Omaha World Herald. December 22, 2017

New State Patrol leadership is bringing accountability back to the agency

The Nebraska State Patrol spent decades building its reputation as a law enforcement agency the public can trust.

A handful of employees recently damaged that reputation by inappropriately meddling in investigations of some troopers' use of force. The activity occurred on the watch of Col. Bradley Rice, who was hired and later fired by Gov. Pete Ricketts.

Col. John Bolduc, Rice's successor, is making progress in rebuilding the Patrol's foundation. His staff spent more than 1,000 hours investigating the troubling allegations. In announcing his disciplinary actions, Bolduc said, appropriately, "The standard isn't perfection. The standard is honesty."

Because of that work, the State Patrol has a fresh chance to earn back the public's trust.

As a result of the 15-week probe:

— One trooper was fired over his role in the internal investigation of a fatal high-speed chase in northwest Nebraska in 2016.

— Rice's second-in-command, a lieutenant colonel, retired and a sergeant resigned.

— The major who ran Patrol field operations was demoted to captain.

— A captain was demoted to sergeant.

— A sergeant and a trooper received unspecified internal discipline.

With these actions, Bolduc and Ricketts delivered the accountability Nebraskans expect of their State Patrol.

Bolduc's comments Wednesday struck the appropriate balance between protecting the public and managing employee morale.

He told troopers: "I want you to know I have your back, but having your back isn't a blank check for every error. There are some mistakes that just can't be tolerated."

It is unfortunate that negotiated labor contracts and state personnel rules prevent Bolduc from speaking more specifically about the investigation's findings: names of the officers involved and details about their actions.

Ricketts and state lawmakers would do well to explore whether law enforcement officers who depart under suspicion deserve state protection from such disclosure.

The union representing troopers appropriately argues that departing officers deserve the right to contest workplace allegations (and some who were disciplined by Bolduc are appealing his decisions).

But there should be a middle ground that improves the public's access to information about such investigations after employees exhaust their due-process rights.

Meanwhile, it is reassuring to know that the Patrol's investigative reports have been handed over to the FBI and federal prosecutors for review. The public would gain access to more specific information if any criminal charges arise from the conduct investigated.

It might not feel like it today, given the scrutiny of Patrol employees' actions, but the colonel's decisiveness gives the many honest, well-intentioned men and women who work for the Nebraska State Patrol a chance to reclaim the mantle of trust their forebears earned.

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Kearney Hub. December 22, 2017.

The University of Nebraska is making great strides in making education — the great equalizer — more accessible. The university reported this week that enrollment growth in online classes is outpacing national norms. NU's online status is important because it underscores the success of efforts to bring educational opportunities to as many people as possible. Erasing the geographic hurdles that formerly limited access is huge, especially for would-be students who might live too far from an NU campus or cannot enroll in traditional classroom courses because of work and family schedules or military obligations.

For many people who fall into those categories, online classes erase all boundaries to access.

New figures reported to the Board of Regents this month show that unduplicated headcount enrollment of distance-only students — that is, students enrolled exclusively in NU online programs — rose from 4,454 in fall 2015 to 4,887 the following year, an increase of almost 10 percent.

Each campus, including the University of Nebraska at Kearney, saw an increase in distance-only students, and NU's growth outpaced the average among U.S. public four-year institutions, according to the report shared with regents.

Students need their university to remove as many barriers as possible so education is accessible to as many people as possible.

The University of Nebraska Online website provides access to more than 100 fully online programs offered by the campuses, including those in the health professions, computer science, engineering, agriculture and life sciences, business and other fields important to the workforce.

Harnessing the power of communications technology is a breakthrough that cannot be ignored, and NU is not ignoring it. Now if NU can reduce another educational barrier — cost — there would be hardly anything limiting would-be students from enrolling for classes.

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Lincoln Journal Star. December 23, 2017

Fortenberry bill offers major benefits for conservation

Salt Creek tiger beetle, pallid sturgeon, interior least terns - these names are familiar to Nebraskans who have heard of conservation efforts directed at these endangered species.

But they're far from alone; Nebraska Game and Parks has officially denoted 30 species of birds, fish, mammals, reptiles and plants as endangered or threatened in the state. Nationwide, some 12,000 species are classified as being of "great conservation need."

Efforts to save these species from extinction and preserve their fragile habitats are vital to Nebraska's ecosystems, though a finite amount of funding at the state level can limit the reach and number of species aided in this process.

A new bill, introduced last week by Nebraska Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, aims to provide federal financial support to such voluntary, incentive-based recovery efforts nationwide. This bipartisan bill, which has a Democratic cosponsor, is a commonsense means of preserving and improving our national natural heritage.

By diverting funds collected on mineral and energy rights on federal land into a fund that would be divided up among states and territories to best address conservation programs they deem most important. The legislation is revenue-neutral and disarmingly simple: Turn money made off the land back to the states to invest in the land and its species how they see fit.

All in all, the act sets aside $1.3 billion in its first year, of which Game and Parks estimates Nebraska to receive about $15 million. That money could be used in any number of ways - including expanding species preservation efforts, partnerships among wildlife agencies, urban habitat development and countless others - building upon the state's tradition of thoughtful conservation.

Investing in more proactive, voluntary conservation projects would advance Nebraska's legacy of forward-thinking stewardship of the land. Land and water endure forever; the people who occupy them are fleeting. However, we have the responsibility to preserve these natural resources as best we can for future generations.

Nebraska's wild, wonderful natural habitat is among the most diverse in the nation. The lush, green forests and hills along the Missouri River give way, as one moves west, to the Platte River valley to the south and unique Sandhills to the north before reaching the Panhandle's rocky landscape.

Each of those distinct landscapes, however, faces its own threats, whether manmade or natural. Animals and plants dependent on the state's rivers and waterways, in particular, are disproportionately represented on Game and Parks' list of endangered and threatened species.

Coordinated campaigns to turn the tide of these species' declining populations are best handled with local control, by the experts who know their states best. Fortenberry's idea of infusing these efforts with federal funds made off the land is one Congress should certainly explore in greater detail.

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McCook Daily Gazette. December 22, 2017

We owe our happy holidays to those who stay on the job

Those of us who live north of the Mason-Dixon Line enjoy making fun of southerners who are out of their element when winter arrives up north.

"Well, winter has arrived," one construction worker proclaimed to the amusement of his native-born companions, one fall morning when the temperature dipped below 50 degrees at a Nebraska job site.

Our warm-climate friends got their revenge Thursday when we were all helpless in the face of the ice storm that crippled transportation in Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas.

We hope you're holding a physical copy of this column as you read, but if you're reading online because delivery was delayed, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from everyone at the McCook Gazette.

Happy holidays especially to those who give up time with family and friends to make sure the rest of us are safe and have vital services over what for most of us is a long weekend.

If you check out the Police Activity Log on page 2 today, you'll see what we're talking about.

We counted 17 traffic accidents, seven ambulance calls and two motorist assists as well as the usual routine calls.

For a town under 8,000 population, that's a busy day.

When we did make it home safely, we found electricity delivering power for our electronic devices and furnaces, natural gas for heat and, for the most part, broadcast and internet streaming entertainment to pass the time.

Clean, safe water appeared when we opened the faucet, and wastewater disappeared down the drain for proper disposal without us giving it a second thought, and crews were out at all hours to return streets and roads to as safe a condition as possible.

If a loved one had a medical problem, they could be assured of swift, appropriate care, despite icy conditions, as the ambulance calls listed above attest.

Those who are unable to live independently were assured of professional care at area rest homes, and hospitals and emergency rooms were fully staffed, thanks to dedicated medical and support staff.

Time was running short for shoppers, but packages continued to arrive, thanks to postal workers and private delivery services, swamped under the holiday load.

And, those packages don't appear here magically; over-the-road truckers are on duty, even when slowed by the most hazardous conditions — like those they experienced Thursday. The same goes for those who work at one of McCook's oldest transportation service, the railroad, which continues moving freight and passengers regardless of the holidays on the calendar.

Gazette delivery drivers and neighborhood carriers should be on the job, as usual, this afternoon, carefully navigating highways, streets and sidewalks to provide this, the final pre-Christmas edition to our readers in time to enjoy it during a break in the holiday festivities.

Thanks to everyone who helps make a happy holiday possible, and all the best for the coming new year.