Nebraska
It's time to address legislative pay • Nebraska Examiner
If you have a pulse, I am sure you have either seen, heard or read a political ad this past year. With the plethora of TV, radio, newspaper and social media entities paid to run them, they would be pretty hard to miss.
With all the ads I have seen in the past 36 years, the most memorable ad for me is one I saw back in 1988. When the camera came on, you see the back of a man sitting at what appears to be the counter of a coffee shop somewhere in Nebraska. As the camera moves around toward his front, the announcer is talking about the fact that it has been 20 years since state senators in Nebraska have received any form of pay raise.
The voiceover tells you that in 1968, senators’ pay was raised from $200 to $400 per month. In 1988, the announcer says, there is a proposal on the ballot to raise senators’ pay to $1,000 per month. As the camera gets closer to the front, you start to recognize Coach Bob Devaney, who had been in Nebraska about 25 years by then and won two national championships. Devaney looks straight at the camera and says in a very serious tone:
“If I had been here 20 years and never got a pay raise, I would go back to Wyoming.”
The proposal passed.
It has now been 36 years since we last raised the compensation level for members of the Unicameral. We do still want and need a citizen legislature, but too many citizens simply cannot even consider putting themselves forward to seek election.
If you have a salaried job, you will have to consider the time that you will be away from work and may not get paid. If you own a business, you will need to consider the time you will not be available and perhaps need to hire another person to perform your duties. If you are a professional, you need to realize that you will not be getting as many billable hours and plan accordingly.
Many people are working longer now, and even some retired people do consulting after they have left the full-time workforce. These people also need to realize that they will not be able to bring in the extra income they were planning on.
The responsibilities of being a state senator have also changed and require more time than they did back in 1988. With all the additional forms of communication, constituents demand more information on legislative activity even when the Legislature is not in session. What new roads will be funded, what education funding will be on the agenda, what senior programs could be re-evaluated, what about health care, ag issues, taxes, etc. There are also more interim studies requested and hearings being held around the state.
The big issue, of course, will be how much to raise the current pay level, and there will be as many different suggestions as there are people who take a proposal seriously. I will start that discussion, but you also need to remember that state senators in Nebraska do not receive any health insurance, retirement fund contribution or other benefits that most working people get.
Instead of trying to come up with a number … what if the governor appointed a committee of people from around the state each census year who could set legislative pay at no more than 15% of what the average county judge makes in Nebraska?
It is still not a full-time job, and the pay should not be at a level that would allow someone to live comfortably on a senator’s pay alone. Senators should still have a connection to the workforce unless they are retired and have already fulfilled a career in the workforce.
I believe this or other credible proposals would allow more people to at least consider offering themselves and their time and talents to the legislative process, which will make important decisions about our state’s future growth and prosperity.
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.
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