Humanities Desk | Net Radio

The U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Senator Deb Fischer and independent industrial mechanic Dan Osborn has been all over the airwaves in Nebraska. Political attack ads have tried to align Osborn with Democrats, while some of Osborn’s own ads have drawn similarities between him and former president Donald Trump. But Osborn has remained firm in his stance that he would not align himself with either party if elected.

With less than a week before the election, Nebraska Public Media's Dale Johnson spoke with Nebraska Public Media reporter Brian Beach to learn more about how the results of state legislature races could impact the balance of power in the Unicameral in 2025.

Hundreds of Latino high school students attended the Nebraska Latino Youth Summit Thursday. The event serves as a pathway to learn about higher education and future career opportunities.

Lincoln Public Schools students participated in a mock election Wednesday to learn about democracy. Students in 4th-12th grades voted using a ballot similar to the ones adults will see next week, including presidential and senate races.

Almost 60% of Nebraska voters oppose sending taxpayer dollars to private schools, according to a set of polls from The Midwest Newsroom and Emerson College Polling earlier this month. On Nov. 5, voters will decide if a state-funded scholarship program for private schools continues.

The Executive Director of Nebraska's Commission on Indian Affairs is hailing President Joe Biden's apology for the history of boarding schools that attempted to force Native American children to assimilate.

In the weeks leading up to Halloween, the UNMC hospital staff create costumes for the patients in the NICU. They always follow a theme and this year it's “Game Night in the NICU.” Some of the costumes featured are Mario and Princess Peach, Mr. Monopoly and even Scrabble. While the costumes and photos are cute, this yearly tradition holds a deeper meaning.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is one of the country’s oldest Latino advocacy groups. For the first time, three national presidents are in Nebraska promoting Latino voters and making an endorsement.

The head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development mission area took his first trip to Nebraska this week as Under Secretary. As part of his trip, Doctor Basil Gooden spoke at the Rural Community Assistance Partnership Conference and visited the Greater Omaha Packing Company. The company received a $20 million Meat and Poultry Procession Expansion Program grant from USDA Rural Development in 2022 in order to strengthen food supply chains.

The city of Fremont will host its first Hispanic Business Banquet to recognize the economic impact of Latino entrepreneurs in the state.

As Halloween draws near, opportunities for free candy are beginning to pop up. Amongst these are sensory friendly trunk or treating events. That’s when those hosting take into account people with different types of disabilities. Sensory friendly events like these are becoming more popular.

With the dust settled from Nebraska’s special legislative session on property taxes, the conversation now switches to how these policies will impact the state. Nebraska Public Media’s Brian Beach reports on what legislators and tax experts hope to see moving forward.

Students, parents and school staff have made about 3,500 reports through the Safe2Help Nebraska app since it rolled out in 2020. The program offers an anonymous way for individuals to report concerning incidents, like bullying and self-harm.

A festival in the Omaha-metro area highlights Latinas in what some may view as unconventional. The Midwest Chingona Fest empowers women by directly combatting a centuries-old philosophy.

More than 4,800 students are considered homeless in Nebraska, and school districts can do only so much to help. Many rely on partnerships with local organizations to support student needs outside of school.

Queer Nite, an organization in Omaha, celebrated an event called "Out in the Park" Sunday afternoon. It celebrated Omaha’s LGBTQ+ history through drag performances as well as promoting the Queer History of Omaha Mapping Project and UNO’s Queer Omaha Archives.

Election officials and security experts from across the country met in Omaha Wednesday to discuss how to mitigate security risks ahead of the general election. Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen said each ballot counting machine is tested three times prior to election day and county websites are monitored for cybersecurity threats weekly. He encouraged citizens to volunteer as poll workers and election observers to see the process firsthand.

Lincoln’s South Branch Library unveiled its new mural Wednesday. The library chose Chloe Burgett (BUR-Gitt), a local children’s book artist, to paint the installation. The process began in September with a community event where people from the neighborhood painted the background.

Republican Congressman Don Bacon and Democratic State Senator Tony Vargas clashed over issues of abortion, public safety and bipartisanship during their second debate Tuesday evening hosted by Nebraska Public Media. Vargas touted his record of cutting taxes in the Unicameral and criticized Bacon for cosponsoring the Life At Conception Act three times. Bacon spoke about his ability to work across the aisle in Washington, while accusing Vargas of being anti-police.

A Monday morning explosion in O’Neill Nebraska destroyed the St. Patrick’s Parish Center and damaged a nearby school and hospital. There are no injuries reported, but patients at Avera (uh-VAIR-uh) Saint Anthony’s Hospital were evacuated to another hospital and classes were canceled at St. Mary’s Grade School and High School. An investigation from the Nebraska State Patrol and Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s office is ongoing into the cause of the explosion.