Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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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...
As planting season winds down, farmers impacted by adverse weather events this spring may find themselves concerned about future crop yields. According to the National Weather Service, May 2024 had the most severe weather in more than a decade, with thousands of thunderstorms and hundreds of tornados reported across the country. Because newly planted seeds are vulnerable until the plant has emerged and is well established, operations hit by severe weather could incur a significant loss of...
Challenge your limits. I’ve been flirting with the idea of trying a no-buy challenge. Unfamiliar with a the concept? It’s pretty basic. Make a list of non-essential items you won’t buy for a set period of time. Then, stick to the plan. Sounds easy, right? I’m not so sure. A year seems impossible, heck, a month may be, too. Maybe I should try a week and see how it plays out. The first step: owning up to my weaknesses. Check that off the list. Do I need to visit the convenience store for a glass...
Let's face it, Nebraska has high property taxes, the seventh highest in the country according to the Tax Foundation, which tracks such things. "Lots of land, not a lot of people," has always been the catchphrase, which translates into a higher burden of property taxes. But I almost fell out of my chair when Gov. Jim Pillen proposed, initially, to raise the state's sales taxes by two cents to achieve property tax relief. Never did I imagine that a conservative Republican governor would propose a...
In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled President Biden did not have the constitutional authority to mass transfer up to $400 billion in student loan debt from borrowers to American taxpayers. Rather than properly acknowledge the ruling of the court, earlier this year, the president unveiled a new student loan forgiveness plan, again handing the bill to hardworking Americans. Biden’s new plan already faces similar legal challenges on which the Supreme Court will likely again weigh in. Many Ne...
