Aug. 11 | New political party lawsuits, volleyball complex

From the Nebraska Public Media Newsroom, this is the Nebraska update. Coming up, two new political parties are facing lawsuits from the two largest parties in Nebraska. Both claim the new parties aimed to put spoiler candidates in hot races this fall. Plus, Nebraska-based sportscaster Kevin Coogler has ascended to calling Olympic and NFL games. Now he's heading to the Nebraska Broadcasters Hall of Fame. I feel like everywhere I go, I'd like to do a good job not only for myself and for my family, my reputation, but for the state of Nebraska. It's important to Nebraska that Nebraskaans are represented well on the national stage. Those stories just ahead. I'm Jackie Aretha. It's Tuesday, August 11th. On this day in 2025, more than 1,000 people across Washington, Douglas, and Saunders counties were still without power, two days after a deadly storm blew through eastern Nebraska. The storm produced 90-mile-per-hour winds, knocking out power to more than 40,000 people, and killing one person at a state park. The news is next. Hi, I'm Matt Olberting, Nebraska Public Media News Director. We produce Nebraska Update with the support of our members. Donate now at Nebraskapublicmedia.org slash donate. Thank you.

The Nebraska Democratic Party filed a lawsuit Monday in an attempt to keep candidates with the newly formed Nebraska Working People Party off the November ballot. Molly Ashford has the details. The Democratic Party's lawsuit is the latest in what has been a very litigious election season. It's similar to a lawsuit filed last week by Republicans in relation to another new party, the America First Party. Republicans and Democrats say these parties are intended to mislead voters and act as spoilers in close races. They are each seeking a court order to prevent the Secretary of State from certifying the new parties. Democrats also say the Working People Party is named too similarly to the National Working Families Party. A hearing in the Republican Party suit is set for Wednesday, while no hearing has been set yet in the Democratic Party's case. For Nebraska Public Media News, I'm Molly Ashford. Lincoln Mayor Leary and Gailer Baird is set to announce a $17 million dollar volleyball complex ballot initiative on Tuesday. Maddie Ames has more on what the vote means for Lincoln. A state board led by Governor Jim Pillon has already approved the project's use of state sales tax incentives. But now, Lincoln voters will need to approve allowing a turnback tax to be used for the project. That would allow for Lincoln to take a portion of state sales tax. and redirect those dollars into the project. The complex will feature up to 12 indoor volleyball courts in northeast Lincoln. The proposal suggests more than 418,000 people will visit the complex in its first year. It also projects over $51 million in total economic impacts for the construction phase and the first year of operation. I'm Maddie Ames, Nebraska Public Media News. As the state of Nebraska grapples with an increasing budget deficit, the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services is still moving ahead with projects and programs. Noel Annan reports that one of the projects is an expansion effort at the ICE detention center in McCook. State Senator Margo Juarez, who represents parts of Omaha, visited the ICE detention center in March. She says while detention centers through immigration and customs enforcement are meant to be temporary stays, some detainees have been there for months on end. They don't know when people are going to actually be sent out. During construction, Juarez says families are not allowed to visit. Families are being torn apart. That's the true reality of what's happening. The former work ethics camp facility in McCook has enough beds for 200 people. In the state's contract with ICE, it is required to house up to 300 men and women. For Nebraska Public Media News, I'm Noelle Annen. Many colleges in K-12 schools across Nebraska have at least a policy banning the use of artificial intelligence for cheating. But as Julie Peel reports, one student hopes his work at a national gathering this summer. will encourage schools to expand those policies. Landry Krauss, a freshman at the Consolidated District, Syracuse Dunbar Avoka, went to Boston this summer to help craft a bill on artificial intelligence in schools. It covered ways teachers and students can and shouldn't use AI, along with how parents can support their kids with the technology. We grew into this week.

know how to use it in many ways that they don't. They haven't wrapped their minds around what it can do and how it can be good, but also how it can be bad. Krause was one of 98 students across the country to participate. While the bill isn't official legislation, it will be sent to more than 10,000 schools across the country. You can read more about our AI and education series at Nebraskapublicmedia.org slash news. I'm Jolie Peele, Nebraska Public Media News. fall will start the year ranked number one with Creighton sitting at number 13 in the newly released AVCA coaches poll. The Huskers received most of the first place votes, 57 of the possible 63. Both in-state programs start their regular seasons the last weekend of August. Kevin Kugler grew up in Lincoln, announced Husker and high school sports at Nebraska Public Media, and has climbed to the national stage of sports broadcasting. Tuesday, he will enter the Nebraska Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. Aaron Bonderson spoke with the sports broadcaster about the honor. What was your reaction to hearing that you're getting inducted into the Nebraska Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame? Well, I was very surprised. First off, I didn't expect anything like that to be happening at any point in my career, let alone now. But I was very honored. It's a tremendous honor to go in with terrific people this time around and really to be... in the pantheon of so many greats in a state that I've grown up in and have made my home since I was very young. It's a real honor to be in the Nebraska Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and I'm thrilled for the induction. As your career has grown, do you ever feel like in the broadcasting space that you're sort of representing Nebraska in a way? I would say so. Every time I go out in the country to do a game, whether it's an NFL game or Major League Baseball game or a college basketball game, I bring Nebraska with me. I mean, I live in Nebraska still and my family is from Nebraska. I feel like everywhere I go, I'd like to do a good job not only for myself and for my family, my reputation, but for the state of Nebraska. It's important to Nebraska that Nebraskaans are represented well. on the national stage, and it's important to me to be one of the people that represents this great state. What are some of your favorite memories that you can remember along your career journey leading up to now being with Fox Sports and Westwood One for NFL and college basketball? Well, there have been a lot of wonderful milestones along the way, whether it's getting the chance to actually call games on a national level, which is something I never thought I'd be able to do. getting the cover five different Olympic games for Westwood won over the course of my career, spending a month in Beijing and a month in Sochi, Russia, and a month in Rio, memories I'll never forget. Those were great moments, the chance to call NFL games across the globe, whether it be in Mexico or in London. I've been very fortunate to have a lot of awesome experiences in my career, whether it be stateside or internationally. And luckily, I've still got some runway left on my career,

some memories still to be made, but it's been a wild ride for a kid who grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, just wondering if this was a career move he could even make and sustain. I've been very fortunate. So you talked about it a little bit there, but the NFL for a lot of people in sports broadcasting is the pinnacle. What's it been like to call games for Fox on that national level for one of the biggest sports leagues in the world? It's sometimes a bit overwhelming. There's so much attention on that league and on that sport. But it's a thrill. I've been very fortunate first on radio and now on television to have a chance to cover this league. And there's really nothing quite like it. It's crazy to think that something I watched every Sunday growing up, I now get to be a part of someone else's Sunday experience watching these games. It's surreal. Daniel Bellinger on the run. How about this one? Touchdown Giants. Who inspired you along this journey to get to where you are now? You look at people in this state. Brian Kemp Pavelka is the broadcaster. I grew up listening to calling Nebraska football and calling Nebraska basketball. Fortunate to have gotten to know Kent now as a professional over the years and getting the chance to listen to national voices like Vin Skelly call baseball. Harry Carey as a Cub fan growing up, listening to him, have fun, and learn how to entertain when you're in the booth. There's just so many different influence. that you can point to that you say, well, I stole a little bit from them and a little bit from them and I borrow this from that broadcaster or that broadcaster to try to find your own voice but incorporate some of the things that you liked from others along the way. Was there ever a point in your career when you did realize that a chance at the Nebraska Broadcaster's Hall of Fame was possible or just even getting to that national level? When I first started doing... games. My hope was to be a team guy for somebody, maybe a college announcer somewhere, just the chance to have the stability of that job. And then I found out very quickly that I enjoyed doing different games and learning about different teams every single week. When I first started doing play-by-play for Westwood One, that was really the first thought that I had with, wow, I might be able to do this on a national level. I was doing Division II athletics at the time for the University of Nebraska, Omaha and got to take a big jump up to that level. You mentioned the point at which this honor has come in your career. So what's next for you? What's kind of the hope going forward in your career? Well, I mean, certainly for me, I'd just love to continue to get better at my craft. I think every one of us who does this, regardless of whether you're a newscaster, a sportscaster, any sort of a broadcaster or any career, really, I think one of the things that you always strive for is to improve. How can I improve on the last broadcast? that I did. And that's my goal right now. How can I be better than I was last weekend? Thank you so much for your time, Kevin. You got it. Have a great day. That was sports broadcaster Kevin Coogler, who will be one of the newest additions to the Nebraska Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He'll be inducted Tuesday evening in a ceremony in Lincoln. I'm Aaron Boderson, Nebraska Public Media News. 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, Jackie Orata. 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.