Nebraska
Nebraska Medicine researchers making strides in Alzheimer’s treament
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Nebraska Medicine and UNMC have been leaders in health and research for decades, and now, the institution is touting its accomplishments when it comes to reducing and reversing the effects and severity of Alzheimer’s.
Inside the walls of the Durham Research Center on UNMC’s campus, research is being done and breakthroughs are being made that could eventually change the lives of millions.
“I think if one has to look at all medical science, medical research, medical investigations, medical therapeutics and pick one that they would like to have a major impact on, it would be neurodegenerative diseases,” said Dr. Howard Gendelman, a UNMC professor of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine.
Dr. Gendelman has dedicated more than two decades to neurodegenerative research, namely, Alzheimer’s.
“So why Alzheimer’s? Alzheimer’s disease is not simply a disease that affects a single person. It affects a family and it affects a community,” Dr. Gendelman said.
The research started with a simple thought: When you scrape your elbow, your immune system responds with redness, swelling, and some pain. After that, your body starts to make repairs to the affected area.
“We reasoned, why can’t we take this simple repair mechanism that is operative on a day-to-day basis in millions of people and look at ways we can harness that to repair the brain in the face of neurodegenerative disease?” said Dr. Gendelman.
So, that’s exactly what the doctor and his team started working towards.
But there were two major obstacles.
The first was simply identifying, isolating, and studying which cells are involved in repairing injuries, like that scraped elbow. After identifying the cells, the next obstacle was figuring out how to get them to respond specifically to the brain.
They found the answer in genetic engineering. Simply put, they’re training the cells to learn a new function, like teaching a dog a new trick.
“We were able to change the repertoire of these immunological cells,” Dr. Gendelman said. “We’re able to get these cells into the area of the brain, have them grow in that area of the brain and ultimately repair the damage that has occurred and improve cognitive function and improve the neurological manifestations of the disease and clear the cause, these plaques that form as Alzheimer’s evolves over time.”
This process is what sets UNMC’s research apart from other Alzheimer’s research and therapies, Gendelman says.
The cellular therapy was then tested, and it did what they hoped and hypothesized that it would do. Dr. Gendelman and his team tested it on mice with the disease and reported that infected mice saw improvements in cognitive function, like learning and memory.
Now, Gendelman says they have the tools, research, and resources to test the therapy in humans, but need to wait for approval from overarching health organizations like NIH and FDA.
It will take time, but they hope to begin human testing in the next two to three years.
“Our biggest reflection of why we do what we do is to say that we’ve made a difference, we’ve made this world better than before we were here before we were involved,” Dr. Gendelman said.
Copyright 2024 WOWT. All rights reserved.
Nebraska
Mental health by the numbers in Nebraska
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – A deeper look tonight as First Alert 6 continues to dig deeper into the state of mental health care in Nebraska and possible solutions, ever since last week’s two instances involving law enforcement.
A Douglas County sheriff’s deputy was shot responding to a domestic call. Investigators said the suspect, Brian Huggins, had a history of behavioral health issues. Huggins died by suicide.
And then Noemi Guzman, who police say kidnapped a 3-year-old from inside an Omaha Walmart and cut him in the arm and face with a stolen kitchen knife. Omaha police officers shot and killed her before she could strike again.
Guzman had been on a court-ordered mental health treatment plan since last summer for her schizophrenia. According to court records, psychiatrists determined she could live in the community. Remember, this was after she was arrested for setting her father’s house on fire and threatening a priest with a knife.
Monitoring system
We wanted to know who is part of the system monitoring those who may not be following their mental health treatment plan and are a risk to others or themselves. When that happens, the Board of Mental Health will often notify the local sheriff so a warrant can be issued and deputies can track the individual down.
Here are the numbers since 2023:
In 2023, 842 warrants were issued for those not following their treatment plans according to the Board of Mental Health. In 2024, 756. In 2025, 690. So far in 2026, 190.
But out of these 2,500 warrants, 85% of them didn’t have a second warrant, meaning deputies picked them up, got them back into treatment and the individuals continued to thrive after the one hiccup.
But in 15% of these cases, the individuals messed up again and had another warrant issued by the Board of Mental Health. Twenty-five individuals had five or more issued in Douglas County.
Sheriff Hanson said there has to be a better way, a more team approach for this.
One model to explore is the way Nebraska’s problem-solving courts work like drug court and veterans’ treatment court where experts from a variety of stakeholders help individuals who are on the fringes to do everything to make them productive citizens.
Copyright 2026 WOWT. All rights reserved.
Nebraska
‘Nothing can hold me back’: Nebraska teen scores on first play after open heart surgery
(InvestigateTV) — Sometimes sports are about more than the final score.
For Jack Burke, a high school football player in Nebraska, a medical diagnosis at birth has never stopped him from competing — and a touchdown catch in his first play back from open heart surgery proved it.
Born with a rare heart defect
Burke was born with Scimitar syndrome, a rare heart defect in which babies are born with an underdeveloped right lung and pulmonary artery. The condition also affects blood flow to the right lung. Treatment often includes surgery, and many adults with the condition go on to live healthy lives.
“As a kid, I never really understood,” Burke said. “It was always natural for me that I had to push myself harder to keep up.”
His mother, Bridget Burke, says the condition was not initially considered dangerous for sports participation.
“His Scimitar Syndrome never really came into play as being dangerous for him to play sports,” she said.
The decision to operate
That changed in the spring of 2025, when Burke’s family and doctors decided it was time for a surgery that had been anticipated for years.
“I’ve kind of known I’ve had to get surgery my whole life,” Burke said. “Once I knew I could get the surgery sooner, I was all in. I wanted to get it so I could get back to sports.”
His father, Ryan Burke, says the timing was deliberate.
“This will be done before school gets started, and still have a chance to do almost everything you want to do,” Ryan Burke said.
Jack Burke underwent open-heart surgery, leaving a visible reminder of what he went through.
“There’s a six-inch scar in the middle of his chest that represents a pretty big thing that happened,” Ryan Burke said.
For Bridget Burke, the moment her son was taken to the operating room was difficult.
“When the rubber hits the road and your kid is being wheeled back to the OR, it is scary and emotional,” she said.
The comeback
Burke eased back into football following his cardiologist’s recommended recovery timeline. His return came in week three of the season.
“Before the Schuyler game I talked to his dad and he’s like, ‘I think we might be ready,’” said coach Jay Landstrom.
Bridget Burke says the family approached the return with caution.
“I mean, I was nervous. We didn’t really know how much he would play. It was going to be some cautious situations,” she said.
Those concerns were set aside — at least for a moment — when Burke caught a touchdown pass on his very first play back.
“All the parents were high-fiving everybody and they were like, ‘Was that really Jack?’” Bridget Burke said.
Landstrom called it a special moment.
“It was just meant to be and that was really special,” he said.
For Burke, the touchdown meant something beyond the scoreboard.
“I just remember one of my teammates came up to me and said, ‘He’s back. He’s back,’” Burke said. “It kind of shows something that tried to stop me — I hurdled that obstacle.”
Burke says the surgery has given him a new sense of freedom.
“Now I can do whatever I want. Nothing can hold me back,” he said.
Copyright 2026 Gray Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Nebraska
Nebraska Lottery results: See winning numbers for Pick 3, Pick 5 on April 19, 2026
The results are in for the Nebraska Lottery’s draw games on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on April 19.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 19 drawing
4-3-3
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from April 19 drawing
14-19-24-30-34
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning 2 By 2 numbers from April 19 drawing
Red Balls: 01-02, White Balls: 09-26
Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning MyDay numbers from April 19 drawing
Month: 08, Day: 16, Year: 61
Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 19 drawing
32-42-52-53-55, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Nebraska Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, 5: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
- Lucky For Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- 2 By 2: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
- MyDaY: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
-
Culture4 minutes agoBook Review: ‘Permanence,’ by Sophie Mackintosh
-
Lifestyle10 minutes agoHow ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Red Carpet Looks Came Together
-
Technology22 minutes agoThe Vergecast Vergecast, 2026 edition
-
World28 minutes agoMexico pyramid shooter who took hostages and killed 1 is identified
-
Politics34 minutes agoByron Donalds cracks down on persistent border blind spot leaving US vulnerable to overstays
-
Health40 minutes agoHealthy diets spark lung cancer risk in non-smokers as pesticides loom
-
Sports46 minutes agoPGA Tour signals new era with axing of Hawaii events from schedule
-
Technology52 minutes agoAlexa+ lets you order food like a real conversation