<a>(Lincoln, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>—&nbsp; The Nebraska State Patrol launched an enforcement campaign to close-out the summer travel season.&nbsp;The campaign will run from August 14 through September 2.

“In the coming weeks, events like the State Fair, Husker Football, and Labor Day Weekend will have many traveling across the state,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “We want Nebraska to close out the summer safely.”

Troopers, deputies, and officers from agencies across the state are partnering for the&nbsp;Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over&nbsp;effort. Troopers will be performing high-visibility patrols across the state, monitoring for impaired driving.

So far in 2024, troopers have made 821 arrests for driving under the influence – a 23 percent increase from this time last year. Additionally, traffic fatalities have increased by 26 percent over last year.

“Every traffic fatality is a tragedy, and we know many of them could be prevented if everyone drives sober,” said Colonel John Bolduc. “We encourage you to do your part in keeping everyone on the road safe by making the choice to drive sober.”

The campaign is made possible thanks in part to a grant for $36,720 from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office.&nbsp;Any motorist who observes a dangerous driver can report it to the NSP Highway Helpline by calling *55 to reach an NSP dispatcher.

Mikayla HallNebraska State Patrol<a>(Lincoln, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>—&nbsp; The Nebraska State Patrol launched an enforcement campaign to close-out the summer travel season.&nbsp;The campaign will run from August 14 through September 2.“In the coming weeks, events like the State Fair, Husker Football, and Labor Day Weekend will have many traveling across the state,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “We want Nebraska to close out the summer safely.”Troopers, deputies, and officers from agencies across the state are partnering for the&nbsp;Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over&nbsp;effort. Troopers will be performing high-visibility patrols across the state, monitoring for impaired driving.So far in 2024, troopers have made 821 arrests for driving under the influence – a 23 percent increase from this time last year. Additionally, traffic fatalities have increased by 26 percent over last year.“Every traffic fatality is a tragedy, and we know many of them could be prevented if everyone drives sober,” said Colonel John Bolduc. “We encourage you to do your part in keeping everyone on the road safe by making the choice to drive sober.”The campaign is made possible thanks in part to a grant for $36,720 from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office.&nbsp;Any motorist who observes a dangerous driver can report it to the NSP Highway Helpline by calling *55 to reach an NSP dispatcher.

NSP Launches Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign

Senator JD Vance and&nbsp; Gov. Tim Walz are considering whether or not to meet and debate on Oct. 1, according to CBS News.&nbsp; Walz issued a firm commitment on his social media account. Vance is expected to commit if CBS met a few demands.&nbsp;&nbsp;On social media Thursday morning Vance wrote,   "Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well."

Senator JD Vance and&nbsp; Gov. Tim Walz are considering whether or not to meet and debate on Oct. 1, according to CBS News.&nbsp; Walz issued a firm commitment on his social media account. Vance is expected to commit if CBS met a few demands.&nbsp;&nbsp;On social media Thursday morning Vance wrote, "Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">See you on October 1, JD. <a href="https://t.co/ssi0FdseN9">https://t.co/ssi0FdseN9</a>&mdash; Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tim_Walz/status/1823824781873176770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The American people deserve as many debates as possible, which is why President Trump has challenged Kamala to three of them already. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well. I look forward to seeing you at both! <a href="https://t.co/63FyI99dKU">https://t.co/63FyI99dKU</a>&mdash; JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1824075920216310262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Candidates make commitment to vice-presidential debate

Office of Nebraska State Treasurer Tom Briese

(Lincoln) Today Treasurer Tom Briese announced the launch of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.givetoenable.com/" target="_blank">www.Givetoenable.com</a>, a new, free-to-use crowdfunding website designed to help Enable Savings Plan owners achieve a better life experience.

Nebraska’s Enable Savings Plan was specifically designed to encourage persons with a disability to save for future qualified disability expenses. The Enable Savings Plan assists individuals who have a disability by providing sound investment choices for saving for the future.

Givetoenable.com will allow participants to raise needed funds through donations from family, friends, and others, similar to sites such as GoFundMe or Kickstarter. Funds donated through Givetoenable.com will go directly into the individual account owner’s Enable account and will not impact their benefits unlike a traditional crowdfunding webpage.

“Enable account owners are already at an economic disadvantage, and dealing with unexpected financial burdens hits the members of the disabled community hardest. Givetoenable.com is available for all Enable account owners and will allow them to raise additional funds to help cover their disability related expenses,” Briese said.

In addition, anyone who donates on the Givetoenable.com platform and files a Nebraska state income tax return will be able to take advantage of up to a $10,000 Nebraska income tax deduction ($5000 for married taxpayers filing separately). Contributions made to an Enable account from the website will count towards the annual $18,000 contribution limit.

In recognition of the launch of Givetoenable.com and the many advantages of qualified Nebraskans opening and contributing to an Enable Savings Plan, Governor Jim Pillen has also declared August as “Able to Save Month.”

For more information about the Enable Savings Plan visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.enablesavings.com/" target="_blank">https://www.enablesavings.com/</a>.

Office of Nebraska State Treasurer Tom Briese(Lincoln) Today Treasurer Tom Briese announced the launch of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.givetoenable.com/" target="_blank">www.Givetoenable.com</a>, a new, free-to-use crowdfunding website designed to help Enable Savings Plan owners achieve a better life experience.Nebraska’s Enable Savings Plan was specifically designed to encourage persons with a disability to save for future qualified disability expenses. The Enable Savings Plan assists individuals who have a disability by providing sound investment choices for saving for the future.Givetoenable.com will allow participants to raise needed funds through donations from family, friends, and others, similar to sites such as GoFundMe or Kickstarter. Funds donated through Givetoenable.com will go directly into the individual account owner’s Enable account and will not impact their benefits unlike a traditional crowdfunding webpage.“Enable account owners are already at an economic disadvantage, and dealing with unexpected financial burdens hits the members of the disabled community hardest. Givetoenable.com is available for all Enable account owners and will allow them to raise additional funds to help cover their disability related expenses,” Briese said.In addition, anyone who donates on the Givetoenable.com platform and files a Nebraska state income tax return will be able to take advantage of up to a $10,000 Nebraska income tax deduction ($5000 for married taxpayers filing separately). Contributions made to an Enable account from the website will count towards the annual $18,000 contribution limit.In recognition of the launch of Givetoenable.com and the many advantages of qualified Nebraskans opening and contributing to an Enable Savings Plan, Governor Jim Pillen has also declared August as “Able to Save Month.”A copy of the proclamation is attached.For more information about the Enable Savings Plan visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.enablesavings.com/" target="_blank">https://www.enablesavings.com/</a>.

Briese Announces GivetoEnable.com Crowdfunding Initiative

As the Nebraska State Fair kicks-off, many Nebraskans are planning family trips to visit the fair, but they&nbsp; may be unsure about bringing a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Today, there are almost 36,000&nbsp; Nebraskans living with Alzheimer’s disease, and large crowds, unfamiliar places and hot weather can be&nbsp; particularly stressful and overwhelming for them, especially in the mid to later stages.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Alzheimer’s Association encourages families to consider the information and tips below before&nbsp; planning a visit to the Nebraska State Fair with their loved one living with dementia:&nbsp;

● Crowds can cause agitation. Generally, it’s best to avoid busy, unfamiliar places because they&nbsp; can be confusing and cause disorientation. If you think your loved one could still handle being in a&nbsp; crowded place well, be sure to assess their response to new places and people beforehand,&nbsp; consider the best time of day to go as most people with Alzheimer's function better during certain&nbsp; times, and don’t leave them alone during your trip.&nbsp;

● Wandering is a concern. Alzheimer’s disease causes people to lose their ability to recognize&nbsp; familiar places and faces. It’s common for a person living with dementia to wander or become lost&nbsp; or confused about their location, and it can happen at any stage of the disease.&nbsp;

● Plan ahead. If your loved one does come with you to the Nebraska State Fair, preparation is key.&nbsp; Talk to the person about travel plans in advance, but not too far ahead if traveling makes them&nbsp; feel anxious. Don’t plan to stay for too long or do too many activities, and plan rest periods. If they&nbsp; do well in the morning, plan a visit early when it is more likely to be less crowded. Be prepared to&nbsp; cut your visit short if necessary. Also, bring or request a wheelchair or walker to make mobility&nbsp; easier on the person with dementia.&nbsp;

● Bring important items. Bringing a few extra important items along can help make a visit to the&nbsp; fair much more comfortable and successful for caregivers and people living with dementia. A few&nbsp; suggestions of items to bring are an emergency contact list, a fully charged phone for the person&nbsp; living with dementia or making a life alert button in case they get lost and a change of clothes in&nbsp; case they get too hot or have an accident.&nbsp;

● Check the weather. Extreme heat can often be more agitating and overwhelming to someone&nbsp; living with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Check the weather leading up to and the day of your trip, and&nbsp; if it looks like it will be hot, especially if there is a heat advisory, it’s best to postpone your visit or&nbsp; leave your loved one at home. If it is hot during your visit, be sure to bring extra water, take&nbsp; breaks in air-conditioned spaces and check-in with your loved one to make sure they aren’t&nbsp; getting overheated.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Alzheimer's Association is here to help families take measures to prepare for and cope with activities &nbsp;like traveling, eating out and visiting new places with their loved one living with Alzheimer’s or dementia.&nbsp; For more information, visit alz.org or call the 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Register for your local Walk to End Alzheimer’s today! Upcoming Walk to End Alzheimer’s events in&nbsp; Nebraska: Grand Island (September 8), Kearney (September 21), Norfolk (September 22), Hastings&nbsp; (September 27), Lincoln (October 6), Omaha (October 13).&nbsp;&nbsp;

Jenna HynekAs the Nebraska State Fair kicks-off, many Nebraskans are planning family trips to visit the fair, but they&nbsp; may be unsure about bringing a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Today, there are almost 36,000&nbsp; Nebraskans living with Alzheimer’s disease, and large crowds, unfamiliar places and hot weather can be&nbsp; particularly stressful and overwhelming for them, especially in the mid to later stages.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Alzheimer’s Association encourages families to consider the information and tips below before&nbsp; planning a visit to the Nebraska State Fair with their loved one living with dementia:&nbsp;● Crowds can cause agitation. Generally, it’s best to avoid busy, unfamiliar places because they&nbsp; can be confusing and cause disorientation. If you think your loved one could still handle being in a&nbsp; crowded place well, be sure to assess their response to new places and people beforehand,&nbsp; consider the best time of day to go as most people with Alzheimer's function better during certain&nbsp; times, and don’t leave them alone during your trip.&nbsp;● Wandering is a concern. Alzheimer’s disease causes people to lose their ability to recognize&nbsp; familiar places and faces. It’s common for a person living with dementia to wander or become lost&nbsp; or confused about their location, and it can happen at any stage of the disease.&nbsp;● Plan ahead. If your loved one does come with you to the Nebraska State Fair, preparation is key.&nbsp; Talk to the person about travel plans in advance, but not too far ahead if traveling makes them&nbsp; feel anxious. Don’t plan to stay for too long or do too many activities, and plan rest periods. If they&nbsp; do well in the morning, plan a visit early when it is more likely to be less crowded. Be prepared to&nbsp; cut your visit short if necessary. Also, bring or request a wheelchair or walker to make mobility&nbsp; easier on the person with dementia.&nbsp;● Bring important items. Bringing a few extra important items along can help make a visit to the&nbsp; fair much more comfortable and successful for caregivers and people living with dementia. A few&nbsp; suggestions of items to bring are an emergency contact list, a fully charged phone for the person&nbsp; living with dementia or making a life alert button in case they get lost and a change of clothes in&nbsp; case they get too hot or have an accident.&nbsp;● Check the weather. Extreme heat can often be more agitating and overwhelming to someone&nbsp; living with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Check the weather leading up to and the day of your trip, and&nbsp; if it looks like it will be hot, especially if there is a heat advisory, it’s best to postpone your visit or&nbsp; leave your loved one at home. If it is hot during your visit, be sure to bring extra water, take&nbsp; breaks in air-conditioned spaces and check-in with your loved one to make sure they aren’t&nbsp; getting overheated.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Alzheimer's Association is here to help families take measures to prepare for and cope with activities &nbsp;like traveling, eating out and visiting new places with their loved one living with Alzheimer’s or dementia.&nbsp; For more information, visit alz.org or call the 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.&nbsp;&nbsp;Register for your local Walk to End Alzheimer’s today! Upcoming Walk to End Alzheimer’s events in&nbsp; Nebraska: Grand Island (September 8), Kearney (September 21), Norfolk (September 22), Hastings&nbsp; (September 27), Lincoln (October 6), Omaha (October 13).&nbsp;&nbsp;

Planning a Trip to the Nebraska State Fair with a Loved One with Alzheimer’s? Here’s What You  Need to Know! 

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/14/nebraska-lawmakers-advance-absolute-minimum-property-tax-package-after-months-of-buildup/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;Months of buildup for a new property tax relief-driven package was heavily narrowed in the Nebraska Legislature on Tuesday before being advanced with the “absolute minimum” provisions.

Lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=11227" target="_blank">voted 34-11</a>&nbsp;to end debate on&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58075" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 34</a>, accepting a “very skinnied-down,” “simple” version. Over the course of 24 hours, lawmakers pivoted through various tax packages before landing at a “consensus” that contained&nbsp; just three components.&nbsp;

That was a striking contrast from plans Gov. Jim Pillen, the Revenue Committee and others championed this summer. That included the results of a statewide tour that Pillen led to 26 communities, along with organizing a “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/k-12-funding-shift-from-property-taxes-would-be-multiyear-effort-nebraska-lawmakers-say/">task force</a>” of select lawmakers.

In the end, state senators landed what could be the last train out of the special session:

“This is an absolute minimum that I feel that we should do,” State Sen. Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn, Revenue Committee vice chair, said during debate. “I mean, I am disappointed that this is all that we’re talking about doing.”

State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, another Revenue Committee member, said it was a start while calling it “the absolute least we can do.”

“It’s nowhere near what we really wanted, but incremental positive movement is still incremental positive movement,” Kauth said.

The Revenue Committee voted 6-1 just one day prior to advance an expansive, 122-page package that sought to lower local property taxes by about 30%, based on rough estimates.&nbsp;

That effort included the final three items, but also&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/12/revenue-committee-advances-ne-property-tax-relief-package-with-debate-to-start-tuesday/">more expansive credits</a>&nbsp;for K-12 school districts and the state’s 23 natural resources districts. Funding the model would have come through existing property tax relief programs as well as new or increased taxes on various&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/12/latest-ne-property-tax-plan-would-add-sales-tax-to-another-70-plus-goods-and-services/">goods, services and “sin” items</a>, such as candy, soft drinks, consumable hemp, tobacco and gambling.

Instead, State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, the Revenue Committee chair, acknowledging that the legislation lacked enough support, pivoted about halfway through the eight-hour debate Tuesday to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/AM/AM84_S1.pdf" target="_blank">a new amendment</a>.

“If somebody votes ‘no’ on this, they can’t possibly stand up on the floor again and say they care about property taxpayers,” she said. “This literally puts money in people’s hands.”

Linehan and von Gillern, among others, said the change would help those who might not have an accountant to walk them through their tax filings and educate them about the program. Those already claiming the credit would have an easier process but smaller relief, Linehan said.

State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte said that those revisions were a “no-brainer” and that it didn’t get easier, simpler or more fundamental.

“I’m truly flabbergasted that we’re debating whether we want to do the minimum,” Jacobson said. “I mean, it doesn’t get more minimal than this.”

Those who opposed the plan included State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who said out-of-state companies would benefit from the “front-loaded” property tax credits while residents of his district would be left out.&nbsp;

Wayne criticized&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/JustinTWayne/status/1823322087248814527" target="_blank">progressives and conservatives alike</a>&nbsp;in the officially nonpartisan body for drawing lines in the sand and not working together. He said the “minimum” was bad policy.

“I hope we can do more than just this, because this is the bare ‘minimum,’ Senator Jacobson, and the bare minimum isn’t good enough for my district,” Wayne said.

Linehan described the caps on local governments as “very soft” because a majority of some county or municipal budgets are related to public safety, which wouldn’t be capped.

However, that was the side of the narrowed bill that led to hesitation.

State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln said the public safety carveout might help with hiring jail guards, for example, but would not address the “upstream issues” to prevent incarceration, such as homelessness, substance use disorders and mental health.

“You can start to delineate certain exemptions of what you think is or is not public safety, but the reality is, if a political subdivision is financially unable to meet the needs of its citizens, it is failing the people that it’s there to represent,” he said.

State Sen. Terrell McKinney of North Omaha said the category needed to include other support, such as school programs or community centers, to ensure “kids aren’t going into the streets.”

State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha said in his conversations with constituents and officials statewide, many people are unwilling to sacrifice or compromise infrastructure, including roads, bridges and quality of life services, such as parks and libraries.&nbsp;

The City of Omaha was among the loudest opponents to the caps, as were multiple municipal leaders statewide.

“I just don’t know that I’m comfortable kneecapping the possible economic development that’s going on in that city,” Fredrickson said of Omaha, “and I don’t know why anyone in the state would want to do that.”

Two Democratic lawmakers from Lincoln, State Sens. Eliot Bostar and Anna Wishart, supported the plan. They said it would be beneficial to their city, and to Lancaster County, because of existing budgetary restraints that Lincoln is up against but that would be removed.

“Our spending lid is killing us,” Wishart said.

Bostar said the city would benefit, “on net.”

The League of Nebraska Municipalities and Nebraska Association of County Officials have remained adamantly against the proposed hard caps, which could freeze tax asking in times of deflation even as some costs or salaries must be paid for.

Lynn Rex, executive director of the League, said the Legislature “basically disregarded” that cities and villages have obligations they must pay for. Jon Cannon, executive director of the county association, said the caps could make it “virtually impossible” for counties to maintain infrastructure, which law enforcement and the public rely upon.

“All the other things that are part of the fabric of our communities, now they’re subject to a cap,” Cannon said after the vote.

Cannon and Rex said taxpayers will see a decrease in quality of roads and bridges and fewer qualify of life services.&nbsp;

Rex said she hopes lawmakers will consider bumping up the spending cap to 3% or inflation, as was negotiated between August 2023 and April 2024, when the previous tax package failed.

In addition to Bostar and Wishart, three other lawmakers bucked the majority of ideological lines in either supporting or opposing the measure: Democratic State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha and Republican State Sens. Julie Slama of Dunbar and Merv Riepe of Ralston.

Vargas said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/TonyVargas/status/1823525053394194565" target="_blank">tweet</a>&nbsp;that he was proud to vote for an additional $180 million in property tax relief without increasing sales taxes, which Slama also celebrated.

But Slama saw it more as a “huge indictment of Pillen’s failed leadership to watch his plan go down in flames,” which she added he and his family stood to financially benefit from.

“Big win for Nebraska taxpayers to have the largest tax increase in state history fail before the cloture vote,” Slama told the Nebraska Examiner.

Slama and Democratic State Sen. Jen Day in Sarpy County opposed the motion to end debate but ultimately voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=11231" target="_blank">advance the bill</a>.

Riepe, who joined members of the Revenue Committee and a handful of other senators in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/k-12-funding-shift-from-property-taxes-would-be-multiyear-effort-nebraska-lawmakers-say/">negotiating a tax plan</a>&nbsp;this summer with Pillen, said it was hard enough to stay on top of the plan as it “changed almost by the hour.” He said it was more so for “citizens with skin in the game.”

He said the bill was an example of “biting off more than one can chew” and that the measure needed more thought and study, even though he wanted property tax relief.

“I’ve never lived by the theory of ‘jump and the net will appear,’ and I am afraid that that is where we’re at,” Riepe said. “I tell young people this all the time, it’s better to be single than to wish you were, and it’s better to have no legislation than to have bad legislation.”

To fund the new plan, lawmakers will consider two bills advanced from the Appropriations Committee related to budget cuts, to the tune of about $139 million (LB 2), and increased fees (LB 3).&nbsp;

If those measures advance as is from the committee, the state would be on the hook for about $46 million, according to State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, chair of the Appropriations Committee. He said that would need to come out of state reserves.

That number could end up being higher, McKinney and Wishart previewed, as they and others are opposed to a broad, undisclosed $25 million administrative cut to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Debate on those two measures will begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday. LB 34 is expected to return for debate later this week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723651318308.jpeg" alt=" State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, center, talks with State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams on the floor of the Nebraska Legislature during debate on property taxes. To her left, State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, chair of the Appropriations Committee, watches on. Aug. 13, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, center, talks with State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams on the floor of the Nebraska Legislature during debate on property taxes. To her left, State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, chair of the Appropriations Committee, watches on. Aug. 13, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/14/nebraska-lawmakers-advance-absolute-minimum-property-tax-package-after-months-of-buildup/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;Months of buildup for a new property tax relief-driven package was heavily narrowed in the Nebraska Legislature on Tuesday before being advanced with the “absolute minimum” provisions.Lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=11227" target="_blank">voted 34-11</a>&nbsp;to end debate on&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58075" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 34</a>, accepting a “very skinnied-down,” “simple” version. Over the course of 24 hours, lawmakers pivoted through various tax packages before landing at a “consensus” that contained&nbsp; just three components.&nbsp;That was a striking contrast from plans Gov. Jim Pillen, the Revenue Committee and others championed this summer. That included the results of a statewide tour that Pillen led to 26 communities, along with organizing a “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/k-12-funding-shift-from-property-taxes-would-be-multiyear-effort-nebraska-lawmakers-say/">task force</a>” of select lawmakers.In the end, state senators landed what could be the last train out of the special session:<ul>
 <li>“Front-loading” income tax credits for property taxes paid so they appear first on annual property tax statements. About 50% of such eligible credits were unclaimed.</li><li>Expanding school tax credits to a total of $750 million in the next fiscal year that would grow in future years.</li><li>Restricting annual increases in property tax-asking authority by municipal and county governments by the state and the local index of inflation, or 0% in times of deflation.&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=13-320" target="_blank">Public safety services</a>&nbsp;and the work of county attorneys and public defenders would be&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/05/pillen-pivots-from-his-own-property-tax-plan-to-embrace-emerging-legislative-plan/">exceptions</a>, as would voter approval and emergencies.</li>
 </ul>“This is an absolute minimum that I feel that we should do,” State Sen. Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn, Revenue Committee vice chair, said during debate. “I mean, I am disappointed that this is all that we’re talking about doing.”<h2>‘Incremental positive movement’</h2>State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, another Revenue Committee member, said it was a start while calling it “the absolute least we can do.”“It’s nowhere near what we really wanted, but incremental positive movement is still incremental positive movement,” Kauth said.The Revenue Committee voted 6-1 just one day prior to advance an expansive, 122-page package that sought to lower local property taxes by about 30%, based on rough estimates.&nbsp;That effort included the final three items, but also&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/12/revenue-committee-advances-ne-property-tax-relief-package-with-debate-to-start-tuesday/">more expansive credits</a>&nbsp;for K-12 school districts and the state’s 23 natural resources districts. Funding the model would have come through existing property tax relief programs as well as new or increased taxes on various&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/12/latest-ne-property-tax-plan-would-add-sales-tax-to-another-70-plus-goods-and-services/">goods, services and “sin” items</a>, such as candy, soft drinks, consumable hemp, tobacco and gambling.Instead, State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, the Revenue Committee chair, acknowledging that the legislation lacked enough support, pivoted about halfway through the eight-hour debate Tuesday to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/AM/AM84_S1.pdf" target="_blank">a new amendment</a>.“If somebody votes ‘no’ on this, they can’t possibly stand up on the floor again and say they care about property taxpayers,” she said. “This literally puts money in people’s hands.”Linehan and von Gillern, among others, said the change would help those who might not have an accountant to walk them through their tax filings and educate them about the program. Those already claiming the credit would have an easier process but smaller relief, Linehan said.<h2>‘I hope we can do more’</h2>State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte said that those revisions were a “no-brainer” and that it didn’t get easier, simpler or more fundamental.“I’m truly flabbergasted that we’re debating whether we want to do the minimum,” Jacobson said. “I mean, it doesn’t get more minimal than this.”Those who opposed the plan included State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who said out-of-state companies would benefit from the “front-loaded” property tax credits while residents of his district would be left out.&nbsp;Wayne criticized&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/JustinTWayne/status/1823322087248814527" target="_blank">progressives and conservatives alike</a>&nbsp;in the officially nonpartisan body for drawing lines in the sand and not working together. He said the “minimum” was bad policy.“I hope we can do more than just this, because this is the bare ‘minimum,’ Senator Jacobson, and the bare minimum isn’t good enough for my district,” Wayne said.<h2>Municipal, county tax asking caps</h2>Linehan described the caps on local governments as “very soft” because a majority of some county or municipal budgets are related to public safety, which wouldn’t be capped.However, that was the side of the narrowed bill that led to hesitation.State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln said the public safety carveout might help with hiring jail guards, for example, but would not address the “upstream issues” to prevent incarceration, such as homelessness, substance use disorders and mental health.“You can start to delineate certain exemptions of what you think is or is not public safety, but the reality is, if a political subdivision is financially unable to meet the needs of its citizens, it is failing the people that it’s there to represent,” he said.State Sen. Terrell McKinney of North Omaha said the category needed to include other support, such as school programs or community centers, to ensure “kids aren’t going into the streets.”State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha said in his conversations with constituents and officials statewide, many people are unwilling to sacrifice or compromise infrastructure, including roads, bridges and quality of life services, such as parks and libraries.&nbsp;The City of Omaha was among the loudest opponents to the caps, as were multiple municipal leaders statewide.“I just don’t know that I’m comfortable kneecapping the possible economic development that’s going on in that city,” Fredrickson said of Omaha, “and I don’t know why anyone in the state would want to do that.”<h2>‘Our spending lid is killing us’</h2>Two Democratic lawmakers from Lincoln, State Sens. Eliot Bostar and Anna Wishart, supported the plan. They said it would be beneficial to their city, and to Lancaster County, because of existing budgetary restraints that Lincoln is up against but that would be removed.“Our spending lid is killing us,” Wishart said.Bostar said the city would benefit, “on net.”The League of Nebraska Municipalities and Nebraska Association of County Officials have remained adamantly against the proposed hard caps, which could freeze tax asking in times of deflation even as some costs or salaries must be paid for.Lynn Rex, executive director of the League, said the Legislature “basically disregarded” that cities and villages have obligations they must pay for. Jon Cannon, executive director of the county association, said the caps could make it “virtually impossible” for counties to maintain infrastructure, which law enforcement and the public rely upon.“All the other things that are part of the fabric of our communities, now they’re subject to a cap,” Cannon said after the vote.Cannon and Rex said taxpayers will see a decrease in quality of roads and bridges and fewer qualify of life services.&nbsp;Rex said she hopes lawmakers will consider bumping up the spending cap to 3% or inflation, as was negotiated between August 2023 and April 2024, when the previous tax package failed.<h2>Pillen plan ‘down in flames’</h2>In addition to Bostar and Wishart, three other lawmakers bucked the majority of ideological lines in either supporting or opposing the measure: Democratic State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha and Republican State Sens. Julie Slama of Dunbar and Merv Riepe of Ralston.Vargas said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/TonyVargas/status/1823525053394194565" target="_blank">tweet</a>&nbsp;that he was proud to vote for an additional $180 million in property tax relief without increasing sales taxes, which Slama also celebrated.But Slama saw it more as a “huge indictment of Pillen’s failed leadership to watch his plan go down in flames,” which she added he and his family stood to financially benefit from.“Big win for Nebraska taxpayers to have the largest tax increase in state history fail before the cloture vote,” Slama told the Nebraska Examiner.Slama and Democratic State Sen. Jen Day in Sarpy County opposed the motion to end debate but ultimately voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=11231" target="_blank">advance the bill</a>.Riepe, who joined members of the Revenue Committee and a handful of other senators in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/k-12-funding-shift-from-property-taxes-would-be-multiyear-effort-nebraska-lawmakers-say/">negotiating a tax plan</a>&nbsp;this summer with Pillen, said it was hard enough to stay on top of the plan as it “changed almost by the hour.” He said it was more so for “citizens with skin in the game.”He said the bill was an example of “biting off more than one can chew” and that the measure needed more thought and study, even though he wanted property tax relief.“I’ve never lived by the theory of ‘jump and the net will appear,’ and I am afraid that that is where we’re at,” Riepe said. “I tell young people this all the time, it’s better to be single than to wish you were, and it’s better to have no legislation than to have bad legislation.”<h2>Budget debate begins Wednesday</h2>To fund the new plan, lawmakers will consider two bills advanced from the Appropriations Committee related to budget cuts, to the tune of about $139 million (LB 2), and increased fees (LB 3).&nbsp;If those measures advance as is from the committee, the state would be on the hook for about $46 million, according to State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, chair of the Appropriations Committee. He said that would need to come out of state reserves.That number could end up being higher, McKinney and Wishart previewed, as they and others are opposed to a broad, undisclosed $25 million administrative cut to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.Debate on those two measures will begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday. LB 34 is expected to return for debate later this week.

Nebraska lawmakers advance ‘absolute minimum’ property tax package after months of buildup

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/14/vance-to-visit-nebraska-for-a-fundraiser/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Nebraska’s swinging 2nd Congressional District will host both 2024 vice presidential candidates in coming days, the latest sign of how significant the campaigns consider the stray Electoral College vote.

Republican U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, former President Donald Trump’s running mate, plans to visit Omaha on Aug. 21 for a minimum $1,000-a-plate fundraiser headlined by the GOP governors and U.S. senators from Nebraska and Iowa and Nebraska’s U.S. House members, the Examiner has learned.&nbsp;

Among the hosts are longtime political donors Joe and Marlene Ricketts, U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts and his brother Todd, who was a top Republican National Committee fundraiser for former President Donald Trump’s RNC in 2020.&nbsp;

The Ricketts family, which built the company that became TD Ameritrade, owns the Chicago Cubs. The Ricketts campaign could not immediately be reached for comment late Tuesday.

The top package costs $100,000 per couple, including a table, photo and reception. It was not immediately clear whether Vance has planned a separate public event. The Trump campaign did not not immediately return messages Tuesday evening seeking comment.

Word of Vance’s visit came hot on the heels of a report that Democratic vice presidential pick Tim Walz plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/13/nebraska-bound-harris-running-mate-tim-walz-to-visit-2nd-district/">visit Omaha on Saturday</a>.

Vance’s visit was confirmed in an email from Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley to local GOP donors.

“The GOP is the party of working Americans, and Senator Vance has long championed the rural men and women left behind in Joe Biden’s America,” the email said. “His experience, on top of President Trump’s accomplishments for rural communities … will show Americans in the Heartland that they have a home in President Trump’s movement to Make America Great Again.”

The Vance visit was confirmed by the Nebraska Republican Party and donors.&nbsp;

Populist Republicans in Nebraska have celebrated Trump’s pick of Vance as someone who excites his base. Some of their energy has been muted by concerns he previously opposed Trump and that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vice-president-vance-rubio-burgum-rnc-6cc438a8370a21b2631f5a53b06b71d0" target="_blank">was picked to help beat President Joe Biden</a>, not the current Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris.

The Ohio senator is known for his book about his Appalachian roots, “Hillbilly Elegy.” Vance has embraced Trump’s message of economic populism, nationalism and isolationism abroad. For example, Vance has opposed military aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.&nbsp;

The presidential campaigns are once again focused on the Omaha area because Nebraska awards one Electoral College vote to the winner of each congressional district, in addition to its two votes for the statewide winner.&nbsp;

The politically competitive 2nd District becomes more significant in close elections. And recent polling nationally and in swing states, including Nebraska, shows a race that either side can win. Recent momentum has swung toward Harris.

National political pundits have put the spotlight back on the 2nd District by touting the possibility that the Electoral College vote could end up in a 269-269 tie.

Every other state except Maine awards electoral votes in a winner-take-all fashion, a long-term goal of Nebraska Republicans that might not be dead yet this year.

The district has swung in both directions in the past four presidential elections, won by former Democratic President Barack Obama in 2008, Republican Mitt Romney in 2012, Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020.&nbsp;

The August visits come as Trump’s team works with Republicans in the officially nonpartisan Nebraska Legislature to find the votes to change the state’s&nbsp; method of awarding electoral votes.

Legislative leaders in Maine have said they are prepared to shift their Democratic-leaning state to winner-take-all, Republican-led Nebraska acts to change to winner-take all.&nbsp;

Both campaigns have staff in the 2nd District, and both also have surrogates visiting and raising funds.&nbsp;

Joe Hagerty, who helped open a joint RNC and Trump campaign office last weekend in Nebraska, has said Republicans need to remind state lawmakers to do the right thing.

“We want President Trump to get elected, and so we don’t want that one electoral vote that we’re responsible for to be the difference in him not winning,” Hagerty said.

Democrats, including Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb, have said Republicans want to change the rules in the middle of the game because they worry they might lose the November election.

Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/14/vance-to-visit-nebraska-for-a-fundraiser/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Nebraska’s swinging 2nd Congressional District will host both 2024 vice presidential candidates in coming days, the latest sign of how significant the campaigns consider the stray Electoral College vote.Republican U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, former President Donald Trump’s running mate, plans to visit Omaha on Aug. 21 for a minimum $1,000-a-plate fundraiser headlined by the GOP governors and U.S. senators from Nebraska and Iowa and Nebraska’s U.S. House members, the Examiner has learned.&nbsp;Among the hosts are longtime political donors Joe and Marlene Ricketts, U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts and his brother Todd, who was a top Republican National Committee fundraiser for former President Donald Trump’s RNC in 2020.&nbsp;The Ricketts family, which built the company that became TD Ameritrade, owns the Chicago Cubs. The Ricketts campaign could not immediately be reached for comment late Tuesday.The top package costs $100,000 per couple, including a table, photo and reception. It was not immediately clear whether Vance has planned a separate public event. The Trump campaign did not not immediately return messages Tuesday evening seeking comment.Word of Vance’s visit came hot on the heels of a report that Democratic vice presidential pick Tim Walz plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/13/nebraska-bound-harris-running-mate-tim-walz-to-visit-2nd-district/">visit Omaha on Saturday</a>.Vance’s visit was confirmed in an email from Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley to local GOP donors.“The GOP is the party of working Americans, and Senator Vance has long championed the rural men and women left behind in Joe Biden’s America,” the email said. “His experience, on top of President Trump’s accomplishments for rural communities … will show Americans in the Heartland that they have a home in President Trump’s movement to Make America Great Again.”The Vance visit was confirmed by the Nebraska Republican Party and donors.&nbsp;<h2>Vance excites base</h2>Populist Republicans in Nebraska have celebrated Trump’s pick of Vance as someone who excites his base. Some of their energy has been muted by concerns he previously opposed Trump and that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vice-president-vance-rubio-burgum-rnc-6cc438a8370a21b2631f5a53b06b71d0" target="_blank">was picked to help beat President Joe Biden</a>, not the current Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris.The Ohio senator is known for his book about his Appalachian roots, “Hillbilly Elegy.” Vance has embraced Trump’s message of economic populism, nationalism and isolationism abroad. For example, Vance has opposed military aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.&nbsp;The presidential campaigns are once again focused on the Omaha area because Nebraska awards one Electoral College vote to the winner of each congressional district, in addition to its two votes for the statewide winner.&nbsp;The politically competitive 2nd District becomes more significant in close elections. And recent polling nationally and in swing states, including Nebraska, shows a race that either side can win. Recent momentum has swung toward Harris.National political pundits have put the spotlight back on the 2nd District by touting the possibility that the Electoral College vote could end up in a 269-269 tie.Every other state except Maine awards electoral votes in a winner-take-all fashion, a long-term goal of Nebraska Republicans that might not be dead yet this year.The district has swung in both directions in the past four presidential elections, won by former Democratic President Barack Obama in 2008, Republican Mitt Romney in 2012, Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020.&nbsp;<h2>Focus on 2nd District</h2>The August visits come as Trump’s team works with Republicans in the officially nonpartisan Nebraska Legislature to find the votes to change the state’s&nbsp; method of awarding electoral votes.Legislative leaders in Maine have said they are prepared to shift their Democratic-leaning state to winner-take-all, Republican-led Nebraska acts to change to winner-take all.&nbsp;Both campaigns have staff in the 2nd District, and both also have surrogates visiting and raising funds.&nbsp;Joe Hagerty, who helped open a joint RNC and Trump campaign office last weekend in Nebraska, has said Republicans need to remind state lawmakers to do the right thing.“We want President Trump to get elected, and so we don’t want that one electoral vote that we’re responsible for to be the difference in him not winning,” Hagerty said.Democrats, including Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb, have said Republicans want to change the rules in the middle of the game because they worry they might lose the November election.

Vance to visit Nebraska for a fundraiser

LINCOLN, NE –&nbsp;Governor Jim Pillen issued the following statement after a bipartisan coalition of senators voted to advance property tax relief legislation:

“I am grateful to Senator Lou Ann Linehan for her strong leadership in achieving this first step toward property tax relief. Although there is much work yet to do to achieve a victory for Nebraskans facing spiraling property tax bills, this vote is a step in the right direction. I look forward to partnering with good faith members of the Legislature to continue the work of delivering transformative property tax reform and bringing this consensus bill into law.”

The state senators who voted to cut Nebraskans’ property taxes and limit government spending are as follows:

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE –&nbsp;Governor Jim Pillen issued the following statement after a bipartisan coalition of senators voted to advance property tax relief legislation:“I am grateful to Senator Lou Ann Linehan for her strong leadership in achieving this first step toward property tax relief. Although there is much work yet to do to achieve a victory for Nebraskans facing spiraling property tax bills, this vote is a step in the right direction. I look forward to partnering with good faith members of the Legislature to continue the work of delivering transformative property tax reform and bringing this consensus bill into law.”The state senators who voted to cut Nebraskans’ property taxes and limit government spending are as follows:Senator Lou Ann LinehanSenator Ray AguilarSenator Joni AlbrechtSpeaker John ArchSenator Christy ArmendarizSenator Beau BallardSenator Carolyn BosnSenator Eliot BostarSenator Bruce BostelmanSenator Tom BrandtSenator Tom BrewerSenator Rob ClementsSenator Barry DeKaySenator Myron DornSenator Rob DoverSenator Steve ErdmanSenator Steve HalloranSenator Ben HansenSenator Brian HardinSenator Rick HoldcroftSenator Jana HughesSenator Teresa IbachSenator Mike JacobsonSenator Kathleen KauthSenator Loren LippincottSenator John LoweSenator Mike McDonnellSenator Fred MeyerSenator Mike MoserSenator Dave MurmanSenator Rita SandersSenator Tony VargasSenator Brad von GillernSenator Anna Wishart&nbsp;&nbsp;

Governor Pillen Issues Statement Thanking Bipartisan Coalition of Senators for First-Round Advancement of Consensus Property Tax Relief Plan

Offutt Air Force Base Press Release

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, NE., – The Defenders of Freedom Air &amp; Space Show returns on Aug 24 and 25 after a six-year hiatus. During this period, Offutt Air Force Base faced a significant challenge - a 100-year flood in 2019 that devastated two-thirds of the base. The flood’s impact was profound, and the base is still in the process of recovery and rebuilding.

As a result of these ongoing recovery efforts, available parking on base has been severely limited. To ensure all attendees have a smooth and enjoyable experience, we have developed a comprehensive parking and shuttle program.

Off-Base Parking Locations: Due to the restricted parking on base, several off-base parking areas have been designated for the convenience of attendees:

Shuttle Services: Shuttles will run from each of the designated parking locations with the following schedule:

8:30 a.m. – Close (Shuttles will transport attendees to the air show until 2 p.m. After 2 p.m., shuttles will continue to operate, returning spectators from the air show to the parking areas.)

Rising View Residents: For those living in Rising View, shuttle pick-ups will be available at Lemay Elementary School and Peter Sarpy Elementary School.

Ride Share Services: Attendees are encouraged to utilize ride share services. Drop-offs and pick-ups should be conducted at the designated parking locations.

On-Base Parking: Due to limited space, only DoD ID card holders (only one person in the vehicle must possess a DoD ID), vehicles with authorized handicap placards/license plates, and Premium Ticket holders will be allowed to park on Offutt AFB.

We ask for the community’s continued understanding and cooperation as we continue our rebuilding efforts. For additional information regarding the air show, including performers and parking details, please visit the official air show website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.offuttairshow.com/" target="_blank">www.offuttairshow.com</a>.

Media wishing to attend the Defenders of Freedom Air &amp; Space Show must apply for credentials no later than Aug. 21. Credential applications can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.offuttairshow.com/" target="_blank">www.offuttairshow.com</a>&nbsp;by clicking the “Media Kit” icon. There are media availability opportunities starting on Aug. 22 and 23 prior to the air show.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723642092268.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Offutt Air Force Base Press ReleaseOFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, NE., – The Defenders of Freedom Air &amp; Space Show returns on Aug 24 and 25 after a six-year hiatus. During this period, Offutt Air Force Base faced a significant challenge - a 100-year flood in 2019 that devastated two-thirds of the base. The flood’s impact was profound, and the base is still in the process of recovery and rebuilding.As a result of these ongoing recovery efforts, available parking on base has been severely limited. To ensure all attendees have a smooth and enjoyable experience, we have developed a comprehensive parking and shuttle program.Off-Base Parking Locations: Due to the restricted parking on base, several off-base parking areas have been designated for the convenience of attendees:Bellevue East High SchoolBellevue West High SchoolBellevue UniversitySouthroads Education &amp; Tech. CenterAmerican Heroes ParkNorthrop GrummanShuttle Services: Shuttles will run from each of the designated parking locations with the following schedule:8:30 a.m. – Close (Shuttles will transport attendees to the air show until 2 p.m. After 2 p.m., shuttles will continue to operate, returning spectators from the air show to the parking areas.)Rising View Residents: For those living in Rising View, shuttle pick-ups will be available at Lemay Elementary School and Peter Sarpy Elementary School.Ride Share Services: Attendees are encouraged to utilize ride share services. Drop-offs and pick-ups should be conducted at the designated parking locations.On-Base Parking: Due to limited space, only DoD ID card holders (only one person in the vehicle must possess a DoD ID), vehicles with authorized handicap placards/license plates, and Premium Ticket holders will be allowed to park on Offutt AFB.We ask for the community’s continued understanding and cooperation as we continue our rebuilding efforts. For additional information regarding the air show, including performers and parking details, please visit the official air show website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.offuttairshow.com/" target="_blank">www.offuttairshow.com</a>.Media wishing to attend the Defenders of Freedom Air &amp; Space Show must apply for credentials no later than Aug. 21. Credential applications can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.offuttairshow.com/" target="_blank">www.offuttairshow.com</a>&nbsp;by clicking the “Media Kit” icon. There are media availability opportunities starting on Aug. 22 and 23 prior to the air show.

Defenders of Freedom Air & Space Show: Parking and Shuttle Program Details

United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Frantz Kolbjornsen, age 44, of Phillips, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 13, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Kolbjornsen to 72 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Kolbjornsen’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Kolbjornsen has also been ordered to pay $18,000.00 in restitution.

NSP Investigators were investigating the BitTorrent network, seeking offenders sharing child pornography, when they identified a device at an IP address that had downloaded a torrent. This torrent was of interest to law enforcement as at least one of the 5,971 files had been previously identified as child pornography. The Investigator was able to connect with the suspect device utilizing the identified IP address and successfully downloaded 29 of the 5,971 files.&nbsp; The suspect device was the sole source of download, and as such, each of the 29 files were directly downloaded from the suspect device.

An investigation into the IP address utilized by the suspect device revealed that the IP address in question had been leased to Kolbjornsen. The service address, phone number and email address tied to the account all belonged to Kolbjornsen.&nbsp;

On November 30, 2023, a search warrant was conducted at Kolbjornsen’s residence in Phillips, Nebraska. Law enforcement seized a Samsung cell phone from the Kolbjornsen’s pocket, a Verizon Orbit cell phone, RCA Tablet and an HP laptop computer from the shed where he was located.

A search was conducted of the four items seized. In total, 163 videos and 638 images of child pornography were located.

This case was investigated by&nbsp;the Nebraska State Patrol.

United States Attorney's OfficeUnited States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Frantz Kolbjornsen, age 44, of Phillips, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 13, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Kolbjornsen to 72 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Kolbjornsen’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Kolbjornsen has also been ordered to pay $18,000.00 in restitution.NSP Investigators were investigating the BitTorrent network, seeking offenders sharing child pornography, when they identified a device at an IP address that had downloaded a torrent. This torrent was of interest to law enforcement as at least one of the 5,971 files had been previously identified as child pornography. The Investigator was able to connect with the suspect device utilizing the identified IP address and successfully downloaded 29 of the 5,971 files.&nbsp; The suspect device was the sole source of download, and as such, each of the 29 files were directly downloaded from the suspect device.An investigation into the IP address utilized by the suspect device revealed that the IP address in question had been leased to Kolbjornsen. The service address, phone number and email address tied to the account all belonged to Kolbjornsen.&nbsp;On November 30, 2023, a search warrant was conducted at Kolbjornsen’s residence in Phillips, Nebraska. Law enforcement seized a Samsung cell phone from the Kolbjornsen’s pocket, a Verizon Orbit cell phone, RCA Tablet and an HP laptop computer from the shed where he was located.A search was conducted of the four items seized. In total, 163 videos and 638 images of child pornography were located.This case was investigated by&nbsp;the Nebraska State Patrol.

Central Nebraska Man Sentenced for Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/13/gov-jim-pillens-political-legacy-and-future-could-hinge-on-property-tax-relief-push/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen pushed his property tax relief chips to the middle of the Legislature’s poker table Monday, staking his political reputation on state senators passing structural changes that cannot be easily undone.&nbsp;

He has held listening sessions. He has rallied supporters. He has funded polls and mailers. He has paid for bulk text messages. He has held secret meetings with select state senators and talked to reporters. He has pressured allies and enemies alike, lawmakers say.

Pillen’s approach to addressing what he calls the “property tax crisis” has left him on a bit of a political island as his proposals need public defenders and pathways forward.&nbsp;

He will have his defenders, including State Sens. Brad von Gillern and Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, two members of the Revenue Committee that have helped to craft the tax proposal. But his opposition is not simply partisan in nature. Republican State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar has said she won’t and can’t vote for what she describes as a major tax increase.

“I can’t support a plan like this,” she said. “I just can’t.”

Over several weeks of reporting, senators who have tried to work with Pillen on changes described meeting with him as being like running into a brick wall. He listens. He nods. And then he tells you why what he has proposed is better, several senators said.

sked about the stakes he faces personally and politically from passage or failure of meaningful property tax relief, Pillen said, “I don’t think about those things. I just am focused on doing what we believe is best and what the people need.”

“I’m very, very pleased how hard the majority of the Legislature is working to find solutions,” he said. “Human nature is … we don’t like a lot of change, and we’re pretty selfish. So we’ve got a lot of those things to work through.”

The first-term governor is gambling his chance at a second term on whether he can persuade enough senators to pass his vision of tax relief during the special session he called.

Pillen told the Examiner on Monday he wants any plan to include front-loading of the state’s income tax credits for property taxes paid. He said he wants spending caps or controls. And he wants the state to take over more funding for K-12 schools.

The latest proposal he favors includes each of those concepts and more parts of his original plan. The various parts were shoehorned into Legislative Bill 34 on Monday by State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha and the Revenue Committee. Debate by the full Legislature begins Tuesday.

Pillen said his North Star for property tax relief is making sure young people can buy a first home, helping families afford a home and ensuring that senior citizens can stay in their homes. That should be something on which all Nebraskans agree, he said.

Like other owners of agricultural land, Pillen wants the State of Nebraska to shift more of the tax burden from land taxes to sales taxes. He runs a hog operation based in Columbus.&nbsp;

People who know and have worked with Pillen say it makes sense that he would wager the political capital he earned from his election win on reaching this point. He has long complained about the unfairness of the state relying on agriculture to pay for schools.

Farmers, ranchers and breeders account for significant portions of property tax payments, particularly those in rural school districts. And more than half of the $5.3 billion property tax cost Nebraskans pay comes from funding schools.&nbsp;

Pillen denied that he has any personal interest in making sure a property tax plan benefits him and his businesses, as some of his opponents have alleged. He said he would not have been elected governor if he were out for himself.&nbsp;

He did not discuss the specifics of his property tax plan during any of the 2022 campaign stops the Examiner attended. He did discuss the need for the state to fund more of K-12 education rather than relying so heavily on local property taxes.

Agricultural interests, including the Nebraska Farm Bureau, the Nebraska Farmers Union and others have argued that the state should step up and fund more of the load of K-12 education, pointing to a provision of the state constitution.

“I’m focused on working for Nebraskans that work their tails off every day, that don’t have lobbyists,” Pillen said. “They need a voice, and I’m going to work really hard to make sure they have a voice.”&nbsp;

The Farm Bureau did not return a call Monday seeking comment about the latest tax plan. The group opposed Pillen’s initial proposal for taxing agricultural and manufacturing machinery.&nbsp;The Revenue Committee this week decided to keep the state’s existing sales tax exemptions on both items.

The organization took the rare step of endorsing Pillen during the 2022 Republican primary election against multi-state agribusinessman Charles Herbster, whom Pillen defeated.

Herbster has said he is still thinking about whether to make another run for office. He said he had considered running for U.S. Senate against former Gov. Pete Ricketts but didn’t. The other office he has said he would consider was governor.

Political consultants told the Examiner they think that if Pillen falls short of the public expectations he has set for property tax relief, he risks making himself vulnerable in a 2026 GOP primary to a self-funded or a well-known candidate.

The governor has spent months telling Nebraskans he wanted to make sure they felt tax relief, proposing to offset 40% or 50% of property tax bills. The latest plan would offset less than a third, based on early estimates.

Several senators who have opposed Pillen’s proposals, including State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, said he is trying to make life more expensive for people in her district, that people who can afford it the least might pay more in taxes.&nbsp;She said the governor is also trying to do too much too fast in a special session instead of a regular session, particularly addressing school funding changes that touch every person in Nebraska.

Pillen, she said, is out for personal and professional gain.

“Being singularly focused on property taxes is never going to be successful for anyone because it’s so much bigger than that,” she said. “It’s a holistic view of how do we fund government, of what is the role of government?”

State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who has expressed some openness to Pillen’s proposals, said he can’t support any proposal that doesn’t include more significant relief for renters, including a fallback position being discussed.&nbsp;

He said Pillen’s plan doesn’t have the votes. And he called on his fellow Democrats to come back to the table.

State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, a Republican, questioned the order in which Pillen pursued the special session. He said the senators Pillen handpicked to work on a proposal should have held their meetings and drafted and shared a potential bill with all senators in early August.

That would have given lawmakers time to give the select group feedback so they had a consensus proposal before calling the Legislature into special session. Instead, he said, the process has seemed chaotic.

“They’re doing all the negotiations that should’ve happened before we met, they’re doing it during the special session,” Erdman said. “They’re doing it backwards. We should’ve gotten a consensus on what we wanted to do.”

Linehan defends Pillen’s work, committee efforts

Linehan, who has prodded her colleagues to support Pillen’s proposals, expressed frustration Monday that some senators have stopped negotiating.

“It makes no sense,” she said. “If you’re doing the right thing, you’re giving the schools more money. You’re lowering property taxes. You’re doubling the earned income tax credit. It’s not about doing what’s right — it’s raw politics.”

Linehan said Pillen has worked “as hard as any governor I’ve ever seen” on this proposal. She said he’s been clear about his priorities and has at least two more years to reach his goals. He’s not limited to a single special session to accomplish his goals, she said.

She said negotiations and work will continue behind the scenes until lawmakers settle on whatever can reach the 33-vote threshold for passage.

State Sen. Tom Brewer, whose LB 34 is the current vehicle for property tax relief, said he knows the governor is in a difficult spot but credited him for taking on an issue too many others have avoided. Brewer represents north-central Nebraska.

Pillen would not say Monday whether he would sign incremental steps toward his goals. Senators have told him and his staff they lack the 33 votes to overcome a filibuster, meaning his latest preferred proposal appears poised to die Tuesday after eight hours of debate.&nbsp;

He declined to say whether he might call senators back into session if they don’t pass reforms he considers sweeping enough.

“I obviously put out the plan I believe in exactly where that goes,” Pillen said. “What that means when it gets to me, we’ll decide that at that time. … I don’t get involved in speculation. There’s too many moving parts.”

He said the goal is making the state more competitive when a business owner or family is looking at relocating to Nebraska.&nbsp;

“I still have faith that everybody in this Unicameral knows what a crisis the property tax crisis is and that, in the end, then the games are going to stop and they’ll do the people’s work,” he said.

Paul Landow, a retired political scientist from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said Pillen is about to learn either the price or payoff of raising public expectations on an issue people care about as much as property taxes.

Said Landow: “He will either be the hero who did it or the bum who couldn’t get it done.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723566815893.jpeg" alt=" Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen. June 10, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen. June 10, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/13/gov-jim-pillens-political-legacy-and-future-could-hinge-on-property-tax-relief-push/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen pushed his property tax relief chips to the middle of the Legislature’s poker table Monday, staking his political reputation on state senators passing structural changes that cannot be easily undone.&nbsp;He has held listening sessions. He has rallied supporters. He has funded polls and mailers. He has paid for bulk text messages. He has held secret meetings with select state senators and talked to reporters. He has pressured allies and enemies alike, lawmakers say.Pillen’s approach to addressing what he calls the “property tax crisis” has left him on a bit of a political island as his proposals need public defenders and pathways forward.&nbsp;He will have his defenders, including State Sens. Brad von Gillern and Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, two members of the Revenue Committee that have helped to craft the tax proposal. But his opposition is not simply partisan in nature. Republican State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar has said she won’t and can’t vote for what she describes as a major tax increase.“I can’t support a plan like this,” she said. “I just can’t.”Over several weeks of reporting, senators who have tried to work with Pillen on changes described meeting with him as being like running into a brick wall. He listens. He nods. And then he tells you why what he has proposed is better, several senators said.sked about the stakes he faces personally and politically from passage or failure of meaningful property tax relief, Pillen said, “I don’t think about those things. I just am focused on doing what we believe is best and what the people need.”“I’m very, very pleased how hard the majority of the Legislature is working to find solutions,” he said. “Human nature is … we don’t like a lot of change, and we’re pretty selfish. So we’ve got a lot of those things to work through.”<h2>Gambling a second term</h2>The first-term governor is gambling his chance at a second term on whether he can persuade enough senators to pass his vision of tax relief during the special session he called.Pillen told the Examiner on Monday he wants any plan to include front-loading of the state’s income tax credits for property taxes paid. He said he wants spending caps or controls. And he wants the state to take over more funding for K-12 schools.The latest proposal he favors includes each of those concepts and more parts of his original plan. The various parts were shoehorned into Legislative Bill 34 on Monday by State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha and the Revenue Committee. Debate by the full Legislature begins Tuesday.Pillen said his North Star for property tax relief is making sure young people can buy a first home, helping families afford a home and ensuring that senior citizens can stay in their homes. That should be something on which all Nebraskans agree, he said.<h2>Debate over education costs</h2>Like other owners of agricultural land, Pillen wants the State of Nebraska to shift more of the tax burden from land taxes to sales taxes. He runs a hog operation based in Columbus.&nbsp;People who know and have worked with Pillen say it makes sense that he would wager the political capital he earned from his election win on reaching this point. He has long complained about the unfairness of the state relying on agriculture to pay for schools.Farmers, ranchers and breeders account for significant portions of property tax payments, particularly those in rural school districts. And more than half of the $5.3 billion property tax cost Nebraskans pay comes from funding schools.&nbsp;Pillen denied that he has any personal interest in making sure a property tax plan benefits him and his businesses, as some of his opponents have alleged. He said he would not have been elected governor if he were out for himself.&nbsp;He did not discuss the specifics of his property tax plan during any of the 2022 campaign stops the Examiner attended. He did discuss the need for the state to fund more of K-12 education rather than relying so heavily on local property taxes.Agricultural interests, including the Nebraska Farm Bureau, the Nebraska Farmers Union and others have argued that the state should step up and fund more of the load of K-12 education, pointing to a provision of the state constitution.“I’m focused on working for Nebraskans that work their tails off every day, that don’t have lobbyists,” Pillen said. “They need a voice, and I’m going to work really hard to make sure they have a voice.”&nbsp;<h2>A challenger could be emboldened</h2>The Farm Bureau did not return a call Monday seeking comment about the latest tax plan. The group opposed Pillen’s initial proposal for taxing agricultural and manufacturing machinery.&nbsp;The Revenue Committee this week decided to keep the state’s existing sales tax exemptions on both items.The organization took the rare step of endorsing Pillen during the 2022 Republican primary election against multi-state agribusinessman Charles Herbster, whom Pillen defeated.Herbster has said he is still thinking about whether to make another run for office. He said he had considered running for U.S. Senate against former Gov. Pete Ricketts but didn’t. The other office he has said he would consider was governor.Political consultants told the Examiner they think that if Pillen falls short of the public expectations he has set for property tax relief, he risks making himself vulnerable in a 2026 GOP primary to a self-funded or a well-known candidate.The governor has spent months telling Nebraskans he wanted to make sure they felt tax relief, proposing to offset 40% or 50% of property tax bills. The latest plan would offset less than a third, based on early estimates.<h2>Questions about process, renters</h2>Several senators who have opposed Pillen’s proposals, including State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, said he is trying to make life more expensive for people in her district, that people who can afford it the least might pay more in taxes.&nbsp;She said the governor is also trying to do too much too fast in a special session instead of a regular session, particularly addressing school funding changes that touch every person in Nebraska.Pillen, she said, is out for personal and professional gain.“Being singularly focused on property taxes is never going to be successful for anyone because it’s so much bigger than that,” she said. “It’s a holistic view of how do we fund government, of what is the role of government?”State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who has expressed some openness to Pillen’s proposals, said he can’t support any proposal that doesn’t include more significant relief for renters, including a fallback position being discussed.&nbsp;He said Pillen’s plan doesn’t have the votes. And he called on his fellow Democrats to come back to the table.“We can do better,” he said.State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, a Republican, questioned the order in which Pillen pursued the special session. He said the senators Pillen handpicked to work on a proposal should have held their meetings and drafted and shared a potential bill with all senators in early August.That would have given lawmakers time to give the select group feedback so they had a consensus proposal before calling the Legislature into special session. Instead, he said, the process has seemed chaotic.“They’re doing all the negotiations that should’ve happened before we met, they’re doing it during the special session,” Erdman said. “They’re doing it backwards. We should’ve gotten a consensus on what we wanted to do.”<h2>Linehan defends Pillen’s work, committee efforts</h2>Linehan, who has prodded her colleagues to support Pillen’s proposals, expressed frustration Monday that some senators have stopped negotiating.“It makes no sense,” she said. “If you’re doing the right thing, you’re giving the schools more money. You’re lowering property taxes. You’re doubling the earned income tax credit. It’s not about doing what’s right — it’s raw politics.”Linehan said Pillen has worked “as hard as any governor I’ve ever seen” on this proposal. She said he’s been clear about his priorities and has at least two more years to reach his goals. He’s not limited to a single special session to accomplish his goals, she said.She said negotiations and work will continue behind the scenes until lawmakers settle on whatever can reach the 33-vote threshold for passage.State Sen. Tom Brewer, whose LB 34 is the current vehicle for property tax relief, said he knows the governor is in a difficult spot but credited him for taking on an issue too many others have avoided. Brewer represents north-central Nebraska.<h2>Pillen has to sign off on backup plans</h2>Pillen would not say Monday whether he would sign incremental steps toward his goals. Senators have told him and his staff they lack the 33 votes to overcome a filibuster, meaning his latest preferred proposal appears poised to die Tuesday after eight hours of debate.&nbsp;He declined to say whether he might call senators back into session if they don’t pass reforms he considers sweeping enough.“I obviously put out the plan I believe in exactly where that goes,” Pillen said. “What that means when it gets to me, we’ll decide that at that time. … I don’t get involved in speculation. There’s too many moving parts.”He said the goal is making the state more competitive when a business owner or family is looking at relocating to Nebraska.&nbsp;“I still have faith that everybody in this Unicameral knows what a crisis the property tax crisis is and that, in the end, then the games are going to stop and they’ll do the people’s work,” he said.Paul Landow, a retired political scientist from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said Pillen is about to learn either the price or payoff of raising public expectations on an issue people care about as much as property taxes.Said Landow: “He will either be the hero who did it or the bum who couldn’t get it done.”

Gov. Jim Pillen’s political legacy and future could hinge on property tax relief push

NEW YORK — Donald Trump discussed the assassination attempt,&nbsp; shared a plan to shut down the U.S. Education Department and much more during an online visit with&nbsp;X, formerly Twitter, owner Elon Musk Monday evening.&nbsp;

The  conversation had technical glitches but was viewed by over a billion, according to Musk.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723512136730.png" alt="Photo by Deputy Director of Communications, Donald J. Trump for President&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Deputy Director of Communications, Donald J. Trump for President&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK — Donald Trump discussed the assassination attempt,&nbsp; shared a plan to shut down the U.S. Education Department and much more during an online visit with&nbsp;X, formerly Twitter, owner Elon Musk Monday evening.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/cPUMFx9Qu5">pic.twitter.com/cPUMFx9Qu5</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1823254086126608862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The conversation had technical glitches but was viewed by over a billion, according to Musk.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Combined views of the conversation with <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and subsequent discussion by other accounts now ~1 billion <a href="https://t.co/s8x8QmdmnY">https://t.co/s8x8QmdmnY</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1823249070296797515?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥 A billion combined views: The Trump-Musk full conversation

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/12/veterans-club-within-nes-oldest-prison-saluted-at-vietnam-vet-reunion/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Every year, a wreath is placed on the grave of Beryl Zich.

It has been a solemn tradition since her death in 2005, a way to pay tribute to her love and dedication for her son, Larry, a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War, who was listed as missing in action until his remains were identified in 2022.

The flowers aren’t from a traditional veterans organization, but from a group of inmates at the Nebraska State Penitentiary.

For more than 40 years, a “veterans club” has been among the betterment groups allowed to form at the state’s oldest prison.

Along the way, the 25 to 40 inmates/veterans who gather twice a month behind prison walls got interested in the MIAs and prisoners of war from the Vietnam War. Eventually, they connected with Beryl Zich, the mother of an MIA, who began coming to the State Pen for their meetings.

She eventually referred to the veterans club members as “my boys” as the years passed, and as her son — who disappeared during a mission in 1972 — remained missing.

“Sometimes, I think those boys are the only ones who care,” she once remarked.

Jaime Obrecht and Roy Schoen, two long-time volunteers for the inmate club, related that story and others about the prison veterans organization at the 39th annual Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Reunion held this past weekend at the Marriott Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln.

The first motto for the State Pen veterans’ organization was “Forgotten and Disowned,” which, Schoen said, was how a lot of veterans felt back in the 1980s.

“We had a chip on our shoulder for quite a few years for how we were treated,” said Schoen, an Army veteran and a retired counselor with the veterans center in Lincoln.

He and Obrecht, a retired Lincoln teacher, first began volunteering with the prison group in 1984, shortly after it was formed.

The Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Reunion began in 1985, Schoen said. It was organized by a group of vets who felt that a gathering would be helpful, not only to share stories and common experiences, but also to learn more about veterans benefits and organizations.

“There wasn’t much going on back then for (Vietnam) veterans,” he said. “Things have changed quite a bit. Slowly.”

About 300 veterans and their spouses registered for this year’s reunion, which included presentations about the State Pen’s Veterans Club, Agent Orange, a book about fallen veterans from Norfolk and the evacuation from Afghanistan. A representative of the Nebraska Department &nbsp;of Veterans Affairs also offered remarks.

There were a lot of dark-blue “Vietnam Veteran” ball caps among the participants, as well as MIA/POW shoulder patches and veterans’ reunion T-shirts. Some aging vets used canes to walk, or carried small tanks of supplemental oxygen, a testament to the advancing age of soldiers who served in a war that ended 49 years ago.

The reunion serves many of the same needs as the veterans club at the State Pen, said Schoen and Obrecht — bringing those with common experiences, and challenges, together.

The State Pen’s club has several projects besides the annual wreath on the grave of Beryl Zich, said Obrecht.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723493658661.jpeg" alt=" T-shirt produced by the veterans club at the Nebraska State Penitentiary proclaims that the club is about “veterans for veterans.” Hundreds who attended the 39th annual Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Reunion this past weekend in Lincoln heard stories about the prison veterans organization and more. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> T-shirt produced by the veterans club at the Nebraska State Penitentiary proclaims that the club is about “veterans for veterans.” Hundreds who attended the 39th annual Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Reunion this past weekend in Lincoln heard stories about the prison veterans organization and more. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/12/veterans-club-within-nes-oldest-prison-saluted-at-vietnam-vet-reunion/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Every year, a wreath is placed on the grave of Beryl Zich.It has been a solemn tradition since her death in 2005, a way to pay tribute to her love and dedication for her son, Larry, a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War, who was listed as missing in action until his remains were identified in 2022.The flowers aren’t from a traditional veterans organization, but from a group of inmates at the Nebraska State Penitentiary.For more than 40 years, a “veterans club” has been among the betterment groups allowed to form at the state’s oldest prison.<h2>Her boys</h2>Along the way, the 25 to 40 inmates/veterans who gather twice a month behind prison walls got interested in the MIAs and prisoners of war from the Vietnam War. Eventually, they connected with Beryl Zich, the mother of an MIA, who began coming to the State Pen for their meetings.She eventually referred to the veterans club members as “my boys” as the years passed, and as her son — who disappeared during a mission in 1972 — remained missing.“Sometimes, I think those boys are the only ones who care,” she once remarked.Jaime Obrecht and Roy Schoen, two long-time volunteers for the inmate club, related that story and others about the prison veterans organization at the 39th annual Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Reunion held this past weekend at the Marriott Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln.The first motto for the State Pen veterans’ organization was “Forgotten and Disowned,” which, Schoen said, was how a lot of veterans felt back in the 1980s.“We had a chip on our shoulder for quite a few years for how we were treated,” said Schoen, an Army veteran and a retired counselor with the veterans center in Lincoln.He and Obrecht, a retired Lincoln teacher, first began volunteering with the prison group in 1984, shortly after it was formed.<h2>A war that ended 49 years ago</h2>The Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Reunion began in 1985, Schoen said. It was organized by a group of vets who felt that a gathering would be helpful, not only to share stories and common experiences, but also to learn more about veterans benefits and organizations.“There wasn’t much going on back then for (Vietnam) veterans,” he said. “Things have changed quite a bit. Slowly.”About 300 veterans and their spouses registered for this year’s reunion, which included presentations about the State Pen’s Veterans Club, Agent Orange, a book about fallen veterans from Norfolk and the evacuation from Afghanistan. A representative of the Nebraska Department &nbsp;of Veterans Affairs also offered remarks.There were a lot of dark-blue “Vietnam Veteran” ball caps among the participants, as well as MIA/POW shoulder patches and veterans’ reunion T-shirts. Some aging vets used canes to walk, or carried small tanks of supplemental oxygen, a testament to the advancing age of soldiers who served in a war that ended 49 years ago.The reunion serves many of the same needs as the veterans club at the State Pen, said Schoen and Obrecht — bringing those with common experiences, and challenges, together.The State Pen’s club has several projects besides the annual wreath on the grave of Beryl Zich, said Obrecht.Club members have made more than 511,000 red, paper poppies for the American Legion Auxiliary, which distributes them as a tribute and fundraiser on the Friday before every Memorial Day, he said. More recently, club members have been crocheting hats and scarfs for residents of the state veterans home in Kearney.<h2>Special housing unit</h2>But club members have also served as mentors that “police themselves” in the sometimes challenging world of prison, Obrecht said. At times, they’ve served as informal counselors for inmates/veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress syndrome, Schoen said.I can’t imagine what it’s like to live (in prison) … but the club gives them something to take pride in.– Jaime Obrecht, volunteer with the veterans club at the Nebraska State PenitentiaryIn 2016, the state corrections department established a special housing unit exclusively for military veterans, which the two volunteers said has been greatly appreciated by the inmates who live there.“It really was a remarkable change,” Schoen said. “They were more relaxed, they didn’t have to deal with all the craziness in the rest of the prison.”Obrecht said the club meetings at the State Pen are much like the meetings held by the Legion or VFW — there’s a business meeting, followed by reports on projects and then an hour for visiting.The club holds annual programs on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, and purchased the black MIA/POW flags that fly on the flagpole at the State Pen. They also helped obtain new headstones for inmate/veterans buried at the State Pen’s cemetery outside the prison walls atop Grasshopper Hill.He said they especially like contributing to causes that help veterans on the outside, such as the annual wreath for Beryl Zich.“I can’t imagine what it’s like to live (in prison) … but the club gives them something to take pride in,” Obrecht said.<h2>Not just names on The Wall</h2>Research into the military service of his father and other relatives helped inspire retired social studies teacher Keith Walton to write about the nine soldiers from his hometown, Norfolk, who died in Vietnam.Walton, now 71 and living in Montana, gave a presentation this weekend on his book, “The Last Full Measure: From America’s Heartland to the Battlefields of Vietnam. Remembering the Fallen from one Nebraska Town.”Walton, who taught 27 years at Chadron, said that he’s always admired the way documentary film producer Ken Burns presented history — through the eyes of “average people,” not the generals or presidents.So after producing papers on his father, a World War II medic, and a couple of other relatives, Walton embarked on telling the stories, in separate chapters, of the nine fallen soldiers Norfolk, “so they’re not just names on The Wall.”He said he knew the names of a couple of the nine, but like many residents of Norfolk, didn’t know all of them — Jerry Allen, Dennis Anderson, Jerome Chandler, Roger Hunt, Jerold Meisinger, Thomas Scheurich, Steven Strube, Claude Van Andle and Michael Wemhoff.Walton uncovered some remarkable, as well as understandably sad, stories.Two soldiers were “enlisted by judges” who told them if they didn’t enlist, they would be going to jail for offenses.One soldier’s mother had a routine of driving every Sunday to Grand Island to work all week in the ordnance plant producing bullets for war before driving back to Norfolk for the weekend. She continued that work even after her son perished.Scheurich — who realized a life-long dream of being a pilot — is still listed as missing in action, although the remains of his bombardier were identified a few years ago after exploration of the 1968 crash site on an island off the coast of North Vietnam.