Nebraska

Audit reveals $12.8 million in improper child care billings to Nebraska DHHS

Published

2 years ago

July 9, 2024

Audit reveals .8 million in improper child care billings to Nebraska DHHS

LINCOLN, Neb. — A state audit released Tuesday alleges that the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services paid millions of dollars in improper billings.

State Auditor Mike Foley investigated the spending records of the department’s child care subsidy program.

Over nine months from late 2023 to early 2024, the program paid out $93 million to child care providers.

The discrepancies and potential fraud add up to $12.8 million of those costs.

SEE ALSO: Nebraska auditor finds up to $1.5 million in ‘flagrant abuses’ in DHHS program

Foley said taxpayers are being billed for services that were never provided.

For example, the audit says child care centers billed for 210 children on Thanksgiving Day in 2023, when they weren’t open.

“When you claim that you cared for a child, and the child is in school on a federal holiday, and the taxpayers is going to have to pay for this, that’s not fair for the taxpayers,” he said.

Foley said the heart of the problem is that day care providers can submit their billing electronically, and the system issues a payment with little to no human oversight.

“It’s just very easy for the provider to get payment for the services. They know that there’s not a lot of oversight, not a lot of watchdogging, this kind of stuff,” Foley said, “They get away with it a little bit sometimes, and then they say, ‘That was pretty easy; let’s try a bit more.’ And the problem gets larger and larger.”

Foley is encouraging DHHS to review these payments before they process them.

DHHS said it agrees with the audit and will make improvements.

Tags: Audit, auditor, Child care, child care centers, Children, costs, department of health and human services, DHHS, discrepencies, Fraud, improper payments, Mike Foley, millions, Nebraska, nebraska department of health and human services, payments, state audit, taxpayers

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Nebraska

Huskers/OSU game three canceled

Published

12 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Courtesy Nebraska Athletics

The third matchup this weekend between No. 9 Nebraska and No. 21 Oklahoma State was canceled Sunday due to expected bad weather in the Stillwater, Okla., area. The Cowgirls won the first matchup Thursday, 2-1 in 11 innings, while the Cornhuskers won Saturday, 4-3. The game will not be made up.

Nebraska now prepares for its home opener Thursday at Bowlin Stadium as the Huskers take on South Dakota State in a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.

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Nebraska

Nebraska State Patrol investigates attempted murder/suicide in Kearney County

Published

24 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska State Patrol investigates attempted murder/suicide in Kearney County

MINDEN, Neb. (KSNB) – The Nebraska State Patrol, with assistance from the Kearney County Sheriff’s Office and Kearney County Attorney’s Office, is investigating an attempted murder/suicide in rural Kearney County.

The Kearney County Sheriff’s Office was called to the scene Saturday afternoon.

According to NSP, three children and a woman had gunshot wounds, with the woman found dead.

The three children were transported by ambulance to Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney and treated for their injuries. Two of the children have since been transported to Children’s Hospital in Omaha.

NSP said all three children are expected to survive. The children are all under the age of 12.

This investigation is ongoing. Law enforcement said there is no ongoing threat to the public.

According to NSP, names are not being released at this time to protect the identities of the victims.

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Nebraska

UNK Students Selected for Nebraska Intercollegiate Band – Sandhills Express

Published

1 day ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

UNK Students Selected for Nebraska Intercollegiate Band – Sandhills Express

Ten UNK students will perform with other outstanding instrumentalists from across the state as part of the 2026 Nebraska Intercollegiate Band. Front row, from left: Olivia Kohmetscher, Kaia Johnson, Douglas Davidchik, Micah Feddersen and Avery Reitz. Back row, from left: Evan Porter, Ike Smith, Kaitlyn Obrecht, Cameron Grafel and Chloe Harms. (Courtesy UNK, Click to enlarge)

KEARNEY, Neb – Ten students will represent the University of Nebraska at Kearney as members of the 2026 Nebraska Intercollegiate Band.

They’ll perform 11:30 a.m. March 7 in Kimball Recital Hall on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus as part of the 65th annual Nebraska State Bandmasters Association convention. The concert is free and open to the public.

The Nebraska Intercollegiate Band includes outstanding instrumentalists from colleges and universities across the state. Students selected for the honor spend time rehearsing together in Lincoln before performing for the public. This year’s ensemble is led by guest conductor Donald McKinney, director of bands at Indiana University.

“Rehearsing and performing in the Nebraska Intercollegiate Band will be an excellent opportunity for experiential learning,” said professor Duane Bierman, director of bands at UNK. “Not only will these students get a great musical experience but they will also get a chance to expand their network and grow their interpersonal skills.”

Students representing UNK include:
Broken Bow – Cameron Grafel, horn
Columbus – Douglas Davidchik, clarinet
Elm Creek – Chloe Harms, euphonium
Grand Island – Olivia Kohmetscher, tenor saxophone
Kearney – Ike Smith, trumpet
Kearney – Micah Feddersen, trumpet
Kearney – Avery Reitz, string bass and tuba
La Vista – Kaitlyn Obrecht, piano
Minden – Evan Porter, percussion
Ravenna – Kaia Johnson, flute