Nebraska
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
Shelter in place issued after suspicious object found in mailbox
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — UPDATE: Grand Island Police said around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday that the shelter in place order has been lifted .
GIPD said the item was retrieved by the Nebraska State Patrol Bomb Squad, who is investigating.
The area has also now been reopened.
ORIGINAL STORY:
The Grand Island Police Department has cordoned off a local block and is urging residents to shelter in place.
According to GIPD, officers responded to the 4300 block of Sherwood Road just before 2:00 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. A resident reported finding a suspicious cylindrical object wrapped in duct tape inside a home.
The Nebraska State Patrol Bomb Squad has been called to the scene to investigate the device.
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Nebraska
68 students chosen as Nebraska Young Artist Award winners
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts has announced the winners of the 29th annual Nebraska Young Artist Awards.
The awards recognize 11th-grade students from Nebraska for their talents in visual art, dance, music, theatre, and film and emerging media arts.
Sixty-eight students from more than 40 high schools across the state have been selected as award winners and will be invited to a day of activities on campus March 25.
“Our faculty always look forward to this event,” said Chris Watson, director of recruitment for the college and coordinator of the awards. “They love meeting enthusiastic young artists, working with them and celebrating their talent.”
Students applied for the recognition and submitted an example of their work. Applications were received from 92 students. Hixson-Lied College faculty chose the winners.
Award winners were also asked to nominate the teacher who provided them with the greatest amount of mentoring and support in the development of their special talents.
Each student will receive a certificate and an original piece of artwork commissioned for the event and created by a School of Art, Art History and Design student.
Following is a list of award winners by hometown, with their high school and specialty area(s).
Aurora:
- Calvin Miller, Aurora, music
Beaver City:
- Johnathan Eakin, Southern Valley, visual arts
Bellevue:
- Mami Lloyd, Bellevue West, music
Bennington:
- Liliana Martic, Bennington, music
Eagle:
- Jorie Goings, Waverly, dance
Firth:
- Petra Van Cleave, home school, music
Fremont:
- Xavier Herre, Bergan Catholic, theatre
Fullerton:
- Lylla Sabata, Fullerton, music
Gretna:
- Lillian Bock, Gretna, music
Harvard:
- Allee Jarzynka, Harvard, music
Hendley:
- Lily Jordan, Southern Valley, visual arts
Hooper:
- Leo Arellano, Logan View, visual arts
- Ellsie Meier, Logan View, visual arts
Kearney:
- Kruz Flamig, Kearney, visual arts
- Isaac Hooton, Kearney, visual arts
- Mariah Kaslon, Kearney, visual arts
- Landen Tilley, Kearney, visual arts
Lincoln:
- Alissa Brenning, Norris, dance
- Kali Brewer, Lincoln Southeast, visual arts
- Ava Engel, Lincoln Northeast, dance
- Emalie Fischer, Lincoln North Star, dance
- Adelyn Haden, Lincoln Standing Bear, dance and music
- Audrey Haugen, Lincoln Southwest, theatre
- Andrea Hu, Lincoln East, music
- Logan Lambrecht, Lincoln Southwest, music and theatre
- Mckinzey Lile, Lincoln North Star, dance
- Hayley Marshall, Lincoln Southwest, dance
- Riley Minster, Lincoln East, music
- Joslyn Morgan, Lincoln Southeast, music
- Ariadne Ottoson, home school, music
- Megan Plander, Lincoln Lutheran, theatre
- Lauren Ramey, LPS Arts and Humanities Focus Program, visual arts
- Blake Semrad, Lincoln Southwest, dance
- Emma Shaeffer, Lincoln Southwest, dance
- Taylor Sharpe, Lincoln Southwest, dance
- Hugh Skretta, Lincoln High, music
- Samuel Sulzle, Lincoln Northwest, music
- Brooks Xia, Lincoln East, music
Martell:
- Reese Thomas, home school, music
Norfolk:
- Noah Asbury, Norfolk, music
- Emily Henkel, Norfolk, music; Nathan Kaiser, Norfolk, music
- North Platte: Brett Pfeifer, North Platte, theatre
Omaha:
- Asher Abuhl, Trinity Classical Academy, music
- Adam Campagna, Omaha South, film and emerging media arts
- Liam Cowherd Richardson, Creighton Preparatory, music
- Regina Ho, Millard South, film and emerging media arts
- Connor Holmstedt, Fort Calhoun, music
- Kara Leininger, Duchesne Academy, music
- Jayden Li, Millard North, music; Violet Little, Omaha Central, dance
- Mrethi Magesh, Millard North, dance
- Venkatesan Marichamy, Millard North, dance
- Moyra Matthews, Duchesne Academy, dance and music
- Jackson Mu, Millard North, music
- Gauri Nair, Millard North, dance
- Angela Qi, Millard North, music
- Jackson Ramsey, Gretna East, music
- Tara Richardson, Creighton Prep, music
- Vandana Santhanam, Marian, music
- Caroline Soderlin, Millard North, music
- Akshara Venkatesan, Millard North, dance
- Caleigh Walkenhorst, Millard West, music
Osmond:
- Donovan Heiman, Osmond, theatre
Papillion:
- Emelia Weaver, Papillion-La Vista, music
Pierce:
- Spencer Sindt, Pierce, music
Randolph:
- Brecken Shearer, Randolph, visual arts
York:
- Allison Holmes, York, visual arts
Nebraska
Nebraska completes sweep over Michigan State in 12-2 seven-inning win
Nebraska baseball (10-5, 3-0) closed out its three-game series with Michigan State (3-11, 0-3) on Sunday afternoon. The Huskers completed the sweep over the Spartans, earning a 12-2 run-rule win in seven.
Nebraska shut down Michigan State early, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first after the Spartans took a 1-0 lead. The Huskers scored 11 straight before surrendering another run. The team totaled 11 hits and held Michigan State to three. The Spartans also suffered five errors.
Nebraska struck three home runs on the day, two off the bat of Dylan Carey. He hit 3-for-4 for four RBIs after hitting multiple two-run home runs. Preston Freeman also blasted a two-run shot over the wall to finish 1-for-3.
Case Sanderson brought in three RBIs after batting 2-for-4 with a double. Drew Grego also finished 2-for-4, earning one RBI. Mac Moyer grabbed one RBI off a double. Jett Buck and Joshua Overbeek each delivered one hit.
Gavin Blachowicz (2-1) won at the mound and pitched all seven innings for the Huskers. He struck out a career-high 11 batters and allowed three hits for two runs.
Nebraska remains at home for its next matchup, hosting North Dakota State on Wednesday night. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT on B1G+.
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