Opinion

Rick Holtz

Rick Holtz

Learn from your mistakes

One thing I learned a long time ago in my newspaper career is that mistakes happen.You do everything you can to avoid them, but every now and then a misspelled word, the wrong photo or a typo in a headline sneaks into print.It’s the nature of the business.
Deb Fischer

Deb Fischer

Investing in our children

Earlier this month, Nebraska families gained access to one of the most significant investments in the next generation that Washington has made in years.On July 4, 2026, tax-advantaged federal child savings accounts — known as Trump Accounts — became available to every U.S.
Loren Lippincott

Loren Lippincott

Providence smiled on Washington

I recently saw the movie “Young Washington,” which premiered on July 3rd and details the early life of the man who came to be known as the Father of Our Country.
Paul Hammel

Paul Hammel

Second verse, same as the first — more budget cuts needed

Reporters take a lot of notes, and as I recall, the notes I took during 2023 when the state approved dramatic cuts in state sales taxes had supporters saying: “don’t worry, if the state gets into financial straits, it could pause the cuts.”Well, let’s fast forward to today.Gov.
Adrian Smith

Adrian Smith

History worth preserving

On July 4, 2026, we celebrated 250 years of the greatest experiment in self-governance the world has ever known — the United States of America.
Nash Leef

Nash Leef

Conservation impacted due to USDA staff cuts

For producers, federal conservation programs are complex compared to straightforward transactions with equipment or seed vendors. Enrolling in a three-to-five-year federal contract requires extensive data logging, compliance reporting, and strict implementation guidelines.Producers rely on U.S.
Rick Holtz

Rick Holtz

A piece of my childhood

You never know what you’ll find when you walk into a thrift store.A few weeks ago, I wandered into one for the first time and stumbled across something that instantly took me back more than 30 years.Sitting on a shelf was the exact pocket watch I had as a kid.
Loren Lippincott

Loren Lippincott

What is socialism?

Socialism is a system in which the government controls the economy, owns major businesses and tries to make everyone equal by taking from some people and giving to others. In practice, it causes great damage in many ways.
Deb Fischer

Deb Fischer

Making the ‘Good Life’ even better

Last week, I spent the Senate’s July state work period on the ground in the Good Life listening to my fellow Nebraskans and learning new ways I can advocate for them in Washington.
Paul Hammel

Paul Hammel

High property taxes are easy to describe, harder to solve

That time of year is nearing – the time when you have to pay the second half of your property taxes, due by the end of July.It’s a big check, and I write two of them, one for my house and one for the small farm that’s still in the family.