Nebraska Update

Congressman Jeff Fortenberry’s attempts to create some legal roadblocks in the government’s corruption case against him got a chilly reception from the federal judge hearing the matter. In a California courtroom Tuesday, his attorneys attempted to undermine the charge that Fortenberry lied to FBI agents investigating illegal campaign contributions.

Former Nebraska state senator Kate Bolz started her new position last week as Nebraska’s Director of Rural Development for the United States Department of Agriculture. Bolz was appointed by President Biden to direct Nebraska’s USDA grants and loans.

Kate Bolz said her experiences growing up in rural southeast Nebraska have prepared her for the state director role at the United State Department of Agriculture.

The Midwest is home to power plants that are some of the country’s highest emitters of pollutants.

According to EPA data, four of the top 10 coal-burning power plants with the highest sulfur dioxide emissions in the country are located in the four-state region.

What’s more, the data shows two of the power generators that contribute the largest amount of nitrogen oxide emissions in the country are located in Missouri.

Immigrants make up an estimated 40% of the U.S. meat processing workforce. Last year’s wave of COVID outbreaks at meatpacking plants revealed how protections are lacking for many of these workers.

Methodist Hospital in Omaha reports nearly 180 healthcare workers out sick, which includes more than 50 nurses. Elective surgeries are being postponed or canceled currently at Methodist. Todd Consbruck is the president and CEO at Avera St. Anthony's Hospital in the northern Nebraska town of O’Neill. Consbruck says nurses and doctors in O’Neill are growing weary emotionally and physically due to pressure from the omicron variant.

Gov. Pete Ricketts and Speaker Mike Hilgers proposed big water projects, and the Legislature advanced a proposal for a convention to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

There’s a lot of questions about the latest COVID-19 Omicron variant. University of Nebraska Medical Center infectious disease physician Dr. Mark Rupp has some answers.

The coronavirus has killed hundreds of meat plant workers – and sickened thousands more. Nearly two years into the pandemic, many are still searching for answers – and calling for change.

Gov. Pete Ricketts was asked questions about the coming year and beyond in an interview with Nebraska Public Media News.

According to the updated data from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, there were more than 3700 cases of COVID-19 from Monday’s seven-day rolling average. Michele Bever is the South Heartland Health Director and said the district's seven-day average jumped from 398 cases per 100,000 people last week to nearly 500 this week. Bever said the first omicron variant case was detected in her district on Monday evening.