Nebraska / Public News Service

Of the 142,176 veterans living in Nebraska, only 33% have utilized their earned benefits at VA health care, according to U.S. Census data. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, November 22, 2021

New Online Navigator Aims to Streamline Access to Veteran Health Benefits

LINCOLN, Neb. - November is National Veterans and Military Families Month, and AARP has launched a free, one-stop online resource to help more …

Between two and four years after aging out of foster care, 46% of young people had not finished high school, 51% were unemployed and 84% became parents. (Adobe Stock)

Resources for Foster Youths During Holidays

OMAHA, Neb. -- Some 24,000 teenagers in foster care across the nation officially become adults each year; in Nebraska it happens on their 19th …

Advocates for extending pandemic-related universal free school meals say the program helps remove the stigma of so-called "poor kids meals." (Adobe Stock)

Congress Urged to Make Free School Meal Program Permanent

GOTHENBURG, Neb. -- During the COVID health emergency, the federal government made school meals available for free to all students, regardless of …

Nine out of ten U.S. consumers say they are more likely to shop at a small business that friends or peers have recommended. (Adobe Stock)

Reasons to Shop Local This Holiday Season

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Locally produced honey, artwork and handmade scarves and sweaters will not be stuck on a container ship this holiday season…

Just four of 19 Nebraska law-enforcement agencies surveyed do not currently employ a multilingual officer. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Law Enforcement Behind on Language Accessibility

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Not one law-enforcement agency in Nebraska is meeting all U.S. Department of Justice guidance and best practices on how to provide …

Only 20% of kids nationwide are physically active for at least 60 minutes a day, according to a new United Health Foundation report. (Drazen/Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Women, Children Report More Anxiety, Mental Distress

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Women and young people have been facing increased behavioral-health challenges since before the pandemic, according to a new report …

The U.S. Postal Service is responsible for delivering Social Security and veterans benefit checks, prescription medicines and more to all Americans regardless of where they live. (Adobe Stock)

Postal Service Cost-Cutting Measures Worry Nebraska Business Owners

COLUMBUS, Neb. -- Small-business owners in Nebraska are concerned about losing customers during the upcoming holiday season as the U.S. Postal …

Indigenous early-childhood education programs at tribal colleges and universities aim to improve students' educational attainment by revising school curriculums to be more culturally relevant. (Adobe Stock)

American Indian College Fund to Strengthen Native Teacher Pipeline

OMAHA, Neb. -- Tribal colleges and universities in Nebraska and across the nation are teaching the next generation of pre-K and elementary-school …

Starting this year, Medicare coverage plans participating in the program's Senior Savings Model must now offer insulin for no more than $35 per month. (Adobe Stock)

How to Keep Medicare Coverage, Avoid Scammers During Open Enrollment

LINCOLN, Neb. -- With open enrollment for Medicare set to kick off next week, Nebraskans age 65 and older can expect to see a deluge of ads for so-…

Raise the Wage Nebraska's goal is to collect 130,000 signatures across communities in Nebraska. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — Raise the Wage Nebraska's goal is to collect 130,000 signatures across communities in Nebraska. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Voters Asked to Raise Minimum Wage, Again

LINCOLN, Neb. - A coalition of Nebraska community organizations and supporters are collecting signatures for a ballot initiative that would raise the …

Beginning in 2022, Nebraska's Department of Education will begin offering farm-to-school producer training in various regions of the state. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Farmers Fueling Students with Locally Produced Food

GERING, Neb. -- With school back in session, many Nebraska students will be fueled by fresh beef, fruits and vegetables sourced from local farms…

A new report spotlights the economic impacts of limiting a woman's right to safe and legal abortion. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Restricting Abortion Access Brings Big Financial Trouble

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Limiting women's access to abortion and other reproductive health care can have a devastating impact on state economies. According …

Nine in ten Nebraskans told researchers that voter redistricting should be driven by 2020 census data, not by making deals that benefit a political party. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraskans Can Give Feedback on New Voter District Maps Next Week

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Next week, Nebraska lawmakers will hold three public hearings on how new voter maps should be drawn for the state's 49 districts…

Fifty-eight news segments mentioned Hurricane Ida's rapid intensification, going from a Category 1 to a Category 4 in less than 24 hours, a clear signal of a warming climate, but news outlets failed to report the connection. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Failure to Connect Extreme Weather to Climate “Media Malpractice”

LINCOLN, Neb. - New research suggests the nation's most trusted news sources are dropping the ball when it comes to helping voters in Nebraska and …

Cognitive behavioral therapy can help identify and overcome cognitive distortions and replace them with new, more helpful thoughts. (Adobe Stock)

Tips to Avoid Common “Thinking Traps” While Adjusting to College Life

LINCOLN, Neb. -- As young adults across Nebraska leave home for college, psychologists are offering tips to avoid falling into common "thinking …

This summer's unprecedented heat waves, droughts, fires and severe storms are occurring now, where global temperatures have only risen 1.2 degrees Celsius. Scientists project that average temperatures will rise by 2 degrees Celsius in the next two decades. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Less Than a Decade Remains for Action on Climate Change

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Less than a decade remains to avoid potentially catastrophic impacts of a warming planet, according to the latest report from top …

New census numbers show that 56% of Nebraska's population now resides in just three counties: Douglas, Lancaster and Sarpy. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraskans to See Narrow Window for Public Input on New Voting Districts

LINCOLN, Neb. -- As Nebraska lawmakers sort through new 2020 Census numbers to update voting districts, watchdog groups are encouraging all residents …

Microenterprise businesses, with five employees or fewer, make up more than 85% of all businesses in Nebraska. (Adobe Stock)

Time to Get in Line for Small Business Tax Credits

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska businesses with no more than five employees now can apply for up to $20,000 in tax credits. Johnathan Hladik, policy …

More than half of Nebraska's home internet users in non-rural parts of the state have a cable internet connection, compared with just one in 10 rural homes, who rely on DSL, satellite or wireless. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: 79% of Voters Want Lawmakers to Expand High-Speed Internet Access

LINCOLN, Neb. -- More than half of Nebraska voters age 50 and older in rural parts of the state are having a hard time accessing high-speed internet…

Federal food assistance programs, including SNAP and Nebraska's Farmers Market Nutrition Program for seniors and families with children, ensure that farmers get fair market prices for their goods. (Adobe Stock)

Double Up Food Bucks Program Boosts Farmer’s Markets

LINCOLN, Neb. -- After a new state law expanded eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the program formerly known as …

In early July, the Biden administration canceled nearly $56 million in student-loan debt, mostly connected to institutions engaging in misconduct, including promising jobs or falsely claiming credits would transfer to universities.(Adobe Stock)

Scammers Targeting Nebraska Student-Loan Holders

LINCOLN, Neb. - Student-loan forgiveness has become an increasingly popular scam targeting young adults, and as an October deadline looms, consumer …

Lobbying firms have enjoyed few limits after the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision, where the high court confirmed that money was a form of protected speech. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Lobbyist Spending in Nebraska Thrived During Pandemic

LINCOLN, Neb. -- A new Common Cause Nebraska report showed last year, more than $18 million was invested in lobbying efforts in Nebraska. By …

Nebraska lawmakers recently moved to require additional legislation before construction could begin on a new prison. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Nebraska’s Ongoing Prison Staffing Crisis Expands

LINCOLN, Neb. -- A new report from the Office of Inspector General of Corrections is raising concerns about ongoing and expanding staffing …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering a 50/50 match on Nebraska dollars invested in outreach to get more eligible families enrolled in SNAP, the program formerly known as food stamps. (Adobe Stock)

More Nebraskans Can Access Food Assistance Despite Governor Veto

OMAHA, Neb. - More Nebraskans will be eligible for SNAP, the program formerly known as food stamps, beginning July 11. Tiffany Joekel, research and …

Permanently expanding the Child Tax Credit is projected to lift as many as half of the nation's children in low-income families out of poverty. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Nebraska's Families of Color Hit Hardest by Pandemic

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska as a whole is performing well for families with children, ranked seventh in the nation overall, according to the Annie E…

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know "a little bit" or "nothing at all" about Juneteenth, the date that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. (DoDEA.edu)

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by both …

The USDA projects that $1 billion in additional SNAP benefits would lead to an increase of $1.54 billion in the nation's Gross Domestic Product. (Adobe Stock)

Feds Pony Up to Get More SNAP-Eligible Families Enrolled

LINCOLN, Neb. - The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering a 50/50 match on Nebraska dollars invested in outreach to get more eligible families …

In Nebraska, the homeownership rate for Latino residents is 42%, compared with 70% for non-Latino white residents. (SOS Wildlife Control)

Home Loan Program Aims to Boost Rural Economies

LYONS, Neb. -- Homeownership remains out of reach for many hard-working Nebraska families because of stagnant wages and lack of access to traditional …

Nebraskans age 50 and older contribute more than $2 billion each year in unpaid family caregiving.<br />(Sabinevanerp/Pixabay) — Nebraskans age 50 and older contribute more than $2 billion each year in unpaid family caregiving.
(Sabinevanerp/Pixabay)

NE Lawmakers Begin Phasing Out State Taxes on Social Security Benefits

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska lawmakers are leaning on older residents to help boost the state's economic recovery. Last week Gov. Pete Ricketts signed …

Roughly 10% of foster youth in the United States are entitled to Social Security benefits, either because their parents have died or because they have a physical or mental disability that would leave them in poverty without financial help. (Nenad Stojkovic/Pixabay https://bit.ly/3gvdEbG)

Nebraska Among States Taking Foster Kids’ Benefits

LINCOLN, Neb. - A new report shows at least 49 states, including Nebraska, are seizing thousands of dollars in Social Security, veterans and other …

None of Coca-Cola's top executives met their bonus targets last year, but all received bonuses, even as the company announced plans to cut some 2,200 jobs. (Pixabay)<br /><br /> — None of Coca-Cola's top executives met their bonus targets last year, but all received bonuses, even as the company announced plans to cut some 2,200 jobs. (Pixabay)

Corporations Expanded CEO-Worker Pay Gap During Pandemic

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Many of the nation's largest low-wage employers, including FedEx, Tyson Foods, Walgreens and other brands familiar to Nebraskans…

Last year, 55 major U.S. corporations paid no federal corporate income taxes on a combined $40 billion in profits. (Anthony Quintano/Flickr)

Biden's Millionaire Tax Hike Would Tap Less than 1% of Nebraskans

DENVER -- President Joe Biden's proposal to eliminate the lower-income tax rate on capital gains and stock dividends for America's millionaires would …

At least 7,382 COVID-19 cases have been traced to meatpacking plants across the state since the start of the COVID public health emergency. (Kansas State Research and Extension/Flickr)

Nebraska Lawmakers to Debate Meatpacking Worker Protections

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska lawmakers are scheduled to debate the Meatpacking Employees COVID-19 Protection Act today. Sen. Tony Vargas, D-Omaha…

Since March 2020, Food Bank for the Heartland has provided more than 35 million meals, an 88% increase over the previous four years' averages. (Roy Buri/Pixabay)

Expanding Access to SNAP Could Help More Nebraskans Weather COVID

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska lawmakers are considering a proposal to expand eligibility limits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)…

Volunteers help staff a weekly COVID vaccine clinic in Schuyler, a town of 6,284 residents, where some 36 different languages are spoken. (Pixabay)

Nebraska Communities Band Together to Tackle Vaccine Distribution

SCHUYLER, Neb. -- Communities across Nebraska are banding together in response to the COVID-19 health emergency, and volunteers have become critical …

Workers protest tax fraud in the construction field at a school administration building in Gretna, Neb. (Eric Leanos/NCSRCC)

NE Construction Workers Call for Crackdown on Tax, Wage Fraud

OMAHA, Neb. - Nebraska is losing millions in tax money and many workers are being cheated by unscrupulous companies that pay their workers under the …

Health experts say to avoid hearing loss, wear protective equipment such as earplugs or enclosed headphones that cancel noise whenever exposed to loud sounds. (Eric Driggers/Flickr)

Hearing Checkups Down During COVID

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Medical hearing and inner-ear experts are encouraging Nebraskans to make an appointment if they are having difficulty hearing or are …

Protections from Financial Scams Beefed Up for Older Nebraskans

LINCOLN, Neb. -- A new state law aims to stop scams that target the financial assets of older Nebraskans. Jina Ragland, associate state director of …

Just like Black Americans, Black immigrants are more likely to be arrested, convicted and imprisoned than the immigrant population as a whole. (Pixabay)

Groups Launch Immigrants' Rights Guide for Demonstrations

LINCOLN, Neb. -- As President Joe Biden works to make good on promises to overhaul federal immigration policy, a new guide released this week aims to …

Women in Nebraska typically make $0.80 for every dollar paid to men. Black women in Nebraska typically make $0.61 cents for every dollar paid to Caucasian men. (Piqsels)

Report: Women Paid Less than Men Regardless of Job Choice

LINCOLN, Neb. - Wednesday is national Women's Equal Pay Day, a date symbolizing how far into the new year women must work to earn what men earned in …

Nebraska Legislative Bill 416 calls for more robust data collection on maternal health outcomes based on race and ethnicity to better inform clinical practice, program and policy changes. (Cheryl Holt/Pixabay)

Nebraska Lawmakers Review Racial Disparities in Maternal Medical Care

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Racial-justice advocates will host a lunch and learn session for Nebraska lawmakers Wednesday to unpack striking disparities in …

Almost 55,000 Nebraskans are estimated to be eligible for, but not yet enrolled in, health coverage under Medicaid expansion passed by state voters in 2018. (DOD)

Lawsuit Seeks to Remove Barriers to Medicaid Coverage

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Health advocates are taking Nebraska state regulators to court over the rollout of Medicaid expansion, approved by Nebraska voters …

Omaha police emails reveal a police lieutenant requesting undercover officers participate in a demonstration days after police received city guidance that it was a lawful activity. (Snappy Goat)

Alarm Sounded Over Omaha Police Surveillance of Black Activists, Allies

OMAHA, Neb. -- Omaha Police Department emails obtained through a public records request suggest surveillance activities targeting racial justice …

A 2018 audit found that applicants for the Nebraska's Microenterprise Tax Credit program had an estimated cost per job between $2,349 and $10,655. (Brad Horrigan/Hartford Courant)

Nebraska's COVID Economic Recovery Linked to Microenterprise Tax Credit

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The coronavirus pandemic has caused many Nebraska businesses to shutter, and is forcing others to pause plans for future growth…

Nebraska's redlined neighborhoods were the only places families of color could live, and were located near environmental hazards. (Dnavarrojr/Pixabay)

Advocates: Biden Climate Plan Could Help NE's Redlined Neighborhoods

LINCOLN, Neb. - President Joe Biden has charged top White House officials with ensuring that communities living in the shadows of the nation's power …

A recent poll found more than 90% of Nebraska voters want the process of redrawing the state's political districts to be data-driven, transparent and nonpartisan. (Capitolist/Wikimedia Commons)

Nebraska Lawmakers Consider Bill to Curb Gerrymandering

LINCOLN, Neb. -- On Wednesday, the Nebraska Legislature's executive board heard arguments for the Redistricting Act, sponsored by Sen. John …

A recent Government Accountability Office report found more than 80% of nursing homes were cited for infection prevention failures, including washing hands in between patients, before the pandemic. (Pixabay)

Nebraska Lawmakers to Consider Broad Legal Immunity for Nursing Homes

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Advocates for nursing-home residents are pushing back against a proposal to give broad immunity for businesses that may face …

Nebraska ranks third nationally in industrial customers relying on electricity, largely generated by coal-fired power plants, mostly to power irrigation systems. (Jplenio/Pixabay)

Moms Breathe Easier with Morgan Stanley Coal Projections

LINCOLN, Neb. -- New analysis from the financial giant Morgan Stanley projects coal will be all but eliminated from electricity generation in the U.S…

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