STRIP CLUB PROBE: The former director of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission and a co-owner of two Lincoln strip clubs both pleaded not guilty this week in cases alleging public corruption. An update from Aaron Sanderford:

START YOUR FRIDAY: With Nebraska joining a federal pilot program with the Trump admin aimed at remaking how temporary assistance for needy families is handled. From Cindy Gonzalez: nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/09/25/t...

UPDATE: A voting advocacy group has sued to block Nebraska’s secretary of state from sharing voter registration data with the U.S. Department of Justice. But Attorney General Mike HIlgers hints that he'd like the state to hand over the data. From Juan Salinas II:

WASHINGTON UPDATE: The fight over whether the government shuts down could hit federal employees hard, the Trump administration told them in internal communications likely aimed at getting Congress to pass an extension. From States Newsroom: nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/09/25/r...

CASH BAIL: You've heard a lot in recent weeks about the Trump administration criticisms of cash bail and bail reform. Here's what they're talking about. From States Newsroom:

CLIMATE REPORT: Nebraska's new state climate report is out, and it says the state is getting warmer and wetter, that things are changing. First in the Examiner from Paul Hammel: buff.ly/4LYt48k

ICYMI: A new approach to gaining acceptance of carbon pipelines from ethanol plants has emerged, negotiating with communities along the route to make sure they benefit. From Paul Hammel: nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/09/24/n...

Nebraska is one of five states the Trump administration selected to participate in a pilot program aimed at improving the way the nation carries out the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which is nearing its 30th year. From Cindy Gonzalez buff.ly/w9aGIsK

REMEMBERING RUPP: Former State Sen. Lee Rupp was remembered as a passionate advocate for the University of Nebraska, hunting and a love for the great outdoors. From Paul Hammel:

START YOUR MORNING: With a wild story that has people talking around the state, the federal indictment of a former director of the Nebraska Liquor Commission. From Aaron Sanderford:

CHILD TAX CREDITS: More red states embraced child tax credits in recent months, but some of the most generous proposals fell short of passage. From Stateline:

FED INDICTMENT: The former Nebraska Liquor Commission director faces felony charges alleging he overlooked potential license violations and let two Lincoln strip clubs give him cash, lap dances, sexual favors and free drinks. From Aaron Sanderford and Zach Wendling: buff.ly/e3iMe4M

ICYMI: Nebraska's new commission focused on school finance met again this week. Catch up on what they discussed with Zach Wendling.

AG LAWSUIT: Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers filed a lawsuit against Lorex Corp. for what he claims is deceptive marketing that put Nebraska consumers at risk. From Erin Bamer:

REMEMBERING LEE: The Nebraska Legislature lost a member this week from Columbus who was known for his work in conservation, for hunters and the outdoors, as well as his advocacy for the University of Nebraska. From Paul Hammel: buff.ly/FVtiW1t

Nebraska officials have anticipated the federal government possibly stepping in to review growing state expenses for autism-related services for youths. This week, Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley beat the feds to the punch. From Cindy Gonzalez:

UN SPEECH: President Donald Trump took a message to the United Nations on Tuesday. From States Newsroom:

AI OPPORTUNITY OR THREAT? Joanne Li, the chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, writes in an opinion column today in the Examiner that her campus sees artificial intelligence as an opportunity for students and not a threat and discusses why. buff.ly/9ThuDup

CO2 PIPELINE: A new $1.5 billion carbon dioxide pipeline from ethanol plants in Nebraska and Iowa to Wyoming is about to start operating and sharing proceeds with communities along the route. First in the Examiner from Paul Hammel: buff.ly/HqQcpmA

HIGHER FEES? Application fees for H1-B visas could prove a problem for the tech industry and others who rely on immigrant labor in high-skilled fields. From States Newsroom:

TYLENOL TROUBLES? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is talking about a common pain killer in language few expected. From States Newsroom:

AUTISM TALK: There has been a lot of discussion at the federal level lately about potential contributors to the rise in autism diagnoses. Let States Newsroom dig into what experts say:

NEW AUDIT: Nebraska has worried for months about the federal government possibly stepping in to review soaring state expenses for autism-related services. State Auditor Mike Foley beat them to the punch. From Cindy Gonzalez: buff.ly/Q0ezWve

RICKETTS RUNNING: It’s no surprise that U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., is running for reelection. But he kicked off his bid over the weekend and is turning his attention toward defining his opponent, registered nonpartisan Dan Osborn. From Juan Salinas II:

VOTER DATA: A lawsuit on data privacy appears likely to delay a decision on what state information on voter data will be shared with the federal government. From Juan Salinas II:

AUDIT REPORT: You had our attention at state audit and questions about a state employee’s work. From Cindy Gonzalez:

START YOUR TUESDAY: With the contours of how a new commission might structure its work to help Nebraska lawmakers address K-12 school funding. From Zach Wendling:

VOTER DATA: A voting advocacy group has sued to block Nebraska’s secretary of state from sharing voter registration data with the U.S. Department of Justice. From Juan Salinas II: nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/09/22/v...

SCHOOL FUNDING: A commission meeting to find ways to better design Nebraska's system of funding K-12 education met Monday and might have laid some groundwork for how it will pursue potential recommendations. From Zach Wendling: nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/09/22/n...

Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts makes it official, kicking off his bid for a first full six-year term against registered nonpartisan labor leader Dan Osborn. From Juan Salinas II: buff.ly/saY7NYi

NEW AUDIT: Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley's office alleges that a state agency director padded his work hours to “bilk the agency” of about $20,700 in “unearned compensation.” From Cindy Gonzalez: buff.ly/wm0XoNP

More states are having similar experiences with broadband changes at the federal level. From Stateline:

COMMENTARY FROM GEORGE AYOUB: Few actors balanced the responsibility of fame and of their humanity better than Robert Redford.

ICYMI: Workers detained in an ICE raid on an Omaha food packing plant who are being held in a North Platte jail visited with a Nebraska state senator and an Examiner reporter. From Cindy Gonzalez: buff.ly/mxxaSC3

BLAIR AFTER DANA: Losing a college is a gut punch to the local economy. But Blair after the loss of Dana College is one of the few communities to bounce back. Let Erin Bamer and Rebecca Gratz take you to campus, where foster kids aging out of the system find help.

START YOUR WEEK: With economic reports offering sobering looks at what Nebraska’s metro areas need to work on to help grow the state, including one from the Omaha Chamber ranking the Omaha area against peer cities. From Cindy Gonzalez: nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/09/22/o...

INSURANCE SUBSIDIES: Extending health care subsidies for insurance policies purchased on the Affordable Care Act marketplace would have a price tag of about $350 billion. From States Newsroom:

Conservatives mourned commentator Charlie Kirk's death on Sunday in Arizona, including President DOnald Trump. From States Newsroom: buff.ly/hwwKgF6

SHUTDOWN POLITICS: Republicans and Democrats in Congress are jockeying for who might get blamed if the federal government shuts down again. From States Newsroom:

The latest on the Trump administration effort to fire a member of the Federal Reserve board. From States Newsroom:

WEEKEND READER: Check in with us on the immigration detainees still held in a North Platte jail months after an Omaha raid by ICE on Omaha’s Glenn Valley Foods. From Cindy Gonzalez:

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Catch up on the latest about a Marshbanks lawsuit with ties to what might be Nebraska’s largest bank fraud case. From Paul Hammel: nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/09/18/l...

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Nebraska Legislature lost a former giant this week. From Paul Hammel:

ICYMI: Creighton's campus is growing again into downtown Omaha. From Cindy Gonzalez:

VENEZUELAN UPDATE: The Trump administration is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in again on its ability to end immigration protections for Venezuelans. From States Newsroom:

SHUTDOWN UPDATE: It's never a good sign when the federal government inches closer to a shutdown. U.S. Senate votes hint at a tough road ahead. From States Newsroom: nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/09/19/r...

KIRK RESOLUTION: The U.S. House, in a bipartisan vote, condemned conservative commentator Charlie Kirk's slaying and politics-related violence.

ICE DETAINEES: The number of ICE-detained workers at a North Platte jail has dwindled since a June raid at Omaha's Glenn Valley Foods. A Nebraska lawmaker visited some still waiting, while others deported themselves. From Cindy Gonzalez, who was there:

TEST SCORE QUESTIONS: Days after federal data revealed average reading, math and science scores dropped among certain grades since before the COVID-19 pandemic, a U.S. Senate panel picked apart root causes of the academic decline. From States Newsroom:

TEMPORARY STATUS: The Trump administration made an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to pause a district court’s order blocking the Department of Homeland Security from ending temporary protections for roughly 350,000 Venezuelans. From States Newsroom buff.ly/hXUAkmT