Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
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The most heinous crimes often target vulnerable members of our society. To protect our innocent, Nebraska is hard at work to expose human trafficking and root it out of the Good Life. Human trafficking is a despicable crime. It inflicts severe trauma on its victims and shows a sickening disregard for human dignity. It’s important that we recognize that human trafficking exists in Nebraska. It may not be visible in your neighborhood, but it happens across the state and is a scourge in our s...
If you’ve read my weekly columns, tuned into a press conference, or heard me speak before, you are no stranger to my guiding vision for the state: growing Nebraska. It’s been the mission of my Administration, and each year we have achieved success towards that goal. This year has been no different. In fact, Nebraska has made plenty of progress in 2021 worth celebrating. Last week, Politico ranked Nebraska number one in the country for our pandemic response in its State Pandemic Scorecard. Eco...
Agriculture is the heart and soul of Nebraska. Through the years, our farmers and ranchers have built a reputation for producing crops and livestock that are second to none. Among U.S. states, Nebraska ranks: #1 in agricultural cash receipts per capita #2 in ethanol production, cattle on feed, all cattle and calves, beef exports, and commercial red meat production #3 in corn for grain production, corn exports, and total ag cash receipts #4 for land in farms and ranches #5 for soybean exports, so...
Chancellor Ronnie Green believes the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) is racist. Under his leadership, UNL recently released a plan to address “institutional racism” as part of its “Journey for Anti-Racism and Racial Equity.” From racially motivated hiring practices to divisive trainings, the plan would inject Critical Race Theory (CRT) into every corner of campus. At the foundation of UNL’s plan are the writings of Ibram Kendi, who has openly called for discrimination on the basis of skin c...
“A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers.” – President John F. Kennedy America is the greatest country in the world because our Constitution recognizes God-given human rights and protects individual liberties. Our Republic has endured for nearly two-and-a-half centuries due to the blood, sweat, and sacrifice of our military veterans. Veterans Day is an opportunity for Nebraskans to thank the veterans who’ve heeded the call of...
The last 18 months have been a roller coaster for the entire world. While many places have struggled, even in America, Nebraskans have come together to power through the pandemic. Our healthcare professionals have worked with compassion and skill to care for Nebraskans. Communities have supported their local businesses throughout the pandemic. Employers have overcome market disruptions to preserve and create jobs. Parents and schools worked to get kids back in the classroom. Our ag producers onc...
October is Manufacturing Month here in Nebraska. It is a great opportunity to celebrate the innovators and makers creating jobs across the Cornhusker State. Our state has a rich tradition of inventing and manufacturing premium products. Over the years, the imaginations of Nebraskans gave birth to ski lifts, center pivots, vise grip pliers, Kool-Aid, and Dorothy Lynch salad dressing. Today, companies in our state manufacture everything from subway cars, to combines, to the syringes used to...
Twenty years ago, the United States suffered the terrorist attacks of 9/11. No one old enough to remember that day will ever forget it. It was surreal to watch the Twin Towers collapse and heartbreaking to see images of first responders covered head to toe in dust, searching through the debris in Manhattan. The 9/11 attacks claimed 2,977 innocent lives. The casualties included a number of individuals with ties to Nebraska. Jennifer Dorsey-Howley, a graduate of Lincoln Southeast, worked at Aon...
Energy reliability and independence are pillars of our country’s national security. A reliable power grid has helped our nation build the world’s largest economy, and our focus on developing domestic sources of energy has made our country’s fleet of automobiles and airplanes less dependent on overseas oil. Earlier this year, U.S. News and World Report ranked Nebraska #3 nationally for power grid reliability and #8 overall in their energy category which “tracks the reliability of power grids, ren...
In the next year, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to make its most important decision regarding abortion law and states’ rights in over a quarter-century. The Court’s ruling could overturn Roe v. Wade and give states more latitude in passing pro-life initiatives, including legislation limiting abortion in the early stages of pregnancy. In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision deprived Nebraska and other states of the authority to prohibit abortions before a baby can viabl...
In 2021, communism seems like a distant threat to many. Generations of Americans have learned about the atrocities committed by Stalin and Lenin in Russia. Many are familiar with Mao’s Great Leap Forward, which led to the Great Chinese Famine and starvation and death for millions. Sadly, communism isn’t something that’s just studied in history books. There’s growing awareness across our state and country that it’s reinventing itself right here at home under the label of Critical Race Theory (CRT...
We’re only a month away from one of the most important annual events for our state—the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island. This year, the fair will run from August 27th through September 6th. It’s a great way to celebrate Nebraska agriculture, cap off the summer with family-friendly entertainment, enjoy amazing food, and connect with our rich heritage. Over the last year-and-a-half, Nebraska agriculture once again proved it could feed the world in the midst of the toughest circumstances. Our f...
On January 27, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. signed his “Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.” In this order, President Biden set a “goal of conserving at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030.” At the time of the signing, very little information was released by the Biden-Harris Administration. We only had the few paragraphs of text in the order and a short fact sheet from the Department of Interior stating “that only 12 percent of lands are perma...
Over the past year, Nebraska has been enjoying rapid growth, creating lots of great-paying job opportunities here in the Good Life. We have the second lowest unemployment rate in the nation at 2.6%. That’s the lowest rate our state has seen since 1999. Right now, we have over 40,000 jobs available on the State of Nebraska’s jobs site: NEworks.nebraska.gov. These are some of the reasons why WalletHub recently ranked Nebraska as the #2 state in the U.S. to find a job. As we grow Nebraska for the...
As America emerges from the Fourth of July weekend, there’s another important reminder this month of why we should cherish our freedom and liberty. July marks the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). CCP officials have already been holding celebrations to paint a positive image of their work on the world stage. While the CCP pushes propaganda on the anniversary of its founding, it’s important that Americans understand how the communist regime operates. To this end, I sig...
Martin Luther King, Jr. once famously said that “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character–that is the goal of true education.” For generations, Nebraskans have supported our public schools to do just this—to help build the next generation of educated and involved citizens in our state. To that end, our public schools have generally focused on teaching material that supports our communities, and have steered away from ho...
The coronavirus pandemic has been a long journey, but through it all Nebraskans have pulled together to keep people healthy. On March 6, 2020, Nebraska reported its first positive case of the coronavirus. Over the last 15 months, Nebraskans have made many sacrifices. We have spent time apart from each other, figured out how to manage schools and businesses, and worked hard to slow the spread of the virus to protect our hospitals. As our state grappled with the new virus, Nebraskans stepped up...
Nebraska has long been known as the Beef State and May is Beef Month, so it’s the perfect time to enjoy a delicious burger or steak. Agriculture is our state’s largest industry, and beef is the biggest segment of Nebraska agriculture. Our beef industry generates about $10.6 billion in cash receipts each year, which is roughly half of all ag receipts in Nebraska. Nationally, Nebraska ranks No. 1 for commercial cattle slaughter, and we’re number two for beef exports, commercial red meat produ...
Here in the Cornhusker State, agriculture and conservation go hand in hand. Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers are the original conservationists. Agricultural families in our state have been growing crops and tending livestock for generations. They know their land and animals better than anyone else and care deeply about them. Their livelihood depends on ensuring the land remains fertile — that’s why they are always working to improve it so that the next generation can continue their way of life....
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. took office a little over two months ago. In his inaugural address, President Biden dedicated himself to “bringing America together.” In the weeks since then, he has charted a very different course. Instead of governing by building consensus, he has aggressively pushed a far-left agenda. He refused to compromise with Republicans on stimulus legislation. Instead, he signed a coronavirus spending package that bailed out Blue states at the expense of states like Nebra...
The Nebraska Legislature is halfway through its 2021 session. Senators are working on passing a budget that controls spending and delivers on Nebraskans’ top priority — property tax relief. The Unicameral is also working to achieve other important objectives like providing veterans tax relief, replacing the crumbling Nebraska State Penitentiary, and expanding our state’s broadband infrastructure. At this halfway point in the legislative session, Senators are sorting the worthwhile bills from the...
From March 21-27, 2021 we celebrate National Agriculture Week in Nebraska. It’s a great opportunity to highlight the hard work our farmers and ranchers do to produce high-quality and affordable food. The crops and livestock they raise feed families in our state, across the nation, and around the world. Agriculture is our number one industry. It adds more than $21 billion to our state’s economy each year. Nebraska’s cash receipts from agricultural commodities are greater than ag receipts in Fl...
LINCOLN – On Friday, Feb. 5, Gov. Pete Ricketts gave an update on coronavirus vaccination across the state. He noted that Nebraska administered over 14,000 vaccinations yesterday—the highest daily total so far. Nebraskans can register for vaccination at vaccinate.ne.gov or by calling 531-249-1873. Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Incident Commander Angie Ling provided information on the upcoming allocations of vaccines the state is expected to receive. She also talked abo...
On January 20, the United States carried out a distinctive national tradition: Our country underwent a peaceful transition of power. Looking back on the history of nations, this is not typical. Transfers of power between leaders have often been tumultuous. While the federal government is responsible for our country’s defense and certain policy areas, the U.S. Constitution is structured to let state governments take the lead in many areas that impact the day-to-day lives of Americans. Our Republi...
Christmas and New Year’s Day are welcome opportunities to slow down, connect with loved ones, and look forward to 2021. As we approach the year’s end, I am thankful for the many sacrifices Nebraskans have made in 2020. Despite many difficulties, our state’s residents have displayed inspiring strength and compassion during the pandemic. Healthcare workers have done heroic work this year to keep people healthy. Families have adjusted their routines to protect elderly or at-risk loved ones in th...
