Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Isn’t it interesting how a series of unrelated events can lead to introspection and validate plans you have set in motion? A goal I established for 2025 is to send a card or letter to individuals, just because. No hidden agenda, no strings attached. A simple ‘thinking of you,’ a random act of kindness. I didn’t set a quota because doing so seemed to put a limit on potential connections. Since Jan. 1, I’ve sent three cards, one to a stranger who shared a powerful message, thanking her for the w...
This past week, the Legislature concluded bill introduction for this year’s legislative session. A total of 715 bills and 22 resolutions were introduced. Compared to 2023, the Legislature saw fewer bills and resolutions introduced, partially the result of a rule change passed in 2024 to ensure each bill introduced has more time to be heard and considered during the committee hearing process. This year, I introduced 15 bills covering a variety of topics ranging from reducing the number of b...
George Norris must be rolling over in his grave. Norris, the father of the one-house Nebraska Unicameral Legislature and one of the greatest U.S. senators in history, sought a political body that would not be dominated by political parties. So state senators in Norris' Unicameral are elected on a non-partisan ballot, leaders of legislative committees are chosen by secret ballot and there's no closed-door, final crafting of legislation in conference committees. The idea is that legislators can...
I’ve been thinking (and that can be a dangerous thing). Last week’s All Things Nebraska column by Paul Hammel posed the question, “Should the Legislature dish up a state dessert?” ICYMI, Hammel lamented that our northern neighbors have a designated dessert. It’s Kuchen, a German cake, stuffed with fruit or custard filling. Once, Hammel made the suggestion to a state senator who represented several Czech communities that, perhaps, the legislature should designate kolaches as the official...
The targeted investments of the Inflation Reduction Act have real-world impacts that are hard to ignore. Since its passage in August 2022, the IRA has been quietly bringing tangible benefits to Nebraska's farms, public schools, small businesses and families. In July 2024, Nebraska's Department of Environment and Energy was awarded $307 million in IRA funding to implement measures outlined in the state's priority action plan. These funds will assist Nebraska producers in implementing advanced liv...
LINCOLN - Be wary of unintended consequences. That's good advice for any endeavor, and appears to be the problem facing proposed retail/sports/entertainment developments called "Good Life Districts." The recent effort to create such districts was well intended. The idea was to lure out-of-state shoppers, visitors and youth sports teams to spend millions in Nebraska, rather than Kansas City, Des Moines or Minneapolis. Envisioned at Gretna's Nebraska Crossing mall were stores like Nordstroms,...
Dear Mark Zuckerberg: How ironic your company axed its fact-checking program, aimed at stopping the proliferation of disinformation, earlier last week. Imagine my surprise on Thursday, when this newspaper, a community weekly covering the Summerland region in Nebraska, had a post celebrating Orchard Fire and Rescue Department members honored for long-time service, removed from Facebook. I linked the story from our paper’s website directly to your social media site, a procedure I’ve done mul...
As the State Legislature gets to work on its 90-day session, it's time to consider whether the Unicameral should resolve an important, and regularly overlooked matter - designating a state dessert. Face it, we all love dessert and naming an official state dessert is long overdue. It has to rank higher than designating an official state reptile or state fossil, which we already have (the box turtle and mammoth, respectively.) Eight states, our research indicates, have state desserts including, gu...
Wednesday, Jan. 8 marked the first day of the 109th Legislature, First Session. This session also marks the beginning of the third year that I am serving as the representative of the 40th Legislative District. The 40th District covers Antelope, Cedar, Holt and Knox counties, as well as the northern portions of both Dixon and Pierce counties. This Legislature has sixteen new faces. Also returning to the Unicameral is Senator Dan Quick who previously served from 2017-2021. Almost a third of the...
I’ve been stuck in a “traditions” mindset lately. Last Wednesday, I couldn’t stop thinking about new year rituals. When the Huskers played in a Dec. 31 or Jan. 1 bowl game, Dad would place a 33LP on the record player and watch the needle land on a groove. The record: recordings from the University of Nebraska Marching Band. First song up: The Band Song. If you’ve ever followed the band to Memorial Stadium, you’ve probably heard it. It was one of Dad’s favorites. I can still hear him singing the...
8 was an excellent year for Nebraska. We stood strong for property tax relief, took steps to grow agricultural production, and protected our children and values. Kids In 2024, we took steps to protect children by signing LB 1092 into law. This bill protects our kids from the scourge of online pornography and oversexualization by requiring age verification to access pornographic websites. As a result of this legislation, Pornhub, the leading distributor of online pornography, ceased offering...
Years ago, I had the pleasure of covering the dedication of a new, $17-million bridge spanning the Missouri River east of Niobrara. The bridge was named after Chief Standing Bear, whose people, the Poncas, once ruled over that area of northeast Nebraska. Standing Bear, known for winning a federal judge's declaration that Native Americans were "persons" under the law, is buried nearby. But the structure, and another bridge built farther east across the Missouri, were dubbed the "Bridges to...
A quick trip to Comstock on Saturday reinforced why I love Nebraska. The village, nestled against the Middle Loup River and situated on the Custer and Valley county line, boasts a population of 97 souls. I’m guessing on Saturday, the population may have doubled, as out-of-town visitors strolled or drove by the massive Christmas light displays stretching from one “Welcome to Comstock” sign to the other. Organizers boast the display contains more than a mile of lights, a dozen themed build...
pears to be on the road to recovery after a wild ride aboard a bucking bronco, his next rodeo act will be roping up enough votes to lower property taxes, cut government spending and return Nebraska to a "winner-take-all" system of doling out the state's electoral college votes. Those are among the top priorities laid out by the governor – before he was bucked off a reportedly new horse – for the 2025 session of the Nebraska Legislature, which begins on January 8. At the top of the list is som...
If you’ve lived in Nebraska for any amount of time, you know that Nebraskans give back. The rest of the country is still discovering our penchant for generosity. Though our state may not have the largest population or the most nonprofits, Nebraska consistently ranks among the top five states for charitable dollars received per capita, according to new research released by Candid, GivingTuesday and Network for Good. These findings intrigued researchers, prompting them to investigate N...
While I am not a big fan of Charles Dickens’ novella “A Christmas Carol,” I feel the ghost of Christmas past likes to visit every night in December. Some memories make me laugh, others are best buried under a blanket of fluffy snow. As I contemplated which gifts to purchase for the grandkids, my mind wandered to our Wausa grandparents. First, Grandma required we make a wish list of five items. In pure Grandma fashion, we would usually get most of them. Spoiled, I know. Then, I didn’t realize...
A wise, old soul once told me that "the story of government isn't that what is said isn't so, it's that what is so isn't said." That, over and over, has proven true in years of digging into stories and actions of state government. State agencies and constitutional officers have a bevy of public information officers whose job is to promote what that agency or office does, and overall, make that agency look good. ("Put lipstick on the pig" is another old saying.) All too often, when you peel away...
Starting a small business requires dedication and, often, taking out a loan. A loan can be a practical step for those seeking growth and can allow small business owners to tackle challenges like cash flow gaps, space constraints, or inventory needs. Why apply for a loan? A loan can be a powerful tool for small businesses when used strategically. Loans are versatile and can be used for equipment, working capital, or real estate. Additionally, programs like the Nebraska Advantage Microenterprise...
Tell me the landscape of college football is changing without telling me the landscape of college football is changing. Take example No. 1. Last week, Marshall officials announced that its team will not play in the Independence Bowl, due to “player unavailability due to activity in the transfer portal.” Since Dec. 8, 29 players have entered the transfer portal after coach Charles Huff left the Thundering Herd to become head coach at Southern Miss. How about example No. 2? The House v. NCAA antit...
I first want to start this week’s update by expressing my gratitude to our state’s congressional delegation with regards to the recent passage of Senate Bill 1478 in Congress. This bill would designate U.S. Hwy 20 in the states of Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts as the “National Medal of Honor Highway.” While then-Governor Ricketts approved the renaming of U.S. Hwy 20 in Nebraska as the “Nebraska Medal of Honor Hi...
My family has always loved to travel. Whether it was camping trips, a road trip to the 1967 World’s Fair in Montreal or a drive to the Black Hills to see relatives, we could put some miles on the family car. My dad was exposed early to international travelers. The family farm hosted agricultural exchange visitors from France and India. My dad served in Japan during the Korean War, so he’d seen a far flung part of the world, and befriended a family there who later sent a daughter to live wit...
Spoiler alert: If we’re Facebook friends, you may have read this. Good news, though. Upon reflection, I’ve added to it. So, I started a new project Saturday night. It’s been brewing for a month … and I needed to visualize and contemplate the layout and process before I began ... even though the supplies sat on the dining room table, next to the laptop, for another month. The red marbled composition notebook, chopped in half, 13 rolls of washi tape and a ream of marbled card stock taunted...
We've all had our fill of political news. So I thought that this week, we'd delve into a topic that's equally as timely – pheasant hunting. I've spent a fair amount of time in pursuit of the ring-necked bird, and recently traveled to South Dakota – the self-proclaimed "Pheasant Capital of the World" – to try my luck with my trusty Vizsla, "Gunnar," and a couple of buddies. If you've ever traveled to our northern neighbor this time of year, you'll see dozens upon dozens of guys (and a few gals)...
Wind turbine blades play a crucial part in clean energy generation, but their disposal poses a growing challenge. Luckily, innovative solutions provide new ways to keep them out of landfills. As the wind industry grows, there is an increasing need for replacement of older wind turbine blades with larger, more efficient ones. With a lifespan of approximately 25 years, the sheer number of blades and other components that will eventually need to be decommissioned will strain current repurposing...
This past week, the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee held an interim hearing to discuss the status of highways and broadband in Nebraska. The Committee first heard from Director Vicki Kramer of the Nebraska Department of Transportation who testified that the impact of inflation is presenting challenges to fulfill future highway construction and maintenance projects. Nebraska’s current highway needs for the next 20 years currently sit at $16.9 billion, but when inflation is a...
