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Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ideas flow at public meeting for new North Omaha innovation district fueled by $30M state grant
Dozens of people offered thoughts during a Wednesday public meeting about what the new innovation district in North Omaha should look like. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner) OMAHA — Could North Omaha create its own version of Kansas City's Keystone Innovation District? Or Indianapolis' 16 Tech, or the RICE innovation hub in Atlanta, which focuses on building Black businesses? The three campuses were spotlighted Wednesday as examples of entrepreneurial and tech-centric hubs akin to what could be built locally as the Omaha Inland Port Authority embarks on its newest mission: development of an innovation district, funded partly with $30 million in state funding. Nearly 100 people turned out for the public meeting that kicked off a six-month visioning process for the new district, which is to be developed within the boundaries of the port authority's roughly 3,000 acres in North Omaha, near Eppley Airfield. Davielle Phillips, an Omaha architect who is vice chair of the port authority board, said the initiative got off to a good start, with more participation than anticipated at the meeting held at the Venue at Highlander Accelerator. The board is also overseeing development of an industrial-focused business park funded by a separate $90 million state grant. That initiative, in contrast, was beset early on by criticism that the development team did not seek enough public engagement and input. For the innovation district, the port authority board hired HR&A Advisors Inc. as a consultant that, along with partners Lamp Rynearson and Vireo, are to create a business plan model for the local innovation district. The consulting contract is for $546,000. During the public meeting Wednesday, the consultant team presented demographic and other data about the North Omaha area and offered examples of other innovation districts. It also highlighted the health-focused EDGE District rising on the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus. Participants split into groups to discuss what they'd like such a district to look like and achieve. Several said they'd like housing to be a component, along with job training. Many said they'd want the campus to nurture and grow tech startups; draw young talent; raise the area's per capita income and have a multigenerational and multicultural flair. One group said music should play a role, along with cultural events and block parties to build community. Phillips said his goals for the meeting were met, including good attendance and engagement. He said he also wanted to clarify that the innovation district is separate from the long-discussed industrial business park, which was met with resistance from many area residents who worried the city might use the power of eminent domain to force acquisition. That option has been ruled out. 'I want to let people know we heard them; we listened,' Phillips said of the gathering. Other port authority board members attended, including mayoral chief of staff Tom Warren, as did North Omaha City Councilwoman-elect LaVonya Goodwin. Tuesday, focus groups were invited to offer input. Next steps, Phillips and the consultant said, include a public meeting this summer to continue to build upon the ideas. Still to be determined is the exact location of the innovation district within the port authority boundaries, along with its size, shape and character, Phillips said. He said the port authority board likely would seek bids for a developer to build out the district campus. Both the innovation district and the industrial business park are to be anchors of the port authority and are seen as key to helping more private businesses produce jobs and economic development that benefits North Omaha area residents. Funds for both projects originally were approved by the Nebraska Legislature as part of the Nebraska Economic Recovery Act of 2022, seeded with federal pandemic-related dollars, though the legislation and funding sources have since been updated. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nebraska should counteract international uncertainty with state stability
The Lincoln headquarters of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a short walk from the Nebraska Capitol. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner) Tariff-related cost increases in building materials and lumber market instability this year have been causing great uncertainty in the construction and home improvement markets. As the head of Millard Lumber, that's terrifying. Not just because it raises the cost of operating our family-owned business. That number also represents a trend of higher costs and uncertain times for our customers and further stresses efforts to maintain affordable housing for every Nebraskan. It's easy to chalk that up as the price of doing business today, whether it's the result of tariffs, inflation, or excessive regulations. And while many of these pressures start beyond our state's borders, there are simple, realistic steps Nebraska's Legislature can take to improve stability for businesses like mine, so we can continue serving our customers as efficiently and effectively as possible. The data helps illustrate how much we need help from lawmakers. Tariffs on Canadian oil could push U.S. gas prices up by as much as 20 to 25 cents per gallon in the months ahead. That would increase transportation costs enormously, and small businesses would be hard-pressed not to pass that on to consumers. Similarly, tariffs on steel and aluminum can drive up the costs of small items used in large quantities like screws, nails, hardware and locks up by nearly 50 percent. That makes everything from homes and cars to furniture and appliances costlier for Nebraska families. As Millard Lumber and other Nebraska companies are faced with increasing uncertainties in their costs of doing business, we are also faced with uncertainties in demand for our products and services because of cost pressures and a 'freezing' of decision making due to economic uncertainty. Federally, it isn't all bad news. President Donald Trump issued an executive order earlier this year that requires federal agencies to slash 10 regulations for every new one they add, a great idea. But the regulatory maze will stay put for a while, and compliance costs will weigh us down in the meantime. It's safe to say that federal efforts alone can't fully address Nebraska's unique economic needs. That's why state-level action could prove critical. This legislative session is a prime chance to improve Nebraska's business climate. There are already several ideas circulating the Capitol that could offer real relief. Bills like Legislative Bill 29 (amended into LB660), which would mandate regular reviews of state rules and regulations, would help cut red tape and ease operational burdens on business by encouraging transparent, accountable rule-making by state agencies. Giving businesses leeway to customize benefits like paid leave lets us meet workforce demands and adhere to voter mandates while avoiding the stifling effect of one-size-fits-all government intervention. For example, LB 415 offers clarity for businesses as new paid sick leave requirements take effect. On wages, LB 297, signed by Gov. Jim Pillen this session, should provide an immediate reduction in payroll costs by reducing the combined unemployment tax rate in 2025. These steps and others prioritized by business leaders, including the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, would help us stabilize costs and shield our customers from national volatility. Of course, our congressional delegation deserves credit for pushing pro-business policies, from promoting tax certainty to expanding access to affordable childcare. Our state is consistently ranked as one of America's top 10 states for doing business. Even so, past wins are no guarantee of future success — especially when continued progress is threatened by consumer angst, supply chain interruptions and global trade disruptions. In the short term, uncertainty will likely slow growth, but Nebraska's resilience runs deep. We're lucky to have many legislators in Lincoln who recognize that our state thrives when our businesses thrive. By lowering the costs of doing business, our lawmakers can help local businesses flourish, not just survive. Joel Russell, an Omaha-native, is president and CEO of Millard Lumber. He chairs the board of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Responsible funding for higher education is vital for Nebraska's future
Dual enrollment programs are helping Nebraska high school students earn college credit and in some cases associates degrees before graduation. Shown is the downtown Lincoln campus of Southeast Community College. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) Higher education is a key ingredient for a strong Nebraska. As Nebraskans with longstanding experience in our state's educational community, we underscore the need for state government to responsibly fund higher education as lawmakers set the upcoming two-year budget. The NU system is under pressure with potential cuts on state and federal levels. Shown here is the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner) The University of Nebraska, Nebraska state colleges and Nebraska community colleges are linchpins for our state's future. As our elected leaders set the two-year budget, they have an important responsibility to see that these educational institutions receive the funding needed to serve Nebraska students. Consider the stakes: The 21st-century economy requires ever-higher levels of education and training for Nebraska workers. The economic competition from other states is fierce. Workforce quality will be a key determinant of whether Nebraska's economy achieves needed innovation and sustained growth in coming years. This is why chambers of commerce across the state have expressed support for proper state funding of higher education. It's why the Nebraska Farm Bureau has said our communities, rural and urban, benefit when our higher education efforts are not only planned well but also properly funded. Value for Nebraska Nebraska's higher educational institutions — NU, state colleges and community colleges — are working together to meet the state's evolving workforce and higher education needs, and Nebraska students are taking advantage of what our institutions of higher education have to offer: 2030 attainment goal. In 2022, the Nebraska Legislature set a landmark state educational attainment goal. By 2030, lawmakers said, 70% of Nebraskans aged 25 to 34 should have a degree, certificate or credential with value in the workforce. It was a sensible goal, adopted by the University of Nebraska, the Nebraska State College System, Nebraska's community colleges, the State Board of Education, and the Nebraska Postsecondary Coordinating Commission. At present, Nebraska has achieved a figure of 58.8% — higher than the national rate of 56.8%. Retention rate. The full-time freshmen retention rate has increased for our Nebraska institutions. In fall 2013, the retention rate was 71.3%. A decade later, it had risen to 76.4%. Collaborative agreements. Students' individual academic needs vary widely, and it's important for our higher ed institutions to work together to find the best ways to meet those needs — and, indeed, they are. NU and Nebraska's state colleges and community colleges have achieved a range of cooperative partnerships with each other to provide students with flexibility and opportunity. A key example is the articulation agreements NU has with most Nebraska state colleges, community colleges and the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. A student can pursue two years of state college or community college study, then transfer credits and complete his or her studies at an NU institution. Thanks to this cooperation among our institutions, students can pursue the instructional path to fulfill their career aspirations and complete their degree on a schedule that works best for them. The partnerships also include Nebraska private-sector companies, industry associations and agricultural producers. This ongoing consultation helps Nebraska higher ed institutions align their instruction with real-world need and develop training and credentialing with high value for employers. Benthack Hall at Wayne State College in 2021. (Courtesy of Geoff Johnson) In all these ways, Nebraska higher ed institutions have made clear they stand ready to raise their educational achievements through forward-looking strategic planning, ongoing partnerships, standards of excellence and sound fiscal stewardship. But to do that, our state policy-makers must meet an obligation of their own. In the upcoming biennial budget, they must responsibly fund higher education. No question, our elected leaders have a tough job in the face of competing demands, but a central priority must include sound financial support for our public university system, state colleges and community colleges. Our state's business leaders have underscored the need for proper support of Nebraska higher education, and so have our agricultural leaders. As Nebraskans with deep experience in our state's educational community, we underscore this key responsibility for state policymakers to help secure a stronger future for Nebraska students and communities. Greg Adams, a retired public educator from York, is a former speaker of the Nebraska Legislature, chair of the Legislature's Education Committee and former executive director of the Nebraska Community College Association. Ken Bird is the retired superintendent of Westside Community Schools in Omaha and former CEO of the Avenue Scholars program.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Plan for South Omaha's multimillion-dollar plaza makeover progresses
Public officials, merchants and community members gathered at the South Omaha La Plaza de la Raza for an update on the makeover of the plaza and other improvements made possible largely with a state grant and also funds from the City of Omaha and Douglas County. May 2, 2025. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner) OMAHA — Construction is expected to begin this fall on the new La Plaza de la Raza, a pocket many call the heartbeat of South Omaha's historic commercial district. But that's just the start of a $25 million-plus public investment on the main business corridor of a community known historically as a landing place for the state's immigrant population. Leaders of the Adelante II initiative gathered Friday at the 24th and N Streets plaza and offered a progress report, this time sharing a stage with a host of elected officials and business representatives and reinforcing a theme of collaboration. 'Together we're bringing the heart of our community forward — adelante,' said Itzel Lopez, CEO of the Latino Economic Development Council, a lead partner on the project. Currently a paved parking lot that shifts to fiesta grounds on certain occasions, the plaza is to be transformed via a $25 million state award from the North and South Omaha recovery grant program. Its projected opening is in 2027. Douglas County and the City of Omaha each committed $500,000 from pandemic funds to the effort as well. Key features include an amphitheater, stage, playground areas, open lawn, shaded family gathering area and signature art. The plaza makeover is the anchor of the Adelante initiative, which includes other components: Before the year's end, project leaders expect to have secured a site in the district for a multi-tier parking garage, with ground floor retailers, that will more than replace parking currently at the plaza lot. Following that will come new sidewalk, streetscape and wayfinding improvements along the main 24th Street corridor to help create a uniform vibe from Q to F Streets, Lopez said. Lopez said her organization is hoping to raise additional funds for other improvements to the corridor, including a building that would house the LEDC, employment and other programming. Overseeing the Adelante II redevelopment is Canopy South, a nonprofit that calls itself a 'community quarterback.' In addition to the 24th Street area improvements, Canopy South is leading the Q Street Collaborative initiative, which received a separate $39 million from the North and South Omaha recovery grant program for several other projects in South Omaha. In all, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development in January 2024 awarded 130 groups and businesses a total of nearly $235 million through the North and South Omaha grant program. Cesar Garcia, CEO of Canopy South, said the City of Omaha is handling the acquisition of Adelante's new garage site that is to offer parking for shoppers and workers of the area. He said choices have been narrowed to a few and negotiations are ongoing. He said the plaza is a city-owned public space and will remain so once the plaza is revamped. Programming at the plaza likely will be a collaboration between the city and community organizations, Garcia said, though details are being worked out. Also speaking at the Friday event was Douglas County Board Chair Roger Garcia; Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert; Omaha Public Power District CEO Javier Fernandez; South Omaha Business Improvement District President Ross Pesek; Nebraska Department of Economic Development's Javier Saldaña and LEDC President Armando Salgado. Nebraska State Sen. Dunixi Guereca, former State Sen. Tony Vargas and Mexican Consul Jorge Ernesto Espejel Montes were among several dozen people who gathered at the plaza for entertainment by Mariachi music and dancers. Among others were City Councilmen Pete Festersen and Ron Hug; U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb.; Denise Powell, who has announced her candidacy for Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District as a Democrat; merchants and community members. 'The Latino community is at the heart of South Omaha's story, and today we celebrate that legacy,' said Canopy South's Garcia, stressing that the improvements are for all of Omaha and tourists to enjoy. 'This is about investing in places that create the future we want for generations to come.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nebraska Supremes take show on road, hold court at Omaha high school
Omaha Bryan High School students listen to the "traveling" Nebraska Supreme Court that convened at the high school on April 2, 2025. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner) OMAHA — It was not your typical day in the Nebraska Supreme Court. Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke and six associate justices donned their traditional black robes and convened to hear customary oral arguments — but only after maneuvering past the theater props, art supplies and other items common to the back stage of a school auditorium. The state's high court judges peppered attorneys with questions about the appellate case at hand. But in a different twist afterward, they faced their own barrage of questions from a group of curious teenagers. Wednesday's official Supreme Court proceedings played out on a stage at Omaha Bryan High School. Taking a real-life court session out of the State Capitol and on the road was part of the Court's efforts to increase public understanding and trust in the judicial system, and to inspire more young people to join the legal profession. For Kyra Carpenter, editor-in-chief of the Bryan High Orator, the event on Bear turf pulled back the curtain on a system she had only read about. She said she came to school 'really nervous' to ask questions of the justices, but later felt at ease. 'They seem more like people, more real,' the junior said after the event. 'They even laughed at one of my jokes.' Saúl Muñoz-Macias, also a junior, said he will be the first in his family to go to college when he pursues a political science and economics degree on the way to law school. 'It's cool to see this,' the 16-year-old said. 'I'd like to be in a position like them some day.' Joining Funke on the auditorium stage — before an audience of about 50 students from the school's classes on American Government, Law and Juvenile Justice and AP History — were Justices Lindsey Miller-Lerman, William Cassel, Jonathan Papik, Stephanie Stacy, John Freudenberg and Jason Bergevin. The Supreme Court, supported by the Nebraska State Bar Foundation, holds such school-based court sessions a few times a year in various parts of the state. A similar event was held earlier in the day at Creighton University School of Law. While intended as outreach and education for students, Funke said in an interview that he believes judges also reap benefits. 'They ask us questions, they challenge us, and it makes us think a little bit about what we do, how we do it, why we do it and if there are ways we can do it better,' said Funke, a graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Law who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2016 and elevated to chief justice last year. At Bryan, official business came to order about 1:30 p.m. with a shout from a member of the Nebraska State Patrol: 'This room is now a courtroom…Welcome to the Supreme Court.' A student bailiff gave the 'all rise' alert. Prior to that, the Patrol had searched and secured the school grounds. Student ambassadors escorted justices backstage, where they assembled before taking their seats. The spotlighted case had to do with a battle over a roadway, and a 'prescriptive easement,' which is a legal right to use someone else's property based upon a long-term, consistent and open use of that property without the expressed consent of the owner. In this situation, a family had owned a swath of land in Otoe County since 1857. But the Little Nemaha River cuts off part of the property to the south, making it inaccessible to vehicles or farm machinery except by crossing through the neighboring Dowding property. The Dowding property owners grew frustrated enough to lock an access gate, which pushed the other family to sue, and a district court granted them access based on prescriptive easement. Attorneys David Domina and Ryan McIntosh argued their respective sides, and justices asked a lot of questions. 'I wasn't expecting the judges to just interrupt them like they did — I was like, 'Oh,'' said Kyra. Perhaps the tougher inquisition came after attorneys wrapped up their arguments, and as students stepped up to question the justices. One teen wanted to know the judges' most difficult or impactful case. For Funke, that was deciding as a trial judge the fate of a child in a custody or divorce situation. 'What you want and what you can do sometimes are two different things,' he said. 'You know the importance of it and if you get it wrong, the impact is significant for that child.' Cassel talked about death penalty decisions. 'A very solemn and complicated undertaking,' he said, adding that such cases fortunately aren't frequent. 'That's probably the highest single responsibility that one of us can have — (rendering) our judgement whether someone lives or dies.' Asked to describe 'most interesting' cases, Miller-Lerman recalled the Beatrice Six. Miller-Lerman — the first woman on the Nebraska Supreme Court and longest-serving member of the current high court — wrote the 7-0 opinion in 2007 that allowed DNA testing for two men in the Beatrice Six who had been convicted of murder in 1989. Results showed neither man had committed the crime, leading to the exoneration of them and four others who had falsely confessed. They won a wrongful conviction judgement of $28 million. Students ventured into politics, with one wondering if justices believed the country was in a 'constitutional crisis' between the Trump administration and the courts. Cassel suggested the student google President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 'court-packing plan' and said, 'We aren't even close.' We think it's important you trust your judiciary. That's why we take these opportunities. – Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke Another wanted to know if the justices feared for their jobs under Donald Trump's administration, given that the president called for the removal of a judge who ruled against deportation plans. Funke used the moment to delve into differences between Nebraska's method of appointing and removing judges versus that of the federal government. In Nebraska, he noted, voters choose whether a judge should be retained. In a case of alleged bad behavior, a process overseen by a Judicial Qualifications Commission made up of attorneys and lay persons can sanction or remove a judge from the bench. In response to a question about $80 million being poured into a Wisconsin Supreme Court race, Cassel differentiated between states that elect their judges and Nebraska, where the governor appoints judges from candidates submitted by a nominating commission. To one student's observation that the high court spent a lot of time obsessing over terms such as consent and prescriptive and necessity easements, Papik said law school would prepare them for this new vocabulary. 'Much of what you're doing is learning a new language,' he said. When asked what the Supreme Court does to earn high school students' trust, Stacy said: 'We're here.' She said the hope is students 'learn a little about how the process works.' She added, 'Some of you might even be thinking, 'Law school doesn't sound horrible.'' Stacy touched upon open access to courts, cameras in the courtroom, publicly broadcasted proceedings. 'We don't do our work in secret,' she told the teens. Funke said if the Court loses its authority, rule of law gives way to survival of the fittest, and whoever is the strongest, has the most muscle or guns, he said. 'We think it's important you trust your judiciary,' he said. 'That's why we take these opportunities.' Students got a primer ahead of the proceedings from a couple of local lawyers: Abigail Moland of the Omaha McGrath North law firm and Ceci Menjivar, a Douglas County assistant public defender, who also is a Bryan alumna. 'It's a great opportunity to give back and have Latino students see there are attorneys that look like them … and let them know ways they can contribute.' Bryan Principal Anthony 'CK' Clark-Kaczmarek said he wasn't sure how his school was selected as a site, but that he jumped at what would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many in the student body. 'I loved that our kids were so fearless in the question-asking,' he said, adding that they hear a lot of news and were eager to hear the perspective of the state's highest-level judges. 'All students really want to know is that things are going to be okay — that government is going to do the right thing and protect them.' As is standard, the Supreme Court did not immediately announce a determination on the civil case argued Wednesday, Fey v. Olson. The Court relays decisions in written opinions filed with the Court's clerk. The justices stuck around to take photos with students. The principal took a selfie with the justices and students, at the urging of Carpenter. Funke said such road trips help the court reset. He said he appreciated the atmosphere — the occasional school bell during proceedings, voices from hallways. He got a kick out of assembling with fellow judges backstage amid drama props, a change from pristine quarters in the Capitol. 'It kinda brings you back to the normal, everyday world,' said Funke. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
