AGP Executive Report

School Choice & Free Speech: A new lawsuit says Nebraska’s K–12 funding rules force families into public schools that deliver messaging they say conflicts with their values, with threats of penalties for parents who can’t afford private options. AI Data Centers: In rural eastern Nebraska, a rare cross-party coalition is pushing back on fast-moving data center development over farmland, water, and electricity costs. Immigration Tuition Fight: The Trump administration sued Arizona (and earlier, other states) over voter-approved in-state tuition and aid for students without lawful immigration status, arguing it violates federal law. Nebraska Sports Participation: High school football is down sharply statewide, with fewer athletes and fewer 11-man teams blamed on shifting interests and “pay-for-play” club options. Local Culture & Learning: The Nebraska State Fair’s Birthing Pavilion returns with hands-on livestock birth experiences, plus Game & Parks highlights major conservation milestones. Community & Housing: Habitat for Humanity in Yankton won a First National Bank of Omaha grant to support student-built CTE housing and neighborhood repairs. Arts Spotlight: Logan Lynn’s documentary The Pain and The Power screens Sept. 11 at Tin Pan Theater in Bend, blending queerness, faith, addiction, and rebuilding.

Nebraska State Fair Culture: Grand Island’s Nebraska State Fair is spotlighting farm life in a new way with its Birthing Pavilion, where visitors can watch veterinarians care for animals and witness births from ducks and chickens to sheep, goats, pigs, and beef/dairy calves. Immigration & Education Policy: The U.S. Justice Department has sued Arizona over its voter-approved in-state tuition and aid law for students without lawful immigration status, arguing it violates federal law and puts noncitizens ahead of U.S. citizens. Early Childhood Promise: A Nebraska education leader is urging families to keep enrolling in Head Start and Early Head Start across the panhandle, saying proposed federal performance standard changes won’t close the doors. Community Care Planning: SDSU Extension is hosting a free Sept. 1 webinar on preparing for caregiving and end-of-life decisions, with a program built to help communities organize legal and personal planning. Local Outdoors & Heritage: A renovated Wire Pasture access point at Lumber River State Park in Maxton opens with a visitor center and exhibits tied to the region’s tribes and cultural history. Arts & Identity on Screen: Logan Lynn’s documentary “The Pain and The Power” is set for a Sept. 11 screening at Tin Pan Theater in Bend, tracing a life shaped by queerness, faith, addiction, and rebuilding.

End-of-Life Planning: SDSU Extension is hosting a free Sept. 1 Zoom webinar on “Organize This!” to help Nebraskans and North Dakotans prepare for future caregiving and legal/medical decision-making, with registration required. Affordable Housing + Career Skills: Habitat for Humanity of Clay & Yankton Counties won a $15,000 First National Bank of Omaha Impact Grant to speed up a Yankton student-built CTE house and fund early home repairs tied to neighborhood revitalization. State Fair Spotlight: Nebraska Game and Parks is bringing big milestones to the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island, including a retrospective exhibit marking 125 years of Conservation Officers and 100 years of NebraskaLand Magazine. Local Governance: Central Platte NRD will hold a Sept. 3 public hearing on its property tax request and levy, with the 2026/27 budget set at about $26.28B. Community + Culture: A new Wire Pasture access point on the Lumber River in Maxton, NC, opens with a visitor center and exhibits celebrating local tribal and cultural history. Education Watch: Nebraska’s UNL/UNO higher-ed community continues reacting to rising costs and tuition pressures as schools plan for the new year.

Immigration & Education: The U.S. Department of Justice sued Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington over in-state tuition and aid for illegal immigrants, arguing it violates federal law and puts noncitizens ahead of citizens. Tech & Kids: Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford announced a landmark $17.1B multistate Meta settlement tied to new safety rules for Instagram and Facebook, with money aimed at protecting children. Nebraska Culture & Outdoors: The Nebraska Game and Parks State Fair exhibit is celebrating big milestones, including 125 years of Conservation Officers and 100 years of NebraskaLand Magazine. Local Government & Water: Central Platte NRD will hold a Sept. 3 public hearing to set its property tax request and levy, with budget details and committee updates on conservation and water quality. Community & Learning: North Platte Public Schools discussed a planned greenhouse and multiuse ag facility for hands-on student learning, with FFA fundraising and grant efforts underway. Higher Ed Watch: The University of Nebraska System’s State of the University address is set for Sept. 3, with President Jeffrey Gold outlining progress and challenges. Lifestyle: A new survey ranks the most “grill master” states and dishes, while Nebraska students share favorite study spots around campus.

Immigration & Higher Ed: The U.S. Department of Justice sued Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington over in-state tuition and aid for immigrants without legal status, arguing it violates federal law and undercuts U.S. citizens. Public Health: The FDA upgraded its cyclospora lettuce warning to the highest risk level and added Georgia, Tennessee and Texas, bringing the outbreak-linked states to 20. Tech & Jobs: Data center growth is colliding with a labor shortage, pushing operators to widen hiring and train new workers for engineering roles. Agriculture & Energy: Propane Education and Research Council returned to Husker Harvest Days with live irrigation demos aimed at helping farmers cut energy costs. Community & Culture: Lincoln’s Checkerfest returns as a one-night celebration of local bands at Royal Grove. Campus Life (UNL): UNL spotlighted its colleges and deans, while students shared spooky “Haunted Huskers” lore tied to campus buildings. Sports Business: A new sports sponsorship push shows how brand loyalty can shift when companies attach themselves to rival fan bases. Digital Safety: Rhode Island stands to receive up to $64.5M from a Meta settlement tied to teen social media addiction, with new limits and protections for younger users.

Nebraska Education & Civic Life: A Wisner-Pilger High School teacher, Kasey Alexander, was commissioned as an Admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska, honoring her work as an educator and speech coach. Local Culture & Learning: UNL swine Extension specialist Benny Mote was inducted into the Nebraska Pork Producers Association Hall of Fame for research and producer-focused training. Arts & Community: Hastings’ Heartbeat Creative District is hosting an online open house to meet artists leading a downtown crosswalk painting project, funded through Nebraska Arts Council and Nebraska Cultural Endowment grants. Business & Student Success: UNO alum Kate Denman is preparing for Creighton law school after switching paths through criminology and criminal justice, while UNL’s Nebraska Business Honors Academy selected 41 incoming first-years for hands-on, action-based learning. Sports & Campus Life: K-State soccer hosts Nebraska in a key matchup as the Wildcats start 4-0, and Nebraska’s own athletics scene keeps drawing attention. Politics & Policy Watch: Nebraska AG Mike Hilgers co-led a coalition targeting the “Big Four” accounting firms over climate-related disclosure pressure, while DOJ lawsuits challenge in-state tuition rules for immigrants without legal status in multiple states. Immigration & Legal News: A second Des Moines priest sued Homeland Security over delays in work authorization, and ICE-related cases continue to surface in the region.

Child Safety & Tech Accountability: Meta agreed to pay states—including Nebraska—for a landmark teen social media addiction case, with major child-safety changes coming to Facebook and Instagram. Local Education & Early Literacy: The Nebraska Children and Families Foundation landed a nearly $10M federal grant to expand Nebraska Growing Readers and strengthen early reading for preschool-age kids. Community Leadership: Seven Nemaha County residents completed the Leadership Class 12 program, with a Giving Day focus highlighting local connections and nonprofit needs. Ag Careers for Students: Husker Harvest Days is adding a College and Career Crawl that helps FFA members network with colleges and ag industry employers. Renewable Energy in Rural Nebraska: Ground was broken south of Broken Bow on a renewable natural gas project turning feedlot manure into energy and fertilizer. Health & Caregiving: Nebraska’s Ameritas Emerging Leaders Academy selected 21 UNL students for a paid, strengths-based leadership program tied to real insurance challenges. Arts & Music: Lincoln teacher Mike Robb won the Golden Apple Award from 10/11 and Doane University, recognized for decades of choir impact. Culture & Community: Cowboy poetry performer Andy Hedges brought ranching-rooted storytelling to McCook, keeping the tradition “heard” across Nebraska.

Foreign Money Watch: A watchdog group is pushing Nebraska and other leaders to scrutinize foreign-linked donations flowing into U.S. nonprofits, urging lawmakers to tighten rules around indirect political influence. Omaha Pride Pop Culture: Amber Ruffin announced her engagement to partner Kelsi Cleary-Hammarstedt, sharing a proposal story that started in Omaha and turned into a full-on celebration. Meta Child-Safety Fallout: Attorneys general say Meta will pay $17.1B and roll out major Instagram/Facebook child-safety upgrades, with Nebraska-area families likely to feel the ripple effects as defaults and limits change. Nebraska Education & Access: UNL’s Nebraska Business Honors Academy welcomed 40 first-year students, while Edgerton Explorit Center launched “Trades on the Move,” offering free hands-on trade science labs for grades 3–8. Local Community Life: South Omaha’s mural project is spotlighting immigrant neighborhood history, and Auburn’s Honeybee Festival returns Sept. 12 with pollinator education and family events. Health & Environment: Nebraska Extension shared practical ways to protect pollinators when using pesticides, focusing on timing, product choice, and safer application practices. Agriculture Innovation: Lawrence-Nelson FFA received a Soil Health Fund grant to expand a pollinator garden, and Christensen Farms is leaning into regenerative agriculture and crop diversity.

Education & Tech: OpenAI is expanding its ChatGPT for Teachers partnership with Kamehameha Schools, aiming to give educators secure, school-managed AI access plus training—no student accounts included. Food Access: North Omaha residents say grocery closures have deepened the area’s food desert reality, as a new nonprofit grocery store from Heart Ministry Center is planned near 25th and Lake for early 2028. Public Safety & Schools: Omaha-area outrage continues over electric-shock gloves used on students; police in Omaha Public Schools have largely stopped carrying them, while Bellevue officers still have them for two OPS schools. Community & Culture: Creative Districts of Nebraska’s 2026 poster series is ready to buy, spotlighting Alliance and other districts through local artists. Health: The FDA approved a new blood test for colorectal cancer screening, but Nebraska doctors stress it’s less effective than colonoscopies. Sports & Local Pride: Nebraska Business Honors Academy selected 41 incoming first-year students for its hands-on, leadership-focused program. Arts & Learning: UNO and MCC marked one year of their Momentum partnership, designed to smooth transfer paths and keep students on track. Crime & Justice: Polygamous sect leader Samuel Bateman received an additional 24 years in prison in Arizona for child abuse tied to an unventilated trailer.

Nebraska Tax Snapshot: Nebraska collected $688.4M from selective sales and gross receipts taxes in 2024—up from $652.8M the year before—according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s State Government Tax Collections survey. Capitol Culture: Lincoln’s beloved “Capitol Cat” Cameron could soon get a permanent bronze statue outside the Nebraska State Capitol, after a decade of greeting lawmakers and staff. Education Honors: Hall County is opening nominations for the 2026 Kim West Dinsdale Excellence in Teaching Award (Sept. 1–Oct. 2). Campus & Workforce: UNO and MCC marked one year of their Momentum partnership to smooth transfer paths, while UNK named new endowed faculty positions and launched more training pipelines. Healthcare Innovation: UNO is creating the Nebraska Center for 3D Innovation (NE3D) with an $8M NSF grant to advance 3D-printed prosthetics and patient-specific care. Community & Safety: Lincoln hosts an Overdose Awareness and Remembrance event with Narcan training, and Westside school families continue pushing back against electric shock gloves used by school resource officers. Local Trees: North Platte held a Tree City USA ceremony, highlighting urban forestry grants and emerald ash borer risks.

Affordable Housing: Omaha officials announced four affordable housing projects tied to a $40 million Urban Core Housing Fund, including renovations to the long-closed City View apartments, aiming to create hundreds of units. Public Health & Food Access: A new UNMC study links Nebraska’s helmet law repeal to more severe brain injuries, while separate reporting highlights how rising food prices are leaving many older Americans struggling to eat on fixed incomes. Cancer Care in Rural Nebraska: Nebraska Cancer Specialists Hope Foundation is offering free screenings and health education at Husker Harvest Days, including skin checks and blood pressure checks. Education & College Pathways: EducationQuest awarded $187,500 in grants to 24 Nebraska high schools to boost college access, and Northeast Community College earned an ACCT Western Region Impact and Success Award for improving outcomes for underserved students. Community & Culture: Omaha’s Little Italy is seeing a resurgence as Italian families return to the neighborhood’s traditions, and the Paul A. Olson Great Plains Lecture series spotlights Black history and art across the Plains. Civic Life: Nebraska’s “Respect Nebraska Voters” ballot measure faces review over whether it’s too broad for the November ballot. Sports & Entertainment: UNL’s Cedar Point Biological Station story spotlights hands-on learning, while Miss USA 2026 details and a new UK/Europe tour announcement add more lifestyle buzz.

Affordable Housing: Omaha leaders announced four affordable housing projects, including a renovation of the vacant City View apartments, aiming to create or update 466 homes with $40 million in Urban Core Housing Fund support. Elections & Voting Rules: Nebraska’s Secretary of State will decide whether the “Respect Nebraska Voters” ballot measure is too broad for November, after a single-subject challenge. Education & School Choice: As classes return, President Trump and U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon promoted a federal private school voucher plan launching in early 2027, with at least 30 states opting in. Child Care Policy: A new Nebraska coalition, Child Care Can, launched with a single focus on childcare policy, built around families trying to solve the “wonky” childcare puzzle. College Access: EducationQuest awarded college access grants to 24 Nebraska high schools, including North Platte High School, to boost college-going experiences. Public Safety in Schools: Nebraska is part of a wider backlash over electric-shock gloves used by police on students, with districts pushing for bans. Tech & Consumer Protection: Nebraska AG’s office reached a settlement with Resideo and ADI to stop selling certain Chinese-made surveillance products and pay $400,000. Faith & Community: Catholic conversions on college campuses are rising, with Nebraska listed among schools seeing strong growth in adult conversion programs.

Electric-Shock Gloves Backlash: Omaha Public Schools asked police to stop using electric-shock gloves on students, and the Omaha Police Department agreed after reports tied the devices to ICE plans—sparking parent and student outrage, especially after at least two past uses including one involving a student in special education. Immigration & Deportation: Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon (R) criticized the Trump administration’s deportation approach, pointing to an Omaha woman facing removal despite no criminal record, while her case highlights how federal enforcement can collide with local ties. Nebraska Politics: The Nebraska Democratic Central Committee voted not to fill a Senate vacancy, keeping the party’s strategy clear for nonpartisan candidate Dan Osborn. Community & Culture: Nebraska Black Pride wraps with a weekend celebration centered on Black LGBTQ+ voices, plus a separate “Black Opulence Ball” and Family BBQ in North Omaha. Arts & Entertainment: UNL’s student-run Theatrix is pushing past the final bow with multiple student productions, while HBO’s “Lanterns” keeps drawing attention for its Nebraska-set mystery. Local Learning & Careers: UNL’s Seed Industry Scholars program connects Huskers with seed-science career pathways as the industry faces retirements.

Catholic Campus Life: New Hallow data says Catholic prayer apps are seeing OCIA participation jump 115% from 2024-25 to 2025-26, with big gains even at non-Catholic schools like UNL and Harvard. Immigrant Community Spotlight: Omaha’s Afghan-American Integration Day drew families and volunteers to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, with Afghan flags, food, and connections for newcomers. Local Education & Safety: Omaha Public Schools asked police to stop using electric-shock gloves on students; Omaha police agreed after reported use in two school cases, while nearby Bellevue reportedly plans to keep using them. Nebraska Immigration Fallout: UNO aviation grad Mariana Juarez says her commercial pilot path is blocked by immigration legal problems, despite intervention from Rep. Don Bacon, and she plans to return to Mexico in September. Health Policy Watch: Oregon’s Medicaid overhaul could require work, school, or volunteering for up to 600,000 people—an eligibility puzzle many may not see coming. Community & Culture: Nebraska Black Pride returns with a voguing “Black Opulence Ball” featuring Amber Ruffin and a free Family BBQ. Arts & Entertainment: HBO’s Lanterns heads into Episode 2 tonight with “Trust Fall,” as the DC mystery deepens.

School Safety Backlash: Omaha Public Schools asked police to stop using electric-shock gloves on students, and Omaha police agreed—after reports of two uses in the 2025-26 school year, including on a special education student—sparking parents and students to demand safer options. Immigration Politics: Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican, criticized the Trump administration’s deportation push as “overreach,” citing cases he says lack “common sense and humanity.” Black Pride Weekend: Nebraska Black Pride returns with a voguing “Black Opulence Ball” tonight featuring Amber Ruffin, plus a free Family BBQ Sunday in North Omaha. Culture on Screen: HBO’s “Lanterns” is back with Episode 2 (“Trust Fall”) airing Sunday night, as the series leans deeper into its mystery. Local History & Community: North Platte unveiled a new America 250 memorial marker honoring Revolutionary War soldiers, with the DAR calling it a year-round mission of education and preservation. Education & Health: UNMC welcomed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who praised Nebraska’s nutrition and rural health initiatives.

School Safety Backlash: Omaha Public Schools asked police to stop using electric shock gloves on students, and Omaha police agreed after parents and officials raised alarms about the devices being used in schools, including in a special education setting. Immigration Politics: Nebraska GOP Rep. Don Bacon criticized the Trump administration’s deportation approach as “overreached,” pointing to an Omaha woman scheduled for removal despite having no criminal record. Community & Pride: Nebraska Black Pride continues with events like the “Black Opulence Ball” featuring voguing hosted by Amber Ruffin, plus a free Family BBQ for Black LGBTQ+ folks and allies. Local History: North Platte unveiled a new Revolutionary War memorial marker as part of the America 250 initiative. Arts & Entertainment: HBO’s superhero series “Lanterns” is drawing strong early viewership, with coverage highlighting its DC-universe twist and standout performances. Education & Health: UNMC and Nebraska leaders welcomed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., spotlighting nutrition, rural health, and health security work. Sports & Campus Life: S-E-M volleyball looks ahead to another high-expectations season, while UNK honored faculty for teaching, service, and scholarship.