Midwest
Nebraska lawmakers propose tax-funded school choice bill
Nebraska lawmakers are on track to pass a bill that would circumvent an upcoming ballot initiative in which voters could repeal a new state law that funds private school tuition with taxpayer money.
The bill from Omaha Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, the author of last year’s Opportunity Scholarships Act, advanced late Wednesday to a final round of debate, just a day after advancing from the first round of debate. It would change the way the private school scholarships, enacted last year, are funded.
The law passed last year by Nebraska’s officially nonpartisan Legislature did not appropriate taxpayer dollars directly to private school tuition. Instead, it allowed businesses and individuals to donate as much as $100,000 per year of their owed state income tax to nonprofit organizations that award private school tuition scholarships. Estates and trusts could donate as much as $1 million a year. That dollar-for-dollar tax credit is money that would otherwise go into the state’s general revenue fund.
NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE REJECTS TRUMP-APPROVED ‘WINNER-TAKE-ALL’ ELECTORAL SYSTEM BILL
The law triggered an immediate pushback from public school advocates who blasted the measure as a “school voucher scheme” that would hurt enrollment, and therefore funding, for public schools and would allow taxpayer dollars to go to private schools that are allowed under religious tenets to discriminate against LGBTQ+ students.
Those critics organized a petition drive to ask voters to repeal the law, and the drive collected far more signatures than needed to get the question on the November ballot.
Acknowledging that voters might reject the new law, Linehan, a Republican, is now pushing a bill that would directly fund the private school scholarships from state coffers, thereby rendering moot any vote on a repeal of last year’s law. The move drew renewed protests from opponents.
John Heineman delivers a box of petition signatures from Support Our Schools Nebraska to the Nebraska Secretary of State, Aug. 30, 2023, in Lincoln, Nebraska. Nebraska lawmakers are on track to pass a bill that would circumvent Nebraska voters who could repeal a new law that funds private school tuition with taxpayer money. (Justin Wan/Lincoln Journal Star via AP, File)
Jenni Benson, president of the state’s largest teachers union and a leader of the petition initiative, called Linehan’s new bill “a slap in the face to the 117,415 Nebraskans who signed the successful referendum petition to have voters decide the issue on the November ballot.”
Some lawmakers said Linehan’s new bill violates the Nebraska Constitution, which explicitly forbids the appropriation of public funds to nonpublic schools. Linehan countered that direct funding is allowed under a 1984 Nebraska Supreme Court ruling that allowed state funds to be used for scholarships at either public or private colleges.
“The voters deserve an opportunity to be heard on this,” Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh, a Democrat, said Tuesday during debate. “I disagree with the idea that we’re going to interject ourselves between the petition process and the voters before they have their opportunity to be heard.”
Wednesday night’s debate went much the way Tuesday’s had, with proponents of the bill saying their intent was to give students whose parents might not otherwise be able to afford it a choice to go to a private school if their public school is failing them. Opponents maintained that voters should get the right to decide if they want public dollars to be reserved for public schools.
“Let’s not do tricks to try to repeal bills once a referendum comes through,” said Sen. Wendy DeBoer, a Democrat, said Wednesday night. “Let’s let the people of Nebraska decide.”
Linehan’s effort to rejigger the bill has not been without struggle. She drastically lowered the amount allocated in last year’s measure using tax credits, which had allotted $25 million this year and in 2025, and up to $100 million annually thereafter to cover such donations. She dropped that amount to $10 million a year, with no escalation in the future, in an effort to secure more votes.
She got just enough votes to end a filibuster and advance the bill both Tuesday and Wednesday. It is likely to get enough votes to get through a final round of debate and pass before the end of the session’s last day on April 18.
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Detroit, MI
Terrion Arnold ‘maintains complete innocence’ in kidnapping, theft case
I represent Mr. Terrion Arnold in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred on February 4, 2026, in Tampa, Florida, which resulted in the arrest of five individuals on serious felony charges.
To be clear, Mr. Arnold had no involvement whatsoever in the activities that led to those arrests. He did not participate in, nor was he present for, any conduct related to the alleged offenses. There is no evidence in police reports, text messages, or witness statements that implicates Mr. Arnold in any way.
In fact, after direct communication with the lead prosecutor, it has been confirmed that no charges have been filed against Mr. Arnold in connection with this matter.
Recent media coverage has referenced an Order issued by Circuit Judge J. Logan Murphy, which improperly suggests Mr. Arnold’s involvement in the incident. That same Order also incorrectly identifies Ms. Devalle as Mr. Arnold’s girlfriend. Both assertions are false, misleading, and entirely unsupported by the record.
Mr. Arnold categorically denies these unfounded claims and maintains his complete innocence. He was not involved in the crimes allegedly committed on February 4, 2026, in Tampa, Florida.
We strongly urge members of the media to refrain from perpetuating inaccurate or speculative narratives. The facts are clear, and they do not support any claim of wrongdoing by Mr. Arnold.
Milwaukee, WI
Sheriff’s Office backpedals on controversial facial recognition deal
Drone view shows Milwaukee’s County Courthouse
Built in 1931, Milwaukee’s historic County Courthouse is in dire need of repair and upgrades. Here’s a recent drone view of the MacArthur Square building.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office will not move forward on a potential deal to use facial recognition technology, Sheriff Denita Ball announced Friday.
In a statement on Feb. 27, Ball said after “thoughtful evaluation” and “meaningful dialogue” with community stakeholders and leaders, she decided to stop pursuing a contract with Biometrica, a Las Vegas-based company whose technology allows authorities to compare photos to a large database of photos for matches.
“While we recognize the potential of this software as an investigative tool, we also recognize that trust between the MCSO and the people we serve is important,” she said.
“My discussions with local advocates highlighted valid concerns regarding how such data could be accessed or perceived in the current national climate. This decision is not a retreat from innovation but rather an understanding that timing matters, too,” Ball said.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on Feb. 17 that the Sheriff’s Office was on the verge of signing off on the use of facial recognition technology after news broke at a community advisory board meeting held by the office.
The update on the office’s sign-off on an intent to enter into a contract with Biometrica blindsided local officials and advocates because it contradicted earlier claims that the office had not moved forward with a controversial contract.
At the time, supervisors on the county’s judiciary and legislation committee called for more information from the Sheriff’s Office about the nature of the then-potential contract.
Supervisor Justin Bielinski, who chairs the committee, said Ball’s decision to step away from the deal was good news, but said he was still feeling wary.
“I would like to see more I guess,” he said of the two paragraph statement from Ball. “At what point would she reconsider, right?”
County Executive David Crowley, who is running for governor as a Democrat, had also voiced concerns about a possible contract when news came to light earlier this month.
After learning of Ball’s decision to not move forward with Biometrica, Crowley thanked community members who voiced concerns about facial recognition technology, saying he will “continue doing everything in my authority to ensure our residents’ First Amendment rights, civil liberties, and personal data are protected.”
In recent months, Milwaukee politicians and residents rebuffed local law enforcement’s efforts to pursue the use of such technology at both the city and county levels, with many citing concerns over racial bias and unjust surveillance of residents.
The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors voted last summer to recommend the development of a policy framework for the use of facial recognition technology as worries about its use by local law enforcement grew in the community.
The policy emphasized that the use of such technology doesn’t “suppress First Amendment-related activities, violate privacy, or otherwise adversely impact individuals’ civil rights and liberties,” and called for a pause on acquiring new facial recognition technology until regulatory policies were in place to monitor any existing and new surveillance technology.
In early February, the Milwaukee Police Department paused its pursuit of facial recognition technology after almost a year of pushback from activists and some public officials at public meetings. The department also noted that community feedback was a part of its final decision as well as a volatile political climate amid the federal government’s immigration crackdown.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
Minneapolis, MN
Fan behind Anthony Edwards’ orange bracelet has beaten cancer
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The story behind Anthony Edwards wearing a bright orange bracelet since last season has received a positive development, after Timberwolves fans learned Luca Wright has beaten leukemia.
Anthony Edwards, Luca Wright connection
What we know:
Last January, the 6-year-old Minnesotan met “Ant” for the first time following a game against the Detroit Pistons, proclaiming him to be his favorite player, and asking him to wear a bracelet that symbolizes leukemia awareness, resilience and support for those affected. During the interaction, the fan had created a sign with a to-do list: “1. Beat Cancer. 2. Be The Next MJ.”
Leukemia is a type of cancer that spreads throughout the bloodstream, infecting bone marrow and a person’s lymphatic system by rapid production of abnormal white blood cells that can’t fight infection.
Since then, the Wolves’ MVP has worn a bracelet that proclaims, “Love Like Luca” on it for every game he has played, vowing to wear it “until he hangs up his sneakers.”
Ant has gone on to explain how the gesture connected with him given that he lost both his mother, Yvette, and grandmother, Shirley, to cancer when he was 14 years old. The No. 5 jersey he wears currently is a tribute to them both.
Luca bracelet latest
Dig deeper:
More than a year later, Wolves fans have received the update they hoped for – now 7-year-old Luca has beaten his cancer.
What’s next:
Ant has since responded to the news with his own social media video, calling it “God’s gift” and saying, “Let’s do this Luca.”
No word yet on whether he intends to keep wearing the bracelet, though he’s previously said he has a stash of replacements near the team bench should one ever be broken.
The Source: Information provided by the Minnesota Timberwolves public relations department.
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