Nebraska

Nebraska voter survey shows heavy support for more state investment in early learning, child care • Nebraska Examiner

Published

2 years ago

May 1, 2024

Nebraska voter survey shows heavy support for more state investment in early learning, child care • Nebraska Examiner

LINCOLN — More than 80% of respondents in a new statewide survey agree, and about half strongly agree, that Nebraska lawmakers should support child care and early learning programs as they do for K-12 grades and higher education.

About the same proportions believe state legislators should make child care and early learning a higher priority than it is today.

And the bulk of parents, nonparents, rural and urban folks alike favored using a portion of a state budget surplus to help pay for better services.

Those were among results of the survey released Wednesday and conducted for We Care for Kids/Por todos los niños and the Nebraska Extension early childhood development arm.

“This survey is a message from Nebraskans for lawmakers to act, and act big, on access to quality, affordable child care and early learning,” said Kathleen Lodl, associate dean at Nebraska Extension.

Dimensions Education Programs in Lincoln provides a hands-on, experiential approach to learning that is based on the needs and curiosity of young children. We Care for Kids is a campaign in the state that is raising awareness of the importance of quality early childhood education in Nebraska. (Courtesy of We Care for Kids)

New Bridge Strategy in January interviewed 501 registered voters representing various backgrounds, political affiliations and parts of the state. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.38% for the overall sample.

Results of the partnership’s third annual survey are to be distributed to legislators, policymakers and others in an effort to rally for increased attention to affordable and quality child care services, says Claire Wiebe of We Care for Kids.

The partnership of more than 120 state and community-based organizations is coordinated by the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska. The survey comes amidst alarm in the industry.

According to the partnership, 91% of counties in Nebraska with child care facilities do not have enough available slots to meet demand, and 11 counties have no licensed child care facilities.

Nearly 30% of home-based child care providers and 20% of center-based teachers depend on some type of public assistance.

Wiebe said various communities are working to improve access to affordable child care and early learning programming and “can’t do it alone.”

Citing the survey, she said, “Clearly, there is a strong desire to fix Nebraska’s child care crisis and for state government to do its part.”

Morgan Williams reads to her son in Eustis, NE. We Care for Kids is a campaign in the state that is raising awareness of the importance of quality early childhood education in Nebraska. (Courtesy of We Care for Kids)

Lori Weigel of New Bridge led the survey and said a “bottom line” takeaway was that Nebraska voters value early education and childcare as a key to the state’s economic and social well-being.

“People are connecting the dots with the economy, ” she said.

Weigel pointed to the 83% of respondents who said access to quality and affordable child care is essential or very important to strengthening the economy.

She also pointed out feedback to a question about whether those surveyed would support investing as much as $190 million annually over a decade to boost early learning and child care programming. Respondents were told Nebraska has a $2 billion surplus.

To that spending proposition, 79% were supporters and 18% opposed the idea.

Online respondents were asked to explain their support. Top answers: children are the future of Nebraska (21%); early childhood education is important and education is a priority (17%); quality education helps children develop properly (14%).

Top reasons among the share who opposed the investment: too much money overall (24%); money should go to other priorities (24%); more money to schools won’t help (14%).

Wiebe said some positive movement was made during the past legislative session, including an amended Legislative Bill 856, which changed a Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services rule that prohibited home child care providers from receiving free child care assistance for their own children. She said LB 1416, amended into LB 164, also supported early childhood education and showed lawmakers were interested in improvements.

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Nebraska

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

Published

5 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

17 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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