Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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The Legislature passed the budget bills this past week. Governor Ricketts has five days (not counting Sunday) to decide whether to sign the legislation. The governor has the authority to line-item veto specific items on budget bills, without vetoing the entire bill. Once the budget bills have been passed, other legislation that appropriates General Funds or results in the reduction of revenue to the General Fund, and all other tax expenditure bills, can be read on final reading. LB 2,...
The Legislature debated several of my bills last week. On Tuesday afternoon, we debated my amendment to my LB 561, a bill to further define and implement the voter-approved initiative on casino gaming at racetracks. As 70% of the tax revenue derived from these casinos is dedicated to property tax relief, it is important to get this done right. Gambling is a divisive issue in our Legislature and the debate reflected that. After the question was divided on the issue of electronic keno, we spent a...
BROOKE WRAGE Nebraska News Service A school safety reporting system was approved in the Nebraska Legislature on April 6, in the second round after a long debate. Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg said he introduced LB 322 to reduce violent incidents in all K-12 schools in Nebraska by having a trained crisis team on staff 24/7. The reporting line, Safe2HelpNE, would allow students, school staff, parents and community members to anonymously share information about concerning behavior by phone,...
MADLEINE GRANT Nebraska News Service A bill that would provide financial aid for low-income students advanced to the next round of debate in the Nebraska Legislature on March 24. Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont introduced LB529, which would set the distribution of lottery dollars for education programs from 2021-2022 through 2025-2026. Every five years, the Nebraska Legislature’s Education Committee reevaluates the use of lottery funds and decides which education programs will receive funding. Since a previous version of the bill (LB920) failed t...
St. Boniface and Pope John Central Catholic XXIII have announced Lisa Schumacher as principal and administrator. She assumes the position following the retirement of Betty Getzfred, who served as principal for a dozen years and spent 44 years in the school system. The announcement was made Monday, by Father John Norman, school president. A graduate of St. Boniface and Pope John, Schumacher earned an undergraduate degree in elementary and middle school education, with an emphasis in math and...
BROOKE WRAGE, CELENA SHEPHERD and MADELEINE GRANT Nebraska News Service The first week of floor debates kicked off the second week in March. Senators debated and advanced a handful of bills in the Nebraska Legislature. A recap of the week. LB255: Provide compensation to families of deceased first responders Sen. Matt Hansen, of Lincoln, introduced LB255, which would establish the In the Line of Duty Compensation Act to provide a one-time death benefit for a family member of a first responder who dies while on the line of duty. “I believe it i...
The Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board met last week and revised the current forecast upwards. The board projected an increase of $204 million for fiscal year 2020-21, $165 million for fiscal year 2021-22 and $93 million for fiscal year 2022-23, for a total increase of $462 million. The three-year average growth rate increased from 2.9% to 3.4%. Under LB 1107, the property tax relief bill passed last year, property taxpayers are eligible for a refundable income tax credit based on the...
The Legislature passed the one-third mark this week in the 90-day legislative session. The Appropriations Committee also presented its preliminary recommendations for the biennial budget. This provides a starting point for discussion of the various budget actions suggested so far. After the Appropriations Committee finishes its committee work, it will develop formal recommendations to be presented to the Legislature by mid to late March, at which time floor debate will take place. Although we...
State senators are considering a bill that would create an anonymous reporting system for potential threats, assault and mental health concerns in all Nebraska K-12 schools. Had there been a system in place, like LB322 five years ago, Mark Adler is certain that his son, Reid Adler, would still be alive today. At 15 years old, Reid took his own life. Mark Adler, superintendent of Ralston Public Schools, shared his son’s story as he testified in support of the bill. “Reid was a victim of continuous cyberbullying, to the degree that he could not...
The Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation and two Nebraska Cattlemen affiliates in northeast Nebraska have thrown their support behind the Nexus project to build new agriculture facilities at Northeast Community College. Together, the Cattlemen Foundation, the Boone and Nance County Cattlemen, and the Cuming County Feeders have donated $50,000 to the project, currently under construction near the intersection of E. Benjamin Ave. and Hwy. 35. "We are pleased to be able to support the education of the...
As the new school year gets underway, we see a renewed focus on agriculture education and local food. Next to many schools, greenhouses are a common sight. With these come educational curriculum on planting, growing and harvesting, along with nutrition and health. Greenhouses are not new to rural agriculture education, however, they may not include food production. For instance, schools may devote greenhouse space to flower production for school fundraisers and, while this offers financial...
Katie Hawk Ewing Public Schools valedictorian Faculty members, fellow students, family and friends, welcome. To my fellow class members: I am proud to say that we have crossed the finish line. For the last four years, we have been waiting and anticipating this day; praying for it to come faster. However, now that it's here, I'm sorry it is, because it means leaving behind a school that has given me so many opportunities, friends who have pushed me and teachers who have mentored me. These halls...
ASHLEY KOENIG Ewing Public Schools salutatorian Ladies, gentlemen, parents, friends and faculty, good afternoon. Today we celebrate the Ewing High School class of 2020.... the final roar. It is crazy to think that I was supposed to be giving this speech 85 days ago. That was the day the class of 2020 was supposed to graduate, but then a global pandemic happened. It robbed this class, and so many other senior classes, of the end of their senior year. We never got to have an awards banquet, a skip...
State senators resumed the legislative session July 20, after breaking for almost four months due to coronavirus. We are set to complete this 60-day session Aug. 13. During this first week back, we immediately began debating the major issues left pending. Senators voted 30-8 to pull LB 814 from the Judiciary Committee and place it on General File so it can be debated. LB 814 would prohibit live dismemberment abortion and provide for criminal penalties for physicians who perform such abortions....
KATIE ANDERSON Nebraska News Service Property tax relief is on the agenda for the 17-day legislative session later this month, but opponents argue that the proposed property tax relief plan will hinder school district spending and taxing authority. State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, chairwoman of the revenue committee, is leading the charge to get a property tax relief package passed when the Legislature resumes on July 20. “We have a property tax crisis more severe now in agriculture but moving toward suburbia,” Linehan said. “If you b...
MIA AZIZAH | Nebraska News Service When the novel coronavirus swept the globe and made its way to the communities across Nebraska, community newspaper publishers like Kurt Johnson of the Aurora News-Register, witnessed how the global pandemic became a challenge much closer to home. As businesses shut down and positive cases were confirmed in the Aurora area, Johnson said he felt the public angst grow. And in his 20 years of running the weekly newspaper with a circulation of 2,500, he faced the...
The other morning, a Cheshire cat moon hung in the sky. Its typically upturned smile cast sideways - resembling a frown - brought thoughts of 9/11 to mind. A similar-looking moon floated in the sky as twilight neared on that September evening in 2001. The world turned upside down that day, chaos on Earth. The ancients believed celestial elements mirrored what was happening on firm ground. If they are correct, on Sept. 11, the heavens cried at the destruction occurring on U.S. soil. Are the heave...
Nebraskans are urged to stay home and stay healthy for the next three weeks. Thursday afternoon, Gov. Pete Ricketts announced six rules to lessen the impact of COVID-19: stay home, social distance, shop alone once per week, assist children with social distancing, help older populations social distance and exercise at home. Ricketts said the recommendations are not a stay-at-home order or a shelter-in-place order. "As we wage war against the virus, we are asking Nebraskans to further limit...
Nebraskans are urged to stay home and stay healthy for the next three weeks. Thursday afternoon, Gov. Pete Ricketts announced six rules to lessen the impact of COVID-19: stay home, social distance, shop alone once per week, assist children with social distancing, help older populations social distance and exercise at home. Ricketts said the recommendations are not a stay-at-home order or a shelter-in-place order. "As we wage war against the virus, we are asking Nebraskans to further limit...
Despite ongoing concerns about the outbreak of COVID-19, the Nebraska Legislature stayed in session March 9 through March 12 and had all-day floor debates. However, concerns about the coronavirus outbreak may force the Nebraska Legislature to suspend the session, according to Patrick O’Donnell, clerk of the Legislature. Speaker of the Legislature Jim Scheer made the decision to halt the session, March 16. For now, O’Donnell said everyone at the Nebraska State Capitol is doing what they can to prevent the virus from spreading among leg...
Organizations and institutions across Nebraska are taking precautionary measures amidst concerns about COVID-19. While no cases have been reported in Antelope, Holt or Wheeler counties, the North Central District Health Department has identified a presumptive positive case in Knox County. NCDHD received notification a Cherry County individual tested negative for the disease. Here is a list of cancellations, as of Friday, March 13: Fish fries On Thursday, the Archdiocese of Omaha requested its...
It's official. Thursday morning, the state committee for the reorganization of school districts approved dissolution of Clearwater, Ewing and Orchard Public School districts and the formation of the Summerland school district, effective June 6, during a 29-minute public hearing at the Nebraska Department of Education in Lincoln. The reorganization plan passed 4-0. Committee member Gerry Osborn was absent. Nebraska Unified School District #1 Superintendent Dale Martin told the committee...
Nebraskans spend $4.4 billion on food, 90% of which is sourced from outside the state. The Nebraska Food Council and the Center for Rural Affairs advocate for the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act, with inclusion of the Farm to School Act and Kids Eat Local Act, to bring responsible food choices into schools as a way to improve local food access around the state. In spring 2019, Congress signaled an attempt to build a new Child Nutrition Act. This legislation is traditionally revised every five years and, while most program...
A 35-year-old South Carolina man is lodged in the Antelope County Law Enforcement Center following a multi-county chase, Thursday. Robert Wagle, of Summerville, South Carolina, was arrested for felony flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, assault and possession of a stolen vehicle. Additional charges are pending. The incident began after an auto theft was reported in Antelope County Thursday morning. Several law enforcement agencies in northeast Nebraska were alerted to be on the...
The Oct. 10 edition of the Summerland Advocate Messenger included a section of frequently asked questions regarding the proposed Summerland school building project. Questions and responses were supplied by Bobcats Unite, a group of volunteers from Clearwater, Ewing and Orchard communities who have been researching the issue, finding answers to questions and presenting information to the public. This article contains the second half of questions and responses. Summary Statements (based on...
