Humanities Desk | Net Radio

Law professors at the University of Nebraska sent a letter to Nebraska’s congressional delegation this week, citing concerns over what they say is the Trump administration’s lack of respect for the rule of law. The letter reads in part, “We are concerned that the rule of law is in peril, and we urge you to be vigilant in its defense.” The letter cites the administration’s revocation of student visas, the lack of due process for immigrants prior to deportation and the failure to comply with federal court rulings as evidence of its disregard for judicial authority.

Five of the six candidates for Lincoln City Council are people of color, one is an immigrant, and two identify as LGTBQ. Incumbent Sandra Washington says she can't remember a time the candidate pool was this diverse.

In November, Nebraska voters approved initiatives legalizing possession of up to 5 ounces of medical marijuana. Thursday afternoon, a bill to regulate it advanced from the Legislature’s General Affairs Committee.

In February, a U.S. Department of Agriculture report projected a $49 billion-dollar agricultural trade deficit for fiscal year 2025. That represents an all-time high. Trump announced a 90-day pause on most tariffs after a market decline in early April, but Chinese imports are subject to a 145% tariff, while other countries still have a 10% tariff. Fischer said she met with the Jamieson Greer, the U.S. Trade Representative, earlier this week and learned that trade negotiations are taking place with a number of countries.

LB649, known as the Defense Efforts Workforce Act, would offer a 5% wage credit to defense contractors capped at $4 million dollars each year across all employers. To qualify for the credit, companies must have at least 10 full-time employees dedicated to the mission of Offutt Air Force Base. That would include employees working on intercontinental ballistic missile projects in the Nebraska panhandle and other businesses that report to the United States Strategic Command.

Nebraska is one of five states that still levy an inheritance tax after Iowa ended its tax earlier this year. Getting rid of the tax has long been a goal for Sen. Rob Clements. His priority bill for this session, which was debated on the floor throughout the morning and afternoon, would reduce the two highest inheritance tax rates to 3%, while increasing the amount exempted for all three classes.

How does the arrest of a Nebraskan for teaching German to students in the 1920s set a precedent for the U.S. Supreme Court? Fascinating historical events become relevant in a new podcast on Nebraska Public Media, hosted by Bill Kelly. “Once Again” premiers May 1.

Last month, weather balloon launches at National Weather Service offices near Omaha, North Platte and Rapid City, South Dakota were scaled back or stopped entirely due to low staffing levels. Meteorologists say that without the weather balloons, forecasting becomes less accurate. The Omaha office has been down five of its 13 forecasters for the past three years.

A few years ago, the Otoe-Missouria Tribe was welcomed back to their ancestral lands in Nebraska. A new milestone being unveiled Saturday (4/26) hopes to continue that reconciliation.

An old saying says March often “comes in like a lion.” But this March was more like a huffing and puffing wolf, blowing a lot of stuff down. March is known to be windy in Nebraska – typically the second-windiest month on average behind April, according to National Weather Service. In fact, March 2025 set some of the windiest and costliest records in Nebraska history, continuing an escalating trend of expensive and damaging weather in Nebraska.

The effort to regulate medical marijuana in Nebraska faced a setback Thursday afternoon in the Unicameral. The Legislature’s General Affairs Committee voted 5 to 3 against advancing a bill meant to regulate medical cannabis. More than two-thirds of Nebraskans voted in favor of legalizing medical marijuana through an initiative in November’s election.

A lifesaving program started in Virginia in 1999 continues to help find lost autistic children in Nebraska. Project LifeSaver is designed to help protect children with a tendency to wander. Lincoln businessman Dan Young and retired Lincoln Police Officer Todd Beam are responsible for spreading the program across Nebraska.

More than 500 measles cases and two deaths have been reported in Texas this year, and the outbreak is spreading to other parts of the country. As of Friday, Nebraska does not have any reported cases, but neighboring states Kansas and Colorado do. At a press conference Friday afternoon, Gov. Jim Pillen said the virus’ arrival in Nebraska is not a matter of if, but when.

This Saturday, vinyl fans will be lining up outside their favorite music shop and celebrating Record Store Day- a day when people support their local record store, while also buying limited release records.

April 1975, as the Vietnam War was ending, President Ford authorized Operation Babylift where thousands of Vietnamese children were flown out of the country to be adopted in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Florida. At refueling stops at Hickam Air Force Base near Honolulu Nebraska native Gwen Phalen helped care for infants. She recorded a letter April 8, 1975 to her grandmother in Orleans, Nebraska recounting the experience.

President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order to enact a minimum of 10 percent tariffs on all foreign goods. Many countries, including China, India and Japan, will face tariffs more than double that. John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union, says the move will make it harder to find new markets for the state’s agricultural goods while hurting existing export markets.

Humanities Nebraska received news late Wednesday night that a little over 40% of their budget is being cut. This cut comes from a total termination of the money coming from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Hospitals’ access to a federal drug discount program will be strengthened under a bill passed in the Nebraska Legislature Thursday. The 340B program requires drug companies to provide discounts to certain hospitals in exchange for their participation in Medicare and Medicaid. In recent years, some drug companies have placed data reporting requirements on hospitals and restricted which pharmacies they can use to distribute the discounted drugs. A bill from Sen. Brian Hardin prohibits these restrictions.

A continuing resolution Congress passed to keep the government from shutting down also dried up funding for several water projects in Nebraska. That includes more than $8 million for a pipeline connecting the Santee Sioux Reservation in northeast Nebraska with clean drinking water – something the tribe hasn’t had in nearly 6 years. Tribal vice chairman Kameron Runnels says the setback is frustrating, but he has faith that the project will eventually be funded.

Brand inspectors have been ensuring the ownership of cattle at ranches and feedlots in the parts of Nebraska for more than 100 years. Now, a bill in the Unicameral seeks to exempt feedlots from paying for this inspection. Nebraska Public Media’s Brian Beach visited southwest Nebraska to learn why ranchers and beef producers are passionate about the legislation.