Nebraska
Nebraska Attorney General’s campaign to oust Delta-8 from state sees pushback
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Nebraska’s hemp industry is sprawling and a major aspect of it is the sale of Delta-8, which is now in the crosshairs of the Attorney General Mike Hilgers. He said he’s within his rights and the law to shut it down, but opponents said he’s way out of bounds.
It’s almost impossible to miss them: the countless stores slinging all sorts of THC products: gummies, chocolates, pre-rolls. And they’re all pretty new to Nebraska.
“In 2018 with the passage of the Farm Bill at the federal level, essentially that created hemp products, they carved out an exception for their legality so long as the hemp plant itself doesn’t weigh more than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis,” John Cartier, a lawyer for the Nebraska Healthy Alternatives Association, said.
Hilgers launched a campaign against the substance known as Delta-8 last year.
“No one buying these products understand what it is that they are getting,” Hilgers said in October 2023.
Since then, his efforts have only escalated.
“If there are retailers at this point, they are fully aware and have full notice that the state of Nebraska and this office believes that what they’re doing is illegal,” Hilgers said. “And it’s harming kids and it’s harming others in their communities.”
Hilgers said LB 999, a bill put forth in this year’s regular legislative session, would’ve clarified that reality—that Delta-8 is illegal—but it stalled in committee.
Cartier said Hilgers wouldn’t have needed that bill if Delta-8 was truly illegal.
“It boils down to that under Nebraska law and statutes, Hilgers cannot point to where it says that hemp and hemp products are outlawed,” Cartier said.
And as the the Nebraska state government pinches penny, hunting for property tax relief, hemp industry advocates say state leaders should be looking to taxation, not prohibition. They point to the hemp’s positive economic impact in the state. Overtime, they said, it’s created more than 15,000 jobs, paid out more than $60 million in wages and generated $8 million in sales taxes.
Cartier said the industry is willing to find common ground in higher taxation, but as Hilgers scores settlements with some THC retailers, he said the window is closing for Delta-8 sellers to come to the table.
“We are currently working on additional lawsuits that will be filed this year,” Hilgers said. “And we’re going to continue this campaign to be able to get this back to where it was, which is these products not being sold, not being put in the hands of Nebraskans.”
Cartier said he’s prepared to defend access to Delta-8.
“We view it as an absolute necessity to stand up for their rights to have access to these products that give them a higher quality of life,” Cartier said.
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LINCOLN, NEB — Nebraska will be featured on a national stage later this month as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration.
Gov. Jim Pillen joined business and community leaders Monday to preview the state’s participation in the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C.
The event runs June 25 through July 10 on the National Mall and will showcase exhibits from states and territories as part of the America 250 celebration.
Nebraska’s pavilion will highlight the state’s industries, history and culture, with participation from organizations including Union Pacific, Werner Enterprises, Tenaska, Valley Irrigation, Boys Town, Nebraska Public Power District, the Nebraska State Fair and History Nebraska.
“We’re really, really excited to partner with the businesses and organizations that are supporting Nebraska’s pavilion,” Pillen said. “We’re going to do a ton of bragging about Nebraska’s culture and traditions, our businesses, innovations and ideas.”
Union Pacific, founded in 1862, will be a centerpiece exhibit, highlighting its role in building the transcontinental railroad, completed in 1869 with the Golden Spike in Promontory, Utah.
Today, the Omaha-based railroad operates a freight network spanning 23 states.
“At our Nebraska pavilion, we’re going to give people the opportunity to be an engineer for a day,” said Eric Gehringer, executive vice president at Union Pacific. “We’re going to have a simulator there so both children and adults can see what it takes to help build America.”
Other exhibits will feature agriculture technology from Valley Irrigation, Nebraska’s public power system, Boys Town, the Nebraska State Fair and History Nebraska.
History Nebraska will highlight the 1879 Standing Bear court decision in Omaha, which recognized Native Americans as persons under U.S. law, along with the origins of Arbor Day in Nebraska.
“I want people to come away with a very, very clear picture of what’s made Nebraska who we are,” Pillen said.
Following the announcement, Pillen also updated the wildfire in the Nebraska Panhandle, saying it has burned about 35,000 acres and is roughly 10% contained. Nebraska National Guard aircraft and firefighters are assisting with suppression efforts near Fort Robinson.
The Great American State Fair opens June 25 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
MILFORD, Neb. (KTIV) – A traffic stop that led to the arrest of a man after finding over 500 pounds of cocaine received help from a furry friend.
At approximately 10:25 a.m. on Wednesday, May 27, a trooper with the Nebraska State Patrol saw an eastbound Rouge following a semi too closely near Milford. During the traffic stop, an NSP K9 detected an odor of cocaine coming from the vehicle.
The origin of the furry hero is linked to a Northeast Nebraska organization.
The NSP K9 that detected the cocaine is called Gable. Gable is a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois who has been with the NSP since 2020.
Gable was purchased by the NSP after a donation from the Friends of Baron Companion Animal Foundation. A foundation in West Point, Nebraska, located in Cuming County.
“A great example of a local organization from West Point making a difference for the whole state!” stated NSP in an email to KTIV.
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Copyright 2026 KTIV. All rights reserved.
A legendary Nebraska football coach has passed away. George Darlington died in Lincoln on Sunday morning at the age of 87.
Darlington coached at Nebraska for 30 seasons from 1973 to 2002. He coached defensive ends for the first 13 seasons of his tenure before becoming defensive backs coach in 1986.
During his tenure, Nebraska went 304-65-3, won 14 conference titles, and three national championships. The Huskers also played in a bowl game in each of Darlington’s 30 seasons
After his time at Nebraska ended, he served as an assistant coach at Marshall, Louisiana Tech, Southeast Missouri State and San Diego. He officially retired from coaching in 2010.
Following his retirement, Darlington remained around Husker football. He was a regular observer at football practices and could always be found in the Memorial Stadium press box on game days.
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