People across Nebraska are encouraged to read the work of a Nebraskan —and then talk about it with their friends and neighbors.&nbsp;The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific&nbsp;(Revell, 2023) by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee is the 2025 One Book One Nebraska selection.

The Long March Home&nbsp;is a historical fiction novel inspired by true stories of friendship, sacrifice, and hope on the Bataan Death March.

Jimmy Propfield joined the army for two reasons: to get out of Mobile, Alabama, with his best friends Hank and Billy and to forget his high school sweetheart, Claire.Life in the Philippines seems like paradise--until the morning of December 8, 1941, when news comes from Manila: Imperial Japan has bombed Pearl Harbor. Within hours, the teenage friends are plunged into war as enemy warplanes attack Luzon, beginning a battle for control of the Pacific theater that will culminate with a last stand on the Bataan Peninsula and end with the largest surrender of American troops in history.What follows will become known as one of the worst atrocities in modern warfare: the Bataan Death March. With no hope of rescue, the three friends vow to make it back home together. But the ordeal is only the beginning of their nearly four-year fight to survive.

Marcus Brotherton is a&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;bestselling author and coauthor, with five&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;bestsellers, seven national bestsellers, and four books have been optioned for movies. He was born in British Columbia and earned degrees at Multnomah University in Portland and Biola University in Los Angeles. He currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and children.

Tosca Lee is the award-winning and&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;bestselling author of twelve books. Those awards include three International Book Awards, and a Nebraska Book Award for her thriller&nbsp;The Line Between&nbsp;and its sequel&nbsp;A Single Light.&nbsp;She received her B.A. from Smith College and currently lives in Nebraska with her husband, three of four children still at home, and her 160-lb. German Shepherd, Timber.

Libraries across Nebraska will join other literary and cultural organizations in planning book discussions, activities, and events that will encourage Nebraskans to read and discuss this book. Support materials to assist with local reading/discussion activities will be available after January 1, 2025 at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://onebook.nebraska.gov/">http://onebook.nebraska.gov</a>. Updates and activity listings will be posted on the One Book One Nebraska Facebook page at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/onebookonenebraska">http://www.facebook.com/onebookonenebraska</a>.

2025 will mark the twenty-first year of the One Book One Nebraska reading program, sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book. It encourages Nebraskans across the state to read and discuss one book, chosen from books written by Nebraska authors or that have a Nebraska theme or setting. The Nebraska Center for the Book invites recommendations for One Book One Nebraska book selection year-round at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/obon-nomination.asp">http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/obon-nomination.asp</a>.

One Book One Nebraska is sponsored by Nebraska Center for the Book, Humanities Nebraska, and Nebraska Library Commission. The Nebraska Center for the Book brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at and supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.

As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”

One Book One NebraskaPeople across Nebraska are encouraged to read the work of a Nebraskan —and then talk about it with their friends and neighbors.&nbsp;The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific&nbsp;(Revell, 2023) by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee is the 2025 One Book One Nebraska selection.The Long March Home&nbsp;is a historical fiction novel inspired by true stories of friendship, sacrifice, and hope on the Bataan Death March.From the Inside Cover:Jimmy Propfield joined the army for two reasons: to get out of Mobile, Alabama, with his best friends Hank and Billy and to forget his high school sweetheart, Claire.Life in the Philippines seems like paradise--until the morning of December 8, 1941, when news comes from Manila: Imperial Japan has bombed Pearl Harbor. Within hours, the teenage friends are plunged into war as enemy warplanes attack Luzon, beginning a battle for control of the Pacific theater that will culminate with a last stand on the Bataan Peninsula and end with the largest surrender of American troops in history.What follows will become known as one of the worst atrocities in modern warfare: the Bataan Death March. With no hope of rescue, the three friends vow to make it back home together. But the ordeal is only the beginning of their nearly four-year fight to survive.Marcus Brotherton is a&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;bestselling author and coauthor, with five&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;bestsellers, seven national bestsellers, and four books have been optioned for movies. He was born in British Columbia and earned degrees at Multnomah University in Portland and Biola University in Los Angeles. He currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and children.Tosca Lee is the award-winning and&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;bestselling author of twelve books. Those awards include three International Book Awards, and a Nebraska Book Award for her thriller&nbsp;The Line Between&nbsp;and its sequel&nbsp;A Single Light.&nbsp;She received her B.A. from Smith College and currently lives in Nebraska with her husband, three of four children still at home, and her 160-lb. German Shepherd, Timber.Libraries across Nebraska will join other literary and cultural organizations in planning book discussions, activities, and events that will encourage Nebraskans to read and discuss this book. Support materials to assist with local reading/discussion activities will be available after January 1, 2025 at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://onebook.nebraska.gov/">http://onebook.nebraska.gov</a>. Updates and activity listings will be posted on the One Book One Nebraska Facebook page at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/onebookonenebraska">http://www.facebook.com/onebookonenebraska</a>.2025 will mark the twenty-first year of the One Book One Nebraska reading program, sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book. It encourages Nebraskans across the state to read and discuss one book, chosen from books written by Nebraska authors or that have a Nebraska theme or setting. The Nebraska Center for the Book invites recommendations for One Book One Nebraska book selection year-round at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/obon-nomination.asp">http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/obon-nomination.asp</a>.One Book One Nebraska is sponsored by Nebraska Center for the Book, Humanities Nebraska, and Nebraska Library Commission. The Nebraska Center for the Book brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at and supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”

The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific Chosen as 2025 One Book One Nebraska

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-supreme-court-to-issue-ruling-wednesday-on-post-felony-voting-case/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The Nebraska Supreme Court will weigh in Wednesday on whether the Legislature has the authority to change the timing of when people with felony convictions get back their right to vote.

The court took the unusual step Tuesday of announcing a midweek opinion. Justices usually issue opinions on Fridays. But, as voting rights advocates pointed out&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/10/advocates-hope-nebraska-supreme-court-rules-soon-on-future-of-felony-voting-law/">in a recent letter</a>, Friday is the last day for Nebraskans to register to vote by mail or online.

The deadline for registering in-person is Oct. 25.

Thousands of Nebraskans are waiting to hear whether they can register to vote now under Legislative Bill 20, a new state law that eliminated a two-year wait to vote after serving a felony sentence.

Those people are in legal limbo because Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen and Attorney General Mike Hilgers joined Gov. Jim Pillen in interpreting LB 20 and its predecessor from 2005, LB 53, as constitutional overreach by the legislative branch.

Those three executives — who serve together as the Nebraska Pardons Board — argue that only the executive branch via the Pardons Board has the authority to restore a Nebraskan’s civil rights under the state Constitution, including voting rights.

The Voting Rights Restoration Coalition sued them, arguing that a bipartisan group of state senators in the Nebraska Legislature have the authority to decide the timing of when people regain their voting rights, based on case law and nearly two decades of LB 53 being law.

Justices&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/28/nebraska-supreme-court-hears-arguments-on-felon-voting-law/">heard oral arguments</a>&nbsp;on the case in late August. Attorneys for ACLU Nebraska and the Attorney General’s Office sparred about whether the Legislature overstepped its authority.

The discussion also questioned whether the Secretary of State overstepped by acting administratively to stop people from registering based on the new law after Hilgers issued an advisory opinion arguing LB 20 and LB 53 were potentially unconstitutional.&nbsp;

RISE, a re-entry program for incarcerated Nebraskans and others involved in the justice system, has argued that more than 7,000 Nebraskans could see their voting rights restored. Civic Nebraska and others say hundreds are ready to register.

“We are grateful that the Court is releasing a midweek decision to provide clarity for tens of thousands of Nebraskans who are eager to vote in this election,” Civic Nebraska said in a statement after hearing of the pending opinion.&nbsp;

Voting rights advocates have said they have teams of volunteers ready to help people register if the court decides LB 20 is the law of the land. Evnen, the state’s top election official, has said he will follow the court’s ruling.&nbsp;

Neither Evnen nor Hilgers had any immediate comment Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728935679756.jpeg" alt="TJ King of Black and Pink (top right, pink shirt), speaks to a North Omaha gathering of voting rights advocates. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner" />
 <figcaption>TJ King of Black and Pink (top right, pink shirt), speaks to a North Omaha gathering of voting rights advocates. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner</figcaption>
 </figure>Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-supreme-court-to-issue-ruling-wednesday-on-post-felony-voting-case/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The Nebraska Supreme Court will weigh in Wednesday on whether the Legislature has the authority to change the timing of when people with felony convictions get back their right to vote.The court took the unusual step Tuesday of announcing a midweek opinion. Justices usually issue opinions on Fridays. But, as voting rights advocates pointed out&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/10/advocates-hope-nebraska-supreme-court-rules-soon-on-future-of-felony-voting-law/">in a recent letter</a>, Friday is the last day for Nebraskans to register to vote by mail or online.The deadline for registering in-person is Oct. 25.Thousands of Nebraskans are waiting to hear whether they can register to vote now under Legislative Bill 20, a new state law that eliminated a two-year wait to vote after serving a felony sentence.Those people are in legal limbo because Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen and Attorney General Mike Hilgers joined Gov. Jim Pillen in interpreting LB 20 and its predecessor from 2005, LB 53, as constitutional overreach by the legislative branch.Those three executives — who serve together as the Nebraska Pardons Board — argue that only the executive branch via the Pardons Board has the authority to restore a Nebraskan’s civil rights under the state Constitution, including voting rights.The Voting Rights Restoration Coalition sued them, arguing that a bipartisan group of state senators in the Nebraska Legislature have the authority to decide the timing of when people regain their voting rights, based on case law and nearly two decades of LB 53 being law.Justices&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/28/nebraska-supreme-court-hears-arguments-on-felon-voting-law/">heard oral arguments</a>&nbsp;on the case in late August. Attorneys for ACLU Nebraska and the Attorney General’s Office sparred about whether the Legislature overstepped its authority.The discussion also questioned whether the Secretary of State overstepped by acting administratively to stop people from registering based on the new law after Hilgers issued an advisory opinion arguing LB 20 and LB 53 were potentially unconstitutional.&nbsp;RISE, a re-entry program for incarcerated Nebraskans and others involved in the justice system, has argued that more than 7,000 Nebraskans could see their voting rights restored. Civic Nebraska and others say hundreds are ready to register.“We are grateful that the Court is releasing a midweek decision to provide clarity for tens of thousands of Nebraskans who are eager to vote in this election,” Civic Nebraska said in a statement after hearing of the pending opinion.&nbsp;Voting rights advocates have said they have teams of volunteers ready to help people register if the court decides LB 20 is the law of the land. Evnen, the state’s top election official, has said he will follow the court’s ruling.&nbsp;Neither Evnen nor Hilgers had any immediate comment Tuesday.

Nebraska Supreme Court to issue ruling Wednesday on post-felony voting case

Shelton, Neb. -&nbsp;The Buffalo County Sheriff's Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding a death, explosion and fire at a rural cabin south of Shelton, NE.&nbsp; On October 15, 2024&nbsp;Shelton firefighters and law enforcement were called to a fire south of Shelton, NE on the south side of the Platte River.&nbsp; The incident was reported at 5:22 AM; the exact time of the explosion / fire is unknown.

While on scene the body of a probable adult male was found deceased inside the cabin remains.&nbsp; The investigation into the cause of fire and death of the individual is ongoing.&nbsp; No other occupants were believed to in the cabin at the time of explosion.&nbsp; The cabin was destroyed.&nbsp; From preliminary investigation, foul play is not suspected.&nbsp; The identity of the victim has not been confirmed and investigation continues.&nbsp; The Buffalo County Attorney’s Office has ordered an autopsy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Shelton Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department and deputies were assisted by members of the Wood River and Gibbon Volunteer Fire Departments, Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s Office, and Buffalo County Attorney’s Office.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Buffalo County Sheriff's OfficeShelton, Neb. -&nbsp;The Buffalo County Sheriff's Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding a death, explosion and fire at a rural cabin south of Shelton, NE.&nbsp; On October 15, 2024&nbsp;Shelton firefighters and law enforcement were called to a fire south of Shelton, NE on the south side of the Platte River.&nbsp; The incident was reported at 5:22 AM; the exact time of the explosion / fire is unknown.While on scene the body of a probable adult male was found deceased inside the cabin remains.&nbsp; The investigation into the cause of fire and death of the individual is ongoing.&nbsp; No other occupants were believed to in the cabin at the time of explosion.&nbsp; The cabin was destroyed.&nbsp; From preliminary investigation, foul play is not suspected.&nbsp; The identity of the victim has not been confirmed and investigation continues.&nbsp; The Buffalo County Attorney’s Office has ordered an autopsy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Shelton Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department and deputies were assisted by members of the Wood River and Gibbon Volunteer Fire Departments, Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s Office, and Buffalo County Attorney’s Office.&nbsp; &nbsp;

One killed in cabin fire/explosion in Central Nebraska early Tuesday morning

October 15, 2024 (Lincoln, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a Lincoln man in connection with the crash that killed Ceresco Police Officer Ross Bartlett earlier this year. Tony Pierce, 50, was arrested for felony motor vehicle homicide.

The crash occurred in the evening of Friday, April 12. Officer Ross Bartlett’s patrol vehicle was struck while he was performing a traffic stop on Highway 77 in northern Lancaster County, approximately one mile south of Ceresco. The Nebraska State Patrol has conducted a complete crash reconstruction.

<a>During the traffic stop, Bartlett’s patrol vehicle and a Nissan Altima were both parked on the shoulder of Highway 77. Both drivers were seated in their vehicles when a southbound Ford F-150 struck Bartlett’s patrol vehicle from the rear, causing it to hit the Nissan.</a>

Officer Bartlett died that evening from injuries suffered in the crash. The driver of the Nissan, Ke’vion Hill, 27, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at Bryan Health West Campus. The driver of the Ford, Tony Pierce, 50, was not seriously injured.

As a result of the crash investigation, troopers suspect phone use was a factor in the crash. In cooperation with the Lancaster County Attorney’s Office, Tony Pierce turned himself in to troopers this morning and was cited for felony motor vehicle homicide.

Troopers also completed the investigation Officer Bartlett had started with the traffic stop. Ke’vion Hill has been cited for driving under suspension, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana – less than one ounce. He was arrested and lodged in Douglas County Jail for an unrelated warrant.

Officer Ross Bartlett had served with Ceresco PD since 2017. He was also an investigator with the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services and served as a volunteer firefighter for Ceresco. Prior to those assignments, he served with the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Madison Police Department, and Newman Grove Police Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729016310311.png" alt="Tony J Pierce (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>Tony J Pierce (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cody ThomasNebraska State PatrolOctober 15, 2024 (Lincoln, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a Lincoln man in connection with the crash that killed Ceresco Police Officer Ross Bartlett earlier this year. Tony Pierce, 50, was arrested for felony motor vehicle homicide.The crash occurred in the evening of Friday, April 12. Officer Ross Bartlett’s patrol vehicle was struck while he was performing a traffic stop on Highway 77 in northern Lancaster County, approximately one mile south of Ceresco. The Nebraska State Patrol has conducted a complete crash reconstruction.<a>During the traffic stop, Bartlett’s patrol vehicle and a Nissan Altima were both parked on the shoulder of Highway 77. Both drivers were seated in their vehicles when a southbound Ford F-150 struck Bartlett’s patrol vehicle from the rear, causing it to hit the Nissan.</a>Officer Bartlett died that evening from injuries suffered in the crash. The driver of the Nissan, Ke’vion Hill, 27, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at Bryan Health West Campus. The driver of the Ford, Tony Pierce, 50, was not seriously injured.As a result of the crash investigation, troopers suspect phone use was a factor in the crash. In cooperation with the Lancaster County Attorney’s Office, Tony Pierce turned himself in to troopers this morning and was cited for felony motor vehicle homicide.Troopers also completed the investigation Officer Bartlett had started with the traffic stop. Ke’vion Hill has been cited for driving under suspension, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana – less than one ounce. He was arrested and lodged in Douglas County Jail for an unrelated warrant.Officer Ross Bartlett had served with Ceresco PD since 2017. He was also an investigator with the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services and served as a volunteer firefighter for Ceresco. Prior to those assignments, he served with the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Madison Police Department, and Newman Grove Police Department.

 Arrest Made for Crash that Killed Officer Ross Bartlett

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/13/new-fischer-poll-others-show-her-u-s-senate-race-with-osborn-remains-tight/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska Republican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer has released a campaign poll partly aimed at assuring donors and outside groups that she has found ways to blunt the momentum of her challenger, nonpartisan Dan Osborn.

The Fischer poll’s findings, released Friday, largely mirror months of polling for the Osborn campaign and others showing a Senate race closer than expected. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats roughly 2-to-1 in the state, outside of unaligned voters, a slice of the electorate that nearly matches the number of Democrats.

The Fischer poll&nbsp;<a href="https://mcusercontent.com/fa5dee058d0477c2bd8e5887f/files/0e6d315e-f56c-1281-a71d-5cf027541036/Fischer_for_US_Senate_Oct_5_8_Survey_MEMO.pdf" target="_blank">shows her leading Osborn</a>&nbsp;48%-42%, with 10% undecided. That’s just beyond the survey’s 4% margin of error. Friday was the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/19/fischer-trump-lead-statewide-in-fischers-new-nebraska-poll/">first time since July</a>&nbsp;that her camp has released an internal poll. That one had Fischer ahead 50%-24%.

“We expect this positive trend to continue as time goes on and more Nebraskans learn that Dan Osborn isn’t an independent,” said Derek Oden, a Fischer campaign spokesman. “We still have work to do, and we’re running hard, but this is a good sign.”

Fischer’s new poll of 600 likely voters by phone, text and web was done Oct. 5-8 by Torchlight Strategies. Its release came a week after Osborn’s campaign highlighted four polls showing him&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CDkU_yl-JR4l-te9AU_0LFCCloSqIN-x/view" target="_blank">narrowly leading the race</a>, each within the margin of error.

Osborn’s most recent campaign poll of 558 likely voters, conducted Sept. 20-23, indicated him leading 45%-44%, with 11% undecided. It was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=a2cca672-f0d1-45ca-be33-b1cdcc8324e1" target="_blank">conducted by SurveyUSA</a>&nbsp;using cell phones, landlines and the web. The survey listed a 4.8% margin of error.

Another poll the Osborn camp touted surveyed 400 people online Sept. 27-Oct. 1. It was done by The Independent Center, which targets unaligned voters. It found Osborn leading Fischer 47%-42%, with 10% undecided. It listed a 4.9% margin of error.

A poll of 895 likely voters&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L65fj6WFZoUqsNdzV6NGg9lcLNAb413S/view" target="_blank">done by Change Research</a>&nbsp;found Osborn leading 46%-43%, with 10% undecided. That online-only poll had a 3.5% margin of error. All of the Senate polls reviewed by the Examiner showed similarly close results.

“Deb Fischer’s party bosses and corporate sponsors are panicking about this race, spending millions of dollars to smear Dan Osborn and bail out Fischer’s failing campaign,” said Dustin Wahl, an Osborn campaign spokesman. “But Dan has a grassroots movement behind him … and that’s not going to be stopped by smear ads.”

Ratings services have taken note, shifting the race in recent weeks from variations of safe Republican to something more akin to likely Republican, which is how the Cook Political Report lists the race, joining a race in red-leaning battleground Florida.

Five-Thirty-Eight, the Disney/ABC owned polling aggregator and interpreter, rates Nebraska’s Senate race between Fischer and Osborn as&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/senate/2024/nebraska/general/" target="_blank">within 1.5 percentage points</a>, among the closest races in the country outside politically divided states.

Osborn has called his unaffilliated campaign an experiment to see whether Democrats, Republicans and nonpartisans are more willing to work together to break the cycle of sameness in Washington without a party label.

Fischer and her supporters have argued that Osborn is a Democrat in sheep’s clothing, which Osborn says is not true. He has been a registered nonpartisan since at least 2004, according to Douglas County and state election records.

They point to comments in interviews and social media likes that they say paint a man who is ideologically more aligned with the left than the right and say his effort not to take sides in the 2024 presidential race is a gimmick. He says it’s not.

Local political consultants and academics who have spoken with the Examiner about the race said that Fischer is still likely to win the race but that it is unexpectedly close enough that she could lose.

University of Nebraska at Omaha political scientist Randall Adkins has told the Examiner and others that the race is closer than he would have expected and more competitive than it ought to be given the state’s heavy right-leaning partisan bent.

Because of this, the race is drawing major outside spending for Fischer, including a rare joint investment by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which typically spends money in swing states, not states the GOP considers safe.

Among them is Ending Spending, a super PAC tied to conservative mega-donors Marlene and Joe Ricketts, the parents of U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb. The Super PAC last helped Fischer reach the Senate in 2012, during a brutal three-way GOP primary.

Ending Spending has reserved nearly $1.4 million on television ads to run Oct. 9-22 against Osborn, including one attacking his unwillingness to say which party he would align with in Congress. The ad argues he would align with Democrats and calls him “deceptive.”

Brian Baker, a spokesman for Ending Spending, said the group was “proud to support” Fischer. He called her a respected voice on national security and agriculture, given her background and work.

He said Osborn is backed by “Democratic dark money groups.”

Outside groups are also spending millions on Osborn’s behalf. Osborn’s campaign has been critical of Fischer’s record, including her ties to corporate donors, which he compared to NASCAR sponsors for race car drivers.

Osborn has declined to take money from corporate political action committees. But outside donors are investing in the race, including some donations Fischer and other Republicans have criticized from the progressive Sixteen Thirty Fund.

As of the last federal filing deadline this summer, Osborn’s bid had been supported by about $5.3 million in outside spending,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2024?cmte=C00489856&amp;tab=donors_all" target="_blank">according to OpenSecrets.org</a>, which tracks campaign spending. Fischer’s bid had been aided by more than $1.2 million.

Like most incumbents, Fischer has had an edge in traditional fundraising. She had raised $6.2 million as of June 30 and had nearly $3 million in cash on hand. Osborn had raised $1.6 million and had $650,000 in cash on hand. Updated filings are coming.

Osborn made his name as a former union leader who led a 2021 strike against Kellogg’s seeking better pay and benefits. Some on the right, including Republicans in Omaha city government, have criticized him for putting the plant’s future at risk.

The company has announced plans to close the plant, though the union says it is working with corporate leaders to find a way to save local jobs. Union leaders have said Osborn is not to blame for the company’s decision and that the factory is profitable.

He hosted a rally with United Autoworkers President Shawn Fain in Lincoln on Saturday. The group endorsed him, along with other unions he worked with as a steamfitter and a local labor leader. Fischer has the endorsements of local fire and law enforcement unions.

Fischer attacked Osborn Oct. 3 as a threat to Republican control of the Senate. Republicans are hoping to pick up seats in Montana and West Virginia to flip control of the Senate.

Fischer is a two-term U.S. senator who had said she would only run for two terms. She has told the Examiner she decided to run for a third term because she has learned that seniority matters in the Senate and that her seniority is helping Nebraska.

She says her work on national security and infrastructure have made a difference in improving Offutt Air Force Base and Eppley Airfield. Osborn says that Fischer mainly helps big businesses and that the Senate needs more working people like him.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729003596514.jpeg" alt=" U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., faces nonpartisan candidate Dan Osborn in Nebraska’s Senate race this fall. (Candidate photos courtesy of their campaigns. Capitol photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)" />
 <figcaption> U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., faces nonpartisan candidate Dan Osborn in Nebraska’s Senate race this fall. (Candidate photos courtesy of their campaigns. Capitol photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/13/new-fischer-poll-others-show-her-u-s-senate-race-with-osborn-remains-tight/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska Republican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer has released a campaign poll partly aimed at assuring donors and outside groups that she has found ways to blunt the momentum of her challenger, nonpartisan Dan Osborn.The Fischer poll’s findings, released Friday, largely mirror months of polling for the Osborn campaign and others showing a Senate race closer than expected. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats roughly 2-to-1 in the state, outside of unaligned voters, a slice of the electorate that nearly matches the number of Democrats.The Fischer poll&nbsp;<a href="https://mcusercontent.com/fa5dee058d0477c2bd8e5887f/files/0e6d315e-f56c-1281-a71d-5cf027541036/Fischer_for_US_Senate_Oct_5_8_Survey_MEMO.pdf" target="_blank">shows her leading Osborn</a>&nbsp;48%-42%, with 10% undecided. That’s just beyond the survey’s 4% margin of error. Friday was the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/19/fischer-trump-lead-statewide-in-fischers-new-nebraska-poll/">first time since July</a>&nbsp;that her camp has released an internal poll. That one had Fischer ahead 50%-24%.“We expect this positive trend to continue as time goes on and more Nebraskans learn that Dan Osborn isn’t an independent,” said Derek Oden, a Fischer campaign spokesman. “We still have work to do, and we’re running hard, but this is a good sign.”Fischer’s new poll of 600 likely voters by phone, text and web was done Oct. 5-8 by Torchlight Strategies. Its release came a week after Osborn’s campaign highlighted four polls showing him&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CDkU_yl-JR4l-te9AU_0LFCCloSqIN-x/view" target="_blank">narrowly leading the race</a>, each within the margin of error.<h2>Osborn touts polls showing him leading</h2>Osborn’s most recent campaign poll of 558 likely voters, conducted Sept. 20-23, indicated him leading 45%-44%, with 11% undecided. It was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=a2cca672-f0d1-45ca-be33-b1cdcc8324e1" target="_blank">conducted by SurveyUSA</a>&nbsp;using cell phones, landlines and the web. The survey listed a 4.8% margin of error.Another poll the Osborn camp touted surveyed 400 people online Sept. 27-Oct. 1. It was done by The Independent Center, which targets unaligned voters. It found Osborn leading Fischer 47%-42%, with 10% undecided. It listed a 4.9% margin of error.A poll of 895 likely voters&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L65fj6WFZoUqsNdzV6NGg9lcLNAb413S/view" target="_blank">done by Change Research</a>&nbsp;found Osborn leading 46%-43%, with 10% undecided. That online-only poll had a 3.5% margin of error. All of the Senate polls reviewed by the Examiner showed similarly close results.“Deb Fischer’s party bosses and corporate sponsors are panicking about this race, spending millions of dollars to smear Dan Osborn and bail out Fischer’s failing campaign,” said Dustin Wahl, an Osborn campaign spokesman. “But Dan has a grassroots movement behind him … and that’s not going to be stopped by smear ads.”<h2>Race tighter than most expected</h2>Ratings services have taken note, shifting the race in recent weeks from variations of safe Republican to something more akin to likely Republican, which is how the Cook Political Report lists the race, joining a race in red-leaning battleground Florida.Five-Thirty-Eight, the Disney/ABC owned polling aggregator and interpreter, rates Nebraska’s Senate race between Fischer and Osborn as&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/senate/2024/nebraska/general/" target="_blank">within 1.5 percentage points</a>, among the closest races in the country outside politically divided states.Osborn has called his unaffilliated campaign an experiment to see whether Democrats, Republicans and nonpartisans are more willing to work together to break the cycle of sameness in Washington without a party label.Fischer and her supporters have argued that Osborn is a Democrat in sheep’s clothing, which Osborn says is not true. He has been a registered nonpartisan since at least 2004, according to Douglas County and state election records.They point to comments in interviews and social media likes that they say paint a man who is ideologically more aligned with the left than the right and say his effort not to take sides in the 2024 presidential race is a gimmick. He says it’s not.Local political consultants and academics who have spoken with the Examiner about the race said that Fischer is still likely to win the race but that it is unexpectedly close enough that she could lose.University of Nebraska at Omaha political scientist Randall Adkins has told the Examiner and others that the race is closer than he would have expected and more competitive than it ought to be given the state’s heavy right-leaning partisan bent.<h2>Major outside spending</h2>Because of this, the race is drawing major outside spending for Fischer, including a rare joint investment by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which typically spends money in swing states, not states the GOP considers safe.Among them is Ending Spending, a super PAC tied to conservative mega-donors Marlene and Joe Ricketts, the parents of U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb. The Super PAC last helped Fischer reach the Senate in 2012, during a brutal three-way GOP primary.Ending Spending has reserved nearly $1.4 million on television ads to run Oct. 9-22 against Osborn, including one attacking his unwillingness to say which party he would align with in Congress. The ad argues he would align with Democrats and calls him “deceptive.”Brian Baker, a spokesman for Ending Spending, said the group was “proud to support” Fischer. He called her a respected voice on national security and agriculture, given her background and work.He said Osborn is backed by “Democratic dark money groups.”Outside groups are also spending millions on Osborn’s behalf. Osborn’s campaign has been critical of Fischer’s record, including her ties to corporate donors, which he compared to NASCAR sponsors for race car drivers.Osborn has declined to take money from corporate political action committees. But outside donors are investing in the race, including some donations Fischer and other Republicans have criticized from the progressive Sixteen Thirty Fund.As of the last federal filing deadline this summer, Osborn’s bid had been supported by about $5.3 million in outside spending,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2024?cmte=C00489856&amp;tab=donors_all" target="_blank">according to OpenSecrets.org</a>, which tracks campaign spending. Fischer’s bid had been aided by more than $1.2 million.Like most incumbents, Fischer has had an edge in traditional fundraising. She had raised $6.2 million as of June 30 and had nearly $3 million in cash on hand. Osborn had raised $1.6 million and had $650,000 in cash on hand. Updated filings are coming.Osborn made his name as a former union leader who led a 2021 strike against Kellogg’s seeking better pay and benefits. Some on the right, including Republicans in Omaha city government, have criticized him for putting the plant’s future at risk.The company has announced plans to close the plant, though the union says it is working with corporate leaders to find a way to save local jobs. Union leaders have said Osborn is not to blame for the company’s decision and that the factory is profitable.He hosted a rally with United Autoworkers President Shawn Fain in Lincoln on Saturday. The group endorsed him, along with other unions he worked with as a steamfitter and a local labor leader. Fischer has the endorsements of local fire and law enforcement unions.Fischer attacked Osborn Oct. 3 as a threat to Republican control of the Senate. Republicans are hoping to pick up seats in Montana and West Virginia to flip control of the Senate.Fischer is a two-term U.S. senator who had said she would only run for two terms. She has told the Examiner she decided to run for a third term because she has learned that seniority matters in the Senate and that her seniority is helping Nebraska.She says her work on national security and infrastructure have made a difference in improving Offutt Air Force Base and Eppley Airfield. Osborn says that Fischer mainly helps big businesses and that the Senate needs more working people like him.

New Fischer poll, others show her U.S. Senate race with Osborn remains tight

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a> <a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/">States Newsroom</a>

As former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris sprint to the November finish line, one sprawling policy area has largely fallen out of the spotlight — education.

Though the respective GOP and Democratic presidential candidates have spent comparatively more time campaigning on issues such as immigration, foreign policy and the economy, their ideas surrounding K-12 and higher education vastly differ.

Trump’s education platform vows to “save American education,” with a focus on parental rights, universal school choice and a fight for “patriotic education” in schools.

“By increasing access to school choice, empowering parents to have a voice in their child’s education, and supporting good teachers, President Trump will improve academic excellence for all students,” Karoline Leavitt, Trump campaign national press secretary, said in a statement to States Newsroom.

Trump “believes students should be taught reading, writing, and math in the classroom — not gender, sex and race like the Biden Administration is pushing on our public school system,” Leavitt added.

Meanwhile, the Harris campaign has largely focused on the education investments brought by the Biden-Harris administration and building on those efforts if she is elected.

“Over the past four years, the Administration has made unprecedented investments in education, including the single-largest investment in K-12 education in history, which Vice President Harris cast the tie-breaking vote to pass,” Mia Ehrenberg, a campaign spokesperson, told States Newsroom.

Ehrenberg said that while Harris and her running mate, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, “will build on those investments and continue fighting until every student has the support and the resources they need to thrive, Republicans led by Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda want to cut billions from local K-12 schools and eliminate the Department of Education, undermining America’s students and schools.”

Harris has repeatedly knocked the Heritage Foundation’s&nbsp;<a href="https://static.project2025.org/2025_MandateForLeadership_FULL.pdf" target="_blank">Project 2025</a>&nbsp;— a sweeping conservative agenda that includes education policy proposals like eliminating Head Start, ending time-based and occupation-based student loan forgiveness and barring teachers from using a student’s preferred pronouns different from their “biological sex” without written permission from a parent or guardian.

Trump has fiercely disavowed Project 2025, although some former members of his administration crafted the blueprint.

Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zxfnqj_3XQ" target="_blank">called for shutting down</a>&nbsp;the U.S. Department of Education and said he wants to “move education back to the states.” The department is not the main funding source for K-12 schools, as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.org/policy-centers/cross-center-initiatives/state-and-local-finance-initiative/state-and-local-backgrounders/elementary-and-secondary-education-expenditures" target="_blank">state and local governments</a>&nbsp;allocate much of those dollars.

In contrast, Harris said at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/lets-fight-it-harris-vows-chart-new-way-forward-defeat-trump" target="_blank">Democratic National Convention</a>&nbsp;in August that “we are not going to let him eliminate the Department of Education that funds our public schools.”

Living wage for school staff; parental bill of rights

Trump’s education plan calls for creating a “new credentialing body to certify teachers who embrace patriotic values, and understand that their job is not to indoctrinate children, but to educate them.”

He also wants to implement funding boosts for schools that “abolish teacher tenure” for grades K-12 and adopt “merit pay,” establish the direct election of school principals by parents and “drastically cut” the number of school administrators.

In contrast, the&nbsp;<a href="https://democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/FINAL-MASTER-PLATFORM.pdf" target="_blank">Democratic Party’s 2024 platform</a>&nbsp;calls for recruiting “more new teachers, paraprofessionals and school related personnel, and education support professionals, with the option for some to even start training in high school.”

The platform also aims to help “school-support staff to advance in their own careers with a living wage” and improve working conditions for teachers.

Trump also wants to give funding boosts to schools that adopt a “Parental Bill of Rights that includes complete curriculum transparency, and a form of universal school choice.”

He’s threatening to cut federal funding for schools that teach the primarily collegiate academic subject known as “critical race theory,” gender ideology or “other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children.”

The Democrats’ platform opposes “the use of private-school vouchers, tuition tax credits, opportunity scholarships, and other schemes that divert taxpayer-funded resources away from public education,” adding that “public tax dollars should never be used to discriminate.”

Earlier this year, the Biden-Harris administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/much-attacked-final-title-ix-rule-goes-effect-while-still-blocked-26-states" target="_blank">released a final rule for Title IX</a>&nbsp;extending federal protections for LGBTQ+ students.

The updated regulations took effect Aug. 1, but a slew of GOP-led states challenged the measure. The legal battles have created a policy patchwork and weakened the administration’s vision for the final rule.

The updated regulations&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-administration-roll-back-betsy-devos-title-ix-rules" target="_blank">roll back Title IX changes</a>&nbsp;made under the Trump administration and then-Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

Trump vowed to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qU5EDho3qs" target="_blank">terminate the updated regulations</a>&nbsp;on his first day back in office if reelected.

Harris has repeatedly touted the administration’s record on student loan forgiveness, including nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/biden-harris-administration-approves-additional-12-billion-student-debt" target="_blank">$170 billion</a>&nbsp;in student debt relief for almost 5 million borrowers.

The administration’s most recent student loan repayment initiative came to a grinding halt in August after the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/bidens-newest-student-loan-repayment-plan-temporarily-blocked-supreme-court" target="_blank">U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked</a>&nbsp;the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan.

Although little is mentioned about education in Harris’&nbsp;<a href="https://kamalaharris.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Policy_Book_Economic-Opportunity.pdf" target="_blank">extensive economic plan</a>, the proposal makes clear that the veep will “continue working to end the unreasonable burden of student loan debt and fight to make higher education more affordable, so that college can be a ticket to the middle class.”

She also plans to cut four-year degree requirements for half a million federal jobs.

Trump — who dubbed the Biden-Harris administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-speech-political-rally-racine-wisconsin-june-18-2024/" target="_blank">student loan forgiveness efforts</a>&nbsp;as “not even legal” — sought to repeal the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program during his administration.

His education platform also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/agenda47/agenda47-the-american-academy" target="_blank">calls for endowing</a>&nbsp;the “American Academy,” a free, online university.

Trump said he will endow the new institution through the “billions and billions of dollars that we will collect by taxing, fining, and suing excessively large private university endowments.”

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a> <a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/">States Newsroom</a>As former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris sprint to the November finish line, one sprawling policy area has largely fallen out of the spotlight — education.Though the respective GOP and Democratic presidential candidates have spent comparatively more time campaigning on issues such as immigration, foreign policy and the economy, their ideas surrounding K-12 and higher education vastly differ.Trump’s education platform vows to “save American education,” with a focus on parental rights, universal school choice and a fight for “patriotic education” in schools.“By increasing access to school choice, empowering parents to have a voice in their child’s education, and supporting good teachers, President Trump will improve academic excellence for all students,” Karoline Leavitt, Trump campaign national press secretary, said in a statement to States Newsroom.Trump “believes students should be taught reading, writing, and math in the classroom — not gender, sex and race like the Biden Administration is pushing on our public school system,” Leavitt added.Meanwhile, the Harris campaign has largely focused on the education investments brought by the Biden-Harris administration and building on those efforts if she is elected.“Over the past four years, the Administration has made unprecedented investments in education, including the single-largest investment in K-12 education in history, which Vice President Harris cast the tie-breaking vote to pass,” Mia Ehrenberg, a campaign spokesperson, told States Newsroom.Ehrenberg said that while Harris and her running mate, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, “will build on those investments and continue fighting until every student has the support and the resources they need to thrive, Republicans led by Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda want to cut billions from local K-12 schools and eliminate the Department of Education, undermining America’s students and schools.”Harris has repeatedly knocked the Heritage Foundation’s&nbsp;<a href="https://static.project2025.org/2025_MandateForLeadership_FULL.pdf" target="_blank">Project 2025</a>&nbsp;— a sweeping conservative agenda that includes education policy proposals like eliminating Head Start, ending time-based and occupation-based student loan forgiveness and barring teachers from using a student’s preferred pronouns different from their “biological sex” without written permission from a parent or guardian.Trump has fiercely disavowed Project 2025, although some former members of his administration crafted the blueprint.<h2>Closing the U.S. Department of Education</h2>Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zxfnqj_3XQ" target="_blank">called for shutting down</a>&nbsp;the U.S. Department of Education and said he wants to “move education back to the states.” The department is not the main funding source for K-12 schools, as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.org/policy-centers/cross-center-initiatives/state-and-local-finance-initiative/state-and-local-backgrounders/elementary-and-secondary-education-expenditures" target="_blank">state and local governments</a>&nbsp;allocate much of those dollars.In contrast, Harris said at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/lets-fight-it-harris-vows-chart-new-way-forward-defeat-trump" target="_blank">Democratic National Convention</a>&nbsp;in August that “we are not going to let him eliminate the Department of Education that funds our public schools.”<h2>Living wage for school staff; parental bill of rights</h2>Trump’s education plan calls for creating a “new credentialing body to certify teachers who embrace patriotic values, and understand that their job is not to indoctrinate children, but to educate them.”He also wants to implement funding boosts for schools that “abolish teacher tenure” for grades K-12 and adopt “merit pay,” establish the direct election of school principals by parents and “drastically cut” the number of school administrators.In contrast, the&nbsp;<a href="https://democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/FINAL-MASTER-PLATFORM.pdf" target="_blank">Democratic Party’s 2024 platform</a>&nbsp;calls for recruiting “more new teachers, paraprofessionals and school related personnel, and education support professionals, with the option for some to even start training in high school.”The platform also aims to help “school-support staff to advance in their own careers with a living wage” and improve working conditions for teachers.Trump also wants to give funding boosts to schools that adopt a “Parental Bill of Rights that includes complete curriculum transparency, and a form of universal school choice.”He’s threatening to cut federal funding for schools that teach the primarily collegiate academic subject known as “critical race theory,” gender ideology or “other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children.”The Democrats’ platform opposes “the use of private-school vouchers, tuition tax credits, opportunity scholarships, and other schemes that divert taxpayer-funded resources away from public education,” adding that “public tax dollars should never be used to discriminate.”<h2>Title IX&nbsp;</h2>Earlier this year, the Biden-Harris administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/much-attacked-final-title-ix-rule-goes-effect-while-still-blocked-26-states" target="_blank">released a final rule for Title IX</a>&nbsp;extending federal protections for LGBTQ+ students.The updated regulations took effect Aug. 1, but a slew of GOP-led states challenged the measure. The legal battles have created a policy patchwork and weakened the administration’s vision for the final rule.The updated regulations&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-administration-roll-back-betsy-devos-title-ix-rules" target="_blank">roll back Title IX changes</a>&nbsp;made under the Trump administration and then-Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.Trump vowed to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qU5EDho3qs" target="_blank">terminate the updated regulations</a>&nbsp;on his first day back in office if reelected.<h2>Student debt and higher education&nbsp;</h2>Harris has repeatedly touted the administration’s record on student loan forgiveness, including nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/biden-harris-administration-approves-additional-12-billion-student-debt" target="_blank">$170 billion</a>&nbsp;in student debt relief for almost 5 million borrowers.The administration’s most recent student loan repayment initiative came to a grinding halt in August after the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/bidens-newest-student-loan-repayment-plan-temporarily-blocked-supreme-court" target="_blank">U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked</a>&nbsp;the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan.Although little is mentioned about education in Harris’&nbsp;<a href="https://kamalaharris.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Policy_Book_Economic-Opportunity.pdf" target="_blank">extensive economic plan</a>, the proposal makes clear that the veep will “continue working to end the unreasonable burden of student loan debt and fight to make higher education more affordable, so that college can be a ticket to the middle class.”She also plans to cut four-year degree requirements for half a million federal jobs.Trump — who dubbed the Biden-Harris administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-speech-political-rally-racine-wisconsin-june-18-2024/" target="_blank">student loan forgiveness efforts</a>&nbsp;as “not even legal” — sought to repeal the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program during his administration.His education platform also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/agenda47/agenda47-the-american-academy" target="_blank">calls for endowing</a>&nbsp;the “American Academy,” a free, online university.Trump said he will endow the new institution through the “billions and billions of dollars that we will collect by taxing, fining, and suing excessively large private university endowments.”

Education: Where do Harris and Trump stand?

uBEATS now offers a more expansive and rigorously endorsed program than ever, while students are enrolling in record numbers nationwide and completing increasingly higher numbers of modules.

uBEATS (short for University of Nebraska Medical Center and University of Nebraska at Omaha Building Excellence in Academics Through STEM) launched in 2020, and the recent growth underscores the demand for high-quality resources for teachers and students in health sciences and STEM, said Peggy Moore, director of the UNMC Office of Interactive E-Learning.

“We are excited that&nbsp;uBEATS represents UNMC across the state and nationally,” Moore said, “addressing the breadth of needs and early exploration that is critical to our future health careers workforce.”

Among the program’s notable milestones:

uBEATS was&nbsp;formed to address the growing need for health science and STEM education at the primary school level, offering educators and students an entry into health science education. It offers free digital content geared to grades 6-12 in such areas as careers, cancer, genetics, pathology, microbiology, pharmacology and public health, with upcoming modules on behavioral health and medical terminology.

<a href="http://www.unmc.edu/ubeats" target="_blank">Learn more about the uBEATS program online.</a>

The program is a collaboration among UNMC E-Learning, the&nbsp;UNMC High School Alliance and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Within UNMC, the program also partners with faculty, its Rural Health Programs and the Nebraska Area Health Education Centers.

UNMC Interim Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD, envisioned and spearheaded uBEATS as UNMC’s senior vice chancellor for academic affairs beginning in 2017.

“It is wonderful to see the growth of the uBEATS program to now impact thousands of students across Nebraska and the nation,” Dr. Davies said. “With the short supply of science-trained middle and high school teachers, and with the great need for high-quality and vetted health-related STEM teaching materials, uBEATS is helping to fill a major void.”

Deanna Ingram, uBEATS curriculum specialist, said the program is fostering a vibrant community among educators. As the offerings expand, she said, educators across Nebraska and the nation are coming together, collaborating and learning from one another.

Now, Ingram said, uBEATS is shifting even more of its focus toward career exploration in the health sciences. The goal is to offer students more of a pathway toward a place at an academic medical center such as UNMC.

The program is one more way for UNMC to address the shortage of health science professionals across Nebraska, in rural communities, and in underserved urban areas, Ingram said.

Zuzi Greiner, uBEATS instructional technologist, said the programs’ “Careers in Health Care” modules have quickly become the most accessed content within uBEATS.

“By introducing students to a wide range of careers they may not have previously considered, we are fulfilling our mission as a pathway program,” Greiner said. “These modules provide invaluable exposure and inspire the next generation of health care professionals.”

Caption:&nbsp;Peggy Moore, EdD, director of the UNMC Office of Interactive E-Learning

UNMCuBEATS now offers a more expansive and rigorously endorsed program than ever, while students are enrolling in record numbers nationwide and completing increasingly higher numbers of modules.uBEATS (short for University of Nebraska Medical Center and University of Nebraska at Omaha Building Excellence in Academics Through STEM) launched in 2020, and the recent growth underscores the demand for high-quality resources for teachers and students in health sciences and STEM, said Peggy Moore, director of the UNMC Office of Interactive E-Learning.“We are excited that&nbsp;uBEATS represents UNMC across the state and nationally,” Moore said, “addressing the breadth of needs and early exploration that is critical to our future health careers workforce.”Among the program’s notable milestones:<ul>
 <li>Student enrollments tripled in the 2023-24 school year compared to the 2020-21 school year, growing to a high of 30,439. Additionally, students completed more than 11,000 uBEATS modules.</li><li>Educators in 48 states now use uBEATS.</li><li>uBEATS now offers digital badges to students who finalize certain progressions of modules to verify their completion. It’s a way to offer students “microcredentialing” – a growing standard for offering a resume-quality stamp of approval for their achievement. Over the last school year, uBEATS awarded 270 digital badges.</li><li>The program now is nationally endorsed and a member of the National Consortium for Health Science Education. To gain the endorsement, uBEATS staff aligned each of its 90-plus e-learning modules to the national health science standards, then gained verification by the NCHSE. Now, the uBEATS modules have a high stamp of approval, along with the national promotion that comes with it.</li>
 </ul>uBEATS was&nbsp;formed to address the growing need for health science and STEM education at the primary school level, offering educators and students an entry into health science education. It offers free digital content geared to grades 6-12 in such areas as careers, cancer, genetics, pathology, microbiology, pharmacology and public health, with upcoming modules on behavioral health and medical terminology.<a href="http://www.unmc.edu/ubeats" target="_blank">Learn more about the uBEATS program online.</a>The program is a collaboration among UNMC E-Learning, the&nbsp;UNMC High School Alliance and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Within UNMC, the program also partners with faculty, its Rural Health Programs and the Nebraska Area Health Education Centers.UNMC Interim Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD, envisioned and spearheaded uBEATS as UNMC’s senior vice chancellor for academic affairs beginning in 2017.“It is wonderful to see the growth of the uBEATS program to now impact thousands of students across Nebraska and the nation,” Dr. Davies said. “With the short supply of science-trained middle and high school teachers, and with the great need for high-quality and vetted health-related STEM teaching materials, uBEATS is helping to fill a major void.”Deanna Ingram, uBEATS curriculum specialist, said the program is fostering a vibrant community among educators. As the offerings expand, she said, educators across Nebraska and the nation are coming together, collaborating and learning from one another.Now, Ingram said, uBEATS is shifting even more of its focus toward career exploration in the health sciences. The goal is to offer students more of a pathway toward a place at an academic medical center such as UNMC.The program is one more way for UNMC to address the shortage of health science professionals across Nebraska, in rural communities, and in underserved urban areas, Ingram said.Zuzi Greiner, uBEATS instructional technologist, said the programs’ “Careers in Health Care” modules have quickly become the most accessed content within uBEATS.“By introducing students to a wide range of careers they may not have previously considered, we are fulfilling our mission as a pathway program,” Greiner said. “These modules provide invaluable exposure and inspire the next generation of health care professionals.”Caption:&nbsp;Peggy Moore, EdD, director of the UNMC Office of Interactive E-Learning

 uBEATS program now reaches across country as use soars

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/10/advocates-hope-nebraska-supreme-court-rules-soon-on-future-of-felony-voting-law/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Time is running short in this election cycle to resolve a Nebraska court case over whether to let people register to vote after completing a sentence for a felony conviction.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In a letter to supporters this month, the Voting Rights Restoration Coalition, a collection of statewide advocacy groups, wrote that it needs the Nebraska Supreme Court to rule soon on whether the State Constitution reserves the power to restore voting rights to the executive or legislative branch.&nbsp;

“We know many of you are experiencing heightened anxiety as we wait for the Nebraska Supreme Court’s decision on voting rights for Nebraskans with past felony convictions,” the letter says. “We still expect to be able to register voters when the court rules — the only question is how much time we will have.”

Justices&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/28/nebraska-supreme-court-hears-arguments-on-felon-voting-law/">heard oral arguments in late August</a>&nbsp;on a lawsuit seeking to overturn an administrative decision by Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, following the advice of Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, not to register voters under Legislative Bill 20, a state law passed this spring eliminating a two-year waiting period to vote after serving a felony sentence.&nbsp;

The lawsuit also challenged Evnen for pausing new voter registrations under a 2005 law, LB 53, that let people with felony convictions vote two years after completing their sentence, and could put previous registrations under the law at risk. The lawsuit argues the Legislature has the authority to change how long people must wait to vote after serving their criminal sentences.

Evnen and Hilgers have argued in legal filings that they agree with Gov. Jim Pillen in contending that only the Pardons Board has the constitutional authority to restore a person’s civil rights. The three executive branch officials, who make up the Pardons Board, argue the Legislature overstepped its authority in 2005 and 2024.

Neither Evnen nor Hilgers had any immediate comment about the wait for the court’s decision. Some voting rights advocates have argued that every day without a ruling risks more people missing a chance to participate in the November election.

Steve Smith, a spokesman for Civic Nebraska, one of the groups in the coalition, said as time passes, more Nebraskans will be confused about whether they can or cannot register to vote. Advocacy groups are preparing for a last-ditch push to register some of the thousands of Nebraskans who would be eligible if the court rules in their favor.

Officials with the Voting Rights Restoration Coalition say they will need to rely on social media, traditional media and other forms of outreach to let people know if and when they can register.

The Nebraska Supreme Court announced Thursday that it anticipates issuing no opinions this week. The next likely day for an opinion is Oct. 18 — the last day to register by mail or online. In person, the deadline is Oct. 25.

“We have registration teams standing by and will deploy them … if the Court rules in our favor before Nebraska’s registration deadlines or if the secretary of state reverses course,” Smith said. “But we have lost critical months for that work. If we get good news next week, we will waste no time in our efforts.”

RISE, a community re-entry program for incarcerated Nebraskans and others involved in the justice system, another partner in the coalition, estimates that LB 20 stood to restore the voting rights of more than 7,000 Nebraskans. Voting rights groups say tens of thousands of people have already had their voting rights restored by LB 53.

The letter encouraged people seeking to register to vote or learn more information about how to restore their right to vote visit the coalition’s website,&nbsp;<a href="https://getmyvoteback.org/" target="_blank">https://getmyvoteback.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728935679756.jpeg" alt="TJ King of Black and Pink (top right, pink shirt), speaks to a North Omaha gathering of voting rights advocates. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner" />
 <figcaption>TJ King of Black and Pink (top right, pink shirt), speaks to a North Omaha gathering of voting rights advocates. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner</figcaption>
 </figure>Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/10/advocates-hope-nebraska-supreme-court-rules-soon-on-future-of-felony-voting-law/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Time is running short in this election cycle to resolve a Nebraska court case over whether to let people register to vote after completing a sentence for a felony conviction.&nbsp;&nbsp;In a letter to supporters this month, the Voting Rights Restoration Coalition, a collection of statewide advocacy groups, wrote that it needs the Nebraska Supreme Court to rule soon on whether the State Constitution reserves the power to restore voting rights to the executive or legislative branch.&nbsp;“We know many of you are experiencing heightened anxiety as we wait for the Nebraska Supreme Court’s decision on voting rights for Nebraskans with past felony convictions,” the letter says. “We still expect to be able to register voters when the court rules — the only question is how much time we will have.”Justices&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/28/nebraska-supreme-court-hears-arguments-on-felon-voting-law/">heard oral arguments in late August</a>&nbsp;on a lawsuit seeking to overturn an administrative decision by Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, following the advice of Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, not to register voters under Legislative Bill 20, a state law passed this spring eliminating a two-year waiting period to vote after serving a felony sentence.&nbsp;<h2>Registrations under 2005 law paused</h2>The lawsuit also challenged Evnen for pausing new voter registrations under a 2005 law, LB 53, that let people with felony convictions vote two years after completing their sentence, and could put previous registrations under the law at risk. The lawsuit argues the Legislature has the authority to change how long people must wait to vote after serving their criminal sentences.Evnen and Hilgers have argued in legal filings that they agree with Gov. Jim Pillen in contending that only the Pardons Board has the constitutional authority to restore a person’s civil rights. The three executive branch officials, who make up the Pardons Board, argue the Legislature overstepped its authority in 2005 and 2024.Neither Evnen nor Hilgers had any immediate comment about the wait for the court’s decision. Some voting rights advocates have argued that every day without a ruling risks more people missing a chance to participate in the November election.Steve Smith, a spokesman for Civic Nebraska, one of the groups in the coalition, said as time passes, more Nebraskans will be confused about whether they can or cannot register to vote. Advocacy groups are preparing for a last-ditch push to register some of the thousands of Nebraskans who would be eligible if the court rules in their favor.Officials with the Voting Rights Restoration Coalition say they will need to rely on social media, traditional media and other forms of outreach to let people know if and when they can register.<h2>‘Teams standing by’</h2>The Nebraska Supreme Court announced Thursday that it anticipates issuing no opinions this week. The next likely day for an opinion is Oct. 18 — the last day to register by mail or online. In person, the deadline is Oct. 25.“We have registration teams standing by and will deploy them … if the Court rules in our favor before Nebraska’s registration deadlines or if the secretary of state reverses course,” Smith said. “But we have lost critical months for that work. If we get good news next week, we will waste no time in our efforts.”RISE, a community re-entry program for incarcerated Nebraskans and others involved in the justice system, another partner in the coalition, estimates that LB 20 stood to restore the voting rights of more than 7,000 Nebraskans. Voting rights groups say tens of thousands of people have already had their voting rights restored by LB 53.The letter encouraged people seeking to register to vote or learn more information about how to restore their right to vote visit the coalition’s website,&nbsp;<a href="https://getmyvoteback.org/" target="_blank">https://getmyvoteback.org</a>.

Advocates hope Nebraska Supreme Court rules soon on future of felony voting law

Grand Island, Neb. - Grand Island Police is investigating a deadly crash that occurred early Sunday morning that killed four males, two from Gordon.&nbsp;

According to the Grand Island Police Department (GPD), shortly after midnight Sunday morning, first responders were dispatched to an intersection where an accident occurred.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The preliminary investigation states the vehicle was traveling northbound on South Locust at a high speed, crossing over the southbound lanes, and impacting a tree. One male was ejected from the vehicle. All four males were deceased on the scene when first responders arrived.&nbsp;

The victims are identified as Daniel White Face, 20 of Gordon, Atreya Thorsen, 19 of Gordon, Juan Ramos, 22 of Grand Island, and Alexander Ramos American Horse, 18 of Grand Island.&nbsp;

The GPD says next of kin has been identified and the investigation is ongoing.&nbsp;

Panhandle Post&nbsp;Grand Island, Neb. - Grand Island Police is investigating a deadly crash that occurred early Sunday morning that killed four males, two from Gordon.&nbsp;According to the Grand Island Police Department (GPD), shortly after midnight Sunday morning, first responders were dispatched to an intersection where an accident occurred.&nbsp;&nbsp;The preliminary investigation states the vehicle was traveling northbound on South Locust at a high speed, crossing over the southbound lanes, and impacting a tree. One male was ejected from the vehicle. All four males were deceased on the scene when first responders arrived.&nbsp;The victims are identified as Daniel White Face, 20 of Gordon, Atreya Thorsen, 19 of Gordon, Juan Ramos, 22 of Grand Island, and Alexander Ramos American Horse, 18 of Grand Island.&nbsp;The GPD says next of kin has been identified and the investigation is ongoing.&nbsp;

Gordon natives killed in early Sunday morning accident in Grand Island

DENVER&nbsp;– In a groundbreaking move to expand access to higher education, Regis University proudly announces “The Road to Regis” – a new initiative offering full tuition for up to four years to eligible students in Colorado, Arizona, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming. Launching in fall 2025, this program is one of the first of its kind in Colorado to extend beyond state borders, reinforcing Regis’ commitment to serving students throughout our region.

“We’re breaking down financial and geographic barriers to make a Regis education accessible to talented students,” said J.T. Smith, associate vice president and dean of admissions at Regis University. “This program reflects our dedication to the Jesuit values of inclusivity, social justice and service to others.”

In line with Regis University’s mission of fostering leadership and positive change, the Road to Regis is more than just a tuition offer. Like all Regis students, participants gain access to a wide range of resources, including career services, internships and community engagement opportunities. By equipping students with these essential tools, Regis ensures they are prepared to make a meaningful impact in their communities and professions far beyond graduation.

A Tradition of Supporting Diverse Students

Regis University has a long tradition of supporting students from various backgrounds in their pursuit of higher education. “The Road to Regis program is a testament to our commitment to removing financial barriers and opening doors to new opportunities,” said Catherine Rohde, assistant vice president of financial aid and scholarships at Regis University. “We want students, regardless of their economic situation, have the chance to achieve their educational and career goals while embracing the values of our Jesuit mission.” Many graduates have gone on to become leaders and advocates in fields such as social work, health care, education and more – all made possible by the opportunities and support provided by Regis.

The program is open to incoming traditional&nbsp;first-year&nbsp;and transfer students who meet the following criteria:

Road to Regis and Other Financial Assistance

The Road to Regis program works in conjunction with federal, state, and other forms of financial aid, such as scholarships and grants, to cover the remaining tuition for eligible students. This ensures that students receive the full benefit of their financial aid package while alleviating the burden of additional costs. The admissions team is available to provide detailed guidance on how the program integrates with other financial aid options.

Prospective students are encouraged to visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.regis.edu/">www.regis.edu</a>&nbsp;for more information or to attend an upcoming event to learn how they can embark on their Road to Regis. Regis University also invites community organizations and educators to help spread the word about this transformative opportunity.

For additional inquiries or to begin your journey, contact&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ruadmissions@regis.edu">ruadmissions@regis.edu</a>&nbsp;or call 800-944-7667. Join Regis University in building a brighter future for the Rocky Mountain region.

Established in 1877, Regis University is a premier, globally engaged institution of higher learning in the Jesuit tradition that prepares leaders to live productive lives of faith, meaning and service. Regis University, one of 27 Jesuit universities in the nation, has two campus locations in the Denver metro area and extensive online program offerings with more than 6,000 enrolled students. It is a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.regis.edu/index">www.regis.edu</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Regis UniversityDENVER&nbsp;– In a groundbreaking move to expand access to higher education, Regis University proudly announces “The Road to Regis” – a new initiative offering full tuition for up to four years to eligible students in Colorado, Arizona, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming. Launching in fall 2025, this program is one of the first of its kind in Colorado to extend beyond state borders, reinforcing Regis’ commitment to serving students throughout our region.“We’re breaking down financial and geographic barriers to make a Regis education accessible to talented students,” said J.T. Smith, associate vice president and dean of admissions at Regis University. “This program reflects our dedication to the Jesuit values of inclusivity, social justice and service to others.”Empowering Future Leaders in the RegionIn line with Regis University’s mission of fostering leadership and positive change, the Road to Regis is more than just a tuition offer. Like all Regis students, participants gain access to a wide range of resources, including career services, internships and community engagement opportunities. By equipping students with these essential tools, Regis ensures they are prepared to make a meaningful impact in their communities and professions far beyond graduation.A Tradition of Supporting Diverse StudentsRegis University has a long tradition of supporting students from various backgrounds in their pursuit of higher education. “The Road to Regis program is a testament to our commitment to removing financial barriers and opening doors to new opportunities,” said Catherine Rohde, assistant vice president of financial aid and scholarships at Regis University. “We want students, regardless of their economic situation, have the chance to achieve their educational and career goals while embracing the values of our Jesuit mission.” Many graduates have gone on to become leaders and advocates in fields such as social work, health care, education and more – all made possible by the opportunities and support provided by Regis.Who Qualifies for The Road to Regis?The program is open to incoming traditional&nbsp;first-year&nbsp;and transfer students who meet the following criteria:<ul>
 <li>Residents of Colorado and surrounding states (Arizona, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah or Wyoming)</li><li>Cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 or higher</li><li>Have a family adjusted gross income (AGI) of $75,000 or less, as reported on the FAFSA and reviewed annually.</li>
 </ul>Road to Regis and Other Financial AssistanceThe Road to Regis program works in conjunction with federal, state, and other forms of financial aid, such as scholarships and grants, to cover the remaining tuition for eligible students. This ensures that students receive the full benefit of their financial aid package while alleviating the burden of additional costs. The admissions team is available to provide detailed guidance on how the program integrates with other financial aid options.Next Steps: Start Your JourneyProspective students are encouraged to visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.regis.edu/">www.regis.edu</a>&nbsp;for more information or to attend an upcoming event to learn how they can embark on their Road to Regis. Regis University also invites community organizations and educators to help spread the word about this transformative opportunity.For additional inquiries or to begin your journey, contact&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ruadmissions@regis.edu">ruadmissions@regis.edu</a>&nbsp;or call 800-944-7667. Join Regis University in building a brighter future for the Rocky Mountain region.About Regis UniversityEstablished in 1877, Regis University is a premier, globally engaged institution of higher learning in the Jesuit tradition that prepares leaders to live productive lives of faith, meaning and service. Regis University, one of 27 Jesuit universities in the nation, has two campus locations in the Denver metro area and extensive online program offerings with more than 6,000 enrolled students. It is a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.regis.edu/index">www.regis.edu</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Regis University Unveils “The Road to Regis” Program, Offering Full Tuition for Traditional First-Time and Transfer Students in Colorado and  Surrouding States including Nebraska

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/11/ne-pandemic-related-homeowner-aid-program-wraps-up-as-rent-aid-program-seeks-applicants/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A pandemic-related program set up nearly three years ago to help struggling Nebraska homeowners has wrapped up — and 3,094 applicants ultimately received a share of the $50 million federal allotment.

The average amount of emergency aid per recipient was $14,834. The maximum someone could get through the Nebraska Homeowner Assistance Fund was $40,000.

“The program was essential to keeping Nebraskans in their homes after the financial impact of the pandemic,” said Robin Ambroz, chief programs officer for the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, which managed the fund. “NIFA was honored to work with our partners to assist over 3,000 households.”

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/02/nebraska-offers-homeowners-help-after-ricketts-turns-down-more-aid-for-renters/">Launched in February 2022</a>, the program aimed to prevent Nebraskans from losing their houses over COVID-19 hardships.

The $50 million came from the U.S. Treasury Department as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

<a href="https://www.nebraskahaf.com/resources" target="_blank">About 8,000 people&nbsp;</a>from 85 of the state’s 93 counties applied to request financial assistance, according to NIFA records.&nbsp;

Applicants had to meet eligibility requirements, including having a household income that was no more than their home county’s median income.

Most of the aid was directed at mortgage reinstatement (nearly $25 million) and future mortgage payments (nearly $17 million).

Smaller amounts were allocated for past due real estate taxes ($1.87 million); utilities ($1.28 million); homeowners insurance (nearly $159,000); homeowner association fees or liens ($154,138); and internet service ($54,576).

Coordinators of the fund also referred nearly 900 applicants to housing counseling services and nearly 340 applicants to Legal Aid for foreclosure prevention help.

Meanwhile, a separate pandemic-related program — to help eligible Nebraska renters — still has available funds.

When the second round of<a href="https://nebraskarenthelp.org/" target="_blank">&nbsp;Nebraska Emergency Rental Assistance&nbsp;</a>(ERA II) launched in September 2023, the fund had $48 million to distribute in 91 smaller counties outside Douglas and Lancaster (those large counties had their own programs.)

To date, NIFA said, more than $20 million has been obligated, providing financial assistance to thousands of qualified, pandemic-impacted Nebraskans for past-due and future rent payments and past-due utility and internet payments.

NIFA manages the ERA II program, as well, and has asked those in need&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nifa.org/emergency-rental-assistance" target="_blank">to apply now</a>.

Earlier, NIFA officials said they hoped to get at least 75% of the $48 million spent by the end of 2024. Once 75% of the funds are obligated, program guidelines allow remaining funds to be directed toward the development of affordable housing.

Among the landlords who have participated in the program, according to coordinators, is Andy Marsh, owner of Keystone Properties, which manages about 650 properties in the Grand Island and Hastings area.

Marsh said that upon learning of the program, he drove to see one of his tenants, a single father working three jobs as his young daughter fought brain cancer. Bills were piling up for the family, and Marsh thought they could use the boost.

“These are hard-working Nebraskans going through a tough time, and without the burden of past-due rent, they’ve been able to take care of medical bills, get their cars fixed or get caught up on childcare bills,” Marsh said in a news release. “In turn, landlords like myself are getting caught up. It’s been a snowball effect for our economy.”

The rental program had been controversial in its earlier stages. Many advocates, renters and landlords<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/30/rent-aid-program-covering-the-bulk-of-nebraska-hits-a-snag-as-it-sunsets/">&nbsp;had complained to lawmakers&nbsp;</a>and state officials about the management of the first round of emergency rental aid to the 91 counties.

They said the previous contractor, Deloitte, an audit and financial services firm, had created a cumbersome online application process that kept many needy Nebraskans from accessing the aid.

Low participation was among reasons cited by then-Gov. Pete Ricketts when he refused to tap the second round of rent aid dollars that the federal government had set aside for the 91 Nebraska counties.

Gov. Jim Pillen, after he was elected,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/08/latest-on-emergency-rent-aid-saga-gov-jim-pillen-accepted-the-federal-funds/">bucked Rickett’s stance</a>&nbsp;and accepted what was left of the original rental fund.

Application processing times have improved since the launch last year, NIFA says, with staff training and more steady flow of applications since the initial surge.

“We appreciate the patience and diligence of applicants and landlords and look forward to continuing to provide relief and stability to qualified Nebraskans,” said Shannon Harner, NIFA executive director.

To qualify for rental assistance, applicants must have experienced financial hardship during the pandemic, have income at or below 80% of area median income; rent their primary residence in Nebraska and be a legal resident.

Renters in Douglas and Lancaster Counties are not eligible as they have their separate&nbsp; assistance programs.

Funds are to be distributed while available and do not need to be paid back.

Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/11/ne-pandemic-related-homeowner-aid-program-wraps-up-as-rent-aid-program-seeks-applicants/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — A pandemic-related program set up nearly three years ago to help struggling Nebraska homeowners has wrapped up — and 3,094 applicants ultimately received a share of the $50 million federal allotment.The average amount of emergency aid per recipient was $14,834. The maximum someone could get through the Nebraska Homeowner Assistance Fund was $40,000.“The program was essential to keeping Nebraskans in their homes after the financial impact of the pandemic,” said Robin Ambroz, chief programs officer for the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, which managed the fund. “NIFA was honored to work with our partners to assist over 3,000 households.”<h2>Preventing loss of house</h2><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/02/nebraska-offers-homeowners-help-after-ricketts-turns-down-more-aid-for-renters/">Launched in February 2022</a>, the program aimed to prevent Nebraskans from losing their houses over COVID-19 hardships.The $50 million came from the U.S. Treasury Department as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.<a href="https://www.nebraskahaf.com/resources" target="_blank">About 8,000 people&nbsp;</a>from 85 of the state’s 93 counties applied to request financial assistance, according to NIFA records.&nbsp;Applicants had to meet eligibility requirements, including having a household income that was no more than their home county’s median income.Most of the aid was directed at mortgage reinstatement (nearly $25 million) and future mortgage payments (nearly $17 million).Smaller amounts were allocated for past due real estate taxes ($1.87 million); utilities ($1.28 million); homeowners insurance (nearly $159,000); homeowner association fees or liens ($154,138); and internet service ($54,576).Coordinators of the fund also referred nearly 900 applicants to housing counseling services and nearly 340 applicants to Legal Aid for foreclosure prevention help.<h2>Fund for rent and utility help</h2>Meanwhile, a separate pandemic-related program — to help eligible Nebraska renters — still has available funds.When the second round of<a href="https://nebraskarenthelp.org/" target="_blank">&nbsp;Nebraska Emergency Rental Assistance&nbsp;</a>(ERA II) launched in September 2023, the fund had $48 million to distribute in 91 smaller counties outside Douglas and Lancaster (those large counties had their own programs.)To date, NIFA said, more than $20 million has been obligated, providing financial assistance to thousands of qualified, pandemic-impacted Nebraskans for past-due and future rent payments and past-due utility and internet payments.NIFA manages the ERA II program, as well, and has asked those in need&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nifa.org/emergency-rental-assistance" target="_blank">to apply now</a>.Earlier, NIFA officials said they hoped to get at least 75% of the $48 million spent by the end of 2024. Once 75% of the funds are obligated, program guidelines allow remaining funds to be directed toward the development of affordable housing.Among the landlords who have participated in the program, according to coordinators, is Andy Marsh, owner of Keystone Properties, which manages about 650 properties in the Grand Island and Hastings area.Marsh said that upon learning of the program, he drove to see one of his tenants, a single father working three jobs as his young daughter fought brain cancer. Bills were piling up for the family, and Marsh thought they could use the boost.“These are hard-working Nebraskans going through a tough time, and without the burden of past-due rent, they’ve been able to take care of medical bills, get their cars fixed or get caught up on childcare bills,” Marsh said in a news release. “In turn, landlords like myself are getting caught up. It’s been a snowball effect for our economy.”<h2>Early controversy</h2>The rental program had been controversial in its earlier stages. Many advocates, renters and landlords<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/30/rent-aid-program-covering-the-bulk-of-nebraska-hits-a-snag-as-it-sunsets/">&nbsp;had complained to lawmakers&nbsp;</a>and state officials about the management of the first round of emergency rental aid to the 91 counties.They said the previous contractor, Deloitte, an audit and financial services firm, had created a cumbersome online application process that kept many needy Nebraskans from accessing the aid.Low participation was among reasons cited by then-Gov. Pete Ricketts when he refused to tap the second round of rent aid dollars that the federal government had set aside for the 91 Nebraska counties.Gov. Jim Pillen, after he was elected,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/08/latest-on-emergency-rent-aid-saga-gov-jim-pillen-accepted-the-federal-funds/">bucked Rickett’s stance</a>&nbsp;and accepted what was left of the original rental fund.Application processing times have improved since the launch last year, NIFA says, with staff training and more steady flow of applications since the initial surge.“We appreciate the patience and diligence of applicants and landlords and look forward to continuing to provide relief and stability to qualified Nebraskans,” said Shannon Harner, NIFA executive director.To qualify for rental assistance, applicants must have experienced financial hardship during the pandemic, have income at or below 80% of area median income; rent their primary residence in Nebraska and be a legal resident.Renters in Douglas and Lancaster Counties are not eligible as they have their separate&nbsp; assistance programs.Funds are to be distributed while available and do not need to be paid back.

NE pandemic-related homeowner aid program wraps up, as rent aid program seeks applicants

Lincoln, Neb – The Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) is proud to honor Nichole Mulcahy, Director PSC Natural Gas Department and Sallie Dietrich, PSC Senior Legal Counsel, as its 2024 State of Nebraska Excellence in Leadership Award Recipients.

Providing exceptional service to the State of Nebraska for more than 20 years, Mulcahy is recognized as a leader among both Commission and State colleagues. Director of the PSC Natural Gas Department since 2017, she has handled several extremely complex and technical cases including rate cases and a major oil pipeline siting which were affirmed on judicial review. A proactive manager, Mulcahy works daily to protect the interest of Nebraska ratepayers. 

“Nichole leads by example,” said PSC Executive Director Thomas Golden. “An effective communicator, she has the respect of not only her staff, and colleagues but the industry as well.”

As Senior Legal Counsel Dietrich is an instrumental member of the Commission’s legal team. Joining the Commission in 2018, her expertise in telecommunications law and policy has proven essential for Commissioners as they navigate the changing landscape of broadband infrastructure development. A team player, she provides insightful comments and sharp legal analysis as she works to assist Commission attorneys.

Golden said, “Sallie’s willingness to take on extra projects, fill in for other departments or provide thoughtful assistance to her PSC colleagues is the personification of a true teammate.”

The Excellence in Leadership Award is designed to recognize and celebrate the professional achievements of those whose performance and customer service exceeds all expectations. A reception honoring the 2024 Nebraska Excellence in Leadership Award recipients was held on October 11, at the Governor’s residence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728911796771.jpeg" alt="Nichole Mulcahy- Director PSC Natural Gas Department (Courtesy)" />
 <figcaption>Nichole Mulcahy- Director PSC Natural Gas Department (Courtesy)</figcaption>
 </figure>Deb CollinsPSCLincoln, Neb – The Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) is proud to honor Nichole Mulcahy, Director PSC Natural Gas Department and Sallie Dietrich, PSC Senior Legal Counsel, as its 2024 State of Nebraska Excellence in Leadership Award Recipients.Providing exceptional service to the State of Nebraska for more than 20 years, Mulcahy is recognized as a leader among both Commission and State colleagues. Director of the PSC Natural Gas Department since 2017, she has handled several extremely complex and technical cases including rate cases and a major oil pipeline siting which were affirmed on judicial review. A proactive manager, Mulcahy works daily to protect the interest of Nebraska ratepayers. “Nichole leads by example,” said PSC Executive Director Thomas Golden. “An effective communicator, she has the respect of not only her staff, and colleagues but the industry as well.”As Senior Legal Counsel Dietrich is an instrumental member of the Commission’s legal team. Joining the Commission in 2018, her expertise in telecommunications law and policy has proven essential for Commissioners as they navigate the changing landscape of broadband infrastructure development. A team player, she provides insightful comments and sharp legal analysis as she works to assist Commission attorneys.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728911857861.jpeg" alt="Sallie Dietrich PCS Senior Legal Counsel (Courtesy)" />
 <figcaption>Sallie Dietrich PCS Senior Legal Counsel (Courtesy)</figcaption>
 </figure>Golden said, “Sallie’s willingness to take on extra projects, fill in for other departments or provide thoughtful assistance to her PSC colleagues is the personification of a true teammate.”The Excellence in Leadership Award is designed to recognize and celebrate the professional achievements of those whose performance and customer service exceeds all expectations. A reception honoring the 2024 Nebraska Excellence in Leadership Award recipients was held on October 11, at the Governor’s residence.

Excellence in Leadership Award Recipients Honored

WASHINGTON&nbsp; —At the direction of the President, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin authorized the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and associated crew of U.S. military personnel to Israel to help bolster Israel's air defenses following Iran's unprecedented attacks against Israel on April 13 and again on October 1, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728866585354.png" alt="-A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) mobile launcher sits on display in the new Lt. Gen. C.J. LeVan THAAD Instructional Facility at Fort Sill, Oklahoma (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)" />
 <figcaption>-A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) mobile launcher sits on display in the new Lt. Gen. C.J. LeVan THAAD Instructional Facility at Fort Sill, Oklahoma (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp; —At the direction of the President, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin authorized the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and associated crew of U.S. military personnel to Israel to help bolster Israel's air defenses following Iran's unprecedented attacks against Israel on April 13 and again on October 1, according to a statement from the U.S. Central CommandThe announcement from Washington came after Iran warned the U.S. to keep its military forces out of Israel. The THAAD Battery is a defensive system that shoots down incoming ballistic missiles and will augment Israel's integrated air defense system. This action underscores the United States' ironclad commitment to the defense of Israel, and to defend Americans in Israel, from any further ballistic missile attacks by Iran. It is part of the broader adjustments the U.S. military has made in recent months, to support the defense of Israel and protect Americans from attacks by Iran and Iranian-aligned militias.&nbsp;This is not the first time the United States has deployed a THAAD battery to the region, according to the U.S. Central Command. The President directed the military to deploy a THAAD battery to the Middle East last year following the October 7th attacks to defend American troops and interests in the region. The United States previously deployed a THAAD battery to Israel in 2019 for training and an integrated air defense exercise.