Latest news with #Nebraskan
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nebraska ed commissioner reflects on literacy, workforce, fed department
Nebraska Education Commissioner Brian Maher. June 20, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — The Nebraska Department of Education is moving ahead on priorities of literacy, chronic absenteeism and workforce development while navigating an ideologically divided governing board and federal uncertainty. The State Board of Education has selected three legislative priorities for the Education Department through 2027, focused on increasing reading proficiency among Nebraska third graders to 75%, halving the number of school staffing vacancies and halving chronic absenteeism. The State Board hopes to accomplish all three goals by 2030. Nebraska Education Commission Brian Maher says such progress might not be 'intuitive' for the average Nebraskan, considering the 4-4 split on the officially nonpartisan board between registered Republicans and Democrats, which appointed Maher beginning July 2023. However, Maher said the board has done a nice job pulling together, often unanimously, on many important topics, including what he terms 'LAW' — literacy, attendance and workforce — while differences remain. 'The occasional flare-up that might have an appearance of dysfunction really gets noticed, but what doesn't get noticed is all of the conversation, give and take on items of significance, like literacy, attendance and workforce,' Maher told the Nebraska Examiner in late June. Maher said he didn't bring the literacy improvement goal to the table, but he said if he has brought anything, it's a 'tenacity' to advance the 'laser-focused' goal of reading improvement. The state Education Department has also enacted the 'Nebraska Literacy Plan,' which is supported through funds from the Legislature and the federal government. Legislative Bill 1284 of 2024, led by former State Sens. Lynne Walz of Fremont and Lou Ann Linehan of the Elkhorn area, appropriated a few million dollars to employ regional literacy coaches statewide and to mentor teachers in grades K-3 on how to better teach reading. The focus is on training prospective teachers and getting literacy coaches directly in the classroom. Maher said 2015, his last year as Kearney superintendent, was a high-water mark for student achievement, but since then, student test scores have declined. With a focus on the 'Science of Reading,' a methodological research-focused view to teaching reading, Nebraska looks to improve the achievement trend. Maher notes that this was 'by and large' how reading was taught years ago. 'It's a little bit of going back to what we know works,' Maher said. Maher said several educational service units in the state, publicly elected boards to assist and coordinate resources with school districts, have a literacy coach in place. He said the Education Department has met with those coaches to boost consistency statewide. LB 1284 from Linehan and Walz, Maher said, 'planted the seed' for the science of reading and quality coaching in a 'very well-needed' three-year commitment. Maher said the Education Department is also engaging in the 'cross-sector' issue of preparing students in K-12 for 'whatever's next.' That includes higher education partners and also the Nebraska Department of Labor and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, work that includes developing apprenticeships. While Nebraska's chronic absenteeism rate has flatlined, Maher said, leaders must still reverse high absenteeism rates that 'accelerated' as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic but had been declining before. Maher said there is finally more research on addressing absenteeism, in addition to how a good teacher can make 'all the difference in the world.' He noted that without students in school, it's hard to teach reading and math. 'We've got to find strategies in addition to that teacher who's a unicorn and a pied piper to get kids to come to school,' Maher said. One of the questions Maher is preparing for is what happens if the U.S. Department of Education is eliminated, a goal of President Donald Trump and some congressional Republicans. Maher said he's had good conversations with state colleges, community colleges and the University of Nebraska to ask, 'What if?' He said that has produced a rough 'skeleton plan.' 'I get the question all the time, 'What's going on in Washington, D.C.?' and I really don't know a lot more than the average citizen could know if they followed the reports coming out of D.C.,' Maher said. He continued: 'I tell people … I don't want to panic. I don't want to react on a rumor or an innuendo. I want to react on facts. To this point, I think we've done a really nice job of that. And I think our schools have done a really nice job of that.' On whether eliminating the federal department would be 'OK,' Maher says, 'I need more detail.' For example, what occurs with the Office of Special Education and associated funding, as well as funding for various Title programs that serve some of Nebraska's most vulnerable students. 'If we can get satisfactory answers to those questions, it may make a lot of sense to actually shift some of the decision-making and some of the oversight to the state level,' Maher said. 'I'm certainly not opposed to that happening, but I need a lot more of the questions answered before we dig into that.' Funding has also become tighter on the state level, and Maher said while his department has good relationships with the legislative and executive branches, more money might not always be the solution. Instead, he said support in policymaking and 'having our voice valued,' which he says the NDE voice is, is valuable. 'Let's build from that strength in that relationship that already exists,' Maher said, wanting to focus on efficiency and maximizing current resources and expertise. Maher, 63, announced his candidacy in early July for the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. He did so with the endorsement of all eight State Board of Education members. He and Lincoln entrepreneur Brent Comstock, 29, are the first to announce for the Lancaster County seat. Maher noted the Nebraska Department of Education also includes a broader focus than a traditional definition of public, private and home schools. For example, NDE includes Vocational Rehabilitation and helping Nebraskans with disabilities 'from birth to death,' including how to be employed and maintain employment while working with employers. Maher said the 'dynamic' leadership of the VR division, for example, is 'phenomenal' but also a 'best kept secret' that educational leaders want to highlight more. NDE's Disability Determination Services also helps determine taxpayers' eligibility for Social Security. The State Board of Education and Education Department are now embarking on creating a strategic plan, which Maher said will likely cover five years. The final result will include feedback after about a dozen forums held statewide earlier this year, including in Nebraska City, Omaha, Valentine, McCook and Scottsbluff. The hope is to get the plan approved by the end of the year and ready to go in January, Maher said. He would like it to focus around literacy, attendance and workforce. 'I think if we do those things really, really well, a lot of other things will fall in place,' Maher said. Maher, who played football at Midland University, echoed longtime head football coach and athletic director for the Nebraska Huskers, Tom Osborne, who used to say that if players can block and tackle well, 'winning will take care of itself.' Maher noted the 'waters didn't look perfect' when he returned to Nebraska in 2023 on a 5-3 vote (one Republican and all four Democratic members) after eight years in South Dakota, the past three as the CEO and executive director of the South Dakota Board of Regents. As he entered his latest Nebraska role, the commissioner said he heard a lot about how he would need to pull the ideologically separated board together. The 2024 elections left the same board split 4-4, plus a moderate Republican who sometimes split ties, including on Maher's appointment, declined to seek reelection. She was succeeded by a more conservative member. Maher, a previous superintendent of Kearney Public Schools and Centennial Public Schools, said he received advice when he started that administrative work in 1999: have the audacity to lead, but also remember when the superintendent is the 'hired help.' While he works for the board, Maher said he must develop relationships with each member to figure out what makes them tick, their hot buttons and issues that could be a deal breaker. He said that sometimes means walking away from some issues, too, while making significant progress for Nebraska students in other areas. Along those lines, he offers a third piece of advice: remembering he has 'eight good people' who all fit into the education equation. 'If I can figure out how audacious I should be or when to step back and let the board make board decisions, but yet treat those eight individuals like the quality humans they all are, that can go a long way,' Maher said. Maher said he felt good when, in early June, the State Board of Education extended his contract initially set to end July 2026 to July 2027 in an 8-0 vote. He also received a 3.25% pay bump, to $325,237.50. Maher has pledged to resign as education commissioner if elected regent in November 2026, meaning his tenure could end about six months sooner. The native of Hooper says he tries to use common sense and work hard, and Maher said his passion has 'never wavered, that it is about education' at all levels. 'I've loved every piece that I've been in, and when people ask me how this job is going, I say, 'I love it.' I do,' Maher said. 'Now they think I'm a little bit nuts when I tell them that, but I do, because I think the work is so meaningful, and if you can be involved in education, I just think there's something special about the impact that you can have in that space.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Solve the daily Crossword
UPI
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- UPI
Nebraska sues GM, OnStar over selling driver data without consent
July 9 (UPI) -- Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers has filed a lawsuit against General Motors and OnStar, accusing the automaker and its subsidiary company of selling the driving data of Nebraskans, without the drivers' consent, which was then used to affect insurance rates and coverage. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in the Nebraska District Court of Lancaster County, seeking a ruling that the scheme illegal under the state's consumer protection and deceptive trade practices laws, and requesting civil penalties. "Nebraskans deserve to work with companies that are truthful and honest about what they are doing," Hilgers said in a statement. "That is not what happened here, and we filed this lawsuit because one large company decided that it wouldn't honestly tell Nebraskans that their data was going to be used to impact their insurance rates." According to the court document, since at least 2015, GM and OnStar have collected and analyzed vehicle usage data, which they then processed and sold to third parties without consent. Those third parties then sold that information to insurance companies, which could use it against the Nebraskan drivers to increase their insurance rates or outright cancel their policies outright. GM told those third-party companies that vehicle purchasers had consented to the collection and sale of their data, but Nebraska argues that GM used "deceptive, unconscionable and unlawful tactics" to enroll customers in its OnStar data collection services. "GM's deceptive and unlawful tactics included overwhelming and misleading vehicle purchasers (or lessees) with pages of deceptive, inconspicuous and materially misleading disclosures about OnStar products, including product descriptions and privacy policies that failed to adequately disclose how GM would use its customers' driving data," it said. General Motors is a Detroit-based automaker behind iconic American car brands Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC, while its Delaware-based subsidiary, OnStar, is a subscription-based communications company whose services include vehicle security and emergency assistance. The lawsuit states GM had 19 suppliers and 54 car dealerships that sold nearly 18,900 vehicles in Nebraska in 2023. The case comes seven months after the Federal Trade Commission issued its first-ever action related to vehicle data, banning GM, OnStar and its other subsidiaries from disclosing consumers' geolocation and driver behavior data to consumer reporting agencies for five years. In August, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a similar lawsuit to Nebraska's against GM over its selling of Texas drivers' data.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge dismisses federal preemption case against Nebraska medical cannabis laws
Lancaster County District Court Judge Susan Strong presides over a case arguing Nebraska's medical cannabis laws are preempted by federal law. May 20, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — A Lancaster County District Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to void Nebraska's medical cannabis laws on the grounds that they violate federal laws against marijuana. Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong, in a 16-page opinion Thursday, ruled that John Kuehn, a former state senator and longtime marijuana opponent, could not prove injury to sue, the legal term of art known as 'standing.' Strong, citing past case law, said such injury would need to be 'concrete,' 'distinct and palpable' and 'actual or imminent.' 'Plaintiff admits that he has not suffered an injury-in-fact resulting from defendants' actions, and the court finds that he lacks standing under any of the exceptions to the rule requiring an injury-in-fact,' Strong wrote. Instead, Kuehn sought to get his foot in the courthouse door arguing that any Nebraskan should be able to challenge ballot measures (even after an election), that he has standing as a taxpayer to prevent the 'illegal expenditure' of public funds and that he should have standing because the laws constitute a 'matter of great publicconcern.' Strong ruled against Kuehn on all three points. More than 71% of Nebraskans approved legalizing medical cannabis, and 67% approved a regulatory system. On the election-related challenge, Strong said Kuehn isn't challenging the legal sufficiency of a ballot measure. Strong ruled over a separate Kuehn case last fall where she upheld the legality of the measures to legalize and regulate medical cannabis after Kuehn, and later top state officials, accused campaign workers of fraud and malfeasance. She rejected those claims. 'It is much too late to stop the secretary of state from putting the medical cannabis initiatives on the ballot,' Strong wrote. Kuehn had targeted Evnen and the trio of ballot sponsors of the 2024 medical cannabis campaign in the earlier case and again added them to this one. Despite being a defendant, Evnen and his state attorneys, including Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, all but embraced Kuehn's arguments and sought to overturn Evnen's placing of the ballot measures on the 2024 ballot just months before. That earlier case, Kuehn v. Evnen et al., heads to the Nebraska Supreme Court this fall on appeals from Kuehn and Evnen. This time around, Kuehn also targeted Gov. Jim Pillen, initially seeking to stop the governor from ceremoniously declaring the ballot measures successful. Strong did not let Kuehn do so, and Pillen certified the new laws, effective Dec. 12. In January, Kuehn added CEO Steve Corsi of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, State Treasurer Tom Briese, Tax Commissioner Jim Kamm and the members of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission that voters overwhelmingly approved creating in November to regulate the medication. Among Kuehn's main contentions in the federal preemption case was that Nebraska shouldn't be able to create a medical cannabis program because of federal law classifying marijuana as a Schedule I drug. A Schedule I drug is one that the federal government says has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical uses. A bipartisan swath of advocates has called for rescheduling the drug for decades. Nearly 40 states, including Nebraska, have laws on the books for medical cannabis. Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, one of the three ballot sponsors targeted in the Kuehn cases, said she appreciated Strong's 'thoughtful decision.' She said the ruling 'should send a clear message to the opposition that they have lost.' Eggers said Strong's dismissal upholds many years of hard work and hints 'that we will finally see the day that we, and all Nebraskans, have fought for.' Daniel Gutman, who represented the ballot sponsors in both Kuehn cases before Strong, said her order was consistent with other dismissals nationwide on procedural and substantive grounds. 'This is yet another failed attempt to undermine the will of Nebraska voters,' Gutman said in a statement. The AG's Office, representing all state defendants except for the Medical Cannabis Commission members, as well as a separate attorney representing the commission, declined to comment on the dismissal. Kuehn's attorneys did not respond to a request for comment. Strong called Kuehn's allegations of 'taxpayer standing' 'remarkably broad,' ranging from allegations that Briese or Kamm would illegally be expending funds by collecting sales taxes on medical cannabis or by issuing guidance or investigating complaints against doctors who recommend cannabis. Medical cannabis would be sales tax exempt under current law. DHHS had not issued guidance or investigated complaints as of earlier this week. Strong did say that Kuehn's 'strongest case' for taxpayer standing is against the commission itself, though Strong she noted none of the members are compensated for their duties and that the voter-approved laws did not give specific funds to the Medical Cannabis Commission. The Legislature set aside an additional $30,000 in spending authority for Liquor Control Commission employees who might take on joint duties with medical cannabis regulations. Strong's ruling noted that the new state budget didn't earmark any specific funding for the Medical Cannabis Commission. Strong said that if 'employee time' was enough for taxpayer standing, it would no longer be an 'exception,' which attorneys for the Medical Cannabis Commission and ballot sponsors had argued. 'It would be the rule anytime a statute requires a government employee to do anything,' Strong wrote. 'That result would be inconsistent with the principle that '[e]xceptions to the rule of standing must be carefully applied in order to prevent the exceptions from swallowing the rule.'' On standing for a 'matter of great public concern,' Strong said it's unclear whether the Nebraska Supreme Court has applied the exception since it was created in 1979. 'If the proliferation of gambling and harm to the state's natural resources are not matters of great public concern, then the court is hard-pressed to say that the legalization and regulation of medical cannabis is,' Strong wrote, citing cases from 2000 and 2015. Strong said it is also relevant that other people could challenge the medical cannabis laws in court, one of which she said 'obviously' is the federal government to enforce the federal Controlled Substances Act. Nebraska commission approves emergency medical cannabis regulations Others could sue, too, such as a landowner near a registered cannabis establishment if property valuation, use or enjoyment is impaired or someone fined by the Medical Cannabis Commission, Strong said. Another party that has voiced intentions to sue if establishment licensing begins by an Oct. 1 deadline, as required under law, is the Nebraska Attorney General's Office. Hilgers and his staff, including in this case, have repeatedly said they plan to sue if licensing begins, part of why his office supported dismissing Kuehn's latest case. Strong said she does not decide in the present lawsuit whether Hilgers and his office would have standing to challenge the medical cannabis laws. 'Nebraska, like other states, has no shortage of citizen-taxpayers with strong political opinions. That is not necessarily a bad thing,' Strong wrote. 'But it would be bad if all those citizens could sue whenever a law requires a government employee to do something.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nebraska AG Sues Temu Over Alleged Consumer Protection Violations
Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers announced Thursday that his office had filed a lawsuit against low-priced e-commerce platform Temu. The complaint alleges a host of consumer protection violations, including misrepresentation of goods, greenwashing, embedding illegal malware into consumers' personal devices and sharing Nebraskans' data with the Chinese Communist Party. More from Sourcing Journal France Moves to Curb 'Ultra-fast' Fashion With Bill Targeting Shein and Temu Federal Appeals Court Grants Trump Temporary Relief on Tariff Ruling Labor Department, Which 'Ridiculed Supporting Worker Rights Abroad,' Responds to ILAB Lawsuit The crux of the complaint is centered around consumers' data. Hilgers alleges in the complaint that Temu has illegally 'siphoned' personal information about Nebraskan consumers, leaving them at risk. Hilgers said Temu's famously low-cost products 'come with a one-two punch to Americans.' 'Temu's app operates as malware; its code is designed to exfiltrate an enormous amount of sensitive information, from access to a user's microphone, pictures and messages, to information sufficient to track their movements,' Hilgers alleged in the complaint. 'This sensitive information that is unlawfully exfiltrated to Temu naturally flows to its powerful patron—the Chinese Communist Party. In the United States's great power competition with China, Temu presents yet another way in which China can extract and exploit information about Americans for its own purposes.' Temu was founded in China and is a subsidiary of PDD Holdings, but its headquarters are now located in Boston. A spokesperson for Temu said the claims made in the complaint are untrue. 'The allegations in the Nebraska Attorney General's lawsuit are without merit and appear to be a rehash of misinformation circulated online, much of it originating from a short-seller. We categorically deny the allegations and will vigorously defend ourselves against them,' the spokesperson told Sourcing Journal via email. This isn't the first time Temu has come under fire for the way it handles consumer data; in June 2024, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin announced that the state had filed a lawsuit against Temu, calling it 'a data-theft business that sells goods online as a means to an end.' Last year, Republican members of Congress asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to pursue further information about Temu and its business practices. Throughout the rest of the complaint, Hilgers goes on to allege that the means by which Temu entices Nebraskan consumers are also unlawful. He alleges that the company uses greenwashing to mislead consumers and that it deceives consumers with its local warehousing business model, leading them to believe that they are purchasing from local businesses. 'Temu misleadingly uses the 'local' tag for products shipped from warehouses located in the United States,' Hilgers contended. 'These products could originate from foreign countries, such as China, but Temu passes them off as local goods because the products are temporarily stored for distribution in the United States.' In this section of the complaint, Hilgers is referring to the fact that Temu has been making a push for what it refers to as 'local warehouses.' These warehouses, located in markets of interest, like the U.S. and the EU, make it possible for the company to get products to consumers' doorsteps faster than sending them directly from China. While it has looked to onboard U.S. sellers, many of the sellers who use these local warehouses are based in China. Hilgers further said that the platform is 'awash in products infringing copyrights and other intellectual property.' In the complaint, the attorney general states that Nebraska believes Temu is in violation of multiple state laws, including its Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act and its Consumer Protection Act. Hilgers asks the judge overseeing the case to enjoin Temu from 'continuing to engage in such unlawful acts and practices' and to award affected Nebraskan consumers compensation. Hilgers said the lawsuit is intended to shield the state's residents from unlawful company conduct. 'Temu is putting Nebraskans' privacy at risk and running a platform rife with deceptive listings, unlawful promotional practices, and products that rip off Nebraska brands and creations,' he said in a statement. 'Our office will hold Temu accountable for its exploitation of Nebraska consumers, brands and creators and fight hard for honesty and safety in the online marketplace.'
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lincoln entrepreneur running for open NU Board of Regents seat in 2026
Brent Comstock of Lincoln is the first announced 2026 candidate for the District 1 seat on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents held by Regent Tim Clare of Lincoln, who says he will not seek a fourth term on the board. (Candidate photo courtesy of Comstock campaign | University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus photo by Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — A Lincoln entrepreneur born and raised in Auburn announced his 2026 candidacy Wednesday for an open seat on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. Brent Comstock, 29, is the CEO of the Lincoln-based marketing firm BCom, which he started a decade ago, after having thought up the idea for the business while he was in school. The District 1 seat Comstock is running for is held by Regent Tim Clare of Lincoln, who told the Lincoln Journal Star in April that he would not seek a fourth six-year term next year. NU Board of Regents District 1 includes the northern half of Lincoln, as well as the surrounding communities of Emerald, Malcolm, Agnew, Raymond and Davey. Comstock said it's important to preserve Clare's legacy of being principled and that he hopes to continue Clare's ability to bring all Nebraskans to the table. 'With the current political climate and the current budget environment, I think the next decade is going to shape how future generations choose to work and live here in the state,' Comstock told the Nebraska Examiner. 'All of that future depends on a strong, forward-thinking university system that brings everyone to the table and recognizes that every Nebraskan is impacted by what happens through the university system.' Comstock said NU is the 'most important public institution in the state,' from Nebraska Extension and 4-H in rural communities to degree programs across NU campuses and world-class research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. 'I think it touches every person in Nebraska,' Comstock said. Comstock, the son of a plumber and a former special education teacher, is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He said he made his own college decision similar to other small town Nebraska kids: on finances, dreams and aspirations. A scholarship made it more economically viable to go to school in North Carolina, Comstock said he returned home and invested in BCom, which partners with start-up companies, a bipartisan group of candidates and other causes or organizations. Comstock's campaign announcement included endorsements from Nebraskans, including Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, community leader and philanthropist Connie Duncan, former State Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg (who ran for the regents in 2022) and former U.S. Sens. Bob Kerrey and Ben Nelson, who both also served Nebraska as governor. In a statement, Gaylor Baird said Comstock 'helped put Lincoln on the map' and has played a key role in shaping Lincoln's 'growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.' He lives and works in the downtown and Haymarket space in Lincoln. 'Brent understands that the success of the university and the success of Lincoln are deeply connected. He brings people together — across politics, industries and generations — to focus on what really matters: education, opportunity and progress,' Gaylor Baird said. 'He's exactly the kind of regent we need right now.' Jeff Raikes, the former Microsoft executive and Nebraska native who co-founded the Raikes Foundation, also endorsed Comstock. The Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is named after Raikes, the former CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Raikes said in a statement that Comstock understands that NU 'is not only a world-class institution, but also a vital economic engine for our state.' 'His ability to work across sectors and across the aisle makes him exactly the kind of regent we need to lead with vision, integrity and purpose,' Raikes said. Clare ran unopposed in 2014 and 2020 and won in 2008 with 58% of the vote. New district boundaries took effect in 2021 and match those of the State Board of Education District 1, which in November elected newcomer Kristin Christensen. Races for the education boards are officially nonpartisan, and Comstock is a registered nonpartisan, while Clare is a registered Republican and Christensen is a registered Democrat. Christensen won with 58% of the vote in a highly watched election in November, succeeding former State Board of Education member Patsy Koch Johns, a Democrat first elected in 2016. Comstock said that while he would bring a 'fresh perspective,' he also brings a decade of leadership in building a company in the Cornhusker State. 'I told people, if I were ever to seek elected office, I would want it to be in a place that we can make impact that touches as many people as possible,' Comstock said. 'I think that this is the moment to do that.' The top two vote-getters in May 2026 will advance to the November 2026 election. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
