Nebraska
Federal cuts pause Nebraska opioid reduction program
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – The 12-month opioid reduction program was introduced in Nebraska hospitals back in September of 2024 as a way to prevent patients who needed painkillers after surgery from developing an addiction to them.
Less than a year later, and as those behind it say work was just beginning, funding for the program has been cut.
The program provided those undergoing an operation in Nebraska hospitals with a nurse before and after surgery, as well as at-home pain relief kits in an effort to prescribe the least amount of opioids to patients possible.
The $3 million of grant money used to fund that program was terminated by the federal government just last week, putting operations on pause. With that money being recalled, the pause on the program in its current form could be permanent.
The program was modeled to last until September 2025 and be implemented on over 4,000 patients. This cut comes just past the halfway point. In that time, those behind it say only 107 patients were able to be helped through it.
“Now you’re stopping it and you’re kind of wasting the money you’ve invested by not finishing the program completely,” Jeremy Nordquist, the president of the Nebraska Hospital Association, who represents more than 90 hospitals in the state, said. “If they wanted to stop it at the end of the fiscal year in September when the program was supposed to be done, and then now renew it after that, that would make a lot of sense. Then, at least you would have a baseline of data that you could use.”
Last Thursday, a federal judge temporarily blocked the cancellation of the funds that this program falls under. That case is still active, and the Nebraska’s opioid program will remain on pause until a final decision on the funding is made.
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Nebraska
Mandatory evacuation orders for area near Crawford, Fort Robinson
Mandatory evacuations have been ordered near Crawford, including Fort Robinson State Park, as the South Fork Fire continues to spread in western Nebraska.
According to the City of Crawford, evacuations are currently underway for an area north of Crawford that includes the area south of Dodd Road, west of Dodd Road, and FF Street.
Fort Robinson has also been evacuated.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission said Fort Robinson State Park and Peterson Wildlife Management Area have been temporarily closed due to the fire.
The fire has burned approximately 9,000 acres and is currently 0% contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Nebraska Game and Parks said the park and the WMA will remain closed until further notice to support firefighting operations and protect public safety.
Nebraska
Nebraska State Runner-up and Futures Finalist Matt Brailita (2026) to Swim for Johns Hopkins
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Omaha, Nebraska native Matt Brailita is headed to Baltimore in the fall. He announced his commitment to Johns Hopkins University earlier this spring, writing on social media:
“I am very excited to announce my commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at Johns Hopkins University ! I’m extremely grateful for everything my family, friends, and teammates have done to support me every step of the way. A special thanks to Coach Tom and Coach Andy for always pushing me beyond what I believed in. Also a huge thanks to Coach Scott and Coach Chris for giving me this opportunity of a lifetime. GO BLUE JAYS!”
Brailita swam for Omaha’s Millard North High School under coach Andy Cunningham. He wrapped up his senior season with a pair of runner-up finishes at the 2026 NSAA Championships, earning lifetime-best times in both the 200 IM (1:50.84) and 100 breast (56.01). He also notched a PB in the 50 free (20.76) while leading off Millard North’s 200 free relay in prelims. He anchored the same relay in finals, splitting 20.01. Brailita leaves Millard North High School as a 10-time State medalist and a multiple-event team record-holder. He was 2026 Metro Conference champion in the 100 fly and as a member of 2 relays, and he was nominated for Metro Omaha World Herald Swimming Athlete Scholar.
Brailita swims year-round with Greater Omaha Aquatic Leopardsharks under coach Tom Beck. In addition to IM and breast, he excels in fly and free. In March, he competed at Columbia Sectionals, where he finaled in the 50 free (15th), 100 breast (11th), 50 fly (8th), 100 fly (10th), and swam prelims in the 50 breast (8th) and 200 IM (10th). He left the meet with new PBs in the 100 free (46.30), 50 breast (26.25), 50 fly (22.51), and 100 fly (49.86).
Last summer, Brailita hit LCM lifetime bests in the 50 breast (30.81), 100 breast (1:06.84), 200 breast (2:29.93), and 200 IM (2:11.12) at Madison Futures, making finals in the IM. He opened the 2026 long-course season with a pair of PBs (24.83 in the 50 free and 27.09 in the 50 fly) at the GOAL Sprint Cup in April.
Brailita will join the Blue Jays’ class of 2030 with Alistair Guth, Finn Nelson, Lukas Funderburk, Matthew Ko, Nicolas Aldana Huelga, Samuel Zhang, and William Thurk. His best times would have scored in the ‘A’ finals of the 200 IM, 100/200 breast, and 50/200 free, and the ‘B’ finals of the 100 free and 100 fly at the 2026 Centennial Conference Championships.
Best SCY times :
- 200 IM – 1:50.84
- 100 breast – 56.01
- 200 breast – 2:06.83
- 50 free – 20.76
- 50 free relay split – 20.01
- 100 fly – 49.86
- 200 free – 1:41.83
- 100 free – 46.30
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Nebraska
Nebraska pitcher enters transfer portal
Nebraska right-handed pitcher Cooper Katskee entered the transfer portal on Monday night. Katskee had a tremendous junior season for the Huskers.
He served the roles of both midweek starter and a beacon reliever for Nebraska. He began his career with the Indiana Hoosiers and stayed there from 20223 to 2024. He then transferred to Miami (Ohio) before landing in Lincoln.
Katskee posted a 5.71 ERA over 63 innings. One of his best performances of the regular season came against Omaha on March 3. He struck out 10 batters across six scoreless innings.
This is the fifth departure for the program in the transfer portal. Nebraska has made several solid additions as well, looking to revamp the roster after a successful season.
Katskee certainly made valuable contributions in Lincoln, and it will be exciting to see what he does in his next chapter.
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