State Senator Mike McDonnell announced his candidacy for Omaha mayor Thursday evening. McDonnell previously served as Omaha’s fire chief and has represented a South Omaha district in the Nebraska legislature for the last 8 years. He will face current Omaha mayor Jean Stothert, Douglas County Treasurer John Ewing and nonprofit executive Jasmine Harr…

The holiday season is about to commence, but some criminal justice advocates want to share a reminder with those settling in for their celebrations. The press conference addresses jail overcrowding.Bởi Nebraska Public Media

Jeffrey J. Funke, 55, is Nebraska’s 32nd Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, following the retirement of Mike Heavican, who served for 18 years. Nebraska Public Media’s Dale Johnson sat down with Chief Justice Funke and asked how in today’s politically charged environment, it’s possible to keep politics out of the courtroom.…

Major League Baseball All-Star and Omaha native, Alec Bohm, will be inducted into the first-ever Omaha Roncalli Hall of Fame on Friday.Bởi Nebraska Public Media

A route for a trail connecting the state’s two largest metro areas was approved Wednesday night. The Lower Platte South Natural Resources District Board of Directors voted 14 to 4 in favor of a 10-mile route in western Cass County. The new trail will connect to existing segments of the MoPac Trail that reach the Omaha and Lincoln metro areas. The e…

Senator Pete Ricketts is encouraging the U.S. Senate to confirm President-elect Donald Trump’s national security nominees as quickly as possible. Ricketts is a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, which will hold hearings on nominees for ambassadors and other national security officials in the coming months. He says Trump’s pic…

The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce is adding a new program to empower historically underrepresented entrepreneurs in the state’s capital city.Bởi Nebraska Public Media

The annual Christmas tree for the Durham Museum was chopped down and delivered Monday. The tree is currently being decorated with lights and ornaments by members of a bridge maintenance crew provided by Union Pacific. The tree lighting ceremony is on November 29th.Bởi Nebraska Public Media

Drought has scorched much of the Midwest and Great Plains for the last four years. It has destroyed crops and sparked wildfires. Wildlife is also reckoning with the dry conditions – which can change animal behavior and even push species out of some regions.Bởi Nebraska Public Media

The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resource District Board approved a contract Thursday to remove a sandbar near the Highway 75 bridge over the Platte River south of Omaha. Removal will decrease the flood risk to surrounding areas. The project comes at a cost of around $4 million dollars and is expected to be completed by May 2025.…

Nebraska football has lost three straight games this season and changed offensive coordinators this week. The stakes are high for the Huskers’ matchup with USC on Saturday, needing one more win to become bowl eligible.Bởi Nebraska Public Media

Gov. Jim Pillen and members of a trade mission to Germany and the Czech Republic gave an update Wednesday. Pillen said the mission promotes Nebraska’s ag products, equipment and technologies. While in Germany, Pillen and those representing the state spoke to German companies that currently have a footprint in Nebraska. The trade mission began in th…

A multigenerational Indigenous nonprofit is hosting its second annual fashion show to display participants’ culture and journeys toward emotional healing. Here’s how the program has adapted after its inaugural show last year.Bởi Nebraska Public Media

The search for the next chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Kearney continues with listening sessions planned for next week.Bởi Nebraska Public Media

With most of the state’s votes counted, Nebraska shifted slightly in favor of Republicans at the top of the ticket. But political science professor Kevin Smith says that change was less evident in the results of ballot initiatives. Voters legalized medical marijuana, rejected funding for private school scholarships and mandated paid sick leave last…

Farmers are increasingly relying on off-farm jobs to supplement their farm income. Today about 84% of farm families rely on another part-time or even full-time job to stay in business.Bởi Nebraska Public Media

Health professionals are sharing resources for people coping with the stress election season can bring. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) said the 988 suicide prevention hotline can help.Bởi Nebraska Public Media

As far back as 2013, the Office of Inspector General of the Nebraska Correctional System has issued an annual report. Specific subjects in each of these reports change year after year, but some correctional concerns never leave the list, including over-crowding and staffing shortages.Bởi Nebraska Public Media