HEMP CHANGES? Congress included a provision that would sharply limit the sale of intoxicating hemp products in the bill aimed at ending the government shutdown. In states like Nebraska, where prosecutors and retailers have sought more clarity, that could matter. From Stateline:

NEW SECURITY? The Nebraska Capitol is reviewing security protocols and approaches before the next legislative session in the wake of violence in other states. What that means is not yet clear. From Erin Bamer: buff.ly/3MDo5ZG

SENATE SPOTLIGHT: Today, @NE_Examiner took a detour from state government to sit down with two Nebraska U.S. Senate candidates. Incumbent U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts aims to beat a nonpartisan labor populist by focusing on his own conservative record. From Juan Salinas II: buff.ly/TaQI57H

SENATE SPOTLIGHT: Today, @NE_Examiner took a detour from state government to sit down with two Nebraska U.S. Senate candidates. A former Omaha labor leader aims to beat Nebraska's top political machine by focusing on working-class issues. From Juan Salinas II: buff.ly/PKMZa2Q

REDISTRICTING FUND? A new nonprofit with ties to President Donald Trump on Monday launched a six-figure advertising effort to back Indiana congressional redistricting efforts in the upcoming legislative session. From States Newsroom: nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/11/r...

BALLOT FIGHTS: Nebraska is not the only state fighting over the future of ballot measures for the 2026 elections. A national look from Stateline:

SNAP IMPACT? The possible end of the government shutdown hasn't stopped the Trump administration from trying in court to keep states from paying the full amount of food aid in November. From States Newsroom:

In 1981, then-Nebraska Gov. Charlie Thone was asked to submit three nominees to fill a vacancy on the state’s slice of the U.S. District Court. He nominated only one. From Paul Hammel:

SHUTDOWN LATEST: The U.S. Senate approved a stopgap spending bill Monday that will end the longest government shutdown in American history once the measure becomes law later this week and heads back to the House. From States Newsroom:

NEW FACE: Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen appointed Douglas County District Court Judge Derek Vaughnon Monday as the next associate justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court, the high court's first justice of color. From Zach Wendling:

MISSION DIVERTED? Funding for a new Nebraska court diversion program for military veterans was cut and the rollout of the program was delayed by Gov. Jim Pillen and the Legislature after the state budget got tight. From Zach Wendling: buff.ly/kx4cD6D

ICYMI: Nebraska's election calendar for 2026 is rounding into shape. From Zach Wendling: nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/dates...

SOMBER ANNIVERSARY: Fifty years after the sinking of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, the freighter that sank on Lake Superior in 1975 on its way to Detroit, memorials around Michigan and the Great Lakes paid homage to the 29 lives lost. From States Newsroom:

REMEMBERING JUDGE BEAM: Judge Arlen Beam of Stapleton, Nebraska, served 38 years on the federal bench, eventually joining the prestigious U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. From Paul Hammel: buff.ly/YWbuIml

DEATH PENALTY: States are diverging even more sharply in how they handle the death penalty. From Stateline:

NEW JUSTICE: Nebraska's Supreme Court is replacing one judicial pioneer with another, as Gov. Jim Pillen appoints Douglas County District Court Judge Derek Vaughn, the high court's first justice of color. From Zach Wendling: buff.ly/TzpRxDG

COMMENTARY FROM GEORGE AYOUB: What if tucked among the weather, doorbell videos funny or frightening or local officials making non-comment comments was a segment designed to sift fact from fiction among stories that affect viewers lives?

CHILD CARE: The national crisis in child care availability and affordability appears poised to get worse before it gets better. From the 19th via the Examiner:

ICYMI: Friday night visits by a former president and potential presidential candidate show the increasing interest nationally in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. From Juan Salinas II:

THE LATEST: On a shutdown that seems to have found a temporary path forward. From States Newsroom:

START YOUR MONDAY: With a story about grit and gratitude from Ukrainians thanking Nebraskans for their support and help since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. From Zach Wendling: nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/10/u...

STATE TREASURER TURNOVER: Nebraska's race for the next state treasurer had a big week. Catch up. From Zach Wendling:

ICYMI: Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen issued an executive order aimed at cutting off health care-related tax dollars awarded to medical service providers that also provide abortions. From Erin Bamer: nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/06/p...

ELECTIONS ARE COMING: Here are some important dates to know on Nebraska's election calendar. From Zach Wendling:

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Nebraska now has the first wave of federal immigration detainees from ICE in its prison facility in McCook. From Cindy Gonzalez:

ICYMI: Douglas County, the heart of Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, will be getting a new election commissioner from Gov. Jim Pillen before the 2026 elections. Brian Kruse will not return. From Erin Bamer: nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/05/b...

ICYMI: President Donald Trump weighed in on a couple of Nebraska U.S. House races, including one that already has another GOP candidate in it. From Juan Salinas II: buff.ly/DGelZ0E

ICYMI: Nebraska has a new state treasurer, and it's the former mayor of Fremont. From Erin Bamer:

SNAP QUESTIONS: The fight between the Trump administration and the courts over whether it has to pay SNAP benefits for November has reached the nation's high court.

NEW ECONOMIC DIRECTOR: Nebraska has a new director of the Department of Economic Development. Gov. Jim Pillen seeks to make permanent his interim director. From Erin Bamer:

BIDEN IN NEBRASKA: Former President Joe Biden highlighted harsh economic realities facing families under President Donald Trump. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear pitched helping Democrats win in red states. From Juan Salinas II:

BOAT ACTIONS: The military under the Trump administration will be able to continue attacks on boats off the coast of Venezuela after a measure stalled in Congress. From States Newsroom:

MEDICAL DEBT: A new Trump administration rule would override state laws that prevent consumers’ credit reports from including medical debt, which could impact the finances of some familes. From Stateline: nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/06/r...

STAYING ON: Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen just named his former general counsel as the state's next director of the Department of Economic Development. She had served the agency in an interim role. From Erin Bamer: buff.ly/gbfTX1S

NO TALKS: Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen is “not into the mood of negotiation” for a tobacco tax compact with the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska as the tribe moves forward with medical cannabis and could eventually add recreational. From Zach Wendling:

SHUTDOWN UPDATE: Senate Democrats left their Thursday caucus lunch tight-lipped as an agreement to end the government shutdown, now the longest in U.S. history at 37 days, remained elusive. From States Newsroom:

NE-01 DEM CANDIDATE: Former U.S. State Department diplomat Chris Backemeyer will face renewable energy advocate Eric Moyer in the Democratic primary in Nebraska's 1st Congressional District. From Juan Salinas II:

NE-02 UPDATE: State Sen. John Cavanaugh picked up two new endorsements from local unions in his bid to be the Democratic nominee in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District. From Juan Salinas II: buff.ly/PJpfv3G

CLINKING OPEN? Nebraska’s McCook prison for federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees is now operational, with the first migrants having arrived this week. From Cindy Gonzalez:

START YOUR FRIDAY: With a look at an executive order from Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen Thursday aimed at pulling back the Medicaid funds some abortion providers get from the state for other health care services. From Erin Bamer: buff.ly/DqILojZ

TARIFF QUESTIONS: The U.S. Supreme Court during lengthy arguments Wednesday weighed whether President Donald Trump violated the Constitution when he imposed sweeping tariffs under an emergency powers statute usually reserved to combat rare and unusual threats. From States Newsroom:

ACADEMIC CUTS: Speaking of university news, a group of faculity, students and staff are advising University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Rodney Bennett that he might have other ways to handle a need to trim the budget. From Zach Wendling:

TRIBAL LAW: Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen is in no “mood of negotiation”for a tobacco tax compact with the Omaha Tribe, coming as the group legalizes medical cannabis and, eventually, recreational marijuana. From Zach Wendling: buff.ly/sJMTONi

NEBRASKA-ICE PRISON UPDATE: Nebraska’s McCook prison for federal ICE detainees is now operational, with the first migrants having arrived this week, Gov. Jim Pillen confirmed on Thursday. From Cindy Gonzalez: nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/midwe...

NEW CD1 CANDIDATE: Former U.S. State Department diplomat Chris Backemeyer will face renewable energy advocate Eric Moyer in the Democratic primary. Both are vying to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Flood. From Juan Salinas II: buff.ly/OUBKj87

NO CONFIDENCE? Lost in all the news of this week has been the UNL Faculty Senate, which is set to weigh a no confidence vote against Chancellor Rodney Bennett. From Zach Wendling:

ICYMI: Douglas County is getting a new election commissioner, now that Brian Kruse has announced he won't be back. From Erin Bamer:

FUNDING ORDER: Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen signed an executive order Thursday cutting off state tax dollars from medical service providers that offer abortions. From Erin Bamer: buff.ly/DqILojZ

LAWSUIT PRIMER: Nebraska is suing six national nonprofits and a key funder, alleging he and the groups spent more than $10 million boosting progressive state ballot initiatives with “foreign money.” From Juan Salinas II:

START YOUR THURSDAY: With change in the state treasurer's race, where former State Sen. Julie Slama decided to step out of the race after Treasurer Tom Briese resigned and was replaced by Gov. Jim Pillen. From Zach Wendling: