Renewables & local tax fights: A Nebraska excise tax on renewable nameplate capacity has helped some districts fund major upgrades, like O’Neill’s $13.2M school expansion—while other counties are tightening rules and leaving projects behind. Public safety tech backlash: Nevada County residents pressed supervisors to remove Flock-style license plate cameras, arguing the data is monetized and searches exceed what’s reported; the hearing showed a sharp split over what the cameras actually do. City-by-city data center rules: Broken Bow moved forward with a first reading of data center and digital asset mining regulations, requiring conditional use permits for higher-power facilities and refusing to rush the process. Courts vs. appliance rules: Nebraska joined a Fifth Circuit win that struck down Biden-era federal efficiency standards for stoves and ovens, saying the agency skipped required public process—good news for consumer costs and availability. Housing policy momentum: Sen. Pete Ricketts celebrated Senate passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, aimed at cutting red tape and speeding rural housing development. Energy & water pressure: Missouri River runoff stayed well below average, and drought conditions are expected to persist across Nebraska and nearby states. Food & agriculture risk: Taylor Farms’ jalapeño-linked salmonella recall kept expanding downstream, with Nebraska retailers among those affected. Local business: Edward Jones Otto Wealth Management added Morgan Wills to its team in Alliance. Road safety: AAA warned back-to-school traffic will be more dangerous with school zones, buses, and e-bike/e-scooter riders.