Humanities Desk

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has launched a new program in an effort to attract and retain teachers from diverse backgrounds. Nebraska Public Media’s Kassidy Arena has the details.

A pregnancy-related death is when a person dies during pregnancy– or within a year after the pregnancy due to complications or pre-existing conditions. In some Midwest states, maternal mortality rates are higher than the national average. As Nebraska Public Media’s Kassidy Arena/ KBIA’s Anna Spidel report for the Midwest Newsroom, the data on Hispanic women can be particularly challenging.

Experts in media, election security and counterterrorism spoke on ChatGPT, deep fake videos, voice cloning and more at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Saturday for Civic Nebraska’s AI and Democracy Community Summit. The panel included UNL public relations professor Bryan Wang, UNL journalism professor Matt Waite, Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse and UNO counterterrorism center director, Gina Ligon.

Lincoln Public School students at four high schools had the opportunity to learn more about H-B-C-Us this week. Nebraska Public Media’s Kassidy Arena reports the informational sessions offered some students a first-time look at some of these schools.

The hub of Lincoln’s bus system may be getting a new temporary location until the completion of a multi-modal transportation center in 2027. Lincoln Transportation and Utilities shared plans at a public open house Wednesday morning for a new transfer center location at 11th and L Streets, two blocks south of its current location next to the Gold’s Building construction site.

The initiative, called Nebraska Backs the Blue, aims to recruit officers to Nebraska by highlighting the state’s support for law enforcement, recreational opportunities and free college tuition program for law enforcement officials. “Our message today, while very important in Nebraska, is really a message to the rest of America. Nebraska is the best state in the union to work as a law enforcement official,” Flood said.

A robot developed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is among the first to complete a surgical simulation in space. A research team led by UNL engineering professor Shane Farritor received grant funding from NASA to send the robot to the International Space Station. The 2-pound robot, controlled by surgeons from across the United States, cut ten rubber bands as part of its initial space test.

Raybould’s LB1383 would establish Nebraska Tribal Community Assistance Program. The program would be funded through an initial transfer of $10,000,000 from the Intern Nebraska Cash Fund and provide at least one grant per year — up to $2,000,000 — to tribal water and sewer projects.

Spanish-speaking breast cancer survivors in the state now have a new resource for helping with mental health.

Doulas are trained birthing coaches who help women through pregnancy and childbirth. And if a bill passes through state legislation, this resource could be available to Nebraskans who use Medicaid. Nebraska Public Media’s Kassidy Arena has the story.