Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Gov. Jim Pillen has always insisted that he’s “not a politician,” but more of a regular guy. “Speech-i-fying” isn’t his cup of rhetorical tea. I’m sure he’d admit that. But every so often, we get evidence of, shall we say, a misstep of the vocal variety. Most recently, it was when he was signing an executive order intended to “further eradicate” antisemitism, a worthy goal. Pillen had already ordered state agencies to use a definition of antisemitism developed by an organization, the I...
Voter turnout in last Tuesday's primary election exceeded the statewide average of 27%, according to data from the Nebraska Secretary of State's office. In Antelope County, 1,808 of the county's 4,329 registered voters - or 42% - visited the polls. Approximately 35% of Holt County voters cast ballots. Polling data shows that 285 registered Republicans requested early voting ballots in Holt County, while 45 Democratic voters made the same request. That trend continued in Antelope County, as 92 re...
Rumors are as common around the State Capitol as brome grass in a roadside ditch. It's not called "The Hall of Hot Winds" for nothing, And that rumor mill gets cranked up big time during election season, when there's speculation aplenty about who is running and who is not, and who can win and who cannot. By the time you've read this, you've probably already voted in the May 12 primary. The rumor mill had Falls City businessman Charles Herbster as a likely primary challenger to incumbent Jim...
Governor Jim Pillen announced his appointment of Danielle J. Fliam as county court judge in the Seventh Judicial District. That district includes Antelope, Cuming, Madison, Knox, Pierce, Stanton, and Wayne counties. Fliam's appointment is effective May 15. Currently, Fliam is an assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Nebraska in Lincoln, where she handles the prosecution of federal crimes including sex and human trafficking, weapons and narcotic violations, child exploitation and other...
Almost every time I head over to the local work-out joint, there's some petition circulators waiting. They scurry up and ask for my signature on a proposed ballot initiative that would make it harder for state legislators to change laws that voters have passed at the ballot box. Nebraska is one of only 26 states that allow voters – if they collect enough signatures to put something on the ballot – to directly pass laws and constitutional amendments, or to repeal such measures via a ref...
A new Flatwater analysis shows the state has fallen behind its neighbors. Business leaders are diagnosing why - and hoping new efforts will reverse the troubling trend. Not long ago, Nebraska's growth was quite literally a national cover story. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts soared through the air wearing skis and goggles on the Olympic-themed March 2018 cover of Site Selection, an economic development industry magazine. The cartoon image illustrated Nebraska's high-flying, three-year run as...
Spring is planting time in Nebraska. But the looming primary election on May 12 for U.S. Senate is also, allegedly, quite a planting session, generating competing claims that candidates are "plants" to help or hurt the two leading candidates. We're referring to the race between U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts and Dan Osborn. Osborn, an independent, is a labor leader and mechanic who ran a surprisingly close race with U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, a Republican, in 2024. Ricketts, a Republican, served two terms...
On a cool Monday morning, the kind that carries the quiet promise of spring on the Nebraska plains, pride filled the streets of Clearwater. "Holy cow, it's just so fun to be with you here in Clearwater," Gov. Jim Pillen said, smiling as he addressed a crowd gathered to celebrate something bigger than an award, a way of life. That way of life earned the village of 380 people the state's 2026 Governor's Showcase Community Award, an honor given annually to one Nebraska town that exemplifies...
ServeNebraska is now accepting nominations for the 12th annual Step Forward Awards, the state’s highest honor recognizing volunteer service. These awards celebrate individuals and groups who strengthen Nebraska communities through service. Award recipients will be selected by the Governor and honored at the 2026 Step Forward Awards Luncheon in October. Nominations are open statewide to individuals and groups, including those affiliated with businesses, civic organizations, schools, and nonprofits. The deadline to submit nominations is June 1...
The Judicial Nominating Commission for County Court Judge in the Seventh Judicial District advanced five names for consideration by Gov, Jim Pillen: Benjamin D. Borgmann, Beemer; Bradley A. Ewalt, Stanton; Danielle J. Fliam, Lincoln; Chelsey R. Hartner, Madison; and Ted M. Lohrberg, Pierce. The Seventh Judicial District consists of Antelope, Cuming, Knox, Madison, Pierce, Stanton, and Wayne counties. The vacancy is due to the retirement of Judge Donna Farrell Taylor....
The text popped up on my phone on a Saturday morning. The message warned about unresolved traffic violations in my name and threatened a barrage of legal penalties and fines if I didn't reply within a specified time frame. Luckily, I didn't click on the link provided in the text. Unfortunately, it is likely that more than 1,000 individuals will click and make a payment. Scams like these generally originate from outside Nebraska, utilizing spoofed numbers, making it difficult to track down those...
Governor Jim Pillen has issued a statewide burn ban, to help reduce the potential for additional wildfires in Nebraska. Dry and windy conditions have caused the spread of significant fires in the central and western parts of the state. On Friday, March 13, Pillen issued an emergency proclamation activating the deployment of state resources to help combat fires, including the use of aircraft and personnel from the Nebraska National Guard. The governor's executive order prohibiting burning will...
In communities across Nebraska, thousands of families share a common concern: How can a loved one with a disability build financial savings without risking important benefits? For years, the answer was complicated and discouraging. Today, it doesn't have to be. March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in Nebraska, as proclaimed by Gov. Jim Pillen. My office is using this occasion to help more families learn about the Enable Savings Plan, a powerful tool that helps individuals with...
On March 4, Gov. Jim Pillen signed LB653 into law to improve classroom environments. The new law will provide school districts the flexibility to work with students and their families to address disruptive behaviors, ensuring that classrooms are a place for learning. “We’re investing in Nebraska’s kids while ensuring classrooms are safe and great learning environments,” said Pillen. “I signed LB653 into law and I’m grateful for the legislature’s work – especially Sen. Murman for carrying this legislation on my behalf – to get this to my desk t...
Mentoring programs are a great thing. They help kids – mostly kids in single-parent families – gain confidence, and learn leadership and life skills from adults. I've seen first-hand how beneficial they are, first as a "big brother" in the Big Brothers-Big Sisters program, and then as a participant in the TeamMates Mentoring program. My "little brother" was the first in his family to graduate from high school (imagine that!) and my TeamMate graduated from high school despite problems with att...
State officials said Nebraska-specific plans to mark the nation's semiquincentennial will highlight history and contributions from many, including Indigenous people. The Spanish soldiers did not stand a chance. As they hastily broke camp to continue their southward retreat, arrows began raining down from the sky. When it was done, 45 Spaniards and allied Native Americans lay dead in the grass near present-day Columbus. The slaughter, carried out by Pawnee and Otoe warriors, became known as the...
Valmont represents a home-grown Nebraska success story, the 80-year-old company that pioneered the center pivot that helps corn grow in the Cornhusker State. The Fortune 1000 company still operates facilities in its Valley birthplace as well as in Columbus, West Point, Grand Island and McCook. It oversees global operations spanning five continents from a gleaming $50 million headquarters in west Omaha. But under a new law Gov. Jim Pillen pushed to passage last year, that stalwart Nebraska...
Tom Osborne for the Nebraska Hall of Fame? Sign me up. But maybe it's worth spending a bit of time considering the rules for induction into the state's most prestigious honor. They aren't very good. First off, a person must have been dead for 35 years before they can be considered. That always made me wonder, will people remember how big a deal night-show host Johnny Carson, of Norfolk, was? He was the undisputed "King of Late Night" who regularly reminded us that he was from Nebraska. Heck,...
County Court Judge Donna F. Taylor of the 7th Judicial District has announced her retirement, effective Feb. 11. Judge Taylor served the 7th District, comprised of Antelope, Cuming, Madison, Knox, Pierce, Stanton, and Wayne counties, since her appointment in 2001. In her announcement letter to the governor, Judge Taylor commended "the professional and loyal service of our Clerk Magistrates and court staff, both past and present," as well as noting "the professionalism and expertise of our...
It's one thing to try and cut out shenanigans in state government and another if you're part of it. Gov. Jim Pillen's recent "State of the State" address laid out plenty of goals to cut out funny business in state government, from ending frivolous lawsuits to reversing tax breaks for special interests. But not mentioned was a sizable, no-bid contract the governor approved in 2024 for a lobbyist he was well acquainted with, via overseas trade missions and events in Nebraska. State Auditor Mike...
The Nebraska State Education Association strongly opposes Gov. Jim Pillen’s plan to include $7 million for a private school voucher program within the Nebraska Department of Labor’s budget. At a time when Nebraska’s budget is under intense scrutiny and lawmakers are weighing cuts to essential services, this proposal raises serious concerns about misplaced priorities and a lack of respect for voters’ clear rejection of voucher schemes. “Despite sending a very clear message at the ballot box in the last election, the governor has decided y...
SILICON PRAIRIE NEWS Stone Pillar International is a software and intelligence company that uses drone-acquired data for actionable decision making. The company's official launch comes as Nebraskans face the threat of invasive eastern redcedar and the opportunities of new drone rules and advancements. Nebraska is on the front lines of both tech innovation and woody encroachment. As pilots and entrepreneurs look to the skies with new uses of drone technology, researchers and ranchers are looking...
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said Monday that Nebraska secured the eighth-highest funding total in first-year rural health care improvement plan dollars from Congress’ tax and spending law President Donald Trump calls “big and beautiful.” In Nebraska, the Pillen administration said in a statement it is aiming the funds announced by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at a sustainable model for rural care that embraces chronic disease prevention and applied technology. “The partnerships we have built throughout President Trump’s...
Antelope County will be searching for a new public defender after Monday's announcement that current man in the position, Patrick P. Carney, will advance to the county judgeship. Governor Jim Pillen announced his appointment of Carney on Monday. He will serve the Seventh Judicial District, which consists of Antelope, Cuming, Madison, Knox, Madison, Pierce, Stanton, and Wayne counties. Carney founded Carney Law PC LLO in Norfolk where he handles a variety of legal issues including criminal...
Every day, Laura Gamble sees the importance of Pender Community Hospital in the lives of her neighbors. The woman who drove an hour to deliver her first baby. The man in a mental health crisis. They rely on her northeast Nebraska hospital. "It's like an oasis on the hill," said Gamble, who grew up in the area and practiced as a nurse before becoming the hospital's CEO. The hospital is one of the largest employers in the 1,115-person town of Pender, Gamble said. It delivers more than 120 babies...
