Nebraska Update

In August 2022, Jason Jones was arrested in connection with the deaths of four of his neighbors in Laurel, a northeast Nebraska town of 900 people. Jones is facing multiple charges of first-degree murder, first-degree arson, and the use of a firearm to commit a felony. If found guilty, Jones could face the death penalty. The trial is expected to last several weeks.

Gov. Jim Pillen is defending his appointment to the Nebraska Library Commission of a woman who led efforts to remove books from Plattsmouth school libraries.

The Nebraska Department of Education was awarded an almost $55 million grant to be used over the next five years to create a comprehensive literacy program. Nebraska is one of 23 states to receive the grant from the federal government.

Cattle contribute more greenhouse gases than other livestock. The reasons behind that have some ranchers trying to address environmental impacts, while experts say there are also ways for you to curb your plate’s climate footprint.

Heartbreak and triumph, the old and the new. Husker fans and former players say that’s all front of mind as the University of Nebraska and the University of Colorado hit the gridiron Saturday night at 6:30 p.m.

Dr. Jeffrey Gold will be installed as the ninth University of Nebraska president this afternoon. Nebraska Public Media’s Jolie Peal spoke with Dr. Gold ahead of the ceremony about his investiture and the start of the school year.

U.S. Senate candidates Republican Senator Deb Fischer and independent Dan Osborn announced endorsements from labor groups Tuesday. Fischer touted endorsements from 13 labor unions and trade associations, which include the Nebraska Farmers Union, Nebraska Hospital Association and the State Troopers Association of Nebraska. Meanwhile, Osborn announced support from 23 labor unions, including the Nebraska AFL-CIO, United Auto Workers and Communications Workers of America.

A parenting group for Spanish-speakers will continue its pilot program in Fremont starting today (Tuesday).

For days, Amy Gholson tracked a shipment of baby turkeys she ordered from an Ohio hatchery. She kept tabs online as the birds began the more than 500-mile trip to the Gholson home near St. Charles, Missouri, via the U.S. Postal Service. The ten birds needed to arrive in two days to ensure they’d survive the trip. It was late March and temperatures were still low, making the speed of the delivery more crucial than usual. But the baby turkeys, or poults, hadn’t even left Ohio when progress halted. “I was going to be able to watch these babies digitally, basically, and they went to the Cleveland distribution warehouse and they stayed there and stayed there,” Gholson said. Postal Service delays have become more persistent in the years following the pandemic and a new ten-year plan put in place by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy aimed at ending billions of dollars a year in losses. Slowdowns in delivery are integral to the plan.

North Omaha community leaders say a housing plan from presidential hopeful Kamala Harris would help develop more affordable housing in the neighborhood. State Sen. Terrell McKinney, Omaha developer Don Curry and housing advocate Kimara Snipes endorsed Harris’ plan to build 3 million new homes in the next four years and provide down payment assistance to first time home buyers. The Harris plan would also provide tax incentives to builders constructing starter homes.