Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Many major issues were debated this past week in the Legislature, with LB 626 and LB 574 being the two most highly-contested bills considered by senators. LB 626 would adopt the Nebraska Heartbeat Act and restrict abortion to when a fetal heartbeat is first detected, thereby reducing the current 20-week abortion time window to about six weeks. This bill includes exceptions for rape, incest, sexual assault, medical emergencies (such as ectopic pregnancies and the removal of the remains of an...
This week saw the Legislature continue the discussion of the governor’s school finance and tax package. LB 243, as amended by the Revenue Committee, would make a series of changes aimed at easing the financial impact of increasing property tax valuations on Nebraska’s local property taxpayers. Among changes proposed, the measure would increase the minimum amount of relief granted under the Property Tax Credit Act to $388 million in tax year 2024 and $560 million by tax year 2029. This amo...
It is the last week of March and the Legislature has moved on to all-day debate. At this point in time in the prior 2021 90-day long session, the Legislature had passed 31 bills with 16 signed into law by the governor. This year, a grand total of zero bills have been passed into law and only one resolution - my resolution LR 13 - affirming the Legislature’s support for including the names of the Sage brothers and other 71 sailors of the USS Frank E. Evans on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial W...
A resolution regarding perpetual water and conservation easements will go back to the Holt County Planning and Zoning Commission. The directive was given by Holt County Supervisors, Friday, following a public hearing about the 2021 resolution. The easement resolution was sent to planning and zoning for a public hearing, based on a recommendation from county attorney Brent Kelly, who was not in attendance at Friday’s public hearing. During the supervisors’ March 31 hearing, interim planning and...
The Legislature has completed Day 50 of this 90-day legislative session and is in the middle of debate on bills that have been designated as a priority by senators, committees and the speaker. This past week, the Legislature gave initial first-round approval to LB 574 which would adopt the Let Them Grow Act and prohibit the performance of gender-altering procedures on minors. This legislation has been the focus of discussions and filibusters in the past few weeks as opponents of the bill raised...
Organizations and non-profit groups in Antelope County applying for funding through the county’s Antelope County Visitors Improvement Fund will need to familiarize themselves with new rules regarding improvement fund disbursements. Antelope County commissioners, during a March 7 meeting, approved and authorized chairman, Charlie Henery, to sign a resolution that will “hold fund-request applications until the balance of the fund is above $5,000, at which time the application requests will be con...
How many brackets were busted over the weekend as the field of 64 narrowed? I'm not talking about college hoops. I'm talking about voting in the Nebraska Beer Bracket, a 64-brewery tournament that aims to "crown the best beer in Nebraska." The brainchild of Sarah Baker Hansen, a former Omaha World-Herald food writer, the bracket extends beyond Omaha and divides the state into four regions: Omaha, East, West and Capitol. Baker Hansen, along with the graphic design team from Hanscom Park Studios,...
Three proposals to cover the solution looking for a problem -- voter ID -- have proven to be about as confusing as the proponent’s explanation as to why the idea was necessary. After a lot of listening and a bunch of head scratching, I’m still not convinced. The only thing I know for sure, in Sen. Steve Erdman’s world there would be no mail-in ballots. Tell that to the 11 Nebraska counties that hold mail-only elections right now. Better yet, convince my 85-year -old neighbors that it’s a good idea. I’ve been voting by mail since Covid and...
The Legislature is now past Day 40 and is almost halfway through the current Legislative session. In floor debate, only a couple of bills have been discussed in depth. LB 753 would adopt the Opportunity Scholarships Act and provide education scholarships to assist eligible students to attend a qualified, nonprofit, private elementary or secondary school. Under the act, individual and corporate taxpayers would qualify for a non-refundable tax credit equal to the amount the taxpayer contributed...
It came down to Ron Hull. In September, the seven members of the Nebraska Hall of Fame Commission met in Lincoln to decide whether to induct civil rights leader and Omaha native Malcolm X. Three members were in favor of his induction. Three were opposed. After years of debate and several failed attempts to get the slain civil rights leader into the hall, the long-controversial effort now would be decided by one man. It was up to Hull, a silver-haired 92-year-old, a longtime Nebraska Public...
A resolution opposing perpetual land and water conservation easements will be included in Holt County zoning documents. Planning and zoning commission members accepted the resolution from Holt County Supervisors, as is, on a 4-2 vote, during a Feb. 27 public hearing. A handful of Holt County residents asked questions about Resolution 2021-32, which would "oppose the designation of lands in Holt County as wilderness, wilderness study areas, wildlife preserves, open space or other conservation...
The schedule of morning debate on the floor and afternoon public hearings continues for a few more weeks. At times, the days seem long, but soon the Legislature will begin all-day debate before finally adjourning later this spring. Three of my bills were heard in committee last week. On Tuesday, LB 453 and LB 454 were heard before the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee. LB 453 would allow the Nebraska Department of Transportation to change how the administrative costs of the Divisio...
We are now past the one-third mark of this 90-day legislative session but still have a great deal of work to do. The various standing committees are busy holding public hearings on the 820 bills and 22 substantive resolutions that were introduced in January. We have around four more weeks of hearings yet to go. Thus far, two of my bills have been presented before committees. The week began with Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Heavican delivering the State of the Judiciary address...
While residents residing north of Clearwater don't have to ford the Elkhorn River to reach town, surface conditions of 516 Avenue, the main artery bridging highways 275 and 20 from south to north, have "deteriorated to conditions from 100 years ago." That's the sentiment expressed to Antelope County Commissioners by multiple Clearwater residents. "Has the road got any better in the last 100 years? That thing is back to the century of covered wagon days. Am I wrong or right?" Curt Thiele asked...
His predecessor spent eight years pushing property tax relief. Now, Governor Jim Pillen wants to clearly tie said property tax relief to school finance. It's up to the Legislature to figure out how to make that work. Lawmakers are used to people complaining about property taxes. Now, throw in some school districts that say a proposed distribution of state aid isn't fair and equitable. What do you have? A real mess or a problem begging for a solution? Pillen is behind three priority measures...
Joe Smith will serve as Antelope County Attorney until the term, vacated following the death of Antelope County Attorney Joe Abler last month, ends in 2026. County commissioners appointed the acting deputy attorney Tuesday, during a meeting in Neligh. Chairman Charlie Henery said Smith had agreed to step in and take the job. “I’m very pleased,” Henery said. A contract for the position will be in place, due to the appointment. Smith told commissioners that state statue lets a board fill a vacancy. “No special election is required,” he said. Acc...
Many people touted this year's legislative session as a Republican-dominated conservative body that could easily work with the Republican administration to get things done. They reasoned that 32 Republicans in the officially nonpartisan body would win out over the 17 Democrats. They tried valiantly to get 33 Republicans elected, a so-called "magic" number that could withstand filibusters by the dissenters and pave the way for a conservative agenda. Observers sighed relief when the number fell...
This week saw the Legislature begin the first of two weeks of all-day committee hearings. Traditionally, senators would meet as a body in the morning and split into different committees in the afternoons. However, Speaker Arch wanted to try to front-load the session with hearings so there will be more time for debate later in the session. Therefore, senators will not have an opportunity for floor debate until the week of Feb. 13. Two of my bills are scheduled for a public hearing later this...
On Wednesday, Jan. 25, Gov.Jim Pillen delivered his first State of the State address to the Legislature. The beginning of his speech focused on his team’s transition since the November general election and the strong state of Nebraska today. He emphasized how our state’s greatest asset - people - continually show perseverance, grit and determination to solve tough problems and overcome difficult obstacles. Although the state is strong and growing, Pillen argued more needs to be done to ret...
The new governor says his proposed tax cuts are historic. Critics say they are not sustainable. Rookie mistake by the pig farmer politician who is backed by his Republican party and most of the 32 Republicans in the Nebraska Legislature. Maybe it’s all of them, I haven’t taken a poll. Somebody forgot to explain to Governor Jim Pillen that the $1.9 billion excess funds he claims will make all this work are “projected” to be in the state coffers. That means the so-called strong tax receipt...
A familiar face will chair the Antelope County Commissioners following a vote by the board, Jan. 10. Charlie Henery was elected to serve as the 2023 chairman, following a 4-0 vote. Keith Heithoff, of Elgin, was elected vice chairperson. Commissioners appointed Tom Nelson to serve as veterans service officer; Bryan Cornett, weed superintendent; Megan Wingate, zoning administrator; LaVern Schroeder, surveyor and Brian McDonald, highway superintendent. Committe appointments for the upcoming year...
Every session of the Nebraska Legislature features what promises to be a real clunker of a bill. This year's prizewinner – so far – is a proposal to change from a unicameral to a two-house Legislature. Even the sponsor of the measure - LR2CA - admits that the proposed constitutional amendment probably won't get out of committee. Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard says it will be because of those "people living in the east." The Nebraska Republican Party included in its platform a plank calling for a "...
PROCEEDINGS SUMMERLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION Summerland Public School Board of Education met in regular session, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, in the school’s board room. President Ed Nordby called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. Nordby noted the Open Meetings Act poster in the board room. Members present: Nordby, Nate Schwager, Scott Thiele, Steve Thiele, Austin Twibell and Jeremy Wagner. Nordby turned the meeting over to Superintendent Finke for election of officers. All board members took the oath of office. Discuss, consider and t...
I'd like to introduce myself. I am Senator Barry DeKay, newly elected to represent District 40 in the Nebraska Legislature. District 40 consists of Antelope, Cedar, Dixon, Holt, Knox and Pierce counties. I am a lifelong resident of rural Niobrara, a fourth-generation rancher and a longtime high school basketball referee. My wife Brenda and I have two children. I am honored to serve the residents of northeast Nebraska in the Legislature. The 108th Legislature began Jan. 4. Thirteen newly-elected...
My observation from the opening days of the 108th Nebraska Legislature: “The fix is in!” Google it, information worth having as this highly partisan-influenced session stumbles on. In the 20s, when the term first surfaced, it meant the deal was done – probably in advance. There is also mention made of bribes or payoffs. I’m not suggesting that’s in play right now, or is it? Chairmanship races this year were cut and dried, not unlike five years ago when the majority party in the officially nonpartisan Legislature met before the session c...
