

"The parties were clear that infrastructure was intended to be started in 2024, and that by 2025, there would be streets and sidewalks and utility infrastructure work done, and that they would be starting on buildings," Deputy City Attorney Jennifer Taylor said.

Taylor told KETV that the contract outlined at least half of all infrastructure to be completed in the two-year period, as well as building construction to have commenced. "Obviously, they hadn't really started that road infrastructure until just a few weeks ago," Taylor said.

For the full article on our website, click HERE. 

$5.8 MILLION STATE AWARD HELPS LAUNCH ‘GLOBAL MARKET’ IN SOUTH OMAHA

OMAHA —  Groundbreaking for the South Omaha “global market” — a food-centric project fueled by a multimillion dollar state grant — brought a parking lot of supporters Thursday to a community known as a landing place for waves of Nebraska immigrants.

State, city and county officials joined grant recipients as they formally launched a $5.8 million award from the pandemic-related $235 million North and South Omaha Recovery Grant program administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

In this case, three projects at three separate locations are sharing the $5.8 million, though the lion’s share, $4.3 million, goes to the global market. That market venture aims to transform a second-hand store, once a car dealership, vacated years ago along the South 24th Street main commercial corridor, just north of Q Street. 

The 16,500-square-foot building and parking area will provide space for a commercial kitchen, more than a dozen indoor vendors and three outdoor food trucks, as well as flexible event space for workshops and community functions.

For the full article, click HERE.

IMMIGRATION SERVICES CENTER LAYING OFF NEARLY 200 WORKERS IN LINCOLN

LINCOLN — Almost 200 people who work for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service in Lincoln will be losing their jobs in another round of layoffs, according to a Tuesday filing.

ITC Federal, a company that employs contract workers to administer immigration services, will lay off its remaining 192 employees at its Nebraska Service Center at 850 S St., according to a filing with the Nebraska Department of Labor. The last day of work for most employees will be Nov. 30, when the company’s contract with the federal government is set to end.

ITC Federal previously laid off about 140 workers in Lincoln in January after announcing it was eliminating positions last December. The workers in Lincoln mostly handle applications and records, including green cards, employment verification, immigration status adjustments, travel documents and Violence Against Women Act forms.

For the full article, click HERE.

DAN OSBORN RAISES MORE THAN $1 MILLION FOR SECOND NEBRASKA U.S. SENATE RACE AGAINST RICKETTS

LINCOLN — Registered nonpartisan Dan Osborn raised more than $1 million last quarter for his 2026 race against Nebraska Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, his campaign announced.

The Osborn campaign says more than 17,000 donors gave to the former Omaha labor leader, with an average contribution of $43.46. Fundraising reports are still being finalized with the Federal Election Commission. “I’m proud that Republicans, Democrats and independents are joining our coalition, because we all believe it’s time to get big money out of politics and lower costs for working people,” Osborn said.

The haul is the latest indication that Osborn can once again raise enough to mount a serious challenge to a sitting senator. He outraised Republican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer in the 2024 race, according to OpenSecrets.org, which tracks federal fundraising. 

For the full article, click HERE. 

NEBRASKA SCHOOL FINANCE COMMISSION LOOKS TO ‘THREAD THE NEEDLE’ ON POLICYMAKING, RECOMMENDATIONS

LINCOLN — Members of a new commission set to review and offer long-term solutions to how Nebraska funds its 245 public school districts hope to create more stability and predictability. But the path there, and a major hurdle evident during the commission’s second meeting Monday and likely to persist, is how fast and deeply the commission should dive into policy writing, if at all.

Standish described the group as “really a TEEOSA study group,” referring to the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunity Support Act that passed in 1990 and spells out how Nebraska distributes state funding for public K-12 schools. A major component of the formula is “equalization aid,” which, in broad strokes, is the sum of 18 “needs” minus six “resources.” 

For the full article, click HERE.

VOTING ADVOCACY GROUP SUES TO BLOCK NEBRASKA FROM GIVING VOTER DATA TO FEDS

LINCOLN — A voting advocacy group has sued to block Nebraska’s secretary of state from sharing voter registration data with the U.S. Department of Justice. 

The lawsuit from Common Cause Nebraska seeks an injunction to stop Secretary of State Bob Evnen from providing data to the DOJ. Federal officials have asked states for names, dates of birth, driver’s license numbers and the last four digits of voters’ Social Security numbers, saying they want the information to ensure accurate voter registration rolls. 

Common Cause asked a Lancaster County District Court to find that the DOJ request violates Nebraska law protecting data privacy. It aims to prohibit the Secretary of State from providing the voter data to the DOJ or to limit the types of data shared.

For the full article, click HERE

NEBRASKA AUDITOR ALLEGES ‘ROGUE’ STATE DIRECTOR CHEATED AGENCY OUT OF ABOUT $20,000

LINCOLN — Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley accused a state agency director of padding his work hours to “bilk the agency” of about $20,700 in what Foley called “unearned compensation.” In his office’s latest probe, a 54-page report released Monday, Foley took aim at the part-time executive director of the Nebraska Abstractors Board of Examiners and its governor-appointed board. A key criticism: lax oversight.

“This guy reminds me of the legendary ‘Big Foot,’ as there are rumors of his existence but few verifiable on-the-job sightings,” Foley said of Trenton Behr, who was replaced by an interim director and could not be reached for comment.

For the full article, click HERE.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TAPS NEBRASKA AS ONE OF FIVE STATES FOR TANF PILOT PROGRAM

LINCOLN — Nebraska has been chosen as one of five states to participate in a new six-year pilot program by the Trump administration aimed at overhauling how the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program is measured and managed. The other states are Iowa, Arizona, Ohio, and Virginia. While no additional funding is being offered, Nebraska will receive federal “coaching” and support. The state’s Office of Economic Assistance expects that benefit amounts for the roughly 2,700 participating families won’t change. The pilot seeks to move away from measuring success simply by the “work participation rate” (WPR)—which tracks hours worked in qualifying activities—and instead allow states flexibility to focus on outcomes such as increased employment, earnings, reduced dependency, and family stability. Nebraska Examiner

Nebraska officials say their application stood out for its “employment first” philosophy and for aligning TANF with other federal programs (e.g. Healthy Marriage, Responsible Fatherhood). Participants will still receive support for childcare, transportation, and other barriers, and the pilot is to allow “tailored support” for those with mental or physical health challenges. The program is set to begin in October, with the first year focused on designing the program and setting goals. 

For the full article, click HERE.

NEBRASKA AUDIT TEAM PROBES STATE AUTISM SERVICE EXPENSES, NOTES DEFICIENCIES

LINCOLN — Nebraska officials for months have anticipated the federal government possibly stepping in to review soaring state expenses for autism-related services for youths, as has been the case elsewhere across the country.

Nebraska’s State Auditor released a review of the state’s spending on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services for youths with autism, identifying deficiencies such as duplicate billing, missing or incorrect provider documentation, and reimbursements to providers lacking proper credentials. The report highlighted rapidly rising costs, with autism therapy expenses growing from about $4.6 million in 2000 to more than $85 million last year. The audit, requested by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), comes as the agency is already implementing changes to reimbursement rates and program oversight. 

For the full article, click HERE.

HALF THE STATES DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO COVER ALL THEIR BILLS, REPORT FINDS

NEW JERSEY - Half of American states do not have enough funds to pay their bills, according to a new analysis released Thursday. 

The nonprofit Truth in Accounting, which advocates for more transparency in public finance, released its Financial State of the States report. It concluded that 25 states were unable to cover all their financial obligations at the end of fiscal year 2024, which for most states ended June 30. 

While every state but Vermont mandates a balanced budget, the report says elected officials often exclude certain costs such as future pension obligations and deferred maintenance from their budget calculations. In total, Truth in Accounting calculated states hold $2.2 trillion in assets and $2.9 trillion in debts. At $832 billion, unfunded pension obligations are the largest driver of state debts, according to the report. 

For the full article, click HERE.

NEW CARBON DIOXIDE PIPELINE TO BEGIN NEBRASKA OPERATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO COMMUNITIES SOON

LINCOLN — A Kansas pipeline company is about to activate its $1.5 billion pipeline to transport carbon dioxide from ethanol plants in Nebraska and Iowa to a sequestration site in Wyoming and, along with it, launch a first-of-its-kind program to share some proceeds with rural communities along the pipeline route.

On Tuesday, officials with Tallgrass Energy said they would soon be shipping CO2 from the first of 11 ethanol plants connected to its pipeline — a converted, former natural gas pipeline — for a 392-mile trip across Nebraska, Colorado, Iowa and Wyoming. In conjunction with the launch, Tallgrass announced it is making an initial donation of $500,000 to a fund managed by the Nebraska Community Foundation that could financially help more than 230 communities and community organizations on the route.

For the full article, click HERE.