Nebraska

Lincoln senator slams Pillen’s push to scrap TEEOSA as Nebraska’s school funding fight escalates

Published

3 months ago

November 21, 2025

Lincoln senator slams Pillen’s push to scrap TEEOSA as Nebraska’s school funding fight escalates

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) — Nebraska’s education funding has been the topic of much discussion this week, from a legislature-created commission studying the funding formula to an interim study that is in-part focusing on property tax contributions.

But a pointed statement from Gov. Jim Pillen is drawing ire from some legislators, and interest from others.

Pillen issued a statement Thursday night calling for the Unicameral to abolish TEEOSA — the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act — after a $30 million overpayment to Omaha Public Schools.

TEEOSA is the funding formula used to determine state aid, by subtracting resources from needs, and it’s been in use since the 90s. But some legislators say getting rid of it is not as simple as it might sound.

Pillen, in his statement, blamed the “deaf ears” of some in the legislature for failing to pass tax reform.

Adams senator Myron Dorn told 10/11 because of valuation increases, TEEOSA has gone a different route than originally intended.

“I believe there could be definitely easier ways. There are solutions,” Dorn said. “We’ve tried to change it over the years. We haven’t had much success. Is it too complicated? Yes, it’s complicated.”

But abolishing the program outright isn’t something Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad will support, calling the governor’s comments “bizarre” and “unhinged.”

“It would be reckless and wrong to dismantle our school funding system without a clear, viable alternative that would ensure we can meet our students’ needs and ensure that we are good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” Conrad said.

She and Dorn clashed during an interim study hearing Thursday, where Conrad asked if protecting tax cuts for the wealthy and big corporations was more important than providing property tax relief.

Part of the funding issue is a massive budget deficit, something Conrad attributed in-part to tax cuts for the wealthy pushed by Gov. Pillen and his legislative allies in 2023.

“Gov. Pillen and his allies in the Legislature pushed forward blindly to engineer Kansas-style tax cuts that are inequitable and unsustainable and that benefit the wealthiest Nebraskans and the largest corporations,” Conrad said, “at the expense of ensuring a balanced budget and our ability to take care of critical things like roads and the university health care and child care and public education in our K-12 schools.”

Dorn added he has faith in the new School Finance Review Commission.

“I think if you give them a year or two, they’re going to come up with some very good concepts, some very good ideas in how we can make the TEEOSA formula better, or maybe have a different formula,” Dorn said.

Legislators will return Jan. 7 to begin their short, 60-day second session, with the budget expected to take up most of their time.

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Nebraska

Nebraska Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Pick 3 on March 2, 2026

Published

6 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

The results are in for the Nebraska Lottery’s draw games on Monday, March 2, 2026.

Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on March 2.

Winning Powerball numbers from March 2 drawing

02-17-18-38-62, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 2 drawing

21-28-58-65-67, Powerball: 25

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 2 drawing

7-5-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 2 drawing

03-08-09-17-25

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning 2 By 2 numbers from March 2 drawing

Red Balls: 14-26, White Balls: 17-18

Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning MyDay numbers from March 2 drawing

Month: 05, Day: 03, Year: 23

Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 2 drawing

28-41-42-50-55, Bonus: 02

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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Nebraska

NioCorp to start work on its minerals mine in southeast Nebraska

Published

18 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

NioCorp to start work on its minerals mine in southeast Nebraska

NioCorp announced Monday that it plans to start work on its critical minerals mine in southeast Nebraska.

The project, which the company is calling its mine portal project, will involve building a main entrance to the Elk Creek underground mine and will serve as the primary access point for personnel, equipment, and materials for the underground mining operations. It also will include excavating bedrock, drilling and blasting to establish the twin mine ramps, on-site access road construction, and construction of on-site supporting infrastructure.

The project, which will cost nearly $45 million, is set to get underway before the end of the month. It marks the first time Colorado-based NioCorp will actually start any significant work on the main mine, from which the company hopes to extract niobium, scandium, titanium and other minerals.

“Given the size of this excavation work, the portal project really marks the beginning of a major pre-construction activity at the Elk Creek Project site and is an important step toward preparing for underground development,” Scott Honan, the company’s president and chief operating officer, said in a release.

Mark A. Smith, Niocorp’s chairman and CEO, called the project, “a significant milestone.”

Niocorp has spent more than 15 years trying to develop the mine on land in Johnson County, about 65 miles southeast of Lincoln.

The company still needs to raise a significant amount of money to make the $1.2 billion mine a reality, though. In December, NioCorp said it had raised about $360 million, or a little more than a quarter of the total cost. It is still waiting for approval of a $780 million debt financing application from the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

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Nebraska

Nebraska Lottery results: See winning numbers for Pick 3, Pick 5 on March 1, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

The results are in for the Nebraska Lottery’s draw games on Sunday, March 1, 2026.

Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on March 1.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 1 drawing

7-6-5

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 1 drawing

04-20-28-30-39

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning 2 By 2 numbers from March 1 drawing

Red Balls: 02-10, White Balls: 25-26

Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning MyDay numbers from March 1 drawing

Month: 11, Day: 28, Year: 38

Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 1 drawing

10-11-12-35-56, Bonus: 04

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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