Nebraska

Once-controversial Summer EBT food program for low-income NE kids set for rollout • Nebraska Examiner

Published

2 years ago

May 6, 2024

Once-controversial Summer EBT food program for low-income NE kids set for rollout • Nebraska Examiner

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s plan to carry out the once-controversial Summer EBT food program for low-income youths has been given the green light from the federal government.

(Scott Olson/Getty Images)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the state’s planned rollout of the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program, which include details such as “touchpoints” that local officials designed to improve outreach, according to a media release Monday from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

So-called touchpoints include providing Nebraska parents with information on types of nutritious foods to buy and follow-up surveys to identify additional needs or concerns.

175,000 students

State officials expect the Summer EBT program to serve about 175,000 students, or 80,000 households that meet certain criteria, including an income that makes them eligible for free or reduced-price lunch during the school year.

That count is up from an earlier estimate of about 150,000 children anticipated to benefit at a state cost of about $400,000 per year to administer the federally-funded program.

Each qualified child is to receive a card loaded with a total of $120 in grocery-buying benefits. The program is designed to allow access to nutritious food during summer months when school is out.

Modeled after pilot projects and a nationwide pandemic-era initiative that ended, Congress authorized the more permanent summer program through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.

State Sen. Jen Day of Gretna during the past legislative session introduced Legislative Bill 952, which stalled but had been prioritized by Sen. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island to push the state to implement the federal program.

Gov. Jim Pillen had balked at opting in, describing the program as a leftover from the pandemic that had ended.

Child Nutrition protest — Paul Feilmann, an anti-poverty activist from Omaha, holds a vigil outside the Nebraska Governor’s Residence. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)

He later added that he didn’t believe in “welfare,” which brought more criticism because the governor, a hog producer and co-owner of a pork processing plant, has accepted federal assistance.

Already, Pillen had been flooded by pleas from food banks, advocates of the poor and protesters.

Ultimately the governor reversed his stand, attributing the change of heart to a visit with Aguilar, a Republican, and discussions he had with students at Boys Town and during a youth legislative day.

Big step

Day, who had led a letter-writing effort supported by 15 state lawmakers, said Monday that although Nebraska was one of the last states to opt in to the new summer program, it was the fourth in the nation to have its plan approved.

“I’m glad that we’ll be able to feed 175,000 Nebraska kids this summer and relieve some of the economic stress that many families are feeling right now,” Day said.

She praised the work of the DHHS and Department of Education in crafting the plan.

“These programs are crucial for making sure that kids in our state receive nutritious meals during the months they are not in school,” DHHS CEO Steve Corsi said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for the USDA said the agency is pleased Nebraska chose to participate.

State Sen. Jen Day of Gretna. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

“We are impressed that the state’s plan includes a range of services to reach kids and also robust outreach to the community,” said Cheryl Kennedy, regional administrator for the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. “This will be a great benefit to the children of Nebraska.”

Eric Savaiano, food and access manager for Nebraska Appleseed, a nonprofit that fought early on for participation in the program, said federal approval of Nebraska’s plan is a big step. Now, he said, there is contact information and other detail available for families.

“This puts details behind the program that means it is actually going to happen,” Savaiano said.

In addition to the Summer EBT program, the State Department of Education said it also is administering the Summer Food Service Program, which provides no-cost meals to kids from age 1 to 18 at about 300 sites across Nebraska.

No applications or paperwork are required to receive meals from approved Summer Food Service Program sites, most of which begin providing meals the first week of June.

Summer EBT eligibility

School-age, income-qualified youths are eligible for Summer EBT cards.

According to DHHS, kids already approved for free and reduced-priced school lunches, or who participate in state-administered public assistance, should receive their cards by mail and don’t have to formally apply.

If in doubt, or for more information on eligibility and application, the state offers a website for the Summer EBT program and the Summer Food Service Program: https://dhhs.ne.gov/SummerEBT.

Once a Summer EBT card is received and activated, it can be used like any other EBT card.

Cards are accepted at approved SNAP retailers, supermarkets and grocery stores. For a list, visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailer-locator

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Nebraska

What Iowa coach Ben McCollum said after defeating Nebraska on Thursday

Published

43 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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