Nebraska
Our entrepreneurship opportunity • Nebraska Examiner
Older Nebraskans remember radio commentator Paul Harvey. Popular for his “The Rest of the Story.” Mr. Harvey told stories about someone or something, teasing his audience to guess who or what he was talking about. After a commercial break he shared the “rest of the story.”
Entrepreneurship, or the creating and growing of businesses, is core to America’s success. As recently as the decade before the pandemic, growing research indicating America’s entrepreneurship culture was in decay. Calls for revitalizing America’s entrepreneurial spirit sounded. Truth be told, we Americans have an active tradition of cycling between “all is going to the dogs” and “good times are here again.”
The rest of the story is rooted in the dark days of the pandemic. We, like much of the world, were gripped by a once-in-a-lifetime health crisis. Over a 100 million Americans came down with COVID-19 and over 1.2 million died. Economic shutdowns, isolation, jobs lost, and failed businesses occurred. During COVID, working from home became more commonplace, and millions of us reconsidered how we made our living and lived. In the pandemic the roots of an entrepreneurship renewal were planted. Hundreds of thousands of our neighbors decided they did not want to go back to the shop floor or office. They were tired of working for someone else and desired something different than a long commute and having a boss.
In the New York Times dated Oct. 4, 2024, authors Ben Casselman and Sydney Ember penned a story titled “Pandemic Start-Ups Are Thriving, and Helping Fuel the Economy.” In this story the authors cite statistical evidence that something has changed with dramatically higher new business formation rates. Their story also captures insights into why this is happening. For America this is a point-in-time opportunity that warrants our encouragement and support. Entrepreneurship is driving creativity and innovation, and revitalizing and energizing our economy, society and communities.
These cycles of entrepreneurship are not new to America. My pop grew up in the 1920s and 1930s working on the family’s farms, and then as a laborer. That is how most Americans made their living in those times. Upon returning from World War II, serving in the U.S. Army, my father went back to work as a meat cutter and grocery clerk. With a little cash in his pocket, he dreamed of a different life. He got married, started a family, began buying homes, cars and appliances, enabled by becoming a small business owner.
After World War II, with a booming economy, there was a surge in entrepreneurship. Of my dad’s six brothers, all but one became entrepreneurs. None of them became rich, but they raised and educated families, paid taxes, hired folks, ensured their retirements and gave back to their communities.
This pattern is repeating itself across America and Nebraska in 2024. In 2022, the Unicameral Legislature enacted the Nebraska Small Business Assistance Act. The act provides funding for Nebraska-based startup and existing small businesses. The response to the act has been overwhelming, with nearly 3,000 inquiries.
This level of interest far exceeds what we would expect from the normal startup data. Recent analysis by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Bureau of Business Research found over 63% of these small business owners pursued entrepreneurship because they wanted to be their own boss — just like my pop.
The rest of the story is still to be written. Nebraska has a critical choice. Each year state and local governments spend hundreds of millions of dollars on traditional economic development focusing on business attraction and real estate development.
If just 10% of this spending was invested in supporting entrepreneurship, we could grow a more diverse, equitable, rooted and resilient economy, one entrepreneur’s dream at a time. Entrepreneurship builds families, communities and stronger state economies.
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The results are in for the Nebraska Lottery’s draw games on Friday, May 8, 2026.
Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on May 8.
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 8 drawing
37-47-49-51-58, Mega Ball: 16
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 8 drawing
8-0-5
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from May 8 drawing
01-03-12-24-26
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning 2 By 2 numbers from May 8 drawing
Red Balls: 02-20, White Balls: 09-11
Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning MyDay numbers from May 8 drawing
Month: 01, Day: 16, Year: 17
Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 8 drawing
14-16-21-43-51, Bonus: 03
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.
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Nebraska Athletics announced Friday that the expansion of John Cook Arena is in full swing.
The Nebraska Athletics Capital Planning and Facilities Department posted to social media that the effort to modernize amenities and provide new seating options is well underway.
According to the athletic fund, the renovation will enhance Nebraska’s home-court advantage, modernize amenities and provide new premium and general seating options. This includes adding:
- New and improved seats with cup holders in each seat.
- A new centralized student section.
- New and improved courtside seating with both end court and side court locations available. The Courtside Lounge offers access pregame and during intermission and includes private restrooms, televisions and all-inclusive gourmet food, beverage and alcohol.
- New Loge Box seating with hospitality lounge with access pregame and during intermission, including access to private restrooms, televisions and all-inclusive gourmet food and beverage with a cash bar.
- Libero Club seating replaces the VIP seats. Located in the back row of the 100 level, seats include access to the Libero Club Lounge pregame and during intermission complete with televisions and all-inclusive gourmet food and soft drinks with a cash bar.
- Additional ADA seating with new vantage points and easier access from around the concourse.
The Husker Athletic Fund announced the first-ever reseating and parking process in October 2025. It is timed to coincide with the renovation of the arena to increase overall capacity to 10,000.
For more information about the reseating process, click here.
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Copyright 2026 KOLN. All rights reserved.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers will face the Indiana Hoosiers in the semifinal round of the Big Ten Tournament on Friday evening. The Huskers defeated the Michigan Wolverines, while Indiana defeated Washington to advance to the semis.
Nebraska enters with a 44-6 record and is on a 19-game win streak, the longest active streak in the country. The Huskers have reached the semifinals of each of the last five Big Ten Tournaments. Indiana is 42-13 on the season.
The Huskers won the Big Ten regular-season title, the first conference title since 2014 and the first outright title since joining the Big Ten. The 23 regular-season wins tied for the most in conference history.
The Huskers are led by 2025 Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Jordy Frahm. Frahm is hitting .429 with 19 HR and 49 RBI. She is also 16-4 with a 1.26 ERA in the pitcher’s circle.
Indiana is led in the batter’s box by Aly VanBrandt, who is hitting .405 on the season with 15 home runs and 61 RBI. Aubree Hooks is the leading pitcher with an 11-2 record and a 2.35 ERA in 80.1 innings pitched.
This will be the first meeting of the season between these two teams, as they did not face each other during the Big Ten schedule.
Watch Nebraska vs Indiana in the Big Ten Softball Tournament live on Fubo (free trial)
Here’s how to watch the Nebraska-Indiana softball match on Friday, including time, TV schedule, and streaming information:
What channel is the Nebraska-Indiana softball match on Friday?
TV Channel: Big Ten Network
Livestream: Fubo (free trial)
Nebraska vs. Indiana in the semifinals of the Big Ten Softball Tournament will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Time of the Nebraska-Indiana softball match on Friday
- Date: Friday, March 8
- Start time: 4 p.m. CT
The Nebraska vs Indiana semifinal match in the Big Ten Softball Tournament starts at 4 p.m. at the Maryland Softball Stadium in College Park, MD.
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