Opinion

As the next session of the Nebraska Legislature approaches in January, senators are starting to talk about bill ideas. As I ponder my last two years in the legislature, I am reminded that we senators who are about to be termed-out have a duty. We need to leave the Unicameral better than we found it for the people of Nebraska.

A common refrain I hear from employers across Nebraska’s Third District is how difficult it has become to find workers to fill the job openings they have. As the unemployment rate rose to a sixmonth high of 3.7 percent in August, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of job openings in America sits at roughly 11 million. Job openings in the U.S. outnumber job seekers by a margin of nearly two-to-one. Wages are up 5.2 percent over a year ago, but real wage growth – when accounting 8.7 percent inflation – is negative as more than 60 percent of job creators fear inflation will drive them out of business. You don’t have to be an economist to see Biden’s economy is broken, and it’s a nationwide problem.

“I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain? I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain? Coming down on a sunny day.” Have You Ever Seen the Rain? Credence Clearwater Revival John C. Fogerty Fitting words from a 1970s hit and very appropriate to a worsening problem statewide.

Fifty years ago, women’s volleyball wasn’t even a varsity sport at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Fast forward a half century, and Nebraska volleyball is must-see entertainment. Matches at the Devaney Center are standing room only. The Huskers again led the nation in home attendance last year with crowds averaging over 8,200 per match. And their national championship match against Wisconsin in December broke collegiate volleyball records for both in-person attendance (18,755) and TV viewership (nearly 1.2 million).

Last week, President Joe Biden delivered one of the most divisive addresses to the nation I’ve seen in my lifetime. Our country is headed in the wrong direction, and those who oppose the Biden administration’s radical policies do so because of our desire to leave a better, more prosperous America for future generations.

The Governor said his new Department of Corrections director was going to turn around Nebraska’s troubled prison system. Now, seven years later, Director Scott Frakes is stepping down, a few months before Governor Pete Ricketts leaves office.

Every August, I always enjoy traveling the state to visit directly with Nebraskans. Taking a moment to speak with constituents, listen to their concerns, and talk about how we can best serve them is an important part of my job.

One of the subjects people talk to me about all the time is healthcare in rural Nebraska. We face some serious challenges that we need to address in the next session of the legislature.

Labor Day has come and gone, the State Fair is over, and the University of Nebraska Cornhusker football team has shown they can lose a close game (again) on the world stage. Summer is officially over.

Governor Pete Ricketts thanked Nebraska Department of Correctional Services Director (NDCS) Scott Frakes and State Fire Marshal Chris Cantrell for their excellent service to the State of Nebraska. NDCS Director Frakes has announced his resignation after having led the State’s corrections agency since 2015.