Nebraska / Public News Service

AARP Nebraska Community Challenge grant winners have used the funding to enhance trails in several communities across the state. (Madeline Cass/AARP Nebraska) <br /><br /> <br /><br />

Monday, January 30, 2023

AARP Community Challenge Grants Return for Seventh Year

Nebraska nonprofits and government entities are encouraged to apply for the 2023 AARP Community Challenge grants. They are part of the …

According to the Pew Research Center, adults in all age groups, except those younger than 30, are far more likely to trust information from national and local news outlets than from social media. (Adobe Stock)

News Literacy Week: Up to News Outlets, Consumers to Improve Trust

Americans continue to report low trust in mainstream media, with many younger than 30 saying they trust information from social media nearly as much …

Aaron LaPointe, a member of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, inspects an ear of organically grown traditional Indian corn. (Photo courtesy Ho-Chunk, Inc.)

NE's Ho-Chunk Farms to Focus on Conservation in 2023

A northeast Nebraska farming operation is starting the new year with an even bigger commitment to conservation, and they hope other farms take note…

The CDC says the biggest risk to public health from cattle concentrated animal feeding operations is the amount of manure they produce, which can contain potential contaminants and pathogens, from E. coli to growth hormones and antibiotics. (Adobe Stock)

'Bigger Picture' Emerges about Proposed Dundy County CAFO

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy has concluded a 30-day public comment period on its intent to approve a permit for a proposed concen…

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, more people might renew ACA coverage in 2023 than ever before. (Adobe Stock)

Still Time for New ACA Enrollment or Plan Changes

Open enrollment for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act ends on Jan. 15 at midnight ET. The federal government reports nearly 16 …

A 2021 housing affordability study found a decent two-bedroom apartment in the Omaha and Council Bluffs market would require a minimum wage of $19 an hour, more than many essential jobs in the area pay. (Adobe Stock)

ARPA Funds to Build Affordable Housing in Omaha-Council Bluffs

More affordable housing is coming to a Nebraska market that really needs it. An Omaha nonprofit has partnered with the City of Omaha, and was …

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the 9,560 traffic fatalities nationwide in first quarter of 2022 was the highest number of first-quarter fatalities since 2002. (Adobe Stock)

Small Changes by NE Drivers Can Make Roads Safer in 2023

Traffic fatalities nationwide hit a 20-year high in 2022 - and they were up in Nebraska as well. Preliminary figures show fatal crashes up 15% …

Brennan Center for Justice, pretrial detainees make up more than 70% of the U.S. jail population - about 536,000 people - and many are there only because they cannot afford bail. (Adobe Stock)">

Report: Nebraska Needs to Rethink Court Fines, Bail System

Some Nebraska judges are failing to follow state laws related to cash bail, court fees and court fines, according to a two-year study in Douglas and …

Inflation Reduction Act to Help NE Farms Fight Climate Change

Nebraska farmers and ranchers who have struggled with climate-related issues like flooding and drought are expected to benefit in the new year from th…

A residential grass-to-prairie lawn conversion is shown in Lincoln, Neb., by Monarch Gardens. (Photo courtesy of Benjamin Vogt)

Prairie Lawns a More Sustainable Alternative for Warmer, Drier Midwest

By Kirsten Wandrey for The Reader.Broadcast version by Deborah Van Fleet for Nebraska News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-P…

food trucks in the United States in 2022 compared with 24,000 in 2020. (Nick Maestas)">

Legislation Could Streamline Rules for NE Food-Truck Entrepreneurs

With the booming popularity of food trucks, the people who own and operate them need a standard set of operating rules. That's the point of some …

In September 2022, SNAP benefits helped 156,000 Nebraskans with food security, up 1% from a year prior. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraskans Will Lose SNAP Benefits If Pandemic Eligibility "Sunsets"

Almost one in ten Nebraskans receives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, formerly known as food stamps, but that could change …

Among adolescents who currently use any tobacco product, the proportion whose first tobacco product was e-cigarettes increased from 27.2% in 2014 to 78.3% in 2019 and remained at 77.0% in 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Settlement Money to Help NE Fight Epidemic of Teen E-cig Use

Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson said more than $8 million will be the state's share of a multistate lawsuit against e-cigarette maker Juul Lab…

According to Consumer Reports, crowded windowless

Study Points to Poultry Litter as Source of NE Water Pollution

A new study is focused on concerns for Nebraska waterways. The three-year, independently funded research identifies rising levels of phosphorus and …

Experts advise Nebraskans to review their credit card, banking and other accounts at least once a month. If you notice charges that could be fraudulent, file a dispute before protections expire, generally 60 days after your statement drops. (Adobe Stock)

Tips for Avoiding Holiday Season Scams

Three out of four U.S. consumers have experienced or been targeted by at least one form of fraud that can be tied to the holidays, according to new …

The CDC reports more than 19,000 people nationwide were hospitalized for flu in the week ending November 26. (Adobe Stock)

Flu Hits NE Early; Highest Rates among Kids, Young Adults

Nebraska is one of a dozen states experiencing "very high" levels of influenza, and the highest percentage of cases has been in children and young …

An estimated 64,875 firefighter injuries occurred in the line of duty in 2020, according to the National Fire Protection Association. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Fire Risk Remains High

Nebraska has had a number of deadly and destructive fires this year, and nearly half the state remains in extreme or exceptional drought. If it is as …

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)

$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 …

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