Nebraska

RNC Chair Whatley visits Omaha to push for GOP election monitoring volunteers • Nebraska Examiner

Published

2 years ago

September 6, 2024

RNC Chair Whatley visits Omaha to push for GOP election monitoring volunteers • Nebraska Examiner

OMAHA — Michael Whatley, chairman of the Republican National Committee, visited Nebraska on Thursday to encourage local Republicans to volunteer as poll workers, poll watchers and attorneys familiar with election law.

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (left), Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley (center) and Nebraska Republican Party Chair Eric Underwood answer questions. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)

Whatley was one of the lead Republican attorneys that the George W. Bush campaign leaned on in 2000 in Broward County, Florida, to push back against Democratic Party efforts during a recount of the Bush race against Al Gore.

His appearance at a training session co-hosted by the Nebraska Republican Party was part of the RNC’s swing state and swing congressional district push to restore Republican faith in voting processes by monitoring them.

It’s also a sign that former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, is still interested in competing for Nebraska’s swing 2nd District. The state is one of two that awards a single Electoral College vote to the presidential popular vote winner in each congressional district.

Trump sowed doubts

Trump has raised doubts, often without evidence, about voting by mail. Some political observers have said his unwillingness to accept his 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden depressed GOP turnout in 2021 and 2022.

Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb introduces second gentleman Doug Emhoff at an event in Omaha. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)

But the RNC has been brainstorming ways to remind Republican voters who have lost faith that their vote still counts. Critics of the program have argued that it is aimed at slowing down the process to certification if the race is once again close.

The RNC says it has largely settled on trying to make sure that election rules are consistent, that voter IDs are required, that voter rolls are reviewed for errors and that people who want to vote early to do so by mail and not via drop boxes.

“This is not election denialism,” Whatley said. “These are not conspiracy theories. These are basic protections on voting.… We’re trying to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat.”

Program started in North Carolina

Whatley, a former GOP chair in North Carolina, said he started a similar “voting integrity” program there in 2019. A consent decree had limited how aggressively the RNC could monitor elections, citing fears of voter intimidation. The decree expired in 2018.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at Clinton Middle School on Jan. 6, 2024, in Clinton, Iowa. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

On Thursday, Whatley told about 80 to 100 local Republicans that they were needed. He gave a standard stump speech highlighting the Trump-era economy, Trump’s talk about border security and the value of projecting strength abroad. He criticized Trump’s opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

“We need to throw away everything that we’re doing at the RNC and focus on two critical missions: We need to get out the vote, and we need to protect the ballot, and that’s it,” Whatley told his audience.

Whatley was joined by former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is close with Trump.

“I don’t know why the Dems aren’t participating with us in this,” she said.

Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb said the state party and the Democratic National Committee have an election protection team and plan in place, “so we are not worried.” She said they expect a close election.

“We’ve been at the election commissions late at night and early in the morning as our candidates won with a few hundred votes, so these plans are critical for a safe and fair election process,” Kleeb said.

Update on winner-take-all push

Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris speaks on stage during the final day of the Democratic National Convention. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Nebraska Republican Party chairman Eric Underwood spoke at Thursday’s event, thanking Charles Herbster, a big Trump donor and 2022 gubernatorial candidate, for helping to arrange the visit, and calling on Republicans to press their friends to vote.

In a follow-up interview, Underwood said the state party, the RNC and the Trump campaign are working on twin tracks to compete in the 2nd District while also pushing the Legislature to shift to winner-take-all rather than splitting the state’s Electoral College votes.

“We believe now that our senators and everybody else is on the same page,” Underwood said. “And if it’s what’s meant for this state, then it’s going to happen. I think there’s still a good chance for it to happen this year.”

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Nebraska

Hail, rain, snow move into eastern Nebraska, western Iowa

Published

8 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Hail, rain, snow move into eastern Nebraska, western Iowa

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – An active weather pattern is moving into the region starting tonight, bringing some snow into the region, according to KTIV’s forecast in Sioux City.

A First Alert 6 viewer sent footage of the storms while traveling on Interstate 80 near West Branch, Iowa.

Hail near West Branch, Iowa

TUESDAY NIGHT

In Siouxland, a batch of precipitation moves in after midnight. It could initially start as rain, but most of the precipitation will fall as snow. Snow showers will likely last through sunrise on Wednesday morning.

The snow will stay light with accumulations near an inch or less. This could create some slick spots on the Wednesday morning commute. Temperatures will probably fall a bit below the freezing mark.

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Nebraska

Shelter in place issued after suspicious object found in mailbox

Published

20 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

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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68 students chosen as Nebraska Young Artist Award winners

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

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: