Aug. 14 | Paraquat and Parkinson's, NU seeks $61M

From the Nebraska Public Media Newsroom, this is the Nebraska Update. Coming up, the University of Nebraska has requested a $61 million funding increase from the state after years of repeated budget cuts. Plus, in 26, lawmakers across the Midwest tried and failed to ban Paraquot, a toxic weed killer that's been tied to Parkinson's disease. Among them was a state senator who's living with Parkinson's. He plans to keep fighting. This isn't about me. It's about anybody that is exposed to Pariquot, whether it's me or not, that the health of the common good was important. Those stories just ahead. I'm Macy Byers. It's Friday, August 14th. On this day in 1867, the first Nebraska Capital Commission announced that Lincoln would be the new location for Nebraska's statehouse. At the time, the town was called Lancaster, but was renamed to Lincoln for the occasion after President Abraham Lincoln. The previous capital was located in Omaha. The news is next. Nebraska Update is funded in part by the Nebraska Lottery, distributing proceeds to preserve native prairies, save endangered wildlife habitats, improve water quality, and so much more. The Nebraska Lottery has been bringing our state's environment to life since 1993. The University of Nebraska Board of Regents unanimously approved a state budget request with a 4.25% increase for each of the next two years. NU President Jeffrey Gold says after years of cuts, he hopes to see the state invest in the university. We have lost talented individuals, valuable programs that makes a difference to our students, our communities, and to the state. At the very same time, the need for public higher education. and specifically the need for this extraordinary university system has never been greater. The university is also requesting $1.5 million from the state to help fund the Presidential Scholars Program, which is a full-ride scholarship plus a stipend for Nebraska students with a perfect ACT score. Gold says the state has not fulfilled its commitment to help fund this program yet. Electric shock gloves worn by law enforcement made headlines this week after immigration and customs enforcement announced its intent to outfit agents with the technology. But as Molly Ashford reports, officers in at least two Nebraska departments have been using the gloves for years. The Bellevue Police Department has been utilizing the electric shock gloves for about three and a half years. And the Omaha Police Department bought 40 pairs last year. Both departments provide the gloves to school resource officers as a de-escalation tool. Bellevue also lets road patrol officers check the gloves out before they go on shift. Using the gloves to shock someone is considered a use of force, and both departments have policies outlining when they can be used. Bellevue Police Captain John Stuck says the gloves have been deployed twice in 2026, and neither incident involved a school resource officer.

An Omaha police spokesperson says the department has received multiple inquiries about its use of the gloves and plans to release additional information in the coming days. For Nebraska Public Media News, I'm Molly Ashford. The Democratic Lancaster County Attorney Challenger, Randall Rittner, called on the current attorney to step aside from a Lincoln fraudulent petition case. Maddie Ames has more on Rittner's reasoning. Rittner said a special prosecutor should be appointed due to county attorney Pat Condon's ties with the group behind the petitions, Good Government Lincoln. Lincoln City Councilman Brody Weber reiterated those thoughts at a press conference Thursday morning. I'm not saying I'm concerned about the interference, but I'm concerned about the connection. And I think that the process needs to be followed appropriately. And I think if anyone is too closely connected to the individuals that they're investigating, they need to do the right thing and step away. Good Government Lincoln, which is looking to change Lincoln elections, submitted over 13,000 allegedly fraudulent signatures. The group is tied to GOP consultants Axiom Strategies. I'm Maddie Ames, Nebraska Public Media News. Organizers behind a ballot initiative petition to hire more Lincoln police officers have paused their circulation efforts due to a, quote, toxic political environment in the city. The ordinance change requiring the city to staff at least 450 officers. officers will not be on the November ballot this year. The petition circulators, advocates for all Nebraska, said the previously mentioned case of potential signature fraud resulted in the decision. Spokesperson Eric Underwood said the campaign planned to hire paid circulators, but became concerned about the perceived integrity of their campaign amid the petition scandal. He said advocates for all

National data shows about 12% of teenagers report using AI chatbots for emotional support or advice. As Jolie Peel reports, education leaders have concerns about those chatbots. Artificial intelligence chatbots are on the rise. And Jay Martin, the school safety and security director for the Nebraska Department of Education, says those bots are meant to agree with users, even if they say something concerning. That's one of the issues that we talk about with kids is instead of talking to their parents today, they're talking to a companion that's AI-driven. And unfortunately, sometimes when they start talking about suicide, it'll just agree with them and give them the scenario of... how to kill themselves and do things of that nature, and that's when it becomes very concerning. Martin says it's important for kids to have at least one adult they can trust at school. You can read more about our AI and education series at Nebraskapublicmedia.org slash news. I'm Jolie Peel, Nebraska Public Media News. Two Lincoln families are suing the state, claiming their free speech rights are being violated by the current public school system policies. The lawsuit filed by the New Civil Liberties Alliance further states that enrolling in private school or homeschooling places an unfair financial burden on the families. The families are requesting that the court declare certain laws infringe on their rights and are asking for damages equal to how much it costs for public schools to educate their children. Party line disagreements have paused progress on a five-year farm bill. Updates to major farm safety net programs were passed in last year's federal budget bill, leaving a so-called skinny farm bill. University of Nebraska Lincoln Ag policy expert Brad Lubin says it's going to take a lot of bipartisan power to get the bill over the finish line. In some sense, we left the less contentious stuff to the skinny farm bill, but we also sort of left the traditional coalition on the roadside along the way. And whether you can, in fact, get the coalition back together to get a farm bill done is an important question. The current farm bill has been extended three times since passing in 2018. Ag leaders. say updated policies are key to propping up a struggling farm economy.

Exposure to a highly toxic weed killer called Paraquot is tied to a person's risk of developing Parkinson's. Nebraska has one of the highest mortality rates from the disease in the nation. As the Midwest Newsrooms, Luke Nozika reports, efforts to ban Paraquot have stalled around the country. Art stayed first noticed trouble with his fine motor skills two years ago when he started struggling to write. And then there were other people in the community. I'm out in the community a lot. And they noticed changes in my standing and walking. A neurologist pointed out that Stade's facial expressions had changed. He didn't blink as often, and his balance was off. He went to the University of Iowa's Medical Center, where he was diagnosed with Parkinson's, the fastest-growing neurodegenerative disease in the world. It affects all kinds of things. Your movements, your balance, your nerve, your response to your brain. wanting your hand to move and it doesn't it freezes or your foot freezes. So you stumble. Stade is among more than one million Americans who live with the progressive disease. He's also an Iowa state senator, which uniquely positions him to advocate for people with Parkinson's. As of 2023, just a handful of lawmakers nationwide had ever disclosed a Parkinson's diagnosis while in office. Last session, State introduced a bill that would have banned the use of Paraquot, a highly toxic herbicide that researchers have linked to an increased risk of developing Parkinson's. It is banned in more than 70 countries across the world. This isn't about me. It's about anybody that is exposed to Paraquot, whether it's me or not, that the health of the common good was important. Stade does not know what caused his Parkinson's, and he did not grow up near a farm. But the correlation between Parkinson's and Paraguat is of particular interest to Midwesterners, as Nebraska and Kansas have the highest rates of Parkinson's in the U.S., according to a 2025 study. Those living with the disease include about 10,000 Iowans, nearly 9,000 Kansans, more than 20,000 Missourians, and about 6,100, Nebraska. Stade isn't alone in his efforts to ban Paraquot. Lawmakers in at least 10 states, including Missouri and Illinois, have proposed restricting its use or sale. Three other states floated outlying its application near schools. But despite growing concerns about the weed killer, Vermont is the only state that has banned it. It is so closely connected to not just Parkinson's disease, but other health harms. And ultimately, this is a tool that needs replacing in the toolbox. That's Jeff Horsfield, the legislative director for the Environmental Working Group, which has pushed for Paraquot bans. He said while the EPA is re-evaluating Paracquot's safety, people who live near farms where Paracquot is applied can't afford to wait for the federal agency to act. Data shows that while Paraquot's use more than doubled in recent years, it accounts for only 2% of all pesticides applied across the U.S. Horsefield described it as an uncommon but dangerous chemical. We also know that Paraquot can cause other health harms, including threats to kidneys, thyroid, it's an endocrine disruptor. It's also been connected to non-Hashkins lymphoma and other types of cancers. In Iowa, Stade's Paracot Bill did not pass.

One lawmaker who worked as a farmer told him it'd be a slippery slope that could lead to banning other pesticides. But proponents say outlying Paraquot has not harmed the food and agricultural industries in other nations, like Brazil. And they say there are safer options from other herbicides to nonchemical methods. I'm saying this is such a simple thing to do. It can really affect one. If it's affected one person's life or one family, they're not having to have this disease, it's worth it. Stade plans to introduce a paraquot ban again next session in Des Moines. I'm Luke Nozica, the Midwest Newsroom. The Midwest Newsroom is a collaboration including NPR and member stations in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. The Midwest Newsroom is a member of the Trust Project. The Nebraska Update is Nebraska Public Media's daily news podcast. Follow wherever you listen so you never miss an update. Share your story ideas and news tips with us online at Nebraskapublicmedia.org slash news tip. This episode was produced by Andy Herman with music from KJ. Tedder. I'm your host, Macy Byers. History has a way of repeating itself. The years and headlines change, but the questions don't. Join us to connect the past to today's conversations about politics, farming, food, and justice. Once again, a podcast from Nebraska Public Media.