Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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I don’t pay a lot of attention to television commercials; however, one in particular will always stand out. Picture it: a beautiful river, pastel orange sky and a rock-strewn shoreline. What viewers eventually see is a polluted river, smoke puffing out of factory stacks and garbage covering the shore. The narrator says, “Some people have a deep abiding respect for the natural beauty that was once this country and some people don’t. People start pollution and people can stop it.” Then, the camera...
As expected, the governor called the Legislature into special session on Wednesday, July 24 to enact legislation relating to property tax relief and school funding. The Legislature convened on Thursday, July 25. Deviating from the preannounced schedule, Speaker Arch chose to not bring the Legislature back into session on Saturday to allow the Revisor of Statutes’ Office more time to prepare new drafts of bills and constitutional amendments. The governor’s package is composed of three bills: LB1...
Rural communities across Nebraska have struggled with population loss for decades. The last census indicated that of the state’s 93 counties, 69 had lost population between 2010 and 2020. A University of Nebraska at Omaha study in 2015 made a sobering projection that only 12 counties in the state would have more residents in 2050 than in 1990. That continues a slide in rural areas that’s been occurring since the settlement days. Near a family farm we have in northeast Nebraska, you can scan the...
My sincere hope is that I am just one of many people in your life saying this: we need and want you here in Nebraska. Generation Z will have a massive impact in our state, especially in rural Nebraska. You have come of age in a world of constant change and technological advancement, shifting like the braids of the Platte River under a powerful current. Your formative years unfolded amid a pandemic, recessions and political unrest – but also abundance and cooperation. You have, with technology y...
Another trip around the sun. SAM and I have that in common. In 2019, the inaugural issue of the Advocate-Messenger made its debut on my birthday. Now, we're starting our sixth year of publication, a feat that isn't lost on Scott and me. It's been a positive and encouraging journey. Oh sure, there have been days when we wonder what the heck we're doing ... luckily, those days are few and far between. We feel like we're on solid ground and are excited to keep building the quality publication you e...
As you may have read or heard, Governor Pillen announced his intention to call the Legislature back in special session relating to property taxes beginning July 25 until “unfinished business” is resolved. On the last day of session, the Legislature did not take a final vote on the session’s property tax package since that bill’s introducer did not believe they had the votes necessary to overcome a filibuster. Since the Legislature adjourned, senators, including myself, have spent countless hours...
By the time you read this, state senators are expected to be trudging back to Lincoln for a special session on property tax relief. The word "trudging" reflects the general distaste senators have for special sessions, which disrupts the lives of these part-time, underpaid ($12,000 a year plus all you can eat and drink) lawmakers. Generally, special sessions are called to address emergencies, such as a court ruling that renders laws or taxes untenable, or an economic downturn that requires...
It does not matter which side of the political aisle you gravitate toward. Saturday’s assassination attempt of former President Trump should give you pause and make you wonder how this nation has wandered so far apart. In the aftermath, I’ve seen tasteless memes and an abundance of misinformation spread through social channels. I urge you to take a step back, take a deep breath and critically think before clicking the share button or opening mouth (and possibly inserting foot). I’ll offer what...
Dear editor: A Sunday breakfast buffet seems to fit the Lord's Day very well. We go to church first and then have a place of food and fellowship, beore heading home. It gives the cook at home a break and is a good practice in generosity, as we treat others to a good meal and also tip the waitresses for their service. Last Sunday, I was invited to a breakfast buffet at Two Bills in Clearwater, after the 8 a.m. Mass. It was a great experience. There is a complete salad bar and also a plate for...
An expansion of a statewide farm-to-school program that brings Nebraska local food products to classrooms across the state is offering students and teachers an opportunity to learn about and try indigenous foods. The Nebraska Department of Education has offered the Harvest of the Month program for many years that allows teachers to select a crop to focus on during any month. The collection of lessons, activities and recipes has highlighted a number of Nebraska crops, ranging from apples to beef...
Every candidate for governor always promises two things – to cut property taxes, and eliminate the “waste” in state spending. Both of those pledges are awfully easy to make -- and play well on a TV ad -- and much harder to achieve. Current Gov. Jim Pillen is finding that out this year with his property tax reduction ideas. But he’s adopted a different tactic in cutting the fat from state spending by hiring a high-priced consultant to suggest reductions. He enlisted Epiphany Associates, a Utah-ba...
“When there’s a will, there’s a way.” That was a phrase that surfaced regularly at the end of state legislative sessions. It referred to the hope that bills that appeared dead might be resurrected. Somehow, someway – like the zombie in a horror movie that would never die – some of those bills came back to life and were passed. Again, when there’s a will, there’s a way. That was the case at the end of the tumultuous 2023 session of the Nebraska Legislature, when filibusters were a daily routine...
A person may not always verbalize how they feel. Trust me, their actions will always show you the truth. For example, I can tell when Courtney becomes frustrated with me when I voice my opinion and we don’t necessarily see eye to eye. She’s mastered the art of the eye roll, those long, thick lashes fluttering as she defends her way of thinking. Wonder where she learned that behavior? (Looking to my left, checking to my right, searching in the mirror to see if I’m the culprit.) Did I just roll...
Earlier this year, the governor and the Legislature tried and failed to develop a workable plan to reduce Nebraska property taxes through increases in sales taxes. Now, as decision-makers in Lincoln consider coming together in a special session, the options on the table still focus on using sales taxes to pay for cuts in property taxes. Why? Decisions made in the Legislature in 2023 shape what's possible now. In 2023, the Legislature used a historic budget surplus of $1.9 billion to cut income...
If I ask you to define nuance or manifest or antecedent, would you be able to provide an answer? According to a recent study, “nuanced” is the “hardest SAT word.” Shades of gray, I say. Crossword experts at WordDB.com measured “the difficulty of every word listed as an answer option in the reading and writing section of the most-recent SAT practice tests.” The study’s methodology: evaluate the number of times each state searched on Google for the definition of 257 words included in six SAT pr...
Back in the day, a small, "trial balloon" would be sent aloft to discern wind speed and direction before a balloon carrying people was launched. Folks were rightly concerned about rising into the heavens blindly, without knowing if a catastrophic whirlwind was aloft. Right now, we're seeing plenty of trial balloons sent aloft by Gov. Jim Pillen to determine if a plan to dramatically reduce local property taxes might have a shot at success during his special session, scheduled to start July 25....
Conservation Reserve Program contracts in Nebraska are set to expire on more than 150,000 acres before the end of 2026, leaving landowners with the decision of what to do next. One option to consider is a unique program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency-the CRP-Transition Incentives Program. When a CRP contract expires, landowners typically choose to either re-enroll their acres or bring them back into production. The decision may depend on a number of factors, in...
It’s almost “the best weekend in June.” Are we having fun yet? With the exception of contestant pages, the rodeo program has been at the printer for almost two weeks. Hallelujah! There are plenty of noticable changes. At the rodeo grounds, the bull - formerly part of the old steakhouse sign - towers above the entrance, foreshadowing action visitors are about to view. The bull’s devilish facial expression may be a nod to Laredo, the infamous bull that reveled in jumping the fence in the early d...
Hometowns in Greater Nebraska have so much to offer. At Nebraska Community Foundation, we work with over 270 communities and 1,500 volunteers across the state who are utilizing the assets unique to their places to fuel community development that will continue to attract new generations of Nebraskans. Homegrown philanthropy is a major asset in this endeavor. Charitable dollars and endowment payout are being used to fund projects and programs that directly benefit young people and their families...
Over nearly 20 years, I lost track of how many times I was required to drive to Whiteclay to report on a protest about the beer stores there. Those four stores sold up to 3.5 million cans of beer a year and were the liquor stores of choice for the adjacent Pine Ridge Indian Reservation right across the Nebraska-South Dakota border. Alcoholism is a horrible problem on the reservation – which annually ranks as one of the poorest areas in the country – even though alcohol sales and possession are...
Another Father’s Day is nearing an end. How have we spent it? With the exception of a two-hour lunch date, the “Yellowstone” Father’s Day marathon has been playing. And, just like the “Yellowstone” Mother’s Day marathon and the Memorial Day marathon and any other excuse needed to air 72 hours of the popular TV show, John Dutton’s family’s woes have provided background noise. Thank goodness it has a solid soundtrack to sing along with while I work on the paper and fiddle with household chores....
On my recent trip to the beaches of Normandy, I witnessed a striking testimony of patriotism when American veterans of the D-Day invasion made the extraordinary effort to stand resolutely for the presentation of the American flag at a ceremony. Each of these men were around 100 years of age, and for many, standing came with extreme difficulty. Time had taken much of the strength from their legs and backs, but it had not taken the love of their country from their hearts. While our nation’s flag c...
Many have tried, and few have succeeded in expanding the state’s sales tax base by taxing things now exempt from taxation. But that is where Gov. Jim Pillen is venturing in his pursuit of property tax relief. His initial plan, which failed to win approval in the state Legislature this spring, would have imposed new taxes on a host of items that could be labeled “low-hanging fruit.” I mean who’s going to get upset if we start imposing taxes on edibles infused with hemp, those slot machine...
Film producer Rick McCallum said, “It’s easy to be a backseat driver. It’s even easier to be a backseat driver when you’re not even in the same car.” Spoken like a true backseat driver. I never realized how often I make driving suggestions to Scott until Sunday, when he drove to Verdigre. As we near Royal, I politely suggest we should take the road past Grove Lake to avoid road construction on Highway 14. There was construction earlier in the week when the grandkids played baseball in the Kolac...
Have you been to the grocery store or courthouse lately and been approached in the parking lot by not one, but two people seeking signatures on initiative petitions concerning abortion rights? Confused? You’re not alone. For what appears to be the first time in history, Nebraskans are being asked to sign not one, not two, but three petitions seeking to determine if and when a woman can have an abortion. And, according to Secretary of State Bob Evnen, if more than one petition makes the ballot, t...