United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jeffery S. Sikes, age 43, formerly of Kearney, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 27, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for committing wire fraud. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Sikes to 108 months’ imprisonment. After Sikes’ release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Sikes was additionally ordered to pay $819,169.96 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.

Beginning in early 2012, and continuing through on or about July 1, 2014, Sikes devised and enacted multiple fraudulent schemes in the District of Nebraska. The Indictment charged Sikes with enacting several separate schemes with different victims being preyed upon by Sikes for each individual scheme. In each scheme Sikes defrauded others, obtaining money and property by the means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, promises, and omissions and during the course of which different wires or mails would be used in furtherance of the schemes. The charges included a scheme representing to real estate developers that Sikes had located tenants and demanding a finder’s fee—when in fact no tenants existed. In another scheme, Sikes convinced others to invest their retirement into an alleged new research and development company which did not in reality exist. Each scheme typically included complex fraudulent documents which were used to lull the victims into a sense of security.

In the scheme to which Sikes pled guilty, he approached B &amp; J Partnership, d/b/a Speedway Properties (“B &amp; J”), as a “consultant” for Vanguard Nebraska, a limited liability company (“Vanguard”). He contacted B &amp; J about obtaining a lease for commercial space owned by B &amp; J in Lincoln, Nebraska. Sikes represented to B &amp; J that Vanguard intended to establish laboratory space in Lincoln for use in research and development. Sikes proposed that B &amp; J provide $750,000 in financing for the build out of the commercial space owned by B &amp; J. He provided complex falsified documents to convince B &amp; J to enter into the lease and to finance the building including fraudulent balance sheets and IRS tax forms; fraudulent information about purported subcontractors who were allegedly responsible for the construction; and fraudulent bills payable from said subcontractors for work performed or materials related to the construction costs for the property. In reality, Vanguard was never a real company. All documents submitted to B &amp;J and others concerning Vanguard and the subcontractors allegedly working on the project were manufactured and fraudulently created by Sikes and others working with Sikes. During the course of this scheme, Sikes directed the disbursement of funds for fraudulent invoices of $507,231.96 causing a loss to B &amp; J.

In addition to the loss to B &amp; J, the other schemes mentioned within the Indictment resulted in the loss of an additional $311,938 to other victims. In total, Sikes is responsible for defrauding multiple companies, organizations, and individuals for $819,169.96.

Sikes pled guilty to one count of wire fraud on April 28, 2017. On January 5, 2018, Sikes did not appear for his sentencing hearing and a warrant was issued for his arrest. It was later determined that Sikes fled Nebraska to Alabama, where he was living in hiding with others and using the alias “Kenneth Allen.” In February of 2022, Sikes was arrested and charged with conspiracy to maliciously destroy by fire in the District of Alabama—a crime for which he was convicted on May 30, 2023. Pursuant to the documents in that case, while living as a fugitive in Alabama, Sikes led a conspiracy of seven other co-defendants. As part of the conspiracy, Sikes and the others set fires to four different Walmart stores in Alabama and Mississippi. Each of the fires were set during business hours while customers, employees, and vendors were inside the stores. In the lead up to setting these fires, Sikes and his conspirators had meetings and drafted a “Declaration of War and Demands for the People” that made demands and consisted of threats against Walmart if their demands were not met.

Sikes pled guilty to the conspiracy charge in the Alabama case. He was sentenced to 216 months’ (18 years) imprisonment, supervised release for 3 years, and to pay restitution in the amount of $7,295,533.23 to be paid jointly and severally with co-defendants from that case. After Sikes’ sentencing in Alabama, he was returned to the District of Nebraska to face sentencing for his crimes committed as part of this case in the District of Nebraska. The sentence of imprisonment imposed today by Senior District Judge Gerrard was ordered to be consecutive to Sikes’ term of imprisonment imposed in the Alabama case.

Following today’s sentencing United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr stated “The United States Attorney’s Office is dedicated to ensuring justice is served for all crimes committed in the District of Nebraska and to holding defendants accountable regardless of the number of years it takes. Jeffery Sikes’ serious crimes perpetrated against numerous Nebraska citizens and businesses was not forgotten and today’s sentence is a reflection of the dedication and hard work of all those involved with this case both before and after Sikes fled in 2018.”

<a>“Jeffery S. Sikes’ fraudulent schemes had devastating financial consequences for his Nebraska victims,” said FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel.&nbsp; “His attempt to avoid facing the consequences of his crimes was futile.&nbsp; No matter how long it takes, the FBI is dedicated to working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice.</a>”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

United States Attorney's OfficeUnited States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jeffery S. Sikes, age 43, formerly of Kearney, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 27, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for committing wire fraud. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Sikes to 108 months’ imprisonment. After Sikes’ release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Sikes was additionally ordered to pay $819,169.96 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.Beginning in early 2012, and continuing through on or about July 1, 2014, Sikes devised and enacted multiple fraudulent schemes in the District of Nebraska. The Indictment charged Sikes with enacting several separate schemes with different victims being preyed upon by Sikes for each individual scheme. In each scheme Sikes defrauded others, obtaining money and property by the means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, promises, and omissions and during the course of which different wires or mails would be used in furtherance of the schemes. The charges included a scheme representing to real estate developers that Sikes had located tenants and demanding a finder’s fee—when in fact no tenants existed. In another scheme, Sikes convinced others to invest their retirement into an alleged new research and development company which did not in reality exist. Each scheme typically included complex fraudulent documents which were used to lull the victims into a sense of security.In the scheme to which Sikes pled guilty, he approached B &amp; J Partnership, d/b/a Speedway Properties (“B &amp; J”), as a “consultant” for Vanguard Nebraska, a limited liability company (“Vanguard”). He contacted B &amp; J about obtaining a lease for commercial space owned by B &amp; J in Lincoln, Nebraska. Sikes represented to B &amp; J that Vanguard intended to establish laboratory space in Lincoln for use in research and development. Sikes proposed that B &amp; J provide $750,000 in financing for the build out of the commercial space owned by B &amp; J. He provided complex falsified documents to convince B &amp; J to enter into the lease and to finance the building including fraudulent balance sheets and IRS tax forms; fraudulent information about purported subcontractors who were allegedly responsible for the construction; and fraudulent bills payable from said subcontractors for work performed or materials related to the construction costs for the property. In reality, Vanguard was never a real company. All documents submitted to B &amp;J and others concerning Vanguard and the subcontractors allegedly working on the project were manufactured and fraudulently created by Sikes and others working with Sikes. During the course of this scheme, Sikes directed the disbursement of funds for fraudulent invoices of $507,231.96 causing a loss to B &amp; J.In addition to the loss to B &amp; J, the other schemes mentioned within the Indictment resulted in the loss of an additional $311,938 to other victims. In total, Sikes is responsible for defrauding multiple companies, organizations, and individuals for $819,169.96.Sikes pled guilty to one count of wire fraud on April 28, 2017. On January 5, 2018, Sikes did not appear for his sentencing hearing and a warrant was issued for his arrest. It was later determined that Sikes fled Nebraska to Alabama, where he was living in hiding with others and using the alias “Kenneth Allen.” In February of 2022, Sikes was arrested and charged with conspiracy to maliciously destroy by fire in the District of Alabama—a crime for which he was convicted on May 30, 2023. Pursuant to the documents in that case, while living as a fugitive in Alabama, Sikes led a conspiracy of seven other co-defendants. As part of the conspiracy, Sikes and the others set fires to four different Walmart stores in Alabama and Mississippi. Each of the fires were set during business hours while customers, employees, and vendors were inside the stores. In the lead up to setting these fires, Sikes and his conspirators had meetings and drafted a “Declaration of War and Demands for the People” that made demands and consisted of threats against Walmart if their demands were not met.Sikes pled guilty to the conspiracy charge in the Alabama case. He was sentenced to 216 months’ (18 years) imprisonment, supervised release for 3 years, and to pay restitution in the amount of $7,295,533.23 to be paid jointly and severally with co-defendants from that case. After Sikes’ sentencing in Alabama, he was returned to the District of Nebraska to face sentencing for his crimes committed as part of this case in the District of Nebraska. The sentence of imprisonment imposed today by Senior District Judge Gerrard was ordered to be consecutive to Sikes’ term of imprisonment imposed in the Alabama case.Following today’s sentencing United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr stated “The United States Attorney’s Office is dedicated to ensuring justice is served for all crimes committed in the District of Nebraska and to holding defendants accountable regardless of the number of years it takes. Jeffery Sikes’ serious crimes perpetrated against numerous Nebraska citizens and businesses was not forgotten and today’s sentence is a reflection of the dedication and hard work of all those involved with this case both before and after Sikes fled in 2018.”<a>“Jeffery S. Sikes’ fraudulent schemes had devastating financial consequences for his Nebraska victims,” said FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel.&nbsp; “His attempt to avoid facing the consequences of his crimes was futile.&nbsp; No matter how long it takes, the FBI is dedicated to working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice.</a>”This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Former Kearney Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Wire Fraud

Lincoln, NE–August 26,&nbsp;2024–Richard Welch of Davey is the sixth winner of a 2024 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCrew truck in the 29th edition of the Nebraska Lottery’s $2 Truck$ &amp; Buck$ Scratch game.

Welch purchased his winning Truck$ &amp; Buck$ ticket at U-Stop #12 at 6801 Wildcat Dr. in Lincoln. He was presented with his new truck at U-Stop on Monday, August 26 by Nebraska Lottery officials.

Welch stopped at U-Stop and bought 10 Truck$ &amp; Buck$ tickets and took them home to scratch off early one morning. That’s when he hit the top prize.

“I didn’t believe it,” he said. “I had to go in and wake up my wife so I could tell somebody.”

U-Stop is about a mile from his house and it’s become the only place he buys his tickets, Welch said. He’s a regular and most of the crew working at U-Stop knew who he was and were thrilled for him, he said.

“It feels good,” he said. “It’s a great feeling.”

The 29th edition of the Nebraska Lottery’s popular $2 Truck$ &amp; Buck$ Scratch game features the 2024 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCrew truck as its top prize. Players have the opportunity to win one of eight Ford F-150 trucks as well as thousands of cash prizes. The truck prize is valued at $81,500, which includes $976 for costs associated with ownership and state and federal withholding paid by the Nebraska Lottery of $4,075 and $19,560, respectively. The odds of winning the top prize in Truck$ &amp; Buck$ are 1 in 336,000, while the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 3.69.

The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $991 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.

Nebraska LotteryLincoln, NE–August 26,&nbsp;2024–Richard Welch of Davey is the sixth winner of a 2024 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCrew truck in the 29th edition of the Nebraska Lottery’s $2 Truck$ &amp; Buck$ Scratch game.Welch purchased his winning Truck$ &amp; Buck$ ticket at U-Stop #12 at 6801 Wildcat Dr. in Lincoln. He was presented with his new truck at U-Stop on Monday, August 26 by Nebraska Lottery officials.Welch stopped at U-Stop and bought 10 Truck$ &amp; Buck$ tickets and took them home to scratch off early one morning. That’s when he hit the top prize.“I didn’t believe it,” he said. “I had to go in and wake up my wife so I could tell somebody.”U-Stop is about a mile from his house and it’s become the only place he buys his tickets, Welch said. He’s a regular and most of the crew working at U-Stop knew who he was and were thrilled for him, he said.“It feels good,” he said. “It’s a great feeling.”The 29th edition of the Nebraska Lottery’s popular $2 Truck$ &amp; Buck$ Scratch game features the 2024 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCrew truck as its top prize. Players have the opportunity to win one of eight Ford F-150 trucks as well as thousands of cash prizes. The truck prize is valued at $81,500, which includes $976 for costs associated with ownership and state and federal withholding paid by the Nebraska Lottery of $4,075 and $19,560, respectively. The odds of winning the top prize in Truck$ &amp; Buck$ are 1 in 336,000, while the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 3.69.The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $991 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.

Davey Man Claims Sixth Truck$ & Buck$ Truck

August 27, 2024 (Norfolk, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— The Nebraska State Patrol can now release the identity of the pilot who died in Monday’s plane crash in Knox County.

The pilot has been identified as Joseph Rudloff, 73, of Norfolk. The crash was reported at approximately 9:30 a.m. Monday. The location was approximately 4 miles southwest of Crofton, Nebraska.

A second plane crash occurred a short time later near Wayne, Nebraska. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigating agency on that incident. Details will be released by the Sheriff’s Office when possible.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating both crashes. Troopers utilized drones to survey both crash scenes to assist in each investigation.

Cody Thomas Nebraska State PatrolAugust 27, 2024 (Norfolk, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— The Nebraska State Patrol can now release the identity of the pilot who died in Monday’s plane crash in Knox County.The pilot has been identified as Joseph Rudloff, 73, of Norfolk. The crash was reported at approximately 9:30 a.m. Monday. The location was approximately 4 miles southwest of Crofton, Nebraska.A second plane crash occurred a short time later near Wayne, Nebraska. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigating agency on that incident. Details will be released by the Sheriff’s Office when possible.The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating both crashes. Troopers utilized drones to survey both crash scenes to assist in each investigation.

Pilot Identified in Fatal Plane Crash in Knox County

Offutt Air Force Base Press Release

Offutt AFB, NE – The 2024 Defenders of Freedom Air &amp; Space Show successfully concluded this past weekend, drawing nearly 80,000 attendees. After a six-year hiatus due to the 2019 flood, COVID-19, and runway construction, this year’s air show faced several unique challenges, yet it ultimately showcased the resilience and dedication of the men and women of the 55th Wing.

Saturday’s events highlighted the need for quick adjustments, particularly in transportation logistics, as the air show had to implement an off-base parking system due to the loss of 5,000 on-base parking spaces, a lingering effect of the flood recovery efforts. Despite these initial challenges, Sunday saw a significant improvement in shuttle operations, ensuring smooth transportation for all off-base parking guests.

Sunday also brought extreme heat, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. To ensure the safety and comfort of attendees, the air show distributed 16 pallets of free bottled water throughout the day and had over 80 medical professionals on hand to support guests with medical needs. Only eight guests required transport to hospitals on Sunday, a slight increase from the seven transported on Saturday. The show's organizers greatly appreciated the feedback received via social media, which allowed for rapid adjustments and improvements as the show progressed.

The event featured 36 aircraft displays and 15 dynamic demonstration acts, all executed with precision and professionalism. Over 1,000 volunteers played a crucial role in making the air show a success, embodying the spirit and dedication of the Air Force community.

“The tremendously successful execution of the air show on Sunday is a testament to the quality and commitment of the men and women who wear the Air Force uniform,” said Kris Pierce, Chief of Public Affairs for Offutt AFB. “We may have faced some challenges after a six-year break, but our ability to pivot and adapt demonstrates our unwavering readiness and capability.”

The 2024 Defenders of Freedom Air &amp; Space Show not only showcased the strength and innovation of the 55th Wing but also reinforced Offutt AFB's crucial role as a member of the Bellevue/Greater Omaha metropolitan area.

Offutt Air Force Base Press ReleaseOffutt AFB, NE – The 2024 Defenders of Freedom Air &amp; Space Show successfully concluded this past weekend, drawing nearly 80,000 attendees. After a six-year hiatus due to the 2019 flood, COVID-19, and runway construction, this year’s air show faced several unique challenges, yet it ultimately showcased the resilience and dedication of the men and women of the 55th Wing.Saturday’s events highlighted the need for quick adjustments, particularly in transportation logistics, as the air show had to implement an off-base parking system due to the loss of 5,000 on-base parking spaces, a lingering effect of the flood recovery efforts. Despite these initial challenges, Sunday saw a significant improvement in shuttle operations, ensuring smooth transportation for all off-base parking guests.Sunday also brought extreme heat, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. To ensure the safety and comfort of attendees, the air show distributed 16 pallets of free bottled water throughout the day and had over 80 medical professionals on hand to support guests with medical needs. Only eight guests required transport to hospitals on Sunday, a slight increase from the seven transported on Saturday. The show's organizers greatly appreciated the feedback received via social media, which allowed for rapid adjustments and improvements as the show progressed.The event featured 36 aircraft displays and 15 dynamic demonstration acts, all executed with precision and professionalism. Over 1,000 volunteers played a crucial role in making the air show a success, embodying the spirit and dedication of the Air Force community.“The tremendously successful execution of the air show on Sunday is a testament to the quality and commitment of the men and women who wear the Air Force uniform,” said Kris Pierce, Chief of Public Affairs for Offutt AFB. “We may have faced some challenges after a six-year break, but our ability to pivot and adapt demonstrates our unwavering readiness and capability.”The 2024 Defenders of Freedom Air &amp; Space Show not only showcased the strength and innovation of the 55th Wing but also reinforced Offutt AFB's crucial role as a member of the Bellevue/Greater Omaha metropolitan area.

2024 Defenders of Freedom Air & Space Show Recap   

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/26/audit-finds-prison-system-could-save-at-least-3-8-million-with-better-processes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s prison system could save about $3.9 million by better controlling how it handles health care, health insurance and pharmacy services for prisoners, a state audit found.

And inmates and crime victims could get compensated sooner from jobs inmates do while in prison and on work release if the state did a better job of checking its own records, the audit reads.

“We take recommendations from this comprehensive audit report seriously,” said Rob Jeffreys, the department’s director. “During the audit period, the agency was in the process of implementing many of these changes, and we will continue to evaluate and alter processes to enhance efficiencies.”

State Auditor Mike Foley credited the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services for working to address the costliest concern, $3.5 million, forfeited because not all eligible inmates have applied for Medicaid.

That matters because both federal and state taxpayers share the cost of medical care for inmates who are eligible for Medicaid coverage. Foley said the corrective action could save “several million” dollars.

Since the audit, all eligible prisoners have been applying for Medicaid when processed into prison, the department said in its response to the audit. The state said it also is working to recover funds for those missed.

The audit identified issues with how the prison system verifies health insurance claims through Blue Cross Blue Shield, saying claims and payments need to be more stringently reviewed for accuracy.

In one case, the state paid for a $2,985 claim for health services received after an inmate had been released, the audit alleged. Department officials said they will do a better job checking the insurance claims and payments.

Foley’s office found delays in crediting inmate accounts with about $530,000 in direct deposits for work while imprisoned. Prison officials said they are working on a new recordkeeping system to help.

Inmates earn about $0.53 to $1.55 an hour, the audit said, earning $1.26 to $8.69 a day. Correction officials said they are trying to cross-train more staff. They blamed shortages and technology for the troubles revealed by the audit.

Prisoners get to keep part of the money they earn and send some to their families. They also must contribute to the cost of being housed and fed by the state and contribute to a fund to help their victims.

A spot review of those so-called “maintenance fees” the department charges inmates also appear to have collected $310,000 too little from prisoners because of higher minimum wage payments, the audit found.

Department officials said they are&nbsp; working to update the fee rates and charges to match inflation, higher base pay and other factors and will more frequently review them to meet state law.

In the state-run prison pharmacy, the audit found too few formal explanations for inventory adjustments being recorded by hand, hinting that some medicines had gone missing and were unaccounted for.

Department officials said they would review and tighten up controls of who has access to pharmacy records and how the records are kept to make sure there are electronic records that are harder to alter without leaving a trace.

Once again, a Correctional Services audit highlighted the pressing need for the state to hire more prison staff, pointing to about $22 million in overtime pay and too many employees working too many hours.

Officials said they were&nbsp; working on trying to require fewer employees to work so much overtime but said the safety and security of inmates and other staff often dictate what they can do.

The auditor also found some continued problems with overpayments to employees, both current and former. One employee who left was overpaid nearly $18,000. The state said it’s working on better processes.

“Nobody could argue that running the Department of Corrections is anything but an enormously challenging … task,” Foley said in a statement. “Nevertheless, there is always room for improvement.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724773670203.jpeg" alt="The Nebraska State Penitentiary on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022, in Lincoln. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The Nebraska State Penitentiary on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022, in Lincoln. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/26/audit-finds-prison-system-could-save-at-least-3-8-million-with-better-processes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska’s prison system could save about $3.9 million by better controlling how it handles health care, health insurance and pharmacy services for prisoners, a state audit found.And inmates and crime victims could get compensated sooner from jobs inmates do while in prison and on work release if the state did a better job of checking its own records, the audit reads.“We take recommendations from this comprehensive audit report seriously,” said Rob Jeffreys, the department’s director. “During the audit period, the agency was in the process of implementing many of these changes, and we will continue to evaluate and alter processes to enhance efficiencies.”State Auditor Mike Foley credited the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services for working to address the costliest concern, $3.5 million, forfeited because not all eligible inmates have applied for Medicaid.<h2>Why Medicaid matters</h2>That matters because both federal and state taxpayers share the cost of medical care for inmates who are eligible for Medicaid coverage. Foley said the corrective action could save “several million” dollars.Since the audit, all eligible prisoners have been applying for Medicaid when processed into prison, the department said in its response to the audit. The state said it also is working to recover funds for those missed.The audit identified issues with how the prison system verifies health insurance claims through Blue Cross Blue Shield, saying claims and payments need to be more stringently reviewed for accuracy.In one case, the state paid for a $2,985 claim for health services received after an inmate had been released, the audit alleged. Department officials said they will do a better job checking the insurance claims and payments.<h2>Inmate accounts off</h2>Foley’s office found delays in crediting inmate accounts with about $530,000 in direct deposits for work while imprisoned. Prison officials said they are working on a new recordkeeping system to help.Inmates earn about $0.53 to $1.55 an hour, the audit said, earning $1.26 to $8.69 a day. Correction officials said they are trying to cross-train more staff. They blamed shortages and technology for the troubles revealed by the audit.Prisoners get to keep part of the money they earn and send some to their families. They also must contribute to the cost of being housed and fed by the state and contribute to a fund to help their victims.A spot review of those so-called “maintenance fees” the department charges inmates also appear to have collected $310,000 too little from prisoners because of higher minimum wage payments, the audit found.Department officials said they are&nbsp; working to update the fee rates and charges to match inflation, higher base pay and other factors and will more frequently review them to meet state law.<h2>Pharmacy troubles and overtime</h2>In the state-run prison pharmacy, the audit found too few formal explanations for inventory adjustments being recorded by hand, hinting that some medicines had gone missing and were unaccounted for.Department officials said they would review and tighten up controls of who has access to pharmacy records and how the records are kept to make sure there are electronic records that are harder to alter without leaving a trace.Once again, a Correctional Services audit highlighted the pressing need for the state to hire more prison staff, pointing to about $22 million in overtime pay and too many employees working too many hours.Officials said they were&nbsp; working on trying to require fewer employees to work so much overtime but said the safety and security of inmates and other staff often dictate what they can do.The auditor also found some continued problems with overpayments to employees, both current and former. One employee who left was overpaid nearly $18,000. The state said it’s working on better processes.“Nobody could argue that running the Department of Corrections is anything but an enormously challenging … task,” Foley said in a statement. “Nevertheless, there is always room for improvement.”

Audit finds prison system could save about $3.9 million with better processes

&nbsp;(Norfolk, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol remain on scene of two small plane crashes that occurred this morning in northeast Nebraska.

The Nebraska State Patrol is the lead investigating agency on the plane crash that occurred in Knox County. The crash was reported at approximately 9:30 a.m. today. The location is approximately 4 miles southwest of Crofton, Nebraska.

First responders, including troopers and Knox County Sheriff’s deputies, located the pilot, who was pronounced deceased at the scene. The pilot was the lone occupant of the plane at the time of the crash. The name of the deceased will be released following notification of family.

The second crash occurred a short time later near Wayne, Nebraska. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigating agency on that incident. Details will be released by the Sheriff’s Office when possible.

The National Transportation Safety Board has been contacted and will investigate both crashes. Troopers have utilized drones to survey both crash scenes to assist in each investigation.

Cody ThomasNebraska State Patrol&nbsp;(Norfolk, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol remain on scene of two small plane crashes that occurred this morning in northeast Nebraska.The Nebraska State Patrol is the lead investigating agency on the plane crash that occurred in Knox County. The crash was reported at approximately 9:30 a.m. today. The location is approximately 4 miles southwest of Crofton, Nebraska.First responders, including troopers and Knox County Sheriff’s deputies, located the pilot, who was pronounced deceased at the scene. The pilot was the lone occupant of the plane at the time of the crash. The name of the deceased will be released following notification of family.The second crash occurred a short time later near Wayne, Nebraska. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigating agency on that incident. Details will be released by the Sheriff’s Office when possible.The National Transportation Safety Board has been contacted and will investigate both crashes. Troopers have utilized drones to survey both crash scenes to assist in each investigation.

Two Small Planes Crash in Separate Northeast Nebraska Incidents   

This week, I signed into law a series of bills, including those that will provide funding for property tax relief. The main bill, LB34, includes caps on local spending authority for cities and counties. LB34 also frontloads the Property Income Tax Credit to property tax statements. This means Nebraskans will no longer loan the government money. They will see a direct decrease in taxes paid. That step alone will allow 45 percent of Nebraskans to receive a 20 percent tax savings that they have never realized. That’s a big win.

Most people view out of control valuation increases as the problem. Excess spending is the real issue. Implementing hard caps is a gigantic step in the right direction. This will decrease property tax increases by county and city governments.

Elections matter – and we need more members elected to our legislature who are 100 percent committed to solving our property tax crisis, instead of being duped by paid lobbyists and special interests, in order to get elected to an additional four-year term.&nbsp; We need elected officials to do what is right, in the best interest of our state and the people who live here.

We will be working with new members of the legislature to make sure everyone is focused on representing Nebraskans, and not on special interest groups, to solve the property tax crisis. I challenge the incoming class of senators to put this issue high on their to-do list and to bring their best solutions. On behalf of all Nebraskans – we need to do more.

Governor Jim PillenThis week, I signed into law a series of bills, including those that will provide funding for property tax relief. The main bill, LB34, includes caps on local spending authority for cities and counties. LB34 also frontloads the Property Income Tax Credit to property tax statements. This means Nebraskans will no longer loan the government money. They will see a direct decrease in taxes paid. That step alone will allow 45 percent of Nebraskans to receive a 20 percent tax savings that they have never realized. That’s a big win.Most people view out of control valuation increases as the problem. Excess spending is the real issue. Implementing hard caps is a gigantic step in the right direction. This will decrease property tax increases by county and city governments.Elections matter – and we need more members elected to our legislature who are 100 percent committed to solving our property tax crisis, instead of being duped by paid lobbyists and special interests, in order to get elected to an additional four-year term.&nbsp; We need elected officials to do what is right, in the best interest of our state and the people who live here.We will be working with new members of the legislature to make sure everyone is focused on representing Nebraskans, and not on special interest groups, to solve the property tax crisis. I challenge the incoming class of senators to put this issue high on their to-do list and to bring their best solutions. On behalf of all Nebraskans – we need to do more.

Property Tax Reform: We Need to Do More

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/23/ne-supreme-court-rules-in-government-assisted-home-equity-theft-cases/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — In what Legal Aid lawyers are calling a “historic about-face,” the Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday ruled in favor of two different elderly homeowners who fell victim to what critics described as government-assisted home equity theft.

The homeowners, represented by Legal Aid of Nebraska and Pacific Legal Foundation, claimed that Nebraska’s delinquent tax sale process was unconstitutional in that it allowed homeowners to lose more than what they owed to satisfy property tax debts.

“The Nebraska Supreme Court (today) held that home equity is protected by the Constitution and that the government cannot take more than what is owed,” said Christina Martin, senior attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation, which teamed with Legal Aid to represent the Nebraskans.&nbsp;

One of the cases involved Kevin and Terry Fair, who lived in their Scottsbluff home for nearly three decades but fell behind on taxes after she got sick and he stopped working to care for her (she died during litigation). The county eventually transferred the couple’s $60,000 home to a private investor, who paid off the Fairs’ $5,268 county debt and kept the profit.

In the second case, Sandra Nieveen had lived in her Lincoln residence for a half-century when the county transferred the $61,900 home to a private investor for a tax debt of less than $4,000.

In both cases, the Nebraska Supreme Court originally upheld state laws, prompting Pacific Legal and Legal Aid to ask the U.S. Supreme Court for a review.

Last May, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a separate but similar case, Tyler v. Hennepin County, that if the government takes more than what is owed to satisfy a property tax debt, it violates the Fifth Amendment’s “takings clause.”

That sent the Fair and Nieveen cases back to the Nebraska Supreme Court for reconsideration. Friday, Nebraska justices determined that investment companies who bought the tax liens must pay Fair and Nieveen for the excess equity that remained after their property tax debt was satisfied. The cases were returned to the trial court to determine how much the homes are worth and how much compensation is owed.

“The Court’s rulings today solidify that, pursuant to the takings clause of the United States and Nebraska Constitutions, just compensation must be paid to homeowners when the value of their property taken is worth more than what is owed to satisfy the tax debt,” said Jennifer Gaughan, Nebraska Legal Aid’s chief of legal strategy. “These tax sales laws harm the elderly, sick and poor the most —&nbsp;with a disproportionate impact on people of color.”

Martin said her team is thrilled that after years of litigation, the Nebraska court recognized the homeowners’ right to their hard-earned equity.

“This is a win for all Nebraskans, who can now sleep soundly knowing their home equity belongs to them and to them alone.”

Last year, the Nebraska Legislature amended the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/23/proposal-that-targets-government-assisted-home-equity-theft-aired-during-public-hearing/">state’s delinquent tax sale</a>&nbsp;laws that were challenged in the Fair and Nieveen cases. The changes went into effect in September 2023, preventing future scenarios of home equity theft by requiring tax lien investors to pay the original owner any remaining equity after the delinquent taxes, interest, penalties, fees and other liens on the property have been satisfied.

Here is how it had worked in Nebraska prior to the changes: Counties could sell the tax lien on a property to a third party, who would pay a homeowner’s overdue taxes. After three years of paying taxes on the property, the third-party investor could seek the legal deed to the property, although the investor was supposed to notify and give the owner a shot at holding onto the property by paying the delinquent tax and interest.

Happening too often, Nebraska lawmakers said, was that the investor reaped a windfall on the sale, since state law prior to September 2023 didn’t require reimbursement of equity the owner had built up.

Mark Bestul of Legal Aid said the Nebraska Supreme Court’s Friday ruling now provides a clear path to justice for Fair and Nieveen. The court said the investors are liable for reimbursing the homeowners.

State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, who pushed for changes to Nebraska law, said he was glad the homeowners involved are going to be made whole.

“Cases like this one are the reason for the change we made in the law,” he said. “And thanks to that change going forward, there will not be a need for this type of correction.”

The Pacific Legal Foundation said the decision sends a signal to other states that haven’t yet complied with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Tyler “that property owners’ rights must be protected.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724691264405.jpeg" alt="The Nebraska Supreme Court. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The Nebraska Supreme Court. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/23/ne-supreme-court-rules-in-government-assisted-home-equity-theft-cases/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — In what Legal Aid lawyers are calling a “historic about-face,” the Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday ruled in favor of two different elderly homeowners who fell victim to what critics described as government-assisted home equity theft.The homeowners, represented by Legal Aid of Nebraska and Pacific Legal Foundation, claimed that Nebraska’s delinquent tax sale process was unconstitutional in that it allowed homeowners to lose more than what they owed to satisfy property tax debts.“The Nebraska Supreme Court (today) held that home equity is protected by the Constitution and that the government cannot take more than what is owed,” said Christina Martin, senior attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation, which teamed with Legal Aid to represent the Nebraskans.&nbsp;<h2>Investors kept the profit</h2>One of the cases involved Kevin and Terry Fair, who lived in their Scottsbluff home for nearly three decades but fell behind on taxes after she got sick and he stopped working to care for her (she died during litigation). The county eventually transferred the couple’s $60,000 home to a private investor, who paid off the Fairs’ $5,268 county debt and kept the profit.In the second case, Sandra Nieveen had lived in her Lincoln residence for a half-century when the county transferred the $61,900 home to a private investor for a tax debt of less than $4,000.In both cases, the Nebraska Supreme Court originally upheld state laws, prompting Pacific Legal and Legal Aid to ask the U.S. Supreme Court for a review.Last May, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a separate but similar case, Tyler v. Hennepin County, that if the government takes more than what is owed to satisfy a property tax debt, it violates the Fifth Amendment’s “takings clause.”That sent the Fair and Nieveen cases back to the Nebraska Supreme Court for reconsideration. Friday, Nebraska justices determined that investment companies who bought the tax liens must pay Fair and Nieveen for the excess equity that remained after their property tax debt was satisfied. The cases were returned to the trial court to determine how much the homes are worth and how much compensation is owed.“The Court’s rulings today solidify that, pursuant to the takings clause of the United States and Nebraska Constitutions, just compensation must be paid to homeowners when the value of their property taken is worth more than what is owed to satisfy the tax debt,” said Jennifer Gaughan, Nebraska Legal Aid’s chief of legal strategy. “These tax sales laws harm the elderly, sick and poor the most —&nbsp;with a disproportionate impact on people of color.”Martin said her team is thrilled that after years of litigation, the Nebraska court recognized the homeowners’ right to their hard-earned equity.“This is a win for all Nebraskans, who can now sleep soundly knowing their home equity belongs to them and to them alone.”<h2>NE law changed last year</h2>Last year, the Nebraska Legislature amended the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/23/proposal-that-targets-government-assisted-home-equity-theft-aired-during-public-hearing/">state’s delinquent tax sale</a>&nbsp;laws that were challenged in the Fair and Nieveen cases. The changes went into effect in September 2023, preventing future scenarios of home equity theft by requiring tax lien investors to pay the original owner any remaining equity after the delinquent taxes, interest, penalties, fees and other liens on the property have been satisfied.Here is how it had worked in Nebraska prior to the changes: Counties could sell the tax lien on a property to a third party, who would pay a homeowner’s overdue taxes. After three years of paying taxes on the property, the third-party investor could seek the legal deed to the property, although the investor was supposed to notify and give the owner a shot at holding onto the property by paying the delinquent tax and interest.Happening too often, Nebraska lawmakers said, was that the investor reaped a windfall on the sale, since state law prior to September 2023 didn’t require reimbursement of equity the owner had built up.Mark Bestul of Legal Aid said the Nebraska Supreme Court’s Friday ruling now provides a clear path to justice for Fair and Nieveen. The court said the investors are liable for reimbursing the homeowners.<h2>Reason for the law change</h2>State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, who pushed for changes to Nebraska law, said he was glad the homeowners involved are going to be made whole.“Cases like this one are the reason for the change we made in the law,” he said. “And thanks to that change going forward, there will not be a need for this type of correction.”The Pacific Legal Foundation said the decision sends a signal to other states that haven’t yet complied with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Tyler “that property owners’ rights must be protected.”

NE Supreme Court rules in government-assisted ‘home equity theft’ cases

Zach Wendling <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/26/university-of-nebraska-community-responds-to-diversity-office-closures-in-lincoln-omaha/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and University of Nebraska at Omaha have closed key diversity and inclusion offices in the past year, leaving some student leaders worried that the work will fall to them.

UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett on Aug. 20&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unl.edu/chancellor/a-message-from-the-chancellor-12" target="_blank">announced the dissolution</a>&nbsp;of the&nbsp;<a href="https://diversity.unl.edu/office-diversity-and-inclusion" target="_blank">Office of Diversity and Inclusion</a>, which came on top of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/27/unl-proposes-restructuring-slashing-budget-of-diversity-and-inclusion-office/">$800,000 in related cuts</a>&nbsp;in 2023. UNO similarly closed its Gender and Sexuality Resource Center this summer after shuttering its Office of Multicultural Affairs last fall, moving those services to other offices on campus.

Bennett, in his&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/06/unl-chancellor-candidate-addresses-diversity-equity-inclusion-at-tuesday-forum/">second year as chancellor</a>, said in an email to faculty and staff that he made the decision “after considerable reflection and a thorough review of both the national landscape and the specific needs of our institution,” which he did not specify.

UNL Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion Marco Barker’s position will also be cut.

“We will reimagine how we approach this work at UNL,” Bennett wrote. “I fully grasp the weight of this decision and its implications, but a centralized approach to this work is no longer right for our institution.”

Zein Saleh, internal vice president of UNL’s student government, said he was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-8H5KYueOD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank">one of many</a>&nbsp;surprised by the news. He said students understood the national and local pushback against diversity, equity and inclusion but thought UNL administrators were still supportive.

Saleh, a junior double majoring in political science and psychology, said the closure came without warning to students, who didn’t receive a similar email from Bennett or a chance to weigh in.

“The notion that this work can be decentralized, generally stripped of its funding, raises a lot of concern about the way in which it can be executed, not only across colleges but across divisions and units at the university,” Saleh said.

He said certain UNL departments have more resources than others, which could introduce disparities into the services that some students need. Saleh noted the Office of Diversity and Inclusion also helped with&nbsp;<a href="https://diversity.unl.edu/state-diversity" target="_blank">data and record keeping</a>&nbsp;to keep UNL accountable.

Ishani Adidam, a senior business administration major and student body president at UNO, said some of the concern comes in classifying the changes as “reorganizations.” She said a large part of belonging is physical space, so closing offices leaves some services more inaccessible.

“All these decisions seem surface level, but the more you dig into it, the more you realize that these resources don’t support just 100 students, they support 15,000 of us,” Adidam said.

Adidam pointed to the NU Board of Regents meeting in June when Regent Rob Schafer of Beatrice, the board chair, questioned funding for DEI programs and offices while other degree opportunities and employment positions were being cut.&nbsp;

UNO Chancellor Joanne Li confirmed at the time that her campus has such funding, which includes support for first-generation students and veterans. Adidam said those students are often not thought of as being “DEI,” in the way that race, gender and sexuality often are.

NU’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/20/nu-regents-approve-inflationary-tuition-increases-millions-in-cuts-for-2024-25-budget/">$1.1 billion state-aided budget</a>&nbsp;was ultimately approved 5-2, of which about $1 million goes toward DEI.

Schafer said last week that NU must continue to evaluate how it conducts business and delivers its services. He supported Bennett’s decision as necessary and said that restructuring is necessary to better allocate scarce resources.

“If we truly want to eliminate all racism and sexism in our society then we should remove race and gender as factors in any and all decisions and actions that are made and taken,” Schafer said in a text.

The University of Nebraska system has been no stranger to controversy around DEI in recent years, including criticism from Gov. Jim Pillen and multiple state senators:

State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, the Legislature’s Education Committee chair, described the closure of UNL’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion as a “great move” following similar actions by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.highereddive.com/news/university-of-kentucky-disbands-dei-reassign-employees-diversity-equity-inclusion/724907/" target="_blank">several colleges nationwide</a>.&nbsp;

He said NU should remain inclusive and welcoming for all but had heard from professors and students that race and gender were being used over merit in interviews or evaluations. He said he was grateful for Chancellor Rodney Bennett’s leadership and boldness.

“When I am on the operating table or riding in an airplane, I want the best physician or pilot in control regardless of gender or skin color,” Murman said in a text.

State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, a former executive director of the ACLU of Nebraska, who is serving in her third term as a state senator, said it was disappointing that campuses would “bow to the chilling political efforts” nationwide and locally.&nbsp;

Conrad, whose district includes the heart of UNL, noted that many recent proposals had been defeated among the regents and in the Legislature, including in 2021 when she rallied with students against a resolution to ban critical race theory.

“To have the university surrender their commitment voluntarily is disheartening to say the least,” Conrad said in a text.

Pillen said in a statement last week that he was “pleased” with Bennett’s decision but that the work of eliminating DEI and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.edweek.org/leadership/what-is-critical-race-theory-and-why-is-it-under-attack/2021/05" target="_blank">critical race theory</a>&nbsp;wouldn’t be complete with eliminating one office.

“Although that office should never have been established in the first place, it takes courage for a leader to recognize a mistake and chart a new direction,” Pillen said.

In December 2018, among the eight elected regents, Pillen was&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/-/media/projects/unca/docs/board-of-regents/agendas-and-minutes/2018/december-4th-board-meeting/minutes-12-4-18.pdf" target="_blank">one of seven to vote for Barker’s hiring</a>, as were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/regents-pillen-schafer-kenney-urge-quick-end-to-unl-s-anti-racism-journey/article_b4be4ad2-5482-11ec-ae37-23310f0a0152.html" target="_blank">Schafer and Regent Paul Kenney</a>&nbsp;of Amherst who later supported Pillen’s CRT resolution. Former Regent Hal Daub of Omaha abstained from the vote on Barker.

Pillen represented the regents on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unl.edu/chancellor/the-n150-committee" target="_blank">UNL’s N|150 Commission</a>&nbsp;in 2018 as well that sought to&nbsp;<a href="https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&amp;context=unladmin" target="_blank">articulate UNL’s mission and values</a>&nbsp;from its first 150 years into the next 25.&nbsp;

The commission’s work included a subcommittee for diversity and inclusion that culminated into a final report of which&nbsp;<a href="https://news.unl.edu/article/commission-of-150-begins-planning-for-university-s-next-generation" target="_blank">Barker celebrated</a>&nbsp;when he was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unl.edu/chancellor/marco-barker-named-vice-chancellor-for-diversity-and-inclusion-at-the-university-of-nebraska%E2%80%93lincoln" target="_blank">hired</a>. He said it was “evident how much Nebraska saw diversity and inclusion as a growing priority.”

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion was also borne from those 2018 efforts, which included community input, a national study, workgroups and committees identifying UNL’s needs and a five-year NU-wide effort to address DEI in Nebraska,&nbsp;<a href="https://diversity.unl.edu/special-report#:~:text=ODI%20was%20created%20in%202018,%2C%20and%204)%20a%20five%2D" target="_blank">Barker wrote in a 2019 special report</a>.

Regent Barbara Weitz of Omaha, who taught at UNO for 16 years and ousted Daub from the Board of Regents in 2019, said DEI is a complex issue that hasn’t been fully discussed among the board. However, she said, making NU a place for all won’t change no matter what NU does or how it describes that work.

“I know my work as a regent is keeping the university inclusive and welcoming of all students, staff and faculty,” Weitz told the Nebraska Examiner. “There is much work to be done to create a culture that embraces the imperative of being an open place for all.”

Ashley Rae Turner, a 2012 UNL alumna with a degree in fashion communications, said she didn’t have an ideal experience or feel as welcome as she could have during her time as a student. She said the exception was the Office of Academic Success and Intercultural Services, or OASIS, which a spokesperson said won’t be impacted by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s closure.

Turner said that was why she was excited, however, when ODI was created, because it would have been great to have had when she was a student.

“Following that, when we reactivated the [Nebraska Alumni Association’s] Alumni of Color Network [Advisory Council], I raised my hand and said I really wanted to be involved,” Turner said.

The office was the best way to help support alumni and current students while on the ground every day, she said, so she is disheartened and hurt by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s closure. She questioned what the message is to future and current Huskers.

Associate professor of practice Stephanie Bondi, who researches&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/18/more-than-200-at-unl-continue-to-protest-proposed-diversity-inclusion-cuts/">DEI structures</a>&nbsp;in education,&nbsp; said the move signals to her that DEI isn’t valued and that academic leaders either ignorantly believe they’ve addressed community concerns or don’t want to address them.

“I don’t know how they achieve their mission, and why are we here if we’re not trying to achieve our mission?” Bondi said.

Turner said some alumni have already reached out and called for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.huskeralum.org/s/1620/bp23/interior.aspx?sid=1620&amp;gid=1&amp;pgid=2931" target="_blank">alumni network</a>&nbsp;to ask students not to come to NU or to leave, including Husker student-athletes. Turner said while she’s not making that call, she can understand where they’re coming from.

“We give money back to the university,” Turner said of alumni through the network. “I want to think that my dollars are actually going toward supporting students on campus who look like me, and this is not sending that message.”

Other parts of Bennett’s restructuring plan include elevating UNL’s student regent and the respective presidents of the Faculty Senate and Staff Senate to his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unl.edu/chancellor/administration" target="_blank">cabinet</a>. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dee Dee Anderson, who came to UNL from the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/30/unl-chancellor-expands-office-staff-as-the-university-system-faces-millions-in-cuts/">University of Southern Mississippi</a>, like Bennett, is now the vice chancellor for student life and reports directly to Bennett.

Bennett said three offices will share the role of respectively supporting and building a sense of “community and belonging” for faculty, staff and students. They are the Offices of the Executive Vice Chancellor (faculty), Business &amp; Finance (staff) and Office of Student Life (students).

The existing&nbsp;<a href="https://diversity.unl.edu/ndab" target="_blank">UNL National Diversity Advisory Board</a>&nbsp;will be renamed and elevated to become the Chancellor’s Advisory Board on Community and Belonging.

“It is incumbent on each of us to foster a welcoming environment for all members of our community,” Bennett said.

Faculty Senate President Peter Eklund and Staff Senate President Jordan Gonzales both said they were in favor of their own elevation. Gonzales said most changes were positive, and it was one of the first times that staff would have a formal seat at the table.

Eklund said he believes dissolving the diversity and inclusion office wasn’t something Bennett wanted to do.

“No one in higher academia has a clear crystal ball,” Eklund said in an email. “But, if I was a betting person, I would bet that the other campuses in the NU system follow suit, and not because they want to.”

Gonzales said he’s glad that UNL’s motto of “every person and every interaction matters” will remain and said his top priority will be ensuring all staff feel a sense of community and belonging.

“Nebraska needs to attract top talent if we want to increase the state’s economic competitiveness and development,” Gonzales wrote in an email to fellow staff. “The university — and by extension our staff — will be a critical component to solving this grand challenge.”

Adidam said some of the classes she’s most resonated with have been related to DEI or access, including one during her sophomore year about how businesses implement the concepts.

“That’s what’s missing, or that’s what I think people are misinterpreting,” Adidam said. “It’s not just about race or it’s not just about gender and sexuality. It’s about taking an all-encompassing approach to education. Not giving that to students … is definitely, I think, what is holding us back as a university, but then also as the NU system.”

Saleh said the changes will place a bigger burden on students, particularly minority students and leaders, who often do larger amounts of labor and work in maintaining DEI commitments in colleges and universities.

Turner said it’s often people “who have the luxury of speaking from a place of privilege” who question DEI and who usually have the chance to talk with others who look like them or be generally supported.

Adidam said getting discouraged is something everyone faces, but along with Saleh and Turner, she said students “need to be resilient and turn that into resiliency.”

All three said it will be up to the NU community to spotlight the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.

“Students don’t really want a lot,” Adidam said. “We just want to be supported and feel like we belong.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724685438412.jpeg" alt="Rodney Bennett, priority candidate for chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, addresses the concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Rodney Bennett, priority candidate for chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, addresses the concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/26/university-of-nebraska-community-responds-to-diversity-office-closures-in-lincoln-omaha/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and University of Nebraska at Omaha have closed key diversity and inclusion offices in the past year, leaving some student leaders worried that the work will fall to them.UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett on Aug. 20&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unl.edu/chancellor/a-message-from-the-chancellor-12" target="_blank">announced the dissolution</a>&nbsp;of the&nbsp;<a href="https://diversity.unl.edu/office-diversity-and-inclusion" target="_blank">Office of Diversity and Inclusion</a>, which came on top of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/27/unl-proposes-restructuring-slashing-budget-of-diversity-and-inclusion-office/">$800,000 in related cuts</a>&nbsp;in 2023. UNO similarly closed its Gender and Sexuality Resource Center this summer after shuttering its Office of Multicultural Affairs last fall, moving those services to other offices on campus.Bennett, in his&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/06/unl-chancellor-candidate-addresses-diversity-equity-inclusion-at-tuesday-forum/">second year as chancellor</a>, said in an email to faculty and staff that he made the decision “after considerable reflection and a thorough review of both the national landscape and the specific needs of our institution,” which he did not specify.UNL Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion Marco Barker’s position will also be cut.“We will reimagine how we approach this work at UNL,” Bennett wrote. “I fully grasp the weight of this decision and its implications, but a centralized approach to this work is no longer right for our institution.”<h2>Student leaders raise concerns</h2>Zein Saleh, internal vice president of UNL’s student government, said he was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-8H5KYueOD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank">one of many</a>&nbsp;surprised by the news. He said students understood the national and local pushback against diversity, equity and inclusion but thought UNL administrators were still supportive.Saleh, a junior double majoring in political science and psychology, said the closure came without warning to students, who didn’t receive a similar email from Bennett or a chance to weigh in.“The notion that this work can be decentralized, generally stripped of its funding, raises a lot of concern about the way in which it can be executed, not only across colleges but across divisions and units at the university,” Saleh said.He said certain UNL departments have more resources than others, which could introduce disparities into the services that some students need. Saleh noted the Office of Diversity and Inclusion also helped with&nbsp;<a href="https://diversity.unl.edu/state-diversity" target="_blank">data and record keeping</a>&nbsp;to keep UNL accountable.<h2>‘Decisions seem surface level’</h2>Ishani Adidam, a senior business administration major and student body president at UNO, said some of the concern comes in classifying the changes as “reorganizations.” She said a large part of belonging is physical space, so closing offices leaves some services more inaccessible.“All these decisions seem surface level, but the more you dig into it, the more you realize that these resources don’t support just 100 students, they support 15,000 of us,” Adidam said.Adidam pointed to the NU Board of Regents meeting in June when Regent Rob Schafer of Beatrice, the board chair, questioned funding for DEI programs and offices while other degree opportunities and employment positions were being cut.&nbsp;UNO Chancellor Joanne Li confirmed at the time that her campus has such funding, which includes support for first-generation students and veterans. Adidam said those students are often not thought of as being “DEI,” in the way that race, gender and sexuality often are.NU’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/20/nu-regents-approve-inflationary-tuition-increases-millions-in-cuts-for-2024-25-budget/">$1.1 billion state-aided budget</a>&nbsp;was ultimately approved 5-2, of which about $1 million goes toward DEI.Schafer said last week that NU must continue to evaluate how it conducts business and delivers its services. He supported Bennett’s decision as necessary and said that restructuring is necessary to better allocate scarce resources.“If we truly want to eliminate all racism and sexism in our society then we should remove race and gender as factors in any and all decisions and actions that are made and taken,” Schafer said in a text.<h2>No stranger to controversy</h2>The University of Nebraska system has been no stranger to controversy around DEI in recent years, including criticism from Gov. Jim Pillen and multiple state senators:<ul>
 <li>Then-Regent Pillen tried unsuccessfully in August 2021, during his campaign for governor, to ban the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/nu-board-of-regents-vote-against-critical-race-theory-resolution/article_6fe06b6e-fc91-11eb-a105-0bf286e0dc74.html" target="_blank">imposition of critical race theory</a>&nbsp;across NU. The motion failed 5-3 with support from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/ricketts-22-state-senators-strongly-urge-passing-of-crt-resolution-criticize-unl/article_52d20f02-fa2d-11eb-aaad-8b0cf57786f4.html" target="_blank">then-Gov. Pete Ricketts and 22 state senators</a>&nbsp;and opposition from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/nu-president-chancellors-oppose-crt-resolution-uphold-academic-freedom/article_5a72bf26-ea39-11eb-8aca-3f2dffc65110.html" target="_blank">campus chancellors, the NU president</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/nu-athletes-create-petition-against-proposed-critical-race-theory-resolution/article_f0aac09c-edb3-11eb-972a-f7f47fafd987.html" target="_blank">students</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/unl-faculty-senate-opposes-nu-regent-s-critical-race-theory-resolution/article_cc8b4760-e50f-11eb-bc21-2fad69678cd6.html" target="_blank">faculty</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/campus/journey-co-leaders-join-opposition-to-critical-race-theory-resolution/article_567dde0e-f4a3-11eb-98b8-975233efd0e5.html" target="_blank">staff</a>.</li><li>State Sens. Steve Halloran of Hastings and Steve Erdman of Bayard in 2022 called for the former UNL chancellor’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/state-senators-call-for-green-s-resignation-over-anti-racism-plan/article_79768cd6-5172-11ec-81f6-57f14d457abe.html" target="_blank">resignation</a>&nbsp;over an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/students-faculty-staff-detail-importance-of-unl-s-anti-racism-plan/article_71717a18-59d9-11ec-9baa-7fddd9376807.html" target="_blank">anti-racism and racial equity plan</a>.</li><li>State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair in 2022 sought to block&nbsp;<a href="http://update.legislature.ne.gov/?p=31789" target="_blank">racial or sex scapegoating and stereotyping</a>&nbsp;in postsecondary institutions and public schools.</li><li>State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil earlier this year tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/13/hearing-brings-out-backers-opponents-of-nebraska-anti-dei-bill/">outlaw DEI offices and prohibit related funding</a>&nbsp;across Nebraska’s colleges and universities, which&nbsp;<a href="https://news.unl.edu/article/interim-president-testifies-on-tenure-dei-scholarship-bills" target="_blank">NU opposed</a>.</li><li>Charles W. Herbster, in his 2022 campaign for governor, ran ads using NU imagery and an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.omahadailyrecord.com/content/u-nebraska-asks-governor-hopefuls-stop-using-images" target="_blank">official photo of Barker</a>&nbsp;against Pillen as the two vied for the Republican nomination that year.</li>
 </ul><h2>Pillen’s past positions</h2><h2>State lawmakers weigh in</h2>State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, the Legislature’s Education Committee chair, described the closure of UNL’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion as a “great move” following similar actions by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.highereddive.com/news/university-of-kentucky-disbands-dei-reassign-employees-diversity-equity-inclusion/724907/" target="_blank">several colleges nationwide</a>.&nbsp;He said NU should remain inclusive and welcoming for all but had heard from professors and students that race and gender were being used over merit in interviews or evaluations. He said he was grateful for Chancellor Rodney Bennett’s leadership and boldness.“When I am on the operating table or riding in an airplane, I want the best physician or pilot in control regardless of gender or skin color,” Murman said in a text.State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, a former executive director of the ACLU of Nebraska, who is serving in her third term as a state senator, said it was disappointing that campuses would “bow to the chilling political efforts” nationwide and locally.&nbsp;Conrad, whose district includes the heart of UNL, noted that many recent proposals had been defeated among the regents and in the Legislature, including in 2021 when she rallied with students against a resolution to ban critical race theory.“To have the university surrender their commitment voluntarily is disheartening to say the least,” Conrad said in a text.Pillen said in a statement last week that he was “pleased” with Bennett’s decision but that the work of eliminating DEI and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.edweek.org/leadership/what-is-critical-race-theory-and-why-is-it-under-attack/2021/05" target="_blank">critical race theory</a>&nbsp;wouldn’t be complete with eliminating one office.“Although that office should never have been established in the first place, it takes courage for a leader to recognize a mistake and chart a new direction,” Pillen said.In December 2018, among the eight elected regents, Pillen was&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/-/media/projects/unca/docs/board-of-regents/agendas-and-minutes/2018/december-4th-board-meeting/minutes-12-4-18.pdf" target="_blank">one of seven to vote for Barker’s hiring</a>, as were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/regents-pillen-schafer-kenney-urge-quick-end-to-unl-s-anti-racism-journey/article_b4be4ad2-5482-11ec-ae37-23310f0a0152.html" target="_blank">Schafer and Regent Paul Kenney</a>&nbsp;of Amherst who later supported Pillen’s CRT resolution. Former Regent Hal Daub of Omaha abstained from the vote on Barker.Pillen represented the regents on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unl.edu/chancellor/the-n150-committee" target="_blank">UNL’s N|150 Commission</a>&nbsp;in 2018 as well that sought to&nbsp;<a href="https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&amp;context=unladmin" target="_blank">articulate UNL’s mission and values</a>&nbsp;from its first 150 years into the next 25.&nbsp;The commission’s work included a subcommittee for diversity and inclusion that culminated into a final report of which&nbsp;<a href="https://news.unl.edu/article/commission-of-150-begins-planning-for-university-s-next-generation" target="_blank">Barker celebrated</a>&nbsp;when he was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unl.edu/chancellor/marco-barker-named-vice-chancellor-for-diversity-and-inclusion-at-the-university-of-nebraska%E2%80%93lincoln" target="_blank">hired</a>. He said it was “evident how much Nebraska saw diversity and inclusion as a growing priority.”The Office of Diversity and Inclusion was also borne from those 2018 efforts, which included community input, a national study, workgroups and committees identifying UNL’s needs and a five-year NU-wide effort to address DEI in Nebraska,&nbsp;<a href="https://diversity.unl.edu/special-report#:~:text=ODI%20was%20created%20in%202018,%2C%20and%204)%20a%20five%2D" target="_blank">Barker wrote in a 2019 special report</a>.Regent Barbara Weitz of Omaha, who taught at UNO for 16 years and ousted Daub from the Board of Regents in 2019, said DEI is a complex issue that hasn’t been fully discussed among the board. However, she said, making NU a place for all won’t change no matter what NU does or how it describes that work.“I know my work as a regent is keeping the university inclusive and welcoming of all students, staff and faculty,” Weitz told the Nebraska Examiner. “There is much work to be done to create a culture that embraces the imperative of being an open place for all.”<h2>The ‘mission’ of the university</h2>Ashley Rae Turner, a 2012 UNL alumna with a degree in fashion communications, said she didn’t have an ideal experience or feel as welcome as she could have during her time as a student. She said the exception was the Office of Academic Success and Intercultural Services, or OASIS, which a spokesperson said won’t be impacted by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s closure.Turner said that was why she was excited, however, when ODI was created, because it would have been great to have had when she was a student.“Following that, when we reactivated the [Nebraska Alumni Association’s] Alumni of Color Network [Advisory Council], I raised my hand and said I really wanted to be involved,” Turner said.The office was the best way to help support alumni and current students while on the ground every day, she said, so she is disheartened and hurt by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s closure. She questioned what the message is to future and current Huskers.Associate professor of practice Stephanie Bondi, who researches&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/18/more-than-200-at-unl-continue-to-protest-proposed-diversity-inclusion-cuts/">DEI structures</a>&nbsp;in education,&nbsp; said the move signals to her that DEI isn’t valued and that academic leaders either ignorantly believe they’ve addressed community concerns or don’t want to address them.“I don’t know how they achieve their mission, and why are we here if we’re not trying to achieve our mission?” Bondi said.Turner said some alumni have already reached out and called for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.huskeralum.org/s/1620/bp23/interior.aspx?sid=1620&amp;gid=1&amp;pgid=2931" target="_blank">alumni network</a>&nbsp;to ask students not to come to NU or to leave, including Husker student-athletes. Turner said while she’s not making that call, she can understand where they’re coming from.“We give money back to the university,” Turner said of alumni through the network. “I want to think that my dollars are actually going toward supporting students on campus who look like me, and this is not sending that message.”<h2>Other restructuring shifts</h2>Other parts of Bennett’s restructuring plan include elevating UNL’s student regent and the respective presidents of the Faculty Senate and Staff Senate to his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unl.edu/chancellor/administration" target="_blank">cabinet</a>. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dee Dee Anderson, who came to UNL from the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/30/unl-chancellor-expands-office-staff-as-the-university-system-faces-millions-in-cuts/">University of Southern Mississippi</a>, like Bennett, is now the vice chancellor for student life and reports directly to Bennett.Bennett said three offices will share the role of respectively supporting and building a sense of “community and belonging” for faculty, staff and students. They are the Offices of the Executive Vice Chancellor (faculty), Business &amp; Finance (staff) and Office of Student Life (students).The existing&nbsp;<a href="https://diversity.unl.edu/ndab" target="_blank">UNL National Diversity Advisory Board</a>&nbsp;will be renamed and elevated to become the Chancellor’s Advisory Board on Community and Belonging.“It is incumbent on each of us to foster a welcoming environment for all members of our community,” Bennett said.Faculty Senate President Peter Eklund and Staff Senate President Jordan Gonzales both said they were in favor of their own elevation. Gonzales said most changes were positive, and it was one of the first times that staff would have a formal seat at the table.Eklund said he believes dissolving the diversity and inclusion office wasn’t something Bennett wanted to do.“No one in higher academia has a clear crystal ball,” Eklund said in an email. “But, if I was a betting person, I would bet that the other campuses in the NU system follow suit, and not because they want to.”Gonzales said he’s glad that UNL’s motto of “every person and every interaction matters” will remain and said his top priority will be ensuring all staff feel a sense of community and belonging.“Nebraska needs to attract top talent if we want to increase the state’s economic competitiveness and development,” Gonzales wrote in an email to fellow staff. “The university — and by extension our staff — will be a critical component to solving this grand challenge.”<h2>‘Students don’t really want a lot’</h2>Adidam said some of the classes she’s most resonated with have been related to DEI or access, including one during her sophomore year about how businesses implement the concepts.“That’s what’s missing, or that’s what I think people are misinterpreting,” Adidam said. “It’s not just about race or it’s not just about gender and sexuality. It’s about taking an all-encompassing approach to education. Not giving that to students … is definitely, I think, what is holding us back as a university, but then also as the NU system.”Saleh said the changes will place a bigger burden on students, particularly minority students and leaders, who often do larger amounts of labor and work in maintaining DEI commitments in colleges and universities.Turner said it’s often people “who have the luxury of speaking from a place of privilege” who question DEI and who usually have the chance to talk with others who look like them or be generally supported.Adidam said getting discouraged is something everyone faces, but along with Saleh and Turner, she said students “need to be resilient and turn that into resiliency.”All three said it will be up to the NU community to spotlight the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.“Students don’t really want a lot,” Adidam said. “We just want to be supported and feel like we belong.”

University of Nebraska community responds to diversity office closures in Lincoln, Omaha

Celebrate Nebraska’s 2024 Book Award winners with author readings and an awards presentation ceremony at the Nebraska Celebration of Book’s (NCOB) literary festival. Held at the UNL City Campus Union on October 12th, winners of the 2024 Nebraska Book Awards will be honored at the celebration which will include an author roundtable during the festival and the awards ceremony directly after at 3:30. 

The ceremony will feature readings by some of the winning authors, designers, and illustrators of books with a Nebraska connection published in 2023. And the winners are:

Children’s Picture Book:&nbsp;Ted Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder&nbsp;written by Carla Ketner, illustrated by Paula Wallace. Publisher: University of Nebraska Press.

Children’s Novel:&nbsp;The Adventures of Pearl and Monty: The Bait and Switch&nbsp;by E. Adams. Publisher: Jade Forest Publishing.

Teen Novel:&nbsp;The Unstoppable Bridget Bloom&nbsp;by Allison L. Bitz. Publisher: HarperTeen.

Cover and Design:&nbsp;Feisty Righty: A Cancer Survivor's Journey&nbsp;by Jennifer D. James, Cover Art by Courtney Keller. Publisher: Self Published.

Design Honor:&nbsp;Horizons&nbsp;by Julie S. Paschold. Publisher: Atmosphere Press.

Fiction:&nbsp;The War Begins in Paris: A Novel&nbsp;by Theodore Wheeler. Publisher: Little, Brown and Company.

Nonfiction Nebraska as Place:&nbsp;Field Guide to a Hybrid Landscape&nbsp;by Dana Fritz. Publisher: Bison Books.

Nonfiction History:&nbsp;The First Migrants&nbsp;by Richard Edwards and Jacob K. Friefeld. Publisher: Bison Books.

Poetry:&nbsp;The Gathering of Bastards&nbsp;by Romeo Oriogun. Publisher: University of Nebraska Press.

Poetry Honor:&nbsp;The Book Eaters&nbsp;by Carolina Hotchandani. Publisher: Perugia Press.

This year's Book Awards Celebration will be a combined event with the Nebraska Book Festival, called "The Nebraska Celebration of Books" which aims to celebrate Nebraska’s literary heritage and contemporary authors. Held, Saturday, October 12th, from 10:00am-4:30pm, on the second floor of the UNL City Campus Union in the Regency Suite, Heritage Room, and Swanson Auditorium, the event will honor the 20th anniversary of the One Book One Nebraska program with a panel of past authors. In addition it will feature Nebraska authors, a SLAM poetry showcase, book vendors, and presentation of the Nebraska Center for the Book's Nebraska Book Awards, Mildred Bennett Award, Jane Geske Award, and 2025 One Book One Nebraska announcement.

The 2024 One Book One Nebraska selection,&nbsp;Dancing with the Octopus: A Memoir of a Crime&nbsp;by Debora Harding (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020) will be featured with a memoir writing workshop facilitated by Lucy Adkins of Larksong Writers Place.

The Nebraska Book Awards are sponsored and facilitated by the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission.

The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and 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 supported by the national Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and 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 Nebraska Celebration of Books (NCOB) host sponsors include Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Library Commission, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln City Libraries, and Francie and Finch Bookshop, with supporting sponsors including Outskirts Press, KZUM 89.3FM, and Concierge Marketing at this time. Humanities Nebraska provides support for the One Book One Nebraska program.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724681823790.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Tessa TimperleyCelebrate Nebraska’s 2024 Book Award winners with author readings and an awards presentation ceremony at the Nebraska Celebration of Book’s (NCOB) literary festival. Held at the UNL City Campus Union on October 12th, winners of the 2024 Nebraska Book Awards will be honored at the celebration which will include an author roundtable during the festival and the awards ceremony directly after at 3:30. The ceremony will feature readings by some of the winning authors, designers, and illustrators of books with a Nebraska connection published in 2023. And the winners are:Children’s Picture Book:&nbsp;Ted Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder&nbsp;written by Carla Ketner, illustrated by Paula Wallace. Publisher: University of Nebraska Press.Children’s Novel:&nbsp;The Adventures of Pearl and Monty: The Bait and Switch&nbsp;by E. Adams. Publisher: Jade Forest Publishing.Teen Novel:&nbsp;The Unstoppable Bridget Bloom&nbsp;by Allison L. Bitz. Publisher: HarperTeen.Cover and Design:&nbsp;Feisty Righty: A Cancer Survivor's Journey&nbsp;by Jennifer D. James, Cover Art by Courtney Keller. Publisher: Self Published.Design Honor:&nbsp;Horizons&nbsp;by Julie S. Paschold. Publisher: Atmosphere Press.Fiction:&nbsp;The War Begins in Paris: A Novel&nbsp;by Theodore Wheeler. Publisher: Little, Brown and Company.Nonfiction Nebraska as Place:&nbsp;Field Guide to a Hybrid Landscape&nbsp;by Dana Fritz. Publisher: Bison Books.Nonfiction History:&nbsp;The First Migrants&nbsp;by Richard Edwards and Jacob K. Friefeld. Publisher: Bison Books.Poetry:&nbsp;The Gathering of Bastards&nbsp;by Romeo Oriogun. Publisher: University of Nebraska Press.Poetry Honor:&nbsp;The Book Eaters&nbsp;by Carolina Hotchandani. Publisher: Perugia Press.This year's Book Awards Celebration will be a combined event with the Nebraska Book Festival, called "The Nebraska Celebration of Books" which aims to celebrate Nebraska’s literary heritage and contemporary authors. Held, Saturday, October 12th, from 10:00am-4:30pm, on the second floor of the UNL City Campus Union in the Regency Suite, Heritage Room, and Swanson Auditorium, the event will honor the 20th anniversary of the One Book One Nebraska program with a panel of past authors. In addition it will feature Nebraska authors, a SLAM poetry showcase, book vendors, and presentation of the Nebraska Center for the Book's Nebraska Book Awards, Mildred Bennett Award, Jane Geske Award, and 2025 One Book One Nebraska announcement.The 2024 One Book One Nebraska selection,&nbsp;Dancing with the Octopus: A Memoir of a Crime&nbsp;by Debora Harding (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020) will be featured with a memoir writing workshop facilitated by Lucy Adkins of Larksong Writers Place.The Nebraska Book Awards are sponsored and facilitated by the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission.The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and 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 supported by the national Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and 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 Nebraska Celebration of Books (NCOB) host sponsors include Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Library Commission, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln City Libraries, and Francie and Finch Bookshop, with supporting sponsors including Outskirts Press, KZUM 89.3FM, and Concierge Marketing at this time. Humanities Nebraska provides support for the One Book One Nebraska program.

Nebraska’s 2024 Book Award Winners Announced

(Gretna, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested a Tennessee man after locating 40 pounds of suspected methamphetamine during a traffic stop on I-80 near Gretna.

Friday morning, a trooper observed a Ford F-150 failing to maintain its lane and driving on the shoulder as it was traveling eastbound on I-80 near mile marker 432. During the traffic stop, the trooper detected that the driver was impaired by drugs.

A Ralston Police Department K9 was then utilized and detected the odor of a controlled substance coming from the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed dozens of packages containing suspected methamphetamine. The total weight was 40 pounds.

The driver, Jose Mojica Ortiz, 42, of Clarksville, Tennessee, was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. He was lodged in Sarpy County Jail.

Cody ThomasNebraska State Patrol(Gretna, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested a Tennessee man after locating 40 pounds of suspected methamphetamine during a traffic stop on I-80 near Gretna.Friday morning, a trooper observed a Ford F-150 failing to maintain its lane and driving on the shoulder as it was traveling eastbound on I-80 near mile marker 432. During the traffic stop, the trooper detected that the driver was impaired by drugs.A Ralston Police Department K9 was then utilized and detected the odor of a controlled substance coming from the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed dozens of packages containing suspected methamphetamine. The total weight was 40 pounds.The driver, Jose Mojica Ortiz, 42, of Clarksville, Tennessee, was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. He was lodged in Sarpy County Jail.

Troopers Find 40 lbs of Meth During I-80 Traffic Stop Near Omaha

WASHINGTON —While talks continue to accomplish a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, U.S. forces continue to face attacks in the Red Sea and Yemen.

On Friday&nbsp;U.S. forces killed&nbsp;Abu-’Abd al-Rahman al-Makki, a senior leader and commander with the Al-Qaeda linked terrorist group, Hurras al-Din, in a U.S. drone Strike in northwestern Syria, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

He was responsible for overseeing terrorist operations from Syria.

Also on Friday, U.S. forces successfully destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi missile system in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen and on August 22, destroyed two Iranian-backed Houthi drones over the Red Sea and and another in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.  

On August 21, U.S. forces successfully destroyed an Iranian-backed Houthi surface-to-air missile and radar system in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.

WASHINGTON —While talks continue to accomplish a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, U.S. forces continue to face attacks in the Red Sea and Yemen.On Friday&nbsp;U.S. forces killed&nbsp;Abu-’Abd al-Rahman al-Makki, a senior leader and commander with the Al-Qaeda linked terrorist group, Hurras al-Din, in a U.S. drone Strike in northwestern Syria, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.He was responsible for overseeing terrorist operations from Syria.Also on Friday, U.S. forces successfully destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi missile system in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen and on August 22, destroyed two Iranian-backed Houthi drones over the Red Sea and and another in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen. On August 21, U.S. forces successfully destroyed an Iranian-backed Houthi surface-to-air missile and radar system in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.

Deadly week for U.S. forces in the Middle East

August 23, 2024 (Grand Island, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested one person after locating over 15 pounds of suspected methamphetamine and cocaine following a pursuit on Interstate 80 in central Nebraska.

At approximately 7:20 p.m. Thursday, a trooper observed an eastbound Cadillac Escalade speeding on I-80 near Grand Island. The trooper attempted a traffic stop as the vehicle exited I-80 at mile marker 312, but the vehicle then accelerated, drove through the grass, and fled back onto I-80 eastbound. The trooper initiated a pursuit.

The Escalade fled with speeds above 120 miles per hour and passed other vehicles on the shoulder at times. At mile marker 330, the vehicle rear-ended an eastbound semi. The semi and Escalade then came to a stop on the shoulder. The driver of the semi was not injured. The driver of the Escalade was transported by the Aurora Fire Department to St. Francis Hospital in Grand Island with non-life-threatening injuries.

After the crash, troopers and deputies located several bags of controlled substances on the ground outside the vehicle. An additional bag was located inside the front fender of the Escalade, which had been damaged during the crash. The bags contained approximately 15 pounds of suspected methamphetamine, over 2 pounds of cocaine, and a small amount of marijuana. Upon release from the hospital, the driver, Deante House, 38, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, will be lodged in jail on numerous charges.

Cody ThomasNebraska State PatrolAugust 23, 2024 (Grand Island, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested one person after locating over 15 pounds of suspected methamphetamine and cocaine following a pursuit on Interstate 80 in central Nebraska.At approximately 7:20 p.m. Thursday, a trooper observed an eastbound Cadillac Escalade speeding on I-80 near Grand Island. The trooper attempted a traffic stop as the vehicle exited I-80 at mile marker 312, but the vehicle then accelerated, drove through the grass, and fled back onto I-80 eastbound. The trooper initiated a pursuit.The Escalade fled with speeds above 120 miles per hour and passed other vehicles on the shoulder at times. At mile marker 330, the vehicle rear-ended an eastbound semi. The semi and Escalade then came to a stop on the shoulder. The driver of the semi was not injured. The driver of the Escalade was transported by the Aurora Fire Department to St. Francis Hospital in Grand Island with non-life-threatening injuries.After the crash, troopers and deputies located several bags of controlled substances on the ground outside the vehicle. An additional bag was located inside the front fender of the Escalade, which had been damaged during the crash. The bags contained approximately 15 pounds of suspected methamphetamine, over 2 pounds of cocaine, and a small amount of marijuana. Upon release from the hospital, the driver, Deante House, 38, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, will be lodged in jail on numerous charges.

Troopers Find Meth, Cocaine After Pursuit, Crash on I-80

UNL&nbsp;Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources

&nbsp; Lincoln, Neb. August 23, 2024 —&nbsp;The University of Nebraska–Lincoln will host a global gathering of scientists, academicians and&nbsp;industry representatives on Oct. 7-11 for the Eighth International Plant Phenotyping Symposium.

The symposium is the premier event for the International Plant Phenotyping Network, an association representing the major plant phenotyping centers worldwide. The centers’ goal is to increase the visibility and impact of plant phenotyping and enable cooperation by fostering communication between stakeholders in academia, industry, government and the general public.

Keynote speakers are experts in plant phenotyping from multiple countries including the United States, Colombia, France and the Netherlands. The Embassy Suites in downtown Lincoln will host the main sessions for the event, whose theme is "Green Horizons: Navigating the Future of Plant Phenotyping".

Nebraska Innovation Campus will host a series of workshops for symposium attendees on Oct. 7 followed by an opening event with hors d’oeuvres and a tour of the Greenhouse Innovation Complex.

Registration is open through Aug. 31. Information on the symposium and registration is at&nbsp;<a href="https://unl233.acemlnb.com/lt.php?x=3DZy~GDDJFPP6HOtyt~OV.Oh2q-giQ~0k~sxkKI4KXTO5HR9_Uy.0Ols142hi_~vnuovbHHMIFaa" target="_blank">https://www.ipps8.org</a>.The event aims to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, foster collaboration, and inspire innovation through presentations, an exhibition, networking opportunities and workshops at Nebraska Innovation Campus. Over 250 attendees have already registered to attend.

A diverse range of scientists will participate, including plant biologists, ecologists, engineers, agronomists and computer scientists.

Emerging frontiers in plant phenomics will be among the topics explored, as well as cutting-edge technologies and solutions provided by industry, plus artificial intelligence and data science advancing plant phenotyping methods.

Workshops at Nebraska Innovation Campus will include machine learning for cyber-agricultural systems; root phenotyping; genebank phenotyping; advances in forest and tree phenotyping; global phenotyping research infrastructure; the open source pipeline for drone- and satellite-based high throughput phenotyping applications; and the scope of plant phenotyping within the broader scientific community.

An additional workshop will be phenoACCESS-24: Workshop on Research Computing and Plant Phenotyping, with travel grants provided by the National Science Foundation. To apply for the workshop, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://unl233.acemlnb.com/lt.php?x=3DZy~GDDJFPP6HOtyt~OV.Oh2q-giQ~0k~sxkKI4KXTO5HR9_Uy.0Ols142hi_~vnuovbHHMIFab" target="_blank">https://hcc.unl.edu/phenoaccess-24-workshop-research-computing-and-plant-phenotyping</a>.Innovation Campus will host two industry workshops, one on multispectral imaging with gravimetric phenotyping, and one on infrastructure needed to meet next-generation research needs.

The conference will conclude on Friday, Oct. 11 with a choice of optional tours, including local museums; a trip to the university’s Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center to visit the Spydercam field phenotyping facility; Robbers Cave; and a visit to Li-Cor.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724422632395.jpeg" alt="A global gathering of scientists, academicians and industry representatives will visit the Greenhouse Innovation Center at Nebraska Innovation Campus as part of the Eighth International Plant Phenotyping Symposium hosted by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln on Oct. 7-11. Craig Chandler | University Communication and Marketing" />
 <figcaption>A global gathering of scientists, academicians and industry representatives will visit the Greenhouse Innovation Center at Nebraska Innovation Campus as part of the Eighth International Plant Phenotyping Symposium hosted by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln on Oct. 7-11. Craig Chandler | University Communication and Marketing</figcaption>
 </figure>UNL&nbsp;Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources&nbsp; Lincoln, Neb. August 23, 2024 —&nbsp;The University of Nebraska–Lincoln will host a global gathering of scientists, academicians and&nbsp;industry representatives on Oct. 7-11 for the Eighth International Plant Phenotyping Symposium.The symposium is the premier event for the International Plant Phenotyping Network, an association representing the major plant phenotyping centers worldwide. The centers’ goal is to increase the visibility and impact of plant phenotyping and enable cooperation by fostering communication between stakeholders in academia, industry, government and the general public.Keynote speakers are experts in plant phenotyping from multiple countries including the United States, Colombia, France and the Netherlands. The Embassy Suites in downtown Lincoln will host the main sessions for the event, whose theme is "Green Horizons: Navigating the Future of Plant Phenotyping".Nebraska Innovation Campus will host a series of workshops for symposium attendees on Oct. 7 followed by an opening event with hors d’oeuvres and a tour of the Greenhouse Innovation Complex.Registration is open through Aug. 31. Information on the symposium and registration is at&nbsp;<a href="https://unl233.acemlnb.com/lt.php?x=3DZy~GDDJFPP6HOtyt~OV.Oh2q-giQ~0k~sxkKI4KXTO5HR9_Uy.0Ols142hi_~vnuovbHHMIFaa" target="_blank">https://www.ipps8.org</a>.The event aims to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, foster collaboration, and inspire innovation through presentations, an exhibition, networking opportunities and workshops at Nebraska Innovation Campus. Over 250 attendees have already registered to attend.A diverse range of scientists will participate, including plant biologists, ecologists, engineers, agronomists and computer scientists.Emerging frontiers in plant phenomics will be among the topics explored, as well as cutting-edge technologies and solutions provided by industry, plus artificial intelligence and data science advancing plant phenotyping methods.Workshops at Nebraska Innovation Campus will include machine learning for cyber-agricultural systems; root phenotyping; genebank phenotyping; advances in forest and tree phenotyping; global phenotyping research infrastructure; the open source pipeline for drone- and satellite-based high throughput phenotyping applications; and the scope of plant phenotyping within the broader scientific community.An additional workshop will be phenoACCESS-24: Workshop on Research Computing and Plant Phenotyping, with travel grants provided by the National Science Foundation. To apply for the workshop, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://unl233.acemlnb.com/lt.php?x=3DZy~GDDJFPP6HOtyt~OV.Oh2q-giQ~0k~sxkKI4KXTO5HR9_Uy.0Ols142hi_~vnuovbHHMIFab" target="_blank">https://hcc.unl.edu/phenoaccess-24-workshop-research-computing-and-plant-phenotyping</a>.Innovation Campus will host two industry workshops, one on multispectral imaging with gravimetric phenotyping, and one on infrastructure needed to meet next-generation research needs.The conference will conclude on Friday, Oct. 11 with a choice of optional tours, including local museums; a trip to the university’s Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center to visit the Spydercam field phenotyping facility; Robbers Cave; and a visit to Li-Cor.&nbsp;&nbsp;