Nebraska / Public News Service

There are five types of childcare facilities licensed in Nebraska, although people can care for up to three children in a home setting without being licensed by DHHS. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, November 28, 2022

$66 Million Grant Aims to Reward Nebraska Childcare Workers

As a way to reward those who have stayed in the child care field, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is offering $66 million in …

Wild turkeys are among the many Nebraska species that would benefit from Recovering America's Wildlife Act funds. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife Groups Await Senate Action on Conservation Bill

Nebraska naturalists and hunters are accustomed to seeing an abundance of wild turkeys, but it has not always been the case. Conservation programs …

Makerspaces allow Native American youths, communities and teachers to engage with culturally connected making activities using high- and low-tech materials, leveraging existing indigenous technologies and craft practices. (Adobe Stock)

Native American Makerspace Coming Soon to Macy and Santee

The Center for Rural Affairs is launching collaborative work spaces on Nebraska Indian Community College campuses in Macy and Santee for making…

In January 2023, Nebraska will join a number of other states on a path to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. (Adobe Stock)

Backers of NE Minimum-Wage Hike Address Concerns of 'No' Voters

On Nebraska's ballot initiative to increase the state's minimum wage by $1.50 per year between 2023 and 2026, 60% of Nebraska midterm voters said …

Western Nebraska is home to food deserts, where there is no easy way to get good, healthy food regularly, which disproportionately impact seniors in rural areas. (Adobe Stock)

Reimagining Ways to Get Struggling Nebraska Families Back on Track

With a new legislative session on the horizon and new legislators after the November elections, the Coalition for a Strong Nebraska is bringing …

The 11% decline in the number of homeless veterans from 2020 to 2022 is the biggest in more than five years. (Adobe Stock)

NE Follows National Trend of Reducing Homelessness Among Veterans

The number of veterans experiencing homelessness nationwide has decreased 11% since 2020, and a similar improvement has been observed in Nebraska…

When a carbon dioxide pipe exploded in Satartia, Miss., in 2020, the Huffington Post reported,

NE Groups Take on a New Kind of Pipeline Fight

A Nebraska group that led the fight against the Keystone X-L Pipeline has turned its attention to a different environmental cause. Bold Alliance…

A poll conducted in March found that 55% of Nebraskans oppose banning abortions, compared with 40% who support a ban. (Adobe Stock)

Five of Six Nebraska Municipalities Vote in Favor of Banning Abortion

Voters in five Nebraska towns approved local ordinances banning abortion care in this week's midterm elections, but reproductive health care …

Nebraska is home to many industrial-scale operations, where livestock live in densely populated, confined quarters. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Nebraskans Urge Better State Management of Factory Farm Animal Waste

Clean-water advocates are urging the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy to do more to protect drinking water and soil quality impacted by i…

Business owners who favor raising the minimum wage argue it will pay off in lower employee turnover, lower hiring and training costs, increased productivity, and better customer service. (Adobe Stock)

Small Businesses Back Minimum-Wage Initiative on Ballot

Nearly 300 Nebraska business owners and executives across the state have gone on record in support of ballot Initiative 433, which would gradually …

Medicare provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act are projected to reduce the federal deficit by $237 billion. (Adobe Stock)

Biden’s Medicare Move Projected to Lower Drug Prices, Federal Deficit

Over the next 10 years, some 64 million people on Medicare, and American taxpayers, will save $100 billion, thanks to provisions in President Joe …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers training for military veterans, and has grant programs available to help purchase and develop land and facilities, as well as equipment and supplies.<br />(Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Military Veterans Wanted for Service in Ag Industry

This winter, military veterans will have an opportunity to translate hard-won skills on the battlefield into Nebraska's fields and pastures through …

If voters approve Initiative Measure 433, once the wage reaches $15 an hour it will be adjusted every year to account for any increases in the cost of living. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Voters to Decide Wage Floor for Workers

Ballots for the November election are headed to mailboxes across the state, and Nebraska voters will get to decide if the state's minimum wage should …

Union representatives claim Amazon, as the general contractor and owner of a distribution site under construction, is responsible for all the work on their job site, and paying workers for installing conveyor systems. (Adobe Stock)

Amazon Workers in Nebraska Still Unpaid

Some 140 workers at an Amazon distribution center in Papillion have still not been paid for two weeks of work done in August. Dan Riskowski…

Children of color are more likely than white kids to experience the death of a parent, as are children living in rural areas. (Adobe Stock)

Conference on Grieving in Lincoln to Focus on Supporting Kids

Nebraska is one of six states participating in "No Child Grieves Alone," a series of regional conferences aiming to help communities recover after the…

None of Nebraska's five members of Congress earned a perfect or even near-perfect score on this year's Democracy Scorecard. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Congressional Delegation Scores Low on “Democracy Scorecard”

The top issue for voters heading into the November elections, even above jobs and the economy, is a growing fear American democracy is under threat…

Nearly three in four Nebraska jobs that pay a living wage will require at least some postsecondary education by 2027. (Adobe Stock)

Cost Biggest Barrier for Native Nebraska Students

The biggest obstacle facing indigenous students in Nebraska completing college degrees is cost, according to a new collaborative study by the …

Farmers face startup costs to diversify their crop rotations, but experts say the move can mean lower overall costs over the long run. (Adobe Stock)

Old Ideas About Farming Offer New Alternatives

The resilience of the U.S. food supply to disasters has become even more important in the time of climate change. Nebraska farmers, like others…

Planting native flowering plants in your yard instead of grass can help restore critical habitat for struggling pollinator species. (Adobe Stock)

Wanted: Next-Generation Beekeepers for Nebraska Farms

With the age of Nebraska's farmers and beekeepers on the rise, bee enthusiasts are encouraging more young people to check out the Great Plains Master …

The Nebraska Indian Child Welfare Act builds on protections passed by Congress in 1978 by clarifying state policies and procedures regarding implementation of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act. (Adobe Stock)

Brief Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Indian Child Welfare Act

The ACLU of Nebraska has joined a national brief filed in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court challenging a 1978 law passed by Congress aiming to …

Financial fraud totaled nearly $6 billion in 2021, although experts believe the real cost is much higher because many victims are too ashamed to come forward. (Adobe Stock)

Report Urges Shifting Blame from Fraud Victim to Perpetrator

Changing how we talk about victims of financial fraud could lead to a shift in how Nebraska and the nation respond to this growing sector of criminal …

Nebraska lawmakers improved conditions for low-income families during the pandemic by expanding eligibility for SNAP, the program formerly known as food stamps, and providing support for child care. Both initiatives are set to sunset next year. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Ranks First Nationally in Child Economic Well-Being

Nebraska ranks first in the nation when it comes to promoting children's economic well-being, a significant indicator under the spotlight in the …

Nationally, the residential long-term care industry has lost 235,000 workers since the onset of the global pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Nursing Home Staffing Shortage Creating Backlogs for Hospitals

A new Economic Policy Institute report links staffing shortages in residential long-term care facilities in Nebraska and across the nation to low pay …

Climate scientists say pollution from fossil fuels must peak, and then begin to go down, within three years in order to avert the most catastrophic impacts of a warming planet. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska’s Onramp for Good-Paying EV Tech and Clean-Energy Jobs

Central Community College of Nebraska is putting students of all ages on a path to good-paying jobs in the state's growing clean-energy sector…

Even after court cases and claims of voter irregularities produced zero evidence, roughly 70% of Republicans still believe fraud played a major role in the 2020 election. (Adobe Stock)

November Election to Determine State, Local Races in Redrawn Nebraska Districts

With November's elections just over the horizon, voter-rights groups are working to get Nebraskans up to speed on recent changes in voting districts …

Small to mid-sized meat processors must operate as either a USDA-FSIS facility or a federally regulated custom-exempt slaughter and processing facility, while also complying with federal regulations, to qualify for a new grant program. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska’s Smaller Meat Lockers Challenged to Ramp Up Capacity

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for grants through the Independent Processor Assistance Program. Johnathan Hladik…

Nebraska taxpayers are on the hook for more than $38,000 a year for every person serving time in the state's prison system. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska's Prison Overcrowding Emergency Now in Third Year

Nebraska is now in year three of a prison overcrowding emergency, according to the latest numbers released by the Nebraska Department of Correctional …

Students who complete a post-graduate degree or certificate are more likely to earn far more money over their lifetime than students with just a high school diploma. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Struggles to Get Students Back into College

The COVID public health emergency forced many Nebraska students to put their college careers on hold. More than 300,000 Nebraskans have completed …

According to The Corporation for National & Community Service, Nebraska consistently is among the top 10 states in the nation for the highest rate of volunteerism among adults. (Adobe Stock)">

Award Opportunity to Celebrate Community Volunteers

AARP is now accepting nominations for its 2022 Nebraska Andrus Award for Community Service, which honors Nebraskans age 50 and older who are sharing …

Omaha Public Schools reported that being able to offer meals to all students at no charge reduced childhood hunger, supported academic achievement, eliminated stigma associated with school meals and improved student behavior. (Adobe Stock)

Time Running Out to Extend School Meal Waivers

School meal waivers that allowed districts to be more flexible getting food to kids during the pandemic are set to expire at the end of June…

Loss of rural populations to urban centers has caused many hospitals in Nebraska to reconfigure their budgets. (Adobe Stock)

Keys to Keeping Nebraska's Rural Hospital Doors Open

Without federal intervention, a new report warns, rural hospitals across the United States, including many in Nebraska, could be forced to reduce …

Historically rich organic matter in topsoil in America's heartland, called the A horizon, has been completely removed from approximately one third of lands across the Midwest. (Adobe Stock)

Restoring Soil Through Carbon Sequestering Benefits Farmers, Climate

With Nebraska farmers facing runaway costs for herbicides and fertilizers this year, a new Center for Rural Affairs report suggested adopting simple …

Latino leaders and advocates criticized Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts for failing to fund a state count committee, a commonly used tool for reaching historically hard-to-count communities in census surveys. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Outperforms National Census in Tally of Latinos

Nebraska did a better job counting the state's Latino residents in the 2020 Census than new national undercount data suggests. According to analysis …

Of 62 large districts surveyed, 98% identified challenges with supply-chain disruptions and labor shortages, and said providing school meals would be even greater if not for USDA child-nutrition waivers. (Adobe Stock)

Report: School Meal Waivers a Game Changer During Pandemic

During the COVID health emergency, Congress removed a lot of red tape in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) school meals programs, and a new …

So far, a ballot signature campaign led by Christa Eggers to legalize medical cannabis has reached Nebraska's 5%-of-voters threshold in four of the required 38 counties. (Rebecca Gratz)

Ballot Initiative Requirements Challenged as Unconstitutional

The American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit challenging Nebraska's requirements for voter-led initiatives …

Last year, top oil and gas companies announced an eye-popping $237 billion in profits. During the same period, executives from 28 of the top oil and gas companies made a combined $394 million in total compensation. (Adobe Stock)

Report: High Gas Prices Continue to Pad Oil and Gas Profits

As millions of Americans are struggling to fill their gas tanks, a new report shows that rising prices are padding the bottom lines of powerful oil …

Nebraska is one of just 12 states that taxes Social Security income, but the practice will be phased out by 2025. (Adobe Stock)

State Taxes on Social Security Benefits to Phase Out Faster

Older Nebraskans will be keeping more of their hard-earned Social Security benefits even sooner, after Gov. Pete Ricketts signed Legislative Bill 873 …

It's estimated that every dollar spent at farmers markets generates $3 in economic activity, and tends to stay in Nebraska, unlike at grocery chains. (Adobe Stock)

Program Doubles Food Budget for SNAP Participants at Farmers Markets

One sign of springtime in Nebraska is the return of local farmers markets, and families participating in SNAP - the program formerly known as food …

People new to Nebraska interested in starting their own business are frequently not familiar with how things such as zoning, employment law, tax codes and accounting practices can impact daily operations. (Adobe Stock)

Latina Women’s Business Conference Coming to South Sioux City

Registration is open for the Empowerment for Latina Women in Business Conference, set for May 3 in South Sioux City. Jessica Campos, director of the …

A recipient of guaranteed income from Springboard to Opportunities' Magnolia Mother's Trust, which gives $1,000 per month for one year to families headed by Black women living in federally subsidized housing. (Instagram/Springboard to Opportunities)

Guaranteed Income Seen as Path Toward Gender, Racial Justice

By Katie Fleischer for Ms. Media. Broadcast version by Emily Scott for Nebraska News Connection, Reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News Service …

Just four meat-processing giants control more than 80% of the beef industry and more than 60% of the pork industry. A report says this enables them to dictate prices that both flatten returns for farmers and ranchers and inflate prices for consumers at the meat counter. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Corporate Profiteering Fueling Inflation

A new report confirms what it said CEOs have been telling shareholders for months: Inflation has been very good for business. Lindsay Owens…

Children who are incarcerated are less likely to graduate from high school and find employment later in life. (Adobe Stock)

Incarceration Data Shows Juvenile Justice System Off Mission in Nebraska

Nearly a quarter-million children were incarcerated in the U.S. in 2019, about five times more than annual point-in-time counts, according to a new …

LB 933 would make it a felony to provide medicine or procedures that end pregnancies, even in cases of rape and incest. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Lawmakers Advance Abortion Ban Opposed by Majority of Voters

Nebraska is on track to ban all abortions in the state if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its landmark Roe v. Wade decision. On Friday, lawmakers …

Eight in 10 Nebraska voters support increasing funding for the respite care program which provides short-term help from a home health aide or adult day-care program so family caregivers can take a break. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Nebraska Lawmakers Urged to Support Family Caregivers

The strain of unpaid family care-giving is pressing down hard on many Nebraska residents, according to new AARP research. Nearly half of people …

More than one-third of women employed full-time report they do not have paid sick leave, and more than 65% do not have paid family leave. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: Bridging Gap in Women's Benefits Key to Filling Open Positions

At the start of the pandemic, women in Nebraska and across the U.S. were the first to exit the workforce. A new survey from the Institute for Women's …

A recent ACLU poll found that more than 90% of Nebraska voters want redistricting to be data-driven, transparent and nonpartisan. (Adobe Stock)

Ensuring Voter Access Within NE's New District Lines

Nebraska voters may be casting ballots at unfamiliar polling sites for the upcoming midterm elections after the Nebraska Legislature established new d…

Ending Nebraska's lifetime ban on food assistance for people convicted of drug felonies is projected to result in 23 fewer individuals recidivating, saving upwards of $1 million for taxpayers. (Adobe Stock)

Bill to End Lifetime Ban on Food Assistance Before Nebraska Lawmakers

Nebraska lawmakers are considering a bill to end a lifetime ban on federal food assistance for people convicted of federal drug felonies. Proponents …

Critics of Critical Race Theory have called for lawmakers to allow parents to take their kids, along with tax dollars meant for public schools, into schools that more closely adhere to their political and religious beliefs. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Lawmakers to Debate How Race is Taught in Public Schools

Since January of last year, following national unrest over the police killing of George Floyd, 37 states have introduced measures designed to …

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