Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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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...
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...
With the holidays now fast approaching, final preparations are being made ahead of next year’s regular legislative session. Pursuant to the Nebraska Constitution, the Legislature will convene its shortened 60-day legislative session at 10 a.m., on Wednesday, Jan. 7. In the latest memo provided by Speaker of the Legislature John Arch to senators and staff, public hearings on bills and resolutions will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 20 and continue through the month of February. Full-day floor debate w...
I think my days of being super woman may be drawing near. After having knee replacement surgery on Dec. 4, and returning home on Dec. 6, I had a couple days to put this week's edition together. I'm not going to lie: it was a struggle. And here I thought I was invincible, could tackle any obstacle thrown in my path. I probably still can ... just at a slower pace. Working from a recliner is not like working at a desk. And, trying to stay awake between scheduled medicine intervals was tricky, but I...
Oh, the weather outside is … too damn cold. I don’t know how you cold-weather fans do it. Sixty degrees year-round? Fine by me. Sunny and seventy-five? Perfection. Ninety with clear, cerulean skies? I’d thrive. But this? As I get older — and as arthritis settles into places it has no business being — this is for the birds. You know it’s cold when I bail on a Husker football game early. In the past 20 years, I’ve left exactly one before the final seconds ticked away — a USC game during the Bill...
As a Nebraskan, I’m confident in saying that we here like a good origin story. Perhaps it’s because we put considerable stock in the idea that where we’re from often guides where we’re going. Or perhaps it’s because we understand how the past connects to the present. Who knows? Maybe we’re just nosy about where our neighbors come from. Whatever the reason, I hope Nebraskans watched “The American Revolution,” the new film from Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt. The 12-hour series,...
I like to drive, and Nebraska gives you plenty of opportunities. The state's best road trip might be up the old Oregon Trail, past Chimney Rock to Scotts Bluff. Scenic. Historic. In the fall, you can't beat wandering the hills around Indian Cave State Park. Driving along Highway 12 from Ponca to Niobrara is a close second. Colors galore. The Sand Hills are beautiful in spring, with wildflowers blooming. And you can't beat driving through the Pine Ridge after a fresh snow – as long as it's not bl...
Just disappointing. It’s really the only way to describe Friday’s game, or the past two games, or really the entire season. Sure, at times we were excited and hopeful of the direction throughout the season. Towards the beginning it certainly seemed like a reality that progress was being made. That this team could live up to the “Rhule Year 3” benchmark. But after the last two games against Penn State and Iowa, two blowout losses, you could say the season fizzled out. At least Emmett Johnson is exciting to watch. This is a troubling trend under...
T-minus eight days and counting. By the time you read this, my surgery date will be closing in. A little more than two and one-half years ago, I replaced my right hip. The procedure went smoothly, recovery went smoothly and, by July, walking felt natural again instead of looking like I was auditioning for a hobbling contest. Within months, though, my knee — the joint I originally suspected was the troublemaker — flared up. Swelling. Lost motion. Grinding pain. Eventually, I couldn’t straighten my leg when I went to bed. After pushing throu...
This holiday season, will you shop at one of the 33.2 million small businesses that make up 99% of all businesses in the U.S? Up and down rural main streets in rural America, shopkeepers are readying their stores for the season. Business owners are stocking special gifts and rolls of wrapping paper to provide added value when you spend your money with a local retailer. Independently-owned businesses are what keep our rural communities thriving. They rely on our patronage during the crucial holid...
In 1621, the early settlers of the Plymouth Colony and the Wampanoag Tribe met to celebrate the blessing they received from the previous year: a successful harvest. This gathering is considered the origin of our country’s modern Thanksgiving tradition. Thanksgiving initially continued largely as a regional observance in colonial New England. In these early years, the meaning of Thanksgiving varied by location. In some areas, Thanksgiving was a celebration of the autumn harvest. In other a...
There's an old saying about government – "it's not that 'what is said isn't so,' it's what is so isn't said." So that means that someone – maybe a state auditor, maybe a whistleblower, but often a news reporter – needs to dig in and find out what is really happening with our tax dollars and state policies. That's why it was so disgusting to read recently about our "Secretary of War's" crackdown on access by reporters to the Pentagon. Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News weekend host, is the U.S....
I remember a little over two years ago, on a Thursday night, Nebraska traveled to play Minnesota for the first game of the Matt Rhule era. The previous year, the defense was poor. It marginally improved when interim coach Mickey Joseph moved Bill Busch into the defensive coordinator position for the remainder of the 2022 season. However, to start 2023, the Blackshirts held Minnesota to 55 yards rushing in a 10-13 loss. We didn’t know what to expect in Rhule’s first game, but we almost instantly saw a renewed physicality and toughness to the... Full story
If you’ve read this column in the past, you know I have a love-hate relationship with social media, especially Meta-owned products. The company’s lack of responsible fact checking alone is enough to make me cringe every time I scroll. The fact that the company fails to review advertising shouldn’t come as a surprise. Yet, when I read a recent report from Reuters, I was shocked by the company’s willful disregard for consumers, especially when it comes to those advertisements you find popping...
Due to rising energy demand, the development of wind energy generation continues to present opportunities for rural counties and landowners alike. A key to taking advantage of these opportunities begins with open communication and collaboration between wind energy developers and local communities. A notable example of this can be found in Howard County, Iowa, where wind turbines have provided consistent economic value for farmers and the county, as detailed in a recent case study by the Center...
On Wednesday, November 12, the Nebraska Examiner reported that the Executive Board of the Legislature is considering new security upgrades in the Nebraska State Capitol building. This announcement comes in light of recent acts of political violence across the country and a growing recognition by state and national lawmakers to reconsider existing security measures. Currently, the Capitol Security Division of the Nebraska State Patrol is charged with the safety and security of the Nebraska State...
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...
It’s starting to feel like each and every week is a barometer on the progress of the program. A type of must-win feeling lingers with each game. Win, and progress is shown as expected. Lose, and questions brew. This could not be more true than the upcoming road game against Penn State. The 4-6 Nittany Lions are currently favored by around 10 points. Even with Nebraska having the better record, you could argue the record of each team makes this tougher on Nebraska. At 7-3, Nebraska has already clinched a bowl game, but is also out of the p...
“Thanksgiving: When the people who are the most thankful are the ones who didn’t have to cook.” Author Melanie White nailed it with that line. By the end of most family gatherings, I’ve not only cooked and baked a majority of the dishes, but I’ve also drawn clean-up duty. No rest for the wicked, er, cook. Thankfully, Courtney has stepped up in recent years, and we now split the food prep. I don’t like turkey, so I leave that to Scott. He mans the deep fryer and somehow times it perfectly f...
According to U.S. government data and recent policy studies, nearly 25% of America's veterans live either below the federal poverty level or paycheck to paycheck, with little margin for unexpected expenses. To get by, many adopt emergency-level budgets. But even the harshest austerity measures may not be enough. Life at the bottom still costs money. Mortgages and rent must be paid. Vehicles are needed to reach work or medical appointments. So, what can be cut? Too often, it's food-eating less...
There's a game of musical chairs going on at the State Capitol, and who gets a chair is in question. Last week, former State Sen. Tom Briese of Albion announced his resignation as State Treasurer. It's not often that someone gives up such a politically safe constitutional office to go back to the farm; usually, it's to take a better job. I think back to 2001 when then-State Treasurer Dave Heineman gave up that job to be appointed lieutenant governor under then Gov. Mike Johanns after Johann's...
On Oct. 31, the Agriculture Committee held its second and final interim public hearing for the year. This hearing was held for four interim study resolutions: LR153, LR168, LR257, and LR258. Additionally, the committee received a public briefing by Eugene Kowel, Special Agent in Charge, Omaha Field Office of the FBI, regarding threats to the agriculture sector by domestic and foreign actors from the FBI perspective. LR153 was introduced by Sen. Storer for the purpose of gathering information...
When it rains, it pours. Right now, I would settle for a few sprinkles. The engine in my Kia is kaput. At least that’s what a highly-qualified mechanic told me. It does have approximately 200,000 miles. (The first Kia we owned racked up almost 375,000 before the transmission caused trouble. Scott hopes it’s just a sensor, the one the dealership’s mechanic said “could” mean the sensor needs replaced or could mean the timing chain and engine are failing. Looks like the second option is closer to...
In recent years, the U.S. has shifted to using a wider mix of energy sources located across the country. These resources help make our electric grid stronger, keep power flowing during disruptions, and create new jobs and business opportunities. However, a sharp increase in energy demand is on the horizon. According to the Brattle Group, it is estimated that by 2035, the amount of electricity Americans use each year will increase by about 53% compared to 2024, while the highest levels of...
Nebraska is cattle country. We used to be known as "The Beef State" – a nickname I always liked. But recently, cattle producers have raised a beef with the president over his ideas to reduce the cost of beef at the grocery store. Every media has covered the cattle kerfuffle: President Trump proposed to quadruple beef imports from Argentina, so that record-high prices in our country might come down. (He also sent a $40 billion bailout to the struggling South American country – a country that is...
