Nebraska

Nebraska For Us, Omaha-area pantries sound alarm about food insecurity

Published

2 years ago

June 22, 2024

Nebraska For Us, Omaha-area pantries sound alarm about food insecurity

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Metro organizations are sounding the alarm about growing food insecurity.

Cars lined up around the block Saturday morning in North Omaha at a drive-thru food pantry hosted by Black Men United. This comes after Nebraska’s GOP delegation proposed cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds in their version of the Farm Bill.

Bettie White had been waiting here since 3 a.m., to make sure she can get what she needs.

“I enjoy this place… Everything is good and this is one of my favorite places,” says White.

Black Men United is now hosting this drive-thru food pantry twice a month, plus pop-up events, based on the need they see in the community.

“We will literally have to close the doors, because as long as they’re open, they’re coming,” says Willie Hamilton, Black Men United CEO. Hamilton says about 500 items were handed out Saturday morning.

One in seven Nebraskans depend on SNAP benefits, and one in five children in the state are food-insecure. It’s why the coalition Nebraska For Us is sounding the alarm about cuts to SNAP benefits.

“What so many people don’t understand is that SNAP benefits are funded through the Farm Bill. So when the House Agriculture Committee passed it out of committee this year, their version of the Farm Bill, it included $30 billion worth of cuts to SNAP benefits,” says Angie Lauritsen, the coalition’s state director.

Nebraska For Us focuses solely on economic policy that affects hard working middle-income Nebraskans.

The bill limits the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ability to make increases to the Thrifty Food Plan — its estimated family food budget that determines SNAP benefits.

“When the Ag Committee had an opportunity to vote on an amendment that would have saved those $30 billion worth of cuts, Congressman Bacon voted against that, to keep the cuts,” says Lauritsen. “A lot of people have the assumption that (SNAP benefits), it’s like thousands of dollars a month that are going towards needy families. It’s, I want to say, around $147 a month that are going to these families. It’s not a lot.”

At a time where grocery prices remain high, advocates say access to SNAP is crucial.

“For every SNAP dollar that’s spent, there’s $1.97 in economic return to local communities. So it’s really important that we hold programs like this to assist people like this who may not qualify for SNAP due to their immigration status or their income level,” says Rasna Sethi with OpenSky Policy Institute.

“We shouldn’t have to talk about this, since this is one of the most impoverished communities. People are coming from north, south. We’ve got so many homeless folks coming in as well, so the need is there,” says Hamilton.

The Farm Bill passed out of committee last month.

It’s not exactly clear when the bill will be brought up again, but Nebraska For Us expects it will be sometime after the election.

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Nebraska

What Iowa coach Ben McCollum said after defeating Nebraska on Thursday

Published

50 minutes ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

What Iowa coach Ben McCollum said after defeating Nebraska on Thursday

Iowa coach Ben McCollum met with the media following his team’s 77-71 victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Sweet 16. The Cornhuskers led by three at the half but Iowa was able to outscore Nebraska 34-25 in the second half.

Pryce Sandfort led all scorers with 25 points while shooting 8 of 13 from the field and 6 of 10 from the 3-point line. Bennett Stirtz led the Hawkeyes with 20 points and played for all 40 minutes.

Iowa shot 52% (27-52) from the floor, 43% (13-30) from beyond the arc and 83% (10-12) from the free throw line. Nebraska struggled shooting 41% (24-58) from the field, 34% (13-38) from the 3-point line and 91% (10-11) from the charity stripe.

The Hawkeyes’ head coach acknowledged that his team had a poor start but a great finish and said that his team will need to play better to advance beyond the Elite Eight.

Yeah, I think to start we weren’t fantastic to start. They had an elite game plan to start. They played with elite pace. They adjusted their defense quite a bit. I think a lot of people will talk about the rivalry. I was around it when I was in Iowa, you know, and grew up in Iowa and understand the rivalry and whatnot. It’s nice to have — I guess if you would a call it rival that runs such a class program.
I think Coach Hoiberg, they have got great kids. They completely turned everything around from the previous season, and they have absolutely nothing to hang their heads about or anything. I have the utmost respect for them, all their players, and especially Coach Hoiberg. Heck of a season. I know it’s no consolation, but we still want to beat ’em every time and they want to beat us every time.
But from and internal perspective, there’s not a lot of bad blood there. It’s actually a lot of respect. I was really pleased with our second-half performance. I thought we actually decided we were going to try — not try. They had a lot to do with it, but kind of. Yeah, they’re smiling over there because they saw me break my marker.
And I thought our kids did a good job of executing offensively in both halves. We spent a lot of time trying to make sure that we could score, and you saw the result of that. We didn’t defend. But we were able to score, so we were able to stay in the game long enough and then get enough stops and had some big possessions down the stretch. Really good program win for everybody, coaches, managers, everybody included.

Iowa advances to the Elite Eight with the victory. Nebraska’s season ends with a record of 28-7.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: What Iowa coach Ben McCollum said after defeating Nebraska on Thursday

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Nebraska

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen appoints Antonio Gomez to Racing and Gaming Commission

Published

13 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen appoints Antonio Gomez to Racing and Gaming Commission

LINCOLN, Neb — Gov. Jim Pillen has appointed Antonio Gomez of Jackson to the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission, adding a longtime Siouxland business leader and public servant to the panel.

Commission members serve four-year terms and are subject to approval by the Nebraska Legislature.

Gomez launched Gomez Pallets in South Sioux City in 1983. He has since retired from daily operations, but last year the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce recognized him with the W. Edwards Deming Business Leadership and Entrepreneurial Excellence Award.

Gomez previously served on the Nebraska Commission on Latino Americans from 1981 to 2002. He also served as a Dakota County commissioner for 12 years and was on the Foundation Board for Northeast Community College.

Gomez’s appointment is effective April 1.

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CBS Sports predicts Nebraska-Iowa basketball in the Sweet 16

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

CBS Sports predicts Nebraska-Iowa basketball in the Sweet 16

The Nebraska Cornhuskers will face the Iowa Hawkeyes on Thursday in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. This is the Huskers’ first Sweet 16 in program history, while Iowa is playing in its first Sweet 16 since 1999.

Nebraska defeated Vanderbilt 74-72 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Iowa advanced after beating the defending national champion, the Florida Gators, 73-72.

CBS Sports reporter Isaac Trotter broke down Thursday’s Sweet 16 matchup. Trotter started by looking at the two previous matchups in this series.

These teams have played twice. Iowa won at home in a 57-52 rockfight. Nebraska returned the favor by winning at home, 84-75 in overtime, in another to-the-death brawl.

It’s no secret that Nebraska’s defense caused significant problems for the Iowa offense in the second game, and if the Hawkeyes are going to win the rubber match, Trotter believes that turnovers will be the key.

There are no secrets in the rubber match. Nebraska’s no-middle defense has given Iowa real problems both times. The Hawkeyes turned it over 20% of the time in Game 1 and 26% of the time in Game 2. That can’t happen in the third encounter.

CBS Sports believes that Iowa has the best player on the floor in Bennett Stirtz, but Trotter also believes that Nebraska’s defense is just too much in the end for Iowa.

Iowa has the best player on the floor, Bennett Stirtz, and can hurt Nebraska on the glass, but the Huskers get the nod because of this pick-and-roll defense. You have to be able to guard ball screens effectively to shut down Iowa, and Nebraska has been an elite pick-and-roll defense, rating in the 99th percentile nationally, per Synergy.

In the end, Trotter selected Nebraska as his pick. Should the Huskers advance to the Elite Eight, Nebraska would play the winner of the Illinois-Houston game. Nebraska-Iowa play in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 26 at 6:30 p.m. CT on TBS.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: CBS Sports predicts Nebraska-Iowa basketball in the Sweet 16

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