Nebraska

Nebraska can provide a roadmap for U.S. energy and tech leadership • Nebraska Examiner

Published

12 months ago

January 24, 2025

Nebraska can provide a roadmap for U.S. energy and tech leadership • Nebraska Examiner

When President Trump unveiled his new Domestic Energy Council in November, he noted that, “with U.S. energy dominance, we will drive down Inflation, win the A.I. arms race with China (and others), and expand American diplomatic power.” To get a glimpse of how this would work in practice, look no further than Nebraska.

Few states have successfully achieved the all-of-the-above energy mix that Nebraskans enjoy today. The Cornhusker State’s balanced, diverse energy portfolio and publicly owned power utilities have yielded tremendous results for Nebraska residents, and we consistently rank near the top of all states in grid reliability and lowest-cost electricity rates. Lowering these energy costs has helped combat the inflation that has eroded so many Americans’ standard of living over the past several years.

Smart energy policy is not only a boon for residential consumers but also bolsters our industrial strength. Industrial customers account for most of Nebraska’s energy consumption, so maintaining low energy prices translates into a competitive edge for our state’s farmers and ranchers, meatpackers, truckers and manufacturers. President Trump has made rebuilding American industrial might a centerpiece of his administration, and Nebraska has shown what strategic energy and infrastructure development can do to attract jobs and investment.

The race with China on AI

Wind turbines north of Neligh, Nebraska, loom over a farm field (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)

A similar lesson can be applied to the AI race with China that President Trump has made clear he intends to win. Energy dominance and tech leadership have become increasingly intertwined, and it is not a coincidence that Nebraska’s high marks in energy and grid reliability have corresponded with a growth in our state’s tech workforce and data center construction.

Tech jobs across our state numbered approximately 37,000 in 2022, an eight percent year-over-year increase, according to a study from the University of Nebraska prepared for the Nebraska Tech Collaborative. The same study found that this industry had a $20 billion annual economic footprint in Nebraska.

Data centers are key to this booming innovation economy, and they represent the backbone of the AI and cloud capabilities being harnessed by Nebraska businesses, academic institutions and government agencies. Mom and pop retailers use these tools to punch above their weight in the marketplace, and recently local hospitals have started incorporating AI in their daily operations both to streamline administrative tasks like charting and to improve patient care, as it helps address nursing shortages by re-assessing appropriate staffing ratios. Companies, including Union Pacific, use AI tools to optimize operations and work with customers to help predict shipping patterns and better align service with needs.

Role of higher learning

Local universities are leveraging AI’s growth in Nebraska and offer new courses to ensure that we are attracting and cultivating the skilled workforce we need to sharpen U.S. tech competitiveness and win the AI arms race. In fact, the University of Nebraska at Omaha is leading the charge with the state’s first AI-focused bachelor’s degree.

U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., listens to an ag researcher at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln speak about their work on Monday, June 19, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

With a 74 percent surge in demand for AI specialists over the past five years, our academic institutions recognize the need to close the skills gap and cultivate home-grown talent to help drive the innovation economy forward. U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said it well during a data center announcement in Lincoln: “The importance of innovation in national security and AI between the public and private sectors cannot be understated, and we’re working on that right here in Nebraska.”

Nebraska’s position as an energy and tech leader can offer the new administration a battle-tested roadmap for how to fuel innovation and attract investment through smart, pragmatic policies. The best thing we can do as a state is keep our foot on the accelerator and continue to lead by example.

Brett Lindstrom is an executive and advisor in financial services and charitable giving and served in the Nebraska Legislature from 2015-2023, including as chair of the Banking, Insurance and Commerce committee. The Republican ran for governor in 2022.

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Nebraska

Nebraska Football Offers In-State Legacy Offensive Lineman

Published

11 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska Football Offers In-State Legacy Offensive Lineman

New Husker offensive line coach Geep Wade has stayed busy in his first few weeks on the recruiting trail for Nebraska football.

Nebraska extended a scholarship offer Saturday to in-state offensive lineman Barrett Kitrell. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Class of 2027 interior lineman from Ashland confirmed the offer on social media. Iowa offered him earlier in the week, and he has other Division I offers from South Dakota State, Kansas and Iowa State.

Kitrell has visited a number of schools through his junior season, stopping at South Dakota State, Wyoming, Iowa State, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.

God is so good! After a great conversation with coach @GeepWade I am blessed to receive my 6th D1 offer from Nebraska! @HuskerFootball @AGBluejayFball pic.twitter.com/h3ciXeG727
— Barrett Kitrell (@BarrettK54) January 10, 2026

Kitrell has family ties to Nebraska football across two generations. His father, Barry, was a fullback for the Huskers from 1984-88. His brother Bo was a Husker fullback and tight end 2014 to 2018.

In addition, Barrett’s brother Blake was a Tulsa wide receiver, while brothers Brett and Bryce played at Ohio, having been recruited by Frank Solich.

Barrett Kitrell is a three-sport athlete for Ashland-Greenwood, competing in football, basketball, and track and field for the Bluejays. He has seen varsity action in all three seasons of his football career, playing in 33 games. The Bluejays have won a playoff game each of the past three seasons, advancing to the Class C1 semifinals this past year.

Kitrell becomes the third offensive line prospect offered by Wade and the Huskers this week, joining Grinnell, Iowa, prospect Will Slagle and 2028 prospect Wyatt VanBoening from Mundelein, Illinois. VanBoening also is the son of a former Husker, Simon VanBoening, a linebacker on the Huskers’ 1997 roster.

Nebraska offensive line coach Geep Wade | Nebraska Athletics

The Huskers are aiming for a massive overhaul of their offensive line, starting with replacing Donovan Raiola as the position coach. Wade, who came to Nebraska from Georgia Tech, has been retooling his line in early 2026 with transfer portal additions, bringing in Iowa State’s Brendan Black and South Carolina’s Tree Babalade. Nebraska has seen three linemen choose to exit via the portal: Brian Tapu, Houston Kaahaaina-Torres and Jason Maciejczak.

Kitrell could add athleticism to the offensive line, as he finished second in the Class B discus as a sophomore with a personal-best throw of 172’2 while finishing fourth in the shot put. Kitrell averaged four points and four rebounds per game for the Ashland-Greenwood basketball program as the Bluejays claimed the Class C1 championship in 2025.

Kitrell becomes the 16th interior offensive line offer for Nebraska’s 2027 class. The class is headlined by four-star quarterback Trae Taylor and in-state rising stars Tory Pittman III and Matt Erickson.

IU dominated but then ‘it was just turnovers’ to blow 16-point lead vs Nebraska

Published

23 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

IU dominated but then ‘it was just turnovers’ to blow 16-point lead vs Nebraska

Indiana men’s basketball lost to Nebraska 83-77 after leading by as many as 16 points.
Coach Darian DeVries cited a bad stretch, including key fouls on Tucker DeVries and turnovers, as the turning point.
The Hoosiers have three more opportunities for a Quad 1 win in their upcoming games.

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana men’s basketball coach Darian DeVries thought his team played well for about 28 minutes Saturday afternoon.

In those 28 minutes, IU built up as much as a 16-point lead against undefeated Nebraska. The Hoosiers went on a 12-2 run to end the first half, then extended that lead early in the second half.

Then, the defense started crumbling. Tucker DeVries picked up two fouls in the course of 21 seconds, forcing him to the bench. The Hoosiers started turning the ball over.

And Indiana’s upset bid fell apart, as the Hoosiers dropped an 83-77 decision to the Cornhuskers (16-0, 5-0 Big Ten).

“It’s disappointing, for sure,” Darian DeVries said. “We played well for a good 25, 27, 28 minutes, whatever, and then just had a bad stretch in there, and the game flipped. That’s why the turnovers are a big piece of that. We had, (a 16-point lead) and Tucker picked up his third and fourth foul on back-to-back possessions. Then they went on a 10-0 run right after that. That was a big turning point in the game, I thought, when he picked those two up.”

It seemed like the coaching staff (and fans) didn’t agree with those fouls, either.

Tucker DeVries’ third foul came as he fell on the ground while trying to defend Berke Buyuktuncel’s shot. Buyuktuncel continued to attempt a shot after the fall, and he got tangled in DeVries’ legs, falling himself, and officials called a foul on DeVries. Both Tucker and Darian DeVries, along with the crowd of 13,000 fans, didn’t agree with that foul.

Tucker DeVries’ fourth foul, which forced him to the bench for eight minutes, came just 21 seconds after his third. On the Hoosiers’ next offensive possession, DeVries attempted to shoulder his defender to get more space, and got called for the offensive foul and the turnover.

Indiana (12-4, 3-2) turned the ball over on four of its next five possessions, Darian DeVries said, and Nebraska capitalized for a 12-2 run to tie the game.

“I just think we didn’t have the type of possessions we needed after (Tucker DeVries) went out again, and most of them, it was just turnovers,” Darian DeVries said. “We didn’t get shots at the goal. I thought there might’ve been one or two in there where I think Lamar (Wilkerson) drove it hard and tried going through contact, and we didn’t get one there, but outside of that, we just didn’t get very good possessions. Our movement wasn’t as good.”

After Nebraska went on that run, all the momentum shifted to the Cornhuskers. In ways, the Hoosiers couldn’t get out of their own head, and the mistakes kept coming.

“We’ve talked to them a lot about that next play mentality,” Darian DeVries said. “Win that next play, and not compound mistakes. I thought tonight, again, for a stretch there was a period where we let one mistake turn into two. Then, instead of digging in and really making sure we get a quality possession the next time, we compounded it with another turnover. It led to back-to-back-to-back. All of a sudden your lead is gone, and momentum is real. It shifted pretty quickly there.”

This game, especially taking into account the 16-point lead Indiana once had, was a crucial opportunity for the Hoosiers to get their first Quad 1 win of the season.

But the Hoosiers, sitting at No. 30 in the NET rankings, still have three straight Quad 1 opportunities coming up in two road tilts at Michigan State and Michigan and a home game against Iowa in the next two weeks.

Those games, much like Nebraska, will be tall tasks. But, DeVries said, if the Hoosiers can execute for a full game like they did in those 28 minutes on Saturday, they’ll have a chance at them.

“When they’re executing the way that they did the first 25 minutes, it looks really good,” DeVries said. “And they’re doing a great job, and they’re defending and getting movement and things.”

Want more Hoosiers coverage? Sign up for IndyStar’s Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the latest on IndyStar TV: Hoosiers.

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Nebraska

$3,125 Nebraska Pick 4 winning ticket sold in York

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

,125 Nebraska Pick 4 winning ticket sold in York

LINCOLN, Neb. (KSNB) – One lucky player who bought a Nebraska Pick 4 ticket for the Thursday drawing is holding a ticket worth $3,125.

The ticket was sold at Pump & Pantry #16, 109 Lincoln Avenue, in York. The winning numbers from Thursday’s Nebraska Pick 4 draw were 09, 06, 01, 02.

Winning Nebraska Lottery Lotto tickets expire 180 days after the drawing. Tickets with total prize amounts of $501 to $19,999 must be claimed by mail or at a Regional Lottery Claim Center. Additional information about claiming prizes can be found at the Nebraska Lottery website, nelottery.com, or by calling 800-587-5200.

Nebraska Pick 4 is a daily Lotto game from the Nebraska Lottery. Players select four numbers, each from a separate set of digits 0 through 9, for a chance to win up to $6,000. Players decide what type of play style and potential prizes to play for by choosing from one of six bet types. The odds of winning the $3,125 prize in Nebraska Pick 4 are 1 in 10,000.

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