LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Starting Friday, drivers in Nebraska won’t be able to make left or right turns on red arrows.

Under the new law, drivers facing a red arrow signal must make a complete stop and wait for a green arrow before entering a crosswalk or stop line.

The Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Department said the new statute “aims to enhance safety for all road users, including drivers and pedestrians.”

Dan Carpenter, the traffic engineering manager for LTU, said the new law clarifies the traffic rule that red means stop.

“This push right now is to educate travelers in Nebraska about what the law is, what the change is and how state statute defines the rules of the road,” he said.

One Lincoln driver said he’s happy officials are taking people’s safety seriously.

“I think it’s a good thing if it’s going to save lives,” John said. “We can all slow down a little bit and not be in such a hurry.”

Another man said the new law won’t stop him from turning on red arrows if there’s no oncoming traffic.

Carpenter said drivers still have the ability to turn right on a solid red light.

“At your standard four-way intersections, you’ll typically face a red ball, and you’re still permitted to turn on red unless there’s additional signage telling you not to,” he said.

The Lincoln Police Department said it plans to enforce the law the same way it does any other traffic law.

Nebraska’s Big Rodeo will swing open its chutes next week in Burwell. The Hall of Fame rodeo will take place July 24-27th.

Burwell will host some of the top cowboys and cowgirls in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association for four jam-packed nights of rodeo action. Travis Schauda of Broken Bow will be returning for his fifth time announcing the rodeo.

In addition to the standard rodeo events, Nebraska’s Big Rodeo will feature a host of accessory events on the track including Indian relay races, the dinner bell derby, and the wild horse race.

Wednesday evening will also feature the crowning of a brand new pair of rodeo queens. Miss Burwell Rodeo 2023, Brylee Thompson of Hershey, and Little Miss Burwell Rodeo, Kartyr Johnson of Denton, will crown their successors during the first performance.

After suffering huge loss due to a storm in 2022, there have been many construction projects happening at the rodeo grounds. Most notably, a new set of north grandstands is being constructed to replace those damaged by the storm.

Rodeo board president Jess Helgoth says the grandstands will be functional at this year’s rodeo. However, the roof and the event space slated to be underneath the grandstands will not be complete. Other facility improvements rodeo attendees may notice include expanding the size of the dance pavilion, adding restroom accommodations, and increasing the amount of handicap seating.

This year’s Grand Marshal is none other than Nebraska Volleyball Coach, John Cook. The 4x national champion has taken an interest in rodeo and horses over the past few years and will be gracing Nebraska’s Big Rodeo this year. The rodeo committee has even created merchandise to commemorate Coach Cook’s attendance that will be for sale during the rodeo.

Tickets can be purchased online in advance at https://nebraskasbigrodeo.com/tickets/.

Nebraska’s Big Rodeo is held in conjunction with the Garfield County Fair. View the full schedule of events here: https://nebraskasbigrodeo.com/schedule-of-events/

Listen to our interview with Nebraska’s Big Rodeo President Jess Helgoth:

Listen to our interview with announcer Travis Schauda:

Listen to our interview with Hailey DeMers of Pioneer Band, who will play in the beer garden following the rodeo:

OMAHA — Democratic donors in and beyond Nebraska’s borders are focusing more money and attention this year on the Omaha-area rematch race for the U.S. House.

From April 1 to June 30, Democratic challenger State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha outraised the four-term Republican incumbent, U.S. Rep. Don Bacon of Papillion.

Vargas reported raising $1.36 million in the second quarter, with $2.5 million in cash on hand. That’s more than double his cash on hand at this point in 2022, campaign finance filings show.

Bacon raised $970,000 for his campaign, plus another $80,000 for his Bacon PAC, the filings show. He listed $2.2 million in cash on hand, more than double his campaign’s tally in July 2022.

Contrast that with the second quarter of 2022, when Bacon raised $409,000 and listed $1.2 million in cash on hand and Vargas raised $550,000 and listed $533,000 in cash on hand.

Vargas outpacing 2022 tallies

Vargas appears to have held onto his local Democratic donors and expanded his reach with national donors, with much of his money coming to his campaign through online donations portal ActBlue.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said recently it would steer donors to spend more money on a smaller number of races this year, including Nebraska’s 2nd District.

The Vargas campaign has said donors also see that Bacon is coming off a primary in which nearly 40% of Republican voters chose another candidate, Dan Frei, who raised and spent very little.

“Nebraskans across all political parties are making it clear they’re fed up with Don Bacon hurting middle class families and siding with his party bosses, just to protect his political career,” Vargas said in a statement. “That’s why my campaign is seeing more grassroots support and momentum than ever before.” 

Bacon ahead of schedule, too

Bacon, like most long-term incumbents, raised much of his money from groups and people with business before Congress. He also appears to have maintained his support with local GOP donors.

To date, Bacon has raised and spent the most on this election cycle, because he was fending off a primary challenger, which forced him to spend funds earlier on advertising and door-knocking.

In all, Bacon has raised $4.3 million this cycle and spent $2.1 million, according to OpenSecrets.org, which tracks congressional campaign spending. Vargas has raised $3.5 million and spent $1.1 million. Vargas did not face a primary challenger.

The National Republican Congressional Committee has been ramping up its support for Bacon and other targeted GOP incumbents. It has pledged that Bacon will have all the support he needs.

Bacon, in a statement, thanked his supporters for “putting our campaign in its strongest-ever position to win this fall.” He has said his voting record matches the district and its values better than Vargas.

“We had a competitive primary. Tony Vargas didn’t,” said Matthew Zacher, Bacon’s campaign manager, who pointed out that the district retains a slight GOP lean. “We have been outraised three of four election cycles and won each time.”

Looking ahead to November

Bacon beat Vargas by about 3 percentage points in 2022.

Polling touted by both campaigns has shown the race within the surveys’  margin of error, with each side highlighting a result that shows their candidate leading.

Many political observers expect the race to take on a harder edge than in 2022. That year, more than $18 million was spent on the race, including more than $11 million from outside groups.

Other House races

In eastern Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., raised $283,000 and listed $501,000 in cash on hand, federal campaign finance records show.

His Democratic opponent, State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue, raised $23,000 and listed $20,000 in cash on hand.

In Nebraska’s PAC-MAN-shaped, largely rural 3rd District, one of the most conservative districts nationally, Republican U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith continues to outraise Democratic opponents.

Smith raised $296,000 and listed $1.1 million in cash on hand at the end of June. His Democratic opponent, Daniel Ebers, had not filed a campaign finance form with the Federal Election Commission. Candidates must file if they raise $5,000 or more.