Nebraska

Testimony heard on bill that would change Nebraska’s voting process

Published

10 months ago

March 5, 2025

Testimony heard on bill that would change Nebraska’s voting process

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Voting early, turning in ballots to drop-boxes, and registering to vote online — a bill discussed in the Nebraska Legislature on Wednesday would eliminate or restrict all of those practices.

Nebraska State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue introduced LB 541, and he says the intent is to bolster Nebraskans’ confidence in their state elections.

“My goal in introducing this bill is not to rehash past elections or criticize any state office or agency,” said Sen. Holdcroft. “It is simply to give peace-of-mind in our state regarding the security of our elections.”

But supporters of the bill used the opportunity to tell a familiar tale.

“In the year 2020, in that election, with COVID going on, we had a lot of confusion,” said George Olmer during Wednesday’s hearing. “We had people assuming and taking on assumption of power.

“During his recent cabinet meeting, President Trump laid out a clear vision for America’s election,” said Danna Seevers, another supporter of LB 541. “Iron clad security, no tolerance for cheating, and a system where every legal vote counts.”

Opposing voices were heard, too.

“The problem is that Trump has run Republicans crazy, and everything they seem to do is wanting to get an ’A’ on dancing to his tune,” said Preston Love.

Love, a former U.S. Senate candidate and founder of Black Votes Matter Omaha, says online registration and early voting works just fine in Nebraska.

“Nothing’s broken, so why are we trying to fix it?” Love said.

Sen. Holdcroft maintains that he proposed the bill for the sake of being proactive, not reactive.

“We wear seatbelts, we take Vitamin C, we check our furnaces in the fall,” Sen. Holdcroft said. “Not because something has happened, but as preventative measures.”

But several county election commissioners across the state testified that election in Nebraska are safe and secure — and that some of the proposed changes could cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“This bill is offering solutions to a whole host of problems that simply do not exist,” said Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse.

Last week, the Douglas County board voted to unanimously to oppose LB 541.

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Nebraska

Nebraska-based pizza chain Godfather’s Pizza is set to open a new location in Queen Creek

Published

4 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska-based pizza chain Godfather’s Pizza is set to open a new location in Queen Creek

QUEEN CREEK, AZ — A slice of the Midwest is coming to the East Valley! Godfather’s Pizza from Omaha, Nebraska, is set to open a new location this month in Queen Creek.

Bruce Cannon, who owns and operates two Godfather’s Pizza locations in Lincoln and Norfolk, Nebraska, will also own and operate the new Queen Creek restaurant.

“This marks the brand’s first traditional Godfather’s Pizza restaurant in Arizona since 2009, signaling an exciting return to the Phoenix metro area,” read the news release sent to ABC15.

The restaurant will open near Queen Creek Rd and Signal Butte Rd.

The restaurant will provide dine-in, carryout, and third-party delivery options, featuring its classic pizza lineup alongside favorites like breadsticks, streusels, and specialty pies.

IF YOU GO

Opening date: January 19, 2026.
Address: 22485 Queen Creek Road, Suite 101

Nebraska

Notre Dame Transfer QB Kenny Minchey Flips Commitment From Nebraska After One Day

Published

16 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Notre Dame Transfer QB Kenny Minchey Flips Commitment From Nebraska After One Day

The quarterback position has been one of the most intriguing to follow early on into the transfer portal period, as schools across the country make offers to some of the best available arms. Nebraska thought they managed to bring aboard one of the best quarterbacks in the portal on Sunday when they received a commitment from Notre Dame transfer Kenny Minchey.

That commitment ended up being rather short lived, however.

On Monday, reports emerged saying that Minchey was flipping his commitment from Nebraska to Kentucky just one day after declaring he’d be joining the Cornhuskers for the 2026 season.

Instead, Minchey now appears set to join the Wildcats under new head coach Will Stein, who is finishing up his duties as the offensive coordinator for Oregon.

Minchey is entering his redshirt junior season and will have two years of eligibility remaining. He’s spent the last three years as a backup at Notre Dame. He completed 20 of 26 passes this season for 196 yards, but did not have a passing touchdown or interception.

Now, he’ll get the chance to start for Kentucky, replacing former Wildcats quarterback Cutter Boley, who transferred to Arizona State.

As for Nebraska, this is a big blow for the program. It’s not yet clear what direction they’ll turn as the program hunts down its next quarterback after Dylan Raiola entered the transfer portal at the end of the season.

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Nebraska

Former Husker Medically Retires from Football, Forgoes NFL Draft

Published

1 day ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

Former Husker Medically Retires from Football, Forgoes NFL Draft

Ernest Hausmann is electing to hang it up after a four-year run in college football.

The former Nebraska football and Michigan linebacker announced on social media Saturday that he is medically retiring rather than pursuing a pro football career. Hausmann concludes his college football career with over 250 career tackles in 50 career games. The Columbus, Neb., product finished his final season as Wolverines with 44 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss and a sack.

Prior to becoming a national champion with Michigan during his sophomore campaign in 2023, Hausmann was a true freshman standout for Nebraska, playing for his in-state team. The Columbus High School graduate was one of the top prospects in Nebraska during his prep career, becoming an All-Nebraska selection and earning a three-star recruitment rating as the No. 5 player in the state for the Discoverers. Hausmann signed with Nebraska over Arizona State, Iowa, Kansas State, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and others.

The linebacker would play in every game of the 2022 season as a true freshman, earning seven starts while finishing with 54 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, a sack, and a fumble recovery in Scott Frost’s final season as head coach. After Frost was fired early in the season, interim coach Mickey Joseph led lead the team as Hausmann’s play improved as the season continued. The linebacker had a 12-tackle performance at Wisconsin in Nebraska’s 15-14 loss in his second-to-last performance as a Cornhusker before ending the year with six solo tackles and a fumble recovery in a Nebraska win at Iowa.

Hausmann entered the transfer portal after his freshman campaign, electing to join the Michigan Wolverines for the 2023 season. He appeared in all 15 games in the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship run, finishing third on the team with 46 total tackles, including two tackles for loss. He also earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors in Michigan’s Big Ten Championship Game win over Iowa, totaling eight tackles against the Hawkeyes.

Hausmann started all 13 games as a junior for Michigan in 2024, leading the team with 89 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, two pass breakups, and one interception. His performance led to an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection by the media and coaches, as well as earning a ReliaQuest Bowl win over Alabama while being named a captain for the game.

Oct 18, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines linebacker Cole Sullivan (23) and linebacker Ernest Hausmann (15) celebrates in the first half against the Washington Huskies at Michigan Stadium. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

During his senior campaign, Hausmann was named a Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year semifinalist while earning an All-Big Ten Third-Team selection. He earned four Defensive Player of the Week honors for the Wolverines, and started in Michigan’s 30-27 win at Nebraska on Sept. 20, totaling nine tackles and a sack.

Hausmann was born in Uganda and was legally adopted when he was two years old, but did not join his Hausmann family until he was five years old in 2008. Prior to his senior campaign at Michigan, Hausmann returned to Africa and later partnered with One Million Wells, a nonprofit that seeks to provide water to impoverished communities.

The Wolverine linebacker began communication with his biological family through social media in the past few years, as Hausmann was able to speak to his mother for the first time in 2024. His return journey to Uganda was featured on ESPN’s College GameDay as a feature story earlier in the college football season.

Hausmann stated in his social media post that it was time to “focus on my true purpose on this earth full time.” He added that he would finish his degree at the University of Michigan.

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