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Family-run locker plant in Holstein and 75 others share in grants to expand meat processing
LINCOLN — It was hard for Mark Gentert to admit, but the COVID-19 pandemic was probably good, in a “twisted way,” for sales at his small-town meat locker outside of Hastings. “The grocery stores were running out of meat,” Gentert said. “It started bringing people out of the cities and out in the country.” “It […]
Broadcasters mount last-minute blitz to delete tax on ‘digital ads’ from Pillen plan
LINCOLN — Nebraska’s broadcasters are mounting an 11th-hour advertising blitz in hopes of overturning a proposed new tax on “digital ads” by Gov. Jim Pillen to finance his property tax relief plan. The ads, which started running over the weekend on Nebraska radio and television stations, say the 7.5% excise tax on ads that run […]
Nebraska motorists continue to set records for lead-footed driving
LINCOLN — Nebraska motorists are setting records for lead-footed driving. In the first 100 days of 2024, the Nebraska State Patrol wrote more tickets for speeding at over 90 mph and speeding at over 100 mph than in any similar period in the past decade. The superintendent of the Patrol, Col. John Bolduc, said such […]
History Nebraska takes initial steps toward transition to ‘code’ agency
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include comments from national officials. LINCOLN — The Board of Trustees of History Nebraska took initial steps Friday to make the transition from an independent entity to a “code” agency under the control of the governor. The board, meeting in Kearney, decided to begin reaching out to […]
Mayor of Bellevue fined $5,000 over conflict of interest complaint; state senator’s committee sanctioned
LINCOLN — Bellevue Mayor Rusty Hike has agreed to pay a $5,000 fine for a conflict of interest concerning a vote he took that involved a property he had once partly owned. The penalty was announced Friday by the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission, which had fielded a complaint about a vote Hike made at […]
Tributes paid to 15 departing state senators as session nears end, 13 leaving due to term limits
LINCOLN — An often funny and sometimes teary tradition in the Nebraska Legislature is paying tribute, in floor speeches, to departing state senators near the end of the two-year session. On Thursday, lawmakers gave short testimonials to their 15 colleagues who are serving their final regular session in the one-house Legislature. Thirteen are departing due […]
Bazis sworn in as newest judge on U.S. District Court bench in Nebraska
LINCOLN — Susan Bazis was sworn in Wednesday as the newest member of the U.S. District Court bench in Nebraska. Bazis has served as a U.S. magistrate judge since 2017 prior to her appointment by President Joe Biden to replace U.S. District Court Judge John Gerrard, who transitioned to senior status last year. Before joining […]
Newest version of ‘opportunity scholarship’ program sent to final-round consideration
LINCOLN — One day after overcoming a filibuster, a bill to sidestep a referendum on the state’s Opportunity Scholarship Act overcame another filibuster Wednesday night to advance to final-round consideration. Legislative Bill 1402 advanced from second-round debate on a 30-15 vote, one “yes” vote less than Tuesday’s vote to advance the bill, 31-12, from initial […]
Nebraska property tax relief plan is pared back more, advances to final reading
LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers further slimmed down a property tax relief plan sought by Gov. Jim Pillen before advancing it to final reading Wednesday evening. The 28-14 passage of Legislative Bill 388 came after a long debate over the idea of raising some taxes to reduce others, namely property taxes, and whether a portion of the bill […]
State lawmakers advance fixes on Good Life District bill ‘before things spin out of control’
LINCOLN — State lawmakers amended and then advanced a cleanup Wednesday of last year’s “Good Life” District incentive bill, which was designed to give millions of dollars in state incentives for one-of-a-kind developments. Some of the amendments were crafted in the Capitol Rotunda, as debate on Legislative Bill 1317 was underway, underscoring the last-minute scramble […]
New bill on ‘opportunity scholarships’ passes first-round debate
LINCOLN — After an emotional, four-hour debate that extended into Tuesday night, Nebraska lawmakers gave initial approval to a new plan to deliver state-funded scholarships to attend private schools. The vote was 31-12 to advance Legislative Bill 1402 from first-round debate, which came after the bare minimum, 33 senators, voted to halt a filibuster against […]
Gov. Pillen opts for slimmed-down property tax relief bill. Special session prospects rise.
LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen is seeking to win a battle now on reducing property taxes in hopes of perhaps a bigger victory later in the long-running war against high property taxes in Nebraska. Late Tuesday night, a new, 63-page amendment was filed on the governor’s property tax reduction plan that ditches his initial idea […]