Nebraska
Billboard campaign aims attention at fund for out-of-state care • Nebraska Examiner
OMAHA — After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and sent abortion law back to the states, Nebraska lawmakers made it harder for women to get an abortion.
The officially nonpartisan Legislature banned most abortions after 12 weeks gestational age, or roughly 10 weeks after conception, tightening the previous 20-week ban.
But women still seek reproductive care later than Nebraska law allows. A group of local funders with national help and ties are raising funds and awareness of out-of-state options.
Billboards and web ads
The group, Nebraska Abortion Resources, says it is doing so by spending “tens of thousands” of dollars on a billboard campaign along major highway and interstate corridors in Omaha and Ashland.
The billboards are located near 43rd and Dodge Streets, Interstate 80 near the 42nd Street exit and I-80 near Ashland. The group is also advertising on Instagram and Facebook.
The billboards say, “Abortion Should NOT Be a Crime.” They hint at legal consequences in Nebraska and other states when women have sought care too late, including a Norfolk-area case.
In that case, a Nebraska mother and daughter were convicted of charges stemming from the daughter aborting a fetus at 29 weeks of gestation, beyond the state’s then-allowed timeline.
Investigators said in court documents that the mother bought the oral medication online to end her daughter’s pregnancy and that the two women buried the fetus.
Organizers say the billboards focused on crime because Nebraska has shortened how long a woman has to decide the fate of her pregnancy, and many women can’t get an appointment in time.
Opponents call ads misleading
Abortion-rights opponents call the ads misleading and say they are meant to draw attention to the ballot initiative and drum up support from people willing to consider other options.
Shelley Mann, who spoke for the group behind the billboards, has spoken publicly in support of the ballot initiative to put a right to an abortion in the state constitution.
Staff time to Nebraska Abortion Resources is listed as an in-kind donation from Protect Our Rights, the group pushing the abortion-rights amendment campaign.
She considers the “complicated” Norfolk case a cautionary tale of what can happen when states make women feel they have few choices other than to break the law.
“That’s two people who have had to go to jail because of seeking abortion care,” she said. “How could we have put an environment where they wouldn’t have had to do this secretly?”
Costs the group covers
The billboards list the website, AbortionNotACrime.com, where women who need care but might not be able to afford it can apply for financial assistance for travel costs and care.
Among the parts of the process the group will help pay for: flights, gas, lodging, meals, care and missed wages for people who lack paid sick days from their job or jobs.
The website says part of its funding comes from the Chicago Abortion Fund, an Illinois-based group that raises money to make reproductive care more affordable.
An appointment for an abortion often costs $800, she said. Out-of-state appointments often cost more, Mann said, and costs can skyrocket quickly if you don’t have a place to stay.
“We collect donations … and our whole purpose is to make sure the financial implications of having an abortion are never a concern when somebody is making that decision,” Mann said.
Hundreds have sought help
Her group has helped about 900 people seek care, she said. She makes social media posts on TikTok and has supported women seeking care at an abortion clinic in Bellevue.
Nate Grasz of the Nebraska Family Alliance said he sees the effort by Nebraska Abortion Resources as “very deceptive” and part of an effort to “stoke fear into voters.”
His group supports a competing amendment initiative that would prevent lawmakers from loosening abortion restrictions beyond current law but would let them ban or restrict it further.
Neither he nor Sandy Danek of Nebraska Right to Life said they knew much about the group. Danek said it could be the start of funding other states have seen with abortion on the ballot.
Mann said she hopes voters will see her group’s point.
“Nebraskans want health care not handcuffs,” she said. “Why are we putting ourselves in position where we have to think about what is happening criminally?”
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LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Red Flag Warnings are in effect across Nebraska as dangerous fire conditions develop heading into the weekend, paired with unseasonably warm temperatures and strong winds that could quickly spread any flames.
Red Flag Warnings are in place for eastern Nebraska through 9 p.m. Friday night. The warning area expands significantly on Saturday, covering the entire state from throughout the entire day Saturday.
Friday: Moderate Fire Danger, Drying Trend
Friday’s fire concerns are lower than Saturday’s, but still significant. A Red Flag Warning remains in place for eastern Nebraska through 9 p.m. tonight as northerly winds pull in drier air throughout the afternoon. Dewpoints are expected to fall between 0° and 10° this evening as wind speeds taper.
The strongest winds and driest air won’t occur at the same time Friday, which is why confidence in Red Flag conditions is lower than normal today. By sunset, winds will become light and shift to the south as a surface high pressure system moves through the area.
Saturday: Extreme Fire Danger
Saturday brings the most critical fire weather conditions of the period. The Red Flag Warning expands to encompass the entire state as relative humidity values plummet to 8-15% — dangerously dry levels that will allow fires to spread rapidly.
Winds will be the primary concern. Southerly winds are expected to be sustained between 20 and 30 MPH for most — with gusts between 40 and 50 MPH possible at times. These powerful winds combined with extreme dryness create a recipe for rapid fire spread.
Temperatures will warm into the 60s and low 70s on Saturday — warmer in the west — but the heat is secondary to the wind and dryness threat. Relative humidity values will fall below 30% as early as 9 a.m. when the Red Flag Warning begins.
Sunday: High Fire Danger, Lighter Winds
Fire danger remains high to very high Sunday as an upper ridge moves overhead. Temperatures will climb to the upper 70s to upper 80s. The good news: southerly winds won’t be as strong, with gusts peaking at only 20 mph. This provides some relief from the most critical conditions, though fire danger will still be elevated.
Record Heat Monday
Monday will be the week’s warmest day, with mid- to upper-80s and low 90s forecast across Nebraska. Records are within reach — for many areas across the state. Lincoln’s forecast high of 88 degrees would tie the 1917 record.
Pattern Change Ahead
A cold front will slice through the area Tuesday morning, bringing cooler and cloudier conditions back to Nebraska. Highs will fall back to the 50s and 60s — a dramatic 30+ degree temperature drop from Monday. Winds will remain gusty from the north.
Precipitation chances will increase by early to mid-week. Tuesday through Thursday will see low chances (~20%) for light precipitation, with a mixture of rain and snow possible at times. No winter impacts are expected. Better chances are forecast for Wednesday night and Friday night as a wholesale pattern change develops, bringing southwest flow and surface moisture back to the region.
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Iowa coach Ben McCollum met with the media following his team’s 77-71 victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Sweet 16. The Cornhuskers led by three at the half but Iowa was able to outscore Nebraska 34-25 in the second half.
Pryce Sandfort led all scorers with 25 points while shooting 8 of 13 from the field and 6 of 10 from the 3-point line. Bennett Stirtz led the Hawkeyes with 20 points and played for all 40 minutes.
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Iowa shot 52% (27-52) from the floor, 43% (13-30) from beyond the arc and 83% (10-12) from the free throw line. Nebraska struggled shooting 41% (24-58) from the field, 34% (13-38) from the 3-point line and 91% (10-11) from the charity stripe.
The Hawkeyes’ head coach acknowledged that his team had a poor start but a great finish and said that his team will need to play better to advance beyond the Elite Eight.
Yeah, I think to start we weren’t fantastic to start. They had an elite game plan to start. They played with elite pace. They adjusted their defense quite a bit. I think a lot of people will talk about the rivalry. I was around it when I was in Iowa, you know, and grew up in Iowa and understand the rivalry and whatnot. It’s nice to have — I guess if you would a call it rival that runs such a class program.
I think Coach Hoiberg, they have got great kids. They completely turned everything around from the previous season, and they have absolutely nothing to hang their heads about or anything. I have the utmost respect for them, all their players, and especially Coach Hoiberg. Heck of a season. I know it’s no consolation, but we still want to beat ’em every time and they want to beat us every time.
But from and internal perspective, there’s not a lot of bad blood there. It’s actually a lot of respect. I was really pleased with our second-half performance. I thought we actually decided we were going to try — not try. They had a lot to do with it, but kind of. Yeah, they’re smiling over there because they saw me break my marker.
And I thought our kids did a good job of executing offensively in both halves. We spent a lot of time trying to make sure that we could score, and you saw the result of that. We didn’t defend. But we were able to score, so we were able to stay in the game long enough and then get enough stops and had some big possessions down the stretch. Really good program win for everybody, coaches, managers, everybody included.
Iowa advances to the Elite Eight with the victory. Nebraska’s season ends with a record of 28-7.
Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.
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This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: What Iowa coach Ben McCollum said after defeating Nebraska on Thursday
LINCOLN, Neb — Gov. Jim Pillen has appointed Antonio Gomez of Jackson to the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission, adding a longtime Siouxland business leader and public servant to the panel.
Commission members serve four-year terms and are subject to approval by the Nebraska Legislature.
Gomez launched Gomez Pallets in South Sioux City in 1983. He has since retired from daily operations, but last year the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce recognized him with the W. Edwards Deming Business Leadership and Entrepreneurial Excellence Award.
Gomez previously served on the Nebraska Commission on Latino Americans from 1981 to 2002. He also served as a Dakota County commissioner for 12 years and was on the Foundation Board for Northeast Community College.
Gomez’s appointment is effective April 1.
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