Nebraska
The Ricketts family donates millions to Nebraska campaigns. They aren't the top donors. – Flatwater Free Press
Despite their massive giving, Pete Ricketts and wife Susanne Shore are only Nebraska’s second-largest donors of the past quarter century. Joe and Marlene Ricketts rank third.
In first: Charles and Judith Herbster, who’ve spent at least $15.1 million, according to Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission data.
While the Herbsters gave some of that money to candidates for the Legislature and other offices, the vast majority – all but roughly $720,000 – went toward Charles Herbster’s two unsuccessful campaigns for governor and his preferred candidate, Beau McCoy, after Herbster dropped out of the 2014 race.
“I work hard for my money and I do not just throw it around without a lot of consideration,” Herbster said in a statement. “My donations come with no strings attached. I do my homework and support good candidates who I trust to do what is right.”
His high percentage of self-funding leaves the Rickettses as the family that has, by a wide margin, spent the most money in the 21st century broadly funding Nebraska political campaigns and causes.
U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts and wife Susanne Shore have given at least a combined $7.9 million. Almost all of it came from Ricketts. Shore has given comparatively small amounts, mostly to Democrats.
In several cases, the two funded candidates on opposite sides of the same race – like in the Lincoln mayor’s race between former Republican state Sen. Suzanne Geist and incumbent Democrat Leirion Gaylor Baird. Shore gave Gaylor Baird $40,000. Ricketts gave $150,000 to Geist and $300,000 to a PAC that supported her and attacked Gaylor Baird.
Joe and Marlene Ricketts have given at least $4.5 million, according to NADC records.
They’ve made some contributions together, and some as individuals. Over a million of it went to their son’s gubernatorial campaign committee, but they too have put hundreds of thousands toward ballot measures, PACs and other races. The largest single contribution – $1.5 million from Marlene – funded a successful initiative to require a photo ID to vote in Nebraska.
The Flatwater Free Press analyzed public NADC records dating back to 1995. However, Nebraska didn’t have meaningful contribution sums reported electronically until 1999. (To learn more about how the Flatwater Free Press analyzed campaign finance data, read the “How We Did It” explainer.)
Available filings show there’s no comparison to the breadth and volume of the Ricketts family’s spending in public campaign finance records in recent Nebraska history.
Some political observers noted that it may be, in part, because races now cost more to win. John Hibbing, a longtime political scientist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, partially credits a shifting American political culture that became more polarized during Ricketts’ tenure.
“Imagine a world in which Pete Ricketts had not come on the scene politically in Nebraska,” Hibbing said. “I still think we’d be having a conversation about the intense fights in the … allegedly nonpartisan unicameral. It’s just that … there might not have been the financial resources that were controlled by one particular person to exacerbate those splits.”
After the Ricketts family, the state’s list of top 20 political donors of the last two decades features familiar names of all political stripes.
“Maybe the reason people are so focused on what Pete Ricketts did as governor is because of the size of the gifts,” said Bud Synhorst, former director of the Nebraska Republican Party. “However, there are plenty of mega donors that give to Democratic candidates and Democratic causes.”
The late Dick Holland follows Joe and Marlene Ricketts – he gave about $2.3 million, mostly to Democratic causes. Daughter Andy Holland, who has been active in the state Democratic Party, gave about $110,000.
Next on the list are Michigan Republicans Dick and Betsy DeVos, who gave most of their nearly $2.3 million to a national school choice organization that poured money into a Nebraska PAC supporting Republican legislative candidates and opposing Democrats. Betsy DeVos served as President Donald Trump’s Secretary of Education.
Walter and Suzanne Scott gave at least $2.2 million. No other donor cracks $2 million in available data, though there are several notable Nebraska names, including current Republican Gov. Jim Pillen, Democrats Barbara and Wally Weitz – Barbara Weitz serves as a University of Nebraska Regent – and rising Republican donor Tom Peed. (Editor’s note: Wally Weitz serves on the board of the Nebraska Journalism Trust, FFP’s parent nonprofit, and the Weitz Family Foundation is a donor.)
Flatwater Free Press did not include contributions from their businesses – for example, Peeds’ Sandhills Global or Herbster’s Conklin Company – in this analysis, and didn’t include giving from TD Ameritrade in its analysis of the Ricketts family’s giving.
It’s also worth noting that some organizations aren’t required to disclose their donors, whose money is then funneled to candidates and causes in Nebraska.
One example: The left-leaning Sixteen Thirty Fund has given at least $6.3 million in Nebraska in the last two decades. That’s the second-highest sum for an organization, after Ho-Chunk Inc., the corporation started by the Winnebago Tribe. (Editor’s note: Ho-Chunk Inc., is a sponsor of Flatwater Free Press.)
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Nebraska
Mental health by the numbers in Nebraska
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – A deeper look tonight as First Alert 6 continues to dig deeper into the state of mental health care in Nebraska and possible solutions, ever since last week’s two instances involving law enforcement.
A Douglas County sheriff’s deputy was shot responding to a domestic call. Investigators said the suspect, Brian Huggins, had a history of behavioral health issues. Huggins died by suicide.
And then Noemi Guzman, who police say kidnapped a 3-year-old from inside an Omaha Walmart and cut him in the arm and face with a stolen kitchen knife. Omaha police officers shot and killed her before she could strike again.
Guzman had been on a court-ordered mental health treatment plan since last summer for her schizophrenia. According to court records, psychiatrists determined she could live in the community. Remember, this was after she was arrested for setting her father’s house on fire and threatening a priest with a knife.
Monitoring system
We wanted to know who is part of the system monitoring those who may not be following their mental health treatment plan and are a risk to others or themselves. When that happens, the Board of Mental Health will often notify the local sheriff so a warrant can be issued and deputies can track the individual down.
Here are the numbers since 2023:
In 2023, 842 warrants were issued for those not following their treatment plans according to the Board of Mental Health. In 2024, 756. In 2025, 690. So far in 2026, 190.
But out of these 2,500 warrants, 85% of them didn’t have a second warrant, meaning deputies picked them up, got them back into treatment and the individuals continued to thrive after the one hiccup.
But in 15% of these cases, the individuals messed up again and had another warrant issued by the Board of Mental Health. Twenty-five individuals had five or more issued in Douglas County.
Sheriff Hanson said there has to be a better way, a more team approach for this.
One model to explore is the way Nebraska’s problem-solving courts work like drug court and veterans’ treatment court where experts from a variety of stakeholders help individuals who are on the fringes to do everything to make them productive citizens.
Copyright 2026 WOWT. All rights reserved.
Nebraska
‘Nothing can hold me back’: Nebraska teen scores on first play after open heart surgery
(InvestigateTV) — Sometimes sports are about more than the final score.
For Jack Burke, a high school football player in Nebraska, a medical diagnosis at birth has never stopped him from competing — and a touchdown catch in his first play back from open heart surgery proved it.
Born with a rare heart defect
Burke was born with Scimitar syndrome, a rare heart defect in which babies are born with an underdeveloped right lung and pulmonary artery. The condition also affects blood flow to the right lung. Treatment often includes surgery, and many adults with the condition go on to live healthy lives.
“As a kid, I never really understood,” Burke said. “It was always natural for me that I had to push myself harder to keep up.”
His mother, Bridget Burke, says the condition was not initially considered dangerous for sports participation.
“His Scimitar Syndrome never really came into play as being dangerous for him to play sports,” she said.
The decision to operate
That changed in the spring of 2025, when Burke’s family and doctors decided it was time for a surgery that had been anticipated for years.
“I’ve kind of known I’ve had to get surgery my whole life,” Burke said. “Once I knew I could get the surgery sooner, I was all in. I wanted to get it so I could get back to sports.”
His father, Ryan Burke, says the timing was deliberate.
“This will be done before school gets started, and still have a chance to do almost everything you want to do,” Ryan Burke said.
Jack Burke underwent open-heart surgery, leaving a visible reminder of what he went through.
“There’s a six-inch scar in the middle of his chest that represents a pretty big thing that happened,” Ryan Burke said.
For Bridget Burke, the moment her son was taken to the operating room was difficult.
“When the rubber hits the road and your kid is being wheeled back to the OR, it is scary and emotional,” she said.
The comeback
Burke eased back into football following his cardiologist’s recommended recovery timeline. His return came in week three of the season.
“Before the Schuyler game I talked to his dad and he’s like, ‘I think we might be ready,’” said coach Jay Landstrom.
Bridget Burke says the family approached the return with caution.
“I mean, I was nervous. We didn’t really know how much he would play. It was going to be some cautious situations,” she said.
Those concerns were set aside — at least for a moment — when Burke caught a touchdown pass on his very first play back.
“All the parents were high-fiving everybody and they were like, ‘Was that really Jack?’” Bridget Burke said.
Landstrom called it a special moment.
“It was just meant to be and that was really special,” he said.
For Burke, the touchdown meant something beyond the scoreboard.
“I just remember one of my teammates came up to me and said, ‘He’s back. He’s back,’” Burke said. “It kind of shows something that tried to stop me — I hurdled that obstacle.”
Burke says the surgery has given him a new sense of freedom.
“Now I can do whatever I want. Nothing can hold me back,” he said.
Copyright 2026 Gray Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Nebraska
Nebraska Lottery results: See winning numbers for Pick 3, Pick 5 on April 19, 2026
The results are in for the Nebraska Lottery’s draw games on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on April 19.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 19 drawing
4-3-3
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from April 19 drawing
14-19-24-30-34
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning 2 By 2 numbers from April 19 drawing
Red Balls: 01-02, White Balls: 09-26
Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning MyDay numbers from April 19 drawing
Month: 08, Day: 16, Year: 61
Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 19 drawing
32-42-52-53-55, Bonus: 05
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.
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