No one is injured after a Union Pacific train derailed in North Platte's Bailey Yard early Thursday morning. The derailment occurred at around 4 a.m. along Front Street. Approximately six train cars derailed, with three remaining in the upright position. Rail crews were there throughout the morning, conducting cleanup operations after grain spilled from the train cars. No one was injured and no hazardous materials were released.
Governor Kim Reynolds is increasing state aid to public schools by 82-million dollars this year. She signed a state bill into law on Thursday that calls for a two-percent increase in aid per student for the fiscal year of 2027.With the inclusion of state, local and federal funding, Iowa schools are expected to receive more than nine-point-one billion dollars for the upcoming year. Reynolds says it shows how the state emphasizes education. The two-percent increase is a compromise from an original bill for a one-point-75 percent increase and five-percent request from the Iowa State Education Association.
The mother of one of the girls killed in a plant explosion in Fremont is suing Horizon Biofuels. Lauren Baker says her 12-year-old daughter, Hayven, was in the facility's breakroom when the explosion took place in July 2025. The lawsuit says Hayven should not have been allowed in the building and Horizon Biofuels should have had a policy in place to prevent minors on the property. The explosion also killed Hayven's father and plant employee Dylan Danielsen as well as Danielsen's eight-year-old daughter.
New color-coded ballots are coming ahead of Lancaster County's primary election. Ballots will now be color-coded by political party in an effort to streamline the county's partisan primary. Ballots will now have a colored stripe at the top that indicates the voter's political affiliation. The colors include red for Republican, blue for Democratic, yellow for Libertarian and green for Legal Marijuana NOW, with nonpartisan voters receiving a purple ballot. Nebraska's primary election is May 12th.
Another hearing is held by the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission on its updated emergency regulations. Those who attended the meeting in Lincoln expressed concerns over the commission's cap on a patient's THC possession in a 90-day period to five grams. The medical cannabis commission has held two public hearings as it implements rules for the program.
The Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry is under new leadership. Former State Senator Matt Williams of Gothenburg has been appointed as the chamber's interim president. Williams served in the Nebraska Legislature from 2015 to 2023, and he is chairman of Flatwater Bank.
The University of Nebraska Omaha is closing its childcare center. University officials say the childcare center will close May 22nd because it is underutilized and only at half-capacity. The childcare center has about 40 families enrolled as well as six full-time employees.