Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 488
Dr. L. Dale Van Vleck died Dec. 23, 2025, after a brief illness. Dale was born on June 11, 1933. He grew up near Clearwater on his family farm. Dale earned his bachelor’s (1954) and master’s (1955) degrees from the University of Nebraska prior to serving in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps. He then continued his education at Cornell University, where he earned his Ph.D. in 1960, working with Dr. Charles Henderson. Continuing his career at Cornell, he served as a research geneticist prior to a tenure-track position in which he was promoted thr...
Three thoughts ... Among the tasks waiting for the Nebraska Legislature when it reassembles after the first of the year will be a budget shortfall, the perennial pitch for lower property taxes and a roster of issues from education to fulfilling the wishes of the electorate ... finally. State senators also will be dealing with a couple personnel issues during the 60-day session, a pair of stinkers that have already occupied a considerable amount of time not simply for lawmakers but for the...
When Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services announced its plan to divvy up millions in opioid settlement money, one recipient stood out: The Central Wyoming Counseling Center. The Wyoming nonprofit is the only out-of-state organization slated to receive some of Nebraska's Opioid Treatment Infrastructure Cash Fund, receiving $3.4 million to build a crisis stabilization center in Kimball County, which borders Wyoming. The Central Wyoming Counseling Center's former acting CEO: Steve...
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...
The Nebraska Broadcasters Association Foundation has awarded $17,000 in scholarships to four students who are currently attending Nebraska universities with aspirations to work in broadcasting upon their graduation. Barrett Stearns of Ewing, a sophomore at Wayne State College and Summerland Public School graduate, is among the recipients this year of the NBAF scholarship for the 2025-2026 academic year. Stearns is pursuing a dual major in sports media and mass communication. He is the son of...
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln conferred 1,197 degrees during commencement exercises Dec. 19 and 20 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The degrees were earned by 1,175 graduates from 44 countries, 39 U.S. states and 140-plus Nebraska communities. Chancellor Rodney D. Bennett presided over the ceremonies. Area students receiving degrees included: Cassidy Bearinger, College of Business, Bachelor of Science degree in business administration; Morgan Erhardt, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural R...
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...
Anglers who have received a mailed survey about Nebraska fishing - or the text or email version - are encouraged to complete it. Their responses will help shape the decisions Nebraska Game and Parks makes about fisheries management. Nebraska's fisheries are constantly changing, as are its anglers. Game and Parks periodically surveys anglers to learn how their activities, opinions and desires change over time. The information is used to adjust the agency's approaches to managing the state's...
So much for cutting federal spending. Just recently, President Trump announced a new $12 billion payout to American farmers. It's not a reward for great work – farmers produced another record crop this year. No, it's a bailout for a failed tariff war with China, that largest customer for our agricultural crops. President Trump loves tariffs, no doubt about that, despite the fact that when you place an additional tax on foreign goods, it gets passed on eventually to us at the cash register. B...
Around this time of year, senators are often asked this question: “What legislation are you bringing next year?” This week, I would like to provide a brief preview of three legislative proposals that I am considering for the next session. Please be aware that any proposal discussed here is subject to change and may or may not be ultimately introduced at my discretion. Earlier this year, an individual reached out to me who qualified for the disabled veteran homestead exemption but was unable to submit the necessary documents prior to the Jun...
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...
Once again, Nebraskans are proving that small states can lead in big ways. The University of Nebraska earned a second-place finish in the 2025 Abbott and Big Ten "We Give Blood" competition, a nationwide effort to boost blood donations and build a pipeline of lifelong donors across college campuses. This was the second year of the competition run by global healthcare company Abbott and the Big Ten Conference. Nebraska won the inaugural competition in 2024. Blood donations remain urgently needed...
If you're like me, you probably have tuned in the latest, excellent documentary by Ken Burns, "The American Revolution." If there was only one reason to donate to public television, it would be to help Burns produce more historical documentaries like "The American Revolution," and those on the Civil War, baseball and country music. There is nothing more interesting on TV, if you ask me. Personally, on PBS, I'm also a big fan of "Frontline" and the excellent reporting it provides. Plus, I'm a...
Gov. Jim Pillen and the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance gave final approval Nov. 12 to the final charter for the launch of Telcoin Digital Asset Bank in Norfolk. As a result, Telcoin will manage the first regulated digital asset depository in the United States, with leadership expecting operations to begin in December. State experts said the burgeoning market of digital assets means more economic opportunities for entrepreneurs and developers of fintech and crypto in Nebraska. It...
As I sit down to write this column, my tomatoes have finally met with a hard freeze and the cannas we plant in the local park are giving up their red-topped glory. It was one, long fall in my section of southeast Nebraska, with lots of warm days and only recently, a couple of cold snaps. After a killing frost finally arrived here, temperatures in mid-November again rebounded into the 60s and lower 70s. It all makes you wonder: what is going on? The recent update of the State Climate Assessment g...
Jan Janisch-Hanzlik was out of options. In decline from progressive multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease that damages the nerves, the nurse from Blair had gone from being a runner to now slowly walking with the aid of a cane. By this point, "I was very limited," with no drug or treatment that could slow her body's deterioration, Janisch-Hanzlik said. "You just continuously decline. You don't necessarily have any relapsing or any better periods." But in November 2024, when meeting with her d...
On Monday, Gov. Jim Pillen announced his appointment of Joey Spellerberg to the position of state treasurer. Spellerberg fills a vacancy due to the departure of Tom Briese, who is resigning to spend more time with his family. "In terms of having someone ready to jump into the role of state treasurer, I could not be more pleased in announcing my appointment of Joey Spellerberg," said Pillen. "He expressed interest in the role two years ago. He has strong credentials as a fiscal conservative,...
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln will accept applications for the Nebraska Elite 11 veterinarian program. Applications are due by Feb. 2. Applicants must be Nebraska residents who have been admitted to UNL’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, with plans to major in animal science or veterinary science. The Elite 11 program offers financial assistant and hands-on experiences. Selected students must be incoming freshmen and residents of Nebraska, and show a strong commitment to the well-being of production animals and a...
In 2000, state funding made up a third of the University of Nebraska's operating budget. Today, it has shrunk to 19%. Earlier this year, less-than-requested state funding led the NU Board of Regents to adopt $20 million in cuts across the university's five campuses. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln faces another $27.5 million in cuts to pull itself out of a yearslong structural deficit. NU Regents also approved an average 5% tuition increase on campuses to try to make up for the rising costs...
The Board of Directors of Cornerstone Bank announced the appointments of the following officers in Clearwater and Orchard, at their recent meeting: Dalton Rotherham was named loan officer in Clearwater. Rotherham started at Cornerstone Bank in June 2023 as a personal banker; and he just recently completed the bank's financial services trainee program. Rotherham graduated from Northeast Community College with an Associates of Applied Science Degree in business, and he is currently continuing his...
This past week, the Agriculture Committee held a public hearing for LR280 introduced by the Agriculture Committee. The hearing was held at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. LR280 was introduced to examine a number of questions surrounding the Brand Law, including issues surrounding the continued value and utility of mandatory brand inspection. In recent years, the Legislature has considered legislation that would fundamentally change how brand inspection is implemented, including...
One morning after a night of one too many drinks, I gave in and passed my then 2-year-old daughter my phone to watch cartoons while I slept it off. When I woke up, Peppa Pig was nowhere to be found, but my kid had somehow managed to purchase a vintage Nebraska Territory map online. Well played, eBay one-click Buy It Now. The previous night, I had rabbit-holed into the world of Nebraska yesteryear - and I don't mean the Tom Osborne era. I was marveling at how big Nebraska used to be. Established...
Julie Montpetit didn't see it coming. Not her newfound passion for criminal justice reform, and certainly not her current predicament: blocked from talking to the man she loves, a man locked in prison thousands of miles away. Her husband, Nicholas Ely, is suing several employees in the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, alleging that the department cut off their means of contact after Montpetit launched a podcast that aims to destigmatize relationships like theirs. She interviewed...
Alarm bells are sounding over the lack of robust job growth in the state's two largest cities. A recent study commissioned by the Omaha-based Aksarben Foundation indicated that job growth in Omaha and Lincoln lagged behind its peer cities, such as Sioux Falls, Des Moines and Oklahoma City. An analysis by old buddy Henry Cordes in the Omaha World-Herald found that the number of jobs in Nebraska's top cities grew by 0.3% and 0.4%, respectively, from 2020-24. That's quite a bit less than the 1.8%...
This past week, the Natural Resources Committee held an interim hearing to review current laws that relate to the approval process, personnel involved, and costs associated with controlled burn permits. Controlled burns are planned fires intentionally set to manage ecosystems or prevent future larger, uncontrolled wildfires. These planned burns help reduce hazardous fuels like dead vegetation, promote the growth of native species, and help control problematic species like the eastern redcedar tr...
