Humanities Desk | Net Radio

Congressman Don Bacon introduced legislation Thursday that would increase criminal penalties for anyone convicted of killing or conspiring to kill public safety officers. The so-called ‘Back the Blue Act’ would also create mandatory minimums for assaulting a federally funded law enforcement officer, which could include a firefighter, chaplain, federal judge or rescue squad member. If a death occurs, there is a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years. Attempting to flee to avoid prosecution carries a minimum of 10 years.

The last fluent speaker for the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska died in 2006. An Oklahoma tribe helped organize the first digital Ponca dictionary, which is also available in physical copies.

Soda and energy drinks would no longer be eligible for purchase through the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program in Nebraska under proposed regulations from the state’s Department of Health and Human Services. At a hearing Tuesday, advocates said the restrictions could hurt grocery stores and stigmatize Nebraskans who use SNAP. “Implementing the SNAP restriction waiver will lead to fewer food retailers accepting SNAP, thereby causing a significant number of Nebraskan families, including those with children, veterans, people with disabilities and the elderly, to face even greater barriers when trying to put food on the table,” said Madison Castor with Nebraska Appleseed.

The nearly 6,000 mechanical amusement devices in Nebraska are now taxed at five percent of their net operating revenue, thanks to a law passed last April. These devices are found in gas stations, cafes and social halls and are used for contests of skill, unlike keno or bingo. Fraternal organizations are exempt from the tax.

Nebraska lawmakers overcame a significant shortfall through the passage of this year’s budget, but more fiscal trouble may be on the horizon. On the final day of this year’s legislative session in June, Speaker John Arch made a prediction on the focus of the legislature’s return in 2026. “I will predict that our biggest challenge next year will be our budget,” he said. “Once again, we sent a balanced budget to the governor, but we always face mid-biennium budget adjustments, and next year will be no different. And in fact, could be more challenging” So how did Nebraska get into this situation in the first place?

Governor Jim Pillen has signed the commission’s emergency regulations, which prohibit dispensaries from selling whole-plant cannabis and products that are vaped or smoked. The rules also cap the number of dispensaries at one in each of the state’s 12 district court judicial districts. The emergency regulations will be in effect for the next 90 days, after which they can be amended or put into law.

In the month of May alone, the casino contributed more than one million dollars to the state’s Property Tax Credit Cash Fund. Thanks in part to a new expansion in April, WarHorse has already generated more revenue at its south Omaha location in the first five months of 2025 than it did throughout all of last year. Across the state, revenues have grown steadily at other casinos in Lincoln, Grand Island, and Columbus with new locations on the horizon in other cities. Lance Morgan, the CEO of WarHorse Gaming, doesn’t see the growth of the industry slowing down any time soon.

Lancaster County District Court Judge Susan Strong dismissed a lawsuit Thursday alleging that the state’s medical cannabis program violates state and federal law. The case was brought by former State Sen. John Kuehn, who claimed laws allowing any form of marijuana are unconstitutional because the substance remains illegal at the federal level. Kuehn argued his status as a Nebraska taxpayer gives him the right to sue the state over its “illegal expenditure of taxpayer money.” Strong disagreed, saying that “the Court does not believe that the incidental burdens of implementing a law, like employee time and printing costs, is an ‘expenditure of public funds’ sufficient to confer taxpayer standing under Nebraska law.”

The commission voted unanimously to approve emergency regulations on medical cannabis to meet its deadline of July 1st in the initiative approved by voters last November. The regulations allow only one dispensary in each of the state’s 12 district court judicial districts and prohibit raw plant material or any product that is smoked or vaped. The regulations did not include details about who counts as a qualified patient to receive medical cannabis.

State Sen. John Cavanaugh kicked off his bid to become the next congressman for Nebraska’s Second District Tuesday night. In a speech to several hundred supporters gathered at Omaha’s Firefighters Union Hall, Cavanaugh vowed to stand up to President Donald Trump and work to protect Medicaid, social security and public lands.

Bur oak trees are some of the most common native Nebraska trees that shade many city parks and congregate in the state’s eastern deciduous forests. They’re hardy trees, known to withstand a range of stresses, including Nebraska’s harshest weather. But they’re dying en masse due to years of devastating drought.

Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon says he supports President Donald Trump’s attack on Iran and believes the President does not intend to start a long-term war with the country. Monday afternoon, Bacon said people tend to overestimate Iran’s capabilities but underestimate the country’s intentions for the West. He said America’s military is in a strong position to respond to retaliation.

Frank Lloyd Wright is the most widely known architect in the world. The only structure he designed in Nebraska is the Sutton “Prairie School” house in McCook, built in 1905. David Wendell, of Holdrege, has a sizable collection of Wright artifacts on display for a “first of its kind” exhibit at Pioneer Village in Minden. Nebraska Public Media’s Dale Johnson caught up with Wendell at our studios in Lincoln.

The Great American Comedy Festival, celebrating Johnny Carson's Legacy in Norfolk returned for its 16th year.

Planned Parenthood Advocates’ annual state gathering in Sarpy County was postponed out of an abundance of caution for staff, supporters and community, according to the group’s website. State Sen. Ashlei Spivey, an abortion rights advocate in the Nebraska Legislature, was scheduled to be the event’s keynote speaker. She says the news coming out of Minnesota this week was terrifying.

A gasoline blend with 15 percent ethanol offers a cheaper option at the pump and a steady market for Nebraska’s corn producers. For some members of Nebraska’s federal delegation, allowing its sale year-round is a legislative priority, while others say ethanol expansion comes with negative environmental and economic impacts.

Nebraska’s Secretary of State Bob Evnen announced today/Friday that he is running for his third term in office. The Republican was first elected in 2018 and oversaw the implementation of the state’s voter ID law. He said that under his leadership, no state has had more secure or accurate elections than Nebraska.

The Omaha Arts Fair is making its debut this weekend. This is following the Omaha Arts Festival stopping after 50 years of operation last year.

State Auditor Mike Foley has issued audit letters to eight local government units in the past six weeks highlighting alleged financial malpractice. The offenses include a Nemaha County commissioner using a county gas pump to fill his personal vehicle, a Custer County employee who recorded work hours while at her children’s school events and Pleasanton village employees who used their 11% rebates from village expenses at Menards for personal purchases. Foley says he didn’t remember there being so many cases during his previous term as auditor between 2007 and 2015.

The Nebraska chapter of the nation’s oldest Latino advocacy group is closing its doors for now.